Here's a new map, by the way. Say hello to your new neighbors who have both decided to call their earldom Anselm after the river. Naturally, neither of them is willing to budge on the issue, so they'll be North Anselm and South Anselm for everyone else.
And yes, the river is their shared border.
There definitely won't be any raiders or rabble-rousers crossing that border, no sir! I'm sure that border will stay nice and peaceful!
More seriously, if the situation escalates, we can either pick a side, play them off each other, or mediate between the two. Possibly a combination of the actions.
Also, is the river navigable? Could be a nice avenue for trade if so.
[X] Plan Integration
-[X] Alvarez Nairos - The middle-aged sailor was in charge of the empire's local naval forces back during the siege of Port Helm, although he's since aged out of the service. He'd be happy to build up a naval force for you though, and his experience would be useful in training your new crews. (High Martial, Navy Bonus, Unlocks Master and Commander Action Chain)
-[X] Leliana the Nightingale - You considered appointing someone else to the position, but nobody you talk to except Leliana is willing to take it on. You didn't even have any applicants! Thankfully, your old Mentor is willing to take up the post. And really, with her around who else do you need? (Exceptional Diplomacy, Speak Softly, Unlocks Music and Lyrics Action)
-[X] Esther - One of your more surprising applications came from one of the servants always wandering the keep. Esther claims to hail from Keiros in the south end of the empire, but she made her way to the Eastern Province due to an unfortunate turn of events that she would rather not share. It's obvious from the way she infiltrated your staff that she'd make for an excellent spymaster, but can you trust her? (Exceptional Intrigue, Southern Mystery, Unlocks Spider's Web Action Chain)
-[X] Helan Vander - Helan is a member of the Faith of Benevolence, who came to Port Helm on a charitable mission for the Y'Elim. It was supposed to be a 6-month trip, but he's been here now for 2 years, doing everything in his power to help the Y'Elim recover from the war. The people respect him despite his homeland, and Imperials have been grateful for his assistance in defusing some tense situations. (High Stewardship, Healing Hands, Unlocks Faith in the People Action Chain)
-[X] Sara - One of the local girls, a native of the eastern lands, Sara has grown up hauling fish in from the sea. She's considered something of a genius for the way she doubled their weekly hauls, and the faster sail plans she recently came up with apparently make the vessels much faster. She heard about your new title and decided to come beg for funds to build a new ship, of a design that she's certain will be a significant improvement. After your interview, you believe her. (Exceptional Learning, Dislikes the Empire, Unlocks The Mother of Invention Action Chain)
-[X] Zenthalas - A young woman one of Dominic's patrols found in a grove of trees. She warned them off with an impressive display of arcane talents, but when you returned in force agreed to speak with you privately. Apparently the grove is important to her somehow, but she promised to be gone before too long. Alternatively you could try and convince her to stay as a member of your council. (High Sorcery, Outside of Your Box, Unlocks Stranger Things Action Chain)
QMNote: I am changing "Learning" to "Research".
Assembling your council takes some work, but at the end of it all you're grateful that Miklam put you up to it. Just the process of seeking out potential candidates and forming the council has done a great deal to help you understand the difficulties you face in your new land.
And although Miklam questioned some of your choices before he left for Alkaden, you are firm in your decisions. It may be a bit…unorthodox to include so many women on your council, but you're a jumped up bard anyway in the eyes of your peers. You believe the results will prove you right.
Or at least, you hope they will.
Port Helm is the third largest port in the Eastern Province, and consequently sees a good amount of traffic, especially by those who travel down the Anselm. Right now the majority of those are a part of the empire's war effort, who you can't charge a toll, but as the war dies down and the armies withdraw you're hopeful that will open up new opportunities for trade.
But your lands are bigger than one city, and you have a duty to the rest of your subjects in Corwyn, who mostly consist of runaway serfs and refugees from the war. There's a number of smaller farming communities spread throughout the land, and even a rare few Imperial colonists. Taken together, the population almost equals that of Port Helm, and so you'd be remiss not to take them into account.
Which means that you'll need to consider the wider impact your decisions are likely to have.
Especially since the response to your letters home have arrived. Your mother was in the middle of the dressmaking season when they received word from you, so she had little Nabelle write her response down as she dictated. Or not so little, as it happens. You'd quite forgotten that the twins had just turned 16.
Regardless, your mother was grateful to have the confirmation you still lived, and sounds just a bit overwhelmed at how far you've risen in the world. She naturally opines that it couldn't have happened to a better person, and that you had better remember to dress properly!
…and of course we'd love to come visit during the off season…
You wince at the thought of bringing your family into the…less than friendly atmosphere of Port Helm. In this instance your mother's reservations about uprooting the rest of the family serve you well, for the moment at least. Perhaps you could make preparations and bring them over later? Something to consider, anyway. Nabelle finished the letter with a request for more information, and a cheeky little postscript asking for some money, "now that you're all posh and all".
You were not actually as wealthy as you might have expected. Despite the size of your new holdings, they had recently been: laid to siege, conquered (complete with pillaging), and subsequently used as a military staging ground for multiple years. The land has suffered greatly through it all, and trade dropped significantly with the change in ownership of Port Helm four years prior. The last years taxes had actually dropped below the necessary expenses.
Thankfully, Donovan always knew his appointment to oversee the region was merely temporary, and has been reserving a portion of the taxes for whatever incoming lord replaced him. He showed you the extra vault when you asked him to hand his duties off to Helan. You're quite astounded at his honesty, as most men would have stolen it all instead. Thanks to his foresight and integrity however, you are not wanting for funds to apply to the improvement of the state. You'll just have to hope that things turn around before you run out.
And now, in your first meeting with your ministers. You have some decisions to make.
You have Nine (9) dice to spend, plus another 1 from each minister that is locked to their category. That makes a total of Fifteen (15). Unless an option states otherwise, there is no limit to the number of dice you may spend on one option.
Martial "I don't like our chances."
We Have (No) Reserves: Alvarez spends several days working with Dominic to understand the current military resources available to you. He is unhappy to inform you that Dominic's Regiment is understrength, and seeing as the Emperor intends to stand it down in two years, is unlikely to be reinforced. You'll need to build your own forces by that time, but at the moment the shorthanded nature of the Regiment will hamper you even further.
[ ] Hire Mercenaries: With enough gold, you could likely find men willing to fight for you. They could help prop up the Regiment in its duties. Alvarez wouldn't care to rely on them on a permanent basis, but it is a good short term solution. [Minimum Required Roll: 40]
[ ] Military Buildup: With only two years to do it, Alvarez urgently requests permission to get started recruiting your private army. He's not willing to draw recruits from the Y'Elim population just yet, so he'll need as much of a head start as you can give him if you're going to be ready for Dominic's Regiment to stand down on schedule. [60]
[ ] Survey the Land: A decent fortification can make up for a sizable difference in numbers, and while an attack over land does seem unlikely from your current political map, it can't be ruled out. Alvarez wants to search for good positions to build forts that can force any invading army to fight on your terms. [80]
Wild Blue Yonder: You have no navy, but Alvarez has plenty of experience in this arena, and has a number of ideas for how to build one. He's not sure what you'll use the navy for, but if you plan to build any kind of merchant fleet he believes it'll be a good idea to have one.
