Restoration of the Righteous Empire [Forum Game]

[LD]

[ooc=New Forum Game]
This is a New Forum Game! Hopefully it interests you and you have time for it.

Time Commitment: Less than Underdeep, Potentially less than Republic Reborn, Likely more than City of the Chosen
Turns: Whenever; if players don't start near each other, it can go as fast as I can update... in theory. In practice, likely 1/week to 1 every 2 weeks.
Players Required: 3. I could do it with just one, but it'd be best to have at least 3 committed people.
[/ooc]

[ic=Intro]
The Golden Empress abdicated and the Court went into disarray.
Never before had an Emperor or Empress left her duties and never before had there been no deemed heir.
*

The Kingdom has also suffered a plague of spirits long thought sealed away in the underworld, mad spirits who have fused with the souls of select citizens.

These spirits have bestowed great power, but also great incipient madness to their chosen, of which you are one.

You must fight the madness and fulfill your destiny, which the spirit whispers to you.

*

An Imperial Decree, sent by the Council of Regents and stamped by Grand Inquisitor Hei-San has gone out to inform all vassal-kingdoms of the Empire that they are to imprison and kill all spirits, whether bound to a person or not.

You have learned of your 'exaltation' by the spirits and now you must survive.

*

Allocate resources amongst yourself and your followers and achieve goals while discovering what your exaltation means.
[/ic]

[LD]

[ooc=Introduction to the Game]
*What Is The Style?

It's a Turn Based Tactical RPG.

Here the main focus is on your player character. The character has resources and recruits units, but generally the character is presented with options each turn (a la City of Chosen) and you allocate your resources based on those options.  You choose which options to pursue and how to get there from here. You build up yourself and your allies and your society and change the world.

*How Is It Different? Time commitment?
-There is less math than Underdeep and less player on player conflict.
-If players interact, they are generally prodded to be allies since all players are hunted by the Empire.
[/ooc]

Please post interest in the Comment Thread.


Geography
[ic]North: Cold, Viking-Style, Dwarves, Ice Spirits.
Center: Massive Siege battles. Ruins.
East: Forest and battles with Cthuluesque creatures.
South: Arabian Nights. Ruins.
West: Sea Battles. Pirates.[/ic]

[ic=System]System

Success: A success is on a roll of 7,8,9,or 0 of a die 10. If you roll a 0, that adds an additional die to the die pool (you get an extra die to roll). (subsequently rolled 0s do explode further into additional dice to roll)

Very Easy: Roll 1 success
Easy: Roll 2 successes
Standard: Roll 3 successes
Difficult: Roll 4 successes
Challenging: Roll 5 successes
Nearly Impossible: Roll 6 successes
Legendary: Roll 7 successes
Divine: Roll 8+ successes

If you have two skills that apply in a situation; e.g. Short Bow (3) and While Mounted (1.5)- add the two skills together, then add your attribute DEX (3). You now have 7.5 die. You get to reroll a half die if you fail with one die. (If you only had one die, you have a ~45% chance of rolling a success. (On average, if you have 7.5 die, you have a near 100% chance to succeed at a very easy task, a 99% chance to succeed at an Easy task, an 80% chance to succeed at a standard task, and about a 60% chance to succeed at a difficult task, and a 45% chance to succeed at a Challenging Task [Please check my numbers sparkletwist :(]. Most tasks are standard tasks but modifiers will apply.)

Now of course, if you are shooting a Short Bow at a moving target while Mounted, that is a Challenging Task, so you would need 5 successes. Also, because two skills are involved, an additional +1 difficulty is enacted, which makes it a Nearly Impossible Task unless you ALSO have the ride skill.

What is a Half Die? A half die, or a 0.5 skill means you reroll one failure in a dice roll.

I don't Have A Skill But I have the Attribute If you say, have Athletics but you do not have Climb, then Add your Dexterity (the associated attribute) to athletics, then subtract 1.
If you had Climb, then you would have used your Climb dice and added Athletics. (e.g. Dex 3, Athletics 2, Climb 2= 3+2+2= 7 dice for climb check)
Note if you invested 1 in climb but had double the Athletics, you'd still benefit: (e.g. Dex 3, Athletics 2, Climb 1=3+2+1=6 dice for climb check)
Now, if you did not have climb, you would have calculated as follows (e.g. Dex 3, Athletics 2= 3+2=5 dice for climb check)


No Skill Exists If no skill exists for what you are trying to do under an attribute, you're lucky. You can use the attribute roll.
[/ic]

[LD]

Characters
(build yours) or use a sample character

All characters were someone of note who inspired leadership.

Ideas-
merchant prince
gang leader
Ship Captain
Captain of a Skyfleet of Grax
Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Gears
Mercenary Leader
Mayor of a city
Political Commissar of a Batallion
Colonel in the Imperial Guard (Claw)
Elected Judge of an Imperial County


Character Creation.

[ic=Character Creation]All Attributes start at 0.5. 5 is the highest score. Attributes, Abilities, Skills (Sub-Abilities), and Backgrounds move at half steps.
Add 10 points to distribute among Attributes (advancement may be done in 0.5 steps; may only advance to 4- may advance beyond 4 by spending Bonus points).
Select Favored Abilities (5); each favored ability gets 2 points.
Select Additional abilities (8 points to distribute); may only distribute a max of 2 points to any ability that is not a favored ability; may add max of 1 to favored abilities. (essentially no ability may be over 3 unless you spend bonus points)
Modify Sub-Abilities based on abilities (see Abilities section below for instructions on that).
Select Sub-abilities (6) add 1 point to any 6 sub-abilities (maximum raised to 4; may go higher with bonus points). (Note: I have not listed all possible sub-abilities).
Choose Backgrounds (4)
Set Health Levels (note improvements based on Stamina)
Choose Derangement (1)

Spend Bonus Points (10). Costs to spend the bonus points are as follows: (May use bonus points to raise something to 5).
.5 Attribute costs 6
.5 Ability costs 3.5
.5 Sub-Ability costs 2
.5 Background costs 2
1 Qi costs 2
Health Levels (see costs below)[/ic]

Attributes
Strength (STR)
-associated: Weapons (One-Handed), Weap (Two-Handed) (1/2), Thrown (1/2)
Dexterity (DEX)
-associated: Archery, Unarmed (1/2), Thrown (1/2), Athletics, Dodge, Theft (1/2), Stealth (1/2)
Stamina (STAM)
-associated: Unarmed (1/2),  Survival, Ride, Navigate (1/2), Weap (Two-Handed) (1/2)

Charisma (CHA) -Who you are. People are interested in what you say and do. More Cha=more followers.
-associated: Perform (1/2), Socialize (1/2), Presence (1/2)
Glibness (GLIB)=What you do. How socially quick you are to improvise.
-associated: Perform (1/2), Linguistics (1/2), Socialize (1/2)
Steady (STEA)=How predictable you are. How long keep up.
-associated: Theft (1/2), Stealth (1/2), Bureaucracy (1/2), Presence (1/2)

Perception (PER)
associated: Awareness, Navigate (1/2), Investigate (1/2), Occult (1/2)
Intelligence (INT)
associated: Tactics, Bureaucracy (1/2), Investigate (1/2), Medicine (1/2)
Knowledge (KNOW)
associated: Linguistics (1/2), Craft, Occult (1/2), Medicine (1/2), Knowledge

Abilities
-Each major ability's points influence the 'sub' abilities. Eg. A 3 in weapons (one handed) means a 1.5 base in two subabilities in the category and 1 Sub equal to the weapon skill of 3 (you pick). (unless otherwise affected).  (if you have a 0.5 in weapons (one handed) you may choose 1 Sub and place it at 0.5, the other 2 subs may be selected when you reach 1 in the base ability).
-Each ability has an associated attribute. When resolving conflicts, add that ability to the attribute unless you have the option to choose another ability.

Archery (DEX)
- Long Bow
- Crossbow
- Short Bow
- While Mounted

One Handed Weapons (STR)
- Sword
- Pole
- Axe

Thrown (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STR)
- Axes
- Javelin
- Knives

Unarmed (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STAM)
- Massive Defense Style (bonus to defense)
- Pushing Hands (bonus to attack)
- Turtle Warrior (bonus to defense and stamina)
- Qi Gatherer (gathers Qi from enemy)

Weapons (Two Handed) (1/2 STAM; 1/2 STR)
- Requires Dex 4 minimum or penalties suffered.
- 2 Axes
- Dual Swords



***
Athletics (DEX)
-Climb
-Contortionist
-Escape Artist (Ropes)
-Jump

Dodge (DEX)
- Multiple Opponents
- On Unstable Terrain
-Midair

Stealth (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)
- In Wilderness
- In Cities
- Ambush

Survival (STAM)
- Locate Food
- Finding Shelter
- Desert
- Cold Climates
- Leave  No Trace

Theft (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)
- Lockpick
- Congame
- Fencing Stolen Goods
- Underworld Contacts


***
Navigate (PER 1/2; STAM 1/2)
- Rivers
- Open Ocean
- Flying Vehicles

Perform (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)
-Dance
-Lute
-Singing
-Storytelling

Ride (STAM)
- Horses
- Exotic Animals (small and med)
- Exotic Animals (large)
- Vehicles (starts at 0 regardless of Ride score)


***
Awareness (PER)
- Spot
- Tracking
- Listen
- Precognition (of Ambushes, etc.) (is at 0 unless raised)

Tactics (INT)
- Naval Battles
- Air Battles
- Magic Battles
- Siege Tactics
- Estimation (Estimates what enemy might do next month)
- Land Battles

***

Bureaucracy (STEA 1/2; INT 1/2)
- Bribery
- Horse Trading
-Elections

Linguistics (KNOW 1/2; GLIB 1/2)
Trade Tongue
Your Local Language  (1 dot in this is general knowledge- you start with that, 1.5 is literate.)
Spirit Language (cost 2x)
Demon Language (costs 2x)
Guardian-Spirit Language (cost 2x)
Empire-Speak
Other Regional Dialect

