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Elven Empire Quest (CK2)

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The Eternal Empire, Anathros, is in decline. Centuries of stewardship by an ailing empress has brought low the era of Elven dominance. The luxuries once exported by the hinterland territories are now exported by encroaching Human kingdoms, and the damage wrought by the Reckoning has only just begun to heal. Will you return the Empire to Glory?
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    • Powerofmind

    Powerofmind

    In Madness Fallen
    Location
    United States
    This quest is a very old original idea I once had, and with the end of the semester and actual free time, I found myself wanting to polish it up and use it to get my mind used to writing again.

    Four hundred and seventy three years ago, Beren, the first and last Emperor of Elvenkind, drew the ire of the gods. A just and compassionate man, it is not known how, nor why such could have come to pass, but the result, the Reckoning, is a stain that has remained upon the Earth ever since. Hundreds of thousands of miles of blasted desert and dead wastelands, spanning the vast majority of imperial lands, were left in the wake of the Emperor's passing, and worse still was the damage wrought upon the Elves themselves. Once a populous and hardy race, their numbers were brought low in the blast, and the survivors have been far less fertile than their forefathers past.

    The hinterlands which once were burgeoning communities became overrun with the ancestors of Humans, and the colonists, desperate and forgotten in the crisis, mingled with them, and elevated them from base creatures to the petty kings they are today. The Dwarves, ever cautious, ever deliberate, have shut themselves off from the Empire. In all the corners of world, Elves decline. However...

    [] Five hundred and eighty two years ago, you were born.
    [] Four hundred and seventy years ago, you were born.

    Daughter of the Empress, Heir to Empire. You represent the end of half a millennium of decay and decimation. And after centuries of persistence and a sorrowful half-life, Mother is dying. It is your time to rise.

    The Imperial Daughter Aldagard is driven, powerful in magic, and has made great strides in understanding the cause of the Elven plight. Unfortunately, spending decades researching in the Manawastes has driven her slightly mad. As a consequence of this, among other things, the Empress has not seen fit to show her as much favor as her younger sibling.
    The Imperial Daughter Eris is gracious, caring, and pious. She is much beloved by Elvendom, and is heralded as a saint. She has remained in the Imperial Palace for much of her life, and the Empress shows her favor.
     
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    Notable Figures
  • Informational
    • Touched by Alindis - Aldegard is at the pinnacle of reason and numbers. +12 Stewardship, +6 Arcana, +3 Learning, -3 Martial

    Personality Traits:
    Ambitious - Aldegard is driven to success and status. Improves chance of gaining skill points.
    Arrogant - Aldegard is keenly aware of her superior position, and self-assured in deserving it. Gain Diplomacy as Prestige increases.
    Ruthless - Aldegard is brutal and pragmatic in the extreme. +3 Intrigue, -3 Diplomacy, May use any scheme against any character.

    Genetic Traits:
    Sylvan Beauty - Aldegard is an Elf, a supernaturally beautiful race blessed by the god of the Elves, Sylvas.
    Genius - Aldegard is possessed of almost supernatural intellect and capacity to learn. +5 to all non-magic skills, +3 to all magic skills, improves chance of gaining skill points.

    Other Traits:
    Magical Expertise III - Aldegard is an exceptional spellcaster. +6 Arcana, Forma, and Incanti.
    Scholar - Aldegard is a talented scholar and researcher. Improves all research attempts, and improves gained development in her domain.
    Wastemarked - Aldegard is afflicted by a mostly-benign reaction to overexposure to mana, an ashen complexion and disconcertingly bright eyes. -4 Lux, Elves find this less attractive, other races find it exotic.
    Mental Resilience - Less prone to outbursts when overstressed.
    Mortal Adoration - Lovers will sometimes sacrifice themselves to protect you from assassination.

