[ ] Publicly purchase DaedalOS shares
DEI has made headlines this week for buying out the previous joint venture of DaedelOS, suggesting DEI may soon be taking another crack at breaking ENCOM's virtual tech monopoly despite their ill-fated previous attempt. ENCOM for its part has downplayed its role in the event, likely to avoid accusations of monopolistic behavior. Coyote points out that they absolutely are engaging in monopolistic behavior and we have the paperwork to prove it too if we're willing to play advertising hardball in future, even if their 'lobbying' schemes make it unlikely for a serious anti-trust action to occur.
Winston is a little sad about the lost potential income on the ENCOM deal, but he agrees that this was originally your endeavor, and trusts you to keep the business and products in good hands.
[ ] Construct FEMA bunkers
DEI sponsored a major expansion of emergency bunkers throughout the city of Danville, turning several heads as to what exactly Doctor Doofenshmirtz is expecting. More canny observers, like Sinatron, note that this is coming in the wake of a long series of government efforts to ensure the safety of the people from the oncoming spate of Super-related disaster incidents which proponents of the SRA have continued to argue will come to pass, six months after the bill's repeal. Other observers wonder if this is not simply a petty show of some form from the notoriously fickle CEO.
[ ] Doofrasic Park Complete at Last
The long awaited expansion of the copyright-insultingly named Doofrassic Park was completed ahead of time and with incredible buzz over the addition of not only massive herbivorous beasts like the legendary brontosaurus, but also the real draw: Tyrannosaurus rex itself! Customers are flocking to the parks in droves now that beasts larger than a horse are on display, all flash-grown by DEI's continually miracle-inducing scientists. Sales of designer dinosaur pets are through the roof, the Crichton estate is fuming impotently, and DEI has once again quietly reminded everyone that they are a miracle factory par excellence.
Bout Expected
Xanatos Enterprises
[ ] Publicly purchase ENCOM stock
DC 100
99% CoS, 90+ 0-
37+38+35+17+8=135
Success
In a stunning move, David Xanatos, eccentric billionaire, has very publicly purchased a sizable amount of stock in ENCOM. While the exact quantity is unknown and thus must be under the SEC's reporting limit of 5% of outstanding stock, Xanatos has made no secret of his acquisition, instead making a large public show of it for some inscrutable purpose. There is as yet no word on if either Xanatos or a representative of his will sit on ENCOM's board of directors.
BETRAYAL!
In all seriousness yeah, ENCOM is being targeting for some reason.
Drakktech
[ ] Embark on Wasteland Expedition
To be continued in Interlude: Send Me Your Fish
???
[ ] End the Odd Transmissions
The strange transmissions flowing out of the Wasteland halted this month, and did not resume. They ended with one final broadcasted song, followed by a single sentence in what was, apparently, perfect English.
"This is Radio Omoscillonics, signing off!"
To be continued in Interlude: Send Me Your Fish
Aw man we lost access to Drossel. As much as I am upset by this; it shouldn't be to bad gameplaywise, and the only turn we could have done it was last turn which we decided Feldrake was more important.
Shere Khan
[ ] Shore up air defenses
DC 120
65% CoS, 94+ 4-
67+42+34+8=151
Success
Khan Industries recently oversaw a major public contract to improve the already famous defenses of Cape Suzette. The only easily navigable path into the mountainous port city has been festooned with a variety of anti-aircraft gun embankments and traps that set even the city's previous defenses to shame, and a number of prominent buildings in the city itself have likewise been hardened, including City Hall and Khan Industries HQ itself.
Good to see Khan taking this seriously, here's to hoping he doesn't get attacked by someone not in a Plane.
Glomgold
[ ] Buy Out Overmountain Farmland
DC 120
100% CoS, 90+ 0-
17+59+30+25+10+4=145
Success
Glomgold Enterprises announced the acquisition of a significant amount of farmland in the Overmountain region, up until recently tied up in a series of shell companies owned by Kronos subsidiaries. While Glomgold had moved into the region following the upset in Olympia's board, it wasn't until recently that he managed to acquire the unincorporated potato farms and merge them into his company as a whole.
Given recent upsets in the agricultural industry, one has to wonder what implications this has for the nation's food production.
Ah, I see now. Glomgold's plan is in a lot of ways gonna be profit off the franchise wars by selling produce and other foodstuffs.
ENCOM
[ ] Release Deep Blue
DC 110
75% CoS, 93+ 3-
89+45+36+3=173
ENCOM's announcement for 'Deep Blue', an in-house cloud storage file hosting service, was met with considerable enthusiasm from consumers the world over. Free backups up to one terabyte would be offered for anyone who opted into the LEGACY system, with additional storage provided at rates that are actually, legitimately reasonable.
