Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Oh lord. I fear for things to come... ah who am I kidding, LET THERE BE BLOOD!
La Chanson de la Victoire (The Song of Victory): La Petite Arpenteuse (Non, SV, you are a General of France in the Napoleonic War!)
- Thread starter Plausbius
- Start date
- Mature Alt. History
- Location
- The Colored Room
- Pronouns
- TheOne
Grazie, signor.
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Thoughts of the Common Soldier (SzechuanSauce)
- Location
- Somewhere
I got one, hope you guys like it.
Thoughts of the Common Soldier
It was near midnight in the camp of the Army of the Vendee, and common sense would indicate that it was a good time to sleep, yet overwhelming joy and pride at their glorious victory has overtaken any sense of sleep in the army. Men were cheering, drinking, making merry and dancing for all to see, it was a joyous occasion and they were not ashamed to show their joy.
Near a campfire, you would find your soldiers, the brave men who made this victory, who made this outpouring of joy possible for all to enjoy, they basked and celebrated in it.
Many children would be conceived that day, some taken care of better than others.
"For the republic boys, for the republic!" A soldier near the fire cheered, joy in his face, and a drink in his hand, as happy as could be.
"FOR THE REPUBLIC!!" The soldiers around him cheered, obviously sharing in the jubilance.
"What do they fight for boys?" The joyful soldier shouted, "They fight for a king, they risk their life for one spoiled noble! Clearly, what they lacked in ability, they didn't make up for it in intelligence!" The soldiers around him laughed,remembering how easily the Royalists broke.
"What do we fight for!? We fight for the republic! For freedom! For France! Viva la France!"
"VIVA LA FRANCE!!"
The joy and jubilance spread like the plague, infecting most of the soldiery, yet there were a few outliers in the joy.
Immune from the joy was one Henri Leblanc, a blonde soldier with a plain face sat quietly at the side of the fire, no trace of joy on his young face.
"What's wrong Henri?" A friend of his asked him, noticing he was not in happiness like everyone was, "Chin up, mon ami, this is a time of joy!"
"Perhaps for you." Was his sullen response, "I for one did not take joy in shooting my people."
"Oh, don't be too worried about that, if memory serves correctly, most of them ran, so you shot very few of our people, if that is any consolation."
"Not particularly, but still." Henri held his face with his left hand, obviously in a contemplative mood, "Why are we doing all this? Why am I obliged to shoot my own people?"
"Didn't you hear our loud, drunken friend over there?" He pointed to the previously yelling soldier, who was, as described, still yelling and still very drunk, "We fight for freedom, we fight for the republic."
"And why would I fight for any of those?" Henri asked pointedly, obviously not taken in with the lofty ideals of the revolution, "The republic hasn't done anything for me, and I've never known freedom to lower the price of bread, nor offer me shelter."
"As far as I can tell, it's only more of the same." He continued bitterly, "Once, we were told to fight for god and king, now we're being told to fight for freedom and the republic."
His friend didn't know how to respond to that, not expecting him to be so bitter, "We're fighting for something bigger than ourselves." He offered as an explanation.
"And you think that god and king isn't bigger than either of us?" He countered, "Every soldier in this damnable war is fighting for something big, for king, for the republic, for order, its all the same."
Henri then stood up, obviously tired of arguing over this and in need of rest, "I'm telling you, Jean." He said as he doused the fire with water, signifying the night was over for him, "Don't be so loyal to ideals, they don't feed you, nor do they offer you anything worthwhile."
"Perhaps you can be loyal to General Bonaparte?" He offered as a final comment for the night, "He's given us victory, drink and glory, certainly did more for us than the king ever did, or what the republic is currently providing."
Thoughts of the Common Soldier
It was near midnight in the camp of the Army of the Vendee, and common sense would indicate that it was a good time to sleep, yet overwhelming joy and pride at their glorious victory has overtaken any sense of sleep in the army. Men were cheering, drinking, making merry and dancing for all to see, it was a joyous occasion and they were not ashamed to show their joy.
Near a campfire, you would find your soldiers, the brave men who made this victory, who made this outpouring of joy possible for all to enjoy, they basked and celebrated in it.
Many children would be conceived that day, some taken care of better than others.
"For the republic boys, for the republic!" A soldier near the fire cheered, joy in his face, and a drink in his hand, as happy as could be.
"FOR THE REPUBLIC!!" The soldiers around him cheered, obviously sharing in the jubilance.
"What do they fight for boys?" The joyful soldier shouted, "They fight for a king, they risk their life for one spoiled noble! Clearly, what they lacked in ability, they didn't make up for it in intelligence!" The soldiers around him laughed,remembering how easily the Royalists broke.
"What do we fight for!? We fight for the republic! For freedom! For France! Viva la France!"
"VIVA LA FRANCE!!"
The joy and jubilance spread like the plague, infecting most of the soldiery, yet there were a few outliers in the joy.
Immune from the joy was one Henri Leblanc, a blonde soldier with a plain face sat quietly at the side of the fire, no trace of joy on his young face.
"What's wrong Henri?" A friend of his asked him, noticing he was not in happiness like everyone was, "Chin up, mon ami, this is a time of joy!"
"Perhaps for you." Was his sullen response, "I for one did not take joy in shooting my people."
"Oh, don't be too worried about that, if memory serves correctly, most of them ran, so you shot very few of our people, if that is any consolation."
"Not particularly, but still." Henri held his face with his left hand, obviously in a contemplative mood, "Why are we doing all this? Why am I obliged to shoot my own people?"
"Didn't you hear our loud, drunken friend over there?" He pointed to the previously yelling soldier, who was, as described, still yelling and still very drunk, "We fight for freedom, we fight for the republic."
"And why would I fight for any of those?" Henri asked pointedly, obviously not taken in with the lofty ideals of the revolution, "The republic hasn't done anything for me, and I've never known freedom to lower the price of bread, nor offer me shelter."
"As far as I can tell, it's only more of the same." He continued bitterly, "Once, we were told to fight for god and king, now we're being told to fight for freedom and the republic."
His friend didn't know how to respond to that, not expecting him to be so bitter, "We're fighting for something bigger than ourselves." He offered as an explanation.
"And you think that god and king isn't bigger than either of us?" He countered, "Every soldier in this damnable war is fighting for something big, for king, for the republic, for order, its all the same."
Henri then stood up, obviously tired of arguing over this and in need of rest, "I'm telling you, Jean." He said as he doused the fire with water, signifying the night was over for him, "Don't be so loyal to ideals, they don't feed you, nor do they offer you anything worthwhile."
"Perhaps you can be loyal to General Bonaparte?" He offered as a final comment for the night, "He's given us victory, drink and glory, certainly did more for us than the king ever did, or what the republic is currently providing."
