Royal Decree: Voices of the People



  • [Criers ring their bells.]

    "HEAR YE HEAR YE,

    On behalf of his Majesty King Thalaman the First, Son of George, Royal Regent Damian Fisher has DISMISSED the current Voice of the People.

    On behalf of his Majesty, the Regent has declared TWO NEW VOICES, totalling now THREE, with ONE per DISTRICT.

    Candidates are to submit their candidacy to High Priest Isaac Thaddeus, Herald to the Crown and steward of Siamorphe!

    HEAR YE HEAR YE."


    The the Crown has issued a general decree dismissing the prior Voice, and declaring two new Voice seats. There are now three vacant elected positions on the Royal Council, with one per district: Commerce, Docks, and Residential.

    Candidates who wish to submit their names to the ballot should do within the tenday. The ballot will be closed thereafter. ((OOC: Post here to announce your candidacy. You have a few days. I will post when the ballot is closed and the electoral campaign officially begins.)).

    Currently, rumors have it that the ballot contains the following names.

    THE BALLOT:

    COMMERCE DISTRICT:
    Lucy Rhodes
    Arch Weyland
    Scott Grimm

    DOCKS DISTRICT:
    Pollo Wilberforce
    Mavis Whyte
    Roslyn Underhill

    RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT:
    Kevin Lorne
    Jonathon Pendergast
    Vanessa Hemway
    Jonni Aelthasson


    ((OOC: Pre-Campaign Rumors and RPVP Rules))

    Any actions, speeches, or rumors are to be posted in this thread for now. Rules governing elections between players will be posted after the ballot closes. Rules governing elections against NPCs are subject purely to DM discretion.

    [DM Xanatos Gambit]



  • Ahh the elites..that is a good one. chuckles to himself. Good judging for someone who was not born here and knows little of those that were. Speak of elites...grins Good luck with your new voice, it sounds like she already has her benefactors whose voices will be heard over yours.


  • The Halfling Defence League

    Ros reads the list and laughs out loud at each item, publicly naming (and mocking) its author as she shares it with all who'd attend her rallies in the Docks

    "You know, if they have such a issue with this district, it's amazin' they didn' do nothin' ta improve th' quality o' life here afore elections started happenin'. If ther was any doubt about how th' city's elites see folk here, this oughta quell tha' right quick. This is why ya can't count on the elites ta fight fer you. If they was inclined to, they'd a done it years ago. Ev'rythin' ther mockin' here came about when th' guilds held all th' power in this district.

    Dontcha love when they think ther mockin' you, an' instead wind up mockin' things they themselves created? It's like they think shit happens in th' docks 'cause th' docks is a bubble unto themselves or somethin'.

    They even think ta mock th' fuckin' courtesans, despite also bein' ther highest payin' customers! They look down on you an' are jus' straight desp'rit ta keep ya from havin' a say alongside them. Tha's all this nonsense is, folks.



  • Vick sends a list of issues for Roslyn to resolve in the Docks District.

    1. provide magically lighted signs for the whores with pictures of their services and the prices so they are not yelling out their offers all night long.
    2. tear down the broken statue near the craft hall, it is an eyesore and obstacle to traffic.
    3. regularly flush the alleys behind the pubs to wash away the human waste and hold down the smells.

    5..
    6...



  • Not long after the announcement, Scott sends notice to all those of the commerce district that a public town hall will be happening at City Hall for all who wish to attend to come. Scott will be present to listen but the main focus will be for everyone to communicate with each other and try to come to a collective agreement on what issues they may wish Scott to bring forth at the Kings Court

    ((not an in game event or anything, just rp. pc's of the commerce can feel free to pm me here or discord or catch me in game if they have anything they would bring up at the town hall))



  • CAMPAIGN NEWS:

    "HEAR YE HEAR YE: Herald Isaac Thaddeus has announced the Crown's tally.

    SCOTT GRIMM has been elected Voice of Commerce.

    JONNI AELTHASSON has been elected Voice of the Residential.

    ROSLYN UNDERHILL has been elected Voice of the Docks.

    [ Crowds gather to cheer (or jeer) the respective victories. The Voices are called to serve at the Crown's pleasure.

    Court denizens whisper that the Crown will expect the names of the Voices' handlers -- each voice is allowed one advisor to attend the royal council meetings with (or for) them. ]

    [DM Xanatos Gambit]



  • Campaigners and meddlers: submit to me either here or privately via PM any final actions you take before I tally the results.

