No, SV, You Are the Forest! (Riot Quest)

[Raising Kittens]

No, SV, You Are the Forest!
A Riot Quest​

The forest stirs to awareness. What passes for eyes blink indolently as it observes itself and its surroundings, alert to itself and its own needs for the first time... ever. No matter how old or young some of its constituent trees are, or how many of them there are, the awareness is still young. Barely more than a child, it hungers and thirsts, but it has solutions to these things.

For some of the trees are aware, too, and can act on their own in some small manner.

There are two questions that must be asked before answers can be given to the nascent oversoul.

First, what kind of forest is it? Second, what kind of trees make it up?

*-*-*-*

Choose One:

[ ][Forest] Temperate Forest
-Magic is a slow thing, quiet and unobtrusive it is rarely overt, the presence of magic is hard to find in most places. Magic users are rare and fearsome – one good wizard is the equivalent of an entire siege artillery group, but finding a good wizard is like finding a needle in a haystack.
-The level of ambient magic, and therefore the strength of mages and presence of supernatural beings, waxes and wanes on a cycle that lasts for centuries if not longer.

[ ][Forest] Tropical Jungle
-Technology dominates the world, powerful industries and devices working to improve the lives of the common citizen everywhere. Behind the Masque, the facade upon which the world rests easy, is a world of secrets and lies, of magic and mystery kept out of sight and out of mind to ensure the survival of both sides of the line.
-The users of magic and technology clash behind the Masquerade, and the Jungle is one such battleground, a wealth of knowledge and resources for both sides. Choose a side, remain neutral, or strike against all who enter.

[ ][Forest] Flying Forest
-Magic is a commonplace thing, ranging from loud and obnoxious to quiet and stealthy, the effects of magic are clearly noticable everywhere, usually with minimal effort. Magic users are commonplace, and are very diverse in their use of mana.
-Travel as far as you might, and there is no land or sea, just air, clouds, and storms. Visitors are a common sight, traversing the area on vast beasts, dragons, airships, or other contraptions.

[ ][Forest] Gene Forest
-Carefully sculpted to provide all the nutrients and living resources a civilization might need, this forest has been forgotten, initially hidden in a nook in a massive Ringworld.
-Superlative genetic engineering crafted this forest, and so it will continue to adjust itself as it grows beyond its initial boundaries, incorporating or developing new strains as it goes.

[ ][Forest] Crystal Forest
-Growing around a dim red dwarf star, life has found a way to slowly, gradually draw resources from nothing. Every species is fascinated by its existence. Some hold it as proof that their Gods are real; others that even the tiniest, most infinitesimal of possibilities may be out there, somewhere.
-The difference between magic and technology is academic. There are no limits to growth other than time and energy expended.

*-*-*-*

This is a Riot Quest. Every vote matters. Every voter represents a single tree of the Forest, but there are far more trees in the forest than there are voters.

Choose which tree you are below. This will be tracked on a per-voter basis. This Vote is Always Open for new players!

[ ][Tree] Heart Tree
-When you vote for a Defense or Survival action, an extra 1d6 will be added to the dice pool.

[ ][Tree] Mind Tree
-When you vote for a Research or Communication action, an extra 1d6 will be added to the dice pool.

[ ][Tree] Root Tree
-When you vote for a Growth or Offense action, an extra 1d6 will be added to the dice pool.

Every Ten Initial Voters will result in starting with one Special Tree, chosen at random from the appropriate pool after voting has ended.

Every Fifty Initial Voters will result in starting with one Feature, chosen at random from the appropriate pool after voting has ended.

*-*-*-*

Mechanics​

Actions
Every action voted for will have a number of 1d6 equivalent to the number of voters who voted for the action, plus any relevant bonus dice, rolled for it. A success is on a 4, 5, or 6, while a failure is on a 3, 2, or 1. If the number of successes adds up to the target number, the action is successful. If it does not, the action may fail, or the successes may be banked until a future turn, depending upon the nature of the action.

Types of Action
-Communication: These actions seek to learn about, understand, communicate with, or influence other beings, from non-forest plants to animals, machines, and even sophonts.
-Defense: These actions seek to protect the integrity of the Forest from external actors who would otherwise harvest or destroy it.
-Growth: These actions seek to expand the forest by growing new Trees, upgrading extant trees in some manner, or expand the Forest's boundaries.
-Offense: These actions seek to proactively defend the Forest by striking at groups or factions outside of the Forest's boundaries in various ways and means.
-Research: These actions seek to unlock new types of Tree, develop new actions, upgrade existing trees, delve into secrets and strangeness, and more.
-Survival: These actions seek to prepare the Forest for times of hardship and low resources, working to preserve the integrity of the Forest against disasters, environmental vagaries, and hostile actors.

-Focus: These actions are done with the will of the Forest behind them, earning automatic successes equal to the Magnitude of the Forest. The Forest may Focus on the same action multiple times with no penalty. Focus actions are chosen independently from Tree actions.

Opposing Actions
When there are two sides to something, such as a group of woodcutters seeking to claim some wood and the Forest attempting to prevent this in some manner, actions will be rolled against each other. The side with more successes will succeed in their action, while the other side will fail, with varying results.

Damage
When an enemy or natural effect obtains successes beyond those of the defense or survival action/s taken against it, it starts harming the Forest itself, striking directly at the Growth of new Trees, old trees, and even the size of the Forest. This damage is first applied to any banked successes from previous Survival actions, representing the reserves the Forest built up to withstand events such as logging expeditions, wildfires, droughts, boring beetles, and more.

Trees
There are, broadly speaking three 'kinds' of tree in the Forest:

-The first kind of tree are those 'ran' by the Players as semi-independent sub-minds of the Forest. These are upgraded only through participation (the more you vote the better your specific tree becomes) and general upgrades.
-The second kind of tree are 'Special Trees'. These trees provide an effect of some kind for the Forest, from applying extra dice to some types of actions to unlocking new actions entirely. It is generally important for the Forest that these trees be protected from the attention of hostile parties or the vagaries of nature and the weather.
-The third kind of tree are 'generic'; the regular sort of tree that makes up the bulk of the volume within the Forest, they shelter and hide the first and second kind of tree from harm.

Features
Features are things that are local within the Forest rather than outside of it. From rivers to mines and fairy rings to portals, Features help provide character and definition to the Forest, unlocking new actions and Events. Features may be beneficial, detrimental, neither, or 'it depends'.

Size
The Size of the Forest is referred to by it's magnitude. The initial Magnitude of the Forest is determined by the number of voters during the first vote. The higher the Magnitude of the Forest, the harder it is to damage more critial assets, the more resources the Forest can draw upon, the more Features are found within it, and the more resources the Forest requires to sustain itself.

The base Magnitude is zero. Each Magnitude above that allows the thread to decide upon one action each turn to receive the 'focus' of the Forest, providing automatic successes to that action.

Turns
A single 'turn' is the time it takes for the attention of each Tree to either accomplish the objective or fail in the attempt. The amount of time is variable, changing with the setting and number of players, but each turn is still a turn, no matter how much time passes narratively.

Participation Rewards
The more you vote, the better your tree becomes - the more power you as an individual voter have to sway the course of the quest.

Victory
-Communication: Befriend or ally with all major surviving factions capable of harming or destroying you.
-Survival: Last a number of turns determined by initial voter count and location.
-Growth: Reach a Magnitude determined by the initial voter count and forest type.
-Further victory types are secret.

*-*-*-*

I had this idea less than twenty-four hours ago, and put it together using mechanics I'd drawn up for another Riot Quest that is still in the design phase. Hopefully it hangs together well enough!

Voting will remain open for between twenty-four and forty-eight hours after every update, to ensure that as many people who want to participate can participate. I am aware that this is not always enough time for everybody, but I would rather update more frequently than once a week or every other week.

Please hold for reserved posts.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No, SV, You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Turn One​

The forest shimmered and swayed in the dim light of the local star, particles from the stellar winds carefully guided to traps that snatched the material right up. A network of roots so thickly intertwined it served as a sort of ground had formed, and upon it were other crystalline entities, from short sprigs of grass to clutters of bushes in open areas.

Scintillating vines glittered as they wound between roots and bushes, trunks and branches, only to be eaten by the few beings in the forest that could. A reddish figure, floating on wings made of condensed magnetic fields, pressing against the magnetic fields generated by the Forest itself to remain flying it darted around, grasping vines in its beak and tearing them away from the tree roots to eat.

The Forest took note of the path the creature wandered, and realized that it never approached a spot hidden in a nook of the Forest, shielded from prying eyes and sensors by several great boughs with sweeping branches, carefully arranged just so by the denizens. Inside lay three great eggs, guarded by looming red eyes, razor sharp talons, and a sizzling acid that dripped from sacs alongside its cheeks.

Three long, sinuous shapes slipped in through shadows, depositing carcasses of flesh and bone rather than crystal and rock, gathered light-years away in other systems.

A minor change in the solar wind, caught by its feelers, saw the Forest redirecting its attention outward. There was something watching over the star system, the extension of something greater, ever vigilant against intrusion.

A vast cocoon hung suspended over the star, halfway in, halfway out. The bare fragments of smaller things could be discerned fluttering around it.

This would bear watching. It would all bear watching.

Time passed.

Something new arrived on the edges of the system, well away from the Star and the Forest. It moved faster than the forest had seen the hunters move.

It moved in the direction of the Forest. This, too, would bear watching.

The heart of the Forest stirred. Something had changed. An imprint was left on the roots nearby. It represented cycles.

The Forest would see how it would grow.

*-*-*-*

The Ingaba Science Ship Fortlamore propelled itself through space on impeller engines, tapping into the manifold fields of hyperspace to move rapidly at within the confines of a star system.

Senior Scientist Oragles stood upon the observation deck and observed as the strange objects in the distance approached ever nearer, glad to finally be allowed to examine it.

The strange forest had been detected decades before, when he was but a neophyte studying the tools used to study the universe, but the ongoing feud with the brutish Matlownee had rendered the system, and the strange treasures located within it, too risky to examine in greater detail.

And now, he was finally here. Just a little bit further, and the mysteries of this strange place would be unveiled before him. They were so similar yet so different from the forests of his homeworld, or the sweeping city-scape that the Ingaba had turned their birth world into.

The fact that they seemed to be rooted in space itself, precisely holding their distance and orientation from the star, was incredibly fascinating. Even if his science teams stayed at a distance, there would be much to learn from this.

