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MesiDoomstalker
2020-04-07, 12:56 AM
This is a game a long time in the making. I've been tinkering, writing and brainstorming for over 2 years at this point and tonight, finally, I ran the first session. This is Raptors Hunting Gnomes Hunting Raptors.

Sahren Empire Primer
The Sahren are a people of anthropomorphized dinosaurs, hailing from the Jungle-Valley of Scales, so named for its scale-like pattern of the trees that dominate the landscape. Till 700 years ago, the Sahren were fractious tribes, clustered around their protected groves of Sahren Fruit bushes who fought with each other constantly to control more and more of these precious groves. The Sahren Fruit is special; it has granted the Sahren their sentience and humanoid stature and they must consume a Sahren Fruit once a year to retain this boon. As such, the groves were a hotly contested resource that led to conflicts between tribes of Sahren competing for the scarce, vital resource. Until Primis Priori, the first Emperor of the Sahren, started the first of the Imperial Unification Wars; a series of conflicts that saw the slow unification of all Sahren under a single banner (at least that is what the history books say).

Nowadays, the Sahren Empire spans beyond the Jungle-Valley of Scales in the ephemeral Meridiem Swamps, the vast Mar de Heirba and even the Déchets Désolés desert. And yet, even as the Empire continues to grow, it finds its self constrained. The Voidfringe Mountains pose a currently impassable barrier for upturn expansion; the extreme heights and perpetual cold is unsuitable for Sahren and beyond the mountains the Gnomish Theocractic Empire of the Xusisian Conclave, sworn enemies of the Sahren, sits and plots the destruction of all the Sahren hold dear. And beyond the Mar de Heirba, the lands of other potentially more peaceful humanoids remain out of reach; the need to consume Sahren Fruit limits the distance a settlement of Sahren can be from this vital resource.

The Sahren consists of 5 sub-species; Magmuses are proud Raptors nomads, who travel in large caravans between cities and towns, providing vital movement of goods, people and information within the Empire. Lentesta are ankylosaurus’ who are benign wisemen and spiritual leaders. Turrim are lumbering apatosaurus’ gifted with natural earthen magic who are responsible for the Empire’s massive expansion on the backs of skilled Turrimic stonemasons. Cornulex are proud aristocratic triceratops, who run the upper echelons of the Empire from military, bureaucracy and the other complex going on of a large Empire. The final of this quintet is the Horridente, T-Rex barbarians who live on the fringes of the Empire, adamantly refusing to take part of ‘cursed civility’.

But the Empire seems to be teetering on collapse. The Magmuses are finding themselves hedged out by the proliferation of the Arcanomotive making their culture and livelihood obsolete. Lentesta are on the wrong end of a propaganda campaign to downplay the significance of religion in the Empire. Turrim are finding themselves marginalized and their labor and skill ‘donated’ instead of paid. Horridente find themselves being hunted by Imperial contingents, being slaughtered or enslaved for denying Imperial decree. Even the Cornulex struggle with their internal bureaucracy, backstabbing and political maneuvering. And all the while, the Gnomes across the Voidfringe plot and scheme the downfall of all things scaled.




