By middle-class, they mean things like people who own small businesses, lawyers, etc.
A Kammanist Uprising: Fantasy Communist Revolution Quest
- Thread starter notbirdofprey
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
-
- Tags
- fantasy magic revolution communism
By middle-class, they mean things like people who own small businesses, lawyers, etc.
Regency
PFP by vanathema (previously yubishines)
- Location
- Morioh Town, Mt. Ebbot
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Wait, lawyers are included? Most of em are employees
Not all, but most are considered class enemies. There's a reason giving their jobs to only vetted individuals was a popular choice.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Hmm, thoughts.
But speaking of that food income, it's something we really need to address. Probably going to need to ask for aid missions.
If there's little for the peasantry to do, then that means we're likely running into the best point in time to recruit the Peasants into the Militia without crippling our food income.
But speaking of that food income, it's something we really need to address. Probably going to need to ask for aid missions.
Didn't we expand the Councils to the Towns last turn?
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I mean, it will still cripple our food income, it'll just be delayed until planting is actually upon us. Collectivization encouragement sounds like a good idea, honestly. Advance the changes in the system. If it makes it more efficient and work better, that might well free up people 'naturally.' Though we also have to consider that the largest benefits of such a policy would take years to be seen.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
True. You have any thoughts on which set of Council Reforms we should go for?
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I honestly legitimately don't quite like either option, if I'm to be frank.
Disenfranchising non-workers is especially problematic in the context of a civil war, where plenty of people will be "non-workers" through no fault of their own. Capitalism demands a certain level of unemployment at all times, since their "full employment" isn't actually "full employment."
Civil wars tend not to be helpful for industry and employment either.
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You did, that was my mistake.
To clarify on non-workers: that doesn't mean unemployed, it's more of a class thing. So an unemployed farmer or worker would still be able to vote under the full reform option. And if you choose one and it works badly, you will have options to do more reforms. Or they might get done for you.I honestly legitimately don't quite like either option, if I'm to be frank.
Disenfranchising non-workers is especially problematic in the context of a civil war, where plenty of people will be "non-workers" through no fault of their own. Capitalism demands a certain level of unemployment at all times, since their "full employment" isn't actually "full employment."
Civil wars tend not to be helpful for industry and employment either.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
[ ] Plan Draft: Revolutionize the Countryside
The Councils and Committees
-[ ] Anti-Corruption Trials (1 front dice)
-[ ] Crackdown on the Families (1 front dice)
Chairman
-[ ] Walk Among the Workers (2 chairman dice)
Diplomacy
-[ ] Make Contact with Friends (1 dice)
-[ ] To Trokograd (1 council dice)
-[ ] Request Foreign Food Aid v2 (2 dice, 2 Front Dice)
Political Office
-[ ] Check the Mood (1 dice)
-[ ] Speeches to Sell it (1 dice)
Reform Commission
-[ ] Land Reform, Stage 1 (1 Front dice)
-[ ] Full Council Reforms (2 dice)
-[ ] Encourage Collectivization (1 chairman dice) (1 Resource)
-[ ] Establish Farmers' Associations (1 chairman dice)
Economy
-[ ] Institute Rationing (1 dice)
-[ ] Restart the Printing Presses (1 dice) (1 Resource)
-[ ] Securing Fuel, Pt.2 (1 dice) (2 Resources)
-[ ] Agricultural Autocaster Construction (1 dice) (5 Aether, 10 Resources)
-[ ] Maltka Reconstruction, pt. 1 (1 dice)
-[ ] Hunting In Mass (1 council dice) (1 Resource)
-[ ] Of Iron and Steel (1 dice) (2 Resources)
Military
-[ ] Militia Drill (1 dice)
-[ ] Coordination With the Revolution (1 dice)
-[ ] More Uniform Uniforms (1 dice)
-[ ] More Regular Recruiting (1 dice)
Operations
-[ ] Anti-Bandit Operations (2 dice)
-[ ] Town Garrisons (1 council dice)
Intrigue
-[ ] Punish your "Friends" (3 dice)
So, a plan draft (Don't vote for it yet, it's a bit incomplete.)
Crackdown on the criminals and do anti-corruption. I'm not sure if the various anti-corruption actions are incompatible, so I'm only doing one. Chairman walks among the workers to satisfy the need for action (though would stuff like Council or Land Reform also satisfy his desire for action anyway @notbirdofprey?) Political Office does speeches to increase our popularity and checks the mood.
Diplomacy figures out what the situation is in the larger world, contacts Trokograd, and then goes heavy on seeing if we can get some food aid so we don't starve or have to rob peasants.
For Reforms, we're going heavy on the countryside with land reform/collectivization while the peasants don't have much to do and the situation in the towns is too unfriendly to make radical changes there yet. Get the peasantry fully on board with us this turn, and next turn we turn policing over to the Workers themselves, smash the banks open, and perhaps get to work on the Towns.
I'm also going with Full Council Reforms as the less bad of the two options, though I'm also hoping that someone else can come up with something that better threads the needle. It should also satisfy the Hardliners some in exchange for not getting their Break the Banks done (that'll come next week.)
Economy, well we've held off rationing for as long as we could, but with winter here, I think we need to bite the bullet and hope we don't overshoot. We're also restarting the printing presses so we can properly spread more word of the revolution (and it'll probably be of significant help in the Towns.) Agricultural Autocasters are to better support the Land Reform efforts even if they won't do much good immediately. Then it's fixing up Maltka, and getting raw resource issues solved.
For the Military, we need the Militia to learn how to actually walk and not panic, and we need to get more dice and coordinate with the other cities. Then it's uniforms so that the Red Army starts looking like an actual army instead of a hodgepodge (good for both morale and impressing on people that we're here to stay), and a steady recruitment drip up. Operations meanwhile focuses on clearing out the bandits and securing the towns (which depending on how things go, may be related to the bandits.)
Intrigue one die goes unused because I'm worried about risking any of the other actions on 1 die and don't want to gamble with causing Front friction. So, I satisfy myself by cracking down hard on the crime syndicates.
PLEASE no one actually vote for this yet. I really want to get up some discussion, especially on if there's an alternate write-in someone can do for the Council Reforms. And if we should just axe Agricultural Autocasters for now in favor of freeing up a Council Die for work elsewhere and such.
The Councils and Committees
-[ ] Anti-Corruption Trials (1 front dice)
-[ ] Crackdown on the Families (1 front dice)
Chairman
-[ ] Walk Among the Workers (2 chairman dice)
Diplomacy
-[ ] Make Contact with Friends (1 dice)
-[ ] To Trokograd (1 council dice)
-[ ] Request Foreign Food Aid v2 (2 dice, 2 Front Dice)
Political Office
-[ ] Check the Mood (1 dice)
-[ ] Speeches to Sell it (1 dice)
Reform Commission
-[ ] Land Reform, Stage 1 (1 Front dice)
-[ ] Full Council Reforms (2 dice)
-[ ] Encourage Collectivization (1 chairman dice) (1 Resource)
-[ ] Establish Farmers' Associations (1 chairman dice)
Economy
-[ ] Institute Rationing (1 dice)
-[ ] Restart the Printing Presses (1 dice) (1 Resource)
-[ ] Securing Fuel, Pt.2 (1 dice) (2 Resources)
-[ ] Agricultural Autocaster Construction (1 dice) (5 Aether, 10 Resources)
-[ ] Maltka Reconstruction, pt. 1 (1 dice)
-[ ] Hunting In Mass (1 council dice) (1 Resource)
-[ ] Of Iron and Steel (1 dice) (2 Resources)
Military
-[ ] Militia Drill (1 dice)
-[ ] Coordination With the Revolution (1 dice)
-[ ] More Uniform Uniforms (1 dice)
-[ ] More Regular Recruiting (1 dice)
Operations
-[ ] Anti-Bandit Operations (2 dice)
-[ ] Town Garrisons (1 council dice)
Intrigue
-[ ] Punish your "Friends" (3 dice)
So, a plan draft (Don't vote for it yet, it's a bit incomplete.)
Crackdown on the criminals and do anti-corruption. I'm not sure if the various anti-corruption actions are incompatible, so I'm only doing one. Chairman walks among the workers to satisfy the need for action (though would stuff like Council or Land Reform also satisfy his desire for action anyway @notbirdofprey?) Political Office does speeches to increase our popularity and checks the mood.
Diplomacy figures out what the situation is in the larger world, contacts Trokograd, and then goes heavy on seeing if we can get some food aid so we don't starve or have to rob peasants.
For Reforms, we're going heavy on the countryside with land reform/collectivization while the peasants don't have much to do and the situation in the towns is too unfriendly to make radical changes there yet. Get the peasantry fully on board with us this turn, and next turn we turn policing over to the Workers themselves, smash the banks open, and perhaps get to work on the Towns.
I'm also going with Full Council Reforms as the less bad of the two options, though I'm also hoping that someone else can come up with something that better threads the needle. It should also satisfy the Hardliners some in exchange for not getting their Break the Banks done (that'll come next week.)
