Turn 7: On the Cusp of Greatness
- Location
- Maryland
You stand upon the steps of the Lion's Den as the former squires cheer in celebration of their newly acquired knightly status. Grandmaster Hardbeak had asked if you could officiate the ceremony, and after all he and his knights did to deliver you a victory upon the fields of Wingbardy, how could you refuse? You stand in the Citadel's main hall before the newest addition to the local architecture: A grand statue of an Imperial Knight in full regalia and war-plate. It stands upon its hind legs, its wings outstretched. In its oversized talons are clutched two items: A crown, and a steel warhammer.
At Hardbeak's request the statue was not carved in his likeness, merely being a generic knight with a face-concealing helmet. Everyone knows who it's supposed to be though. His duel against Brochard has garnered him quite a reputation. You can hardly believe he used to be your bodyguard before you reestablished the order.
It's been a busy few months since the victory in Wingbardy. True to their word, the Aquileian nobles that didn't swear their fealty to you beforehand practically tripped over each other to pledge their allegiance to you once the news of Brochard's defeat and death reached them.
+500 Tax Income
The few that didn't quickly found their lands invaded, seized, and divided between their neighbors who didn't share their loyalty to your now deceased rival. Unfortunately, it seems that even from beyond the grave Brochard insists on making things difficult for you. Not only is much of Aquileia far behind Griffonia in terms of development, but it seems that in all the chaos of the transition of power someone just walked off with the whole of the Aquileian royal treasury! Naturally, all of the local nobles professed their innocence, but you're going to need Ravenburg to investigate to be sure.
And that's not even getting into Wingbardy and the Feathersian League! Duke Talonuelli has been writing you regularly, keeping you informed of his reconstruction efforts. Brochard's siege engines did a real number on his capitol, to say nothing of the damage caused by all those rampaging brigands amongst his army. As for the League, well they've been unusually quite as of late. You heard Federico got an earful for running off to join the fight without telling anyone but, since the League is merely a loose confederation, they can't really do much more to him than that. And once word got out about the conscripted bandits and the armored trolls, those protests lost a lot of their volume. Now you need to see about setting up talks to bring them both into the fold alongside the Aquileians.
You sigh, looking up at the blood-stained crown of your former nemesis. Why the hell would Brochard have ever wanted to be Emperor? Being a King is exhausting enough as it is!
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather is one of the most scarred Griffons you've ever seen. A former Troll hunter, he lost a wing, an eye, and a hind-leg to a particularly vicious Manticore. Despite his injuries, he's one of the most spirited people you've ever met, and can drink and brawl with the best of them. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Replacing Losses: While you won a great victory in Wingbardy, it was not without its costs. Hundreds of your soldiers gave their lives on the battlefield, and now your army is a shadow of its former strength. Set up some recruitment drives to return your army to its pre-war status. Cost: 1600. Time: One Year. Reward: Army returned to pre-war numbers
[ ] Mountain Militia: As a result of living in such a dangerous region, many Griffons possess their own personal weapons to defend themselves, and will rally together to defend their homes should the creatures of the forests threaten them. Wouldn't it be nice if they did the same when the kingdom was faced with invasion by less beastly foes? Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Village and town militias incorporated into military.
[ ] Dog Fighters: Diamond Dogs may not be capable of flight, but they can dig like nothing else, and their numerous raids against your territory in the past have proven their martial capabilities. Now that you have the loyalty of several packs, it might be a good idea to gather some volunteers willing to join your army and fight on your behalf, especially now that there's no risk of infighting between them and your regular units. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Diamond Dog Soldiers Recruited
[ ] Big Sticks: The mobile Ballistae proved instrumental in your victory at the Battle of Wingbardy. Clearly they are a valuable battlefield asset. Build a few more. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: +5 mobile Ballistae added to army.
Diplomacy: Elva Von Cleef is a stern eyed and stiff necked old bird. But she's been negotiating deals between city-states since before you were born. Negotiating deals between kingdoms was the logical next step for her. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Unity: Brochard is dead. Aquileia has pledged it's fealty to you. All that's left is to bring Wingbardy and the Feathersian League into the fold. Preferably without a war. You're on good terms with the league and great terms with Wingbardy, so you don't think it will be too difficult to get them to consider joining your kingdom and reuniting the Empire. The devil's in the details though, so you should set up a meeting between the Duke and the Feathersian Council to see if you can hash out an agreement. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic Summit Interlude, Chance to Reunite the Empire.