[ ] Mothballed: Donovan apparently had the foresight to preserve a few of the Y'Elim vessels originally captured while serving in the defense of Port Helm. Alvarez remembers the galleys as sturdy war vessels, if a bit on the small side. Putting them back out to sea will take a bit of work, but is certainly easier and cheaper than building new ones. [40]
[ ] Assemble the Crew(s): Weirdly enough, Alvarez wants to build your navy almost exclusively with native Y'Elim. He's confident that Port Helm will never be seized by water while you have a loyal army available, and not too worried that the crew will steal the ships while their families are still at Port Helm. [60]
Orc Hunting: Small parties of orcs still pop up here and there to ambush the, by now, very wary travelers, and Dominic's understrength regiment can only patrol a small part of Corwyn. They hunt down what they can, but the rest are out there wreaking havoc.
[ ] Post a Bounty: Rather than spending money on mercenaries who may or may not do the job, you could post a bounty on the Orcs. 5 gold per head. Sure, plenty of idiots will get themselves killed taking on the vicious fighters but you have a lot of subjects, right? [80]
[ ] Suspend Patrols, Gather the Hunt: Rather than maintaining a limited safe ground, convince Dominic to lead his Regiment on a dedicated hunt for the orcs. If they get lucky you might just wipe the problem out for good. [100]
Master and Commander: Most of Alvarez' original officer's cohort has aged out of the Imperial Navy, providing a pool of potential officers that you could pull from. Alvarez would need to see if any of them are interested, but it couldn't hurt to check, right?
[ ] Alvarez' Comrades: Have Alvarez write to his old friends and see if anyone would be interested in settling down in your private Navy. [60, prompts mini-turn vote]
Diplomacy "This is worse than that time you insulted Count Delomir."
Hearts and Minds: Your subjects hate you, just as they hate the Empire. But you are not the Empire, and as justified as their hate is it can only hurt them now. Help them to overcome it.
[ ] Look to the Future: Have Leliana assemble the Corwyn community leaders for you. Give them an impassioned speech about the ways you hope to improve their lives. Make sure to meet privately with a few of them individually to answer any questions they may have. [100]
[ ] We're All Allies Now: Some bands of orcs have even penetrated to your lands over the past few years, and Leliana smells an opportunity. Attempt to direct Y'Elim anger at them as a common enemy. [60]
[ ] Try a Different Tact: At least some of the anger must be coming from the harsh way your Imperial troops treat them. Speak with the Regiment about the need to treat your subjects as the Imperial Citizens they now are. [80]
[ ] Act in Concert: Invite one and all to come watch the Chivalrous Bard perform in a local theatre. Let them get to know what a charming fellow you are! If you're lucky, they might not even try to kill you! [120]
Friendly Neighborhood Bard: Your fellow lords and ladies of the Eastern Province know almost nothing about you. Leliana believes this will put you at a disadvantage in the long run. Perhaps you should do something about that.
[ ] I Am a Man of Wealth and Taste: Send each of the other 20 a personalized gift, wine perhaps, along with a letter inviting them to open a dialogue with you via letter. [100]
[ ] Let's Meet Halfway: You share borders on land with two of your peers. Invite them both (separately) to meet with you at your shared borders for a chance to discuss your various interests. [80]
[ ] Release the Nightingale: You couldn't have found a better ambassador if you'd searched the entire Empire. Everyone loves your mentor. Send Leliana to visit one of your peers in order to make an impression on your behalf. While she's there, she can try and get a feeling for what their plans for the future most likely are. [Variable Length, Variable Difficulty]
- [ ] Port Royal [???, 1 Season]
- [ ] Fort Cedre [???, 1 Season]
- [ ] North Anselm [80, 1 Season]
- [ ] South Anselm [80, 1 Season]
Imperial Relations: Leliana has been across the ocean more recently than you, and the Eastern Lands are anathema over there. Despite your heroic rescue of the Emperor, your lands are soon going to taint you merely by association. Which is unfortunate, because support from across the sea would be very useful to you.
[ ] Old friends: You're from Alkaden, and there's a saying that where the Golden City leads, the Empire follows. Write to those you knew, however tangentially, about the opportunities to be found in Elimorea, at Port Helm. [60]
[ ] Northern Discontent: Many who dislike imperial culture often make their way north. But it's not the most pleasant place to live, and perhaps they'd like to move to your lands? Write up an invitation to appeal to them. [60]
[ ] Local Imperials: Search out what few colonists have settled in your land and see what they think of Corwyn. Perhaps they can provide insight on what inspired them to move to your lands. [60]
Music and Lyrics: The power of music to touch the hearts of men is undeniable. With your mentor Leliana's talent for composing, and your skill for lyrics, you could compose a song together in order to reach out to one group or another.
[ ] Your Heroic Rescue: For all the songs already being sung about it, you never got around to writing one of your own. Leliana is ashamed of you for overlooking something so useful. [60]
[ ] A Ballad of Loss: Imperial hatred runs deep in your citizens, but their pain runs deeper still. Write a song of mourning for them to let them know you understand. [100]
[ ] Lighter Things: Even your citizens can't be angry all the time. Write a catchy little ditty about local amusements to make them laugh and smile. Perhaps their moods will lift with the tune. [80]
[ ] For the Empire: Write a fun children's rhyme about Port Helm that lists its better qualities, and try to distribute it in the Empire. Maybe you can boost your incoming traffic. [90]
[ ] Write-in: Song subject, musical tone, target audience, intended result. Subject to approval.
(I'll give a Bonus if you actually write the songs.)
Stewardship "In these dark days, we have a chance to make a difference."
A Time to Sow: The farmers of Corwyn have suffered more than anyone from the war, and have only just begun to recover. Now that winter has ended, every available hand will be busy plowing and planting. Helan believes that one of the best ways to improve the problems of the entire territory would be to boost their efforts. He has a couple of ideas for how to accomplish that. [Exclusive to Spring]
[ ] A Property Mess: The Y'Elim lords of Corwyn kept serfs to till the land, but the war has thrown the entire system into disarray. With most of the Y'Elim nobility dead, and many of the serfs fled, just sorting out who is going to farm which land is slowing the entire process down massively, and Donovan never had the time to address it. Rush out a set of temporary laws to govern these unique circumstances in order to keep the work going. [80]
[ ] Tax Relief: Suspending the first quarterly tax on the farmers will allow them to use that money to plant more seeds, and consequently grow more crops to sell, hopefully building upwards in a virtuous cycle. You'll take a hit in your income, but Helan is confident that in the current market you'll make up your losses before the year is out…as long as the farmers do as you hope. [40]
[ ] Coordinate Extra Labor: Some fields lie fallow not because they should, but because the farmers just don't have enough hands available. Organize extra day-laborers with your own funds to increase the eventual harvest. [60]
City of Anguish: The Siege of Port Helm left scars, both on it's people and it's buildings. While the Empire repaired the military critical structures, it often left the rest of the city to languish in disrepair. Helan believes the people will never truly put the war to rest until they can see their home set to rights, and doing so will have the added bonus of improving their lives directly.
[ ] Clear the Rubble: Port Helm was a wealthy city once, and the majority of it was built in stone. Stone that has become a physical obstacle to any efforts to rebuild. Pay for men to move the stone elsewhere. [40]
[ ] Take a Census: Plenty of refugees have washed up in Port Helm, along with original residents who have lost everything. With a census, Helan plans to reunite lost loved ones and family, as well as reach a more accurate understanding of what the city's basic needs are likely to be in the future. [80]
[ ] Clarify the Law: The Imperial codes of law are not the same as those that used to hold sway here in Corwyn, and the judicial system has ground to a halt in confusion. Have Helan reconcile the differences between the two sets of law so that the city can properly process its own criminal element. [100]
A Merchant Fleet: As Lord of Port Helm, you have a great deal of influence upon the trade within, at least nominally. Building a fleet of your own will enable you to make use of that influence, as well as seek opportunities for trade that directly benefit you. Unfortunately, you don't have any way to build ships at the moment.
