In the Wake of Monsters - an Advisor's Quest
- Thread starter Exmorri
- Start date
- Fantasy
- Location
- Norway
Mostly being numerous and wealthy, as is natural in a merchant republic. What could I have written to make this come across more clearly?
I've tried to show rather than tell - e.g. at the strategy meeting two updates ago, there's old and powerful people attending that are members of Avalanche but not close relatives of Marble, which carries an implicit message of "your clan is large and well established". In the following update, there's this callback:
Anyhow, I will take into consideration for the future that I should perhaps write more detail about exactly what it is rich relatives own and are doing.
TimEd
Meteor maker
Nah, not really. You could have just added it to the introductory part of the Clan when Avalanche was first introduced.
What you are doing now is fine, after all, we currently dont have the needed in-clan power (and respect) to be a significant mover of Avalance as of yet.
- Location
- 1
[X] There's always more paperwork to do at the office. Focus on that rather than risk another diplomatic misstep.
Selected correspondence from the desk of Director Shenji
- Location
- Norway
To: Director Shenji of the Celestial Office of Design
From: Sub-Rector Hua of the Kangri Region Administration
Boss, they're having that fight again. Someone redeveloped your sort of restorative elixir in Jianying's place, and Jianying told Yeyi, and Yeyi asked why it shouldn't be Biwu's department, and I think you know the drill.
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Director Biwu of the Celestial Office of Design
Of late I have heard from one of my subordinates, who claims that one of yours is gearing up to rehash the medicine question once more. The usual reminder applies, with no offense intended, as I see nothing to fault you for and I can only imagine you are as weary of being reminded as I am weary of issuing the reminder of our compact. Still, I trust you understand that I cannot be lax in my obligations.
(Dictated by Director Shenji to a loyal secretary.)
-
From: Director Biwu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
Yes, I get it, I'll deal with it.
-
From: Director Biwu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
I apologize for my ill-temper in my last missive. Your letter reached me at a poor time, when I had already been remonstrating with another of my subordinates on an unrelated matter and an old friend of mine urgently desired my attention elsewhere. You may rest assured that I have duly reminded Yeyi of our respective spheres of administration.
(Dictated by Director Biwu to a loyal secretary.)
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Patron Zhu of the City of Silverport
For some time now I have heard nothing more of the dispute that I and my respected colleague conducted under your auspices. Might I trouble you to inform me of the present condition of the mortal known as Avalanche Marble, in particular, whether or not it has been able to transmute starmetal yet?
-
From: Patron Zhu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
My auspices, eh? Marble is still alive and well, and no, not to my knowledge. But I can't entirely rule out the possibility of a starmetal smuggling ring right under my nose. Maybe you could send a censor to help search for such a thing, if it exists?
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Patron Zhu, etc
Is that what passes for humor in the Middle World, or just in your new city? The censors are overworked and do not appreciate wild goose chases. If you seriously suspect a starmetal smuggling ring, file an appropriate report and send it to the Office of Abstract Matters. If you merely desire conversation with a censor, wait for one to oversee your regular audit.
-
To: Director Shenji of the Celestial Office of Design
From: Previously unaffiliated mortal, Wind-Fletched Justice, city of Unity, northern edge of the Great Southern Desert
Attachments: Grade 3 Ambrosia (taxed)
(Via the Divine Post Office: You were deemed the most appropriate recipient of this nonspecific prayer)
"Hail, god of my misfortune, whomever you might be, hear my prayer. May the smoke of this burnt offering rise to Heaven and please you to respond. I have not been an ingrate, nor a liar, nor a thief, nor a murderer. I have done my duties to my parents and shown benevolence to my children. I have given alms to the sick and the poor. All this you will know, for it is written on my heart. I have borne the burden no mother ought to bear: seeing my children die before me. Now I have only a son left, and he is ten years barren. Marital aids and medicines I have purchased for him, and nothing has come of them. Show me what I must do to restore the rod of my son, or open the womb of his wife."
