BreakingtheWheel
Breaking the Wheel
An Exalted Campaign using Kasumi's Apothesis ruleset
Game Threads
Recruitment Thread
In-Character Thread
Out-of-Character Thread
Campaign Background
Legend: The Scavenger Empire
Backstory
It was Lookshy's darkest day. The Mask of Winters had struck with all of his might, summoning hordes of hungry ghosts riding undead monsters of a lost age. Though the Dragon-Blooded fought bravely, the odds were too great. It seemed as though Lookshy's prophesied end had at last come.
And then dawn broke over the horizon. A Solar Circle had dispelled the miasma of the lost city of Denandsor, and now the might of the First Age was unleashed upon the Deathlord's forces. Automata marched in formation, wreaking havoc on the undead forces, and golden heroes cast the Deathknights back down to the depths of the Underworld.
Though the battle was won, it was not without great cost. Much of Lookshy was badly damaged, if not outright destroyed, and many of its leaders fell that day. So, a solution was proposed: Lookshy would ally in perpetuity with the Solars of Denandsor, swearing loyalty and assistance in any way possible. The Chosen of Sol Invictus accepted.
Setting Details
Basically, Denandsor is isolated, but has a great deal of wealth. Lookshy has location and legitimacy, but is recovering from a grievous blow. A working set of Auspicious Passage Gates between the cities were rediscovered by the Solar Circle, letting them transport personnel and goods instantly. While their governance of Lookshy is strictly "temporary", it seems obvious to the average man on the street that the Solars are likely there to stay. Trusted thaumaturges and savants are allowed into Denandsor, and are reactivating factory-cathedrals and the like.
The (formerly) Lost City is protected by both the surviving automata and booby traps, but also by its still-imposing reputation, giving the Circle a measure of security. They are also running Lookshy, but serve primarily as "protectors"; while they can intervene in the city's politics, their main focus is helping rebuild the badly-damaged Seventh Legion. Denandsor and Lookshy are fast becoming sister cities; while this not only strengthens the River Confederation and its leaders, it also serves worry both the Deathlord Mask of Winters, and the Realm, to boot.
As can be imagined, Lookshy and Denandsor are rather pleased by this.
Changes to Creation
- One epic change to Creation achieved by the Circle:
- Denandsor's curse has been lifted, and the artifacts and magics therein were used to intervene in a massive war between Lookshy and Thorns. The Mask of Winters was badly hurt, but Lookshy was also half-ruined. The Seventh Legion and the Solar Circle of Denandsor are now allies, at the head of a revitalized Confederation of Rivers.
- One faction in the setting that CANNOT IGNORE this epic accomplishment:
- The Realm. Until this time, no single nation has approached the sheer size and power of the Realm; now the Confederation of Rivers, united behind the Solar Exalted and Lookshy like never before, threaten to eclipse them.
- One faction which profits from the epic change:
- Lookshy, and the Confederation of Rivers at large. Their power has been reinforced with the technology of Denandsor; a circle of powerful Solar Exalted have helped to protect the River Province; and the Mask of Winters has been forced to retreat, having been soundly defeated. All this has occured while the Realm is paralyzed by infighting. It is easy to see how the Confederation would be pleased by this series of events.
- One faction which is badly hurt by the change:
- The Mask of Winters has lost two experienced deathknights during the Siege of Lookshy, and a large portion of his armies. Juggernaut was crippled in the battle by First Age weapons and crawled back to Thorns, minus its left arm. Now the Deathlord broods in his citadel in Thorns and plots his revenge. (Many of the Range-Towns of the Marukani were also badly hurt in the war, as they lay directly in the marching path between Lookshy and Thorns.)
- Up to three factions or setting elements who are irrelevant to the campaign:
- The Wyld/Raksha, The Guild, The Autocthonians.
