5 Final Things for “The Aether Sea”

This is the final entry for a series of articles where I share some of the detailed characters, places, and things created during a recent campaign. The campaign used Evil Hat’s Fate system, and took place in Edward Turner’s “The Aether Sea” world. We decided as a group to use Fate Core rather than Fate Accelerated Edition, so the things presented here will work better with Fate Core.

For easy playing, “The Aether Sea” has an adventure included, complete with detailed characters and backstory. Following that, it sketches out some possible adventures, but it really only gives you the bones; it’s up to the group to make the suggestions into full adventures. Here is the ‘meat’ that our group put on the bones suggested by Ed Turner. The game items presented here were spun out of an adventure prompt at the end of the Aether Sea book, which I will quote later. First, I’ll describe the setting of the adventure, then give a description of how the prompt might play out.

The descriptions and characters are our group’s take on the adventures suggested in the book. That being said, Fate lends itself very easily to creating your own characters and details. Take what I write here and play them as full-on adventures, or simply take some inspiration from them and build your own adventures from the suggestions!

In this article, I’ll continue adding some detail to the “Julian’s Bluff” adventure that I began sharing in my previous article.
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1) The Rebel Forces
The rebels are classic freedom fighters, with a twist. There are two powerful families on Julian’s Bluff: the Graves, and the Millers. The Millers are more powerful, but corrupt. In order to defeat the Hegemony, though, the two families had to join forces. In a canny power move, the Miller family managed to put one of their own in charge of the rebel army.

General Sigmund Miller
One of the big baddies. Lieutenant Precious Graves is a good-natured thorn in his side in place because of political pressures, but the General can talk circles around him. The General reprimands a disobedient soldier while Graves is around, then welcomes & reassigns him when Graves leaves.
High Concept: Cruel Commander of Rebel Forces
Trouble: Sociopath
Aspects:
Only the strong are fit to rule
I know what I'm doing
Undying devotion to my planet
+7 Fight, +6 Resources, Notice, +5 Provoke, Physique, Rapport
+4 Will, Shoot, Deceive Contacts
4 Physical Stress, 4 Mental Stress, Consequence slots as normal
Stunts:
Tactician: +2 to create advantages using Fight when directing loyal soldiers
I know people: Use Notice in place of Empathy to determine if someone is lying
Henchmen: can call on 2 additional Good NPCs once per scene.

Lieutenant Precious Graves
Lieutenant Graves came from the next county over as a military specialist in a gesture of friendly alliance.  He is in command of much of General Miller's forces in the field. Has been referring bad soldiers to Miller; Miller reassigns them to a corps loyal to himself.
High Concept: Athlete-Turned-Soldier
Trouble: Easy Mark
Aspects:
Can't wait to be with Annabel again
Serendipity
Competitive Athlete
+5 Athletics, +4 Shoot
+3 Fight, +2 Rapport, +1 Physique
3 Physical Stress, 2 Mental Stress, 1 Mild and 1 Moderate Consequence Slot
Stunts:
Honest Abe: Use Rapport to inflict mental stress on people trying to harm him.

2) Julian’s Keep: The Royal Hegemony Presence
The rebels outnumber the Hegemony five to one, but the Hegemony presence has better weapons. Nevertheless, the Hegemony has been pushed back to just one area, protected by a fortification known as Julian’s Keep. The rebels currently have Julian’s keep under siege. The Hegemony has long since stopped funding this war, however. The only thing keeping them there is General Tanner and his genuine concern for the population of Julian’s Bluff.

General Arcturus Tanner
Tanner is intended as an main opponent to the player characters, but should definitely be a sympathetic villain. He refuses to leave because he knows that General Miller will seize control and the population will suffer.
High Concept: Beloved leader of Hegemony forces
Trouble: Fighting in the Alamo
Aspects:
Death before dishonour
Sigmund Miller must be stopped!
Rich sense of tradition
+7 Rapport, +6 Fight, Notice, +5 Resources, Physique, Lore
+4 Will, Shoot, Deceive, Contacts
4 Physical Stress, 4 Mental Stress, Consequence slots as normal
Stunts:
Honest Abe: Use Rapport to inflict mental stress on people trying to harm him in social situations.
Rally the Troops: +2 to create advantages using Rapport when directing loyal soldiers
Loyal Troops: can call on 2 additional Good NPCs once per scene.

Lieutenant Harvest
Lieutenant Harvest is the department head of the Royal Alchemical Society on Julian’s Bluff, whom, if you remember, the player characters were meant to deliver their cargo to in the first place. These materials are used to power and maintain the Titan Spiritual Anthroform, a weapon vital to the war effort at this juncture.
High Concept: Science!
Trouble: Squirrel!
Aspects:
Former Reporter
Dogged
Co-Workers tolerate my genius
+5 Investigate, +4 Lore, +3 Shoot, +2 Crafts, +1 Will
2 Physical Stress, 3 Mental Stress, Consequence slots as normal
Stunt:
Socratic Method: Use Investigate to create advantages in social situations by asking persistent questions.


