TjcoonrodCampaignIdeas
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Campaign Shortcuts
Introduction
Currently planning for a 'possible' campaign for when I return home to WA state. At this moment in time, nothing set in stone. Hopefully I will be able to get a game of Exalted going, however......
I have no idea what kind of Exalts the potential PCs will want to play. Judging from experience, it is usually either the 'good' or the 'bad' guys, meaning players leaning towards either Solars or Abyssals. Although usually a mixed group of Solars and Abyssals are a bad thing, far be it from me to try and introduce Exalted to a set of new players and limit what they want to play. And, with my fledgling idea forming, I could actually see that working. For now, I will have to go with the assumption of 'mixed Celestial' as the group, but can always tailor it if that changes.
Campaign Synopsis
Despite numerous criticisms from old 1st edition, I have always been enamored and as to date havn't played in a campaign with the Cult of the Illuminated. The sheer audacity to use the reborn Solars as your tool, when your kind was instrumental in their death and betrayal, is clear RP fodder as a seed of conflict. So, I want to run a campaign with the cult, nuff said.
My premise so far is as follows:
- Cult approaches PCs - Perhaps the opening scene will be (maybe cliche) the Wyld Hunt running down our heroes. (That'd be good to have our 1st session hit the ground running) - perhaps the mortal vanguard of the Wyld Hunt, to allow the new players to get a good sense of how combat and charms work, without being overly difficult or dangerous, as well as having an action packed opening sequence. After the PCs slaughter, or the mortal vanguard retreats, they are approached by cult members. Being under duress, perhaps the PCs will allow the cult to aid them - but nobody is beset upon to actually join the cult at the moment. The cults first concern will be to save the heroes.
- Cult seeks to indoctrinate PCs - When things get safer and the Wyld Hunt has left the vicinity, they will be entreated upon by the cult to join with them. Perhaps out of fear, perhaps out of wanting to belong somewhere or feel safe, the PCs will accept. But perhaps not. I have to flesh out plans for such a refusal.
- PCs go to a cult training ground - to train. I will allow them extra bonus points to reflect such training, but in now way will I allow the discounted xp expenditures from the Cult of the Illuminated rules, 1st edition, but I will allow them the extra points/stats/etc. Not only will they get benefits, but this will allow them to see how the cult operates, and perhaps form attachments with other NPCs.
- PCs trained for a secret mission - The Gold Faction wishes to bring about the conflict with the Bronze Faction to 'inevitable conclusion'. As such, they intend to FORCE heaven and their bronze faction brethren to ADMIT that the Exalted were trained to work together, and that the Solars are NECESSARY to bring Creation back from the teetering pit it currently hovers over. So, they will be trained to go on a 'secret mission' that a lot of the information will be held back from them. Truth is, this secret mission will involve presenting a drastic danger to Creation, and threatening its inhabitants, one of such scope and magnitude that the Solars will be required to assist.
- The traitor - of course, (I break canon perhaps by doing this) there will be a bronze faction traitor, planted early on in the beginning, and he is a crafty one (hand picked by Kejak himself) and has earned trust and wormed his way to the middle ranks of the Gold Faction. He will, of course, not only report this plan, but help them to accomplish it - to regain some of the Bronze Factions influence. He will frame the Solars, try to put it out that THEY were responsible for this threat to Creation, and use it as a rallying cry of 'See, we told you so' by the Bronze Faction.
- The span of sessions - This will be the long and arduous pursuit of their secret mission, rife with conflict, intrigue, and perhaps where I will begin to introduce a bit of paranoid untrustworthiness between the PCs and the Cult NPCs. They will go, and eventually find an artifact, a lost 1st age most powerful artifact, one that can bridge the gap between Creation and Malfeas. One that will open a portal, that will free the Dark Empress. And in that horrifying moment, as the Dark Empress and her legions of minions, spill forth, will the PCs realize they were played like fools.
- They will learn in game that it was the Sidereals who were behind the usurpation, and all hell will break loose. It will be interesting to see what happens. Will they continue to aid the sidereals, and forgive them for their past misdeeds? Will they believe the gold faction, who were opposed to the usurpation but only told them vague half truths, and deliberately concealed information from them in an attempt to manipulate and lie to them? Will this anger, get in the way of, them saving creation from the horrors that they unwittingly released? Or will they be so angry, that they will let creation fall?
- Resolution - this will lead into how they resolve this major story arc, and can lead into many future sessions (raising armies, combating the Dark Empress, defeating the Ebon Dragon, cleaning up and banishing demons, repairing the seared cracks to the prison known as Malfeas, etc etc, as well as the personal resolutions - their thoughts and feelings towards Sidereals (and even Dragon bloods, as I would think they'll come to the conclusion that the Dragonblooded were duped and manipulated by those blasted Sidereals).
Win - Win situations
It is a win win for both the Gold and Bronze Factions.
- Bronze - The reappearance of the Empress will finally solve the mystery. It will be used as a catalyst to unify the Realm in anger (The Anathema converted the Empress?!? Blasphemy!), and to consolidate the waning power of the Bronze Faction. In heaven, revealing the gold faction half cocked plan will allow them to crush the Gold Faction, politically, once and for all. And revealing the fact that Solars backed this endeavor (even young and perhaps naive Solars) will give the Bronze Faction the sense of comfort, in that what they did so many years ago, was truly the correct action to take. So, the rewards are worth the risk - win win. Even if the whole situation goes south, they can still always blame the Gold Faction. And with a unified Realm, perhaps even stem the tide should things turn out poorly.
