The OCB Special Task Force OOC

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:08 pm

It is a quiet, peaceful day in your home, the sun shines brightly, the streets outside are as calm as ever. It is the quietest district in the city, at least most of the time. Few spend their time chatting outside, always too exhausted after a day of patrolling - or, on occasion, fighting - to do anything but relax and take their mind off things.

You've been relaxing for days now since your last task, until the familiar rapping on the door is heard. It's Carter, so that means work. He hands you a missive, sealed and stamped with the Captain's seal. He gives you a nod, and takes his leave, likely bringing identical missives to the rest of your group.

As you open the letter, you notice the signature beautiful calligraphy of the Captain, and begin to read...

Code: Select all

Classified Report -- Oddities in Wolfrun

Situation

For the past several weeks there have been reports of outsiders moving into Wolfrun, transporting cargo of some form. The Baron, Hasten Aerden, has become reclusive and refuses to talk to our knights in the area, and we have received orders in his name (from the hands of these outsiders) that the Order is to scale back their presence here, and be out entirely by the end of the month.

From what our knights report, the outsiders appear to be staying permanently, and are slowly replacing our knights as well as the Baron's old sworn men as the military and guard presence in the area. They regularly move in and out of the Baron's tower, which is kept locked and no others are admitted except these newcomers. 

Task

Investigate the goings-on of the Baron discretely. We suspect he is working with a smuggling ring, and that these newcomers are smugglers or bandits of some sort. If they are allowed to have a safe haven in Wolfrun, then the Iron Eye Cove will be at risk, as well as the entire western portion of Andor.

There are rumors from Iron Eye Cove that similar odd men have been seen around there as well, so you should begin your search there. It would also be prudent to check the Cape, shading dealings always tend to find there way there.

Report your findings within a month, and we will decide on the best course of action from there.

Good luck.

Signed, 
Ser Percival Melchett,
Captain of the Military District,
Order of the Cherry Blossom

Setting and Lore

You are a member of the Order of the Cherry Blossom, a large and influential group of independent knights based out of Fort Sakura, on the Andorian Peninsula. No ordinary knight, you are a member of the Special Task Force - an elite group hand-picked by Captain Percival Melchett to oversee missions of particular risk and interest to the Order.

Every member of the Special Task Force holds the rank of Sergeant, a middling rank that is above all standard knights, thus giving you authority over virtually all colleagues you may meet on your missions. This allows you to recruit help as needed if a situation calls for it, as well as gather information more effectively - knights should always answer to their superiors when questioned.

You've been a member of the Special Task Force for at least one mission prior to this one, so for at least a month or so, but would have been a member of the Order for longer (likely at least five or so years). You can be a member for any amount of time longer than that, though, so long as you are young enough to still be in your prime and an elite among the ranks.

The vast majority of knights in the Order are from the Andorian peninsula, which is primarily human in makeup. Most of the dwarves that once ruled the area are now holed up in Baerin in the mountains to the north, and very few leave their own kind. Very few elves have made it this far south, and most that have are fairly poor, though that does not mean there aren't a few amongst the Order's ranks. Orcs exist, but most in the city are of the wealthy sort, entrepreneurs who gambled and won with their decision to move their business to Fort Sakura. All of this means that you are very likely a human from the peninsula itself, but feel free to be something else if you have a good enough concept (which also makes sense, and isn't just shoehorning an idea).

