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A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover

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Adhoc vote count started by Goldfish on Nov 28, 2019 at 9:50 AM, finished with 32 posts and 11 votes.
  • [X] Royal aid to build a castle fit for a high lord upon Oldstones and the infrastructure around it to make it the centerpiece of large-scale settlement. House Frey will be a mighty power in the local area, and having a counter-weight to their influence will be useful to you in the future. Not so mismatched a pairing in vassalage as that held between House Tully and Houses Bracken and Blackwood who are both Great Houses in their own right, but more equal than Walder might be comfortable with. House Keath will be one among many Riverland Houses to gain a city charter for themselves, the area is too rich in farmland and criminally underdeveloped given how integral the rivers will be to trade.
Click to expand...
 
Alright, here's my
General Proposal for Research Actions in 12th Month
[] The Final Contravention: With how far you have come, and how many you broke off from Hells' leash, perhaps you can go around the Pact Primeval in a way none before you had - and utilise the Lawful nature of all Devils to create a Ritual that would be capable of severing their connection to Hells regardless of their exact kind, or strength. (Progress: 23/30, Cost: 20.000 IM)
----Lya [Second body] (4d6 Progress)

[] Safety in Numbers: The Hell-forged talismans you recovered from slavers in Gogoss may just be the answer to the problem of protecting the soldiers of your Legions, or at least one not excessively expensive-
-[] Research a way for (earlier created) Valyrian Steel Banners be made into capacitors for spell Protection From Evil, covering hundreds of Legion members at a time.
(Progress: ??/35, Cost: 45000) -- We haven't got the results on it yet, but it's less than certain we'll have it done in 11th month.
----Velen (4d6 Progress), Bloom the Bridjidine (4d6 Progress) --8d6 Progress total.

[] Project Praetorian: WIth use of Fleshforges, create the sort of soldiers that could reasonably fight even Outsiders - elites and Champions the Empire will need in the coming years. (Progress 40, Cost 35,000 IM)
----Qyburn (4d6 Progress); Elaheh Marita (4d6 Progress + 1d6 for specialization) -- 9d6 Progress total

[] Dreamscaping: The realm of dreams is an odd thing, shaped by the minds of mortals and shaping them in return, though some beings such as Yss have shown you that it can be altered in more direct ways. You will need to learn about such shaping before you can hope to leverage the dreamscape for your grand work. (Progress: 20, requires Dany, progress added by other characters is halved) -- We haven't had the report here either, but with halving it is impossible to be done with it mathematically anyway.
-----Aenie Caleris (4d6 Progress + 1d6 for specialization)

[] The Forge Restored: Centuries of disuse and the waning of magic it survived done little good to one of the most potent weapons of Valyria... Something you had yet to fix.
-[] Increase in CR of creatures available to create in Fleshforge of Lys to 15 (Progress: 10, Cost: )
----Urak the Forgemaster (4d6 Progress + 1d6 for specialization)

[] To Curb a Dreadful Hunger: The Far-Spawn being that had once been disguised as a chest hungers for the flesh of thinking beings, but it is more than its instincts are, however strange. Perhaps the forge could help it live on the healthier fare (Progress: 5, Cost: 4000 IM) -- Would also allow us to safely feed "The Many" - the illithid-like worms looted on PoW.
----Vee (4d6 Progress)

[] Works of Flesh: With the aid of the Flesh-Forge beneath Lys you can craft or improve all manner of beings to better serve your needs and those of your realm:
-[] Create cosmetic variations of Leshys (Progress: 2, Cost: None)
-[] Create the adamantine-like bone, using the samples from Rhango's knife (Progress: 4, Cost: 5000 IM)
----Aemon Naremos (4d6 Progress)

[] The Bloodchain: The weapon Valaena wields is a powerful one indeed... Yet, with recent breakthroughs of yours, it clearly can be made better. Upgrade Valaena's Chain to Valyrian Steel (Progress: 6, Cost: )
----Valeria Wondersmith (4d6 Progress)

