You're the Queen - Now What? [CK2ish Character-Focused Quest]

I don't know if I used the tally system right, but mostly I just wanted to get the banner set so it was clear voting wasn't open yet. When the vote will actually close is subject to change, but closing on the 13th seems reasonable.

[] plan: Magic and development

[][BENEDICTION] The High Cleric of Celiesta, as you are a mage of great power, and a student of Archmage Cyril. Magic was how you earned your claim to the throne, and magic will be the basis of your rule

[][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun, put emphasis on road development and economic development.

just a tentative plan, magic is clearley our strongsuit and part of the reason we got the crown in the first place, and rebuilsing the economy and infastructure after a bloody civil war should make for good intentions to the nobility and commoners alike.

So, I've only run a few quests, and I'm wondering - was there something wrong with the way I set out the choices? Is the purpose of the choices not clear, or...? If I've done something that's making people have no ideas, or even questions, I'm not doing my job as QM right.

It's a bit unusual, but I've been quibbling over the different choices and haven't reached a full decision on the coronation bits.

Sorry, I've just been occupied. In one or two days, I'll take a closer look at everything.

MrRageQuit said:

It's a bit unusual, but I've been quibbling over the different choices and haven't reached a full decision on the coronation bits.

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Shine said:

Sorry, I've just been occupied. In one or two days, I'll take a closer look at everything.

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Understandable on both counts, I was just struck by the stark difference and wondered if it was an issue on my end. 😅

[] Plan: A Better Tomorrow
-[] [BENEDICTION] The High Priest of Adun, to represent your intent to rule justly and with fairness and possibly imply closeness or favor for the Knights of the Golden Throne
-[] [CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun
-[] [CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your intent to use all the powers (legally) available to you to guide Halrun to a bright future, signaling a more personalist regime.

I don't think emphasizing magic is the best play here. Prosperity, implied justice, and all efforts to give Halrun a better future sounds good, without explicitly doing anything that would plant us with one faction or another, considering we have conservative and progressive noble faction leaders in our inner council.

Reads on the train

[] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals
-[ ][BENEDICTION] The High Priest of Alior, for as Queen, you are the Protector and Guardian of your people, and you intend to let nothing harm or threaten them.
-[ ][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for reconciliation and healing as the Kingdom recovers and rebuilds.
-[ ][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your intention to rule jointly with the Estates as needed, to respect the laws and customs of Halrun and the balance of power between the Crown and the rest of Halrun.

Before I continue, I would like to say that I'm neither a politician nor a historian; just someone who reads quite a lot.

However

For our benediction, I feel that I want to emphasise what the people desire without binding ourselves for or against anyone. In the wake of years of oppression and a violent uprising, it should be a universal hope, from the fields to the halls of power, that the violence…. stops. Favouring any of them will align ourselves with the respective powerful spiritual authority (?), but the Protector will enable us to do so in a way that addresses our subject's hopes without causing us strife or pulling us into or against a faction, like the Golden Knights or rural gentry.

Then, for our coronation….

I think emphasising peace and balance is an ideal way to rebuild. The greatest issue with the previous tyrant, the fundamental issue that caused many of our current woes, is that the powerful king trampled on his subjects. Promising a future that tries to account for everyone, and explicitly desires restraints in how we exercise the throne, would please everyone; they can feel assured tyranny will not repeat, and they can immediately start dreaming of how they can secure their own power in turn.

(Note- we aren't actually promising anything specific!)

I believe framing the reconstruction effort as carried not by the crown, but by all of Halrun (under our stewardship) would be just as materially effective as promising great strides in our lonesome, while being far less confrontational, worrying or controversial.

(We just came off a massive civil war; is it exactly wise to emphasise the breadth and depth of our own, personal powers?)

Kylia Quilor said:

Best to sell off these other estates and titles where we can

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I think that if we don't actually sell the estates or at least not primarily for money, we can use the land to raise loyal noble's and the start of a "monarchist" noble faction which is loyal to the crown (IE: us). A lot of our problem's are going to come from politics (or at least be influenced by it) so starting to form some sort of powerbase is paramount.

We should also try to make sure that those we raise are competent so reconstruction will go without problem. If after all of that we can still get some cash (probably in the form of a few extra taxes for a few years) all the more helpful but it shouldn't be our first priority.

