Jeshavis War Table Mission: Life Ruiners

[cozen]

WHAT: Riftwatch has acquired reliable information that the harbormaster in Gwaren accepted bribes and facilitated the movement of red lyrium and "workers" into the Sunless Lands, before the mining operation there was destroyed. He remains in his position and is an influential citizen of the city, with friendships that will insulate him from punishment without hard evidence—of which there may not be any. A team will be sent to see what they can find tying him to the Venatori. In the absence of any real proof, they'll need to find another way to get him out of his position of authority and disrupt his friendships with Gwaren's rich(ish) and powerful(ish) so he doesn't remain so much of a vulnerability if the enemy has any use for Southern Ferelden in the future.

HOW: We're going to ruin this man's life. Somehow. Figuring out how will be up to the team, but options include manufacturing a scandal, forging evidence of his actual crime or some other crimes, etc. I'm experimenting with letting people go wild making up their own plan. OOC I'll be on hand to provide info and generally assist with keeping things on the rails.

WHO: 2-4 volunteers, from any division, as long as they can be discreet.

WHEN: Sign-ups close April 15, and we'll go from there.

Comments

INFORMATION

[cozen]

BACKGROUND INFO: The harbormaster is Gregory (no surname). He's the middle-aged, with deceased parents and no siblings. His parents distinguished themselves during the rebellion against Orlesian occupation, and as a result he grew up with the city's movers and shakers (to the extent Gwaren has movers and shakers) and pals with the people who went on to be mayor, guard captain, etc. Their collective vibe is group of old frat boys (and girls) who still like to talk about that the trouble they caused when they were sixteen. He's married with two young adult children who no longer live in Gwaren. His wife (Eileen) is alive and present, but they're obviously just going through the motions.

Digging around will produce no solid evidence of collaboration with the Venatori. There will be one recent letter signed "Frederick," who Riftwatch's source has said is Greg's Venatori contact, thanking him for more recent help and indicating there was a thank-you gift sent along with the letter.

Digging around can produce evidence of a motive: one of his adult children (Ivatt) fathered an illegitimate child born about a month before he was due to marry a minor lord's seventh daughter in the Bannorn a few years ago, and Gregory made comfortable arrangements for the mother (Polara) and baby to keep them from derailing the marriage plans. They're now in Denerim. She sends updates every season or so, with no mention of the family tie, occasionally accompanied by requests for more money for this or that specific problem. Gregory has historically burned the letters after responding to them, but he's gotten lazy lately and is letting them sit unopened for a few months first. Some of the townsfolk also know a little bit about Polara and suspect Ivatt or Gregory himself of being why she left.

He's also involved in a lot of minor and plausibly deniable schemes, like looking the other way on some friends' shipments of things that should be more heavily taxed than they are.

His finances are strained.

And to sum up The Problem, he looked the other direction while red lyrium and slaves were moved through the port, he's continuing to aid the enemy for cash, and he's friendly with most of the city's powerful people, who will protect him as long as they can make a decent case for him.

A NOTE: The reliable information is actually reliable. It's hard for me to calibrate evidence that's reliable enough that Riftwatch is sure but not solid enough they can just take it to authorities, so the best I've managed is that it's a tip-off from an elf with a lot to lose who can't possibly actually be responsible for it all or connected to the Venatori themselves. None of that really matters. I just want you to know that I'm not going to pull "you ruined the wrong man's life!" on you if you fail to probe that vague shadowy corner of this plot.

YOUR MISSION: Get him out of power/influence. Getting him into a dungeon cell is also obviously acceptable. Finding a way to follow up on "Frederick" as a lead is bonus points.

YOUR METHOD: Anything you want. The info I provided is just to give you some vague direction to maybe go, but you can swerve off the road and go mudding instead if you want, including inventing NPCs and complications not currently in the info if it lets you live your dreams. The only definite requirement is RPing about something + writing a report.

Now I'm starting a Discord group.