I'm a High Fantasy Tax Collector, So What? A CKII Tax Collector Quest
- Thread starter hYGP
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
-
- Tags
- death ck2 quest all proceeds go to real spiders are we revolutionaries or reactionaries today criminal justice discussion makes the gm fuzzy don't count your boats before they sail granary management if i lose my meows get me likes to replace them justice spider knock knock it's the finance ministry meows for discussion while supplies last taxation taxes this is not an empire quest
Rolling
Edit: Urgh. Looks like we fail potion assistance.
Edit: Urgh. Looks like we fail potion assistance.
Dice gods do not fail me now
- Location
- New York
Attempting to roll now.
Edit: Good Allied Advance roll
Edit: Good Allied Advance roll
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- Location
- USA
Well, let's have some hopefully average rolls to help wash out how fucked we probably are from another Nat 1 on something two turns in a row
Edit: nope the dice wish for us to suffer this turn
Edit: nope the dice wish for us to suffer this turn
- Location
- USA
Die again... 🎲
- Location
- USA
I have no idea why the RNG had me crit both ends.
- Location
- USA
The name of a country.
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
OOC information:
It's a corruption of "Shiashin", which itself is a corruption of Xi'anshan - The Xi'An Mountain.
Then again, you're all about to find that out anyway
Edit: We also do need one more roll for the Random Event Roll. I'm probably going to sleep soon, so if I wake up in the morning without a roll I'll just do it myself.
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HanEmpire
Delicious
I edited the roll in above. I got a 68.
- Location
- USA
But I count 14 rolls?
- Location
- New York
Fear not here. It wasn't possible to fail potion assistance barring a terrible RE roll which we didn't get here.
A natural one on searching for evidence is probably very bad for us as the Westerlies noble houses might turn against us. That is the second turn in a row where we experience a natural 1 failure on a critical action without the benefit of Agueda's prudence virtue to partially shield us from the fallout. Absolutely rotten luck. Then again, the ship arrive might be a massive distraction drawing attention from us.
The high Syasin ship roll might actually be a bad thing for us as it means the ship will arrive and we have no more time to prepare for its arrival. Hopefully, the natural 100 means the vessel is friendly enough despite the giant cannons.
The siege roll was poor but the allied advance and the baron's response rolls were good. Of course, the allied armies doing well is something of a double edged sword for us.
The Wanderers roll passed. Hopefully, they can actually help Ophelia and this action was not a dead end unlike some other successful actions we have taken before such as the blackmail option in origin of specie month 6
It is not all gloomy. The merchant houses roll passed which is important for a port city. We had some preparation in Syasin Inquiries passing. Polite questions and spiritual alliances passed which will reveal any corruption among the tax collectors and get us buffs respectively.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
One more roll?
CASE: THE WEB OF TREASON MONTH 13
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Martial
New Contractors
DC: 15. Roll: 19 + 2 + 3.2 + 9.0 = 33.2.
Some days, you despaired for your country, and prayed for blessings.
Today was one of those days.
These adventurers were, frankly speaking, either young enough to be your child or old enough to be your fathers. Their armor was nothing more than a particularly heavy quilt bound around their forms, and their weapons nothing more than muskets which appeared might only misfire one time in ten instead of one time in three and knives that might be able to fit over the ends of the barrels for close range work. What they possessed was an unnatural eagerness and a courage borne of those who had stared at the Beasts of Autumn and had found them wanting.
But that left them still as peasants wearing the rags of whatever they had been able to muster after a brutal year, given only a bravery bordering on suicidal, and desperately needing to leave their families to reduce the numbers of mouths to feed - and you noted that more than half of them were women or formerly invalids, left only to seek a glorious death.
You would at least make sure that they were well-paid in the interim.
+2 Martial while contract lasts.
Diplomacy
The Wanderers
DC: 20. Roll: 18 + 2 + 1 + 1.3 = 22.3.
Your case to the wandering priests and shamans is simple - you have money and a maiden in need of esoteric spiritual aid. They gladly agree to come see what they can do for her. The priest comes with hands of light and lays them upon her brow, sighs, and says the rest is up to her. The shaman comes, studies her, does a dance to appeal to the spirits, and then gravely nods towards you. It is a serious affliction, and she will have to recover with her own strength.
Neither are able to help her recover immediately, but perhaps they have helped her along.
Diplomacy
The Merchant Houses
DC: 23. Roll: 20 + 2 + 1 + 8.1 = 31.1.
You decide to send Tekla in to speak with the leaders of the merchant houses, to sound out their position. Universally they proclaimed their loyalty to Oskaria, for Oskaria had given them much and brought them the goods of empire at low rates - or at least, should Cille break off the tariffs levied upon the Merchant Houses would certainly be far worse than the internal tax controls in Oskaria, they laugh.