[] Reforging Anew the Secrets Lost: The technique of making Seeker-constructs was lost alongside Valyria itself... Until you took the forge of Gogoss and it's secrets. However, for all their utility, the method of their creation... is severely lacking.
-[] Re-create the ritual technique necessary to create Seekers, without a need for unborn children, or otherwise equally unethical resources, to be used.
(Progress: 25, Cost: )
----Vee (4d6 Progress), Mantarys Scholarum Branch (+2d6 Progress), Tolos Scholarum Branch (+2d6 Progress) -- 8d6 Progress Total

[] Waves of the Sea, on Depths and Fire Turned: research the wardings if the Marid house of Mardja.
-[] Wards that would be able to protect the coastal regions and cities of Plane of Balance (Progress: 30, Cost: 80.000 IM)
----Breath Taker (4d6 Progress), Stepstones Scholarum Branch (2d6 Progress), Naria Loreseeker (4d6 progress) - 10d6 Progress Total

[] Forge of Creation: With Anu having finally restored the ritual necessary for the creation of his kin, much may change... But for now, that is but a single ritual. To truly bring his people to life, something yet grander Is needed.
-[] Organise a magi-industrial complex capable of producing Warforged en-mass. (Progress: 18/30, Cost: )
----Anu (4d6 Progress)

[] The Heavy Thoughts: The Mindspeak that some creatures wield in this day and age has proven it's utility time and time again - and finding a way to grant the ability to use it holds great promise in most various fields.
-[] Find a way to evoke the ability for Telepathy in those without innate talent for it.
(Progress: 8, Cost: 7500 IM)
----Svitran (4d6 Progress)

[] Watchful Eyes, by Aeons Untouched: Attempt to create the Watchman-Creature template (Progress: 25, Cost: ??)
----Volantis Scholarum branch (2d6 Progress), Naath Scholarum branch (2d6 Progress) -- 4d6 Progress total.

[] The Stone of Memories, The Stone of Visions: The mysterious Serpentstone Projector you recovered from the deeper parts of Riz'Neth's city may not look like much... But you have learned quite well how much but a little show before the audience as large as cities could mean for a ruler.
-[] Research the Serpentstone Projectors, emphasizing the function of recording visual and auditory signals - something that may well be priceless if a way is found to make more of such "recorders" cheaply, and also searching for a way to integrate them with the MirrorVision network - allowing to both (hopefully) make MirrorVision sets cheaper and easier to make, and to store transmissions shown - perhaps allowing for plays and speeches to be replayed in the future? (Progress: 45, Cost: 50.000 IM)
----Riz'Neth (4d6 Progress), Tyrosh Scholarum branch (2d6 Progress) -- 6d6 Progress total.

Full roster:
Minions, Companions:
-Lya (body #2)
-Aemon Naremos
-Bloom the Brijidine
-Valeria Wondersmith
-Naria Loreseeker
-Velen
-Anu
-Svitran
-Vee
-Elaheh Marita (+1d6 to Fleshcrafting-related)
-Qyburn
-Riz'Neth
-Breath Taker
-Aenie Caleris (+1d6 to Dreamlands-related)
-Urak the Forgemaster (+1d6 to Fleshcrafting-related)
--------------------------
Scholarum Branches:
-Stepstones
-Tyrosh
-Volantis
-Mantarys
-Tolos
-Naath
The Final Contravention: This is simple. With this, we could effectively poach any kind of Devil in Mammon's employ - getting rid of a need to make a separate ritual for every new variant we come across. And useful minions he has aplenty, even aside from Erynies.
Also allows us to rub it in his face a bit more.
An all-around win in my books :V

Safety in Numbers: A huge priority to have by the time Illithid-action comes by, let alone when we'll set off to Westeros. Without this, even a random skirmish could seriously wreck Legioners, who have no protections against mind-whamming otherwise.

Project Praetorian: We want our own Spacemarines supersoldiers to be ready before Westeros, I think? About time we started on that, since we now have enough decent Fleshcrafters to throw at the problem.
The fact that their interaction will be hilarious in entirely coincidental :whistle:

Dreamscaping: We got nothing better to put Saenna's daughter on, and she does have a specialization in Dreamlands-related research, so even with the halving of Progress made, she'll be moving us closer to the creation of Imperial Deity, slowly but surely so.

The Forge Restored: Duh. This limit is really limiting in lots of regards. The sooner it's gone - the better. CR 15 plant-creatures will certainly be of use to us in many, many fields.

