So, I finally have the time to read the update. Let's see...
Materials: 84.43(min. +1.24, max. +37.24 per turn.)(70 Materials due this turn, cause: Payment for 1(one) Harpoon.)
Huh, I wonder where the 70 Material cost comes from. From what the Merchants said the price should be a good bit higher. Forward payment perhaps?
Piety: 95% (+45 to personal rolls, 1 Free Random Action)
Good that we still get that extra action. We can also start the research into electricity without wasting any Piety.
Marquis of Tessen
Opinion: Friendly (1)
Plans: Crusading/Dreadnought
Owes: 1 Favour
House Ulatarn
Opinion: Friendly (1)
Plans: Crusading/Dreadnought
House Mirn
Contact: Lord Malarn
Opinion: Friendly (1)
Plans: Crusading/Dreadnought
Great, friendly relations with all nobles, even without action to contact House Ulatarn. No idea what that favor means though.
The Common People:
Opinion: Friends (2)
Plans: Cheer the Pilgrims on/Disapprove of Martyris
Mood: Worried about the news from the front and the evacuations. The most pressing matter is a lack of sanitation, though expanded sewers are currently being constructed.
So the evacuations already started? That was quick.
The Union of Herbalists:
Opinion: Neutral (1)
Plans: Advance Medicine
Factions:
-Unionists (Rivals (-2)/26% Control/Mali to Costs for Actions)
-Base (Friendly (1)/36% Control/Cheaper Actions)
-Healers (Ally (3)/38% Control/Enables Doctoral Training)
Boni: +15 on all Diplomatic rolls
Big change here. Now the Unionists are the smallest faction! Also, the Healers can now do a lot more as long as the two other factions don't team up to oppose them.
The Mutated:
Opinion: Neutral (0)
Plans: Happy for you, not their situation.
Mood: Breathing freely for the first time in a long while amongst the masses of man. Not worried about the evacuations.
That must be a big change for them. Although, I'm still not sure why they aren't worried about the evacuations.
Broken Clock - 0.44
Ninja Doll - 0.90
"4D Rectangle" - 0.88
Silverware - 0.80
Sweets - 0.24
We found mostly stuff to sell. Maybe we should research the clock if functioning clocks are rare; could be useful for coordinating people. The sweets could be combined with the chocolate recipe into a research project too.
-Scientific Theory
There is more to this world than one life could ever grasp. More mysteries to discover, more questions to unravel, and even more, answers to find. Nothing could ever stop Humanity's thirst for knowledge, not even death. (Effect: +15 to Learning Rolls.
I'm not sure how to feel about
this being a unique Artefact.
So, messengers were sent out, and Martyris prepared to travel to Jokvi, the seat of House Tessen, to deliver the news to the Marqui himself, who ruled in the absence of his wive. His tasks were delegated to those that could perform them; he warned Selene and Lady Maranica about what lurked in the Forest of Rust and set out.
Huh, I expected us to contact Lord Malarn and then arrange a meeting with the Marqui through him.
It took him and the envoys a week before they reached the city, the military-caravan he was part of moving with all haste. Jokvi lived up to its reputation; "The City Of A Thousand Markets." Plazas were filled to the bursting with merchants and stalls hawking their wares, spices, food, fur, wood, art, weapons, electronics, ancient literature, magazines, if you could name it, it was sold at three stands within eyesight. Entire alleys had placed carpets above the heads of customers and sellers alike to ward off the oppressive heat and sun, while Tea-Houses offered refreshments and drink to all. Interestingly, many of the high-class ones advertised that they had Ash-Tea in their assortment. At the same time, massive tents stood in the center of attention as acrobats and musicians performed. Menageries offered glimpses at exotic animals, from Alpha Blossom-Stags to Nubi performing tricks to the audience. And above it, shining in the sun with white marble and golden filigree, stood the palace of House Tessen.
Somehow, this reminds me of Agrabah from Disney's Aladdin. Probably the description of the palace.
The Military had warned him, but telling him first-hand accounts and answering any follow-up questions would ensure that no confusion would hamper the efforts to bring the Dreadnought down. Even then, walking up and requesting an audience from the Marqui would not be easy; there were protocols to follow, and days could pass before the request would even be processed.
