Try to survive the Winter: A planquest in Fantasy Colonial America

Chimeraguard · Dec 13, 2023

Hmm, okay so plans.

[ ] Plan Generosity and Spirits
-[ ] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[ ] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Spirit Binding/Exorcism)
--[ ] To Sara
-[ ] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

[ ] Plan Generosity and Curses
-[ ] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[ ] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Curse Making/Breaking)
--[ ] To the Mourners
-[ ] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

[ ] Plan Heroes and Spirits
-[ ] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[ ] A promise that Andreyas shall help us in battle or in the hunting in a monster (Andreyas is a very skilled fighter, better than the Warrior's Son in direct combat, but worse in hit and run)
-[ ] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Spirit Binding/Exorcism)
--[ ] To Sara
-[ ] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

[ ] Plan Heroes and Curses
-[ ] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[ ] A promise that Andreyas shall help us in battle or in the hunting in a monster (Andreyas is a very skilled fighter, better than the Warrior's Son in direct combat, but worse in hit and run)
-[ ] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Curse Making/Breaking)
--[ ] To the Mourners
-[ ] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

So, in terms of magic, I decided that either Spirit Binding/Exorcism or Curse Making/Breaking was better for us than Herbology.

While Herbology will improve what we can do with our herbs for medicine, the thing is that we already can use herbs for medicine, so Herbology would just be letting us do something we can already do. Curses or Spirits however, opens up new avenues of defense and attack that are currently unavailable to us: We don't have any real defense against hostile spirits as it stands, while Curse Making/Breaking is an Occult Art with origins Winter is very unlikely to have much of an idea about for offense, and ways to actively dispel curses that aren't either risking corruption or waiting them out like we did for the Winter one.

The Generosity Plans stick with just Powder and a lesson for Sara, specifically because I want to give them a fairly generous deal to encourage them to come back. The Heroes Plans meanwhile also ask for Andreyas's assistance, since I expect we'll be engaged in at least one, possibly multiple serious battles next year.

Honestly, I'm not certain on any of these and am worried I'm asking too much or too little (I'm wondering about combining the Generosity Teachings, or adding on teaching the Mourners.) But at least it's an idea.
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OldShadow said:
The Old Places become The Old Ways : As long as one Workforce dice is attributed to Wilds actions, a minor amount of a random resource is earned. +2 to dice attributed to Wilds actions. Count as a primitive early warning system. One reroll per Season for fights taking place in wilds covered by the Old Ways.
Increased Morale of the natives. Winter Walkers conservatives are pleased.

Say, I just realized. The Old Places on our Settlement Sheet should have been replaced by this, right?

Though, I don't think that the reroll would have triggered this turn. Hunt isn't exactly a fight in a land with no predators. Maybe it could have triggered for A Wider Hunt, but even then there's the point of how circumstances have changed what the action really is.

But it's still probably worth updating so that we know what we've got. It's probably gonna be pretty important for a lot of the fighting we'll be doing next year.

OldShadow · Dec 13, 2023

I am awake !

Chimeraguard said:
Though on the note of what to ask for, @OldShadow will asking Failure to train our people require actions from them, or will it happen automatically without us needing to burn Dice?

Faillure can teach introduction on his arts without actions, but will demand project to reach his own mastery.

Sivantic said:
Wait, @OldShadow So we got a list of things that Failure can teach us, but what about Prince Andreyas? Since he went Demon Hunting and is a skilled fighter, does he not have anything to teach us?

Compared to failure, the issue is that Andreyas cannot spare the time to teach you after Winter, since he will spent all of his time ruling and preparing his people.

Chimeraguard said:
Personally, I'd rather let them keep them and instead have an expectation that their warriors fight alongside ours in defending Union, but I think that'll happen regardless if the Escapees are spending the Winter within Union. (@OldShadow to make sure.)

This is quite useful when considering our likely actions next year. We do have at least a few Military Actions we could be taking. Andreyas might not be so good for say, Raiding the Lesser Pit (though he may still be good - he's not as good in hit-and-run as the Warrior's Son, but I don't think he'd be actually bad at it unless there's word from OldShadow that it's a specific weakness of his.)

Hmm, @OldShadow could we perhaps specify Failure teaching a group of people one of these arts? Mechanically turning a Generic Die into 2 or so of [X Art] Dice? Similar to how one Generic Die became 2 Son's Skirmishers Dice.

