Blood of the Gods: A Fantasy CKII Quest

YR Meritamun 1 Results
Results for YR Meritamun 1
Costs: 3,600 s. deben, 6 gold talents
Grain purchased: 8000 s. deben
End of Year Granary Stores: 9,700 s. deben
End of Year Treasury Reserves: 6 gold talents

The Favor of Hathor
1D100+16 => 114 1D100 => 88 1D100 => 66 (268)

You celebrated the New Year rites at the capital's Temple of Hathor with the final dusk of the old year, as the goddess's star rose in the firmament of Duat. You were secluded in the chamber of the goddess and offered the idol of the goddess grain, beer, and meat. You were startled when the idol asked you to repeat the five-fold gifts of the goddess; but you remembered your lessons. You glanced down at your left hand, the hand held in sight of the peasant laborer as he scythed the grain that fed the kingdom, and responded in ticking off the five gifts.

"Safe birth, good health, fertile fields, romantic love, and life eternal."

With that you began singing the hymns to the goddess while shaking your ritual sistrum. The rattle sounded in the empty chamber and drove out curses and evil spirits from the New Year. Of course later on you recognized the voice of the idol as that of the priestess of the temple, but there were more concrete shows of the approval of the goddess.

As you were escorted out of the goddess' chamber to the celebratory promenade you were garlanded with lotus blossoms in your hair and joined the ceremonial dances with young priestesses and priests of Hathor. Around you men and women drank deeply of the heavy ale of the night, dyed red in memory of the ferocity of Sekhmet. The drinking of beer and ritual intoxication was an invocation to the lioness aspect of Hathor to drain the overflow of the Nile before it reached the lands of Kemet. Singers and musicians played on deep into the night, providing merriment as the revelers reached greater levels of intoxication and fell into comfortable sleep, or paired off for love-making.

You waded through the crowd as morning broke with your sistrum in hand and the priests of the goddess forming a cordon of such around you. You shook the rattle and offered your royal benedictions and blessings. As you did men and women cried out in thanks as you drove evil spirits from them, and it was said afterward that the blind and lame were healed in your passage. As you exited the colonnaded portico a delegation of infertile women, some desperate fellahin wives and others expensively attired noblewomen, begged for your aid. You touched them on the stomach and rattled your sistrum, blessing their wombs with the fertility of the black earth. A falcon cried overhead as you finished and the rays of the sun illuminated you in beauty to the onlookers, who loudly proclaimed you the incarnation of the Queen of Love.

All of the women you met with became pregnant within the year, though that was the least of good omens and signs that followed.

Result:
Gain Status "Favored by Hathor"
Piety +2
Bonus to Annual Flood Roll

The Annual Flood

The waters of the annual inundation arrived as predicted and with a surprising gentleness. There were almost no fatalities reported and fragrant lotus blossoms seemed to follow in the wake of the flood. As the harvest season approached the waters receded in orderly fashion back to their riverbanks, leaving behind a particularly rich loam. The earth readily accepted seed into its womb, and grain stalks grew swiftly and plentifully. The harvest would undoubtedly be a record despite the damage to the canal system and added great weight to the stories of your divinity and favor with the gods.

Result:
Bountiful harvest for Income calculations next year

Canal Repairs
Heranamenpenaef's roll ???

The gentle flood of the year avoided further damage to the canal system. Heranamenpenaef reported to the Royal Council that substantial progress has been made repairing the most important irrigation channels. He credited the enthusiasm of the fellahin discharging their corvee labor obligations for the task passing more quickly than anticipated. Repairs to the more delicate locks will require skilled labor and so the task will stretch on into next year, but he anticipated that all such work can be completed then and thereafter only mundane maintenance to the system will be required. That would free up resources and workmen for more elaborate projects such as expansion of the overflow system to protect against a further bad flood, the settlement of villages around Lake Meroe, or any other large scale construction projects that might be mooted.

Result:
Canal Repairs automatically completed next turn at reduced cost

Rebuilding the Granary Inspectorate
Sennefer's roll ???

Sennefer's report on his activities reorganizing and manning the Granary Inspectorate is a disappointment. He regretfully reported that finding the appropriate men who can be officials was too difficult a task to finish this year. The scribes and overseers purged as a result of corruption are not to be rehired to their positions so as to prevent them from reintroducing bad practices; but there are relatively few literate and upright men available to replace them. He blamed Wenamun for failing to produce the required numbers of scribes by neglecting his duties to educate promising youth, which led to a bitter argument between the two that the Queen Dowager had to break up.

Result:
Sennefer continues efforts to restaff the Inspectorate next year

Wheat Sales
Ipy's roll ???

A promising flood lowered the price of wheat substantially, and Ipy took advantage of the Mynosian speculators who had assumed Kemet would still have a shortfall to do well on the market. With an outlay of five gold talents he was able to secure 8000 silver deben in grain, enough to feed 80000 men for a full year. That went a long way to restocking the granaries against another bad flood and providing the means to pay for large scale construction work or expansion of the army.

Result:
Lose 5 gold talents, gain 8000 s. deben

Might of Ra

Khui's roll ???

Khui returned from the Delta at the end of the season of Inundation, having spent the idle time training with the division of Ra. He reported the division is ready and eager to fight against the enemies of Kemet. He pressed for a campaign against the tribes of Mefkat to bring them to their proper obedience, especially as the treasury will be in good shape after the end of the harvest. Wenamun supported his motion, arguing that the foreign desert tribes should simply be brought to heel by force and that spending time negotiating with them is a waste of effort. Ptahshepses cautioned against a campaign as the political situation in Kemet is still unstable and the full scale of the harvest will not be known for some time, a point Ipy concurs with. The Queen Dowager elected to put the matter off until next year.

Result:
Ra Division troop quality raised to Regulars
Morale increased to Average

Court Protocol
1D100+17 => 89

As the year progresses the Queen Dowager took a more active role at court and you spent much of your time in attendance with her at Council meetings, royal audiences, and temple rituals. From that you learned the formal modes of address for the classes, the customs around the various ceremonies and functions, and saw how the government actually works. Your aunt taught you to discern important matters from the trivial in the process and Ma'atneferure helped by drilling you on the noble clans after dance practice. Meryawy also aided in memorizing the various ceremonial gestures and incantations and taught you the symbolic meaning behind them. It was tedious in many ways but you soaked in what you learn in the knowledge that it will one day make you the ruler that you have dreamed of being.

Of course there's a common theme to what you've been exposed to, and the lessons you are taught. The Dowager Queen explained it one afternoon, after she dismissed the court and retired to her chambers due to a coughing fit. Once the fit subsided she had Ma'atneferure bring you to her. Bidding the handmaiden to play her flute, she returned to a composition about the Great Ancestor.

"And lo the akh of the prince appeared to her in her tent, still her husband-in-life; adorned in radiant union with Ra, to pass on the ka of rulers into her womb. The rays of the Sun God stirred life as Wadjet and Nekhab bowed; a conqueror promised to restore Maat to the trouble land."

She bade you to join her on her divan, and she reclined as if exhausted.

"That is the story of the birth of the Great Ancestor. The princess Inihue was visited by the Great God, in whose soul her husband had been united. Ra stirred the womb of the princess to life." Neferet absently rubbed her own belly above the womb. "Of course there were those who did not believe."

You sat up, almost scandalized by the thought. "How could they possibly…"

"Everyone believed him the son of the Great God later," she replied, and placed her hand on your shoulder in a placating gesture. "The false rulers at Sabastis and Abdju and Henenshut declared him simply the child of a random Cyrian tribesman. Remember that, my dear niece. Not the insult, but what it said. The Cyrians of Wisa your ancestor found shelter with showed greater loyalty than many of the people of Kemet. You should be gracious to all the peoples under your rule, and reward loyalty wherever it springs from. And you should not take loyalty for granted from any corner."

You nodded diligently.

"But how do you think the Great Ancestor responded to such insults? Did he cite the witnesses of the divine visitation? Did he make note of his marked resemblance to his mother's brother-husband, the last prince of the preceding dynasty?"

Neferet shook her head.

"No, he did not dignify the blasphemies with a direct response. He simply repeated his claims and then proved them with his actions. With the aid of the gods he captured the false rulers at Sabastis and Abdju and Henenshut and smote them, and none now know their names. He stamped his name and legend upon Kemet so that none would question it ever again. And you, my daughter, are a child of that man. Our blood is the blood of the Divine Ra, and of the Great Ancestor. You must never forget that, and never cease to act like the daughter of the gods."

"So if people challenge me…" You pause to consider the lesson.

"You have no need to bandy words with traitors. Prove yourself in your bearing, in your nobility, and in your piety and charity. The people will believe what they see before them. The Great Ancestor showed he was descended from the gods in every action of his life; and now you must do the same, my daughter. Remember the honor of your blood and that you are chosen of the gods. If you do so, then so will everyone else."