Yeah, that is why I expected us to go through Lord Malarn or maybe the Military.
Or so Martyris thought, as when he told who he was to the clerk, he looked down at a list before telling some guards to take him to the top. The guards ushered everyone into an "elevator," after taking all of their weapons, which took a while as Ryone had to remove some from her tail and boots. Inside the elevator, an important-looking assistant gave everyone a crash-course in etiquette.
Huh, I didn't expect that. And we also got to see an Extended Disarming scene. Hilariously, with this being a post-apocalyptic world with Clark-tech there could be some form of hyperspace arsenal out there, allowing someone to literally carry an entire armory.
Though, we probably should spend a few actions on having the Diplomatic corps research noble etiquette. We surprisingly regularly interact with nobles.
Ibn von Tessen knew stress. He had stressful weeks when he had married; when he had lost his legs fighting against bandits when his wife went to war, he felt it every time she had given birth to his children, and when his first son died. He knew what it meant to be a Tessen, the Bulwark against the Necropoli, always vigilant toward any horrors that would threaten his people and ensure that a vital trade route remained open. This had been his family's duty since the region had been conquered, and they had spent blood, lives, sweat, and gold on ensuring they would not be found wanting. Yet, fate seemed determined to challenge that statement for the second time in a mere three years, as another Titan awoke inside the Necropoli.
I wonder why it's his wife that left for the war instead of him? Could be a cultural thing, in that protecting his land is a family duty and thus he can't leave while his wife that married into the family can. Or it could be because he is incompatible with Walkers, for some reason.
Also, did he get robotic leg replacements/cloned legs or is he still missing his legs? I'm curious how available high-end prosthetics/cloned limbs are for nobles.
Maps were brought up, contingencies were dusted off once more, and orders to prepare for the outlying settlements' evacuations were given.
I now imagen librarians frantically searching for ancient contingencies, hidden in parts of the library they haven't visited in years.
Essentially, Rumor collecting, though done discreetly, something even Ibn had done when he was 17, trying to find out the interests of a girl he liked. Not one of his better moments, that one.
Surprisingly tame, compared to what we heard about the scheming back during the late empress youth.
From what his spies could gather, an Arbitrator would refrain from speaking in discussions, except when they felt it necessary to clarify, call this Council to order, or break a vote.
From what his spies could gather,
I don't think getting a Codex from a Pilgrim and reading it counts as spy work.
It was no wonder that his paranoia had shot through the roof. Nothing and nobody was that good. No-one went out of their way in the way the Pilgrims did to help without seeking compensation, a reward, or pursuing a greater goal.
Well, yeah. The greater goal is to make the world less shitty.
Then he saw that three of them were Mutated, one woman with a tail and feathers on her head, one man with pointed ears, black eyes, and another with yellow scales over his face and hands. A bold statement of their stances on Mutated, something he could respect, even if they were too loud with it in his opinion. He hoped that what they could tell would be worth what he planned to do.
I don't think there were any political statements planned for this. I suspect those Mutated are here because they are competent at their job.
Incidentally, when the debate turned to the best spots to use Harpoons on, Martyris told the assembled that the Pilgrims would like to sponsor the commissioning of a Harpoon themselves. An offer that the scíon of House Ulatarn immediately accepted, claiming that they are already in talks with a Forge-Clan to supply three more.
Ah, that explains why we get the Harpoon cheaper. Going directly to a Forge-Clan and being part of a big order makes things cheaper.
Something that sought to harm the Empire. And it had chosen a damn good time to do so, as most of the army had been called to the front, with only the minimum remaining in Tessen to ensure that no Mutants would enter Tessen unnoticed.
Or someone did spend years repairing the Butcher and then started it as soon as possible, without regard to anything else. Otherwise, they could have started the Butcher while everyone was busy with the Plague Engine.
Those moments of being confronted by dozens upon dozens of men, women, and children armed with whatever they had been given or ordered to pick up, mindlessly charging her again and again. Those dead eyes looking at her as she drove her weapon into their bodies, not even able to comprehend what was happening, staring at her without that sheen that the living should have. The face of a child, barely seven, doing its best to drive a knife into her, before her ax bit into its head, ending a life that should have ended months ago.
