I know this may qualify as counting your chickens before they hatch, but should we annex Maretonia after we take care of House Storm? I know we promised the Colleges of Magic we wouldn't do it for their help, but as it is, they no longer exist, with only a few mages (some of which won't even come out of hiding) left of it, so one could make the argument that the agreement no longer holds up.
Also, with all the damage done, with the current state of the country, they may not even have the means to fix everything themselves at this point.
A total annexation of Maretonia would be folly in more ways than one.
For one thing, they're not utterly leaderless.
Many nobles, depowered as they happen to be, still exist in White Star's realm and unless we start mass confiscating their lands will continue to do so and remember the griffons enforcing direct rule on them.
Then you must remember the abolitionists, our allies that wanted to abolish slavery and likely get a good kicking at their former masters: Maybe they still want to hold the land under Maretonian - true Maretonian - control, and would find annexation a betrayal?
Secondly, Maretonia still holds to their culture, unlike the Crystal Empire that lost much of it thanks to either Sombra intentionally destroying them, or everyone just forgetting them thanks to amnesia and PTSD.
Even the Crystal Empire still held nationalists who didn't want to be under the rule of non-ponies and they had just been saved from pony sauronSombra of all people. Maretonian independence movements would be a real problem to crack.
Thirdly, we made the promise to the Colleges as you mention. It will look very bad if we made a promise such as that and then turn 180 degrees when it becomes convenient.
Fourth: we might have a land connection via our protectorate, but technically we aren't de jure bordering the new lands we would annex. That makes administration a tad more difficult, albeit one of the easiest of the listed problems to resolve.
Fifth, we have set a precedent with the Crystal Protectorate: they needed our help more than Maretonia will, it could easily be claimed. They had less population than Maretonia, they lacked farmland, they lacked surviving leadership.
If we now turned to Maretonia and went further than with the Crystal Protectorate, wouldn't it look utterly baffling?
What, are the Crystal Ponies supposed to be more important than Maretonians? Less important?
Put in one sentence:
How would you justify direct annexation when there are more ponies, more land, the ponies have still-alive leadership, we have made agreements not to annex Maretonia, we have harder time administering the land by distance, they still have their culture mostly intact and we have already created a precedent of at most going for a protectorate arrangement with someone that was even easier to annex?
They are adults, definitely. They were born several years before Discord first arrived in Equestria, so they'd both be well over a century old at this point.
Right now, they're just starting to truly wrap their heads around the fact that they're unaging, nearly-immortal beings.
..Which makes me realize, it might be a good idea to send Gwindlyn with the diplomatic team, and have her speak about Koryu. They'd be the first two other sort-of-immortal royals they'd have contacts with after all. It could be a nice little incentive to have good relationships.
I still haven't given up about sending Garrick and/or Gawain, by the way. Sending Garrick while we're preparing for the war might even help sell the deception. After all, would we really send our ruler to visit another kingdom while we're this close to sending an attack?
IIRC that specific region is at mild to moderate risk from migratory monsters from the Monster Purges from Canterbury. Setting up a Knightly Order should ensure their protection as well as give us a small boost to our elites number wise.
Plus even if they're fine, redundant protections are good and they'll be closer to the Yaks to provide support if needed.
How would you justify direct annexation when there are more ponies, more land, the ponies have still-alive leadership, we have made agreements not to annex Maretonia, we have harder time administering the land by distance, they still have their culture mostly intact and we have already created a precedent of at most going for a protectorate arrangement with someone that was even easier to annex?
yeah, EVEN if we wanted to actually annex them, we'd have to play the long game. Protectorate status to start with, and then slowly win a culture war so that, a few decades down the line, maybe even a century, you could have THEM asking to join you (or at least being receptive to the referendum idea).
Also really, it's just too much land (and people) for us to manage directly at this juncture.
I have no real desire to formally annex Maretonia (*maybe* the territories held by the Absolutionists close to our borders), but turning them into a protectorate might be unavoidable to keep them from fully collapsing under the enormous strain they have been under for the last few turns/years.
But I definitely want to annex the Crystal Empire to make things easier for everyone.
yeah, EVEN if we wanted to actually annex them, we'd have to play the long game. Protectorate status to start with, and then slowly win a culture war so that, a few decades down the line, maybe even a century, you could have THEM asking to join you (or at least being receptive to the referendum idea).
Also really, it's just too much land (and people) for us to manage directly at this juncture.
We wouldn't have century, nor decades. The moment they are on their own hoofs they will ask for their independence from us (intellectuals, nobility, influential members of society will all be for it), expect if you plan to keep them forcibly under our administration which creates whole different set of problems.
