<quote -78079 Boogs>
A High-Concept & Trouble Aspect

    Ex-House of Black Clay Enforcer
    He mixes with magic as well as oil and water

A couple of lines (no more, please) about the character
Idle-No-More finally found a way out of his "House" in Khundari. It'd be nice if his sister did too.

First off, welcome aboard.

@CARA!    He's Khundari!  Help, please!


Ex-House of Black Clay Enforcer
This sounds like someone who's chosen to travel the Shadow caravan route to Pennryn, perhaps seeking to claim land by way of service against the Mondain.  No illusion... Most who travel there don't survive.  But if he does, Pennryn has some good land available!

The High-Concept is pretty evocative on it's own so far...   I'm curious to know what the "House of Black Clay" is all about... but character-first...

He mixes with magic as well as oil and water
So... I'm Oil to Magic's Water?
That's going to be an interesting mirror / foil to Cara's Oathsworn... the eater-of-other's-magic...


He found a way out of his "House" in Khundari. It'd be nice if his sister did too.
So, this suggests that he left her behind.  And that suggests that Khundari politics is a big factor and something you might be interested in playing out.  I don't have anything developed in this area other than a couple of house-names and some vague ideas, so it's certainly possible...

But the current chapter is set-up on the other side of the continent.  So, As a trouble, we need to find ways to help me tie this in to the current set-up so I can compel it and give you fate-points.  I mean, it's a natural outgrowth of any Aspect that's tied to a specific location... leave that location and that Aspect lies fallow for a while...

So, the key, then, is all about the sister.    I can see securing her freedom being a good potential line-in to a chapter down the road.

Or is she dead?  Or otherwise made inaccessible?

Cool deal, cool cat.

I'm going to write off the cuff and we can work it down. I'm not sensitive about much or married to anything, and I'm a huge fan of open communication ;)

Shadow Caravan

I didn't read any of this before your comment, and I'm not sure about how to work something like this into the background without shoving a square peg into a round hole. Ideas?

House of Black Clay

My idea was for the House of Black Clay to hardly control much in the way of power. It is a House that finds nearly all of its income in purely illicit activities. Most of its members are made up of criminals and slaves, though they have been known to bring in exiled foreigners - especially politicians - to their fold. It is a motley of degenerates that has managed to stay surprisingly functional, the matriarch at the head of this house hold is known as the Mastress Potter.

It is a relatively large organization, and wardens throughout Khune apply to have some  their own wards sold to this house for mere coins. it tends to be a cyclical cycle of economy: jailers sell their prisoners to the House, the House puts them to work, and if they get caught, the House buys them back if they're worth the trouble. Often, they're not, which only leaves the poor imprisoned Crocks (members of the house) to face more trumped up charges.

Hidden School: Silik Nells

Crocks that demonstrate exceptional physical prowess are trained in the art of Silik Nells. The details surrounding this art are not well known, and to most it is only myth, but what has been gathered from martial scholars is that it is a a fighting style that relies on generating force from multiple angles (thinking a combination of Muay Thai and 52 Blocks, with some improvisational weapon skills). This secret art is passed down through enforcers known as Saggars, and instruction of the art outside of the House is punishable by death. It would, however, be rather difficult to teach, as it would have to be instilled from a relatively young age with constant training.

The Saggars role is to "police" the Crocks of the house, actively observing ongoing criminal exploits and disciplining Crocks that act out of line. They only answer to the highest-ranking members, and often serve as bodyguards.

As I cranked this out I drew on my Assassin's Apprentice love, so any of that can be tasty. Instead of an Assassin though, I'm thinking more Monk-like essence. With a steaming helping of thug.

Idle-No-More

They were attacked by a mugger as children. Reigning-Dust, Idle's older sister, ripped the mugger's eyes to pieces.

Their mugger happened to be a higher ranking member of the House of Black Clay, and their choice in picking the young kids, neither over ten seasons old, was questionable. The children's mother was a high-ranking member of another house, and a skilled Evoker-engineer in her own right. After two years of political negotiations, the mother was conveniently assassinated, and the children taken in to the House of Black Clay.

They stayed as close to each other as they could, though his sister served first as a pocket-cutter. It was unfortunate they learned of Reign's magical aptitude as they moved her to their arcane tradition. It was rare that the siblings would be able to see each other, and they cherished whatever moments they could over the next decade. Their visits turned to letters turned to secret messages etched in door posts and glassware. But after awhile Idle stopped seeing her at all.

Idle had made it his goal to excel in the House and rise through the ranks in order to free his sister and himself. He knew the House was weak, but cast a wide net. He trained hard to earn a place in the Saggars once he learned of his magical handicap, and dedicated himself to the life for nearly 17 years. Finally the time came to where he was offered a position as a Veiled hand...

I have not thought of how to work that in yet. I love political motivations, and think they are key to his development, but I suck at them. I'll think on this for a bit. What is known is that he knows his sister is still alive, but hasn't seen her in give-or-take threeish years. Is she a committed member of the House of Black Clay? Is she planning to escape? What is her role, and what are they doing with her?

