This is the Out of Character thread for a Play by Post Chronicle I'll run with Second Chances and White Oak Dragon . It's a Changeling game set in Imperial Rome. Posting it here so we can start discussing things and for people to have a look at it should they be interested to see our shenanigans. Ok, here's the pitch:
It’s the year 107 AD. Emperor Traian’s armies have just returned in triumph from Dacia, defeating both a long-standing menace and bringing back riches and slaves. Traian is a good emperor. Not the wisest, nor the strongest, but he is a principled man with a strong sense of justice and both the willpower and charisma needed to guide the empire with a firm yet reasonable hand. He still keeps the beast that is Rome warm thanks to the fires of war and the blood of its enemies, but his subjects would not want it any different. Traian is the Optimus Princeps, the “most excellent prince”, and history will remember him as such.
The city itself is at its apex: more than a million people inhabit it and thousands travel to it each day. By foot, horse or ship, either free or in chains, all those who travel towards Rome acknowledge it for what it is: the greatest city in the world. Civil wars, invasions and mad emperors are mere memories. Now more than ever, Rome is strong, magnificent and unstoppable. The closest to the platonic ideal of itself it will ever get.
The Changeling Courts of Rome basked for almost a century in the glory of the empire. They stand as one, a bastion against the forces of Arcadia that never falters. Though they have to share occult dominance over Rome with other supernaturals, changelings have found their place in it and built a haven for all those who are Lost. The Gentry don’t represent a problem in Rome. Or at least, that’s what the changeling claim. In truth, more changeling escape from Arcadia each year and the number of those who disappear, dragged back into the Thorns screaming, is impossible to determine because of the simple fact people don’t want to talk about it. The Gentry never left, they just found it easier to slide in the background as the city grew. The Courts themselves are reaching a breaking point in total blissful denial. The traditions and rules that held the Lost community of Rome together for decades are becoming obsolete and decadent. Years of relative peace allowed changelings to shift their attention towards personal gain and the seek for political power, but the world is changing and the tides of the Wyrd are turning, a situation plenty will refuse to accept until it’s too late. Why change something if it always worked well? Why contest the very same institutions that kept everyone safe since before you were born? But the True Fae won’t stop just because the Lost are too busy bickering. Portals covered in thorns are opening. Heralds are being sent to announce the hunt is about to begin. More and more changeling whisper about the early days of Rome, when armies of Fae rose from the Tiber river at each flood or when several motleys would disappear from the world from sunset to dawn.
Roman Courts are a bizarre combination of Rome’s various identities, combined with the beautiful madness which belongs to the Lost. The Seasonal Courts are still the formal structure of Rome Lost’s society. Its rulers call themselves king and queens, titles which would sound odd to any Roman citizens since the day the last king of Rome was exiled, but are an open and defiant proclamation of authority against the Gentry and a way to reclaim the heritage of the changeling who survived and struggled when Rome was young.
The biggest difference when it comes to the Lost in Rome would be the existence of the Marble Court, an organization born during Republican times which quickly rose to prominence. The Marble Court embodies a simple truth: while changelings triumph and die, the Lost Courts of Rome endure eternal. The Marble Court is a reflection of the Roman ideal of conquest and stability. Its core belief is that the greatness of Rome is a blessing changeling should claim as their birthright, that by giving their trust to the traditions and structure which allowed Rome to prosper the Lost honor the incorruptible foundation that allows all of them to exist in safety. It is an ideal which found its natural evolution with the rise of imperial power and nowadays is pretty much the changeling’s response to the cult of the empire. Seasons might change, but the marble under the Lost’s feet stands untouched. Technically, the Marble Court has no right to rule, but the change of seasons cannot happen unless the Court formally allows it, with proper rituals and investitures. The Marble Court can keep the passage of crowns on hold and “dutifully govern Rome’s Lost until the situation returns to acceptable conditions”. Its is a huge social and political circumstance which does not happen often and rarely lasts more than some weeks, but makes it so the Marble Court remains just as an important player in Roman Lost’s politics as any other, perhaps even more so. The ancient oaths which empower the Marble Court seem to play an important part in Rome’s protection from the Gentry, as shown by what happened when seasonal monarchs tried to govern without the Marble Court’s blessing. The responsibility to decide whether or not to allow the passage of seasons lies within the hands of the most respected changelings of the Court, who behave as their position requires more often than not, but also means their criteria can be painfully mundane, ranging from old grudges to simple corruption. The Wyrd, as always, does not care for such banal, human details
.
