Blades in the dark: Servants of Halthar

Game Master Meetch

Here’s the character sheets. Rename a tab with your character and fill it out!

Is there information on the heritages and/or backgrounds?

Akoros is the largest and most industrialized land in the Imperium, and is home to the capitol city as well as Duskwall itself. ey're known as a diverse conglomeration of cultures that have grown together in close proximity for centuries, somewhat like Europe.

If you want to be a rootless wanderer you could be from the Dagger Isles. People there o en grow up on ships and travel a lot before settling down. ey're known as corsairs and merchants who live without lightning barriers— dealing with spirits in other ways.
If you want to be from a culture considered “foreign” by the locals, you could be from Iruvia, a rich and powerful desert kingdom far to the south. It's another diverse land of varying cultures similar to old Persia, Egypt, and India.

 If you want to be from a place considered “wild” by the rest of the empire, you could be from Severos. Outside the few imperial settlements, most Severosi live in nomadic horse-tribes scattered across the blasted deathlands, surviving within the ruins of ancient arcane fortresses which still repel spirits.

If you want to be from a marginalized people, you could be from Skovlan, the island kingdom just across the sea from Doskvol. Skovlan was last to be brought under imperial rule, over the course of the 36-year Unity War (which ended only a few years ago). Many Skovlander refugees who lost their homes and jobs in the destruction of the war have come to Doskvol seeking new opportunities.

 If you want to be weird, you can be from Tycheros. It's a semi-mythical place, far away beyond the northern void sea. Everyone says that the people there are part-demon. If you choose Tycherosi heritage, also create a demonic telltale (like black shark eyes, feathers instead of hair, etc.) that marks your character.

Academic: A scholar, a professor or student from Doskvol Academy, a philosopher or journalist, etc.
Labor: A servant, a factory worker, a coach driver, a docker, a sailor, etc. A stevedore for the North Hook Company.
 Law: An advocate or barrister, a Bluecoat or inspector (or even Spirit Warden), a prison guard from Ironhook, a Rail Jack, etc.
Trade: A shopkeeper, a merchant, a skilled cra s-person, a shipping agent, etc. A liaison to the Ministry of Preservation.
Military: An Imperial or Skovlander soldier, a mercenary, an intelligence operative, a strategist, a training instructor, etc.
Noble: A dilettante, a courtier, the scion of a fallen house, etc. Underworld: A street urchin, gang member, young thug, or other outcast
who grew up on the streets.

The sheets are set on View only

I'd like to play a postmaster/birdkeeper/secret ghost-cult messenger hinging on the Ghost Contract special move where the mark is the shadow of a bird circling, so his own shadow is this shifting swarm of birds.

His vice is Faith. He craves the attentions of our God-thing and revels in its worship.

For background, I'm thinking Severosi, Dagger Isles, or even Tycheros, if by some fluke he's the Most Weird.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

I'm going to make a Dr. Frankenstein (Fronkinsteen) style experimenter who wants to shatter the boundaries of life and death and bring people back from the dead, as well as find a way to make the human body immortal. I'm willing to work for anyone who is willing to fund my research, and I've recently had to fake my death and flee to flee to Duskwall one step ahead of Severosi ghost-hunters who think my work is an abomination.

My vice is going to be Weird, in that it's going to be working on my research obsessively.

I'm going to make a Dr. Frankenstein (Fronkinsteen) style experimenter who wants to shatter the boundaries of life and death and bring people back from the dead, as well as find a way to make the human body immortal. I'm willing to work for anyone who is willing to fund my research, and I've recently had to fake my death and flee to flee to Duskwall one step ahead of Severosi ghost-hunters who think my work is an abomination.

My vice is going to be Weird, in that it's going to be working on my research obsessively.

I’m into that, as long as you know that your work can advance your research clock OR clear stress but not both. There’s productive research and then there’s goofing off with bodies...

Fixed the sheets!

BastianQuinn, are you affiliated with the Cyphers (Duskwall’s messenger service/gang) or in competition with them?

Cult questions!

Vrog: what is your god called?

BastianQuinn: what is its favorite sacrifice?

Elsine: What is your god’s domain? The ancient god of...

Kitten: are you five the entire cult or are you a smaller offshoot of a larger cult?

Derz: What is anathema to your god?

I’m into that, as long as you know that your work can advance your research clock OR clear stress but not both. There’s productive research and then there’s goofing off with bodies...

Yup, I'm in total agreement. I may take two downtime actions for the same thing, one to advance my research and one to relieve stress.

The name of the forgotten god that our cult worships is Halthar.

Questions for Vrog:

1. When you say...bring back to life, do you mean within three days of death reanimate the body with the sprit inside, do you mean reanimate the husk without a spirit or do you mean place a spirit in a new body/back in their old one after the spirit becomes a ghost?
2. Bodies are hard to come by, especially fresh ones. Where do you get them?
3. How do you avoid the notice of the spirit wardens?
4. Are you a true believer in the service of Halthar or are they a convinient source of coin and corpse?

