Court of Wolves
almost 2 years ago
– Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 06:44:41 PM
Hello! As ever, we'll start by inviting you to join us on The Gauntlet Discord server. We expect there will be a lot of chatter on the server after this update!
Court of Wolves
Folks have been asking for more information on Court of Wolves, the third campaign setting in Suns of Another World, and we're delighted to let you know Jason sent some info over today. It's very exciting! We've updated the campaign page, but we'll put the info here as well...
In Court of Wolves, your hunters are part of The Black Cabinet, a secret, internal security team at Versailles during the time of the Sun King, Louis XIV. While the King and his council deal with threats from abroad—the Huguenots, Spain, the Church, William of Orange—the hunters deal with Threats lurking closer to home: angry French nobles conspiring with Satanic cults; werewolves stalking in the moonlit woods near the palace; and the mysterious Moon King, who some say is the exiled twin brother of Louis XIV. In the end, the hunters will have to make a choice: stay loyal to the Sun, or embrace the light of the Moon. Court of Wolves is directly inspired by the TV show Versailles but also takes inspiration from movies like Le roi danse and Brotherhood of the Wolf, the works of Alexandre Dumas, and historical fiction.
In Court of Wolves, your hunters are part of The Black Cabinet, a secret, internal security team at Versailles during the time of the Sun King, Louis XIV. While the King and his council deal with threats from abroad—the Huguenots, Spain, the Church, William of Orange—the hunters deal with Threats lurking closer to home: angry French nobles conspiring with Satanic cults; werewolves stalking in the moonlit woods near the palace; and the mysterious Moon King, who some say is the exiled twin brother of Louis XIV. In the end, the hunters will have to make a choice: stay loyal to the Sun, or embrace the light of the Moon. Court of Wolves is directly inspired by the TV show Versailles but also takes inspiration from movies like Le roi danse and Brotherhood of the Wolf, the works of Alexandre Dumas, and historical fiction.
Playbooks
The Hand is the King’s personal attendant and closest confidant. They are the first person the King sees in the morning and the last person he sees at night. The Hand exercises the most influence with Louis, and when the power of the Crown needs to be brought to bear upon a situation, the Hand can make it happen. The Hand’s position is also a hereditary one—they have access to secret knowledge and artifacts that have been passed down from their forebears. The Hand is the most loyal of the Sun King’s servants, but that loyalty will be greatly tested, for they also have the most intimate knowledge of the Moon King, Louis’s mysterious rival at court. Play the Hand if you want to shape greatness, or if you want to play a character with deeply divided loyalties.
The Knife is the King’s internal head of security and torturer. They committed a terrible crime against the Crown in their youth, but were spared by Louis. The Knife repays that mercy with an unflinching devotion to unmasking Louis’s enemies at Versailles. Information is their trade; a network of informants, command over a team of brutal thugs, and a taste for torture are the tools of that trade. But while ferreting out secrets is their specialty, they have a secret of their own: they’re in love with a traitor. Play the Knife if you want to engage in spy craft and use cruel, bloody means to accomplish your ends, or if you want to play a character compromised by love.
The Italian is an artisan and mystic being hosted at Versailles. They are there to create a series of art installations around the palace, each inspired by a card in the Major Arcana of the Tarot. The Italian, blessed with the ability to draw creative power from a silvery void that exists in parallel with our reality, creates places of arcane power centered on each installation—power that the Black Cabinet can draw upon. However, as each installation is complete, a malignant entity gets closer and closer to escaping its cosmic prison and wreaking havoc on Versailles. Play the Italian if you want to describe magnificent artistic works inspired by the Tarot, or if you want to tap into forbidden veins of magic.
The Pomp is a decadent, pampered noble—an unrepentant bon vivant and silver-tongued creature of the salons. They pretend to be a critic and rival of Louis, all the while secretly supporting the Sun King in their work for the Black Cabinet. The Pomp’s weapons are the latest fashions, illicit narcotics , overindulgence in food and wine, and their favorite: gossip. They spend money freely, can throw a hastily-arranged party, or put on a luxurious fashion show—anything to keep the nobles occupied or in their pocket. Play the Pomp if you want to indulge in sensory details, or if you want to play a character who is mostly here to have a good time.
