- Location
- Vicksburg, MS
Really quick updating here! Anyway, here are the votes:
For the diplomatic matter, I think it's best to form contacts with those in the former empire. Inflated piety corresponds to a decent relationship with our sisters, who are presently our only ruling fellows in the faith, so it's good to be able to communicate with them readily and see how things are faring... plus, being as we are at something of the backwater of the former empire, it doesn't hurt to build up communications to developed areas so that some elements may be more easily transmitted. We'll also want to hear about any military conflicts before they get to our borders so we can prepare and take action. If not for all this I'd like to set up relations with our southern neighbors or closer ties with the northern tribes (Khagan, anyone?), but we're rather liable to botch those I think so let's just integrate the former empire to the extent that we may.
On martial matters, I've got to say that we ought to staff the forts. They act as a force multiplier that we desperately need considering how our forces are in such a poor shape, and plus that gives early warning if any of the staffed forts notices oncoming threats. Occupying them also prevents them from being used against us by types such as the bandits, and if we stop bandit raids then that wins us more affection from the people by helping to secure them.
For the economic, I still think it's a good idea to go ahead and repair the Queen's Road as a first priority. Anything that speeds up travel allows for more communication and a closer watch, so less corruption and more income and a whole host of other benefits. The Off the Beaten Path option is tempting, but I think it best to wait for that until we've been able to improve the roads; if we're checking the lands around the road, obviously the surveying will go faster and need fewer supplies if the roads are in a decent shape and we'll have had many more workers wandering around the vicinity of the road and still working on it who might have seen good spots. That gives more starting points for the surveyors to go off of to find better quality places in less time. Populating our desolate land is a big deal to increase security and our economic prosperity, so I say go for that... and of course, we're already also locked in for the docks or I'd have suggested going for the mining operations.
For intrigue I think it's safest to go with the Rumor Mill option. We're not going on a charm campaign right now with the border princes so we don't have any way to properly mollify them if they don't appreciate our meddling in their affairs, let's just set up our spy networks as our eye in the dark and window to local plots and man on the street opinions. Then we won't have to guess so much about what the commoners or assorted nobles will think about our courses of actions.
On the matter of faith, I almost immediately thought of going for translated texts, but then I reconsidered. It's true that we're absolutely going to want to do that, but I think it would be most beneficial to us if we waited until we were a tad more structured. We don't have members of the faith to spare in our own country, let alone go off by themselves and wander into others... so if we start translating texts right now, the end result is that we'll be bringing our religion to foreigners with absolutely no context. We don't have an established center of our faith in at least our corner of the world that they can access (I don't think that we're letting foreign rabble break into the royal church), we don't have learned people to give them an idea of the way you're supposed to interpret texts. What we'd be doing is essentially sowing the seeds of various heresies all throughout foreign lands, and if it's harder to displace the heresies than the native religions we'll just be making things harder on ourselves. Let's develop first an actual religious center that people of the faith or those who want to join can access, as well as an actual structured clergy who are able to answer their questions with some competence. After that's established, I think translating the texts will be a splendid idea.
For learning, recall that most of those who die or are otherwise made casualties of war come to such problems due to problems with supply or illness, not from weapons raised in anger. Our landscape is harsh, so we may do best by simply being the most adapted to it especially in light of questionable combat ability. For this reason, I'd like to go with the option that both boosts injury recovery and disease resistance, which is to say the The Body is a Temple option. It's more likely to work out than the pinch of lavender one, and I think it will do nicely. Alternatively, figuring out the local fauna is nice... I'd hate if we came across some sort of lethal scorpion or something and had no idea of the harm hid within its sting.
Lastly, the Inner Focus option seems interesting. I'd like for us to boost our piety up and up, so that'll be nice.
All that takes away 4800 (still fairly affordable, we're adding to the treasury beyond that and ours is quite sizeable) as well as a legion to staff the forts, but honestly I think they'd be better off at the defenses of the forts.
Islam avoided much of the doctrinal stuff for what's in the Quran (the Shia/Sunni divide was at least initially much more of a political matter) in part because it was actually specified that everything had to be in the exact, proper form of Arabic so that no one would form improper ideas. Even versions in different dialects of Arabic were destroyed over their potential to mislead believers by a difference in turn of phrase. This is a very different idea than taking our core holy texts and spreading them around the world while we barely have a functioning priesthood or a central area for those that do exist to talk over the faith.