Result:
Gain trait "Proud"
+1 Diplomacy

Learning to Drive (a Chariot)
1D100+17+5 => 65

Your desire to learn how to drive a chariot encountered some resistance in the palace when you first expressed it. There was no precedent for a female chariot rider and the prospect of the Queen entering battle was not welcomed by the Royal Council. Your mother encouraged your interest, however, telling you that you would likely have to fight for your reign and that it would only help cultivate your popular association with Hathor-Sekhmet. You prevailed by citing the examples of Queen Inihue and Niut, who had fought against foreign invaders at the close of their respective dynasties, and by asserting your own authority as a Queen. Your aunt Neferet gave way at that point and told the Guards of Horus to find an appropriate instructor.

Ramessu is chosen from among the ranks of the Guards to provide you military instruction. He is strikingly tall and well-toned, something which you appreciate more and more of late. He comes from a powerful noble family of Lower Kemet, a line of hereditary priests and landed gentry from Per-Wadjet. Where Khui seems to be brutal power and force, Ramessu is grace and effortlessness. He displayed enormous patience teaching you to drive a chariot, which was just as well as it took you a while to get the hang of the matter.

The heavy three-man war chariot takes a spirited team of horses to drive. Your limited strength and stature made simply keeping hold of the reins a challenge early on. Ramessu and a professional charioteer were with you at all times, and more than once they had to take control to avoid a crash. Still the luck of the goddess Hathor was with you and you passed your training with little more than a few bruises, scratches, and punctures. You enjoy the excitement of moving fast and kept at the practice until you qualified, albeit as a novice driver. In war that might not matter too much, as you would have a professional charioteer with you while you shot at the enemy with your bow, but you could not give up.

Result:
Gain Status "Novice Charioteer"

The Servant Gossip Mill
Informants 1D100+18 => 67

"Tais?

"Yes, Divine Majesty?"

The maid paused what she was doing at your inquiry, and followed you into your chambers at your gestured command. She looked nervous to have your attention, so you directed her to a divan with you.

"Please, sit. We have heard that your elder brother has fallen ill. Is this so?"

She sat very still, but her hands balled up around her skirt. "It is true, Divine Majesty. A river fever, we fear. Our father is old and if my brother dies, I don't know if I can take care of him."

"It grieves us to hear so." You awkwardly reach out to pat her back, in the kind of gesture of reassurance that Ma'atneferure had given you so often. Tais breaks into tears and you allow her to sob. "There, there. We will see that your brother is brought before one of the palace doctors. If medicine is required we will make sure that he does not want for it."

Gradually the sobbing subsides and her muffled voice croaks out thanks. She dries her eyes, smearing the kohl around her pretty chestnut eyes. You feel almost bad about exploiting her vulnerability. Almost. As Ma'atneferure taught you

"Collect yourself here in my chambers. And let us talk a while then, Tais, of more pleasant affairs here in the palace."

Result:
Gain access to Palace Gossip Mill
Included at start of each new turn

The Eunuch
1D100+17 => 103 1D100 => 31 (134)

You find it difficult to make yourself even imply that you were mistaken about Ptahshepses. Mother and the Queen Dowager both disagree with your assessment of the eunuch. And spending so much time with your aunt at Court has given you a greater appreciation for how much the eunuchs do and how important they are balancing against the temple priesthoods, local nobles, and the Army. Still, it's far from easy to admit you might have been wrong or to get over your anger at being humiliated by the eunuch. But you try, anyway.

You find Ptahshepses taking his habitual stroll in the palace garden along the bank of the Nile. Underneath the palm trees you seek out a quiet moment to speak with him and express your regret about the game.

"I took no offense, Divine Majesty," Ptahshepses answered carefully. "As a eunuch, ones learns very early not to take offense easily. I regret I imposed too much upon you with the foreign game."

"I insisted on keeping playing," you say, though it is hard to get out.

"And I should have been firmer in dealing with your Majesty," he replied, nodding his head gently. "You have a great many talents, which I say without flattery. And I think the gods, such as they may be, favor you. It was easy for me to… underestimate the degree to which you needed guidance."

His tone annoys you, as does the implication that you aren't ready to assume true rule of the country. "Are you always this forthright, eunuch?"

"Heavens no, Divine Majesty." He chuckles. "I choose my words carefully and sweeten them with honey. But you are my Queen and so I will speak the truth to you, as you above all others need the truth. To others I will ration it out as needed."

"Oh, really?" You feel your temper rising a bit, and decide to stick in the knife. "Is that why everyone says you eunuchs are corrupt, then?"

"No, Majesty. They say we are corrupt because we have no place in society. Even the gods of Kemet are gods of fertility and we will never have children. We have no power save that which the Pharaoh extends to us. We are easy targets when we are weak and will never enjoy respect when we are strong. That, Divine Majesty, is why everyone says we are corrupt. Sometimes they are even correct about that, but never for the right reasons."

You pause, taken momentarily aback by his frankness. But you grudgingly admit it makes sense. "I will… think on that."

"I believe you will," he says. "Know, Divine Majesty, I speak without dissembling for your sake and your sake alone. We eunuchs rely upon you and in turn we will serve you as well as we can. And that includes admitting our limits. That there are corrupt and false eunuchs I do not deny, though I try to weed them out; but there are many more corrupt priests, faithless officers, and oppressive nobles."

He gives you a sly, knowing smile. Ptahshepses is confident and elegant despite being challenged. And that bothers you for some reason. You're not sure if you're jealous of how he can hold himself cool, or resent that he doesn't seem intimidated by you. But you nod to acknowledge what he said and take your leave.

Whatever it is, it feels like a minor problem after the rift between you is bridged.

Result:
Lose "Dislike" toward Ptahshepses

The Bull and the Heifer
Atumnemhat's roll ???

Truly the most astonishing omen for the year followed the return of the High Priest Atumnemhat from his trip up the Nile to inspect the herds of the temples for a bull of Apis. Messengers from the temple announced to all of Kemet that a new bull had been located, to the general rejoicing of the population. You were brought out to the Garden of Ptah with Meryawy to see the god-bull in person.

The Gardens themselves served as the primary temple to the craftsman god in Temes and as such would serve the Apis Bull until a suitable temple could be constructed or appropriated. It was your first visit to the facility, and you were impressed by the careful landscaping and cultivations done on high ground overlooking the Nile. The garden was of course literal, and many foreign plants flourished above the floodplain and formed an open campus where scholars could give lectures or meet with students outside of the main temple complex. The Bull of Apis was held in an enclosure closer to the temple, in a part of the compound rarely visited by most.

Banefre, the Supervisor of the Garden, met you outside the wooden stockade with a score of attendants and priests of Ptah. "Your Divine Majesty, life, peace, health," he said before prostrating himself before you. "This unworthy one regrets that the living god cannot be given a more prosperous enclosure on our grounds."

"Rise, Our servant Banefre," you commanded. "It is Our will that you look to the needs of the god as well as you can. Our support will be forthcoming."

"Thank you, Divine Majesty."

As he rose you looked over the enclosure. It was a wooden stockade, not much different from any other cattle enclosure. It seemed like a large area and the Apis looked happy enough munching upon hay and surrounded by three heifers that made up a portion of his harem. As you examined the bull more closely you looked for the markings that made it holy; the white triangle upon its brow, the vulture-wing pattern on its back, and so on. The beast was a powerful looking bull, you had to grant, all muscle and boasting a vicious looking pair of horns with which to defend his harem.

You were satisfied with the arrangements for the time being and opened discussion on the level of funding needed for the Garden. You were interrupted by a cry of praise from a party of workmen winding their way toward the enclosure guiding a piebald heifer on a rope. You turned in some annoyance to look at the spectacle and would have rebuked the workmen, had Meryawy not suddenly broke away to examine the cow.

"Praise be to Ra, bringer of life! This cow's birthmark is uncanny."

Now curious you step over to join the priest. The workmen recognize that you are someone of importance and adopt deferential stances. The cow's head is pure white, except for a spot of russet on the forehead about level with its horns. It is a perfect circle, flanked and appended by extending tendrils that taper and curve toward the top. On the whole it looks unmistakably like the sun-disk and horns associated with Hathor in her guise as a primordial cow-goddess.

"The cow was brought from Tjenu to join the harem of the Apis Bull, Noble Lady." The overseer of the workman party was finally bold enough to address you. "The birthmark of the cow was clear to me, praise be to the Great Queen of the West, who answered my prayers for a child. Should it be honored like the Apis bull? I am not wise in the ways of the gods, Noble Lady."

"The goddess Hathor is the consort of the god Ptah, so it fitting that you continue your task and unite them. But this omen will bear more thinking on."

In the end the bull of Hathor is introduced in the enclosure to the Apis Bull. He stops eating and enthusiastically ruts with the new heifer. This was taken as a very positive omen by Meryawy, and news of the uncanny heifer and the cow soon spreads across Upper Kemet. The priests assure you that it is proof of your divine favor from Hathor as revealed at the New Year's celebration.

