[Phase 2, KL Track] Making Friends and Influencing People [Diplomacy]

[Valar Dohaeris]

Phase 2, King's Landing Track Event A - Making Friends and Influencing People [Diplomacy]

Description:
Superiority in war is often a matter of numbers - larger armies beat smaller armies.
Swords can slay your foes, but the right words in the right ears can often have an even greater effect.

Participants can go to Braavos to gain allies or Dorne to try to keep them out of the war (you cannot go to both).
Asking a neutral party to put their people's lives on the line is not easy; nor is convincing an angry neighbor with ties to your enemy to stay out of the war.
One voice alone may not have much of an impact. Working together is key.
Only one reward is available per location.

Event Mechanics will go live next Saturday, April 22nd.
Declarations on where you are going and whom you will be working with must be made prior to then.
Certain individuals or houses may have bonuses or penalties to dealing with the various locations, consider that carefully when deciding.

Working in groups (up to 4 as per normal assist/coordinate rules) highly recommended.
RP scenes discussing strategy are highly recommended. Remember that you are all Westerosi first; no house will prosper if the war is lost.

Creativity in seeking ways to enhance one's negotiating position may provide considerable benefits; such schemes must be negotiated (at least in broad terms) with your friendly neighborhood narrator prior to the mechanics going live next weekend.

Note that in order to get the two tracks aligned again, I am going to be more strict with the deadlines on this than I was with the Arts event.

[Theomore Tullison]

So let us send Theo to Dorne, after all, the Dornish will probably overlook whatever they know of the following, right? That he squired for prince Daemon, tried to cover up Dornish merchants being raided at Pennytree, is real cozy with prince Aemond, had the command on the ground during the assault of Wyl, talked Aemond into annexing the place into the seven kingdoms and possibly other slights that I don't remember at this time.

Theo will go to Braavos, unknown at this point if teaming up with other PC's. Eligible Tullison NC's likely tagging along.

[Gwyneth Drakeson]

Gwyn would love an excuse to visit Braavos, but is fine with either!

Lets get some teams together here.

[Daveth Coldbrook]

Going to Dorne, working with Gyneth (discussed on our forum).

[Ayleth Bartheld]

I guess i'll follow Theomore to Braavos

[Valar Dohaeris]

Theo will go to Braavos, unknown at this point if teaming up with other PC's. Eligible Tullison NC's likely tagging along.

I guess i'll follow Theomore to Braavos

Theo, are you going to Braavos or dealing with the Greedy Lysian commander (the other event)? They are either/or "A/B" events like the Phase 1 "Opportunity in Myr" and "Those Who Went Before". Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Theomore Tullison]

We're spreading us thin either way, immediate reaction being Theo preferring to go to Braavos personally, but he would also act upon the Myr lead. So not sure what the alternatives might be, the immediate thought of mine is to delegate Myr to whatever NC's are available, which may or may not turn out to have a shot at succeeding.

[Valar Dohaeris]

NCs can only assist/coordinate, sorry.
Also just a quick reminder (because it came up in another conversation) that NCs in the stepstones cannot help here. Of course that means if an NC helps here they are not in the stepstones.

[Valar Dohaeris]

Braavos:

Passing through the legs of the Titan has a way of making anyone not used to it feel small.

It is said that every city smells differently. Braavos smells of fish. Fish, but with hints of exotic eastern spices and perfumes, too. The docks are lined with ships from almost every imaginable port of call, but of course they are dominated by the famous purple ships of Dorne, with their purple-died sails and purple-painted hulls.

You are led over canals and through streets lined with merchant's stalls selling every kind of good imaginable, haggling in every tongue known to the seven kingdoms, and maybe even some that aren't. You can see the green domes of the Palace of Truth, and the temples on and around the Isle of the Gods, including the tower of Trios, the temples of the Moonsingers and the Lord of Light, the shrine of the Weeping Lady of Lys, the infamous House of Black and White, and of course the Sept-beyond-the-Sea, dedicated to the Seven.

As diplomatic envoys, you are brought to the Sealord's Palace, where a minor functionary shows you to well appointed guest quarters: a pair of bedchambers with a shared balcony overlooking the bay, and an adjoining sitting room.The functionary is polite, and speaks flawless Westerosi.

Before departing though, he expresses his doubts about your mission."...it would be different, I suppose, if our Sealord's son had married Laena Velaryon as intended, rather than being slain by your Prince Daemon."

