Turn 12 Results
- Location
- Maryland
Martial: Gustav has been...somber lately. Those who don't know him as well as you do don't notice, but he's not as spirited as he used to be. You get the impression that he now drinks, not out of revelry, but out of sorrow. As Imperial Martial, he knew many of those who perished in the Winter War. Still, he remains dedicated to his work, and there are no shortage of mourners in your Empire this year.
-The Peregrine Line-Watchtowers: You snagged a victory and prevented an invasion of your country by the skin of your beak, and it was a costly victory at that. You're not stupid enough to think that you've seen the last of that foe forever, and if you have to worry about another invasion you're going to need serious fortifications along your Southern Border. Your military leaders have drawn up a multi-year step-by-step plan to turn the Peregrine mountains into a nearly impassible fortress. The first step, much like the plan to fortify the Black Cliffs, begins with watchtowers. Well, technically they're watchtowers but they're more like miniature forts designed to act as signaling stations. The squadrons of soldiers assigned to these defenses won't be able to repel any significant assaults, but they'll discourage infiltration and raids into your territory, and give vital warning in the event of another border assault. And they will serve as the foundation for a much larger and more impressive set of fortifications. Cost: 1000. Time: Two Years. Reward: Southern Border Watchtowers built, removes possibility of surprise attacks, may discourage raids into core territory.
The dead are still being mourned when your generals and engineers begin working to fortify the Southern Border in an attempt to prevent such a bloody battle from occurring once again. You were lucky to catch the Dark King's forces crossing the mountains, but you don't want to rely on luck when it comes to the defense of the Empire.
Construction begins immediately on several mountaintop forts, their locations chosen to give them a commanding view of the mountain passes, as well as to serve as bases for reconnaissance flights, so that an approaching hostile force can be spotted well before it crosses over your borders. Fire pits and oversized horns are included in the designs, to allow for a means of signaling other forts in the chain should a courier be deemed inadequate or too slow. As construction continues into the nest year, plans are already being made to install cannons and ballistae on the walls of the forts, to give the soldiers within a means of ranged defense against potential attackers. It is the first brick in a Great Wall that shall guard against the darkness. Will finish next Turn.
-Licking Wounds: Your Forces were ravaged at the battle of Redstone Pass. Thousands of Griffons, Dogs and Yaks were killed in the defense of their homes. The enemy may have been defeated, but the Dark King is still out there, and you've no idea what state he or his slave-kingdom are in. If he returns before you can rebuild your forces, you won't stand a chance. The casualty rates from the battle were a shock to your people...but they know that any war against your Southern Neighbor is a war for the very survival of your culture. If you call for citizens to fill the ranks of your army, you know that they shall answer. Cost: 3560. Time: One Year. Reward: Army returned to Pre-War Numbers.
Once again the call goes out for soldiers to join the Imperial Army. And once again, the call is answered. You had feared that many would be hesitant to sign up after the Winter War, that the horrendous casualty rates would scare away potential recruits. Not for the first time, your people prove your pessimistic assumptions wrong.
Thousands flock the recruitment drives, determined to aid in the defense of the Empire. Many of the new recruits are themselves veterans of Redstone, either militia or surviving mercenaries whose companies were disbanded due to losing most of their number. They could have stayed home, could have perhaps avoided going into another war zone, but here they are, joining up to go back into the fray. They have seen the enemy, and they know that there is no running from this foe. And so they trade in their old weapons for new ones, and learn to fight as part of a larger unit.
The fact that many of the "new blood" are actually combat veterans makes basic training a much simpler process, though it makes the traditional "breaking in" of new recruits a bit awkward for the drill sergeants. Once you've faced a shadow demon and seen a griffin ripped in half by phantom limbs, an NCO screaming in your face just doesn't have much of an impact.
Army Returns to Pre-War Strength. +4160 Warriors, 3040 Polearms, 1200 Archers, 510 Diamond Dogs.
Diplomacy: Elva's department has been receiving a lot more attention as of late. The much-appreciated assistance from the Yak Clans has emphasized the importance of a dedicated foreign office, and the invasion from the Southlands has made the public anxious to find allies against the monsters and warlords of the world. If Elva has begun to feel any pressure from the increased attention, she doesn't show it, carrying on as she always has.
