Manuel gnashed his teeth in frustration.
The problem with carefully preplanned notions and ideas when suffusing oneself with the pure essence of contempt was that once you left the script, even partially, the whole thing fell down, and one reverted to more crude refusals. He'd ended up simply refusing several times in a humiliatingly obvious way. He personally wasn't obsessed with the notion of face, but it impacted how people saw you. How they treated you. Lady Jiao had evidently felt she had gotten the better end of the exchange, even if he had been forced to disagree with her offer entirely. He'd ended up making a small concession as well, allowing Jiao doctors to move along the Scorpion road for ten years tariff-free.
Not the most costly of mistakes, but it made him look weak in front of an Early Nascent Soul, and that would embolden Jingshen Clan to take liberties. Contempt would work for combat, he thought. For diplomacy, it was probably unworkable.
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There are basically four Mechanics in this quest.
(1) Choices. Your Clan Council will ask you to make a call on something. Mostly they won't do this - they're competent enough to handle things on their own, but sometimes they will. You'll see 0-2 of these per turn, on average. They're usually pretty straight-up binary choices.
(2) Focuses. You choose in general what the Clan should focus on for the next 20 years. Building up for war? Training new disciples? Carving more arrays? More trade? Focuses don't prevent you from doing everything else, it's more 'here's the one thing we should really get done'. Focuses are mainly mediated by your personal skill levels and specialities.
(3) Actions. What you, personally, do. Usually mediated by skills, but often by Cultivation level - especially when it comes to combat. You can always Write In Actions. In fact, writing in more complex and well-thought out Actions will positively increase your chances of success.
(4) Purchases. What wealth the Clan has, and what your Council want you to spend it on. They'll usually come to you with the thing they want most. No micromanagement, just 'here is the big-ticket item I want'. These will often (but not always) persist between turns. Wealth is expressed in terms of Years of Income Saved. You can take as many of these as you can pay for! Keep in mind, though, if you spend all your money, you won't have it in future for dire situations.
All voting is Plan Voting. Make a Plan if you want, or just vote on someone else's! You can vote on as many Plans as you like! Approval Voting, baby!
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There is a Voting Moratorium for TWELVE HOURS after this post. Feel free to create plans, but votes for plans will not be counted until that time has passed.
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Manuel walked into the now-messy clan headquarters. The new table that had been procured had apparently been cast from good Spirit Bronze. A second round of disagreements over Spirit Herb allocations between various new families in the new lands had broken out, and Euphrosyne had smacked the table too hard. It had left a massive crack down it, which they left in place. A reminder to choose better craftsmen, even for ornamental things.
Around stood his Councillors, each a skilled and valuable piece on the gameboard, as well as one dying elder watching over his successor - the former Elder of War, Ioannes Vatatzes. They worked as a well-oiled machine, but had sputtered lately. The new Elder of War was competent, but not experienced - managing a military needed to safeguard tens of millions of people was no easy task. They were mostly used to Manuel's light hand, though Kleisthenes had been bothering him more lately.
The chairs were back. His chair, however, was notably missing a leg, and had the remaining three reorganised into a tripod. He almost laughed, but decided it would be a poor way to start the meeting. An excellent retort from Kleisthenes. He mentally allocated three hours when he had some spare time... he thought for a moment, and found a spot unspoken for in about five years. She would regret starting this prank war.
"Report."
Manuel's voice chimed like a small brass bell, and clanged at the end of his word, the bell growing deep and loud. These Elders knew the process now, and were quick to report.
First was Euphrosyne Sarantapechos, a Great Circle Core Formation Elder. She had broken through over twenty years ago, and was a valuable combat resource as well as the Clan's best hope at a new Nascent Soul. She was Stratopedarches, or in more common terms, the Elder of Administration. To her fell the duties of managing mines, herbs, cities, camps - all manner of resources flowed through her hands. In the last twenty years she had spent much time developing her personal Dao, and had grown ever-closer to preparing to shatter her Core and reach the Nascent Soul. To Manuel's mind, she was the first Core Formation Elder he had seen in two centuries who had even a slight chance of breaking through to Nascent Soul. A tremendous talent.
"Archegetes. Obviously in terms of wealth things have gone reasonably well. We have twenty-five full years of income saved. We have enough saved that I feel comfortable in our ability to face any one trial, but we must begin to face the Trials that are coming in forty years."
