General
Craftworks: Tiny Surplus (Tiny Deficit)
Diplomacy: Small Surplus
Luxuries: Tiny Surplus (Equilibirum)
Magic: Moderate Surplus (Tiny Surplus)
Material: Tiny Surplus (Small Deficit)
Martial: Moderate Surplus (Small Surplus)
Mysticism: Small Surplus
Staples: Small Surplus (Tiny Surplus)
Farmers: At Capacity
Fishermen: Significant Capacity Remaining
Herdsmen: Extreme Capacity Remaining
Huntsmen: At Capacity
Well...for the first time I am finally happy about this section of our stats.
All of the deficits we had the previous turn, in terms of our craftsworks, which was at equilibrium, materials, which had a moderate deficit, and luxuries, which also had a moderate deficit, have been replaced by a tiny surplus. While that has helped our economic situation tremendously, that does not mean that we can afford to slack off and let this issue lie. Even though we have no deficits right now, things can always go back to being bad.
Kinda curious how we gained more magic so much that it improved our small surplus of it to a moderate one, but I am guessing it has more to do with integrating the Northlanders.
The one thing we should note here is that we are at capacity in two of our staples categories. We haven't degraded our lost any of surplus in that, however, it still concerns me as we can't improve it easily anymore in terms of farming or hunting, meaning we likely need more trails, or to resort to either herding or fishing to make up for it.
Endurance
Stability: Happy
Legitimacy: Inspired!
Prestige: 38
???
Organizational
Centralization: 2
Hierarchy: 3
Religious Authority: 5.0
Specialization: 4
Trade GoodStatusCompetitorsLuxuriesCommon Pottery LeadingIsland MakersDyesLittlePeace Builders, South LakeFursSubstantialEveryoneGemsDominant (Arrow Lake, Pearl Divers,
Island Makers) Arrow Lake, Pearl Divers, Island MakersIvoryLeading (Northlands)NorthlandsMedicineLittlePeace BuildersStrategicObsidianDominantNoneSaltNonePearl DiversSlavesNo ExportPeace Builders, Mountain ClansStoneCompetingArrow Lake, EveryoneCulturalPilgrimageDominantPeace Builders
Settlement Extended Projects
Crystal Lake: Brick Walls (Significant), Fire Relay, Hill Top, Temple (Ember-Eyes)
Fingers: Brick Walls (Significant), Fire Relay, Temple (Frost-Scarred), Trade Hub
Hill Guard: Brick Walls (Significant) Hill Top, Sugar Shack, Temple (Fangs)
Cave of Stars (Unofficial): Fire Relay, Temple (Cave of Stars)
- The People! (Prestige: 38, Army: Hardened Neolithic Warriors and Holy Orders, Economy: Agriculture Supplemented with Hunting, Art: Sacred Construction and Advanced High Quality Tools, Magic: Fire, Stone, and Spirit)
- Tribe of the West (Prestige: 29, Army: Numerous Professional Neolithic Warriors, Economy: Unprecedented Boom in Agriculture, Art: Innumerable Tools, Magic: All Things Alive)
- Island Makers (Prestige: 20, Army: Elite Neolithic Warriors, Economy: Intense Early Agriculture, Art: Advanced Quality Tools, Magic: Earth and Water)
- Peace Builders (Prestige: 19, Army: Fanatical Neolithic Warriors, Economy: Broad Agriculture and Aquaculture, Art: Ephemeral Crafts and Imported Advanced High Quality Tools, Magic: Of Song and Story)
- Roundstone (Prestige: 18, Army: Professional Slingers, Economy: Extensive Aquaculture, Art: Cloth and Paint, Magic: Shouts)
- Bond Breakers (Prestige: 17, Army: Organizing Militia, Economy: Early Agricultre, Art: Durable Weapons, Magic: Little)
- Cracktooth (Prestige: 17, Army: Bloodthirsty Militia, Economy: Agrculture and Herding, Art: Tools of Terror, Magic: Bone and Beat)
- Lakeland (Prestige: 16, Canoe Archers, Economy: Hunter-Gatherer, Art: Rugged Tools, Magic: Little)
- Pearl Divers (Prestige: 14, Army: Informal Militia, Economy: Early Fishing and Aquaculture, Art: Beautified Dependable Tools, Magic: Sea and Salt)
- Cateye (Prestige: 14, Army: Hit and Run, Economy: Hunter-Gatherer with Trade, Art: Glittering Gifts and Functional Tools, Magic: Corruption)
- Arrow Lake (Prestige: 10, Army: Informal, Devastated Militia, Economy: Near Starvation, Art: Sacred Iconography, Magic: Stone and Slaves)
- Mountain Clans (Prestige: 5, Army: Organizing Militia, Economy:
Severe Starvation Living On The Dole, Art: Little, Magic: Little)
- Northlands (Prestige: 4, Army: Reduced Cavalry, Economy: Recovering, Art: Bone Tools, Magic: Bonds and Beasts)
- River Tribe (Prestige: ?, Army: ?, Economy: ?, Art: ?, Magic ?)
