[In Search of Xaos] The Machine Empire

Angelsboi

First Post
Mythic History
See Zodicia as since The Machine Empire is on the main continent of Rysil, and the Mythic History is the same for all the areas.

Past History
About 1000 years ago, when a large meteor crashed on the northeastern section of the continent Rysil, those in Zodicia, sought to discover what it was and what secrets it might hold. The impact was so hard (and the metor was so huge) that the site was now surrounded by mountains. The meteor had a strange metal in it and it became widely used in the kingdom of Zodicia. Then came Project: Infusium a few years later. This was started by one Dr. Sy Mageye and his partner Dr. Leila Figaro. The scientists and scholars of Zodicia discovered this rare and unique metal had mystic properties and wasn’t harmful but very beneficial. To certain people at least.

Those who were exposed during Project: Infusium, started gaining powers of the mind and harnessing powers within one of the six colored gems found in the metal. After studying the crystalline structure of the metal, they renamed it: Xenocrystalanium. The scientists began infusing people with a liquid concentrate of the Xenocrystalanium. Those infused gained the ability to cast spells spontaneously, unlike mages who had to study. Dr. Figaro renamed Xenocrystallanium into three different categories. Mind affecting Xenocrystallanium came in six different colors and affected different parts of the brain. Xenocrystallanium that bestowed magic into someone was called Crystallanium. Cryxen was what the crystal in its raw form would be called. The scientists didn’t see the rise of jealousy amongst the newly infused and the mages. Except Dr. Figaro. She saw what was going on and started begging Dr. Mageye to stop his experimentations.

A huge fight between both doctors erupted, one trying to fight for the freedom of those infused and one trying to continue his experimentations. Little did they know the fate to befall them all. The newly named Sorcerrers and Psions, left Zodicia and headed for the swamps to the southeast of Rysil at the urgings of the Twelve. They founded their own country using the Darkenmire/Inal’Fern Swamp as a boarder. It was named Gemordia. The scientists split into two groups, The Creationists and the Machinists. The Creationists were the ones who wanted to continue the research of various races and Cryxen and the results of infusing. The other group, The Machinists, thought it was a bad idea and decided to stick with the metallic properties of the Cryxen and used their own mages for magic.

The Twelve (the council who rules Zodicia), forbade the use of the crystal metal. Period. Since both groups became in violation of the ruling, the Machinists, led by Dr. Figaro, left to the plains beyond the Sky Mountains to the west of Zodicia and founded their own kingdom, Figaro, named after their wise head scientist. The other group, the Creationists, became very bitter and started cursing the Twelve and their city. They vowed revenge one day and with that, they left to head to the site of the meteor crash and were never heard from again.

The Creationists headed over the Celestial Mountains back to the epicenter of where this all started. They chose to name their side of the mountain, the Glassteel Mountains. They started excavating and building a city. The city became known as Industria and thus was born the Machine Empire. But it wasn’t all that they thought it would be. In the time of their experiments in Zodicia, creatures had moved in and large humanoids started inhabiting the mountains. They had to be careful that no one got to their precious hidden site and stolen what was rightfully theirs.

What everyone didnt know (and what Dr. Sy was keeping from them) was that the crater site was infested with small metalic bugs he named Getal'mus (g as in Jet). Upon further studying, he discovered they were all female and reduced by budding. He took one and let it invest in his skin until he became a half machine. He let another infest until he was completely a machine. Dr. Sy then took his 12 year old son and performed the same kind of experiment on him. Thus was created Queen Machina and Prince Sprocket!

The empire grew rapidly under Queen Machina's rule. Dr. Sy was no longer human and had taken on a female form (unknown to him why Sprocket was male). She sought a companion to help her rule and found just the one. A young scientist who was a part of the Machinists. He was transformed into King Gasket.

It was then the corruption started. King Gasket thought since he was a male and a king, all, including Machina, should listen to him. He was wrong. Machina employed her court assassin to take him out and make it look like a peasant revolting. After King Gaskets death, Machina came down hard on the peasants and began believing in the lie she told everyone about Gasket, herself.

Telling everyone that mages were responsible, Arcane Magic was outlawed and eventually people forgot magic even existed. But not Machina. She had her own little group, The Reality Enforcers. They could somehow bypass everyones non belief of magic to work their ends, but then again, they had a knack for making it look like happenstance; a hit against a creature landed JUST right, they happened to be a little bit healthier than they thought they were.

Recent Past
A local group of peasants seems to be revolting against the Machine Empire. Once, everyone in the empire was all for technology and advancement. But now, people are starting to break off and start their own forces. Queen Machina and her son Sprocket are non too pleased with their insolence so most people are made an example out of.

This resulted in the Machine Empire atatcking Zodicia but being thwarted by Figaronaian forces, for the time being. The empire crept back into the mountains to bide their time. And it came. Now she has spies as pesants and nobles infiltrated in Gemordia, Figaro and Zodicia. Once the moment is right, her queenship will attack all three and soon they will bow to her!



The Machine Empire's Key Locations

The Sharded Valley, Temple to King Gasket, The Tower, Copperfield Mines, Glassteel Mountains, Titan Mountains, Chromium Mountains, The Crater, Sprocket Forest, The Silverwood and The Ruins of Neo Figaro.


Main Cities, Towns, Metropolis's and Villiages:
Idustria, Kory Wen, Cog, Seni'cham, Technotropolis, Machindustry, En'gine, Cal'cu'las, Tantalum, Gasket, Trysudin.

Main Hamlets and Thorps:
Revo, Mill, Gin, Phys, Cadmium, Tungsten, Copperfield, Incline
 
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The Machine Empire's Locations

The Sharded Valley - The sharded valley is quite dangerous because half-machine creatures run around here hunting. Its a bleak, rusted color dotted with sharp metalic spires sticking out of the ground.

