• Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Topic: The Company of the Black Swan

Well here's my gaming group - wanted to put this up as a means of comparing results from "Raggi runs" and see what other modules/supplements are circulating to add to the LotFP experience.   

And without further adieu, the first 3 members of the cast!


1.) Duncan Kilgore - Fighter (Lvl 2) 

The undisputed leader of the mercenary free company, Duncan spent most of his formative years on the battlefield as a squire to his uncle and father, knights beholden to the Duke of Oakfield until the subsequent destruction of the duchy.   

With permanent employment out of reach, the Kilgore family migrated across the face of the known world participating in battles wherever there was a need for able bodied men to slash and burn their way to glory.

Trained in the ways of personal combat, Duncan's also received a vibrant education in the arts of warfare - logistics, supply lines, tactical manuvers, strategy et al.   It has been his dream to take the practical lessons he learned from this long years of transitory migration and forge a proper independent military organization respected by both Church and State.

All he has for the time being is this motley crew....

2.) Giacomo di Corleone - Specialist (lvl 2)

The 13th son of the Corleone banking family of the Serene Republic, Giacomo has always known that he would have to earn his wealth.   Inheritance laws and siblings being what they are, Giacomo has always had his eyes wide open for profitable and risky business ventures.    It was during one of the minor skirmishes between the Serene Republic and the Kingdom of Arnor that he met Duncan Kilgore and founded the Company of the Black Swan.

It is a rather simple division of labor - one does the talking and the other does the fighting. 

3.) Veihron - Elf (lvl 2)

Veihron of the Weeping Star is a true oddity.   He comes from a kingdom in the woods that has already been abandon 100 years ago as his people migrated to the West toward the sea and the promise it holds.  For some unknown reason, he stayed to wander the wildlands.

A stoic. laconic, and rather taciturn individual - most found it rather surprising that he would join the Company.   Much of this has to do with a shared wartime experience with the aforementioned Kilgore.

Encounters with Elves are increasingly rare in this day and age - a fact that the wise Giacomo has capitalized on.   The silver-tongue promoter can with a story or two turn an encounter with Veihron into a singular event in a person or community's life - the type of story one passes down from generation to generation. 

For his own part, the elf does not know what to make of the fact that even members of the High Church now weep in his presence for the passing of the elves...  but humans tend to do such silly things.

***************************************************************************

Referee Notes and Subjective Impressions:

Duncan = Solomon Kane without the Puritain Piety.  Although he's still pretty religious.

Giacomo = Oh come on!  the player gave him the last name of Corleone!   I keep seeing Al Pacino in my head.

Veihron =  Moody and Cynical Legolas?

The first 3 members of the Company of the Black Swan make up in my opinion the "stable core" of the group.  Most of them are older players who have progressed through the various versions of D&D/AD&D/et al.

The only problematic i encountered at the beginning was integrating an Elf into a swords and gunpowder setting that mirrors a certain part of Earth's history.   

Taking a page from real life however - a mix of xenophobia and "Orientalism" seems to be the proper response for NPCs.


Next time - From the Practical to the Outright Zany Intellectual ~ the Cleric, the Wizard, and the Man from Outer Space

  • From: Montreal
  • Registered: 2011-04-18
  • Posts: 14

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

I like your campaign title and starting cast, thanks for sharing. 
I am looking forward for reading your plays reports and referee notes.

GM: Labyrinth Lord. Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
Player: Looking forward trying Stars without number.
  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

And without further adieu, the rest of the sad sordid bunch.

1.) Tisiphone of Karpathos (Clrc lvl 2)

It is a very disturbing time for the Great Church of the Unconquered Sun.   1,000 years have passed since the previous Incarnation and speculation from theologians, soothsayers, and scholars place his Next arrival around this year..or next.. or in the next 10 years.

This "air of the apocalypse" seems to be spreading causing many in the High Church to form ranks around the received Depository of Faith and emphasize an adherence to logic, reason, and doctrine. 

And if that fails - to call upon both Church Inquisitors and (politely ask from a very far distance) the Knights of Science to uproot heresy.

For its own part, the Low Church lacking the extensive bureaucracy of the High Church, has fallen into a spiral of doctrinal dispute and outright violence.  The delicate confederation of Churches is fracturing into smaller communities spreading a wide array of teachings and doctrines.   Some seem of a very strong political nature, and others are far more disturbing in their esoterica.