The Torn is a veteran of the Sun King’s wars, battle-scarred and broken. Their body has been ravaged by Louis’s ambition, but they remain steadfast in their service for one reason: they are desperately in love with the Sun King. As children, they were the best of friends, and while Prince Louis was busy learning the affairs of state, his mother the Queen was teaching the Torn to love her son so that Louis would have a devoted protector during his reign. The Torn has gone to battle many times for Louis, and learned many field skills that are of great use to the Black Cabinet, but they harbor a secret: they only survived the last battle because they allowed Mars, the God of War, to take them as a lover—and Mars has tracked them to Versailles. Play the Torn if you want to be a highly skilled operator, or if you want to explore themes of unrequited love and lust.
The Viridescent is a royal hostage from the Fae realm. Centuries ago, the Kingdom of Frankia was at war with the Fae; when the war ended in a truce, the Viridescent was handed over to the royal families of Frankia as a guarantor of the peace: the Viridescent will be allowed to live so long as the Fae never make war on France. In present times, the Viridescent serves as the gardener at Versailles. They use their Fae magic to communicate with, and control, plant life—a talent that is of great use to the Black Cabinet. While within the gates of the palace, their power is controlled and refined—much like the manicured gardens and topiaries Louis so loves. But in the forests around Versailles, their power runs wild and free. Play the Viridescent if you want to explore the mystery and history of the Fae realm in The Between, or if you want to wield powerful plant magic.
Threats
Master of the Hounds: Dead bodies are turning up in the village—eviscerated, torn limb from limb. Witnesses claim it’s the so-called “Master of the Hounds,” a legendary figure who commands a pack of monstrous dogs. The Black Cabinet must stop the perpetrator, and prevent terror from spreading throughout the countryside.
The Devil’s Chapel: A trio of Satanists is burned at the stake, but not before shouting a curse upon Louis. Louis believes he’s been afflicted by their magic; the Black Cabinet must investigate the Devil-worshippers’ isolated chapel to find a way to reverse it.
Confrérie du Loup: A group of outlaw Musketeers is attacking carriages at night, robbing and murdering the victims. This would be a matter for the King’s guard, if not for one troubling detail in a survivor’s story: the highwaymen were aided by a monstrous, wolf-like creature. The Black Cabinet is on the case.
The Sisters of Castronegro: A group of strange, green-eyed nuns is seen in and around the palace. Queen Maria Theresa explains they are members of the Sisters of Castronegro, a convent she was briefly sent to as a young girl in Spain. The Queen claims she witnessed profane and demonic acts at the convent, but no one believed her at the time. The Black Cabinet must investigate why a group of Spanish witch-nuns has traveled all the way to France…
The Order of the Red Lily: Terror breaks out in the salons: nobles are turning up dead, killed in gory, ritualistic fashion. Each death was preceded by the appearance of a red fleur de lis on the victim’s chamber door. The Black Cabinet comes to believe it’s the work of a group calling itself the Order of the Red Lily. But what are the Order’s aims? Are the murders part of some grand occult ritual? Or are the killings political in nature?
The Ravening: The Black Cabinet is summoned to the chambers of the Dauphin: the adolescent prince is kneeling over the unzipped body of his nanny, stuffing her guts and organs into his wee royal mouth. The Black Cabinet must (quietly) investigate the matter. Is the young prince possessed by a demon? Has he been afflicted with some beastly curse? Has he simply gone mad?
La Nouvelle Pâtisserie: A renowned confectioner and pastry chef has been given a suite of rooms in the palace. There, he hosts private, multi-course dessert tastings which double as ritualistic, theatrical performances. But why are invitees going missing? And what to make of the increasingly strange (and cannibalistic?) treats on offer, such as mellified babies, gelatin breasts with candied nipples, blood eclairs, sugared cuckoo birds, and sweetened femur marrow? The Black Cabinet has secured an invitation. A Threat inspired by Midsommar and The Menu.
She-That-Feeds: The Black Cabinet become aware of a cult operating out of a nearby cave system. The cult is dedicated to an ancient wolf god known as She-That-Feeds, and when villagers begin willingly sacrificing themselves to the monstrosity, the hunters must intercede. But what will they do when they learn that, in order to slay the creature, they must first free it from its otherworldly prison?
There are also two secret Threats associated with specific playbooks!
There are also two secret Threats associated with specific playbooks!
Mastermind
The Mastermind in Court of Wolves is the mysterious Moon King. The Moon King is operating a shadow court in Versailles, right under Louis's nose. He is manipulating the events of recent weeks in order to destroy the Sun King. The Black Cabinet must first learn who the Moon King actually is. Then, once he's been unmasked, they must each decide: stay loyal to the Sun, or embrace the Moon.
As always, thanks so much for your support! We have 7 days left in the campaign!
-The Between team
