The Wild Edge (Fantasy Border Outpost)

Season 33: Spring
[X] Plan Prepping for a Siege
-[X][Construction] Build a second forge to increase the local production available. (200 denier construction cost, 40 denier upkeep, savings of 10% on up to 1000 denier per turn of purchases or upkeep) 39+2 = 41
-[X][Construction] Expand the moat around the new walls. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (1/6 actions, increases cost of further expansion) 36+2-5 = 33
-[X][Construction] Expand the moat around the new walls. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (1/6 actions, increases cost of further expansion) 2nd time 17+2-5 = 14

Construction goes rather poorly this spring. The forge is constructed barely on time, but should be able to cut your costs a little more. The moat on the other hand falls increasingly behind schedule. You end up with only half as much done on it as you originally wanted. The usual springtime mud flowing back into any hole you dig with unusual alacrity, along with the occasional threat of animal burrows when digging that have to be guarded and sealed.

The one silver lining is that if it's this hard to dig in the ground above ground, you imagined any orc sappers would find themselves in an underground hell with those oversized rodents lurking there.

(Forge completed, moat at 2/6)




-[X][Hunters] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill 3+3-5 +10= 11
-[X][Skirmishers] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill 8+25 +10=43
-[X][Footmen 1] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill 96 +58 +10 +10 = 174
--[X] Olivia Assists 4+5+5+5= 19
-[X][Levy 1] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill 31 +10 +10 +10 = 61
-[X][Footmen 2] Guard
--[X] The docks .8*(86 +30 -5 +10) = 97
-[X][Levy 2] Guard
--[X] The docks 100+10 = 110
-[X][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness

It's perhaps a bit of cowardice but you move to a full defensive stance, drawing all your troops back to your walls where they'd be safer. You're a little worried that the orcs will launch an attack on your base to wipe you out immediately.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the orcs seem to have little interest in your fort this spring. Your forces tangle with a few groups of orc infantry attempting to scout your base. Your hunters and skirmishers are the ones most involved in such clashes, with the arrival of footmen guard patrols being more than enough to send the orcs running. Going by the bodies you were inflicting excellent kill ratios on those that you caught. Losses on each side were low compared to some of the major battles you had last year though. Your men were mostly able to keep the enemy scouts at a distance though, so they shouldn't have gained too much new information on the state of your base.

The more annoying thing is that they only used some of their infantry on scouting you out. The majority of their forces went straight past you to raid about the countryside. You have rather mixed feelings on that. On the one hand it gave you more opportunity to recover and build up, on the other they probably pillaged and killed several times as many civilians. You're not dependent on the land based paths for supplies though, so at least in the short term it's not your problem. In the longer term it might become your problem, but you're more worried about surviving to see a long term anyway.

(-10% Hunters)

The docks are a fair distance from the edge of the forest so don't have to deal with orc scouts sneaking up on them. They do however have to deal with a kraken trying to grab snacks for itself in the form of people. Your footmen prove their skill time and again with their swords injuring the seeking tentacles enough to drive the beast off each time it strikes.

It's your newest levy that truly surprises everyone though. By some miracle through a plan of their own devising they manage to pin some of the tentacles to the docks with their spears, trapping the beast. Well at least trapping it long enough for what came next. While they were posing before the beast pinned by their spears while its body flailed in the water some distance away, a whale appeared and swallowed up the kraken. The speared arms ripped free from the docks as it dragged its meal away. As the men scattered away from the water in surprise, it blasted its blowhole showering them with water as if in thanks for the easy meal.

Well on the bright side there's nothing bothering your docks anymore and your levy is a bit more competent than you gave them credit for.

(Kraken defeated, 2nd Levy gains +10 skill)




-[X][Personal] You could produce some basic enchanted gear for one of your units. Sharper blades and harder armor are staples for a reason. (100 Denier in needed materials)
--[X] Footmen 2 59
--[X] Skirmishers 29

It's been a while since you were able to improve your soldiers' gear, enchanting armor and weapons. You spend practically every spare moment doing that this spring. It's a rather mind numbing task in multiple ways as you gather magic from the air in careful meditation, regularly interrupted by the demands of running a rather large border outpost. Giving your men just the slightest edge is all you feel like you can do to stave off the dark shadow you feel descending over you. You hope it will be enough.

(+5 bonus to skirmishers and 2nd footmen)




Gazing down at your brother's ships from the cliff face, you're now not really surprised he agreed to the favorable terms from the dockyards. To put it simply mildly his ships are far overdrew for an overall, and in the case of his flagship it looks like a barely held together vessel fresh off a naval battle.

