Thieves Be We Group RP (Under Construction)

[MimiDumpling]

UNDER CONSTRUCTION



This RP is built for the Newcomer Group to play together as a way to get to know each other better. At the moment this RP isn't open to people outside the group but that may change. :) From now on I will put all updates for the RP here :)

I would love to hear any feedback or comments on this so feel free to chime in or send me a pm. :)






*I have a version of the map that doesn't have labels or districts on it if you need it.*


Thieves Be We

An authoritarian Emperor rules his lands with an iron fist. The people live in despair and the Empire’s neighbors tremble in its shadow. Yet the Empire is old and its convoluted web of corrupt officials and deep-seated feuds between powerful families has made it sickly. Within the halls of the Imperial Palace are whispers of dissent. Powerful individuals plot to carve out kingdoms of their own, the peasants simmer with rage and hunger, and a small collection of intellectuals, who call themselves The Movement, plot something grander. Something that will change the world. In order for their plan to succeed however they will require the assistance of less than desirable folk. When freedom cannot be won by valor or bought with gold it must be stolen. Can a motley crew of thieves be trusted with the Empire's destiny? Will they be liberators and revolutionaries, cruel usurpers, or simply yet another failed rebellion?

Despite their small numbers and deep secrecy, the influence of The Movement is vast. Foreign kings, Imperial commanders, and locally respected farmers brush shoulders in the tense, secretive meetings held throughout the Empire. One such prestigious member is Princess Viorica the Younger, twelfth daughter of Emperor Adronicus himself. The Movement has granted her the responsibility of preparing the strategically critical city of Maldomus for revolution. Under the pretense of seeking a suitable husband among the Empire’s more neglected noble families, Princess Viorica works in secret with Movement contacts to send a message to the seedy underworld of Maldomus.

A wealthy patron known as V is seeking a talented and discrete team of thieves, killers, and spies for hire. The rumors of V’s intent and identity range from the Emperor himself fooling rebels to a violent king of crime seeking to expand his territory. Whoever the mysterious V is, they are being treated as legitimate clients by some of the most powerful criminals in the city and the promise of land, silver, and title seems a once in a lifetime opportunity to many in the decaying city of Maldomus.

About the Empire

Coming soon. :)

The Districts of Maldomus

Royal Grounds


Officially property of the Emperor, the Royal Grounds of Maldomus is a quiet and highly secure stronghold for the city’s elite. With its imposing inner walls and brilliant red brick buildings it seems almost mystical next to the grimy plaster and poorly maintained clay rooftops of the rest of the city. Entry to the Royal Grounds requires permission from the Governor's House and the majority of Maldomus will never walk on its grounds. Having been under the care of the High Lord Felix for decades it sports a well maintained garden, elaborate walking maze, and a man-made pond filled with imported exotic fish. It sits atop a rise that brings it above the smog of the Forge district across the river.

Spoiler: More Info 

Beyond the vibrant grounds and carefully placed guard posts is Maldomus Manor, the seat of Imperial power in the city and Maldomus’s second largest building next to St. Padrig’s Cathedral. It serves as a stronghold in defense of the city, housing for guests of status, and the administrative center as well as a venue for lavish balls, feasts, and soirées. Within its walls the city’s most powerful rub elbows and weave intricate webs of intrigue with words like poisoned honey. Despite it’s glamor and mystique to the locals the Royal Grounds of Maldomus pale in comparison to those found in the greater cities of the empire and it receives few visitors or recognition.

Funds have been collected for years to build vital infrastructure on Governer’s Island, the small island that sits in between the two sides of the Maldo River. No effort has been made to bolster the vital flow of goods along the river. The island instead acts as a private retreat for the wealthy. During events on the island the river is tightly regulated and only specific traders possess the licenses necessary to make use of the river. High Lady Sabina is well known for using this to her advantage by throwing lengthy parties and forcing those out of her favor to risk conducting their trade via caravan along Maldomus’s bandit-ridden roads.

