Group Three
First of all, warm welcome to the brave souls that have decided to join us on this endeavor! If you need the rulebook, it is located in the first page of this thread, along with the character sheet.
If you feel like there is a lot to take in, do not worry, we can adjust to the pace you need!
As mentioned before, this group is going to be focused on the landmark of Blood Sump, a place created during one of the previous chapters of our stories. You can find the origin story of Blood Sump below, as well as recommendations for your characters!
[ +- ] Origin story of Blood Sump
DOMAINS: Religion, Warren
DEFAULT STRESS: D4
HAUNTS: Snow-Drifting-On-Ice, aelfir shaman from the far north, happy to practice his faith in peace (Blood, D4)
LEADER: The Godseeker, also known as the Sump Demon
Originally called Sump Station, the Blood Sump used to be a Vermissian station, flooded at least waist-high once local ancient pumps stopped working. The flooding, and the number of hearstsblood creatures that made the brackish waters their home, caused the station to be abandoned, aside for the occasional delvers looking for vermissian treasure, many of whom found their grizzly demise in these parts.
The Church of The Hungry Deep, a nihilistic religion worshiping a nameless of decay, had to pass through here on a ritualistic pilgrimage, preparing to sacrifice an aelfir noblewoman.
A trio of delvers, with The Godseeker among them, ambushed the pilgrims here in order to save the lady. A bloody battle ensued, in which two faiths collided - the faith of the Hungry deep against the one of the Ancient gods, the highly illegal religion of The Godseeker.
When all seemed dire, Godseeker, originally an aelfir woman, became blessed by the Ancient gods and metamorphosed into a sacred entity, creating an opportunity for her comrades to flee and later on forcing the powerful leader of the Deepers to retreat.
The sacred metamorphosis inspired great many to dabble in the otherwise forbidden religion of the Ancient gods, and soon many new converts started flocking to the Blood Sump.
There will be no limitations upon your characters, they are bound only by a shared purpose: to see the Blood Sump flourish. For those seeking a spark of inspiration, consider these origin stories:
[ +- ] Inspiration for story seeds
1) A converted pilgrim of The Hungry Deep, whose faith was remolded by the Godseeker's transformation
2) Aelfir from the icy north, now openly venerating his deities amidst the Sump's followers
3) A grizzled mercenary, ready to make some coin providing the much needed protection
4) Eager historian, obsessed with the Sump's past, who feels destined to document its rising influence
5) A former member of a noble order, whose fall from grace leads them to seek redemption and purpose within the Sump's murky depths
6) A visionary architect, driven to reconstruct the Sump into a bastion for the Ancient gods' worshippers
7) A trader in rare artifacts, drawn to the Sump's mysteries and the potential wealth they conceal
8) Aelfir renegade, looking for sanctuary among those who would be also swiftly executed in the world above
9) Drow servant, following his master in here and obeying his commands
10) Gnoll spy, tasked with finding allies against the aelfir government
11) Drow minister, member of a terrorist organisation, looking for ways to sow dispute into the ranks of the aelfir
The Blood Sump had been around for a few weeks now and your characters may very much know each other! Feel free to establish connections pre-game, there is inspiration for it in the description of your callings.
The faith of the Ancient gods is the religion originally practiced by aelfir in their homelands to the far north. It became illegal when a rival faith of the Solar Pantheon became dominant and cast the "weak and powerless" aside. This also resulted in the aelfir military campaigns, in which they conquered much of the known world.
Not much is known about the Ancient gods because of this, and players are more than free to come up with their own deities that belong to the pantheon! Below are described the
Four Three Sisters, that have been mentioned in the game before:
[ +- ] The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters belong to the faith of the Ancient gods, and count among the myriad of deities of ranging power and influence that were worshiped in the frozen lands of the north.
Dedicated historians may be able to find shadowy allusions to a Fourth sister that does not have a name, but even thinking about that one feels blasphemous. She is in fact a powerful demon, granting her followers great power, along with misfortune and ruin.
The Cutter
The Cutter was worshiped as the goddess who severs the threads of life and destiny. In the unforgiving icy lands, she used to be invoked during the harshest winters and at the end of one's life. Her domain encompassed the ruthless, sometimes necessary, act of cutting away that which is no longer needed or sustainable.
The Weaver
Known for her intricate plans and complex designs, The Weaver was the goddess of craftsmen, architects, and scholars. In a society built underground, the domains of stonework, engineering, and the interconnectedness of underground tunnels and communities belonged to her only. She was also revered for her wisdom in connecting all things and ensuring the social fabric remained tight-knit.
The Spinner
The Spinner was seen as the goddess of beginnings and untapped potential. She presided over the thawing of ice, the promise of a new dawn, and the birth of new lives. In a constant cycle of freezing and thawing, darkness and brief daylight, The Spinner brought hope of renewal and change.
