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faderiftooc2023-03-24 06:02 pm
cozen) wrote in faderiftooc2023-03-24 06:02 pm
Entry tags:
WAR TABLE: Landsmeet!
ASSIGNMENT: Landsmeet!
WHO: Anyone with relevant skills (diplomacy and sneaking). Maximum five participants. Diplomacy Division and Jeshavis members get preference if there are more sign-ups than slots.
WHAT: Queen Anora has been under pressure for some time to marry, and Riftwatch has previously acquired evidence–via semi-prophetic dreams, nothing they can actually tell her about–that her chosen husband, whoever he is, may be allied with the Venatori. She seems likely to come to a decision after the upcoming Landsmeet, so Riftwatch is heading in to acquire solid proof of which of these would-be prince-consorts–who include a charming Rivaini, a familiar Fereldan, a pious Ostwickian, a too-clever Orlesian, and one of Byerly's awful relatives–is secretly in league with the enemy.
WHEN: Sign up by March 28, and we'll distribute information and put up the discussion log on March 29! (And huge apologies to Hope because we were supposed to do this in, like, December, and I have been MIA.)
WHERE: Denerim.
HOW: Participants will each be given one or more candidates to investigate–some by sneaking around sneakily, some by talking, etc. You'll get a write up of what your character will find out, including one or more choices they'll have to make along the way that might have fallout for them later. You'll be entirely welcome to pair up and RP the investigations or general hobnobbing/Denerim tourism if you choose to do so, but you can also handwave it; the required log will be everyone reporting back about what happened and deciding which of these potentially evil men deserves to be the focus of final bout of investigation to confirm their suspicions. If that log hits a minimum number of tags, the team will have a bonus diplomatic achievement on top of just averting disaster.
QUESTIONS
SIGN-UPS
In the unlikely event we have to cut people and give preference to Diplomacy/Jeshavis, we will use the divisions on the taken list and project members on the wiki to make those calls, so just be sure you're up to date there.
no subject
TALKER OR SNEAKER? Either/Both.
NOTES: Honestly everyone will think he's actually useless for this so I can only think it'll happen by proximity but will he actually be useless? A mystery! (no).
no subject
Prior knowledge: He was a prominent suitor and the only one that Anora seemed to actually like a couple years ago (we did some news about them seemingly getting closer back in 9:44 that's on the Ferelden page in the wiki). Anora liked him but he's a fair bit younger than her and the court didn't think Rivain's was that useful an ally so it ended up breaking down at the time. Kind, well read, an accomplished naval captain, would be a responsible and interested administrator, asset in terms of military policy and has some reasonably progressive economic ideas.)
Further investigation: The Queen of Rivain's baby brother is easy to find; he's a friendly man (with an enormous smile), and joining him for a drink a round of cards at the Gnawed Noble is a simple matter of showing up and saying hello. Any conversations there happen within earshot of his various companions, including an obvious sword-wielding bodyguard and a less obvious unmarked mage bodyguard. He comes across as well-read and kind, and he genuinely admires Queen Anora with the sort of respectful glow that could turn into love instead of a purely political marriage with some time and privacy.
Finding anything disparaging at all requires you to follow him more discreetly (and dangerously) to hide in his rooms or nearby in order to eavesdrop on his conversations with his mage companion. They can be overheard in a heated conversation about whether or not João should tell Anora something. The details will be difficult to pick out, as they alternate Trade and Rivaini–but you will be able to discern that João has a young bastard son with Bella Avonal, a notorious smuggler who's been a problem for Rivain, Ferelden, and most everyone else in the past. João's sister has forbidden him from acknowledging this, but he's supporting the child under the table and constantly on the verge of being discovered. He's very sad about not being able to be a proper dad. He also wants to tell Anora, to get ahead of any scandal that might result if it surfaces later and maybe open up the possibility of connecting openly with his kid, but his companion is extremely opposed and would obviously narc to João's sister if he did.
