Now that The End is Nigh is caught up and going along at a decent pace, I have been asked to come up with a chat game of equal or greater quality. I hope this impresses!
Realm Year 763-764
In the deepest reaches of the Inner Sea, a place that had never felt the touch of The Unconquered Sun’s light, it sat. Huge in size and thrumming with barely-suppressed magics that had persisted for nigh on twelve hundred years, the Jade Prison lay on the seabed. Within it were contained over two hundred and sixty Essence Shards, the result of a catastrophic cull of the most powerful beings in Creation. It had been built to resist the march of ages, built to withstand the immense pressures of this benighted depth, built to contain the greatest heroes and villains Creation had ever known.
But then, something nearby stirred. Sand which had been undisturbed by sea current or creature was kicked up as something huge and ponderous strode implacably forward. It resembled a crab, in that it sported a number of long legs and a pair of mighty claws, but there the resemblance ended. For its carapace was created from overlapping layers of Soulsteel, bone and the strange material, Oblivion’s Panoply, its legs were crafted from thousands of leg-bones grafted and fused together by dark magics and its claws were sculpted to carry complicated looking devices.
It drew closer to the Prison and the pilots of the contraption peered at the image on the vehicle’s Essence Scanner. Once they had ascertained they had found their objective, they set about manipulating the massive claws on their powerful limbs to grasping and exerting thousands of tons of force onto the Prison. The arcane device resisted, its magics coming alive after centuries of quiescence to oppose the attack, but even as it resisted, the pilot of the Bonestrider exerted his own Essence and the machine’s strength was magnified ten-fold. The protective spells defending the Prison faltered and after a last effort were dispelled and, with a shockwave that rolled out for miles around the site, the arcane cage was shattered.
But the breaking was not all the Bonestrider was here to do. Without pausing, it thrust an arm into the rent Prison and Essence began to spark and dance across the tools at its extremities. It was taking something out of the Prison, lots of things.
And then it happened, perhaps due to the negligence of the pilot or some auspicious destiny wrought upon the Prison, something went horribly wrong, or right, depending on who you ask about that day. A few of the contents, the Solar Essence Shards escaped. It was but a couple at first, then more until, with a sudden rush, the Shards that the Bonestrider had not captured fled for the safety of the cabinet in the god Lytek’s study-sanctum.
That day under Creation’s first Solar Eclipse in over 800 years and The Unconquered Sun’s symbol over the jade pleasure dome as he got ahead in the games, Lytek sent out a letter to all parties involved.
“It is with the highest and most esteemed honor that I Lytek, do declare the return of the Solar Exalted”
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 783
Something had gone horribly horribly right, or wrong depending on who you were asking that day. Suddenly, inexplicably, something happened in the vaults of the Heavens and the Great Constellation of the Mask was repaired by forces unknown. The result of this reconstruction caused people across Yu-Shan to experience visions and memories suppressed for centuries of events that lead up to the bloody enactment of the Usurpation. Along with this, the rescinding of the obfuscating powers of the Constellation caused damning evidence against the Sidereal host to again become accessible by all those who had long held that the Five Score Fellowship had taken some role in the act.
In the Celestial Courts, Chejop Kejak knelt, weighed down with artifact chains that drained and redirected his Essence into useless channels. Even though he was dressed in humble robes, the ancient Chosen of Secrets, held himself proudly and defiantly glared up before the veiled judges dressed in gold.
“Chejop Kejak, you stand here today before the Court of the Most High, your crimes are numerous and execrable; not limited to instigating the great massacre of the First Age and thereafter conspiring to prevent the proper reincarnation of Celestial Essences, as well as conspiring and enforcing a perpetuated pogrom against those Celestial Exalted who evaded your initial act. Your crimes cannot be measured in any mere numbers, their severity is immeasurable. It is this court’s decision that you hereby be stripped of title, rank and power, that your associates and related officers be stripped of their title, rank and power and you and your most immediate co-conspirators be put to death. The rest of the Sidereal host is hereby charged with a severity 10 crime and are hereby exiled from the Heavenly City of Yu-Shan. Do you have any response before this court completes its deliberations?”
