Aella’s brow furrowed in disgust as she watched the scholar limp toward the exit of the Throne Room. The deception had not played well with the Paladin.
After Raphael followed in Demetrius's leave, Aella stood behind momentarily. Her eyes locked on Henry as he continued his incantation; her right hand gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. Uncertain if she would interfere or not, her steel gaze slowly dissolved into that of resignation as she watched her friend continue his ritual. Feeling there was nothing to be done and lamenting that she would "lose" another comrade to The Castle. She sighed before quickly scampering off in Raphael and Demetrius's direction. As she reached the entryway of the Throne Room, she turned to catch one last glimpse of Henry before making her escape.
The Castle’s violent destabilization resumed as the explorers made for exits. Aella’s last glance of the Throne was Henry staring into the depths of The Grail, blood starting to crawling up his body to throw itself into the chalice.
The arch then collapsed, blocking the Throne Room from view
***
That night, bonds were forged and bonds were broken as Avaloc fell and the Castle faded from reality. Though it's sickening pulse no long guided the world, it still left traces of Corruption in the cracks and dark corners of the world. The world turned on, and the wound left healed in time....
All right, so Henry takes up Gnosis and becomes the first user of the grail. @discrider I feel like I know what Henry’s wish is, but state it for rest of us please. The Half-Damned will get a stat bonus, and will start with 1 less Pact with the other bloodlines.
If everyone has one last epilogue for their characters, feel free to post them. Otherwise, tomorrow night we’ll switch to the Bloodline view for our first Turning of the Ages
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Henry's wish is that his family, friends and rather entire farming village, which was captured and suborned under the late Regent, be brought back to life and released from The Castle
Rather thinking they all come back as half-damned though
A lot of them did escape The Castle in the collapse, fortunately and unfortunately by turns. Which member of his family does he bring back from the grave, and why?
Matev on
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
After much cursing at the goblet, Henry settles on raising his eldest child, Amelia, as he could not inflict the same damnation on his wife that he himself has experienced, prior to taking the cup's offer.
And the eldest being a teen has the best chance of carrying on without them all.
Raphael was haunted the memory of Henry wildly staring into the Chalice for the rest of his days. The Saint couldn’t ever get over how he walked away from his friend, abandoning him to the corruption of that evil cup.
His injuries meant that Raphael was no longer able to go and fight the corruption head on. Instead, he founded an order who was dedicated to seeking out traces of any taint that was hiding in the world and removing it. They would become a beacon of light in the darkness that was threatening the world, a singular hope with which the downtrodden could point themselves to as they escaped from the terrors of the world.
And so, The Golden Signal was founded. Raphael trained and mentored those who sought him out, others who shared his vision of showing the world how there could still be good men who cared for others. Secretly, the order prepared for a secondary goal, ready should the Castle ever reappear. The Saint knew that it was likely that his friend was gone forever, but he was never naive enough to assume that cursed place would stay gone.
It may one day return to haunt the world, but The Golden Signal would be right there to fight it.
AustinP0027 on
+1
Options
AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
Esteemed colleagues in the Search for Ineffable Wisdom:
I have touched the Grail, but I was unable to claim it. For a moment, the all things seemed possible! The creation of a more just, more enlightened Mankind lay at the very edge of my reach before it was snatched away from me as I stood like Tantalus in his pool. In that moment I saw also the price I would have to pay to achieve our goals. The Grail is not the true cure for the world's pain, friends. It is merely a tool more powerful than any other we have found in our search... but the cost is high indeed for him who would wield it.
One of the victims of Avaloc's corruption had the fortitude to throw it off; he rebuffed my efforts to bring a new Era to Mankind and claimed the Grail for his own. I fear he will return in some other shape, corrupted by the Castle's power as others have been before him. Did we not trace the Castle's origins to that forgotten continent, Atlantis, of which Plato wrote? It has long lain dormant but now it stirs once more, a harbinger of disaster for Mankind. Our Society's efforts must continue, and the accumulated Product of our Wisdom be warehoused against its return. Another expedition must attempt to succeed where ours failed, and some braver man than I must seize the Grail.
The records of Zosimos proved useful indeed; I escaped a labyrinth that must have predated the Roman Empire itself with the aid of the maps extracted from them. My leg is ruined, but the Periapt of Saint Luke, obtained at no small cost from the Church's stores, was able to let me continue on despite it. I have returned it to where we found it, for the moment, and will live out my life leaning on a crutch.
And so time passed, with the various explorers (or their survivors) taking their experiences and growing their legacies.
How did their time in The Castle shape their line's capabilities?
What are their traditions?
How do their allies earn respect from them? How you reward that them for doing so?
How will they shelter the party when they next enter The Castle? What attendants will be there?
What techniques are passed down?
Look at your bloodline playbooks.
Choose your stat array and figure out what that says about your line.
Choose or create your people's traditions.
You will have further history with another Bloodline. Figure out who and why.
Decide your initial Bloodline moves. Note how they will help you and the others.
