[X] Venerate education, giving great respect to those who have it and going to great length to achieve it themselves
[X] Letika, Netik apprentice.
[X] Economic focus.
[X] Letika, Netik apprentice.
[X] Economic focus.
Distant Stars. (a WH40K/Xianxia civ Quest).
- Thread starter uri
- Start date
- Location
- Italy
mh... I think either first or second.
First seems to be the "science" pick, compared to the second being a more generic "education" pick.
i suppose there's a small chance of the first one conflicting with a religion focused on the emperor, but then again it could be argued that the Emperor and cultivators ARE, in some ways, divine, and that he certainly deserves praise for all he's done for his people (and, you know, planning to stop the apocalypse)
I'm not quite sure about the third pick though.
well, WE (the emperor) built it, for the most part, but he definitely has a close second place in how relevant he was to the effort.
While we want to promote faith, I don't think we actually want a zealot at the lead.
Or at least, we don't want him to get the job JUST because he's a zealot.
I'm also somewhat wary of picking the cultivator option. Not only will it slow down his cultivation, BUT as mentioned he's a bit out of touch with mortals and mortal problems.
We're still in a delicate stage of empire-building, so continuity and stability are definitely worthy of consideration. I think I'd go with our current governor's apprentice this time.
The way I see it we did a good enough job on Education, and it might be better to let it expand at a slightly slower pace from now on.
I also believe it's too soon for a martial focus, that should ideally be the focus right before the Apocalypse, or maybe both the ones before it.
So I think the choice is between economy (to take advantage of all our newly educated population to actually push the economy, especially now that we're actually in the process of building the roads and expanding the farms) or go full piety to boost our cultivation.
Considering we have 4 or 5 turns before we HAVE to go for the tribulation, and that ideally we want to make an 8th pillar AND get at least another insight for each pillar (and preferably more), and that we also need to boost our cultivators... I think Piety is probably the best pick, with Economy and Education as secondary focuses (and military mostly getting tertiary focus at best.
Possibly, not necessarily. Many people will likely come up with an answer of "The emperor did a good job, so he deserves to be in charge".
I could see a minority forming an opposition, but they'd likely always be a niche, and most people are just happy living their lives as long as things are constantly improving.
well, we know a single mote of divine qi gave us as much progress as a full day. I imagine we'll get multiple "pseudo-APs", at least once a significant % of our pop converts. Add festivities, rites and so on...
on the other hand there's such a thing as focusing too much on Piety.
I'd rather have the one in charge NOT be too much of a zealot, because I fear things going too far.
Like, while we want people to go with the new faith, I don't think we want to punish people who don't want to convert. a zealot governor might go too far into "stamping out the infedels" or something like that, especially combined with a piety focus.
if we gain half a charge with what little is currently there, I imagine a piety focus and high priority in the imperial actions would escalate quite a bit.
Of course the price will be high. There's an argument for going more Education or Economy instead, and let the religion spread a bit more slowly...
This makes me lean towards economy. We did a lot of education, so we might now focus on USING those educated people to boost the economy (and the population) and spreading the religion a bit more slowly...
Keep in mind nothing stops us from going economy focus, but for example putting a piety action at the top of our plans, in a kind of compromise.
I was going for a sarcastic joke between old friends, it's not really something that's meant to be taken seriously or have any weight just meant to show that there is a good friendship there born from decades of interaction.
He's one of those who have mostly given up on cultivation further so it won't slow him down, the big problem with him is that he's losing touch with normal people.
The upside is that he's really -like really, really- good at the job, which is kind of expected from someone whose pushing 120 and was already kinda good and talented in this subject when he was young.
At that point most people -who won't worship you- would default to the emperor should rule because he always ruled.
Like they would know that there were other rulers before him but a certain point that would become academic knowledge that doesn't sit at the forefront of their thoughts as when even their seventh-great grandfather lived under the emperor rule the concept of before the emperor starts to lose meaning.
Not to say that unrest isn't possible But truly your age is one of the greatest advantages you have.
- Location
- Italy
oh, I know, I didn't take him seriously. It's obvious they're comfortable with each other.
what's his expected lifespan if he doesn't try for the next stage then?
age and not having to worry about terms or successions means we can actually focus on the long term, which is an immense advantage.
Personal Power means there's a high level of certainty we WILL remain in power for... well, a long time, which is a promise of stability and continuity of policy, and that helps a lot.
And of course once the apocalypse come, as the Emperor had predicted CENTURIES IN ADVANCE.... well, that will do even more to justify our rule and nearly anything we did and want to do in the future.
In any case, thinking of sinergy... the cultivator governor, with his lack of "connection to mortal concerns" but also his supercompetence, is likely to be the best pick for Economic focus, but the worst for Piety focus (as he might fail to understand what would make the common people more willing to convert and believe.
I'm still wary of zealot+piety, as I think it might be too much too soon.
...ok, I'm thinking
[x] Venerate education, giving great respect to those who have it and going to great length to achieve it themselves
[x] Maktu, the experienced.
