Paths of Civilization

[Academia Nut]

[X] Magwyna should marry them personally (Secures alliance with Highlands Kingdom while Magwyna lives, has a small chance of triggering conflict with the nomads)
[X] Remind people along trade routes that the People don't suffer the blue plague (-1 Stability, chance of further loss, +4-5 Econ)

The chiefs took in Attrikwyn's advice and then began to discuss it all, and in the end despite strong support far too many of the others on the council were leery of both the long term entanglements and the idea of entrenching Magwyna's power. Somewhat frustrated at his advice being asked for but not followed, Attrikwyn was at least glad that his input was asked and it was made obvious that the king was not acting the dictator and was still attempting to maintain harmony through consensus and input from the provinces. He was also somewhat amused when one of the delegates was told that Magwyna would be marrying their chief's daughter and the man demanded proof of consummation. He probably hadn't expected his demand to be accepted... although from Magwyna's face after she probably had been put into a rather uncomfortable spot with that, and he did have to consider how he might have felt had someone demand that he bed another man in front of them to prove something.

It was something Attrikwyn was mulling over all the way home, in that even if the 'marriages' were essentially a polite fiction and abuse of the People's traditions for the benefit of mollifying outsiders, there was something distasteful about the whole affair. He would speak with his own wives as to their thoughts...

Meanwhile, Magwyna herself was settling her new 'wives' into her household and having something of a thunderstorm in her head. Any children the women had would be 'hers' even though she had nowhere near the spiritual potency to make that a possibility and the foreign peoples would not believe that any children from the marriage would be legitimate, although the People would of course care for them. The women could also pursue other activities if they so wished, but the thought of descent got Magwyna to thinking. Thinking about names, and how most of the People had three or four names: a personal name, a matronymic, and at least one of a clan name, village name, or nickname. Not everyone could read or write, but there were probably enough literate people who could ensure that everyone's name could be written down...

The local authorities kept track of their own resources, of who worked what and generally what they possessed that could potentially be taxable, and of how many People there were. Generally they just sent in reports and those higher up just had to trust that they were receiving accurate information, which was mostly true, but there was always the possibility of a cheater who had phantom population for one reason or another. The king keeping track was essentially impossible...

The idea kept turning over in her head for months. If you wanted to keep track of everyone, even on a generational basis, you would generate more records than would be useful. It would all be a bunch of useless junk kicking around because you would have no idea where everything was. No one could keep track of that many records... not unless you had a record of records. And even then that would rapidly spin out of control once someone took a record out to look at it, since if they didn't put it back in the right place it would be a mess and...

You needed both records of records and some sort of set order so that not only could you find things, but you could take any random record and know where it came from and thus put it back properly. The sheer logistics of managing the logistics were rapidly growing every time Magwyna passed the idea through her head, but with each pass she realized that while there were problems, she had the solutions available to her. She began to write and plan and do in addition to her thinking.

She wasn't quite sure if she could ever work out how to keep track of everything, so that the king - or, really, the king's administrative advisers and the clerks - could know what was going on without needing to simply trust the two or three layers of chiefs below, but as it was her early ideas helped organize the collections of records and tallies they already had, freeing up time for clerks and shamans to work with them rather than remembering roughly where they put stuff and then going to search it out. There were of course complaints from the older members that they already had a system and these new layers were just wasting their time when they already knew how to do things, but Magwyna had ways of tracking beyond the complaints of her subordinates, and she knew that once the initial teething problems were sorted out that things were running better and smoother and it was easier to pluck out both corruption and mistakes.

Heroic Admin Critical!
+2 Econ
+1 Stability
New Admin Tech: Primitive Indexing

This was perhaps most useful in the newer provinces, the ones that didn't have lots of old records and where the grain counters and shamans were a younger generation of the sort willing to move around. These were also the places with the highest influx of people and the attendant confusion and chaos. With her new administrative prowess and calling for a Grand Sacrifice to smooth out the accumulation of goods - and thus also make it easier to keep track of who had what by clearing out some long term wealth that was easier to hide - Magwyna soon had the economy spinning like a greased wheel. To this she sent masons and bricklayers to the new province to the east, Redhills, to build enormous walls around the main settlement springing up there. There were many more passes into that territory from the lowlands and if someone wanted to raid the area they would be much harder to stop. Further settlements were also springing up, and there were some concerns about both protection and ensuring that they were adequately surveyed.

Protection definitely came to the forefront of the People's minds as the Thunder Speakers and their new overlords proceeded to spend the next few years looting the north and east of Xohyssiri, carrying off much of the population there to work their farms or live as their wives. It got so bad that not only did the traders say that the Swamp Folk to the far south had broken away, no longer offering tribute or any sort of political support, but eventually it came up that the priest-king in charge of their great city had decided to simply play the same game the Thunder Speakers had and requested vassalization from the same king in the east. This would undoubtedly accelerate the cities of the Eastern Thunder Horse to turn on each other, but in the meantime it offered the city some degree of protection and the chance to lick its wounds.

Of course, with the new settlements pushing into new territory, there was the possibility of getting some of the ongoing conflict on them, and with her hair turning from silver to white Magwyna received reports of intermittent raiding in Redhills by Thunder Speaker warriors. They were probably just lone individuals or bands out doing their thing with no oversight from their higher ups and for the most part they had caused and received minimal casualties and mostly just been driven off... but if Magwyna wanted to organize a larger response and give the Highlanders and excuse to beat up on their eastern neighbours, this was as good as any... it was just that it would be the two of them against the Thunder Speakers, Xohyssiri, and Thunder Horse in all likelihood. It would be neither easy nor fun, but they could take a swing if they wanted and be able to expect back up. Magwyna wasn't exactly a fan of the idea, but no one liked being attacked and not retaliating when justified. Depending on what the Thunder Horse did next, the issue might clear itself up from its low level anyway, but no matter her decision Magwyna would probably be leaving a mess for her heir.

Which, ironically enough for the decision so many years ago, now looked like it could in fact be her eldest son Yehlmyn, who had inherited some of her intelligence and had learned at her feet and thus carried on much of her administrative genius. He was perhaps not quite as charming, but given that Magwyna had her suspicions that at least a few of her 'children' from her wives had come from her son it was perhaps best for all that he had not inherited all of her charms, lest every babe in Valleyhome be born with his eyes. Still, by his own merits he was within range of becoming the Clerk Chief in a year or two, which would legitimately put him in the running for king... it would just sort of look bad if she supported his bid, and she had enough sway over the council that if she didn't it would be assumed that her not speaking up would be taken as a negative endorsement.

Have weak casus belli
[] Attack Thunder Speakers to stop border raids (Declares war with goal of stopping attacks, Highlanders will join, likely brings in Thunder Horse and Xohyssiri)
[] Send an envoy to request the Thunder Speakers rein in youths (-2 Diplomacy, chance of TS king actually complying, small chance of triggering war)
[] Ignore the issue (-1 Prestige, large chance of loss of stability)

Question of succession
[] Support son (Chance of -1 Legitimacy, heir becomes Yehlmyn [Mediocre Martial, Good Diplomacy, Heroic Admin])
[] Remain quiet (Next king is probably standard)

Spoiler: Actions Taken

[Main] Grand Sacrifice
[Main] Build Walls - Redhills

Provinces: [Main] New Settlement - Southshore Interior, Badlands
[Sec] Blackriver West

Stallion Tribes - [Main] Build Walls - Stallionpen, [Sec] Watchtowers x2

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] Send an envoy to request the Thunder Speakers rein in youths (-2 Diplomacy, chance of TS king actually complying, small chance of triggering war)
[X] Support son (Chance of -1 Legitimacy, heir becomes Yehlmyn [Mediocre Martial, Good Diplomacy, Heroic Admin])

Yehlmyn had always been raised with great expectations on him, as with all of his siblings. Not necessarily to become king like his mother, but she was the sort of person who expected her children to do things with their lives. She had ensured that all of them had the best education they wanted, be it in fighting or learning letters or studying the stars, and had made it clear that whatever passions to be pursued they do them well and be the best at them. At that, Yehlmyn had found himself plunged into a world of numbers and letters and listening at his mother's knee while she went about the business of governing.

He'd also found himself entering adulthood in a household filled with nubile young women with no expectation to remain faithful to their 'husband', and that had been perhaps a bit of a problem. He had mostly grown out of that, but he had still been assigned to help take care of more than one of his new 'siblings', which while as a stupid young man had grated on him somewhat, but once he had grown up a bit more he had realized that he was just being an whiny idiot and of course he should have some responsibility for his own kids. Although that of course might trigger some of the problems his mother and the chiefs had been trying to avoid by actually producing family ties with foreign families, if anyone outside realized what had happened.

Given the evolution of events, it might actually be a good idea to legitimize his relationship with Fodenna after the passing of his mother.

Shortly after his mother had announced that she thought that if he were chosen as the heir it would be a good thing she had also sent out diplomatic missions. The main one was to the Thunder Speakers with a request that they rein in their young warriors who were travelling into the People's territory to cause trouble, but there was also a mission to the Xohyssiri to pass the message along to the Thunder Horse King that they were currently asking the Thunder Speakers to stop raiding them and had no intention of causing trouble or otherwise hassling their vassals so long as they remained peaceful, along with another message to the Highlanders that while they were pursuing peace, they were also going to let them know that they might get a negative response back.

They, of course, got a negative response back.

Seems the Thunder Speaker was still rankling over the whole 'grandfather forced to bow' thing and the fact that the Thunder Horse still hadn't exploded into mutual violence over the imbalance of power and decided that he wasn't going to let someone tell him what to do. Proud, stubborn morons. As forces began to move and the Highlands Kingdom replied that they would of course come to the aid of their allies against aggressors, word soon began to come back that the lord of the Thunder Speakers wasn't going to help them with something they started. The Xohyssiri reported to the traders that they would send what help they could to their fellow vassals, once they had finished licking their wounds from their conquest.

As part of his 'apprenticeship' as heir, Magwyna sent Yehlmyn to travel among the People, organizing projects and demonstrating his skill as they prepared for war. At his recommendation they diverted a massive amount of resources towards the new province of Blackriver and the city of Blackmouth along the coast, seeing as it was the most vulnerable location to the nomads noticing that the attention of the People was elsewhere. By constructing enormous walls complete with their own integrated watchtowers, the settlers would be mostly protected from attacks. More watchtowers to give early warning to those out in the fields would be needed, but those were much more desperately needed in Redhills and the rest of the skilled workers were churning out new chariots to equip their warriors so that they could counter the chariot heavy Thunder Speakers.

Still, despite all of this external strife, the People were happier than they had been in any time but myth. The kingdom was stable and prosperous and knowledge of nature and spirits were available to all, and sacred decorations adorned every home. Upper Valleyhome was a truly beautiful place, and the saltern and dye works brought wealth and safety. Had there ever been a time as good to be alive as this? Barring of course the ancient and mythical times when spirits walked in human flesh.

Golden Age Started!
Requirements Discovered: At least two stats maxed out, maximum stability
Benefits: +1 Prestige for first Golden Age, +1 Econ Expansion/turn, special sudden advancements possible
Ends with: 0 or lower stability, ???

AN: To be honest, you all freak out too much over max stats so I figured I would have to take control just so that you could see what you needed to get a Golden Age

Meanwhile, out in the northern plains and the south-eastern hills/northern lowlands the People began to clash with the Thunder Speakers, who while definitely the better warriors with obviously better trained fighters, more sophisticated ways of moving their people around to maximize the use of their chariots, and a generally more vigorous attitude, were distinctly unprepared for the sheer onslaught of the People. The Stallion Tribes in particular hurled themselves with incredible ferocity at the northern territories of the Thunder Speakers, taking significant losses but also inflicting losses and keeping the Thunder Speakers from being able to bring their full weight of warriors to bear on either the north or the south.

By the time of his mother's passing the conflict had graduated from increased raiding by the Thunder Speakers to the two groups deliberately seeking out the warriors of the other to smash them. Yehlmyn had mostly stayed out of the fighting as he had better things to do making sure that the warriors had food and weapons so that they could fight, but he knew that the first major fight ever was causing changes among the attitudes of the warriors and from them the People as a whole. He could only hope it was a good change...