Temple to King Gasket - The temple to King Gasket is a royal mausoleum. Some people come here to pay respects out of fear for Queen Machina. She is seen here once a week with Prince Sprocket and a female companion, always addressed as Lady-In-Waiting Michelle

The Tower - This lone tower stands all alone. No one knows what used to reside there. They only hear stories of its past involvement with Demons and the Machines.

Copperfield Mines - This is where a lot of Rysils copper comes from. It is situated at the base of the Glassteel Mountains. It is also nearby the town of Copperfield.

Glassteel Mountains - On the other side of the Celestial Mountains, the Glassteel Mountains sparkle in the warm sunlight thanks to all the glass and metal infused in it.

Titan Mountains - on the Northwest side of the empire, it is said to be the home to large humanoids known as giants.

Chromium Mountains - Queen Machina has forbade anyone to go near these mountains on the Northeast section of the empire. She has threatened death with any who do.

The Crater - The epicenter of the tragedy that befall the continant. This is where the meteorite crashed ages ago and the very basis of the Machine Empire Located in a seculded place, not known to many, its a large hole with its depths unknown. Many have tried to guage it. Many have failed. Some say they can hear screams coming from the inside.

Sprocket Forest - These set of woods lie nearthe capital city of Industria. Prince Sprocket likes to come here and hunt his favorite playthings. Humans. The woods is said to house an area devoid of life where he has various rebels hanging from the trees.

The Silverwood - The silver woods lie on the outskirts of the small mining town of Copperfield. The tinkling of the trees when the wind blows is a welcome sign to travelers and keeps many people calm in these dark times. Many say a bard or a witch resides int he woods and keeps it alive with music.

The Ruins of Neo Figaro - When the rebels started rebelling against the Machine Empire, they built this city in memory of what they once knew. Queen Machina got pissed and destroyed it and the founders along with it. The ruins are but a shell of the city's former greatness and home to some deadly creatures.
 
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Location Biases

Figaro
------------
Noble “Figaro. Hrm. They had their choice. They cant come begging back now.”

Peasant “Im not allowed to say ...”

Queen Machina “The Figaronian Kingdom is ruled by a brash young man. Getting him to see his peoples errors should be easy. I do hope they will side with us. Id hate to destroy innocent technology.”


Gemordia
--------------------
Noble “If persuaded, they could be allies.”

Peasant “Im not allowed to say ...”

Queen Machina “Oh they are powerful and they owe me. I gave them life and I can take it just as easily. They know who their maker is and they will come back to me, begging for forgiveness and mercy. I will then crush them for their insubordanance.”

Zodicia
----------
Noble "They caused all this mess. I cant wait till we destroy them!”

Peasant “Im not allowed to say ...”

Queen Machina “Zodicia's Tweleve may present a problem but im sure i can appeal to their better half. After all, royalty does have its privaleges. If they dont side with me and give in to the Machine Empire, then they too will be destroyed.”
 
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Additional Rules

Craft (Machine): To craft a machine, please see chapter 2 of Song and Silencewith the following errata:

1. The creator (wether a caster or not) muct pay any exp costs for using a spell. Assume a non caster is using their level -1 as ‘Caster Level’. The machine is considered non magical.

2. Machines need to be fixed if a natural 1 is rolled. If they are continued to be used after that, they function as if in a constant Wild Magic field. To repair a machine is 10% of the Market cost.

3. Machine Weapons ignore table 2-2 in Song and Silence.

4. If a machine is being used as a trap, combine your craft (Trap) and craft (Machine) bonuses and divide by 2. That is the new bonus number while dealing with machine traps.

5. Machines base costs are ALWAYS 500 gp. Machine Weapons base costs are ALWAYS 1000 gp.

6. Ignore table 2-5 in Song and Silence. Making a Machine (trap or weapon) crat DC are the following:
Machinist Level Base Craft DC
1-3 15
4-6 20
7-9 25
10 30

7. The symbiots from the crater bestow the 1/2 machine template from Dungeon magazine.

8. Anyone coming from the Machine Empire, starts with +2 circumstance bonus in either Knowledge (Machines) or Craft (Gadgets)

9. Reality Points: Each time a spell is cast in the Machine Empire (when someone is around), the player must make a Will save DC 15 + Spell Level x2. If the roll succeeds, the spell works fine and the player receives 1 Reality Point. Depending on how much the roll fails by, you take that much temporary Con damage (Note: Con cannot drop below 0 nor can you become undead in this manner. You are just knocked unconscious). If the roll fails, the caster takes 1d4 Reality Points. If the caster gains 1/2 his Wisdom score in Reality points, he looses a caster level (only to be regained by regular adventuring, Wish or Miracle) and all Reality Points are wiped clean.

Note: This works for Arcane Casters only.
 
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I like the Dynamics of the Queen Machina and a rebellion faction.
The Sharded Valley is neat and the Sprocket forest could be a very cool/grim encoonter for the pc's. Though i'm not sure about the name. Also, both the names Prince Sprocket and King Gasket seem a little too comical to take seriously, which isn't fair the characters i think.
Overall i like what you are doing, though! Keep it coming.
 

Well neither is Machina. LOL. Yes they are comical and i intend for them to be that way. Why? The PCs will have a laugh. "Oh you are afraid of someone named Machina LOL!"

And BAM!! When they see what Machina and Sprocket can really do ... they wont be laughing for long. In fact, i cant do Machina until Epic Level comes out!
 

Personally I like the reality point mechanics, seems very much like MAGE with Paradox, it's quite cool. I think I'll borrow your machine creation rules, quite seamless and easy. Always a plus.

Look forward to reading more! :)
 


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