    Relationships:
    Mother - Mava of Anathros - Weak
    Sister - Eris of Anathros - Weak
    Son - Logon of Anathros - Strong
    Several lesser lovers of little note - Adoration
    Lover - Valerian, Steward of Everlake - Adoration
    Lover - Shiel, Lowborn - Adoration
    Lover - Ethaem, Imperial Assessor - Adoration

    Skills:
    Diplomacy 23 - Aldegard is a passionate orator and a skilled conversationalist.
    Martial 20 - Aldegard has some mastery of war.
    Stewardship 33 - Aldegard is a savant of administration and management.
    Intrigue 23 - Aldegard is exceedingly capable of manipulating the threads of social contract.
    Discipline 17 - Aldegard shows great restraint and forethought.

    Prowess 19 - Aldegard is capable in a fight, but hardly a champion.

    Incanti 13 - Aldegard is very skilled in the use of the magic spoken.
    Forma 14 - Aldegard is very skilled in the use of the magic physical.
    Arcana 17 - Aldegard is a burgeoning peer of the capital's High Arcanists in the magic formulaic.
    Sanguis 16 - Aldegard has mastered the dreaded magic vital.
    Lux 5 - Aldegard is capable of some of the magic spiritual.
    Temporary Modifiers:

    Notable Possessions:
    Unspecified amount of wealth and coin, useless in the frontier

    Summoned or Crafted Beings:
    Vetrix the Foul-Tongued

    Dedication:
    Scholarship and Knowledge - Can give associated traits, sometimes triggers skill point checks

    Touched by Aelin - Eris is at the pinnacle of personal discipline and piety. +12 Discipline, +6 Lux, +3 Diplomacy, -3 Intrigue

    Personality Traits:
    Calm - Eris is stable and level-headed. Reduced stress, and less likely to succumb to panicked decision-making.
    Forgiving - Eris does not hold grudges, and has faith in others. Less annoyed by vices, which makes characters have higher opinion of her.
    Compassionate - Eris is keenly aware of the lives of others. Certain intrigue actions are restricted, other characters have higher opinion of her.

    Genetic Traits:
    Sylvan Beauty - Eris is an Elf, a supernaturally beautiful race blessed by the god of the Elves, Sylvas.
    Hale - Eris is healthy and strong of body. Less likely to succumb to illness or suffer injury. As an Elf, her longer lifespan is hardly noticeable.

    Other Traits:
    Clerical Expertise III - Eris is an exceptional channeler. +6 Lux, Forma, and Incanti.
    Saint - Eris is a true saint. Improves spiritual interactions, and healing spells are enhanced.

    Relationships:
    Mother - Mava of Anathros - Strong
    Sister - Aldegard of Anathros - Weak
    Nephew - Logon of Anathros - Average
    Several lesser friends of little note - Average
    Close Friend - Gallin, Highmost Priest of Sylvas - Strong
    Courtship - Eddilam, Lord of the Third Legion of Anathros - Strong

    Skills:
    Diplomacy 31 - Eris is a supremely gifted speaker.
    Martial 12 - Eris knows only a passable amount of warfare.
    Stewardship 22 - Eris is well-talented in management of a realm.
    Intrigue 6 - Eris is virtually incapable of subterfuge.
    Discipline 35 - Eris is a paragon of enlightenment and personal excellence of spirit.

    Prowess 15 - Eris can hold her own, against a Human.

    Incanti 15 - Eris is very skilled in the use of the magic spoken.
    Forma 12 - Eris is quite skilled in the magic physical.
    Arcana 9 - Eris is quite capable in the magic formulaic.
    Sanguis 0 - Eris refuses to stain her hands with the magic vital.
    Lux 18 - Eris is counted among the High Channelers of the magic spiritual.

    Touched by Vethail - Logon is blessed with supernatural military skill. +12 Martial, +8 Prowess, +3 Forma, -3 Diplomacy

    Personality Traits:
    Impatient - Logon is unwilling to wait for success, and is impulsive, for an elf. He may force tasks to complete faster, but their quality will be reduced.
    Diligent - Logon is conscientious, capable, and exacting. He is less likely to fail any task, but takes longer to complete them.
    Compassionate - Logon is keenly aware of the lives of others. Certain intrigue actions are restricted, other characters have higher opinion of him.

