Revision as of 03:52, 9 June 2010

Magical Girl Gangs of the Scarlet Empire

Introduction

Over the centuries, Neo-Empress Scarlet has allowed her descendents and other magical girls of note to form large gangs of magical girls who she can then tap to do her dirty work. They compete extensively for power, and the competition is heating up now that Neo-Empress Scarlet has vanished. All members of the Scarlet Dynasty come from one of these gangs, and those born outside them sometimes marry into them or are adopted.

Each Gang has a favored Caste, but contains members of all, and usually has a group specialty (most relevant if the difficult character creation method is being used.)

The Cat-Hackers (Fire)

The Cat-Hackers are, as one might guess, the anti-Catgirl faction of the Magical Girls. Burned by bad experiences with a 'magical guardian cat' who led them to their doom, they have set out to wipe out the Catgirls and cats in general. Any cat COULD be a filthy cat-girl spy, after all.

The Cat-Hackers have asked for and been given tributaries on the far fringes of the Imperial Holdings in the Periphery, so as to have the most chances to fight Catgirls.

Many Cat-Hackers affect dog motifs; some of them refer to themselves as the 'Hounds of Heaven'.

The Cat-Hackers have no real enemy within the realm; everyone is quite happy to let THEM be the ones who get eaten by Catgirls on the frontier, thank you.

The Cat-Hackers are led by Cat-Hacker Chulainna. She operates from a Cat-Hacker Satrapy in the Southeast, and seems to spend most of her time conducting cattle raids against all and sundry. It remains unclear how exactly these raids are ending the Catgirl menace, but they certainly annoy Bessie's followers... She is a red-haired Wedding Warrior who is even tempered, but never forgives a slight. She just acts in her own sweet time.

Members of Note:

• Cat-Hacker Alari: Here
• Cat-Hacker Forta: Catgirls are everywhere. They're IN THE WALLS, LISTENING AS WE SPEAK. Anyone who can't show a Magical Girl sigil on their forehead might be a Catgirl and even those who CAN, might be one in disguise! Cat-Hacker Forta was once a bold soldier of the Legions. Until her commander turned out to be a Catgirl in disguise and led them to destruction. Only Cat-Hacker Forta and a few companions made it out alive. Now she thinks Catgirls are EVERYWHERE, and she's gone underground to hunt them. Unfortunately, she's no better at spotting Tells than anyone else, leading to some embarrassment. Rumor has it that some faction now uses her as a chump to assassinate rivals. Rumors, of course, ARE ONLY SPREAD BY CATGIRLS!!!!
• Cat-Hacker Iana: Cat-Hacker Iana is a Sacred Bodyguard, assigned to command the defenses of Castle Cat-Hacker back on the Kawaii Isle. Given that it has not actually ever been attacked by anything but the odd assassin in its entire history, she tends to neglect this duty in favor of wandering the local countryside, trying to find something heroic to do. Unfortunately, there's not much call for that either, so she's often found meddling in mortal affairs; the mortals are slowly going crazy, but what can they do? Until the PCs show up, anyway...
• Cat-Hacker Nuku-Nuku: Unknown to the average Cat-Hacker, they've been infiltrated. Or more precisely, a member of the clan Exalted as a Catgirl and has been struggling to protect her fellow Catgirls covertly from within while posing as a mere un-Exalted Patrician. It's not easy. If Cat-Hacker Nuku-Nuku and Cat-Hacker Forta ever meet...FUR WILL FLY.

Houri (Wood)

The Houri are more interested in sex than power. Or perhaps in sex as the means to power. They are wildly decadent, throwing parties which usually turn into orgies of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The "Party Girls" always know where the party is, because they're the ones throwing it.

The Houris have most of their holdings in the East and South (especially liked as you can wear less clothing in the warm south.)

The Tepes Gang and the Houri Gang are major rivals to see who can be the biggest freaks.

The Houris are led by the Council of Five Madams, who seem to focus most of their attention on wild parties and building up their brothel empire. However, having noticed the empire heading for the rocks, they're now looking to find another house to back for the throne...so they can rule from behind it.

