The 40 thieves were active in the north right? Could be interesting.
Or maybe some of the bandits are from other places that are overrun.
I certainly don't think Robin Hood and his crew could do much in England right now but robbing corrupt rich people to help poor abused commoners would be right up his alley.
...though several countries away from his start point. Wonder how one could justify that.
Maybe the entire community packed up and left England to avoid the zombie hordes and have been traveling ever since to try and find a new place to settle. Most of Europe is out for various reasons so they have just been passing through the kingdoms scraping by with Robin stealing enough supplies that they can survive and keep traveling.
And now they've ended up in the northern satraps and have to deal with corrupt nobles again. But that's cool Robin can deal with that and everyone in his group are merry men now.
If only they had a nice fairly secure tolerant kingdom with a ancient forest they could settle down and build New Nottingham in.
I don't know if Robin Hood is already doing something in this setting but it's just a idea I had.
Wow, this is amazing! Nerve-wracking, but amazing! Now, as for actions... I really want to send spies to Agrabah, because all this business with the sand witches is making me edgy. Also, I think we should invest more in that salt lake. If Calypso's crabs are hanging out around there, maybe we could find Jack Sparrow if we poke around enough? I realize that's a long shot, but come on! It's Captain Jack Sparrow!
We really need to take action in the north. Whether that be normally folding the satraps into the empire or taking them by force, I don't care; I won't vote for any plan that doesn't have some form of action that deals with the situation up there.
As for learning... heeeeey, now there's a thought!
Hey, @TempestK, if we take the Call of the Wild action next turn, can we assign Leah to an adventure in that same turn?
If Calypso's crabs are hanging out around there, maybe we could find Jack Sparrow if we poke around enough? I realize that's a long shot, but come on! It's Captain Jack Sparrow!
So, barring a Wonderland attack, this is the sense I'm getting from the thread.
Martial: Take what you need
Stewardship: Trade District
Diplomacy: Either Western Satraps or Agrabah embassy.
Intrigue: Now Hiring - Northern or Western Satraps
Learning: Heart-Shaped Herb
Occult: Call of the Wild
Personals: Two of the three - Correspond with Jasmine, Talk with your advisors - the Mage, or Adventure.
So, barring a Wonderland attack, this is the sense I'm getting from the thread.
Martial: Take what you need
Stewardship: Trade District
Diplomacy: Either Western Satraps or Agrabah embassy.
Intrigue: Now Hiring - Northern or Western Satraps
Learning: Heart-Shaped Herb
Occult: Call of the Wild
Personals: Two of the three - Correspond with Jasmine, Talk with your advisors - the Mage, or Adventure.
And very true. When planning, I like running through options via the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. Basically, anything can be broken down into one of four categories: Urgent and Important, Important but not Urgent, Urgent but not Important, and neither Urgent nor Important. Ideally, you have as much in the 'important, but not urgent' category as possible, but 'urgent and important' trumps that. It's why I switched from Agrabah diplo to Hunter diplo last turn, since dealing with them was both urgent and important.
I'm probably not voting for it, because I still want to make use of that Greenhouse we paid for. This is kind of what I meant by putting the cart before the horse when I objected to getting it in the first place, it would be a great help for all sorts of things, that we aren't doing.
We are getting use out of it, though? We wouldn't have unlocked Leah's potential without it. And the greenhouse lowered the DCs of a number of Learning actions, of which the Heart-Shaped Herb is one of the (the DC was reduced by 10). And we need more heroes more than we need anything else. A wildlife-focused Occult Hero, in Ababwa of all places? Almost literally worth its weight in gold.
Thuu shuddered, old scales grating against stone softly. Not from the cold, having grown used to that in the days when the eldest trees of today were young. No, he shuddered from memory and fear.
The world was changed. It was always changing, an inevitable march onward. But this? It was unnatural. Dark. And painfully immense.
Thuu had guarded the treasures of Cold Lair for ages unknowable, and in that time he had grown attuned to the world around him. Cold Lair was spared the worst of it, but even here the shock of a world ripped asunder left the scales of the world as jagged as the saw scales.
Man, Animal, and Thuu suspected, Gods alike were not spared. Cast adrift or irreparably changed by this unseen assault on creation.
