Varlyrian Family Intrigue Thread

[Basiliscus]

@W Navarre and @ZlatanXVIGustaf: You both undertook some serious political machinations in your recent challenge entry, but neither of you have family members listed here so we can retaliate? Can you please share some information on your respective families so we have a chance to respond?

Edited June 2, 2020 by Basiliscus
typo

[Grover]

4 hours ago, Basiliscus said:

@W Navarre and @ZlatanXVIGustaf: You both undertook some serious political machinations in your recent challenge entry, but neither of you have family members listed here so we can retaliate? Can you please share some information on your respective families so we have a chance to respond?

No need to retaliate.  Any family members not named are assumed to have died from venereal diseases contracted only from goats.

[ZlatanXVIGustaf]

7 hours ago, Basiliscus said:

@W Navarre and @ZlatanXVIGustaf: You both undertook some serious political machinations in your recent challenge entry, but neither of you have family members listed here so we can retaliate? Can you please share some information on your respective families so we have a chance to respond?

Yes, I’ll do this in the coming weeks.

[W Navarre]

Agreed, I will get to this as soon as possible! I'm sorry I haven't been able to do it before, action must be taken so you can start backstabbing soon  .

[W Navarre]

Here is a run down of the events that take place in the most recent political machinations by the di Carlos and the De Ciotos, given in answer to Basiliscus's intelligent questions:

17 hours ago, Basiliscus said:

@W Navarre: I have read all the parts of this build now, and while the builds are all great I'm having a hard time making sense of the story. Parts II and IV don't really join I and III together. Here's what I understood:

• 1 Luca di Carlo (this is @ZlatanXVIGustaf's main character?) has become Rego (how did that happen? I thought that Supano Amancio was the Varlyian leader at the start of this challenge?)
• 2 Luca di Carlo and the de Fiori's conspire to murder Staffen (note it's not Staffan) Conzaga, betraying their alliance
• 3 Poppa Conzaga has allegedly been taken into di Carlo custody
• 4 Alesio de Fiori (the head of the de Fiori family) is unsuccessfully attacked on the bridge, and the assassin blames the Cioto family (but it's not clear whether this is the Cioto or de Cioto family - the latter is yours but I can't find much info about them?)
• 5 Cadgie de Fiori is attacked in the street by two unknown assailants and killed
• 6 Capri de Fiori (Cadgie's niece) is taken prisoner by persons unknown (most likely di Carlo soldiers)
• 7 Luca tricks Alesio de Fiori into ransacking the de Cioto mansion looking for Capri but then the de Cioto men arrive and chase the de Fiori's off
• 8 Arama de Cioto is nearly killed and it's revealed she was working with the di Carlo's

9 So it seems as if the di Carlo's have conspired with the de Ciotos to attack the Rego, the de Fiori's and the Conzagas all in one go?

What's in it for the de Ciotos to reveal they killed Capri though?

So I supposed it would make sense for the de Fioris and Conzagas to retaliate in some way.

Have I understood all this correctly?

I'll be glad to give you answers, thanks for asking! 

1 (Yes it is his main character) Of course, the De Fiori story comes in between the first part of this (the intro) and the second! I am so sorry many people missed this essential detail! I knew of the De Fiori story, but I couldn't link it since we posted our story first! 

2 Oh, I am so sorry! I just misread it and have gotten it wrong since then. I didn't have the time I wanted to double check everything, like the fact that Poppa was in Kaliphlin or this name. Agreed, the De Fioris (Garm) wanted Staffen (you) betrayed (in game and in good fun of course! I hope there ware no hard feelings between your team and me!), so Di Carlo (Zlatan) agreed to do so with De Cioto's (my) help. Yes, they did so after Staffen, in accordance with the alliance, helped Luca to the throne, as per Garm's collab and story. 

3 Correct, allegedly she was kidnapped by Luca di Carlo and is now held somewhere. 

4 Yes. Both the De Cioto and the Di Cioto family are mine. Don't worry about the Di Cioto, they have nothing to do with this, since no one in Varlyrio knows they exist (they don't even know their own name) and they haven't stirred in any of this matter! It is a well known fact that, as per the History of Varlyrio, the De Cioto family is of good standing. Ercilia De Cioto was married to the Rego Supano Amancio (that's why they were in the Amancio Palace). I will try to come up with more info on the De Ciotos shortly. As I told you elsewhere the only ones I have already come up with are: Widow Ercilia De Cioto. Her sister: unmarried Arama Di Athena De Cioto. (Their father is alive but doesn't have a name yet. He is the official head of the family).

