Ahem..
I don't know if this was discussed before, but...
I'm a little confused about the predecessors of Lord Mayor Aberian Arvanxi because I think there is a discrepancy between the texts of Bastards of Erebus p. 50 and The Sixfold Trial p. 37.
AP #25 says on page 50 "In 4689 AR, Aberian Arvanxi was made lord mayor of Westcrown ... and many suggested he had a hand in the sudden death of his deposed predecessor Mayor Arthan Challas".
AP #26 says on page 37 "When Aroden died [4606!], the city’s mayor ... named Norren Betevesk was murdered" and "The first mayor in this new era ... by the name of Anvengen Doskivari, took office in 4640 AR. Over the next 20 years..." and "The second mayor of Westcrown ... named Dargentu Vheed, lasted a bit longer..." and "The third person ... is Westcrown’s current mayor" [a.k.a. Aberian Arvanxi].
First question: Who was Arvanxi's real predecessor?
Second question: Is it correct that the first mayor ruled the two decades from 4640 until 4660 [20 years], the second mayor ruled from 4661 until 4688 [27 years], and the current mayor rules since 4689 until today [in my campaign 4709, and therefore 20 years]?
Third question: Shouldn't the text in AP #26 on p. 37 read: "More than 30 years after Aroden died, the city's mayor ... was murdered"?
Can someone please clear my mind fog?
Creative Director
|
AP #25 says on page 50 "In 4689 AR, Aberian Arvanxi was made lord mayor of Westcrown ... and many suggested he had a hand in the sudden death of his deposed predecessor Mayor Arthan Challas".
This is an unfortunate error. The previous mayor before Aberian was Dargentu Vheed.
Second question: Is it correct that the first mayor ruled the two decades from 4640 until 4660 [20 years], the second mayor ruled from 4661 until 4688 [27 years], and the current mayor rules since 4689 until today [in my campaign 4709, and therefore 20 years]?
Correct. Anvengen Doskivari was mayor of Westcrown from 4640 AR to 4661 AR. Then Dargentu Vheed was mayor from 4661 to 4689. Aberian's been mayor ever since.
Third question: Shouldn't the text in AP #26 on p. 37 read: "More than 30 years after Aroden died, the city's mayor ... was murdered"?
Correct.
Thank you very much, Mr. Jacobs, for clearing my clouded mind so fast. ;)
Er... I'm really sorry to be pedantic/nit-picky/etc and bring up an old topic, buuuuuuuuuuut...
Third question: Shouldn't the text in AP #26 on p. 37 read: "More than 30 years after Aroden died, the city's mayor ... was murdered"?Correct.
If this is referring to Norren Betevesk, I actually think you may be incorrect, Mr. Jacobs, at least to my reading, unless there was an extremely rapid turnover of "various petty self-proclaimed lords", or there was more errors present than first noticed, as the text says:
The traditional title of Mayor of Westcrown is older than Cheliax’s current government. When Aroden died, the city’s mayor (a devout worshiper of Aroden named Norren Betevesk) was murdered, and the manor burnt partially to the ground during the following riots. It served for a time as the home of various petty self-proclaimed lords until the House of Thrune reestablished order in Cheliax. The first mayor in this new era, a priest of Asmodeus and close ally to the House of Thrune by the name of Anvengen Doskivari, took office in 4640 ar.
If it was "more than 30 years after", that basically puts Norren as the mayor before Anvengen Doskivari. Which kind of works, but...
Correct. Anvengen Doskivari was mayor of Westcrown from 4640 AR to 4661 AR. Then Dargentu Vheed was mayor from 4661 to 4689. Aberian's been mayor ever since.
Given that Aroden died in 4606 (at least according to the Inner Sea World Guide), adding 31 years (the minimum amount of "over thirty years") makes the year 4637... three years before Anvengen takes over.
Now, while that's perfectly fine, the way it says "various petty self-proclaimed lords" seems... well, really fast.
And I think I'm being generous with the three-year amounts, as Scharlata seemed to be presuming that Norren was murdered just so Anvengen could take over. Add to the fact that Norren would likely have had to have been at least in his fifties (presuming he attained mayoral office at twenty exactly), and had to have somehow kept his office during the entire revolution, civil-war, and all that strife, it seems like Norren died quite some time ago, and the city was without a real, official Mayor for a while, before Thrune picked up the pieces and installed one of their own (though they definitely could have placed one of their own).
