Huh, that's new. I wonder if they are calculated based on how many members we have or if they are fixed.
The Common People:
Opinion: Friends (2)
Plans: Cheer the Pilgrims on/Scowl at Martyris
Mood: Calm, happy, and no major worries at the moment. The most pressing matter is a lack of sanitation.
So that's how the spy network/rumor mill looks like. And still the sanitation, well not like we can do anything about it.
The Union of Herbalists:
Opinion: Neutral (1)
Plans: Advance Medicine
Factions:
-Unionists (Rivals (-2)/44% Control/Mali to Costs for Actions)
-Base (Friendly (1)/37% Control/Cheaper Actions)
-Healers (Friendly (1)/19% Control/Enables Doctoral Training)
Boni: +15 on all Diplomatic rolls
Ha, so we did succeed with pushing the Unionists below 50%. And the plans of the Herbalists promptly changed to something useful, probably a compromise between the Base and the Healers. Although, I'm not sure if we should keep playing politics with the Artefacts or let things be for now...
The Mutated:
Opinion: Neutral (0)
Plans: Happy for you, not their situation.
Mood: Thoroughly cowed and intimidated by the crackdown of the nobles. Keeping their heads down and avoid any trouble. The most pressing matter is the hostility brought against them.
General Opinion on Mutated: Semi-Hidden Hostility (-1)
Nothing changed here. It's going to need an action from us, huh?
Metallic Scrap - 0.13
Rare Flower - 0.61
Well Kept Picture - 0.20
And more to sell. I wonder what makes that flower so precious?
That last one scares me more than anything. That there is a tiny chance that me marrying Selene could result in such a thing, more so.
Why can't the world be simple?
The world
is simple. It's people that make things complicated.
The first had been the Queendom of Elirius to the west. This aristocracy is notable because it was a matriarchy, and had no qualms about enslaving both Mutated and those on the bottom on the social hierarchy. They saw it as their Divinity given right to rule above their lessers, preventing all from advancing above their assigned stations, while members of similar ranks replaced those that fell.
Sounds like a recipe for social unrest and backstabbing. Denying any form of social upwards mobility means everyone will cheat to get around that. They probably had a ridiculous number of people claiming their kids were bastards from someone of higher social standing, with a good helping of scheming and blackmail to force things through.
The second had been the Ilira Republic, though how much a republic it was, when only around 5% of the population had any say in what would happen is up to debate. Located to the east, this nation had been in direct opposition to the Kingdom not only by allowing all genders into the government but also in having a hardcore anti-slavery policy. The only reason those nations only had a significant clash just before the Empire united them was the third faction.
An oligarchy? I wonder how the 5% kept their power, maybe a merchant republic?
Much of this faction has been lost to time, as many documents about them were destroyed in the war between Ilira and Elirius. However, some scraps of information survived the clash of those nations bickering over that fallen city-state. The "Revival Initiative," as many modern historians have taken to calling it, was centered in Mirn. This faction had an extremely pragmatic view of the world, banning all religions in their region, and they saw no reason to differentiate between Humans and Mutated. They left those Mutants who did not seek out Humans to attack in peace instead of wiping them out.
Similarly, saving a child from death was not done because it was the right thing to do, but because the work hours the child could produce would outweigh the hours spent saving it. Much of its attention had been on the Necropoli, ripping ancient technologies from the jaws of Mutants, Machines, and Horrors unimaginable. Notable about this is mentionings about a "Secure Zone" inside the Necropoli, situated somewhere inside it, though no further evidence about its existence has been found yet. (We should see if we can find it, there could be valuable things hidden inside. Additionally, we have found several references to the Knight we have recovered, which should help us in our restoration-efforts.)
Utilitarians, but they sucked at diplomacy. With the other big powers of the area controlled by a small elite, it should have been possible for the Initiative to bribe them into being friendly. Maybe even subvert them using economical means. Alas...
A mere two months after his conquest of the region, Emperor Frederick the Third received news about a civil war inside the Queendom, with one side supporting the Queen, and the other fighting to take control over the country to offer vassalage or assimilation into the Empire. Acting as fast as he could, the Royal Army gathered and marched towards war once more, crushing the Queen's last stand and her loyalists. With this, although with an unexpected twist, the Tessen region had been pacified and brought under Imperial control.
They... they didn't negotiate with the Emperor before they started their rebellion!? What would they have done if he didn't want to take over?
The following four centuries read as a prime example and as a textbook case of how the Empire had been able to conquer to the extent as it has.
Yeah, if it takes them centuries to assimilate new areas it makes the war with Starlight even worse. The empire should be still recovering from the civil war the late Empress fought and now the Emperor conquers an area that will take centuries to absorb...
Pride is good, but the people here can border on nationalistic zeal, reacting violently against any that criticize the Empire too much. The trade that flows through the region brings strange people, mysterious religions, and dangerous ideas, which has led to many becoming suspicious of any outsiders that do not give them a reason to tolerate their presence.
So blame everything bad on the nobles, not the empire. And we should integrate into the community so we don't appear as outsiders.
Of those three, two are here to give the first their reports, gathered over the last three months, with others' help and their rudimentary networks. Notes with ciphers exchange hands and signals are shared, while a conversation is held with carefully prepared sentences.
Sounds like some kind of spies. Could be the internal security of the empire or maybe some Evertorch agents that escaped the purge? Or some guys from another branch of the Evertorch?
But hunting them wouldn't require distracting the nobles...
Then everything goes to shit. The door is kicked open, the other guests draw weapons, while the barman whips out a crossbow from underneath his bartop. A dozen soldiers bearing the Interior Defence's insignia storm the small room, holding their weapons at the three figures, while everyone else does too. When the three realize that they are surrounded with no way out, they slowly raise their hands, away from the daggers around their hips.
