NikinkCityOfGoldcampaign/CampaignNotes

Campaign Notes

Road of Steam

ok, stuff for Leath to note from the Road-Of-Steam Campaign:

Heaven in turmoil ::

The undead are mobilising. No-where near the normal numbers of souls are returning for reincarnation, Po's and Hun's are being separated and bound to effectively double the numbers (not to mention those bodies able to be reanimated as zombies or skeletons!). In particular, Exalts and high essence beings are being targeted, though all are suffering. New undead blasphemies are being reported within the deserts south-south-east of the Lap. And a field of ice has appeared to be growing around a fortress within the desert - hearkening back to First-Age Legends.

Normally this would be an item of singular and uniting concern, but, there are also unforeseen snags and tangles on the Loom of Fate occurring on the other side of the Mountains - Jungle tribes are in upheaval, some are getting annihilated. Large areas of Jungle are getting stripped of Flora and / or Fauna. The attack upon Gem was unforeseen and that is frightening many in Heaven.

The Fortress-Of-One-Thousand-Suns, once hidden from history after the usurpation, is being 'fated' for re-discovery. The Dragon-Bloods are being manipulated by certain Sidereals who wish for it to be discovered, and yet others who do not. Some in Heaven believe that the only way to stop the Deathknights is with the First-Age knowledge within it's walls, others state that allowing such wonders to be unleashed upon Creation is foolhardy at best, suicidal at worst. And yet others bury their heads and figure the Undead and the Unseen will take care of themselves when they eventually meet; they work to consolidate the Realm to the North, abandoning all holdings to the South-West until such time as the two Unknowns have clashed, leaving the victor weak and ripe for destruction by the consolidated Realm. Arguments rage in private sanctums and disagreements are voiced through bureaucratic poetry... and displays of perfect Kung-Fu upon occasion.

Pirate activity has grown. The Lintha are bolder, the Western-Fae are more aggressive.

Beastmen tribes are agitated, and their Lunar Gods don't appear to notice. At least one powerful Lunar has already disappeared. Lytek was surprised to see it's Essence Shard appear so soon. The Lunar was replaced for a time by one of the Unseen, presumably it's killer, who used the masquerade to venture with the Beastmen tribe much further north, causing dissent and anger among the other tribes and other Lunars. All are on edge.

Ok, that's flavourful... now some nitty-gritty...

(Using Gods created by ppl on the Wiki for ease)

Jagalza, the Satrap of the Realm ::

• Feeling under-pressure, and somewhat besieged.
• Chief advocate of Consolidation,
• Beginning to wish the rest of Creation would just suffer another Wyld incursion (ala Contagion) so that::
  • Realm enemies, of which there seems to be a multitude appearing, would be destroyed and / or weakened;
  • The Realm would have a chance to consolidate, the greater threat being a driving force to unify the warring Houses, and the the battles of the enemies would buy the time required;
  • The Realm, after the unification, could prove to be Creation's saviour (again), and drive back the Wyld (and any other remaining enemies in their weakened state) thus enabling an expansion of the Realm as well.

Zocho, the Satrap of the South ::

• Growing fatter, more corrupt and more confident on the influx of prayers emanating from the south.

Amoth City-Smiter, God of Tumbled Ruins, the Sub-Director of Bribery and Finance ::

• Carefully sending gifts to placate Zocho every time another village is destroyed, nothing overt mind you, very subtle.
• Accepting gifts from multitudes of gods, who are hoping vainly to save their domains from destruction.
  • In particular Black-Quarry, God of Gem

Sigur, Lord of the Kept, God of Human Bondage ::

• Is gaining power due to the Autocthonian practice of enslaving every survivor of a raid... indeed, everyone they can find...
• But keeping the increase very low profile, due to fears that if someone found out, more of an effort would be made to halt the Locust Crusade, thus lessening his domain again...
• Due to shake ups in the east (ie: Albin'Shar and it's rulers and allies having such an Anti-Slavery ideal) feeling irritated over the situation, but it's not considered a problem...

Taru-Han, Lady of Souls, Shogun of the Department of Abstract Matters ::

• Alarmed at the lack of souls being recieved from the South-West.
• Vigorously seeking answers as to why, and where are they going.
• But fearful of her power being undermined, these are private investigations
• Has, through unknown and shady means, acquired an Autocthonian Soul-Gem and is fascinated by it.
• Knows of the Gem of Dual Souls being used by the Deathknights and desires it's utter destruction as a perversion of all that is right... at least, that's what she says in conversations with others who know of it.

Ahlat, the Southern God of War and Cattle ::

• Growing stronger with the rise in conflict

Siakal, the Western God of Battle, Slaughter and Sharks ::

• Much as Ahlat, but more so. Battles are frequent, Slaughter is common, Wars require time and preparation.
• Eager to promote her causes.

