So.. it comes down to what we need, what we can afford, and what we can actually achieve.
Needs:
- Sounds like The Grand Conclave (Void) needs to get done before the Golems hit. It doesn't have to be immediate, but it's a not-if-but-when.
- Earth and Fire options would both be Really Useful To Have in the upcoming fight. Fire has some real value for long-term benefits, too (and not *just* because Uncle is awesome and deserves a reward).
- The Air option could be really handy if it goes well, and it's something that should be done now if we're going to do it at all. These things take time to come to proper fruition. There's a decent chance ti works, too.
- Our money situation is... not good. It's likely to *stay* not good until and unless we go for some matter of mercantile reform. Also, our treasurer is getting increasingly frustrated with our lack of support, and not without reason. Also also, we keep seeing ways that we could make certain problems far less problematic if we could just afford to throw around some serious money to make it happen. That's going to keep being a thing until we start to fix it so that it's not a thing.
Affords:
- Our monetary situation is still not good. We're doing okay for now, but the Earth and Fire options (highly valuable for other reasons) and expensive in a way that we can't choke down without pain.
- Clan ratings are actually doing reasonably well (assuming that the 1st page is accurate for now). Looks like the whole assassination thing may have bought us some breathing room. Lowest clans currently are Mantis with 30, and Crane and Scorpion with 35. Of those clans... The Crane don't like *anything*, and dislike Air, Fire and Water. The Mantis like Air, and they *really* like water, but they don't like Void. The Scorpion also don't like anything, and dislike Fire and Void. Also, it's noted in the descriptions that Fore says it "will anger many", and Water says "you're going to take a hit on this". I have a suspicion that that's talking about more than just the printed numbers. Also, our various locks are about to run out, and everyone is above them right now.
- I'd be seriously tempted to go Water this time, for the money, for the Mantis support, and so forth, but that TN 30 is pretty punishing (admittedly, the two banked free raises make it not quite as terrible as it might otherwise be).
- Building the wall is *easy*, but I don't want to push our finances any more than we already have without somehow building them up first.
- Air's pretty easy, and it's not super-costly. It also... might or might not be worthwhile. Maybe some information, maybe some allies. Maybe even some more trade coming through (...although that's a stretch). It also might not be anything, or if it is something, might not be much. I think I may be unfairly biased against it, but I keep feeling like other things are much more important.
- Fire is very, very worthwhile, and a definite possibility, and will make our treasury whimper. I would rather not make our treasury whimper.
- Void is something we're going to have to do, and it's not so very expensive.
I think, overall, that I'd be tempted to go Void this turn, and hope that Hiroko can come up with something a *bit* more manageable next turn. If we can pull the Conclave off right, that'll give us a bit more influence/legitimacy, hopefully? That might make some of these political pulls a bit easier. Overall, my inclination would be to try to go for some sort of mercantile reforms next turn (if ti looks plausible), and then reform the Legions the turn after that, once we have money? I'm not feeling super-confident about this in general, and would welcome others to present opposing viewpoints.
@gman391 - I assume that the Crab contributions will be put to good use somehow (though perhaps not as effectively) even if we don't make it the current focus, right?
