Through the Ages (Exalted CK2 Style Empire Builder)
- Thread starter Alectai
- Start date
Our "true strength" currently ranks at: "Loses hands down against a single competent Realm Legion and attached Martial Artists, even if we do manage to poison a handful."
The Wyld Hunt that is currently here?
It's a serious threat to us and our entire nation.
Plans to hide our true strength in the hope that the Realm is stupid enough not to send everything they can spare at us afterwards are really kind of foolish when our true strength is barely enough to deal with the Wyld Hunt already here without taking more damage than we can afford to.
Just concentrate on building up our forces, stopping the Wyld Hunt from fingering us too early and being actually able to kill them all when the shoe drops.
This is already going to be hard enough as it is, so adding even more difficulty by hoping a mediocre showing will lessen the clusterfuck coming our way in Chapter 4 is all kinds of a bad idea.
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Well, actually I kind of doubt we're going to completely lose to a single Legion even if they do finger us very early, but this is the kind of force that can seriously mess us up enough that the next chapter is basically already lost.
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...Okay. The entire point to this chapter is that we delay the Wyld Hunt calling the alarm.
That said, they are almost certainly keeping in contact with someone else in the Immaculate Order in real-time using Sorcery. Because they can. The response to them losing contact will be immediate, frenzied investigation, and the response to us having assassinated the Wyld Hunt in the area is Chapter 4 beginning.
That's not good. So long as this remains a HUNT, they can spend years hunting for the Solar or Lunar in the area. If it becomes a war, our time is up. We need time to gather strength, build a navy to block off river invasion, etc.
I think you're overestimating them. It's one legion; our military outnumbers them seven to one. Our elite tiger-warriors alone have roughly equal numbers and, man for man, are markedly superior. They've got a huge advantage in their dragon-blooded officers, but we've got a huge advantage of our own in the form of Altren himself. We can take one legion, no problem. The problem is that they'll know this too, and they're not stupid enough to just stand and fight and die. They're going to avoid decisive battles in favor of evading our army and wrecking as much of our stuff as possible to soften us up for the inevitable full-scale invasion.
As for sending everything they can spare, Alectai has already said that they aren't going to do that. The Empress is going to have some of the great houses up to smash us so that she can keep her personal forces out of it and not risk her mien of personal invincibility. And even if they did, "everything they can spare" is kind of a fuzzy quantity - if they ask themselves "how many legions can we afford to pull out of An-Teng", the answer will depend on exactly how worried they are.
Turn Fifteen: Audience with the Dragon
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
13 Descending Earth, Realm Year 628
Audience with the Dragon
Audience with the Dragon
Your magic is weaved into a tight shroud--one that simulates the anima-flows that Maya, Haruna, and Neiya had guessed would be a good approximation for the thematics of a hypothetical Nation-God. It would not last forever, and maintaining this shroud was taxing even to your magic--but all the poking and prodding of your staff was unable to loosen it, and it's veil would hold even against the strain of your rising Anima. Of course, it took time and a great deal of energy to assemble this technique, and it was far too taxing to use in a critical situation.
But for something like this? You could use every asset possible to minimize the odds of disaster. The more they trust you, the less likely that they will take out their zeal on the people of Yilali--and though you find this deception distasteful, you're willing to make that sacrifice.
"Show them in" You say, Starfang nestled just to the right of your throne, the gleaming meteoric iron catching the light from the rising moon and reflecting off rather nicely as the delegation enters... A well armored man, seven feet to the inch, rippling with muscle, and with a great hammer strapped to his back, his heraldry that of the Great House Tepet.
Clearly, this was the Strategos. Tepet Aetius--a master of war in all of it's forms, and a deadly enemy to have.
His companion was attired in the silken garb of a mendicant. Bald, save for a pointed beard, which glimmered with heat at the tips.
Rising Flame no doubt.
"Welcome, Princes of the Earth" You greet the two, bowing your head in acknowledgement as the two return the courtesy, halting at ten paces--a trifle to warriors of your calibre, but appearances must be maintained. "We have few visitors from the Blessed Isle this far out in the borderlands, what can the people of Yilali do for you?"
Aetius bashed his fist against his breastplate in salute--surprising! You must have made a better impression then you thought. "Would that we were here on a state visit" He explained. "But the auguries were unanimous--one of the Anathema has risen in this region and has been gathering in strength for some time. The Wyld Hunt marches in strength to oppose them, but we feared we would arrive only to a den of inquity. You have surely done much to redeem yourself to have held the line so long, but we have finally arrived to bring the demon to justice."
You nod gravely. "I had feared as such when my scouts reported in--we have been beset with troubles over the past few generations, but such things are not completely unheard of here, on the ragged edge of Creation... But that an Anathema was the mastermind behind my Kingdom's suffering..." You look forward. "You will, of course, have my full cooperation in your investigation"
The Strategos smiles. "It's good that you see things this way--my soldiers will surely appreciate having a base of operations as fine as your city here, we will be sure to remember your hospitality in the days ahead".
86 + 5 = 91 vs ???
"A moment"
Both you and Aetius turn, looking upon the Immaculate Master with confusion--you had imagined he was here as a bodyguard, or possibly just the representative of his order.