Economy, well we've held off rationing for as long as we could, but with winter here, I think we need to bite the bullet and hope we don't overshoot. We're also restarting the printing presses so we can properly spread more word of the revolution (and it'll probably be of significant help in the Towns.) Agricultural Autocasters are to better support the Land Reform efforts even if they won't do much good immediately. Then it's fixing up Maltka, and getting raw resource issues solved.
For the Military, we need the Militia to learn how to actually walk and not panic, and we need to get more dice and coordinate with the other cities. Then it's uniforms so that the Red Army starts looking like an actual army instead of a hodgepodge (good for both morale and impressing on people that we're here to stay), and a steady recruitment drip up. Operations meanwhile focuses on clearing out the bandits and securing the towns (which depending on how things go, may be related to the bandits.)
Intrigue one die goes unused because I'm worried about risking any of the other actions on 1 die and don't want to gamble with causing Front friction. So, I satisfy myself by cracking down hard on the crime syndicates.
PLEASE no one actually vote for this yet. I really want to get up some discussion, especially on if there's an alternate write-in someone can do for the Council Reforms. And if we should just axe Agricultural Autocasters for now in favor of freeing up a Council Die for work elsewhere and such.
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It should say "satisfies desire for action" in all actions that have that as a benefit. Let me know if there's one where you feel it should.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Hmm, actions that might qualify:
-Full Council Reforms: Overhauling and reforming the democratic process that we want to form the bedrock of Kammanism, especially after one of our two big statements in the declaration was that we'd make this democracy thing work.
-Land Reform: On its own, maybe not. But we're combining it with Collectivisation and Farmers' Associations getting established, and all three combined is basically bringing the countryside fully into the Revolution. Also, some of Zenus's Satisfies Desire actions last turn were based around Land Reform.
-Break the Banks: Not doing so this turn, but smashing open the banks is definitely a pretty big change.
- Location
- United States
If you plan to break open the banks next turn, its probably better to go with reform measures to keep the most people happy. The hardliners will complain, but that can be resolved next turn.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Thing is, I legitimately don't think the moderate reform measures do enough for the Councils. GM mentioned on Discord that he's willing to review and vet write-ins for the reform process, so I'm hoping some of the people with stronger opinion and a deeper understanding of the issues there can make a satisfactory write-in.
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- Location
- United States
Perhaps a combination of the two then.
After arresting the worst offenders, Implement new qualifications as in the moderate route followed by a new early election to replace them along with others who've disappointed us.
- Pronouns
- It/Its
Personally, I'm not *that* opposed to the hardline council reforms, although I worry about the "qualifications" and the potential cost of support does worry me
This is just me writing a quick infodump. When I get into the right headspace to do them in-universe, I will re-write this and mark it, but for now have an explanation on religion and the Avlandian government.
Religion in this world's ancient past was a medley of many pantheons. Each tribe had their own, although they often intermixed. There was a welter of religious beliefs, many of whom have faded from memory, with only a few pantheons having enduring cultural impacts. The source of this is the three Prophetic Faiths (although they are rarely referred to that way for various reasons, and are rather more different than that title would suggest.). The first Prophetic Faith rose in the deserts of what was until recently the Ottomi Empire. It was the first known monotheistic faith. Many years later, a man claimed to be the Second Great Prophet and created his own version, which spread rapidly and soon became the dominant religion, heavily persecuting both the existing pagan communities and the First Prophetics. It soon fractured into two major variants, and then into many more as time went on. And once more in the deserts, a man claimed to have a vision and be the Third Great Prophet. (Prophetic is basically Abrhamic, with a similar level of accuracy in using it. First Prophetics are meant to be a Jewish analogue, Second Prophetics one for Christianity...)
The Avlandian government is in theory run entirely by the Emperor, who has the power to do anything he desires, but never acts except with the good of the people in mind, as discussed with his loyal servants the nobles and the elected High Council. In practice, the High Council is an utterly toothless body only a fraction of the population can vote for that has no formal powers except permission to hear the Emperor speak once every twenty years and ask any question he does not deem "impertinent". Meanwhile, the nobles often hold as much or more power than the Emperor, even though he can usually drum up the support of at least a third as well as his personal resources.
The most notable impact this has had on Kammanism in Avlandia, aside from making your supporters dislike the nobles more, is that class enemies have become anyone defined as owning enough wealth to vote for the High Council, which includes people like some lawyers, doctors, university professors, etc. People do tend to be pragmatic enough to recognize exceptions, such as lawyers who took on labor cases or doctors who spent two days a week giving free appointments to the poor, or bankers who were highly philanthropic.
Religion in this world's ancient past was a medley of many pantheons. Each tribe had their own, although they often intermixed. There was a welter of religious beliefs, many of whom have faded from memory, with only a few pantheons having enduring cultural impacts. The source of this is the three Prophetic Faiths (although they are rarely referred to that way for various reasons, and are rather more different than that title would suggest.). The first Prophetic Faith rose in the deserts of what was until recently the Ottomi Empire. It was the first known monotheistic faith. Many years later, a man claimed to be the Second Great Prophet and created his own version, which spread rapidly and soon became the dominant religion, heavily persecuting both the existing pagan communities and the First Prophetics. It soon fractured into two major variants, and then into many more as time went on. And once more in the deserts, a man claimed to have a vision and be the Third Great Prophet. (Prophetic is basically Abrhamic, with a similar level of accuracy in using it. First Prophetics are meant to be a Jewish analogue, Second Prophetics one for Christianity...)
The Avlandian government is in theory run entirely by the Emperor, who has the power to do anything he desires, but never acts except with the good of the people in mind, as discussed with his loyal servants the nobles and the elected High Council. In practice, the High Council is an utterly toothless body only a fraction of the population can vote for that has no formal powers except permission to hear the Emperor speak once every twenty years and ask any question he does not deem "impertinent". Meanwhile, the nobles often hold as much or more power than the Emperor, even though he can usually drum up the support of at least a third as well as his personal resources.
The most notable impact this has had on Kammanism in Avlandia, aside from making your supporters dislike the nobles more, is that class enemies have become anyone defined as owning enough wealth to vote for the High Council, which includes people like some lawyers, doctors, university professors, etc. People do tend to be pragmatic enough to recognize exceptions, such as lawyers who took on labor cases or doctors who spent two days a week giving free appointments to the poor, or bankers who were highly philanthropic.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Alright, well, if people are voting, are there any thoughts on whether it's a good idea to take a die from Military into Operations (confirmed by GM to not run into the normal issues) to maybe boost up Garrisoning Towns?
Regency
PFP by vanathema (previously yubishines)
- Location
- Morioh Town, Mt. Ebbot
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Hmm, sacrifice uniforms for garrison?
Need to hear input on tradeoffs tbh
I am going to close voting tomorrow.
- Location
- Minnesota
[X] Plan Draft: Revolutionize the Countryside
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
I've heard it said that uniforms are actually a major boost to cohesion. Right now our army is something of a hodgepodge consisting of defecting soldiers and untrained militia. A uniform gives them all a better sense of belonging to something, plus the reduced risk of friendly fire. Also, the weather's only going to get colder, so better winter clothing would be helpful.
Of course, the towns seem to be the major source of discontent right now (they actually went down from 40 Approval to 30 Approval in spite of us taking the Expand Councils to Towns action that was supposed to boost approval last turn), so making sure the garrisons there function could be pretty important.
Vote closed
The Storm Ends Results
Anti-Corruption Trials (1 front dice, 60)
The trials began as such things always do: with those charged brought into the courtroom. There were many of them, lawyers and bankers who had been desperate to retain some measure of influence, capitalists trying to keep factories under their control, shopkeepers hoping for friendly governments, workers greedy for gold. All of them would have the truth told, and if they were guilty, they would be punished. The juries had been selected more or less randomly, and some effort had gone to winnowing out those who would be too gentle or too harsh. The accused had been given time with lawyers, although not very much. There were too many of them, and not enough lawyers, not even after Comrades Zandi and Leo had personally persuaded some of the more revolutionary-inclined to defend the accused.
The trials did not take long. In most cases, the evidence was fairly simple: the guilty had been persuaded to testify to their deeds in exchange for reduced sentences. In several other cases, additional proof was found after legal searches had revealed notes discussing the bribery, in terms opaque (in one case, it was deemed too opaque to serve as proof) or transparent. Some tried to refuse to recognize the validity of the courts or the charges. In most of those cases, their co-conspirators turned on them, or else details such as the notes or gold the Evaluation Boards had identified as belonging to them ending up in the hands of council delegates. In the rest, the lawyers were able to argue it hadn't actually been bribery.
Mr. and Mrs. Zeniv had always maintained a good relationship with the teamster who delivered goods to their store. They usually invited him to eat with them once a month or so. They simply continued the tradition after the young man had been elected. Comrade Evlistin had been offered money for his vote, but had rejected the offer, explaining that it was illegal and telling his former employer to offer him an argument instead. That he had voted in favor of his employer's request for the hiring of street sweepers was because the argument was sound - his case briefly derailed the trials as some of those who attended decided to push forth their own proposals for keeping the city hygienic.