[x] Economic focus.
Oh good, its hard to notice sarcasm/joking in general in writing sometimes but its nice to know I got it right.
A first step cultivator starts rolling for death at 140 (but with the various bonuses he, has there would only be a chance for death at like 180) a second step one start rolling at 260 and a third one starts at 400 (assuming no insights that give lifespan) but almost none of them would actually die at that point as they get great bonuses on that roll and are more resistant to penalties.
Roth963
If I become inactive with this massage, I died
We can probably find a way to increase our lifespan if needed, between our life and fire focus, I think we could easily expand our timetable for a ninth pillar if we do wished, but I personally think an eighth time one may be the best.
We would definitely need another looking for enlightenment action.
We would definitely need another looking for enlightenment action.
ClawClawBite
Mad Engineering!
- Location
- Seattle, WA
[X] Venerate education, giving great respect to those who have it and going to great length to achieve it themselves
[X] Letika, Netik apprentice.
[X] Economic focus.
[X] Letika, Netik apprentice.
[X] Economic focus.
Roth963
If I become inactive with this massage, I died
[X] Venerate education, giving great respect to those who have it and going to great length to achieve it themselves
[X] Maktu, the experienced.
[X] Economic focus
[X] Piety focus.
Education or question everything seem the best, question everything seem more powerful, more conductive for string cultivators and advanced technology, but it also seem more uncontrollable, strength wouldn't help us if it is turned against us.
Maktu seems like a better choice to me than the apprentice, I might regret it in the religion aspect, but I think he is good for everything else.
The last are my two top picks, I will be happy with either.
[X] Maktu, the experienced.
[X] Economic focus
[X] Piety focus.
Education or question everything seem the best, question everything seem more powerful, more conductive for string cultivators and advanced technology, but it also seem more uncontrollable, strength wouldn't help us if it is turned against us.
Maktu seems like a better choice to me than the apprentice, I might regret it in the religion aspect, but I think he is good for everything else.
The last are my two top picks, I will be happy with either.
- Location
- Italy
empire state was updated, and... well, we got a LOT better.
without going into too much detail, the penalties from lack of administrators were basically halved, and our actual economic power went about 2.5x
from turn 3 to turn 4
We're also very close to a tech upgrade, which yeah, it tells me this is a good moment to leave the education focus for eco. We put up tech-related projects high up in the next plan, we hopefully reach tech level 5 in the coming turn, and then we can basically build up our economy while taking advantage of our new technology.
We're apparently getting about 1/4 of the Divine Qi generated, with the rest presumably going to the other cultivators. That's good.
And that's what we get with LESS than 1% of the pop worshipping us. We want to grow that, while also keeping the Favor as high as possible. For that, an economy focus while making sure we don't develop the typical industrial revolution level of exploitation would help a LOT.
I wonder... our governor being a cultivator, it could be argued he's our right hand. He might get more divine Qi aimed at him (especially if he does a good job) than any other cultivator (except obviously us and MAYBE Kekita (our daughter, but I'm not sure she does much in public, so while she's closer to us she's also more... distant from the people, being more focused on cultivation than on the people and the empire).
EDIT: side notes: We still have a lack of administrators, but that problem got an acceleration in being solved, presuamably from there being more educated people around. We can probably leave it to be mostly solved on its own unless we get an action to accelerate it further, and in any case improving the economy directly while also going up a level in tech will do more for it anyway.
And on another note, next turn we start getting a degradation of the law-book bonuses... We might want to update them at some point, I suppose, though I imagine that would be better done AFTER the tech level upgrade, to adapt to the new tech and societal implications. Unless we can predict the implications IC, I suppose.
oh, also sadly when we go up in the tech level we'll lose our current minor tech advancements... but that's negligible compared to the multiplier, and hey, maybe we'll get lucky with the last extra advancement roll for the minor scientific theory we currently have
without going into too much detail, the penalties from lack of administrators were basically halved, and our actual economic power went about 2.5x
from turn 3 to turn 4
We're also very close to a tech upgrade, which yeah, it tells me this is a good moment to leave the education focus for eco. We put up tech-related projects high up in the next plan, we hopefully reach tech level 5 in the coming turn, and then we can basically build up our economy while taking advantage of our new technology.
We're apparently getting about 1/4 of the Divine Qi generated, with the rest presumably going to the other cultivators. That's good.
And that's what we get with LESS than 1% of the pop worshipping us. We want to grow that, while also keeping the Favor as high as possible. For that, an economy focus while making sure we don't develop the typical industrial revolution level of exploitation would help a LOT.
I wonder... our governor being a cultivator, it could be argued he's our right hand. He might get more divine Qi aimed at him (especially if he does a good job) than any other cultivator (except obviously us and MAYBE Kekita (our daughter, but I'm not sure she does much in public, so while she's closer to us she's also more... distant from the people, being more focused on cultivation than on the people and the empire).