What is most important on the battlefield? [Honour]
[] Overwhelming numbers
[] Quality training
[] Loyalty

And as for the projects he had overseen, Yehlmyn had continued on with his mother's ideas and test cases in organizing records. The People produced a lot of records, but over time they eventually had so many that the only thing that could be done with the majority of the clay tablets was to literally bury them with a marker indicating what king they had been recorded from and then hope you never had to go looking for centuries old stuff. There were summaries that were kept out in active circulation, but a lot of that wasn't particular important most of the time. More than just records, they needed to record ideas, things that would be useful to future generations. The shamans recorded some things, like the motions of the stars and heavenly bodies, but a lot of their stories were still passed down from teacher to student. Improved filing wasn't that great if the records repositories were still primarily pits of administrative trivia. But what else could be stored?

New Megaproject Unlocked: The Library


Actually, with the flourishing of arts and spiritual knowledge, there were a lot of new stories going around that might not be remembered by the shamans. New ideas were bubbling within the People, and while some probably needed to be sorted out, there was a palpable feeling that the People were on the cusp of something new and grand.

Mystic Advance possible! [Mystic]
[] Temper superstition (-5 Mysticism)
[] Overturn superstition (-10 Mysticism, -1 Stability)
[] Evolve spiritual value (-7 Mysticism)
[] Expand spiritual value slots (-7 Mysticism)
[] Wait

And then, as more reports were coming back of the Thunder Speakers getting pushed back through being beset on all sides, their own territory now facing significant threat in multiple directions, it came up that nomadic tribes from the north-west had noticed the movement of warriors and were now making incursions into the Stallion Tribes and Blackriver. Of course the People couldn't have peace in the north, that would be too much to ask. The question to the king was now whether the Stallions should keep pressing the Thunder Speakers in the north or return to address these new attacks. The big thing was that if the People could keep hammering the Thunder Speakers, they might be able to force concessions before the Thunder Horse decided to intervene. Of course, what they wanted to force out of the Thunder Horse would also affect how much they would need to pressure them in order to have a good chance at getting what they needed.

What is the objective of the fighting? [Goal]
[] Stop raids (Easiest, annoys allies)
[] Humiliate (Hard, +1 Prestige)
[] Degrade sphere of influence (Hardest, +1 Prestige, pleases allies)

Orders for the Stallions [Stallions]
[] Focus efforts on the Thunder Speakers
[] Split efforts between Thunder Speakers and nomads
[] Focus efforts on the nomads

Spoiler: Actions Taken

Auto Switch Policy: Defensive

[Main] War Mission - Thunder Speakers
[Main] Build Chariots

Provinces: [Main] Build Wall x2 - Blackmouth, [Main] Build Watchtowers - Redhills

Stallion Tribes - [Main] War Mission - Thunder Speakers x2

AN: Please use the task tags when voting to keep the tallies clean

 

[Academia Nut]

[x] [Honour] Quality training
[x] [Mystic] Wait
[x] [Goal] Humiliate (Hard, +1 Prestige)
[x] [Stallions] Focus efforts on the Thunder Speakers

Yehlmyn sat upon his throne, an old man in his twilight years, simultaneously bored with and frustrated by the stupidity of the People's neighbours. They and the Highlanders had fought hard against the Thunder Speakers, taking considerable losses and letting the nomads inflict far too much damage on the Stallion Tribes while the majority of their warriors were elsewhere, but they had managed to push far enough into their territory that when they sent out messengers demanding that the Thunder Speaker submit to their demands to stop raiding and acknowledge that they had been wrong to fight in the first place, the man had actually - begrudgingly - complied. Yehlmyn had actually been enormously glad of that as he wasn't exactly sure if the People could have sustained continued fighting with the Thunder Speakers and the nomads in the north-west.

For the past decade the fighting there had grown increasingly terrible. The People in the north were safe within walls, but the nomads had grown increasingly adept at taking out watchtowers before they could raise the alarm so that they could strike the fields and pastures. The current chief of the Stallion Tribes, Harkwyn, had reported with some fear that without the support of the rest of the People he was afraid that everything outside their walled cities would have already been overrun and his people swept away. About the only good news was that the experience of fighting had revealed the enormous usefulness of chariot archers; not just archers who used chariots to get around, but the maniacs who could fire their bows while their chariots were still moving and thus kill while being nearly untouchable. There were a few imitators among the Thunder Horse and nomads, but neither had the same numbers or the ability to devote extra resources to train children from nearly birth to have that kind of skill.

New Honour Value
Honour of Elites
The perfection of a skill in service to others, particularly martial skill, is among the highest achievements a person can have. Of course, who can afford to achieve perfection is not always even...
Pros: Increase Martial gain from raising elite units
Cons: Increased potential Martial loss in fighting, increased social stratification

Government Transition
Early Ancient Provincial Kingdom (Elective) -> Oligarchic Ancient Kingdom
A king holds chief executive power, but is primarily drawn from and voted in by a limited set of families backed by economic might and military elites.
Pros: Good mix of central authority and provincial autonomy
Cons: Beware competing ambitions...

As it was, with the threat of the nomads and their pure speed, the only thing that could be done was to fight back and build more chariots to catch them and wall up more settlements. There had been something of an initial push to expand the watchtower network further, but news out of the lowlands had caused the decision to go for increasing the defences of the settlement - more like expanded outpost - in the badlands. The Highlanders had decided to begin drawing settlements that had once been under the influence of the Xohyssiri into their circle and had met with remarkable success but had also apparently triggered some form of infighting among their provincial chiefs over who got what. Meanwhile the Xohyssiri seemed to have finished restructuring their society around being a small and dense city and the Thunder Speakers were very obviously licking their wounds and making gestures that they would be back for the People and the Highlanders in good time.

Oh, and it sounded like the strategy of the Thunder Speakers and the Xohyssiri surrendering and swearing vassalage to the Eastern Thunder Horse had someone resulted in the lineage of kings for that city not getting ganged up on by their neighbours but rather somehow pulling off a series of marriage alliances and unifying. There were reports of some degree of fighting, but it seemed that a major reason that the Thunder Horse had not supported their vassal in years past was in fact an elaborate bluff - if they went out to aid that would suggest weakness, while if they kept the fact that there was fighting under wraps they could convince rivals that they were simply too strong to subdue and get concessions that would make them stronger. As such, further fortification of the south had been deemed a critical long term investment. No one wanted to get dragged into a conflict with the south unguarded.

Oh, and then of course there had to be another new plague going around, a nasty fever that liked to strike down children, while there had been a few crop failures in the past few years. Everything was mostly under control, but it was still just a little bit more atop the general black soil soup that had been Yehlmyn's dish as king the past few years.

What more could-?

Whatever thoughts he was having were interrupted by a tremendous ruckuss outside the council chamber halls, with what sounded like someone demanding to see the king while others shouted obscenities. Simultaneously intriguing and irritating, he motioned for one of the warriors sitting in attendance to go see what the issue was. The farmer holding audience for a ruling on a penalty assessed for one of his cows causing damage to an orchard decided that perhaps he should wrap things up quickly as the shouting got worse. After several moments a pair of burly warriors hauled in a skinny, somewhat manic looking man of middle age, his face marked by a large black eye and a pot held in his hands, while another pair of warriors dragged in the Spirit Chief of all people, scratch marks on his face and a hand clamped over his mouth to muffle his incensed ranting.

"There is a story here that I do not want to hear but I assess that I have to hear. Gwolthyn, please cease your struggles while I get this story," Yehlmyn said in exasperation, the other old man growing quiet but obviously still quivering with barely suppressed rage.

Turning to the man who had somehow caused all of this, Yehlmyn asked, "Who are you, and what trouble have you brought to these halls?"

"I am Dormthun and I bring not trouble but wonder!" The man proclaimed, hoisting the pottery in hands high. Yehlmyn ignored this in favour of giving his Spirit Chief his best 'Shut up and let me handle this' glare. For his part, Gwolthyn complied although was clearly only further incensed by this proclamation.

"Perhaps a further elaboration would be in order," Yehlmyn asked.

"Yes, of course!" Dormthun stated, opening up the lid and pouring out some leather wrapped bundles. Picking out two, he unrolled them to reveal two pieces of metal, causing Yehlmyn to raise an eyebrow in intrigued irritation. Picking up one piece, Dormthun said, "See here, this piece of star!"

Holding up a hand to pause the man, Yehlmyn asked, "This wouldn't happen to be one of the pieces of the star that disappeared from Rainbow Bridge a few years ago?"

"One of the surviving ones, yes," the maniac said with an enthusiastic nods.

Holding up a hand again to pause, Yehlmyn said, "Wait, hold up, I just want to make sure that I am entirely clear here. You are admitting to stealing sacred artefacts from a holy site and destroying some of them?"

"Yes," Dormthun said.

"And you have come to me, the king, to tell me this, because?" Yehlmyn asked incredulously.

Blinking, Dormthun said almost as if explaining to a child, "Because I am surrounded by fools and the king is bound to hear out my case?"

Pursing his lips and working his jaw very delicately, Yehlmyn nodded and said, "Right then, carry on."

"Right then. So, as I was saying, this is one of the pieces of the star, and this is a lump of metal that I extracted from a red stone by carefully treating it," Dormthun said, holding up a darker chunk of metal that Yehlmyn thought looked less brilliant than the piece of star but definitely had a resemblance.

"You worked out the extraction process for star metal?" Yehlmyn asked, disbelieving but now excited more than exasperated.

"It was not easy, I had break many of the Metal Worker's sacred pots to work out the process-" Dormthun said, only to be cut off once more.

"Metal Worker's 'sacred pots'?" Yehlmyn asked.

"Yes. They have this mineral they add to clay that makes the pottery nearly immune to heat and use that for various sacrificial rites. I put them to a much more practical use," Dormthun explained.

Yehlmyn had to share a helpless 'Who is this madman' look with pretty much everyone else in the council chamber before he said, "So you admit to stealing sacred objects from both us and the our trade partners and then played around with the weapons of the gods and now you come to speak to the king because...?"

"Well obviously I want you to tell the fools hounding me that my discovery is valuable and that we should get on making more. Star metal is far superior to copper in every way except availability, but there are plenty of red rocks so that should not be a problem now!" Dormthun explained.

"You do know that there is a new plague and there have been crop failures in about the time since you first stole the star pieces, right?" Yehlmyn pointed out. He didn't exactly believe that unearthing metal brought calamity, but many of the People did and he knew what the response would be.

Dormthun blinked owlishly before he said contemptuously, "I fail to see how that has anything to do with me."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Yehlmyn held up a hand to his Spirit Chief and said, "You can begin yelling again in a moment, I just need to formulate a response to this nonsense."

Yehlmyn's first thought was to have this fool executed for a long list of crimes and to increase the balance of sanity and safety in the world, but as king he knew enough about star metal to know that it was superior in every way... except politically. By all the spirits lesser and greater there would be riots and all gygo would break loose if he actually accepted this knowledge, but could he truly turn it down?

Dare you fly too close to the sun?
[] Execute this maniac (+1 Prestige)
[] Protect him and have him teach his knowledge (-4 Stability, -2 Legitimacy, -10 Mysticism, -10 Art, -2 Prestige, chance of infuriating the Metal Workers, gain Iron Smelting study chain)

Spoiler: Actions Taken

[Main] War Mission - Nomads
[Main] Build Chariots

Provinces - [Main] Build Walls x2 Northshore, [Main] Build Walls Bonevalley

Stallion Tribes [Main] War Mission - Nomads, [Main] Build Chariots

AN: Fundamentally mediocre to shitty rolls for you all around except for one

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] Protect him and have him teach his knowledge (-4 Stability, -2 Legitimacy, -10 Mysticism, -10 Art, -2 Prestige, chance of infuriating the Metal Workers, gain Iron Smelting study chain)

Yehlmyn's mouth went dry as he considered the offer of the clearly spirit touched man. How much of this was wisdom, and how much madness? He could see Gwolthyn glaring at him and going "No..."

Finally after a long moment that seemed to stretch out as the sea stretches to the heavens, Yehlmyn nodded and said, "As much as this crime cannot stand-"

"NO!" Gwolthyn screamed, the warriors restraining him more out of reflex than an agreement as they blinked and tried to figure out what to do next.

"-as much as I have no idea how to properly punish the multitude of transgressions you have committed, I cannot in good conscience just abandon this discovery. Guards, this man is to be protected, clerks... get me all of the top artisans and shamans to get the knowledge out of this man that he has," Yehlmyn said, at which point the shouting started.

Sinking into his seat, the king wondered if his misfortune was done with yet.

As it turned out, no, of course not. The nomad raids had to somehow get worse, although if there was any consolation it was more like the tribes smelled blood and were now hurling themselves into the mill as much as they were feeding the People in as well.

