RealmForge

Not really clear on exactly why we have two campaign creation forums, but... Figure I should outline the Western Campaign.

System: Exalted (probably modified for forum usage)
Location: The Western Archipelago
Main Characters: A near-circle of Solar Exalts
- Captain Rivien, Eclipse Caste, the once, current, and future captain of the Zephyr Knight. Primarily run by Soraia.
- Proreus Garret, the Dawn Caste proreus and bos'n of the Zephyr Knight. Primarily run by LightHawk.
- Kryell, lookout and cabin boy for the Zephyr Knight, with a strong destiny written in the stars. Primarily run by Kalil.
- Aryete, a Tya fisherwoman picked up by the Zephyr Knight. Has a mysterious past and potent abilities. Primarily run by Vizune.
Plot Outline:
The Zephyr Knight becomes (quite willingly) embroiled in a war between the Coral Archipelago and the kingdom of Eldreth Isle. This is destined to escalate into a war with Silver Prince himself, and leads towards the unification of the West under a single banner.

Methodology:
Since this is the resurrection/rehashing of an old campaign, we would begin by 'novelizing' and cleaning up old IRC logs. We will likely significantly diverge from that plot line upon reaching the Sunken Manse. Poking around my files, I've found old character sheets for Kryell, Aryete, and Garret, although we'll likely want to slightly redesign characters anyway. I've also found two different 'starts' at novelizing the story - one that's a journal by Kryell which is difficult to read (he's almost illiterate, and it shows in his journal), and another that's a more typical novel style. I've also got a general setting overview, which I will post shortly.
My current plan for how to run things, given my own unusual oceanic situation, is to write up 'chapters' of the story myself, and post them to the forums for review, commenting, and suggestions. I'll then forward on revisions. In the future, hopefully the story can become considerably more collaborative, with group input into 'where to go next', based on the overarching vision I have for the plot line and on the characters own individual goals and motivations.

Setting Detail:
Eldreth Cay

Edlreth Cay is an island in the central Western Archipelago, between Wavecrest and Coral. It is about 40 square miles large, but most of the population dwells on the eastern shore, around a crescent shaped bay known as, creatively, 'Cresent Bay'. The main products of Eldreth Cay are lumber, sugar, and fish. Sugarcane is grown on large plantations in the wet and marshy south-center of the island (most of the islands 'nobles' are the owners of cane plantations). A quiescent volcano lies to the north, and in the past it has been mined for jade and gemstones.

Government:
The current King of Eldreth Cay is King Muld XIV, who regretably passed away a decade ago. Since his demise, most of the realms affairs have been handled by his wife, Queen Ellone, and his brother, Crown Prince Arul. All objection to a woman taking the reigns of power was effectively silenced when the Crown Prince had a group of plotting nobles tossed in stocks for a week, several years back.

Notable Individuals:
Queen Ellone
A strongheaded woman, she all but ran things while her husband lived, and it seemed quite natural for her to continue when he died. She mostly handles the day-to-day domestic affairs of the island, and has garnered a reputation for being a just and relatively wise ruler.

Crown Prince Arul
The Crown Prince could be King, if he wanted, but he's never shown any desire to take the crown. He is most interested in his various hobbies, and keeps to himself as much as possible, disdaining the noisy court. However, he is in charge of the islands military and foreign affairs, and takes an active role in that aspect of governing.

Vice Admiral Talin
Talin is the Crown Prince's ever-present shadow. He has been at the Arul's side for several decades, and is the source of perpetual rumors in court. He has too-blue eyes, pale blue-white hair, webbed fingers, and he hasn't aged a day since he first emerged from the sea some years ago. Rumors propose that he's anything from an exalt or wyld-touched to a faerie or god-blood. Talin has stayed silent on the topic, and everything else, for that matter - no one except possibly the Crown Prince has ever heard him say a word.
Needless to say, his title is entirely honorary, but he does seem to advise Arul on many matters. The court treats him with wary respect, and whispers are kept entirely out of earshot of both him and the Crown Prince.

Notable places:
Dockside
The Harbour Inn is the place to get a good drink. The bartender, a friendly Tya named Crystal, brews the best cane-beer on the isles, and the bouncer, a burly gent named Tarren, keeps things fairly quiet.
The Eldreth Shipyard might not be the best in the West, but it makes sound hulls, and is fairly cheap, thanks to the plentiful supply of lumber from inland.
The Dirty Ditty is a bit seedier than the Harbor Inn, and provides more entertainment than jus' alchohol. The bartender, an amiable gent named Kul, hears everything that's said in his bar, and can remember most of it for the proper price.
The Guild has a small office on the docks.

Shantytown
Mostly a residential area, Shantytown is not as run-down as the name implies. The market there sells a wide variety of provisions, and the Blacksmith's is located here. Madam Farrel tells fortunes. Occasionally, they're even correct.

The Castle
The keep and it's environs house the Queen and many of the nobles. The Queen's stables will rent out horses on slow days.
There is also a Realm embassy near the castle, staffed by a handful of functionaries, diplomats, and bored dragonbloods.

Military capabilities:
Eldreth Isle has a standing army of 5 yachts and 2 biremes, and 1 trireme. These ships are not fully staffed, but most male citizens do a 1-year tour of duty in the navy and can be mustered if needed. In addition, the Crown retains an unknown number of privateers in its service, and there are approximately 30 fishing yachts in the harbour that could potentially be converted into naval vessels if neccessary.

Setting Secrets:
Certain elements within the Realm have shown interest in opening trade relations with Eldreth Isle, to break the virtual stranglehold Peleps has on maritime trade. Eldreth is open to this, but is not willing to surrender its sovereignty.
Talin is in fact a god-blood, and the son of a powerful ocean goddess. He and Arul are a 'couple', which is a large part of the reason Arul considers himself unfit for the kingship. It is unclear what exactly will become of the monarchy after the demise of the queen and crown prince.
The Silver Prince is currently backing Coral's expansionistic goals. After all, the war dead can only add to his own strength. He's quite ready to move into Coral himself, at the first sign of weakness. Isle five exists in this campaign, but is substantially scaled back in scope.
There are at least three sidereals who are highly active in the region. The Green Lady is involved in the plans of the Silver Prince, and the Gold Faction sidereal ____ is supporting the development of Eldreth Isle. _____ wove Kryell's destiny with enough strength to withstand and even withhold his exaltation.