StalkerofShadows/Gates

This is an Alchemicals game to commence beginning of March, 2006 (tabletop).

Bridges Across Worlds, an Alchemical Campaign

Setting
Times are hard in Yugash; rationing has become strict, machines unreliable at times and the population weary. On the surface, it appears to be one of the cyclical downturns common to the Realm of Brass and Shadows. Yugash has recently drifted farther away from the other major cities, cutting vital trade routes. A Blight Zone has been sighted, although it is still several week’s travel from the population centers. These facts cannot be hidden from the populace, and they accept this time with the resignation that nothing can be done.

The Tripartite, however, knows differently. Although supplies of Magical Materials have been sufficient and maintenance as thorough as ever, many of the machines that drive the city (and thus the Great Creator) have become unreliable. As of yet, they have been able to place the blame on the Blight Zone and assure the citizens that the situation is under control. Unfortunately, the truth is far worse. The Great Maker slowly dying in his sleep. The increasing entropy of the system is only symptomatic of the greater truth. Worse yet, while the population had steadily increased since the beginning of The Exile, it has now stopped. It appears that there are simply no more souls to go around. And even more frightening, Conductors have noticed that the population is slightly decreasing, something that has never happened other than during the largest of wars.

Despite the great need within Yugash, several bands of Alchemicals were sent out into the Far Reaches to find an answer. Time and again, they returned, reporting that the Machine Gods had no answer to their entreaties. Finally, the last group of Alchemicals, led by the jade Alchemical known as Driven as Steam, returned from the Far Reaches. He spoke of finding the Pole of Crystal, but was barred access. At this time Runel, the goddess of life and creation, appeared and handed him one crystal command key. He asked of what use it would be, but all she would answer is “if you search your heart, you already know.”

Returning to Yugash, Driven as Steam spend many weeks researching the key at the Starmetal patropolis of Chesselanta. He discovered that the key was a part of the command system for a portal that would bridge between worlds. The Great Maker had once come from another world before entering his sleep of the ages. Fragmentary history spoke of a great war that almost destroyed the world, and powerful beings that turned on the Creator to force him away. Although it seems there is little chance that such beings would help, if they ever existed, the chance must be taken. Construction of the gate began immediately, and it has almost been finished. An entire new series of Alchemicals was rushed into production to prepare for this exploration. Not knowing if the beings of this new world would be hostile, if they even still exist, weapons production has been placed into high gear.

Important NPCs

Chesselanta, Patropoli of Knowledge: One of the greatest of the starmetal caste, she forms the complex at which copies of all data in Yugash is stored and where members of the Tripartite come to study. The spired, other-worldy buildings of the great academies rest on platforms held by her many hands. The gate is being constructed in a cavern directly across from her so that she may scan the new world before anyone is sent though.

Driven as Steam, jade caste: Driven as Steam is a jade Alchemical of moderate age; he is approximately 200 years old and has an essence of 4. He is known as being one of the most human of the older Alchemicals. Many of the assembly workers owe their lives to his willingness to place himself at great personal risk in order to save workers from the increasingly more common catastrophic breakdowns. He would be a great hero still if the Tripartite were to release the details of his mission.
-Update: Driven as Steam was placed in charge of the Jade Hollow mine following session #2

Unhesitatingly Loyal Weapon, orichalum caste: She is an orichalum caste of unknown origin recovered during a foray into the Far Reaches. Locked in stasis and barely functional, she was returned to Yugash for refitting. She is known for her high clarity and disregard for her own safety (and that of her compatriots) as long as the mission is accomplished.
-Update: Unhesitatingly Loyal Weapon was placed in charge of the Fort Adamant defenses following session #3.

Grox, earth elemental: Grox is an Essence-6 elemental who owns Grox's Grotto. He doesn't get out much, and enjoys basking in the earth-aspected essence. He is exceedingly polite and starved for conversation. A bit on the slow side, that, coupled with him seldom leaving the demense, mean that he is not too useful in Creation lore. (He still wonders where his Celestial friends went and there seem to have been a lot more Terrestrial pests coming around for the last...few centuries at least.)
-PC impacts: Befriended Grox and visited Kadar with him in tow. Grox didn't like the essence flavor of Autochthonia and soon left. He's happy to Portal non-spirits or let people relax in his demense for worship.

