Fatemaster Friday - The wind crosses the brown land, unheard.

[Kimberly]

Heya Breachers!

This week the Grand Malifaux Tour resumes with a trip through the Badlands! Before we head deep into Nephilim territory, let’s see what @The13Fates said regarding who they’d want to see Zoraida make a puppet of:

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I've always been partial to Yan Lo and Chiaki's design and aesthetics. Great power hidden behind unassuming frailty.

Plus the image of Zoraida cursing under her breath trying in vain to attach Yan Lo's beard makes me chuckle.

You can see other folks’ thoughts, or add your own here. 

The Badlands lay southwest of Malifaux City and is an expanse of hard soil and sparse vegetation. It’s pretty harsh place to live, but for many hoping to start a life in Malifaux it’s their chance at that dream. The settlers of the Badlands are most often backed by the Guild’s resettlement program, and while remote from the Guild’s seat of power in Malifaux City these people are loyal to the “official” power of Malifaux. Fated who are running from the Guild’s power might want to keep their heads down in these settlements unless they’re looking for a fight.

Debtor’s Delve is a work camp that utilizes those who have defaulted on loans to the Guild to dig mundane minerals until their debt is cleared. In theory, once the debt is done these workers are sent back to Earth, but Bad Things Happen in Malifaux, so that isn’t always the case for some unlucky “convicts.” Debtor’s Delve is sparsely guarded and as Fatemaster you could have your group attempt to rescue one of these convicts, but be aware that the harsh conditions of the Badlands serves as a deterrent for most would-be fugitives.

Just south of the quiet town of Edge Point is the Latigo Stronghold, home to Perdita Ortega and her family of Nephilim hunters. Perhaps your Fated desire to become part of her famed band of gunslingers, or perhaps they need to make a deal with an Ortega staying at the Stronghold. Whatever the case, Fated should be careful as the Latigo Stronghold’s policy is often “shoot first and ask questions later.” The only other town of note is Innocence, positioned far to the south of the Badlands. In Defense of Innocence is a wonderful Penny Dreadful I’ve previously discussed, and you can find that post here. 

Crossing a large expanse of nothing to the west leads to Nythera. The Badlands Invitational contains a lot of description of the area to the west, taking Fated on a harrowing three-day endurance tour of the wastes and its geography. Fatemasters can draw a lot from this Penny Dreadful to fuel their own adventures!

Before reaching Nythera, travelers face the possibility of the Sunstroke Condition and the danger of the Badlands Fever. Both have their own perils, but those who run into the Badlands in a fit of the Fever are later found barely more than a pile of bleached bones. The ruins of Kethsora were the site of a large battle between Freikorps and Nephilim shortly before Nythera was opened, releasing the fae queen Titania.

The Nythera Penny Dreadful is an action packed adventure with pre-generated characters that explores this area, along with many others, and allows players to be part of an event that changes the Fate of Malifaux. You can find this adventure, In Defense of Innocence, and the high speed One Shot The Badlands Invitational, on DriveThruRPG through the links provided. 

The drawing for the TTB/Horror movie mashup contest will happen next week and the winner announced in the next Fatemaster Friday. Now for our weekly question, I want to know how your group of Fated have dealt with the risks and rewards the Badlands has to offer.
 

[stump_chunkman]

The Fated decide to lay low for awhile, their Arcanist contacts have just the place: a remote observatory in the Badlands. The spot of the observatory was chosen due to having a solid foundation of rock in the badlands, and being an elevated place where the sky can be easily seen. Surrounding the compound are some curious stones that have fallen over, depicting the strange constellations in the stars above possibly left by the native denizens of Malifaux a long time ago. 

Padre Cormlieau, a human preacher turned Nephilim Half-Blood has decided that religion and spirituality are just as important as bloodlust to his new found flock. He plans to have his congregation raise the standing stones and re-dedicate them in blood to the Old Ways. 

[Douglas Scoundrels]

I dropped Atlantis into the Malifaux badlands. Thought it would be believable in the Faux-verse if the mythical city not only existed, but actually fell into Malifaux instead of the ocean. It became a sort of magical nexus between Earth and Malifaux, and is governed by a homebrew faction whose goal is absolute magical freedom for all (including necromancy). It was a bit of a more lighthearted story arc, as the party was tasked with resolving a rivalry between Pyotr Tchaikovsky and John Philip Sousa (both terribly accomplished magicians along with their musical instruments accolades). The city was a bit of a mix of oasis and pseudo-utopia, juxtaposing nicely with how harsh and unforgiving the badlands were.