[ ] Recruit Carpenters: Have Helan find a mixture of trustworthy locals and imperial immigrants to staff a new set of shipyards. [70]
Or
[ ] Purchase Shipyards: Helan can find preexisting shipyards for your purposes. [50]
A Treasury Afloat: Donovan kept meticulous records of both spending and income, and Helan does his best to familiarize himself with the bookkeeping even whilst adopting Donovan's other duties. Still, he feels confident that there are several inefficiencies he could correct if he only had the time to sort through them.
[ ] Tax Slump: Although Donovan noticed the drop in taxes last year, he was far too busy to look into why. Helan asks for permission to conduct a thorough audit of the tax system to identify the source of the problem so that it can be corrected. [40]
[ ] From War to Peace: Helan is optimistic that shifting from a war footing to one of peace should ease much of the strain on the Earldom's treasury, but he would like to examine the exact nature of the expenses in order to determine what will be necessary to preserve and what can change. [60]
[ ] Invest in Success: Helan knows of multiple opportunities in and around Port Helm where money could be made with a little capital investment. Allow him to take a portion of the reserves in order to invest in these opportunities and bolster your subjects even as you grow wealthier. [80]
Faith in the People: Helan was fascinated to discover the native Y'Elim had never heard of the Faith of Benevolence before the Alkadian invasion. The lack of any visible or evident centers of worship in Port Helm seem to indicate that your subjects don't believe in anything at all. Helan has questioned many Y'Elim on the matter, but they have rebuffed him in ways that discouraged any more questioning. He would like your permission to look into the matter with more resources.
[ ] Examine Confiscated Records: Helan could look through the records that predate Imperial conquest for references to the Y'Elim religion. [60]
[ ] Map the City: Helan could make a physical search for any religious sites under guise of making a map. He might still miss something, but at least you'll get a map out of it. [90]
Intrigue "I'm almost starting to feel like even I want to kill you."
Trust, but Verify: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, your mother always said. Have Esther observe various members of your new realm in order to search for any disloyalty before it can take root.
[ ] The 8th Regiment: You trust Dominic, but you don't know anything about his men. Esther would be glad to fix that for you. [40]
[ ] Your Council: Your council is new and untested and, as Esther points out, a double agent in such a position would pose a significant threat to your rule. Have her look into their backgrounds and make sure that everything checks out. [80]
[ ] The Staff: Donovan was careful to only hire Imperials to work in the Keep, but that won't necessarily translate into loyalty to you. Have Esther make sure that none of them are up to no good. [60]
The Viper's Nest: You would be amazed if nobody in Port Helm was plotting to kill you. Esther shares your cynicism, but is fairly optimistic that she can uncover any such plots with relative ease. It's the thought of potential rebellions that have the both of you worried.
[ ] Y'Elim Nobles: A very small number of Corwyn's nobles survived the siege of Port Helm, but they had been a fixture of the city until about a month prior to your arrival. Donovan was too grateful to be rid of their obstructionism to look into it any further, but just what they're doing is still a matter of some interest. [???]
[ ] The Docks are Full: You're used to busy port cities, you grew up in Alkaden after all, so it was Esther who pointed out to you that Port Helm is seeing an unusual amount of traffic for a city that was losing income. Perhaps she should look into that? [???]
[ ] Watchful Eye: There's always the chance that someone will be trying to operate against your interests in your own territory. Have Esther keep an eye on developments in Corwyn in case someone tries something. [???}
[ ] Recruit Contacts: Esther is new to the city, so is largely operating blind and relying on her own skills alone. Have her develop a support network of informants, most of whom won't even realize who they're ultimately working for. [40]
Foreign Work: As far as Esther is concerned, the Eastern Province just split into 21 separate kingdoms with multiple reasons to fight. She's convinced that your highest priority needs to be navigating this upcoming dance of alliances and betrayals. Unfortunately, you don't have much in the way of information to work with.
[ ] Gather Information: Pay someone to travel to each of the other territories and report back on what they find. They won't be spying, so much as passively observing common information. It'll give you something to work with, though. [40]
[ ] Dispatch Esther: Esther can easily slip through anyone's security, but you'll be without her assistance while she's gone. Is it worth it for a closer look? [Variable Length, Variable Difficulty]
- [ ] Alkaden [2 Seasons]
- [ ] Port Royal [1 Season]
- [ ] Fort Cedre [2 Seasons]
- [ ] North Anselm [1 Season]
- [ ] South Anselm [1 Season]
Spider's Web: Esther has an impressive array of useful skills. With the right time and resources, she could teach these skills to loyal subjects who can then turn them to your use.
[ ] Train "Staff": Esther could train a series of young women to disguise their origins and blend in almost anywhere. Once completed, you could send them to various rulers and have them spy for you close to the heart of power. [80, 2 seasons]
[ ] Train Assassin squad: Esther could train a group of men to become skilled in killing protected targets. Their chances of survival would vary depending on the target, but such is the life of an assassin. [80, 2 seasons]
[ ] Train Informants: Esther could train a group of commoners to observe important details unobtrusively and send them back in coded letters to "family". The ruse would survive all but close inspection. [60, 2 seasons]
[ ] Search for an Apprentice: Esther could search for a worthy apprentice to pass on all of her skills to. Of course, such prodigies don't just grow on trees. [100]
[ ] Build Network: Rather than recruiting specific loyal subjects from your realm, Esther could focus on building a network of native informants. Their ability to blend in would be much stronger, but the process of building such a network is naturally much slower.
- [ ] The Empire [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] The Eastern Province [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] Fort Cedre [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] North Anselm [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] South Anselm [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] Serolm [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- etc.
Research "There's a lot of room for improvement here."
The Rising Tide: In addition to her original proposal for a new style of ship, Sara can think of a few other ways to improve on the vessels she grew up around. She'll be happy to work on any of them, and if you ever build any ships of your own you'll be glad for her work.
[ ] Improved Galleon: Her original proposal involved a peculiar method of construction that would enable you to build a larger ship capable of bearing more weight. She just needs to work out the particulars. [40]
[ ] Sheathed Hull: Most wooden seagoing vessels undergo a process called 'fouling' that Sara believes could be prevented by sheathing the hull in metal. It would make your vessels faster, and prevent gradual degradation, if it works. [80]
[ ] Improved Sail Plan: Sara's sail plan for the fishing schooners wouldn't work for the larger vessel she has in mind. She could adapt it however, with a little effort. [40]
Elimorea's College: Port Helm used to be home to, surprisingly, a research institution. Corwyn's College was famed across the eastern province among the Y'Elim, but was dissolved during the invasion when all the professors fled Port Helm. Sara believes there may still be something to salvage, however.
[ ] The Remnant of Inspiration: The library was ransacked, naturally, but the professor's notes were ignored as useless by your imperial predecessors, and so have been left to gather dust. Sara could sort through them for ideas. [0/???]
[ ] A Method for Invention: One of the college's more publicized projects was developing a method for researchers to use in order to study the natural world. Sara clearly yearns for a chance to examine their notes on this. [80]
[ ] Peculiar Objects: A few objects of curious workmanship were discovered in the college, but since no one saw any value in them they were locked up in a storage room. Sara could try to puzzle out the intention behind their designs, however. [100]
Offensive Inefficiencies: Sara's personal feelings about the conquest don't seem to prevent her from telling you how the Empire could be doing better. Her insights have provided a couple new avenues to examine.