To Curb a Dreadful Hunger: I was never a fan of feeding that Mimic, and saw no point to it.
Now though, we have relatively friendly mutant Illithid larvae, and those need food. So, food we'll get them.
Ethically.
All praise Fungal Pods and how we can grow flesh out of nowhere, even brain-flesh? Yey.

Works of Flesh: A light trimming of the huge list of RAs here.
Adamantine!Bone will get us a unique material to trade outside the plane (which we can grow for much cheaper, because Fungal Pods), as well as great material to make OG!Sacrificial Spears and weapons/armor for Druids.
And non-creepy Leshy had been stewing in their own dark corner for so long, that they are all but free as research by now.

Reforging Anew the Secrets Lost: Seekers are really good at what they do, and offer neat basis for further experiments, but we have only so many of them because ancient Valyrians had no morals in their search of glorious EFFICIENCY.
As admirable as that is, we can't really go that way IC, so re-doing the process it is.

Waves of the Sea, on Depths and Fire Turned: There are two actions available from that lore, actually.
But preparing the trap for Efreeti can wait well enough - whereas the Deep Ones are all but on our door and we kinda have to hurry with studying it if we want to implement anti-Aberration mass-wards before it's too late.

Forge of Creation: Slow and steady wins the... eh, whatever.
No real good place to fit Anu in, and his project will get us another source of semi-elite units (while being an essential step for perspective halping the Inevitables).

The Heavy Thoughts: Mindsight is great, and making more creatures with it would be a huge thing, as far as I understood.
It's also not really Psionic in nature in this setting, since Snek-people have it naturally, and so do some Pseudodragons (and now Mind Dragons).

Watchful Eyes, by Aeons Untouched: I was told this template is great and we should go for it.
Okay, let's go, then. It's a bit hefty of an RA though, for a template.

The Stone of Memories, The Stone of Visions: We want that done eventually, so we better start somewhen. If nothing else, the kind of propaganda we could push through with more advanced and cheap TVs, would be something mind-shaking indeed.

The Bloodchain: ...Honestly, I only include it because I promised someone last turn that I'll try to fit it in. it's not time-critical, but neither will it take away anyone too important.

Any of y'all have arguments for/against this?
Here's the list of Research Actions, if anybody lost it :V
 
egoo said:
[] Works of Flesh: With the aid of the Flesh-Forge beneath Lys you can craft or improve all manner of beings to better serve your needs and those of your realm:
-[] Create cosmetic variations of Leshys (Progress: 2, Cost: None)
-[] Create the adamantine-like bone, using the samples from Rhango's knife (Progress: 4, Cost: 5000 IM)
----Aemon Naremos (4d6 Progress)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Can we do that?
He has a place-bound fief to work on, can we use him for a task that requires a different location without issues?
 
Artemis1992 said:
Can we do that?
He has a place-bound fief to work on, can we use him for a task that requires a different location without issues?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Hell if I know to be honest, but he is marked as a "researcher" in the sheets, and he did work on "the Final Contravention" this month.

He can probably work at it in his place..?
And if he can't, we can forego it for a bit more, too. It's just that minor.
 
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Interlude DCLIII: Of Broken Fates
  • Threadmarks
    • Of Broken Fates ​

    Thirteenth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

    House of Master Coryn, Yin, Yi Ti

    Hua Fen woke with a start, her limbs tangled in the unfamiliar silk sheets. For a brief moment she thought herself back in her childhood home, the whole of her time in Yin nothing but a fleeting dream. The bed was too high, she realized. I'm... the foreigners, it all came rushing back, being found out by strange foreigners with magic just as strange to the Golden Empire, offering her aid, curious to learn more, the favor of the Son of Heaven, the plot undone. The polished wooden floor was cool beneath her feet, her host had graciously gotten rid of the carpets at Fen's request, but there was still something strange in the air, a heaviness like the sweltering heat at midday before the rains came.

    The shutters creaked in the wind, hadn't she locked those? Ever since Fen had taken to wearing a man's guise she had always been careful to lock the doors and windows to any room in which she might be revealed. Scolding herself for her carelessness the young woman rose to her feet and went to close the window, yet before she could reach out to touch it a sudden gust of wind blew them open to reveal a sight so dreadful that Fen stood rooted in place.

