I'm thinking we could either focus on the communal aspect of Bay 12, with maybe a sea creature of some kind, or something related to (more or less) receptive harbours, and trade, interaction between distant shores, or we could focus more on Dwarf Fortressy side of things. I'm thinking a primal of artifice, a statue that accepts offerings of blood and bones, flesh, alcohol, precious stones, weapons... primal things that we fought for, that we made for killing, that we created. The blood of creation. I would also quote something to set the mood for what I thought, from Tibullus:
WHO was the first that forg'd the deadly blade?
Of rugged steel his savage soul was made:
By him, his bloody flag ambition wav'd;
And grisly carnage through the battle rav'd.
Yet wherefore blame him? we're ourselves to blame;
Arms first were forg'd to kill t he savage game:
Death-dealing battles were unknown of old;
Death-dealing battles took their rise from gold
The (Fallen?) Primal of Artifice
Image: A tall, dark, foreboding statue before whom sacrifices are strewn about, bowls of blood, swords, bones, gold, et cetera.
Power: With great industry and sacrifice, its power can be used to craft horrifying weapons. It will also increase industry at the cost of some increased unrest.
Campaign effects:
Alliance's aims: A sufficiently desperate or brave/foolhardy hero gains a weapon. The alliance strives to create a powerful yet relatively safe weapon, and ideally (I don't know the limits of this campaign) the agent can try and interfere with this process, either corrupting it to a degree or another, or...
Agent's overwhelming victory: The newly crafted weapon is taken by the now-animate primal, who will become an asset for evil forces.
A primal of Artifice would be perfect!
Personally though I think it should just change what kind of artifact it produces, not animate it... if your agents succeed, it creates horrible things? Lots of room for dwarf fortress shinanigans!
I really like this idea, though I think the power should be something more unique than just increasing industry. Crafting a weapon sounds good, but what sort of weapon(s), with what sort of powers? Really powerful ones, I assume, but something thematically appropriate. A blade that grows in power with every life it takes? A spear that spreads a weakening corruption in metal it touches? There could be an option to have it craft an army too, or a siege engine special unit.
Or it could be something Coaxmetal-ly, a sentient, genocidal siege engine that can be awakened and harnessed by the forces of darkness (or maybe really desperate heroes). Or unleashed to wreak havoc and attack everything it sees.
On the other hand, I like the undying elf king too, particularily the redemption angle for the alliance victory. There's so much corruption and morally grey desperation here, redeeming and curing someone to the side of good has an appeal.
It's true, I was very much unsure about the powers myself. I do like the crafting of weapons and the corrupting of that process, so that ought to stay in this idea. I think it's a neat parallel to the moods in Dwarf Fortress. Perhaps that ought to be the power the Primal has, and the campaign could be around the unrest, or rather the effects of artifice, both its product and its process.
The different sides would seek to control the violence of the statue, of the craft, not just through the weapons it can inspire to be crafted, but through the worship it possibly produces. Like any government. It ought to have something "primal" to it, however, so it's not too prosaic. Something fell. Let us try.
WHO was the first that forg'd the deadly blade?
Of rugged steel his savage soul was made:
By him, his bloody flag ambition wav'd;
And grisly carnage through the battle rav'd.
Yet wherefore blame him? we're ourselves to blame;
Arms first were forg'd to kill t he savage game:
Death-dealing battles were unknown of old;
Death-dealing battles took their rise from gold
Image: A tall, dark, foreboding statue before whom sacrifices are strewn about, bowls of blood, swords, bones, gold, et cetera.
Power: With incredible industry and sacrifice, with great despair or even greater bravery, its power can be used to craft horrifying weapons. This process can be influenced by that which sleeps, producing corruptive weaponry.
Campaign effects
Alliance overwhelming victory: The ancient cult around the statue is totally eliminated, and replaced by controlled worship. Powerful arms are created for the soldiery, and the soldiery is inspired to measured and purposeful acts against any threats to order. Those with violent inclinations are as if guided towards the [state's] military, bolstering ranks and reducing unrest.
Agent overwhelming victory: Not only is the ancient cult now stronger than ever since the primal times, the military of the [state] has been deeply influenced, mastered by the implements they themselves sought to master. This army, headed by the cult, constituted of the fanatical and the professional, the rabble and the military, now seeks to expand its might and the faith.
Author
Topic: That which sleeps- Kickstarted! (Read 368286 times)