Evermark Underground: RPG Brothel Management
- Thread starter Evenstar
- Start date
- Original Mature Fantasy
Fade 1903
Evenstar
Triple Jump Unlocked
- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- She/Her
"Holly, you spoke to the Suffragist's Union?"
"They're coordinating with Innumerable Aspect on the letter-writing campaign. They also would like to thank you for your work at the Merchant's Guild; they've gained a major new sponsor thanks to your work."
You blink. "Really? I wonder which of them… It doesn't matter. Thank you for informing me."
"Don't mention it," says Holly.
"Edie," you say. "How about our purchase of the vacant lot?"
"It's done. We have a whole new property to develop."
"Glad to hear it. And we're patrolling out that far, right Filia?"
She nods. "We are, now that we're started patrols."
"Good."
"Varielle. How was your talk with Innumerable Aspect?"
"They're continuing to coordinate with all three of All Faiths, the Libertines, and the Suffragists. It seems like this leaflet campaign is going to be a truly major event."
You nod. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with Leah."
Holly smiles. "Like a work date or a date date?"
You blush. "Let's go with yes."
You meet Leah in the shrine. The band prepares their instruments; all that's needed is to take Leah's hand and dance.
You reach out to her, and your fingertips connect. Her hand cradles yours, wrapping it in against hers. You take her shoulder with your other hand, and she takes yours.
You blush, for some reason.
"Ready?", she asks.
You nod.
Leah's hand presses into your back. Her steps lead yours, one-two-three-four. The music is soft, the low croon of a love song. You can feel Leah's heartbeat through your intertwined fingers. She smells of cinnamon. Her lips are so red. You just want to reach in and touch them, but the beat drives you on. One two three four. Leah's dark hair sways in the breath of your passing. Her eyes meet yours, and a smile leaps to your lips. You follow her.
The song ends, and your dance becomes a stumble apart. You grin ruefully. Leah laughs. You stumble back together for another dance.
This one ends gracefully, a simple slowing and stop. Leah lets go your hands, but you find yourself wanting more. So you kiss her.
She kisses you back, but when you come apart her tone is scolding. "Kissing before the date's even begun? Naughty girl."
You smile. "This can be the start of the proper date."
She takes your hand again. "Alright then. I'll lead."
You throw a wave at the band as you follow her out of the shrine.
She takes you down the hall, around the corner, and sits you down in a restaurant booth. Then she slides in beside you.
"Home is good enough for now," she says. "I didn't have any plans to go out."
You nod.
"So," she says. "You finally worked up the nerve."
"It's not that, it's just that I'm incredibly busy managing the business. You wouldn't believe how many of them require my personal attention."
"It's been months, Estellé."
"And could have been longer if I hadn't tried for you."
Leah sighs. "Fair enough, I suppose. But I don't want to be treated like I'm second to the job."
You raise an eyebrow at her. "My work is important, you know that as well as I do. If I don't do it, who will?"
Leah sighs. "Alright, you've made your point."
The waitress comes. Today it's Kari, her silver tails fluffed up behind her.
'What can I get for you two?"
"Jasmine tea and biscuits, please."
"Black tea, and that's all."
Kari nods, and steps away from the table.
"So," you say. "How are you these days?"
"Proud to be at the forefront of certain innovations. A little worried about the business, especially with the gangs in the neighbourhood. But I trust that you have things under control and won't be causing me more problems anytime in the near future."
"Varielle's already laid in stock, so you don't need to worry about that."
"Yes, that's a good sign. Still, I hope you aren't pushing yourself too hard."
"That's why I do things like go on dates with people I care about."
"True enough. But you're still micromanaging the business an awful lot. Can't you step away and just let things run themselves?"
You sigh. "No, because it's all important to the greater goals, and that's my job. 'Heavy lies the head that wears the crown' and all."
"I've never liked that saying."
You shrug. "No disputing in matters of taste."
"Or that one, either."
You smile. "See?"
Leah puffs out some air. "You really are impossible."
"That's my job, yes."
"And someone's got to do it."
"Exactly."
Leah sighs. "Alright, I'll drop the topic."
"Thank you."
"So, what shall we talk about?"
"The weather was nice last time."
"Let's not play that game again."
"How about we take our tea when it gets here and go for a walk in the courtyard? Even if it's cold outside, it'd at least be better than the crowd in here."
Leah nods. "That seems like a good idea, but what will we talk about until the tea arrives?"
You frown. "I don't know."
"So how can you know what you'll talk about outside?"
"I'm sure something will come to me. Being outdoors will help stimulate my mind."
Leah looks at you. "Are you winding me up?"
You grin. "Maybe."
"Impossible."
You nod.
"Where is our tea, anyway? Let me just flag down the waitress." Leah raises her hand into the aisle.
Kari notices, and comes over to the table.
Leah smiles. "Excuse me, I was just wondering where my black tea was?"
You chip in. "And my jasmine tea with biscuits?"
"They're just steeping right now, so it'll be here in about a minute. Is that alright?"
You nod. "That's fine."
Leah sighs, and settles in.
"So," she says. "What is there to talk about?"
"Uhmmm."
An awkward pause stretches.
"I've got nothing," admits Leah.
"Me neither."
"We could just… sit together?"
"We could."
You step lightly on Leah's foot beneath the table, and she giggles.
"Down, girl."
You behave.
The tea arrives after a little while spent in companiable silence. You pour yourself a cup of jasmine tea, and toast Leah.
"A magnificent woman."
She toasts you back.
"An impossible student."
Together, you get up and go out into the courtyard, both of you bringing your cups of tea. Though the roses and the lilacs are no longer blooming, you can still listen to the shaaaa of the wind through the autumn leaves. You walk in silence, hand in hand, amid the scent of the sea and the cries of distant seagulls.
Leah squeezes your hand.
"This was a good date," she says. "I'd love to have another."
"My schedule is packed."
"Next month?" Leah asks.
"I hope so," you say, "but I can't promise it."
"Alright."
You let go your hands, and you sit down on the stone bench to drink your tea.
Leah gives you a little wave. "I'm going inside to save the table. You can follow me if you want."
You nod to her, but you don't follow. You stay outside in the cool air, drinking your hot tea and listening to the seagulls wheel.
When you come back to the table, Leah is gone.
After basic interviews with all your staff, you've compiled This Spreadsheet regarding them.
Upgrades:
Tier 3 Wards
Tier 3 Silken Wonderland
Tier 2 Warded Strongboxes
Tier 2 Signage
Tier 2 Escort Beauty
Tier 2 Steamy Atmosphere
Tier 1 Landscaping
Tier 1 Renovated
Tier 1 Exclusive
Treasury:
40 Discretion
1 Scandal
85 Clean Æther
1385 Dirty Æther
1 Silvermist Consecration
1 Stainless Steel Rat
1 Steamborne Talisman
6 Healing Potions
5 Libertine Favours
8 Months Till Recruiting Drive
8 Months Merchant Membership
10 Libertine Pamphlets
10 All Faiths Pamphlets
10 Suffragist Pamphlets
Current Monthly Income:
135 Clean Æther from Tea
350 Dirty Æther from Sex
5 Clean Æther from Cooked Books
5 Clean Æther from Fine Cuisine
20 Clean Æther from Harbour Laundry
10 Clean Æther from Ostmarkian Tea
25 Clean Æther from Hotelry
40 Clean Æther from The Band
35 Clean Æther from Apothecary Deal
175 Dirty Æther from VIP
75 Clean Æther from VIP
100 Dirty Æther Enchantress
Current Monthly Expenses:
-25 Clean Æther Room Service
-5 Clean Æther Weekly Checkups
-5 Dirty Æther Cooked Books
-10 Clean Æther Bouncers
-20 Dirty Æther Harbour Laundry
-80 Dirty Æther Gang Sponsorship
-10 Clean Æther Chef
-15 Clean Æther Gardeners
-10 Clean Æther Exclusivity
-10 Dirty Æther Exclusivity
-5 Clean Aether Cosmetics
-25 Clean Aether Etiquette Teacher
-50 Dirty Aether Apothecary Deal
-1 All Monthly Timers
Current Monthly Net:
135 Clean Aether
460 Dirty Aether
-1 All Monthly Timers
Control under Holly:
[ ][Control] Build another back of house room, at a cost of 75 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Call in a favour with the Libertines and have a room built on the cheap. Cost: 30 Clean Æ, 1 Libertine Favour
[ ][Control] Search for more contacts who sell goods & services under the table. (IE, that you can pay in dirty money.)
[-][Control] Upgrade a business room into a VIP room. 3 Bolts Silk, 30 Clean Æther.
[-][Control] Upgrade the entire second floor to a silken wonderland. 20 Bolts Silk, 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Build a large back-of-house lounge for "Private dining" and other such hedonistic pursuits. 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Distribute your leaflets covering revolutionary topics. (Opens menu for where to send leaflets.)
[ ][Control] The Suffragists' Union is dedicated to political and mercantile equality. Go see what they're doing.
[ ][Control] Invest in a Bay Run. 500 Clean Æther; returns 600 Clean Aether in 2 months, with a small chance of disaster.
[ ][Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
Charm under Edie:
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts in the city.
[ ][Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
[ ][Charm] Upgrade the landscaped courtyard with a water feature, like a pond or a stream. 250 Clean Æther.
[-][Charm] Buy out the fishmarket next door so that the smell of fish won't disturb the customers. 1000 Clean Æther.
[ ][Charm] Make a public donation to charity to improve the business' good name. 100 Clean Æther.
Intrigue under Filia:
[ ][Intrigue] Continue Filia's education in Markish and Tradecraft.
[ ][Intrigue] Start doing regular patrols of your new territory. Reduced chance of territory loss, increased chance of Mob firefight.
[ ][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
[ ][Intrigue] You've grown accustomed to the underworld here, but more contacts are always a good thing. Cultivate more criminal contacts.
[ ][Intrigue] Continue cultivating contacts along the local waterfront. Surely there's something more interesting than the fish market next door?