Also, will learning these things require us to use dice of our own in Spring, or will it be done over the Winter?

They will fight with you in the Winter, in many ways it is this or death.

Failure's arts all have a spiritual element to them, and he will not be able to create specialist dice without dedicated projects.
Failure can easily teach the basics of his arts to people without spending dice, during Winter for Sara, and Spring for others, when he has more time, but making people true practitioners will take projects.

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Moratorium over, you may vote !

Sivantic · Dec 13, 2023

I think we should ask just for the powder for now, and continue to develop the relationship in later turns. No reason we cannot ask for lessons or other materials next year.

I hope they secure everything they are not bringing over.

[X] Plan Spark and Curse
-[X] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Curse Making/Breaking)
--[X] To Sara

Chimeraguard · Dec 13, 2023

Sivantic said:
I think we should ask just for the powder for now, and continue to develop the relationship in later turns. No reason we cannot ask for lessons or other materials next year.

I hope they secure everything they are not bringing over.

[X] Plan Spark and Curse
-[X] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Curse Making/Breaking)
--[X] To Sara

If we're asking for so little, can you take this action as well?

-[ ] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

With such a light compensation, it should be pretty easy to convince the Prince to go for it, and it's an important step towards full integration if the Escapees end up not being able to leave (or just deciding to stay rather than take the long and risky voyage back.)

OldShadow · Dec 13, 2023

Also, if people wonder, the ship could not carry the whole population of Union to safer shores, and after two Winters people are unwilling to abandon their brethren.
A best, some think of reparing the ship and using it to send a message to the King.

Chimeraguard · Dec 13, 2023

Hmm. @OldShadow what sort of Mystical Projects would Failure be able to help us with? Would he be able to do any of the Knowledge actions that aren't specifically Death-Signing? Like say, studying the Silent Blades for example?

Edit: Unrelated, but thinking it over again, I wonder if I'm underestimating how much teaching in Arts is worth. After all, what happens when Winter comes and Failure has taught everything he knows, if one of the big parts of yearly compensation was said teaching?

sunrise · Dec 13, 2023

I think we should go for the 1/4 of the gunpowder so our militia does not have to ask itself do i take this shot or would that be a waste of powder this winter.
And have failure teach as much as he can to Sara over the winter
Finally invite them back for the next winter if their ship is not repaired by then(i expect it to get destroyed as they will not be there to guard it over winter)

Of the things failure can teach this is how much i want them from most wanted to the least.

curse breaking, we know little about curses and its one of the ways winter attacks
herbology, he comes from another part of america so might know about uses for herbs that grow around the colony.
charm-makings, magical boost are always usefull
exorcism of spirits, we will run into spirits we cant make a deal with so more ways to get rid of them will be nice
illusions, not sure how useful this is but if there is time after Sara learned all she could from the above we should study it
binding of spirits, we are allied to the freed death so using this is a bad idea but it might teach us something how to break bindings
curse-making, only so far as knowing more about curses helps us counter them

OldShadow · Dec 13, 2023

Chimeraguard said:
Hmm. @OldShadow what sort of Mystical Projects would Failure be able to help us with? Would he be able to do any of the Knowledge actions that aren't specifically Death-Signing? Like say, studying the Silent Blades for example?

Edit: Unrelated, but thinking it over again, I wonder if I'm underestimating how much teaching in Arts is worth. After all, what happens when Winter comes and Failure has taught everything he knows, if one of the big parts of yearly compensation was said teaching?

Yes, he could, or help you going into the dream.
I mean, the relationship between Union and the Escapee will evolve in time, so you could just ask for something else latter on.

Chimeraguard · Dec 13, 2023

sunrise said:
herbology, he comes from another part of america so might know about uses for herbs that grow around the colony.

Well, actually I think Failure is from Africa as well, given that the Prince met him on the slave ship coming from Africa to the New World.

OldShadow said:
He was sold and exchanged between many hands, each speaking of his princedom like one spoke of the teeth of a horse.
When he was sold to a smiling man with white skin, he thought himself saved, remembering the allies that had once helped his kingdom, but this man had no pity for his brothers in Christ.

And so a prince was chained in the darkness of a ship, without places to move or truly sit, with around him many poor souls from many tribes and kingdoms, forced to live in their own filth.
Then he met Failure, once wise man of his people, who renounced his name in penance for being unable to save them from the chains.