Character Creation Rules

System: 4e
Level 7
Stats: 25pt buy.
Race: Any published, refluffed as human, elf, orc, or dwarf (or any combination of two e.g. half orc/elf, half dwarf/human, etc.). Half-races are generally infertile, so you can't get down into quarters of a race.
Class: Any published.
Feats: Choice of free expertise feat.
Themes: Allowed and encouraged.
Background: +2 to a skill or add a language.
Equipment: One free level 6, 7, and 8 magic items. Free basic shit items within reason (ask if you are unsure). 1800gp to spend on other magic items or to have on your person.
Skills: There are no class skill restrictions; any class can train any skill. You still must take the mandatory/bonus skills granted by your class as usual (e.g. Arcana for a wizard). In addition, every class starts with at least 4 trained (before accounting for race/theme/feats/etc.) regardless of what the builder says, and any that would otherwise have fewer gets more to make 4 as a base number.
Rituals: Component costs for all rituals are reduced to ¼ their normal values to encourage ritual use. Also, Raise Dead will not be allowed in this game – dead is dead, though we hope that doesn’t have to be an issue.
Inherent Bonuses: No
Languages: We will not be using the standard 4e languages, but instead the ones listed below. Every character should know Andorian as the default language for this setting (as opposed to common), and should they gain additional languages (from race, theme, feat, etc.) then simply choose additional ones from the list of custom languages provided below.
Hybrids: In any game I run, you will be allowed to take the feat "Hybrid Talent" as many times as you like as a hybrid character. I feel like this helps make up for the fact that most hybrids are incredibly sub-par, and it allows for some really interesting combinations if you look hard enough. The CB does not allow for this option by default, though, so you will need to house-rule it and keep track of the benefits manually.

[SHOW]: Common - Common is a lingua franca in this world. Most people know at least some of the common tongue, and many speak it fluently, but it is not the primary language of any nation. People who only know Common are typically sailors, or other people who have spent most of their life traveling rather than in one place.

Tulrissian – The national language of Tulrisse, a primarily human agricultural-based kingdom.

(Modern) Serran – The primary language spoken by the small kingdoms of an expansive arid region known as the Serran Desert, which consist mostly of humans and orcs.

Old Serran - The language spoken in the old, now-collapsed Serran Kingdom. Very few people still speak it with any amount of regularity except for the priests and priestess of the Serran gods and the Tenants, who need to know it for many old texts.

Imardanian – The national language of the Imardin Thalassocracy, a naval nation bent on spreading its monotheistic religion to all of Voreld whether people want it or not. It is a very diverse nation, but humans still make up the majority.

Kurnish – The language of the orc tribes of Kurnhuelde, a region primarily consisting of snowy hills on the Kurn Peninsula.

Andorian – A language that developed in the Andorian peninsula after it was settled by the Andor dwarves and became a prominent location in Voreld. It was originally a strange mix of Dwarven and Tulrissian, but has since grown into a distinct language of its own.

Dwarven – The common language of the many dwarf kingdoms that occupy the mountains that run down the center of Voreld.

Elven – A catch-all term in Voreld for any of the many distinct dialects spoken by the elf natives of Quellam, a continent to the east.

Gleiosian - A language spoken primarily on Gleios and the surrounding smaller islands it influences.

Brennisian - A language that originated on the Isle of Brennis, but spread after the small nation conquered a large region of the archipelago. It has since become much less prevalent than it once was.

Ghian - A language originating on Ghia, and spreading with its culture to the smaller nearby islands.

Chathran - A language spoken primarily on Chathra and Cianthum

Okani - A language spoken by the people of Mai'okon and the surrounding small islands under its influence.

Vishan - An odd language that evolved from from both Ghian and Chathran, spoken on the islands of Visha

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:08 pm

Ten-Minute Background

Shamelessly stolen from here.

Since this game is more of a traditional campaign, where the characters guide the game and there is no real over-arching plot (unlike the Tulrisse game, where ultimately everything is moving toward the unification and repelling the invasion), I would like you all to complete the following either in place of a standard background write-up, or in addition to one; it is up to you which you go with. The purpose of this is to get some specific info to work with, as well as some meta-goals that you all as players would like to accomplish. Having them all here, rather than me asking you at various times, makes it easier for me to reference them and plan for future activities in-game.

(All examples are taken from my own post for the game linked above, and are using an entirely different setting than the one we will be in.)

Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged but not required. Don't feel pressured or at a loss due to unfamliarity with the Ganoltir campaign world! I'm more than happy to provide elements and more to assist in the process.

[SHOW]: 1) Birth - Karth was born as the offspring of Queen Gwarta of Bridged City and one of her many guards. During her pregnancy it was assumed she would be giving birth to another of her husband's children, but when the child turned out to be a half-elf this was quickly proven to be false. The king consort, enraged by the discovery, demanded his wife reveal who the father was. Not wishing for controversy, she quickly revealed who the information and Karth and his father were banished and sent away in secret. The royal family told the public that the pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage and held a grand funeral for the supposed deceased prince. Meanwhile, Karth's father travelled with his newborn son to the city of Mithril to start a new life.

