Backstory: Fuck Your PremiseRafal was never normal. Or rather, Rafal always believed that the entire world was abnormal. He did not like stories. He did not cheer when a heroic knight passed through the town; he did not boo when the villainous baron did so either. He was bullied frequently as a child, to which his parents responded by telling him that it would make for good backstory later in life. Rafal left his village at the tender age of 13, though not before luring his bullies deep into the woods and picking them off one by one with his father's crossbow.
Soon after leaving his village, Rafal was approached by an assassin, who offered him the chance to become his apprentice. Rafal shot him half way through the pitch.
Rafal had a goal, and that goal was not to become a simple villain. No. Killing strangers did not bother him, but it didn't bring him pleasure either. He wanted to kill stories.
The first step was to study them. So Rafal travelled the land for years, observing hundreds of stories great and small. He kept a journal, in which he recorded information about how they started, how they proceeded, and how they ended. Several times, the stories tried to draw him in, but his trusty crossbow kept him suitably disengaged.
The second step was to gain allies. One kid (or young man) with a crossbow couldn't do much. To this end, he travelled to Ravenwood, where the Witch Hunters fought an endless war with the local witches. Rafal, with his extensive notes on narrative structure, was able to lead them to victory against several powerful witches- sometimes at the expense of one or two sacrificial children, but the people of Ravenwood were used to making sacrifices.
For several years, Rafal worked with the Witch Hunters, gradually amassing power- but was eventually driven out of the province by an alliance of witches. Many Witch Hunters followed him, having grown fanatically loyal to his cause. Rafal and his followers travelled next to the Malabar Hills, where Rafal hoped to find a second set of allies.
Ogres- one of the oldest races in the world-, once a proud and prosperous people, had been driven into poverty and obscurity by successive generations of 'heroic' children stealing their treasures and murdering them. "The Boy Steals Ogre's Treasure" was one of the oldest stories in the world ((Trufax, look it up))- and Rafal would see it ended once and for all. He visited the mourning relatives of slain ogres, collected evidence, and systematically set about arresting and executing the thieves. At the same time, he taught ogres to immediately kill intruders, rather than attempt to fatten them up and cook them, and to properly secure their prized belongings.
The ogres quickly joined Rafal's cause, and with their considerable strength backing him up, alongside his ranks of fanatical Witch Hunters, he expanded his reach further, righting the injustices wrought by tyrannical Tales in other regions, building support year by year, until he judged the time was right, and announced the third step of his master plan: revolution. Though in truth Rafal did not particularly care about the plight of the masses, he had in his travels made note of the many people who suffered under the status quo, and judged that they would support him in his crusade.
He was right, of course. With agents in every province riling up crowds, Witch Hunters picking off notable opponents, and an army of ogres arrayed against any organised resistance, his victory was as predetermined as the outcome of any story.
Rafal crouched against the cliffside, clad in chainmail as the ogres shuffled along behind him. They had snuck past the gates as the previous flying patrol passed, and now stood less than 50 meters from their goal. The cargo gates stood close, with two black-plated guards wielding pikes on either side of the door. The cries of stymphs died out as the patrol finally swung past the arc of the mountain, and Rafal rushed the guards, pick in hand. The ogres followed, wearing stiff metal helms to stifle their angry roars as they charged. The ogres grasped the guards and crushed them against the wall with their short clubs. Rafal dug his pick out of the rightmost guard's skull, grunting with the effort, and quickly ran to open the bar on the doors, the Ogres throwing them open. The staff inside were still scrambling from the commotion outside, and the squad of Ogres made quick work of the assorted traders and caravan guards. Rushing ahead of the Ogres and forward through the inner doorway, Rafal ran into his contact, an average looking man in the livery of the dark knight.
Julian had grown up in the kingdom of _____, and had long wanted to become a knight serving his liege. He didn't make the cut, however, and had been polishing armor and cleaning the stymphs for several years now. There would be no storybook telling his exploits, a truly unjust reality. Rafal had given him a chance to break the premise, and now he was their guide to the Black Knight himself.
Beckoning the Ogres to follow, Rafal and Julian moved quickly through the hallways, battering aside the occasional guard and shoving servants into side rooms to clear the way for the half dozen ogres accompanying him. Quickly, they arrived at an ornamented wood and blackened steel door.
Rafal shouldered the door open, emerging into the Black Knight's audience chamber. The ruler himself was there, along with several prominent nobles and guards. Before any of the guards could close on him, Rafal strode forward and shouted, "I demand an audience!" The guards hesitated, and that was the opening. The ogres rushed, their superior bulk and strength bowling over the knights as they clashed, Rafal moving to face the Black Knight, who stood waiting with his sword drawn, deadly and battle ready. Rafal would never defeat him, even with a full dozen Ogres.
"Rafal. Why should I not end you and your ogre minions this instant?" came the deep voice beneath the iron helm.
Rafal drew his crossbow in smooth motion as the Black Knight spoke, and shot him in the foot, pinning it to the stone floor with a bodkin-tipped point. He reloaded, not looking at the intricate but familiar mechanism as Knights and Ogres fought and died around him, and replied, "Too long have you ruled this kingdom without care for those underfoot. You alone dared defy me and the rightful…"
Rafal shot the Black Knight in the other foot, dropping him to his knees, continuing, "...king of the Woods. You will be an excellent example. A pity it wasn't the Sheriff. Would have been more interesting."