Obviously, Mr. Jacobs, you're automatically "right", if that's what you say happened (and I may just be misinterpreting this conversation that happened a year ago), and equally obviously we can change it in our home games, but just looking at the information given I don't think Norren was supposed to be murdered and immediately replaced by Anvengen.
Though unlikely, considering the age of this thread, I'd love to hear any response!
EDIT: When Thrune came knocking, he immediately capitulated and they wisely didn't leave him as mayor, but, in order to avoid further troubles, they allowed him to stay as part of they mayoral staff.
When a new mayor was installed, part of his agreement with Thrune was to "aid" the new mayor in his duties (which means basically he ran things for the various mayors when they were consumed with their vices, although they always automatically over-rode his authority). The deal originally worked with Thrune was that Arthen got to be called "mayor" (thus making the Lord-Mayor a higher title), but only while he was "holding the fort" for the current holder of the mayoral office. He was not trusted with the Knot or the Spiral. He also turned the two mayors - already cruel and malicious-leaning people - into true hard-hearted awful folks with callous disregard for human lives (in part this was to make himself look better, though it never really worked). He was also the mayoral representative who worked with the Council of Thieves.
When Dhargentu disappeared and Thrune - seeking to rid themselves of Aberian, who was too connected to kill, and too irritating to keep around Egorian - sensing opportunity, killed the unpopular scheming Arthan (in a "hunting accident") and immediately installed Aberian. The fact that Dhargentu disappeared and Arthan died so rapidly in succession only to have Aberian immediately installed makes him look really frightening, and lets the effectively-spoiled-brat new mayor run roughshod for a bit with few to curtail his shiny new mayor power (other than the Council of Thieves, whom he capitulates with fully, so no real "holding back" there), and he thus throws stupendously sickeningly lavish parties and wastes tremendous amounts of money to "bring culture to Westcrown" (which effectively just means he shoves money into playhouses and productions of plays for his own amusement).
Aberian, of course, has nothing to do with their deaths, except for being a guy Thrune installed as a way to get rid of him. Much to Thrune's surprise, a man so completely worthless... makes friends, and is actually popular, mostly due to the two (three, if you count the retainer Arthan) were tremendously harsh people.
It's worth noting that, while Aberian is seen as useless, as he hasn't done anything about the Shadow Plague (he's trusting the Council that "they've got it under control"), neither did his predecessors Dhargentu or Arthan. Given that track record, he's doing alright.
It's worth noting that, while Aberian is seen as useless, as he hasn't done anything about the Shadow Plague (he's trusting the Council that "they've got it under control"), neither did his predecessors Dhargentu or Arthan. Given that track record, he's doing alright.
That's the problem with relative comparisons ("yes, these are problems, but the previous administration had them all, too/started them/had the same policies"). Prolly it's that they all have a poor track record, which is why Westcrown has been sliding into decay, and why it needs The Heroes(tm).
Even if, in the end, after it all, The Heroes(tm) haven't Fixed Everything Forever, they've still made done more to make lives better for the inhabitants than everyone else in recent memory (since Aroden's death) all put together. Which is the point of the AP as far as accomplishments go.
That said, I do have a mild soft-spot for Aberian, and he's potentially semi-reformable and can be kept on in some sort of administrative position after it all shakes out. But that's a personal weakness of mine; probably it would be better to lustrate everyone.
(Or, probably actually not: make too many blatant changes, and you might gain too much direct attention. So keeping him on in some sort of administrative-fop role after the end of the AP has its merits, too. If you can get him back after he runs away from the city).
Our lead PC married Aberian immediately after her own inauguration as Mayor of Westcrown. Purely a political marriage, though she's become somewhat fond of him. If you think about it, Aberian's not a powerful spellcaster or a highly connected politician, but he survived as Mayor of Westcrown for *20 years*. He has something on the ball, namely an ability to avoid making enemies and a positive knack for seeming biddable and harmless without actually turning into any specific faction's pawn.
I suspect that, down the pike, she will find out the hard way that she's still not taking Aberian quite seriously enough. She's used to using mind-reading to remedy any gaps in her understanding of the people around her, but Aberian has mind shielding. And he's been playing his (admittedly somewhat purposeless, but still challenging) political games in Westcrown since before she was born.
