The Golden Lords received very little attention in FW, but would they not have a huge stake in maintaining the status quo in Sigil? How come they didn't haul out the private armies and quell the violence that rocked the Cage, or at least defend their ward? What are they doing now that the dust has settled? And just how many of them are there?
What about the Golden Lords?
Sun, 2004-06-06 13:40
#1
What about the Golden Lords?
Thu, 2004-06-10 04:16
#3
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
The Golden Lords received very little attention in FW, but would they not have a huge stake in maintaining the status quo in Sigil? How come they didn't haul out the private armies and quell the violence that rocked the Cage, or at least defend their ward? What are they doing now that the dust has settled? And just how many of them are there?
Maybe they did roll out their private armies, but more likely they were too self-absorbed to have them defend anything but their own estates.
And life continues as usual for these berks.
Granted, so long as the riots didn't bleed over into their estates they had little to worry about. But I find it unlikely in the extreme that none of them would be involved in the politics of the Cage. Are any of the Golden Lords detailed anywhere?
Thu, 2004-06-10 14:14
#4
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
Are any of the Golden Lords detailed anywhere?
'
I believe that Shemeska the Marauder, Estavan. and The Lady's Jester are all Golden Lords. I'm sure there are others.
Fri, 2004-06-11 01:33
#5
What about the Golden Lords?
And Zadara the Titan, those 4 most definately. However of them, The Marauder doesn't seem to openly display her wealth. Most of her influence comes through her spy network and information she has and deals in, plus her very substantial land holdings within Sigil. I'd honestly doubt if she bothers much with things outside of Sigil, whereas the others of the 'big 4' would be very keen on material holdings outside of the City of Doors. Shemmy seems more keen on owning 'people' than in other material goods unless its a means to an end for getting someone under her hooks.
There's a number of the Golden Lords other than those 4 that have been mentioned though. I'll write them all down tommorow because I've got them collected in some notes I made for a game a number of months ago. Timmon D'Arlen, Duprak Jarneesh, Spiral Hal'ought, and the one guy who claims to have an apple of eternal life (which he does have, but stole it from the norse pantheon as I recall) Wei Ming Lee or something along those lines.
Fri, 2004-06-11 13:43
#6
What about the Golden Lords?
Given the way that the wealthy influence society in our own world, setting trends and arbitrating fashions and tastes for the masses, it seems to me that the Golden Lords of Sigil should have a much more visible influence over the culture of that city. I think more needs to be done to show the way these bloods shape the discourse of the Cage...
Sun, 2004-06-13 09:01
#7
What about the Golden Lords?
... who says more won't be done with them now that theres a vacume of power without the factions. Relatively speaking, of course. 
As for FW itself? The Golden Lords probably sat back and went "Well. This will be quite useful to us - let them fight and we'll profit off the chaos and reconstruction."
Sun, 2004-06-13 13:22
#8
What about the Golden Lords?
... who says more won't be done with them now that theres a vacume of power without the factions. Relatively speaking, of course. As for FW itself? The Golden Lords probably sat back and went "Well. This will be quite useful to us - let them fight and we'll profit off the chaos and reconstruction."
As for FW itself? The Golden Lords probably sat back and went "Well. This will be quite useful to us - let them fight and we'll profit off the chaos and reconstruction."During the war it may well have been exactly as you said--- the nobles walled themselves in and defended their individual domains, waiting for the dust to settle. Now that it more or less has, they a stepping in to fill part of the power vacuum left by the departure of the factions.
But let us put politics aside for a moment, what is the social influence of the Golden Lords on the Cage? How do they affect the culture of the city? Would they not be Sigils equivalents to Princess Di, Paris Hilton, and Donald Trump, influencing manners, language, customs, and fashions within the city?
Sun, 2004-06-13 13:26
#9
What about the Golden Lords?
Yeps! *grin*
After all - Shemmie's taste in attire sets a standard for all nice young guard dogs around the city...
*ducks*
Tue, 2004-06-15 16:26
#10
What about the Golden Lords?
Yeps! *grin*
After all - Shemmie's taste in attire sets a standard for all nice young guard dogs around the city...
*ducks*
"I'd make a joke about you being dogmeat this weekend, but that'd just play into your hands." 
"You wouldn't see a guard dog in this dress, nor the figure that fills out this dress. After all you do date a sensate, maybe you'd know about guard dogs and all, I wouldn't."
Tue, 2004-06-15 16:30
#11
What about the Golden Lords?
"I'd make a joke about you being dogmeat this weekend, but that'd just play into your hands."
"You wouldn't see a guard dog in this dress, nor the figure that fills out this dress. After all you do date a sensate, maybe you'd know about guard dogs and all, I wouldn't."
Clueless smirks. "Well, considering the form *your* guard dogs take, I would think you'd know them *quite* well. Not that there's anything wrong with saving yourself for another. I'm sure he appreciates the effort, and not to worry, I'd bet the back of his shop has something to sooth your itching."
ooc: Wow I'm glad we're not sniping on the WotC boards - we'd have been shut down *so* fast... .