@Redium
It doesn't look like any of these sections changed, am I right in assuming that these parts weren't updated? As Arrow Lake and the Northlands, at least as they were, should be defunct right?
Also, what does the trait for the Horned Ones as a Holy Order do for us?
For a time, it had looked like South Reach might end up forcing the People back into war, purely because they didn't seem to get the message that the People were finished, but a quick counter raid bloodied their noses and made them think better of it.
Wow, were they that stupid? Did they simply not know we had captured Arrow Lake? Or was this more an attack of opportunity?
Either way it seems we've bloodied them and set up a new status quo. Hopefully they learn their lesson.
The series of follow up vengeance strikes from the Mountain Clans confirmed that further war with the People was impossible.
How are the Mountain Clans doing right now anyway? Enough to get off the dole?
It had been a surprise to hear; Luule thought there would be a lot more resentment due to all the brothers, fathers, and cousins who had been slain. There was some, but not nearly as much as she had feared there would be.
This is odd. Are they simply just relieved to be alive and having full meals again? Or is this something deeper?
It made Luule role her eyes. She preferred a bit more gab and a lot less puffed up greatness in her leaders.
So, this is weird to consider, but are the Shamans at this point the leaders, or is Luule not speaking literally here, as she is seen as the de facto leader of the People right?
With the destruction of their polity, there had been something akin to a rejection of Arrow Lake culture.
I wonder what we rolled to get that? Though, I am not surprised by this considering we slaughtered most of the people who were likely to be most intimate with their culture and were the ones upholding it. Plus losing this badly likely caused a shock for them.
They had been a people obsessed with symbols, awards, and status signalling.
Was that a Value of theirs that cropped up? It seems like Arrow Lake's Values likely changed while we were occupied and when you first told them to us.
One of the highest virtues that an individual could aspire to (aside from war) was artistic carvings. Slaves had been liberated due to the beauty of their carvings and become major influence peddlers in their own right.
Arrow Lake seems different in some respects to the other slave states we've met, as they had a system of freeing their slaves it seems. It makes sense though that art would be one of their means and reasons for doing so, though that didn't help them in the end.
The Frost-Scared were the opposite of that. They disdained art and the creature comforts; they felt that it made them weak. "A man has no fur, no fangs, and no claws. We were born into this world with nothing, and like that we shall remain." As their leaders said. Instead of a collection of material goods, the People should aspire to greatness by carving it into their body with toil and blood. For most, that meant taking pride in the scars received over the course of many challenges and a hard life. Some had taken it further, literally carving symbols into their flesh in order to represent their deeds.
There was some artistic sense there, Luule thought, but it was nearly alien to the sensibilities of Arrow Lake. Nearly alien, perhaps that was the key. The appreciation for aesthetics were still there, in both groups, even if of a different type.
That's rather interesting. Has this...explosion of culture and integration done something for us in regards to gaining it as a stat? As it seems like we're progressing heavily towards it.
It was... it was like they were a clay vessel, waiting to be filled. Something about how the survivors of Arrow Lake approached their own culture; the symbols, the dances, the music, and celebrations, all of it seemed exaggerated and half-remembered, like children emulating their parents. They had always been a garish tribe, even by the People's standards, obsessed with their colours and their performances. Seeing everything up close, and being invited to participate, it made Luule feel like she was staring into cool, smooth waters only to see her own reflection staring back at her. She huffed; that didn't make sense. It was like Arrow Lake's survivors were actors, rather than participants.
This seems to me like an observation telling us something deeper about Arrow Lake, or what was Arrow Lake, and how it probably had deep seated problems. Could it possibly be that Arrow Lake had a hierarchy issue, where only people of status were able to truly understand the culture and such, while those who were not were kept at a distance from it? That's the only explanation I can think of, as it would make sense considering we likely killed most of those with status, and those that remained likely only vaguely remembered it, or had forgotten it during the starvation.
