Specifically, I want to investigate Abram Waller, that way, next turn we already know if we need to take more drastic action in Nesiwald, or if we only need to do a few things.
Can Hilde investigate Abram from Zoetdorf, though? If not, then the malus for needing to travel to Neiswald would fall on the only action taken that involves traveling to Neiswald - the system is clearly built to incentivize doing a bunch of stuff in Neiswald all at once and then mostly ignoring it in other turns (as would make sense to minimize travel time), so I don't think that we'd get away with ducking it just because it's our employee that needs to take the time to travel rather than us.
[X] Plan Nesiwald Prep
-[X] Reach out to noble families who would make good political or trade connections.
-[X] Have your cousin Byers Catalina arrange meetings with women you might like.
-[X] Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Hilde] Investigate Abram Waller and see how competent he really is, and if he is stealing from you or engaging in corruption.
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible. 2 profit
Adhoc vote count started by Rockeye on Jan 5, 2021 at 7:46 PM, finished with 57 posts and 27 votes.
[X] Plan Farming Trades
-[X] Reach out to noble families who would make good political or trade connections.
-[X] Have your cousin Byers Catalina arrange meetings with women you might like.
-[X] Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Hilde] Look for any information available on the rumored changes to taxes across Veschwar. The sooner you know this sort of thing the more you can prepare.
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible. 2 profit
[X] Plan Nesiwald Prep
-[X] Reach out to noble families who would make good political or trade connections.
-[X] Have your cousin Byers Catalina arrange meetings with women you might like.
-[X] Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Hilde] Investigate Abram Waller and see how competent he really is, and if he is stealing from you or engaging in corruption.
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible. 2 profit
[X] Plan Royal Party Favors
-[X] Attend several parties and other such events as a new and eligible bachelor.
-[X] Travel to the Royal Court and formally announce your eligibility for marriage.
-[X] Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible.
-[X][Hilde] Look for any information available on the rumored changes to taxes across Veschwar. The sooner you know this sort of thing the more you can prepare.
[X] Plan don't half ass your marriage
-[X] Attend several parties and other such events as a new and eligible bachelor.
-[X] Travel to the Royal Court and formally announce your eligibility for marriage.
-[X] Reach out to noble families who would make good political or trade connections.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible.
-[X][Hilde] Look for any information available on the rumored changes to taxes across Veschwar. The sooner you know this sort of thing the more you can prepare.
[X] Plan Party Like It's 1399
-[X] Attend several parties and other such events as a new and eligible bachelor.
-[X] Have your cousin Byers Catalina arrange meetings with women you might like.
-[X] Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Hilde] Look for any information available on the rumored changes to taxes across Veschwar. The sooner you know this sort of thing the more you can prepare.
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible. 2 profit
Farming trades wins. With the last two actions being, teaching the Shallyans about your economical heater design and probably also crop rotation, and managing your employees as well as receiving reports from them.
-[X] Reach out to noble families who would make good political or trade connections.
-[X] Have your cousin Byers Catalina arrange meetings with women you might like.
-[X] Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
-[X] Learn a skill. (What?)
--[X] Finish learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
-[X][Hilde] Look for any information available on the rumored changes to taxes across Veschwar. The sooner you know this sort of thing the more you can prepare.
-[X][Otto] Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible. 2 profit
Yes I'm late, but I feel like I'm taking part if I vote anyway.
-Make the peasants and villagers to switch to four-field crop rotation. From the news you've gotten from Nesiwald, it actually works. This is starting to be overdue.
Before going out and demanding that farmers who know the land change the way they've done things for generations, you have to have your information well-sorted. The peasants may or may not be impressed by neatly organized charts and notes, but it soothes you.
You practiced for a while, explaining to a mirror why your crop-rotation scheme is beneficial to the fief's peasants in preparation for making them change how they've done things for decades and longer. All your arguments - About having grazing available every year, about letting the land recover, how you've seen the same method work in the village of Nesiwald, about how certain plants restore something lost in the soil - prove dnot to be necessary. You gave the order to change over, and the peasants obeyed with minimal grumbling.
