Characters are all dwellers in Lunar – influenced areas, such as Sartar, or Prax; or are Lunar citizens of Tarsh, Holay, the Redlands, Imther, Shadows Dance, and Garsting. All the characters are involved in some kind of crime against the empire. The crimes are political in nature, but not extreme enough to have the character crucified or sentenced to state slavery. The punishment in this case is exile – the place of exile is Balazar. Balazar lies beyond the Glowline – the area where the moon, magically, is always high in the sky and in full phase, ready to lend its power to all magics that are subject to the phases of the Red Moon. The Glowline extends to the Tarsh River, beyond the mid stream of the Tarsh the Glowline suddenly no longer influences the appearance of the moon, and beyond the river lies the exotic, primitive land of Balazar.
Balazar is a land of legend, known in popular song and story to any resident of Sartar, Imther, Holay, Tarsh, Shadows Dance, the Redlands, Garsting and – to a lesser extent – in Prax. Balazar is convenient to Lunar authorities for several reasons. Primarily it puts the revolutionary beyond the Pale of Lunar authority. Secondarily, it also puts the exile in an area where a very real Lunar influence will keep them under observation.
Characters are all under thirty years of age, and their skills and development should be commensurate with their age. If they were mightier figures of revolt they would not have been given the benefit of the doubt – they would have been nailed to crosses to permanently end their ability to resist Lunar law. Characters are exiled for a term of five years. During this time they may not reenter any Lunar territory. Technically they could wander beyond the lands of Balazar either north to the Elder Wilds, which are true wild country, or go south to Prax, if they can find a way through the Rockwood Mountains without violating their exile.
Characters are allowed a single pack animal for goods – so they can transport up to a couple hundred pounds of equipment or valuable – they can possess arms and armor for their exile, but they may not carry weapons, or wear armor until they have left Lunar lands behind them. They also must walk until the report to the Lunar Garrison commander in Elkoi, wearing black, penitent robes and carrying a staff with a single bell to let all know that they are criminals. AN exile would be wise to carry some coin, and to take trade goods with him to Balazar. Metal tools, weapons – such as ax and spearheads would do well for trade since Balazar is reputedly without much metal art, or knowledge. Characters will find few smiths in Balazar – it is reported that each of the three major towns and keeps has a single smith. Elkoi, actually has two – one who serves the king of Elkoi, and another who works in the Lunar compound.
Characters will arrive in the second week of Earth Season, traveling with the regular season supply caravan to the Lunar garrison outside the walls of Elkoi. Once they have arrived, the prisoners will have an audience with the Lunar commander or a lesser functionary to be given their final instructions before being tossed out on their ears to fend for themselves.
Any individuals wishing to offer a character to join the game should submit a character prospectus to my personal e-mail address < Popeyesays_at_... >. I will review it with an eye to creating a versatile and fascinating cast of characters. Characters will have had little benefit of knowing one another other than the fact that they have been traveling together since Tarsh. They would have been sent under guard to Borni's Landing in Tarsh. There the supply caravans are brought together, organized and sent out to Elkoi. There the prisoners are brought together for the first time, and will get the chance to meet, and it is there that the game will begin. Once we have four to six players ready we'll begin.
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