It's really frustrating being a competitor to ENCOM sometimes, not only because they hold a near monopoly on the market but because they are willing to devote inordinate amounts of time and money into making an actually helpful and user-friendly experience? Or so the article you read online told you.
Always an uphill battle against the one Megacorp with a true monopoly.
???
Sokyo Network Activates!
[ ] Track government action
DC 140
22% CoS, 99+ 8-
16+33+37-9=77
Failure
Someone in the San Fransokyo underground has been poking around in nearby air force bases and perpetrated a break-in at city hall. While nothing was taken, Russ suggests that, from experience, someone is attempting to discern why the government has been moving men, materiel, and plans across the country in recent months. Mirage suspects it may be Negaduck attempting to determine and counteract those preparations, suggesting San Fransokyo may be a target… if she is right. She suggests it may be worth reviewing Mezmerella's status, comparing relative risk to the extreme suspicion her disappearance would cause.
To be continued in Interlude: Out of Phase
Beverly Mole
[ ] Hold a Cotillion
Noted SF socialite 'Binky' Mole held a gala this month to celebrate the official 'debut' of her niece Olivia to the city's elite.
To be continued in Interlude: Out of Phase
Sycorax
Infiltration Action
Infiltration Activates!
[ ] Conduct Anti-Villain Security Sweep
DC 118
54% CoS, 96+ 5-
38+37+31+3=109
Bare Failure
'Francisca Marshall' has been set to the task of consulting for a security sweep against supervillain infiltration for security purposes. On paper, the reason is the trail of destruction "Business Bot" blazed through downtown 'Sokyo, but Mezmerella suspects otherwise. She notes a particular fixation Liv seems to have on tech capes, which makes sense given how many there are in the city. Mezmerella suspects that certain capes are also on the payroll of the Zaibatsus.
Hmmm... might warrant getting Mez out of Dodge soon, Liv is acting paranoid about something, and she is in a potential hotzone. Would it be a personal to call her back or a national though?
Judge Doom
Red Car Network Activates!
[ ] Fund Questionable Science
DC 110
43% CoS, 97+ 6-
76+57(???)+22+27+3=185
Success
Your Red Car contacts aren't sure what to make of this one, but it was considered odd enough to get a mention. The 'Brainasium', a minor interactive exploration center intended for kids to learn the basics of science from 'real' doctorates, announced its permanent closure 'effective immediately'. Former head scientist Dr. Frakes gleefully declared that her talent was wasted on corralling 'booger goblins' and she had finally achieved her lifelong dream of 'unlimited grant money'. For some reason or another, Cloverleaf has taken to directly funding a somewhat obscure scientist with unknown motives.
You… can't really say anything about that without sounding like a massive hypocrite. But you are a little curious as to why most of Cloverleaf's 'Endowment for the Sciences' seems to have gone to one person in particular, a fact you would not have known if the Red Car hadn't ferreted it out.
Red Car Network Activates!
[ ] Take a Vacation
99
The weasels were worried, then terrified, when Judge Doom did not show up to work for the first time in literal, actual decades.
To be continued in Interlude: Out of Phase
Ah, really important to get ODI up and Running, since Doom seems to be chasing it as well.
Olympia
[ ] Promote Fironic and Prince Pyrus
DC 90
90% CoS, 99+ 1-
7+40+36+3=86
Bare Failure
Olympia seemed to be gearing up for a major announcement of some sponsored heroes- rumored to be former Super Fironic and recently mind controlled Prince Pyrus- but it seems like some recent upsets in the company prevented the press release.
Fironic apparently coming down with a publicly undeclared illness a week before the scheduled debut probably didn't help measures. Jumba, at a glance, declared it appendicitis.
Winston gets smacked by fate
Solanaceae (Investigation Activates! reveals: ) Artemis Fowl
[ ] Buy out Fission Chips
DC 80
81% CoS, 93+ 2-
54+30+24+6=114
Success
To be continued in Interlude: Drawing Éire
???
[ ] Intervene in ???
DC ???
??% CoS, ??+ ?-
83+33+44+4=164
??? Success
To be continued in Interlude: Drawing Éire
Ominous
Negaduck
[ ] On Your Mark
Next Turn is "Get Set" isn't it?
[ ] Go after Toffee's farms
DC ???
??% CoS, ??+ ?-
97+19+36+50-7=195
Critical Success
Seth Supplies Co has announced an inexplicable corn blight that has ravaged production and left shelves bare across the nation. Although shortages are nowhere near the levels of the Breadbasket Collapse, the company's reputation has suffered a notable hit, particularly since it has been refusing government and NGO aid with the apparent situation. As a result, suspicion of the company is at an all time high.
Company CEO Chip Whistler was not available for comment.
===
Elsewhere, a fire rages across the horizon.
