Remember there was also the one House that starts with an A that promised vengeance after they blamed us for a broken engagement. They are probably astroturfing these complaints and should be looked into.
Yeah, that's the White Forest influence I suspect.
Another minor part of her mind hissed back with venom and bubbling anger. Yes, she was! She knew her son, and she knew him to be intelligent! To erase the alliance made with his marriage was stupid beyond belief, over a mere Mutated too! They were worth far less than what their Houses joining would have brought, and now she had to work miracles to undo the damage of it all. Miracles more to get him to marry her still and apologize for his transgression!

A third, silent, covered, and patient part of her slowly roused itself from its place of rest, hands like branches stretching from its abyssal home into thoughts and memory alike. Miracles that wouldn't be needed, it sighed, were it not for those whose whispers took him from his station. The abyssal branches spread like pestilent roots, digging through mind and consciousness. Whispers from those who take children, who induct them into faith by mercy and home. Whispers unquestioned and unexamined, for they are the hand that feeds and the hand that heals; its ethereal echo continued. Who dares to seek beyond the mask when it smiles so grandly, gives so freely? Who cares to seek the dagger when company and purpose are given as one? Who...indeed...
Underlind by me. Word choice and imagery aside, Lady Ti Alker is a Noble who has played the game of intrigue for most of her life. Yet, she assumes neither Lady Maranica, other Nobles, nor Internal Security have spent any time looking for the dirty laundry of the Pilgrims. Whether for blackmail or to check if they have something unacceptable going on.
She assumes a religious organization, and the Noble House attached to it, that supplies the Empire with a strategic resource hasn't been looked over by IS.

Simply put, that is a weird as hell assumption to make for a Noble that has spent her life dealing with other Nobles or avoiding Internal Security, and thus knowing they are competent.
Given the existence of the rumors, we can assume she went from searching for dirty secrets to just throwing out rumors and accusations after she didn't find anything.

Sidenote; After reading her thoughts about how much effort repairing that marriage alliance will take and how her son is rather intelligent. I have to wonder if the abuse of a servant was only part of the reason he acted like he did. Maybe he was already looking for a way out of that marriage...
We might want to get in contact with him anyway if we do research and try to counter the rumors. I'm a bit curious how he feels about the actions of his mother.


Anyway, the other locations:
[] Broken Titan
Population:
~3.9 Million
Settlements: Citadel of the Black Deer
Elite Factions: House Novuseus
Local Factions: The Black Deer, The Children of the Magus, The Disciples of the Kobold
Industry: Weapons Manufacturing, Armor Manufacturing
Environment/s: Temperate Forest, Savanna
Those Local Factions sound rather weird. Might be leftover Black Forest influence or they are all just very chuni. I'm surprised they squeezed all ~3.9 Million people into a single settlement.

[] Elevated Crust
Population:
~3.2 Million
Settlements: Nar-Wadar's Refuge, The Descent
Elite Factions: The Adventurers Guild, House Mav'i
Local Factions: House Ti'ir, House Tanavar, Forge-Clan Tesera
Industry: Scavenging, Metal Extraction and Refinement, Artifact Trade
Environment/s: Necropolis (The Buried City) and Karst Plateaus
Might be worth sending an Outpost, just for the Artefacts and research opportunities. A full Chapter might focus more on industrial applications and producing parts for airships.

[] Tarnished Glory
Population:
~1.4 Million
Settlements: Novita, Ergana, Trica, Zulmurita
Elite Factions: House Ergana, House Trica, The Bakers Guild
Local Factions: The Mutated, The Adventurers Guild, The Fishers Guild
Industry: Fishing, Stonework, Art
Environment/s: Underground Lakes, Lakes, City-States, In-Land Archipelago
...Bakers Guild? I would expect a Fisher Guild, so how?
 
Those Local Factions sound rather weird.
Yeah, those factions made me pause. I was thinking of sending a Satellite there once Bone Valley was more established, but now I worry that 50 people will just get gobbled up.

Might be worth sending an Outpost, just for the Artefacts and research opportunities.
Those were my thoughts as well. Plus, there's not that many people that would justify a full chapter.

Bakers Guild? I would expect a Fisher Guild, so how?
The Fisher's Guild is in the Local sections, which tells me we will be dealing with something more akin to a Fisher's Union, with gruff, hardened fishermen rather than big bosses.
 
Those Local Factions sound rather weird. Might be leftover Black Forest influence or they are all just very chuni. I'm surprised they squeezed all ~3.9 Million people into a single settlement.
The Black Deer are the main religion of the Region, priestly hunters that maintain the balance between people and the environment, with the Children being Tech-Cultists of an ancient scholar called "Magus" who did some rather important stuff with his buddy the Black Deer and the Kobold, whose Disciples are warrior monks trying to ascend from this plane of existence.

Also, Regions are big and can have far more settlements than indicated. Tessen has a few dozen towns and some hundred villages, but naming them all would be quite tedious, and not helpful. A good rule of thumb is to think that 40-60% of a Regions population is in the big settlements, while the rest is outside.
karmaoa said:
...Bakers Guild? I would expect a Fisher Guild, so how?
Well, they started as a Bakers Guild, but time, expansions, acquisitions, money, and politicking made them bloat and grow in importance. And they are quite interested in holding that position, for the good of the Region, naturally. Someone needs to be in charge of the Regions food after all, and better it be those who provide it, no?
 
