Archivist
Senior Member
For a Better Age
Broken Ice looked down at the host of Varajtul as they approached his fellow Valhal warriors. That what he would have liked to call them in any event. Far too many of them had too much gray in their hair. Himself included. But these cold, hard lands of his ancestors were never merciful. Certainly not to the old and infirm. And certainly not in times of war.
The Varajtul continued to approach the hill they had placed themselves on. Howling and moaning what counted for as battle cries. Broken Ice cursed the Wyld that they came from. They had come out of their holes to viciously attack his people. Striking with unusual precision and intelligence. Or perhaps they had merely grown complacent against the Wyld tainted cannibals? They had attacked his villages suddenly and without warning. Uncharacteristically they had gone straight for their iceships during the dead of night, and destroyed most of them before his villages warriors had time to react. Most Varajtul raids were done with the intent of capturing prisoners to be eaten in rituals too foul to speak of. But this was different. In addition to a change in tactics, they now had metal weapons in their hands instead of just the stone, wood, and bone they traditionally used.
In the morning we soon discovered that the raid was in fact an invasion. With our boats destroyed, and facing numbers we could not hope to face, we had no choice but to flee by foot. He had learned later from other villages along the coast had been attacked in the same way. Not all of them had been as fortunate as us.
We fled to the city of Freehold. A city we had a long standing alliance and relationship with. In exchange for mercenary service, protection against the dangers of the North, and the goods my tribe produced we received food, a chance for glory, and in the event of danger, a sanctuary to retreat to and defend. But kin coming back from the city to warn us that Icehold was now closed to us.
They said they could not support us, and that the only people that they would allow inside the city, and safety, were those who submitted to bondage. My kin outside the gate had cried out, declaring them as oathbreakers and slavers. Division had raked the Valhal’s numbers. Some called for an assault on the city to seize their right to sanctuary. Others cautioned moderation, and negotiation with the cities leaders to show them the errors of their ways. A few shamefully submitted themselves to bondage in the dark of night, unable to face their kin as they debased themselves.
But this meant little to my tribe. The Varajtul had caught up with us. Not slowed down by mothers, children, and the elderly and the inevitable pack train that came with a tribe on the move. Now the older men stand on the path in front of the tainted ones. The younger men women of the tribe had insisted on staying to fight. But this was a battle not to win, but to buy time. Time enough for our kin to escape. Younger and stronger blood would be needed later. Or so Broken Ice prayed.
The Varajtul were nearly upon them. Whipping themselves into a frenzy as they always did. He could now smell their foul odors like he had so many times in the past. They howled at us and we answered back with our own war cries. Each line building up its courage for the clash. We charged each other. But the battle was already decided. The only thing in doubt was the blood toll and how long it would take. Broken Ice was determined that his last moments would be moments of glory and honor. And that he would make for as many of those moments as he could for as long as he could. The Valhals needed heroes. Many died on that hill. More would be needed soon.
Introduction
Creation is on verge of a new age. The winds of change have come, and there may be nothing that can stop them. Since the Usurpation Creation has been in a slow state of decline, corruption, and rot. The Dragon-Blooded have proven to be poor stewards of Creation since their coup. The great wonders of the First Age are all but gone, the population and cities a pale shadow of what once was, and even the heavens only perform their duties out of sheer momentum.
It is hard to imagine a place in Creation that has fallen as hard as the North. During the heights of the First Age the region was warmed by the Essence machines of the Solars, allowing for the growth of crops. Long distance travel was readily available. While the region was still considered a wilderness in many ways, it still prospered even as the First Age tarnished.
The fall of the Solars during the Usurpation saw the North fall just as hard. In a moment of defiant fury and revenge, First Sun’s Cry destroyed the White Valley Dam, turning the White Valley into the White Sea, drowning untold millions, and destroying the most fertile region in the North. The Dragon-Blooded proved to only be able to slow the decay of the Solars infrastructure, and the North was slowly seized by a cold grip. The North was nearly entirely annihilated during the devastating Contagion and Fair Folk invasion that saw the complete collapse of civilization in the region.
Since the Scarlet Empress beat back the Fair Folk invasion, the people of the North has sought to scratch out a life in a region that gives nothing, but will readily take everything. Here the hard-bitten people of the North eke out an existence as best they can. Whether in massive cities like Whitewall, the various minor city-states, tribes, or individual homesteads, these people battle against the elements, Fair Folk, Wyld Barbarians, and against foreign influences. While the people of the North can make a living, it is considered barely worth the Realm’s attention.
While it may not seem like it, this is the place where heroes can rise. Even the long exiled Solar may be able to reclaim their birthright here on the cold steppes where the Realm lacks influence. This was where the Bull of the North rose to prominence after all. Who is to say another group of Solar and their allies could not also carve out their own empire. Especially with the Realm paralyzed without its Scarlet Empress, and the Wyld Hunt at its weakest.
It is here that Solar can prove they still have the spark that made them great, or it is here in the cold and hard expanse of the North that they will prove they are still the mad despots they were before their fall. But it is here a Circle of Solar and their allies will come together. It is here they will gather a group of largely unknown icewalkers, and they will challenge the world. It is up to them if the world will rise to new heights because of them, or just become poorer still.
