A "Reformed" Gabrielle Aderre

[brilliantlight]

Gabrielle has retaken her domain as the Dukkar was granted his own. She has apparently "reformed" and is a new woman who learned her lesson. This is true in the sense she now knows she can be overthrown and she needs others to support her if she wants to remain in power. On the surface she has changed. She is far more cunning and savvy than before. She makes a big production on how much she changed during the years of exile. Being a better ruler than the Dukkar ever was she has quite a bit of support.

Beneath it all she is as evil as ever, she is just far better at hiding it. She puts up an impressive front of being a changed woman and appears quite beneficent but is more of a schemer than ever. Remember she is a very bright and charismatic woman, she just didn't bother to hide her vile nature before. Now she is doing everything she can to maintain her front. She has a few schemes going but she takes great care it never traces back to her. What kind of schemes do you see her doing? How do you see her maintaining the false front and what are some ways that she makes sure that her schemes don't get traced back to her?

[The Lesser Evil]

Well, the first thing that I could think of playing up her good girl image is dealing with the plight of the Gundarakites, although that could cause some controversy on its own both within Invidia and Barovia. She might definitely want to paint herself as a revolutionary hero against the tyrannical excesses of Malocchio Aderre, claiming seeing her time out of power was a trial by fire in which she was purified by seeing the plight of the common people. Or perhaps it was having a daughter, a mother's love causing her to see the light.

Another thing she might do is take a note from Camille Boristi and become a patron of the Ezran church (at least in Invidia). The Church of Ezra is nominally Ezran though in truth not very religious, but perhaps the nation could use a unifying force to heal both the literal and figurative scars left behind by civil war. She of course would make a financial contribution and a superficial show of penance.

I imagine Gabby might want to subtly shift as much of the blame as she can to external agents. She could assume a pogrom against the Vistani and Malocchio hangers on under the guidance of a moral crusade. Invidia must be cleansed of ideological contagion, with the agents of corruption either "reformed" (tortured, brainwashed, etc) or outright purged. Doing what she and Malocchio was doing before, but in different dressing. This also allows her to have a moral scapegoat. Gabby could also blame the "Legions of Night" for any horrific acts she might pull behind the scenes.

If she somehow keeps her love intact with Matton Blanchard after it comes out she's been courting him at the same time as Ardonk Szerieza, she could continue to utilize Matton's wolfwere connections to conduct her dirty work and then blame them on Bakholis loyalists coming back to the surface.

[brilliantlight]

Well, the first thing that I could think of playing up her good girl image is dealing with the plight of the Gundarakites, although that could cause some controversy on its own both within Invidia and Barovia. She might definitely want to paint herself as a revolutionary hero against the tyrannical excesses of Malocchio Aderre, claiming seeing her time out of power was a trial by fire in which she was purified by seeing the plight of the common people. Or perhaps it was having a daughter, a mother's love causing her to see the light.

Another thing she might do is take a note from Camille Boristi and become a patron of the Ezran church (at least in Invidia). The Church of Ezra is nominally Ezran though in truth not very religious, but perhaps the nation could use a unifying force to heal both the literal and figurative scars left behind by civil war. She of course would make a financial contribution and a superficial show of penance.

I imagine Gabby might want to subtly shift as much of the blame as she can to external agents. She could assume a pogrom against the Vistani and Malocchio hangers on under the guidance of a moral crusade. Invidia must be cleansed of ideological contagion, with the agents of corruption either "reformed" (tortured, brainwashed, etc) or outright purged. Doing what she and Malocchio was doing before, but in different dressing. This also allows her to have a moral scapegoat. Gabby could also blame the "Legions of Night" for any horrific acts she might pull behind the scenes.

If she somehow keeps her love intact with Matton Blanchard after it comes out she's been courting him at the same time as Ardonk Szerieza, she could continue to utilize Matton's wolfwere connections to conduct her dirty work and then blame them on Bakholis loyalists coming back to the surface.

A Vistani pogrom won't work as they feel that is what caused this mess. The Dukkar may have been immune to Vistani curses but other people weren't . So many were cursed in this land the land itself became cursed . That is part of what started the uprising. In fact , though she would hate to do it, the best thing she could do is the opposite and try to patch things up. The last thing the domain needs is more Vistani curses and she knows it.

[The Lesser Evil]

All right, gotcha. So for this discussion, it might be useful to get what assumptions are being made about Gabby, her relations, and the world around her. The first question I'd have is what has happened with Lucita and the situation of her uncertain father. Was it Matton or Ardonk? Did they find out about Gabby's dual romance? How did they react, and who is still living?