As i said the best course of action is some border/sea territorial expansions paired with friendly ruler.
We wouldn't have century, nor decades. The moment they are on their own hoofs they will ask for their independence from us (intellectuals, nobility, influential members of society will all be for it), expect if you plan to keep them forcibly under our administration which creates whole different set of problems.
As i said the best course of action is some border/sea territorial expansions paired with friendly ruler.
a realistic recovery is going to take them 5 years at the very least, maybe even 10, in which most of the population would get to see the advantages of gryphon industry and technology. When you add the time needed to really adapt to the new post-slavery society it could even take longer.
Also I fully expect a lot of nobles to lose a lot of power, and possibly their titles too in many territories.
We have absolutely no idea, and really, no way, to predict the reactions of intellectuals and influential members of society to the protectorate status.
Sure, nobility will be against it. Well, part of them, there will certainly be some that would be fine with the change as long as they kept enough power in their own fief, which is not out of the question as long as they can accept a few rules.
In any case they're just one faction (or really, multiple factions), and not necessarily the most important, depending on how exactly the rebuilding is going to happen and WHICH nobles get to keep titles and land and which other ponies get elevated to noble status.
It's even not out of the question for some nobles to prefer gryphon rule over, say, the rule of what they consider their peers and/or lessers, as long as it doesn't come with removed titles and lost riches (and/or heads)
In conclusion I admit that a protectorate is NOT guaranteed to end in a referendum voting to join us, but it's certainly a possibility (especially after a decade or more of prosperous protectorate status and a not inconsiderate amount of propaganda showing the benefits of the situation, and even if THAT fails we could likely extract other advantages from it, like favourable trading deals or magic knowledge sharing treaties, or even just the massive good will of the people and ease of intel collection for our spies in the country.
And so, the mages offered up a deal: they would support whatever moves your Empire made against House Storm in exchange for the funding that they would have previously received from House White Star, under the condition that their own autonomy never be compromised, and that Maretonia would not be annexed by the Empire. Your ambassadors had tentatively agreed to these conditions, and promised to carry word to you when they departed.
Bold terms...the services of an organization such as the colleges do not come cheaply, and you had already been considering (albeit mostly in your own mind) plans to incorporate Maretonia as you had the Crystal Empire...but in exchange for these promises, you would gain the support of a coterie of skilled mages, the cream of the academic and arcane crop that Maretonia has to offer. It may just be a price worth paying.
Considering they shape of the country right now, we can offer protectorate status for a few years then look at it again, similar to how they Crystal ponies have to option to stay join or leave
I'd argue that, with the college of mages being basically dead (we only recovered SOME of the mages themselves, not the actual organization), they're not available to keep up THEIR half of the deal, so the deal itself should basically be void.
also, examining the deal from another point of view, we promised:
1)their own autonomy. That's fine, though in the long term I'd want to slowly add a few limitations. We wouldn't want them to research WMD, or at least not recklessly, though I'd expect them to be reasonable outside of a war of survival, and we could probably manage this through diplomacy.
2)no to annexation. But annexation, and correct me if I'm wrong, is usually considered to be when one country FORCEFULLY takes control of the territory and people of another country. What we're talking about is a protectorate, followed at some point in the future by a referendum. It wouldn't really be annexation at that point, would it?
Well this is a hell of a way to start my mornings. Wake up to a rebound questor update so soon how exciting. Can't wait to see the war and the princesses and our son and daughter. Ohhhhh so much to look forward to.
Jewelius Pranceus stepped up because it was the right thing to do.
Or, at least that's what he told himself and everypony else.
When he joined the Royal Guard of Maretonia, it was the best day of his life, to be given the highest honour a soldier of Maretonia could receive. For Jewelius, it was far more than that, more than it could be put into words. He came from The House of Pranceus, a small but proud family that upheld the virtues of Maretonia, and to join the ranks of the soldiers that held those virtues? The jubilation of that success had put tears in his eyes! Everything he had done in his commitment to the security of Maretonia had led to this. Every order, every battle, every criminal, traitor and spy he brought to justice had raised his prestige high enough for him to be considered worthy of standing alongside the finest of Maretonian Military, the sword and shield of the Queen herself and upholders of the greatest of Maretonian virtues. All of it was done with his own efforts and not through some favour or bribe like some nobles would use to get their children into it, he would be proud of that for the rest of his days.
Being a unicorn probably helped as well, though he was savvy enough to keep that thought to himself lest those within the Guard not born with the gift of casting were slighted.
