The Crown's Colonies
- Thread starter Evil Endures
- Start date
- Original Alt. History
- Location
- I think somewhere. I might be nowhere though
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Vote is already closed
2. Arrival - Summer, 1570
- Location
- MURICA
2. Banishment - Summer, 1570
The Governor-General of Maarteen arrived in the foyer of the Governor's Residence under the cover of darkness. He had no intention of socializing and politicking on the first day of his banishment from the only place that mattered to him. The Court of the Stadtholder and the Hague.
The massive residence contained a series of servant chambers along the left side of Residence. Kitchens, quarters, cellars, pantries. Francis's Steward guarded the pantry and access to the cellar. Night or day, that man lived in that chamber to the left of the foyer. The cellar held the most valuable goods in the Residence, the rum, the good dinnerware, and the freshest foodstuffs. Many a servant had tried to consume their thefts as there was little privacy in the servant's quarters with four servants to a room.
The right side of the residence contained a series of rooms dedicated to the Governor's duties. The parlor off the foyer should contain Francis's secretary who handled the day-to-day paperwork but that side of the Residence was a bit barren in terms of loyal employees at the moment. The rest of that side of the house was dedicated to offices, a formal dining hall, and a ballroom/stage attached to a supper room for when the Governor chose to entertain.
Francis found a strong drink preferable to politics and the previous Governor's "legitimate business interests" had resulted in a cellar full of the good stuff being left behind when Francis's predecessor lost his head. Literally. The Prince of Orange had a zero tolerance policy for his corrupt Governor-Generals for the simple reason that the Prince's power was under constant attack in Europe on all fronts. William of Orange held onto power by the skin of his teeth through powerful Magic and his Overseas assets, such as Williamsburg.
That little "problem" is what created the situation Francis found himself in. Francis had shown himself to be a loyal agent of Prince William with his criticisms of the First Minister's "reforms". Prince William required loyal agents in distant lands to maintain his power. The First Minister wanted you gone. So, in the eyes of the only men that mattered Francis was most useful in the Caribbean. It went without saying that Francis had no say in the matter, hence the strong interest in his predecessor's rum.
Half a dozen shots of rum later, Francis started to feel a bit better about his lovely marble floor and the fact the Governor's Residence was as well equipped as Williamsburg's magazine. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then pour it into a glass of Rum, because why would you drink lemonade without alcohol?
Francis debated the merits of importing vodka with his secretary the rest of the night...although thankfully that foolishness wore off with the Dawn.
That morning Francis had a hangover and a desire to get to work...the question was, what to prioritize?
Strategic Options
Please vote by Block.
You have 3 Capital + 1 Martial Action (Dutch Regulars) + 1 Economic Action (City of Williamsburg) to spend without incurring debt. ( It is suggested you never drop below 2 Capital as you may suffer bad rolls from time to time. However, for the first turn its unlikely to be a problem since you won't have a proper War in the first year. )
The Colonial Factions have 1 Capital each and will attempt to engage in pro-Colony/Republican activities. Keep in mind you are an Orange with unfriendly Republican relationships. They will start doing things once I introduce the faction leaders in The Announcement.
This turn has a tutorial level of detail you can't normally expect in (). I'll try to resolve actions in the way I think is most sensible. (i.e. Englishman In Need -> An Eye for An Eye)
I will be noting where you devote your time (by category) and that will govern the evolution of your Governor's skills. A very lucky roll might produce a +1 or a minor trait. Regular use will have a larger impact when I enhance the Protagonist once a year at the end of the Summer turn. Y'know, this turn in case there was any confusion about the secondary impact of your prioritization.
Diplomacy Actions ( It should be noted that the more you work with one European power, the fewer diplomatic options are available for other powers. )
The Announcement
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 Relationship with Domestic factions due to "Prompt" if performed this turn, Meet the Five Faction Leaders (Commons, Wealthy, Church, Orange, and Republican), Unlocks Private Meetings with Faction Leaders.
Text: You are not required to immediately announce your presence although it will become Mandatory in the Winter ( and applies Tardy which is a -5 Relationship mod ) should you choose to focus on other matters. It is a simple public address before the Assembly.
An Englishman In Need
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 to relations with the English vs. Baseline, Use of a Q5 (+15 Martial) Naval Flotilla for Piracy/Privateering actions for one action against the Spanish.
Text: An English Captain with a badly damaged "merchantman" has recently arrived in Williamsburg. He is having trouble convincing the local Dutch craftsmen to assist a "legitimate businessman" and if you render aid, he will be grateful.
The French Connection
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +20 to relations with the French vs. Baseline, French Consulate is established in your territory. ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between the Republic and France, not you and France. )
Text: We should seek to acquire allies against the Spanish threat in the Caribbean by improving our relationships with the French. The English already oppose the Spanish, furthering our connection with them will avail us little.
An English Alliance?
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +20 to relations with the English vs. Baseline, English Consulate is established in your territory. ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between England and the Republic, not you and England. )
Text: The English helped us in our Rebellion against the Spanish, we should maintain good relations with such valuable friends.
A Real Truce with the Spanish?
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: Opposed Roll ( The Spanish Crown has no interest in such a truce but the local Governor is inclined to protect his Rum/Silver shipments home. )
Reward: -5 Economic DC (Removal of Spanish Piracy penalty...for now.)
Text: You could try to convince the Spanish Governor a cessation of raiding of each other's ships is in everyone's best interest. ( Localized Truce that will be broken at the slightest provocation. Obviously cannot be taken with An Eye for An Eye. )
Economic Actions ( A special class of actions augmented by the Dutch Merchant advantages and supported by Cities/Merchant Flotillas. )
Expand Williamsburg
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: Williamsburg +1 Q
Text: Williamsburg is the capital of your new Command and core to your prosperity. A few Guilders, a few words in the right ears and you might very well find yourself with a veritable flood of useful colonists. The stronger Williamsburg becomes, the strong you become. Why not start now?
