Genni

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Posted. @The Bork Lazer, feel free to interact with Alice in Stumps' opening post if he isn't in the stables at the moment.

@Stitches

Was Stumps the farmhand who just helped MJ in the stable? She didn't bother to ask his name.

Agartha: The Untold Tales (An RPG)

"Mind if I take this seat? My name is Arton Yule, an adventurer with the WAA. What's yours?"

Arwyn's first reaction as the human lunged towards her was to reach for her blade, but when she heard his name, in the strange gutteral tongue the foreignerrs used, her hand paused mid-gesture.

"Yule?" She asked curiously, "Are you also of the wood?" As she spoke the elf glanced down at the man's attire. It didn't seem appropriate for the woodlands, but then again they were not currently in the woodlands and it was entirely possible he had chosen to change into clothing more suitable for the human nest. "I am named Arwyn Dúlóth Gurthchwest Thúlnún of Glad-o Dú. I come in search of my destiny."

Before their conversation could continue the meeting seemed to come to order, with one of the other humans addressing the crowd in front of him as though he were the assigned leader for this endeavour. As the 'King' spoke Arwyn studied him carefully. Nothing about his demeanour sewemed to indicate he was a great man in any way, everything from his posture to the turn of phrase he chose spoke of mediocrity, but for some reason the others in the room paid heed to him, and so Arwyn followed their lead. This was a strange place for her after all, and a person's true depths were rarely uncovered at first glance.

As the King finished his presentation, turning to discuss another mater with the armoured individual seated across the roomn Arwyn found herself puzzled by the turn of events. "You said this 'Champion' of yours was sent on the quest, but now you gather us to go after him?" She asked, raising to her feet, the shadows of her cloak dissipating around her as she moved, Arwyn followed the King towards the doorway. "If you had need of our services, why was time wasted with someone not skilled in the task?"

Agartha: The Untold Tales (An RPG)

Outside of combat it instantly regenerates unless your in an area with low MP recovery.

@Champion

So out of combat but still exploring a potentially dangerous area, the characters wouldn't recover MP sinced they'd be too 'on guard' to relax and recover?

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Tackett Farmstead
Stables/Colored Barn

MJ Tackett, unnamed colored farmhand

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Heading into the stable MJ called over at one of the negros who seemed to be hanging about listlessly in the corner. "Go and fetch me some water," the farmer's daughter demanded, not even considering the need to say 'please' to the lower class farmhand. Moving over to the tack store she quickly chose a brush and a couple of clothes from where they were stored before fetching some soap from the cupboard.

By the time she moved back to the horses the negro was limping his way back in from the hand pump around the side of the bui8lding, a large bucket hanging down between his legs as he struggled wit the weight. MJ rolled her eyes at the display. She should've found one of the white-skinned boys to help her out rather than relying on the worthless wretch, perhaps then she'd have some decent company to converse with while going about her chores.

Sighing to herself the girl remembered back to the sermon she'd listened to that morning, reminding her that good Christian folk were charitable to all they dealt with, especially those of lower station than themselves. Thinking the lesson over she moved her hand away from the riding crop tucked in her belt, and instead simply glared at the farmhand as he set the bucket down beside her and quickly scurried away again.

It only took a few moments of shaving and mixing to build up a good lather, and MJ quickly began to brush down the first horse Sammy, making sure his flank was free from any large clumps of dirt before she began adding the wet soap suds to wash it down properly. Her father had told her many times to leave the grooming to the farmhands, after all that's what they were paid for, but MJ enjoyed taking care of the horses. As she brushed the course hairs down, leaning over to add soap with her washcloth every now and then, the young woman started to let her mind drift away, all her cares vanishing as she slipped into the steady rhythmic motions of her task.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

The Weeping Widows

Faction Name:

Brides of Daigon

Alias:

Openly known as The Weeping Widows, casually known as The Widows, called The Brides by those with knowledge of their true nature, sometimes referred to as The Sirens by others.

Government Type:

Strictly hierarchical relgiious order based on obedience and indoctrination.

