Kingdoms: Domain of The Sun Pharoah

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Dreamform: Domain of The Sun Pharoah

This is a desert civilisation in the ancient world centred around a single life-giving river. The White Court are mortal men, but they wear the mantles of the gods and are worshipped by the people. The Domain of the Sun Pharoah represents a mythical version of Pharaonic Egypt in its infancy - the great pyramids have yet to be built, and the civilisation is still only a hundred or so years old, yet to establish its lasting identity. The seeds of greatness are there though - this is an ordered and pacifistic society that prides itself on tradition and obedience to the gods. It is a nation of thinkers, architects and sages. By its nature it may not be predisposed towards the warfare that the Game of Succession will require, but should the Sun Pharoah be victorious, the next millennium promises to be a time of peace, of just rulership and of great wisdom.

The Dominant Actors of the Court

KING: Nopheros, the Young Pharoah

Nopheros recalls his parents as Isis and Osiris, and knows that one day he will be Heru, the God of Sun and Sky. He must also become Nekheny, the Falcon Warrior, and Kemwer, the Beloved Husband. He must become Nemty, he who Travels, and he knows that it is his destiny to become Harsiesis, the Victor. He will be both Mekhenty-er-irty (the Eyeless) and Khenty-irty (the Seer), and thus will rule over both Dark and Light.

For now though, he is just Nopheros - the young pharoah. Dark skinned, strong of limb and regal in features, he is undeniably a grown man, but his full destiny has yet to unfold. The story of Heru demands to be told, but for this to happen he must first win the Game of Succession. Thus Nopheros combines pride in his destiny with humility in his current weakness. He rules as a God-king must, but he understands that his future depends upon the actions of his servants, and so he is beholden to them. Thus he is devoted to his wife, fair to his subjects and one who listens to his generals and ministers.

• Suggested Boons: Excellent Builder;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Pacifistic;
• Suggested Traits: Cautious;

KNIGHT: Sekhmet, the Lioness

Sekhmet is in her late forties now, but has been serving her country since her birth. For the first half of her life, she was just an ordinary slave soldier, but on her twenty-second birthday the priesthood recognised that she had greatness in her, and brought her to the attention of the Kingdom. Since then she has served as the high priestess of war and as the commander of the nation's armies. She is famed for her honour and sense of duty (which some say she pursues to an excessive degree) and once famously destroyed a city for daring to stage a theatre performance critical of the Pharoah. She inspires similar fanaticism in the soldiers she commands - thanks to her influence the Kingdom's armies have a reputation for absolute incorruptibility and absolute devotion to their King.

• Suggested Boons: High Honour;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Martyr for the Cause;
• Suggested Traits: None.

BISHOP: Ma'at, Lady of High Justice

Ma'at was a mere junior minister in her department just three years ago, but wrote a series of scrolls on justice and law. This was recognised by the Pharoah as a work of great insight, and she was instantly put in charge of formulating the kingdom's code of laws. Her iron control and deep understanding of the intricacies of the Kingdom's legal systems make her one of the most powerful women in the kingdom. Oddly (for an authority figure that represents law and order) she is well loved and respected by the common folk, who recognise that she is even-handed and fair in all she does, even if she is merciless towards criminals and lawbreakers.

• Suggested Boons: None;
• Suggested Drawbacks: None;
• Suggested Traits: None;

ROOK: Neith, the Protective Mother

A soldier-turned-physician, Neith realised that there was a great gap in the care of women and women's health. She gathered the wisdom of midwives across the kingdom, and created an organisation to oversee childbirth and women's health. These achievements, though modest, have created a situation where almost half of the kingdom's population sings her praises and see her as one of the greatest protectors of the kingdom. At her word, militia armies of womenfolk can be raised. To her ears the whispered secrets of a million women are told. The pharoah saw this, and brought her into his household...

• Suggested Boons: Castellan; Intelligence Network;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Helpless; Untrained in War;
• Suggested Traits: None.

The Shadow Actors of the Court

QUEEN: Hathor/Cyrridven, the Rising Moon

In her home realm, Cyrridven was a high ranking druidess dedicated to the moon-goddess - a bloody-handed deity of fertility, nature and the cycles of life. When she arrived in the Domain of the Sun Pharoah, she saw a land that was dry, stark and bare in comparison to the lush fields and woodlands of her home. She saw that the land was held under the grip of patriarchy, and like so many patriarchies it revered the sun above the moon.