Tell the other explorers about how to gain Pact with you and what they gain from spending it. Once this is done for everyone, we will move onto the next age and create the Explorers for the next Blood Moon.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
After the events at The Castle , Aella returned to Soissons to give her account as to what transpired there. Influential Clergy chastised her for not striking Henry down when she had a chance, while others sympathized and pointed to the pacifist actions of the increasingly revered "Saint" Raphael. Ultimately, Aella received little praise for surviving what she had endured - she had served her duty and little more.
To the people ,however, she became a cult-like figure; a female knight who survived The Castle and helped destroy the evil Regent. At first it was mostly thankful villagers, but later came the nobles who sought the paladin to aid with the darkness that plagued their land . As the Crusades waged on, Aella traveled Europe ,instead, hunting creatures of the corruption where she found them.
Every monster Aella slew gained her new followers. And with every monster slain, Aella became more and more obsessed with the corruption. Though she had largely kept her proclivities a secret to her flock. As the years passed by, Aella's followers had grown to around 300 able bodied individuals- many of them battle hardened veterans.
Oddly, at a period where Aella seemed best able to fight the corruption, she disappeared into the night with a small cadre of trusted soldiers and advisors. Some believed she went mad, claiming to have seen her talking to a blue light in the palm of her hand while occasionally uttering the name of her fallen comrade Aegir. While others suspected something more nefarious after she received a visit from a gold masked man who claimed to be a "Witness of the Fall"; a meeting which left the otherwise stalwart paladin visibly shaken.
In time, Aella's band would re-emerge under the banner of the "Keepers of the Holy Flame".
Amelia gasps on masonry sodden air as a pair of ragged survivors extract her from the once-proud antechamber of The Castle.
As The Castle had retreated, the portal to its wards had collapsed, which in turn had disrupted this shell of a building.
Amelia leans heavily on her rescuers as she sucks in air.
"Are you okay, Miss ...?"
Looking around, Amelia recognises few of these refugees.
They are all as dusty as she, but some more winded than others.
Most are still combing the ruins.
A few calling out the names of those who lagged behind.
"A... Amelia."
She brushes the dust from her eyes.
"Worthington? Are my parents here?"
These days, you won't find many who'll know which castle you're talking about.
They'll probably point you to some ruin or another, or you might have to delve a bit deeper into the secretive groups or lore in these surrounds.
But ask in the farming village of Lons-on-dale, and you might earn yourself some sharp looks, before being shuffled into a secluded room and some just as sharp questions.
The people there are as willing as any to recount their past tragedies.
Lons-on-dale didn't use to be so small after all, and its cemetry is too well populated for a town of surely less than half a dozen families.
But Lons-on-dale is the only farming town within 50 miles; the only non-abandoned one that is.
And the mish-mash of characters you'll meet will make you ask whatever binds them.
Just.. stay inside at night.
You don't want to know.
And don't attend the Festival's Hunt.
There are other strange things too.
The town seems unsettled.
It has walls for one. The only walls you tend to expect out here are the waist-high sheep fences, but this town is surrounded by fortification.
And the townsfolk themselves are on edge.
Not just the common-folk, but the over-large police force that has appeared to take residence here.
In all, it's Lons-on-dale.
A nice enough place to visit, but don't overstay your welcome.
The Half-Damned:
Pacts:
Church: 1
Heroes: 1
Hand: -1
Chalices: -1, Swords: 2, Coins: 1, Wands: 0
Style: Commonfolk
Lore: A shared dark history
Name: Lons-on-dale; home of the lost
The Holy Church
Chalices 1 Swords 0 Coins -1 Wands 1
Style: Simple Symbol of Faith Lore: Holy book filled with ecstatic visions
Pact: The Way of the White
In the aftermath of the first experience with the Castle, Raphael sought out Demetrius. The Mastermind had taken a pragmatic approach to the loss of Henry and the Chalice, but a darkness had grown in him over time due to the loss of functions in his leg. The Saint shared a mutual experience, as his own injuries from that night had limited him quite a bit as well. The two met regularly to talk, and over time Raphael was able to help Demetrius let go of the anger he had towards Henry, preventing the Mastermind from falling into the darkness that had threatened to consume the normally rational man.
Pacts:
Half Damned: 1
Heroes: 2
Hand: 1
Bloodline Moves:
Shield of Faith
So long as your camps maintain a constant vigil of prayer, they will not come under attack.
When attempting to manifest, roll +Sulphur.
Hit, radiant light prevents creatures from the castle from coming within a few meters of you.
On 7-9, pick two, on 10+ pick one:
- Moving breaks the shield
- Attacking breaks the shield
- No-one else can shelter under the shield
Holy Vanguard
When an Acolyte ventures out to attack the mortal world, your explorer can spend 1 Travel the Labyrinth hold to immediately intervene and confront them.
Pact Spending:
While at camp, any other explorer/Bloodline can spend 1 pact to take a Relic from my stores.
Gnosis Spoils
Your bloodline works to heal the wounds
left in this community by the castle.
Name an alliance you've made, and
get advantage when you call on it
for Reinforcements.
