Tag: group
House Du’Orlok (martial mages of the Riverdans)
Posted on November 8, 2021 in Steel-Realms
The existence of House Du’Orlok is shrouded in absolute secrecy. Hiding right under the nose of House Malor of Dunstrand, it is a secret order serving a branch of the ruling line of the Riverdan of Monaides. Over time, an aura of “normalcy” surrounds their home, and it is remote and technically off limits to House Malor being in the Riverdans. They are known as militant mages – conjuring mystical weapons and armors, blowing things up, summoning creatures to do their bidding in support of protecting the Riverdan of Monaides, and trusted to be employed in secret by rulers of other Riverdans. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
Those who formed the House Du’Orlok are a countering force to House Malor in Dunstrand. The members of House Malor suspect the presence of these high art practitioners, but have not been able to prove anything – and even so, mostly ignore them as long as they stay in the Riverdans. They have a loose partnership with the magi of the Tower of the Cloud Gazers to the south.
The magi of the order generally wear armor, carry a wizard’s blade (slim sword/rapier), and some are known to use a shield. They have no known symbol, color, or ornaments – they work in secret as much as possible and do not advertise themselves.
Places of the Order
Basterson’s Mill
Orlok Keep
About/Chronicle of House Du’Orlok
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Members of the order present themselves as conjurers, wielders of magical power made manifest in the material.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
Thought to be exterminated as part of the Purge of the Hidden, the remainder of their order chose to go underground but found a means of living. Those who would not abide by its tenets were killed. A few individuals are thought to have survived and fled into the deep north. One order changed its ways, adopted a new Patron and continued on, marrying into the family that ruled Riverdan of Monaides.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
Ehrameine The Promiser bargained with a great entity of Order in a place beyond the stars called the Fortress of One. In return for an everlasting expression of lawfulness and order and to promote such things, her bloodline was gifted with its power of the Aether Storm. A ritual would awaken it to be developed in any that possessed it, or it could be taught by a blood relation bound to it that could already practice its gifts. To abandon it is to kill the spark; it requires a major ritual to re-awaken. This ritual has multiple copies kept in Tower of the Stag and Basterson’s Mill – but none are allowed to leave the confines of the warded room they are in, in Orlok Keep.
All characts must replace one of their languages with “Wizard’s Masque” – they appear to employ low magic means and mask the presence of their high art capability. It can be scrutinized, unless a character gives up a full skill proficiency.
Tradition of Baelwaef (Gaernian)
Posted on October 13, 2021 in Steel-Realms
Gaernian order/brotherhood – there is only one. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
Fortune’s Pall = Mana Delve
Cults, Orders and Sects of Aerna (Tender of Hearth and Home)
Posted on October 3, 2021 in Steel-Realms
The Tender of Hearth and Home
– This is the dominant order of the faith. It has common Group/Institution elements.
Cleric, Paladin – These are archetypes dedicated to serving and representing the faith in iconic roles as part of their function; Others may be available as Followers at GM discretion – serving as institutional officers, community officers, or simply through Conviction and shared liturgical beliefs.
The Common Face of Faith: Like most Faiths of the Steel Realms, there may be a multitude of denominations that make up Cults, Orders and Sects of Aerna. These share the common Workings of Faith, promoting worship to prove the truth of the Divine Principal's ideals and tenets, and allow Followers a means to prove worthy to wield power and secure a place in the promised afterlife. Aerna has a Dominant Presentation of their faith, clergy, and institutions that the folk of the realms look to.
In addition to their own specific elements of faith, they embrace all the shared elements of the Unified Pantheon of Lightbringers (except where directly contravened).
Options for PC’s in the Steel Realms
i20™ Faith Details
Clerics in service to the faith have the callings (subclasses) of Light, Life, Order, and Peace. NEVER War or Tempest; Others may be available at GM discretion or through other cults, sect, or orders. Paladins in service to the faith have the callings (subclasses) of Ancients and Devotion; Others may be available at GM discretion or through other cults, sect, or orders.
iCore™ Faith Details
Aspects Known/Common Associations
Major Aspects: ; These are common knowledge; Other aspects/symbols/emblems may vary by specific sect/cult or institution.
Minor Aspects:
Symbolized Role(s) and Value(s):
Emblem:
Sacred Observances: (These are reflected in the faith’s General Liturgy.)
- Sacred Events: [Sacrosanct festivals and milestone celebrations] >
- Sacred Places: [Sacrosanct locations and Pilgrimage sites] >
- Sacred Dates/Days: [Sacrosanct times of the year, recurring days of celebration or rest] >
- Sacred Times: [Sacrosanct period of a day, week, month, season, or year in a cycle] >
- Sacred Life: [Sacrosanct plants, animals, monsters, and entities] >
- Sacred Forms: [Sacrosanct colors, shapes, material (minerals, fabric, etc. )] >
- Sacred Works: [Sacrosanct documents, books, jobs/activities] >
- Sacred Items: [Sacrosanct utensils, tools, machines, clothes, armaments] >
- Sacred Armor/Defenses:
- Sacred Weapon/Offenses: Elementary Divine Weapons use the common reference from the reliquary.
Pilgrimages and Sacred Places/Places:
Followers of the Faith
Favored Followers:
For for information on Roleplaying a character of faith, see the Divine Follower guidelines.
Expectations & Obligations: Good Standing in relation to their faith’s tenets reflected in Liturgical Observations tenets. Nominally, the Tenets of the General Liturgy are followed by the Laity of Congregations and those of higher Grace and the few Institutional Ranks alike.
Belief Made Manifest – Beyond the General Litany
- Shared Litany Tenets:
- Abiding Litany Tenets:
- Combat Exclusion:
Manifestation and Favor
Connexion Range = Varies (enhanced through the Rite of Offering) > Conviction Limits = None; Elan Building is allowed (if used).Armaments of the Faithful: Typical Elemental Divine Weapons; More powerful Magic/Mystic items are typically Singularly Bound if not Institutionally Bound.
- Average:
- Major:
- Extraordinary:
Afterlife: The afterlife promised to the followers of light is the Home of the Safe Hearth.
Cults, Orders, and Sects of the Ascended Celestials
Posted on August 2, 2021 in Steel-Realms
Steel Realm Celestines
These creatures are from another realm entirely, and came to Helca long ago as part of their ascension into Higher Order beings.
Common Properties
The modern age is heavily defined by the clash of faiths in the “Affray of Darkness and Light” in which they play a significant part.
Common Powers
- Wings of Ra: The aura of a Celestine was a golden aura that took the shape of wings and glowed with the power of the sun. It heated the area around them, but also bathed the area in radiation – affecting friend and foe alike (though not them). This aura was recharged through direct exposure to a yellow or red sun. The foundations of the Cloak of Stars is based on this.
Common Rites of the Faith
Loyal Order of Whelm the Protector
Posted on June 16, 2021 in Steel-Realms
The Loyal Order of Whelm the Protector is a knightly order of the Steel Realms.
This order had adopted the use of Crown Tags for identification.