[ ][Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an anonymous donation to charity. 100 Dirty Æther.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an under-the-table donation to the cause. 100 Dirty Æ becomes 1 Libertine Favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a major under-the-table donation to the cause. 500 Dirty Æ becomes 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a further "donation" to the struggling House Galero. 250 Dirty Æ becomes one House Galero favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
[-][Intrigue] Ask that you be introduced to Court. Costs 10 House Galero favours and requires that you both have appropriate attire for Court and know the proper etiquette.
Lore under Varielle:
[ ][Lore] Expand the front of house to add storefront for a magic shop. 250 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a new magic store on the vacant lot you purchased. 500 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
[ ][Lore] Innumerable Aspect seeks to promote freedom of Orbite, encouraging the unbanning of proscribed Aspects. Go to their monthly meeting and keep an ear to the ground.
[ ][Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
[ ][Lore] Purchase a smuggled load of succubus artifacts in order to research them. 100 Dirty Æther, success has a chance at unique items.
[ ][Lore] Talk to the magical girl contract magicians and see what they have to say.
[ ][Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
Faith under Leah:
[ ][Faith] Send Leah to attend this month's meeting of All Faiths Harmonious and keep her ear to the ground.
[ ][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
[ ][Faith] Idols, Magical Girls, and the radio broadcasters who make them famous can all be found here in Gradentine. Try to get closer to that brilliant glamour.
[ ][Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a Caducite priest to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Look into the Coppergold faith of the Ceverra.
Personal:
[ ][Personal] Take more time alone to cultivate your Aura and Orbite.
[ ][Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
[ ][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Write in a stat; Control, Charm, etc.)
[ ][Personal] Take some time to get to know one of the staff. (Write in a name.)
[ ][Personal] Spend some time relaxing and unwinding in the gardens.
[ ][Personal] Experiencing your own business from time to time can generate real insights. Take tea at Harbour Tea.
[ ][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
[ ][Personal] Take Edie aside and try to talk her out of succubus liberation. It's just a bad move.
[ ][Personal] Go to the adventuring store and purchase supplies or weaponry from them.
[ ][Personal] Go to the Progressivist Jeweller's and see what he has in stock. (Opens jewellery store event; likely to cost a few hundred Dirty Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the local magic shop and see what trinkets and doodads they have on sale. Perhaps they'll have a radio or a record player? (Opens magic store event; likely to cost a few hundred Clean Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the proscribed apothecary and haggle over lines on spices, teas, medicines and potions. (Opens apothecary event; likely to cost a few hundred dirty Æ)
[ ][Personal] Try to find somebody selling silk, so that you can renovate the second floor with it as well. (Opens silk merchant event; likely to cost a few hundred clean Æ)
[ ][Personal] Go down to the docks and purchase "lost" or confiscated cargoes from the Port Authority on the sly.
[ ][Personal] Go to the underground printer's and have some leaflets commissioned.
[ ][Personal] Go to the transmuter to have something duplicated.
"They're coordinating with Innumerable Aspect on the letter-writing campaign. They also would like to thank you for your work at the Merchant's Guild; they've gained a major new sponsor thanks to your work."
You blink. "Really? I wonder which of them… It doesn't matter. Thank you for informing me."
"Don't mention it," says Holly.
"Edie," you say. "How about our purchase of the vacant lot?"
"It's done. We have a whole new property to develop."
"Glad to hear it. And we're patrolling out that far, right Filia?"
She nods. "We are, now that we're started patrols."
"Good."
"Varielle. How was your talk with Innumerable Aspect?"
"They're continuing to coordinate with all three of All Faiths, the Libertines, and the Suffragists. It seems like this leaflet campaign is going to be a truly major event."
You nod. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with Leah."
Holly smiles. "Like a work date or a date date?"
You blush. "Let's go with yes."
You meet Leah in the shrine. The band prepares their instruments; all that's needed is to take Leah's hand and dance.
You reach out to her, and your fingertips connect. Her hand cradles yours, wrapping it in against hers. You take her shoulder with your other hand, and she takes yours.
You blush, for some reason.
"Ready?", she asks.
You nod.
Leah's hand presses into your back. Her steps lead yours, one-two-three-four. The music is soft, the low croon of a love song. You can feel Leah's heartbeat through your intertwined fingers. She smells of cinnamon. Her lips are so red. You just want to reach in and touch them, but the beat drives you on. One two three four. Leah's dark hair sways in the breath of your passing. Her eyes meet yours, and a smile leaps to your lips. You follow her.
The song ends, and your dance becomes a stumble apart. You grin ruefully. Leah laughs. You stumble back together for another dance.
This one ends gracefully, a simple slowing and stop. Leah lets go your hands, but you find yourself wanting more. So you kiss her.
She kisses you back, but when you come apart her tone is scolding. "Kissing before the date's even begun? Naughty girl."
You smile. "This can be the start of the proper date."
She takes your hand again. "Alright then. I'll lead."
You throw a wave at the band as you follow her out of the shrine.
She takes you down the hall, around the corner, and sits you down in a restaurant booth. Then she slides in beside you.
"Home is good enough for now," she says. "I didn't have any plans to go out."
You nod.
"So," she says. "You finally worked up the nerve."
"It's not that, it's just that I'm incredibly busy managing the business. You wouldn't believe how many of them require my personal attention."
"It's been months, Estellé."
"And could have been longer if I hadn't tried for you."
Leah sighs. "Fair enough, I suppose. But I don't want to be treated like I'm second to the job."
You raise an eyebrow at her. "My work is important, you know that as well as I do. If I don't do it, who will?"
Leah sighs. "Alright, you've made your point."
The waitress comes. Today it's Kari, her silver tails fluffed up behind her.
'What can I get for you two?"
"Jasmine tea and biscuits, please."
"Black tea, and that's all."
Kari nods, and steps away from the table.
"So," you say. "How are you these days?"
"Proud to be at the forefront of certain innovations. A little worried about the business, especially with the gangs in the neighbourhood. But I trust that you have things under control and won't be causing me more problems anytime in the near future."
"Varielle's already laid in stock, so you don't need to worry about that."
"Yes, that's a good sign. Still, I hope you aren't pushing yourself too hard."
"That's why I do things like go on dates with people I care about."
"True enough. But you're still micromanaging the business an awful lot. Can't you step away and just let things run themselves?"
You sigh. "No, because it's all important to the greater goals, and that's my job. 'Heavy lies the head that wears the crown' and all."
"I've never liked that saying."
You shrug. "No disputing in matters of taste."
"Or that one, either."
You smile. "See?"
Leah puffs out some air. "You really are impossible."
"That's my job, yes."
"And someone's got to do it."
"Exactly."
Leah sighs. "Alright, I'll drop the topic."
"Thank you."
"So, what shall we talk about?"
"The weather was nice last time."
"Let's not play that game again."
"How about we take our tea when it gets here and go for a walk in the courtyard? Even if it's cold outside, it'd at least be better than the crowd in here."
Leah nods. "That seems like a good idea, but what will we talk about until the tea arrives?"
You frown. "I don't know."
"So how can you know what you'll talk about outside?"
"I'm sure something will come to me. Being outdoors will help stimulate my mind."
Leah looks at you. "Are you winding me up?"
You grin. "Maybe."
"Impossible."
You nod.
"Where is our tea, anyway? Let me just flag down the waitress." Leah raises her hand into the aisle.
Kari notices, and comes over to the table.
Leah smiles. "Excuse me, I was just wondering where my black tea was?"
You chip in. "And my jasmine tea with biscuits?"
"They're just steeping right now, so it'll be here in about a minute. Is that alright?"
You nod. "That's fine."
Leah sighs, and settles in.
"So," she says. "What is there to talk about?"
"Uhmmm."
An awkward pause stretches.
"I've got nothing," admits Leah.
"Me neither."
"We could just… sit together?"
"We could."
You step lightly on Leah's foot beneath the table, and she giggles.
"Down, girl."
You behave.
The tea arrives after a little while spent in companiable silence. You pour yourself a cup of jasmine tea, and toast Leah.
"A magnificent woman."
She toasts you back.
"An impossible student."
Together, you get up and go out into the courtyard, both of you bringing your cups of tea. Though the roses and the lilacs are no longer blooming, you can still listen to the shaaaa of the wind through the autumn leaves. You walk in silence, hand in hand, amid the scent of the sea and the cries of distant seagulls.
Leah squeezes your hand.
"This was a good date," she says. "I'd love to have another."
"My schedule is packed."
"Next month?" Leah asks.
"I hope so," you say, "but I can't promise it."
"Alright."
You let go your hands, and you sit down on the stone bench to drink your tea.
Leah gives you a little wave. "I'm going inside to save the table. You can follow me if you want."
You nod to her, but you don't follow. You stay outside in the cool air, drinking your hot tea and listening to the seagulls wheel.
When you come back to the table, Leah is gone.
After basic interviews with all your staff, you've compiled This Spreadsheet regarding them.
Upgrades:
Tier 3 Wards
Tier 3 Silken Wonderland
Tier 2 Warded Strongboxes
Tier 2 Signage
Tier 2 Escort Beauty
Tier 2 Steamy Atmosphere
Tier 1 Landscaping
Tier 1 Renovated
Tier 1 Exclusive
Treasury:
40 Discretion
1 Scandal
85 Clean Æther
1385 Dirty Æther
1 Silvermist Consecration
1 Stainless Steel Rat
1 Steamborne Talisman
6 Healing Potions
5 Libertine Favours
8 Months Till Recruiting Drive
8 Months Merchant Membership
10 Libertine Pamphlets
10 All Faiths Pamphlets
10 Suffragist Pamphlets
Current Monthly Income:
135 Clean Æther from Tea
350 Dirty Æther from Sex
5 Clean Æther from Cooked Books
5 Clean Æther from Fine Cuisine
20 Clean Æther from Harbour Laundry
10 Clean Æther from Ostmarkian Tea
25 Clean Æther from Hotelry
40 Clean Æther from The Band
35 Clean Æther from Apothecary Deal
175 Dirty Æther from VIP
75 Clean Æther from VIP
100 Dirty Æther Enchantress
Current Monthly Expenses:
-25 Clean Æther Room Service
-5 Clean Æther Weekly Checkups
-5 Dirty Æther Cooked Books
-10 Clean Æther Bouncers
-20 Dirty Æther Harbour Laundry
-80 Dirty Æther Gang Sponsorship
-10 Clean Æther Chef
-15 Clean Æther Gardeners
-10 Clean Æther Exclusivity
-10 Dirty Æther Exclusivity
-5 Clean Aether Cosmetics
-25 Clean Aether Etiquette Teacher
-50 Dirty Aether Apothecary Deal
-1 All Monthly Timers
Current Monthly Net:
135 Clean Aether
460 Dirty Aether
-1 All Monthly Timers
Control under Holly:
[ ][Control] Build another back of house room, at a cost of 75 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Call in a favour with the Libertines and have a room built on the cheap. Cost: 30 Clean Æ, 1 Libertine Favour
[ ][Control] Search for more contacts who sell goods & services under the table. (IE, that you can pay in dirty money.)