EDIT: side notes: We still have a lack of administrators, but that problem got an acceleration in being solved, presuamably from there being more educated people around. We can probably leave it to be mostly solved on its own unless we get an action to accelerate it further, and in any case improving the economy directly while also going up a level in tech will do more for it anyway.
And on another note, next turn we start getting a degradation of the law-book bonuses... We might want to update them at some point, I suppose, though I imagine that would be better done AFTER the tech level upgrade, to adapt to the new tech and societal implications. Unless we can predict the implications IC, I suppose.
oh, also sadly when we go up in the tech level we'll lose our current minor tech advancements... but that's negligible compared to the multiplier, and hey, maybe we'll get lucky with the last extra advancement roll for the minor scientific theory we currently have
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Yeah you reached the threshold where you cna comfortably rule the empire with your current man power but not at the efficiency you want rather then just plain not having enough people to actually rule all the lands you claim
No hopefully about it, each advancement dice guarantee's one point of progress towards the next tech level amd you've currently got 2.
there are a few ways to increase the percentage your getting in the divine Qi tech tree but that will take effort to resarch and unlock.
Other then that, I've specified the toral amount that is generated by the empire because that dos goes to your cultivators and there are certain projects and actions that can use it.
Again that favor stat dos a lot of work, just to emphasize the point the people who curenalty worship you pray to you in the folowing times:
After they wake up, before they eat breakfast, before they start the work day, when they break for lunch and again when they return form it, then when they finish work, then they go and pry with their community at a shrine, then before dinner and lastly before they go to sleep.
All in all they spend about an hour/ hour and a half in prayer on a daily basis but they also sacrifice enough produce and livestock in your honour that it consumed all thier disposable income and then some.
And most of them are zealots, the kind that would go on crusade on your behalf.
This isnt somthing you can keep up if you convert the wider population (and you probebly shouldn't even if you could).
He would but its also kinda wasted on him as he already got treasure body and the next stage would take a lot to get.
You'll get the option in a few turns, its just not worth it to updates the rules comprehasevly every few decades, to much effort for to little gain
Keep in mind that your tech level effects more then just your economic power (that's just the modifier that is most visible for you).
The idea behind the advancement system is that tech level isnt a linear path and sometimes things are invented "before" thier time and that why the advancements "degrade" as a minor advancement at tech 4 is already incorporated at tech 5.
- Location
- Italy
and with the situation slowly solving itself as we continue to get more administrators, now it's the time to actually improve what's administrated!
Very good then!
tech level for was 1700 or so, so I'm assuming the next step would be basically steam tech and up to mid 800? Steam trains, Steam ships, mine pumps and early factories?
Presumably tech level 6 would be up to maybe mid 900s with oil-based tech, airplanes, tanks, nukes, electricity and so on.
and then I imagine tech level 7 would basically be contemporary tech.
I'm going to guess special "temples" would work as a way to be metaphysically closer to the locations where the divine qi is generated (basically working as relays). Special rites, sacrifices and so on will probably work as well. We'll have to try and balance our need for divine Qi without actually making the faith a net negative for society.
It's one thing if we flavor festivities with the faith, it's another if for example we require hours of devoted prayer each day, taken out of the people's free AND work time.
for our cultivators... well, obviously it will speed up their cultivation a bit. I imagine we could funnel the qi into artifacts/runes, maybe come up with ways to create "Places of Power", to give them the benefits of Spiritual Diet, or even help them in their tribulation by having the prayer sort of... deflect part of the tribulation lightning, or protecting the cultivator from it a bit.
oh, no, that's just too much time and wealth going into it. It would bring the rest of the economy and tech progress to a standstill!
still, if we're lucky we can approach 100%, and with a 100x increase in people, it would be more than fine if they devoted even less than a fourth of the zealots to it.
And of course if we're going economy focus that's likely to come with a population boom, which will help even further.
Well, maybe we can find a way to have the divine qi help with the tribulation, and then he'll try for the tribulation when he approaches "old age".
oh, sure. the new tech level and the problems it will bring might force us to do it a bit earlier than expected though. Then again, it's not like new laws aren't being written anyway... the imperial actions are the FOCUS of the central government, but not all it's doing..
oh, I get it, it's why I say it doesn't really matter. It's not the tech becoming obsolete, it's that the general tech level is catching up and so it's no longer "special".
losing out the mechanical bonuses is still slightly annoying, but it makes total sense, and in the end we're likely to get more and better advancements later anyway, bringing us ahead of the curve again.
You've got it about right.
You're not really losing the mechanical benefits, they're just not noted apart from the tech level.
Like economic growth (and population growth) is increased by higher tech level, disease become less impacting (note less impacting doesn't mean that they aren't terrible as somewhat recent events have demonstrated) and you get better battlefield medicine and treatments.
In a sense everything you can get from a minor advancement is something you could get from a tech level one level higher and the total bonus granted from all minor advancements would always be lower than the total bonus gained from increasing the teach level (because if it isn't the case it means that you've effectively gotten the next tech level anyway).