When giving the instructions to village heads and then explaining which plants count for which steps in the rotation to every family that asks (sometimes by leaning on the Codex Crystal when you're not sure), you can almost see the internal debate playing out in head after head.
You may not be covered in glory, but you are the heir. Your parents have returned triumphantly and publicly praised your efforts. The weird heaters you invented do take up some of the limited space inside their homes, but they use less firewood than hearths and stay warm for hours. And the windmill is wonderfully convenient and easy, compared to hand-milling.
So on the one hand, there is the unease of departing from tradition, the ways that quietly worshipped nature gods say to do things, farming practices handed down past living memory, the inconvenience of separating unevenly shaped fields into four equal parts... And on the other hand, you are their lord, ultimately you have the authority to ask them to do whatever you like, and your weird new ways of doing things have only helped so far...
You have to answer a few stupid questions. Well- Questions that seem foolish to you. (No, the fields don't actually have to be divided into squares, that's just the easiest way to keep track.) These people are uneducated, you can't blame them, you can only try to explain things in ways they'll understand.
At any rate, by the time you move on to other matters, people are already marking new boundary lines in their fields, or in some cases agreeing to merge fields with a neighbor in order to have enough space for a proper rotation. You won't see the biggest benefits from this for a few years, but even in the first year it should prove insulation against disaster.
On the other hand, the ease with which they accepted the new fields makes you worry, just a little bit. On the one hand, it's gratifying, and obviously good since it makes your job easier and the Bismarcks' position more secure. But... You could be wrong about something, and if they're not willing to speak up about it you could hurt the peasants you're responsible for guiding and protecting instead of helping them.
You're really not sure if this kind of self doubt is warranted or not. Are you being too hard on yourself? ...You'll have to be doubly careful not to make mistakes with peasants' livelihoods - and your fief's biggest source of income - on the line.
[Autosuccess.]
-Continue learning Swordplay from your mother. (1/2)
You are standing in the castle yard, holding up two pound piece of iron.
"Elbow in!"
Your elbow goes in. The thing is, you're holding it out with one arm, fully outstretched, feet spaced wide, in a ready position, as steady as you can possibly manage. The arms get tired very quickly, like that. You would suggest anyone doubting you find a basket of apples and hold it out in front of them for a mere fifteen minutes without wavering or taking a break. It is harder than it sounds. And that's not even mentioning how when she calls out-
"Now!"
You swing with all your might as fast as you can, trying to ignore the burning of your muscles. Not just your arms, but every part of you strains with the effort.
"Too weak, he stopped it on his shield! Back to guarding!"
You want to glare and curse at your mother but you know she will just walk away. But still, this is too much. You can't keep it up. You need a break.
"Come on, son. Five more. Just five. You can do it."
...If she thinks you can do it, you can do it.
You raise your sword. She corrects your form. You try to burn the correction into your memory.
"Now!"
You swing.
...
"I think that's enough... For now." You sigh in relief. Your mother sighs too. "You're not ever going to be a front line soldier or famous duelist, but I pronounce you... Competent. And likely to stay that way, if you don't slack off."
You sheath your sword and smile at her. Your mother, Dame Sofia, a knight in every sense of the word, practically made of glory in battle and hard steel and muscle- And yet, she's taking the time to teach you to fight, and to care for your siblings.
"Of course, Mom. Thanks for all the lessons."
She hugs you.
"I'm just glad I could help. I don't think I'm going to keep going on campaign much longer, but I'm not an old lady yet."
"...Aren't you leaving for the west again? To deal with an infestation of windbiters?"
"...Yes." She nods, frowning. "I'm tired. I just want to watch you and your brother and sisters grow up, now. But it's my duty to fight - I'm one of the few that can fight on a level good enough to assure victory against monsters. You understand feeling a duty to do something, I think."
