Darksiders Factions and Courts

The Destroyer’s Kingdom

POWER 4 (1d12)

COHESION

4

FEATURES

Hell’s capital on Earth. Legions of Demons, Abyssal entities

and Undead are at the Destroyer’s command. At its core

stands The Black Throne, an almost impenetrable fortress and

a magical siphon used to empower the forces of Hell.

PROBLEMS

Constant guerrilla attacks by the surviving forces of heaven

(4). Constant internecine warfare between, and within, all

subordinate Demon factions (2). Increasing hostility with

Kingdom of the Dead (1)

TROUBLE 7

INTEREST

Hell (12), The Chosen and their Armies - Tiamat, the Griever,

the Stygian, Silitha and Straga (12 each), The Hellguard on

Earth (6), Samael’s Host (6), Samael’s Prison, the Scalded

Gallow (6)

DOMINION

12

GOAL

Hunt down the surviving Hellguard

Wormfood Village (“I wanted to call it

Arrakis, but Bill over there wouldn’t be

having with any of that nerd shit!”)

POWER

1 (1d6)

COHESION

1

FEATURES

The people have faith in their leaders' wisdom, There is a

Chronomancer guild which is obedient to the elders, Their

home is reputed to be untakeable.

PROBLEMS

Idealistic reformers are tearing down vital institutions (1),

Technical expertise is jealously guarded by its keepers (2),

The army is so disorganized that it's near-useless (2)

TROUBLE

5

INTEREST

Ash Worms (3), Stygian Camp demons (2)

DOMINION

0

GOAL

Train a more effective army

Hell’s Outpost, Shadow’s Edge (the

present, post-apocalypse)

POWER 1 (1d6)

COHESION

1

FEATURES

The Mad Queen Lilith holds court here in Samael’s absence.

She knows many secrets and has the ear of many influential

entities across creation. Even in a decayed state the Black

Stone remains a formidable fortress with defences across time

and space. If one can manipulate time it is still possible to seek

an audience with Samael.

PROBLEMS Lilith is powerful, capricious and insane (2). Without

Samael’s strong will to hold it in place, Shadow’s Edge will

continue to crumble and will eventually be destroyed as it is

dragged into the Abyss (2).

TROUBLE

4

INTEREST

Samael (1), The Destroyer (1), The Nephilim (1)

DOMINION

0

GOAL

Solve the Problem of the Realm’s destruction, at least

partially.

Shadow’s Edge (the past, pre-

apocalypse)

POWER 2 (1d8)

COHESION 2

FEATURES The infamous demon Samael’s seat of power and one of the

foremost outposts of Hell. Home to a legion of Samael’s elite

guard and terrifyingly powerful relics, the Black Stone is an

exceptional fortress.

PROBLEMS Samael has many powerful rivals who constantly seek his

downfall (including, possibly, The Dark Prince himself) (3).

Shadow’s Edge is held in place entirely by Samael’s will –

should any calamity befall him it will immediately begin to

crumble away (1)

TROUBLE 4

INTEREST Hell (8), Lost Light (1), Other Demon factions (2)

DOMINION 8

GOAL Whatever Samael wants (suggestion: Enact a Change to create

a Feature that looks harmless, but will be used for self-

aggrandizing ends.)

Heaven’s Outpost, Lostlight

POWER 2 (1d8)

COHESION 2

FEATURES The Scriptorium is home to Angels with knowledge of all

creation, past, present and future. Lostlight’s leader, Archon

Lucien, was entrusted with powerful relics including scrying

pools, portals to other realms and one of the keys to the Well

of Souls.

PROBLEMS Lostlight’s defenders are brave, but surprisingly few in

number (1). Since the apocalypse Archon Lucien has become

increasingly withdrawn and secretive (1). It is extremely

difficult to reach the Ivory Citadel and its librarian citizens are

uncooperative and ill-tempered (2)

TROUBLE 4

INTEREST Heaven (8), The Destroyer and His Armies (4), The White

City (3)

DOMINION 8

GOAL Build the maximum possible Interest in the Destroyer's

Kingdom.