I'm Oil to Magic's Water

When Idle is around magic, things happen, and never the things anyone wants to happen. The more active the magic is, the more intense (and presumably worse) the effects are. This has rendered Idle incapable of using magic on his own at all, and magic is diminished, if not nullified, when used against him. Of course the opposite is possible as well, where magic has proven exceptionally effective against Idle as it is accidentally amplified.

Weird stuff happens.


That's all I got so far. I'm cramming in some schoolwork and will work out more with you lovely individuals over time!
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Fri 15 Jan 2021.

Shadow Caravan
I didn't read any of this before your comment, and I'm not sure about how to work something like this into the background without shoving a square peg into a round hole. Ideas?

At the moment, it's a thing that's in the setting and an element that's intimately tied to the current chapter.   It doesn't need to be relevant to this character.



House of Black Clay
Ah, so he's a criminal mercenary type.  Earlier--much earlier--we had a couple of Kumlaren underworld types.  But they were Kumlaren.   So INM covering the underworld association from a different angle/culture is kinda nice.

As I cranked this out I drew on my Assassin's Apprentice love, so any of that can be tasty. Instead of an Assassin though, I'm thinking more Monk-like essence. With a steaming helping of thug.
I kinda like that.   And definitely a fan of Robin Hobb's world.    The cell's handler, Stefen, is totally based on the Pock-marked man (don't remember his name off-hand.)  I reread the books four or five years ago.  Might be time to pull them out again.




Idle had made it his goal to excel in the House and rise through the ranks in order to free his sister and himself. He knew the House was weak, but cast a wide net. He trained hard to earn a place in the Saggars once he learned of his magical handicap, and dedicated himself to the life for nearly 17 years. Finally the time came to where he was offered a position as a Veiled hand...

Woah!  Hold on!  We have a major disconnect here!

Everything you've said so far has been taking place in the Dragon Empire, the Empire of Khune (no, so far, dragons are not actually a thing outside of myth and legend).

The Veiled Hand is very distinctly and specifically an element of Kumlar--not Khune.

Publicly, the Veiled Hand is known as the seven veiled attendants that wait upon the Kumlaren Queen.  Not-publicly, is that they are a network of informants all across Kumlar, Khune, Khadid, Cyrenn, and presumably other places.   Our PCs are the very first "active cell" to go and perform missions, not just pass along information.

The disconnect here is that a Khundari without exposure to Kumlar would never be offered a position among the veiled unless we contrive a reason for it.  For that contrivance, he would need to be sent to Kumlar, to Druvir (the capital) and go through an induction process with the Queen.  It's not a forced loyalty thing.... it's a choice thing.

The vast majority of the Veiled Hand (network of informants) have all served as the Veiled attendants.  So the Queen is confident of their--personal--loyalties.  Many have been released from service and "resettled" in different parts of the world with a generous severance pay, so to speak.   This is especially important for those who came from poverty or prison before serving the Queen.

Most important to me here, is that all the PCs are loyal to the queen.   Your character's loyalty to Jia, the Kumlaren Queen, is not-negotiable.   I won't entertain a PC coming in with specific intentions to undermine the Queen or Kumlar.  That may evolve during game-play, but it's simply not a starting position.

So, what we're looking for, then, is a justification for why/how he went from Khune/Black Clay to Veiled Hand.

Jia would definitely be interested in helping to extract Reign. In fact, that's an awesome possibility for another chapter...

I imagine that Khune has sent several people to Kumlar over the years with the intention of infiltrating the Queen's Attendants.  Some have been converted, others have been ousted.  But all who continue to serve are loyal.   They might be conflicted, of course.   The presence of the Veiled Attendants provide a measure of keeping the queen from getting "too big for her britches" so to speak.  She sources them from all over, all walks of life, so that she can gain insight and advice to better serve all of her people.

It's a key element of the current chapter that she doesn't actually have a contact in Pennryn Keep.  Or that something's happened and missives from her Pennryn contacts have been blocked or intercepted or... something.

Also, for the most part, once the veiled attendants have been released from service, they are sworn to secrecy about what they know.  Many who can even keep it secret that they served in that capacity.  But that's probably a personal choice.

Hm.  I wonder if a magical binding or ritual might be at play there.  That would probably depend on the Queen in question, as it's been going on for centuries...


What is known is that he knows his sister is still alive, but hasn't seen her in give-or-take threeish years. Is she a committed member of the House of Black Clay? Is she planning to escape? What is her role, and what are they doing with her?

That sounds like a good foundation for an Aspect, definitely.  Le's bump that up to five years at least...  Enough time for her to have really changed and evolved and become someone that could be rather different from what he might have expected.

This puts me in mind of the Raymond Feist series "The Riftwar Saga" where two childhood friends go on very different lifepaths.


I'm Oil to Magic's Water
When Idle is around magic, things happen, and never the things anyone wants to happen. The more active the magic is, the more intense (and presumably worse) the effects are. This has rendered Idle incapable of using magic on his own at all, and magic is diminished, if not nullified, when used against him. Of course the opposite is possible as well, where magic has proven exceptionally effective against Idle as it is accidentally amplified.