Presence (CHA 1/2; STEA 1/2)
- Persuasion
- Intimidation
- Interrogation
- Religious Conversion
- Brainwashing
- Rabble-Rousing

Socialize (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)
- Lying
- Discern Motivation
- Upper Class Manners

***

Craft (KNOW)
-Blood: Cooking, Leather Working
-Metal: Smithing
-Smoke (Wind): Glassblowing, Weaving, Paper-Making
-Wood: Fletcher (arrows), carpenter
-Earth: Gem-Cutting
-Fire: Ceramics, Acupuncture Materials
-Water: Brewing, Poison Making and Pharmaceuticals
-Spirit: Flower Arrangement
-Magitech (only applies to operate/fix artifacts that are found)
-Glamour (practiced only by supernatural beings)
-Fate (practiced only by supernatural beings)

NOTE: Crafting Siege weapons requires (Metal, Fire, and Wood); several other crafts have similar requirements

Investigate (PER 1/2; INT 1/2)
- Library Research
- Conducting Interviews
- Reconstructing Events
- Search

Knowledge (KNOW)
- Engineering (for defenses)
- History
- Religion
- Nobility (know all about certain leaders and their families)
- Geography (of actual geography and maps)
- Local (North, South, Central, East, West) (of customs, people)

Medicine (KNOW 1/2; INT 1/2)
- Diagnose
- Acupuncture
- Preventative
- Use Pharmaceuticals
- Use Traditional Medicine
- Gather Traditional Medicine

Occult (Magic) (KNOW 1/2 ; PER 1/2)
- Supernatural Etiquette
- Summoning
- Ghosts
- The Weird
- The Fey
- Cults and Forbidden Lore


[ooc=Power/Qi]Power/Qi
Used for feats.
-15 Initial.
-Access more by fulfilling goals.
-When you spend at least 4 power (Qi) you glow with power and can be detected more easily by scrying. Even spending 2 Qi leaves you vulnerable to Spirit Scryers.
[/ooc]
[ooc=Health Levels]Health Levels
Impact rolls negatively if injured.
for each point of stamina= 1 more point to purchase health levels.

0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=5 points]
00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]
000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]
0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]
0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)
00000 = Dying [cost =2 points]
0 = Dead[/ooc]

[ooc=Backgrounds]Backgrounds
Allies- People who will help in certain tasks but who are not under your control. They have their own lives to live and they will roll each turn to see if they are available to help you. Higher CHA and STEA scores on your part helps encourage them to help you more often. Each 0.5 equals one ally of about half power to your PC. Please let me know general details of who they are.
Artifact- Special weapon or device. (Discuss with GM). Either a powerful artifact or several (depending on how many dots you have); let me know your preference.
Backing- Standing and rank in a powerful and influential organization
Contacts- Information sources.
Familiar- Animal Companion
Followers- More starting units and bonuses to followers you have.
Headquarters- You have a well-defended base of operations
Influence- Your personal standing in your society.
Resources- Money and material goods.

[ic=Allies]Allies
Straightforward; see above.
[/ic]

[ic=Followers]Followers
You have several loyal assistants, servants, slaves, warriors, acolytes, semi-intelligent pets, or similar companions who are devoted to you.

At each level of followers, you may have less if you would prefer to have more powerful followers or more thematically consistent followers. Followers won't always necessarily equal a unit unless you choose to have thematically consistent followers. Otherwise, you may have a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker, instead of 30 tax collectors.

0.5- You have two followers
1- You have up to 10 followers
1.5- You have up to 40 followers
2- You have around 100 followers (Magnitude 2)
2.5- You have around 300 followers
3- You have around 1,000 followers (Magnitude 3)
3.5- You have around 5,000 followers
4- You have nearly 10,000 followers
4.5- You have nearly 30,000 followers
5- You have nearly 50,000 followers
[/ic]

[ic=Headquarters]Headquarters
0- You have nowhere to call home or a headquarters; or the home/property you have has bad Qi-energy.

0.5 - You have a decent property that has an attic and/or a basement. It has several entrances/exits and its doors and windows are decently secured. Generally though, it is dark and dank and it is not too helpful to meditation. The neighbors may be loud.
Effect- Regain an additional 1 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum).

1 - You have a building with several rooms and soundproofed walls. Perhaps a house is upstairs and a shop is downstairs ; or you have a large house.
Effect- Regain an additional 2 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum).

1.5 - Your building is furnished with the best of everything; your house is furnished with the best of everything; or you have a small house and some land (rural).
Effect- As before, and Regain an additional 4 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum).

2  - You have private access to several connected buildings; or you have a very large house; or you have a small house and some land (rural). In all cases, your furnishings are the most appropriate that money can buy. The furnishings and the land may have been donated to you, or you may have inherited them. Please do not confuse these possessions as resources, although they may become them if sold. Essentially, all income from the land goes back into its upkeep.
Effect--As before, and Conducting a Qi action costs 1 less Qi.

2.5 - You have a very large house that has a large private yard; or you have a medium house and medium land (rural). An occasional angry spirit may intrude, but it is often encouraged to leave.
Effect-- As before, and regain an additional 6 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum).

3 - Your home is well-insulated and defended from negative energy and access is controlled to ensure the greatest possible positive energy flow, you have a number of Guardian Spirit statues arranged outside and you have an on-site Priest to bless the location; you also have several lakes and ponds; your rural property has a notable amount of wild game. Fey and Undead are kept from your lands.
Effect-As before, and Conducting a Qi action costs 2 less Qi

3.5 - Your significant land in a city is overseen by a crew of Priests and Engineers and Servants who ensure that it is kept cool and heated; your house has a private yard the size of a city block and it has a notable amount of wild game flitting about its hills and lakes; or you have a large rural property that takes up more than 20 acres.
Effect-- As before, and regain an additional 8 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum).

4 -  As before, and your property is located in a naturally powerful-Leyline Qi area.
Effect-- As before, and Conducting a Qi action costs 3 less Qi.

4.5 - As before, and you have a small 'army' of Qi-tamers (unit) (priests and engineers) expert in the way of ensuring positive energy, and they are well trained.
Effect-- As before, and regain an additional 10 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum).

5 - As before, and you essentially have access to a perfectly isolated meditation and sleeping location with game preserves that go on for acres and that has multiple forests, streams, and hills.
Effect-- As before, and regain an additional 12 Qi a week from staying here (up to your maximum); and Conducting a Qi action costs 4 less Qi.[/ic]

[ic=Influence]
This background reflects how much status and political power you have in society.
Influence
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
[/ic]

[ic=Resources]
The following descriptions are illustrative. Discuss with the GM how your money is invested.
The resources you have are powerful tools that you can use when making checks to essentially improve your other skills by 'buying' expertise.

Resources
0 - You have the clothes on your back and a weapon.
Think: Bum, Poor, Homeless, Itinerant, Hobo

0.5 - You have some money in a bank that earns interest. You have a small home and you may own a pet or a small farm animal, like a big. You rent your land and your home. From time to time, people may ask you for a loan. If your character supports a family, they may go hungry if you are out of work longer than a few weeks. If you live alone, you can eat meat once a week.
Think: Lower-Class. Working-Class. (Poor Trailer-Park)
Think: 2 coins a month

1- You had an inheritance or a good job and you have a decent amount of money in a bank. You may have loaned out money before to friends who are merchants, and they made good on the loans. You can afford to get married to a decent spouse prospect. You could live for a few months if you are out of work and you are frugal. You can feed your family meat several times per week.
Think: Upper-Lower Class (Small House).
Think: 10 coins a month

1.5- You have a comfortable house and you may own a poor quality riding animal and decent weapons/gear. You can feed your family meat almost every day each month.
Think: Middle Class
Think: 25 coins a month

2- You have a decent house and you may own a decent riding animal and good weapons/gear. You can feed your family meat every day each month. You may be able to afford a housekeeper or a nanny from time to time.
Think: Upper Middle Class
Think: 50 coins a month

2.5 - You own a nice house and you own a second house for investment purposes. You likely have a fine riding animal and another of lower quality. You can afford entertainment every now and then. You may have a servant, but you likely just hire a housekeeper or a nanny as needed.
Think: Lower Upper Class
Think: 100 coins a month

3 - You own a very good house and other land for investment purposes. You have several riding animals and you may own others for investment. You often take your family or others out for entertainment. You have several servants, who commute to your home. You could probably hire an adventurer to help you.
Think: Upper Class
Think: 200 coins a month

3.5 - You are exceedingly wealthy. At a minimum you own a home in the city and a country estate. You have the finest weapons and animals. You have at least 10 servants, several of whom live at your home. You may have a private boat. You may be able to hire a party of adventurers and you already have 2 to 4 guards defending your property.
Think: Rich Upper Class
Think: 400 coins a month

4 - You are extremely wealthy. You own several properties. You have at least 50 servants scattered around the properties, all of whom live on site. You could hire a small squad of soldiers and you have about 20 guards protecting your properties.
Think: Extremely Wealthy (CEO); could rent an island.
Think: 800 coins a month

4.5- You are absurdly wealthy. you own many properties. You have around 100 or 200 servants, last time you counted, all of whom live on site. You also have about 100 guards and soldiers, and about 100 friends who just happen to live on your property. You have private doctors, private tutors, private everything...and you're still making more money off the interest on your money than you are spending. You could probably buy/equip a small army.
Think: Absurdly Wealthy (Top Billionaires); could buy an island.
Think: 2,400 coins a month

5 - You are obscenely wealthy. You are essentially a wealthy merchant prince, a bandit king, a mercenary lord, or a judge of a region. You either have an army or could rent one at will. You own at least one excellent ship (if by the sea) and you have an army of servants (several units)
Think: Obscenely Wealthy (More than Buffett, Gates, Carlos Slim); could buy an island, an army, or several cities.
Think: 10,000+ coins a month
[/ic]
[/ooc]

