Who Needs Harmony?: An MLP Empire Quest
- Thread starter Questor
- Start date
- Location
- Maryland
Another great addition with another +10 to a roll.
@Questor
I will put my 2 +15s on the Gynes action, though I would prefer if it would be swapped if anyone with a +20 or two would decide to offer using their bonuses on it.
Edit:These are the Omake bonuses I want to use.
I will put my 2 +15s on the Gynes action, though I would prefer if it would be swapped if anyone with a +20 or two would decide to offer using their bonuses on it.
Edit:These are the Omake bonuses I want to use.
Last edited:
- Location
- Italy
You need to tell him the name of the omakes so that he can remove them from the bonuses list.
Still @Questor I really think you should just start using the bonuses without asking.
...or, maybe you could automatically use the +10, but ask for the 15 and 20?
- Location
- Washington
There should def be a time limit on how long you can hold on a bonus. I mean, if I just hoarded my +10 for months I think it would be fair game for Questor to just go "Okay, You aren't using it so I will."
As it is, people holding onto their bonuses are like this:
As it is, people holding onto their bonuses are like this:
Omake: The Imperial Spangled Banner
Hey @Questor got a griffin national anthem for you
The Emperor Spangled Banner
Oh say can you see, By the Dawn early light,
Who so proudly we all hail at the twilight last gleaming,
Whose broad power and help us through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our Emperor was still there;
O say does that mighty Griffin banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
The Emperor Spangled Banner
Oh say can you see, By the Dawn early light,
Who so proudly we all hail at the twilight last gleaming,
Whose broad power and help us through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our Emperor was still there;
O say does that mighty Griffin banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Turn 29 Results
- Location
- Maryland
Martial: Redbeak's been read into the small but growing number of people aware of the Changeling Conspiracy in Canterbury. As the head of your military, it's important for him to be aware of any potential threats, even one as unconventional as Phalanx. Even without that new potential problem, the developing situations in Maretonia and the Emerald Isles both have him on edge as he anticipates the Empire being drawn into conflict. Still , he is at least proactive with his worries, pushing the soldiers and knights of the Imperial Army to train and drill harder than ever in preparation for war.
-The Black Watch: Ever since you'd first discovered the miraculous material, the idea of cladding your knights in Orichalcum Armor has tantalized you. Alas, the obstacles to making that dream a reality are as significant as they are obvious. It would actually be cheaper to build suits of solid gold than it would be to armor your knights in pure Orichalcum. But that hasn't stopped your daydreaming, and between the recently developed Black Steel alloy, the sudden influx of imported Orichalcum from YakYakistan, and the booming status of your national economy, you've dared to reconsider the possibility. Of course, even with all those factors in favor, you can't afford to create more than a handful of suits. Hardbeak has proposed a solution: a small gathering of elite veteran knights, seconded from every order to serve in a special formation for a certain period of time. It will doubtless be a small unit...a few dozen at most. But equipped with black steel armor and weapons...they would doubtless be a powerful force wherever they would be deployed. Cost: 2500. Time: One Year. Reward: Blackwatch Established.
"Amongst a hundred souls, there may be none fit for the title of Knight. Amongst a hundred knights, there may be one fit for the Black Watch."
-Konrad Hardbeak
Hardbeak's proposal, though expensive, was deemed too good an idea to dismiss. You empty your coffers, arrange for an extra shipment of Orichalcum Ore from YakYakistan, and task Redbeak with personally overseeing the forging of more than two dozen suits of Black Steel Armor and accompanying weapons and equipment as Hardbeak begins the process of vetting and selecting the soldiers that will make up this unique order. Only the most experienced Knights are considered, battle-hardened veterans from the Inner Circles of the eldest orders. After many months examining records and conducting personal interviews with the prospective members and their comrades, Hardbeak finally narrows down his choices to two dozen Griffons; the finest examples of martial skill in your Empire.
For a force this small, no Citadel is needed. Instead, this new breed of Knights in their pitch black armor take up residence amongst the guards of the Imperial Palace, Hardbeak reprising his role as your bodyguard as he takes up the mantle of Watch-Commander. One would think that the strain of juggling the duties of his new position and Grandmaster would be too great, but the Hero of the Empire proves himself as adept at navigating bureaucracy as he is at maneuvering upon the battlefield. Your Empire now has another vaunted Institution dedicated to its defense, and you now have another weapon to deploy against its enemies. Black Watch Created and Armed with Black-Steel Armor and Weapons.
-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: 400. Time: One Year. 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.
It's been many years since the infamous expedition into what is now the Crystal Protectorate, yet the shadow of that ill-fated mission still hangs over any discussion of another journey beyond the edges of the known world. The risk of poking a sleeping dragon (either metaphorical or literal) was very much present in your mind whenever you considered the possibility of launching another. But one need only look to the events of the past few years to find justifications for such a journey. The struggles with Libertalian Pirates, your people's firsthand experiences with the Maretonian slave trade, even the newly revealed Changeling Hive beneath Canterbury...it has become clear to you that forewarned is forearmed, and you are not content to have your people cower behind their walls in fear of what might lurk within the unexplored corners of the world. And besides, the existence of Neighpon, the Emerald Isles and the Minotaur Republics has proven that not all that is unknown is bad.
It is thoughts such as these that drive you to commission another expedition, this time towards the Far West, beyond the borders of YakYakistan. Dozens of volunteers are sought out from the ranks of the diplomatic service, survey corps, and, out of an abundance of caution, the Imperial Army. These brave souls garb themselves in heavy clothing, load their carts down with dried rations, firewood, and winterized gear, heft their handful of weapons, and after giving a solemn farewell to their friends and loved ones, cross the Black Cliffs over the border into YakYakistan. King Rutherford gives his approval for the expedition to cross through his lands, albeit under armed escort, and after only a few days swift travel through the frozen steppe, the brave explorers send their final status update via Yak courier before journeying into the wild unknown. You and the rest of the Empire hold your collective breathes as you await their return, and word of what strange new lands and peoples they may encounter.
To be Continued in Exploration Interlude.
Diplomacy: Gisa doesn't know about the Changeling Conspiracy. Not yet. If it becomes necessary you'll tell her, but for now you're content to let her negotiate with Canterbury as she would any other sovereign nation. There's less chance of tipping off Phalanx this way. Besides, between the crisis in the Emerald Isles and the normal day to day operations of the diplomatic service, you think she has enough on her plate for now.
-Caribou Crop-Sharing: Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Caribou breed Sugar Beets, Trade Relations with Olenian Kingdoms established.
A flurry of letters from Olenia pass over your desk this year, both from the Imperial scholars you had dispatched last year and from their Caribou hosts. It seems that your mad scheme intended to provide the Caribou with a good worth trading has borne fruit...if beets can be considered a fruit. The first harvests early in the year prove the viability of the concept, as bulbs are extracted from the hard, cold earth of the foreign continent, reassuring you that the idea is indeed possible. Attempts to selectively breed the varying strains for hardiness and increased sucrose content begin in earnest, attracting much attention from the native Caribou, who soon begin to adopt the new crop out of curiosity. There are few strains of edible plants that can thrive in the cold north, and many farmers are eager to plant a crop from overseas purely for the novelty of it.
Of course, once the second and third generation plants come out with even higher concentrations of sugar, prompting interest from Imperial, Neighponese, and even a few Minotaur traders seeking to get in on the ground floor of what seems to be an exciting new venture...well, it seems like every Caribou with a plot of land and a spade is now attempting to grow the new cash crop. By the end of the year, trade between the Empire and the varied petty kingdoms of Olenia, once infrequent, has become more regular and profitable for all involved. All thanks to a mad idea and the new sugar beets. +100 Caribou Trade Income, New Options Unlocked.