Given the absolute ubiquity of Magic in this world, I'd rather he isn't barred from using it at all.   But rather that we leave it ill-defined, such that "increased levels of magical complexity bring increased chances of unwanted results."

Thus, creating a circle and bringing a pot of water to boil with a word isn't going to cause him any problems.   But the more mass, volume, time, distance, etc only serves to make it more and more difficult.  And affecting other people, where they'd get a chance to oppose the action?  That's a level of complexity that's almost assured to have unintended consquences, even if successful.

This allows us to preserve the fate mechanics results (outright fail, fail as success with major cost, tie as success with minor cost, success, success with style).

That doesn't prevent him from choosing not to use magic at all.   It just doesn't enforce the consequences unilaterally.

Thank you for the excellent feedback!

I'm going to do my best to try to respond to your helpful insight using the power of leading formatting.

Woah!  Hold on!  We have a major disconnect here!

Absolutely, and it is all my fault.

Being that I was writing "off the cuff", I certainly didn't take the space to mention that with that last sentence of being offered an all, it was my way of indicating I hadn't contrived any reasons yet that justify Idle being taken out of Khune and placed in Kumlar, then being loyal to the queen. My apologies. I know that was disconcerting.

Being that Idle has no love for his House, I'm quite sure that his loyal to Jia would be nigh-unbreakable if she offered even the slimmest chance of getting his sister back.

So as you suggested, guess we should nail that journey to Kumlar down...

First: Pennryn Keep

I'd tossed this idea around in my head, and didn't post it in my last one because I'm a scaredy cat. But let's put this idea out there.

One idea I had was that Idle was being punished, tried to escape, and ended up finding his way into the Caravan. Hell, maybe the House of Black Clay sends particular individuals to the Caravan as a tax of sorts, or as a way to establish political relationships (oh your family is getting punished? We'll send one of ours in their stead for a little something extra). I imagine politics at that level would be well beyond Idle's understanding.

Now that I think of it, the reason I didn't put this out there before is because I didn't know if this was something where it was like the Black guard in Game of Thrones, where all those guys guarding the Wall do so for life. Granted you established that their was land to be had anyway, so perhaps it's safe to presume it is not necessarily a permanent assignment?

If we wanted to really tie it together, perhaps those five years he couldn't see his sister (five years really is a good number, isn't it? Great suggestion) is because he spent (some of? all of?) that time in the caravan. I imagine he wouldn't want to stay. He'd want his sister free.

• I could see him simply saving every scrap of money he could, maybe even selling off the land before making for Kumlaren.
  
• I could also see him making a name for himself fighting these monstrosities, and his reputation proceeding him and earning the ear of the queen. I would imagine he would really have to show out to earn that kind of attention from the caravan. Fighting monsters with, as far as we know, his bare hands.
  
• I could also see him directly requesting to serve the Queen in place of accepting land.

Attempted Sabotage

I imagine that Khune has sent several people to Kumlar over the years with the intention of infiltrating the Queen's Attendants. Some have been converted, others have been ousted.

I'm personally not the biggest fan of this idea. I think it adds too much duplicity on Idle's part. Not that he's afraid to use it, but unless it is specifically against the House of Black Clay, I don't think he'd have enough guile to pull a stunt like this against any sort of assorted royalty.

However, I would remain open to the idea of him being sent in on such an attempt, only to offer his services to the Queen with full transparency. Storytelling wise this could put a rather large target on his back, and to add I imagine the Queen may not be willing to trust someone who so easily came out about their mole-like status. But what do I know? I ain't no Queen.

Political Hostage/Bargaining Chip?

Perhaps he could be a political hostage. It could be that Saggars are so few and far between that offering one - though clearly not of royal blood - is still a considerable sign of good faith. Especially if the HoBC, known for dealing in transgressions, have somehow got themselves in a bind with Kumlaren relations: or maybe even other houses in Khune.

Maybe they actually sent Idle as part of a deal with another house, to keep from sending someone else.

This could be kind of cool too, considering that if it is a more equal transaction, I would wonder whom the Queen would consider to send to the HoBC.

Riftwar Saga

I've heard of this, and think my SO read part of this series too. I'm working through the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson (AGAIN! IT'S SO GOOD! I GOT THE LATEST BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS OMG!)

I'm Oil to Magic's Water

Given the absolute ubiquity of Magic in this world, I'd rather he isn't barred from using it at all.   But rather that we leave it ill-defined, such that "increased levels of magical complexity bring increased chances of unwanted results."

I'm with it. I was just thinking of severe handicaps.

But with that being noted...I'll mull over something needlessly complex, then try to pare it down before posting it or giving up.

Oh shit.

And here I thought I'd just take a little peak over at the new characters, but you made a Khundari.

Hello there!

Looks like we're going to mix like oil and water too, as Cara is near the top of Khundari society, and Idle-No-More appears to have rejected it.  Rejected the name even, goddamn.

So, question there.  Because I've put a fair amount of work into defining Khune, Khundari society, etc, etc.  I'm happy to share my toys, but some of what you have is very different than what I'd written down (some fits perfectly).  So considering I'm more than willing to amend my vision and meet you somewhere in the middle, my question is:

Do you want to do that sort of work with another player? Or do you want to start him somewhere else and have full creative license and control over the Khundari elements of background (in other words, not have to compromise with me at all on anything)?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:55, Sun 17 Jan 2021.