[ ] First Contact Protocols: Once the Empire has been reunited, it's inevitable that your people will eventually journey beyond your borders. And when they do, they will likely encounter other peoples, with their own kingdoms, cultures and languages. First impressions are important, so set up some classes and procedural regulations to prepare diplomats for meeting and negotiating with unknown races. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: First Contact Protocols established, bonus to first impressions with other cultures.
Stewardship: Claus Rosewing is, much like you, a former merchant. You'd actually done business with him a few times prior to taking the throne, and he always struck you as a fair and reasonable gryph. Good thing too, because now he'll be handling much of your finances. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] I'm a Lumberjack and I'm OK: Were it not for the fact that they were infested with monsters, the forests of your kingdom would provide a nearly inexhaustible supply of lumber. That's not to say that your people don't cut down trees, it's just that they've never really done it on a large scale for fear of angering the things living in the woods. If your kingdom is going to grow and prosper, you'll need that timber. Gather some soldiers and have them assist with the construction of water-powered sawmills and woodcutting camps. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Logging income. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Blast Mining: Archimedes' fire powder, while little more than a noise maker in small amounts, is a potent explosive in large doses. A few miners have expressed interest in using it to blast their way through solid rock that can't be easily excavated. It's risky, but the rewards make it worth consideration. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Mining income. Chance of Success: 80%
[ ] Infrastructural Development: Brochard was a warrior king, with everything that that entails. He poured tons of funding into his military and generally left the finances and economic policy to his advisors, who didn't seem too interested in rocking the boat. As a result, much of the farming, mining, and trade infrastructure in Aquileia is well behind that of Griffonia. Open up the treasury and see if you can't fix that. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Aquileia and Griffonia achieve parity in development, increased income.
Learning: Archimedes is an almost comically small and scrawny Griffon, often mistaken for a teenager despite being middle-aged. What he lacks in physical stature, he more than makes up for with brainpower. He has authored numerous works on history, biology, and physics, making him an ideal choice for an advisor. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Mushroom Moonshine: During his research on fungal growth and nutrition, Archimedes discovered that a few particular species of mushroom could potentially be used to produce alcohol. It's...ok, it's a weird idea, but so was mushroom farming, and that turned out pretty well. Grant him some funds to investigate these...alcoholic mushrooms...further. Cost: 50. Time: One Year. Reward: New Source of Alcohol?
[ ] Selective Breeding: By carefully controlling the reproductive processes of crops and food animals, desirable traits such as pest resistance, stronger immune systems, and greater size can become widespread across farm populations. At least, that's what Archimedes tells you. The difficulty lies in getting farmers to go along with the plan. Cost: 100. Time: Two Years. Reward: Increased Farming Income due to greater yields. Chance of Success: 80%
[ ] Explosive Siege Weapons: The success of his ballistae and his access to supplies of fire powder has given Archimedes some ideas. The idea is simple, if unorthodox: a metal tube, sealed off at one end, filled with an amount of fire powder that, when ignited, propels a metal or stone ball out the opening at great speed. It…honestly sounds kind of dangerous, but Archimedes is the expert on this sort of thing. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: New Siege Weapon. Chance of Success: 60%
[ ] Exploration Vessels: Once the Empire has been reunited, you and your people are going to have to venture beyond your current borders and see exactly how much the world has changed in the decades since Discord rearranged the Earth's geography. And if you're going to do that, you'll need ships suitable for long-range ocean voyages, ones equally at home on the sea as on a river. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: New Ship Type.
Intrigue: Lord Ravenburg is a stoic fellow with dark feathers and fur. He speaks only when spoken to and somehow manages to be both unassuming and mildly intimidating. You're not sure exactly how he became spymaster, but the fact that he seemed to know everything about you before you'd even met him indicates he is well-qualified. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Lord Ravenburg's Big Book of Blackmail: That earlier issue with the barons served to highlight what a headache they can be at times. Oh sure, you have their loyalty and support now, but at some point in the future you're going to want or need something that they won't want to give you or let you do. Being a member of the nobility himself, Ravenburg has a solution: blackmail. What with all the scheming and backstabbing that the nobility get up to, almost all of them have secrets that they wouldn't want being made public knowledge. It might be a good idea to learn a few of those secrets, just in case some uppity count needs to be "convinced" not to oppose you politically. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Blackmail on Griffonian nobility acquired.