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Dispatch
Target: Wind-Fletched Justice, etc
[Response to prayer approved - blessing of knowledge:rite of fertility]
-
From: Patron Zhu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
My apologies, high one. I do not seriously suspect a starmetal smuggling ring. But I have observed that Marble is one of those mortals who gives mortals a reputation for burning bright and fast, and will probably leave an interesting legacy of some sort, if not necessarily the transmutation of starmetal. I am also somewhat concerned about the audit to come, and had hope that perhaps we might together find some reasonable pretext for another censor to visit Silverport on other, unrelated, business, during which I might hear firsthand advice on how to prepare for the audit.
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Patron Zhu, etc
I wish to tell you to ask Zara Metal-Mother about that, not me, since she's the one who pulled strings to get you your job there, but thinking about it, I also find myself curious and wish to know why you're asking me about this and not Zara in the first place. We're not even working for the same Bureau, you and I. Please let your next letter to me on this subject be your last.
-
From: Overseer Maskalibra, God of Fruit
To: Director Shenji, Director Tu, Overseer Yi-Di
Terribly sorry for the delay, y'all. Finally got my subordinates and department in order. If ya'd told me three years ago that five gods'd be demoted over a new cultivar, I'd'a wondered who spiked the punch. But it's over now and I'm cleared of everything. Since I've finally time and opportunity again, and the censors aren't looking over my every expenditure for improper influence, how about we all get together on, say, someday week of the 25th? Please reply with schedules and dates that fit you.
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Overseer Maskalibra
I will be delighted to attend! I can fit any day that week, as long as I get enough notice to order my schedule.
-
From: Patron Zhu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
I have been in contact with Zara on the matter, but then you also contacted me, so I made the inference that you still had interest and concern here and might have reason to cooperate on the subject. I shall stop bothering you now.
From: Sub-Rector Hua of the Kangri Region Administration
Boss, they're having that fight again. Someone redeveloped your sort of restorative elixir in Jianying's place, and Jianying told Yeyi, and Yeyi asked why it shouldn't be Biwu's department, and I think you know the drill.
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Director Biwu of the Celestial Office of Design
Of late I have heard from one of my subordinates, who claims that one of yours is gearing up to rehash the medicine question once more. The usual reminder applies, with no offense intended, as I see nothing to fault you for and I can only imagine you are as weary of being reminded as I am weary of issuing the reminder of our compact. Still, I trust you understand that I cannot be lax in my obligations.
(Dictated by Director Shenji to a loyal secretary.)
-
From: Director Biwu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
Yes, I get it, I'll deal with it.
-
From: Director Biwu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
I apologize for my ill-temper in my last missive. Your letter reached me at a poor time, when I had already been remonstrating with another of my subordinates on an unrelated matter and an old friend of mine urgently desired my attention elsewhere. You may rest assured that I have duly reminded Yeyi of our respective spheres of administration.
(Dictated by Director Biwu to a loyal secretary.)
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Patron Zhu of the City of Silverport
For some time now I have heard nothing more of the dispute that I and my respected colleague conducted under your auspices. Might I trouble you to inform me of the present condition of the mortal known as Avalanche Marble, in particular, whether or not it has been able to transmute starmetal yet?
-
From: Patron Zhu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
My auspices, eh? Marble is still alive and well, and no, not to my knowledge. But I can't entirely rule out the possibility of a starmetal smuggling ring right under my nose. Maybe you could send a censor to help search for such a thing, if it exists?
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Patron Zhu, etc
Is that what passes for humor in the Middle World, or just in your new city? The censors are overworked and do not appreciate wild goose chases. If you seriously suspect a starmetal smuggling ring, file an appropriate report and send it to the Office of Abstract Matters. If you merely desire conversation with a censor, wait for one to oversee your regular audit.
