- Location
- USA
@HeroCooky I would like if possible to reveal these two traits from Fractal Nova: Hyper-Efficient Regeneration (?), Intelligent (?)
Cult Creator - The Pilgrims Journey
- Thread starter HeroCooky
- Start date
- Original Mature
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Hyper-Efficient Regeneration (recovers 10d2000 health per round)
Intelligent (This creature is capable of using tactics, strategy, and traps. It may command an army or make independent action when commanded, based on it's own conclusions. It is capable of using puns.)
Intelligent (This creature is capable of using tactics, strategy, and traps. It may command an army or make independent action when commanded, based on it's own conclusions. It is capable of using puns.)
- Location
- USA
well, that is nearly impossible to defeat as far as I can tell, unless a forge clan has some lost tech fire weapon that disintegrates matter
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Or she is submerged in napalm/white phosphorus for two hours. She may be bullshit overpowered, but still has to play to the laws of physics. And being on fire for two hours tends to wreck shit.
- Location
- Nottinghamshire, England
Ah, apologies. I didn't realise that was the case.
All too true, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. My family has a log-burner that was hand-crafted in Normandy, and nothing we've chucked in has survived more than an hour or two (though we admittedly haven't chucked anything more than kindling, bark and wood in).
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[Canon] - Internal Security Report On The Shimmering Cloud | [Canon] - Flag Of Nova's Vision
- Location
- USA
Internal Security Report on The Shimmering Cloud
As mentioned in a previous report this mercenary group is a cult that worships Fractal Nova, as the harbinger of a new era of freedom to the world. Their beliefs and actions are unusual in comparison to the other cults that worship Fractal Nova, instead of focusing on social upheaval in the large scale or outright purging of any one that disagrees with them, the Shimmering Cloud takes a radically different approach to what they consider their holy mandate.
Unlike, the vast majority of cults that have become or began as a mercenary force, the Shimmering Cloud is open to non believers in its ranks, as long as the non believers do not hold counter ideologies to their religion. This has allowed the cult to grow in size and overall skill beyond what is generally accepted as hard limits due to the refusal of letting other more skilled individuals into their band if they do not share their religion.
We have reason to believe that the majority of the trainers that the band has in service are those that trained the leaders of Nova's Voice in preparation of their second revolution. This has been made apparent in the skill that the cult enforces among its soldiers, where in other mercenary groups, it would not be improper to call them roving bands of malcontents or thugs, the Shimmering Cloud is more akin to an unattached military battalion, with skilled and disciplined men and women in its ranks.
One of our agents acting on his own initiative made direct contact with the group some decades ago, and received a windfall of information on their codes and desires that we have seen no large deviation from in recent years.
From this report we have broken their codes down into several points outlined below, in order of overall importance.
Although they like all such groups wander the world, they are notable in that they willingly offer their assistance free of charge to setter bands that are seeking out new land to found an outpost. In this case they stay with the band for up to half a decade providing safety, teaching and general assistance to the burgeoning village. Due to this assistance they have seemingly inadvertently cultivated a large sprawling network of small towns and villages that owe them nearly everything and the cult can now find shelter and rest in the walls.
However, their tenets also have problems that potential employers must be cautious to not fall into. The most prominent one is that they outright refuse to harm general stability in a nation and as such will reject any mission that involves the destruction of government buildings, farms, fouling of water sources and so forth. If given such a mission they will either reject the mission and let their employer offer another more pliable one for them to undertake or they will simply desert the entire mission and return their received payment. In light of this nature it is worth noting that they are fine with missions that deal with direct attacks on cities as long as the damage done is minimal, such as the destruction of a gate or a breach in a wall, yet there has been at least one case where they turned on their employers once they realized that they were planning on burning down a city with the civilian populace trapped inside.
In summary, there are overall less expensive mercenary bands open for hiring that do not entail such restrictive usage, that the empire would be better served by hiring in most situations. A colliery to this statement exists in the case that a nation can be proven conclusively to be a net negative for the world in terms of stability and its people, in this case the Shimmering Cloud will accept missions that they will normal disregard even if they do so grudgingly at best.
In terms of forces the cult, holds appropriately one thousand men and women in the band at most times. These one thousand are split up into four large groups each lead by a single General, under each of these general exists five groups that each answer to a Force Leader, and under the force Leaders are five Leaders.
Outside of this normal chain of command is anywhere from ten to a hundred soldiers. These soldiers have proven themselves better than the rest of the band, yet for whatever reason are not leadership material, instead of being placed in a position that does not fit their skills they are removed from normal command to form a specialist unit. This unit exists nominally under the Grand General and is in theory his personal guard. However, in practice the Champions are sent to the frontlines to provide assistance where needed or to support a failing flank, there has yet to be a confirmed event where the Champions were needed to protect the Grand General and as such they effectively remain within the ranks of the groups that they were pulled from originally to spread their skills to the wider band. Even so it is not wise to discount the authority that the Grand General can exert over the Champions and several times opponents have fallen to a clever usage of this flexible hierarchy that the Champions exist within.
Recruitment
The mercenary group even thought it is a cult tends to recruit more or less organically when possible, letting people profess a desire to join and then be tested by the recruiters. These tests are both physical and mental for the cult refuses to accept those that are unintelligent, or physically weak. However, as according to their tenets they are willing to accept individuals that might not match their criteria at the moment but show a desire to eventually reach that level of skill. In this way they have remained a small but highly skilled force of mercenaries that serve better as shock troops than a true army.
Preaching
The cult does hold regular sermons in their camp, but as one of our agents that joined their ranks for a few years reported, the sermons were not required to be attended and seemed to often become a philosophical debate more often than not between all attending men and women, with everyone being allowed to speak and profess their interpretation of the sermon's meaning only for others to ask them questions about why they believe that. It seems that this fluid dynamic is worryingly good at converting even staunch non believers over time, as our agent also mentioned that it was becoming harder to not start believing as they do by the time he left the cult.
He also reported that they perform these debates in the town centers when allowed or outside of towns when not allowed for any given reason, and anyone can join in, which in his experience was both amusing and sad in equal measure. He is convinced that the cult leaders do not understand just how effective this method of preaching is and instead simply believe that its following one of their main tenets of belief in allowing everyone their own ideals.
Technology and other force multipliers
We know for a fact from our agent that the general soldier is outfitted with armor and weapons that bear the mark of a Forge Clan, however the mark in question is unknown and as such we have no measure of its quality and overall power level. According to our agent, due to the connections with Nova's Vision the army and weapons are also fairly high quality, possibly equal to our main armaments for the common soldiers.
Beyond the common soldier the commanders from Force Leaders and up, are given better technology with some unique items in the possession of the four generals, while the Grand General has access to the single Knight that the cult has. The Knight in question is an unusual possibly unique design although the base chassis is probably standard with only the outward appearance being reshaped.
Finally, we get to the most unique part of the cult in their animal assistance. It has been proven that they have the assistance of at least two Fractal Felines and possibly one Celestial Feline as well. If true this makes them the single largest concentration of tamed Fractal and Celestial Felines in the known world.
@HeroCooky another omake
Flag for Nova's Vision
docs.google.com
As mentioned in a previous report this mercenary group is a cult that worships Fractal Nova, as the harbinger of a new era of freedom to the world. Their beliefs and actions are unusual in comparison to the other cults that worship Fractal Nova, instead of focusing on social upheaval in the large scale or outright purging of any one that disagrees with them, the Shimmering Cloud takes a radically different approach to what they consider their holy mandate.
Unlike, the vast majority of cults that have become or began as a mercenary force, the Shimmering Cloud is open to non believers in its ranks, as long as the non believers do not hold counter ideologies to their religion. This has allowed the cult to grow in size and overall skill beyond what is generally accepted as hard limits due to the refusal of letting other more skilled individuals into their band if they do not share their religion.
We have reason to believe that the majority of the trainers that the band has in service are those that trained the leaders of Nova's Voice in preparation of their second revolution. This has been made apparent in the skill that the cult enforces among its soldiers, where in other mercenary groups, it would not be improper to call them roving bands of malcontents or thugs, the Shimmering Cloud is more akin to an unattached military battalion, with skilled and disciplined men and women in its ranks.
One of our agents acting on his own initiative made direct contact with the group some decades ago, and received a windfall of information on their codes and desires that we have seen no large deviation from in recent years.
From this report we have broken their codes down into several points outlined below, in order of overall importance.
- All humans and sapient individuals are to be given due respect.
- Any form of bondage not consented to by both involved or coerced by another is anathema and the highest possible crime.
- Order and Honor is what divides True Individuals from the screaming wretches of the world
- Civilization is the ultimate end, where it stands to fall we are duty and honor bound to lend our might to its defense regardless of sin
- Fractal Nova is the manifestation of Freedom and Mercy, we have to strive to be worthy of her enlightenment
Although they like all such groups wander the world, they are notable in that they willingly offer their assistance free of charge to setter bands that are seeking out new land to found an outpost. In this case they stay with the band for up to half a decade providing safety, teaching and general assistance to the burgeoning village. Due to this assistance they have seemingly inadvertently cultivated a large sprawling network of small towns and villages that owe them nearly everything and the cult can now find shelter and rest in the walls.
However, their tenets also have problems that potential employers must be cautious to not fall into. The most prominent one is that they outright refuse to harm general stability in a nation and as such will reject any mission that involves the destruction of government buildings, farms, fouling of water sources and so forth. If given such a mission they will either reject the mission and let their employer offer another more pliable one for them to undertake or they will simply desert the entire mission and return their received payment. In light of this nature it is worth noting that they are fine with missions that deal with direct attacks on cities as long as the damage done is minimal, such as the destruction of a gate or a breach in a wall, yet there has been at least one case where they turned on their employers once they realized that they were planning on burning down a city with the civilian populace trapped inside.
In summary, there are overall less expensive mercenary bands open for hiring that do not entail such restrictive usage, that the empire would be better served by hiring in most situations. A colliery to this statement exists in the case that a nation can be proven conclusively to be a net negative for the world in terms of stability and its people, in this case the Shimmering Cloud will accept missions that they will normal disregard even if they do so grudgingly at best.
In terms of forces the cult, holds appropriately one thousand men and women in the band at most times. These one thousand are split up into four large groups each lead by a single General, under each of these general exists five groups that each answer to a Force Leader, and under the force Leaders are five Leaders.
Outside of this normal chain of command is anywhere from ten to a hundred soldiers. These soldiers have proven themselves better than the rest of the band, yet for whatever reason are not leadership material, instead of being placed in a position that does not fit their skills they are removed from normal command to form a specialist unit. This unit exists nominally under the Grand General and is in theory his personal guard. However, in practice the Champions are sent to the frontlines to provide assistance where needed or to support a failing flank, there has yet to be a confirmed event where the Champions were needed to protect the Grand General and as such they effectively remain within the ranks of the groups that they were pulled from originally to spread their skills to the wider band. Even so it is not wise to discount the authority that the Grand General can exert over the Champions and several times opponents have fallen to a clever usage of this flexible hierarchy that the Champions exist within.
Recruitment
The mercenary group even thought it is a cult tends to recruit more or less organically when possible, letting people profess a desire to join and then be tested by the recruiters. These tests are both physical and mental for the cult refuses to accept those that are unintelligent, or physically weak. However, as according to their tenets they are willing to accept individuals that might not match their criteria at the moment but show a desire to eventually reach that level of skill. In this way they have remained a small but highly skilled force of mercenaries that serve better as shock troops than a true army.
Preaching
The cult does hold regular sermons in their camp, but as one of our agents that joined their ranks for a few years reported, the sermons were not required to be attended and seemed to often become a philosophical debate more often than not between all attending men and women, with everyone being allowed to speak and profess their interpretation of the sermon's meaning only for others to ask them questions about why they believe that. It seems that this fluid dynamic is worryingly good at converting even staunch non believers over time, as our agent also mentioned that it was becoming harder to not start believing as they do by the time he left the cult.
He also reported that they perform these debates in the town centers when allowed or outside of towns when not allowed for any given reason, and anyone can join in, which in his experience was both amusing and sad in equal measure. He is convinced that the cult leaders do not understand just how effective this method of preaching is and instead simply believe that its following one of their main tenets of belief in allowing everyone their own ideals.
Technology and other force multipliers
We know for a fact from our agent that the general soldier is outfitted with armor and weapons that bear the mark of a Forge Clan, however the mark in question is unknown and as such we have no measure of its quality and overall power level. According to our agent, due to the connections with Nova's Vision the army and weapons are also fairly high quality, possibly equal to our main armaments for the common soldiers.
Beyond the common soldier the commanders from Force Leaders and up, are given better technology with some unique items in the possession of the four generals, while the Grand General has access to the single Knight that the cult has. The Knight in question is an unusual possibly unique design although the base chassis is probably standard with only the outward appearance being reshaped.
Finally, we get to the most unique part of the cult in their animal assistance. It has been proven that they have the assistance of at least two Fractal Felines and possibly one Celestial Feline as well. If true this makes them the single largest concentration of tamed Fractal and Celestial Felines in the known world.