- Location
- Italy
uh. Letika (the apprentice) is currently winning over the cultivator.
That's a bit unexpected. not necessarily bad, she's still a very good option.
Who knows, MAYBE her having a better understanding of mortal problems will help us in getting through the industrial revolution with a minimum of the usual problems (you know, overworked and underpayed workers, horrible work conditions, not enough sewers and healthcare for the newly super-populated cities...)
I still think I'd prefer Maktu, but it's probably not a big deal
That's a bit unexpected. not necessarily bad, she's still a very good option.
Who knows, MAYBE her having a better understanding of mortal problems will help us in getting through the industrial revolution with a minimum of the usual problems (you know, overworked and underpayed workers, horrible work conditions, not enough sewers and healthcare for the newly super-populated cities...)
I still think I'd prefer Maktu, but it's probably not a big deal
Well, I think enough time has passed (and most of the regular voters already voted) that I can close the vote.
While I'm at it I'll reveal the culture point effects.
The first option would have granted you an advancement dice, two actually one regular and a permanent cultivation one as well as shifting the culture more towards atheism.
The second option (and the one chosen) means that enough local founds are directed towards improving education that effectively it's as if you've had another low level focus on something that deals with education (or in other words you get a special low level action that improves education someway every turn) it also shift the culture towards school acceptance (not really a problem yet but you would have gotten to a point that there is resistance to sending the children to school for years and years instead of letting them help their parents or something alike).
The third option would have given a large base economic power boost, a little more economic growth, increased the cohesion of the empire and would make certain actions and institutions (like the public libraries) more effective and would shift the culture towards preserving the past through writing.
All of the above are powerful in their own way but I figured omitting the mechanical bonus would make people chose what they like more in a cultural way and I'm happy enough with the results that I'm going to repeat that when you get your next culture point.
While I'm at it I'll reveal the culture point effects.
The first option would have granted you an advancement dice, two actually one regular and a permanent cultivation one as well as shifting the culture more towards atheism.
The second option (and the one chosen) means that enough local founds are directed towards improving education that effectively it's as if you've had another low level focus on something that deals with education (or in other words you get a special low level action that improves education someway every turn) it also shift the culture towards school acceptance (not really a problem yet but you would have gotten to a point that there is resistance to sending the children to school for years and years instead of letting them help their parents or something alike).
The third option would have given a large base economic power boost, a little more economic growth, increased the cohesion of the empire and would make certain actions and institutions (like the public libraries) more effective and would shift the culture towards preserving the past through writing.
All of the above are powerful in their own way but I figured omitting the mechanical bonus would make people chose what they like more in a cultural way and I'm happy enough with the results that I'm going to repeat that when you get your next culture point.
- Location
- Italy
Well, we guessed right about that potential downside
Turn 5.
[X] Venerate education, giving great respect to those who have it and going to great length to achieve it themselves
[X] Economic focus.
[X] Letika, Netik apprentice.
[X] Economic focus.
[X] Letika, Netik apprentice.
Working with Letika has been a remarkable difference then working with Netik.
If you had to assess their capabilities you would say they are about the same -Netik has taught her well-yet there is a big difference in their methodology.
With Netik his reports were short and precise, giving you only the information you needed and briefly covering other topics where your attention wasn't needed. They were also done privately.
Letika on the other hand insisted on her weekly report to be done in the presence of all the senior bureaucrats, project heads and anyone else who had a hand in ruling the empire -like your daughter-.
Which is why you find yourself with around fifty other wizened Keku listening to reams of information on both the state of the empire and of the many, many projects its undertaking.
This isn't to say that one way is superior to the other -already some suggestions and insights were raised that wouldn't have been otherwise- it is merely different and signifies a change in your life.
Other than that the transition between one stewared to the other has been as seamless as possible.
Soon enough the report is done and after a brief discussion the various Keku shuffle out of the room to return to their other duties.
And you are left alone with your daughter who had a somewhat sad expression on her face.
As she didnt move to speak you've let the silence stretch between you, while you were less active in her life in the decades since you've become emperor you know her well enough to tell when she gathers her thoughts.
"Its…" her first words are halting, hesitant before returning to their normal confidence "wired to see her instead of Netik, feels wrong somehow, I don't know how you do it constantly"
Hmm… you have an inkling as to what she is referring to but better not assume.
"And what is it that I am constantly doing?" you ask.
"Connecting to them, getting to know them, doing it over and over again when you will morn most of them in a short few decades" so you were right, pity you were hoping you were wrong for a change.
"You mean the mortals? how do I stay connected when I'm so much older and will stay young long after they are buried?"
"yes"
"Well the answer is that I dont or at least didn't, need i remind you that i have been in relative isolation for about two centuries, why do you think i retreated from the world?"
"What changed then?" she asks.
