You're mistaken. Low Resources and high Essence generally means the vast majority of materials are very high quality, but also that the same vast majority are bound up in forms we don't have the knowledge to process effectively. Pools of glowing flesh oozing black, octohedral gem-organs, massive bones of stone and metal... all of these things are exceptionally valuable, to the right people, and with the right understanding.
In particular, we do not use mere wood to light fires, we use oil, distilled from the decaying flesh of gods. Our Delver's tools are drake-tooth and good bronze. This is not just some piddling human settlement of desperate scavengers throwing together whatever they can get, they have access to reasonably good-quality materials, they're just hard to use and break down usefully.
We live in a place with a large number of particularly annoying and dangerous animals, tangible or otherwise, and have the ear of a multi-millennial dragon queen (what a hell of a patron spirit). Local raiders are unlikely, in any meaningful measure of 'short-term'. Immediately, they are not the challenge. In the 5 turn forecast, there are easier pickings than Goldsprings. We will likely not see much in the way of inter-'national' conflict until much later, so I would put down most of our need for force to preventing dissidence, and animal attacks.
Organization is the early focus, in my eyes, since we can already basically trust that we won't see organized conflicts for a decent stretch of time. It's the most critical for settlement-scale actions, and we can take opportunities to help our personal prowess further up as well since we want their actions to be strong, too.
Good, we've had more than a handful of total thread collapses because stats and rules got too stuck in, too fast.
It's worth noting the High Essence in our territory that we have comes from our Essence Spring specifically, the purified water and golden tokens and eggs and so on and so forth. Those other things you mention might have value to us later, but we don't control them and so we don't need to consider them from the perspective of "Are people going to try and kill us specifically for them?". Someone might try and kill us for the Essence Spring and Springmother, which is what I'm actually talking about.
Not sure where the scavenger comparison came from since I didn't make it but whatever.
In terms of materials, thinking about it I do think you're probably right, in that we have largely inaccessible stuff in the direct control and territory of Goldsprings which is still valuable. The tokens in the Springs for example.
For your second point about international conflict, you're probably right. On my own part I basically treat animal attacks as the same as raids, but irregardless that's not important to this discussion. Prioritizing Organization is for the good, but trying to increase it is going to involve risk of it backfiring because its not the easy path for the settlement to take as of right now. There's not a particular surplus of Food or Resources for more extensive gifting behavior, as one example of trying to increase Organization.
So, I think I agree that focusing on Organization if possible should be done, with Personal Prowess right behind it. If we can't do Organization for whatever reason I'd put forward that working towards Personal Prowess is the best option given how it dominoes into improvements in everything else over time. If we can't do either of those two, working towards accessing more Resource sources we can actually work with would be for the best I think since more Resources means a better chance of increasing Defense and thus reducing attrition from animal attacks and the environment in general, as well as other infrastructural benefits.
It's worth noting the High Essence in our territory that we have comes from our Essence Spring specifically, the purified water and golden tokens and eggs and so on and so forth. Those other things you mention might have value to us later, but we don't control them and so we don't need to consider them from the perspective of "Are people going to try and kill us specifically for them?". Someone might try and kill us for the Essence Spring and Springmother, which is what I'm actually talking about.
Not sure where the scavenger comparison came from since I didn't make it but whatever.
In terms of materials, thinking about it I do think you're probably right, in that we have largely inaccessible stuff in the direct control and territory of Goldsprings which is still valuable. The tokens in the Springs for example.
For your second point about international conflict, you're probably right. On my own part I basically treat animal attacks as the same as raids, but irregardless that's not important to this discussion. Prioritizing Organization is for the good, but trying to increase it is going to involve risk of it backfiring because its not the easy path for the settlement to take as of right now. There's not a particular surplus of Food or Resources for more extensive gifting behavior, as one example of trying to increase Organization.
So, I think I agree that focusing on Organization if possible should be done, with Personal Prowess right behind it. If we can't do Organization for whatever reason I'd put forward that working towards Personal Prowess is the best option given how it dominoes into improvements in everything else over time. If we can't do either of those two, working towards accessing more Resource sources we can actually work with would be for the best I think since more Resources means a better chance of increasing Defense and thus reducing attrition from animal attacks and the environment in general, as well as other infrastructural benefits.