"Your works so far are admirable" Rising Flame begins. "Especially in light of your distance from the Blessed Isle--but you lack those of appropriate enlightenment to keep the Gods in line, and shield them against the wiles of the Anathema. It rankles me to leave those with such potential to be left without guidance. I would second one of my acolytes to assist you in this matter."
... This was not something you expected.
[ ] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
[ ] Refuse (Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion 25%)
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- Location
- Third planet from the star named Sol
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
What's the saying? "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"?
What's the saying? "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"?
Derek58
Rocket Punch is Best Punch
- Location
- Getter Valhalla
Beat you to it
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
This might be bad long term if the advisor start setting up the faith, but for the duration of the hunt? A gods sent situation.
This might be bad long term if the advisor start setting up the faith, but for the duration of the hunt? A gods sent situation.
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
Next update, our piety adviser will almost certainly advocate spending loads of money converting everyone in our kingdom. And we will have to go along with him, or take a serious hit.
Oh well.
Edit: Ninja'd!
Next update, our piety adviser will almost certainly advocate spending loads of money converting everyone in our kingdom. And we will have to go along with him, or take a serious hit.
Oh well.
Edit: Ninja'd!
- Location
- Third planet from the star named Sol
- Pronouns
- He/They
The advisor is also a potential in into converting some of the younger Immaculate Monks. It's likely that a bunch of them are on their first Hunt, and their indoctrination might not hold if we can convince them, particularly the Piety Advisor, that we're not a monster.
Deadly Snark
Tryhard As Fuck
...
Motherfucker, he just created a Win-Win situation for himself.
Motherfucker, he just created a Win-Win situation for himself.
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
Eh don't really have a choice - and this does free us for doing more anti-wyld hunt actions while we're at it (primarily, we need the DBs dead and gone, because they're the ones that can go underground and be a real pain in the ass).
Hm, if we're lucky we could use this asshole to further deceive the DBs, which would be useful.
Eh don't really have a choice - and this does free us for doing more anti-wyld hunt actions while we're at it (primarily, we need the DBs dead and gone, because they're the ones that can go underground and be a real pain in the ass).
Hm, if we're lucky we could use this asshole to further deceive the DBs, which would be useful.
- Location
- Third planet from the star named Sol
- Pronouns
- He/They
Not likely. Right now, the Wyld Hunt takes precedence. Converting the citizens is a secondary priority. Considering how great a leader we appear to be, they're likely to assume that we will want to help with the Anathema first. Not everyone is eager for enlightenment, and I'm sure they know that.
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
Professor Vesca
Good News Everyone!
We can have Neiya set up solo encounters for us to pick off them and their leadership one at a time, with her acting as insurance of victory.
When we assassinate them, we dont have to worry about being subtle or about being tidy, they are looking for a solar, they aint going home till they find one.
Or we could just have Neiya pick them off one at a time on her own, they dont know bout her, so she could be the distraction, getting them to chase after her while we prepare the knife for the back.
When we assassinate them, we dont have to worry about being subtle or about being tidy, they are looking for a solar, they aint going home till they find one.
Or we could just have Neiya pick them off one at a time on her own, they dont know bout her, so she could be the distraction, getting them to chase after her while we prepare the knife for the back.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Yeah, right now, their perception is that you're basically a Righteous Pagan, which is about the best that could realistically occur, as they know full well missionaries never bother coming up here.
Being an Exigent means that you're inherently tainted by Immaculate Dogma (As their perception of them is that they were ancient servants of the Solars, but some sided with the Dragon Blooded in their liberation), but not beyond redemption through good works, and while you're second place to a properly enlightened Dragon Blood, you're pretty much in the same boat as an Outcaste realistically--where they'll either ignore you (If you're useful where you are), or conscript you (If you're not)
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Plus we could slowly start social-fu'ing this person.
They're gonna be around us plenty of times, and with no one suspecting we're an anathema right now, well, we're extremely charming and should be able to get them along.
...We'll need to kill this primary religious dude in the group so our new Piety advisor doesn't get a chance to confide in him when we start any attempt at conversion.
We're gonna be Palpatine looking at Anakin, basically.
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notanautomaton
I've got 99 quests, I've finished one
[X] Accept the Offer (Permanent Piety Advisor secured, new Hero Unit. +1 Piety Action, Starting Wyld Hunt Suspicion at 5%)
- Location
- United States
I wonder if we could trick the Immaculate monk into playing marriage councilor. If we think he's too troublesome, pretend we're a convert to the Immaculate Order and ask him to write letters back home to the Blessed Isle for a poor but virtuous Dragon-blooded who can marry us and aid us in giving our poor pagan people the enlightened help of a Dragon-blooded. There's probably a few Dragon-blooded houses that would jump at the idea of absorbing an entire country and it would keep this guy out of trouble.
I'd suggest checking out this Piety advisor before counting any chickens. You don't become a monk of the Immaculate Faith by being a weak-minded fool, and you can bet the head monk of this little Hunt chose somebody he feels is reliable and able to deal with the Anathema's corruption. That's kind of the point of giving the local potentate a Piety advisor.
I suspect our best bet is actually going to keep this Piety advisor guy as busy as possible, and give the impression we're incredibly busy as well to minimize contact, rather than spending the time to try to recruit a guy whose faith and Intimacies all run counter to that kind of subversion.
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