Result:
Increased political stability
Unlocked options next turn

OOC: Your very first turn is done. There will be another interlude and maybe an event or two before the next turn, though progress is apt to slow down a bit into the holiday season. Hope everyone remains interested and engaged, and that this does not disappoint.
 
YR Meritamun 2
State of the Realm, YR Meritamun 2
Population: 2,020,000
Population Growth Rate: 0.2% per year
Political Stability: Stable

Income for Year 2 of the Reign of Queen Meritamun
Agricultural Tax Income: 27,000 s. deben
State Granaries: 9,700 s. deben
Wastage in Storage: -2900 s. deben
Military Upkeep: -2700 s. deben
Civil Upkeep: -2000 s. deben
Available Grain: 29,100 s. deben

Mining Income (gold): 14 gold talents
Treasury Reserves: 6 gold talents
State Imports (copper, tin, silver): -4 talents
Trade Fees: 2 gold talents
Tribute: 0 gold talents
Net Treasury: 18 talents

The incredible bounty of the previous year weighs on your mind as the time for the New Year rites approaches. Hathor favored you greatly at a critical moment. Will she be so availing this year?

You can only hope so. And there are many other matters for the Regency Council to attend to. The Queen Dowager remains the head of Kemet, despite your coronation, but she is more inclined to listen to you now. The other members of the Council are likewise respectful, though Ptahshepses has underscored the need to find a focus for your reign. The eunuch still irritates you, but you are forced to concede his point. Any member of the Council is willing to take you on for your final education; though your old tutors are also available, and they have their own unique skills. Mother has been blasé about the matter, though her dislike of your aunt is clear enough; as is her disapproval of Ipy and Meryawy as models for a ruler, contempt for Atumnemhat and Wenamun, and suspicion of Khui. It's not clear exactly who she thinks is a good model, but she said she has more lessons for you in any event.

Several projects have also been put into motion by the regent. Ptahshepses has been given the honor of overseeing the final construction of your father's grand memorial tomb. The Queen Dowager is quite eager to have the eternal home of her brother-husband ready for when she joins him. Herenamenpenaef remains engaged repairing the irrigation system, though he anticipates it should be back in fully working order in time for next year as long as this year's flood is gentle. Ipy is again dealing with the Mynosian merchants with the aim of turning some of the surplus of the late harvest into imports of gold, jewels, copper, tin, and above all silver for the ritual objects of the gods. Finally Khui remained in the Delta at Inbu-Hedj, training the division of Ptah to the standards of the Division of Ra set last year.

You have some options for various projects you could attend to yourself. Atumnemhat is overseeing a new temple for the Apis Bull he discovered the month before. The cow with the birthmark of Hathor remains as a consort but an idea has been forming in your mind. Setting aside the funds and corvee labor for a separate temple, and introducing rites to celebrate this cow as a divine symbol of the goddess would be possible. It would take a lot of effort, but Hathor was once worshipped as a cow and the associations make a lot of sense. Raising the prominence of your own patron goddess could pay off substantially in the long run, especially if the people are beginning to identify you with her. That does presume quite a bit on Hathor's favor, and there's always the risk of the Temple of Atum feeling threatened in their theopolitical pre-eminence. Since Atumnemhat is going to take the cow of Hathor to the temple of the Apis Bull once completed you only have this chance for a limited time.

You could also see about organizing that expedition to Kerma, or having Wenamum do so for you. It is unclear what the political and social conditions are below the cataract at Swenett are, though the tribal raiders were a bad sign. If Kerma has disintegrated or weakened it could be a major problem or a great opportunity. A trade and diplomatic expedition with a suitable escort would be the first step in determining that, and if Kerma is rebuilding into a regional power then reaching out in peace sooner rather than later would be a good idea. Kerma was also in ancient times a source of gold, ivory, and silver as well as luxuries from further south in Puntland which Kemet has been without for a long while.

And then there are other sources of learning and relaxation. You can continue studies with your tutors, hopefully picking up something useful from Zizel-Kur or Meryawy. Your aunt the Queen Dowager remains interested in you and indulgent in your attempts to match her skill as a writer. Ma'atneferure on the other hand is more active, though little surprise there; but her interest in dance and music is useful for the rites and she remains a reliable confidant about your body's development as well as a more interesting gossip than Tais and the servants. If you wanted to get out of the palace you could stroll the bazaar and look for something interesting or you could, as your great ancestor Sarepentepher did in the stories, slip out in disguise and mingle among the common people. Learning the bow would be the next step to becoming capable of demonstrating martial prowess, though chariot driving was fun enough and you were still unskilled enough that more practice would be useful.

A myriad of choices are yours; but your time is not infinite, and neither are the resources of Kemet. Choose wisely for the year ahead!

Personal Actions (4/4)
Royal Authority (20/20)

Palace Gossip
As heard from Tais, serving-girl

"The harvest was just so great this year! It was a miracle. The festivals will be extra grand!"

"City people are still talking about how all those women got pregnant after you blessed them at the festival of Hathor! Divine Majesty, please bless me too when I find a husband!"

"Treasurer Ipy is honest, but I wish he was a little less honest sometimes. And that son of his is mooning over one of the new girls in the kitchen. I wish he'd show some interest in me!"

"I heard Chief Scribe Wenamun had a debtor flogged over only four deben of wheat!"

"They say the Queen Dowager was cursed with evil magic, as was the late Pharaoh. Pardon, Divine Majesty, but some of the fellahin say your mother is responsible. Ignorant louts!"

Ra
[ ] Threaten recalcitrant vassals
[ ] Negotiate with the Tribes of Mefkat [-10 Royal Authority]
[ ] Correspond with provincial governors
[ ] Send an Expedition to Kerma [-10 Royal Authority, 1000 s. deben, 2 gold talents]
[ ] Visit Province [500 s. deben] (Write-in)
[ ] Learn diplomacy from a character (Neferet, Wenamun, or Ptahshepses)
[ ] Hear Petitions at Court
[ ] Appoint/Dismiss Official [Cost varies] (Write-in; can be taken multiple times, does not cost an action)
[ ] Grant Title [Cost varies] (Write-in; can be taken multiple times, does not cost an action)
[ ] Build a monument [Cost varies] (Write-in)

[ ] End the Regency [Attempt to convince the Royal Council]

Osiris
[X] Perform New Year Rites to Bless the Flood (Meritamun)
[X] Complete the Tomb of Ameneheb II [3000 s. deben and 4 talents, for 3-4 years] (Ptahshepses)
[ ] Start on building your own tomb [Cost varies] (Write-in)
[ ] Patronize the temples of a god [1000 s. deben, 2 talents] (Write-in; can be taken multiple times)
[X] Build a new temple to the Apis-Bull [2000 s. deben, 4 talents] (Atumnemhat)
[ ] Build a temple to Hathor's cow and institute new rites [-20 Royal Authority, 2000 s. deben, 4 talents]
[ ] Study the sacred rites of a god (Write-in; can be taken multiple times)
[ ] Consult the oracles of Wadjet and Nekhbet [-1 talent]
[ ] End the Regency [Seek out an appropriate omen]

Isis
[X] Finish repairs to the irrigation canal system [1000 s. deben] (Heranamenpanaef)
[ ] Settle villages around Lake Meroe [3000 s. deben, 2 talents]
[X] Re-staff the Granaries Inspectorate [300 s. deben, one year] (Sennefer)
[X] Buy/Sell Wheat [Sell 6000 s. deben] (Ipy)
[ ] Review Treasury Receipts
[ ] Inspect granary sites
[ ] Learn stewardship from a character (Ptahshepses, Sennefer, Ipy, or Heranamenpanaef)
[ ] Rebuild the road to Khanais [-10 Royal Authority, 2000 s. deben, 1 talent, for 2-3 years]
[ ] Rebuild the coastal road through Mefkat [-10 Royal Authority, 4000 s. deben, 4 talents, for 4-5 years]
[ ] Build fortification network in a province [Cost varies] (Write-in)

[ ] Give charity to the capital [500 s. deben]
[ ] Study magic with your mother
[ ] Explore the ruins outside Temes

Set
[ ] Investigate a character (write-in; can be taken multiple times)
[ ] Plot against a character (write-in; can be taken multiple times)
[ ] Meet with foreign merchants
[ ] Visit the bazaar [Cost varies]
[ ] Sneak out of the palace and mingle among the people [50 s. deben]
[ ] Hire mercenaries [Cost varies] (Write-in)
[ ] Restore the Medjay [10000 s. deben, 6 talents]

[ ] Learn about palace intrigues from a character (Mother, Ptahshepses, or Ma'atneferure)
[ ] End the Regency [Begin a Plot against Neferet]

Hathor-Sekhmet
[ ] Raise Troops [cost varies] (write-in)
[ ] Train Division of Ptah (Khui)
[ ] Prepare an invasion
[ ] Learn to use the compound bow with Ramessu
[ ] Continue chariot-training with Ramessu [-5 Royal Authority]
[ ] Spend time writing poetry and verse with Neferet
[ ] Spend time dancing, learning music, and gossiping with Ma'atneferure
[ ] Spend time with your friends outside court
[ ] End the Regency [Attempt a coup d'etat]

Ptah
[ ] Choose a mentor (write-in)
[ ] Investigate the Royal Archives with Meryawy
[ ] Inspect the Garden of Ptah
[ ] Study astronomy with Zizel-Kur
[ ] Recruit a new tutor/courtier [500 s. deben] (Write-in specialization; can be taken multiple times)
[ ] Commission the crafting of an item [Cost varies] (write-in; can be taken multiple times)

OOC: Struck-through actions are not available at this time due to the Regency or other reasons. They are there to give an idea of things that might be possible and might come up later on. You have at least 24 hours to discuss before voting, and I may extend that if discussion warrants. You do have the option of submitting unlisted ideas for actions which I will either veto or will approve and add to the selections here. Please ask questions and have fun. Remember voting will be in the [ ] Plan X format.
 
