[X][Town Hall] Investigate rumors of ninja infiltration of your household troops. (Intrigue)
A soldier suggested he had seen ninja gear buried near one of your new forts after construction was completed. A single 3-man ninja team could take down a fort by poisoning the wells that kept the people within supplied with water to survive a siege.
[X][Rumors] Start your own rumors so no one will know what to believe about the new lord of Rockhaven. Some positive, some negative but it would bury the truth in a web of lies. Your reputation would take a significant hit but at least the family's secrets were safe for how to cultivate the Fire affinity.
Rockhaven Reputation goes from Indifferent to Nobles are strange. People are less trusting of you to react normally and will confide less information in your agents.
***
Ninja Infiltration
While you lacked dedicated ninja, you still had competent people who understood how to operate in the shadows. After a month of careful observation by spies in the guise of soldiers they discovered the aliases of the ninja operating in Eastfort. From there, it was a simple matter to arrest them personally with a few soldiers at your back as the average ninja was only in Spirit Cycling.
Instead of attacking, they swallowed suicide pills to minimize the evidence. Their corpses turned to ash in a matter of seconds and Yufei sensed death Qi with his spiritual senses. This left you with the obvious question of which of your eastern neighbors wanted to be prepred to break through your eastern defenses should a civil war kick off. It was a concern you would need to investigate further.
Rumormonger
The best defense against gossip was more rumors. More gossip. Drown the truth out with a web of lies that painted Yufei as everything from a unrepentant villain to the most generous noble the Empire has ever seen. No one would know the truth and people would cling to whatever suited their disposition. The low nobles assumed Yufei to be dangerous, cunning. The commoners considered Yufei to be stingy but fair. Merchants were unhappy with the economic changes so clung to the negative rumors.
It was what it was. The important thing was no one would know about Yufei's Quest to gain Fire Affinity. A secret weapon to use against a ninja or other Death mana user when a fight broke out against an obvious life cultivator.
Growth
Tax Revenue increased from 10,000 Imperials to 11,000 Imperials. (Economic Growth: 10%)
As one of the few provinces actually growing in the region, you experience above average population growth. +500 Pop (5%)
It has become clear the neighbors are stagnating under the weight of their obligations. An advantage Yufei needs to exploit if he is to survive the coming civil war with his head attached to his body.
You also have stockpiled most of the spirit stones you've collected to help with the artificing to come.
Information
Without a powerbase or your own spy network, you are limited to gathering information from Townhall events.
No major events have occurred that are public knowledge. You have 4 more Tutorial Turns before major public events begin.
Strategic Actions
Events (These options expire at end of turn)
[] Rumors of commoner unrest. Severity increases if left unattended, increasing severity required of response.
---[] Implement Stimulus (-5000 Imperials/Turn, +10% Economic Growth)
---[] Infiltrate and disrupt (Intrigue action)
---[] Put down the protests when the appear (Martial action)
[] Opportunity Knocks (Intrigue)
[] A whistleblower has approached you about the spirit stone mine. (Diplomacy)
A shady character approached you and said he had a valuable technique manual to sell. Something you cannot get in the open market, something that would enable you to kill in the Wilds and cultivate far faster than you should. With war coming, do you want to buy such a book? He wanted alot but if he could prove it was worth it...what was 10,000 imperials when weighed against 20 Death Affinity and this secret technique?
Diplomacy: +25
[] Meet with a Neighbor
--- [] Which Neighbor?
Come to understand their needs, their concerns, and a way to make a positive relationship moving forward.
[] Trade Negotiations
You have a valuable resource in Ascendant Soul spirit stones. 30,000 Imperials a year can buy alot. Find stuff to buy and negotiate the exchange. Treasures, rare alchemy ingredients, whatever you want is possible with such a resource.
[] Town Hall
Meet with the people. Find out their concerns, their needs, and so forth.
Martial: +15
[] Increase Household Troops
Exact increase depends on roll but ranges from 1 to 100% increase in Household Troops. Cost is 10 Imperials/Turn/Troop.
[] Fortifications
Establish border forts to watch the major entrances/exits to the valley. There are only 3 and station troops there.
+10 Martial when defending against Wilds or other incursions/invasions.
[] Establish Mage-Knight Sect
Mage-Knight is a valuable secret technique and one that can be taught to cultivators to build a following. This reduces your personal actions by 1 per turn for 5 turns while you train people. Once that payment is complete, the cycle becomes self-sustaining. In return, you gain a source of combat trained cultivators in your fief that are nominally loyal to you.