[ooc=Derangements]Derangements
The spirits have caused split personalities; a curse.
Fearful: If you fail  to achieve a goal, you hide. Only 1 action for the PC for the following month.
Glutton: If you fail to achieve a goal, you gorge yourself on food, wine, whatever. Double all upkeep costs for units.
Hatred: If you fail to achieve a goal, you take your hate out on the society around you. One social attribute declines by 0.5. If none can decline by 0.5, reduce any social-related abilities by a total of 1. You also gain more enemies in your citadel in addition to any challenges than were planned before... this can lead to a spiraling circle of death for any player who chooses this option. If you like to go out in a blaze on infamy, this is the option for you.
Vicious - When you fail to achieve a goal, you take it out on those closest to you. You may accidentally kill or drive off many in your unit in a fit of rage caused by failing to achieve a goal. Trigger: failing to achieve a monthly goal.
[/ooc]

[LD]

[ooc=Sample Characters]
[spoiler=Merchant Prince Li Chenggong]
[ic=Merchant Prince Li Chenggong]

Name      Li Chenggong
Concept      Merchant Lord
Derangement      Glutton
      
STR      0.5
DEX      4
STAM      1
      
CHA      1.5
GLIB      3
STEA      1
      
PER      1.5
INT      0.5
KNOW      1.5
      
Qi      15/15
      
Backgrounds      Headquarters 2
      Followers 2
      
Unspent Health Points= 0      Unspent Health Points= 1
0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]      0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]
00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]      00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]
000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]      000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]
0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]      0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]
0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)      0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)
00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]      00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]
0 = Dead      0 = Dead
      
      
Abilities and Skills      .5 bonus left
Archery (DEX)      3
Long Bow      4
Crossbow      1.5
Short Bow      
While Mounted      1.5
      
One Handed Weapons (STR)      2
Sword      3
Pole      1
Axe      1
      
Thrown (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STR)      
Axes      
Javelin      
Knives      
      
Unarmed (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STAM)      
Massive Defense Style (bonus to Defense)      
Pushing Hands (bonus to attack)      
Turtle Warrior (bonus to Defense and stamina)      
Qi Gatherer (gathers Qi from enemy)      
      
Weapons (Two Handed) (1/2 STAM; 1/2 STR)      
2 Axes      
Dual Swords      
      
***      
Athletics (DEX)      3
Climb      1.5
Contortionist      
Escape Artist (Ropes)      3
Jump      1.5
      
Dodge (DEX)      
Multiple Opponents      
On Unstable Terrain      
In Mid-Air      
      
Stealth (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      
In Wilderness      
In Cities      
Ambush      
      
Survival (STAM)      
Locate Food      
Finding Shelter      
Desert      
Cold Climates      
Leave  No Trace      
      
Theft (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      0.5
Lockpick      
Congame      
Fencing Stolen Goods      0.5
Underworld Contacts      
      
***      
Navigate (PER 1/2; STAM 1/2)      
Rivers      
Open Ocean      
Flying Vehicles      
Land Vehicles      
      
Perform (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      
Dance      
Lute      
Singing      
Storytelling      
      
Ride (STAM)      
Horses      1
Exotic Animals (small and med)      
Exotic Animals (large)      
Flying Animals      
      
      
      
***      
Awareness (PER)      
Spot      
Tracking      
Listen      
Precognition (of Ambushes, etc.)      
      
Tactics (INT)      0.5
Naval Battles      
Air Battles      
Magic Battles      
Siege Tactics      
Estimation (Estimates what enemy might do next month)      1.5
Land Battles      
      
***      
      
Bureaucracy (STEA 1/2; INT 1/2)      2
Bribery      4
Horse Trading      1.5
Elections!      1.5
      
Linguistics (KNOW 1/2; GLIB 1/2)      0
Trade Tongue      0.5
Your Local Language       1.5
Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Demon Language (costs 2x)      
Guardian-Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Empire-Speak      
      
Presence (CHA 1/2; STEA 1/2)      1
Persuasion      2
Intimidation      
Interrogation      1
Religious Conversion      
Brainwashing      
Rabble-Rousing      
      
Socialize (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      3
Lying      4
Discern Motivation      1.5
Upper Class Manners      1.5
      
***      
      
Craft (KNOW)      
Blood: Cooking, Leather Working      
Metal: Smithing      
Smoke (Wind): Glassblowing, Weaving, Paper-Making      
Wood: Fletcher (arrows), carpenter      
Earth: Gem-Cutting      
Fire: Ceramics, Acupuncture Materials      
Water: Brewing, Poison Making and Pharmaceuticals      
Spirit: Flower Arrangement      
-Magitech (only applies to operate/fix artifacts that are found)      
Glamour (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
Fate (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
      
NOTE: Crafting Siege weapons requires (Metal, Fire, and Wood); several other crafts have similar requirements      
      
Investigate (PER 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Library Research      
Conducting Interviews      
Reconstructing Events      
Search      
      
Knowledge (KNOW)      
Engineering (for defenses)      
History      
Religion      
Nobility (know all about certain leaders and their families)      
Geography (of actual Geography and maps)      
Local (North, South, Central, East, West) (of customs, people)      
      
Medicine (KNOW 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Diagnose      
Acupuncture      
Preventative      
Use Pharmaceuticals      
Use Traditional Medicine      
Gather Traditional Medicine      
      
Occult (Magic) (KNOW 1/2 ; PER 1/2)      
Supernatural Etiquette      
Summoning      
Ghosts      
The Weird      
The Fey      
Cults and Forbidden Lore      
   

[/ic]
[/spoiler]
[ic=Li Chenggong's Story]
Chenggong had always had a knack for solving problems. But now he was hanging upside down by a fishhook while an incensed Imperial Guard officer spat in his face.

"It is not my fault the bribes were not delivered." Chenggong stated. "I delivered the money to the old man who lives by the sea."

"The old man is dead!" The Officer screamed. "You gave the funds to a charlatan."

"I see." Chenggong gritted his teeth as gravity caused the hook to dig deeper into his leg. "Seems like that's the real issue here."

"You're also on this list." The Officer held up a piece of thick paper, stamped with an imperial seal. It was upside down, well, it was right side up and he was upside down, so Chenggong couldn't read it.

"Is it an important list?"

"It lists you as one of the spirit-accursed, an enemy of the empire unless you report to the Island and prostrate yourself before your rulers."

"Spirit accursed?" Chenggong had heard of those, people who gained supernatural powers from ghosts who struggled to breach into the natural world.

"We have a medium who can find out these things. She tracked your aura."

"Aren't the spirit accursed gifted with unnatural strength? And how do you know it's *My* aura?"

"Process of elimination." The official smiled and placed the list back in his pocket.

"I can't say I've felt any different, save for the nightmares."

"Aha!" The Official nodded, patting a sword at his side. "Then we have you. We'll be freezing you in carbonite and then shipping you to the island so you can do no danger." He hit a lever beside him and the ancient machine to which the hook was attached whirred into action.

Chenggong, seeing the rapidly approaching carbonite freezer, which would stop his heart and his mind and his body until it unthawed in an even more hostile location, figured it was worth a try to see if his dreams and the Official's suspicions had really been correct and not mere hallucinations. What did he have to lose, anyway. He closed his eyes and meditated, focusing on the spirit Qi. And he found himself free of the machine, bleeding still, but standing next to it. The ground was unsteady, so he stepped to the side. And he heard a groan. Beneath him, to a side, lay the Official. Curious... Chenggong watched the carbonite freezer activate, freezing nothing. Below lay the Official and the man's sword. Chenggong reached for it and the man moaned. "You... moved... on top of me."

"I guess it was worth a try." Chenggong shrugged. Then he considered the sword and the man. And his aching foot. He stabbed.

The man moaned a last "Wh-". Chenggong shrugged. "Why? Process of elimination and all. Couldn't escape, so might as well innovate."

"I guess I have a bit more of a problem to solve now." He bent beside the body, turned it over and reached inside the Officer's vest for the paper. "At least I also have a few potential allies. But first..." He listened. The Officer's men were chatting outside. "Time to deal with yours." He turned from the dead man.
[/ic]


[spoiler=Jiang Fengyun- Skyfleet Captain]
Name      Jiang Fengyun
Concept      Skyfleet Captain
Derangement      Vicious
      
STR      1.5
DEX      4
STAM      2
      
CHA      1.5
GLIB      0.5
STEA      0.5
      
PER      2.5
INT      1
KNOW      0.5
      
Qi      17/17
      
Backgrounds      Allies 2
      Followers 2
      
Unspent Health Points= 0      Unspent Health Points= 0
0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]      0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]
00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]      00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]
000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]      0000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]
0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]      0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]
0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)      0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)
00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]      00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]
0 = Dead      0 = Dead
      
      4 bonus on qi; 3.5 ability; 2 skill
Abilities and Skills      .5 bonus less
Archery (DEX)      3.5
Long Bow      1.75
Crossbow      
Short Bow      5
While Mounted      1.75
      
One Handed Weapons (STR)      2
Sword      2
Pole      1
Axe      1
      
Thrown (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STR)      
Axes      
Javelin      
Knives      
      
Unarmed (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STAM)      
Massive Defense Style (bonus to Defense)      
Pushing Hands (bonus to attack)      
Turtle Warrior (bonus to Defense and stamina)      
Qi Gatherer (gathers Qi from enemy)      
      
Weapons (Two Handed) (1/2 STAM; 1/2 STR)      
2 Axes      
Dual Swords      
      
***      
Athletics (DEX)      2
Climb      1
Contortionist      
Escape Artist (Ropes)      1
Jump      2
      
Dodge (DEX)      2
Multiple Opponents      1
On Unstable Terrain      1
In Mid-Air      2
      
Stealth (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      
In Wilderness      
In Cities      
Ambush      
      
Survival (STAM)      
Locate Food      
Finding Shelter      
Desert      
Cold Climates      
Leave  No Trace      
      
Theft (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      
Lockpick      
Congame      
Fencing Stolen Goods      
Underworld Contacts      
      
***      
Navigate (PER 1/2; STAM 1/2)      
Rivers      
Open Ocean      
Flying Vehicles      
Land Vehicles      
      
Perform (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      
Dance      
Lute      
Singing      
Storytelling      
      