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- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
Well, technically, it would be in 9 months, so I'll have to deduct some points, Mr. Sauce.
+15, I'm feeling generous.
- Location
- Somewhere
Feeling bored, so I'd like to send Therese through the Strong Female Character ringer, courtesy of Jo Writes Stuff, check it out, pretty thorough. Though, maybe Strong Female Character is a bit of misnomer, I'm thinking Well-Written Female Character is more accurate.
Therese shaping her own destiny and trying to change her situation is actually a pretty big part of her character, it was basically her Establishing Character Moment. We meet her when she's on trial for doing just that, taking charge at Valmy when the commanders got knocked out, over the protest of her older brother, she rose to the occasion and saved the day.
So, on this one, she definitely gets the pass, 1 point for her.
SCORE SO FAR: 1
This one is a lot harder to pin down. She started out as a very dedicated republican, and was definitely supportive of the revolution, but besides that, she doesn't have that many hobbies. Most we see her doing in her free time is spending time with her older brother and the two Capet kids, though she does spend a lot of time reading, but that's more of her attempting to get better at her job than her being actually bookish.
Essentially, a lot of what she does, and her habits are most definitely defined by her times, she is a dedicated republican during the age of one of the most radical social changes in history, a lot of the people she hangs out with are very much connected to the wars of the Coalition, so we can say that her environment shaped her as much as she shaped herself. So, I'll give her .5 on this.
SCORE SO FAR: 1.5
All in all with characters, especially in quests, Therese is pretty consistent. The first part of the story established her character and abilities pretty quickly, an expert defensive general, and is described alongside her brother as being geniuses, yet the plot never makes her into a female Napoleon or Suvorov, someone who is a genius at attacking. She is still a dedicated republican, not being some sort of secret monarchist, yet showing disgust at the Republic's actions. So, on this end, I'd give it a 1.
SCORE SO FAR: 2.5
A brilliant young woman determined to see her people through a world at conflict, alongside protecting those who she cares about.
SCORE SO FAR: 3.5
This is a really easy one to answer, no, her love life does not affect any of her decisions. She has a growing interest in a young Napoleon, but that's always in the back of her head, never being that important. In fact, when Napoleon sent her a letter when he finished quelling the Vendee region, she was the one who reminded him they have important jobs to do, not the other way around. In this, we can give her a solid point, love does not distract her from her duties.
SCORE SO FAR: 4.5
Therese does develop through the course of the story, but its mostly been in a rather gradual manner. She is slowly becoming more experienced in warfare and the like, while also feeling a bit disillusioned with the republic, after seeing how they let the Capet children suffer, a good development as she doesn't see the republic through rose colored glasses. She's also learning how to speak in public, with all those books she read, plus advice from the kids and interactions with Murat will certainly help. So, that's a point for her.
SCORE SO FAR: 5.5
She has her weaknesses, yet is very much aware of them. She is a very inexperienced general, so she relies a lot on the advice of elders to guide her through some of the unknown parts of command. She can be very rash, resulting in her getting a major injury, leaving her bed ridden during a siege. These are noticeable weaknesses, and they do impact the story, but she hasn't shown much on the emotional side, her rant against the Jacobins did not get addressed, and she didn't seem particularly affected by it, so that's half a point for her.
SCORE SO FAR: 6
In this story, she definitely influences the plot without the need of her getting captured or killed, in fact, some of the major plot points happened because of her. It was her actions in Valmy that gave France enough guts to proclaim the Republic, and to chop off the king's head, she is directly responsible for some of the republic's major victories, and her indirectly saving the life of Jean-Paul Marat did set in motion the terror, which she had no intention of, so her actions do influence the plot. A solid one on this one.
SCORE SO FAR: 7
In this story, she doesn't really relate to the stereotypes about women, she is very much her own person, the setting and the people around her are a hundred times more of an influence on her than her gender. Though this is slightly disappointing, seeing as the French Revolution was all about breaking old social norms, yet they still did not give women full equality, it would have been interesting to see her grapple with the sexism in story within France and outside of it, though it can be excused in that sexism is somewhat handwaved in order to keep someone as young, and as much of a woman as her as a general in the field. So that's a 1 for her
SCORE SO FAR: 8
Unfortunately, while Therese seems to be a trailblazer in women's rights in the story, she doesn't have that many interactions with women in the story. One of the most noticeable in the story is her relationship with Charlotte Capet, and that is more of a older to younger sister, her interaction with a feminist group during her time in Paris was brief, she gave a small speech and she left, though her endorsement did give them legitimacy. In this story, she mostly interacts with males, and unfortunately, her time and relationships with women are not all that fleshed out, so I'd give her .5 points on this one.
Sufficient Velocity is a pretty young site, yet it seems to be pretty infatuated with the bold young women striking out into the world, the tale of Therese Auclair is no different. She is her own person in the story, not being defined by one thing, yet, she herself could use some fleshing out, perhaps exploring her private life when not in her job, and having more interactions with females could help out, but overall, she is written well enough that she passes the test.
FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10
- Does the character shape her own destiny? Does she actively try to change her situation and if not, why not?
Therese shaping her own destiny and trying to change her situation is actually a pretty big part of her character, it was basically her Establishing Character Moment. We meet her when she's on trial for doing just that, taking charge at Valmy when the commanders got knocked out, over the protest of her older brother, she rose to the occasion and saved the day.
So, on this one, she definitely gets the pass, 1 point for her.
SCORE SO FAR: 1
- Does she have her own goals, beliefs and hobbies? Did she come up with them on her own?
This one is a lot harder to pin down. She started out as a very dedicated republican, and was definitely supportive of the revolution, but besides that, she doesn't have that many hobbies. Most we see her doing in her free time is spending time with her older brother and the two Capet kids, though she does spend a lot of time reading, but that's more of her attempting to get better at her job than her being actually bookish.
Essentially, a lot of what she does, and her habits are most definitely defined by her times, she is a dedicated republican during the age of one of the most radical social changes in history, a lot of the people she hangs out with are very much connected to the wars of the Coalition, so we can say that her environment shaped her as much as she shaped herself. So, I'll give her .5 on this.
SCORE SO FAR: 1.5
- Is her character consistent? Do her personality or skills change as the plot demands?
All in all with characters, especially in quests, Therese is pretty consistent. The first part of the story established her character and abilities pretty quickly, an expert defensive general, and is described alongside her brother as being geniuses, yet the plot never makes her into a female Napoleon or Suvorov, someone who is a genius at attacking. She is still a dedicated republican, not being some sort of secret monarchist, yet showing disgust at the Republic's actions. So, on this end, I'd give it a 1.
