are the exception. You earned their respect in your war against Sombra. If you hadn't, they would never have tolerated your assistance in building their kingdom."
Merlin smiles a tired, amused smile as he returns your gaze.
"We met you."
You raise an eyebrow. Merlin simply nods in answer to your unspoken question, that enigmatic smile still gracing his muzzle as he walks back over to the table, taking his seat again.
"No, really. You may not have realized it, but our first contact with your people brought many of our preconceived notions of the world into question. Prior to meeting you, many assumed that Canterbury may very well be the last light of civilization, the only true kingdom still standing in the wake of Discord's madness. Our few encounters with the Yaks and the slavers of Maretonia only served to reinforce this belief. The idea that we were the Lady's chosen, destined to inherit what remained of the world...it was a far more common idea than you'd think, back in those days just after Discord's disappearance."
That arrogance is actually somewhat understandable. When you see your neighbours are either nomads or slavers, and have the provable support of an higher being, possibly a goddess...
"You came here in hopes of making the most impact."
Merlin smiles, more earnestly than before.
"In Canterbury I was merely the most learned of many wizards. My ability to influence and act was limited, as were the resources I had to work with. Here, I can do much more, build something to stand the test of time...that I might find a way to avoid the final death, when my name is spoken for the very last time."
..I want an action to research the sendak manuscript with Merlin now! Let's give him something new to study!
Well, he also has to research more runes, and whatever magic the hippogryphs turn out to have... Maybe a few more experiments on orichalcum as well, maaaaaaybe the diamond dogs legends of their "alpha" magic users. If we proceed with immigration he can help to study neighponese and yak magic too...
You would discover much later that your daughter's ability was something not completely unknown to the Crystal Ponies. The manipulation of crystals, mineral deposits and the earth itself was a common ability amongst them. In the Crystal City, it was a popular party trick to place a piece of calcite in a bowl and see who could get it to outgrow its container.
But apparently Gleaming is on a completely different level when it comes to the act of crystalmancy, as evidenced by her ability to make a veritable forest of crystal spires grow out of a hooffull of "seeds". Such a magical prodigy has not been seen since before the reign of Discord.
Merlin seems as intrigued by this new phenomenon as he is seemingly frustrated by the fact that he once again needs to rearrange his worldview and understanding of magic. You're just glad that your daughter is ok, though you extract a promise from her not to do anymore "experimentation" without supervision, something she readily agrees to once her workspace is finally cleared of the excess mineral growths.
It seems there's never a dull moment in the palace.
relax just keep the updates coming out at least once a month and I guarantee you I at least will never get tired of this quest. its unique and awesome and I love every single post of it!
As long as you keep updating we'll keep reading. Plus you still update faster then a lot of quests. Also, is it wrong that I thought one of the kids would just be a normal pony?
As long as you keep updating we'll keep reading. Plus you still update faster then a lot of quests. Also, is it wrong that I thought one of the kids would just be a normal pony?
Yet...
Plus she is still young giver her time and a focus, our son is a diplomat, dragon daughter is a fighter/martial focus, pony daughter seems more geared to learning, so Gilda might end up like dad and being a super skilled stewardship master
So, Pearls Special Talent is conjuring Crystals? Definitely useful and powerful, to say nothing of easy-ish to supervise thanks to Merlin being around.
But yeah, I totally can see Canterbury having grown a bit arrogant and complacent after seemingly being the sole bastion of true civilisation in the world left after Discords rampages...us appearing and kicking ass without either divine or magical support to speak of definitely shook them outta their haughtiness.
I´d rather not have them grow so decadent from their feeling of superiority that they ended up squicking a whole new God into existence, to use a reference.
I enjoy this quest quite a bit. The only concern I have about it is that the rate of tech advancement seems rather fast paced, but that's not necessarily a negative thing.
Technological advancement after it hits a certain point becomes exponential. We're just experiencing it even faster due to having a good leader and competent government sponsoring it. Plus the laws of physics are a bit more forgiving in their universe due to magic being around.
Plus to continue with what @Slayer 10321 said, I think it's also balanced by our increased difficulties with magic (at least for now).