But if you do have an audience with the King, or at least his Finance Minister, they say, they would very much like it if she could somehow arrange to lower the internal tariff barriers - heaven forbid any of them be accused of disloyalty to Oskaria, but as of right now with the tariff barriers so high they're barely able to make any significant profit - lift these artificial barriers, and the Merchant Houses will be able to contribute more to the Crown's coffers, they claim.
As a light aside, however, they do caution you that this snubbing of the Westerlies is going to lead nowhere fast, intentional or not - it would not do to continue ignoring the Westerlies while visiting every other major power in the city first.
Learning
Potion Assistance
DC: 20. Roll: 23 + 7.1 = 30.1.
Tekla proposes three possible potions to consider for the upcoming month - or at least, three things that he can brew up.
[] [Potion] Fortitude
This potion of fortitude does only one thing, but it does that one thing extremely well - it suppresses fear without inhibiting pain or instinct, which is apparently quite the feat. +4 Martial, one-time use. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Potion] Clarity
This potion of clarity should help make any person able to recall anything in their memory, so long as they're humanoid-enough; Tekla's not really confident enough to say that it'll work on Agueda, but it'll probably work with you. +3 Stewardship, two uses. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Potion] Candles
Tekla can also make some candles whose smoke should be very pleasing to the spirits - and also may help ritually contain them better. Provides +2 Piety for spiritual actions, three uses. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship
Polite Questions
DC: 15. Roll: 16 + 3.6 + 3.6 + 0.7 = 23.9.
You decide to have Tekla meet with the local tax collectors, because you're a good patriot and you just want to confirm some loose receipts. You notice that many of the tax collectors are the Westerly nobles' subordinates - but then again, that is technically how it's supposed to go.
They assert that they have always paid their taxes diligently in accordance with tradition, stretching beyond their grandfather's grandfather - they're proud of their tradition, and they will continue to act in accordance with the way they've always had.
Tekla nods along, and simply asks for how much they paid up the chain individually - he wants to make sure everything's alright.
What starts raising some eyebrows is how defensive they become - are they besmirching the tax collector's honor, and the honor of their lords? This is an offense, and should he continue to pursue -
Tekla demands, one more time, the official amount paid up the chain.
They hem, and they haw, but there isn't much they want to push their luck against the royal seal of investigation, so they eventually acquiesce and give him a number.
Once Tekla's starts tallying up the numbers compared to the maps you have of the area, you have proof of a systematic undercounting of the farmland under cultivation around Cille, and thus the tax burdens - tax burdens that you had found evidence suggesting that both the low-level and high-level tax collectors were busy committing graft.
The problem is the sheer number of people on the take. You're not quite sure about how the different judicial system works in Cille, but...you suspect bringing this assortment of tax collectors and minor Westerly nobles will be significantly harder than the effort in Gorlin. At least there the conspirators weren't well-liked.
Intrigue
Searching For Evidence
DC: 25. Roll: 19 + 2 + 0.1 = 21.1.
Whatever Kerrie does, she returns in a panic, and hides as quickly as possible. Armed guards roam the streets, searching for the thief who had so boldly broken into one of the noble houses of the Westerlies - as some complained that this must have been a dastardly Easterly or Colonist plot, because none of them were trustworthy.
Naturally, your group, made up of Easterly allies and Colonists is immediately suspected. Fortunately for you, the priests and the scholars at the Academy, despite glaring daggers at each other, have come out in defense of your group's honor - you were a group of honorable scholars and priests on behalf of the King, and you could never commit such a crime, because to do so would be to besmirch the honor of the King and the church and the Academy, no?
Still...the rumor lingers. Long enough to become nasty.
Piety
Spiritual Alliances
DC: 28. Roll: 22 + 2 + 5.2 = 29.2.
Before the Syasin come, you decide to firm up some of the spiritual loyalties of the city - affirming that they will stay loyal to the city and its people, and will not be swayed by the temptations of others, and will do their best to discourage such foolishness in their relations.
Exhaustedly, the spirits agree - though you notice many are weary, slightly resentful, and barely more than wisps at this point.
Diplomacy
Syasin Inquiries
DC: 15. Roll: 20 + 2 + 1 + 3.5 = 26.5.
Event Chain 5 "The Advent of the Syasin" [10/10]
Random Event Roll: 68
You begin your desperate search for experts on the Syasin not a moment too soon. The Academy quickly puts out word among its own staff that it needs experts in speaking Rusmysian, Kataltin, and the other experts on whatever goes on east of the Steppes, and the professors and other academics respond just as quickly.
