Dice [Exalted] O Brave New World (OOC)

[Sherwood]

Thunderbirds are not excited about the idea of being mounts. They might consent to bear a Solar if absolutely necessary, but you have a better option in your people's kites. The Thunderbirds can each keep many kites aloft at once, which was the main source of the Fayum's military strength.

Funkilller! Now I'm gonna go pout! lol

I get it. I guess I'm going to have to try and focus on mounted archery for my horsemen, since there are places where cavalry will come in handy.

 

[Psychie]

Sounds like a plan to me.

 

[D. Rex]

Oops, sorry. I should have made the vague hints a little less vague.

Yes, it is a breach of tradition, but what it means to be Faqari is a bit in flux right now. Much like the Delzhan asking each other if they're really still Delzhan if they spend all their time in Chiaroscuro and never herd cattle or goats from camel back on the plains, Faqari are arguing about what the conquest of these cities means for the soul of their people. If Atusa chooses to draw her legitimacy from a source other than the oaths she bears from the Hematti djinn, it may be much easier to justify mixing settled and nomadic clans. After all, they were at one point one people.

D. Rex you and Rykon don't necessarily have to decide right now, but eventually you'll have to answer the question I posed to him about what, if anything, you did about Thamina and Zahur. In the meantime you can go ahead and narrate how you and John defeat the guardians. Actual combat seems an unnecessary narrative speed bump. After that you can simply spend a fate point to narrate how you get yourself successfully to the location of the manse you're seeking in the desert. There's a magical barrier that causes those approaching the vicinity of the Alcazar to become lost and turn back, but it doesn't fool the sense of smell, and John knows what those rare herbs he's seeking smell like, so if he closes his eyes he can lead the way through the barrier just fine. There's a guardian and other exotic defenses, but John has figured out how to communicate with the Peri bound to protect the place and Hazel can figure out how to get through sorcerous wards and locks. If you go straight for your goal (though that goal is unbeknownst to the characters) and don't bother looking at anything else, you'll find a magical map table depicting a complex network of agricultural manses in the desert, and in particular the location of an almost-complete manse that is marked partially functional where the rest are in various states of definitely offline.

Yes, once Renna & Morrolan finish up with the King we can certainly come up with an excuse for why they end up meeting Atusa. I suspect word of their deeds will spread, and perhaps Atusa learns these god-champions that fought a mountain and won are looking to charter passage across the sands, and races other clans to be sure her ships are there to offer it.

Can i get a refresher on Thamina and Zahur? The questioned posed. I have ashamedly forgotten(names mostly, I just need my memory kick-started on which was which.)

 

[Random Word]

Rykon just asked for the same refresher a few posts ago, and I provided it here: Dice - [Exalted] O Brave New World (OOC)

 

[D. Rex]

Thamina spelled out both of their goals from her perspective during the conversation John and Hazel overheard in the library. As a refresher, Thamina and the sorcerers of the Principate believe the Alcazar is theirs by right for some reason, though they've lost the location. She wants to prevent Zahur from reaching the Alcazar and stealing its secrets to make the northern desert bloom, giving Ea-Abzu a dramatic advantage in the cold war against the Principate. If possible, she'll bring that lost knowledge back to the Principate, which they may decide to use it to bring life to the southern desert in a process she expects would lead to the eventual annexation and 'civilizing' of the southern Faqari clans.

Hazel heard Zahur's goals while travelling with her up the river. Her honoured ancestor, someone she clearly wants to please and so is afraid of disappointing, has given her a map to a place where she will find the secret to ensuring her family and her people never go hungry again. If she does well on this assignment, she expects to be initiated into the arts of necromancy, and one day get her revenge against the goddess Hanama, even if that's only standing up and showing her what a mistake she made. Unless Hazel relates that story to John he wouldn't know anything about her agenda beyond what he overheard from Thamina, and would likely judge them according to his preconceptions about the Principate and Ea-Abzu.

You've also gathered evidence on your own that the Alcazar has probably been used for different things over its long history, and some of them probably weren't as pleasant as agricultural geomancy.

I have no idea how I missed this... all my pistons must not be firing.




This should be pretty simple. Hazel is greedy little kitty when it comes to magic. Hazel plans for the manse to be hers regardless of the wishes of Thamina and the Principate. With her right coming from being a scion of the Goddess of Magic. As well it could be something to aid her in her support for this mysterious golden queen.


Zahur is also pretty simple. What Zahur wants and what Witch Hazel wants is not mutually exclusive. My gal is endeared towards Zahur, as such would not at all mind working with her to the ends of seeing that the goal of her tribes sustenance is indefinitely met so long as ownership of the Alcazar is Hazel.