The leaders are known as the Triplets. The highest rank beneath them are the Sisters, followed by the Handmaidens, the Maids and the Widows. Male ordained members are known as Widowers, and while in theory they possess the same rank as Widows they rarely receive the same assignments and are usually found working as missionaries and lay preachers.

Faction Specie(s):

Led by a human-centric council, with the leaders of the order three human women who claim to be ancient immortals who were once betrothed to the Dark Lord. All races and species welcomed in the order, but only females are permitted to join the inner orders achieving ranks of Maid or higher, with males acting as missionaries and lay preachers for the faith.

Species Descriptions:

Although all races and species are accepted into the order, ordained Widows can be identified by the dark coloured veils worn covering their faces. Their clothing is often unadorned, and made from simple fabrics. Higher ranking ministers, known as Sisters, wear white gowns and veils, reminiscent of wedding dresses.

Male ministers of the faith wear simple robes and carry a symbol of their faith, usually in the form of a wedding band worn on the third finger of their dominant hand (dexterous ministers wearing the band on the right hand, sinister minsters on their left.)

Territory Details:

Their central monestary, known as the Fallen Keep, is located on a large island to the southeast of Nagath, surrounded by a body of water known as the Saltwater Sea. The tower itself is the ruined remains of one of Daigon's old fortresses, and legend has it that the large lake was filled by the tears shed by the order in mourning to the death of their Lord. However more recent cartographic studies have proven the 'sea' is linked with the Cursed Sea, explaining the saltwater for which the lake is named.

^{The Fallen Keep}

Beneath the island lies a great aquifer, filtered through the porous rock of the island itself which filters out all that is harmful and leaving only pure, sweet tasting water behind. The Sisters encourage supplicants to the order to drink freely from the waters, claiming that they bring those who taste it closer to Daigon.

In truth while the porous rocks do indeed filter almost all the toxins from the waters of the Saltwater Sea, they also instill in the waters an unknown chemical compound which acts as an hallucinogenic for all the known races of Nagath. Drinking from the aquifer regularly also has a narcotic effect, filling supplicants with euphoria, making them more easily manipulated by the Sisters and also giving the supplicants an addiction with which the inner order gain more control over their followers.

Faction Religion/Ideology:

While on the surface the Weeping Widows present themselves as a peaceful order dedicated to providing aid and succour to all in need, their true motives are far darker. By using their missionaries to recruit and indoctrinate weak willed individuals, the Brides of Daigon spread their influence through the lands, infiltrating all levels of society through the slow spread of their beliefs.

The core tenets of their faith are that Daigon was not the monster the Justinian Imperium paint him to be in their tales, but instead he was a benevolent ruler wrongly deposed by the foreign invaders. They speak of the good deeds the man did in his lifetime, bringing together the disparate tribes of Nagath to form a union which rivalled that of their neighbours, leading to the jealous Justinians' unprovoked attack.

The rituals used during admittance to the order include fasting and injestion of strange herbs which allow supplicants to hear the voice of Daigon. Depending on what they hear supplicants may find themselves elevated above the ranks of other belivers and accepted into the inner order of the Church, although some are cast out of the Church after the experience, most of whom live short and tragic lives afterwards.

In truth, this is all a ruse with the ritual designed to filter out the smarter and more useful members of the congregation from those who are unwitting patsys of the Triplets. Those who are chosen are let in on the great secret that the entire religion is just a sham to gain politicl power in Nagath, while those who aren't inducted continue to be taught the 'truth of Daigon', undergoing further rituals which serve to brainwash and further indoctrinate them into service to the Church.

Faction Description:

The Weeping Widows are a common sight throughout Nagath, with a few smaller outposts making their way into the Justinian Imperium in recent years. Their churches are often rustic and simple, doubling as both bunk houses and cantinas providing food and shelter for any who find themselves in need. Hidden basements contain the true altars to the faith where darker sacraments are formed with any volunteers willing to ake up the faith, although the true darkness of the order is only ever revealed to the most trusted of disciples.

Over the centuries, the Brides of Daigon have been slowly recruiting members, spreading over the land with followers and agents finding their ways into as many other factions as they can. Almost every major settlement has some level of their presence, ranging from wandering missionaries to established churches, and the order has eyes and ears throughout Nagath. While some have questioned the order's true motives, in truth the Brides have no true plans other than to establish themselves as a powerful faction hidden within the courts of others, able to influence events from the shadows without ever placing themselves in direct competition to those believing themselves in control.