You think about the shining future you watch every day, reflected in the Codex Crystal. It might be hubris to think it, but making it real is possibly the most important thing anyone has ever done.
-Teach the Shallyan church what you can about your improved heaters, and crop rotation.
Another visit to the large temple in the city sees you warmly greeted by the same priestess from before. You make small talk, and - perhaps a bit stiffly - wonder aloud if your coin has gone to good use.
"Please be assured, your coin is going to good use."
You merely nod at this assertion, but something in your face must be telling as the priestess frowns and continues. "You may think that many people donate to our Church, so what difference could your silver make? That is not so. After the war, though it be a much lesser strain than we have faced in defeats, our services are in need more than ever, and the coffers of those who give to us are universally depleted. I'd like you to meet someone."
You're introduced to a few people in the temple's front hall at that. Each of them has a similar story. Joerg, carpenter, lost a hand fighting and can't work his trade as well anymore. The Church of Shallya is feeding him as he learns to cut and corner and hammer one-handed. Denzel, soldier, who has no family and whose wounds cause him daily pain. He was driven to drink and on the streets until the Shallyans gave him a place to live and duties to perform. Geraldine... Has a child and no husband. She needed Shallya's support and comfort, and Shallya's church will give it to them because kindness is what they are for.
Each of them tells you bits of their life story. You feel...
You're not sure, until the voice of the Dove of Mercy names it in your head.
Sonder, it is suddenly named to you. The sense that... These are all people with their own histories, relations, and life stories. The matters that loom large in your head, of your friends and family and your own personal woes, are mirrored a hundred times over in every person in this room. You see flashes of smiling faces, of people teaching children, someone building a house, a party, men hard at work only possible because someone helped them when they needed it most-
Is it possible to get a hug from a goddess? That's what it feels like, brushing across your mind.
Thank you. I know it must sting, to give to others when you have such ambitions. I think it is worth it.
You don't know how to answer the goddess. There's a tangle in your chest - a resentment at the asking of sacrifice, the demands for so much money or none at all, vague fear at the interference of the divine seeming to work against you. You recall something you once read saying that the gods don't really care, that their true desires are alien, that their churches are a translation of something unknowable into human terms and every interaction with a mortal is a bit of a lie...
That's true. I don't see things the way you do. But I experience love all the same. I love all. It pains me when anything suffers and dies.
Something twists as the goddess tries to show you something. You're vaguely aware that you're still standing in Her temple antechamber, even as this goes on-
A beautiful tree blossoming into a vast forest- Suddenly transmuted to desert, because nobody watered the lonely sapling. A sense that this is a metaphor for people - Hatred grows when people are hated, and happiness grows when they are loved, in a feedback loop - You think of the Codex Crystal's visions, shining cities full of wealthy people, miracle medicines that drive out infection and discomfort, the sense you have that farmers are wasted on farming and should be able to do other work-
You are trying to change the world for the right reasons. You see that the way things are is not acceptable, so you don't accept it. I am not shaped that way; I do the best I can with what I have, for I do not understand what you will create. Where would you be, if your father were a commoner and your mother dead? Despair and poverty are murderers of potential. ...I don't expect you to blindly follow me, to unconditionally love me. But you can pray to me if you need guidance. And I am grateful.
You feel like you're shaking. It's... True that you would not be doing anything of worth if you were a peasant farmer, rather than a noble heir. You might have gotten your own farm and parceled it out to four fields, if you somehow still had the knowledge you do now, but trying to do anything else at all would have been impossible. Can you trust Shallya? Perhaps the gods who have expressed their displeasure with you simply weren't for you, and Shallya is a better fit...
If you are so doubtful, perhaps think of it like this: Your mysterious inventions may advance my cause greatly, if they come to fruition, so I ought to ensure they do. I wish to remind you of kindness, and show kindness in return.
Wait. Why talk to you directly, instead of sending a message some other way, through the priesthood, even?
