[OOC] Heirs of the Dark Lord

[Bright_Ops]

@Genni

Oh sorry. I've met some people who... well, would push for that kind of thing in a PM to be canon.

[Flagg]

@Bright_Ops@Genni

Alright, glad you guys are cool. Look forward to seeing what you both work out in this budding conflict between the brides and Vasha.

[Genni]

@Bright_Ops Is this where we reveal that the whole thing was a big con so they don’t realise we’re working together, or should we save that for later?

Seriously though, if I was going to push for any sort of major shift in power I’d declare it here first, so that everyone would have a chance to prepare their factions for it. Roleplaying is a collaborative effort after all, not a competitive one.

[gorgenmast]

Apologies for the empty post; accidently hit the post button halfway through. Look for a finished post there tomorrow morning or late tonight

[Goldeagle1221]

The Almalexia lurched beneath his feet as the ship climbed the oncoming wave

Down with the Tribunal!

[Flagg]

<Snipped quote>

Down with the Tribunal!

@Goldeagle1221

Do you have a search feature for whenever I slip a reference to Morrowind into anything? :)

[Goldeagle1221]

I can smell it.

[Genni]

Almalexia, wife to a great lord who was struck down... does that make her a sorrowful widow? One who might weep perhaps?

[Senor Herp]

Exceptionally WIP sheet skeleton posted, per Flagg's request to ease faction tracking. Nothing but a country name, aliases, and government form blurb, but it's there and to be expanded. Hesitated a bit on whether to use straight Sanskrit or garble it up; decided the rich linguistic games that can be played with the multiple meanings was not worth passing up on for obscuring originality. Will work more thoroughly a bit later.

[POOHEAD189]

<Snipped quote by POOHEAD189>

big time, would be honored for you to join!

@Flagg

I am sorry it took me awhile to reply. I'll check my schedule, though I admit I am terrible at RPing evil characters!

[Flagg]

<Snipped quote by Flagg>

I am sorry it took me awhile to reply. I'll check my schedule, though I admit I am terrible at RPing evil characters!

@POOHEAD189

Then be a good one in an evil land!

[Genni]

Then be a good one in an evil land!

@Flagg

Characters should always believe they're good, even when they're killing babies by drowning them in holy water.

After all, the one of the babies might have been possessed by the Devil, and we wouldn't want that free on the world.

---

@Bright_Ops I decided to sideline the letter for a moment, to give the other plots a chance to breathe a little first. It will get to the Brides of Daigon eventually though, and a response will be forthcoming IC shortly after that.

[Bright_Ops]

@Genni

Fair enough. I'm happy for Vasha to know that the bakery is connected to the Widow's and thus the message will be kicked upstairs sooner or later... but haven't mistaken which one of the owners was the Widow because... well, Women are much more likely to join and have actual power then a man would.

[The Captain]

Hello!

If there's still room and still an opportunity to join while things are fresh, I'd very much like to sign up as a state I've been conceptualizing as being located in the Sour Fen and the surrounding region.

The very most basic summary is that it's a land inhabited by the 'pagan' (read: Non-Justinian) humans who found themselves allies of convenience with Daigon in times way back, though they were hardly his most devout followers and hardly his most effective warriors. They were a loose bunch of clans from the bogs, forests, and hills who saw their way of life as being threatened by the encroaching westerners. An escalation in their participation in the war, perhaps killing an important member of the Imperial court or military as they made their way through the region, warranted an actual dedicated campaign against them by the Justinians. To this end, a well-appointed crusader order was mandated the task of pacifying the region and either converting or eradicating the locals.

Ultimately, the order found itself disillusioned with its task as their campaign became more of a systematic slaughter than an actual war, and higher-ups on both sides became inclined towards some sort of peaceful resolution. This created discord in the Justinian Court, as retribution and total victory were the typical modus operandi of the armies of the west, but these were fellow men, even if they were heathens, and the crusader order saw that perhaps 'redemption' was possible. Members of the court, particularly scholars and academics and some radical theologues, saw this as a flagship means of consolidating order and control in these newly taken territories and also as a moral imperative. They were swayed by the arguments of the masters of the crusader order and departed to join them as they tried to open a dialogue with the locals.