[ ] Inefficient Patrols: Dominic's men are following the routes established years ago, and Sara is confident she can work out some that cover the same amount of territory in less time. Which would save you manpower, or allow the patrols to cover more territory. [40]
[ ] Signal Communication: While Sara strongly approves of patrolling to protect her people, she also thinks you could use some method to raise an alarm should any orcs be spotted. She has an idea how that might be done, but asks that it also be made available to her people. [60]
Mother of Invention: If Corwyn is to survive and prosper, it will need every advantage it can get. Sara has requested a structure be set aside for her to pursue a series of ambitious improvements. She has a list of proposed projects for you to examine and approve.
[ ] Liquid Stone: Sara has some ideas for a mixture of certain materials that should allow you to pour stone into place and let it harden. Such a versatile building material would be invaluable in the aftermath of the war, but she'll have to test whether or not it's possible. [100]
[ ] Improved Scrolls: The salt water air is not kind to parchment, and Sara wants to experiment with different materials in order to find one that will survive the environment better. With any luck, it might be cheaper to produce. [80]
Sorcery "You have many problems, my friend."
Magical Arms: Zenthalas is familiar with the art of enchantment and would be happy to provide a few 'trinkets' to help out. They would take some time to produce, however, and large quantities are unfortunately out of the question. [Limit 2 Dice per turn]
[ ] Communicators: A set of armbands that allow realtime verbal communication over large distances. The theoretical limit is about the size of your territory, but in practice users often see a diminished range due to various factors. [40, 6 Pairs/Dice]
[ ] Invisibility Cloak: A cloth that hides one from view. Esther would be extremely interested in one of these, and it would make for a good last ditch protection should you ever find yourself in danger. [60, 1/Dice]
[ ] Flaming Sword: Dominic already has one of these, actually. Apparently they make for great props for giving inspiring speeches, but are otherwise not all that much more effective than your average sword. Except for lighting things on fire. They're quite good at that. [60, 1/Dice]
[ ] Write-in subject to approval.
Sorcerous Activity: Zenthalas claims to be able to sense active sorcery at a distance, and has detected a small number of incidents at range. She's not too concerned about it, but thought you might like to know. There are three hotspots of activity which she can investigate if you wish.
[ ] Port Helm: The activity pops up in different places, and infrequently, so it would take a little time to track down. [60]
[ ] The Northern Coast: There's a large ongoing spell on the northern coast somewhere. Zenthalas says it's practically a beacon to her senses, so it must be somewhat bigger than the average spell. [???]
[ ] The Anselm: At points along the river, there are periodic flashes of magic. They almost seem to follow a predictable pattern, so Zenthalas is confident she can find one of them easily enough. [???]
Assist Another Project: Sorcery is a surprisingly versatile resource, according to Zenthalas. She would be happy to tag along with another of your ministers and provide assistance with one of their projects. [Adds 1d100 to any non-sorcery roll]
[ ] Which Project? [Limit 2 Dice]
Stranger Things: The grove of trees apparently did hold importance to Zenthalas, as one of her conditions for joining your council was that it be protected. She has invited you to join her there in meditation when you get the chance.
[ ] Meditation: You've decided that Zenthalas is not crazy, you just don't understand her. So there's probably a reason she's invited you to meditate. You think. [???]
Personal Actions (You may pick 2 Personal Actions this turn. You cannot use Action Dice for Personal Actions.)
Investigate Personally: You've done your best to delegate your power responsibly, but some things shouldn't be left to chance. Use your skill for cloak and dagger to make sure of it.
[ ] Esther: Esther impressed you enough with her skills to earn her appointment to your council, but you'd be a fool to trust her blindly. Assess her loyalty to you, and make sure she's not some kind of double agent.
[ ] Dominic: You're old friend is war-weary and rough around the edges. You want to trust him, but perhaps you should make sure he's still your friend at heart?
[ ] Leliana: Your old mentor never did mention why she dropped by. Perhaps you should look into that?
[ ] Write-in.
Build A Rapport: As the Earl, you have a duty to all of your subjects. That includes the members of your council.
[ ] Sara - While she shares her countrymans' dislike of the Empire, Sara saw your offered appointment as the lesser of two evils. Befriending her on a personal level will likely do much to overcome her reservations, however.
[ ] Alvarez - You were impressed by Alvarez's record, but you don't know much more about the man. If he's to fight by your side in the coming years, that might be something you want to change.
[ ] Write-in.
Personal Study: As a Bard you have certain skills that are helpful to you in your new position. But you will need to improve your understanding of many things in order to lrule your lands effectively. Schedule a time for one of your ministers to educate you.
[ ] Martial: Alvarez would be happy to instruct you in the finer points of strategic doctrine. He's probably feeling a little worried that you know so little when your decisions will determine who lives and who dies.
[ ] Martial: Dominic is worried that you're going to get yourself killed one of these days. He's offered to give you some rudimentary weapons instruction and sparring practice any time you wish.
[ ] Diplomacy: Leliana's afraid you're underestimating the political situation. She wants to discuss some likely scenarios with you when you have the time.
[ ] Intrigue: If you didn't already have a title, Esther thinks you could have made an excellent spymaster. She's never opposed to teaching you some of her tricks.
[ ] Stewardship: Helan thinks you have a good instinct for this kind of work, but you need a little polish that he'd be glad to provide.
[ ] Learning: It probably wouldn't be worth Sara's time to teach such an average student, but you would benefit immensely from her knowledge on a variety of topics.
[ ] Sorcery: Zenthalas could help you reach a limited understanding of the Arcane Mysteries. You wouldn't be a sorcerer yourself by any stretch of the imagination, but you'd have a better idea of what forces she and other magicians can bring to bear.
Diplomatic Communications (Does not cost Action Dice)
Lord Edmond, the commander of Fort Cedre has written to you. As the new ruler of Corwyn, he wants reassurance that you will continue to allow his Legion's supplies to travel down the Anselm. You had no intentions of doing otherwise, at least, not while the Emperor's armies are still all over the Eastern Province. Also, that Legion is currently holding back the orcs, and you want it to stay that way.
Ordinarily this kind of communication wouldn't be noteworthy, except that it came from Lord Edmond instead of the man Emperor Magnus appointed to rule Cedre, Lord Marcus Simian. You're not sure what to make of it all, but you should probably consider your response carefully…
[ ] Take Advantage: You smell an opening, and it would be in your best interests to establish a friendly rapport with Lord Edmond. Respond with reassurances and more: an offer for a helping hand should he need it.
[ ] Cautious Inquiry: You can't afford to take anything for granted. Give him useless platitudes and ask for more information. Subtly hint at the information you actually want. Hopefully you can draw this out until you know what's actually going on.
[ ] Do nothing: You're not interested in playing political games with him. Give him the standard reassurances and be done with the matter.
[ ] Write-in.
Personal Communications (Does not cost Action Dice)
Your mother's letter informed you of their status. All of your siblings are alive and well, and the family business is prospering well enough. How shall you respond?
[ ] Invite them to visit. Surely you can guarantee their safety for a short time, and you do miss them all dearly.
-[ ] When? (Pick a Season: Summer, Fall, etc.)
[ ] Write back with a brief summary of your time here, omitting any sensitive details, but otherwise reassuring them that you're fine.
[ ] Write-in
(For your information, your family consists of: Your Mother, Your older sister (happily married), two younger sisters (twins), and one younger brother (the youngest). Your Mother is a widow twice over, hence the 9-year gap between you and the twins.)
And do you send a little money to anyone?
[ ] Nabelle: She did ask
[ ] Your Mother: Who, you note, did not ask.
[ ] Write-in.
Status:
Corwyn: War-torn, recovering.
Port Helm: Angry, bustling.
Ministers: Apprehensive.
Treasury: Reasonable, diminishing
Army: On loan.
Navy: Nonexistent.
So. This took a while, and I'll bet you can guess why.