    Beyond was the city of Yn, filed with lantern light and the comings and goings of its people even at this late hour, but the further one watched towards the horizon, the more darkness ruled. Windows grew dark and pillars rotted, the guardian carvings in the corners of the roofs took on a fiendish look, and in the distance the moon, corpse-pale and bloated, lay as though in the grip of a shadowy claw.


    "Is it not beautiful," a voice low and scratchy like rusted nails on slate called out from the dark. Hunched and deformed yet somehow fast... so fast was the fiend with the head of a snarling tiger reached for Fen. It was covered in a patchwork of colorful silks taken from a hundred defiled priestly vestments and in one hand it held a skull with eyes of clouded jade. "Come now, you can be a part of it, yes... just like you have always wanted to."


    "Liar!" Fen found her voice in a burst of anger, her formerly outstretched hand tightening into a fist in the same instant. For all she had been taught all her life that there was no greater dishonor for a lady of high rank than to brawl like a drunken peasant, not to mention the obvious impracticality of striking this thing barehanded, she was still only a moment away from doing it. "I am nothing like you and your ilk, defiler. You are less than a maggot crawling through the head of a rancid pig for that is what you would become if you had the courage to face the judgement of the Fates rather than linger here on earth to trouble the living."

    The fiend's lips peeled back from its fangs, but not in anger. It started to laugh, the sounds like the yowls of a dying cat. "Maggot am I? An offense to the Fates? Then what are you? A willful, arrogant, disobedient girl who wishes to make a fool of her father by proving him wrong? Perhaps you think the Fates were wrong too, yes? To have made you a woman instead of the man you were clearly meant to be with your wit and wisdom? All of them are liars and hypocrites, pushing others down into the shadow that they might bask in the dying light."

    "No... no you are just trying to tempt me to..." Fen could not find the words. Were there words that could answer the thing? Should she even be talking to it? More insidious still was the thought that wormed its way into her mind. If I stop listening to it does that make it right?

    "Join us who have been cast down as you have been, unjustly by cruel and fickle spirits," the creature continued. "You will never have to be alone again. We are many and more gather with each turning of the moon."

    The part of Fen that loved puzzle boxes and games, that would read through the sayings of wisemen by candlelight long into the night weighed the argument as dispassionately as it ever had those others even as her outer self was beset by doubt. And she found it... lacking. "I do not think the Fates should have made me a man, but that I aught to have been given the chance to sit in examination on the strength of my learning, to triumph or to fail. I ask for the chance to ascend, not to tear down the whole edifice of Empire."

    A rough growl escaped the fiend's misshapen maw. "A pity. We shall have to do this the other way."

    Fen's hands reached out blindly upon the table by the window, one of the heavy leather bound foreign books. Better than nothing. She lifted the thing to strike the fiend, maybe make it drop its skull while she rushed for the door.

    Yet before Fen could put her desperate plan into action a second voice called out through her bedchamber, familiar but only faintly so. "That is what you call temptation?"

    The lady Azema fell upon the fiend with claw, fang, and crimson wings outstretched. Yet for all the guise that seemed scarce less terrible than her foe Fen heard her in her mind. "Get away, I'll handle this!"

    OOC: Azema is in for a hell of a fight, the rakshasa picked his moment well.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • egoo said:
    Alright, here's my
    General Proposal for Research Actions in 12th Month
    [] The Final Contravention: With how far you have come, and how many you broke off from Hells' leash, perhaps you can go around the Pact Primeval in a way none before you had - and utilise the Lawful nature of all Devils to create a Ritual that would be capable of severing their connection to Hells regardless of their exact kind, or strength. (Progress: 23/30, Cost: 20.000 IM)
    ----Lya [Second body] (4d6 Progress)

    [] Safety in Numbers: The Hell-forged talismans you recovered from slavers in Gogoss may just be the answer to the problem of protecting the soldiers of your Legions, or at least one not excessively expensive-
    -[] Research a way for (earlier created) Valyrian Steel Banners be made into capacitors for spell Protection From Evil, covering hundreds of Legion members at a time.
    (Progress: ??/35, Cost: 45000) -- We haven't got the results on it yet, but it's less than certain we'll have it done in 11th month.
    ----Velen (4d6 Progress), Bloom the Bridjidine (4d6 Progress) --8d6 Progress total.