French Rum Negotiations
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 to relations with the French vs. Baseline, French Rum Trade Unlocked ( Requires: 1 Merchant Flotilla to exploit. ) ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between the Republic and France, not you and France. )
Text: French Sugar Planters and Rum Distillers are the best in the Caribbean, why not profit from the advantages both parties bring to the table? Dutch financiers and merchants can extend credit to French plantation owners, then sell their goods for a tidy profit back home.
Legalize Slavery
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 to relations with the English vs. Baseline, -40 with Domestic Commoners, +30 with Domestic Wealthy & Republicans, English Slave Trade Unlocked ( Requires: 1 Merchant Flotilla to exploit. ) ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between the Republic and England, not you and England. )
Text: The English lack the French skill with the land and have been importing African Slaves to work the sugar plantations. You could tap their routes with their assistance to enhance your own productivity. However, it will have domestic implications as the House of Orange-Nassau traditionally was supported by the Commoners and you will hurt their economic prospects in the colony. The Prince of Orange will look the other way on this "Colonial" issue but be careful you don't test his patience in other areas. ( Basically, for more tax revenue the Prince will look the other way but this is literally the only reason he'd look the other way and only once. )
An Eye for An Eye
Skill: Martial ( An Englishman in Need is advised as 5d20+24 v. 85 is dicey. )
DC: 85
Reward: ? Capital
Text: The Spanish have been raiding our ships and blaming "pirates". We should return the favor, the Spanish only respect the military might as our Rebellion proved. You might lack the skill, but surely we can acquire a commander capable of shoring up your weaknesses?
Bank Capital
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 75
Reward: Capital is safely stored in the Treasury. ( Failure means you lose the Capital to Corruption/Graft or outright Theft. )
Text: Perform this action as many times as you like to increase your store of Capital for future turn(s). Keep in mind, you can go into debt so it should only be used to maintain an emergency reserve of Capital to be used in the event of a war which heavily disrupts your economy. (Debt is only truly dangerous in a War where you are dealing with constant opposed rolls and bad economic conditions.)
Intrigue Actions
Tap the Rumor Mill
Skill: Intrigue
DC: 60
Rewards: You can better distinguish fact from fiction when it comes to the News and Rumors that might be whispered in your ear.
Text: Separating fact from fiction is a very useful skill.
The Brothel Owner
Skill: Intrigue
DC: 60
Rewards: You gain a Q3 Intrigue asset to augment your intrigue actions.
Text: A Brothel owner with a gambling problem has found himself in a spot of trouble. You could acquire his establishment, replace him, and what you fail to make in profit you'd certainly make up for in information. If nothing else, the Brothel is a better fishing hole than anything you could create yourself.
Most Intrigue actions are locked due to lack of skill, lack of assets, and a lack of knowledge of the Caribbean. You are simply outclassed in this particular arena for the time being. ( Mod below 20 locks some actions, Intrigue assets are more effective than a Governor, and a lack of local knowledge can't easily be resolved except by time. )
Magic Actions
A Worthy Court Magician?
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: You gain a Notable Magician to serve as your adviser and shore up your weaknesses. ( Martial/Magic/Intrigue Notable. Keep in mind, he is just a very flexible class of asset with the downside of having his own interests/agenda. You have 1 Court Magician slot, use it wisely.)
Text: A local Magician is looking to return to Europe as he finds himself without a Patron in Maarteen. A virtual unknown, you have no idea if he might serve as a reliable ally but you suspect in time you can find ways of cementing his loyalty. Personal loyalty likely outweighs political ambition for such a man.
A Letter To Your Old Tutor
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: You intrigue a Notable Magician to visit Maarteen, perhaps you can recruit him? ( Requires a separate Diplomacy action later to convince him to join you, but more likely to be reliable than the random stranger. You have 1 Court Magician slot, use it wisely. )
Text: You send a letter to an old tutor in the Republic about some magical notes for a Ritual you vaguely recall. You suggest you intend to attempt it now that you have literal square miles of unclaimed alnd with which to work such a complex growth enchantment. You recall it was largely theoretical but you think the implications for Sugar production were substantial. Of course, he will be a staunch support of the Prince. Normally not a problem but if you ever "switch sides" politically...
A Place of Power
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: You prepare a Place of Power within the Governor's Residence, unlocks the "heavy" strategic magic options.
Text: Your old tutor told you to anchor your power in a physical space so that you might better insulate yourself from the flow of magic to avoid killing yourself. The fact a heavily warded Residence shored up your defenses against assassins was simply a useful side benefit. The truth was, you couldn't wait to start throwing real power around. You loved Magic.
An Object of Power
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: An Object of Power that allows you direct magical forces in an adhoc fashion. ( Allows you to use Magic for Personal Combat/Security purposes, which given your low Martial is a useful survival tool.)
Text: You may lack the raw power of a proper Magician, capable of throwing his weight around, but you can acquire the tools needed to defend yourself against such a man or any man, honestly. ( Requires access to a Magician, if you don't use it this turn...you'll need a Court Magician as the only Magician in Maarteen is leaving this turn. )
Most Magic actions are locked due to lack of skill, a lack of a reliable source of magical power, and a lack of knowledge of the Caribbean. You are simply outclassed in this particular arena for the time being. ( Mod below 20 locks some actions, an Object/Place of Power is required for strategic spellcasting, and a lack of local knowledge can't easily be resolved except by time. )
Martial Actions
Train Regulars
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: Dutch Regulars +1 Q
Text: Williamsburg is dependent on her Regulars for defense against any substantial threat. They control the only real artillery (both magical and cannon) available to you. The Militia might be able to stop an invasion but a smash and grab would be over before you could organize such a defense. ( Williamsburg defends at +22 with your Martial. The Regulars fight at +27 with your Martial. Pretty much anyone attacking you is going to be running +26 or better. Right now, its 50/50 a raid of Williamsburg will damage your most valuable resource. )
Construct Fort
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: Williamsburg Quality applies to defending Williamsburg at +3/Q. ( Williamsburg defends at +42. )
Special: Consumes Royal Regulars as they are now a permanent garrison, Doubles Williamsburg maintenance. Unlocks "Raise Regulars" option, should you want to replace the consumed Infantry.