Unfortunately, at this point–through coincidence entirely out of your control, like a young couple stumbling in to try to use his hiding place as a hook-up location and making such a commotion that the prince's people come out–you will be discovered. Fortunately João is way too nice to let his bodyguards kill you. Really, he seems sort of relieved to have had something happen to break his deadlock with his bodyguard. You have a choice:
a. Promise not to tell anyone.
b. Promise not to tell anyone but say he ought to tell the Queen.
c. Say you're definitely going to tell.
d. Say you're not going to tell now but whether or not you continue not to tell will depend on Rivain's cooperation in Riftwatch's future endeavors.
If a: He'll seem grateful, though oddly resigned. He'll ask what it was you were trying to find out, if not that. If you spin a story, great! He'll let you go. If you confess you're trying to identify a Venatori among Anora's suitors, he'll first think it's very funny that he's a suspect, then get more serious and try to provide some information about the other candidates, unfortunately none of which will be helpful or anything Riftwatch didn't already know.
If b: He'll agree he ought to, and it will seem to be the last boost of courage he needs to go against his sister's orders and tell Queen Anora everything. (Of course, as with Option A, he'll still want to know what the heck you were doing.) His bodyguard, however, will be furious, and will follow you out of the tavern to berate you for meddling and threaten to make your life difficult in the future.
If c: He'll authorize his bodyguard to bribe you with whatever sum of money they have on hand, though he'll seem very unenthusiastic and not particularly concerned about whether or not it works. His bodyguard will pay you…. some number of coins, equivalent to a months' pay with Riftwatch, and say you can come back and triple it if no one has found out about the child by the time the Queen makes her decision.
If d: João will seem very unimpressed with you and leave discussing that any further to his bodyguard, who will start off by threatening to squash you like a bug (with magic) but simmer down into some actual conversation. He'll say that the Queen would not go along with any agreement made under duress, so she can't be blackmailed, but João could likely be persuaded to put in a good word for them at some point if they needed it.
Additional Notes: The choices and outcomes described can be taken exactly as they are or used more as guidelines for the Realm of Possibilities. You're free to combine the potential outcomes–start with A before going with B instead, etc.–or personalize them a bit depending on your character's behavior/rapport with the target. If you want to instead do something that's utterly unaccounted for here (like headbutting your target and running away), drop us a note and we'll give you further info.
We're going to put up a log shortly. The only required thread in that log will be everyone meeting to discuss what they've learned about their targets and to decide which of these men is the likely Venatori, as well as what to do about the information they've learned about everyone else. If we hit a minimum of 20 tags in that long (amongst all of us, not each) the team will also get to say they were sufficiently charming to earn Riftwatch some good deals on a few Fereldan exports and permission to occupy or otherwise use a small fortress on Brandel's Reach, if they can evict the raiders currently living there.
You'll also be able to RP other aspects of visiting Denerim and hanging out on the edges of the Landsmeet, if you want to do so! But that's optional.
no subject
However, he will also be sliding a request for Bella Avonal's phone number in there too /bats lashes.
no subject
For the second, he'll laugh again and say he's barely able to keep track of her himself, but she's frequently in Afsaana when she isn't at sea. (Though it is important to know OOC, and perhaps easy to assume IC, that this isn't where she is most frequently when ashore; she's most frequently with their kid, and João isn't giving up that location.)
no subject
TALKER OR SNEAKER? talker
NOTES: A good hobnobber, speaks Orlesian semi-fluently and is somewhat familiar with its politics, knows enough about Rivain to have a conversation about it, an expert at snitching directly to Byerly about anything of note.
no subject
Prior knowledge: A cousin of Empress Celene, the Duc de Verchiel is known to be clever and could be an asset to the crown as a sharp advisor, if he were won over by the compliment of being consulted. He's seemed fairly hands-off about the possibility of marrying Queen Anora, acting a bit bemused to be in the running at all and fine with whatever happens. However, Riftwatch will also have it on extremely good authority that he's an entrenched Game player who has had at least one rival murdered by bards.
Further investigation: Accessing the Duc himself would provide little useful information–he's too careful, extremely unlikely to let anything slip. Rather, you'll have to keep an eye on him from a distance well enough to identify a woman frequently in his company and make an opportunity to speak with her alone at his lodgings while he's elsewhere. Her, you can charm into speaking to you. She'll even invite you inside his minimally-staffed temporary residence to hang out with her. Riftwatch! Fascinating.
