Character Quest: The Blackmailer’s Price
“Merchant Vex knows Elder Mira’s secret. He could expose her, ruin Eos, profit enormously. Or you could… negotiate.”
Type: Character Quest (Merchant Vex), Moral
Dilemma
Stages: 2
Difficulty: Intermediate
Key Character: Merchant Vex
Summary
Merchant Vex discovered Elder Mira’s corruption. He approaches you (if you know or are investigating): “We both know her secret. Question is: what’s it worth?”
Stage 1: The Proposal
Vex offers deal: - His Silence: 200 Aether-Coin (blackmail Mira, split profit) - His Exposure: +30 Sky-Guild rep, chaos benefits his business - Your Buyout: Pay him 100 Aether-Coin, he stays silent
Choices:
[Partner with Him]
Split blackmail profits. +100 Aether-Coin now, +50 every 10 days. Moral rot. Vex becomes ally (criminal).
[Refuse & Warn Mira]
Tell Mira about threat. She’s grateful but terrified. Vex becomes enemy. Quest chain: deal with him.
[Expose Them Both]
Report Mira AND Vex’s blackmail to Council. Chaotic good. Both face consequences.
[Pay Him Off]
-100 Aether-Coin, buy silence. Expensive but clean. Vex respects pragmatism.
Stage 2: Consequences
If partnered: Ongoing blackmail income, complicity
weight, Vex’s network access
If refused: Vex acts independently (exposes or
escalates), must handle fallout
If exposed both: Political crisis, but truth
served
If paid: Cleanest resolution, but ongoing leverage
risk
Interconnection: Directly affects Arc 1 resolution