[-][Control] Upgrade a business room into a VIP room. 3 Bolts Silk, 30 Clean Æther.
[-][Control] Upgrade the entire second floor to a silken wonderland. 20 Bolts Silk, 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Build a large back-of-house lounge for "Private dining" and other such hedonistic pursuits. 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Distribute your leaflets covering revolutionary topics. (Opens menu for where to send leaflets.)
[ ][Control] The Suffragists' Union is dedicated to political and mercantile equality. Go see what they're doing.
[ ][Control] Invest in a Bay Run. 500 Clean Æther; returns 600 Clean Aether in 2 months, with a small chance of disaster.
[ ][Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
Charm under Edie:
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts in the city.
[ ][Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
[ ][Charm] Upgrade the landscaped courtyard with a water feature, like a pond or a stream. 250 Clean Æther.
[-][Charm] Buy out the fishmarket next door so that the smell of fish won't disturb the customers. 1000 Clean Æther.
[ ][Charm] Make a public donation to charity to improve the business' good name. 100 Clean Æther.
Intrigue under Filia:
[ ][Intrigue] Continue Filia's education in Markish and Tradecraft.
[ ][Intrigue] Start doing regular patrols of your new territory. Reduced chance of territory loss, increased chance of Mob firefight.
[ ][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
[ ][Intrigue] You've grown accustomed to the underworld here, but more contacts are always a good thing. Cultivate more criminal contacts.
[ ][Intrigue] Continue cultivating contacts along the local waterfront. Surely there's something more interesting than the fish market next door?
[ ][Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an anonymous donation to charity. 100 Dirty Æther.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an under-the-table donation to the cause. 100 Dirty Æ becomes 1 Libertine Favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a major under-the-table donation to the cause. 500 Dirty Æ becomes 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a further "donation" to the struggling House Galero. 250 Dirty Æ becomes one House Galero favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
[-][Intrigue] Ask that you be introduced to Court. Costs 10 House Galero favours and requires that you both have appropriate attire for Court and know the proper etiquette.
Lore under Varielle:
[ ][Lore] Expand the front of house to add storefront for a magic shop. 250 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a new magic store on the vacant lot you purchased. 500 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
[ ][Lore] Innumerable Aspect seeks to promote freedom of Orbite, encouraging the unbanning of proscribed Aspects. Go to their monthly meeting and keep an ear to the ground.
[ ][Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
[ ][Lore] Purchase a smuggled load of succubus artifacts in order to research them. 100 Dirty Æther, success has a chance at unique items.
[ ][Lore] Talk to the magical girl contract magicians and see what they have to say.
[ ][Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
Faith under Leah:
[ ][Faith] Send Leah to attend this month's meeting of All Faiths Harmonious and keep her ear to the ground.
[ ][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
[ ][Faith] Idols, Magical Girls, and the radio broadcasters who make them famous can all be found here in Gradentine. Try to get closer to that brilliant glamour.
[ ][Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a Caducite priest to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Look into the Coppergold faith of the Ceverra.
Personal:
[ ][Personal] Take more time alone to cultivate your Aura and Orbite.
[ ][Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
[ ][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Write in a stat; Control, Charm, etc.)
[ ][Personal] Take some time to get to know one of the staff. (Write in a name.)
[ ][Personal] Spend some time relaxing and unwinding in the gardens.
[ ][Personal] Experiencing your own business from time to time can generate real insights. Take tea at Harbour Tea.
[ ][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
[ ][Personal] Take Edie aside and try to talk her out of succubus liberation. It's just a bad move.
[ ][Personal] Go to the adventuring store and purchase supplies or weaponry from them.
[ ][Personal] Go to the Progressivist Jeweller's and see what he has in stock. (Opens jewellery store event; likely to cost a few hundred Dirty Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the local magic shop and see what trinkets and doodads they have on sale. Perhaps they'll have a radio or a record player? (Opens magic store event; likely to cost a few hundred Clean Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the proscribed apothecary and haggle over lines on spices, teas, medicines and potions. (Opens apothecary event; likely to cost a few hundred dirty Æ)
[ ][Personal] Try to find somebody selling silk, so that you can renovate the second floor with it as well. (Opens silk merchant event; likely to cost a few hundred clean Æ)
[ ][Personal] Go down to the docks and purchase "lost" or confiscated cargoes from the Port Authority on the sly.
[ ][Personal] Go to the underground printer's and have some leaflets commissioned.
[ ][Personal] Go to the transmuter to have something duplicated.
Last edited:
[X] Plan Keeping on
- [X] [Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
- [X] [Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
- [X] [Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
- [X] [Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
- [X] [Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
- [X] [Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
With this, we can get the dirty AE spending on getting to court done, and grind out the manners skills we need later, and generally keep on going in our political and personal agendas.
- [X] [Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
- [X] [Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
- [X] [Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
- [X] [Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
- [X] [Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
- [X] [Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
With this, we can get the dirty AE spending on getting to court done, and grind out the manners skills we need later, and generally keep on going in our political and personal agendas.
- Location
- Somewhere in the area
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
So it seems that while Leah and Estelle have a good spark between them, Estelle's tendency for micromanaging the business makes it difficult for them to find things to talk about that aren't tied to it. Leah won't accept being ignored either, and that's completely fair, especially so early on, but we will have to balance cultivating the relationship and when we need to take a personal action.
It will take effort, but I really do think that they can make something work between the two of them, and it would be a shame to let that opportunity go.
[X] Plan Reach Out and Take My Hand
-[X][Control] Build a large back-of-house lounge for "Private dining" and other such hedonistic pursuits. 200 Clean Æther.
-[X][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
-[X][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
-[X][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
-[x][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
-[x][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
The private dining room should help boost our income, and other than a water feature/silken second floor, should also be one of the last real upgrades to the Hotel. After this we can focus on saving up clean Aether to build the magic shop. @Evenstar is it possible to use Libertine Favors to reduce the price on building the magic shop?
Talking to the Sharks now that we've started patrols should at least get us a non-aggression pact with them, hopefully it could also give us a full alliance against the Mob in the Harbor. After this, I'd either want to pay the last half of the Galero debt needed to introduce us to court, or check in on the Succubus Liberation Front. We haven't heard from them in a while, and they are one of the six main causes of the revolution we have here.
Reaching out to the Ceverra, the magical, and the religious communities should hopefully get us some new contacts to use, as well as get a feel for how receptive they are to the various causes of the revolution. If there is a bunch of hardcore St. Cadis zealots nearby we're gonna have a problem for example.
Finally, I want to keep working on our relationship with Leah. I think that giving her something to do other than dance with us should also give us something to talk about on our date, hopefully avoiding the awkwardness we had this time.
It will take effort, but I really do think that they can make something work between the two of them, and it would be a shame to let that opportunity go.
[X] Plan Reach Out and Take My Hand
-[X][Control] Build a large back-of-house lounge for "Private dining" and other such hedonistic pursuits. 200 Clean Æther.
-[X][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
-[X][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
-[X][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
-[x][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
-[x][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
The private dining room should help boost our income, and other than a water feature/silken second floor, should also be one of the last real upgrades to the Hotel. After this we can focus on saving up clean Aether to build the magic shop. @Evenstar is it possible to use Libertine Favors to reduce the price on building the magic shop?
Talking to the Sharks now that we've started patrols should at least get us a non-aggression pact with them, hopefully it could also give us a full alliance against the Mob in the Harbor. After this, I'd either want to pay the last half of the Galero debt needed to introduce us to court, or check in on the Succubus Liberation Front. We haven't heard from them in a while, and they are one of the six main causes of the revolution we have here.
Reaching out to the Ceverra, the magical, and the religious communities should hopefully get us some new contacts to use, as well as get a feel for how receptive they are to the various causes of the revolution. If there is a bunch of hardcore St. Cadis zealots nearby we're gonna have a problem for example.
Finally, I want to keep working on our relationship with Leah. I think that giving her something to do other than dance with us should also give us something to talk about on our date, hopefully avoiding the awkwardness we had this time.
- Location
- Poland
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Plan Keeping on
Ultimately, I think that getting access to high places is more important than further spreading across lower places.
Ultimately, I think that getting access to high places is more important than further spreading across lower places.
- Location
- USA
What do people think about building a magic store on the new lot?
If that's a goal, we need to avoid spending Clean Æther for a couple turns. And making more contacts with the magical community would be a good idea.
So far I'm fine with [] Plan Keeping on, but interested in focusing on some expansion. And I'm starting to get discouraged in trying to work the nobles. We've made the attempt, 3 times, I think?, and we've had no real success.
If that's a goal, we need to avoid spending Clean Æther for a couple turns. And making more contacts with the magical community would be a good idea.
So far I'm fine with [] Plan Keeping on, but interested in focusing on some expansion. And I'm starting to get discouraged in trying to work the nobles. We've made the attempt, 3 times, I think?, and we've had no real success.
ThatGuyWithIdeas
Treize died for our sins
- Location
- Romania
[X] Plan Reach Out and Take My Hand
- Location
- Israel
[X] Plan Keeping on
- Location
- Spain
[X] Plan Keeping on
- Location
- USA
[X] Plan Keeping on
Mist 1903
Evenstar
Triple Jump Unlocked
- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- She/Her
"Holly, the lounge is done?"
He nods. "It's done. We have a VIP-only section for the restaurant now, and it's one we can use more openly for the back of house business. I expect to see significant profits soon."
You smile. "Good man. Now, let's move on to Edie. How did you do talking to the Ceverra?"
"I found an independent group of the Suffragists' Union and referred them back to the main branch. That's two favours they owe us now after the summertime Merchant's ball."
