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Crown of Shadows

Crown of Shadows

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They say the law rules the land, but what rules the law? The light of this city is as bright as its shadows are dark, and here in the city of light, it's the shadows that rule. The crown of shadows awaits, but who has the strength to wear it?

5,483 readers have visited Crown of Shadows since Silvereil created it.

Introduction




Imagexxxxxxxxx Image
                Coded by Silvereil
                Welcome to the City of Light

                During the day, the crystal-like glass of skyscrapers and the bright white stone of old and official buildings gleam in the sunlight. At night, golden lights turn the city into a shimmering, glowing gem. Homes and jobs are plenty, and crime rates, unemployment rates, and the homeless population are low. The people here are happy and friendly as can be, adding to the city's pristine image. With its glowing reputation, the City of Light is practically the city on the hill. Some say that it is simply too good to be true, and those people would be correct.

                Larkan stands in the public eye as a sign that good leadership does exist. Its mayor has been in charge for the past five years now, and the people still wish him to stay longer. Its laws are quite lax, for it seems not to have need of strict rules that specifically lay out the guidelines. The citizens of the city are models, showing the world what following the rules and staying out of trouble looks like. Yet, when the sun goes down and the lights start to spring to life, so do the real masters of the city.

                Five syndicates call Larkan their home and their playground. They control the major, key areas of the city, as well as the major, key people. As many may suspect, crimes are common, but not all are recognized. With the factions controlling critical powers such as the city council and the local police, justice is not so easily passed as they would have the people believe. Each syndicate lays claim over a section of the city, each constantly locked in battle with the others for gaining more influence, and therefore more power. Alliances are formed and broken, friends are made and lost, and the only thing that stays the same is the fact that everything constantly changes. Only the most able-bodied, strong-minded people are able to keep up with the ever-shifting political tide.

                The Crown of Shadows is the prize. There is no actual crown, or any object at all, for it is rather a hypothetical term. The faction that holds the most influence and power in the city is the most powerful faction, in turn making the head of that faction the most powerful person in the city. In other words, that faction and its head would be free to do as they please with virtually no fear of retribution. No great prize is without an equally great price, however. One must be ruthless, cunning, strategic, among other things, and willing to pay that price if they desire to be crowned the Grand Shadow of Larkan.







The Syndicates

The great City of Light holds many shadows indeed. Larkan is home to hundreds of crime syndicates, yet it's the Five Shadows who are the most powerful
of them all. These are the largest and most influential syndicates of the city, the big players who have the ability to make a huge difference if any of them
ever became the "Great Shadow."



Iron Rose

Of all the crime syndicates in Larkan city, Iron Rose is one of the oldest. It was started by the decendants of early English
settlers who first began the city. As it grew and as more people began to come, it expanded and added Irish and Scottish
members as well. Most of the members of the Iron Rose are still of the northern European heritage, but their ranks have
expanded to allow for more members from other ethnicities. Iron Rose currently controls much of the northwest sector of
Larkan, the financial district, and they specialize in financial and political crimes such as scams, theft, and blackmailing.
[ Current Leader: Saoirse Lynch ]



The El Río Clan

The El Rio Clan holds great power and influence not only in its domain of south Larkan, but also in its countries of origin, like
Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and Cuba. Its reputation as drug dealers, traffickers, and manufacturers
names them as the best ones to go to for any drug product, legal or illegal. With south Larkan populated by slightly run-down
buildings that have a rougher appearance than many buildings of the other city sectors, this gives the drug cartel the perfect
opportunity to make use of these seldom-occupied structures. The El Rio Clan holds a number of desolate buildings which are
used for storage and as labs that can cook drugs. They have an exceptional relationship with White Tiger.
[ Current Leader: Rafael Serdán-Reyes ]



Jade Dragon

Jade Dragon began as an offshoot branch of the famed Chinese Triad. Eventually, it grew so far from its parent organization
that it split and became independent. It still operates internationally, with territories and contacts located in various cities
of East Asia, but it is not part of anything larger anymore and is already large and powerful itself. Though the faction is
traditionally Chinese and still adheres to many Chinese cultures, its members are also known to be Korean and (with slight
reluctance) Japanese. Jade Dragon's territory consists of Larkan's northeast region, which includes the majority of the city's
East Asian citizens. They specialize in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and financial crimes that include scams and theft.
[ Current Leader: Michael Long ]