You wouldn't have believed it!
That... Is probably true. There's a ghost of a laugh and then the otherworldly feeling is gone. You stagger a bit. Your hand is clenched around something hard - you're holding a small, unremarkable stoppered vial with a bit of water in it. But the priestess is staring at it like it's a ruby the size of your fingernail.
"That is..." She takes a deep breath. "That vial is - it holds the power of my goddess within it. I am surprised to see such a gift given."
"So it's not just ordinary water...?"
"Heavens, no! Shallya is a goddess of healing and comfort and mercy. Her power is concentrated in that vial. I would imagine that anyone who drinks it would be cured of most any disease that might be afflicting them, or relieved of terrible wounds. A much more direct and powerful manifestation of power than is usual. It seems She is grateful for your assistance." The priestess smiles at you.
"I, uh, had better keep it safe, then."
"I will retrieve a padded box."
Gained Vial of Healing Water! This sort of thing is usually a scam, but Shallya herself gave it to you...
...Compared to that, teaching a mixed class of Shallyans and workmen how the heaters are to be built, and how they consume more of wood's essence than simple chimney hearths, is straightforward and unexciting. You lecture, showing notes and diagrams. You help them along with the construction of a sort of demonstration model, giving advice at each step of the path. By the end of the week you are fairly sure they'll be able to work on the design and install it in houses and temples. With more of the heaters in existence, the idea will spread and everyone's lives will be that little bit better.
It's a good feeling, thinking about vaguely-imagined peasants huddled up next to one of your heaters, less miserable in the long winter not because you helped them directly, but just because someone gave them a new idea.
You take the time to explain four-field crop rotation as well, making good use of the preparation that was wasted on your peasants. They seem to believe you, saying that it reflects some things they've heard from followers of Ernalda the Cow Mother, and it's a relief that your preparation wasn't entirely wasted. The church of Shallya does not seem to have many connections with farmers, focusing instead on larger towns and cities, but perhaps it will help the idea spread.
-Otto: Supervise work on the new iron mine in your fief to make it as productive and safe as possible. Budget: 2 Profit.
Your iron mine does not look that different, at first glance. The pit at the end of the long down-sloping ramp is bigger and wider, wide enough to fit a small peasant cottage in it, with a small hill not quite as tall as you are of displaced earth slowly building up behind a wooden bucket lift that has been placed at the back end of the mine.
"We've been going steady on getting the ore out. So far it's stayed at the surface, but we think the vein is descending soon, so it'll be easier to tunnel properly rather than keep digging pits at that point. Though it might jog back up."
Two months ago, Otto asked for permission to log the woods a bit, as support for his planned improvements to the mine. You're keenly aware that a forest, once depleted, takes quite a while to grow back. The peasants forage it for berries and firewood, too. After a brief consult with your parents, you decided that some light and occasional logging poses no real issue, even if they do like hunting in the woods, cutting down a few trees shouldn't be too harmful.
The woods near your mine may only be a few hundred acres, which is small enough that much more logging than you've already done could deplete it entirely. The other patch of forest in your lands is both further away and considerably larger, however, so your eventual plans for a logging industry can still move forward in the other forest.
At any rate, you asked Otto to take the trees from throughout, marking a few particular spots so no one particular spot of forest is thinned too much, and moved your attention to other tasks. Later, Otto asked if it was alright to focus on the future and not any immediately useful improvements to the mine - sensible enough, you thought, and approved it.
"Most of my work here has been on training, Master Bismarck. I've found a good crop of hard workers, but none of them have been miners before and it's a lot to learn. That, and I'm still figuring out how best to apply the new notions of mine architecture you've shown me. It's not the most visible of work, but I assure you we've made great strides."
He points you to where the two new log buildings sit.