You nod. "It certainly is. Filia, what happened with the Sharks?"
"They offered the Redcaps a cease-fire and they're willing to coordinate a strike on Mob territory whenever we want to do one. They seem to be spoiling for a fight."
"I see. Well, maybe we'll give them one and maybe we won't. Varielle, how'd your search among the magical community go?"
"It was a bust," she says. "I found one guild-approved herbalist, but we have better lines on herbs and spices than that. So I came up with nothing, essentially."
"That's fine, they can't all be good months," you soothe her. "Finally, we have Leah."
She waves.
"What did you find, Leah?"
"I went and familiarized myself with all the local temples to St. Cadis. You have to start somewhere."
"And did you find anything interesting?"
"No, just a lot of very bored and boring priests and priestesses."
"I see. In that case, this meeting is adjourned… and I'll meet you downstairs, Leah."
You meet Leah in a downstairs hallway of the hotel.
"Don't talk to me about the St. Cadis stuff," she warns you. "The last thing I want to do on our date is talk politics."
The corner of your mouth turns up. "Was it that obvious?"
"I know you, Estellé, you never switch off."
"Guilty."
"You did make time for me on short notice, though, and I respect that effort. Thank you."
"How else was I supposed to show I was interested?"
"Fair enough."
"Shall we take tea together again?"
"Hmm," says Leah. "I'm not sure. Do you have any other ideas?"
[ ][Date] Take tea at the Hotel.
[ ][Date] Spend time in the hotel garden.
[ ][Date] Walk along the harbour boardwalk.
[ ][Date] Go shop for jewellery together at the Progressivist Jeweller's.
[ ][Date] Go clothes shopping together at the Silk Merchant's.
[ ][Date] Go buy odds and ends at the Harbour Authority.
[ ][Date] Invite Leah up to your rooms.
After basic interviews with all your staff, you've compiled This Spreadsheet regarding them.
Upgrades:
Tier 3 Wards
Tier 3 Silken Wonderland
Tier 2 Warded Strongboxes
Tier 2 Signage
Tier 2 Escort Beauty
Tier 2 Steamy Atmosphere
Tier 1 Landscaping
Tier 1 Renovated
Tier 1 Exclusive
Treasury:
40 Discretion
1 Scandal
20 Clean Æther
1845 Dirty Æther
1 Silvermist Consecration
1 Stainless Steel Rat
1 Steamborne Talisman
6 Healing Potions
5 Libertine Favours
2 Suffragist Favours
7 Months Till Recruiting Drive
7 Months More Merchant Membership
10 Libertine Pamphlets
10 All Faiths Pamphlets
10 Suffragist Pamphlets
Current Monthly Income:
135 Clean Æther from Tea
350 Dirty Æther from Sex
5 Clean Æther from Cooked Books
5 Clean Æther from Fine Cuisine
20 Clean Æther from Harbour Laundry
10 Clean Æther from Ostmarkian Tea
25 Clean Æther from Hotelry
40 Clean Æther from The Band
35 Clean Æther from Apothecary Deal
200 Dirty Æther from VIP
100 Clean Æther from VIP
100 Dirty Æther Enchantress
Current Monthly Expenses:
-25 Clean Æther Room Service
-5 Clean Æther Weekly Checkups
-5 Dirty Æther Cooked Books
-10 Clean Æther Bouncers
-20 Dirty Æther Harbour Laundry
-80 Dirty Æther Gang Sponsorship
-10 Clean Æther Chef
-15 Clean Æther Gardeners
-10 Clean Æther Exclusivity
-10 Dirty Æther Exclusivity
-5 Clean Aether Cosmetics
-25 Clean Aether Etiquette Teacher
-50 Dirty Aether Apothecary Deal
-1 All Monthly Timers
Current Monthly Net:
160 Clean Aether
485 Dirty Aether
-1 All Monthly Timers
Control under Holly:
[ ][Control] Build another back of house room, at a cost of 75 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Call in a favour with the Libertines and have a room built on the cheap. Cost: 30 Clean Æ, 1 Libertine Favour
[ ][Control] Search for more contacts who sell goods & services under the table. (IE, that you can pay in dirty money.)
[-][Control] Upgrade a business room into a VIP room. 3 Bolts Silk, 30 Clean Æther.
[-][Control] Upgrade the entire second floor to a silken wonderland. 20 Bolts Silk, 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Distribute your leaflets covering revolutionary topics. (Opens menu for where to send leaflets.)
[ ][Control] The Suffragists' Union is dedicated to political and mercantile equality. Go see what they're doing.
[ ][Control] Invest in a Bay Run. 500 Clean Æther; returns 600 Clean Aether in 2 months, with a small chance of disaster.
[ ][Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
Charm under Edie:
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts in the city.
[ ][Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
[ ][Charm] Upgrade the landscaped courtyard with a water feature, like a pond or a stream. 250 Clean Æther.
[-][Charm] Buy out the fishmarket next door so that the smell of fish won't disturb the customers. 1000 Clean Æther.
[ ][Charm] Make a public donation to charity to improve the business' good name. 100 Clean Æther.
Intrigue under Filia:
[ ][Intrigue] Continue Filia's education in Markish and Tradecraft.
[ ][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
[ ][Intrigue] Have the Redcaps stage an assault on Mob territory along with your allies the Sharks.
[ ][Intrigue] You've grown accustomed to the underworld here, but more contacts are always a good thing. Cultivate more criminal contacts.
[ ][Intrigue] Continue cultivating contacts along the local waterfront. Surely there's something more interesting than the fish market next door?
[ ][Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an anonymous donation to charity. 100 Dirty Æther.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an under-the-table donation to the cause. 100 Dirty Æ becomes 1 Libertine Favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a major under-the-table donation to the cause. 500 Dirty Æ becomes 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a further "donation" to the struggling House Galero. 250 Dirty Æ becomes one House Galero favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
[-][Intrigue] Ask that you be introduced to Court. Costs 10 House Galero favours and requires that you both have appropriate attire for Court and know the proper etiquette.
Lore under Varielle:
[ ][Lore] Expand the front of house to add storefront for a magic shop. 250 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a new magic store on the vacant lot you purchased. 500 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
[ ][Lore] Innumerable Aspect seeks to promote freedom of Orbite, encouraging the unbanning of proscribed Aspects. Go to their monthly meeting and keep an ear to the ground.
[ ][Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
[ ][Lore] Purchase a smuggled load of succubus artifacts in order to research them. 100 Dirty Æther, success has a chance at unique items.
[ ][Lore] Talk to the magical girl contract magicians and see what they have to say.
[ ][Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
Faith under Leah:
[ ][Faith] Send Leah to attend this month's meeting of All Faiths Harmonious and keep her ear to the ground.
[ ][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
[ ][Faith] Idols, Magical Girls, and the radio broadcasters who make them famous can all be found here in Gradentine. Try to get closer to that brilliant glamour.
[ ][Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a Caducite priest to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Look into the Coppergold faith of the Ceverra.
Personal:
[ ][Personal] Take more time alone to cultivate your Aura and Orbite.
[ ][Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
[ ][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Write in a stat; Control, Charm, etc.)
[ ][Personal] Take some time to get to know one of the staff. (Write in a name.)
[ ][Personal] Spend some time relaxing and unwinding in the gardens.
[ ][Personal] Experiencing your own business from time to time can generate real insights. Take tea at Harbour Tea.
[ ][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
[ ][Personal] Take Edie aside and try to talk her out of succubus liberation. It's just a bad move.
[ ][Personal] Go to the adventuring store and purchase supplies or weaponry from them.
[ ][Personal] Go to the Progressivist Jeweller's and see what he has in stock. (Opens jewellery store event; likely to cost a few hundred Dirty Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the local magic shop and see what trinkets and doodads they have on sale. Perhaps they'll have a radio or a record player? (Opens magic store event; likely to cost a few hundred Clean Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the proscribed apothecary and haggle over lines on spices, teas, medicines and potions. (Opens apothecary event; likely to cost a few hundred dirty Æ)
[ ][Personal] Try to find somebody selling silk, so that you can renovate the second floor with it as well. (Opens silk merchant event; likely to cost a few hundred clean Æ)
[ ][Personal] Go down to the docks and purchase "lost" or confiscated cargoes from the Port Authority on the sly.
[ ][Personal] Go to the underground printer's and have some leaflets commissioned.
[ ][Personal] Go to the transmuter to have something duplicated.
He nods. "It's done. We have a VIP-only section for the restaurant now, and it's one we can use more openly for the back of house business. I expect to see significant profits soon."
You smile. "Good man. Now, let's move on to Edie. How did you do talking to the Ceverra?"
"I found an independent group of the Suffragists' Union and referred them back to the main branch. That's two favours they owe us now after the summertime Merchant's ball."
You nod. "It certainly is. Filia, what happened with the Sharks?"
"They offered the Redcaps a cease-fire and they're willing to coordinate a strike on Mob territory whenever we want to do one. They seem to be spoiling for a fight."
"I see. Well, maybe we'll give them one and maybe we won't. Varielle, how'd your search among the magical community go?"
"It was a bust," she says. "I found one guild-approved herbalist, but we have better lines on herbs and spices than that. So I came up with nothing, essentially."
"That's fine, they can't all be good months," you soothe her. "Finally, we have Leah."
She waves.
"What did you find, Leah?"
"I went and familiarized myself with all the local temples to St. Cadis. You have to start somewhere."
"And did you find anything interesting?"
"No, just a lot of very bored and boring priests and priestesses."
"I see. In that case, this meeting is adjourned… and I'll meet you downstairs, Leah."
You meet Leah in a downstairs hallway of the hotel.
"Don't talk to me about the St. Cadis stuff," she warns you. "The last thing I want to do on our date is talk politics."
The corner of your mouth turns up. "Was it that obvious?"
"I know you, Estellé, you never switch off."
"Guilty."
"You did make time for me on short notice, though, and I respect that effort. Thank you."
"How else was I supposed to show I was interested?"
"Fair enough."
"Shall we take tea together again?"
"Hmm," says Leah. "I'm not sure. Do you have any other ideas?"
[ ][Date] Take tea at the Hotel.
[ ][Date] Spend time in the hotel garden.