The elite of Maldomus wear extravagant outfits with spilling lace, gold embroidery, set gems, and on some days may change their outfit several times to suit their social needs. The women wear tight corsets decorated with ribbons and gold studs. They prefer tight fits and revealing necklines and weir their hair up in intricate designs woven with gold chains, gemstone beads, and gaudy hairpins. The men wear long coats fashioned after Imperial officer’s uniforms decorated with gold embroidery, gemstones set in large gold buttons, and tassel shoulders. They often cary dueling sword-canes or wear ornate daggers while the women carry elaborate silk parasols, many of which contain dueling swords as well though duels between women are less common. The elite often wear the Imperial black accented by gold and typically only add small bits of color such as a crimson handkerchief. The exception to this is the lavish balls where they wear wildly colorful and elaborate outfits and gem covered masks designed to display their wealth.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

High Lord Felix Decimus

The official governor of Maldomus, Lord Felix is a quiet and timid man who prefers to spend his time in the gardens or his private library. Among the elite of Maldomus he is seen as a weak puppet to his wife, High Lady Sabina. Little respect is given to him away from the public eye and due to his nervous nature he prefers it this way, leaving his wife to manage the city. The people of Maldomus have been convinced he is a wise and compassionate scholar with their best interest at heart thanks to the efforts of his wife and his family’s connection to Imperial Blood.

High Lady Sabina Decimus

High Lady Sabina is a bitter and cruel woman who sees common folk as nothing more than a resource and all influential people as threats to her own power. She had been married off at a young age to elevate the status of her family. She was quickly disappointed with her husband and immediately determined to make her own power in Maldomus. Over the two decades as the governor’s wife she has managed to secure strong alliances with the guilds and gangs that run the streets of Maldomus. As a result she has managed to insulate herself and utilizes extravagant balls and grand hunts to maintain her connections and manage her interests.

Silver District

Those of low blood who are fortunate enough to establish a bit of wealth in Maldomus congregate in the Silver District. The buildings are taller here and in better repair than can be seen elsewhere. Stern faced guardsmen patrol the streets for any sign of discontent and are quick to remove anyone who looks as if they don’t belong there. There are no official restrictions on who may enter the Silver District but it is well understood to the citizenry of Maldomus that it’s best to stay away from the Silver District if you don’t live or work there.

Spoiler: More Info 

The residents of the Silver District live in constant envy of the truly wealthy and attempt to dress up their homes by adding painted brick accents to their foundations and expensive fencing for their tiny but neatly arranged gardens. Image and reputation is everything in the Silver District and so its residents are far more concerned with the latest fashions and literature than the struggles of the lower classes. In recent years more foreign-born citizens have managed to purchase property in the Silver District, causing tension among its native Imperials. It’s not uncommon to find a foreigner’s garden trampled or expensive glass windows smashed while the Imperial guards turn a blind eye.

Their clothing is a careful mix of cheaper materials and bits of silk accents such as vests or sashes. The women prefer suggestive dresses with dark corsets and deep necklines. Elaborate silver jewelry set with gemstones marks their status and they carry stylish parasols to protect them from the sun and rain. The men also mimic royalty, wearing knee-length coats that cross the chest with large buttons, usually made of silver or polished bronze. Modeled after the dress uniforms of the Imperial military, their clothing tends to be more sturdy than the womens. Most men however prefer to add embroidery, lace, and colored stripes to their coats and wear broad leather belts with large expensive buckles to add flair. The men who have served in the legions commonly carry their sword when conducting business or attending events. In compliance with Imperial law a black ribbon is kept tied around the hilt and scabbard unless dueling or in self defense.

In contrast to their xenophobia the residents of the Silver District love exotic spices and cuisine. Many small tea houses, cafes, restaurants, taverns, and wineries can be found along its streets proudly displaying relics of the Empire’s conquered enemies. For those who know, more sinister pleasures can be found in hidden back rooms and unassuming houses controlled by the various crime organizations of Maldomus.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

Guildmaster Zawar the Pragmatic

The Empire is vast and, over centuries, has swallowed entire cultures whole. The common folk of the empire is a diverse tapestry of people from all over the known world. Foreigners of all shapes, sizes, and colors can be seen in any Imperial city. The gilded halls of the Empire’s most powerful however belong to true Imperials. Zawar took exception to this. With careful and calculated efficiency he managed to turn a small fortune into a sturdy network of shops, inns, brothels, and warehouses throughout the Market. Zawar delights himself in using his wealth to humble Imperials and therefore the vast scope of his wealth is only matched by his long list of enemies and rivals.