3) The Hope’s End Standard
Per chevron advanced azure and argent, a cinquefoils vert in middle base…
If the characters agree to steal the Hope’s End Standard, here are the stats for it. Stealing the standard will require meeting a series of at least two Challenges that follow a progression of Easy (-2 to character’s stat), Challenging (+0 to character’s stat), and Difficult (+2 to character’s stat). To fence the Standard to anyone except General Miller without consequence (aside from losing the hostage) is a Superb (+5) Challenge. Here are the overcome difficulties that characters may face to learn more about the Standard using Lore, Investigate, or Contacts. Be prepared to make stuff up, or have the characters invent what they know:
Fair (+2) The name rings bell, and the characters have heard a rumor
Good (+3) The characters can identify the Standard, and have heard a rumor
Great (+4) The characters can identify the Standard and know one fact
Fantastic (+6) Comprehensive history
High Concept: Ancient Enchanted Standard
Trouble: No loyalty
Extras:
Boon: Bestows the aspect Protected by the Hope’s End Standard on any one thing with a high concept that is carrying it. This could be a character, group, vehicle, building, sector, etc. Only one thing may have the aspect at a time, but it can be invoked by anyone that can be considered under the protection of that one thing (e.g. anyone in the vehicle, building, sector, etc.)
Lucky: The standard has its own refresh of three fate points that may be used to invoke aspects as if the standard were a character. These may be used to invoke Protected by the Hope’s End Standard.
Refresh: 3 (Cost: 2 Refresh. A character must give up 2 points of refresh in order to gain this extra. Refresh given up in this way may be regained by giving the Standard away)


4) Titan Spiritual Anthroform
I love steampunk. The Titan is a giant mech made of brass and rivets, powered by the spirits of the damned. It’s on loan from our friends at the Annular Necrocracy. If the characters agree to investigate the rumor about a new weapon, this is what they’re looking for. Getting information about the Titan will require meeting a series of at least two Challenges that follow a progression of Easy (-2 to character’s stat), Challenging (+0 to character’s stat), and Difficult (+2 to character’s stat). To steal it would be next to impossible (see the aspects below). If your characters are looking for a fight, look no further.
Small Ship Scale (+2 to Physique, Fight, Athletics, and Provoke)
High Concept: Used Combat Mech
Trouble: Where’d you go?/That damn blind spot
Aspects:
Necromancers only
Fully customizable & customized
+4 Physique, +3 Fight, Athletics
+2 Crafts, Notice, Shoot, +1 Will, Deceive, Provoke
4 Physcial Stress, 3 Mental Stress, 1 additional mild consequence slot
Stunts:
Big Metal Body: Use physique to defend against physical attacks.
Flame Thrower: Fire Good (+3) fireballs at a target in the same zone.
Eject! Eject! Once per scene, the pilot may eject to safety and the Anthroform will collapse, triggering a Good (+3) attack on everyone in the zone as it falls to the ground and flails about.


5) Henchmen
These supporting characters can show up wherever you need them for a big fight. They might be a motley crew of mercenaries belonging to the Hegemony, or they may have defected to the rebels. Put them with whichever General you want when you need your characters to face some serious opposition. There is no backstory for them, except what is suggested by their aspects, so feel free to invent your own!

Brace (Dwarf; group leader)
High Concept: The group’s loud voice
Trouble: I want the boss’ job...
Aspects:
Pride goeth before all
I’ve seen that before…
Profitability over honesty
+4 Fight, +3 Rapport, +2 Notice, +1 Athletics
Rally the Troops: +2 to create advantages using Rapport when directing loyal soldiers
You Mad, Bro? Use Rapport in place of Provoke to cause mental stress.
Swashbuckler: +2 to create advantages using Athletics

Freeze (Elf)
High Concept: Registered SCU Evocation Expert
Trouble: Brace makes me unsure of myself
Aspects:
Dogged dreamer
Solution oriented
Cold (Empathy with Frost)
+4 Magic, +3 Athletics, +2 Fight, +1 Notice
Stunts:
Focuses on Frost in Evocation: Use Magic to cast Frost-related effects to attack, defend, overcome, and create advantages.
Dabbles in Evocation: Given enough time, can use Magic to create effects using fire, earth, water, lightning, etc.
Cast-Fighter: Once per scene, gain +2 when using Fight for the first time. Surprise!

Michael (Troll)
High Concept: Enforcer
Trouble: These people move too fast.
Aspects:
Eureka!
Honesty over profitability
Methodical
+4 Physique, +3 Empathy, +2 Athletics, +1 Fight
Stunts:
Shrug it off: Use Physique to oppose Fight.
Wise ways: +2 to create advantages using empathy
Tough as nails: Once per scene, reduce the severity of a physical consequence.

Vuzz Fletcher (Goblin)
High Concept: An actual fletcher.
Trouble: I ain’t no royal.
Aspects:
Something’s not right…
A name within the field
Just do the job
+4 Shoot, +3 Fight, +2 Notice, +1 Athletics
Stunts:
Coward: +2 to Athletics when avoiding harm.
Robin Hood: Create a lasting aspect instead of a boost on success with style using Shoot
Robin Hood 2: Use shoot to overcome obstacles where it usually wouldn’t apply (subject to gamemaster approval).

Hope all this was useful, not just tl;dr.

That was Julian’s Bluff; I hope that you can have fun with it, too. If you decide to make use of these resources, please leave a comment to let me know how it goes!


Landrew is a full-time educator, part-time art enthusiast. He applies his background in literature and fine arts to his favourite hobby (role-playing games) because the market for a background in the Fine Arts is very limited.  He writes this blog on company time under a pseudonym.  Long live the Corporation!

Image courtesy of drawshield.net

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