relationship planning The Empress Has Job Openings... Oh, and Needs Friends

[Bellosh]

 

Greetings! While I’m no stranger to OOC threads, this is the first time I’ve done anything of this particular sort. So then, let’s cut to the chase; my newest OC is no other than Yù Yuè — the Empress of Long Guo — and I’d like to see plenty of relationships established between her and other characters. Since she comes from a new land we’ve just released, this will mean that in many instances, you fellow players will have to make new OCs entirely from scratch. However, for those who want opportunities to RP with the Empress and weave stories for our new Eastern realms, well this is your big moment!

 

Here is a general list of the sort of relationships that I’d like my Empress to have. These suggestions are by no means the only ones possible, so lemme’ know here or through PM if you have something unique in store. Due to the unique nature of this thread, I encourage players to promote prospective characters that are not yet apped.

 

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The Imperial Secretariat - This body of five high-ranking ministers serve as Yuè’s personal advisers on all matters of state. Each of them would have served under her late father and are highly experienced at their administrative jobs. More likely than not, an adviser will likely question whether Yuè is fit to be an empress or not. Regardless of their feelings towards Yuè, they are expected to strictly obey courtly protocol and decorum in her presence.

 

The five positions in the Imperial Secretariat are as follows:

1. Chancellor - The chief adviser. A scholarly mandarin who would have needed to pass many imperial examinations and kiss up to all the right officials to earn a post in the Imperial Palace in Huangjing. Runs everything that’s not directly handled by the other advisers.
2. War Adviser - A general or admiral of some sort who has participated in many campaigns. Oversees the armed forces of Long Guo.
3. Revenue Adviser - Their accumulated wealth earned them this position. Responsible for collecting taxes and handling state revenues.
4. Spiritual Adviser - A Master of the Harmonious Path; preferably from a branch that doesn’t promote asceticism. Highly skilled in dragonbreath magic and is a purveyor of mystic wisdom. Manages court ceremonies and diplomatic affairs. Most likely to approve of Yuè as the Empress.
5. High Censor - Head of the Imperial Watch. Must be comfortable with issuing morally questionable orders when necessary, and keeps certain secrets hidden from the Empress herself (and her late father before her).

The Imperial Family - Yuè already has a twin brother, but there are still plenty of other potential family members to be apped. Yuè’s mother is still alive, and there are plenty of older half-siblings as well sired by her late father (from a different mom). In one capacity or another, a half-sibling ought to legitimately claim greater aptitude to rule than their younger sister, although each would also have a fatal flaw that made their father reject having them on the Dragon Throne. I imagine that one or two of them REALLY want to become the next ruler... no matter what it takes.

The Imperial Household - Hordes of servants are required to keep the Imperial Palace as a beacon of Imperial majesty; from artists and dancers, to hoofmaidens and guards of the Watch. Directly supervising them is a Chamberlain, a veteran at the job who enjoys closer personal access to the Empress than even the Chancellor. All Household members are also expected by tradition to strictly obey courtly decorum in Yuè's presence. NOTE: no servant should be an actual eunuch, although they are free to have the mannerisms of one.

Prospective Consorts - It is only logical that many would want Yuè’s hoof... in marriage. She’s the most eligible bachelorette, after all. Likely, many who wish to seek the heart of the Empress will do so with less-than-noble intentions, although there are probably also a few with genuine unrequited feelings for their beloved Empress.

High Society - The rich and famous who are lucky enough to be granted entrance into the Imperial Palace for select occasions. Most likely reside either in the Inner Ward of Huangjing or a posh neighborhood in Long Kong. Except for a few cultural differences, they highly resemble the high society of Equestria.

Fellow Monastery Students - Yuè and her twin brother spent their adolescence learning with the Fenghuang Monks. Yuè would have gotten to know many students there. Older students may have acted as mentor-figures during her early days as an initiate. Younger ones may have had the honor of being mentored by Yuè herself. Anyone at Fenghuang would have gotten a positive impression of her.

Monastery Tutors - Likewise, Yuè would have made a positive impression on the Masters who live as monks at Fenghuang Monastery. Perhaps one or two monks still keep in touch with the Empress.