And @Questor, there nothing more I can add that hasn't already been said but just know that trying your best to write updates is more than enough, more than we deserve. Take however much time you need buddy, we believe in you always regardless of how long it takes.
Titles: Emperor of Gryphus, King of Griffonia, Inheritor of the Imperial House of Gryphus, The Unifier, Great Winged Alpha, The Lightbringer, The Liberator, the King of the North.
Description: Before your wife got her talons on you, you were a fairly typical example of the Griffon species. An unmistakably masculine build, a strong, prominent beak, feathers and fur that seem to be perpetually well-groomed, and a pair of piercing amber eyes hiding a fierce intelligence. Not anymore though. Oh, you still have all those qualities, they're just overshadowed by the massive amount of muscle you've put on since you started your wife's "enhanced training regimen". Your wings can lift dumbbells, and your legs are like tree-trunks supporting a barrel chest rippling with abdominal muscles. In short, you have the build of a person who has been lifting heavy objects his entire life.
Martial: 9+2+1+2=14
Diplomacy: 14+2+2=18
Stewardship: 13+2=15
Learning: 16+2=18
Intrigue: 11+2=13
Trait-Attractive: You are a very handsome fellow. +2 Diplomacy, better spousal relationship
Trait-Genius: Smart doesn't even begin to describe you. +2 all skills
Trait-Strong: Working out with your wife has done great things for your body. +2 Martial
Inventory:
Blade of the King: an ornate and deadly sword you had forged for yourself after being crowned King of Griffonia. +1 Martial
Runic Royal Armor: Serving to protect you as well as display your royal status to onlookers, this armor is both durable and aesthetically pleasing. With Merlin's assistance, it has been enhanced with runic magic, making it even more durable.
Orichalcum Sword: A blade made of an extremely durable, magic resistant metal
Sendak Manuscript: Recovered from the Archives of the Shadow King Sombra, this strange book is bound in the treated flesh of monsters and is written in numerous unknown tongues. It contains diagrams that seem to reference everything from the movements of stellar bodies to the biology of plants and animals to the complex physics of magical phenomenon. It's origins remain a mystery.
Trait: Strong - Born stronger than most. (+2 Martial)
Trait: Experienced - Has been a mercenary for several years, ranging across the lands of the former Empire. Knows much about the world. (+1 All Stats)
Status: Designated Heir. Will become player character in event of Parent's Deaths.
Trait: Strong-Born stronger than most. (+2 Martial)
Trait: Attractive-A handsome fellow. (+2 Diplomacy, better spousal relationship)
Trait: Genius-Smart doesn't begin to describe him. (+2 All Stats)
Trait: Game Master-Years of playing games of strategy and wits with members of the Imperial Court has honed his sense of strategy and taught him how to read others. (+1 Martial, +2 Diplomacy)
Status: Adolescent-Malus to all stats
Status-Designated Regent: In the event that no heir is capable of taking the throne, or in the event the rightful ruler is otherwise unavailable, she will take control of the kingdom until the situation can be resolved.
Trait: Dragon-A fire breathing reptile. (+4 Martial)
Trait: Gardener-Years of studying and caring for plants has taught her much in the realm of botany, and has instilled in her an understanding of how hard work and patience can yield great dividends. (+2 Stewardship, +1 Learning, +1 Intrigue)
Status: Teenager-Malus to all stats
Trait: Beautiful-A stellar example of feminine grace. (+2 Diplomacy)
Trait: Studious-Knows her way around the written word. (+2 Learning)
Adopted: Permanently last in the line of Royal Succession.
Crystalmancer: A prodigy in the arcane art of Crystal Manipulation, able to turn a few pebbles into a forest of glittering spires. (+2 Martial)
Imperial Army: Professional soldiers, paid and supplied by you. 500 soldier battalions cost 100 gold each to raise or replace. Additionally, Imperial Army soldiers have an upkeep cost of 100 gold per every ten thousand soldiers.
Imperial Army Morale: 80/100 (Strong)
Imperial Army Numbers: 26,764
-12,500 Warriors: Armed with a sword or hand-axe and shield, these Griffons make up the bulk of your army.
-6250 Polearms: For keeping your enemy at arms length or taking down opponents larger than a Griffon.