"You" you answer "after I adopted you i knew that you must have more social interactions then just me so you'll grow up healthy, which forced me to interact with the world more and in time as you and others started to cultivate the time i could expect to spend with you rose as well, many of my friends now will live well into their two hundreds and you yourself have at least another two hundred and fifty years in you this lessens the burden on me"
"But it isn't what you were asking but to answer that i'll have to tell you a story" she huffed in a slight annoyance at the mention of a story knowing you well enough that you would hide some lesson in it.
"In my youth -relative youth that is i was still older than any mortal might be- I've met many scholars and philosophers, and more then once has the topic of immortality came up, most of them regarded immortality as a curse, that outliving your loved ones for so long is no less than torture."
"There is truth to that" your daughter said, interrupting you "it is the reason i came to you for advice"
"true, their is a truth in their words and for a long time i have agreed with them, at that point it was almost a century science i've lost my wife and two sons and the pain and longing for their touch has never really faded, still haven't if i'm honest and I near my fourth century on this earth, my answer changed after i've adopted you"
"Me? what have I done to change your perspective so"
"it was less what you did and more what you represented, at the time I didn't know you would be so adapt at cultivation and so i adopted you expecting to outlive you , expecting to outlive my family again and yet there wasn't the pain I expected an my love for you didnt diminishing knowing that you will die, in fact knowing that i would outlive you has made every moment all the more precious"
"This time has made me realize that it isn't the time i would spend without you that matters but the time I do and got m to reflect on my past and know that even though I now know the answer to how that life will end, that i owls have still married my wife and conceived my sons for the brief time I have spent with them is worth the centuries without them" you ay finishing your story, letting your daughter ponder it
"I'm not sure if this has been helpful" she says deep in thought.
"Perhaps it did or perhaps not" you say "this is my solution, my insight, you must reach your own, perhaps you'll reach the one i did perhaps you'll a different one or perhaps you'll reach no solution at all but understanding how others do it can only be helpful. I would reach to your peers for advice, they may be younger than you but they deal with much the same issue."
"I think I will, thank you father," she says before leaving the room.
Leaving you alone with your thoughts.
With the previous segment getting away from me I didn't manage to fit the following vote in so we'll do it OCC.
Basically with the progress made on the administration's progress you can now reclaim the cultivator AP that was invested in helping stabilize that problem. Doing so will push its solive back a bit but you'll get another cultivator AP.
[] reclaim the AP and let your cultivators invest their time and effort on better things (gain +1 cultivator AP -which can be used this turn- but slightly regress the lack of administrators problem).
[] dont (no change).
[] water for the cities.
Being the source of all life, ensuring that your citizens have access to enough water for their various needs is one of the highest priorities in the empire.
That duty is mostly left for local governance.
This policy is mostly successful in ensuring water security for the increasing population under your rule.
but if you wish for economic prosperity and a population boom water security isn't enough you need it in abundance.
This project would see your water infrastructure expend,mostly in the way of an ever greater number of new wells dug but would also deal with the creation of water reservoirs for needs other than drinking.
A minimal investment would see a considerable surplus for personal use of water in your cities -and even in some of the more centrally located countryside- but would see little increase in the way of agricultural usage.
A maximum investment would see a massive surplus of water for personal use and even a considerable surplus for commercial usage, although it isn't recommended as there are some concerns that such an aggressive push would see some unsustainable policies set locally in order to reach such goals.
[] Mines and quarries.
For the Keku -a race that has been born for the sky- spending time in cramped locations is deeply uncomfortable.
To spend time within the earth has been likened to torture by many.
Which makes it unsurprising that historically most mining operations have been left to slaves and criminals.
There are no slaves in your empire and not near enough the number of criminals to man much more than the current mines and queries of the empire -and even then, they aren't really enough.
And yet your empire hungers for iron, for stone, for gold and for many more of the bounty that can be found in the bosom of the earth.
Thankfully this isn't a problem without solutions.
Open pit mining is enough to prevent most of the long term problems from cropping up and lessen the short term ones.
Unfortunately, such a practice isn't suitable for all locations but there are enough Keku who care less about being below ground, that so long as you ensure that the mine shafts are wider and enough air circulates a high salary would see most workplaces fill up.
Of course with the dislike of the Keku for underground ventures little funds make their way provencelly, to expansion and creation of local mines.
Which means the empire must intervene to ensure enough raw material is extracted for the economy to continue.
A low investment would see enough new mines open to ensure no problems arise in the greater economy.
A maximum investment would see enough mines open for a considerable surplus but more importantly would see the mining town's created outfitted with a greater amount of amenities to ensure a stable mentality for the workers.
[] Investment opportunities.
The department of economic growth is a small section of the bureaucracy that deals with both investing funds and approving low interest loans for enterprising Keku in order to grease the wheels of the economy.
But there are many opportunities they set aside either because of a lack of funds, personal or just being outside their remit.
Diverting a greater amount of funds and personnel would see a slow yet steady economic growth.
A minimum investment would see many new loans approved and a lot of funds invested in local initiatives but would see a low level of actual returns for the government itself owing to the tax rules in the empire.