He could hardly wait to get started.

*-*-*-*

Communication Actions

[ ][Action] Try to reach out to something.
-Triggers a mini-turn.

-[ ][Action] The Predators. Requires 5 successes.
--They might be useful.

-[ ][Action] The Ship. Requires 10 successes.
--What is this?


Defense Actions

[ ][Action] That Ship is scary. Erect the Shield!
-Opposed Action. Unknown dice available to the Ship.


Growth Actions
[ ][Action] Grow the Forest.
-0/200 successes to Mag 04.

[ ][Action] Grow the Worm
-0/50 successes to Stage 02
-This is the Bonus Project reward from reaching 100 voters.

[ ][Action] Grow <Treename>
-Replace <Treename> with the name of a Special Tree from the Front Page. Variable cost.

Offense Actions

~Glare angrily into the sun~ The Forest has no means of striking at others at this time.


Research Actions

[ ][Action] Research the Empty Veil power (Void)
-Study how the Empty Tree works, and discern a means of applying that to the whole forest at once. Unlocks a Survival Action that protects the Forest from detection if successful.
-Requires 20 Research successes

[ ][Action] Research the Shard Volley power (Crystal)
-Study how the Sharding Tree accomplishes it's explosive effect, and seek a less onerous means of replicating it on a smaller scale. Unlocks a Defense Action that can damage or kill enemies within the boundaries of the Forest.
-Requires 20 Research successes

[ ][Action] Research the incoming Ship (???)
-How does it move? How? Inquiring Minds want to know! Unlocks a new field of research.
-Requires 10 Research successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Scoop Tree (Magnetic)
-An alternative application of magnetic fields, the Scoop Tree improves the efficacy of growth actions, by proactively adjusting magnetic fields to reach out and obtain charged particles.
-Requires 10 Research successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Hoop Tree (Magnetic)
-Yet another application of magnetic fields, the Hoop Tree unlocks a Survival action, allowing for resources to be stored against future need. Automatically applies one die to that action each turn.
-Requires 10 Research successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Shaping Tree (Crystal)
-Crystals aren't particularly fluid, but their interiors can be adjusted to mimic that of other trees as the need arises. This tree allows for other trees to take up arms in defense of the Forest. Up to one Defense Action per Forest Magnitude per turn gains one extra die per Shaping Tree.
-Requires 20 Research successes

[ ][Action] Research the Reflecting Tree (Crystal)
-Energy taken from successful strikes is returned back to the attacker, diminishing the amount suffered by the Forest. One point of damage per Tree is 'returned to sender' in some way, shape, or form, reducing the damage taken by that amount.
-Requires 10 Research successes

[ ][Action] Research the Soothing Tree (Psionic)
-The Mind of the Forest is a potent thing indeed, capable of reaching out beyond itself. This tree serves as a focus, allowing for a new Offensive Action that can calm aggression and hostility, allowing for peaceful discourse. In the event that this specific Offensive Action is not chosen, one Communication Action per turn gains an extra die per tree.
-Requires 10 Research successes.

[ ][Action] Research Elder Trees (General)
-Some Trees have grown old indeed, and were old when the Forest was young... old when the Forest was last whole. Some measure of this experience can be distilled and incorporated into new and extant Trees, improving their skill at wielding their power. Unlocks upgrades to existing and future Special Trees, required for Tier Two trees.
-Requires 50 Research successes.


Survival Actions

[ ][Action] Attempt to store resources against future need.
-All successes stored.


Other

[ ][Action] Write-in
-For if you believe I'm missing something. I reserve the right to disapprove of any write-ins, or appropriate them for other purposes and places.


Focus Actions
Choose any three actions from the above for the Forest to focus on. These are voted upon by the entire group, and are in addition to the individual actions taken by each member. Multiples should be indicated with a x#, so the second identical action would be x2, etc.

[ ][Focus] Action Name

These Actions will receive a number of automatic successes equal to the Magnitude of the Forest and any bonuses from other sources.

At the moment, the top three focus actions will win, each receiving the focus of the Forest.

*-*-*-*

Your Votes should look like the following:

[ ][Action] Action
[ ][Focus] Action 1
[ ][Focus] Action 2
[ ][Focus] Action 3

Newcomers should add one of the following:

[ ][Tree] Heart Tree
[ ][Tree] Mind Tree
[ ][Tree] Root Tree

This vote will always be open.

*-*-*-*

A/N: Here we go!

Vote remains open for between 24 and 48 hours.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Turn One Results​

The presence of other beings within it, who hunted in faraway places things that had never grown there – that could never grow there – told the forest much of where it lived.

The movement of something towards it, a deliberate action laced with intent, taught the Forest that it was not alone. There was little that it could do at this stage beyond store resources and grow, so it gathered what resources it could, and ensured its future growth in the face of novelty. A new Collector Tree was grown within the boundaries of the Forest, its dark crystals drinking in ever more light.

Roots strained to gather resources as Heart Trees sought to prepare for the worst, building a modest reserve of particles that landed within the Forest, slowly storing resources as the years passed. Mind Trees scattered their efforts, delving every which way as they looked for solutions to problems that may not exist yet.

Only one project completed. The Forest reached out to the predators lairing within its domain and touched upon their thoughts. Their desires were simple, searching out food, breeding, and shelter from the even more massive predator that had destroyed their previous home, nestled within a gas giant many stars distant.

The Forest was wary of anything so strong as to casually destroy dozens of the predators that lurked within it, but their mere existence might prove useful. The various parts of the Forest would have to draw their own conclusions from the limited data available.

There was little there that could be communicated with, but the Forest could drive them away with the collected strength urging them to flee if it so desired.

/*** Vote Interrupt

[ ][Predators] Urge them to leave
-The Den is emptied and the Predators flee, with their young in tow.
-Closes down Predator events.

[ ][Predators] Allow them to remain
-The Den remains filled as a new generation is born.
-Predator events remain open and will slowly expand to incorporate new things.
-Unlocks new tech path

***/

A second stand of Mind Trees made a great deal of progress on understanding the power of the Empty Trees, but they did not grasp enough of how it worked to enable the Forest to utilize the effect.

A third stand focused upon the incoming ship, deciphering what it did, but not how to replicate it for themselves. The ship mimiced the Forest in some ways, stabbing into space to anchor it, but it adjusted the nature of that anchor. It would take time for the Forest to design a Tree that could accomplish the same adjustments to its own anchors, and then more time to actually grow such a tree, but they now knew it could be done.

A fourth stand sought to muster the strength to reach the Ship, but failed in the attempt.

The efforts of the Root Trees were also scattered among many things, for there were many things to grow. A stand managed to focus on a second new Collector, but it remains unfinished, the resources collected by the Root Trees not enough to complete its growth. A smattering of progress was made on other Trees and the Forest itself.

A second stand of Root Trees focused on the imprint of the Worm, and the Forest had a thought as the Worm slowly grew. What was, will be. Perhaps it had been mighty once, and would be again.

Perhaps it would never find out.

In the moment, the Vessel approached. At its current distance, the Forest detected a number of smaller objects detach from the Vessel, and approach it rapidly. Light, like that from the sun, poured out of those objects as they approached.

The newly grown Collector Tree turned its leaves to one of the probes, greedily drinking in all the light that it could as it approached.

The Forest grew restless, afraid of the unknown, and took action. Magnetic Trees spooled up, a small measure of the might of the Forest behind them as their field grew stronger by many orders of magnitude.

The probes bounced off once, twice. Thrice.

They would not be approaching this day. The Forest was content with this.

*-*-*-*

Senior Scientist Oragles examined the data with glee.

Energy shielding. This strange, wonderful, somehow crystal, forest had energy shielding. And absorption, too, if those dark crystal trees that practically drank in all the light the probes emitted were anything to judge by.

This... this was something that the Ingaba had never seen functioning before. The Matlownee didn't have energy shielding. The Blathubu didn't have energy shielding, and their energy weapons were the best the Ingaba had ever encountered. The Aarallaia didn't have energy shielding, and they outmatched everybody else the Ingaba had met put together.

All he had to do was figure out how this worked. Without knowledge leaking to the other species, who would then contest the area, or screwing up and destroying the Forest before figuring it out.

At least... at least the Forest seemed to be capable of protecting itself, in the event that raiders arrived.

Oragles shook his mane, long, full hair flying wildly. That would have to wait; the forest before him was growing, drawing matter from an impossibly high number of particles that found their way to it. It wasn't just the energy shielding that did it, either, oh no. The emmissions of the local star alone couldn't account for it, carried on the solar wind. There was something more there – no.

One project at a time, maybe two. If he could reverse engineer the energy shielding, the his people would have a tremendous advantage in all fields; if he couldn't, then figuring out the stabilization methods the Forest used to remain fixed in place relative to the star would enable their starbases and system defense stations to be much more capable, especially if it could be adapted to planetary orbits instead of stellar ones.

He couldn't do it alone, though. Oragles would have preferred not to expend favors on this process, but the shield... if he could figure out how to replicate the shield, it would revolutionize the Fleet, securing the borders against the barbaric Matlownee and the rapacious Blathubu, maybe even allow them to recover lost worlds. He would have to speak to his contacts in the Fleet about military assistance.

Greater, more powerful tests of the Forest's shielding should yield useful results.

Spoiler: Dice Results

Focus:
Grow Collector Tree wins. 3X Focus on that, for 12 successes; 12/10. +1 Collector Tree, 2/10 to a second.

Actions:

Store successes against future need: 48 dice, 25 successes.

Research the Empty Veil: 23 dice, 9 successes. 9/20

Grow the Worm: 20 dice, 11 successes. 11/50

Grow Collector Tree: 18 dice, 7 successes, 9/10.

Research the Hoop Tree: 12 dice, 5 successes, 5/10

Try to reach out to the Predators: 8 dice, 5 successes, 5/5, new vote unlocked.

Research the incoming ship: 8 dice, 6 successes, 6/10

Research Elder Trees: 8 dice, 4 successes, 4/50

Try to reach out to the Ship: 6 dice, 4 successes, 4/10

Grow the Forest: 6 dice, 4 successes, 4/200

Grow Feeling Tree: 4 dice, 1 success, 1/10

Research the Soothing Tree: 4 dice, 4 successes, 4/10

Grow Sharding Tree: 2 dice, 1 success, 1/10

Grow Magnetic Tree: 2 dice, 2 successes, 2/10

Research Shard Volley Power: 2 dice, 0 successes, 0/10

Research the Shaping Tree: 2 dice, 0 successes, 0/20

Research the Reflecting Tree: 2 dice, 1 success, 1/10

That Ship is Scary, Erect the Shield!: 12 dice, +4 auto-successes; 9 successes.