However, even as the spark of anger over the decision to spare the blasphemer spread across the People - some shamans decided that they would rather go into hermitage than pass on their knowledge or artisans smashed their own wares in disgust - there was a surprising push back to the anger. The People had been savaged by war in recent generations, war they had not asked for, and there was a segment who saw the possibility of obtaining the weapons of the gods not as an act of hubris but a necessary thing. Perhaps Dormthun had gone about things entirely wrong, but now that they had this knowledge could they truly turn it away? In any case, as the craftsmen and shamans went over the process he had described and they put all of their efforts into working out how to actually do it in a reasonable way - perhaps the work of more than a lifetime, the knowledge of the basics of a supremely hot fire of charcoal in an enclosed oven durable enough to survive the infernal temperatures was spread to a select number of experts.

Dormthun then quietly and "coincidentally" passed away in his sleep shortly after he finished up teaching and the People somehow manged to keep his actions from getting back to the Metal Workers.

Greater Good Activated! -1 Stability turned to +1 Stability
Pushback against Debilitating Belief: Weapons of the Gods

That... that actually gave Yehlmyn a degree of breathing room he had not expected. Among other things he did as he organized his affairs as the sun set on his life was authorize the construction of more boats so as to better supply the northern provinces. Transporting food on the boats wasn't easy, but the damnable nomads couldn't intercept them and they couldn't get through the walls of the major settlements, so that would provide the north with a degree of stability that they desperately needed.

Sitting in the beautiful gardens of Valleyhome, watching the sun slip behind the hills, Yehlmyn could only observe that for all his time as king had been good, it had also been violent, and he hoped that that would be ending soon.

Spoiler: Important Projects

Art Patronage - Wealth of the first and second kind can be used to create wealth of the third kind to the benefit of all
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Art
* M: -2 Econ, +3 Art, +1 Prestige, potential innovations

Black Soil - Production is now regular and huge amounts of trash are turned to black soil every year, but there's always room for more production [Shapers] [King]
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Econ next turn, additional effects
* M: +1 Econ, additional effects
* used 2 times

Build Chariots - Once the domain of rich nomad chieftains, there is now enough copper to make construction of this new design practical for the People and deployable on a large scale. Used: 4 times
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Martial
*M: -2 Econ, +4 Martial, other effects

Build Wall - Long experience with retaining walls has lead to the idea of a settlement wall for protection (Redhills and Blackmouth heavily walled; Redshore, Northshore, and Stonepen capitals walled; Northshore and Stonepen partially walled elsewhere)
* S: -1 Econ, minor walls
* M: -1 Econ, major walls

Build Watchtowers - Stone and brick towers for warriors to sit in and scan the horizon for trouble, these towers can help stave off raids and improve response against attacks. (Northern provinces have many towers, Redhills has some)
*S: -1 Econ, some watchtowers
*M: -1 Econ, many watchtowers

Change Policy - Adjust the current Policy to one better fitting the situation
*S: Change Policy to one of the available ones listed below
Balanced - Takes whatever actions seem reasonable. Expand Economy is considered a Policy action for interaction with other effects
Defence - Builds walls and watchtowers
Expansion - Builds new settlements, expands economy, expands forests, and can even create new provinces
Infrastructure - Extended projects
Megaproject Support - Provinces can spend actions in support of a megaproject
Offence - Can recruit warriors and specialists, can send war actions against declared enemies
Progress - Takes studying actions and art patronage
Restoration - Takes stability improving actions
Spirits - Expands Holy Sites
Trade - Sends out trade missions, produce art and luxuries

Enforce Law - The king is a servant of the law, and he can use the army to remind people of that fact
* S: 0 to 1 Stability, +1-3 Centralization
* M: 0 to 1 Stability, greater odds of stability gain, +2-3 Centralization
* the more settlements with walls outside of the capital, particularly large walls, the less effective this action is

Expand Economy - Encourage the growth of food producing activities such as farming, pastures, or fishing, depending on where focus is placed
* +1 Econ, potential additional effects
* 16 uses remain before requiring new territory

Expand Forests - The People have knowledge of how to regrow and repair forests, which extends to bringing them to places they have never been, with considerable effort
* S: -1 Econ, grows forest, +1 Econ next turn if in settled territory and controlled
* M: -1 Econ, grows forest, +2 Econ next turn if in settled and controlled territory

Expand Holy Sites - The current places dedicated to the spirits and wisdom have accumulated interesting objects and tellers of stories, but they could be made a bit better
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Mysticism
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Mysticism, +1 Art, potential additional effects

Expand Snail Cultivation - While now more reliably grown and harvested, the snail domestication has only managed to hold environmental changes at bay rather than increase production. More investment would increase cultivation
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Diplo
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Diplo, potential additional effects

Expand Warriors - More men can be inducted into the ranks of the warriors every year and not face major food shortfalls
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Martial
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Martial, potential additional effects

Grand Sacrifice - Communal sacrifice is a great way to bring the People together, and to also even out class distinctions. NOTE: Because the People do not use human sacrifice, the Econ costs are especially harsh. Max Stability: Legitimacy
*S: -2 Econ, +1 Stability
*M: -3 Econ, +2 Stability

Integrate March - Better communications and administration means that the Stallion Tribes can be integrated into the People more fully, transitioning from a March to a province
*M: -6 Diplomacy, gain Econ and Martial from integrating March

Improve Annual Festival - A festival for every season, but their expansion can help put the People at ease and teach good practices.
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Stability, +1 Art chance for additional effects
* 2M: -3 Econ, +1 Stability, +3 Art, chance for additional effects
* Max Stability: Legitimacy - 1

More Blackbirds - Elite scouts and woodsmen, the Blackbirds are a potent force, if not exactly mainline fighters. More of them could prove useful
* S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial more Blackbirds
* M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Blackbirds, additional effects

More Carrion Eaters - Keepers of sacred and profane knowledge, the Carrion Eaters thread a dangerous path but bring valuable knowledge for treating wounds and inspiring courage, greatly bolstering the morale of warriors by ensuring them that their companions are not doomed if they fall. More could prove useful.
*S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial, more Carrion Eaters
*M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Carrion Eaters, additional effects

More Boats - The things are expensive but oh so useful, so having more of them will increase your capacity for trade, travel, and fishing
* S: -2 Econ, +1 Econ and +1 Diplo next turn, other potential effects
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Econ end of turn, +1 Econ and Diplo next turn, additional effects, tiny chance of innovation;
* used 4 times

New Settlement - There are a few new sites that could have new settlements placed on them: western Blackriver, northern Blackriver, eastern Redhills, Bleeding Cliff in Redshore
* S: +1 Econ next turn, increases number of times Expand Econ can be taken
* M: +1 Econ and +1 Mysticism end of turn, increases the number of times Expand Econ can be taken

New Trails - There are many settlements with only marginal trails, so more could be useful
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, other effects
* M: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, +1 Diplo, other effects

Proclaim Glory - A recent innovation from the south, by using art the King can promote people to trust his decisions; modified by Diplomacy skill
* S: -2 Art, +1 Legitimacy
* M: -3 Art, -1 Econ, +1 Legitimacy, +1 Stability, potential +1 Prestige
* Max Stability: Legitimacy

Restoration of Order - The people are uncertain, and into that uncertainty bad behaviour can flow. Send in the warriors to reassure people and root out corruption and dissent, restoring the proper function of the People. Max Stability: 0 or Legitimacy, whichever is lower
* S: Gain -1 to 2 Stability
* M: Roll twice, take best result
* modified by Administrative skill

Sailing Mission - The new boats have proven themselves capable of exploring long distances, so what else might they discover along the shores of the sea?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Salt Gift - With the saltern, the People have access to tremendous amounts of salt, which can be used to awe outsiders
*S: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated
*M: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated (min. 1 of each) and the possibility of Mysticism generation

Study Forests - The holy site within the sacred forest is the repository of lore on the forests and the things within them, but could the shamans learn more? 1 Use
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Health - What secrets of nature can be used to improve the health of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Iron Smelting - A madman has shown you the way to extract the stuff of stars from red ores, but the process needs further refinement to be actually useful
* S: -1 Mysticism, chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, guarantees iron smelting will be ready to go once a source is discovered

Study Stars - What secrets do the heavens hold when you study the stars and their motions carefully? 7 Uses, 0/4 Uses in a Row
*S: +1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
Cannot be used as a Main action

Survey Lands - Foreigners have discovered strange materials within their lands, are these materials perhaps also found within the lands of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success; used 1 time

Trade Mission - Sending a major caravan to another large group can bring new opportunities and find out more about the outside world
* S: -1 Diplo, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of of turn;
* M: -1 Diplo, -1 Econ, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of turn, +1-2 Diplo next turn

War Mission - You can send raiding parties against groups that have declared themselves hostile. Can only declare war if you have a valid casus belli (currently only if someone declares war first)
* S: Potential loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial and Diplo
* M: Probable loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial, Diplo, and Econ, always has a mid-turn decision point

Extended Projects- Extended Projects are major infrastructure projects that take more than a single Main action to complete but aren't as all consuming as megaprojects
Saltern - Need to find a new location through Survey actions or have more advanced technology to expand the existing saltern
Aqueduct - Redshore (0/12), Lower Valleyhome (0/6), Stonepen (0/8), Blackmouth (0/12), Sacred Forest (0/6), Redhills (0/8). Each {S} committed consumes 2 Econ for 2 Progress. Completion adds +4 Econ Expansion and can allow for the formation of another True City

Reminder: 2 {S} applied to the same project = 1 {M}
Additionally: 2 Mains may have non-linear effects

Mega-Projects - Mega-Projects can require many generations to complete, take an unknown amount of time to do so, and drain Econ while active, but can produce massive benefits once complete. Once chosen, the occupy the Main Focus slot until either completed or stopped early. Early stopping once started does not refund any of the investments and increases social strife. To reduce confusion, mega-projects are not listed as part of the voting project list and must be "written-in".
Great Dam - The river can run wild and dangerous when the rains come strong, but could it not be controlled by the same principles by which the water on the hills is channelled and contained, merely on a larger scale? [Stewards][King] (4-6? action commitment, -1 Econ per action)
The Library - The People need to store ideas, not records [Observance] [King] (4-6? Action commitment, -1 Mysticism and -1 Art per action, 2 Econ total commitment)
Place to the Stars - The shamans have noticed deeper patterns among the stars than they ever imagined, and setting up long term memories of where things should be could be intensely useful, if also labour intensive to get sufficiently durable markers in place [King] (6-8? action commitment, -1 Econ per action, some Mysticism commitment)

[Stewards] special kicker: Pay 1 Stability to double the effort on a megaproject action, consuming twice the required per turn resources but advancing the job faster. If taking a second main action on a megaproject, requires additional Stability payment to double that as well.

One [Main] action and two [Seconday] actions available. Nomads are currently attacking the Stallion March, and while support would be appreciated it is not absolutely needed

[] Art Patronage
[] Black Soil
[] Build Chariots
[] Build Wall
[] Build Watchtowers
[] Change Policy
[] Enforce Law
[] Expand Economy
[] Expand Forests
[] Expand Holy Sites
[] Expand Snail Cultivation
[] Expand Warriors
[] Grand Sacrifice
[]Integrate March
[] Improve Annual Festival
[] More Blackbirds
[] More Carrion Eaters
[] More Boats
[] New Settlement
[] New Trails
[] Proclaim Glory
[] Restore Order
[] Sailing Mission
[] Salt Gift
[] Study Forests
[] Study Health
[] Study Iron Smelting
[] Study Stars
[] Survey Lands
[] Trade Mission
-Target Options: Highland Kingdom, Thunder Speakers, Metal Miners, Lowland Minors, Southern Hill People, Xohyssiri, Thunder Horse, Into the Wild
[] War Mission
-Target Options: Northern Nomads

Provinces for Projects: Valleyhome, Redshore, Stonepen, Sacred Forest, Northshore, Blackriver, Redhills, Southshore
Major Holy Sites: Rainbow Trail, Sacred Forest, Holy Sea, Horse Valley, White Circle, Warrior's Rest, Star Mirror, Sunrise Grove, Skyforest

​

 

[Academia Nut]

[x][Main] Study Iron Smelting (-1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability)
[x][Secondary] War Mission - Northern Nomads
[x][Secondary] Proclaim Glory (-2 Art, +1 Legitimacy)

Provinces Expand Econ x4

Thunder Horse [Main] War Mission - Northern Nomads x2

The north burns, the surviving People huddled into the settlements with walls, barely scraping by with fish and grain imported via boat, their warriors dead and chariots smashed or captured. Everything not safely protected by stone walls has been burned or carried off, depending on how valuable and transportable they are. The warriors sent north from the south have fared somewhat better, but even with their backup they have been unable to push back the tide of chariot warriors.