"Aside from that, as you can see, we've constructed more buildings. There's a barracks with a kitchen - Even if it's only an hour's walk to the villages, that's still two hours every day that they could spend working. But with a few beds and a small kitchen, the miners are happy to sleep here most days, and morale is improved. I thought about building a bloomery onsite to produce iron directly, but well, there were quite a few issues with that idea. Perhaps later. The other building is a drying house. Er, are you familiar with the notion of wood drying, sir-"
"Passingly," you comment with a frown. "Refresh my memory, please."
"Well, large logs and timbers are good for some things when freshly cut, and good for other things when left to age and dry for a time. For most structural purposes, dry wood is better. That building is storing logs as they age, I've taken the liberty of felling a few trees from your forest and beginning the process of drying them. It's not immediately useful, but by the time you wish to extend the mine, we'll have good timber suited for building braces or whatever else needs building, right here and ready, so expansion will be cheaper and easier at that time."
You quiz him on the details of wood drying for a bit, largely confirming what you already knew about the subject, then spend a while interviewing the miners, finding them if not quite cheerful, then perfectly content. "It's hard work, but good money, milord." One comments to you. Otto has even been training a pair of supervisors to take over operations of the mine as more and more of the unassuming brown ore is drawn up from the earth.
It's not quite what you expected, but your instructions were fairly open-ended, and overall, you have to say you're satisfied with this result.
"Fine work, Otto. I may have to give you something else to do for the fall."
"Just doing my job, sir," he says, tipping his helmet.
2 Profit spent. Mine morale improves. Timbers for a mine expansion are being dried and aged.
-Hilde: Look for any information available on the rumored changes to taxes across Veschwar. The sooner you know this sort of thing the more you can prepare.
Hilde's reports over the months are not quite as interesting to you- Well, that's not quite accurate. It's interesting to learn the vague implications and other details she's managed to glean, and try to reason out what the political causes and implications are, but it just doesn't grab you the same way technical conversations do, even if it's important.
Ever so slowly, though, a picture emerges in your mind from the scattered information and Hilde's speculations on what she's been able to gather. When you meet her for a final report, you already know the general picture - but you repeat it all anyway, for thoroughness.
"So," she says, "Let's start at the beginning. I'll lay out what we know first, then figure out what the story is that makes what we know make sense, and what it means for us. First- You hear from Willow Waltmann just over a year ago, and she asks you how the small, remote village of Nesiwald would react to a tax hike. When you say they might want a town charter, she says it's not something she can do 'quickly'. I know that Mrs. Waltmann is a center of soft power in Lord Governor Burke's administration- She trades in secrets and favors. Thus we know this was in motion at least a year ago. We know we just had an expensive war - even in victory, there's a shock to trade because of it. We know that in the last six months there have been vague rumors up and down the nation of a new tax law, and that many people in the know object to it."
She leans forward. "And now for what my sources have been able to find. Five months ago, it was announced that the King would be issuing a new tax law after consultation with his closest advisors. Four months ago, Matthias Turnbow - head of the most important merchant guild - met with Queen Consort Aubrey Walder, the King's wife, and brought her some very expensive gifts. Just after that, the King announced that he was considering his new edict, he values the advice and input of his subjects, and welcomed further discussion at a session set a month later. After that session, I got an outline of the new tax policy, and a summary of the debate."
"The long and short of it is - Everyone's taxes are getting simpler. Sometimes going up, sometimes going down. For nobility, the King is not reaching into your lands except for a vaguely worded injunction against 'disrupting the free trade throughout Our Lands', you're still free to manage your lands more or less however you want. You're going to have to start paying taxes for your interests in Nesiwald, and the taxes charged to the Bismarck estate will overall increase slightly. Here are the figures."
You peer over the numbers for a bit. It's not too bad... It'll knock out roughly a quarter to a third of the profit you were earning from Nesiwald, by your estimation.
"So..." You say, "All the little special taxes and loopholes are being closed and going away. Matthias Turnbow appealed to the Queen to try to change the incoming tax law, but failed?"