Sahren (SA-ren): Collective name for the anthropomorphic dinosaurs. Can include other sentient reptilians (rarely). Means “Scaled”
Sahren Fruit: Magical fruit that grants the Sahren their sentience; must be consumed once yearly.
Magmuses (MAG-moo-ZEZ): Anthro Raptors. Primarily used by other Sahren. Means “noble stranger”.
Parvuses (PAR-voo-ZEZ): Familiar term used by Magmuses when referring to themselves. Rarely used by non-Magmuses. Means “familiar stranger”.
Cornulex (Coor-NYO-lex): Anthro Triceratops. Means “Noble Horn”. Upper and middle class; bureaucrats, merchants, nobility. Upper echelon of society; ruling caste.
Lentesta (Len-TEZ-tah): Antrho anklyosaur. Means “Protective spirit”. Spiritual leaders, faith healers, peaceful protectors. Religious caste.
Turrim (TUR-em): Anthro Apatasaur. Means “tall rock”. Towering architects, cyclopean builders, masters of earthen magicks. Academic scholars, leading arcane caste.
Horridente (HOR-e-DEN-teh): Anthro T-rex. Means “bad tooth”. Outcasts, savages, rejection of organized society, tribal.
Noblidente (NOH-blee-DEN-teh): Familiar term used by Horridente when referring to themselves. Rarely used by non-Horridente. Means “noble tooth”.
Fructi Lacus (Frooc-TEE Lah-CUS): Large lake in the heartland of the Sahren Empire. Means “Lake Fruit”. The capital (see below) surrounds its shores. Houses the largest known concentration of Sahren Fruit.
Cittialago (Cee-TE-ah-LAH-go):Capital of the Sahren Empire. Surrounds Fructi Lacus, fed by 7 tributaries. Center for commerce, distribution of Sahren Fruit and Imperial seat of power. Means “Lake City”
Arcanomotive (ARR-cahn-O-mow-TEEV): Magical train; used both for large inter-city vehicles and small, intra-city vehicles.
The Ruler: Primary deity of the Sahren. LN God of Society, Order and Rulership. Has multiple aspects with their own similar naming schemes (The Warden, The Caretaker, etc).
Voidfringe Range: Massive mountain range that lines the edge of the Prime. It crosses the bulk of the Prime, creating a natural barrier between the Sahren Empire and the Xuisian Conclave (See below).
Xuisian Conclave (Zwees-E-en): Totalitarian Technocratic Gnomish country. Long standing enemy of the Sahren. Been in a stalemate cold war for nearly 200 years. Devout followers of Xuis (see below).
Xuis (Zwees): Primary and creator god of Gnomes. LE God of Electricity, Innovation and Obedience.
Meridiem Swamps (MEER-ee-DE-em): Vast swamp lands edgewise of Cittialago. Sees seasonal flooding in spring and summer, with a proliferation of photoluminescent algae causing the area to have an ethereal glow. Large population with farming. Means “Glowing/effervescent/ethereal”.
Mar de Heirba (MAR deh EER-bah): Expansive grassland counter-turnwise of Cittilago. Constitutes the largest biome in the Empire but the least populated. Means “Sea of Grass.”
Déchets Désolés Desert (DEH-shet DEH-soh-LEH): Narrow desert edgewise of Cittilago. Characterized by barren steppes and rocky terrain. Mineral rich Means ``Desolate Wastes”
Turnwise/Edgewise/Up-Turn/Down-Turn: Cardinal directions; used in relation to the mid-line (center of the Prime) for Turn/Edgewise and in relation to the Prime’s rotation for Up/Downturn
Primis Priori: First Emperor of the Sahren Empire. Died in 7264.
Bienfaisant Priori: Current Emperor. Not related to Primis Priori. All Emperor’s relinquish their familial names for the name Priori.
Current Year: 7936. Calendar is 10 months, 3 weeks each, with each week consisting of 6 days.The Spring and Fall Equinoxes exist outside the day/week/month structure, for a 182 day long year.



The game will start in the mining boom town of Pondus-Auri. This town is relatively small, consisting of a single main road and a number of shanty farmsteads that cropped up in the surrounding area. Boasting population of a little over a thousand (but fewer than a hundred permanent, non-migratory residents) has saw a huge influx of workers coming to find a quick fortune at the Grestus and Gregoran’s Aurum Imports lucrative iron, gold and etherite mines in the surrounding hills. Because of this discovery, the town has bloomed into a busy center of commerce in the far reaches of the Empire’s territory, even so far as to warrant the extension of the Etherwerks Arcanomotive track to this distant little town. This line is the furthest the Etherwerks had extended their track and that was cause for celebration. Big wigs, nobles and important merchants who invested both in Etherwerks and Grestus and Gregoran’s Aurum Imports took the inaugural trip about the Acanomotive to Pondus-Auri to attend the grand opening of the Arcanomotive station there. This event has come and gone and now the high society are eager to get back to the civility and greenery of the Empire’s heartland and away from the dusty desert of the Empire’s outskirts.

The game will start with you, independently, boarding the Arcanomotive on its return trip to Cittialago, the imperial capital some 1,700 miles away.

The Player Characters:
(Character tokens are directly linked, as image hosting has been iffy as of late). The backstories presented here are a mix of player-writing and my paraphrasing of their backstories as some of my players are better at writing things down than others.
https://imgur.com/PzQhW6J
An elderly Magmuses, Tezaris has separated from his caravan many months ago on a task to speak with leaders of Pondus Auri to secure exclusive trading rights with the town. His caravan is odd, containing many practitioner's of the arcane arts, a specialization that many Magmuses feel is a waste of time. Tezaris has grown antsy, as his Speaker had missed their Sending two months in a row. He fears they have perished and the only home he knows has been lost to the wilds.

https://imgur.com/8ISqvny
A young magmuses wielding dual hatchets, he is an oddity. Abandoned by his caravan for reasons unknown in Mar de Heirba. A tribe of Horridente stumbled upon the young child and took him in, for their shaman had foretold doom upon the tribe if they found a child in need and spurned it. He was raised as their own, but soon he set off on his own feeling stifled by their primitive culture. He made his way to Cittialago where he joined a small gang of Roofed Magmuses (Magmuses who live in cities 'under a roof'). They were small time, muggings, protections and the like.

