You reach out to shake Gustav's hand, and are not surprised when he grabs it before leaning in for a quick brotherly hug, unhampered by his missing appendages. Though you know he would never admit to it, you think you can see the beginnings of tears in his eyes. Even here, on the palace balcony, hidden away from the many eyes of the Griffons, Dogs, Ponies and Yaks attending his retirement party (organized by Frida, naturally) he doesn't let his carefully crafted image of the grizzled old troll hunter slip.
"It has been the greatest of honors, my liege."
You smile.
"You've more than earned your retirement my friend. You've done more for this Empire than any one Griffon could have been expected to. I was lucky to have you as my advisor in such trying times."
You reach behind you, pulling out a velvet box, opening it to reveal the glimmering bronze of an Imperial Cross: the highest honor a civilian can receive. Gustav stares, beak agape.
"I wanted it to be a surprise. And I know you're not big on ceremonies so..."
Now Kingfeather can't hold back anymore. As the tears drip from his eyes and he takes the box from you with a trembling talon, he chokes out a laugh.
"When...when I lost my wing...I thought my life was over. That I'd never do anything worth mentioning again. I couldn't fight, I couldn't work...I thought I'd be a burden on my family. I'd stand on a cliff and just..."
Now you're the one to give him a hug. The old hunter wipes his eyes with a shaking talon.
"Thank you. Just...thank you...for letting me make a difference."
You pat his shoulder reassuringly as he recomposes himself. After a moment, you take a step back.
"So...what are you going to do now?"
Kingfeather smiles.
"A lot of Griffs lost limbs in the wars...I reckon they could use the advice of someone who knows how it feels to live with scars."
You wrap a talon around his shoulder and start leading him back to the party.
"A noble goal for a noble Griffon. May you find success in such a worthy endeavor."
You're going to miss Kingfeather...but you're glad you got to work with such an...interesting character.
You only hope his replacement will be as competent as his predecessor was.
Martial: Having just recently replaced the respected and long-serving Gustav Kingfeather, Manfred Redbeak is eager to prove himself and assure you that you made the right choice in a military advisor. He's thrown himself into his work with an energy his predecessor hadn't possessed in years, working to improve the overall status of the Imperial Military. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] The West Wall-Watchtowers: You have neighbors to your West. Large, strong, and surprisingly fast neighbors that are used to living off the land and crossing great distances in a relatively short period of time. They don't seem hostile at the moment, but it couldn't hurt to take precautions. The Black Cliffs of Aquileia serve as a natural barrier, but one that could be crossed by the Yaks (or another foe) if they really wanted to. It only makes sense to fortify this barrier and make it more difficult for any Yak raiders or warbands to cross into your core territory. You can start with some watchtowers. These small posts won't be able to prevent any sizable force from crossing the border, but their vigil will prevent a surprise attack and give you some warning in the event of a hostile mountain crossing. Cost: 1000. Time: Two Years. Reward: Western Border Watchtowers built, removes possibility of surprise attacks, may discourage raids into core territory.
[ ] Mothball the Peregrine Line: With the defeat of Sombra, some have begun to wonder at the necessity of maintaining and garrisoning the Southern Border. There is no longer any threat of an invasion by Sombra, and any foe approaching from the South would have to pass through the Crystal Empire, which is itself a strategic obstacle due to its terrain. The costs of maintaining such an impressive series of fortifications in peacetime could prove burdensome. Some have raised the possibility of removing the garrison. It's not like the fortresses will crumble overnight. The battlements can always be repaired and re-occupied when needed. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Peregrine Line mothballed and will no longer require upkeep. May be reactivated at a later date.
[ ] Knights of the Frontier: With the settlement and rapid expansion of the frontier territories, now dubbed Kestrella, some have begun to call for the establishment of a new Knightly Order to serve as the guardians of the new province, small and relatively underdeveloped as it is now. Though the war against Sombra has depleted both the fighting age population and the public's appetite for conflict, there is never any shortage of Griffons willing and eager to join an esteemed Knightly Order. Construct a suitable citadel and begin the search for any aspiring Knights. Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: New Knightly Order Established to guard the Western Frontier.