-Qilin and Caribou: The situation in the Emerald Isles is tense, and no one is entirely sure what to expect going forward. There haven't been any further raids or vikinger activity since the Labsfarne incident, but many fear that this is the calm before a storm. You believe it's in your best interest to prevent Neighpon and Olenia from coming to blows with each other or allowing the situation to escalate. With that in mind, Gisa has proposed leveraging Gryphus' status as a relatively neutral third party to bridge the gap between the leadership of both sides and hopefully prevent the situation from deteriorating. Of course, this is assuming that both sides agree to your proposal...and are willing to speak to each other in the first place. Cost: 600. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic Intervention in regards to the Emerald Isles, reduced chance of further tensions or an escalation of hostility. Chance of Success: 55%
Required: 45. Rolled: 52+18+10 (Batponies Omake)=80
Gisa wastes no time dispatching a series of letters to your embassy in Neighpon and to the numerous Dukes and Kings of Olenia, calling for peace and playing up the role of a concerned neighbor. Between your already well established relationship with the Neighponese and the inroads recently made with the sugar beets initiative, both parties prove willing to listen, if reluctantly. At first your diplomats merely serve as intermediaries for messages between the Qilin and Caribou leadership, a task that reminds many a diplomat of the juvenile "they told me to tell you" social maneuvering of their adolescence. But eventually this secondhand dialogue gives way to actual meetings between diplomats and negotiators, allowing for some real progress to be made.
In the meetings that Gisa and her staff sit in on, a great deal of important information regarding the Caribou comes to light. As you had suspected, the vikingers which had frequently raided the Emerald Isles were largely minor nobles, displaced by the growing centralization of power within Olenia. The Dukes and Petty Kings had preferred to point these potential warlords and rivals for power at foreign shores rather than court instability at home. Combined with the limited sources of lumber and ore and the notoriously harsh climate, and raiding foreign shores was the best way to acquire valuable goods that were scarce in Olenia.
To your alarm, several of the more influential vikingers had been petitioning for more official military support from the actual Kings and Dukes, though few had been willing to even contemplate giving it. The curb-stomp delivered against the Caribou fleet by a Neighponese patrol group had raised obvious concerns, and forced more than one former raider to reconsider his career. Still, a few had at least put up the pretense of considering such a thing, so it's a good thing you and Gisa took steps to prevent them from going through with it.
As the end of the year approaches and the negotiations come to a close, Gisa tells you that she thinks actual, regularized relations may be forming between the two groups, something that should hopefully prevent further drama. Though what you and your advisors have learned from this experience has given you a few ideas to ensure this particular issue doesn't crop up again.
Escalation of Tensions Nipped in the Bud, Tentative Diplomatic Relations between Olenia and Neighpon Established, New Actions Unlocked.
-Libertalian Developmental Aid: You're a bit ashamed to admit that, between Maretonia, Canterbury and the Emerald Isles, you've somewhat forgotten about Libertalia. The small island nation, once a veritable pirate's republic, has been undergoing a dramatic shift to a more traditional economy thanks to Imperial investors. The captains and crime bosses who govern the place, while not thrilled with the abandonment of their previous ways of living, have adapted remarkably well, many setting themselves up as succesful entrepreneurs with the same vigor that drove them to become entrepid seafarers. Hoofbeard in particular has become equally renowned for his business savvy and negotiation skills as he has for his nautical escapades. Gisa believes that, with further support and assistance from the Empire, Libertalia could become a profitable trading partner and ally...perhaps even a protectorate at some point in the future. Of course, that belief rests on many assumptions, chief among them that the Council of Captains will accept such offers of help. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Libertalia fully abandons its previous reliance on Piracy, Increased Trade Income, New Actions Unlocked. Chance of Success: 60%
Required: 40. Rolled: 23+18+10(Spies, Lies and Apple Pie Omake)+10(Total War Disharmony:Equestrian Factions Intro)=61
Once again, the Empire seeks to invest in the growing economy of the small island nation of Libertalia. Once again, it's leadership is skeptical and wary. And, once again, the possibility of greater wealth wins out over any sense of nostalgia any of the now former pirates may have once had, as a new class of business owners eagerly take up the offer of more funds and expertise to build their enterprises.
Low and even zero interest loans are made to ponies seeking to build every sort of business, from breweries to steel mills to shipping companies. Imperial bankers and burghers, given the green light by your government, inject their own considerable wealth into the nation, establishing many enterprises of their own. Recent graduates from the Crystal University and other places of higher learning flock to the shores of what many are calling a tropical investors paradise, where the markets are untapped and wealth flows freely.
You don't expect all these new businesses to survive of course. As you yourself can attest from your brief career as a merchant, the market is a fickle thing, and survival of the fittest is a phrase equally applicable to capitalism as it is to evolution. But you do look forward to seeing the state of the former pirate's republic once it realizes there's far more money to be found in the free market than upon the high seas. Will Finish Next Year.
Stewardship: Frida, though hard at work with the installation of Gaslamps and associated infrastructure throughout the Empire, continues to multitask, juggling multiple projects in her unending quest to improve the Imperial Economy.
-Gas Lighting: Cost: 1200. Time: Two Years. Reward: Gas Lamps installed in all major population centers in the Empire, Increased Tax Income due to Increased Productivity and Reduced Crime Rates.
Artificially lighting the streets of the Empire was not a new idea. When the smaller, portable gas lamps of Genevieve's design first became popular amongst the public, several cities and townships enacted legislation requiring all those who owned them to keep their lights burning in the windows of all homes that faced the streets, with noncompliance punishable by a fine. But lighting the streets as a public service, provided by the government? That was a new idea, one that you and Frida put into practice as, in cities throughout Gryphus, coal gas is piped under the streets and through dozens of lampposts to fuel brightly burning lanterns at every street corner and intersection, ensuring that the streets are brightly lit 24 hours a day.
The effect this has on the life of the average citizen cannot be overstated. Shops and restaurants and all other manner of businesses now remain open past sundown, with some even daring to operate at all hours as productivity reaches new heights. With the cover of darkness removed, criminals are less bold, with nocturnal crime rates falling as much as ten percent in some areas, and the term "nightlife" comes into common parlance as young Griffons, Dogs and Ponies take advantage of the new twenty four hour businesses to carouse the nights away. Frida is once again hailed for her part in changing the way people live, and you take a quiet satisfaction in the way tax revenues make a slow but steady uptick. +500 Tax Income.
-Thaumatological Education: The science of magic is poorly understood by the inhabitants of your Empire, and for good reason. Griffons and Diamond Dogs have no magic of their own, and much of the knowledge gathered by the Crystal Ponies was lost when Sombra enslaved their people. This state of affairs was of little concern in the past...but with the growing Hippogriff population and the inevitability of these new magical minorities accessing the arcane abilities of their parents, it is becoming apparent that this lack of magical education cannot stand. Frida has been consulting with Merlin and your other magical experts to devise a curriculum for "gifted" individuals that will allow them to better understand and harness their powers. Of course, such knowledge will need to be disseminated. Frida has a few ideas for that. Cost: 600. Time: One Year. Reward: Magical Education established. Enables future Magic Actions.
Between Merlin, the other Canterburian Mages, and the now Veteran magical advisors from Neighpon, your court has developed a reputation for hosting magical experts. That hoard of expertise is put to use by Frida this year as she gathers up the disparate arcane scholars and hashes out a curriculum for Imperial magic users alongside them. After much debate and discussion and the consumption of copious amounts of tea, the thaumatological think tank produces a comprehensive treatise upon the nature of magic, detailing how one possessing the correct traits may wield it, all in terms simple enough to be understood by any prospective reader. This compendium (simply titled On the Nature of the Arcane) is quickly published and distributed throughout the Empire, where anyone with an inclination to educate themselves may set about acquiring a copy.
