My Next Campaign : TDHR [PEACH]

[LeTipex]

For the first time in a while, I'm not working on my current campaign, Chains of Silver and Blood, which has been put on hold for personnal reasons (health for a player, travel to another city for another, and so on...). It was nearly done anyway, so we'll probably do a few sessions as an epilogue once everything has settled down, but for now, I don't have much to write. The plot is almost finished, and I don't need to worlbuild or brainstorm much more.

So I've decided to draw on the plans of my next one. And since I have time, I decided to get a bit busy. As in, this is planning to be my most ambitious campaign ever. I'm closing my map thread for now*, as I have something like half a dozen maps to fill out for it, so I'm mostly gonna work on those for the foreseable future.
* I still have a map of Nexus that I said I was interested in doing for Wise Old Guru. My first two attempts proved to me I didn't have quite the level needed to do such a detailed and massive city justice, but one day... one day...

[TDHR] True Dragons Have Roots

It's a romp throught the life of a circle of a Dragon-Blooded kinship, from their teenage years in Secondary School in RY 693 to present-day Creation, when they start earnestly being players in the Great Game right as the Empress disapears. I plan on having them tackle the Civil War in the Realm and the reapearance of the Solars as fully-fledged generals, reknowed sorcerers, or political rising stars, with their own legends and storied past, the relationships they cultivated over the years with family members, old friend and lovers, and how these all impact what they will fight to protect or to shatter.

The plan is to run a serie of four to five mini-campaigns, which I will refer to as Periods, with the same core group of players (along with guests that can joint them for an epidode or a Period if wanted/needed.)

For an overview of the Periods and their core plotlines, see below :

THE FIRST PERIOD: SECONDARY SCHOOL
Taking place in RY 693, as the PCs are 12 to 15 years old, this period follows the characters as they live their first year of Secondary School at the House of the Blue Tree.

Core plotlines : making friends, ennemies, trying to impress teachers to gain access to the advanced courses, generally getting in trouble. Oh, and dealing with the plans of a mysterious sorcerer plotting his revenge.

THE SECOND PERIOD: SABBATICAL
Starting in RY 700, as the PCs are 19 to 22 years old, this period sees the characters on their sabbatical, exploring the faraway satrapy of Yirji (thanks Epee102) and the mysterious lands of Uz that surround it.

Core plotlines : dealing with the aftermath of a local war, religious unrest and jealous gods, monsters and sorcerers, and generally playing hero.

THE THIRD PERIOD: MARRIAGE AND DUTY
Going from RY 712 to RY 722, as the PCs are 31 to 44 years old, this period centers on the characters’ first jobs, as they become players of the Great Game and start their own families.

Core plotlines : investigating an opium turf-war in the city of Riven Quay and learning under their mentors, while jungling love and family obligations during mariage negociations and the first years of their family lives. Might even progress to working with the Eye in later years in order to catch a powerful criminal dynast. Maybe they'll also get caught up in a Wyld Hunt during holidays in another Satrapy...

THE FOURTH PERIOD: YOUNG ELDERS
Set in RY 768, as the PCs are between 87 and 90 years old, this period sees the characters becoming powerful actors of the Dynasty as the Realm faces its greatest crisis yet…

Core plotlines : The Empress is gone. The Anathemas are returning. Civil war is brewing on and off the Blessed Isle.

Along with those, subplots centered on NPCs will span over multiple periods and gain them allies and rivals in the Dynasty, which all might up changing the whole course of the war for the empty throne...

PLAYER GUIDE
Since I have the chance to have players who don't really know Exalted all that well (few people read an Exalted book in another language when they don't already have a group), I can have them begin in the past and present the world without telling them the true nature of history, or having to present the Immaculate worldview as a lie. As such, I've made (along with a lexicon and a guide to rules and character creation, both in french), a quide to character advancement* and a small intro as to what their characters should know, both in english. If any of you want to pick at those a bit, ask for them in pms! I'll be glad to have a few returns and constructive criticism.
* Due to the huge time jumps involved, character creation and advancement don't quite follow the usual rules.

MAPS
I'm planning on doing maps for :
- Their Secondary School campus (status : sketch done)
- Uz, the region where they take their sabatical (status : preliminary linework done)
- Some cities of Uz (status : Not yet started)
- Riven Quay or another important realm coastal city (status : sketch done)
- Maybe others for the last Period.

TRAILER
I'm also doing a trailer, because I like those. I did a live-action one for my previous campaign (link here) and I want to change it up a bit and do an animated one for TDHR. I've got a few vids already that I can scavenge for content (sengoku Basara, Avatar TLA and LoK, a few cool chinese animations videos...) but if you think a cool animated moment screams "Realm Dragonblooded", whether it's action-oriented or not, don't hesitate to point me toward it!

