Red Bank Stronghold Creation

I'm currently working on developing Autotarch: solo and co-operative rules for Wrath of the Autarch. As part of that design process, I'm going to run through a new campaign! My hope is that I'll be able to design the rules iteratively, adding and tweaking rules before each session.

I created a broad stable of characters for this campaign, rather than adopting a more focused strategy. I'd like to see many different types of missions play out, so breadth was more important than depth. I have a rough idea for a Stronghold and a starting set of characters. I like starting a little sketchy, and filling out ideas as the campaign goes along.

Along with the narrative details of the unfolding campaign, I'm also going to use this forum to go into some detail about various mechanical options that I'm weighing. I'll put that information at the end of the different session posts.

Red Bank

I like the idea of creating a strong trading capital, something to rival Lily Manor. It is fairly cosmopolitan. There's a little double entendre in the name. Red Bank is both a monetary hub as well as being situated on a wide, winding river.

Wrath: Interest is Owed

There's a dark history buried in Red Bank's past. The founders of Red Bank borrowed significant funds and resources from the current Autarch's grandfather to start this new colony. Contracts were signed and agreed upon to pay these funds back. Due to a growing cultural rift, there is no political will to make these payments. So they have stopped. The Empire will not abide by that decision.

Belief: Keepers of True Lore

The people of Red Bank feel like they hold keys to knowledge which would be lost under Imperial rule. Large libraries adorn the city proper. Protecting this hard gained knowledge is a common rallying cry within Red Bank.

Culture: Duality of Atom and Void

There are many sects within Red Bank that value empirical inquiry. This inquiry has been codified and adopted into cultural norms that ripple outward: a rejection of determinism and the adoption of scholarly hedonism. This puts Red Bank closer ideologically to Lily Manor than the Empire.

History: Riders of the Amber Hand

All was not always scholarship and republicanism. Prior to founding Red Bank, most of the inhabitants in the area were members of a vicious warband known as the Amber Hand. There is still an affinity toward the legacy of mounted warfare handed down from those founders. This is also part of the dark past of Red Bank: it is a city founded on violence and theft.

Rule: Elevenfold Conclave

Different subject matter experts are elected throughout the populace to serve on a broad council which makes most of the policy decisions. The process of election varies, and is frequently plagued by corruption and graft, but many of the leaders are competent and have thus far guided Red Bank to rapid success.

Faction Dispositions

Note: rather than have two factions starting with disposition, I'm going to have one of them start at -1. This will make things a little harder, but that's going to be necessary in general in the co-op version.

Lily Manor: 3
Burgan Vale: 2
Sunriders: 1
Crescent Hold: 0
Gravewood: -1

Heroes

For now, I'm just coming up with a core concept and the top few skills. The rest will get fleshed out over the course of the campaign. There is quite a bit of magic in this set of characters, so getting mana will be useful.

Adula - Tracker of the Gray Wastes (Fighting, Engineering)
Viator - Courtier of Candlelight Keep (Secrets of the Mind, Lore, Thievery)
Cyra - Alchemist of House Amber (Secrets of the Elements, Lore, Tactics)
Arilde - Hawkleader of the Ghost Legion (Command, Fighting)
Yasmina - Keeper of Natural Lore (Secrets of the Wild, Lore, Stealth)
Keel - Hobilar of the Amber Hand (Marksmanship, Stealth)
Thea - Speaker for the East (Society, Command)
Oniri - The Last Necromancer (Secrets of the Dead, Lore, Command)
Fuscus - Master of Coin (Rapport, Disguise)
Lucia - Youngest Daughter of the Guild of Secrets (Thievery, Rapport)