(Exalted) Shining on the Land of Fate [Forum] [Dice]

[Red Shadow Claws]

In the south-east corner of Creation, in the Dreaming Sea, lays a series of islands. The area is called the Land of Fate, and it still reveres the memory of its fallen god-kings. Though much of the land has turned into a waste, the people there are tenacious, and have rebuilt. Its location on the edge of Creation has made it free from the Shogunate’s hold, and even in the wake of Great Contagion and the Balorian Crusade it has remained scarcely touched and unknown.


From the halls of the palace in Huzuz, the City of Delights, the Grand Caliph rules the land. Or so it is said. The nomadic tribes, the Al-Badya, do not recognize his rulership over them, and even the rulers of other cities mostly pay a lip service to his orders. And in the east lies the overgrown ruins of Nog and Kadar, fallen since the Balorian Crusade.


But now, a new age is on the horizon, and even in the Land of Fate none is sure what the future holds, but everyone, from the lowest peasant, to the Grand Caliph, will say “When the Lions of Tomorrow march”, but none knows what it means.


--------------------------------------------------


Looking for 3-5 players, all Solars.


This game is set in a corner of Creation that is based on an idea I had after seeing the map of Creation for 3e, and in many ways will involve a good measure of conversion of Zakhara, from the D&D Arabian Adventures setting. Naturally, there will be a great many differences, and I will try to write some things up before we start the game, to give people greater knowledge, even if they are unfamiliar with that D&D setting.


There will also be some houserules, which I will list when the time to create characters arrives, so be patient, but feel free to ask questions, and think up concepts.


We'll be using basic 2.5 post errata chargen, with a few changes.


Merits and Flaws might be considered, but need a really compelling story, and even then, all points invested in Flaws need a like number of Merits, and I'm unlikely to allow 10 dots of Flaws.


We'll be using Limited Reagent's rewrite of sorcery. I'll post it when we have a forum.

 

[Unbridled Originality]

Color me interested. 2.5 or 3e? Thinking about a Dawn Caste blacksmith, with an intimacy towards each of the swords he forges and wields.

 

[Zyden]

I have not played a game via posts before... but am very interested in Exalted, Solars specifically. Please start a PM with me.


Twilight Caste Investigator


Concept was changed.

 

[Unbridled Originality]

*surreptitiously sneaks a peek at my old Forgotten Realms books*

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

This is definitely 2.5, since I do not have 3e rules yet... <Shakes fists at Kickstarter, though i do understand the delays>

 

[hellrazoromega]

I'd be down as the other game I was going to be in died.

 

[Unbridled Originality]

Ah, okay, cool then. Yeah, Dawn Caste who exalted while under attack by bandits as part of a caravan carrying a specially made sword to a ruling authority.

 

[Alkalannar]

I would love to play a Zenith, since the choice is between Zenith and Dawn, and Dawn already looks taken.


Are we using merits and flaws, etc? Errata?

 

[Esbilon]

I'm up for pretty much any Caste. Not sure what I would prefer if given free choice. Mmm, we'll be starting at regular chargen levels, right?

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

The Land of Fate - Part 1


The People of Zakhara


Zakhara is a true melting pot, populated by men and women from a myriad of races. Generally speaking, Zakhara lacks the racial prejudices of less civilized realms. Zakharans do not allow the brutish and crude actions of a minority to color their opinions of the larger group. Lifestyle, not race, defines and divides Zakharans.


In the Land of Fate, people fall into one of two broad groups: nomadic or settled. The nomads, or Al-Badia (ahl-BAH-dee-ya), are those who dwell in the hostile deserts of Zakhara. They are tough, loyal to their blood-relatives, and constantly in search of basic necessities: water, food, and grazing land for their herds. The need for trade brings the Al-Badia into contact with the "other half" of Zakhara's culture: the Al-Hadhar (ahl-HAH-dar), whose lifestyles are based in and around settled communities. Those who are permanently settled -- the people of the towns and villages who never move from their dwellings, are not Al-Badia. Artisans, merchants, craftsmen -- all are Al-Hadhar.


Al-Badia and Al-Hadar are different, but like two branches of a tree. They share a common culture, language, and code of ethics. They prefer to judge a person on his or her merit as measured against the basic beliefs of honor, family, hospitality, purity, and piety. Al-Badia and Al-Hadhar coexist peacefully because both groups understand and respect these same beliefs.


