Latest revision as of 00:49, 9 June 2010

Notes on PotW Part 2

My rough notes/ outline for the part. My big, completely-out-of-nowhere idea turned out to actually be the part of the episode I liked least. I don't think I implemented it nearly as well or interestingly as the whole Stone Face thing.

_Ikselam

• back to story.
• to WBM.

1/20/04
My completely-out-of-left-field idea is for Oteitani to turn out to be a Dawn Caste Solar.
Why this could rock:

• It could lead to an interesting plotline where he actually ends up being part of Taban's Circle.
• Introduces an unusual moral/ethical conflict.
• Could lead to a Solar v. Solar boss fight.

Why it could suck:

• Some people might think it was cooler if he was just a really badass heroic mortal.
• I'd have to be careful to not have him displace O&T from the limelight.

Stuff to consider:

• Need to determine where O&T are going.
  • A Manse?
  • A spirit's domain?
  • A nifty desert cave or something?
  • The home of a hermit of some kind?
  • Hell? (no, seriously, if they made it to Malfeas they could... never mind.)
  • An oasis (probably a bad idea; wouldn't make much sense for the tribe to not already be there)
    • unless it was inhabited by a surly nymph, an unfriendly Stone Face, or something like that.

• Someone should tell a story. It should probably be Oteitani. He could shed some light on his past exploits, or illuminate (obliquely) his motivations.
  • some First Age horror story.
  • a fight with a devilish Anathema which he wins through clever trickery, and DEFINITELY NOT by overpowering the guy with Charms (or by flashing Castemark and sticking him in the back).

• If Oteitani is in fact Solar, how has he kept this hidden from everyone, including his creditors?
  • has he been involved with other Solars in the past, and did that lead to his current "kill all Solars" stance?
  • does he even have a "kill all Solars" stance, or is he just in it for the money?
  • do I think he should be set up as a future ally? If so, I can have the narrator foreshadowing-rape the audience in the intro. This would be kind of sleazy, but it could work.

• Should describe Ote and Ly more. Ote in particular needs description. Unless, of course, he turns out to be a Sidereal.
  • since Ote is noted to be an Iroquois name, might think of making him look Native American. Then again, could just make up whatever the heck kind of appearance I think is neat.

• Do I continue using the same narrator, or switch to a different one?

1/21

Intro; foreshadowing
I. Osol and Taban make it to the "safe place." I will probably just gloss over the part where they ride through the desert for hours.

a. Osol says something (along the lines of "I can do ANYTHING") which makes it clear she's totally tripping on her newfound power.

b. They chat with Stone Face, who is nowhere near as easily impressed as Takyyudin.

c. Stone Face agrees to give them sanctuary. He possibly references Taban's past.

II. Lyeshe and Oteitani do some stuff. They and their entourage find the remains of a rebel base, but it has been deserted for some time. Wait, I know, they go back to the site of the battle which... no, that wouldn't work. It would be too old. Crap.

a. They hit the Delzahn camp?

b. They pick up O&T's trail?

c. They call it a night. Ote says or thinks something which makes his nature clear to the audience.

1/22
Oteitani is Linowan. He killed Jalith (or a Jalith-like Solar). He Exalted immediately afterward... with her spark! He thinks this was an Anathema death-curse. Although his victory (and subsequent rampage of destruction through outlying Halta) won him much honor, he ended up fleeing because he thought he was being taken over by the spirit of the dead Solar. He spent some time in Gray Falls, where he spent most of his time drunk and the rest running up gambling debts to House Ragara. He has spent the last few years on the road, hiring onto various mercenary companies. He is intensely ashamed of his Exalted state, viewing it as a sign of spiritual weakness -- clearly, if he'd been stronger, the soul of the Haltan Anathema would not have been able to possess him -- and takes great pains to conceal it. He rarely uses Charms except in battle against other Solars, but it seems as though keeping his powers bottled up only makes them more powerful when he finally cuts loose.

Stone Face guards a Cave of Wonders. Just like in Aladdin! Stone Face is more of an Easter Island head than a sand lion, though. His mouth leads down into the cave, of course. Dunno if I'll actually describe what's down there, or leave it to the next person in line.

Stone Face has a quicksand attack which he uses to humble uppity Solars. His voice sounds like a grinding millstone.

1/23
I have this notion that it would be swell to set things up so that Oteitani asks himself the question, "I wonder if the Anathema Lyeshe is hunting might not be ME." This will probably be a result of Lyeshe setting someone up to spy on him. I wish I could figure out a way to justify him having Motive-Discerning Technique... but Socialize 4 is a little too much to ask of an itinerant mercenary warrior. I guess I can just have him be naturally suspicious. I could set it up so that the person trying to worm her way into his confidence is actually very up-front about it.

Stone Face is a Gemlord. He controls the idol after which he is named through Essence puppetry. He'll demand that Osol take one of his eyes in return for his help (although he'll probably portray it as a gift). His Cave of Wonders is a Cave of Wonders because it's filled up with jewels, of course -- it's his actual, literal belly.

I'm going to do the foreshadowing thing in the intro. It'll be easy enough to cut if people think it's too much.

Oteitani thinks of his Exaltation as a little golden monkey in the back of his head.

Need good Marukani names.

Some Ukrainian and Russian girl's names (think Cossacks)
Palahna
Zhanna
Svetlana "Sveta"
Nadezhda
Tsvetkova
Tatyana "Tanya"

On the other hand, "Rhianna" and "Radek" don't sound very Slavic. Well, maybe Radek does, kind of.

Made up names which use a tilde because tildes are neat
Perrestreña "Perry"
Sañalenthes "Sana"

1/24
L&O chat with Tuluy, who is predictably unforthcoming.
They set up camp.
Scene break right here? Or put in "do you think she's lying" "i think she's lying boss" "okay, makes two of us" "wanna start killin til they talk, boss?" "nah, too messy" "okay boss" type thing? Might also want to sneak in some description of Ote, and/or of his new friend.

T&O chat with Stone Face, who is unimpressed by O's bluster.
He sinks them into sand up to their necks and proposes a new bargain, which involves them owing him a favor in return for his help (and their lives). Our Heroes do the smart thing and accept. Whoosh! They are sent down into the gemlord's underground lair.
A kri gives O one of Stone Face's eyes.
They follow the kri off into the tunnels.

While L makes himself useful summoning and interrogating local elementals, Ote chats with the boys and girls. Ote tells the story of how he fought the Haltan Anathema. Could spring off from him meeting the as-yet-unnamed Marukani henchman. Probably should. She could come up and reference his nationality, address him in Forest-tongue, or something like that.
Ote's new pal asks him about the story.
Find some way to make him suspicious. She readily admits that Lyeshe paid her to snuggle up to him. This would be where he'd use Motive-Discerning, if I could find some way to justify him having Socialize 4. I guess he could just use Judge's Ear Tech instead.
Lyeshe pops up, looking kind of peaked. A kri is with him. It's the same kri who led T&O through the tunnels! What a dastardly little deer-thing!
As they saddle up, Ote wonders about L's true motives.

1/28
Rhianna is clearly derived from Rhiannon, which is Welsh. Look up Welsh names.

• back to story.
• to WBM.