Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-Sea of Dust adventure

Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:16 am Demihumans in the Horned Society

Hi,

One of my players, a LE elf wizard, has voiced an interest in joining a secret society of sorts to increase her power and influence. I am currently running the ToEE and the party are in Verbobonc at the moment.

I'd considered having her approached by agents of the Horned Society, who having learned of the wizard's forays into the Temple saw her as a potential agent to reveal to them what was transpiring there due to suspicions of Iuz's involvement. However I read that the Horned Society are likely human suprematists but I'm not sure if that's correct.

Would it be in keeping for an elf to be recruited as an agent of the Horned Society, I can't imagine they would turn their noses up at a potential tool?

Alternatively are their any other options any of you could suggest? I had considered a cult of Asmodeus as a suitable option. Perhaps the cult ultimately answers to Hierarch Markosian, a known Asmodeun?

Suggestions or thoughts most welcome!

Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:26 am

I can assure you that the Horned Society has no racial restrictions. One of the highest ranking members was a half-orc Blontug, a cleric/fighter/assassin.

Horned Society is mostly interested in powerful, intelligent and evil members with access to magic (spells or magical items). Piety, especially devil worshipping, is a big bonus.

Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:59 am

As you have already pointed out, Christophe Jean Markosian, "The Devil Behind Thrones," is indeed a heirarch of the Horned Society and a known worshiper of Asmodeus. http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Asmodeus

He would undoubtedly want to know what was going on with the T.o.E.E., given Iuz's involvement. He would do anything to thwart the "Old One" and would unquestionably have Asmodeus' support . . . if you consider the Blood War. Wink

And in addition to the evidence of the half-orc Blontug's place within the organization, it should be noted that the Horned Society has headquarters in the Pomarj and Bone March; two areas not known for an abundant human population! Evil Grin

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Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:25 am

Thanks Sutemi and Mystic-Scholar, sounds like the Horned Society will work well for my purposes then!

Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:01 pm Re: Demihumans in the Horned Society

Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:38 pm

Good point.

They don't but she's been trying to make tentative enquiries in the seedier parts of town. The party have also (somewhat foolishly) put recruitment posters for henchmen about the city and casually mentioned they are investigating the Temple of Elemental Evil. With those two things I'd imagine they'd have their agents watch her for a while, maybe ascertain her alignment then consider approaching her.

Thu Jan 10, 2013 1:07 pm

Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:53 pm

Bare in mind that PC characters know nothing about "alignment." They only "know" how a person acts; so it may well be that the majority of them suspect nothing untoward regarding "Lady Lyria Asterales - elven wizard from the Spindrift Isles." (I'll assume that who we're discussing.)

So as long as Lyria "does right" by the party and "acts properly," no one will suspect anything.

Remember: Although Tanis suspected Raistlin, they got along well enough and "did right" by the party as a whole. Wink

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Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:12 pm

Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:30 pm

In the campaigns I run (and the ones my DM runs, as well) we describe alignments in terms of the feelings or senses they evoke, as well as describing colorful auras, when a spell-caster uses a Know Alignment on a recipient.

For instance, a CE person may evoke sensations (feelings) of utter cold or make somebody nauseous if they are of Good alingment (particularly LG) while casting a black aura flashing and flaring with tendrils of red.

Just a suggestion, if you like.

-Lanthorn

Thu Jan 10, 2013 9:43 pm

Lanthorn, you know that is an idea I first encountered in a FR novel where a saurian paladin detected alignments in that fashion. I loved the description of the aura he detected from a very powerful, Neutral, bard (who eventually became a new FR god rolleyes

).

His aura was described as an immense gray mountain before an infinite gray sky. Seemed very appropriate for a True Neutral who thought of himself as much better than anyone else.

SirXaris

Fri Jan 11, 2013 2:33 am

Thanks for all your suggestions and thoughts everyone,

SirXaris, it is indeed Lyria in question. Only the priest of Ralishaz knows the elf is evil due to a an encounter with some gnomes on the road, who suspicious of bandits used magic and sensed wickedness in the heart of Lyria. The rest of the party joined after that incident and whilst they can see she is somewhat aloof and heartless don't know for a fact that she is evil in her alignment.

Lanthorn I like your suggestion for detecting alignment through themed auras. Previously I have been describing it in more emotional terms such as sensing kindness or hatred within a person. As it stands the party themselves have no means of detecting alignment anyways and although I'm using a mix of 1st and 2nd edition rules I just can't bring myself to justify alignment languages!

The way I have played it so far is that one of the potential henchmen that have repsonded to the party's notices is actually an agent of the Horned Society. Knowing what Lyria was looking for in a henchman this thief stood out and as I expected she ask to meet with the man further. He has offered his services and informed Lyria that he is aware of her investigations in some of the seedier parts of town and has also offered to put her in touch with a contact who might be able to help her.

