We'd almost certainly end up dividing the kingdoms up between our first two children while keeping an overall 'Padishah' level title in the hands of our primary heir. Trying to maintain that much land as a single title for more than a generation tends to go poorly.
Depends how you go about it. The Ottomans managed it for centuries - obviously there'll need to be governorships and a civil administration to lean on but you don't necessarily need to split the inheritance.
Probably outside the scope of this quest either way though.
Depends how you go about it. The Ottomans managed it for centuries - obviously there'll need to be governorships and a civil administration to lean on but you don't necessarily need to split the inheritance.
Probably outside the scope of this quest either way though.
Its outside of the scope of what is probably going to actually happen in this quest but I find this sort of thing to be a way of sketching in the linework of who we are as a character and a polity. Our priorities, how we see the world, how we face it. A choice doesn't need to be materially consequential to matter.
The Ottomans handled things through, well, Byzantine bureaucracy borrowed from the Byzantines from what I've gleaned. Their Beylerbey system was derived from the Eastern Roman Empire's Themata system which itself took some serious work to, well, make work. Its not impossible for another power to do the same but it would take a great deal of work.
Whether we go to those lengths, yeah, that says a great many things about who we are.
While Salty Introductions is a fine plan, I really think getting the protectorates up and running is our biggest priority right now. It pushes our borders out so if trouble rolls up, we won't be dealing with it in our own backyard, it gets us more income, it scouts more territory, and most importantly it gets a stronger power bloc together to oppose legitimate threats or Kings that might grow to be problems. Take What You Can seems to be turning a lot of people off, but it's really a very reasonable course of action that I don't think most would hold against us.
For what it's worth, I actually hope to do something very much like your plan next turn. It's just that for this turn I want to get Iago integrated into our intel apparatus (we got a hefty hint that Haroud really wants to do that) and I want to talk with the hunters since that's a very limited-time opportunity. Our traits are such that we stand a very good chance of critting on that action, which can only help us. I also want to steward our funds a bit until we can get the salt mine income stream going.
I'm not voting for Salty Introductions because I'm against Take What You Can, on the contrary it'd probably be an action I'd support on any other turn. That isn't the reason why I went Salty Introductions, though. I'm voting that way because Salty Introductions has the time limited Huntsman Club diplomacy option, something that I am very interested in accomplishing.
I really want to get on friendly footing with the Club because A) they're the first king-level polity we have a chance to do so with, B) Having friendly relations with monster hunters is very much helpful when entire sections of the world around us are already pretty much overrun with monsters (Greece and China come to mind), and C) because they're not the worst guys out there. Like yeah, they're kinda bad people, but that's still better than the various Apocalypses of Super Evil Bad Times that Disney likes to chuck into their properties. I'd like to have the option open to work with the Huntsman Club if something really bad is going down.
Having friendly relations with monster hunters is very much helpful when entire sections of the world around us are already pretty much overrun with monsters (Greece and China come to mind),
Our Eastern border has Shere Khan, King Louie, and Kaa, three very dangerous beast kings. And to our west is Queen La and her Leopard Men. Having the potential assistance of a polity that specializes in dangerous beasts/monsters might be useful.
Question for @TempestK: could we assign Chiron to help Will with his personal and boost his chances of success?
No, this isn't a learning action in the normal sense. It won't increase Will's stats; and honestly he's determined to make some headway on this on his own to help assuage his guilty conscience. (Whether or not he's actually guilty of something).
I'm not voting for Salty Introductions because I'm against Take What You Can, on the contrary it'd probably be an action I'd support on any other turn. That isn't the reason why I went Salty Introductions, though. I'm voting that way because Salty Introductions has the time limited Huntsman Club diplomacy option, something that I am very interested in accomplishing.
Out of curiosity, my plan Making Moves has that option. People don't seem to be going for it though. What parts of my plan don't interest you or are unappealing.
Out of curiosity, my plan Making Moves has that option. People don't seem to be going for it though. What parts of my plan don't interest you or are unappealing.
One thing about the vote itself is that I prefer scouting the Northern Satraps than just going out to try and find more beasts for the Menagerie.
Also, I think something might be up with how its formatted? It looks like about half your choices aren't showing up in the tally. Not really a knock against your plan, but something I felt I should mention.
But the main reason is that, well, Salty Introductions had the most votes by far of the plans that had the option I wanted, so I threw my vote behind it because it had the best bet of winning.
[X] Plan Let's try talk first
-[X][Martial] Friends in Need
- [X][Stewardship] Feeling Salty
- [X][Diplomacy] Making Introductions
-[X][Intrigue] Literal Skeletons in the Closet
-[X][Learning] The Heart-Shaped Herb
- [X][Occult]Call of the Wild
- [X][Personal] Correspond with Jasmine
- [X][Personal] Bow Flex
- [X][Will Personal] Off the edge of the Map
-[X][Iago Personal] You Scratch My Beak...