2) Early Life - Karth's father settled in the Harbor City section of Mithril and began taking whatever odd jobs he could find. As Karth got older he would sometimes help, but he usually caused more harm than good and was sent away. It was these times that he first began following the other boys around town, participating in various acts of thievery and creating bonds of friendship.

3) Later Life - As he got older, Karth began to grow bored with petty thievery. After all, it was his destiny to become king of Bridged City and he wasn't going to do that by pickpocketing the various merchants who came to Harbor City. He wanted more, but he didn't exactly know how to get it. Lucky for him his old friend Faust was an ambitious one, and when he stole a ship from the harbor he invited Karth and the other thieves who grew up together to join as his crew. Karth saw this as an opportunity, not only to relieve his boredom but also to gain more riches than he'd ever be able to scrounge alone.

4) The Magnificent Manslayer - As is custom among the Conspicuous Oils, Karth has a nickname that he goes by. When thinking up the names with the others he initially came up with such ideas as "Karth the Glorious", "The Radiant Ruffian", and "The Most Gorgeous Pirate Known to Man." These were all quickly shot down by the others, who said the point of the nicknames were to strike fear. Faust suggested he go by "The Manslayer" since he was always a ruthless fighter when the need arose, and reluctantly Karth accepted. However, it quickly came to everyone's attention that he was reffering to himself as "Karth the Magnificent" outside of their presence. They tried to get him to follow the captain's suggestion, only to be told that "the title simply does not express my greatness as well as it should." After some discussion they finally all came to a compromise, and Karth's nickname was officially made to be "The Magnificent Manslayer."

5) Appearance - Karth is somewhat tall, standing 6'3", with a fairly slender build. He has long, silver hair due to his elven heritage and he is very protective of it - many men have scars (or worse) to show as a result of touching Karth's hair. His manner of dress is never very fancy as he has always been of the lower class, but whatever the clothing he always wears it in a way that gives off an air of nobility. Even while at sea he makes a point to look his best, and can often be found tending to his precious hair. On his belt hangs a mirror that, while useful for some raids, spends most of its time reflecting Karth's face back at him.

6) Personality Traits - As a narcissist Karth tends to be very confident in his abilites, and his self-esteem is never low. He goes into every battle without fear, completely assured of his victory from the start. He is always looking to make friends with new people (no one should miss the opportunity to gaze upon his gorgeous face, after all), though this is often made difficult due to the arrogance that often manifests in social situations due to his narcissism. He is extremely loyal to the few people he truly respects, and despite his overconfidence he is still a formidable opponent on the battlefield, so to some it might be worth earning that respect.

Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.

[SHOW]: 1) Karth ultimately desires to become the king of Bridged City. He feels he was wrongly banished, and that as retribution he deserves to gain the throne in place of his half-sister Hannatha.

2) I'd like Karth to get a chance to return to Bridged City so that I can develop that part of his story. He need not actually ever gain the throne as he wants, but I'd at least like to have him come to terms with royalty who are against him in some way, and perhaps meet his mother for the first time.

Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I may also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect the unexpected.

[SHOW]: 1) Karth is actually the son of Queen Gwatra of Bridged City, making him royalty in the city-state. He ultimately plans to use this to become king and rule the city-state as he feels he deserves.

2) Karth was made a divine champion of Enkili without his knowledge, and most of his success and combat skill is a result of this. Enkili chose him for his personality, and as such the divine powers he possesses are triggered by him acting in line with his natural narcissism. Acting against this can sometimes have negative effects.

Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.

[SHOW]: 1) Karth's father is his only real family, and he cares deeply about his only son. He is the one who filled Karth's head with the idea of becoming king, and thus is directly responsible for Karth's narcissism.

2) Captain Faust is an old friend and Karth has a great deal of respect for the quirky man. He is one of the few people Karth views as an equal.

3) Queen Gwatra, Karth's mother, has a somewhat neutral opinion of him. As her own child she cannot hate him, but she was not sad when he was banished from Bridge City with his father. She wants to avoid a succession dispute just as much as the other royals who know of his existence, but would be torn somewhat if that were ever to happen.