The second one would be about her current motives. As I understand Gabby, she was historically motivated by the following:
1) securing a cushy living with access to any amenities/amusements she wanted (basically a hedonistic lifestyle in guaranteed safety while at the same time preventing boredom)
2) eradicating the Vistani, or at least making them suffer as punishment for her misfortune
3) Assuage her loneliness. Despite having many lovers, nobody other than Matton Blanchard has every really loved her uncompelled.
4) care for Lucita and prevent her from becoming another Malocchio.
5) generally make people around her suffer for fun and sometimes profit, toying with their relationships and emotions to make them go after each other.

From your description, #2 definitely seems off the table. #1 and #5 sound like they would have to be lessened or at least concealed somehow. What motives/aims do you imagine her currently having?

[brilliantlight]

All right, gotcha. So for this discussion, it might be useful to get what assumptions are being made about Gabby, her relations, and the world around her. The first question I'd have is what has happened with Lucita and the situation of her uncertain father. Was it Matton or Ardonk? Did they find out about Gabby's dual romance? How did they react, and who is still living?

The second one would be about her current motives. As I understand Gabby, she was historically motivated by the following:
1) securing a cushy living with access to any amenities/amusements she wanted (basically a hedonistic lifestyle in guaranteed safety while at the same time preventing boredom)
2) eradicating the Vistani, or at least making them suffer as punishment for her misfortune
3) Assuage her loneliness. Despite having many lovers, nobody other than Matton Blanchard has every really loved her uncompelled.
4) care for Lucita and prevent her from becoming another Malocchio.
5) generally make people around her suffer for fun and sometimes profit, toying with their relationships and emotions to make them go after each other.

From your description, #2 definitely seems off the table. #1 and #5 sound like they would have to be lessened or at least concealed somehow. What motives/aims do you imagine her currently having?

1) She is still a hedonist. She definitely wants the finer things in life and is in a position to have them. She has to conceal it somewhat.
2) Taking many lovers is also definitely in play. This is particularly true since she deliberately sent both of her closest lovers off to die.
3)She dotes on Lucila and the girl might well be spoiled rotten
4) He sadistic streak is still there but she has to cover it up.
5) She wants an economic boom in her realm. She wants her economy to grow very, very fast so she can skim off enough for 1 to be less of a problem. If she is skimming 10% of the GDP for herself instead of 20% it is going to be less resented.
6) She wants revenge on Drakov and Malocchio. Something she can set up easily as a goal for the realm as both are widely hated in it. She wants to purge all Falkovnian influence in the realm.

[The Lesser Evil]

Okay, assuming you mean Matton and Ardonk as the two closest lovers she sent away, then that problem is resolved.

The biggest thing she could do against the Falkovnians is probably label them as a hostile foreign power that encouraged Malocchio's rise as a would-be puppet leader. Launching an attack on them might be tricky, considering how closely they were aligned with Malocchio's state apparatus (everything from escorting tax collectors to guarding the borders). On the other hand as you say, they were widely hated as they were known for atrocities like burning down the farms of unruly peasants. A major goal would be to destroy or expel the 600 some troops (or whatever remains in your game), with the Falkovnian Quarter of Karina being a prime target for clearing out. If Gabby felt the need to justify a break of the Invidia/Falkovnia relationship or just encourage even more hate for the Falkovnians, she could could order some false flag operations.

Breaking the relationship with Falkovnia might likely exact some sort of retribution upon Invidia. However, other neighboring or nearby lands such as Borca and more distantly Kartakass, share an enmity against Falkovnia, and Gabby or her diplomats could exploit this to become closer trade partners with these lands. (Kartakans hold an enmity against tyrants in general and Falkovnians in specific for trying to create a check point along the trade route and seize control over it- plus Gabby is or has been viewed as a heroine agains the tyrannies of Bakholis and Malocchio.) In addition, Invidia does not share a border with Falkovnia, so there is something of a buffer to conflict.

There area a few different ways Gabby could do to cover up her schemes and deplorable acts. One is by keeping the people distracted from her scandals by redirecting popular attention to others (real or manufactured). This could also have the added benefit of letting out some of her anger and misery on other people. of course, she would need to keep a lower profile- probably avoiding direct seduction more than she used to. Instead, she might work through charmed agents to dig deep for scandal or fabricate it. I could also see Gabby using blackmail and extortion a lot more to get people's cooperation from behind the scenes.

Another method of hiding her schemes and deplorable acts would be to adopt the mantle of a changed or holy woman that has seen the light. Wearing the mantle of religion or other holy ideology, Gabby might be able to dress up her immoral acts as moral acts. For example, she could turn vengeance against her enemies into righteous crusades for justice. Her many trysts might be a bit harder to disguise, but perhaps she could make a show of looking for a pure husband but all her prospective partners failing to meet up to her moral standards. Gabby could also willfully misinterpret the statutes of religious law to cause misery and upset normal, healthy relationships.