Enter Tisiphone of Karpathos, a woman no older than 25 winters, a priestess of the Unconquered Sun and adherent of the Old Faith - a segment of the High Church given over to metaphysical speculation, mysticism, and pastoral theology while lacking the worldly knowledge/political agenda/incisive logic of the High and Low Churches.

Tisiphone life has been one of quiet contemplation and restraint.   Visions have been her one true companion throughout her life - making her a boon or a threat to members of the clergy depending on their agenda.

She travels with the Company of the Black Swan to learn more of the ways of her Western Brethren and hopes perhaps to heal some of the cracks within the Mystical Communion of the Unconquered Sun.

For their own part, Duncan and Giacomo genuinely welcomed having a devout member of the clergy with the Company. 

Especially one who hasn't subverted by the chaos or political forces of the times...


2.) Telamon of the Black Spire (MU Lvl 2)


Throughout all the known lands who has not heard of the Great Sorcerer of the Black Spire?  The Lord of 10,000 Demons, the Slayer of X'rnapolisurabalapel, the Humbler of the Pasha Ali, the Great Enemy of the Most Holy Church...

...except that isn't Telamon.  That was his Master.   Heck, it wasn't even necessarily his Master.

Lord of 10,000 Demons?  - More like 10 (and one would only show up on Sundays).

Slayer of X'rnapolisurabalapel? -  If by "Slay" you mean "Find the Portal for the Little Pink Polymorphic Ooze to go home" then sure..

But he did Humble Pasha Ali and was often labeled an enemy of the Church - the same Church that would call in his services when Faith did not prove a strong enough shield.

It was these lessons that Telamon learned from his Master - its about Reputation.

Most people throughout the world wake up in the morning, go to work, and come home while trying to avoid getting caught up in the politics of kingdoms, the theologies of priests, and yes the eerie sorcery of wizards.

The common man doesn't have one iota of a clue as to the frustrations, hardships, and pains of learning the art of magic.   And so to make sense of all of the facts before them, they make up stories.

Telamon's master was a very competent and wise mage - but nowhere near the man others made him out to be.   In his early life he tried quite hard to clear up rumors of his workings and exploits but to no avail.

So he embraced them - well at least the outward persona.

He taught Telamon the "theatrical" side of magic - why it might be useful for people to think eh slept with Succubi and sired vampires.   And then proceeded to explain the Reality of the Situation - why only an ignoramus would sleep with Succubi and want half-demon progeny.

However Telamon's master, although generally congenial, was hardly a saint.  Perhaps a bit of ego (or just out of spite) made him build his tower so that it was just a little bit taller than the Great Cathedral at Eramaz.   Or Polymorphic a rival into a powerless buxom lass of 23 summers and tossing "her" to a horde of goblins.   Or cursing the head minister of Cavali with a speech impediment right before a major debate at court.

And so Telamon learnt his second lesson - After all the proper precautions have been taken, have fun with your magic.

The day came however, when the Kingdom of Arnor and the County of Devonshire waged war against the nomadic warlord Ur-Khal and the Kingdom of Pelas.  the Church of the Unconquered Sun had once again fallen into a theological dispute - insuring that the national clergy would be supporting their respective nations on both sides of the battle.

After a hurried expiation of his sins by the Prelate of Arnor, the Great Wizard of the Black Spire and his Apprentice strode forth unto the front lines as he prepared to summon a host of demons to turn back the tide (and incidentally save the Kingdom and County on paying wages and give the Church an excuse).

And so he summoned a Demon....just not the one he wanted.

It was Big.  It had Serpents for Arms.   And It had Two Baboon Heads.

Recent History remembers this time as the Great Massacre on the Fields of Sharandal, as the Mighty Prince of Demons tore through the ranks of both mortal forces with a ferocity unseen since the days of high myth.    Folk tales speak of the Two-Headed one dragging the Wizard of the Black Spire down to the lowest depths of the netherworld.

Telamon knows the truth though - he was crushed by a boulder from the opposing side as the Prince of Demons charged their ranks.   