4) The king consort of Bridged City was furious when he learned that Karth was not his son, and when he found out he immediately had the boy and his father banished from the city. He loved his wife enough to forgive her for her affair, but he hates Karth and his father and would likely go to any means to keep them from returning or gaining any sort of prominince in Bridged City.

Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.

[SHOW]: 1) Karth is very much a narcissist, and can sometimes be quite arrogant due to his self-absorption. Ironically, these personality traits are the direct cause of his successes in life, as well as his skills in combat, due to them triggering his divinely-granted abilities.

2) He has a very fuzzy memory of the palace interior from the time he was born. Occasionally it is the setting of his dreams, where he is revered by the citizens of Bridge City as a great leader.

3) He absolutely hates for anyone to touch his hair unless they are a very close friend, and even then he is not completely comfortable with it. Touching Karth's hair is one of the few ways to anger him (and the quickest), and has occasionally resulted in the injury or death of the unfortante offender.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

Who raised you and how did they shape your life? What social class do you belong to, and how did that change your opportunities and your outlook? What do you do for a living, and have you changed careers in the past? What social institutions (religions, governments, civil society, businesses) are you a part of or interact with? Do you have a spouse? Children? Did you at one time?

I add this last bit because I like to tie characters into the world around them. Often, people go for very individual or personal stories - long-lost love, bad guy killed my parents, mysterious birth, etc. But I find that this can make characters somewhat disconnected from the world around them, and the world becomes rather too much of a two-dimensional backdrop. Both in reality, you'd expect people to be profoundly shaped by their society and the institutions around them.

[SHOW]: Family - Karth's only real family is his father, and older elven man who was once a guard at the Queen's palace in Bridged City. While he is related by blood to the Bridged City royalty, most of them are unaware of his existence. The ones who do know of him want him kept a secret, so as not to cause a succession dispute.

Class - On his mother's side he is a member of the Bridged City royalty, on his father's side he is a common peasant. He was raised by his father in Mithril as a simple commoner, but his royal blood cannot be denied.

Profession - Karth is a pirate and he is good at it. He has been First Mate of the Quina Vjeta for a long time under Captain Faust, and not without reason. He was one of the few to survive the fateful encounter with the guarded merchant ship, and one of the even fewer to survive who was also a companion of Faust in his youth.

Institutions - he is a member of Faust's Crew, the Conspicuous Oils.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

Here's where I like to get a bit more personality than backstory, because an overly historical concept only really gives you a good grounding in what your character did, what happened to them, rather than what they'll do in the future. So I generally try to ask what motivates a character at any given moment: Revenge? Wealth? Fame? Personal Excellence? Curiosity? Survival? Instinct? Reason? Power? Emotions? Loyalty? Etc.

[SHOW]: Primary - Karth's feeling of entitelement towards the throne of Bridged City is his primary motivating factor. He deserves to rule the city as he sees it, and he will do everything in his power to obtain the position he views as rightfully his.

Secondary - His years as a pirate have also fostered in him a desire for wealth. He has incorporated this lesser desire into his ultimate goal of becoming King of Bridged city by deciding that he will not yet return to the city-state until he has first amassed considerable wealth. This amassing of wealth will surely make it easier for him to obtain the influence he needs gain the throne, but he also wants it for the luxury as well.

Tertiary - Karth is always looking to make new friends, having grown up with very few. His personality tends to hinder him in his pursuit for companions, so one could say it is a never-ending search for those patient and accepting enough to handle his presence on a regular basis.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

Similar to your Step 2, I think that goals give a character a higher order of drive, and can make for a nice character arc that gives level progression some meaning beyond mechanics. In addition, as you point out, it can also be a good hook for DMs.

[SHOW]: Short Term - Meet and befriend the new crewmembers. More friends are always nice.

Medium Term - Continue earning coin with Faust, until Karth as enough to return to Bridged City in style and live there comfortably.

Long Term - Win the hearts of the people of Bridged City and take over as monach instead of his half-sister Hannatha.

OCB Relations - Important NPCs and other PCs

For this I'd like you guys to write your opinions/relationship status of the other PCs as well as the other named NPCs of the special task force (including Melchett, your boss), regardless of how close or distant that relationship is. Feel free to also include relationships between any other members of the Order of the Cherry Blossom who exist as well, either of your own creation or another player's.