The Grand Market

The Grand Market is the greed-ridden, wilted heart of Maldomus’s shattered economy. Though the Empire is wealthy and produces far more than what it needs, the prices of the market are dangerously high. The violent organizations that control it’s hundreds of stalls and shops charging whatever they like so long as proper dues are paid to those in power. Crime runs rampant and its streets become a deadly maze at sunset. Though only a diseased shadow of what it could be, the market still manages to provide a wide variety of goods and services to the people of Maldomus. It is said that the only thing one cannot find in The Grand Market is an honest man.

Spoiler: More Info 

Haphazardly smashed alongside the shops and brothels are well constructed but poorly maintained single story homes made of wood, plaster, clay, and stone. Due to the price of materials and dangerous streets the more prominent homes have small outer walls painted bright colors and topped with tin-capped wooden spikes. Vagrants and drifters clogg its side streets and narrow alleyways. To be arrested unlawfully or taken in the night is a fact of life for most of the market’s poorest. In an effort to be remembered, the homeless of the market paint or carve their names on the buildings, creating a jarring tapestry of chaotic graffiti throughout the district.

Fashion is the method of choice in the Grand Market for displaying your status, success, and allegiance. The women wear thin, clinging linens made to resemble the luxurious silks of the wealthy. They often decorate their hemlines with bits of lace and wear bronze jewelry with colored glass in place of gemstones. The men are often bare chested in summer or wearing open neck long sleeve shirts with colored vests to signify their loyalty to whichever gang dominates their life. Though the men don’t wear much jewelry they tend to add much more lace to their clothing and openly carry broad-bladed knives of Imperial design. Due to the natural height of Imperials, many of the men wear boots with raised heels to increase their height.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

The Matron

The Matron of the Market is considered a myth by most. She has also been referred to as the Goddess of Thieves and Queen of Killers. The Matron and her people are very real however and their seemingly endless gang of thugs, cutthroats, and pickpockets can be found all over the city. It is said that if one wishes to serve the matron all they have to do is steal. Her true identity is unknown though over decades there have been many pretenders who found themselves victims of fatal accidents.

Calbhach Three-Fingers

The gang called Calbhach’s Hounds is somewhat of a local legend in Maldomus. Calbhach himself is considered a hero to the residents of the Market. He is famous for using his ill-gotten gains to give back to the people of the city, distributing stolen food and blankets every winter. This is all an illusion however and the truth of Calbach’s Hounds is far more sinister. They have their hands in every bit of the most unsavory business in the city from slave trading to assassinations.

Low Commander Jurian the Butcher

For a lowborn of Imperial blood there are few paths. Though far better than being a foreigner, the common Imperials rarely rise above their status. Jurian was one of the few, carving a bloody reputation for himself as legionnaire. He gained the rank of Low Commander, the highest afforded to someone of his birth, and took command of The Market Garrison in Maldomus. Now nearing old age he has built a small kingdom of his own with most of the Market guard under his direct influence. Other than occasional skirmishes with the more powerful gangs of the city he dominates the petty criminals and innocent citizenry of the Market with extortion, false imprisonment, and seizure of property. His strong alliance with Bishop Jovian ensure those with more prestigious bloodlines leave him to his plans and in return he fills the countryside monasteries, little more than disguised slave labor camps, with fresh workers taken from his jail.

Southern Burrows

During the early days of Maldomus the Southern Burrows were simply an extension of the Grand Market. It was here that the unskilled laborers of the city constructed their homes. As the agricultural industry outside the south eastern gate continued to grow the wealthier farmers built homes and storehouses in the burrows as well. As the urban and rural lower class merged the district began to reflect their culture. Encouraging verses from The Holy Word promoting safety, hard work, and temperance are displayed on well crafted signs across the district.

Spoiler: More Info 

The people of the Southern Burrows prefer humble and earthly colors. Their small wooden homes are decorated with old family tools and religiously motivated wood carvings. Though the residents place great importance on maintaining their property, quality materials are very expensive and many plaster buildings have been patched with whittle and daub and covered with thick burlap sheets.