Text: A special kind of improvement that will make Williamsburg a well defended port. However, its defenses are a liability should its Garrison ever leave since the Militia cannot be expected to defend such a Fortress without the Regular's large cannon. And once such a Fortress is taken, Williamsburg is rendered defenseless in the face of such cannon...
Construct Naval Flotilla
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: Naval Flotilla 2Q ( You'll need a navy to defend yourself with eventually. )
Text: You can commission a Naval Flotilla from the Republic or simply ask your friends in the Navy to entertain the idea of a permanent Caribbean fleet. Either way, you'll end up with a few ships and the ability to fend off those damn Spaniards. Well, once you find yourself a capable Court Magician or Admiral at any rate.
Request a Commodore
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: A Martial-focused Magician with his own 2Q Naval Flotilla. ( More expensive per-turn as this option will create 2 assets, so -2 Capital. Keep in mind, 1 Court Magician slot is available regardless of which route you choose. )
Special: This option is a "two Assets in one" for thematic reasons. A Commodore without a fleet is kind of dumb and useless, after all.
Text: Instead of a normal Court Magician, you could seek out a proper Commodore from the Admiralty. It might limit his imagination in matters of Intrigue but do you really need a man who can stab you in the back anyway? He will be a staunch support of the Prince. Normally not a problem but if you ever "switch sides" politically...
Most Martial actions are locked due to lack of skill. You are simply outclassed in this particular arena for the time being. ( Mod below 20 locks some actions. )
Stewardship Actions
Hire a Staff
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: 2Q Stewardship Asset.
Text: A loyal collection of clerks and servants to simplify your life. They will handle the day-to-day paperwork while you focus on improving life in Williamsburg for everyone!
Establish a Bank
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 80
Reward: 2Q Economic Asset, can "emphasize" assisting a particular faction which creates upward pressure on your relationship with them. ( Loaning money to the French makes the French like you better, for instance. )
Text: The Dutch financiers are known for the banking acumen and you have some experience in money lending. Assisting the locals with their financial problems is a viable alternative to direct expansion of Williamsburg and likely to be more profitable for you personally as well. Of course, expanding a bank and Williamsburg will lock you into a course you may not be agile enough to adjust...why is life so complicated?
Weights & Measures
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: -5 Econ DC due to a reliable, safe marketplace for people to trade in.
Text: Right now, Williamsburg does not have a Stadtholder sanctioned market under the care and protection of the Government. People trade in various shops and stalls, true, but an impartial arbiter will facilitate trade. An odd oversight, perhaps related to the dishonest coin clippers? Perhaps the previous Governor took a cut? ( Leading questions like this imply options that may have unknown requirements, such, as a higher Intrigue to engage with the black market effectively. )
Government Efficiency
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 80
Reward: +/-??? effect on Relations with various domestic factions. ( ??? means there will be a secondary event you'll have to resolve to determine the outcome. )
Text: Many many have spent their entire lives trying to improve the operation of the Government and failed. You might succeed, you might not. Either way, you'll probably end up pissing someone who exploited the inefficiency but the benefits are probably worth it.
Clothes Make the Man
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: +5 Relations with all Domestic factions due to being "Presentable".
Text: A tailor to maintain your wardrobe would not be amiss for a man of your position. Expensive? Yes. But not amiss. The truth is, a man should always put his best foot forward in politics and damn the price.
The Coin Clippers
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: +5 Relations with all Domestic factions for being "Assisting with Honest Commerce".
Text: Every port has a few merchants that ignore the usual rules of behavior, shave their coins, and sticking it to honest men. This gray area has no place in your colony and removing it makes everyone a little happier.
Construct Merchant Flotilla
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: 2Q Merchant Flotilla for exploiting Trade Routes or other Economic actions.
Text: If you seek to enrich yourself through trade, you'll need a reliable Merchant Marine to carry the goods from port to port. Why not build one now so when you are ready you have it at your disposal?
A/N: Apologies if the IC text at the start is a little off, I was tired and drinking a little but figured fuck it. I wanted to get a post out. I left that bit for last. Don't worry, Francis's little bout of Depression/Heavy Drinking won't affect him mechanically. He just is out of his element at the moment.
The Governor-General of Maarteen arrived in the foyer of the Governor's Residence under the cover of darkness. He had no intention of socializing and politicking on the first day of his banishment from the only place that mattered to him. The Court of the Stadtholder and the Hague.
The massive residence contained a series of servant chambers along the left side of Residence. Kitchens, quarters, cellars, pantries. Francis's Steward guarded the pantry and access to the cellar. Night or day, that man lived in that chamber to the left of the foyer. The cellar held the most valuable goods in the Residence, the rum, the good dinnerware, and the freshest foodstuffs. Many a servant had tried to consume their thefts as there was little privacy in the servant's quarters with four servants to a room.
The right side of the residence contained a series of rooms dedicated to the Governor's duties. The parlor off the foyer should contain Francis's secretary who handled the day-to-day paperwork but that side of the Residence was a bit barren in terms of loyal employees at the moment. The rest of that side of the house was dedicated to offices, a formal dining hall, and a ballroom/stage attached to a supper room for when the Governor chose to entertain.