[brilliantlight]

Okay, assuming you mean Matton and Ardonk as the two closest lovers she sent away, then that problem is resolved.

The biggest thing she could do against the Falkovnians is probably label them as a hostile foreign power that encouraged Malocchio's rise as a would-be puppet leader. Launching an attack on them might be tricky, considering how closely they were aligned with Malocchio's state apparatus (everything from escorting tax collectors to guarding the borders). On the other hand as you say, they were widely hated as they were known for atrocities like burning down the farms of unruly peasants. A major goal would be to destroy or expel the 600 some troops (or whatever remains in your game), with the Falkovnian Quarter of Karina being a prime target for clearing out. If Gabby felt the need to justify a break of the Invidia/Falkovnia relationship or just encourage even more hate for the Falkovnians, she could could order some false flag operations.

Breaking the relationship with Falkovnia might likely exact some sort of retribution upon Invidia. However, other neighboring or nearby lands such as Borca and more distantly Kartakass, share an enmity against Falkovnia, and Gabby or her diplomats could exploit this to become closer trade partners with these lands. (Kartakans hold an enmity against tyrants in general and Falkovnians in specific for trying to create a check point along the trade route and seize control over it- plus Gabby is or has been viewed as a heroine agains the tyrannies of Bakholis and Malocchio.) In addition, Invidia does not share a border with Falkovnia, so there is something of a buffer to conflict.

There area a few different ways Gabby could do to cover up her schemes and deplorable acts. One is by keeping the people distracted from her scandals by redirecting popular attention to others (real or manufactured). This could also have the added benefit of letting out some of her anger and misery on other people. of course, she would need to keep a lower profile- probably avoiding direct seduction more than she used to. Instead, she might work through charmed agents to dig deep for scandal or fabricate it. I could also see Gabby using blackmail and extortion a lot more to get people's cooperation from behind the scenes.

Another method of hiding her schemes and deplorable acts would be to adopt the mantle of a changed or holy woman that has seen the light. Wearing the mantle of religion or other holy ideology, Gabby might be able to dress up her immoral acts as moral acts. For example, she could turn vengeance against her enemies into righteous crusades for justice. Her many trysts might be a bit harder to disguise, but perhaps she could make a show of looking for a pure husband but all her prospective partners failing to meet up to her moral standards. Gabby could also willfully misinterpret the statutes of religious law to cause misery and upset normal, healthy relationships.

Yep, it was heartbreaking for her but she loved her own and her daughter's life more than their lives so she sent them on suicide missions. She found out 2 years ago her daughter is a wolfwere and is planning to marry her off to a rich banker in Karaktass. No one will blink it is a good political match.

The troops are dead but I imagine there have been at least some cultural influences. Various customs , new products, and new ideas. She wants to stomp out those and she wants the offspring gone. She doesn't want to be too heavy handed with the last as it may cause resentment in some areas. She wants to subtly rouse the people to do it.

She isn't too worried about any blowback from Drakov. He is widely seen as a strutting buffoon and her domain doesn't share a border with Falkovnia anyway.

Yeah, I see blackmail using charmed agents as being likely. Any retribution would likely fall on the duped lackey in that case. She isn't above fabricating scandals by any means.

I could see her start a love and fertility cult with herself as the head. The domain is short of people right now. The civil war and the results of Vistani curses have greatly reduced the population. A love and fertility cult might well be acceptable under the circumstances which would allow her to play the field. It could also be used against the war mongering domain of Falkovnia.

[The Lesser Evil]

The fertility cult thing is actually a really good idea, given the passionate nature assigned to the archetypical Invidian personality. Although, fabricating a whole cult from scratch might seem a bit sudden, given all the things Gabby has going on with ruling the domain and such. She's also viewed with suspicion as a witch already- it would likely be better to start with something already appreciated (or able to be appreciated) by a segment of the population. Perhaps there was a mystery cult or cults venerated behind close doors that attains a new, public popularity with the recent upheaval. You could even add a millinerian/end of the world aspect to it if it rises to prominence in response to an impending Time of Unparalleled Darkness. Or if your game takes place after the Time of Unparalleled Darkness (presuming the world survived), the fertility cult's priests could claim responsibility for its aversion (especially if they showed up before the Time already occurred). It would be easy for Gabby to insinuate herself into it and co-opt its doctrine to be more friendly to her agenda.

[brilliantlight]

The fertility cult thing is actually a really good idea, given the passionate nature assigned to the archetypical Invidian personality. Although, fabricating a whole cult from scratch might seem a bit sudden, given all the things Gabby has going on with ruling the domain and such. She's also viewed with suspicion as a witch already- it would likely be better to start with something already appreciated (or able to be appreciated) by a segment of the population. Perhaps there was a mystery cult or cults venerated behind close doors that attains a new, public popularity with the recent upheaval. You could even add a millinerian/end of the world aspect to it if it rises to prominence in response to an impending Time of Unparalleled Darkness. Or if your game takes place after the Time of Unparalleled Darkness (presuming the world survived), the fertility cult's priests could claim responsibility for its aversion (especially if they showed up before the Time already occurred). It would be easy for Gabby to insinuate herself into it and co-opt its doctrine to be more friendly to her agenda.