In reply to Cara (msg # 6):

XD

Cara was absolutely a point of inspiration. I prefer playing characters of color, and seeing the other side of nobility sounded interesting to this interesting royalty setting established.

I would absolutely love any input you may have on my Khunic origings. I tried to remain somewhat in line by making the HoBC the exception to the rule of houses (i.e. not even trying to be good) to prevent from characterizing the entire land as a misfit population. I also liked the idea that while Cara came from an extremely notable House, Idle's upbringing is basically a House that is barely a damn shack XD.

EDIT: Will respond by tomorrow. Date night :)
This message was last edited by the player at 01:10, Sun 17 Jan 2021.

Awesome!

My originally prompt from the GM was:

1. They have a Dragon Emperor
   
2. They have ritual sacrifice
   
3. They have slaves and a caste system
   
4. Go wild and make what you want

So my first thought was, "okay, how do I make these guys not be the obvious evil bad guys?" Because the evil foreigners isn't that interesting a concept, but I 100% agree with you that the perfectly altruistic nation isn't that interesting either.

So here is the basic outline of Khune, let me know what you need some wiggle room/want to negotiate on.

1. Living in Khune is fucking hard.
   
2. Three of the big reasons its so hard is a trio of Primordial Gods who fill the seas around Khune with storms, make the land barren, and fill it with monsters.
   
3. Also, they don't naturally have any powerful Envokers or Ritualists to deal with these threats, which makes things like making the ground fertile enough to grow crops hard.
   
4. Being on your own, or even a small group, is basically a death sentence.
   
5. So, in order to survive, they have a caste system (but determined by ability more than station at birth), with big powerful Clans. The survival of the Clan is more important than the survival of the individual.  THE GREATER GOOD is everything to a Khundari.
   
6. Clans condense the weak magic of their members into powerful Rituals, using magic to ensure the water is drinkable, the stone isn't leaking poisonous gasses, the land is arable, etc, etc.
   
7. Clanless are looked upon as failures and deviants, selfish people who have rejected the group due to their own narcissism. Leeches on society (not always a deserved reputation. Again, the Khundari aren't universally good guys), as if they cared about the greater good, they'd bind themselves to a Clan.
   
8. Slaves, called Clanbound, are low skilled workers. They bind themselves to a Clan, offering their labor, in return they are granted rights, and their wellbeing becomes the responsibility of the Clan. A Clanbound who shows martial skill can become a warrior, sailor, or hunter.  One who shows particular wit can become a full Clan member.  One with magical talent might get absorbed by a House.
   
9. Warriors and hunters are the next rank up, caste wise.
   
10. Then comes the Clans themselves.
    
11. Then the Houses, who even further condense the Ritual magic of the Clans, and through blood offerings called The Lesser Boon become Oathsworn. Basically, they drink lots of weaker people's magic to become powerful Evokers.
    
12. Remember that trio of primordial gods?  Well every once in a while they spit out an aspect called a Fracture, basically a big old elemental of enormous power.  The Houses' big secret job is to destroy those Fractures when they form.
    
13. They harvest the body parts, and implant them in their Oathsworn, which grants them their Mantles.  Cara has an eye implanted in her forearm.

So, what does that mean?

1. Names are SUPER IMPORTANT to the Khundari, especially Clan name and Title. Only the Clanless would have a name like Idle-No-More.
   
2. Oathsworn are feared and reviled outside of Khune, which they use to good effect (I wanted a highly social character who used Provoke as her primary social skill, because I thought that was interesting).  They are also Khune's only Envokers.

So, most of what you have written honestly works pretty seamlessly.  I love the idea of a scoundrel House that has stolen its power. Maybe they only have a single Oathsworn, and she stole her Mantle by killing another House's Oathsworn, and stealing and implanting the piece of the Fracture they had? Which the Khundari DO NOT DO, as the Houses constantly engage in subtler combat, but killing an Oathsworn would mean the loss of a tremendous amount of power.  For a nation living as close to the edge as Khune?  That loss of magic is a big deal, and no House would do it. So your House doing so it a big deal.

Or maybe they have some completely different way of eating magic to empower their Oathsworn?  Or maybe they've fallen from power, and just no longer answer the call when a Fracture breaks through, but used to be a traditional house?

Lots of ideas, curious to see what you come up with.

Look forward to brainstorming with you, and let me know if anything on the list of 13 needs tweaking.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:03, Sun 17 Jan 2021.

Oh good...  I like the collaboration.  I suspected that you both would be pretty awesome to collaborate together, and I'm quite happy to offload Khune culture, etc. to you two...

Do you want to do that sort of work with another player?

Or do you want to start him somewhere else and have full creative license and control over the Khundari elements of background (in other words, not have to compromise with me at all on anything)?