You get the chance to meet up with your younger brother in person for the first time in a long time. He's cycling his ships through your drydocks for repairs, it seems he has three of them. He stays on one not in the dockyard though. That you're in communication with Mina doesn't comfort him.

You're told to come alone, searched a few times, and are rowed out to his ship at sea in a tiny open boat. But well, you know where he's coming from more than most, and you trust him. His ship is scarred in a thousand places, holes barely patched, the mast a mere suggestion. It's clear that it could hardly last much longer. It does have character though, it's been through a lot.

He's transformed from a happy child to a grizzled paranoid veteran it seems like. Your attempts to spark conversation are halting, stilted, and awkward on both sides.

You try for any conversation topic you can think of, ultimately getting a little going when talking about the Overgrowth and if he's seen anything like it. He did say that your kraken was a small one after all. He spins a tale of a distant atoll, hardly secret, though scarcely traveled. All around it can be found sea monsters of breeds long since vanished from the greater seas. The stories say that the atoll itself is inhabited by merfolk, but that their beauty is only matched by their hatred of mankind, and none are allowed to reach their lair alive.

Given that you've heard the rumors that eating the flesh of a mermaid extends a human's life, you have a fairly good idea why they might have that hatred. Though you can't even say if that rumor is true. In theory a nonhuman might have better luck, and Nerissa idly comes to mind, but even if you could somehow create a means of transporting her, you couldn't afford to take her away from her duties here right now.

Still it's a reminder that the Overgrowth isn't the only place of magic left in the world, though it is the only hotspot left in Revaria.

Heading back home you did catch sight of Julia and Olivia talking. Whatever they were conversing about ended before you were in earshot, but it left Olivia blushing terribly. She seemed to try, not so effectively, to avoid you catching sight of her so you let her think you hadn't noticed her.

While any attempts to bring up what Olivia have been doing later only had her clumsily try and change the subject, you did learn she seems to have mended fences with Nerissa. Like with Julia you don't know the specifics, but you suspect that time, all that Nerissa is doing for you and your people, and perhaps a certain happy dog, have helped to quench the lingering coals of Olivia's distrust.

Sometimes you think men's tendency to let those their frustrations with a set of fisticuffs at least has the merit of getting things out of the way, even if it might result in the occasional lost tooth and cracked rib. Women seem less physical about their disagreements, but grudges seem to drag on longer too. Either way it's certainly makes your life easier that the important women in your life are getting along.




-[X][Assistant] Recruitment? Footmen replacements (20%) (180) 86
-[X][Purchase] Fill warehouse with supplies (250 denier)

Recruitment goes well enough at least, with replacements for your lost footmen coming in and finally bringing your regulars back up to full strength. The extra supplies you get will help as well, though they still aren't enough to really buy that much time in a siege.

(+20% footmen, +15% hunters)




[X][Mina] Accept her dossiers

Edgar Revaria
Current Assignment: Ambassador to Kingdom of Satia
Favorite Things: Women, Adolphine Revaria
Difficulty of Surprise Hugs: Stuffy Bodyguards that can intercede to prevent hugs
Direct Combat skill: Equivalent to a typical professional soldier
Specialty: Negotiation

A man with a heart so big he wants to share it with all the women around him. Has caused significant issues with important husbands in the past, but has improved somewhat in his targeting of late. Very adept at seduction, and this does translate to significant skill at diplomacy. Typically quite good in initial interactions with new groups, but his proclivities are rather easily exploited, resulting in diminishing effectiveness over time as they becomes known.

Adolphine Revaria
Current Assignment: Administrator of port city of Colsir
Favorite Things: Edgar Revaria, romanticism
Difficulty of Surprise Hugs: Low
Direct Combat skill: None
Specialty: Administration

A quite capable administrator who has brought relative prosperity to the city under her charge, bringing additional order and constructing infrastructure. A romantic at heart, she seems to see Edgar as her own knight in shining armor, despite the fact he's often sneaking off into other towers to visit their fair damsels. Her city might be doing better if she hadn't made so many deals motivated by her lover's other lovers.


Mina Revaria
Current Assignment: Spreading friendship to the Kingdom of Tedora
Favorite Things: Hugs, kittens, and puppies
Difficulty of Surprise Hugs: Older sisters always wants Hugs!
Direct Combat Skill: Angry kitten

A quite thoughtful, modest older sister always looking out for the best for her siblings! Spontaneous and vivacious, she loves travelling and meeting people, but especially dropping in to visit her adorable little brothers and sisters. Sadly her current duties require her to be deployed abroad, spreading friendship and cheer to the Kingdom of Tedora!