Whether they were Frost-Scarred or Ember-Eyed, the shaman that moved into Arrow Lake were greeted far more warmly than the warriors, hunters, and farmers that followed. They weren't fully rejected, in Luule's estimation, but whatever spark had caused the Holy Ones to be accepted, didn't seem to translate fully. Still, that was a wound that would simply take time to heal. Arrow Lake needed the infusion of new blood. One man may serve as well as two in a pinch when it came to finding husbands, but that left their children with precious few options to marry outside their family in the next generation.
Is this issue concerning blood, breeding, and marriages something we will have to worry about later? Do we need to connect a Fire Relay here in order to facilitate better travel so that the People can intermarry more and prevent inbreeding and a population bottleneck from occurring?
After Arrow Lake was finally resettled, their fields, farms, and forests renewed, wealth seemed to pour into the People in amounts unending. Arrow Lake had always maintained a very tight hold on the trade of lapis lazuli, offering only a limited selection of the priceless blue stones; most of what they produced was used internally. So much of the stone had been mined that even their Indebted were allowed to carry jewelry made from it! The wealth... Luule's mind twisted trying to contextualize that piece of information. Most of the People only ever saw lapis lazuli as offerings to the graves of deceased loved ones. Pareem occasionally wear it ground into a dye to indicate their willingness to kill and die for the People and some shaman used it to heighten their connections with the spirits, but outside of a few wealthy individuals, lapis lazuli was used rarely at most.
There was some bitterness among those of Arrow Lake when their lapis lazuli was redirected to the People's other settlements, but that abated once sugar, crystal, pearl, salt, and obsidian flowed back in. The former traders who had once dealt in only small amounts of goods quickly leveraged their existing connections. They worked with Pareem from their home settlements and cut deals with the few surviving patrons of Arrow Lake. Trade networks turned into friendship, favours, and eventually marriage as many of the traders undeniably attained the quality of Pareem.
In short, we're fucking rich.
@Redium Considering how you've mentioned before how we were fabulously wealthy before when compared to other Neolithic Tribes, how does this wealth of resources and luxuries make us look right now?
Does having access and control over so many trade goods provide us an economic benefit of sorts, like in trade?
To a great extent, Luule expected that, what she hadn't was the role the former Northlanders played in making the integration possible. Not a single member of the tribe had settled in Arrow Lake, many of them felt it far to warm and stifling since their caribou could not stand the summers. Instead, they had settled around the Cave of Stars. It was a peculiar choice, but it was one that Jeree had strongly endorsed. His people had abandoned their old ways in the north, settling at the People's spiritual heart would make that separation complete.
It had taken convincing and enticement since many of the Northerners feared the Cave. In truth, seeing the looks on many of the northerners faces, Luule felt that their relationship with the Cave of Stars went far beyond fear. "It pulls at our souls," they would say. "The Cave is hungry and Devours in the dark of night." It was superstition, Jeree had always laughed good-naturedly. Old folk remembering scary campfire stories from before the Bloody Chief.
I wonder what the effects these beliefs will have when it comes to the Star Shaman, hopefully it's not an issue. It does make sense though, as even the People fear the Cave of the Stars in good measure.
While the Northerners were settled, calling them that was a misleading statement. A large portion of their population did settle down; mixing and inter-marrying with the shaman and those few settlers who had set up near by to support them. A large percentage of the Northerners stayed mobile, walking their herds of caribou up and down the banks of the Great River. The land was unsettled except for a few stations near the Fire Relay and perfectly suited for caribou.
So we've essentially got mobile herds and caravans made up of caribou acting as a sort of internal merchant caravan or sorts? What will expanding the Fire Relay do to this I wonder.
It was largely spontaneous, but a day of celebration was held whenever the herd returned to one of the People's settlements. Not only did the herds bring enough easily slain meat meat that everyone could eat their fill, but they came replete with crafts, luxuries, and other goods. A caribou was a strong beast and it could carry a lot on their winding journey through the wilderness. Using the herders as intermediate traders would never be a quick way to transport trade goods, but it was easy. A little bit of planning was necessary on Luule's part to optimize the routes, but it became slowly obvious that it worked better over time. The herders were already on the move, why not ask them to carry a bit extra on their journey?