--[X] Call of the Wild
This, we have a number of things that we need to get started with and follow up on. Putting Jasmine Interaction off to every other turn isn't gonna kill the relationship when both are literally royalty and notably busy ones at that.
Salty Introductions Edited?
Why did the post get edited? I thought for sure it had Call of the Wild before, but now it doesn't? (Also has the correspondence with Jasmine, but Call of the Wild is the big sticking point for me.)
[Of note, Close to Home has a cost of 8500 Gold, which would bump our reserves right back up. Iago really should get to know the city for dc drops though. I'm willing to change things around for a V2. (I changed to SA because it had Call of the Wild. But now it doesn't/)]
Salty Introductions Edited?
Why did the post get edited? I thought for sure it had Call of the Wild before, but now it doesn't? (Also has the correspondence with Jasmine, but Call of the Wild is the big sticking point for me.)
[Of note, Close to Home has a cost of 8500 Gold, which would bump our reserves right back up. Iago really should get to know the city for dc drops though. I'm willing to change things around for a V2. (I changed to SA because it had Call of the Wild. But now it doesn't/)]
Why did the post get edited? I thought for sure it had Call of the Wild before, but now it doesn't? (Also has the correspondence with Jasmine, but Call of the Wild is the big sticking point for me.)
It has Call of the Wild still; I swapped out the Martial action "Take What You Can" for "Scouting the North" since it has both a better chance of success and because we have some nasty enemies up there whom we know nothing about, including the 40 thieves.
Out of curiosity, why is "Call of the Wild" a sticking point for you? Apologies if you already said your piece in an earlier post, I'm a bit distractible these days.
[X] Plan: The War of Northern Aggression
- [X][Martial] Take What You Can
- [X][Stewardship] Feeling Salty
- [X][Diplomacy] Attempt to bring in nearby satraps as protectorates
-- [X] Western Satraps
- [X][Intrigue] Now Hiring!
-- [X] Have Haroud focus on a specific region
--- [X] Northern Satrapies
- [X][Learning] Mastering Magic
- [X][Occult] Tonics, Tinctures and Tablets
- [X][Personal] This Mystical Land of Magic and Sand
- [X][Personal] Cram Time
-[X][Iago Personal] You Scratch My Beak...
-- [X] Tonics, Tinctures and Tablets
- [X][Will Personal] Missing the Sea
It has Call of the Wild still; I swapped out the Martial action "Take What You Can" for "Scouting the North" since it has both a better chance of success and because we have some nasty enemies up there whom we know nothing about, including the 40 thieves.
Out of curiosity, why is "Call of the Wild" a sticking point for you? Apologies if you already said your piece in an earlier post, I'm a bit distractible these days.
The Australian hunter held a hand for his fellow hunter to continue, Gaston gritting his teeth as he struggled to follow along with the conversation. McLeach let out a short laugh. "So, know what I mean, eh?" His tone derisive and mocking, the hunter responded slowly.
"N-no, I do not," the words were choppy and thick with an accent as the burly man ground his hands against his hips, at attention as the hunter before him cocked a brow. McLeach chuckled slowly, shrugging his shoulders slightly.
"Still don't quite understand, do ya Frenchman? That's fine, keep the collar then." Tossing him the collar, the man turned about and made his leave from the former Game Warden.
Gaston cursed himself, eyes furiously glaring into the collar that mocked and chained him. He'd begun to gain a tentative grasp on the English language lately, the one primarily spoken by the other hunters. Gaston stood out as an odd exception, and despite his own prowess as a hunter, it had certainly formed a divide between him and a few other members; therefore the man who had refused to partake in "worthless" academics in the past, was now forced to take interest in such things.
With a sigh, Gaston left the hallway he'd been speaking to McLeach within, traversing down another and finding his way to the stairway to the next level. As he exited the stairway into the floor below, he frowned at the sound coming from not far away, his footsteps building in pace as he barged into the room, the sight astounding him.
"Cease your filthy petting, despicable human!" The tall doberman wagged his tail relentlessly despite his protest, the thirteen year old girl scratching him at the rump as she giggled. Turning her head, her face lit up, the petite girl scrambling to her feet and offering a small curtsey, blue dress ruffled and dirtier than it had been before, overused and more tattered. "Gaston!" She shouted with excitement, hurrying over, the doberman letting out a growl that the hunter ignored, instead pulling a strap of dried meat from his belt loop and tossing it to the canine, the beast snatching it from the air.
He offered the girl a softer smile that he only wore around the child. Taking a knee, he brushed off some of the dirt that had accumulated at her shoulder.
"You are being … well treated?" He asked in partially broken English, the child simply nodding, looking unconcerned with the hunter's concern toward her welfare, instead looking at him eagerly, dancing on her toes with excitement. "Oh yes," she eventually admitted a light smile on her face, "Mr. Muntz sent down Alpha to play with me, he's been the sweetest thing." Gaston nodded, breaking up the words for their intended meanings that the child couldn't quite grasp; Muntz wanted her watched and monitored, hence the involvement of his personal hound. That was distressing.