Factfile #3: The Government of Kemet
Government of Kemet
L'etat c'est moi – and these hundred thousand other people

In so far as Kemet has a developed legal theory of government, it is relatively simple. The Pharaoh is invested with rule of Kemet as he is invested with the ka of divinity by the god Ra. The entire world is held in trust for the gods by the Pharaoh. He is responsible for driving back the forces of Chaos and insuring that Maat, the ordained harmony of society and just action, is upheld. To that end he is invested with unlimited authority. The Pharaoh is Kemet, and the vast bureaucracy that runs the country is merely an extension of his will and body. Kemet's relatively unique state-controlled economy is merely one logical consequence of this conception of unbounded royal authority.

And as with the theoretically communistic economy, the reality of rule and governance in Kemet is quite different.

The Pharaoh's divine authority is delegated to his servants, and his servants are rarely pleased to give up this authority in any matter. Furthermore much of the countryside remains in the hands of local notables who have accumulated large tenant-estates and control significant numbers of the fellahin. The line between civil servant and local notable is frequently blurred by effectively and even explicitly hereditary positions at the level of the local nome. Of course individuals frequently have a great many enemies and the Pharaoh can claw back power by attacking them with their aid of their rivals, but attacks on institutions are another matter. All who benefit from the status quo will inevitably band together in defense of it, and their opposition must be overcome.

And if a Pharaoh should fail, well, there may be omens that indicate he has been rejected by Ra. Kemet has known civil war and coups before and will likely know them again.

The appointed agents of the Pharaoh who exercise one of the Great Offices of State are collected together under the Royal Council. The Royal Council operates out of the Pharaoh's palace and has day-to-day contact with the monarch. They serve as an advisory body to a strong Pharaoh, though a weak or indolent Pharaoh may delegate control of the state to the Council. The Royal Council also serves as collective regency, under the leadership of a designated Regent, in the absence of the Pharaoh or on rare occasions of an interregnum or minority heir. Each member of the Royal Council has their own power base and agenda, representing a concentration of power formidable enough that the Pharaoh must reckon with on the national scale.

The most prestigious and powerful position on the Royal Council is that of Vizier. The Pharaoh's Vizier is his shadow, his most trusted agent who has full authority to act as his proxy in all matters. In the meetings of the Royal Council the Vizier serves as chairman and directs the agenda of the Council to align with the Pharaoh's wishes. The Vizier invariably gains a large store of favors and followers across multiple bureaucratic institutions, the better with which to execute his master's will. Of course the Vizier can also gain enemies in the normal pursuit of policy, or by pursuing his own agenda. The all-powerful Vizier also serves as a useful scapegoat when matters go badly; the archetype of the dishonest ministers deceiving the benevolent Pharaoh is established in Kemet, and the Vizier makes an obvious focus for such sentiment. The Vizier's political standing is established by the trust the Pharaoh places in him, paradoxically making this most powerful of ministers often the easiest to dismiss. A powerful and competent Vizier can become the power behind the throne just as easily.

Next in prestige is the position of the Keeper of the Royal Seal. This position revolves around the custody of the Royal Seal of State used to confirm Pharaonic decrees. The Keeper of the Royal Seal acts as chairman of the Royal Council in the absence of an appointed Vizier, since not all Pharaohs find it necessary or desirable to have a Vizier. Typically the Keeper comes from a powerful noble family of the Delta Province, the most populous and wealthy of the provinces of Kemet. Because the Royal Seal is needed to authorize all bureaucratic acts originating from the palace, the Keeper's political role is that of a censor. He checks the acts of other officials to make sure they conform to law and the Pharaoh's will. The Keeper has a small but elite staff of scribes to assist in this measure. The Royal Seal is destroyed on the death of the Pharaoh and a new one not created until their successor is crowned; and under regency the Regent's own personal seal is used in place of the Royal Seal.

The High Priest of Atum sits on the Royal Council as the designated representative of the temple complexes of Kemet. In theory the religious complex as a whole is the wealthiest, most powerful, and most expansive arm of the Kemet state. All priests are civil servants employed by the Pharaoh to carry out religious rites on behalf of the fellahin, and their temples function as private granaries and state-run marketplaces for the peasantry to obtain crafted goods. The temples employ the largest number of people and impact the whole of the country from the lowest rung of the peasantry to the highest nobility, who often enjoy hereditary office as priests. Of course the various temples are dedicated to different gods, and despite the general religious tolerance of Kemet an undercurrent of rivalry is always present between the various major temple complexes. They may fight over resources and prestige rather than souls but the infighting can still be quite vicious.

Not all Pharaohs establish the office of Commander of the Royal Army. More martial Pharaohs prefer to retain absolute control of the Army and appoint regional commanders (preferably Princes) instead if they need to deal with enemies on multiple fronts. The nature of the military of Kemet does not particularly lend itself to the Army as a strong institution. Even the organized forces work at planting and harvesting when not mobilized on campaign, drilling only irregularly if not the subject of special attention. The movement of troops across provincial lines requires Pharaonic approval, as does the mobilization of the levies to support the organized forces. The natural defenses of Kemet are formidable enough that foreign invasion is usually only possible during a period of severe political weakness. That said coups happen, and the loyalty of the organized forces cannot be taken for granted; if the Pharaoh has lost legitimacy and support among the elite and the broad masses, the next dynasty is most likely to emerge from the ranks of the Royal Army.

The Chief Royal Scribe sits on the Royal Council as the official Secretary at meetings as well as a representative of the Corps of Scribes. He is the head of the Corps and as such responsible for the recruitment and training of scribes for other government departments. The Chief Royal Scribe also handles all of the Pharaoh's correspondence, providing advice and knowledge regarding styles of address and protocol. Many scribes receive training through the temple complexes or even private schools, but all of them are initially assigned to the Corps of Scribes prior to being given a position with another department. Some trained scribes are retained as teachers or as supernumerary secretaries appointed to the staff of important officials or commanders while remaining under the supervision of the Chief Royal Scribe.

Responsibility for the finances of the state are vested in the Royal Treasurer. The Royal Treasury holds the gold and valuables of the Pharaoh and exercises oversight of mines, craftsmen, and tax collection. Easy access to wealth usually makes the Treasury prone to corruption and a center of low-level waste and inefficiency, corralled only by the active and energetic oversight of its leadership. The state would be unable to function without the services the Treasury provides in accumulating the surplus production of the land. It is the most hated institution in Kemet despite (or rather, because of) this vital role. A treasury which becomes too rapacious will soon lead to political instability, but too much indulgence of the peasantry would leave the state unable to support vital infrastructure projects and military spending. The wealth of corrupt officials can also find its way into supporting plots or strengthening local factions and nobles at the expense of the Pharaoh. For all that, though, the taxmen remain indispensable.

Grain collected by the taxmen of the Royal Treasury is stored in a series of great public granaries managed by the Granaries Department. Each nome has at least one State Granary administered by an Overseer and his assistants, answering to the provincial governor's staff. The Inspector of Granaries is responsible for coordinating the accounts of State Granaries in all provinces, as well as reviewing wastage figures and prosecuting cases of corruption. The State Granaries pay out salaries of bronze deben as authorized by the Royal Treasury and provide the realm with a stockpile of grain against a bad flood or a plague of locusts leading to a major famine. The decentralized nature of the granaries system and the difficulty distinguishing between losses to inevitable wastage and deliberate corruption; an active and energetic Inspector of Granaries is necessary to keep losses in check and to prosecute granary Overseers for diversion of state-owned grain to private uses. A corrupt Inspector of Granaries can swiftly become a very rich and very powerful man, and even corrupt Overseers frequently find support from local notables who benefit from his dishonesty.