This is still not enough for Frida however, and she immediately sets about overseeing the construction and staffing of several specialized educational facilities reserved specifically for the training of future mages. Guided by the advice of Merlin, who has himself overseen the training of countless wizards and spellcasters in the past, these magic schoolhouses incorporate construction techniques designed to maximize safety and minimize the risk of a potentially dangerous miscast. By the end of the year, the first classes of Hippogriff students are inducted into these new halls of learning, where they can truly begin to grasp the potential of their innate abilities.
It's no Imperial College of Magic...but it's a start.
The Empire now possesses a solid foundation upon which to build its own magical tradition.
Learning: While Archimedes, Genevieve, and the Neighponese trio still form the core of your scholarly pursuits, Merlin and his fellow Canterburians are now suspect in light of the recent revelations concerning Queen Phalanx and her hive. You're not sure whether your paranoia is justified, but keeping research efforts compartmentalized for now may be a good idea.
-Prototype Flying Machine: You have the schematics, you have the runes, and now you have a suitable lifting gas. All that's left is to put theory into practice and actually build one of these "airships". Archimedes has cautioned you not to expect much...this Machine is going to be the first of its kind after all, and will likely need to be refined even after after its built, as theory and reality rarely agree with each other. Still, this will bring you one step closer to having a fleet that can sail the skies as well as any navy sails the seas. Cost: 1000. Time: One Year. Reward: First Airship Constructed, New Actions Unlocked.
So many years after you pried that ancient schematic from a dusty chest deep within the Imperial Archives and after much work on the parts of some of the brightest minds in the Empire, work finally begins on a machine that will allow the ground bound to traverse the sky without the aid of wings. A clearing on the outskirts of Gryphus Peak is chosen to be the point of assembly for the airship, and materials are assembled by the train car for its construction by a small army of engineers, scientists, artisans and magic experts summoned from across the Empire and as far away as the Crystal City.
Journalists and sightseers alike flock to the assembly area as the metallic skeleton of what they are told will be the first of many sky ships is put together piece by piece. Weeks pass as enough fabric to clothe a city is purchased and shipped to the field before it is carefully wound about the steel framework, workers measuring and remeasuring to ensure an airtight seal within the cells meant to hold the gas as the gondolas and the pair of steam-driven propeller engines are attached. Then the truly delicate work begins, a handful of Crystal Ponies led by Merlin himself carving and painting dozens of Runes of lightening and fire-proofing into the metal and canvas, the Canterburian Archmage personally inspecting every one to ensure their proper function.
Then, finally, after countless checks and re-checks and inspections, Archimedes personally oversees the inflation of the envelope as vast amounts of hydrogen gas are pumped into the balloon, the gas bags within the massive construction lifting it off the ground, kept tethered to the earth only by numerous ropes and the magical guidance of the rune arrays.
With a final order, Archimedes orders the ropes severed...and the first sky-ship of the Empire takes its first test flight.
Over the course of a few hours, your head researcher guides his creation over the lands of the Empire, taking a flight around Gryphus Peak, before bringing it back in for a landing in the clearing which it had launched from. In the midst of the raucous celebration that follows, Archimedes is swarmed by journalists, nobles, wealthy burghers, and his own staff, each looking to congratulate him and ask questions about his latest and greatest creation. The day after, when the collective hangovers wear off, he'll tell you that while he doesn't think his creation is quite as impressive as everyone else seems to think (being more of a prototype than a final product), he greatly appreciates the recognition, and the fact that you've given him the opportunity to make yet another contribution to history and science is something that he can't thank you enough for. You tell him that no thanks are necessary, and that you look forward to seeing how he can refine such an impressive proof of concept.
Your first Airship...what a time to be alive.
Airship Constructed, New Actions Unlocked.
-Maritime Steam Engines: It wasn't long after the unveiling of the first steam locomotive that someone asked the obvious question of how to apply a similar principle to nautical transportation. There were numerous hurdles to such an idea, but Archimedes has been working for years to continuously refine his creation and make such a thing possible. He believes that, with a little more time and funding, he can allow your ships to sail against the winds and tides. Cost: 700. Time: Two Years. Reward: Progress towards Steam Ships.
Of course, even as he brings an ancient design to life and achieves the long-sought dream of inventors everywhere in the form of non-biological flight, Archimedes is not content to rest upon his laurels, as he immediately sets to work on another revolutionary invention. Though his age has begun to show, your chief engineer and lead researcher sets to his work with an energy missing in Griffons a decade younger than him, whipping his staff into a frenzy of activity as they assemble and inspect numerous prototypes for the first nautical steam engine. As the months go by, design after design is discarded. Too heavy, too complex, too inefficient, too delicate. From an outside perspective, it would appear that little progress is being made, but Archimedes insists that this process of trial and error shall soon achieve its end goal. He just needs a little more time. Will Finish Next Turn.
Intrigue: Publicly, Ravenburg remains focused upon the developing conflict in Maretonia. Privately, the majority of his time and attention is focused upon Canterbury and the recently unearthed conspiracy of Changelings behind it. He seems to disappear into the catacombs beneath the palace to interview Rose every other day in hopes of untangling the web of secrets that Queen Phalanx has constructed for herself, each day uncovering new strands of intrigue and painting an ever more complete picture of the beast you now face.
-Internal Security Reforms: Changelings. Shapeshifters that can take on the appearance of any sapient being and near-perfectly imitate them. Their mere existence constitutes one of the greatest security threats you've ever encountered. For all you know, Queen Phalanx could have agents embedded all throughout your government, even within the halls of the palace itself! Rose assures you that such tactics are not the Queen's way, but that does little to reassure you. You need a way to ensure such infiltration is not happening, and to ensure that it won't if it isn't. Have Ravenburg make it a priority under the guise of security reforms. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: Reduced Risk of Changeling Infiltration and Mundane Espionage.
Ravenburg sets to work. Surprise inspections of several Imperial institutions and offices of bureaucracy are made as records are closely audited and key personnel are subjected to interviews that are almost akin to interrogations as they are subtly exposed to Orichalcum without their knowledge. Departments are reorganized and entirely new supervisory bodies are created as background checks become mandatory for anyone pursuing or seeking a career within the higher echelons of government, be it as a tax collector, a military officer or a servant within the Imperial Palace.
Naturally, such actions do not go unnoticed, and speculation abounds as to the reason behind such measures, but Ravenburg is prepared. His most trusted agents, already personally verified by him, spread rumors of acts of embezzlement and corruption coming to light as a result of such sweeps. You're a bit disappointed to find that there is actually some truth to these rumors, as more than one Griffon in a position of authority is found to have skimmed from their budget or solicited bribes from Imperial Citizens. Still, the culprits make for good scapegoats, and the public vilification of such lawbreakers does much to draw attention away from the security sweeps that discovered them.
By the end of the year, Ravenburg is pleased to report that there are no Changelings anywhere within the government, and the new security measures put into place should ensure that they stay out. Of course, this doesn't mean that the shapeshifters are not hiding amongst the general public...but short of turning the Empire into a totalitarian police state, there's nothing anyone can do about that. You no longer have to worry about an infiltrator changing your chambers or poisoning your soup, and that's good enough for you. Imperial Palace and Bureaucracy Verified Changeling Free, New Security Measures Implemented.
-Searching for Gynes: Rose is a Gyne, a sort of Proto-Queen amongst Changelings, under constant suspicion due to her potential. And she's not the only one. There are at least half a dozen Gynes at any one time, despite Queen Phalanx's attempts to keep their numbers down. And they're usually kept far from the hive on long-term infiltration missions which they rarely return from. A whole group of Changelings with good reason to despise Queen Phalanx, who wont be missed, out and about and ready to be subverted or recruited. All you have to do now is find them. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: More Changelings On your Side. Chance of Success: 30%
Required: 70. Rolled: 28+13+15(Total War Disharmony: Elements of Harmony Omake)+15(Total War: Disharmony Legacy Edition Factions)=71
It is a very near thing, as Ravenburg, with Rose's assistance, investigates every rumor of anything that might potentially point to another Changeling somewhere within your Empire, or, with the aid of his most trusted agents, beyond it. Month after month is spent chasing dead ends and fruitless leads, the need for utmost secrecy compounding the difficulty of the already nearly impossible task. Ravenburg is almost set to give up when Rose pulls off a miracle and almost literally stumbles upon one of her fellow infiltrators in the Crystal City.