That does sound like a zombie plague, except they should still bleed out, starve or die of dehydration. On the other hand, they can use weapons...
he would not, could not accept that. For all she knew, they were the last of their Unit left, as they had scattered when the Flood overwhelmed them all, each already disoriented by the hours of the fighting retreat in which entire regiments had been surrounded and ground down by the sheer mass of bodies streaming into camp alone.
*glances at the dice*
Yeah, she couldn't be more wrong about being "the last".
Bolt was furious at the world, the Overseer, the Nobles, the Pilgrims, and this pile of dirt over there. In short, she was mad at everyone and everything in general.
That poor pile of dirt, but at least the Emperor escaped her wrath!
Had she known that he was not talking about waving some electronics before a group of Luddites, but instead of crawling in the dirt and muck of the Forest Of Rust, she would have bashed his head into the next wall! But no! She had to be excited by the prospect of being allowed to "work on highly ancient technology unseen in a millennium," instead of doing the sensible thing and running for the hills!
Always read the fine print and ask for details. Oh well, too late now.
Every moment had been either spent in mortal terror as her escorts looked at ease, while some monster crawled or flew just a few meters away from them, or in mindnumbing boredom while the Pilgrims looked to be one step away from exploding into action.
I'm not sure if this means Bolt simply doesn't recognize what's actually dangerous or if the Pilgrims think there is always a danger and they are just calmer if it's something obvious.
If she had wished so, the gates would have sung "Gloria Empera," while opening, but two months had taught her that less was always more in the Forest.
Starting music while a pair of giant doors open is a horrible idea. The only way it could be worse is if it were a Fog Door.
++What DOEs iT shINe on, BritGHtß+++
+++Scitter, Scitter, Scitter+++
+++ToOk MIne, CrwaleD awey. Won't lEt ThEM AGAIN!+++
+++WilL NOt be BAD, FigHt on. AlwAYS lIKe orders told us/ME/tHeM/it+++
+++CanNOT hidE foreVer, HavE to SEEK/FIND/DISCOVER currre+++
+++But FOund1 sneak now, HUNgeR laTeR+++
+++Yes.+++
+++Agreement.+++
+++UNDeStooD:+++
+++Po-ta-to.+++
It sounds like an AI started this whole thing.
It was a mainframe, dedicated to commanding the Butchers', intact and seemingly ready to send commands.
Ha, jackpot. Now to get this thing running...
"He's cranky about them setting up all those kitchens everywhere, thinks they are trying to cover up some shady shit. I'm grumpy about them having a Guild-Contract, co-operation between religion and our healthcare? No thanks, we all saw how that worked out.
I wonder what the story behind that is. And it didn't sound to me like most people did get healthcare.
"I tell you, there will be trouble with them. Not now, when they are feeding the poor and hungry as they have done. Not when they start getting Contracts for medicine, wood, stone, seeds, and other things you need to live. But they will be trouble in two decades or three. Once they are entrenched."
It's not like the other religions don't cause trouble. The Church of Eden and their Mutated hate, the Followers of Light if there is ever a succession crisis, the Evertorch...
Here, the older of the three leaned back into his chair, lifting his shirt in such a way as to allow one to look at his torso. A tiny sun could be seen with three rays racing outwards, long since faded by effort and neglect. "Cause that's how they always start. Win over the population with acts of charity. Then depose the rulers and bend the knee to new masters and false idols," Jillian Maxian, Ex-Zealot of the Eversun, stated. "And then things turn for the worse, for all involved. I fought with and against them once I woke up. I do not want to see that happening here."
Ah, someone from another possible starting location. That explains his dislike of religions, given what we know of the Sacred Lands of the Everliving Sun.
[ ] Feed The Masses
There is a difference feeding the starving and hungry and ensuring that all people have a full belly at the end of the day. That would be the Pilgrims' first significant project, which would do more than keep things from growing worse for the poor.
(Turns: 8
Cost: 55 Materials Upkeep: 16 Materials
Reward: Grand Kitchen, -6 to Piety rolls, +0.5 Goodwill per Turn, 2d20 recruits, 2d12 Goodwill, 2d6 Piety)
Expensive but we can do it, now that we have two Faith actions.
