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HRHR: NATIONAL CONVENTION.
national convention;
guess which one of our mods has been wanting
to do this mission since september.
to do this mission since september.
Oh dear god they're trying to kill the king.
That's bad, maybe, but the real worst thing is that they're trying to kill the king too early.
It's still late in 1792, in Paris, not yet near Christmas. Louis' trial is supposed to be in December, his execution in January. COST needs to slow this process down, hopefully so the king can be killed at the right time.
The best way to do this, it seems, is to speak with the most influential members of the National Convention, and attempt to get them to change their minds.
This is a differently structured HRHR mission than last time. There are twelve signup slots for this mission, two for each member of the national convention you guys need to convince to either stall or halt the convention. The difficulty level isn't going to be based on a particular skill, so much as the personality of whichever Natl. Convention member you choose, and the plan you come up with to convince them. Is it an argument? An appeal to reason? Will you try to intimidate them? Scare them into compliance? It's all up to you. You and whoever you'll be working with will need to come up with a plan by Friday the 25th, so we can give you the difficulty and roll the outcome.
Feel free, in that time, to ask us whatever questions you like. You're also allowed to give us your plan early, and we'll tell you the assumed difficulty; if you don't like those numbers, you're free to come up with another plan, and try for different numbers. You can do this as many times as you like until Friday.
Not turning in a plan by Friday results in an automatic failure. Failures won't weigh on the character, but they will inch the king closer to dying way ahead of schedule, which will have ramifications on the game's future.
Because this is a big and oddly structured mission, please feel free to talk it out as much as you like with the mods and your fellow players. Questions and suggestions and collaboration and creativity are highly encouraged!
Without further tl;dr, let's introduce you to the National Convention's key players:
⏩ DANTON
When the king's execution was announced, Danton famously thundered, "The kings of Europe would dare challenge us? We throw them the head of a king!" A large, intense man with extreme views, some credit him with plotting, or at least aiding, the September Massacres, though no definitive evidence has ever materialized. One thing is for sure: they certainly aligned with his own wishes, and he did nothing to hinder their progress.
Danton's motives for wanting the king dead are simple: it will strengthen the revolution, and make it that much harder for monarchism to be reinstituted in France. Likewise, he believes the king must die for the crime of monarchism; he believes monarchism is in itself a crime. He also believes France is influencing the world in its every action, and thus, those actions must reflect the symbolic future of Europe as a whole. Danton, finally, is famously deeply in love with his wife, and brags about sleeping with her with some frequency.
Many agree with this assessment, and Danton has serious influence within the voting body. He is considered one of the heads of the Montaigne ('The Mountain') political club, and his vote will sway many of those who share his opinions.
⏩DAVID
Jacques-Louis David is the premier painter of France, and has been for some time, and will be for some time after this. His paintings are well known all over France, and he is possibly the best known artist in the entire country.
David painted for the Ancien Regime, and when the Revolution is over, he will paint for Napoleon. A political opportunist, it's unknown if he truly has political convictions of any sort. What we do know is that he's set and determined to ride this out as best he can, while maintaining his artistic endeavors and continuing to be possibly one of the most influential artists in French history.
His vote will influence those who admire him and his art, and those numbers aren't few.
⏩PHILIPPE EGALITE
Also known as Duke Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans, Egalite gave up his title and his ties to nobility when the revolution gained speed. He chose a new surname, Egalite, to reflect this new life he would lead.
Most historians agree that Egalite voted to kill his own cousin (did we mention that? He's Louis' cousin) as a measure of self preservation. He wished to show, despite his heritage, how committed to the Revolution he was. However, at the time of the trial, some saw his vote as an attempt to make a move on the throne himself, since he was technically still in the line of succession.
His vote might not influence many-- his heritage is well known, and either vote has a conveniently venal excuse. However, if he can be inspired to give a truly moving speech when he votes, that may change. You never know what can happen in Revolutionary France, and after all; every vote counts.