Probes attempt to reach the Forest: 6 dice, 4 successes.

Victory! The probes have been repelled!

*-*-*-*

More ships hummed into the system from a specific point – the same point the initial ship had arrived from. Some are larger, some are smaller.

Their intent is sharper, hungrier than that of the smaller ship already present, floating a distance from the Forest. The new ships are moving closer.

This bodes ill.

*-*-*-*

Turn Two Vote​

Communication Actions

[ ][Action] Try to reach out to the first Ship.
-Requires 10 successes
-What is this? What were those? Why are you poking us?
-4/10 successes


Defense Actions

[ ][Action] Those Ships are scary. Erect the Shield!
-Opposed Action. Unknown dice available to the Ship/s.


Growth Actions

[ ][Action] Grow the Forest.
-4/200 successes to Mag 04.

[ ][Action] Grow the Worm
-11/50 successes to Stage 02

[ ][Action] Grow <Treename>
-Replace <Treename> with the name of a Special Tree from the Front Page. Variable cost.

Growth progress is visible on the front page.


Offense Actions

~Glare angrily into the sun~ The Forest has no means of striking at others at this time.


Research Actions

[ ][Action] Research the Empty Veil power (Void)
-Study how the Empty Tree works, and discern a means of applying that to the whole forest at once. Unlocks a Survival Action that protects the Forest from detection if successful.
-Requires 20 Research successes. 9/20

[ ][Action] Research the Shard Volley power (Crystal)
-Study how the Sharding Tree accomplishes it's explosive effect, and seek a less onerous means of replicating it on a smaller scale. Unlocks a Defense Action that can damage or kill enemies within the boundaries of the Forest.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 0/20

[ ][Action] Research the incoming Ship. It's just sitting there, waiting. Menacingly. (???)
-How does it move? How? Inquiring Minds want to know! Unlocks a new field of research.
-Requires 10 Research successes. 6/10


[ ][Action] Research the Scoop Tree (Magnetic)
-An alternative application of magnetic fields, the Scoop Tree improves the efficacy of growth actions, by proactively adjusting magnetic fields to reach out and obtain charged particles.
-Requires 10 Research successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Hoop Tree (Magnetic)
-Yet another application of magnetic fields, the Hoop Tree unlocks a Survival action, allowing for resources to be stored against future need. Automatically applies one die to that action each turn.
-Requires 10 Research successes. 5/10

[ ][Action] Research the Shaping Tree (Crystal)
-Crystals aren't particularly fluid, but their interiors can be adjusted to mimic that of other trees as the need arises. This tree allows for other trees to take up arms in defense of the Forest. Up to one Defense Action per Forest Magnitude per turn gains one extra die per Shaping Tree.
-Requires 20 Research successes 0/20

[ ][Action] Research the Reflecting Tree (Crystal)
-Energy taken from successful strikes is returned back to the attacker, diminishing the amount suffered by the Forest. One point of damage per Tree is 'returned to sender' in some way, shape, or form, reducing the damage taken by that amount.
-Requires 10 Research successes. 1/10

[ ][Action] Research the Soothing Tree (Psionic)
-The Mind of the Forest is a potent thing indeed, capable of reaching out beyond itself. This tree serves as a focus, allowing for a new Offensive Action that can calm aggression and hostility, allowing for or encouraging peaceful discourse. Provides one automatic success to this action per Soothing Tree. One communication action per turn gains one extra die per tree.
-Requires 10 Research successes. 4/10

[ ][Action] Research Elder Trees (General)
-Some Trees have grown old indeed, and were old when the Forest was young... old when the Forest was last whole. Some measure of this experience can be distilled and incorporated into new and extant Trees, improving their skill at wielding their power. Unlocks upgrades to existing and future Special Trees, required for Tier Two trees.
-Requires 50 Research successes. 4/50

Survival Actions

[ ][Action] Attempt to store resources against future need.
-All successes stored. 25 successes banked against recovering future damage.

Other

[ ][Action] Write-in
-For if you believe I'm missing something. I reserve the right to disapprove of any write-ins, or appropriate them for other purposes and places.


Focus Actions
Choose any three actions from the above for the Forest to focus on. These are voted upon by the entire group, and are in addition to the individual actions taken by each member. Multiples should be indicated with a x#, so the second identical action would be x2, etc.

[ ][Focus] Action Name

These Actions will receive a number of automatic successes equal to the Magnitude of the Forest and any bonuses from other sources.

At the moment, the top three focus actions will win, each receiving the focus of the Forest.

*-*-*-*

Your Votes should look like the following:

[ ][Predators] Choice
[ ][Action] Action
[ ][Focus] Action 1
[ ][Focus] Action 2
[ ][Focus] Action 3

Newcomers should add one of the following:

[ ][Tree] Heart Tree
[ ][Tree] Mind Tree
[ ][Tree] Root Tree

This vote will always be open.

*-*-*-*

'Ere we go! 'Ere we go! Don't die, would you? That would be most inconvenient for the Ingaba.

Didn't take as much time as I thought it would, so you get the update waaay early. I'm going to eat another sandwich or something, too. Please tag me or PM me if you think I missed something, there's a lot to keep track of here - unlike in a standard quest, every player is a moving part.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Turn Two Results – Event Interrupt 2-1
​

There were many things concerning the Forest. Its own growth took priority in its thoughts, but the mere presence of more ships nearby was disconcerting, fascinating, and frightening all at once. The predators were a curiousity that could be investigated more fully later.

Maybe the ship was a being like the forest, or the group of ships. Maybe it could be contacted. Maybe it would do... something... to hurt the forest.

And so the Forest, not so limited as the many smaller entities that lived within it, did everything. Collectors rose out of the network of roots, leaves darkly gleaming in the weak sunlight.

The growing Worm whispered to the Forest. What will be, was. The cycle turns.

A new kind of tree took root. Little more than a narrow trunk with a bare handful of stubby branches, a violet glow softly lit the area around it, only visible in the shadows of the larger trunks around it. Once grown, this tree would focus the power of the Forest, allowing it to soothe hostiles and ease the minds of others. For now, all it did was slightly cool the hostility of the actions of those that entered its luminence.

Resources were gathered, light and minerals secreted away in the roots of the Forest against possibly urgent need. Paltry compared to what had been gathered previously, other projects required greater attention.

The first ship skimmed around the shield weakly maintained by the Magnetic Trees, scanning and examining everything it could see, keeping its own probes back. The Forest examined it in turn, a copse of Mind Trees applying how it moved to the Forest, eventually finding a method to make it a reality. The Skimmer Tree would allow the Forest to slowly move, and for each one grown it could move more quickly.

Among numerous other projects, the Forest only truly succeeded in expanding its boundaries slightly, the network of roots grasping further out from the Heart of the Forest, shoots poking out of the tangle to form new trees. All else languished for lack of focus or attention.

The Forest finished gathering its strength and reached out to the Ship, and was startled by what it discovered. The Ship wasn't intelligent in its own right.

Instead, it carried a large number of other beings, who were capable of communication. Each of them independent, like the Forest, rather than a piece of a larger whole. This would be complicated.

*-*-*-*

"Senior Scientist Oragles, this had better be important. My patience is thin. What is going on?"

"F-fleet Admiral Monagles! I – I'm sorry, Fleet Admiral, I had not expected you to come personally!" Oragles' ears twitched upright on his head. This... this could be good. The Crystal Forest was strange indeed.

"The Minister of the Navy insisted that I show up personally, even if it is in second-line ships. You are lucky that our cease-fires are holding, otherwise it would be someone else."

"Ah," Oragles twitched. Monagles was a hero of the Ingaba, deflecting incursions, raids, and full-on assaults for decades. Under his leadership, the First Fleet had repelled the Matlownee's own First and Second Fleets as they struck in a deep strike, attempting to destroy the Ingaba's shipbuilding and orbital industry. If that had succeeded, the Ingaba likely would no longer exist as a united entity, swallowed whole by the factions around them. "Of course, Fleet Admiral."

"Now, the Minister mentioned you had a surprise for me?" he asked, mane ruffling.

"I am transmitting the data now, Fleet Admiral. I do not think you would believe me without it."

Oragles twitched his tail in the silence that followed, pleased that his current setup allowed him to hide that telltale sign of nerves, only showing him from the shoulder up.

"Energy shielding," Monagles finally intoned, voice much deeper than it had been. "You claim this forest has energy shielding."

"I do, and I would appreciate stronger weaponry to test its efficacy, and gather greater data for reverse engineering."

"Granted." he shifted his attention to someone offscreen. "Comms, signal the Fortlameen. One broadside, aimed at the Forest. Don't miss." A pause. "Good." He turned back to face Oragles. "A frigate will test your words, Senior Scientist. I hope for your sake that you are correct."

*-*-*-*

Scinitllating sheets of energy erupted from one of the ships that the Forest had identified, the path clearly intersecting with the Forest.

Magnetic Trees spooled up, power flowing through them from the wider forest as the single greatest concentration of tree-power for the turn acted.

A shimmering barrier appeared, encircling the Forest. The broadside struck the shield in a tremendous display, light sheeting off of it in a rainbow.

The shield held. The Forest was pleased.

And irritated. They were capable of communication, weren't they? And they hadn't even bothered? Hmph.

They pressed their mind outward, reaching for the ship, and finally connected to something on the other end instead of drifting. The Forest expressed its displeasure.

*-*-*-*

"Oh, how fascinating," Oragles said, studying his instruments. The channel with the Fleet Admiral was still open. "Not quite energy shielding. Particle shielding, it looks like, contained in a pair of shaped magnetic fields – vaguely similar to the magnetic sheaths utilized by Aarallaia plasma weapons, but much, much bigger. Thank you for your assistance, Fleet Admiral! This has proven most efficacious."

"Your data did not lie, Senior Scientist. Let me know what assistance you need."

"Of course. I will -" his hands reached up to his head, grasping it between them. "D-do we ha-have a psychic hand-han-ha-handy?" Oragles stuttered, pulling himself back together. "It is apparently fully capable of communication and is displeased with our assault."