"Good. Be friendly." He spoke to the dog, his mighty frame which suddenly flexed with an intimidating amount of muscle mass sent a very clear message to the dog. Alice missed the interaction, her wide eyes staring at Gaston as the man caught the girl's want. With a chuckle, he fiddled with the satchel at his side, pulling from with a beautiful emerald necklace he'd pulled during one of his searches. "Found in town," he explained to the girl, as she gasped at the beautiful piece, taking it with careful hands before slowly placing it over her neck. Gaston didn't bother telling the girl it had been in one of the ransacked towns they'd flown over; the entire world was in chaos, as Gaston had seen firsthand from the ground level, and from the skies.
He was taken aback suddenly by the lunging girl, who couldn't even pull her arms around his waist, though she did try as she wrapped the hunter in a bodily hug. "Thank you!" She eventually said, wiping an eye with a slight sob, the hunter shaking off his shock, putting a hesitant hand to the girls back as he patted her with a gentle application of strength. Inside, Gaston knew the girl wouldn't be safe here… not forever.
Pushing that thought aside, he sought to distract the child, chiming in softly as he gently moved her away. With a mental groan, he did what he'd been dreading. "I need… help." He admitted, Alice looking curiously interested after a moment of shock.
"Yes, with what?" She inquired, Gaston growling internally, his fingers curling into fists of rage at what he'd be admitting.
"Words … English," he admitted, Alice letting out a soft "oh" before smiling.
"Of course I'll help! My sister always said I was an amazing reader. I even wrote some stories too, why, she would sometimes say that with my mind I could have stories written about me one day!" Letting out a giggle, she kicked her foot at the ground in an embarrassed fashion, "silly isn't it?" Gaston considered the question before shrugging. He'd caught maybe half of what she'd said there and therefore went the route of nodding along. Alice accepted it anyways, a delighted smile on her face.
"Alright, first step!" She cried, clapping her hands together. "Reading!"
Gaston felt his last vestige of hope crumble in that moment.
Martial: 3 (Alice is a 13 year old British schoolgirl from the turn of the century. Fighting isn't really in her nature to start with either.)
Stewardship: 7 (Alice can keep track of her personal belongings and even the small stipend that Mr. Muntz gives her; but she's not really all that experienced at haggling or taking care of actual finances.)
Diplomacy: 17 (Alice is a forthright child whose innocent nature and upbringing as a proper British Lady [which Lady Hortensia Waltham nee Clayton has taken up in the absence of her elder sister] means that Alice is able to talk to quite a few people and beings without giving offense, unless outside parties deign to upset things.)
Intrigue: 8 (Alice is an intelligent child, but she's also very straightforward. Her interactions with the Cheshire cat and having to deal with its tricksome ways has led her to having a bit more flexibility in her thinking, but she's not prone to lying nor to sneaking in either case.)
Learning: 13 (As stated, Alice is intelligent, and given a chance to wrap her head around something can usually manage to understand at least the basics being presented to her. That being said she's hardly a scholar and if the subject matter is dry enough often feels her eyes growing heavy...)
Occult: 2̵8̵ 10 (Alice has been to Wonderland and back, seen things and met creatures that no one else has. But in the light of the waking world, the entire place seems more a fever dream and less a place of magic. Until Alice can come to terms with Wonderland, she will merely acknowledge that the strange and fantastic appears to be possible in the here and now.)
Evading Madness: Alice has an innate connection to her inner psyche that conjures beings drawn forth from her own deeper thoughts, bringing them into reality. Despite such a gift, Alice lacks control over her gift and is actively avoiding it, drawing her even further away from it. Adds +15 to Martial when Alice has control of it, allowing her to summon forth defenders from the depths of Wonderland, and to control and direct the mighty Jubjub Bird, Bandersnatch and even the fearsome Jabberwocky.
Dreamer: Alice is one of a rare handful of children whose imaginations are so powerful that they can cause actual physical manifestations of their innermost thoughts and dreams, even those they don't particularly like. Alice's personal realm is Wonderland, but her early interactions with the place has left her afraid of it, and unaware that it is a power for her to control.
Friend to Everyone: Alice is more than happy to help those who act as friends to her, no matter who they may be. She gains a +5 to Learning, Stewardship or Diplomacy when attempting to help someone she considers a friend in a task.
Traumatized: Alice's experiences in Wonderland have left her incredibly leery of anything magical. Her Occult is locked at 10 until this is addressed.
Noooo onneeeee...Sighs like Gaston, no one pouts like Gaston, nobody hates reading a book as much as Gaston!
Seriously, though, great omake! I loved the interactions there. McLeach is as condescending as ever, Gaston is oddly...protective?..., and Alice is a treasure. I hope we can meet them this turn!
Gaston trying to be nice with no ulterior motive is so fascinating to read. My fondness for friendship between tall intimidating murder men and tiny sweet teenage girls is definitely making me want to see more of this.