You're inundated with facts about how the Syasin are theorized to be the size of several of the Compact nations, as well as how their primary exports appear to be fine porcelain and silk, once they consulted the records - some even suggested that Kataltin jade may actually originate from the Syasin. Admittedly, all of the Oskarian information on the Syasin has to travel literal thousands of miles, so many of the details could be misleading, but what everyone is certain of is that the Syasin are no minor power to be easily trifled with. The history of Oskarian-Syasin relations, meanwhile, appears to have been some degree of occasional acknowledgement but no real contact - and in any case the Wyvern Wars literally torched the connection for hundreds of years, so nobody in Oskaria's living memory truly knows what's going on with the Syasin. In fact, Roche even suggests that the Syasin are the successor to the prior regime in that region - but no one knows for certain.
In exchange for answering your questions, the Academy first commands a high salary, and secondly persistently asks why you're asking so many questions about the Syasin.
The Syasin answer for you.
Their great ship emerges out of the mists, the stylized head of a dragon mounted on the prow. It is unfathomably large - a red mountain of wood, dwarfing the lighthouse on the horizon. You understand now what Ophelia meant when she said it was a cargo ship that made the great grain barges look like mere children's rafts - the masts alone appear to be the made of the tallest trees you could possibly comprehend, as the unfurled sails appear to be the size of a building. They come not from the southern coasts like you had expected, but rather from the east - and that likely meant the draft was so deep that this grand ship could not afford to sail in the treacherous shallows of the Calamity Ruins.
Upon those high masts flap banners that you cannot recognize, that has no comparison anywhere you know of, an eight-sided octagon centered on a circle of two colors - and you suddenly realize that if you can clearly see it from your place on the docks that that banner must be the size of several lengths of horses on all sides. If you strain your eyes, you can almost see the little circles and shapes in the mists - the cannons the size of horses Ophelia had mentioned.
And somehow, you know that whoever is standing upon the decks is doing the same as you.
The city behind you lights into pandemonium, for they had absolutely no idea something like this was coming. As you see the ship come to a halt and drop anchor, a riotous crowd gathers, afraid of this beast that seemed like all the world like a calamitous seaborne Beast of Autumn - or worse, a Calamity Armor. Your crew of adventurers helps keep the crowd under control by assuring them that you had a plan, which you nodded along to - when the noble delegations came forward, you presented your Royal Seal, pointed out that this was a matter of international trade, and asked the crowd whether they would like to gainsay the King's authority in this matter. Some clearly intended to, but without knowing who actually was responsible, many simply chose to continue to allow you to present one of the faces of the city - so long as you were joined by a delegation of notables, so that this...ship didn't get the wrong impression.
Meanwhile, the great ship of the Syasin sets its own launches down, carrying chests so heavy that the launch itself sinks deep into the waterline. The crowd waits with bated breath. You control your breathing, as the Academy, noble, merchant, and church delegations all negotiate their own positions upon the dock. From a distance you spy three people on the dock - one blond man and black-haired woman wearing a foreign style of shimmering silk clothing, and one browned man wearing an Etrellan-style garments. The former were likely the two from Syasin, while the merchant had likely been paid to be a translator for them.
Except...the Etrellan is not the first one to step off the boat. No, he is assigned to carry one crate, one so heavy he visibly staggers.
The blond man in the silk clothes is the first to step off, somehow completely spotless from the ride. His eyes light up when he sees you, and somehow you get the heavy feeling that this was the person Ophelia had seen waving back.
Clasping his hands together, he bowed deeply, and exclaimed with only the slightest hint of an Etrellan accent:
"Greetings, people of Cille! Greetings, people of Oskaria! My name is Xin Jin, and it's a wonderful honor to meet you as a representative of the Shi Anh Empire!"
Event Chain 2A "The Siege of Castle Liyovyi" [20/20] [8/30]
Event Chain 2B "The Allied Advance" [0/10]
Event Chain 2C "The Baron's Response" [5/5] [0/5] [5/5] [5/5] [5/5] [3/5]
Event Chain 2D "The Royal Army's Return" [6/10]
It seems like such small news by comparison, but many of the same stories in the siege continues - progress, slow, but steady.
The Shi Anh Empire's delegations are as generous as they are quick-witted; the first thing they do is present a gift to the dockyards, for allowing to host them. Next they offer prayers to the local spirits, and an immense offering to cement their ability. Before they go much further, they start gifting jade earrings and fine porcelain with aged Shi Anh wine to the nobles - and somehow, the hawk-like blue eyes of Xin Jin had discerned the factional split between the Easterlies and Westerlies, and had appeased them in turn. Upon his visit to the Academy, he offered a trade - a scroll of Shi Anh philosophy and writings for every book of the Encyclopaedia de Cille they were willing to hand over, as well as a generous price for them - and in turn they praised his boundless generosity and bestowed upon him all the writings and works they could possibly spare him.