The Department of Works is responsible for actually overseeing construction of major projects and the maintenance of the vital irrigation and canal works of the Nile River Valley. It is headed by the chief Inspector of Works, whose role includes organizing his department and exercising direct oversight of the projects assigned to it. The Department has charge of the corvee labor obligations of the fellahin, which is usually discharged on the local level digging out silt from the canals and repairing levees after the annual flood. Surplus corvee labor can be directed to building temples or tombs, though for the most part such projects are facilitated by generous salaries for workmen. The Inundation season sees much of Kemet with nothing to do and so a term spent working on the Pharaoh's tomb is both a welcome opportunity to earn more deben and a prestigious way to discharge social opportunities. Needless to say the opportunities for graft and inefficiency are considerable given the myriad of functions and demanding projects that the Department oversees.

Finally, the position of Chief Eunuch is considered a Great Office of State and granted a position on the Royal Council despite the limited formal functions of the role. The Corps of Eunuchs exists to provide manpower for Royal Palaces and to administer the personal household of the Pharaoh. In practice the eunuchs provide a lot of supplementary manpower for other government departments, and the personal household of the Pharaoh has expanded over time to cover numerous devotional properties and estates. The eunuchs are loved by none, but if they hold the trust of the Pharaoh they can become a very powerful factor in the administration of the state. Eunuchs have a reputation for corruption and treachery but their lack of natural allies tends to give the Pharaoh a much tighter grip on them; and the Chief Eunuch, who administers all the other eunuchs, may aim to become a trusted advisor or even Vizier. An ambitious Chief Eunuch under a weak Pharaoh may aim to become the power behind the throne, though such a situation usually heralds the end of a dynasty.

There are also a number of lesser offices which, while not one of the Great Offices of State concerned with major affairs, provide limited authority and a position at court. The Royal Steward, the Royal Chamberlain, the Royal Handmaiden, the Royal Cupbearer, and the Royal Charioteer are all offices of considerable honor and little duty. The offices may be filled with powerful nobles as a bribe, or they may be given to trusted friends and confidents of the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh may assign them additional duties as he sees fit, though there is the potential for their unofficial authority vested in the Pharaoh's confidence to collide with the official authority vested in one of the Great Offices. Senior bureaucrats often resent amateur favorites of the monarch interfering in their bailiwicks. Being able to assign an important task to a trusted aide may outweigh such concerns, and they rarely come up when a given office is being used as a sinecure for a noble.

There are also a handful of anomalous offices which are either associated so closely with the Pharaoh as to convey considerable prestige and authority without any corresponding responsibilities, or which require considerable duty without being considered a Great Office.

The Pharaoh's senior wife, usually his sister, enjoys by default the title of God's Wife of Ra. The God's Wife fulfills certain vital ceremonial roles and enjoys great influence over the functioning of the Royal Household. If there is no suitable senior wife, as often happens with an aged Pharaoh, the position could be handed over to a royal-blooded daughter ceremonially wedded to her father. Such a daughter might very well rise to the position of co-regent and enjoy considerably more power and independence than would normally be the case. In the rare event of a female ruler her husband would enjoy a similar level of authority as the Royal Consort and could stand in at rites to male gods. However, a prince of Kemet would likely expect, at the least, to occupy the office of Vizier as well; and even if not formally named to the office would exercise more or less the same level of informal authority baring some unusual circumstances.

Should a Pharaoh resurrect a royal navy it is likely that the Commander of the Royal Navy would merit a position on the Royal Council. There is no tradition of the Pharaoh achieving military glory or having direct oversight of naval forces, so such a commander would enjoy a less tenuous position than the Commander of the Royal Army. The task of administering and leading a Royal Navy would be absorbing enough that a full time office-holder would be necessary, and the investment required to create such an institution would make it a major force in Kemet. Alternatively some Pharaohs have found it expedient to elevate the Captain of the Horus Guard to a position on the Council as a counterbalance to the Royal Army. Encouraging rivalry between the Army and the Horus Guard is a risky maneuver, but it certainly leaves the Guard much less likely to collaborate in a coup attempt. The case for making the Captain a Great Office of State is stronger if the Captain is also given command over mercenary forces instead of the Army, or the Guard is significantly expanded beyond its status as a bodyguard force.

Lastly there are practical offices, usually filled by specialists who operate in a role that associates them directly with the Court without having broader authority. The position of Royal Magician is one such office, as is Royal Astronomer and Royal Physician. These offices may be filled by mere functionaries who serve in the background or by closely trusted friends of the Pharaoh who serve as unofficial advisors and agents. Royal Tutors are often retained at Court as an honored sinecure after their duties are fulfilled, but some may still be consulted or trusted with delicate missions. As with other unofficial agents, though, they may irritate or infuriate those holding official offices of state.
 
YR Meritamum 2 Results
Results for YR Meritamun 2
Costs: 14,300 s. deben, 12 talents
Gold purchased: 12 talents
End of Year Granary Stores: 14,800 s. deben
End of Year Treasury Reserves: 18 talents

Raucous New Year
1D100+14+5 => 50

This year the rituals pass by without too much ado. You're prepared for the evening offerings in the chamber of the goddess and the challenge of the idol is met with confidence. It's the midnight blessings which present a problem, as you partake of the sacred beer a little too freely. Your head is swimming as you meet with the women seeking a blessing of their wombs. You giggle as you press your hand against stomach after stomach, especially with one rotund woman you suggest already looks pregnant. You dance freely with the sacred musicians afterward and the eunuch attendants feel the need to hustle you out of the temple as the fertility rituals of the celebration become less symbolic and more practical. If the goddess is displeased she shows no sign of it, but neither did she favor you with a special sign of approval like she did last year.

Result:
Trivial Bonus on Annual Flood Roll

The Annual Flood
Roll: ???

That said the flood came in as predicted and with greater gentleness than usual. And was that not a sign of the approval of the goddess, certainly more so than some sacred birds or a bunch of pregnant fellahin? There were few deaths and the black earth deposited behind proved to be exceptionally fertile, even if it wasn't quite as productive as last year. The peasants rejoiced at their continued fortune and Kemet enjoyed the domestic peace and tranquility that only a widespread plenty could provide.

Result:
Bountiful Harvest for income calculations next year

Learning from the Chief Eunuch
1D100 => 29

While it isn't quite clear when the Regency might end, the Council was treating your attempts at assertion with tolerance rather than encouragement. Your aunt was indulgent, but placed you under pressure to buckle down and begin learning the practical realities of governance. Since the palace was itself a large estate it seemed reasonable to you to demand a share of its administration so you could learn by example. The Chief Eunuch Ptahshepses seemed pleased by your interest in management and volunteered to the Council to oversee your progress. The Queen Dowager readily approved of the arrangement when no objections were raised among the other councilors; tradition usually had the Crown Prince serving in the Army and managing a small estate, but in the absence of such a guide the palace was seen as suitable for you to learn from.

There was just a minor problem. Even after your reconciliation, you still didn't really like Ptahshepses.

"Divine Majesty, we will need to begin shortly." He was waiting for you outside your chambers the morning afterward. "I must say, your Majesty must rise earlier than this. You will find there is much to attend to, and never enough time in the day for it."

You blinked in annoyance. Ma'atneferure giggled from over in your chambers, where she had finished preparing your hair and clothes. "The barque of Ra has risen from the Underworld. Isn't that early enough?"

"No, I am afraid not. I will detail a eunuch to attend to your waking, Divine Majesty, shortly before the dawn. There is much productive work we could have done even before the morning breakfast."

You could already tell you were not going to care much for this.

He set you to work soon negotiating with a party of merchants from Babel-Ur for a supply of lapis lazuli for use by the palace. Once you had secured decent terms from the foreigners you had to follow up to see that they were properly paid, and that the lapis lazuli arrived as agreed. He then had you handle the boring details of storing the material and setting up quotas for the palace craftsmen. It was a tedious exercise, but he approved of your work and you did learn a few things about how the palace was actually run.

Much of your training was dedicated to similar tasks. Ptahshepses had you dealing with foreigners a lot because, as he put it, you couldn't just order them to do something. Allocating and tracking resources was practice that would come in handy, as you thought back to the empty granaries before the Great Flood. You would bear with this for a while, but you were beginning to wish you had focused on something else instead.

Results:
+1 Diplomacy, +1 Stewardship
No Trait Gain

Learning with the Bow
1D100+17 => 67

Despite the best efforts of Ptahshepses to bore you to death you were able to insist upon putting aside time in the afternoon to learn the bow. Your encounter with the soldiers of the Division of Set remained a touchstone of your thoughts, and you were eager to get started. Ramessu remained your primary instructor from the Guards. You appreciated his cultured deference and respect relative to Ptahshepses' half-mocking politesse, but he was as thorough and careful as the eunuch. And it soon became apparent that you needed a smaller, weaker bow fit only for an absolute beginner due to your lack of upper body strength. Fortunately he weathered your seething embarrassment in good spirits.

You were motivated enough to keep practicing day after day for months. Gradually you could pull out the training bow to its full power, and slowly your aim improved. At first you were lucky to hit a target at all from 50 feet, but by the end of the year you could reliably hit a man-sized target at 200 feet. The standard for the Army was 500 feet, while on the back of a chariot at full speed, but as Ramessu patiently explained that was the result of many years of training and practice. He saw signs that you were actually a talented beginner, and you grinned happily when he assured you for that. For now there was nothing to be done but to continue training and getting better until you could combine your skill with a bow and familiarity with the chariot to become a true noble archer.