Monagles was silent for a moment, staring at the ruffled fur and heavy breaths of the scientist. "We do," he said, slowly. "A Clairvoyant requested permission to come."

"Ah." There was nothing so disconcerting as to have a Clairvoyant arrive and advocate for or against some course of action. Oragles had never met one, and had hoped the event would never arrive. Clairvoyants served no side, fought for no government, and recruited from all peoples.

"Yaranae Yllarat will be our envoy with the Forest."

*-*-*-*

The Forest recoiled ever so slightly when pressure was placed against its extended thoughts.

"Who speaks to Us?"

"I am Yaranae Yllarat, Diviner of Truth, here to speak with the Forest on behalf of the Ingaba Directorate." The other mind was serene, calm, and confident.

"What do you want?"

"The purpose of the Ingaba here is to learn from your existence and understand what you can do, that they might replicate it for themselves. What do you want?"

*-*-*-*

Choose One:

This represents your opening diplomatic stance. It will be modified or adjusted over the course of this Event. The Forest is uncertain how the Diviner, or the Ingaba Directorate, might respond to any particular stance.

[ ] Aggressive
-The Forest lays claim to this star system.

[ ] Discovery
-The Forest desires knowledge, that it might be better prepared for the trials of the galaxy.

[ ] Expansionist
-The Forest desires more resources, that it might grow more quickly.

[ ] Isolationist
-The Forest desires to be left alone above all else.

[ ] Protection
-The Forest desires to be protected from attack and destruction.

This Event is expected to last for between three and five additional updates. Votes during this time will count as a vote for the age counter to reach the next tier.

*-*-*-*

Voting will remain open for between sixteen and twenty hours. Explicit roll results will be added to the final update in the chain, whenever that is. The Front Page has been updated with the Trees unlocked this turn.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Event Interrupt Two​

"The Forest desires knowledge," it says, not in words but in ideas. "The Forest has seen little and knows less. We desire to discover more about the galaxy we live in."

"Knowledge for knowledge is simple enough, but complicated indeed by the sheer amount of knowledge. We will need to speak with the Ingaba to come to a conclusion on what might be available for trade, and what they will not part with, or will only part with under special circumstances.

"We will require a similar amount of data from you, oh Forest. You desire knowledge, but what kinds of knowledge do you want? Please, take your time."

*-*-*-*

"So what are we after here, Admiral?" Oragles asked.

"Your job is to learn as much about this Forest as can be learned, Senior Scientist, and figure out how it can be applied to our already extant technologies. So do so. Now that the Crystal Forest has proven itself to be capable of communication, it is my job to ensure that it does not become a threat to the Ingaba.

"So the question I have for you, is what do you need to get the most data, and scale back from that."

"Hmm," Oragles' fur ruffled as he thought. "The best case scenario would be a base within their shield, to better study the Forest and the ecosystem present there. A single ship would be allowed to breach the shield and dock at a time. In order to ensure the peaceful purposes of the base, the Forest would be required to defend it from aggression. As a bonus on top of that, studying the material of the Forest itself would be ideal, but I don't know how likely we are to get that concession."

"You want a research agreement."

The scientist blinked. "Yes, that's it exactly. We help with their research in fields they are deficient on, and they help with our research in fields we are deficient on. Our base technologies are so different that it will likely prove fruitful for decades to come, if not generations."

"That is quite the turnaround from asking for a naval group to shoot something for you."

"It's the difference between a person and a plant, Admiral. A plant responds to stimuli in a very basic way. An animal can be taught, to some extent. A person needs to be convinced. Alas, I never did study the more social sciences."

"Do we know what they want?"

A shadow pooled in the room and stretched out into the shape of an Ingaba. "Knowledge," the visage of Yaranae Yllarat said. "They seek knowledge. It is most fortuituous that your desires and theirs parallel."

"Is it?"

"Peace is ever more fragile when bought at the edge of a knife or the mouth of a gun, Admiral," she said, the fur on the image ruffling. "There is ever some other threat to life on the horizon."

"And you see this as aiding us in surviving such a thing as what destroyed the Vi'la'kith'nai?" Oragles asked, tripping over the glottal stops in the name.

"Has it not already? You now have particle shielding within your grasp. What more do you think awaits?" The Clairvoyant smiled, a display of tooth and fang considered either a warning or an invitation, and disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

*-*-*-*

Vote For One

Each vote will adjust the Forest's priority in terms of what it wants specifically. The more votes an option gets, the fewer concessions will be needed to obtain it, which will be hashed out in the next update. The fewer votes an option gets, the more concessions that will be required to obtain it. Options that receive no votes will not be considered.

[ ] The current state of the galaxy
-Galactic-level Politics, Astrography, known threats

[ ] Knowledge of local affairs
-Knowledge of local stars, hyperlanes, politics.

[ ] General research asssistance
-Additional automatic successes on trees and powers that parallel the Ingaba's current knowledge, for the duration of the treaty.

[ ] Travel between Stars
-Unlocks advanced technologies for study early, by examining samples provided by the Ingaba.

[ ] Psionic Tutor
-Additional automatic successes on Psionic trees and powers, due to the presence of a powerful psionic individual, for the duration of the treaty.

[ ] Materials Technology Cache
-Advanced materials science. Early unlock of 2-4 more advanced technologies through provided samples, specifics to be determined.

[ ] Energy Technology Cache
-Advanced energy weapons. Early unlock of 2-4 more advanced technologies through provided samples, specifics to be determined.

*-*-*-*

I'm sorry this took me so much longer than I wanted, but I had to figure out how I was going to do this.

This vote is open for between sixteen and twenty-four hours.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Event Interrupt Three
​

Ingaba Requests

These are the things the Ingaba are asking for, in exchange for what the Forest wants.

1) Outpost: The Forest will allow for a base to be constructed or towed into position beneath their Shielding. Once constructed, a single transport vessel at a time will be allowed to breach the Shield and dock with the Outpost. This outpost will allow for a group of psychics to teach the Forest how to harness its power, and allow for the psychics to obtain knowledge from the Forest in exchange. This provides the Magnitude of the Forest in bonus successes to each Psionic research taken each turn.

2) Lump Sum: 10 Survival successes will be seperated from the Forest's reserve and used to pay for the cache of Faster Than Light technology.

3) Payment Plan: Five Survival successes per turn are seperated from the Forest and made accessible to the Ingaba. This will start next turn and last for no more than five turns, and purchases the cache of advanced Materials.

4) Research Agreement: The Ingaba request that the Crystal Forest provide assistance on technologies that parallel the knowledge of the Crystal Forest. Requires at least ten dice of assistance provided to the Ingaba every turn for the duration of the treaty. In exchange, the Forest will obtain one success for each die paid this way into one randomly chosen research action marked with an asterisk (*). This will last for no fewer than five turns.

5) Research Base: An upgrade to the Outpost, a full Research Base will be constructed or towed into position beneath the Forest's shielding. Once constructed, a single transport vessel at a time will be allowed to breach the Shield and dock with the Base. This will enable the Ingaba to study the Forest in greater detail as it grows. In exchange for the right to build this base, the Ingaba will provide the Forest with a cache of energy weapons and power plants.

6) Orbital Habitat: An upgrade of the Research Base, the Orbital Habitat will be constructed in place over the Forest, within the limits of the Forest's shielding and somehow tied to the Forest's gravity, obviating the need for station-keeping engines. Removes the restriction on the number of ships allowed within the Shield at a time. In exchange for the right to build this habitat, the Ingaba will provide constantly updating local data through advanced sensor systems, even as the Crystal Forest moves.

7) Galactic Embassy: An extension of the Orbital Habitat, the Galactic Embassy will allow for the Galactic Community as a whole to know of the Crystal Forest, and grant it the right to observe meetings. This will also provide the Crystal Forest with knowledge of many galactic affairs, and the ability to open diplomatic links with other factions.

8) Orbital Trade Center: An extension of the Orbital Habitat, the Orbital Trade Center will turn wherever the Forest is into a trading hotspot. In exchange for this, the Forest will receive a tithe of resources that will be placed into Growth actions in order of what requires the fewest successes to finish, after rolls have been done. The number of successes will vary with the location of the Forest.

9) Orbital Fortress: A distinct orbital body, the Orbital Fortress will proclaim to the galaxy that the Crystal Forest is a Protectorate of the Ingaba. This will boost the standing of the Ingaba in the galaxy proportionate to the strength of the Crystal Forest. This will prevent incursions in all situations but that of declared Wars, by parties not within the Galactic Community, and existential threats, and prevents the Forest from knowingly entering systems controlled by factions hostile to the Ingaba. The Forest will gain the protection of the most advanced Orbital Fortress the Ingaba can build, and it will be constantly upgraded as time and resources allow. If this is selected, the treaty length is set to 'indefinite'.

*-*-*-*

Summary of Requests

1) Psionic Tutor is filled by the Outpost, which will be built before the end of the turn.
+Automatic Successes to all Psionic Research Actions
-Outpost required for the Tutors to live
-Tutors will learn as the Forest does

2) Travel Between Stars is filled by the Lump Sum, to be paid immediately.
+Faster-than-light travel researches unlocked
-One time payment

3) Materials Technology Cache is filled by Payment Plan.
+Several Materials technology researches unlocked.
-Multi-turn payment.

4) General Research Agreement is filled by Research Agreement.
+Automatic Successes provided to technologies the Ingaba know
-Accelerate Ingaba research of technologies parallel to those of the Crystal Forest

5) Energy Technology Cache is filled by allowing a Research Base to be built.
+Several energy weapon and power plants available for reverse engineering.
-The Outpost is expanded to a full Research Base, allowing the Ingaba to study more aspects of the Forest more easily.

6) Knowledge of Local Affairs is filled by allowing an Orbital Habitat to be built.
+Constantly updating knowledge of Local Affairs, even as the Crystal Forest moves.
-Large numbers of Ingaba and any associated species will be located nearby
-More ships traveling between the Habitat and elsewhere

7) The Current State of the Galaxy is filled by allowing a Galactic Embassy to be built.
+Access to all members of the Galactic Community, updating knowledge of galactic factions and politics
-The Galactic Community knows you exist directly
-The Orbital Habitat is even larger.
-Arriving ships more likely to be from factions other than the Ingaba.

8) The Orbital Trade Center generates a pseudo-Commercial Agreement between the Crystal Forest and the Ingaba.
+Automatic Growth Successes starting in five turns.
-The Orbital Habitat is even larger.
-Arriving ships highly likely to be from galactic organizations and factions.

