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  1. #1
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    What if... New campaign idea

    What if Michael Roele had defeated the Gorgon (assuming unintentional bloodtheft), and in so doing became an awnsheghlien himself?

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    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    Given the timeline, I assume that he must have simply taken on the Gorgon's role carrying on with the generational rivings, wars, etc.

    If the timeline was cropped to remove activity after the empire fell then you could have the Michael-Gorgon more of a introspective tortured soul, or dutiful guardian than Raesene's brooding predator, perhaps even trying to dismantle the Gorgon's humanoid empire through internal dissent or restore his bloodline through some epic achievement which would be much more interesting.

    I tend to make the Gorgon a very distant foe anyway - in my mind he leaves the Crown to be run by his minions, only occasionally stirring to strike down the overly (in)effective - that leaves the players able to compete against the crown without directly attacking el stony, opens opportunities for internal dissent turning one faction against another, etc to deal with the "why not kill him" issue.

    So if wanting to use Michael I'd either have him stoned and buried under a landslide (to be recovered and restored as part of a quest), cast into the Shadow World (similar), turned to darkness in a Darth-Vader style manner (not sure I could pull it off but hmmm) with the Gorgon seeing him as a son / glorying in being served by a Roele, etc.

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    I was thinking after he killer the Gorgon there would be no immediate changes externally. He would seek to consolidate his new holdings. With his personality and history of being at the front line, he would use his abilities and he would grow stronger. Perhaps at some point he thinks if I were in charge I could "fix" the worlds problems and believing his changes would be for the greater good becomes the Sith Emperor.

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    Senior Member Jaleela's Avatar
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    What if Michael Roele had defeated the Gorgon (assuming unintentional bloodtheft), and in so doing became an awnsheghlien himself?
    I think that Michael becoming an awnsheghlien would depend on a few factors: Michael’s state of mind, what is in his heart when he strikes down the gorgon, what his true nature is vs. that which he fights, and the power of his own divine bloodline vs. that of the Gorgon’s. Would the dark blood overwhelm Michael’s own bloodline? What would happen to Michael’s own blood abilities, would they be erased or would he take on some aspects of the old: like battlewise or courage? (see Manticore comment farther down)

    Rumours say that the visible effects of a regency storm are far weaker if the bloodline of the slain scion is subject to bloodtheft rather than usurpation. Similarly it is far more likely that the bloodline of the slain scion will dominate the bloodline of the slayer, but these are probably just rumours. (http://www.birthright.net/forums/sho...tle=Bloodtheft)
    I think that it depends on who’s bloodline score is greater and by how much. At least a saving throw DM’s discretion.

    I believe that there should be logical reasons for someone going dark. It should not be an instantaneous thing. Look at the Manticore for example. A paladin of Avani who was corrupted by the Magian. The dark mixture of his volatile Basaia bloodline and that of the blood of Azrai turned him in to a wrath-filled monster that killed friend, foe, and kin. Now he secludes himself from others for fear or what he might do. I would expect that Michael might be much the same way. The Magian’s magic merged the two bloodlines allowing the Manticore to keep his own plus adding new ones from Azrai’s line.
    I think Andrew came up with some very plausible ideas. I think that Michael would be appalled at becoming that which he despised and to be equally despised and loathed by those who once loved him.

    The Gorgon became evil over time, not “instant just add water evil”. He bore the manifestations of Azrai, he was envious, proud, and angry. If Michael were disenchanted and became depressed with failure after failure to resume his true nature (I have no doubt that his friends, clergy, and mages would try to find an answer), I could see him becoming bitter: betrayal, the endless wars, the loss of his wife and the death of his infant son at his own hand and in the end loss of self, becoming that which he hated, then I think we can see a potential for becoming the new Gorgon is there.
    It’s an interesting concept to do a “what if” campaign.

    So if wanting to use Michael I'd either have him stoned and buried under a landslide (to be recovered and restored as part of a quest), cast into the Shadow World (similar), turned to darkness in a Darth-Vader style manner (not sure I could pull it off but hmmm) with the Gorgon seeing him as a son / glorying in being served by a Roele, etc
    Interesting concept about the Gorgon seeing him as a son. The Cold Rider however, might be able to use him. I think that the Gorgon seems to be too hate-filled toward the “usurpers” of his house and his rightful place on the Iron Throne. Somehow, I think Michael would still end up going the way of Fhileraene Llyrandor, Prince of Tuarhievel. A play thing in a cage or dead.

    Making Michael the object of a quest would be interesting and dangerous, whether it is to save him or destroy him. Sounds like an epic quest.
    d'estre bons et leaulx amis et vrais ensemble et de servir l'un 'autre envers et contre tous

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    I was thinking that Michael would show no immediate signs of change, but would grow evil over time. He would at first simply try to control the new holdings and lands, they of course would rebel against the human king. He would then need/want to lead troops to quell any uprisings. His tendency to be involved in the fight would cause him to use his blood powers beginning his change. At some point he would decide/discover that, for the greater good, the lands around him would be better ruled by him.

