00dlez
2015-03-31, 04:40 PM
Like the title says - I'm probably going to run a game soon featuring the Harborhead area of the Exalted Campaign Setting (Map (http://www.oakthorne.net/pics/wiki/exalted/south-map-overview.png) and TLDR wiki page (http://exalted.xi.co.nz/wiki/Harborhead)). This could turn into a long term project, as I have been waiting for 3rd edition to drop (any time now... for ~ 2 years....) before committing to a serious game.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert in the Exalted setting or lore. I've had brushes with it in the past, but it's been many years for even that. A lot of my understanding might be over simplified or even wrong... Please bear with me and feel free to set me straight.
What I am looking for is... well... anything you care to toss at me for consideration - NPCs, story ideas or side-quests, items, places, etc. - as fleshed out or in as raw form as you care to pitch them. Below is a general outline of what I have so far as being "canonized" (at least for the uses in my game) which I will keep updated as I flesh it out a bit more and incorporate ideas coming in. Ultimately, the game will mostly be a sandbox where players interact with the local groups and pick winners and losers as they will - perhaps not even working together toward a common goal - an Obi-Wan/Anikin like showdown in PVP could be neat.
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History of Harborhead as Summarized/Paraphrased by me
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The First Age
Like much of the territory in the Threshold, Harborhead was originally founded as a province of the Old Realm. It was a tourist destination and a place of wealth and splendor, with it's wondrous beaches and wild parties that carried on into the late warm nights. Bustling urban centers flush with luxury along the coast were off-set by sprawling farming estates and ranches towards the interior.
However, the Usurpation and Great Contagion brought an end to the bliss 750 years ago. Once lavish plantations fell into ruin, entire towns died from disease, and the Peoples of Harborhead returned to more nomadic way of life, doing all they could to survive in the ultimately unforgiving environment that they once called paradise.
The Age of Pocket Kingdoms
In the three centuries following the Great Contagion, the denizens of Harborhead coagulated into relatively small kingdoms, or city-states. The ebb and flow of conquering warlord and popular insurrection were ubiquitous throughout the territory. Despite a true, regional cohesion, it was during this time that the Five Peoples began to establish their identities and differentiate from one another. The Krantiri began to settle the coastline, the Brakhari and Izhalvi began to develop areas of the hill country, and the Totikari and Shayanti began to come northward from the plains. Though each People's culture was unique, they all cemented their worship for Ahlat above all other gods - he was the deity in charge of warfare, raiding, and cattle, all central pillars of their collective daily lives.
Blood on the Horn and the Realm's Intervention
Ahlat was not entirely satisfied with the level of sacrifices rendered to him by these fledgling city-states, however, so he directly interceded. In RY 362, a female child named Blood on the Horn was born, fathered by Ahlat himself via mortal disguise. Blood on the Horn quickly became a renown and charismatic warrior who in RY 385 had raised a massive army with which she conquered the coastal and highland regions and created a central base of power. She restored the Fane of Upswept Horns in RY 392 and declared it the nexus of the Cult of Ahlat. From this base of power, Blood on the Horn then drove her armies to the southeast, uniting the territory that is known as Harborhead today.
However, this unification was relatively short-lived. In RY 416, members of House Cathak were killed in an attack on Ivrore by troops loyal to Blood on the Horn. In response, the Scarlet Empress sent a force of nearly one hundred Dragon-Blooded and six legions of troops the conquer the empire that had been created. Progress in this matter was slow, as the lighter and faster troops lead by Blood on the Horn were able to elude the more cumbersome Realm troops, however, in RY 422, Blood on the Horn was killed in the battle at Hudu Towasi and the remainder of Harborhead surrendered, becoming a tributary of the Realm. Because the Realm had put an emphasis on either assuming control of or razing the cities, towns, and water sources they encountered on their campaign, they were already in a position to assume control governance of Harborhead immediately following their surrender.
Rebellion!
The early years of the territory were marred with violence as several ethnic groups attempted to break away and restore their independence. In RY 474, the Realm planned to destroy the Fane of the Upswept Horns as it was an affront to the Immaculate Philosophy, but they were met with violent rebellion which took the next eight years to put down and plans to fully destroy the temple were abandoned.
However, in RY 535, the execution of a cleric of Ahlat was viewed by the denizens of Harborhead as a significant martyrdom and once again lashed out at their Imperial oppressors. This time, the rebellion lasted for 15 years and the Realm was forced to use significant and questionable shows of force against the populace to finally end it.