[ ] Logistics Reform: Your army learned many lessons on the long road from Gryphus to the Crystal City. The dangers of terrain, the need for scouts and reliable means of navigation, and the importance of robust supply lines and logistical networks. Manfred Redbeak has a few ideas when it comes to the latter, from the establishment of permanent supply depots to the creation of dedicated logistical companies within larger units. While expensive in the short term, these reforms are expected to result in a net decrease in Army upkeep costs in the long-term. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: Strengthened Logistical Network, decreased Army Upkeep.
[ ] The Great Hunt: While the greatest external threat to the Empire (that you know of) has been dealt with, the internal threats still remain. Trolls, Manticores, Hydras, Chimeras, Cockatrices, Feral Diamond Dogs and common bandits infest the lands of your Empire, and their numbers have only been growing while you have been occupied with Sombra. Local militias and the Knightly orders are enough to protect settlements, but few are comfortable with the fact that roughly half the land within your borders is dangerously infested with monsters. You have no shortage of veterans willing to get their talons dirty. Gather the full might of the Empire and purge the land of these dangerous beasts. Time: Three Years. Cost: 1500. Reward: Imperial Lands Purged of Monsters and Bandits, New Options Unlocked. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] We are the Imperial Navy!: First Brochard, then Sombra. Your people have fought two great threats to a standstill in the air and on the ground...but you've yet to face an enemy upon the sea. Your current fleet of ships, while sufficient for patrolling your waters, is woefully inadequate for the task of projecting power beyond your own shores. The Neighponese have a navy of over a hundred ships for crying out loud! You could rely upon your Eastern ally to protect you on the seas...but wouldn't it be better to stand on your own? Start construction on a fleet of ships worthy of the Imperial Banner. Time: Two Years. Cost: 800. Reward: +20 Warships (Cogs) added to Imperial Navy.
[ ] Black Knights: The Orichalcum/Steel Alloy, now dubbed Black Steel, has many of the benefits of Orichalcum at a fraction of the cost. Despite this, it is still a resource that must be carefully husbanded, and reserved for use by elite units. Elite units like the Knights of the Inner Circle. Have them equipped with weapons forged of the new alloy, that they may serve the Empire more effectively. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: Knights of the Inner Circle equipped with Black Steel weapons.
[ ] We got ourselves a Convoy: The disappearances of ship crews off your coasts have disrupted the economy and raised concerns about the safety of vessels traveling from Gryphus to Neighpon. You don't have enough ships to scour the oceans for whatever is causing it, but having your navy escort trade vessels is well within your capabilities. Set up a system of "oceanic caravans" to aid in the protection of vulnerable shipping. With any luck this should be enough to reassure the public and get goods flowing again. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Convoy system established, Shipping lanes guarded, Chance to encounter the source of missing ships.
[ ] Cautious Curiosity: While the now-infamous expedition that discovered Sombra has caused some to question the wisdom of venturing beyond the Empire's borders, you feel that such things are a necessity. Without such scouting missions you would have never encountered the Yaks or the Neighponese, who are now your trading partners and steadfast allies. And as some of the more pessimistic have said: "better our scouts meet them than their invasion force meet us." Cost: 200. Time: Variable. Reward: Knowledge of Distant Lands.
—[ ] Far West: The Yaks can't tell you anything about what lies beyond their lands, aside from the fact that they know such lands exist. Prior to meeting you and Sombra they never had any reason to wonder about the lands beyond their steppe. Now you have a chance to satisfy both their curiosity and your own.
—[ ] Far East: On rare occasions, wreckage of ships unknown to the Qilin will wash up on the shores of Neighpon, evidence of lands and peoples beyond their own. Koryū has been pondering sending out a scouting party of his own in the near future. You're sure he wouldn't mind if some of your vessels accompanied his.
—[ ] South West: Neither the Yaks nor the Crystal Ponies know anything about the territory between them, save a few frustratingly vague prophecies from the Yak Shamans about a "land of lakes". Only one way to see if the seers are accurate.
—[ ] Far South: None of the Crystal Ponies can provide information on what lies to their South. Whether they really don't know or simply don't remember is up for debate, but it's clear that you're only going to learn by sending scouts down there yourself. Maybe you can finally find some lands that aren't so damned cold.
