Troupe

This is a placeholder page for content that PD are actively working on.

Introduction

"I swear to keep the secrets of the Black Dragon Troupe, to tell nothing of my comrades arts, to protect all of my brothers and sisters from harm and to work only for the good of the Troupe, sound in the knowledge that they will do the same for me."

Traditional Oath of the Black Dragon Troupe

Troupes are magical groups found in the League who perform rituals through a tradition of theatrical performance. A member of a Troupe is commonly referred to as an "actor" even if they do not technically perform on a stage. Internally, a Troupe may have all sorts of titles and names, often drawing from theatrical traditions (so a character who works to bring in business for the Troupe or presents it in public might be called a "barker" internally, while someone who organises rituals and encourages practice might be a "director").

Magic is a commodity in the League, and magicians are skilled professionals who deliver their services for a steep fee. The Troupes are rare - and effective - enough that they can charge high prices for their magic if they choose to do so, and a successful Troupe enjoys a lavish lifestyle. Some Troupes prefer to perform their magic as they see fit, rather than sell their prowess to the highest bidder, and instead make money through the quality of their theatrical performances. Some actors talk about "the Art and the art," meaning that both theatre and magic are "arts" and that one is more important than the other. Most agree that the "Art" is magic and the "art" is theatre, but this is by no means a universal interpretation.

Many Troupes cultivate relationships with a specific patron or patrons, usually a powerful Guild, Free Company or Church, sometimes going so far as to offer their services exclusively to these patrons in return for regular support. Even Troupes with patrons usually choose to maintain a degree of independence however - after all no Troupe wants to be bound to a faded star, or be brought down alongside their patron if they can avoid it.

Some Troupes insist new members swear an oath of secrecy upon joining - the precise details of this oath change between Troupes, but the principals are often the same - to protect its members and (most importantly) its secrets. Many Troupes are rivals, after all, and being able to offer a rare ritual or knowing a magical secret that can give them an edge is very important.

In addition to magical activities, Troupes usually stage plays and other performances, which can prove to be quite lucrative if they are entertaining, impressive or challenging enough for the picky League theatregoers. Some Free Companies will employ a Troupe to improve morale, or to tell great deeds of their exploits in battle. Some churches, too, will employ Troupes to perform morality plays, explaining the Imperial Virtues to the layperson, or depicting the lives of Exemplars and Paragons. Just as often, the theatrical performances are an adjunct to or "cover" for the real reason for employing the Troupe, which usually involves magic.

It is quite common for a Troupe to be paid to craft a short play or piece of verse about a prominent individual who wants some good publicity - or to try and manipulate public opinion against such an individuals political enemies with scandalous allegations, lampoons highlighting their buffoonery and obvious satires. The theatre is a political world in the League, as much as anywhere else.

Magical Heritage

The Troupes work their magic through dama and ritual performance. Their rituals almost always involve elements of movement, the recitation of speeches, and the portrayal of a situation related to the nature of the magic performed. Some Troupes work in verse, others improvise and interact with the audience, some use grand costume while others prefer a more simple approach with simply decorated masks and everyday clothes. Whilst there are grand troupes who specialise in doing long and elaborate shows around their magic, the majority of ritual performances are much shorter.

Rituals are woven into plays through the use of key words or movements. Rarely do they look like a magical ritual to an onlooker, because part of the approach is about concealing the real magic beneath a veneer of performance. That is not to say that a Troupe might not weave a performance similar to the scene between Shakespeare's Macbeth and the three witches - but that same performance with a few modifications might be used as part of a scrying ritual, a curse or even the bestowal of some sort of boon on an ambitious individual.

The actor becomes a conduit for something else when he or she performs a theatrical ritual. Almost without fail, League rituals are performed while wearing a mask. This has a twofold advantage; it reinforces the presence of the character one is depicting, and it conceals or protects ones' true identity from potential mistakes, jealous Eternals or anything else.

A common style for ritual performance is something akin to the theatre of Ancient Greece - two or three characters in masks engage in dialogue with one another, creating the scene through words, stylised gestures and the use of simple props. Other members of the Troupe form the chorus, focusing or enhancing the scene unfolding between the main characters. This is a somewhat archaic form of theatrical expression, and sets magical ritual apart from the more intricate, longer and somewhat more informal "Shakespearean" feel of mundane performances.

Even though the theatrical style benefits from an audience, it doesn't demand one. A ritual is still a ritual if it is performed in a darkened tent, but the Troupes lend themselves to larger, flashier performances.

“Like the finest fruit, the sweetness fades the longer it sits on the platter”

The Fallen Herald, Act III, Scene I

Creating a Troupe

Troupes provide a space in which to play a group of magicians who have influence in League society both through the magic they call on, and the performances they deliver. It is entirely possible to play a Troupe that focuses on the more mundane elements of theatrical performance, and simply have fun putting on plays and other performances. Even these "mundane" troupes benefit from having a few magicians, however, so it is worth thinking carefully about how much magical power you want to start with.

