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| Action Id: 4186 | Crisis: | Participants: Gerald, Rook, Carita, Sydney and Evangeline | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: June 10, 2020, 1:38 a.m. | Public: True | GM: Kalakh |
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Action by Gerald
With affairs as they are, Gerald is going to work to help the populace of the Lowers,
hopefully reducing the general tension and making certain that people do not starve to death. As one
of the 'new men', Gerald feels responsible for helping those in need, his general philanthropy
insufficient of the hour. Moreover, he was born poor, scrabbling in the dirt. He knows what it is to
scrabble for bones and scraps from refuse piles.
He was born on the streets and though he lives in the Uppers, places like the Lowers are in his
blood. He knows these people. It is there that he will start. Seeking out those that have need,
finding the commonalities and seeking to make it feasible and affordable.
Yet, as one of the new men, he knows others of that ilk. To them, he will make a call to help see
that the Lowers are provided for in this time of need. That staples are provided without gouging. In
this, he will remind them of the horrors of a revolt of a populace and the prestige that such
charity will grant.
For those that wish to aid, he will happily serve as a front-man, making certain that the funds and
resources go to the places that might best benefit from such.
He will also make his personal caravel available for assisting with transshipping those resources through local areas, such as Brighthold.
Finally, he is going to reach out to those he knows. Those that he has helped over the years (the
ones that have gone on to success) and request their assistance.
Action by Sydney
The Lowers are a familiar locale for Sydney, and her actions during the dockyard riot have likely not gone unnoticed by the Lowers at whole. They've rallied against her before, as early as her early fighting days, when she took the title of People's Choice in the final Peoples' Tournament that Josephine Arcuri would ever hold, and as recently as winning a Southport Brawl armed only with her bare hands, and donating the winnings to aid people of the Lowers with their medical care.
Having her along may ease any of the suspicion being cast their way for this venture, and make certain that if anyone doubts the veracity of this cause, they need only look to her for reassurance that this isn't the sort of poisoned promises they've been dealt in the past.
Action by Evangeline
As Softest Whisper, Evangeline is well connected in the city of Arx. She knows people who have means and knows exactly how to "twist the knife" so to speak, to get them to spill funds. By now they've heard her rags to riches story, the tale of how she was given a helping hand and how she is now in pursuit of paying that kindness forward. Look at how wonderful things have turned out for Evangeline! Wouldn't they want to have their hand in changing the lives of others for the better? Eva continues to praise and herald her benefactor after all these years. There is no greater gift than giving.
Action by Rook
As Crown Minister of Coin, Rook is in a unique position to support efforts to make the prices of staples reasonable for struggling folk. He is also in a unique position as head of the Silver Consortium to sustain that flow of goods by leveraging the network of merchants and caravan leaders to find routes overland to bring a higher balance of neccessities to Arx.
Action by Carita
Born in the Lowers herself, and a proud member of the silver consortium, as well as numerous connections through her time rebuilding her County, when Gerald reached out to her, Carita snatched up the opportunity to help. She reaches out to her people on Darkwater to negotiate with some of the merchants, encouraging the prices for things like salted fish and other food to be lowered so that the Lowers can be adequately fed. She accepted the help of others when Darkwater was decimated during the Gyre war, she has considered it a personal goal to repay that kindness.
Result
Gerald Wilkerson is a man who dragged himself out of the Lowers through pure talent and drive, but he remembers where he came from, and, more importantly, remembers the people who haven't been so fortunate. He's well known in the Lowers, and most of that reputation may be surprisingly good to those who have joined him on this endeavor, but Sydney's there to ensure that where it isn't, and where her presence isn't enough, a few jaws get cracked. It's the language of the Lowers, after all. Sometimes some people need to hear it before they get the message. Evangeline lives up to the Whisper name; she convinces, and quietly. Often, the people she speaks to don't even realize she's done so, they merely feel inspired to do their part. And others feel it a little...more. When it comes to words, there's steel beneath her silk. She knows how to use it. Carita is louder, but no less skilled. She has leverage, and she uses it to great effect, with many new contracts negotiated between Arx and Darkwater for the sake of lowering prices, and many others renegotiated when she pulls on the strings of the Silver Consortium. And when it comes to Rook, Crown Minister of Coin AND head of the Silver Consortium, it's very hard to politely say no. As it turns out, it's rather hard to say no at all.
Those who do manage to resist every effort this group makes, on the other hand, tend to end up with a lot of expensive things missing from their lavish homes, their shops, their stands, and sometimes even straight off of their person in broad daylight.
Together, they not only bring in yet more food to feed the vast need in the Lowers, but they settle hot tempers, they ease resentments, and they get nearly all of the merchants who have not already been convinced to lower their prices on staple goods to do so, and they manage it without sparking more anger and distrust.