Childhood Friends & Acquaintances - Yuè didn't confine herself to the Imperial Palace in her pre-adolescent youth, so she would have met various Long Sun either in Huangjing or the secluded Fenghuang Valley village where her ex-consort mother moved to. Yuè would also be known to additional Fenghuang Valley locals once she became a Harmonious Path initiate.

Enemies - As a new empress, Yuè will likely encounter opportunistic foes of all sorts. Frontier barbarians, triads, cultists, ninja, coup plotters... the list of potential threats goes on and on.

 

Allies - Of course, the Empress will have to rely on all sorts of allies outside her Court. Serpent Dragons, characters who'd be right at home in a wuxia-inspired setting, even foreigners from across the sea... Yuè will need everyone she can get for the conflicts to come.....

 

APPED CHARACTER ROSTER:

Spoiler

 

THE EMPRESS - Yù Yuè

 

Family:

    Hēi Lián (Twin Brother)

    Jiang Fēngbào (Elder Half-Brother)

 

Civil Ministers & Military Commanders:

     An Xiang (Chancellor)

     Yú Zhōng Zhì (High Censor)

     Tàiyáng Máo (General)

 

Servants:

     Dong Qing (Personal Assistant)

     Fēng Yīnhǎitāo (Personal Bodyguard)

     Dēnglong Xiu (Physician)

     Yanhua (Head Chef)

     Sī jīn (Prince Lián's Maid/Bodyguard)

 

Past & Present Friends/Acquaintances:

     Lián Mei (Sworn Sister)

     Liviel (Monk)

     Medō Asai (Herbalist)

     Yan Lanmo (Dragonbreath Mage)

 

Mentors/Tutors:

     Yuchou (The Matron)

     Jìjìng Fēngbào (Martial Arts Master)

 

Enemies:

     Fuyu Tsuki (Ninja)

 

Allies:

     Àilóng (The Serpent King)

     Rakuen Ryuichi (Shogun of Neighpon)

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I hope that didn't overwhelm you all, haha. But yes, tell me if you have a different sort of relationship with the Empress in mind.

[Dio]

Daedalus would be willing to offer his services to the Empress should she require one versed in the dark arts.  

[Windwright]

And of course the Matron is a staunch ally for all of her hatchlings. (Still not sure if this extends to Yuè's half-siblings or not, but it probably does)

[Lyipheoryia]

Hmm...are Chinese dragons allowed to be apped?

I wouldn't mind apping A High Censor. 

[Bellosh]

4 minutes ago, Windwright said:

And of course the Matron is a staunch ally for all of her hatchlings. (Still not sure if this extends to Yuè's half-siblings or not, but it probably does)

Yuè and her half-siblings share the late Emperor as their father, so it also extends to the others.

 

3 minutes ago, Lyipheoryia said:

Hmm...are Chinese dragons allowed to be apped?

Serpent Dragons = Chinese Dragons. It wouldn't do to call a species from a fictional world by a real-life geopolitical term, now would it?

 

5 minutes ago, Lyipheoryia said:

I wouldn't mind apping A High Censor.

Someone likes their grey morality, I see. Lemme know if you need further insights into how the Imperial Watch is supposed to work. ^_^

[Blueblood]

I'm working through an application for an Imperial Watch Longma... with a huge unrequited crush on the Empress herself.

[IceStorm]

Medo would fit the bill for a childhood friend/acquaintance at least. Although for anything else not really, unless she was one of the medical advisors. But at the very least, friend is good start.

[PyroBlaze]

I was thinking of apping a ddog that grew up in Long Guo. Perhaps she could be a guard (Maybe a secret one) or an old monastery friend.

[Bellosh]

A Diamond Dog in Long Guo, eh? There aren't really any DDog settlements beyond the Equestrian continent, so either she or her family would have to be immigrants. Not quite sure how a DDog can fit in with the Imperial Watch, but there's nothing preventing them from embracing the Harmonious Path and learning at Fenghuang Monastery. You know; finding more to appreciate in Nature than shiny gemstones.