Diplomacy: Elva remains busy this year, coordinating diplomatic actions and communications between the Empire, its newest protectorate, and its neighbors. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Immigration Campaign: The addition of Magical Advisors to your court, and the memory of how much the integration of the Diamond Dogs improved your Kingdom, has led some to propose the idea of advertising abroad for immigrants, from both Neighpon and Yakyakistan. You're not sure how many takers you'll get, but it can't hurt to try. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak/Neighponese Immigrants. Chance of Success: 60%
[ ] A Guiding Talon: The Yak elder councils, at the behest of the increasingly vocal Modernists, have begun to slowly adopt a more sedentary lifestyle, exchanging cloth yurts for more permanent stone and wood dwellings, erecting permanent settlements on the little arable land present in the Northern Steppes. But they have little experience with sustained agriculture or advanced metalworking, and you're sure they would appreciate some advice and assistance. Such a project would strengthen the bonds between the Clans and the Empire, and bring you a step closer towards having a strong neighbor to guard the West from any potential foe. They haven't technically asked for help, but you're sure offering can't hurt. Time: Two Years. Cost: 800. Reward: Griffons assist Yak modernization efforts, Increased Gryphus-Yak Relations. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Could You Check That Out For Me?: The disappearance of multiple ship crews over the previous year have sailors spooked. Few are the ship captains now willing to go beyond sight of the shores, and this has had a serious effect upon international trade, impacting the economies of both Gryphus and Neighpon. Unfortunately, while your military might is great, your navy is relatively weak, especially when compared to the Kingdom of Neighpon and its vast armada. While your nation is ill-suited to investigating this maritime mystery, your ally is well equipped for the task. Kōryū is already contemplating dispatching his navy to scour the sea for clues, perhaps applying some diplomatic pressure could cement such a decision? Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Neighpon dispatches their navy to investigate the Ghost Ships. Chance of Success: 80%
[ ] Crystal Hearts and Minds: You have made the Crystal Empire a protectorate of Gryphus, something that has gone over surprisingly well with most its inhabitants. Still, not all of your new subjects are very enthused with their loss of independence, marginal as it may be, and while such "Crystal Nationalists" are in the minority at present, it may be a good idea to paint yourself as a benevolent ruler while your people are still in the "honeymoon phase". In addition to her usual diplomatic skills, Elva is also a bit of an expert when it comes to public relations. Have her organize a PR campaign to supplement the material aid destined for the Crystal City. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Crystal Nationalist Influence reduced, Cement Positive view of Gryphus in the eyes of the Crystal Empire. Chance of Success: 75%
[ ] Gaze upon the mists of Fate: The seers and shamans of Yakyakistan have been a subject of interest to you ever since you learned that they had warned their people of the threat of Sombra long before encountering him themselves. In a way, they were partially responsible for your victory at the battle of Redstone, as well as your ensuing positive relationship with the Yak Clans. With the threat of Sombra now extinguished, you find yourself wondering what else these mystics may know...and if they might be willing to share this information with you. There's no harm in asking, right? Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Chance to gain information from Yak Seers. Chance of Success: 60%.
Stewardship: Frida is very busy this year, dealing with one crisis after another, from overseeing the resolution of the Crystal Refugee crisis to the outbreak of Featherpox in Kestrella and the drying up of oceanic trade as a result of the "ghost ship" scares. As always, she still miraculously maintains an upbeat demeanor, though even this has begun to fray at the edges as the work wears her down. (Two Actions per Turn) One Action Locked
[ ] Neighponese Seed Drills: An invention from the East has been seeing slow but steady adoption amongst your farmers. The Neighponese call it a seed drill, a device that sows seeds for planting at regular depth and intervals with minimal effort on the farmer's part. A few larger farms have already built or purchased their own, but most Imperial farms remain without them. Subsidize the purchase of these new devises and ensure they are widely adopted by the Empire's agricultural base. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Farming Income.
[ ] Western Lumberjacks: The woods of the Western Frontier (now dubbed Kestrella), while not quite as expansive and vast as the forests of the Imperial heartland, are still a potential resource and an ample supply of raw timber. Subsidize the establishment of logging camps and lumber mills in the newly settled territory. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Logging Income.
[ ] Cloth Mills: While sufficient Flax has been planted to allow for textile production, and a significant cottage industry has already sprung up to exploit this, you're far from rivaling the Neighponese for textile production. Mass production is the name of the game here: subsidize the construction and start-up costs of some weaving mills and see if you can increase productivity. Time: One Year. Cost: 500. Reward: Industrial Linen Production achieved, Increased Tax Income.