Nicola Revaria
Current Assignment: Patrolling Revaria's Coast
Favorite Things: Total Control over his environment, Being suspicious of others, Keeping his loving sister far away
Difficulty of Surprise Hugs: High strung and never relaxing means Nicola is hard to give surprise hugs, despite needing them the most!
Direct Combat Skill: Veteran Soldier

The youngest scion of the Duchy of Revaria, he's unfortunately shown an unwarranted level of paranoia and an obsessive compulsive fixation on keeping away from his loving sister Mina. This fixation has led him to be isolated from his family and the kingdom at large, especially his eldest sister who loves him very much. His constant questioning of those around him made him a natural choice for stopping smuggling and contraband, though it can make him overzealous. Like his seizing of cargo from a Tedoran lord that led to the mass outbreak of frowns and ouchies between Tedora and Revaria. He says he doesn't like Mina, obviously untrue because he uses some of her favorite spices on his food all the time.


Kaleb Revaria
Current Assignment: Patrolling Tedora
Favorite Things: Recognition, thrilling combat, Training Others to Help them!
Difficulty of Surprise Hugs: Always Up for a Hug, though he frequently turns them into surprise tickle fights!
Direct Combat Skill: High Tier Elite, experienced and a master tactician

One of the most capable warriors in the kingdom, his skill at arms and epic deeds are beyond reproach and would make him the stuff of legends, if only he weren't such a meanie. He's never found a problem he doesn't think couldn't be solved with application of enough force. Is always up to helping his family, though likes to play rough.




[x][Setan] It would be unreasonable to require that all Saint's Blood we use be sold to them, and then rebought by us and shipped back here. If you can make the agreement such that it applies only to all sales of Saint's Blood, rather than all production, it would be perfectly reasonable and would still protect their monopoly on the larger scale. 66+20 (good plan) = 86

Your suggestions serve as the framework for the deal you eventually receive a copy of, along with some notes about it from your father. You are allowed to retain the domestic market of Revaria so long as you do not sell to the external market except through them. Your father actually has a fairly good reputation of upholding deals, so they're actually willing to accept it simply as something that will be done. Without that reputation there'd have been no chance, because there's no real way to monitor every dose moving about the country.

The price they agreed to pay you probably is only half what they'll make, but even with a controlled release it will likely drag on prices. They will pay you for them at a fixed rate for 5 years after the war ends. Then there will be a right of first purchase at the price you set for another 5 years past that.

Still even at those prices you'll be making quite a lot of money and with less distribution hassles than you would normally. So it's not like it's too crippling.




War Results

Things do not go well for your side this spring. Despite his stunning series of successes during his winter offensive, Kaleb's unit was thoroughly depleted and basically withdrawn from the front to recuperate. The Tedoran forces took less time than expected to recover from their disarray and gather reinforcements and supplies, pressing the offensive once more. They've hit against the same line of castles they were sieging before though, and those fortifications have been restocked with supplies. They should hold for some time.

Setan stays in the war thanks to hasty negotiations, but things are not going very well for them either. Tedora's coastal defenses are now well manned, and leave no opportunity for a surprise landing like the previous one. They try for a contested landing, but they lose a large number of ships and men in the battle that ensues as the enemy navy closes in behind their landing site as troops advance from the front.

They're unlikely to try an amphibious assault again unless the troops defending the coast are drawn away, since if they failed again the loss to naval power might decide the war at sea by itself. Still it isn't all bad. Better those troops be sitting around playing cards in the rear area than drowning your own side in numbers.

More disappointing really is the lack of new entries into the war. You were kind of hoping another blooding of Tedora by such a small nation would draw one of the circling sharks, but you guess that you just aren't aware enough of the political climate.






Plans for Summer: (Base costs shown, decrease 5% for port)

You have 3 construction actions. (Space 16/48) (0 units of bricks available)
[][Construction] Build an inn so you don't have to house guests in inadequate housing. Granted it won't exactly be profitable right now, but maybe as you get more people passing through it will be better? (1 action, 200 denier, 1 space)
[][Construction] Expand the moat around the new walls. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (2/6 actions, increases cost of further expansion)
[][Construction] Reinforce the new walls with earthen berms, another huge labor cost. (6 actions)
[][Construction] Build a training ground for your personnel. Some targets, some dummies, and obstacle course, and a big area set aside to practice on. Grants a bonus to training. (1 action, 50 denier, 2 space)
[][Construction] Build a larger amount of housing so that you won't run out for a while. Increases housing capacity. 400 denier, 2 spaces
[][Construction] You don't need a steady supply of bricks for your current operation. But you do have a number of things you could use them for. Produce a unit of bricks.
[][Construction] To keep your rabbits trapped will require bricks it seems. A brick lined rabbit pit could improve your output though. Maybe enough to sell furs as well. (Requires 1 unit of bricks, +50 denier in food, opens tanner, uses 1 space.)
[][Construction] Warehouse: You might need more storage capacity. (1000 supply capacity) 100 Denier, 1 space
[][Construction] Large Warehouse: A larger sturdier warehouse made of brick could have some advantages in being more difficult to burn down. (4000 supply capacity) 200 Denier, 2 brick, 2 space, 3 actions