Aside from indebting three countries to the banking families of the Serene Republic who underwrote the cost of the war, almost annihilating a nomadic people and their war chief, and causing a general ban on the sale of Baboons and Baboon-like creatures throughout many a kingdom ~ the major outcome for Telamon was he was out one master and had no means of accessing the Black Spire.

And so Telamon, Wizard of the Black Spire in Exile, joined the Company of the Black Swan.

Giacomo Comment: "Now if he'd only learned a little more magic and a lot less theatrics.."

3.) "Deka" - The Man from Outer Space (Modified Specialist with Dwarf Like Stats)


Celebrated Xenobiologist and Physician aboard the GR-Dauntless lost in Space Battle!  Estimated 6,000 dead or missing!


USF High Command Restricted Recording:

Bridge of the GR-Dauntless:

Several Security Personnel have surrounded a figure standing next to a hooded presence behind him.   

"Stand down Doctor!"

"You need to listen to him!  He has something ver-"

"Doctor, you are being affected by the Mind Flayer.."

"No you dolts!  Captain, please.."

"Doctor, we're going to have to subdue you, so we can take out that.."

~No.  Survival Paramount.   We must flee.~

"Its trying to get away!"

"That's what i've been trying to tell you!  It's asking for all of us to leave.. the whole flotilla!"

"What?"

~We MUST FLEE.  They Come...~

"Who? Who is coming?"

"Captain - fighters are engaging some sort of recon picket.."

"INCOMING!!"

MISSING FOOTAGE - Estimated 2 minutes

Bridge, GR-Dauntless, 2 minute Elapse

"Multiple Signatures Detected!   Count calls 3 Capital Ships - oh holy.."

"3 Battlegroups.   Coming in fast!!"

"Captain, we need to get the Hyperdrive up and running.  Half he ships in the flotilla are civilians like me.   And don't forget the cargo."

"Cargo, what's he talking about?"

"The Dauntless is carrying a variety of dangerous Xenobiological specimens for further examination along with 7 of the most wanted criminals - all in cryogenic storage."

Warning !  Hull-breach!  Hull-breach!

~Prepare.  They come.~

"Take up positions and prepare to repel the enemy.  Doctor, i'm holding you responsible for the behavior of that thing.  But if it hates them much a we do.."

~Cannot enter their minds.  Must handle with..physical force.~


:An explosion followed by a swarm of Gray humanoids well-armed protecting some sort of mechanical monstrosity:

-End Transmission:

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Gwion wrote:

I like your campaign title and starting cast, thanks for sharing. 
I am looking forward for reading your plays reports and referee notes.

Thanks! I have a very amusing bunch of players.

Next time - its a "Raggi Run"!   - Tower of the Stargazers here we come!

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Referee Notes and Subjective Impressions:

On Tisphone, Telamon, and Deka.

Wildly contentious group within the Company of the Black Swan.   

Tisiphone squarely places herself in the Law category, although she faces challenges coming from the elaborate set up regarding her chosen faith.  The above backstory doesn't even touch on the issue of "ecumenicalism," demi-human faiths, etc etc - subjects that she has/will struggle with for a while.

Telamon finds himself in the realm of Chaos, although of a modified bent.   His uneven education and desire for true power becomes a source of problems for the cast in later games.  This is particularly interest given his master's quest to eliminate relics coming from the Duvan'ku empire.

Deka - whose "modified specialist with dwarf-like stats" is a product of the TMFOS thread below.   The Grays as enemies of his society is an homage to the Carcosa supplement.

  • From: Montreal
  • Registered: 2011-04-18
  • Posts: 14

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Hi Eddie, seeing how you are thinking about the player characters, how are you planing to deal with character dead and character replacement?

I am asking because I am preparing to setup my campaign, and the question came up. (maybe we should start a new discussion)

GM: Labyrinth Lord. Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
Player: Looking forward trying Stars without number.
  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Ed Dove wrote:

That's all really cool!

The world sounds like an almost realistic Dark Ages -- except for the LotFP:WFRP elements and a few D&D monsters.

The space stuff sounds slightly original Star Trekish, a bit Babylon 5ish, and very Travellerish.

Is the GR-Dauntless crashed on a mountaintop so you can use "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks"?



