let's set d o w n some (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
groundrules) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
westwhere2021-12-02 07:00 pm
groundrules) wrote in westwhere2021-12-02 07:00 pm
Entry tags:
- 2ha: chu wanning,
- avatar: zuko,
- harry potter: hermione granger,
- harry potter: lily evans,
- kingdom of the wicked: wrath,
- mo dao zu shi: xiao xingchen,
- mo dao zu shi: xue yang,
- oh! my emperor: beitang moran,
- persona 5: akira,
- star wars: slick,
- taravast,
- tian guan ci fu: xie lian,
- warcraft: anduin wrynn,
- warcraft: wrathion,
- watch_dogs: wrench
the coup
Hello to our last Big Event of the year, covering 2-22 December and also subbing as our test drive.
Current players can play here or make separate logs & network posts. TDM tourists are confined to this playground, but can include network prompts in their top levels.
If you’re trialling a character, you can apply them until 21 December without a game invite. TDM characters can participate in the sign-up quests without taking up a slot, but cannot vote for event outcomes.
Taravast’s civilians take to spirited protests and seize the Palace of the Doxe. They intend to redirect Doxe Bonaccorso Spina’s attention and resources to his people, livelihoods suffered in recent undead attacks. The Merchant sends ‘help’ to oust the Doxe.
Amid the chaos, Vannozza Spina seeks to apprehend her grandfather. Her cousin Macaluso, Bonaccorso’s prisoner, can be liberated. Outgunned, outmanned and outnumbered, Bonaccorso orders the city burned down.
TDM TOURISTS: THE BARREN BONES
You wake up in shallow water, other supine bodies beside you. The nearby occupants of a desert outpost greet you with a coarse translation and communication device and introduce you to their leader, the Merchant. He rescues otherworlders who were summoned to serve as weapons for warring undead factions, sending them east — where forgotten beacons can return them home.
A. A FRIEND IN NEED
Unconscious new arrivals are delivered every few days, recovered from the dunes. They are submerged in oasis waters. Some characters wake weaker of body and mind, struggling to focus their thoughts or their supernatural abilities — effects that recede within one-three days. Others are plagued by a drowning sensation for one-two days.
- ■ Help fellow newcomers as they regain their strength with sparring, a calming voice or a warm meal.
■ Newcomers must share tents and carry out camp tasks: hold the night watch, man fires, kill viper nests and excessively large scorpions or, fate help everyone if you’re related to Xie Lian, cooking.
B. A FRIEND IN DEED
Soon enough, the Merchant reveals more otherworlders are assigned in the nearby magical citadel of Taravast, which is on the brink of civil uprising against the ruling Doxe Bonaccorso Spina. Your fellows need you, cavalry.
The Merchant sends the fresh conscripts on a three-day journey to Taravast across a desert canyon, granting supplies, horses or seats in shared carts.
- ■ Fresh horses wait at specific landmarks, but some suppliers trade steeds for the better coin of rich merchants evacuating Taravast. If you end up stranded, find help.
■ Weather forecast: frequent, cruel sand storms that challenge even expert riders. Collect anyone who gets lost in the dunes — particularly near wild cougars.
■ Some Taravast refugees crowd or pretend accidents to loot your horses. A select few diplomatic convoys offer assistance, or try to confiscate your rides.
OLD TIMERS: THE STREETS, RALLYING
Dissenting necromancers, healers and civilians begrudge Doxe Bonaccorso’s failure to ensure their safety and distribute repairs funds fairly. Many believe that Bonaccorso has been manipulated by Macaluso and Vannozza.
The initially peaceful protests exacerbate into after several days: demonstrators frequently come to blows with city guards around the 20:00 evening curfew. Protesters carry sharp and blunt weapons, small explosive talismans or banners. Some are ghost-summoning necromancers, others are sorcerers who command a small array of elemental spells.
- ■ Protesters try to enthusiastically conscript passers-by to their cause. Some assume characters leaving the Doxe Palace are nobility and try to kidnap and ransom them for an audience with Bonaccorso.
■ Merchants and the last few of Macaluso’s foreign suitors begin their exodus from Taravast and ask you to serve as escort in exchange for compensation.
■ Palace guards retaliate with disproportionate violence when they catch crowds without magic users or experienced combatants. Rescue some demonstrators — but prepare to run — or scout the streets so they can escape.
■ The clashes separate some Taravast residents from food, commodities and healers. Be a friend.
■ In rare good news, protesters share with Wrathion and Slick their battle and coordination signs and passcodes.