The residents prefer simple and sturdy clothing, rejecting the lace and thinner colored linens for strong wool in calm browns and greens. The women are modest with high necklines and long skirts and wear their hair in carefully arranged buns while the men commonly wear thick wool jumpers with broad, high waisted trousers that can be tucked into boots against cold or left untucked to provide a relief from heat. Like most men in the empire they prefer soldierly haircuts and thick, square beards.

Hard work and peace is valued above all else with the Farmer’s Guild at the front of their community. Despite its relative order compared to the rest of the city it can still be quite dangerous, especially at night. Criminals and desperate vagrants often come down from the Market and extremist volunteer militias, funded by the Farmer’s Guild, can be quite brutal when driving them out. There are many times where an outsider isn’t given the opportunity to explain themselves or are assumed to be lying and so decent outsiders avoid the area as well.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

Trademaster Grigore

Trademaster Grigore is the de facto leader of the Southern Burrows. He leads the Farmer’s Guild and takes his duty to the common folk very seriously. His mother was a foreigner, greatly limiting his potential within the current hierarchy and so he has spent his life empowering himself and his comrades via careful deals, sabotage, and bribery. As a result he has managed to transform the Southern Burrows, once simply an extension of the crime-ridden Market, into a thriving urban community. So great was the love of the Burrows for Grigore that the Governor granted him the title of Trademaster, giving Grigore authority over the goods coming in from the agricultural heartland of the Empire.

St. Padrig’s Cathedral

Located on the serene Bellum Island, the towering white walls of St. Padrig’s cathedral stand pure in the heart of the city. It’s tall stained glass windows depict the great feats of St. Padrig, a crusader from long ago. It houses a massive bell, gifted by the Emperor himself, that rings the hour as well as calls for morning and evening prayer. The island also contains a large park with walking paths, towering trees, and hidden gazebos for private conversation. Stones describing the deeds and will of the Gods can be found throughout the garden and are believed by the faithful to be placed by the Gods themselves.

Spoiler: More Info 

Given the nature of their gods, the island, as well as the cathedral, place a heavy importance on the number 3 and the inverted triangle. At the top is Jos on the right and Ri on the left, while Ix lies below them in opposition. Three towering pillars mark three points on the island and every room in the cathedral has the symbol of Ix on the floor opposite the symbols of Jos and Ri above on the ceiling. The inverted triangle is believed to be a powerful symbol of balance between the gods and will protect true believers from Ix’s wicked torments.

The priests that live in the cathedral and the island’s monastery wear the traditional toga of the Empire’s earliest days and thick leather sandals. Their heads are shaved, men and women, and the inverted triangle is tattooed on their forehead. Though Ix is hated by all believers the clergy still make offerings to it and some of the more fanatical will brand the symbol of Ix over their heart to show it that they are not afraid.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

Bishop Jovian

A decaying city wouldn’t be complete without a morally bankrupt Bishop to manage the spirits of its people. Bishop Jovian fills this role with eager delight, indulging in any dark desire he pleases. As a Bishop he has the authority of the Emperor and the Gods behind him and is therefore one of the most powerful and feared men in the city. Utilizing church funded monasteries filled with unwilling workers he has amassed considerable wealth. With all his power however he seeks only to indulge himself and only exercises his authority if necessary to satisfy his desires.

Spoiler: Religion Details 

The official (and only accepted) faith in the Empire is polytheistic with three deities. First among the gods is Jos, king of all and judge of mankind. He symbolizes masculinity, strength, and dominance and is the most favored god among pure-blooded Imperials. HIs gospels are filled with conquest, bloodshed, and glory and it is believed that all military victories are due to his favor. His counterpart and wife, the Goddess Ri, symbolizes femininity, cunning, and deception. Her gospels tell of how she was once equal to Jos and, in her pride, attempted to usurp him as first among the gods. Jos is described as defeating her with force of will alone and made her his wife so that she would always serve him. For many generations the Gospel of Ri was used to oppress women and impose male superiority. With modernization and the rise of educated noble women however the gospel has been reinterpreted as an act of great humility and motivated by love rather than punishment. Lastly is Ix, the outsider. Sickness, hunger, sadness, misfortune, and all other unpleasant things are the work of Ix. Without Ix there is no death or suffering and so the primary goal of the faithful is to serve Jos in the afterlife in his endless war against Ix, so that all (Imperial) people may live forever, free of misery.