@HeroCooky another omake
Flag for Nova's Vision
city 1 flag
docs.google.com
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HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Okay, I really like that, along with the others.
Canon.
Choose your lore:
[ ] The A.R.S(e)-System Of The Adventuring Guild
[ ] Mercenaries Within Slatnan Armies
[ ] A Cup Of Tea Under A Tree
20 Materials, 2(two) turns.
How does Hyper-Efficient Regeneration interact with things that can kill but don't cause wounds as such (drowning, getting frozen solid,etc.)?
- Location
- USA
This option please
lets reveal what Fractal Nova's trait Claws of Crystal do
Glad you like my omakes, just writing what occurs to me at the moment.
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HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Depends on what is happening, as the trait is merely an indication for the mechanics within the quest, but can be subverted or bypassed with clever thinking. She would drown like any living being, whough she would need to spend two hours without oxygen before she's dead, due to internal storage of air. Getting Frozen would be after she had burned all her fat-reserves in an effort to keep warm.
The trait makes her very hard to kill, but does not remove reality from affecting her. She ain't Deadpool, she still needs an intact nerve-system to function as a living creature.
Coming right up.
Claws of Crystal: +1234 damage. Bypasses all armor. Look really snazzy as pendants.
- Location
- Brazil
That's cheaper and faster than our Tree option so there must be catch.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Well, they would know that you have need for industrial equipment, but not for what. Attention like that could be beneficial, or dangerous.
Also, you can sell the recipe to a Forge-Clan for about ~200 materials if you wish, but then you wouldn't be allowed to use it's properties anymore, and you would loose some piety due to selling knowledge which would be horded, and not shared.
- Location
- Somewhere in the area
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
How difficult would it be to try and spin it as equipment to produce/refine construction supplies en masse, without giving away that we have some secret recipe? We've been doing a lot of construction lately, so it's not like it's out of the blue for us. Especially since we're building the massive school.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
[Canon] - Mercenaries Within Slatnan's Armies
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
The armies of Slatnan are as professional as they are specialized. There is a unit for every purpose within their rooster, a specialist for every need, and a guide on using them in all situations. Yet, for all that Slatnans Armies are the envy the world over for their might, they lack the only thing that cannot be increased by money alone.
Size.
While you may be confused, asking yourself, "How can that be? Isn't the Empire capable of mustering over two-point-three-million soldiers to war?" You would be right in your confusion, but here is the thing: most of those soldiers are levies, random people being told to march to war, not actual soldiers. A soldier in Slatnan is trained for years, sometimes decades, receiving the best in armor and weaponry that can be produced, taught under masters of their trade, and guided by those forged in the crucibles of war and leadership. The common soldier carries equipment worth a small village, not to mention that of the more elite troops.
Now compare it to Billie, who has a spear and a helmet. An old helmet, mind you. And the spear is in dire need of a new pole. Not so impressive in comparison, huh?
And that is where mercenaries come into play. Mercenary Companies play a vital role in buffing out the rooster of any military endeavor of the Empire, providing needed troops with discipline, and, most importantly of all, troops that can die in place of Empire Citizenry or Soldiers. Those companies are typically hired through Inner Security recommendations, ensuring that a commander knows what to expect and how to properly utilize the sell-swords. Wheter that is as garrisons, scouts, or as front-line fooder.
Size.
While you may be confused, asking yourself, "How can that be? Isn't the Empire capable of mustering over two-point-three-million soldiers to war?" You would be right in your confusion, but here is the thing: most of those soldiers are levies, random people being told to march to war, not actual soldiers. A soldier in Slatnan is trained for years, sometimes decades, receiving the best in armor and weaponry that can be produced, taught under masters of their trade, and guided by those forged in the crucibles of war and leadership. The common soldier carries equipment worth a small village, not to mention that of the more elite troops.
Now compare it to Billie, who has a spear and a helmet. An old helmet, mind you. And the spear is in dire need of a new pole. Not so impressive in comparison, huh?
And that is where mercenaries come into play. Mercenary Companies play a vital role in buffing out the rooster of any military endeavor of the Empire, providing needed troops with discipline, and, most importantly of all, troops that can die in place of Empire Citizenry or Soldiers. Those companies are typically hired through Inner Security recommendations, ensuring that a commander knows what to expect and how to properly utilize the sell-swords. Wheter that is as garrisons, scouts, or as front-line fooder.
Does this mean that we wouldn't be able to use it or that we would lose the bonus? Because I would like to garner goodwill with the clans but not to our detriment.
Godwinson
"Well, I've got nothing."
That's for selling them the rights to the recipe -- how much could we get for selling/giving them a copy of the recipe without also surrendering the rights to the recipe?
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
You would be unable to produce Sandcrete, as the Forge-Clan would own the rights to the substance.
50 Materials. Once.
And late update is late.
I blame you, @BelligerentGnu!
Turn 31: Year 7; Month 3; To Old Life, And New
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
- The Pilgrims
-
- Structure
- Tenets
-
Origin: Humanism:
They say that a human is mired in sin, that you are wrong, and need a higher power to save yourself. You disagree; in every human is good, in every person exists the capacity to create greatness; you just have to show it to them.
(Wait, are we the good guys? - 50% chance to spend Goodwill at a 1 to 5 ratio to turn a failure into a bare success. All factions start at Neutral. The Common People start at Friendly.)
First Tenet: What was will be:
The old world is full of wonders of our achievements, but now they lie forgotten and disused. No longer. You will remake the world with the knowledge of the old.
(Archeological/Scavenging Operations unlocked in the Learning section. Gain one additional artifact dice, size depending on the site.)
Rite Of Mourning: A Journeys End
It is a terrible thing to lose someone and see their Journey cut short by age or force. To remember where they sat, sharing stories, laughter, love, food, and safety. To remember how they laughed, how they joked, and see their memory slowly fade with each passing day. To wake up one day and feel guilt over not grieving their passing.
I tell you: this is not how death should be seen. Their Journey had been one of the countless experiences of hundreds of chance encounters, a life lived changing the world, others, and themselves each passing day. And what we see as an end is not truly one, for their actions live on in our own. Those they helped are still out there, remembering them, acting in ways that they would never have been able to, had the dead not decided to share what they had, to offer a hand in aid. Their Journey may be at an end, but their actions live on, in our own.
(All casualties only inflict 1% Piety loss, -2 to Piety Rolls.)
Hidden Tenet: A Mythos Called Names:
It is undeniable that there is power in names. Nations, Organizations, Myths. All have one thing in common; a name gives meaning and identity, where there was none before. The Pilgrims have taken after the First Leader, Martyris, in His belief. A soldier, wary of death and destruction, a healer that failed too many times, or someone honoring a vow, may choose to change their name to reflect what they believe to be. While a name given by one's parents may encompass their hopes and dreams for one's future, reality tends to disagree.
(Every Leader of the Pilgrims may rename themselves. All Pilgrims may rename themselves in honor or shame. -1 to Piety rolls.)
Trait: Fail Better:
Falling is not a sin. Falling and not getting up is.
(One free reroll per turn should an action fail, 2 for 4, 3 for 6, usw.)
- Member/Resource Statistics
- Relationships
- Artefacts
- Military
- Unique/Notable Assets
- Tree Of Knowledge
- Heroes
The first wave sets out to cleanse an area of any Mutants, Machines, and Animals, which would complain about humanity's presence. They prepare the soil for agriculture, build the first shelters, the first roads, and generally, all that the second wave needs. This wave is made up of the most unfortunate of the Empires society, the poor with no tangible skills, the criminals whose deeds are too minor for death or prison but exceeding for corporeal punishment, those fleeing from debt, or those they wronged, the religious seeking to build a place for their faith, and the fools who have never set a foot outside a cities walls. They transform a region from a 'Red Zone,' an area actively hostile to human life, to a 'Yellow Zone,' one merely hostile, but not actively, to human life. Casualties are high, with about 70% of all in this wave dying within the first year, yet, they never lack volunteers.
A wave perfect for those who wish to disappear or vanish from the light of society. A wave where none would find a priest leaving his faith or a man seeking some redemption, even if it is in death, in the place of another, more deserving of life. And in a dusty tavern along a road leading to a fortified village where the settlers of a new wave were congregating, a man sat, nursing an ale, staring at the pamphlet—a man well into his late thirties, grey in hair, with wrinkles everpresent. Not those made from laughing, but from scowling and worry. His clothes were the sort of clothes for the outdoors by someone who had never been out.
He stared at the pieces of paper, proclaiming loudly about the importance of reclaiming the Wastes for the Empire. Colorful pictures showed off the goods he would receive as compensation, the acclaim he would earn, and the chance for a better life for both him and his children he would no doubt be making with the spouse he'd find among his fellow settlers. He ignored those words, those stories, and flipped to the last page, the one where the dangers were printed. Scowling once more, he read about the dangers he would encounter, the recommended number of people to travel with at all times, a small lecture about the importance of cleaning wounds with medicinal alcohol, and the recommendation to never let go of his weapon.
Alhas was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't realize a man was sitting opposite him, mug in hand. Looking up, intent on asking the man to leave him alone, he stopped as he saw just what sat in front of him. It was impossible to miss it, as the man had made no effort to cover the bone-plates covering his face and skull, causing Alhas to breathe in sharply. Neither had the man hidden the pendant dangling from his neck, a delta.
"You, my friend," the man began in a low growling tone, "look like a lost man, troubled and uncertain. And you look unused to such a state of emotions." Taking a second to collect himself and push down his ingrained response of punching the Mutant in the face, Alhas replied. "I am not your friend. And why would you care if I was? I neither know you nor do I have any reason to trust you, Pilgrim."
The Mutated only chuckled before taking the delta in two fingers, twirling it. "Not all who wander may be lost, but you are. And like all lost, you seem to think that you have to walk alone. You would not be here alone, Eden, if you had your path still in front of you. Your kind never spares a thought about the frontier, so I asked myself: 'What makes him different?' I had to see for myself."
Scowling in response, his lips in a thin line, Alhas asked, "How do you know my faith?" The Pilgrim leaned back in his chair, smiling smugly. "Your reaction. Others react with fear and suspicion. You reacted with anger." He cocked his head to the side in thought, waggling his hand in a so-so gesture. "Well, you wanted to, but you reigned your impulse in, quite unusual. I wonder why? Oh!" He perked up as a thought hit him. "You left! Unusual to see one of you to leave."
Alhas stopped in surprise, "How do you," he started to say before seeing the Pilgrim's smile. Glaring at him, he put both of his hands on the table, scowling. "I do not appreciate someone playing games with me. What. Do. You. Want? And what is your name? I tire thinking of you as 'The Pilgrim.'" Extending his hand with a cheerful smile, the man answered, "Sahla, nice to meet you, former enemy of my new brethren!" He left his hand in the air, then mimicked it being shaken by Alhas as he didn't reach for it, asking in return, "And your name would be, Mister 'Eden?'" "Alhas. Now, if you'd be so kind, leave. I do not wish to be in your company."
Raising his hands in mock surrender, Sahla stood up, "Alright, alright. I'll leave before you go all 'Purge The Unclean' on me. Enjoy your reading, and don't be too late for tomorrow!" Then, he left, walking to the counter and leaving a small number of coins, before exiting the tavern. Looking at the Mutated's back until he left, Alhas returned to look at the pamphlet in his hands.
Only to realize that another had replaced it. One boldly proclaiming a slogan of the Pilgrims and a cheerful depiction of Mutated and Humans holding hands.
+The Next Day+
+Early Morning+
+Early Morning+
The sun had barely crested the mountains, yet over six hundred people had already been up for the last hour, checking crates, food, seeds, tools, and more. Dozens of families took the chance to say goodby to their loved ones seeking a new beginning at the Empires' very front. Simultaneously, the military's scouts reported to their commanders about recent happenings, as a company prepared for the long day's march, securing their crossbows and glaives, giving last-minute advice to new members, and cracking jokes to stave off the nervousness. Off to the side, several criminals nervously chatted among themselves. Simultaneously, a handler fitted armor onto one of them, but not a helmet, allowing the cheek-tattoo to be seen by all displaying their crimes. In the middle of this hubbub of activity, Alhas sat ontop rock, staring at a small pendant in his hands, a cross of Eden. He had done so for over three hours, having found little sleep and not content with laying around in his bed.
When the commander's whistle sounded out into the village, he stood up and assembled at the square like all others, intent on hearing the women's words. As expected, she began to talk about the routes they would take and their intended destination: a large complex of caverns with numerous oases scattered throughout, illuminated by holes in the ceiling and abundant with vegetation, especially Bloom-Vines. A relatively rare plant used in the making of dyes, and the main export for these new settlements springing up around and within the cavern, where the plant would be cultivated. Speaking over the resulting clamor with the practiced ease of a soldier, she continued with the various dangers that were sighted and how they had to react. When to run, when to dig in, and when they should take their lives instead.