Characters
Yushoto Sahi, aka SMOKE WOLF and The Deadeye General
Yushoto Sahi, aka SMOKE WOLF and The Deadeye General
VERALI, Keeper of the Solar Flame
VERALI, Keeper of the Solar Flame
XIAO PUNG, THE RELENTLESS INQUISITOR
XIAO PUNG, THE RELENTLESS INQUISITOR
Originally a magistrate of Lookshy, a decent, upstanding fellow from a Helot family who had been magistrates and police for years, Xiao Pung lead a boring life. However, one day, he literally disappeared. Even he doesn't remember how he Exalted, except that his mind exploded as the Unconquered Sun gave him the command, "find that which has been stolen from you." All he knows is that he struggled mightily against something which had stolen his will, and had won.
Across his body are tatoos of constellations and stars. Most of his shoulders and arms have been filled in with tattoos done in fine Moonsilver, Orichalcum, fine Jade of various colors and subtle shades of Starmetal.
Personality: While he is relentless, he is not a zealot - he is a policeman and a sage. Back before the unpleasantness of his life, he walked the streets of the manse and the promentory. Due to the decent way in which the Lookshy Terrestrials treat their Helots, like many of the 7th he is more apt to regard the members of the various Gens as "humans with powers" as opposed to "enlightened demigod." Indeed, he finds Blessed Isle immaculate dogma laughable, and regards himself as someone whom has been given a grave responsibility, not an entitlement.
In public, he is pleasant, well spoken, punctual and unfailingly polite. Having been a law officer and public official, he knows how to change his demeanor to interface with various levels of society, from coming upon a soldier's dice game to bending one knee before a high ranking Taiso.
The Inquisitor has a curious attitude towards bribes - he has never, ever taken a bribe himself. However, sometimes not taking a gratuity can be percieved as an insult and can leads to more trouble. Therefore, he'll sometimes direct someone who wants to make a customary 'gift payment' to donate the same amount to the temple poor fund, in exchange for him overlooking something harmless, like a dice game. However, no customary payment can get him to ignore substantial crimes, and such attempts will gain a scoundrel twice the force on their head from Merciful Correction, his Orichalcum Wrackstaff. He is especially hard on pimps and drug dealers, but is something of a softie for working girls and boys (whom he protects), card sharks (as they take money only from fools) and civilians who get into trouble due to ignorance. There will always be a certain level of crime, and the Inquisitor is skilled at using the Street, normally the stronghold of those he fights, to his advantage. Vagrants, hookers, kids, and other decent street people know the Inquisitor as a friend, and being close to such people were part of his victory of Ben Heru The Green Dragon.
Xing is a man in his mid 20s, he usually dresses in a mandarin jacket with trousers, with black hair tied into a partial queue and kind blue eyes. However, when aroused, his face becomes stern and stony as he brings maldoers to justice.
In his dealing with Lookshy Dragon Bloods and humans, he still hasnt gotten the notion that he is a Solar prince. He still customarily bows to Terrestrials as if he was a Helot, and uses the inferior politeness level of Riverspeak when he deals with high ranking officers of the 7th Legion. In his mind, he is a civilian who has been granted special power by the Sun in order to save the world - the Terrestrials are still it's natural, day to day rulers. He is more comfortable with the idea of Solars as Bhodisattvas who meditate in the wilderness or as hero-saints who appear when the world is in peril than as rulers - he is starting to formulate an opinion that it was their power that doomed the old Solars, and that they overstepped their bounds.
Quote: One ally of the Circle. This ally will be closest to the character of the player choosing them, but should have tension or conflict with another PC. Please note that they can be a canon character from an existing book, but I will be just as happy (perhaps more happy!) if you make up an NPC. This type of ally should be decently powerful or influential: another Exalt, a God, a large nation or city. Gracious Shaia. In addition to her relationship with Jorim, she had something to do with the 5 year period of his life where Xiao Pung was some kind of tool. SHe has sworn that she does not know what he was used for, but has an idea who may have done it, "but I am sworn not to reveal these secrets." Knowing that Shaia is indeed telling the truth, the Inquisitor has not pressed the point, determined that he will get to the bottom of these things on his own. Further, he respect the fact that she has left whatever life she had before she met them in order to be with them.
