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Look upon my works, ye mighty... (my players stay out, please)
- Thread starter Piratecat
- Start date
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
My half-assed notes are:
Difficult skill challenge (12 successes before 3 failures) - escape or slay pigeons. Doing it while running gives a +1 bonus, while staying still gives a -2 penalty. A burst or blast gives +1 to another skill roll from that round for every 5 points of dmg it inflicts, or can count as its own success if it is not an at-will. Every round Bramble takes 2d6 damage for every success not yet attained out of 12 (reduced by half if Bramble's own skill check that round is successful).
I may increase it to +2 and -4.
They'll be running past all kinds of fun things - the Celestial Stair, the Spice Markets, the Forest of Slaves (all crucified as a warning against rebellions), the Hanging Gardens, and the Downhill Street. I surely do love the Downhill Street.
Dungeoneer
First Post
I know your PCs aren't at a level where they're going to be interacting directly with the emperor on a personal basis yet, but...
Don't forget about needlessly elaborate court rituals! "Nothing can touch the emperor that isn't made of gold," "he is dressed by seventeen different people," "one dish of food is always randomly poisoned at dinner to make sure the imperial taste testers are on the job*."
Also, the emperor is clearly a madman, but even madmen have specific obsessions. What is the emperor's? Is he extremely vain? Incredibly paranoid? Convinced of his deity? Obsessed with the afterlife? Attempting to recreate the forgotten glory of a lost kingdom? Does he just have daddy issues?
I think answering this would help drive what kind of crazy stuff he might try to do or create.
* By the way, the imperial taste testers are hiring! Sign up today!
Don't forget about needlessly elaborate court rituals! "Nothing can touch the emperor that isn't made of gold," "he is dressed by seventeen different people," "one dish of food is always randomly poisoned at dinner to make sure the imperial taste testers are on the job*."
Also, the emperor is clearly a madman, but even madmen have specific obsessions. What is the emperor's? Is he extremely vain? Incredibly paranoid? Convinced of his deity? Obsessed with the afterlife? Attempting to recreate the forgotten glory of a lost kingdom? Does he just have daddy issues?
I think answering this would help drive what kind of crazy stuff he might try to do or create.
* By the way, the imperial taste testers are hiring! Sign up today!
Crazy Jerome
First Post
The empire imposes all new forms of measurement, effective immediately. They are based on something totally illogical--not even as good as the length of the emporers' arm, or the weight of his body. For example, the basic unit of length is the size of the left leg of the 777th stork slain for the emporers' birthday party each year.
Because of corruption possibliities in weights and measures, it is decreed that official versions of the measurements will be provided in every public square. All transactions will use these official versions. It takes several weeks every year to update the new versions, effectively shutting down legal commerce during this time.
Naturally, the black market, bribes, etc. flourish.
Because of corruption possibliities in weights and measures, it is decreed that official versions of the measurements will be provided in every public square. All transactions will use these official versions. It takes several weeks every year to update the new versions, effectively shutting down legal commerce during this time.
Naturally, the black market, bribes, etc. flourish.
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Actually, things are about to get interesting. Just between us (and NOT my players), I have something fun planned for the transition from heroic to paragon tier. How many of the great spires and monuments in Capria do you think are held up by the divine will of the emperor, and not by purely arcane magic?
In a month or two, we'll find out. Shhh.
In a month or two, we'll find out. Shhh.
I'd like him (or his heirs) to have...
A clockwork zaratan big enough to support a palace; said palace's grounds filled with gardens of artificial (metal and crystal) plants- each tuned to pleasing chords- and mechanical creatures (including songbirds and fish).
And sings songs about "Everlasting Love" and how "Things Can Only Get Better."
A clockwork zaratan big enough to support a palace; said palace's grounds filled with gardens of artificial (metal and crystal) plants- each tuned to pleasing chords- and mechanical creatures (including songbirds and fish).
And sings songs about "Everlasting Love" and how "Things Can Only Get Better."
catastrophic
First Post
Just imagine when the emperor was a boy, his favorite stories were about the famous iron blade swordmages, a heroic school which taught it's proponents what the tales about them described as the 'ultimate unbeatable sword-style'.