I think I will add a Sune cult in. What makes it particularly easy is that I already established that there is one in the Dukkar's domain opposing him. Since the cult is hidden but known about (Everyone knows it exists but not everybody knows how to join it.) and it already opposes the Dukkar I think it would fit right in.

[brilliantlight]

Another idea I just had, maybe make it into a full blown theocracy. Unlike Nadillia it is mostly benign. It mostly requires people to recognize Sune as "Queen of the Gods" in a matriarchal pantheon and Gabrielle as the high priestess. It also demands people to preform fertility rites and that all marriages be conducted by the church. Outside of that not much is demanded by the church. The church does far more good than evil as that helps Gabrielle's closely guarded reputation. It also funds cults in Mochocarania and Falkovnia as both domains are despised. Not only is she able to fund movements agaist people she hates she is able to skim off some of the money for herself.

[The Lesser Evil]

Another idea I just had, maybe make it into a full blown theocracy. Unlike Nadillia it is mostly benign. It mostly requires people to recognize Sune as "Queen of the Gods" in a matriarchal pantheon and Gabrielle as the high priestess. It also demands people to preform fertility rites and that all marriages be conducted by the church. Outside of that not much is demanded by the church. The church does far more good than evil as that helps Gabrielle's closely guarded reputation. It also funds cults in Mochocarania and Falkovnia as both domains are despised. Not only is she able to fund movements agaist people she hates she is able to skim off some of the money for herself.

So by not demanding much, it sounds like while the country may officially be a theocracy in name, a lot of the less glamorous (from the cult's perspective) duties of government (tax collection, law enforcement, etc.) would be left to a secular authority. Is that kind of the effect you're going for?

[brilliantlight]

Another idea I just had, maybe make it into a full blown theocracy. Unlike Nadillia it is mostly benign. It mostly requires people to recognize Sune as "Queen of the Gods" in a matriarchal pantheon and Gabrielle as the high priestess. It also demands people to preform fertility rites and that all marriages be conducted by the church. Outside of that not much is demanded by the church. The church does far more good than evil as that helps Gabrielle's closely guarded reputation. It also funds cults in Mochocarania and Falkovnia as both domains are despised. Not only is she able to fund movements agaist people she hates she is able to skim off some of the money for herself.

So by not demanding much, it sounds like while the country may officially be a theocracy in name, a lot of the less glamorous (from the cult's perspective) duties of government (tax collection, law enforcement, etc.) would be left to a secular authority. Is that kind of the effect you're going for?

A kind of divided government. The few demands from the church is enforced by the church. For example blasphemy would be tried by the church as would marrying outside the church etc. It would have taxes of its own as tithes. The founding of cults outside of the domain would be under control of the church as is foreign policy for the most part.

But outside that the secular authorities are in control. They do the mundane things like building roads, trying ordinary crimes such as murder or theft, trade policies etc. Very important but less glamorous. They do have to OK such authorities and are able to remove them at any time if needed.

[The Lesser Evil]

A kind of divided government. The few demands from the church is enforced by the church. For example blasphemy would be tried by the church as would marrying outside the church etc. It would have taxes of its own as tithes. The founding of cults outside of the domain would be under control of the church as is foreign policy for the most part.

But outside that the secular authorities are in control. They do the mundane things like building roads, trying ordinary crimes such as murder or theft, trade policies etc. Very important but less glamorous. They do have to OK such authorities and are able to remove them at any time if needed.

Gotcha. So what law code would the secular authority be informed by? The same as before? Something (seemingly) shaped to benefit the church and its goals?

[brilliantlight]

A kind of divided government. The few demands from the church is enforced by the church. For example blasphemy would be tried by the church as would marrying outside the church etc. It would have taxes of its own as tithes. The founding of cults outside of the domain would be under control of the church as is foreign policy for the most part.

But outside that the secular authorities are in control. They do the mundane things like building roads, trying ordinary crimes such as murder or theft, trade policies etc. Very important but less glamorous. They do have to OK such authorities and are able to remove them at any time if needed.

Gotcha. So what law code would the secular authority be informed by? The same as before? Something (seemingly) shaped to benefit the church and its goals?

Well, it is a love and fertility cult so I would expect lower taxes for families with a larger number of children, a lowered age for marriage, and a discouragement of homosexuality. Frankly after the civil war and various Vistani curses the domain needs a population boom. The war has ended and many of the Vistani curses are ending due to the death of the cursed.