In all honesty, it was a rather dull speech. Alhas stopped actively listening and enjoyed the moment of non-focus, which would all be soon replaced by the march and heat of the day, which means that he didn't realize that the man to his left was Sahla. And failed to recognize him until everybody started setting out in their columns, and he got offered a bag of nuts by him, which was quite a shock, as Sahla had made no effort to be even remotely stealthy, eating from the said bag while cradling a spear in a very awkward manner.
"Nuts?" he asked, crunching on a few of them himself, looking at Alhas expectantly. The man in question made a 'hmm?' sound, looking to the left, before jolting in surprise. "Jesus, did you sneak up on me?"
Crunching another nut, Sahla shook his head in contemplation. "No. Don't think so; what do you think, Mar?" Looking to the Pilgrim's left, Alhas saw a woman, an ordinary human, thankfully. Said woman looked at Sahla with undisguised irritation. "Would you, please, by all that is good and holy, stop bothering people? Bad enough that you roped me into this, but do you have to bother the Elder too?"
"Hey, I'm only forty-seven! That's not that old," Alhas protested at the woman's words, feeling slightly insulted, before turning to the source of original surprise. "And you haven't answered my question. What are you doing here? Was I not clear last night?" Throwing a nut into the air and catching it in his mouth, Salha took a few seconds to answer his question, ignoring the suspicious looks of his companion. "You were, but then this happened," he said, holding aloft a piece of stone with a name engraved. 'Deepbloom,' the name of the village he would be part of in this new colonization effort. Alhas recognized the strip immediately, as he had been issued one the morning before, and a dawning realization crept onto his face.
"Yup, we're going to be neighbors! Isn't that swell? What do you say to that, Mar?" Sahla continued, ignoring the groan of the man to his right, barely ducking the slap aimed at the back of his head by the woman on his right. "That you are a colossal asshole. The man is scared of you, something you would see had spent a second looking at him. I am sorry for the behavior of my companion, Elder. He will no longer bother you."
Now it was Alhas's turn in looking irritated at Mar. "Stop the Elder goatshit; I have at least a good twenty years in me left. And I have seen my fair share of Mutated; he couldn't scare me even if he tried. And now that the topic is back to you, Sahla, here," he continued, holding out the pamphlet given to him the night before. Sahla, for his part, looked confused, staring at the leaflet, then Alhas, then back, before cocking his head to the right, slowly crunching another nut. "Keep it," he answered after contemplating for a second. "At worst, it could be used as kindling."
A pause ensued, with all three walking onwards, one of them looking utterly shocked. "Use it as kindling? That, you, what? Does this not contain your scriptures? How can you be so flippant in advising it to be used as kindling?" Mar leaned forwards slightly, cocking an eyebrow while speaking, "Yes, and? It is still paper, and if you have no use for the words written on it, you should use it as such."
Alhas left eye twitched, and then he took a deep breath.
He would spend the next three hours lecturing two very intimidated Pilgrims about the need to respect a holy scripture, in all its forms, and without fail, bringing to bear the experience of a life-long preacher. A situation that caused quite a broad circle to form around the three, Mar glaring harder at Sahla, and Sahla looking like a condemned on his way to the chopping block.
+Six Weeks Later+
+Deepbloom+
+Deepbloom+
Two men sat on a rock, sipping on water-cups, looking at a group of people discussing the younger of the two's proposal. The older leaned forwards and spoke up. "What is your game here?"
The younger leaned backward, satisfied, sporting his usual grin. "Did you know that Deepbloom is situated nearer to the Field Of 64 than any other outpost of civilization?" The older man looked up in surprise, shaking his head in the negative. "It is, surprisingly enough. It was quite a shock when we realized that we could cut our journey by almost three weeks by basing out of here. Well, one of the villages in this effort anyway."
Nodding in understanding, the older man continued looking at the group while the younger one sipped from his cup. "So, that's why you wish to give them the pump. Make them dependent on you, so that you get preferred treatment." The younger man choked on his drink, coughing out the water that nearly got into his lugs.
"The hell, Alhas? The pump is meant as a present, to make their lives easier, not to make them dependant! Why would weeee-and you meant that as a joke, didn't you?" Sahla asked, staring at Alhas with a mixture of mirth and annoyance. "Hah, I couldn't resist. But to be fair, the connection is there, and you would be a fool not to use the power." Then he continued much quieter, "A fool or a good person."
Sahla looked at the older man, twirling the cup in his hands before he perked up slightly with intent in his eyes. "Okay, I am sorry if I am intruding upon something personal, but I have to know. Why are you nice to me?" Seeing the confused look upon Alhas face, Sahla continued speaking while gesturing at his face. "I am a Mutated. You have been a priest of the COE. How in all the hells did we become something that could be called 'friends'? Ordinary people take months to get used to my face; some Pilgrims even take longer than you. So, how in the hell did someone preaching about killing my kind become my friend?"
Alhas watched Sahla talking and gesturing, then he looked down at his cup, staring at his reflection in the water, not saying anything for several minutes, as Sahla leaned back once more, disappointed this time. Then Alhas spoke.
"There is enough treachery, hatred, violence, absurdity, in the average human being to supply any given army on any given day.
And the best at murder are those who preach against it.
And the best at hate are those who preach love.
And the best at war, finally, are those who preach peace.
Those who preach peace do not have peace.
Those who preach peace do not have love.
Beware those quick to praise, for they need praise in return.
Beware those who seek constant crowds, for they are nothing alone.
Beware the average Mutated, the average Apostate.
Beware their love.
Their love is average.
Seeks average.
But there is genius in their hatred.
There is enough genius in their hatred to kill you.
To kill anybody.
Not being able to be a person, they will not understand the people.
They will consider their sins only as sins of the world.
Not being able to understand God's love, they will believe his love for you dangerous.
And then they will hate you.
And their hatred will be perfect.
Like a shining diamond.
Like a knife.
Their finest art.
Your death."
The Genius Of The Crowd by Charles Bukowski, changed to fit the ideology of the Church Of Eden.And the best at murder are those who preach against it.
And the best at hate are those who preach love.
And the best at war, finally, are those who preach peace.
Those who preach peace do not have peace.
Those who preach peace do not have love.
Beware those quick to praise, for they need praise in return.
Beware those who seek constant crowds, for they are nothing alone.
Beware the average Mutated, the average Apostate.
Beware their love.
Their love is average.
Seeks average.
But there is genius in their hatred.
There is enough genius in their hatred to kill you.
To kill anybody.
Not being able to be a person, they will not understand the people.
They will consider their sins only as sins of the world.
Not being able to understand God's love, they will believe his love for you dangerous.
And then they will hate you.
And their hatred will be perfect.
Like a shining diamond.
Like a knife.
Their finest art.
Your death."
"The prayer I just spoke is one of the tamer ones. The Church Of Eden had long had aspects I disliked, even before I became completely disillusioned when you exposed the Bishops 'Heresy' and the resulting reactions of the Priesthood."
Silence reigned as both men let the words flow through their minds, and then Alhas spoke up once more. "I have not insulted you or struck you because I saw no reason to. I originally came here to die." He held up a hand as Sahla opened his mouth, forestalling his comments.
"Do you have any idea how it feels to realize that you have added to the pain you sought to lessen? I have spent my youth dedicated to a religion incapable of basic human emotions, like empathy or compassion. Joining had been the single largest mistake I ever made, bar none. I came here because I had nowhere else left to turn to, no-one to take me in. I thought, at least, here I could take the place of one poor soul destined to die and have my life have one single good impact."
"Holy fuck, that's dark," Salha replied, stunned. "I mean, I thought you knocked up a prostitute and had a Mutated kid, not a fucking deathwish. I mean, the fuck, man?"
Alhas chuckled at that, "If it is relevant, I am gay. Couldn't knock a girl up on accident. Sorry to disappoint you. And no, I never really had a serious deathwish. Merely the shortsightedness of a fool thinking that redemption is found in a single act, not a lifetime of dedication. But let me ask you, why did you insist on talking with me? I wasn't exactly friendly, nor did I invite you in any way to conversation."
"Oh, that's easy. I thought you were hot," Sahla replied cheerfully. "...I am old enough to be your father," Alhas deadpanned, unamused. "So, I have to call you, daddy?" Sahla replied, grinning broadly, causing Alhas to groan in exasperation. "This had been a solemn conversation. Why did you have to ruin it? Now fuck off before I make you." "That's the spirit!"
***
Marianna Elasia had been a blacksmith for as long as she could work in a smithy, and if she could say so, a damn good one at that. Her work in her old home mostly revolved around providing all the minor tools and supplies that a village needs to sustain itself and grow. Nails, hinges, hammers, shears, arrow, or boltheads, axes, spears, plows, and other tools had been in constant demand. Occasionally, she would craft helmets, greaves, and breastplates when the village armory's old ones had been destroyed by combat or age or repair those damaged. It was not uncommon for a wandering journeyman to apprentice under her for a few weeks or months in exchange for food and house, learning the craft from her, and expanding his horizon. It should be noted that occasionally Marianne herself would learn a trick or two from those she taught, even if those instances became rarer with time. One of those journeymen had been a young man named Gilligan, who had apprenticed under a weaponsmith renowned for his high quality and axes.
Therefore, it should not be a surprise that when a project started to find a useful weapon against machines and their armor, she remembered him. Specifically, his sketches of a type of ax he called a "Crying Cresent." On one side, a crescent-shaped blade with a long spike on the other, he intended the weapon to rely more on the user's strength than the momentum of the ax itself. Recognizing that such a weapon may be what the Pilgrims were searching for, she reached out through the guild to him, asking him for advice or any progress he had made on his design. Therefore, it came as a surprise when she received not an answer or sketches, but a full description of the axes forging process, the intended way of usage, and several examples that she could study to replicate his methods. Included was a note in which he thanked her for her tutelage and sage advice when he was a novice.
Not one to waste such a windfall, Marianna quickly set upon learning what she could and reported to Turi that the requested ax could be made the moment funds were allocated to her. A quick, uncomplicated effort with fast results.
***
Studying the Knight was neither quick, uncomplicated, nor would it yield fast results. A situation entirely expected, but the reasons for the trouble had been in a whole other direction than theorized.
For one, Turi Anoa insisted that every step and removal of pieces had to be noted down, along with a sketch to allow the Knight's repair should something happen. For the first month, instead of taking apart the Knight to peek inside, drawings and notes were made, detailing the location of armor, cables, Jewel-Strands, actuators, and, most concerning of all, the extensions of the Core. Which heaped a whole ton of questions onto the table, overflowing with other questions about every aspect of the Knight. While it was natural that the Knight should be damaged, the amount of damage didn't connect to the destruction of its armor, nor did the decay of its internals stand in proportion to the time it spent exposed to the elements.
Facts that were weird and mildly concerning, along with the complaints of one Mutated with enhanced hearing about 'buzzing' coming out of the Knight. Deciding that caution was the mother of porcelain, Turi enacted protocols ensuring that all present wore heavy gloves, goggles, and facemasks along with sturdy clothing to prevent any surprises biting them in the ass, whether they were working on the Knight or not. Despite her and her colleagues worry, nothing terrible happened, and the work proceeded swiftly and smoothly, to the point that nine weeks in, the, now understood as a hand-held computer, was brought from the vault and connected to a minor port of the massively extended Core.
Three things happened.
First, the Mutated, who complained about the buzzing, put his hands over his ears in discomfort, muttering about a sharp rise in the noise.
Second, the tablet began to flash, and a flood of text scrolled over its surface, too quickly for any present to catch.
Third, the Knight activated.
Shaking off the dust of centuries, the machine straightened out, throwing an unfortunate man of its shoulder to the ground below, standing at its maximum height, and various devices inside its body began to animate, humming ever louder. The frenzy of activity stopped the moment a red string of lines scrolled over the screen held by a petrified man, loudly proclaimed by both text and hidden speakers in the Knight, tough the latter corrupted beyond recovery.