The Forge District

Throughout it’s history the Empire has rarely seen lasting peace. Conquerors and warriors are valued most in Imperial society but a close second are the artisans that craft the terrifying weapons of the Empire. Martial technology has always been the Empire’s sharpest fang and such reverence is reflected in the industrial sectors of its cities. Massive compounds work day and night forging tools and weaponry for the front. Soot clogs the air and collects along the roads like snow. The sky is obscured by smoke and the buildings are gray with streaks of grime. Most buildings here are made of large cobblestone or red brick and are arranged less chaotically than other districts.

Spoiler: More Info 

Residents of this district almost all work in the manufacturing compounds in some way. The majority of them are unpaid laborers who work in exchange for room and board and, in many cases, as part of criminal sentencing which can sometimes extend through generations. This has bred a unique culture of meekness and apathy within the district, most residents working for up to 16 hours a day. There is little conversation or revelry found in the Forge district, with those who still have the spirit, energy, and coin crossing the river to the Market for indulgences.

Living in the Forge district has been described as living in prison, the authorities working diligently to keep the workers subdued and compliant. There is also a large population of guardsmen and legionnaires due to the strategic value of the district. The 89th Legion is garrisoned in the center and maintains near-autonomous control of the district and various guard barracks are found among the stout stone housing buildings of the laborers.

Residents often wear cloth face masks and prefer loose, comfortable clothing of cheap material such as burlap. Fashion is not a luxury the residents can afford and any finery is quickly ruined by soot. The men wear trousers, thick boots, and prefer short sleeved shirts while the women wear knee length skirts and light blouses. A lot of women will embroider flowers or small patterns on their handkerchief and add patches of colored cloth to their skirts. When a young man is after the heart of a young woman in the Forge district he gives her a bit of fabric. If she’s interested she will sew it on her skirt.

On the very rare occasions that the residents are given a respite they hold elaborate festivals, usually as a street or neighborhood. Bits of cloth are hung from windows and from rope across rooftops and communities gather to share what precious little luxuries they have such as homemade grain alcohol, biscuits sweetened with river algae, and hold competitions such as foot racing, stone tossing, and wrestling matches.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

Lord Commander Albus

Once referred to as The Toy Soldier, Lord Commander Albus spent the years of his youth being demeaned for his sickly constitution. He used his father’s influence to purchase a commission anyway and nearly died after falling ill in the first month of his first campaign. The shame of his family and an embarrassment to the blood, he was sent to manage a diminished garrison in the middle of nowhere. For fifteen years he ran the garrison as if it were the Imperial Guard’s own. At long last his chance for redemption came when a peasant rebellion brought the industrial city of Aliddum to a staggering halt, choking the Empire’s war machine. With his small country garrison he carried out a guerilla campaign that eventually led to the recapture of the city by Imperial Legions. As a reward he was promoted to Lord Commander and given command over the 49th Legion, specifically tasked with defending Imperial industry in Maldomus.

The Lost Quarter

Ten years ago the southeastern corner of the city was known as the Flower District. It served as a center of art and culture. High Lord Felix, the governor, spent much of his early years as governor sponsoring performers and artists. He would host grand circuses and poured the taxes of the city into filling the Flower District with grand statues and fountains. The most spectacular of his projects was a massive greenhouse, intended to be filled with plants from all over the known world. Then the invaders came.

Spoiler: More Info 

Even before the loss of the Flower District Maldomus was weak and poorly managed and the guard offered little resistance. The southeastern wall was destroyed and the invaders indiscriminately burned and looted the district while the professional Legionnaires defended the Cathedral and Forge. A young officer by the name of Claudius rallied the shattered guard and retook the district, but only after it had been reduced to ruins.

