Between the Elms
The city of Geltreis was once a nameless little settlement hidden away amidst impassable and barren mountains. It began as a wayfarer's station, sheltering those braving the pass, and slowly grew as would be travelers found themselves settling there. The people of Geltreis drew what they could from the environment, and sold mountain lumber for what they could not. With little other claim to fame or fortune, it sat along one of the only routes through the continent of Estovet's harsh central mountains. Merchants had to stop there, and so they soon began to ply their trade there. Traders from either side of the mountains came to Geltreis to exchange with their peers, saving both the time it took to cross the continent. It grew into one of the most successful city states on Estovet, lead to greatness by a council of its wealthiest families. They transformed it from a necessary stop along the way that merely happened to enjoy the benefits of its position into a grand junction between the eastern and western halves of the continent. The mountain city built high walls around it and an imposing tower at its center to ward away the bandits and nations with an untoward interest in its wealth, threats that never diminished over the hundreds of years of independence the city enjoyed. As it was nestled between two mountains, it was nestled between two growing political giants. The empire of Arcartus stood to the east, a young nation of unparalleled military might that had sought to and succeeded in uniting the eastern seaboard. To the west, the hundreds of warring kingdoms that competed and squabbled for the entirety of Estovet's northwest. Divided perpetually in their own ancient conflicts, they were at least united in warding away the influence and interest of the rest of the world. Many of Geltreis' elite came from the numberless countries in the northwest, and shared their love for independence and tradition. The rule of the merchants had become 'the old way' over the years, it was something to be preserved as the champion of past progress and the force that would guarantee prosperity in the future. Standing alone had become ponderous, tariffs and taxes caused the city to suffer as a result of the larger world's economic rivalries. Money had become the issue, and regardless of political allegiance the merchant kings of Geltreis had a very clearly defined bottom line.
The choice was made by the majority anyway. Geltreis was driven by its common folk into integration with Arcartus, with the handful of Arcarti sympathizers among the nobility leading the way as chosen envoys. The decision was prompted by a change in the Arcarti government some years before, with the resignation of the empire's royal family and the establishment of a national senate called the House of Affairs. Those who had supported the decision found themselves sent as representatives to the House of Affairs, and those who had vied for allegiance with the myriad northwest were penalized under the new rule. For hundreds of years the noble families of Geltreis had competed on a purely economic basis, their rivalries were bitter but their intensity had been constrained by the nature of their occupation. When they took their personal feuds into representative government, they were relentless, and those given the upper hand acted without mercy. Hundreds were forced from their occupations, and entire families were wiped away by poverty and repression as the new governors of Geltreis legislated against them under the guise of majority rule. It did not take long for the populace to become aware of these practices, and no sooner than the pro-Arcarti families were chosen as the people's voices they were just as resented as the westerners had been. For the actions of a few Geltreisians, Arcarti rule became synonymous with tyranny and discrimination in the city. For the part of Arcartus, little intervention ever came from the capital, and the wound upon their relationship with the city was allowed to fester.
Seventy years passed and Geltreis' position in the world remained much the same. Its value as a trade nexus only grew, but the bitterness of the dethroned only fermented into a seething hatred of Arcarti rule. By the year 1153, several incidents of violence had occurred in Geltreis, often assaults against the city's politicians and even a few altercations with members of the Arcarti military sent to garrison Castle Geltreis. A skeleton crew of a few dozen rangers allotted to mind the pass and maintain the aging castle, they lacked influence and the policing of the region was left to the locals. Owing to their policy of remaining on castle grounds and the caustic welcome Geltreis provided to the Arcarti military, the locals took to calling the castle as the Geltreis Hermitage. Geltreis, in accordance with Arcarti law, was free to establish their own militia for the defense of their city and surrounding territory. A few years prior, a man named Martin Tolbert had been sent to the House of Affairs to represent Geltreis' affairs in the empire, and it was the Tolbert family and those loyal to it that represented wealth and power in the city for the time being. As a public service, Tolbert money paid much of the city militia's expenses, and it was a public secret that many among their ranks served the private interests of the Tolberts and their allied families. Their private interests were, of course, the suppression of their competitors. The Beffelet family, among many others, had stayed to struggle through the new era, and as a collective the western families were wealthy enough to defend themselves from the underhanded methods of the new elite. With the only uninvolved Arcartis locked away in Castle Geltreis, the families' rivalry quickly escalated into clandestine warfare. No longer containable in legislature and business practices, their fighting spilled into the back alleys and empty streets. Sellswords and unscrupulous adventurers were drawn to the city by rumors of the conflict and lavish pay offered by old, wealthy families in need of hired muscle. On both sides of the law, Geltreis had become run by organized crime with any attempts at inquiry by the Arcarti government staved off by those governing the city.