Raphael made sure to send The Golden Signal back to Hungary as soon as possible after the Castle disappeared. Due to their efforts to help those displaced where the Castle had been, they gained the appreciation of the hunting guild that had formed in the area. Originally a collection of those who would seek out food for their village/for selling, they had morphed into a group of danger-ignoring monster hunters who attempted to fight the Castle's corruption on their own (with varying levels of success)
AustinP0027 on
0
Options
AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
edited March 2019
The Hidden Hand
Name: The Daedalus Society
Chalices 0 Swords -1 Coins 1 Wands 1 (They're a society of scholars and their patrons with a deep interest in alchemy and Hellenic roots)
Style: Formal wear and subtle symbols.
Lore: Ruling the rare book market - imported Arabic manuscripts of Greek classics, rare tomes of lore forbidden by the Church, etc.
Refuge: The manor of Graf Torok, a mysterious Hungarian nobleman.
Drive: Extraction of a relic of The Castle's previous incarnation.
Breach: Ancient, forgotten sections of the castle lost to history... but not to the Society.
[Way of the White response]
Demetrius' various writings emboldened a sect of The Society to continue research into dark mysticism and attempts to commune with and attune to The Castle. While Demetirus himself never seriously considered joining The Castle's destructive cause, others did. Calling themselves the Seal of Solomon, they seek the forbidden power embodied in the Castle as a means to command the damned.
The Way of Silver: The Daedalus Society's investments in the village of Lons-on-dale mystify those of their membership who have not Ascended to the Cretan Labyrinth, but those who have been initiated into the Society's true goals are well aware of the reasons behind these expenses. (Gain 1 pact on The Half-Damned; discrider gets to tell us what they're using the Society's money for!)
Relics: 1
Pacts:
Half-Damned 1
Heroes: 0
Faith: 0
Bloodline Moves:
Experimental Weaponry, A Web of Influence.
Mechanics / outstanding questions:
I think Austin should have 2 pacts on me, if we all start with 1?
Someone needs to have helped me obtain the Periapt of Saint Luke and gotten 2 pacts on me - the Heroes seem like the obvious choice?
Reckoner looks hugely entertaining and was clearly what I was aiming for this whole time, so I'd prefer to make one of those next generation.
I'm cool with the Heroes helping with the Periapt of Saint Luck, especially since Aella did mention Demetrius's name among the fallen. So obviously before the reveal there must have been some good will there and/or working together at some point.
@discrider Which bloodline hunted you before your treaty was forged? How did you prove your humanity? Your pacts cannot go below 0. And what are you using the Daedulus Society's generous bequests for?
@Auralynx what dark temptation was twisting the Society into servants of The Castle if not the idea of The Grail? Pact is set at 1 unless you have a founding pact with another bloodline (Which would set it at 2), or in the case of the Half-damned, the Pacts are reduced by 1 for taking The Grail
@Egos what are the Stats, Traditions, and HIstory of the Keepers of the Holy Flame?
Once we get those out of the way, the Blood Moon will rise anew
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Name:Keepers of the Holy Flame Style: Family crests and heirlooms Lore: Ancestor’s crumbling journals and other paraphernalia Pacts:
Church:1
Half-Damned: 2(1?)
Hand : 2
FANATICAL10 Pact: The Way of Gold: In the years following the Castle’s disappearance, Aella received word of notable incidents involving Knights of the Golden Signal during the Crusades. The missive described a small band of knights loyal to Raphael who bore witness to the discovery of the Holy Lance and had all members survive The Battle of Orontes. The Knights would separate from the main Crusader forces when marching from Antioch to Jerusalem . Surrounded by an eerily barren landscape and encountering an unusual number of abandoned villages- they suspected corruption had touched the land. The knights doubled back, fearing the corruption may take advantage of the chaos the crusades permitted and lay claim to the now vulnerable villages that stood between Antioch and Jerusalem...or at least its inhabitants.
As they journeyed back, the Golden Signal found their fears validated as they encountered all matter of creature on their trek back and a large number of shadowy beasts laying seize to a large village . They would join with local Fatimid forces to push the creatures back. After numerous battles against the beasts, the knights launched a covert mission where they managed to assassinate the “Diseased Lord" that lead them , causing the hordes to disperse. The little-known incident had inspired Aella and her allies - that when men put aside their differences, even the greatest of evils could be vanquished. A small spark of hope in an otherwise brutal and bloody age.
@AustinP0027 , What secret failure did the legend leave out?
While at one of your camps, members of other bloodlines can spend 1-pact to gain a weapon from your stores. Give it two perks and a flaw, and describe its history.
Moves:
Audacious: When your explorer confronts the Regent or an Acolyte, roll +Swords. On a 7-9 pick 1, on a 10+ pick 2:
They’ll talk before attacking or leaving.
They let slip a weakness of their plans.
They ignore the other explorers.
The Will to Fight: Your bloodline has a tenacity that lets them cheat death so long as they have something to fight for. All of your explorers start with +1 Armour. Whenever they take a blow for another explorer, they can refresh the Armour box.
I think I did Pacts correctly... and I updated the Way of Gold, Austin. Go-Go alternative History ;-)
(if any confusion, the legend is "Toward the end of the first Crusade, Knights of Golden Signal (or knights loyal to Raphael) helped villagers along the Red Sea successfully repel a shadow invasion led by a Powerful being of Corruption. )
Egos on
0
Options
AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
You should have 2 on the Hand, Egos; that was my starter bonus I was giving out.