In the end, most felt justice was done, and the results of the trials had left a sense of satisfaction in people, that their government was fair and just, and that it cared about them. Front members used it as a propaganda point, that this was the result of a government by and of and for the people who labored to create the state. And even those who did not support a Kammanist government harbored some relief that they would not be dragged through rigged courts and ridicule to be given a predetermined sentence. The news of the trials leaked outwards, sometimes distorted, but the central message was maintained.
Substantial gain in popular support in all sectors.
Crackdown on the Families (1 front dice, 70), Punish your "Friends" (3 Livia dice, 79+92+72)
Meanwhile, another set of trials, given far less attention by all, was being completed at another courthouse. The police responsible for the arrests had been given their orders directly by a member of the Central Executive Committee, one with a reputation that had been proven terrifyingly real, one with evidence she had said came from prior experience to allow them to fill out the warrants. They found those charged exactly where she had said they would be, although some had apparently killed themselves before the agents came in. Some were alive, and determined to stay that way at any cost, and several men were killed or wounded in the process of bringing them in, in kicking down doors into rooms laced with traps and blazing with weapon fire.
Every single one of those arrested was guilty of crimes under both the Emperor and the Kammanists - smuggling, theft, racketeering, and more. Their defenses were determined, but often there was no defense. And so several dozen men were tried and sentenced. Several dozen more had never made it to the courthouse.
On the other side of the city, as the trials were being conducted, a very large man in a stained suit was sitting at a desk, trying very hard to look like he was in control. His bodyguard lay dead in the doorway, a knife driven into his throat, one he hadn't seen until it was too late. The woman who killed him was leaning against the frame, another knife in her hands.
"Comrade, if you wanted to talk..." he started.
"You don't get to call me that. That title is reserved for those who have contributed to the Revolution and the benefit of the world," she said in an iron voice.
"And the only reason you are still alive is because I want you to deliver a message."
What was once one of the most powerful men in the city frantically nodded, eager to do anything to stay alive, to avoid the fate of his former lieutenants...
"Get out."
He blinked, confused at the order.
Then he blinked again, as her form blurred and there was a knife on the desk, just slicing through the web between his thumb and fingers. "That was the message."
He was up and running before she had finished talking.
The crime families in the city itself have been driven out through a variety of methods. They are now very unhappy with you.
Make Contact with Friends (1 Stefan dice, 48)
They had enough farspeakers for this, enough that a few could be spared. Not all of his friends would be close enough, but he had some in the Doytch Republic, and some in Lustenta and the Maygrig Kingdom. And a few in the new kingdoms. There were a few in the lands the Armani claimed, and the various kingdoms that would be rising in those mountains and the deserts beyond. But most of them would be in Breton or Aquita, or Italo perhaps. Those would have to wait for letters. Really, they were the important ones. But at least he would hear something soon...
To Trokograd (1 council dice,40)
Dovid was from Trokograd originally, yes, but he had not been liked there. He was one of the First Faithful, and while nowhere was truly safe for his people, the city of Trokograd had been especially bad. Still, the councils had argued and it had been decided that he would go, he still spoke some of the language from the days the city had been Trokena, and that would likely endear him at least a little. And he wasn't the only one going, either, as he glanced at the grim-faced Kammanist riding next to him in the wagon. He seemed someone important, too important to bother speaking to Dovid.
A representative chosen by one of the councils, along with a couple of men from the Front went to Trokograd. You should hear back from them soon.
Request Foreign Food Aid v2 (2 Stefan dice, 88+71, 2 Front Dice, 35+48)
The trade that had been going on in Korvio was enough to cause condemnation. Going to the capitalists like beggars to ask for food would have been an unbearable humiliation for many (The stupidity of some of his comrades appalled him sometimes). But it was a necessary one, and while the Front might not like it, the prospect of free food appealed to many beyond them. So he was able to find some able diplomats and give them a program on what to do and what to say, to emphasize the democracy of their movement, the popular support, to offer free passage for shipments to others. He sent them with sketches of Maltka and the slums and the soup kitchens. And swiftly he heard back. The Silver Crescent was of course willing to donate ample supplies of food and provide medical aid, but they would need guarantees of protection and immunity of search and seizure for their supplies and personnel in your controlled territory, as well as opportunities to take testimony to ensure you are as democratic as you claim.
Reading the terms, Stefan can't help but wonder if they are a pretext for the capitalist powers to attack or overthrow them. On the other hand, the demands are...logical, and perhaps they will cave.
[] Accept in full
[] Attempt to negotiate
-[] Limit testimony. Insist that their efforts to gather testimony will be limited, and only take place in the presence of members of the Front.
-[] Reject testimony. Insist that they refuse to seek out testimony from the people under your control
-[] Reject immunity. You will have the same rights to search and seizure as you would anything in your territory. Reasonable suspicion and a warrant will allow you to confiscate Silver Cross equipment and arrest Silver Cross personnel, although you will not inflict any harm beyond deportation.
-[] Reject protection. You can't guarantee their safety
[] Fully reject them
An offer has been made. Negotiation will be possible, but difficult. The points are in order of increasing difficulty.
Check the Mood (1 Politics dice, 74)
The mood is undeniably jubilant, but for many in the softliner faction and the democratic-nationalists, there's a serious undercurrent of concern regarding the decisions involving the councils. The massive disenfranchisement makes some worry about inspiring a counterrevolution, and goes against revolutionary principles for others, especially since there is no recourse. Meanwhile, the hardliners are generally ignoring those concerns, advocating for further destruction of the power of the wealthy, including enormous wealth taxes. Several attempts on compromises have been formed, none of which have really satisfied anyone. There will need to be a push from somewhere to make a workable one.
One matter everyone in the Front agrees on is the need for reform on matters of women's rights and other social issues. However, a few of the more extreme softliners are concerned about the reaction from the Orthodox Church. They have begun discussing potential methods to weaken it' hold...
Speeches to Sell it (1 Politics dice, 70/50)
Kylis chose his speechmakers carefully. They needed to be young and handsome, and a good portion of them needed to have distinctive features, impressive scars were the best. They needed to be willing to wear red and black, to make bombastic proclamations, to have an excellent grasp of theory, but most importantly they needed to be able to speak without condescending to the peasants or the workers who were unfortunately ignorant..
He found enough who met the standards he wanted and sent them out. In the city they made excellent progress - the typical method involved standing around near the soup kitchens and answering questions, or asking them. You were guaranteed to get everyone to at least be near you when you spoke if you did it long enough. It especially helped that the majority of the people were eager to take part. Already, the councils saw greater participation, which began to strain them. Several educated workers offered their services to help spread reforms as they were swept up in the wave of enthusiasm.
The richer parts of the city were more troublesome, the questions more hostile, but they were answered with aplomb. A few of the speakers were roughed up, many more were heckled and yelled at, but things generally stayed more or less calm.
It was outside the city that things proved troublesome. The peasants were happy with land reform and not being serfs, but it seemed there was quite a bit of unease and unrest, focused on a few issues. First, there were fears that the church would be dismantled, and that they would be forced to accept some strange faith. Second, there were rumors that they would not be allowed to vote since they were considered backward by the Committee. Third, distorted reports about the slaughter at Maltka had filtered amongst them, It was a ridiculous assertion, and a great deal of effort was spent assuaging these fears, but there was still quite a bit of trouble, often led by priests, although the worst of it was a few symbolic abandonments.
The towns were worse, the people more hostile. There were fewer workers relative to their class enemies, and the police and priests and other institutions of the capitalist aristocracy had quite a bit more power than in The City. Several speakers were beaten quite badly, and one died under the boots of a mob. Fortunately, measures were being taken even before news of that came...
Substantial increase in involvement with the councils in the city, further interest in reform from many. Slight decrease in popular support amongst the peasants, but also a greater awareness of what issues are on their minds, loss of popular support in towns, but the presence of troops prevented anything serious from happening.
Land Reform, Stage 1 (1 Front dice, 56+55/100, 11/200 Land Reform Stage 2)
The headmen of the villages were left in place, in the end. It burned in Zandi's guts, but she had delegated that and not given it her personal attention, and so decisions had been made that she had not approved of. Still, overall she could not argue with the results, especially since they were presented as a transition. Each of the new collectives had separate homes, but with larger faculties held in varying levels of common, and equalized fields. In most of those the former headmen had carved out some sort of position for themselves, but she consoled herself with the thought that once the councils spread out they would lose those...and apparently some who had used the nobility's backing a little too much had ended up losing their heads. Reading the reports did bring a smile to her face. It was good that people were taking justice into their own hands...
