Prior to the Revolution solidarity was a hidden thing in Lerona Mere. But like the crashing back of a displaced sea, since reclaiming their destiny the people of Lerona Mere have held strong together, if only so they can claw at each others eyes. The groups that have risen are Lerona Mere in concentrate, competitive, ambitious, high minded and intense. You reach cannot exceed your grasp if you never stop grasping.
The Lerona Mere of the Concord’s time is also a very broad canvas that can contain many different ideas and including some not found anywhere else. A criminal enterprise turned legitimate through the cleansing flames of Revolution that still functions with blood and gritted teeth. A worker-compact that controls farming interests once held by oligarchical masters. A political conspiracy trying to build a Lerona Mere in the shape of some forgotten system. Lerona Mere’s setting allows all of these and more.
In Lerona Mere, almost more than other realms, it is important to talk about knives-in vs knives-out gameplay. As a nation with a political and ambitious bent, betrayal within a group can be such a great point of story within your play. But for some people they like the idea of having a group of characters they can trust from an out of character perspective. So when you put a group together (particularly in Lerona Mere), the Concord team recommends how knives in (internal conflict) vs knives out (external conflict) you want the group to be. The Coteria concept is an example of a purely Knives Out group, but perhaps your criminal gang, political party or Captains Council is more open to some internal manoeuvring, all in the pursuit of good story and character moments.
Regardless of the style, your Lerona Mere group should strive to be active in the pursuit of power, bold in presentation of style and dynamic in their response to the world. Never allow the world to out pace you and take control of your destiny with both hands, unshackled for the first time.
Bands in Lerona Mere
As stated above, Lerona Mere is very allowing in its band types, be they based around profession, geographic location, or loyalty.
The core loyalty based Lerona Mere group is the Coteria, a fierce brotherhood of loyalty forged in the fires of revolution through strength mined in collective suffering. It is part fraternity, part secret society, part ride-or-die friendship, all drama. If you’re interested in playing with a mixed group of characters who are bound together by destiny and will stand shoulder to shoulder until the end, then a Coteria is for you.
Outside of Coteria there are few concepts that evoke Lerona Mere and its unique circumstance.
The Docklands of Lerona Mere, its gang warfare and seedy underbelly make for a great basis. The criminal enterprises of Lerona Mere and their knife wielding leaders known as ‘Capos’ are a great basis for a group. Strong loyalty, no-holds barred operation and dynamic play are all hallmarks of a great group concept, whether your gang has turned legitimate or not.
The Bravos and Free Captains of Lerona Mere also draw about themselves vast private armies that are a great basis for a Group. A Bravo Company of Mercenaries is a perfect Band concept, particularly with the addition of a Mercenary Banner. Sell your services on the war map and the battlefield. Walk with a swagger deserved with hard coin and hard steel. For Free Captains it is the consolidation of power. Control the waves, control the ports, control the world. Free Captains meeting in shadowed back rooms, drinking fine liquors from across the world and controlling the fate of Lerona Mere is truly evocative of Lerona Mere’s maritime power.
To create a band you must submit your group concept through the Group Submission form, found Here.
Sects in Lerona Mere
Lerona Mere’s priestly groups are marked by the same dynamic intensity found in their civil affairs. For so long the priesthood and religion of the Spheres was not only a place of power, but a distinctly Artebazzani one. With the revolution and the rise of new Lerona Mere, the common people have taken the Spheres to themselves and great change is being felt.
Expectedly, Anarch, Panoply and Arcadian are fiercely followed across the region, with Anarch holding a particular place of honour. Many of the new churches that have sprung up following the revolution are Anarch in some way with many combining the Sphere of Change with another Sphere. While the other Spheres of Stallia, Cervitas and Lumos are hardly forgotten, as the people of Lerona Mere are salvaging their faith from the cold hands of their oppressors.
When creating a Lerona Mere sect it is a chance to look at how a Sphere is commonly seen or interpreted and try to do this from a new direction. The new orthodoxies arising in Lerona Mere are giving rise to new interpretations of the Spheres and their teachings, such as the understanding that creative works and the courage required to perform or create fall within the purview of Arcadian. Try to bring a unique form of faith or understanding to your sect, even going up to the precipice of heresy. For what is heresy but orthodoxy awaiting confirmation?