Ride (STAM)      3
Horses      1.5
Exotic Animals (small and med)      
Exotic Animals (large)      1.5
Flying Animals      3
      
      
      
***      
Awareness (PER)      1
Spot      2
Tracking      
Listen      0.5
Precognition (of Ambushes, etc.)      0.5
      
Tactics (INT)      2
Naval Battles      
Air Battles      3
Magic Battles      1
Siege Tactics      
Estimation (Estimates what enemy might do next month)      1
Land Battles      
      
***      
      
Bureaucracy (STEA 1/2; INT 1/2)      1
Bribery      0.5
Horse Trading      2
Elections!      0.5
      
Linguistics (KNOW 1/2; GLIB 1/2)      
Trade Tongue      
Local Language (1 is literate; start at 0.5)       1.5
Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Demon Language (costs 2x)      
Guardian-Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Empire-Speak      
Other Regional Dialect      
      
Presence (CHA 1/2; STEA 1/2)      2
Persuasion      1
Intimidation      3
Interrogation      1
Religious Conversion      
Brainwashing      
Rabble-Rousing      
      
Socialize (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      
Lying      
Discern Motivation      
Upper Class Manners      
      
***      
      
Craft (KNOW)      
Blood: Cooking, Leather Working      
Metal: Smithing      
Smoke (Wind): Glassblowing, Weaving, Paper-Making      
Wood: Fletcher (arrows), carpenter      
Earth: Gem-Cutting      
Fire: Ceramics, Acupuncture Materials      
Water: Brewing, Poison Making and Pharmaceuticals      
Spirit: Flower Arrangement      
-Magitech (only applies to operate/fix artifacts that are found)      
Glamour (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
Fate (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
      
NOTE: Crafting Siege weapons requires (Metal, Fire, and Wood); several other crafts have similar requirements      
      
Investigate (PER 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Library Research      
Conducting Interviews      
Reconstructing Events      
Search      
      
Knowledge (KNOW)      
Engineering (for defenses)      
History      
Religion      
Nobility (know all about certain leaders and their families)      
Geography (of actual Geography and maps)      
Local (North, South, Central, East, West) (of customs, people)      
      
Medicine (KNOW 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Diagnose      
Acupuncture      
Preventative      
Use Pharmaceuticals      
Use Traditional Medicine      
Gather Traditional Medicine      
      
Occult (Magic) (KNOW 1/2 ; PER 1/2)      
Supernatural Etiquette      
Summoning      
Ghosts      
The Weird      
The Fey      
Cults and Forbidden Lore      
   


[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Shang DaShan- The Warrior]
Name      Shang DaShan
Concept      Huge Warrior
Derangement      Hatred
      
STR      4.5
DEX      2
STAM      4
      
CHA      0.5
GLIB      1.5
STEA      0.5
      
PER      1
INT      0.5
KNOW      0.5
      
Qi      15/15
      
Backgrounds      Artifact 4
      
      
Unspent Health Points= 0      Unspent Health Points= 0
0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]      0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]
00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]      000 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]
000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]      000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]
0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]      0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]
0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)      0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)
00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]      00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]
0 = Dead      0 = Dead
      
      
Abilities and Skills      
Archery (DEX)      
Long Bow      
Crossbow      
Short Bow      
While Mounted      
      
One Handed Weapons (STR)      
Sword      
Pole      
Axe      
      
Thrown (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STR)      
Axes      
Javelin      
Knives      
      
Unarmed (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STAM)      3
Massive Defense Style (bonus to Defense)      
Pushing Hands (bonus to attack)      4
Turtle Warrior (bonus to Defense and stamina)      2.5
Qi Gatherer (gathers Qi from enemy)      2.5
      
Weapons (Two Handed) (1/2 STAM; 1/2 STR)      3
2 Axes      5
Dual Swords      1.5
      
***      
Athletics (DEX)      
Climb      1
Contortionist      
Escape Artist (Ropes)      0.5
Jump      0.5
      
Dodge (DEX)      3
Multiple Opponents      4
On Unstable Terrain      1.5
In Mid-Air      1.5
      
Stealth (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      1
In Wilderness      0.5
In Cities      
Ambush      0.5
      
Survival (STAM)      3
Locate Food      1.5
Finding Shelter      1.5
Desert      
Cold Climates      
Leave  No Trace      
      
Theft (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      
Lockpick      
Congame      
Fencing Stolen Goods      
Underworld Contacts      
      
***      
Navigate (PER 1/2; STAM 1/2)      
Rivers      
Open Ocean      
Flying Vehicles      
Land Vehicles      
      
Perform (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      
Dance      
Lute      
Singing      
Storytelling      
      
Ride (STAM)      
Horses      
Exotic Animals (small and med)      
Exotic Animals (large)      
Flying Animals      
      
      
      
***      
Awareness (PER)      2
Spot      2
Tracking      
Listen      1
Precognition (of Ambushes, etc.)      1
      
Tactics (INT)      
Naval Battles      
Air Battles      
Magic Battles      
Siege Tactics      
Estimation (Estimates what enemy might do next month)      
Land Battles      
      
***      
      
Bureaucracy (STEA 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Bribery      
Horse Trading      
Elections!      
      
Linguistics (KNOW 1/2; GLIB 1/2)      
Trade Tongue      
Your Local Language       1
Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Demon Language (costs 2x)      
Guardian-Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Empire-Speak      
      
Presence (CHA 1/2; STEA 1/2)      3
Persuasion      1.5
Intimidation      3
Interrogation      1.5
Religious Conversion      
Brainwashing      
Rabble-Rousing      
      
Socialize (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      
Lying      
Discern Motivation      
Upper Class Manners      
      
***      
      
Craft (KNOW)      
Blood: Cooking, Leather Working      
Metal: Smithing      
Smoke (Wind): Glassblowing, Weaving, Paper-Making      
Wood: Fletcher (arrows), carpenter      
Earth: Gem-Cutting      
Fire: Ceramics, Acupuncture Materials      
Water: Brewing, Poison Making and Pharmaceuticals      
Spirit: Flower Arrangement      
-Magitech (only applies to operate/fix artifacts that are found)      
Glamour (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
Fate (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
      
NOTE: Crafting Siege weapons requires (Metal, Fire, and Wood); several other crafts have similar requirements      
      
Investigate (PER 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Library Research      
Conducting Interviews      
Reconstructing Events      
Search      
      
Knowledge (KNOW)      
Engineering (for defenses)      
History      
Religion      
Nobility (know all about certain leaders and their families)      
Geography (of actual Geography and maps)      
Local (North, South, Central, East, West) (of customs, people)      
      
Medicine (KNOW 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Diagnose      
Acupuncture      
Preventative      
Use Pharmaceuticals      
Use Traditional Medicine      
Gather Traditional Medicine      
      
Occult (Magic) (KNOW 1/2 ; PER 1/2)      
Supernatural Etiquette      
Summoning      
Ghosts      
The Weird      
The Fey      
Cults and Forbidden Lore      

[/spoiler]

[spoiler= Huang Meng- Glorious Judge]

Name      Huang Meng
Concept      Glorious Judge
Derangement      Fearful
      
STR      0.5
DEX      0.5
STAM      0.5
      
CHA      1.5
GLIB      1.5
STEA      1
      
PER      3
INT      3
KNOW      3
      
Qi      
      
Backgrounds      Allies 2
      Influence 2
      
Unspent Health Points= 0      Unspent Health Points= 0
0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]      0 = Uninjured (no modifier) [cost=4.5 points]
00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]      00 = -1 to rolls [cost =4 points]
000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]      000 = -2 to rolls [cost =2 points]
0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]      0 = -3 to rolls [cost=3 points]
0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)      0 = Incapacitated (cannot fight, cannot move legs but can move arms)
00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]      00000 = Dying [cost =1.5 points]
0 = Dead      0 = Dead
      
      
Abilities and Skills      
Archery (DEX)      
Long Bow      
Crossbow      
Short Bow      
While Mounted      
      
One Handed Weapons (STR)      
Sword      
Pole      
Axe      
      
Thrown (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STR)      
Axes      
Javelin      
Knives      
      
Unarmed (1/2 DEX; 1/2 STAM)      2
Massive Defense Style (bonus to Defense)      2.5
Pushing Hands (bonus to attack)      1
Turtle Warrior (bonus to Defense and stamina)      1
Qi Gatherer (gathers Qi from enemy)      
      
Weapons (Two Handed) (1/2 STAM; 1/2 STR)      
2 Axes      
Dual Swords      
      
***      
Athletics (DEX)      
Climb      
Contortionist      
Escape Artist (Ropes)      
Jump      
      
Dodge (DEX)      2
Multiple Opponents      4
On Unstable Terrain      1
In Mid-Air      1
      
Stealth (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      
In Wilderness      
In Cities      
Ambush      
      
Survival (STAM)      
Locate Food      
Finding Shelter      
Desert      
Cold Climates      
Leave  No Trace      
      
Theft (STEA 1/2; DEX 1/2)      
Lockpick      
Congame      
Fencing Stolen Goods      
Underworld Contacts      
      
***      
Navigate (PER 1/2; STAM 1/2)      
Rivers      
Open Ocean      
Flying Vehicles      
Land Vehicles      
      
Perform (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      
Dance      
Lute      
Singing      
Storytelling      
      
Ride (STAM)      2
Horses      2
Exotic Animals (small and med)      1
Exotic Animals (large)      
Flying Animals      1
      
      
      
***      
Awareness (PER)      
Spot      
Tracking      
Listen      
Precognition (of Ambushes, etc.)      
      
Tactics (INT)      2
Naval Battles      
Air Battles      
Magic Battles      
Siege Tactics      1
Estimation (Estimates what enemy might do next month)      2
Land Battles      1
      
***      
      
Bureaucracy (STEA 1/2; INT 1/2)      3
Bribery      1.5
Horse Trading      1.5
Elections!      3
      
Linguistics (KNOW 1/2; GLIB 1/2)      2
Trade Tongue      
Local Language (1 is literate; start at 0.5)       2.5
Spirit Language (cost 2x)      
Demon Language (costs 2x)      
Guardian-Spirit Language (cost 2x)      1
Empire-Speak      1
Other Regional Dialect      
      
