it's a matter of game design, you throw in some easy choices to make us feel smart for not getting them wrong.
As to the others, there's a right answer, but we don't know enough about the ambition system and how education and trait gain works to know which it is.
It'd be simpler if we didn't have several options with 20+ research and several with 20+ cartography, but we do.
We'll incorporate and sell control to the new foreign NPC robber baron CEO to afford a shinier boat for our expedition to face unspeakable eldritch monstrosities immune to mundane arms.
We'll incorporate and sell control to the new foreign NPC robber baron CEO to afford a shinier boat for our expedition to face unspeakable eldritch monstrosities immune to mundane arms.
We'll incorporate and sell control to the new foreign NPC robber baron CEO to afford a shinier boat for our expedition to face unspeakable eldritch monstrosities immune to mundane arms.
I'm happy about all the winners. But especially Jackson. Dude's basically elderly Alan Quatermain from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I'm excited for that.
I'm happy about all the winners. But especially Jackson. Dude's basically elderly Alan Quatermain from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I'm excited for that.
I'm hoping we'll be able to get Corbyn ready to swap in for the next election, we don't want to risk more of that die gloriously clock than we have to.
I'm hoping we'll be able to get Corbyn ready to swap in for the next election, we don't want to risk more of that die gloriously clock than we have to.
Hmm, at a guess we'd have a special election and penalties to that year's actions for his office.
Then again it's an active unit fulfilling an ambition, so it may well be a net positive versus an inactive unit fulfilling an ambition and the elected official not dying in office.
Oh, duh, not penalties - complications. So it'd likely be more complications and more advantages, which means that the value depends on what sort of action it is, since for some we just want a quiet success I'm sure, while others advantages will be worth complications I suspect.
I'm happy about all the winners. But especially Jackson. Dude's basically elderly Alan Quatermain from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I'm excited for that.
I'm happy about all the winners. But especially Jackson. Dude's basically elderly Alan Quatermain from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I'm excited for that.
I don't think Allan Quartermain was ever a soldier. He was a scout, explorer, and big-game hunter*, but I don't recall him every having done military service. Tyler Freedman is actually something of a closer match to a younger version of Quatermain; although he's from a lower social class. Even with Tyler, for a vaguely close fit you'd probably need to swap out Tactics for Cartography or something, and Soldier IV for Hunter IV or Explorer IV or Outdoorsman IV, assuming those exist. A trade-based trait or skill wouldn't be a bad fit either; Quatermain did a fair bit of ivory trading at various points throughout his career.
He was also a bit of a druggie, taking a drug called Tuduki which allowed him to travel into past lives; I imagine one could probably do something quite fun Trait or Skill -wise with that.
*(In the original books he's more averse to violence than you might expect IIRC; in King Solomon's Mines most of the people-killing gets done by his African friend whose name I forget.)
[X] Henry Jackson
[X] Simon Ulysses
[X] Tyler Freeman
[X] Michael Bainsbridge
Listing off the winners of the elections gets a round of polite applause from all in attendance, but it is also obvious where the various divisions in the Association lie, especially with the election of Michael Bainsbridge to Association President. While some of the more old money gentlemen were obviously wary of the hungry young industrialist, they were at least assuaged somewhat by the fact that Henry Jackson got in. If they had to put up with the upstart in charge at least they got such a stolid old warhorse as their face.
Taking the podium, Bainsbridge pulls out a few folded sheets of paper and begins to read from them.
"Illustrious gentlemen of the Association, I wish to begin by telling you all how humbled I am by your confidence that I can lead our fine organization to great things in the future. While one can only feel overshadowed by the legacy of our founder, the late, great Captain Montgomery Fairbrooks, know that I will put my full efforts into improving upon and expanding that legacy. While relatively small and unknown outside of fair New England, the endowment left by Captain Fairbrooks will allow us to send out the kind of expeditions that will bring us the sort of fame and fortune that will bring in fresh blood and new excitement. While I already have a number of ideas in mind, now is not the time to be bickering and arguing about the future, but to be celebrating the past! We can all argue amongst each other about what comes next tomorrow! Now, let us eat, drink, and be merry!" Bainbridge proclaims, to a hearty cheer from all.