Then Xin Jin turned his attention to you.
He first presented you with a complete set of Jade jewelry, to be given to the emperor or king of this land. Next, he offered payment for the delivery, and also some more, just to get on the good side of the King's most trusted tax collectors. You have no idea how he knows that all so quickly, but he gives you no time to think - he has an issue he'd like to present to the court as a whole, and would appreciate your assistance in sorting something out.
Specifically, while the treasuries of the Shi Anh Empire are so vast that even the foreign currency they hold alone would be enough to bankroll minor countries, the Shi Anh Empire would really like to be able to exchange their own currency - especially if they can make this journey a regular passage, which, hint hint, they just might. This sort of journey would imply an incredibly amount of treasure and fortune, so it would greatly help them if Oskaria could find some agreeable exchange rate between Oskarian currency and the Shi Anh Empire's currency.
He figures that since you're the King's best tax collectors, if anyone would be able to help him with this sort of thing it'd be you, right?
You agree hesitantly. His profuse thanks seems to lighten your heart just long enough for him to leave and to leave you with the crushing realization that you need to somehow figure out exactly how his currency works in order to exchange it for Oskarian currency, especially because of these..."mandates of heaven" having their own unique properties.
It makes you want to hold your head for a good long while.
Meanwhile, Ophelia has begun to move fitfully - perhaps she might recover on her own this month. You can only hope, especially since Agueda is still nowhere to be seen.
Remaining Budget: 310
You have 2 [Free] Actions that may be spent in any category.
You have 3 Minor Boons and 1 Major Boon that you may attach to any Action.
You can cooperate with your teammates to add +3 base stat to an action that you are cooperating on. It is represented by using your [Free] Action on one of your already-selected Actions.
Martial (Choose 1) {Kerrie Action}
[] [Martial] Escort Mission
You need to get this treasure to the King, and you also need to call for backup and let him know that the Shi Anh Empire has made direct contact. Plus it'll probably get Kerrie out of the city long enough to take the heat off. DC: 15. Cost: 6 Budget (Kerrie will temporarily leave the party at the end of the month, no other consequences)
[] [Martial] Shi Anh Scouting
The Shi Anh Empire has brought a massive ship nearby and has offered a tour to show off the Shi Anh Empire's might. Tag along. DC: 15. Cost: 0 Budget.
Diplomacy (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Diplomacy] The Westerlies
Make no mistake about it - the Westerlies are livid at the insult, and will only consider forgiving you after several attempts to appease them. DC: 32. Cost: 8 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Jockeying for Position
Meanwhile, that's bled over into the fight over who the Shi Anh delegation regularly sees - the Westerlies are attempting to cut you out of the picture entirely, and you really don't want that to happen. DC: 27. Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Fishing for Information
Xin Jin seems supremely confident about how he can regularly ensure trade between the Shi Anh and Oskaria. See if you can't find out why. DC: 15. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Rewarding the Faithful
You remember how the Church and the Academy defended you, and you should repay them, so as to not be ungrateful. DC: 10. Cost: 4 Budget.
Intrigue (Choose 1) {Kerrie Action}
[] [Intrigue] Poking around the Shi Anh
With such a massive ship, poking around the ship unnoticed should be simple - but also so very, very difficult on account of its size. DC: Scaling. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Searching for Evidence Again
The last time you did it things went badly, and now the Westerlies have upgraded security - but you still need that cold hard proof, dammit. DC: 28. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Counter-Intrigue
Okay, now that you've really pissed off the Westerlies you're probably going to need to defend against their attempts to make your life very miserable. DC: Scaling. Cost: 0 Budget.
Learning (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Learning] Potions For Sale
Tekla says he can do way better than the potions for sale at the marketplace, and you're inclined to believe him. The presence of the ludicrously rich Shi Anh promises incredibly lucrative rewards if you impress them enough. DC: Scaling. Gain: Scaling.
[] [Learning] Healing Potions
Tekla might be able to make some healing potions for Ophelia, but...he really doesn't understand what went wrong, so he can't exactly make a potion to fix it. Still, he can try, though! DC: 32. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Learning] Potion Assistance
On the other hand, Tekla does know how to make enhancement potions for, uh, reasons, as he puts it, so he's much more confident in that. DC: 20. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Stewardship] The Mandates of Responsibilities
Okay, you really need to ask Xin Jin how precisely these Mandates of Heaven work as a currency, since few of these have similar denomin - wait did he just make a note from thin air AAAAAAA DC: 35. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] The Specifics of Shi Anh
Clearly you need to start somewhere more fundamental if you want to get anywhere on the currency project - somewhere like the major facts about Shi Anh, for example. DC: Scaling. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] Cille's Own Legal System
Oh, by the way, you do still need to look into how Cille's legal system works - you've gone through one trial that suspected you of something, but you were cleared, and you need to know how exactly that all works out. DC: 30. Cost: 0 Budget.
