Plot Party: Illian + Ogier

[The Dark One]

Lead by The Creator and The Lace of Ages

Summary:

Ogier

Eve:

The Ogier, our gentle earth giants, had long been secluding themselves to the stedding in the Third Age, as that came to a close, it became clear to the young among them (unwittingly led by dear Loial) that they could no longer hide and let the world pass them by. We have mentioned a few ways this has been evident in our 4th age world
The first is the reappearance of the Builders in numbers not seen since after the Breaking. Ogier stone masons have been credited with (at least parts of) Caemlyn, Chachin, and Seven Towers of Malkier. Where else may we have seen them? We didn't define if they had created some of their "great works" as in Caemlyn before it's destruction and Tar Valon.

Kay:
Fal Moran, too

Fal Moran is the capital of Shienar, rebuilt following its destruction during the Last Battle. As with all Shienaran settlements, it is heavily fortified and easily defended. Unlike other settlements, however, it is Ogier-built: the first such city in many, many years. A wonderous fusion of stone and wood, Fal Moran is widely regarded as the most beautiful city in the Borderlands, if not the world.

Eve:

I think we may have mentioned in regards to Caemlyn that they rebuilt it as it had been, so decidedly beautiful, but not quite Tar Valon

Fal Moran got a utilitarian, but still artistically Ogier fortress

Kay:

As an aside, I'd like to throw out that it would be kinda cool for there to be a major project in the present, if we can think of a good one

Tseia:
I feel like most areas that were destroyed in The Last Battle would be finished by now...but perhaps somewhere where the Seanchan invaded? Maybe, once they knew they were losing, the Seanchan adopted a "salt the earth" strategy as they departed?

Eve:

Chachin??

Shai’tan:
so when would they have started work on it?
The Seanchan get pushed out in 29FA

I mean, there are lots of them, so if they are all into it they don't have to do one at a time

Kay:
I could see that. Plus, with breaks for the wars...we can probably stretch it out til present day, finishing in Chachin when they could afford to hire the Ogier
But, and this might be going a bit ahead, I could see them being a bit more factional now

Eve:
We have tossed about the Older Traditionalists vs the Young Progressives before, could be one of the schisms between them

Kay:
One are more martial borderlander types, traditional Ogier to the south, and Deathwatch trainees to the west

So, I could realistically see two individual projects at any time: borderlanders (slower, cuz they're also busy cracking skulls), and southern Ogier who are perhaps a bit busier. And the ones to the west are either trying to get recruited or trying to tell the Tai'Seanchan to go away too much to be building much

Eve:
We also have the Darkfriend guards

53 FA – Alviarin Freidhen and Atal Mishraile escape from Stedding Sholoon (OOC Note: They were freed by Zarina and Avyanna Sedai under direction of Moghedien).
A Compulsion was set on one of the Ogier of the Stedding. Though the weave itself dissipated within the bounds, enough of the Ogier’s mind had already been corrupted that he set the Darkfriends imprisoned within free. Only Alviarin and Mishraille managed to escape permanently. The rest were immediately killed on sight when word reached the kingdoms of the Dragon Compact.

Kay:
Okay,  Projects would be Fal Moran+Malkier, taking a break and needing to start over after the Seanchan war, Chachin finally being rebuilt because of money and a push for historical recollection. - Borderlands Ogier
Caemlyn, then Cairhien in the south, lots of rebuilding and smaller projects, plus assisting in the full scale rebuilds to the north
That's what makes sense to me, anyway

Maaaaybe, some stuff in Falme, too, depending on how that relationship started off?

Eve:
They have their own Ogier, would be interesting to see a mash-up between them and the traditional builders

Kay:
Did many of the Ogier deathwatch come to the Westlands?