[PyroBlaze]

2 minutes ago, Bellosh said:

A Diamond Dog in Long Guo, eh? There aren't really any DDog settlements beyond the Equestrian continent, so either she or her family would have to be immigrants. Not quite sure how a DDog can fit in with the Imperial Watch, but there's nothing preventing them from embracing the Harmonious Path and learning at Fenghuang Monastery. You know; finding more to appreciate in Nature than shiny gemstones.

Well the idea was that her parents/ancestors had immigrated at some point and that she had been there her whole life. It'd  probably be better for her to just be from the monastery anyways, and learn martial arts somewhere. 

[Dunder]

I am making a Basin pony who is very proficent in Pyromancy. Could probably be a friend.

Or Dunder, who could be a chef in the imperial household.

[Bellosh]

2 hours ago, Dunder said:

I am making a Basin pony who is very proficent in Pyromancy.

Since when does Dunder ever play an OC not named Dunder? XD

 

2 hours ago, Dunder said:

Or Dunder, who could be a chef in the imperial household.

Hmmmm, we'd have to come up with a scenario where the Empress is impressed by Dunder's superb cooking skills and is convinced to bring him back to the Imperial Palace as an Equestrian chef. And how good of a chef is Dunder currently, out of curiosity?

[PyroBlaze]

And I also have characters that could be allies, like Dolor or Tehengu. 

[Dunder]

2 hours ago, Bellosh said:

Since when does Dunder ever play an OC not named Dunder? XD

 

Hmmmm, we'd have to come up with a scenario where the Empress is impressed by Dunder's superb cooking skills and is convinced to bring him back to the Imperial Palace as an Equestrian chef. And how good of a chef is Dunder currently, out of curiosity?

I feel obliged to make a Basin pony. Anyway, who doesn't love pyromancy?

 

And on a scale from Tim Heidecker to Gordon Ramsay, Dunder'd probably be about as good as Saffron Masala. Except with more range since Dunder is better traveled.

[PyroBlaze]

6 minutes ago, Dunder said:

I feel obliged to make a Basin pony. Anyway, who doesn't love pyromancy?

I love pyromancy! That's why my first character was a pyromancer! 

[Bellosh]

3 hours ago, Dunder said:

Dunder'd probably be about as good as Saffron Masala. Except with more range since Dunder is better traveled.

In that case..... I'm sure the Empress will need somepony capable of cooking Equestrian dishes every now and then.  

[Lux]

Seeing the events of the Gala thread, Jijing Fengbao can offer his services. 

[PyroBlaze]

Liviel always has time for her friends!

[Dunder]

On 7/15/2016 at 10:52 PM, Bellosh said:

In that case..... I'm sure the Empress will need somepony capable of cooking Equestrian dishes every now and then.  

Taco Tuesday at the Imperial Palace!

[Bellosh]

I have it on good authority that Prince Lián would be down for Taco Tuseday.

[PyroBlaze]

Hmm...Liviel might have to visit the palace...

[Lyipheoryia]

Hmm...how to get my app started....

 

If there's any help you can offer, Bell-that would be great!

[Bellosh]

I'll always be available through this thread, PM, or IM. Ask me any question you desire!

 

(The same offer extends for anyone else with inquiries about apping a character with a connection to the Empress.)

[Lyipheoryia]

Are any characters other than the Empress apped yet?  

[Bellosh]

Let's see......

 

THE EMPRESS - Yù Yuè

 

Ministers:

     An Xiang (Chancellor)

     [WIP] Yú Zhōng Zhì (High Censor)

 

Family:

    Hēi Lián (Twin Brother)

 

Prospective Consorts:

     Fēng Yīnhǎitāo (Imperial Watch)

 

Mentors/Tutors:

     Yuchou (The Matron)

     Jìjìng Fēngbào (Martial Arts Master)

 

Past & Present Friends/Acquaintances:

     Lián Mei (Sworn Sister)

     Liviel (Monk)

     Medō Asai (Herbalist)

     Yan Lanmo (Dragonbreath Mage)

 

Enemies:

     Fuyu Tsuki (Ninja)

 

Allies:

     Àilóng (The Serpent King)