9) The Orbital Fortress turns the Crystal Forest into a protectorate of the Ingaba, and will take five turns to build.
+Heavily armed and armored Fortress right there.
+Presumably Friendly.
-Might not always remain that way.
-Fortunes all but inextricably tied to the Ingaba.

*-*-*-*

Vote

How many of the above terms to do accept, if any? Higher numbers include all lower-numbered terms. For exmaple, for '4' means you accept all terms involved in items 1, 2, 3, and 4.

[ ] Term #

If you do not accept the terms above, or have reservations about some terms and would like to negotiate, vote like so:

[ ] No, Term #, Write-in.

Or

[ ] Reject all Terms

I reserve the right to reject write-ins for any reason. Please be aware that changing the terms is more intent on the spirit rather than the letter, because the Forest is communicating in images and ideas rather than words.

Approval voting is allowed. Voting will probably be open for at least two days / 48 hours; this is a significant moment for the Forest and perhaps for the entire galaxy. Or maybe it doesn't amount to much.

Sufficient votes to change terms may result in counter-counter terms if there is sufficient approval from fellow voters for the changes, or the changes may be accepted immediately.

*-*-*-*

Okay. I think this is decent. I'm sorry there isn't any fluff for this, I have no idea what to write for it, not being a diplomat or any kind of negotiator.

No Moratorium on voting.

I'm sorry I don't have a vote example here, but it isn't the least bit clear-cut.

I'll be hanging around for a few hours, refreshing every 10-15 minutes or so barring dinner, to answer questions and confirm or reject write-ins. Then I'll go to sleep and pick back up in the morning.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Event Interrupt Four​

A brief summary of the first Treaty between the Crystal Forest and the Ingaba Directorate.

The Ingaba Directorate will do or provide the following:

1) The Ingaba will provide a set of psionic tutors for the Forest for the duration of the Treaty. These tutors may rotate out at their own discretion. The tutors will be housed within a Research Base built by the Ingaba within the boundaries of the Forest's shield. Only a single Ingaba civilian transport ship will be allowed to dock with the Research Base at any time. Violation of these terms will result in the treaty defaulting and all ongoing benefits terminated.

2) The Ingaba will provide samples of Faster-than-light technology to the Crystal Forest, that it might develop the ability to travel between the stars of its own accord.

3) The Ingaba will provide samples of advanced materials to the Crystal Forest, that it might integrate them into itself or develop them further.

4) The Ingaba will assist the Crystal Forest in all fields of research that the Ingaba are familiar with, at a rate of one success for each die paid into assisting their own research. Violation of these terms will result in the treaty defaulting and all ongoing benefits terminated.

5) The Ingaba will provide samples of advanced energy technologies to the Crystal Forest, that it might integrate them into itself or develop them further.


The Crystal Forest will do or provide the following.

1) The Crystal Forest will allow the psionic tutors placed within the Research Base to study the Forest, and will not prevent this from happening.

2) The Crystal Forest will provide a one-time payment of ten units of resources to the Ingaba. This payment will be pulled from resources stored against future need and be paid immediately.

3) The Crystal Forest will provide five units of resources to the Ingaba every turn for five turns, for a total of twenty-five units of resources. This payment will be pulled from resources stored against future need, and begin at the end of Turn 3. Failure to meet this demand will result in the treaty defaulting and all ongoing benefits terminated.

4) The Crystal Forest will provide assist the Ingaba Directorate in all fields of research that the Crystal Forest is familiar with, at a rate of ten dice provided to assist the Ingaba with this per turn of the Treaty. Failure to meet this demand will result in the treaty defaulting and all ongoing benefits terminated.

5) The Crystal Forest will allow a full Research Base to be constructed beneath its shielding, will protect said Research Base against enemies of the Ingaba and other threats, and will allow a single Ingaba civilian transport ship to pass beneath the shield and dock with the Research Base at a time.

*-*-*-*

Duration: How long will the Treaty last? At the conclusion of the treaty, new terms can be devised, old ones revisited, removed or added, or the treaty can be allowed to lapse without renewal.

Vote:

[ ] Five Turns
-The minimum required by the Treaty.
-Relationship improves from 'Uncertain' to 'Neutral'

[ ] Ten Turns
-Relationship improves from 'Uncertain' to 'Neutral'
-Every turn beyond the first five slowly increases the Opinion of the Ingala Directorate towards the Crystal Forest.

[ ] Twenty Turns
-Relationship improves from 'Uncertain' to 'Neutral'
-Every turn beyond the first five slowly increases the Opinion of the Ingala Directorate towards the Crystal Forest.

[ ] Indefinite
-Relationship improves from 'Uncertain' to 'Friendly'.
-Every turn beyond the first five slowly increases the Opinion of the Ingala Directorate towards the Crystal Forest.
-Treaty renegotiations triggered by Events or by Forest Consensus.

Consequences beyond those listed are unpredictable.

Approval voting is allowed.

*-*-*-*

All right, this should be the last update for this event. Next is confirmation and the start of turn 03. Should be more fluff for that one, rather than the relatively dry reading of these last few updates. It'll also include the dice rolls for turn 02.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Interlude 01
The Ingaba Directorate​

Directorate Council Chamber
Ingabala, Ingala Home System
Ingaba Directorate
Year 329 since Unification
15 jumps from the Crystal Forest

"... and so it is my pleasure to announce the full Research Agreement with the entity known as the Crystal Forest..."

"Turn that off, would you, Admiral Monagles?" Director Oglubi asked, waving a clawed hand in the direction of the monitor showing the official announcement of the Ingaba Directorate – Crystal Forest Research Agreement for the umpteenth time. "I don't need to hear it again."

"Of course, Director."

"Thank you," the Director replied, leaning into his cushions.

"I didn't want to hear it again myself, Director," the Admiral returned politely, to a few quiet chuckles from the rest of the room.

"That's right, you were there. What are your actual impressions of the Crystal Forest?"

"Yes, Admiral; please do explain why it jumped from a top-secret research mission to a diplomatic mission at the droop of a tail, if you would be so kind."

"Secretary Notala," the Admiral nodded, ears flicking deferentially at the primary ambassador of the Ingaba Directorate. "When the Crystal Forest reached out to complain about our tests upon its shield the situation shifted. The Clairvoyant that attached themselves to our command insisted on brokering with the Crystal Forest immediately."

"And there was nothing you could do in the face of that, Admiral?" Gorales, Secretary of the Navy, asked.

"Not without risking the cease-fires currently in place, Gorales," Notala shook her head, ears flat with displeasure. "The Clairvoyants have a very long reach. If the Crystal Forest had demanded that system for itself, and nothing else, we might have had to cede it to keep the peace."

"Our economy has not yet returned to its pre-war state, Secretary Gorales," Vorata, Secretary of the Interior, added. "We need time to build new shipyards and fortresses; time that keeping to those treaties allows. We are not so strong that we can ignore the Galactic Council."

"The research we will obtain will surely advance our everything by a great deal," Secretary of Research Oglala shifted in her seat, eager for the future. "We will probably need to redesign all of our ships and fortresses to take advantage of the shielding the Crystal Forest has developed, and building it into our other equipment will require new factories and forges."

"You have done quite well, Admiral Monagles, in resolving this situation before it went any further than it did. You'll be getting another medal for that – no, don't bother protesting, you prevented us from getting crushed by the Council, and ensured that it was highly unlikely for the wider Galactic Community to even notice the Forest. The Clairvoyants will know, but they always do; nothing to be done about that."

"Thank you, Director."

"Now, Oglala, how soon do you think we'll have those shields reverse engineered? Before the Treaty ends? Afterwards?"

"Oh, before, Director. Even without the assistance of the Crystal Forest, we would have the basics figured out well before the cease-fire ends. With their assistance, we should be capable of deploying combat-grade shields by the time the Treaty ends – and the input of additional crystals from the agreement should enable us to develop a way to create them on our own, reducing our need for that one particular trade agreement."

"Excellent work, Oglala. Now, what technologies should we be providing, as per our agreement?"

"Everything we think they can use, Director. Projections indicate that it will take quite some time to work everything out, and we can use that time to remain ahead of the Crystal Forest in those fields and catch up in other places."

"And what are those things?"

"Samples of Metallic Crystal Alloys, Superconductors, Crystal Formation experiments, and a few of our experimental gravity-blended alloys. We expect most of those to be directly integrated into the structure of the Forest itself, which will enable us to study a new way of implementing the technologies in turn. Might result in tougher ships down the line.

"We are also providing examples of energy weapons, a ship-scale fusion reactor and visual scanners. My teams aren't sure how they'll incorporate those, but it will be fascinating to discover. Same with the fully funcional Hyperdrive we're supplying them."

Director Oglubi's ears twitched with every line. "Why, exactly, are we supplying all of this to a potential hostile?"

"In order to reduce that potential, Director. Our first action against the Forest was one of hostility. People, no matter the shape or kind, do not take kindly to being attacked, no matter the reason. These actions make them more inclined to trust us."

"Very well, Secretary Notala," the Director conceded, his nostrils flaring, his ears raised high. "How long will this last?"

"Ten of their, ah, growth cycles. However long that actually is, we don't know. Could be a few years; could be a few decades." Secretary Oglala answered. "Just another thing we'll be discovering! Oh, I wish I didn't have a desk job right now."

"I'm sorry, Oglala; I don't have anybody else as good at you are at stroking egos and keeping our researchers researching instead of getting into disputes, so I can't let you go. On the other hand, I'm sure you can make some time to study whatever we're getting from them," the Director responded, mellowing out slightly. This was a private meeting, not one with his full set of advisors. He could afford some level of relaxation here.

Her ears perked up. "Of course! We've got a research base right there, so most of the work will be done on site, but we'll be getting quite a lot of materials from them – if Senior Scientist Oragles has checked right, we're getting enough materials to grow three of their solar collector trees, so that should be more than enough to figure out how to grow our own. And I'll get in on that!"

"That's good to hear, Secretary Oglala. Now, Secretary Moglas, how is the cover story going?"

"Everything has proceeded apace, Director." Moglas, Secretary of Intelligence, answered. "The Research Agreement won't be accepted as true by anybody but our own people, but another species accepting assistance from one of their elders to reach spaceflight is not unknown to the wider community, and that will be accepted as truth. The fact that we are the ones doing it may tweak a few whiskers, but we have not had such an opportunity before – and when knowledge of the Shields finally breaks, everything will be perfectly explained - why lie when the truth is so much more efficient?"