Results:
Status gained "Novice Archer"

A Happy Goddess
1D100+14+5 => 103, 1D100 => 46 (149)

Of course not all your time was taken up with the bow or with Ptahshepses' tasks. You had spent a lot of time mulling over the Hathor-Cow and finally resolved to consult with the High Priestess of Hathor's temple. Esemkebhe was a graceful older matron, with a voice you knew as that of Hathor's idol; but then the point of the priesthood was to conduct the rituals and as such to speak for the gods, after all. She encouraged you to consider the cow's birthmark as a sign from the goddess and noted that Hathor had been worshipped as a heifer from the earliest ages of Kemet. She had never been given the attention that the Apis Bull granted to Ptah, or the Mnevis Bull granted to Ra, but there was no reason that needed to remain the case.

Convincing the Royal Council took more effort. Atumnemhat was especially outspoken, arguing that there was no precedent for establishing a new temple and that depriving the Apis Bull of its mate would anger Ptah. Ipy on the other hand simply opposed on the grounds of cost and lack of obvious benefit, as there was no need to placate Hathor at the moment. You replied that Hathor had greatly favored Kemet following the terrible flood and that failing to honor her special bounty would inevitably see it withdrawn. As for the Apis Bull, it had been honored with a harem of heifers by tradition and not by any single mate standing in for Hathor. That the sacred cows had rutted and produced calves was a good omen for the fertility of the land and a sign of the amity between Ptah and Hathor, nothing more. You also cheekily added that if the Apis Bull could have a harem of heifers, why couldn't Hathor's heifer have a harem of bulls?

Your aunt gave in after further debate, allowing you to make preparations for the sacred cow of Hathor to be housed in a temple equal to that of the Apis Bull. The lessons you were getting from Ptahshepses came in handy to see the smooth completion of the temple. You arranged for the transport of alabaster from Lower Kemet to Temes, provided the mural-painters with lavish supplies of lapis lazuli, saw to the decoration of the temple interior with gold, and commissioned silver cult items for the goddess. The priests and priestesses of Hathor met with you to discuss the rituals of the new temple, some of which were adopted from the older cow goddess of the Delta, Bes, and others of which were taken from the Apis and Mnevis Bulls.

You attended the dedication of the temple as an officiating Queen. You wore a dress dyed in scarlet, the color of Sekhmet, and carried a was-scepter of gold decorated with the horns and sun-disk of Hathor. A diadem with the royal uraeus of Nekhbet and Wadjet crowned your brow, and a gold menat necklace inlaid with silver and precious gems rested on your breast. You were a vision of splendor like unto the goddess, or so you were reassured by Ma'atneferure as she had attired you for the ceremony. You had preened a bit and took the awe of the crowds at the temple as a proof of the rightness of the claim.

The cow enjoyed a large corral just outside the temple. It was led forth up the steps of the portico entrance by an entourage of beautiful young priests and priestesses to where you watched and waited to crown it with a garland of lotus blossoms. The crowd roared with delight when the cow laid down before you, which was repeated throughout Kemet along with rumors of your beauty as a sign of your special connection to Hathor. The cow mooed gently as you placed the garland around its neck and then led it into the temple where the High Priestess of Hathor bade you take the cow into its chambers. Priests later presented it with a ceremonial meal of blessed grain and holy water and would conduct further rites to insure the comfort of the cow.

Results:
Cult of Hathor gains prominence
Queen Meritamun associated with the goddess
+5 Royal Authority

An Unhappy Cow
Atumnemhat's Roll ???

The Bull of Apis, on the other hand, was clearly disgruntled with his accommodations. The priesthood at the temple was appalled when the sacred animal bit a handler and refused to cooperate with the rites. Atumnemhat blamed the removal of Hathor's heifer, though the bull readily mounted the rest of his harem. It was also rumored that some ritual gold ornaments had been stolen from the god, and a thief was later duly produced and executed. The source of the bull's anger remains a mystery as the gold was replaced readily enough and you have no intention of admitting that your actions regarding the Hathor heifer were wrong. Until you find a way to appease the incarnate god it is likely that the Apis Bull will generate discontent rather than reassurance.

Results:
Minor loss of political stability (for now)
Priesthood of Ptah unhappy

Unfinished Business
Ptahshepses's roll ???

Tutoring you in your efforts at administration was not remotely the sole focus of Ptahshepses' efforts over the year. He had also been appointed to oversee the final construction of the tomb of your father, whose mummy was being held in a chamber in the palace for safe-keeping. Your father had decided upon a pyramidal mortuary temple early in his reign, with a shape hearkening back to the oldest days of Kemet but maintaining the format of a temple and its associated priesthood to minister to his immortal being. Construction had only started when he died, and progress had been sporadic over the past 15 years due to various emergencies; most recently construction had stopped completely and the foundations of the temple had been damaged by the Great Flood. Your mentor had his work cut out for him getting construction of the tomb back on track.

He reported to the Royal Council at the end of the laboring season that the damage inflicted by the flood had been overstated. The foundations were still sound and only cosmetic repairs were required to the structure of the tomb. Significant progress had been made in finishing the exterior of the tomb, including the final capping of the pyramid structure built over the colonnaded temple entrance. The pyramid would need to be covered over in limestone and finished with goldwork around the base, and fittings within the temple were still at a rudimentary state. He estimated that work could be completed within three years, though the Queen's Chamber would still require furnishings after the late Pharaoh was interred.

The Dowager Queen was exceptionally pleased with the work and pressed him to move faster, offering additional resources. Ptahshepses declined, as he had sufficient laborers for the necessary work and adding more would just get in the way. He noted the real bottleneck was in the availability of skilled artisans, who were also needed for temple work. Atumnemhat concurred, and complained about how difficult it was to obtain quality work when competing with multiple other projects. Discussion petered out amid the dissatisfaction with the availability of artisans, though you kept that complaint in mind as something that might need addressing later on. Especially if you planned to build a true legacy all over Kemet like the Great Ancestor did.

That night your mother told you that interring a predecessor was a traditional assertion of Royal Authority. "You would be wise to insure it is you, my dearest, and not Neferet who oversees the funeral of your father. It would be a shame to let such an opportunity go to waste."

"Why would she do such a thing, if it is my right as Queen?"

"This country pretends it has no precedent for ruling Queens," she says, laughing softly. "It has been ruled by women as often as any other but it prefers to believe otherwise. So it is not established as your right; you must seize it and make it so. As for your aunt, she loved your father as her husband and as her brother. She failed her duty to him as a wife. To inter him is to do something right as his sister, and her time in this world is uncertain. But you should not grant her that mercy."

Result:
Tomb to be completed in three years.

Staffing Solutions
Sennefer's Roll ???

Sennefer reported to the council that he had completed staffing the majority of positions opened up by the late purge with a new and less corrupt cadre of officials. Wenamun furiously interjected that the Inspector had bypassed the usual procedures, recruiting directly from private schools rather than going through his department. As such Wenamun could not vouch for the training or suitability of the Overseers. Sennefer in turn blamed Wenamun for not producing sufficient numbers of scribes and defended his own practices as necessary. Furthermore he offered that he had consulted local priests and required letters of introduction attesting to the good character of candidates from respected members of their communities. He finally added that such measures could hardly be less effective than those put in place by his predecessor, who after all had presided over an incredible reign of corruption.

Result:
Granaries administration now rebuilt

Their Misfortune, Our Gain
Ipy's Roll ???

With the abundant harvest promised for the coming year it was decided to sell off a portion of the stored grain to cover the demand for silver, bronze, incense, ivory, and other exotic goods required for temple construction. Ipy reported to the council that the Mynosians were paying exceptional rates for grain; a rate of 1 talent for 500 s. deben, which was close to twice as much as he had previously ever seen them pay. Investigation with the merchants confirmed a disastrous locust swarm over the harvest of Wattusi and Mittari, which had spread to the Mynosian client-state of Amarit. The sea-farers were scouring the Great Sea for grain to feed their proxies and to profit from the great demand for grain across the region. Ipy had turned 6000 s. deben of grain into 12 gold talents worth of luxuries, much of it high quality merchandise from east of Hugiya. The temples would be pleased with the availability of material, and the Royal Treasury handily offset planned expenditures to retain a tidy surplus.

Results:
Gain 12 talents

Water is Life
Herenamenpenaef's Roll ???

Herenamenpenaef reported the completion of repairs to the irrigation system as previously promised last year. Extensive work had restored the canals and levees to top condition after the gentle flood of the new year. Naturally it would require constant maintenance to keep the canals free of silt, but on an average year that could be handled by local authorities making use of corvee labor. He would be free to oversee the challenges of expanding arable land or settling villages or other construction efforts in the coming year.

The Might of Ptah
Khui's Roll ???

