Issaru/ChildrenOfTheSacredAndHolyLight
This page is an Idea dump for Issaru, Dreaming Nymph, and Scytheus. please no comments until the under construction sign is down. Thank you - Issaru
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The Children of the sacred and holy light are a group of sun worshippers who have been in hiding since the days of the shogunate. Forming a village seven days ride outside of nexus they hide in plain sight. They hunt down relics to give to their masters, the solars, upon their return. They hunt down whatever solar exalt they can find if it is possible to do so without imperial trouble. These practices have resulted in the order having only recruited two solars in the past and the circle of solars who have somehow just happened upon them. Of the solars previously recruited only one remains and she currently travels the North looking for her old circle mates. The other died in the contagion while using the last of his magic to protect the community from the worst of its ravages. Having been created from a monastic order the children of the sacred and holy light are proficient in several Terrestrial martial arts. Most are heroic mortals and a few are awakened mortals they have training programmes that can guide a mortal to awakened status in only 15 or so years, using several unique charms developed for that purpose expressly
The children started as a monastic order dedicated to serving their night caste master’s every command. The night caste’s name has been all but forgotten to but a few. The last order their master gave the children was to leave and prepare for her and her brothers and sisters return to the world, a mission in which they have never faltered. In the first age they were spies and assassins that even the dragon blooded feared. In the shogunate they became whispers stories that old women told their children so that they would behave. In the second age they have become a shadow a forgotten force who’s knowledge and resources are unknown but all the more potent because of such.
In order to be able to lead uninterrupted lives the villagers came up with a "god" protector so no one would realise they were anathema because of their essence use. They were surprised four hundred years later their fictional god appeared and became the head of the Village and has thus far supported their cause and furthered it greatly.
The Village has a network of tunnels beneath it which houses a small demesne, a shogunate age laboratory, a Forge, several relics from the first age and the shogunate (nothing big though just objects that can be used by a person) and finally it houses a library that has several terrestrial texts on magic especially practical item creation ( swords, coolers, poultices, armour.) large volumes on thaumaturgy the plans for the celestial circle spell *blank blank* and a *night reaver daiklave* are also present.
The villagers trust no one but their god and their master (who hasn't shown up yet) and only reveal what they know slowly. Most pc’s should be instructed in mundane things at first, then maybe some terrestrial Martial arts instruction and after maybe two or three generations the terrestrial spells and the plans. The tunnels are only shown to the staunchest of allies who have proven themselves heroes of the community for generations and even then much scrutiny is involved
The god of the village is an old enemy of the Exalt whom the monks served and is using the village as a way to find her and get revenge. It is secretly planting *Magick* into them so that they will follow her even when *she* does show up.
The grandmaster of the temple is a god. He started life as a godblooded and ascended when his mother, a celestial bureaucrat who works for the bureau of fate, decided to aid her gold faction friends as she sees the current state of affairs with the realm as too chaotic to be controllable.
Scytheus: Well, the ideas I had for the Children were as follows:
- They were not only assassins and martial artists but a few follwed academia. Select among them went further into astrology - at least as well as mortals can persue such things. Though nowhere near as concise as the Sidereals, they were able to tell very vague portents of coming times. The villagers are pensive with certain things, especially religion, but generally warm. They can offer shelter (though limited of resources) to wary passers-by for a short period.
- Yeah I kinda thought that they should have some Thaumaturgists, and such myself. I don't think they could have survived long w/o them. Also I love the astrology aspect you thought of (yeah it's obvious, but I completely overlooked it). - Issaru
- Tarric Evenshadow is one of the only remaining few in the village who knows how to keep up its lore. The rest have died of old age and he has been the only younger man so far willing to learn the mysteries of the occult. From his mentor he learned many things. Among them, the existence of the "Gold Faction". A cabal of powerful sorcerors who aide the Solars. In fact, it was through a message of concern over Gilean's whereabouts that Tennean came to assist the circle.
- I figure that there would be more "mages" than Tarric, but I have the feeling he's the most powerful of the ones who are approachable. The grandmaster of the temple, and god of the villiage are probably more powerful "Mages". Of course they don't get seen often by anyone particularly those who are not severely important to the survival of the villiage or the task of the "Children". - Issaru
Well, that's it so far. Let me know what you think. We'll flesh it out a little more.
Hey, what made the Mages (as in Mage:The Acension) in the first place? Are we going with the "Watered down Sidereal" version of the story, or can we make these guys like those Mages? that would be nifty, with spheres and all. I guess the mortal thaumaturgy paths are sorta spheres, but I was thinking something more...punchy?<yes, the power junkie in me raises its ugly head> Mebbe I can make that make more sense later, if it doesn't flow right in your head as is. Oh, yeah, and where do the tunnels go? Is it like a bomb shelter deal, or do they actually go somewhere, like a Solar Underground Railroad? - Dreaming Nymph
- The Mages are/were Sidereals. Thaumaturgy is strong enough for these guys IMO. They are supposed to be weaker than the PC's remember!! Anyway they're "just" mortals. Mortals can only hold so much power, and I think the basis laid down gives them more than a normal mortal share of power. I do want to make some coherent stats on Accention, and maybe the villagers in this particular community get some bonuses (i'm thinking a new heroic mortal point template). As far as upping the power possessed by these "MORTALS" i'm not so sure about.
cool, cool, but about the tunnels? - DN obsessed with holes in the ground today
Scytheus: How about this: The tunnels were an underground series of pathways used by Cultists in the pre - to early First Age times. Later, as Anathema were hunted down during the Usurpation, some Solars fled to these tunnels in hiding. That is how some of the artifacts came to be stored there even though the Children cannot actually use them. Of course, these Solars were eventually found and executed in the very tunnels. Some of these Solars were no more than children. This event left a lot of spiritual activity residual in the tunnels - not neccessarily all of it friendly to strangers.
Later still, the tunnels were found by the Children. Also, all the remains of the executed Solars were found scattered about rather unceremoniously. Their bodies were spitefully left for the carrion countless years ago. The Children performed rituals according to the only religion they knew to give the remains a proper funeral. The tunnels were then turned into catacombs. This fulfilled two purposes:
1) It turned the lingering spirits to the cause of the Children. They now have a sort of security system for the artifacts against graverobbers and tomb raiders, atleast mortals ones anyway. Any tresspassers who have not been cleared with the spirits through a secret ritual performed by the Children, will be set upon by perterbed ghosts and such. The Childrren only perform this rite in favor of those they deem are worthy, which as Issaru pointed out, does not come swiftly.
2) Because the village is rather unassuming to begin with, most treasure hunters and Dragon-Blooded will pass it by (and its tunnels) out of hand. But those who traipse haphazardly into the tunnels will only see catacombs. By then, more than likely, they'll realize that there truly isn't anything special about this village ^_^. They'll be allowed to retain some decency and leave the burial grounds peacefully. If they travel too far into the tunnels, well, see point #1.
hmmm. so, i read a bit of the ww quarterly, and they note that mages(M:tA, not Exalted mages) are awakened from an ancient curse inflicted on mortals. When? Who put the curse on them? --DN pondering on mortals and the nature of their magic
- The Primordials laid the curse. The reason it's said like that in WWQ is that there are no exalted in the WOD. Hope this clears that up a bit. - Issaru
Not really, but i'll work from here...eh, i was hoping for the coolness of the mages, but mortal sorcery wil have to do i suppose... ;o) not like i was planning on doing anything huge with these fellas anyway, i got enough trouble planned. -- DN
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Special Thanx to Ageis.