Most definitely the latter. Respecting the time put in to create something that fits the game world while expanding on it. In my mind that makes things easier for you, me, and everyone else so why would bother with the fuckabout? :)

Clan Chowder

I love the idea of a scoundrel House that has stolen its power. Maybe they only have a single Oathsworn, and she stole her Mantle by killing another House's Oathsworn, and stealing and implanting the piece of the Fracture they had? Which the Khundari DO NOT DO, as the Houses constantly engage in subtler combat, but killing an Oathsworn would mean the loss of a tremendous amount of power.  For a nation living as close to the edge as Khune?  That loss of magic is a big deal, and no House would do it. So your House doing so it a big deal.

So after reading the initial numbered points, it reads to me like the House of Black Clay would be more appropriate in being something like the Black Clay Clan, right? That's what I was going to put here.

But the scoundrel House idea sounds too ill. That's a damn good idea!

I really love the significance of something done so deviously, so wrong, by a supposed HOUSE! It's ruthless, and I feel that it really ties into Idle's development and upbringing from a House dirty enough to do some shit like that. Not that I think they have any IC reason yet to know this happened.

A plan like that would certainly ripple. I imagine that it is the kind of secret that confuses a nation, or is so obfuscated that bringing it to light would throw Khune into even more chaos than the initial sin. I imagine that the House of Black Clay would need to make some much needed adjustments, and factor in to Idle and his sister's separation...

If we're looking for added depth to some questions, are Clans beholden to Houses? Do Houses partake in business directly between Clans, economically and politically, so that  Black Clay's bodily bounty would be of use? Do Clans/Houses have their own intter-terminology and sub-culture? These questions aren't completely necessary, but as I write this character up having any sort of story fodder is good shit.

Smooth Criminals

Is there any established criminal elements I'm missing?

I imagined Black Clay would be larger than most houses, though do their best to make less waves as they hold significantly less power (though them coming into a mantle would raise their power, and make them questionable). I imagine them as a sort of "last resort" House who fills in the underworld element of Khune as part of their sub-culture, perhpas themselves dealing with other Clans to "make things happen". I've also imagined that due to Khundari culture and land condition that crime would be more transactional in nature, and once again dependent somewhat on the Clan/House relations. I've already presented some scenarios in my initial thread post, but I don't know what I wrote because I'm not going to open a new tab to look. So whatever I wrote there.

Fractured Knowledge

Remember that trio of primordial gods?  Well every once in a while they spit out an aspect called a Fracture, basically a big old elemental of enormous power.  The Houses' big secret job is to destroy those Fractures when they form.

Only question I have is would any Clans know about this, and do all Houses partake in this? Depending on the scale of power that comes from these Fractures, I could see the Black Clays offering meatshields and sacrificial Lambs to Houses as a way to play their part. Granted, from their line of work they wouldn't worry about what the purpose was.

Simply another Curious George Question, and probably in tandem with the question of Clan/House relations.

Whatchamcallit

Names are SUPER IMPORTANT to the Khundari, especially Clan name and Title. Only the Clanless would have a name like Idle-No-More.

I used the name Idle-No-More because I think it's dope, and while I can see how that would fit even more into the character of him leaving his clan, it seems like a waste for me as a writer to have the character rename himself Idle-No-More only to still write his name short hand as Idle. Doesn't feel like a big change at my fingertips and in my knowledge of the character's evolution for purely selfish gratification.

As I haven't seen any particular naming conventions evident in Khune (outside of the House/Clan names), are their any that I should be aware of? I know that the dope-ass shit like Grainmother is titular, and other matriarchal monikers apply

 Does Idle's name seem Clanless solely on the merits of having dashes (which leads to changing his sister's name, Rigning-Dust) or because of the meaning? I'd assumed Idle-No-More would be more complimentary to Khune culture, alluding to someone who doesn't have their thumb in their ass, even go as far as seeing the name being an honorific.

I would imagine that it would be in the realm of possibility for Clans and Houses could have different conventions on naming schema (name has a color? House Longgold. Name sounds like ratfucking? House Geefet, etc.). Praven, Isilider, Mortren and Yisil certainly have a particular mouthfeel, which really makes me actually consider changing Black Clay's name so something more appropriate. Names could be a way to trace both lineage and pedigree as Khundari move between Clans and Houses. Setting the precedent that a name changes when one becomes Clanless suggests that names are tied to Clans/Houses in the first place.

All that being said, while I am open to changing the character's name, this is probably the one thing I would like to try and find a compromise on; holding on to this name as his given name, and taking it with him when he jets out.

In Terms of Character...

What I'm juicing so far is not too much to change as you already mentioned

• House is despicable.
• Change the house name, I think (would love to run some names by you when I have time to think of them.)
• Once Idle dips out, he's pretty much going to get shat on. Not only would he be Clanless, he would probably be killed by members of his own House, as he knows too much about the Silik Nells...and maybe more? Iunno; kinda depends on this House's standing.
• It seems like the biggest hang-up/workaround is the actual name Idle-No-More. I think it would be helpful for me at least to wait on your reply and suggestions in terms of naming convention, and again the only thing I'd like to argue for. Arguing can possibly sound like fighting words but I'm nothing but good vibes :)

Let me know if I missed anything. In the meantime I'll pick around the character history.