Pact: The Way of Red
Several years after The Castle's departure, the town of Lons-on-Dale had restored itself to some semblance of order.
There was finally adequate housing, the fields were back in order and there was very little need to continue salvage operations on the nearby emptied villages.
But then people started disappearing.
Not for long though.
It was pretty easy for the town to sniff out the intruder in their midsts.
Just had to look for the newcomer who didn't smell of Castle.
The missing townfolk were found bound in the trespasser's room, interrogated.
In front of the local jail, the interloper pleaded that he was only pursuing tales of The Castle, and that the abducted were actually hideous monsters.
The jury didn't take kindly to that sort of slur.
After the man's blood returned to his face, the town sentenced him to several years of imprisonment.
Some wanted to give him a chance in the Hunt, but calmer heads prevailed.
In any case, once The Hand discovered that their operative had been captured, and the nature of the town, an alternative resolution was sought.
They grant us resources to prepare for The Castle's return, and we give him their man back.
It was a good deal.
With the money, we purchased weapons and fortified Lons-on-Dale.
We could sleep sounder knowing that wretches were not going to drag us into the pit unaware.
Again.
The Hand only asked our aid should The Castle return.
They originally were looking for a Henry, who was one of us, but was lost to The Castle.
We have not seen him since, and we're not sure what interest they had in him.
Maybe he had something important from The Castle?
And so, we train.
And we wait.
We hope we should not need these preparations, but we have seen the evil before, and we will not let it catch us again.
Pacts:
Church: 1
Heroes: 1
Hand: 1
You prize integrity and humanity. At the end
of each play session, pick the explorer whose
mercy most impressed you and raise their
bloodline's pact with you by 1.
While at one of your camps, other explorers
can spend 1-pact to transfer a point of
contamination to a member of your bloodline.
Say how the recipient is further twisted.
Shelter Move
When your explorer finds Shelter in the
castle, they can use the power of the blood
to push back death. Anyone in the party can mark contamination to heal 1d6 Harm.
Bloodline Moves (are annoying to pick)
More Than Human
When you make an explorer, choose one:
• They have natural weapons: claws,
spines, etc. Give them a perk and a flaw.
• They have resistance to harm: fur,
chitin, thick skin etc. Get 1 Armour.
• They have unnatural agility. They can
climb walls, run on water or leap dozens
of metres, and get advantage on Dodge.
One of the Horde
When you send your family members to blend in with the castle's denizens, roll +Wands.
On a 7-9 hold one, on a 10+ hold three.
Spend the hold 1-for-1 to get them to:
• Strike from within a group of castle
denizens, sending them into disarray.
• Help you navigate, giving you 1 Travel
the Labyrinth hold.
• Smuggle you a useful item.
The Golden Signal force had indeed slain the "Diseased Lord", ending his corruption and hold on the area. However, the group had failed to completely eradicate the potential threat. The "Diseased Lord" had a key lieutenant, a local Baron who had taken the opportunity to grab more power and embraced the corrupting forces himself. In the throws of battle, he snuck away, abandoning his master. His betrayal opened up the "Diseased Lord" to the final strike that slew him, but some part of the corrupting influences of the area escaped containment.
The Golden Signal group reported the failure to their superiors, but the choice was made to keep the information close to the group. They reasoned that they had a better chance of finding this Baron if they might convince him they assumed he was killed in the battle, and that the local villages would feel better if they assumed that everything had been handled. Whether those reasons were the real truth or if some portion of egos were hurt by this small failure, only those involved in the fight would be able to tell.
And so the years passed. It is now the year of our Lord 1145, and again the Blood Moon has risen....
Where does the Castle appear? Based on how we answer this question, you will note your line’s closest refuge.
By hook or by crook, your lines are drawn to the Castle, but in particular your new explorers. What drives them to seek the Castle?
Finally, the Castle, while imposing, is far from impenetrable. Where does your line make it’s initial breach into the fortress?
With these answers in mind, craft your new explorer, following the directions. Should you wish to play an Explorer from the Choirs of Souls expansion, let me know and I will assist you.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
I know Auralynx wants to play Reckoner. I'm pretty open (I'd be fine with Knight, Captain, Slayer, Joker, Assassin or Bonded ) if either of you had any strong preferences .
AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
I'll offer - though make of it what you will - that the core book playbooks appear generally stronger than the Choirs ones.
Anyone have any thoughts about where the Castle should have appeared this time? I wrote my stuff up assuming somewhere near where Matt put it the first time.
I'll offer - though make of it what you will - that the core book playbooks appear generally stronger than the Choirs ones.
Anyone have any thoughts about where the Castle should have appeared this time? I wrote my stuff up assuming somewhere near where Matt put it the first time.
Looking over the playbooks again, perhaps you're right.
As for appearance, I thought the Castle was ethereal, and breached all over the place?
Not sure how the different breaches work otherwise...
Corruption works it’s way everywhere, but the source, the Castle is situated at a certain point in the world, which can be in the same place as before, or different ones depending on the time and such, it’s up to you guys.
Breaches are places on the outer vicinity of the Castle you’ve managed to find a break in point to the main complex, so it must be geographically in proximity (about the size of a city). Corruption doesn’t pool heavily enough in the world for you to enter from afar, thankfully.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
If we're picking corebook explorers...I kinda want to be a packrat.