Francis found a strong drink preferable to politics and the previous Governor's "legitimate business interests" had resulted in a cellar full of the good stuff being left behind when Francis's predecessor lost his head. Literally. The Prince of Orange had a zero tolerance policy for his corrupt Governor-Generals for the simple reason that the Prince's power was under constant attack in Europe on all fronts. William of Orange held onto power by the skin of his teeth through powerful Magic and his Overseas assets, such as Williamsburg.
That little "problem" is what created the situation Francis found himself in. Francis had shown himself to be a loyal agent of Prince William with his criticisms of the First Minister's "reforms". Prince William required loyal agents in distant lands to maintain his power. The First Minister wanted you gone. So, in the eyes of the only men that mattered Francis was most useful in the Caribbean. It went without saying that Francis had no say in the matter, hence the strong interest in his predecessor's rum.
Half a dozen shots of rum later, Francis started to feel a bit better about his lovely marble floor and the fact the Governor's Residence was as well equipped as Williamsburg's magazine. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then pour it into a glass of Rum, because why would you drink lemonade without alcohol?
Francis debated the merits of importing vodka with his secretary the rest of the night...although thankfully that foolishness wore off with the Dawn.
That morning Francis had a hangover and a desire to get to work...the question was, what to prioritize?
Strategic Options
Please vote by Block.
Code:
[x] Plan/Block
-[x] Action A
--[x] Asset Assigned, if any.
-[x] Action B
Code:
[x] Plan QM
-[x] Expand Williamsburg
--[x] City of Willaimsburg
-[x] Request a Commodore
--[x] Dutch Regulars
-[x] The Brothel Owner
-[x] An Eye for An Eye
--[x] English Captain (if available)
-[x] An Englishman in NeedYou have 3 Capital + 1 Martial Action (Dutch Regulars) + 1 Economic Action (City of Williamsburg) to spend without incurring debt. ( It is suggested you never drop below 2 Capital as you may suffer bad rolls from time to time. However, for the first turn its unlikely to be a problem since you won't have a proper War in the first year. )
The Colonial Factions have 1 Capital each and will attempt to engage in pro-Colony/Republican activities. Keep in mind you are an Orange with unfriendly Republican relationships. They will start doing things once I introduce the faction leaders in The Announcement.
This turn has a tutorial level of detail you can't normally expect in (). I'll try to resolve actions in the way I think is most sensible. (i.e. Englishman In Need -> An Eye for An Eye)
I will be noting where you devote your time (by category) and that will govern the evolution of your Governor's skills. A very lucky roll might produce a +1 or a minor trait. Regular use will have a larger impact when I enhance the Protagonist once a year at the end of the Summer turn. Y'know, this turn in case there was any confusion about the secondary impact of your prioritization.
Diplomacy Actions ( It should be noted that the more you work with one European power, the fewer diplomatic options are available for other powers. )
The Announcement
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 Relationship with Domestic factions due to "Prompt" if performed this turn, Meet the Five Faction Leaders (Commons, Wealthy, Church, Orange, and Republican), Unlocks Private Meetings with Faction Leaders.
Text: You are not required to immediately announce your presence although it will become Mandatory in the Winter ( and applies Tardy which is a -5 Relationship mod ) should you choose to focus on other matters. It is a simple public address before the Assembly.
An Englishman In Need
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 to relations with the English vs. Baseline, Use of a Q5 (+15 Martial) Naval Flotilla for Piracy/Privateering actions for one action against the Spanish.
Text: An English Captain with a badly damaged "merchantman" has recently arrived in Williamsburg. He is having trouble convincing the local Dutch craftsmen to assist a "legitimate businessman" and if you render aid, he will be grateful.
The French Connection
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +20 to relations with the French vs. Baseline, French Consulate is established in your territory. ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between the Republic and France, not you and France. )
Text: We should seek to acquire allies against the Spanish threat in the Caribbean by improving our relationships with the French. The English already oppose the Spanish, furthering our connection with them will avail us little.
An English Alliance?
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +20 to relations with the English vs. Baseline, English Consulate is established in your territory. ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between England and the Republic, not you and England. )
Text: The English helped us in our Rebellion against the Spanish, we should maintain good relations with such valuable friends.
A Real Truce with the Spanish?
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: Opposed Roll ( The Spanish Crown has no interest in such a truce but the local Governor is inclined to protect his Rum/Silver shipments home. )
Reward: -5 Economic DC (Removal of Spanish Piracy penalty...for now.)
Text: You could try to convince the Spanish Governor a cessation of raiding of each other's ships is in everyone's best interest. ( Localized Truce that will be broken at the slightest provocation. Obviously cannot be taken with An Eye for An Eye. )
Economic Actions ( A special class of actions augmented by the Dutch Merchant advantages and supported by Cities/Merchant Flotillas. )
Expand Williamsburg
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: Williamsburg +1 Q
Text: Williamsburg is the capital of your new Command and core to your prosperity. A few Guilders, a few words in the right ears and you might very well find yourself with a veritable flood of useful colonists. The stronger Williamsburg becomes, the strong you become. Why not start now?
French Rum Negotiations
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 to relations with the French vs. Baseline, French Rum Trade Unlocked ( Requires: 1 Merchant Flotilla to exploit. ) ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between the Republic and France, not you and France. )
Text: French Sugar Planters and Rum Distillers are the best in the Caribbean, why not profit from the advantages both parties bring to the table? Dutch financiers and merchants can extend credit to French plantation owners, then sell their goods for a tidy profit back home.