Members of Note:

• Houri Michiru: Mistress of the Brothels of the Imperial City, one of the Five Madams. Her job is to inspect them, keep them clean and tidy and presentable for all the guests. Some of them she manages directly for her family; the rest she inspects for the Imperial government. Those wise enough to pay the appropriate bribes regularly find it much easier to pass inspection, though even a bribe won't save you if you get too dirty or too obviously skanky (out in public, anyway...). She is known for sampling the merchandise, so to speak. Both kinds. Enthusiastically. This is, at times part of the bribe.
• Houri Aika: Child of Houri Yuka and Lemarchand Miki (an Unexalted Dynast male), Aika is short and cute and innocent looking, even though she is a highly trained Sex Ninja. (She's a Holy Thief of the Houri persuasion...) Among those who make it their business to know such things, she is known to be the owner of the Jade Bra of Death, a weapon of the highest level of puissance. When even the Houris find someone's sexual practices to go too far, or when the You'll See start teaching mortals their demonic sexual practices, it's time to send in Aika.
• Houri Umina: Tall, thin, and green-haired, she is a Forest Witch and a member of the Kawaii Order. She sees her house as in need of reform. It's not that orgies are bad in and of themselves; indeed, they can show off the beauty and love the Kawaii Order champions. But there does need to be limits--enforcing consensuality, not having orgies the night before your final exams, no biting off your mate's head after sex, etc. It's all in the holy texts, really.

Lemarchand (Air)

The Lemarchand gang delves deep into the secrets of the world, and has its fingers in organized crime as well; they want to know everything that's going on. They also are heavily involved in millitary intelligence.

The Lemarchands have an odd taste for nothern tributaries, perhaps because the cold and snow hampers other people spying on them.

The Otome Gang and the Lemarchand Gang have a traditional feud, thought to date back to the 'accidental' burning of a library of Lemarchand secrets by an Otome 'maid'. After which the Otome 'accidentally' ate so much sugar she exploded.

The Lemarchand Gang is led by Lemarchand Mara, who is said to favor blackmail as the solution to everything. She has allied her gang with the Memnonic gang because of their common intellectual bent, and seems to be backing Jonni's bid for the throne.

Members of Note:

• Lemarchand: Lemarchand himself, former husband of the Neo-Empress, and father of the gang's founders, has gone missing; he constructed a giant puzzle box 3 centuries ago, announced it would grant him infinite power, then promptly vanished in a puff of smoke when he tried to solve it. It sits inside the giant set of cranes and pullies he built to operate it, in the courtyard of Castle Lemarchand, as everyone is afraid to touch it. (Said Puzzle Box is forty feet by forty feet by forty feet and weighs tons. It took the help of several dozen oxen and slaves to try to move its parts.) Gang legend claims he has gone to live with Saint Tail and will return with her to judge the world at its end. Everyone else is reasonably sure the You'll See have him. AND GOOD RIDDANCE.
• Lemarchand Jeanne: An up and coming scion of the house, Jeanne is an agent of Gateway, the Imperial Spy Service. She's also a Dangerous Duty Postal Escort: Her job in the Post Office is to guard shipments thought to be in danger of being attacked by EEEVIL. This has made it relatively easy for her to intercept and copy critical mail for Gateway. She is employed under a second ID known only to the Storyteller so the players can't read this and know her big secrets!
• Lemarchand Tara: Here
• Lemarchand Triketa: Triketa is one of Lemarchand's grandchildren; her mother was Lemarchand Jaleta. She is in charge of Lemarchand Covert Operations in Minas LankWaterHawk. Or is she? She's found evidence of Lemarchand operatives in the city that don't answer to her. Are they traitors? Is someone else muscling in on her territory? And can she turn them to her own uses?

Memnonic (Metal)

Founded by Jonni Memnonic, daughter of the Empress, the Memnonic gang are scholars, priests, and sorcerors, studying and preserving ancient knowledge, and seeking new ways to do things. Most wear glasses and have mousy hair. Outsiders call them the "Nerds," then mysteriously find blood-apes in their toilet. And their bed. And their clothing.

The Memnonic Gang's tributaries tend to be theocracies, holy places, and centers of scholarship.

The Ragnarok and Memnonic gangs have an ongoing feud.