The venerable Sidereal, well-known as having lead the Celestial Hierarchy for nearly one and a quarter millennia, made one last slight against the judges by turning to address the assembled dignitaries in the tiered viewing galleries.
“Members of the Celestial Hierarchy, I never expected you to laud me for the acts I brought into motion, the elimination of the Solar Exalted, the marginalisation of the Lunars and the elevation of the Dragon-Blooded to the mantle of authority to command Creation. However, unlike you all, I saw with my own eyes a vision of what would happen if we had not acted as we did. I saw Creation as a fallen place. The greenery tainted by the stench of infernal machineries, the cities awash in the blood of innocents and the waters rank with filth and poisons. Over it all, I saw the Solar Exalted, resplendent in their panoply, but their faces were twisted, corrupted, tainted. They had waxed large in their excesses and were mere shadows of their former glory. They stood astride a world they had been charged to protect, but instead had destroyed. Destroyed for their own selfish wants and childish urges. So I, and my brave fellows, took a bold undertaking. We resolved to exterminate this looming threat to Creation, as potent as the Primordials, as insidious as the Yozi and as destructive as the Neverborn. We faced it, in fullest knowledge of the ramifications. That there were.... unforeseen complications that arose, I can only argue that those threats came from beyond our means to predict, the Underworld and the Wyld. Would the Solars have resisted those threats had they still been in power? None can truly say, but I suggest that they would have been so sunk into their self-serving hubris that it would not have occurred to them that there was a need for them to act.
So, yes, I devised and enacted the Usurpation, I caused the capture and disposal of the Solar Essences, I shepherded the Dragon-Blooded into becoming what the Solars increasingly could not do: rulers of Creation. They might not have been the rulers that Creation wanted, but they were certainly the rulers that Creation needed. And for that, I do not feel shame. I did what I did for the good of Creation, and I would do it a second time, if it were called for.”
And then the sound of the gavel echoed across the city of Yu-Shan
And so the stars that guided heaven with a silent and shadowy hand fell, tumbling to Creation, broken and disempowered. And in their wake, the Celestial Lions stood as silent sentinels before the ancient entrances to Yu-Shan, it’s beautiful gates closed forever to they who would ever after be known only as the Fallen Stars.
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 785
View attachment 2100
She came as fast as she had come the first time, her image broadcasted all over the blessed isles. “My Children, My Subjects, People of Creation, fall silent! Hear me, your scarlet empress champion of creation eternal ruler of the blessed isle! For Years, I turned my face from this world to commune with the dragon of my aspect and his four equal peers! and now, with my return from meditative isolation, this lawless tumult ends! Today I set right the crumbling hierarchy of my government, my legions and the great houses and woe be unto whomsoever defies me in this righteous cause!”
The Image flickers and the scarlet empress’ attire changes, a figure of dark essence replacing the image of the realm’s beloved and feared queen.
View attachment 2101
“Woe to all those who defy me in my righteous cause indeed!” the being seemed to snicker and laugh, almost trying to contain it, and compose herself as screams and images behind her of the imperial city flickered, countless people slaughtered against the tides of the unending undead as the imperial city turned into a shadowland.
“I am The Scarlet Phoenix Surmounting The World Aflame and I have made it my holy mission to bring all of my people, both within this Realm and in the lands beyond, into the state of orderly death. There shall be no more need for the avaricious scrabbling for mere wealth, transient power or fickle glory. All shall be brought low by the grasp of death and all shall know peace, whether they wish it or not.”
The self proclaimed Princes of Creation had to recall the Wyld Hunt, the now deathlord scarlet empress quiet, leaving the realm to fend off against the shadow land and the undead threats that come from it. Unknowing what would happen next in the years coming. Unknown to them this would have consequences on the rest of creation, pulling back the wyld hunt. . .