[ ][Date] Walk along the harbour boardwalk.
[ ][Date] Go shop for jewellery together at the Progressivist Jeweller's.
[ ][Date] Go clothes shopping together at the Silk Merchant's.
[ ][Date] Go buy odds and ends at the Harbour Authority.
[ ][Date] Invite Leah up to your rooms.
After basic interviews with all your staff, you've compiled This Spreadsheet regarding them.
Upgrades:
Tier 3 Wards
Tier 3 Silken Wonderland
Tier 2 Warded Strongboxes
Tier 2 Signage
Tier 2 Escort Beauty
Tier 2 Steamy Atmosphere
Tier 1 Landscaping
Tier 1 Renovated
Tier 1 Exclusive
Treasury:
40 Discretion
1 Scandal
20 Clean Æther
1845 Dirty Æther
1 Silvermist Consecration
1 Stainless Steel Rat
1 Steamborne Talisman
6 Healing Potions
5 Libertine Favours
2 Suffragist Favours
7 Months Till Recruiting Drive
7 Months More Merchant Membership
10 Libertine Pamphlets
10 All Faiths Pamphlets
10 Suffragist Pamphlets
Current Monthly Income:
135 Clean Æther from Tea
350 Dirty Æther from Sex
5 Clean Æther from Cooked Books
5 Clean Æther from Fine Cuisine
20 Clean Æther from Harbour Laundry
10 Clean Æther from Ostmarkian Tea
25 Clean Æther from Hotelry
40 Clean Æther from The Band
35 Clean Æther from Apothecary Deal
200 Dirty Æther from VIP
100 Clean Æther from VIP
100 Dirty Æther Enchantress
Current Monthly Expenses:
-25 Clean Æther Room Service
-5 Clean Æther Weekly Checkups
-5 Dirty Æther Cooked Books
-10 Clean Æther Bouncers
-20 Dirty Æther Harbour Laundry
-80 Dirty Æther Gang Sponsorship
-10 Clean Æther Chef
-15 Clean Æther Gardeners
-10 Clean Æther Exclusivity
-10 Dirty Æther Exclusivity
-5 Clean Aether Cosmetics
-25 Clean Aether Etiquette Teacher
-50 Dirty Aether Apothecary Deal
-1 All Monthly Timers
Current Monthly Net:
160 Clean Aether
485 Dirty Aether
-1 All Monthly Timers
Control under Holly:
[ ][Control] Build another back of house room, at a cost of 75 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Call in a favour with the Libertines and have a room built on the cheap. Cost: 30 Clean Æ, 1 Libertine Favour
[ ][Control] Search for more contacts who sell goods & services under the table. (IE, that you can pay in dirty money.)
[-][Control] Upgrade a business room into a VIP room. 3 Bolts Silk, 30 Clean Æther.
[-][Control] Upgrade the entire second floor to a silken wonderland. 20 Bolts Silk, 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Distribute your leaflets covering revolutionary topics. (Opens menu for where to send leaflets.)
[ ][Control] The Suffragists' Union is dedicated to political and mercantile equality. Go see what they're doing.
[ ][Control] Invest in a Bay Run. 500 Clean Æther; returns 600 Clean Aether in 2 months, with a small chance of disaster.
[ ][Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
Charm under Edie:
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts in the city.
[ ][Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
[ ][Charm] Upgrade the landscaped courtyard with a water feature, like a pond or a stream. 250 Clean Æther.
[-][Charm] Buy out the fishmarket next door so that the smell of fish won't disturb the customers. 1000 Clean Æther.
[ ][Charm] Make a public donation to charity to improve the business' good name. 100 Clean Æther.
Intrigue under Filia:
[ ][Intrigue] Continue Filia's education in Markish and Tradecraft.
[ ][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
[ ][Intrigue] Have the Redcaps stage an assault on Mob territory along with your allies the Sharks.
[ ][Intrigue] You've grown accustomed to the underworld here, but more contacts are always a good thing. Cultivate more criminal contacts.
[ ][Intrigue] Continue cultivating contacts along the local waterfront. Surely there's something more interesting than the fish market next door?
[ ][Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an anonymous donation to charity. 100 Dirty Æther.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an under-the-table donation to the cause. 100 Dirty Æ becomes 1 Libertine Favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a major under-the-table donation to the cause. 500 Dirty Æ becomes 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a further "donation" to the struggling House Galero. 250 Dirty Æ becomes one House Galero favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
[-][Intrigue] Ask that you be introduced to Court. Costs 10 House Galero favours and requires that you both have appropriate attire for Court and know the proper etiquette.
Lore under Varielle:
[ ][Lore] Expand the front of house to add storefront for a magic shop. 250 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a new magic store on the vacant lot you purchased. 500 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
[ ][Lore] Innumerable Aspect seeks to promote freedom of Orbite, encouraging the unbanning of proscribed Aspects. Go to their monthly meeting and keep an ear to the ground.
[ ][Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
[ ][Lore] Purchase a smuggled load of succubus artifacts in order to research them. 100 Dirty Æther, success has a chance at unique items.
[ ][Lore] Talk to the magical girl contract magicians and see what they have to say.
[ ][Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
Faith under Leah:
[ ][Faith] Send Leah to attend this month's meeting of All Faiths Harmonious and keep her ear to the ground.
[ ][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
[ ][Faith] Idols, Magical Girls, and the radio broadcasters who make them famous can all be found here in Gradentine. Try to get closer to that brilliant glamour.
[ ][Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a Caducite priest to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Look into the Coppergold faith of the Ceverra.
Personal:
[ ][Personal] Take more time alone to cultivate your Aura and Orbite.
[ ][Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
[ ][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Write in a stat; Control, Charm, etc.)
[ ][Personal] Take some time to get to know one of the staff. (Write in a name.)
[ ][Personal] Spend some time relaxing and unwinding in the gardens.
[ ][Personal] Experiencing your own business from time to time can generate real insights. Take tea at Harbour Tea.
[ ][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
[ ][Personal] Take Edie aside and try to talk her out of succubus liberation. It's just a bad move.
[ ][Personal] Go to the adventuring store and purchase supplies or weaponry from them.
[ ][Personal] Go to the Progressivist Jeweller's and see what he has in stock. (Opens jewellery store event; likely to cost a few hundred Dirty Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the local magic shop and see what trinkets and doodads they have on sale. Perhaps they'll have a radio or a record player? (Opens magic store event; likely to cost a few hundred Clean Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the proscribed apothecary and haggle over lines on spices, teas, medicines and potions. (Opens apothecary event; likely to cost a few hundred dirty Æ)
[ ][Personal] Try to find somebody selling silk, so that you can renovate the second floor with it as well. (Opens silk merchant event; likely to cost a few hundred clean Æ)
[ ][Personal] Go down to the docks and purchase "lost" or confiscated cargoes from the Port Authority on the sly.
[ ][Personal] Go to the underground printer's and have some leaflets commissioned.
[ ][Personal] Go to the transmuter to have something duplicated.
[X] Plan Assault
- [X] [Date] Invite Leah up to your rooms.
- [X] [Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
- [X] [Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
- [X] [Intrigue] Have the Redcaps stage an assault on Mob territory along with your allies the Sharks.
- [X] [Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
- [X] [Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
- [X][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Intrigue)
A possible idea for going for an agressive attack.
- [X] [Date] Invite Leah up to your rooms.
- [X] [Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
- [X] [Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
- [X] [Intrigue] Have the Redcaps stage an assault on Mob territory along with your allies the Sharks.
- [X] [Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
- [X] [Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
- [X][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Intrigue)
A possible idea for going for an agressive attack.
Last edited:
- Location
- Spain
Evenstar
Triple Jump Unlocked
- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yes, it would be possible.
- Location
- Somewhere in the area
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
[X] Plan: Calm Before the Storm
- [X] [Date] Go shop for jewellery together at the Progressivist Jeweller's.
- [X] [Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
- [X] [Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
- [X] [Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
- [X] [Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
- [X] [Faith] Try to find a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner to dance with you.
- [X] [Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
I'm glad to see we got what we wanted out of the meeting with the Sharks, but I want to do a bit more preparation before we start going after the Mob. An extra turn of making healing potions (we only have 6 right now), and some extra training to make sure the former Rats aren't falling behind the original Redcaps, should be enough for an assault next turn.
Since we aren't attacking this month, I'd like to see what the Succubus Liberation Front is doing. They are the most isolated and most controversial of the 6 causes of the revolution, so integrating them will be quite the struggle. We should see if they believe participating in the recruitment drive would be worth it for them, and if not, how else they would like to be supported by us.
Looking into the Ceverra worked out well for us this past month, though we don't know what Suffragist favor will be useful for yet, hopefully that will continue into this month. Going to the Harvest Ball should hopefully give us some opportunities as well.
The Steamborne Faith progression seems to be stuck for us right now, so hopefully a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner will help us break through. I remember last time we tried this it was mentioned that Leah was reaching out to her mentor? So I'd also like to see if that works out this time.
Finally, I think going shopping for jewellery will work out well for a date with Leah, since we have a lot of dirty Aether, we don't really have to worry about price tags if either of us see something really good for the other. I wish we had enough clean aether for the silk merchant, as I believe that would go even better, but we don't. (Maybe the Redcaps/Sharks taking over the Mob territories in the Harbor will mean we'll be able to pay in dirty Aether for silk eventually
)
- [X] [Date] Go shop for jewellery together at the Progressivist Jeweller's.
- [X] [Control] Attend the Merchants' Harvest Ball.
- [X] [Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
- [X] [Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
- [X] [Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
- [X] [Faith] Try to find a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner to dance with you.
- [X] [Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
I'm glad to see we got what we wanted out of the meeting with the Sharks, but I want to do a bit more preparation before we start going after the Mob. An extra turn of making healing potions (we only have 6 right now), and some extra training to make sure the former Rats aren't falling behind the original Redcaps, should be enough for an assault next turn.
Since we aren't attacking this month, I'd like to see what the Succubus Liberation Front is doing. They are the most isolated and most controversial of the 6 causes of the revolution, so integrating them will be quite the struggle. We should see if they believe participating in the recruitment drive would be worth it for them, and if not, how else they would like to be supported by us.
