The Enthralling Accounting

  Kevin, as an Unseelie Fey, a potential Demon Lord, and would-be Dark Godling has been making every effort to collect and bond Thralls – mystical servants infused with powerful energies. Unfortunately, until recently, he could only keep a few bonded directly to himself, and still cannot directly bond anyone of above level zero – restrictions which, for the most part, limit him to children and adolescents. Still, he has collected quite a few over the past ten years or so – and, since they’re fairly powerful pawns in the great game of intrigue going on across the Manifold, here’s a complete accounting for them:

.

Kevin’s Thralls:

   Now that Kevin has reached the point where he can maintain direct links with large numbers of Thralls, he’s attempting to expand his operations considerably. Exactly how far depends on (1) how quickly he can get things snowballing, as existing Thralls recruit others, and (2) what the upper limits on his abilities turn out to be. Even a “Horde” is probably limited to a few hundred (Likely Cha Mod x 50 or similar) per level. That won’t stop him from recruiting more of course, but the additional ones won’t get the benefits of the Positive Levels he usually bestows. Kevin did sell some Thralls outright early on, but he currently prefers to retain ownership and simply sell their services for a time.

   The Thralls currently get a 2 CP bonus – most likely a level worth of Dimensional Adaption (1 CP, reduces the cost of Identities by 1 SP) and Enthusiast, Specialized in Relics (1 CP, allows them to have a 1 CP relic of choice if someone else helps them make it). Currently Kevin doesn’t even know about this, so whatever minor relics they come up with are entirely up to them.

.

Current Thrall Assignments:

  All Thralls have general orders to gather information, be generally helpful (if only to help establish a good reputation), to recruit additional thrall-prospects (showing off when they feel like it or it would help, checking slave-markets in worlds with slavery, scooping up street children in rougher worlds, and simply talking to likely youngsters), and to have fun. They are expected to try and keep at least half their Mana and Power pools in reserve – and to refrain from spending Mana unless it’s either (a) really necessary or (b) they’re already near their accumulation limits. If they have a family emergency or urgent personal business, they should call for a relief Thrall and take care of it.

   Any of them working outside of Core will be taught to maintain a local identity for the worlds they’re assigned to.

. 

With the Group (6)

   Daniel, Gerald, and Bard (core youngsters picked up in Crusader): Currently getting advanced training in the English Fantasy Zone (and getting indulged in the Roman Imperium). Normally personal assistants/servants/bodyguards/pets for Kevin.

   Meara (from a core colony world, rescued from the Arena in the Roman Imperium) and Tanis (a young noblewoman from an Egyptian world): Healers, witchcraft backup, and concubines at night. During the day, they normally remain in ferret-form in Kevin’s pockets.

   Jaiden Kehail: A girl assigned as assistant/servant to Jarvian.

.

Core (18):

   Marty’s New York Offices: 8. Six in two three-man mission teams (working as manifold tour guides/bodyguards/escorts, gate-openers, search-and-rescue workers, and import-export staff). Two alternating manning the desk and providing demonstrations for possible customers.

   House of Roses, London: 3. One liaison (and a subject for their examination, since Kevin knows they will) and one as an aide to the “Followup Crew” – or wherever the House assigned him, and one currently awaiting assignment.

   Roaming Assignment (Earth/Solar System): 3. These are scattered around as agents for returning very small children, cookie monsters, and other strays to where they belong, communications contacts, and monitors. They’re generally assigned to (1) carry out odd jobs as needed, and (2) to be generally helpful – especially during manifold incursions. They’ll be spending a good deal of time recruiting.

   Roaming Assignment (Major Core Colony Worlds): 4. Pretty much as above.

.

Working for Other Factions (4):

   One each currently working for: Advanced Technology Exchange, the Commonwealth (King Arthur’s domain), the Oracle Archona, and the Necropolis. These are currently in entry-level positions, and are primarily just gathering general information and keeping a line of communication open. While they’re unlikely to be trusted with too much, they’re just too useful for the various factions to ignore.

.

Trade Representative Teams (15):

   These groups are working on establishing trading outposts, making local connections, and getting lists of cheaply-available and hotly-desired commodities. As things get moving, they’ll become coordinators and gateway operators, leaving the basic sales work to local employees. They normally work in groups of three. Currently there are groups assigned to Baelaria, the New Imperium, the Old Empire, Faerun (The Red Wizards), and Faerun (The Underdark).