⏩MARAT
Writer of a famous publication (L'Ami du Peuple, the Friend of the People), Marat is famously bloodthirsty and incendiary. His writings consistently call for violence and whip the people up into a furies and riots. He is hugely influential on every scale, and politically aligned with both Robespierre and Danton… for now, at least.
His zeal for bloodshed will make him tremendously difficult to convince without some kind of divine intervention. His thoughts on the execution of the king (written after the fact) can be found here for the curious, but it's not required reading by any stretch.
If Marat's vote was to go against the king's execution, it's unknown how huge an impact this would have. His vote is all but assured, assumed pro-execution by virtually all at the convention and all those that read his publications. Everyone who knows him, or knows of him, assumes he will vote to kill the king.
⏩SAINT-JUST
Saint-Just's involvement in the trial of Louis is considered one of his major 'accomplishments' as a revolutonary. At the pre-trial, he gave a hugely influential speech not on whether the king could be judged, but how. To him, you could not have a democratic revolution and turn around to judge the king over whether his rule had been good or bad. To Saint-Just, the very act of kingship was itself what needed to be judged; was it treasonous?
Wishing very much to be an important figure in the revolution, his motivations reflect this. He is noted for writing a bragging letter to his father, on one occasion, saying while you said I would never amount to anything, I am now a deputy at the national convention! Influence and power mean a great deal to him, as much as the ideals of the Revolution, which he seems to believe in.
As his feelings on the king (and why he should be executed) have been made extremely clear already, a vote in favor of mercy would cause no small stir at the trial. The shockwaves of this could have serious influence among the other voters.
⏩ROBESPIERRE
The current leader of the Jacobins, Robespierre is a complicated man with a lot of opinions. Depending on who you talk to, he's either admired or despised, but all can agree on one thing: his style of oration is equal to none. A speech by Robespierre always sways the crowd.
He has a complicated past with the revolution, and it may be worthwhile to keep an eye on his many political opinions and how they've shifted over the years. Once against foreign wars, Robespierre has voted for French intervention in bordering states. He is fervently anti-clergy, but loathes atheism. He once gave an impassioned speech on the evils of the death penalty. Most importantly, he believes that the king's continued existence threatens the cause of liberty in France, and that executing him is simply a matter of public safety.
His vote is hugely influential; he has already given one speech at the pre-trial, and it completely changed the tone of the trial. You can read it here if you're curious, but it's hardly required.
Signups!
DANTON.
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DAVID.
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Re: DAVID.
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PHILIPPE EGALITE.
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am i doing this right
hello
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MARAT.
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SAINT-JUST.
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ROBESPIERRE.
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Maybe we've heard of him maybe it's maybelline
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Questions? Comments? Concerns?
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Thank you.
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Turn in your plans!
DAVID - @ENTERTHEDRAGON & @ACHEELIES
Loose ideas as below
-Ryuji accepts this mission and attempts to track David down and obtain an audience with him. His goal is, originally, to try and distract him and convince him to paint something that will delay him from making political statements long enough to put the timeline back in order.
-David will not take Ryuji as an audience since he has no political clout or specific talent that makes him worthy of having a meeting with
-Achilles will offer a plan on the side, and tells Ryuji to wait on the roof of David's domicile later that night
-Achilles phases through the walls and abducts David, meeting Ryuji on the roof with him. He dangles David over the edge and attempts an intimidation check
-Ryuji will get VERY NERVOUS that Achilles is going to actually throw him off and try to intervene
-David will be inspired by how passionate Ryuji is and the conflict will de-escalate.
-QUESTIONABLE OUTCOME: David will go on to paint "The Intervention of the Sabine Women," something he was supposed to do while in exile, but pushed back a few years due to the night on the roof. He will delay his involvement in the National Convention until this work is complete.