Looking into the Ceverra worked out well for us this past month, though we don't know what Suffragist favor will be useful for yet, hopefully that will continue into this month. Going to the Harvest Ball should hopefully give us some opportunities as well.
The Steamborne Faith progression seems to be stuck for us right now, so hopefully a high-ranking Vansaga practitioner will help us break through. I remember last time we tried this it was mentioned that Leah was reaching out to her mentor? So I'd also like to see if that works out this time.
Finally, I think going shopping for jewellery will work out well for a date with Leah, since we have a lot of dirty Aether, we don't really have to worry about price tags if either of us see something really good for the other. I wish we had enough clean aether for the silk merchant, as I believe that would go even better, but we don't. (Maybe the Redcaps/Sharks taking over the Mob territories in the Harbor will mean we'll be able to pay in dirty Aether for silk eventually
)
ThatGuyWithIdeas
Treize died for our sins
- Location
- Romania
[X] Plan: Calm Before the Storm
- Location
- Israel
[X] Plan: Calm Before the Storm
Both plans are interesting, but I think making a bit of preparation before the strike is a good thing.
Both plans are interesting, but I think making a bit of preparation before the strike is a good thing.
[X] Plan: Calm Before the Storm
Raven 1903
Evenstar
Triple Jump Unlocked
- Location
- Canada
- Pronouns
- She/Her
"How about shopping for jewellery together? That Progressivist Jeweller we met a while back hunting down the Steamborne amulets would surely be willing to give us a private showing."
Leah smiles. "What's with you and jewellery? You gave me this ruby droplet -" she touches the pendant at her neck - "basically as a love confession, and now you want to dress me up more?"
You flush. "Maybe I just think you deserve to be dressed up in silk and gold so everyone can see how precious you are to me."
"Awwww," Leah coos. "Alright, we'll do it your way."
You lead Leah out in front of the store, out into the blustery air of Mist. Snow has fallen in a thin layer atop the boardwalk, and the chill of the sea breeze washes across your face hard.
"... we're going to need coats.", says Leah.
"Definitely."
You throw on your heavy wool coat, and Leah does the same with hers. Then you march out into the snow together, hats and scarves tugged close around your faces.
The one advantage of the inclement weather is that it means almost no-one is out on the pier, and if anyone were to be, they wouldn't be able to tell who you were under the thick coats and hats. So you take the chance to hold hands in public, a little thrill bubbling up in your chest as you clasp Leah's hand in yours.
You come to the end of the boardwalk, and wait for a hansom cab on the cobbled street, leaning against Leah. You can hear the smile in her voice as she speaks: "This isn't so bad. Cold, but not bad."
"No, it's not."
"Score one for the lady of the house."
You smile. "I think we both win on this one."
"So," Leah says. "How long till a cab?"
"Ten minutes or so."
"Spending ten minutes with you's not so bad either."
You huddle together a little against the cold, and interknit your fingers in your gloved hands. Neither of you has much more to say, so you listen to the distant slap of waves against the pier.
After what seems like forever but is probably more like five minutes, a hansom cab arrives. You and Leah pile in, taking opposite seats in the small space inside and shutting the doors behind you.
Leah raps on the roof to signal the cabbie, and you're off.
There's nothing to do on the way there but to stare at each other; neither of you have anything to say. Your gaze traces the end of Leah's scarf up from the seat to around her neck, then jumps up from there to her lips. She catches you looking, and smiles.
"See something you like?"
"Yes," you say, and lean in to kiss her.
Leah mms into the kiss, but when you part her gaze is reproachful. "Think next time. What if the cab had jolted?"
You just grin. "But it didn't."
"The advantages of a strong Aura, I suppose."
"Mhm. The little things just go my way."
"Well, I'm not a little thing."
"I never said you were."
"Are you calling me fat?"
"Do you want me to be?"
You break up in giggles, and Leah joins you.
A few minutes later, you're deposited on the street before the progressivist jeweller's.
You step to the door, and knock.
"Hello?"
The jeweller opens the door, and blinks. "Ms. Estelle! I wasn't expecting to see you back. And this is?"
"My dance partner, Leah."
"Ah, I see. You two are…?"
"Here to buy jewellery."
"I see. Well, you'd better come in."
The jeweller lets you into his workshop, and lays out a clean white cloth over one of the workbenches. Stepping around to the other side, he raises a finger. "One moment, I have to bring out my stock."
Leah nods. "Go on, I have something to discuss with M. Estellé."
He nods, and ducks out through a door in the back wall.
Leah turns to you. "If it hadn't been in the middle of the street, what would you have said we were to each other?"
"Dating," you say. "That's about all I can say without getting into fiddly details, but it gives the right impression."
"So it does," Leah says. "I suppose that's all I can ask."
"I would hope so."
The jeweller comes out of the back again, and lays out a dozen different pieces on the white cloth; most in silver, a few in gold, all studded with gemstones. Leah picks up one ring, a gold one studded with ruby, and smiles. "Matches my pendant, don't you think?"
You laugh. "Isn't it a little early for you to be asking me to buy you a ring?"
"You're the one who suggested we go to a jewellery store!"
You smile ruefully. "You've got me on that one."
You pick up an opal pendant, and watch as its iridescence flashes. "These things really are almost as beautiful as you."
"You already did that one, though I'm still flattered."
"Have you found anything for me?"
"Maybe this silver ring with the sapphire? It would match your good dress."
You nod. "I was eyeing that one. I think the jewel may be a bit overlarge… Do you mind if I try it on?"
The jeweller smiles. "It's alright, go ahead. I trust you."
You slip on the ring, and look at it on your finger.
"... hm. Maybe it's not too large after all."
"How much for that ring and my ring?"
"500 Æther."
"We'll take them."
You laugh. "Yes, we'll take them."
You wear your new rings home, through the hansom cab ride and the walk down the pier. Both of you seem satisfied to walk hand in hand in companionable silence.
You part reluctantly at the door of Hotel Variety, each of you attending to your own coat and hat in the cloakroom.
"That was a good date," says Leah. "Thank you."
"Thank you for having me."
"Let's do that again sometime soon, alright?"
"We'll see about the timing, but… I think we can be sure there'll be another."
Leah nods. "Sooner rather than later, please. You work yourself too hard."
"I'll try."
"Thank you."
It's time for the Harvest Ball, so you put on your only fine dress, the midnight silk with stars. You borrow makeup from your escorts as well, doing a subtle face; just enough to be better than natural.
Your carriage comes in good time, and deposits you at the convention hall where the ball is to take place. Stepping inside, you're once again swept up in an ocean of well-dressed people talking about their own interests.
[ ][Ball] Try to get a word in with the established investors and merchants.
[ ][Ball] Speak to the Guild officials, particularly the higher-ups, and feel them out.
[ ][Ball] Focus on looking for those of revolutionary sentiment and gathering them together.
[ ][Ball] Focus on the younger and more radical merchants to try and find recruits.
[ ][Ball] Go stand at the buffet table.
"Edie, how did your search for contacts among the Ceverra go?"
"I found a familiar!"
"As in… a magical girl's familiar?"
"Yeah! You know, the ones that offer contracts?"
"I've heard that those can be really nasty…"
"This one seems decent."
"Well, I may or may not put some time into them."
"Fair enough."
"Filia, what was the Succubus Liberation Front like?"
"Well, they haven't gotten the memo on the leaflet campaign. In fact, they're focussing on importing succubus artifacts right now."
"I see. And Varielle."
"Yes, I've got your potions ready. I know you're eyeing the Mob territory south of us, so…"
You nod. "Better to be safe than sorry."
"Exactly."
Leah's mentor is a silver-haired old woman with warm hands and an easy smile.
"Marielle," she introduces herself. "And you must be Estellé?"
"I am."
"Leah's told me all about you. Says you're a religious experience. I think it's time I saw for myself."
Marielle offers a hand.
You take it, and dance.
Marielle leads you expertly through an exhausting series of twists and twirls, a smile on her face the entire time. Eventually, you stagger free, feeling completely burnt out; Marielle just keeps smiling.
"Another dance?", she asks.
"No thank you."
You walk the rows of Redcaps in your full uniform, and watch with a careful eye. Valerie is doing the same; she salutes you and you salute her back.
You're relieved to see that the former Rats seem to be integrating well. The Redcaps and Rats are fully intermixed in the training hall, not in separate groups. As you watch, the former Rat Leader goes down to an original redcap, but everyone is smiling. The people here know they're among friends.
You help out with teaching a little, but you don't really need to; your former mercenaries have the place under control. You feel oddly bittersweet at the thought of having built the Redcaps into so strong a machine it doesn't need you anymore, but you suppose every class graduates in the end.
After basic interviews with all your staff, you've compiled This Spreadsheet regarding them.
Upgrades:
Tier 3 Wards
Tier 3 Silken Wonderland
Tier 2 Warded Strongboxes
Tier 2 Signage
Tier 2 Escort Beauty
Tier 2 Steamy Atmosphere
Tier 1 Landscaping
Tier 1 Renovated
Tier 1 Exclusive
Treasury:
40 Discretion
1 Scandal
180 Clean Æther
1730 Dirty Æther
1 Silvermist Consecration
1 Stainless Steel Rat
1 Sapphire Ring
1 Steamborne Talisman
6 Healing Potions
5 Libertine Favours
2 Suffragist Favours
7 Months Till Recruiting Drive
7 Months More Merchant Membership
10 Libertine Pamphlets
10 All Faiths Pamphlets
10 Suffragist Pamphlets
Current Monthly Income:
135 Clean Æther from Tea
350 Dirty Æther from Sex
5 Clean Æther from Cooked Books
5 Clean Æther from Fine Cuisine
20 Clean Æther from Harbour Laundry
10 Clean Æther from Ostmarkian Tea
25 Clean Æther from Hotelry
40 Clean Æther from The Band
35 Clean Æther from Apothecary Deal
200 Dirty Æther from VIP
100 Clean Æther from VIP
100 Dirty Æther Enchantress
Current Monthly Expenses:
-25 Clean Æther Room Service
-5 Clean Æther Weekly Checkups
-5 Dirty Æther Cooked Books
-10 Clean Æther Bouncers
-20 Dirty Æther Harbour Laundry
-80 Dirty Æther Gang Sponsorship
-10 Clean Æther Chef
-15 Clean Æther Gardeners
-10 Clean Æther Exclusivity
-10 Dirty Æther Exclusivity
-5 Clean Aether Cosmetics
-25 Clean Aether Etiquette Teacher
-50 Dirty Aether Apothecary Deal
-1 All Monthly Timers
Current Monthly Net:
160 Clean Aether
485 Dirty Aether
-1 All Monthly Timers
Control under Holly:
[ ][Control] Build another back of house room, at a cost of 75 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Call in a favour with the Libertines and have a room built on the cheap. Cost: 30 Clean Æ, 1 Libertine Favour
[ ][Control] Search for more contacts who sell goods & services under the table. (IE, that you can pay in dirty money.)