[ ] The Bronzeclaw Plan: While its inhabitants are doing their best to rectify the situation, the lands of your new Protectorate are still largely in ruins. What infrastructure wasn't destroyed in the war was seriously neglected under the rule of Sombra. Frida has proposed a comprehensive plan to rectify this, drawing inspiration from her predecessor's successful program to modernize the infrastructure of Aquileia in the aftermath of the Unification War. The plan essentially involves supplying the existing Crystal Government with vast sums of funding and support from Griffon and Diamond Dog experts to be directed where they are needed. Naturally, rebuilding a nation is going to be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, but it's an investment that needs to be made if you're going to start making a profit off your newest territorial acquisition. Time: Two Years. Reward: 2000. Reward: Crystal Protectorate rebuilt, Increased Tax Income.
[ ] Adopt a Pony Program: Thousands of Crystal Ponies inhabit hastily erected tent-cities, having been freed from Sombra before his defeat or fled the frost-blasted wasteland their homeland has been reduced to in order to escape the threat of famine. They are unsuitable for long-term habitation, and consuming vast amounts of resources for maitenance. Before anything else, these camps need to be emptied. Ideas have been passed around of a sort of "adopt a pony" program, where the Citizens of the Empire will open up their homes to these former victims of Sombra in exchange for a sizable tax cut, providing them with the care and sense of community they require while simultaneously assisting their integration into the wider Empire of Gryphus. Some Griffons and Dogs have already begun to do this on a small scale individually, but many feel that this should become an official government policy. This will of course be a significant undertaking that will require a massive bureaucracy and boatloads of funding, but it is both necessary and worth it to help those who have already suffered so much. Time: Three Years. Cost: 1500. Reward: Crystal Refugee Situation Resolved. Crystal Ponies integrated into Gryphonian society. Will Finish this Turn.
Learning: Archimedes and Genevieve continue their work as the Empire's top scholars, Archimedes focusing on improvements to the Imperial War Machine while Genevieve focuses on more Domestic improvements. This does not mean that the two do not collaborate and share information, merely that the two Griffons divide the work between them. They are further joined by the Neighponese trio, the Magical Experts you convinced to work for you. (Two Actions per Turn) One Action Locked
[ ] Cannon Ships: Archimedes' new cannons are much more powerful than the old bolt-throwers, if more volatile and expensive. Unfortunately, small scale tests have shown that your current Cog designs are not suited for the weight of the new weapons, or the force of their recoil. You'll need to design a new class of ship from the ground up to accommodate these new weapons. Cost: 100. Reward: New Ship Class Designed.
[ ] Flying without Wings: The fragment of the ancient design you found, while sparse on details due to its decay, has given both of your scientific advisors ideas. Big, big ideas. Of course, in order to make those ideas reality they'll need equally big amounts of funding and time. Just for starters they're going to have to figure out whether they can even build such a contraption with the materials they have available, and what other steps will need to be accomplished before they can even start to build this "flying machine". Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Viability of Airships explored, additional Learning Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Sugar Beets: Among the numerous crops that have been introduced to the Empire as a result of trade with Neighpon, Sugarcane has been one of the most sought after, particularly due to its inability to be farmed on the mainland. However, Genevieve claims to have an idea. By selectively breeding a particular species of root vegetable for increased production of Sucrose (the thing that gives Sugarcane its distinctively sweet taste), she believes it to be possible to engineer a hardier alternative to sugarcane that can be grown domestically. This will of course take a while to do. Cost: 200. Time: Two Years. Reward: Sugar Beets acquired, new Learning and Stewardship Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Rotative Beam Engine: Archimedes and Genevieve have been going over the designs for the Steam Pumps in between other projects for the past couple of years, and they think they've come up with a way to make the devices more versatile. By replacing the piston with something called a flywheel, they can turn the single-use pump into a multi-use engine, allowing for much greater utility. Simple in theory. In practice...well, you'll need to give them some time and funding to see if it's worth it. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Invention of first true Steam Engine, New Actions Unlocked. Will Finish This Turn
[ ] Sound the War Horns!: The Battle of the Peregrines demonstrated the need for a means of long range communication between commanders and units spread across multiple fronts. Couriers and banners simply aren't good enough. An enterprising army officer and former musician by the name of Major Shrike has proposed building and utilizing specialized horns, designed to communicate coded messages through the pitch, tune and frequency of their blasts. The idea might hold merit. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Gain War Horns. Upgrade Army Communications Bonus.