Life within the Guard was not exciting as one could imagine, but Jewelius already expected that. Holding illusions when subtly playing the game of nobles - a game all notable Maretionians played whether they liked it or not - was bound to get you into a hole you couldn't climb out of, or killed. Jewelius knew that from the experiences told to him by his own cousin, Sparkleus Trot-Trot, who, in the middle of the night while sleeping on his bed, nearly died to a dagger drawn across his throat. All because he was too deep in debt to a vain noble.
So, as Jewelius Pranceus upheld his duties as one of the Royal Guard for seven years he kept expectations low and would not seek to rise high within the Royal Guard, everypony had a place and being a soldier was his. He also belived that despite Maretonia's unfriendly relationship with Canterbury, things would be peaceful.
Until a wing-feathered species unseen in Maretonia became known to all as new slaves in the market.
Until the Empire of Gryphus and their Crystal Protectorate emerged from the north, their outrage threatening war. For daring to put the lives of its citizens for sale, despite the Queen sending twelve back home.
Until all of Maretonia's nobility learned of the reach of the Imperial Intelligence of Gryphus.
Until tensions within Maretonia reached an all-time high.
Until the death of Queen Mareia and brutal and bloody and wholly preventable Civil War, a failure that Jewelius didn't think he would ever forgive himself for.
And now this:
Half of Roam burned to the ground, the Palace devoid of all it's artefacts, Marecinas and her Lieutenants dead, and thousands of lives lost.
Well, not all her Lieutenants were dead, but that fact did not bring much hope. Lieutenant Firehoof led the Royal Guard Aerial when they chased Pegicles distraction, thus was not there when Roam fell. The chain of command would have him lead what remained of the Royal Guard, but that was not possible. For Firehoof was lost.
Lost to his grief, insanity and rage.
When he laid out his first command, the majority of what remained of the Royal Guard decided, for his own good and that of others, he had to be confined to the cells, lest his suicidal plan of assaulting Mare-a-Thon with what meagre forces they had got them all killed. It took three unicorns to magically restrain him before he was put in chains. Those who had also joined Firehoof in his fury had to be confined as well.
Afterwards, he stepped up because it was the right thing to do.
No.
He had to step up. Nopony else would have. They were too afraid, too desperate, incapable of leadership.
So Jewelius Pranceus, a unicorn who never wanted to hold such responsibility, stepped up.
Because if he hadn't?
Well, he doesn't need to know the answer to that question.
][
@Questor here's an omake of our current commander of the Royal Guard remnants.
Diamond dog son of a former military engineer joining due to the stories his father told him
A crystal pony who is joining because of what he has heard the enemy doing and sees it as another sombra. Formerly a cook
Pair of griffon twins joining because of them being patriotic. One of them is brash headstrong and cocky but not to smart the other is more quiet, hanging to the back, and much smarter but is also a lot less physically capable
Diamond dog miner joining because he was inspired by the stories of Kaboom
Crystal pony Smith apprentice joining because he views it as the best way to see how to improve his craft
Drunkard party griff who signed up while drunk but rises to the occasion
Personally what differentiate them from Crystal Empire is that they still have political factions that are active, intellectual elite that can drive on history of independence, not to mention far bigger population than Crystal Empire depite devastation so protectorate status seems unlikely to happen to me and devastation isn't really on Sombras level which left entire population traumatized so that they can form bonds with Griffonian population that took care of them , they still have skilled labor, administration and etc to pull themselves together even without our help, so yea they might be desperate, but not so desperate and not without other options. At best i want some territorial expansions along the sea and border area paired with friendly ruler that will protect our interest and that's it really for me.
A Maretonian Protectorate would definitely be more difficult to deal with than the Crystal Protectorate but I think you're forgetting several things:
1) There are only three major factions left in Maretonia, the Abolitionists who love us, the Royal Guard who are extremely small and don't have much influence and House Storm who are the enemy
2) While Maretonia has a larger population a large amount of that population is made up of former slaves that have no love for their former government
3) The devastation may not be on the level of Sombra but their economy, infrastructure and farmland is still completely ruined and that's before you consider that the effects that the abolition of slavery will have on them
4) Most Maretonian's have been through some serious shit and would absolutely bond with the Griffons over it, especially the former slaves
5) I think you're greatly overestimating Maretonia's ability to recover by themselves, the backbone of their entire economy was slavery, the vast majority of their former government is either dead, in hiding or the enemy and they just don't have the resources or ability to fix all the damage that's been done by themselves
So yeah, I might be unable to prevent the rise of those maniacs thanks to others not sharing my concerns, but I will fight the end with every turn. All this because I am not taking chances with the likes of the Cult.