A pair of Cornulex approached the gang, offering them a big job. If they did well, then The Don would maybe let them join The Family. The plan was simple; board a train to Pondus Auri. Wait for the train to start its return trip; then rob the passengers blind and escape from the train before it reached its first stop. A Magmuses Caravan who owes The Don a favor would pick them up and escort them back to Cittialago. The Cornulex would disguise themselves as porters, to gain entry to the lounge where all the high society types would be conviently located. Ras felt they were not telling the gang the whole truth but the pay was good and the score likely far higher, so he and the gang agreed.

https://imgur.com/penYn2o
"HEY!!! Watch it!!" Rodika cried out as she was almost stepped on by a few people who seemed to be lost in their own papers or whatever books they were reading as everyone bustled about trying to get on the train. The man looked down at her and shrugged "sorry..." she narrowed her eyes and shook her head, her tail swishing too and fro from annoyance. "yeah yeah..." with a flick of her tounge and a turn of her head she darted off towards the car she was assigned too. Ticket in hand as she boarded with a conductor blinking and shaking his head before glancing at her ticket as he reminded her, "three meals a day...and your room is down the hall."

She had grown up with a caravan, out on the plains roaming to and fro, never staying in one place, always surrounded by her own kind.

The Matron of the clan noticed Rodika watching when others would concoct potions then try to recreate them on her own...which ended up with one or two small fires on the edge of camp and a rather foul odor that lingered for weeks on end...it was after that incident that she was put under the watchful eye of their alchemist who began instructing her. Unfortunately, it was a short lived.

It was no ones fault really, she had simply overslept in her own tent on outskirts and the clan had packed up to move early next day. It had been in haste and she knew this because normally they'd have taken time to put out the fires and clean up their camp site as to leave little trace behind.

At first she tried to track and follow but it seemed to prove futile, eventually she made her way to the city and decided to give this living in one place thing a try...not one to shy away from a new challenge she set out looking for someone to work with or for...she eventually found another alchemist who had a flair for the dramatic and loved experimenting with things. Most called him a "mad scientist." whatever that meant, but she rather enjoyed working for him, and eventually learned how to fashion bombs with some very basic materials. This did not sit well with the local authorities as they kept finding various sticky matter all over the city from young pranksters who were her best customers...she rather enjoyed the young ones and it brought a strange sense of delight to her every time they came back telling her of their latest vigilante behavior...oh it was all in good fun and on one ever got hurt, mostly harmless pranks, and well perhaps a few crooks were caught in said pranks...but every time she was questioned she simply shrugged and merely explained she was not responsible for the actions of those who purchase her goods, because every one came with a warning. A sly smile as she gestured to the signs in the shop. "You see...it's not my fault." this always brought on scowls from the authorities.

Her Mentor would sigh shake his head and shrug..but as soon as it was clear he would give her a slight scolding then smile "c'mon back to work." he'd say...and off they would go. There were many a time some more shady people would show, and even others like herself, some larger ones too...it was rather interesting. Never one to miss learning she'd ease drop on the conversations and take notes, it may come in handy later on she told herself.

The day he passed was a sad day, he was her mentor and he had become her family in this strange place. As she sat in her little room, she gave a soft smile and stared out the window, her tail swaying slightly at the memories she held. Now here she was...off on another adventure...what she would find she had no idea.. but it was time to move on and see what lay beyond.

Appearance:

Short in stature, she moves semi swiftly through crowds with ease. Bright shiny ember eyes peer out from her blue, green scales mixed with silver and orange feathering, she's a rather interesting sight with an equally colourful chainmail shirt, her belts with various small vials and multiple pouch, completing the look is a patchwork backpack with a variety of pouches and pockets. A pair of leather strapped goggles adorn her head while bits of silver and orange beads seem to hang from within her feathered head. A bit of black covers the end of her tail and her claws are of the same ebony hue. Her under belly is of a greyish blue hue. But her armor hides most of this as does her gear and coat which she was gifted from her mentor.

