[attr="class","sidequestsheader"] the white orchids

[attr="class","sidequestsabout"]

overview

an elusive spy ring situated in the vale and surrounding areas, run by a woman named ulla sutherland, and historically backed by the caelestrix family. often associated with the leisure activities of high society and artistic endeavours: think ballet, opera, theatre, so on and so forth. draws some inspiration from the witcher's aretuza and marvel's red room.

acquisition

the white orchid selects their students young. at no younger than eight, they are taken to one of the white orchid's several bases of operation, some of which take the shape of small orphanages. from there, they are trained in whatever manner of art and espionage deemed necessary. there is no 'minimum' age for when a spy takes on their first assignment, though generally training is only considered complete by the age of seventeen.[break][break]

their training methods are brutal and merciless, but practical. whether they are cruel is a subjective matter, in ulla's opinion — there is no point in creating something that does not love you back. after all, most of the white orchid's operatives turn out rather loyal in the end.[break][break]

historically, the white orchid filled its ranks with the children of nobility who never quite made the cut, so to speak. whatever the reason, the child was turned over to the care of the white orchid, with the promise that they would be turned into something useful.[break][break]



in present times, it matters less. the spymaster will simply work with what she has been offered, and take what she has not. orphans, of course, are an easy target, though whether this is coincidental or contrived is another question entirely.[break][break]



truth be told, the origin of the child is no matter, so long as there is talent. if there is no talent, then let there be hunger, and if there is no hunger, then sometimes the best thing a flower can do for them is die.

reputation

as per a typical espionage network, the white orchid is known only in a few select circles. the individual reputation of spies is also often subject to their assignments.[break][break]



for example, some spies take on several short-term assignments. to better facilitate swapping between a multitude of faces, these spies often rely on fabricated reputations, corroborated against allied sources. [break][break]



others may instead find themselves in long-term assignments, more akin to sleeper agent roles. they may develop a reputation for themselves more organically, and even be recognisable, such as in the arts.[break][break]



ulla sutherland herself has a reputation within vale as a bit of an oddity among the nobility. despite marrying into a respectable family, it is not her proximity to nobility that secures her invites to events, but her shrewd wit, clever conversation, and exceptional eye for the arts. get on her good side, and rumor has it that she always has uncannily accurate predictions for which way the tide turns.[break][break]



often, she frequents these gatherings surrounded by the artists that she so generously sponsors, or even the charming children she helps to charitably shelter. didn't you hear? the sutherland family made a grand donation to that orphanage by the eastern wall. well, naturally, she laughs, clear as a bell. children are our future after all, and we must take good care of our city.

structure

presently, the white orchid's activities are concentrated in the vale, though active operatives remain scattered around most of salem's major cities.[break][break]



apart from the spymaster herself, there is no strict heirarchy within its ranks of the operatives, though experience often equates to respect. each operative is assigned a codename related to a type of orchid upon the commencement of their first assignment, and though their names will often change depending on assignment, will bear the same codename for the rest of their career until retirement.[break][break]



while some operatives will have additional help in establishing their cover, such as sponsoring entry into a coven or setting up a small business, they are expected to maintain their cover independently with minimal support from the white orchid.

plot hooks

ear to the ground

looking to cause a scandal? frame someone for something heinous? the white orchids may be of use, and have a long history of covering up the tracks of people in power. perhaps you're looking to cause problems, or perhaps ( and here i offer my condolences ), you have fallen victim to one of ulla sutherland's many schemes...[break][break]

wallflower

want to get in on some dramatic shenanigans? read: want to join the circus? the white orchid is always looking.

[attr="class","sidequeststags"]spy ring
the vale
noble politics

[attr="class","sidequestscast"]

[attr="class","sidequestsheader"] the chimaera syndicate

[attr="class","sidequestsabout"]

overview

a tight-knit mafia with bases of operation across delphi and eclipse. they specialise in smuggling of weapons and magical artifacts. though their leaders have almost always been witches of hydra, most of its members remain unaware of this fact.

history

founded in the 1960s, the syndicate was originally created by the ruchbah family to assist in recovery operations to rebuild hydra or shelter its members after the war. gradually, it began to grow into something more, and within the next decade, the syndicate had made its mark on salem's changing landscape: they will find you almost anything you want, for the small, easy price of information.[break][break]



following the massacre of the ruchbah family in the 80s, the syndicate briefly passed into the hands of a rival mafia. since its revival in 1995, it has been led by aeris ruchbah, changing hands only once more in 2021 to oscar martelli.[break][break]



the syndicate historically has its roots in eclipse, but has since gradually shifted focus towards delphi, beginning with the opening of the forge in 1999, marking a period of split operations along the styx, and culminating with a drastic downsizing of operations in 2016.

structure

traditionally, the chimaera is run by a trifecta: a selection of three individuals typically from the founding family, corresponding to the lion, ram, and dragon heads of the chimaera.[break][break]



in the present day, the syndicate is primarily based in delphi. a few warehouses and select shipping routes are still maintained between the outskirts of delphi and eclipse.[break][break]



a vast majority of their operations in the present day focus on the maintenance of their trade and information networks, with a growing interest in re-establishing and improving their routes along the river styx. they tend to avoid outright conflict where possible, though they still seem very good at making people disappear...

plot hooks

in the market

treasure-seekers and black market purveyors rejoice, for the syndicate is committed to getting you what you want. perhaps you want to get your hands on a banned book, or an enchanted firearm, or just a really rare fancy stone for an engagement ring — chances are that at the very least, they can point you in the right direction. of course, they take other jobs as well, as long as you know where to find them.[break][break]

the runners

down on your luck and need some extra coin? got a friend or two that'll vouch for your abilities? wanna cut your teeth on some real action? it's not uncommon for the syndicate to outsource some tasks, so to speak, but it's a slippery slope from errand-person to 'accidentally adopted by the mafia' if you're good at what you do. watch out for dinner invitations, but don't ever forget who you're dealing with.[break][break]

strange sponsors

eccentric books without covers show up where they have been banned; independent academics find themselves receiving a gift from mysterious benefactors; keen-eyed journalists receive strange, anonymous tips. a shrewd enough observer could trace the clues back to the syndicate and dismiss it as a truly peculiar way of expanding one's territory, but is it really? something seems almost personal about it, but it's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[attr="class","sidequeststags"]mafia
delphi / eclipse
artifact smuggling

[attr="class","sidequestscast"]