Presence (CHA 1/2; STEA 1/2)      2
Persuasion      2
Intimidation      
Interrogation      1
Religious Conversion      
Brainwashing      
Rabble-Rousing      1
      
Socialize (GLIB 1/2; CHA 1/2)      2
Lying      1
Discern Motivation      2
Upper Class Manners      1
      
***      
      
Craft (KNOW)      
Blood: Cooking, Leather Working      
Metal: Smithing      
Smoke (Wind): Glassblowing, Weaving, Paper-Making      
Wood: Fletcher (arrows), carpenter      
Earth: Gem-Cutting      
Fire: Ceramics, Acupuncture Materials      
Water: Brewing, Poison Making and Pharmaceuticals      
Spirit: Flower Arrangement      
-Magitech (only applies to operate/fix artifacts that are found)      
Glamour (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
Fate (practiced only by supernatural beings)      
      
NOTE: Crafting Siege weapons requires (Metal, Fire, and Wood); several other crafts have similar requirements      
      
Investigate (PER 1/2; INT 1/2)      1
Library Research      1
Conducting Interviews      0.5
Reconstructing Events      0.5
Search      
      
Knowledge (KNOW)      2
Engineering (for defenses)      
History      1
Religion      
Nobility (know all about certain leaders and their families)      1
Geography (of actual Geography and maps)      
Local (North, South, Central, East, West) (of customs, people)      2
      
Medicine (KNOW 1/2; INT 1/2)      
Diagnose      
Acupuncture      
Preventative      
Use Pharmaceuticals      
Use Traditional Medicine      
Gather Traditional Medicine      
      
Occult (Magic) (KNOW 1/2 ; PER 1/2)      
Supernatural Etiquette      
Summoning      
Ghosts      
The Weird      
The Fey      
Cults and Forbidden Lore      

[/spoiler]

[/ooc]

[LD]

[ic=Unarmed Martial Arts Styles]Unarmed- Martial Arts Styles

Massive Defense Style (bonus to Defense)
-Each success in this style grants an additional +1 Defense

Pushing Hands (bonus to attack)
-Each success in this style grants an additional +1 dice to roll for attack successes.

Turtle Warrior (bonus to Defense and stamina)
-Each success in this style grants an additional +0.5 Defense and the unit can move an additional 0.5 Speed for the month (max speed that can be gained is whatever max gathered from the most significant Turtle Warrior battle during the month; do not add additional battles per month-if you gain 2 in one battle and 3 in the next, then use the 3 rather than adding the two together).

Qi Gatherer (gathers Qi from enemy)
-Each success in this style gathers 1 additional Qi up to your maximum from enemies you fight.
[/ic]


[ic=Spending Qi]
Regaining QiQi, once spent, is difficult to recover.
Qi can be recovered through the Qi Gatherer martial arts style and through meditation. 2 Qi is regained each month through each meditation action.

Improving Feats: If you see a Qi feat below that interests you, but you want to spend more Qi on it, advancement of a feat is approved. Spend 1 additional QI to gain +1 of the same effects. If a Feat gave +1 in several categories, expenditure of 1 QI gives you an additional 0.5 in each of the several categories, which allows you to re-roll low rolls with hopes to get a better roll.

Spending? You spend Qi on remarkable feats. Qi can be allocated as an action to spend in a battle or it can be spent as an action outside of battle.
Examples of Qi feats are:

[ooc=Battlefield Qi Feats]Battle
Simple Happiness
QI: 1 QI.
Prereq: 1 Presence, Persuasion, or Socialize
*You speak, and the people rejoice.
*+2 to one Unit's Morale Check or the PC's own morale check.

Self-Strengthening Technique
QI: 2 QI.
* You call upon the spirit of the Shark to develop a tough hide.
* +2 Defense for the battle.

Snarling Morass
QI: 3 QI
*Entangles the enemy
* Reduces enemy's attack and defense by 1 each.

Thunderrush Attack
QI: 4 QI.
* You charge at the enemy with the power of a thunderstorm at your back.
* Enemy's Morale is reduced to 1 dice when calculating casualties at the end of the battle.

Resounding Pleasure
QI: 5 QI.
* You speak, and the troops resound with joy.
* +2 Morale successes for the PC and allied all units within 2 speed of your PC.

Howling Storm
QI: 5 QI.
* Your might crushes all enemies
* 6 additional dice to roll for battle success for ONE battle only & your magnitude is increased to 3 for the entire month.

Gentle Persuasion
QI: 6 QI.
Prereq: 4 Presence or Persuasion
* You speak and the enemy listens
* Enemy makes a loyalty check at -4. Failure of the check results in up to 50% deserting immediately. They will join you after the end of the battle.
[/ooc]

[ooc=Social Qi Feats]Social

Forgettable
QI: 1 QI.
* The person to whom you are speaking forgets everything he knows about you after you leave him. (If the person was a stranger and he knew nothing about you before the communication).

Friendship
QI: 2 QI. (max advancement of this feat is 6 QI).
* You speak, and people agree.
*+1 extra dice for a social-based encounter

Inspire Hatred
QI: 2 QI.
* If someone felt dislike for someone before, this will cause them to attack them in public... Quite embarrassing for some.

Locate Artifact
QI: 4 QI.
*You know the general location of something you desire.

Inspire Hatred, Greater
QI: 5 QI.
* If someone felt at least neutral about someone before, this will cause them to attack them in public... Quite embarrassing for some.

Very Forgettable
QI: 6 QI
Prereq: Bureaucracy 4
* Most Documents about you have become lost, burned or destroyed. How odd.

The Mystery
QI: 12 QI
Prereq: Bureaucracy 5
* All but those who have focused on learning about you or who are your close relatives or closest friends only remember you as a vague memory and they could not place you were they to see your face.

[/ooc]

[/ic]

[LD]

x.

[LD]

[ic=The First Turn]
-Create Your Character
-Choose A Starting City (Not on the Big Island)
-Inform the GM of Your Long-Term Goals: 1. Spiritual (become a God, become one with the Gods, etc.); 2. Physical (feats of strength, right injustice); 3. Mercantile (manage a trading network); 4. Temporal (become an Emperor, become the power behind many Kings)
-Write Your Backstory (So the GM can attempt to trigger events to your interest)
-The GM will give you a list of Units available to you; choose however many units the GM allows you to choose.
[/ic]


[ic=What Can I Do Each Turn?]
Each month, a PC may do the following things:
Actions: (Choose 4 from the list below to respond to the challenges presented or to pursue your own ideas).
Goal: Tell the GM generally what you plan to achieve this month.
Tactic: Choose One
Trade (with anyone/anything in reach as described in your summary)
Communicate (unlimited to anyone as long as you can reach them somehow)

Each Unit may take two actions and one Tactic.
[/ic]


[ic=Resolving Unit Conflicts]
Battle Resolution:
-Environmental Calculation.
-Attacking side goes.
-Defending side goes.
-Casualties are resolved.

[ooc=Resolving a Battle Example]
Abilities: When units battle, they roll against each other.

Unit's BQ (Battle Quotient)=   Abilities+ magnitude+ Tactics + other modifiers
(determines how many dice you can have to roll against:)
Enemies' BQ (Battle Quotient)=   Abilities+ magnitude(1)+ Tactics + other modifiers + DEFENSE

A unit with a 3 in one-handed weapons rolls at least 3d10 if equipped with daggers. The Unit has a magnitude of 1, so you can roll another d10; you roll 4d10. If you chose an attack tactic, you can roll 5d10.
The enemy has 2d10+1.5 magnitude+1 (for defending)+1 Defense skill= 5.5d10. (the extra half is used to re-roll the lowest roll)

Let's say that the final rolls end at 30 against 35, in which case our sample army has lost.

LOSING Casualties
A. On losing a battle, subtract the difference of the battle; in this case, 35-30. Therefore you suffered 5 casualties. However, if you have a defense score, you NOW add that to your roll. If the 1 defense (1d10) that you roll causes you to WIN the battle, you take no casualties and the battle was effectively a feint. The other side also takes no casualties. Make a morale check at 2 difficulty. If you fail, you lose 10% of your army.

B. If you still lose after adding in the defense roll, then you take the number of casualties calculated and you make a morale check at 3 difficulty.
If you fail the morale check, you lose however many were lost in the Battle, THEN you lose an additional 25% of your army.

WINNING Casualties
On winning a battle, make a morale check at 1 difficulty. If you succeed, you suffer no casualties. If you fail, you suffer 10% of your unit.

[/ooc]
[/ic]

[ic=Resolving a Battle With the Player Character]Resolving a Battle With the Player Character

The Player counts as Magnitude 2 in all circumstances.

[ooc]Player's BQ (Battle Quotient)=  Attributes+  Ability+ magnitude(2)+ Tactics + other modifiers
roll against against
Enemies' BQ (Battle Quotient)=   Ability+ magnitude(1)+ Tactics + other modifiers + DEFENSE[/ooc]

*The only Ability that will apply is the highest point total ability that would apply to the situation. If someone had a 3 in Longbow and a 2 while Mounted, then the 3 would apply. The 3 would not be added to the 2. However, the 2 would cancel out a 2 difficulty Ride challenge, so the difficulty in shooting the enemy would not be increased. Alternatively, if the person had a 3 in Mounted and a 2 in Longbow, the 2 difficulty Ride challenge would not add to the difficulty that must be beaten, but the Longbow bonus would not affect the outcome.

* Another example is this: 2 Mounted, 3 Longbow, 2 in the Dark... If it is nighttime, usually the difficulty factor to shoot will be increased by a number, let's say 2. So the in the Dark bonus cancels that out. Riding a horse while shooting would be a 2 Ride challenge- the 2 Mounted cancels that out (it is an alternative to investing in the Ride Ability); then the 3 Longbow counts towards the dice pool for successes.

Damage Done: If player wins, subtract damage done from enemy's number to determine how many enemies perish.
Morale Check- If there are still survivors, the unit needs to make a morale check. If it fails, it disbands. The difficulty of the check is related to its losses. If it lost about half, the check is a level 3 check, if it lost more than half it is a level 4 check; if it is less than half, it is a level 2 check.