Shai’tan :
Some did come over, but I can't seem to find any numbers
I am wondering if they were just fufilling some agreement with the throne how do they feel about no longer having that throne and what if some of them fall in love with westland ogier and want to go be peaceful?
for the ones who did come over

Kay:

Maybe some going both ways, Jair? Deathwatch Ogier who want to leave that life behind, young rebellious Ogier who don't
The question would be, how would the Tai'seanchan deal with that, I guess

Eve:
I feel like this is the much-slower-due-to-lifespans version of the Tuathua'an and Aiel

Shai’tan:

if they are teaming up in Falme for building stuff, it could bring that possibility into play for now

Eve:
Some Gardners learning stone work and some Westlands Ogier learning martial skills? I am for it

Tuon doesn't have the actual Crystal Throne too, so the compulsion-like obedience of her empire might falter some, giving room for Gardeners, suldam and damane to rebel/leave too

I think it would be less a formal exchange, more a consequence of working together?

Kay:
It may be an attempt to bridge the gap? The Westlands Ogier hope to convince their siblings to lay down their arms

Perhaps casting more of the blame at the Empress than at the actual Ogier

Eve:
Something like the Tinkers "stealing" children, and some of their own being "lost" to violent ways

Shai’tan:

Also I found this-
Ogier soldiers are not entirely unheard of; Ogier fought in both the War of Power and the Trolloc Wars, they only really began to withdraw from the larger world during the Hundred Years War, roughly about the time the Ways began to be noticeably corrupted. During the Age of Legends, aside from Singing alongside the Aiel and and the Nym, they served as a kind of police force. It was during the Trolloc Wars that they gained their reputation for being fierce warriors, so wanton in their destructive capacities that they were not regarded as being safe to be around. We saw a bit of that again during the Last Battle, when they were so fierce that they even unnerved Galad.

Kay:
The Ogier pledge their support to fight with humans at the Last Battle. Erith would fight alongside Loial in the Last Battle. The Ogier fight in Elayne Trakand's army singing a terrifying death song, which starts to cause the Trollocs to fear them.

I think this leaves everything on the west side of the map pretty uneasy, which I like?
It's still very much in the process of being settled

Shai’tan:
What is Loial up to? Did he publish his book yet? Hey maybe they chill at the library in Rhuidean. And Erith something in the court of the sun? Working with the Aiel peacekeepers and ogier fighters?

Eve:
Yes, I ship them as  Loial as Librarian and Erith as something bitchin' to do with Ogier warriors in Rhuidean too, traveling one way or another back to Shangtai when the Longing hits

Shai’tan :
And visiting her family in Tsofu too!

Eve:

Probably they have some babes as well, it has been over a century

Maybe just old enough to be "adventurous" like their hasty father

Kay:

There's a novella called A Fire Within the Ways, which apparently involves Perrin cleansing the Ways

Shai’tan:
Well, I vote that happened

Kay:
Yeah, same. I need to read it, but if it's good I vote we use either the events or steal the sequence of events and try to fit them in post-TG

Eve:
This discussion has sort of meandered back and forth between my points, lol, but are we saying those who fought in the LB are the start of the Ogier warrior society?

Kay:
I could see that being a beginning, with it sort of receding, and then the big push being the Seanchan War

Eve:
Some would have been in Sholoon as guards, others migrated naturally to the Blight Border when it reemerged
And yes, a big push with the war
And pending our read of the Ways business, they would also be keepers of them (at least that's what makes sense to me)

And stone masons with the timeline we talked about. Overall, a nice emergence into the world for our Tree Brothers and Sisters!
(But not too much! The Elders are shaking their heads in dismay)

Illian

Kay:

What is up with Illian? They were a monarchy by the end of the Third Age, with the Dragon Reborn as their monarch, but they were one of the more complicated ones in the Wheel of Time. Not only was there a noble council, known as the Council of Nine, but there was a group comprised of Illianer merchants and ship owners known as the Assemblage. These three bodies often competed with one another for the rule of Illian. So, the first question is...how's that system holding up? The big change, obviously, is the loss of the Dragon Reborn/King. Wiki points out that the former king was a little scarred by the whole experience and never sought to reclaim his throne.

Shai’tan:
Well, that doesn't sound great for him...
I say the anti channelers on either side of them tried to swoop in, but they banded with Murandy and Las Lugard and they are the pirate nation!

