Before the Storm

Before the Storm by Allotter
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Concerning August de Sauterelle, Prince of Merboiullant.

Caught at the borderlands of a generational cold war between the invading forces of The Fae Courts, and the Old Powers of Man; a young Verhimen gentleman seeks his future, fame, and fortune in a land littered with the ruins of a world well past it's prime. (Caution: may include trace quantities of adventure, romance, horror, fantasy, and kobold.)

Characters

Lucidia and August

August de’Sauterelle

Second prince of the House of Sauterelle. Bit of a dashing rogue (or at least likes to think he is) and total nerd for all things scholarly, including magic. The young noble loves adventure and learning, pursuits somewhat dampened by his family’s’ suggestions that he should settle down and marry. Said marriage has another aspect to it. August is one of a handful of Verhimen with the ability to practice arcane magic, if paired with a wife of similar ability, their children could potentially become the first true Verhimen Magi, and a powerful asset for House Sauterelle.

Lucidia de’Sauterelle

Augusts’ shy half-cousin and blushing potential bride. She spent much time with August during his youth, being both his friend and babysitter. Lucidia is very sensitive to occult energies, part of the family’s dubious plan to breed magic-capable Verhimen. She is capable of brief glimpses of the future, occasionally letting slip prophetic utterances, but this can also cause her to have dangerous seizures. (August suffered similar episodes during his childhood)

Larcen de Scarlett

Dashing highway man of legend; formerly Dessil Pasvet, son of a Northcoast brewer, and boarding school dorm mate of August. Strangely Augusts’ father also has memories of adventures with Larcen, meaning that the Larcen of present is likely either a successor or impostor (or immortal).

Larcen

Takkaya (Steelplinters)

Lucidias’ personal handmaiden, bodyguard, nurse and friend. Calm, collected and completely dedicated to her mistress welfare and happiness… which has led to a bit of dislike of August.

Jolienne Spererence

Boisterous Second Princess of Sperernce, she spends much of her time gallivanting about the lowland swamps, despite her mothers insistence she become a priestess of the Saint Mari.

The Sauterelle Family

• Randhurst – Father, a former corsair he now dedicates his life to his family, but is pleased to see his sons have retained his adventurous sprit.
  
• Iana – Mother, concerned about Augusts’ interests in the Arcane, and lack of a wife.
  
• Terterus – First son, he and his wife Myansa are the next in line for the Sauterelle throne.
  
• Farvel – Third son, bit of a hothead with a dislike for the family’s Elven neighbors.
  

The Sauterelle family tree

• Kurtail – Youngest son, energetic, destined for a career in the military as a knight.
  
• Laconia – Second daughter, quiet tomboy who cares more for gardening and smoking than her duties as a noble.
  
• Milli – Third daughter, cunning and mischievous prankster.
  
• Rekel – Deceased eldest son. Once the pride of the family, a horrific psychotic episode in which he tried to kill several members of the family, led to his death at the hands of his brother Terterus.
  

Other characters

• Inquisitor Feuéchelle – A harsh Kobold priest in the service of the Sauterelle family, responsible for policing the family’s household, against the occult.
• Baldregus (Manystones) – Augusts’ cheeky and dependable Boldservant. Total player all the girlbolds want him.
• Sirus – A human magus, Augusts’ friend and tutor in the ways of the arcane.
• Trechrejra (Wintertounge) – Sirus housekeeper, she is totally smitten with Balregus.

Setting

Before the Storm takes place in a post-apocalyptic fantasy Earth. Said apocalypse is the result of a great war possibly instigated by the Fae (?).

Much of the technology in the world is based on scavenging and retro-engineering equipment from the old world, with some Human and Verhimen factions specializing in this pursuit of “archanotech”.

Verhimen

Slender anthropomorphic rodents, with strong legs, prehensile tails, a keen sense of smell, and eyes ill suited to the glare of sunlight. The females of the species experience an annual estrous cycle, with young being typically born in litters of between two and five. They have strong immune systems and an even stronger resistance to magic. The Nations of Verhimen are ruled by Dragons, although day-to-day politics is handled by Thanes, an appointed council of Verhimen nobles, who control the various family run city states of the country. Verhimen are almost always seen wearing masks. Culturally being seen with out a mask is considered incredibly immodest. Other forms of face covering, such as hoods or head wraps, are also acceptable. The tradition stems from the necessity of wearing a gasmask during the apocalyptic wars of the past.

Local political map

Kobolds

Numerous phenotypes of hardy Kobold creatures live throughout the world, from puppy like dogbolds, to the possibly draconic descended “Scalebolds.” Scalebolds are of particular use in Verhimen society, acting as go betweens for the Verhimen nobles and Kobold labourers. Though many kobolds live in the various Verhimen city states (in fact probably making up the vast majority of the population), there are still numerous primitive tribes throughout the world.