Ultimately, the Justinian powers-that-be, as the war moved in their favor elsewhere, quashed this dissent through the massacre of all those in attendance at a peace summit between the warring parties. The knightly order was condemned for its defiance and heresy, and they were shown just as little mercy and consideration as the pagan locals. This massacre took place at one of the most sacred sites of the Sour Fen peoples, and it's postulated that this awakened something primordial and powerful. A sacrifice, as it were, of thousands of men and women upon sacred ground that predated even the Justinian Imperium.

A Marcher Province was established by the victorious general, a man whose unscrupulous works won him a massive chunk of land and a great deal of wealth. He continued with the previous efforts of the Justinian Imperium, steamrolling the natives and creating a capable buffer state. The province was ill-fated however. It was swallowed up by the treacherous Fen, which grew only worse, as tales would have it, as the balance of power shifted. Folk claim the horrid massacre, or some oath uttered in the midst of it, cursed the land and those who'd try to master it. There may be some truth to that, as the marcher province was utterly swallowed up. Ruins of citadels and towns dot the mire, while the natives, still traumatized by the war generations ago, live furtively. Horrid monsters inhabit the land. A thick blanket of fog twists and roils over murky waters. It's unwelcoming to all but the most cunning of its residents.

As far as the actual 'nation' goes, I'd be playing as a host of restless spirits, as well as the natives who alternatively worship them and attempt to placate them. Nature spirits, awakened by the 'curse', as well as those slain in treachery by the Justinians.

[Flagg]

@The Captain

welcome! this all sounds good. happy to answer any questions in discord or over PM.

[gorgenmast]

My mistake post has been replaced with my first post now, go and check it out.

Sorry it took so long. I nearly finished my post, decided I didn't like it and went in a completely different direction and rewrote it. Don't think I've abandoned ship.

[TheSovereignGrave]

Yeah, so very basic WIP sheet that I still need to work on. But I figured I'd pump out what I had.

Zrel Okrir

Zrel Okrir

Government Type:
Zrel Okrir society is dominated by the Five Clans, those orcs who trace their ancestry back to the daughters of Zrel Okrir's ancestral hero Xurag Lordsbane. It is governed as a democracy of sorts, but only those who are members of the Five Clans are permitted to make their voices heard. The nation itself is officially lead by the King of Zrel Okrir, advised by a council of Clan Speakers for each of the Five Clans. However, in practice the Clan Speakers are the power that rules Zrel Okrir with the King being unable to take action without their consent.

Faction Specie(s):
WIP (Mostly Orcs, with slaves of almost all races)

Territory Details:

Zrel Okrir is located in the hills and valleys in between the Murkwater and the Sour Fen, stretching dangerously close to Justinian Imperium's Marcher Lord in the west. Much of the settled land is along the coastal plains adjacent to the Murkwater; the land there is relatively fertile and because of this is heavily cultivated by those of Zrel Okrir. Where the land is not cultivated, it is typically lightly forested on the southern plain but inhabited only by shrugs and grasses on the northern. The reason behind this is simple; the land was also once forested, but during the Dark Lord's reign he clear-cut much of the northern plain for lumber to be taken back to the now-ruined fortress of Orthras Zul. But further inland the ancient forests of Zrel Okrir still stand to this day. Millennia old, the land is considered dark and foreboding by many and is home to many foul beasts and creatures. The furthest recesses of the forest are regions even the bravest will often refuse to go, for they are believed home to unimaginable monstrosities. The last distinct region of Zrel Okrir is the coast proper; the land there is typically inundated with the murky, filth-ridden waters of the Murkwater, forming swamps all along Zrel Okrir's coastline. Actually doing anything with these swamps is often considered simply not worth the effort, and so they are left to grow wild and untamed. Though it is simply most of the coastline that is a swampy morass, and there are still places one may look out over the foul Murkwater without risking death.