SCORE SO FAR: 2.5
- Can you describe her in one short sentence without mentioning her love life, her physical appearance, or the words 'strong female character'?
A brilliant young woman determined to see her people through a world at conflict, alongside protecting those who she cares about.
SCORE SO FAR: 3.5
- Does she make decisions that aren't influenced by her love life?
This is a really easy one to answer, no, her love life does not affect any of her decisions. She has a growing interest in a young Napoleon, but that's always in the back of her head, never being that important. In fact, when Napoleon sent her a letter when he finished quelling the Vendee region, she was the one who reminded him they have important jobs to do, not the other way around. In this, we can give her a solid point, love does not distract her from her duties.
SCORE SO FAR: 4.5
- Does she develop over the course of the story?
Therese does develop through the course of the story, but its mostly been in a rather gradual manner. She is slowly becoming more experienced in warfare and the like, while also feeling a bit disillusioned with the republic, after seeing how they let the Capet children suffer, a good development as she doesn't see the republic through rose colored glasses. She's also learning how to speak in public, with all those books she read, plus advice from the kids and interactions with Murat will certainly help. So, that's a point for her.
SCORE SO FAR: 5.5
- Does she have a weakness?
She has her weaknesses, yet is very much aware of them. She is a very inexperienced general, so she relies a lot on the advice of elders to guide her through some of the unknown parts of command. She can be very rash, resulting in her getting a major injury, leaving her bed ridden during a siege. These are noticeable weaknesses, and they do impact the story, but she hasn't shown much on the emotional side, her rant against the Jacobins did not get addressed, and she didn't seem particularly affected by it, so that's half a point for her.
SCORE SO FAR: 6
- Does she influence the plot (without getting captured or killed)?
In this story, she definitely influences the plot without the need of her getting captured or killed, in fact, some of the major plot points happened because of her. It was her actions in Valmy that gave France enough guts to proclaim the Republic, and to chop off the king's head, she is directly responsible for some of the republic's major victories, and her indirectly saving the life of Jean-Paul Marat did set in motion the terror, which she had no intention of, so her actions do influence the plot. A solid one on this one.
SCORE SO FAR: 7
- How does she relate to stereotypes about gender?
In this story, she doesn't really relate to the stereotypes about women, she is very much her own person, the setting and the people around her are a hundred times more of an influence on her than her gender. Though this is slightly disappointing, seeing as the French Revolution was all about breaking old social norms, yet they still did not give women full equality, it would have been interesting to see her grapple with the sexism in story within France and outside of it, though it can be excused in that sexism is somewhat handwaved in order to keep someone as young, and as much of a woman as her as a general in the field. So that's a 1 for her
SCORE SO FAR: 8
- How does she relate to other female characters?
Unfortunately, while Therese seems to be a trailblazer in women's rights in the story, she doesn't have that many interactions with women in the story. One of the most noticeable in the story is her relationship with Charlotte Capet, and that is more of a older to younger sister, her interaction with a feminist group during her time in Paris was brief, she gave a small speech and she left, though her endorsement did give them legitimacy. In this story, she mostly interacts with males, and unfortunately, her time and relationships with women are not all that fleshed out, so I'd give her .5 points on this one.
Sufficient Velocity is a pretty young site, yet it seems to be pretty infatuated with the bold young women striking out into the world, the tale of Therese Auclair is no different. She is her own person in the story, not being defined by one thing, yet, she herself could use some fleshing out, perhaps exploring her private life when not in her job, and having more interactions with females could help out, but overall, she is written well enough that she passes the test.
FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10
- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
Same. There's this QM who hasn't been updating in a while. Wonder if he's still alive?
Not much time for hobbies on the warpath; she likely picked up this habit from her brother, unfortunately. Maybe since she's less able to move around right now, she'll do something other than being busy around the camp?
Maybe? Does a soft underbelly vulnerable to gunfire count?
But yeah, emotional vulnerability is something yet to be explored, mainly due to it being relatively early both in her life as well as the entire quest itself. We'll cross that bridge when we burn it.
yet. I can assure you that it was too early to have her head lopped off due to an insult, and it made for good gossip about her within certain circles...
Pray I do not handwave it further.
Yeah I couldn't really find a plausible (hah) way to do this through historical texts, there being no records of female commanders in this time as far as I could find. I do have some ideas of not handwaving it, however.
Likely doesn't, considering her early life and staying mainly around he house since Brian raised her, basically. She should get more interactions with the other lasses, though, yes? I'll keep that in mind.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Donating blood, writing the updates and working out. Don't worry about me I'm fine!Same. There's this QM who hasn't been updating in a while. Wonder if he's still alive?
Yeah as much as we tried to find a way to make it realistic for the time period, we couldn't so we took artistic license.
- Location
- The Colored Room
- Pronouns
- TheOne
This is from the Marat chapter right?
I think the most implausible part of Therese's situation is that she's a general. If she were slightly lower ranked, I think it'd be a much easier sell. With the Valmy situation as a justification.
EDIT: I wrote this before going to class. So I just want to add, I like the handwave in this situation. It has made for a very interesting setting.
There's enough going on as it is without having to fight tooth and nail for basic legitimacy.
It would also be pretty exhausting on Plaus or Magoose to keep the misogyny to a realistic level. Staying in that mode of thinking would probably wear me out, personally.
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- Location
- Cambridge, UK
Iron tablet with B12 and Foliates would help.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Already did that.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
There was just the thing on SV involving the rules. Yes we wanted to really show some very dark territory.
Hell the first draft for Haiti rumor mill on the first turn was basically a stomping of the slave uprisings and the brutal crackdown that would follow.
Until we talked about it and realized that everything written so far at that point, save for Louis death, was a rather glass half full style of idealism in this world, that a world where liberty, equality and fraternity could exist.
So we went for a more idealistic approach on certain matters and never looked back.
A Very Merry Christmas (Magoose)
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
A Very Merry Christmas:
The feast was a quiet affair after a very quiet mass. You had not left the camp, staying instead with the recruits to partake in the mass of Christmas eve. The officers, particularly Severin himself, led the mass in perfect Latin, despite the priests asking him to stop. The few Protestants within the army chanted away biblical passages in French during many moments of long prayers, but the mass itself was a peaceful affair.
You had forbidden any theological discussion, besides prayers and the reading of the holy bible, for those that were literarily inclined, to prevent any sort of unrest or mutiny, just to be safe.
The local clergy, both catholic and protestant, were in attendance and offered their services to any soldier that needed it.
And many needed it, after the long months of training and drilling and the worries about the future.
You had been tired, and trying to keep the army in order so that things would go smoothly. But you had feared there would be violence between the two separate branches.
Until Sevrin started to sing a song that reminded you of home.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
O Christ, whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
You come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will your cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
Shall we your Godhead see.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away
While Sevrin's singing could have been improved upon… the army had joined him in peace and sang carols for the rest of the day and into the night.