But there was little he could do. He had not the power of the Gods nor the cleverness of Man. And even the gifts afforded to him by birth, by Cold Lair's Treasure, and by experience were all fading as his age continued to press on him. The mighty muscle and potent venom he wielded in defense of his charge had faded, with even his scales changing to the color of cleaned bone as a sign of his age.
He sighed and cast his fears away. He maybe old but he had not the time to waste fearing for the future as his forefathers had. His Venom may have dried and his strength be failing, but Thuu The Pale need be vigilant until the day a worthy being came to Cold Lair. Only then could he rest. Only then could he die.
In the back of the cavern a small carved face with pale, blue eyes of crystal shined softly. From a certain angle they seemed to be weeping. For something lost or for their steadfast guard, none could say.
A/N: I tried to do a bit of research, and supposing that Thuu has the longevity of an Atlantean and is old enough to begin getting paled scales he should be in the age range of 7000~ years old. Also yeah Thuu is a character from the book and a one time appearance in a show iirc.
"the little buggers are damn near indestructible". If their shells are really that tough, it would be a really useful material to have access to. the question is how to harvest them.
I wonder if Leah being a druid means she could summon or control them, I'm now imagining an army of indestructible crabs charging Aladdin's enemies.
An effective and mass produced crossbow could be extremely effective against most any non-magical threat. The animal kingdoms to the east and south will HATE them.
so is Jasmines imposter still on the loose?
Harold and Iago seem like and entertaining team. I really want to see them interact with the other advisors (especially Sinbad)
Meanwhile Scherezade is carrying Diplomacy practically by herself.
You know, some of those "bandits" might be a local Robbing Hoods. (not a typo, and I already feel bad about it ).
More seriously, some of them might be insurgents, who tries to fight against terrible rulers.
You know, some of those "bandits" might be a local Robbing Hoods. (not a typo, and I already feel bad about it ).
More seriously, some of them might be insurgents, who tries to fight against terrible rulers.
There are all sorts of reasons to go pillager. Hell, once your own way of life gets shattered by raiders its almost a requirement that you become a raider yourself to simply not starve. What else are you going to do?
Even the ones who are self serving bastards I might be willing to work with as long as they can understand the concept of 'don't shit where you sleep'.
I was talking to a friend about Aladdin Quest last night, and he suggested something that I think had a lot of potential. Namely, he brought up the fact that Aladdin specifically wished to be a prince, not a king - an heir, not the ruler. So, what if Genie had fulfilled it by making Cassim into the King of Ababwa, and the 40 Thieves into elite guards or something similar? But, like Aladdin, they are fully aware of the fact they are the product of a wish.
Edit: It'll never happen here, since as TempestK pointed out in the Discord Aladdin leads a principality, not a kingdom, and therefore the prince is the ruler; but a fun idea regardless.
For some reason the Leopard-men have retreated deep into their territory. Villagers and tribespeople that had fled before them return in their absence, reestablishing villages with much more comprehensive defenses. Their homes were here long before the beast men emerged from the jungle, and they will not give them up lightly. There is also a massive surge in game as many animals appear to be fleeing from the savannah and taking refuge in the forests.
South-East Africa
Scar - 73
The lions and hyenas seem to have secured their dominion over their adversaries after a great, bone-shaking roar that seemed to reach deep into the very soul and wrench it with fear sounded over the savannah. Many prey and predator species have fled to the west, attempting to hide themselves in the jungles. The lions who had rebelled are either dead or have surrendered, reduced to the lowest level of their social strata, below even the hyenas that roam the plains in mobs. The least to eat, and the most work expected of them, they are slowly being worked to death to provide for their social superiors.
South-East Indian Sub-continent
Shere Khan - 33 - 15 = 18
Kaa - 58
The King of Tigers and his mobs of jackals have found themselves stymied, in the wake of the strange hunter who had gone from village to village, leaving behind plans and suggestions for defenses against the great cat and his canine minions. At one point a large number of Jackals managed to pick up the elusive hunter's trail, only to be decimated by his tactics and the assistance of the village he had been staying at for the night. Red Flowers bloom throughout the Khanate in defiance of the King of Tiger's will. One can only speculate how long they will last before withering.