Honor


Honor is a cornerstone of Zakharan society. Every Zakharan is driven by the pursuit of honor and the prestige that it brings. Honor is made up by a person's character: is he honest and virtuous? Is he generous and kind? Is he loyal and brave? Every action affects one's personal honor and that of the family, as well. If a person acts dishonorably, the offense may stain the family's honor such that its memory lasts for generations. For every insult or injury to a person's honor, restitution must be made. The required restitution varies by the severity of the insult or injury. For a minor insult, an apology may be sufficient. Greater offenses, such as theft, may require huge monetary payments and loss of the offender's hand. Murder and amorous impropriety are generally the only offenses that warrant a punishment of death for the offender. In such cases, the offender's family will often carry out the sentence in order to remove or reduce the stain to the family's honor. By performing the deed themselves, they can restore greater honor to the family.


Blood Feud: To kill another person is not a crime if that killing is justified. However, disagreement between two groups on what is justified may lead to a blood feud. When one group believes that a killing was justified but the other group, who has just lost one of its own, disagrees, a viscous cycle of vengeful killings may ensue. The mediation of a third party is often the only way to resolve the conflict, allowing an honorable way for both parties to end the killings with a monetary settlement.


Family


To Zakharans, a family is precious and irreplaceable. Even in the afterlife, a family remains intact, proving its strength as well as its importance. Material wealth is transient, but the bonds of blood are eternal.


Each person exists within the circle of his or her immediate family which spans all surviving generations. That family in turn, lies within a larger circle of cousins and uncles and aunts. Beyond that lies a third circle of relatives, one step removed,and then a fourth, like the rings which form around a pebble tossed into a pool. These circles create a person's identity. Man or woman, boy or girl, an individual is nothing without the group. The rights of the family therefore, must supersede the rights of any single person within it.


Zakharan families are typically lead by men. A father is in charge of his unwed daughters, his sons, and the families of his sons. In the villages, a son often lives with his father in the paternal home until he is well past 30 years of age. If he marries, his wife joins the crowded household and becomes part of her husband's circles. Although the new bride's position has officially changed, her brothers often continue to watch over her. If she divorces, she will return to her immediate family, taking up residence with her parents or siblings. Blood ties can never be broken.


Zakharans value large families, and they welcome the birth of each child. Eventually, of course, a paternal home can hold no more people. When space becomes scarce and a family can afford to build a new dwelling, a son will leave his paternal home and start anew. Rarely will he leave his ancestral village or city however.


In the desert, tents replace houses, but the customs are similar. A nomadic patriarch typically has the largest tent among members of his immediate circle. He resides with his wife (or on occasion, his wives) and his unmarried children. His married sons live in smaller tents, which are nearly always pitched nearby.


Because blood ties are so important, loyalty to one's family is tantamount to Zakharan law. First and foremost, a man's loyalty is to his immediate family. As noted before, his actions, for better or worse, will help define the honor of that family. A woman follows the same code. Loyalty next goes to the larger circle if, for example, a man is wronged and asks for help, his cousins are honor-bound to assist him, provided their actions would in no way dishonor their immediate families.


Honor and kinship are two golden threads in the fabric of Zakharan life. Without either, the fabric unravels.


Hospitality


In the Land of Fate, generosity brings honour, while stinginess spawns contempt. As a result, Zakharan hospitality is unrivalled. According to Zakharan ethics, a man must offer food and drink to anyone who appears at his doorstep as a friend, no matter how poor the host may be. In her husband's place, or when receiving female friends, a woman must do the same.


If a guest comes to the door at night, a host must offer lodging as well as sustenance. A wealthy host may also offer entertainment. such as the dance of a talented servant and perhaps even a gift. The obligation -and desire -to offer hospitality is as compelling as any personal need. A nomadic tribe whose food stuffs are nearly gone may avoid a busy oasis even If their water stores are equally low. The tribe would rather know thirst and hunger than be unable to offer hospitality to the strangers at the oasis.


A host assumes responsibility for the well-being of his guests. Whether a man lives in a goat’s-hair tent or a lavish house, his honour depends on how well he treats those who place themselves in his care. For this reason, guests can expect safety as well as sustenance, even if they once were the host's enemies. Arsenic and other toxins are easy to obtain in the Land of Fate, and poison is a common way to eliminate foes.


Nonetheless, once foes become guests -and share the bond of salt- even theycaneatheartily, expecting the host's protection as well as his friendship. In turn, the guests are expected to act as loyal friends, never overstaying their welcome, and never overstepping the bounds of good behaviour.