As well, Hazel does like Zahur. So would encourage if not help Zahur achieve her magical ambitions. And, though Hazel might not be a teacher, she would not be above trying to if it meant helping someone that she sees a bit of herself in.

Learning about the sorcerous faction and their dynamics in the region politics in the area would also be useful...

 

[Random Word]

Okay, so it sounds like Hazel and John have differing opinions on what should be done here. Ordinarily we would play that out to develop their relationship, and you would have more opportunities to interact with the relevant NPCs, but if we're skipping all of that to get you to Atusa faster you'll have to come to some agreement about how it would hash out.

 

[D. Rex]

Okay, so it sounds like Hazel and John have differing opinions on what should be done here. Ordinarily we would play that out to develop their relationship, and you would have more opportunities to interact with the relevant NPCs, but if we're skipping all of that to get you to Atusa faster you'll have to come to some agreement about how it would hash out.

Differing opinions on Zahur, at least.

Hazel has no reason to rely be against Zahur, let alone kill her. You don't just backstab somebody who fed you fish when you were hungry.

Seeing a tribe fed is a good deed. But politically speaking, if we wanted to get particularly cunning about it... the simple saying of "you don't bite the hand that feeds you" comes to mind.

Taking the Alcazar and feeding Zahurs tribe is an ideal end. Hazel gets what she wants, Zahur gets what's best for her people. Its a compromise that benefits both parties.



However. With this many intricate decisions on the horizon, then playing through it might be the better option. To have better control over the situation.

 

[Random Word]

We can always skip as much or as little as you like. It's your story. The guardians you're fighting right now are cunning, deceptive, and venomous, but they're not the deadliest of combatants by Celestial Exalted with 5/5 in their combat attribute/ability standards. You can tell us how you defeat them, and then what scene you'd like to jump to next.

 

[D. Rex]

We can always skip as much or as little as you like. It's your story. The guardians you're fighting right now are cunning, deceptive, and venomous, but they're not the deadliest of combatants by Celestial Exalted with 5/5 in their combat attribute/ability standards. You can tell us how you defeat them, and then what scene you'd like to jump to next.

Their argument a invalid because Hazel has a gun.

 

[jaydude]

Yes, it is a breach of tradition, but what it means to be Faqari is a bit in flux right now. Much like the Delzhan asking each other if they're really still Delzhan if they spend all their time in Chiaroscuro and never herd cattle or goats from camel back on the plains, Faqari are arguing about what the conquest of these cities means for the soul of their people. If Atusa chooses to draw her legitimacy from a source other than the oaths she bears from the Hematti djinn, it may be much easier to justify mixing settled and nomadic clans. After all, they were at one point one people.

With regards to any culture-based reluctance on Atusa's part, I could probably explain that as her being told/taught that there wasn't any point in trying to gain influence in settled lands for most of her life, seeing as she wouldn't be able to make use of the djinn there. Thus, if she found out there's a way to do just that, she'd have little-to-no personal issue with trying to integrate the settled and nomadic clans into a larger Faqari dominion. From there, I imagine she could use her large Presence-based dice pools to convince everyone else of the virtues of doing so, whatever the most recent set of traditions might say.

In terms of finding a source of legitimacy, two options that come to mind are as follows;

• The fact that the Unconquered Sun himself chose Atusa to rule the Faqari people. This one largely depends on the popular perception of the Unconquered Sun among the various clans, albeit in the sense that Atusa might have to gradually change it. I do recall Atusa's introduction post indicating that the Hematti traditionally see him as "a merciless danger to be feared and appeased", but I don't know how much that applies to everyone else.
• Deeds not words. Atusa basically builds up enough goodwill with enough people to be capable of convincing them to do nearly anything she suggests. This can be through stuff like repeatedly fighting off the Court of Bleached Bone, resolving the spiritual issues plaguing the Ur-Pharaoh's farmlands, or any other kind of help that's likely to generate gratitude.

 

[Random Word]

Yup, both of those work, and you also previously expressed interest in drawing legitimacy from linking your bloodline (or Exaltation) to a long lost dynasty of some kind, sort of like the Ur-Pharaoh has done by claiming to be the heritor of old Ea-Abzu simply by virtue of wielding the relics of the royal family. Drawing on mythic figures for legitimacy by association, whether metaphorical or through purported blood ties, is a classic move for rulers throughout history.