Buddhism is very diverse because it was translated into very many places quite quickly with varying organization, and it has oodles of different sects with widely varying traditions and beliefs. We don't want to end up like Buddhism exactly, we want the more centralized version that we have now because it works out very well for us.
So for these reasons, I think that we should just take a year to get organized and then start spreading out. It's very tempting, I agree, but I don't think it will end well unless we are quite lucky as the choice itself hints at issues with doctrinal purity.
A Realm Divided: The Scarlet Empire has fractured, and this has thrown the normal chains of communication throughout the former Empire into disarray. You want to fix that, or a least those lines that run through Väljad. Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 90% Reward: Increased Information about your sister's realms, faster communication with your family.
The Long Arm of the Legions: Valts and Alfred have both come to you to begin refurbishing some of the old forts and outposts that extend along the road between the Westerlands and the Kurlak Basin. Many of them have fallen into disrepair after a decade or more of peace. Rebuilding and staffing those forts would go a long way towards asserting you authority. Cost: 1000g, 1 Legion Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Rewards: Increased taxation income, banditry has a chance to be taken care of automatically
SPLIT FOCUS: Raise another Legion: The Scarlet Legions were the oiled machine through which the Ash Maiden conquered the continent. Built upon the base of the ancient house retinues of Eight Tribes, a Legion is a flexible fighting force of medium infantry. (Stats - Attack 5 Defense 5 Mobility 2) Skill: Green (-1 to all stats) Time: 1 year Cost: 500g Upkeep: 50g
The Queen's Road: Right now, there is a single road that connects the western portions of your realm with Qūr-dalan and the eastern portion. Built by the Scarlet Legions on their march, it is serviceable, but as you discovered as your journey along it, portions have fallen into disrepair. Repairing it would be a good first step towards developing the kingdom further. Chance of Success: 60% Cost: 1,600g Time: 2 years Rewards: Increased taxation income, faster response times for forces in the kingdom
A Dock Worker's Life: Qūr-dalan is situated along the banks of the Kurlak River, which forms a vital component to caravan routes, especially those that travel through the Kurlak Mountains. The docks of Qūr-dalan carpet the banks of the mighty Kurlak, dating back thousands of years. But they could always use expanding. Chance of Success: 70% Cost: Time: 1 Year Rewards: Increased Trade Income. -> [X] LOCKED-IN FINISHES THIS TURN
The Rumor Mill: An extensive network of spies is invaluable in determining what is really going on at home and abroad. Some gold and other lubricants can help secure a steady stream of knowledge flows to your ears. Cost: 250g Chance of Success: 100% Time: >50% 1 year, <50% 2 years Rewards: Rumor Mill/Information Report at the end of turns
A Grand Church: The state of the Faith in Qūr-dalan is frankly deplorable. Sure, there is the palace church, but aside from that the Faith has little presence among the streets of the city. You aim to change that, setting out to build grand church right in the residential quarter Cost: 1,500g Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 60% Reward: Increased worship of the First Flame in Qūr-dalan
A Missionary's Work is Never Done: In your efforts to spread the Faith in these distant lands, you have run into an issue. A shortage of trained priests. So quite a large issue indeed. You want to hunt through local Faithful to find any who you find to be suitable material for Priesthood. Hopefully then you'll have enough for proper missionary work. Cost: 450g Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Expands the priesthood active in Qūr-dalan, boosting any conversion efforts.
A Myriad of Menagerie: The local wildlife is quite distinct from anything you've encountered before, and it's an interest you and Andezjs share. He wants to begin creating a compilation of all the various creatures and beasts he can find in these lands. Cost: 50g Chance of Success: 80% Time: 2 Years Rewards: Additional Information on the local fauna, unlocks future options.
Inner Focus: Ever since that first training session you've felt different. Shadows just outside the edge of your vision, strange dreams you cannot remember, a pressure inside you is building. So you'll deal with it the only way you know how, prayer and meditation to cleanse the soul. Hopefully then you can figure out what lurks within. Cost: 0g Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Rewards: More Piety, Chance to Gain Traits, High Roll: ???