5 Yes. Cadgie De Fiori, known to be cruel, duels with two men and is killed. 

6 Yes, kidnapped by unidentifiable soldiers.

7 No. I'll give what really happened in just a second!

8 Yes.

9 Yes! We were crazy to do this, but thanks to Garm's installment Luca was already on the throne, so we had four builds to wreck some havoc  . 

Now for the details, here is what really happened: Luca isn't stupid, he doesn't want anyone to know of what he has done, so this is what he did, after becoming Rego.

1 Secretly, without anyone's knowledge Luca murdered Staffen - pretending with perhaps some reason (or maybe not) that Staffen was on the point of turning against the alliance and betray Luca in order to justify the murder to the Royal Guard. (Only Alesio De Fiori, the new Royal Guard, and Arama De Cioto who helped with all the plans, knew of it, (I'll leave up to you what happened with Minos) for the rest of the Conzagas and the people Staffen simply vanished).

2 Luca also secretly kidnapped Poppa in Kaliphlin (or perhaps he lied to Staffen? Up to you.)

3 Luca sent an assassin to kill Alesio. The assassin failed and Alesio survived with a deep but not too serious wound. 

4 Luca sent two men (who? up to you) to kill Cadgie, another prominent Fiori.

5 Luca left Arama De Cioto in charge of using this distraction to kidnap Capri. 

6 Arama and Luca agreed to a plan to make Luca look benevolent, kind, and good to all the people and to the De Fioris: 

7 They agree to make it look like Arama De Cioto was behind all the murders, including Staffen's, and the kidnappings,

8 And to leave traces. So the assassin of Alesio told him it was the De Ciotos and the paper was left behind on purpose during the kidnapping. 

9 Alesio unexpectedly survived the attempt to assassinate him of course, so as you can tell in the story he surprised and startled both Arama De Cioto and Luca di Carlo,

10 But the plan continues. 

11 Luca quickly gets up his Royal Guard and Alesio's men and pretends to be furious with the De Ciotos. 

12 Luca and Alesio storm the Amancio Palace, where Arama De Cioto and Ercilia De Cioto and possibly others reside. 

13 Luca's men, who are ordered to rescue Capri, find her during the fighting, and so they withdraw with Alesio and Luca after they face Arama (as Luca and Arama had already planned).

14 Arama lets herself be wounded, to make her look noble and to further convince everyone of the narrative that she had gotten mad at the de Fioris and kidnapped Capri and probably assassinated Staffen, Cadgie, and attempted to assassinate Alesio. And also to convince everyone that she and Luca are now no longer friends (you may notice Arama was present throughout the plans to put Luca onto the throne, and she is in Garm's build watching the coronation. She also helped, through her sister Ercilia, to overthrow the Rego, since Ercilia, the Rego's wife, naturally knew a lot).

15 But Luca does cleverly keep Alesio from killing her (purportedly because Luca is benevolent and because Arama is just a girl around 19 years old).

15 Luca talks to Arama Di Athena De Cioto in secret, so that the reader knows that in reality they still are friends and allies.

Note: all the times I say "up to you" I mean it's up to whoever writes the next story. This may be you, or Zlatan, or me or Garm, etc. All Varylrio stories are canon, unless they go against the rules of the Intrigue thread or contradict another story, in which case it's up to Garm's discretion (or in this case who wins the challenge) which account is truth. 

Personal note: This is really something I've very proud of, since it took my brother Garmadon by surprise, striking a blow at the Conzagas as he suggested, but also a serious blow at the De Fioris! All while keeping up Luca's popular image as the new Rego! And tricking everyone in Varlyrio into thinking that Arama De Cioto (my new main character) has no power now, when really she is the Rego's closest friend! Garm also had just helped put Luca into power as Rego, so the betrayal is real!! Haha. I planned this with Zlatan's help. I hope it will help to keep Varlyrio alive and encourage intrigue, retaliations, and more stories for Varlyrio  .