High Lord Felix was devastated by the loss of his life’s work and has since neglected the district, leaving it to look much the same as it did ten years ago. In fact all of Maldomus seems to have abandoned the district excpet Lord Protector Claudius and his guardsmen. As a result it provides a haven for Maldomus’s outcasts and fringe societies. Foreigners, beggars, orphans, and men more beast than human fearfully cower among the hellish ruins and burned out conservatories. The great greenhouse is now a field of glass and rubble and it’s elegant statues marred by grafiti.

Lord Protector Claudius’s bitter administration provides a semblance of order and hierarchy but his authority quickly diminishes the deeper into the ruins one goes. A great number of communities has sprung up since the destruction of the district and warlords compete for territory constantly. As a result it is difficult for the common resident to leave the quarter for fear of being killed or conscripted. On occasion the 89th legion will round up residents to be sent to the forge as laborers but other than that the Lost Quarter remains largely disconnected from the rest of the city.

The residents here are malnourished, sickly, and weathered by hard lives. They wear what rags they can find, decorating them with small bones and stone beads. Some of them wear no clothes at all as they simply do not have any. Occasionally some residents can be seen wearing charred silk shirts or tattered corsets but any item of value is quickly seized by local warlords or thugs. Because of the many treasures that can be found among the ruins, many young people seek adventure and treasure, though few survive the quest. Gangs have also been known to send entire legions of thugs to attempt to seize the great hoards of the warlords but with little success.

At the breach of the southeastern wall Lord Protector Claudius has constructed a wooden fort and reinforced the gap with palisades. The residents closest to the fort are a bit more prosperous as they are able to trade scavenged treasures to guardsmen. The loot can be incredibly valuable but the scavengers barely receive more than a handful of grain or a blanket. In an effort to reduce gang members infiltrating his guards to capitalize on this, Lord Protector Claudius has begun legitimizing salvaging by administering licenses and dedicating trusted quartermasters to manage the exchange. He also administers harsh punishments to any of his men who do not follow procedure.

Spoiler: Notable Residents 

Lord Protector Claudius

Ten years ago invaders attacked Maldomus and quickly destroyed most of the Flower District, Maldomus’s southwestern district. At that time Claudius was a young officer of the Imperial Guard in Maldomus. He managed to rally what was left of the Imperial forces and push the invaders back through the breach. He was swiftly rewarded with the rank of Lord Protector and given command of the entire district following the defeat of the invaders. The money for reconstruction never came however and his heroic idealism faded away. Now he maintains a delicate and tyrannical order among the chaotic mass of ruins, shanties, and criminal strongholds in what is now called the Lost Quarter.

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Spoiler: Notes 

♥ A lot of this has been left intentionally vague or generic so we can tweak the setting as we need after characters are conceived. :)

♥ I imagined this setting as having little to no magic with a focus on very early industrialization technology and an old world facing new ideas sort of vibe. The practice of magic such as stage magic or witchcraft would be like it is in our world. Please PM me if you need to discuss this. :)

♥ I will play Princess Viorica (V) and players are welcome to play whatever they like so long as it doesn't conflict with the overall theme of the story or other people's characters.

♥ If you would like to play one of the NPC's listed in "Notable People" send me a pm and we can talk about it. :)

♥ Non-human characters are not allowed. I'm sorry to put a restriction on anything but I believe this is necessary to preserve the setting. If you want to talk about it you are welcome to PM me. :)

♥ I am a beginner and will definitely fail if I try to do this all by myself. I am not looking for any singular control of this story or the NPCs. I'm just providing a place for us to play in. :) Feel free to introduce ideas, events, npcs, w/e so long as it doesn't conflict with the overall setting or other characters. I am starting to realize though that I might have to take more of a leadership role than I thought simply because I created the setting. If you have any advice for me please pm me, I would really appreciate it. :)

♥ I am going to do my best to write for NPCs and the environment and don't expect anyone else to do it unless they want to. Please want to. Please. Lol

♥ If all of this is horrible, boring, generic, and sloppy like my brain tells me it is, just lie to me and tell me I'm awesome please. :)

♥ I know this probably needs a lot more work but I can't think of anything else to add right now. As people react to it and players join (or don't join) I will update it or replace it with a sad picture lol.

♥ I added spoilers to clean it up a little and moved the details on religion to it's own section under St. Padrig's Cathedral :)

♥ Thanks for reading! ♥

[upscalerat]

Thank you for the tag! I am very​ interested in this!