Piety (Choose 1) {Cormag Action}
[] [Piety] Magical Healing
You think Ophelia's just about healed, so with the right spells and the help of the Wintercore Wand, you could probably wake her up right now. DC: 25. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Piety] The Spirits Aboard the Ship
You were actually mistaken about the ship before - you now clearly understand that it was carrying a payload of spirits, and was strategically leaving some of them behind. Perhaps you might be able to get some information from them. DC: 28. Cost: 4 Budget.
New Contractors
DC: 15. Roll: 19 + 2 + 3.2 + 9.0 = 33.2.
Some days, you despaired for your country, and prayed for blessings.
Today was one of those days.
These adventurers were, frankly speaking, either young enough to be your child or old enough to be your fathers. Their armor was nothing more than a particularly heavy quilt bound around their forms, and their weapons nothing more than muskets which appeared might only misfire one time in ten instead of one time in three and knives that might be able to fit over the ends of the barrels for close range work. What they possessed was an unnatural eagerness and a courage borne of those who had stared at the Beasts of Autumn and had found them wanting.
But that left them still as peasants wearing the rags of whatever they had been able to muster after a brutal year, given only a bravery bordering on suicidal, and desperately needing to leave their families to reduce the numbers of mouths to feed - and you noted that more than half of them were women or formerly invalids, left only to seek a glorious death.
You would at least make sure that they were well-paid in the interim.
+2 Martial while contract lasts.
Diplomacy
The Wanderers
DC: 20. Roll: 18 + 2 + 1 + 1.3 = 22.3.
Your case to the wandering priests and shamans is simple - you have money and a maiden in need of esoteric spiritual aid. They gladly agree to come see what they can do for her. The priest comes with hands of light and lays them upon her brow, sighs, and says the rest is up to her. The shaman comes, studies her, does a dance to appeal to the spirits, and then gravely nods towards you. It is a serious affliction, and she will have to recover with her own strength.
Neither are able to help her recover immediately, but perhaps they have helped her along.
Diplomacy
The Merchant Houses
DC: 23. Roll: 20 + 2 + 1 + 8.1 = 31.1.
You decide to send Tekla in to speak with the leaders of the merchant houses, to sound out their position. Universally they proclaimed their loyalty to Oskaria, for Oskaria had given them much and brought them the goods of empire at low rates - or at least, should Cille break off the tariffs levied upon the Merchant Houses would certainly be far worse than the internal tax controls in Oskaria, they laugh.
But if you do have an audience with the King, or at least his Finance Minister, they say, they would very much like it if she could somehow arrange to lower the internal tariff barriers - heaven forbid any of them be accused of disloyalty to Oskaria, but as of right now with the tariff barriers so high they're barely able to make any significant profit - lift these artificial barriers, and the Merchant Houses will be able to contribute more to the Crown's coffers, they claim.
As a light aside, however, they do caution you that this snubbing of the Westerlies is going to lead nowhere fast, intentional or not - it would not do to continue ignoring the Westerlies while visiting every other major power in the city first.
Learning
Potion Assistance
DC: 20. Roll: 23 + 7.1 = 30.1.
Tekla proposes three possible potions to consider for the upcoming month - or at least, three things that he can brew up.
[] [Potion] Fortitude
This potion of fortitude does only one thing, but it does that one thing extremely well - it suppresses fear without inhibiting pain or instinct, which is apparently quite the feat. +4 Martial, one-time use. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Potion] Clarity
This potion of clarity should help make any person able to recall anything in their memory, so long as they're humanoid-enough; Tekla's not really confident enough to say that it'll work on Agueda, but it'll probably work with you. +3 Stewardship, two uses. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Potion] Candles
Tekla can also make some candles whose smoke should be very pleasing to the spirits - and also may help ritually contain them better. Provides +2 Piety for spiritual actions, three uses. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship
Polite Questions
DC: 15. Roll: 16 + 3.6 + 3.6 + 0.7 = 23.9.
You decide to have Tekla meet with the local tax collectors, because you're a good patriot and you just want to confirm some loose receipts. You notice that many of the tax collectors are the Westerly nobles' subordinates - but then again, that is technically how it's supposed to go.
They assert that they have always paid their taxes diligently in accordance with tradition, stretching beyond their grandfather's grandfather - they're proud of their tradition, and they will continue to act in accordance with the way they've always had.