Legalize Slavery
Skill: Diplomacy
DC: 60
Reward: +5 to relations with the English vs. Baseline, -40 with Domestic Commoners, +30 with Domestic Wealthy & Republicans, English Slave Trade Unlocked ( Requires: 1 Merchant Flotilla to exploit. ) ( Keep in mind the baseline relationship is between the Republic and England, not you and England. )
Text: The English lack the French skill with the land and have been importing African Slaves to work the sugar plantations. You could tap their routes with their assistance to enhance your own productivity. However, it will have domestic implications as the House of Orange-Nassau traditionally was supported by the Commoners and you will hurt their economic prospects in the colony. The Prince of Orange will look the other way on this "Colonial" issue but be careful you don't test his patience in other areas. ( Basically, for more tax revenue the Prince will look the other way but this is literally the only reason he'd look the other way and only once. )
An Eye for An Eye
Skill: Martial ( An Englishman in Need is advised as 5d20+24 v. 85 is dicey. )
DC: 85
Reward: ? Capital
Text: The Spanish have been raiding our ships and blaming "pirates". We should return the favor, the Spanish only respect the military might as our Rebellion proved. You might lack the skill, but surely we can acquire a commander capable of shoring up your weaknesses?
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 75
Reward: Capital is safely stored in the Treasury. ( Failure means you lose the Capital to Corruption/Graft or outright Theft. )
Text: Perform this action as many times as you like to increase your store of Capital for future turn(s). Keep in mind, you can go into debt so it should only be used to maintain an emergency reserve of Capital to be used in the event of a war which heavily disrupts your economy. (Debt is only truly dangerous in a War where you are dealing with constant opposed rolls and bad economic conditions.)
Intrigue Actions
Tap the Rumor Mill
Skill: Intrigue
DC: 60
Rewards: You can better distinguish fact from fiction when it comes to the News and Rumors that might be whispered in your ear.
Text: Separating fact from fiction is a very useful skill.
The Brothel Owner
Skill: Intrigue
DC: 60
Rewards: You gain a Q3 Intrigue asset to augment your intrigue actions.
Text: A Brothel owner with a gambling problem has found himself in a spot of trouble. You could acquire his establishment, replace him, and what you fail to make in profit you'd certainly make up for in information. If nothing else, the Brothel is a better fishing hole than anything you could create yourself.
Most Intrigue actions are locked due to lack of skill, lack of assets, and a lack of knowledge of the Caribbean. You are simply outclassed in this particular arena for the time being. ( Mod below 20 locks some actions, Intrigue assets are more effective than a Governor, and a lack of local knowledge can't easily be resolved except by time. )
Magic Actions
A Worthy Court Magician?
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: You gain a Notable Magician to serve as your adviser and shore up your weaknesses. ( Martial/Magic/Intrigue Notable. Keep in mind, he is just a very flexible class of asset with the downside of having his own interests/agenda. You have 1 Court Magician slot, use it wisely.)
Text: A local Magician is looking to return to Europe as he finds himself without a Patron in Maarteen. A virtual unknown, you have no idea if he might serve as a reliable ally but you suspect in time you can find ways of cementing his loyalty. Personal loyalty likely outweighs political ambition for such a man.
A Letter To Your Old Tutor
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: You intrigue a Notable Magician to visit Maarteen, perhaps you can recruit him? ( Requires a separate Diplomacy action later to convince him to join you, but more likely to be reliable than the random stranger. You have 1 Court Magician slot, use it wisely. )
Text: You send a letter to an old tutor in the Republic about some magical notes for a Ritual you vaguely recall. You suggest you intend to attempt it now that you have literal square miles of unclaimed alnd with which to work such a complex growth enchantment. You recall it was largely theoretical but you think the implications for Sugar production were substantial. Of course, he will be a staunch support of the Prince. Normally not a problem but if you ever "switch sides" politically...
A Place of Power
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: You prepare a Place of Power within the Governor's Residence, unlocks the "heavy" strategic magic options.
Text: Your old tutor told you to anchor your power in a physical space so that you might better insulate yourself from the flow of magic to avoid killing yourself. The fact a heavily warded Residence shored up your defenses against assassins was simply a useful side benefit. The truth was, you couldn't wait to start throwing real power around. You loved Magic.
An Object of Power
Skill: Magic
DC: 60
Rewards: An Object of Power that allows you direct magical forces in an adhoc fashion. ( Allows you to use Magic for Personal Combat/Security purposes, which given your low Martial is a useful survival tool.)
Text: You may lack the raw power of a proper Magician, capable of throwing his weight around, but you can acquire the tools needed to defend yourself against such a man or any man, honestly. ( Requires access to a Magician, if you don't use it this turn...you'll need a Court Magician as the only Magician in Maarteen is leaving this turn. )
Most Magic actions are locked due to lack of skill, a lack of a reliable source of magical power, and a lack of knowledge of the Caribbean. You are simply outclassed in this particular arena for the time being. ( Mod below 20 locks some actions, an Object/Place of Power is required for strategic spellcasting, and a lack of local knowledge can't easily be resolved except by time. )
Martial Actions
Train Regulars
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: Dutch Regulars +1 Q
Text: Williamsburg is dependent on her Regulars for defense against any substantial threat. They control the only real artillery (both magical and cannon) available to you. The Militia might be able to stop an invasion but a smash and grab would be over before you could organize such a defense. ( Williamsburg defends at +22 with your Martial. The Regulars fight at +27 with your Martial. Pretty much anyone attacking you is going to be running +26 or better. Right now, its 50/50 a raid of Williamsburg will damage your most valuable resource. )
Construct Fort
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: Williamsburg Quality applies to defending Williamsburg at +3/Q. ( Williamsburg defends at +42. )
Special: Consumes Royal Regulars as they are now a permanent garrison, Doubles Williamsburg maintenance. Unlocks "Raise Regulars" option, should you want to replace the consumed Infantry.