 

[jaydude]

Yup, both of those work, and you also previously expressed interest in drawing legitimacy from linking your bloodline (or Exaltation) to a long lost dynasty of some kind, sort of like the Ur-Pharaoh has done by claiming to be the heritor of old Ea-Abzu simply by virtue of wielding the relics of the royal family. Drawing on mythic figures for legitimacy by association, whether metaphorical or through purported blood ties, is a classic move for rulers throughout history.

That was certainly another idea I'd considered, but I wasn't sure how long it would take me to think and type up a satisfactory explanation for it (I'd already spent a good bit of time on my previous post).

 

[jaydude]

"What good is a strong and wise ruler who courts the ire of the Principate? Will your wisdom protect us when sorcerers rain death from the skies or send their brass colossi to occupy our trading ports? You were at the Silesian Gate. You saw. My kite is swift and deadly, but it is no skyship. My brothers are strong, and think highly of themselves, but even they are not fool enough to raise their swords against a colossus. How will we win?"

This is a good point. And I'd kinda like Atusa to be able to come up with an answer, particularly if she should already know about these things.

 

[Random Word]

It's a tricky problem. Possible lines of argument:

• The Principate has bigger problems than us. If they move their sky fleets and brass legions into the desert to engage us, they leave the border with Ea-Abzu open. Even now they have a new enemy rising in the hills with the unexpected alliance of Sun, Moon, and Earth. We have time to build our strength and seek answers to these problems. We will seek them...
• Just as I unite you, I will seek and bring together powerful allies until we have a coalition that rivals even the Principate. We will start with...
• Lay it on thick: I am a living goddess walking amongst mere mortals. I will win allies even amongst the Sorcerer-Princes. First they will be too divided to oppose me, then they will serve me. First I will turn...
• I am heritor to a great and powerful legacy that stretches back to a time beyond living memory. Guided by my prophetic dreams, buried beneath the sands we will find and lay claim to powers to rival the Ur-Pharoah. The time of the Principate has passed. It is our time now. [Actual prophetic dreams are optional, since you already have a pretty good idea where you can find some good stuff.]
• We will reach out to our cousins in the north for weapons with which to defy the Principate. They would love nothing more than another thorn in the side of their enemies.
• etc, etc - we can come up with more if none of these inspire you.

Your Majesty, I would much rather walk out of this fortress prison with you as an ally instead of an enemy.

Let us walk away from this encounter as allies instead of enemies.

Well, I admit I was not expecting this, but it's an interesting twist! You two are a very diplomatic and violence averse Dawn & Full Moon pairing. I did not expect you would be willing to forgive the King for all the sacrifices he's already made in the construction of Gem, given how upset you were about Dalisay's fate.

So, you're transitioning from being a mercenary company to being rulers of your own state. As territory to rule goes, it's a hot mess, but there's a lot of potential in this fixer-upper. The war manses are broken and scouring the landscape; the people are insular, tribal, mistrustful of outsiders, and divided; and the Principate will not look kindly on you if you openly declare independence and start uniting their tributaries against them, so be ready. On the plus side you've got Shogunate and even some First Age-quality weapons for days in those vaults, command of a powerful and well drilled supernatural army in the Din, a defensible base in which to operate from, and vast mineral wealth beneath your feet if you can access it and find someone to sell it to (or make things out of it yourselves).

The news Atusa hears about these events will depend on how you go about structuring your new fiefdom, and how public you are about the nature of your supernatural abilities. She's going to hear something about the strange foreigners who arrived in the hills, challenged the mountain, and returned with its blessing at the head of its mighty legions.

 

[Sherwood]

Well, Renna is not the most well versed in the ways of running a nation, so she will be looking for more allies and advisors to help her out. She has no desire to be a despot, but will hopefully be able to unite the people and make things better off for them.

 

[jaydude]

• The Principate has bigger problems than us. If they move their sky fleets and brass legions into the desert to engage us, they leave the border with Ea-Abzu open. Even now they have a new enemy rising in the hills with the unexpected alliance of Sun, Moon, and Earth. We have time to build our strength and seek answers to these problems. We will seek them...
• Just as I unite you, I will seek and bring together powerful allies until we have a coalition that rivals even the Principate. We will start with...
• Lay it on thick: I am a living goddess walking amongst mere mortals. I will win allies even amongst the Sorcerer-Princes. First they will be too divided to oppose me, then they will serve me. First I will turn...
• I am heritor to a great and powerful legacy that stretches back to a time beyond living memory. Guided by my prophetic dreams, buried beneath the sands we will find and lay claim to powers to rival the Ur-Pharoah. The time of the Principate has passed. It is our time now. [Actual prophetic dreams are optional, since you already have a pretty good idea where you can find some good stuff.]
• We will reach out to our cousins in the north for weapons with which to defy the Principate. They would love nothing more than another thorn in the side of their enemies.
• etc, etc - we can come up with more if none of these inspire you.