The War Chief had expected that even if the ravages of the nomad raids continued the tribes would have grown sated and used their wealth and prestige to go conquer other tribes further out. Unfortunately, it seemed that a single chieftain had managed to unify a vast number of tribes and had decided that the existence of the Stallion Tribes was a threat to him... which they honestly probably were, although that was probably because they stood between him and the even greater wealth of the northern coast and the People there. There was also some consideration that he might consider the sea trade between the People and the Metal Workers to be an obstacle to controlling the metal trade between them and thus by destroying the coastal settlements it would make such trade all the harder for the People, putting wealth into the hands of his people.

Asshole.

Meanwhile, in the south, the artisans devoted considerable effort to getting the process of extracting star metal from ore into a form that they could actually use. The first kilns they made worked but only produced very small quantities of the metal and were prone to cracking from the heat. It took effort to refine the process enough to get kilns that were large, durable and could get hot enough, but they fortunately still had the artisans who had worked on the original problem with Dormthun around and major backing from the king to get the process up and running. Unfortunately, the very open sponsorship of the study at a time of crisis did not sit well with many, who took the devastation of the north to be further proof that the gods disapproved of the People attempting to wield their weapons, although the new king ran a major campaign to spread the official story on the project and star metal and thus was able to at least restore the confidence of the People that the nobility wasn't possessed by demons, even if there was perhaps a sense that they were just fundamentally stupid in more than a few places.

Fortunately the Thunder Speakers chose not to attack while the People were weak, probably because they were called by their overlords to assist in subduing the Swamp Folk to the south alongside the Xohyssiri. From what traders said the Thunder Speakers were the ones to gain the most from it, carrying off slaves, wives, and loot in large numbers while the Xohyssiri mostly muddled about trying to reclaim some of their lost territory and the Thunder Horse king caught some sort of nasty disease in the swamps, died and left a succession crisis among his sons. So while the Thunder Horse were probably going to ready to go for another round soon, and they might also get dragged into a nasty civil war.

As for the Highlanders, whatever spat they had internally seemed to have been sorted out quickly enough and they were back to attempting to draw more of the lowlands into their circle, with rumours of skirmishes with the Hathatyn cities to their west. Despite the lineage of Magwyna no longer holding the kingship, they might still come to the aid of the People against the Thunder Speakers or Thunder Horse out of political convenience, but were definitely of no potential help against the tribes rampaging through the People's northern territories.

For the king and major chiefs and shamans, some degree of capitulation to the nomads was probably going to be required, even though there were still voices calling for further attacks against the nomads. All in all, not a great situation.

What to do about the nomads?
[] Accept utter humiliation (-3 Prestige, chance of loss of the March)
[] Heap tribute upon their chief and promise more (-5 Diplomacy, -1 Diplomacy/turn until next war or collapse of nomad tribe, -1 Prestige)
[] Keep Fighting

The Stallions have been catastrophically mauled, send support?
[] No (Large chance of stability loss)
[] Send a contingent of young men (1 Econ and Martial transferred)
[] Transfer a large group of People (2 Econ and Martial transferred)
[] Resettle large numbers (3 Econ and Martial transferred)

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] Keep Fighting
[X] Resettle large numbers (3 Econ and Martial transferred)

"I do not recall distinctly when it began, but it was months ago. The general tension was horrible. To a season of political and social upheaval was added a strange and brooding apprehension of hideous physical danger; a danger widespread and all-embracing, such a danger as may be imagined only in the most terrible phantasms of the night. I recall that the people went about with pale and worried faces, and whispered warnings and prophecies which no one dared consciously repeat or acknowledge to himself that he had heard. A sense of monstrous guilt was upon the land, and out of the abysses between the stars swept chill currents that made men shiver in dark and lonely places. There was a daemoniac alteration in the sequence of the seasons—the autumn heat lingered fearsomely, and everyone felt that the world and perhaps the universe had passed from the control of known gods or forces to that of gods or forces which were unknown." - "Nyarlathotep", by H.P. Lovecraft

As news of the terrible losses swept path and forth across the Lands of the People and the king and the chiefs, a terrible and fey mood seized upon the People. Their compatriots suffered in the north, and what was to be done? The rest of chiefs and shamans was perturbed, a terrible guilt weighing upon them, especially those who called for capitulation. Why should they cease fighting for their homes? Why should they be the ones shamed and embarrassed for having the temerity to stand up for themselves, for defending themselves from aggression they in no way invited?

Something snapped within them. As one the People called out that the king must keep fighting, must offer up as much support as was in his power to do so. Young men begged to be allowed to go north to fight or even just repair the pillaged farms, and while many were turned away, a sense of something greater buoyed the People, driving them onward. A great rope that stretched from lowliest half-exile to the king drew taut and vibrated like a bowstring ready to fire.

New Honour Code Slot Opened Up!
New Honour Code Developed!
Lord's Loyalty
The ties between the People bind tight, and while this increases the obligations of the superior, it also makes the subordinate more likely to listen.
Pros: +1 Subordinate States, subordinate states less likely to break away
Cons: Minimum force commitment in defence of subordinates and allies increased one step, worse consequences for failure to assist

Policy Switched to Offence

Once more chariot archers swept out from the hills, and this time when they joined up with the depleted but reinforced warriors of the Stallions they had murder on their minds. To them this was no longer simply repulsing raids or even war, but the excising of a canker from a blighted tree. And for the nomads, clearly thinking that the People were on the back foot and nearing depletion of will and warriors, they were caught completely off guard by this sudden surge of resistance, and an entire tribe camped out by Stallionpen to keep the People within trapped had the majority of their male population put to the mace. Still though the Stallions suffered, their warriors milled down once more to almost nothing.

And then the tribes simply fell back one day. Whether their new king had decided that something else was more important or he wanted to fade away to spring back up later or he died and those under him fragmented none could say, just that the tribes faded back into the endless seas of grass.

Legacy Gained!
Rage Against the Steppes - Always have a casus belli with Subdue Tribe or Humiliate War Goal against steppe nomads

And then... and then the People just held their breath. Should they chase into the steppe to finish this, or wait to see if the monster came back, or...?

Spoiler: Important Projects

Art Patronage - Wealth of the first and second kind can be used to create wealth of the third kind to the benefit of all
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Art
* M: -2 Econ, +3 Art, +1 Prestige, potential innovations

Black Soil - Production is now regular and huge amounts of trash are turned to black soil every year, but there's always room for more production [Shapers] [King]
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Econ next turn, additional effects
* M: +1 Econ, additional effects
* used 2 times

Build Chariots - Once the domain of rich nomad chieftains, there is now enough copper to make construction of this new design practical for the People and deployable on a large scale. Used: 4 times
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Martial
*M: -2 Econ, +4 Martial, other effects

Build Wall - Long experience with retaining walls has lead to the idea of a settlement wall for protection (Redhills and Blackmouth heavily walled; Redshore, Northshore, and Stonepen capitals walled; Northshore and Stonepen partially walled elsewhere)
* S: -1 Econ, minor walls
* M: -1 Econ, major walls

Build Watchtowers - Stone and brick towers for warriors to sit in and scan the horizon for trouble, these towers can help stave off raids and improve response against attacks. (Northern provinces have many towers, Redhills has some)
*S: -1 Econ, some watchtowers
*M: -1 Econ, many watchtowers

Change Policy - Adjust the current Policy to one better fitting the situation
*S: Change Policy to one of the available ones listed below
Balanced - Takes whatever actions seem reasonable. Expand Economy is considered a Policy action for interaction with other effects
Defence - Builds walls and watchtowers
Expansion - Builds new settlements, expands economy, expands forests, and can even create new provinces
Infrastructure - Extended projects
Megaproject Support - Provinces can spend actions in support of a megaproject
Offence - Can recruit warriors and specialists, can send war actions against declared enemies
Progress - Takes studying actions and art patronage
Restoration - Takes stability improving actions
Spirits - Expands Holy Sites
Trade - Sends out trade missions, produce art and luxuries

Enforce Law - The king is a servant of the law, and he can use the army to remind people of that fact
* S: 0 to 1 Stability, +1-3 Centralization
* M: 0 to 1 Stability, greater odds of stability gain, +2-3 Centralization
* the more settlements with walls outside of the capital, particularly large walls, the less effective this action is

Expand Economy - Encourage the growth of food producing activities such as farming, pastures, or fishing, depending on where focus is placed
* +1 Econ, potential additional effects
* 12 uses remain before requiring new territory

Expand Forests - The People have knowledge of how to regrow and repair forests, which extends to bringing them to places they have never been, with considerable effort
* S: -1 Econ, grows forest, +1 Econ next turn if in settled territory and controlled
* M: -1 Econ, grows forest, +2 Econ next turn if in settled and controlled territory

Expand Holy Sites - The current places dedicated to the spirits and wisdom have accumulated interesting objects and tellers of stories, but they could be made a bit better
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Mysticism
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Mysticism, +1 Art, potential additional effects

Expand Snail Cultivation - While now more reliably grown and harvested, the snail domestication has only managed to hold environmental changes at bay rather than increase production. More investment would increase cultivation
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Diplo
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Diplo, potential additional effects

Expand Warriors - More men can be inducted into the ranks of the warriors every year and not face major food shortfalls
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Martial
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Martial, potential additional effects

Found Colony - When a province gets too distant, sometimes it is best to grant it additional autonomy so that they can get down to the business of working the land and gathering resources without needing to talk to the king about every little thing. Current Target: West of Black River
*M: -4 Econ, -2 Martial, founds colony to produce raw resources

Found March - Sometimes you need an extra buffer between you and hostile powers, or a place to stash excess warriors. Current Target: North-East
*M: -5 Martial, -2 Econ, founds march to take independent martial actions

Found Trading Post - When doing long distance trading, sometimes having your own infrastructure in place at the other end can be quite useful. Current Target: Greenshore River Mouth (Metal Workers)
*M: -5 Diplo, -2 Econ, -2 Martial, founds trading post to generate Diplomacy

Grand Sacrifice - Communal sacrifice is a great way to bring the People together, and to also even out class distinctions. NOTE: Because the People do not use human sacrifice, the Econ costs are especially harsh. Max Stability: Legitimacy
*S: -2 Econ, +1 Stability
*M: -3 Econ, +2 Stability

Integrate March - Better communications and administration means that the Stallion Tribes can be integrated into the People more fully, transitioning from a March to a province
*M: -6 Diplomacy, gain Econ and Martial from integrating March

Improve Annual Festival - A festival for every season, but their expansion can help put the People at ease and teach good practices.
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Stability, +1 Art chance for additional effects
* 2M: -3 Econ, +1 Stability, +3 Art, chance for additional effects
* Max Stability: Legitimacy - 1

More Blackbirds - Elite scouts and woodsmen, the Blackbirds are a potent force, if not exactly mainline fighters. More of them could prove useful
* S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial more Blackbirds
* M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Blackbirds, additional effects

More Carrion Eaters - Keepers of sacred and profane knowledge, the Carrion Eaters thread a dangerous path but bring valuable knowledge for treating wounds and inspiring courage, greatly bolstering the morale of warriors by ensuring them that their companions are not doomed if they fall. More could prove useful.
*S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial, more Carrion Eaters
*M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Carrion Eaters, additional effects

More Boats - The things are expensive but oh so useful, so having more of them will increase your capacity for trade, travel, and fishing
* S: -2 Econ, +1 Econ and +1 Diplo next turn, other potential effects
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Econ end of turn, +1 Econ and Diplo next turn, additional effects, tiny chance of innovation;
* used 4 times

New Settlement - There are a few new sites that could have new settlements placed on them: western Blackriver, northern Blackriver, eastern Redhills, Bleeding Cliff in Redshore
* S: +1 Econ next turn, increases number of times Expand Econ can be taken
* M: +1 Econ and +1 Mysticism end of turn, increases the number of times Expand Econ can be taken

New Trails - There are many settlements with only marginal trails, so more could be useful
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, other effects
* M: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, +1 Diplo, other effects