You can do 2x 1d100 or 1d100 +25
[][Personal] Being blind to the world around you is proving really irritating, you suppose you should find out at least the publicly available information about the neighboring nations.
[][Personal] You could produce some basic enchanted gear for one of your units. Sharper blades and harder armor are staples for a reason. (100 Denier in needed materials)
-[] Specify a unit.
[][Personal] Have Leo give you a bit of training. However much you hate it, being better at fighting will help a lot if something is trying to eat you. (Must be taken with appropriate Captain action)
[][Personal] Recruit one Specialist unit (Enchanter, Elite, Healer, Potioneer, Civil Engineer, SIege Engineer) These units need special persuasion or negotiation so can't be hired in bulk. (Note this will involve traveling to them)
[][Personal] Investigate what's happened with your siblings.
[][Personal] Spend time with Nerissa
-[] Plant more Saints Blood
-[] You wonder what other fruit she could produce
-[] Could she make a custom designed plant?
[][Personal] Spend time with someone in your camp
-[] Who?
[][Personal] Write-in


(2 Hunter unit available)
[][Hunters] Hunt for food, reduce upkeep by 50
[][Hunters] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Hunters] Scout the orc side of the border to see what forces and structures they have, maybe do some opportunistic raiding too.
[][Hunters] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples.
[][Hunters] Train

[][Skirmishers] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Skirmishers] Scout the orc side of the border to see what forces and structures they have, maybe do some opportunistic raiding too.
[][Skirmishers] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples.

(2 footmen units available)
[][Footmen] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Footmen] Train with the captain (must be taken with captain action)
[][Footmen] Guard
-[] The base and sawmill
-[] The docks

(2 levy units available)
[][Levy] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Levy] Train with the captain (must be taken with captain action)
[][Levy] Guard
-[] The base and sawmill
-[] The docks

[][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness
[][Captain] Train unit (must be taken with appropriate action)
[][Captain] Train you (must be taken with appropriate action)
[][Captain] Train Olivia

Optional:
[][Assistant] Recruitment? Specify what kind, full military units at 3x cost multiplier and possibly unavailable, peasant grade at 2x (no longer guaranteed success)
[][Assistant] Recruit Specialist: Specify what kind.
[][Purchase] Unit of bricks (250 denier)
[][Purchase] Fill warehouse with supplies (600/1000)
-[] How much?
[][Contact] Any one you know



108 starting -1475 upkeep this turn +0.95*(-200 construction -200 enchantment -250 siege stores) -180 recruitment +600 season payment +400 sawmill +200 Wood Workshop +300 charcoal +400 herb sales +350 drydocks = 85
Upkeep next turn: (1765-177 forges-50 rabbits)-5%: (100 you +100 leo +50 assistant +200 sawmills + 200 construction crews+200 footmen +100 skirmishers +95 hunters +100 levy +50 herbalist +100 woodworkers+50 harvesters+150 charcoal burner +80 forge +40 Nerissa +50 docks +100 drydock)
Income next turn: 600 base stipend + 400 Sawmill profit +200 Wood Workshop +300 charcoal and tar +400 herb sales +350 drydocks
Now producing 2 units of SB potions, not paid, just noting this for my record keeping



AN: A little disappointed with lack of ideas on conversations in this one, but it was kind of a boring turn. You can ask a more about what your siblings are doing now, since Mina would have included a bit more, just this is what came to me and MV for how her profiles would look.
 
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Season 34: Summer Sundew Snacks
[X] Plan Training ground and engagements
-[X][Construction] Build a training ground for your personnel. Some targets, some dummies, and obstacle course, and a big area set aside to practice on. Grants a bonus to training. (1 action, 50 denier, 2 space) 62+2
-[X][Construction] Expand the moat around the new walls. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (2/6 actions, increases cost of further expansion) 6+2-5 = 3
-[X][Construction] Expand the moat around the new walls. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (2/6 actions, increases cost of further expansion) 2nd time 14+2-5 = 11

Assembling a training ground is simple enough. There's a field of archery targets for your hunters and spinning wooden practice dummies for your melee forces. The obstacle course is constructed of bits of waste wood sticking out of the ground, suspended swinging weights, a rope bridge, and a climbing wall. Trying it yourself it's actually fairly tough with purposefully irregular footing along the whole route, a half-decent simulation of the gnarled roots within the forest though. You also designate a field to just stay empty for drilling in, though that part isn't currently relevant with how much space your base currently has open, it will become so if you start to fill it in.