 

The builds can be seen and story can be read here: 

 

 

 

Further note on my family: 

There are two completely separate branches (of the same family): The De Ciotos and the Di Ciotos. Don't confuse them! The Di Ciotos are for all practical purposes in hibernation, although I went through all the trouble of coming up with bios I haven't posted them and won't post them now, to avoid confusion. From now on, since I don't have time to build for or write for the Di Ciotos, I will always be dealing with the De Ciotos unless clearly stated otherwise. My new main character is Arama Di Athena De Cioto, sister of Ercilia De Cioto (who is former wife to the former Rego Supano Amancio: so now she might be called Ercilia Amancio, or Ercilia Amancio De Cioto). Her family consist of: the father of Arama and Ercilia, head of the De Cioto family. Ercilia, wife of the late Supano Amancio. Arama De Cioto, 19 years old more or less and a conspiring ambitious wild girl (you can see her, to build her, in the MOCs from the collab above). And her younger brother, a boy of about 10. 

You may use them all and name the unnamed ones. If I like the names I will use them myself, or at least I will turn it into their middle names. You may also invent more characters from the extended De Cioto family who are close to Arama or to the father. You may kill and do as you wish with anyone, but I'd appreciate it if you don't kill Arama (unless you have a really good story and reason for it!) She is my main character after all!

Current status: Rather out of favour with the people and the powerful rulers of the realm because of an alleged murdering spree. But not feared or worried about too much because the Rego was angered with them openly and officially banished Arama from his Court. But in reality she visits him and is one of his closest allies. 

 

P.S.

I hope people aren't vexed with my intrigue! I hoped it would be well received, but now I feel like I delivered the News from a different planet, that no one knew anything about! Everything in my story has a reason and hopefully makes sense. Feel free to ask questions, @Basiliscus and @Grover! 

[Aurore]

Oh my, you Varlyrians are so complicated for the simple Midgardian villager I am! 

Thank you very much @W Navarre for the recap and explanations! I have not had time to read the Di Carlo and De Fiori whole stories yet, now I will read them in proper order and (hopefully) understand those complicated intrigues.

Edited June 4, 2020 by Aurore
typo

[W Navarre]

Okay, I posted the bios of the De Cioto family now! Check them out here.

On 6/4/2020 at 4:55 AM, Aurore said:

Oh my, you Varlyrians are so complicated for the simple Midgardian villager I am! 

Thank you very much @W Navarre for the recap and explanations! I have not had time to read the Di Carlo and De Fiori whole stories yet, now I will read them in proper order and (hopefully) understand those complicated intrigues.

You are welcome! Being complicated can be fun  . I hope it all made sense to you and makes for an enjoyable read! 

 

[Aurore]

7 hours ago, W Navarre said:

I hope it all made sense to you and makes for an enjoyable read! 

It did! I finally read all the stories, and definitely enjoyed them. It's true that those complicated relationships, intrigues, treasons and the incidental murder seem to be what make Varlyrio...Varlyrio. 

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 6/3/2020 at 12:27 PM, W Navarre said:

Both the De Cioto and the Di Cioto family are mine

Well, cut me horns, sour me ale and blind me axe! This is as confusing as a bearded dragon in a fancy dress dancing in me favorite inn.
I say put them both in a pit, and let them fight 'til only one family gets out alive. There's no space in this land - as large as it is - for two Ciotos, be it Di or De.

Make it a lightning challenge and we shall see which remains.
Bah..
 

[W Navarre]

15 hours ago, Louis of Nutwood said:

Well, cut me horns, sour me ale and blind me axe! This is as confusing as a bearded dragon in a fancy dress dancing in me favorite inn.
I say put them both in a pit, and let them fight 'til only one family gets out alive. There's no space in this land - as large as it is - for two Ciotos, be it Di or De.

Make it a lightning challenge and we shall see which remains.
Bah..
 

You certainly may have gotten closer to the truth than you imagine! That would be an exciting event indeed, however at present the De Cioto's thankfully have never heard even a word breathed of the Di Ciotos... although for decades and decades past, deadly warriors have roamed the forsaken realms of western Varlyirio, seeking for . . . someone. However it will take much time to reach the point where I can write again about the Di Ciotos, so for now no dueling between them  . At the moment you'll have to put up with one Cioto in the west, and one in the East! 