[ ] Secrets of Aquileia: Even months after Brochard's death, there are still a lot of things you don't know. Why did he choose to invade Wingbardy? How did he manage to get those trolls to fight for him, or at least not fight against him? Where the hell is his treasury? Get Ravenburg on the case and see if he can dig anything up. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Answers and Information. Chance of Success: 80%
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as King take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Family Time: You have a son now, an heir to your throne. Not only would it be a nice idea to spend some relaxing quality time with him, it would be sensible to start planning for his future. He's going to inherit your throne after all, best make sure he'll be prepared! Sure, he's young, but it's never too early to make plans! Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Quality Time with Family, Plans made for Son's future upbringing and education.
[ ] Cracking an Egg: The dragon egg you've acquired is currently stored in a specialized room of your castle, designed to ensure it is kept at the proper temperature. Archimedes, ever the problem-solver, claims he has a way to encourage the egg to hatch, or to prevent it from hatching, should you wish it. Honestly, you're not too sure what to do. Your people know little about dragons beyond the obvious; the closest thing to an expert you have is your wife, who only knows how to kill them. Still, it seems a waste to just leave it sitting in your palace as a glorified paper-weight. Fully grown dragons are forces of nature, capable of taking on entire battalions of Griffon warriors and burning whole villages to the ground in minutes. Then again, those also seem like good reasons not to allow the egg to hatch, now that you think of it. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Hatched Dragon Egg.
[ ] Waxing Nostalgic: Just because Aquileia was eager to get out from Brochard's thumb doesn't mean the people of Wingbardy and the Feathersian League are going to be eager to give up their independence. It's been countless years since Discord's machinations split the Empire, and people have gotten used to doing their own thing. Different cultures and regional dialects have developed, and even if you can get their leaders to agree to reunification, it doesn't mean their subjects will just go along with it happily. You need to remind Griffons of the glory of the old Empire, show them the benefits of unification, and let them know that they share more in common with each other than they think. And failing that you can remind them that, for all you know there are legions of monsters just beyond your borders that could seek to exterminate you all at any time. Nothing brings people together like an existential threat after all! Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Eased Integration, less chance of political backlash and public resentment. Chance of Success: 65%
[ ] Getting Swole: One of the numerous reasons you refused to fight Brochard was that he was so much stronger than you. A blade and a suit of armor mitigated that advantage a great deal, but it didn't remove it completely. You trained with your wife not long ago, and that training showed results, but the results weren't quite as big an improvement as you'd hoped. If you're going to be an Emperor, you need to be strong. Have Gabriella put you through an even more grueling fitness regimen and see if you can't improve your physique a bit more. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased martial stat, chance to upgrade Toned Trait, chance to improve Gabriella's opinion of you. Chance of Success: 55%
At Hardbeak's request the statue was not carved in his likeness, merely being a generic knight with a face-concealing helmet. Everyone knows who it's supposed to be though. His duel against Brochard has garnered him quite a reputation. You can hardly believe he used to be your bodyguard before you reestablished the order.
It's been a busy few months since the victory in Wingbardy. True to their word, the Aquileian nobles that didn't swear their fealty to you beforehand practically tripped over each other to pledge their allegiance to you once the news of Brochard's defeat and death reached them.
+500 Tax Income
The few that didn't quickly found their lands invaded, seized, and divided between their neighbors who didn't share their loyalty to your now deceased rival. Unfortunately, it seems that even from beyond the grave Brochard insists on making things difficult for you. Not only is much of Aquileia far behind Griffonia in terms of development, but it seems that in all the chaos of the transition of power someone just walked off with the whole of the Aquileian royal treasury! Naturally, all of the local nobles professed their innocence, but you're going to need Ravenburg to investigate to be sure.
And that's not even getting into Wingbardy and the Feathersian League! Duke Talonuelli has been writing you regularly, keeping you informed of his reconstruction efforts. Brochard's siege engines did a real number on his capitol, to say nothing of the damage caused by all those rampaging brigands amongst his army. As for the League, well they've been unusually quite as of late. You heard Federico got an earful for running off to join the fight without telling anyone but, since the League is merely a loose confederation, they can't really do much more to him than that. And once word got out about the conscripted bandits and the armored trolls, those protests lost a lot of their volume. Now you need to see about setting up talks to bring them both into the fold alongside the Aquileians.
You sigh, looking up at the blood-stained crown of your former nemesis. Why the hell would Brochard have ever wanted to be Emperor? Being a King is exhausting enough as it is!
