City of 10,000 Magicians: Heroquest Relationship Mapping

[Mike Holmes]

See, the thing is noone is from this particular area. They have all traveled from somewhere far away. And in typical RPG fashion Only a few really have anything beyond vague relationships with their parents.

Ahem. Not the PCs, Jesse. The NPCs. They're from around here, and they're the map, and you can give them any relationships you like. Expand the map with their relatives and such. For example, where's Ordandavesh's pretty daughter? The one with the thing for dangerous types?

Mike

[doubtofbuddha]

::facepalms::

D'uh.

Sorry :)

I imagine this is the whole blood and sex maxim that Ron espoused in the previous thread.

I will work on expanding the map that way.

[Mike Holmes]

Before Ron comes in to correct, it's not a maxim, it's just that these are good places to start (and what get solid lines on his diagrams). After you do the relatives think about other relationships. Like I said, what "would" be on the character sheet under Relationships. Because those are going to be telling in terms of the original character's motives.

And remember grabby. To add a character you have to know why they want something from the PCs.

Oh, BTW, in play smack the players around a bit for not taking more relationships. That is, throw contests and challenges at them that require friends to deal with. Start with them having to find a place to stay. See, the inn is full because of a convention, so their money is no good...

Mike

[doubtofbuddha]

As an aside both the Lunar Wizard and the Talastari Warrior posted their character information
http://www.livejournal.com/community/worldsoftuerny/96328.html (Wizard)

http://www.livejournal.com/community/worldsoftuerny/96243.html (Warrior)


Relationship Map

Nathos Youngblood, A Provincial (Tarshite) Merchant Initiate of Etryies who is the mercantile representative for the City of 10,000 Magicians. He is friends with Ordandavesh and supplies his lotus habit. He is very ambitious and would like to get out of this (in his opinion) one horse town and go somewhere with more potential, like Furthest or Mirin's Crossing. He despises Edasul for stealing the woman that he wanted to claim as his wife, and if he could find a way to bring him down he would.

Abiliites: Bargain 8w, Wealthy 10w
Relationships: Friends with Ordandavesh 17, Lotus Dealer Contacts 5w, Mercantile Representative for City of 10,000 Magicians 3w
Personality: Cynical 17, Despises Edasul the Scarlet 1w, Loves Morrig 1w

Edasul the Scarlet, Lunar Rinliddi Priest Initiate of Rufelza and Initiate of Myathatch  that runs the town's Lunar Temple. It has shrines to most of the various aspects of Sedenya, as well as the Seven Mothers. He is a government appointee, but he enjoys his position. He has influence (being one of the advisors to the leader of the town) and he is bringing the word of Rufelza to the poor misguided Orlanthi of Aggar. He is secretly involved with the Blood's Heart that is using blood sacrifices to the Light Demon, Myathatch, as a way to shore up his magical abilities outside of the glowline. He would like nothing more than to have a temple of the Reaching Moon be built within proximity to the city as this would allow him to spend his time in other ways, like paying more attention to his wife.

Abilities: Spread Word of Rufelza 5w,
Relationships: Devotee of Rufelza 12w, Lunar Citizen 2w, Master of Veyerm Temple of the Lunar Way 10w, Member of the Blood's Heart 18
Personality: Loves Morrig 17, Passionate about Lunar Way 6w
Magic: Madness 3w, Light 1w, Blood's Heart Secret 8w
Followers: Initiate of Natha 17, 2 Initiates of Rufelza 17


Morrig, Provincial (Aggar) Healer Initiatie of Rufelza is a local woman who found her pursued by two men of influence in the city, but eventually chose Edasul, the more devoted and passionate of the two. She has regreted it ever since then, realizing too late that his passion was for Rufelza and the Lunar Way alone. He loves her but not in the same way that he loves his faith. Now she is trapped in a marriage that she can't escape to a man who, while not being repungent, is not the person she thought he was. She has thrown herself into an affair with a young Aggarite hunter as a result, getting out of him the passion that she can't get out of her husband. She has since decided that she wants out of her marriage, and that Bran is the best means to that end...

