Varsovian
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Some question when reading the rulebook...

Sun 22 Oct 2017, 04:01

Hello!

I just bought Coriolis and I'm currently reading through the rulebook. And, if you don't mind, I have a few questions regarding the setting.

1. What's up with Nazareem's Sacrifice? They are mentioned a few times in the book, but what's written just doesn't add up. On one hand, they are described as a faction that, supposedly, got corrupted by the Dark and then was wiped out by other factions. One of the factions that took part in this were the Draconites, so it must've all happened in the modern era. On the other hand, there's a passage in the book that mentions the Sacrifice as a faction from the time of Portal Wars who supported the First Horizon invasion. So... what's going on here? Some sort of mistake in the text?

2. Any advice how to make sense of the really complicated sociopolitical situation in the Horizon? I admit that I'm just not entirely sure how this super-society works. For example, there are the big corporations of the Consortium - who produce, buy, sell etc. Then, there's the Free League, who are independent merchants, but also... dockhands and sailors? And then, there are the free traders mentioned under "Small Players" - who are, somehow, different from the Free League. I don't quite get it...

3. Any help with the Emissaries? The book mentions them quite a few times, but there's not even a picture of them - or even any mention whether they are material beings or spirits. Hmm?

4. Does The Dark Between The Stars actually exist? One passage in the bestiary section suggests its just a form of energy, not an active malevolent force. Is it the objective truth in the setting, or am I misreading things?

5. Finally, I have to ask about this: Lovecraft. I am not seeing things, am I? There really are the byakhee and the hounds of Tindalos in the Horizon, right?
 
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Doctor KoT
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Sun 22 Oct 2017, 10:45

1. 
One of the factions that took part in this were the Draconites
Where did you fin that? Maybe you mix them up them with Ahlam’s Temple? Also, there is more about Nazareem in "Atlas Compendium"
2. Think about Free League like about interstellar trade union.
Also there is another analogy: Consortium is like a big transport company with huge cargo ships, but if you want to sell your product in cities far from major ports, you must rely on railroads and trucks -- i.e. Free League and free traders.
3. See "Atlas Compendium"
4. Looks like its dangerous, but very potent sourse of energy (and knowledge?), and First Horizon were really mess it up with.
5. Oh, yes, and don't forget about Hazred and his "Azif Chronicles" ;)
 
Varsovian
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Sun 22 Oct 2017, 17:05

1. Oh, I checked it again. On page 189, it's clearly stated that this faction was wiped out by other Firstcome factions, including the Draconites.
2. I see, thanks. But what is the difference between the Free League and the free traders?
3. Okay, one more reason to buy this! :)
4. So, it's not real? I kind of liked the notion of an evil demonic force lurking in space...
5. Ha! I missed that :)
 
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Doctor KoT
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Sun 22 Oct 2017, 19:05

1. Well, i guess thats a misprint, because p. 206 says this about Ahlam's Black Lotuses: "These assassins played a crucial role in the destruction of the Nazareem’s Sacrifice", and Draconites section says that (more or less) nobody knows nothing about them between escape from "Zenith" and became Draconites.
2. Maybe the same difference is between organized and unorganized crime -- Free League is organized and free traders are not :)
4. I guess in your game you can interprete this as you like. After all, if djinnies and spirits are exist, why the cosmic evil should not?
 
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Kosta
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Sun 22 Oct 2017, 22:38

Hi!

Doctor KoT seem to have answered your questions. I'll just fill in some more:
1. You'll learn more of Nazareem in the upcoming Mercy of the Icons campaign. They were a faction that sided with the First Horizon during the Portal Wars and was wiped out by a collaboration of the other Firstcome factions including The Order of the Pariah and Ahlam's Temple. What we haven't made clear enough is that some factions that are Firstcome and vice versa are actually from the late coming Zenthians. This part seems to have gotten lost in the translation of the text. So:
  • The Legion actually existed before the Zenith arrived but as the faction is strongly associated to The Consortium it's thought of as Zenithian.
  • The Draconites arrived with Zenith but as they oppose The Consortium and are more "religious" the are grouped with the Firstcome.
  • The Syndicate was founded the same time as Coriolis but consist of both Zenthian and Firstcome crime families
  • The Church of the Icons actually is a modern group trying to canonize the belief of the whole Third Horizon but is a Firstcome faction as it is the epitome om religion in the Horizon.
The other ones are not som ambiguous.
2. As the Doctor wrote - the Free League is a trade union and the small players are not part of that union and its benefits etc. 
3. As the Doctor wrote - check out the Atlas Compendium and also the upcoming Mercy of the Icons.
4. T´he Icons are real and so is the Dark between the Stars in the Third Horizon. I think there's more explained in the Atlas Compendium.
5. Good on ya for spotting them - there's an element of horror in Coriolis and the Dark between Stars, and what better place to find ideas :) There are many ideas from other horror/sci-fi writers in the setting (also outside the Beasts Chapter).
Fria Ligan
 