[MimiDumpling]

Thank you for being interested in it :) hopefully we wont have to wait much longer for more people :) I'm going to post a character bio for Viorica some time today. If you want to start making a character that would be great. :) I think that will spark people's interests more too. I think we have more than enough background info now lol. If you have any questions about it or suggestions though just let me know :)

This is the template I use for my characters if you want to use the same one as me. :) Feel free to add more stuff to it though if you need to. :)

Name

Name:
Gender:
Physical Sex:
Orientation:
Pronouns:
Race:
Age:

Personality
Appearance
Skills/Profession
History
Notes

[MimiDumpling]

V

Name: Princess Viorica Evander the Younger
Gender: Female
Physical Sex: Female
Orientation: Straight
Pronouns: She/Her
Race: Imperial Human
Age: 18

Personality

Given her royal blood, V learned the ins and outs of the Empire’s most elite society practically from birth. As the 12th daughter of the Emperor she has always been more of a political asset than anything to her parents and older siblings, all her life being prepared to be married off to placate her father’s subordinates. As a result she displays a calculated demure meekness and strong sense of propriety when among those of her class.

In private and among trusted friends however her true personality shines through. She is a strong willed, ambitious woman with an almost extreme sense of justice. She believes herself to be a champion of common folk and is well known for her charity and sponsorship of the arts. She is incredibly passionate about her ideals and unintentionally affords little merit to any philosophy too different from her own. Like all who are born into wealth and power she is naive to the depth of commoner’s struggles and can be condescending or even cruel at times despite her good intentions.

Appearance

V is of average height for an Imperial woman, standing 5’6”, and has a petite build. Her eyes are a deep gray that appears black in low light, just like her father. She follows the fashion trends set by her elder sisters but has no personal interest in extravagant gowns, corsets, and the like beyond fitting her station. On the rare occasions she will be unseen by others for an extended time she wears tight fighting breeches, high boots, and coats tailored to appear similar to those worn by wealthy men but tailored to suit her femininity. Her hair is a stark black and she prefers to wear it down when in private. At court and day-to-day she sports elaborate buns and braids in accordance with court fashion trends.

Skills/Profession

V is well educated on a wide range of academic subjects such as mathematics, rhetoric, and history as well as the arts. She enjoys painting and is particularly inspired by the few female artists who have left their mark on the Empire. She has a strong love for dance as well and is an eagerly pursued partner at her Father’s feasts and balls. She has been tutored in fencing and performed well under some of the finest instructors in the Empire but has never once been in anything remotely resembling a physical confrontation outside of practice. The strongest of her skills however is her ability to navigate the political world of the Empire, relying on the perception of the court that she is simply a spoiled royal child with no thoughts of her own but dreams of marriage to mask her intricate plans for revolution.

History

V’s father, Emperor Adronicus Adonis, has many children and pays little attention to them save his older sons. Her mother likewise has little interest in her children, spending her time by her husband’s side at the throne. Therefore V had a very lonely childhood, only seeing her family at formal events or occasionally running into them in the halls of the palace. The majority of the people responsible for her during childhood were servants and ladies of the court. Her younger brother, and the youngest of the royal family, spent some time with her but was sent to the War Academy at a very young age.

To combat the loneliness and escape the glittering prison she’d been born into, V began to devour the great sea of books and scrolls of the Imperial Library. It was during that time that she first met Lorekeeper Tatius, an irritable old scholar well known for his controversial opinions as much as his contribution to the scholarly community. From Tatius she learned of lands without kings, women who are emperors, and heard the stories of men and women whose deeds and triumphs had been erased by the Empire.

As she approached womanhood and neared her inevitable faith of marriage she became more enthralled by Tatius’s stories and even began to trade her exquisite jewelry for foreign books and maps despite such contraband being banned by Imperial law. During her quest for forbidden knowledge she caught the attention of The Movement and immediately connected with their cause.