Faction Religion/Ideology:
Faction Description:
Zrel Okrir is an Orcish 'kingdom' along the southeastern coast of the Murkwater who believe that the Dark Lord Daigon was slain not by Justinian, but by an Orc allied with Justinian and who was betrayed and murdered by Justinian. As a result a hatred of the Imperium permeates throughout the Kingdom, so much so that they would side with those who glorify Daigon against the Justinians. And it is the descendants of said orc's daughters forming the Five Clans which truly rule Zrel Okrir, with the King existing to nod his head in agreement at their rulings. Their society is also based heavily upon slavery, with most of the farming, mining, and other 'unworthy' roles being done by slaves. And because of this, Zrel Okrir has an almost constant hunger for more and more slaves; much of them are captured on raids on other lands, especially targeting the Imperium's coastlines along the Murkwater, but they are more than willing to do business with foreign slave traders to get what they need.
Faction History:
WIP

Important Characters:
WIP

Relations to other Factions:
WIP

[Flagg]

@TheSovereignGrave good so far! feel free to stick in the chartab

[Genni]

Faction Specie(s): (Mostly Orcs, with slaves of almost all races)

@TheSovereignGrave

You have vampire and daemon slaves? Or are they the “almost all”?

[Flagg]

Sorry about that chief. Might as well post this here while I'm working on it.
(WIP)

Akagi Khanate

"Curse you sea wretches! Curse you all! I hope meet a fate worst then drowning! Worse than death!"
Last word of Grand Admiral Luther Sigis, Former Imperial Grand Admiral.

Alias: Sea Lords, the Saltborn, Raiders of the Twin Isles, Sea Wretches.

Government Type: Khanate
The Akagi khanate, as the name already implies, is a chiefdom ruled by the Khan, a vicious warlord that strong armed the various pirates clans under his domain.

At the head of the Khanate is the Khan himself. Below him are the different pirate clans that have sworn fealty to him or were forced to. The chieftains of this clans provide a portion of their taxes to the Khan and in return, the Khan offers them protection from external threats and internal conflicts. Under the chieftains are captain. Individual who own, maintain and command their own vessels of war. Usually the captains are closely related to the chieftains of each clan. Each spoils from every raid are taxed by the chieftains, usually a fraction of all the total loot being taken.

Each Chieftain is able to call upon every captain that serves under their house for war. In the days before the Khan, this was done to settle territories on land and water mostly. Any captain that refuses this call from their Chieftain would become an outcast from their clan. He would then be treated as open game for any other pirate to pillage him. The accumulated ships that form a fleet is called a host. The Khan may call upon every clan’s host if he so wishes. The combined fleet formed is known as the “Black Host”. This massive collection of ships were first encountered by Imperials in the battle for the Red Sea.

^{A chieftain's host preparing to set sail and face a rival fleet at sea.}

Faction Specie(s): Most of the chiefs under the Khan are Human however the khanate itself is diverse. A myriad of races dwell in the isles. From the most numerous inhabitants that are the Humans to the hardeir folk of the Beastmen. Orcs are also known to inhabit the Khanate. Most captured in battle or have ran away from their kin looking for a more prodigal lifestyle.

Territory Details:

The capital of the Khan is Chuluun Khöl, a hold on the northern island of Tom Zagas.

Faction Religion/Ideology: There had never been a mandated religion in the Khanate. Neither had there been with the different marauder clans before the rise of the Khan. Each individual is free to worship whichever Deity they see fit. The most common religion, if it can be called that, is the belief in the lord of chances. Believed to be an aspect of the Dark Lord Daigon who grants its patrons a spark of good luck when they most need it.

Another religious belief that is notable in the isles is known informally as the Church of the Sleeping. A strange belief where a figure only known as 'the Sleeping God'. This belief only came into prominence when the Khan returned from his battle with the former Chieftain Jakai. The Khan has proclaimed himself the prophet of the the Sleeping One. His voice is the Sleeping One's will.

Another notable belief in the isles Pale Goddess who is predominantly worshiped in the Broken Arm. Northmen looking to escape their vampiric thanes. As people of the seas, a good number in the Khanate has converted to the belief. Some would slaughter livestock and let them drift towards the horizon as a sacrifice to the Lady that under the waves.