The henchman is actually an agent of a cult of Asmodeus linked to the Horned Society. The plan is to introduce Lyria to some fellow cultists, appeal to her ego and her greed for power and slowly indoctrinate her into the cult and the worship of Asmodeus (she currently favours Wee Jas). The link to the Horned Society will be kept quiet until either she is established in the Cult or until her henchman's loyalties become closer with Lyria than with the HS and he reveals it too her. Knowing the character, she won't care if she is gettong the power she wants.

Now I just need to come up with a good name for this Asmodeun society...

Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:35 am

Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:41 am

Alignment languages was just a plain horrible idea, and we never used them.

As for the cult, they will surly be plenty interested in Magic and Death, just like followers of Wee Jas, but they will also be using of such things to achieve another end- Power/Domination. Work the transition from one angle to another by showing how the tenets of Wee Jas can "properly" be used to achieve something greater still - Power/Domination. Involving the character in a series of encounters that draws her further into achieving results of self-Power/Domination, rather than glorification of what Wee Jas stands for, the slide into damnation will be well on its way. Such encounters should be all about the gain of Power/Domination, either personally, for some other cult member, or for the cult as a whole. What makes one member of the cult stronger makes the entire cult stronger.

And the cult need not even initially be portrayed as a religious cult, but as a society group, such as a private club composed of "influential people"...who just so happen to all be followers of Asmodeus. The more deeply invested the character gets, the more information that gets revealed. Once the character is in deep, little secrets begin to be revealed; such as that a large portion of the membership just so happen to all be members of a particular merchant guild which has (or seeks to gain) a stranglehold on local mercantile activity. The deeper she goes, the more widespread the group's web of influence is revealed to be.

Coming close to the end of things, you might reveal that the leader of the group is a cleric of Asmodeus. After that, it might slowly become apparent that the members of the group are all followers of Asmodeus. After all of this, if the character is still "in like Flynn", then it would then be time to reveal that the group's Power/Domination goal is also the goal of The Horned Society, which the cult leaders just so happen to be agents of. If the character achieves a rather decent level of power (i.e. character level), she will more than likely attract the attention of a Hierarch who will want to use her to accomplish some end that lesser minions would not be capable of. That might take her, and other companion agents, into the old Horned Lands and into conflict with servants of Iuz or the Knights of Holy Shielding, either of which could make for many more hours of gaming fun- especially possible repercussions. Does any character really want to be the target of both an evil NPC hunting party in service to Iuz as well as a good NPC hunting party in service to the Shield Lands/Furyondy at the same time? A clever minion of Asmodeus might even arrange for any such pursuing groups to "accidentally" run into each other. Lots of potential fun to be had with this whole situation. Evil Grin

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Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:36 am

Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:46 am

Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:43 am

In case anyone was interested I thought I would share with you what I ended up going with for my player;

Having advertised for a henchman she was approached by one who fitted her requirements perfectly. This henchman mentioned in passing that he knew of a social club that might be what 'milady' was looking for.

He arranged for his mistress to meet with an elite social club called the Ladies of the Ninth. Seemingly a 'ladies who lunch' affair comprised of influential or wealthy socialites. The purpose of the club seemed to be primarily a social gathering but in which the members helped each other out by calling in favours, whispering the right word into their husband's ears etc. There was also a pseudo-mystical element which on the surface appears to be purely pomp and drama to add some romance and spice to the occassion. The women pay a seemingly mock homage to "The Good Neighbour and her Lord Husband".

The apparent leader of the cult, one Lady Belladonna, has expressed how she'd be delighted for the PC to join their elite invite only club and confided how terribly jealous she was of the PCs explorations as she herself had not the time to do so herself. She also hinted how she was sure some members of the club would be delighted to provide the PC with some wizardly mentoring if she desired.

Behind the scenes the Ladies of the Ninth are a society revering Bensozia, consort of Asmodeus. (In my game the Reckoning of Hell did not happen and Bensozia still lives). Bensozia's name is based on a French godess associated with witches and that means 'the good neighbour'. They ultimately answer to the Horned Society Hierarchs and the PC is being primed to act as a spy in the ToEE for them with the hopes of initiating her fully as the club is in essence a coven dedicated to the Queen of Hell. If she accepts the invitation Belladonna will ask only that in return for their support the PC writes a journal of her explorations in the Temple so that she may excite her dreary days with the PC's tales of adventure.

The henchman is also an agent of the club to help steer the PC along the right path and should she choose not to join they already have a spy to report back on the Temple's doings.

Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:56 am

Nice, Wolfling. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the game. Cool

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Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:24 pm

Yep, sounds like you've got it worked out well in advance, Wolfling. That's some nice background research and preparation you've done. Cool

SirXaris

Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:23 pm

Perhaps my article on the Horned Society might be useful.

Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:13 am

Thanks Rasgon, there's some really nice stuff in your background there that I may use if you don't mind?

Is the part about Melf, Elkhorn et al being adventuring companions something you've devised or is it part of canon somewhere?

Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:06 am