I think we see our holdings as different areas. For me, we control all of the resources inherent in our starting terrain. Our Essence is Very Good not because of the Essence Spring alone, but because of the entire surrounding terrain of our home region. Goldsprings itself just happens to be built around a particularly obvious source of it.
You're also misunderstanding the capacity of the Patron Spirit tech, or at least it seems so going off your fear that we could 'lose the Springmother'. The Springmother isn't a non-functional entity; by the fluff she gave us an entire enhancing tech just so we would deal with her stupid children on her behalf. Our written defense is low, but that doesn't account for the Springmother being a Patron Spirit 'enhancement'. If we're genuinely threatened, it's entirely possible we could beg a favor to have the attackers burned to ash.
I don't consider animal attacks to be on the level of true raids or attacks, since their behaviors are simplistic and relatively easy to pattern, else we wouldn't have managed to bond so many types of them. For the most part they don't eat normal people food anyway, unless they're eating normal people, so animal attacks are more of a risk to delvers and explorers than the settlement.
You seem certain that organization requires food and resources. I see organization as a measure of hierarchy and social unity. I also see a negative relationship between Org and Prowess. Organization is a necessity to gain strength from numbers, but personal prowess runs counter to that idea, and develops best when groups don't make up for each individual's personal weaknesses. Tech-wise, Patron Spirits are more likely to support organized behavior, since groups will form naturally to complete tasks for the spirit as quickly as possible. I think we need to try to lean on that tech to push organization higher.
I think we see our holdings as different areas. For me, we control all of the resources inherent in our starting terrain. Our Essence is Very Good not because of the Essence Spring alone, but because of the entire surrounding terrain of our home region. Goldsprings itself just happens to be built around a particularly obvious source of it.
You're also misunderstanding the capacity of the Patron Spirit tech, or at least it seems so going off your fear that we could 'lose the Springmother'. The Springmother isn't a non-functional entity; by the fluff she gave us an entire enhancing tech just so we would deal with her stupid children on her behalf. Our written defense is low, but that doesn't account for the Springmother being a Patron Spirit 'enhancement'. If we're genuinely threatened, it's entirely possible we could beg a favor to have the attackers burned to ash.
The way I see it is we have a defined territory of Goldsprings and what we can reliably control around it and that is what leads to the stats our polity has. If we can't access the octahedral crystal organs or some other thing etc, then they aren't relevant to our stats in my mind. If we can reliably, they are.
I'm less worried about losing her, and more worried about her existence being part of the whole "High Essence" thing that's talked about in this:
She is, and specifically her eggs and tokens, essentially a thing that attracts attention. We could beg a favor off of her to burninate some enemies, but while I want her around that's also balanced by the fact that I'd rather not be attacked because she exists in our control and people get it into their heads to try and do something to steal eggs or whatever.
Thus my whole discussion about trying to mitigate risk in relation to high essence and her.
I don't consider animal attacks to be on the level of true raids or attacks, since their behaviors are simplistic and relatively easy to pattern, else we wouldn't have managed to bond so many types of them. For the most part they don't eat normal people food anyway, unless they're eating normal people, so animal attacks are more of a risk to delvers and explorers than the settlement.
You seem certain that organization requires food and resources. I see organization as a measure of hierarchy and social unity. I also see a negative relationship between Org and Prowess. Organization is a necessity to gain strength from numbers, but personal prowess runs counter to that idea, and develops best when groups don't make up for each individual's personal weaknesses. Tech-wise, Patron Spirits are more likely to support organized behavior, since groups will form naturally to complete tasks for the spirit as quickly as possible. I think we need to try to lean on that tech to push organization higher.
