#[ the first time we went fishing for collaborators we only had the vaguest idea of what modus would look like ]

[ebonguard]

EBONGUARD PRESENTS...

Mob bosses.

Murderers.

And thieves.

The underworld has long played host to diverse flavors of unsavory characters, and the network known as the Ebonguard is no different. Its members hide in plain sight, distinguishable only by the telltale black linkpearls that connect them. They live the high life in Ul’dah and hide away in the darkest corners of the Black Shroud. They sail the seas around Vylbrand. Some have even haunt the shadows of far-away lands, the linkpearls carried to their hands by happy accident or sad circumstance.

But this is not a story about accident or circumstance.

This is a story about greed and men.

MODUS OPERANDI

Modus Operandi is a collaborative campaign-style story arc that Ebonguard is hoping to kick off in late September to early October 2019. Focused on the intrigue aspect of criminal RP, one of the major goals of this story arc is to interweave major DMed plot events with organic story-building and character development via social RP, freeform investigation, and RP/writing prompts.

The other major goal of Modus Operandi is to raise the stakes for the Ebonguard, presenting a real possibility of participating members getting apprehended and punished for crimes that they commit over the course of the arc. To that end:

We are seeking individuals and groups interested in collaborating with us for this plot. These individuals and groups will work closely with Ebonguard’s team to ensure that everyone gets to contribute something to the story and to ensure internal consistency.

For all of the following, an operating presence, ideally primary operating presence, in Eorzea is required. Special preference will be given to groups and individuals that operate out of Ul’dah IC. General preference will be given to groups over individuals because of ease of organization.

Trading companies, banks, businesses, or other organizations or affluent individuals in possession of valuable goods regardless of legality. These groups/individuals will be responsible for ‘setting the stage’ and providing the Ebonguard team(s) with obstacles to overcome during their heists. They will also either work with or against law enforcement, depending on their alignment. Due to the fact that we can only organize so much and have it remain a coherent story, there will be a maximum of two of these “marks,” so we will be vetting them to ensure that they’re a good fit for the story of Modus Operandi. (Note: we aren’t really looking to steal dangerous magical artifacts or anything. Think more along the lines of invaluable art, jewels, or cold hard cash.)  

Law enforcement, such as Immortal Flames, Brass Blades, freelance private investigators, bounty hunters, and lawful-aligned mercenaries. These characters will form the primary antagonistic force for Modus Operandi and will likely get the most action with regards to freeform investigation. Freelancers may be hired by the “marks,” but the premise of their operation is that they are acting in accordance with proper law enforcement authorities. They are expected to bear in mind the fact that the crimes that will be committed over the course of the Modus Operandi main story will probably not be that severe.  

The story’s exact details are loose because we hope to tailor the heists of Modus Operandi to the sorts of groups we’ll be working with to tell the story. Here are the details we do know, though:

It will be lore-strict and pretty limited in scale/scope. As cool as it would be to steal the crown of the Sultana, we aren’t there yet. Maybe another time.

A few major things will get shaken up for Ebonguard on an IC level, so both the network and the characters within will have to adapt.

The main story is structured in three acts. Some major story beats have been planned already, while others are left open so that they can be tailored to the characters and groups involved.

OOC communication is key, especially in situations like Modus Operandi where two player factions will be pitted against each other. 

Crime RP isn’t fun without consequences, so participants of all factions are expected to accept the consequences for their character’s actions. Tying in with the above, though, this doesn’t mean that criminal characters can just be permadeathed without player consent.

Ebonguard is a primarily NA-based RP group, and while we would love to include EU players in Modus Operandi, accommodating them may not always be possible. We ask that players bear in mind schedule and timezone restrictions when expressing interest in participating in this story arc.

If you’re interested in participating in Modus Operandi or have any questions, then please contact @ebonguardls via our contact page or DM @corvvii. 

Because Modus Operandi will run long after the world visit feature is implemented, we welcome the prospect of collaborating with groups from across the Crystal datacenter!

(Ebonguard itself is located on Balmung.)

Please note that Ebonguard and associated ventures are not associated and does not condone real-life criminal activities. Activities engaged in or discussed by Ebonguard or associated ventures are strictly fictional and for entertainment purposes only.

tagging for visibility: @balmungrp @mooglemeet @crystalxivrp @ffxiv-crystal-rp @ffxiv-balmung-rp