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 786
They watched from the edges of creation as the solars returned, the stars fell and even the all mighty empress promised to plunge creation into oblivion. Yet they did not act. The Lunar Exalted host were broken and shattered having been dealing with insane elders and inter clan politics for centuries and also fending off the threat of the Fair Folk at the same time even longer.
Though even though they led this life, it was still stable and something everyone got used to until the Realm Year 786, all of the lunar elders vanished, shortly after it had been discovered that Luna was nowhere to be found either, vanishing from Yu-Shan, leaving a power void in creation, which is trying to be filled by young up and coming lunars who were tired of being suppressed by their elders, making bold moves against creation and changing all of their policies.
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 786, Calibration
“Patience, is the highest of all Virtues” proclaims Szoreny The Silver Forest to his siblings, who never listen.
Mocked, belittled, ignored, threatened, told to just be quiet, either all in or all out. It seems even infinite patience has a limit.
“Very well, I am all in . . for this reclamation of yours”
Later that day Yu-Shan were contacted by agents of the Forest . . .
If you are interested in joining please post below along with any character concepts you have as well as any questions or concerns about the game.
And thanks to Lord of Chaos for allowing me to use his houserules.<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/Scarlet_Empress_by_your_fathers_belt.jpg.b4daa571780108e2b80373c40c6192b3.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="23962" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/Scarlet_Empress_by_your_fathers_belt.jpg.b4daa571780108e2b80373c40c6192b3.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/dark-queen.jpg.1f7b2dbac540227fa8044b98bd9b2927.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="23963" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/dark-queen.jpg.1f7b2dbac540227fa8044b98bd9b2927.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
Realm Year 763-764
In the deepest reaches of the Inner Sea, a place that had never felt the touch of The Unconquered Sun’s light, it sat. Huge in size and thrumming with barely-suppressed magics that had persisted for nigh on twelve hundred years, the Jade Prison lay on the seabed. Within it were contained over two hundred and sixty Essence Shards, the result of a catastrophic cull of the most powerful beings in Creation. It had been built to resist the march of ages, built to withstand the immense pressures of this benighted depth, built to contain the greatest heroes and villains Creation had ever known.
But then, something nearby stirred. Sand which had been undisturbed by sea current or creature was kicked up as something huge and ponderous strode implacably forward. It resembled a crab, in that it sported a number of long legs and a pair of mighty claws, but there the resemblance ended. For its carapace was created from overlapping layers of Soulsteel, bone and the strange material, Oblivion’s Panoply, its legs were crafted from thousands of leg-bones grafted and fused together by dark magics and its claws were sculpted to carry complicated looking devices.
It drew closer to the Prison and the pilots of the contraption peered at the image on the vehicle’s Essence Scanner. Once they had ascertained they had found their objective, they set about manipulating the massive claws on their powerful limbs to grasping and exerting thousands of tons of force onto the Prison. The arcane device resisted, its magics coming alive after centuries of quiescence to oppose the attack, but even as it resisted, the pilot of the Bonestrider exerted his own Essence and the machine’s strength was magnified ten-fold. The protective spells defending the Prison faltered and after a last effort were dispelled and, with a shockwave that rolled out for miles around the site, the arcane cage was shattered.
But the breaking was not all the Bonestrider was here to do. Without pausing, it thrust an arm into the rent Prison and Essence began to spark and dance across the tools at its extremities. It was taking something out of the Prison, lots of things.
And then it happened, perhaps due to the negligence of the pilot or some auspicious destiny wrought upon the Prison, something went horribly wrong, or right, depending on who you ask about that day. A few of the contents, the Solar Essence Shards escaped. It was but a couple at first, then more until, with a sudden rush, the Shards that the Bonestrider had not captured fled for the safety of the cabinet in the god Lytek’s study-sanctum.
That day under Creation’s first Solar Eclipse in over 800 years and The Unconquered Sun’s symbol over the jade pleasure dome as he got ahead in the games, Lytek sent out a letter to all parties involved.
