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Four Quadrants

Created by

hughpierre

Scope

The motivation behind building Four Quadrants

I am writing a foundation for future expansion as inspired by the historical Incan Empire; with Chinese, Japanese and Arabic elements.

The goal of the project

I am hoping to create a pseudo-outline of a plot from which a story can emerge. Given that the homebrew magic mechanics and internal logistics in the world tend to stymie character agency by design, it is not generally playable as a long term campaign.

Four Quadrants's Unique Selling point

The unique selling point is that it is a slow burn no matter which track one goes down:

Climbing the hierarchical ladder and gaining true power is only possible by learning a complicated and intricate language.
Insurgent groups reigning in the high mountains to pick away at the empire's authority through highway raids.
Exploring the outer peripheries of the known world brings grueling hostilities for apparently little gain.

Theme

Genre

Slow-Burn Political Fantasy with unique language-based magic that requires characters to develop slowly.

Reader Experience

The atmosphere should inspire both curiosity and caution, making the audience simultaneously afraid and moved.

Reader Tone

The tone is serious and dramatic. The story is a family saga that takes the reader on a journey to every corner of the world.

Recurring Themes

Self-Invention

Vocational Training

Throughout the story, characters are presented with opportunities for self-invention and growth through training. Whether it's acquiring new skills, adapting to diverse professions, or honing existing talents, the narrative emphasizes the transformative power of personal development. Scenes may involve characters attending specialized academies, undergoing mentorship or participating in intense training sequences.

Conscription

Characters may witness forced enlistments, encounter resistance movements against it, or even grapple with personal choices regarding pervasive militarization.

Enterprise

Showcasing the relentless pursuit of profit and power, characters navigate through bustling markets, encounter ambitious men and witness the consequences of cutthroat competition: whether through business ventures or the exploitative nature of certain practices.

Parental Conflict

Reputation

Reputation becomes a currency in this world, with characters navigating a delicate balance between building their own name and dealing with the shadows of their family's history.

Inheritance

Issues of inheritance echo throughout the narrative, impacting characters motivations and personal journeys. As characters grapple with certain legacies, they face moral dilemmas, confront family secrets, and navigate the complexities of generational expectations. Scenes may unfold during tense family gatherings, legal disputes, or moments of introspection, exploring how the past shapes the present

Careers

From ambitious entrepreneurs navigating corporate intrigues to adventurers forging their careers in the world to emphasize their professional pursuits, ambitions and challenges they face in their chosen paths.

Conspiracies

Coupe

Whether it's political machinations, clandestine organizations, or personal vendettas; secrecy and hidden agendas drive the overarching plot.

Sabotage

Characters frequently encounter hidden agendas and plots that threaten to disrupt the status quo. Whether it's political, economic, or personal, keeps the narrative tense and unpredictable; fostering an atmosphere where alliances are fragile and betrayal is a constant threat.

Espionage

Characters find themselves entangled in political machinations, secret societies, and covert operations that challenge their allegiances and trust. Scenes may involve clandestine meetings, deciphering cryptic messages, and uncovering hidden agendas.

Character Agency

Character agency is deliberately constrained yet decisions still carry significant consequences.

Focus

Political Legitimization

Diplomacy

Negotiated offers of trade, monetary rewards, high ranking positions and influential marriages with the promise of growing stronger together. This would be followed by military parades to intimidate.

Fortification

Garrisons and storage depots built in areas where gentle sieges did not work and where hostile populations are resettled to further subdue them.

Logistics

Surplus food and tools are stored in state run warehouses as insurance against famine and drought. Conscripts from conquered people are provided with food, clothes and weapons from storehouses along the road.

Social Control

The lowest rung of society are at the mercies of the forcibly shifting communities to stock warehouses and arm troops.

Drama

Civil Unrest

Restrictions in movement and opportunity frustrate several civilian communities

Opportunistic Secession

Separatists abound in Tahuantinsuyu. From isolated hilltop forts to underground networks at the heart of the empire to organized insurgency in yet to be pacified territories.

Child Plague

Across the borders, exotic diseases precede a foreign invader coming through the north east in trickles.