Re: Dark Ages

Tried very hard to model the world in that regard with hints of Renaissance/Age of Exploration.  There's a tendency to look back at Christian Europe and see a giant monolith that was well-ordered (or stagnant depending on your predilection toward religion).   

That's an abstraction however - the truth on the ground is much much more interesting. 

The only way i could replicate that though is to essentially destroy all sense of certainty.

Ex. RP Religions.   What does an Evil Priest and a Paladin have in common?

They got their deity on speed dial.  Ambiguity from a higher power is a rare thing to deal with in RP games and Relevatory moments are treated more like a singing telegram than well...a Revelation.

Nerull thinks your doing a bad job - prepare to meet some angry undead.
St. Cuthbert thinks your slacking off - expect to get beaten by his avatar with a very big stick.

So - cut off the Deity's voicebox and resort to communication via dreams, portents, signs and wonders, and yes ok the occasional direct approach - but with a lot more pomp and circumstance.

Ambiguity produces interpretations which produces philosophies which undoubtedly produces conflict.


RE: Space

Well actually, i'd tilt it toward Babylon 5/Traveler given the inspiration of the player

"cough" -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCk4RiKH9H0

Oh wait, maybe a visual or two is in order -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzVVTDoT … re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiaQ1IPZR18

Of the parts i've worked out with TMFOS' player, he comes from a society that is under heavy pressure.   the difference between this and Star Trek would be the lack of uncanny luck finding semi-reasonable to friendly aliens.

the Republic/Alliance/Federation/whatever is being pushed on too many fronts - by the Grays, by the Mind Flayers, etc.  Its really a "do or die" moment.




Ed Dove wrote:

Is the GR-Dauntless crashed on a mountaintop so you can use "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks"?



Like all incredibly large capital ships, the Dauntless broke up into segments upon trading blows with a Gray ship - some holding xenobiolocal life forms, others technological items, and the galaxies' most wanted..

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Gwion wrote:

Hi Eddie, seeing how you are thinking about the player characters, how are you planing to deal with character dead and character replacement?

I am asking because I am preparing to setup my campaign, and the question came up. (maybe we should start a new discussion)

actually starting a new discussion on the topic would be great.

in truth i havne't really given much thought to the matter.   back in the old days i'd proably tell them to create a Follower/Hireling/whatever and let him sub-in when the character goes down.

However none of them are at the level where folks come flocking to their banner yet.  And hirelings are a bit pricey this early on.

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Hey folks - been a while.   For those interested - here comes Notes on Outing 1: The Tower of the Stargazer

Updates:

1.) 2 New Players added (who subsequently died in this adventure, so i'll spare you the long introductions)
2.) Veihron's Player was unable to make the session

3.) A more serious note:  the players' headquarters is the old "Keep" from "Keep on the Borderlands" which sits at a rather strange geographic proximity to many of the "Raggi Run" locations as well as the wider world at large.

Real World Analogy: It more or less is the equivalent of an old Roman fort in territory akin to France.  The region is known as the Contested Lands, precisely due to the fact that several entities (from an independent commune to a decaying Empire) all lay claim to the area or segments of the area.

It is a territory of decaying mansions and castles, haunted locales, and odd places...like Pembrooktonshire....and a certain cursed Frigid Mountain.

The High and Low Churches are quite active in the area, mostly due to the number of heretical cults that have developed due to a lack of total civilian authority.     Witch Hunters (genuine and otherwise) abound through the land, either seeking out magicians to burn or to make a quick copper off some hapless fools.   They of course, turn in the other direction the moment a Knight of Science approaches.

SetUp:

1.) The General setup from the original scenario was kept - lonely tower in a blasted landscape, etc. etc.

Roleplaying and Complications:

1.) Giacomo initiated the expedition.  His intention was to strip the tower clean of anything useful and leave the accursed place.   

2.) Both Tisiphone and Duncan Kilgore objected to the idea.  - "Let sleeping devils lay at rest."   

Deka also sided with them after someone explained to him what the place was.. - "So let me gets this straight.  We're going to waltz into some madman's laboratory, rip out all the copper wiring, and walk in the other direction without suffering a scratch?      I know you folks are a bunch of primitives, but come on!"

3.) The Mage of Black Spire and his two new associates (Darren Dale - Thief/Specialist, Quarin - Dwarf), opted in favor of Giacomo's plan.