And on the day of noble grace, with snowfall in the very ways, the men cried out with a glorious cheer.
"Merry Christmas brothers!" Were all that could be heard.
The feast was a quiet affair after a very quiet mass. You had not left the camp, staying instead with the recruits to partake in the mass of Christmas eve. The officers, particularly Severin himself, led the mass in perfect Latin, despite the priests asking him to stop. The few Protestants within the army chanted away biblical passages in French during many moments of long prayers, but the mass itself was a peaceful affair.
You had forbidden any theological discussion, besides prayers and the reading of the holy bible, for those that were literarily inclined, to prevent any sort of unrest or mutiny, just to be safe.
The local clergy, both catholic and protestant, were in attendance and offered their services to any soldier that needed it.
And many needed it, after the long months of training and drilling and the worries about the future.
You had been tired, and trying to keep the army in order so that things would go smoothly. But you had feared there would be violence between the two separate branches.
Until Sevrin started to sing a song that reminded you of home.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
O Christ, whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
You come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will your cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
Shall we your Godhead see.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away
While Sevrin's singing could have been improved upon… the army had joined him in peace and sang carols for the rest of the day and into the night.
And on the day of noble grace, with snowfall in the very ways, the men cried out with a glorious cheer.
"Merry Christmas brothers!" Were all that could be heard.
- Location
- Hawaii
Nice! Is this some future Christmas, or the one that passed before Therese joined the Army of the Rhine?
Who Wrote This?! (SzechuanSauce)
- Location
- Somewhere
Alright, let me try and get an omake out, hope you guys like it.
Who Wrote This?!
"As he gave another powerful thrust into his beloved, he looked down at her and saw, to his immense arousal, the Queen of Arendelle's beautiful face forming an expression that can only come from the highest of pleasures. At that sight, he finally released his-"
"Frans, I've heard enough, you can stop reading it now."
Frans was never more glad to hear anything in his entire life, perhaps now he wouldn't feel like fainting from the utter embarassment of reading the book to him.
When he had told Brian of it, he had never expected him to have such a piqued interest in it, though that was perhaps something he should have, what with Brian's reputation as having read more books than most scholars have. What he never would have expected was Brian asking him to read of the book directly to him, which led to the current situation of Frans, somehow simultaneously growing more pale, and more red at being forced to read through a very descriptive love scene.
For Brian, he just looked thoroughly annoyed at the situation, one eye twitching at the descriptions of him engaging in various sexual acts.
He then placed his hands on his temple, "Truly, I should have read the novel myself to spare you the torture of doing it." He said as he continued to massage his forehead, "Though perhaps the description should have given the both of us a fair warning on its contents."
Frans would agree with that, the description of "A powerful love story between the scruffian soldier from France and the beautiful Snow Queen of Arendelle." probably should have tipped him of about what the book would be like, alongside the book being marked for adults, they felt rather stupid at not realizing those implications.
"S-s-so" Frans stuttered out after a period of awkward silence, "What are you going to do about this? Would you like to ban it, perhaps?" He questioned him, "You are well within your rights to do so."
"No" Brian responded immediately, the implication being that he did not even think for a second of banning this rather steamy story that actively involved him, "I am not so sensitive that I would ban books involving me, and besides." He said to Frans, "It will make me seem a tyrant, I cannot ban every book that offends me, it'll seem like the act of a power drunk megalomaniac, and the ban wouldn't work, somehow, people will somehow find a way to smuggle this book in to read."
The way he spoke of that statement made it seem like he had absolute certainty on the subject, and Frans realized that him speaking in such a tone that he was merely speaking from experience.
After this realization, he spoke to Brian, who still had a contemplative and rather annoyed expression on him, "Well good, you are showing that you're not like the old regime, banning books that displease them, and all that nonsense, good on you for that."
Brian just responded to that with a wave of his hand, still looking quite annoyed at this whole thing, "Yes, well, that doesn't mean I have to actually like it, but still." He was now looking more contemplative than he was annoyed, "Who wrote this book? The novel itself doesn't state the author."
Frans was wondering that too, from the descriptions and detail of the novel, it was clearly written by someone who had quite a bit of knowledge into daily life of the Royal Family, but who could it be? Was it perhaps one of the helpers inside the castle?
Meanwhile, in Arendelle Castle
"And so, after resting for a brief moment, Brian felt Elsa's hand grasp his-"
"Anna" Kristoff interrupted his wife's reading, still rather weirded out by the revelation "Why would you write this?"
Anna herself just sported a mischevious grin at that line of questioning, "Oh, come on Kristoff." She spoke impishly, "People are always saying I should take up a hobby."
"Yeah, but does your hobby have to involve describing the sex lives of your sister and brother in law?"
"Hey, its their fault!" She defended herself, "They're always so noisy, this is just payback!"
Who Wrote This?!
"As he gave another powerful thrust into his beloved, he looked down at her and saw, to his immense arousal, the Queen of Arendelle's beautiful face forming an expression that can only come from the highest of pleasures. At that sight, he finally released his-"
"Frans, I've heard enough, you can stop reading it now."
Frans was never more glad to hear anything in his entire life, perhaps now he wouldn't feel like fainting from the utter embarassment of reading the book to him.
When he had told Brian of it, he had never expected him to have such a piqued interest in it, though that was perhaps something he should have, what with Brian's reputation as having read more books than most scholars have. What he never would have expected was Brian asking him to read of the book directly to him, which led to the current situation of Frans, somehow simultaneously growing more pale, and more red at being forced to read through a very descriptive love scene.
For Brian, he just looked thoroughly annoyed at the situation, one eye twitching at the descriptions of him engaging in various sexual acts.
He then placed his hands on his temple, "Truly, I should have read the novel myself to spare you the torture of doing it." He said as he continued to massage his forehead, "Though perhaps the description should have given the both of us a fair warning on its contents."
Frans would agree with that, the description of "A powerful love story between the scruffian soldier from France and the beautiful Snow Queen of Arendelle." probably should have tipped him of about what the book would be like, alongside the book being marked for adults, they felt rather stupid at not realizing those implications.
"S-s-so" Frans stuttered out after a period of awkward silence, "What are you going to do about this? Would you like to ban it, perhaps?" He questioned him, "You are well within your rights to do so."
"No" Brian responded immediately, the implication being that he did not even think for a second of banning this rather steamy story that actively involved him, "I am not so sensitive that I would ban books involving me, and besides." He said to Frans, "It will make me seem a tyrant, I cannot ban every book that offends me, it'll seem like the act of a power drunk megalomaniac, and the ban wouldn't work, somehow, people will somehow find a way to smuggle this book in to read."
