Shaman Leadership

Concubines are fairies that Dracerdis' has "collected" from around Shaman. Many were originally selected in order to keep their family members in line, so demigods and children of high powered characters were targeted first. However, Dracerdis quickly loosened his requirements in favor of taking anyone and everyone that appealed to him on any level -- fairies that are attractive, unique, or powerful are likely to be targeted in particular. While Dracerdis would consider himself heterosexual and prefers female partners, he is equally willing to take in male concubines too.

Concubines have a communal living setup in a separate wing of the Castle called the Silk Court. They each have their own individual "apartments" off of shared living spaces, and will typically spend a lot of time with each other when not attending to Dracerdis. Young concubines may room together and are often assigned an older concubine who acts as a mentor and parent-figure; you can select your character's mentor or have one randomly assigned!

In general, concubines are treated very well -- they have access to a wide variety of luxuries, from fine clothing and bedding to delicious delicacies from around Shaman -- but they are not permitted to leave the castle or meet with others, even their own spouses and children, without Dracerdis' permission; for already-married concubines, Dracerdis may be willing to allow conjugal visits, but only in special rooms where he can observe and listen to everything that occurs. Family and friends may also petition for visitation with a concubine, but approval is entirely dependant on Dracerdis' mood and may be approved or rejected seemingly at random. All letters and presents are also carefully screened, and the concubines live under constant guard; there are typically two guards assigned to each concubine in addition to patrolling guards and guards assigned to every entrance.

Most concubines will expected to attend to Dracerdis on a regular basis; there is a daily "menu" that Dracerdis selects from each day, including his meals, entertainment, and concubines. In character, many will be expected to provide sexual favors, but others may be summoned to help him bathe; clean his rooms; provide entertainment by singing, dancing, reading aloud, or playing instruments; and more. Underage concubines are typically exempted from Dracerdis' attentions, however, there is a magical carving on each bed that counts down the years/days until their 18th birthday in real time, at which point there will be a huge celebration culminating in Dracerdis summoning them to his room for the first time. Out of character, it is up to you what sort of relationship your character has with Dracerdis in this regard -- if you want to play the communal living/trapped character side of it without attending to the Emperor, characters could be neglected or ignored concubines for pretty much any reason.

Procreation with Dracerdis is not required at all, but it is an option for all players who want to have an imperial child; Dracerdis is a free parent, meaning you are not required to ask permission from Signe before procreating with him. He has even been rumored to keep sex-changing potions and other magical objects on hand in order to sire children with men. You can learn more about the possiblities for children below!

There are a number of options for children sired by Dracerdis, including:

• The Nursery.
  • Children raised in the Nursery are protected from all harm until the age of 10.
  • On their 10th birthday they are officially in the running to become the heir to the throne.
  • Dracedris' stance on the Crown Prince/Princess is generally "prove yourself worthy", but he has not set any specific guidelines so it is up to the children and their maternal family to decide what they want to do. Some children may be violent and try to kill off their competition, while others may try to remain peaceful and get to the top through connections and networking.
  • The children are largely left to their own devices after the age of ten; they may experience neglect, starvation, or other traumas in their upbringing. A child's status and care is often directly the result of their perceived value, including the strength and connections of their maternal family and how favored their mother is within the Silk Palace -- children of the Empress being most favored. Adults are restricted from intervening in conflicts between children -- even in the case of a fight to the death in broad daylight and in public should only be stopped by Dracerdis or the Empress.
  • The Crown Prince/Princess position switches frequently. In the main courtyard, there is a large portrait frame -- when a child is selected for this position, their name, lineage, and portrait will magically appear in the frame.
  • Both OOCly and ICly the criteria for the position is a complete secret, so it will likely be a surprise when your character is chosen! How long will your character be able to hold their spot?
• Sold to Esther-May.
  • Children who do not meet certain criteria will be sold to Esther-May.
  • This "criteria" is open-ended so you can freely write decide why your child has been sold off, what their contract entails, etc. as you see fit.
  • Children can be turned over to Esther-May as soon as they are born, or raised in the Nursery until a specific age.
• Sent to Family Members.
  • Children can be sent to family members outside of the harem, including spouses, parents, grandparents, and siblings.
  • The concubine or family member may petition for this at any time after pregnancy is confirmed.
  • A child sent to family members will be ineligible for the crown prince/princess position.

