[Banestorm] Rom's custom Banestorm

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

No offense intended, but you're combining existing material to suit your personal taste. What kind of activity were you expecting here beyond the 296 views and comments like "Yrth + DF? Yay!" or "Yrth + DF? Boo!" ...?

*Shrug* I'm open to constructive criticism or suggestions.

[PhoenixPaw]

It's been all good so far.
Keep it coming please. =)

[LoneWolf23k]

All right, this entry's going to be a bit short, but it's purpose is to set up a few future updates...

The Ministry of Serendipity (revised)

Officially, the Megalan Ministry of Serendipity is still a department of the Megalan Imperial Court charged with defending the Empire against threats from beyond Ytarria.

Unofficially, the Ministry has grown far beyond being a mere department of the Imperial Court, and has become a secret political entity in it's own right. It still continues to defend the Empire against threats from beyond, but it also routinely uses those threats it captures and contains to preserve it's own power.

It's definition of "threats to the Empire" is also rather broad, going beyond the elimination of firearms, advanced technologies and ideas anathema to Medievialism. They also track down and neutralize potentially disruptive creatures and magics, or just about anything that might drastically change the status quo on Yrth. Members of the Ministry believe this is a divinely ordained mission, and as such that they are justified to do whatever is necessary to accomplish it.

Let us emphasize this point: Whatever is Necessary.

The Ministry's focus is on recovery and containment of "dangerous" items before destruction, and newly acquired items are brought to a secured location for stockage and subsequent study to determine the capabilities and functions of said items. Often, this leads to the Ministry to learn how to use captured items for their own use; for instance, the acquisition of an actual, working Philosopher's stone has allowed the Ministry to completly stop depending on the Imperial Treasury for it's budget.

(more on the Ministry's workings and Agents in another post. need to rest my back.)

[LoneWolf23k]

The Ministry of Serendipity, cont...

The Minstry of Serendipity is under the authority of the Chancellor of Serendipity, and organised into three offices, each under the authority of a Captain who answer to the Chancellor. All four offices are for life. There are many Rumors about the current Chancellor, Lord Dunmar, ranging from the legitimacy of his birth, to the idea that he's been running the Ministry since it's foundation centuries ago, and he just changes his name every 25 years.

The Three offices are:

-The Office of Acquisition; it's members track down and capture anything brought to Yrth via Banestorms, as well as dig up and secure any disruptive items found to have developped on Yrth itself.

-The Office of Truth: This office is dedicated towards neutralizing dangerous concepts, such as Democracy, Communism or Industrialisation. It also serves as a Propaganda office of sorts, making such concepts seem unpleasant or outright demonic to the citizenry.

-The Office of Records: Maintains massive libraries of data concerning captured items and secured knowledge, as well as managing the prisons and storehouses where dangerous persons and items are held.

One such storehouse, which is known to the public in the form of legends and stories, is Dungeon 23, a large keep out in the wilderness where the Ministry keeps it's most precious items and it's most dangerous creatures, using the ones who secure the others...

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

One such storehouse, which is known to the public in the form of legends and stories, is Dungeon 23

Shouldn't that be Dungeon XXIII? ;)

[DoctorRomulus]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

Well, I've decided to try my hand at custom campaign creation, so I've decided on the following experiment.

I'm going to take GURPS Banestorm, and customize the setting to my tastes. This will include adding elements from some of my favorite Fantasy sourcebooks (both GURPS and other systems), and maybe other items as well.

..................................<snip>.. More to come later.

Have you considered adding maybe a bastion of technology somewhere. Kind of a sanctuary away from forces like the Ministry of Serendipity.

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by DoctorRomulus

Have you considered adding maybe a bastion of technology somewhere. Kind of a sanctuary away from forces like the Ministry of Serendipity.

Definetly a good idea. I've got some notions regarding something like that, after I've done with the Ministry...

And while I'm on that...

The Ministry and the Black Order

The Ministry of Serendipity has many agents at it's disposal, from the humblest of informants to the most hardened mercenaries it's coin can buy. But for it's most important assignments, the Ministry turns to it's finest.. The Agents of the Black Order.