A maximum investment would see a boom in new businesses -and as such a boom in revenue- but is somewhat risky setting aside the risk for inflation such an outpouring of funds could destabilize the current market enough to complete certain projects until such disruptions are stabilized.
[] The house of God.
The followers of your new religion would need a place to gather and practice their new religion.
For the empire the construction of such places is trivial enough that even at a minimal investment all large settlements would see such a place built.
The difference a larger investment would make is in the grandness and splendor of such places.
A large cathedral construction of quality stone and adorned with marble with masterwork decorations would be a lot more impressive then a wooden hovel.
And the more impressive the house your religion calls its home the easier it is to both gather people there and convert them.
[] education for the city.
-[] education for the countryside / [] increasing the quality of education.
The last few decades have seen the number of educated personnel increase by leaps and bounds and you've reached the point where you can comfortably expend it without worrying about limited personnel.
Continuing the policy set by the last decade most of your efforts would be concentrated on the cities.
Yet without the need to worry about limited personnel some effort could also be invested in the countryside, without a high overall investment your efforts would make for a foundation more than anything else but it would be a start.
Alternatively, we could just double down on investing in the cities and just increase the quality of the education, in particular you'll increase the number of years young Keku attend the schools and the ratio between teachers and students.
Regardless of your choice the more you'll invest the more you'll be able to do and a high level of investment is recommended.
Although there are merits in letting the system settle somewhat before pushing further in such an aggressive manner.
[] the arteries of trade.
The lifeblood of trade, roads.
The situation is at once dire at once perfectly fine if a bit worn down.
The truth is that every kingdom -petty or grand- that was absorbed into the empire had its own road system, stretching to their larger villages and in-between their towns. Sometimes they were connected with the systems of other kingdoms and sometimes not.
This leads to the fact that provincially most road systems are perfectly fine for their regular day to day use. Perhaps only needing some slight repair or updating but otherwise good enough.
And yet on the empire level the road system is absolutely atrocious with very little roads actually connecting the different provinces together.
Considering that only the very old or very young can't fly reliably and so the roads are only used for the transportation of bulk goods and heavy items, fixing this has been low on the priority list. Especially as much of the bureaucracy has been too occupied keeping the empire semi stable to carry out the large surveying work that would be needed to correct this.
But now that the empire is far more stable the time has come to let the river of trade flow.
With construction starting there is nothing left to do but continue investing until your finished.
A minimal investment will see enough resources invested to bring the project to about a third of its completion
A maximum investment is inefficient but with prior planning -and the expansion of the economy- enough of the problems with it were solved that it's not such a bad idea to invest this much although even with the greater investment you only finish just less then half of the work this decade.
[] An egg nests.
A decade is a long time and many unexpected costs could rack up.
From simple delays and obstacles for projects to exciting opportunities to sudden crises.
Having an egg nest to draw resources from so you won't need to compromise in other more costly way's is a good idea.
And if it isn't used it's quite easy (if fairly inefficient) to assign it to struggling projects.
Maximum investment is unnecessary and would even be harmful as too much funds and influence are saved rather than spent to further your goals.
A minimal investment while not ideal isn't the worst thing (especially with all the other pressing concerns) but it would mean that should delays occur or opportunities arise your ability to capitalize or resolve them without compromising other concerns is minimal.
The last decade saw both the fast expansion of the number of cultivators and also the expansion of their reasonability's (2 AP).
Teachers: it is expected that around 231 new 1st step cultivators would be recruited and trained this decade (at current pace you're expected to get another AP in 4 turns).
[] Recruiting- if you wish to have a hope of survival the current number of disciples is pitiful, your disciples would focus on going out and training potential cultivators in order to find new talents and increase their number. With a crude but passable way to determine talent you can now weed out the untalented. Increasing the power and quality of your new disciples.
[] the connecting thread- out of the sixty-seven centers of power found, sixty-five are next to major habitations. Send out agents to scour all sixty-five centers of power thoroughly and find the thread connecting them all. After all, knowledge is the first step towards control.
[] Looking for enlightenment cultivation as a concept is relatively unknown, with all of your knowledge coming from either your or your older disciples' experiments. But your knowledge is lacking and there are many unknowns. Have your disciples try to invite new concepts that either help or push your knowledge of cultivation further. (OOC: you get a cultivation advancement dice which can give you many tasteful things)
[] Push forward- your disciples have their own cultivation to pursue and they will do so regardless but giving them more time to do so would allow them to make more progress.
[] Wandering sages- in the good times, before you foresaw the apocalypse that is to come, the students who sought you out, were scholars at heart and although each had a different purpose for doing so almost all of them had a great thirst for knowledge. It was this knowledge that they passed down to their new students and it was this knowledge that could be used to speed up some of your plans. Sending your cultivators to roam the countryside and teach the populace would at the very least ensure a minimal level of education would be passed down outside major population centers and make the eventual excision of the proposed education system to the countryside easier.