    [DM Xanatos Gambit]



  • CAMPAIGN NEWS:

    The election is its final tenday. Campaigners take their final actions before the Crown will host ballots and tally the votes. The results are nigh.

    [DM Xanatos Gambit]



  • CAMPAIGN NEWS:

    The election approaches its final tenday.


    RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT:

    MAGISTRATE VLANA BORODIN has endorsed Kevin Lorne.

    NOBLE HOUSE SNYDDERS has endorsed Kevin Lorne.


    COMMERCE DISTRICT

    GENERAL FREDERIC DEL'ROSA has endorsed Scott Grimm.

    EVRA LANE, PICKLEPEPPER AND SONS, and DROIBO have endorsed Arch Weyland.

    LORELAI PHINKWELL has published several articles praising Arch Weyland.

    Despite the support, ARCH WEYLAND has yet another unfortunate week. Twice he suffered a coughing fit and couldn't continue his speech, leading some to question the charisma they assumed he had. Another time he overslept and missed his own fundraising event.


    DOCKS DISTRICT

    THE HUMAN LABOR UNION has been disbanded, its leader Jan wrought with scandal facing allegations of working with the Guilds against the labour he supposedly represented.

    A new Union, THE DOCKS UNION, has been formed, comprising the entirety of docks labor, including HALFLING, DWARVEN, and GNOMISH LABOUR, as well as HUMAN LABOUR. This new Union is led by LORIN WILKES, who has endorsed Roslyn Underhill.

    JESSICA WHYTE has been reportedly removed from her position as managing officer within the Seafarers Guild, and replaced by Kevin Lorne, candidate for the residential district. Rumors about whether Kevin Lorne will continue his bid for the residential at this point.

    THE VINTERS have withdrawn their support for Mavis Whyte.


    [DM XANATOS GAMBIT]


  • The Halfling Defence League

    Roslyn makes a statement, largely in response to both Scott's and the Seafarers' statements!

    Ask yerselves, who does that attack benefit? It's clear it only benefits one party in this election, an' tha's th' Seafarers. I'm not here ta play games an' act th' puppetmaster, I leave tha' ta th' Seafarers. I'm here ta call 'em like I see 'em, an' tha's jus' what I'm doin' now. My people was framed fer an attack by men loyal ta th' Seafarers. I have witnesses ta tha' man's union representative meetin' with th' Seafarers afore it happen'd, strikin' a deal. An' then, jus' a few hours later, one o' tha' union's men tries ta frame my kin fer an attack.

    This ain't complicated. An' if any o' th' paladins at th' Temple o' th' Triad care ta public'ly question me with a zone o' truth on this, I'm happy ta oblige. I think you'll find some others involved in this far less willing ta submit ta such questionin'. Could even do so with th' fella in custody afterwards, get it all nice an' out in the open.



  • Scott addresses whoever will listen to clarify some misunderstandings regarding the protest.
    I have hard that a human polymorphed into a Halfling firebombed the Regal Maid and that it was instigated by the Seafarers. I have read the reports and spoken with witnesses who have said that the attack was not against the Regal Maid but against a Seafarer warehouse. I don't condone what happened afterwards either however it should be said that jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers is not the right way to go about things. We are a city of laws and laws should be respected. When laws are not followed, Chaos ensues. If people wish to see change they must go about it in a lawful manner and not resort to causing chaos and trying to make eachother look the villain. If people have an issue they should seek out the necessary persons required to come to a resolution. Once the election is over you will have your Voice to speak on your behalf and should that not suffice there is still the regular petitions to the Crown.



  • Magistrate Shannon D'Arneau, having previously endorsed Johnathon Pendergast, endorses Jonni Aelthasson for Voice of the Residential District.



  • CAMPAIGN NEWS:


    RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT:

    VANESSA HEMWAY has resigned her candidacy, throwing her support behind Jonni Aelthason.

    JONATHON PENDERGAST has resigned his candidacy, throwing his support behind Jonni Aelthasson.

    THE ORDER OF THE DIVINE SHIELD has endorsed Jonni Aelthasson.

    NOBLE HOUSES KILDARN, WHITEDUNE, FIERRA, AND LOATHEB have endorsed Kevin Lorne.


    COMMERCE DISTRICT

    LUCY RHODES has resigned her candidacy, throwing her support behind Scott Grimm, endorsing him as a Defender Captain.

    LACEY UNDREWARR, KATARINA DUPRE, HEMROD, VIOLETTA, NOR DOLVAK, SOFILIA DALLEY, GILFINA AMALITH, PERIN HIGHFOLD, VINVET FIRN, LUC deFERRINAC, AND LOMENDEL ELLE, who previously endorsed Lucy Rhodes, have now instead endorsed Scott Grimm.

