A Kammanist Uprising: Fantasy Communist Revolution Quest

That Comrade Zenus should have a position was clear to all except for the comrade himself, who made a rather impassioned speech arguing that many others were better suited for the role - he cited Comrade Zandi's dedication, Comrade Stephan's foreign connections, the bravery of many who fought personally against the aristocratic and capitalist oppressors of the people - but on this the upper ranks of the Front were united, and so he accepted the burden that had been forced upon him, promising that he would lead well and wisely, and slitting his own palm to add weight. "And should my leadership prove lacking, I shall serve the Revolution on the front lines, with sword and spellcaster!" he proclaimed to cheers.

Then he began to select those who would be most favored, who would have the most direct favor. He named who would be in charge of the military first of all - Bejen Gullstin was perhaps the most experienced military man of them all, even if his relative newness to the cause and...unique approach to ideology ruffled some feathers. The man's faith, in particular, proved a problem for Comrade Josa, although he quieted eventually.

The arguments about what he should do first to secure the Revolution raged long and hard, for all here were fiercely devoted, but Zenus, despite his frustration with having to do it, was able to calm people enough to change the topic, to who would be their "eyes in the dark, their dagger in the night, their shield against the Okharana," and this was fortunately entirely uncontentious. Comrade Livia, cold-eyed and callous as she was, had been the only person in the room to actively combat the Emperor's secret police, the only person with connections to the criminal underworld (even if many considered those criminals to be class traitors), and the only one with skills to build what would be needed.

The remaining positions were filled one by one, each decision creating its own rancor - Comrade Stephan's position proved especially contentious. The man was outright accused of being a potential traitor, to which he responded with nothing more than a lifted chin and a quote in Remian that referenced some old play about a dead emperor.

But all the agreements were made, and if not everyone was happy, they were at least satisfied...and so the first meeting could begin.

Comrade Zenus went and fetched a samovar for everyone as he and his chosen few sat at one side of the long table in the room they had chosen, while everyone else gathered around the other three or leaned against the wall or stood by the window.

He studied the room for a moment, silent, his thoughts uncharacteristically grim. They had begun shouting and arguing already, and they had not even faced a defeat. Comrade Zandi sat stiff-backed and resentful, Comrade Iosaf glared at Comrade Stephan, who lounged in his chair like it was a throne, scornfully ignorant of the other man. He could see a dozen other petty rivalries and disagreements...

Some spirit seized him, and he moved to the window. Outside, he could see the river rushing by, it's water darkened by pollutants. Smoke rose here and there from the slums as people burned coal and wood and whatever they could to stay warm. A sunken noble's barge was being torn apart by workers looking to salvage the Aether crystals and autocasters that gave it light and pushed it through the water and made it float.

"Look out there, comrades! Look out and see the workers, still cold and hungry and tired and threatened by their class enemies! Can you see the people? Can you hear them?" he asked, the room falling silent.

All eyes turned to him, grudges forgotten.

"Enough of this bickering. The workers need to be fed, they need to be inspired. We must build an army, we must build an economy, we must build a nation! We will be the guiding light, all through the world the poor and downtrodden will look to use and be inspired. There will be struggle, yes, and defeat, but our triumph is as inevitable as the wind! And enough wind can make even a mountain break!:

A cheer rose up, coming not from his supporters but from those who had opposed him most bitterly, and from there spreading like fire in a coal mine. He smiled, but raised his hands for quiet and gradually he got it.

"But first we have grave threats that must be overcome. In two weeks, we will likely be facing an army of Tiger Stripes and Imperial Guard and noble mages and class traitors and who knows what else. It may be slower perhaps, but the hammer blow will come soon and hard. We must begin preparing..."

Comrade Bejen nodded. "The Red Guard are with us, and the people, and the army. We will forge a force worthy of the trust you have in me, Comrade."

Comrade Stephan glanced towards a towering church spire. "The Patriarch is here in The City, and leaders of a dozen other faiths. I can convince them to cooperate."

Comrade Livia looked towards the slums. "I am already hearing rumors of counterrevolutionaries having gone to ground. I will hunt them."

Comrade Kylis grinned broadly. "I will see to it that all are united behind us!"

Comrade Delia glanced at some papers she had brought. "The workers of this city will do their part, I promise you that."

Comrade Zenus smiled. "Excellent. Now, why don't we all reconvene in an hour with options for how to accomplish our goals."

The room was stifling...he wanted to go for a walk. But the success of their uprising buoyed his spirits nonetheless.

(The uprising has satisfied Comrade Zenus's desire for action temporarily.)

~30 Resources, +5 per week (This will decrease unless raw materials are found).
0 Wealth
10 Aether

The Committee As A Whole - 4 free dice

Chairman of the Central Committee of the United Kammanist Front - 6 free dice

[] Walk Among the Workers: See the results of the Uprising for yourself, which should prove very satisfying. It will also provide a different perspective on potential issues or solutions. Lastly, it will allow you to personally address grievances. Some might say it's reckless or risky. What are such things to you? DC 0/?? Benefits: ?? Cost: ??