The Voting will be by Plan, and there will be a 1-hour Moratorium on votes to allow for discussion. That's probably not even necessary though, because this vote will be open for 28 hours, due to my work schedule.
I am a newbie QM, and I've only ever read one CK2 style quest, so I hope this was good.
Yes, and it already is, kinda. There's a lot of military traffic getting in the way, which you aren't allowed to tax, but that should taper off soon. Edit: Over the course of the next two years. So, 8 rounds.
Are these their raw stats or their after trait stats? Because if it's the latter then I have questions about what sort of immense Diplomatic Talent we're running with.
As long as we get a chance to become penpals, I won't have any regrets.
Though speaking of being pursued by a bear, do we have specific numbers on our taxes and treasury, or are we going to be in Abstract Land until we spend some actions working on said taxes and treasury?
While I do not have a plan in place yet, I believe that we really should take Investigate Personally on Esther and Build a Rapport on Sara (the former because we can't have a very good Intrigue advisor of unknown loyalty to us, so we must see if she is indeed trustworthy (or if she's not and needs to be replaced) and the later because we need her to stop disliking us just because our character is from the Empire).
In the fourth year of Emperor Magnus’ reign, the Alkadian Empire embarked on a war of conquest across the sea. The Emperor himself led his mighty armies to the new land in a bloody campaign of conquest. Some said it was for glory, others for gold. Some quietly whispered that the Emperor sought...
Also, Mechanics also say that Personal actions and Diplomatic Communications do not cost us action dice. (aka they are free actions; EDIT: While Personal actions do not cost us dice, they have a separate action limit: We can only take 2 personal actions per turn (according to QM)).
Are these their raw stats or their after trait stats? Because if it's the latter then I have questions about what sort of immense Diplomatic Talent we're running with.
Their after trait stats. I haven't rolled up their other stats just yet (next on my housekeeping list) but they all led much more balanced lives than you did, so they don't have a dump stat like martial and such stuff.
I may have also given you more traits than necessary, but don't worry. I'll make sure you need them all in the end.
As long as we get a chance to become penpals, I won't have any regrets.
Though speaking of being pursued by a bear, do we have specific numbers on our taxes and treasury, or are we going to be in Abstract Land until we spend some actions working on said taxes and treasury?
I have some bad news. Abstract land is going to be the default mode for this quest. Mostly because if I try to crunch numbers for this I will undoubtedly burn out very quickly.
My intention is to give you a general feel for how you're doing, and limit the options available according to the resources you have. You'll note that this post has you recruiting carpenters or buying a shipyard, but no option to build a ship. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.
Thankfully, Donovan always knew his appointment to oversee the region was merely temporary, and has been reserving a portion of the taxes for whatever incoming lord replaced him. He showed you the extra vault when you asked him to hand his duties off to Helan. You're quite astounded at his honesty, as most men would have stolen it all instead. Thanks to his foresight and integrity however, you are not wanting for funds to apply to the improvement of the state. You'll just have to hope that things turn around before you run out.
If you think the odds of succeeding are poor, you can try doing something multiple times. So 2 (or more) action dice get rolled, separately, for the one option. Even if the first one succeeds, the second one is still used up.
9 dice to use, 1 free action dice for each advisor, I've bolded issues I think are important.
Martial "I don't like our chances."
We Have (No) Reserves: Alvarez spends several days working with Dominic to understand the current military resources available to you. He is unhappy to inform you that Dominic's Regiment is understrength, and seeing as the Emperor intends to stand it down in two years, is unlikely to be reinforced. You'll need to build your own forces by that time, but at the moment the shorthanded nature of the Regiment will hamper you even further.
[ ] Hire Mercenaries: With enough gold, you could likely find men willing to fight for you. They could help prop up the Regiment in its duties. Alvarez wouldn't care to rely on them on a permanent basis, but it is a good short term solution. [Minimum Required Roll: 40] [ ] Military Buildup: With only two years to do it, Alvarez urgently requests permission to get started recruiting your private army. He's not willing to draw recruits from the Y'Elim population just yet, so he'll need as much of a head start as you can give him if you're going to be ready for Dominic's Regiment to stand down on schedule. [60]
[ ] Survey the Land: A decent fortification can make up for a sizable difference in numbers, and while an attack over land does seem unlikely from your current political map, it can't be ruled out. Alvarez wants to search for good positions to build forts that can force any invading army to fight on your terms. [80]
Wild Blue Yonder: You have no navy, but Alvarez has plenty of experience in this arena, and has a number of ideas for how to build one. He's not sure what you'll use the navy for, but if you plan to build any kind of merchant fleet he believes it'll be a good idea to have one. [ ] Mothballed: Donovan apparently had the foresight to preserve a few of the Y'Elim vessels originally captured while serving in the defense of Port Helm. Alvarez remembers the galleys as sturdy war vessels, if a bit on the small side. Putting them back out to sea will take a bit of work, but is certainly easier and cheaper than building new ones. [40]
[ ] Assemble the Crew(s): Weirdly enough, Alvarez wants to build your navy almost exclusively with native Y'Elim. He's confident the Port Helm will never be seized by water while you have a loyal army available, and not too worried that the crew will steal the ships while their families are still at Port Helm. [60]
Orc Hunting: Small parties of orcs still pop up here and there to ambush the, by now, very wary travelers, and Dominic's understrength regiment can only patrol a small part of Corwyn. They hunt down what they can, but the rest are out there wreaking havoc.
[ ] Post a Bounty: Rather than spending money on mercenaries who may or may not do the job, you could post a bounty on the Orcs. 5 gold per head. Sure, plenty of idiots will get themselves killed taking on the vicious fighters but you have a lot of subjects, right? [80]
[ ] Suspend Patrols, Gather the Hunt: Rather than maintaining a limited safe ground, convince Dominic to lead his Regiment on a dedicated hunt for the orcs. If they get lucky you might just wipe the problem out for good. [100]
Master and Commander: Most of Alvarez original officer's cohort has aged out of the Imperial Navy, providing a pool of potential officers that you could pull from. Alvarez would need to see if any of them are interested, but it couldn't hurt to check, right?
[ ] Alvarez' Comrades: Have Alvarez write to his old friends and see if anyone would be interested in settling down in your private Navy. [80, prompts mini-turn vote]
So basically we should get a small army running, as well as boats. Al looks like he knows his ship stuff. Orc hunting seems a little premature and risky. Same for Master and Commander, too high DC for my comfort (~40% chance to succeed?)
Diplomacy "This is worse than that time you insulted Count Delomir."
Hearts and Minds: Your subjects hate you, just as they hate the Empire. But you are not the Empire, and as justified as their hate is it can only hurt them now. Help them to overcome it.
