Do you want to do that sort of work with another player?
Or do you want to start him somewhere else and have full creative license and control over the Khundari elements of background (in other words, not have to compromise with me at all on anything)?
Most definitely the latter. Respecting the time put in to create something that fits the game world while expanding on it. In my mind that makes things easier for you, me, and everyone else so why would bother with the fuckabout? :)
Clan Chowder
I love the idea of a scoundrel House that has stolen its power. Maybe they only have a single Oathsworn, and she stole her Mantle by killing another House's Oathsworn, and stealing and implanting the piece of the Fracture they had? Which the Khundari DO NOT DO, as the Houses constantly engage in subtler combat, but killing an Oathsworn would mean the loss of a tremendous amount of power. For a nation living as close to the edge as Khune? That loss of magic is a big deal, and no House would do it. So your House doing so it a big deal.
So after reading the initial numbered points, it reads to me like the
House of Black Clay would be more appropriate in being something like the
Black Clay Clan, right? That's what I was going to put here.
But the scoundrel House idea sounds too ill. That's a damn good idea!
I really love the significance of something done so deviously, so
wrong, by a supposed
HOUSE! It's ruthless, and I feel that it really ties into Idle's development and upbringing from a House dirty enough to do some shit like that. Not that I think they have any IC reason yet to know this happened.
A plan like that would certainly ripple. I imagine that it is the kind of secret that confuses a nation, or is so obfuscated that bringing it to light would throw Khune into even more chaos than the initial sin. I imagine that the House of Black Clay would need to make some much needed adjustments, and factor in to Idle and his sister's separation...
If we're looking for added depth to some questions, are Clans beholden to Houses? Do Houses partake in business directly between Clans, economically and politically, so that Black Clay's bodily bounty would be of use? Do Clans/Houses have their own intter-terminology and sub-culture? These questions aren't completely necessary, but as I write this character up having any sort of story fodder is good shit.
Smooth Criminals
Is there any established criminal elements I'm missing?
I imagined Black Clay would be larger than most houses, though do their best to make less waves as they hold significantly less power (though them coming into a mantle would raise their power, and make them questionable). I imagine them as a sort of "last resort" House who fills in the underworld element of Khune as part of their sub-culture, perhpas themselves dealing with other Clans to "make things happen". I've also imagined that due to Khundari culture and land condition that crime would be more transactional in nature, and once again dependent somewhat on the Clan/House relations. I've already presented some scenarios in my initial thread post, but I don't know what I wrote because I'm not going to open a new tab to look. So whatever I wrote there.
Fractured Knowledge
Remember that trio of primordial gods? Well every once in a while they spit out an aspect called a Fracture, basically a big old elemental of enormous power. The Houses' big secret job is to destroy those Fractures when they form.
Only question I have is would
any Clans know about this, and do
all Houses partake in this? Depending on the scale of power that comes from these
Fractures, I could see the Black Clays offering meatshields and sacrificial Lambs to Houses as a way to play their part. Granted, from their line of work they wouldn't worry about what the purpose was.
Simply another Curious George Question, and probably in tandem with the question of Clan/House relations.
Whatchamcallit
Names are SUPER IMPORTANT to the Khundari, especially Clan name and Title. Only the Clanless would have a name like Idle-No-More.
I used the name Idle-No-More because I think it's dope, and while I can see how that would fit even more into the character of him leaving his clan, it seems like a waste for me as a writer to have the character rename himself Idle-No-More only to still write his name short hand as Idle. Doesn't feel like a big change at my fingertips and in my knowledge of the character's evolution for purely selfish gratification.
As I haven't seen any particular naming conventions evident in Khune (outside of the House/Clan names), are their any that I should be aware of? I know that the dope-ass shit like Grainmother is titular, and other matriarchal monikers apply
Does Idle's name seem Clanless solely on the merits of having dashes (which leads to changing his sister's name, Rigning-Dust) or because of the meaning? I'd assumed Idle-No-More would be more complimentary to Khune culture, alluding to someone who doesn't have their thumb in their ass, even go as far as seeing the name being an honorific.
I would imagine that it would be in the realm of possibility for Clans and Houses could have different conventions on naming schema (name has a color? House Longgold. Name sounds like ratfucking? House Geefet, etc.). Praven, Isilider, Mortren and Yisil certainly have a particular mouthfeel, which really makes me actually consider changing Black Clay's name so something more appropriate. Names could be a way to trace both lineage and pedigree as Khundari move between Clans and Houses. Setting the precedent that a name changes when one becomes Clanless suggests that names
are tied to Clans/Houses in the first place.
All that being said, while I am open to changing the character's name, this is probably the one thing I would like to try and find a compromise on; holding on to this name as his given name, and taking it with him when he jets out.
In Terms of Character...
What I'm juicing so far is not too much to change as you already mentioned
- House is despicable.
- Change the house name, I think (would love to run some names by you when I have time to think of them.)
- Once Idle dips out, he's pretty much going to get shat on. Not only would he be Clanless, he would probably be killed by members of his own House, as he knows too much about the Silik Nells...and maybe more? Iunno; kinda depends on this House's standing.
- It seems like the biggest hang-up/workaround is the actual name Idle-No-More. I think it would be helpful for me at least to wait on your reply and suggestions in terms of naming convention, and again the only thing I'd like to argue for. Arguing can possibly sound like fighting words but I'm nothing but good vibes :)
Let me know if I missed anything. In the meantime I'll pick around the character history.