Her name is Ruby...or at least, that was the alias she was operating under when Rose and Ravenburg found her. Well, found may not be the most accurate phrase...the would be infiltrator had tripped on a poorly placed cobblestone and bumped right into her "sister" while she and your spymaster had been wandering the streets of the Protectorate Capital. Thankfully Rose was quick on the draw, swiftly recognizing her for what she was and quickly hustling her off of the street.
At first, Ruby had thought that Queen Phalanx had sent another Changeling to to retrieve her... or kill her, even she didn't seem too sure which to expect. She was quite surprised when Rose revealed herself to be a fellow Gyne and a defector currently working for Imperial Intelligence. Although initially reluctant to accept the offer of slightly more honest employment, the fact that she had anticipated an assassination attempt by her Queen against her was all one needed to know to predict her final answer. Ravenburg arranges for a series of dead drops and covert couriers to collect any intelligence your newest asset may be able to share, and shortly after Ruby is recalled back to the Hive for deployment elsewhere in the world, the first of many coded messages passes through the underground pipeline.
You now have a being on the inside within the Changeling Hive itself. Let's hope she can keep her cover there better than she did in the protectorate. Gyne Recruited. New Options Unlocked.
Piety: The revelation of the true nature of the Church of the Lady of the Lake has brought new relevance to the issue of faith in your Empire.
-A Sacred Stone: The Yaks' shamanistic beliefs have little need for temples, shrines, or more conventional sites of worship. Instead they mark sites of spiritual significance via raised stones or boulders with intricately carved inscriptions and artwork dedicated to their gods. While the followers of Yak Shamanism within your borders could simply pick a stone and carve an inscription into it themselves, they have deemed such an approach insufficient for the first Runestone to be placed in the Empire, and have attempted to contract the famous Shaman Brod the Wise to create the inscription. There's just one problem: Brod the Wise has left his self-imposed exile from his mountaintop home exactly three times in the past thirty years. Once to confirm the disappearance of Discord, once to give a prophecy concerning the coming of Sombra, and most recently to legitimize the reign of King Rutherford as a worthy ruler of Yak-kind. To say that it's unlikely he'll agree to travel beyond the borders of Yakyakistan to simply carve some runes in a rock is perhaps the understatement of the year. Still...if he were to receive a letter requesting his presence from a foreign Emperor, one that has done so much to help his people...well, he'd be much less likely to refuse then wouldn't he? Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Brod the Wise carves the first Yakyakistani Runestone for the Empire.
Several years after their proposal first crosses your desk, you finally decide to act on the petition made by the only Yak in the Council of Faiths...come to think of it, he may be the only Yak to attend the Imperial Court with any regularity...regardless, you decide that you've been showing a bit of undue favoritism to the more "homegrown" religions in your Empire, and if all you need to do to make the Yaks happy is write a letter, well then you'll write a letter.
While Brod the Wise has chosen to sequester himself within one of the most remote corners of YakYakistan, he is not beyond the reach of the Imperial courier service. The letter itself is nothing special, neither forceful nor prosaic in tone, but it is a letter from an Emperor, and thus carries a great deal of weight. Sure enough, Brod the Wise departs his mountaintop home and journeys to the Imperial heartland, where Yaks, Griffins and Dogs alike gather to see the fabled elder shaman carve a block of granite into a proper totem of his faith.
The result is...well, it's not quite what you were expecting from all the hubbub, but it is the first Rune Stone the Empire has ever been host to, and the fact that it was carved by such a distinguished figure has earned it more than a fair share of prestige and attention from people across Gryphus. The Shamanists are certainly happy with how the whole thing turned out, and they're even more happy with the new converts all the free publicity has brought them. It may not be as impressive as a full-blown temple, but if it works, it works. First Imperial Runestone Carved, +.5 YakYakistani Shamanism Influence.
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day.
-Confronting Merlin: The revelation of the Changeling Conspiracy is compounded by the presence of several powerful Canterburian Mages within your court. Rose has assured you that they aren't Changelings, but that doesn't mean you can trust them. Merlin in particular is suspect. You find it hard to believe that someone of his talents and intellect could have failed to notice something amiss in the Kingdom of Canterbury. You need to verify their trustworthiness. Preferably without showing your hand. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: ???
To Be Continued in "Etymology and Thaumatology".
-Princess Passion Project: Gilda has been feeling a bit out of sorts lately. While you and the rest of your family make an effort to make time for each other at both your and Gabriella's insistence, the fact of the matter is you all have your own duties, responsibilities and personal projects...except her. Gleaming has her crystals, Gawain has his Diplomatic Posting, and Gwyndlyn has her Garden, but Gilda doesn't really have any hobbies of her own, despite trying her talon at all of her sibling's pastimes. Maybe you can help her out and try to give her some direction. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Gilda gains a hobby, with a chance to gain a trait or stat boost.
Gilda, like her siblings before her, is in dire need of a hobby to occupy her time. While she has tried her hand at each of her sibling's interests, it is clear that she does not share their enthusiasm for the same topics that they do. It seems it shall fall to you to introduce her to a subject that may just catch her interest. But which to choose?
[ ] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
[ ] Hunting: She shall be taught how to engage in the traditional pastime of Griffon Nobility, hunting the many beasts and creatures that inhabit the Empire's vast forests. Your own recent retreat with the Grand Duke and your Father-In-Law has certainly illustrated it's value as a social activity, and you're sure she'd appreciate the chance to spend some time in the great outdoors.
[ ] Scholasticism: The Imperial Palace houses one of the largest libraries in the Empire, and is host to the Imperial Archives besides. Gilda has not yet expressed the same love of the written word in the same way her sibling's have, but in your experience it's never too late to learn the value of a good book.
Getting to Know You More: Sebastian's Innovations: Sebastian Rainfeather, one of your son's closest friends, seems determined to become the next Archimedes. The young Griffon has been spending a great deal of time cooped up in his "laboratory" (the basement of his family's manor) in hopes of creating something novel and useful enough to impress Archimedes, Genevieve and the rest of the Empire. Gawain has recently received a letter from his scholarly friend, politely inviting him to stop by his home at his earliest convenience. You wonder what the aspiring inventor wishes to show him?
To be Continued in "Scientific Progress Goes Boink"
Carracks Constructed This Turn: 2
Random Event Rolls
(21) Fail, to be Continued in Rumor Mill
(56) Pass
(30) Bare Pass
(65) Pass
-The Black Watch: Ever since you'd first discovered the miraculous material, the idea of cladding your knights in Orichalcum Armor has tantalized you. Alas, the obstacles to making that dream a reality are as significant as they are obvious. It would actually be cheaper to build suits of solid gold than it would be to armor your knights in pure Orichalcum. But that hasn't stopped your daydreaming, and between the recently developed Black Steel alloy, the sudden influx of imported Orichalcum from YakYakistan, and the booming status of your national economy, you've dared to reconsider the possibility. Of course, even with all those factors in favor, you can't afford to create more than a handful of suits. Hardbeak has proposed a solution: a small gathering of elite veteran knights, seconded from every order to serve in a special formation for a certain period of time. It will doubtless be a small unit...a few dozen at most. But equipped with black steel armor and weapons...they would doubtless be a powerful force wherever they would be deployed. Cost: 2500. Time: One Year. Reward: Blackwatch Established.