Tue, 2004-06-22 09:47
#12
What about the Golden Lords?
Hm. I win. *adds to the scoreboard*
Tue, 2004-06-22 17:47
#13
What about the Golden Lords?
Hm. I win. *adds to the scoreboard*
We game this weekend, then we see who wins... *mad DM cackle*
Tue, 2004-06-22 18:00
#14
What about the Golden Lords?
... me. Because you owe me RP. *grins* And yer just as addicted to running as we are to playing.
But I suppose there must be a bit of a nod to the actual *topic* of this thread here.
Jester's Palace: Good hopping sort of place for fine young Sigilian nobility to show off their new shoes and boytoys. Yes or no? Discuss amongst yourselves.
*picturing the Palace done up in red carpet and lined with bariur reporters for the premiere of the latest illusion sensory stone show from the Entertainer's Guild*
Sat, 2004-06-26 12:47
#15
What about the Golden Lords?
Another prominent Golden Lord is Timmon d'Arlen (Faction War, page 9). The d'Arlen family warred with the Ciphers over control of the city's touts for a time (probably enabling Autochon the Bellringer to pick up the pieces afterwords) and were heavily entangled with the Fated until Duke Darkwood came to the city and shook things up.
The eccentric Nino and Norinda Nontegue are also Golden Lords mentioned in that adventure.
Faction War tells us the Golden Lords and the factions often use one another for their own ends.
I created a Golden Lord named Hawksmoor for a story I wrote. The Hawksmoors groom their young to be merchants and faction high-ups. His money bought one son who was half-mercane (don't ask how).
Thu, 2004-07-01 23:00
#16
What about the Golden Lords?
"You wouldn't see a guard dog in this dress, nor the figure that fills out this dress. After all you do date a sensate, maybe you'd know about guard dogs and all, I wouldn't."
"Well, considering the form *your* guard dogs take, I would think you'd know them *quite* well. Not that there's anything wrong with saving yourself for another. I'm sure he appreciates the effort, and not to worry, I'd bet the back of his shop has something to sooth your itching."
The tings just keep flying!
Fri, 2004-07-02 14:35
#17
What about the Golden Lords?
The tings just keep flying!
*grins widely*
Fri, 2004-07-02 18:43
#18
What about the Golden Lords?
The tings just keep flying!
Hah. You laugh. *whispers* We're not acting, we really are like this in real life... 
Fri, 2004-07-02 19:35
#19
What about the Golden Lords?
Hah. You laugh. *whispers* We're not acting, we really are like this in real life...
*slap fight* *giggling* 
Fri, 2004-07-02 20:11
#20
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
The Golden Lords received very little attention in FW, but would they not have a huge stake in maintaining the status quo in Sigil? How come they didn't haul out the private armies and quell the violence that rocked the Cage, or at least defend their ward? What are they doing now that the dust has settled? And just how many of them are there?
Well, if we use real world models on how some of the richest families handled war situations, they probably would have sat back and let the "riots" occur so long as it didn't interfere with their business dealings too much. From what I gathered from FW, the Golden Lords had a lot of their cash cows outside of Sigil, placing them far from the crisis at hand.
Mon, 2009-12-07 15:59
#21
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
So, what are the Golden Lords up to now? It's been a few years, any new developments?
Mon, 2009-12-07 21:00
#22
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
Well, Shemeshka, Zadara, and Estevan seem to have formed an alliance, and a government of sorts, according to the Dungeon Master's Guide 2 in 4th edition.
Tue, 2009-12-08 04:35
#23
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
That is interesting. Aristocrats usually manage to see the long view better than politicians and merchants since they have heirs to pass control over to, so it makes sense for them to put aside differences once the dust has settled from the Faction War and things have stabilised...
Sat, 2009-12-12 16:03
#24
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
Well, Shemeshka, Zadara, and Estevan seem to have formed an alliance, and a government of sorts, according to the Dungeon Master's Guide 2 in 4th edition.
Huh? Last time I was in the cage, those trio had the worst rivalry going on. Of course, rich people who were apparently enemies suddenly becoming friends iwhen they see profit, is the oldest news in the Wheel.
By the way, from descriptions of the Lady's ward, I would expect a lot more Golden Lords to be around. Other than these three + the Jester, not a lot of them come to mind. I think, once you reach a certain level of prestige and power in the planes, you set up a kip there, to show off to, and hang out with, other bloods like yourself. I think there should be a community of at least 25 Golden Lord families/estates in the Ward. Who or what they are is a subject that can be interesting to expand on. What they did on the faction war and the events that followed it (Vecna ordeal, namely) is something that I haven't thought of. Yet.
Sat, 2009-12-12 16:30
#25
Re: What about the Golden Lords?
Aristocrats, the smart ones anyway, care about their legacy, the continuation of their family line, and the maintenance of the status quo, more than religion or issues of philosophy or even politics. The Golden Lords would want Sigil to be stable, business as usual, as much as possible, and would not want to get involved in faction feuds any more than necessary.
Maybe they did roll out their private armies, but more likely they were too self-absorbed to have them defend anything but their own estates.
And life continues as usual for these berks.