[ ] School The Diplomat-Corp - (Specialized) - (The Church Of Eden)) - (1/2 Turns Complete) - (Halted; Rolls with -20, looses all progress if not chosen this turn)
Your training for the diplomats is as comprehensive as possible to create for the foreseeable future. Now you either need institutional knowledge or an in-depth look into one faction to help you out more.
(Turns: 2
Chance: 55% for Locals, 40% for Elite, cannot choose The Union of Herbalists
Reward: +15 to all rolls involving said faction.)
Probably should finish this. We already started it and it could be useful after the wedding.
[ ] Retrace The Steps, Part 2, The Literal Electric Boogaloo!
Well, you did not think that you would find something like The Workshop, but then again, you weren't sure what you would discover. These towering cranes, ancient walkways, and dead computers could hold the path to finding out how to stop the Butcher in time, without risking Combat. The only problem is that they contain no charge, no electricity, and need to be powered up once more to use. Get on it!
(Takes 1 Unit - (Specify which)
Chance: 40%
Reward: The Workshop is powered, unlocks action to attempt to shut-down the Butcher.)
Ugh, we need this, our one action in this category is locked, and this action could really use the boost from being a Personal action. This means we need to push the wedding further back though.
[ ] Raid The Workshop
Towering cranes, ancient walkways, and dead computers litter these halls, in which survivors once sought shelter, but found naught but death. But where they had fallen, their bodies turned to dust; the machines live on, ready to perform their duty. See what you can find, amidst the ashes of a dead nation.
(Chance to discover something special: 5%
Yield: 2 Turns
Reward: 3d5 Artifacts)
And thanks to the WoG, it looks like this should be our second Personal action for this turn.
So, a plan:
[] Plan Housing and Healing People
-[][Faith] Establish A Poor-House - (-10 Materials) - (0/2 Turns Complete)
-[][Faith]Establish A Small Hospice - (Mirn) - (-3 Materials) - (0/1 Turns Complete)
-[][Diplomacy] School The Diplomat-Corp - (Specialized) - (The Church Of Eden)) - (1/2 Turns Complete) - (Halted; Rolls with -20, looses all progress if not chosen this turn)
-[][Diplomacy] A Grand Step - (0/1 Turns Complete)
-[][Martial] Construct A Hangar - (1/3 Turns Complete)
-[][Learning] Flow As We Demand - (Machinery/Hydraulics/Mechanical) - (1/3 Successes)
-[][Learning] Secret Of The Circuit Pt.1 - (Electronics) - (Uses:Rusted Motherboard +20 to Electronics ) - (0/4 Successes)
-[][Archeology]
-[][Tree of Knowledge] Waterwheels For (Jewel Mine) - (-8 Materials) - (0/1 Turns Complete)
-[][Tree of Knowledge] Waterwheels For (Silver Mine) - (-8 Materials) - (0/1 Turns Complete)
-[][Personal action] Too Much To Do - (Retrace The Steps, Part 2, The Literal Electric Boogaloo! - (Tech-Scouts) - (0/1 Turns Complete))
--[] 2FF
-[][Personal action] Too Much To Do - (Raid The Workshop) - (0/2 Turns Complete))
--[] 6FF
-[] Merchants - (All Are Free Actions)
--[] Buying Goods In Bulk - (Silver Mine)(Switching from -0,1 to -0,15)
--[]Selling Artifacts - (Decorative Urn, Toy Weapon, Embroidered Tapestry, Broken Clock, Ninja Doll, "4D Rectangle", Silverware, Non-Functional Lightbulb, Clockwork Pieces, Decorative Glass)(+8.22 Materials)
--[] A Small Loan - (+10 Materials)
--[] Payment for one Harpoon - (-70 Materials)
-[] The Union Of Herbalists - (1 Free Action)
--[] Study Sessions - (-2.35 Materials) - (4/8 Turns Complete)
I think this should work. I might switch A Grand Step for High-End Introduction - (Church of Eden) if I think building the hospice in Ularn is a good idea. I'm not sure what to do about the Archeology action, we use the Tech-Scouts for a Martial action this turn which means we can't use them to scout locations...