There is an eye of calm within the storm that is the Khanate though. An area where, according to those few hunters that have returned, the very air seems to gain a hazy lassitude. Worries seem lighter, and species that should turn on one another tooth and claw will drink from the same pools without hostility. But there's an undercurrent of unease. Stories tell of a band of hunters who had returned from the area, leaving ten strong, but only four coming back. None of them could remember their companions vanishing, and it was only after their attention was drawn to it that they seemed to even notice. Their reactions were strangely muted, as if they were half-asleep.
North-East Indian Sub-continent
Bagheera & Mowgli - 40
In the wake of the Elite Global Huntsman's Club's passing, tensions remain high amongst the animals. Even as the dead are mourned, the living continue living. The great panther Bagheera has been seen with the man-cub on his back more and more often, the two of them moving from trouble to trouble in order to sooth hackles and ease tensions. Some hunters on the outskirts of the territory, attempting to gain money from the EITC by selling them fresh meat, were attacked. It is very clear to the humans that live near the territory, the Law of the Jungle must be respected if a human wishes to be left unmolested. Kill only what you need to eat. Chop down no trees, instead using deadfall and brush for fires. And keep the fires small, lest they explode into a conflagration that could destroy whole swathes of the forest. Though with the sheeting rain that has been falling in these last few months, anything catching fire and burning would be a practical miracle.
The Silk Road
Shan Yu - 19
Shan Yu is attempting to rally, but his erstwhile allies have found that they much prefer living off this fattened land without bowing to his demands. The usurper is not only fighting against the insurrectionists that spring up at every corner; and the mystical creatures loosed by the desecration of sacred sites and shrines, but by the very men he expected to aid him in putting the rebellious populace back down.
Xiang-Wu
Xiang-Wu - 32
The Dreaded One continues to roam, though he seems to have run afoul of a party of Huns that had been probing the border. The dragon prevailed and feasted on the invaders, but was injured in the process. He has gone to ground to heal. While the kingdom breathes a sigh of relief for the reprieve, none are foolish enough to think it's anything more than that.
Greece
Hades - 35
Hades is finding that attempting to rule his domain with only himself, his now expecting lady wife, and the occasional aide from his son, is a much more daunting prospect than merely accepting the souls of the departed. Already he has been forced to release Thanatos from his imprisonment to ensure that the natural order is at least somewhat maintained. The God of Death has resumed his appointed duties, and so far as anyone can tell whatever deal he made with Hades is being kept to.
The Mediterranean Sea
Ursula - 23
Sinbad - 57
The truce between Ursula and Morgana disintegrated almost as quickly as it formed. The more volatile of the two sisters seems to disagree with Ursula in regards to making deals with the Pirate Lords, instead believing that the EITC would be better served as ally. While Ursula maintains a firm grip on at least part of the seas, Morgana has supposedly begun searching for an artifact that will give her power to contest the control of the waves from her sister.
Ursula meanwhile has been acting more erratic, occasionally demanding people instead of treasure as tribute. No one knows what happens to those she takes, but the rumors are all dire. Her temper is at an all-time high, taking offense at the smallest of grievances on occasion, and other times merely laughing off a deadly insult. Some whisper that the theft of the trident from King Triton and the influx of power is slowly driving the sea witch mad. Those who whisper such take care to do so far from the water.
However the chaos and clashes seems to have been good for the Pirate Lord Sinbad. He's taken several EITC vessels, crewing them with displaced people, or those that are otherwise at loose ends with little direction in life. He has been seen making port in Maldonia several times now, and is supposedly treated as a VIP in the country; even meeting the royal family at one point.
The Indian Ocean
Pirate Lords - 3
Not every Pirate Lord is having it so easy though. The Pirate Lord of the China Sea; Kuala, seeming to think that his enlarged fleet and bloodthirsty crew were more than enough for the EITC, has been publicly hanged after a disastrous attack upon a merchantman fleet. The Brethren Court is in an uproar, and Davy Jones is livid. A new Pirate Lord may be stepping into the power vacuum, but for now many Pirate crews have hunkered down as they wait for Davy Jones to issue his decree.