Are there any actions we can take with this, as this seems like something unique to us and that we can use to our benefit?
The former inhabitants of Arrow Lake unveiled their own contests; beautiful carvings, new songs, painting, and stone throwing. Instead of the People's martial pursuits, the former inhabitants focused much more on art and culture. Provided you were of the right sort, Luule acknowledged. The former Indebted had been barred from participating.
It figures that they would specialize in art, however, I am surprised that there is still some antipathy and ingrained prejudice against the former Indebted. Wouldn't we have tried to stomp that out? Or was the focus on integration more important than ensuring the former Indepted were treated fairly?
It was when the Northlanders brought out their games that Luule started to worry. They prized skill with the javelin above all and focused greatly on its accuracy. They also excelled a hide and hunt, a training exercise where hunters would try to track each other down in turn. For crafts, they focused on weaving small talismans from loose tufts of caribou hair or carving beauty into ivory tusks.
Why exactly is Luule worried here? Is it because of the practices themselves, and what they represent? Or is it because of what it would lead to?
As right now, only the latter makes sense, as these games seem like excellent ways to hone our People. I wonder if we could possibly make a megaproject out of all of these competitions, you know, like a kind of Olympics or something, internally at first.
The biggest competition among the Northlanders, was caribou riding. Each caribou had to be trained systematically by its raider; it wasn't possible to interchange them. If a rider's caribou died, it meant they would have to undergo training from the beginning. As such, the Northlanders valued skill in breaking and riding new caribou. The Northlanders' caribou weren't a timid sort like deer or mindlessly aggressive like moose. Instead, their instinct was to freeze and refuse to move. Then, they would begin to buck, trying to throw off their rider. Whoever could stay on their mount longest won.
As these caribou aren't technically domesticated yet, will some of these traits about them change once we do get that tech? Such as making the caribou more docile or larger to carry larger people?
At least it seems like we've gained rodeo though.
When the People tried this competition, several caribou were injured. The People were simply too heavy; they tended to be two full handspans taller than their Northlander cousins.
Damn, that's our tall physical description in action isn't it?
Or has our constant abundance allowed us to get this tall over time?
Since they didn't want to be outdone, several of the People's young men brought an orker.
Of course they did...madlads. One day we will tame the Orker...just not now it seems.
Also
@Redium quick question, any reason why we didn't get a 20.2 sub-turn and just went to 21.0? Also, what can we do about the Religious Authority Overcap, or will that be in the next sub-turn?
So, I've been rereading the quest again, and I was wondering. Does this still apply?
I also had a few other questions I wanted to ask
@Redium
So, when it comes to infrastructure such as a Fire Relay Connection, or roads in general, are those types of infrastructure something we can lock in, or are they something we will have to perennially build? I know that things like trails, smaller arterial roads, will likely always need to be built mechanic wise, but once we get more advanced, would we not automatically make sure any settlement we found have a road connection to the rest of our civ?
The next question I had related to the caps we currently have and how our new settlements affected them. How exactly are our caps affected by founding new settlements? Is there an algorithm or is it context related? For example, would our choice in founding just the Cave of the Stars not have raised our hunting cap or not so that it's not hard capped?
Finally, the last question I had was related to the explore action, and something someone else asked. As the explore action has a requirement to specify the direction of our exploration, how specific can we be as we are a rather spread out civilization? For example could we say just explore in the general vicinity of a specific settlement, or a certain cardinal direction from said settlement or does it have to be more vague?
Edit:
@Redium
One more question I had while re-reading:
Does this still apply? As I don't see a port or boat related technology in the research/technology tab.
Another Edit:
@Redium So when is the next decision point coming regarding the Mountain Clans? It's been awhile since we've been supplying them.
@Redium For when you next read this, can I get some answers regarding these questions?
And also this one:
It depends on how long it takes you to lock in Raise Warriors (Holy Orders). The longer it takes, the more hereditary the Holy Orders will become. The sooner you do it, the more they stay egalitarian.
So, while I was rereading the entire quest again, I came upon this quote. Considering how at the moment, assuming the quest is still alive, we are dealing with a Religious Authority Overcap, I was wondering if this quote still applied as right now we can't lock in actions anymore. So how would we fix this issue now?
A group of young men became... overambitious during a small, local festival. As a result, Jeree single-handedly stalled an orker for several minutes while unarmed. How is this event remembered?