"The [Al-Badian] is generous and hospitable. Those are his most important qualities. He is also brave, but then bravery and generosity are almost the same thing, because when you are poor you have to be very brave to give away even what little you have. If your family depends for its livelihood on twenty goats, it is very hard to kill one to feed to a guest, but that is what the [Al-Badian] would do. No one would be turned away from his camp, not even an enemy. If anyone stole from the guest or did him any injury under the host's roof, the host would avenge the insult for the sake of his [honor]."


-- The Last of the Bedu by Michael Asher


The Bond of Salt


The salt bond epitomizes Zakharan hospitality and the mutual responsibilities of host and guest. When a guest ingests salt from a host's table, their bond becomes formal. Presumably, the salt remains in the guest's body for three days. Until those three days elapse, the host is responsible for the guest's welfare. By offering the salt, the host vows to protect the guest from harm for the duration of the salt bond.


Purity


In the Land of Fate, purity may be a man or woman's greatest virtue, at least publicly. A foreign lothario, condemned for his actions, may point to the harem (or harem) as proof of Zakharan "hypocrisy". In point of fact, very few Zakharan men have more than one wife. But even the wealthy sheikh with a harem is technically married to every woman whose unveiled face graces his bedchamber. Furthermore, a man and woman may divorce readily, and find new spouses, with no stigma attached for anyone. The fact that a sheikh or king is married to a particular woman for only a few weeks or even days implies no impropriety for him or for her. Long or short, a marriage is sacred in the Land of Fate.


Zakharans believe their own culture is more civilized than that of their "barbaric" neighbours. Certainly the Zakharan concept of purity is more complex. Throughout the Land of Fate, purity means avoiding all unnecessary physical contact between a man and a woman unless they are married however inadvertent or innocent that contact may seem.


Every honourable Zakharan woman would extend her hand to help a wounded man. But almost none would shake hands with a man who is newly introduced, lest he assume her improper or be violently tempted by her charms. Instead, a simple nod is the proper greeting. In strictly religious areas, even a flirtatious glance is considered a sin. At the very least, a man who openly casts fiery glances at an unmarried woman has paid her an insult rather than a compliment. Her brother or father would be perfectly in the right to demand some sort of retribution - from a public apology to a gift of many camels, depending on the woman's stature and the amorous man's audacity.


In a world where strength of character is exalted, Zakharans have a peculiar belief in every man and woman's underlying weakness where matters of the heart are concerned - It's for this reason that many women wear veils and don robes that conceal the shape of their bodies, it's also for this reason that a few groups require men to do the same - that is, to cover their bodies and the lower half of their faces whenever they're in public.


Not surprisingly, eyes, hands, and feet have become important objects of beauty in the human (or even non human) Zakharan form. Women line their eyes with kohl. Some tattoo their foreheads with a simple pattern. Others may decorate their brows with dots of henna, a natural dye which may also redden their nails. Bracelets adorn their wrists and ankles.


Believing that even eyes and hair create too great a temptation, some sects in the land of fate require woman to don an opaque hood whenever she's in public, concealing her entire head. The cloth has many tiny holes over the eyes, allowing her to look out, but preventing others from looking in. The rest of her body is completely engulfed by voluminous robes that sweep the ground.


Purity is also the basis for the seclusion of women, a common practice in the Land of Fate. Whether home is a tent, a mud brick house near an oasis, or a grand palace, it usually contains separate quarters for women, an area where no grown man but a husband may venture (and even then, he typically asks permission as a courtesy). The degree to which a woman must remain in these quarters varies. For instance, the laws of Zakharan hospitality require a woman to act as a host in her husband's absence, serving an honoured or needy guest who comes to their abode by offering coffee or food. Were her husband to appear later, she might politely retire to her quarters. Although foreigners might view seclusion as a prison, a Zakharan woman often sees it as her privilege as well as a sanctuary.


Piety


Religion is a way of life among people in the Land of Fate. If it seems that the codes of conduct described so far are pursued religiously, it's because they are. Honor is also a matter of piety, of behaving in the manner deemed good and right by those who rule the heavens, those who will determine whether you are worthy of finding paradise in the after life. A dishonorable man, it is said, is never worthy of this great reward.


Zakharans accept people whose religions are different. In fact, there are a great variety of faiths throughout the Land of Fate. Yet Zakharans find it exceedingly difficult to accept anyone who does not believe in and pay homage to some higher power. To believe in other gods may seem strange, but it is not a sin. The sin is believing in nothing.