OldShadow said:
Yes, he could, or help you going into the dream.
I mean, the relationship between Union and the Escapee will evolve in time, so you could just ask for something else latter on.

Wait, so he could help Sara in her Personal Expedition? Huh, that's...very tempting tbh. Though, I think Sara will be too busy to Expedition on Year 3, so maybe save that payment for the Winter after this coming one.

Simon_Jester · Dec 13, 2023

OldShadow said:
Also, if people wonder, the ship could not carry the whole population of Union to safer shores, and after two Winters people are unwilling to abandon their brethren.

That, frankly, is heartening in a way.

Warmach1ne32 said:
Since they want to repair the ship so they can leave, we could offer to help repair their ship. We have a carpenter to repair the body, we have a smithy for nails, and we have a tanner for sails. A quarter of powder and some Arts lessons would be great to have in exchange, as well as offering them to stay in Union during winter.

I think that for sails you want a weaver...

Sivantic · Dec 13, 2023

Chimeraguard said:
If we're asking for so little, can you take this action as well?

With such a light compensation, it should be pretty easy to convince the Prince to go for it, and it's an important step towards full integration if the Escapees end up not being able to leave (or just deciding to stay rather than take the long and risky voyage back.)

Sorry, but I did explicitly cut that out. I rather not do that when we have them over the barrel.

OldShadow said:
Also, if people wonder, the ship could not carry the whole population of Union to safer shores, and after two Winters people are unwilling to abandon their brethren.
A best, some think of reparing the ship and using it to send a message to the King.

Especially if they do succeed, they would likely use the ship all of one time to get back home. While I am sure some of them are willing to become sailors, I think the rest of them just want to get back to the life they know.

Chaeronea · Dec 13, 2023

[X] Plan Heroes and Curses
-[X] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[X] A promise that Andreyas shall help us in battle or in the hunting in a monster (Andreyas is a very skilled fighter, better than the Warrior's Son in direct combat, but worse in hit and run)
-[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Curse Making/Breaking)
--[X] To Sara
-[X] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

Sara's meeting with the Eyeless Lord was really interesting, as was the revelation that the Eyesvines weren't solely created by the corruption of Winter but were actually a ward to keep na ancient evil imprisoned. I swear that ancient evil sounds like one of the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who....

Watcher's Eyes · Dec 13, 2023

I just want to know if we all agree in spring we should finish this mandate

OldShadow said:
Voices Heard
After the breaking of their chains, the Freed cannot communicate easily with people other than Sara or the Mourners. Speaking with the living seems to strengthen the dead and reduce their anguish, and they are ready to offer the wisdom of the grave in exchange.
Immediate Rewards : Warnings from the Grave, +1 to all Dices
Tasks : Finish at least 3 [Spiritism] tagged actions (Social and religious actions, unlocked next turn)
Fulfillment Rewards : Warnings from the Grave evolve into Whispers from the Grave, +2 to all Dices, 1 Re-roll per turn

Cause that seems very good more plus a reroll every turn moving forward would be a god send in case a low roll comes. With that in mind actions that should done would be
The

OldShadow said:
[] Ashen Mass [Spiritism] [? DC]

It has been proposed by some to try to repeat the effect of the prayers and songs that broke the curse last season. The council members propose a great mass for the dead, with all the community present. At minimum, it should help unite the people. Institute regular Mass/Collective prayers/ Spiritism seances

For better unity and starting more open practice of spiritism and maybe a morale buff if high enough.

OldShadow said:
[] Practice the Breathless Songs [Spiritism] [Death Singing] [40/?? DC]

When one sings for the dead, it is not with the voice. The spirit shifts and booms like a drum, resonates until it reaches others.Training will bring strength, and understanding. Enhance Death Singing for the allocated Dices.

And this to help sara and the mourners do there things better.

OldShadow said:
[] Teach Death Singing [Death Singing]

There are others that can be taught. Their souls shall thrum and ring and sing without breath. It will not be easy.
Where should we seek our students?

-[] The wider people [Teach] [60/80/90 DC][Spiritism] Can unlock traits amongst the people. Dices can gain the Death Singer trait.

-[] The Warrior's Son [Teach] [? DC] Warrior's Son dice becomes [Death Singing]. Hear is Father better.