Second was Kleisthenes Sarantapechos, a Mid Core Formation Elder. Euphrosyne's twin sister, though less talented in cultivation. She cultivated a rare Yang attribute technique, and went by a male name, and wore a male body to aid in her cultivation. For her, if she had not cultivated her Yang technique - she never would have risen into Core Formation. Such a thing was uncommon among your Clan, but not unknown. She is the Hetaireiarches, or in common terms, the Elder of Diplomacy. To her fell the duties of managing external powers and other Nascent Souls. She often complained about her lack of talent, and she and Manuel were reasonable friends. Of late she had begun to recover their old friendship, one before he had become Archegetes. After Alexios she was his closest friend, and they were exploring the difficulties of absolute authority and friendship, and where the new limits lay.
"Archegetes, I have reviewed the new deal you have rejected. A pity we were not able to get more out of it, but Jingshen Clan seem intent on cultivating goodwill with the other Righteous Powers. I imagine some scheme of theirs. A demand from tribute came from the Devil Bees. It was absurd, and I rejected it out of hand. However, with the war in the Great Battlefield starting in full earnest, the Devil Bees are facing very little repression. If there was ever a time for them to invade, it would be now, while we are absorbing new lands."
"Strength Purity Sect has won the first series of battles against the Demonic Altar. However, this is usually the case in these wars - we expect Strength Purity Sect to win the vast majority of the battles to simply break even. Noble Knowledge Sect tried to break the Poison-Crushing Siege, but apparently lost several Core Formation Elders doing so. A poor showing for the Demonic Path this early in the war."
Third was Nikephoros Theophylaktos, a Great Circle Core Formation Elder. He is a simple man to all appearances, speaking little. He is the Parakoimomenos, or in common terms, the Elder of Intrigue. You had trained him personally, and found his skills acceptable. Previously you held his position, so he is admittedly new to the task, though he had been your assistant for almost a century. To him falls the duties of espionage, sabotage, and assassination. While he was your apprentice, you are currently somewhat estranged. Warmth has slowly been returning to his voice, though, but you find it difficult to reconnect - seeing the removed head of Child Corpse Gulper had not rebuilt your friendship in a way you had hoped.
"Archegetes. Little enough to know, though apparently one of the Early Nascent Souls in the Devil Bee Sect was secretly killed in a revenge mission by the Seven Divine Saber Palace. They will be looking to recoup their strength - I and Kleisthenes are in disagreement on this matter. I believe a strike against us would merely cost them a great deal, and would yield them little. The construction of our new defenses has seen more raids stymied, and there is no rational reason for them to devote resources to chew on a hard piece of bone such as us."
Fourth came Staurakios Palaiologos, a Late Core Formation Elder. He is Chartoularios Tou Kanikleiou, or in simpler terms, the Master of Disciples. He picks out good seeds, gives training and assistance, and manages the core of the Clan Contribution Board for Qi Condensation and Foundation Building disciples in times of peace. Lately, he has been complaining about the foolishness of all the new disciples, though you can tell he is happier than he has been in decades.
"Archegetes. Numbers are doing well. We should be back to 90% of our former cultivator population by the time the next Trials roll around. I'd prefer it to be 100%, if I'm speaking honestly. Some more expenditure on disciples wouldn't go amiss."
Lastly was Aikaterine Callista, a Mid Core Formation Elder. She is Protostrator, leader of your armies. She is an ageless looking woman, well over six feet tall with hair cut into a Legionnaire's trim, garbed in a simple tunic, fastened at the shoulder. She had taken to the role well, though to be expected to properly manage the defense of tens of millions in a mere twenty years was a tall order, especially when there was such diversity among cultivators - in both talents and proclivities. When the time comes to gather up into formations and strike at enemies, or defend your cities, it is she who organises them, leads them, and manages the Clan Contribution Board to ensure the correct tasks get done.
Behind her sits Ioannes Vatatzes, a dying man and former Protostrator. He does not speak, and merely serves as an advisor for Aikaterine when needed. He is completely bald, and his former glorious beard has fallen out, first in patches, then completely. He was very vain about his beard, though, and seems perhaps more despondent about its loss than his imminent death. His skin is rotted, his teeth have fallen out, and his eyes are sunken into his skull. Perhaps he has five more years.
Aikaterine speaks, her voice loud and clear.
"Archegetes. I am coming to terms with military command of the Clan. While the forces exist to prosecute a war, I see no obvious or soft target, and my taking command means it will be some time before our forces are at full readiness. I would prefer to limit ourselves to defensive operations at this time."
You run your tongue over your teeth and think.
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Currently the Clan has 25 Wealth.
The Clan saves 5 Wealth per turn.
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What should the Clan focus on?
[ ] Building Bridges (Write-in target) - You should make more allies. Choose a target on the map and aim to have their relations with you increased. Give gifts, exchange assistance, aim for strategic marriages.