White Tiger

Larkan originally only had four major crime syndicates. The fifth was created when a faction of Jade Dragon members broke
away from the organization due to conflicts during a shift of power. Of the Five Shadows, White Tiger is the newest and the
weakest. The members who broke off lost a good portion of their power and influence by leaving the Jade Dragon, but they
took with them one of their old syndicate's most strategic holdings: the Larkan City Port on the central east edge of Larkan.
Their relationship with Jade Dragon is about as steady as cracked ice on a frozen lake that hasn't broken yet. They rebuild
and strengthen themselves by practicing the old trades of Jade Dragon: trafficking products, extortion, scams, and theft.
[ Current Leader: Hu ]



Ravens

The name of this crime syndicate is the most information that the majority of anyone in Larkan has on it, save for its members.
The Ravens like to keep to themselves and prefer a reputation of mystery. Its members vary greatly and are so skilled at
hiding their identities that even they don't know all the members in the organization. The mystery of this organization and
its reputation for excelling in making people disappear make the Ravens the most feared of the five. Clandestine and crafty,
they hold the central and southwestern areas of Larkan, specializing in manipulating the government. Of all the five major
factions of Larkan, this one is said to have the highest body count. It's not known since few have been tied back to them.
[ Current Leader: Clara Aldridge-West ]

Toggle Rules

Rules of the Roleplay
    General Notes:
    • RolePlayGateway rules are absolute.

    • While this RP will not be explicit, it is recommended that you be 18+ years of age due to certain adult themes that will be present in the RP.

    • Feel free to have more than one character. (This is actually encouraged) Just make sure you can handle them all logically in the story and develop them all properly.

    • Reservations are welcome, though not required for most roles. They are mainly for the higher ranks in the RP. You can make a reservation by posting in the discussion thread, but you'll probably have more luck if you PM me. A reservation lasts 48 hours, but can be extended if you need it to be.
    Posting Style:
    • It is preferred for this roleplay, to keep things clear, that you use past tense third-person.

    • This RP is a semi-lit to literate level.

      • You should be able to post one paragraph (approx. 5 lines) each post with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

      • Trying to match others' posts may be a good way to judge post length here, so long as it follows the basic 5-line rule.
    Etiquette:
    • Please try to avoid public OOC chat.

      • For this, please use the Crown of Shadows OOC Thread or Private Message. If you have a Discord account, there is also a link to a Discord chat that you can also use to have OOC discussions. This RP may involve some characters knowing the details of a plot without others knowing. We wouldn't want to spoil your plans!
    • While this RP does contain (and even encourages) violence, please keep it civil outside the RP and treat others with respect.

    • Use logic.

      • All the characters here are human, and not everyone knows everything. Outcomes are affected by everyone's actions. Forcing outcomes, ignoring actions to your character, and seeming to magically know everything and respond in a way that prevents an undesirable outcome is considered godmodding, which is not accepted here.


Laws of Larkan
    The rules of Larkan City are about what one would expect for any large metropolis. They do tend to be a bit looser on punishments for committed crimes, and sometimes the crafty ones can find loopholes that they can use to sneak their way out of trouble. There are some dedicated individuals who are trying to tighten these loose laws to ensure the safety of its citizens, but that is not such an easy task in a place where all the important decision makers are essentially puppets for the masters of crime that these laws seem to protect.


Pact of the Five
    This is what the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean might call "guidelines." While not officially enforceable, they are the general rules that the five crime syndicates of Larkan use to keep a fragile peace between them.

    The Pact:
    • No encroaching on the turf of another syndicate for any reason without explicit permission from the ruling syndicate.

      • A syndicate seeking a fugitive on another syndicate's territory must negotiate with the ruling syndicate of that territory, to which the ruling syndicate has the right to refuse entry

      • The syndicate that finds a foreign intruder within the established boundaries of their territory has the right to punish the intruder in the way they see fit
    • Conflicts between parties may be solved by way of a variety of means, including, but not limited to, Duel, Skirmish, Race, and Negotiation.

      • In the rite of Duel, a single person from each party shall face each other in combat which includes, but is not limited to, martial arts, firearms, and blades. The individual sent forth shall represent the party which sent them until the end of the rite. The Duel ends either when one combatant yields, when one combatant is incapable of continuing the Duel, or at the death of one or more of the combatants. The victor shall be determined by the party whose combatant either did not yield, completely subdued their opponent, or still remains alive. No party or syndicate shall be held responsible for any deaths that occur during Duel.