https://imgur.com/m3hEbrp
Fernan de Amusco started his life as part of the Amusco caravan that traveled Déchets Désolés Desert. In his younger years Fernan quickly took an interest in magic and sword play. After learning what he could from the elders in the caravan, they sent him to a small village along their normal routes to continue learning. While Fernan stayed in this village he quickly learned of the Cult of the Blind Truth as his mentor was a member of the cult, though they were not very active nor held most of the beliefs of the cult. Fernan followed in his mentor's steps and while joining the cult so that he may learn the magic the cult possessed. After completed what his mentor had set out to taught him, he agreed with his mentor that it was time rejoin his caravan and share some of his newfound knowledge, Fernan set out to join back up with Caravan who were headed in the direction of Cittialago

https://imgur.com/1l0mhgX
(No backstory) :smallsigh:



I start most chapters with an OOC anecdote. These range from literary quotes, to in-universe interactions the PCs wouldn't be privy to. I do not give the Players any context to who these individuals are besides differentiating who is talking in a given scene.

C: Is everything ready, Sister?
O: Yessssss. All is arranged. One of the impostors schemes against usssss.
C: I can spare no more of myself, Sister.
O: Yesss, you are thin already Brother.
C: Soon, we will be reunited. Then, the true work can begin.

Pondus-Auri has quieted down. The buzz and bustle associated with the grand opening of the Acranomotive station has died down. Big Wigs and investors have shaken hands, cut ribbons and made speeches. The typical low-key vibe of the small remote town has returned as the big city folk congregate at the station to head home.

"All aboard!" the conductor hollers over the crackling hum of the engine. People are herded onto cars by porters meticulously checking tickets.

Ras climbs onto the second passenger car, taking a seat near the back of the car. He notes that most of the occupants are Cornulex, with a trio of fellow Magmuses having taken a seat in the front of the car.

Fernan boards next, taking his own spot near the back of the first passenger car. Like the second, its occupants are Cornulex, save for another trio of Magmuses near the front of the car.

Godika boards behind Ras, taking a seat opposite him in the aisle. Ras purposefully pulls his cloak forward, trying to hide his face.

Darian boards the first sleeper car, finding his room and quickly settling in for a nap.

Tezaris boards the second sleeper car, finding his room near the back as he waits for the train to begin to move.

In no time, the train has embarked and the sleepy town of Pondus-Auri quickly fades into the horizon, to be replaced with the sprawling barren mesas of Déchets Désolés Desert. Godika is the first to act, heading towards the lounge car. When she arrives, she is stopped by the bartender, who nervously tells her "I'm sorry, but the lounge car is closed for a private party."

Godika bristles. "I paid good money for this damned ticket and I can't use the lounge!?"

The bartender nods towards the two Cornulex in the car, bedecked in shining armor baring the Imperial sigil. "The lounge is closed for a private party, Ma'am. I am sorry." Godika huffs and stomps back to the second passenger car.

Tezaris leaves his room, stopping by every Magmuses he spies asking the same question. "Have you heard news of the Caravans?" Unfortunately, no news has met anyone's ears. The Trio of Magmuses in the second passenger car brush him off quickly but the elder mage shrugs off their supscicious dismissal. He soon retires back to his room.

Darian continues his nap.

Ras and Fernan remain in their seats. While they stare out the windows they spy an odd cloud in the distance. It hangs very low in the sky, nearly level with the train and it is keeping pace with it. But both dismiss the odd formation.

Soon, the whole train hears distant screaming coming from the back of the train. Confused and concerned murmuring runs through the train. But it does not last long; the trio of Magmuses in the first passenger car jump from their seats, brandishing knives and saps. "Alright no one panic! Just hand over your gold and jewelry, and there won't be no problems." Fernan tenses, hand on his longsword, ready to strike the first of the banditos to come within the length of his blade.

Meanwhile, in the second passenger car, the other trio of Magmuses jump from their seats. They brandish long metal rods, which crackle with electricity, and begin attacking the other passengers. Godika jumps from her seat, tossing a bomb at the nearest assailant, landing an easy hit and her skill with bombs protecting the innocent bystanders from the splash. Ras brandishes his hatchets but the opposing Magmuses is too quick, effortlessly dodging his strike.

Darian ignores the commotion from both ends of the train, still attempting to nap. Tezaris however, makes his way to the lounge car, towards where he had heard screaming. As he enters the lounge, he finds a peculiar sight. The duo of Imperial clad Cornulex stood facing the rear of the car in a defensive formation, spears at the ready, as a small swarm of metallic scorpions crawled through holes in the far door. And sitting at the Cornulex heals is a young Magmuses child no more than 2 years old (Note: Magmuses reach maturity at 4 years old). He motions to the child "Come along; it is dangerous here." With as much speed as his little legs could muster, the child rushed to Tezaris' side as the Cornulex moved to engage the metallic scorpions, spears tearing through their metallic hides.