With all the estates within easy distance turned into collectives, she had begun overseeing preparation for the next set, using what was effectively bribery - while the existing ones had gotten slightly better houses, those which fully collectivized voluntarily would get the first agricultural equipment. She began setting up a team, a more trustworthy one, who would be responsible for verifying that the peasants did what they said they would...
The existing estates had all been turned into what are basically moshavim. The farmers have individual (equal) plots, with things like barns and silos and eventually tractors held in common. Progress has begun on establishing the first voluntary full cooperatives, which will be more like kibbutzim.
Full Council Reforms (2 Reform dice, 47+57=104)
She had made the reforms, made them with glee. When the first councils had been established, and the enemies of the revolution allowed in, she had argued against it fiercely, and now she was vindicated...and so she had practically a free hand in deciding what to change. As long as it reduced the likelihood of corruption, it would be acceptable. The Central Committee had offered their own opinions, and she had listened, but many did not fit her vision properly. Those had been discarded.
She of course knew the people would need a voice too, and so she had asked her supporters to gather some opinions of their own. To her disappointment, most of what they told her had to be discarded, but she supposed they currently lacked a great deal of class consciousness. Efforts on rectifying that on a more-than surface level had only just begun, she would need to speak to Comrade Kylis on that.
She shook away the distracting thoughts and turned back to the sheet of paper. She would need to have a proposal soon...
I will have a separate vote on the specifics of this, but it will involve some form of workplace councils, some level of disenfranchisement, and some restrictions on who can be elected above and beyond that.
Encourage Collectivization (1 chairman dice, 50/50) (1 Resource), Establish Farmers' Associations (1 chairman dice, 53/50)
While she struggled to make her decisions, she occasionally stopped by to see the Chairman. Comrade Zenus had remained only briefly in the city, but he also returned often after visiting some little peasant village with a load of supplies and a willingness to speak. The peasants were much happier to see him than the others, which only made sense, she supposed. The speakers didn't bring new buildings with them.
He would tell her a little about what happened, about how grateful the people were to have new stoves or whatever present he bought for them, how eager they were to listen to his promises, how enthusiastic they were about the prospect of politics. So enthusiastic they nearly rioted at the thought of being denied it, she thought, but the establishment of the Associations was good sense. It would ease the processes involved, break the power of village headmen, weaken the church...
Collectivization will go smoother, difficulty reduced.
Institute Rationing (1 Industrial dice, 68)
Rationing would prove vital. Already the stocks of supplies were running lower than she liked. Immediate efforts were enacted to cut back on waste in material. Children whose lessons had finished were paid with scraps of sweet to collect sawdust from carpenters for fuel, reclamation of useful material from the abandoned houses and businesses were stepped up, but even this was not enough, and one by one factories and shops producing goods deemed unnecessary were shut down.
She didn't like seeing that, but what came next was worse. The kitchen rations were cut, while the amount bought for them from the incoming peasants was increased so that less food made its way to markets. Riots nearly started but were calmed by the promise that it was temporary and the commitment of the Front to hold themselves to the same standards.
The meals were still filling, meat soup and bread with the occasional flavoring of herbs would never be bad, but the soup was thinner, the portions of bread smaller, there was less tea and vegetables. At least there was plenty of fuel to keep everyone warm...
Rationing is...not a popular measure, but there's no significant unrest as long as there's no corruption found.
Restart the Printing Presses (1 Industrial dice, 64) (1 Resource)
Propaganda had been a neglected front for some time. The printing presses were still sort-of running, but they usually lacked ink and paper. It took barely an hour's work for her to get factories for both to begin again, and while she was at it she arranged for the largest presses to be seized for the use of the Front. Now posters and papers could be printed, helping spread the truth of Kammanism and news of the Revolution.
As for the first thing to be printed? She didn't even consider it a question. Several hundred copies of the Kammanist Manifesto slid down the chute. She picked one up, looking over the words she knew by heart, and softly said the last sentences out loud.
"Workers of the world, unite! For you have nothing to lose but your chains."
Options for using pamphlets, posters, and propaganda unlocked.
Securing Fuel, Pt.2 (1 Industrial dice, 42+46/50, 38/200) (2 Resources)
The coal mines had begun some desultory operations in the week since they had left, mostly scrabbling at scraps of what was available, but after the deliveries of masks the workers went to work with enthusiasm, swinging picks and detonating small charges of gunpowder. Several men were killed or wounded working in the mines, and they were properly compensated, both by the coal miner's council and by the Front, but the coal flowed out, and another barrack was constructed and filled with workers, who joined in with somewhat less skill.
But the bulk of her focus was in preparations for expansion. The most experienced miners were identified, and new mines as well. It would be a massive operation, one that would likely have to wait until after winter to be completed, but every coal mine within reach would be in use once it was completed, guaranteeing an ample surplus until the mines ran dry.
Increase to coal supplies is enough to begin building up a stockpile, even with everyone using it for heating.
Agricultural Autocaster Construction (1 Industrial dice, 94+18/35, 77/80 Autocaster Workshops) (5 Aether, 10 Resources)
Autocasters were already in use industrially, but it was relatively uncommon for them to be used outside of the cities. To many of the villagers and their hedge witches, they were strange objects of superstition. But they were practical enough to take them anyway, even if they kept their old plows and harvesters in careful condition in case the strange machines broke.
Getting them built had been an incredible effort. There were only a few, but more would come, that had been promised. Avla had always been an incredible stronghold of the mage guilds, and so autocaster construction in the city had been rare and those who could make or repair them could charge a high price. Which meant she had to spend lots to persuade them to do the work, and give them everything they asked for, although at least most of it was used for the actual construction - the amount of steel they needed was unfortunate, as was the sheer number of Aether crystals, both to fuel them and to provide the autocasters with the magical framework needed to be able to cast the same spell again and again.
A trickle of agricultural autocasters has begun being distributed to farmers, and in the process industrial autocasters are almost ready to be produced again.
Maltka Reconstruction, Pt. 1 (1 Industrial dice, 75,60, 15/180 Maltka Reconstruction Pt. 2)
The work in Maltka was mostly done by prisoners. Prisoners carefully watched by trusted soldiers, both to make sure there were no escape attempts and to make sure the Red Guard in Maltka, the survivors of a savage uprising and an agonizing siege, did not make any attempts at retaliation. There were none.
Instead, the prisoners labored. They were all used to this. The captured peasants were used to farm labor, the soldiers to digging trenches. And clearing rubble was little different from either. They started in the lived-in sections, and slowly expanded outwards to the ruined factories. The streets were cleaned, the bodies buried.
With the streets clear, things could flow in and out. Timid peasants came in to give in what little spare food they had (and perhaps some that wasn't spare) to the kitchens, lumber, and cloth is hauled in to make temporary housing.
And a few repairs began, holes in walls filled to protect the inhabitants or equipment from the elements, and in one or two places, collapsed roofs were rebuilt.
Maltka is at least partly cleared of rubble, and the repair of damaged buildings has begun.
Hunting In Mass (1 council dice, 38/25) (1 Resource)
The councils decided that hunting would be a good way to gather more food. Hunting and trapping. They didn't really know how to go about it, of course, but some people pooled their wealth and hired woodsmen, former retainers, and the occasional poacher. Others simply took up weapons and relied on sheer numbers. And then they began to sweep the forests. Dozens of deer, hundreds of rabbits, and even a few bears were slain, along with all manner of other creatures that would not normally be eaten - snakes and turtles were both caught and eaten. People died in the process, of cold or getting slammed by a bear's paw or attacked by an Aethertouched beast, but sheer numbers and their coordination allowed them to gather large quantities of meat.
Some people even found snake meat quite delicious, and a few small-scale snake farms were established on the outskirts, run by cooperatives.
Food shortages somewhat alleviated.
Of Iron and Steel (1 Industrial dice, 80/50, 30/100 Of Iron and Steel Pt.2) (2 Resources)
The iron mines were still running, more or less seamlessly, and it only took a few explanations from the speakers to reorganize the miners as they began digging into the earth in eight-hour shifts, although they regularly worked overtime out of sheer enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the smelting complexes were being reorganized, new workers from the city traveling to add their hands to the work going on. Ore was brought in and heated, coked coal added in enormous quantities, and steel began to come out. The ingots were transported back to be shaped into weapons and tools of every kind in a constant flow of wagons, moving even through snow and bitter cold.
More Uniform Uniforms (1 Bejen dice, 72/40)
There had been something of an impromptu contest to design the new uniform, one which everyone had enjoyed very much, especially with some of the more elaborate and overdone proposals. But in the end, practicality and the desire not to be incredibly colorful won out. The new uniforms were mostly a deep gray, with a new set of rank insignia in which red stars and crescents and swords featured prominently. The soldiers and the Red Guards wore them with pride, their ranks now indistinguishable...and they had all made sure they had thick socks and good boots.
Before, they seemed half an army and half a mob. Now, they seemed more disciplined and resplendent than some of the armies who fought in the Great War. They were unified in cause, and now in appearance.
And quite a few of them looked very handsome when they strolled down the streets.