And this to top it of and most put it at warrior son

sunrise · Dec 13, 2023

OldShadow said:
Town of the Dead created ! The Freed are now a complete faction, and will actively act each turn on the world.

Do we know what the death did during the Autumn?

OldShadow · Dec 13, 2023

sunrise said:
Do we know what the death did during the Autumn?

If they did something you may notice, you will know either next turn during the Winter, or in the coming Spring. Sara know they were trying to gather strong spirits to help defend the Town of the Dead from the forces of Winter.

Warmach1ne32 · Dec 13, 2023

Simon_Jester said:
I think that for sails you want a weaver...

Do we have textile plants? I remember we have a tannery but we don't have wool, cotton, or flax. So the only fabric we can make for sails are leather. Hopefully the sails only needed to have any rips sewn shut and any holes patched up with leather.

Woltaire · Dec 13, 2023

@OldShadow would heroblgy be retreading mostly what we already know?

OldShadow · Dec 13, 2023

Woltaire said:
@OldShadow would heroblgy be retreading mostly what we already know?

No, Failure know how to empower herbs to increase their effects.

Amilia · Dec 13, 2023

Watcher's Eyes said:
I just want to know if we all agree in spring we should finish this mandate

We also have a mandate to deal with the undead in the area, and that also uses Mourner and Sara dice.

Woltaire · Dec 13, 2023

[X] Plan Heroes and Spirits + Herbolgy
-[X] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
-[X] A promise that Andreyas shall help us in battle or in the hunting in a monster (Andreyas is a very skilled fighter, better than the Warrior's Son in direct combat, but worse in hit and run)
-[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Spirit Binding/Exorcism)
--[X] To Sara
-[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Herbolgy)
--[X] To all who ask
-[X] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

this is the same as guard plan except it also grabs Herbolgy cause sure our isn't bad but I'd imangie his teaching could really turn ours up a notch to make it really really good. Plus teach us some great new stuff to better utilize our herbs

[X] Plan Heroes and Curses
[X] Plan: Spiritual Knowledge

Tobtorp · Dec 13, 2023

[X] Plan Heroes and Curses

Probably like this one the best

sunrise · Dec 13, 2023

I like to put Sara and the mourners on completing this mandate in the spring:
Shepherds for the corpses
There are many walking dead in the land around our town, be they bond or free, mindless or not, bound to a corpse or flying spirits. Bring them to the Freed ones, and build up their number.
Tasks : Finish the [] Shepherd for Corpses [Death Singing] action (0/150 Progress)
Fulfillment Rewards : One Dead Dice

we already have progress on one of the three sub tasks:
Bones Hives [Shepherds][27/150]

GildedSergeant · Dec 13, 2023

Basically the idea is to build our supernatural defenses. It's been implied that the Mourners are weak to things like curses and possession, so that's where I want to focus our energy.

[X] Plan: Spiritual Knowledge
-[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts (Curse Making/Breaking) and (Spirit Exorcism)
--[X] To Sara
-[X] We propose that the Escapee may come back to us for defense each Winter from now, in exchange of a compensation (can be taken with other options) (the Prince may refuse, other options selected will determine what the Escapee thinks you expect as compensation).

sunrise · Dec 13, 2023

[X] Plan Powder and herbalism
-[X] We will help you if you repay our help with (ask as much as you want)
--[X] A quarter of your powder (4 units)
--[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts…(choose as many as you want) (Failure know of herbology, charm-makings, curse-breaking and the exorcism of spirits, a roll will be made to see what he can teach)
---[X] To Sara
--[X] A promise that Failure will teach what he can of his arts…(choose as many as you want) (Failure know of herbology, charm-makings), a roll will be made to see what he can teach)
---[X] To all who ask
---[X] teaching is limited to what failure can do over one winter, anything left over will be part of a next deal
-[X] Write-In: And we will also teach you of this land, of the threats and dangers in it, the people and monster on it and what else we have learned from our time here.

[X] Plan Heroes and Curses v2

Watcher's Eyes · Dec 13, 2023

[X] Plan Heroes and Curses v2

Try to survive the Winter: A planquest in Fantasy Colonial America

We do deserve to exist.

We do deserve to exist.

We do deserve to exist.

We do deserve to exist.

Diabetic Statistician

Machine of War and Quests

Tarnished Gold and Rattling Bones