Tekla nods along, and simply asks for how much they paid up the chain individually - he wants to make sure everything's alright.
What starts raising some eyebrows is how defensive they become - are they besmirching the tax collector's honor, and the honor of their lords? This is an offense, and should he continue to pursue -
Tekla demands, one more time, the official amount paid up the chain.
They hem, and they haw, but there isn't much they want to push their luck against the royal seal of investigation, so they eventually acquiesce and give him a number.
Once Tekla's starts tallying up the numbers compared to the maps you have of the area, you have proof of a systematic undercounting of the farmland under cultivation around Cille, and thus the tax burdens - tax burdens that you had found evidence suggesting that both the low-level and high-level tax collectors were busy committing graft.
The problem is the sheer number of people on the take. You're not quite sure about how the different judicial system works in Cille, but...you suspect bringing this assortment of tax collectors and minor Westerly nobles will be significantly harder than the effort in Gorlin. At least there the conspirators weren't well-liked.
Intrigue
Searching For Evidence
DC: 25. Roll: 19 + 2 + 0.1 = 21.1.
Whatever Kerrie does, she returns in a panic, and hides as quickly as possible. Armed guards roam the streets, searching for the thief who had so boldly broken into one of the noble houses of the Westerlies - as some complained that this must have been a dastardly Easterly or Colonist plot, because none of them were trustworthy.
Naturally, your group, made up of Easterly allies and Colonists is immediately suspected. Fortunately for you, the priests and the scholars at the Academy, despite glaring daggers at each other, have come out in defense of your group's honor - you were a group of honorable scholars and priests on behalf of the King, and you could never commit such a crime, because to do so would be to besmirch the honor of the King and the church and the Academy, no?
Still...the rumor lingers. Long enough to become nasty.
Piety
Spiritual Alliances
DC: 28. Roll: 22 + 2 + 5.2 = 29.2.
Before the Syasin come, you decide to firm up some of the spiritual loyalties of the city - affirming that they will stay loyal to the city and its people, and will not be swayed by the temptations of others, and will do their best to discourage such foolishness in their relations.
Exhaustedly, the spirits agree - though you notice many are weary, slightly resentful, and barely more than wisps at this point.
Diplomacy
Syasin Inquiries
DC: 15. Roll: 20 + 2 + 1 + 3.5 = 26.5.
Event Chain 5 "The Advent of the Syasin" [10/10]
Random Event Roll: 68
You begin your desperate search for experts on the Syasin not a moment too soon. The Academy quickly puts out word among its own staff that it needs experts in speaking Rusmysian, Kataltin, and the other experts on whatever goes on east of the Steppes, and the professors and other academics respond just as quickly.
You're inundated with facts about how the Syasin are theorized to be the size of several of the Compact nations, as well as how their primary exports appear to be fine porcelain and silk, once they consulted the records - some even suggested that Kataltin jade may actually originate from the Syasin. Admittedly, all of the Oskarian information on the Syasin has to travel literal thousands of miles, so many of the details could be misleading, but what everyone is certain of is that the Syasin are no minor power to be easily trifled with. The history of Oskarian-Syasin relations, meanwhile, appears to have been some degree of occasional acknowledgement but no real contact - and in any case the Wyvern Wars literally torched the connection for hundreds of years, so nobody in Oskaria's living memory truly knows what's going on with the Syasin. In fact, Roche even suggests that the Syasin are the successor to the prior regime in that region - but no one knows for certain.
In exchange for answering your questions, the Academy first commands a high salary, and secondly persistently asks why you're asking so many questions about the Syasin.
The Syasin answer for you.
Their great ship emerges out of the mists, the stylized head of a dragon mounted on the prow. It is unfathomably large - a red mountain of wood, dwarfing the lighthouse on the horizon. You understand now what Ophelia meant when she said it was a cargo ship that made the great grain barges look like mere children's rafts - the masts alone appear to be the made of the tallest trees you could possibly comprehend, as the unfurled sails appear to be the size of a building. They come not from the southern coasts like you had expected, but rather from the east - and that likely meant the draft was so deep that this grand ship could not afford to sail in the treacherous shallows of the Calamity Ruins.
Upon those high masts flap banners that you cannot recognize, that has no comparison anywhere you know of, an eight-sided octagon centered on a circle of two colors - and you suddenly realize that if you can clearly see it from your place on the docks that that banner must be the size of several lengths of horses on all sides. If you strain your eyes, you can almost see the little circles and shapes in the mists - the cannons the size of horses Ophelia had mentioned.
And somehow, you know that whoever is standing upon the decks is doing the same as you.
