I tried my hand at a Faction tonight! Specifically, I rolled at random to see what Factions should be at odds in my initial situation, and I got the Ink Rakes/Cyphers/Wraiths… but those first two don’t have write-ups in the book. Rather than shrug and roll again, I put my scoundrel hat on and dove in.
Here’s my rendition of giving the Ink Rakes some nuance as a legitimate, albeit shady, newspaper and magazine empire.
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INK RAKES (Tier II)
The exploitative, sensationalist news and magazine holdings of industrialist/populist Wester Haig.
Turf: printing houses up and down Ink Lane, a three story office building in Charterhall (HQ), street corners throughout Doskvol
NPCs: Wester Haig (Akorosi self-made magnate; obsessive, transgressive), Una Grine (star rake; cutthroat, charming)
Notable Assets: enthusiastic citywide readership, loyalty of the working class, expansive quality presses for printing the news (and more), dedicated cohorts of street muscle & grifters
Quirks: Favored Ink Rakes use Whispers and Ghost Keys to witness incriminating incidents from within the Ghost Field.
Allies: Cabbies, Gondoliers, Dockers, Rail Jacks
Enemies: Cyphers, Skovlander Refugees, City Council, rival newspapers
Situation: Wester Haig is looking to expand the already successful operations of the Ink Rakes. His boys have begun claiming corners where they can, covering lots of ground with the help of a sympathetic working class, disgruntled with other elitist sheets. He now has an idea to cement his readerships’ interest: mixing distilled spirit essences into his newspaper Ink, indulging his readers’ desire to “feel like they’re really there.” Then it will be time to give his rivals the spike.
Clocks:
• Acquire a Spirit Essence Supplier – 4
• Seize the street corners of his rivals – 4 (repeating)
I’m not completely sold on all of my choices, but I’ve got my reasons and I do like what all I have here. Thoughts are welcome.
I’m usually pretty critical, but I love it! Especially their allies and enemies and the spirit essence ink.
I find it a bit strange that they have street muscle, but I’m sure that’s explained easily.
I figure you gotta have street muscle if you’re gonna control corners, especially versus your garden variety Duskwall hawkers. It was “researchers” but that felt too… respectable for the sort of tripe I envision Wester Haig printing.
Nice work incorporating the Haig orphan-moniker. 🙂
This is great.
John Harper Thank you! Really appreciate that.
Muscle is appropriate: articles.chicagotribune.com – Vending Violence In A `.38-caliber Circulation Drive’
Fucking YES
I should add delivery carriages to their assets, maybe.