A Taste of Intrigue: Dramatis Personae
The free adventure is in the final editing stages. It should (barring unforeseen disasters) be available for download near the end of next week.
Seeing it’s a stand-alone adventure using pre-generated characters, I thought I’d include a brief summary of those characters here:
A Note on Names
The standard naming practice in Guang Keshar is [First Name] [Last Name] ( for example: Brian Kendari) except for the names of members of the Imperial and Great Houses. These are listed [Last Name] [First Name] (for example: Kukuri Kanalen), unless the person’s title proceeds their proper name. These are known and “Imperial Style” names. Thus, the current Lord Kukuri, Hashayan, could be listed as “Kukuri Hashayan, Lord Kukuri” or “Lord Hashayan Kukuri”.
The Characters
While each of the members of House Kukuri has their individual opinions of each other, here’s how each of them is viewed overall by their relatives:
Hashayan (HA-sha-yan): Known to his family and friends as “Shaya”, Hashayan was a major juvenile delinquent who gotten himself expelled from more courts and lands than anyone could count. The youngest child of Lord Shakim Kukuri, no one was more surprised than Hashayan himself when his father named him the heir to House Kukuri. Even though he didn’t want the job, since Lord Shakim’s assassination at the hands of House Hoten, Hashayan has tried hard to settle down and be the best ruler House Kukuri has ever known.
Bashya (BAASH-ya): Short for Bashami. Serious, imperturbable, “no dirt on my armor please”, Bashya is either stoic or pretentious, depending on who you ask. As Kukuri’s Mistress of the Hunt, she’s always been more comfortable in the wilds of Kukuri than in the Kukuri Court; consequently, she’s seldom seen there. She has a special bond with her sister, Lumel, who is the only one able to get Bashya to agree to anything. A fact Lumel uses to her own benefit, when her plans require it.
Galetsen (GAAL-tsen): Unquestioningly, the physically strongest member of House Kukuri … perhaps even of the Empire itself. Galetsen’s loyalty to the Emperor and to Kukuri is equally unquestioned and he seems to be one of the few people in Empire with no enemies. He generally stays out of politics and doesn’t take sides in family quarrels.
Kanalen (KAA-na-len): Though universally regarded as cold, arrogant bastard, Kanalen gave his all to protect Kukuri when Hoten invaded. Though not terribly liked by his relatives while alive, he will still be sorely missed, especially by Hashayan.
Kayan (KAA-yan): Charming and cavalier, Kayan’s as good with a bon mot as he is with his sword. The eldest of the Kukuri siblings, he’s said to be the second-best swordsman in the Empire. With his incredible skills and winning smile, he can sometimes charm even his siblings to go along with his schemes. While they don’t generally trust him, most of them can’t help but like him. Which makes him the perfect hand for Lumel’s mind.
Limani (LEE-ma-nee): Quiet and reserved, Limani leads Seafarers’ Guild, as her mother did before her. She prefers her ships to any court, making a her a rare presence at Kukuri Castle. Her loyalties and motives are unknown, but her general absence and lack of interest in either finances or politics has caused her family to disregard her as a player in the political games.
Lumel (LÜ-mel: Sorceress extraordinaire. That’s the one thing all about Lumel all her siblings can agree on. She is the undisputed expert in arcane matters among House Kukuri and her talents are said to rival even those of Ling Kenlo, the Harbinger of Sorcery. Personal opinions of her range from “manipulative, opportunistic witch” to “Kukuri’s rising star”.
Malik (ma-LEEK): Hashayan’s illegitimate son. Raised in Hoten because neither of his parents wanted him, Malik has the sympathies of much of Kukuri Island’s populous. His family, however, is more cautious. After the invasion attempt, Hashayan brought live in Kukuri Castle. From all reports, father and son were getting along well with Hashayan doing his best to become the father he should have been all along. Until a month ago, that is, when the two had a serious falling out, though no one seems to know over what. All that is known is that Malik stormed out of the castle and hasn’t been seen since.
Tsalim (TSA-leem): Kanalen’s illegitimate son from a brief affair with Lady Marlani Seleni, Lady Hoten. Since the assassination incident, Tsalim has cut his ties with House Hoten and sworn fealty to House Kukuri and to Lord Hashayan personally. Lord Kukuri seems to have a special fondness for the lad and he and Malik were raised almost as brothers. The rest of House Kukuri is more restrained, staying just short of calling him a Hoten spy. Though very close before the invasion, he and Malik seem to have had a cooling of relations since. The fact that Hashayan is very open regarding his affection for Tsalim doesn’t help the youths’ relationship any.
A Taste of Intrigue
My free adventure, A Taste of Intrigue, is in the final stretch of editing and should be available in the next two weeks. The very first newsletter will contain a link to download it. So if you’ve already signed up, you’ll still get your copy.