I'm certain that increasing organization needs surplus food or resources for a very specific reason: Gifting is in this time period/social format one of the basic forms of the economy moving value around, and the building of social credit is how one insulates themselves against hard times especially when currency is not relevant to people's survival and doesn't exist. This conclusion is based off of the first in a series of articles that discuss the medieval farmer (admittedly in a Mediterranean context, but similar subsistence living problems):
Thanks to our helpful volunteer narrator, this entire post series is now also available in audio format! This essay will hopefully be the first post in a series (II, III, IV, A) covering some of th…
acoup.blog
Organization is a measure of hierarchy and social unity, and that society has its foundation in the production of food and communal survival. By injecting surplus food into the system, people can give larger gifts more frequently, have more extravagant joinings of families (not sure marriage is a thing within Goldsprings so I need to use a different phrase for the idea), bigger festivals where people group up and socialize etc etc. In terms of Organization and Personal Prowess, my take on it is that if everyone or the vast majority needs to spend most of their time working to harvest food for themselves and their family then they will have less time for training which is related to Personal Prowess in its description. I.e low Organization and Food precludes and locks away opportunities which could be used to increase how swole a particular person is and so greater Personal Prowess can derive from greater Organization, if such things are pursued. (E: You are right that past a certain point, being a personal murderblender outweighs and conflicts with greater organzation, but we're not anywhere near that point in my estimation)
Like, life right now is kind of in many ways about easing survival and mitigating risk by working together. For Goldsprings, its working together within small family units, but the goal overall is continued survival of the family.
I do agree that Patron Spirits probably encourage grouping up to perform tasks for the spirit, and organization can be found there, but in my mind to really sustain Organizational improvements we need better Food for the long term. Prosperous people are happy people are socializing people.
I'm certain that increasing organization needs surplus food or resources for a very specific reason: Gifting is in this time period/social format one of the basic forms of the economy moving value around, and the building of social credit is how one insulates themselves against hard times especially when currency is not relevant to people's survival and doesn't exist. This conclusion is based off of the first in a series of articles that discuss the medieval farmer (admittedly in a Mediterranean context, but similar subsistence living problems):
Organization is a measure of hierarchy and social unity, and that society has its foundation in the production of food and communal survival. By injecting surplus food into the system, people can give larger gifts more frequently, have more extravagant joinings of families (not sure marriage is a thing within Goldsprings so I need to use a different phrase for the idea), bigger festivals where people group up and socialize etc etc. In terms of Organization and Personal Prowess, my take on it is that if everyone or the vast majority needs to spend most of their time working to harvest food for themselves and their family then they will have less time for training which is related to Personal Prowess in its description. I.e low Organization and Food precludes and locks away opportunities which could be used to increase how swole a particular person is and so greater Personal Prowess can derive from greater Organization, if such things are pursued. (E: You are right that past a certain point, being a personal murderblender outweighs and conflicts with greater organzation, but we're not anywhere near that point in my estimation)
Like, life right now is kind of in many ways about easing survival and mitigating risk by working together. For Goldsprings, its working together within small family units, but the goal overall is continued survival of the family.
I do agree that Patron Spirits probably encourage grouping up to perform tasks for the spirit, and organization can be found there, but in my mind to really sustain Organizational improvements we need better Food for the long term. Prosperous people are happy people are socializing people.
Interesting read, but I see our situation as inherently different. The sole arable plot of land in Goldsprings is centered around the spring itself, and so the entire society basically subsists off of a single place to gather palatable human food, and hunting. Hunters get the glory, hunters bring home the bacon, not the gatherers. For all appearances, one of our two food tiers, or half of our food, comes entirely from hunting, butchery, and ranching (though I hesitate to dare to eat roe from psychedelic doom crabs or anything off a husker, the image of farming bonded drakes for eggs like massive killer chickens is amusing), and the rest of the land is tainted by decaying hydrocarbons and magically radioactive mountains of flesh.
We will need to make significant moves to directly develop our food production, likely either through trade, conquest, or a major tech discovery. All three of those avenues require either leveraging the population using an existing organization, or appeasing the Springmother (or a powerful lost soul) to receive a relevant boon (which is entirely up to the whim of the spirit).
Interesting read, but I see our situation as inherently different. The sole arable plot of land in Goldsprings is centered around the spring itself, and so the entire society basically subsists off of a single place to gather palatable human food, and hunting. Hunters get the glory, hunters bring home the bacon, not the gatherers. For all appearances, one of our two food tiers, or half of our food, comes entirely from hunting, butchery, and ranching (though I hesitate to dare to eat roe from psychedelic doom crabs or anything off a husker, the image of farming bonded drakes for eggs like massive killer chickens is amusing), and the rest of the land is tainted by decaying hydrocarbons and magically radioactive mountains of flesh.