-
To: Director Shenji of the Celestial Office of Design
From: Previously unaffiliated mortal, Wind-Fletched Justice, city of Unity, northern edge of the Great Southern Desert
Attachments: Grade 3 Ambrosia (taxed)
(Via the Divine Post Office: You were deemed the most appropriate recipient of this nonspecific prayer)
"Hail, god of my misfortune, whomever you might be, hear my prayer. May the smoke of this burnt offering rise to Heaven and please you to respond. I have not been an ingrate, nor a liar, nor a thief, nor a murderer. I have done my duties to my parents and shown benevolence to my children. I have given alms to the sick and the poor. All this you will know, for it is written on my heart. I have borne the burden no mother ought to bear: seeing my children die before me. Now I have only a son left, and he is ten years barren. Marital aids and medicines I have purchased for him, and nothing has come of them. Show me what I must do to restore the rod of my son, or open the womb of his wife."
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Dispatch
Target: Wind-Fletched Justice, etc
[Response to prayer approved - blessing of knowledge:rite of fertility]
-
From: Patron Zhu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
My apologies, high one. I do not seriously suspect a starmetal smuggling ring. But I have observed that Marble is one of those mortals who gives mortals a reputation for burning bright and fast, and will probably leave an interesting legacy of some sort, if not necessarily the transmutation of starmetal. I am also somewhat concerned about the audit to come, and had hope that perhaps we might together find some reasonable pretext for another censor to visit Silverport on other, unrelated, business, during which I might hear firsthand advice on how to prepare for the audit.
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Patron Zhu, etc
I wish to tell you to ask Zara Metal-Mother about that, not me, since she's the one who pulled strings to get you your job there, but thinking about it, I also find myself curious and wish to know why you're asking me about this and not Zara in the first place. We're not even working for the same Bureau, you and I. Please let your next letter to me on this subject be your last.
-
From: Overseer Maskalibra, God of Fruit
To: Director Shenji, Director Tu, Overseer Yi-Di
Terribly sorry for the delay, y'all. Finally got my subordinates and department in order. If ya'd told me three years ago that five gods'd be demoted over a new cultivar, I'd'a wondered who spiked the punch. But it's over now and I'm cleared of everything. Since I've finally time and opportunity again, and the censors aren't looking over my every expenditure for improper influence, how about we all get together on, say, someday week of the 25th? Please reply with schedules and dates that fit you.
-
From: Director Shenji, etc
To: Overseer Maskalibra
I will be delighted to attend! I can fit any day that week, as long as I get enough notice to order my schedule.
-
From: Patron Zhu, etc
To: Director Shenji, etc
I have been in contact with Zara on the matter, but then you also contacted me, so I made the inference that you still had interest and concern here and might have reason to cooperate on the subject. I shall stop bothering you now.
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No matter how big the desk or cosmic the power, office work remains office work.
So he hasn't forgotten and thus probably hasn't given up. Good to know.
Not sure I appreciate Marble being refereed to as an 'it'.
Translation: To whom it may concern.
"We have an app for that."
More likely it went to Shenji because she asked for advice rather than direct intervention.
Huh, hows Fertility request get sent to the Office of Design?
- Location
- Norway
Someone at the post sorting office looked at the "Show me what I must do" phrasing (and not, say, "heal my son") and figured the petition should therefore go to the department where the gods of thaumaturgy work.
Election Season 3: Negotiations
- Location
- Norway
[*] Hustle to contribute to Avalanche's chances of victory at the election.
Still stinging from your recent rebuke, you visit the library of the old Avalanche mansion, and find some classic speeches to crib from. They're classics for a good reason, after all, no need to trip over your own phrases if someone older has already polished theirs for years. Armed with fresh vocabulary, you return to arranging meetings and preparing to exchange polite flattery. Also, listening to the salacious gossip of your more gossipy relatives, so that you can maintain a calm demeanor when the same is raised in a formal setting: "have you heard, it's outrageous, the Creationists want an empty temple, and the Heroists want a temple to themselves, isn't it scandalous..."
[Campaigning: Diplomacy, 39+15=54.]
You're not sure how much stock to put in these rumors, but you can honestly affirm that they sound horrible, and quote the words of sages on right conduct. Nor are you sure how much of an impact you're making on the election, scraping up some last-minute waverers for a negotiation that has been years coming. What you are sure about is that you're recovering some reputation after last week's bluntness. Your conversations flow smoothly to a point where you direct your counterpart to visit your clan head (or to direct their clan head to yours), and Pillar comes by to briefly state his approval.