    [] Project Praetorian: WIth use of Fleshforges, create the sort of soldiers that could reasonably fight even Outsiders - elites and Champions the Empire will need in the coming years. (Progress 40, Cost 35,000 IM)
    ----Qyburn (4d6 Progress); Elaheh Marita (4d6 Progress + 1d6 for specialization) -- 9d6 Progress total

    [] Dreamscaping: The realm of dreams is an odd thing, shaped by the minds of mortals and shaping them in return, though some beings such as Yss have shown you that it can be altered in more direct ways. You will need to learn about such shaping before you can hope to leverage the dreamscape for your grand work. (Progress: 20, requires Dany, progress added by other characters is halved) -- We haven't had the report here either, but with halving it is impossible to be done with it mathematically anyway.
    -----Aenie Caleris     (4d6 Progress + 1d6 for specialization)

    [] The Forge Restored: Centuries of disuse and the waning of magic it survived done little good to one of the most potent weapons of Valyria... Something you had yet to fix.
    -[] Increase in CR of creatures available to create in Fleshforge of Lys to 15 (Progress: 10, Cost: )
    ----Urak the Forgemaster     (4d6 Progress + 1d6 for specialization)

    [] To Curb a Dreadful Hunger: The Far-Spawn being that had once been disguised as a chest hungers for the flesh of thinking beings, but it is more than its instincts are, however strange. Perhaps the forge could help it live on the healthier fare (Progress: 5, Cost: 4000 IM) -- Would also allow us to safely feed "The Many" - the illithid-like worms looted on PoW.
    ----Vee (4d6 Progress)

    [] Works of Flesh: With the aid of the Flesh-Forge beneath Lys you can craft or improve all manner of beings to better serve your needs and those of your realm:
    -[] Create cosmetic variations of Leshys (Progress: 2, Cost: None)
    -[] Create the adamantine-like bone, using the samples from Rhango's knife (Progress: 4, Cost: 5000 IM)
    ----Aemon Naremos (4d6 Progress)

    [] The Bloodchain: The weapon Valaena wields is a powerful one indeed... Yet, with recent breakthroughs of yours, it clearly can be made better. Upgrade Valaena's Chain to Valyrian Steel (Progress: 6, Cost: )
    ----Valeria Wondersmith (4d6 Progress)

    [] Reforging Anew the Secrets Lost: The technique of making Seeker-constructs was lost alongside Valyria itself... Until you took the forge of Gogoss and it's secrets. However, for all their utility, the method of their creation... is severely lacking.
    -[] Re-create the ritual technique necessary to create Seekers, without a need for unborn children, or otherwise equally unethical resources, to be used.
    (Progress: 25, Cost: )
    ----Vee (4d6 Progress), Mantarys Scholarum Branch (+2d6 Progress), Tolos Scholarum Branch (+2d6 Progress) -- 8d6 Progress Total

    [] Waves of the Sea, on Depths and Fire Turned: research the wardings if the Marid house of Mardja.
    -[] Wards that would be able to protect the coastal regions and cities of Plane of Balance (Progress: 30, Cost: 80.000 IM)
    ----Breath Taker (4d6 Progress), Stepstones Scholarum Branch (2d6 Progress), Naria Loreseeker (4d6 progress) - 10d6 Progress Total

    [] Forge of Creation: With Anu having finally restored the ritual necessary for the creation of his kin, much may change... But for now, that is but a single ritual. To truly bring his people to life, something yet grander Is needed.
    -[] Organise a magi-industrial complex capable of producing Warforged en-mass. (Progress: 18/30, Cost: )
    ----Anu (4d6 Progress)

    [] The Heavy Thoughts: The Mindspeak that some creatures wield in this day and age has proven it's utility time and time again - and finding a way to grant the ability to use it holds great promise in most various fields.
    -[] Find a way to evoke the ability for Telepathy in those without innate talent for it.
    (Progress: 8, Cost: 7500 IM)
    ----Svitran (4d6 Progress)

    [] Watchful Eyes, by Aeons Untouched: Attempt to create the Watchman-Creature template (Progress: 25, Cost: ??)
    ----Volantis Scholarum branch (2d6 Progress), Naath Scholarum branch (2d6 Progress) -- 4d6 Progress total.