Proclaim Glory - A recent innovation from the south, by using art the King can promote people to trust his decisions; modified by Diplomacy skill
* S: -2 Art, +1 Legitimacy
* M: -3 Art, -1 Econ, +1 Legitimacy, +1 Stability, potential +1 Prestige
* Max Stability: Legitimacy

Restoration of Order - The people are uncertain, and into that uncertainty bad behaviour can flow. Send in the warriors to reassure people and root out corruption and dissent, restoring the proper function of the People. Max Stability: 0 or Legitimacy, whichever is lower
* S: Gain -1 to 2 Stability
* M: Roll twice, take best result
* modified by Administrative skill

Sailing Mission - The new boats have proven themselves capable of exploring long distances, so what else might they discover along the shores of the sea?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Salt Gift - With the saltern, the People have access to tremendous amounts of salt, which can be used to awe outsiders
*S: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated
*M: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated (min. 1 of each) and the possibility of Mysticism generation

Study Forests - The holy site within the sacred forest is the repository of lore on the forests and the things within them, but could the shamans learn more? 1 Use
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Health - What secrets of nature can be used to improve the health of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Metal - Iron and copper, gold and silver, what other secrets are hidden in metal and stone?
* S: -1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, improved chance of new insights

Study Stars - What secrets do the heavens hold when you study the stars and their motions carefully? 7 Uses, 0/4 Uses in a Row
*S: +1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
Cannot be used as a Main action

Study Tailings - A few generations of copper mining has built up a number of tailings pits, might there be any new insights within?
*S: -1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, improved chance of new insights

Support Subordinate - Send resources over to a subordinate state to help prop them up.
*S: Transfer 1 Econ and Martial
*M: Transfer 2 Econ and Martial

Survey Lands - Foreigners have discovered strange materials within their lands, are these materials perhaps also found within the lands of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success; used 1 time

Trade Mission - Sending a major caravan to another large group can bring new opportunities and find out more about the outside world
* S: -1 Diplo, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of of turn;
* M: -1 Diplo, -1 Econ, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of turn, +1-2 Diplo next turn

War Mission - You can send raiding parties against groups that have declared themselves hostile. Can only declare war if you have a valid casus belli (currently only if someone declares war first)
* S: Potential loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial and Diplo
* M: Probable loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial, Diplo, and Econ, always has a mid-turn decision point

Extended Projects- Extended Projects are major infrastructure projects that take more than a single Main action to complete but aren't as all consuming as megaprojects
Saltern - Need to find a new location through Survey actions or have more advanced technology to expand the existing saltern
Aqueduct - Redshore (0/12), Lower Valleyhome (0/6), Stonepen (0/8), Blackmouth (0/12), Sacred Forest (0/6), Redhills (0/8). Each {S} committed consumes 2 Econ for 2 Progress. Completion adds +4 Econ Expansion and can allow for the formation of another True City

Reminder: 2 {S} applied to the same project = 1 {M}
Additionally: 2 Mains may have non-linear effects

Mega-Projects - Mega-Projects can require many generations to complete, take an unknown amount of time to do so, and drain Econ while active, but can produce massive benefits once complete. Once chosen, the occupy the Main Focus slot until either completed or stopped early. Early stopping once started does not refund any of the investments and increases social strife. To reduce confusion, mega-projects are not listed as part of the voting project list and must be "written-in".
Great Dam - The river can run wild and dangerous when the rains come strong, but could it not be controlled by the same principles by which the water on the hills is channelled and contained, merely on a larger scale? [Stewards][King] (4-6? action commitment, -1 Econ per action)
The Library - The People need to store ideas, not records [Observance] [King] (4-6? Action commitment, -1 Mysticism and -1 Art per action, 2 Econ total commitment)
Place to the Stars - The shamans have noticed deeper patterns among the stars than they ever imagined, and setting up long term memories of where things should be could be intensely useful, if also labour intensive to get sufficiently durable markers in place [King] (6-8? action commitment, -1 Econ per action, some Mysticism commitment)

[Stewards] special kicker: Pay 1 Stability to double the effort on a megaproject action, consuming twice the required per turn resources but advancing the job faster. If taking a second main action on a megaproject, requires additional Stability payment to double that as well.

One [Main] action and two [Seconday] actions available. Status of hostile Northern Nomad tribes currently unknown

[] Art Patronage
[] Black Soil
[] Build Chariots
[] Build Wall
[] Build Watchtowers
[] Change Policy
[] Enforce Law
[] Expand Economy
[] Expand Forests
[] Expand Holy Sites
[] Expand Snail Cultivation
[] Expand Warriors
[] Found Colony
[] Found March
[] Found Trading Post
[] Grand Sacrifice
[]Integrate March
[] Improve Annual Festival
[] More Blackbirds
[] More Carrion Eaters
[] More Boats
[] New Settlement
[] New Trails
[] Proclaim Glory
[] Restore Order
[] Sailing Mission
[] Salt Gift
[] Study Forests
[] Study Health
[] Study Metal
[] Study Stars
[] Study Tailings
[] Survey Lands
[] Support Subordinate
[] Trade Mission
-Target Options: Highland Kingdom, Thunder Speakers, Metal Miners, Lowland Minors, Hathatyn, Xohyssiri, Thunder Horse, Into the Wild
[] War Mission
-Target Options: Northern Nomads

Provinces for Projects: Valleyhome, Redshore, Stonepen, Sacred Forest, Northshore, Blackriver, Redhills, Southshore
Major Holy Sites: Rainbow Trail, Sacred Forest, Holy Sea, Horse Valley, White Circle, Warrior's Rest, Star Mirror, Sunrise Grove, Skyforest

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] [Main] More Carrion Eaters
[X] [Secondary] Change Policy - Expansion
[X] [Secondary] Build Chariots

Provinces: [Main] New Settlement - Bleeding Cliffs, Eastern Redhills, [Sec] New Settlement - Western Blackriver

Stallion Tribes: [Main] Build Chariots, [Sec] Expand Econ x2

Looking over the reports and tallies, the king knew that the People needed to recover from their losses, and also knew that they needed to be ready for next time. With a few orders he told the provincial chiefs to keep their warriors close to home and focus their efforts on expanding the number of settlements they had - and thus the number of people - in preparation for their next fight. With what other resources they had, they would rebuild their elites, and in particular induct more Carrion Eaters than usual to give those who fought a better chance of survival. It took a lot to train up a proper chariot archer, and increasing the number of them that came back was of incredible benefit to both this generation and the next.

And so the People built and waited and listened. The south was... quiet. Whatever plans the Thunder Speakers might have had were truncated by the Thunder Horse recovering and stabilizing faster than expected and looking to keep their vassals under control. The Xohyssiri attempted to retake former tributary territory, but soon enough discovered that the villages around them were now appealing to the Thunder Horse for protection. Somehow, the Xohyssiri took this loss in stride, shrugged their shoulders, and decided that they still made a tremendous amount of things that people wanted and thus maybe they should just focus on making stuff and continue to let people come to them.

Xohyssiri enter Golden Age!
Xohyr becomes True City!

Being one of the People collectively holding his breath, the king was thus somewhat alarmed when some of the shamans came to him with a matter requiring his input and of some urgency. However, fears of some great catastrophe as told in the ancient tales were soon partially mitigated as the story came out. In training a chariot driver had suffered an accident and tumbled from his vehicle, striking his head upon the ground. A junior Carrion Eater had operated upon him, exorcising the demon within his skull, but he had made some sort of mistake in the after care process and had improperly sealed the pathway that might let some other spirit into the skull. While most of the time this simply resulted in death, this time the spirit that seized him was different.

Words tumbled from the man's lips, strange and mostly incoherent rambling garbage for the most part, but there were snatches of something more within the jumbled nonsense sounds. Sometimes it sounded like the poor man was speaking in an unknown language, while at other times he let off long rattling proclamations or warnings. In particular he kept coming back to variations on a particularly strange phrase.

"Black mirror sun spear ash bleeding vein return sky streak."

No one could quite figure out what it might mean, but the shear amount of repetition with at most slight variation had the shamans concerned. There were a couple of possibilities. 'Black mirror' might refer to the holy site in Blackriver, the Star Mirror, a particularly calm pool of clear water in an isolated area that was shielded from the elements enough that on a clear night it acted as a giant, smooth mirror, where 'bleeding vein' might be a reference to Bleeding Cliff, the new settlement being set up with the intent of exploiting the red stone for the star metal there. Either location could make the reference to 'sun spear' be some sort of reference to the weapons of the gods. And then there was 'return sky streak' which could ominously refer to the Great Comet, that harbinger of doom and disease that all of the legends of everyone with records spoke of.

But what was this message from beyond meant to tell them?

What should be done?
[] Examine Star Mirror (possibility of disrupting holy site, ???)
[] Examine Bleeding Cliff (possibility of disrupting settlement activity, ???)
[] Stockpile resources for the return of the Doom Comet (+1 Stability if over 5 Econ by mid-turn next turn, ???)
[] This man is sick, care for him but ignore his ramblings (???)

And then there were the nomads, who had just... disappeared. There were a few tribes that were occasionally spotted wandering by in the distance, but they never seemed to make contact or even try to do any scouting behind being able to skirt away from settlements. What had happened to the unifying king, and where had he taken his people? There was a suggestion that perhaps a scouting mission should be sent out, or maybe just a trade mission to try to find out what was going on. Of course, who they might send a mission to was also a question... Just finding nomads had risks but might give the most direct information, where potential trading partners such as the Thunder Horse (the Thunder Speakers still being on rather bad terms) or the Metal Workers might have some clue if the organized group went far afield.

Try to find out what is going on?
[] Military scouting mission
[] Trade mission to nomad tribes (-1 Diplomacy)
[] Trade mission to Thunder Horse (-1 Diplomacy)
[] Trade mission to the Metal Workers (-1 Diplomacy)

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] This man is sick, care for him but ignore his ramblings (???)
[X] Trade mission to the Metal Workers (-1 Diplomacy)

Thinking it over, the king then went and consulted with other shamans before he told those overseeing the injured man, "Upon consideration of the elements involved, I have come to the decision that the only resources to be used are those to tend to this poor man. While it is entirely possible that the spirit within him is one of prophecy, I find upon the balance of things that we are dealing with a spirit that is either confused or has malicious intent. Either way, we are to seek to either exorcise it, or at the very least care for him and ease whatever suffering the spirit within him is causing as best we can."

More than one shaman protested this, but when the king tells you that you will have no further authorization to continue the line of inquiry, well, that was that.

Meanwhile, the king authorized that a trade expedition should be sent out to the Metal Workers to see if they might have heard anything from the nomads. Given that the leader had to some extent been trying to dominate the metal trade, it made sense that he might have something to do over there. As it was, the traders found out relatively little from the Metal Workers, although they did pick up a clue in the fact that several examples of the funny sort of copper that the Eastern Thunder Horse occasionally used had been brought to them to have a look at, and not by the People. The Metal Workers for their part had been quite interested and were offering extra for any further examples, but obviously weren't about to reveal what secrets they might have discovered from the metal.

Given the reports from the traders though, the People have enough clues to orient themselves correctly for when the nomads return, the first wave drawn from far distant tribes never before encountered by the People.

It soon enough becomes clear that the People had managed to deplete the numbers of the nomads badly enough that their king had withdrawn them... well before they broke, so that they could be used to force new, fresh tribes to submit and thus replenish their numbers, while also taking the time to look for new weapons to counter the advantages of the People. It was somewhat admirable in a way if it weren't so infuriating.

Also, part of the delay was because apparently the king had a son who was just as skilled as he and the two of them had a brief spat to sort out who was in charge before deciding that they could in fact stand to work with each other in an attempt to dominate the steppes.

The king, he had a headache, and an upset stomach, most days after this fresh round of torment started. Looking for relief, he discovered that his immediate predecessor had accidentally set something into motion when he had ordered a chariot driver injured in an accident taken care of but his ramblings ignored.

Sitting in a quiet grove on the outskirts of Upper Valleyhome was a peculiar compound, the white adobe buildings surrounded by a sturdy wall that was evidently meant to keep the people inside rather than keep anyone else out. While bucolic enough looking, having an amazing view of the city with dozen tiers carved into the hill it sat on, each one stuffed with two or three story multi-generational houses of extended families, parks full of green trees and bushes, red brickwork streets, and burbling pools and waterways that spilled from one tier to another, the location was mostly avoided by the neighbours despite the excellent location. The occasional maddened scream was probably a major contributing factor.

