- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Guys, gals, and non-binary pals, this vote is a close one.
Well... not with regards to option 1. She's basically no-shot but the others... it's anyone's game.
Well... not with regards to option 1. She's basically no-shot but the others... it's anyone's game.
The middle option only gives us one more WS point than the first option at the cost of one very precious MoI point, not a great deal in my opinion. There isn't much difference between +6 or +7.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
You made me double check the Favorability, because it's actually +7 or +8 (which gets it back down to one below the ES numbers, meaning they're both roughly equally pleased.)
[X] Fully support White Sky desires including the emplacement of their sovereigns full court on a permanent basis (+2 White Sky Favorabilty, +1 Polar Theocracy favorability, -1 Ministry and -2 White Plume favorability.)
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Honestly the High Realm friction thing is a point. Do we really want more High-Realm Cultivators from hugely different cultures to be squaring off with each other?
Like, most of the debate thus far has been about the mechanical effects within the Conference, but narratively what about the third option appeals so much?
Like, most of the debate thus far has been about the mechanical effects within the Conference, but narratively what about the third option appeals so much?
- Location
- In the oldest city on the oldest land
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
[X] Fully support White Sky desires including the emplacement of their sovereigns full court on a permanent basis (+2 White Sky Favorabilty, +1 Polar Theocracy favorability, -1 Ministry and -2 White Plume favorability.)
This option gets us +1 to our lowest favorability. It also increases their investment in the project. As part of Renxiang's faction, we want the Embassy to be as important as possible. The more invested both sides are, the better it is for us. By getting this option, we increase stability by increasing White Sky investment and increasing Polar Theocracy opinion.
In addition, I want to see if we can get Weeping Sentinels to come to Xiangmen. It is clear that she bases her cultivation around the Heavenly Pillar in the north. Seeing Xiangmen would probably surprise her and certainly benefit her way.
This option gets us +1 to our lowest favorability. It also increases their investment in the project. As part of Renxiang's faction, we want the Embassy to be as important as possible. The more invested both sides are, the better it is for us. By getting this option, we increase stability by increasing White Sky investment and increasing Polar Theocracy opinion.
In addition, I want to see if we can get Weeping Sentinels to come to Xiangmen. It is clear that she bases her cultivation around the Heavenly Pillar in the north. Seeing Xiangmen would probably surprise her and certainly benefit her way.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
More higher realm Cultivators on the other side means that there will be a call for more such Cultivators to sit on the Embassy Town to make sure that nothing untoward happens on the Imperial side, thus meaning they'll mostly just sit around there.
In the middle of a war.
Like in this case I don't think the White Plume objections are just xenophobia, for all that that might be a contributing factor.
(And to be clear, it pains me to say it because I think incredibly poorly of General Genocide overall.)
In the middle of a war.
Like in this case I don't think the White Plume objections are just xenophobia, for all that that might be a contributing factor.
(And to be clear, it pains me to say it because I think incredibly poorly of General Genocide overall.)
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
[X] Agree to push for a greater allowance of security forces for the White Sky (+1 White Sky Favorability.)
[X] Agree to push for a greater allowance of security forces for the White Sky (+1 White Sky Favorability.)
- Location
- Earth
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
We are already emplacing a Sovereign here permanently--thats a much greater commitment of force than four indigos. I also think that having more high realms personally invested in the project is going to be good for ongoing diplomacy, and it makes the embassy town something of a fait accompli.
- Location
- The Space Between
Yes we do want more friction, in my opinion.
First of all the Emerald Seas is at +9, they'll be sending Indigos that can function here.
Second, I think the response from Wang Lian about the infrastructure of the White Sky makes "The Builder" a likely candidate for The Violet that gets sent here. They're very defense-oriented, they're infrastructure-oriented, they want to secure the south so that the Wang can become an interior County, and Wang Lian has been very interested in what the White Sky do with their own infrastructure/geomancy/cultivation. We know that the Wang get exposed to the vision that The Builder has for the Wang's County, so if Wang Lian is interested I suspect The Builder would be too.
As a counter-balance, the rest of the Indigos should probably be from the other Counts. Otherwise the Wang will dominate the Embassy Town. This brings individual Count retinues to the Embassy Town that support their clan's face towards one another. This is a good thing, because the various retinues will likely have redundant systems which increases population of the Embassy Town as each Count wants to have their own people to do the various jobs for their own settlements.
The Embassy Town is an excellent place to have an Emerald Seas Group Project because everyone has incentives to put their best foot forward in front of the foreigners, and if we can show off a little that's just gravy to Pride. The wrangling of all the Counts might be difficult, but it'll be good for Renxiang and the province as a whole to have an area that's hashing out an Emerald Seas Identity facing towards a group that doesn't have as much history or baggage as our fellow Imperials have towards us. Sometimes a new perspective can give welcome insight into ways we take for granted.
The more friction we hash out now the more smoothly we'll be able to run when the Big Shit hits the fan. The War is bad, sure, but the funkiness is only going to get more dire as we get older. Such is the blessing to live in "interesting times"
This is a pretty valid point though. Either the White Plumes have to commit troops here to defend the Counts invested (which would prevent them from deploying elsewhere) or the 4 Indigos we station might matter to the war. I think it's a White Plume commitment that gives the -2 though, because if it was only 4 Indigos I don't think that'd matter much when the entire province is at muster.
