The Empire of Goltannia: a bastion of order and justice in a chaotic, savage world. Ruled by the benevolent, wise, and powerful Emperor Goltannus, this land of goodness and righteousness has brought civilization to the uncivilized and has protected those who have no other protection. There is truly no greater realm in which to live.
That is what the official imperial propaganda says. The more cautious citizens of Goltannia would never dare to disagree. After all, those who would dare to suggest that the Emperor or his loyal servants are anything less than correct in all things tend to disappear into the realm’s many, many imperial prisons. There is no tolerance for sedition in Goltannia.
Nor is there tolerance for witchcraft, thievery, worshiping the “wrong” god, evading the imperial draft currently in effect, or any number of other entries on the long, long list of offenses against the empire. Those who disobey soon find themselves in chains, forced to toil in endless labor to help keep the massive imperial army properly supplied.
As many suffered under the emperor’s brutal reign, whispers of rebellion began to spread. Could those who had been oppressed for so long finally seize the opportunity to rise up and seize the freedoms they had been so long denied? Only time would tell.
OOC Information
This is a somewhat dark fantasy story about a small group struggling against a massive evil empire. However, the characters are not necessarily idealistic and righteous. They may be working against the empire for purely selfish reasons, to gain power for themselves, or just acting out of good old fashioned revenge.
At the start of the story, all characters are incarcerated in one of the empire’s many prisons/dungeons/labor camps. Please provide an explanation for how and why they were taken prisoner along with your character description. If you’d like it to be a secret, feel free to let me know in private messages or comments on the character page.
I’m looking for a group of between three and five players. As with all my games, this one is LGBT friendly. No word limits, past tense preferred. Pre-made cards have been provided to offer some suggestions, but please feel free to write your own custom nature, strength, weakness, and subplot cards.
Here are some notes on the setting to provide background and character ideas:
Races
The Emperor and all nobility in Goltannia are human. Elves, dwarves, and other nonhuman races are found throughout the empire, but they are very much second class citizens. Owning land is prohibited for most nonhumans and they face systemic discrimination.
The Empire has just completed a years-long conquest of dwarven territory and is currently at war with a large elven kingdom. Consequently, elves and dwarves are regarded with particular distrust. Just being suspected of sympathizing with the Emperor’s enemies can be enough to get someone imprisoned.
Religion
The Emperor claims to be a direct descendant of Goltan the Just, a powerful god of civilization and order. As such, while the existence of other gods is acknowledged, worship of Goltan is the only approved religion within the empire.
Sometimes authorities turn a blind eye to rites associated with certain gods and goddesses who are regarded as part of Goltan’s pantheon, but other faiths are strictly forbidden. Practicing the wrong religion can result in imprisonment, particularly if someone is suspected of actually spreading illegal teachings.
Magic
Magic exists throughout the world and can be mastered through diligent study, though some are born with greater innate talents for it than others. According to his propaganda, the Emperor himself is among the world’s most powerful wielders of the arcane.
There are several varieties of magic. Some use it to bend the elements to their will. Others employ it to heal wounds and illnesses. Others can use it to see glimpses of the future or faraway places. Some say magic can even raise the dead. Most who practice magic tend to focus on a particular aspect, as it is nearly impossible to master a wide variety of spells.
Only the nobility and officially sanctioned imperial magi in service to the army are permitted to practice magic. For all others, the practice of magic is considered witchcraft, a very serious crime.
Crime
The Goltannian justice system can be incredibly harsh. Long prison sentences are common even for minor offenses like petty theft. The system is also corrupt, allowing the wealthy and those who have the Emperor’s favor to escape punishment for much more serious offenses.
Part of the reason for these harsh laws is that prisoners are employed to keep the economy of the empire functioning. With a large portion of the empire’s able bodied youth drafted into mandatory military service, prisoners are used as labor in the mines and fields, keeping the military supplied.
One small merciful side effect of this policy is that the death penalty is rarely used. After all, a dead man cannot provide valuable labor. Execution is generally limited to those deemed too dangerous to keep alive, such as powerful magic users or leaders of treasonous plots.
The Military
A military draft has been in effect across the Empire for the past five years. All able bodied individuals between the ages of sixteen and thirty are required to serve in the military. Nobles are exempt from this service, as are those wealthy enough to afford a rather substantial payment.
Attempting to evade the draft or desertion from military service typically results in a lengthy imprisonment.
Last Comments
Feel free to message me with any questions. Special thanks to all the writers in both previous Dark Reapers stories. While this game does not take place in the same universe, the tone is very much inspired by those games.
Hosted and narrated by:
Lux Tizer (Luxtizer)
Started 04/07/16.
Scenes played: 8
License: Community License