Kor'vax, Lord of Carnage ::

• Newly unbound and free, making great efforts to promote his domain,
• Working with (providing aid and bribes to) Amoth and Siakal.

Lytek, the Right Hand of Power, Daimyo of the Division of Exaltation ::

• Disturbed by the untimely return of some Lunar Shards from the South-West.
• Has noticed Terrestrial turn-over in that direction and is getting worried... he knows it is a Dragon-Bloods place to fight and die and breed in large numbers, but in that direction their Souls are being captured a lot more often than they should...
• Knows of the Gem Of Dual Souls, and it's location.
• Suspects that Taru-Han knows, but is not sure, and would like to find a way to leverage the knowledge into increasing his power while weakening hers.
• Fears the Malfeans may find a way to use the Gem to corrupt other Essences.

Meanwhile... in Creation...

First-And-Forsaken-Lion is gearing up for War...

• King-In-Hate-And-Deceit, Midnight Caste...
  • The Deathlord's High Priest
  • Has followed legends, apocrypha and other obscure hints to find the lost Fortress-Of-Black-Ice and bring it back anchored into Creation.
    • It was thought long destroyed or banished into the Wyld
    • In the First-Age it was the lair of a powerful Akuma
  • Has found the Gem-Of-Dual-Souls within the Fortress-Of-Black-Ice
    • Powerful Artifact (5? N/A?)
    • Made of 90% Plotdevicium, 8% Narrativium and 2% Adlibium (v/v) ;-)
    • Allows capture and harnessing of both souls (Hun and Po) from killed people.
      • People must be slain within it's area of effect
      • Area of effect expanding as more souls are slain
    • Actually tears souls from the dying bodies
      • This can cause severe disfigurement of the corpses
        • The PC's have found some examples of these.
        • By PC's, I mean Nekuna who is the only original PC left
        • Nekuna doesn't care, just thinks it's a bit odd, hasn't formed any other connections yet B-)
        • This happened to Sesus Niron
        • This happened to Ragara Keros
      • Binds the souls to servitude
    • Allows the Abyssals to get three servitors per person slain (Ghost, Hungry Ghost, Zombie), thus rapidly inflating the Deathlord's already huge armies.
  • Is researching / creating new types of Undead War-Machines
    • Necrocastellan Armours
    • Plague Beasts (Think undead Yeddim that explode with miasma when 'popped')
  • Is a powerful Necromancer (as if it wasn't obvious)

• Lies-In-Hate, Dusk Caste
  • Wears the armour "Ward-Of-Sorrow"
  • Weilds the Daiklave "Sad thing stuff"
  • Uses the Thunderbolt Shield "Sorry Luv"
  • Rides a Lesser Elemental Dragon of Sandstorms
  • Is the current incarnation of Tahari Fae-Bane (Look in Akina's stuff for more references there)
  • Is actually a bit of a renegade.

• Fearful-Journeys-With-Taint, Day Caste
  • Spy and Trouble-Maker
  • Infiltrated the Lap (as Tepet Wadok, aide to ... one of the Triumvirs)
  • Infiltrated Gem (as 'The 50th Zombie'... just for a laugh, in one of the next e-mails you send, make a reference, or bring up a comment about 'The 50th Zombie'... )

• Glossolalia-In-Loneliness, Moonshadow Caste
  • Scholar and Bard, wanderer
  • Raising support for the Deathlord on the western side of the Thousand
    • Around An-Teng and up to Korannaset and Rakset
    • Abhors the Wild, and the Wyld, and savages, and beastmen etc...
      • Actually, probably much like Kiss-Of-Winter
        • You know, Fae are too good-looking to be Wyld related or Savage...;-)
      • In fact... was a lover of Magnus Vocan... *lol*... in all aspects B-)
    • Stirring up rebellious feelings towards the Realm
  • Ummm... stuff...

• Heaven's-Disgrace (The Daybreak Caste...)
  • Her leige, First-And-Forsaken-Lion, remembers the Alchemicals from way back when...
  • She has been sent to 'negotiate' with the Autocthonians
    • Available options for trade and treaty
      • Souls
      • Information
      • Technology
      • Non-Aggression
    • Negotiations are not going well, but as there are no areas of direct contact between the powers (limited skirmishes by advance parties notwithstanding), they are still proceeding.
  • Most Autochtonians are a little put off by the idea of Ghosts, due to their strong heritage of reincarnation.
    • A small few are eager and excited by the possibilities of having undead labourers that can work tirelessly, thus freeing up the living for 'fun and relaxation'
  • She is also engaging in some espionage
    • Soul-Crystal Technology especially
    • Relation between the Gem-Of-Dual-Souls and Soul-Gems in particular
  • Ummm... stuff...