-The Neighborly Thing to Do: The Yaks came to your assistance when the shadow king sought to invade your lands, and their warriors fought and died alongside your own. You don't know if you can repay them for that, but you can try. Gather some steel armor, weapons, tools, and assorted trade goods, and distribute them to the four clans. Such an action should soften the blow of losing so many of their number, and foster better relations with the clans, reinforcing the importance of unity against threats to your mutual security. Cost: 1000. Time: One Year. Reward: Better relations with Yak Clans, Yaks gain access to steel tools, armor and weapons. Chance of Success: 70%
Required: 20. Rolled: 42+18=60
The miners, smelters and smiths are busy this year. Not only are they outfitting the soldiers of your army, they are also producing mountains of steel weapons, tools and armor to be gifted to the Yak Clans. Cartload after cartload of finished goods are transported over the Black Cliffs into Yakyakistan, and the metallic bounty distributed to the Clan Leaders to do with as they please. To say the Yaks are surprised is...a bit of an understatement. They had expected a gesture of gratitude of some sort, but this was on a completely different level!
Still, the clans are universally grateful for such a generous gift, and the fact that each clan received the exact same amount of steel is a detail not lost on them. You see their whole race as allies, and do not favor any one clan over the others. Their people are now better equipped for a potential future battle against the Shadow King, and the fact that your Empire is capable of producing such vast amounts of steel weapons, armor and tools that you can afford to simply give them away has given support to arguments among the Yaks that they should be reconsidering their fractious, nomadic lifestyles.
Regardless of the political ramifications, your neighbors are both better equipped and more inclined to view you and your people in a positive light. You consider this a win. Yaks gain access to Steel, Pro-Modernization faction gains strength, +2 to Relations of All Yak Clans.
Stewardship: Frida has arguably been the least impacted by the war. Mind you, she's still had to deal with labor shortages in some areas after the militia suffered such horrendous casualties, but that's been the extent of it. Despite everything, she has retained her upbeat and optimistic demeanor, something you can really appreciate these days.
-Tomb of Fallen Heroes: Thousands of Imperial citizens died in defense of their homeland at Redstone Pass. And, the world being the dangerous place that it is, thousands more are likely to give their lives in service to the Empire at some point in the near-future. Such sacrifice deserves more than a simple headstone or makeshift memorial in a town square. It deserves a monument. A hall of ancestors greater than any other in the Empire, a building like the great temples of the ancient Gods. The honored dead deserve no less. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: War Memorial Constructed, Bonus to morale and certain combat rolls.
When you left Redstone Pass, you had the surviving Dogs in the army carve a simple message into the granite cliffside, written in both Gryphonese and Yakyakistani, acknowledging the land as the site of a great battle, and stating the number of warriors who gave their lives to defend their homes. It was the best you could do with the time and resources you had available. Everyone knew it wasn't enough. The dead deserved better.
The moment you returned to Gryphus Peak, you sent out letters to some of the finest architects and sculptors in your Empire, tasking them with designing a great memorial befitting the sacrifice of so many brave souls. Once the final design was selected, the site of the construction was chosen: Griffonstone. Sitting at the geographic center of the Empire and itself being the former capitol before the age of Discord, you'd had many suggestions and petitions to move your own capitol there. You aren't quite ready to pull up roots just yet, but this seems like a good start.
Ground is broken only two weeks after the battle itself. Laborers and artisans from across the length and breadth of the Empire pour into Griffonstone, temporarily swelling the population and bringing much appreciated money to the poor city with a great history. Over the next twelve months, work proceeds at a breakneck pace, the work sped along by volunteers from across the Empire donating their money, muscle and time to assist in the building of a great tribute to the honored dead. Hundreds of tons of granite, sandstone and marble are carted in from mines and quarries across the Empire and assembled together to form a design reminiscent of the great temples to the ancient gods.
The dedication ceremony is a thing to behold. Tens of thousands of people travel to Griffonstone from across the Empire to see the opening of the memorial, so many that the city's population more than quadruples overnight. Griffons, Dogs, even a few Yaks make the journey to pay their respects. You, Gabriella, all three Knightly Grandmasters, and representatives from the Yak Clans lead the proceedings. The speeches are short. Words alone are inadequate in light of such sacrifice and dedication.