It could work. Names are SO important that a criminal house wouldn't run around giving their names out at the drop of a piece of headwear. It was quite a common belief that knowing the true name of something gave you power over it. The egyptians had it. The celts have it. The Christian s have it. Tolkien referenced it, and Ursula k le guinn wrote an entire book series about it.

If we're looking for added depth to some questions, are Clans beholden to Houses? Do Houses partake in business directly between Clans, economically and politically, so that  Black Clay's bodily bounty would be of use? Do Clans/Houses have their own intter-terminology and sub-culture? These questions aren't completely necessary, but as I write this character up having any sort of story fodder is good shit.

Have you read The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard?

So, Houses rank higher than Clans on the social status ladder, but that doesn't mean a Clan is just going to fork over money food, supplies, and aid to a Housebound just because they demand it. What the Houses exceed at is creating leverage. They are quite wealthy, and they use that wealth to great effect.  So the skill that Houses use more than any other is Provoke. They build networks of Dependents, and these Dependents tithethe Lesser Boon to the Oathsworn. Within Khune, these Dependents are bound by loans, favors, and most importantly magical protections. Keep in mind that sometimes these ties are so great that the Clans offer up someone for the Greater Boon, meaning someone is literally willing to die for the greater good.

The key theme is is the softer side of Provoke, and of course the greater good.

Outside fo Khune?  Blackmail, extortion, and threats are totally applicable.

Is there any established criminal elements I'm missing?

Nope, I hadn't defined what criminality looks like in a place like Khune. I imagine they would have very, very harsh laws against that sort of thing.

Only question I have is would any Clans know about this, and do all Houses partake in this? Depending on the scale of power that comes from these Fractures, I could see the Black Clays offering meatshields and sacrificial Lambs to Houses as a way to play their part. Granted, from their line of work they wouldn't worry about what the purpose was.

The Houses want to partake, compete to even, because harvesting Fractures is how you empower more Oathsworn.

None of the Clans know about the harvesting and the empowerment, but they all know about the Triumvirate and the Fractures, and that the Houses collect their tithes of magic specifically to fight them.

As I haven't seen any particular naming conventions evident in Khune (outside of the House/Clan names), are their any that I should be aware of? I know that the dope-ass shit like Grainmother is titular, and other matriarchal monikers apply

No you got it, I've been focusing on titles rather than naming conventions.

Grainmothers are farmers, yes, but also channel the weak Ritual Magic of the Khundari into powerful rituals to cleanse the tainted land.

Oh, and colors.

Houses wear Black, Oathsworn Black and Red, those of the Clans wear Dark Blue, warriors, hunters, marines and sailors wear Silver, the Clanbound wear Orange, and Clanless wear whatever the fuck they want. Though, goddamn would they be screwed if the got caught wearing the colors.

I even think Idle-No-More works as his new name, if you want to keep it, and sets up a great source of tension between us. What was his old name though, his Clan name? The moment Cara learned that he didn't have a House name (because he didn't reveal it), she would know that something is incredibly wrong with him. She'd think of him as Clanless, and be deeply distrustful of him.

---

So, what is the House of Black Clay's actual Clan name? Do they still use it, or at they just the House of Black Clay now that they've fallen from grace? And what did they do before they fell?  Were they architects, fishers, farmers, miners?  We'll need to come up with a title for them.

How did they fall?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:26, Sun 17 Jan 2021.

A lot to process there.  I've only but skimmed it.  Errands to run before I sit down for a period with rpol... but a few things came to mind I wanted to get out there before I run off...

First, Idle-No-More may not be his name, but rather his codename, nickname, etc.  I think that's what Anlaq was touching upon.

I'm reminded of an article I read about the dwarves in Dragon Age: Origins...

As a people separated from the surface, they've lost a lot of their surface-based presence over the centuries...  and a lot of the resources they need they just can't get anymore except through truck and trade with the surface-folks.

But almost no dwarves go to the surface, except the lowest of the low, the clanless.  So there's a sizable underworld economy that goes on as proud houses actually rely on their own exiled and clanless to procure resources through trade with the surface-world.  The exiles are at once shunned and relied upon.  Oh, every now and again the ruling party has to crack down on the criminal element inside the mountains, make a show of maintaining authority and all that, but they know that if they go too far, they lose the crucial pipeline.   They can't acknowledge it and they can't destroy it.

So, perhaps that dynamic would work here, too...

Khune has always been a harsh land.  But after the Great War and the Forbidding, the loss of the now-Scarred Lands of Khadid has probably taken out and shattered their major trading partner.  So, sure Khune has claimed a lot of the western reaches of Khadid over the centuries.  It's fertile lands compared to what they're used to.   Even if it does come with strange pockets of altered reality and monsters and creatures that don't play by quiet the same rules.

But maybe Khune actually relies on Black Clay and others to provide access to resources it can't source politically or naturally.  But the dragon emperor and the ruling bodies can't acknowledge the criminal enterprises and can't destroy it. utterly.  And if Khune is preparing for war with Kumlar--as I'm suggesting--then that avarice, greed or simple need is stronger now.

