Slamurai

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

And now I've had to spoil the surprise I've been building up to. :(

EDIT: @Lone Wanderer@Aristo

Can we work something out? I've been dumb for keeping my plans secret so long, and my intention to wait until after my next post to bring it up has cost me the idea. I really don't want to start over because I've but so much time and thought into this, but since I was an idiot and have kept my mouth shut these last few days, it'll be my fault if I have to. I guess it just seemed like it would make more since if I waited to ask until after the Arakkai began to leave.

@Nieszka

What've you got in mind? Not trying to step on toes, so I'm sure we can work on a solution with whatever your plans are.

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

<Snipped quote by Aristo>

Given the Firebrands reside in the Claws and Zar Endal's proximity to the mountains I imagine we've clashed in the past or at the least have crossed paths before? On that note if you're looking for ideas, I don't know if the Phantom General would seek to take advantage of this but Zar Endal is currently vulnerable with Lord Alkhazar leading a sizable portion of it's military force to support Zar Vorgul. Alternatively if you're seeking to get involved in the main action at Vorgul maybe the Firebrands accompanied Alkhazar to the city? Just some ideas. :)

@Lone Wanderer

You're right - I think conflict between the Firebrands and Zar Endal would be inevitable, given their proximity. With Alkhazar away, it'd be the best time to strike; maybe Barsabbas had been waiting for this chance for a while.
Because Zar Endal is a Drathan state, it'd most likely perceive Barsabbas as an enemy, even with him no longer truly representing the Salished. That is, unless Alkhazar can overlook Barsabbas' origin and is willing to deal with him outside of the greater Drathan eye...

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

I'm open to working out some kind of plot or history between my character(s)/faction and another; would certianly help get the ball rolling for my first IC post.

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

@FlaggRight on!

Did you have a chance to go over the PM I sent, by the way?

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

I'm not sure it's truly possible to venerate the entirety of the Red Pantheon - in all its past instances, it's never been a true 'pantheon' of gods, but a varied lot of entities with their own spheres of influence, goals, etc. Their numbers are beyond counting and they don't have a rigid hierarchy. A tribe worshiping a red god on one side of the world may be totally oblivious to those on the other side.

Not all red gods are even aware of others of their kind, or if they are, don't pay each other much heed. In fact, it's been common for them to fight amongst themselves just as often, or more, as they work together. It's a catch-all term, really. A leviathan might set itself up as a red god of a mer people, but that'd be totally unrelated to some kind of manticore dominating a mountain tribe in a different part of the globe.

That said, in a place like the Red Desert where multiple red gods have gathered, due to the abundance of mortals to ensnare and affairs to meddle in, there might be more interaction and people taking several patrons as a result.

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

Now I have to sit down and get my first post up! I still haven't really nailed the objective of Barsabbas's operation, but I guess there's plenty of time to think about it.

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

I wrote a quick list of character locations for my reference, but it could help out other players trying to get their bearings in the IC:

Zar Vorgul: Corina, Daigon, Glory, Gost, Har-dok, The Mad Knight, Preach
Godsfangs: Cerys, The Hermit(?)
Zar Endal: Alkhazar(?)
The Claws: Barsabbas

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

@Flagg I was thinking that the sacrifice of warriors would be preferred for soulsteel, as some of their essence is embedded in the weapon. The user could call upon the prowess of said warrior in battle, making them stronger, giving them the wisdom of of fallen generals or the knowledge of enemies. Soulsteel weapons with the essence of long-dead heroes would be especially prized, maybe hereditary. Maybe it'd even be an honor for an esteemed commander to 'donate' himself to a blade at his time of death.

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

Barsabbas, the "Phantom General"

Barsabbas wears armor and wields weapons of Soulsteel, crafted in the pits of the Claws by unknown means.

Barsabbas Ahsaz

Description:
Barsabbas commands the Firebrands, a rogue warband that operates from the north of the Red Desert. Once, Barsabbas was an esteemed Salished cavalry officer; now he operates independently under no jurisdiction but his own. Attempts by the Shashul to bring him to heel have met in failure, as his warband eludes capture between the Claws' twisted maze of rock. This notoriety has earned him the moniker of the “Phantom General.”

The theories as to why Barsabbas broke away from the Empire are many, but only he and a number of close confidants know the truth. Three years ago, Barsabbas journeyed into the Godsfang Mountains, the lands of the Saliszis' ancestors. He claimed to be led by visions of the Forge Gods, and took an entourage of six of his most trusted advisers with him on the journey. For months they disappeared from the public eye, until it was reported that a number of Barsabbas's ranks had deserted their posts, taking with them valuable Soulsteel ingots and weapons, and several of the smaller, mobile counterparts to the great Soul Forges.

Whether Barsabbas and his men communed with their hungry Forge Gods at the peak of the Godsfangs, or learned some awful truth from the Crone Wisdoms, or made a pact with another entity entirely, no one can be sure. All that can be said with some certainty is Barsabbas has the means to produce his own Soulsteel, without the fires of the true Soul Forges, and has the support of several desert tribes: Avanagashans and Varyonese.

Race: Human: Saliszi
Faction/Unit: The Firebrands
Location: The Claws

The Firebrands

Massed tribal cavalry makes up the core of the Firebrands' fighting force.

The Firebrands

Type: Warband
Faction/Unit: Loyal to Barsabbas
Description:
The Firebrands, as they have come to be called, were elements of the Salished war machine under Barsabbas's command. Many followed their commander as he went rogue, either out of personal loyalty or an intent to see his plans realized. They operate from the shadow of the Claws, having carved their domain out of the narrow passes and treacherous crags. This provides them with a natural defense and hiding place with which to undertake their machinations in secrecy.

Deep inside the Claws, one can sometimes see towers of smoke churning from the makeshift forges Barsabbas uses to craft his own Soulsteel. How he's managed to replicate the process without the holy Soul Forges is beyond the Salished's comprehension, but the weapons made in this manner are not a one-to-one match with those that emerge from the fires of the true forges. These are no less effective, but glow with baleful energies and are known to shriek as they kill. Attempts to follow the trail of the smoke to the Firebrands' whereabouts is a treacherous prospect, as booby traps and hidden fortifications are strewn throughout the passes.

From the Claws, Barsabbas stages raids on weaker factions to gain valuable supplies and offers the defeated a place under his banner. With every victory his losses are replenished with new bodies, yet he keeps his ranks compact enough to conceal and maneuver without great difficulty. Though the Firebrands retains a sizable core of cataphract cavalry, most of its numbers are light horsemen and skirmishers drawn from local tribes. Befitting of their leader's nickname, they appear suddenly, harrying their enemies from unexpected directions before picking off disorganized elements piecemeal. Then, they will steal away whatever assets and valuables they can find before vanishing as quickly as they arrived.

Heavily-armored cataphracts act as Barsabbas's elite soldiers.

Blood on the Sands: Azoth at War (Open!)

<Snipped quote by Nieszka>

Use would progressively open users to possession. The cult has elite fanatics who are basically controlled by their weapons. Saliszi nobles only wear their weapons in battle to avoid such a fate. Only extremely strong willed or otherwise protected individuals could resist the demonic influence over time.

@Flagg

I wonder what this means for my knockoff-Soulsteel?