005 ; Video

[baetiful]

[ Petyr appears on the screen, hands folded on his pristine and polished office desk, the man himself looking every bit as pristine and polished. ]

Greetings, my fellow imPorts. For those of you who do not know, I am Petyr Baelish -- the current ambassador for Maurtia Falls. This will come as no surprise to those of you who have been following the news or local politics, but I am currently running for Mayor of our city. Do I believe my odds of winning are great? Truth be told, no. But I've always been a bit of a gambling man, you could say.

[ A brief show of a smirk. ]

Regardless of what happens in this upcoming election on Tuesday, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce I will be stepping down from my position as Maurtia Falls' ambassador. I've served for sixteen months, a large chunk of my time in this world, and it has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. But from my campaigning over these past few months, I've seen the horrible state of the schooling and educational programs in Maurtia Falls -- I've seen the suffering of families and the death of teenagers who get mixed up in a life of crime. I've seen children who have everything working against them when it comes to making something better of themselves, and this is the cause I want to fight for -- whether it is as the Mayor of Maurtia Falls or simply as a man who lives within the city.

I, of course, will be here to guide the next ambassador -- and if anyone has any questions about what the job entails, please feel free to ask. Otherwise, I will end it with a question for everyone as a whole.

[ A brief pause. ]

Say the seemingly impossible becomes a reality and I do win this upcoming election -- what things do you most wish to see changed in Maurtia Falls from an imPort point of view? What would make this city easier for you to live in and cohabit with the natives? What would you add here that you believe would make a great resource? I'm curious to hear your thoughts and appreciate all of your feedback. And if you happen to be a resident of Maurtia Falls and of legal voting age, I do hope you will get out to the polls this Tuesday.

Comments

[extremeteenbible]

[ Democracy isn't really a thing Merle's used to. Where he's from, or where he's spent the last twelve or so years thinking he's from, rather, people have titles and authority because other people with titles and authority granted it to them. That's how he became an Earl. He doesn't do much governing over Bottleneck Cove, just tries to make sure the people of the small seaside town have what they need to get by, so politics really isn't his forte.

Still, he's here now, not in Faerûn, so he'd better get used to the way things work in America. ]

Shouldn't we be the ones askin' you questions? Questions like: why should I vote for you, and not the other guy? Or maybe, why should I vote at all? Seems like a big ask, to me.

[baetiful]

[ Petyr chuckles. Those are very good questions. Definitely questions HE would ask, too! Which means this man is probably more intelligent than the majority. ]

It's merely been my experience with imPorts that they do not like to hear someone blather on and on about their campaign promises. Or anything at all, really. But you are more than welcome to ask any questions of that nature. I will happily answer them.

But to address your second question first, democracy has always been an impressive system. It's the first one I've encountered where the people actually have a say as to who they put in charge. Getting the opportunity to vote is truly an honor, and I do think anyone who is eligible to do so should use that as a chance to have their voices heard. Especially as an imPort.

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[alcheregis]

I have every faith in you, dearheart~

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[baetiful]

Your support means the world to me, my darling. My odds are unfavorable, but not impossible.

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[dun_moch]

I have already wished you the best of luck, so instead I will simply answer your question. Maurtia Falls is infamous for being a place where imPorts can be targeted by miscreants. Any leader who wishes to make improvements must take strong action against this insecurity.

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[baetiful]

It is highly alarming how many times our city has become a target, and especially how many times imPorts within our city have become targets. I believe the best thing we can do is tighten up law enforcement by creating something imPort run.

[ And if he did that, that means he can take away taxes from the police department and "trim the fat" so it would be win-win. ]

voice;

[slightlyoffchilt]

Well, you know you have my vote.

[Sincere, and meaningful; his is the first he's used his voice on the Network since March's murder.]

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[baetiful]

I was counting on it, of course. As mayor, I would be able to do far more for your hospital than I could as ambassador.

[trouvaille]

I've put together some files for the next Ambassador's office to help the changeover run smoothly.

[baetiful]

That will be helpful. I do hope you will be coming with me. Should I win.

[ He's going to win. They both know it. Gwen's been very good about crunching numbers and places he needs to win support and Petyr's been very good about schmoozing the right people. ]

voice;

[wizzardly]

You're stepping down?

[who has a nervous tinny in their voice? Surely not this wizard.]

The election hasn't even happened yet, and you're stepping down?

voice;

[baetiful]

Is that concern for my sake?

[ Probably not, but one can hope. ]

Or are you worried about the library? I assure you, it will remain standing even should I not win.

[video]

[cigarbribery]

[jokingly:] If you can somehow get the police to stop looking at me so weird, that'd be great. Thanks.

[more seriously:] But anyway—say you do become mayor. What do you plan to do to make cohabitation with the locals smoother? Especially since Maurtia Falls is kind of notorious for being a little more anti-imPort than the other cities. Do you have any programs in mind, for that and for the state of the educational programs in the city?