"Amongst a hundred souls, there may be none fit for the title of Knight. Amongst a hundred knights, there may be one fit for the Black Watch."
-Konrad Hardbeak
Hardbeak's proposal, though expensive, was deemed too good an idea to dismiss. You empty your coffers, arrange for an extra shipment of Orichalcum Ore from YakYakistan, and task Redbeak with personally overseeing the forging of more than two dozen suits of Black Steel Armor and accompanying weapons and equipment as Hardbeak begins the process of vetting and selecting the soldiers that will make up this unique order. Only the most experienced Knights are considered, battle-hardened veterans from the Inner Circles of the eldest orders. After many months examining records and conducting personal interviews with the prospective members and their comrades, Hardbeak finally narrows down his choices to two dozen Griffons; the finest examples of martial skill in your Empire.
For a force this small, no Citadel is needed. Instead, this new breed of Knights in their pitch black armor take up residence amongst the guards of the Imperial Palace, Hardbeak reprising his role as your bodyguard as he takes up the mantle of Watch-Commander. One would think that the strain of juggling the duties of his new position and Grandmaster would be too great, but the Hero of the Empire proves himself as adept at navigating bureaucracy as he is at maneuvering upon the battlefield. Your Empire now has another vaunted Institution dedicated to its defense, and you now have another weapon to deploy against its enemies. Black Watch Created and Armed with Black-Steel Armor and Weapons.
-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: 400. Time: One Year. 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.
It's been many years since the infamous expedition into what is now the Crystal Protectorate, yet the shadow of that ill-fated mission still hangs over any discussion of another journey beyond the edges of the known world. The risk of poking a sleeping dragon (either metaphorical or literal) was very much present in your mind whenever you considered the possibility of launching another. But one need only look to the events of the past few years to find justifications for such a journey. The struggles with Libertalian Pirates, your people's firsthand experiences with the Maretonian slave trade, even the newly revealed Changeling Hive beneath Canterbury...it has become clear to you that forewarned is forearmed, and you are not content to have your people cower behind their walls in fear of what might lurk within the unexplored corners of the world. And besides, the existence of Neighpon, the Emerald Isles and the Minotaur Republics has proven that not all that is unknown is bad.
It is thoughts such as these that drive you to commission another expedition, this time towards the Far West, beyond the borders of YakYakistan. Dozens of volunteers are sought out from the ranks of the diplomatic service, survey corps, and, out of an abundance of caution, the Imperial Army. These brave souls garb themselves in heavy clothing, load their carts down with dried rations, firewood, and winterized gear, heft their handful of weapons, and after giving a solemn farewell to their friends and loved ones, cross the Black Cliffs over the border into YakYakistan. King Rutherford gives his approval for the expedition to cross through his lands, albeit under armed escort, and after only a few days swift travel through the frozen steppe, the brave explorers send their final status update via Yak courier before journeying into the wild unknown. You and the rest of the Empire hold your collective breathes as you await their return, and word of what strange new lands and peoples they may encounter.
To be Continued in Exploration Interlude.
Diplomacy: Gisa doesn't know about the Changeling Conspiracy. Not yet. If it becomes necessary you'll tell her, but for now you're content to let her negotiate with Canterbury as she would any other sovereign nation. There's less chance of tipping off Phalanx this way. Besides, between the crisis in the Emerald Isles and the normal day to day operations of the diplomatic service, you think she has enough on her plate for now.
-Caribou Crop-Sharing: Cost: 400. Time: Two Years. Reward: Caribou breed Sugar Beets, Trade Relations with Olenian Kingdoms established.
A flurry of letters from Olenia pass over your desk this year, both from the Imperial scholars you had dispatched last year and from their Caribou hosts. It seems that your mad scheme intended to provide the Caribou with a good worth trading has borne fruit...if beets can be considered a fruit. The first harvests early in the year prove the viability of the concept, as bulbs are extracted from the hard, cold earth of the foreign continent, reassuring you that the idea is indeed possible. Attempts to selectively breed the varying strains for hardiness and increased sucrose content begin in earnest, attracting much attention from the native Caribou, who soon begin to adopt the new crop out of curiosity. There are few strains of edible plants that can thrive in the cold north, and many farmers are eager to plant a crop from overseas purely for the novelty of it.
Of course, once the second and third generation plants come out with even higher concentrations of sugar, prompting interest from Imperial, Neighponese, and even a few Minotaur traders seeking to get in on the ground floor of what seems to be an exciting new venture...well, it seems like every Caribou with a plot of land and a spade is now attempting to grow the new cash crop. By the end of the year, trade between the Empire and the varied petty kingdoms of Olenia, once infrequent, has become more regular and profitable for all involved. All thanks to a mad idea and the new sugar beets. +100 Caribou Trade Income, New Options Unlocked.
-Qilin and Caribou: The situation in the Emerald Isles is tense, and no one is entirely sure what to expect going forward. There haven't been any further raids or vikinger activity since the Labsfarne incident, but many fear that this is the calm before a storm. You believe it's in your best interest to prevent Neighpon and Olenia from coming to blows with each other or allowing the situation to escalate. With that in mind, Gisa has proposed leveraging Gryphus' status as a relatively neutral third party to bridge the gap between the leadership of both sides and hopefully prevent the situation from deteriorating. Of course, this is assuming that both sides agree to your proposal...and are willing to speak to each other in the first place. Cost: 600. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic Intervention in regards to the Emerald Isles, reduced chance of further tensions or an escalation of hostility. Chance of Success: 55%
Required: 45. Rolled: 52+18+10 (Batponies Omake)=80
Gisa wastes no time dispatching a series of letters to your embassy in Neighpon and to the numerous Dukes and Kings of Olenia, calling for peace and playing up the role of a concerned neighbor. Between your already well established relationship with the Neighponese and the inroads recently made with the sugar beets initiative, both parties prove willing to listen, if reluctantly. At first your diplomats merely serve as intermediaries for messages between the Qilin and Caribou leadership, a task that reminds many a diplomat of the juvenile "they told me to tell you" social maneuvering of their adolescence. But eventually this secondhand dialogue gives way to actual meetings between diplomats and negotiators, allowing for some real progress to be made.
In the meetings that Gisa and her staff sit in on, a great deal of important information regarding the Caribou comes to light. As you had suspected, the vikingers which had frequently raided the Emerald Isles were largely minor nobles, displaced by the growing centralization of power within Olenia. The Dukes and Petty Kings had preferred to point these potential warlords and rivals for power at foreign shores rather than court instability at home. Combined with the limited sources of lumber and ore and the notoriously harsh climate, and raiding foreign shores was the best way to acquire valuable goods that were scarce in Olenia.
To your alarm, several of the more influential vikingers had been petitioning for more official military support from the actual Kings and Dukes, though few had been willing to even contemplate giving it. The curb-stomp delivered against the Caribou fleet by a Neighponese patrol group had raised obvious concerns, and forced more than one former raider to reconsider his career. Still, a few had at least put up the pretense of considering such a thing, so it's a good thing you and Gisa took steps to prevent them from going through with it.
As the end of the year approaches and the negotiations come to a close, Gisa tells you that she thinks actual, regularized relations may be forming between the two groups, something that should hopefully prevent further drama. Though what you and your advisors have learned from this experience has given you a few ideas to ensure this particular issue doesn't crop up again.
Escalation of Tensions Nipped in the Bud, Tentative Diplomatic Relations between Olenia and Neighpon Established, New Actions Unlocked.