Your men have rather plain uniforms, but they are warm and in good condition and they are very proud of them.
Militia Drill (1 Bejen dice, 67/80)
"Left, left, left right left! Left, left, left right left!" The lieutenant called, marching alongside the rather ragged formation of militia, while a pair of sergeants seconded to the duty paced around them, bawling at anyone who failed to keep formation or pace. The militiamen had their faces set in determination, for just ahead them marched a band of the regular troops in perfect formation, carrying warcasters, wearing their new uniforms with undeniable pride.
If they could make a circuit behind the soldiers and stay in perfect formation and perfect time, they would be given the honor of wearing the same uniform. That was the bargain.
It was their eighth attempt and they seemed no closer than they did before. Bejen sighed and shook his head. Such things were to be expected, he supposed.
After they finished, they were taken inside for lectures on teamwork and supporting your comrades, followed by basic exercises to strengthen their bodies. Most were fit, but there were always a few who needed some extra encouragement.
The militia is learning how to march and the basics of soldiering. It's taking time.
Coordination With the Revolution (1 Bejen dice, 68/40)
Bejen sat on a horse and waited beside General Alexei, who had chosen to stand next to his, eyeing the creature with distrust. In the distance, a small party of people approached, dressed in a motley mix of tattered uniforms, ruined suits, and ordinary clothes. Some of them he recognized, and he could practically see them swallowing their disdain as they approached.
The discussion that followed was...difficult, it left heads aching and egos bruised, but the facts were undeniable. General Alexei was the highest-ranked officer who had gone over, he commanded the most troops, and it was his army that had the most victories. The entire Army of the Revolution would be under his command.
The rest of the week was spent in a blaze of taking the measure of other officers, meeting troops, reorganizing and repairing, expanding the staff to account for the new fronts, working with the improvised and hastily made Red Navy to try and establish some sort of shore defense...
You now have control of all military forces who have sided with you. Additional dice and actions have been added, and Operations has been divided into Fronts. Transporting troops from Front to Front will take time.
More Regular Recruiting (1 Bejen dice, 58/20)
They used abandoned stores for recruiting centers. New posters directed young men (and a few women) to sign up, promising good pay, fair treatment, and an opportunity to fight the aristocratic and capitalist forces which loom. Those who enter are given the opportunity to speak to former soldiers, given a few quick tests to make sure they have all their limbs and aren't incredibly unhealthy, and then they are sent off to join the militia. They are yelled at by sergeants and screamed at by lieutenants, and taught how to march and carry a weapon, and they are ever so slowly turned into soldiers.
You will gain 4d100 militia every turn.
Anti-Bandit Operations (2 Operations dice, 82+47), Town Garrisons (1 council dice, 58)
The Red Guard, the Militia, and the People's Army turned out in force, marching out in dozens of separate columns for separate goals. The Red Guard sought out enemies of the Revolution, dispersing to protect food shipments and hunt bandits in copses of trees.
??? vs. ??? = 12 vs. 16
The support of the peasants proved absolutely vital for them. Farmers and hunters, some of whom had survived the brutal attacks, some of whom had only heard about them, helped the Red Guard track the bandits, provided shelters and guides to the hard-to-find places, gave them warning of noises and mysterious movements that might have belonged to enemies. And so the bandits attacks began to fail more often or not, musket-wielding attackers falling to quick volleys of warcaster fire.
The few collaborators were exposed and executed, often by their furious neighbors, and with them died their ability to find targets and send messages clandestinely. .
And so the bandits began to change tactics. Their smaller bands began to gather and assault villages which had proved helpful, particularly targeting those who had begun to collectivize. The only problem was that in doing so, they encountered militia, backed by the young men of the peasants. (It had been decided that preventing them from helping was more trouble than it's worth....)
1d5+1+3+3+1 vs. 1d5+2+4+0+2 = 13 vs. 11
The militia held. Protected by the fortifications they had managed, fighting with their backs to the wall, firing from the windows of homes and churches, they held, but it was a bloody and bitter victory, and many bandits escaped when the Red Guard managed to gather their scattered detachments and come to the relief of the beleaguered villages. It was a scene repeated across a dozen, or more than a dozen, villages: bandits fleeing into the trees, throwing down their muskets, a few buying time for the rest. They didn't say it, but everyone knew what that message meant: they would be back.
And in a few villages, the Red Guard arrived to find only ash.
Meanwhile, the professional soldiers arrived to take charge of the town, to become responsible for keeping order. Here the rich had more dominance, by virtue of a greater proportion of the town's population having some source of income beyond the work of their hands or because the work they did paid well. Here lived many petty mages and bureaucrats, bankers and architects and doctors and lawyers...and here order would be kept. Tensions were high. The soldiers stayed in groups, citizens did as well. In a few there riots, a few more saw incidents of lesser unrest. Overall, everything was kept under control with minimal casualties. It probably helped that there was no evidence of collaboration with hostile forces found, which meant no one needed to be executed.
Walk Among the Workers (2 chairman dice, 37+72 = 109)
Chairman Zenus had decided to visit the towns, to see the impact his Revolution had among those who did not favor it. The results were...not favorable. The towns were suffering. A lot of the work they had once done had vanished - the lawyers could no longer practice law, the doctors could no longer charge for medical services, the bureaucrats were no longer involved with governance. Many wandered aimlessly during what had once been their workdays, dazed looks on their faces. Many others glowered angrily at anything that reminded them of the changes: the soldiers in their grey uniforms, the speakers sent to preach the benefits of Kammanism, the kitchens feeding any who came.
No one was starving, no one was freezing, no one was being made to choose which daughter to give up to the guards, no one was suffering the horrible abuses he had witnessed so often. But they were suffering all the same, from confusion and terror and uncertainty and humiliation. And the rumors which drifted among them did not help either.
He sat inside the barracks and thought. For there must be a way to reconcile them to the new order...
Special Event: The Banker's Offer
He was still thinking when he returned to Avla, to what was now simply called the Headquarters. The opulent halls made him uncomfortable as he stalked through them, trying to find a way to cut the knot. As he walked, he found himself suddenly on the floor, a young woman standing above him. "Oh, forgive me, Comrade Chairman, I didn't mean to run into you, I mean...there's someone here to see you, Comrade Chairman, he's with Comrade Stefan and Comrade Zandi now in the Committee Meeting Room."
Comrade Zenus nodded, thanked her, and walked off, his guards hurrying behind. In the meeting room, he saw his two committee members, both sitting very properly, their hands neatly folded. He sighed, wondering what they were fighting about now. Then he noticed the third individual: a rather fat man, his fingers marked where rings used to be, in a deep blue suit.
"Hello, friend," Zenus said, stepping out of the shadows, and the man looked up.
"You're still alive? I thought you had been arrested in Tuvak!" he gasped, paling slightly.
"No chain can hold the revolutionary spirit."
The fat man coughed. "Yes, anyway, I have a proposition for you. You know my name, you know my reputation. I run a half dozen food banks in this city alone, I have spent a great deal of my fortune sponsoring reformist candidates and charitable initiatives...and I still have plenty left. It can be yours, if you like."
Zenus blinked. So did Zandi and Stefan. The man had just offered them the wealth of one of the largest banks in the country.
"More than that. You will have my endorsement, the assistance of those I employ, my name. That can be worth quite a lot, both during this war and after. Some of those I am representing have similar offers."
"What's your price?" Comrade Zandi demanded.
"First of all, protection from prosecution for prior deeds. Second, we'll want the same political privileges anyone else would get under your system, at least for ourselves personally and those who work with us. Third, we want something of our own: you will be nationalizing the banks, I assume, since that's in your manifesto, but you'll still need people to help run it. We'll want to be part of that. This isn't something I can negotiate on. It's all or nothing."
[] Yes. You will gain a considerable amount of Wealth immediately, and access to some more later. You will also gain the benefit of an endorsement of a man popular with large portions of both the working class and the establishment, which will have political ramifications. You will gain the benefit of experience for when you start doing financial projects. You will be obligated to give some specific people you might not have the ability to vote, to look away from some past crimes, and to at least hear them out when it comes to some financial matters, but those are small considerations. And nothing says you have to listen to them...
[] No. They might have good motivations, or they might be looking to disrupt and corrupt the Revolution. You will send him away empty-handed.
The trials began as such things always do: with those charged brought into the courtroom. There were many of them, lawyers and bankers who had been desperate to retain some measure of influence, capitalists trying to keep factories under their control, shopkeepers hoping for friendly governments, workers greedy for gold. All of them would have the truth told, and if they were guilty, they would be punished. The juries had been selected more or less randomly, and some effort had gone to winnowing out those who would be too gentle or too harsh. The accused had been given time with lawyers, although not very much. There were too many of them, and not enough lawyers, not even after Comrades Zandi and Leo had personally persuaded some of the more revolutionary-inclined to defend the accused.