-6250 Archers: Griffons with bows and some arrows. Not much else to say.
-1500 Diamond Dogs: Armed with a variety of swords, maces, war axes, and other weapons suitable for close-quarters, Diamond Dogs are masters of subterranean combat, and are well suited to ambush tactics.
-264 Artillerists: Responsible for the transport, maintenance and operation of heavy weaponry, these Gryphons and Dogs are highly trained in their chosen field of ranged combat.
-4 Mobile Ballistae: Massively oversized mechanical bows that fire bolts big enough to pierce through tree trunks from vast distances.
-19 Cannons: Firing iron balls through the power of explosive black powder, these metal siege engines are one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal.
-10 Flame Projectors: A product of Archimedes's "liquid fire", these static contraptions can shoot jets of flaming liquid vast distances, burning all in their path.
Knightly Orders (Self Maintained): In the old Empire, Knightly Orders were typically made up of Griffons of noble birth who joined a fraternal militant organization dedicated to martial excellence, honor, and a number of various edicts of moral strength. These great warriors dedicated themselves to the Emperor and the protection of the common Gryph. Tragically, few of these brave souls survived the reign of Discord. But a new breed of Knights now seeks to serve as your sword and shield, and will rally to your banner whenever you may need them.
The Knights Lion
1 Grandmaster Konrad Hardbeak, "The Kingslayer" (Orichalcum Katana, Runic Armor)
40 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
250 Imperial Knights
300 Squires
600 Griffons-at-Arms
200 Diamond Knights
Citadel: The Lion's Den, Griffonia
The Knights Talon
1 Grandmaster Colombroni Pigeonio (Orichalcum Blade, Runic Armor)
30 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
300 Imperial Knights
250 Squires
500 Griffons-at-Arms
200 Diamond Knights
Citadel: The Crow's Nest, Wingbardy
The Knights Panther
1 Grandmaster Adrian Dawnquill (Orichalcum Blade, Runic Armor)
35 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
250 Imperial Knights
300 Squires
600 Griffons-at-Arms
200 Diamond Knights
Citadel: The Black Fortress, Aquileia
The Crystal Guardians
1 Grandmaster Glimmer Shine (Black Steel Blade, Runic Armor)
10 Knights of the Inner Circle (Black Steel Weapons)
100 Crystal Knights
120 Crystal Squires
200 Ponies-at-Arms
Citadel: The Ivory Keep, Crystal City
Imperial Navy: The vessels that guard your coastlines and patrol the oceans. Crewed by career sailors, they have an upkeep of three gold per ship, per year.
20 Cogs (Bolt-Throwers)
28 Carracks (Cannons)
Auxiliaries: Auxiliary units are forces not part of a Knightly Order or the Imperial Army and Navy that can be brought into battle alongside both of the former groups. They can be made up of allied nation units suborned to you, units drawn up from the militia, and mercenary outfits.
Politics
Nobility Opinion: 10/10 (All Hail the Glorious Emperor!).
General Public Opinion: 9.5/10 (Hail to the Emperor!).
Protectorate Opinion: 9.5/10 (Hail Golden-Feather the Brave and Glorious!)
Religion
Ancient Imperial Pantheism: Followers of the Polytheistic religion once practiced by the Griffons of the Old Empire, these citizens worship a Pantheon of gods and goddesses emphasizing honor, duty, and order. Though its popularity reached a record low during the reign of Discord, it has never truly died out, and has in fact seen a recent resurgence in several Imperial Cities.
Influence Level: .3 (No Benefits)
Disciples of the Crystal Heart: The dominant belief system of the Crystal Ponies with a growing number of Griffon and Diamond Dog adherents, the Disciples of the Crystal Heart believe that the eponymous artifact was crafted by the divine as a gift to mortals, a belief that your own scientific observations have only served to reinforce. While the Disciples were once pacifistic, the rise of Sombra and the revelation of Maretonia's slave culture has led to a reversal of this old policy, and the followers of the Crystal Heart are now as militant as those of any other major religion.