As for location, I was thinking the same as Aura that it was in the same general area around Hungary.
0
Options
AuralynxDarkness is a perspectiveWatching the ego workRegistered Userregular
If you like a Choirs book, don't let the observation stop you. The difference is definitely there, but not huge. Knight and Medic - at least- have some definite merits. Especially if you really want to claim the Grail; Knight has very good access to corruption / Blood gains via doing things you'd do anyway.
Given that Henry's the Regent now, the most-important question is where he'd have put the castle.
I'm sticking with medic. I like being a healer at the start of ambiguous things, so I'll explore more on future attempts, but to start, I want to be able to heal everyone up when possible.
Looks
Concealed
Thin body
Race unstated due to always wearing gear
Covenants
One of you nursed the other back to health. (TBD with Aura's explorer)
Gear
• Peter's Healing Club (Stun/Close) - A large wooden mallet, with a cross carved into the head of it
• Thick suit and mask (1 Armour)
Pick two pieces of utility gear:
• Bandages and healing salves
• As many rations as you need.
Death Move
You can’t prevent your own death, but you can save others. When
someone else would die, tell us how you helped them survive instead,
and cross off this move.
Medic Moves
Triage
When you assess the type of harm another character has taken, roll
+Glass. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7-9, choose 1.
• You may ask a question from the See Clear list, gaining fleeting
advantage when you act upon the answer. You may choose this
option multiple times.
• You treat their wounds. They heal 2 Harm.
• You make sure they’re not in any danger from the castle’s effects.
The next time they would mark contamination, they ignore it.
First Aid
When you heal or tend to an ally, they heal 1 additional Harm
whenever you want one of your people to show up at the camp and give you the weapon. Could be when you first arrive, could be after you clear a couple wards. It’s up to you.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Posts
After Raphael followed in Demetrius's leave, Aella stood behind momentarily. Her eyes locked on Henry as he continued his incantation; her right hand gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. Uncertain if she would interfere or not, her steel gaze slowly dissolved into that of resignation as she watched her friend continue his ritual. Feeling there was nothing to be done and lamenting that she would "lose" another comrade to The Castle. She sighed before quickly scampering off in Raphael and Demetrius's direction. As she reached the entryway of the Throne Room, she turned to catch one last glimpse of Henry before making her escape.
The arch then collapsed, blocking the Throne Room from view
***
That night, bonds were forged and bonds were broken as Avaloc fell and the Castle faded from reality. Though it's sickening pulse no long guided the world, it still left traces of Corruption in the cracks and dark corners of the world. The world turned on, and the wound left healed in time....
If everyone has one last epilogue for their characters, feel free to post them. Otherwise, tomorrow night we’ll switch to the Bloodline view for our first Turning of the Ages
Rather thinking they all come back as half-damned though
And the eldest being a teen has the best chance of carrying on without them all.
His injuries meant that Raphael was no longer able to go and fight the corruption head on. Instead, he founded an order who was dedicated to seeking out traces of any taint that was hiding in the world and removing it. They would become a beacon of light in the darkness that was threatening the world, a singular hope with which the downtrodden could point themselves to as they escaped from the terrors of the world.
And so, The Golden Signal was founded. Raphael trained and mentored those who sought him out, others who shared his vision of showing the world how there could still be good men who cared for others. Secretly, the order prepared for a secondary goal, ready should the Castle ever reappear. The Saint knew that it was likely that his friend was gone forever, but he was never naive enough to assume that cursed place would stay gone.
It may one day return to haunt the world, but The Golden Signal would be right there to fight it.
I have touched the Grail, but I was unable to claim it. For a moment, the all things seemed possible! The creation of a more just, more enlightened Mankind lay at the very edge of my reach before it was snatched away from me as I stood like Tantalus in his pool. In that moment I saw also the price I would have to pay to achieve our goals. The Grail is not the true cure for the world's pain, friends. It is merely a tool more powerful than any other we have found in our search... but the cost is high indeed for him who would wield it.
One of the victims of Avaloc's corruption had the fortitude to throw it off; he rebuffed my efforts to bring a new Era to Mankind and claimed the Grail for his own. I fear he will return in some other shape, corrupted by the Castle's power as others have been before him. Did we not trace the Castle's origins to that forgotten continent, Atlantis, of which Plato wrote? It has long lain dormant but now it stirs once more, a harbinger of disaster for Mankind. Our Society's efforts must continue, and the accumulated Product of our Wisdom be warehoused against its return. Another expedition must attempt to succeed where ours failed, and some braver man than I must seize the Grail.
The records of Zosimos proved useful indeed; I escaped a labyrinth that must have predated the Roman Empire itself with the aid of the maps extracted from them. My leg is ruined, but the Periapt of Saint Luke, obtained at no small cost from the Church's stores, was able to let me continue on despite it. I have returned it to where we found it, for the moment, and will live out my life leaning on a crutch.
Yours in Postulancy,
Demetrius
How did their time in The Castle shape their line's capabilities?
What are their traditions?
How do their allies earn respect from them? How you reward that them for doing so?
How will they shelter the party when they next enter The Castle? What attendants will be there?
What techniques are passed down?