Dragons

Powerful creatures, in times past they would lend their fearsome physical and magical abilities to their Verhimen followers. Although the Dragons still technically rule over the Verhimen nations, and some Verhimen clans show genuine reverence to the Dragons, their role in Verhimen society is now largely advisory and ceremonial.

Fae (Elves/Fair Folk)

Immortal forest dwellers with a natural talent for magic. Ferrous metals and electromagnetism disrupt this magic, leading the elves to become reliant on more natural materials like bone and chitin, and the curious application of “living magic” where they manipulate their bodies into various tools and weapons. The Fae have a rather grim reputation due to their powerful magic; their strict control of resource laden forestland; and their need to “integrate” (convert into Fae) members of other species in order to sustain their population.

Fae militiaman

Yeeks

Collective term for various beastmen, mutants and outcasts that inhabit the wilderness and wastelands. Often hybrid breeds, either accidental or the creations of cruel experimentation, resulting in a variety of feeble cripples and powerful monsters. Some societies will allow Yeeks to live among them, providing they can prove they are of sound mind and body.

Humans

Weak to magic, many humans live inside closed fortress to protect themselves from the Fae and other occult threats.

Goblins

Ageless with a talent for magic

Ghouls

Race of sentient (human?) undead with powerful kingdoms in the South of the World. Masters of necromancy and dream magic.

Other Races

Gnolls, Lizardmen and Sharkmen(!) have all been mentioned in world but is unclear whether they are considered Yeeks or a separate species entirely.

Plot summary

This article contains spoilers! You were warned.

Chapter 1 – Rats

After a brief “fishing” trip in enemy territory, to recover a certain Blue Crystal Orb, August heads home to the Sauterelle Fortress, for a formal dinner with his family unknowing they are planning to introduce him to his future bride, his childhood acquaintance Lucidia. Things take a darker turn when it appears the Elven guests of the party are more that just mere emissaries…

Chapter 2 – Untoward

Soon after the unsettling incident with the Fae, it seems Sirus too has gone missing. After searching for clues in the mages’ apartment, August takes Lucidia shopping, as a chance catch up with her, and maybe purchase supplies for another expedition into rival territory to recover that mask he lost during the “fishing” trip…

Chapter 3 – Iron Within, Iron Without

August awakes to find he has been rescued/captured by the princess of the rival Spererence family, Jolienne. After some smooth talking and a totally platonic night in bed, he gains a chance to explore the strange archanotech Spererence fortress, stumbling upon his missing mask, and the angry noble who took it from him...

Chapter 4 – Without Hesitation

While making escaping August bumps into the folk hero cat burglar (and old school friend) Larcen de Scarlett, who’s having his own problems with the Spererence nobility…

Chapter 5 – Shadow Play

Several days after returning from his adventure in the Spererence lowlands, August is nowhere to be found. Lucidia and Takkaya set out to find him, discovering he has succumbed to some strange magic, in Sirus’ workshop. After recovering, August catches up with his family, congratulating his brother on his first litter, and receiving a mission from his father. On the way home he is accosted by a strange elderly gentleman wanting to know Larcens’ whereabouts…

Chapter 6 – Accelerated Signal

Still recovering from the after effects of the mishap in Sirus lab, August is alarmed to discover the body of strange man from the night before disappeared. He, Larcen and Takkaya follow a mysterious blood trail into the Kobold warrens and ancient ruins beneath the city in search of the corpse…

Chapter 7 – Ordered Decay

August, Larcen, Kurtail and his Knight Master Sir Weldendon, head to the Human controlled area “The Peaks of Dispute” in search of a Verhimen criminal who stole essential components of the Sauterelle Fortress Comm. Array…

Trivia

• This quest is one of many that makes use of the Orb of Infinite Psyche
• The Verhimen race seems to be heavily based on the Burmecians of FFIX

ITQ

Appearances by the cast Inside the Quest, sorted by the threads they ran concurrent to.

Thread 1:	August 1
Thread 2:	August 2, August 3, August 4, August 5, August 6, August 7, August 8, August 9, August 10, Sirius 1, Sirius 2, Unlabeled Recording
Thread 3:	August 11, August 12, August 13, August 14, Jolienne 1, August 15, Sirius 3, August 16, Done, Postscript, Hummingwires 1
Thread 4:	Hummingwires 2
Thread 6:	August 17
Thread 9:	Lucidia 1, Weldendon 1, Steelsplinters 1

Gallery

Official

Jolienne, riding a freakin giant otter

Baby August

The Fae after party

The Orb gets an upgrade

Takkya Panye

Weapon concept art

no its not a Creeper its a "Blaster"

Chest Day Larcen

more Thigh Day Lucidia

Fanart

Bangles turning August into Freya

By Rand

By Lagotrope

jolineassday By Lagotrope

Lucidia sans underwear By Insomnia

Lucidia By Insomnia

Several Rats By Farmer

That hunter rat chick By Gnoll

Lucidia sure is albino By Gnoll

Quests by Allotter

TGchan: First Hand | Before the Storm