As to the current vote, emphasizing the need for stability and rebuilding while not rocking the boat too much is probably the way to go.

I think I'd be inclined to either the Priestess of Traven or the Priest of Alior. Emphasise the break with the last king and the desire to look after the kingdom. Emphasising why Vanessa was chosen as part of the speech seems a good idea to me, along with either reconciliation or unity. Hopefully that would work for a good start.

In terms of speech, the most important thing is probably to avoid emphasizing one faction too much, given the delicate balance in which everything is found. And, probably, mentions of the Estates, since firstly this is rather a compromise solution, and as such probably carries everyone a lot of restrained indignation, and secondly it consists mainly of the aristocracy.

From a deity's perspective, Celiesta and Alior seem to be the better choices. Celiesta, if we intend to build a magocracy, and Alior, because it contrasts Vanessa with the past king, without having the same connotations as Adun.

uri said:

I think that if we don't actually sell the estates or at least not primarily for money, we can use the land to raise loyal noble's and the start of a "monarchist" noble faction which is loyal to the crown (IE: us). A lot of our problem's are going to come from politics (or at least be influenced by it) so starting to form some sort of powerbase is paramount.

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That will be an option you'll have in the early turns, to hold onto the confiscated estates to hand out to worthy people, rather than sell for a quick buck to help cover the Kingdom's debts.

Some very interesting thoughts so far as well from everyone else. Don't want to sway the vote too much, so I won't speak to them, but any direct questions about the temples/gods/etc are welcome.

Kylia Quilor said:

So, I've only run a few quests, and I'm wondering - was there something wrong with the way I set out the choices? Is the purpose of the choices not clear, or...? If I've done something that's making people have no ideas, or even questions, I'm not doing my job as QM right.

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Established fantasy franchises have more traction because people there already have more knowledge.
If the quest is consistently good this should be overcome, but we're pretty early here and I think people don't know how it's all going to turn out yet. I wouldn't think too much about it yet.
As for the clarity of the vote:
I think everything was fine with the options themselves, but I have to admit that I overlooked pick two.
Maybe a blank line between Pick Two and the options for the speech will help with the highlighting?
I also believe that 24 hours is sufficient for a vote, especially if there is a moratorium of 24 hours beforehand.
The vote difference should be very small and shorter voting times should generally give GMs more time.

regarding our choices:
Celiesta wouldn't be a good choice.
A god of magic is the best choice for a single magician, but not for a ruler if almost all of his subjects are non-magical.
The classic choices are fine but I read something that really appeals to me:

Kylia Quilor said:

Ordedus that I intend to favor trade and mercantile interests

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Trade is down and there are definitely bottlenecks everywhere.
Things can only go uphill from here and everyone wants that.
If we ever want to get rid of our debt, that should be the first priority.

[] Plan: Money is the first priority
-[ ][BENEDICTION] Ordedus, represent the reconstruction of the roads, resumption of trade and good relations with all domestic and foreign factions towards the goal of common prosperity
-[ ][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for unity, for gathering together as one greater whole to rebuild.
-[ ][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun

I want to make this clear so that everyone can know what to expect from us.
If we are too general people wonder about our motivation.
Better we give them an obvious motivation that fits our characteristics, which should be known.
It's better to appear predictable than someone with ulterior motives.

[X] Plan: Money is the first priority
-[X][BENEDICTION] Ordedus, represent the reconstruction of the roads, resumption of trade and good relations with all domestic and foreign factions towards the goal of common prosperity
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for unity, for gathering together as one greater whole to rebuild.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun

[X] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals
-[X][BENEDICTION] The High Priest of Alior, for as Queen, you are the Protector and Guardian of your people, and you intend to let nothing harm or threaten them.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for reconciliation and healing as the Kingdom recovers and rebuilds.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your intention to rule jointly with the Estates as needed, to respect the laws and customs of Halrun and the balance of power between the Crown and the rest of Halrun.

It's just a ceremony and a speech.
Nobody expects anything from us.
If we show them our motivation, we could benefit from their assessment.
It's not a controversial goal, the only ones who lose are bandits and criminals. Protecting trade is of course also a goal.

