balmung 'Underground' Networking Linkshell. [See 'Whispervine' LS Directory Listing]

[chaoticsleepy]

Hey everyone!

 

While thinking last night about how excited I am about delving into Meiko's RP and whatnot, I came to a realization:  There are a lot of people in this game whose characters and groups are ICly connected to the "underground" circles of the city-states / Eorzea as a whole to varying degrees.. but no real, cohesive source of OOC networking for these character types.

 

Sure, just about every criminal organization, crooked business, band of bounty hunters, or group of mercenaries has it own method of staying in touch with its own and its associates. But there is no real hub of overarching OOC communication and networking with the bigger picture. As such, not only does it make the 'underground' feel a little background-y, handwave-y, and lifeless, but it also makes it difficult for characters who have an extensive list of contact:  you essentially have to sacrifice a linkpearl slot to every organization you know and/or associate with.

 

Not convenient, fragmented, and takes up waay too much space.

 

So, what I am asking is this:  If there was a linkshell on Balmung dedicated to serving as an OOC source of networking and communication between 'underground' characters/groups across the community as a whole, would you or would you not be interested?

 

 

If there is sufficient interest, I'll be starting up this linkshell likely before the week's end. That said, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, suggestions - whatever you like! And if you have any cool ideas for names, post those too! (I absolutely cannot come up with anything that sounds cool but doesn't cross over into hokey. Haha.)

 

 

* NOTE:  By 'underground', I am not referring exclusively to unlawful, unmoral, evil, or otherwise antagonistic characters. It can also encompass the morally neutral and even good-align characters as well. I simply define 'underground' as anyone whose business, trade, skills, etc. don't lend themselves well to the public eye, who tend to work in the shadows or pulling strings behind the scenes, and/or anyone who has notable connections to this world. For some examples, think thieves, information brokers, black marketeers, smugglers, bounty hunters, crooked law enforcement, even non-crooked law enforcement whose investigations put them in regular contact with the underground.

[C'kayah Polaali]

I approve of this product and/or service!

 

Seriously, though, I do. There are plenty of underground/criminal/dark linkshells around, but most of them are fairly focused on individual groups, but there isn't anything that I'm aware of that's simply the equivalent of the underground grapevine. I'll happily join!

[Gegenji]

"The Grapevine" would actually be a nice, neutral name for it, too.

 

It would also let people make the obvious joke that they heard it "through the Grapevine", which I would be wholly for.

[chaoticsleepy]

C:  (Secretly this is my way of proliferating the phrase 'Numb your septic'. It's happening.)

 

Also, I'm actually pretty damn impressed with The Grapevine due to pun potential. Consider this the name forerunner, haha.

[Faye]

I like this idea! This could be useful and fun!

[Val]

I like it  I'd definitely be interested!

[Dasair]

I saw this and got super excited because I thought you meant literally 'underground', like subterranean caverns, underground. ... but alas.

 

There is actually at least one linkshell for this kind of thing! At least insofar as more 'individual characters looking to get involved in shady business' are concerned. I happen to be one of the officers, though it's more or less 'shady characters' in general, often morally ambiguous and otherwise, and not necessarily strictly organizations as 'underground' might imply. Honestly, it could be both, but it wasn't organization focused. That said, it's OOC, could use more people in it actively (as it's entirely for making connections and setting up 'shady' RPs), and so on. It has a few people in it currently, and last I heard, some of them were thinking of forming a plot.

 

Here's the thread for it: http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=9452

 

All that said and aside, if you're thinking of stringing the organizations themselves together, I support the idea. uvu

[chaoticsleepy]

New concept. Subterranean underground networking linkshell. For people who like to keep their business subtle, discrete, and with at least 20 feet of dirt above their heads!

 

All joking aside, though, I had never seen this LS until now - probably because it seems like it came around when I took an unfortunate RL critical hit and wasn't really around for a while. Whoopsie!

 

Sounds like something I would personally be interested in, though a little different from the kind of LS I'm envisioning. My idea is not so much dark RP focused, since not everyone involved in these circles is necessarily as fond of or as ICly suited towards dark RP. Basically, my goal was to be as inclusive as we can to make as many connections and to share as much information as possible.

 

Edit: And yeah! Stringing together organizations is one of my main goals with the LS.

[Aya]

They need to give us more LSes

[chaoticsleepy]

They need to give us more LSes

 

https://synchromiss.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/pennsatucky-healing-hands.jpg[/img]

 

Preach.

[Enzo]

I am all for this. <3

[Minako Kobayashi]

Consider my body ready, o' Xhexhe, queen Moogle.

[chaoticsleepy]

Fun fact. Apparently "The Grapevine" won't work as an LS name because it contains a "restricted word". 

 

The joys of overly sensitive profanity filters.

 

Edit: The working/placeholder name is now "Shhh!". Please, someone, for the love of all that is holy. Come up with something better.

[poetic-imp]

I am all up for this, as I have a character who works as an informant. He needs contacts EVERYWHERE.

 

Also, how about The Singing Bird? alternatively Whispering Birds?

[T'shina]

I could possibly be interested

[Salinas]

Oh mama, hit me up if the linkshell ever becomes a thing. ლ(=ↀωↀ=)ლ

 

Rhian would like some shady friends. Or contacts. Do people who work in this kind of business even make friends with their fellow baddies?

[Lillini]

Noxaelius mostly keeps to himself but he has been pirating in the past and still does some underground smuggling etc. in Limsa so I'd definitely be interested.

[little-patchy]

This is a great idea! My miqo'te could use more "shadiness" in his life. 

[Delilah Scythewood]

I have some characters who could definitely utilize this.

[DeletedUser]

I'm very interested in this! Can I have an invite if it's been created already?

[Khoure]

Synglona isn't interested in doing crime because she doesn't like personally inconveniencing people, but she grew up in a pirate family and so has an extremely disinterested view of law and plenty of family contacts in the piracy, black market, and most port/coastal focused crime. She doesn't bother breaking the law much herself, but she has no qualms generally in being a contact or messenger. If that's connected enough to the underground, I'd love an invite too! More shady LS don't really fit her since she's not really directly into shady stuff at this point, but at the same time she is still somewhat involved or at least fairly aware of underground happenings

 

Also, some alternate names could be "word on the street" or "word of mouth"

[Tali]

I'm seconding Inarah on this one.  If it already exists, could I also get an invite, please?  Would be very useful for what we do, ICly.  Although it's probably more likely that Inarah has the direct contacts.

[Gegenji]

Fun fact. Apparently "The Grapevine" won't work as an LS name because it contains a "restricted word". 

 

The joys of overly sensitive profanity filters.

 

Edit:  The working/placeholder name is now "Shhh!". Please, someone, for the love of all that is holy. Come up with something better.

 

It's the cockroach thing all over again...

 

Well, other folks have provided other options, so I'll offer one. I like the idea of "whisper" from the Whispering Bird... and I stubbornly want to keep the whole grapevine allegory to it. So how about... Whisperwine?

[chaoticsleepy]

Lots of interest! c: Looks like I'll be making the LS a reality soon. Hopefully it'll be ready by the end of the week. 

As for names, I'm liking the Whisper part too. How about something like Back-alley Whispers or Alleyway Whispers?

[Khoure]

Well, other folks have provided other options, so I'll offer one. I like the idea of "whisper" from the Whispering Bird... and I stubbornly want to keep the whole grapevine allegory to it. So how about... Whisperwine?

 

ooh, that's a good one. Or whispervine? When it's put like that, whisper does sound kind of cool.