The Long Arm of the Legions: Valts and Alfred have both come to you to begin refurbishing some of the old forts and outposts that extend along the road between the Westerlands and the Kurlak Basin. Many of them have fallen into disrepair after a decade or more of peace. Rebuilding and staffing those forts would go a long way towards asserting you authority. Cost: 1000g, 1 Legion Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Rewards: Increased taxation income, banditry has a chance to be taken care of automatically
SPLIT FOCUS: Raise another Legion: The Scarlet Legions were the oiled machine through which the Ash Maiden conquered the continent. Built upon the base of the ancient house retinues of Eight Tribes, a Legion is a flexible fighting force of medium infantry. (Stats - Attack 5 Defense 5 Mobility 2) Skill: Green (-1 to all stats) Time: 1 year Cost: 500g Upkeep: 50g
The Queen's Road: Right now, there is a single road that connects the western portions of your realm with Qūr-dalan and the eastern portion. Built by the Scarlet Legions on their march, it is serviceable, but as you discovered as your journey along it, portions have fallen into disrepair. Repairing it would be a good first step towards developing the kingdom further. Chance of Success: 60% Cost: 1,600g Time: 2 years Rewards: Increased taxation income, faster response times for forces in the kingdom
A Dock Worker's Life: Qūr-dalan is situated along the banks of the Kurlak River, which forms a vital component to caravan routes, especially those that travel through the Kurlak Mountains. The docks of Qūr-dalan carpet the banks of the mighty Kurlak, dating back thousands of years. But they could always use expanding. Chance of Success: 70% Cost: Time: 1 Year Rewards: Increased Trade Income. -> [X] LOCKED-IN FINISHES THIS TURN
The Rumor Mill: An extensive network of spies is invaluable in determining what is really going on at home and abroad. Some gold and other lubricants can help secure a steady stream of knowledge flows to your ears. Cost: 250g Chance of Success: 100% Time: >50% 1 year, <50% 2 years Rewards: Rumor Mill/Information Report at the end of turns
A Grand Church: The state of the Faith in Qūr-dalan is frankly deplorable. Sure, there is the palace church, but aside from that the Faith has little presence among the streets of the city. You aim to change that, setting out to build grand church right in the residential quarter Cost: 1,500g Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 60% Reward: Increased worship of the First Flame in Qūr-dalan
A Missionary's Work is Never Done: In your efforts to spread the Faith in these distant lands, you have run into an issue. A shortage of trained priests. So quite a large issue indeed. You want to hunt through local Faithful to find any who you find to be suitable material for Priesthood. Hopefully then you'll have enough for proper missionary work. Cost: 450g Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Expands the priesthood active in Qūr-dalan, boosting any conversion efforts.
A Myriad of Menagerie: The local wildlife is quite distinct from anything you've encountered before, and it's an interest you and Andezjs share. He wants to begin creating a compilation of all the various creatures and beasts he can find in these lands. Cost: 50g Chance of Success: 80% Time: 2 Years Rewards: Additional Information on the local fauna, unlocks future options.
Inner Focus: Ever since that first training session you've felt different. Shadows just outside the edge of your vision, strange dreams you cannot remember, a pressure inside you is building. So you'll deal with it the only way you know how, prayer and meditation to cleanse the soul. Hopefully then you can figure out what lurks within. Cost: 0g Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Rewards: More Piety, Chance to Gain Traits, High Roll: ???
For the diplomatic matter, I think it's best to form contacts with those in the former empire. Inflated piety corresponds to a decent relationship with our sisters, who are presently our only ruling fellows in the faith, so it's good to be able to communicate with them readily and see how things are faring... plus, being as we are at something of the backwater of the former empire, it doesn't hurt to build up communications to developed areas so that some elements may be more easily transmitted. We'll also want to hear about any military conflicts before they get to our borders so we can prepare and take action. If not for all this I'd like to set up relations with our southern neighbors or closer ties with the northern tribes (Khagan, anyone?), but we're rather liable to botch those I think so let's just integrate the former empire to the extent that we may.
On martial matters, I've got to say that we ought to staff the forts. They act as a force multiplier that we desperately need considering how our forces are in such a poor shape, and plus that gives early warning if any of the staffed forts notices oncoming threats. Occupying them also prevents them from being used against us by types such as the bandits, and if we stop bandit raids then that wins us more affection from the people by helping to secure them.