We will need to make significant moves to directly develop our food production, likely either through trade, conquest, or a major tech discovery. All three of those avenues require either leveraging the population using an existing organization, or appeasing the Springmother (or a powerful lost soul) to receive a relevant boon (which is entirely up to the whim of the spirit).
Hmm, yeah it is probably a fair assessment that we get most of our nutrition from hunting which amusingly makes them something of a semi-agrarian society. They can't exactly move around though easily since there is so much dangerous shit all around Goldsprings, some of which wants to eat them or will happen to make them go insane.
And yeah I think your assessment on the food options we have as basically three choices for hunting is about right. This is also kind of I guess, a part of why I consider raising Organization directly is going to be really really difficult.
I'm kind of thinking at this point that, in terms of readily available, options we're basically faced with a choice between hoping for a boon from the Springmother for whatever task Cal does that is relevant to this issue or by finding some kind of beneficial spot below The Rib in the morass of dead god flesh. Basically, I agree that we'd need to leverage what organization we have or poke the Springmother.
E: Personally I see the sort of order that leads into benefiting each step and making them easier is: Increase Personal Prowess, so that Food production gets better, so that Organization gets better and can then feed back into Personal Prowess.
However! If we have the option it might be worth the risk of backlash or social issues to try and raise Organization first.
Cal was a Delver. His job wasn't nearly as glamorous as the Hunters, but he and the other Delvers were a key component to keeping the village safe and sound. They got key materials for the ritualists to turn into tools and weapons that kept everyone safe. Where most of his peers were very much work hard, rest hard types, he had made his own life harder for himself when a strange creature had scuttled into his dreams one day, and he had decided to befriend it rather than drive it away or kill it. Now he spent his off time going into the dreams of others with his partner Leelbok to help them sleep better, and the off seasons he practiced casting prophecies so that everyone might have a better idea when to strike and where to look for the best items.
Despite the fact that he knew that he was talked about by the village elders, he was still nervous to find out he had been summoned for a discussion in the Spring. He had of course been there before for ceremonies and festivals, but being in the presence of the Springmother was always both nerve wracking and humbling. The great dragon was larger than any building in the village and had an aura of respect commanding terror about her, but her wounds were both gruesome and also gave her an air of pitiable fragility. One look at the Springmother was to know awe and horror that she could be brought so low.
Following the stream out of the spring that gave Goldsprings its name, Cal ascended up the winding and spiralling collection of stepped gardens, the stream growing thicker closer to the source as there were fewer and fewer plots drinking from it. Finally he arrived at the great brass gates that protected the source, the two Grey Hunters at guard stepping aside as he arrived, gesturing for him to continue onward.
The air within the spring was, as always, fresh and invigorating. Everyone always felt more alive in this place, and small aches and minor illnesses were banished with just a short exposure. The creche was located within, held in a side chamber so that the young and old alike could benefit from extended exposure without disturbing or being disturbed by the Springmother.
Rounding the last corner, Cal came to see the tremendous bulk of the Springmother lying upon the pile of gold tokens stacked up in the center of the spring. A pair of Ritualists attended to her, circling her and waving censers filled with smoking incense that had antiseptic properties. Tales told that in the early days that despite the water remaining pure from her weeping wounds, the Springmother had been nearly unapproachable due to the stench of her rotten wounds. These days the worst of the rot had been torn away by human hands and healed over, but even after many generations she still had more charred muscle exposed than skin.
Cal bowed deeply towards the Springmother and announced, "Cal Halsy, reporting as requested by the elders."
A tremendous rumble caused the water to vibrate and Cal's organs to slosh about, and he lifted his head to see the Springmother had opened a single reptilian red eye to look at him. One of the Ritualists set down their censer and immediately grabbed a bucket, splashing spring water upon the Springmother's eye, washing away an iridescent film of some putrid fluid that had accumulated under the lid.
You are the dreamer, the fortune thief. The tremendous bass rumble was not so much speech as it was a seismic event, but her meaning was revealed all the same.
Bowing, Cal replied, "I am partnered with Leelbok the Doomteller, and I aid him in his works."
Good. I require a fortune.
That request caught Cal up short, and he began, "I can do my best, but…"
Not now, neither of the scavengers before me has the materials, tools, or skills to do what I need. A memory has come to me, a memory of what could be. The talents of humans in caring for my eggs are insufficient, but I know that you could be more. Dive deep, reclaim the arts of the past from dead dreams, and we will all benefit.