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather is one of the most scarred Griffons you've ever seen. A former Troll hunter, he lost a wing, an eye, and a hind-leg to a particularly vicious Manticore. Despite his injuries, he's one of the most spirited people you've ever met, and can drink and brawl with the best of them. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Replacing Losses: While you won a great victory in Wingbardy, it was not without its costs. Hundreds of your soldiers gave their lives on the battlefield, and now your army is a shadow of its former strength. Set up some recruitment drives to return your army to its pre-war status. Cost: 1600. Time: One Year. Reward: Army returned to pre-war numbers
[ ] Mountain Militia: As a result of living in such a dangerous region, many Griffons possess their own personal weapons to defend themselves, and will rally together to defend their homes should the creatures of the forests threaten them. Wouldn't it be nice if they did the same when the kingdom was faced with invasion by less beastly foes? Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Village and town militias incorporated into military.
[ ] Dog Fighters: Diamond Dogs may not be capable of flight, but they can dig like nothing else, and their numerous raids against your territory in the past have proven their martial capabilities. Now that you have the loyalty of several packs, it might be a good idea to gather some volunteers willing to join your army and fight on your behalf, especially now that there's no risk of infighting between them and your regular units. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Diamond Dog Soldiers Recruited
[ ] Big Sticks: The mobile Ballistae proved instrumental in your victory at the Battle of Wingbardy. Clearly they are a valuable battlefield asset. Build a few more. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: +5 mobile Ballistae added to army.
Diplomacy: Elva Von Cleef is a stern eyed and stiff necked old bird. But she's been negotiating deals between city-states since before you were born. Negotiating deals between kingdoms was the logical next step for her. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Unity: Brochard is dead. Aquileia has pledged it's fealty to you. All that's left is to bring Wingbardy and the Feathersian League into the fold. Preferably without a war. You're on good terms with the league and great terms with Wingbardy, so you don't think it will be too difficult to get them to consider joining your kingdom and reuniting the Empire. The devil's in the details though, so you should set up a meeting between the Duke and the Feathersian Council to see if you can hash out an agreement. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic Summit Interlude, Chance to Reunite the Empire.
[ ] First Contact Protocols: Once the Empire has been reunited, it's inevitable that your people will eventually journey beyond your borders. And when they do, they will likely encounter other peoples, with their own kingdoms, cultures and languages. First impressions are important, so set up some classes and procedural regulations to prepare diplomats for meeting and negotiating with unknown races. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: First Contact Protocols established, bonus to first impressions with other cultures.
Stewardship: Claus Rosewing is, much like you, a former merchant. You'd actually done business with him a few times prior to taking the throne, and he always struck you as a fair and reasonable gryph. Good thing too, because now he'll be handling much of your finances. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] I'm a Lumberjack and I'm OK: Were it not for the fact that they were infested with monsters, the forests of your kingdom would provide a nearly inexhaustible supply of lumber. That's not to say that your people don't cut down trees, it's just that they've never really done it on a large scale for fear of angering the things living in the woods. If your kingdom is going to grow and prosper, you'll need that timber. Gather some soldiers and have them assist with the construction of water-powered sawmills and woodcutting camps. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Logging income. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Blast Mining: Archimedes' fire powder, while little more than a noise maker in small amounts, is a potent explosive in large doses. A few miners have expressed interest in using it to blast their way through solid rock that can't be easily excavated. It's risky, but the rewards make it worth consideration. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Mining income. Chance of Success: 80%
[ ] Infrastructural Development: Brochard was a warrior king, with everything that that entails. He poured tons of funding into his military and generally left the finances and economic policy to his advisors, who didn't seem too interested in rocking the boat. As a result, much of the farming, mining, and trade infrastructure in Aquileia is well behind that of Griffonia. Open up the treasury and see if you can't fix that. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Aquileia and Griffonia achieve parity in development, increased income.
Learning: Archimedes is an almost comically small and scrawny Griffon, often mistaken for a teenager despite being middle-aged. What he lacks in physical stature, he more than makes up for with brainpower. He has authored numerous works on history, biology, and physics, making him an ideal choice for an advisor. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Mushroom Moonshine: During his research on fungal growth and nutrition, Archimedes discovered that a few particular species of mushroom could potentially be used to produce alcohol. It's...ok, it's a weird idea, but so was mushroom farming, and that turned out pretty well. Grant him some funds to investigate these...alcoholic mushrooms...further. Cost: 50. Time: One Year. Reward: New Source of Alcohol?