The Mask of Winters: Big scary guy, has a lot of soulsteel and soldiers. Lives up north somewhere. People seem to be afraid of him.

Golden Halls, minor functionary of Orichalum production: Golden Halls appears as a noble artisan with golden skin, wearing white robes with cloth-of-gold inlays of Old Realm symbols. He has had very little to do since the 1st Age when the Dragon-Blooded sealed his refinery and the defeneses kept anyone else from finding it. Is polite, yet distant. He seems to only want to restart his refinery, regardless of who uses it.
-PC impacts: learned the secret of creating orichalum from sunlight and gold. Promised worship from the citizens of Freetown after the refinery was re-opened.

Brilliant Sunshine, 1st Age Solar: Was a well-preserved corpse sealed in a mausoleum. Seems to have been quite a craftsman and owned the orichalum refinery. Good friend of Golden Halls.
-PC impacts: Looted the mausoleum

Locations

Kadar:
One of the principle cities of Yugash, and the base of the Alchemicals in the chronicle. Location of the portal to Creation.
-PC impacts: life has gotten better since the victorious Locusts have retrieved slaves and jade, although the war effort taxes the essence supplies. Good news: the Locusts report that a shipment of orichalum and soulsteel shall soon be arriving!

Fort Adamant:
Originally a portion of the forest north of the mountains north of Kirgash and south of Thorns. This is where the portal from Autochthonia opens. Although lightly defended at first, a large fort with essence weapons emplacements was established after Unhesitatingly Loyal Weapon was given command of the area following an attack by forest spirits.
-PC impacts: everything from the ground up

Jade Hollow:
A small mining town on the north face of the Harborhead mountains, 3 days march south of Fort Adamant. A small operation avoiding oversight by the Realm, the mining town is populated by mortals. A small Immaculate monastary, general store, and accomadations for visiting supernaturals being the only features of note. A rather plentiful jade mine is located in the mountain north of the town. -PC impacts: This town quickly fell to the Alchemicals after its Dragon-Blooded overseer was eliminated in a precision strike. The inhabitants were enslaved by Yugash and used for mining labor (not a large change in lifestyle, actually).

Grox's Grotto:
A level-4 Earth Demense located about one week south of Jade Hollow along a seldom-used mountain trail. Grox is an essence 6 Earth Elemental who currently owns the demense. The demense manifests as a mountain valley in which the plants and animals are made of liquid metal.
-PC impact: now a (somewhat) safe stopping point along the mountain trail.

Freetown:
A largish town located a week south of Grox's Grotto, south and a bit east. The town is inhabited by a peaceful community of traders and farmers. Until recently, under (waning) Realm tribute, the town is part of the Hundred Gods Conspiracy. Notable for a 1st Age Solar tomb and orichalum refinery in a mountain to the north.
-PC impacts: Allied with Yugash after promises of freedom from the Realm.

Jungle Rot:
A small (approximately 3 square mile) shadowland located 2 days south of Freetown. The Mask of Winters typically placed an Abyssal on scouting duty to the shadowland as his eyes to the south. Contains a level-2 Abyssal manse that generates a Stone of Ghost Touch.
-PC impacts: Raided by the Locusts, the Abyssal stationed there was killed and the artifacts and hearthstone stolen.

The following are our custom setting rules:
-Characters start with 25BP and +3 personal essence
-Power Combat is being used
-I have shrunk the map distances quite a bit to lower downtime.
-Clarity requirements for Protocols are waived
-Many custom charms and artifacts have been created
-The players will have somewhat adequate access to Vats, even in Creation (as to what happens is a surprise)
-(Note: sorry players, we didn't get to it in the first chapter!)
-Vat refitting time has been greatly reduced

Due to the players picking up a large number of artifacts and hearthstones (i.e. doing their job), I have a new system for acquiring backgrounds. The characters are allowed to keep what they find until summoned back to Kadar (which they are regularly). At this point, they can buy the backgrounds at cost or turn the items over to the Tripartite. Of course, turning over things to the right people raises Backing, Influence and Connections.