The Kingdom of the Dead

POWER 5 (1d20)

COHESION 5

FEATURES The Lord of Bones rules from a mighty, mobile citadel, the

Eternal Throne. Almost all living things will eventually arrive

in the Kingdom of the Dead. Its inhabitants are almost all

immortal undead of some sort. The Well of Souls, a powerful

source of knowledge and magic, can be most easily accessed

here.

PROBLEMS The Apocalypse and mass extinction of the human race has

caused an overwhelming amount of souls to arrive (4). The

Lord of Bones is a cruel and distant ruler who cares very little

about his subjects welfare (3). There is much unrest among the

Tomb Lords and other Dead Courtiers (3). Something is

wrong with the Well of Souls (2). The Chancellor is a devious

schemer who does much of the day to day ruling (1). Horrible

monsters infest the lower levels of the Kingdom (1)

TROUBLE 14

Court of the Dead Lords

POWER STRUCTURE Figurehead

TYPE Aristocratic

COURT MOOD Decaying, hidebound by rigidly enforced protocols.

MAJOR ACTORS and their POWER SOURCE The Lord of Bones (powerful magic, de jure overlord of the

Kingdom of the Dead)

The Chancellor (de facto overlord of the Kingdom of the

dead)

Lord Phariseer (his own Tomb and an army of loyal

Mummies)

The Judicator (his own tomb and above reproach in role as a

judge of lost souls)

Lord Basileus (mighty warrior with powerful allies)

CONFLICTS - Basileus believes that the threat of Corruption needs to be

addressed. The Lord of Bones (through the Chancellor)

dismisses the threat. Judicator and Phariseer are neutral, but

increasingly concerned about their Lord’s rule.

- The Judicator has received disturbing reports from the City

of the Dead regarding the Well of Souls. The Chancellor

dismisses all such claims.

MINOR ACTORS The Old One merchant Ostegoth, an infrequent visitor.

Draven the Blademaster, reluctant champion.

CONSEQUENCES OF COURT’S

DESTRUCTION? Civil War would immediately break out.

At least one much worse replacement is waiting (Argul, the

Deposed King and its forces).

Heaven and Hell might seek to “restore order” themselves and

invade.

DEFENCES Seclusion and defenses of the Eternal Throne.

Tiamat’s Demesne

POWER 3 (1d10)

COHESION 3

FEATURES Tiamat’s kingdom is unreachable by land thanks to impassable

canyons and boiling lava. Tiamat is one of the Destroyer’s

Chosen and very active in defending her realm. The Twilight

Cathedral serves as a capital, hatchery, larder and prison. Her

jailer is a monstrous undead abomination.

PROBLEMS Tiamat is considered the weakest of the Destroyer’s Chosen

(2); ongoing rivalry with Silitha’s Brood (2); Few angels

would be stopped by her Kingdom’s natural defences (1).

TROUBLE 5

INTEREST The Destroyer (10), Straga and The Black Throne (4),

Earthbound Hellguard (3), The Griever (2), Silitha and the

Iron Canopy (1).

DOMINION 10

GOAL Inflict a military defeat on a troublesome rival, doing at least

one point of Coherence or Problem damage.

The Griever's Hive

POWER 2 (1d8)

COHESION 2

FEATURES The Griever is a huge, nigh-invincible creature and one of the

Destroyer’s Chosen. Its very presence encourages verdant

growth and mutates flora and fauna into monstrous forms. It

dwells in abandoned underground tunnels and in what was

once a great central park. Its spawn swarm in vast clouds.

PROBLEMS The Griever is barely sapient and highly aggressive (1). Its

mutant spawn are individually weak (1). The Old One named

Ulthane thwarts all attempts to expand its territory (2).

TROUBLE 4

INTEREST The Destroyer (8), Ulthane (4), Hellguard on Earth (2)

DOMINION 8

GOAL Expand the faction's reach, either by annexing unclaimed land

as an Improbable change or seizing Ulthane.