The difficulties you've come to expect at your outpost come instead from those digging the moat, particularly the digging part. You're hampered by attacks from the burrowing animals that you'd mostly ignored in recent years. The magic that stabilized surface construction doesn't help when you actively dig down, and their tunnels seem to have proliferated in the time since then. Your hunters and levies spend much of their guard duty killing the creatures as they burst out of disturbed warrens. Each advancement of the digging is probed carefully in advance further slowing the process. You've made scarcely any headway this season as a result.

(Training Ground built +10 to training train up to 2 units of any type at once, moat +1 progress [pity effect], -2 for provision costs this season.)




-[X][Hunters 1] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by. 30 +3+10-5-15 = 23
-[X][Skirmishers] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by. 10+25+10+5-15 = 35
-[X][Footmen 1] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by. 80+58+10+10-15 = 143
--[X] Olivia Helps 42+5+5 = 52
-[X][Levy 2] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by. 19 +10+5+10+10-15 = 39

Sending out over half your forces including Olivia and Leo to once again challenge the orcs in the forest felt risky. You didn't quite know whether it was the best choice. You could hardly leave the orcs to do whatever they wanted uncontested though, that would surely make things worse later for you. Still you expected devastating casualties for daring to try this. Worse still even the earliest reports said the forest was being rather difficult this summer. Carnivores of various sorts both flora and fauna were out in force.

The tension only seemed to build as the days went by marked by numerous minor skirmishes across the forest with neither side committing to a pitched battle. The battles between your lighter units tended to go in the orcs favor, while those your footmen arrived to slanted to yours. That wasn't a winning combination for you though since your lighter forces made up the bulk of your committed soldiers. The contested space did impede the raiding operations by the orcs though with only their wolf riders managing to bypass your lines at all. It didn't all go the orcs way though, even if the casualty figures seemed to be against you, as Olivia had managed to take the orc leader by surprise at one point and wound him rather severely. He managed to escape, but you expect he won't be able to do much next season.

As the summer turns to fall you're interrupted in your delicate work on the skirmisher boots by Leo sending a runner asking for a meeting, though with little urgency to it. You're not so oblivious to have failed to notice the shouts marking the return of one of the patrol groups from the forest, so you assume it's news of yet another disaster. That seems to be the standard after all. Still you need to know, so you clear your table, and Olivia busies herself with making tea.

Leo arrives in short order, presumably after however long it took to interview the survivors. That Julia follows him in is something of a surprise though, generally she could only attend your little gatherings when they were well after an attack. She has impressed you a bit with her competence as a healer, given she entered it for dubious reasons. Then again she was picked by your father, so you shouldn't really be surprised.

"There weren't any wounded?" you ask as everyone but Olivia takes their seats. You're kind of worried that meant everyone injured didn't even escape the forest. It has been rather aggressive this summer.

"Nothing physical. Though some of them are a bit shaken, an unusual combination," she notes. She's long since ceased to make excuses for hanging around your little discussions of strategy, despite there not being a strict reason for her presence.

Leo's about to begin when a few flute notes interrupt him. Florian enters with a flute, though you can't imagine why he's come since he's mostly been content to ignore everyone else's existence.

"Why are you even here?" you ask annoyed.

He plays a few notes on the flute. "Well it occurred to me that personage as important as myself should keep track of the events in the area." His words made a certain sense, but the flute repeating the previous series of notes lent a certain absurdity to it.

"Fine whatever," you say dismissively. "What's the latest disaster Leo?"

"There isn't one, at least for us," he says with a small grin as Olivia pours tea for each of your guests.

"I find that somewhat hard to believe… what do you mean for us?"

"Well the men just returning reported they heard orcs screaming in pain and when they investigated they came upon an entire unit of infantry stuck fast in a patch of sticky plants that were burning their flesh. Nasty business, but it's helpful to us." He slurps a bit of tea loudly.

You've long since given up on chastising him for such, mostly because he does it to annoy you.

"The orcs were rather soundly trapped, and couldn't free themselves. The men observed for some time as they tried, before having the archers mercy kill them. They weren't willing to risk closing in and getting caught in the trap themselves. The skirmishers are professional scouts, and they didn't like the looks of it. The entire orc unit getting trapped in the patch was odd, since they'd expect only the leading edge to get caught. Meant they couldn't really be sure where the edge was," he concludes.