[SHOW]: Captain Blackwood - Karth has never met Blackwood, but has heard tales of the man's deeds. He respects and admires the man he imagines accomplishes those deeds, and would one day like to meet him (under peaceful terms, of course).

Mad Marian - Karth knows nothing but rumors of the buccaneer known as the 'Mad' Marian, but if the rumors are true then he would probably prefer to keep his distance.

Ser Percival Melchett - Karth is not a huge fan of national militaries, and Melchett reminds him of his mother's husband. Were the two to ever interact, it would likely not go well.

etc...

Wishlist - NPCs and Magic Items

Here you should make two lists in the same block:

1) a list of NPCs you'd like to exist in the world that are not directly related to your character. This could be other important figures, future PCs, or anyone else not covered in the section for related NPCs and OCB Relations.

Note: Make at least two of these be members of the OCB you might want to use in the future as alternate PCs, should yours die or you get sick of using them.

2) a list of magic items you'd like to obtain at some point in the future. They will be common in this game, unlike Tulrisse and others, so just put whatever it is you like and I will see if I can work it in at some point.

Note: Please include information on the level, item slot, and tier (if applicable) of the items included. This makes it easier for me to find them in the builder later.

[SHOW]: NPCs
Raoul - a hair stylist of some renown who Karth would like to visit sometime.

Paul Bumble - a man adept at feigning incompetence, who has amassed a large fortune by preying on the gullible in this manner.

Items
Ice Dagger +1
Boots of Bounding

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:08 pm

The Order of The Cherry Blossom: A Brief History

stuff

The Order of The Cherry Blossom: Hierarchy

The Order uses a rigid ranking system, providing members of each rank with insignias in the shape of a blooming cherry blossom flower. The number of colored petals indicates their rank, ranging from an 'empty' flower (with no colored petals) for new recruits, all the way up to a gilded, fully-colored blossom for the head of the order. The ranks are as follows, in ascending order:

Recruit [Insignia: five uncolored petals]
Anyone joining the order without prior combat training, or below a certain threshold of age and general maturity, becomes a recruit. These are not technically members, but more preliminary members-in-training. They undergo extensive combat training in the Fort Sakura military district of the course of a a few years to prepare to join the ranks of knights who serve.

Knight [Insignia: one colored and four uncolored petals]
By far the most numerous rank, this is the lowest tier among actual members of the order. All newcomers with prior combat training, as well as those who graduated from recruits, begin at this rank. Knights form small patrols, led by sergeants, and are issued orders from above. These patrols tend to be fairly static, encouraging members to form bonds over time.

For the most part knights tend to spend a lot of time on the road, though some groups are more stationary. The various cities around the Andorian Peninsula tend to house one or more groups of OCB knights for general protection, in return for room and board (and the occasional donation to the order), and there are some stationed in Serran as well, to combat the Nabrand coalition and oversee construction of a new fortress, the Desert Rose.

Knight Errant [Insignia: two colored and three uncolored petals]
Though technically higher in the order hierarchy than standard knights, knights errant have no direct authority than anyone underneath them. Instead, knights errant are granted greater autonomy to travel and combat crime and corruption without being tied to a patrol or specific orders. As such, knights errant are far and away the most common members of the order encountered outside of Andor.

To become a knight errant requires both great skill and moral character, enough so that those in charge feel comfortable allowing one to make judgement calls in line with the order's goals at their own discretion, without direct oversight. This makes earning the rank a considerable time investment, but once earned there is no position with greater freedom to travel the world and make a name for themselves. Many have been known to pass up promotions to sergeant in favor of shooting for knight errant, so that they can experience other cultures and landscapes while doing the good work.

Sergeant [Insignia: three colored and two uncolored petals]
The lowest of the officer ranks, sergeants are the most diverse group among the order. Some are scholars, diplomats, or administrators, hanging up their swords in favor of desk jobs in the Fort Sakura keep. Some are patrol leaders, continuing their earlier work as leaders instead of followers. Some are investigators, serving as the heads of the guard patrols within Fort Sakura's walls and dealing with any criminal investigations.