[ ] [Orker] It wasn't. It was suppressed as best Luule was able so future generations would not be inspired. (+ Stab)
This seems to me like the easy option. It grants us fast and easy stability, however, it takes the easy way out in that it doesn't address the issue directly.
[ ] [Orker] It was commemorated as a lesson learned from a careless mistake. (-- Stab, + Legitimacy)
While stability hits usually aren't desired, this could potentially be useful.
@Redium Aside from don't try to ride Orkers as a lesson, what else would this teach us anyways? As this seems similar to the fourth option in some ways.
[ ] [Orker] It was to be commemorated in festival. (Annual Festival)
Celebrating it certainly seems like an odd choice. As this was caused by the overambition of some of the young men I think it is likely that if we celebrate this act we will likely reinforce our elitism values once again, while potentially also enshrining this festival and activity as a common one. This is interesting to me as we could possibly use it as a means of tying our people closer together through entertainment and games, maybe even get closer down the line of Orker Domestication.
[ ] [Orker] It was a route cause of a deeper problem, one that needed significant thought. (???)
This option will likely appeal to some, as it is a mystery box, however right now I am unsure if what we need is what appears to be a blow back against our elitism value, as this is likely the root cause. Maybe this will reform it, maybe it will change it something else entirely. Until more is known, I am somewhat wary of this choice, as while it is tempting, there are too many unknowns, and I happen to like our current set of values.
Pick: 3 Actions, 3 Empowerment, 1 Admin, 1 Art, and 1 Martial Action.
Annual Festival [Art] - The People deserve to party! Build morale by opening up the stockpiles and having a night of feasts, dancing, music and fun. Cost: Luxuries, Staples. Produces: Legitimacy.
Our Legitimacy right now is high enough right now that I don't believe we need this.
Artisans [Art] [Elitism] - A very rare occupation, artisans are the group of individuals which make things beautiful. Their work can most often be found within the People's temples or adorning the bodies of the rich and powerful. To be an artisan means to be a craftsmen that's a cut above even the rest. Costs: Materials, Craftworks. Produces: Luxuries.
Not something we desperately need, as taking Arrow Lake has greatly elevated our amount of luxuries we have access to.
Building Breweries [Art] [Admin] [Vendetta] - An ingenious way to make use of food that would otherwise go to waste, the People regularly make pots full of mashed grains and water that go subtly off. The resulting drink is quite bitter, but also extremely fun! Costs: Staples, Materials. Produces: Luxuries.
Similar to the above, plus I don't want to waste staples on these right now considering we only have a small surplus and have some areas at capacity.
Clay Pits [Admin] [Art] - Dirt is not always dirt, as the People have realized. Sometimes, it is stone waiting to be formed. By finding the right source, it's possible to create numerous, useful constructs out of earth. Cost: Staples, Craftworks. Produces: Materials. Significant need.
We should probably take this option as it isn't currently capped any more, plus while we have a tiny surplus, we likely still have to deal with the underlying issues regarding our use of clay and access to it on the peripheries for building materials. We don't want clay to become replaced by wood, as clay is vastly more efficient.
Craftsmen [Art] - For the most part, the People make their own tools. Mostly they are crude implements of bone, stone and wood, but in recent days there has been the creation of a new group. These individuals create only the finest of crafts, producing tools that last far longer than most would expect. Costs: Staples, Materials. Produces: Craftworks.
Depending on the actions we take this turn, we might need to take this again in order to make sure we aren't swinging back into a deficit again.
Create Warrior Clan [Might Makes Right] [Vendetta] [Elitism] [Martial] [Admin] - The People have warriors well trained in the art of killing. By diverting more young people into these professions, preparations for war can be established. In a way, it is like knapping obsidian into a knife. An action that takes deliberation and planning, forethought, to be useful. Costs: Staples, Craftworks, Luxuries. Produces: Martial.
We have a moderate martial surplus and no real enemies in sight unless we suddenly decide to make war this turn. This is expensive and not something we truly require at this point as we're not exactly hurting for martial might.
Encourage Arborists [Admin] - While the forests provide the least of the People's food, they have provided that which is most useful. Sugar is wonderous in taste and highly sought after as a trade goods. Evergreen tea soothes aching bodies and quiets headaches. There is much to be found in the unknown, perhaps rare, but of significant value. Costs: Craftworks, Staples. Produces: Materials.