[ ] Intrigue (Write-in target) - You should learn about another clan entirely. Spend Spirit Stones like water in the plains and find out everything you can. Strengths. Weaknesses, places to strike, rebels, and so on and so forth.
[ ] Raiding (Write-in target) - Better to weaken an enemy. Send teams of cultivators to go raid an enemy for resources and to kill them where possible. Minor conflicts, with minor rewards. At best, you can seize minor territorial gains. This will worsen your relations, of course. Gains widely variable Wealth (0-10, excluding crits). May seize territory and gain Income in extreme cases. Loses Cultivators - around 5,000 Qi Condensation cultivators, 50 Foundation Establishment cultivators, and potentially 1 Core Formation Elder.
[ ] War (Write-in target) - Simply invade. Strike with all your might and seize territory. Kill cultivators. Requires your personal attention to prevent Nascent Souls simply obliterating your forces. Uses your personal Action for the turn. War will open a set of new sub-turns.
[ ] Increasing Wealth - More trade, more mines, more growth. Aim to find more Spirit Stones, tax more from traders, whatever works to increase your Clan Wealth. Increases Wealth by an average of 5.
[ ] Training Soldiers - Raising Disciples to higher Realms is all well and good, but training them to be perfect members of Formations is better. Ensure your Clan is trained and ready for war. Your readiness to go to war will increase significantly, though this fades over time.
[ ] Fortifying (Write-in territory, ally or vassal) - Spend Clan manpower and soldiers to build new fortifications against outside enemies. New Arrays, help train new cultivators in lesser Formations to defend their lands, and so on. Will also strengthen a vassal or ally if chosen, and increase relations with them. Increases defenses in the chosen territory, ally, or vassal.
[ ] Write-in
What will you do?
[ ] Hunt An Enemy (Write-In) - Why not? Hunt down enemies, see if you can kill someone. Usually used against an opposing Nascent Soul. Potentially very dangerous.
[ ] Weaken An Enemy (Write-In Faction) - Choose a faction, and use your Nascent Soul strength to simply sneak in and do damage. A little underhanded and shameful, but what do you care for the views of the Righteous Path? Potentially dangerous.
[ ] Assist A Faction (Write-in Faction) - Use your personal strength to assist an ally of some kind. Potentially dangerous.
[ ] Economic Activity - Carve arrays, scribe useful cultivation techniques onto scrolls, hunt down useful opportunities that might be dangerous to a Core Formation Elder. Make some money for the Clan.
[ ] Lecturing - You can simply lecture your many juniors on cultivation. Spend your time helping them grow, using less resources and ensuring better growth for the Clan.
[ ] Write-in
Purchases:
Euphrosyne Sarantapechos wants to...
[ ] Invest in Colonisation (10 Wealth)
"Archegetes, our new lands hold great potential, yet we must realise it. Let us colonise en masse, and spend lavishly to raise new cultivators and to encourage mortals to have more children. If we can populate them sufficiently, they can be well-fortified and we will be difficult to dislodge in a hundred years."'
Kleisthenes Sarantapechos wants to...
[ ] Build up the Scorpion Road (5 Wealth)
"Archegetes, with another Demon-Annihilating War beginning, we are well off to make friends with the Righteous powers who do not overmuch hate us. Making the Scorpion Road more accessible will increase our income in future, but will also allow us to facilitate trade with a grateful Strength Purity Sect. Given they are the ones who must approve any Righteous expedition through the mountains against us, their goodwill is most valuable.'
Nikephoros Theophylaktos wants to...
[ ] Rebuild the Golden Eye Array (7 Wealth)
"Seven is the number of this formation, and if the seven circles of the Clan's great Eye can be rebuilt from when it last fell a few thousand years ago, we will be able to see what happens from afar with ease. Scrying on lesser realms will be far easier, and I will be able to bring you more precise information on further powers. It will also permit us to more easily watch rebels and enemies within our own territory, as well."
Staurakios Palaiologos wants to...
[ ] Regain Full Strength (6 Wealth)
"Archegetes, regaining our full strength before the Hundred-Year Trials is paramount to avoiding decline. For a modest investment, I can ensure we reach that goal over the next 40 years, rather than a mere 90% of it."
Aikaterine Callista wants to...
[ ] Build Engines of War (5 Wealth)
"Archegetes, I believe we are approaching a time of greater conflict. This will surely spill over into the lands of the Optimatoi. My command of the Legions is still developing, but I believe the addition of new engines of war - arrays, runic artifacts, and the like, could offer greater power in a tactical sense, even if it might cost some parts of the Legions some strategic mobility. Gaining the capability to enter enemy lands and demolish their strongholds more readily will serve as a deterrent to serious attacks as well."