The way he spoke of that statement made it seem like he had absolute certainty on the subject, and Frans realized that him speaking in such a tone that he was merely speaking from experience.
After this realization, he spoke to Brian, who still had a contemplative and rather annoyed expression on him, "Well good, you are showing that you're not like the old regime, banning books that displease them, and all that nonsense, good on you for that."
Brian just responded to that with a wave of his hand, still looking quite annoyed at this whole thing, "Yes, well, that doesn't mean I have to actually like it, but still." He was now looking more contemplative than he was annoyed, "Who wrote this book? The novel itself doesn't state the author."
Frans was wondering that too, from the descriptions and detail of the novel, it was clearly written by someone who had quite a bit of knowledge into daily life of the Royal Family, but who could it be? Was it perhaps one of the helpers inside the castle?
Meanwhile, in Arendelle Castle
"And so, after resting for a brief moment, Brian felt Elsa's hand grasp his-"
"Anna" Kristoff interrupted his wife's reading, still rather weirded out by the revelation "Why would you write this?"
Anna herself just sported a mischevious grin at that line of questioning, "Oh, come on Kristoff." She spoke impishly, "People are always saying I should take up a hobby."
"Yeah, but does your hobby have to involve describing the sex lives of your sister and brother in law?"
"Hey, its their fault!" She defended herself, "They're always so noisy, this is just payback!"
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Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
This Christmas that we have, before the actions you chose happened
- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
You. You have only yourself to blame.
+10.
5.2 - Warmth in Knowing; Chaleur de Savoir
- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
[] Plan The Eager and The Children
-[] Louis and Charlotte: The tworoyal children under your care. They are calmer following your promise with them, but more time spent with them could help.
-[] Severin: Your religious Swedish officer. He looks eager to find some action, with the Battle of Amiens not involving his expertise as much as he would like.
-[] Gentle
-[] Louis and Charlotte: The two
-[] Severin: Your religious Swedish officer. He looks eager to find some action, with the Battle of Amiens not involving his expertise as much as he would like.
-[] Gentle
8 Octobre, 1793
The two children were doing leisure activities when you walked in on them. Well, as leisurely as the warpath afforded them. Louis is practicing on a dummy with his practice blade, hammering away at the straw approximation of a large potato to alleviate his frustration. Charlotte sits upon the only stool, reading a book. A rather new book, upon squinting a bit at the cover which Charlotte kindly tilts towards you when she notices your presence. Some dime novel pamphlet based on a newspaper article from across the Channel. You normally would be suspicious about something written in that dastardly English language, but logic won out at the fact that British propaganda wouldn't be able to enter the camp, much less be spread around France.
"What's that about, ma cherie?" You ask Charlotte softly, not wanting to disturb her concentration too much.
She eagerly gets distracted by you, and hands over the booklet. "See for yourself! You'll like it, surely!"
Taking the collection of papers and shuffling them in your hands, you find out that the contents are all written in french, being a collection of stories or notes from various authors. Settling down at a nearby bench next to the dummy as Louis continues his hacking, you start reading.
It's...
"... flattering..." You notice Louis has stopped his training while you flip through the stories within. Charlotte has already relocated to your side. The two seem to be performing a cuddly encirclement on you, but you're busy being enraptured and slightly embarrassed at the writing.
Apparently, your meteoric rise in the army has caught the imaginations of authors, poets, and dreamers alike. They likely hail from France, Britain, and even from beyond the Alps - as far as Russia, judging by the names of the authors.
The shared protagonist, known simply as "Thérèse" was a towering figure. Depending on who was writing the story, she was either a striking amazonian beauty who wished to free France from the tyranny of the Ancien Régime, bringing about enlightened liberty for the rest of Europe to enjoy , or a strict, emotionless woman out to crush the enemies of France with an iron hand.
You lean as far back as the seat would allow, shielding your face from the exposed sun with the booklet. "Surely, this is someone else; I'm not that tall..."
She is not only a valiant warrior and daring commander, but a scholar, a master of terrain and engineering genius.
No, it's definitely you.
Obviously, those writers were French or Algerian, people who wished to see you succeed in your battles because it brought honor and glory to the republic.
You sigh, turning the papers over, unveiling a few clippings from various sources in the booklet. "What's this… Anglais?"
Reading further, you discover some clippings and notes from various authors in other nations, namely Britain. Even the royalists who viewed you in an antagonistic light spoke and wrote of you relatively kindly, their words not about a traitor to the French crown, but of a woman who rose to her nation's need, misled by words of hate and vitriol of the "rebel" government. It painted you as a puppet of the state, one obeying orders not because you believed them to be right, but because they were orders to follow. It could have been a lot worse, but nothing beyond describing your "feminine nature" driving your decisions, and other various morsels of garbage rhetoric.
What comforted you was the fact that many writers may have known about your guardianship of the former royal children, and you may have won at least some sympathy from them. Compared to earlier works you had seen and read which depicted you as an unintelligent, gangly, ugly oaf, being profiled as a sophisticated speaker, political thinker, and brilliant strategist certainly made you believe such changes in mood. Even if it was to push other nations' ideas of what the ideal subject should behave.
It was quite surprising that such pieces of work found their way into your camp without your knowledge. "Why are you reading this?" You ask, stuffing the pages back into the booklet while relinquishing yourself from the two children who decided to surround you. "I'm right here, so if you wanted to know more about me, I'm the prime source. But more importantly, how did you get this?"
"I wanted to see what the rest of France thought of you," Charlotte shyly says as she reaches futilely for the booklet, out of her reach. "Apparently, everyone is saying nice things about you. Even the Royalists who do not like you that much see you in a fine light! Isn't it great?" She smiles nervously at you when she sees your slight scowl.
"As much as that fills me with joy... truly, it does, and I am a little flattered… I don't care what they say, to be frank. I'm only doing my job, nothing more." You reply. Louis has a strangely mischievous look on his face when he meets your gaze.
"I thought they were good." He says, his eyes darting around. "We thought you would like them, since you're working so hard all the time."
"Is there something you are not telling me, Louis?" You try to control your tone as this felt more pressure than talking with the army or politicians. "These are people from other nations, talking about me. Where did you get this? I don't need to inflate my sense of self-worth more than necessary. Hubris is a terrible recipe for anyone in leadership. I… probably shouldn't have read that. This will weigh on my mind for a while…"
As you hand Charlotte the booklet back, Louis's face turns somber. "I-I asked uncle Chamans for help with getting these! Charlotte and I wanted to read something about you, so I asked nicely, and… we got these…" He starts trailing off as Charlotte walks beside him.