These trashy tales were of niche appeal to the people of the empire, but they were extremly popular with the young emperor to be, and when he became emperor, he naturally decided that these brave and unbeatable heroes should be his personal bodyguard.
Not only this, but he takes members of the school as his advisors, makes them generals, court mages, and more. There's only one problem.
They're garbage. They're terrible fighters and worse at everything else. The tales about them weren't even that popular, and certainly weren't based on any real exploits. And they're terrible, corrupt, incompetent advisors and generals.
Of course the emperor would never tolerate this reality, and his handlers have 'managed' the situation ever since. All graduates of the school (which is now seen as a fast track to promotion and glory for those with a lot of money but no particular talent), are given enchanted items to make up for their shoddy swordsmanship and magic.
They're even allowed to use these items in competitions where magic enhancement is normally banned. This is of course enormously expensive, but it's better than angering the emperor by revealing the weakness of his champions.
As for the higher ranked members of the school, those who serve as generals and advisors and the like- well they tend to do a lot of damage, but having been educated in the iron blade academy, they know the score- they're amongst the most servile, petty and cunning enablers of the emperor's excesses, and they profit greatly from this role.
As with most people in such a positions, some are purely cynical, some are self-deluded true believers in the emperor's glory- but a suprising number manage to be both. Utterly hypocritical self-promoters who exploit and concel the emperor's folly, but also genuninly beleive is his perfection and glory.
PCs could interact with members of the iron blade fraternity in all sorts of ways, and might even do quite mundae things like purchase magicla weapons from them (they could even control the production used to arm them). And of course, they make great weasels, toadies, traditionalists, and schemers.
These trashy tales were of niche appeal to the people of the empire, but they were extremly popular with the young emperor to be, and when he became emperor, he naturally decided that these brave and unbeatable heroes should be his personal bodyguard.
Not only this, but he takes members of the school as his advisors, makes them generals, court mages, and more. There's only one problem.
They're garbage. They're terrible fighters and worse at everything else. The tales about them weren't even that popular, and certainly weren't based on any real exploits. And they're terrible, corrupt, incompetent advisors and generals.
Of course the emperor would never tolerate this reality, and his handlers have 'managed' the situation ever since. All graduates of the school (which is now seen as a fast track to promotion and glory for those with a lot of money but no particular talent), are given enchanted items to make up for their shoddy swordsmanship and magic.
They're even allowed to use these items in competitions where magic enhancement is normally banned. This is of course enormously expensive, but it's better than angering the emperor by revealing the weakness of his champions.
As for the higher ranked members of the school, those who serve as generals and advisors and the like- well they tend to do a lot of damage, but having been educated in the iron blade academy, they know the score- they're amongst the most servile, petty and cunning enablers of the emperor's excesses, and they profit greatly from this role.
As with most people in such a positions, some are purely cynical, some are self-deluded true believers in the emperor's glory- but a suprising number manage to be both. Utterly hypocritical self-promoters who exploit and concel the emperor's folly, but also genuninly beleive is his perfection and glory.
PCs could interact with members of the iron blade fraternity in all sorts of ways, and might even do quite mundae things like purchase magicla weapons from them (they could even control the production used to arm them). And of course, they make great weasels, toadies, traditionalists, and schemers.
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Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
The PCs ended last night's game by using a "pass through trees" ritual for teleporting to the lowest island in the aforementioned hanging gardens (earthburgs ripped from an island and set floating over the city, with a sparkling river flowing from one to another until the water turns to light mist and rainbows.)
What do you suppose is there? Guarded by the iron blade swordmages? Monsters set there to keep everyone off? Exotic plants? Some poor bastard who was living on the island when it was ripped into the sky? Young daredevil nobels with access to fly spells?
One thing I'm going to start doing: passing out these 2-3 paragraph history/backstory pieces you've been giving me as written history of the city, like small epigraphs. They're too good not to.
What do you suppose is there? Guarded by the iron blade swordmages? Monsters set there to keep everyone off? Exotic plants? Some poor bastard who was living on the island when it was ripped into the sky? Young daredevil nobels with access to fly spells?