[ ] Look to the Future: Have Leliana assemble the Corwyn community leaders for you. Give them an impassioned speech about the ways you hope to improve their lives. Make sure to meet privately with a few of them individually to answer any questions they may have. [100] [ ] We're All Allies Now: Some bands of orcs have even penetrated to your lands over the past few years, and Leliana smells an opportunity. Attempt to direct Y'Elim anger at them as a common enemy. [60]
[ ] Try a Different Tact: At least some of the anger must be coming from the harsh way your Imperial troops treat them. Speak with the Regiment about the need to treat your subjects as the Imperial Citizens they now are. [80]
[ ] Act in Concert: Invite one and all to come watch the Chivalrous Bard perform in a local theatre. Let them get to know what a charming fellow you are! If you're lucky, they might not even try to kill you! [120]
Friendly Neighborhood Bard: Your fellow lords and ladies of the Eastern Province know almost nothing about you. Leliana believes this will put you at a disadvantage in the long run. Perhaps you should do something about that. [ ] I Am a Man of Wealth and Taste: Send each of the other 20 a personalized gift, wine perhaps, along with a letter inviting them to open a dialogue with you via letter. [100]
[ ] Let's Meet Halfway: You share borders on land with two of your peers. Invite them both (separately) to meet with you at your shared borders for a chance to discuss your various interests. [80]
[ ] Release the Nightingale: You couldn't have found a better ambassador if you'd searched the entire Empire. Everyone loves your mentor. Send Leliana to visit one of your peers in order to make an impression on your behalf. While she's there, she can try and get a feeling for what their plans for the future most likely are. [Variable Length, Variable Difficulty]
- [ ] Port Royal [???, 1 Season]
- [ ] Fort Cedre [???, 1 Season]
- [ ] North Anselm [80, 1 Season]
- [ ] South Anselm [80, 1 Season]
Imperial Relations: Leliana has been across the ocean more recently than you, and the Eastern Lands are anathema over there. Despite your heroic rescue of the Emperor, your lands are soon going to taint you merely by association. Which is unfortunate, because support from across the sea would be very useful to you.
[ ] Old friends: You're from Alkaden, and there's a saying that where the Golden City leads, the Empire follows. Write to those you knew, however tangentially, about the opportunities to be found in Elimorea, at Port Helm. [60]
[ ] Northern Discontent: Many who dislike imperial culture often make their way north. But it's not the most pleasant place to live, and perhaps they'd like to move to your lands? Write up an invitation to appeal to them. [60]
[ ] Local Imperials: Search out what few colonists have settled in your land and see what they think of Corwyn. Perhaps they can provide insight on what inspired them to move to your lands. [60]
Music and Lyrics: The power of music to touch the hearts of men is undeniable. With your mentor Leliana's talent for composing, and your skill for lyrics, you could compose a song together in order to reach out to one group or another.
[ ] Your Heroic Rescue: For all the songs already being sung about it, you never got around to writing one of your own. Leliana is ashamed of you for overlooking something so useful. [60]
[ ] A Ballad of Loss: Imperial hatred runs deep in your citizens, but their pain runs deeper still. Write a song of mourning for them to let them know you understand. [100]
[ ] Lighter Things: Even your citizens can't be angry all the time. Write a catchy little ditty about local amusements to make them laugh and smile. Perhaps their moods will lift with the tune. [80]
[ ] For the Empire: Write a fun children's rhyme about Port Helm that lists its better qualities, and try to distribute it in the Empire. Maybe you can boost your incoming traffic. [90]
[ ] Write-in: Song subject, musical tone, target audience, intended result. Subject to approval.
(I'll give a Bonus if you actually write the songs.)
I could probably whip up a song, provided this option wins. (Just a heads up, I won't vote for any plan that doesn't include Music and Lyrics.)
It's best to get our diplomatic roots out to the surrounding lords and getting the people to know who we are. A song for the people would be perfect, while I'm fine with any of the noble options, all seem appropriate.
Stewardship "In these dark days, we have a chance to make a difference."
A Time to Sow: The farmers of Corwyn have suffered more than anyone from the war, and have only just begun to recover. Now that winter has ended, every available hand will be busy plowing and planting. Helan believes that one of the best ways to improve the problems of the entire territory would be to boost their efforts. He has a couple of ideas for how to accomplish that. [Exclusive to Spring]
[ ] A Property Mess: The Y'Elim lords of Corwyn kept serfs to till the land, but the war has thrown the entire system into disarray. With most of the Y'Elim nobility dead, and many of the serfs fled, just sorting out who is going to farm which land is slowing the entire process down massively, and Donovan never had the time to address it. Rush out a set of temporary laws to govern these unique circumstances in order to keep the work going. [80] [ ] Tax Relief: Suspending the first quarterly tax on the farmers will allow them to use that money to plant more seeds, and consequently grow more crops to sell, hopefully building upwards in a virtuous cycle. You'll take a hit in your income, but Helan is confident that in the current market you'll make up your losses before the year is out…as long as the farmers do as you hope. [40]
[ ] Coordinate Extra Labor: Some fields lie fallow not because they should, but because the farmers just don't have enough hands available. Organize extra day-laborers with your own funds to increase the eventual harvest. [60]
City of Anguish: The Siege of Port Helm left scars, both on it's people and it's buildings. While the Empire repaired the military critical structures, it often left the rest of the city to languish in disrepair. Helan believes the people will never truly put the war to rest until they can see their home set to rights, and doing so will have the added bonus of improving their lives directly. [ ] Clear the Rubble: Port Helm was a wealthy city once, and the majority of it was built in stone. Stone that has become a physical obstacle to any efforts to rebuild. Pay for men to move the stone elsewhere. [40]
[ ] Take a Census: Plenty of refugees have washed up in Port Helm, along with original residents who have lost everything. With a census, Helan plans to reunite lost loved ones and family, as well as reach a more accurate understanding of what the city's basic needs are likely to be in the future. [80]
[ ] Clarify the Law: The Imperial codes of law are not the same as those that used to hold sway here in Corwyn, and the judicial system has ground to a halt in confusion. Have Helan reconcile the differences between the two sets of law so that the city can properly process its own criminal element. [100]
A Merchant Fleet: As Lord of Port Helm, you have a great deal of influence upon the trade within, at least nominally. Building a fleet of your own will enable you to make use of that influence, as well as seek opportunities for trade that directly benefit you. Unfortunately, you don't have any way to build ships at the moment.
[ ] Recruit Carpenters: Have Helan find a mixture of trustworthy locals and imperial immigrants to staff a new set of shipyards. [70]
Or
[ ] Purchase Shipyards: Helan can find preexisting shipyards for your purposes. [50]
A Treasury Afloat: Donovan kept meticulous records of both spending and income, and Helan does his best to familiarize himself with the bookkeeping even whilst adopting Donovan's other duties. Still, he feels confident that there are several inefficiencies he could correct if he only had the time to sort through them. [ ] Tax Slump: Although Donovan noticed the drop in taxes last year, he was far too busy to look into why. Helan asks for permission to conduct a thorough audit of the tax system to identify the source of the problem so that it can be corrected. [40]
[ ] From War to Peace: Helan is optimistic that shifting from a war footing to one of peace should ease much of the strain on the Earldom's treasury, but he would like to examine the exact nature of the expenses in order to determine what will be necessary to preserve and what can change. [60]
[ ] Invest in Success: Helan knows of multiple opportunities in and around Port Helm where money could be made with a little capital investment. Allow him to take a portion of the reserves in order to invest in these opportunities and bolster your subjects even as you grow wealthier. [80]
Faith in the People: Helan was fascinated to discover the native Y'Elim had never heard of the Faith of Benevolence before the Alkadian invasion. The lack of any visible or evident centers of worship in Port Helm seem to indicate that your subjects don't believe in anything at all. Helan has questioned many Y'Elim on the matter, but they have rebuffed him in ways that discouraged any more questioning. He would like your permission to look into the matter with more resources. [ ] Examine Confiscated Records: Helan could look through the records that predate Imperial conquest for references to the Y'Elim religion. [60]
[ ] Map the City: Helan could make a physical search for any religious sites under guise of making a map. He might still miss something, but at least you'll get a map out of it. [90]
Definitely need to let the farmers recover with lower taxes and more hands, rebellions start if we mess with them in these times. The food problem must be top priority. Same goes for the city.
I'd prefer to take the lower DC options to ensure the lands recover, and shipyards are important for our region. I'm leaning toward finding preexisting shipyards.
The Treasury options are also important, for the near future. Would recommend the lower DC options, again.