I would like to play Halthar's plant among the Cyphers, if that's workable. His occupation as part of the Duskwall post system is legitimate. Delivering birds and having tea with folk in high places is his MO. If the discussion strays to the occult, who could blame him. We live in such dark times. If an accord can be struck, so much the better.

I'll wait to hear from Elsine about the domain before I pick a proper sacrifice.

1) I mean to shove a creature's ghost back into it's body (presuming the body isn't too far gone), or prevent it from leaving in the first place. It's the best long term solution for this ghost epidemic!

2) My supplier is a Mortician who I have blackmail material on (he likes to get fresh with the deceased) who will provide me corpses in exchange for coin and keeping my silence.

3) I go out of my way not to kill anyone, and I've been really subtle with my research. I've been in the city about a year, and I'm only on my 2nd corpse. It's slow, but less likely to draw attention.

4) I am absolutely mercenary when it comes to the cult, but I'm also up front about it.

I have also updated the crew sheet for my character.

I would like to play Halthar's plant among the Cyphers, if that's workable. His occupation as part of the Duskwall post system is legitimate. Delivering birds and having tea with folk in high places is his MO. If the discussion strays to the occult, who could blame him. We live in such dark times. If an accord can be struck, so much the better.

I'll wait to hear from Elsine about the domain before I pick a proper sacrifice.

You CAN be a plant in the cyphers but the life of a messenger is demanding and unpredictable. How do you balance your work responsibilities and your responsibilities to your crew? Perhaps you’re an administrator for the Cyphers vs. a messenger?

I'm kinda going for "Mysterious emissary from horrifying powers", prey to inexplicable knowledge, and attuned to the magic of the world around him.

His "patron", Halthar, Ruled (and, he insists, rules still) over the stars and constellations

Also, anyone know of a better hooded character portrait than this one. I couldn't find any others that looked remotely cloaked

"Are you five the entire cult or are you a smaller offshoot of a larger cult?"

Hathar's worship is not so widespread in Akoros, but quite commonplace in Severos, where the free tribes rely on Hathar's guidance to navigate the open plains. So in Doskvol we would be a small cult, but not the only worshippers of Hathar.

This is all coming together so well!

Briar, don't worry about selecting items. BitD doesn't make you commit to what you're carrying until you need it. Before a score, you can list your "load" which determines how many pieces you carry on the score and then you just check off those pieces.

Velaris, two questions to you:
1. You're Tycherosi. How did you start worshiping a Severosian god?
2. Halthar "insists" that he still rules the stars. Does he speak to you? Does he speak to anyone else? What does he ask for when he talks?

And, you don't even have to choose your equipment at the start of the mission, just your load... then, in mission, if you have load left, and we need, say, rope, you could check off Burglary Equipment, and say "Yeah, I totes brought rope"

Also, I remember there being no sun, moon or stars (save those that shine from the deep) in lore, just if that changes how anyone is seeing this world (okay, my friend and I tend to get way too into lore, I could probably go on about this games for ages)

Okay, onwards to questions.

1. He doesn't so much "Worship" him, as he does "listen to and pass on his will"
2. yeah... Halthar's just sorta there, in Velaris' head. he doesn't speak to others, as far as Velaris knows. and his gives Velaris vague instructions to further his inscrutable goals

Also, I remember there being no sun, moon or stars (save those that shine from the deep) in lore, just if that changes how anyone is seeing this world (okay, my friend and I tend to get way too into lore, I could probably go on about this games for ages)

You're right about the sun, but:

The moon looms huge and bright, swelling with each passing year, as if drawn ever closer by some terrible power. During certain phases of its transit, the moon appears to multiply across the sky, in pairs and trios of sibling lights, as if reflected on the facets of a vast crystalline dome. It is not known what causes these pale, dimmer sisters to appear, but occultists and natural philosophers have no shortage of arcane explanations and scientific hypotheses.

The ancient stars still hang in the black sky, though their arrangements sometimes swirl and change according to unknown principles of celestial motion.

1. He doesn't so much "Worship" him, as he does "listen to and pass on his will"
2. yeah... Halthar's just sorta there, in Velaris' head. he doesn't speak to others, as far as Velaris knows. and his gives Velaris vague instructions to further his inscrutable goals

Excellent. This raises more questions:

1. Have you ever told the others that he speaks to you?
2. What's the worst thing he ever asked of you?
3. How did you meet the cultists from Severos?

Also, anyone know of a better hooded character portrait than this one. I couldn't find any others that looked remotely cloaked

Chain Mauler

Should be enough to get started...