In addition to the other types of sergeants, all members of the special task force share the rank. This gives them direct authority over any knights and knights errant they may come across on missions, making it easier to obtain intel or recruit assistance as needed. All sergeants, additionally, have access to certain parts of the order's archives that are sealed to the rank and file, though higher ranks have more access still.

Captain [Insignia: four colored petals and one uncolored petal]
For all intents and purposes the Captain is the second-highest rank in the order, only trumped by the Commander during rare times of war. At any given time there are six captains, each one acting as administrator for a specific area under the order's control. Due to the vast dissimilarities between these areas, each captain tends to have very different duties from one another.The current six captains are split between the five districts of Fort Sakura, with the last presiding over the Masaan Valley farmlands directly outside the city. In the near future it is likely there will be a seventh Captain appointed, who is expected to oversee the Desert Rose fortress upon its completion.

Captain Percival Melchett, who oversees the Military District, is also de facto head of the order's personnel. He handles most promotions and organizes the patrols and their routes, as well as hand-picking the special task force and its missions. In addition to these duties, he is also in charge of placing orders with the Smith's Guild and Mason's guild, should the city need repairs or the order need new or better gear.

Captain Elric Vergos, who oversees the Masaan Valley, makes sure the Farmer's Guild is kept in check and that their labor force is taken care of. He is also in charge of territorial disputes and mediates sales and purchases of land within the valley, assuring that everything is done by the books.

Captain Yasmin Arduille, who oversees the Port District, controls all sea traffic in and out of the city, serving as de facto port authority. She uses her judgement and insight to determine who is allowed to dock and who is to be turned away, and has close ties with the local Merchant's Guild and Mariner's Guild to ensure that they follow all customs laws.

Captain _________, who oversees the Residential district, tends to have what may be considered the worst position depending on one's point of view. Their job entails dealing with all sales and purchases of homes within the district, zoning, planning and maintaining infrastructure, and serving as judge for minor crimes and disputes between the citizenry.

Captain _________, who oversees the Market District, deals mostly with the business side of things in the city. They are responsible for issuing business licenses and ensuring that the local guilds stay in line, and that aggressive business practices are kept in check. In addition, they mediate all disputes between businesses and guilds.

Captain Destrian Willis, who oversees the Garden District, has what many consider to be the cushiest job in the order. It is almost a purely diplomatic position, dealing with foreigners seeking to purchase the city's most valuable real estate and keeping the local wealthy elite happy and appeased. They also are in charge of the landscaping around the city, organizing the work force that keeps things looking fresh and inviting. Destrian was transferred to this position as he got older, an easy position to match his age.

Commander [Insignia: five colored petals]
The commander is officially the second highest rank in the order, though it is only a temporary title that exists in the rare time of war. Only one of the order's captains may be appointed as Commander in times of need, and traditionally this has always been granted to the captain of the military district. They exert absolute authority on the battlefield, only answering to the Grand Cross if present, and are tasked with planning strategies and formations for any battles or defenses that are forthcoming. As soon as wartime ends, the appointed captain returns to their normal rank and all returns to normal.

Grand Cross [Insignia: five gold-trimmed colored petals]
At the top of the hierarchy of the order sits Grand Cross, who directly oversees the six captains and, indirectly, everyone else. The original Grand Cross was a man by the name of Adrian d'Arcangeli, and has been held by one of his descendants ever since, each one raising their children to succeed them.

The Grand Cross' duties are mostly administrative and diplomatic, with most of their efforts spent dealing with things external to Fort Sakura. Traveling to visit close trade partners with the city, as well as entertaining them domestically, are two of the primary duties. The Grand Cross is also the judge who presides over and major criminal trials, and directly oversees the wardens of the prison complex that forms the upper portion of the keep.

Currently the position is held by Alexios d'Arcangeli, a distant ancestor of the founder of the order and skilled warrior. He has raised his eldest daughter, Lorelai, to one day take the reigns, and she currently serves on the special task force, working her way up the ranks in hopes of meeting that goal.

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:08 pm

Fort Sakura: Home of the Order of the Cherry Blossom

Fort Sakura is a large fortified city built on a small island off the eastern coast of the Andorian Peninsula, founded in the mid fifth era. Despite its relatively young age in world history, it has grown heavily in prominence in the last few centuries to become one of the most important cities, and certainly the economic hub of the peninsula.

