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groundrules) wrote2022-02-12 01:25 am
groundrules) wrote2022-02-12 01:25 am
arc vii assignments
Friends, countrymen and Ephesians — CTRL + F your character's name to find out their mod-assigned Arc VII arrangements!
Players who didn't submit role preferences weren't given a mod-assigned character role, but are welcome to create one — you can have any civilian affiliation you want, outside of roles in politics or infiltrating Messalina's camp.
Please get in touch if your character assignment doesn't work for you, and we'll figure something out!
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MESSALINA
MESSALINA
✘ Previously unknown, Lady Messalina and her faction of undead and high-level magicians ask the Senate of Ephes to hand over the armies of the Hand so that she might free enslaved undead elsewhere. In exchange, she offers Ephes all the territories she conquers from the undead Brotherhood and its ally, Matthias.
✘ Messalina advocates for peaceful distance between the living and the undead. She owns territories farther south where the undead may retreat, if they cannot coexist with the living.
✘ The Lady's forces are minimally hierarchic and reside outside of Ephes, occupying — with the Senate's blessing — some of the summer villas held by senators, while the Senate considers her proposal. Characters may reside here.
✘ Accustoming to local habits, Messalina holds regular dinners and parties that are less attended because of general hesitations about sharing spaces with the dead. Her living and living-passing emissaries are accepted in Ephes' high society.
✘ Party members infiltrate Messalina's couterie by passing for the advisors and political experts she recruited from abroad to help with her lawful campaign to gain the Senate's support. She is open — and tasks her supporters — to coax, bribe and even blackmail as due to gain the necessary votes to secure her army.
✘ All characters in Messalina's service may optionally have an escort of up to two sentient and speaking hell hounds while carrying out the Lady's objectives.
YELENA BELOVA
TASK & HIERARCHY
Envoy and diplomat, currying the political favour of high-level patrician senators alongside Vanessa, through the use of bribes, blackmail and reasoning. Both should support Merrin, who tries to get closer to Senate leader Caius. Wen Qing may be delegated to get specific information about targets. Five can detect and interrogate traitors or opposition within the Senate. As a last resort, deploy Natasha and Lan Wangji to carry out assassinations, if and when political recourse fails.
RESOURCES
A monthly 25,000 gold pieces (~$50,000) for work expenses. Nominally welcome at any party, marketplace and conversation of Ephes, but not its official Senate meetings. Can ask to speak to Senators privately at any time, outside of Caius. Considered an emissary of an honoured guest of Ephes, who could perhaps one day become a foremost military ally — meaning trade and other civilian guilds are willing to do you favours to buy early good will, within reason.
VANESSA IVES
TASK & HIERARCHY
Envoy and diplomat, currying the political favour of high-level patrician senators alongside Yelena Belova, through the use of bribes, blackmail and reasoning. Both should support Merrin, who tries to get closer to Senate leader Caius. Wen Qing may be delegated to get specific information about targets. Five can detect and interrogate traitors or opposition within the Senate. As a last resort, deploy Natasha and Lan Wangji to carry out assassinations, if and when political recourse fails.
RESOURCES
A monthly 25,000 gold pieces (~$50,000) for work expenses. Nominally welcome at any party, marketplace and conversation of Ephes, but not its official Senate meetings. Can ask to speak to Senators privately at any time, outside of Caius. Considered an emissary of an honoured guest of Ephes, who could perhaps one day become a foremost military ally — meaning trade and other civilian guilds are willing to do you favours to buy early good will, within reason.
MERRIN
TASK & HIERARCHY
Envoy and diplomat, attempting to win the favour of and an audience with Senate leader Caius, currently retired within a temple of the Chained god to consider Messalina's proposal. Yelena Belova and Vanessa Ives are working to convert high-profile patrician Senators to Messalina's cause — use their progress to advantage. Wen Qing may be delegated to get specific information about targets. Five can detect and interrogate traitors or opposition within the Senate. As a last resort, deploy Natasha and Lan Wangji to carry out assassinations, if and when political recourse fails.
RESOURCES
A monthly 10,000 gold pieces (~$20,000) for work expenses. Nominally welcome at any party, marketplace and conversation of Ephes, but cannot attend formal Senate meetings. Several petitions have been submitted for an audience with Caius or Valeria, but the response so far suggests patience. Respected as the emissary of an honoured guest — but, given the targeted scope of Merrin's work, is not extended as many favours by the common people as are Vanessa and Yelena.
FIVE HARGREEVES
TASK & HIERARCHY
Interrogator and strategist, looking to identify the biggest weaknesses and best strategies to implement when progressing Messalina's campaign. Dual role to also discover any potential traitors. Depend on Wen Qing for information and work with Merrin, Vanessa and Yelena to figure out the best ways to turn the vote in Messalina's favour. As a last resort, deploy Natasha and Lan Wangji to carry out assassinations, if and when political recourse fails.
RESOURCES
A monthly 1,000 gold pieces (~$2,000) for work expenses. Nominally welcome at any party, marketplace and conversation of Ephes, but not its official Senate meetings. Formally acknowledged as the man looking to investigate the odds of profit for Messalina's ventures in Ephes, so often welcome and facilitated conversations with locals.
WEN QING
TASK & HIERARCHY
Spy and investigator, looking to get compromising or critical information about the senators that Vanessa, Yelena and to a lesser extent Merrin are working to convert. May also be asked to get information for the strategies of Five. Can call on Natasha and Romanoff for security or the elimination of threats.
RESOURCES
A monthly 2,000 gold pieces (~$4,000) for work expenses, which largely comprise looking good and running into the right people at the right time. Nominally welcome at any party, marketplace and conversation of Ephes, but not its official Senate meetings. Formally known as Messalina's messenger of peace, looking to spread the good word about the benefits of peace between the living and the dead. Patricians and plebeians alike open their doors.
NATASHA ROMANOFF
TASK & HIERARCHY
Executioner, tasked alongside Lan Wangji to recognise the greatest (un)living threats to Messalina's campaign and eliminate them. Player's choice if an assassination actually happens — you may always choose to have your character alert their victims, make arrangements for their getaway, so on. May be called upon to fix problems for diplomats Merrin, Vanessa and Yelena, or to get spy Wen Qing and strategist Five out of any trouble.
RESOURCES
A monthly 3,000 gold pieces (~$6,000) for work expenses. Be discreet: as far as Ephes knows, does not exist.
LAN WANGJI
TASK & HIERARCHY
Executioner, tasked alongside Natasha Romanoff to recognise the greatest (un)living threats to Messalina's campaign and eliminate them. Player's choice if an assassination actually happens — you may always choose to have your character alert their victims, make arrangements for their getaway, so on. May be called upon to fix problems for diplomats Merrin, Vanessa and Yelena, or to get spy Wen Qing and strategist Five out of any trouble.
RESOURCES
A monthly 3,000 gold pieces (~$6,000) for work expenses. Be discreet: as far as Ephes knows, does not exist.