The Commander of the Royal Army returned to Temes during the Season of Harvest, to report on his efforts at Inbu-Hedj. After his success restoring the Division of Ra to trim it was expected that he would report great success. Alas, he informed the Regent that his efforts reforming the Division of Ptah have been less than availing. The division has not reached the standards set by the Division of Ra and requires his personal attention for longer. He cites the division's long ties to Inbu-Hedj, as the garrison of the great fortress of the Delta; they have become corrupt and complacent, aided by the local nobility. There are also lingering rumors that their patron deity is displeased lately, and Khui seeks leave to conduct a ritual to appease the god by presenting the unit with a new standard.

Khui is detained in Temes by the business of the Regency Council through the end of the year, as it considers his proposal.

Friends
1D100 => 2

See Event.

Investigate Meryawy (Ma'atneferure)
Ma'atneferure's Roll ???

"You are interested in the priest, Divine Majesty?" Ma'atneferure raised an eyebrow in surprise, and then a smug grin came over her. She shifted on the divan behind you and adjusted your wig a bit. "Ah, it is time then. Remember what I talked to you about, Majesty. There are many ways to avoid pregnancy, though it is still safer to seek pleasure with another woman. A Eunuch may also suffice, if women do not appeal to you. Some of them who were made such later can still…"

"No!" You shook, and your cursedly pale skin darkened in obvious mortification. "That's not it at all! I just wanted to know if I could… trust him. Later. As an official."

Ma'atneferure laughed gently at your expense. "He does not speak readily of himself. Yes, I think you may trust him. He has been your tutor for many years now, and I think you are astute enough to judge. He is a gentle and thorough man, one who takes his role seriously. Much more seriously than most of his station do."

"What do you mean?"

"Meryawy is the son of an important priest of Ra, and his position has been passed down now for seven generations. His step-mother saw that the temple would go to a half-brother, but he took the decision gracefully. Otherwise it would have been a messy struggle. Nefer… the Queen Dowager rewarded him by making him your personal tutor. I think he considered access to the Royal Archives the better part of the reward."

"Hmm." So Meryawy was from a noble family, even if he didn't get along with them at the moment. That might make him a viable appointment for some post or other. "Does he have no flaws?"

"Plenty, Majesty. His kindness may be exploited. Too many times he has given too much to beggers who approach him, even when he should know better. He lacks assertiveness and spends too much time with his nose in a scroll. He has also refused remarriage after losing his wife; he is too caught up in her memory and it is not good for your little friend Tayuheret."

"He has?" You hadn't heard about that from Tayuheret or from him.

"He is handsome enough, and many women would be attracted to his good nature. I even proposed marriage to him." Ma'atneferure shook her head in exasperation. "He turned me down. Alas, a spinster I remain."

That was a bit much to take in. You ask her to tell you more, but you can piece together a picture of the man from what you already know. She confirms your initial impressions and adds some details you lacked.

Results:
Trust in Meryawy reinforced
Suspected traits: Diligent, Chaste, Humble
Suspected talents: Diplomatic
Known talents: Piety

Investigate Khui (Satysis)
Mother's Roll ???

"Why is there a goat in your workshop?"

Your mother sidled over towards you in response as the brown goat looked on impassively from the middle of the room. It wasn't chained or otherwise restrained, nor was it making a sound. But it didn't appear to be asleep. It just stood there, beside a brass basin and an array of circles and triangles formed out on the floor of salt. That was probably enough salt for an entirely family for some time, you realized from having to apportion out the material from palace stores.

The torches in the workshop dimmed as your Mother passed them by.

"It is necessary," she said. She was wearing her hooped skirt and white apron, with her wine-colored hair festooned with flowers. You were beginning to understand it was a powerful ritual attire. She bore a double-headed bronze axe in her hand, though it seemed too small to be of use as a weapon. "You wanted to know about Khui. Some answers require special efforts."

This was magic, of course. "I didn't expect all of this."

"Of course not. But you should learn what can be done. You know Khui is ambitious. He is also brilliant, in the limited sense of a military man. But what are the secrets of his heart? Those he guards very well. No whores, no excessive drinking, no corruption, no sloth or greed to taint him like most men. He is driven. So we must find out what drives him."

You follow her over toward the goat, feeling a bit of a chill in the room as you do. "And how will this help?"

"Khui was a handsome and talented guardsman, and yet he never indulged himself with the palace maids. He had no friends, no one close to him. It was rumored he consorted with a eunuch, though Ptahshepses knew nothing of the sort. But he did know that Khui comes from a village in the nome of Sabastis, and there was one eunuch in the service of the palace who arrived from the same village a couple of years before Khui. Harkhebi was young, barely sixteen years of age, a peasant. It was known they knew each other, but Harkhebi has been dead for these eight past years. Ptahshepses had no further line of inquiry."

"You do?"

"Yes, daughter." She paced over to the goat and patted it on the head. She ran her hand over the goat's muzzle, and seized it underneath the jaw. The goat moved pliantly, bowing its head before your mother. She slid the brass basin underneath the goat's throat and used the labrys to open up its artery. The animal bled out without making a sound or any sort of protest, and its life's blood flowed into the ritual bowl.

"There is power in blood," Kirke commented calmly as she waited for the beast to finish exsanguination. "It is the vehicle for the fire of the soul. Even an animal has a certain amount of… vitality, let us call it. Sacrifice is not just a metaphor. You sacrifice of yourself when you perform magic. A true human sacrifice, like those performed in Kemet two thousand years ago, can fuel awesome magics. And the most powerful of sacrifices is that of the willing."

You watched, rapt and disturbed, as the torches flicker with a strange green flame and dim. The shadows reached out and almost enveloped you. They surrounded you, your mother, and the ritual space. Kirke took the basin and positioned it directly in the center of the seal of salt. She pulled forth a small broach from a pocket and tossed it into the circle alongside the basin, and chanted in an unfamiliar language. It sounded somewhat like the language of the Mynosian and Mykene merchants you had met, but not. You couldn't understand it but it was clipped and guttural and flowed slowly compared to the language of Kemet.

As she made a dramatic declaration she slit her hand with the labrys and poured the blood out into the basin. The room chilled and the torches flickered again. You blinked, and as your eyes opened a translucent shade stood within the circle. Kirke spoke the unfamiliar language in clear tone of command; the shade did not speak, but you felt its instinctive resistance. It was over quickly. The shade bowed to your mother and she nodded, and it knelt down to drink from the basin of blood.

"The shade of Harkhebi has answered the summons. The brooch was his in life, and I could use it to call him here. The blood gives him power of speech, and my blood commands him. The salt-circle restrains him. Now ask your questions, my daughter."

You almost bit your tongue as you shivered in the chilled room, but you summoned up your courage and resolve. You raised your head and looked at the poor soul as a Queen before one of her peasants. "You, Harkhebi, knew the general Khui in life. Does he seek my throne?"

"I know not his thoughts now," the shade responded. This time it spoke, though you did not think it made any sound. "When we laid on the banks of the Nile in the age of our bloom, he spoke of restoring his family. He spoke of glory and restoring Maat to Kemet. He spoke of many things, as did I."

"You were his friend, then?"

"I was his beloved, as he was mine. In the bloom of youth we consummated our love and made plans for our future."

You glanced over to your mother, but she seemed utterly unsurprised. You weren't unacquainted with the idea thanks to Ma'atneferure. But what Harkhebi described was something different. Something stronger than a dalliance or affair.

Your mother looked back and him and narrowed her eyes. "How did you come to be a eunuch then, shade?"

"We were beloved. We were inseparable. His family planned for him to marry the daughter of the cousin of the nomarch. A petty match to advance a fallen clan a mere foot. He rejected it. But his family has plenty of power left over the village. They seized me and emasculated me. I was condemned as a thief and enslaved."

"You came to the palace staff afterward?" Many slave eunuchs were purchased by the palace, you knew full well after looking over the accounts.

"I did. He followed me as he could. But I could not love him as I once did. He was distant and bitter. I was in despair."

"And then," Kirke interjected, "you threw yourself into the Nile to be torn apart by the sacred crocodiles of Sobek, did you not?"

"I did. My death was not an accident."

"Not an accident. A suicide." Your mother sounded smugly pleased with her work. "And did this suicide have any purpose, save to relieve you of your life?"

"I proclaimed myself a sacrifice. I offered my body and soul to Sobek. If I could not have my dream, then I offered all that I had to the god."

"To what end?"

"That my beloved should have his dream."

The lights flared up again, turning red-orange as your Mother shouted a command in her foreign tongue and tossed salt into the shade. With a flash, Harkhebi was gone. The shadows disappeared and you could see all around the workshop. You looked at your Mother and saw her face lined with concern.

"Remember what I told you, my dearest. There is power in sacrifice. Harkhebi willingly sacrificed himself for Khui. In doing so he bestowed a powerful blessing on the man. He is more dangerous than even I imagined, and dealing with him will take effort."