Choose your stat array and figure out what that says about your line.
Choose or create your people's traditions.
You will have further history with another Bloodline. Figure out who and why.
Decide your initial Bloodline moves. Note how they will help you and the others.
Tell the other explorers about how to gain Pact with you and what they gain from spending it. Once this is done for everyone, we will move onto the next age and create the Explorers for the next Blood Moon.
How long will have passed between The Castle's appearances?
After the events at The Castle , Aella returned to Soissons to give her account as to what transpired there. Influential Clergy chastised her for not striking Henry down when she had a chance, while others sympathized and pointed to the pacifist actions of the increasingly revered "Saint" Raphael. Ultimately, Aella received little praise for surviving what she had endured - she had served her duty and little more.
To the people ,however, she became a cult-like figure; a female knight who survived The Castle and helped destroy the evil Regent. At first it was mostly thankful villagers, but later came the nobles who sought the paladin to aid with the darkness that plagued their land . As the Crusades waged on, Aella traveled Europe ,instead, hunting creatures of the corruption where she found them.
Every monster Aella slew gained her new followers. And with every monster slain, Aella became more and more obsessed with the corruption. Though she had largely kept her proclivities a secret to her flock. As the years passed by, Aella's followers had grown to around 300 able bodied individuals- many of them battle hardened veterans.
Oddly, at a period where Aella seemed best able to fight the corruption, she disappeared into the night with a small cadre of trusted soldiers and advisors. Some believed she went mad, claiming to have seen her talking to a blue light in the palm of her hand while occasionally uttering the name of her fallen comrade Aegir. While others suspected something more nefarious after she received a visit from a gold masked man who claimed to be a "Witness of the Fall"; a meeting which left the otherwise stalwart paladin visibly shaken.
In time, Aella's band would re-emerge under the banner of the "Keepers of the Holy Flame".
Amelia gasps on masonry sodden air as a pair of ragged survivors extract her from the once-proud antechamber of The Castle.
As The Castle had retreated, the portal to its wards had collapsed, which in turn had disrupted this shell of a building.
Amelia leans heavily on her rescuers as she sucks in air.
"Are you okay, Miss ...?"
Looking around, Amelia recognises few of these refugees.
They are all as dusty as she, but some more winded than others.
Most are still combing the ruins.
A few calling out the names of those who lagged behind.
"A... Amelia."
She brushes the dust from her eyes.
"Worthington? Are my parents here?"
These days, you won't find many who'll know which castle you're talking about.
They'll probably point you to some ruin or another, or you might have to delve a bit deeper into the secretive groups or lore in these surrounds.
But ask in the farming village of Lons-on-dale, and you might earn yourself some sharp looks, before being shuffled into a secluded room and some just as sharp questions.
The people there are as willing as any to recount their past tragedies.
Lons-on-dale didn't use to be so small after all, and its cemetry is too well populated for a town of surely less than half a dozen families.
But Lons-on-dale is the only farming town within 50 miles; the only non-abandoned one that is.
And the mish-mash of characters you'll meet will make you ask whatever binds them.
Just.. stay inside at night.
You don't want to know.
And don't attend the Festival's Hunt.
There are other strange things too.
The town seems unsettled.
It has walls for one. The only walls you tend to expect out here are the waist-high sheep fences, but this town is surrounded by fortification.
And the townsfolk themselves are on edge.
Not just the common-folk, but the over-large police force that has appeared to take residence here.
In all, it's Lons-on-dale.
A nice enough place to visit, but don't overstay your welcome.
The Half-Damned:
Church: 1
Heroes: 1
Hand: -1
Chalices: -1, Swords: 2, Coins: 1, Wands: 0
Style: Commonfolk
Lore: A shared dark history
Name: Lons-on-dale; home of the lost
Chalices 1 Swords 0 Coins -1 Wands 1
Style: Simple Symbol of Faith
Lore: Holy book filled with ecstatic visions
Pact: The Way of the White
In the aftermath of the first experience with the Castle, Raphael sought out Demetrius. The Mastermind had taken a pragmatic approach to the loss of Henry and the Chalice, but a darkness had grown in him over time due to the loss of functions in his leg. The Saint shared a mutual experience, as his own injuries from that night had limited him quite a bit as well. The two met regularly to talk, and over time Raphael was able to help Demetrius let go of the anger he had towards Henry, preventing the Mastermind from falling into the darkness that had threatened to consume the normally rational man.
Pacts:
Half Damned: 1
Heroes: 2
Hand: 1
Bloodline Moves:
Shield of Faith
When attempting to manifest, roll +Sulphur.
Hit, radiant light prevents creatures from the castle from coming within a few meters of you.
On 7-9, pick two, on 10+ pick one:
- Moving breaks the shield
- Attacking breaks the shield
- No-one else can shelter under the shield
Holy Vanguard
Pact Spending:
While at camp, any other explorer/Bloodline can spend 1 pact to take a Relic from my stores.
Gnosis Spoils
Your bloodline works to heal the wounds
left in this community by the castle.
Name an alliance you've made, and
get advantage when you call on it
for Reinforcements.
