It is almost twenty months since the last time I ran Fading Suns... When we last played we left Keats, Mal and De Havilland with the crew of Corteaz' Charioteer Guild ship as they set out from the Known Worlds to Lost Worlds, beyond the mapped jump routes, there to find new life and new civilisations (and exploit them for profit and glory....). While Hasimir remained on Ravenna as steward for De Havilland's fief on the war torn Austrum Islands.
Fading Suns is never truely far from my mind and lately there have been a few topical triggers that have brought it to the forefront. One of which being the activity around the new edition. In almost thiry fve years of gaming "The Trials and Tribulations of Dame Arcadia Justinian" remains one of my favourite ever RPG campaigns and I hold the cast and story we created very dear.
The story, as I originally intended to take it from where we left off, will never be run. For personal reasons there are concepts, characters and plots that I wouldn't use now, or at least don't feel able to use as I had planned. That is not to say I wouldn't play a sequel game, just that it will be far from my original plan, and probably for the better.
Thus I decided to engage in a little "thought exercise". What were the fates of our cast since we saw them last? I'm winding the clock forward about two years from our last adventure and will start with a review of some of our supporting cast...
Planetary Duke Cassius Hawkwood
The duke has always placed Ravenna first, even to the perceived detriment of his House as a whole. Tradition is everything and there are right and proper ways to do things. Unfortunately this position of following the appropriate ways and all will be well is being tested to the limit. The conflict in the Austrum Islands has reached a tipping point with old allegiances and favours being called in from both sides. More and more off world eyes are being drawn to events in the otherwise peaceful world as many nobles from other systems come to support the warring factions due to ancient fealty or modern opportunism. Leading to an increased focus and pressure on the Duke to act to resolve the matter in some way...
Sir Bedevere Hawkwood
Bedevere remained a captive aboard The Questionable Intent, but as an "honoured guest" rather than a prisoner of pirates until his family agreed on a suitable "recovery fee and administration costs" (i.e. ransom...), as is the custom with the Nobility and their naval conflicts. As it stood though the Decados set a very low fee; enough to follow form and not cause insult to the status of the knight or his command, but trivial enough that either it was a sign of good faith, that they wanted a swift end of the matter or that they will expect a favour in return at a future time...
Since then Bedevere as remained a dutiful knight. He continues to primarily serve in space and may be about to be promoted to the command of a larger vessel. If the players opened up the gate to Twilight he will have been charged with escorting vessels into "barbarian space" and possibly could be involved with blockading the gate to prevent "heretical corruption" spreading to Ravenna.
Countess Cassandra Hawkwood
The war swiftly turned on the Countess. Her Justinian allies largely abandoned her, turning their attention back to the internal strife in their own House. Her people lacked military strength (beyond her efficient wet-navy) and the air cavalry of her Trusnikron allies could only do so much. Saboteurs and commando forces from the West destroyed key canals and logistical targets and things looked bleak. What happened next is unclear but it is believed that while Cassandra is no military expert she is both tenacious and have the courage of her convictions. Although she probably despised doing so it is thought that she got word to her cousin, one who considered her a personal favourite; none other than the Emperor himself. While he has not officially intervened in the months since, a steady stream of young Errant Knights, keen for glory or recognition (and perhaps seeking the favour of the Emperor or a seat as one of his Phoenix Knights) has arrived on the shores of the islands, offering Casandra their swords. This small but growing, eclectic, force is hard to command and full of eager, glory hunting young turks and idealists. While they have not turned the tide by any means they have held the line and prevented the West's victory (for now). Meanwhile Cassandra herself, bolstered by this support, seems to become more determined by the day...
Count Otto Kierkagaard Hawkwood
The Count saw victory in his grasp, and had the support of the Orthodoxy and the tacit approval of his House on Ravenna and the Duchal court....and then all these off-world knights started to interfere. He has protested and scowled and shouted. Raged against the indignity of it all and tried to bring down the weight of authority upon them...but to no avail. He is an efficient soldier but when it comes to the social graces he is short tempered, rude and boorish. While making the matter of the ownership of the islands an informal family dispute worked for him initially, now that he wants outside support and legal aid he finds he lacks the support he needs without making the war an "open conflict". Thus he has turned his fury against his sister. He is driving up the production and militarisation of his forces, pilling on more and more pressure and digging deep into his coffers to do so. The impact on his once idyllic lands and peaceful people may be irreversible.
Baron Cuthbert Mountbatten Hawkwood
Young Cuthbert is growing nicely into the landed gentry he was forced by circumstance into being. He is learning to steward his fief well and taking good counsel from the staff he inherited from his deceased brother. It is suggested at court that he will soon look to take a wife and a number of eligible suitors are already being suggested by the gossip columns of the Local Town Criers.
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