Author Topic: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.  (Read 4638 times)

Offline inq101

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Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« on: October 10, 2013, 11:23:33 PM »
A quick search didn't reveal any other topic covering this so I decided to make one.

I was wondering what other people had done with these plot hooks.  Who's used autumn or spring fae, jade court vamps?  Has anyone tried to make blue, yellow or grey court vampires, or other supernatural gribblies.

I'm running a game based in London.  The spring and autumn courts are groups of changelings who have figured out a way of stabilizing their nature somewhat.  They have a much weaker impulse to make the choice between mortal and fae.  These courts also have an agreement with the queens so that summer and winter have limited power and influence in London as long as the changeling courts maintain the Accords and relative peace.

EDIT:  This is just simple curiosity.  I'm planning on using the spring/autumn court and was wondering how others used the same idea.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2013, 12:41:13 AM by inq101 »

Offline UmbraLux

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2013, 11:33:01 PM »
Queue S with links.  ;)

The later books provide enough incite into the courts I'd rework some of the early stabs at equinox courts.  I'd probably make them somewhere between rebels and loosely associated splinter groups.  (At least if I planned on keeping the solstice courts' purpose.)

There are also several versions of Jade vampires.  Were there any legends you wanted to emulate in particular?
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Offline Lany79

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2013, 11:51:26 PM »
I once ran a game with the Autumn and Spring Courts as basically defunct. Summer and Winter had absorbed most of them a very long time ago. Those that were left, were mostly in hiding. They also had strong ties to Arthurian Lore.

Offline Taran

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2013, 12:28:31 AM »
Not really plot hooks, per se, but templates of various vamps are here:

http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,36142.msg1719646.html#msg1719646

Some of those builds may give you ideas

Offline Hick Jr

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2013, 12:32:14 AM »
I run the Jade Court as basically Jiang-Shi, the asiatic vampires. This is my writeup of your average one.

(click to show/hide)

The Chi Drain power could use some work or just get replaced with Natural Weaponry, but meh.

I generally run the Autumn Court as basically Halloween Town from a Nightmare Before Christmas. Spring is something i've never seen run, but i'd use DnD's approach to the Day/Seelie Court- a bacchanalian affair. Almost the party court, and more obsessed with growth and plants than Summer.
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Offline UmbraLux

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2013, 02:31:33 AM »
Here's a slightly different take on the Jade Court: 
(click to show/hide)
Also called gaki, preta, jikininki, or simply hungry ghosts, Jade Court vampires prey on humans to remain physical. In their natural state, gaki are ghosts, spirits of hunger. To live, they dominate and possess humans, slowly eating the dominated souls. As time passes, the possessed bodies become thinner, only-bone-and-skin, emaciated human beings with bulging stomachs and inhumanly small mouths and throats.

I wrote that one intending to scare White Council wizards.  :)  Hard enough to kill a regenerating spirit, even harder when it thinks you're a tasty snack and habitually possesses otherwise innocent humans.

In the long run you'll want to create or choose a version which fits your concept.  There are far more answers than one or two.   ;)
« Last Edit: October 11, 2013, 02:34:08 AM by UmbraLux »
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Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2013, 03:42:38 AM »
Queue S with links.  ;)

Sure, why not.

The Template thread that Taran linked to and the wiki page associated with it are your best bets for homebrew vampire courts.

Autumn/Spring Court stuff isn't so well compiled. So here's a pile of links:

http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,22857.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,17813.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,25954.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,33033.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,34387.0.html
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,27590.0.html

That's not an exhaustive list by any means, but it's a start.

You can find Spring and Autumn magics on the Sponsored Magic list.

Offline blackstaff67

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2013, 11:27:27 AM »
Talk about timing...we're undergoing a whole mess of Autumn-related stuff in game, as Summer found a way to fight Winter guaranteeing an eternal Summer in a sort of 30-day long contest of tasks; winner take all.  Winter threatens an occult 'nuclear option' for the area in they lose, so the PC's have to find a way to end the war.  Cue a party PC taking on the Aspect of...the Autumn Knight.  Change, transition, death (the end of things in their proper time--it is time for summer to end).  Basically, our CoG offered herself up as a sacrifice via The Wicker Man (turning the only other PC nearby into an emotional train wreck--turns out dying through smoke inhalation is NOT allowed) and becoming the Autumn knight and possibly acquiring the ability to Call the Wild Hunt for a minor trip to...somewhere. 

IIRC, I do believe that some earlier pagan cultures sacrificed in Spring as well to guarantee new crops and rebirth. 
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Offline Haru

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2013, 01:49:27 PM »
For Spring and Autumn courts, I once had the idea of a secret order who's job it is to make sure the power transfer between summer and winter takes place as intended. So if one side were to try and cling to the power to prolong their season, they would step in and make sure that everything goes as it should. They'll kill anyone who is disrupting the natural order of things. Including the Queens.

They are made up of powerful Sidhe of both sides, as well as wild fae, all of whom have sworn neutrality and are free of their bond to their former courts.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2013, 02:05:53 PM by Haru »
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Offline Hick Jr

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2013, 01:52:08 PM »
Hmm. "Regulator" Courts. Interesting idea. Given the actual duty of the Winter Court, which I won't spoil for those who haven't read Cold Days, I basically envisioned Autumn as a

(click to show/hide)
Hi! My home is called an apiary! I collect honey, and defend the Queen!

Not-so-secretly a power hungry megalomaniac with a Modular Abilities addiction.

Offline Albavar

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2013, 02:12:13 PM »
In my campaign, we didn't go Spring and Autumn, but rather the Oriental and Native American Faeries.  Since they are generally portrayed as tricksters and punishing the wicked, I have them set up as watching out for mortals who are trying to reach beyond the Outer Gates and shutting them down.
I also have the Ebony Court vampires in Detroit. They are a variant of WCV that feed on Rage. There is more to it than that, but my players might be reading...

Offline Silverblaze

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2013, 03:17:18 AM »
I once ran a game with the Autumn and Spring Courts as basically defunct. Summer and Winter had absorbed most of them a very long time ago. Those that were left, were mostly in hiding. They also had strong ties to Arthurian Lore.

The Arthurian Lore part is what our spectacular storyteller used for them.

The Jade Court - something of a group of vampires that of course fed on life energy but tried to keep a balance.  Very Yin and Yang type stuff.

Most we ran into followed the bushido code.

Offline vultur

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2013, 02:12:56 AM »
I've honestly always imagined the Erlking and his goblins as being effectively the "Autumn Court". I think because hunting seasons tend to be in fall (US anyway) and the hunting = harvest = obtaining food connection ... I guess.

Which would presumably make the Spring Court that of one of the other Winter Kings (Kringle obviously doesn't fit).

Offline Tirs

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #13 on: November 07, 2013, 11:08:57 AM »
You speak about specific organization, or any that expand the world of DF?
I invented some organisations for werewolves and shapeshifters, but they exchange DF-cosmology.
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Offline blackstaff67

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Re: Spring court, autum court, jade court, etc.
« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2013, 02:19:40 PM »
I've honestly always imagined the Erlking and his goblins as being effectively the "Autumn Court". I think because hunting seasons tend to be in fall (US anyway) and the hunting = harvest = obtaining food connection ... I guess.

Which would presumably make the Spring Court that of one of the other Winter Kings (Kringle obviously doesn't fit).
The Green Man would probably be Spring.  Rebirth, growing, the natural time for things to become alive or awaken, etc.  If so, there's your Spring Court (and since I like the idea of it, your Regulator Spring Court).
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