The tension and conflict is that Shaia is attracted to Xiao as she is faithful and loyal to Jorim. It doesn't help that Xiao comes from a decent, immaculate worshipping family in Lookshy - things like Polyamory are disgraceful. For his part, Xiao is stoic and treats Shaia with professional courtesy, but his powers of insight see past her many masks and be enchanted by the kind, sweet woman who hides beneath the skeins of destiny. He's not certain of Jorim's feelings on this and certainly wouldn't want to interfere in any relationship of his circle mates. But, a moment's indiscretion may lead to a passionate, explosive encounter.
Quote: • One enemy defeated by the PC. This defeat will become relevant to future conflicts, as it’s an established element of your setting. Choose an NPC who you’re happy to have come back to haunt you (either literally, or in the form of allies, lackeys, curses or other consequences). Conversely, you get fame and boasting rights for the defeat, so don't hold back! Again, feel free to make up an new NPC for this. Prime suspects based on what we have from the Legend: deathknights of the Mask of Winters, or the Walker In Darkness, "bad" Lunars, "bad" Solars, a Sidereal assassin, a Wyld Hunt from the Realm. The Infernal Ban Lan Heru, the Green Dragon, Crime Lord of Lookshy, once offered to tell the Relentless Inquisitor the entire story of whom and how he served during his 5 years, in exchange for merely saying yes to the awesome power of being an Akauma. This corrupted Lunar Half Moon can take any shape and enter any dwelling, but his protean nature was no match for the sagacious investigative skills of the Relentless Inquisitor. After tracking him, finding him, defeating him in an awesome combat in the depths of the Lookshy Factory-Cathedral and forcing from him a confession, he dropped the Infernal off at the nearest Yu Shan Gate under the custody of Gracious Shaia.
As the Inquisitor not only destroyed his control over Lookshy (including using the Lookshy Manse as a gateway for Malfeas himself), the Lunar Infernal has sword vengeance!
Quote: • One incident in which their Limit Break caused problems for another PC. The Inquisitor will not stop an investigation until he gets to the absolute bottom of the objective truth. While this makes him a terrific law officer, it makes him a walking land mine for politics, especially when he is in Limit Break. When the Great Forks deity of the drug trade, Comfortable Repose, visited Lookshy with his entourage and distributed his wares freely, including wares quite illegal in Lookshy, the Inquisitor viciously beat the minor deity and had him locked in the Lookshy Donjon. This caused a diplomatic row with Great Forks which still has not been entirely resolved. The Inquisitor responded - "This godling knew what medicines were legal here and not. My home is not a new market for dream dust or heroine." The only people who approved were members of Lookshy's Dragon Blooded old guard and immaculate Temple, who praised Xiao as a "true son of the 7th". During prior visits, the Lookshy Wardens would gather up the "samples" and humor the deity during negotiations for necessary medicines such as morphine.
Needless to say, Comfortable Repose hates the Relentless Inquisitor in such a way that he is uncomfortable, as being humbled by a Solar caused him to lose much face. Further, the idea of a returned god king who would ruthlessly reduce the power of gods such as him makes the god, and his superiors in Yu Shan, even more uncomfortable. He will do much to eliminate the Solar if he can, using his considerable social networks to his advantage. Quote: • An NPC whom the PC owes a debt. The Bull of the North, Yurgen Cheranko. The Bull and the Inquisitor are nearly opposites, but when the Inquisitor Exalted during the pivotal battle between the Tepet Legions and the Icewalker horde, Xiao tipped the balance. It didn't help that Xiao, appearing from nowhere and babbling incoherently, was immediately attacked by Realm forces, but Xiao's retaliation caused an entirely Tepet flank to collapse, an opportunity which the Bull immediately seized. The Bull and his circle took the newborn Solar in, and once he had his feet, pointed him towards Denandsor, as they had heard that a circle of Solars were already investigating the cursed city.