"I think he succeeded, actually. The rates for the merchant houses got argued down during the debate, and that bit about free trade also benefits merchant guilds. I've also learned that your friend Mrs. Waltmann and the Lord Governor Burke are the big backers supporting this new tax change. The general idea is that corruption was becoming untenable, and we need a clean slate for the good of the kingdom as a whole. His enemies are arguing that it's pointlessly rocking the boat and going to hurt those the new tax hits hardest. I'm not sure who-all who argued with him are truly aligned and who was bought or convinced for this vote, however."
It reminds you of Genevieve, so impressed by her superior's work in tax fraud investigation. You smile. She's probably ecstatic over the new law.
"I see... When is it going into effect?"
"Autumn 1142. Just over a year from now."
"Good to know."
"Hopefully that little adventure was a suitable demonstration of my ability?"
"Yes, quite. You came with good references so I didn't really doubt you, but this just proves it. Have you been able to take hold of, er, my informants?"
"Yes. I'm also sorting through the news from your informants for anything relevant, watching out for issues - I warned you about the village that misunderstood your crop rotation idea, remember - But only a bit. I think I ought to do one of two things next. Investigate this Waller fellow up in Nesiwald for you, and put in appearances to keep him honest - you haven't been there in over a year after all, and people get ideas - or work out ways to keep your most profitable pieces of industry secret. You'll have to tell me which secrets are important and which aren't, though, it's a little confusing how you want people to have some of your ideas-"
"I'll keep that in mind and come to a decision soon," you interrupt her. "Rest assured, if I ask you to perform counterintelligence, we can discuss what is most important. Assume I'd like secrets kept if I haven't said otherwise."
"Yes sir, boss. At your service."
-Reach out to noble families who would make good political or trade connections.
-Have your cousin Byers Catalina arrange meetings with women you might like.
The matter of marriage is something that you also devoted some time to. It still seems so... Weird and alien to you. You've been doing things on your own for a while now. You were on your own growing up, dodging martial lessons and reading instead. And in the army, a noble officer not much liked by the other officers and socially above the enlisted men. And in Nesiwald... You had friends, but also the Codex Crystal, and the drive and ideas it gave you. Even now that you're home again, you've mostly just been... Doing your own thing, spending time with friends and family sometimes, but always returning to your projects.
You come to your father in his study one day, hoping some advice from him can settle the pit of dread in your stomach.
"Need something, son?"
"No, not really. Well..."
He motions for you to sit.
"What is marriage like?"
Heinrich Bismarck takes a deep breath and looks thoughtful.
"That's a hard question, son. Different people find different things, in marriage. I am quite lucky to have your mother. You might not remember, but in our earlier years we were- We did not get along as well."
"I find that hard to imagine."
"Well... Fair. But it's true. She thought I was a spineless coward, more ready to talk my way out of trouble than wield a blade. I thought she was a raging wildfire unfit to run a household. But my parents had arranged things for me, and we owed her family quite the favor already due to an intercession at court and a gift of gold to get us out of a tough spot - I nearly had my title downgraded because I could no longer maintain the men-at-arms, and it showed when the king's men came for tax time. Thank the gods we're doing better now."
He shakes his head. "What I'm trying to say is, marriage is hard work. Don't expect to get along like your mother and I right away. You might not find love in a marriage at all, just... Partnership. That's common enough for nobility like us. But even someone you don't think you'd get along with may have hidden depths, and you should try to understand what they want, how they see things, and find a middle ground that the both of you can work with. Marriage is an eternal compromise, a way to have someone you can trust. And a way to raise children. Children are the future. Though, I'm afraid I'm rather rambling on and going to give you contradictory advice..."
"That's alright. I think I've heard enough. Thanks, dad."
A partnership. A compromise. Someone to build with, to trust. And someone to parent with. You can work with that.