"Good work. Now, be off with all of you – we've got official meetings tomorrow to hash everything else out with everyone else."

*-*-*-*

A/N: Not dead. I figured I'd break this part of the update off as an interlude to say that. Next update is in progress!

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Event Interrupt Conclusion // Turn 03 Vote​

The Forest watched as the strange beings called the Ingaba moved their ships around. One slowly towed a structure in, behind where the Forest erected its shield, made entirely out of metals and other things.

Just as promised. Good. The Forest could work with this.

A mind reached out to the Forest once the 'Research Base' was emplaced, a tentative communication that was responded to in kind. A greeting, a message of hope for the future, and an introduction wrapped up in a single thought, brief and concise.

Just as promised. The Forest will learn from this.

The steady movement of the transport ships that appeared gave the Forest a sense of how the Ingaba perceived the flow of events. It was much more rapid than the Forest was used to. The Research Base grew larger; apparently the initial item towed in was a framework, with the rest installed on the location. Each transport was a heavy thing, dense and solid to the Forest's senses.

Then a transport arrived that was smaller. The psychic who contacted them earlier informed them that the Research Base was finished, and that the promised technologies had arrived. The psychic, with a team that would be arriving in the next transport, would assist the Forest in reverse engineering them.

The Forest returned its promise, then. Stored resources gathered together in a lump near the Research Base, and with an effort of will were detached to drift upwards. And then the Forest informed the psychic of what they were doing.

Perhaps they got the order wrong, but nothing was destroyed, although the transport did move much faster than it usually did.

That would be something to discover.

Spoiler: Turn Two Roll Results

Focus:
Grow Collector Tree wins, x3. +15 Successes, 9/10 + 15 = 24/10 = +2 Collector Trees, 4/10 to a third.

Those Ships are Scary, Erect the Shield: 40 dice, 15 successes + 4 auto = 19.
Frigate Firepower: 10 dice, 6 successes.
The shield holds!

Grow the Worm: 11/50. 22 dice, 10 successes, 21/50

Research the Soothing Tree: 4/10. 16 dice, 9 successes, 13/10 → Soothing Tree researched, 1/10 to growing the first Soothing Tree. Grow a Soothing Tree to delve deeper into Psionic research!

Try to reach out to the first Ship: 4/10. 15 dice, 6 successes, 10/10, Event Triggered. Event Completed!

Store Resources: 25 banked, 14 dice, 7 successes, 32 banked.
Ingaba Treaty: -10 Resources, 22 banked.

Research the Empty Veil power: 9/20. 12 dice, 5 successes, 14/20

Grow Collector Tree: 4/10. 10 dice, 5 successes, 9/10

Research the incoming ship: 6/10. 10 dice, 5 successes, 11/10, Skimmer Tree unlocked, Gravitic Technology tree unlocked! Grow a Skimmer Tree to further delve into Gravitic research!

Grow the Forest: 4/200. 10 dice, 1 success, 5/200.

Research the Hoop Tree: 5/10. 6 dice, 2 successes, 7/10.

Research the Shaping Tree: 0/20. 4 dice, 2 successes, 2/20

Research the Scoop Tree: 0/10. 2 dice, 0 successes, 0/20

Research Elder Trees: 4/50. 2 dice, 0 successes, 0/20

Grow Feeling Tree: 1/10. 2 dice, +0 successes, 1/10

Grow Sharding Tree: 0/10. 2 dice +0 successes, 0/10

Grow Magnetic Tree: 2/10. 2 dice, +1 success, 3/10

Research the Shard Volley power: 0/20. 1 die, +1 success, 1/20

*-*-*-*

Turn 03​

The Forest detected something new appearing in the system. It was not the Ingaba transport ship; that was docked at the Research Base. Nor was it one of the many other craft that flew through the system, researching the corpse near the sun or passing through, no. It had far less metal making it up.

No, this was something similar to the Predators that laired within it, except their minds weren't anywhere near as hungry, and there were a lot more of them.

As if drawn by such thoughts, two heads peered out of the Forest, their heads tracking the prey as they drifted through the system. The minds of the Ingaba within their research base stirred, excited by what they saw on their sensors.

Two shadows blurred towards the prey, barely fragments of motion to the senses of the Forest, skipping through the magnetic fields woven around it in stuttering instants of understanding. At least their minds remained in constant contact, easily tracked as they raced through empty space, hurling towards their prey.

But they were not so fast that their approach went unnoticed. The prey drew themselves up, arrayed against the Predators that nested within the Forest, preparing to defend themselves. Bright, scintillating particle beams lanced out at the Predators. Most missed, drifting into the distance, slowly working beyond the Forest's senses. Some hit, searing scintillating scales. Pain radiated from the Predators, but they were not defeated.

One of the Prey was drifting out of formation. Slower and fatter, with brighter beams of energy, it was not quick enough to keep up as the Prey moved. The Predators pounced on it in a blur, rending motive sources with wickedly sharp claws in the first pass, and then with one single, perfect strike the Prey died, its mind fading into nothing.

The Predators looped back around, returning to their nest, their prey carried between them.

The Forest twisted its branched, allowing the Predators an easy path to their nest.

*-*-*-*

Turn Three Vote​

Communication Actions

[ ][Action] Reach out to the Research Base
-[ ][Action] Write-In what you speak of.
-Requires 5 successes.

[ ][Action] Explore the minds of the Prey before they leave the system
-What are they like? Where are they from? What do they do? Where are they going? Why are they over there, where it's harder to reach them?
-Requires 10 successes

Defense Actions

[ ][Action] Erect the Shield!
-There's nothing there that the Forest can see, but so what? Be ready!

Growth Actions

[ ][Action] Grow the Forest.
-5/200 successes to Mag 04.

[ ][Action] Grow the Worm
-21/50 successes to Stage 02

[ ][Action] Grow <Treename>
-Replace <Treename> with the name of a Special Tree from the Front Page. Variable cost.

Growth progress is visible on the front page.

Offense Actions

~Glare angrily into the sun~
Wait no, there's a closer target. Perhaps the Research Base can feel the strength of your glare?
~STAAARE~

Research Actions

[ ][Action] Assist the Ingaba Research Base (General)
-This action works to pay off the Forest's side of the deal with the Ingaba Directorate. In order to not default on the Treaty, at least ten dice must be paid into this action every turn for ten turns.
-Effect: For each die paid into this Action, the Forest will obtain one success to a randomly chosen voted for Research Action with an asterisk.
-Note: Not available as a Focus action.

[ ][Action] Research the Empty Veil power (Void)
-Study how the Empty Tree works, and discern a means of applying that to the whole forest at once. Unlocks a Survival Action that protects the Forest from detection if successful.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 14/20

[ ][Action] Research the Shard Volley power (Crystal)*
-Study how the Sharding Tree accomplishes it's explosive effect, and seek a less onerous means of replicating it on a smaller scale. Unlocks a Defense Action that can damage or kill enemies within the boundaries of the Forest.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 1/20

[ ][Action] Research the Scoop Tree (Magnetic)
-An alternative application of magnetic fields, the Scoop Tree improves the efficacy of growth actions, by proactively adjusting magnetic fields to reach out and obtain charged particles.
-Requires 10 Research successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Hoop Tree (Magnetic)
-Yet another application of magnetic fields, the Hoop Tree unlocks a Survival action, allowing for resources to be stored against future need. Automatically applies one die to that action each turn.
-Requires 10 Research successes. 7/10

[ ][Action] Research the Shaping Tree (Crystal)
-Crystals aren't particularly fluid, but their interiors can be adjusted to mimic that of other trees as the need arises. This tree allows for other trees to take up arms in defense of the Forest. Up to one Defense Action per Forest Magnitude per turn gains one extra die per Shaping Tree.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 2/20

[ ][Action] Research the Reflecting Tree (Crystal)
-Energy taken from successful strikes is returned back to the attacker, diminishing the amount suffered by the Forest. One point of damage per Tree is 'returned to sender' in some way, shape, or form, reducing the damage taken by that amount.
-Requires 10 Research successes

[ ][Action] Research Elder Trees (General)
-Some Trees have grown old indeed, and were old when the Forest was young... old when the Forest was last whole. Some measure of this experience can be distilled and incorporated into new and extant Trees, improving their skill at wielding their power. Unlocks upgrades to existing and future Special Trees, required for Tier Two trees.
-Requires 50 Research successes. 4/50

[ ][Action] Research Metallic Crystal Alloys (Crystal, Magnetic)*
-A blending of metal and crystal structures, this material is far more durable than the Crystal Forest's current construction.
-Effect: Increases the Health of the Forest by 50%. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 50 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research Crystal Formation (Crystal)*
-Samples of crystalline materials grown in other environments provides pointers on how the Crystal Forest can be more efficient in its own growth.
-Effect: Successes obtained on 'Grow the Forest' actions are increased by 25%. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 50 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research Superconductive Root Network (Magnetic)*
-Samples of superconducting materials transfer energy extremely efficiently between nodes. Implementing a similar system should allow for a drastic increase in action efficiency.
-Effect: All Magnetic-aligned or derived Growth, Survival, Offensive and Defensive actions succeed on a 3, 4, 5, or 6. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 100 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research Gravity-Blended Alloys (Gravitic, Manetic, Crystal)*
-Samples of a metallic-crystal alloy created by exposure to powerful gravitic fields, the Forest cannot easily replicate the circumstances used to create these. Yet.
-Effect: Increases the Health of the Forest by 100%. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 400 successes to research, reduced for each new Gravity Power researched and Gravity Tree grown, to a minimum of 200 successes.