Raphael made sure to send The Golden Signal back to Hungary as soon as possible after the Castle disappeared. Due to their efforts to help those displaced where the Castle had been, they gained the appreciation of the hunting guild that had formed in the area. Originally a collection of those who would seek out food for their village/for selling, they had morphed into a group of danger-ignoring monster hunters who attempted to fight the Castle's corruption on their own (with varying levels of success)
Name: The Daedalus Society
Chalices 0 Swords -1 Coins 1 Wands 1 (They're a society of scholars and their patrons with a deep interest in alchemy and Hellenic roots)
Style: Formal wear and subtle symbols.
Lore: Ruling the rare book market - imported Arabic manuscripts of Greek classics, rare tomes of lore forbidden by the Church, etc.
Refuge: The manor of Graf Torok, a mysterious Hungarian nobleman.
Drive: Extraction of a relic of The Castle's previous incarnation.
Breach: Ancient, forgotten sections of the castle lost to history... but not to the Society.
[Way of the White response]
Demetrius' various writings emboldened a sect of The Society to continue research into dark mysticism and attempts to commune with and attune to The Castle. While Demetirus himself never seriously considered joining The Castle's destructive cause, others did. Calling themselves the Seal of Solomon, they seek the forbidden power embodied in the Castle as a means to command the damned.
The Way of Silver: The Daedalus Society's investments in the village of Lons-on-dale mystify those of their membership who have not Ascended to the Cretan Labyrinth, but those who have been initiated into the Society's true goals are well aware of the reasons behind these expenses. (Gain 1 pact on The Half-Damned; discrider gets to tell us what they're using the Society's money for!)
Relics: 1
Pacts:
Half-Damned 1
Heroes: 0
Faith: 0
Bloodline Moves:
Experimental Weaponry, A Web of Influence.
Mechanics / outstanding questions:
Someone needs to have helped me obtain the Periapt of Saint Luke and gotten 2 pacts on me - the Heroes seem like the obvious choice?
Reckoner looks hugely entertaining and was clearly what I was aiming for this whole time, so I'd prefer to make one of those next generation.
E:
It appears we start at 0, not 1, for pacts.
@discrider Which bloodline hunted you before your treaty was forged? How did you prove your humanity? Your pacts cannot go below 0. And what are you using the Daedulus Society's generous bequests for?
@Auralynx what dark temptation was twisting the Society into servants of The Castle if not the idea of The Grail? Pact is set at 1 unless you have a founding pact with another bloodline (Which would set it at 2), or in the case of the Half-damned, the Pacts are reduced by 1 for taking The Grail
@Egos what are the Stats, Traditions, and HIstory of the Keepers of the Holy Flame?
Once we get those out of the way, the Blood Moon will rise anew
Style: Family crests and heirlooms
Lore: Ancestor’s crumbling journals and other paraphernalia
Pacts:
- Church:1
- Half-Damned: 2(1?)
- Hand : 2
FANATICAL10Pact: The Way of Gold: In the years following the Castle’s disappearance, Aella received word of notable incidents involving Knights of the Golden Signal during the Crusades. The missive described a small band of knights loyal to Raphael who bore witness to the discovery of the Holy Lance and had all members survive The Battle of Orontes. The Knights would separate from the main Crusader forces when marching from Antioch to Jerusalem . Surrounded by an eerily barren landscape and encountering an unusual number of abandoned villages- they suspected corruption had touched the land. The knights doubled back, fearing the corruption may take advantage of the chaos the crusades permitted and lay claim to the now vulnerable villages that stood between Antioch and Jerusalem...or at least its inhabitants.
As they journeyed back, the Golden Signal found their fears validated as they encountered all matter of creature on their trek back and a large number of shadowy beasts laying seize to a large village . They would join with local Fatimid forces to push the creatures back. After numerous battles against the beasts, the knights launched a covert mission where they managed to assassinate the “Diseased Lord" that lead them , causing the hordes to disperse. The little-known incident had inspired Aella and her allies - that when men put aside their differences, even the greatest of evils could be vanquished. A small spark of hope in an otherwise brutal and bloody age.
@AustinP0027 , What secret failure did the legend leave out?
While at one of your camps, members of other bloodlines can spend 1-pact to gain a weapon from your stores. Give it two perks and a flaw, and describe its history.
Moves:
(if any confusion, the legend is "Toward the end of the first Crusade, Knights of Golden Signal (or knights loyal to Raphael) helped villagers along the Red Sea successfully repel a shadow invasion led by a Powerful being of Corruption. )
Pact: The Way of Red
Several years after The Castle's departure, the town of Lons-on-Dale had restored itself to some semblance of order.
There was finally adequate housing, the fields were back in order and there was very little need to continue salvage operations on the nearby emptied villages.
But then people started disappearing.
Not for long though.
It was pretty easy for the town to sniff out the intruder in their midsts.
Just had to look for the newcomer who didn't smell of Castle.
The missing townfolk were found bound in the trespasser's room, interrogated.
In front of the local jail, the interloper pleaded that he was only pursuing tales of The Castle, and that the abducted were actually hideous monsters.
The jury didn't take kindly to that sort of slur.
After the man's blood returned to his face, the town sentenced him to several years of imprisonment.
Some wanted to give him a chance in the Hunt, but calmer heads prevailed.