Cal considered these instructions carefully, and he said, "To be clear, you wish me to go as deep as possible into the Boneyard to retrieve a dead dream?"
Correct. Practice first. Show me progress and I will grant you leave to practice on my own dreams. Show me progress and I will perhaps permit you to carry one of my eggs to aid you in a Delving.
Thinking about it a bit, Cal then asked, "So to be clear here, what you want is for both your eggs and those that carry them to be stronger, so that your children will also be strengthened?"
Correct. You do not have the resources to develop what I half remember, and you cannot obtain them without first being strong. Dead dreams will guide you.
Nodding, Cal replied, "Of course Springmother. I shall take your message to the village council."
As the Springmother's eye closed once again, an older woman's voice spoke up from behind Cal and said, "We are already aware, young Halsy."
Hero Goal: One of Cal or Leelbok has Craft(Dream) and Craft(Time) at Poor or better
Quest: Harvest a dream from the nightmares of a Dead Titan
Settlement Goal: Have all Enhancement Techs (2/6)
Current Stance: Open
Passive Scout Results: Beasts Quiet
Scavenge Locations: 1 Generic
Current Community Actions Available: 2
Current Hero Actions Demandable: 0
[] Push Beasts Back - Units with the Hunt action push beasts back, changing from Defensive to Open Stance. High Success can generate temporary Resources.
[] Patrol - Units with Patrol action scout enemy numbers and movement. Critical Success can generate temporary Resources. Requires Open Stance.
[] Hunt - Units with the Hunt action actively seek out dangerous prey, generating temporary Resources. High Success can lower beast numbers. Requires Open Stance.
[] Explore - Units with the Explore action can seek out new locations and new challenges. Requires Open Stance.
[] Scavenge - Units with the Scavenge action can exploit locations for temporary Resources. Requires Open Stance.
[] Send Runners - Communicate with other communities, potentially trading resources and knowledge. Requires Open Stance.
[] Fortify - Changes to Defensive Stance, gives temporary Defence boost. Requires Open Stance.
[] Experiment - Try out new things. Critical success can generate insights. Temporarily lowers Resources.
[] Assemble Delvers Unit - Permanently lowers Resources and Food.
[] Assemble Hunters Unit - Permanently lowers Resources and Food.
The Springmother seems determined not to die easily, I suppose. Respectable in its own way, alongside her being a source of good health and survival in a place that is neither of those.
[X] Scavenge - Units with the Scavenge action can exploit locations for temporary Resources. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Send Runners - Communicate with other communities, potentially trading resources and knowledge. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Hunt - Units with the Hunt action actively seek out dangerous prey, generating temporary Resources. High Success can lower beast numbers. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Experiment - Try out new things. Critical success can generate insights. Temporarily lowers Resources.
[X] Explore - Units with the Explore action can seek out new locations and new challenges. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Scavenge - Units with the Scavenge action can exploit locations for temporary Resources. Requires Open Stance.
Always have one unit exploring. We need to find a way to permanently improve our stats.
There are significant numbers of bonded among the Hunters, Delvers, and Ritualists, the Hero is just particularly strong and thus got the personal attention of the Springmother.
We currently have a single generic scavenging location. It is not good for very nice resources, or any special things. In particular, Hal also does not have the ability to scavenge places that he cannot find. Let's find him more interesting places to delve and develop his talents.
[X] Explore - Units with the Explore action can seek out new locations and new challenges. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Scavenge - Units with the Scavenge action can exploit locations for temporary Resources. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Explore - Units with the Explore action can seek out new locations and new challenges. Requires Open Stance.
[X] Scavenge - Units with the Scavenge action can exploit locations for temporary Resources. Requires Open Stance.
I think I agree, lets explore some to see how things turn out, we don't have a lot to go off of right now and this is well Week 1. I think we have time for at least one explore around.
Also some things of note: the Beasts are Quiet, but from the second update we can gather that they do tend to get worse over time and we have two options for a stance. I figure we're going to need a Defensive Stance at some point.
Regarding Cal being a Delver, it seems to me that Scavenging would be a logical choice, and what to scavenge if you have yet to explore the Area. New on SV pls dont hit me
acoup.blog