Katerina, an Orlesian ex-pat who's been living in Denerim for over a decade since having a spot of trouble with some Chevaliers, is reserved in manner and seemingly careful in how she talks, yet a bit foolish and overly trusting–someone who might have been bubbly and open, if she'd been raised differently, but is instead trying to play-act a cynicism she doesn't actually have. She'll require minimal explanation of who you are and why you're there, and only asking if you're right that you saw the Duc de Verchiel around here will be enough to get her to start talking–she's very proud to know him. She'll say the Duc is a friend of her father's who's looking out for her here, and that won't seem to be a euphemism; with minimal prompting, she'll say she loves him dearly but his sexual proclivities are a little edgy for her tastes, as she doesn't like pain, and he's had no trouble finding plenty of people who do.
She'll also say that since he's been in Ferelden, she's been his tour guide in Denerim and the surrounding countryside, and list off many of the places she's taken him. He's been terribly interested and taken a lot of notes, because he's brilliant! That nine out of ten places in her list are points of political or strategic military interest does not seem to occur to her. (And it could be nothing! Maybe he's just doing his homework in case he becomes king.)
During this visit, Katerina will need to leave to attend to personal matters (the bathroom) exactly once, and you'll have five minutes to do some more hands-on investigation of the Duc's residence without her supervision. That's enough time to search one of the following areas:
a. His study.
b. His bedroom.
c. The kitchens.
If a: In his study you'll find more to examine than you could possibly manage in the time you have before you hear signs of Katerina's return. Bills and correspondence, ledgers, drawers, books that might be hollow and hiding secrets. As little time as you have to review them, a hasty flip through various documents will suggest a man far more interested in the outcome of Queen Anora's decision than he's appeared: he's calling in favors, he's sending out thinly-veiled bribes, he's gathering information on his competitors for the Fereldan Crown. There will, however, be nothing at all to indicate he's a Venatori.
If b: Pristine. Checking the usual hiding places (beneath his mattress, in various drawers) will turn up nothing at all; he's only visiting here, and he seems to be confining his mess to somewhere else. However, he is reading a book of poetry propped open on a bedside table–patriotic poetry, specifically, in Orlesian–and tucked into the pages will be three letters from men and and a woman he knew, all of whom who wrote to him from Orlesian encampments prior to the Battle of Ghislain. Judging by the fact that he's kept those specific letters, it's easy to guess they're the last ones he ever got.
If c: You can nab a tasty Orlesian cookie.
You could attempt both A and B, but only at the expense of being caught in the act by Katerina, who is not foolish enough to believe any excuse you make at that point. She won't try to detain you but she will tell you she's going to inform the Duc.
Assuming you aren't caught, Katerina will resume her conversation where it left off and eventually wander off into completely irrelevant subjects–how much she misses Orlais, whether you enjoy Fereldan food, etc.--until you manage to excuse yourself.
Additional Notes: The choices and outcomes described can be taken exactly as they are or used more as guidelines for the Realm of Possibilities. You're free to combine the potential outcomes–start with A before going with B instead, etc.–or personalize them a bit depending on your character's behavior/rapport with the target. If you want to instead do something that's utterly unaccounted for here (like headbutting your target and running away), drop us a note and we'll give you further info.
We're going to put up a log shortly. The only required thread in that log will be everyone meeting to discuss what they've learned about their targets and to decide which of these men is the likely Venatori, as well as what to do about the information they've learned about everyone else. If we hit a minimum of 20 tags in that long (amongst all of us, not each) the team will also get to say they were sufficiently charming to earn Riftwatch some good deals on a few Fereldan exports and permission to occupy or otherwise use a small fortress on Brandel's Reach, if they can evict the raiders currently living there.
You'll also be able to RP other aspects of visiting Denerim and hanging out on the edges of the Landsmeet, if you want to do so! But that's optional.
no subject
Prior information: He’s thrown his hat into the ring, so to speak, but isn’t really being considered by anyone as a serious contender: the Rutyer family is wealthy and powerful, but their loyalty to the crown is uncontested, they don’t have any major alliances with other nations, and they have a reputation for producing insane offspring. But here we are, investigating Richars nevertheless. Hm. Wonder why. Surely it doesn’t have anything to do with his relationship with the Ambassador…
Further investigation: Richars is easy to get close to: all you need is to give him a letter of introduction from his cousin Byerly. Sounds great in principle, except that he makes you sit there while he reads that letter, and his smile is - Well, you kind of wonder what’s written in that letter, when Richars smirks like that.