Influence Level: 3.0 (Strengthened Crystal Heart, Minor Runic Literacy)
Neighponese Spiritualism: Also known as Kami-no-Michi, the indigenous religion of Neighpon revolves around the veneration of countless nature spirits which inhabit and embody various facets of the landscape. The Qilin believe that these spirits can have a benevolent or destructive influence upon the material world, and must be appeased with worship and sacrifice. Neighponese spiritualism is unusual in that not only does it lack a specific moral code or organized religious hierarchy, but is considered compatible with other religious beliefs, with many of its adherents also subscribing to another faith.
Influence Level: .4 (No Benefits)
YakYakistani Shamanism: The animist beliefs of the Yaks stress the veneration of nature and ancestor worship. Sharing many similarities with both Imperial Pantheism and Neighponese Spiritualism, Shamans serve as both the leaders of the faith as well as intercessors between the physical and spiritual world. While it has found few adherents amongst Griffons and Diamond Dogs, almost all Yaks subscribe to its beliefs, regardless of their nationality or geographic location.
Influence Level: .2 (No Benefits)
Church of the Lady of the Lakes: The third religion introduced from a foreign people, and the only one to have an organized hierarchy with a foreign head of state serving as the leader of the faith. Worship of the Lady can be traced to the earliest days of the modern Kingdom of Canterbury, where it is claimed that she appeared to the first King of Canterbury, blessing him with the strength to unite the disparate peoples of the realm and fight back against the countless beasts that infested it. To this day, she is venerated across the Kingdom of Canterbury, and even in a select few areas outside it, including communities within your Empire.
Influence Level: .5 (No Benefits)
The Imperial Cult: Perhaps the most unusual of the faiths to have taken root in the Empire, the followers of the Imperial Cult embrace the radical belief that the Emperor and the Imperial family are divine beings made flesh, destined to lead the people of the world to greatness. While you personally are a bit uncomfortable with being worshipped as a divine figure, you can't deny it has its benefits.
Influence Level: .3 (No Benefits)
Roll Bonuses
Improved Army Communications: +3 on certain Army Rolls
Naval Navigation Tools: +5 on certain Naval and Exploration Rolls
Gun-Cotton: +5 to all Cannon Rolls
Pre-Discord Map: +10 to next Exploration Roll
Scatter-Shot: Bonus to Certain Cannon Rolls
Blasting Jelly: +5 to Certain Explosive Rolls
Camouflage 101: +5 to Certain Intrigue/Army Rolls
Firebender Designed Flamethrowers: +5 to all Flamethrower/Liquid Fire Rolls
Imperial War Memorial: Army Morale may not fall below 20, Militia count as Regulars when defending Core Territory
???: A friendly and strangely casual Griffon female you met at your inaugural ball. Despite having a wonderful evening chatting with her, you never got her name.
Garibaldi Talonuelli: Formerly the Duke of Wingbardy, now the Grand Duke of Wingbardy, Talonuelli is a beloved public figure in his home province and an experienced administrator. After saving his city and people from Brochard's attempted invasion and negotiating his province's vassalage over a few drinks, you'd like to think you can count him among your friends.
Federico Montefeathertro: Duke of the (former) City-State of Urbirdo, and your Father-in Law. He might just be the friendliest of the former Feathersians, having agreed to back you and your kingdom without question or condition during the Brochard Crisis, and hiring a mercenary outfit as a belated wedding gift. You're reasonably certain he likes you, as much as In-Laws can like each other anyway.
Koryū Ryuō: The draconic Emperor of the Island Kingdom of Neighpon. Having agreed to assist you in the war against the Shadow King and making fast friends with your adoptive daughter, you consider him a decent fellow who you can trust to keep his word, and a valuable ally against any destructive forces the world can throw at you.
Minamoto Tadakatsu: Shogun of Neighpon. Born to peasant farmers, he's more than earned his place as the most powerful Samurai amongst the Qilin. After he lead the Neighponese contingent during the Invasion of the Crystal Empire and kindly instructed you in the myriad varieties and intricacies of tea on the campaign trail, you've come to respect the more-than-century-old warrior.
Konrad Hardbeak, "The Kingslayer": Grandmaster of the Knights Lion and Hero of the Empire. Beheaded Brochard the pretender, crippled Sombra the shadow king twice over, and received the very first Imperial Medal of Honor. Despite it all, he is surprisingly humble, insisting in vain that he was, and is, merely doing his duty to the Empire, and to you. He is the very model of an Imperial Knight.