■ Some crowd contingents are less spirited about this endeavour — try talking them out of this revolution business.
■ Characters without powers or weapons can resort to the arsenal Wrench and Aang recovered from looters: daggers, maces, swords, bows and five-six man-sized water serpents, who heed those who first summon them out of theirPokeballs.
ALL TOGETHER NOW: THE BARRICADES
Within a week of the first demonstrations, the protesters and Doxe Bonaccorso’s guards have devolved into vicious and regular violence. Civilian demonstrators have been joined by many necromancers wielding fresh corpses, minor sorcerers, healers and a handful of expert combatants, assigned by sympathetic gentry. Bonaccorso’s men conduct regular inspections and arrests. The demonstrators meanwhile set traps of magical ice and explosives.
Led by the lawyer Giacomo Zanardo and the healer Sebastiano Bianchi, the mob seeks to storm the Palace of the Doxe and persuade Bonaccorso back to his senses, which have surely been corrupted by his absent nephew Macaluso and niece Vannozza.
RISE ONE, RISE ALL
Existing characters are soon joined by fresh reinforcements. Everyone receives the Merchant’s transmission:
”It has emerged, vocally, that Doxe Bonaccorso Spina no longer serves the interests of his city, his people or our contingent. The most efficient recourse is to depose him. How, and whether you choose to instate one of his successors, is of no consequence to me. I send a wave of our new otherworldly associates to assist you. Fair fortune.”
- ■ Zanardo and Bianchi organise a last bout of midnight merrymaking before the Palace attack at dawns. Meet your reinforcements at a… large, cold, rudimentarily decorated warehouse in one of Taravast’s dodgiest district. Close your eyes and smell the salted fish.
■ Old and new characters can collect further plain weapons from rioters. Slick receives command of five NPC protesters.
■ Pacifists can scout the Palace of the Doxe to report back the watch patterns, or try to persuade servants to open the gates.
■ Come dawns, protesters seize the Palace, meeting fresh waves of Bonaccorso’s guards in the gardens before advancing inside.
■ The Merchant informs Eleven and Shen Qingqiu they are required back in Taravast. He cuts a deal with local warlord Anurr, who supplies two transporters orbs that will transport the duo immediately.
Because of overlapping timelines, your character can only be signed up for one of the three following missions. Each quest will be capped at 15 characters: first come, first served. You can vote on game polls irrespective of what mission your character pursues.
NOTE: TDM tourists can participate in the quests and do not need to sign up. They can include prompts for one of the parallel quests in their top-level prompts, or can tag around. However, TDM tourists don't qualify for the NPC RNG draw and cannot vote on Bonaccorso's fate.
A. LET IT BUUUUUURN, LET IT BURN
Counting the last hours of his reign, Doxe Bonaccorso Spina takes to the great balcony of his Palace to address the masses:
”My people, my loved ones. Twenty-two years ago, I came before you, a man ruined: my son and my daughter taken from me. Is there any pain greater than burying your children? Only today: to see the blood of your blood and the blood of your nation, united against you. To know your nephew made weapon of a blade and your niece of her gold, and your people are indiscriminate in their arsenal. You tear down my doors, sirs! You bloody my halls! And when you stand against your Doxe, you stand against Taravast. And why? Because I turned my eye from you for scant moments. Spoiled! Shameless! All I ever intended were more years in your service. For we must strike a permanent truce with the dead. To survive. Know that even now, I see you: you are strong, gifted, beautiful. How it breaks my heart to know I must bury my children again.”
After this, Bonaccorso orders the 20 court witches of Bessis currently at the Palace rain down fire from the northern and southern towers, unto the masses.
- ■ Current Bessis leader Margherita Moretti is instructed to call her sister witches to Taravast’s greater walls, where they might direct further fire upon all who oppose Bonaccorso.
■ Ten witches will climb each Palace tower, targeting protesters. Sign up and discuss how characters can slip the witches sleeping herbs with their water, kill them, feign fresh orders from Moretti, etc.
■ The witches of Bessis have historically received the patronage of the imprisoned Macaluso. Many recently retreated from court, embittered by Bonaccorso’s support for the rival Attaryl. Moretti is reasonable, if loyal, and possesses a conscience. She rides out to bring further Bessis assistance.
■ Team up, pursue and capture Moretti down the chaotic streets of Taravast. Two characters — chosen on 10 December through RNG draw from the signed-up crew — can participate in a NPC thread to talk her down.