[] The sharp edge of knowledge- after much deliberation and meditation, your older disciples have come to the conclusion that the relative lack of combat techniques is the largest factor in holding back their combat potential. Giving them leave to focus on developing an arsenal of techniques would ensure that they are ready to face whatever may come. Unfortunately, in this case your innate understanding is working against you as you skip whole parts when casting your own techniques making them unsuitable for your general students.
[] rune study- new knowledge has brought your disciples another avenue of growth you very little about the runes you've found and how they work but were there is two there are three and your disciples are eager to find out more so let them and slowly you'll unlock the secrets of artificing.
[] craft- supernatural knowledge is at your disciples' beak and call, maybe they should do something with it.
-[] shirts of iron- the foundries of the empire already ready themselves for the creation of many, many mail-shirts for your cultivators tasking your disciples to enchant them as yours has been would see their effectiveness increase considerably.
[] traveling demigods- your new religion portrays the cultivators as those blessed by the emperor, having them travel the empire and show of their abilities would go a long way to helping in converting people to your new found religion and while less effective then if you go personally the total impact would be greeter due to their greater number.
A long decade is awaiting you, there is much to do and not enough time to do it all (3 personal AP).
[] Push higher- your power alone would not save you or your kind, but more power would certainly be useful, so push ahead on this path that you've created oh so long ago.
-[] Ascend- you can feel it, you've reached a point where you can once more reach higher. Push ahead, face the wrath of heaven once more and pray you're ready.
-[] Mediation on the self (may be taken more than once)- the wrath of heaven is powerful and cunning, it will strike at any weakness you show, take a time to know your falling and put your mind at peace to help with the tribulation you will face. (This action will give a big bonus if you take it on the turn, you attempt the tribulation otherwise it would give a small but stackable bonus).
-[] An eighth pillar (0/4 AP to complete)- your instincts tell you that you may still push further in your current step, so take the time to gather the Qi needed to construct a new pillar in your soul. Giving you a new and powerful tool.
-[] study (artifice)- a new path opens itself before you, travels down its length and attempts to pry whatever secrets it holds.
-[] Seek insight from the world (choose pillar)(may be taken more than once)- five pillars you've erected in your soul, but they are not just constructs of Qi in each of them there is a Truth of the world. Meditation can draw those truths out but to look within you must look without and seek the inspiration that would advance your understanding and give a new insight for one of your pillars.
-[] The connection of it all- following your new insight you have hundreds of links connecting you to your students and many more from them to their students, the ability to know your daughter is alright at all times is the dream of all fathers but maybe you should try and see if this connection has other uses.
[] Glimpse the future- you have a gift, a gift that no other has. It has set you on this path and you must both hone and use it, to see the end of this path. Cast your eyes into the future and the apocalypse to come and attempt to draw any piece of information that might give you an advantage.
-[] The nature of the beast- you know almost nothing about what's to come besides an unending tide of beasts, attempting to understand the coming apocalypse.
-[] The tide- in your vision you saw many types of beast's, small and big, deformed and consisting of perfect form. Attempt to more correctly ascertain what it is that you'll be fighting.
-[] the maelstrom [extremely dangerous]- in your journey through the sea of time you have encountered a being that defies understanding. One way or the other this being is connected to the coming apocalypse, already without even knowing you desist it shrouds your sight of the future, your sight now returning with less and less details. So cast your gaze once more to the future and attempt to ascertain its nature and perhaps you'll find ways to avoid it. But beware as should you be caught death is the only mercy you can expect.
-[] the shadows- someone is moving in the shadow's, from all the questioning done you've identified a shared backer to many of the rebel cells, in truth it probably disgruntled nobles and your agents have already begun a search to identify this backer and you'll likely get reports in time but you could save your agents much effort if you just dedicated a bit of time to divining this shadowy backer.
[] The burdens of an emperor- a farmer, son of a farmer turned into a sage, you never thought, nor wanted the burden of rule but here you are with a crown upon your head.
-[] To rule well- taking the time to listen to your subordinates and subjects as well as taking care of the small problems that arise would free your subordinates from the need to do it. (OOC: with the competent ruling action being removed from the empire action list -having achieved a good enough administrative efficiency that it doesn't need to be focused on- this action still helps with the rule of the empire and solving any problem that might crop up)
[] The burdens of a teacher- you have come to enjoy teaching, but the very act gives you a certain obligation to those you teach.
-[] To teach the next generations- you're going to need many more cultivators to face the end that comes, and you have taught many, do so again and help train the defenders of the future. Your new pillar makes you even more suited to this task.
-[] The next step- you have many students pushing for the next step in their journey, take the time to share your wisdom and guide them in surviving the tribulation.