The trials did not take long. In most cases, the evidence was fairly simple: the guilty had been persuaded to testify to their deeds in exchange for reduced sentences. In several other cases, additional proof was found after legal searches had revealed notes discussing the bribery, in terms opaque (in one case, it was deemed too opaque to serve as proof) or transparent. Some tried to refuse to recognize the validity of the courts or the charges. In most of those cases, their co-conspirators turned on them, or else details such as the notes or gold the Evaluation Boards had identified as belonging to them ending up in the hands of council delegates. In the rest, the lawyers were able to argue it hadn't actually been bribery.
Mr. and Mrs. Zeniv had always maintained a good relationship with the teamster who delivered goods to their store. They usually invited him to eat with them once a month or so. They simply continued the tradition after the young man had been elected. Comrade Evlistin had been offered money for his vote, but had rejected the offer, explaining that it was illegal and telling his former employer to offer him an argument instead. That he had voted in favor of his employer's request for the hiring of street sweepers was because the argument was sound - his case briefly derailed the trials as some of those who attended decided to push forth their own proposals for keeping the city hygienic.
In the end, most felt justice was done, and the results of the trials had left a sense of satisfaction in people, that their government was fair and just, and that it cared about them. Front members used it as a propaganda point, that this was the result of a government by and of and for the people who labored to create the state. And even those who did not support a Kammanist government harbored some relief that they would not be dragged through rigged courts and ridicule to be given a predetermined sentence. The news of the trials leaked outwards, sometimes distorted, but the central message was maintained.
Substantial gain in popular support in all sectors.
Crackdown on the Families (1 front dice, 70), Punish your "Friends" (3 Livia dice, 79+92+72)
Meanwhile, another set of trials, given far less attention by all, was being completed at another courthouse. The police responsible for the arrests had been given their orders directly by a member of the Central Executive Committee, one with a reputation that had been proven terrifyingly real, one with evidence she had said came from prior experience to allow them to fill out the warrants. They found those charged exactly where she had said they would be, although some had apparently killed themselves before the agents came in. Some were alive, and determined to stay that way at any cost, and several men were killed or wounded in the process of bringing them in, in kicking down doors into rooms laced with traps and blazing with weapon fire.
Every single one of those arrested was guilty of crimes under both the Emperor and the Kammanists - smuggling, theft, racketeering, and more. Their defenses were determined, but often there was no defense. And so several dozen men were tried and sentenced. Several dozen more had never made it to the courthouse.
On the other side of the city, as the trials were being conducted, a very large man in a stained suit was sitting at a desk, trying very hard to look like he was in control. His bodyguard lay dead in the doorway, a knife driven into his throat, one he hadn't seen until it was too late. The woman who killed him was leaning against the frame, another knife in her hands.
"Comrade, if you wanted to talk..." he started.
"You don't get to call me that. That title is reserved for those who have contributed to the Revolution and the benefit of the world," she said in an iron voice.
"And the only reason you are still alive is because I want you to deliver a message."
What was once one of the most powerful men in the city frantically nodded, eager to do anything to stay alive, to avoid the fate of his former lieutenants...
"Get out."
He blinked, confused at the order.
Then he blinked again, as her form blurred and there was a knife on the desk, just slicing through the web between his thumb and fingers. "That was the message."
He was up and running before she had finished talking.
The crime families in the city itself have been driven out through a variety of methods. They are now very unhappy with you.
Make Contact with Friends (1 Stefan dice, 48)
They had enough farspeakers for this, enough that a few could be spared. Not all of his friends would be close enough, but he had some in the Doytch Republic, and some in Lustenta and the Maygrig Kingdom. And a few in the new kingdoms. There were a few in the lands the Armani claimed, and the various kingdoms that would be rising in those mountains and the deserts beyond. But most of them would be in Breton or Aquita, or Italo perhaps. Those would have to wait for letters. Really, they were the important ones. But at least he would hear something soon...
To Trokograd (1 council dice,40)
Dovid was from Trokograd originally, yes, but he had not been liked there. He was one of the First Faithful, and while nowhere was truly safe for his people, the city of Trokograd had been especially bad. Still, the councils had argued and it had been decided that he would go, he still spoke some of the language from the days the city had been Trokena, and that would likely endear him at least a little. And he wasn't the only one going, either, as he glanced at the grim-faced Kammanist riding next to him in the wagon. He seemed someone important, too important to bother speaking to Dovid.
A representative chosen by one of the councils, along with a couple of men from the Front went to Trokograd. You should hear back from them soon.
Request Foreign Food Aid v2 (2 Stefan dice, 88+71, 2 Front Dice, 35+48)
The trade that had been going on in Korvio was enough to cause condemnation. Going to the capitalists like beggars to ask for food would have been an unbearable humiliation for many (The stupidity of some of his comrades appalled him sometimes). But it was a necessary one, and while the Front might not like it, the prospect of free food appealed to many beyond them. So he was able to find some able diplomats and give them a program on what to do and what to say, to emphasize the democracy of their movement, the popular support, to offer free passage for shipments to others. He sent them with sketches of Maltka and the slums and the soup kitchens. And swiftly he heard back. The Silver Crescent was of course willing to donate ample supplies of food and provide medical aid, but they would need guarantees of protection and immunity of search and seizure for their supplies and personnel in your controlled territory, as well as opportunities to take testimony to ensure you are as democratic as you claim.
Reading the terms, Stefan can't help but wonder if they are a pretext for the capitalist powers to attack or overthrow them. On the other hand, the demands are...logical, and perhaps they will cave.
[] Accept in full
[] Attempt to negotiate
-[] Limit testimony. Insist that their efforts to gather testimony will be limited, and only take place in the presence of members of the Front.
-[] Reject testimony. Insist that they refuse to seek out testimony from the people under your control
-[] Reject immunity. You will have the same rights to search and seizure as you would anything in your territory. Reasonable suspicion and a warrant will allow you to confiscate Silver Cross equipment and arrest Silver Cross personnel, although you will not inflict any harm beyond deportation.
-[] Reject protection. You can't guarantee their safety
[] Fully reject them
An offer has been made. Negotiation will be possible, but difficult. The points are in order of increasing difficulty.
Check the Mood (1 Politics dice, 74)
The mood is undeniably jubilant, but for many in the softliner faction and the democratic-nationalists, there's a serious undercurrent of concern regarding the decisions involving the councils. The massive disenfranchisement makes some worry about inspiring a counterrevolution, and goes against revolutionary principles for others, especially since there is no recourse. Meanwhile, the hardliners are generally ignoring those concerns, advocating for further destruction of the power of the wealthy, including enormous wealth taxes. Several attempts on compromises have been formed, none of which have really satisfied anyone. There will need to be a push from somewhere to make a workable one.
One matter everyone in the Front agrees on is the need for reform on matters of women's rights and other social issues. However, a few of the more extreme softliners are concerned about the reaction from the Orthodox Church. They have begun discussing potential methods to weaken it' hold...
Speeches to Sell it (1 Politics dice, 70/50)
Kylis chose his speechmakers carefully. They needed to be young and handsome, and a good portion of them needed to have distinctive features, impressive scars were the best. They needed to be willing to wear red and black, to make bombastic proclamations, to have an excellent grasp of theory, but most importantly they needed to be able to speak without condescending to the peasants or the workers who were unfortunately ignorant..
He found enough who met the standards he wanted and sent them out. In the city they made excellent progress - the typical method involved standing around near the soup kitchens and answering questions, or asking them. You were guaranteed to get everyone to at least be near you when you spoke if you did it long enough. It especially helped that the majority of the people were eager to take part. Already, the councils saw greater participation, which began to strain them. Several educated workers offered their services to help spread reforms as they were swept up in the wave of enthusiasm.
The richer parts of the city were more troublesome, the questions more hostile, but they were answered with aplomb. A few of the speakers were roughed up, many more were heckled and yelled at, but things generally stayed more or less calm.
It was outside the city that things proved troublesome. The peasants were happy with land reform and not being serfs, but it seemed there was quite a bit of unease and unrest, focused on a few issues. First, there were fears that the church would be dismantled, and that they would be forced to accept some strange faith. Second, there were rumors that they would not be allowed to vote since they were considered backward by the Committee. Third, distorted reports about the slaughter at Maltka had filtered amongst them, It was a ridiculous assertion, and a great deal of effort was spent assuaging these fears, but there was still quite a bit of trouble, often led by priests, although the worst of it was a few symbolic abandonments.
The towns were worse, the people more hostile. There were fewer workers relative to their class enemies, and the police and priests and other institutions of the capitalist aristocracy had quite a bit more power than in The City. Several speakers were beaten quite badly, and one died under the boots of a mob. Fortunately, measures were being taken even before news of that came...
Substantial increase in involvement with the councils in the city, further interest in reform from many. Slight decrease in popular support amongst the peasants, but also a greater awareness of what issues are on their minds, loss of popular support in towns, but the presence of troops prevented anything serious from happening.