The city was planned from the start to live up to its name, a fortress shaped like the cherry blossom it was built to protect. The materials and masons for its impressive walls were generously provided by the kingdom of Andor, in thanks for the OCB's selfless protection of their trade routes and those of the other settlers around the peninsula. It took twenty-eight years to fully raise the outer walls, another thirteen to finish the central keep. The iconic White Gate, which adorns the main entrance to the city, was built around the existing gatehouse over a century after the initial construction.

The unique shape of the city's walls results in six distinct - and separate - sections, each one given a purpose from the very beginning and expanding under strict guidance so that there is little overlap. The six sections correspond to the five petals of the flower, as well as the pistil in the center. The petals serve as city districts, each district with certain zoning restrictions and differing general purposes. Clockwise, beginning with the western-most district (where the White Gate is found), they are the Market District, the Garden District, the Military District, the Residential District, and the Port District. The central section of the city, which consists of a massive tower complex, is the city's Keep.

The Market District
Fort Sakura's market district is the center of the city's activity, which is why it was designated as the first section most folks enter into when first arriving in town. Walking through the White Gate leaves one gazing out over Griffon Square, gazing on the great statue in the center surrounded by its meticulously kept flowers and topiaries. To your left you'd be met with the Peddler's Path, a wide road full of street vendor stalls that snakes into the northern portion of the district. To your right you'd find a much narrower, quieter route that leads to the more residential and artisanal section, which eventually finds its way to the Church of Acceptance - a non-denominational site of worship where priests of any faith my preach, and worshipers of any god may pray.

The market district is first and foremost, as its name suggests, a commercial zone. There are residences scattered throughout, but they are almost exclusively those of the local business owners (often located above or below their storefronts), or apartments rented out above local shops by their owners (usually by those who own multiple shops, or live elsewhere). In addition to the bulk of Fort Sakura's business and shops, the market district also houses both the Merchant's Guild and the Writer's Guild.

The Garden District
The most exclusive (and expensive) district, both for shopping and living, the Garden District is set aside for Fort Sakura's wealthy elite. Early on in the city's history, when the Order was just beginning to grow in respect and wealth, the second Grand Cross - Andel d'Arcangeli - rightly anticipated that having a section reserved purely for those of wealth and influence would help draw such people in as both investors in the Order and new, permanent residents of the city. Thus he chose the section where his private estate was located (which, at the time, was no more than a small wooden home and some fenced grazing land) to become this new district, marking out large sections to be reserved for other private estates, to be sold to those with the money to buy large sections of land at once.

The current Garden District has evolved much since its creation those centuries ago, featuring six large estates - the largest being the ancestral d'Arcangeli estate - and many other larger homes and more upscale shops. Along the main road through the district can be found Fort Sakura's largest and most expensive inn, which is the lodging of choice for traveling merchants stopping in for trade deals. The road itself is lined with beautiful landscaping and there are various public parks through the district. On top of all this, the local Jeweler's Guild calls this district their home.

The Military District
Before the city walls of Fort Sakura were even halfway finished, this section of the city was officially designated as an are exclusively controlled by the Order. While the Order controls the entire city, the Military district is for knights only and very few non-members are ever allowed admittance within its inner walls without special permission.

While the other districts can be a bit haphazard in their layouts and architecture, the military district is very structured and uniform in design. It is separated from the main street of the city by a stone wall, significantly smaller than the city walls, but large enough to be a deterrent for any would-be trespassers. The large wooden doors that lead into the heart of the district head down into a circular central area, which surrounds the large open courtyard used by the knights for training and sparring. Another decline in the road then leads to the workshop area, where everything arms and armor to siege weapons are constructed as needed.

The vast majority of the district - all but the workshop area - is residential, serving as permanent housing for all knights of the order who have no homes of their own. These lodgings are provided free of charge to those admitted into the order, and paid for by local taxes. The lower ranks tend to share homes with many of their colleagues, often with entire patrols sharing a single section to bolster relations. Officers are afforded more spacious quarters, and the Captains are each allotted their own private homes. In addition to housing nearly the entire Order at any given time, the district also houses the city's Mason's Guild and Smith's Guild.