О̵̣̍Ш̷̘̐И̸̩̉Б̴͍̆К̷̟͝А̶͜͝А̶͇̾А̸̣͆А̵̹̊:̶̠͒ ̶̦̈́Т̵̩̚О̷̰̾П̷̻̇Л̶͇̈́2̵͝ͅ6̶̼́5̵̠̀X̶̦͐Ä̸̧F̸͉̈́A̴̮͝X̴̭̾V̵͉̐В̵̺́А̵̭͗ ̷̛̫Н̷̞̂Е̸̢̒Д̶̨̍О̶̙̄С̶̲̿Т̶̖͝А̵̞̾Т̷͍̐О̵͇͝Ч̴̠͑Н̵̹̓О̵̘́
̸͉̃О̷̧̑Ш̶̖̾И̷͙̔Б̶̠͝К̶̬̀А̵̩͆:̴̠͛ ̶͚̎V̵̟̋I̸̦͂T̸̹́A̸͂͜Ȩ̴̏-̸̛̟Ị̷̓a̶̮͒3̸̗̒9̸̦̐2̸͔́3̷̢̌Н̵͕̇И̴̉ͅЕ̵̼̂ ̵́͜К̶͇̿Р̸͇̾И̵͈̅Т̵͈̅И̴̻̾Ч̶̑͜Е̴͕͌С̴͙̄К̷̹͊О̷̤̀Е̴͖͊
̸̎͜О̸̟͗Ш̵̬͐И̴̙͝Б̴̡͋К̵̰̀А̴͚̄:̵̥̉ ̷̖͝Я̶̡̍Д̷̤̈-̵̫́Я̴̜́Д̷̱̂-̴̧̾Я̸̫͊Д̴̞͝Р̵̺̈́О̵͚̇ ̸͍͊В̷̹͠Ы̵̮͆К̴̺̾Л̷̩́Ю̷͕̆Ч̸̤̎Ӗ̷͎Н̴̰͑О̴̦̔
̴̡̈́g̶̼̚ṁ̵̤,̵̾͜o̷̮͠p̶̡̔ẅ̸̳́e̶̗̓´̷͍̊ü̴̹̍'̶̦͑B̸̮̈́D̴̢̕ ̸͙̋S̵̠̅Ö̷̤̀Б̷̪̇К̸͔̑А̶̨͘:̷̻̅ ̷͈̉Ф̶̪̐У̶͇̚Л̵̧͝Ь̶̱̊Ѓ̴͚У̸̫͌Р̷̦̏ ̵̯͠Ĕ̵̻R̴͇̀U̵̩̾P̵̝͑T̴̪͘Í̸̡Ō̸̫ ̶͎͝s̵͍͊N̷̲̅)̸̻͂§̸͖̍§̸͚̕Q̷̠͂ ̸͗ͅП̵̥͠О̷̗́В̷̜͠Р̶̣̄Е̶̖̌Ж̶̮̀Д̸̥̒Е̴̗̅Н̵̳͝Ы̶̗̐
̶̺̈́О̸̞̚Ш̴̖͒И̴̘̏Б̸̯̀Ќ̶̰А̶̬̋:̴͓̔ ̶͔̇Ф̶̱̉А̵̜͛К̸͈̕С̶͈͠ ̵̖̊Į̴͐Ņ̴̉F̸̮̚Ḙ̷̌R̶̫̈́N̴̗͌A̶̫͊L̴̬̐Ị̴̓S̵̞͗ ̶̢̇У̵̚ͅН̶̤͝И̷̱͐Ч̷͎͝Т̶̗̒Ӧ̵͉Ж̵͎͗Е̸̨̌Н̵͓̒
̶̺̓О̶̬̃Ш̸̰̌И̷̖͗§̷̱͛$̴̳́!̵̫̚U̷̫͘А̴̠̚:̷̭́ ̷̼͘3̴̮̆1̷̠͐q̷͕̈́n̴͓̈́o̶͇͑s̴̐ͅv̸̯̈́d̴̳̋ñ̸̢ ̵̰͠Е̷͇̓Д̶͍̓И̶͈͝Н̶͔̒(̴̫̌=̵̟̐§̷͖̚$̶̞͌!̴͉͠U̵̽ͅ;̵̛̬ ̴̥̈§̴̩̂!̷͚͂?̶̜͗
̷̥́Е̶̤͛Р̴̻̐Е̸̞̔Г̷͙̀Р̶͍͐У̶̪̐З̴̻̄К̷̗̍А̷͚̓ ̶̰͛К̵͈̊О̸̹͠Р̷̜̓-̴̩́Д̷̤͑Е̷̱̃Й̷͎͝С̴̬͌Т̴͖̌В̴͔͌И̵̺͌Я̴̺͋ ̵͓̔П̶̙̈́Е̷̠̽Р̶̨̅Е̷̒͜О̸̧̽П̸̬̓Р̶̲̐Е̶͙͗Д̸̥͋Е̶̧̄Л̶̦͆Е̶̞̏Н̸̻̐А̵̩̏
̷̝͋Н̴̣͠А̸̻͂Ч̸͍̄А̵̖̑Л̷͍̚О̶͓͘ ̸̛̠В̷̟̾Ы̸̹́К̵͙̚Л̴̙͋Ю̶͖͠Ч̷̜͝Е̷̩͝Н̴͕̓И̴̪̏/̶̙͝Я̸̦̅Ч̶̡͗Ѐ̷̜Н̵̲̆И̴̮͛/̷̞̍Я̴̲́Ч̸͍̑Е̵̨͘Н̷̗͝И̸͇̉Я̶̨͊
̷̭́Х̸̨̀о̵̘̀р̶̗̽о̴͌͜ш̶̮̔е̵̬̏г̷̞̔о̵̨̿ ̶̺͠д̸̹̐н̶̧̅я̷̱̇0̴̦͒1̷͔́3̷͕̆,̴̯̄
̸͉̃О̷̧̑Ш̶̖̾И̷͙̔Б̶̠͝К̶̬̀А̵̩͆:̴̠͛ ̶͚̎V̵̟̋I̸̦͂T̸̹́A̸͂͜Ȩ̴̏-̸̛̟Ị̷̓a̶̮͒3̸̗̒9̸̦̐2̸͔́3̷̢̌Н̵͕̇И̴̉ͅЕ̵̼̂ ̵́͜К̶͇̿Р̸͇̾И̵͈̅Т̵͈̅И̴̻̾Ч̶̑͜Е̴͕͌С̴͙̄К̷̹͊О̷̤̀Е̴͖͊
̸̎͜О̸̟͗Ш̵̬͐И̴̙͝Б̴̡͋К̵̰̀А̴͚̄:̵̥̉ ̷̖͝Я̶̡̍Д̷̤̈-̵̫́Я̴̜́Д̷̱̂-̴̧̾Я̸̫͊Д̴̞͝Р̵̺̈́О̵͚̇ ̸͍͊В̷̹͠Ы̵̮͆К̴̺̾Л̷̩́Ю̷͕̆Ч̸̤̎Ӗ̷͎Н̴̰͑О̴̦̔
̴̡̈́g̶̼̚ṁ̵̤,̵̾͜o̷̮͠p̶̡̔ẅ̸̳́e̶̗̓´̷͍̊ü̴̹̍'̶̦͑B̸̮̈́D̴̢̕ ̸͙̋S̵̠̅Ö̷̤̀Б̷̪̇К̸͔̑А̶̨͘:̷̻̅ ̷͈̉Ф̶̪̐У̶͇̚Л̵̧͝Ь̶̱̊Ѓ̴͚У̸̫͌Р̷̦̏ ̵̯͠Ĕ̵̻R̴͇̀U̵̩̾P̵̝͑T̴̪͘Í̸̡Ō̸̫ ̶͎͝s̵͍͊N̷̲̅)̸̻͂§̸͖̍§̸͚̕Q̷̠͂ ̸͗ͅП̵̥͠О̷̗́В̷̜͠Р̶̣̄Е̶̖̌Ж̶̮̀Д̸̥̒Е̴̗̅Н̵̳͝Ы̶̗̐
̶̺̈́О̸̞̚Ш̴̖͒И̴̘̏Б̸̯̀Ќ̶̰А̶̬̋:̴͓̔ ̶͔̇Ф̶̱̉А̵̜͛К̸͈̕С̶͈͠ ̵̖̊Į̴͐Ņ̴̉F̸̮̚Ḙ̷̌R̶̫̈́N̴̗͌A̶̫͊L̴̬̐Ị̴̓S̵̞͗ ̶̢̇У̵̚ͅН̶̤͝И̷̱͐Ч̷͎͝Т̶̗̒Ӧ̵͉Ж̵͎͗Е̸̨̌Н̵͓̒
̶̺̓О̶̬̃Ш̸̰̌И̷̖͗§̷̱͛$̴̳́!̵̫̚U̷̫͘А̴̠̚:̷̭́ ̷̼͘3̴̮̆1̷̠͐q̷͕̈́n̴͓̈́o̶͇͑s̴̐ͅv̸̯̈́d̴̳̋ñ̸̢ ̵̰͠Е̷͇̓Д̶͍̓И̶͈͝Н̶͔̒(̴̫̌=̵̟̐§̷͖̚$̶̞͌!̴͉͠U̵̽ͅ;̵̛̬ ̴̥̈§̴̩̂!̷͚͂?̶̜͗
̷̥́Е̶̤͛Р̴̻̐Е̸̞̔Г̷͙̀Р̶͍͐У̶̪̐З̴̻̄К̷̗̍А̷͚̓ ̶̰͛К̵͈̊О̸̹͠Р̷̜̓-̴̩́Д̷̤͑Е̷̱̃Й̷͎͝С̴̬͌Т̴͖̌В̴͔͌И̵̺͌Я̴̺͋ ̵͓̔П̶̙̈́Е̷̠̽Р̶̨̅Е̷̒͜О̸̧̽П̸̬̓Р̶̲̐Е̶͙͗Д̸̥͋Е̶̧̄Л̶̦͆Е̶̞̏Н̸̻̐А̵̩̏
̷̝͋Н̴̣͠А̸̻͂Ч̸͍̄А̵̖̑Л̷͍̚О̶͓͘ ̸̛̠В̷̟̾Ы̸̹́К̵͙̚Л̴̙͋Ю̶͖͠Ч̷̜͝Е̷̩͝Н̴͕̓И̴̪̏/̶̙͝Я̸̦̅Ч̶̡͗Ѐ̷̜Н̵̲̆И̴̮͛/̷̞̍Я̴̲́Ч̸͍̑Е̵̨͘Н̷̗͝И̸͇̉Я̶̨͊
̷̭́Х̸̨̀о̵̘̀р̶̗̽о̴͌͜ш̶̮̔е̵̬̏г̷̞̔о̵̨̿ ̶̺͠д̸̹̐н̶̧̅я̷̱̇0̴̦͒1̷͔́3̷͕̆,̴̯̄
ERROR: FUEL INSUFFICIENT
ERROR: VITAE-STORAGE CRITICAL
ERROR: CORE SHUT DOWN
ERROR: ELECTRIC ARMIS DISCONNECTED
ERROR: FULGUR ERUPTIO CTITICALY DAMAGED
ERROR: INFERNALIS FAX DESTROYED
ERROR: NO FRIENDLY UNITS FOUND
ERROR: CONNECTION FAILED
TANDEM SUPERSTES PROTOCOL INITIATED
OVERLOADING COR-ACTION OVERRIDDEN
SHUTDOWN INITIATED
HAVE A GOOD DAYFour seconds passed as all thirty people inside the hangar stared at the now once more slumped Knight. Then the man on the ground realized that he just fell over seven meters to the ground and began to scream.
It took two weeks before the Council allowed Turi and her team to enter the hangar again with new security protocols, time in which she poured over the tablet, which displayed over three thousand pages of code. Translating the code into a language that could be understood was hard, but a helpful program on the tablet helped in that regard.
+++Basic Programming Researched+++
***
***
Scouting may be manageable when you do so in war, under attack, and deep behind enemy lines, fearing for your life, but it isn't in the Forest. In the Forest, a mistake kills not only you but everybody else too. Step into the wrong building at the wrong time? Pray that your death is quick and painless; only nightmares await you if it isn't. Navigating the crumbling ruins and blooming vegetation can be challenging all on its own, without the constant need of having to look around, straining all your sense to perceive that tiny detail that could spell death and disaster. In this world, only the desperate and foolish venture deep into a Necropolis, seeking anything other than death.
Luckily, you are neither. Slinking into the shadows is second nature to you and your fellows by now, as you traverse the city with quick steps, ever vigilant. Every Mutant and Machine is marked, dispatched, or circumvented, depending on where and when they are encountered. Swiftly and steadily, supply-depots, safe-houses, and routes are established, drawn, and reinforced where necessary as you creep through the remains of the ancients, snaking towards your goal: The Wall.
A name fitting for this monumental construct towering over anything humanity can build today, even as the nature of its rush-job becomes ever more evident, the closer one walks. Instead of glass, steel, and their favored alloys, sandcrete dominates The Wall, even as the steel mesh inside can be seen in sections where time took its toll. The area where the Landcrawler broke apart a section is the only entry-point you dare not go near; the density of Machines too much for you to brave. Instead, you anchor hooks in the wall itself, slowly climbing ever higher, trusting in both the rope and your camouflage to help you survive the climb until you are once more standing on solid ground.
The view is magnificent, and if you had had your way, you would have stopped to appreciate it more. However, Duty does not wait, nor does danger, and so you quickly communicate a pattern with the others, setting out to search what remains from times past.
Frustratingly, you discover little. The only place of interest in the area you find is directly underneath one of the strange tall pipes pointing skywards, an armory of sorts. Most sections are either blocked by too much rubble, had had everything inside destroyed by time or force, while the things that did make it are simply not worth it. Despite your efforts, little has been gained, and you can only return with one new site to scavenge.
Well, except the Bunker.
But no one can open that one.
The scratches make it seem like people tried, though.
***
Martyris Patience: 48
"Stop pacing," Nexa called out from her seat, flipping a page in the new issue of Broken Sword. A massive literature spanning over three hundred years of real-time, with a new issue every month detailing the adventures of a Mercenary-Knight Squad, fighting on a fictional oceanic world for various nobles for money and in politics for generations.