Now, while the Ministry of Serendipity at least has an official presence in the Megalan government, the Black Order doesn't exist in any official record, and it's deeds are not written into any books. ...Not any books ever offered to the Emperor, at least. The Leaders of the Order, the mysterious Argus Council, have made sure of that.

The Black Order recruits from the four corners of the Empire; it takes the best of the best in a wide range of useful professions, from warriors and hunters to scholars and artificers, and brings them to it's hidden Academy, a training center built to resemble a humble Jesuit abbey, on one of the Ring Islands with Normal Mana. There, those recruits are put through the harshest ordeals the teachers can throw at them. The recieve a thorough education, capable of turning even the most brutish recruit into a Renaissance man, and a grueling physical training consisting of unbelievably challenging drills, most of which are extremely dangerous. Overall, only a half of any year's worth of recruits ever complete training to become a full Agent of the Order, a man (or woman) of great learning, capable of fighting the fiercest foes and overcoming the deadliest challenges.

The Order itself is divided into Four divisions, each with it's own focus. The Black Knights are the Order's elite warriors, trained in numerous fighting skills, both armed and unarmed. The Black Philosophers are the Order's scholars and alchemists, with a grasp of physical science nearly equal to that of a modern academecian. The Black Artificers are an Underground Engineer's worst nightmare: some of the most capable engineers and gadgeteers on Yrth, who turn their skill towards suppressing technology and hold a monopoly on it. Finally, the Black Heralds are the Order's spies and assassins, masters of disguise and subterfuge who can infiltrate the most well-defended forteresses, to steal secrets or lives.

The Order doesn't specifically look for Magical Aptitude as a prerequisite for recruitment, but will jump on the chance to recruit a suitable mage-born whenever one is found. Mage cadets are trained in the spells necessary for service in a division, and thus magically adept Agents range from mighty combat wizards to shadowy illusionists, in addition to the skills available to the average Agent.

Working in the deepest secrecy, the Black Agents use a wide variety of tools at their disposal, from blade to black magic, to enforce the ban on technology and the suppression of "dangerous ideas". There are currently around 800 Black Agents on duty; there would be more, where it not for the high standards of the Academy. Fortunetly, healing magic, especially the Regeneration spell, ensures that any Agent who survives a mission can return to active duty after a period of rest. The worst such case was the Black Knight Morgan Blackblade, who survived a battle with an elder Firedrake, losing three limbs and enduring third degree burns across most of his body. After two years of Regeneration spells, Healing potions and rehabilitation, he was back on his feet with no physical evidence of his past injuries, once again taking on missions. ...Before his death a year later at the hands of a a necromancer who sought to create an army of flesh-eating zombies.

[Crakkerjakk]

I vote for the dorfs! I think of the major powers, they'd be the most likely to embrace technology. Or the "boo magic" islamic nation (Al-Wazif?) I think that might actually better as it explains the hostility on several levels, beyond we're crusaders and they're muslims. But I dearly love my steam-driven dwarves.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Crakkerjakk

I vote for the dorfs! I think of the major powers, they'd be the most likely to embrace technology.

Me Too. If you want home-grown high tech in your Yrth at all (I generally don't, myself), putting it in Zarak where they have the seclusion, industrial base, long lifespans, and inclination for R&D is IMHO the most plausible option.

Originally Posted by Crakkerjakk

Or the "boo magic" islamic nation (Al-Wazif?)

Al-Haz persecutes the mages, Al-Wazif just signs them up for government work.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

The Ministry and the Black Order

Now you're cooking with gas. :)

Isn't 800 kind of a lot though? That's about what I'd picture for the entire operation, including the logistics people. If I was going to stick Black Ops in Banestorm to prop up the world-spanning Serendipiati, I'd probably call it 3-6 teams of 5: One for the PCs, one for their bitter rivals, and at least one to be sacrificed on the altar of Plot... The New Guys, The Seriously Weird Act, or the Cream of the Crop: "But they were the best of the best of the best!" "Yes - This is an interdimensional threat the likes of which we have never previously encountered!"