    [] The Stone of Memories, The Stone of Visions: The mysterious Serpentstone Projector you recovered from the deeper parts of Riz'Neth's city may not look like much... But you have learned quite well how much but a little show before the audience as large as cities could mean for a ruler.
    -[] Research the Serpentstone Projectors, emphasizing the function of recording visual and auditory signals - something that may well be priceless if a way is found to make more of such "recorders" cheaply, and also searching for a way to integrate them with the MirrorVision network - allowing to both (hopefully) make MirrorVision sets cheaper and easier to make, and to store transmissions shown - perhaps allowing for plays and speeches to be replayed in the future? (Progress: 45, Cost: 50.000 IM)
    ----Riz'Neth (4d6 Progress), Tyrosh Scholarum branch (2d6 Progress) -- 6d6 Progress total.

    Full roster:
    Minions, Companions:
    -Lya (body #2)
    -Aemon Naremos
    -Bloom the Brijidine
    -Valeria Wondersmith
    -Naria Loreseeker
    -Velen
    -Anu
    -Svitran
    -Vee
    -Elaheh Marita (+1d6 to Fleshcrafting-related)
    -Qyburn
    -Riz'Neth
    -Breath Taker
    -Aenie Caleris (+1d6 to Dreamlands-related)
    -Urak the Forgemaster (+1d6 to Fleshcrafting-related)
    --------------------------
    Scholarum Branches:
    -Stepstones
    -Tyrosh
    -Volantis
    -Mantarys
    -Tolos
    -Naath
    The Final Contravention: This is simple. With this, we could effectively poach any kind of Devil in Mammon's employ - getting rid of a need to make a separate ritual for every new variant we come across. And useful minions he has aplenty, even aside from Erynies.
    Also allows us to rub it in his face a bit more.
    An all-around win in my books :V

    Safety in Numbers: A huge priority to have by the time Illithid-action comes by, let alone when we'll set off to Westeros. Without this, even a random skirmish could seriously wreck Legioners, who have no protections against mind-whamming otherwise.

    Project Praetorian: We want our own Spacemarines supersoldiers to be ready before Westeros, I think? About time we started on that, since we now have enough decent Fleshcrafters to throw at the problem.
    The fact that their interaction will be hilarious in entirely coincidental :whistle:

    Dreamscaping: We got nothing better to put Saenna's daughter on, and she does have a specialization in Dreamlands-related research, so even with the halving of Progress made, she'll be moving us closer to the creation of Imperial Deity, slowly but surely so.

    The Forge Restored: Duh. This limit is really limiting in lots of regards. The sooner it's gone - the better. CR 15 plant-creatures will certainly be of use to us in many, many fields.

    To Curb a Dreadful Hunger: I was never a fan of feeding that Mimic, and saw no point to it.
    Now though, we have relatively friendly mutant Illithid larvae, and those need food. So, food we'll get them.
    Ethically.
    All praise Fungal Pods and how we can grow flesh out of nowhere, even brain-flesh? Yey.

    Works of Flesh: A light trimming of the huge list of RAs here.
    Adamantine!Bone will get us a unique material to trade outside the plane (which we can grow for much cheaper, because Fungal Pods), as well as great material to make OG!Sacrificial Spears and weapons/armor for Druids.
    And non-creepy Leshy had been stewing in their own dark corner for so long, that they are all but free as research by now.

    Reforging Anew the Secrets Lost: Seekers are really good at what they do, and offer neat basis for further experiments, but we have only so many of them because ancient Valyrians had no morals in their search of glorious EFFICIENCY.
    As admirable as that is, we can't really go that way IC, so re-doing the process it is.

    Waves of the Sea, on Depths and Fire Turned: There are two actions available from that lore, actually.
    But preparing the trap for Efreeti can wait well enough - whereas the Deep Ones are all but on our door and we kinda have to hurry with studying it if we want to implement anti-Aberration mass-wards before it's too late.

    Forge of Creation: Slow and steady wins the... eh, whatever.
    No real good place to fit Anu in, and his project will get us another source of semi-elite units (while being an essential step for perspective halping the Inevitables).