“It is with the highest and most esteemed honor that I Lytek, do declare the return of the Solar Exalted”
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 783
Something had gone horribly horribly right, or wrong depending on who you were asking that day. Suddenly, inexplicably, something happened in the vaults of the Heavens and the Great Constellation of the Mask was repaired by forces unknown. The result of this reconstruction caused people across Yu-Shan to experience visions and memories suppressed for centuries of events that lead up to the bloody enactment of the Usurpation. Along with this, the rescinding of the obfuscating powers of the Constellation caused damning evidence against the Sidereal host to again become accessible by all those who had long held that the Five Score Fellowship had taken some role in the act.
In the Celestial Courts, Chejop Kejak knelt, weighed down with artifact chains that drained and redirected his Essence into useless channels. Even though he was dressed in humble robes, the ancient Chosen of Secrets, held himself proudly and defiantly glared up before the veiled judges dressed in gold.
“Chejop Kejak, you stand here today before the Court of the Most High, your crimes are numerous and execrable; not limited to instigating the great massacre of the First Age and thereafter conspiring to prevent the proper reincarnation of Celestial Essences, as well as conspiring and enforcing a perpetuated pogrom against those Celestial Exalted who evaded your initial act. Your crimes cannot be measured in any mere numbers, their severity is immeasurable. It is this court’s decision that you hereby be stripped of title, rank and power, that your associates and related officers be stripped of their title, rank and power and you and your most immediate co-conspirators be put to death. The rest of the Sidereal host is hereby charged with a severity 10 crime and are hereby exiled from the Heavenly City of Yu-Shan. Do you have any response before this court completes its deliberations?”
The venerable Sidereal, well-known as having lead the Celestial Hierarchy for nearly one and a quarter millennia, made one last slight against the judges by turning to address the assembled dignitaries in the tiered viewing galleries.
“Members of the Celestial Hierarchy, I never expected you to laud me for the acts I brought into motion, the elimination of the Solar Exalted, the marginalisation of the Lunars and the elevation of the Dragon-Blooded to the mantle of authority to command Creation. However, unlike you all, I saw with my own eyes a vision of what would happen if we had not acted as we did. I saw Creation as a fallen place. The greenery tainted by the stench of infernal machineries, the cities awash in the blood of innocents and the waters rank with filth and poisons. Over it all, I saw the Solar Exalted, resplendent in their panoply, but their faces were twisted, corrupted, tainted. They had waxed large in their excesses and were mere shadows of their former glory. They stood astride a world they had been charged to protect, but instead had destroyed. Destroyed for their own selfish wants and childish urges. So I, and my brave fellows, took a bold undertaking. We resolved to exterminate this looming threat to Creation, as potent as the Primordials, as insidious as the Yozi and as destructive as the Neverborn. We faced it, in fullest knowledge of the ramifications. That there were.... unforeseen complications that arose, I can only argue that those threats came from beyond our means to predict, the Underworld and the Wyld. Would the Solars have resisted those threats had they still been in power? None can truly say, but I suggest that they would have been so sunk into their self-serving hubris that it would not have occurred to them that there was a need for them to act.
So, yes, I devised and enacted the Usurpation, I caused the capture and disposal of the Solar Essences, I shepherded the Dragon-Blooded into becoming what the Solars increasingly could not do: rulers of Creation. They might not have been the rulers that Creation wanted, but they were certainly the rulers that Creation needed. And for that, I do not feel shame. I did what I did for the good of Creation, and I would do it a second time, if it were called for.”
And then the sound of the gavel echoed across the city of Yu-Shan
And so the stars that guided heaven with a silent and shadowy hand fell, tumbling to Creation, broken and disempowered. And in their wake, the Celestial Lions stood as silent sentinels before the ancient entrances to Yu-Shan, it’s beautiful gates closed forever to they who would ever after be known only as the Fallen Stars.