-[] the broken- the tribulation to the third step is nothing alike that of the second step and its harsher nature seems to apply to those who fail it as well, those who fail the first tribulation and yet survive had lost most of their cultivation granted power and are heavily wounded but a few months later most of their wounds are healed and although they do not regain their former strength they are still stronger than a regular mortal this is not so for those who fail the second tribulation and are unlucky enough to survive as even now, years after their attempt at tribulation the wounds incurred show no sign of getting any better. You have already tasked various medical institutes to try to conceive of ways to ease their pain (for somewhat mixed results) but you possess knowledge and understanding few others will claim to match and with just some attention, your fallen students' plight might be much reduced… it is the least you owe them and yet the duty of the emperor sits heavy on your shoulders, can you justify investing your time (one of the most valuable resources you have) in something that will not help stave of anhelation?
-[] kekaru- Kekaru has done something you had no idea was possible and has reached a place between the second step and the third attempt to push him over the line fully into the third step if such a thing is even possible.
[] Listen to the earth- your new pillar allows you to understand the language of the earth all you must do is listen, you're not likely to get any useful information but practice makes perfect.
-[] attempt to pry the secrets of the noble's- you know they plot against you and now you have a new way to spy on them, so listen and see what you can find.
-[] just listen- the earth has much to say and instead of directing it for a specific piece of information you can just listen, you wont get any useful information but it would make for very good practice.
[] The burden of a god- whether it was a mistake you will perhaps never know but you are now a god or at least worshiped as one. and being divine -fake or not- comes with some benefits and no less reasonability.
-[] tour the empire- it an unavoidable reality that the vast majority of your subjects have never seen your face, investing time to travel the breath of your empire is a good opportunity to show them your supernatural abilities, it's a lot easier to convert people when said god passed by a week ago and summoned a small torneado.
-[] the mystery of divine Qi- you know very little about this new energy, experimenting would allow you to glean new information or at least more uses.
Right, turn 5 the first section got a little away from me but I'm happy with it, I think a 4 hour moratorium should be enough. vote in plan format.
Plan format example:
[] plan name.
-[] empire action with highest priority.
-[] empire action with lower priority.
-[] empire action with lowest priority.
-[] cultivators actions.
-[] personal action.
As a reminder maximum investment refers to putting the action the highest in the plan and minimal investment means putting it the lowest. don't forget to pick one of the sub options for the education action.
Assuming average/above average rolls it will lower the time by a turn.
[]Plan Infrastructure and Investigation
-[] reclaim the AP and let your cultivators invest their time and effort on better things (gain +1 cultivator AP -which can be used this turn- but slightly regress the lack of administrators problem).
-[] Mines and quarries.
-[] water for the cities.
-[] the arteries of trade.
-[] The house of God.
-[] education for the countryside
-[] An egg nests.
-[] Investment opportunities.
-[] Recruiting
-[] the connecting thread
-[] Looking for enlightenment
-[] Glimpse the future
--[] The nature of the beast
-[] Listen to the earth
--[] attempt to pry the secrets of the noble's
-[] The burden of a god
--[] tour the empire
-[] reclaim the AP and let your cultivators invest their time and effort on better things (gain +1 cultivator AP -which can be used this turn- but slightly regress the lack of administrators problem).
-[] Mines and quarries.
-[] water for the cities.
-[] the arteries of trade.
-[] The house of God.
-[] education for the countryside
-[] An egg nests.
-[] Investment opportunities.
-[] Recruiting
-[] the connecting thread
-[] Looking for enlightenment
-[] Glimpse the future
--[] The nature of the beast
-[] Listen to the earth
--[] attempt to pry the secrets of the noble's
-[] The burden of a god
--[] tour the empire
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Depends on the level but the third step is special in the sense that it needs relatively little actual energy (it still needs a lot) and is more about the control of that energy, rather than amassing a bunch of it, so unless you get a really high grade (like grade 5 and above) your not going to see a cultivation benefits except maybe for a potential ninth pillar, which needs so much energy that the bonus actually matters to it.
But in general, every grade of spiritual diet gives a 5% boost in cultivation speed (or more correctly in Qi gathering speed). This is low because cultivation speed isn't actually the purpose of a spiritual diet but a useful side effect.
A spiritual diet does a lot of things -from increasing your lifespan to improving the quality of some cultivation steps- but it isn't that efficient at improving the speed of your cultivation even though it helps.
As for if enlightenments (I'm assuming you mean insights) help in the tribulation they can but it depends on the insight and pillar.
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Roth963
If I become inactive with this massage, I died
Are there any pillars likely to help in cultivation speed? Since looking back, the first five seem to have been given us from the start, so I am not sure about their general theoretical abilities.
If you are willing to tell, is there anything special about the ninth pillar, beyond it being increasingly harder to make said pillar? And how many ap does it take?
There are a few concepts that are more likely to have cultivation speed benefits but almost any piller can have them it's just a matter of getting the right insight.
If you're asking which one of your current pillars is the most likely to give you something that helps with cultivation speed, then fire and water would be the answer.
There is nothing special about it and depending on the concept you choose for your eight pillar it would cost between 5-6 AP (not including the short project that would allow you to actually get the ninth pillar as you currently can't but it's like 1 AP).