Pick four TOTAL from below to have further interactions with. The first set are bachelorettes that the search for noble families with potential political or trade connections produced, the second set are people suggested by your cousin Byers Catalina based on being someone smart who you can work with. You will get to meet them and learn more about them in a mini-turn. This is not a plan vote. There were hidden rolls for the marriage prospect searches. You got more details on their family for the first set and more on their personal qualities for the second set due to the nature of the searches.
[] Runa Kalenbal. The youngest daughter of the newly-raised Count of Kalenbal would tie you to a man who is absolutely rich with ransoms and booty at the moment, and who has an excellent reputation for glory and power. A potent ally, but possibly a distant one and certainly one you don't know anything about personally. Runa is apparently an architect, which is intriguing.
[] Nathalie Franzen. One of the Count of Franzen's granddaughters- A different one than the pious girl you didn't really get along with. You've already met the Count and know his (claimed) aims lie in improving the power of the nobility in general. He has a good reputation and a location deep in the center of Veschwar. You think the family would expect you to help with their political schemes, but that's a small price for a reliable ally. Nathalie plays the harp, apparently.
[] Piper Gerri. While Franz Gerri, the heir presumptive to the name, somehow infuriates you with his very presence, they are your immediate neighbors to the south and a marriage would secure an alliance. There are all sorts of ways close-by allied houses can help each other where distant ones cannot. Your wife could handle all the diplomacy with the family, hopefully. She is said to be quite attractive.
[] Anastriana Whitehall, second child of a Baroness. Byers' Notes: She simply adores the old Duke of Destruction's books, so she's actually already heard of you - lucky for you! Something to talk about! She likes fighting rather more than you do, but I don't think that's a problem. Perhaps the opposite really - A bit like your mother. But in a good way, not an awkward one.
[] Lucille Fairsol, the second-youngest child of a Viscount. Byers' Notes: This one would be good for you, I think. She's such a sweetheart, all her friends and servants adore her. I think she'd do a wonderful job of keeping you and yours working at their best. She follows Shallya as well, and with your recent inspiration to their cause that's a great foundation for better things!
[] Estrella Burke, a distant relation to Lord Governor Burke. Byers' Notes: I hope you can ignore the inconvenient relation. Rest assured, she is second cousin to the Lord Governor and not particularly aligned to him. But Este has a certain drive to her that reminds me of you and is always talking about economics things I don't understand but you'd probably love.
[] Nivri Stronrinaid, a Knight in her own right, second of her line, childless and unmarried. Byers' Notes: She has a mind as sharp as yours for mathematics and the like, I'd wager - too bad she keeps running into the most terrible prejudice, being foreign. Yes, yes, she's a bit older and not the most friendly sort, but I think she'd be fascinated by your weird windmill, so that's a starting point.
For each roll you spend on these outlines, you will roll 1d100 and add your Learning score plus any bonuses that apply.
Rolling a natural 100 gives you an extra roll that adds your Learning score again and adds to the total.
Rolling a natural 1 always results in some sort of disaster or major setback. Dangerous outlines can cause disaster on a wider range of low rolls.
Every 15 on the final result earns you 1 Success towards that Outline.
Any overflow will not be wasted, it will be assigned to a random Outline in your hand.
Outlines you do not choose have a 50% chance to 'discard' and disappear each turn (minimum 1 discard) per turn.
If you stop researching something you have partial progress on and it 'discards', you keep all your progress whenever it turns up again.
[Rare] Outlines have a reduced chance to be drawn compared to regular outlines (about 1/4 as likely).
You can select TWO Codex rolls for free, and optionally two extra for a total of up to FOUR Codex rolls. However, you can only select up to two different topics, and each extra Codex roll chosen beyond the first two will cost you one action slot next turn. For example, you could put three rolls into Niter Chemistry and one into Prototype Steam Engine, but that would leave you with just four free actions on the following turn.