Potentially something we should pursue, as we are right on the cusp of unlocking Arboriculture as a tech. Though, as a caveat it might not be worth it right now as we still have the brick vs wood debate going on I am guessing.
Expand Farming [Familialism] [Admin] - The People have come to realize the bounty of the world is often not enough. They need to tame it and carefully manage the foods that are so important in sating their appetites. Costs: Nothing. Produces: Staples. (Soft Cap Reached)
Can't take, right now we seem to be at capacity, though it only says a soft cap rather than the hard cap of hunting...curious.
Expand Fishing Fleets [Familialism] [Admin] - Most of the People live close to a river and are able to gather one of numerous sources of food. Often much easier to obtain than food from hunting and much less risky, these sources of food are much more vulnerable to shifts of the seasons and that of the weather. Costs: Craftworks. Produces: Staples.
I think we should probably try to get this into our actions one way or the other, as it's always good to make sure we're staying ahead of food issues, as Staples are the most important stat is some respects.
Explore (Specify Direction?) [Mastery of Nature] [Martial] [Diplomacy] - There is much to be found in the world. Countless things, often placed by the hand of the spirits themselves. It is up to the People to find them. Costs: Nothing. Produces: Can reveal new resources.
Considering we have a free martial action, this might be a tempting choice for us.
Though, as of right now, without any more specific examples of how we can choose the direction, such as if we can specify exploring externally or potentially north of Hill Guard or something, we won't really know what to choose.
Found Settlement (includes: Brick Wall, Shrine, Sugar Shack) [Mastery of Nature] [Familialism] [Elitism] [Admin] - While the People build homes where they will, often where food or resources can easily be found, these places are settled without organization or care. By founding a formal settlement, it becomes possible for central authority to exert itself before the People become too fracas. Costs: Materials, Craftworks, Staples, Luxuries, Martial. Produces: More Resource Slots. Current Settlement time based on available resources: 3 turns.
It's interesting to see that we now have the option to normally found a settlement again, likely indicating our stats have increased enough so that we can afford to. Though I do wonder what happened to the location choice here, though I'm assuming a new map will be made to show us where as we have expanded.
Right now though, we don't need to expand again as we just did so.
Help Holy Orders [Art] [Martial] [Admin] [Might Makes Right] [Mastery of Nature] - The People have numerous traditions of secretive cults. Groups that practice true magic, something that is rare but unbelievably potent. Provided it is harvest reliably; many have killed themselves in this mad pursuit. Costs: Staples, Craftworks, Luxuries. Produces: Martial, Magic. (Soft Cap Reached)
We already have a RA overcap, the fact that this is soft capped makes it even more obvious that we shouldn't take this right now.
How do we alleviate this soft cap though? I don't think trails will help will it?
Make Miners (Crystal) [Art] [Mastery of Nature] - Stone has always been a resource used widely by the People. Not all stone, however, is created equal. Some is better than its cousins, whether because it is harder, sharper, or simply more beautiful. Costs: Staples, Craftworks. Produces: Luxuries. [Hard Cap Reached - Need Exploration]
Make Miners (Lapis Lazuli) [Art] [Mastery of Nature] - Stone has always been a resource used widely by the People. Not all stone, however, is created equal. Some is better than its cousins, whether because it is harder, sharper, or simply more beautiful. Costs: Staples, Craftworks. Produces: Luxuries. [Hard Cap Reached - Need Exploration]
Make Miners (Obsidian) [Art] Mastery of Nature] [Might Makes Right] - Stone has always been a resource used widely by the People. Not all stone, however, is created equal. Some is better than its cousins, whether because it is harder, sharper, or simply more beautiful. Costs: Staples. Produces: Craftworks. [Hard Cap Reached - Need Exploration]
Can't and shouldn't take these anyways, as they are hard capped.
Manage Hunting [Elitism] [Mastery of Nature] [Martial] - Improve upon the hunting techniques of the People. Work to increase the amount of meat that is available to consume and empower the People. A risky activity and one that requires a great investment of skill and energy, this provides the largest gains of food. Cost: Nothing. Produces: Staples, Martial. [Hard Cap Reached]
I am surprised that us taking Arrow Lake didn't expand our cap like was believed it would. I guess that means we can't take hunting this turn.
Raid (Mountain Clans, South Reach, Pearl Divers, Island Makers, Peace Builders, Enemies of the Peace Builders) [Might Makes Right] [Vendetta] [Martial] - The hunting of beasts turns now into the hunting of men. Strike down those who oppose the People so that we may be kept safe. Cost: Risks Temporary Damage to Martial score. Produces: Dead Enemies.