Florian preempts any reply from you with the same chord on his flute. "Fascinating, I hadn't heard of any plants like that found here." It was a question you were thinking actually, but you weren't going to say that.

"It's new to us as well. The men haven't run into anything quite like that, a few dangerous plants yes, but nothing to threaten a whole unit. The orcs were a bit too close to the inner Overgrowth though, probably to avoid our patrols. It's way more dangerous, why we don't send anyone there," Leo explains.

"I suppose I should prepare something to deal with acid burns then. Always tricky to neutralize it without doing more damage than the acid," Julia comments professionally. "I wouldn't want to dig into your supply of it, but the Saint's Blood might be one of the few things to stabilize someone with extensive burns."

The increasingly annoying notes play. You note from the annoyed look on Julia's face he's irritating her as well. Leo is somehow unperturbed. "Please tell me they brought some samples back," Florian hoped. "Something to analyze would perhaps let me prepare something to help counter the acid. That and you never know when a new ingredient leads you to a novel potion." He nods sagely to himself.

You feel a sudden impulse to deny his request out of hand, but you reign in yourself. Given his skillset it is a reasonable request. The difficulty is-

"None of the men were foolhardy enough to approach the plants," Leo added in. "How they would capture a sample is another thing entirely. We still don't know how the plants ensnared so many orcs. With the losses we took I must strenuously advise against trying to obtain a sample unless someone else has any ideas. It's unfortunate but the first of ours to fall victim to the trap we fish out is liable to be the source of your sample Florien."

"It's really too bad, I imagine Nerissa would quite like a sample to play with as well," Olivia comments from where she sat next to you. She was clearly a bit nervous still around the others, but Julia offers her an encouraging smile. It's nice that Olivia is getting along with Nerissa again.

The same never sufficiently cursed chord plays again. "I don't suppose that means you're volunteering to retrieve a sample? I've heard something about you being able to lessen your weight? Perhaps the low mass of lithe woman as yourself, especially reduced, would be unlikely to even trigger it in the plants to attack. And even if not, I'm sure with your strength it would be a simple matter to pull free of such a trap," Florian interjects opportunistically.

You hadn't realized that knowledge of that ability was so widespread. A glance at Olivia shows the back of her dress moving a little, presumably her wings twitching. You've noticed that happens when she's nervous, though she's changed to a new uniform that hides it better. Julia had it specially made for her as a gift it seems.

"Let's table that for now, we can't even be sure we could find it again, and I don't want her to feel pressured into it," you say as a somewhat diplomatic reply. "What's this mean for us Leo?"

"Well it's a really good stroke of luck really. I've been estimating orc losses this season and they've been winning quite heavily until now. Other than Olivia's excellent blow against their commander at least." He nods in her direction and she blushes at the attention, her dress shifting again. "We'd have been in a pretty bad condition next season. With them losing this many men though things tilt in our favor a bit more. We still can't really go on the offensive, but they aren't likely to push much next season. Considering the mess the builders have made of the moat, we really needed it I think."

"Anything else before I adjourn the meeting?" With a collective shake of heads by those attending you announce the session closed eager to end it before you throttle the potioneer. Julia attracts the attention of Florian as they leave, and you overhear her saying something to him.

"-ter show of your status to have someone else announce you Florien. It's a bit plebian to do it yourself-"

You're not sure what Julia's angle is exactly, but if it gets Florien to stop playing that dratted flute you don't really care.



[][Sundew] Send Olivia out to try to get a sample
[][Sundew] Wait until a soldier gets trapped to try to get a sample while cutting them free (could be never)
[][Sundew] Something else (write-in)

(-45% 1st Hunters morale broken, -5% 1st Footmen, -30% Skirmishers morale Medium, -25% 2nd Levy morale Medium)




-[X][Hunters 2] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill .9*(14+2-5+10+10) = 28
-[X][Levy 1] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill 25+10-15+10+10 = 40
-[X][Footmen 2] Guard
--[X] The docks 70+35+5+10 = 120
-[X][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness

Your guards took a few injuries fending off the tunnelers and the occasional probe by wolves testing for weakness. A few years ago those would have been fatal enough just from infection, but with a fully qualified healer around it's only a minor inconvenience.

Your footmen at the docks report no further troubles from the water.