Anyway. Richars has a home in a fashionable district of Denerim, near a number of other courtiers. It’s a lovely one, too, quite splendid - oddly splendid, given how he’s not that wealthy. But you’re only in his house for a few minutes - and then Richars is taking up his coat and bringing you along to - what else? - meet his elven mistress, who lives just a few blocks away and is wearing jewelry with a monogrammed ER, even though the mistress’ name is Violet. Giving a lady someone else’s jewelry! Classy!
It becomes pretty quickly clear that Richars - either through his own incorrect assumptions or as a result of that damned letter of introduction from Byerly - is viewing you as more of a lackey than an honored guest. He invites over a few friends and a few sex workers, and he orders (orders!) one of those sex workers to flirt with you, but that’s where the nice treatment stops: not even an hour goes by before he’s ordering (ordering!!) you to find something to entertain him.
It’s ten-thirty in the morning, by the way. Just so you know.
You choose to…
a. Offer to grab some drugs from his back office. Surely he has drugs in his back office. And while you’re back there, search that office!
b. Flip him off, march out, and find Byerly to give him a piece of your mind for making you deal with this shithead.
c. Offer to go out to find some drugs to bring back, but actually go to Richars’ house to sniff around.
If a:
The back office of a man’s mistress’s flat? Yeah, that’s going to be where the juicy stuff is. And indeed, it’s there, and almost insultingly easy to find: Richars doesn’t even keep the letters from his debtors in a locked drawer, but spread across his desk. You don’t have direct evidence of what he’s done to land himself in this much debt, but you can certainly speculate: his main home is in far too fashionable a district for a man of his moderate income, and so’s this flat, for that matter, and also high-end champagne and drugs and women don’t pay for themselves. Still, it seems like maybe there’s something more… Anyway, you collect a few of these letters, find some drugs, and bring them out to Richars, and then endure a few more hours of Richars’ glowing wit and lovely company.
If b:
You return to Byerly and demand to know what was in the letter. Byerly, of course, acts perfectly innocent, claiming it was nothing more than a slightly embellished version of the truth, and perhaps he put a gloss on some of your more adventurous activities - he certainly didn’t think you’d be offended. His manner turns a little more brittle when it becomes clear that you’ve returned without evidence, and that you’ve furthermore ruined your usefulness as someone who can get information on Richars - he will not, Byerly explains, allow you back into his presence now that you’ve stood up to him. Byerly’s disappointment in you is palpable. You have not done yourself or your career any favors today.
If c:
You slip out the door and are back at the Rutyer residence in just a few minutes. The butler lets you in; at first he’s startled to find you alone without Richars in tow, but then gives a sigh of sympathy when you explain you wanted to escape that shitty party.
The servants fucking hate this guy, so it doesn’t take too much effort to get them to talk. When you talk to them, you find out a few things. First, he hits his servants - and hits them hard, for small slights. This isn’t illegal, but is embarrassing. Second, he sometimes is quite late on his payments, in a way that might be due to indifference but (the servants think) is more characteristic of someone who doesn’t have the money to hand out. The third thing you find out isn’t solid, just a rumor, but one of the footmen says he found a letter once that hinted that someone was wringing money out of Richars. That Richars had some secret that he was willing to pay to keep.
Whether you return to the party or not is up to you - either way, that’s all you find out.
no subject
TALKER OR SNEAKER? talk
NOTES: she is ostensibly pious for a connection with Mr. Ostwick AND she's the Ferelden daughter of a little country lord so she definitely has some ill-used but still existent connections there.
(sorry it's EOD march 29)
no subject
Prior knowledge: He seems harmlessly dull and earnest and pious. Marrying him would bring Ferelden closer ties to a Marcher ally, which could come with naval support to protect the Waking Sea coast/trade in this era of increased pirate/Tevinter activity. He seems sturdy, reliable, hard-working, reasonably accomplished as a knight, strapping. Not a political threat, someone who will just keep his head down and do what he's told while looking nice on official occasions.