Does anyone know how to switch the GM of a game to an alias? I want to display various clocks in my stat-line but I don't want to alarm my Kids on Bikes players.

Hello, it is me. Your GM.

Excellent choice in avatar, Velaris!

Thank you... terrifying choice for both avatars

1. Of course, it's how I get his requests done

2. Halthar told Velaris to set the fire that wiped out the Elucidated Brethren. Velaris had known there was a family on the second floor, asleep in their beds, but he had done it anyway... necessary collateral and all that.

3. I saw his symbol, the same one I saw in my dream, upon a wax seal. I knew them to be other servants... and realized Halthar would never let Him just slip away, and forget they exist,

I'm really having a hard time choosing between Compel and Occultist

The latter seems the obvious choice, but I'm kinda trying to portray a reluctant prophet, and maybe picking a different move to start with would reinforce that more

1. Of course, it's how I get his requests done

Devout believers (Felfiz and Briar. Potentially Dertz)

3. I saw his symbol, the same one I saw in my dream, upon a wax seal. I knew them to be other servants... and realized Halthar would never let Him just slip away, and forget they exist

Describe his sigil.

I'm really having a hard time choosing between Compel and Occultist

Occultist puts you into the role of "leader" pretty squarely, especially if you're the only one who can hear Hathar's voice. If you're not comfortable in that position, you're probably better off without it.

On the other than, does Hathar have any sway with the spirit world? What would give you such unusual control over ghosts? If you come up with an idea that feels right to you, that's probably your best choice.

Ritual might be a good move as well. If Hathar is pushing you towards his dark designs, you'd be the one that he'd want to learn about and pursue the ancient rituals that he needs to further his goals (whatever they may be).

Tell me more about your reluctance to serve. Have you ever disobeyed Hathar? What were the consequences?

4) I am absolutely mercenary when it comes to the cult, but I'm also up front about it.

Do you have a line you're not willing to cross for the cult? Have you been upfront with them about your limits or do you plan on playing it by ear and refusing an order if it crosses the line?

I'll answer in a a few minutes (okay, maybe longer) but I just wanted to put it ou there that... you might want to change your GM's name to Halthar, because I just double checked and thats how we've all been spelling it

Haha yes...thank you for catching that before it was too late and I was forced to be Hathar forever.

So I have a confession to make: I've used the name Halthar before as a god. In the heyday of 4th editon's Living Forgotten Realms campaign, they had a system that allowed GMs to create their own modules. I wrote a series of them about the return of the god of the Owlbears, Halthar, who was worshipped in Maztica (which was gone in 4th edition), including taking a spirit voyage to the ancient past.

The groups that I ran locally really liked those games, so when it came time for me to give our forgotten god a name, I didn't hesitate =D

It's a solid forgotten god.

I'm leaning into the Severosi heritage and using it as a reason to double down on Finesse. His tribe has worshiped Halthar for uncountable generations. The birds he trains, and the shadows that follow him are magpies, always searching for points of light. But we could make that owls if we want that as a cult symbol.

Halthor wants the stars back in their places, and the best offerings are arranged as such. Random killings, arson, new postal networks, the homes of the new counsel, Hathor enjoys seeing celestial patterns reflected on our grey soil. These figures will bring back the purifying light and scour from the earth the filth that wrought this foul darkness.

Felfiz, or "Hutch" on the streets, tolerates the other (productive) members of the cult, but he doesn't put much stock in those who claim to hear Halthor. As long as they are planting points of light, their madness is a touch of Halthor.

He had a job with the Cyphers years back, right up until they caught on to what he was doing. He still has his credentials, such as they are, and he deals mostly on the fringes of Cypher turf.

Briar is a bit conflicted about Velaris being able to hear Halthar. On one hand, she recognizes Velaris as someone chosen to lead her (and others) into doing Halthar's will. On the other hand, she's been so desperately seeking her god's guidance and not receiving it - perhaps there is something wrong with her? Has she done something to fall from the grace of her god? Or perhaps she must try harder to reach out, to open herself up to her god (which also plays nicely into her vice - Faith).

Velaris, what's your vice? Is it faith like the others, or do you relieve stress in other ways?

Here is my alt. What would you like us to put in for taglines?

Action dice, resistance stats, harm and load/max load with your used gear in a spoiler

Like this? Are there accepted abbreviations of the actions/attributes? I added armor in with harm.

Chewing through rules and videos.

Overall, I'd like Hutch to have a lone-star, pony express, evangelical theme. Like if Bob Ross and Adolf Hitler raised a kid. Like if Mr. Rogers was looking to acquire your soul, but only after a nice gavotte and tea.

Sounds excellent! I fully endorse this.