A third rebellion occurred in RY 686 after Realm troops interrupted a sacrifice to Ahlat, sending the whole southern plains into an uproar. However, this rebellion was much shorter lived, only two years, and the Realm resorted to drastic measures almost immediately, exterminating the tribe responsible for the sacrifice down to the last man, woman, and child.
In response to these many rebellions, the Realm instituted a policy in which natives loyal to the Realm were put into positions of local authority and the Shayanti as a whole slowly took advantage of this practice over the last century to gain political power throughout most of the kingdom. With the natives able to rule and a figurehead royal family of Izhalvi in place for much of the last century, the so called Sacrifice War marked that last major rebellion.
Rebirth of the People
It was only four decades ago that the jade bed at Bent Creek was discovered and the Realm's interest in Harborhead has rekindled. Roads and civil projects were provided for to propagate the transfer of this newfound wealth back to the Blessed Isle. In addition to the wealth the jade bed provides directly, the roads and influx of commerce has bolstered the economy of Harborhead as a whole, with towns and trade centers springing up all along these major routes , not to mention the new profitability in food production and mining metal for tools to fuel the new economy.
These new routes have also done wonders for communication throughout Harborhead and have re-solidified a national identity as well as reunite long-lost tribes and extension of one's family tree. Along with this reestablishment of a once lost identity has been a renewed focus on military prowess. Raids between Peoples resumed and as a result, the slave trade was reborn.
In fact, as a result of this surge of wealth and industry in the area, for the most part being sent back to the Blessed Isle, it was actually becoming a problem for the economy across the Inland Sea. So much so as that it was considered a major issue that demanded the Scarlett Empress' direct involvement. Indeed, plans on how to proceed had been created and sat on her desk when she disappeared....
Harborhead in the Present
Since the Empress' disappearance, the two plans laid out for Harborhead have been mostly tabled - the Greater Deliberative was unsure what to do. The first plan was to for the Empress to take control of the lands as her personal property. The second was for the Harborhead economy to become centrally planned by the Satrap, in conjunction with the Empress, to produce and export only those goods which the Realm required. As a result of neither plan becoming adopted, the Greater Deliberative has given Harborhead the ability to trade with other entities than the Realm in an effort to stem the flood of goods coming to the Isle.
Despite the somewhat accidental propulsion to prosperity that the Realm has given to Harborhead, they still maintain a constant, elevated military presence throughout the region. However, military control is not indicative of total control. The Realm has established a vibrant, vital, and self-sufficient economy, the people may be diverse, but share many common ethnic and cultural identities, and in a majority of cases, rule themselves with oversight at only the highest levels... Many in the Realm think that they have lost real control of Harborhead and are waiting for the right incident to expose that fact, and in the meantime, are unsure how to go about regaining their power.
So with that in mind, there are a few major power groups/interests at work that would be featured in the game:
"The Locals" - indigenous leaders of the various tribes and Peoples those who would like to see the complete independence of Harborhead from the Realm. They aren't much concerned with how it happens, or if Harborhead is able to hold onto this new found wealth. They want things to go back to the old ways and freedom for their people. If they can hold onto the recent prosperous times, so much the better, but goal #1 is independence and the reestablishment of traditional values of the region.
"The Merchants" - A mix of wealth landowners, merchants, and politicians who have benefited greatly from the recent prosperity and stand to continue to gain wealth and power if the good times continue. They want the wealth to stay and grow at all costs - with the Realm, without the Realm, with traditions or without them. Primarily, they realize that any prolonged violence will destroy their prospects so avoiding war at all costs is primary among their concerns.
"The Blessed Isle" - The Blessed Isle and its (loyal) agents want to maintain the grasp they have on the region... As mentioned above, the "how" is a difficult puzzle indeed.
"The Local Realm Folks" - They are still loyal to the Realm and its control of the region, but they are insistent that any pro-Realm solution must come from those already in the area. If a formal army or a special task force is sent to do their jobs for them... well... that might end up worse for them than losing control of the region.
"Death to the Overlords" - Sometimes similar to the Locals, but both sides distance themselves from one another. These are violent, radical disidents who would burn the land, salt the earth, and fight to the last woman and child to see the Realm thrown from Harborhead and every last soul loyal to the Scarlet Dynasty put to the sword. If there is a blade of grass and a single person from Harborhead left alive after the dust settles, then that is just gravy.
"Deathlords" - There are a few bases of power for the Deathlords and their agents in the Bayou of Endless Regret and the recently conquered City of Thorns to the North. Destabilization of Harborhead would prove a ripe opportunity to expand their power there as well. They have already begun putting their agents in place to bring this end about and capitalize on any opportunities when/if it finally collapses.