    Genetic Traits:
    Sylvan Beauty - Logon is an Elf, a supernaturally beautiful race blessed by the god of the Elves, Sylvas.
    Genius - Logon is possessed of almost supernatural intellect and capacity to learn. +5 to all non-magic skills, +3 to all magic skills, improves chance of gaining skill points.
    Hale - Logon is healthy and strong of body. Less likely to succumb to illness or suffer injury. As an Elf, his longer lifespan is hardly noticeable.

    Other Traits:
    Son of Venar - Logon's blood ties with the father are considered non-existent, preventing hooks or secrets through parentage. Some elves find this distasteful.

    Relationships:
    Mother - Aldegard of Anathros - Strong
    Grandmother - Mava of Anathros - Weak
    Aunt - Eris of Anathros - Average

    Skills:
    Diplomacy 23
    Martial 42
    Stewardship 15
    Intrigue 6
    Discipline 10

    Prowess 36

    Incanti 5
    Forma 7
    Arcana 4
    Sanguis 3
    Lux 3
     
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  • Informational
    • The Empire
  • Informational


    • Anathros, the Eternal Empire - First and last nation of the Elves, may it shine another two thousand years.

    The Manawastes - Formerly the eastern hinterlands of the Empire, the Manawastes are both inhospitable and strangely wonderful, a region filled with death, but brimming with mana, powerful spirits, and the potential for life.

    Wandering Tribes - A land of human horselords and herdsmen, the Wandering Tribes have ever been peaceful and avoidant of the Empire.

    Haven Isles - A home for pirates and free traders of all races, the Haven Isles are a mess of small republics and autocrats.

    Feran - The dense jungles of the southern continent are mostly unexplored, though a race similar to the Dwarves home there.

    Saex - Formerly the western colonies of the Empire, the human kingdom of Saex is rife with Half-Elfbloods. Feeling themselves the rightful usurper of the Empire, they are consistent in their encroachment, and the Empress has not had the will to deny them.

    Petty Kingdoms of Man - The other kingdoms of Men on the continent have their share of Half-Elfbloods, but they are limited in number, and the superstition of the many kingdoms see them culled from time to time. They are of little note and barbaric in their ways.

    Markarlands - The Markar are a half-breed race of Man and Dwarf, stubborn, ill-tempered, and ill-disciplined, they conduct raids on all around them, from their dreary and cold homes in the north.

    The Dwarflands - The Dwarves home mountains, where they live in solitude and isolation from outsiders. Their use of unusual mechanical devices is a thing of storied myth.

    ALDEGARD'S HOLDINGS AND COMMANDS
    Population: ~3000, consuming ~30 units of food per anum
    Food stored: 88 units
    EU (Economic Units): 3
    Free Labor: ~2900
    Mage Labor: ~100

    Facilities:
    Walls and Ditches (T2): Provides an automatic success in defense per tier against enemies lacking siege equipment
    Scrier's Tower (50 Mage Laborers - Walled): Provides automatic detection of most activity in the region around the settlement, and direct contact with other such towers
    Simple Farms (T1 - 100 Laborers): Provides between 3 and 12 units of food annually, strongly trending towards the middle of the range
    Tent City (T3 - Sprawl): Provides simple housing for about 3000 people
    Colonial Administration (T1 - Walled): Provides 1 EU annually, as well as enabling more efficient use of labor
     
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  • Informational
    • Other Information
  • Informational
    • The Five Magics
    The Five Magics are inherent in most races to a limited degree, often to exclusive specialty. Dwarves are innately gifted with Forma, for example, and Humans, at least, those not of the kingdom of Saex, were originally gifted in Incanti. Elves have, since time immemorial, been equally capable of all five magics, and with enough centuries, have been known to exceed even the greatest natural masters of the other races.