A pained grunt came from under the helmet. "He will avenge me."
"He's welcome to try," Rafal said before he turned to help the Ogres defeat the last of the honor guard. Once the Black Knight was in chains, he moved to the balcony for some fresh air. The Camelot army was inside the walls now. Julian had done his job well. It was time for an execution.
Lore Bonus: Rafal the LevelerRafal is beloved by all who are typically disadvantaged in a fairy tale narrative - Ogres, Pirates, Powerful Nobles, Stepmothers, Merchants, and more. Also intensely disliked by plucky children and orphans, such as the Green Knight, but luckily, children don't hold political office.
It is now the design phase. You have one design action, one recruit action, and one revision. You also need to decide where to make your base. See core thread for details.Disgruntled Villains - a motley assortment of wronged pirates, bandits, and lawmen. Equipped with a variety of shoddy ranged and melee weapons. BYOS. (Bring your own sword)
Beings Cost - 1
Materials Cost - 0
Quantity - 50
Capital - Camelot
The capital of the woods, founded by King Arthur, Camelot is a city of humble stone buildings and wide streets lined with vendors, landmarked by the less than humble stone citadel where the king resides.
-Tales cannot start a base here
-Bookbinders can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Outlying Towns -
Jaunt Jolie - one of the Wood’s major port cities, and the conduit for the Wonderland trade, Jaunt Jolie has a long history of rough pirate bars, fabulous merchant kings, and stacks and stacks of both rats and money. Home to the descendents of peter pan and captain hook (the originals are still nowhere to be found).
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting (Maritime) +1
Foxwood - a simple wooded town, sleepy and quiet. Nobody makes trouble here, lest the trees complain and put them in an extended coma. As such, many retired heroes and villains live in harmony, and the Bookbinders dont consider this area a threat. Rumors are that Rumplestiltskin keeps a summer home here.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Disturb the locals and the woods at your own risk
The Stymph Forest - not a kingdom, but rather a no man’s land, this dead wood borders both Bloodbrook and Foxwood, and is home to the skeletal “birds” called Stymphs. Luckily, most kingdoms have developed measures against the occasional murder passing by, but their chilling calls are still feared by all. The trees are fireproof, too.
-Both factions can start a base here
-The vinepath doesn't run here, so movement is slower
-Aboveground movement at risk of Stymph attacks
Bloodbrook - a dark forested swamp, this area is home to thieves, bandits, having separated from Sherwood Forest some time ago. This schism also took most of the werewolves with them, adding competition for optimal hideouts. A bandit king still rules this area, having joined with the Bookbinders after seeing what happened to the Black Knight.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Sherwood Forest - a shady, forested wood with endless creeks, streams, and lakes, this forest is home to nymphs and spirits of all sorts, as well as some brave and questionably noble thieves. It’s also home to Nottingham, one of the larger cities in the south. The current sheriff of Nottingham is actually descended from Robin Hood, but has thrown his lot in with the Bookbinders as well.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Malabar Hills - hilly lowlands in the foothills of the Bloodtooth mountains, the hills are home to a variety of swamps and thickly shrubbed moors. It’s widely suspected that ogres live here, but it’s hard to tell, since most people who actually decide to live here build rickety castles with lightning rods and keep to themselves.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
The Ruined Estate - unoccupied other than a few escapees from justice and desperate souls, these cursed grounds are home to a ruined castle, with twin, ornate spires and a wild, dangerous wood. It’s rumored that the great queen Belle’s husband once lived here, though that was long ago.
-Neither faction can start a base here
-Cursed lands discourage all travellers, come here at your own risk
Kingdom Kyrgios - founded by the Sultan Shahryār, this kingdom borders a desert that stretches as far as the eye can see, and is a major trading port with several kingdoms within and across the desert. A city full of wonderful smells and bustling traders, it’s one of the kingdom’s financial centers. Used to be home to many gnomes, who now work in goldsmithing shops.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Borna Coric - the kingdom of the Bloodtooth mountains, the knights of borna coric have actually tamed Stymphs using their dark magic, led by the formidable Black Knight, and his son, the Green Knight. A militant, isolationist kingdom, they nevertheless fell to the Bookbinders early on in a coordinated assault, and now the Black Knight lies dead, executed for treason. Home to many dwarves.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Maidenvale - elegant forests and steep valleys define maidenvale, which sits near the foothills of the Bloodtooth mountains. While dragons sleeping in caves and coming down from their mountain lairs have always been a concern, the magic of the elves has ensured this kingdom has been a training ground for heroes for centuries, with notable heroes such as Briar Rose, Snow White, and Cinderella emerging here.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Ravenwood - on the other side of the Bloodtooth mountains lies Ravenwood, Maidenvale’s opposite. Maleficent ruled here once, and the witches of Ravenwood are not to be trifled with. The lord inquisitor only maintains tenuous control here - but the Tales themselves dare not tread either. Notable for the witch hunters Hansel and Gretel, whose extended family now lead up much of the Bookbinders.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Distrustful locals
Avalon - the birthplace of both King Arthur and the Black Knight, this kingdom is renowned for its chivalry and pride. While there are murmurs of discontent, it’s proud stone walls stand tall and quiet.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus
Author
Topic: Fight for the Woods - Bookbinders (Read 3806 times)