You sigh. "Oh, of course. Chamans…"
Charlotte speaks with some uncertainty in her voice as you sigh, getting back onto the bench to rest your body. "We didn't think the news would be much to ask for. They had a few loose papers in the offices, and I managed to gather a bunch!"
"All by yourself." You lean a hand on one of your crutches.
"Well, with help from Louis, of course." She sheepishly says. "B-but, we were safe, we swear! We were looked after!"
"I'm not mad at you… just, please tell me next time, so I won't get worried like this?"
The two look down before looking up at you again. "Okay…" They say nearly in unison.
"Good. I'll have to keep an eye on you two, being your guardian and all." They groan, but you didn't really care. "Oh, don't give me that. I'll fake being hurt if you continue this." You clutch your ribcage while dramatically bending over the bench.
They reflexively panic, letting out a short squeak as you stop your acting. "That was mean!" Charlotte cries out, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. "We didn't want to disturb you since you were hurt!" Louis also looks frozen with worry in his eyes, too.
"Well, it hurts me more that you didn't trust me enough to tell me… but sorry for scaring you. I wouldn't actually do that unless I was actually hurt." You lift a hand towards each of them, brushing the corners of their eyes and bringing them in for an embrace. "I won't blame you for telling me anything, okay? We stick together, and that's what matters."
You all huddled together for a few moments. The chill wind blew through, causing the three of you to hug tighter. A few soldiers pass by, but none disturb this moment. This was a moment when everything felt right. The carnage, the death, the destruction of the land and its people. All for this.
In that moment, you know that it is all worth it.
Breaking away from each other when sufficient warm feelings were exchanged, you all had smiles on your faces.
"So," you say, prodding at Charlotte's booklet with a finger, "tell me more about this! I kind of wish to know what you thought was the best story, since I just flipped through the pages."
Charlotte agreed, sitting down next to you with Louis to her side.
The story she picked was set a few weeks after the battle of Metz, and it gave a rather startlingly accurate retelling of the event as if it were an eyewitness testimony. It was accurate to a fault, but artistic license and your own memory errors could be part of that strange feeling.
The rest of the story, however, was… quite a ride. A secret message from the Prussian Crown about a massive army riding to the Rhine again, a multi-stage defense of key fortifications along the Rhine, a heroic death-defying defense, inspiring speeches, spontaneous battlefield duels… not to mention the author's truly dizzying and infuriating lack of scale! You certainly don't remember leaping from your horse to incapacitate a column of riflemen wielding only a sabre...
That was what it was: a fairy tale. Especially since you were at Amiens not three months later, and the Prussian army was not going to cross the river any time soon. Inaccuracies were rife throughout, from wildly inaccurate timelines to inflated egos. You weren't quite sure whether to be glad that military secrets were kept safe from the public, or be annoyed at the gross caricaturization of the people these characters were based off.
Nevertheless, it was a good story to read. Decent enough for a bedtime story.
A mere work of fiction, a brief pull away from the drudgery of life.
Relation with Louis and Charlotte gained! +1
<><>
30 Octobre, 1793
This man had been muttering something under his breath for most of the morning. It was not swears - he makes sure everyone hears him when he swears. This was a prayer of course, but the few people who didn't know who he was might have mistook him for a madman uttering Swedish at a rapid pace. This was part of his daily ritual, you have observed through the few weeks that you went around the camp to monitor the camp and keep a pulse on happenings and your own crew. Unfortunately for Severin, not many of the men shared the same convictions, as they were more likely to be out training or running errands to pray apart from their Sunday gatherings. At least that habit helps keep morale up, even if most of the men don't seem that into the book.
You could see in his eyes that he was eager for action, as you meet the intensity of his gaze.
… perhaps too eager.
"Captain." You state briefly as his expression mollifies.
He stands at attention. "Générale." He salutes, breaking the string of Swedish prayers to direct his attention towards you. "Is there anything you need?"
"Walk with me, we've yet to chat." You try to come across as friendly, but still speak from a position of authority.
He bows his head a smidge, saying "Of course." He follows without hesitation.
The two of you walk some distance across the camp, the early sun covering half the structures in light and the other half in shadows. Soon, you reach the top of the walls, looking over east, over the Rhine, still moving but almost freezing over within the next month.
"Tell me, Captain: what would you do if you saw Prussian forces over that horizon?" You ask him, hands expanding outwards as if to reveal the river you both have seen for the past two months.
"I would send in the forces along the banks, defending key positions and crossings to be sure they would not go any further." He states, as if recited numerous times. "Any push would be punished and repelled, I stake my life on it."
"Really? And if the enemy were to say… defend their positions? Hold their ground, waiting for you to come to them? What then?" You ask, pointing between you and him, as if you were the enemy team and he was the allied forces.
"Wait for orders-" He seems to hesitate for a moment, as if wishing to say something else but thinking of something you would want to hear. "-and…" For the first time, he hesitates. His pale blue eyes stare into yours, a tinge of fear appearing upon them as he traces a look to your side and crutches.
"And… you wouldn't try to dislodge them before their defenses were set? Take your boys and charge with your bayonets while the enemy were exposed?" You ask. He avoids your look for a moment, but quickly looks back at you after closing his eyes in contemplation.
The swede sighs. "I would do what I believe would benefit the situation for you and the army. However, I would never disobey an order if it were given." You see his hands twitching a little by his sides, and proceed to relax your expression into one of concern rather than sternness.
"I know." You say, giving a slight pause, shifting on your crutches to lean on the wall overlooking the Rhine. "I... I have seen you, full of energy and waiting to charge into the fray, with all your men behind you. I do not doubt your efficiency- your presence gives us all the push to fight on, to hold on… but tell me, Severin."
He tilts his head, the tip of his recovered hat blocking half his face in the shade. "Yes?"
"I fear that... " You hesitate as well, unsure if what you're saying is quite appropriate. Is this too direct? Would you be disregarding his beliefs? You say it anyways, no reason to let the issue hang. "I fear I fear that you may wish to die."
His head snaps back into position, and his hands reflexively reach upwards, towards his chest. "Générale…" He pulls out a necklace of greyish metal with a decorative cross on the end, reflecting a dull shine from the sun. "I have no wish to die; I have made peace with God on that. He will judge me when the time comes, and until then, I am to perform my duties here. These duties include following your orders, and making sure that if an opportunity presents itself and I believe that my choice can affect the outcome favorably, then I would not hesitate."
"No hesitation?"
"While within my orders, of course."
"Very well." You feel somewhat satisfied with this cleared up, uncapping and handing him your flask. "As long as you perform as admirably as you have and do as you said, I'll see to it that your orders allow you a little more leeway into operating on your own. A higher rank means more responsibility and more men to coordinate, as you know."
He accepts the flask and takes a sip. "Thank you, Générale. I'd invite you to prayer later this week, but that is up to you. I need to start with shaping up the men this morning."