"I am not pacing," Martyris answered her, pacing in front of the door to the room where his wife laid, delivering their child, without him being allowed into the room. He stopped to glare at the door as Nexa spoke up once more. "Then stop worrying; nothing will happen. Come on, sit down. Nothing you do now will change the outcome. Just relax, enjoy the time without a screaming bundle of sleep-robbing terror you made."
Martyris shot her a dirty look at her words, snorting angrily, before sighing and slumping his shoulders, walking over and plopping down onto the bench. "Could you please try to act a bit more supportive? This is my first child; I have every right to be worried and to fear for the health of both." In response, Nexa snorted, "Shouldn't have read all that goatshit about 'Pregnancy Complications' that gets sold to idiots. Man, you are smarter than this; the idea that something happens while giving birth is laughable. She'll give birth, the child is cleaned, and you will get to be able to coo over the kid after she walks out of there. Have you decided what name you will use?"
Leaning back, hands over his eyes, Martyris groaned. "Please don't bring that topic back up. We had quite a discussion about that. We agreed that if it's a boy, he will be named Marus. If it is a girl, she will be Silvia." "Huh, like her lady?" Nexa replied, turning her head quizzically. "Ye-" Martyris began to answer, only to be interrupted as the door opened. He looked up, worry filling his eyes, only to come to a full stop.
In the doorway stood Selene, wearing a modest, clean gown, cooing into the small bundle of cloth in her arms with euphoria and tears streaming down her face. He was beside her in an instant as she looked up, beaming broadly, whispering, "Isn't she beautiful?"
Martyris looked down into the tiny, fragile face and body held in her arms. He saw the beginning of onyx horns poking from her head as small wisps of golden hair laid ontop. He took in her hands, grasping even in her sleep, gripping his thumb, just wrapping around it fully.
He would never forget this moment, recalling it in the moment of his death.
The moment he knew he would die for her.
The moment he knew he would kill to see his child safe, no matter the cost.
***
Faith: Destructive, Powerful, Magnificent. Faith has moved mountains, healed wounds deeper than flesh, and reduced nations to ash. Harness it to create something that will outlast you and inspire a thousand generations to come. (2 Actions Locked)
[ ] Wanna Join my Club?
You need people to hear the Pilgrims' message, and you need more people if you want to make sure this does not die before you can get started.
(Chance: Automatic Success
Reward: 1d20+3 Recruits)
[ ] The Pilgrims Need You!
Your missionaries can walk much further and stay out for much longer with the inn's help, which directly translates to more people hearing the Pilgrims' message, though you may want to focus on one group of people to maximize its effect.
(Turns: 2
Chance: 95%
Reward: 4d20+10 Recruits)
[ ] Feed The Masses
There is a difference between feeding starving, hungry people, and ensuring that all have a full belly at the end of the day. That would be the Pilgrims' first significant project, which would do more than keep things from growing worse for the poor.
(Turns: 8
Cost: 55 Materials Upkeep: 16 Materials
Reward: Grand Kitchen, -6 to Piety rolls, +0.5 Goodwill per Turn, 2d20 recruits, 2d12 Goodwill, 2d6 Piety, COE loses 4d100 Influence)
[ ] Establish A Soup-Kitchen - (Choose City) - (Not Mirn)
Another soup-kitchen allows you to feed more people, which also makes them like you more. A win-win!
(Chance: 80%
Cost: 4 Materials Upkeep: + 1 Material to soup-kitchens
Reward: 1d6 Recruits, +0.01 Goodwill per Turn, unlocks further actions, COE loses 1d50 Influence)
[X] Establish A Poor-House - (Mirn) - (1/2 Turns Complete)
The Poor-houses in the Empire are not great places to live. They are overflowing with the desperate and needy and cramped beyond all reason. Those who live in them are forced to work for a pittance of what they would have earned had they done the same work in the streets. While the Pilgrims cannot provide for everyone, it is within your capacity to provide adequate and humane shelter for around 100 people.
(Turns: 2
Chance: 85%
Cost: 10 Materials Upkeep: 2.5 Materials
Reward: 1d2+1 permanent recruitment, +0.1 Goodwill per Turn, 1d4-1 Goodwill, unlocks further actions, COE loses 1d100 Influence)
[ ] 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: 40%
Cost: 3 Materials Upkeep: 0.75 Material
Reward: +0.01 Goodwill per Turn, 1d5-1 Goodwill, unlocks further actions, COE loses 1d20 Influence)
[ ] 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: +0.85 Material per Hospice
Reward: +0.05 Goodwill per Turn per Hospice, 1d5+1 Goodwill, COE loses 1d30 Influence)
[ ] 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: 7 Materials
Chance: 85%
Reward: Healers gain Influence, 1d3 Goodwill, COE loses 1d40 Influence.)
[ ]A Home away from Home - (Location)
While the Tree of Knowledge is the center and Home of the Pilgrims, many projects and actions to help others happen away from it. Traveling between the Tree and other cities takes time and, occasionally, resources. A small base closer to those places, serving as a shelter and temporary Home for the Pilgrims working there, could help.
(Cost: 4 Materials, Upkeep: 1.5 Materials
Reward: Local Base, Upkeep of all structure in the chosen location reduced by 0.10 Materials, COE loses 1d20 Influence.)
[X] Build A School - (Big) - (Mirn)
A place of learning, of growing, and of change. All are welcome to learn in these halls, whether beggar or lord; none are turned away or asked to pay. Knowledge is a gift that should ever be shared, for it does not diminish when given to others.
(Turns: 3/5/6
Cost: 15/27/39 Materials, 1/2/3 Faithful, Upkeep: 5/9/13 Materials
Chance: 50%
Reward: 0.1/0.3/0.5 Goodwill, -1/3/5 to Piety Rolls, COE loses 1/3/6/ d 20/40/60 Influence.)
[ ] Build An Orphanage - (Small/Medium/Big) - (Choose City)
Many will question you building this and will push against you doing so. Screw them! These children deserve a future where they can choose the path they walk, not one determined by their supposed caretakers' greed and callousness! They deserve happiness, safety, and love!
(Turns: 3/5/7
Cost: 25/47/68 Materials, 2/4/5 Faithful, Upkeep: 10/17/25 Materials
Chance: 20%
Reward: 0.2/0.5/0.8 Goodwill, -2/4/7 to Piety rolls, COE loses 1/3/6/ d 20/40/60 Influence.)
[ ] Screw You; Eden!
Well, it seems like those fuckers think that choosing not to respond to petty insults is the same as being unable to respond at all. Let's see how they will react when you start fighting back! They think that help is earned and that the poor deserve their lot in life for their sins. Let's see how they like it when you start doing blasphemy in front of their temples by handing out alms.
(Cost: 2 Materials
Reward: Weaponized kindness, helped people, gave the COE a (sometimes literal) middle finger, lessened mali from malicious COE actions, +0.1 Goodwill, COE loses 1d20 Influence.)
[ ] Let There Be Lightbulbs
You can put a lightbulb in every single one of your buildings, power it with locally generated electricity, and show just how far you came in a mere 7 Years. That it will cost you is expected, but the sight of light at night, steady and clean, will prove that your ambitions can be realized. Do it so.
(Cost: 96.75 Materials, +0.40 Materials Upkeep to all buildings
Turns: 3
Reward: 2d20 Followers, +3% Piety, -2 to Piety rolls. COE loses 2d25 Influence.)
[ ] Hey, Why Don't We... (Write-In)
(What do you want to accomplish, and how do you go about doing it?)
Diplomacy: The art of speaking many words that mean nothing should not be underestimated. A report in the right ear at the wrong time has toppled many a nation. (Choose 1 Action)
[ ] Kick 'Em While They're Down! - (4 Turns Remaining)
While the Church Of Eden is busy putting out fires, calming their congregations, and calming down, you will start fires, rile up the congregations, and make them panic. Covertly.
(Chance: 60% (-15% For every use)
Reward: COE loses 2d100 Influence)
[ ] We Are One People! - (Choose Elite Or Locals)
To harm someone because they look different is idiotic and utterly wrong. You cannot push another down and still call yourself righteous, no matter how they look. Even the lowest deserve our respect as fellow human beings. Start a propaganda campaign to change the Mutated view, bringing the people together and starting on the road to reconciliation.
(Cost: 20 Materials
Chance: 60% (rolled each turn)
Successes Needed: 4
Reward: +1 Relationship for the Mutated with the chosen faction, +15% Piety, 3d20 Recruits, +1d12 Goodwill)
[ ] School The Diplomat-Corp - (Specialized) - (Choose Target)
Your training for the diplomats is as comprehensive as possible to create for the foreseeable future. Now you either need institutional knowledge or an in-depth look into one faction to help you out more.
(Turns: 2
Chance: 55% for Locals, 40% for Elite, cannot choose The Union of Herbalists, The Church Of Eden
Reward: +15 to all rolls involving said faction.)
[ ] High-End Introduction - (Choose Elite Faction)
You should probably introduce yourself to the local Nobility, Church, and Military to assure them that you are no threat and comply with any official and legal requests to ensure no miscommunication with the Pilgrims. It would also ensure that you could ask for help from them in the future.
(Chance: 65% for Nobility and Churches (choose The Emperor, Church of Eden, The Followers of Light), rolled with a +10
Reward: Official point of contact with a faction and unlocks future actions)
[ ] Train The Infiltrator-Corp - (Greater)
What's done is done; now, you can only ensure that they do the best job that they can do.
(Turns: 3
Chance: 45%
Reward: Can infiltrate factions for fewer Materials. Raised Chances to secret actions)
[ ] 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)
[ ] Exfiltrate - (Target)
What is yours is mine; what is mine is none of your concern.
(Chance: 70%, 80% for: The Church Of Eden
Reward: 2d6-3 Materials + Chance for Secrets (The Church Of Eden))
[ ] Illuminate - (Target)
Holder of justice, beacon in the dark, I have sinned. Liberate me of my darkness, unburden me of this pain, and my deed feed that may eternally grow.
(Cost: 6 Materials
Chance: 50%, 60% for: The Church Of Eden
Reward: Target has their operations/structures halted/crippled/terminated.)
[ ] Shouldn't We... (Write-In)
(What do you want to accomplish, and how do you go about doing it?)
Martial: To live, you need power, for which you need knowledge. Luckily, you have the latter in spares. (Choose 1 Action)
[ ] Scout Out.
While you know that enemies exist in one location, you do not know what forces they represent and how many. Remedy that.
(Takes 1 Unit - (Specify which)
Chance: 70%, starts Combat if failed by more than 20%
Reward: Numbers and composition of Enemies are revealed at the chosen location.)
[ ] Train The Militia
The world is not safe; even within sturdy walls and behind soldiers' shields, people learn how to wield weapons to defend themselves. You have neither walls nor do you have an army. Organize a militia to ensure that those willing to rise in the Trees defense have basic knowledge of doing so effectively.
(Turns: 2
Cost: 3 Materials, 9 Goodwill, +0.45 Materials Upkeep.
Reward: 3 (1/6) Militia units upgraded to (2/6), with spears and shields, will defend the Tree in case of an attack.)
[ ] Guards! Guards! - (Specify Building)
While the Tree of Knowledge has some security, it doesn't have a dedicated guard. Start training a few Pilgrims as guards so that you don't have to worry about thieves or even worse saboteurs.
(Cost: 6.5 Materials, Upkeep: 0.55 Materials
Turns: 1
Reward: Pilgrim Guards are assigned to the building, sharply increased DC for malicious actions against it.)
[ ] Make A Man Out Of You! - (Specify Trainer Unit) - (Specify Training Unit)
Now that the Unbroken returned from the Crusade, you can access an experienced and highly trained military unit. See if they can't share some of that experience with your other units and teach them a thing or two.
(Needed Unit Training: (3/6)
Turns: 3
Reward: +1 Training Level, up to the training Units level, -1.)
[ ] Build An Armory - (Expanded)
No one likes it when someone starts to stockpile weapons. For cults? Triply so.
(Turns: 3
Cost: 9 Materials, 12 Goodwill
Reward: Can supply and equip 6 Units. Unlocks further actions)
[ ] Build A Training Field - (Expanded)
A big field to run laps around with some practice dummies for bot ranged and melee combat is lovely and all, but it isn't enough. Buy state-of-the-art equipment, have a dedicated trainer on hand, and refine your methods to turn people into soldiers.
(Turns: 4
Cost: 18 Materials, 6 Goodwill, 1 Faithful, +2 Materials upkeep
Reward: Can recruit Units at (3/6 Trained) instead of (2/6 Militia))
[ ] Create A Dedicated Range
One of the main problems you have had in your training is that there wasn't enough space to learn how to use a ranged weapon effectively and switch to CQC at a moment's notice. See to establishing proper ways to do so.
(Turns: 2
Cost: 5 Materials, 0.5 Goodwill
Reward: Lowers malus when switching from ranged to -10.)
[ ] Pump Those Legs! - (Choose A Unit-Name)(Choose Equipment)
You have things people want. Some of those are not the kind to kindly ask for a price, but instead, simply take. Well, the Pilgrims may be idealists, but they are long-used to the horrors of the Wastes. Formalize the in a military unit.