I'd like to have a few lines of dialogue over the trailer (in english), so if any of you are willing to just record one or two of those on their computers and/or phone for me, just post in the topic! Three to five of you (with male and female voices) should do it.

So, in summary, answer if :
- You want to hear your voice in my trailer.
- You have cool visual anime-like stuff depicting Dragon-Blooded to point me towards.
- You want to see the docs I've made.
- You have any cool ideas to throw my way.

I'll be keeping this post updated over time, and occasionnaly use the thread to brainstorm a bit or post concepts and ideas there.

Interesting links :
My previous campaign, Chains of Silver and Blood (now on hold)
Maps and cake, my old map thread.
Images and sounds : Images 1, Images 2, Landscapes 1, Landscapes 2, music from Creation.

[Dagurasu]

Very interesting, I have always liked the generational games. Good luck.

[The MG]

So, in summary, answer if :
- You have cool visual anime-like stuff depicting Dragon-Blooded to point me towards.

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74634

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74635

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74636

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74639

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74638

(Hopefully your players don't follow current anime.)

[BrilliantRain]

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74634

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74635

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74636

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74639

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74638

(Hopefully your players don't follow current anime.)

What series is that?

[The MG]

Kimetsu no Yaiba, adapted by Ufotable. The second episode airs later today.

Those cuts are all from the opening.

[...]exploring the faraway satrapy of Yirji (thanks Epee102) and the mysterious lands of Uz that surround it.

Yirji seems interesting, but now I'm curious about Uz as well. What's the deal with that place?

[LeTipex]

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74634

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74635

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74636

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74639

https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/74638

(Hopefully your players don't follow current anime.)

Nice, this looks pretty awesome!

As for Uz... I plan to post a bit more about it in the future, but I've basically moved Yirji up in the Southeast, near the great lakes on the world map. Uz is the name of the crumbling empire that sprung around the region at the fall of the Shogunate, and as been slowly declining in the past hundred years, becoming the countrie of Uzure, ruled by sorcerer-kings and the Rain Queen, a powerful religious figure. Yirji lands were already independant when they were conquered by the Realm, and the rebellious and heretical provinces of Watset have been a thorn in Uzure's side for a while now.

With an ambitious young emperor at the helm, willing to claim his rightfull place in history beside his ancestors, a war with Watset that stopped with the death of the last Rain-Queen (and the droughts that followed), a wyld zone nearby and a blessed island-kingdom guarding their holy sanctuary in the middle of the largest lake, there's no shortage of places for a yound adventurous Dynast to make his mark.

[Spacepup]

This game sounds really cool. I've always liked the idea of school-days DB stories. If you have any lines you want read for the trailer, I'd love to try to do it.

[LeTipex]

This game sounds really cool. I've always liked the idea of school-days DB stories. If you have any lines you want read for the trailer, I'd love to try to do it.

Thanks! Will send you a few sentences with a bit of context by pm tomorow or this week-end!

Meanwhile, here is a bit of information on the Immaculate Texts, that I wrote up for my players. It might change if The Realm decides to drop something that runs counter with it, but it the meantime...

*
**
KINSHIP
True Dragons Have Roots
What Fire Has Wrought
Once By Air Lifted
Calm Like Clear Water
Stand Proud Upon Earth

IT – The Lost Poems, Kinship

The Immaculate Text are a collection of Books and Scrolls forming the base of the Immaculate Philosophy. Monks, abbots and Lookshian sohei debate the finer points of their stories and morals, and while most citizens of the Realm know individual stories and chapters, few laypeople ever grasp the full breath of Immaculate Canon.

Most of the original texts forming the center of the canon are older than the Age of Nightmares, written in bastardized dialect of Old Realm, and the bulk of translation and codification were done during the Shogunate Era. Some versions of the Immaculate Text, such as the ones followed by the Pure Way of Prasad, differ as to what specific books are considered canon, but the Immaculate Order recognizes the existence of 27 canon books, a handful of apocryphal books (accepted but held to be more metaphorical than true), and bans a short list of heretical texts. The list below is not exhaustive, but provides a good starting point for canon text and common heresies.

Canon Texts

Dreams of the First Age: Divided in two volumes, Accounts of the Time of Glory and The Age of Nightmares, this short duology relates the beginning of the world in poetic language, from its Creation at the hand of the Elemental Dragons, to the Usurpation, when the Elemental Dragons incarnated in the form of the Immaculate Dragons to help their Chosen defeat the monstrous Anathemas. It tells of an age of powerful magic, where the Dragons still walked their Creation, accompanied by other powerful divinities of their makings and monsters beyond comprehension, and is full of throwaway references to epic conflicts and great miracles unseen in the Second Age.