"Very well. I may have time seeing as my condition allots me more time." You sigh, walking away from the wall with Severin in tow. "Also, you may refer to me as Thérèse, as the other officers do. I wish to foster a feeling of camaraderie in our ranks, if that makes sense?"
He nods. "Indeed, Thérèse."
Relation with Severin gained! +1
<><>
15 Novembre, 1793
When the winter snows started falling and fresh supplies arrived in time from the capital, you began working on training. These men- most young enough to be considered boys- who have been called upon to serve, will be brought up to your level of excellence. They were raw, yes. Some might say untrained, unprepared for the vigors of war and combat. However, you were certain in the abilities of you and your officers.
There was something about that freshness you found promising. That sense of vigor was something great. Being untrained meant that they did not have any mistakes to iron out. Blank slates to imprint the ways of the new army, different from that of the late king's.
It would be a tough journey, but with sufficient training, these men would follow you through hell. Severin assured you of that in the month when those men arrived.
"Severin." You look out to the captain in charge of the infantry. He looks up to you upon your horse. Your other officers of staff look to you as well, awaiting orders in the gathering near the stables. Chamans was standing, going over a list in his hands. De Lisle and Murat were near a wall, apparently talking about music.
"Thérèse." Severin nods at you. The others follow suit.
"We will need the infantry ready for campaign next season, perhaps even earlier. Reinforcements to the front are of grave importance to overwhelm the enemy. I want them ready as soon as possible." You say, feeling the weight of your sabre on your waist, one of your crutches on the other side still affording you support while walking around. "Make sure the newcomers are well provided for, as well as our current soldiers. As we know, they are fresh and likely never fired a musket in their lives. You will do everything in your power to turn these men into fighters worthy of fighting for France. I want weekly reports on my desk detailing results and schedules. My injuries are healing well, such that the doctors informed me that I should be recovered within the month."
"It shall be done." Severin salutes and rides off towards the training grounds, and you soon hear him barking orders. A column of men followed his horse to the firing range, and the training area Chamans had built over the winter.
Chamans sighs, taking a sip from his flask. "The latrines we prepared are ready, along with all schedules for dining, training and rest, according to your orders to make things less… strenuous. The supplies have also been distributed thoroughly."
You nod. The Rhine is quiet, and these recruits would not see action for several months. There was no need to force them through hellish training. There was enough time to go easy on them, easing them into the life of a soldier.
They would turn into soldiers well enough. At least in this case, time was on your side.
The veterans of the army expressed gratitude in being expected to aid in training and mentoring the recruits. This would increase morale and unity within the ranks, you concluded with your Chamans. The constant marching and fighting from the earlier months were grating on morale. They had earned the rest through their trial by fire and steel.
"I trust the cavalry will be left to you, Murat?" You turned to the colonel in yet another outfit more fitting in a portrait than a training field.
He bows with what you assume to be his signature action. "Of course, Thérèse, they shall be the greatest cavalry of the republic when I am done with them! Our sabres shall be the sharpest, our armaments the best maintained! I assure you, the sound of our hooves will be the last the enemy hears!" He continues with his short speech promising greatness, riding towards the stables, and the men started leading their horses to a further part of the grassy field.
"We are lacking cannons," Chamans states matter-of-factly, rubbing his eyes. "We are currently twenty-five batteries short of a full contingent. If I had ordered those a month ago, they may have been reallocate-"
"Indeed," You interrupt him to prevent another one of his tirades, "but we shall train the men with the guns we have, nevertheless. I will try to requisition more cannons for our use, while alternating the usage of the equipment in rotations. You have my notes on that?" He nods, waving his stack of paper. "Is there anything else, gentlemen?"
You were met with a chorus of silence and shakes of the head. "Very well. This will be a long process. Let's all put in our best, alright? Any issues are to be reported at the first moment they are found."
<><>
Over a month passes, and your hypothesis of the ease of training the newcomers has been proven correct. An untrained man learns new material better than a trained man, for he had no mistakes to fix, after all.
You have seen these young men turn from civilians and citizens into soldiers. It was a glorious thing to witness, their orderliness during off hours could use some work, but their performance in formations and drills was something you'd never have expected before. Rations are being consumed quickly, but Metz's supply routes ensured you have enough to get through the winter.
In three months, the newly formed infantry could shoot in a line, reload and shoot again, some even able to rotate their fire with multiple rows. The company record was set at 22 seconds, some men obviously taking on the task more readily than others.
The cavalry was… perhaps not exactly as Murat spoke of in his grandiose reports, but still likely some of the better ones in the republic. Watching the men ride reminded you of the legends of great cavalry formations of the sipahi horsemen of the Ottoman empire, and of the famed Mongols… well, they weren't that impressive, but your men were certainly up there. They moved with speed and shot with accuracy from horseback that would put most light horsemen to shame. With pistol and sword, your own forces now ride in orderly formations, able to split off and reform in more complex maneuvers.
Cannons were still being processed, but the men had much training and bonding over sharing the few artillery pieces, all thanks to rotating time allocated to each group over use of the equipment.
With more training, these men can easily become a great force to march once more for the might of France!
Training to an acceptable level took much quicker than expected!
Recruiting is now easier! (DCs lowered)
<><>
The night winds down, people gather around the fires around camp in the face of the winter chill. Insulation and rations are thankfully sufficient to last through the season with minimal problems. You look onto the sleeping siblings, comfortably in their own beds, and prepare to chart out the next few months. Food feels good again in your stomach, as you rub the sides that have been fully recovered. It was a liberating feeling to not have to rest an arm on a piece of wood to move around for once, but you'll always have that bit of scarring to remind you of the consequences of war…
Weather & Climate are at Chilling. The climate should clear up soon, but this many people to take care of makes managing insulation problematic.