They worship a number of gods, but the major ones are the Unconquered Sun, Luna, Learned Zann, Brave Hajama, Najm the Adventurous, Jisan of the Floods, and Haku of the Desert Winds, and Hakiyah of the Sea Breezes.


Zakharan deities also include a plethora of lesser gods, local gods and demigods. Such minor deities may be venerated in one small area, while they are unknown just ten miles away. All gods, major and minor, answer their worshippers' needs with equal ability.

 

[Sherwood]

Consider me in. Are we trying for a perfect Circle with everyone taking a different caste, or does it matter if we double up?

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

It would be nice to have a perfect circle, but I'm not gonna force it, as long as those who double up on Caste have at least 3 different Favored Abilities.

 

[Zyden]

Is there a link to the 3e map that inspired you? I only found a tiny thumbnail of it...

 

[Sherwood]

I am thinking of a martial artist that specializes in the Dreaming Courtesan Style. Probably a Zenith or a Twilight.

 

[Zyden]

ST - Red Shadow Claws


Open Slots - 3 to 5?


PC Idea Summary Thus Far


Unbridled Originality - Dawn - Blacksmith


Zyden - Twilight - Investigator


Sherwood - Zenith/Twilight - MA


Esbilon - ???


hellrazoromega - ???


alkalannar - Zenith - ??

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Map


View attachment 3003


I'll place the Land of Fate around the big island in the south-east of the Dreaming Sea.<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/08928a88c49627bf8228cd519ffa275f_large.jpg.7846c2fa05b3c27335040d90217f8d06.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="24575" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/08928a88c49627bf8228cd519ffa275f_large.jpg.7846c2fa05b3c27335040d90217f8d06.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>

 

[Alkalannar]

Go for Twilight Caste, @Sherwood!

 

[Esbilon]

I am thinking of a martial artist that specializes in the Dreaming Courtesan Style. Probably a Zenith or a Twilight.

Which rewrite were you planning on using for DPC? (I was randomly asked about this style today, and am curious). As written it's equal parts broken, useless and not really an MA.

 

[Unbridled Originality]

Ooof, I'm actually super pumped about this game.

 

[Zyden]

I will happily switch to Night caste if that results in a perfect circle. Not sure what the concept would be yet, but wouldn't be hard to come up with one.

 

[Esbilon]

Mmm, looks like Eclipse is the open spot, which suits me fine.


@Red Shadow Claws how do you feel about players starting the game with airships?

 

[Alkalannar]

A monk-priest who ends up sheltering a fugitive and then protecting the fugitive from pursuers. Perhaps raksha. Perhaps the immaculate order. But fighting,protecting for duty and devotion, and exalting.

 

[Exthalion]

If there is still room I would like to post interest as a Zenith Sorcerer/Sultan who has obtained great power by negotiating with spirits.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Thaumaturgy in the Land of Fate


There are many mortal practitioners of Thaumaturgy in this land, where ancient knowledge has been preserved mostly intact about these Arts. Priests usually learn the Arts of Spirit Beckoning, Elemental Summoning, and Warding, though Weather Working is also of great importance. Among the nomads, Husbandry and Weather Working, and Elemental Summoning are all held in great honor.


Everyone can make use of Alchemy and Enchantment, but Demon Summoning is almost of a lost art here. Among the cults of ancestors, and there are many of them here, the Art of the Dead are very important. And of course, the Art of Astrology is regarded as one of the highest Arts, and only a prestige few can usually afford to learn it.


Magic in the Land of Fate


There are five Mystical orders in Zakhara, each dedicated to a different element, and all of them attract any Outcast they can get their hands on. These are basically orders of Dragon-Blooded set according to Aspect, and while they pressure any newly Exalted and newly arrived Dragon-Blooded, they do not usually force them to join. Each of these orders are very jealous of their Element, and consider it the greatest, and so fueds may erupt between them. it has also given rise to a strange costum, where they each offer their members to learn Sorcery, but only have knowledge of spells that are related to their Element, or that are neutral in their element.


House rule #1: we'll be using Limited Reagent's rewrite of sorcery. I will be posting a PDF of that when I get the forums up. (Do not worry, I'll collect all House rules in the first post, and in the game forum.

 

[Sherwood]

Which rewrite were you planning on using for DPC? (I was randomly asked about this style today, and am curious). As written it's equal parts broken, useless and not really an MA.