That's why they needed the nobles distracted, isn't it? The Interior Defence planted agents in the slums to prevent a repeat of the Evertorch debacle.
The nobles, of course, wouldn't like the emperor's spies hiding in their backyards. Especially because the slums are probably the home of the black markets.
A man slowly walks in. His gaze blank, nothing tells whether or not he feels any emotions, and with one swift motion, he holds up a scroll, unfurling it.
"By the authority of Emperor Elianus of Slatnan, you are hereby under arrest. The charges are; Treason, sedition, Murder, conspiring to spread separatist ideas, conspiring-"
Yeah, the three guys were Evertorch remnants.
Those observant enough can see a white triangle on blue hidden underneath a second coat against the coat.
And those are our guys.
"I meant what I said, boss. We cannot build the Hospice; it's already finished." Holding up a quick hand to stall Marxcim's continued signing, Gelet elaborated. "We checked, and yes, there is no mistaking it, that's our Hospice, build with our materials."
"What? How? We haven't even started?"
Oh no. Any moment now a hole in spacetime will be ripped open and the time travel part of the quest starts!
"Yeah, about that. A few volunteers and locals found out that we have bought the plot and decided to build the thing in their free time. We only have to staff the jobs, and after checking if the building is sound, we can move in. Nothing more complicated than that."
Or not. Did they also finish the paperwork?
***
+++Restart Succesful, Initia- WARNING!!! ERROR BUFFER OVERFLOW!!!+++
+++Initiate Debug Mode+++
+++Time remaining: 9999-+++
***
Oh, that again. I still have no idea what that is. Our knight? Maybe something in the ruins?
"Okay, how is everyone so calm about this? Somethin just ate the brains of sixty people," Greg asked into the room, unnerved by how everyone took the news about "The Silence" so well.
"That's because you ain't from around here. That shit happens every decade like clockwork. Nothing new," an older man from the back called out, not even bothering to put down his newspaper.
That sounds very regular. I guess it's either maintenance for something that uses up brains - unlikely given the medical tech we know existed pre-Fall - or some kind of reproduction cycle.
I still think it's some kind of brain-eating parasite.
[ ] Establish A Small Hospice - (Choose City)
While a Hospice does cater to the dying, their primary purpose is to heal the sick who cannot afford to see a doctor. Unfortunately, you cannot provide more than the most basic medical procedures until you make some deals and agreements with those who have studied medicine.
(Chance: 20%
Cost: 3 Materials Upkeep: 1.5 Material
Reward: +0.01 Goodwill per turn, 1d5-1 Goodwill, unlocks further actions)
[ ] Expand Your Hospices
While you have acceptable Hospices, there are many things you can improve. Capacity, treatments, things like that. Better get to it!
(Cost: 5 Materials per Hospice, Upkeep: +1 Material per Hospice
Reward: +0.05 Goodwill per turn per Hospice, 1d5+1 Goodwill)
@HeroCooky Is there a limit for how many hospices we can build in one city? Or how often we can upgrade one hospice?
[ ] Healing For All!
You have the money; they have the expertise. Announce that the Pilgrims will shoulder all costs for any medical procedure done by the Herbalists for the next three months.
(Cost: 8 Materials
Chance: 65%
Reward: Healers gain influence, 1d3 Goodwill.)
Huh, useful. A way to farm influence for the Healers, that is affected by the price reduction we get for more influence.
[ ] Infiltrate - (Target)
With spies now available to the Pilgrims, it may be the time to make sure that they are in place to ply their trade.
(Cost: 3 Materials
Turns: 3
Chance: 80%
Reward: Target is Infiltrated, displays more information, raises chances for Exfiltrate and Illuminate)
@HeroCooky If we crit this action, could that shorten the time needed? What about if we crit
We Are One People!?
[ ] Of Deterrents and Lures
The increasing number of Blightdogs that stream into Tessen is a danger to many people. While you can't hunt them all, you can develop something to prevent attacks on humans. A chemical repellant that keeps Blightdogs away from humans could save many lives. Of course, the Blightdogs still must be hunted, or people will die from the long-term consequences of the Blightdog invasion, so developing a lure would help too.
(Chance: 50% Successes needed: 1
Reward: Blightdog Lure/Repellant, increased chance of success for The Last Push, +1 Materials in sales.)
Is the "increased chance of success" a bonus to the roll for The Last Push or does it reduce the DC?
[ ] Search for the Zone
Your efforts to learn more about the region have yielded an unusual fruit, that of the knowledge that your Knight was most likely part of the Revival Initiative. This polity operated deep inside the Forest, scavenging for artifacts like you, but they took it a step further. They build a small town in the Necropoli. Foolish, yet finding that town could end up unearthing treasures beyond imagination, or prove to be a giant disappointment.
(Chance: ???%
Turns: ???
Reward: The Zone can be scavenged.)
Sounds great but we probably want to do this as a Personal action to get the +40 on that dice roll.
[ ] Blacksmiths Abode - (Basic)
Humanity was born without claws or scales. So we forged them in the fire, hardened by iron and oiled by our blood. It's a good saying, but some Mutated with claws and scales find its implications insulting. At least you now have a smithy, so having to wait days for a new tool is a thing of the past.
(Cost: 7.5 Materials, Upkeep: 1 Material
Turns: 2
Reward: Lowered costs for all equipment, increased chances for all research, rolls with advantage for all melee weapons/equipment made od metal, can be upgraded.)
Sounds useful but not urgent. I wonder what is meant with "advantage"?