Expedition Grace Period: Launch an expedition by 1904 to begin taking Influence penalties
Assets: Explorer's Library (allows for Research and Cartography checks to aid in Expedition Projects)
Build Contacts (Charisma check to improve temporary Influence score) [VP-E]
Consolidate Connections (Charisma check to convert temporary Influence into permanent Influence) [VP-E]
Soothe Egos (Charisma check to keep temporary Influence from decaying, or increase the speed of recovery) [VP-E]
Fundraising (Charisma check to spend temporary Influence to improve temporary Resources score) [VP-E] [T]
Manage Endowments (Management check to convert temporary Resource into permanent Resource) [T]
Manage Accounts (Management check to keep temporary Resources from decaying, or increase the speed of recovery) [T] [VP-O]
Manage Estates (Management check to reduce the upkeep costs of various resources) [VP-O]
Improve Ethics (Worst of Management and Charisma check to improve Ethics score, to Max of character performing task's Willpower) [VP-O]
Erode Ethics (Charisma check to decrease Ethics score) [VP-O]
Acquire Assets (Influence and/or Resources check to acquire new assets) [VP-O]
Attempt to Launch Expedition (Makes Influence and Resource checks to attempt to launch an expedition) [PO]
Library Research (Research check to consult maps and journals to seek advantages in launching an expedition) [Jr]
[VP-E] = Vice President External
[T] = Treasurer
[VP-O] = Vice President Operations
[PO] = President Only
[NP] = Not President
[Jr] = Junior members may do action at -10 penalty
Unless otherwise marked, the President can perform any of the listed actions
Expedition Yacht (reduces Resource DCs for expeditions that are to be sailed to, depending on amount of sailing required) Res DC: 60, [-2] Resources decay/turn
Small Private Dock (has room for up to four expedition yachts, halving their upkeep) Inf DC: 50, Res DC: 80, [-3] Resources decay/turn
You may pick an expedition goal for free. Once selected the goal cannot be changed until attempted and a complicated failure is rolled, or the current president is removed from office. The harder the expedition, the greater the rewards in terms of Influence upon successful completion. Other rewards such as the discovery of valuables are somewhat independent of the difficulty in launching the expedition.
Appalachian Mountain Survey (Inf DC: 20, Res DC: 20)
Rocky Mountain Survey (Inf DC: 20, Res DC: 25)
South-West Survey (Inf DC: 20, Res DC: 25)
Cascades Survey (Inf DC: 20, Res DC: 25)
Canadian North Survey (Inf DC: 30, Res DC: 70)
Mesoamerican Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 50, Res DC: 70)
Andean Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 50, Res DC: 75)
Amazonas River Survey (Inf DC: 50, Res DC: 80)
Greek Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 50, Res DC: 65)
Anatolian Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 60, Res DC: 70)
Ancient European Archaeological Dig (Inf: 90, Res Rec: 50)
African Safari (Inf DC: 30, Res DC: 50)
African Interior Survey (Inf DC: 50, Res DC: 70)
Egyptian Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 80, Res DC: 65)
Arabian Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 90, Res DC: 75)
Persian Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 80, Res DC: 70)
Indian Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 80, Res DC: 65)
Himalayan Expedition (Inf DC: 60, Res DC: 70)
Chinese Archaeological Dig (Inf DC: 110, Res DC: 80)
Siberian Interior Survey (Inf DC: 70, Res DC: 90)
Pacific Island Survey (Inf DC: 20, Res DC: 80)
Australian Outback Survey (Inf DC: 30, Res DC: 75)
Arctic Expedition (Inf DC: 40, Res DC: 100)
Antarctic Expedition (Inf DC: 40, Res DC: 120)
Every turn you may assign tasks to the executive council and any junior members who may have applicable skills. Generally the members will use their own personal skills to build up the Influence and Resources of the organization, but sometimes they will make a check using the organization's stats of Influence and Resources. These have three numbers X (Y) [Z]
X: Permanent value. This is the general 'rest point' of the stat
Y: Temporary value. This goes up and down with circumstances and actions. The further away from the permanent value, the faster it will tend to move towards the permanent value. This is the value that checks will be made at.
Z: Decay/recovery. This is the amount the value goes up or down by each turn. Usually this will be decay from the maintenance of assets or from temporary values being too far above the permanent value, but if the temporary value is too far below the permanent value it can also go up. Some assets may also potentially negate decay or even provide an increase.
There is also a third stat called Ethics. It has no temporary value and no floor. It is used to keep the organization from doing terrible things... but sometimes you want to do terrible things and to undertake an action you will have to fail a check. It has a decay/recovery value as well, but these typically only come from certain assets or from the value being in the negatives.
AN: I expect that there will be questions, but this should be enough for people to start making plans
I can already imagine whatever voter I was roleplaying as arguing for taking surveys and venturing into the unknown and not doing manual labor digs like "archaeologists".