Dorne:

The fastest route to Sunspear from King's Landing is by sea. Even still it is a lengthier journey than one would expect, as your ship must hug the coastline to avoid encountering the pirates, privateers, and Triarchy navy that frequent the waters surrounding the broken arm. As you travel past the bluff upon which Wyl Castle stands, you can see a flag depicting the red archer on green of House Tarly, and another of what appears to be a black snake crushed under a green armor-plated foot, on a red field.

Past this point, the captain of your ship hoists a white flag. "Just prudent caution," he assures you.

Approaching Sunspear, the first thing you can see is the tall, slender Tower of the Spear. Soon after, you see the shorter, but wider Tower of the Sun with it's shining dome of gold and glass. With luck, you will be granted quarters in the latter tower, and not in the prison cells said to be atop the former. Soon the rest of the palace and the city come into view as well as other notable sights such as the Sandship - an ugly dun building in the shape of a dromond, the fortress of the Martell family before the coming of Queen Nymeriah and her Rhoynish.

After arriving in port, you are lead up a broad brick path through the Threefold Gate - which in truth is a succession of three gates through three different massive curtain walls. This path, your guide explains, is the only direct path to the palace, and when closed even one would be enough to keep out an army of then thousand foes. She may be somewhat exaggerating, but the walls are rather thick and the gates appear heavy enough to require dozens of men to close them.

It is said that every city smells differently. Sunspear smells... hot. The sun beats down brutally, and within the city walls there is precious little breeze. What breeze there is flows through the Shadow Town, carrying scents of people and animals - sweat and feces and urine, fire smoke and cooking food, the acrid smells of tanners and dyers - and then, when the wind shifts it bears the scent of the ocean and olive trees, of fruits and wine. A place of dichotomies.

Your guide has clear opinions on your mission, as well - "It is a fool's errand. Our Princess Aliandra is married to Drazhenko Rogare of Lys. A few months ago you northerners with that one-eyed prince and his dragon invaded our lands and killed our people, with only nonsense for reasons. Of course Prince Qoren will again send our soldiers to aid the Three Daughters. We will crush you in the Stepstones and when your soldiers are dead we will take back what is rightfully ours."

When you arrive at the palace, you are gratified both to be free of your former guide and to find that rooms have been prepared for you in the Tower of the Sun, some several floors below the throne room and it's dome of gold and thick, colored glass. Your guards, however, are told they must return to the ship - while you are a guest of Prince Qoren, your safety is assured. On the way to your rooms - up many flights of stairs - you briefly catch sight of a dark-haired boy, no more than 10 years of age, wearing a tunic of yellow with the sigil of a black snake coiled around a bare foot. Almost as soon as you see him he is whisked away, leaving you to wonder at who he is.

Mechanics:

• Step 1: Carrots and Sticks Please post as much of this step by Wednesday 4/26 so that if necessary I can provide extra mechanics for you.
  This is a free-form step where you can describe whatever sorts of incentives you are using, any names you are dropping, schemes you are pulling (or at least, trying to pull), or any other factors you think might tilt the negotiations in your favor. Even little things, like the language you use, may make a difference. Be as detailed as possible.
  
  It would be helpful to list any intrigue benefits you have that may come into play, and what disposition you might have (and the reason, if other than Indifferent).
  
  If there is anything secret you think should be factored in, post it in a private thread and put a link to it here.
  
  
• Step 2: Get an Audience
  Status(reputation) TN 9 – mandatory to get an audience with a person of sufficient influence. DoS matter, as who you meet with will affect the final TN (representing that lower functionaries have to in turn convince the real decision makers).
  
  
• Step 3: At the Audience
  
  
  
  1. Choose 2: TN 9.
     Awareness(Empathy)
     Cunning(Memory or Logic)
     Knowledge(Education)
     Status(Breeding)
     Will(Dedication)
     
     2 critical failures: You insulted your host and their entire country. You have failed and very likely made an enemy.
     1 critical failure: you had some sort of gaffe... but your host is merely annoyed. -1D penalty to the simple intrigue.
     
     Sum your DoS:
     0 DoS: Your host is non-plussed. No benefits.
     1+ DoS:
     Every 4 DoS = +1D to the simple intrigue.
     Every remaining 2 DoS = +1B to the simple intrigue.
     A remaining DoS = +1 to the simple intrigue.
     (Ex: 8 DoS = +2D, 5 DoS = +1D and +1, etc.)
     
     
  2. Simple Intrigue, TN ??
     Attribute and Specialty used may have various effects/consequences, choose wisely.
     
  
  
  

[Theomore Tullison]

Waiting to hear back from Ayleth on this, but my thoughts are in the private forum. Theo's got courteous which probably helps not insulting people.

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