In Courts of Glass and Bone

[Grey]

Had a thought for an RP where the players are Courtiers to a powerful Fae Noble. I'd have to work out which once based on the desires of the players, but the idea would be to advance the ambitions of the Noble, and the characters' own motives amid all the intrigues, feuding, and magical weirdness of the Fae realms.


It'd use Crucible, and be in the Dark Age setting. There's some prep stuff here which might paint a clearer picture.

 

[Cirno]

*stares intently*


Hrm. How well are player-characters expected to get along? Would they be under the same Noble?

 

[Bardiel]

Working under the same noble may help give some cohesion, in terms of a central plot to advance, while still leaving room for personal machinations.

 

[Grey]

It is intended that all players serve the same noble, but they don't have to get along very well.

 

[Bardiel]

A question on Aspects:

Spoiler

Fae are comprised of Aspects, up to a limit of 10, each Aspect rated 1 - 5.


Nobles have 10 points of Aspects, Courtiers 6-8, and Commoners have 1-5.


Each Aspect point confers 10 points of Gossamer.

If Courtiers usually have between 6-8 Aspects, does this mean e.g. 7 distinct Aspects of differing rating, or a pool with a 1:1 cost at creation?


For example: Courtier Talion, has a 3 point Aspect of The Fire of Vengeance, a 2 point Aspect of Corpse Cold, an 1 point Aspect of Timekeeping and an 1 point Aspect of Patience, with a total reserve of 70 Gossamer.

 

[Grey]

Courtier Talion's Aspects are bit of a mish-mash, but otherwise that's accurate.

 

[Bardiel]

Okay, good to know works like that. It was an on-the-spot example waiting for a "Dish Best Served Cold", so a mish-mash is unsurprising.

 

[Dusky]

Which Noble would we be serving?


And are five-point aspects limited to Nobles? I ask out of curiosity, definitely not gonna put all my eggs in one basket. Because I never do that. Ever.

 

[Grey]

I'll work out the noble with you guys. You tell me the broad strokes of characters you want, the realm you want to inhabit, and we'll hammer something out.


Nobles aren't limited to five-point Aspects, but are by far the most likely to have them.

 

[Dusky]

So, hypothetically speaking.


Hypothetically speaking, if someone wanted to play a creature of systems, and order, and binary code - a calculating, detached mind - a heart which carries out its intended functions, far too efficient for passions - a worldview which sees 1.923 x 10^783 ways in which the world could be optimized (rounded down) and intends to systematically address each with logically perfect methods - a vision of the realm as a machine so perfect oil and grease become obsolete - hypothetically speaking, if someone wanted to play a wealth of information, a computer which has mastered the art of analyzing variables and removing outliers, a Faery who understands statistics and is disinclined to even consider the possibility that numbers lie -


Hypothetically speaking, if someone wanted to play such a character, how might that fit into our good Historian's view of the Fair Folk and their realms?

 

[Bardiel]

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[Grey]

With some effort and tweaking. Perhaps not precisely aligned with what I was aiming for this time around. Still, what do other prospectives think of the idea?

 

[Dusky]

Damn - I shall shelf this one, then.


I am far from lacking other ideas.

 

[Bardiel]

What is the relationship thematically between the Noble and their however many Courtiers? Are there Pacts of Loyalty or something similar? Would the game be more so in Fae realms or interactions in the mortal one?

 

[Grey]

A dominant Aspect of the Courtier will usually match or strongly relate to the Noble's Aspects. There are Pacts and Loyalties - a Pact is a temporary arrangement made between any two Fae, so a Noble might have some rather mercenary Courtiers, but a Loyalty is intrinsic and almost unbreakable. Courtiers functionally created by their Noble - and this is the case for a lot of them - are inherently Loyal in that they cannot leave their service nor directly betray them. Breaking a Loyalty usually involves a dramatic act and equally dramatic shift in Aspects.

 

[KisaAmora]

I have a questions. So the Nobles and Courtiers are Fey. (Well the Noble is Fey, the Courtier are Elves...but you get my drift.) If we have a Courtier, that let's says...collects human children for their "family" like Rumplstiltskin. Could we also have a sub-character that is the Courtier's current "favorite" child. That plays out whatever their "parent" tells them to.