    The Heavy Thoughts: Mindsight is great, and making more creatures with it would be a huge thing, as far as I understood.
    It's also not really Psionic in nature in this setting, since Snek-people have it naturally, and so do some Pseudodragons (and now Mind Dragons).

    Watchful Eyes, by Aeons Untouched: I was told this template is great and we should go for it.
    Okay, let's go, then. It's a bit hefty of an RA though, for a template.

    The Stone of Memories, The Stone of Visions: We want that done eventually, so we better start somewhen. If nothing else, the kind of propaganda we could push through with more advanced and cheap TVs, would be something mind-shaking indeed.

    The Bloodchain: ...Honestly, I only include it because I promised someone last turn that I'll try to fit it in. it's not time-critical, but neither will it take away anyone too important.

    Any of y'all have arguments for/against this?
    Here's the list of Research Actions, if anybody lost it :V
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I know some of ya'll might still have your hearts set on it, but I think we should completely abandon the Praetorian Project research before we actually put any time or resources into it.

    I was just looking over Azel's notes and write-up for them and they simply are not worth the resource expenditure. Each CR 6 Praetorian is slated to cost 4,500 IM plus 40 pounds of Adamantine (the value of which I cannot currently recall) and that is far in excess of what they are actually worth. We can use either the Fungal or Flesh Forge to grow a CR 10 creature for 4,800 IM. A CR 6 creature, such as one of our Warden Bio-Constructs would only cost 1,200 IM, meaning we could get four of them for less than the cost of a single Praetorian.

    I would much rather focus our research on improving the Forges, making Seekers available without requiring unborn children, gaining access to templates, etc.
     
    Last edited:
    Ouch.
    Common Rakshasa is CR 10, a good bit too much for Azema with a CR 5 (I think) chassis and 1 level.
    She better get reinforcements.
     
    Goldfish said:
    I know some of ya'll might still have your hearts set on it, but I think we should completely abandon the Praetorian Project research before we actually put any time or resources into it.

    I was just looking over Azel's notes and write-up for them and they simply are not worth the resource expenditure. Each CR 6 Praetorian is slated to cost 4,500 IM plus 40 pounds of Adamantine (the value of which I cannot currently recall) and that far in excess of what they are actually worth. We can use either the Fungal or Flesh Forge to grow a CR 10 creature for 4,800 IM. A CR 6 creature, such as one of our Warden Bio-Constructs would only cost 1,200 IM, meaning we could get four of them for less than the cost of a single Praetorian.

    I would much rather focus our research on improving the Forges, making Seekers available without requiring unborn children, gaining access to templates, etc.
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    I disagree with this. Praetorians and Warden Bio-Constructs have fundamentally different roles. Praetorians aren't just body-guards, they're also impromptu commanders who can command legionnaires and other men if necessary. You can't just use price as the sole argument here. Seekers on the other hand absolutely need a commander since they can't do things independently.

    Moreover, regarding the adamantine, 40 lbs is downright tiny if you look at our current stockpiles and consider that if we want more all it takes is another raid of the Efreeti.
     
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    Of Broken Fates ​

    Thirteenth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

    House of Master Coryn, Yin, Yi Ti

    Hua Fen woke with a start, her limbs tangled in the unfamiliar silk sheets. For a brief moment she thought herself back in her childhood home, the whole of her time in Yin nothing but a fleeting dream. The bed was too high, she realized. I'm... the foreigners, it all came rushing back, being found out by strange foreigners with magic just as strange to the Golden Empire, offering her aid, curious to learn more, the favor of the Son of Heaven, the plot undone. The polished wooden floor was cool beneath her feet, her host had graciously gotten rid of the carpets at Fen's request, but there was still something strange in the air, a heaviness like the sweltering heat at midday before the rains came.

    The shutters creaked in the wind. Hadn't she locked those? Ever since Fen had taken to wearing a man's guise she had always been careful to lock the doors and windows to any room in which she might be revealed. Scolding herself for her carelessness, the young woman rose to her feet and went to close the window. Before she could reach out to touch it, a sudden gust of wind swept the shutters open to reveal a sight so dreadful that Fen stood rooted in place.