-[X][Personal] You could produce some basic enchanted gear for one of your units. Sharper blades and harder armor are staples for a reason. (100 Denier in needed materials)
--[X] Construction Workers 30
--[X] Skirmishers 65

You spend your time this season enchanting. Mostly gathering magic as usual. You're getting a lot faster at it these days. Practice makes perfect they say, though really you'd never much liked the need for so much work in getting to the perfect part.

Improved tools for your construction workers are apparently desperately needed given how much they've been falling behind lately. Sharper and sturdier tools are simple enough and can make a big difference given how fast their tools wear down normally. Not so much breaking you're given to understand, but in constant need of sharpening. Comparatively spear points are used far less often than tool heads and so don't need nearly as much sharpening.

Your skirmishers are the next on your list, they have a disproportionate amount of utility for your forces due to their professional level of scouting. You start with improving their armor as you have in the past. You get a little more adventurous for the next part and work a bit of magic to spread out the force of their steps, leaving less obvious trails in the woods and reducing the sound of their footsteps some. Avoiding the notice of the wildlife or orcs might be as important as being able to run faster away from it. A little harder than you'd normally do for such things, but it should make them just incrementally harder to detect.

(Construction actions now have +4 from enchantment and skirmishers gain +8)




-[X][Assistant] Look for additional experienced shipwrights 6-20 = -14
-[X][Purchase] Fill warehouse with supplies (200 denier) (subject to change)

There simply aren't any shipwrights to be found it seems. Or at least none willing to move to your location. Your own shipwrights have apparently found out about your ongoing inquiries into hiring replacements for them as well and rather upset about it. You suppose they probably have friends amongst the other crews that were contacted who then informed them in turn. They now want a bonus just to stay at all in a situation that not only is dangerous to life and limb but apparently lacks job security on top of that.

At least laying in more siege stores doesn't have any complications.

[][Shipwrights] Pay bonus 100 Denier (one time)
[][Shipwrights] Let them leave

(Automatic recruitment +10% hunters)



-[X][Contact] Adolphine
--[X] Since you are thinking of recruiting both Civil and Siege Engineer ask her if she can help you find highly qualified ones, perhaps even at a cheaper price if you are lucky. Also since she manages a port town ask if she would be able to find you some experienced shipwright to supplement your current ones.

Adolphine's replies are in a flourishing calligraphy that's as much art as writing, though knowing her it took no longer than your own handwriting. She wishes you well, but can provide little aid. As far as she knows all the siege engineers in the duchy have been drawn to the front. At best she might scrounge up an apprentice, or perhaps a civil engineer willing to branch out. She can probably spare one of her own cadre of engineers for you, but asking for highly qualified ones at a cheap price simply isn't reasonable. Those that are good command good prices. She can at least help you avoid those that are unfit though.

While her city has most of the dockyards in the duchy, she doesn't think it worthwhile to encourage any of the workers there to move to your outpost. That would be little different than transferring money to you after all. Why would she?

[][Adolphine] Hire Civil Engineer without additional action, opens new construction actions, offers +15 bonus to all construction projects from qualified oversight.
[][Adolphine] Hire an apprentice Siege Engineer without additional action, opens ability to construct siege engines and +5 to military construction.
[][Adolphine] No thanks


Your horse trainer finally arrived at the start of this season. Training a pegasus that could simply fly away was an entirely new experience for him, but he was enjoying the challenge. He'll need at least another season, but hopes to have your pegasus ready to ride come winter.




War Results

While Setan was still unable to reopen a new front, they instead landed their troops in a Revarian port and marched south to the main front. Combined with Kaleb's forces and the rest of the duchy's troops not besieged they began a strong offensive. Sabotage of supplies, stolen battle plans, and assassinated sentries presaged their advance.

Rather than relieving all the castles dotting the front again, they instead turned towards a more ambitious goal, pushing a spike straight through Tedora's lines and heading for the heart of their territory. Leo comments that such a salient couldn't possibly be held for long because of the logistical issues, but that isn't their goal. The mere threat of such a march, and the burning of everything in their path is too much to ignore. The blow to morale of a nation rises dramatically as an army moves into its valuable core, not to mention the infrastructure being destroyed by Kaleb putting everything to the torch. It destroys the perception that Tedora is 'winning' the war.

They're stopped halfway to the kingdom's capital. But by then they've already inflicted significant damage and begun a well-organized withdraw. They take minimal casualties while inflicting a grievous blow to the enemy's morale, and a lesser but still significant one to their infrastructure.

Given such success you're surprised no third nation has piled on the clearly weakened country. Perhaps the scorched earth tactics have soured perceptions of your own duchy though.