Text: A special kind of improvement that will make Williamsburg a well defended port. However, its defenses are a liability should its Garrison ever leave since the Militia cannot be expected to defend such a Fortress without the Regular's large cannon. And once such a Fortress is taken, Williamsburg is rendered defenseless in the face of such cannon...
Construct Naval Flotilla
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: Naval Flotilla 2Q ( You'll need a navy to defend yourself with eventually. )
Text: You can commission a Naval Flotilla from the Republic or simply ask your friends in the Navy to entertain the idea of a permanent Caribbean fleet. Either way, you'll end up with a few ships and the ability to fend off those damn Spaniards. Well, once you find yourself a capable Court Magician or Admiral at any rate.
Request a Commodore
Skill: Martial
DC: 60
Reward: A Martial-focused Magician with his own 2Q Naval Flotilla. ( More expensive per-turn as this option will create 2 assets, so -2 Capital. Keep in mind, 1 Court Magician slot is available regardless of which route you choose. )
Special: This option is a "two Assets in one" for thematic reasons. A Commodore without a fleet is kind of dumb and useless, after all.
Text: Instead of a normal Court Magician, you could seek out a proper Commodore from the Admiralty. It might limit his imagination in matters of Intrigue but do you really need a man who can stab you in the back anyway? He will be a staunch support of the Prince. Normally not a problem but if you ever "switch sides" politically...
Most Martial actions are locked due to lack of skill. You are simply outclassed in this particular arena for the time being. ( Mod below 20 locks some actions. )
Stewardship Actions
Hire a Staff
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: 2Q Stewardship Asset.
Text: A loyal collection of clerks and servants to simplify your life. They will handle the day-to-day paperwork while you focus on improving life in Williamsburg for everyone!
Establish a Bank
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 80
Reward: 2Q Economic Asset, can "emphasize" assisting a particular faction which creates upward pressure on your relationship with them. ( Loaning money to the French makes the French like you better, for instance. )
Text: The Dutch financiers are known for the banking acumen and you have some experience in money lending. Assisting the locals with their financial problems is a viable alternative to direct expansion of Williamsburg and likely to be more profitable for you personally as well. Of course, expanding a bank and Williamsburg will lock you into a course you may not be agile enough to adjust...why is life so complicated?
Weights & Measures
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: -5 Econ DC due to a reliable, safe marketplace for people to trade in.
Text: Right now, Williamsburg does not have a Stadtholder sanctioned market under the care and protection of the Government. People trade in various shops and stalls, true, but an impartial arbiter will facilitate trade. An odd oversight, perhaps related to the dishonest coin clippers? Perhaps the previous Governor took a cut? ( Leading questions like this imply options that may have unknown requirements, such, as a higher Intrigue to engage with the black market effectively. )
Government Efficiency
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 80
Reward: +/-??? effect on Relations with various domestic factions. ( ??? means there will be a secondary event you'll have to resolve to determine the outcome. )
Text: Many many have spent their entire lives trying to improve the operation of the Government and failed. You might succeed, you might not. Either way, you'll probably end up pissing someone who exploited the inefficiency but the benefits are probably worth it.
Clothes Make the Man
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: +5 Relations with all Domestic factions due to being "Presentable".
Text: A tailor to maintain your wardrobe would not be amiss for a man of your position. Expensive? Yes. But not amiss. The truth is, a man should always put his best foot forward in politics and damn the price.
The Coin Clippers
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: +5 Relations with all Domestic factions for being "Assisting with Honest Commerce".
Text: Every port has a few merchants that ignore the usual rules of behavior, shave their coins, and sticking it to honest men. This gray area has no place in your colony and removing it makes everyone a little happier.
Construct Merchant Flotilla
Skill: Stewardship
DC: 60
Reward: 2Q Merchant Flotilla for exploiting Trade Routes or other Economic actions.
Text: If you seek to enrich yourself through trade, you'll need a reliable Merchant Marine to carry the goods from port to port. Why not build one now so when you are ready you have it at your disposal?
A/N: Apologies if the IC text at the start is a little off, I was tired and drinking a little but figured fuck it. I wanted to get a post out. I left that bit for last. Don't worry, Francis's little bout of Depression/Heavy Drinking won't affect him mechanically. He just is out of his element at the moment.
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- Location
- MURICA
Take your time and feel free to ask any questions, I'm probably not going to be able to update before the weekend.
- Location
- I think somewhere. I might be nowhere though
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Plan Starting off
-[X] The Announcement
-[X] Hire a Staff
-[X] Construct Naval Flotilla
--[X] Dutch Regulars
-[X] French Rum Negotiations
--[X] City of Williamsburg
-[X] Establish a Bank
So this would leave us with 1 capital and the 2 actions? @Evil Endures
Will we automatically get more capital back per turn beyond the merchant's ability to get 1 capital/turn?
This is now my finalized plan now that I have gotten the mechanics figured out. Thank you again Evil for explaining.
-[X] The Announcement
-[X] Hire a Staff
-[X] Construct Naval Flotilla
--[X] Dutch Regulars
-[X] French Rum Negotiations
--[X] City of Williamsburg
-[X] Establish a Bank
Will we automatically get more capital back per turn beyond the merchant's ability to get 1 capital/turn?
This is now my finalized plan now that I have gotten the mechanics figured out. Thank you again Evil for explaining.
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Code:
[X] Plan Starting off
-[X] The Announcement
-[X] Hire a StaffThat would leave you with 1 capital and the 2 asset actions, but ideally you'd use the full turn at once. However, it isn't a hard requirement...just slows the pacing down a little to split and vote a turn an extra time or two.
