Background Links

[High Command]

Okay, since I can't get us all on Hangouts at the same time:

I want to link the three TAs and Penitent if we can. Others linking is good, but at least those four.

first, is Leben still going to have grown up in seclusion away from his people or is that something he did after he grew up? Cause I have an idea if it's the second.
What if Leben went to the Cathedral on Wormwood and volunteered there for a while, becoming a monk in the process? That would give Penitent a good link. Further, it means Ink and I have been sent to retrieve him because my father is the one who brought Leben to the Cathedral and I accompanied him as a "child". They don't have a pyramid, but their gates work fine from Center, so we were able to go through Center to Wormwood and get him. Not that we got to hang around Center, it was literally a turnaround in Gateland.

From there we went to Lazlo and hooked up with the Cyber-Knights to help them out. Maybe we met up with Spartacus at this point. That leaves Vela and Ashlyn to be met in the area.

How does this work? I've tried to leave it as open as possible for development by everyone else. It gives us some history fighting as a team, and room to explain any HJ rolls you haven't yet.

[Ndreare]

I like it, I can work in those changes on Monday.

Any specific details needed?

[Ink]

Sounds good to me, but then my background is easy with the Shifterness.

[Krysesia]

I suggest reading up on the Cathedral some Leben - bout it. Maybe work with Penitent to work out some shared events, etc. Maybe you helped him track his lover/wife.

here's what I have:

Born in 12 PA by Chi-Town's calendar, Krysesia stopped really growing around her 23rd birthday. At 99 she is still a young adult, barely wise in the ways of the world. Several years ago she travelled with her father to Wormwood, via Phase World, then to Lazlo, and there was able to study for a time. Geography, history, and the creatures of North America interested her more than magical theory. She left a student of the continent, better equipped to face the rigors of the world. Now that she knows the way, she has recently used the Lazlo Pyramid to travel from her home to Wormwood, once again. This time she had as her companion a fellow Atlantean, Isandro. He prefers to be called Ink, it seems. From Lazlo, through Gateland, and to the Cathedral where she came to collect Leben, who had joined the Cathdral's forces. Collecting him, and an Apok named Penitent, she brought the group back to Lazlo, then out to find the Cyber-Knights. The three of them, and by extension Penitent, had been sent as assistance to the Cyber-Knights. This was to pay back Lord Coake for his help to Manoa in times past. And soon after arriving, they had a task. They were to travel to Castle Refuge and help them out on a mission they need done. Along the way, a wolfen named Spartacus joined them in heading to the Tomorrow Legion's home base.

[Penitent]

Krysesia's write up works for me. Penitent would have headed for one of the known portals on Wormwood looking for a ride and would be happy to join the TAs for some short-term do-gooding in Lazlo in return for a lift to Rifts Earth. Helping the Tomorrow Legion is a natural extension, especially if their network can help him track his daughter.

[Ashlyn Alvarez]

Perhaps Ashlyn and Velan could have a link then, maybe based around Ashlyn's Grudging Respect hook? Maybe there's a werejaguar community trying to set up shop near New Alamo and they aren't too keen on it?

[Vela]

Where is New Alamo now?

My sense is that the main body of the werejaguars are still farther south, but individuals are roaming further north to blaze trails so they can move. If New Alamo is in the pre-Rifts territory of Texas, it's unlikely that there'd be a lot of werejaguars around (notwithstanding a decision of the GM), but there could easily have been one or two showing up, nosing around...perhaps making mischief or getting into misunderstandings or scraps.

If the placement isn't too far off, it's not impossible that Vela herself might have been there...though I get the sense it might be a bit farther north than my story will put her at.

I do like the idea of sharing a mutual grudging respect. It's the sort of narrative hook that suits Vela well.

Edit - Consulted the map in Vampire Kingdoms. Turns out that Old San Antonio is quite close to New Del Rio. Which implies that your New Alamo isn't far off either. Since the timeline of Vela's visit is intentionally somewhat fuzzy, there's a window for saying she strolled by New Alamo, I think. It's a little off the beaten track, but she is prone to roam so it could work.

[Spartacus]

I had my background ending up with Lord Coake sending Spartacus to the Tomorrow Legion to assist their efforts. However, if the True Atlanteans show up he could be shortstopped and sent with them instead.

[High Command]

I guess I would suggest that he's sent with us by intent, rather than stopped. He's told at the last minute he'll be joining the volunteers who showed up the week before to go to the TL.

That said, it's no big either way - however you want to play it

[Spartacus]

Well it looks like everyone ends up at the briefing at Castle Refuge one way or the other so I'll stick with my original back story. No need to complicate things at this point.