Raiding the Enemies of the Peace Builders is a tempting option in my opinion, mostly because of the fact that we currently have a martial hero with us right now, so there would be no better opportunity to gain loot right now if we wanted to. Plus, considering how we don't really even border any of them, they are unlikely to be able to strike back at us so soon or directly.
As a reminder, it was mentioned a couple turns back that we might want to check up on the Lakelanders, so this might be one way of doing so to make sure they don't suddenly turn on us and attack the Cave of the Stars or something as that does seem close to their lakes.
Anywho, this is simply an interesting option to consider right now.
Study (Travel, Fire, Stone, Life, Beasts, Magic) [Art] - The world works in mysterious ways. It is not incomprehensible, however, merely opaque. The People just need time in order to unravel the hidden world. Costs: Nothing. Produces: Boosted [Tagged] research.
Considering that we do have a Mysticism Hero in Jeree who gives us bonuses to our research rate, studying beasts or travel here would likely be beneficial to us.
Sugar Shack [Admin] - The trees are love, the trees are life. Their sweet nectar is something that can be easily boiled down into a substance that can only be called the blessing of the spirits. We. Need. MORE! Costs: Materials, Staples. Produces: Luxuries.
Don't need right now.
Trade Caravan [Diplomacy] [Martial] - It is clear that the People do not hold all that is significant within the world. There are other tribes that hold interesting, useful or beautiful objects. By offering up some as gifts, things that the People do not have will be provided in return. Costs: Luxuries, Staples. Produces: Diplomacy, Magic.
This might be something we should do, as right now, we haven't really heard much news from the rest of our neighbors, and I don't think ignorance is bliss in this case. The fact that we have a free martial action makes this all the more tempting.
Trade Post [Diplomacy] [Admin] - Sometimes other people have things of interest and they come willing to the People's lands in order to offer them up! By being welcoming and accommodating, it would be easily possible to convince them to hand over an even greater fraction of their stuff. Costs: Diplomacy. Produces: Luxuries.
Similar to the above, but with an admin bonus.
Prepare for Ordeal [Ordeal] [Admin] - The spirits test the People, always. These tests are ones that require careful preparation and forethought. The People will be prepared. A crisis well managed is a sign of spiritual favour, one that's botched causes the People to further suffer. Cost: Nothing. Produces: Bonus to all stability checks this turn.
We have enough stability and no overarching obvious problems that I don't think we need this.
The Dam [Mastery of Nature] [Admin] (6 Actions) - Inspired by the feats of ingenuity demonstrated by a large, but common, rat, the People have decided to emulate their creations on a more massive scale. By blockaded a river, it would be possible to accumulate an enormous amount of water, something that could easily be put to use. Costs: Craftworks, Materials. Produces: Staples.
We should definitely get this eventually, both to make our farms more productive, and to get to canals, but right now we are somewhat soft-capped and don't need this.
The World in Miniature [Mastery of Nature] [Diplomacy] [Admin] (7 actions) - The world is a grand place, seemingly endless in scope. The People's exploration and search for wonders has pushed them to find a way to more effectively communicate discoveries with each other. Trail markers are a start, but they are not easily portable. More can be done. Costs: Magic? Produces: Efficiency.
A map...this is awfully tempting due to how little it costs for a megaproject, but right now I am not sure if we really need this at the moment.
Archaic Charcoal Kilns (Arrow Lake, Hill Guard, Cave of Stars) [Mastery of Nature] [Admin] [Art] - The Ember-Eyes have discovered a secret of wood and fire. By carefully burning it, they can render it blackened and fragile. Somehow, this makes fire burn far hotter. How is it the elements dance when burning wood is not the same as wood cooked by fire? Costs: Staples, Craftworks. Produces: Greatly Elevated Materials Efficiency.
We should probably get these locked in, considering how easy they are to do so, as while our materials deficit is gone, the underlying problem likely still remains.
Extend Fire Relay (Hill Guard, Arrow Lake) [Mastery of Nature] [Admin] - The Fire Relay has served as the backbone of the People's communication and movement between The Fingers and Crystal Lake for longer than memory. With the recent founding of Hill Guard, the vaunted relay no longer stitches the People from one end to the other. This oversight must be corrected. Costs: Craftworks, Staples. Produces: General Efficiency.
