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Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepared)
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Author:  Nyalakene [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
But I don't mean to be bellicose or defensive. We have two votes for Legionaires.

How about yourselves Henry and Val'Horyn? Does that sound like a good idea?
Author:  Southernskies [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Sound like you may not have played that one then. :twisted:
Author:  Nyalakene [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Southernskies wrote:
Sound like you may not have played that one then. :twisted:


Odds are good. Why don't you tell the story?

Or PM me if you're worried about spoilers.
Author:  Southernskies [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Lets just say that the Standard wasn't recovered until 1072 IC. :lol:
Author:  Nyalakene [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Southernskies wrote:
Lets just say that the Standard wasn't recovered until 1072 IC. :lol:


I....know not whither you speak, mate.
Author:  val Holryn [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Lol. If you think everyone on the loyalist or rebel side saw eye to eye....

Yes. Everyone being in a Legion might foster some conformity. And being from the same Legion might seem constricting. BUT I have *Great Faith!* in the ability of the Civil War arc to launch different characters on different growth arcs.

There’s an decent chance that for at least for some of them:
*One Legionaire starts hating the MC and becomes a mourner (or later starts hating the mourners and becomes an ex-mourner).
*One Legionaire loves the Emperor or the Patriarch above the other and this causes “problems”
*One Legionaire decides to always follow “orders” while ....
....one Legionaire decides he’s basically Serpico and stops taking orders
*One Legionaire decides they are ALL on the wrong side (...each adventure?...)

A few Legions were effectively Neutral in the conflict. This option might give your players more freedom to pick sides as they wish. The Legion of the Creeping Asp (Legio Anguis Reptatus) guarded the Southern border throughout the story without ever declaring a side. Small individual elements (coughcoughplayerscough) MAY have “accidentally” “meddled” on behalf as either or both sides as fortune presented them opportunities.
Author:  Nyalakene [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 5:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
val Holryn wrote:
Lol. If you think everyone on the loyalist or rebel side saw eye to eye....

Yes. Everyone being in a Legion might foster some conformity. And being from the same Legion might seem constricting. BUT I have *Great Faith!* in the ability of the Civil War arc to launch different characters on different growth arcs.

There’s an decent chance that for at least for some of them:
*One Legionaire starts hating the MC and becomes a mourner (or later starts hating the mourners and becomes an ex-mourner).
*One Legionaire loves the Emperor or the Patriarch above the other and this causes “problems”
*One Legionaire decides to always follow “orders” while ....
....one Legionaire decides he’s basically Serpico and stops taking orders
*One Legionaire decides they are ALL on the wrong side (...each adventure?...)

A few Legions were effectively Neutral in the conflict. This option might give your players more freedom to pick sides as they wish. The Legion of the Creeping Asp (Legio Anguis Reptatus) guarded the Southern border throughout the story without ever declaring a side. Small individual elements (coughcoughplayerscough) MAY have “accidentally” “meddled” on behalf as either or both sides as fortune presented them opportunities.


Noted and considered, though I observe in return that the advice isn't "why not be an Altherian espionage/exploration team armed with guns, books and impeccably stylish hats" or "the very choppy adventures some lovably surly Fire Dwarves" or even "screw it: everyone is a Sstheric and must ssssss-trech their sssssessssss as they play."

Or how about a hapless pack of Cancerese schmucks who think they're going to be the hench-goobers of the next Dark Apostate but are mostly Dubiously Evil Minions with sticky fingers.

Like those gross yellow things in overalls, but with more spiked chains.

Why Legionaires besides "hey all the loot will be Gladii so that'll work out?"

Edit: upon reflection that question has been answered as "because the stakes, at least of the Hard Points, will tend to be immediate and personal," no?
Author:  Hat [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Nyalakene wrote:
<snip>
Noted and considered, though I observe in return that the advice isn't "why not be an Altherian espionage/exploration team armed with guns, books and impeccably stylish hats" or "the very choppy adventures some lovably surly Fire Dwarves" or even "screw it: everyone is a Sstheric and must ssssss-trech their sssssessssss as they play."

Or how about a hapless pack of Cancerese schmucks who think they're going to be the hench-goobers of the next Dark Apostate but are mostly Dubiously Evil Minions with sticky fingers.

Like those gross yellow things in overalls, but with more spiked chains.

Why Legionaires besides "hey all the loot will be Gladii so that'll work out?"

