Help with my new storyline

st_gulik

st_gulik

Unlucky Member
Greetings!


I am new to this forum, but I am a long time GM.


In the past I ran an Epic Solar Exalted Game.  It took me a little over three years to run the entire game from start to finish.  I had 3 acts that I wrote out and I had five players starting and five players at the end (all of different castes, although I lost and gained 3 players over time and all due to moving away).  The last session literally was the end of my story and overall the game was a roaring success according to my players.


It's been a good long time since I ran Exalted (2+ years at least), and now my players want me to run it again.  Of my current players 2 are from the original group of Exalted players and they've talked my old game up quite a bit.


I currently have four players, and we could probably easily add a fifth if we wanted to, although I don't know if we need to or not.


One of my two old players says he'd rather play as Dragonblooded, but isn't sure.  I can see why he would prefer not to go back as a Solar Exalted since his last character basically attained Lordship over Creation.


I roughed up two Solars with two of my other players one night when the three of us were bored, and I said something vague about playing in the West (my last game covered ALL of creation).


So I'm not sure what I should do.  Yes, dragonblooded are significantly weaker than Solars, but they are interesting to explore.


So since I've already done the Ultimate Epic Game for Solars what is left?  I think I'd like to run a Solar game again, but not sure on what angle I should take it.


My last game had the Solars fighting a group of Deathlords (Mask of Winter, Lover Clad) and The Black Dragon in a coup attempt to take over The Realm and literally open the Yozi Hells to creation.  (Hey, I was working without Games of Divinity until the middle of th Last Year of my Game)  The Deathlords got to have a huge section of Creation for themselves and the Yozis got The Realm.  The players thwarted it all, and it was excellent.


I know I want to run a player history driven game, but I also want cohesion within the party.  A GOOD reason why they met up, and a GOOD reason as to why they're sticking together.


Any ideas, suggestions, etc.?


Thanks
 
First, is this game going to be a continuation on you last game, or are you starting from scratch?


Do you want a mixed circle, or all of one type of Exalted?  If you do mixed, it lets the players pull in specialties to make their character even more uniquie.  A Lunar would have a fine time shape shifting into water creatures, and a water aspect DBs are also good underwater.


Do the characters know each other prior to game start?  If not, a large external threat to pull them together could be the ticket, depending on how paranoid the characters are.


How long have the characters been Exalted?  A group of young Solars on the run after discovering that they are the dreadded anathama can help to pull them together.  Unite or get squished.


Dont know if any of that helps, but there you go.
 
It would be starting from scratch.  I totally re-arranged the face of Creation during the game.  No way they'd be cool with starting the game with Roseblack as the new Empress (the part was in a way forced to help her do this, and in reality Roseblack had been switched with the Red Sorceress/Missing Empress who was in fact being controlled by the Black Dragon...whoot loong and conveluted, but a total bitch slap to the Eclipse caste player when they fulfilled their end of the bargain and the new Empress/Roseblack (but not really, since the one who had made a deal was currently imprisoned in Malfeas) calmly told the Legions to destroy the Anethema, classic!)


SO.


It would be a new game completely.  I would also be using 2nd Edition, so I'm not too sure about having a mixed party...specifically since there is no Lunar 2nd Ed. book out now, and never was terribly keen on them rules wise itfp.


I'd like something to get them to work together, and I'd like them to be young and new to exaltation.  Also, I am going to have to put the kibosh on Manses and Artifacts initially since everyone seems to be wanting to start with all of that.


What would be a good threat to pull a bunch of young solars together with potentially different backgrounds out in the West?
 
Well, there's always the Lintha. And as for common purpose....shipwreck 'em. Put them on a deserted island filled with Beastmen or Wyld infected barbarians. Angry spirits. Demon worship. Someone on the forum - and I apologize to whomever suggested this, because I can't remember who it was - came up with an idea of breeding with demons to get God-blooded progeny. Maybe that's going on on the island. And then there's the Wyld itself. Particularly if the island is further west than most of the islands.


And this idea could probably work with either Solars, DBs or a mixed circle. Just my 2 cents.
 
That sounds like a good idea, however, my problem isn't so much with the initial starting point but the consistent long running story that keeps going.


WHat motivation should I build in to keep this party together, what should I do to make them want to be together?  =)


What should I aim for?  I guess Exalted is all about being Epic, so Epic I'll be, but what do people think are some of the real juicy storylines and themes that are out there that have lots of potential for fun and excitement?
 
It's kind of hard to give ideas without having some idea of where you want the story to go. There are just so many different directions you can go. But you think that's going to stop me?  :twisted:


Having said that, these suggestions are just generalities. Can't really give specifics without more information.


You have the classic, traditional quest. Whether it's for an artifact, a manse, a sibling, what have you, quests are one of the traditional 'hooks' in epics. Then there's the prophecy. This one's a bit tougher, because the Sidereals pretty much own this sphere, but it could be done. The First Age can give you a lot of different plot hooks. Former lovers, former enemies, former oaths, former deeds, etc. Whether these connections are with the group itself or some of the group and some of the enemies they meet is up to you. If it's within the group, that depends on the players, particularly if the connection is romantic. A connection between a PC and NPC could be used to explore a variety of different themes - loyalty, redemption, honor, betrayal, or even insanity.


There's the magical disease. Not Contagion type disease but maybe an Essence-user disease? Only affects those who use Essence? What happens when the PCs can no longer use Charms or Sorcery - or, when they do, they're pushed closer to their limit break, spiraling them further toward their own madness? Just make sure your group's okay with this. Taking away their power can piss some players off.


There's the old favorite, corruption. What if some of the characters' contacts, allies, or other associates start to be corrupted (the most obvious choice is the Yozis but it doesn't necessarily have to be them)? If it happens to more than one character - in fact, if it happens to them all - then they have common purpose.