    First is the matter of scale. A skill level between 0 and 5 is considered barely enough to perform simple cantrips of the associated magic, if that. From 5 to 10, a mage can perform some small feats in short bursts, such as simple mending or as elite soldiery. Up to 15, a mage can perform larger, more impressive feats, or use their abilities in esoteric ways, even to combine magics. Outside of racial talent, few non-elves ever achieve anything greater than this. Surpassing level 15 is often the work of centuries for dedicated mages, or a blessing of extraordinary talent. Uniquely, those settlers of the Manawastes have a much greater capacity for magic and an easier time learning it, which is probably the only good thing about the region.

    The magic of Incanti is the magic of words, and of ascribing meaning to things. Most Incanti spells are suited to enchantment of people and objects, and are equally split between runic and spoken words. They are relatively simple for the most part, typically individual words of power or runic symbols, though masters can string together chains of powerful words for extreme effects. Generally, Incanti is considered a base magic by the Elves, not in small part due to the natural Human mastery of it.

    The magic of Forma is the magic of physicality and corporeality. Most Forma spells are naturally inclined towards transmutation and manipulation of the physical world, and the physical elements of earth, water, and air are often ascribed to them, but there is more nuance to Forma than the raw elements. While difficult and a relatively niche specialty, Lifeshapers require significant skill in Forma to enact healing or growth of land or people. Dwarves are known to possess natural affinity to Forma, being a very grounded and physical race.

    The magic of Arcana is the magic of logic and formula. Most Arcana spells are inclined towards long-term or far-ranging effects, due to the ability of the self-maintaining spell formulas to propagate over great distances. They are complex and require a strong understanding of mathematics, as well as an inclination to precision. The energetic elements of fire, cold, and lightning are the easiest to manipulate through Arcana. The strange, dwarf-like race of the southern continent is known for a connection to the magic.

    The magic of Sanguis is the magic of vital energy and base emotion. The public perception of Sanguis spells ranges from shameful to criminal among the communities of the world, since very few have ever been discovered that do not have a detrimental effect to the vital spirit of either the caster or their victim. Necromancy, the spawning of ghosts and other vengeful spirits, and demons have known connections to the use of Sanguis. However, a skilled practitioner can benefit greatly from the amount of power it provides, so long as they can find someone to shoulder the burden of it. Demons, when they can enter the material world, are known to use Sanguis, as are the greater undead capable of magic.

    The magic of Lux is the magic of the gods and spirits, and of the pure expression of will. Lux magic allows it's user to channel divine powers and domains without the aid of dedicated priests or godly favor, though the latter still helps, as well as many forms of protection and defense. Lux mages are also capable of crafting or calling upon spirits, creatures of energy that can be used for a number of purposes and have very alien minds, if they possess a mind at all. The Divines, and greater spirits of the world, are the progenitors of Lux, and their existence as beings of will and thought grant them greater understanding of it than most races.
     
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  • Informational
    • [X] Five hundred and eighty two years ago, you were born.

    Make sure to get a good relationship with the sister, and this has no implication that we need to become the empress.

    We can be an adviser etc.
     
    [X] Four hundred and seventy years ago, you were born.
     
    [X] Four hundred and seventy years ago, you were born.

    Let's avoid the sins of our forefathers.
     
    [X] Four hundred and seventy years ago, you were born.

    Hoping that the younger sister will lead to a more intrigue focused gameplay.
     
    It was not quite formatted as I wanted at the time, but the initial character sheets are prepared. I had always intended to allow their use in decision-making, but I wanted them to be cleaned up first from ages ago. Check Notable Characters for their stat-lines.
     
    [X] Four hundred and seventy years ago, you were born.
     
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    Hell yeah! An elf quest in a sea of dwarfs.

    Nothing about the prologue states we need to become a leader, and I personally find being a badass bookworm to be a more enjoyable concept.

    [x] Five hundred and eighty two years ago, you were born.
     
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