Casting Shadows

This Saturday Seed presents an idea for the other game in Chaosium’s old Eternal Champion line, Hawkmoon. Not as successful as Stormbringer, it is still a gem of a product in its own right.

The seed
In the wake of several unexpectedly unsuccessful military actions, agents from Gran Bretan extend diplomatic overtures to foreign nobles deemed well-prepared to resist invasion.

Planting the seed
This seed could serve as a means to restart an old campaign, launch a new one, or simply serve as a short foray into the setting. Characters could be drawn from the nobility being courted, their military leaders, their advisers and servants, or the rank and file soldiers.

The details

An entourage staffed by appropriate Beast Orders such as Hound and Horse, perhaps even Ferret, arrive under the command of a rising star on the field. This commander might be of the Bull or Badger Order and will feel no need to disguise their appraisal of the fortifications and defenses of the capital and its important zones and buildings. 

Remaining civil at all times, this entourage brings fantastic gifts of wine and rare delicacies. Keeping strictly to diplomatic protocol they meet with as many officials and persons of rank as they can, and remain on their best behaviour – to the best of their ability. Culture and learned languages all have their special ways to trip people up, after all.

They have come with a clear agenda to try to keep the peace, to assess the opposition, and exchange diplomatic communiques seeking alliance. They fully intend to depart after three days.

What is going on

The group is travelling with a small device which has the power to cause feelings of anxiety and fear when activated. In a curious form of emotional manipulation and response training, each time they announce that they are leaving the room, this device is surreptitiously activated and used to steer their hosts into seeking to extend the conversation. Additionally, the device is activated whenever the topic of the group’s departure at the end of the three days. 

Their goal is to establish that Gran Bretan is an ally, and that no one wants to see them leave.

While this plan is being methodically carried out, the usual vices of the insane citizens of Gran Bretan will out, and the characters will be caught in the middle of a potentially devastating international incident made all the more worrisome by the sneaking suspicion that the Empire’s armies are not so weak and easily defeated as they currently look.

Enjoy~