Like I said before, these are all vague generalities. It's much easier to brainstorm when at least some direction is given. But hopefully these suggestions might spark your own.
 
Thta's actually all I was asking for.  I wanted a vague direction to head off into, and you've given me a great idea about a former bound between them via the 1st Age.  =)


THank you, I think I have some good inspiration now.  =)
 
Why even plan your story?  Why not just ask the players what they want their characters to do and accomodate them.  This way, you can have the players write the story while you accomodate them.  The players do whatever they want and you throw monkeywrenches in their plots.  This grants them a lot of freedom and lets them make a new epic storyline doing whatever they want.


This would work especially for a Dragon-Blooded game, as they're the weakest of Exalted and thus anybody would make fair enemies for them to move against.
 
Different storytellers work in different ways. Some STs like to have a bit more structure to their story. This can still allow for the players doing their own thing - stories should be adaptable, and that's what retconning's for - but it can also help focus the ST. And some STs simply aren't comfortable improvising like that.


It's just what works for each ST.
 
I understand.  I just wanted to offer it out there.


A fun storyline to do with Dragon-Blooded would be to run a generational story.  You could have three groups - a circle, their children who have formed a circle, and their grandchildren who have formed a circle.  You could go back and forth in time and talk about how the same enemy has affected the families over the course of generations.  For example.


Stories involving Grass Spiders


700 RY - 1st generation are targeted by them


800 RY - 2nd generation decides to get revenge


900 RY - 3rd generation must protect the 2nd generation survivors from an attack


710 RY - 1st generation are tasked to hide a forbidden artifact


810 RY - 2nd generation are tasked to find the clues for the artifact's location


910 RY - 3rd generation pieces the clues together and search for the artifact


While that would be tough to play, it sure would be nifty.
 
This looks exactly like one storyline that would need a shit-load of preparation...


Though, if done properly, it could be one hell of a thrill!


I like it.
 
in regards to the accomidating the players


I generally prefer to run games that are living, in the sense that the Game Dead Rising, or the Bladerunner game for the PC (years ago) were living games.


Things are happening and going on in the world they're playing in and occassionally they get caught up in those events (siderials farking around), but they go about doing what the characters want to do, so if they ignore the terrible plot to end the world more times than monkeys can ignore fresh coffee and morning papers than well, yeah.
 
Go Dragon-Blooded! Dynasts ftw. :D I am currently running a now 1+ year dragon-blooded campaign and I must say that the thousands of extremely detailed and wonderful pieces of information about the DB-empire provides for many great stories, and.. well, decadence, politics, backstabbing, assassinations and always wondering who you can trust ( no one ) and who you can't.. it's gold.
 
Dont underestimate the effectiveness of the Dragon-blooded.  They may be the 'weakest' of the Exalted, but they have many advantages going for them.  Larger starting Artifact and Hearthstone backgrounds for one; not having the past few thousand years of spin control telling the world you are evil incarnate; and you can start with a powerful infrastructure backing you up, either from one of the Imperial clans, the Imperial Leigons, or one of the cities of the Threshold.


In the midst of a fight you may want to take a more supportive role using thrown or archery attacks.  Or, let loose with a well timed Flying Guillotine.  Another advantage of the Sorcery background.  Free spells.


All in all, I like the DB's.  There is plenty that a well written character can do.
 
It's clear that your players have not grasped what the game is about, and think they are now going to be playing the heroes. How wrong they could be.. Surprise them by showing how excellent and grand the empire is instead of showing how worthless and corrupt it is, and watch how they react. It would be pretty nice to have a group of Solars who dont all want to thrown down the Empire, but instead realize that the DB's are just wrong about the Solars, but are needed for the stability of creation..


And yeah. Then they go battle some Deathlords!
 
So you've done the altering creation thing and want a new angle right?


You want it in the west and you want the players (backgrounds to drive your story.


You can instead of empire building focus on past atrocities committed by characters let them realize what the Solars have done. Helping redeem themselves is the player playing the DB.


You can do the Island hop thing. and every time it triggers bits and bob out of their past. They realize that they have to start fixing some of their wrongs before they cancarry on. Sort of a redemption campaign.


This way their conciences keep them in check and you can use the graphic style of exalted to emphesize the personal horror. They might have to find and help descendants of their victims and so on. Focus on their weaknesses and let that be the story-engine. You'll have a player driven RPG and you have something completely different that is through history based in the area where you want it.
 
Zaramis said:
It's clear that your players have not grasped what the game is about, and think they are now going to be playing the heroes. How wrong they could be.. Surprise them by showing how excellent and grand the empire is instead of showing how worthless and corrupt it is, and watch how they react. It would be pretty nice to have a group of Solars who dont all want to thrown down the Empire, but instead realize that the DB's are just wrong about the Solars, but are needed for the stability of creation..
And yeah. Then they go battle some Deathlords!
Click to expand...
the entire scarlet dynasty was formed to feed the power hunger and allay the fears of a self centered bitch who sold out creation to the Yozis


the DBs are not evil,m but the realm is


it needs a serious rewrite
 
Self-centered bitch? Maybe, but she "sold out Creation" to stop it's near-certain and complete obliteration. I think she's owed a bit of thanks for at least trying.
 
she sold out creation so she could be the bride of the ebon dragon
Click to expand...
No, she did it because the entirety of Creation was on the brink of being destroyed by the Fair Folk. I don't think anyone wants to be the Ebon Dragon's "bride". I'm sure it doesn't tickle.
 
not the taking of the mantle


the reading of the broken winged crane and signing of herself over to the ebon dragon in order to avoid dying of old age


reading the DB 1E book I noticed EVERYTHING she did had the presupposition that nothing is more important than herself
 
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