Campaigns
Vaillant

The Brothers du Vaillant

This is the document that I gave each player to introduce them to the game and their character.

You and your brothers live in Joranit, in the New Quarter. You fled here two years ago from Seshnela when your parents were burned as heretics and your family lands seized by the bishop. Why were your parents burned? It is up to you what your hero believes - did your parents fall into heresy? Were they victims of a political power struggle? You escaped with a few family heirlooms and some surviving servants. In Joranit you were taken in by your uncle Georges the Westron (as the locals name him) Georges is a leader in the small local Rokari community and was able to help you get back on your feet. Georges is the husband of Liltae Gersedi, a local noblewoman and has arranged employment for you as mercenaries with the House Gersedi.

You were raised and trained to be a Seshnelan Knight - think crusaders, Templars or Teutonics - Georges has arranged for your training to be finished and for you to be furnished with horses and equipment befitting your abilities. You attend weekly worship at the Free Rokari Church and special services to St. Gerlant, whose order you belong to. Your church preaches that obedience and austerity will guide you to a place in Solace - heaven - after your death. You and your brothers are watched over by your family's patron saint (you all belong to a heroband with a guardian entity).

Seshnela is a feudal kingdom with a very powerful central government backed up by the Rokari Church. Most of the neighbouring dukes and counts have either voluntarily joined the kingdom or been conquered and disposed of. In Seshnela, you are born into a caste and you die in that caste. There are Farmers, Knights, Wizards and Lords. Farmers are any kind of labourer and fill the militia positions. Knights are just that, minor land-holders and a military elite. Wizards are, well, wizards - also scholars. Lords are lords: Barons, Counts, Dukes, the King. Your father was a landed knight. His manor was a fortified villa surrounded by a largish village. The eldest son would have been a knight - shock cavalry - and his heir. Younger sons would be trained as sergeants - regular cavalry - and probably not have inherited anything.

How this history affects your character is up to you. You are 2000 miles from Seshnela, from the King and from the Church. There is nothing that will force you to keep to your family traditions if you decide not to - except the local Seshnelan community and their beliefs.

Seshnelans/Rokari in Joranit
There is a small community of Seshnelans in Joranit, perhaps 300 - 500 at any one time. Most belong to the Free Rokari Church while the rest are true-blue mainstream Rokari. Many of the Free Rokari have abandoned - or blurred - caste lines to make a living. Your uncle, Georges is one of those that have abandoned his caste. Heck, he married a pagan; a rich pagan, but still a pagan. But, he is the only family that you have left (unless you write otherwise on your sheet). There is a block in the New Quarter that is almost exclusively Seshnelan and your church is there as well.

Abilities that you start with:
Homeland: Seshnela 17

Religion: Free Rokari Church

Occupation: Cavalry 17

There are 2-types of cavalry that you can choose from: Regular and Shock. For Shock, adjust the previous description: Scouting -3, [Weapon] fighting +5, no missile weapon, Disciplined +3.

Magic: Order of St. Gerlant 17

You are an Orderly, or spell-casting brother, of St. Gerlant. You have one-use spells that you can cast. You have all of the knight spells from the St. Gerlant write-up - attached - at 17. Your spells are recharged by worshipping St. Gerlant.

Liturgist
One of you is a liturgist, or priest who can lead the rest of you in worship to St. Gerlant - and thus recharge your spells. The ceremony takes about 2 hours.
Abilities:

As-you-go Character Creation
Method 1, 100 words: As you play, add sentences to your write-up to describe abilities that your hero has. You can continue to add new sentences until you reach 100-words. Once written, a sentence cannot be rewritten. You have 20 HP that can be used to increase your starting abilities.
Method 2, List: As you play, you add abilities to your character sheet. You may add 10 abilities. You have 20 HP that can be used to increase your starting abilities.

Your Heroband
One of your family heirlooms that you rescued was the reliquary that housed your family's patron saint, or guardian. You need to decide what to call your heroband, what the reliquary looks like, how your guardian manifests and what powers it has.

How your guardian manifests is called "Method". There are 3 types:
Archetype: insubstantial being. It has personality and identity but does not take physical form (although a physical object may be its focus). It does not act as a separate being so much as an extension of the leader, who gives it commands. Only the leader can control its magic.
Emanation: no personality or identity and is usually embodied in an object. Some are simple magical items used by leaders or members, from which the magic emanates.
Manifestation: is permanently embodied in the world - IE, it walks around in its own body. It has its own identity and personality. Often acts like another member of the band. Its opinion on the best course does not always match those of the band. Each person can receive the benefits of its magic, but it may use its functions as it sees fit without waiting for or listening to the leader.

What is the physical Form of the guardian? Emanations and manifestations have a physical body of their own. Archetypes have a focus for their power.

How does the guardian communicate with members of the band? There are 2 types, Leadership contact and Group contact. Leadership contact means that only the leader speaks to the guardian.

What are the requirements of the guardian? What does it demand of you to continue giving you its magic.

Name:
Method:
Form:
Communication:
Requirements:
Abilities
Awareness: 13
Blessing: 13
Defence: 13

Spend 15 pts on the abilities.

House Rules
These are not really 'house rules' per say, but changes to the way we have been playing.

AP Bidding
I would prefer it if you described what you wanted to accomplish rather than how many AP you wanted to bid. I will then determine how many AP you need to bid to accomplish your desire.

IE: "I test his defences" = I bid 5AP
"I attack him" = ½ of my total AP
"All out attack" = I bid it all, baby!!

Hero Point Expenditure on Character Development
10%of your hero points must be spent on abilities or relationships from the Free Rokari Church.
15% must be spent on St. Gerlant.