Faith can be a bit tricky in these times, and we don't have too many resources to throw around, but we could examine the records if Helan really wants to.
Intrigue "I'm almost starting to feel like even I want to kill you."
Trust, but Verify: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, your mother always said. Have Esther observe various members of your new realm in order to search for any disloyalty before it can take root. [ ] The 8th Regiment: You trust Dominic, but you don't know anything about his men. Esther would be glad to fix that for you. [40]
[ ] Your Council: Your council is new and untested and, as Esther points out, a double agent in such a position would pose a significant threat to your rule. Have her look into their backgrounds and make sure that everything checks out. [80]
[ ] The Staff: Donovan was careful to only hire Imperials to work in the Keep, but that won't necessarily translate into loyalty to you. Have Esther make sure that none of them are up to no good. [60]
The Viper's Nest: You would be amazed if nobody in Port Helm was plotting to kill you. Esther shares your cynicism, but is fairly optimistic that she can uncover any such plots with relative ease. It's the thought of potential rebellions that have the both of you worried.
[ ] Y'Elim Nobles: A very small number of Corwyn's nobles survived the siege of Port Helm, but they had been a fixture of the city until about a month prior to your arrival. Donovan was too grateful to be rid of their obstructionism to look into it any further, but just what they're doing is still a matter of some interest. [???]
[ ] The Docks are Full: You're used to busy port cities, you grew up in Alkaden after all, so it was Esther who pointed out to you that Port Helm is seeing an unusual amount of traffic for a city that was losing income. Perhaps she should look into that? [???]
[ ] Watchful Eye: There's always the chance that someone will be trying to operate against your interests in your own territory. Have Esther keep an eye on developments in Corwyn in case someone tries something. [???} [ ] Recruit Contacts: Esther is new to the city, so is largely operating blind and relying on her own skills alone. Have her develop a support network of informants, most of whom won't even realize who they're ultimately working for. [40]
Foreign Work: As far as Esther is concerned, the Eastern Province just split into 21 separate kingdoms with multiple reasons to fight. She's convinced that your highest priority needs to be navigating this upcoming dance of alliances and betrayals. Unfortunately, you don't have much in the way of information to work with. [ ] Gather Information: Pay someone to travel to each of the other territories and report back on what they find. They won't be spying, so much as passively observing common information. It'll give you something to work with, though. [40]
[ ] Dispatch Esther: Esther can easily slip through anyone's security, but you'll be without her assistance while she's gone. Is it worth it for a closer look? [Variable Length, Variable Difficulty]
- [ ] Alkaden [2 Seasons]
- [ ] Port Royal [1 Season]
- [ ] Fort Cedre [2 Seasons]
- [ ] North Anselm [1 Season]
- [ ] South Anselm [1 Season]
Spider's Web: Esther has an impressive array of useful skills. With the right time and resources, she could teach these skills to loyal subjects who can then turn them to your use.
[ ] Train "Staff": Esther could train a series of young women to disguise their origins and blend in almost anywhere. Once completed, you could send them to various rulers and have them spy for you close to the heart of power. [80, 2 seasons]
[ ] Train Assassin squad: Esther could train a group of men to become skilled in killing protected targets. Their chances of survival would vary depending on the target, but such is the life of an assassin. [80, 2 seasons] [ ] Train Informants: Esther could train a group of commoners to observe important details unobtrusively and send them back in coded letters to "family". The ruse would survive all but close inspection. [60, 2 seasons]
[ ] Search for an Apprentice: Esther could search for a worthy apprentice to pass on all of her skills to. Of course, such prodigies don't just grow on trees. [100]
[ ] Build Network: Rather than recruiting specific loyal subjects from your realm, Esther could focus on building a network of native informants. Their ability to blend in would be much stronger, but the process of building such a network is naturally much slower.
- [ ] The Empire [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] The Eastern Province [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] Fort Cedre [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] North Anselm [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] South Anselm [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- [ ] Serolm [0/???, Limit 2 dice]
- etc.
Have her interact and snoop on any of the options are good, the military because it's our protection, the advisors, maybe? not too worried on that front when Esther is the most likely to hate us anyways. The staff could be interesting.
Definitely set up first. A blind spymaster is a dead spymaster.
Again, lower DC options, and I want to keep her close to be more familiar with her.
Research "There's a lot of room for improvement here."
The Rising Tide: In addition to her original proposal for a new style of ship, Sara can think of a few other ways to improve on the vessels she grew up around. She'll be happy to work on any of them, and if you ever build any ships of your own you'll be glad for her work. [ ] Improved Galleon: Her original proposal involved a peculiar method of construction that would enable you to build a larger ship capable of bearing more weight. She just needs to work out the particulars. [40]
[ ] Sheathed Hull: Most wooden seagoing vessels undergo a process called 'fouling' that Sara believes could be prevented by sheathing the hull in metal. It would make your vessels faster, and prevent gradual degradation, if it works. [80] [ ] Improved Sail Plan: Sara's sail plan for the fishing schooners wouldn't work for the larger vessel she has in mind. She could adapt it however, with a little effort. [40]
Elimorea's College: Port Helm used to be home to, surprisingly, a research institution. Corwyn's College was famed across the eastern province among the Y'Elim, but was dissolved during the invasion when all the professors fled Port Helm. Sara believes there may still be something to salvage, however. [ ] The Remnant of Inspiration: The library was ransacked, naturally, but the professor's notes were ignored as useless by your imperial predecessors, and so have been left to gather dust. Sara could sort through them for ideas. [0/???]
[ ] A Method for Invention: One of the college's more publicized projects was developing a method for researchers to use in order to study the natural world. Sara clearly yearns for a chance to examine their notes on this. [80]
[ ] Peculiar Objects: A few objects of curious workmanship were discovered in the college, but since no one saw any value in them they were locked up in a storage room. Sara could try to puzzle out the intention behind their designs, however. [100]
Offensive Inefficiencies: Sara's personal feelings about the conquest don't seem to prevent her from telling you how the Empire could be doing better. Her insights have provided a couple new avenues to examine. [ ] Inefficient Patrols: Dominic's men are following the routes established years ago, and Sara is confident she can work out some that cover the same amount of territory in less time. Which would save you manpower, or allow the patrols to cover more territory. [40]
[ ] Signal Communication: While Sara strongly approves of patrolling to protect her people, she also thinks you could use some method to raise an alarm should any orcs be spotted. She has an idea how that might be done, but asks that it also be made available to her people. [60]
Mother of Invention: If Corwyn is to survive and prosper, it will need every advantage it can get. Sara has requested a structure be set aside for her to pursue a series of ambitious improvements. She has a list of proposed projects for you to examine and approve.
[ ] Liquid Stone: Sara has some ideas for a mixture of certain materials that should allow you to pour stone into place and let it harden. Such a versatile building material would be invaluable in the aftermath of the war, but she'll have to test whether or not it's possible. [100]
[ ] Improved Scrolls: The salt water air is not kind to parchment, and Sara wants to experiment with different materials in order to find one that will survive the environment better. With any luck, it might be cheaper to produce. [80]
Better ships sound good.
I would let her go over her predecessor's notes.
The patrols and communication are both very useful for the military.
Liquid stone is like concrete? Damn that's good. Better paper could help with bookmaking and banking.
Sorcery "You have many problems, my friend."