.

Reliefs (3):

   Currently this consists of three Thralls who are relieving others while they go in for advanced training – or go on short leaves to handle family emergencies and such.

.

Caravan Escort Teams (8):

   Currently (8, all from Baelaria), assigned to opening up the Baelaria-Faerun trading route. The initial cargo is going to be Aluminum/Mithril in exchange for bound elementals.

   Their local 3-point identities are mostly devoted to acquiring minor mental defenses (6 CP) and to acquiring Dragonfire (6 CP) and the Eye of the Dragon (6 CP).

.

The Roman Imperium (2):

   Ardiff, slave-selector and trainer, originally from the Linear Developments Realm. Since business is picking up there, he’s also been assigned a new assistant.

   Ardiff’s Imperial Identity is an occult expert in slave-training and trade. His assistant can tell which slaves are ensouled, and thus prospective Thrall-candidates, with a mere glance and has a variety of local connections for getting to inspect incoming slave caravans – and purchase his choices from amongst them – before other prospective buyers get a chance to do so.

.

The Dragonworlds (2):

   Lysira (Gold Dragoness Role): Kevin’s estate and harem manager, defense coordinator, and bait for young male metallic dragons. Now has a new assistant, Elkien, a core youngster with a draconic Role who – not realizing that Kevin’s estates belonged to a powerful adventurer rather than being a generic prize for claiming – attempted to simply seize the place.

   The Thralls here have invested their local Identities in simply being Dragons. That suffices to soak up their identity points all by itself.

.

The Wylds of Faerie (1):

   Dernulf (originally from core): Kevins communications link with Lord Darcia, of the Unseelie Fey. Other than that, his job is mostly to (1) stay out of trouble and (2) to enjoy himself.

   Dernulf’s local identity mostly revolves around having gradually accumulated many favors from the Fey (Major Favors, Bonus Uses, Immunity to the Fey calling for favors in return, 18 CP total). He mostly uses them to quietly get the numerous other mortal youngsters in Faerie out of trouble.

. 

The English Fantasy Zone (2):

   The two Baelarian Thralls assigned here turned out to have some talents for artificing and transmutation, and are helping the other Thralls make their own relics, providing divinatory magical support for the group, managing the estate, providing a link with Hogwarts and some of the other schools of magic and groups in the area, and managing the defenses. It’s always good to have some intelligence backing those “Occult Wards and Guardians”. Kevin just isn’t high enough level yet to provide anything too powerful.

   Not too surprisingly, the local Identities for these Thralls resemble Kevins local Identity – giving them access to a Sanctum with Occult Wards and Guardians (15 CP; grants access to Privilege/Major [trainers who can supply a high-end Package Deal, 6 CP], Privilege/Neutral Meeting Place [3 CP], an extensive Library [bought as Double Enthusiast and Adaption, 9 CP], and Witchcraft/The Sight [6 CP]), as well as 3 SP worth of local wealth and knowledges (3 CP).

. 

Non-Thrall Followers and Properties:

   Eofram: An ensouled Silver Dragon from the Dragonworlds: Currently kept in the English Fantasy Zone as Kevin’s personal steed – and very very happy with that situation considering the alternatives.

.

Slaves:

   Kevin has quite a few slaves: he regularly buys ensouled youngsters on the markets of the Roman Imperium, from the Goblin Markets – and numerous unscrupulous traders – of the English Fantasy Zone, from the Crusades, from the Dragonworlds, and from wherever else he happens to go – and, at least initially, the percentage who take his offer of Thralldom is relatively low (it eventually reaches about 25%). Some of those who don’t get sent home (wherever that may be), some are troublesome and are resold to take their chances, and a very few insist on attempting to “win their freedom” doing extremely risky things (rather than just saving up to buy themselves out) – but a solid majority (50-60%) simply become servants and workers at his various estates. Yes, they’re property, and the Thralls are entitled to order them around – but they get life extension, supernatural medical care, a relatively light workload, occasional indulgences, and a decent lifestyle. If they work on it, they can earn their freedom eventually. Even if they don’t, most of them will soon build up a local identity – giving them enough local perks to become quite comfortable right where they are.