B. OFF WITH THE OLD MAN’S HEAD
Informed by Wrath and Wen Qing’s faction that her grandfather prepared to possess her body, Vannozza Spina moves to apprehend Bonaccorso.
Following his speech, the Doxe holes up in his quarters, guarded by several dozen Attaryl witches — masters of illusions, telekinesis and mind control. They will try to briefly steal or dim characters’ senses, thrall them into seeing their allies as enemies and crumble walls and statues upon them. The witches are easily defeated through physical means.
- ■ Characters can charge in militarily or infiltrate by presenting as palace staff or Attaryl reinforcements. Those who previously assisted servants can receive spare uniforms and directions. Sign up here.
■ In-game characters can vote until 15 December to decide Bonaccorso’s fate. Two characters drawn via RNG can share a NPC thread for a short discussion with him. Wen Qing and Wrath can optionally have a separate talk thread, given their participation in Vannozza’s plotline.
C. SAVE THE HIMBO, SAVE THE WORLD
Macaluso Spina’s attempt to persuade his Doxe grandfather of the merits of retirement condemned him to house arrest, awaiting trial on charges of assassination. He is secluded in his wing of the Palace of the Doxe, guarded by two dozens of Bonaccorso’s men and by illusion traps devised by Attaryl witches.
Characters can hear footsteps, men giving chase, the muffled voices of Macaluso or their companions, all unseen. A mirrored hall leads you back to its beginning, as your reflection mocks you — until you break a mirror.
- ■ Characters who have helped Palace servants can receive tips on guard numbers and locations, or corridor shortcuts.
■ Sign up here. Two characters picked via RNG draw on 10 December can share a NPC thread to discuss Macaluso’s next steps. Alina Starkov can have an optional separate thread, for her involvement in Macaluso’s plot so far.
QUESTIONS
OLD TIMERS
VANNOZZA
She has fought well, for a woman that has made her wit a weapon, her resilience a virtue. Apprehending her uncle proved the lesser feat: to ruin and conquer is not the same as to rule, and even now, Vannoza Spina knows, others work to release Macaluso. Her cousin, her rival, her family.
Some part of her, a woman made small, pacing the chambers of the study before the rooms where she has locked her uncle, feels small. She has not required advice before, never trusted in it. Now, she sounds, to her own ear, childlike and sweet to excess, seeking foreign eyes, foreign compassion.
"What now...?"
no subject
"Everything is as it was," she sounds apologetic relaying that bit of information, wishing she could guarantee the lady's safety and peace in the streets instead. "I've come to help, however I can." She had protected the lady in the tower, and she was prepared to do the same again or get her to safety if fleeing became their only choice.
no subject
"No, my sweet, my darling. Nothing will ever be as it was again." She speaks to Lisabeta, or Laila, or Liliana. A name, like any other. Better always, she has told Macaluso, to remember a face — in Taravast, where all men wear masks, names are interchangeable. "I must kill my grandfather or release a tyrant."
Either choice condemns a people: Vannozza's, or Taravast.
no subject
"The things your grandfather has done maybe once were rooted in devotion to this city, but in the end, it appears as though the choices he made were for his own benefit - at your expense, among others." All things she would never say were the situation not dire. "I believe you when you say this city is everything to you, and I believe it can still be helped, but the people will not listen unless they see justice has been served."
no subject
She has heard every argument in favour of the execution of Bonaccorso Spina. She has spoken many of them herself.
"But he is my grandfather." A pause, for perhaps her point is too subtle. "The people want justice, but they will never forgive a niece who delivers it against her own uncle. Oh, they will love me first. They might even praise me."
A shrug, delicate, fracturing. "But then, days will go by, and they will say, 'How do we trust the leadership of a woman who would coldly murder her grandfather?' They will say, 'We are men. We cannot be ruled by a snake.' "
no subject
"Does it have to be you alone? Would any of the council support you?" Her frown deepens as she studies Vannozza, her eyebrows raising as she carefully asks, "your cousin? Now that the city's turned against your uncle surely the charges against him are moot."
Swallowing hard she looks to the ground, her expression darkening. She can't offer it herself, nor can she bring herself to say it directly, but the man has harmed so many people.
"You won't have trouble finding an executioner, even now with things as they are." She could think of at least two willing candidates for the job, come to it.
no subject
If she does not make weapon of an executioner, if she does not delegate the privilege of burning her grandfather to a crisp, cutting his head. Parting him from this life and escorting him to one new.
She laughs, and it is a bitter thing. "But I shall do it. I have every interest to. Who would blame me? Oh, they will despise me, but they will not blame me."