Ashland Worms

POWER 2 (1d8)

COHESION 2

FEATURES Monstrous worm-like creatures living in and around the

Ashlands. It is rumoured that a titanic Ashworm named the

Stygian is one of the Destroyer’s Chosen and the father of all

the others.

PROBLEMS Individual Ashworms behave more like aggressive animals

than a functional army (1). Demons frequently capture and

imprison Ashworms to fight in gladiatorial pits (2).

TROUBLE 3

INTEREST The Destroyer (4), Stygian Camp demons (4)

DOMINION 4

GOAL Enact a Change in order to spread beyond the Ashlands.

Silitha’s Brood

POWER 3 (1d10)

COHESION 3

FEATURES Silitha is the most intelligent of the Destroyer’s Chosen.

Silitha’s demesne, the Iron Canopy, is home to numberless

spider-spawn and very hard for outsiders to reach. Silitha and

her brood know many secrets. Outsiders stand out very easily

and will be captured quickly, to await a fate worse than death.

PROBLEMS Ongoing rivalry with Tiamat and her Dusk Bats (2); Silitha is

fiercely independent and relies heavily on her Brood rather

than accept the help of other agents of Hell (1); Most

broodlings are physically weak and easily defeated in single

combat (1)

TROUBLE 4

INTEREST The Destroyer (10), Samael’s Prison, the Scalded Gallow (5),

Straga and The Black Throne (4), Earthbound Hellguard (3),

The Griever (2), The Stygian (2), Tiamat and the Twilight

Cathedral (1), Ulthane (1)

DOMINION 10

GOAL Increase the Problems of a rival by at least one point using

non-overt Features to do it.

Straga / Legions of Black Throne

POWER 3 (1d10)

COHESION 3

FEATURES The Black Throne is home to the Destroyer’s Legions.

Powerful Demon magic obscures its entrance. The Black

Throne is directly linked to the Well of Souls and the

Destroyer’s Chosen, Straga. The Black Throne and Straga are

one, and, unless powerful magic is used, Straga knows all that

transpires within its walls. Straga is the mightiest of the

Destroyer’s Chosen.

PROBLEMS Straga is bound to the Black Throne and cannot bear to leave

it for very long (3). The Black Throne and Straga are one;

injuries to one affect the other, and if Straga dies the spire will

collapse (2).

TROUBLE 5

INTEREST The Destroyer (10), The Chosen - Tiamat, the Griever, the

Stygian and Silitha (8 each), The Hellguard on Earth (5),

DOMINION 10

GOAL Enact a Change solely to glorify Straga, one that’s totally

useless as a feature.

Uriel’s Hellguard

POWER 3 (1d10)

COHESION 3

FEATURES The Military forces of Heaven who are trapped on Earth

following the Apocalypse. Originally led by the Archangel

Abbadon, they now follow his former lieutenant, Uriel, with

unshakable determination. They are elite warriors with highly

advanced weapons and armour. Uriel seeks vengeance against

the Horseman, War, who she blames for Abbadon’s death.

PROBLEMS They are vastly outnumbered (2). They have lost irreplaceable

relics and warriors (1). They are exiled from the White City

for their part in prematurely starting the Apocalypse (1).

Abbadon’s loss and their collective failure in the End War

weigh heavily on them (1)

TROUBLE 5

INTEREST Heaven (10, The Destroyer’s Kingdom (5), The Chosen of the

Destroyer (3 each), The Charred Council (1), Ulthane, The

Black Hammer (1)

DOMINION 10

Samael’s Gaolers

POWER 1 (1d6)

COHESION 1

FEATURES A small, elite group of Demons led by the Phantom General.

They are charged with guarding The Scalding Gallow and

ensuring that the Demon prince Samael does not escape.

PROBLEMS Samael’s still has a few followers who periodically try to help

him escape (1). Entities seeking Samael’s advice, favour, or

death occasionally try to free him (1)

TROUBLE 2

INTEREST The Destroyer’s Kingdom (6), Tiamat’s Demesne (3), Silitha’s

Brood (3), Samael’s Host (2)

DOMINION 6