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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