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 785
View attachment 2100
She came as fast as she had come the first time, her image broadcasted all over the blessed isles. “My Children, My Subjects, People of Creation, fall silent! Hear me, your scarlet empress champion of creation eternal ruler of the blessed isle! For Years, I turned my face from this world to commune with the dragon of my aspect and his four equal peers! and now, with my return from meditative isolation, this lawless tumult ends! Today I set right the crumbling hierarchy of my government, my legions and the great houses and woe be unto whomsoever defies me in this righteous cause!”
The Image flickers and the scarlet empress’ attire changes, a figure of dark essence replacing the image of the realm’s beloved and feared queen.
View attachment 2101
“Woe to all those who defy me in my righteous cause indeed!” the being seemed to snicker and laugh, almost trying to contain it, and compose herself as screams and images behind her of the imperial city flickered, countless people slaughtered against the tides of the unending undead as the imperial city turned into a shadowland.
“I am The Scarlet Phoenix Surmounting The World Aflame and I have made it my holy mission to bring all of my people, both within this Realm and in the lands beyond, into the state of orderly death. There shall be no more need for the avaricious scrabbling for mere wealth, transient power or fickle glory. All shall be brought low by the grasp of death and all shall know peace, whether they wish it or not.”
The self proclaimed Princes of Creation had to recall the Wyld Hunt, the now deathlord scarlet empress quiet, leaving the realm to fend off against the shadow land and the undead threats that come from it. Unknowing what would happen next in the years coming. Unknown to them this would have consequences on the rest of creation, pulling back the wyld hunt. . .
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 786
They watched from the edges of creation as the solars returned, the stars fell and even the all mighty empress promised to plunge creation into oblivion. Yet they did not act. The Lunar Exalted host were broken and shattered having been dealing with insane elders and inter clan politics for centuries and also fending off the threat of the Fair Folk at the same time even longer.
Though even though they led this life, it was still stable and something everyone got used to until the Realm Year 786, all of the lunar elders vanished, shortly after it had been discovered that Luna was nowhere to be found either, vanishing from Yu-Shan, leaving a power void in creation, which is trying to be filled by young up and coming lunars who were tired of being suppressed by their elders, making bold moves against creation and changing all of their policies.
And So It Shall Be.
Realm Year 786, Calibration
“Patience, is the highest of all Virtues” proclaims Szoreny The Silver Forest to his siblings, who never listen.
Mocked, belittled, ignored, threatened, told to just be quiet, either all in or all out. It seems even infinite patience has a limit.
“Very well, I am all in . . for this reclamation of yours”
Later that day Yu-Shan were contacted by agents of the Forest . . .
This will be a slow-paced Creation-Ruling Mandate focused game(the above stuff is just some setting stuff you never have to pursue it if you don't want). You will start with a single small city and grow from there. The game will permit any type of exalt except alchemicals (the Seal remains intact). Rather than receiving XP per session, XP will be awarded per in-game year, so don't be afraid to plan ahead and take the slow route until it's necessary to rush. Remember, most of the world considers you Anathema so be careful. Abyssals and Infernals must be renegades(Unless you are a Szorney Infernal, but I am only allowing one of those).
Sidereals are using some sort of contraption to replicate the effects of the mask, etc but it will never be as good as the real thing being broken.
I am allowing TAW Lunars if people choose to use that.
Character sheets and other campaign relevant files will be stored in a communal dropbox.
The current set time for this game to happen is on Wednesday 7pm eastern to midnight eastern. If a different time works better for you please let me know!
If you are interested in joining please post below along with any character concepts you have as well as any questions or concerns about the game.
And thanks to Lord of Chaos for allowing me to use his houserules.<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/Scarlet_Empress_by_your_fathers_belt.jpg.b4daa571780108e2b80373c40c6192b3.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="23962" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/Scarlet_Empress_by_your_fathers_belt.jpg.b4daa571780108e2b80373c40c6192b3.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p><p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/dark-queen.jpg.1f7b2dbac540227fa8044b98bd9b2927.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="23963" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_05/dark-queen.jpg.1f7b2dbac540227fa8044b98bd9b2927.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>
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