Bonus things we'd like to work in:
-As much as a political activist and chartered conoisseur of the ills of the day, David is a very avid painter of Ancient Grecian scenes. He's been known for a few works that depict Achilles, and in particular, Patroclus. We'd like to explore some of that thematic concept as well in between the mix: either through the initial infiltration of his house by Achilles, or throughout the de-escalation of events that follow
-Ryuji's never read the Illiad, so, that would be an interesting breadcrumb trail for him to follow (as he doesn't actually know the true identity of Achilles in general)
-BONUS QUESTION: Wikipedia states that one of his works, The Funeral Games of Patroclus, had debuted in Rome in 1778 but was then subsequently lost until 1972, where it popped up in Ireland. It's a picture showing the funeral games proceeding the deathof Patroclus during the Trojan War. We'd like to know if David could have kept the painting in secret at his house, only to be sold off at some later point in his life at his time of exile. Mostly because this painting would mean an awful lot to Achilles, of course
Also lol this random dorito has green hair he can't? possibly be Achilles
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saint-JUST (fuck my shit up) ft. Moedred and Hoboren
So, unlike those two up there who get the advantage of dealing with an Achilles fanboy, we don't have the pleasure of dealing with *cough* shit taste *cough*. The plan is starkly simple:
shadow moseslouis'...apartment? house? estate? the only thing that really matters is his bedroom and its windowby way of holding him down with his own blanketMordred didn't think at all...jokes aside, how this is going to go is probably something like Eren has Mordred phase through the walls (I'm sure this is going to become a running gag soon) of Saint-Just's estate before promptly throwing open a window and tossing him a rope or...something. He'll climb. He's good at that. Anyway, she'll keep an eye on their target while Eren's making his way up, and once they're both there or even earlier than that, she'll hold him within the confines of his own bed with his blanket or something because Mordred stronk.
B+ STR is still swole.With their hostage taken, they will probably...talk. He won't, though, he'll be gagged and more than likely freaking The Fuck out, but none of that matters as long as the two of them get the point across. Mordred will likely blabber on and on about kings, while Eren will probably try to appeal to the man's presumed...faith? Like, he'll tell the guy to save the trial and execution of the king until after Christmas unless he wants spooky tidings. Worst comes to worst, Eren will probably cut the guy's tongue out but. That probably won't happen. ...Probably.
AUTOMATIC FAILURE FOR MAKING ME WATCH FULL METAL JACKET
but full metal jacket is life
sounds fake but ok
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ROBESPIERRE - 76 and Arthur
+ Get Robespierre’s attention. 76 will use the fact that he uncovered and distributed Mirabeau’s papers to do this. Arthur also assisted in the distribution, taking copies to Jacobin papers and encouraging them to publish, so the two of them will try to make it known to Jacobin circles that they’re the Mirabeau Conspiracy Guys, and they need like ten minutes with Robespierre. It’s important.
Please let us know if this won't be sufficient for meeting with Robespierre, and we'll change up the plan!
+ If this is grounds enough for them to secure a meeting, they will first and foremost emphasize that they are in agreement about the king facing some kind of consequence. History dictates that he dies, after all—so they won’t be trying to sway his vote so much as they’ll be trying to convince him that rushing into the execution is not such a good idea; that perhaps the process needs to be slowed.
+ They’re going to pitch it as being worried about what might happen if the National Convention gives the angry mob that is Paris instant gratification. It’s a slippery slope. What happens if killing the king is not enough? What happens the next time the angry mob gets angry? What happens if they want something you can’t deliver, except now they hold the expectation that you’ll do what they want right away?
+ They’ll definitely attempt to play to Robespierre’s status as an intellectual and will probably try to flatter him, complimenting his skills as an orator and playing him up as a voice of reason that can use said voice to bring some civility back into the discussion.
+ Another big thing they’ll try to emphasize in relation to the above: if executing the king is a matter of public safety, this isn’t something that should be rushed. It’s important that such an important governmental upheaval adhere to regular order as much as possible. Oxymoronic, perhaps, but they’ll emphasize that they think it’s important to set a precedent for the future that doesn’t involve immediately caving to an angry mob.