Jonni Memnonic still leads the Memnonic gang. She has allied herself with the Lemarchands, due to a common interest in intellectual matters.

Members of Note:

• Archimedia Memnonic : Archimedia is one of Jonni's great-grandchildren, a brilliant engineer and artificer who has dedicated herself to the sacred secrets of geometry. She spends much of her time either teaching at The Scarlet Institute For the Advancement of Arts and Sciences, conducting dangerous experiments with hypergeometry, or putting her skills to use helping the military out in a crisis. But she grumbles ENDLESSLY if taken from her experiments...
• Crucibalus Memnonic: Crucibalus is Memnonic's favorite grandson. He is unable to exalt, but his grandmother likes him so much (possibly THAT WAY) that she's preserved his life with aganathics and now commands one of the legions of the Memnonic Gang. He's actually a very good commander...by mortal standards. His lack of charms leaves him vulnerable in the war to come, and he's looking for a flunky whose powers he can exploit...
• Harmonia Memnonic: Harmonia is a high ranking Apostle of Kawaii, appointed as Satrap of the Shrine of San Andrea. She spends much of her time way in over her head trying to keep up with all the Holy Theives and wondering why she, a Sacred Bodyguard, got this job. Why Jonni did it, only Jonni and her teddy bear understand.
• Terri Memnonic: A skilled but apparently not skilled enough Holy Thief with a taste for brandy. She seems unlikely to party while a captive of Sees-The-Wind, an Eye Catgirl who captured her on a spy mission at Mauvewall.

Nebbish (Wood)

The Nebbish gang wants to be regarded as cool, but they're not. They're always wearing the clothing that was 'in' last season, listening to the music that was cool two years ago, and generally being giant wanna-bes. They are frequently found following members of houses around, trying to bask in their coolness.

Still, it has to be said that they are the best cooks and farmers. But that's just not COOL enough for them.

Their tributaries tend to be agricultural zones, because they LIKE TO EAT.

The Nebbish Gang has a sort of feud with the Solipisim Gang. Namely, they follow members of the Solipism Gang around until they drive the Solipist into fits of rage, resulting in a riot.

The Nebbishes are led by Nebbish Ziggi, who is a very bland looking redhead with a big nose. She doesn't look too bright, but is actually far more intelligent than most of her gang members. She knows her house has little hope of gaining the throne and is trying to decide who to back, though she's leaning towards either the Paddle-Wheels (because of their Naval might, which can be used to cut everyone else off from Threshold resources) or Ragnarok, because she can probably get a big bribe from them in return for support.

Members of Note:

• Nebbish Charlotte: A dumpy redhead, she has very curly red hair and SHE SPEAKS VERY LOUDLY ALL THE TIME. This was an unfortunate effect of her Exaltation shortly after watching a drill master at work. She is in the Legions and spends her time drilling troops, as it is what she is best at. When drunk, she starts to shout EVEN LOUDER, making her hard to deal with. Her goal is to one day command a legion, but that will only come if she ever learns to speak normally again...
• Nebbish Haru: Haru is a male member of the gang, who has spent his whole life having to deal with his mother's resentment that he wasn't a girl who could inherit her powers. He's grown up into a fiery adult, sent into the Legions so he could kill things without getting in too much trouble. Ideally. He is far crankier than most Nebbishes, and far tougher, even if he's just a heroic mortal.
• Nebbish Katara: Nebbish Katara is one of the great chefs of the Realm, once chef to the Neo-Empress herself, now chef to the Regent. She has developed a vast array of unique charms for making food and can meet all of Tepes Kanako's odd food cravings with ease, which has caused the Regent to befriend her. Which means dragging her into the schemes to get Kanako into her brother's bed...
• Nebbish Keiko: Determined to be the ultimate socialite, Keiko spent too much time studying the Tale of Benji and other 4th century texts. As a result, she resembles a walking museum piece (to those old enough or historically adept enough) or some sort of weird foreigner (to everyone else). This tends to immensely frustrate her, leading to her legendary bursts of temper. Legendary because they are so oddly mannered that it is often hard to tell WHY she is angry.
• Nebbish Makadona: Nebbish Makadonna set out to make her mark in the world of farming. She's getting old now, but she's become quite brilliant and developed many ideas which could revolutionize agriculure. If only anyone would listen, but the other Magical Girls are too busy with lovers and makeup and glory and war and sandwiches to LISTEN. Something is going to HAVE to be done.
• Nebbish Mikata: Here
• Nebbish Naru: A fairly typically young Nebbish, Naru was mediocre in school and a little shy, though energetic and enthusiastic once she cut loose. She is now a low-level bureaucrat in the Bureau of Peasant Management, wondering where her life is going and looking for something more exciting, like, say, the PCs...