[] Visit the Peasantry: The support the peasants provided before the Uprising was helpful, it would be good to visit them and thank them for their efforts. Further donations of food will be necessary as well, warning them in advance will be helpful. DC 0/25/50. Benefits: Boost to popular support, small boost to food supply. Cost: None

[] Declare a Jubilee: Most of the peasantry labor under crushing debts, as do some of the workers. Declaring all debts invalid will help win support and give them further investment in your victory. DC 0/15/60. Benefits: Boost to popular support. Cost: None

[] Speak to the Army: As important as broad support will be, the most immediate need for support is the soldiers who joined the Uprising. These former Imperial soldiers were often anti-Kammanist or apolitical, or sympathetic at best. Find out what caused the change, make sure they stay loyal. DC ?? Benefits: Better understanding of the army's loyalty and motivations. Cost: None

Commissar of Diplomacy - 3 Diplomacy dice

[] Make Contact with the Front: The Uprising started sooner than it should have to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity. This may have hindered the other planned actions. Send messages, try to use farspeakers, do anything you can to find out what happened. DC 0/30. Benefits: Eventual or immediate contact with allies, find out how they did. Cost: None

[] Make Contact with Friends: Send word to your friends in foreign countries, see what they have heard about you and about what the international response will be. And what help they can offer. DC: 20/40/60. Benefits: Contact with foreign ideological allies, find out what the international reaction is, what aid can be offered. Cost: None

[] Declare Yourselves: Let the world know the Kammanist revolution has begun, and soon the worker shall be freed from their yoke and the lowly uplifted...but what kind of revolution will you be? (Will cause subvote and probable faultlines.)

[] Speak to the Army: As important as broad support will be, the most immediate need for support is the soldiers who joined the Uprising. These former Imperial soldiers were often anti-Kammanist or apolitical, or sympathetic at best. Find out what caused the change, make sure they stay loyal. DC ?? Benefits: Better understanding of the army's loyalty and motivations. Cost: None

[] Educate the Workers: There are enough lower-level members of the Front to give explanations and encouragement to the workers of the city, to teach them the benefits of Kammanism and encourage them to support you. DC 40/80/120. Benefits: Greater support. Cost: Potential Backfire

[] Theological Support: The Patriarch of the Avlandian Orthodox Church is in the city, along with head of a few minority religions and lesser priests and preachers aplenty. Take some time to persuade them that this uprising is to their benefit, make some arguments about the theology - quoting a relevant parable or two might help - and get their support. And if all else fails...you control the city, that can give you options. DC 50/100/150. Benefits: Increased popular support, boost in some faction relations. Cost: Severe potential backfire, slight Front Support cost.

[] An Ear on the Street: The workers are ignorant of what the Revolution means, and will have their own ideas. Have a few low-ranking members hang around taverns and tea shops and other such places, let them report on what rumors they hear. DC 0. Benefits: Access to local rumors. Costs: None

Head Political Officer - 3 Politics Dice

[] Soothe Egos: Quite a few people expected to have better positions than they did. Making sure these problems don't fester is going to be important. You will have to talk quite a few people into putting aside their attitudes for the greater good...shouldn't be a problem. DC 0/25/50. Benefits: Improve unity. Costs: Potential Backfire

[] Speak to the Army: As important as broad support will be, the most immediate need for support is the soldiers who joined the Uprising. These former Imperial soldiers were often anti-Kammanist or apolitical, or sympathetic at best. Find out what caused the change, make sure they stay loyal. DC ?? Benefits: Better understanding of the army's loyalty and motivations. Cost: None

[] Recruit an Assistant: You know your illiteracy can be a problem, there's just never enough time to fix it. Another stopgap will have to do: finding someone who can read for you. You'll have to make sure they are trustworthy, which shouldn't be too much of a problem. DC 0/?? Benefits: Reduce No Education penalty by 8. Cost: ??

[] Check the Mood: The Front's mood is likely to be jubilant, as is that of the workers. Have a few trustworthy individuals go and make sure this is true, and see if there are any potential concerns that need to be addressed. DC 0/?? Benefits: Assess mood, access to local rumors. Cost: ??

[] Organize the Workers: The concept of Worker's Councils and unions are vital for Kammanism, explain to the workers how it works and help them get their council running. Stay on hand for the inevitable teething problem. 0/45. Benefits: Small bonus to industrial actions. Cost: None.

Chief Economic Commissar - 4 Industrial Dice

[] Institute Rationing: As unpopular as it will be, there isn't enough food to go around, and raw materials will probably be lacking soon too. You will need to set limits on how much people can eat and use personally. You will make sure the Front obeys these limits too. DC ??/60/?? Benefits: Slows decline of food and industrial situations. Cost: Unpopular, risk of overshooting.

[] Restart the Printing Presses: Pamphlets and posters were very useful for recruiting people to the Front before the Uprising, they will be useful after as well. Get the printing presses going again. DC: 0. Benefit: Unlocks new Diplomacy and Political Actions. Cost: 1 Resource per die.