Plans for Fall: (Base costs shown, decrease 5% for port)

You have 3 construction actions. (Space 18/48) (0 units of bricks available)
[][Construction] Build an inn so you don't have to house guests in inadequate housing. Granted it won't exactly be profitable right now, but maybe as you get more people passing through it will be better? (1 action, 200 denier, 1 space)
[][Construction] Expand the moat around the new walls. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (3/6 actions, increases cost of further expansion)
[][Construction] Reinforce the new walls with earthen berms, another huge labor cost. (6 actions)
[][Construction] Build a larger amount of housing so that you won't run out for a while. Increases housing capacity. 400 denier, 2 spaces
[][Construction] You don't need a steady supply of bricks for your current operation. But you do have a number of things you could use them for. Produce a unit of bricks.
[][Construction] To keep your rabbits trapped will require bricks it seems. A brick lined rabbit pit could improve your output though. Maybe enough to sell furs as well. (Requires 1 unit of bricks, +50 denier in food, opens tanner, uses 1 space.)
[][Construction] Warehouse: You might need more storage capacity. (1000 supply capacity) 100 Denier, 1 space
[][Construction] Large Warehouse: A larger sturdier warehouse made of brick could have some advantages in being more difficult to burn down. (4000 supply capacity) 200 Denier, 2 brick, 2 space, 3 actions

You can do 2x 1d100 or 1d100 +25
[][Personal] Being blind to the world around you is proving really irritating, you suppose you should find out at least the publicly available information about the neighboring nations.
[][Personal] You could produce some basic enchanted gear for one of your units. Sharper blades and harder armor are staples for a reason. (100 Denier in needed materials)
-[] Specify a unit.
[][Personal] Have Leo give you a bit of training. However much you hate it, being better at fighting will help a lot if something is trying to eat you. (Must be taken with appropriate Captain action)
[][Personal] Recruit one Specialist unit (Enchanter, Elite, Healer, Potioneer, Civil Engineer, SIege Engineer) These units need special persuasion or negotiation so can't be hired in bulk. (Note this will involve traveling to them)
[][Personal] Investigate what's happened with your siblings.
[][Personal] Spend time with Nerissa
-[] Plant more Saints Blood
-[] You wonder what other fruit she could produce
-[] Could she make a custom designed plant?
[][Personal] Spend time with someone in your camp
-[] Who?
[][Personal] Write-in


(1 Hunter unit available)
[][Hunters] Hunt for food, reduce upkeep by 50
[][Hunters] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Hunters] Scout the orc side of the border to see what forces and structures they have, maybe do some opportunistic raiding too.
[][Hunters] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples.
[][Hunters] Train

[][Skirmishers] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Skirmishers] Scout the orc side of the border to see what forces and structures they have, maybe do some opportunistic raiding too.
[][Skirmishers] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples.

(2 footmen units available)
[][Footmen] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Footmen] Train with the captain (must be taken with captain action)
[][Footmen] Guard
-[] The base and sawmill
-[] The docks

(2 levy units available)
[][Levy] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Levy] Train with the captain (must be taken with captain action)
[][Levy] Guard
-[] The base and sawmill
-[] The docks

[][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness
[][Captain] Train units (Any two, must be taken with appropriate actions)
[][Captain] Train you (must be taken with appropriate action)
[][Captain] Train Olivia

Optional:
[][Assistant] Recruitment? Specify what kind, full military units at 3x cost multiplier and possibly unavailable, peasant grade at 2x (no longer guaranteed success)
[][Assistant] Recruit Specialist: Specify what kind.
[][Purchase] Unit of bricks (250 denier)
[][Purchase] Fill warehouse with supplies (800/1000)
-[] How much?
[][Contact] Any one you know



85 starting -1509 upkeep this turn +0.95*(-50 construction -200 enchantment -200 siege stores) +23 forge refund +2 provisions +600 season payment +400 sawmill +200 Wood Workshop +300 charcoal +400 herb sales +350 drydocks = 423
Upkeep next turn: (1598-160 forges-50 rabbits)-5%: (100 you +100 leo +50 assistant +200 sawmills + 200 construction crews+195 footmen +70 skirmishers +78 hunters +85 levy +50 herbalist +100 woodworkers+50 harvesters+150 charcoal burner +80 forge +40 Nerissa +50 docks +100 drydock +50 Horse trainer)
Income next turn: 600 base stipend + 400 Sawmill profit +200 Wood Workshop +300 charcoal and tar +400 herb sales +350 drydocks
Now producing 3 units of SB potions, not paid, just noting this for my record keeping




AN: Added brickmakers and farmers to the recruitment sheet. Nearly forgot the horse trainer, added in last second. Adolphine's forwarded engineers would need to be paid by you.
 
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