Ivory Rook: Consul of the Crystal Protectorate and head of the Crystal Assembly. One of the first of the Crystal Ponies to be freed from Sombra's mind control, Rook has taken to his position of authority reluctantly, more out of a desire to help his people than any desire for power. Nevertheless, he's proven a charismatic leader and an able administrator, dedicated to doing right by his people, no matter what the cost.
Isabelle Brissette: Relatives of the infamous Brochard dynasty, Isabelle and the Brissette family have been ostracized by the Imperial Nobility, reduced to a shadow of their former influence and prosperity, though by some miracle they still cling to some of their lands. Isabelle herself is a painfully shy little thing, unused to having friends willing to look past her lineage. Gawain hopes to show her that her ancestry does not define her, and that she is more than her uncle's legacy.
Ki Seong: Daughter of the Neighponese ambassador to the Empire of Gryphus, Ki Seong has spent the past several years living in a nation far from the land of her birth, and, much like her father, is committed to being a shining example of Neighpon and conducting herself in an honorable manner at all times. That being said, Gawain suspects she enjoys the opportunity to "let her hair down" amongst others of similarly elevated status, where she will not have to worry as much about what others think of her.
Sebastian Rainfeather: A quiet and somewhat socially awkward young Gryph, Sebastian is an avowed scholar and the heir to the noble house of Rainfeather. Due to his somewhat sheltered upbringing, he, like Gawain, has struggled to make friends, something that Gawain seeks to remedy. For his part, the young Rainfeather is simply glad to have a chess partner his own age who can keep up with him.
Hoofbeard: A former slave turned Pirate Captain, now a respected and influential figure amongst the inhabitants of the island nation of Libertalia. He has agreed to help you and your people, seeing in you a chance to improve Libertalia and stick it to Maretonia's slaveholding class.
King Rutherford: The charismatic Yak responsible for the unification of the numerous Yak clans into a singular, unified Kingdom. From what you've heard, he is exactly what you'd expect a Yak King to be like.
Wonder how the stalemate down south is going. Someones going to have to make a move eventually and we still need to talk to canterbury about that flower we found.
Hmmm...
The whole "Canterburry had a pride complex before our contact" does give some disturbing credence to the possibility that they poisoned Mareia after all.
If you think the other people as uncivilized savages, then you might start seeing them not worth any honor.
Hmmm...
The whole "Canterburry had a pride complex before our contact" does give some disturbing credence to the possibility that they poisoned Mareia after all.
If you think the other people as uncivilized savages, then you might start seeing them not worth any honor.
While that´s a distinct if very evil possibility, by the point Mareia died Canterbury had already known us for a bit and therefore their humbling would have been well underway, which should have put things into perspective.
While that´s a distinct if very evil possibility, by the point Mareia died Canterbury had already known us for a bit and therefore their humbling would have been well underway, which should have put things into perspective.
Like they set the events in motion that she would be killed (possibly by supplying a person which hated maretonia or the queen with the poison and a few key words) and by the time they met us the events could not be stopped.
Like they set the events in motion that she would be killed (possibly by supplying a person which hated maretonia or the queen with the poison and a few key words) and by the time they met us the events could not be stopped.
Fair enough, although I´d really prefer if Canterbury were blameless of what happened entirely...Somthing in me just doesn´t want them to be antagonists to us.
Fair enough, although I´d really prefer if Canterbury were blameless of what happened entirely...Somthing in me just doesn´t want them to be antagonists to us.
Maretonia's civil war doesn't damage us directly, and maybe they foresaw that the abolitionists would be the winners of the conflict (or just didn't know there WERE abolitionists at all)
Maretonia's civil war doesn't damage us directly, and maybe they foresaw that the abolitionists would be the winners of the conflict (or just didn't know there WERE abolitionists at all)
Maybe not make them explicitly antagonistic towards us, but us discovering that a nation that carried itself with an air of civility and chivalry just went and assassinated the ruler of a "barbaric" other nation would definitely sour relationships and make things tense for a while.
its unique and awesome and I love every single post of it! 