Land Reform, Stage 1 (1 Front dice, 56+55/100, 11/200 Land Reform Stage 2)
The headmen of the villages were left in place, in the end. It burned in Zandi's guts, but she had delegated that and not given it her personal attention, and so decisions had been made that she had not approved of. Still, overall she could not argue with the results, especially since they were presented as a transition. Each of the new collectives had separate homes, but with larger faculties held in varying levels of common, and equalized fields. In most of those the former headmen had carved out some sort of position for themselves, but she consoled herself with the thought that once the councils spread out they would lose those...and apparently some who had used the nobility's backing a little too much had ended up losing their heads. Reading the reports did bring a smile to her face. It was good that people were taking justice into their own hands...
With all the estates within easy distance turned into collectives, she had begun overseeing preparation for the next set, using what was effectively bribery - while the existing ones had gotten slightly better houses, those which fully collectivized voluntarily would get the first agricultural equipment. She began setting up a team, a more trustworthy one, who would be responsible for verifying that the peasants did what they said they would...
The existing estates had all been turned into what are basically moshavim. The farmers have individual (equal) plots, with things like barns and silos and eventually tractors held in common. Progress has begun on establishing the first voluntary full cooperatives, which will be more like kibbutzim.
Full Council Reforms (2 Reform dice, 47+57=104)
She had made the reforms, made them with glee. When the first councils had been established, and the enemies of the revolution allowed in, she had argued against it fiercely, and now she was vindicated...and so she had practically a free hand in deciding what to change. As long as it reduced the likelihood of corruption, it would be acceptable. The Central Committee had offered their own opinions, and she had listened, but many did not fit her vision properly. Those had been discarded.
She of course knew the people would need a voice too, and so she had asked her supporters to gather some opinions of their own. To her disappointment, most of what they told her had to be discarded, but she supposed they currently lacked a great deal of class consciousness. Efforts on rectifying that on a more-than surface level had only just begun, she would need to speak to Comrade Kylis on that.
She shook away the distracting thoughts and turned back to the sheet of paper. She would need to have a proposal soon...
I will have a separate vote on the specifics of this, but it will involve some form of workplace councils, some level of disenfranchisement, and some restrictions on who can be elected above and beyond that.
Encourage Collectivization (1 chairman dice, 50/50) (1 Resource), Establish Farmers' Associations (1 chairman dice, 53/50)
While she struggled to make her decisions, she occasionally stopped by to see the Chairman. Comrade Zenus had remained only briefly in the city, but he also returned often after visiting some little peasant village with a load of supplies and a willingness to speak. The peasants were much happier to see him than the others, which only made sense, she supposed. The speakers didn't bring new buildings with them.
He would tell her a little about what happened, about how grateful the people were to have new stoves or whatever present he bought for them, how eager they were to listen to his promises, how enthusiastic they were about the prospect of politics. So enthusiastic they nearly rioted at the thought of being denied it, she thought, but the establishment of the Associations was good sense. It would ease the processes involved, break the power of village headmen, weaken the church...
Collectivization will go smoother, difficulty reduced.
Institute Rationing (1 Industrial dice, 68)
Rationing would prove vital. Already the stocks of supplies were running lower than she liked. Immediate efforts were enacted to cut back on waste in material. Children whose lessons had finished were paid with scraps of sweet to collect sawdust from carpenters for fuel, reclamation of useful material from the abandoned houses and businesses were stepped up, but even this was not enough, and one by one factories and shops producing goods deemed unnecessary were shut down.
She didn't like seeing that, but what came next was worse. The kitchen rations were cut, while the amount bought for them from the incoming peasants was increased so that less food made its way to markets. Riots nearly started but were calmed by the promise that it was temporary and the commitment of the Front to hold themselves to the same standards.
The meals were still filling, meat soup and bread with the occasional flavoring of herbs would never be bad, but the soup was thinner, the portions of bread smaller, there was less tea and vegetables. At least there was plenty of fuel to keep everyone warm...
Rationing is...not a popular measure, but there's no significant unrest as long as there's no corruption found.
Restart the Printing Presses (1 Industrial dice, 64) (1 Resource)
Propaganda had been a neglected front for some time. The printing presses were still sort-of running, but they usually lacked ink and paper. It took barely an hour's work for her to get factories for both to begin again, and while she was at it she arranged for the largest presses to be seized for the use of the Front. Now posters and papers could be printed, helping spread the truth of Kammanism and news of the Revolution.
As for the first thing to be printed? She didn't even consider it a question. Several hundred copies of the Kammanist Manifesto slid down the chute. She picked one up, looking over the words she knew by heart, and softly said the last sentences out loud.
"Workers of the world, unite! For you have nothing to lose but your chains."
Options for using pamphlets, posters, and propaganda unlocked.
Securing Fuel, Pt.2 (1 Industrial dice, 42+46/50, 38/200) (2 Resources)
The coal mines had begun some desultory operations in the week since they had left, mostly scrabbling at scraps of what was available, but after the deliveries of masks the workers went to work with enthusiasm, swinging picks and detonating small charges of gunpowder. Several men were killed or wounded working in the mines, and they were properly compensated, both by the coal miner's council and by the Front, but the coal flowed out, and another barrack was constructed and filled with workers, who joined in with somewhat less skill.
But the bulk of her focus was in preparations for expansion. The most experienced miners were identified, and new mines as well. It would be a massive operation, one that would likely have to wait until after winter to be completed, but every coal mine within reach would be in use once it was completed, guaranteeing an ample surplus until the mines ran dry.
Increase to coal supplies is enough to begin building up a stockpile, even with everyone using it for heating.
Agricultural Autocaster Construction (1 Industrial dice, 94+18/35, 77/80 Autocaster Workshops) (5 Aether, 10 Resources)
Autocasters were already in use industrially, but it was relatively uncommon for them to be used outside of the cities. To many of the villagers and their hedge witches, they were strange objects of superstition. But they were practical enough to take them anyway, even if they kept their old plows and harvesters in careful condition in case the strange machines broke.
Getting them built had been an incredible effort. There were only a few, but more would come, that had been promised. Avla had always been an incredible stronghold of the mage guilds, and so autocaster construction in the city had been rare and those who could make or repair them could charge a high price. Which meant she had to spend lots to persuade them to do the work, and give them everything they asked for, although at least most of it was used for the actual construction - the amount of steel they needed was unfortunate, as was the sheer number of Aether crystals, both to fuel them and to provide the autocasters with the magical framework needed to be able to cast the same spell again and again.
A trickle of agricultural autocasters has begun being distributed to farmers, and in the process industrial autocasters are almost ready to be produced again.
Maltka Reconstruction, Pt. 1 (1 Industrial dice, 75,60, 15/180 Maltka Reconstruction Pt. 2)
The work in Maltka was mostly done by prisoners. Prisoners carefully watched by trusted soldiers, both to make sure there were no escape attempts and to make sure the Red Guard in Maltka, the survivors of a savage uprising and an agonizing siege, did not make any attempts at retaliation. There were none.
Instead, the prisoners labored. They were all used to this. The captured peasants were used to farm labor, the soldiers to digging trenches. And clearing rubble was little different from either. They started in the lived-in sections, and slowly expanded outwards to the ruined factories. The streets were cleaned, the bodies buried.
With the streets clear, things could flow in and out. Timid peasants came in to give in what little spare food they had (and perhaps some that wasn't spare) to the kitchens, lumber, and cloth is hauled in to make temporary housing.
And a few repairs began, holes in walls filled to protect the inhabitants or equipment from the elements, and in one or two places, collapsed roofs were rebuilt.
Maltka is at least partly cleared of rubble, and the repair of damaged buildings has begun.
Hunting In Mass (1 council dice, 38/25) (1 Resource)
The councils decided that hunting would be a good way to gather more food. Hunting and trapping. They didn't really know how to go about it, of course, but some people pooled their wealth and hired woodsmen, former retainers, and the occasional poacher. Others simply took up weapons and relied on sheer numbers. And then they began to sweep the forests. Dozens of deer, hundreds of rabbits, and even a few bears were slain, along with all manner of other creatures that would not normally be eaten - snakes and turtles were both caught and eaten. People died in the process, of cold or getting slammed by a bear's paw or attacked by an Aethertouched beast, but sheer numbers and their coordination allowed them to gather large quantities of meat.
Some people even found snake meat quite delicious, and a few small-scale snake farms were established on the outskirts, run by cooperatives.
Food shortages somewhat alleviated.
Of Iron and Steel (1 Industrial dice, 80/50, 30/100 Of Iron and Steel Pt.2) (2 Resources)
The iron mines were still running, more or less seamlessly, and it only took a few explanations from the speakers to reorganize the miners as they began digging into the earth in eight-hour shifts, although they regularly worked overtime out of sheer enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the smelting complexes were being reorganized, new workers from the city traveling to add their hands to the work going on. Ore was brought in and heated, coked coal added in enormous quantities, and steel began to come out. The ingots were transported back to be shaped into weapons and tools of every kind in a constant flow of wagons, moving even through snow and bitter cold.