The Residential District
The residential district of Fort Sakura was built on the lowest section of the city, part of which was originally marshland. Dirt and rubble leftover from carving out sections of the Military and Port districts was used to fill in the wetland portion, creating stable land to build on, though a drain was built to filter any residual ground water and future rain out of the district and back into the sea. However, over time the rain and shifting ground has caused part of the district to revert back to is original marshy state, leaving a dichotomy within the district between the higher, more stable (and, thus, more valuable) land, and the lower, less stable (and much less desirable) land.

The closer one is to the entrance of the residential district, the nicer it appears to be. However, the further one ventures into its confusing, muddy streets, the worse conditions become, and the more desperate the situations of its inhabitants. The southwestern portion of the district is barely above sea level, and poor drainage and unstable ground keeps it consistently wet with murky, disgusting water. There is a permanent smell of feces and mold that permeates the air, and all but those who inhabit the shacks built upon the barely-exposed ground (mostly recent immigrants and unskilled laborers or farmhands) try to avoid the lower section of town. It only adds insult to injury that the Farmer's Guild - the largest and most influential guild in the city - overlooks the slums (where most of its workers reside) from a hill right at the lower portion's edge.

Not all of the district is as bad, though. Most of it is nice enough, apart from the lingering stench emanating from nearby, and it serves as the locations of most purely residential buildings. The entryway boasts a stable for the locals to keep their horses in, should they own any, and the winding streets make for some tight-knit and cozy neighborhoods. In addition, both the Explorer's Guild and the Farmer's Guild reside in the Residential district, as well as the now-defunct Miner's Guild.

The Port District
When the city was founded and the walls under construction, the current harbor that makes up the bulk of the port district was solid ground, though mostly of a low elevation. Knowing full well that a city this close to the sea would need a port, Adrian d'Arcangeli convinced the Andor dwarves - with help from his own Order initiates - to dig out the land to create the walled harbor that now exists. The resulting rubble would then be used to fill in parts of the residential district, as well as for creating breakwaters along the sections of wall extending past the shoreline.

The port has two sections, divided simply by wall sections. One wall section, the one with the higher cliffs, is for primarily-passenger vessels and for high-value trade - items too fragile or important to be left to the dock hands on the commercial docks. The other wall section is for the rest, the commercial vessels and docked privateers. This divide gives rise to very different social climates, with the western docks being considered fairly high class and safe, while the lower eastern docks are treated with caution and seen as a haven for undesirables. At the intersection of the main road and the western dock road can be found the city's Mariner's Guild.

The Keep
In the center of the city, connected to the entire wall system and separate from all but the market district, is Fort Sakura's Keep. It is a massive masonry structure that serves many functions, all of which falling under the blanket of rule. While Fort Sakura serves as the Order of the Cherry Blossom's home, the Keep is its headquarters.

There are many floors that make up the Keep, and in a general sense they range from less to more important as one ascends. The first floor is for general administration, and includes a court chamber for trials, a large ballroom for entertaining important visitors, the Order's library and archives, and an extensive series of storerooms, endlessly stocked and inventoried in case of shortages or emergencies.

The second floor contains office space for the officers with more administrative duties, such as the captains and certain sergeants, a meeting room for the Order's top brass to meet and discuss important matters with one another, as well as apartments for visiting diplomats or rulers to stay in while visiting and treating with the Grand Cross.

The third floor houses the Grand Cross' seat, where he can be appealed to by the locals, and the rest is devoted to barracks space for knights assigned to guard duty within Fort Sakura, whether along the walls, in the streets, or in the Keep itself.

Going up from there, the construction narrows considerably into a tower, which serves as the Order's prison. The prison system itself consists of multiple floors, with more dangerous criminals being placed on higher floors. The guard barracks on the third floor also serve as lodgings for the prison wardens, who sleep in shifts while the others are on duty guarding the cells.

Guilds of Fort Sakura

The Farmer's Guild

The Merchant's Guild

The Mariner's Guild

The Mason's Guild

The Smith's Guild

The Jeweler's Guild

The Writer's Guild

The Explorer's Guild

The Miner's Guild

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:09 pm

Lorelai d'Arcangeli, future Grand Cross of the OCB