    I have been trying to find something that would list Michael's blood abilities to compare them against Azrai's list.

    I was also thinking that end game may be an attempt to redeem Michael ala Vader

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    Site Moderator AndrewTall's Avatar
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    I'm not sure why the Gorgon's subjects would rebel - if it's one thing that they know it is that one serves the strong - and killing the Gorgon is pretty much the definition of "strong".

    The Gorgon's subjects are in any case a real mixture - Brecht, Anuirean, Karamhul, goblin, gnoll, orog, ogre, etc. I expect that many would have no problem at all in serving a "more human" king, and many opposed would only rebel if they saw weakness in their new lord (well, rebel more than usual).

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    Site Moderator Sorontar's Avatar
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    It would change the political landscape. The groups in the Gorgon's realm would bbicker and fight. The surrounding regents would try to take advantage of this. Michael would relocate some communities, creating new feuds. Regents would be killed by family, friends and enemies. There would be turbulance for at least 50 years.

    Personally, Michael could become more broody. He may seek to remove the remainder of the awnsheghlien, and in the process, become more one himself. Over time, he may be affected mentally and have trouble distinguishing between himself and Raesene, to the point that eventually he may not be sure whether he was the Gorgon himself once.


    Of course, there is always the chance that he became an ehrshegh. Not sure which he would be, but that doesn't stop him becoming a chaotic evil ehrshegh.

    Sorontar

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    Senior Member Jaleela's Avatar
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    Thac0,

    if you have the novel "The Iron Throne" it may give some hints as to some of Michael's blood abilities. I seem to recall two of them: Courage and Divine Wrath.

    Neither of these translate to Azrai, unless you, as a DM allow the mingling of the two bloodlines to give Michael some unusual traits. The "near" equivalent to Divine Wrath is Berserker's Blood. I think scions of Azrai can have this one.

    Courage might be swapped for the opposite: Fear

    I found this thread from the "Royal Library". Someone had assembled the blood abilities for Michael from "The Iron Throne":

    http://www.birthright.net/forums/arc...hp/t-1430.html

    Battlewise (Major) From the book The Iron Throne.
    Courage (Great) From the book The Iron Throne.
    Divine Aura (Great) From the book The Iron Throne.
    Divine Wrath (Major) From the book The Iron Throne.
    Iron Will (Minor) From the book The Iron Throne.

    Like the Gorgon, Michael's bloodline would have been TRUE.
    Last edited by Jaleela; 10-01-2013 at 04:24 PM. Reason: added content
    d'estre bons et leaulx amis et vrais ensemble et de servir l'un 'autre envers et contre tous

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    Senior Member Jaleela's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sorontar View Post


    Of course, there is always the chance that he became an ehrshegh. Not sure which he would be, but that doesn't stop him becoming a chaotic evil ehrshegh.

    Sorontar
    A CE ehrshegh? I didn't think that was possible given one is bloodtrait and one is bloodform. Positive/Good vs. Negative/evil.

    Granted not all people who have bloodform are evil. It is how they choose to use their powers that corrupts them.

    I don't recall reading about an evil character becoming a positive aspect of their blood like the ershegh.
    d'estre bons et leaulx amis et vrais ensemble et de servir l'un 'autre envers et contre tous

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    Site Moderator Sorontar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaleela View Post
    A CE ehrshegh? I didn't think that was possible given one is bloodtrait and one is bloodform. Positive/Good vs. Negative/evil.

    Granted not all people who have bloodform are evil. It is how they choose to use their powers that corrupts them.

    I don't recall reading about an evil character becoming a positive aspect of their blood like the ershegh.
    Two points. Only the bloodline of Azrai can have Bloodform. Any other bloodline could only take on Bloodtrait.

    There is no strict rule that says that Bloodtrait is restricted to certain alignments. Taking the BRCS text as an example, it says:
    Within the first eight centuries after Deismaar, though, circumstances forced this ability into use in order for the forces of good to vanquish the growing evil of rampaging awnsheghlien. While no one in the public eye has actively used this power to change in recent centuries, a few ancient heroes embraced this ability to become servants of good who moved beyond humanity.
    This does not say that you have to be good to use it, therefore I see nothing wrong with a legendary LE scion of Brenna (or Michael Roele) deciding to go uber with some aspect of their body, changing their form in the result. Therefore Ehrsheghlien can be any alignment.

    Note also that even for Bloodform, the BRCS only says:
    This is the power that causes an awnshegh's form to shift toward its most corrupt state; from the scion's perspective, he is achieving power that ultimately suits his nature, if not his aesthetic wishes. ... The god Azrai was the epitome of corruption, and by using his powers, many scions of his bloodline in turn corrupt their own bodies. ... A scion's form undergoes a graduate transformation into a creature fitting their darkest nature.
    This "corruption" does not strictly mean CE. It could be LE, CN, etc. It is how the player/NPC acts that ultimately determines how the corruption manifests itself.

    Therefore, killing the Gorgon could give Michael the Bloodtrait but not change his bloodline. However, his new form and the removal of his nemesis may change how Michael acts.

    Sorontar

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