Otome (Air)

Magical Maids, GO! The Otome Gang act as a cadre of bodyguards and companions for nobles, at the command of the Neo-Empress, who took command of the house after it was involved in a plot to overthrow her, long ago. Now it's used as a means to elevate trusted mortal-born Magical Girls in status and to provide security for ambassadors, tributary nobles and kings, etc.

However, with the Neo-Empress missing, many suspect the Otome Gang will soon be up to its old tricks...

They have no tributaries of their own, but rather, serve to assist the rulers of those tributaries. It is unclear where they get their funds from.

The Otome Gang and the Lemarchand Gang have a traditional feud, thought to date back to the 'accidental' burning of a library of Lemarchand secrets by an Otome 'maid'. After which the Otome 'accidentally' ate so much sugar she exploded.

The Otome Gang is lead by Otome Natsuki. She hopes to find the Empress or to arrange some sort of permanent regency which might have need for her Gang's services, as she fears that if any of the other Great Houses win, they'll wipe out House Otome due to its long use by the Neo-Empress to enforce her will on the other gangs and due to the low-born status of many of its members.

Members of Note:

• Otome Arika: Intellectually, she's a dimwit of high caliber dimwittedness. But she has a kind heart and is supremely athletic and nimble. And she Exalted, and even a stupid Exalt has value in the Empire. She is a Holy Thief who is quite good at her job and not much else. She is, in theory, assigned to protect Queen Mashiro of Windbloom, but is currently trying to FIND said queen, in the aftermath of the Artai conquest of said kingdom of Windbloom. Close friends with Nina, largely because Nina doesn't know Arika has a crush on her Dad...
• Otome Mai: Noted for both her hard-working mother hen personality and for her overly stacked chest, Mai has been a recent target of a jealous deathlord's agents, but continues to try to do her duties and protect her fellow Otome from whatever menace has targetted them. She is also noted for her giant fire-breathing phoenix-dragon familiar.
• Otome Haruka: She'd be balls-to-the-wall if she had any; as it does, she is a woman who has no fear (or common sense). She's one of the most potent warriors of her house and a nigh-invincible Sacred Bodyguard, so long as you don't find some way to trick her...
• Otome Irina: A red haired megane-ko, she is one of the young stars of the house, a Wise Witch of very high intelligence and inquisitiveness, fond of saying that her glasses see everything. Rather prone, nevertheless, to getting in over her head.
• Otome Nao: An experienced Wedding Warrior, this red-headed Otome is from the Kingdom of Artai, and is expected to return there soon to serve. She, on the other hand, hopes to find a rich patsy to be her sugar-daddy. Despite this greedy streak, she is a mentor to the younger Otome.
• Otome Nina: Stern and dedicated, Nina is an up-and-coming young Otome Sacred Bodyguard, expected to go far, with a strong ruthless streak and a determination to excel. Being ticklish can be a bad weakness to have, though... The fact that her adopted father, Cat-Hacker Sergei, is secretly a Bishonen Stalwart isn't going to make her life any easier either...
• Otome Yayoi: A tiny blue haired girl and a reasonably skilled Sailor Warrior, though she won't be getting any awards any time soon. Often ends up as Irina's flunky, dragged into things.

Paddle-Wheel (Water)

The Paddle-Wheel gang has dominated the waterways of the empire for centuries, roaming around and beating up anyone who won't pay them tribute. In times of war, they lead the Imperial navies against the foes of the Empire. The rest of the time, everyone hopes the "Pirates of the Caribbean" don't pull into harbor. Also, they wonder what a 'Caribbean' is, and why the Paddle-Wheels seem to be looking for it in their wallet.