The shamans in charge of the location were all apparently either Carrion Eaters too old for active duty, or shamans considered for the role who just weren't quite able to meet the demanding physical requirements. The combination of wisdom, patience, and the ability to get into a scrap were all apparently deeply necessary to working at this location.

Sitting quietly along with the shaman who ran this place in the outer ring of the spirit haunted place, mumbling under his breath, was the miraculously still alive chariot driver that the king vaguely remembered his predecessor. What was left of his hair was going prematurely grey, and there were several esoteric tattoos that had been added to his head and face, but his continued survival was in fact why this place existed at all.

"We all assumed that certain phrases had meaning, that the spirits afflicting Forgyth were trying to speak with us, but what they were really doing was getting in the way of his ability to put the words he wanted into his speech," the shaman, Hygurtyn, explained to the king who had come to see him.

"Crush fruit sky buttock," Forgyth said, speaking up with a slight slur.

"I'll make sure to tell Dothwyn next time I see him so he can get you some," Hygurtyn said, eliciting a roll of the head and sticking out of the tongue from the former driver.

The king just looked on in confusion, and Hygurtyn said, "The fact that you came to visit has him pleased and excited, but when he gets excited his condition gets worse. There are a few herbs and aromatic smokes we use to help calm the patients. When Forgyth is sufficiently calm enough he is able to make himself understood after some translation. I figured this out a few years ago and have been working with him and others similarly afflicted by malign or confused spirits ever since. I don't think that the original orders covered all of this," Hygurtyn then waved to the whitewashed room around them, obviously referring to the compound, "but we got help from the families of those we treat and the clerks just sort of went along with some of the requests since the orders had the royal seal. In any case, once I realized that that once calm Forgyth would use the wrong words and phrases consistently and thus I could learn to interpret what he meant, I was able to apply these lessons to others. Not all respond the same as Forgyth, but some respond better and do not actually need to be kept here."

The king nodded and said, "While there are probably some who might consider this compound an overstep on your part, I will admit to actually being appreciative of its existence now informed. While part of this is obviously an inspection, I had also heard that your studies had brought other skills."

Smirking, the middle aged shaman asked, "You wish to know of my headache cure I take it?"

"Well, partly for my benefit, partly for the benefit of all," the king admitted.

Nodding, Hygurtyn rolled up his sleeves to show off the tattoos on his arm, and also nodded to Forgyth, who rolled his head in a manner that the king realized was his spirit addled interpretation of a nod.

"There are many channels within the body, blood vessels being the most obvious. While I did not find them myself, I did work out how to greatly expand the use of other, secondary channels, which I make easier to find via the application of tattoos. The application of pressure, thin needles, or hot stones to the right places in the right combinations helps alter the flow of spiritual energy, which can be used to help calm the spirit and heal the body when done correctly. Add in the right herbal and aromatic treatments and great things can be achieved. I can't cure broken bones with my methods, but I can manage the pain so that the patient remains calmer and minimizes agitating the damage while it heals," Hygurtyn explained.

The king absorbed this and said, "While I hate to take you away from this, but if what you say is true I may need you to travel to Rainbow Trail..."

Pulling out a few fine copper needles from his robes, the shaman asked, "Would you care for a demonstration?"

A few needles in the face later and the king was telling this man to go teach what he knew to the other shamans as soon as possible, so that all might benefit from the surprising and counter-intuitive discoveries.

If only the nomads would quietly solve themselves as this issue!

Spoiler: Important Projects

Art Patronage - Wealth of the first and second kind can be used to create wealth of the third kind to the benefit of all
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Art
* M: -2 Econ, +3 Art, +1 Prestige, potential innovations

Black Soil - Production is now regular and huge amounts of trash are turned to black soil every year, but there's always room for more production [Shapers] [King]
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Econ next turn, additional effects
* M: +1 Econ, additional effects
* used 2 times

Build Chariots - Once the domain of rich nomad chieftains, there is now enough copper to make construction of this new design practical for the People and deployable on a large scale. Used: 4 times
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Martial
*M: -2 Econ, +4 Martial, other effects

Build Iron Mine - In the settlement of Bleeding Cliff there is a cliff streaked with red stone that is a known source of star metal. The large scale mining and smelting of the ore could have... considerable... benefit.
*S: -4 Econ, -1 Stability, +??? next turn
*M: -4 Econ, -1 Stability, +??? mid-turn

Build Wall - Long experience with retaining walls has lead to the idea of a settlement wall for protection (Redhills and Blackmouth heavily walled; Redshore, Northshore, and Stonepen capitals walled; Northshore and Stonepen partially walled elsewhere)
* S: -1 Econ, minor walls
* M: -1 Econ, major walls

Build Watchtowers - Stone and brick towers for warriors to sit in and scan the horizon for trouble, these towers can help stave off raids and improve response against attacks. (Northern provinces have many towers, Redhills has some)
*S: -1 Econ, some watchtowers
*M: -1 Econ, many watchtowers

Change Policy - Adjust the current Policy to one better fitting the situation
*S: Change Policy to one of the available ones listed below
Balanced - Takes whatever actions seem reasonable. Expand Economy is considered a Policy action for interaction with other effects
Defence - Builds walls and watchtowers
Expansion - Builds new settlements, expands economy, expands forests, and can even create new provinces
Infrastructure - Extended projects
Megaproject Support - Provinces can spend actions in support of a megaproject
Offence - Can recruit warriors and specialists, can send war actions against declared enemies
Progress - Takes studying actions and art patronage
Restoration - Takes stability improving actions
Spirits - Expands Holy Sites
Trade - Sends out trade missions, produce art and luxuries

Enforce Law - The king is a servant of the law, and he can use the army to remind people of that fact
* S: 0 to 1 Stability, +1-3 Centralization
* M: 0 to 1 Stability, greater odds of stability gain, +2-3 Centralization
* the more settlements with walls outside of the capital, particularly large walls, the less effective this action is

Expand Economy - Encourage the growth of food producing activities such as farming, pastures, or fishing, depending on where focus is placed
* +1 Econ, potential additional effects
* 16 uses remain before requiring new territory

Expand Forests - The People have knowledge of how to regrow and repair forests, which extends to bringing them to places they have never been, with considerable effort
* S: -1 Econ, grows forest, +1 Econ next turn if in settled territory and controlled
* M: -1 Econ, grows forest, +2 Econ next turn if in settled and controlled territory

Expand Holy Sites - The current places dedicated to the spirits and wisdom have accumulated interesting objects and tellers of stories, but they could be made a bit better
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Mysticism
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Mysticism, +1 Art, potential additional effects

Expand Snail Cultivation - While now more reliably grown and harvested, the snail domestication has only managed to hold environmental changes at bay rather than increase production. More investment would increase cultivation
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Diplo
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Diplo, potential additional effects

Expand Warriors - More men can be inducted into the ranks of the warriors every year and not face major food shortfalls
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Martial
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Martial, potential additional effects

Found Colony - When a province gets too distant, sometimes it is best to grant it additional autonomy so that they can get down to the business of working the land and gathering resources without needing to talk to the king about every little thing. Current Target: West of Black River
*M: -4 Econ, -2 Martial, founds colony to produce raw resources

Found March - Sometimes you need an extra buffer between you and hostile powers, or a place to stash excess warriors. Current Target: North-East
*M: -5 Martial, -2 Econ, founds march to take independent martial actions

Found Trading Post - When doing long distance trading, sometimes having your own infrastructure in place at the other end can be quite useful. Current Target: Greenshore River Mouth (Metal Workers)
*M: -5 Diplo, -2 Econ, -2 Martial, founds trading post to generate Diplomacy

Grand Sacrifice - Communal sacrifice is a great way to bring the People together, and to also even out class distinctions. NOTE: Because the People do not use human sacrifice, the Econ costs are especially harsh. Max Stability: Legitimacy
*S: -2 Econ, +1 Stability
*M: -3 Econ, +2 Stability

Integrate March - Better communications and administration means that the Stallion Tribes can be integrated into the People more fully, transitioning from a March to a province
*M: -6 Diplomacy, gain Econ and Martial from integrating March

Improve Annual Festival - A festival for every season, but their expansion can help put the People at ease and teach good practices.
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Stability, +1 Art chance for additional effects
* 2M: -3 Econ, +1 Stability, +3 Art, chance for additional effects
* Max Stability: Legitimacy - 1

More Blackbirds - Elite scouts and woodsmen, the Blackbirds are a potent force, if not exactly mainline fighters. More of them could prove useful
* S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial more Blackbirds
* M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Blackbirds, additional effects

More Carrion Eaters - Keepers of sacred and profane knowledge, the Carrion Eaters thread a dangerous path but bring valuable knowledge for treating wounds and inspiring courage, greatly bolstering the morale of warriors by ensuring them that their companions are not doomed if they fall. More could prove useful.
*S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial, more Carrion Eaters
*M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Carrion Eaters, additional effects

More Boats - The things are expensive but oh so useful, so having more of them will increase your capacity for trade, travel, and fishing
* S: -2 Econ, +1 Econ and +1 Diplo next turn, other potential effects
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Econ end of turn, +1 Econ and Diplo next turn, additional effects, tiny chance of innovation;
* used 4 times

New Settlement - There are a few new sites that could have new settlements placed on them: northern Blackriver, south-eastern Redhills
* S: +1 Econ next turn, increases number of times Expand Econ can be taken
* M: +1 Econ and +1 Mysticism end of turn, increases the number of times Expand Econ can be taken

New Trails - There are many settlements with only marginal trails, so more could be useful
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, other effects
* M: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, +1 Diplo, other effects

Proclaim Glory - A recent innovation from the south, by using art the King can promote people to trust his decisions; modified by Diplomacy skill
* S: -2 Art, +1 Legitimacy
* M: -3 Art, -1 Econ, +1 Legitimacy, +1 Stability, potential +1 Prestige
* Max Stability: Legitimacy

Restoration of Order - The people are uncertain, and into that uncertainty bad behaviour can flow. Send in the warriors to reassure people and root out corruption and dissent, restoring the proper function of the People. Max Stability: 0 or Legitimacy, whichever is lower
* S: Gain -1 to 2 Stability
* M: Roll twice, take best result
* modified by Administrative skill

Sailing Mission - The new boats have proven themselves capable of exploring long distances, so what else might they discover along the shores of the sea?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Salt Gift - With the saltern, the People have access to tremendous amounts of salt, which can be used to awe outsiders
*S: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated
*M: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated (min. 1 of each) and the possibility of Mysticism generation

Study Forests - The holy site within the sacred forest is the repository of lore on the forests and the things within them, but could the shamans learn more? 1 Use
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Health - What secrets of nature can be used to improve the health of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Metal - Iron and copper, gold and silver, what other secrets are hidden in metal and stone?
* S: -1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, improved chance of new insights

Study Stars - What secrets do the heavens hold when you study the stars and their motions carefully? 7 Uses, 0/4 Uses in a Row
*S: +1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
Cannot be used as a Main action

Study Tailings - A few generations of copper mining has built up a number of tailings pits, might there be any new insights within?
*S: -1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, improved chance of new insights

Support Subordinate - Send resources over to a subordinate state to help prop them up.
*S: Transfer 1 Econ and Martial
*M: Transfer 2 Econ and Martial

Survey Lands - Foreigners have discovered strange materials within their lands, are these materials perhaps also found within the lands of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success; used 1 time

Trade Mission - Sending a major caravan to another large group can bring new opportunities and find out more about the outside world
* S: -1 Diplo, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of of turn;
* M: -1 Diplo, -1 Econ, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of turn, +1-2 Diplo next turn

War Mission - You can send raiding parties against groups that have declared themselves hostile. Can only declare war if you have a valid casus belli (currently only if someone declares war first)
* S: Potential loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial and Diplo
* M: Probable loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial, Diplo, and Econ, always has a mid-turn decision point

Extended Projects- Extended Projects are major infrastructure projects that take more than a single Main action to complete but aren't as all consuming as megaprojects
Saltern - Need to find a new location through Survey actions or have more advanced technology to expand the existing saltern
Aqueduct - Redshore (0/12), Lower Valleyhome (0/6), Stonepen (0/8), Blackmouth (0/12), Sacred Forest (0/6), Redhills (0/8). Each {S} committed consumes 2 Econ for 2 Progress. Completion adds +4 Econ Expansion and can allow for the formation of another True City

Reminder: 2 {S} applied to the same project = 1 {M}
Additionally: 2 Mains may have non-linear effects

Special: Studying Health this turn may produce special results
Special: Changing Policy of Defence or Offence does not cost an action this turn

Mega-Projects - Mega-Projects can require many generations to complete, take an unknown amount of time to do so, and drain Econ while active, but can produce massive benefits once complete. Once chosen, the occupy the Main Focus slot until either completed or stopped early. Early stopping once started does not refund any of the investments and increases social strife. To reduce confusion, mega-projects are not listed as part of the voting project list and must be "written-in".
Great Dam - The river can run wild and dangerous when the rains come strong, but could it not be controlled by the same principles by which the water on the hills is channelled and contained, merely on a larger scale? [Stewards][King] (4-6? action commitment, -1 Econ per action)
The Library - The People need to store ideas, not records [Observance] [King] (4-6? Action commitment, -1 Mysticism and -1 Art per action, 2 Econ total commitment)
Place to the Stars - The shamans have noticed deeper patterns among the stars than they ever imagined, and setting up long term memories of where things should be could be intensely useful, if also labour intensive to get sufficiently durable markers in place [King] (6-8? action commitment, -1 Econ per action, some Mysticism commitment)

[Stewards] special kicker: Pay 1 Stability to double the effort on a megaproject action, consuming twice the required per turn resources but advancing the job faster. If taking a second main action on a megaproject, requires additional Stability payment to double that as well.