+ 76 and Arthur are well aware that much of this might sound contradictory, especially if they agree that the king should totally die. If necessary, they’ll also touch on some of Robespierre’s more antithetical opinions, namely the fact that he’s on record denouncing the death penalty. His side seems to be winning out for now, but what happens if the pendulum swings the other way? It might be best not to move forward with the trial so quickly, if only to seem like less of a political opportunist. Don’t give the public a chance to turn on you.
+ Plans B and C include blackmail and straight up punching, but as we said above, both 76 and Arthur are going to give the diplomacy route a good college try before we get into that.
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DANTON - Takatora & Yoshitsugu
+ Yoshitsugu has been working on a persona the whole time he's been in France, presenting as a man from the East who stopped here because yes, this revolution is what he's been searching for. A cause and an answer. He's been attending executions, putting himself out there in conversations and building a reputation with mentions of fighting in Valmy, not to mention working to spread the message of the revolution by hand too. Literally, all that work writing out these revolutionary documents took a lotttt of time!
+ Part of this persona is a man who has a group of followers back home, people he's talked to who have suffered and long for a better way, and to whom he has vowed to find a solution for. Takatora is one of these, a devout who came with Yoshitsugu for his protection.
+ In order to meet with Danton, Yoshitsugu will use his reputation as best he can to press for a proper, face to face meeting; if he needs to 'sweet-talk' officials and others to do so, he'll do that. Show his passion! Show how much this meeting means to him! He's good at this kind of thing. If we need to do more let us know.
+ The basics of the argument will be simple: rushing the trial and execution of the King could potentially be catastrophic for the revolution, weakening it in the eyes of surrounding countries and perhaps France itself. It must be done in an ordered way, carefully and with control of the process by the National Convention.
+ There will be emphasis on the fact that the King needs to die, with a dash of passion about a future without monarchism and what kind of world might be possible without it. Yoshitsugu will speak about conflicts, arguments and wars he has seen in his journey that were vied between nobles and royals. He'll talk plenty about the suffering of the people he saw in this time, and failed uprisings by small groups; Takatora will be referred to as a survivor of such an uprising, and will show his scarred arm and hand (which is missing two fingers). Ah, but look at France, which is of all the places he has seen full of the energy and cause great enough to finally cast down villains!
+ But if rushed simply to calm a mob, casting them blood so quickly? It will be argued that this gives no time to demonstrate to the outside looking in why monarchism is a bad force, make the National Convention look desperate and perhaps make of Louis a martyr, which would of course be ugh a vile outcome. You can't convince the world of the evils of Kingship within the space of a few weeks. It needs a few months. Though the people clamour for the death of the King, it is in their best interests to wait just a little longer.
+ By doing this, and finding other ways to keep calm the people, the strength and will of Paris will be demonstrated! And they need to be to stand firm against the threats within and without, to keep France truly free.
+ Yoshitsugu will mention how he longs to see this revolution work for the long-term good of the people of France, but also of the people beyond France; if they see this succeed the lessons of the revolution will spread. He will want to be able to take this cause and its message back East himself one day, to the followers who wait there.
+ The meeting would be ended with a wish for he and his wife to stay healthy and well, and to enjoy many years together.
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PHILIPPE EGALITE - henry & angela
- Confront at Palais-Royal, if and when he is there. As it is open to the majority aside from "drunkards, women in excessively indecent dress, and those in tatters", they could easily make their way in and find him to discuss the matters of the revolution without being worried about the police as they have no jurisdiction in Phillipe's private property.
- They will extract information regarding Phillipe's whereabouts from the locals that are visiting/loitering around the estate, either through casual conversation or eavesdropping.
- They will try to bring up the fact that people are still wary about his position. As he's still a contender for the throne, it would be best to let the heat die down first before going through with the vote and make sure that its impact is at its peak. If his vote is offered too quickly, who's to say the citizens of France wouldn't look to him with suspicion?