(Cost: X(Equipment) Materials, 3 Goodwill, +2.50 Materials Unit-Upkeep
Reward: 1 New Unit (Size 6/6) at Militia (2/6)
[ ] Sir! The Situation Is As Follows: (Write-In)
(What do you want to accomplish, and how do you go about doing it?)
Learning: Knowledge is Power. (Choose 1 Action, 1 Action Locked)(Artifacts can be attached to one learning action to provide the inherent bonus but are consumed unless unique buildings are present)
[ ] Ailments Of The Mind
As your returned volunteers settle into their lives once more, it has become apparent that something is wrong. Some dislike the close nature of crowds; others are frightened by loud noises or have frequent nightmares. The answer to these changes in behavior may be due to combat stress, but none of the Pilgrims have any idea of what to do to help them. Maybe some inquiries in various libraries and some inspiration from the past may help?
(Cost: One Psychology Artifact
Chance: 25/15/05% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 6
Reward: +1 replenishment per Turn)
[ ] Electric Lances
Now that you have electricity, you should do something more destructive with it. Figure out how to electrify your weaponry!
(Cost: 4 Materials
Chance: 35/25/15% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Electric Spear/Maul/Bolt(Crossbow Ammunition))
[ ] Combat Stimms Round 1 - (Medicine/Biology/Chemicals)
The idea and usage of drugs to increase the combat-efficiency of soldiers is not a new idea. The book you found promises to negate many of the inherent risks in drug-usage, meaning that you could start using them for your units. Well, once you can produce them, at least.
(Chance: 30/25/20% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 5
Reward: Basic Combat Drugs, Unlocks Round 2)
[ ] Suger, Spice, And Everything Nice - (Biology/Chemicals)
During the Fall, Humanity lost much knowledge, some important like medical or technological knowledge, and some less obvious. Food preservation was the second type. While there are methods known even now, they come nowhere near the months or years of conservation possible before the Fall or aren't usable for every food type. Analyzing the preservatives found could be the first step towards fixing this.
(Needed Artifact: Food Preservatives
Chance: 45/25/05% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 4
Reward: Reduced Storehouse upkeep, extra Income when producing food.)
[ ] Secret Of The Circuit Pt.2 - (Electronics/Advanced Electronics)
Now that you have the absolute basics of electronics and how to generate them, it is time to look into much more advanced forms. Maybe even in producing your first usable computer!
(Chance: 12/-22/-57% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 13
Reward: Unlocks/Upgrades Base Action, Unlocks Learning Action, +20% Piety.)
[X] Catalog Everything - (Advanced Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanics, Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanics) - (3/8 Successes)
A Knight is in your camp. A cored, burned out, and heavily damaged Knight, but a Knight nonetheless. Finding out which systems are salvageable and which should be removed is tantamount. As is understanding just what does what.
(Chance: 47/33/06% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 8
Reward: You can start repairing the found Knight, finish other Learning Actions due to osmosis, and unlocks further actions.)
[ ] Learning: To Melt and Pour - (Metallurgy)
Another Artefact that, while not directly useful, can still teach much. In this case, how to make better molds to create tools and weapons. Things built like this won't be as detailed or of high quality as when made by a blacksmith but could help develop simpler parts or mass-produce items.
(Needed Artifact: Molds Of Binoculars
Chance: 75/65/55% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Reduced Upkeep of the Blacksmiths Abode, Reduced costs for equipment.)
[ ] Lock and Key, Part 2 - (Mechanics)
When you fail the first time, try again. Make a new lock, a good one this time.
(Cost: 2 Materials
Chance: 90/70/55% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 1
Reward: Raised DC for infiltrators.)
[ ] Building up Steam - (Advanced Metallurgy/Advanced Alloys/Advanced Mechanics/Mechanics/Advanced Hydraulics/Hydraulics/Advanced Machinery/Machinery)
While the Ancients used many kinds of technology to power their inventions and tools, most of them are lost to the people today. This Artefact is part of such a technique, not nearly as advanced as electricity but still beyond the Pilgrims waterwheels. Research into this Artefact could help the Pilgrims develop an understanding of steam-technology, without the risk of explosions, like what happened to some scholars that tried to create it from scratch.
(Needed Artifact: Steam-Valve
Chance: 19/-6/-31% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 8
Reward: Starts the steam-tech Tree (railroads, steam-powered factories/tools/vehicles, safe boilers, etc.
[ ] Beyond Mortal Ears - (Metallurgy/Biology)
The Pilgrims have probably the highest amount (seen proportionally) of Mutated in their armed ranks. It makes sense even; enhanced hearing, sight, smell, strength, and many more make Mutated a valuable addition to any Unit. Using the hearing part to relay orders would grant the Pilgrims an edge in Combat (as long as the Mutated is alive). As such, developing pipes that humans cannot (or just barely) hear to relay simple orders should be looked into and rudimentary codes.
(Cost: 1 Material
Chance: 75/50/35% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: All Pilgrim Units gain a +3 co-ordination bonus for every Unit present in a battle, caps at +15, cannot be provided by a Unit a half-strength.)
[ ] Repair The Hammer - (Weapons/Metallurgy/Alloys)
Finding this weapon was a stroke of luck! After all, making a weapon for Knights is much more complicated than giving them a big metal piece! While damaged, patching the hammer up and reinforcing it should provide your Knight with a powerful weapon in future fights. It would also allow you a glimpse into the inner workings of Knight-Weapons.
(Needed Artifact: Damaged Knight-Weapon: Hammer
Chance: 95/80/65% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 2
Reward: "Bonecrusher" armament for the Pilgrims Knight, can create Prototype Knight-Weapons.)
[ ] Repair The Shield - (Armor/Metallurgy/Alloys)
Together with the hammer, your scavengers found a discarded shield. While there is a rather big hole in the middle and the edges have been somewhat melted, you should nonetheless be able to recreate this piece of armor for your Knight after studying it.
(Needed Artifact: Damaged Knight-Equipment: Shield
Chance: 95/80/70% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 2
Reward: "Saviour" equipment for the Pilgrims Knight, can create Prototype Knight-Shields.)
[ ] That Stone Is Talking - (Fabrics/Chemical)
Creating a cloak that makes people miss you on a casual glance takes skill and hard work. Making one that could stand up to multi-second scrutiny, however.
(Chance: 50/35/20% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 4
Reward: Reduced chance to be detected + increased chance to complete all scouting actions, unlocks further actions, replaces Camo-Cloaks(Standardized))
[ ] Get To The Point (Weapons/Mechanics)
The best-ranged weapons the Pilgrims can give to their volunteers are currently bows and slings. That's enough for self-defense but not enough for a war. Use the examples of crossbows you have or bought to develop your own.
(Cost: Artifact Type: Weapon + Crossbow, or bought Crossbow.
Chance: 90/75/60% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: Weapon: "Pointer" +1 damage against armor, Special Rule: Accurate: +5 to ranged rolls)
[ ] Reach Out And Stab Someone - (Weapons)
A weapon the Pilgrims found in the Forest that could be studied for re-creation. While this would be less useful for your scouts, it is a good weapon for guards and other warriors who don't have to be mobile. The extended reach is also helpful if some Mutant tries to eat you, so it's worth researching.
(Needed Artifact: Glaive
Chance: 100/95/85% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: Weapon: Glaive, has traits "Two-Handed," "Reach," and "Monster-Slayer")
[ ] A Shielded Approach - (Armor)
While shields are more of a hindrance to your scouts, the Pilgrims found several pre-Fall examples that could change that, or at least allow you to make better shields.
(Chance: 90/75/60% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: A better shield.)
[ ] The Feather Is Mightier Than The Sword, At Least Against Paperwork - (Advanced Mechanics/Biology)
Another Artefact which was found in the ruins of the old world. While it may not be as impressive as other Artefacts, the scribes and bookkeepers of the Pilgrims are very interested in finding ways to produce them for themselves. Which wasn't that important to Martyris until Nexa joined them in their demands. Who knew she would develop such a dislike for paperwork? The downside of trying to produce it is that you need some very complicated parts.
(Needed Artifact: Mechanical Pencil
Chance: 55/40/30% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Reduced Upkeep for the Administration Center, +2 Materials Income from sales.)
[ ] Heavy Metal - (Choose Grade: Medium/Heavy/Super-Heavy) - (Metallurgy/Armor)
While the Armored Camo-Cloaks of the Pilgrims are excellent pieces of armor, it is a fact that they don't focus on being armor. Sooner or later, Pilgrims will get into a fight where stealth is not an option, and the basic leather armor won't be enough. Use some of the knowledge the Pilgrims found to develop armor that is better than the basic versions.
(Chance: 95/75/45% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2/2/4
Reward: Armor.)
[ ] Keeping Cool - (Electrical/Mechanical)
Food storage and preservation are, compared to before the Fall, rather limited. While salted and dried food exists, those are more useful for long-term storage than day to day use. Research of this Artefact should allow the Pilgrims to preserve and store food that is more useful for daily use and could allow other further-reaching developments.
(Needed Artifact: Diagram Of A Rudimentary Icebox
Chance: 40/35/30% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Reduced Upkeep of the Storerooms, selling of iceboxes, upgrade to the inn, unlock further Learning Actions.)
[ ] Tools of the Trade - (Medical/Biological)
While the mining of silver and the farming of Bloodbark gave the Pilgrims options to heal their injuries and others, that are only basic materials and not proper tools or procedures. This artifact research should improve the Pilgrims' ability to heal various injuries and develop advanced protocols for their proper use.
(Needed Artifact: Surgeons Kit
Chance: 70/60/50% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Improved Medikits, reduced Upkeep for the Medical Wing.)
[ ] Fashion Revival - (Repeatable)
While most Artefacts found in the Ancients' ruins are beyond anyone's ability to replicate, some are much easier. The Pilgrims lack the knowledge to bring back the technology of the Ancients; for now, that is not true for their fashion. Use the clothes found in the old world's ruins and bring back the fashion of the past!
(Needed Artifacts: Clothing Related (Fancy Dress, Lingerie), they won't be used up, merely copied.
Chance: 85/65/45% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: +1 permanent Material income per clothing-related Artifact and success, changing the fashion around Mirn, outraged moral guardians)
[ ] Translations For Beginners - (Linguistics) - (1 (one) Artifact)
Finding these texts was a stroke of luck, but it was bad luck that had it written in a language none of the Pilgrims can understand. Time to hit the local libraries and hit up local linguists to translate it.
(Cost: Untranslated Texts, Books, other.
Chance: 60/55/50% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: Translated Artifact)
Another Artefact that, while not directly useful, can still teach much. In this case, how to make better molds to create tools and weapons. Things built like this won't be as detailed or of high quality as when made by a blacksmith but could help develop simpler parts or mass-produce items.
(Needed Artifact: Molds Of Binoculars
Chance: 75/65/55% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Reduced Upkeep of the Blacksmiths Abode, Reduced costs for equipment.)
[ ] Lock and Key, Part 2 - (Mechanics)
When you fail the first time, try again. Make a new lock, a good one this time.
(Cost: 2 Materials
Chance: 90/70/55% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 1
Reward: Raised DC for infiltrators.)
[ ] Building up Steam - (Advanced Metallurgy/Advanced Alloys/Advanced Mechanics/Mechanics/Advanced Hydraulics/Hydraulics/Advanced Machinery/Machinery)
While the Ancients used many kinds of technology to power their inventions and tools, most of them are lost to the people today. This Artefact is part of such a technique, not nearly as advanced as electricity but still beyond the Pilgrims waterwheels. Research into this Artefact could help the Pilgrims develop an understanding of steam-technology, without the risk of explosions, like what happened to some scholars that tried to create it from scratch.
(Needed Artifact: Steam-Valve
Chance: 19/-6/-31% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 8
Reward: Starts the steam-tech Tree (railroads, steam-powered factories/tools/vehicles, safe boilers, etc.
[ ] Beyond Mortal Ears - (Metallurgy/Biology)
The Pilgrims have probably the highest amount (seen proportionally) of Mutated in their armed ranks. It makes sense even; enhanced hearing, sight, smell, strength, and many more make Mutated a valuable addition to any Unit. Using the hearing part to relay orders would grant the Pilgrims an edge in Combat (as long as the Mutated is alive). As such, developing pipes that humans cannot (or just barely) hear to relay simple orders should be looked into and rudimentary codes.
(Cost: 1 Material
Chance: 75/50/35% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: All Pilgrim Units gain a +3 co-ordination bonus for every Unit present in a battle, caps at +15, cannot be provided by a Unit a half-strength.)
[ ] Repair The Hammer - (Weapons/Metallurgy/Alloys)
Finding this weapon was a stroke of luck! After all, making a weapon for Knights is much more complicated than giving them a big metal piece! While damaged, patching the hammer up and reinforcing it should provide your Knight with a powerful weapon in future fights. It would also allow you a glimpse into the inner workings of Knight-Weapons.