Kay:
My first thought was one of the two body legislative democracies, but it doesn’t quite work because it doesn’t sound like there’s a clean division of power, so much as scrabbling.
We have them as being on good terms with Tai’Seanchan, but I like the idea that they sought alliances elsewhere to be able to do it on more even terms!
I’m unclear as to what I like in terms of the government itself, though. Did they reestablish the monarchy, or is it split between the Council and the Assemblage? The latter, in retrospect, is kinda on theme for us I think.

We could tweak it by having a Council member as a rotating “executive”, I guess?

Shai’tan :
Yeah I think I like the split, but with the idea of rotating as its little twist...That could be fun to play with

and they should stay complicated lol

Kay:
Another major point is the Illianer military/Companions. They were a renowned fighting force that, also, had a history of recruiting people from outside the country as with Tam al'Thor. The Companions in particular were sworn directly to the Crown. How has that organization changed, following two major wars and an uneasy era of peace?

I think the swearing is easy to resolve: nation over any one power, sort of in the style of modern professional militaries

Tseia:
So, basically they went independent contractor, but sworn/dedicated to Illian.

Kay:
Seems likely to me. (Also, horrifically prone to abuse)

The international situation isn't really a point, but to restate things: they have ties to the Tai'Seanchan, a currently cool but potentially quite hot rivalry with Tear, and question marks everywhere else (notably Far Madding.) Any thoughts or suggestions here?
We just added Murandy to that list!

Tseia:
Illian is Greek-ish, so I'd say trade ties to Lugard would make sense?

Shai’tan:
On the one hand....pirates should totally be on board with smugglers, anti channelers, and tai'seanchans...that might be my only hand...b/c they should.

Tseia:
Especially since Illian is famed for its seaport.

Kay:

Illian was a big trader, particularly by river and ocean. How does that hold up in an era where the Seafolk have a port inside their borders/the general proliferation of channeling endorsed trade?

Tseia:
I'd go with definite rivalry. Some Illianers may believe the Sea Folk are "encroaching" on their waters/trade.

Shai’tan:
yeah I can see them being touchy ...but I wonder if they might have gotten a little chummy when the whole BT gets the ports in Tear thing went down?

Kay:
Something tells me that, yes; there’s room there for cooperation. But if their trade has declined as Seafolk encroached, and If the Seafolk are annoyed at piracy, it might also be a chilly partnership

Shai’tan:
Yeah probably mostly rivalry then...but I am going to make me a pirate and have him think about the good old days, when he and his seafolk buddy drank and bitched about Tear

Kay:

I adore that image
[8:56 PM]
Besides, maybe Illian pirates spend more time hassling Tairen ships?

If you do make a pirate though, let me know. Toria’s sister’s entire story is she revitalized her father’s shipping business, and now I’m thinking she did that by becoming a badass pirate lady (desk jockey version)

Tseia:
Hmm. Formal truce or unspoken agreement? Because Illianers aren't keen on Tairens.
And vice versa.

Kay:
I’m thinking unspoken, mostly

Shai’tan:
Ohhhhhhhhh if they didn't get along with the Seafolk they could be smuggling fake Sea Folk porcelain out of Las Lugard

Kay:
I’m getting the sense that Illian doesn’t get along with anybody, and is mostly going “Screw the rules!”

Shai’tan:
They have probably the three least trustworthy friends, we should add in Mayne, but I can't work out how

Kay:
...guns? I mean. Pirates and guns...

My last point!
Another question, because it's one of my favorite things: the Hunters of the Horn. The Wheel of Time's version of random D&D adventurers. The Horn itself disappeared in the aftermath of the Last Battle, along with the Hornsounder. Does the Hunt for the Horn continue?

All:

YES

Tseia:
I'd argue the Hunt is more motivated, because there's relatively recent proof it does exist.

Kay:

So, I imagine we get calls for the hunt semi regularly, and people go off to a lifetime of adventure

Sounds like an IC event to me

Shai’tan:

I bet rich people sponsor people to hunt for them