Turn 2 - Summer of 2164 Anno Imperialis
The winds were slowly turning at the end of spring and as you passed into the summer months it came mostly from the south, bringing with it a pleasant warmth. Fewer clouds came, leaving the sky a clear blue more often than the iron grey that haunted most of the spring. Each time it rained, the heat turned sweltering and oppressive, but there were also a few nice days in which you could almost be tempted to forget about your mission. Almost. The ever present task of keeping the Auxiliaries doing something useful and not starting any trouble with the peasantry kept you grounded and with their repeat of the basic training being completed, they direly needed something else to do. Further training would hardly get any results at this point anyway.
Meanwhile, the engineers had begun to mingle with the merchants quite regularly, especially master Becker, who was bribed freely with wine by them. The burgomaster had taken notice of it too and even went so far as speaking a quiet warning about some of the esteemed citizens of Vollug. Aid from the capital came only very rarely as far as these isles, so the people had learned to make the most of it and the merchants cared very little about any colonies in the mountains. As far as they were concerned, you were probably food for the critters lairing there before the year was out and it would have been a shame to waste good engineers on a wargs stomach.
In the past, you would have not wasted a single thought on the notion of indulging them with one more project done for them, but after the past year, there had been growing a small voice in your mind that pointed out the benefits. If placated now, there would be a chance to call in favours from them later and in the meantime they would make decent advocates for your desires in the city, especially with burgomaster Gudmann. On the other hand, time was waiting for no one, least of all you. Come next spring, the first prisoners would arrive and there was much work to be done until then.
What will you do in the summer of your first year? (Turn 2)
[] Write-In Plan
First prisoners arrive after Turn 4.
First shipment of adamantine must be made after Turn 8.
Legion Auxiliaries (1 Action)
The Auxiliaries are trained somewhat better now, though neither their equipment, nor their laziness can be fixed quite as easily. But you would not let any of that deter you from getting the most out of their service.
-[] Scout the mountains. (Auxiliaries)
You need to know more about the mountains of this island, especially how much of the peasantry's stories of monsters and evil spirits are true. Maybe you can even find a better path to the plateau.
Benefit: Gain more knowledge about your surroundings. Potentially discovers additional paths into the mountains.
-[] Hunt monsters.
While winning over the people of Vollug is no longer such an urgent concern, the roaming monsters are still a bane of the peasants and might interfere with your own efforts too. With the Auxiliaries having their training refreshed, you are also much more confident that they can actually make the region safer, as opposed to just showing some good will while achieving little.
Benefit: Improves relations to the locals. Surroundings of Vollug become safer.
-[] Build a camp near the mountains. (Auxiliaries)
While the tiny path to the plateau makes it impossible to explore it properly, let alone build something there, you could instead set up a temporary camp in the forests. It would make it easier to build something in the mountains later and cut down on the friction with the people of Vollug once you are out of the city.
Benefit: Gain basic camp in the forests near the mountains.
Engineers (1 Action)
Master Becker certainly has proven his worth in your eyes, even though there are some problems with his behaviour, but others have taken notice too. The merchants of Vollug are clamouring to have him repair the cities streets and wall and a few even have more ambitious ideas and are talking about expanding the harbour. As of you had nothing else to do for him.
-[] Build a camp near the mountains. (Engineers)
While the tiny path to the plateau makes it impossible to explore it properly, let alone build something there, you could instead set up a temporary camp in the forests. It would make it easier to build something in the mountains later and cut down on the friction with the people of Vollug once you are out of the city.
Benefit: Gain basic camp in the forests near the mountains.
-[] Improve the path to the mountain plateau.
Instead of scouting and hoping to find a better path, you could just let the engineers get to work on making the one you know about more useful. Widen it where possible, building scaffoldings and bridges where necessary, then it would be fine for your purposes.
Benefit: Improve path into the mountains.
-[] Make repairs in Vollug.
After the efforts of the last months, the merchants are not so subtly asking for the engineers to make some repairs to the walls and roads of the city. They would certainly be quite pleased if you allowed this to be done.
Benefit: Improves relations to the locals. Walls of Vollug repaired.
-[] Expand the harbour of Vollug. (2 Turns)
A proposal for extending the harbour of the city has been brought before you. It calls for building a new pier from stone next to the two current, wooden piers, with some sketches noting the option to later it expand it into deeper waters. However, it would take quite a while to get this project done.
Benefit: Improves relations to the merchants. Harbour of Vollug gains a stone pier.
-[] Survey farmlands of Vollug.
Master Becker has theorized that the much too high humidity of the cities farmlands comes from an old irrigation and drainage system that is lost somewhere under a few centuries of neglect and while he can't do any work in summer, he wants to survey the land to draw up plans for what to do to further improve things.
Benefit: ???
General Lothar Vanrich (1 Action)
Organizing this whole expedition takes already much of your time, but there are always a few hours left to put some personal attention to something instead of letting your people do all the work.
-[] Scout the mountains. (Lothar)
Instead of letting the Auxiliaries do the scouting, you could lead an expedition yourself. It has been a while since you have been in the field, but you should still be able to defend yourself against a few wolves and goblins.
Benefit: Gain more knowledge about your surroundings. Potentially discovers additional paths into the mountains.
-[] Talk with burgomaster Gudmann.
While your efforts in the last months were less successful than hoped, you could always try again. Spend some more time with the burgomaster and see if you can turn him into an ally after all.
Benefit: Improves relations to burgomaster Gudmann.
-[] Talk with the merchants.
Instead of doing the merchants a favour now and trying to get it repaid later, you could always try to turn that plan around. Try to talk them into providing some aid to your expedition right now with the promise of letting the engineers do some work for them in the future.
Benefit: ???
-[] Talk with master Becker.
While his work is beyond reproach, his behaviour is not and that he is this easily plied by getting him alcohol is already causing issues for you. Try to straighten out master Becker or at least to get him to practice some moderation in his habits.
Benefit: ???
-[] Bean counting.
Your expeditions funding is about as good as everything else about it. That is, barely adequate for the absolute minimum. Put your attention towards keeping the books to keep the waste of funds at a minimum. Maybe you can even figure out a way to bolster the budget a bit.
Benefit: Bonus to random event rolls. Can unlock special actions.
-[] Scour the archives.
While hardly looking the part these days, Vollug once was the centre of the imperial administration since the first colonists arrived on the Korprey islands and the archives are still maintained. With this whole expedition resting on some centuries old prospecting reports, there might be more valuable information about this island's past somewhere in all the dusty parchments.
Benefit: ???