(Needed Artifact: Damaged Knight-Weapon: Hammer
Chance: 95/80/65% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 2
Reward: "Bonecrusher" armament for the Pilgrims Knight, can create Prototype Knight-Weapons.)
[ ] Repair The Shield - (Armor/Metallurgy/Alloys)
Together with the hammer, your scavengers found a discarded shield. While there is a rather big hole in the middle and the edges have been somewhat melted, you should nonetheless be able to recreate this piece of armor for your Knight after studying it.
(Needed Artifact: Damaged Knight-Equipment: Shield
Chance: 95/80/70% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 2
Reward: "Saviour" equipment for the Pilgrims Knight, can create Prototype Knight-Shields.)
[ ] That Stone Is Talking - (Fabrics/Chemical)
Creating a cloak that makes people miss you on a casual glance takes skill and hard work. Making one that could stand up to multi-second scrutiny, however.
(Chance: 50/35/20% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 4
Reward: Reduced chance to be detected + increased chance to complete all scouting actions, unlocks further actions, replaces Camo-Cloaks(Standardized))
[ ] Get To The Point (Weapons/Mechanics)
The best-ranged weapons the Pilgrims can give to their volunteers are currently bows and slings. That's enough for self-defense but not enough for a war. Use the examples of crossbows you have or bought to develop your own.
(Cost: Artifact Type: Weapon + Crossbow, or bought Crossbow.
Chance: 90/75/60% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: Weapon: "Pointer" +1 damage against armor, Special Rule: Accurate: +5 to ranged rolls)
[ ] Reach Out And Stab Someone - (Weapons)
A weapon the Pilgrims found in the Forest that could be studied for re-creation. While this would be less useful for your scouts, it is a good weapon for guards and other warriors who don't have to be mobile. The extended reach is also helpful if some Mutant tries to eat you, so it's worth researching.
(Needed Artifact: Glaive
Chance: 100/95/85% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: Weapon: Glaive, has traits "Two-Handed," "Reach," and "Monster-Slayer")
[ ] A Shielded Approach - (Armor)
While shields are more of a hindrance to your scouts, the Pilgrims found several pre-Fall examples that could change that, or at least allow you to make better shields.
(Chance: 90/75/60% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: A better shield.)
[ ] The Feather Is Mightier Than The Sword, At Least Against Paperwork - (Advanced Mechanics/Biology)
Another Artefact which was found in the ruins of the old world. While it may not be as impressive as other Artefacts, the scribes and bookkeepers of the Pilgrims are very interested in finding ways to produce them for themselves. Which wasn't that important to Martyris until Nexa joined them in their demands. Who knew she would develop such a dislike for paperwork? The downside of trying to produce it is that you need some very complicated parts.
(Needed Artifact: Mechanical Pencil
Chance: 55/40/30% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Reduced Upkeep for the Administration Center, +2 Materials Income from sales.)
[ ] Heavy Metal - (Choose Grade: Medium/Heavy/Super-Heavy) - (Metallurgy/Armor)
While the Armored Camo-Cloaks of the Pilgrims are excellent pieces of armor, it is a fact that they don't focus on being armor. Sooner or later, Pilgrims will get into a fight where stealth is not an option, and the basic leather armor won't be enough. Use some of the knowledge the Pilgrims found to develop armor that is better than the basic versions.
(Chance: 95/75/45% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2/2/4
Reward: Armor.)
[ ] Keeping Cool - (Electrical/Mechanical)
Food storage and preservation are, compared to before the Fall, rather limited. While salted and dried food exists, those are more useful for long-term storage than day to day use. Research of this Artefact should allow the Pilgrims to preserve and store food that is more useful for daily use and could allow other further-reaching developments.
(Needed Artifact: Diagram Of A Rudimentary Icebox
Chance: 40/35/30% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Reduced Upkeep of the Storerooms, selling of iceboxes, upgrade to the inn, unlock further Learning Actions.)
[ ] Tools of the Trade - (Medical/Biological)
While the mining of silver and the farming of Bloodbark gave the Pilgrims options to heal their injuries and others, that are only basic materials and not proper tools or procedures. This artifact research should improve the Pilgrims' ability to heal various injuries and develop advanced protocols for their proper use.
(Needed Artifact: Surgeons Kit
Chance: 70/60/50% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes Needed: 2
Reward: Improved Medikits, reduced Upkeep for the Medical Wing.)
[ ] Fashion Revival - (Repeatable)
While most Artefacts found in the Ancients' ruins are beyond anyone's ability to replicate, some are much easier. The Pilgrims lack the knowledge to bring back the technology of the Ancients; for now, that is not true for their fashion. Use the clothes found in the old world's ruins and bring back the fashion of the past!
(Needed Artifacts: Clothing Related (Fancy Dress, Lingerie), they won't be used up, merely copied.
Chance: 85/65/45% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: +1 permanent Material income per clothing-related Artifact and success, changing the fashion around Mirn, outraged moral guardians)
[ ] Translations For Beginners - (Linguistics) - (1 (one) Artifact)
Finding these texts was a stroke of luck, but it was bad luck that had it written in a language none of the Pilgrims can understand. Time to hit the local libraries and hit up local linguists to translate it.
(Cost: Untranslated Texts, Books, other.
Chance: 60/55/50% for 1/2/3 Successes, Successes needed: 1
Reward: Translated Artifact)
[ ] Eureka! (Write-In)
(Write in something you want to research, as well as how you came upon that idea. Better success-chances to the action if you mark a relevant artifact for this research.)
Archeology: The secrets of the past will illuminate the future; may we learn from their mistakes. (1 Action Locked)
[ ] Prepare an Expedition (Choose A Location)(Specify Turns)
Sometimes you need to dig into one location for months on end to exploit it fully.
(Can only be used on locations already scouted out. For every Turn you spend on this action, an expedition spends 2(two) at the chosen target. Once the expedition has left, it no longer requires one action.)
-House Mirn support: Y/N
(25% of the recovered artifacts are given over; no need for security or clearing places on your own)
-WO-03: Est. Artifact-grade: General Rare-, Dice:4d2-5 per turn, Max. Yield: 5 Turns, Mutants nearby.
-WO-06: Est. Artifact-grade: General Mundane, Dice:2d3 per Turn, Max. Yield: 4 Turns. No danger.
-SO-01: Est. Artifact-grade: General Mundane-, Dice:2d2-1 per turn, Max. Yield: 5 Turns. Mutants nearby.
-SO-02: Est. Artifact-grade: General Mundane+, Dice:2d2 per turn, Max. Yield: 2 Turns. No danger.
-SO-03: Est. Artifact-grade: General Mundane-, Dice:3d2-2 per turn, Max. Yield: 6 Turns. No danger.
-SO-04: Est. Artifact-grade: General Mundane, Dice:2d2 per Turn, Max. Yield: 5 Turns. No danger.
-TOP-01 Est. Artifact-grade: Rare++ [Electronics/Advanced Electronics/Advanced Machinery/Hydraulics], Dice:3d2 per turn, Max. Yield: 5 Turns. Machines nearby.
-TOP-02 Est. Artifact-grade: Rare++ [Electronics/Advanced Electronics/Advanced Machinery/Hydraulics], Dice:2d2 per turn, Max. Yield: 1 Turn. No danger.
-TOP-03 - [Locked - Security Systems Active - 3 Turns to clear]
-TW-01 - Est Artifact-grade: Rare+ [Weapons/Armor] - 3d2 per turn, Max. Yield: 5 Turns. No Danger
-[X] Expedition - (TOP-02) - (House Mirn support: N) - 1 Turn remaining
[ ] Send Out The Scavengers (Choose A Location)
Sometimes it is not worth sending an expedition to a location, either due to its low yield or quality.
(Chance: 95%
Reward: 1 turn in the specified location.
Warning! If the action fails, 5% Chance that 1d6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] Scout The Eastern Outskirts
The Forest of Rust is not something you want to barge in unprepared. Scouting small areas will result in both routes to promising sites and return information on possible hostile forces.
(Chance: 90%
Reward: Sites in the Eastern Outskirts are located and mapped.
Warning! If the action fails, 3% Chance that 1d6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] Scout The Gallery
Why the inhabitants have taken to displaying the corpses of their enemies in something that resembles an art-exhibit is not something that you want to now. Whether or not you can access the different libraries and other book-stores is.
(Chance: 75%
Reward: Sites in The Gallery are located and mapped.
Warning! If the action fails, 6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] Scout The Smokestack
Old rusting machines lie here, standing vigil over wonders of old. Engines are heard working throughout the area while the smokestack continues to emit black smoke. What surprises await you once past the guardians, what greatness lies locked away?
(Chance: 65%
Reward: Sites in The Smokestack are located and mapped.
Warning! If the action fails, 10% Chance that 1d6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] Scout The Pit
You are not sure what to find here, only that you are probably the first to look for artifacts. But your scouts have reported feeling like they are being watched...
(Chance: 99%
Reward: Sites in The Pit are located and mapped.
Warning! If the action fails, 25% Chance that 1d6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] The Field of 64
A flat area of 8x8km. Nothing is seen here other than dust, sand, and the feeling of wrongness. Yet, one has to wonder what would necessitate such a large flat area. Or what could be beneath it?
(Chance: 31%
Turns: 3
Reward: Sites in The Field Of 64 are located and mapped.
Warning! If the action fails, 34% Chance that 6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[X] The Crystalgarden - (1/2 Turns remaining)
Containing large crystals, arranged in geometric formations, and seemingly immune to the elements. This oddity has attracted the attention of many scavengers, yet none found anything of worth in it. Removing these crystals is seen as a waste of time since separated crystals seem to deteriorate in days and are incredibly brittle. Also, the crystals float when struck by lighting. Your Scientist wants to get some samples of these Crystals. And they want them bad. Preferably soon.
Warning: Plans incorporating this option are counted as 1.2 votes.
(Chance: 66%
Turns: 2
Reward: The Crystalgarden is mapped and surveyed for any oddities.
Warning! If the action fails, 17% Chance that 6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] The Berth
An area containing dozens of large warehouses holding what seem to be ships suspended in the air. Unfortunately, those ships are useless, seeing as there is no water and no way to transport these ships, alongside the fact that they were made out of metal. Whoever build these things had the means to carry them, or they were meant as pure prestige objects.
(Chance: 42%
Turns: 3
Reward: Sites in The Berth are located and mapped.
Warning! If the action fails, 23% Chance that 6 Pilgrims will die due to being detected and subsequently attacked)
[ ] Search for the Zone
Your efforts to learn more about the region have yielded an unusual fruit, knowing 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 it could end up unearthing treasures beyond imagination or prove a giant disappointment.
(Chance: ???%
Turns: ???
Reward: The Zone can be scavenged.)
[ ] Open The Bunker
The Bunker beneath a section of the Wall has never been opened, and whatever is inside is worth all efforts to open it, without a doubt! Now you only need to find a way to open it without being swarmed by a thousand Mutants and dozens of Machines.
(Chance: 1%, +1%per try
Reward: The Bunker may be scavenged.
Warning: No Boni apply for any reason.)
Tree of Knowledge: Home of the Pilgrims, Bastion of what they stand for, a symbol of hope for the desperate. (Choose 2 Actions)
[ ] Living Quarters - Expansion
While you have enough space for a small village in the Tree, you should expand what space is available. If anything, you will run out of rooms sooner rather than later.
(Cost: 10 Materials Upkeep: 1.5 Materials
Turns: 3
Reward: Up to 1500 Pilgrims can live in your base before mali start to apply)
[ ] Storerooms - Grand
Preparing for bad times is not only smart but necessary. Ensure that there are enough supplies and secure storerooms to last the Pilgrims for at least twelve months.
(Cost: 8.0 Materials Upkeep: 0.6 Materials Restock cost: 7 Materials
Turns: 3
Reward: Can support up to 900 Pilgrims for twelve months under siege conditions, before you need to gather new supplies)
[ ] Laboratories - Expanded
Now that you have some built, it is time to expand those labs! Unfortunately, building and equipping those labs will be too costly to put it lightly.
(Cost: 65 Materials, +7.5 Materials Upkeep
Turns: 7
Reward: Improved success-chances)
[ ] Sandcrete Mixer
Sandcrete is a miraculous substance. It can be mixed by using ubiquitous materials, reduces the time to build structures by months, and can be adapted to local needs practically on the fly! If only it weren't so damn hard to produce without specialized facilities.
(Cost: 35 Materials
Turns: 4
Reward: Sandcrete option costs reduced by 10 Materials, +10 to all Chemical research)
[ ] Beautification
Now that you have more clerks keeping the Tree in order and organized, you could start a long-term project. Like, say, chiseling a ludicrous amount of art and engravings into the stone so that people will like living here more? Maxcim does have all those ideas.
(Cost: 10 Materials, Upkeep: 1 Material
Turns: 3
Reward: -1 to Piety rolls, the Tree will be much more beautiful.)
[ ] Medical Wing - Expanded
Expanding your Medical facilities will someday be required, but for now, it would be massive overkill. Still, it never hurts to have the option in the back of your mind.