One [Main] action and two [Seconday] actions available. The Stallions are currently being attacked by nomads and failure to send at least a Secondary War mission will likely result in stability loss. Setting policy to Offence is acceptable for this. Changing Policy of Defence or Offence does not cost an action this turn

[] Art Patronage
[] Black Soil
[] Build Chariots
[] Build Iron Mine
[] Build Wall
[] Build Watchtowers
[] Change Policy
[] Enforce Law
[] Expand Economy
[] Expand Forests
[] Expand Holy Sites
[] Expand Snail Cultivation
[] Expand Warriors
[] Found Colony
[] Found March
[] Found Trading Post
[] Grand Sacrifice
[]Integrate March
[] Improve Annual Festival
[] More Blackbirds
[] More Carrion Eaters
[] More Boats
[] New Settlement
[] New Trails
[] Proclaim Glory
[] Restore Order
[] Sailing Mission
[] Salt Gift
[] Study Forests
[] Study Health
[] Study Metal
[] Study Stars
[] Study Tailings
[] Survey Lands
[] Support Subordinate
[] Trade Mission
-Target Options: Highland Kingdom, Thunder Speakers, Metal Miners, Lowland Minors, Hathatyn, Xohyssiri, Thunder Horse, Into the Wild
[] War Mission
-Target Options: Northern Nomads

Provinces for Projects: Valleyhome, Redshore, Stonepen, Sacred Forest, Northshore, Blackriver, Redhills, Southshore
Major Holy Sites: Rainbow Trail, Sacred Forest, Holy Sea, Horse Valley, White Circle, Warrior's Rest, Star Mirror, Sunrise Grove, Skyforest, Bloodgrove, Spiritwell

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] [Main] Build Iron Mine
[X] [Secondary] Study Health
[X] [Secondary] War Mission - Northern Nomads
[X] Change Policy - Offense

Provinces: [Main] War x3

Stallion Tribes: [Main] War, [Main] Build Chariots

The dead lay strewn about the open fields, the sea of yellow and green grass trampled by hoof and wheel and foot and stained with blood. Hundreds of chariots and thousands of warriors on both sides had brawled it out in a series of running battles and skirmishes. The People had decided that they were not going to accept the attacks against them just lying down, and had mobilized their forces to wipe out the tribes attacking them. The damage was catastrophic on both sides, but even as the People were taking losses they were also progressively grinding away at the nomadic tribes. The People might take two loses for every nomad slain, but they could easily take three or four losses and be able to bounce back, where the nomads would be crippled for generations to come. Also, with the Carrion Eaters scouring the battlefield, many of those who were injured might live to fight another day, or at least be able to return to their families and pass on wisdom and experience.

It also meant that the Blackbirds could ask the enemy wounded questions much more frequently.

As War Chief Hathachyn sat upon his chariot and drank from a waterskin in the heat of late afternoon in the summer, he listened in as the scouts and talliers of the dead gave their reports.

"We can confirm that we felled neither their king nor their heir," the head scout, Ymeshyn stated, causing Hathachyn to grunt in displeasure. They had killed enough to relieve the pressure for several years, but that left the possibility that the heir would round up more tribes and have another go next generation. Carefully he listened to the reports and compiled together events in his mind. The destruction was intense, but they had eliminated the vast majority of the warriors they had engaged, and overall the scouts estimated that this totaled about two thirds of the entire nomad warrior force.

It took a few moments for Hathachyn to process this, and he immediately held up a hand and asked, "Wait, I thought we got more than that with this last battle?"

The scouts went back over things, and then there was a sudden realization that several people had pieces of a greater picture that they had not realized up until this moment were connected.

No, they had taken out more than two-thirds of the force they had fought over the past season in brutal combat, but had not engaged that final third.

Hathachyn felt a sinking feeling in his gut and immediately ordered the camps to pack up and begin a march back into the People's territory. He could only pray to spirits and ancestors that his assessment was wrong, that...

The Stallion Tribes were still mostly intact, but word had reached them from the territories to the south: a large section of the nomads had bypassed them a snuck into the lightly defended south while the majority of the People's warriors were in the north dealing with the majority of the nomads. The nomads had been clever and had avoided contact with the larger settlements, but they had pillaged, raped, and murdered their way through Northshore before exiting out through the northern edge of Stonepen and eastern edge of the Stallion Tribes, heading north and east, no doubt to link up with the remainder of their forces and then escape with their ill-gotten gains.

The destruction of farms and granaries and the theft of animals soon enough was revealed to have had a major knock-on effect as there were thousands of displaced people and nowhere enough food locally to ensure that they would all be fed. For the first time in... ever... the People were facing a major famine in part of their territory. They were opening up what resources they had, but the king had pushed the granaries to their limits in order to move the large amounts of skilled labour needed for the new mine being opened, something that the People were already unhappy about. Riots erupted in Valleyhome and Redshore as the news got out, and the king was shaken by the raw need for blood the People wanted. While a few called for pulling their warriors back, far more were baying that the warriors should pursue the nomads and reclaim the people carried off by the nomads, and for many any arguments towards futility or that it would cripple the People if they continued to fight were merely signs of defeatism.

Somewhat fortunately the mine had started producing iron quickly and early and thus the first results were almost ready to go into distribution. There would be new tools and weapons, but the king had given an initial order for the majority to be...

Choose the primary focus of your first batch of iron goods
[] Tools (+8 Econ, +2 Martial, ???)
[] Weapons (+2 Econ, +8 Martial, ???)

Also somewhat fortunately the work of Hygurtyn had been propagated out to other shamans and now every shrine - which was basically in every settlement in order to distribute the sacred wardings - had someone who understood his concepts, and many of the major settlements would now have places of healing to deal with the critically wounded or spiritually disturbed in a much more practical manner than before, which would mitigate the losses somewhat - at the very least the next generation of warriors would not be as deprived of the experiences of their elders as they might have been. That was unfortunately cold comfort for the current generation, other than sometimes reducing the number of families furious at the king when warriors were sent in to break up riots. As it was, the king was having a hard time trying to maintain order and more significant deployments of force might be needed...

Attempt to restore order?
[] Restore order (Main usage)
[] Leave things be

Warrior distribution
[] Defensive (-1 Stability)
[] Offensive (+1 Stability)

And then, then there were the calls that the king should be replaced with someone more militarily competent right now. While someone like that might actually be able to run down the nomads and recover the people, it would likely set a terrible precedent for the future and damage the institution of the king. Unfortunately, unless they did something drastic the People would likely lose faith in the system and then... and then there would likely be insurrection and war.

New king?
[] Yes (+1 Stability, -1 Legitimacy, Martial focused character becomes king)
[] No (-1 Stability, +1 Legitimacy)
​

AN: The nomads with their two heroes got two crits on their campaigning. As such, the rest of the staff has already been notified and I am tagging @ManusDomine who has been keeping tabs on this thread for administrative purposes. I expect molten salt at this point, but keep it to merely focused solar power rather than a thorium reactor at the very least, okay? As always, be excellent to each other, and remember that this won't be the end of the game

EDIT: Also, remember that Restore Order starts with a decrease of stability by 1, so be careful with your choices.

 

[Academia Nut]

[X] Tools (+8 Econ, +2 Martial, ???)
[X] Leave things be
[X] Offensive (+1 Stability)
[X] No (-1 Stability, +1 Legitimacy)

The first order of things to be crafted from the new iron mine had not been primarily weapons, but tools. Now, admittedly many of these tools could be used directly as weapons such as the large number of axes and picks and the like, but the king had thought that the situation would be resolved easily enough without needing to continue the bloody-minded cycle of destruction the weapons of the gods implied. There were many People who were not happy with this decision, but when it came to felling trees and breaking soil many were immediately thankful to the king, and the sheer speed at which the People were able to build with these new tools caught them by surprise. While hunger would stalk the north for years to come, the south would be able to support their cousins.

Legacies Gained!
Early Iron Bringers: Materials advancement always a possibility during Golden Ages, regardless of available excesses
Iron Blooded: Expand Econ actions produce an extra +1 Econ
Project costs have been adjusted. Some have gone done, and some have gone up to represent that much more significant projects can now be completed

And as for the mission sent out to hunt down the nomads went... the majority came back as the seasons turned against them, and one contingent simple disappeared into the steppes, no sign of what happened to them ever being found. There was a tremendous wailing and gnashing of teeth over the issue, the People incensed about the insults and destruction wrought, and there was a tremendous push by all of the furious, angry young men to get into the warriors, the sort of push the elites actually had a bit of a problem suppressing.

Value Change!
Repeated mass war actions have changed the People's views on honour, war, and humility.
Nobility in Humility Lost!
Gained Quality of It's Own
The People are well served by having a large contingent of warriors, although these warriors are also drawn in part from the labouring classes, such that losses can negatively affect productivity
Pros: Gain +1/3 of Econ as bonus Martial
Cons: Damage to Martial can carry over to Econ (additional damage from Honour of Elites does not count)

All of this left the People in a tremendous stew of anger and resentment, the future feeling distinctly uncertain and a great simmering resentment towards those that might threaten them. The Thunder Speakers in particular were eyed up suspiciously, for if they hadn't decided to throw a hissy fit generations ago the People would not have been distracted dealing with them and could have focused their attention on the aggressions of the nomads. About the only good news was that the steppes outside the People's territory had mostly been rendered devoid of human habitation from the mad brutality of the fighting, and likely would be that way for a generation or two before new tribes started to wander into the vacated areas. Of course, as they started to open up, the People began to chuckle darkly at the fact that the Thunder Speakers had attempted to rebel against the Thunder Horse and were not doing particularly well.

Meanwhile the Xohyssiri were transforming themselves into a great trade hub within the lowlands, the place where everyone could come to trade and barter. This was all done under the shadow of their bloody temples and macabre inner wall, but they had discovered that it was far simpler to trade for slaves to sacrifice rather than going out and getting them on their own, and they had already been far less bloodthirsty for generations anyway.

If anyone had any idea of knowing about the profound transformations taking place within the People, they weren't really saying, although that was probably because the People tended to keep to themselves outside of their traders, who were a bit outside mainstream society anyway. What would shake out in the next few generations was anyone's guess though...

One particular evolution though was that with the tools made from star metal now starting to go into widespread use, there was a much lesser view of metal as being somehow cursed, or at the very least that the curse wasn't worth it. Many reported a feeling of buoyed confidence and even glee at the thought of fighting with the same weaponry that the gods used.

