Hi everybody.
The fine return of a functional machine means I can read and post again. I'm trying to catch up on the hundred or so posts I missed.
In the meantime, I've gotten the first two players to make characters after I left them with a brief 3-page summary of the Dragon Pass and Holy Country region to choose from.
Being players, they have of course presented me with unexpected ideas. They want a Lunar occupied city, thinking the more direct presence will be more fun. So my bustling port with access to great knowledge, political intrigue that also acts as a hive of scum and villany seems to be Karse, post the Lunar invasion. (If I understand it, a largely bloodless conquest, which at this time (c.1619) is used as a staging ground for the conquest of Heortland by the Lunars, who should be disposing of Rikard about this time, and beginning the siege of Whitewall.
Both wanted to not make beginning characters, they want to be mid-30s (closer to their own age) and be a bit more powerful and involved in things.
The First has made a merchant of the city. He's established, a player, and manipulative. But here's the interesting bit. He wants to be of Sartarite extraction, more specifically, he wants a link with Kallyr. While as a merchant in a cosmopolitan city he claims to not be unnecessarily tied down by Orlanthi traditions, he can't escape his culture growing up. So while he doesn't really believe in the rebellion (trade is trade, he can trade anywhere, with anyone who has money) he also can't turn his back on Kallyr, so finds himself supporting her covertly.
I've done a quick perusal of Jane's work on Kallyr, and think I can accommodate him. Either he is of her tribe that was destroyed in 1602 (he would have been about 15) or he was of the tribe she adopted into. In which case he managed to avoid being overly linked to the rebellion of 1613. I lean to the first, since if it isn't widely known, and if he was adopted into another tribe, it would help keep him off the Lunar radar. The other option works as well, if he has spent 6 years building up goodwill as an entirely neutral trader.
Does that work? I'm not going to have her show up directly much (she'll be pretty occupied through Whitewall, but it gives me a great big hook to pull on him.)
The other issue he is having trouble with is his magic. Logically, he should have been initiated into Issaries or one of the children thereof. But other options that fit the character are to keep him with common magic, picking up whatever is useful, and he has also been intrigued by Argan Argar, seeing as the Shadow Plateau is right there. (I've also not found a good write up of the Issaries cult.)
The Second has presented me with another problem. He went Moorcockian on me. He's created an island of Sorcerers still bound by the closing. In fact, their rulers claim they brought the Closing down to hide from the evil of the GodLearners, who were destroying the world and themselves. As he rose through the ranks, he had the secret of the ruling wizards revealed to him, they use vile, chaotic magics. Although his culture always accepted chaos, it was in the way of most Lunars, with an idea chaos was controlled and the more violent aspects rejected. He found this not true. He rebelled, and was cast out into the sea. Where a ship found him.
So now he has discovered the world was not destroyed, and the ship's captain has told him of Lunars, who seem to be the same as the lying rulers of his isle. But in Holy Country he hears echoes of the legendary powers that could slay the evil rulers of his land and free his people.
This player is a very prolific writer, so he should have no trouble coming up with his own myths and legends, which I will then tweak to offer him ways. He has brought some of his Chaotic sorcery with him, and is seeking some way to destroy Chaos, both facts should make him of interest to many sides in the struggles going on in the area. The biggest problem I have with him is determining how to do Sorcery that taps into Chaos.
The other two players couldn't make it, and haven't gotten back to me.
So, anyone got some ideas on whether Karse is a good place to put this, the feasiblity of the Kallyr link, and Chaos sorcery? I'm looking more for fitting into Glorantha than rules here.
Sorry for the long post.
LC
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