[] Guns and Ammo: Soldiers cannot fight without weapons, but they cannot fight without the supplies for these weapons either. Get the gunshops producing again so the militia can be armed, so that the soldiers do not run low. 0/50. Benefit: Unlocks new military actions, ensures ample supplies of ammunition for small arms. Cost: 1 Resource and 1 Aether per die.

[] Examine the Mage Guilds: The guilds were unfortunately damaged to some degree in the fighting, and their wards are up, but there should be ways around both those problems. Inside them could be all sorts of vital resources...Aether crystals, lesson plans for mages, guides to spells or autocasters...DC 25/50/75/100. Benefit: Unlocks new industrial actions, increases Aether, ??. Cost: None

[] Feed the Hungry, Clothe the Needy, House the Homeless: These are the basic tenets of Kammanism, the basic goals of any sane society. Establish soup kitchens, house the homeless in abandoned palaces, take spare clothes to give to those without. DC 20/40/60/80. Benefit: Boost to popular support, Front Support. Cost: 1 Resource per die.

[] Organize the Workers: The concept of Worker's Councils and unions are vital for Kammanism, explain to the workers how it works and help them get their council running. Stay on hand for the inevitable teething problem. 0/45. Benefits: Small bonus to industrial actions. Cost: None.

[] Integrate Female Workers: Women can work just as well as men. Equality is a tenet of Kammanism. So, as unpopular as it may be, you will encourage the women of The City to join men in the factories for equal hours, equal pay, and equal work. DC 0/20/40/60/80. Benefit: Front Support, small bonus to industrial actions, potential popular support. Cost: Potential popular support.

Chief Commander of the People's Military - 4 Military Dice

[] Speak to the Army: As important as broad support will be, the most immediate need for support is the soldiers who joined the Uprising. These former Imperial soldiers were often anti-Kammanist or apolitical, or sympathetic at best. Find out what caused the change, make sure they stay loyal. DC 0/?? Benefits: Better understanding of the army's loyalty and motivations. Cost: None

[] Speak to the Militia: There were many who joined the Uprising spontaneously, out of anger at the nobles and capitalists. Will they still fight beside you? Are they willing to undergo the needed training? Can you trust them? These are all very important questions. DC 0/?? Benefits: Better understanding of the militia's loyalty and motivations, new military options unlocked. Cost: None

[] Begin Scouting Operations: What's outside The City is a pretty big blank to you. Send small groups of the Red Guards out to the immediate area, get an idea of who and what is out there so you can begin planning more significant options. DC: 0/?? Benefits: Potential new military actions, will be able to spot enemy forces from further away. Cost: 100-500 Red Guard

[] Begin Scouting Operations, High Duke edition: Send a small group of trusted men to scout out the High Duke and his apparently very fearsome army - Tiger Stripes are the most elite soldiers in the Empire, and you don't want to know what else he has...except you very much do, so you can prepare for it. DC 0/??. Benefits: Information on the High Duke's army. Cost: 10-100 Red Guard.

[] Patrol the City: Someone has been attacking Front members, and you don't trust the police to do the policing anymore. Have members of the Red Guard and militia do it, along with perhaps a few trustworthy members of the force to add some legitimacy. DC: 0/??. Benefits: Order kept in the city, chance of catching the armed bandits. Cost: 500-1000 Red Guard, 500-1000 Militia.

[] City Fighting: You have never fought in a city before. You will need to work out what sort of tactics will work best. Some possibilities come to mind, some more gruesome than others. DC: 0/50, partial progress provide partial benefits. Benefits: Develop doctrine and tactics for urban fighting, unlocks new military and industrial options. Cost: None


Assistant Secretary - 3 Intrigue Dice

[] Find Them: There are armed bandits attacking those who simply wish to bring peace and prosperity to all. Find them, hunt them, and kill them. And show no mercy. DC ?? Benefits: Dead bandits. Cost: Potentially: Innocents, popular support, Front Support

[] Find Them Gently: If you wish to be more careful, you can use slower but safer methods to find those responsible for such abominable crimes. And then show no mercy. DC ??. Benefits: Dead bandits. Cost: Potentially Front members and Front Support

[] An Ear to the Ground: Have a few trusted friends go and listen to what people are complaining about, seek out counterrevolutionary activity, and make friends of their own who will pass on what they hear. 0/25. Benefits: Beginnings of information network, access to local rumor mill. Cost: None

[] Refugee Spies: Have a few very trusted friends pretend to be upper-class fleeing The City or police who survived the Uprising. Send them to the High Duke, have them join the army and look for opportunities to spy or sabotage or assassinate. 0/30. Benefit: Options and information. Cost: None

[] Bodyguards: It will only mitigate the harm, but having trusted men and women guard those vital to the cause will help reduce the damage the bandits will do. And if they are liable to complain, they don't need to know... DC 0/60/80. Benefit: Security for VIPS. Cost: None, potential Front Support

[] Criminal Contacts: Your "friends" will likely have gone to ground, but you might be able to seek them out. They could be a source of information, equipment, or magic...although none of it will be fully trustworthy. DC 75. Benefit: Contact with criminals, new options. Cost: potential popular support.