    BERLINNE TOEWS (AUTONOMISTS FACTION) has endorsed Arch Weyland.

    ARCH WEYLAND otherwise appears to be having an unfortunate week, his recent fundraiser seeing few to no participants, and many word of mouth conversations remembering his treasonous days as one of Renegade Far Scout Smoke's Lieutenants.


    DOCKS DISTRICT

    THE SEAFARERS GUILD has endorsed Mavis Whyte.

    THE VINTERS, CLOTHIERS, and LANDOWNERS GUILDS have endorsed Mavis Whyte.

    THE WAVEBREAKERS GUILD has endorsed Pollo Wilberforce.

    HALFLING LABOUR, GNOMISH LABOUR, and DWARVEN LABOUR have endorsed Roslyn Underhill.

    THE HUMAN LABOUR UNION has endorsed the Mavis Whyte.


    [DM XANATOS GAMBIT]



  • Simon reluctantly climbs onto the Rant stand
    His armor shines in the daylight and the glow from his cloak pin, with a dragon scale in the shape of a raised gauntlet, glitters with its own light.

    *He clears his throat and calls out at the people. *
    I am a simple man, a farmer from the Dalelands, recently arrived here and my heart is heavy today. Torm guides me in my life and calls for Justice and also for Honor. Duty to you, the people of Peltarch brings me up there today. I am an outsider, I have no horse in this race, but what I have seen and heard raises my voice today. A simple thing you have before you, a Voice from each district of your fair city. A simple thing one would think. But I see violence, I see backroom deals, I see threats and and cohersion.

    He pauses and then continues

    The Voice is yours....not a guilds, not a temples, not a special group...it is yours. One small voice of you the people for each district. I ask you to go home and pray on this. Pray for guidance, pray for a heart for your neighbors, pray for justice for each of you.

    YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN WHAT YOU ARE SEEING!
    YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN WHAT YOU ARE HEARING!
    YOU DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS!

    Then he kneels and prays
    Torm, Loyal Fury, defender of those who cannot defend themselves.
    Torm, Master of Justice, I ask you to weigh on these people's hearts.
    Torm, Master of Honor, I bow before your mercy and ask mercy for these people.
    Torm, Master of Duty, I plead with you to care for these people who are assaulted in all ways by their own.

    He bows for a moment longer then stands and leaves the stand with a swirl of his blue cape



  • Scott returns from some adventure slightly bloody with battered armor and goes to the place he likes best to relax only to find that it had been the target of violence. After being inside for some time he comes out and heads over to the seafarers offices with an unpleasant look on his face


  • The Halfling Defence League

    Hours after a human from the human labor union polymorphed as a hin to appear to attack the Seafarers, Roslyn Underhill addresses the hin community in the docks, as well as any nearby humans, dwarves, gnomes, and anyone else who passes by.

    Friends, wha' happen'd at th' warehouses taday was a travesty. It violates all norms o' decency, all respect ta th' political process, an' worst of all, it insults yer intelligence. We all know who stands ta gain from such an attack. Th' man who threw the firebomb at th' Regal Maid was a part o' th' human labor union - th' same one tha' some in th' docks've been pittin' against all o' you. But ther not jus' pittin' 'em against hin, my friends. Oh, no. More than anythin', what they want is fer all o' you ta be workin' against each other. Competin' against each other. Fightin' against each other, all fer whatever scraps ther willin' ta throw ya. This attack may o' led ta Seafarers brutalizin' my kin. But make no mistake: er'ryone who works in th' docks is a victim equally.

    Ther worst nightmare. Th' thing they fear more'n anythin' else, is all o' you, tagether. When yer competin' against each other, it's Seafarers tha' win.

    She holds out her hand, and counts off on her fingers

    Humans. Hin. Gnomes. Dwarves. Elves. All o' ya, negotiatin' sep'ritly. Because yer all weaker when ya fight each other. But as one, yer stronger! One is greater'n Five!

    She then closes that hand into a fist, raising it into the air

    One is greater'n five! One is greater'n five!

    Come tagether as one! Demand higher pay not just fer yer selves, but yer brothers an' sisters workin' alongside ya too. Yer hin brothers an' sisters. Yer human brothers an' sisters. Yer dwarven, yer gnomish, yer elven, yer half-orc brothers an' sisters. A risin' tide lifts all boats, friends. Th' Seafarers want ya ta squabble amongst yerselves because at th' end o' th' day, ther profits are directly tied ta how much they screw each o' you over.