"Cedric. Make a note of this. I am a genius."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA EAT SHIT TOFFEE!
Sykes
[ ] Liaison with Brocamas
DC 60
74% CoS, 94+ 3-
66+17+15+1=99
Success
Janna mentioned offhand that Brocamas has apparently been approached by New York's local mafia kingpin. Bill Sykes is attempting to muscle his way into the magical part of the largest city, and appears to have made the 'eminently profitable' decision to aid the shamrock shyster in his questionable sales. Brocamas for his part seemed to be over the moon about it. Or at least the rainbow.
Magica de Spell
[ ] Go on a Date with Gladstone Gander
100
To be continued…eventually.
Horvath
[ ] Track ???
DC 65
80% CoS, 93+ 2-
43+26+21-3=87
Success
To be continued… eventually.
Huntsclan
[ ] Semi-Public Recruitment
DC 80
81% CoS, 93+ 2-
80+25+31+4=140
Success
There has been an uptick of some… unsavory activities across the nation. Groups devoted to 'supporting humanity' against gargoyles and other things that creep in the night have been heard on college campuses from Godolphin to Backupsmore, attempting to debate unprepared students about 'inhuman concerns' and attract just the right sort of scared, angry, or stupid to help blame their problems on 'the other'. While fully within the realm of free speech, the way new graduates tend to disappear after signing on strongly suggests that you know who's bankrolling this…
...
Magus Bazaar
[ ] Establish Dragon's Scales
DC 85
68% CoS, 94+ 3-
69+19+30+3=121
Success
Janna let you know that the last time she visited the Bazaar, she had to talk her way out of being arrested by a bunch of guys in scale plate armor that refused to take bribes. You unfortunately don't have the contacts to know more than that.
...
Random Event Roll
60 - The American Dragon Emerges
So apparently there's this thing called the American Dragon. It's some kind of thing that happens in Magical New York, and apparently there hasn't been one in a while for some reason. You do not currently have the network in New York to have all the details on who or what it is or why it matters, but this is apparently a Big Deal for the magical community.
You might have the opportunity to learn more if you get involved in this sort of thing.
Magical New York is heating up, I want to poke around to see whats up soon.
Gorgo
[ ] Attack San Fransokyo
95
To be continued in Interlude: Out of Phase
Who?
The Dickens
[ ] Get hired
The Dickens informed you that they will be unavailable next turn, as they have been retained. They should return in about two months, a fact which you find unsurprising for some reason.
Thats Fine, we couldn't hire them anyway, at least til we expand contractors oruse up Smarty. (We should really get on that).
Franchise Wars
Louie's Place (Khan Industries)
[ ] Market 'All You Can Stand For $10' Special
70% CoS
51
Success
'Louie's Place' introduced a new promotion in which the chain would utilize unsightly food that would have otherwise been discarded to produce cheap specials for the low, low price of $10. The quality of the meals has been described as 'decent', and the cost has driven customers to the restaurants in droves.
Khan Industries standing increased by 3
Captain Kernal's (Seth Supplies Co.)
[ ] Accuse Poultry Palace of Collusion
70% CoS
16
Failure
The Captain Kernal franchise made some vague overtures towards accusing Poultry Palace of collusion, though no specifics were given on what or with whom. The resulting media discussion was lukewarm at best and stopped just short of actual slander.
No effect on the Franchise Wars.
Poultry Palace (Zaibatsu)
[ ] Cross-Promote Fried Chicken Noodle Burgers
75% CoS
42
Success
The Poultry Palace franchise promoted a karaage-style chicken noodle burger that has sold out at nearly every location on the west coast. You've tried one yourself and have to admit that it's actually pretty tasty.
Zaibatsu standing increased by 3
Chef Skinner's (Xanatos Enterprises)
[ ] Focus Test Carnivorous Ratatouille
75% CoS
75
Success
Chef Skinner's new 'Carnivorous Ratatouille' was reported to have tested well in focus groups despite the alleged affront to French cuisine and common decency that Bolton Gramercy accused it of. Commercials for the new dish have been running non-stop on TV and the franchise is expected to see new growth in the coming months.
Chef Skinner's standing increased by 3.
Current Franchise Wars Standings
The Zaibatsu Triad: 6 (+3)
Captain Kernel: 2 (+0)
Louie's Place: 5 (+3)
Chef Skinner's: 3 (+3)
Doc Hopper's: 1 (+1)
Ah, while the Zaibatsu is concerning Toffee ate shit again, twice in one turn.
All together while the Drossel issue is pretty sad, I'd say these Rival Reports haven't actually done much to us in particular. It effectively invalidated a single action we took 2 turns ago; but oh well. Right now the debate is do we want Mez in San Fran or to pull her out, and do we want to poke around New York some more.