Further investigation: You get close to Lord Aled by attending the morning’s services at the Denerim Chantry. Lord Aled has, up to this point, been a rather quiet man, you’ve noticed; in your chance meetings with him so far, he hasn’t had much to say, and what he has contributed has been pretty trite and uninspired. (Yes, Lord Aled, Fereldan cheese is different in flavor from the cheese in Ostwick. Well-observed.) But when you engage him in matters of theology, the man comes alive. He knows much about the Chant and is genuinely excited to talk about it with a willing ear.
Assuming you don’t balk at being forced to listen to the history of the early Chantry, Lord Aled will invite you out to the tavern for a late breakfast. With the application of just a little charm, he’ll open up enough to talk to you about his aspirations: he’s courting Anora because he feels like he is even closer to his faith down here in Ferelden. After all, this is the place where Andraste was born, where she lived and raised her armies, where she made her Great Promise.
(He gives that last phrase particular emphasis. He moves on too quickly for you to inquire what exactly he means, but it sticks out to you.)
He says that Riftwatch has some influence over Anora and her decision-making. You’re charming and persuasive, and you have her trust, he says. And so if you advocate for him to the Queen, he’ll give you, personally, a token of his appreciation. And he shows you what it is – an amulet, very finely wrought in gold and emeralds, that hums with some enchantment. He doesn’t know what the enchantment is, he says, but it’s a lovely piece, isn’t it?
You can…
a. Refuse the bribe.
b. Take the bribe, then go back to the others and tell them that Lord Aled is clean, no problem, all good here.
c. Take the bribe and pretend you’re on his side but actually investigate further, you clever little sneak, you.
If a: Lord Aled turns quiet when you refuse the bribe. The rest of the meal is cordial, and he bids you a friendly (if somewhat disappointed) farewell once the meal is over. You don’t see him again before you meet back up with the rest of the group.
If b: Lord Aled is delighted when you take the amulet. It’s quite lovely. If you sell it, you get a few gold for it – sweet! If you keep it, though, you’ll later get it evaluated and find out that the enchantment on it is one that allows someone else, somewhere, to listen in on what’s being said in the amulet’s proximity. But you won’t find that out till you’re firmly ensconced back in the Gallows. Way to go, hero.
If c: Lord Aled is delighted when you take the amulet. He remains relaxed and chatty through the meal. At one point, he gets up to go use the privies, and you take that opportunity to investigate the satchel he’s left behind - only to find that, along with his prayer book, it holds odd, mismatched rings and trinkets that clearly bear religious imagery. What’s weird, though, is that the religious imagery isn’t consistent – it’s all Andrastean, but some things look Northern, some look Anders, some look Orlesian… And there are bits of fabric stitched with constellations that you may be able to recognize as those of ancient Tevinter.
You sneak back to your seat before Lord Aled returns. You part with handshake. You presumably get the enchantment on that lovely amulet inspected - and find out that it allows someone else, somewhere, to listen in on what’s being said in the amulet’s proximity. Cool.
Additional Notes: The choices and outcomes described can be taken exactly as they are or used more as guidelines for the Realm of Possibilities. You're free to combine the potential outcomes–start with A before going with B instead, etc.–or personalize them a bit depending on your character's behavior/rapport with the target. If you want to instead do something that's utterly unaccounted for here (like headbutting your target and running away), drop us a note and we'll give you further info.
We're going to put up a log shortly. The only required thread in that log will be everyone meeting to discuss what they've learned about their targets and to decide which of these men is the likely Venatori, as well as what to do about the information they've learned about everyone else. If we hit a minimum of 20 tags in that long (amongst all of us, not each) the team will also get to say they were sufficiently charming to earn Riftwatch some good deals on a few Fereldan exports and permission to occupy or otherwise use a small fortress on Brandel's Reach, if they can evict the raiders currently living there.