But then she met the Pharoah Nopheros, and saw that behind the golden mask there was a young man who was terrified of his destiny, and who needed a strong woman to help him. She saw that at his heart Nopheros was kind and fair, and that he was a man willing to surround himself with the best advisors for the job, be they man or women.

And of course, as destiny willed, they fell in love.

Cyrridven has taken the name Hathor (which the natives find far easier to pronounce and relate to) but she is still an outsider. Her hair is fiery red rather than the uniform black of the locals, and her pale skin and green eyes set her aside from the dark-skinned and brown eyed local women. Though she has adopted the Kingdom's style of dress, she still prefers carries own culture and religion. Her magic - that of blood, sacrifice, growth and fertility - is tied to the worship of her own Moon Goddess, though through her Moon-cults are growing in popularity across the Kingdom.

Her agenda, as with all Queens, is twofold. Her heart belongs to Nopheros, and she gladly seeks to help him gain his rightful throne. Her blood, on the other hand, remembers the Old Ways and she hopes that one day the Moon Goddess will be worshipped here, and that the people will observe the Old Ways too.

• Suggested Boons: Devoted Couple; Puissance;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Distracting beauty; Proud;
• Suggested Traits: Sorcery Style (Blood and fertility);

KNIGHT: Monthu, the Bull of War

Monthu is a giant of a man, censured time and time again by his King for being excessively brutal and violent in battle, and for his mistreatment of prisoners. Were it not for the Game of Succession, it seems likely that Monthu would be languishing in a prison cell, but with the upcoming battle the Pharoah has reluctantly accepted that he needs men like Monthu. Monthu is undeniably the strongest and most ferocious man in the kingdom, and what he lacks in discipline he more than makes up for in war-skill.

• Suggested Boons: Destroyer;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Uncharismatic;
• Suggested Traits: A Warrior, Not a Leader;

BISHOP: Qetesh, of the Sacred Prostitutes

The pharoah would rather than Qetesh did not exist, but he is still glad of her services. Qetesh is the "mother" of prostitutes - a serpent-eyed woman whose network of whorehouses can be found even beyond the Kingdom's borders.

By making her part of his court, the pharoah has ensured that Qetesh works for him and by accepting this Qetesh has ensured her own survival in the millennium to come. Despite this, Qetesh remains a resource that the pharoah prefers to deny the existence of.

• Suggested Boons: Master Spy;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Fuelled;
• Suggested Traits: None;

ROOK: Usiris, Watcher of the Dead

The guardianship of the Necropolis is a holy task, and the Pharoah fully accepted that the High Priest Usiris would have joined him in the Seelie half of the White Court. However Usiris observed that the work of dealing with the dead is one done in shadows and darkness, and that its priesthoods are defined by its secrets. As Usiris refused to reveal these secrets to the Pharoah, it seemed that the right place for him was indeed in the Shadow Court.

Secretly Usiris whispers to the dead. Secretly he knows the forbidden rituals that will make dead men walk again, or which will steal a man's soul. He is the watcher in the darkness and the keeper of secrets, but in his own way he protects the kingdom.

• Suggested Boons: Watcher;
• Suggested Drawbacks: Untrained in War;
• Suggested Traits: None;

The Eight Armies

• Marynannu War Charioteers - Well suited to wide open terrain, these noblemen archers guide their one-man chariots, steering through reins attached to their waists, keeping both hands free to make their attacks. (Mobility based warfare; Wheeled;)
• Nubian Spearmen - Lightly armed but versatile and stoic warriors. (None)
• Falcon Swordsmen - Extravagant in appearance and armed with expensive bronze swords. (High quality; Expensive;)
• Sekhmet's Lion Spears - Ultra-disciplined spearmen with a strong sense of honour. (Soldier's Discipline; Commanders Household - Sekhmet)
• Mothu's Raging Bulls - Fanatical shock troops armed with heavy clubs. (Berserkers; Commanders Household - Mothu)
• Royal Triremes - Skilled boatmen used to independent action. (Naval; Independent;)
• The Temple Guard - Technically part of the priesthood, solidly built fanatics dedicated to the defence of holy places. (Defenders; Bound to the Kingdom;)
• The Slaves - Lack of quality is compensated for with quantity. (We Are Legion; Poor Morale;)

Italic text above represents suggested Descriptors.