[ ][Action] Research Optical Tree (Crystal, Light, Magnetic)*
-Derived from a sensor that detects things not through the changing of magnetic fields, but through the energy those things emit or reflect, the Optical Tree makes use of electromagnetic waves to determine what is in the vicinity of the Forest, improving and enhancing the Forest's knowledge of the local area.
-Effect: Increases detection range and fidelity. Reduces the threshold required to detect stealthed ships or entities. Unlocks further researches.
-Requires 50 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research the Laser Power (Crystal, Light, Magnetic)*
-Derived from a direct energy weapon provided by the Ingaba Directorate, the Laser shoots beams of aligned, amplified, and focused Light, containing immense amounts of energy.
-Effect: Unlocks the Beam Offensive Action, which directly damages targets that it hits. When the Forest Focus is applied to this action, it obtains the automatic successes provided by Collector Trees.
-Requires 100 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research the Conversion Power (Crystal, Gravity, Magnetic)*
-Derived from a fusion power plant, which converts matter from one type to another with a corresponding release of energy.
-Effect: Unlocks the Conversion Growth Action, which converts Survival successes to Growth successes at a rate of 1 per voter. Voters aligned with Growth actions will have a higher rate of conversion (A Root Tree will convert two Survival successes into two Growth successes). These successes are applied after dice have been rolled, and attempt to finish the Growh actions that are closest to completion first. This does not apply to Growth Actions that are not voted for in a turn.
-Requires 200 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research the Plasma Tree (Magnetic)*
-Derived from an exotic energy weapon provided by the Ingaba, the Plasma Tree maintains matter at a very high state of energy at all times, prepared to use it in support of other actions.
-Effect: Automatically generates 3 survival successes per turn. Unlocks the Conversion Offensive and Defensive actions, which convert banked survival successes into Magnetic or Magnetic-derived Offensive or Defensive successes at a rate of 1 per voter. Voters aligned with Offensive or Defensive actions will have a higher rate of conversion (A Heart Tree will convert two Survival Successes into two Defensive Successes). This will only apply to one Offensive, or one Defensive, action per turn.
-Requires 400 successes to research, reduced for each new Magnetic Power researched or Magnetic Tree grown, to a minimum of 200 successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Hyper Tree (Gravitic, Void)*
-The Ingaba Directorate provided a Hyperdrive to reverse engineer. This was the first variant the Ingaba placed into mass deployment when they began expanding to other star systems.
-Effect: Unlocks the Hyper Tree, which allows the Crystal Forest to travel between star systems. More Hyper Trees increase the speed at which this can be accomplished. Requires at least one Forest Focus action in order to occur.
-Requires 100 successes to research.

Survival Actions
[ ][Action] Attempt to store resources against future need.
-All successes stored. 22 successes banked against recovering future damage or to pay off the debt owed to the Ingaba Directorate.
Note: 5 Survival successes per turn are lost to the Ingaba Directorate as a result of paying for samples of new technologies.

Other

[ ][Action] Write-in
-For if you believe I'm missing something. I reserve the right to disapprove of any write-ins, or appropriate them for other purposes and places.

Focus Actions
Choose any three actions from the above for the Forest to focus on. These are voted upon by the entire group, and are in addition to the individual actions taken by each member. Multiples should be indicated with a x#, so the second identical action would be x2, etc.

[ ][Focus] Action Name

These Actions will receive a number of automatic successes equal to the Magnitude of the Forest and any bonuses from other sources.

At the moment, the top three focus actions will win, each receiving the focus of the Forest.

*-*-*-*

Your Votes should look like the following:

[ ][Action] Action
[ ][Focus] Action 1
[ ][Focus] Action 2
[ ][Focus] Action 3

Newcomers should add one of the following:

[ ][Tree] Heart Tree
[ ][Tree] Mind Tree
[ ][Tree] Root Tree

This vote will always be open.

*-*-*-*

Ahaha, here we are. I'm sorry this took me so long to get out, but it's he~re! You guys unlocked a lot of higher tier techs to research, from t2 to t4, way early. Congratulations!

Vote remains open for between 24 and 48 hours.

 

[Raising Kittens]

No SV You Are the Forest
A Riot Quest
Turn 03 Results // Turn 04 Vote​

The Forest continued to gather resources against future need, and to repay the Ingaba for their technologies. Now that it new that other beings might want them, they could prove invaluable in the future.

The Prey that the Predators hunted were easy to reach. They were... different. The Predators minds were sharp and focused, centered on the hunt and protecting their kin. The minds of the Ingaba were broad and full, each one distinct in their desires and interests, yet similar in overall shape. The Psychics of the Ingaba were shielded, only detectable by the absense of thoughts rather than their presence.

The Prey, on the other hand, were dull. Like the Predators, they were focused on resources and protecting each other, but unlike the Predators their thoughts were diffuse. They paid less attention to anything that wasn't hostile, hanging around an area to gather resources until they were forced out, or the resources they could gather dropped sufficiently to make it no longer worth it.

Like the Forest, the Prey drank in the particles and warmth of stars, but they also descended into... tiny, unlit stars, to gather resources more efficiently, places where particles gathered in huge masses without the brilliant energy of stars.

The path the Prey traveled along had several such small not-stars, as well as stars that were much, much more energetic than the local one, putting out many more particles.

Since the Ingaba kept their promise, moving (the very idea was strange) to such places would become an option. There were a few steps that had to happen first, of course, but the Forest was learning the required pieces.

Working with the Ingaba was strange. A complex interaction was required for knowledge to be translated between the two forms, telepaths working in conjunction to translate how something was done, but the Forest was satisfied with the results.

It took a great deal of practice, of course, but individual trees within the Forest could crack along specific points, as directed by one of the primary Grove, forcing shards to hurl forth at impressive speeds – certainly the lesser crystal beings that made up the Forest were grievously damaged by the lone test that was conducted.

Other projects continued. Collector trees grew, distant from their older counterparts, drinking in the heat of the star. Three distinct pillars of darkness gleaming amidst pale counterparts. A Soothing tree grew, quiet and restful, the lesser beings within the Forest sought refuge under its branches.

Whispers grew whenever the Forest thought of the Worm as it grew. Desire is gravity, they claimed, and gravity is desire. Its roots looped in on themselves, with no ending and no beginning.

The boundaries of the Forest expanded, slowly, oh so slowly. The Forest had other things to do.

Of the other projects, only one finished. The Hoop tree, which contained extraneous materials outside of the Root network in a tightly shaped magnetic field. All that was left was to put the theoretical into practice.

An idle thought spun the Magnetic trees up, particles flowing into position, a shimmering barrier wrapping around the Forest. Why not? There was nothing there, and the tree in question was, perhaps, bored.

Resources detached from the Forest as scheduled, floating off into the void. This time, it didn't come close to hitting the Research Base or the Transport docked there.

*-*-*-*

"Why did the Forest erect the shield? There's nothing around," one Ingaba researcher asked another.

"We've got probes outside of it, right? Bring them in; see if they can see anything we might have missed on more distant passes."

A few taps later, and, "Nothing. We can see nothing other than the shield."

"Hmm, look, see these readings here? It isn't as strong as it was when it blocked a volley from a frigate."

"The Forest can adjust how strong its shield is?"

"It looks like it."

"Well, damn. I wonder what the upper limit is?" the first researcher asked, ears twitching with curiosity.

"I hope we're not in a position to find out."

"Oh, right," he sighed, "We're under the shield. Maybe some other time, then."

"If everything goes badly, yeah."

Papers were shuffled back and forth for a time, notes taken and transcribed to a digital format for later perusal.

"So, what was the Forest helping us with?" the other researcher asked, having been assigned to do other work.

"Oh, that old project about the integration of psionics with technology; we're getting a lot of concessions from the Clairvoyants for working on this – every last part of the Forest is psychic in some way, you know?"

"But, shields?"

"That project is held at a black site somewhere deeper in our territory. No way would it be near a border system like this one!"

"Right, right," he flicked his ears, "and everybody's been trying to figure this out for the Clairvoyants, even if they don't have psychics of their own."

"Having a fully psychic species assist us with this means we're actually making progress, instead of pulling our limited number of psychics from other projects."

"So what's the reward for that, anyway?"

"You know, I have no idea?"

Spoiler: Turn 03 Roll Results

Focus Actions:
Collector Tree x2: 9/10. +7 per focus; *2 = +14. 9 + 14 = 23/10 = +2 Collector Trees, 3/10.
Soothing Tree: 1/10. + 7 per focus. 8/10.

Attempt to store resources against future need: 22 banked. 58 dice. 34 successes, 56 banked.
-5 for Ingaba Payment Plan, 51 banked.

Explore the Minds of the Prey before they leave the system: 25 dice. 19 successes, 19/10, success, information gained.

Assist the Ingaba Research Base: 26 successes to one * Research Action.

*Research Action: Research the Shard Volley Power: 1/20. 1 die, +26 successes, remainder banked. 1 success, +28/20, Shard Volley Power researched. 8 successes banked for next * research.

Grow the Worm: 21/50. 22 dice. 13 successes, 34/50

Grow Collector Tree: 3/10. 16 dice, 7 successes, 10/10, +1 Collector Tree

Grow the Forest: 5/200. 12 dice, 7 successes, 12/200

Grow Soothing Tree: 8/10. 5 voters, 9 dice, 2 successes, 10/10, +1 Soothing Tree

Research the Hoop Tree: 7/10. 4 voters, 7 dice, 5 successes, 12/10, Hoop Tree researched, 1/10 to growing a Hoop Tree. Grow a Hoop Tree to unlock further Magnetic researches!

Research the Scoop Tree: 0/10. 4 voters, 8 dice, 2 successes, 2/10

Research the Empty Veil power: 14/20. 3 voters, 6 dice. +2, 16/20

Grow Skimmer Tree: 0/10. 2 voters, 3 dice. 1 success, 1/10

Research Elder Trees: 4/50. 2 voters, 4 dice. +2, 6/50

Grow Sharding Tree: 0/10. 2 voters, 4 dice. +2, 2/10

Erect the Shield: 1 voter, 2 dice, +4 successes. +1, 5 successes, ? effect

Grow Empty Tree: 0/5. 1 voter, 2 dice. +1, 1/5.

Grow Magnetic Tree: 3/10. 1 voter, 2 dice. +1, 4/10.

Turn 04​

"Ah, Senior Scientist Oragles?"

"What is it?" the researcher growled. "Can't you see we're busy?"

"Well, uh. Those creatures that hunted down the Grazers have found one of our sensor drones, sir. And, uh."

"What is it?"

"They're playing with it. The same way my niece does with her toys."

"Well isn't that interesting... show me." Of course, just as the Senior Scientist moved away from his station, someone else entered the room. "What now?"

"Sir, the Grazers have settled on the far side of the star. They seem to be eying our operations on the Stellar Cocoon."

"... keep recordings of how the creatures handle the sensor drone, ensign. Full spectrum. I, unfortunately, need to report... that."