[ ] Open Hearth Furnaces: While Genevieve's blast furnaces have revolutionized the field of metallurgy, the scholarly griffoness has been refining her design, incorporating lessons learned from the process, and claims to have an idea for an improved version capable of producing stronger steel in larger batches more efficiently. Naturally she's going to need funds and time in order to see about installing these improvements to the existing metalworking infrastructure. Time: Two Years. Cost: 800. Reward: Increased Tax Income, Decreased Army Recruitment Costs.
Intrigue: Ravenburg, while happy that the war is over, sees no reason for him to relax, remaining as busy as ever. "The enemies of the Empire never rest, and neither can I." You respect his dedication if nothing else. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Sleeping Dragons: Koryū is a nice guy, or at least he seems to be, and the Neighponese have been steadfast allies thus far. Still, the old saying goes "trust but verify". Aside from what your fellow Emperor and your ambassador have told you you don't really know much about the Neighponese. Their economy, their politics, their military, their level of technological advancement. You don't even know if everything Koryū told you is true. Surely it wouldn't be a big deal if you sent a few gryphons to poke around Neighpon and report back? Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: New Intel on Neighpon, New Intrigue Actions. Chance of Success: 60%
[ ] The Cursed Mountain: The River Walkers Clan has informed you of a potential site of a sizable Orichalcum deposit: a mountain recently absorbed into the territory of the rival Broken Horns Clan. The Broken Horns, for their part, claim that no deposits of Orichalcum are present within their territory. Either they're simply unaware of the existence of the deposit...or one of the Clans is attempting to deceive you. Dispatch Ravenburg' Spies to investigate. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Information on Potential Orichalcum Deposit in Yakyakistan. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Covert Kingmaker: Some in the Yak Modernist movement have begun to speak privately of a unified Yakyakistan. Such a unified Kingdom would need a King, or at least a leadership figure of some renown capable of uniting the Clans. You could wait for such a figure to arise naturally...or you could seek one out and begin to covertly "groom them" for leadership. Whether they'll be aware of such grooming is still up for debate. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Potential Yak Unifier Identified, New Actions Unlocked. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Fanning the Flames: The Yak Modernist movement has grown increasingly influential in recent years, but it is still considered a political minority, albeit a extremely visible and vocal one. Ravenburg has a plan to change that through the distribution of pro-Modernist propaganda throughout Yakyakistan, using merchant caravans as a means of spreading the message covertly. This should increase the influence of the Modernist movement and bring Yakyakistan closer to becoming a modern kingdom. Cost: 500. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Modernist Influence. Chance of Success: 65%
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions per Turn)
[ ] Overtime: Your advisors can only do so much, and sometimes that's just not enough. If it's truly necessary, you can sacrifice some of your otherwise free time to carry out an additional action from another category, provided said action has a duration of only one year. The costs and chances of success for that action remain the same.
[ ] Draconic Past-Time: Gwyndlyn, like her brother before her, is getting to the age where simple playing isn't enough to keep her attention. A hobby to take her interest and teach her some new skills would be a good thing to introduce her to at this point. Time: One Year. Cost: 0. Reward: Gwyndlyn gets a hobby and a new trait.
[ ] Gleaming Pearl gets Schooled: Another child, another education to arrange. You know the drill by now. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Quality Time with Family, Plans made for Pearl's future upbringing and education.
[ ] Waving the Flag: The Crystal Empire is now your protectorate, a part of the Empire of Gryphus. Though it has its own government, laws and culture, it's inhabitants are citizens of your Empire, and are technically your subjects. While you visited the city for the now famous Crystal Summit that resulted in the Empire's protectorate status, it might be a good idea to visit again to learn more about the people and show them that you are looking out for them, that you are not some distant overlord but a Griffon that cares. It would also give Pearl a chance to see her homeland. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Family "Vacation", Tour of the Crystal Empire, Better Opinion of you among the Crystal Ponies. Chance of Success: 65%
There will be a twelve hour moratorium to allow for discussion and plan-building.