Abilities: Appear Innocent 18, Beautiful 6w, Seduction 2w
Relationships: Influence Over Bran Seven-Strength 5w, Wife of Edasul the Scarlet 20
Personality: Selfish 3w
Magic: Maddening Caress (feat) 19

Bran Seven-Strength, Provincial (Aggarite) Hunter Initiate of Odayla the Bear has been favored through much of his young life, gaining success in finding magical secrets, the best hunting grounds, and the amorous attention of women. Now though, he may be starting a run of bad luck. He has fallen madly in love with a married woman, Morrig the wife of Veyerm's chief priest. While he isn't particulary opposed to being invovled with a married man's wife, he has been having a conflict of concious as she has recently been hinting that she wants him to kill her husband. He has killed men before, but never in cold blood. To deal with this situation he has been spending a great deal of time in Veyerm's only bar, drowning his quandry in alcohol.

Abilities: Archery 1w, Axe and Shield Fighting 5w, Bow Hunting 4w, Seduce Women 19
Relationships: Loves Morrig 10w
Personality: Brave 19, Code of Honor 7w
Magic: The Seven Strengths 4w (feat)

Ordandavesh, a Lunar Dara Happan Wizard of the Makabean Order (and member of the Imperial College of Magicians). He is the individual responsible for determining who gets in and out of the city. Supposedly this is based on the length of time a particular scholar has been waiting and the "importance of the research to the Empire" but in reality it depends alot on how influential a scholar (or his friends) are, or how much the scholar is willing to pay Ordandavesh to get into the city. He has a lotus addiction and gets most of his "goods" from his good friend, the Etryies Merchant. He is slightly suspicious of his younger brother, and believes he is too interested in local superstiouns and beliefs, but he has held his tongue thus far, not wanting to cause unneccessary conflict.

Abilities: Identify Social Status 17, Identify Wealth 2w, Wealthy 20
Relationships: Friends with Nathos Youngblood 19, Lunar Citizen 8w, Member of Imperial College of Magicians 4w, Older Brother of Laboradach 15, Gatekeeper of City of 10,000 Magicians 10w
Personality: Addicted to Lotus Flowers 10w, Corrupt 19
Magic: Tome of Grim Vengeance 2w, Curse of Frail Iron 1w, Suck Soul Strength 6w, Enhance Understanding 2w


Laboradach, a Dara Happan Petty Noble Devotee of Myathatch found his forced relocation to Veyerm to be the latest in a long line of injustices forced upon him by his domineering older brother and father. He would have rather be rich, practices his poetry or wooed ladies but neither of his older male relatives would permit that, instead forcing him into a series of situations where he was forced to accede to their desires rather than his own. Veyerm was a turning point for him. Hidden in the recesses of the old hill fort that serves as the center of Veyerm he found a tool to regain the sense of power he had lost. Worship of Myathatch has proven to be useful for Laboradach, giving him the influence and power he desires. Soon he will be ready to take this new-found power to his family, gaining the respect he feels he deserves.
Abilities: Identify Potential Convert 3w, Poetry 20, Mythology of Myathatch 6w, Spiked Club Fighting 3w
Relationships: Devotee of Myathatch 1w, Younger Brother of Ordandavesh 14
Personality: Ambitious 19, Lustful 17, Resentful 1w
Magic: Blood (Drain Blood, Eat Heart, Power From Blood ritual, Sniff Out Blood) 5w, Light (Blinding Ray, Burning Radiance, Enchant Gold, Reflect Light, Whip of Light ) 4w
Followers: Three bodyguards 17

Yrsa Sevendaughter, a Provincial (Aggarite) Warrior Devotee of Vinga the Thief. She is a rebel, but a smart rebel, in that rather than simply rise up and strike at Lunar military units or raid the steads of Lunar-allied clans, she is going for a much bigger goal. She is aware of the City of 10,000 Magicians secret and figures that by awakening the dragon (and thus destroying the city) she will be able to strike a significant blow against the Lunar Empire. The only problem is getting into the city incognito. She will thus be visiting Ordandavesh in order to achieve this.

Abilities: Lie 3w, Move Quietly 5w, Spear Fighting 11w,
Relationships: Devotee of Vinga the Thief 3w, Member of Clan 2w, Underworld Contacts 4w
Personality: Loyal 19, Hate Lunars 20, Patient 2w, Smart 1w
Magic: Combat (Deadly Spear Throw, Leaping Shield, Mile Javelin Throw, Spear Help) 19, Movement (Burst of Speed, Dodge Missles, Leap Over Water, Run on Treetop, Run on Snow, Squeeze Throw Gap, Walk Without Footprints) 19, Stealth (Avoid Trap, Invisible Hand, No Scent, Silent in Darkness, Stand Unseen +3) 2w; Awaken Dragon Amulet 1w2
Followers: 2 Warriors 17

Khorkenus, a Lunar Dara Happan Noble Initiate of Natha. This is Lisa's character's father and Mary's character's patron. His goal is to get Mary's character into the city. Why? Because he wishes to take advantage of Ashaetili's mythic ties in some way that will allow him to incorporate the Talastari into the Empire in order to gain influence and power, perhaps even a position as Satrap. He has instructed her to research the myths of the Talastari for this express purpose and has directed her to a scholar in the city specializin in such things.