Magical Arms: Zenthalas is familiar with the art of enchantment and would be happy to provide a few 'trinkets' to help out. They would take some time to produce, however, and large quantities are unfortunately out of the question. [Limit 2 Dice per turn] [ ] Communicators: A set of armbands that allow realtime verbal communication over large distances. The theoretical limit is about the size of your territory, but in practice users often see a diminished range due to various factors. [40, 6 Pairs/Dice]
[ ] Invisibility Cloak: A cloth that hides one from view. Esther would be extremely interested in one of these, and it would make for a good last ditch protection should you ever find yourself in danger. [60, 1/Dice]
[ ] Flaming Sword: Dominic already has one of these, actually. Apparently they make for great props for giving inspiring speeches, but are otherwise not all that much more effective than your average sword. Except for lighting things on fire. They're quite good at that. [60, 1/Dice]
[ ] Write-in subject to approval.
Sorcerous Activity: Zenthalas claims to be able to sense active sorcery at a distance, and has detected a small number of incidents at range. She's not too concerned about it, but thought you might like to know. There are three hotspots of activity which she can investigate if you wish. [ ] Port Helm: The activity pops up in different places, and infrequently, so it would take a little time to track down. [60]
[ ] The Northern Coast: There's a large ongoing spell on the northern coast somewhere. Zenthalas says it's practically a beacon to her senses, so it must be somewhat bigger than the average spell. [???]
[ ] The Anselm: At points along the river, there are periodic flashes of magic. They almost seem to follow a predictable pattern, so Zenthalas is confident she can find one of them easily enough. [???]
Assist Another Project: Sorcery is a surprisingly versatile resource, according to Zenthalas. She would be happy to tag along with another of your ministers and provide assistance with one of their projects.
[ ] Which Project?
Stranger Things: The grove of trees apparently didhold importance to Zenthalas, as one of her conditions for joining your council was that it be protected. She has invited you to join her there in meditation when you get the chance. [ ] Meditation: You've decided that Zenthalas is not crazy, you just don't understand her. So there's probably a reason she's invited you to meditate. You think. [???]
She's awesome! Magical telephones!
Let's have her check out close by. Don't want some random sorcerer popping outta nowhere.
Also, meditate to get closer to her/understand her better?
TWO PERSONAL ACTIONS???!! Personal Actions
Investigate Personally: You've done your best to delegate your power responsibly, but some things shouldn't be left to chance. Use your skill for cloak and dagger to make sure of it. [ ] Esther: Esther impressed you enough with her skills to earn her appointment to your council, but you'd be a fool to trust her blindly. Assess her loyalty to you, and make sure she's not some kind of double agent.
[ ] Dominic: You're old friend is war-weary and rough around the edges. You want to trust him, but perhaps you should make sure he's still your friend at heart?
[ ] Leliana: Your old mentor never did mention why she dropped by. Perhaps you should look into that?
[ ] Write-in.
Build A Rapport: As the Earl, you have a duty to all of your subjects. That includes the members of your council. [ ] Sara - While she shares her countrymans' dislike of the Empire, Sara saw your offered appointment as the lesser of two evils. Befriending her on a personal level will likely do much to overcome her reservations, however.'
[ ] Alvarez - You were impressed by Alvarez's record, but you don't know much more about the man. If he's to fight by your side in the coming years, that might be something you want to change.
[ ] Write-in.
Personal Study: As a Bard you have certain skills that are helpful to you in your new position. But you will need to improve your understanding of many things in order to lrule your lands effectively. Schedule a time for one of your ministers to educate you. [ ] Martial: Alvarez would be happy to instruct you in the finer points of strategic doctrine. He's probably feeling a little worried that you know so little when your decisions will determine who lives and who dies.
[ ] Martial: Dominic is worried that you're going to get yourself killed one of these days. He's offered to give you some rudimentary weapons instruction and sparring practice any time you wish.
[ ] Diplomacy: Leliana's afraid you're underestimating the political situation. She wants to discuss some likely scenarios with you when you have the time.
[ ] Intrigue: If you didn't already have a title, Esther thinks you could have made an excellent spymaster. She's never opposed to teaching you some of her tricks.
[ ] Stewardship: Helan thinks you have a good instinct for this kind of work, but you need a little polish that he'd be glad to provide.
[ ] Learning: It probably wouldn't be worth Sara's time to teach such an average student, but you would benefit immensely from her knowledge on a variety of topics.
[ ] Sorcery: Zenthalas could help you reach a limited understanding of the Arcane Mysteries. You wouldn't be a sorcerer yourself by any stretch of the imagination, but you'd have a better idea of what forces she and other magicians can bring to bear.
Think we should get martial training, as well as spy on the spy. Rapport with Sara is less important but still useful to get her on our side.
Diplomatic Communications
Lord Edmond, the commander of Fort Cedre has written to you. As the new ruler of Corwyn, he wants reassurance that you will continue to allow his Legion's supplies to travel down the Anselm. You had no intentions of doing otherwise, at least, not while the Emperor's armies are still all over the Eastern Province. Also, that Legion is currently holding back the orcs, and you want it to stay that way.
Ordinarily this kind of communication wouldn't be noteworthy, except that it came from Lord Edmond instead of the man Emperor Magnus appointed to rule Cedre, Lord Marcus Simian. You're not sure what to make of it all, but you should probably consider your response carefully…
[ ] Take Advantage: You smell an opening, and it would be in your best interests to establish a friendly rapport with Lord Edmond. Respond with reassurances and more: an offer for a helping hand should he need it. [ ] Cautious Inquiry: You can't afford to take anything for granted. Give him useless platitudes and ask for more information. Subtly hint at the information you actually want. Hopefully you can draw this out until you know what's actually going on.
[ ] Do nothing: You're not interested in playing political games with him. Give him the standard reassurances and be done with the matter.
[ ] Write-in.
If there's anything Rick can do well it's giving useless platitudes. Let's get our bearings first before plotting.
Personal Communications
Your mother's letter informed you of their status. All of your siblings are alive and well, and the family business is prospering well enough. How shall you respond?
[ ] Invite them to visit. Surely you can guarantee their safety for a short time, and you do miss them all dearly. -[ ] When? (Pick a Season: Summer, Fall, etc.)
[ ] Write back with a brief summary of your time here, omitting any sensitive details, but otherwise reassuring them that you're fine.
[ ] Write-in
Get them up to date, but don't invite them before our new house is in order yet.
(For your information, your family consists of: Your Mother, Your older sister (happily married), two younger sisters (twins), and one younger brother (the youngest). Your Mother is a widow twice over, hence the 9-year gap between you and the twins.)
And do you send a little money to anyone?
[ ] Nabelle: She did ask
[ ] Your Mother: Who, you note, did not ask. [ ] Write-in.
[] A little bit to everyone! Rick's feeling generous!
But yeah that's a lot of things. I'd recommend spoilering each section?
I have some bad news. Abstract land is going to be the default mode for this quest. Mostly because if I try to crunch numbers for this I will undoubtedly burn out very quickly.
That is more than fine. I'd like some sort of tracker to represent a scale of how good we're doing on a topic (like a range from "Famine to the Breadbasket of the Empire" for food production) but no specific numbers is fine.
That is more than fine. I'd like some sort of tracker to represent a scale of how good we're doing on a topic (like a range from "Famine to the Breadbasket of the Empire" for food production) but no specific numbers is fine.
Ah, you actually just reminded me. I was totally intending to have something like this regarding your populous's attitude towards you at the end of the post. It would be easy to include something for the state of the treasury in that. I'll go throw it together.
Have another Cookie, because you keep reminding me of important stuff. +10 Radicalness.
That is more than fine. I'd like some sort of tracker to represent a scale of how good we're doing on a topic (like a range from "Famine to the Breadbasket of the Empire" for food production) but no specific numbers is fine.
Oh, @StormyAngel what about a status bar like
Farmers: rebellious/hateful/discontent/ambivalent/content/happy/ecstatic?
Just bold the status they're at, names subject to change.
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