The Paddle-Wheels also like to run floating riverboat casinos and are gamblers of great skill. And even greater cheaters.

The Paddle-Wheel gang and the Wherz'th'beef gang are rivals, competing for control of the tributary ports on the oceans and rivers.

Paddle-Wheel Marcia leads the Paddle-Wheel Gang. She is the Neo-Empress' grand-daughter and thinks very highly of herself. She is a brilliant naval commander but overestimates naval influence over land by a lot. Marcia hopes to claim the throne through its control of the waters and its ability to monopolize access to the Threshold...once those damn Wherz'th'beef are removed, anyway. They're courting the Nebbishes (as cannon-fodder and a source of supplies), the Cat-Hackers (for military prowness), and the Houris (for intelligence gathering skills).

Members of Note:

• Paddle-Wheel Fultana: Paddle-Wheel Fultana runs a legendary floating Casino, the Naughty Catgirl. Despite repeated attempts by real Catgirls to destroy it, it has so far weathered many a disaster and continued to dispense its combination of music, theatre, half-naked 'Catgirls', alcohol, and high-stakes gambling. It travels around the Inland Sea, port to port, and at times, it sails up and down the Yellow River; once every five years, it sails to Minas LankWaterHawk for the 'Orichalcum Stakes' Gambling Tournament, where the highest gamblers in Creation come to match wits with each other and various dieties of gambling.
• Paddle-Wheel Thani: Thani is an unusual member of his house; he is the son of a Helping Goddess and a male member of the house, making him a God-Blood. He is one of the few non-Magical Girl high-ranking naval commanders of his house as a result, and he does his best to watch out for the sometimes hapless men of his house. He tends to be just a little touchy, due to ending up second bannana too many times in the past.
• Paddle-Wheel Gigana: Paddle-Wheel Gigana is a perfect example of rising to one's level of incompetence. She is a brilliantly aggressive commander of single ships, but tends to lose track of everything else; she's been promoted to command a squadron several times, leading always to disaster and demotion, followed by hard-work and reward, then more disaster. She is obssessed with becoming an admiral but simply unsuited. Don't get in her way...

Ragnarok (Metal)

The Ragnarok gang believes that whoever dies with the most toys ascends to a higher level of spiritual enlightenment. They are bankers, financiers, and businessmen, seeking ever to accumulate wealth.

Ragnarok likes to take major trade towns and mining centers as its tributaries.

The Ragnarok and Memnonic gangs have an ongoing feud.

Members of Note:

• Ragnarok Geko: It's not so much that she's greedy as that she just wants MORE. Overstatement, grandiose actions, the quest for endless gold, she acts always on a giant scale. Usually successfully. She rewards and punishes grandiosely. So long as you serve her well, you will go far; if you fail her, you are doomed.
• Ragnarok Morgana: The founder of the Ragnarok gang; she is a brilliant businesswoman with little patience for anything else. She hates Jonni Memnonic, both as a rival sibling of the Empress but also because Jonni regards Morgana's quest for wealth with contempt. She is a dark-skinned, dark haired Sacred Bodyguard.
• Ragnarok Nanami: Here
• Ragnarok Yumi: She is a broker of information and a source of secrets. She knows what you need to know, but can you afford the price? Unlike most in her house, she is scrupulously honest.
• Ragnarok Yuuko: Cautious and inquisitive, Ragnarok Yuuko is as much an academic as a businesswoman; she runs her businesses as experiments to try to determine the truth of economics in more detail. At times, this leads to disaster, and then she goes adventuring for ancient loot to use as a source of seed money. She is, unusually for her house, an expert martial artist.

Solipism (Fire)

The Solipism gang are obsessed with looking good and being the center of the universe; they judge everything according to how it impacts them. They are utterly self-centered and vain. They also are rather in-bred due to their efforts to achieve higher levels of Heritage.

Their tributaries are chosen according to prettiness.

The Nebbish Gang has a sort of feud with the Solipisim Gang. Namely, they follow members of the Solipism Gang around until they drive the Solipist into fits of rage, resulting in a riot.