The order is lead by three women known as the Triplets, who claim to be sister immortal by the Dark Lord many centuries ago when they were betrothed to him as his brides. Their grief in his death has sustained them through the ages, allowing them to continue the good works which were the true legacy of their lord.

Faction History:

Publically the Weepind Widows claim to date back to the earliest years of the Daigon's reign, representing the women who were sent as offerings to the Dark Lord and acting as both his harem and the source of his many brides. In truth the order was created over a century after the Dark Lord's defeat by a group of avaricious nomads who settled in the ruins of the Fallen Keep and who created the myth of their connection to the Dark Lord as a means to protect themselves from the predations of the hostile surrounding tribes.

Over the years, the myths and legends of the order spread, with the best being adopted by the nomads as scripture. Less than twenty years after their first arrival in the ruins the Triplets had managed to gain the fielty of the surrounding tribes, using the influence of the Dark Lord's name to levy favour with the chieftains. In the intervening centuries the followers of the Weeping Widows have spread the myths and lies of the nomads throughout the lands, allowing the rumours and stories of their deeds to be cartried by all in order to gain the respect and devotion of the gullible wherever they go.

Important Characters:

The Triplets are the joint leaders of the order, and often speak as one in perfectly timed unison when speaking in public. Their true identites are a closely guarded secret, sincef in truth they are simply Sisters who've been chosen to replace their predecessors upon the elder's death.

Beneath them are the Council of Sisters, the highest ranking disciples of the order who are fully indoctrinated in the secrets of the Church. Each Sister is responsible for overseeing the different regions of Nagath, helping to co-ordinate the activities of their followers and collating reports and rumours from their followers. They rarely if ever leave t5he Fallen Keep and the surrounding island, instead living in relative comfort within their sanctum's safe walls.

The next rank of the order are the Handmaidens. These women are amongst those chosen during the initiation rites after having shown the appropriate intelligence, cunning and wit to uncover the truth of the order. Like the Sisters, the Handmaidens are fully aware of the truth of the Church, and act as the handlers to the many believers scattered throughout the world. Unlike their higher ranking Sisters, Handmaidens are a fairly common sight in the Nagath and act as the mouthpieces for the Triplets in dealings with the various powers, political groups and rival religious factions around the world.

Together these three ranks are known as the inner order, with elevation to them usually decided during indoctrination into the order during the arduous rituals and tests the ordained undergo. Beneath them are the Maids, who are ignorant to the true nature of the order and act as 'middle management' around the world. They help to coordinate the spread of the faith, working alongside civic leaders and tribal chiefs in the belief that they truly are doing Daigon's good work.

The lower ranks of the order are the Widows themselves, the rank and file of the Church who do the day-to-day rituals, acts of good within communities and settlements and spreading the 'Truth of Daigon'.

Male ordained members of the Church are known as Widowers and share these duties with their female counterparts, although usually rather than being assigned to one settlement Widowers more commonly act as roving missionaries and preachers, spreading the good works and Truth of Daigon to new lands.

Due to the dangers of these duties, it's not uncommon for Widowers to be skilled combatants, at least skilled enough to protect themselves and their charges from bandit raids and pillagers. When the holdings of the Church are threatened, the Widowers are the ones who raise defenders in the name of Daigon, forming vast rabble armies capable of standing against more organised forces by weight of numbers alone.

Relations to other Factions:

As a religious order, the Weeping Widows have believers and followers in low positions throughout most other factions, ranging from casual devotees to full-blown apostles willing to place the will of the Widows above the word of their Lords.

Agartha: The Untold Tales (An RPG)

Upon entering the room he quickly scanned the room. He was surprised at the man who looked about the same age as him sitting in front of everyone. ... He scanned the room around and saw some knight and a kid.

@Jerkchicken

Looks like Arwyn's stealth training's really paying off.