[X] Plan: Money is the first priority
-[X][BENEDICTION] Ordedus, represent the reconstruction of the roads, resumption of trade and good relations with all domestic and foreign factions towards the goal of common prosperity
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for unity, for gathering together as one greater whole to rebuild.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun

[X] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals

[X] Plan Conventional Bene Reconciliation Speech
-[X][BENEDICTION] The High Priest of Askiran, to represent a return to the Law and Order of things, with a Queen providing right and proper Rulership. Runs a risk of being associated with Syrokis, but is highly conventional.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for reconciliation and healing as the Kingdom recovers and rebuilds.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your intention to rule jointly with the Estates as needed, to respect the laws and customs of Halrun and the balance of power between the Crown and the rest of Halrun


So this is the "non-radical" plan where we try to reassure people nothing crazy is going to happen. Use the boring god most rules choose. Tell the estates we are absolutely going to work with them. Reassure everybody that we want the whole nation to heal old divisions.

EDIT: Approval vote

[X] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals
-[X][BENEDICTION] The High Priest of Alior, for as Queen, you are the Protector and Guardian of your people, and you intend to let nothing harm or threaten them.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for reconciliation and healing as the Kingdom recovers and rebuilds.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your intention to rule jointly with the Estates as needed, to respect the laws and customs of Halrun and the balance of power between the Crown and the rest of Halrun.

Have you ever heard a politician speak and asked yourself:
"For half an hour I've only heard filler words and generalities, I wonder what he really thinks?"
We should avoid that. On the last day of winter talk about spring.
Trade is down and is getting better without us doing anything, simply because the war is over.
We deliver a self-fulfilling prophecy and take the credit when it comes to pass.
Of course we should push ahead with this too, but we would do that anyway because we need the income.
If we promise it beforehand, we come across as trustworthy as an added bonus.

[X] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals

Yes, this is probably the closest to what I want from the plans that exist now. Maybe I'll try to make my own tomorrow.

[X]Working towards more magic.
[X] Plan: Queen and Country.
[X] plan: Magic and development (v2?)

[X] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals

[X] Plan: Food, Security, and then Ideals

[X] Plan: Money is the first priority

The food and security plan makes a certain political sense, but honestly, it's kind of boring! From a dramatic perspective I'd much rather our greedy ruler be aligned with "The Greedfather." Our enemies may as well dislike us for taking some kind of stance. And I would think repairing the roads is a good first step in any plan.

Kylia Quilor said:

So, I've only run a few quests, and I'm wondering - was there something wrong with the way I set out the choices? Is the purpose of the choices not clear, or...? If I've done something that's making people have no ideas, or even questions, I'm not doing my job as QM right.

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While anyone can pick their favorite queen based on vibes, this decision is more abstract and feels like it has a higher barrier to entry. Plan votes are kind of intimidating anyway, even without a big information post on these gods that may end up mattering. I sat back for a bit to see what people would come up with. I'm not an experienced quester or anything, but I think that's what happened here.

Even beyond associating with the Greedfather, post the overthrow of a king noted to levy extraordinary taxes…

I think mentioning the Estates is important. Out position is extremely tenuous; we want to show the nobility we're willing to play. Immediately focussing on what we want therefore seems hazardous, especially if it seems to be to the exclusion of their desires.

[X]Working towards more magic
-[X][BENEDICTION] The High Cleric of Celiesta, as you are a mage of great power, and a student of Archmage Cyril. Magic was how you earned your claim to the throne, and magic will be the basis of your rule.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for Halrun to be strong in the face of her neighbors and in the face of potential threats, internal and external.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun

I like to think Celiesta is the most fitting personally mostly because magic but also because I don't want to fully abandon what makes our Queen Queen she was "chosen" because she was a mage and noble bastard she should play into one of those at least. As for the speech honestly I was tempted to pick the talk about ourselves options because yes this is our first speech though the people are likely going to care more about the actions we take to better their lives than any royal speech so getting to know their new Queen might be nice but I like all plans posted and like the intentions.

[X] Plan: Money is the first priority
-[X][BENEDICTION] Ordedus, represent the reconstruction of the roads, resumption of trade and good relations with all domestic and foreign factions towards the goal of common prosperity
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on the need for unity, for gathering together as one greater whole to rebuild.
-[X][CORONATION SPEECH] Focus on your desires and intentions for future prosperity for all of Halrun