-Libertalian Developmental Aid: You're a bit ashamed to admit that, between Maretonia, Canterbury and the Emerald Isles, you've somewhat forgotten about Libertalia. The small island nation, once a veritable pirate's republic, has been undergoing a dramatic shift to a more traditional economy thanks to Imperial investors. The captains and crime bosses who govern the place, while not thrilled with the abandonment of their previous ways of living, have adapted remarkably well, many setting themselves up as succesful entrepreneurs with the same vigor that drove them to become entrepid seafarers. Hoofbeard in particular has become equally renowned for his business savvy and negotiation skills as he has for his nautical escapades. Gisa believes that, with further support and assistance from the Empire, Libertalia could become a profitable trading partner and ally...perhaps even a protectorate at some point in the future. Of course, that belief rests on many assumptions, chief among them that the Council of Captains will accept such offers of help. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Libertalia fully abandons its previous reliance on Piracy, Increased Trade Income, New Actions Unlocked. Chance of Success: 60%
Required: 40. Rolled: 23+18+10(Spies, Lies and Apple Pie Omake)+10(Total War Disharmony:Equestrian Factions Intro)=61
Once again, the Empire seeks to invest in the growing economy of the small island nation of Libertalia. Once again, it's leadership is skeptical and wary. And, once again, the possibility of greater wealth wins out over any sense of nostalgia any of the now former pirates may have once had, as a new class of business owners eagerly take up the offer of more funds and expertise to build their enterprises.
Low and even zero interest loans are made to ponies seeking to build every sort of business, from breweries to steel mills to shipping companies. Imperial bankers and burghers, given the green light by your government, inject their own considerable wealth into the nation, establishing many enterprises of their own. Recent graduates from the Crystal University and other places of higher learning flock to the shores of what many are calling a tropical investors paradise, where the markets are untapped and wealth flows freely.
You don't expect all these new businesses to survive of course. As you yourself can attest from your brief career as a merchant, the market is a fickle thing, and survival of the fittest is a phrase equally applicable to capitalism as it is to evolution. But you do look forward to seeing the state of the former pirate's republic once it realizes there's far more money to be found in the free market than upon the high seas. Will Finish Next Year.
Stewardship: Frida, though hard at work with the installation of Gaslamps and associated infrastructure throughout the Empire, continues to multitask, juggling multiple projects in her unending quest to improve the Imperial Economy.
-Gas Lighting: Cost: 1200. Time: Two Years. Reward: Gas Lamps installed in all major population centers in the Empire, Increased Tax Income due to Increased Productivity and Reduced Crime Rates.
Artificially lighting the streets of the Empire was not a new idea. When the smaller, portable gas lamps of Genevieve's design first became popular amongst the public, several cities and townships enacted legislation requiring all those who owned them to keep their lights burning in the windows of all homes that faced the streets, with noncompliance punishable by a fine. But lighting the streets as a public service, provided by the government? That was a new idea, one that you and Frida put into practice as, in cities throughout Gryphus, coal gas is piped under the streets and through dozens of lampposts to fuel brightly burning lanterns at every street corner and intersection, ensuring that the streets are brightly lit 24 hours a day.
The effect this has on the life of the average citizen cannot be overstated. Shops and restaurants and all other manner of businesses now remain open past sundown, with some even daring to operate at all hours as productivity reaches new heights. With the cover of darkness removed, criminals are less bold, with nocturnal crime rates falling as much as ten percent in some areas, and the term "nightlife" comes into common parlance as young Griffons, Dogs and Ponies take advantage of the new twenty four hour businesses to carouse the nights away. Frida is once again hailed for her part in changing the way people live, and you take a quiet satisfaction in the way tax revenues make a slow but steady uptick. +500 Tax Income.
-Thaumatological Education: The science of magic is poorly understood by the inhabitants of your Empire, and for good reason. Griffons and Diamond Dogs have no magic of their own, and much of the knowledge gathered by the Crystal Ponies was lost when Sombra enslaved their people. This state of affairs was of little concern in the past...but with the growing Hippogriff population and the inevitability of these new magical minorities accessing the arcane abilities of their parents, it is becoming apparent that this lack of magical education cannot stand. Frida has been consulting with Merlin and your other magical experts to devise a curriculum for "gifted" individuals that will allow them to better understand and harness their powers. Of course, such knowledge will need to be disseminated. Frida has a few ideas for that. Cost: 600. Time: One Year. Reward: Magical Education established. Enables future Magic Actions.
Between Merlin, the other Canterburian Mages, and the now Veteran magical advisors from Neighpon, your court has developed a reputation for hosting magical experts. That hoard of expertise is put to use by Frida this year as she gathers up the disparate arcane scholars and hashes out a curriculum for Imperial magic users alongside them. After much debate and discussion and the consumption of copious amounts of tea, the thaumatological think tank produces a comprehensive treatise upon the nature of magic, detailing how one possessing the correct traits may wield it, all in terms simple enough to be understood by any prospective reader. This compendium (simply titled On the Nature of the Arcane) is quickly published and distributed throughout the Empire, where anyone with an inclination to educate themselves may set about acquiring a copy.
This is still not enough for Frida however, and she immediately sets about overseeing the construction and staffing of several specialized educational facilities reserved specifically for the training of future mages. Guided by the advice of Merlin, who has himself overseen the training of countless wizards and spellcasters in the past, these magic schoolhouses incorporate construction techniques designed to maximize safety and minimize the risk of a potentially dangerous miscast. By the end of the year, the first classes of Hippogriff students are inducted into these new halls of learning, where they can truly begin to grasp the potential of their innate abilities.
It's no Imperial College of Magic...but it's a start.
The Empire now possesses a solid foundation upon which to build its own magical tradition.
Learning: While Archimedes, Genevieve, and the Neighponese trio still form the core of your scholarly pursuits, Merlin and his fellow Canterburians are now suspect in light of the recent revelations concerning Queen Phalanx and her hive. You're not sure whether your paranoia is justified, but keeping research efforts compartmentalized for now may be a good idea.
-Prototype Flying Machine: You have the schematics, you have the runes, and now you have a suitable lifting gas. All that's left is to put theory into practice and actually build one of these "airships". Archimedes has cautioned you not to expect much...this Machine is going to be the first of its kind after all, and will likely need to be refined even after after its built, as theory and reality rarely agree with each other. Still, this will bring you one step closer to having a fleet that can sail the skies as well as any navy sails the seas. Cost: 1000. Time: One Year. Reward: First Airship Constructed, New Actions Unlocked.
So many years after you pried that ancient schematic from a dusty chest deep within the Imperial Archives and after much work on the parts of some of the brightest minds in the Empire, work finally begins on a machine that will allow the ground bound to traverse the sky without the aid of wings. A clearing on the outskirts of Gryphus Peak is chosen to be the point of assembly for the airship, and materials are assembled by the train car for its construction by a small army of engineers, scientists, artisans and magic experts summoned from across the Empire and as far away as the Crystal City.
Journalists and sightseers alike flock to the assembly area as the metallic skeleton of what they are told will be the first of many sky ships is put together piece by piece. Weeks pass as enough fabric to clothe a city is purchased and shipped to the field before it is carefully wound about the steel framework, workers measuring and remeasuring to ensure an airtight seal within the cells meant to hold the gas as the gondolas and the pair of steam-driven propeller engines are attached. Then the truly delicate work begins, a handful of Crystal Ponies led by Merlin himself carving and painting dozens of Runes of lightening and fire-proofing into the metal and canvas, the Canterburian Archmage personally inspecting every one to ensure their proper function.
Then, finally, after countless checks and re-checks and inspections, Archimedes personally oversees the inflation of the envelope as vast amounts of hydrogen gas are pumped into the balloon, the gas bags within the massive construction lifting it off the ground, kept tethered to the earth only by numerous ropes and the magical guidance of the rune arrays.
With a final order, Archimedes orders the ropes severed...and the first sky-ship of the Empire takes its first test flight.