    Beyond was the city of Yin, filled with lantern light and the comings and goings of its people even at this late hour, but the further one watched towards the horizon, the more darkness ruled. Windows grew dark and pillars rotted, the guardian carvings in the corners of the roofs took on a fiendish mien, and in the distance the moon, corpse-pale and bloated, lay as though in the grip of a shadowy claw.


    "Is it not beautiful?" a voice, low and scratchy like rusted nails on slate, called out from the dark. Hunched and deformed yet somehow fast... so fast a fiend with the head of a snarling tiger reached for Fen. It was covered in a patchwork of colorful silks taken from a hundred defiled priestly vestments, and in one hand it held a skull with eyes of clouded jade. "Come now, you can be a part of it. Yes...just like you have always wanted to."


    "Liar!" Fen found her voice in a burst of anger, her formerly outstretched hand tightening into a fist in the same instant. For all she had been taught all her life, that there was no greater dishonor for a lady of high rank than to brawl like a drunken peasant, not to mention the obvious impracticality of striking this thing barehanded, she was still only a moment away from doing so. "I am nothing like you and your ilk, defiler. You are less than a maggot crawling through the head of a rancid pig, for that is what you would become if you had the courage to face the judgement of the Fates rather than linger here on earth to trouble the living."

    The fiend's lips peeled back from its fangs, but not in anger. It started to laugh, the sounds like the yowls of a dying cat. "Maggot am I? An offense to the Fates? Then what are you? A willful, arrogant, disobedient girl who wishes to make a fool of her father by proving him wrong? Perhaps you think the Fates were wrong too, yes? To have made you a woman instead of the man you were clearly meant to be, with your wit and wisdom? All of them are liars and hypocrites, pushing others down into the shadow so that they might bask in the dying light."

    "No... no, you are just trying to tempt me to..." Fen could not find the words. Were there words that could answer the thing? Should she even be talking to it? More insidious still, the thought wormed its way into her mind. If I stop listening to it, does that make it right?

    "Join us who have been cast down as you have been, unjustly mocked by cruel and fickle spirits," the creature continued. "You will never have to be alone again. We are many and more gather with each turning of the moon."

    The part of Fen that loved puzzle boxes and games, that would read though the sayings of wisemen by candlelight long into the night, weighed the argument as dispassionately as it ever had those others even as her outer self was beset by doubt. And she found it... lacking. "I do not think the fates should have made me a man, but that I aught to have been given the chance to sit in examination on the strength of my learning, to triumph or to fail. I ask for the chance to ascend, not to tear down the whole edifice of Empire."

    A rough growl escaped the fiend's misshapen maw. "A pity. We shall have to do this the other way."

    Fen's hands reached out blindly upon the table by the window, one of the heavy leather bound foreign books. Better than nothing. She lifted the thing to strike the fiend, maybe make it drop its skull while she rushed for the door.

    Yet before Fen could put her desperate plan into action, a second voice called out though her bedchamber, familiar but only faintly so. "That is what you call temptation?"

    The lady Azema fell upon the fiend with claw and fang and crimson wings outstretched. Yet for all the guise that seemed scarcely less terrible than her foe, Fen heard her in her mind. "Get away, I'll handle this!"

    OOC: Azema is in for a hell of a fight, the rakshasa picked his moment well. Not yet edited.
    Here's an edited version of the chapter, @DragonParadox.
     
    Looooks like we might be resurrecting Azema.

    In the best case.

    Hua Fen is not going to get off that easily.
     
    Goldfish said:
    I would much rather focus our research on improving the Forges
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    @Duesal, @Goldfish, Just as a quick note I feel is important to share, after a bit of a discussion with DP, a previous ruling has been overturned.

    We cannot, in fact, improve the Fleshforges anymore, as such.
    Repair, yes, that's within our capabilities and easy enough now.

    But they have been the result of centuries of madmen-mages min-maxing in a high-magic Empire.
    Upgrading the Forges beyond making CR 15 is reasonably compared with trying to upgrade The Wall - we are far, far away from even starting such a project.
    DragonParadox said:
    one young woman with five levels of expert and a book.
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    Okay, if Anime taught me anything, the Rakshasa is fucked.
    :V
     
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    Also, holy hell, Azema has balls.

    That's not brave, that's borderline suicidal... which honestly leads me to believe she has backup coming, and really doesn't want to lose Hua as a contact.
     
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