EITC - 54+10 = 64
The EITC, aside from their success at hanging the man that was universally acknowledged as the least of the Pirate Lords, has managed to maintain their grip on the colonies and ports they had claimed. New keels for ships are being laid in India, while across the seas contacts are being made and contracts signed. The leader of the EITC, Lord Cutler Beckett is quite pleased with how well "business" has been progressing after their initial hang-ups. Rumors that their supposed patron is assisting them are dismissed out of hand as fearmongering; though some sailors have noted that the EITC has been upping the amount of a certain "product" being taken from the edges of the South Pacific, towards Africa especially.
Agrabah
Sultan/Jasmine - 87
??????? - 56
Princess Jasmine and her father are enjoying the highest recognition and approval of their citizenry since the Sultan and his late wife were first married. The Princess' outreach to the city's poor and her care for the children who up until then had gone ignored has earned her the devotion of much of the city. The Sultan has been going through and revising laws, striking those that are no longer relevant and in the process removing several restrictions that had been placed on merchants long before his rule. In his own words; "Well if I'm changing one law, I'd best see if there are any more that need addressed and do them all now."
Rumors are still persisting that the Princess and the Sultan are attempting to merely look good for the populace while they continue to enjoy their new position far from the masses. The rumors find little purchase, but "little" is not "none". But for now they remain merely ugly rumors that spring up in crowded taverns after several drinks.
Elite Global Huntsman's Club
17
Spirit of Adventure Damaged in lightning storm, will take 2 turns to repair starting with Turn 5. Remaining in Ababwa for those turns.
(See "Making Introductions", Turn 5)
---
Rumor Mill
Egypt
Mirage - 96
Nefir - 43
Chaos - 44
Mirage has achieved a major feat, driving away a push by Ursula to take the Nile delta, and even the great river itself. If the sea witch had claimed the very heart of Egypt her creatures could have pressured fealty from all those that wished to make a living form the river. Instead they were repelled, with the cat-woman Mirage demanding worship and adulation from the mortals she has deigned to let live. Even now a great temple is being constructed in her honor. A lavish affair of marble, gold and even jade, it will serve as a testament to her power.
Surprisingly one of those involved in the construction is the imp Nefir and his band. Apparently the money they could receive from the contract was enough to at least pause hostilities between the two magical beings. Chaos had been seen amusing himself by turning turtles and fish into hippos when Ursula's forces attempted to press their luck.
Southern Satraps
81 + 10 = 91
The Southern Satraps continue to prosper, and there have even been murmurs of consolidating into a new kingdom under the leadership of the hugely successful young merchant woman, Jalaiya. She is on a meteoric rise, her vast resources only increasing with each deal she makes. People have also made note of her great beauty, and the golden jewelry she adorns herself with.
Northern Satraps
21-10 = 11
(See "Send a Scouting Party", Turn 5)
Eastern Satraps
20 + 10 = 30
The prosperity of the Eastern Satraps has sadly led to a downfall in circumstances. Caravans are being plundered, sons and daughters snatched for ransom, and each merchant house seems to be sharpening their blades for the potential coming conflict. Meanwhile the jackals of Shere Khan have been making attacks as well, nipping at the edges of the territories and harassing the farmers that make a living there.
Western Satraps
28
The Western Satraps aren't having much better luck, the influx of coin from Sinbad's patronage drying up as the pirate's attentions have turned elsewhere. They still manage a decent living from shore fishing and salt, but the news of Ababwa's own salt production abilities is beginning to spread, leading some of the merchants that once bought from the saltmongers in those Satraps to instead turn their gazes to Ababwa.
Maldonia
55
Maldonia is weathering the storm of Ursula and Morgana's fighting, along with Davy Jones' fury and the EITC approaching with contracts in hand and patently false smiles with better grit than many of their neighbors. The most recent news is that the new Crown Princess is expecting a child, which has sent much of the country into paroxysms of joy.
Land of the Black Sands
50
Supposedly the ruler of the blighted Land has been seeking out "men of learning". For what purpose, none can say, but those that attract his attention seem to find themselves tested in some manner. One can only imagine what a great sorcerer needs such a body of men for....