As another one of the Mastery of Nature actions, this is a something I think we should consider for both Hill Guard and Arrow Lake, so as to tie them closer together. Then again, as we don't have a dearth of resources right now, I am not sure how much the general efficiency will help us in terms of the cap.
@Redium How much would a Fire Relay help with Arrow Lake?
Raise Temple (Arrow Lake) [Admin] [Art] (2 Actions) - A ritual place where the spirits and those they touch can work. Special facilities for magic, resources, teachings and the spirits themselves are included. Costs: Materials, Craftworks, Luxuries, Magic. Produces: Mysticism.
@Redium I thought you said we could raise a second Temple at the Cave of the Stars in order to give the Horned Riders their own Temple, has that changed?
The Hill (The Fingers, Cave of Stars, Arrow Lake) [Mastery of Nature] [Admin] (2 Actions) - A hill made by man. A simple construct, but one that greatly raises the defensive value of a settlement. Costs: Materials, Craftworks, Martial. Produces: Defense.
I think we might need to choose this option this turn in order to finish dealing with the dissatisfied faction within the Fingers. We have the materials and craftsworks to do so right now, and it would alleviate a problem we are having.
New Trails [Mastery of Nature] [Admin] (4/15 Actions) - Inspired by the Fire Relay, these small trails are cut into the innumerable forests that surround the People. Serving as akin to veins in the body, they promote the free movement of goods and people. Costs: Staples, Craftworks. Produces: Efficiency, increases Soft Resource Cap.
I think more trails are a given at this point, if only to increase our efficiency and raise our soft caps so that we can take more cost effective options.
Empower Actions
Select three individuals to take (1) action on the People's behalf. The same individual may be selected multiple times. Tag votes as [Empower], if someone is being empowered multiple times, use a multiple (x2, x3, etc.).
Elder
Ember-Eye Shaman
Fang Pack-Leader
Frontier Leader
Frost-Scarred Warrior
Headman of Crystal Lake
Headman of Fingers
Headman of Hill Guard
Horned Rider
Lawspeaker
Star Shaman
Trader
Urbanite
War Chief
It's interesting to see the Lawspeaker as a new individual here we can empower? What do they prefer to focus on, and are they lawyers I assume?
Anyways here is my prospective plan:
[ ] Plan Grow Taller
-[ ] [Orker] It was to be commemorated in festival. (Annual Festival)
-[ ] [Action] Create Craftsmen
-[ ] [Action] Expand Fishing Fleets
-[ ] [Action] New Trails
-[ ] [Admin] The Hill (The Fingers)
-[ ] [Art] Clay Pits
-[ ] [Martial] Explore
-[ ] [Empowerment] Horned Rider
-[ ] [Empowerment] Headman of Fingers
-[ ] [Empowerment] Trader
So here is the reasoning for my plan.
When it came to the action choice regarding the Orker, as an Annual Festival already gives us legitimacy, and this seems to be a free option, I like the idea of having these series of competitions and games, stages for the celebration of excellence, be encouraged. While I don't think we should overcap our elitism value, as we all know the dangers of that, I don't think we should also try to rectify it too hard. Celebrating it, getting some legitimacy, and potentially some increase towards Orker Domestication may help us move in interesting directions.
In terms of my actions, the reasoning behind them are simple. Craftsmen were chosen in order to alleviate the likely drain on our craftworks from the other choices. Fishing Fleets will help us alleviate the hit to our staples as it is not capped. Clay Pits will help us deal with the hits to our materials, deal with the brick vs wood divide, and is also not capped.
I chose new trails as a lot of our actions right now are currently capped, showing we likely have a lot more to go in regards to getting it higher.
I chose to use our martial choice to explore as it has been noted before that we haven't really explored as much as we used to since we settled and stopped being semi-nomads. For all we know there might be more resources within our midst that we don't know about.
The Hill was chosen so as to appease the Fingers faction and get that over with, as well as getting the Mastery of Nature action out of the way.
In terms of empowerment, I think picking the Horned Rider will get us a study action on either beasts or travel, both of which will benefit us, as none of the other options really suit them, as they can't exactly build a Temple at Arrow Lake.
Headman of the Fingers was chosen so as to complete said Hill, though I am open to waiting on it.
Trader was chosen so that we could get a trading action taken so we can learn something about the rest of the region, as I would rather we not get surprised by something our neighbors have done.
Thoughts?