Over the course of a few hours, your head researcher guides his creation over the lands of the Empire, taking a flight around Gryphus Peak, before bringing it back in for a landing in the clearing which it had launched from. In the midst of the raucous celebration that follows, Archimedes is swarmed by journalists, nobles, wealthy burghers, and his own staff, each looking to congratulate him and ask questions about his latest and greatest creation. The day after, when the collective hangovers wear off, he'll tell you that while he doesn't think his creation is quite as impressive as everyone else seems to think (being more of a prototype than a final product), he greatly appreciates the recognition, and the fact that you've given him the opportunity to make yet another contribution to history and science is something that he can't thank you enough for. You tell him that no thanks are necessary, and that you look forward to seeing how he can refine such an impressive proof of concept.
Your first Airship...what a time to be alive.
Airship Constructed, New Actions Unlocked.
-Maritime Steam Engines: It wasn't long after the unveiling of the first steam locomotive that someone asked the obvious question of how to apply a similar principle to nautical transportation. There were numerous hurdles to such an idea, but Archimedes has been working for years to continuously refine his creation and make such a thing possible. He believes that, with a little more time and funding, he can allow your ships to sail against the winds and tides. Cost: 700. Time: Two Years. Reward: Progress towards Steam Ships.
Of course, even as he brings an ancient design to life and achieves the long-sought dream of inventors everywhere in the form of non-biological flight, Archimedes is not content to rest upon his laurels, as he immediately sets to work on another revolutionary invention. Though his age has begun to show, your chief engineer and lead researcher sets to his work with an energy missing in Griffons a decade younger than him, whipping his staff into a frenzy of activity as they assemble and inspect numerous prototypes for the first nautical steam engine. As the months go by, design after design is discarded. Too heavy, too complex, too inefficient, too delicate. From an outside perspective, it would appear that little progress is being made, but Archimedes insists that this process of trial and error shall soon achieve its end goal. He just needs a little more time. Will Finish Next Turn.
Intrigue: Publicly, Ravenburg remains focused upon the developing conflict in Maretonia. Privately, the majority of his time and attention is focused upon Canterbury and the recently unearthed conspiracy of Changelings behind it. He seems to disappear into the catacombs beneath the palace to interview Rose every other day in hopes of untangling the web of secrets that Queen Phalanx has constructed for herself, each day uncovering new strands of intrigue and painting an ever more complete picture of the beast you now face.
-Internal Security Reforms: Changelings. Shapeshifters that can take on the appearance of any sapient being and near-perfectly imitate them. Their mere existence constitutes one of the greatest security threats you've ever encountered. For all you know, Queen Phalanx could have agents embedded all throughout your government, even within the halls of the palace itself! Rose assures you that such tactics are not the Queen's way, but that does little to reassure you. You need a way to ensure such infiltration is not happening, and to ensure that it won't if it isn't. Have Ravenburg make it a priority under the guise of security reforms. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: Reduced Risk of Changeling Infiltration and Mundane Espionage.
Ravenburg sets to work. Surprise inspections of several Imperial institutions and offices of bureaucracy are made as records are closely audited and key personnel are subjected to interviews that are almost akin to interrogations as they are subtly exposed to Orichalcum without their knowledge. Departments are reorganized and entirely new supervisory bodies are created as background checks become mandatory for anyone pursuing or seeking a career within the higher echelons of government, be it as a tax collector, a military officer or a servant within the Imperial Palace.
Naturally, such actions do not go unnoticed, and speculation abounds as to the reason behind such measures, but Ravenburg is prepared. His most trusted agents, already personally verified by him, spread rumors of acts of embezzlement and corruption coming to light as a result of such sweeps. You're a bit disappointed to find that there is actually some truth to these rumors, as more than one Griffon in a position of authority is found to have skimmed from their budget or solicited bribes from Imperial Citizens. Still, the culprits make for good scapegoats, and the public vilification of such lawbreakers does much to draw attention away from the security sweeps that discovered them.
By the end of the year, Ravenburg is pleased to report that there are no Changelings anywhere within the government, and the new security measures put into place should ensure that they stay out. Of course, this doesn't mean that the shapeshifters are not hiding amongst the general public...but short of turning the Empire into a totalitarian police state, there's nothing anyone can do about that. You no longer have to worry about an infiltrator changing your chambers or poisoning your soup, and that's good enough for you. Imperial Palace and Bureaucracy Verified Changeling Free, New Security Measures Implemented.
-Searching for Gynes: Rose is a Gyne, a sort of Proto-Queen amongst Changelings, under constant suspicion due to her potential. And she's not the only one. There are at least half a dozen Gynes at any one time, despite Queen Phalanx's attempts to keep their numbers down. And they're usually kept far from the hive on long-term infiltration missions which they rarely return from. A whole group of Changelings with good reason to despise Queen Phalanx, who wont be missed, out and about and ready to be subverted or recruited. All you have to do now is find them. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: More Changelings On your Side. Chance of Success: 30%
Required: 70. Rolled: 28+13+15(Total War Disharmony: Elements of Harmony Omake)+15(Total War: Disharmony Legacy Edition Factions)=71
It is a very near thing, as Ravenburg, with Rose's assistance, investigates every rumor of anything that might potentially point to another Changeling somewhere within your Empire, or, with the aid of his most trusted agents, beyond it. Month after month is spent chasing dead ends and fruitless leads, the need for utmost secrecy compounding the difficulty of the already nearly impossible task. Ravenburg is almost set to give up when Rose pulls off a miracle and almost literally stumbles upon one of her fellow infiltrators in the Crystal City.
Her name is Ruby...or at least, that was the alias she was operating under when Rose and Ravenburg found her. Well, found may not be the most accurate phrase...the would be infiltrator had tripped on a poorly placed cobblestone and bumped right into her "sister" while she and your spymaster had been wandering the streets of the Protectorate Capital. Thankfully Rose was quick on the draw, swiftly recognizing her for what she was and quickly hustling her off of the street.
At first, Ruby had thought that Queen Phalanx had sent another Changeling to to retrieve her... or kill her, even she didn't seem too sure which to expect. She was quite surprised when Rose revealed herself to be a fellow Gyne and a defector currently working for Imperial Intelligence. Although initially reluctant to accept the offer of slightly more honest employment, the fact that she had anticipated an assassination attempt by her Queen against her was all one needed to know to predict her final answer. Ravenburg arranges for a series of dead drops and covert couriers to collect any intelligence your newest asset may be able to share, and shortly after Ruby is recalled back to the Hive for deployment elsewhere in the world, the first of many coded messages passes through the underground pipeline.
You now have a being on the inside within the Changeling Hive itself. Let's hope she can keep her cover there better than she did in the protectorate. Gyne Recruited. New Options Unlocked.
Piety: The revelation of the true nature of the Church of the Lady of the Lake has brought new relevance to the issue of faith in your Empire.
-A Sacred Stone: The Yaks' shamanistic beliefs have little need for temples, shrines, or more conventional sites of worship. Instead they mark sites of spiritual significance via raised stones or boulders with intricately carved inscriptions and artwork dedicated to their gods. While the followers of Yak Shamanism within your borders could simply pick a stone and carve an inscription into it themselves, they have deemed such an approach insufficient for the first Runestone to be placed in the Empire, and have attempted to contract the famous Shaman Brod the Wise to create the inscription. There's just one problem: Brod the Wise has left his self-imposed exile from his mountaintop home exactly three times in the past thirty years. Once to confirm the disappearance of Discord, once to give a prophecy concerning the coming of Sombra, and most recently to legitimize the reign of King Rutherford as a worthy ruler of Yak-kind. To say that it's unlikely he'll agree to travel beyond the borders of Yakyakistan to simply carve some runes in a rock is perhaps the understatement of the year. Still...if he were to receive a letter requesting his presence from a foreign Emperor, one that has done so much to help his people...well, he'd be much less likely to refuse then wouldn't he? Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Brod the Wise carves the first Yakyakistani Runestone for the Empire.