There is a rewrite that I heard of in one of the blogs about the style that I may hunt down and check on.

Spoiler

You may not believe it, but Renna was a very lucky girl. Being born blind in another family, she may have been left out in the wilderness for nature to finish off. But, her family was one of the North’s more powerful merchant houses, and they had the money to hire the nurses needed to care for the poor girl. Despite her handicap, Renna quickly grew into a lovely young woman. With her keen hearing and exceptional sense of balance, she was able to maneuver around her home with ease, and with the aid of her teachers, she became quite the skilled dancer, using her exceptional grace to amaze the people that had the pleasure of seeing her perform. Under the watchful eyes of her guides, Renna was frequently seen out and about the icy streets of Icehome, and overall, was quite content with her lot in life.


One spring day, Renna took the opportunity to go and visit family located far south in the city of Whitewall. Traveling with a group of trusted companions, her easy going life was rudely interrupted by a raiding party of Fae, out looking for easy prey. The guards of the little caravan fought for their lives with vigor, but were soon overwhelmed by the ferocity of the Fae. Renna was soon rounded up with her mother, her sister, and the three ladies in waiting that were traveling with the family. The six women huddled together, crying, wondering what was to happen to them. Finally, an idea came to Renna, a wildly crazy idea that, if it worked, might just be the ticket to freedom for her and her family.


Still under the watchful eyes of the guards, Renna made the comment, “I thought that the Cataphractoi were supposed to be graceful warriors, not a bunch of clumsy, elephant footed louts!” Her reward was a hand across the face. She spits out a mouthful of blood and laughs. “I guess that the truth hurts, huh?” She doesn’t wince as she hears the arm being pulled back for another blow, but the goblin’s had is stopped by his master. With a voice of smooth silken dreams, he asks her, “What would you know of graceful, little blind girl?” “I know enough to say that you sound more like a wounded yeddim loping around in circles instead of a skilled dancer. Hell, I bet that even I can dance better than you can!” A dangerous silence greeted the shocking challenge. The warrior-prince reached out with his mailed hand and softly stroked her face. “A bold statement from a little blind girl. You speak of bets? What could you possibly offer me that I don’t already have in my hand?” Renna smiles. “I know of your kind. You ravage those that you take. What is better for you? A captive, or a willing servant? I make you this deal. I bet that I can out dance you, right here right now, in front of all your followers. If I do, you release my family. If I don’t, I will be yours, freely given to be used as you see fit.” Renna’s mother cries out in dismay, but she is not to be swayed from her path. “So who would be the judge of this contest? You and yours, little blind girl?” “No need. Can your followers be trusted to speak the truth of what they see? Who can know true beauty better than the Fae?” Renna holds her breath in anticipation. Finally, the Cataphractoi nods in acceptance. “Very well. I agree! If nothing else, you will provide some much needed diversion for my weary men.”


She danced. But it was so much more. Renna was able to reach levels of skill that she had never known before. Moving to the beat of the drum, she flowed from one position to another, reaching deep inside her for inspiration. Finally, Renna collapses on the ground, completely spent, gasping for breath in the cold. Over the sound of her beating heart, she can hear the sounds of the goblin horde roaring their approval. She couldn’t believe her ears! She had won against impossible odds. Her family would be safe.


The leader of the band claps his hands together and the crowd fall silent. “Well done! I have never seen the like, even from our best performers! You will make a fine addition to the court of the Ice Queen!” Renna looks up from where she has fallen. “I won, and you agreed to let us go!” “No, I agreed to let your family go, not you. You, little blind girl, are mine. Take her, and leave the rest. It is time to go.”


The next several years were ones of humiliation and sorrow. Renna was kept prisoner, in the same way a parakeet was kept in a gilded cage, forced to perform for the court that held her captive. But she never gave up in her efforts to escape. Time and time again, she was tracked down and hauled back to the Fae court for her punishment. Finally, Renna’s deliverance was at hand. Instead of just running, something in her decided that if she were to die, it would be on her feet instead of living on her knees. She took up the only weapons that she could and struck back. Something in her changed as she stood to fight. A flood of power rushed over her, filling her with the light and glory of the Unconquered Sun. With His divine glory filling her, Renna charged through the Freehold, scattering all before her that would dare stand before the might of a newly Exalted Solar.


Free, Renna went South, driven by some unknown need. There is a destiny for this young girl that is just waiting for her. Only the Unconquered Sun knows what it is for sure.