Disease roll: 3
Personal Wealth: 8
Army Wealth: 13
Army Actions (Choose 3)
[] Training (Infantry): Whip up the men into shape! All-around training for all! Costs 1 wealth. DC: 20/50
[] Training (Cavalry): Murat did well, but some extra encouragement and focus couldn't hurt! Costs 1 wealth. DC: 25/55
[] Training (Artillery): You'll need to concentrate efforts so that the artillery crews are ready to move out at a moment's notice when the cannons arrive. Extra drills for all of them! Costs 1 wealth. DC: 35/65
[] Expand the Fortification and Roads (Metz): You need this fortress to be unassailable, and the paths clear. (Fortify the current encampment, gain defense bonus against assaults, and increase patrol range out along the Rhine itself) Costs 9 wealth. DC: 20
[] Request Supplies (Equipment): Equipment is holding, but some extras never hurt anything but your wallet. (Gain Supply Surplus, allowing longer campaigns without resupply) Costs 3 Wealth. DC: 10
[] Recruit (Infantry): Recruit 1000 Infantry (Regulars) from the countryside. More capable men are always needed. Costs 4 Wealth. DC: 10
[] Recruit (Cavalry): Recruit 1000 Cavalry (Regulars). You need more mobile forces to flank and strike quickly. Costs 6 Wealth. DC: 30
[] Recruit (Artillerymen): Recruit 1000 Artillerymen (Regulars). Artillery is king. Costs 8 Wealth. DC: 45
[] Render Unto Auclair: More recruits and veterans flock to you, but reports of some roaming bands of soldiers have been put on your table. These men are likely cold and hungry, and would likely be grateful for any assistance, and be indebted to you. Costs 2 wealth. DC: 10/20/40/80
Reward: You gather units without a command or are part of a smaller force and convince them to join your army. Recruit amount varies based on success. Smaller reward than previous Quarter's, but less cost.
Personal Actions (Choose 3)
[] Paris: It seems you have been requested to make an appearance in Paris. Something about the Committee itself wanting to award you with several medals of gallantry and bravery, along with Colonel Chamans for his role in the battle at Amiens. This will leave troops at Metz for your journey back, in the capable lead of Severin, de Lisle, Murat, and the other officers at the sprawling campsite. You can take a companion if you wish, but everyone else will be staying in the camp to carry out orders and continue normal operations. The children will be following you.
-[] Write in (Colonel Chamans will be coming by default)
[]Request Reassignment: The Rhine is safe at the moment, and your army would be better suited elsewhere in France... God knows that an extra twenty thousand men elsewhere can do some good, and the rest of the recruits could use reassignment to other theatres.
[] Care for The Children: The children are struggling with their new routines, and while the heavens kept them safe, you are worried that things may get out of hand if they do not have stability in their lives. You will begin an education regimen for them, so they may learn, whether in a military or a civil background. Start to focus some time to mentor the children on a Skill of your choice. DC: 5
-[] <Skill Choice>
[] A Small Gamble: God doesn't play dice, but you could. You're smart, so making money this way shouldn't be hard... right? (Gamble 1 wealth to potential to gain up to 3 wealth. If you fail, lose your bet) DC: 30/60/90
-[] Wager amount (no more than your current personal wealth)
[] Correspond with Brian: You had heard he was now a general of the national guard, probably best to tell him how you're doing yourself. If you're planning on going to Paris, maybe you could tell him to meet sometime? DC: 15
[] Petition for a Promotion: You wish to be a full division commander, able to command and prepare other Generals in your army and potentially expand your responsibilities. Surely, word of your arrival has swept the higher-ups, and they'd be glad to provide? DC lowers with successes and fame. DC: 70
[] Study & Read: There are books to read and things to learn. DC: Depends on chosen stat level
-[] Write-in Stat to increase
[] Study & Practice: Practice makes perfect. DC: Depends on chosen skill level
-[] Write-in Skill to increase
[] Swordswomanship: You are not a great swordswoman; you are only decent and lucky. That needs to change. (+1 to 2 to combat, another possible new weapon?) DC: 40
Invest in the Future (Pick as many as your wealth will allow)
[] Homefront Investment: With a lull in the war, now is a good time as any to invest in the fabrics industry! Or rum? Grains? All are available to invest in, and you're sure that it would earn you the appreciation of locals. DC: ??? Cost 5 (personal) wealth
-[]Write in industry
Reward: You invest in an industry, and potentially get 1 wealth per turn, up to 10 wealth per turn, depending on the industry you invest in. (can repeat multiple times)
[] Land Acquisition: You have a sizable income and one that can be used to buy land... it's a strange thing to think about. You never thought you would own anything except your own mind... now with this new world, you can be a landowner! Cost 5 (personal) wealth DC: 40
Reward: You can buy sweet French land, and pay 1 wealth in expenditures as upkeep, but you may rent it out and gain more money that way.
[] A Contest to Help: You want to make the army a better place for your men. So you will offer money... a large sum of money for something to be made easier in the army. Cost 15 Personal wealth. DC: ???
Reward: A problem in the army, baggage, supplies, canon, rifles, supplies will be answered and solved. Potential improvements to military engineering and sciences across the board! (long term project)
Plan Voting!
22 hour moratorium!
A/N: Here's the update! Life came at me with a left swing and a right. I was almost outta there, but stayed in the fight!
Will come up with the rules for connections in a bit, but they're generally to track your familiarity with certain folks you meet.
Also, news update might come soon. Happy Superbowl?
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ExNihilo
SPACE!
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Rolz says a 1d5, but I can't say that seeing that didn't panic me for a brief second. Crit failing a disease roll would have been terrifying.
ConfusedCanuck
Where did it all go wrong?
- Location
- Neverland
Another wonderful update! But I must say we are well stocked with infantry now but I believe we are lacking in Artillery and cavalry so I think we should focus on bringing that up to standard.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Ahh... This was a lot of work... But now it is here.
But hey, Enjoy, and please remember, Vive La France.
- Location
- The Colored Room
- Pronouns
- TheOne
Anachronism.
Even if they have horses at this point (And I'm sure that the plains' horse culture hasn't developed yet) no one would know about them.
Lewis and Clark's expedition out west is 11 years in the future.
You might want to change that reference to something about Tatary horsemen, Turkmen, basically any nation of horse-riding nomads from central asia. You can keep the comparison, just pulling from the east rather than the new world.
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- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
Eh, you don't crit fail a disease roll; it kinda just stacks up over time. It's not the most accurate system, but I'll see how it goes. Will decrease as you stay in a place with decent sanitation and without a burgeoning size.
Ah, right. Thanks for that! I'll fix it in a bit.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
That's on me.
it's just a friend of mine told me of one of the tribes in his area beginning to become the horseback riders that we know from the Plains wars around this time, getting horses from French and Spanish Traders.
Kicker
A perfectionist with an inferiority complex.
- Location
- Malaysia
So I think we're all in agreement about the military actions;
Though you could argue Render Unto Auclair is better with its lower DCs and possibilities of bigger degrees of success, but the uncertainty in what units we will get makes me hesitate.
I think you forgot the other possibility, as you mention either.
Though you could argue Render Unto Auclair is better with its lower DCs and possibilities of bigger degrees of success, but the uncertainty in what units we will get makes me hesitate.
I think you forgot the other possibility, as you mention either.
- Location
- The Colored Room
- Pronouns
- TheOne
If that's the case, then just pay mind to the reputation point. Word travels slow, and the reason why those people became notable in the future is because they were fighting the United States.
No one's pushing them off their lands for a long time, so they shouldn't have any especial notoriety.
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