Edit: upon reflection that question has been answered as "because the stakes, at least of the Hard Points, will tend to be immediate and personal," no?


Yes.The reason I and others have recommended Coryani characters is that the Civil War has real impact on all of the individuals from there. It could be as simple as offscreen stories the PCs include such as "Uncle Decimus believes <blah> and Aunt Cecilia is firmly on the side of <other blah>, let me tell you, THAT's gotten ugly..."

I played a Legionnaire through the first story arc as part of the Legion of the Watchful Hunter. My character was a Kio from Plexus which is where the WH originated from. He received an Armillus early on and was an honorable type which was a bit amusing given the Left Hand of Illir nature of the Legion. His legion was the one that went missing and was later revealed to have been betrayed. At the battle of Enpebyn I believe he fought for the loyalists as he felt it was his oath to do so. I viewed his position on the war as similar to that of Captain Lochley in Babylon 5 if that helps.

It was one of the largest BIs run by PCI with ~200 players involved. At the end of the BI there was a special mission to try and recover the Standard from the depths of the Lavender Way. Sponsored by Menesis and the Rebels, my character was allowed to cross lines to help recover the Standard because it was his legion. I was an 8th level Coryani Battlemage, the lowest level character at the table with the highest at the table somewhere around 12th or 13th with most being 10th or 11th I believe. I fully expected to die. Post standard recovery (brutal) he got released from the Armillus and joined the Rebels, first loyalty to Legion and through them the Empire. It will remain one of my most memorable characters and experiences of all times. He fought former friends and comrades at the same BI (though not directly, no PC on PC combat was allowed), and had the special mission not popped up he likely would have remained with the Loyalists until near the end when it was clear that the Armillus, that siding with Menesis wasn't consider to violate the oath.

From my perspective any group should have a common cause or purpose at least it you want to maintain cohesion and it provides the room to explore some of the moral quandries that Arcanis is known for. If you're all Emerald Society members who need to work together, it explains why you continue to stick together even with radically different views on a particular topic.

In terms of "loot", it's a home game. Throw in some additional adversaries, swap some stuff around or do what you need to in order to find the right balance with your PCs. The other thing to consider is that the items you find may change a character concept. Fleshripper is a perfect example of something from the initial campaign that could end up changing the trajectory of a character, providing your players are open to having their characters evolve in ways they didn't expect.

If you need hooks for non-Coryani characters you could have a Coryani family, or an orphan or a village or something become important to the PCs and throw in some extra hooks and quandries. Ultimately if you and your players are having fun, what the rest of us think isn't all that important.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul
Author:  val Holryn [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
Nyalakene wrote:
Noted and considered, though I observe in return that the advice isn't "why not be an Altherian espionage/exploration team armed with guns, books and impeccably stylish hats"
Oooooohhhh. Wait, that's ALSO a good one. (muttermutterWish I could get the rest of Portland to follow Tukufu down this road!mutter)
Nyalakene wrote:
Or how ...snip... about those gross yellow things in overalls, but with more spiked chains.
Less exciting than fancy hats. But its Arcanis so I'm still in. Dibs on Kevin. Lol. If nothing else will be a fun game within the game to see how much the GM can take before they crack. Will start a GoFundMe to draft JP to do the voice for Gru at the table. "Papasan? Ha haha."

On the subject of getting all the PCs moving in one direction(ish): In 2012 we (Portland gamers) got Henry to come out to Gamestorm as a Guest of Honor. And while Henry was out here I got ask him a bunch of questions. One of them was about the beginnings of Arcanis, and the val'Holryn family. I knew that in real world the val'Holryn's were the first val family he dreamed up. And he said that a previous campaign he was running had bogged down and died when the PCs' agendas began conflicting too much with each other. To put some outer boundary markers for PC behavior in the new campaign (that would become the world of Arcanis), Henry required all the players be part of the val'Holryn family. Thus whatever interests they developed, their players would all be on the hook for the interests and welfare of the val'Holryn family as a whole. And connected to the events that unfolded in Tralia.

Getting the players in your home campaign corralled more or less on one side of the Coryani Civil War may help save you from a civil war in the party.
Author:  Longfingers [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Glorius Coryan! (flavor text for a home game being prepa
In the home game I've just started using Year of Ill Harvest, our sole human is a Myrantian legionnaire. So he's got potential civil war arc adventures in Year of the Fall and any of the Old Coryan stuff (I have Carnival of Swords) to look forward to.
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