Members of Note:

• Solipism Dakana: Dakana is one of the lead fashion designers of the Kawaii Isle. Everyone who is everyone owns either some of her designs or else rip-offs of some of her designs. It hasn't so much gone to her head as totally repossessed and rebuilt her head to be a shining tower of pure egotism. She does not fear civil war...she fears the Empress has gone into hiding to avoid paying Dakana for the last Imperial Anniversary outfit she made for the Empress. Damn deadbeats!
• Solipism Jakana: The unfortunate Jakana is not very pretty by her house's standards (Appearance 2), and thus faces constant prejudice and trouble from her own house. And Nebbishes don't even follow her around! She's become determined to do something so cute that everyone will have to worship her. If she can only figure out WHAT.
• Solipism Kara: Here
• Solipism Gina: A cunning Wise Witch who is used by her house as an investigator, at which she is quite good. Unlike most Wise Witches, she dyes her hair blond, and is very vain about her good looks.
• Solipism Gorgas: Actually a male member of the house, he is a master Painter (Wits 4, Craft 5, 3 dice Painting specialty) who revels in his ability to get Magical Girls at his beck and call through his art. He only abuses this a little. Where little = half the grand canyon.

Tepes (Metal)

Vladina Tepes, daughter of the Empress, founded this gang after reading too many books about the Underworld. Its members pretend to be vampires, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, revenants, and other things that go bump in the night, though vampires are the most common. The Tepes Gang tends to throw the freakiest parties--The Houri gang may be more sexually perverse, but they don't make up their lasanga to look like you're eating someone's BRAIN.

House Tepes likes tributaries where they can sit in a big brooding castle and then scare peasants all day and all night. They love places with shadowlands, though ones they live through soon empty of the dead, who find members of House Tepes to be ANNOYING BEYOND BELIEF.

The Tepes Gang and the Houri Gang are major rivals to see who can be the biggest freaks.

Tepes Vladina leads the Tepes Gang.

Members of Note:

• Tepes Kanako: The Regent of the Realm, who spends most of her time trying unsuccessfully to get into her brother's pants instead of ruling the Realm. She is a fairly competent Sacred Bodyguard with a taste for disguises and trickery.
• Tepes Anadina: An ancient and potent Holy Thief of very high Moe, she has vast powers which she uses to steal information about the dead and the Lords of Cute Angst. Her mind has become bent, and she has fits where she thinks she is Queen of the Undead. Dangerous fits.
• Tepes Eclavdra, the Pitchblack: See her extended writeup.

Wherz'th'beef (Water)

Diamonds are a Magical Girl's best friend. Next to piles of Jade. The "Material Girls" like money, money, money, and use their powers to pile on the jade, silver, and gold. They are a heavily mercantile gang, who run a huge private navy of both warships and trading ships. They frown heavily on piracy, especially the Manson Family and the Luffy Family.

The Paddle-Wheel gang and the Wherz'th'beef gang are rivals, competing for control of the tributary ports on the oceans and rivers.

Members of Note:

• Wherz'th'beef Twaina: Unusually for the Wherz'th'beef Gang, Twaina is more entertainer than sailor, though her floating theatre has brought in a huge amount of revenue. It also acts as cover for a group of commandos who act as the actors, singers, and dancers on the floating theatre when not out launching surprise raids in their Super Flower Armor. Twaina thinks no one has realized the connection, but the Imperial Intelligence Service has made the connection and is trying to decide what to do with it...
• Wherz'th'beef Tina: Wherz'th'beef Tina is the mad genius ship designer of her gang. She has made her gang strong, but is starting to go somewhat even more bonkers and now is experimenting with ways to fuse powerful magical girls permanently with artifact ships, giving them immortality, for she sees the end of her own days approaching and fears death. If word of her experiments gets out, she could be in trouble...
• Wherz'th'beef Ankara: Ankara commands the elite anti-Piracy task force of her gang. She is a stern commander, very strict and imposing harsh discipline. But she brings her followers victory, so they accept that. She's always looking for good commanders for raids.

Comments

Hey! I've been trying to track you down through the wreckage of internet pages and broken links you have left in your wake over the years :-) I actually have some questions for you about the WOT RPG you created a while ago, and I have an archived copy of.... brian at runeblade dot com

• Back to the Exalted Kawaii Magical Girls Homepage
• Back to the Exalted Kawaii Homepage