Try to survive the Winter: A planquest in Fantasy Colonial America

This is always, to an extend a problem with quests like this. People, tend to often approch things with a modern outlook instead of that of a 1600's Captain. It's just a part of our current culture and how we approch things after all. So in that sense, people need a poke every so often to remind oneself of that
 
Would a reduced amount of lashes in exchange for a years hard labor be more suitable? And what amount of time should violators be banned from the Council be for (the QM offered options are 1 year and 10 years), and should there be a similar or lesser amount of time being barred from the Assembly as well?
Do we even have hard labour that needs to be done year round? Like, we don't have mines or such that would fit what the punishment implies.
 
Do we even have hard labour that needs to be done year round? Like, we don't have mines or such that would fit what the punishment implies.
I assume it would be that you get picked for the more unpleasant tasks, but yeah, I suppose not having any singular place that could serve as a "this is the place where you go for hard labor punishments because the work conditions are shit but we need workers for it."

I did consider altering the punishment to being a year-long stint working in Deadtown, but I'm not sure on that.
 
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I imagine once we build the poterry kiln that would allow us to build a clay pit, that would count as hard labour.

There are also the iron paths which we might be able to develop into proper mining operations.
 
[X] Plan Power of Decision

We've gotten a ton done in terms of defenses and the like. Combine that with our overflowing larders, much improved heat situation, and the likelihood of Winter focusing more on esoteric effects, and I don't think that getting Champions is worth the price.
 
But are there any thoughts on whether the punishment should be altered? Would a reduced amount of lashes in exchange for a years hard labor be more suitable? And what amount of time should violators be banned from the Council be for (the QM offered options are 1 year and 10 years), and should there be a similar or lesser amount of time being barred from the Assembly as well?
Not sure about hard labor in general. I fear being forced to work like that for a year would leave the criminal vulnerable to Winter's advances.

Also, what do you think about making the punishment less severe for those who haven't survived a Winter yet, since they probably won't know better?
 
I feel like that's too harsh given how dangerous Razorweeds are and how important they are.

Working with Razorweeds seems like something that needs to be done by careful and willing people who have the community bonds intact, because the consequences of making a mistake are catastrophic.

We wouldn't want convict labor manufacturing our explosives, and we don't want them working with the Razorweeds.
 
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My overall thoughts for Union punishments are that Banishment ought to be reserved only for the most awful and unforgiveable crimes, and maybe not even then, because it takes something truly awful to deserve being thrown out and abandoned to Winter. The death penalty is also something that needs to be carefully considered because every individual body counts for Union.
TBH I am firmly against banishment not only because of what the Tribute Takers or the Winter could do to the exiled (there are lots of things that count as Fate worse than Death) but also because the Winter could get intel about us through them...
We've gotten a ton done in terms of defenses and the like. Combine that with our overflowing larders, much improved heat situation, and the likelihood of Winter focusing more on esoteric effects, and I don't think that getting Champions is worth the price.
Well, since no matter what plan we choose, we won´t be below the 70 morale threshold I don´t think that the morale cost is going to affect us... And besides that, after reading Andreyas' POV I think that it would be very important for him to be the one that finish that project (and it also fits much better from the narrative perspective), especially before Winter... And let's be honest, not only our Unchained dice are a pretty scarce respurce, but we are going to need Anreyas a too much the next year to spare him to finish this.
Do we even have hard labour that needs to be done year round? Like, we don't have mines or such that would fit what the punishment implies.
I imagine once we build the poterry kiln that would allow us to build a clay pit, that would count as hard labour.

There are also the iron paths which we might be able to develop into proper mining operations.
Well, there are salt mines in Virginia and if they are too far away we can create a saltern close to Deadtown...
I feel like that's too harsh given how dangerous Razorweeds are and how important they are.

Working with Razorweeds seems like something that needs to be done by careful and willing people who have the community bonds intact, because the consequences of making a mistake are catastrophic.

We wouldn't want convict labor manufacturing our explosives, and we don't want them working with the Razorweeds.
And besides that, Razorweed is a terrifying weapon, I don´t want a prison riot with prisoners armed with razorweed thorn shivs
 
Well, since no matter what plan we choose, we won´t be below the 70 morale threshold I don´t think that the morale cost is going to affect us... And besides that, after reading Andreyas' POV I think that it would be very important for him to be the one that finish that project (and it also fits much better from the narrative perspective), especially before Winter... And let's be honest, not only our Unchained dice are a pretty scarce respurce, but we are going to need Anreyas a too much the next year to spare him to finish this.
I'm not so sure. I have a thought that the breakpoint for that +1 Generic die we got might not be 70, but 75. The three-quarters mark does feel like it'd be more significant than the 7/10ths mark. Maybe @OldShadow would be willing to give official word on that, or should the breakpoints for Morale's benefits remain opaque?
 