Sorry, got caught up in my IRL Gaming group. friends back in town and all that

the sigil is a long forgotten constellation, one that rather reminds Velaris of some primordial, deep-sea thing, predating even the Leviathans. He often wonders if it seems the same to others, but has never asked

also, he kinda pities Briar, and is terrified of Felfiz. as the Blackstar of Halthar, he has done evil things, but never with the same glee

Ritualist is actually really good, I like it

and, I know my ratings are weird, but my thinking is, yes, he's a whisper, dabbler in the occult and paranormal, bu he's kinda the hand of Halthar, and he regularly has to do the down and dirty work that job requires also, we don't have a lurk, so I'd figured I'd give one for the team, and pull half-assed double duty

Weird and Faith are work. Velaris' Vice is Pleasure. when he needs to blow off steam, he heads over to Madame Tesslyn's, in Silkshore.

Hey guys, sorry I kind of had holidays and stuff but I'm back now. I'll try and get a character together but I haven't actually played this game before so it'll probably take me a couple of days. I'll call my character Tarnikos. Here are some of the answers to questions so far.

1) I think roofs should be anathema to a god of stars. If necessary for privacy then they should have old constellations or star maps drawn on them in ink that can be seen in dark or light conditions.

2) Tarnikos is Skovlan, and is used to getting into fights based on growing up a refugee and being relative newcomers to the Imperium. He fell into the cult simply looking for a place to belong more than anything, though he does believe as much as anyone, so where Velaris comes from is a nonissue to him.

3) Vice will probably be gambling. Nothing kills the stresses of killing people for your god like betting all your wages this week on whether that tiny Severosi with a knife can kill two malnourished mastiffs.

This is all beautiful stuff. If roofs are anathema, then thou shalt not set foot upon a roof, unless the roof is properly sanctified.

Ok, now we need to define your crew:

You start with a small gang of adepts, two acolytes. They’re mostly useless at this point, but as Halthor’s influence grows, so will their number and power. Their names are Kolton and Lew and you can command them or let them do their own thing (where they will roll two dice and take the lower of the two.

Here is the Cult sheet

Reputations (Pick your three favorites):

Ambitious—Brutal—Daring—Honorable—Professional—Savvy—Subtle—Strange.

List all of the “features” from the crew sheet in order of preference. Top two in instant runoff voting describe Halthor.

Review Duskvol’s districts. Pick your three favorite locations for your lair, three favorite for your hunting grounds. The closer they are, the more risk to your lair. The further they are, the more risky the travel.

List your top three “special abilities” shared by the crew.

List your top five crew upgrades.

List your top three picks for contact.

Rank the four “sacred sites” (preferred scores) in order of preference.

Whew! That’s a lot to get through!
Once that’s all done, we’ll discuss how you make peace with your turf boss, your patron and your foe. And talk about what your lair looks like.

And then you’ll do your first score!

Thanks Velaris!

Everyone else hold off. I think this may be better as a google form. Sit tight!

You've blinded me with science!

This should be easier to fill out. Rank your preference using the 1st, 2nd, etc. columns.

Velaris, I see you indicated "one toward mastery" Does that mean that the linked boxes (Ordained, mastery) must be filled before they count, but the ones that are just next to each other (like stable) can be purchased multiple times?

trying to fill it out. you required 0ne response from each row, not column

The some questions require a response in each row, and no more than one in each column. I think remove the requirement on each question?

Carriage House: You have a carriage, two goats to pull it, and a stable. A second upgrade improves the carriage with armor and larger, swifter goats. Horses are very rare in Doskvol—most carriages in the city use the large Akorosian goat as their draft animal.

yeah, taking non-linked ones improve them with sucessive dots, linked ones, you need all of them to get any benefit (but getting 4 dots in attributes is pretty kick-ass

My bad! Better?

Also, to people who have played this before: do characters hold coin (max 4) AND crews hold coin(max 4 without vault)? I’m not sure how you can advance your tier without a vault.

I believe that you can keep it around, but the crew stash is what you can hold safely.

On the Character sheets: if you mark your action dots from the left side, the grey column tracks your attributes (insight/prowess/resolve).

Thanks for responding to the survey. I’ve updated your crew sheet with the winning responses.

Questions:

1. Felfiz: your lair is hidden. Describe your lair and how is it concealed.
2. Velaris: The altar in your sanctum was stolen from another faction. Where did you get it?
3. Briar: Your lair was provided to you by another faction. Who is your patron?
4. Dr. Snopes: your presence in Six Towers is by leave of either The Gray Cloaks or Lord Scurlock. Who’s territory are you operating in?
5. Tartinkos: Halthar speaks only to Velaris, but his dread gifts opened your mind and improved your skills. Describe the ritual that resulted in you all being “chosen”

Your lair was provided to you by another faction. Who is your patron?

Lord Scurlock.

Fair enough.

Dr. Snopes, let’s not double dip. Grey Cloaks or The Dimmer Sisters?