Yes.
Asset / Income Sheet
Net Income: +2 Capital +? Williamsburg (Roll/Decision dependency.)
I rolled for Williamsburg generating capital at the start of this turn and came up with +1. Williamsburg will boost Capital on a given turn by +0 to +4 depending on rolls but +4 is an extreme case at this point.
You can reasonably expect +3 to +4 Capital a Turn/Season.
5d20+62 vs. DC 85 (5-22) = +0
5d20+62 vs. DC 85 (23) = +1
5d20+62, rolls 111+ (49) = +2
5d20+62, rolls 136+ (74) = +3
5d20+62, rolls 161+ (99) = +4
Hopefully I didn't make this too complicated with CK2 Protagonist/Councilors + Assets + Capital as the resources to manage.
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- I think somewhere. I might be nowhere though
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- He/Him
What do you mean by that? I thought we needed to keep capital in stock in case of bad rolls. Did you mean to say that you were talking about counting our income following the turn as opposed to the initial 3 capital?
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- MURICA
Sorry I wasn't clear.
Right now, on a DC 85 Econ roll you are pretty much guaranteed a decent Capital income and don't need to worry about spending down to 0. During a War/sustained conflict, you'll be under strain and you'll want to have Capital in reserve to handle a bad Econ roll(s). It was intended more as a warning for future turn(s).
Also, asset actions can't be stored the way you are attempting to do it so I guess its partially miscommunication on my part:
Code:
[X] Plan Starting off
-[X] The Announcement
--[X] Dutch Regulars (+5 for 5Q for nonstandard use)
-[X]Hire a Staff
--[X] City of Williamsburg (+10 for 10Q nonstandard use)That would leave you with 3 Capital and complete your turn.
Leaving assets unassigned basically would waste them since they aren't "capital" just "people you are paying to do work for you". If that makes any sense.
Realistically, you could perform 1 additional action and still end up with 2 Capital. Or 3 additional actions and end up with a (relatively safe) 0 Capital and simply rebuild your funds next turn by Banking Capital.
Does that make sense?
I probably should have just broken down the income and not started you off with "Initial Funds" which confused things a little. I'd go back and edit it but its already written that way so I'll just deal with it in the future.
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- Location
- I think somewhere. I might be nowhere though
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- He/Him
Okay then, I have now used all three capital and used the two assets. I hope my plan is up to standard now.
Thank you for being patient
Thank you for being patient
- Location
- MURICA
Okay then, I have now used all three capital and used the two assets. I hope my plan is up to standard now.
Thank you for being patient
Eh, I wrote it when I'm half-awake and impaired so its kinda my fault
Also, unfortunately, I think I wasn't clear still.
Code:
[X] Plan Starting off
-[X] The Announcement
--[X] City of Williamsburg (nonstandard use)
-[X]Hire a Staff
-[X]Construct Naval Flotilla
--[X] Dutch RegularsAssets = "Free" Actions. Since you are paying for the assets in maintenance.
Capital is Governor actions that can be spent on "whatever", stored, traded, etc.
So your plan would leave you with 2 Capital. But that is perfectly fine, no reason to spend down your reserves already if you don't want to.
Anyway off to bed.
- Location
- I think somewhere. I might be nowhere though
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Okay then, I have finally got a finalized plan that uses up our current capital and free actions in order to best hurry us along.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
What does Banking Capital do?
How does it help refill our Capital? What happens with Capital if we don't bank it?
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Alright, let me try my hand at this.
[x] Plan: Establishing Ourselves
-[x] Hire a Staff (DC 60)
--[x] City of Williamsburg
-[x] A Worthy Court Magician? (DC 60)
-[x] An Englishman In Need (DC 60)
-[x] An Eye for An Eye (DC 85)
--[x] An English Captain (if available)
-[x] Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60)
--[X] Dutch Regulars
This expends 3 Capital (unless we use Williamsburg), right? Is there anywhere to stick our Williamsburg Asset to? I can't think of a way for it to be helpful with, say, hiring Staff, but I don't know the rules.
Can you explain the rolls we'll be throwing against the DC? I didn't get that part too well, but examples would help greatly.
If we get An English Captain as an asset, does it mean we don't expend Capital on An Eye for An Eye? What happens if we fail the Captain, do we suffer the low rolls, or is the follow-up action cancelled? Can we set up contingencies?
[x] Plan: Establishing Ourselves
-[x] Hire a Staff (DC 60)
--[x] City of Williamsburg
-[x] A Worthy Court Magician? (DC 60)
-[x] An Englishman In Need (DC 60)
-[x] An Eye for An Eye (DC 85)
--[x] An English Captain (if available)
-[x] Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60)
--[X] Dutch Regulars
This expends 3 Capital (unless we use Williamsburg), right? Is there anywhere to stick our Williamsburg Asset to? I can't think of a way for it to be helpful with, say, hiring Staff, but I don't know the rules.
Can you explain the rolls we'll be throwing against the DC? I didn't get that part too well, but examples would help greatly.
If we get An English Captain as an asset, does it mean we don't expend Capital on An Eye for An Eye? What happens if we fail the Captain, do we suffer the low rolls, or is the follow-up action cancelled? Can we set up contingencies?
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I think you may need to spend an action grabbing a commodore too.
Edit: never mind I see you plan to use the English
Also I think you can burn the Williamsburg asset on expanding the city itself
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
Yes, that is clear, but my question was 'can we burn it on anything else, and if so, on what?'
Because apparently there is such things as a 'nonstandard use'
Turn DC / Roll explanations.
- Location
- MURICA
I wouldn't worry about it. After sleeping on it, I think I want to take it out because that concept seems to confuse things a bit. Capital will just be banked at the start of turn and you can spend up to your max treasury + a couple points of debt (if desired) each turn.