I'm not so sure. I have a thought that the breakpoint for that +1 Generic die we got might not be 70, but 75. The three-quarters mark does feel like it'd be more significant than the 7/10ths mark. Maybe @OldShadow would be willing to give official word on that, or should the breakpoints for Morale's benefits remain opaque?
At the beginning of the previous turn we only had 73 Morale, so it is impossible that the breakpoint for the +1 generic dice is 75...
 
Well guys the vote is in an almost poetic three-way tie...

But seriously, it is a really close vote...
Adhoc vote count started by Fanhunter696 on Jun 6, 2024 at 4:29 PM, finished with 81 posts and 13 votes.

  • [X] Plan Power of Decision
    -[X][Training] not, let them rest. They will need all the strength they can in Winter.
    -[X][Reform] Power of Decision
    -[X][Practices] Brought to Deadtown and…(choose as many suboptions as wanted)
    --[X] Subjected to the lesser Rite of Eternal Repose (bindings and amulets) OR
    --[X] Subjected to the Rite of Awakenings beforehands
    -[X][Executor] The Winter Kin of the Deceased (extended family unit/defensive clan/neighborhood)
    -[X][Veto] The Captain
    -[X][Punishment] 20 lashes and expulsion from the Council if they are a member.
    [X] Plan Power of Decision with Champions
    -[X][Training] Complete the Champions project through…intensive training [-6 Morale]
    -[X][Reform] Power of Decision
    -[X][Practices] Brought to Deadtown and…(choose as many suboptions as wanted)
    --[X] Subjected to the lesser Rite of Eternal Repose (bindings and amulets) OR
    --[X] Subjected to the Rite of Awakenings beforehands
    -[X][Executor] The Winter Kin of the Deceased (extended family unit/defensive clan/neighborhood)
    -[X][Veto] The Captain
    -[X][Punishment] 20 lashes and expulsion from the Council if they are a member.
    [X] Plan Equivalent Exchange
    [X][Reform] Power of veto
    [X][Punishment] Hard labor (1 year)
 
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[X] Plan Power of Decision with Champions

It is a bit unusual for me to break a tie instead of make one. The morale will equal out to 70, so it will hopefully not remove our new bonus.
 
[X] Plan Power of Decision with Champions

It is a bit unusual for me to break a tie instead of make one. The morale will equal out to 70, so it will hopefully not remove our new bonus.
My concern is that we have at least two events with a high probability of casualties (smallpox and the Newcomers being tested) scheduled for this Winter. Casualties which will almost certainly result in us losing Morale.
 
Just need to figure out whether there's any changes to the punishment to be made. Right now there's the 20 Lashes physical punishment, and also the expulsion from the Council since doing the wrong rites I think does make one undeserving of the seat due to the Oath.

The question still remains if there's anything else. Like for example, do we want temporary barring from the assembly or hard labor? I feel there should be something that indicates how unlawful funerary practices is considered a strike against the larger community of Union, because it endangers the whole community due to risking giving Winter more assets to throw at them.
 
My concern is that we have at least two events with a high probability of casualties (smallpox and the Newcomers being tested) scheduled for this Winter. Casualties which will almost certainly result in us losing Morale.
We do have the steel in the soul as a trait and it will make us pass a morale check per turn so atleast one would be nullified and the fact our morale is already pretty high and we have to roll to see if we lose morale the odds are relatively in our favor right now so losing some would be beneficial in the short-term.
 
The question still remains if there's anything else. Like for example, do we want temporary barring from the assembly or hard labor? I feel there should be something that indicates how unlawful funerary practices is considered a strike against the larger community of Union, because it endangers the whole community due to risking giving Winter more assets to throw at them.
I would personally implement both especially the one regarding the Assembly, especially now that we are empowering them...
 
I would personally implement both especially the one regarding the Assembly, especially now that we are empowering them...
A part of me that's still in the modern era is leery of using disenfranchisement as a punishment, even temporary. But on the other hand, it might work well as an "internal exile" that doesn't toss the culprit out to Winter, particularly as we appear to be giving the Assembly some serious teeth.

But how long would we want the barring from the Assembly to be in that case? Is a year sufficient, or do we want more?
 
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Here's what I would pick if it doesn't cause a tie to happen...

Edit: Alright, I don't think a tie would happen here.

My vote:
[X] Plan Power of Decision
 
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Hmm, so maybe...
-[ ][Punishment] 20 lashes, expulsion from the Council if they are on it with a barring from Council candidacy for a period of two years, and a temporary expulsion from the Assembly for a period of one year.

@OldShadow Can you give thoughts on where this punishment would fall on the lenient-harsh scale, and how it would be viewed by Union (and the blocs within it)?
 
Hmm, so maybe...
-[ ][Punishment] 20 lashes, expulsion from the Council if they are on it with a barring from Council candidacy for a period of two years, and a temporary expulsion from the Assembly for a period of one year.

@OldShadow Can you give thoughts on where this punishment would fall on the lenient-harsh scale, and how it would be viewed by Union (and the blocs within it)?
Middle ground, with some unhappy (mostly older Winter Walkers).
 
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