(I’ll write a proper Marble Court description, Seasonal Court-style, as soon as I can, so I won’t delve on it too much right now)
Rome is huge. Its Courts are old and powerful, but people tend to get lost in the crowd. That’s a betrayal of the Courts’ reason to be many changelings disapprove, some of whom powerful individuals indeed, but most don’t know what to do about it. There’s too much to do, too many things to take care of. Sure, things can be solved on an individual basis, but the cosmopolitan chaos of Rome complicates everything. New Lost find it difficult to make themselves heard and are often frustrated by the official stance of complacence towards the Gentry Roman Lost seem to have. Potential allies are there, but it’s not easy to cut through the noise and get to them. Yet, just as cracks are starting to show in the pristine façade of Rome’s changeling traditions, voices that call for both a return to the true ideals of the Lost and changes to prepare them to what’s ahead are getting louder.
The seasonal rulers of Rome are:
• Druso Agrippa Aureo, Beast King of Spring. Druso smiles and laughs, but its teeth are sharp and people know it. The Beast fancies himself a poet and is not too bad, but its true strength are his political cunning, result of his aristocratic upbringing, and influence over important changelings of the Roman Courts. He never judges but makes sure to keep a list of secrets and favors. Not to mention he still remembers how to hunt, even if he prefers to distance himself from such bestial behaviors.
• Khopesh, Elemental General of Summer. Khopesh does not wear a crown as easily as others do. Having said that, they are the one Rome’s Lost look for when there’s need to go to war. Khopesh had to learn just enough formal intricacies to survive in her position, but their passion and strength compensate what they lack in subtlety. People would die for Khopesh and they would die for each Lost of Rome, Summer Court of not. Some in their Court would like to replace them, but Khopesh is the one you want to have around when the Wild Hunt comes.
• Lavinia Ennia Carmina, Fairest Queen of Autumn. Lavinia does not look the part. She seems to care more about hedonistic pleasures than anything, busy as she is to organize parties and celebrations for her to invite people to. Not to mention she probably is not Roman and her name is as fake as her claims of noble origins. Some changelings look at her and see a spoiled queen, almost embarrassing in her behavior. More experienced ones know well that the Queen of Autumn is more dangerous than they could possibly imagine and that, when it’s time for blood to run on the altars or when important omens need to get deciphered through the entrails of a sacrifice, it’s Lavinia who gets her hands dirty.
• Gauda, Ogre King of Winter. Gauda is rarely seen. The Ogre spends his time taking care of his Hedge gardens while guiding is Court through emissaries. Just because he loves his privacy, though, it does not mean he does not care. Gauda is where he is because of popular demand, not because he thinks himself fit to rule. He figured he could try to do his job well, since he got there. The Winter King has several trusted allies he trusts to make good choices, but will always be there if needed. A slave even before getting to Arcadia, Gauda also established a secret organization to help human slaves, whether they need to defend themselves against cruel masters or want to escape. A similar organization goes against the laws and traditions of Rome as a whole, but Gauda refuses to stop. The Ogre is a kind soul, but a powerful opponent when provoked: don’t hurt those he swore to protect, Lost or not.
• The Marble Court has no fixed ruler. Should it find itself in need of one, its members reunite an elect someone to wear the Amethyst Laurels for the time being. All members get a vote, though results are rarely a surprise: there are always two or three candidates who represent the most obvious outcome. Once elected, the Marble Tyrant is in full control and gets to decide when to relinquish the power. At the time the chronicle takes place, Flavia Lucilia, a wise and experienced Wizened, and Publio Sesto Chlorus, fierce and aggressive Elemental, are among the most powerful members of the Court.