You can use assets for any action. However, they aren't going to provide much of a bonus outside of their type. So Williamsburg [Q10] is +30 for Econ actions. Other actions, the mod is +10. I didn't want to force you into specific actions if you didn't want to do that in a given turn was the reasoning (particularly for military assets when you have no one to attack).
The current accounting for your plan is:
Hire A Staff (-1 Capital [currently], you should support this with Williamsburg so you don't waste that capital and have it in reserve in case An Englishman In Need fails.)
A Worthy Court Magician? (-1 Capital)
An Englishman In Need. (-1 Capital)
An Eye for An Eye. (-1 Capital if An Englishman In Need Fails)
Construct Naval Flotilla (Dutch Regulars)
Possible Results (current) is 0 to -1 Capital.
With Williamsburg, possible results is 1 to 0 Capital.
Action w/ Asset + Additional Support
Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60)
5d20 + 12 (Governor's Martial) + 15 (Dutch Regulars supporting the action) + 15 (You did something else to help this action out)
60-42 = 18 or better to succeed.
AnyDice
5d20 vs. 18+ = 98.81% probability of success
Action w/ Asset
Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60)
5d20 + 12 (Governor's Martial) + 15 (Dutch Regulars supporting the action) + 0 (No Positive/Negative situational modifiers)
60-27 = 33 or better to succeed.
AnyDice
5d20 vs. 33+ = 93.83% probability of success
Action w/o Asset
Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60)
5d20 + 12 (Governor's Martial) + 0 (No Asset supporting the action) + 0 (No Positive/Negative situational modifiers)
60-12 = 48 or better to succeed.
AnyDice
5d20 vs. 48+ = 64.67% probability of success
Does that make sense?
Correct. You expended the Capital to get a different type of Capital (a favor from the Capital) on An Eye for An Eye, assuming you get his assistance.
I'd give you the option to proceed without his support (worse odds since you won't have an asset in support of a hard roll, you'd end up spending 1 Capital since you don't have an asset to use as well) or cancel the action.
Yes, if you want. If it failed, I'd probably stop the action there and give you options on how to resolve it for a dependency like that.
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- MURICA
Correct. Williamsburg expanding itself (or any Econ action with Williamsburg really) is virtually something like 99% chance of success.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Makes perfect sense. What made me confused is this bit:
Why 24? The Governor's Martial is 12... where does the other 12 come from?
So let me try again, using my own plan as an example.
[ ] Plan: Establishing Ourselves
-[ ] Hire a Staff (DC 60) - 5d20 + 20 (Stewardship) + 10 (City)
--[ ] City of Williamsburg
-[ ] A Worthy Court Magician? (DC 60) - 5d20 + 18 (Magic)
-[ ] An Englishman In Need (DC 60) - 5d20 + 20 (Diplomacy)
-[ ] An Eye for An Eye (DC 85) - 5d20 + 12 (Martial) + ??? (no idea, but the author says it adds 12) + 15 (Captain if available)
--[ ] An English Captain (if available)
-[ ] Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60) - 5d20 + 12 (Martial) + 15 (Regulars)
--[ ] Dutch Regulars
What does ??? stand for?
Now, for the interesting part. An Eye for An Eye is I think is supposed to be a Martial action, given the nature of the action, but is listed as Economical. Does it mean that we can apply our Williamsburg bonus to it for a whooping +30 modifier? It sounds counter-intuitive, but the rules seem to suggest it is a valid action.
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Trade [ +12 to rolls to Economic Actions. This usually affects Stewardship but might affect Diplomacy (Trade Negotiations) or Martial (Privateers, Pirates). ]
An Eye for An Eye
Skill: Martial ( An Englishman in Need is advised as 5d20+24 v. 85 is dicey. )
DC: 85
Reward: ? Capital ( Capital Generation = Econ)
Text: The Spanish have been raiding our ships and blaming "pirates". We should return the favor, the Spanish only respect the military might as our Rebellion proved. You might lack the skill, but surely we can acquire a commander capable of shoring up your weaknesses? (Piracy/Privateering = Econ)
The Merchant+Dutch Trade/Econ bonus. They won't be able to win wars with it directly but they are very effective pirates/privateers.
Yes. It would be the equivalent of the show "Black Sails" where you are encouraging pirates to operate out of Williamsburg to attack Spanish shipping by adjusting law enforcement to make that a very lucrative opportunity.
I was just not originally nudging people to do that because it has a very obvious failure condition (these pirates attack people you don't want them to if you roll poorly). That is a bigger danger than, say, losing a random Englishman you couldn't re-use in the future anyway.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
It will have a 95% success chance without the Englishman. And if we enlist the guy and roll high, we have a high chance of a smashing success on a roll that gives back Capital (AnyDice suggests we have a 80% of a critical after all modifiers are applied).
I'll bite. Courtesy ping to @Uhtread to alert about the vote modification.
[x] Plan: Establishing Ourselves
-[x] Hire a Staff (DC 60) - 5d20 + 20 (Stewardship)
-[x] A Worthy Court Magician? (DC 60) - 5d20 + 18 (Magic)
-[x] An Englishman In Need (DC 60) - 5d20 + 20 (Diplomacy)
-[x] An Eye for An Eye (DC 85) - 5d20 + 12 (Martial) + 12 (Trade) + 30 (Williamsburg) + 15 (Captain if available)
--[x] City of Williamsburg
--[x] An English Captain (if available)
-[x] Construct Naval Flotilla (DC 60) - 5d20 + 12 (Martial) + 15 (Regulars)
--[x] Dutch Regulars
Please correct me if any of the bonuses are wrong.
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- MURICA
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Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
New
[X] Plan Starting off
[X] Plan Starting off