Complication 1:  Walking into a Death-Trap?  Bring some Children along!

Telamon and Darren pooled resources to hire every single orphan and unemployed vagrant in the area to come with them to the Tower of the Star Gazer to act as a luggage train: ie: Cannon Fodder.

This pretty much appalled the rest of the party in question, although i decided to go along with the idea and turn it to my advantage once they arrived at the tower.

Complication 2:  For Sale - One Slightly Used Mage's Tower

Initial inspection of the tower was going according to plan.   After the deaths of 3 children due to poisoned wine, Darren Dale felt vindicated in his plan.   [Please note this for future Irony].

Considering the tower to be a bit of a "fixer-uper," Telamon decided that it would be the perfect replacement for his Master's now sealed Black Tower.    He proceeded to voice his plan even after the discovery of the Stargazer.

Cue party-infighting.

Complication 3:  The Stargazer makes a "friend"

As written, the master of the Tower is obsessed with meeting alien life and learning more about outer space.

Deka is the Man from Outer Space.  You can see where this is heading.

While the rest of the Party (and their "hirelings) crawled about the Tower looking for loot, Deka's player decided to have a long and sustained conversation with the Stargazer.  Which produced some rather funny roleplaying...

Stargazer: "So, would you mind breaking the cir-"

Deka: "Oh um.. Sorry.  Can't really do that.   Goes against the Prime Directive." (There is no Prime Directive, he's making it up)

Stargazer: "What?"
Deka: "Not really supposed to interfere with the natural life in the area.    Could massively alter a planet's evolutionary development in a way that would forever distort a species' culture and world."
Stargazer: "What an enlightened philosophy!"

Problem 1:  Orphans and Vagrants are not Skilled Labor

Who thought it was a good idea to bring unknowledgeable folk into a Mage's Tower?    While Quarin, Darren, and Telamon were searching every corner of the place for gold, books, jewels, etc - their up till then hirelings started to set off many of the traps placed in the scenario.

Soon we had unkillable bloody oozes roaming the lower levels of the tower, killer corpses strangling people with its entrails, and some rather unfortunate ghostly chessmatches.

Raggi Run Spotlight: Star Crystal Blues

Giacomo and Duncan were completely "no-nonsense" about the operation and were ready to leave with all the visible treasure seen.   Tisiphone was primarily concerned about the safety of the children - some having been killed, deformed by magic powders, eaten alive by said unkillable bloody oozes, etc.

I wasn't going to set off the Observatory trap (after all, that's a reward for "players) and thought they would miss it completely due to Giacomo's insistence on just selling the Star Crystal and leaving the tower.

Except Darren and Quarin's players were a little too greedy.   

TMOS was of incidental help to them, as operating an observatory was well within his knowledge base.   However, due to his extended babysitting of the Stargazer, he was unaware of the situation forming around the Star Crystal.

Result: A Dwarf goes where no Dwarf as Gone Before......and is mercilessly eaten.

Fatal Ending: The Stargazer Escapes

In the midst of a lecture by the TMOS about space/time and trading notes about the difficulties of travel, a drunken vagrant accidentally breaks the circle holding in the Stargazer.

TMOS player invested so much Roleplaying into his interaction with the Stargazer encounter, i decided that the Magician wouldn't be interested in harming him.   Instead, they traded contact information and TMOS received a very invaluable book about a species living on a far away planet (i'm sure the Dwarf wish he knew about that).  TMOS was invited back to the Tower once the Stargazer did some house cleaning and was escorted to the door.

The Stargazer then proceeded to massacre everyone left inside.

Outcomes:

15 Dead Orphans
10 Dead Vagrants
1 dead Thief - Victim of a Death Curse
1 dead Dwarf - Snackfood for Aliens
1 Slightly Damaged Magician - hurled himself from an upper floor onto a cart full of hay, barely made it out in time.

Duncan and Giacomo had withdrawn earlier in the scenario, loot in hand and were a bit of a distance from the Tower.
Tisiphone was unable to save any of the children, and retreated in the face of the Stargazer's attacks on....everybody.
Deka made a Friend (a terribly insane friend, but still)..and had some nighttime reading material.

Referee Thoughts forthcoming..