Abilities: Argue 3w, Hide Emotions 3w, Recognize Big Picture 12w, Scimitar Fighting 3w, Mythology of Talastar 5w
Relationships: Father of Calla 5w, Initiate of Natha 19, Lunar Citizen 15w, Patron of Ashaetili 17, Thubana Nobleman 2w2
Personality: Ambitous 5w, Dignified 1w, Commanding 19
Magic: Otherworld 3w
Followers: 4 Bodyguards 17

Bangs

The City Fair...
In order to get into the city (legally) they are going to need Ordandavesh's persmission. What are they willing to do to get it? He is going to be naturally inclined towards either Ashaetili (because of her backing) or the Lunar Wizard (because of his government job and the fact that they both are alumni of the Imperial Lunar College of Magic). But that doesn't mean someone else might not succeed at getting in with suitable.... "persuasion." (all)

The First Temptations
Yrsa Sevensdaughter is going to be hooking up with the local Aggarite underworld as soon as she arrives to see if she can find a way to sneak into the city or get information to implicate Ordandavesh. If Okamar hooks up with the underworld she could come looking for him and suggest that the two of them team up to find a way into the city. What will he do? Will he increase his chances to get into the city and remove the curse or will he go with his religion and his homeland and turn against her? If he does turn against her, will he risk angering the local underworld by turning her in or will he keep silent? (Okamar)

The Second Temptation
When Edasul the Scarlet sees the tomb robber's curse (Soul Vision) offers to see if he can help the tomb robber out. He also offers to let him stay in the temple while he is in town. The outer perimiter of the temple is defended and has an appropriate daimon to guard it. The priests trust in this guardian (and the tomb robber's cultic connections) and leaves him in the presence of valuable holy objects. What does the tomb robber do? (Okamar)

Father Knows Best
Khorkenus flips out over Calla secretly following him here from the family home. He orders her to return home immediately. Does she follow through with her "Daddy's" orders or does she go through with her desire to live life and travel? (Calla)

Family or Fate?
Natho Youngblood is interested in Barastaros's product and is willing to make a deal, but this will end up taking a week or two of contract negotiation, thus making him lose this window of oppurtunity in getting into the city. (Barastaros)

.... the Devil You Don't
Khorkenus finds out that Eronith is the reincarnation of Ranhar, and thus of even greater mythological resonance then his patron, Ashaeltili. He offers to use his (considerable) influence in order to help Eronith gain the position of King of Talastar. Does Eronith takes this and risk the dangers that come from allying with a powerful and influential Lunar nobleman? (Eronith)

Cult of Power
Ashaeltili has been having headaches ever since she passed beyond the Glowline. Without the full power of Zatrayana's influence here past life is becoming increasingly dominant, to the point where she is finding it difficult to concentrate on anything. Laboradach notices and approaches her, seeking to bring her into his cult. Does she take his offer and find a new way to resist her Fate despite the fact it involves initiating herself into the secret rites of a demon or does she let the headaches overwhelm her? (Ashaeltili)

In addition we will have the expected confrontation between Eronith and Ashaeltili once he recognizes her for who she is and insists she come with him.

I am still not quite sure what to do about the wizard for bangs. But I will hopefully have something by my game tonight. There are a few more bangs I could write for the relationship map based on what I have defined above but for tonight, at least, those bangs should suffice.

How does it look?

[doubtofbuddha]

Well, I ran the first session of the campaign.

It went reasonably well despite one of my players mysteriously deciding to walk out before we started playing.

I went through a few of the "bangs" but for one reason or another they failed to really grab at the PCs. They had fun but they didn't really seem to have any difficult decisions.

Oh well.

Hopefully, I will improve my design of bangs as play goes on and I begin to understand the player's characters a bit more.

As it stands it seems that I am mostly posting to myself now, so I am going to bring this thread to a close.