Weapons of the Gods
[] Abandon belief (removes WotG)
[] Modify belief (WotG begins to become a Value rather than Debilitating Belief)
[] Challenge belief (Begins event chain)

Spoiler: Important Projects

Art Patronage - Wealth of the first and second kind can be used to create wealth of the third kind to the benefit of all
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Art
* M: -2 Econ, +3 Art, +1 Prestige, potential innovations

Black Soil - Production is now regular and huge amounts of trash are turned to black soil every year, but there's always room for more production [Shapers] [King]
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Econ next turn, additional effects
* M: +1 Econ, additional effects
* used 2 times

Build Chariots - Once the domain of rich nomad chieftains, there is now enough copper to make construction of this new design practical for the People and deployable on a large scale. Used: 5 times
* S: -1 Econ, +2 Martial
*M: -2 Econ, +4 Martial, other effects

Build Wall - Long experience with retaining walls has lead to the idea of a settlement wall for protection, and with the ability to more easily work stone the walls grow ever higher (Redhills and Blackmouth heavily walled; Redshore, Northshore, and Stonepen capitals walled; Northshore and Stonepen partially walled elsewhere)
* S: -1 Econ, minor walls
* M: -2 Econ, major walls

Build Watchtowers - Stone and brick towers for warriors to sit in and scan the horizon for trouble, these towers can help stave off raids and improve response against attacks. (Northern provinces have many towers, Redhills has some)
*S: -1 Econ, some watchtowers
*M: -1 Econ, many watchtowers

Change Policy - Adjust the current Policy to one better fitting the situation
*S: Change Policy to one of the available ones listed below
Balanced - Takes whatever actions seem reasonable. Expand Economy is considered a Policy action for interaction with other effects
Defence - Builds walls and watchtowers
Expansion - Builds new settlements, expands economy, expands forests, and can even create new provinces
Infrastructure - Extended projects
Megaproject Support - Provinces can spend actions in support of a megaproject
Offence - Can recruit warriors and specialists, can send war actions against declared enemies
Progress - Takes studying actions and art patronage
Restoration - Takes stability improving actions
Spirits - Expands Holy Sites
Trade - Sends out trade missions, produce art and luxuries

Enforce Law - The king is a servant of the law, and he can use the army to remind people of that fact
* S: 0 to 1 Stability, +1-3 Centralization
* M: 0 to 1 Stability, greater odds of stability gain, +2-3 Centralization
* the more settlements with walls outside of the capital, particularly large walls, the less effective this action is

Expand Economy - Encourage the growth of food producing activities such as farming, pastures, or fishing, depending on where focus is placed
*S: +2 Econ, potential additional effects
* 18 Econ remain before requiring new territory

Expand Forests - The People have knowledge of how to regrow and repair forests, which extends to bringing them to places they have never been, with considerable effort. With charcoal now in higher demand, can also provide a sustainable supply (1/4 currently locked up)
* S: -1 Econ, grows forest, +1 Econ next turn if in settled territory and controlled
* M: -1 Econ, grows forest, +2 Econ next turn if in settled and controlled territory

Expand Holy Sites - The current places dedicated to the spirits and wisdom have accumulated interesting objects and tellers of stories, but they could be made a bit better
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Mysticism
* M: -2 Econ, +2 Mysticism, +1 Art, potential additional effects

Expand Snail Cultivation - While now more reliably grown and harvested, the snail domestication has only managed to hold environmental changes at bay rather than increase production. More investment would increase cultivation
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Diplo
* M: -2 Econ, +3 Diplo, potential additional effects

Expand Warriors - More men can be inducted into the ranks of the warriors every year and not face major food shortfalls
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Martial
* M: -2 Econ, +3 Martial, potential additional effects

Found Colony - When a province gets too distant, sometimes it is best to grant it additional autonomy so that they can get down to the business of working the land and gathering resources without needing to talk to the king about every little thing. Current Target: West of Black River
*M: -4 Econ, -2 Martial, founds colony to produce raw resources

Found March - Sometimes you need an extra buffer between you and hostile powers, or a place to stash excess warriors. Current Target: North-East
*M: -5 Martial, -2 Econ, founds march to take independent martial actions

Found Trading Post - When doing long distance trading, sometimes having your own infrastructure in place at the other end can be quite useful. Current Target: Greenshore River Mouth (Metal Workers)
*M: -5 Diplo, -2 Econ, -2 Martial, founds trading post to generate Diplomacy

Grand Sacrifice - Communal sacrifice is a great way to bring the People together, and to also even out class distinctions. NOTE: Because the People do not use human sacrifice, the Econ costs are especially harsh. Max Stability: Legitimacy
*S: -2 Econ, +1 Stability
*M: -3 Econ, +2 Stability

Integrate March - Better communications and administration means that the Stallion Tribes can be integrated into the People more fully, transitioning from a March to a province
*M: -6 Diplomacy, gain Econ and Martial from integrating March

Improve Annual Festival - A festival for every season, but their expansion can help put the People at ease and teach good practices.
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Stability, +1 Art chance for additional effects
* 2M: -3 Econ, +1 Stability, +3 Art, chance for additional effects
* Max Stability: Legitimacy - 1

More Blackbirds - Elite scouts and woodsmen, the Blackbirds are a potent force, if not exactly mainline fighters. More of them could prove useful
* S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial more Blackbirds
* M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Blackbirds, additional effects

More Carrion Eaters - Keepers of sacred and profane knowledge, the Carrion Eaters thread a dangerous path but bring valuable knowledge for treating wounds and inspiring courage, greatly bolstering the morale of warriors by ensuring them that their companions are not doomed if they fall. More could prove useful.
*S: -1 Mysticism, +1 Martial, more Carrion Eaters
*M: -1 Econ, -1 Mysticism, +2 Martial, many more Carrion Eaters, additional effects

More Boats - The things are expensive but oh so useful, so having more of them will increase your capacity for trade, travel, and fishing
* S: -2 Econ, +1 Econ and +1 Diplo next turn, other potential effects
* M: -2 Econ, +1 Econ end of turn, +1 Econ and Diplo next turn, additional effects, tiny chance of innovation;
* used 4 times

New Settlement - There are a few new sites that could have new settlements placed on them: northern Blackriver, south-eastern Redhills
* S: +1 Econ next turn, increases number of times Expand Econ can be taken
* M: +1 Econ and +1 Mysticism end of turn, increases the number of times Expand Econ can be taken

New Trails - There are many settlements with only marginal trails, so more could be useful
* S: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, other effects
* M: -1 Econ, +1 Centralization, +1 Diplo, other effects

Proclaim Glory - A recent innovation from the south, by using art the King can promote people to trust his decisions; modified by Diplomacy skill
* S: -2 Art, +1 Legitimacy
* M: -3 Art, -1 Econ, +1 Legitimacy, +1 Stability, potential +1 Prestige
* Max Stability: Legitimacy

Restoration of Order - The people are uncertain, and into that uncertainty bad behaviour can flow. Send in the warriors to reassure people and root out corruption and dissent, restoring the proper function of the People. Max Stability: 0 or Legitimacy, whichever is lower
* S: Gain -1 to 2 Stability
* M: Roll twice, take best result
* modified by Administrative skill

Sailing Mission - The new boats have proven themselves capable of exploring long distances, so what else might they discover along the shores of the sea?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Salt Gift - With the saltern, the People have access to tremendous amounts of salt, which can be used to awe outsiders
*S: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated
*M: -5 Diplomacy, random amount of Diplomacy, Art, and Prestige generated (min. 1 of each) and the possibility of Mysticism generation

Study Forests - The holy site within the sacred forest is the repository of lore on the forests and the things within them, but could the shamans learn more? 1 Use
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Health - What secrets of nature can be used to improve the health of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success

Study Metal - Iron and copper, gold and silver, what other secrets are hidden in metal and stone?
* S: -1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, improved chance of new insights

Study Stars - What secrets do the heavens hold when you study the stars and their motions carefully? 7 Uses, 0/4 Uses in a Row
*S: +1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
Cannot be used as a Main action

Study Tailings - A few generations of copper mining has built up a number of tailings pits, might there be any new insights within?
*S: -1 Mysticism, tiny chance of new insights
* M: -1 Econ, -2 Mysticism, -1 Stability, improved chance of new insights

Support Subordinate - Send resources over to a subordinate state to help prop them up.
*S: Transfer 1 Econ and Martial
*M: Transfer 2 Econ and Martial

Survey Lands - Foreigners have discovered strange materials within their lands, are these materials perhaps also found within the lands of the People?
* S: Potential new discoveries
* M: -1 Econ, improved odds of success; used 1 time

Trade Mission - Sending a major caravan to another large group can bring new opportunities and find out more about the outside world
* S: -1 Diplo, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of of turn;
* M: -1 Diplo, -1 Econ, additional effects depending on target, +1-2 Diplo end of turn, +1-2 Diplo next turn

War Mission - You can send raiding parties against groups that have declared themselves hostile. Can only declare war if you have a valid casus belli (currently only if someone declares war first)
* S: Potential loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial and Diplo
* M: Probable loss of Martial, can prevent Econ and Diplo damage when being attacked, can damage enemy Martial, Diplo, and Econ, always has a mid-turn decision point

Extended Projects- Extended Projects are major infrastructure projects that take more than a single Main action to complete but aren't as all consuming as megaprojects
Saltern - Northshore Saltern Expansion (0/10). Each {S} committed consumes 2 Econ for 2 Progress. Completion gives additional Diplomacy and every 2 salterns or expansions increases the per turn Diplomacy by +1
Aqueduct - Redshore (0/8), Lower Valleyhome (0/4), Stonepen (0/6), Blackmouth (0/8), Sacred Forest (0/4), Redhills (0/6). Each {S} committed consumes 2 Econ for 2 Progress. Completion adds +4 Econ Expansion and can allow for the formation of another True City

Reminder: 2 {S} applied to the same project = 1 {M}
Additionally: 2 Mains may have non-linear effects

Mega-Projects - Mega-Projects can require many generations to complete, take an unknown amount of time to do so, and drain Econ while active, but can produce massive benefits once complete. Once chosen, the occupy the Main Focus slot until either completed or stopped early. Early stopping once started does not refund any of the investments and increases social strife. To reduce confusion, mega-projects are not listed as part of the voting project list and must be "written-in".
Grand Palace - The king's palace is not just a dwelling but a place of government, a stockpile for the People's needs, and a symbol of strength to outsiders (5-7? action commitment, -1 Econ and Art per action)
Great Temple - With the ability to cut larger and larger blocks of stone and still shape it precisely, fantastically larger complexes to the gods and spirits can be raised (5-7? action commitment, -1 Econ and Art per action)
Great Dam - The river can run wild and dangerous when the rains come strong, but could it not be controlled by the same principles by which the water on the hills is channelled and contained, merely on a larger scale? (5-7? action commitment, -1 Econ per action)
The Library - The People need to store ideas, not records [Observance] [King] (4-6? Action commitment, -1 Mysticism and -1 Art per action, 2 Econ total commitment)
The Mountain - What greater display of strength can the People make than to pile stone upon stone so as to create an artificial mountain that all can see? [King] (8-14? Action commitment, -1 Econ per action)
Place to the Stars - The shamans have noticed deeper patterns among the stars than they ever imagined, and setting up long term memories of where things should be could be intensely useful, if also labour intensive to get sufficiently durable markers in place (7-10? action commitment, -1 Econ per action, some Mysticism commitment)

[Stewards] special kicker: Pay 1 Stability to double the effort on a megaproject action, consuming twice the required per turn resources but advancing the job faster. If taking a second main action on a megaproject, requires additional Stability payment to double that as well.

One [Main] action and two [Seconday] actions available

[] Art Patronage
[] Black Soil
[] Build Chariots
[] Build Wall
[] Build Watchtowers
[] Change Policy
[] Enforce Law
[] Expand Economy
[] Expand Forests
[] Expand Holy Sites
[] Expand Snail Cultivation
[] Expand Warriors
[] Found Colony
[] Found March
[] Found Trading Post
[] Grand Sacrifice
[] Integrate March
[] Improve Annual Festival
[] More Blackbirds
[] More Carrion Eaters
[] More Boats
[] New Settlement
[] New Trails
[] Proclaim Glory
[] Restore Order
[] Sailing Mission
[] Salt Gift
[] Study Forests
[] Study Health
[] Study Metal
[] Study Stars
[] Study Tailings
[] Survey Lands
[] Support Subordinate
[] Trade Mission
-Target Options: Highland Kingdom, Thunder Speakers, Metal Miners, Lowland Minors, Hathatyn, Xohyssiri, Thunder Horse, Into the Wild
[] War Mission
-Target Options: Northern Nomads

Provinces for Projects: Valleyhome, Redshore, Stonepen, Sacred Forest, Northshore, Blackriver, Redhills, Southshore
Major Holy Sites: Rainbow Trail, Sacred Forest, Holy Sea, Horse Valley, White Circle, Warrior's Rest, Star Mirror, Sunrise Grove, Skyforest, Bloodgrove, Spiritwell