Children and grandchildren of Dracerdis that have been born prior to his becoming Emperor are welcome to petition for official recognition and can be moved into the palace at any time; this can be done ICly or OOCly. However, they should not expect any additional favor! Note: Dracerdis has two children, Inkeri and Rune, that are currently Adoptable. Contact Signe if you are interested in taking both or either of them!

Dracerdis' generally laissez-faire approach to leadership leaves room for a wide variety of officials to step up -- this includes both good fairies with noble intentions and evil fairies with corrupted ideals (and everything in-between)!

• Generals: Generals each oversee a single area of Shaman (Moors, Forest, Coast, Peaks, and Desert); they are required to uphold Dracerdis' laws and proclamations, but are otherwise free to rule however they see fit. They may have completely different morals, personalities, motivations, leadership styles, etc. Characters can step into the General position by posting on the Support board or ICly by posting to Dracerdis.
• Department Heads: Department Heads oversee specific governmental branches, for example, "Department of Health", "Department of Child Welfare", "Department of Animal Welfare", etc. Players can submit new departments and make their characters department heads by posting on the Support board, or ICly by posting to Dracerdis or one of our Generals.
• Nobles: After joining/adopting your character you can post on the Support board to get them added as a noble. Remember to give the title (lord/lady/dame etc) you want your character to have! You can explain how they received their title however you'd like, or earn it ICly by posting with Dracerdis.

Dracerdis relies heavily on his powerful military forces to maintain his iron grip on Shaman. His original forces were mostly composed of outlaws, pirates, and other shady forces that he recruited over several years in preparation for his brutal rise to power. While it hasn't quite shed its lawless start, the military now welcomes individuals of all kinds and offers a variety of "perks" that make serving the Emperor more appealing, including extremely high pay, access to a variety of luxuries, and more. Younger characters may also be recruited right out of the Royal Academy, a free school opened by Empress Ariadne.

Dracerdis also has a secret police force called The Ravens. This force inspires a huge amount of fear and distrust in the general public, with the idea that Dracerdis has eyes and ears everywhere featuring prominently in imperial propaganda.

Military members are indentified by their beautiful black and gold uniforms and wear pins to denote their particular branch including Naval Forces, Air Forces, and Ground Forces. Ravens rely on a variety of discreet signals and codes to identify themselves to each other on the (extremely rare) occasion that they need to meet for any reason.

Players can add their characters to Dracerdis' military or secret police, and even make up their own ranks (Captain, Squad Leader, etc.), by posting on the Support board. They can also join the military ICly by posting with other military members, generals, department heads, or Dracerdis.

There are growing pockets of resistance against Dracerdis' tyranny popping up throughout Shaman; below are just a few of the rebel forces that your character can join. You can add to the below list by posting on the Support board! You can also add rebels to the Shaman board by posting on Support without listing a specific group.

• Anaisa: Anaisa is one of Dracerdis' eldest children; she has stood in opposition of her father since Dracerdis attempted to murder her a few years ago and is driven primarily by a thirst for revenge. Anaisa will be a strong force of opposition against Dracerdis' rule, constantly undermining his efforts and causing him problems. While Anaisa was raised as a pirate and is not exactly the softest of people, she does have a strong personal code and would be likely to treat allies well. Anaisa's groups have a few hideouts but are primarily sea-based (living aboard ships). Characters who are morally grey or have a criminal background would fit in with her group best, but all are welcome; please contact Signe to discuss adding your character as one of Anaisa's rebels!
• Poppy: Poppy is the daughter of Aura, a chaotic woman who in the past has taken something of a more background position in the troubles Shaman has encountered. After her daughter, wife, and a number of very dear friends are taken into the harem by Dracerdis, Poppy will step up into a more active role and set herself up as a direct opponent to Dracerdis. Her rebels will frequently team up with Anaisa's to make coordinated attacks against the Emperor's forces, but their primary focus will be creating and protecting a safe haven away from Dracerdis' oppressive reign; they would be the most likely force (between the two) to raid the Silk Court and help concubines escape the emperor. Poppy's forces will primarily reside in Kingswood. Poppy is most likely to draw in characters with a "good" or lighter alignment, but all are welcome! Please contact Signe to discuss adding your character as one of Poppy's rebels.