If the player "loses", add the player's DEFENSE (armor), then add the player's DODGE dice. Roll them. If they are above the enemy's dice, the player loses the battle, but the damage taken is lessened. For example, if the player lost the battle by a roll of 10, then rolls 1d10 for armor +4d10 for dodge and gets a 30, she will only take 1 damage (the minimum). If she rolls a 9 (lower than the enemy), she will take 2 damage (the minimum plus the amount she rolled under the enemy's damage).

For information on healing, see Actions below.

[ooc=Example]EXAMPLE: 3 Dexterity, 3 Short Bow Player Character
3+3+2+1 (Tactic)+0 modifiers= 9d10s rolled.
versus
4+1+1 (Tactic)+0 modifiers+ 1 Defense = 7d10s rolled

If player rolls higher, say rolls a 50 vs. a 30, then subtract 50 from however many enemies are in the other army.
If the enemy had 60 troops, it would need to make a level 4 morale check. If it cannot make at least 4 successes, then it disbands.

[/ooc]
[/ic]

[LD]

[ic=Sample Unit]
UNIT:   Gang Members
Cost:   10 food, 5 coin
Cost Per 1:   1/2 food, 1/4 coin
Desires:    Loot (Extra Coin= Extra Loyalty)
Magnitude:   1.5
   
Abilities:    One Handed Weapons (2)
   Daggers (2), Sword (1), Axe (1), etc.
BQ (Battle Quotient)=    Abilities+ magnitude+ Tactics + other modifiers
Equipment:   None
   
Defense:   0
Number:   20
   
Loyalty:    CHA+3
Morale:    GLIB+3
Discipline:   1
   
Speed:   2
   
Type:    MELEE
   
Special:   
Tactics:    Set each week for Conflicts
Actions:    Set each week for downtime

[/ic]
[ic]

UNIT:   Martial Artists
Cost:   20 food* (desert immediately if not paid)
Cost Per 1:   1 food
Desires:    Honor (Defeat Bandits=Extra Loyalty)
Magnitude:   1.5
   
Abilities:    Unarmed (3)
   Pushing Hands (3), Massive Defense Style (1.5)
BQ (Battle Quotient)=    
Equipment:   None
   
Defense:   
Number:   20
   1 each
Loyalty:    CHA+4
Morale:    GLIB+4
Discipline:   4
   
Speed:   4
   
Type:    MELEE
   
Special:   
Tactics:    
Actions: [/ic]   

[ic]UNIT:   Slaves
Cost:   10 food
Cost Per 1:   1/2 food
Desires:    
Magnitude:   1
   
Abilities:    One-Handed Weapons (2)
   Sword (2)
BQ (Battle Quotient)=    
Equipment:   None
   
Defense:   1
Number:   20
   
Loyalty:    CHA+2
Morale:    GLIB+1
Discipline:   1
   
Speed:   2
   
Type:    MELEE
   
Special:   If on appropriate land, can harvest 4x their weight in food in Spring, Summer, Autumn (& assume pay for selves in food)
Tactics:    Set each week for Conflicts
Actions:    Set each week for downtime
[/ic]

[ic]UNIT:   Imperial Infantry
Cost:   50 food; 50 coin
Cost Per 1:   1 food; 1 coin
Desires:    
Magnitude:   1
   
Abilities:    One-Handed Weapons (3)
   Sword (4)
BQ (Battle Quotient)=    
Equipment:   Armor (2 below)
   
Defense:   2
Number:   50
   
Loyalty:    CHA+5
Morale:    GLIB+5
Discipline:   3
   
Speed:   4
   
Type:    MELEE
   
Special:   
Tactics:    Set each week for Conflicts
Actions:    Set each week for downtime
[/ic]

[ic]UNIT:   Imperial Infantry
Cost:   100 food; 100 coin
Cost Per 1:   1 food; 1 coin
Desires:    
Magnitude:   2
   
Abilities:    One-Handed Weapons (3)
   Sword (4)
BQ (Battle Quotient)=    
Equipment:   Armor (2 below)
   
Defense:   2
Number:   100
   
Loyalty:    CHA+5
Morale:    GLIB+5
Discipline:   3
   
Speed:   4
   
Type:    MELEE
   
Special:   
Tactics:    Set each week for Conflicts
Actions:    Set each week for downtime
[/ic]

[ic]UNIT:   Tax Collectors
Cost:   40 coin
Cost Per 1:   1 coin
Desires:    
Magnitude:   1
   
Abilities:    Bureaucracy (4); Socialize (3); Presence (4)
   Intimidation (4); Interrogation (5)
BQ (Battle Quotient)=    
Equipment:   
   
Defense:   1
Number:   40
   
Loyalty:    CHA+3
Morale:    GLIB+3
Discipline:   2
   
Speed:   2
   
Type:    NONCOMBAT
   
Special:   "A full magnitude (40=1) collects 3 resources of coin a month (~200 net coins [assume collectors pay for selves except when negative events)

Two magnitudes (100=2) collects 3+3.5 resources of coin a month (~600 net coins)

Three magnitudes (400=3) collects 3+3.5+4 resources of coin a month (~1,500 net coins)

Four magnitudes (1000=4) collects 3+3.5+4+4 resources of coin a month (~2,500 net coins)

Five magnitudes (2500=5) collects 3+3.5+4+4+4.5 resources of coin a month if there is sufficient population (~5,000 net coins)"
Tactics:    Set each week for Conflicts
Actions:    Set each week for downtime
[/ic]


Desires: When a Unit's Desires are fulfilled, they receive a bonus, noted on the unit.

Magnitude: How Large a unit is.

Speed - How many squares a unit can move in a week. For example, a unit with speed 2 will take about 9 weeks to go from Shuimen to Okchun. (reference is the picture in the second post in the thread).

[LD]

[ic=Actions]
Attack-
You must declare an attack before you can attack.

Defend-
+1 to defense if attacked.

Demoralize
Attempt to demoralize an enemy. PER and STEA challenge.

Enslave-
Gather slaves from the surrounding countryside peasants. Gathers 1d100 peasants on average (varies depending on the region). Slavery may lead to agitation of surrounding powers and populaces. CHA check to have others round people up; STR check to round them up yourself (and possibly a battle).

Forced March-
Adds +1 speed to a unit for a month at a cost of -1 Loyalty (permanent), Morale (temporary), and Attack (temporary). Temporary negatives disappear at the end of the next month. You may Force March an unlimited amount of time; Loyalty may decrease below 0.

Healilng-
You may heal by using the Medicine skill and rolling for successes or by using resources and purchasing healing. Healing a (-1) effect injury is a 2 success maneouver. Healing a (-2) injury is a 3 success maneouver, etc. Healing requires you to convalesce for a while.

Meditate-
Regain 2 Qi.
Note: Regain more Qi if you Meditate in your Headquarters (if you have the background).

Qi-
Conduct a Qi-based action (See Section on Qi). May spend all of your Qi or only 1 Qi. Spending more than 4 Qi at a time will attract an additional negative effect next month. (You are not certain to attract attention if you use 2 Qi actions in a month and spend 3 in each); however, you may attract attention if you only spend as little as 2 Qi a month.

Raze-
Razes a city.

Recruit-
Recruit troops to replenish a unit you have already recruited. CHA and STEA checks.

Retreat, Covered-
Retreat; attack at half effect and suffer only half the potential for damage and half casualties.

Retreat, Full
Retreat. Suffer no casualties. -2 Morale (permanent).

Scavenge-
Gather 1 food per person. Gather extra food with a successful Survival check. The better the success, the more food that is gathered.

Scout-
Gain intelligence about the surrounding area. (Military and economic). Quality of information is based on Awareness and/or Investigate skill checks.

Train-
Prereq: Requires a unit (under or equal to 100) and you to train together for 1 week.
Prereq: Only works if your skill in the weapon they use is higher.
Prereq: The PC and the unit must both be available. The PC gains nothing.
Description: Improve one unit's sub-weapon ability by 0.5 at max. May be taken until their sub-weapon ability equals the PC's.
[/ic]

[ic=Tactics]
Berserk-
Note: If you are the attacker, you will lose 25% of your army when you use this tactic. (before other casualty calculations are computed.
Charge. -2 defense, +2 attack.

Besiege-
Cuts off food to the citadel. May only besiege in certain situations (check with GM).

Cautious Combat
-2 attack, +2 defense

Defensive Wall
The army takes a defensive position and forms into a square.
+3 defense against archers.

False Retreat
You sound a false retreat in the midst of battle, to lure your enemy into a trap.
Enemy rolls a discipline check. On a success, they do not fall for the trap and the battle is over. On a failure, they fall for the trap and you fight at +3 attack.

Ferocious Advance
Your army advances at all costs. If defeated, it is completely disbanded.
+4 attack.

Hold the Line
Your army will not retreat. If it is defeated and it takes over 50% casualties, it disbands. Otherwise, attack is rerolled at the end of the battle until either the army or the enemy is defeated.
+4 defense

Taunt
You attempt to draw out the enemy in a feint.
Enemy makes a discipline check. If they fail, you have a +2 attack against the enemy.

Tunnel-
Prereq: Requires Sapper Type
Tunnel under defenses.

Entrench- +1 war when defending as you entrench.
Man the Barricades
   Req: Palisades
   +2 War when defending.

Flanking-
Some units have the ability to move secretly; or a battle tactic may result in a unit getting behind lines. -2 defense for the flanked units.
Square Formation- Prevents flanking.

[/ic]

[ic=Battlefield Modifiers]
Some battlefields may lend unique modifiers to a conflict.

Auspicious Terrain
-You hold the high ground, for example.
+2 defense

Ambush
-You have surprised the enemy.
+2 attack

[/ic]

[LD]

A game that starts in Shuimen (the area I have the local map up for) begins players in the heart of the vassal lands of the Empire.