Here’s a teaser from the beginning of the adventure:
Kukuri Galetsen rolled the pieces over in his mind again. Still nothing added up. He simply couldn’t figure out why Kanalen’s son, Tsalim had attacked Kukuri Hashayan, Lord of House Kukuri. Of course, there was the usual cry of treason and Hoten plots, but that didn’t make sense, either. Why attack the Lord in the basement of his own castle? And why would such as skilled sorcerer as young Tsalim physically attack a much older and much more skilled fighter? It simply didn’t make sense.
But many things about the last month hadn’t made sense. Lord Hashayan’s behavior for one. There’s nothing specific that Galetsen could put his finger on, but the Lord just hasn’t seemed himself recently. He couldn’t help but think the two were linked and he wished again that he could question his nephew directly. But Lumel had Tsalim under lock and key and was permitting no one to see him, save herself.
Galetsen swirled the wine in his glass as he continued to think. Everything connected – he was sure of that. It was simply a matter of why and how.
Product Update and Campaign Setting Survey
Well, I’ve nearly finished with the freebie adventure I’m giving away when you sign up for the Guang Keshar Development Newsletter. It’s something a little different from most fantasy rpg adventures/modules. If you enjoy games like Amber Diceless and Vampire: the Masquerade and would like to a play a more politically focused game set in a high fantasy world, you’ll love this adventure. If you’ve never tried the above games, you’re in for a treat.
It’s a completely self-contained adventure with pre-generated characters. While it’s set in Guang Keshar’s House Kukuri, you don’t need to know anything about the world to play it. Just apply your favorite game system’s stats to the characters and you’re off and running. Everything you need to know about the characters and the world is included in the adventure. It’s a little “thank you” for allowing me to send you stuff about this new world I’m creating and the products that will be available for sale about it. Your address are safe with me — I won’t share your information with anyone else. Ever. I promise.
Also, you can help us build Guang Keshar’s setting and products by taking a few minutes to answer these five questions. When was the last time you had a say in how a company creates the products you use? As survey’s go, it’s short, it may be fun, and it definitely won’t hurt. 
I’ll publish the results of the survey here.
Dangerous Servants II: The Moot of Harbingers, pt. 2
Welcome to part two of our survey of Guang Keshar’s main governing council, the Moot of Harbingers. Part One covered the Imperial Seat as well as the Seats of Wisdom, Leadership and Tradition. Today we’re covering the Seats of Faith, Battles, Sorcery, and finally, Means. House Kukuri, who holds the Seat of Means, is the subject of the first adventure set in Guang Kesahar. It will be available in the next month to everyone who signs up (or has already signed up) for the Guang Keshar newsletter.
Now we return you to our regularly scheduled program:
5. Thumun: Seat of Faith. Current Harbinger: Batsenmen of Thumun. Heir: Maritha of Thumun
To Thumun fall all of the religious duties for the Empire. As Heirophant, Batsenmen possesses considerable power and (at least in theory) can override the Emperor on affairs of the Spirit, though this has never happened — at least not in living memory. Batsenmen is known as a religious fanatic who regularly communes with Huang Ti Herself. Bad blood exists between Thumun and Ling, as Thumun believes that sorcery and magic, being a gift from Huang Ti, rather than resting in the “secular” hands of House Ling. Batsenmen’s eldest daughter and heir, Maritha, is best friends with the to-be Lady Ling, so this state of affairs may change once that marriage is consumated and Maritha replaces her father.
House colors: orange and brown.
6. Hoten: Seat of Battles. Current Harbinger: Benali of Hoten. Current Acting Harbinger: Tiber of Gishma.
Tiber holds the Seat of Battles in regent for Benali of Hoten, the underage eldest of son of the previous Lord Hoten, Lord Hoteni Hoten. Lord Hoteni died nine months ago while fighting House Kukuri when the two Houses blood feud broke into outright violence. Tiber is a cautious and capable warrior who places the welfare of his men before his own. He is now considered the premier warrior of Keshar, though his daughter, Ganiri of Gishma (the fiance of Benali) awaits the day when she can disprove it. Tiber’s affection for his charge and student, Benali, is well-known; his animosity to Melani of the Seafarers, the Lady Hoten and Benali’s mother, is equally well-known. Tiber has made is clear that he is eager and ready to turn over the Seat as soon as Benali is of age.
House colors: midnight blue and black.
7. Ling/Guagim: Seat of Sorcery. Current Harbinger: Rishana of Guagim/Kenlo of Ling. Heir: None named.
Ling was the original Harbinger of Sorcery, but he left Guang Keshar for reasons unknown, having named no heir. Ballads claim he left for Kagalen Kesharim (literally “other realms”, the Keshari term for other continents). The empty Seat lead to a bloody conflict as Ling’s descendants fought for the right to rule the House of Sorcery.
Rathim of Ling eventually claimed the seat, but then proceeded to betray the Council to an invasion force from Kagalen Kesharim. The Empire fought back and eventually drove off the would-be invaders, but the battle was a long and bloody one. In punishment for Rathim’s actions, House Ling was stricken from the Council and the Seat of Sorcery was given to the leading Major House under Ling’s rule: Guagim. Guagim has held the Seat now for many centuries while the Ling lands have grown wild and inhospitable. The House Ling gradually fell into the status of legend.