"Neighboring Areas" - The Kingdom of Harbor has long been revered by it's neighbors for it's military prowess, and with the interest and military of the Realm in the area as well it is nigh impossible to even dream of an invasion. But if the two sides weaken each other to the point of defeat, a 3rd party could enter and annihilate both and take the prize for themselves.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert in the Exalted setting or lore. I've had brushes with it in the past, but it's been many years for even that. A lot of my understanding might be over simplified or even wrong... Please bear with me and feel free to set me straight.
What I am looking for is... well... anything you care to toss at me for consideration - NPCs, story ideas or side-quests, items, places, etc. - as fleshed out or in as raw form as you care to pitch them. Below is a general outline of what I have so far as being "canonized" (at least for the uses in my game) which I will keep updated as I flesh it out a bit more and incorporate ideas coming in. Ultimately, the game will mostly be a sandbox where players interact with the local groups and pick winners and losers as they will - perhaps not even working together toward a common goal - an Obi-Wan/Anikin like showdown in PVP could be neat.
-----------------
History of Harborhead as Summarized/Paraphrased by me
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The First Age
Like much of the territory in the Threshold, Harborhead was originally founded as a province of the Old Realm. It was a tourist destination and a place of wealth and splendor, with it's wondrous beaches and wild parties that carried on into the late warm nights. Bustling urban centers flush with luxury along the coast were off-set by sprawling farming estates and ranches towards the interior.
However, the Usurpation and Great Contagion brought an end to the bliss 750 years ago. Once lavish plantations fell into ruin, entire towns died from disease, and the Peoples of Harborhead returned to more nomadic way of life, doing all they could to survive in the ultimately unforgiving environment that they once called paradise.
The Age of Pocket Kingdoms
In the three centuries following the Great Contagion, the denizens of Harborhead coagulated into relatively small kingdoms, or city-states. The ebb and flow of conquering warlord and popular insurrection were ubiquitous throughout the territory. Despite a true, regional cohesion, it was during this time that the Five Peoples began to establish their identities and differentiate from one another. The Krantiri began to settle the coastline, the Brakhari and Izhalvi began to develop areas of the hill country, and the Totikari and Shayanti began to come northward from the plains. Though each People's culture was unique, they all cemented their worship for Ahlat above all other gods - he was the deity in charge of warfare, raiding, and cattle, all central pillars of their collective daily lives.
Blood on the Horn and the Realm's Intervention
Ahlat was not entirely satisfied with the level of sacrifices rendered to him by these fledgling city-states, however, so he directly interceded. In RY 362, a female child named Blood on the Horn was born, fathered by Ahlat himself via mortal disguise. Blood on the Horn quickly became a renown and charismatic warrior who in RY 385 had raised a massive army with which she conquered the coastal and highland regions and created a central base of power. She restored the Fane of Upswept Horns in RY 392 and declared it the nexus of the Cult of Ahlat. From this base of power, Blood on the Horn then drove her armies to the southeast, uniting the territory that is known as Harborhead today.
However, this unification was relatively short-lived. In RY 416, members of House Cathak were killed in an attack on Ivrore by troops loyal to Blood on the Horn. In response, the Scarlet Empress sent a force of nearly one hundred Dragon-Blooded and six legions of troops the conquer the empire that had been created. Progress in this matter was slow, as the lighter and faster troops lead by Blood on the Horn were able to elude the more cumbersome Realm troops, however, in RY 422, Blood on the Horn was killed in the battle at Hudu Towasi and the remainder of Harborhead surrendered, becoming a tributary of the Realm. Because the Realm had put an emphasis on either assuming control of or razing the cities, towns, and water sources they encountered on their campaign, they were already in a position to assume control governance of Harborhead immediately following their surrender.
Rebellion!
The early years of the territory were marred with violence as several ethnic groups attempted to break away and restore their independence. In RY 474, the Realm planned to destroy the Fane of the Upswept Horns as it was an affront to the Immaculate Philosophy, but they were met with violent rebellion which took the next eight years to put down and plans to fully destroy the temple were abandoned.
However, in RY 535, the execution of a cleric of Ahlat was viewed by the denizens of Harborhead as a significant martyrdom and once again lashed out at their Imperial oppressors. This time, the rebellion lasted for 15 years and the Realm was forced to use significant and questionable shows of force against the populace to finally end it.
A third rebellion occurred in RY 686 after Realm troops interrupted a sacrifice to Ahlat, sending the whole southern plains into an uproar. However, this rebellion was much shorter lived, only two years, and the Realm resorted to drastic measures almost immediately, exterminating the tribe responsible for the sacrifice down to the last man, woman, and child.