Faction description

The Khanate is a place where freedom is held in the highest esteem, as long as you are strong enough to defend it. Before the Khan’s rise to power, there was a strict hierarchy among the pirate clans. Primogeniture was the accepted form of inheritance where males are favored more than females.

^{Two people challenging each other for the right to become Captain. After the Khan's reform, even women may participate in the honorary summons.}

The Khan broke this tradition by mandating that allowing anybody, whether related to the chieftain or not, to inherit their titles by merit, skill and loyalty rather than family ties. Females have also been give wider power within the Khanate. Now they are not only allowed to serve as pirates themselves but they can also become captains and even chieftains if they prove their worth. Crews have also been allowed the right to a share of the loot gathered from a raid. Where once they were treated as little more than slaves, only fed enough to last a fight. Not everyone is happy with this changes. Mostly the elites of the elites of the old ways who stubbornly hold on to old traditions. They are a small minority though as most under the Khanate have accepted and are pleased with the reforms.

^{Pirates of the Meiji clan enjoying their spoils of war.}

Of course politics matter for the average pirate of the khanate. Life is not easy in the barren waste of Nagath. Though there are those in the Khanate that practice honest work such as herdsmen and weavers, a good majority often becoming raiders and pirates. In the harsh existence of Nagath turns even the most noble men to desperate means. Of course the pirate life is often harsh and unforgiving. They are known to drink a mixture of fresh and salt water to store on up on ration. Most, if not all, of their meals are salted fish and meats to last their long voyages. Rats and other vermin that dwell in the hold of their vessels carry all sorts of horrid diseases. They are also treated with hostility by most other vessels, be they Justinian or otherwise, because of a pirate’s nature.

^{A pirate host raiding an Imperial merchant fleet.}

However how hard this challenges may be, the rewards are even greater. Treasures from simple stacks of gold to items rare and bizarre have been collected on daring pirate raids. The most infamous spoil is the Khan’s ship itself, the Unbreakable. This is why many take to the pirate lifestyle. The risk maybe great but the potential rewards much more so.

^{A typical Junk ship used by Khanate pirates.}

^{A "huo de huxi" cannon, better known as a "hooksie".}

Most pirates under the khan use ships known as "junks". They are not as durable or yield as much power as most Imperial warships but they have proven to be more nimble and faster. They often skirt around more heavily armored ships and whittle them down with short range cannons known as "huo de huxi", more commonly known as "hooksies" to Imperial sailors. Cannon balls no bigger than a man's fist are used but in times of desperation, pirates have been known to use anything from broken glasses to pieces of wooden furniture. Other pirates have often loaded hooksies with harpoons which they fire onto an enemy ship and either use to board a ship or pull it closer towards them if the vessel is smaller. Junks do not have cannon ports under their deck. Most cannons are placed above deck with their ammunition and gunpowder stored under. Of course most prominent pirates have often stolen more sturdier ships from the Empire, like the Khan himself.

Faction History

The pirate lords of the twin isle were not always the meager opportunist they are now. From the port city of Anadal-Ur, now known as Ozgad’s Folly, rested Daigon’s pearl. The Black Tide, a fleet said so large it would cast a shadow as far as the eye could see. Led by the Great Kra-aaden, known popularly to the members of the Castigati as the “Scourge of God”. According to the tales of ol he is even Daigon's own son, forged with his blood along with dark magics. The Black Tide’s last known battle was against the Justinian Grand Fleet to make way for Daigon’s Bloodspiller Orcs to seize the port town of Andorra.

^{Kra-aaden, attacking an Imperial ship during the battle for Andorra}

The fleets that clashed covered the sea in a blanket of ships that raced for one another. Demitrius, a grand priest of the Clerisy and poet, wrote that the waves was awash with wanton death. Wrecks and pieces floated on the waters while the dying yells of men and women filled the dreadful air. At the closing stages of the battle, Prince Arkus, saint of the empire, jumped atop Kra-aaden’s head and battled the fiend while carnage continued around them. However Prince Arkus was able to summon bolts of lightning from the sky as he slammed his warhammer into Kra-aaden. The prince was last seen going under the water with the demon admiral, fighting each other to the last breathe. This shattered the Black Tide and forced them to retreat back to Anadal-Ur. Ready to receive punishment from Daigon, the vice Admirals stood ready for retribution only to find out that Daigon himself died against the Justinians.