*-*-*-*

The gleaming leaves of the Forest wavered in the stellar wind, but something was different. Pressure arrived from the other direction, sending the branches of the Forest twisting as they strove to catch more.

It was strange, these particles. They seemed to have no source, yet they were similar to that of the star... but they were heading towards the star, rather than away from it. And they were moving faster, too. Much faster, many particles slipping through the grasp of the Forest, but there were many more where those came from.

//~~

Growth Actions have all successes increased by 25% for an unknown duration.

~~//

The Predators had found one of the drones that the Ingaba used as some form of mobile sensor tree, capable of discerning things well away from the ships the Ingaba traveled within. A clever trick, the Forest grudgingly admitted, but it had no way to do the same. Yet.

The Predators... bounced it between them, alternating between pouncing on it as it wove between trunks of the Forest and batting it between them. They caused it no real damage, but... the emotions of the Predators were a blend of things the Forest had not sensed from them before. Curiousity and amusement.

Hmm.

Turn Four Vote​

Communication Actions

[ ][Action] Ask the Research Base about the extra Particles.
-Requires 5 successes

[ ][Action] Ask the Research Base about other Stars
-Requires 5 successes

[ ][Action] Ask the Research Base about the Prey
-Requires 5 successes

[ ][Action] Reach out to the Research Base.
-[ ][Action] Write-in what to speak about.
-Requires 5 successes

Defense Actions

[ ][Action] Erect the Shield!
-There's nothing there that the Forest can see, but so what? Be ready!

[ ][Action] Prepare a Shard Volley
-This action primes resources to hurl a volley of razor sharp shards of crystal, splintered from the trunks and branches of the Forest itself. Successes are banked against future need, but only to a point – 10 successes per Magnitude of the Forest can be stored.

Growth Actions

[ ][Action] Grow the Forest.
-12/200 successes to Mag 04.

[ ][Action] Grow the Worm
-34/50 successes to Stage 02

[ ][Action] Grow <Treename>
-Replace <Treename> with the name of a Special Tree from the Front Page. Variable cost.

Growth progress is visible on the front page.

Offense Actions

~Glare angrily – wait a second...

[ ][Action] Soothe the Predators to see what happens.
-Opposed Action.

[ ][Action] Soothe the Prey to see what happens.
-Opposed Action.

[ ][Action] Attempt to Soothe the Research Base, see what happens.
-Opposed Action.

Research Actions

Note: All Psychic Research actions gain +1 success per Forest Magnitude while the Ingaba Research Agreement is in effect, provided at least one action is taken on them.

[ ][Action] Assist the Ingaba Research Base (General)
-This action works to pay off the Forest's side of the deal with the Ingaba Directorate. In order to not default on the Treaty, at least ten dice must be paid into this action every turn for ten turns.
-Effect: For each die paid into this Action, the Forest will obtain one success to a the most voted for Research Action with an asterisk.
-Note: Not available as a Focus action.

[ ][Action] Research the Empty Veil power (Void)
-Study how the Empty Tree works, and discern a means of applying that to the whole forest at once. Unlocks a Survival Action that protects the Forest from detection if successful.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 16/20

[ ][Action] Research the Scoop Tree (Magnetic)
-An alternative application of magnetic fields, the Scoop Tree improves the efficacy of growth actions, by proactively adjusting magnetic fields to reach out and obtain charged particles.
-Requires 10 Research successes, 2/10

[ ][Action] Research the Shaping Tree (Crystal)
-Crystals aren't particularly fluid, but their interiors can be adjusted to mimic that of other trees as the need arises. This tree allows for other trees to take up arms in defense of the Forest. Up to one Defense Action per Forest Magnitude per turn gains one extra die per Shaping Tree.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 2/20

[ ][Action] Research the Reflecting Tree (Crystal)
-Energy taken from successful strikes is returned back to the attacker, diminishing the amount suffered by the Forest. One point of damage per Tree is 'returned to sender' in some way, shape, or form, reducing the damage taken by that amount.
-Requires 10 Research successes, 0/10

[ ][Action] Research the Synapse Tree (Psionic)
-This tree glows with an inner brightness, the Focus of of the Forest flowing through it more readily than it does other trees. Every Focus action dedicated to Research or Communication actions receives one additional automatic success per Synapse Tree.
-Requires 10 Research successes, 0/10

[ ][Action] Research the Tranquil Tree (Psionic)
-This tree is focused inward, calming the rough and tumble of growth to place greater attention on the secrets of the universe, hidden from easy knowledge. Multiplies the successes of all Research Actions by 10%. Stacks additively with itself. No more than one Tranquil Tree per Forest Magnitude.
-Requires 20 Research successes, 0/20

[ ][Action] Research Elder Trees (General)
-Some Trees have grown old indeed, and were old when the Forest was young... old when the Forest was last whole. Some measure of this experience can be distilled and incorporated into new and extant Trees, improving their skill at wielding their power. Unlocks upgrades to existing and future Special Trees, required for Tier Two trees.
-Requires 50 Research successes. 6/50

[ ][Action] Research Metallic Crystal Alloys (Crystal, Magnetic)*
-A blending of metal and crystal structures, this material is far more durable than the Crystal Forest's current construction.
-Effect: Increases the Health of the Forest by 50%. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 50 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research Crystal Formation (Crystal)*
-Samples of crystalline materials grown in other environments provides pointers on how the Crystal Forest can be more efficient in its own growth.
-Effect: Successes obtained on 'Grow the Forest' actions are increased by 25%. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 50 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research Superconductive Root Network (Magnetic)*
-Samples of superconducting materials transfer energy extremely efficiently between nodes. Implementing a similar system should allow for a drastic increase in action efficiency.
-Effect: All Magnetic-aligned or derived Growth, Survival, Offensive and Defensive actions succeed on a 3, 4, 5, or 6. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 100 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research Gravity-Blended Alloys (Gravitic, Manetic, Crystal)*
-Samples of a metallic-crystal alloy created by exposure to powerful gravitic fields, the Forest cannot easily replicate the circumstances used to create these. Yet.
-Effect: Increases the Health of the Forest by 100%. Automatically implemented.
-Requires 400 successes to research, reduced for each new Gravity Power researched and Gravity Tree grown, to a minimum of 200 successes.

[ ][Action] Research Optical Tree (Crystal, Light, Magnetic)*
-Derived from a sensor that detects things not through the changing of magnetic fields, but through the energy those things emit or reflect, the Optical Tree makes use of electromagnetic waves to determine what is in the vicinity of the Forest, improving and enhancing the Forest's knowledge of the local area.
-Effect: Increases detection range and fidelity. Reduces the threshold required to detect stealthed ships or entities. Unlocks further researches.
-Requires 50 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research the Laser Power (Crystal, Light, Magnetic)*
-Derived from a direct energy weapon provided by the Ingaba Directorate, the Laser shoots beams of aligned, amplified, and focused Light, containing immense amounts of energy.
-Effect: Unlocks the Beam Offensive Action, which directly damages targets that it hits. When the Forest Focus is applied to this action, it obtains the automatic successes provided by Collector Trees.
-Requires 100 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research the Conversion Power (Crystal, Gravity, Magnetic)*
-Derived from a fusion power plant, which converts matter from one type to another with a corresponding release of energy.
-Effect: Unlocks the Conversion Growth Action, which converts Survival successes to Growth successes at a rate of 1 per voter. Voters aligned with Growth actions will have a higher rate of conversion (A Root Tree will convert two Survival successes into two Growth successes). These successes are applied after dice have been rolled, and attempt to finish the Growh actions that are closest to completion first. This does not apply to Growth Actions that are not voted for in a turn.
-Requires 200 successes to research.

[ ][Action] Research the Plasma Tree (Magnetic)*
-Derived from an exotic energy weapon provided by the Ingaba, the Plasma Tree maintains matter at a very high state of energy at all times, prepared to use it in support of other actions.
-Effect: Automatically generates 3 survival successes per turn. Unlocks the Conversion Offensive and Defensive actions, which convert banked survival successes into Magnetic or Magnetic-derived Offensive or Defensive successes at a rate of 1 per voter. Voters aligned with Offensive or Defensive actions will have a higher rate of conversion (A Heart Tree will convert two Survival Successes into two Defensive Successes). This will only apply to one Offensive, or one Defensive, action per turn.
-Requires 400 successes to research, reduced for each new Magnetic Power researched or Magnetic Tree grown, to a minimum of 200 successes.

[ ][Action] Research the Hyper Tree (Gravitic, Void)*
-The Ingaba Directorate provided a Hyperdrive to reverse engineer. This was the first variant the Ingaba placed into mass deployment when they began expanding to other star systems.
-Effect: Unlocks the Hyper Tree, which allows the Crystal Forest to travel between star systems. More Hyper Trees increase the speed at which this can be accomplished. Requires at least one Forest Focus action in order to occur.
-Requires 100 successes to research.

Survival Actions

[ ][Action] Attempt to store resources against future need.
-All successes stored. 51 successes banked against recovering future damage or to pay off the debt owed to the Ingaba Directorate.
Note: 5 Survival successes per turn are lost to the Ingaba Directorate as a result of paying for samples of new technologies.

Other

[ ][Action] Write-in
-For if you believe I'm missing something. I reserve the right to disapprove of any write-ins, or appropriate them for other purposes and places.

Focus Actions
Choose any three actions from the above for the Forest to focus on. These are voted upon by the entire group, and are in addition to the individual actions taken by each member. Multiples should be indicated with a x#, so the second identical action would be x2, etc.

[ ][Focus] Action Name

These Actions will receive a number of automatic successes equal to the Magnitude of the Forest and any bonuses from other sources.

At the moment, the top three focus actions will win, each receiving the focus of the Forest.

*-*-*-*

Your Votes should look like the following:

[ ][Action] Action
[ ][Focus] Action 1
[ ][Focus] Action 2
[ ][Focus] Action 3

Newcomers should add one of the following:

[ ][Tree] Heart Tree
[ ][Tree] Mind Tree
[ ][Tree] Root Tree

This vote will always be open.

*-*-*-*

I'm sorry for the delay on this one – I wanted it out hours ago. Like, eight hours ago. But I had a lazy afternoon; so it goes.

… maybe I should put Research Actions into their own post on the front page, or spoiler them, or something. I'll think about it! Later.

I'm going to sleep now.

Vote should be open for somewhere between 36 and 60-something hours (depends upon my mood then).