Now a grown woman, her father has begun discussing marriages. As dictated by custom she is expected to travel the Empire and rub elbows with the nobility not privileged enough to spend time at court. This was the perfect opportunity for The Movement to plant her in Maldomus, a city critical for their plans, and V accepted her mission without hesitation. She has been living in Maldomus Manor, using her wealth to build contacts throughout the city's underworld in secret, searching for a team she can trust to care more about gold than honor or country.

[upscalerat]

Kear

Name: Kear Gale
Gender: Female
Physical Sex: Female
Orientation: Bisexual
Pronouns: She/her
Race: Imperial Human
Age: 27

Personality
Kear is rather rough around the edges. She has something of a brash personality, generally preferring to be blunt and straightforward over tact. However, the woman is also cunning and cautious, and knows when to change how she plays her cards- when to be polite, when to stroke an ego, and how to keep her enemies close. While she isn't quite fearless, she certainly is steadfast, and a rock in troubled times.

Amongst her close friends, she has an easy smile and an easier laugh. She wouldn't hesitate to risk it all for the people that she loves, and is generally proactive in attempting to solve any worries that they might have. Conversely, she has difficulty opening up to them and allowing them to do the same; Kear feels that her burdens are her own, and no one else needs to bear them, while happily taking on others'.

Appearance
Kear is on the taller side for a woman, standing at 5'9". She has a lithe build, which can amount to something of an unassuming appearance. Her eyes a greyish shade of green, and she has long, brown hair that she often wears tied up. When she is being especially discrete, she will go so far as to pin it up into a tight bun, so that it has no chance of getting in her eyes or acting as a grabbing point for any potential enemies. She wears leather for all of her boots, armguards, pants, and vest, as a form of armor that isn't too restricting to move around in, and is quiet. Furthermore, she wears her belt as a sash across her chest, upon the band of which she keeps the sheath to her dagger.

Skills/Profession
Kear never received any formal education, and is decidedly lacking when it comes to book-smarts. However, she more than makes up for this with her street-skills: she can read people extremely well, as well as keep her own in a fight. She is also very quick to learn the lay of the land- of course, her experience in the Grand Market helps for that district; but even in a new building or area of the city, she can quickly construct a mental map of where a passageway should let out, or where a room should lie. Furthermore, she is rather observant, a skill that often comes in handy. Aside from the above mentioned, which is all a great help to her in her life as a thief, Kear also enjoys cooking and making music. Finally, she has also picked up some skill with numbers, again due to how often she has spent time around merchants.

History
Kear was raised by a woman who ran a brothel in the Grand Market. Kear knows this woman is not her birth mother; Kear's birth parents were, to her best guess, likely farmers in the Southern Burrows or merchants living near the border, and likely lost their lives in some skirmish or another. Kear does have a vague memory of being a child, only a few years old, and very upset when she met Marsa, the woman who raised her. Having a business under her belt meant that Marsa often only made sure that Kear had a bed to sleep in and food to eat, but it was enough.

Kear spent much of her childhood being taught the lay of the land by other children who lived nearby. They would fight and bicker and play with equal amounts of force; one young boy even took the time to teach the rest of them their letters. These years were fun, but ultimately forgettable. At some point, Kear and her friends fell into petty theft, stealing apples and pastries to share here and there- and being quite messy about the whole ordeal. It wasn't long until Kear was caught and marched before Marsa.

Upon discovering that it had taken Kear several months to get caught, and that Kear would rarely, if ever, keep all of her spoils to herself, Marsa confessed to Kear that the brothel was more of a front than not; it was an information post for the thieves' guild, of which Marsa herself was a rather important member. From that point, Marsa took Kear more fully under her wing, and instructed her in how to better watch her own back and utilize the guild's resources, as well as contribute towards its causes.

After a decade of growing and proving herself to be invaluable to the guild, Marsa offered Kear another confession- that she wanted to retire, and she wanted her charge to replace her. Only twenty four at the time, Kear was reluctant to take on quite so much responsibility; but she was ultimately convinced to take up the mantle with the promise that Marsa, now as a less active member, and more focused on the brothel, would still be there for her to seek advice if needed. Since then, Kear has assumed Marsa's responsibilities, though this handover is unknown to the rest of the city.

Other
A mask that Kear wears for heists. She also wears a short, brown cloak with a hood while stealing on official business, to protect her identity on the rare instance that she is seen.