Comments are welcome.
P.S. Should I make a post with a list of some of the True Fae I made up for a game?
It’s the year 107 AD. Emperor Traian’s armies have just returned in triumph from Dacia, defeating both a long-standing menace and bringing back riches and slaves. Traian is a good emperor. Not the wisest, nor the strongest, but he is a principled man with a strong sense of justice and both the willpower and charisma needed to guide the empire with a firm yet reasonable hand. He still keeps the beast that is Rome warm thanks to the fires of war and the blood of its enemies, but his subjects would not want it any different. Traian is the Optimus Princeps, the “most excellent prince”, and history will remember him as such.
The city itself is at its apex: more than a million people inhabit it and thousands travel to it each day. By foot, horse or ship, either free or in chains, all those who travel towards Rome acknowledge it for what it is: the greatest city in the world. Civil wars, invasions and mad emperors are mere memories. Now more than ever, Rome is strong, magnificent and unstoppable. The closest to the platonic ideal of itself it will ever get.
The Changeling Courts of Rome basked for almost a century in the glory of the empire. They stand as one, a bastion against the forces of Arcadia that never falters. Though they have to share occult dominance over Rome with other supernaturals, changelings have found their place in it and built a haven for all those who are Lost. The Gentry don’t represent a problem in Rome. Or at least, that’s what the changeling claim. In truth, more changeling escape from Arcadia each year and the number of those who disappear, dragged back into the Thorns screaming, is impossible to determine because of the simple fact people don’t want to talk about it. The Gentry never left, they just found it easier to slide in the background as the city grew. The Courts themselves are reaching a breaking point in total blissful denial. The traditions and rules that held the Lost community of Rome together for decades are becoming obsolete and decadent. Years of relative peace allowed changelings to shift their attention towards personal gain and the seek for political power, but the world is changing and the tides of the Wyrd are turning, a situation plenty will refuse to accept until it’s too late. Why change something if it always worked well? Why contest the very same institutions that kept everyone safe since before you were born? But the True Fae won’t stop just because the Lost are too busy bickering. Portals covered in thorns are opening. Heralds are being sent to announce the hunt is about to begin. More and more changeling whisper about the early days of Rome, when armies of Fae rose from the Tiber river at each flood or when several motleys would disappear from the world from sunset to dawn.
Roman Courts are a bizarre combination of Rome’s various identities, combined with the beautiful madness which belongs to the Lost. The Seasonal Courts are still the formal structure of Rome Lost’s society. Its rulers call themselves king and queens, titles which would sound odd to any Roman citizens since the day the last king of Rome was exiled, but are an open and defiant proclamation of authority against the Gentry and a way to reclaim the heritage of the changeling who survived and struggled when Rome was young.
The biggest difference when it comes to the Lost in Rome would be the existence of the Marble Court, an organization born during Republican times which quickly rose to prominence. The Marble Court embodies a simple truth: while changelings triumph and die, the Lost Courts of Rome endure eternal. The Marble Court is a reflection of the Roman ideal of conquest and stability. Its core belief is that the greatness of Rome is a blessing changeling should claim as their birthright, that by giving their trust to the traditions and structure which allowed Rome to prosper the Lost honor the incorruptible foundation that allows all of them to exist in safety. It is an ideal which found its natural evolution with the rise of imperial power and nowadays is pretty much the changeling’s response to the cult of the empire. Seasons might change, but the marble under the Lost’s feet stands untouched. Technically, the Marble Court has no right to rule, but the change of seasons cannot happen unless the Court formally allows it, with proper rituals and investitures. The Marble Court can keep the passage of crowns on hold and “dutifully govern Rome’s Lost until the situation returns to acceptable conditions”. Its is a huge social and political circumstance which does not happen often and rarely lasts more than some weeks, but makes it so the Marble Court remains just as an important player in Roman Lost’s politics as any other, perhaps even more so. The ancient oaths which empower the Marble Court seem to play an important part in Rome’s protection from the Gentry, as shown by what happened when seasonal monarchs tried to govern without the Marble Court’s blessing. The responsibility to decide whether or not to allow the passage of seasons lies within the hands of the most respected changelings of the Court, who behave as their position requires more often than not, but also means their criteria can be painfully mundane, ranging from old grudges to simple corruption. The Wyrd, as always, does not care for such banal, human details
.