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Referee Thoughts on Tower of the Stargazer


This was my group's second inspired Raggi Run - they had previously went through one of the adventures in No Dignity in Death.

It was a bit of a larger group than I am normally used to, but it turned out as the months wore on folks would eventually be put "on rotation" depending on their real life schedules.   The only time everyone gathered up for a grand old outing was when we ran Death Frost Doom - which resulted in much death!

Assessment of Players

1.) Tisiphone, Duncan, and Deka played their roles to the hilt.   The Cleric would serve as the guiding moral lightpost in the party for a number of adventures, and subsequently avoid many of the more amusing situations simply because she didn't have the "Monty Haul" attitude.

Kilgore's preoccupation with honor/duty allowed him to avoid many of the embedded issues found in ToS, although this would reek havok on him during the party's future encounters in Pembrooktonshire.

2.) Giacomo's player almost seemed precognitive about what was going to happen, I half wondered whether if he had somehow read the scenario ahead of time.    His grab the treasure, pick up and leave attitude ran against the grain of the player group in general.

I would later find out that the attitude was instilled in him due to some rather nasty outcomes while playing the old D&D campaign setting of Ravenloft.  Having been subjected on one too many occasions to death traps, curses, and other odd fates - the player has continued to avoid biting on the Raggi cake out of sheer cynicism.

3.) Telamon, Darren, and Quarin acted pretty much in the typical Dungeon Crawl like manner, although they were really expecting to walk away from the experience generally unscathed.

Objections were raised about the "Insta-Death" nature of some of the encounters in general - citing game balance against opponents.

There was also some minor grumbling that i let Deka "off the hook" with the Stargazer encounter.   However, i felt justified due to the manner in which the Stargazer's interests were written coupled with the player's investment into the encounter.

Thoughts - a Fairly Balanced Scenario that provided much amusement to all players involved, esp. with the Observatory trap.

The "Party Divided" would end up being a running theme throughout many of these adventures up until Death Frost Doom, mostly the "factions" would be...

Giacomo and Kilgore - Pragmatism
Deka and Tisiphone  - High Morality
Telamon and the Rest - LOOT LOOT LOOT!

Possibilities i was interested in seeing occur:  Well, what if the Party did decide to abandon the Keep on the Borderlands for the Tower of the Stargazer?   Would it simply be a time bomb waiting to occur until someone tripped over the wrong thing?

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Update - Just writing up a few things for the next Raggi run we did, Hammer of the Gods.

To quote one player, "Probably one of the best mystery adventures i've played in a long long time."

To quote another player, "WTF?!   How could it be cursed!?" 

Would love to hear about what other people thought about this little masterwork!

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

The Destruction of GR-Dauntless let loose both wonder and horror upon a pre-industrial world.   Alien species from a myriad places fell from the sky, some surviving and thriving in little pockets all across the world.

The Republic considers it the worst case of invasive species transport in the history of its existence.

But, what is more troublesome were the prisoners upon the Dauntless, enemies not only of a federated union of planets, but vile entities that spit int he face of all that is right and proper in the cosmos itself.....or so they say.

ANd herein lies their tales..

1.) GR-Dauntless Internal Records - Prisoner 37586  aka The Fame Monster

She changes her name and her face as easily as someone puts on a pair of clothes.   

With a sigh, she can send the whole world crying, a laugh fulfills a person's sense of living, her hatred causes the masses to rise.

She is the Fame Monster - the Arbiter of Taste.

"Dona Heron" as she has styled herself, is as old as the stars themselves.  When intelligent life started to make distinctions, she was there already critiquing one style, one piece of art, one race, one culture and praising another.

And she probably changed her mind a week later.

Haven't you ever wanted to be "cool?"  To be part of the "in-crowd?"  To have men and women worship at your feet for the littlest things you do?   

She can make these things happen or tear it all apart.

Her battleground isn't with flesh and bone, but with words upon the frail connections mankind and other intelligent creatures make.

Respect, Renown, Honor, ...Fame or Infamy.   With a whisper, she can turn the tide of opinion in the direction she wants it to go.

Bear in mind, young soldier, that the Fame Monster doesn't "mind control" anyone.  No no.  That's the worst part really.  The moment she gets an opinion out into the world at large, it becomes "fact" or "common sense."