      • In the rite of Skirmish, each involved party shall send forth at least 5 individuals to represent them. The individuals sent forth shall represent the party which sent them until the end of the rite. The two groups sent forth by the two parties involved in the conflict shall engage in combat that may include, but is not limited to, martial arts, firearms, and blades. The Skirmish ends when one group yields, when one group is incapable of combating any more, or when one group is entirely eliminated. The victor shall be determined by the party whose combatant group either did not yield, completely subdued its opponent, or is left with the most members alive. No party or syndicate shall be held responsible for any deaths that occur during Skirmish.

      • In the rite of Race, each party shall gather at a mutually-agreed-upon location. Each party shall present a single, or multiple individuals to represent the party in an automobile race. The individual, or individuals, sent forth shall represent the party which sent them until the completion of the Race. Each individual to be involved in the race is responsible for obtaining one's own vehicle. The Race shall be conducted in the manner of a street race, with each racer beginning parallel to each other behind a single line. The Race victor is determined by the first party to successfully cross the finish line. The Race is concluded with the declaration of a victor, and thus so is the conflict. No syndicate shall be held responsible for any deaths or destruction of property that occur during a Race.

      • In the rite of Negotiation, each party involved in the conflict shall send forth a delegation consisting of one or more individuals. The individuals selected for a representative delegation of a party shall represent the delegation's party of origin until the conclusion of the Negotiation. The delegations of the conflicting parties shall meet at a neutral location on territory that is not claimed by any of the parties in question. The delegations shall engage in peaceful talks with the aim of concluding the conflict. Should any act of violence occur at the Negotiation, the rules of Negotiation shall be replaced with the rules of Duel or Skirmish, whichever may be most appropriate for the situation, with the exception that the party whose delegation first instigated the violence shall be held responsible. The Negotiation shall conclude either at the start of violence, or when all parties reach a mutual agreement. The product of the agreement (pact, treaty, etc.) shall remain in effect for the time listed in the agreement, or as long as there is written physical evidence, signed by each party involved, of the agreement reached. No written agreement means the agreement is not expected to remain in effect after the conclusion of the Negotiation.
    • In the event of unclaimed property, the property automatically belongs to the ruling syndicate of the territory it is found in. In the case of it being found in a neutral zone that no syndicate lays claim to, it is the property of whoever finds it first.

      • Conflicts arising from debate over the ownership of property shall be solved by way of Duel, Skirmish, or Negotiation. The party that fails to win the challenge must cede all property to the winning party without further dissent.
    • Contracts decreeing any sort of working relation (including but not limited to: alliances) shall be written out and signed by all involved parties.

      • No contract means no relations, and all parties in the so-called relation are therefore are susceptible to the consequences of encroaching on another syndicate's turf.
    • Any attack against a syndicate's ruling family shall be understood as an act of war against the syndicate attacked.

Browse All » 9 Settings to roleplay in

Larkan City

Larkan City by Silvereil

The City of Light, ruled by shadows

Chinatown

Chinatown by Silvereil

The city's center of beauty, honor, family, tradition, culture, and secrets.

Happy Dragon

Happy Dragon by Silvereil

At first glance: A quality Asian-fusion restaurant that specializes in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes. At second glance: The carefully guarded headquarters for Jade Dragon

The Night Market

The Night Market by Silvereil

The main market of Chinatown, this place is in business almost 24/7, no doubt thanks to the back-business dealings that Jade Dragon members sometimes hold here.

Lucky Lion

Lucky Lion by Silvereil

Chinatown's most popular hangout place for pretty much everyone, Jade Dragon and not

Larkan City Port

Larkan City Port by Shinaka

Located on the eastern waterfront of Larkan City, the Larkan City Port serves as the largest port in the area for 1000 km. It also serves as the main source of power and influence that keeps White Tiger as one of the Five Shadows.

South Larkan

South Larkan by Silvereil

North, west, east, and central Larkan are all about the modern, bustling metropolitan life. Those citygoers wouldn't know the first thing to survive down here, out in the wild west.

Zone 1

Zone 1 by Silvereil

Zone 1: The first stage of entering Larkan city by sea for just about anything.

Zone 2

Zone 2 by Silvereil

Shipping containers entering Larkan wait here while they go through intensive security checks, with the exception of a few that have some shoddy paperwork and are therefore permanent residents here. These boxes have "special" purposes...

The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 0 authors

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View All »Arcs

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Citizens of Larkan

The shining people of the City of Light, though some have more shadows to hide than others


Jade Dragon

Fierce, proud, and strong, the dragons rule the East.