- Gold - The chance to kill the Empress, and reveal she herself was 'Anathema', will only serve to do many things. For one, it will ensure that a power struggle will come to full tilt for the throne of the Scarlet Empire, causing all chaos and weakening the Bronze Factions powerbase. The chance to disillusion many of the mortal followers of the Immaculate Faith, will also be utilized. Proving that they need the Solars (truth be told, to stem this tide, they WILL need them) is icing on the cake. If the opportunity is right, and presents itself, they will inform the Solars of the bronze factions treachery, and hopefully will serve to cement the Solars alliance with the cult, and allow them to suddenly be on equal, or superior, terms to the Bronze Faction. And to ultimately save Creation from itself (a benefit, but not an original goal).
Am I jaded?
Yes. Yes I am. In my campaign, the Sidereals will be seen in a not too favorable light. They are ancient, venerable beings, more content to politick and to gather power, than they are in defending Creation, and doing what they were meant to do. It was always in my mind that the Sidereals were more meant to be stewards of creation, than the lunars themselves were. (I imagine a whole lotta peeps out there would disagree with me). However, in that light, I still will present the 'diamonds in the rough'. There will be young, fresh Sidereals, who will stand out from the norm, and will act as 'girl/boy scouts' - ones who put Creations needs above their own. But they will be rare.
I want the PCs to view Sidereals as selfish, manipulative, bastards that they are in my mind. That is my full intent, and if I offend any lover of Maidens and their chosen, I apologize. Just one slant to canon for this campaign.
On a side note, if there is a mixed celestial group, and one of the players wanted to be a Sidereal, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!! I can think of all sorts of personal conflicts arising, and perhaps even the PC Sidereal himself beginning to feel guilty, and question, what the fudge Heaven is doing. What his kind is doing. Oh, that would be sweet.
Will the Sidereals unleash Pandora's Box?
The Sidereals in this premise, although understanding the premise, do not realize the full extent of what they will unleash. The artifact, which I will stat up soon, which will be used somehow to 'retrieve' the Empress, will crack the prison of Malfeas enough to allow the Empress and hordes of demons (an army) to spill forth into Creation. The breach will NOT be enough for any of the Yozis to squeeze through, unfortunately the Ebon Dragon will squeeze and compress and come out into Creation in a mortal shell (think of avatars of the gods in Forgotten Realms). He will be powerful, but not invincible - at least, not until he widens the cracks, and can unleash his true primordial form into Creation.
The Dark Empress has other plans
I am ruling that the Dark Empress will be fully "devoted" to the Malfean cause, perhaps beyond redemption (although, if for whatever reason the players try to redeem her, that could be an epic story arc all unto itself). The Empress will wish to of course, annihilate the feeble attempts of any resistance from Creation, widen the gap, and allow the primordials to break free and resume their rightful vengeance, retribution, and rule of Creation. How could this best be attempted? Pitting Creation against itself. She will return to the Blessed Isle, in an attempt to return to her power base. Possible ideas and how the Realm would react to seeing their beloved leader a demonic semblance of her former self are as follows:
- The Dark Empress returns, but is opposed. She therefore, in an attempt to tender the surrender of the Scarlet Empire to the forces of the Yozi, meets with all the heads of the major houses, and the major contenders to the throne (short one Roseblack) - Mnemon spearheads a rather nasty 'discussion' and through unusually charismatic oration (perhaps motivated out of spite and powerlust) convinces all to not do what the Dark Empress is asking. As a result, they are all summarily slaughtered.
- Cynus Negazzar and the Roseblack's secret plan comes to fruition. All believe the Roseblack dead, fighting the Bull of the North, and her legions vanquished - and, to everybodys chagrin, is a complete fabrication. She lands her forces on the Blessed Isle, making her way to the Imperial City, and forcing the Dark Empress to flee as she is outnumbered heavily. The Roseblack summons a public meeting of *all* dragon blooded dynasts, and claims the throne. Not out of powerlust, but out of 'duty' to Creation. She is of course, backed by the Sidereals in secret - and she will be the rallying point of the Realm.
- The Dark Empress prepares for war, perhaps allying for a time with the Mask of Winters, both seeking to betray one another after their temporary alliance of expediancy is done with. The Scavenger Lands is slowly transformed into a Wasteland.
- Can the Realm, Lookshy, Marukan, and Walker in Darkness (seeking a preemptive strike versus MoW) get over their bitter hatred of one another, in attempt to save Creation? (Certainly Walker in Darkness won't want to overextend himself - perhaps only sending a squad of Abyssals and joining the fray himself) - can they save Creation? Will Walker in Darkness betray them? How will the alliance work between the Yozis and the Neverborn (usually opposed in ultimate goals). Well, I see the MoW holding back a bit and letting the Yozis take the brunt - taking them out of reach of their goals, and in the war, using it to consolidate power (walker will seek to stop this). I can see the Realm forces despite underlying tension uniting with Lookshy and Marukan, at least if in distrust of the aid sent by Walker in Darkness. Can Sidereals knowingly ally with a Deathlord to 'do what must be done'? Can they all tolerate the means to their ends? Or, does the end justify the means? Can the Sidereals finally acknowledge the necessity of Solars? And, can they fix what the Solars will ultimately become? Ooooooo, good stuff.
Comments
Well, I must say my first attempt at Exalted for a group of players new to the game is suitably epic. Mwahahahaha! - Tjcoonrod