The city behind you lights into pandemonium, for they had absolutely no idea something like this was coming. As you see the ship come to a halt and drop anchor, a riotous crowd gathers, afraid of this beast that seemed like all the world like a calamitous seaborne Beast of Autumn - or worse, a Calamity Armor. Your crew of adventurers helps keep the crowd under control by assuring them that you had a plan, which you nodded along to - when the noble delegations came forward, you presented your Royal Seal, pointed out that this was a matter of international trade, and asked the crowd whether they would like to gainsay the King's authority in this matter. Some clearly intended to, but without knowing who actually was responsible, many simply chose to continue to allow you to present one of the faces of the city - so long as you were joined by a delegation of notables, so that this...ship didn't get the wrong impression.
Meanwhile, the great ship of the Syasin sets its own launches down, carrying chests so heavy that the launch itself sinks deep into the waterline. The crowd waits with bated breath. You control your breathing, as the Academy, noble, merchant, and church delegations all negotiate their own positions upon the dock. From a distance you spy three people on the dock - one blond man and black-haired woman wearing a foreign style of shimmering silk clothing, and one browned man wearing an Etrellan-style garments. The former were likely the two from Syasin, while the merchant had likely been paid to be a translator for them.
Except...the Etrellan is not the first one to step off the boat. No, he is assigned to carry one crate, one so heavy he visibly staggers.
The blond man in the silk clothes is the first to step off, somehow completely spotless from the ride. His eyes light up when he sees you, and somehow you get the heavy feeling that this was the person Ophelia had seen waving back.
Clasping his hands together, he bowed deeply, and exclaimed with only the slightest hint of an Etrellan accent:
"Greetings, people of Cille! Greetings, people of Oskaria! My name is Xin Jin, and it's a wonderful honor to meet you as a representative of the Shi Anh Empire!"
Event Chain 2A "The Siege of Castle Liyovyi" [20/20] [8/30]
Event Chain 2B "The Allied Advance" [0/10]
Event Chain 2C "The Baron's Response" [5/5] [0/5] [5/5] [5/5] [5/5] [3/5]
Event Chain 2D "The Royal Army's Return" [6/10]
It seems like such small news by comparison, but many of the same stories in the siege continues - progress, slow, but steady.
The Shi Anh Empire's delegations are as generous as they are quick-witted; the first thing they do is present a gift to the dockyards, for allowing to host them. Next they offer prayers to the local spirits, and an immense offering to cement their ability. Before they go much further, they start gifting jade earrings and fine porcelain with aged Shi Anh wine to the nobles - and somehow, the hawk-like blue eyes of Xin Jin had discerned the factional split between the Easterlies and Westerlies, and had appeased them in turn. Upon his visit to the Academy, he offered a trade - a scroll of Shi Anh philosophy and writings for every book of the Encyclopaedia de Cille they were willing to hand over, as well as a generous price for them - and in turn they praised his boundless generosity and bestowed upon him all the writings and works they could possibly spare him.
Then Xin Jin turned his attention to you.
He first presented you with a complete set of Jade jewelry, to be given to the emperor or king of this land. Next, he offered payment for the delivery, and also some more, just to get on the good side of the King's most trusted tax collectors. You have no idea how he knows that all so quickly, but he gives you no time to think - he has an issue he'd like to present to the court as a whole, and would appreciate your assistance in sorting something out.
Specifically, while the treasuries of the Shi Anh Empire are so vast that even the foreign currency they hold alone would be enough to bankroll minor countries, the Shi Anh Empire would really like to be able to exchange their own currency - especially if they can make this journey a regular passage, which, hint hint, they just might. This sort of journey would imply an incredibly amount of treasure and fortune, so it would greatly help them if Oskaria could find some agreeable exchange rate between Oskarian currency and the Shi Anh Empire's currency.
He figures that since you're the King's best tax collectors, if anyone would be able to help him with this sort of thing it'd be you, right?
You agree hesitantly. His profuse thanks seems to lighten your heart just long enough for him to leave and to leave you with the crushing realization that you need to somehow figure out exactly how his currency works in order to exchange it for Oskarian currency, especially because of these..."mandates of heaven" having their own unique properties.
It makes you want to hold your head for a good long while.
Meanwhile, Ophelia has begun to move fitfully - perhaps she might recover on her own this month. You can only hope, especially since Agueda is still nowhere to be seen.
Remaining Budget: 310
You have 2 [Free] Actions that may be spent in any category.
You have 3 Minor Boons and 1 Major Boon that you may attach to any Action.
You can cooperate with your teammates to add +3 base stat to an action that you are cooperating on. It is represented by using your [Free] Action on one of your already-selected Actions.