You'll also be able to RP other aspects of visiting Denerim and hanging out on the edges of the Landsmeet, if you want to do so! But that's optional.
no subject
TALKER OR SNEAKER? talker
NOTES: nothing else; she has no personal stake in this whatsoever and will therefore pour all of her energy into the workkkk
no subject
Prior knowledge: The twice-married and twice-widowed older brother of the late Warden and Prince-Consort Jonas Cousland, Teyrn Cousland has been the Fereldan forerunner, not least because he has ten-year-old twins who Anora could hypothetically adopt and position as heirs. He has a reputation as a sturdy, honorable man, though his teyrnir has had some hard times lately. He seems extremely unlikely to have any Venatori ties, but, like, they have to be sure.
Further investigation: While ostensibly meeting with Teyrn Cousland's steward, Lloyd, about the possibility of Highever making docks and rooms available to Riftwatchers when they need to cross into Ferelden, you'll be able to acquire some surface information: that the Teyrn himself isn't feeling well enough to meet with you personally, a sort of grimace when the subject of the marriage comes up, and an unbidden gossipy comment that Cousland's been a bit overwhelmed, generally, with everything.
Deeper information will become accessible when–either by getting lost, cleverly pretending to get lost to have a look around to make extra sure there are no evil Venatori symbols anywhere, or whatever else–you find Cousland himself in the garden of his Denerim estate, quietly crying over some blooming forsythia. When he realizes he has company, they'll say they were a favorite of Eira, his late wife. And with any friendly or gentle encouragement he will promptly crumble into explaining he just misses his wife (who's been gone for two years now) very much, he's been having trouble sleeping ever since her loss, after losing his first son during Arl Howe's betrayal of his family all those years ago he's been determined to keep his twins as far away from cut-throat politics as he can and the possibility of positioning them for the throne terrifies him, and he doesn't want to be king, he doesn't want to marry his brother's widow, Jonas told him about every argument they ever had and he'd be miserable, etc.
It will be a rather unbecoming display from a man of his age and station, overall, and it should be obvious that the steward's description of him being a bit overwhelmed was putting it as kindly as possible.
In the midst of all this, you'll be able to spot someone on the roof overlooking the garden. This person will promptly vanish when they realize they've been seen, and you'll have another choice:
a. Say nothing.
b. Alert Cousland, who will muster the presence of mind to send his guards out.
c. Say nothing to Cousland, but hastily beg his pardon and go after the spy yourself.
If a: The spy gets away, Cousland knows nothing about it, and consequences will unfold later.
If b: His guards will make a ruckus attempting to find the individual before they leave the premises, but will be unsuccessful if you don't assist them–but at least they'll all know someone knows. If you do assist them in the search, however, you'll be able to narrow in on her by build and coloring and so on, fast enough for one of them to grab her before she escapes into the street. She'll refuse to explain who she is or who she's working for, but she'll have a very heavy Orlesian accent, and her information will go with her into Cousland's holding cells.
If c: You'll be able to narrow in on the eavesdropper, by build and coloring and so on, as she tries to blend in with the street traffic just outside the gates. She'll run when she realizes she's been had, and you won't be fast enough to catch her, because she is very fast. She'll appear to vanish entirely after turning down a dead-end alleyway, but she will drop a thin dagger with an ornate hilt before she does–something that might allow identifying her, later, and in the meantime is yours to keep.
Additional Notes: The choices and outcomes described can be taken exactly as they are or used more as guidelines for the Realm of Possibilities. You're free to combine the potential outcomes–start with A before going with B instead, etc.–or personalize them a bit depending on your character's behavior/rapport with the target. If you want to instead do something that's utterly unaccounted for here (like headbutting your target and running away), drop us a note and we'll give you further info.
We're going to put up a log shortly. The only required thread in that log will be everyone meeting to discuss what they've learned about their targets and to decide which of these men is the likely Venatori, as well as what to do about the information they've learned about everyone else. If we hit a minimum of 20 tags in that long (amongst all of us, not each) the team will also get to say they were sufficiently charming to earn Riftwatch some good deals on a few Fereldan exports and permission to occupy or otherwise use a small fortress on Brandel's Reach, if they can evict the raiders currently living there.
You'll also be able to RP other aspects of visiting Denerim and hanging out on the edges of the Landsmeet, if you want to do so! But that's optional.