The year is 1156, and the families of Geltreis are still free to rage against each other away from the public eye. With each scuffle and stabbing in the city streets they come closer to open conflict. The elite in control of the city savor the security of Arcarti rule, and use their position to remain in power and erase the influence of those who opposed them decades ago. The western families that remain seek the independence of the city, which in their eyes can only come from open rebellion against the tyrants Arcartus has allowed to befoul their once-country. The people of Geltreis, caught between, suffer the affronts of both but have come to resent Arcarti rule all the same for the harm it has done to them and their way of life. The time for an end has come to the feud, each side fears that the Arcarti government will come to dismantle the plutocracy and assume full control of what has become a problematic area, and knows that there will be little warning when it happens. There are rumors of organized rebellion brewing within the city, and those interested in supporting the cause of Geltreisian independence are seeking to band together where they may. Opposing this, the Geltreis militia has been expanded greatly in the past few months. A man named Henry Rosier, a section leader within, has sworn to stamp out organized crime within the city and developed a reputation with the populace for his heavy handed methods. With his authority and apparent backing from above, he seeks volunteers to join the militia's hunt. Those who know of the man claim he is little more than a professional soldier placed at the head of the Tolbert's attack dogs. The reclusive Beffelets have all but disappeared from the public eye, but whispers say the gangs and syndicates are beginning to gather armaments in preparation to retaliate. Both sides are searching desperately for outsiders to fill their ranks, they have become disjointed and segregated into factions even among themselves. All claim to seek justice, and all the city needs is one group bold or stupid enough to begin the end of its story.
Introduction
The alleys were what remained for her. Hallways floored in dirt and stone, surrounded by the looming buildings of Geltreis. Even from behind, the wandering woman could not help but admire the homes she passed by. Wherever one went in the city, the architecture remained beautiful. Wealth tended to have that effect. The newer quarters were distinguished by their brick and stone furnishings and complex modern aesthetics. Wrought iron fences and towering, impressive structures were the way of the future. The rest of Geltreis retained its old but immacuately maintained wooden construction from ages past. Robust log structures erected almost where the lumber had fallen, they had a nostalgiac beauty that radiated through their craftsmanship more than anything else. Their legacy was almost as old as her own, the city and her ancestors had walked hand in hand towards the present. Whether or not it was tragic or fitting that she now spent her time cowering in their shadows, she could not decide. Between bouts of admiring the woodwork she caught glimpses of the city streets outside. The snow that had fallen in the night had been brushed aside, soiled by mud and filth and piled along the sides of the road. It was still early in the morning, most of the people passing by were on their way to the market or their own work. Outside of broad daylight, most people didn't dare to wander alone anymore. Crime had always been what they pointed their fingers at, citing the smugglers as their reason for fear, but the past few years had brought a new name to their lips. A trio of men in dark blue uniforms flashed by one entrance to the alleyways, and she stopped for a moment to make sure they were merely passing by. The new faces of fear in Geltreis, the city's watchmen. They were only doing their job, hunting dangerous people who did their best to blend in with ordinary folk, but it didn't excuse the harm they caused to the ordinary folk as they worked. No longer civil servants, they were soldiers in someone's private war now and no change in Geltreis marked the decline of civil order so succinctly. No one came wandering in, and with only the silent homeless to accompany her morning walk, Karcine Beffelet moved on. Like the rest of the masses confronting the morning chill, she was going to the market.