Thanks. Out of all of these, I'm currently most inclined to go with the top one, because it relies on Atusa's knowledge of the political situation, and it seems to be the option least dependent on chance. I'm currently a bit hesitant to bring up the events involving Renna and Morrolan though; assuming word of them could have reached Atusa by now, I'm not entirely familiar with what happened myself. That, and Atusa might be concerned that even she isn't guaranteed to win over fellow celestials.

 

[Random Word]

I'm currently a bit hesitant to bring up the events involving Renna and Morrolan though; assuming word of them could have reached Atusa by now, I'm not entirely familiar with what happened myself. That, and Atusa might be concerned that even she isn't guaranteed to win over fellow celestials.

I think for story purposes it's important that word of their deeds has reached Atusa, otherwise there's zero chance you'll end up doing anything together in the near future. Likewise, word may have spread to Kabir of the glorious golden sun-blessed Nomarch who defeated a hundred Raksha single handedly and has united the fractured remnants of the Fayum under her banner.

If you're not familiar with what their characters are up to, ask them! Nothing in life is guaranteed, but this isn't real life - you can ask their players whether they'd like their characters to be won over, and how best to do it. You can take huge in character risks with no real risk by working out deals with the other players in advance.

 

[jaydude]

Yeah. Thinking that if I do go this route, my next post will include a flashback in which someone passes on the news to Atusa in an attempt to curry favour with her, in order to explain how she knows about them.

Also, with regard to the fourth of those suggestions, I'm currently a little reluctant to do anything that might hint at further opposition towards the Ur-Pharaoh, now that I know he's a lot less likely to be a Deathlord than I originally thought. Not to mention that he's currently looking like the better of the two options between himself and the Principate, at least from the perspective of a Faqari player.

Psychie Sherwood , if any of you could take the time to sum things up, I'd greatly appreciate it. You don't need to tell me the full story - it's unlikely every bit of it would ever reach Atusa - just the important parts. Otherwise, I might read through the earlier posts concerning you two.

 

[Sherwood]

Sherwood , if any of you could take the time to sum things up, I'd greatly appreciate it. You don't need to tell me the full story - it's unlikely every bit of it would ever reach Atusa - just the important parts. Otherwise, I might read through the earlier posts concerning you two.

Renna and Morrolan are the leaders of a small but well trained and equipped mercenary force known as the Red Arms of both heavy infantry and cavalry, and were approached by a woman with one hell of mouthful of a name/title: Magister-Militant Saeiqa Al-Sayf of the Sassarin Principate. She was instrumental in hiring the Red Arms to keep them from the employ of her enemies. They were then sent into battle to try and stop an insurrection from one of the local spirits known as the Eight-Forged King that has been laying siege to many towns in the area.

Heading to the mining town of Kabir, the company encountered a number of large creature/elementals (not really sure which one that they are) called the Din attacking the town. The Red Arms were able to break the siege with minor injuries, and were able to learn the reason why the King sent his elementals to war. A tribute in the form of the first born son of one of the bigwigs of the city was sent to the King, and he promptly escaped from his clutches with the aid of the King's daughter, a construct/being known as Gem.

After hunting the two down, Renna and Morrolan were able to talk Gem into giving them passage into the Eight-Forged King's fortress with the hope that the King can be made to call off the war between his Din and the locals. After a bit of blustering on both sides, Renna has made an agreement to help turn the scattered peoples of the land into a strong, united land and he will stop his attacks. Renna and Morrolan have agreed with this, asking for the King to be an ally in this effort, since neither one is a skilled ruler.

How well this agreement will be accepted by the people and leaders of Kabir remains to be seen.

 

[Sherwood]

Considering that this is going to be heading to new realms of diplomacy for Renna, I'm going to spend some xp to raise my Socialize to 2. Eventually I'll be able to afford Mastery of Small Manners.

 

[Psychie]

I'm raising Morrolans' Dex to 3.

 

[Sherwood]

BTW, since Renna and Morrolan have ended the fighting in a rather spectacular way, do we get any wonderful xp for it? <crosses fingers>

 

[Random Word]

Speaking of increasing things, Renna and Morrolan have diplomatically cleaved through at least two Obstacles, so that's 6 XP for everyone. Possibly more - I'll have to go back and check.

 

[Sherwood]

lol Perfect timing, Random Word . I had just posted asking about xp when your post showed up.

 

[Psychie]

Awesome sauce. Getting closer to Essence 2.