It's certainly possible for a Troupe to combine characters for numerous cities, perhaps in a cordial and friendly atmosphere or perhaps with a more volatile relationship, but it is slightly more common for the majority of members to come from a single city. Your Troupe will quite likely be based in a single territory - perhaps it is where your "theatre" is if you have one. When picking a base of operations it is worth looking at a city that intrigues you that already has two or three interesting groups based there but doesn't already have a Troupe associated with it.

Not everyone in the Troupe needs to be a magician or an actor. Your Troupe might have a craftsman who makes props and sets alongside magical implements and masks, or a couple of Bravos who provide security and make sure nobody interrupts your performance (magical or otherwise). It's equally acceptable to play a "pure" ritual group and rely on contracts and negotiation to get the rest of the things that you need.

When it comes to resources, individual members probably want to look at magical resources - mana sites and libraries especially. One or two of your group may want to focus more on the "theatrical" site of the Troupe, and they have a perfect excuse to pick up financial resources that represent your "off stage" performances. The ratio of magical resources to financial resources in your group probably says something about your group. It might represent the size and prosperity of your theatre (if you have one), suggest the presence of an NPC patron, or indicate your commiment to magic rather than theatre.

It's theoretically possible to be a lone ritualist, but your magic is likely to be limited in scope. It's also rare for a Troupe to be "part" of a Guild, Free Company or Church. Ritualists who are part of another group are likely to be either also part of a Troupe, or are seen as being "just magicians" - or even "moutnebanks" - rather than proper League Troupe members.

Playing a Troupe Member

Remember that you're actors as well as magicians. As well as discussing magical rituals, you're free to spend time creating "art" either for its own sake or (more likely) for money or patronage. You might want to take on a larger-than-life personality that is as much a role as any you play with your mask on, or you may appear to be "just another actor", playing down your arcane prowess until the time comes for magic.

You should generally expect to be recompensed when you perform magic for other people - they should recognise that you are providing a useful service, that you are a skilled professional. By all means perform for favour or influence rather than cash, but make sure that someone, somewhere is giving you the credit you deserve for your work. That's not to say you charge someone for every healing spell, or demand attention every time you take the battlefield, but the "movers and shakers" of the Empire should appreciate that you are using your magical powers on their behalf. Any magic used for "altruistic" reasons is a great opportunity for good publicity, especially if you make sure everyone knows what Troupe you represent.

Here are a number of questions you could ask about the group when creating a Troupe. This is not an exhaustive list, but should allow some jumping off points for ideas.

• How was the Troupe formed? How are new members of the company brought on board?
• How are the decisions made? Is there a single leader, or are important decisions put to the vote? Do all members get an equal vote?
• What is the Troupe's focus? Do they pay more attention to magic or performance? What kind of performances do they put on? While it is good to be ambitious, sometimes it is better to put on a simple piece with magical overtones, or have a set number of well rehearsed songs, rather than over-reach one selves.
• What kind of Patrons does the Troupe have? How does this impact on the performances they put on? A Troupe that is attached to a Free Company will have a very different feel to one attached to a church, for example. Do they seek out Merchant Princes as patrons, or work for more humble crowds?
• What is the Troupe's circuit like? Do they play high-end theatres and opera houses or country fayres and street carnivals? What is their prefered kind of work?
• What about when you’re not casting spells? Do you put on theatrical performances for cash? What about in downtime? There's a difference between a troupe that picks only magical resources – mana and library, for example - and one that picks less magic and more “financial resource” to represent a larger, richer theatre that also has political pull.
• Does the Troupe use masks? Where do they get them from? Are they antiques, held by the company, or are they remade, year after year, according to the recent fashions?
• What other roles does the troupe support apart from "Mage" and "performer"? Are there Bravos to act as security? What about crafters? Who handles the money?

Stock Facio Archetypes

Here are just some of the stock archetypes you could use in the Facio Plays. Again, this list is not exhaustive, but can give you some ideas to use in your own performances.

The Rivers and their Qualities

• Bobinati - Languid; Primal; Wise; Crude; Instinctual; Prosperous (natural bounty).
• Vassa - Furious; Fast; Foolhardy; Determined; Proud; Vigilant.
• Scorrero - Slow; Tenacious; Courageous; Methodical; Humble; Loyal,
• Gancio - Capricious; Vengeful; Enigmatic; Ambitious; Quickwitted; Prosperous (worked).

The Cities - Verrario, Mestra, Regario, Holberg, Temeshwar and Sarvos.

Other Possible Archetypes

• The Servant of two masters. (<MAKE FIT TO EMPIRE VIEW ON SERVANTS>
• The Wise Councillor. (Also sometimes a Senator or Doctor.)
• The Lover, who is often unlucky in Love and comes to a bad end.
• The Mountebank, a swindling conman, who steals apples from children.
• The Bishop, a priest or priestess, with a heavy paunch and a heavy purse, soemtimes counting coins, sometimes dispensing sweets to the crowd in a display of charity and prosperity.
• The Captain, a Bravo or professional soldier, a braggart with a lustful eye.
• The Orc, a hulking green monster, all warts and lank hair, who eats children.