One thing I'm going to start doing: passing out these 2-3 paragraph history/backstory pieces you've been giving me as written history of the city, like small epigraphs. They're too good not to.
catastrophic
First Post
Well maybe having access to these earthbergs or being invited onto them could be a sign of relative prestige.
Perhaps the emperor has guests (albeit not very important guests) who are arrayed in fine pavilions in the lowest berg of the gardens. Kind of like a garden party, but on a scale so enormous that these lower-table guests are literally on another island. As for this island- well it looks pretty, but everything's a bit damp from the mist, and it's often in the shadow of the other islands- the real movers and shakers would not be caught dead here- but these are not important guests after all.
These aspirational types would be desperate for any chance to meet with the emperor, or simply impress his cronies, no matter how far fetched that is due to their relative unimportance.
If you're worried about timing, well these are the lowest tier guests- they could have turned up long before the party truly begins, or might be lingering overlong in the garden in a desperate attempt to wring whatever attention and prestige they can from their invitations.
Just imagine an endless garden party, with everyone mingling and passing the time whilst trying- desperatly, impossibly- to get the attention of a monarch who may or may not be taking his ease on some higher, more exclusive floating isle. Some of them craning their necks to see if the emperor's floating pleasure barge might be wafting by, others rolling their eyes at such tacky displays of ambition.
All of them pitiful, desperate, but perhaps still prudent in such a decadent situation. Even a momentary exchange with a minor courtier could make or break their family. Some of them might even be terrified of leaving- they could all be trapped there, none of them willing to give grave insult by leaving first.
It depends on your campaign, but these people could literally camp out for months after/during an event, completly unwilling to surrender their place on the edge of the emperor's world unless they're literally thrown out by the guards. Even the chance of them catching the eye of somebody at court is worth it for these people, who likely come from minor regional noble houses, newly rich merchant families, and the like. To say nothing of the fear.
At first, the pcs could try and infiltrate- bluffing their way into the throng and trying to fit in, maybe evne do some business. However, if their cover is blown, the guests and their bodyguards could easily turn hostile- wether out of an attempt to curry favour with the emperor by slaying intruders, or out of fear that such a scandal will ruin what tiny chance they have for prestige. In fact, they might not even raise the alarm for these reasons- especially since the guards might throw them out as well as the PCs.
Perhaps the emperor has guests (albeit not very important guests) who are arrayed in fine pavilions in the lowest berg of the gardens. Kind of like a garden party, but on a scale so enormous that these lower-table guests are literally on another island. As for this island- well it looks pretty, but everything's a bit damp from the mist, and it's often in the shadow of the other islands- the real movers and shakers would not be caught dead here- but these are not important guests after all.
These aspirational types would be desperate for any chance to meet with the emperor, or simply impress his cronies, no matter how far fetched that is due to their relative unimportance.
If you're worried about timing, well these are the lowest tier guests- they could have turned up long before the party truly begins, or might be lingering overlong in the garden in a desperate attempt to wring whatever attention and prestige they can from their invitations.
Just imagine an endless garden party, with everyone mingling and passing the time whilst trying- desperatly, impossibly- to get the attention of a monarch who may or may not be taking his ease on some higher, more exclusive floating isle. Some of them craning their necks to see if the emperor's floating pleasure barge might be wafting by, others rolling their eyes at such tacky displays of ambition.
All of them pitiful, desperate, but perhaps still prudent in such a decadent situation. Even a momentary exchange with a minor courtier could make or break their family. Some of them might even be terrified of leaving- they could all be trapped there, none of them willing to give grave insult by leaving first.
It depends on your campaign, but these people could literally camp out for months after/during an event, completly unwilling to surrender their place on the edge of the emperor's world unless they're literally thrown out by the guards. Even the chance of them catching the eye of somebody at court is worth it for these people, who likely come from minor regional noble houses, newly rich merchant families, and the like. To say nothing of the fear.
At first, the pcs could try and infiltrate- bluffing their way into the throng and trying to fit in, maybe evne do some business. However, if their cover is blown, the guests and their bodyguards could easily turn hostile- wether out of an attempt to curry favour with the emperor by slaying intruders, or out of fear that such a scandal will ruin what tiny chance they have for prestige. In fact, they might not even raise the alarm for these reasons- especially since the guards might throw them out as well as the PCs.
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