[Garmadon]

The general tension and subdued excitement in the guild did not disappoint.  In a sudden flurry of intrigue and discoveries, the guild has exploded with life.  Led by Mychel Conzaga, a group of adventures in the western badlands made their way into the underground Kolgari domains and uncovered the tyranny of the Rego toward his underworldly subjects, sending to the east for the families to band themselves together against him.  Meanwhile, however, the Rego - whose soldiers to be sent to the Queen's aid had been mishandled by his nephews and consumed by a giant werewolf in the mountains - hearing of unrest on all sides -- the families, the Kolgari, and the dwarves -- and out of favor with the Queen, set out for Avalonia by stealth, intending to win over her majesty and to wait until the storm blew over.  But the sailors of the Golden Fortune arrived in Avalonia only weeks later, without the Rego, telling terrible tales of pirates and fighting.

The anti-Rego alliance, now firmly in control of the situation - or so they thought - replied by setting Luca di Carlo in the place of the disgraced and vanished Rego to rule "in their interests."  No sooner had this been done, however, then the new Rego, drunk with his new-found power, turned upon his alliance, assassinating Staffen Conzaga and holding his youngest daughter captive in Kaliphlin, ridding himself of the de Fiori Captain of the Guard in Tergiversa and nearly of Alesio de Fiori as well.  When the latter came ringing to his doorstep Luca di Carlo had his back-up plan ready though, and throwing his allies and fellow-conspirators the De Cioto's into the villain's position, he raided the De Cioto palace and helped to recover Capri de Fiori and restore her to her family.  In doing so the new Rego successfully maintained his popularity with the populace and a few of the leading families, although some certainly look on him with suspicion or outright enmity.

But despite the death of their family's head, the Conzaga's grew in the public esteem for their roll in freeing the Kolgari and ousting the Rego.  The Amancios, on the other hand, suffered quite heavily in their fall and, while still a powerful family - now in the hands of Supano's nephews - are disgraced and disliked almost universally.  

But that was not all.  Up in the mountains dividing eastern and western Varlyrio the dwarves and the Baiamontes have been finding themselves in a tangle, coming to its climax in the appearance of Rufus, the heir of the Baiamonte's title and estate, riding stark mad into the capital on a dragon to avenge his dead father.  His brief reign of terror ended (temporarily, at least) with the dragon flying his mad rider out to the west of Varlyrio where all such madness belongs - but needless to say, the episode did not greatly contribute to the public's appreciation of the already frown-worthy name of -- Baiamonte.  

Varlyrian Family Ranking (update):

Leading Family (Rego): di Carlo, Rego of Varlyrio, merchants (@ZlatanXVIGustaf)
Secondary Families: Conzaga, wine-makers (@Basiliscus), De Fiori, sword-makers (@Garmadon)
Third rank: Amancio, shipmasters (@Rogue Angel), Lords of Baiamonte, soldiery (unclaimed family), Chiaro, merchants (unclaimed family), De Cioto, aristocrats and gold-hunters (@W Navarre)
Fourth rank: Khaor, cloth and leather merchants, tailors (@narbilu)
Fifth rank: D'Gatto, artists and antiquarians (@mccoyed)
Sixth rank: Waythe, judge and mercenary (@Judge of the Wastelands)

Also notice - 

Staffen Conzaga, head of the family, and Cadgie de Fiori, Captain of the Guard of Tergiversa, have been assassinated by the machinations of the di Carlo and De Cioto families, and Poppa Conzaga is currently held by the di Carlos in Kaliphlin, their avowed intention being to marry her off politically when she comes of age.  General Juan Baiamonte has also met his end at the hands of the mountain (dragon ), and the former Rego of the guild, Supano Amancio, has been taken and possibly killed by the notorious Varlyrian pirate Xari Spadro (de Fiori).  

First post updated as well! 

[Spader]

And so introduced is Lord Cenric Baiamonte, Nephew to Lord Rufus Baiamonte. 

[W Navarre]

The secret Cioto–di Carli alliance strikes again! Avanti!