[video]

[baetiful]

[ With a laugh. ] Noted. First order of business, to curb the police and their funny glances your way.

But that is a good question. One of my biggest goals had been to lure imPort businesses over to this city. The financial benefits and celebrity factor will help things here tremendously by increasing tourism and therefore increasing the amount of money people are willing to spend. If they see us as a financial asset, it is my hope they will become more welcoming -- especially since it will bring job opportunities for the natives and with the rates of port outs, sometimes whole new businesses. Are you interested in starting up something of your own, perhaps?

[dioception]

I have all the faith in you, Lord Baelish. You are a man of character and stature, and I can see no one better suited for the position.

You know you have my vote, I sincerely hope.

As for things that'd make it easier to live in Maurtia Falls among the natives, perhaps it is selfishness speaking, but I'd like to get the night more situated, perhaps light up those dark alleys, leave less room for shadows. It'd make the place feel more welcoming, I believe.

And as you mentioned, having an imPort-run method of law enforcement is likely to help. We must work to foster more trust between ourselves and the natives.

Perhaps we could even extend an olive branch to the super-powered natives who had taken to vigilantism? [Of course, as he spoke, he was quickly devising ways to get around such systems. What did you expect?]

[baetiful]

[ By making sure to hire corrupt people....had been Baelish's plan. Although since Percival Graves had ported out, he needed to find someone new to head the task force. ]

I think it would be a brilliant idea to include the metahumans in the hiring process and really bolster the team. I know we have many different groups starting already from RISE to the Justice League, but this one would be specifically tied to Maurtia Falls. All that would be needed is a catchy name.

[ With a laugh. ]

And of course. Giving life to the night life in this city should be a top priority. If I am being truthful, I believe it's where we make most of our money.

[exceptionalthief]

Interesting. Ambassadors aside, have imPorts had much of a history and/or success at getting elected to political office?

[baetiful]

As far as I am aware, we are one for one. Mitchell Hundred pursued a career in the Senate and was successful in his endeavors. But he is the only one who has been ambitious enough to move beyond the ambassadorial position thus far. I would like to hope it has opened the door for other imPorts to follow in his footsteps.

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[cleptes]

Mayor Baelish has an interesting ring to it, don't you think?

Good luck. Not that you'll need it of course.

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[baetiful]

Thank you, my lady. I do hope you are right.

How are you faring?

[ He had seen the gruesome video. How could one miss it? ]

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[song_of_ice]

[He's not interested in Baelish's political aspirations and isn't sure why he is replying at all. He only knows that he is still frustrated, angry and lost with Sansa's presence. Yet Baelish seems to be fine...if he knew.]

Sansa is gone.

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[baetiful]

[ Baelish knows. He's known since Sansa's name disappeared off the network. He's waited for her to return, to hate him. And yet the days went on without her -- another victim to the porter. What is surprising is that Jon is sharing this with him. ]

I am aware, but I do appreciate you telling me. Is there anything you need?

[ Probably not from Baelish, but he figures he'd offer. The one thing they did share is their affection for Sansa. ]

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[aberranthubris]

[ Charles appears in a much similar situation with his hands clasped on top of his desk and a warm smile upon his lips. ]

It's lovely to find you in such good spirits, Ambassador. I trust you have been well.

I have already wished you the best of luck quite a while ago but I suppose a rerun isn't against any rules.

[ ooc: my apologies for dropping threads earlier. Surprise hiatus didn't ask for my opinion on the matter. ]

video; don't even worry about it!! I fell into an RP rut over the past months myself!

[baetiful]

Thank you, my friend. I do not believe there can ever be enough well-wishes. They are certainly nice to hear.

I trust you have been well?

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[secondplacescrow]

[ Edd has no reason to run. He just got here, not to mention being in charge of anything is just too exhausting. The Wall was bad enough, thanks.

But just in case, he has to know. ]

When does these elections happen, my lord?

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[baetiful]

I am uncertain when they will be officially. My guess is either sometime in December or perhaps even within the New Year. They usually allow for a month of campaigning before the election itself.

video; shows up five years late with vodka

[functusofficio]

I have been interested in speaking to you, in regards to your position. Given that you are stepping down, would you say that the position enables you to make a real impact on the City, or only on the lives of the Imports within it?

video; well hello there >)

[baetiful]

I believe the position of ambassador is more what you make it, my lady. During my ambassadorship, I was able to accomplish both. My aims were not simply what would help impact imPorts, but what would unite imPorts and natives and bring a better cohesion between the two communities. But there are other ambassadors who were less involved with the city and more with the progress of imPorts within it.

I would say that both approaches are not bad. The position itself is meant to bridge the gap between imPorts and the government, giving us a voice. What one does with that voice is limited only by their levels of investment and creativity.