[MakeshiftWalrus]

Applicable BYOND Key - MakeshiftMurk

Character Name - Ly Astenturf [Four Seasons Trading Company]

Request Type - Character status & character assets

Request Details - I want to apply for true, high-standing nobility of the Empire for the character. The kind that makes the ordinary citizen look at you with awe, and fright. The kind so influential it would be criminal not to bow, and show courtesy. It's a position of power primarily seated in the high circles of Cellsvich due to her economical prowess, with strings across most of the naval commerce set between the Empire, Oniga, Egwyn, and Kysei. Presently Ly already has huge stakes in Dormeho, and naval trade in general, I just want her position as a maritime powerhouse to be truly cemented, and indomitable compared to the competition.

Though Ly is by no means a born noble, her merits, and position would earn her the recognition, and titles of the high-standing. As I'm unaware of what titles the Empire even holds, the exact title would have to be figured out. 

For assets, here's the specifics of what I want to request: [The rest are in the other document]

[Wavebreaker Shipyard]
Wavebreaker shipyard is the shipyard in Dormeho. More specifically, it's several bays in which ships are made, and it is among the largest, most advanced places in the world when it comes to crafting any kind of naval vessel under the sun. A great deal of money flows to, and from this place, and it isn't exclusively used by Ly's company. It often works on contract from anyone with enough coin on hand, although most would be screened by the local overseer before any project would begin. The shipyard is largely considered the best place to be for aspiring shipwrights, and many fight to be hired on hand due to the prestige, and good pay the work typically gives them. The shipyard's manual labour consists mostly of Mechanations, which, while compensated for their work should they wish, typically without real sentience, or understanding of anything beyond their work.

[The Four Seasons Private Docks]
As the name implies, these are private docks exclusively used by Ly, and those she permits. It'd be a rather substantial part of the total stretch of Dormeho, enough that remaining on good terms with her company is an extremely good idea should one wish to dock their ships without owning private docks of their own. She would be freely within her rights to deny docking within this area, and actively would to anyone she didn't know, or had no business with. Along with the docks themselves, she also owns much of the industry in close proximity to these docks, such as various fishing-related facilities, cranes, and though not too much given the land-based nature, a decently sized caravan-branch.

[The Four Seasons Fleet]
Given the success of her mercantile lead, and business practice, Ly has since gathered an incredible amount of vessels, be it through having them constructed herself, buying them out, or being given them. Not every vessel is capable of true sea travel, and many work within the sphere of the Empire itself. As for exact numbers, given the absolutely titanic nature of the company, she would have about 200 vessels across the world, always sailing, and fulfilling the needs of those with enough coin. A large part of this fleet (Likely about 70-80 vessels) are purely dedicated to sailing goods between Sigrogana, and Oniga under the partnership with House Cyre. The rest are either docked, sail under other contracts, or are leased out to other companies for whatever they might need. The flagship of her fleet, the 'Spring Carrier', is always docked in Dormeho, ready to sail Ly wherever she would.

Assets, and influence will persist in her lineage, IE, move on to her daughter's ownership once Ly retires, and so on. With some consequences of course, such as loss of trust, and personal experience, etc. Those would have to be made anew.

Reason why you are making this request (if applicable) - I've grown Ly as a character for about 5 years OOCly at this point, starting from very, very young, to her now elderly age. Through this journey, she sailed on the very ship that would eventually become the flagship of her maritime empire, amassing more, and more wealth first on the sea, and then land when she could finally sail no more. Her company has only grown throughout all these years, nurtured by various things I cannot mention openly in fear of meta-gaming, but will include in a separate document.

I want her position in life to be properly reflected politically in the game. Made 'Canon', if you would, giving her a ton of actual recognition world-wide from anyone that had to do with commerce, either as someone to be looked up to, or to be envied for her resources.

Roleplay & Lore supporting your request - Ly's journey began when she was adopted into the house of a wealthy Mercalan man, and though she never officially took his surname, she did buy her first ship with his benefaction. This ship was an old frigate titled 'The Spring Carrier' once used for privateering in the days of the Sigro-Onigan war, seeing plenty of battles in its time, and coming out relatively unscathed afterwards. The crew, though not happy to be under the leadership of a woman, and one with zero experience at sea no less, nevertheless took her aboard as it sailed east, for the coasts of Gold.

Though her vessel was her own, Ly began to make money by sailing under a maritime company by the name of 'Summertide Trading', leasing away her ship to travel the stretch between Sigrogana, and Oniga in the times of the post-war tragedy, earning her no small amount of voyages as the company dealt with the noble clan of House Cyre. With a highly experienced crew to teach her, it wouldn't be long before she mastered the stretch, and gradually began to earn the respect, and recognition of those aboard. By the time her company saw their profits grow, and expand, Ly had already placed heavy stocks in the company itself, and began on what she would later come to consider her conquest of the company's assets.

It would be roughly fifteen years at sea, where she sailed further, and further from her home in the Empire, meeting new people, and potential business partners she referred to the company in both Chaturanga, and in Egwyn. Becoming multilingual as a result of necessity for proper communication came during this time, and Ly herself would often be contracted by the company to land deals, or speak with representatives whenever she wasn't commandeering her own ship on voyages. This was almost certainly the most studious time in her life, and one that she would recall fondly for the rest of her days.

...But it would not last. Having been called by a favour from a friend, she lent her ship, and crew to sail them to a fateful confrontation. Not long after her friends had set foot in Egwyn, her vessel was assaulted by an unknown faction, her crew killed, and Ly herself disappearing with only a couple of scraps of her uniform remaining behind. Her friends, though victorious, would sail home on a battered ship with none of the original crew to guide them.

From here, her history becomes muddled for a while: [See the other document]

Six or so years later however, Ly appeared anew in her former company's office, finding that it had steadily declined while she had been away. Using most of her assets, and shrewd diplomacy, she bought out one of the two owners of the company, entering into a dual partnership with the remaining one. For about half a year, she worked from land to ensure that the coin would flow in again, this time reaping the benefits of her work directly as she could once again cast her net across the world to all her previous business partners, of which she had always remained positive with. They were, of course, happy to see her return to what she did best-- lining everyone's pockets with murai.

Upon reaching the halfway-point of the year however, at the cusp of winter, her fellow co-owner fell deathly ill with an illness that would go on to rot his brain from the inside, and out. No physician could save him, and Ly would in the end remain as the sole owner of the company, due to a lack of progeny of her partner.

She took the opportunity to rebrand the company's name from 'Summertide Trading' to 'Four Seasons Trading Company', implying that despite whatever season it was, she would deliver without fail. With her sphere of influence growing, her wealth flowing in, and seemingly no major threats to her company's existence, it would continue to develop for many, many years forward.

With her vast amounts of wealth, she would funnel large portions of it back into her company to ensure its dominance in the market, but she would also begin to fund various things in the side-- community projects, or philanthropy, primarily around Dormeho which made up her own base of operations as far as her company was concerned. She would be one of the first to step forward when the Dormehan militia under the leadership of one Zachery Cross underwent changes, financially supporting them so they could better protect the people, and by proxy, her company. She would also later go on to host a myriad of different events to improve the positive look of herself, gathering vast donations for those in need, or those providing for the same.

These days the company is about as big as it's going to get, with most of what it earns merely being circled back in to keep it steady, and strong. Ly seems fine with this however, and hasn't made any big changes that might hurt it in the long run, likely in preparation for when she eventually gets too old to handle the responsibilities it yet entails.