Overall I think the risk is worth closer ties. Our stated ambition is a lasting peace, but we in the thread know that there's also a lot of benefits besides simple maintenance of the peace. There's insights, technology and valuable goods to be exchanged. When's the last time any Imperial Province has met a neighbor that's too distant to conquer/raid, but has valuables to trade? It's just the Xuan, and frankly the Jin are willing to raid most anyone the Xuan have met. This could be our Silk Road, and frankly speaking I want the Emerald Seas to be able to put a good foot forward together here.
Snowblossom is ours. We want to have enough strength and momentum to compete with the Counts once more points of contact and/or routes into ES get established.
That doesn't mean the Embassy Town is ours. The Embassy Town is already shared by The Polar Nations, ourselves and a singular Count Violet shouldn't be the only ones with high access to them tbh.
It'll be tumultuous, but the Emerald Seas are used to much worse kinds of tumult. If we navigate those waters, the reward would be sweet indeed
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EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
Lord_Nib-Knob
Destroyer Of Worlds
- Location
- Linix Galaxy
- Pronouns
- He/Him/Me/You
[X] Fully support White Sky desires including the emplacement of their sovereigns full court on a permanent basis (+2 White Sky Favorabilty, +1 Polar Theocracy favorability, -1 Ministry and -2 White Plume favorability.)
While I might be willing to believe that losing our high favor with factions like MOI or White Plumes is bad, I imagine we aren't in a 'gaining favor' sort of stage here. Rather, we're going to be trading favor, compromises between factions. We just had had a war in the backyard in front of invited guests, we kind of need to give the Polar Theocracy assurances we'll allow them to defend themselves because we certainly can't say it 'would never happen'.
Narratively speaking, I think we'll have to buy in heavy anyway. We were never going to be involved in the full lifespan and running of the Embassy. Realistically, if we succeed, we'd literally put ourselves out of a job, since the Clans would want to buy in on this now, and their influence outsizes ours even with the Cai's favor to back us up.
In many ways, I'd say our job isn't even convincing everyone this is a good idea. We already did.
The ES CAN'T back out so easily now, they're pride and superiority against the 'northern barbarians' is wounded, and no one should want to be known as the 'Next Meng' in this situation, so this is all about who gets what benefits.
While I might be willing to believe that losing our high favor with factions like MOI or White Plumes is bad, I imagine we aren't in a 'gaining favor' sort of stage here. Rather, we're going to be trading favor, compromises between factions. We just had had a war in the backyard in front of invited guests, we kind of need to give the Polar Theocracy assurances we'll allow them to defend themselves because we certainly can't say it 'would never happen'.
Narratively speaking, I think we'll have to buy in heavy anyway. We were never going to be involved in the full lifespan and running of the Embassy. Realistically, if we succeed, we'd literally put ourselves out of a job, since the Clans would want to buy in on this now, and their influence outsizes ours even with the Cai's favor to back us up.
In many ways, I'd say our job isn't even convincing everyone this is a good idea. We already did.
The ES CAN'T back out so easily now, they're pride and superiority against the 'northern barbarians' is wounded, and no one should want to be known as the 'Next Meng' in this situation, so this is all about who gets what benefits.
Kai Merah
Hound Hearted Hedonist
- Location
- Somewhere in the corners of my imagination
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
[X] Agree to push for a greater allowance of security forces for the White Sky (+1 White Sky Favorability.)
[X] Agree to push for a greater allowance of security forces for the White Sky (+1 White Sky Favorability.)
- Location
- Finland
We must never use favour, we might need it later.
Except if now is not later, i don't know when it could possibly be.
As for getting worried that we are loosing influence, i seriously doubt it.
We were never going to be allowed to be the sole ruler of the single entry/exit point, at best we might get a prime spot along the trade route.
I'd rather have wider group of people we can act as negotiator for.
Except if now is not later, i don't know when it could possibly be.
As for getting worried that we are loosing influence, i seriously doubt it.
We were never going to be allowed to be the sole ruler of the single entry/exit point, at best we might get a prime spot along the trade route.
I'd rather have wider group of people we can act as negotiator for.
- Location
- North Wales
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] Agree to push for a greater allowance of security forces for the White Sky (+1 White Sky Favorability.)
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
Not sure that the third option is where I want to spend all that accrued favour.
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
Not sure that the third option is where I want to spend all that accrued favour.
[X] Agree to push for a greater allowance of security forces for the White Sky (+1 White Sky Favorability.)
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
[X] Use your momentum to push for a greater allowance for security forces and their support as well as more of their security infrastructure in the valley (+2 White Sky Favorability, -1 Ministry Favorability)
Allegoriest
Entomology Enthusiast Extraordinaire
- Pronouns
- It/She
[X] Fully support White Sky desires including the emplacement of their sovereigns full court on a permanent basis (+2 White Sky Favorabilty, +1 Polar Theocracy favorability, -1 Ministry and -2 White Plume favorability.)
For reference, four indigos probably represents most of the White Plumes' entire complement of 5th realms- fixed to a single place in the middle of an active war for the sole purpose of saying 'we can't let the foreigners outdo us in force concentration' (ie. pride).
No shit they're not going to happy about that.