The Roll of Glorious Divinity: A list of gods and spirits and their responsibilities, this massive and dry book is a repository of ancient knowledge about spiritual needs and rules, and is used to establish the Immaculate Calendar of worship. Its many subsections lay out the proper rules of worship of each type of spirit, with lengthy side notes specifying the exceptions and local particularism. While the rules are quite exhaustive, changes in the nature of Creation and in the organization of spirit courts since the fall of the First Age means that they cannot always be followed to the letter.

The Compasses of Terrestrial and Celestial Directions: A collection of volumes describing the voyages and feats of the Immaculate Dragons during their lives, the Compasses are composed of many tales often used as parables in discussion, such as The Last Lesson of Sexte Jylis or Dana’ad And The Industrious Merchant. These are often the very first stories told to Realm children as they grow up, and most Realm citizens can quote lines from the Compasses in order to make a point.

The Noble Insights and Diligent Practices: A guide to living as a proper Immaculate, this volumes is a mix of mystical riddles and strict lessons, stressing the importance of finding one’s proper role in life and society. It also describes the Antitheses, embodiments of antisocial and improper attitudes that one should strive to avoid.

The Five Coils of Proper Elevation: A prolix and verbose book rarely read by laypeople, the Coils describe the taboos and rules followed by Immaculate monks, and the way the order is to be organized, from the proper rites to purify a shrine to the specific robe colors that can be worn by acolytes up to the Mouth of Peace. It also contains a chapter dedicated to the teaching of the Five Immaculate Martial Arts, and the ways to purify one’s essence to obtain their mystical powers.

The Scrolls of Esoteric Wisdom: A collection of koans, hymns, and prayers, the Scrolls of Esoteric Wisdom represent the most massive and diverse part of the Immaculate canon, and hide many gems of inspirations and subtle revelations for those willing to meditate upon them.

Revelations of the Righteous Shikari: Also known as the Book of the Wyld Hunt, this volume teaches the powers and weaknesses of the enemies of creation, describing many demons, Fair Folk and the cursed sorceries of the Anathemas. It also provides a list of criteria allowing one to recognize Anathema, from their caste marks to the hidden tell of Lunar face-stealers.


Apocryphal Texts

The Lost Poems: While some of the Lost Poems are considered to be part of Immaculate Canon, there are too many different contradictory version of this book for scholars to agree on which one is correct. It is most well-known for Kinship, a succinct and poetic description of the responsibilities of a Sworn Kinship, and probably one of the oldest of the Immaculate Texts. It is fairly common for splinter sects of the Immaculate Philosophy to point to their specific version of the Lost Poems to explain their particular idiosyncrasies.

Ten Thousand Ways to Feng-yi: A description of the travels the Immaculate Dragons made to the Caul, the whole content of this book is considered to be nothing more than myth. Nevertheless, its stories have always remained popular enough amongst Realm citizens to never be completely forgotten.


Heretical Texts

Adriva Aynan - The Path of Unbidden Light: Often referred to by its Old Realm name by its adherents, The Path of Unbidden Light is a small collection of texts adding specific myths to Dreams of the First Age, The Roll of Glorious Divinities and The Noble Insights. Followers of the Path hold to a number of heretical beliefs, such as faith in the overdeities Ohrmazd and Mainyu who birthed the Elemental Dragons and continue to shape the world to their whim, and are convinced that enlightened souls can command spirits. While the Path is seen as heresy, and has often been linked to demon cults, it is hard to root out, if only because the vast majority of their practices are undistinguishable from proper Immaculate worship.

Scrolls of the God-Empress: These are a collection of unrelated heretical texts written by various heresies worshipping the Scarlett Empress as a divine figure. Cults to the Empress are forbidden, but the immortal ruler and matriarch of the Dynasty is such a legendary figure that they have been a minor problem of the Order since the beginning of the Realm.

The Broken-Winged Crane: This book is a dangerous work of dark sorcery, which is supposed to be destroyed whenever it is found. For now, only copies of the Broken-Winged Crane have ever been found, and the true original is said not to exist yet, each copy being written by a mad scribe receiving incomplete vision of a book that will be.

Other heresies exist, based not on whole books but on disagreement as to the specific meaning or translation of part of the immaculate canon. For example, the heresy of the Giftgivers, known for having led to massive disputes in the Order and even to a purge of heretical monks and their followers, disagrees on the fact that Exaltation is of the Dragons, and maintains that the proper translation tells us is it a gift from the Dragons, while the Heresy of the Antitheses sees its adherents willfully reject the examples given by the incarnated Immaculate Dragons.
The many local religions practiced in the Threshold are collectively referred to as the Hundred Gods Heresy.

[Epee102]

Ironically, in my current game, I also moved Yirji to the South East.