Martial (Choose 1) {Kerrie Action}
[] [Martial] Escort Mission
You need to get this treasure to the King, and you also need to call for backup and let him know that the Shi Anh Empire has made direct contact. Plus it'll probably get Kerrie out of the city long enough to take the heat off. DC: 15. Cost: 6 Budget (Kerrie will temporarily leave the party at the end of the month, no other consequences)
[] [Martial] Shi Anh Scouting
The Shi Anh Empire has brought a massive ship nearby and has offered a tour to show off the Shi Anh Empire's might. Tag along. DC: 15. Cost: 0 Budget.
Diplomacy (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Diplomacy] The Westerlies
Make no mistake about it - the Westerlies are livid at the insult, and will only consider forgiving you after several attempts to appease them. DC: 32. Cost: 8 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Jockeying for Position
Meanwhile, that's bled over into the fight over who the Shi Anh delegation regularly sees - the Westerlies are attempting to cut you out of the picture entirely, and you really don't want that to happen. DC: 27. Cost: 4 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Fishing for Information
Xin Jin seems supremely confident about how he can regularly ensure trade between the Shi Anh and Oskaria. See if you can't find out why. DC: 15. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Diplomacy] Rewarding the Faithful
You remember how the Church and the Academy defended you, and you should repay them, so as to not be ungrateful. DC: 10. Cost: 4 Budget.
Intrigue (Choose 1) {Kerrie Action}
[] [Intrigue] Poking around the Shi Anh
With such a massive ship, poking around the ship unnoticed should be simple - but also so very, very difficult on account of its size. DC: Scaling. Cost: 1 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Searching for Evidence Again
The last time you did it things went badly, and now the Westerlies have upgraded security - but you still need that cold hard proof, dammit. DC: 28. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Intrigue] Counter-Intrigue
Okay, now that you've really pissed off the Westerlies you're probably going to need to defend against their attempts to make your life very miserable. DC: Scaling. Cost: 0 Budget.
Learning (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Learning] Potions For Sale
Tekla says he can do way better than the potions for sale at the marketplace, and you're inclined to believe him. The presence of the ludicrously rich Shi Anh promises incredibly lucrative rewards if you impress them enough. DC: Scaling. Gain: Scaling.
[] [Learning] Healing Potions
Tekla might be able to make some healing potions for Ophelia, but...he really doesn't understand what went wrong, so he can't exactly make a potion to fix it. Still, he can try, though! DC: 32. Cost: 2 Budget.
[] [Learning] Potion Assistance
On the other hand, Tekla does know how to make enhancement potions for, uh, reasons, as he puts it, so he's much more confident in that. DC: 20. Cost: 2 Budget.
Stewardship (Choose 1) {Tekla Action}
[] [Stewardship] The Mandates of Responsibilities
Okay, you really need to ask Xin Jin how precisely these Mandates of Heaven work as a currency, since few of these have similar denomin - wait did he just make a note from thin air AAAAAAA DC: 35. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] The Specifics of Shi Anh
Clearly you need to start somewhere more fundamental if you want to get anywhere on the currency project - somewhere like the major facts about Shi Anh, for example. DC: Scaling. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Stewardship] Cille's Own Legal System
Oh, by the way, you do still need to look into how Cille's legal system works - you've gone through one trial that suspected you of something, but you were cleared, and you need to know how exactly that all works out. DC: 30. Cost: 0 Budget.
Piety (Choose 1) {Cormag Action}
[] [Piety] Magical Healing
You think Ophelia's just about healed, so with the right spells and the help of the Wintercore Wand, you could probably wake her up right now. DC: 25. Cost: 0 Budget.
[] [Piety] The Spirits Aboard the Ship
You were actually mistaken about the ship before - you now clearly understand that it was carrying a payload of spirits, and was strategically leaving some of them behind. Perhaps you might be able to get some information from them. DC: 28. Cost: 4 Budget.
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- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Giant spider, comes up to somewhere between knee and waist-height, depending on how tall the other individual is.
- Location
- Somewhere in the area
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
Oh man, they came on the equivalent of those giant Chinese Treasure ships.
So I wasn't there for the last round of voting, what was the reasoning behind snubbing the largest faction of nobles in the city? It seems like they are only a few steps away from open hostilities with us, which considering the foreign delegation on our doorstep, is not a good thing.
We should make sure to deescalate tensions with them as well as deal with the Shi Anh.
So I wasn't there for the last round of voting, what was the reasoning behind snubbing the largest faction of nobles in the city? It seems like they are only a few steps away from open hostilities with us, which considering the foreign delegation on our doorstep, is not a good thing.
We should make sure to deescalate tensions with them as well as deal with the Shi Anh.