For the economic, I still think it's a good idea to go ahead and repair the Queen's Road as a first priority. Anything that speeds up travel allows for more communication and a closer watch, so less corruption and more income and a whole host of other benefits. The Off the Beaten Path option is tempting, but I think it best to wait for that until we've been able to improve the roads; if we're checking the lands around the road, obviously the surveying will go faster and need fewer supplies if the roads are in a decent shape and we'll have had many more workers wandering around the vicinity of the road and still working on it who might have seen good spots. That gives more starting points for the surveyors to go off of to find better quality places in less time. Populating our desolate land is a big deal to increase security and our economic prosperity, so I say go for that... and of course, we're already also locked in for the docks or I'd have suggested going for the mining operations.
For intrigue I think it's safest to go with the Rumor Mill option. We're not going on a charm campaign right now with the border princes so we don't have any way to properly mollify them if they don't appreciate our meddling in their affairs, let's just set up our spy networks as our eye in the dark and window to local plots and man on the street opinions. Then we won't have to guess so much about what the commoners or assorted nobles will think about our courses of actions.
On the matter of faith, I almost immediately thought of going for translated texts, but then I reconsidered. It's true that we're absolutely going to want to do that, but I think it would be most beneficial to us if we waited until we were a tad more structured. We don't have members of the faith to spare in our own country, let alone go off by themselves and wander into others... so if we start translating texts right now, the end result is that we'll be bringing our religion to foreigners with absolutely no context. We don't have an established center of our faith in at least our corner of the world that they can access (I don't think that we're letting foreign rabble break into the royal church), we don't have learned people to give them an idea of the way you're supposed to interpret texts. What we'd be doing is essentially sowing the seeds of various heresies all throughout foreign lands, and if it's harder to displace the heresies than the native religions we'll just be making things harder on ourselves. Let's develop first an actual religious center that people of the faith or those who want to join can access, as well as an actual structured clergy who are able to answer their questions with some competence. After that's established, I think translating the texts will be a splendid idea.
For learning, recall that most of those who die or are otherwise made casualties of war come to such problems due to problems with supply or illness, not from weapons raised in anger. Our landscape is harsh, so we may do best by simply being the most adapted to it especially in light of questionable combat ability. For this reason, I'd like to go with the option that both boosts injury recovery and disease resistance, which is to say the The Body is a Temple option. It's more likely to work out than the pinch of lavender one, and I think it will do nicely. Alternatively, figuring out the local fauna is nice... I'd hate if we came across some sort of lethal scorpion or something and had no idea of the harm hid within its sting.
Lastly, the Inner Focus option seems interesting. I'd like for us to boost our piety up and up, so that'll be nice.
All that takes away 4800 (still fairly affordable, we're adding to the treasury beyond that and ours is quite sizeable) as well as a legion to staff the forts, but honestly I think they'd be better off at the defenses of the forts.
@veekie: The thing is, we don't want to spread the religion and have it corrupted and turn our heretical because that just won't benefit us. Early Christianity had huge problems with heresy as there wasn't a strictly organized priesthood and so on, so the Roman Empire after the religion was made official had to have a council on what it actually meant to be a Christian. Many groups refused to go with the form of Christianity that was hammered out after that council, and then for centuries after that there was conflict over the matter of heresy because it was something that affected the power of the state.
Islam avoided much of the doctrinal stuff for what's in the Quran (the Shia/Sunni divide was at least initially much more of a political matter) in part because it was actually specified that everything had to be in the exact, proper form of Arabic so that no one would form improper ideas. Even versions in different dialects of Arabic were destroyed over their potential to mislead believers by a difference in turn of phrase. This is a very different idea than taking our core holy texts and spreading them around the world while we barely have a functioning priesthood or a central area for those that do exist to talk over the faith.
Buddhism is very diverse because it was translated into very many places quite quickly with varying organization, and it has oodles of different sects with widely varying traditions and beliefs. We don't want to end up like Buddhism exactly, we want the more centralized version that we have now because it works out very well for us.
So for these reasons, I think that we should just take a year to get organized and then start spreading out. It's very tempting, I agree, but I don't think it will end well unless we are quite lucky as the choice itself hints at issues with doctrinal purity.
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