Game Description
I’m looking for about 4-7 characters of various Exalted types, though it will likely be Solar heavy.
This is an empire building game focused initially on the North-Western and Northern portion of Creation. The focus will be on the actions of a new Circle of Solar and their allies, and their actions as they gradually build their new Solar empire. They will need to build up their nation, create alliances, make war, fight off the Realm and the Wyld Hunt, and right the wrongs of the world. Politics, war, intrigue, epic fights, and nation building will be the focus on the game. The campaign will be character driven and focused, and the decisions of the Exalted will have major consequences in Creation.
The Exalted in this campaign will join up and assist a Viking like group of icewalkers known as the Valhals in their desperate fight against Varajtul Cannibals. They will have to use the skills at their disposal to manage a situation more complex then it may initially seem. From there they will get to build their empire, and deal with a multitude of problems in the North.
For whatever reason they are now in this section of the North. Either to escape the reach of the Realm, because they have kin among the icewalkers, they want to carve out a nation in this area, or for whatever reason you so choose.
Character Creation Rules
-Exalted Types: Solar, Lunar, Sidereal, Dragon-Blooded, and others on a case by case basis.
-Characters will needs to have a Background, Appearance (I will allow you to use a picture as your appearance), and Personality written up. I have the option of giving out an additional 1-5 EXP based on how much I like this section of the character sheet.
-Characters get an additional 50 EXP to spend at the end of character generation.
-You can also earn an additional 5 EXP by forming a significant connection with at least one other Circle member (one time reward, but you are certainly encouraged to come up with a connection to more than one other Exalted in the Circle). This is to encourage all of you to build up character relationships before the game starts, and have more reason to help each other in the campaign ahead.
-Any significant artifacts, followers, crafts, etc. should be addressed in your backstory to explain why you have these things.
-To simply things, everyone is going to need to speak the same language. So select Skytongue as one of your languages.
Just keep in mind that I am new to the game, so you probably don’t need to go overboard on the character designs.
Houserules
-For each dot of Essense an Exalted has, up to a maximum of their Staminia, they get one free Ox-Body Technique charm to better represent their supernatural toughness.
-Artifact Superheacy Plate is only 4 dots, not 5, and Articulated Plate is only 3 dots.
-For each dot purchased in Craft, you get one dot in a mundane craft (Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, Air), and other Crafts (such as Magitech, Genesis, etc.) can be purchased as specialties. There is no limit to the number of specialties an Exalted is allowed to purchase.
Broken Ice looked down at the host of Varajtul as they approached his fellow Valhal warriors. That what he would have liked to call them in any event. Far too many of them had too much gray in their hair. Himself included. But these cold, hard lands of his ancestors were never merciful. Certainly not to the old and infirm. And certainly not in times of war.
The Varajtul continued to approach the hill they had placed themselves on. Howling and moaning what counted for as battle cries. Broken Ice cursed the Wyld that they came from. They had come out of their holes to viciously attack his people. Striking with unusual precision and intelligence. Or perhaps they had merely grown complacent against the Wyld tainted cannibals? They had attacked his villages suddenly and without warning. Uncharacteristically they had gone straight for their iceships during the dead of night, and destroyed most of them before his villages warriors had time to react. Most Varajtul raids were done with the intent of capturing prisoners to be eaten in rituals too foul to speak of. But this was different. In addition to a change in tactics, they now had metal weapons in their hands instead of just the stone, wood, and bone they traditionally used.
In the morning we soon discovered that the raid was in fact an invasion. With our boats destroyed, and facing numbers we could not hope to face, we had no choice but to flee by foot. He had learned later from other villages along the coast had been attacked in the same way. Not all of them had been as fortunate as us.
We fled to the city of Freehold. A city we had a long standing alliance and relationship with. In exchange for mercenary service, protection against the dangers of the North, and the goods my tribe produced we received food, a chance for glory, and in the event of danger, a sanctuary to retreat to and defend. But kin coming back from the city to warn us that Icehold was now closed to us.
They said they could not support us, and that the only people that they would allow inside the city, and safety, were those who submitted to bondage. My kin outside the gate had cried out, declaring them as oathbreakers and slavers. Division had raked the Valhal’s numbers. Some called for an assault on the city to seize their right to sanctuary. Others cautioned moderation, and negotiation with the cities leaders to show them the errors of their ways. A few shamefully submitted themselves to bondage in the dark of night, unable to face their kin as they debased themselves.
But this meant little to my tribe. The Varajtul had caught up with us. Not slowed down by mothers, children, and the elderly and the inevitable pack train that came with a tribe on the move. Now the older men stand on the path in front of the tainted ones. The younger men women of the tribe had insisted on staying to fight. But this was a battle not to win, but to buy time. Time enough for our kin to escape. Younger and stronger blood would be needed later. Or so Broken Ice prayed.