(I’ll write a proper Marble Court description, Seasonal Court-style, as soon as I can, so I won’t delve on it too much right now)
Rome is huge. Its Courts are old and powerful, but people tend to get lost in the crowd. That’s a betrayal of the Courts’ reason to be many changelings disapprove, some of whom powerful individuals indeed, but most don’t know what to do about it. There’s too much to do, too many things to take care of. Sure, things can be solved on an individual basis, but the cosmopolitan chaos of Rome complicates everything. New Lost find it difficult to make themselves heard and are often frustrated by the official stance of complacence towards the Gentry Roman Lost seem to have. Potential allies are there, but it’s not easy to cut through the noise and get to them. Yet, just as cracks are starting to show in the pristine façade of Rome’s changeling traditions, voices that call for both a return to the true ideals of the Lost and changes to prepare them to what’s ahead are getting louder.
The seasonal rulers of Rome are:
• Druso Agrippa Aureo, Beast King of Spring. Druso smiles and laughs, but its teeth are sharp and people know it. The Beast fancies himself a poet and is not too bad, but its true strength are his political cunning, result of his aristocratic upbringing, and influence over important changelings of the Roman Courts. He never judges but makes sure to keep a list of secrets and favors. Not to mention he still remembers how to hunt, even if he prefers to distance himself from such bestial behaviors.
• Khopesh, Elemental General of Summer. Khopesh does not wear a crown as easily as others do. Having said that, they are the one Rome’s Lost look for when there’s need to go to war. Khopesh had to learn just enough formal intricacies to survive in her position, but their passion and strength compensate what they lack in subtlety. People would die for Khopesh and they would die for each Lost of Rome, Summer Court of not. Some in their Court would like to replace them, but Khopesh is the one you want to have around when the Wild Hunt comes.
• Lavinia Ennia Carmina, Fairest Queen of Autumn. Lavinia does not look the part. She seems to care more about hedonistic pleasures than anything, busy as she is to organize parties and celebrations for her to invite people to. Not to mention she probably is not Roman and her name is as fake as her claims of noble origins. Some changelings look at her and see a spoiled queen, almost embarrassing in her behavior. More experienced ones know well that the Queen of Autumn is more dangerous than they could possibly imagine and that, when it’s time for blood to run on the altars or when important omens need to get deciphered through the entrails of a sacrifice, it’s Lavinia who gets her hands dirty.
• Gauda, Ogre King of Winter. Gauda is rarely seen. The Ogre spends his time taking care of his Hedge gardens while guiding is Court through emissaries. Just because he loves his privacy, though, it does not mean he does not care. Gauda is where he is because of popular demand, not because he thinks himself fit to rule. He figured he could try to do his job well, since he got there. The Winter King has several trusted allies he trusts to make good choices, but will always be there if needed. A slave even before getting to Arcadia, Gauda also established a secret organization to help human slaves, whether they need to defend themselves against cruel masters or want to escape. A similar organization goes against the laws and traditions of Rome as a whole, but Gauda refuses to stop. The Ogre is a kind soul, but a powerful opponent when provoked: don’t hurt those he swore to protect, Lost or not.
• The Marble Court has no fixed ruler. Should it find itself in need of one, its members reunite an elect someone to wear the Amethyst Laurels for the time being. All members get a vote, though results are rarely a surprise: there are always two or three candidates who represent the most obvious outcome. Once elected, the Marble Tyrant is in full control and gets to decide when to relinquish the power. At the time the chronicle takes place, Flavia Lucilia, a wise and experienced Wizened, and Publio Sesto Chlorus, fierce and aggressive Elemental, are among the most powerful members of the Court.
Comments are welcome.
P.S. Should I make a post with a list of some of the True Fae I made up for a game?
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