More Uniform Uniforms (1 Bejen dice, 72/40)
There had been something of an impromptu contest to design the new uniform, one which everyone had enjoyed very much, especially with some of the more elaborate and overdone proposals. But in the end, practicality and the desire not to be incredibly colorful won out. The new uniforms were mostly a deep gray, with a new set of rank insignia in which red stars and crescents and swords featured prominently. The soldiers and the Red Guards wore them with pride, their ranks now indistinguishable...and they had all made sure they had thick socks and good boots.
Before, they seemed half an army and half a mob. Now, they seemed more disciplined and resplendent than some of the armies who fought in the Great War. They were unified in cause, and now in appearance.
And quite a few of them looked very handsome when they strolled down the streets.
Your men have rather plain uniforms, but they are warm and in good condition and they are very proud of them.
Militia Drill (1 Bejen dice, 67/80)
"Left, left, left right left! Left, left, left right left!" The lieutenant called, marching alongside the rather ragged formation of militia, while a pair of sergeants seconded to the duty paced around them, bawling at anyone who failed to keep formation or pace. The militiamen had their faces set in determination, for just ahead them marched a band of the regular troops in perfect formation, carrying warcasters, wearing their new uniforms with undeniable pride.
If they could make a circuit behind the soldiers and stay in perfect formation and perfect time, they would be given the honor of wearing the same uniform. That was the bargain.
It was their eighth attempt and they seemed no closer than they did before. Bejen sighed and shook his head. Such things were to be expected, he supposed.
After they finished, they were taken inside for lectures on teamwork and supporting your comrades, followed by basic exercises to strengthen their bodies. Most were fit, but there were always a few who needed some extra encouragement.
The militia is learning how to march and the basics of soldiering. It's taking time.
Coordination With the Revolution (1 Bejen dice, 68/40)
Bejen sat on a horse and waited beside General Alexei, who had chosen to stand next to his, eyeing the creature with distrust. In the distance, a small party of people approached, dressed in a motley mix of tattered uniforms, ruined suits, and ordinary clothes. Some of them he recognized, and he could practically see them swallowing their disdain as they approached.
The discussion that followed was...difficult, it left heads aching and egos bruised, but the facts were undeniable. General Alexei was the highest-ranked officer who had gone over, he commanded the most troops, and it was his army that had the most victories. The entire Army of the Revolution would be under his command.
The rest of the week was spent in a blaze of taking the measure of other officers, meeting troops, reorganizing and repairing, expanding the staff to account for the new fronts, working with the improvised and hastily made Red Navy to try and establish some sort of shore defense...
You now have control of all military forces who have sided with you. Additional dice and actions have been added, and Operations has been divided into Fronts. Transporting troops from Front to Front will take time.
More Regular Recruiting (1 Bejen dice, 58/20)
They used abandoned stores for recruiting centers. New posters directed young men (and a few women) to sign up, promising good pay, fair treatment, and an opportunity to fight the aristocratic and capitalist forces which loom. Those who enter are given the opportunity to speak to former soldiers, given a few quick tests to make sure they have all their limbs and aren't incredibly unhealthy, and then they are sent off to join the militia. They are yelled at by sergeants and screamed at by lieutenants, and taught how to march and carry a weapon, and they are ever so slowly turned into soldiers.
You will gain 4d100 militia every turn.
Anti-Bandit Operations (2 Operations dice, 82+47), Town Garrisons (1 council dice, 58)
The Red Guard, the Militia, and the People's Army turned out in force, marching out in dozens of separate columns for separate goals. The Red Guard sought out enemies of the Revolution, dispersing to protect food shipments and hunt bandits in copses of trees.
??? vs. ??? = 12 vs. 16
The support of the peasants proved absolutely vital for them. Farmers and hunters, some of whom had survived the brutal attacks, some of whom had only heard about them, helped the Red Guard track the bandits, provided shelters and guides to the hard-to-find places, gave them warning of noises and mysterious movements that might have belonged to enemies. And so the bandits attacks began to fail more often or not, musket-wielding attackers falling to quick volleys of warcaster fire.
The few collaborators were exposed and executed, often by their furious neighbors, and with them died their ability to find targets and send messages clandestinely. .
And so the bandits began to change tactics. Their smaller bands began to gather and assault villages which had proved helpful, particularly targeting those who had begun to collectivize. The only problem was that in doing so, they encountered militia, backed by the young men of the peasants. (It had been decided that preventing them from helping was more trouble than it's worth....)
1d5+1+3+3+1 vs. 1d5+2+4+0+2 = 13 vs. 11
The militia held. Protected by the fortifications they had managed, fighting with their backs to the wall, firing from the windows of homes and churches, they held, but it was a bloody and bitter victory, and many bandits escaped when the Red Guard managed to gather their scattered detachments and come to the relief of the beleaguered villages. It was a scene repeated across a dozen, or more than a dozen, villages: bandits fleeing into the trees, throwing down their muskets, a few buying time for the rest. They didn't say it, but everyone knew what that message meant: they would be back.
And in a few villages, the Red Guard arrived to find only ash.
Meanwhile, the professional soldiers arrived to take charge of the town, to become responsible for keeping order. Here the rich had more dominance, by virtue of a greater proportion of the town's population having some source of income beyond the work of their hands or because the work they did paid well. Here lived many petty mages and bureaucrats, bankers and architects and doctors and lawyers...and here order would be kept. Tensions were high. The soldiers stayed in groups, citizens did as well. In a few there riots, a few more saw incidents of lesser unrest. Overall, everything was kept under control with minimal casualties. It probably helped that there was no evidence of collaboration with hostile forces found, which meant no one needed to be executed.
Walk Among the Workers (2 chairman dice, 37+72 = 109)
Chairman Zenus had decided to visit the towns, to see the impact his Revolution had among those who did not favor it. The results were...not favorable. The towns were suffering. A lot of the work they had once done had vanished - the lawyers could no longer practice law, the doctors could no longer charge for medical services, the bureaucrats were no longer involved with governance. Many wandered aimlessly during what had once been their workdays, dazed looks on their faces. Many others glowered angrily at anything that reminded them of the changes: the soldiers in their grey uniforms, the speakers sent to preach the benefits of Kammanism, the kitchens feeding any who came.
No one was starving, no one was freezing, no one was being made to choose which daughter to give up to the guards, no one was suffering the horrible abuses he had witnessed so often. But they were suffering all the same, from confusion and terror and uncertainty and humiliation. And the rumors which drifted among them did not help either.
He sat inside the barracks and thought. For there must be a way to reconcile them to the new order...
Special Event: The Banker's Offer
He was still thinking when he returned to Avla, to what was now simply called the Headquarters. The opulent halls made him uncomfortable as he stalked through them, trying to find a way to cut the knot. As he walked, he found himself suddenly on the floor, a young woman standing above him. "Oh, forgive me, Comrade Chairman, I didn't mean to run into you, I mean...there's someone here to see you, Comrade Chairman, he's with Comrade Stefan and Comrade Zandi now in the Committee Meeting Room."
Comrade Zenus nodded, thanked her, and walked off, his guards hurrying behind. In the meeting room, he saw his two committee members, both sitting very properly, their hands neatly folded. He sighed, wondering what they were fighting about now. Then he noticed the third individual: a rather fat man, his fingers marked where rings used to be, in a deep blue suit.
"Hello, friend," Zenus said, stepping out of the shadows, and the man looked up.
"You're still alive? I thought you had been arrested in Tuvak!" he gasped, paling slightly.
"No chain can hold the revolutionary spirit."
The fat man coughed. "Yes, anyway, I have a proposition for you. You know my name, you know my reputation. I run a half dozen food banks in this city alone, I have spent a great deal of my fortune sponsoring reformist candidates and charitable initiatives...and I still have plenty left. It can be yours, if you like."
Zenus blinked. So did Zandi and Stefan. The man had just offered them the wealth of one of the largest banks in the country.
"More than that. You will have my endorsement, the assistance of those I employ, my name. That can be worth quite a lot, both during this war and after. Some of those I am representing have similar offers."
"What's your price?" Comrade Zandi demanded.
"First of all, protection from prosecution for prior deeds. Second, we'll want the same political privileges anyone else would get under your system, at least for ourselves personally and those who work with us. Third, we want something of our own: you will be nationalizing the banks, I assume, since that's in your manifesto, but you'll still need people to help run it. We'll want to be part of that. This isn't something I can negotiate on. It's all or nothing."
[] Yes. You will gain a considerable amount of Wealth immediately, and access to some more later. You will also gain the benefit of an endorsement of a man popular with large portions of both the working class and the establishment, which will have political ramifications. You will gain the benefit of experience for when you start doing financial projects. You will be obligated to give some specific people you might not have the ability to vote, to look away from some past crimes, and to at least hear them out when it comes to some financial matters, but those are small considerations. And nothing says you have to listen to them...
[] No. They might have good motivations, or they might be looking to disrupt and corrupt the Revolution. You will send him away empty-handed.