El Río Clan

Harder to catch than water and hotter to touch than the desert sun


Larkan City Police Department

Serving honor and justice


White Tiger

Unforgiving, honorable, and proud, the king of beasts is not to be underestimated.


Iron Rose

As strong as iron, as beautiful as the rose, and as dangerous as the hidden thorns


Ravens

Dark and mysterious, like the shadows that hide them


Events

Soon™.

Game Master Controls

Welcome home, Promethean. Here, you can manage your universe.

Arcs

Arcs are bundles of posts from any location, allowing you to easily capture sub-plots which might be spread out across multiple locations.

Add Quest » Quests

You can create Quests with various rewards, encouraging your players to engage with specific plot lines.

Add Setting » 9 Settings for your players to play in

Settings are the backdrop for the characters in your universe, giving meaning and context to their existence. By creating a number of well-written locations, you can organize your universe into areas and regions.

Navigation

While not required, locations can be organized onto a map. More information soon!

Larkan City

Larkan City by Silvereil

The City of Light, ruled by shadows

Chinatown

Chinatown by Silvereil

The city's center of beauty, honor, family, tradition, culture, and secrets.

Happy Dragon

Happy Dragon by Silvereil

At first glance: A quality Asian-fusion restaurant that specializes in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes. At second glance: The carefully guarded headquarters for Jade Dragon

The Night Market

The Night Market by Silvereil

The main market of Chinatown, this place is in business almost 24/7, no doubt thanks to the back-business dealings that Jade Dragon members sometimes hold here.

Lucky Lion

Lucky Lion by Silvereil

Chinatown's most popular hangout place for pretty much everyone, Jade Dragon and not

Larkan City Port

Larkan City Port by Shinaka

Located on the eastern waterfront of Larkan City, the Larkan City Port serves as the largest port in the area for 1000 km. It also serves as the main source of power and influence that keeps White Tiger as one of the Five Shadows.

South Larkan

South Larkan by Silvereil

North, west, east, and central Larkan are all about the modern, bustling metropolitan life. Those citygoers wouldn't know the first thing to survive down here, out in the wild west.

Zone 1

Zone 1 by Silvereil

Zone 1: The first stage of entering Larkan city by sea for just about anything.

Zone 2

Zone 2 by Silvereil

Shipping containers entering Larkan wait here while they go through intensive security checks, with the exception of a few that have some shoddy paperwork and are therefore permanent residents here. These boxes have "special" purposes...

Collectibles

By creating Collectibles, you can reward your players with unique items that accentuate their character sheets.


Once an Item has been created, it can be spawned in the IC using /spawn Item Name (case-sensitive, as usual) — this can be followed with /take Item Name to retrieve the item into the current character's inventory.

Mobs

Give your Universe life by adding a Mob, which are auto-replenishing NPCs your players can interact with. Useful for some quick hack-and-slash fun!

Mobs can be automated spawns, like rats and bats, or full-on NPCs complete with conversation menus. Use them to enhance your player experience!

Current Mobs

No mobs have been created yet.

Spawns

Locations where Mobs and Items might appear.

Events

You can schedule events for your players to create notifications and schedule times for everyone to plan around.

Permissions

Add and remove other people from your Universe.

The Forge

Use your INK to craft new artifacts in Crown of Shadows. Once created, Items cannot be changed, but they can be bought and sold in the marketplace.

Notable Items

No items have been created yet!

The Market

Buy, sell, and even craft your own items in this universe.

Market Data

Market conditions are unknown. Use caution when trading.

Quick Buy (Items Most Recently Listed for Sale)

Open Stores

View All » Add Character » 14 Characters to follow in this universe

Character Portrait: Alex Long
Character Portrait: Rafael Serdán-Reyes
Character Portrait: Carwyn Pryderi
Character Portrait: Xavier Espinosa
Character Portrait: Clara Aldridge-West
Character Portrait: Saoirse Lynch
Character Portrait: Erik Lee
Character Portrait: Erin Lee
Character Portrait: Jae-Won Kim
Character Portrait: Marcos Rivera
Character Portrait: Xihe Lei Lottie
Character Portrait: Deok-Su Moon

Newest

Character Portrait: Deok-Su Moon
Deok-Su Moon

WIP - White Tiger Bodyguard

Character Portrait: Jae-Won Kim
Jae-Won Kim

WIP - Ravens Spy / Jade Dragon Driver

Character Portrait: Erin Lee
Erin Lee

A kitsune with a silver tongue

Character Portrait: Erik Lee
Erik Lee

A wolf with a pelt of iron

Character Portrait: Saoirse Lynch
Saoirse Lynch

WIP - Iron Rose Leader

Character Portrait: Clara Aldridge-West
Clara Aldridge-West

the ravens watch from their perches / dark gazes boring through crystal.

