JesseLowe/PirateMonkeyFactions

A note: In the interests of making things more personal for the PCs, each faction is generally going to be represented by one or two NPCs who reflect that faction's essential nature. We'll see how it works.

Factions of Immediate Interest to the PCs

Or immediately interested in the PCs, take your pick.

House V'neef

In this particular campaign, House V'neef has been horribly, horribly embarrassed by Captain Kaizoku's raid on their treasure fleet. Therefore, they're pulling out all the stops to catch and keelhaul him. Aside from that, they're looking for wild cards and other factors that might give them that desperately-needed advantage in the struggle for the throne of the Realm.

Represented by Captain V'neef Barada, the captain of the treasure fleet that Kaizoku raided. He's Kaizoku's Enemy (in terms of the background).

• Nature: Ambitious, cunning, mercantile.
• Goal: Long term: Preserve and advance the fortunes of the House. Short term: Get Kaizoku.
• Methods: Careful management of financial assets, suppression of piracy, strategic marriages and alliances (esp. with the Immaculate Order).
• Played by: The British East India Company.

= The Order of the Immaculate Dragons

Well, the PCs are Known Anathema and they've managed to grievously insult the order by robbing and murdering a senior monk. Why wouldn't they be interested?

Represented by Kahlun.

• Nature: Fanatical, mysterious, respected.
• Goal: Purge the Anathema from the land like the filth they are.
• Methods: Kung fu! Also propaganda, allying with House V'Neef, and using their wide range of contacts to hunt down Anathema.
• Played by: Old Republic-Era Jedi Order (Anathema are Sith Lords and suddenly it all makes sense).

Lookshy

Lookshy will be present mostly in opposition to the Mask of Winters. The conflict will be a backdrop for the adventures in the Scavenger Lands, but will take greater prominence later. I'm thinking Lookshy will ask Captain Kaizoku for help in breaking a blockade on the Marukani coastline... or in setting up a blockade on Thorns. And they're likely to be a competing faction in the quest for the lost First Age naval depot. In any case, most contact will be through the Seventh Legion Naval Forces.

Represented by Shozei Teresu Kado , who's badass. I haven't decided if he's played like Bester from Babylon 5 or someone a bit nicer.

• Nature: Strong, professional, slightly overconfident.
• Goal: Defend the Scavenger Lands and maintain the balance of power therein.
• Methods: Military might, special operations, and careful diplomacy.
• Played by: Mythic Sparta (as opposed to the historical Sparta).

More Remote Factions

Walker in Darkness

At the GreenLady's urging, Walker in Darkness is stepping up a campaign of subterfuge and sabotage that he hopes will lead him to a position of dominance in the East. Rather than oppose Great Forks directly, he is trying to strangle it economically. Of course, the need to purge his citadel of the curse laid upon it is growing more and more urgent.

Represented by Deathknight Minister of Unleavened Mercy (Day Caste)

• Nature: Patient, paranoid, and direct.
• Goal: Achieve the goals of the Malfeans; defeat MaskOfWinters. (Short term: Secure his citadel)
• Methods: Economic strangulation, open war.
• Played by: Darth Vader, but with slightly better manners and no breathing apparatus.

Mask of Winters

The Mask is about to declare war upon the Marukani in a bid to weaken the Threshold so he can move against the other DeathLords without interference from the living. In his arrogance, he's planning a "limited war," believing that careful threats and diplomatic maneuvering can keep Lookshy and the other Scavenger Lands out of the conflict. He's wrong.

Represented by the Deathknight First Light of Grief (Dusk Caste)

• Nature: Domineering, deceitful, arrogant.
• Goal: Rule All of Creation! Destroy All (other) Deathlords!
• Methods: Military force and false diplomacy.
• Played by: Grand Moff Tarkin. (I'm running Exalted f***ing Star Wars here, man...)

Exalted Servants of MoW

For this campaign -- specifically, the war -- I need to know just how many Abyssals the big guy has available.

Assume that 100 sparks were stolen and corrupted. There are 13 deathlords, which gives an average of 7.7 sparks per deathlord. However, the Princess Magnificent was shamed and probably lost her allocation, changing the average up to 8.3. Add in a few converted Solar sparks and we get, say, 9 per DeathLord. Given MoW's noted efforts to recruit, I'm going to say he has a grand total of 10 Abyssals in his service, plus the Green Lady, a rogue Sidereal. These Abyssals are:

The Eastern Circle

1. Fist of the Storm Dusk
2. The Apostate In Tatters Midnight
3. Ten-Leaved Scholar Daybreak
4. Typhon Day
5. The Perfect Rose of Thorns Moonshadow

The Western Circle

1. Reducer of Cities Dusk
2. Supplicant of Plague Midnight
3. The Graceful Student of Sorrow Daybreak
4. First Light of Grief Day
5. The Merchant of Bones Moonshadow

The Green Lady

I think I'll have her playing both ends against the middle for her own mysterious purposes. Whether she's good (very dedicated Sidereal) or bad (Infernal Sidereal) I haven't yet decided. In any case, she's going to get Walker and Mask of Winters in a war neither one can win against both each other and the Confederation of the ScavengerLands. A dangerous game, to be sure.

Represented by Herself.

• Nature: Subtle, manipulative, laughing.
• Goal: Destroy existing power structures in the Scavenger Lands.
• Methods: Manipulation, espionage, prophecy.
• Played by: Soulcatcher (from The Black Company books)

The Bull of the North

I've finally come to a decision on the Bull of the North. Screw this Solar stuff, he's a badass Lunar making his move. He might have one or two pet Solars, but for the most part, he's got a Lunar pack. And he's not part of the Silver Pact, neither, so nyah. I'll see if I can whip up some stats for him and his buddies. As a side effect, the events of the Realm-Bull war can continue largely unchanged. (Maybe the Empress tolerated it because she wanted House Tepet taken down a peg.)

I think the Bull is in a period of consolidation that will probably last at least until 770 -- he has been campaigning for a solid four years without stopping, and the cracks are starting to show. Say he's been consolidating for about two years now, ever since he crushed a rebellion among some of the Icewalker tribes in 766.

• Nature: Magnificent, direct, confident.
• Goal: Conquer the world in the name of the Unconquered Sun.
• Methods: Open war and lots of it. Join him or die.
• Played by: Genghis Khan? He is ruthless, but not amoral.

The Bull's circle:

• Yurgen Kaneko, the Bull of the North. Full Moon.
• Samea. No Moon.
• Crimson Antler. Dawn Caste Solar.
• Fear-Eater. Changing Moon.

Dragon-Blooded minions:

• Mors Ialden. Aspect unknown.
• At least 3 others, probably more.

Other allies:

• The Elk Avatar
• The Mammoth Avatar
• The Caribou Avatar?
• Bloody River
• Ardeleth

Current Holdings:

• Gethamane
• Rokanjin
• Talinin
• Most of the Icewalkers' territory, probably

Next Targets:

• The Hundred Kingdoms
• The Linowan Nation
• The Haslanti League