The news devastated the vice admirals. Some mustered what vessels they had and sailed back to the Empire, inflicting as much destruction as they could before capture or death. Others salvaged what they could from their vessels and traveled further inland. Some though decided to break off their allegiances to whatever authority inherited Daigon’s throne and form their own lordships. Without funding from their former overlord, this petty suzerains turned to piracy and coastal raiding to fund their fleets. Infighting within their ranks occurred as keeping the chain of command no longer seemed appropriate or necessary. Martial traditions was forgone. To be replaced by wild savagery and reckless abandon. Desperation would also drive this pirate lords to pillage the other residents of Nagath. The coast of the Cursed Sea being plundered every so often by opportunistic marauders running rampant.

^{A vessel of Vampire Count Vasha being raided by Khanate pirates}

There had never been any will to unify the different pirate clans from the different chieftains. Each preferring to focus their fleets on Imperial merchant vessels than each other. On occasion clans would clash over territories they had set on the open ocean. That was until the arrival of the Khan. A man who was named Akagi in a different life. According to tales, he was a slave in Vritraprthvirajya before escaping. Fate would then have him on Captain Daria’s ship. The captain was a cruel taskmaster. Akagi would challenge Daria for the ship which would lead to the captain’s demise. Impressed with the daring Akagi showed, the elder of Tegin, Chieftain Shonkhor, took Akagi under his wing and taught him everything there was of the trade. Shonkhor’s own son, the impulsive Captain Jakai, became envious of the close relations between his father and Akagi. He poisoned his father and assumed Chiefhood. He then blamed Akagi for the death and ordered him arrested. Rather than run, Akagi went on to meet the chieftain in his hold along with his supporters. Loyalist of both sides clashed and Akagi found himself dueling Jakai on the ledge of the hold overlooking a tall cliff. Jakai pushed Akagi off the tall rock face but Akagi was able to grab hold of his opponent’s heel. The two fell as their followers looked in shocked. Jakai was found quickly enough. His head was dashed against the sharp rocks. Quickly the Tegin clan fell into turmoil as claims for the throne were announced. That was until Akagi came back claiming the chiefdom for his own. He had looked remarkably different. He was paler and he seemed always moist and damp. His skinned seemed wrinkled. His eyes and lips seemed sunken. He also smelled of saltwater. There were those who opposed him at first. Challenged him for the right. They were all defeated by Akagi who seemed unnaturally fast and agile, specially with his current appearance.

With no other contenders to the throne, he renamed himself as the “Khan”. The Khan then set his sights on the other clans. He gave them the chance to join. Most at first refused. They would become the first to witness the resurgent fleet. Their uncoordinated attacks no match for the cunning strategies of the Khan. One by one the clans fell. Some by force, others by choice. The Khan would then pass his mandates, reforming the pirate culture of the isles. It has been 13 years since the unification. The fleets of Akagi seemed bolder now in their strikes. Attacking even guarded Imperial vessels and sometimes Imperial war fleets themselves. The wrath of Khan is becoming ever more notorious with each attack they commit against the Empire.

Important Characters

The Khan

^{A bust of the Khan.}

Akagi, who in time would turn into the mighty, charismatic and brutal warlord named "the Khan", came from very humble origins. He was the son a fisher and a fish monger in the southern island of Jijig Zagas. Akagi would often embark with his father to the salt banks of Iyatvathla(?), in the southern waters of Vritraprthvirajya(?). There he would catch massive catfishes with his father. So massive are this fishes that they have been known time and time again to swallow men whole. One day during a rough storm, Akagi was thrown overboard along with his father. His father became a meal for the very creatures they were hunting and Akagi was carried by the waves towards the shore.

(Have to see Senor Herp's sheet for this).

---

Lady Chen "The Red Lady":
Surrat the Quick:
Chief Anjo of Clan Thais "The Plague Captain":
The Shadow:

Relations to other Factions:

@Aquamarine

Sorry dude, didnt mean to overlook this. You can post to the char tab!