Stewardship: +25
[] Establish Artifice Hall (Step 2)
This is a 3 step process to establish an Artifice Hall and the related supply chain to produce Treasures. Without Artifice Skills, this activity is substantially less effective as you can be swindled on the prices of materials and labor.
+20% Economic Growth (with Artifice Skills); Easy access to Treasures up to your tier through the Artifice Hall and local markets; +1 Treasure per tier into the fief's coffers from taxes that can be used/sold. Roughly 5,000 Imperials/Turn in tax revenue if all are sold.
[] Establish Beast Ranch (Step 1)
This is a 3 step process to establish a Beast Ranch and the related supply chain to produce Bondable Beasts. Without Beast Taming skills, this activity is substantially less effective as you can be swindled on the price of beasts and labor.
+20% Economic Growth (With Beast Taming Skills); Easy access to beasts to bond. +3 Foundation Establishment Beasts / Turn worth 2,000 Imperials each go into your coffers. Does not upgrade with you but will grow the number of beasts per time.
[] Establish Spirit Grain Farms (Step 1)
This is a 3 step process to establish a series of Spirit Grain Farms to supply you with foodstuffs that speed up cultivation by 10%. Without farming skills, this activity is substantially less effective as you can be swindled on the price of seed and labor.
+20% Economic Growth (with Farming Skills); +10% Cultivation Speed w/o Corruption; +6,000 Imperials of spirit grain a turn. Revenue grows as time passes.
[] Financial Stimulus
Lower taxes on the poor, increase subsidies to the poor. They are going to spend that money buying essentials of life and more spending speeds up economic growth.
Can only be taken once.
Reduces Imperials income by 5000.
Improve economic conditions 1 step. (-75% -> -65% Reduced Economic Growth)
[] Raise Taxes
The opposite of stimulus, if you need more cash and need it now? This is the way.
Can only be taken once.
Increases Imperials income by 5000.
Worses economic conditions 1 step. (-75% -> -85% Reduced Economic Growth)
Intrigue: +15
[] Spy on Neighbor
--- [] Which Neighbor?
Find out the target's secrets if they are easily accessible. Discover information about them as if you met with them. Chance of annoying them with your spies.
[] Establish Spy Network
Gain access to a 4 item Rumor Mill.
[] Spy on your People
Find out what makes the locals tick. Their questions, their concerns. Ferrets out secrets at the risk of offending people.
Learning: +25
[] Create Technique (Genius Unlock)
--- [] Write in what you want and how many successful actions you want it to cost. Effectiveness will be determined by quantity of actions and the rolls. You will not know ahead of time what the results will be as this is basically random technique R&D with some guidance.
[] Acquire Technique
--- [] Write in what you are looking to buy. These will not be secret techniques but even "common" techniques are expensive to gain and to filter through all the subpar stuff.
5000 Imperials is the rough cost expectation here.
[] Study the Wilds
Reduces the risks and increases the rewards of the next Adventure! attempt. Provides a +30 to the roll, basically.
Also uncovers a random piece of information about the Wilds unrelated to the roll bonus.
Personal Actions
[] Cultivate: Gain +11 Power (110% Cultivation Speed)
--- [] Use Foundation Establishment Spirit Stone Supply for +30% Cultivation Speed (+3 Power)
--- [] Use Common Grade Pill for +10 to Cultivation Roll for 5% Corruption
[] Purification Ritual: Reduce Corruption by 10%
[] Produce High Quality Pills (Produces 5 pills, 1 consumed per action, 0% Corruption)
---[] Write in what you want to boost. +5 to any Strategic Area. +10 if limited to a specific activity (i.e. Cultivation or Personal Combat) within that area.
[] Produce High Quality Breakthrough Pill (Produces 1 pill for Core Formation Breakthrough)
Cost: 5000 Imperials in supplies.
Result: 10% increased Breakthrough Bonuses (i.e. You go from +200% to +210% for core formation, rounded up)
[] Adventure!
Go into the wilds and see what you get. Ranges from technique manuals to ancient treasures. If bad result, lose all other personal actions that turn while you recover.
[] Go Shopping!
Find and purchase valuable item(s) with your supply of Imperials. Also, allows you to sell your Spirit Stone production which is more valuable than your tax income.
[] Quest: Improve Affinity by 20%
---[] Soul (2/5)
---[] Fire (1/5)
---[] Write in which Element
[] Quest: Gain Artifice Skills
[] Quest: Gain Beast Taming Skills
[] Quest: Gain Farming Skills
[] Quest: Gain Horticulture Secret Technique (Boosts economy due to increased spirit herb production)
[] Quest: Write In