 

[Dusky]

@KisaAmora It may behoove you to read through the rulebook for Crucible, which is this game's setting.


I don't know all that much, but I don't think Fae work quite like the ones you're thinking of.


 
Take two.


I'm asking for a friend. Not myself, you understand. My friend is very curious to know if one Loyal to the Day or Sun or Light or somesuch may break this Loyalty, make a Pact with Night or Moon or Shadows or somesuch, with ambitions to bring down the first Noble and in turn receiving promises of assistance in becoming Noble herself.


And once she does become a Noble, she shall fashion herself after Dusk.


My friend would greatly appreciate hearing everyone's opinions on this.


inb4 self-insert lulz

 

[Grey]

I have a questions. So the Nobles and Courtiers are Fey. (Well the Noble is Fey, the Courtier are Elves...but you get my drift.) If we have a Courtier, that let's says...collects human children for their "family" like Rumplstiltskin. Could we also have a sub-character that is the Courtier's current "favorite" child. That plays out whatever their "parent" tells them to.

I am not allowing sub-characters, but a bonded NPC of sorts would be fine. And yes, many Fae steal children - but usually to raise them as soldiers.

@KisaAmora It may behoove you to read through the rulebook for Crucible, which is this game's setting.
I don't know all that much, but I don't think Fae work quite like the ones you're thinking of.


 
Take two.


I'm asking for a friend. Not myself, you understand. My friend is very curious to know if one Loyal to the Day or Sun or Light or somesuch may break this Loyalty, make a Pact with Night or Moon or Shadows or somesuch, with ambitions to bring down the first Noble and in turn receiving promises of assistance in becoming Noble herself.


And once she does become a Noble, she shall fashion herself after Dusk.


My friend would greatly appreciate hearing everyone's opinions on this.


inb4 self-insert lulz

This is my favourite post all week.

 

[Thief of Words]

Still room?

 

[Bardiel]

I am not allowing sub-characters, but a bonded NPC of sorts would be fine. And yes, many Fae steal children - but usually to raise them as soldiers.

"Jack is back!"

My friend is very curious...

I'm sure your friend, that you are so kindly asking on behalf for, may well realise that they could have such ambitions. That is, of course, not to preclude the possibility that a Loyal Courtier may well be acting as Suspector and Interfector to any such unLoyal fellow Courtier's actions...

 

[Dusky]

This is my favourite post all week.

(*U*) Do I take this as a go-ahead to start developing the character further?

 

[Grey]

@Thief of Words there is still room for you.


Yes. They'd start some kind of Courtier to Day, Light, Justice, or something of the sort, and be transformed into something appropriate for the other court.


Also the other players need to be on board with serving one of the Night Courts.


Some alliances and options! (not their official titles; just distilled to main theme for your benefit)


The Seasonal Courts


Spring; allied with Rain, Day, The Wild. Frostily polite to Winter, ally of Summer, enemy of Autumn.


Summer; allied with War, Day, Drought. Tooth-gritting alliance with Autumn, hates Winter, friendly with Spring.


Autumn; allied with Night, Mystery, and Twilight. Behaves as if allied with literally everyone and no one is willing to call his bluff.


Winter; allied with Night, Death, and Order. Polite to Spring. Hates Summer. Tolerates Autumn.


The Bright Courts (Loosely Allied/In service to Light, and not an exhaustive list)


Day


Justice


Hope


Order


Flame


Shadow


The Dark Courts (Loosely Allied/In service to Dark, and not an exhaustive list)


Night


Mystery


Trickery


Murder


Silence


Secrets

 

[Cirno]

Ohh. So if we're plotting for a dramatic shift in courts, all the players need to be okay with it since we'd all tip over and get our characters' Aspects change,


I am totally okay with it.

 

[Grey]

No, no. Dusk's character will be joining the rest of the players in their Court, and by the end of the game get her own Court.


I may be setting up for a Kingdoms reboot.


So basically, is the rest of the party cool with a Dark Court?

 

[Cirno]

No, no. Dusk's character will be joining the rest of the players in their Court, and by the end of the game get her own Court.
I may be setting up for a Kingdoms reboot.


So basically, is the rest of the party cool with a Dark Court?

Yess.