[-][Control] Upgrade a business room into a VIP room. 3 Bolts Silk, 30 Clean Æther.
[-][Control] Upgrade the entire second floor to a silken wonderland. 20 Bolts Silk, 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Distribute your leaflets covering revolutionary topics. (Opens menu for where to send leaflets.)
[ ][Control] The Suffragists' Union is dedicated to political and mercantile equality. Go see what they're doing.
[ ][Control] Invest in a Bay Run. 500 Clean Æther; returns 600 Clean Aether in 2 months, with a small chance of disaster.
[ ][Control] Attend the Merchants' Midwinter Ball.
Charm under Edie:
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts in the city.
[ ][Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
[ ][Charm] Upgrade the landscaped courtyard with a water feature, like a pond or a stream. 250 Clean Æther.
[-][Charm] Buy out the fishmarket next door so that the smell of fish won't disturb the customers. 1000 Clean Æther.
[ ][Charm] Make a public donation to charity to improve the business' good name. 100 Clean Æther.
Intrigue under Filia:
[ ][Intrigue] Continue Filia's education in Markish and Tradecraft.
[ ][Intrigue] Start doing regular patrols of your new territory. Reduced chance of territory loss, increased chance of Mob firefight.
[ ][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
[ ][Intrigue] You've grown accustomed to the underworld here, but more contacts are always a good thing. Cultivate more criminal contacts.
[ ][Intrigue] Continue cultivating contacts along the local waterfront. Surely there's something more interesting than the fish market next door?
[ ][Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an anonymous donation to charity. 100 Dirty Æther.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an under-the-table donation to the cause. 100 Dirty Æ becomes 1 Libertine Favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a major under-the-table donation to the cause. 500 Dirty Æ becomes 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a further "donation" to the struggling House Galero. 250 Dirty Æ becomes one House Galero favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
[-][Intrigue] Ask that you be introduced to Court. Costs 10 House Galero favours and requires that you both have appropriate attire for Court and know the proper etiquette.
Lore under Varielle:
[ ][Lore] Expand the front of house to add storefront for a magic shop. 250 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a new magic store on the vacant lot you purchased. 500 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a magic store on the vacant lot with Libertine help. 300 clean Æ, 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
[ ][Lore] Innumerable Aspect seeks to promote freedom of Orbite, encouraging the unbanning of proscribed Aspects. Go to their monthly meeting and keep an ear to the ground.
[ ][Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
[ ][Lore] Purchase a smuggled load of succubus artifacts in order to research them. 100 Dirty Æther, success has a chance at unique items.
[ ][Lore] Talk to the magical girl contract magicians and see what they have to say.
[ ][Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
Faith under Leah:
[ ][Faith] Send Leah to attend this month's meeting of All Faiths Harmonious and keep her ear to the ground.
[ ][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
[ ][Faith] Idols, Magical Girls, and the radio broadcasters who make them famous can all be found here in Gradentine. Try to get closer to that brilliant glamour.
[ ][Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a Caducite priest to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Look into the Coppergold faith of the Ceverra.
Personal:
[ ][Personal] Take more time alone to cultivate your Aura and Orbite.
[ ][Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
[ ][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Write in a stat; Control, Charm, etc.)
[ ][Personal] Take some time to get to know one of the staff. (Write in a name.)
[ ][Personal] Spend some time relaxing and unwinding in the gardens.
[ ][Personal] Experiencing your own business from time to time can generate real insights. Take tea at Harbour Tea.
[ ][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
[ ][Personal] Take Edie aside and try to talk her out of succubus liberation. It's just a bad move.
[ ][Personal] Go to the adventuring store and purchase supplies or weaponry from them.
[ ][Personal] Go to the Progressivist Jeweller's and see what he has in stock. (Opens jewellery store event; likely to cost a few hundred Dirty Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the local magic shop and see what trinkets and doodads they have on sale. Perhaps they'll have a radio or a record player? (Opens magic store event; likely to cost a few hundred Clean Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the proscribed apothecary and haggle over lines on spices, teas, medicines and potions. (Opens apothecary event; likely to cost a few hundred dirty Æ)
[ ][Personal] Try to find somebody selling silk, so that you can renovate the second floor with it as well. (Opens silk merchant event; likely to cost a few hundred clean Æ)
[ ][Personal] Go down to the docks and purchase "lost" or confiscated cargoes from the Port Authority on the sly.
[ ][Personal] Go to the underground printer's and have some leaflets commissioned.
[ ][Personal] Go to the transmuter to have something duplicated.
Leah smiles. "What's with you and jewellery? You gave me this ruby droplet -" she touches the pendant at her neck - "basically as a love confession, and now you want to dress me up more?"
You flush. "Maybe I just think you deserve to be dressed up in silk and gold so everyone can see how precious you are to me."
"Awwww," Leah coos. "Alright, we'll do it your way."
You lead Leah out in front of the store, out into the blustery air of Mist. Snow has fallen in a thin layer atop the boardwalk, and the chill of the sea breeze washes across your face hard.
"... we're going to need coats.", says Leah.
"Definitely."
You throw on your heavy wool coat, and Leah does the same with hers. Then you march out into the snow together, hats and scarves tugged close around your faces.
The one advantage of the inclement weather is that it means almost no-one is out on the pier, and if anyone were to be, they wouldn't be able to tell who you were under the thick coats and hats. So you take the chance to hold hands in public, a little thrill bubbling up in your chest as you clasp Leah's hand in yours.
You come to the end of the boardwalk, and wait for a hansom cab on the cobbled street, leaning against Leah. You can hear the smile in her voice as she speaks: "This isn't so bad. Cold, but not bad."
"No, it's not."
"Score one for the lady of the house."
You smile. "I think we both win on this one."
"So," Leah says. "How long till a cab?"
"Ten minutes or so."
"Spending ten minutes with you's not so bad either."
You huddle together a little against the cold, and interknit your fingers in your gloved hands. Neither of you has much more to say, so you listen to the distant slap of waves against the pier.
After what seems like forever but is probably more like five minutes, a hansom cab arrives. You and Leah pile in, taking opposite seats in the small space inside and shutting the doors behind you.
Leah raps on the roof to signal the cabbie, and you're off.
There's nothing to do on the way there but to stare at each other; neither of you have anything to say. Your gaze traces the end of Leah's scarf up from the seat to around her neck, then jumps up from there to her lips. She catches you looking, and smiles.
"See something you like?"
"Yes," you say, and lean in to kiss her.
Leah mms into the kiss, but when you part her gaze is reproachful. "Think next time. What if the cab had jolted?"
You just grin. "But it didn't."
"The advantages of a strong Aura, I suppose."
"Mhm. The little things just go my way."
"Well, I'm not a little thing."
"I never said you were."
"Are you calling me fat?"
"Do you want me to be?"
You break up in giggles, and Leah joins you.
A few minutes later, you're deposited on the street before the progressivist jeweller's.
You step to the door, and knock.
"Hello?"
The jeweller opens the door, and blinks. "Ms. Estelle! I wasn't expecting to see you back. And this is?"
"My dance partner, Leah."
"Ah, I see. You two are…?"
"Here to buy jewellery."
"I see. Well, you'd better come in."
The jeweller lets you into his workshop, and lays out a clean white cloth over one of the workbenches. Stepping around to the other side, he raises a finger. "One moment, I have to bring out my stock."
Leah nods. "Go on, I have something to discuss with M. Estellé."
He nods, and ducks out through a door in the back wall.
Leah turns to you. "If it hadn't been in the middle of the street, what would you have said we were to each other?"
"Dating," you say. "That's about all I can say without getting into fiddly details, but it gives the right impression."
"So it does," Leah says. "I suppose that's all I can ask."
"I would hope so."
The jeweller comes out of the back again, and lays out a dozen different pieces on the white cloth; most in silver, a few in gold, all studded with gemstones. Leah picks up one ring, a gold one studded with ruby, and smiles. "Matches my pendant, don't you think?"
You laugh. "Isn't it a little early for you to be asking me to buy you a ring?"
"You're the one who suggested we go to a jewellery store!"
You smile ruefully. "You've got me on that one."
You pick up an opal pendant, and watch as its iridescence flashes. "These things really are almost as beautiful as you."
"You already did that one, though I'm still flattered."
"Have you found anything for me?"
"Maybe this silver ring with the sapphire? It would match your good dress."
You nod. "I was eyeing that one. I think the jewel may be a bit overlarge… Do you mind if I try it on?"
The jeweller smiles. "It's alright, go ahead. I trust you."
You slip on the ring, and look at it on your finger.
"... hm. Maybe it's not too large after all."
"How much for that ring and my ring?"
"500 Æther."
"We'll take them."
You laugh. "Yes, we'll take them."
You wear your new rings home, through the hansom cab ride and the walk down the pier. Both of you seem satisfied to walk hand in hand in companionable silence.
You part reluctantly at the door of Hotel Variety, each of you attending to your own coat and hat in the cloakroom.
"That was a good date," says Leah. "Thank you."
"Thank you for having me."
"Let's do that again sometime soon, alright?"
"We'll see about the timing, but… I think we can be sure there'll be another."
Leah nods. "Sooner rather than later, please. You work yourself too hard."
"I'll try."
"Thank you."
It's time for the Harvest Ball, so you put on your only fine dress, the midnight silk with stars. You borrow makeup from your escorts as well, doing a subtle face; just enough to be better than natural.
Your carriage comes in good time, and deposits you at the convention hall where the ball is to take place. Stepping inside, you're once again swept up in an ocean of well-dressed people talking about their own interests.