Life isn't all meetings and dealmaking, of course. You have three wonderful children and their beautiful mother. You also have a city wall in progress to check on, paperwork needing your signature, incense to burn both on your own behalf and for your clan's luck, a brief check on your forges (still no starmetal), and numerous undone potential tasks lurking in the back of your head that you wonder if you'll ever find the time for.
Still, it's the last-minute campaigning and meetings that stand out this week. Minor clan heads and representatives you've never met before, stress and concentration with each new person you have to deal with suitably and uniquely.
Then the conclave begins at last. Two hundred clan heads file into seclusion in a stadium to negotiate the selection of the fifth Great House. Thousands of people gather outside to await the result. Late the evening of the first day, the heads come out with no conclusion, looking very tired, and return to continue debating the next day. The expectant crowd dissipates in disappointment, and is smaller the next day.
Void sends you a messenger saying the next council meeting will be adjusted to taking place once the conclave concludes.
For four days the clan heads argue, until at last the good news comes: Clan Avalanche has been elevated. Your position is secure, too. It is Ebuskun who stands to lose hers, sadly - the reports of exactly how the negotiations proceeded are distorted servants' gossip, but you gather that a deadlock was broken with a compromise that Clan Plum would be unofficially sixth-of-five waiting in line while Clan Rain was to receive various other political favors. Once the odd plains princess returns from campaigning, she is to be replaced by one Rain Maximum. (At least they were sensible enough, or merciful, to not demand the replacement of a leader during war.)
Your clan begins preparing the celebrations, while you begin preparing the report to present to the Portlord, mulling over Ebuskun's fate all the while. Was someone unhappy with her prosecution of the war against the demon spiders? Was it because she is a foreigner? Or was there perhaps no animus, just cold cynicism and the moving of people as pieces as in a game?
---
Voting time.
You can write in a report on the past turn with a focus on the subject of your choice, which could be used to praise the importance of one of your fellow councillors, attempt to direct the Portlord's attention towards a particular matter, or blame someone you hate for something that's gone badly. Writing in a report is optional - the default is simply being judged on the merits of what you've done. Since it's been a couple of interludes, here's the turn in question that you're now reporting on, for easy rechecking. Brief summary: You finished smithing skill, started the city wall, and looked at the palace examinations a bit.
[X] [Report] Just the facts.
[] [Report] Write in report
Next, you can suggest courses of action for the next turn to the Portlord - it's probably wisest to just continue as planned when on a long-term project like the city wall, but you can still propose a change if you think something else is important and the wall doesn't need that much expertise or personal attention from the Steward.
[] [Orders] Continue as planned.
[] [Orders] Leave the wall to subordinates, I should be focused elsewhere.
-[] Census-taking
-[] Exam management
-[] The palace budget can always use improving
-[] Invent central banking
-[] Audit the palace employees
-[] Write-in?
QM Notes:
-I would also be interested your opinions on Ebuskun and recent events surrounding her, but I couldn't see a good way to fit that into a vote.
-Coming up next: Three and Morning have a complicated story to tell as they've traced the history of the Abominations and divine intervention.
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globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Location
- Polar ice caps
It's sad to see her go, with nothing tying her to the city she will go to her people.
She was the best of our co-workers, can we make her wife n2 or something?
She was the best of our co-workers, can we make her wife n2 or something?
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
ah, horse princess is out of a job now?
to bad i kind of like her.
oh well, sad to see her leave hope the new marshal is someone we can work well with.
to bad i kind of like her.
oh well, sad to see her leave hope the new marshal is someone we can work well with.
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
i am sure wife Nr 1 and clan would have no problems with that idea.
not even talking about if she herself would be interested in that or not.
globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Location
- Polar ice caps
Of course we'd ask if it was serious and it's mostly an hypothetical.
Getting a successful general attached to the family sounds like a good move and it's not like we have someone of comparable status in the clan we could offer in exchange.
globalwarmth
ruining the weather.
- Location
- Polar ice caps
[X] [Report] Just the facts.
[X] [Orders] Continue as planned.
[X] [Orders] Continue as planned.