As a bandito approached Fernan, he strikes with his blade. "What the fudge!? What did I say!?" screams the bandito. Ras and Godika continue their assault on the other Magmuses wielding electrified rods, Godika ducking under the raptor's strike and Ras continuing to fail to land a blow. Darian, finally disturbed enough from his nap, leaves his room heading towards teh front of the train to investigate the racket. Fernan continued his assault, slaying the bandito while Tezaris and the child retreat from the Lounge car, making haste through the second sleeper car.

Before Fernan can move on to the other banditos, the entirety of the car is consumed in a conflagration of sound and fire. As the smoke clears, the whole of the car has been obliterated, only the floor and the rails beneath it (and himself) having survived, though not unscathed. Godika throws another bomb, managing to kill her assailant even as Ras manages to land his first blow. But Godika is confused, as the body of the Magmuses shifts and shimmers, magic that had disguised it in life fading away revealing the burned but still recognizable corpse of a Gnome.

Darian lazily maneuvered into the second (and now only) passenger car, taking stock of the scuffle taking place, determining the one with electric batons were worth bashing but first, using his flail to disarm the Magmuses (?) of his baton. Fernan retreats from the barren remains of the first passenger car, quickly engaging the Magmuses (?) bashing people with batons, while Tezaris and the child maneuver through the first sleeper car. As they reach the end, the swarm of metallic scorpions enter the far end of the car, as the train shudders and lurches as if it had suddenly picked up speed.

Between Fernan and Ras, they strike down another Magmuses (?) whose magic failed as they died revealing another Gnome. Darian, enraged that the Magmuses (?) he had disarmed was reaching for another weapon, crushed the whelps skull in with a tremendous blow, scattering bits of head all over the car, including a Gnomish ear adorned with a strange piece of white metal; not quite an earring nor large enough to be some form of covering. The other passengers began to relax, till Fernan yelled "Everyone take cover!" He had spotted, out the window, a figure standing upon the strange cloud, pointing a large metal cylinder towards the car.

Rodika and Fernan took cover underneath benches, while Ras and Darian retreated to the first sleeper car, running into Tezaris. "No! Go the other way! Metallic scorpion automatons!" The mage gestured wildly towards the swarm of metal and death farther down the car. Ras begins to attempt to decouple the sleeper and passenger cars, while Tezaris and the child board the passenger car, tucking in underneath a bench.

The Imperial Cornulex storm into the first sleeper car, tearing through the metal monstrosities. They bellow "WHERE IS THE CHILD!?" and Tezaris feels claws dig into his calf from the terrified child. The quintet of Magmuses waited, unsure what to do. No explosion came, the Cornulex engaging the metal scorpions and holding their advance and Ras work on the coupler going slow. Godika retreats from the passenger car to the sleeper car, stopping as a pair of metal scorpions break from the melee to strike at her.

Just as they thought the threat of sudden explosion had passed, a new blast rocked the second passenger car. Like the first, the whole of the car was obliterated by the blast. Darian took the blast fairly well, while Tezaris and the child were oddly left completely unscathed. But Fernan had disappeared in a shower of gears, leaving no corpse. The survivors begin to argue amongst themselves; they were now exposed some enemy with inordinately powerful fire at their command aloft on a cloud was firing upon them, while a wave of metal and blasts of fire rushed toward them from behind. Tezaris decided to solve one issue, finding the quick release lever on the coupling in a moment. Before Godika could jump from the sleeper car before it was left behind, the metallic scorpion strike, slashing through her calf, while the other tore at her chest. But as with Fernan, she disappeared in a shower of gears leaving nothing behind.

The Imperial Cornulex arrive at the end of the Sleeper Car, throwing threats and insults as the ruins of the passenger cars rush away. Ras, Tezaris and Darian argue on whether to storm the engine or jump from the train. But the train was currently over a large gorge put any ideas of jumping to rest and knowledge that the engine's fuel, Etherium, is highly volatile made the prospect of turning it into a target even less desirable. Soon, their argument did not matter. Another blast of fire consumed the trio, each disappearing in a shower of gears leaving nothing behind.

End of Panic on the Cittialago Express

This was not the end of the first session, but it was the end of what I expected my players to get through. Luckily I had the next section (mostly) prepared. When the next section is done, I'll post here with the details. For now, I'd love to hear what others think so far. I'm sure some details are confusing, since this is a homebrew setting. I'd be glad to clarify anything.