Ugh, I have finally some time to comment on stuff.
Ok, first we have a new organization to contact.
The Bureau For Imperial Civilian Logistics
Opinion: Neutral (0)
Plans: Steam Engine Contest (Conclusion: Turn 36)(Prize: 150 Materials.)
Rather important if we want to sell our steam engines to them, even more so if we develop trains.
At first, people could scavenge and modify existing machines to their needs and use factories to produce the food, clothes, tools, weapons, and luxury goods they deemed necessary.
That must have been directly after the Collapse. One needs a fair bit of knowledge to modify a machine to do something it wasn't designed for without breaking it.
It wasn't like they genuinely thought that they weren't the last generation upon these blighted lands as if others would come after them. Except, they weren't. They died, buried by those after them, as their descendants would do the same, and theirs and so forth.
And that explains why we can still find high-tech Artefacts inside of ruins like the Forest of Rust. If they didn't maintain their tech because they didn't expect to survive, then they probably didn't spend many resources on educating their kids. That means those kids lose the knowledge needed to create or maintain what's needed to safely scavenge the more dangerous ruins; forcing them to go after less defended places.
They lost more and more until it became impossible for them to loot certain areas, allowing Artefacts to survive until today.
Like locusts, survivors went from place to place, taking all it had to offer and moving on when nothing was left.
Except for places that killed them all.
And as nations arose from the ending spasms of the Collapse two centuries after, they still remembered the might of ancient weapons, of the wonders, worked by mortal hands, of rivers cut within minutes and mountains moved.
800 years between the first nations and today. That's a long time for Forge-Clans to develop stuff.
And yet, they went at it wrong! They searched for salvation in the ruins of the past, thinking that there would be something that would solve all their problems at once.
Admittedly, there could be some form of archive somewhere with all the pre-Collapse knowledge. But finding that...
In the year 938 AC, Empress Mfalme Slatnan had completed her Crusade of the Hidden Valley Region, as was tradition.
I wonder if crusading in that area is the tradition or if going on a crusade, in general, is traditional for a new Emperor/Empress. If it's the second, then I'm surprised the Empire hasn't overextended itself yet.
They returned with news of the Bio-Forge Heresy. Information about the Forge-Clan practicing the blackest of heresies, the darkest of crimes, of breaking and overstepping lines no mortal should ever cross. Something so profoundly unsettling to the Forge-Clans that they unanimously decided that this Clan had to be purged, men, women, children, Cores, Machines, Machine-Minds, everything needed to be destroyed. A crime causing the Empress of one of the three greatest nations on Calynth to throw up in public.
It sounds like that Forge-Clan didn't even try to hide their technology, or at least didn't try to stop the delegation from leaving. Maybe their isolation caused them to think using human brains is normal?
They had intimate knowledge about how the human brain worked and had the machines they needed to sustain those brains they either stole from unwilling victims or created in their Bio-Tanks. The Clan would then erase any semblance of free-will and personality of caught brains while preventing their grown minds from ever waking. Linking them together, they were able to create vast and powerful biological computers, which had aided them extensively in their research efforts.
I wonder how that got started. If it was some pre-Collapse tech I would expect them to use specialized brain matter with built-in safeguards and restrains, similar to what the Cores had. That they used normal human brains means it's probably a post-Collapse development. But then why did they start using human brains instead of animal brains?
Even if we ignore the moral problems, breeding animals to harvest brains from is much easier and quicker than harvesting human brains.
And for 36 days the Clan held, dealing death in unimaginably disproportionate numbers, lances of light scything through metal and flesh alike, torrents of plasma burning the unfortunate, their screams unheard as the air burned within their lungs and bodies, drones ambushed tunnelers, tearing them apart, all while horrific abominations of flesh defended their masters' abodes.
Huh, it doesn't sound like they used bio-weapons. That's surprising for a Forge-Clan specialized in biological manipulations.
A design that nearly caused the judges to declare it the winner right there and then.
Until the engine of the 4S arrived, of course.
Hmm, I think the engine of the 4S is going to be more specialized than our engine. If only because the 4S probably overlooked some things a steam engine could be used for. They have way more theoretical knowledge than us but there is a big difference between theory and praxis.
Building within a city was not an easy task, from the multitude of licenses required, to the labor and materials, all the way to the fact that the walls of a city severely restricted the space available, leading to taller buildings.