Well, they started as a Bakers Guild, but time, expansions, acquisitions, money, and politicking made them bloat and grow in importance. And they are quite interested in holding that position, for the good of the Region, naturally. Someone needs to be in charge of the Regions food after all, and better it be those who provide it, no?
So basically those who produce the food (Fisher's Guild) have ended up organised and 'independent' because those who manage the food (Baker's Guild) have ended up in such a place of dominance they'd be in trouble otherwise? Or is it more Agricultural versus Animal food production?
 
I think is more the endpoints of the concept of "the army marchers on it's stomach" basically this organization maintain its power by controlling the bulk of the food supplies. It may be better than it sounds but well, it sounds bad.
 
So basically those who produce the food (Fisher's Guild) have ended up organised and 'independent' because those who manage the food (Baker's Guild) have ended up in such a place of dominance they'd be in trouble otherwise? Or is it more Agricultural versus Animal food production?
The latter, but with some dashes of the first, as the fishers do have to sell their produce to someone when they aren't selling directly on the market or tveir own stores.
 
If we ever set up shop there, we'll probably make a lucrative bussiness deal by transporting fish in airship with refrigerated cargo holds.

Speaking of food transporting and preservation, @HeroCooky how much do the Pilgims know about canning? We have pasteurization so the next next should be to put the food into sealed containers for an even longer shelf life and easy of transportation.
 
Oh, I also added the missing Adjudicator option to the vote.
That said, any other Regions that people want to see as options?
 
[] P'al'i ma Na'ru Shiv A
Population:
~29 Million
Settlements: Na'ru Shiv A
Elite Factions: House P'al'i, Southern Forge-Clan Conclave
Local Factions: Cyberial Dancers, Watchers of the Caverns, Architects Guild
Industry: High Industry, Machinery, Cores, Knights, Bright-Weapons
Environment/s: Underground Metropolis, Artificial Caverns
So, Forge-Clan central? 29 Million is the second largest population number we have seen so far, only surpassed by the Capital. It looks a bit like a mini-Hive from 40k.

[] Hog Olhum Nar Thari
Population:
~8 Million
Settlements: Hog Olhum
Elite Factions: House Nar Thari, Mining Guild, Forge-Clan Pára
Local Factions: 3rd Engineers Association
Industry: Steam-Engines, Steel, Basic Automata
Environment/s: Underground Metropolis, Artifical Caverns, Underground Geysers
Hmm, might need to send an expedition/Satellite for that steam research. A Chapter here to funnel Engineers to other bases would have been very tempting if we didn't trade the Data Crystal to the Vanar-Feer.
 
Leaving this here so I can just add the x when the vote opens.

[] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni
-[] Name: Akane
-[] Gender: Woman
-[] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
[X] Chapter
[X] Sunken Hollows
[X] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni

-[X] Name: Akane
-[X] Gender: Woman
-[X] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[X] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[X] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[X] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
[X] Chapter
[X] Sunken Hollows
[X] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni
-[X] Name: Akane
-[X] Gender: Woman
-[X] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[X] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[X] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[X] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
[X] Chapter
[X] Sunken Hollows
[X] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni

-[X] Name: Akane
-[X] Gender: Woman
-[X] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[X] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[X] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[X] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
[X] Chapter
[X] Sunken Hollows
[X] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni

-[X] Name: Akane
-[X] Gender: Woman
-[X] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[X] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[X] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[X] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
[X] Chapter
[X] Sunken Hollows
[X] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni

-[X] Name: Akane
-[X] Gender: Woman
-[X] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[X] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[X] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[X] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
[X] Chapter
[X] Sunken Hollows
[X] (Adjudicator Vote): Red Oni

-[X] Name: Akane
-[X] Gender: Woman
-[X] Mutations: Two small and straight horns jutting from her forehead, red markings beneath her eyes and elongated lower canines that do not poke out of her lips
-[X] Body: 1,90m tall and with a muscly build. 28 years old. Dark hair and eyes, usually wears her hair in a short ponytail.
-[X] Personality: Stoic, with a strong motherly bent. Very thick-skinned.
-[X] History: Born the third out eight siblings, Akane's childhood was defined by a series of tragedies. First her mother died of an infection shortly after giving birth to her youngest twin brothers. Then shortly after her father would end up joining a scavenging crew in hopes of striking it big only to die in the wastes, leaving the family under the care of her two older siblings. A year after that her older sister (and the only fully human of the bunch) would run away to get married, cutting all contact with the rest of the family. This would be the last straw for her eldest brother, who would turn to alcohol to cope with the pressure and progresibly became more abusive. Akane finally took the reins of the family at 16 when she kicked her eldest brother out after he tried to sell her younger sister to a brothel. She would shortly after join the Pilgrims as they were the only ones who would pay enough for her to feed all her siblings and would eventually climb her way to being the foreman of a construction crew. She was elected Adjudicator due to her experience in managing a group of people as well as a budget. She is also joined by her siblings, who want to help their big sister now that they are all adults.
 
Back
Top