[ ][Ball] Try to get a word in with the established investors and merchants.
[ ][Ball] Speak to the Guild officials, particularly the higher-ups, and feel them out.
[ ][Ball] Focus on looking for those of revolutionary sentiment and gathering them together.
[ ][Ball] Focus on the younger and more radical merchants to try and find recruits.
[ ][Ball] Go stand at the buffet table.
"Edie, how did your search for contacts among the Ceverra go?"
"I found a familiar!"
"As in… a magical girl's familiar?"
"Yeah! You know, the ones that offer contracts?"
"I've heard that those can be really nasty…"
"This one seems decent."
"Well, I may or may not put some time into them."
"Fair enough."
"Filia, what was the Succubus Liberation Front like?"
"Well, they haven't gotten the memo on the leaflet campaign. In fact, they're focussing on importing succubus artifacts right now."
"I see. And Varielle."
"Yes, I've got your potions ready. I know you're eyeing the Mob territory south of us, so…"
You nod. "Better to be safe than sorry."
"Exactly."
Leah's mentor is a silver-haired old woman with warm hands and an easy smile.
"Marielle," she introduces herself. "And you must be Estellé?"
"I am."
"Leah's told me all about you. Says you're a religious experience. I think it's time I saw for myself."
Marielle offers a hand.
You take it, and dance.
Marielle leads you expertly through an exhausting series of twists and twirls, a smile on her face the entire time. Eventually, you stagger free, feeling completely burnt out; Marielle just keeps smiling.
"Another dance?", she asks.
"No thank you."
You walk the rows of Redcaps in your full uniform, and watch with a careful eye. Valerie is doing the same; she salutes you and you salute her back.
You're relieved to see that the former Rats seem to be integrating well. The Redcaps and Rats are fully intermixed in the training hall, not in separate groups. As you watch, the former Rat Leader goes down to an original redcap, but everyone is smiling. The people here know they're among friends.
You help out with teaching a little, but you don't really need to; your former mercenaries have the place under control. You feel oddly bittersweet at the thought of having built the Redcaps into so strong a machine it doesn't need you anymore, but you suppose every class graduates in the end.
After basic interviews with all your staff, you've compiled This Spreadsheet regarding them.
Upgrades:
Tier 3 Wards
Tier 3 Silken Wonderland
Tier 2 Warded Strongboxes
Tier 2 Signage
Tier 2 Escort Beauty
Tier 2 Steamy Atmosphere
Tier 1 Landscaping
Tier 1 Renovated
Tier 1 Exclusive
Treasury:
40 Discretion
1 Scandal
180 Clean Æther
1730 Dirty Æther
1 Silvermist Consecration
1 Stainless Steel Rat
1 Sapphire Ring
1 Steamborne Talisman
6 Healing Potions
5 Libertine Favours
2 Suffragist Favours
7 Months Till Recruiting Drive
7 Months More Merchant Membership
10 Libertine Pamphlets
10 All Faiths Pamphlets
10 Suffragist Pamphlets
Current Monthly Income:
135 Clean Æther from Tea
350 Dirty Æther from Sex
5 Clean Æther from Cooked Books
5 Clean Æther from Fine Cuisine
20 Clean Æther from Harbour Laundry
10 Clean Æther from Ostmarkian Tea
25 Clean Æther from Hotelry
40 Clean Æther from The Band
35 Clean Æther from Apothecary Deal
200 Dirty Æther from VIP
100 Clean Æther from VIP
100 Dirty Æther Enchantress
Current Monthly Expenses:
-25 Clean Æther Room Service
-5 Clean Æther Weekly Checkups
-5 Dirty Æther Cooked Books
-10 Clean Æther Bouncers
-20 Dirty Æther Harbour Laundry
-80 Dirty Æther Gang Sponsorship
-10 Clean Æther Chef
-15 Clean Æther Gardeners
-10 Clean Æther Exclusivity
-10 Dirty Æther Exclusivity
-5 Clean Aether Cosmetics
-25 Clean Aether Etiquette Teacher
-50 Dirty Aether Apothecary Deal
-1 All Monthly Timers
Current Monthly Net:
160 Clean Aether
485 Dirty Aether
-1 All Monthly Timers
Control under Holly:
[ ][Control] Build another back of house room, at a cost of 75 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Call in a favour with the Libertines and have a room built on the cheap. Cost: 30 Clean Æ, 1 Libertine Favour
[ ][Control] Search for more contacts who sell goods & services under the table. (IE, that you can pay in dirty money.)
[-][Control] Upgrade a business room into a VIP room. 3 Bolts Silk, 30 Clean Æther.
[-][Control] Upgrade the entire second floor to a silken wonderland. 20 Bolts Silk, 200 Clean Æther.
[ ][Control] Distribute your leaflets covering revolutionary topics. (Opens menu for where to send leaflets.)
[ ][Control] The Suffragists' Union is dedicated to political and mercantile equality. Go see what they're doing.
[ ][Control] Invest in a Bay Run. 500 Clean Æther; returns 600 Clean Aether in 2 months, with a small chance of disaster.
[ ][Control] Attend the Merchants' Midwinter Ball.
Charm under Edie:
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts among the Ceverra.
[ ][Charm] Search for contacts in the city.
[ ][Charm] Start targeting and looking for noble clients.
[ ][Charm] Upgrade the landscaped courtyard with a water feature, like a pond or a stream. 250 Clean Æther.
[-][Charm] Buy out the fishmarket next door so that the smell of fish won't disturb the customers. 1000 Clean Æther.
[ ][Charm] Make a public donation to charity to improve the business' good name. 100 Clean Æther.
Intrigue under Filia:
[ ][Intrigue] Continue Filia's education in Markish and Tradecraft.
[ ][Intrigue] Start doing regular patrols of your new territory. Reduced chance of territory loss, increased chance of Mob firefight.
[ ][Intrigue] Talk to the Sharks and get a better idea of what the gang is doing.
[ ][Intrigue] You've grown accustomed to the underworld here, but more contacts are always a good thing. Cultivate more criminal contacts.
[ ][Intrigue] Continue cultivating contacts along the local waterfront. Surely there's something more interesting than the fish market next door?
[ ][Intrigue] The Succubus Liberation Front claims that the succubi are badly mischaracterized. Attend a monthly meeting and keep your ear to the ground.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an anonymous donation to charity. 100 Dirty Æther.
[ ][Intrigue] Make an under-the-table donation to the cause. 100 Dirty Æ becomes 1 Libertine Favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a major under-the-table donation to the cause. 500 Dirty Æ becomes 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Intrigue] Make a further "donation" to the struggling House Galero. 250 Dirty Æ becomes one House Galero favour.
[ ][Intrigue] Buy another tenth-share of House Galero's debt. 1,250 Dirty Æ, +5 House Galero favours.
[-][Intrigue] Ask that you be introduced to Court. Costs 10 House Galero favours and requires that you both have appropriate attire for Court and know the proper etiquette.
Lore under Varielle:
[ ][Lore] Expand the front of house to add storefront for a magic shop. 250 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a new magic store on the vacant lot you purchased. 500 clean Æ.
[ ][Lore] Build a magic store on the vacant lot with Libertine help. 300 clean Æ, 5 Libertine Favours.
[ ][Lore] Having witches and wizards on your side can only ever help. Try to make more contacts in the magical community.
[ ][Lore] Innumerable Aspect seeks to promote freedom of Orbite, encouraging the unbanning of proscribed Aspects. Go to their monthly meeting and keep an ear to the ground.
[ ][Lore] The Progressivists' Guild advocates for the free development of new magic and technology, and the reversal of laws that ban specific technologies. Contact them and stay in touch.
[ ][Lore] Purchase a smuggled load of succubus artifacts in order to research them. 100 Dirty Æther, success has a chance at unique items.
[ ][Lore] Talk to the magical girl contract magicians and see what they have to say.
[ ][Lore] Have Varielle brew some healing potions, just in case. 100 Dirty Æther should suffice for a batch for six.
Faith under Leah:
[ ][Faith] Send Leah to attend this month's meeting of All Faiths Harmonious and keep her ear to the ground.
[ ][Faith] Reach out and try to connect with the local preachers, temples and shrines.
[ ][Faith] Idols, Magical Girls, and the radio broadcasters who make them famous can all be found here in Gradentine. Try to get closer to that brilliant glamour.
[ ][Faith] Dance with Leah and practice its use as a channel for Steamborne power.
[ ][Faith] Try to find a Caducite priest to dance with you.
[ ][Faith] Look into the Coppergold faith of the Ceverra.
Personal:
[ ][Personal] Take more time alone to cultivate your Aura and Orbite.
[ ][Personal] Personally teach your Redcaps some more Broken Fang Way.
[ ][Personal] Spend time overseeing one of the major business areas. (Write in a stat; Control, Charm, etc.)
[ ][Personal] Take some time to get to know one of the staff. (Write in a name.)
[ ][Personal] Spend some time relaxing and unwinding in the gardens.
[ ][Personal] Experiencing your own business from time to time can generate real insights. Take tea at Harbour Tea.
[ ][Personal] Take time out of your schedule to go on a date with Leah.
[ ][Personal] Take Edie aside and try to talk her out of succubus liberation. It's just a bad move.
[ ][Personal] Go to the adventuring store and purchase supplies or weaponry from them.
[ ][Personal] Go to the Progressivist Jeweller's and see what he has in stock. (Opens jewellery store event; likely to cost a few hundred Dirty Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the local magic shop and see what trinkets and doodads they have on sale. Perhaps they'll have a radio or a record player? (Opens magic store event; likely to cost a few hundred Clean Æ.)
[ ][Personal] Go to the proscribed apothecary and haggle over lines on spices, teas, medicines and potions. (Opens apothecary event; likely to cost a few hundred dirty Æ)
[ ][Personal] Try to find somebody selling silk, so that you can renovate the second floor with it as well. (Opens silk merchant event; likely to cost a few hundred clean Æ)
[ ][Personal] Go down to the docks and purchase "lost" or confiscated cargoes from the Port Authority on the sly.
[ ][Personal] Go to the underground printer's and have some leaflets commissioned.
[ ][Personal] Go to the transmuter to have something duplicated.