Character Portrait: Xavier Espinosa
Xavier Espinosa

Man in a Mask

Trending

Character Portrait: Xavier Espinosa
Xavier Espinosa

Man in a Mask

Character Portrait: Deok-Su Moon
Deok-Su Moon

WIP - White Tiger Bodyguard

Character Portrait: Alex Long
Alex Long

Heir of the Dragon

Character Portrait: Saoirse Lynch
Saoirse Lynch

WIP - Iron Rose Leader

Character Portrait: Clara Aldridge-West
Clara Aldridge-West

the ravens watch from their perches / dark gazes boring through crystal.

Character Portrait: Erik Lee
Erik Lee

A wolf with a pelt of iron

Character Portrait: Jae-Won Kim
Jae-Won Kim

WIP - Ravens Spy / Jade Dragon Driver

Most Followed

Character Portrait: Erik Lee
Erik Lee

A wolf with a pelt of iron

Character Portrait: Xavier Espinosa
Xavier Espinosa

Man in a Mask

Character Portrait: Alex Long
Alex Long

Heir of the Dragon

Character Portrait: Jae-Won Kim
Jae-Won Kim

WIP - Ravens Spy / Jade Dragon Driver

Character Portrait: Erin Lee
Erin Lee

A kitsune with a silver tongue

Character Portrait: Deok-Su Moon
Deok-Su Moon

WIP - White Tiger Bodyguard

Character Portrait: Rafael Serdán-Reyes
Rafael Serdán-Reyes

El Jardinero (MWIP)


View All » Places

Larkan City

Larkan City by Silvereil

The City of Light, ruled by shadows

Chinatown

Chinatown by Silvereil

The city's center of beauty, honor, family, tradition, culture, and secrets.

Happy Dragon

Happy Dragon by Silvereil

At first glance: A quality Asian-fusion restaurant that specializes in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes. At second glance: The carefully guarded headquarters for Jade Dragon

The Night Market

The Night Market by Silvereil

The main market of Chinatown, this place is in business almost 24/7, no doubt thanks to the back-business dealings that Jade Dragon members sometimes hold here.

Lucky Lion

Lucky Lion by Silvereil

Chinatown's most popular hangout place for pretty much everyone, Jade Dragon and not

Larkan City Port

Larkan City Port by Shinaka

Located on the eastern waterfront of Larkan City, the Larkan City Port serves as the largest port in the area for 1000 km. It also serves as the main source of power and influence that keeps White Tiger as one of the Five Shadows.

South Larkan

South Larkan by Silvereil

North, west, east, and central Larkan are all about the modern, bustling metropolitan life. Those citygoers wouldn't know the first thing to survive down here, out in the wild west.

Zone 1

Zone 1 by Silvereil

Zone 1: The first stage of entering Larkan city by sea for just about anything.

Zone 2

Zone 2 by Silvereil

Shipping containers entering Larkan wait here while they go through intensive security checks, with the exception of a few that have some shoddy paperwork and are therefore permanent residents here. These boxes have "special" purposes...

South Larkan

North, west, east, and central Larkan are all about the modern, bustling metropolitan life. Those citygoers wouldn't know the first thing to survive down here, out in the wild west.

Zone 1

Zone 1: The first stage of entering Larkan city by sea for just about anything.

Zone 2

Shipping containers entering Larkan wait here while they go through intensive security checks, with the exception of a few that have some shoddy paperwork and are therefore permanent residents here. These boxes have "special" purposes...

Larkan City Port

Located on the eastern waterfront of Larkan City, the Larkan City Port serves as the largest port in the area for 1000 km. It also serves as the main source of power and influence that keeps White Tiger as one of the Five Shadows.

Lucky Lion

Chinatown's most popular hangout place for pretty much everyone, Jade Dragon and not

Chinatown

The city's center of beauty, honor, family, tradition, culture, and secrets.

Happy Dragon

At first glance: A quality Asian-fusion restaurant that specializes in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes. At second glance: The carefully guarded headquarters for Jade Dragon

The Night Market

The main market of Chinatown, this place is in business almost 24/7, no doubt thanks to the back-business dealings that Jade Dragon members sometimes hold here.

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