Agartha: The Untold Tales (An RPG)

As she set foot inside the city Arwyn couldn't believe what she saw around her. It was even worse than she'd feared. As far as she could see there was nothing but rough stone and butchered wood, and between the haphazardly built structures more humans than she'd seen in her life, all in one place at the same time. Already she noted the eyes turning in her direction, and knew that she must've been an unusual sight for these barbarous savages.

Her tall, slender frame with the exquisitely tailored armour hugging her athletic form perfectly would obviously upset the uncultured louts, whose own bodies seemed like short, pudgy sacks to her elven eyes. Taking a moment to centre herself, the Shadowbow summoned her cloak around her, letting the air solidify into a thick black shadow which hung down from her shoulders and flowed up over her head into the shape of a hood. The disguise was clumsy by her standards, but as she made her way down the street Arwyn was satisfied to see the humans turning back to their rustic tasks.

Pulling the parchment she'd received from her pouch, Arwyn quickly scanned over the instructions before glancing around her to get her bearings. From what she'd been told her destination should be the large stone structure in the centre of the city, but although she could see the building from when she was, the low buildings between her and it seemed to be blocking her path most inconveniently. With a troubled sigh the elf quickened her pace and quickly scrambled up the wall before flipping onto the rooftop with one fluidly motion. The path was a lot clearer now, with the tiles and thatches stretching ahead leading a stright path to her destination.

Only a few minutes later Arwyn dropped down into the courtyard of the castle, spooking several horses tied up nearby, as well as the soldiers guarding the main entrance. "I'm here as commanded," the elf said in sombre tones, holding the parchment before her for inspection.

Gathering his wits one of the guards qucikly read the notice before nodding his head with a disheartened smile. "Very good, Ma'am. If you'd please follow my associate he'll take you to the main hall." With a wave of his hand the armoured human clumsily gestured to another of his kind, who saluted messily before turning away and moving though the archway into the building. Taking this as an indication to follow Arwyn made her way through the hallways and passages before finally arriving at the meeting room.

Nodding her gratitude to the guard, the elf pushed the door open and found herself face to face with yet another human. There were so many of them it was surprising they managed to find any space to themselves. This new human seemed to be expecting something, so Arwyn handed over the parchemnt with an unintentded flourish. "Arwyn Dúlóth Gurthchwest Thúlnún of Glad-o Dú. I come in search of my destiny."

Gunthrum eyed the document suspiciously before gesturing over to the waiting seats. "Very good, mi'lady. If you would ake a seat we shall soon be beginning."

Making her way over to the nearest waiting chair Arwyn lowered herself down onto the uncomfortable seat, her eyes darting cautiously over the other humans in the room. They all seemed skilled to the limited degree any human could, although Arwyn was a little uncertain of the short one. Was he a dwarf, or was he really as young as he seemed?

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Just a quick note about The Affair. In 1920s Florida there wouldn't be any need for local authorities to cover it up. The fact three black men had assaulted a white man, even if there was an accusation of rape involved, would automatically confer a death penalty on the black men.

The real challenge would be to stop the local population from lynching the three before they managed to get taken into police custody. Even then the three would likely find themselves in serious danger of falling down stairs, tripping over and accidentally smashing their facers into the floor and waking in the middle of the night to find their ribs had spontaneously broken while they slept during their stay in jail awaiting sentencing.

Most black men around this time would've just moved their entire family out of the area as soon as they discovered Norma's relations with a white boy, rather than confronting him. In fact, they'd probably have moved out of town after she'd stood up to a disgruntled customer for the first time, to avoid the inevitable firebombing of their home the day after.

Now, there is this trait called and described as "Churchgoing - You are of the righteous sort who might hesitate to kill". Kenny is, as mentioned above, very much hesitant to killing, but it doesn't have anything to do with religion. Should I pick this trait or may I simply assume it doesn't matter that much considering Kenny's well into the minus scores anyway, heh.

@cider

The trait is entirely to do with the unwillingness to kill, and nothing to do with religion. The name is just for flavour.

We already had this discussion in depth over on Discord, when people were asking whether a character who would be willing to kill for religious reasons should have the trait or not.

Heirs of the Dark Lord

EDIT: Moved to Characters thread.

Project Griffin

"Roll Call!"