I would expect buildings to be designed to be deeper rather than taller. This planet is a death world, so there is always a chance that some flying monstrosity shows up. I guess building up is still easier than down but the extra risks...
All while being mute. Whoever thought he was the best person for the job should be shot, at least in Maxcim's personal opinion. He couldn't talk, and almost none could identify that his handwavings were him communicating and not having a spasm.
He doesn't have a translator or some helpers that can do the talking for him? Huh, with a project of that size, I would expect him to have at least a dozen helpers to organize everything.
Furthermore, he was an artist; the thought of building a drab building with maximum efficiency in mind, and not aesthetics, ran counter to his very soul!
I wonder if we could do a psychological research project into building designs? Post-apocalyptic feng shui...
With a slight smile, Selene replied, "Well, he knows how to put an hour's work into ten minutes. But try not to overwork him like that again, would you? He's been pretty exhausted the last few weeks, and I don't want to hear about him collapsing atop everything else."
That's a pretty big narrative hint that we should do a relax action. We might not need it to avoid negative traits but there could be other consequences. Kind of like how Artefacts can influence research projects, even if we don't get a mechanical description of what they do.
"OH SHI-" Selene cried out, rushing over and looked down with panic, only to see the single most bizarre thing in her life. Instead of a dead Turi splattered across the hard ground, Selene saw her dentangle herself from the nets she had landed in while laughing as multiple people helped her out of them.
Seeing Selene standing at the railing, Turi shouted up, "Cool, huh?!"
Interesting, but I'm not sure for what we could use that. Maybe a safety system in elevators? Or maybe as parachutes if we ever get airplanes? Oh, that's an idea, zeppelins.
"She is right. While the possibility of surviving anything that penetrates a Knights armor is slim to none, being incapacitated is more common than you think! If you can, change immediately into a light armor, you can wear for a few hours comfortably. We can get one fitted to your measurements later. Be back in five." The armory should have one for you. Go.
We might have to spend a research action on light armor. Maybe two, so we can get some armored everyday clothes too.
I always thought that was some mumbo-jumbo religious bullshit from the Clans, like the Eyeless Moon being hollow or horses.
I'm not surprised that horses don't exist on this planet, the lizards are better than horses for most things. But what is the Eyeless Moon? One of the local moons?
[ ] MORE STEAM! - (Advanced Hydraulic/Advanced Machinery/Advanced Metallurgy)
You have a steam engine now, yes, but why stop at what you have? There is always room for improvements, even incremental ones! See what you can do with your Vuur-Engine.
(Cost: 25 Materials
Chance: -67/-122/-277 for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 26
Reward: Improved Steam Engine resulting in D20's instead of D12's.)
Yeah, that's going to take a long time.
[ ] The Movement Of Things - Part 1 - (Hydraulic/Machinery/Metallurgy)
The Vuur-Engine uses steam to power various applications via mechanical means. Said plainly: it turns a wheel. Sure, you have found some novel ways to use that, but there must be more, shouldn't there? Like driving a cart, or something similar?
(Cost: 16 Materials
Chance: 16/-37/-81 for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 7
Reward: Primitive Prototype for a train and tractor.)
This is much more likely and the empire would love trains.
[ ] Assemble The Theorists! - (Common/Advanced/Pioneer/Specific Quester Requested Theory)
Stagnation. Complacency. Fear. Those are the three things that have hampered the progress of science the most, bar none. No longer, you say! You will see to it that you will examine, nail down, and figure out the right way in which the universe works, allowing you to not only reverse engineer the wonders of past glories but build your very own! Make it so.
(Information: Either choose an example below or add a previously discussed theory with the QM's approval.
We should probably always spend one action on getting more theories. Electronics, Machinery, Metallurgy, and Hydraulic theories could make things much easier.
[ ] Assemble An Engine - (Location)
Now that you have developed a Steam Engine, you should see building them for your mines or farms. Whatever you think is more pressing or profitable. But the costs.
(Turns: 2
Cost: 85 Materials Upkeep: 4.4 Materials
Reward: Turns all D4's into D12's, increases static Income by 50% rounded down.)
Ouch, expensive. The specialized assembly plant could make that much cheaper. Getting a steel/iron foundry might help too.
[X] Plan Prepare for the Return of Eden
I like this plan and it fits inside of the budget with its 52 Materials cost. Taking the smut option pushes us to something like 72 Materials, which means we need another loan from the Merchants.
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