Varsovian
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Mon 23 Oct 2017, 00:23

Thanks for your answers, guys!

1. So, to be clear: Nazareem's Sacrifice is a Portal Wars-era faction, right? But were they also the Dark worshippers, or not?
2. Ah, OK.  I get it now :)
3. I'll be definitely getting the Atlas, then :)
4. Good! I like this idea of sci-fi with mystical undertones.
5. Funnily enough, I bought Coriolis at the same time I also bought some Call of Cthulhu 7E books. So, I was reading on the byakhee on Friday, then I started reading Coriolis on Saturday, read the byar description and was like "Wait a minute..." :D

If you don't mind, some more questions:

6. Speaking of the Icons - is there any more information as to what this religion teaches? I mean, are there any moral commandments tied to the Icons etc.?
7. I was wondering about the general ethnicity of the people in the Horizon. Are they all supposed to look Middle-Eastern, or can I have characters who are blonde, look Asian etc.?
8. Something that's not clear for me about Zalos: can you travel through this system's portals? In some passages, the book says the Order closed off the system, but is it possible to travel through the Zalos portals to further systems?
9. Speaking of portals - is it possible to travel through unstable portals? Or are these the routes best not approached?
 
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Kosta
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Tue 31 Oct 2017, 21:06

Thanks for your answers, guys!

1. So, to be clear: Nazareem's Sacrifice is a Portal Wars-era faction, right? But were they also the Dark worshippers, or not?
Yep!
Fria Ligan
 
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Kosta
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Tue 31 Oct 2017, 21:27

If you don't mind, some more questions:

6. Speaking of the Icons - is there any more information as to what this religion teaches? I mean, are there any moral commandments tied to the Icons etc.?
7. I was wondering about the general ethnicity of the people in the Horizon. Are they all supposed to look Middle-Eastern, or can I have characters who are blonde, look Asian etc.?
8. Something that's not clear for me about Zalos: can you travel through this system's portals? In some passages, the book says the Order closed off the system, but is it possible to travel through the Zalos portals to further systems?
9. Speaking of portals - is it possible to travel through unstable portals? Or are these the routes best not approached?
6. I would say that the sacred rites from The Church of the Icons on p 238 sums it up, but there are differences as described in that chapter (from pp 232+).
7. All ethnicities are represented - for example the Xinghur are loosely based on the Uyghurs of Central Asia (Turkic), the people on Zhao based on Mongolians, the nomads of The Rimward Reach on Indonesian tribes and of course the Hegemonist on Byzanthians. Just some examples.
8. Yes the portals are open - nobody really knows how to "close" them, but the Order sometimes have the portals in a blockade with their warships, which de facto blocks passage as you have to travel in realspace between the portals to/from Mira and Aiwaz.
9. It is possible, but risky - just how risky is up to the GM.

Hope that helps!
Fria Ligan
 
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silverfoxdmt73
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Fri 17 Nov 2017, 23:48

On p 139 it says that all the crew must be in stasis to survive a portal jump. How does this work for the ships pilot? Is he not needed to fly the ship into the portal field? Or does he set some kind or autopilot on the ship then put himself in stasis too?
 
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Kosta
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Re: Some question when reading the rulebook...

Sat 18 Nov 2017, 17:27

On p 139 it says that all the crew must be in stasis to survive a portal jump. How does this work for the ships pilot? Is he not needed to fly the ship into the portal field? Or does he set some kind or autopilot on the ship then put himself in stasis too?
That's correct. You make all calculations fort he correct vector and insertion point and activate the autopilot, get into stasis and wake up on the other side - if you've made the correct calculations of course  :twisted:
Fria Ligan

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