Your mother dismissed you to your room to rest, but as you left you heard a hacking cough. You turned and saw her spit up blood into the ritual basin. Her eyes met yours, and you turned and fled from the room.

Results:
Concern about Khui reinforced
Suspected Traits: Ambitious, Temperate
Known Talents: Martial
Known Status: Blessed by Sobek
 
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Event: On A Very Special Episode
Meritamun's Creek

A few weeks into your archery training, Paneferer joins you and Ramessu on the target yard. He's been training with the bow since he was ten and readily outperforms you. You turn viciously competitive for a while, but soon realize you're trying a lot harder to get better to beat him. After that you start smiling even as you become more determined than ever to catch up and surpass him.

Ramessu encourages your efforts and has Paneferer assist in helping you find a proper form. You notice he's gotten taller and stronger lately, his features sharpening into those of a man instead of a fresh-faced boy. You're not above teasing him a bit when he puts his hands on your arms to guide you into position, or when you're directly shooting against him. The first time you do that he actually fumbles his bow, which causes you to laugh and laugh enough that he storms off in a fury. You're sorry when you see him again and try to be a little more respectful. Your offer of a kiss if he ever scores a center hit at 600 feet seems to have lately spurred him to greater and greater efforts, to your considerable amusement. It's made it a lot harder to keep up with him.

One afternoon, with your arms sore following the usual practice, you relax with Tayuheret in the pool and garden of the harem quarters. You lounge on a divan by the running water and enjoy the cool from the mist spraying out while she sits at your feet. She has a graceful and lithe build fitting for a temple dancer, and looks adorable with her legs scrunched up on the divan and her expression in a mix of disapproval and shock at your mention of the bet. Her wide eyes were brown pools and her full lips were pursed in such a serious way, it was so unlike the usual shy Tauheret. So you flicked some water at her, and after a moment of shock she retaliated, and it ended with the both of you laughing.

You gossip a bit, and notice she gets very quiet when you mention how some of the serving girls seem to have started noticing Bakenptah. Your smile was perhaps just a little smug when you realized it, and needled her about it.

"He's clearly taking after his father with his muscles, though his face owes more to his mother. Thankfully including the nose. And his skin is so smooth and toned, with that exotic dark color. No wonder the maids are starting to poke after him. Have you noticed how handsome he is, Tayuheret?"

"I think he's nice," she finally blurted. "He's pretty kind and sweet despite being so strong."

"Oho," you say, and clasp your hands to your face. "It sounds like you have a crush."

"I like him, alright?"

You shift in the divan and look at Tayuheret, appraising her rather like you were a hawk seeing a mouse on the desert floor. "And have you done anything about it?"

She looked shocked at the thought. "No, of course not. What if he rejected me?"

"You won't know if you don't try." Really, the timid act was unbecoming of her. Truthfully it was starting to get a tad annoying. Compared to Paneferer, she at risk of becoming boring. Fortunately, you had an idea about what to do to make things better. She'd thank you if you could give her a little kick into motion.

And that was coming across your mind because Bakenptah was entering the room, coming to meet you to take you to speak with his father. You stood to greet him, adding a little bounce into your step that Ma'atneferure had shown you. He paused, a little bit agog at your overt display. You were pretty sure you could feel Tayuheret's eyes burning on your back, as well.

"Majesty, my father is…"

He didn't get far before you stood on your toes and kissed him. It was… very, very nice. You think you liked kissing.

And as he stood there stunned you broke the contact to turn around toward Tayuheret. "See, that's how you get what you want," you said smugly.

To your surprise she bolted up, tears flying from her eyes and her fists balled. Without a word she fled out of the room crying loudly. She actually startled the eunuch attendants at the door as she rushed past them and out the door. You were caught completely off-guard by this turn of events. Usually you were the one keeping your friends in surprise. You blinked and realized you were still very close to Bakenptah, and as your eyes trailed away from Tayuheret's flight to him, you were surprised yet again.

He was livid.

"Your Majesty," he said icily. "It is unbecoming for you to toy with us like this. You are the Queen and we are at your command. We know this. We know this very, very well. Whatever you feel for us, and whatever we feel toward you, can never escape that. For the sake of your ancestors, exercise some discretion. We are not game pieces on a board to be moved around at your whim."

Bakenptah turned on his heels and left for the door. You reached out haltingly, pausing before you could call his name. You'd messed up badly. You wet your lips and found yourself for once completely devoid of a smart remark or a comeback. And there was a fear in your heart that you'd lost them for good. You had to act, had to apologize, make this better.

But how?

[ ] Follow after Bakenptah. Apologize for playing with his feelings, profusely.
-[ ] You don't like him like that, but you do like him as a friend.
-[ ] You do like him like that.

[ ] Try to find Tayuheret. You clearly hurt her badly and you were just trying to help.
-[ ] You'll help set her up with Bakenptah, any way she wants you to.
-[ ] Maybe it isn't Bakenptah you really wanted to kiss…

[ ] You are not able to deal with this right now. Focus on archery with Paneferer. [+15 to next Martial training roll. Event Ends.]
-[ ] Kissing Bakenptah was fun, but kissing him would probably be even more fun.

Note: I'm keeping the botches at least proportional to what they botched on. So enjoy some bullshit teenage drama.

All sub-votes are completely optional.
 
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Meritamun's Creek, Episode 2
So there are a few rules overhauls here. I've changed how I generate NPC stats to make for a more consistent stat curve. Characters now also only add half their applicable stat to a roll instead of the full modifier. I'm also solidifying the classification of options as follows;

Trivial (DC 10)
Easy (DC 25)
Challenging (DC 55)
Difficult (DC 75)
Impossible (DC 90)

A highly competent character with a trait of 20+ in a particular area would be incapable of failing a Trivial check except with a natural 1 botch, while highly unlikely to fail an Easy task. Challenging tasks are more of a challenge, though obviously weighted slightly in favor of a high-tier adviser. Difficult or Impossible tasks on the other hand are a serious challenge and greatly encourage finding or creating situational modifiers like earning the approval of a relevant god before undertaking a major project or waiting for favorable local conditions. Advisers can also benefit from ritual support and magic performed by Eurydice or other relevant advisers. It's also possible to have negative modifiers to a roll based on the interaction of traits, unfavorable local conditions, the disfavor of the divine, sabotage, and so on.

The system also applies to various other rolls. The exact DC for a roll to influence another character is modified by the presence of traits as well as the overall state of your relationship. It is not easy to influence someone who hates you, after all; whereas someone positively inclined to you is just easier to manipulate or work together with. And as I mentioned earlier you'll also be made to check when doing something particularly out of character, as defined by traits and past history. The exact dice target will be modified by how many traits an action violates; in this case apologizing went against both the Proud and Wrathful traits that Eurydice has accumulated, so it was a Challenging task and Wrathful meant that she could have botched more readily.

Regrettably Fortunately, the dice roller still loves you all.

Making Amends

1D100 => 86

You start out of the room, sweeping by the impassive eunuch guards and head down the corridor toward the offices of the Royal Treasurer. Worries flutter in your stomach. You hope he doesn't hate you now; you hope Tayuheret will be okay, too. You were a little too caught up in the moment. They just didn't understand what you were trying to do!

That thought causes a surge of irritation. You were trying to help Tayuheret. If she wasn't so passive and meek she could be like you were. Or at least as much as a mortal could be like the descendant of a goddess. Still, you didn't get the chance to explain that and it was only natural she would be concerned that you liked Bakenptah too. That hadn't even crossed your mind.

You sighed in irritation as you caught up to the boy in a covered hallway passing over to the west wing of the palace. The kiss had been nice but it wasn't like you had a crush on him or anything.

"Bakenptah!"

He turned as you called out for him and regarded you neutrally. His mouth was still turned in a frown and there was a clear tension in the air.

"I'm sorry." You look around if anyone else can overhear. Besides the servants, of course. "I was playing around. You were right. I should have thought more about Tayu's feelings. I wanted to help her with her crush, that's all."

"And to help her with her crush you kissed me." Bakenptah's eyes narrowed. "Did your Majesty even think about my feelings?"

"Oh." The pieces come together and you can't help but smile mischievously. You're sure there's a glint in your eye. "Did you enjoy the kiss after all, Bakenptah?"

1D100+11 => 60

He shook his head in exasperation. "Of course! You're beautiful! A goddess. Alright! But you're the Queen. I'm not a noble. I'm… you know, damn it."

His last words came out in a frustrated growl. Frankly that amused you.You liked seeing Bakenptah wound up. The normally stuffy and unemotional boy could stand to be a little bit more like Paneferer, and it pleased you that you were the cause of it. Still, you frowned outwardly.

"I had no idea," you said with feigned confusion. "I'm sorry for that too, Bakenptah."

"So. We have that out of the way." He looked away from you, anger displaced by embarrassment.


[ ] Friendzone him. Hard.
[ ] Tease him and keep him twisting.
[ ] Encourage him.
[ ] Write in. (Note: Will be rejected if not in-character or otherwise boring.)
 
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