Shallows/EotWCutTwo
For Quick reference:
Here is the Foundation page for The End of the World.
Here is the Introduction.
Here are links to the Characters.
Here are the House Rules.
Here are links to the Missions, as they are made available to the players.
Here you will find the additional elements about the version of Creation that The End of the world is played in. I call it Player Notes.
Here you will find the current disposition of the Sidereal Shards for this game.
Here are links to the Storyteller notes. (Players please refrain from visiting here.)
Mnemon leaned back on her divan, the silks of her robes parting to allow a long and shapely knee and calve to pass through. Her pale and dainty foot twirled a soft satin slipper on the end, as she brought an amber wine to her lips and sipped.
“Well Cainen, it’s your move, in more ways than one.” She smiled, her teeth a pearly white and almost shining in the essence lamps.
The solid man sitting across from her sat in a high backed stiff chair. His chin rested upon his clasped hands, who’s elbows rested upon the carved arms of the great oak chair. His eyes wandered gently across the gateway board before them. It was beautifully made and crafted cleverly to resemble the blessed isle, with the tiers of the celestial level and the underworld designed to resemble the small island upon which resided the Heptegram and the scavenger lands respectively.
Cainen quietly drew up a gracefully carved piece of red jade. The piece was in the shape of a powerful figure mounted upon a great rearing charger. Cainen moved it into the center of the blessed isle upon the raised section made in a semblance of the Imperial Mountain.
“Mnemon, don’t be foolish. The move you suggest will be opposed on all sides. I cannot see wagering the resources of my Household in such a game.” The older dragonblood leaned back.
Mnemons eyes flashed for a moment, “Ware your choice of words old man, I have come to you in friendship. I should hate for that to change.”
Cainen chuckled and motioned to the board as her drank from a mug of thick dark coffee. “Easy, my dear. I only meant to suggest that you consider what a civil war might mean not only to the Realm, but also to Creation as a whole. You have heard the old expression, ‘The center must hold’?”
Mnemon leaned over offering a fine view of her more worldly charms as she made her move. Cainen’s eyes wandered appraisingly over her form, yet he seemed unmoved to the typical passions. Perhaps the rumors about him were true.
“I think the risk is less than you might think.”
Cainen raised an eyebrow.
“Well consider,” Mnemon waved at the board. “With our houses allied, my own people can easily secure the Immaculate holdings, and the Heptegram, as well as the Imperial city. Your legions can securethe rest of the Isle.”
Cainen chuckled, “We can HOLD, such places, but you say it as though we will be unopposed.”
Mnemon smiled back, her tounge flicking lightly across her lips. “Well perhaps not entirely unopposed, but consider… Should we ally, Ledaal will quickly make their decision to join us. V’neef is a young house, with merchant tendencies and only a small number of personal legions, the majority of which are assigned to the trade route for their wine and other transfer of goods. I think they can easily be intimidated or paid to mind their own affairs.”
Cainen shrugged as they continued playing he was slowly removing pieces from Mnemon’s side.
“House Tepet could have been a challenge, but now, they will either be quietly absorbed, or crushed underfoot. House Cynis will be a potent conflict, as will Ragara. But Cynis’s Dragonbloods are wastrels, and their legions scattered about the threshold dealing with the guild and their precious supplies of slaves and intoxicants.” Mnemon was defending her pieces after a brief retreat.
“I think you underestimate Cynis, my dear. They have a great deal more power than they let on. Tepet also troubles me, yet I know not why.”
Mnemon waved her hand dismissively, “Regardless, Cynis will easily fall before our combined might. Ragara has lent out most of their resources thinking that they will have greater power with favors and monies owed. Yet I think that I’ll absolve our houses of those debts after breaking them.”
“I owe Ragara a few more personal debts than I care to recall.”
“That leaves Nellens, who will undoubtedly side against us, mainly because it isfairly clear that I would destroy such a bastardization of a house.” Mnemon continued to play as she talked. “That leaves Sesus, I believe they will side with us, based on several of my more recent parirings. Peleps will be dangerous, but their might lay predominantly on the inner sea. And finally Iselsi, I relish the idea of doing what my mother should have long ago. If we can remove two of the above threats early on in the game, we can easily deal with the remaining groups…”
The game and the discussion continued as a shadow detached itself from the wall and passed through the window and into the night.