The Varajtul were nearly upon them. Whipping themselves into a frenzy as they always did. He could now smell their foul odors like he had so many times in the past. They howled at us and we answered back with our own war cries. Each line building up its courage for the clash. We charged each other. But the battle was already decided. The only thing in doubt was the blood toll and how long it would take. Broken Ice was determined that his last moments would be moments of glory and honor. And that he would make for as many of those moments as he could for as long as he could. The Valhals needed heroes. Many died on that hill. More would be needed soon.
Introduction
Creation is on verge of a new age. The winds of change have come, and there may be nothing that can stop them. Since the Usurpation Creation has been in a slow state of decline, corruption, and rot. The Dragon-Blooded have proven to be poor stewards of Creation since their coup. The great wonders of the First Age are all but gone, the population and cities a pale shadow of what once was, and even the heavens only perform their duties out of sheer momentum.
It is hard to imagine a place in Creation that has fallen as hard as the North. During the heights of the First Age the region was warmed by the Essence machines of the Solars, allowing for the growth of crops. Long distance travel was readily available. While the region was still considered a wilderness in many ways, it still prospered even as the First Age tarnished.
The fall of the Solars during the Usurpation saw the North fall just as hard. In a moment of defiant fury and revenge, First Sun’s Cry destroyed the White Valley Dam, turning the White Valley into the White Sea, drowning untold millions, and destroying the most fertile region in the North. The Dragon-Blooded proved to only be able to slow the decay of the Solars infrastructure, and the North was slowly seized by a cold grip. The North was nearly entirely annihilated during the devastating Contagion and Fair Folk invasion that saw the complete collapse of civilization in the region.
Since the Scarlet Empress beat back the Fair Folk invasion, the people of the North has sought to scratch out a life in a region that gives nothing, but will readily take everything. Here the hard-bitten people of the North eke out an existence as best they can. Whether in massive cities like Whitewall, the various minor city-states, tribes, or individual homesteads, these people battle against the elements, Fair Folk, Wyld Barbarians, and against foreign influences. While the people of the North can make a living, it is considered barely worth the Realm’s attention.
While it may not seem like it, this is the place where heroes can rise. Even the long exiled Solar may be able to reclaim their birthright here on the cold steppes where the Realm lacks influence. This was where the Bull of the North rose to prominence after all. Who is to say another group of Solar and their allies could not also carve out their own empire. Especially with the Realm paralyzed without its Scarlet Empress, and the Wyld Hunt at its weakest.
It is here that Solar can prove they still have the spark that made them great, or it is here in the cold and hard expanse of the North that they will prove they are still the mad despots they were before their fall. But it is here a Circle of Solar and their allies will come together. It is here they will gather a group of largely unknown icewalkers, and they will challenge the world. It is up to them if the world will rise to new heights because of them, or just become poorer still.
Game Description
I’m looking for about 4-7 characters of various Exalted types, though it will likely be Solar heavy.
This is an empire building game focused initially on the North-Western and Northern portion of Creation. The focus will be on the actions of a new Circle of Solar and their allies, and their actions as they gradually build their new Solar empire. They will need to build up their nation, create alliances, make war, fight off the Realm and the Wyld Hunt, and right the wrongs of the world. Politics, war, intrigue, epic fights, and nation building will be the focus on the game. The campaign will be character driven and focused, and the decisions of the Exalted will have major consequences in Creation.
The Exalted in this campaign will join up and assist a Viking like group of icewalkers known as the Valhals in their desperate fight against Varajtul Cannibals. They will have to use the skills at their disposal to manage a situation more complex then it may initially seem. From there they will get to build their empire, and deal with a multitude of problems in the North.
For whatever reason they are now in this section of the North. Either to escape the reach of the Realm, because they have kin among the icewalkers, they want to carve out a nation in this area, or for whatever reason you so choose.
Character Creation Rules
-Exalted Types: Solar, Lunar, Sidereal, Dragon-Blooded, and others on a case by case basis.
-Characters will needs to have a Background, Appearance (I will allow you to use a picture as your appearance), and Personality written up. I have the option of giving out an additional 1-5 EXP based on how much I like this section of the character sheet.
-Characters get an additional 50 EXP to spend at the end of character generation.
-You can also earn an additional 5 EXP by forming a significant connection with at least one other Circle member (one time reward, but you are certainly encouraged to come up with a connection to more than one other Exalted in the Circle). This is to encourage all of you to build up character relationships before the game starts, and have more reason to help each other in the campaign ahead.
-Any significant artifacts, followers, crafts, etc. should be addressed in your backstory to explain why you have these things.
-To simply things, everyone is going to need to speak the same language. So select Skytongue as one of your languages.
Just keep in mind that I am new to the game, so you probably don’t need to go overboard on the character designs.
Houserules
-For each dot of Essense an Exalted has, up to a maximum of their Staminia, they get one free Ox-Body Technique charm to better represent their supernatural toughness.
-Artifact Superheacy Plate is only 4 dots, not 5, and Articulated Plate is only 3 dots.
-For each dot purchased in Craft, you get one dot in a mundane craft (Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, Air), and other Crafts (such as Magitech, Genesis, etc.) can be purchased as specialties. There is no limit to the number of specialties an Exalted is allowed to purchase.