????????
88
Troubled waters have calmed and now rises a new wellspring.
Supposedly the ruler of the blighted Land has been seeking out "men of learning". For what purpose, none can say, but those that attract his attention seem to find themselves tested in some manner. One can only imagine what a great sorcerer needs such a body of men for....
For some reason the Leopard-men have retreated deep into their territory. Villagers and tribespeople that had fled before them return in their absence, reestablishing villages with much more comprehensive defenses. Their homes were here long before the beast men emerged from the jungle, and they will not give them up lightly. There is also a massive surge in game as many animals appear to be fleeing from the savannah and taking refuge in the forests.
Heh, I know what happened there! With that being said, the rolls were all done around the same time, it's just a coincidence that La rolled horribly at the same time she suffered a stinging defeat from the Legion.
The King of Tigers and his mobs of jackals have found themselves stymied, in the wake of the strange hunter who had gone from village to village, leaving behind plans and suggestions for defenses against the great cat and his canine minions. At one point a large number of Jackals managed to pick up the elusive hunter's trail, only to be decimated by his tactics and the assistance of the village he had been staying at for the night. Red Flowers bloom throughout the Khanate in defiance of the King of Tiger's will. One can only speculate how long they will last before withering.
That was satisfying, and make no mistake. Selous had a good record against man-eaters, although none as powerful and smart as Shere Khan. Hopefully we'll have the opportunity soon to follow up on his achievements.
Shan Yu is attempting to rally, but his erstwhile allies have found that they much prefer living off this fattened land without bowing to his demands. The usurper is not only fighting against the insurrectionists that spring up at every corner; and the mystical creatures loosed by the desecration of sacred sites and shrines, but by the very men he expected to aid him in putting the rebellious populace back down.
The Southern Satraps continue to prosper, and there have even been murmurs of consolidating into a new kingdom under the leadership of the hugely successful young merchant woman, Jalaiya. She is on a meteoric rise, her vast resources only increasing with each deal she makes. People have also made note of her great beauty, and the golden jewelry she adorns herself with.
The prosperity of the Eastern Satraps has sadly led to a downfall in circumstances. Caravans are being plundered, sons and daughters snatched for ransom, and each merchant house seems to be sharpening their blades for the potential coming conflict. Meanwhile the jackals of Shere Khan have been making attacks as well, nipping at the edges of the territories and harassing the farmers that make a living there.
East is having a lot of trouble too. On the one hand, that makes it easier to absorb them into Ababwa later; on the other hand, I'm concerned about their problems becoming ours.
OK, Decision Matrix time.
Important: Gaining more heroes, gaining more actions, boosting our income.
Urgent: The Northern and Southern situations, the Sand Witches in Agrabah.
Easiest way to deal with most of these is conquering or absorbing the satraps as protectorates. Barring a crisis in the heart of Ababwa itself, I think we should really try conquering the North next turn.
Hades is finding that attempting to rule his domain with only himself, his now expecting lady wife, and the occasional aide from his son, is a much more daunting prospect than merely accepting the souls of the departed. Already he has been forced to release Thanatos from his imprisonment to ensure that the natural order is at least somewhat maintained. The God of Death has resumed his appointed duties, and so far as anyone can tell whatever deal he made with Hades is being kept to.
I kind of want to somehow get mozenrath to not be a massive shitheel, if just because the fact that he was supposedly at one point going to be Aladdin's brother fascinates me
I kind of want to somehow get mozenrath to not be a massive shitheel, if just because the fact that he was supposedly at one point going to be Aladdin's brother fascinates me
The lions and hyenas seem to have secured their dominion over their adversaries after a great, bone-shaking roar that seemed to reach deep into the very soul and wrench it with fear sounded over the savannah.
How large of a boot are we going to have to put up the Northern Satrapies collective anus again? I'm going to be waiting on pins and needles until those reports come in.
How large of a boot are we going to have to put up the Northern Satrapies collective anus again? I'm going to be waiting on pins and needles until those reports come in.
Yeah, the martial turn was the reports for the Northern Satraps and their situation. Along with tactical data that could be used to get through the area faster.
).