Please make a plan vote for how to distribute your Codex actions. Tag it as [Codex], for example:
[ ][Codex] Plan name
-[ ] Item 1
-[ ] Item 2
Clay Bricks and Cement [0/10]
The Codex has recently shown you an interesting way to make sturdy, partially-hollow blocks out of clay and lay them together with a binding substance called 'cement' - which would be useful in its own right. The resulting bricks look like they can be used basically like stone, but would be much cheaper and less unwieldy than actual quarried stone, and you can even mass-produce them with molds and specialized kilns.
Soil Science (Theory) [0/??]
Niter as fertilizer is only the first step for many more improvements you could to the farmland in your domain. Begin learning the complex reality of the soil - it's clear that the Codex knows enough about soil to keep you busy for years. Fertility and chemistry and watering and erosion and stranger ideas still. Actually knowing and understanding the nature of dirt is not immediately practical, but probably long-term useful.
Seed Drill and Reaping Machine [0/15]
Two complicated-looking machines that promise to make the hard work of farming somewhat easier. The seed drill digs holes and plants seeds at a specified distance from each other just by being pushed along, and the reaping machine quickly cuts down stalks of grain as the machine is pushed along. Both of them work by linking the motion of the wheel to the motion of tools. You'll need a good blacksmith on board to make these.
Beekeeping [0/6]
The old ideas for specialized hives to attract bees has returned, as well as methods to extract the honey without hurting the bees too much or letting them sting. They would be relatively simple to perfect and construct, which could make beekeeping a nice side project, and honey would be a luxury good you could sell for a high price on par with your little Vodka distillery.
Bessemer Process [0/??25+??] [Rare]
You'll call it something else, of course. This 'Bessemer' is apparently the one who invented a way to mass-produce steel. Steel - Iron treated just so that it becomes harder and more durable than almost any other metal in the world. A way to produce large amounts of steel is the key to all manner of things. Your first attempt will be crude, but this research is clearly of very high importance - not to mention likely to be extremely profitable.
Vote on two things. Marriage prospects you would like to consider more seriously (not plan), and Codex Outlines (plan).
[X] Anastriana Whitehall
, second child of a Baroness. Byers' Notes: She simply adores the old Duke of Destruction's books, so she's actually already heard of you - lucky for you! Something to talk about! She likes fighting rather more than you do, but I don't think that's a problem. Perhaps the opposite really - A bit like your mother. But in a good way, not an awkward one.
[X] Estrella Burke
, a distant relation to Lord Governor Burke. Byers' Notes: I hope you can ignore the inconvenient relation. Rest assured, she is second cousin to the Lord Governor and not particularly aligned to him. But Mary has a certain drive to her that reminds me of you and is always talking about economics things I don't understand but you'd probably love.
[X] Nivri Stronrinaid
, a Knight in her own right, second of her line, childless and unmarried. Byers' Notes: She has a mind as sharp as yours for mathematics and the like, I'd wager - too bad she keeps running into the most terrible prejudice, being foreign. Yes, yes, she's a bit older and not the most friendly sort, but I think she'd be fascinated by your weird windmill, so that's a starting point.
[X] Runa Kalenbal
The youngest daughter of the newly-raised Count of Kalenbal would tie you to a man who is absolutely rich with ransoms and booty at the moment, and who has an excellent reputation for glory and power. A potent ally, but possibly a distant one and certainly one you don't know anything about personally. Runa is apparently an architect, which is intriguing.
The basis for my choices is essentially that I just want someone to get along with, more than even someone useful. Runa is useful, certainly, but more importantly, her being an architect seems promising.
[X][Codex] Short Term and Long Haul
-[X] Bessemer Process
-[X] Beekeeping
Agree with bee keeping, opening up Honey sales plus Mead production. Bessemer likewise is something we want to work towards.
For marriage candidates, Runa has money connections and is an architect so that might aid or open up possibilities. Piper is a neighbor and having an alliance next door is always useful. Plus joint industry and such. Lucille for the Shallaya and apparent good diplomacy. Estrella for someone looking at economics.
Also very good roll on the distillery for us. That is nice and helps for next turn as we still have expenses to pay (8+action costs)