We wouldn't have century, nor decades. The moment they are on their own hoofs they will ask for their independence from us (intellectuals, nobility, influential members of society will all be for it), expect if you plan to keep them forcibly under our administration which creates whole different set of problems.
As i said the best course of action is some border/sea territorial expansions paired with friendly ruler.
It will take years before they're in any position to stand on their own and you're assuming:
A) That their will be enough nobles left after all of this for them to form a power bloc
B) That a population that consists largely of former slaves and abolitionists will want to reform a country they have no real love for rather than stay under a new government that is staunchly anti-slavery and far more caring for its citizens
C) That any influential member of the protectorate would automatically want independence
Well then get out if you don't like them we are just making sure they are more united and non violent as to just make sure they don't go bad even @Questor pointed it out.
...Solely because they happen to worship Garrik...
And the main points you like to highlight can be applied to pretty much every religion in existence...
In fact, considering Garrick and his wife managed to activate the heart, wouldn't be surprised if the couple has a special place among the Disciples of the Crystal Heart...
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)
Trait: Beautiful- A stellar example of feminine grace. (+2 Diplomacy)
Duelist: An experienced master of one-on-one combat who spars against others as a hobby. (+4 Martial)
Status: Teenager-Malus to all stats
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: 53,848
-25,000 Warriors: Armed with a sword or hand-axe and shield, these Griffons make up the bulk of your army.
-12,500 Polearms: For keeping your enemy at arms length or taking down opponents larger than a Griffon.
-12,500 Arbalists: Griffons armed with crossbows, capable of punching through armor from quite a distance away.
-3000 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.
-856 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.
-28 Mobile Ballistae: Massively oversized mechanical bows that fire bolts big enough to pierce through tree trunks from vast distances.
-59 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.
-20 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 Black Watch
1 Watch Commander Konrad Hardbeak
24 Black Knights
The Knights Lion
1 Grandmaster Konrad Hardbeak, "The Kingslayer" (Orichalcum Katana, Runic Armor)
33 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)
23 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)
28 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)
9 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)
34 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: 1.6 (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: 1.7 (Small Boost to YakYakistani Relations)
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. Recently, it has been revealed to you that the religion is a front for the machinations of the Changeling Queen Phalanx, who has taken upon the guise of a Goddess to rule Canterbury from the shadows.
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: +6 on certain Army Rolls
Naval Navigation Tools: +5 on certain Naval and Exploration Rolls
Gun-Cotton: +5 to all Cannon Rolls
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
Specialized Anti-Magic Training: Bonuses to Certain Combat Rolls
Imperial War Memorial: Army Morale may not fall below 20, Militia count as Regulars when defending Core Territory
Persons of Interest
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.
Rose: A Changeling, member of a race of shapeshifting emotivores. Defected to you when your agents nearly stumbled upon the Hive of Queen Phalanx and the conspiracy at the heart of Canterbury and the Church of the Lady of the Lake.
But why? As far as I can tell none of your points against it are unique to it rather than something all religions share
Hell, you specifically called out the Crusades when the only connection there is that they were kings that happened to be Christian and used it as an excuse/motivation, a situation like that could happen with any of the religions
Hell, you could actually argue that the Cult is less likely to devolve to that because the symbol of their worship is a living person that specifically tells them not to do stuff like that as opposed to the others which are less concrete
Pair of griffon twins joining because of them being patriotic. One of them is brash headstrong and cocky but not to smart the other is more quiet, hanging to the back, and much smarter but is also a lot less physically capable
Hell, you could actually argue that the Cult is less likely to devolve to that because the symbol of their worship is a living person that specifically tells them not to do stuff like that as opposed to the others which are less concrete
Not to mention that good majority of the cult itself, or it's leadership are plainly moderate and secular, they aren't supremacist and they don't even consider their own Emperor who they worship superior to other rulers ( or deities), like Neighponese Emperor for example. They generally just view Garrick as foremost moddel one should follow, tolerance in their case being something they are quite specific about as their Emperor would want it to be, it's something we want to spread among other followers of the cult and be made cannon to avoid radicalization in case of security alone.
Of course we're willing to give them a chance, the QM himself has said that they're good people that support all the things Garrick stands for
It is of course your right to have concerns about them but unless you can come up with a convincing argument for why they are for some reason more dangerous than any other religion you can't claim "I told you so" when the only thing you've said is "I don't like the cult"