[ ] Selective Breeding: By carefully controlling the reproductive processes of crops and food animals, desirable traits such as pest resistance, stronger immune systems, and greater size can become widespread across farm populations. At least, that's what Archimedes tells you. The difficulty lies in getting farmers to go along with the plan. Cost: 100. Time: Two Years. Reward: Increased Farming Income due to greater yields. Chance of Success: 80%
[ ] Explosive Siege Weapons: The success of his ballistae and his access to supplies of fire powder has given Archimedes some ideas. The idea is simple, if unorthodox: a metal tube, sealed off at one end, filled with an amount of fire powder that, when ignited, propels a metal or stone ball out the opening at great speed. It…honestly sounds kind of dangerous, but Archimedes is the expert on this sort of thing. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: New Siege Weapon. Chance of Success: 60%
[ ] Exploration Vessels: Once the Empire has been reunited, you and your people are going to have to venture beyond your current borders and see exactly how much the world has changed in the decades since Discord rearranged the Earth's geography. And if you're going to do that, you'll need ships suitable for long-range ocean voyages, ones equally at home on the sea as on a river. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: New Ship Type.
Intrigue: Lord Ravenburg is a stoic fellow with dark feathers and fur. He speaks only when spoken to and somehow manages to be both unassuming and mildly intimidating. You're not sure exactly how he became spymaster, but the fact that he seemed to know everything about you before you'd even met him indicates he is well-qualified. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Lord Ravenburg's Big Book of Blackmail: That earlier issue with the barons served to highlight what a headache they can be at times. Oh sure, you have their loyalty and support now, but at some point in the future you're going to want or need something that they won't want to give you or let you do. Being a member of the nobility himself, Ravenburg has a solution: blackmail. What with all the scheming and backstabbing that the nobility get up to, almost all of them have secrets that they wouldn't want being made public knowledge. It might be a good idea to learn a few of those secrets, just in case some uppity count needs to be "convinced" not to oppose you politically. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Blackmail on Griffonian nobility acquired.
[ ] Secrets of Aquileia: Even months after Brochard's death, there are still a lot of things you don't know. Why did he choose to invade Wingbardy? How did he manage to get those trolls to fight for him, or at least not fight against him? Where the hell is his treasury? Get Ravenburg on the case and see if he can dig anything up. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Answers and Information. Chance of Success: 80%
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as King take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Family Time: You have a son now, an heir to your throne. Not only would it be a nice idea to spend some relaxing quality time with him, it would be sensible to start planning for his future. He's going to inherit your throne after all, best make sure he'll be prepared! Sure, he's young, but it's never too early to make plans! Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Quality Time with Family, Plans made for Son's future upbringing and education.
[ ] Cracking an Egg: The dragon egg you've acquired is currently stored in a specialized room of your castle, designed to ensure it is kept at the proper temperature. Archimedes, ever the problem-solver, claims he has a way to encourage the egg to hatch, or to prevent it from hatching, should you wish it. Honestly, you're not too sure what to do. Your people know little about dragons beyond the obvious; the closest thing to an expert you have is your wife, who only knows how to kill them. Still, it seems a waste to just leave it sitting in your palace as a glorified paper-weight. Fully grown dragons are forces of nature, capable of taking on entire battalions of Griffon warriors and burning whole villages to the ground in minutes. Then again, those also seem like good reasons not to allow the egg to hatch, now that you think of it. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Hatched Dragon Egg.
[ ] Waxing Nostalgic: Just because Aquileia was eager to get out from Brochard's thumb doesn't mean the people of Wingbardy and the Feathersian League are going to be eager to give up their independence. It's been countless years since Discord's machinations split the Empire, and people have gotten used to doing their own thing. Different cultures and regional dialects have developed, and even if you can get their leaders to agree to reunification, it doesn't mean their subjects will just go along with it happily. You need to remind Griffons of the glory of the old Empire, show them the benefits of unification, and let them know that they share more in common with each other than they think. And failing that you can remind them that, for all you know there are legions of monsters just beyond your borders that could seek to exterminate you all at any time. Nothing brings people together like an existential threat after all! Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Eased Integration, less chance of political backlash and public resentment. Chance of Success: 65%
[ ] Getting Swole: One of the numerous reasons you refused to fight Brochard was that he was so much stronger than you. A blade and a suit of armor mitigated that advantage a great deal, but it didn't remove it completely. You trained with your wife not long ago, and that training showed results, but the results weren't quite as big an improvement as you'd hoped. If you're going to be an Emperor, you need to be strong. Have Gabriella put you through an even more grueling fitness regimen and see if you can't improve your physique a bit more. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased martial stat, chance to upgrade Toned Trait, chance to improve Gabriella's opinion of you. Chance of Success: 55%