 

[Garmadon]

The recent events (I say recent, but it was a while ago now, I must admit - the ancient chroniclers of the guild appear to have fallen into a doze in their extreme age and aren't quite on the top of their game right now...  ) have certainly shaken the realm of Varlyrio, both above and below the surface, but in the end it was the di Carlo and De Cioto families that emerged on top once again and stronger than ever from the intrigue.  The Moccenigo family's meteor rise into the public eye ,unhappy for them ended rather out of the public's favor, and the De Fiori's inactivity in the guild's affairs have not brought them any more esteem in the political sphere, but their are certainly debts to be paid at some point or another that will not be more genial for the interest of quiet but deep and deadly revenge accrued...

Varlyrian Family Ranking (update):

Leading Family (Rego): di Carlo, Rego of Varlyrio, merchants (@ZlatanXVIGustaf)
Secondary Families: De Cioto, aristocrats and gold-hunters (@W Navarre), Amancio, shipmasters (@Rogue Angel), Lords of Baiamonte, soldiery (unclaimed family)
Third rank: Moccenigo, architects (@TalusMoonbreaker), Chiaro, merchants (unclaimed family), Conzaga, wine-makers (@Basiliscus), De Fiori, sword-makers (@Garmadon)
Fourth rank:
Fifth rank: D'Gatto, artists and antiquarians (@mccoyed), Khaor, cloth and leather merchants, tailors (@narbilu)
Sixth rank: Waythe, judge and mercenary (@Judge of the Wastelands)

[W Navarre]

Cool! It's great how the people writing active storylines are moving up in the ranks! Looks like we De Ciotos almost have nowhere to go but down  .

[W Navarre]

Woah! What... just... happened?? As for you, Garmadon, where have you been? We're still waiting for some revenge from you! Hopefully this might get you excited to do at least a few vignette's for Varlyrio  ... or your whole family might just fall into poverty and infamy soon if you aren't careful  !

 

[Garmadon]

12 hours ago, W Navarre said:

Woah! What... just... happened?? As for you, Garmadon, where have you been? We're still waiting for some revenge from you! Hopefully this might get you excited to do at least a few vignette's for Varlyrio  ... or your whole family might just fall into poverty and infamy soon if you aren't careful  !

What just happened was that your family appears to have fallen again about as badly as they could fall! - terrible public image seems to be a favorite thing with your storylines    And as to the rest - well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see... 

But I do hope to get the thread updated tomorrow with the new rankings! (too...)

[W Navarre]

11 hours ago, Garmadon said:

What just happened was that your family appears to have fallen again about as badly as they could fall! - terrible public image seems to be a favorite thing with your storylines   

 You actually read it! Or at least you might have skipped straight to the end, lol. That all sounds good! Look forward to the official interpretation of events! And also to that "too" whatever it implies  .

[Garmadon]

A massive plot woven by the Moccenigos and the leading families of Varlyrio has once again convulsed the political layout of the realm, and as the De Cioto's and di Carlo's treacheries and machinations came to be household knowledge throughout the guild, the public disdain and execration of those families for the actions of their reign can only be compared to the well-nigh universal detestation of the Baiamonte's at the height of their infamous reign.  The new Rego, Ilazio Moccenigo, has promised to rule in peace and justice, and to restore the realm to rest and prosperity, but whether he can keep that promise has yet to be seen.  Some of the leading families, at least, have a sharp eye on him and his claims after his hardly secretive recent attempt on the previous Rego's life.

But out off the coast, in the Sunken Tavern, some things are stirring which might make that promise and the new Rego's position more difficult to maintain than expected...

Varlyrian Family Ranking (update):

Leading Family (Rego): Moccenigo, Rego of Varlyrio, architects (@TalusMoonbreaker)
Secondary Families: Lords of Baiamonte, soldiery (unclaimed family), Chiaro, merchants (unclaimed family),
Third rank: De Fiori, sword-makers (@Garmadon), Amancio, shipmasters (@Rogue Angel), Conzaga, wine-makers (@Basiliscus)
Fourth rank: De Cioto, aristocrats and gold-hunters (@W Navarre), di Carlo, merchants (@ZlatanXVIGustaf)
Fifth rank: Khaor, cloth and leather merchants, tailors (@narbilu)
Sixth rank: D'Gatto, artists and antiquarians (@mccoyed), Waythe, judge and mercenary (@Judge of the Wastelands)

[Grover]

On 7/11/2022 at 10:14 AM, W Navarre said:

Woah! What... just... happened??

My thoughts exactly.  I can't seem to follow this anymore.  A TV guide summary would be beneficial for me.