She froze at the threshold, one foot back in the alley and the next just beginning to venture out onto the cobblestone. The market of Geltreis stretched before her. It was a round area, a large plaza populated by a few scattered buildings and crossed by roads for the carriages and wagons that came through regularly. Stalls and tents replaced traditional structures there. They were as colorful as any others in the world but more sturdily constructed than what most people were used to seeing on account of the cold. Castle Geltreis stood close by, a stone fort built around a spire which served to survey the surrounding countryside. What Geltreis had for its city center was more than the average bazaar or arcade, it was the face of commerce that allowed the far more important and far more filthy business to be conducted throughout the rest of the city. She began to walk, holding her coat about her as she blurred into the crowd. Amidst the foreigners and innocent folk just going about their business, there was little chance that someone would recognize one of the Beffelet daughters, even one of the more noteworthy people to bear the name. Covered by so many wandering eyes, the open market was the closest thing the city had to neutral ground. Even if she was seen here by someone with enough of an agenda against her to care, some wandering gloryhound for the Tolberts that wished to drag her in for any number of invented reasons, they wouldn't dare to act where the truth could be witnessed. The same went for her she supposed, but no petty rivalry could distract her from the importance of the day's work. The snow that covered the streets was a sure sign that her time had come, because now it only littered the roads rather than fell from the heavens. Weeks of the winter's fury had fallen upon Geltreis in the depths of the season, but it was the beginning of a new year now and with time the snow had ceased to fall. During the deep winter, only well equipped caravans and dedicated travelers braved the roads. Now that the weather was fair for travelling again, adventurers following nothing but whimsy would be bringing themselves to the struggling city. Some of them already knew of what was going on, of the gangs and the crime families that begged for hired hands, others would find out. The green clad woman had no intention of drawing a distinction between the two, both could be bought and both she needed equally. Naturally, there were others like herself in the crowd. People who also saw opportunity in others and wished to rise to power. They were indistinguishable from the rest of the gaily colored crowd, milling about and watching all of the colorful travellers being welcomed to their city. Despite that, she could still feel them there, a creeping sensation that could have easily just been the cold. A procession of wagons, carriages, and even lone horses had begun to snake its way through the market's streets, newcomers that had finally been granted entrance as the morning watch reached their posts. It was doubtless that a number of them had already been recruited, for some cause or another. For a moment, she wondered if it was not Geltreis being used. The thought made them less innocent, more legitimate targets, but whether she liked it or not she had to find several amongst them that would do.
Factions of Geltreis:
This list will be updated as the situation develops.
The Tolberts and Arcarti sympathizers:
The Tolberts are the most prominent family that backed integration with Arcartus. For their part in the process, members of their family have continually managed to secure election as Geltreis' representative in the House of Affairs. A handful of other old families stand beside them, but for the most part it was the people who backed their decision to align with the empire. The people's opinion on the union has changed with the obvious misuse of authority it has brought, and their base of power is now maintained through strong arm tactics at the hands of their personal army within the city guard. They claim to be champions of the peace and seek to eradicate the crime families and gangs that have recently become popular in the city. Conveniently enough, they are eradicating their former competition who were forced to either leave Geltreis or enter a life of crime under the new government.
The Beffelets and western sympathizers:
The numerous merchant families of Geltreis who once enjoyed great influence over the city's government. When the people of Geltreis chose Arcarti rule and empowered the Tolberts they were forced from their legitimate businesses and those who attempted to resist through legal means were silenced, some more harshly than others but all outside the bounds of the law. They now use their remaining fortunes to combat Arcarti rule in Geltreis and do so in ever increasing cooperation with the ordinary citizens. They have become crime families either to survive or to directly confront order where it has been used against them. They claim to be champions of the people's justice while they clash with the town guard and seek to overthrow the local government. Their actions within the city have grown increasingly violent in recent times, owing to their practice of hiring mercenaries to handle their dirty work.
The Empire of Arcartus:
Blissfully unaware of the failure of their regional governing system, the government of Arcartus has been kept at bay by the Tolberts and their influence for quite some time. However, no matter how much false information reaches the House of Affairs and how many palms were greased along the way, rumblings of unrest are gradually turning heads in the capital. The silence of the Geltreis garrison has gone from comforting to unsettling in a short span of time. The eyes of the government are slowly focusing on the city, and their investigative ministrations will not be far behind. Both sides have much to fear from the arrival of the Gendarmerie of Arcartus, or worse yet, the military proper. With few exceptions, the Arcarti government is indifferent to the conflict at Geltreis, and the only reaction that can be guaranteed from it is to seek to preserve stability and legal representative rule within its borders.
Rules:
1: General etiquette is the rule. Don't powerplay, don't control other people's characters, and above all else respect each other. You're not expected to get along with everyone all the time, that's what a group dynamic is, but outside of the roleplay we're all on the same team.
2: Please remain active in the roleplay. If you cannot post for a few days simply notify me so that I can keep the roleplay moving and keep your character involved.
3: If you have an issue regarding content or behavior with another player or with me, please communicate with me. The OOC is there for that sort of thing, and as a GM I will be happy to lend you my ear no matter what, but in dealing with other players always remain civil.
4: This thread will always remain open for new players.
5: Please abide all forum rules.
Character Sheet:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Clothing/Armor:
Weapons/Belongings:
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History:
Feel free to amend this format as you see fit to establish your character better.
Player list:
Character Name / User name / Post Link
Halyn LaKruz / DrowsyPangolin / Post Link
John Preston / Sightles / Post Link
Jacob Preston / Sightles / Post Link
Felix Nikephoros / MZambos / Post Link
Dalia Harker / ravenDivinity Post Link
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