"Were you the noble knight who saved that village?  Well..that's not what _I_ heard......you rapist...."

"You mean the Evil Warlord whose going to conquer the world?   Pfff..   Everyone knows he's an idiot.  Doesn't get any respect from his own monsters."

"Well of course the Religion of the Dying Light isn't a cult.   They do charity work for crying out loud!"

Her Gossip undermines nations, turns brother against brother, and can raise the most insignificant people to the height of power and at the same time crash the career of any world conqueror, undying wizard, or even a demon.

And she gets through all of that before she starts her breakfast.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Referee Notes:

We all play roles, whether were conscious of it or not.   A person looks at another decides to categorize what they see - Father, Hardworking, Smoker, Unintelligent, etc. etc etc.

It is those roles that the Fame Monster has the ability to change.    Well, not "really" change - but alter the perception of what others think - and frankly that is good enough in some cases.

There are limits to her abilities.  A mother wouldn't stop thinking her child was her child.....unless a good yarn was spun around it.   Nor would a loyal servant believe the scathing rumors he hears about his master, he would just only be aware of that fact and how those rumors are spreading around town.

But that's not really significant, for the Fame Monster utilizes what some have called the "Tyranny of Common Sense."    She alters the prejudices of individuals and that hazy general sense people might have about a certain topic or issue.

  • Registered: 2012-02-03
  • Posts: 25

Re: The Company of the Black Swan

Referee Notes: Dwarven Context to Hammers of the God


The standard D&D Pantheon for the Gods of the Dwarves has been utilized - it seemed like a quick fix for those wanting to play Dwarves and in need of a religion, etc.

Relationships


The Church of the Unconquered Sun and Dwarves:

As the predominate faith of humanity on at least two continents, the Church of the Unconquered Sun has had to lay out a bit of theological discussion about the proper relationship between Dwarves and Humans and their place in the grand scheme of things.

Too bad they can't really come to a consensus.

The Low Churches position varies depending on the structure of the Church and the importance of the religious leader.  For some, the Dwarves and their Gods are simply a parallel development - nothing that humanity should really concern itself with so long as the Dwarvish Gods in question preach doctrines that are true in spirit to the Stone Table Laws left by the Unconquered One.

For others, such as the rapidly growing "Church of All." the Dwarvish religion serves as an abomination, an all-too visible stain on the unified purity of the All.   As such, all attempts of this breakaway Church has been geared toward the conversion of the Dwarves.

ie: They go into Dwarven communities, sit on street corners, and preach the word of the Unconquered One, the avatar of all.

It has lead to some heavy tensions at times between both clergy as the Church of All is not squeamish in vocalizing just how wrong the Dwarves are for worshipping their Gods.   In kingdoms where the civil union is strong, proselytization efforts are closely monitored by the regime in power so as to head off any controversial issues.

Or at least that was the plan...

The High Church for its part, acknowledges the Divinity of the Dwarvish Pantheon.  Although nothing can quite compare to the blinding glory of the Unconquered One, High Church Theologians tend to interpret the Dwarvish Deities as Saints - essentially "lesser gods" along the great chain of being.  While still somewhat insulting to the Dwarven race (whose clergy claim parity between Moradin and the Unconquered One), the worst such discussions bring about usually result in drunken brawls wherein the participants feel bad the day after and apologize profusely.

One can contrast this with the Low Church experience - which usually ends with a bunch of dead Dwarves/Humans.

Of particular interest however, is an opinion put forward by a branch of the Old Faith, the speculative mystical path that has existed since the Incarnation of the Unconquered Sun walked the Earth.

Pointing to certain episodes in the existence of the Incarnation, the Mystics of the Old Faith are clearly able to outline points of contact within the Myth Cycles of both the Church of the Unconquered Sun and the Dwarvish Faith.   


Except none of it makes much sense to the Dwarves.   Several episodes in the Palimpsest of Kalefor records the philosophical conversations of the Unconquered One with a dwarf - a miner of some sort who could call down the Diamond Light against the creatures of the Nether regions.

However, no such dwarven deity or cultural hero exists.     Further proof of course, of the bad memories and poor record keeping abilities of human beings.

Last edited by Eddie G (2012-09-23 15:45:33)