So, maybe at least one such criminal gets recognized as a formal house, lending some legitimacy, even though it's going to cause waves and ruffle feathers...  But every house and clan has it's exiles.  And probably many still have fond ties to their biological kin, after all...

Cara and Control Clansplanation and Contribution

I dig it. Makes sense. Thanks for making that clear, Cara. And I dig that naming schema, Control and Anlaq.

I'm really digging Control's idea of the need for a criminal House to do all the dirty deeds in the dark, whether it is enjoyed or not. I would also suggest that their martial training would also be useful for whenif the time for war ever comes to Khune. I think anything that builds that tension is decadent. I imagine they outsource a lot of...talents to acquire resources otherwise. I imagine that kind of power could go to someone's head, hence why they set up and killed an Oathsworn to take their mantle.

BTW, instead of calling it the House of Black Clay, how about we call it House Xhexes? Perhaps a bit closer to Khune naming convention? I'm calling it that. So,

House of Black ClayHouse Xhexes

was once a house of architects before they fell. Now their pottery - still some of the noted as some of the finest crafted Khune containers - is used more to smuggle contraband than to decorate the grand halls of Great Houses.

With that, back to history...

Recap with edits,

With his mother and father disgraced by way of failed business transactions as merchants, Idle and Dust were inducted into House Xhexes at a young age, unaware that their parents downfall was indirectly caused by the very House they now called their own.

Dust->Envoker stuff
Idle->Punchy stuff
Same business

One day, someone higher up the foodchain implied to Idle-No-More (formerly known as Nuq Ghena B'hi) that they'd get his sister sent to another House, one more respectable, more powerful, if all he did was do his duty and guard Xhexes's Oathsworn, being sure to hand them a package at an appropriate time. Idle did as he was told for the good of the House, but his sister Dust always meant the world to him. He always wanted the best for her.

The next morning they gave him a special assignment.

He was given the task of "volunteering" his services FOR THE GREATER GOOD to the Caravan. Instead of earning land and pay, he was to give his land to his House, and be left with only a fraction of funds, enough to survive on, enough to keep fighting. It was his duty to his House.

Idle did so.

He thought it much better than simple sacrifice, using his skills and strength to fight back monsters for the sake of the world while serving his House. All he asked for was to be able to have a House member deliver letters to his sister and himself. For the first two years, it was hard, but Idle was content as he wrote the last letter of the year, hardened and stained by horror, knowing his House would thrive, his sister would survive and do well. Her last letters were disconcerting, but perhaps it was just nerves.

His messenger never came that week. Or the next week.

Or the next five years.

It'd only taken a month later for his earned funds to be cut in half, leaving him to lean on his caravan company for support. For food. They weren't cold about it; it wasn't the first time they'd kept a body alive for the sake of their cause. As far as he knows, Idle-No-More was left Clanless with no ceremony. To the Caravan, Idle made sure to pay his dues through service.

Idle fights. Hard enough to prove his keep with interests. Hard enough to earn respect and a reputation. He becomes a monster to fight them, on the edge of suicidal as he throws himself against fiends for years. In his anger he comes to train his body, train his mind against the horrors.

Does that sound legitimate?

Veiled Handouts

So barring any other small edits, question is, would Jia be willing to take in a vagabond Clanless killer from the Caravan? Would Idle be coming on as a Veiled Hand, or simply already a Veiled hand at this part of the story (I presumed the latter).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:59, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

I'll have a better response tomorrow, but for now just one question.

Does House Xhexes have Oathsworn?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:11, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

Does House Xhexes have Oathsworn?

Just the one Oathsworn, which is why House Xhexes thought that it was worth killing another Oathsworn to take their mantle. They want their own Oathsworn to be more "legitimate".

But maybe Khune actually relies on Black Clay and others to provide access to resources it can't source politically or naturally.  But the dragon emperor and the ruling bodies can't acknowledge the criminal enterprises and can't destroy it. utterly.  And if Khune is preparing for war with Kumlar--as I'm suggesting--then that avarice, greed or simple need is stronger now.

Interesting.  So the issue with that is that Khune has a lot of Merchant Clans. Though.... damn, what would they have to trade that the Greenlanders don't have in abundance?

Got it, Artisans and Craftspeople.

The Khundari merchants come with finished goods, and trade them for raw materials.

I'm really digging Control's idea of the need for a criminal House to do all the dirty deeds in the dark, whether it is enjoyed or not

So this is already the role that the Houses occupy outside of Khune. That's one of the many reasons they have such a vile reputation outside of their homelands.

Ideas:

• Perhaps they are the Dragon Emperor's black hands?
• Pushing the criminal angle more, perhaps they bring mind altering drugs into Khune (perhaps magically twisting and enhancing, explaining some of Idle's Mantle)?
• Building on that, maybe the God Emperor has a dirty secret? Maybe some of his power comes from this unique drug?

Just a few thoughts.

Okay, I've got crap-load to catch up on here.  So, I'm gonna be quoting stuff from way back.  It might be irrelevant now.  I accept that.