As such, the Inquisitor swore a willing oath to come to the assistance of the Icewalker chieftain 3 times, but not to render such an reasonable service that would be suicide, turn against the Unconquered Sun or that would damage his honor. As this is an Eclipse backed Oath, Xiao treats it with grave seriousness. He has informed the Circle of this promise, as the Bull asking him to stand aside if the Icewalker Horde and Lookshy/Denandsor were to ever come in conflict would be a reasonable request. More likely, the Bull will demand use of his combat or investigative expertise in an unrelated matter. Quote: • An NPC who owes the PC a debt. Tien Yu, the goddess of Lookshy, was left without defenders when she descended from Yu Shan to personally fight on behalf of her city. When the Spectres known as the 12 Divine Consumers, a special unit that the Mask had designed to destroy city gods, descended on her shrine at the top of Lookshy manse, only the Relentless Inquisitor was close enough to assist.
Such was his display of martial arts mastery (and the assistance of a unit of Brass Legionnaires) that Tien Yu, after the battle was won, offered the inquisitor one of two great rewards - either using her divine authority to authorize her personal instruction of him in the Sidereal level martial arts, transcending the authority of the 5 fold fellowship as one of the major goddesses of war, and granting the authority to teach, or allowing him in perpetuity to sleep with her at any time, for the rest of time.
Needless to say, when confronted with the Goddess' fierce, martial beauty, he was tempted mightily, but instead chose the the way of martial wisdom. As a twilight, the workings of the universe fascinate him, and he feels that martial arts is a better reflection of understanding the cosmos than fickle Sorcery.
Needless to say, the 5 Fold fellowship is aghast, but the destiny seal on Lookshy prevents them from interfering in Tien Yu's teaching project in anyway way. Further, as Sol Invictus' personal eye is on Lookshy and Denandsor, the Relentless Inquisitor will learn the Sidereal (or, as he prefers the 1st Age Term, Solar level of Martial Arts), the needs of the Sidereals be damned. Quote: • A major change to the setting. This is a change on the level of a destruction of a city, a major shift in alliances, or the death of a powerful Exalted. While this should usually be the result of the Circle’s actions (particularly those of the PC in question), it’s not strictly necessary. On the Calibration of the disappearance of the Scarlet Empress, the doors to the Jade Pleasure Dome were flung wide open. Sol Invictus and Luna strode out, arm in arm and smiling serenely, as the Sister and Brother Queen and King of Heaven assumed their old roles. The Maidens are still in the games, however, and direct yet light handed orders are issued from the Divine Throne in regards to fate and destiny - one of them was the sealing order on Lookshy, signed by Mars when she could be distracted from the games and countersigned by the Sun. The Sun and Moon also seem especially grim, as if carefully preparing for some great future event. They however do not especially interfere with events in Creation that heavily. As a side effect, overt corruption has been swept from the streets of heaven, and the Sun and Moon have put many gods and goddesses to work, reclaiming the old, ruined areas of Yu Shan. The Armies of Heaven drill under Sol's and Luna's direction.
When asked about the absense of the Maidens, Sol grimly states, "we won the game, they did not." Quote: • A minor change to the setting. Mostly for colour and fun, this should be a tweak to the setting, such as an unexpected marriage, a change to the name of a city, or an important God being fired from their job. Sidereal martial arts are actually Solar martial arts, and were discovered by the Solar Exalted in the ancient depths of the Primordial age in much the same way that Solar Sorcery was. None could match the puissance of the ancient Solar Masters of martial arts back in the 1st Age, and both Lunar and Sidereal students bent knee to the true masters. These ancient ways of combat and essence eventually became called the Sidereal level since they were the only ones in Heaven who could commonly use them. Also, ancient Lunars such as Lilith make use of Solar level martial arts, but neither Sidereals nor Lunars can create such awesome charms - much like Solar Circle Sorcery, this is the sole province of the god-kings of Creation. When the Solar Exalted regain their combat arts, the world will shake!
JORIM, the Heart of the Sword