Recently, though, things have gotten complicated. The Seafarer’s Guild brought a man before the Council who claimed to be the direct descendant of Ling. Sorcery verified the man (named Rathin the Second) was indeed who he said he was and the Ling lands were restored to him, though the Seat of Sorcery was not. Rathin II never gave up fighting to have the Seat of Sorcery returned to House Ling, leading to much strife and conflict among the members of the Council, who chose one side or another.
An agreement was reached where Rathin II’s only son, Kenlo of Ling was to wed the eldest daughter of House Guagim, uniting both Houses into one. For multiple reasons [which will be covered in the history of House Ling. Watch for it sometime in 2010. --Jade], Rathin II broke that promise and married his son to House Tsalim’s oldest daughter. This has caused hard feelings between the House Guagim and alienated Ling from some of the other Houses, most noticably, House Thumun. However, the Council has upheald that Ling Kenlo will inherit the Council Seat.
Technically, then the Seat belongs to Kenlo Ling, but until recently, he as been underage. So Rishana of Guagim has continued to function as Harbinger of Sorcery until Kenlo actually claims his Seat.
Colors: Guagim — blue and green; Ling — cream and wine.
8. Kukuri: House of Means. Current Harbinger: Hashayan of Kukuri. Heir: None named
This Seat controls the Empire’s Exchequer. All money matters fall under the purview of House Kukuri. Kukuri wasn’t among the original Harbingers, but when Atum was elevated about the Seven, it left an empty Seat and, well … money talks. Before House Kukuri’s elevation to the status of Great House, it was an independent Major house, answering only to the Emperor himslf, and has always held the Empire’s purse strings. The current Lord, Hashayan of Kukuri is a likeable young rogue with a penchant for getting into trouble.
House colors: cream and gold
Have fun with this. Go play in my world. I’d love to see the NPCs people create. Please feel free to leave comments about how great (or awful) this product is and give us a taste of how’re you using it in your game (if you are).
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Dangerous Servants: The Moot of Harbingers
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
– George Washington
The Moot of Harbingers (also called The Council of Seven or The Great Moot) rules Guang Keshar during the Emperor’s incapacity. Comprised of the Lords of each of the Seven Great Houses, it makes the decisions of great importance, including creating peace treaties and declaring war, settling disputes between Houses of all ranks, ratifying new legislation, setting tax rates and much, much more. Everything a government would normally deal with passes through the hands of the Great Moot.
House Atum and the first three member Houses of the Moot are described below (in descending order of current political clout). Here’s details on the other four Houses.
- Atum: The Emperor. Heir:None.Hotashen Atum, is the last of his line. His only child, Balatsin, died in a hunting accident seven years ago. Hotashen has also been ailing a long time and the Moot effectively rules Guang Keshar in his absence. Technically, Atum sits above the Moot and isn’t officially part of it. However, Atum has a seat in the Moot chamber and the Emperor has both tie-breaking and veto power, although he cannot legally vote on Moot matters. Atum isn’t counted among the current Harbingers, though Atum (the actual person), is listed first of the original Harbingers.
House colors: black and gold. - Guashim: Seat of Wisdom. Current Harbinger: Guashim of Guashim. Heir: None.As the Seat of Wisdom, Guashim penetrates the deepest secrets of Creation and acts as the “voice of reason” on the Moot. Unlike many Harbingers who thrive on the attention and deference their position brings them, Guashim seems content to remain in the shadows, dispensing advice and teaching the brightest of Guang Keshar’s younger generations. He takes little interest in political games, unless they threaten Guashim or Guang Keshar as a whole. Then he is like a mother bear protecting her young and none want to be in his way. He has named no heir and his only child, Lia, is missing, presumed dead. Rumor abounds, however, that Guashim is grooming Tsalim of House Kukuri to take his place.
House colors: white and gold. - Kotish: Seat of Leadership. Current Harbinger:Klimia of Kotish. Heir: Bikan of Kotish.Originally the Seat of Battles, Kotish was elevated to the Seat of Leadership when Atum, the original Seat holder, was placed above the Moot. Once a Great House in its own right, it’s now a sub-house of Atum. Which means it’s in the strange position of being both a Great House and a Major House at the same time. Lady Klimia’s heir is her eldest son, Bikan of Kotish. The Moot hopes Klimia’s rule is long, as Bikan has shown himself young, arrogant, and foolish.
House colors: green and gold. - Tsamin: Seat of Tradition. Current Harbinger: Manin of Tsamin. Heir: Mishya of Tsamin.Manin of Tsamin has been missing for several years and his heir, Mishya, is not yet of age to take the Seat himself. In his place, the Council has appointed Manin’s half-brother, Gyatsin, as Tsamin’s regent until Manin returns or Mishya comes of age. Tsamin records and keeps the secular laws, customs, and traditions of Guang Keshar and to them fall the interpretation of law and the execution of the Empire’s justice for all levels of society. Only the Emperor’s own court outranks the courts of Tsamin.
House colors: blue and silver.
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