Being that Idle has no love for his House, I'm quite sure that his loyal to Jia would be nigh-unbreakable if she offered even the slimmest chance of getting his sister back.
If he's served--either as a veiled attendant or simply as an extended member of Stefen's network of spies, then yes, his sister will be on Jia's to-do list...  I like that this might be a part of an agreement on her part for INM to become an active member of <U>this</I> cell, this group of PCs.


Pennryn's call to arms is not a life-sentence.  And, in fact, his offering land in return for service is well within his right as a landed lord.  He's simply offering a landed-tenant relationship.   As one of his subjects if the call is put out, you may still be called upon to answer... and take arms against whoever Pennryn is fighting that day...

But, Jia and the Crown in general simply isn't aware of just how dire teh situation in Pennryn is.  Somewhere along the line, she's been kept in teh dark about it.   Right now, in Druviv (Kumlar capital) King Dorian is sick in bed for several months, and the Heirophant is in a deep dark cave, in seclusion for a year and a day on some sort of deep meditation.  SO, she's largely been without her primary advisors.

In Kumlar, though the king rules, the line of precedence runs through the Queen's line.   (I'm kinda riffing off of Lynn Flewelling's "Hidden Warrior" trilogy...


I could also see him making a name for himself fighting these monstrosities, and his reputation proceeding him and earning the ear of the queen.
If he has fought in Pennryn, then at most, he'd made a name for himself and gained Duke Churthen & Duchess Jaelle's eye and trust...  which, given that Churthen is being held for treason and Jaelle will probably soon be rounded up, might not be the most advantageous position.

@CARA: COLORS


I want to step this back half a step.  While, yes, the colors are definitely associated with the various elements.  Some of it also comes down to the relative scarcity of dyes.  Blue dye in the middle ages involved some scarcity.  Orange, I imagine is stupidly scarce.   But black and silver?  Everyone can get a hold of black.

SO, let's scale this back to badges and tabards, heraldic insignias and the like.   I'm willing to go with Oathsworn--and by extension even Saggars--being given a very specific uniform of sorts integrating those colors.   But it should be even more narrowly defined.  "Blood Red" vs "Red".  Someone walking around with a bright scarlet cape shouldn't expect to be confused with an Oathsworn.

Ad the further out one goes from Khune, the less those colros mean anything to anyone... So, yeah, I'm in Pennryn hills--pretty much as far East as you can go from Khune.  So I'm wearing blood & black?  so what?  Nobody's mistaking me for a dragon oathsworn!

So barring any other small edits, question is, would Jia be willing to take in a vagabond Clanless killer from the Caravan? Would Idle be coming on as a Veiled Hand, or simply already a Veiled hand at this part of the story (I presumed the latter).


Okay, let's not make him one of Jia's Veiled Attendants.  That just doesn't fit.

Churthen, second in line to the throne (by way of Jaelle), pushed INM's name in front of the crown.  He acted as INM's sponsor, so to speak.    It would mean that INM has met with Jia, though probably not been presented at court.

Stefen and Rickard would probably have done some background check on him, learning that Dust was the main lever they could use to compel INM.   And INM's years of expereince with the caravan gives INM a lot of insight into the workings of the caravan, the many legal and illegal things they've done to recruit more people to Pennryn's cause:  Break convicted murderers out of prison, smuggle the dispossessed and bound-for-sacrifice out of Khune, etc.

Though he wasn't a part of that particular element, there was a small cult that was bound for Pennryn, that was stopped from making their way to ship to Stoltgard, because the two 10-year old princes were found "kidnapped" into the cult's ranks...  This is the spark that launched this investigation... and why Churthen is up for treason.

Having INM as a "inside man" has real possibilities, especialyl if he isn't actually aware of Churthen's motives or actions regarding the abduction of the princes.

So, now... bereft of his sponsor, he is offered a chance to be free of the headman's axe, if he joins this cell.   If he comes through, the queen will work to find and release his sister...

But maybe Khune actually relies on Black Clay and others to provide access to resources it can't source politically or naturally.

Interesting.  So the issue with that is that Khune has a lot of Merchant Clans. Though.... damn, what would they have to trade that the Greenlanders don't have in abundance?

I think you're on the right track.  All we need is one or two commodities that they can't get through other means or cant' get without an enormous hassle.  And with the growing isolationism that precludes war, Khune is probably really pushing this...

Would it make sense that the clans are more likely to be used for most run-of-the=-mill spy-work than the houses?

Now, since we've kinda gone off a lot more into world-development rather than character-development, can you summarize the following:

• His Main Aspects:
  
  • His High-Concept Aspect
  • His Trouble Aspect
  • At least one other Aspect
• His Skill-sets
• Any stunts you might have in mind.
  You can pick these later, if you prefer.

Also, note that you can revise Aspects and Skills later if you prefer.  I just need some foundation of who he is before we can get you into play.  And I'd like to get you into play sooner rather than later.

Finally, I need us to figure out why he's in Stoltgard (the last major stop on the road to Pennryn Keep.)  That allows him to meet up with the others and get into play immediately.   If he's been associated with the Shadow caravan and has been Churthen's... errr... what do you call the opposite of a sponsor?... then he may well have been sent specifically to meet the PCs in Stoltgard and go from there.