[ic=Shuimen]Shuimen, or Watergate, is a multi-tiered citadel that acts as an embassy from the Empire to the Vassal Lands. Shuimen is unique because it, unlike most major cities, embraces its Gods and allows a select number of Feyfolk and undead to wander the city, albeit mostly in their select neighborhoods.

[ic=Power Groups]
General Gao ShuiJiang - The Ruler of Shuimen
Vicar Luo - He who communes with the Gods wields a surprising amount of power.

"Fat Bao" - The Guild's Maestar

Ambassador Chen TingTing- Dour Female Imperial Officer (unhappy about her frivolous name, too)
Rotting Majesty Ul-Haq - The ambassador of the undead
Vinya-Vaya-Vallah - The lady who seems to be in charge of the fey.
[/ic]

[ic=Culture]
The Fey Tax
The outsider who comes to Shuimen had best pay the fey tax or else that outsider risks at a minimum their sanity and their health; at worst, they risk their life. The price the Fey extracted for their aid to General Tso was straightforward; all in the city who spend a night are not on the government payroll are open to fey desires. General Tso smiled as he made the agreement, and on the date it went into effect, he established a fund that he called the "Social Security". Every person, on the day they are born in Shuimen, is entered onto the government payroll and receives at minimum one yuan a year.

The Fey Princess who made the deal, rather than being incensed at having playthings taken from her, was rather bemused. "These people be not sheeple." She commented, with a mad cackle, and let the status quo remain.

Although all residents are covered by the deal, visitors are not until they pay a rather hefty fine. Some foolish visitors choose not to pay the fine. They often are soon visited by ravenous, debauched fey creatures who have their way with them, one after another in an orgy of disturbing poses. Many a foolish visitor has crawled back to a gate or the tax office, pleading to pay the fine, while being dragged back by tittering fey creatures.

The Undead Pact
In Shuimen, all must give way to the undead as they pass.
Shuimen also has shrines to the undead in every sleeping room; be sure to leave an offering that will be eaten overnight by hungry ghosts or else you may find yourself eaten by hungry ghosts.
His Rotting Majesty, Ul-Haq, the Ambassador of the Undead, enforces the Undead Pact and listens to the complaint of both Shuimen's corporeal and incorporeal undead denizens.

God-Assignment
At the age of five, each Shuimen resident is assigned a patron God. This God may only be changed by petition to Vicar Luo's Holy Courts, for the Gods gain power from their worshipers (see Religion section). Those who illicitly worship Gods to whom they have not been assigned are thrown out of the city if they do not make public penance. The city's peace with its Gods is a tenuous one, and the Gods might desert the city if too few worshippers remain loyal to each of the city's panoply of celestial servants.
[/ic]

[ic=History]
Summary
Shuimen and the Empire have a rocky history; the Fourteenth Claw of the Dragon Army deserted here several hundred years ago and changed the land that had been part of the empire into a vassalage. The then-emperor, Emperor Nguyen Pham (The "Foreigner") found himself cornered into accepting the legal change and the Fourteenth's desertion in the wake of the Twenty-Seventh and Thirty-First army generals' failure defend Shuimen from an impending demonic invasion. The change was cemented years later when Pham's son suffered a disastrous defeat at Tso's hands and was replaced by a native Emperor, Song Tienming, who promised Shuimen's perpetual independence.

Shuimen needs not the Empire's military prowess, but it can use its trade. Shuimen sends a bevy of goods up and down the coast and is a major port. That being said, as a Vassal country, it does play host to a number of Imperial Couriers, Magistrates, Officers and Troops who ship through going throughout creation.

The End of Vassalage, The Beginning of Independence
When the 27th and 31st were shattered, General Tso Jirou pushed aside their inept Generals and violated Imperial protocol by taking command. His brilliant defense secured the city. In its wake, the Generals sought to have General Tso courtmartialed and executed, but the city, his unit, and many survivors of theirs resisted. But General Tso had broken many laws in defending Shuimen; he had summoned the dead, he summoned the fey, he made an unauthorized pact with Gods, all things that could doom a city, and he should have been brought to trial on the Island. He resisted the Trial and rejected citizenship. As a way to save face, Emperor Nguyen revoked Tso's citizenship, but granted him vassalage. Little could he suspect though that Shuimen would not crumble as a result of debts incurred in its defense.

Shuimen, under General Tso, thrived over the next 30 years.

The Hardening of Independence
Emperor Nguyen Pham's son Nguyen Ghal, last of his line, made a dire mistake in assaulting General Tso and Shuimen. The 5000 ships sent against Tso's 500 perished in a blaze of magic and storm. Little is spoken of that day or its denouement, which saw Nguyen Ghal deposed by the Nobles of the Realm, his father's bannermen killed en masse and driven back to the sea and the south from whence they came. The new emperor, Song Tienming, made peace with the aging General Tso Jirou and promised Shuimen perpetual existence as a vassal.

[/ic]
[/ic]

A player, alternatively, may begin in Nanjangistrand, the Dwarven beach which is shifted by industrious miners.

[ic=Nanjangistrand]
Nanjangistrand is ruled by the Council of Dwarves, creatures that resist all forms of magic and who for many years resisted the Empire's assaults as they hid deep within their halls. It was only through the leadership of Emperor Cho the Old that Nanjangistrand first came to pay tribute. Nanjangistrand stopped paying tribute about 40 years ago and it turned back the Fiftieth Claw, led by Lang Qingming. Qingming, in a fit of pique, burned the gates of Nanjangistrand, sunk their fleet, and then marched overland to Odingoh, which likewise refused them entry and which they sacked and occupied, killing every tenth dwarf within the citadel.

The Mountain Lord-King of Nanjangistrand, Adolph Menschen was a child when Qingming came to Nanjangistrand's gates. His father has told him of how the Empire saw the Dwarves as subhuman and twisted creatures, ruined by fey interbreeding, and he harbors a hatred against humankind. Under his rule, humans have been oppressed, forbidden from positions of power or trust, whether they be Empire-descendants or HwanYung people who had lived in coexistence with the Nanjangis ever since the GoldenGlint Concord.[/ic]

The City of the Metal Flowers may suit someone who is interested in a desert or sea-based campaign.

[ic=City of the Metal Flowers]
The City of the Metal Flowers' name comes from the inscrutable mechanisms that hover over the town, shading it in the worst of the sun's heat and shifting to open and display the sun's rays in the early morn and late afternoon. Bright scientists from the Empire lubricate and replace gears and gyros as the Flowers age and quiver, but all pray thanks to the Gods that no flower has fallen. Several have stopped operating, leaving portions of the city shrouded in darkness or scalded by light.

To a lesser degree, the City of the Metal Flowers is also known for the unique foliage. Portions of the city produce metal, metal grown in flowerlike formations that when plucked yield the consistency of untempered tin. Flowers only grow in portions of the city shrouded in eternal black by malfunctioning petals and picking them is a curious task as many who pick the metals have succumbed to rust-poisoning, whereby their body turns a patina of brownish-green, then it sheds, but the proper protective gear prevents injuries. The lesser flowers have only been harvested over the past 200 years and only since the past 150 years have people begun making them into daily items. Occasionally, a person will contact rust-poisoning from the fashioned items, but such occurrences have been rare. Recently, however, more and more people have been succumbing to rust sickness, including the Governor.

Outside the City, the sands cover ruins of older citadels which are made of eternal brick and a metal harder than diamond which no-one has managed to penetrate. Several tours exist to investigate these obsidian and titanium colossi, few of which have been excavated.

Street of Mannequins
Metal mannequins, dressed in the latest fashion, rotate on display in the Street of Mannequins. The figures, bolted into the ground, and immensely heavy, resist attempts to be removed from their gyros. Only when dug up and smashed by teams of pile-driving draftspeople over a weeks work can a mannequin be removed- so the people of the city repurposed the pointless creatures into an outdoor clothing market.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/ch_article_main_image/articles/mannequins.JPG

[ic=Important Personages]Important Personages
Bold Governor Sjan Hong Bold Governor Sjan Hong is 17. He is neither bold, nor should he be the Governor. He inherited the position when his mother died of rust poisoning from eating off a plate made from the tin of lesser metal flowers (items made from the processed metal have since been recalled, but the task is a large one). He gave himself the appellation of Bold and he looks forward to the confirmation of his position from the Empress... A confirmation that has not come since the Empress abdicated and none in the Bureaucracy can determine a sufficient replacement. Bold Governor Sjan Hong has benefited from this arrangement for the past year.

General La Shiyou General of the Seventeenth Claw, General La was a brilliant strategist, posted on the border with the forest until she came down with terrible migranes. No medicine could cure them, and so, after the disaster at Nhur, she was retired from the front to replace a General who expired under embarrassing circumstances at the House of Pleasure. General La used to review the troops each day, but increasingly, she is not seen and she lies down while her migraines ache and the Claw grows more and more undisciplined.

Colonel Nguyen Lan Colonel Nguyen of the Seventeenth Claw is a Vhin minority woman who killed no fewer than thirty of the Empire's best warriors in her career. She is one of the few officers who adheres to the Vhin's old policy that might makes right and she encourages her subordinates to challenge her in a battle to the death whenever they question her decisions. She was transferred away from the front after she ordered her soldiers to charge into what she knew was an ambush, with the hopes that the enemy wouldn't be expecting the charge because it was so foolish. Nearly to a person, the unit was massacred. She has not relished being so far away from action and she has taken to getting into fights in bars and on the docks. Some call her a "Fist of Rage" and her troops fear her wrath.

General Cho Chan General of the Sixty First Claw, General Chan commands the combined forces in the Fleet docked at the City of Metal Flowers. General Chan is a Paper General, concerned most with reading and textbook plans. She orders all her officers to be the best schooled on tactics. The constant schooling leaves little time for maneouvers, so the Sixty First's sailing skills are subpar. On Paper, however, and in theory, they should be more familiar with tactics and strategies, and know how to use their instruments better than any other unit in Creation. In practice though, they'll probably run into some big problems when they are challenged at sea.