In response to these many rebellions, the Realm instituted a policy in which natives loyal to the Realm were put into positions of local authority and the Shayanti as a whole slowly took advantage of this practice over the last century to gain political power throughout most of the kingdom. With the natives able to rule and a figurehead royal family of Izhalvi in place for much of the last century, the so called Sacrifice War marked that last major rebellion.
Rebirth of the People
It was only four decades ago that the jade bed at Bent Creek was discovered and the Realm's interest in Harborhead has rekindled. Roads and civil projects were provided for to propagate the transfer of this newfound wealth back to the Blessed Isle. In addition to the wealth the jade bed provides directly, the roads and influx of commerce has bolstered the economy of Harborhead as a whole, with towns and trade centers springing up all along these major routes , not to mention the new profitability in food production and mining metal for tools to fuel the new economy.
These new routes have also done wonders for communication throughout Harborhead and have re-solidified a national identity as well as reunite long-lost tribes and extension of one's family tree. Along with this reestablishment of a once lost identity has been a renewed focus on military prowess. Raids between Peoples resumed and as a result, the slave trade was reborn.
In fact, as a result of this surge of wealth and industry in the area, for the most part being sent back to the Blessed Isle, it was actually becoming a problem for the economy across the Inland Sea. So much so as that it was considered a major issue that demanded the Scarlett Empress' direct involvement. Indeed, plans on how to proceed had been created and sat on her desk when she disappeared....
Harborhead in the Present
Since the Empress' disappearance, the two plans laid out for Harborhead have been mostly tabled - the Greater Deliberative was unsure what to do. The first plan was to for the Empress to take control of the lands as her personal property. The second was for the Harborhead economy to become centrally planned by the Satrap, in conjunction with the Empress, to produce and export only those goods which the Realm required. As a result of neither plan becoming adopted, the Greater Deliberative has given Harborhead the ability to trade with other entities than the Realm in an effort to stem the flood of goods coming to the Isle.
Despite the somewhat accidental propulsion to prosperity that the Realm has given to Harborhead, they still maintain a constant, elevated military presence throughout the region. However, military control is not indicative of total control. The Realm has established a vibrant, vital, and self-sufficient economy, the people may be diverse, but share many common ethnic and cultural identities, and in a majority of cases, rule themselves with oversight at only the highest levels... Many in the Realm think that they have lost real control of Harborhead and are waiting for the right incident to expose that fact, and in the meantime, are unsure how to go about regaining their power.
So with that in mind, there are a few major power groups/interests at work that would be featured in the game:
"The Locals" - indigenous leaders of the various tribes and Peoples those who would like to see the complete independence of Harborhead from the Realm. They aren't much concerned with how it happens, or if Harborhead is able to hold onto this new found wealth. They want things to go back to the old ways and freedom for their people. If they can hold onto the recent prosperous times, so much the better, but goal #1 is independence and the reestablishment of traditional values of the region.
"The Merchants" - A mix of wealth landowners, merchants, and politicians who have benefited greatly from the recent prosperity and stand to continue to gain wealth and power if the good times continue. They want the wealth to stay and grow at all costs - with the Realm, without the Realm, with traditions or without them. Primarily, they realize that any prolonged violence will destroy their prospects so avoiding war at all costs is primary among their concerns.
"The Blessed Isle" - The Blessed Isle and its (loyal) agents want to maintain the grasp they have on the region... As mentioned above, the "how" is a difficult puzzle indeed.
"The Local Realm Folks" - They are still loyal to the Realm and its control of the region, but they are insistent that any pro-Realm solution must come from those already in the area. If a formal army or a special task force is sent to do their jobs for them... well... that might end up worse for them than losing control of the region.
"Death to the Overlords" - Sometimes similar to the Locals, but both sides distance themselves from one another. These are violent, radical disidents who would burn the land, salt the earth, and fight to the last woman and child to see the Realm thrown from Harborhead and every last soul loyal to the Scarlet Dynasty put to the sword. If there is a blade of grass and a single person from Harborhead left alive after the dust settles, then that is just gravy.
"Deathlords" - There are a few bases of power for the Deathlords and their agents in the Bayou of Endless Regret and the recently conquered City of Thorns to the North. Destabilization of Harborhead would prove a ripe opportunity to expand their power there as well. They have already begun putting their agents in place to bring this end about and capitalize on any opportunities when/if it finally collapses.
"Neighboring Areas" - The Kingdom of Harbor has long been revered by it's neighbors for it's military prowess, and with the interest and military of the Realm in the area as well it is nigh impossible to even dream of an invasion. But if the two sides weaken each other to the point of defeat, a 3rd party could enter and annihilate both and take the prize for themselves.