- They will also bring up his ties to his own family to appeal to his humanity. If anything, to try and make him second guess himself or at least sleep on his decision. The fact that Phillipe has a very strained relationship with his cousin might make this difficult but he had a worse relationship with his cousin's wife rather than with his cousin himself. This argument probably won't hurt or help too much, but will give Phillipe another little tidbit to contemplate
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MARAT - Siegfried and Bucky
So Jean-Paul Marat is known as the hellfire under Louis’ tush for his execution, so to speak. It’s going to need divine intervention to make him change his mind- and for Siegfried and Bucky? Diplomacy may work, but it’s also Jean-Paul Marat. Most would think intimidation would work better, but in this case, with him close to being murdered within the next year? They don’t want to cause accidental martyrdom. That'd probably end up ruining what everyone else is doing, so they're going to try not to nullify what everyone else is doing. Because they love you guys that much.
So talking to this dude or intimidating him or even seeing him to speak with him in general? Not going to happen.
Their plan is as follows:
- Before the required dates, Bucky and Siegfried will acquire a map of Paris, and scout out the sewers that run underneath the city. They’ll map out who lives where (as the sewers were home to the poor, some Extremists and the like), what areas are vacant and away from anyone’s eye, what areas could be closed off that are large enough to hold someone and allow them to walk freely, etc etc. Doesn't have to be perfect, just needs to do the job. Which will make sense later.
- Once this is completed, one of them will go to an apothecary (or several) and grab a poison that induces delusions, confusion, delirium, constipation, etc etc (because y'know that's how they usually work, with a bunch of lovely side effects), and try to make sure they have enough for 4 days. Also trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, for obvious reasons.
- A day or so before the National Convention vote, someone is going to incite a mob (and by someone, we mean either Sieg or Bucky is going to go bug the Girondins at the cool kids club and say Marat was shit-talking them again). The mob is essentially going to storm towards their target in an angry fit and force Marat to take shelter in his little hideaway in the sewers beneath the city. It's okay, he's done it before, so this is just another Tuesday for him probably maybe.
- In the interim, they're going to be Great Ninja Spies and keep tabs on Marat while waiting for the right moment. Because one can ghost through walls and the other is a metaphorical ghost assassin guy dude. Look we know they're Team Top Bara, but they can do it. They just gotta duck a little in the tunnels.
- They’ll wait until an ally brings along his food for the day, play musical rations, slip the poison in, and wait some more. SUDDENLY, MARAT IS LE POISONED AND LE DELUSIONAL AND WHO WHAT WHERE HOW??? CURSE THIS INEVITABLE BETRAYAL OR SOMETHING? In his (hopeful) delirium, he'll be rather useless but not-dead. But useless. “Mentally incapacitated” is a phrase.
- Cue Siegfried and Bucky evicting Marat from his sewer hideaway and dumping his ass in one of the winding halls of the sewers, making sure it’s one that can be closed off without much trouble. They’ll trade shifts as they watch Marat kind of… wander the place in a delusion and wonder where the hell he is. That tunnel wasn't there last time! Or was it…
- While watching Marat mouse try to find the exit to the maze, they'll leave around poisoned food for him to find (all sneaky like) to continue the whole "I'm drugged and just trying to get out of here" to keep him none the wiser. This will continue until two days after the vote, where Marat will recover and be ??????? about being this far in the sewers and think he accidentally got himself lost.
- Bonus: whoever brought him food that one time is the only culpable face he can place his ordeal to and can create discord within Marat's circle of allies as there's already a lot of political espionage going on and That's Not Cool, Man. This can possibly help to further delay any Strong Conclusions people reach about the King's beheading after the vote since it stirs the pot.
- Bonus 2: if no guilt is found with the ally, then it introduces the idea that there may be an illness spreading that can cause the symptoms of the poison that has infected the food of the common folk. If rumors of this start, Sieg and Bucky can just perpetuate it nbd.
TL;DR Bucky and Siegfried will essentially keep Marat out of the vote for the National Convention, lost in the sewers, and remain out of sight as much as possible to make him think he was chased in, possibly poisoned by an ally, and then got lost in the sewers for almost 4 days because poisoned or new disease.
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