Gearmaster Nyong Phan, a sixty-year old eccentric who claims to have conversed with the Cogcthon, Gearmaster Nyong is a halfbreed son of a lady from the Empire and a man of the Dust. His eccentricity and his lineage should have kept him from achieving his role, but his brilliance secured it. Gearmaster Nyong may have his visions, but his visions are correct. He saved the Imperial Palace from the Collapse of the Sevenfold Rose and he rewound the Grand Peony to restore its previous rotation schedule. If any mortal is likely to have insight into the wonders of the City of the Metal Flowers, it is likely to be Gearmaster Nyong.

*Note: there is no God of the Flowers or god of the ruins that anyone knows. No one is quite sure why.[/ic]
[/ic]

[ic=Religion]

The Celestial Bureaucracy
The Celestial Bureaucracy measures mortals' deeds at the end of their life. The Bureaucracy weighs honor, and whether the person contributed more life to the world (good) or more death (bad) on whole. The Bureaucracy also, most importantly, measures ideologies and classifies where souls should go when they die and the worth of the soul.

Each mortal is a commodity with a certain worth. One who affects the lives of many people is worth much more than someone who is homebound and who has a small circle of friends.

Other factors that are important are the length of life, and the power of actions taken by the soul.

When a soul dies, the soul is either wholly cashed in to one God, or the soul's worth is divided between several deities.

Gods can influence their power by expending a bit of their accumulated wealth.
For example, A pious nobody who dies young, cashes in for little, but the God may grant him a boon of good health and he may live longer to accumulate more Li, Righteousness, the currency of the Bureaucracy.

Gods can also spend power in the Celestial Realm to improve their Demense and to acquire more titles and portfolios, but those qualities are of great expense.

Types of Gods
Small Gods - These are the Gods in Creation who compete for Souls.
(example: God of the River ChangJiang; God of Childbirth; Goddess of Eyesight; Goddess of the city Cheng; Goddess of the Waterfront District)
A God is created when a mortal who fervently believes wills it into being. Mortals often will Gods into being by accident because Mortals "know" that the first patron of a God can often be blessed. What mortals do not know is that the "first" patron of a God is often not the real first patron. Gods do not gather enough power for blessings until a few believers or a few who share the God's initially established portfolio die. Only after followers die can the Gods grant boons.

Celestial Bureaucrats - Tax the small gods; allocate blessings/Li to Gods, who may convert Qi as a boon to people.
(examples: The Vexatious Goat, Mansa Musa, Tri-Philix)

Guardian Spirits: Guard the bureaucrats and the Treasury of Souls.

Holy Auditors: Investigate claims of Gods killing their own followers.

Harvester Spirits: Collect loose souls before they become ghosts/spirits. Souls must be collected if an Owner did not choose a God at the end of the Owner's life. (e.g. the person was an atheist or had no obvious patron god). Small Gods may not send a soul on the way to Heaven, but the Small God may inform a Harvester Spirit. There are few Harvester Spirits and they are overwhelmed by their task. Harvester Spirits are few in number because they are pure souls; they are created only when the Bureaucracy authorizes the expenditure of Souls from the Treasury. Only a kindred soul can usher one to heaven. And the Harvester Spirits expire quite often. Demons can kill them, Ghosts can kill them, the Fey can kill them. [/ic]


[ic=Armies]List of Armies.

4th Claw - Deserted/Destroyed. Unlucky.

14th Claw- General Tso Jirou was the last general. Deserted at Shuimen.

General La Shiyou General of the Seventeenth Claw - City of the Metal Flowers
Colonel Nguyen Lan Colonel Nguyen of the Seventeenth Claw is a Vhin minority woman - City of the Metal Flowers

27th- Shattered at Shuimen; since reformed.

31st- Shattered at Shuimen; since reformed.

General Cho Chan General of the Sixty First Claw, Naval, Magic. - City of the Metal Flowers
[/ic]

[LD]

Reserved.

[LD]

Events that A Player May Face

Li Chenggong, the Merchant, has just escaped his close brush with death and beaten back the Imperial soldiers. Now, he has some options.

He has Headquarters of 2
2  - You have private access to several connected buildings; or you have a very large house; or you have a small house and some land (rural). In all cases, your furnishings are the most appropriate that money can buy. The furnishings and the land may have been donated to you, or you may have inherited them. Please do not confuse these possessions as resources, although they may become them if sold. Essentially, all income from the land goes back into its upkeep.
Effect--As before, and Conducting a Qi action costs 1 less Qi.

And Followers of 2
2- You have around 100 followers (Magnitude 2);
But he selected to take less so he'd have thematically related followers, so he has around 40 very dedicated followers who are caravan guards and other martial characters, and 20 very loyal merchants.

You may always suggest different checks, but make a good argument for them. I do not have to take your suggestions, but I can use them as a guide! Be creative! And make a good argument!

[ooc]Event 1
-Your advisor Qin Shalong, a tall man from the Imperial Island clasps your hands in his as you enter your compound. "I had not thought you would return." He said. "You convinced them to free you?"
He fills you in on what has been happening at your compound; men came and ransacked it, stealing much of your wealth, but Shalong managed to hide some of it. Several of your guards were arrested in the battle though. There are those at the compound who would see them freed, whether by purchase, negotiation, or might. The guards who resisted numbered around 30 in total and they were taken to the Blackened Rock, a prison at the top of Shuimen's waterfall that cuts down to the sea, on the side without the sea-lifts.

Options:
A.-A straight up battle will first require you to make a successful Tactics check to navigate and use Guerilla tactics. Then you must pit your forces against 40 trained Imperial Guards on the exterior defenses and fight your way past them. Once past them, you will face the Guardian Langzhi (The Guardian Wolves), which number 20, and the City Guards, which number 40. If you can make it past them, then you have additional options.
(A1) Do you also rescue the 40 noncombatants who are in for debt crimes and petty crimes ranging from shoplifting to arson? They will go free, but an Awareness or Tactics and Presence check may point out the best fighters among them and you can focus on recruiting them (likely 10).
(A2) Do you also rescue the 200 murderers on murder row. Presence check to keep them in line. They may become a unit (Magnitude 2).
(A3) Do you rescue the 30 mad fey creatures that gnaw on human bones and that may be mad. Presence check to ensure that they do not attack you while you are freeing them; then a Socialize check, Or Presence check, then offer them Qi in payment (won't know how much they will take from your soul), Or you suggest something. They may become a unit.
(A4) Rescue the 25 surviving guards who you came to save. They may become a unit.

B.- Bribe the guards to free your men, surreptitiously walking around the legal system. Cost: 3 Resources and succeed on a Bureaucracy check and a Presence(Persuasion check) (hard). Fail and you lose all the money and they're still in.

C.- Bribe and deal with a speedy court case. Cost: 1 Resource and succeed on a Bureaucracy check and a Presence(Persuasion check) (medium). Fail and you lose all the money and they're still in.

D.- Sneak into the place and try to free the guards. Awareness, Athletics, Stealth, and [Theft(Lockpick) or Weapon] checks. Essentially first you have to find a secret way in, then you need to be athletic enough to get in and do it stealthily, then you have to steal a way into the prison or kill a guard (you must pick). Then must spend some Qi to hide the allies you have freed, some Qi expenditure like "Hidden Body Technique", or "Convenient Memory Gap" if you are trying ot exit stealthily.
(D2) If you want to fight your way out after getting in stealthily, you can free the others under A and fight everyone you'd need to under A, except backwards. Keep in mind that your troops are not armed at first, so battles are unarmed.

E.- Your suggestion. Pitch it to me.

F.- Do nothing. Abandon your guards. They failed to defend your home and they deserve little care.

[/ooc]

[ooc]Event 2
Your assets have been frozen now that you are persona non grata in the Empire. You need money, but how to get at it?

A. Petition the Court for your funds.
Bribe 1 Resource, then Bureaucracy Check (hard) to unfreeze 4 Resources for the month (onetime), but you haven't unfrozen the entirety.

B. Steal the funds back from the Treasury. Only results in 12 Resources for the month (onetime).
(B1)Fight the Shi Shi Shi The Ten Stone Lions of the Treasury gate and the 50 Heavily Armored Imperial Infantry. (very hard)
(B2)Stealthily try to get in (hard)

C. Mobilize your merchants and start calling in favors and cutting deals. Focus on selling in the Alabaster quarter.
Earn 2 Resources from your work. Then deal with this issue-> Yal Gongsi, the Federation's representative comes around to your merchants and demands the Federation's cut, which would be 50% in this case since you are trading in a non-licensed location.
(C1) Negotiate with Mr. Yal. Presence or Socialize for a waiver of costs now for a greater payment later when you get back on your feet.
(C2) Beat up Mr. Yal- (battle stats for you individually vs. his honor guard of 5). Steal the 1 Resource he had on him.
(C3) Get Mr. Yal drunk and then blackmail him with embarassing revelations. Socialize and Investigate (hard).
(C4) Diagnose Mr. Yal's dangerous skin condition and then heal him. Medicine (easy), Socialize (med), Medicine (very hard). He pays you 4 Resources and promises to keep the Federation's goons off you in the Alabaster quarter. Your business also increases and next month you will earn double resources in the Alabaster Quarter.

Also deal with this issue-> Captain Soon Hae-Yoon, from the Northern provinces, has confiscated a shipment of your goods. If you could free the shipment, you could sell them for 2 Resources.
(Cx1) Knowledge check or Socialize (Upper Class Manners) with the Captain to figure out that the Captain needs the goods because her unit is shipping out on Grax next month and the Imperial supplies are variable...Offer to get supplies at a cheap rate for the Captain. To pull that off, you'll need Allies or Theft (Stolen Goods) to get something from the Federation that might have 'fallen off' an Imperial shipment. It's a hard thing to do.
(Cx2) Investigate and Theft to try to frame the Captain for a crime, delaying the shipping out of her unit and putting the supplies out of her commandeering.
(Cx3) Occult check to note that the Captain has Hungry Ghosts floating around her; agitate them and cause her misfortune, then Socialize check to explain that you can free her of the ghosts... for a price.

[/ooc]

[LD]

Bumping because someone by PM requested that I bump this up.