(Cost: 40 Materials, Upkeep: 8 Material
Turns: 4
Reward: Plagues roll with a massive mali to infect the Pilgrims, supports up to 2500 Pilgrims before it becomes useless.)
[ ] Metalsmiths Abode - (Expanded)
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. Adding smelters, various tools, and more space for some more smiths would allow you to work more materials and intricate creations.
(Cost: 20 Materials, Upkeep: 7 Materials
Turns: 4
Reward: Lowered costs for all equipment, increased chances for all research, rolls with advantage for all melee weapons/equipment made of metal, can be upgraded.)
[ ] Salt Refinement - Deep Pumps
One of the problems you are running into is that you have to rely on water-caravans more and more as more Pilgrims join. Digging a deep well into the earth and pumping water above-ground would allow you to ensure that you won't die within a week if you are besieged.
(Cost: 20 Materials
Turns: 3
Reward: +2 Materials through salt sales per Turn, 800 Pilgrims receive water in case of a drought.)
[ ] Black Box - (Basic)
Building a Black Box (which is neither black nor a box) into the Tree of Knowledge will allow you to handle Artifacts with the care they deserve. Sterile and stocked with the best tools for the disassembly of Artifacts, putting them back together into working fashion should allow you to re-use them and learn their secrets in ways that you had not considered at the time of disassembly.
(Cost: 20 Materials, 1 Scientist, Upkeep: 4.00 Materials
Turns: 3
Reward: 5% not to use up an Artifact, can slot 1(one) Artifact to provide 10% (rounded down) of the Artifacts bonus continuously.)
[ ] Light It Up!
With basic electronics and the generation of electricity now researched, you can build and install lights everywhere! Along with the necessary power grid. Being able to light up the whole Tree will take some time and money, but it will be a statement of how far you have come!
(Cost: 30.40 Materials, +0.14 Upkeep to all Tree Of Knowledge buildings.
Turns: 4
Reward: -3 to Piety Rolls, Raised DC for thieves, 5% Piety.)
[ ] Electronics Workshop
Now that you can produce electronics, you want to have as many as you possibly can. The problem is that you have to create them by hand, which is a long and complicated process, requiring oversight, expensive materials, and a clean environment. Excavating a space for a Workshop should help you in alleviating many of those problems.
(Cost: 30 Materials, 1 Scientist, 8 Faithful, Upkeep: 8 Materials
Turns: 6
Reward: +20 to all Electronics Research, 4d4 Materials Income (Electronic Sale), increased Chances for Secret Of The Circuit Pt.2.)
[ ] Let's Build A (Write-In)
(What do you want to build, and what should the building provide?)
Support: Many people try to take advantage of you. Fortunately, they are willing to give you something back. (Actions as advertised)
[ ] Merchants - (All Are Free Actions)
-[ ] A Small Loan
(0-30 Materials loaned for four turns at 17% interest)
-[ ] Buying Stuff
(Write in what you want to purchase. Locked to maximum non-illegal, non-military rare technology)
-[ ] Selling Artifacts
(Write in artifacts that you want to sell)
-[ ] Buying Goods In Bulk - (Once Per Turn)
(Reduce Upkeep of one(1) structure by 0.15 Materials, can only be taken once a turn.)
[ ] The Adventurer Guild - (1 Free Action)
-[ ] Guardians For Hire - (Choose Location)
(Cost: +1.5 Materials to Upkeep
Reward: 1 Facility has security against violent actions)
-[ ] Take 'Em Out - (Choose Target)
(Cost: 7 Materials
Reward: Chosen targets plans are temporarily halted due to attacks)
-[ ] Investigate
(Cost: 4 Materials
Reward: Chosen targets plans for the next two turns are revealed.)
[ ] The Military - (1 Free Action)
-[ ] Fell Off The Wagons - (Request 1 Piece Of Equipment)
(Cost: variable
Reward: 1 Piece Of Equipment - Military Grade.)
-[ ] War Lessons
(Cost: 2 Material
Reward: +5 to the first two rolls in the next Combat.)
[ ] The Union Of Herbalists - (1 Action Locked)
-[ ] Institutional Knowledge
(Cost: 3.69 Materials
Reward: +30 to Biological/Medicinal Learning Rolls)
-[ ] Study Sessions - (Locked For 2 (Two) Turns)
(Cost: 1 Faithful, 2.34 Material per Turn, for 8(eight) turns
Reward: 1 trained General Doctor)
-[ ] Buying Stuff
(Write in what you want to purchase. Locked to maximum Common technology)
-[ ] A Helping Hand - (Choose Faction)
(Cost: 1 Biological/Medicinal Artifact
Reward: Increase the control of the chosen faction by 1d6+4%, doubled for rare artifacts, worsened relations to other sub-factions, decreased cost for Union of Herbalists actions, unlocks more actions at certain control thresholds.)
[X] Stupendously Scholastic Scholars of Science - (1 Free Action)
-[ ] In The Name Of Profit - (Choose Learning Action)
(Cost: 15 Materials
Reward: +1 Progress for chosen Learning Action)
-[ ] Because of SCIENCE! - (Choose Learning Action)
(Cost: 4 Materials
Reward: +15 to chosen Learning Action)
-[X] Suffer Their Arrogance - (1/4 Turns Complete)
(Cost: 1 Faithful, 6 Material per Turn, for 4(four) turns
Reward: 1 trained General Scientist)
[ ] Criminal Organisations - (1 Free Action)
-[ ] Auction- (Choose Artifact)
(Chance: 100%
Roll 1d2, on 1, add 1d50 to the price, on a 2, subtract 1d50)
-[ ] Sabotage - (Choose Target)
(Chance: 100%
Cost: 7 Materials
Reward: Chosen targets plans are temporarily halted due to attacks)
-[ ] And Oh, My! - (Choose Faction)
(Chance: 100%
Cost: 10 Materials
Reward: Blackmail of chosen faction obtained)
[ ] Forge Clan Vanar-Feer - (1 Action)
- [ ] Made To Order
(Cost: Variable
Reward: Variable
Use: Write what you wish to commission. (Art, weapons, armor, tools, resources, or machines are examples of this.)
-[ ] Commission The Sandcrete Mixer
(Cost: 20 Materials
Turns: 2
Mutually Exclusive with: Sell The Sandcrete Recipe / Commission The Sandcrete Mixer, But Sneaky, Sell A Copy Of The Recipe)
-[ ] Commission The Sandcrete Mixer, But Sneaky
(Chance: 15%
Cost: 20 Materials
Turns: 2
Mutually Exclusive with: Sell The Sandcrete Recipe / Commission The Sandcrete Mixer, Sell A Copy Of The Recipe)
-[ ] Sell A Copy Of The Recipe
(Reward: 50 Materials
Mutually Exclusive with: Sell The Sandcrete Recipe / Commission The Sandcrete Mixer, Sell The Sandcrete Recipe)
-[ ] Sell The Sandcrete Recipe
(Needed Artifact: Sandcrete Recipe
Reward: 200 Materials
Warning: You will be unable to profit from the Sandcrete Recipe going forwards.
Mutually Exclusive with: Commission The Sandcrete Mixer, But Sneaky / Commission The Sandcrete Mixer, Sell A Copy Of The Recipe)
Personal: Sometimes, you have to get your own hands dirty. Sometimes you want to relax since leading the Pilgrims rarely leads to a dull moment. (Choose 2 Actions)
[ ] Condemn An Organization/Person As Heretical/Forbidden - (Choose Target) - (Write-In Reason)
You knew something like this would happen. Somehow, somewhere an organization or person would manage to draw your full ire. Not in the sense that you disagree with something they did, but what they represent and how they act in life. Well, you are now an official religion, and as such, are allowed to condemn them. Do so.
(Cost: All support options for the chosen organization will be void; the Leader will most likely hate you.
Reward: Opposing factions will love this act. A good enough reason can give you additional benefits.)
[ ] Too Much To Do - (Action)
There is simply too much to do and not enough hands to do it. Start helping out.
(Can be taken multiple times.
Reward: +1 Action is done)
[ ] Lead By Example (Write in Action)
Help your People, motivate them by taking a personal interest in their work. You won't just sit around either. Two more hands are always needed.
(Reward: +20 to 1 Action)
[ ] Personal Introduction (Write in Organization)
Some factions and organizations could have things that would benefit the Pilgrims; Money, Machines, Connections, Public support, and many more. Unfortunately, that means introducing yourself, which may or may not paint a giant target on your back.
(Chance: 55% (choose The Emperor, Church of Eden, The Followers of Light), rolled with a +15
Reward: Chosen organizations support-network unlocked.)
[ ] Cool Tempers - (Material Cost)
Not everything can always be sunshine and rainbows, sometimes shit goes sideways, and people need to be reminded that failure is not the end of the world.
(Chance: 40%, +10% for 5 Materials, +20% for 12 Materials
Reward: +1% Piety, and 1 additional for every +10 rolling above 60)
[ ] Guiding Hand
There are some Pilgrims who stand at the edge of committing themselves to the Pilgrims cause. You should speak to them, see what stops them and try to either bring them in or make them realize that they would make a mistake if they did so.
(Reward: +1 Faithful, as long as there are followers left)
[ ] Charity Drive (X Goodwill)
It is an unfortunate truth that money does not grow from trees. That means that you need to get people to donate to ensure that the Pilgrims can continue their expansion.
(Chance: 0-30/50/70/95
Reward: Exchanges 1 Goodwill 0.5/1/1.5/2 Materials)
[ ] Write In
If you spot any mistakes or have questions, tell me so I can provide a better experience.
Note: If the opinion on Mutated falls to -3, a PURGE is initiated.
Don't forget, a Faithful that is not bound up in buildings can be assigned to actions, and omakes give boni, even if they are not canonized.
A moratorium will be until 06.11.20 at 17:00 CET.
Voting will be closed on 08.11.20 at 17:00 CET.
Boni can be assigned until 08.11.20 at 20:00 CET.
I will roll on the 09.11.20 at 17:00 CET if no one has rolled yet.
Updates will be online four days after rolls.
Last edited:
- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- He/Him
More to come, but I immediately want to start taking the Bunker action every single turn until it pays off. Lead by Example makes it a 1 in 5 shot all on its own.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
No Boni apply. Must have forgotten to add that.
Edit: fixed.
Last edited:
- Location
- USA
Also I want to place the scientist and another artifact on Catalog Everything just to ensure that its done in three turns at the latest.
I think these are good artifacts to use in this way
Industrial Electric Foundry - 9.64 - +20 to Advanced Electronics
Turbine Coolant System - 8.88 - +20 to Hydraulics
as both of them are several tiers of technology above where we currently are and by the time we reach the point where we can directly use them we will have most likely found others or be able to buy variants for such reasons.
for this turn I would suggest using the Electronic artifact.
I think these are good artifacts to use in this way
Industrial Electric Foundry - 9.64 - +20 to Advanced Electronics
Turbine Coolant System - 8.88 - +20 to Hydraulics
as both of them are several tiers of technology above where we currently are and by the time we reach the point where we can directly use them we will have most likely found others or be able to buy variants for such reasons.
for this turn I would suggest using the Electronic artifact.
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
Should we sell the Sandcrete recipe, cause that will give us the money to make a lot of expensive actions we otherwise couldn't?
- Location
- USA
[] Plan Holding Action
-[X] Establish A Poor-House - (Mirn) - (1/2 Turns Complete)
-[X] Build A School - (Big) - (Mirn)
-[ ] Kick 'Em While They're Down! - (4 Turns Remaining)
-[ ] Create A Dedicated Range
-[ ] Electric Lances
-[X] Catalog Everything - (Advanced Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanics, Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanics) - (3/8 Successes)
-- scientist, 6 faithful, artifact: Actuator
-[X] Stupendously Scholastic Scholars of Science - (1 Free Action)
--[X] Suffer Their Arrogance - (1/4 Turns Complete)
-[X] The Crystalgarden - (1/2 Turns remaining)
-[ ] Lead By Example (The Crystalgarden)
-[ ] Lead By Example (Catalog Everything)
This is the best I can make with the shortage of materials we have currently with needing at least 11.7 to pay off a loan next turn.
we don't have enough to do any building actions unless I am missing some aspect here.
-[X] Establish A Poor-House - (Mirn) - (1/2 Turns Complete)
-[X] Build A School - (Big) - (Mirn)
-[ ] Kick 'Em While They're Down! - (4 Turns Remaining)
-[ ] Create A Dedicated Range
-[ ] Electric Lances
-[X] Catalog Everything - (Advanced Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanics, Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanics) - (3/8 Successes)
-- scientist, 6 faithful, artifact: Actuator
-[X] Stupendously Scholastic Scholars of Science - (1 Free Action)
--[X] Suffer Their Arrogance - (1/4 Turns Complete)
-[X] The Crystalgarden - (1/2 Turns remaining)
-[ ] Lead By Example (The Crystalgarden)
-[ ] Lead By Example (Catalog Everything)
This is the best I can make with the shortage of materials we have currently with needing at least 11.7 to pay off a loan next turn.
we don't have enough to do any building actions unless I am missing some aspect here.
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