Several years after their proposal first crosses your desk, you finally decide to act on the petition made by the only Yak in the Council of Faiths...come to think of it, he may be the only Yak to attend the Imperial Court with any regularity...regardless, you decide that you've been showing a bit of undue favoritism to the more "homegrown" religions in your Empire, and if all you need to do to make the Yaks happy is write a letter, well then you'll write a letter.
While Brod the Wise has chosen to sequester himself within one of the most remote corners of YakYakistan, he is not beyond the reach of the Imperial courier service. The letter itself is nothing special, neither forceful nor prosaic in tone, but it is a letter from an Emperor, and thus carries a great deal of weight. Sure enough, Brod the Wise departs his mountaintop home and journeys to the Imperial heartland, where Yaks, Griffins and Dogs alike gather to see the fabled elder shaman carve a block of granite into a proper totem of his faith.
The result is...well, it's not quite what you were expecting from all the hubbub, but it is the first Rune Stone the Empire has ever been host to, and the fact that it was carved by such a distinguished figure has earned it more than a fair share of prestige and attention from people across Gryphus. The Shamanists are certainly happy with how the whole thing turned out, and they're even more happy with the new converts all the free publicity has brought them. It may not be as impressive as a full-blown temple, but if it works, it works. First Imperial Runestone Carved, +.5 YakYakistani Shamanism Influence.
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day.
-Confronting Merlin: The revelation of the Changeling Conspiracy is compounded by the presence of several powerful Canterburian Mages within your court. Rose has assured you that they aren't Changelings, but that doesn't mean you can trust them. Merlin in particular is suspect. You find it hard to believe that someone of his talents and intellect could have failed to notice something amiss in the Kingdom of Canterbury. You need to verify their trustworthiness. Preferably without showing your hand. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: ???
To Be Continued in "Etymology and Thaumatology".
-Princess Passion Project: Gilda has been feeling a bit out of sorts lately. While you and the rest of your family make an effort to make time for each other at both your and Gabriella's insistence, the fact of the matter is you all have your own duties, responsibilities and personal projects...except her. Gleaming has her crystals, Gawain has his Diplomatic Posting, and Gwyndlyn has her Garden, but Gilda doesn't really have any hobbies of her own, despite trying her talon at all of her sibling's pastimes. Maybe you can help her out and try to give her some direction. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Gilda gains a hobby, with a chance to gain a trait or stat boost.
Gilda, like her siblings before her, is in dire need of a hobby to occupy her time. While she has tried her hand at each of her sibling's interests, it is clear that she does not share their enthusiasm for the same topics that they do. It seems it shall fall to you to introduce her to a subject that may just catch her interest. But which to choose?
[ ] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
[ ] Hunting: She shall be taught how to engage in the traditional pastime of Griffon Nobility, hunting the many beasts and creatures that inhabit the Empire's vast forests. Your own recent retreat with the Grand Duke and your Father-In-Law has certainly illustrated it's value as a social activity, and you're sure she'd appreciate the chance to spend some time in the great outdoors.
[ ] Scholasticism: The Imperial Palace houses one of the largest libraries in the Empire, and is host to the Imperial Archives besides. Gilda has not yet expressed the same love of the written word in the same way her sibling's have, but in your experience it's never too late to learn the value of a good book.
Getting to Know You More: Sebastian's Innovations: Sebastian Rainfeather, one of your son's closest friends, seems determined to become the next Archimedes. The young Griffon has been spending a great deal of time cooped up in his "laboratory" (the basement of his family's manor) in hopes of creating something novel and useful enough to impress Archimedes, Genevieve and the rest of the Empire. Gawain has recently received a letter from his scholarly friend, politely inviting him to stop by his home at his earliest convenience. You wonder what the aspiring inventor wishes to show him?
To be Continued in "Scientific Progress Goes Boink"
Carracks Constructed This Turn: 2
Random Event Rolls
(21) Fail, to be Continued in Rumor Mill
(56) Pass
(30) Bare Pass
(65) Pass
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
Kofi
Weed Dragon
- Location
- Behind You
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
Markala
Hannor & Polycho Shipper
- Location
- At the Junction of Angst and Fluff
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
- Location
- NJ
Oh no, please don't let this be from the expedition. I don't think our people would want to another one, and would prefer to be isolationist instead.
ConfusedCanuck
Where did it all go wrong?
- Location
- Neverland
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
I'm worried what did we fail this time in RER?
I'm worried what did we fail this time in RER?
- Location
- The Usual Room
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
- Location
- NJ
Talk about cutting it close huh guys, it's a good thing we rolled well and had enough omakes to give as well.
Oh I hope this doesn't backfire on us.
Time to see what Sebastien has made that requires an Interlude.
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
- Location
- Maryland
No, the expedition is a separate, hidden roll.
- Location
- Planet Earth
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
- Location
- United States of America
[X] Hunting: She shall be taught how to engage in the traditional pastime of Griffon Nobility, hunting the many beasts and creatures that inhabit the Empire's vast forests. Your own recent retreat with the Grand Duke and your Father-In-Law has certainly illustrated it's value as a social activity, and you're sure she'd appreciate the chance to spend some time in the great outdoors.
- Location
- NJ
Well I hope someone made a good sacrifice for the RNG cause I don't think our people want to deal with a new Sombra to fight against.
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
The fact that the failed RER roll is only going to mentioned in the Rumor Mill rather than it's own interlude or he expedition one leads me to belinthat it isn't too bad
The fact that the failed RER roll is only going to mentioned in the Rumor Mill rather than it's own interlude or he expedition one leads me to belinthat it isn't too bad
FictionPack
Monochromatic Ursine
- Location
- Tennessee
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Hunting: She shall be taught how to engage in the traditional pastime of Griffon Nobility, hunting the many beasts and creatures that inhabit the Empire's vast forests. Your own recent retreat with the Grand Duke and your Father-In-Law has certainly illustrated it's value as a social activity, and you're sure she'd appreciate the chance to spend some time in the great outdoors.
This will teach her some ways to defend herself, as well as let her be social with the nobles, which should be most useful to her I think.
Ruby and Rose huh?
That was close.
We really need to build those sea shrines next turn after doing the yak stones.
This will teach her some ways to defend herself, as well as let her be social with the nobles, which should be most useful to her I think.
Ruby and Rose huh?
That was close.
We really need to build those sea shrines next turn after doing the yak stones.
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
@Questor
I think I forgot to ask this previously, but a question for our Gyne:
"Since you can tell much of a culture by how they deal with their criminals, what actions are considered truly vile by the changelings (beyond some common burglary) and what are the common punishments for such actions?"
@Questor
I think I forgot to ask this previously, but a question for our Gyne:
"Since you can tell much of a culture by how they deal with their criminals, what actions are considered truly vile by the changelings (beyond some common burglary) and what are the common punishments for such actions?"
- Location
- Australia
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
- Location
- Hell, or at least the closest place to it
[X] Dueling: No not blood dueling, you outlawed that when you were only a king, and you'd never let your daughter participate in that sort of thing, let alone encourage her involvement in it! You suppose that a more accurate term would be sparring. Gilda has always possessed a great admiration for the Knights of the Empire and Hardbeak in particular, idolizing them almost as much as she idolizes you, her mother and her older siblings. It may be prudent to encourage her to acquire some combat experience in a safe and controlled environment. It would certainly help you sleep better at night, knowing that your little girl knows how to protect herself.
[X] Hunting: She shall be taught how to engage in the traditional pastime of Griffon Nobility, hunting the many beasts and creatures that inhabit the Empire's vast forests. Your own recent retreat with the Grand Duke and your Father-In-Law has certainly illustrated it's value as a social activity, and you're sure she'd appreciate the chance to spend some time in the great outdoors.