    An' ther so committed ta screwin' er'ryone else o'er, ther willin' ta set fire ta th' docks so they cn' be kings o' th' ashes, an' argue ther own cause at court with no thought given ta you. Ther so willin' ta see themselves gettin' a say in th' laws that'll affect you, tha' ther willin' ta incite racial violence an' injure or e'en kill ta do so! Hell, ther even so committed tha' they've got people in th' union fightin' against ther own int'rists, against th' risin' tide o' higher wages, o' subsidized healin' fer injuries, o' retirement pay, o' all th' things I pledge ta fight fer, fer all workers in Peltarch. They want ta make us look like terrorists. But what are we? We're yer baker. We're th' fella in th' fields farmin', an' we're th' woman deliverin' food ta yer grocer, an' we're yer grocer too. We're th' lady servin' ale at yer tavern. An' we're what ther so afraid of, ther willin' ta incite violence with a fake attack.

    I call on th' city guard ta conduct a full investigation o' this incident, an' ta see tha' Seafarers ain't ne'er allowed ta sic ther attack dogs on peaceful protestors again. This violence cannot stand!



  • Scott responds to Sam's inquiries

    My obligations will be to the people who reside and work in the commerce district.
    I would be a voice of the People, meaning All people. Balance will be impossible, can't please everyone but I would bring all concerns to the Council. The position does not make decision, rather it bring the opinions of the masses to the council. If half the people want something and the other half want the other then I will tell the council of both groups concerns and as a group we will discuss and come to the best decision we can.

    There are no laws against partnerships or monopolies so it is not uncommon for a wealthy merchant to try to prevent competition from setting up. You may notice that there are not many diverse shops in the district and this is likely the reason. I am not a merchant myself so I have no opinion regarding the practice, but if any of the other merchants want to bring that to my attention as being an issue then I will do so on their behalf.

    If it is within my ability I want to remove trade restrictions that exist in the city which prevents start up businesses from being able to take root. Outsiders being unable to sell weapons and armor, certain factions being barred from doing trade within the city etc. I think removing restrictions like this will allow more people to take risks and try to start their own business with greater opportunities open to them.



  • Samwell approaches each of the candidates for the Voice of Commerce (Lucy Rhodes, Arch Weyland, and Scott Grimm) and asks them the same questions.

    What are your obligations as the Voice of Commerce? Do you see yourself as a voice of the citizens of Peltarch and customers or the merchants? If you are the voice of both, how do you balance that?

    I recently bid on the Mystic Lodge. During the bidding process, one of the well-established merchants publicly offered to bankroll anyone who would swear to not compete with her shop. No one publicly accepted her offer, but now the new owner has nothing but low-quality goods in his shop - mostly potions (which do not compete with the well-established merchant). I cannot prove a deal was made, but it looks very suspicious. Especially when you consider the high sum, 115,000 gold, that was paid.

    Regardless of whether the new owner made the deal or not, what are your thoughts on such deals being made? Clearly, they are good for the individual merchants’ coin pouches. But do you believe they are good for commerce? Good for the citizens? Good for Peltarch? What will you do to stop these kinds of deals in the future, if anything?

    Finally, what can/will you do to expand the opportunities of normal, honest citizens to open their own shops in the Commerce District?


  • The Halfling Defence League

    With the election afoot, Ros begins going to every winesink and tavern she can, every business and every street corner throughout the docks, talking to humans and hin, dwarves and gnomes, even elves and orcs about what she wants to do for them. She spends a great deal of time talking about her desire to fight for a minimum wage in Peltarch, her wish to see fair and equal pay for all workers regardless of their size, and her desire to represent their interests rather than the guilds. She also makes a point of going to the taverns in the Docks district, asking the owners if she would be able to schedule "town hall" style meetings where she could meet with the voters and hear their concerns, as well as answer any questions about her own positions on the issues that matter to them.



  • Scott gets to work in earnest now that the election is officially underway. To start he makes a note of all known business owners and takes time from his day to speak to each of them. His initial interaction is mainly introductory and he asks each what it is they want their 'Voice' to try and accomplish for them. Between speaking with business owners he also speaks to the people that inhabit the area reminding them that while they may not own property or run a business that they too are a part of the commerce district and they too should have their voice heard. He also reminds constituents that they need not hold back their opinions and anything they wish to say shall remain private in case what they have to say goes against the norm.