In any case, once The Hand discovered that their operative had been captured, and the nature of the town, an alternative resolution was sought.
They grant us resources to prepare for The Castle's return, and we give him their man back.
It was a good deal.
With the money, we purchased weapons and fortified Lons-on-Dale.
We could sleep sounder knowing that wretches were not going to drag us into the pit unaware.
Again.
The Hand only asked our aid should The Castle return.
They originally were looking for a Henry, who was one of us, but was lost to The Castle.
We have not seen him since, and we're not sure what interest they had in him.
Maybe he had something important from The Castle?
And so, we train.
And we wait.
We hope we should not need these preparations, but we have seen the evil before, and we will not let it catch us again.
Church: 1
Heroes: 1
Hand: 1
You prize integrity and humanity. At the end
of each play session, pick the explorer whose
mercy most impressed you and raise their
bloodline's pact with you by 1.
While at one of your camps, other explorers
can spend 1-pact to transfer a point of
contamination to a member of your bloodline.
Say how the recipient is further twisted.
Shelter Move
When your explorer finds Shelter in the
castle, they can use the power of the blood
to push back death. Anyone in the party can mark contamination to heal 1d6 Harm.
Bloodline Moves (are annoying to pick)
More Than Human
When you make an explorer, choose one:
• They have natural weapons: claws,
spines, etc. Give them a perk and a flaw.
• They have resistance to harm: fur,
chitin, thick skin etc. Get 1 Armour.
• They have unnatural agility. They can
climb walls, run on water or leap dozens
of metres, and get advantage on Dodge.
One of the Horde
When you send your family members to blend in with the castle's denizens, roll +Wands.
On a 7-9 hold one, on a 10+ hold three.
Spend the hold 1-for-1 to get them to:
• Strike from within a group of castle
denizens, sending them into disarray.
• Help you navigate, giving you 1 Travel
the Labyrinth hold.
• Smuggle you a useful item.
The Golden Signal force had indeed slain the "Diseased Lord", ending his corruption and hold on the area. However, the group had failed to completely eradicate the potential threat. The "Diseased Lord" had a key lieutenant, a local Baron who had taken the opportunity to grab more power and embraced the corrupting forces himself. In the throws of battle, he snuck away, abandoning his master. His betrayal opened up the "Diseased Lord" to the final strike that slew him, but some part of the corrupting influences of the area escaped containment.
The Golden Signal group reported the failure to their superiors, but the choice was made to keep the information close to the group. They reasoned that they had a better chance of finding this Baron if they might convince him they assumed he was killed in the battle, and that the local villages would feel better if they assumed that everything had been handled. Whether those reasons were the real truth or if some portion of egos were hurt by this small failure, only those involved in the fight would be able to tell.
By hook or by crook, your lines are drawn to the Castle, but in particular your new explorers. What drives them to seek the Castle?
Finally, the Castle, while imposing, is far from impenetrable. Where does your line make it’s initial breach into the fortress?
With these answers in mind, craft your new explorer, following the directions. Should you wish to play an Explorer from the Choirs of Souls expansion, let me know and I will assist you.
I know Auralynx wants to play Reckoner. I'm pretty open (I'd be fine with Knight, Captain, Slayer, Joker, Assassin or Bonded ) if either of you had any strong preferences .
Anyone have any thoughts about where the Castle should have appeared this time? I wrote my stuff up assuming somewhere near where Matt put it the first time.
As for appearance, I thought the Castle was ethereal, and breached all over the place?
Not sure how the different breaches work otherwise...
Geth roll 1d100k60
... Must have been t.
Breaches are places on the outer vicinity of the Castle you’ve managed to find a break in point to the main complex, so it must be geographically in proximity (about the size of a city). Corruption doesn’t pool heavily enough in the world for you to enter from afar, thankfully.
As for location, I was thinking the same as Aura that it was in the same general area around Hungary.
Given that Henry's the Regent now, the most-important question is where he'd have put the castle.
I'm sticking with medic. I like being a healer at the start of ambiguous things, so I'll explore more on future attempts, but to start, I want to be able to heal everyone up when possible.
Stats
Iron ±0 Glass +1 Sulphur +1 Mercury -1
Looks
Concealed
Thin body
Race unstated due to always wearing gear
Covenants
One of you nursed the other back to health. (TBD with Aura's explorer)
Gear
• Peter's Healing Club (Stun/Close) - A large wooden mallet, with a cross carved into the head of it
• Thick suit and mask (1 Armour)
Pick two pieces of utility gear:
• Bandages and healing salves
• As many rations as you need.
Death Move
You can’t prevent your own death, but you can save others. When
someone else would die, tell us how you helped them survive instead,
and cross off this move.
Medic Moves
Triage
+Glass. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7-9, choose 1.
• You may ask a question from the See Clear list, gaining fleeting
advantage when you act upon the answer. You may choose this
option multiple times.
• You treat their wounds. They heal 2 Harm.
• You make sure they’re not in any danger from the castle’s effects.
The next time they would mark contamination, they ignore it.
First Aid
When you heal or tend to an ally, they heal 1 additional Harm
Castle Info TBD
It says "player to left". What order are we "sitting" in?
Convenant - One of you nursed the other back to health.