[Ndreare]

Finally read the stuff in the Cathedral. Man what a bummer, in my memory before we played it like resistance cells.
But now it looks like it is heavily interested with backbiting politics.

[Ndreare]

Okay, so I am ready for an incorporated background revision. Lets work on this and see what it turns into.

---

Leben's Background
Leben’s clan has preferred remaining safe in isolation over direct conflict for as long as anyone can remember. The Clan Elders long ago decided that while sending out members to aid others is an excellent opportunity to grow their skills and contribute to the goal of making the worlds better places. There is simply too much risk in openly exposing themselves or their location on the Mesa. With the advantage of living in an isolated area of the desert, they are not exposed to many of the worst horrors of the rifts.
Being raised in a community filled with love and comfort Leben often did not understand the reality of the dangers in the outside world his father would try and teach him the skills he learned as a soldier and scout in the outside world, but Leben saw it more as a game than a necessity.
However, at the age of 12 in his early adolescence he began getting insights about people and the world. He shared these incites with his father who instantly understood what was becoming of his son. So it was he found himself being encouraged to look into himself and following the guiding incites he received.
As his powers developed he soon began to feel a call to do more. A drive to leave thew community and take action. Knowing what must be done his father told The Elders of Leben's growing need and the decision was made to send him as he was led.
When asked Leben instantly knew where he was to go and was able to draw the image forward. But the Elders did not know the place immediately that he described from his dreams. A place where the world itself was alive, trying to fight off an invasion of incarnate chaos with the help of the humans on the planet. Finally the name of the planet Wormwood came forward and it was decided to send him.
Being sent through the gates on Center Leben found himself in this new and strange land, where he was soon recognized as a priest of light for his ability to commune with the planet and call on the powers of light. However to Leben's surprise his purpose there where not directly against the Host, or in healing the injured of the battle fields. Instead he was guided to expose corruption with within cells of the Cathedral. Frequently working with many others in the war against the Host Leben gained many friends and allies, from the powerful Apok, to the humble townsmen to Leben they were one and all valuable people. But as he was feeling the call to leave one friend stood out as someone who he must ask to join him, Penitent the Apok. To his surprise the Apok was already planning to make a journey to Earth. Though he would not say why he was going, he was quickly ready for the journey. When Krysesia arived to take them away she found there where three ready to make the journey instead of two.

---

Lets see what we can do to ge these into alignment.

[High Command]

So you didn't grow up in Manoa? Kinda weird, but okay. But you would have to gone there at least to get your tats.

[Heracles]

When Krysesia arived to take them away she found there where three ready to make the journey instead of two.

Wait, so I read this but I guess I'm blind - who's the third? Leben, Penitent and...?

[Ndreare]

So you didn't grow up in Manoa? Kinda weird, but okay. But you would have to gone there at least to get your tats.

This was me failing to update from hidden message to hidden valley.

The intent is he would have grown up in Hawaii in the safety of the clan

[Ndreare]

When Krysesia arived to take them away she found there where three ready to make the journey instead of two.

Wait, so I read this but I guess I'm blind - who's the third? Leben, Penitent and...?

This should have been me, Penitent and Kryss.
It just needs edited.

[Heracles]

As in Krysesia? Who came to Wormwood with Ink to get you? So four then? <smh>

[Ndreare]

Cool.
So some minor edits.

I am open to additional changes if we can think of details that make it better.

Did Leben know Ink and Krys before they arrived to retrieve him?
I think it would be cool if there was a relationship with at least one of them prior to this.

[Ndreare]

So is this an abandoned idea? I do not see much conversation on it here, or interchange of ideas.

[Pender Lumkiss]

So is this an abandoned idea? I do not see much conversation on it here, or interchange of ideas.

Sounded like Wormwood was the meet up spot, for Leben, Penitent, Ink and Krys.

[Penitent]

Yep, that's my understanding. I'll try to work some time references to Leben and the others into my interlude when I get it post d.

[High Command]

Cool.
So some minor edits.
I am open to additional changes if we can think of details that make it better.
Did Leben know Ink and Krys before they arrived to retrieve him?
I think it would be cool if there was a relationship with at least one of them prior to this.

He certainly could have. Ink has been training as an Undead Slayer - that means probably 20 years or so of active mentor ship before he's let go on his own. Krys has been gallivanting as only a TA Shifter can. And given it was her father (as I wrote it) who dropped you off in Wormwood, there's a good chance you knew him or someone in your mentor pool did.

[Ink]

I haven't decided on exactly how old Ink is, but he's not that young. He's old enough to have not only lived through his training as a Slayer, and working in the militia for Manoa for a while but had some adventures in the Pecos Badlands as well at the very least.

So yeah, I'm happy to have met others before in his travels.