   In the English Fantasy Zone there are about 150 (and another 50 or so who’ve bought their freedom, but who find the pleasant country lifestyle congenial), who handle all the usual tasks around the manor – tending the horses, trimming the hedges, planting and harvesting, cooking and cleaning – albeit with the help of minor local magics. A fair number are from Core, but most of them are from the Manifold – usually either purchased from slave traders or – occasionally – offered to Kevin in exchange for magical aid (he usually accepts such offerings: better with him than with anyone who’d be willing to offer up a kid – occasionally even one of their own – in such a fashion).

   In the Roman Imperium, there are about 800 – enough to staff a sizable series of plantations and houses. While there isn’t much in the way of modern or magical conveniences here, at least most of the really heavy fieldwork is handled by anonymous phantasms – and it does offer agelessness and the usual benefits of working for Kevin. A fair number are from core, but – as Kevin has sold a number of Thralls to the imperial legions, allowing them to start pushing out beyond the borders more easily again – an increasing percentage are from neighboring regions of the Manifold.

   The Dragonworlds only support 28 ensouled slaves – mostly forgotten half-drow and half-elven offspring of passing core “adventurers”. It does, however, include several hundred phantasmal draconic slaves and concubines. In fact, while Kevin’s physical and draconic wealth is no match for that of an elder dragon, it’s far enough above the normal levels for a juvenile dragon to attract a steady trickle of young male challengers – who become slaves and wind up as harem attendants, being bonded to Thralls as steeds, or being sold outside of the Dragonworlds.

.

Older Thralls:

   Over the past twelve years, Kevin has bonded and either contracted out or sold outright some 743 Thralls – 323 recruited in the Roman Imperium (about 204 from Core, the rest from neighboring areas of the manifold plus a very few born there), 206 from the English Fantasy Zone (147 originally from core – and 153 from Hogwarts: virtually all the Slytherin’s, and a scattering of the others, sign up pretty much every year. The remainder were mostly offerings from mages and purchases from local slave traders), another 37 from the Dragonworlds (almost all purchased on the slave markets), 72 from the Linear Development Realms, and the remaining 105 from an assortment of slave-traders, casual pickups in various worlds, and recruit-referrals from Thralls and Contacts. He expects to get most of all of them back eventually…

.

Of those 743:

   The Legions of the Roman Imperium are employing 108 as aides, messengers, gate-operators, healers, and military mages (they also check out the new slave-stock for referral to Kevin’s purchasing agents). Another 104 are serving major figures in the Roman Imperium as personal bodyguards, healers, and babysitters. 237 are serving as companions, servants, entertainers, and breeding-stock in Faerie. 16 are serving as crewmen for Captain Rata and Navigator Maui (see Contacts), 11 are working as gate-operators for Orman Valif and his trading operations out of Core (also see Contacts), 123 are serving as bodyguards/familiars for various mages (mostly in the English Fantasy Zone and mostly in animal forms), 23 are working for Xellos, 67 are working for various caravan- starship- and sailing- masters to facilitate cross-manifold trade, 8 are working for Dumbledore at Hogwarts, and the remaining 46 are working for people who were wealthy and powerful enough to be able to purchase them through secondary dealers in the earlier days, when Kevin was still learning. Note that most of their masters know how to resummon them if they’re killed – so they have few compunctions about putting them at risk.

. 

Recent Thrall Origins (56):

   3 Core kids picked up in Crusader, 8 Core youngsters who tried to go adventuring in the Underdark, 5 Half-Drow slave children from the Underdark, 28 from Baelaria, 8 from the Roman Imperium (5 young Manifolders, 3 from Core colonies), 3 from the English Fantasy Zone (all from core), 1 from the Dragonworlds (a core youngster with a draconic ID who thought that swiping Kevin’s properties would be an easy way to move up).

.

Older Thrall Origins (5):

   The Linear Developments Realm (1), The English Fantasy Realm (1), Core (2), and The Roman Imperium (originally from elsewhere in the Manifold, 1)

   Their local 3-Point Identities normally include relevant Commercial Favors (3 CP), 1 SP each in Wealth, a Local Language, and Business Operations (3 CP), upgraded defenses against Magic and Mental Influences (6 CP), and 6 CP worth of abilities of choice – normally one with Sanctum (for putting various defenses and resources in their place of business), one with local divination and an upgraded ability to detect souls, and one who makes local contacts.