The Architects went all out, both on the interior and exterior of this grand mausoleum. Murals and mosaics depict soldiers of all races engaged in everyday tasks as well as battle, to remind all who see them that such warriors are people not so different from them. Statues of ancient heroes stand guard at the corners of the building, and at the very center of the structure sits a torch that is to be kept burning eternally, symbolizing the enduring spirit of your people.
Finally, carved into the walls and ceilings of the memorial are the names of every soul who gave their lives at the battle of Redstone. Be they Dog or Griffon, Militia or Mercenary, Imperial or Yak, all earned their place upon the stone. Their names only take up a portion of the space allotted, but that is by design. Everyone knows that more will give their lives before long, and when they do their names will also be added to the list. And, should there prove to be insufficient room in the memorial itself, plans have been made to erect granite and marble slabs in the form of walls and monoliths along the exterior grounds for yet more names to be carved in. The dead shall be accounted for, and given the respect they deserve.
The mourners of the Empire appreciate such a fine place of remembrance for their loved ones, and even those who have not lost friends or family feel inspired by such a structure. You are relieved to know that your dead will be memorialized in a manner befitting their service in life.
Imperial War Memorial Constructed, +5 to morale. Army morale may never fall below 20, Militia are considered regulars when defending core territory.
-Steam Pumped Land Drainage: Due to the mountainous and heavily forested nature of the Griffonlands, arable land is often at a premium. If one wishes to establish a farm, one must clear the land of trees (and the beasts that live among them), or risk trying to farm on rocks. There are a handful of places in the Empire that would be prime farmland were they not flooded or otherwise too wet to plant crops on. Ordinarily these lands would be impossible to drain, but Archimedes' new Steam Pump offers a new potential option for land drainage. It'll be expensive and time consuming, but the extra agricultural output just might be worth it. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Water-logged areas cleared, additional farming income.
Several of Archimedes' steam pumps are assembled, piece by piece, at the shores of numerous swamps, marshes and shallow lakes. Lengths of pipe are set up to funnel the water into existing rivers and streams, and after much preparation the pumps begin the process of siphoning water away from the soon-to-be farmland. Of course, it's going to take months to drain them all sufficiently, and once that's done you'll have to actually divide up the lands and prepare them for planting, but it'll be worth it to expand agricultural production. Will finish next Turn
Learning: Archimedes has been poring over the information salvaged from the battlefield these past few weeks, seeking to learn all he can about the Southern enemy and brainstorming new ways to fight them off should they return. Genevieve prefers to focus on more domestic advancements, and has recently found a way to use liquid fire in specially made lamps as an improved source of light, a significant improvement over candles or torches which has already made her a household name across the Empire. You're glad to see such dedication from both of them.
-Coke-Fired Blast Furnaces: Iron and Steel are the lifeblood of your economy, constituting everything from tools to building materials to weapons. However, they are difficult to produce in vast amounts. The only reason your people have been able to do so thus far is because of the sheer amount of ore available to you in your mountains, and the number of mining and smelting operations currently underway as a result. Genevieve has come up with a potential solution to allow for greater production of these metals. Using coal that has been treated in much the same way wood is treated to produce charcoal, a new form of dense, cleaner-burning fuel can be used to heat a new kind of massive, vertical smelting furnace the size of a building with a much greater output of metals. Naturally, this will be expensive, but Genevieve states that the increased metal production will be necessary to allow for greater innovation and widespread implementation of new devices, not to mention the smelting of this new "Orichalcum". Cost: 600. Time: Two Years. Reward: Increased Iron/Steel Production, Discount on troop recruitment, new Learning Actions Unlocked, Can now Smelt Orichalcum.
Construction begins on Genevieve's "Blast Furnaces", massive building-sized smelters meant to produce vast amounts of metal from the equally vast amounts of ore that is annually extracted from the mountains you call home. At the same time, work begins on the mass production of "coke", or coal heated in the absence of air, the relatively new fuel material being produced in great ovens by the cartload in preparation for the completion of the new furnaces.
In between overseeing the two projects, Genevieve takes some time to examine the new wonder-material being stockpiled due to your current inability to smelt it. Unfortunately, she's unable to determine anything more about the material than Archimedes had, though she is confident that the new furnaces should produce temperatures sufficient to smelt and shape the Orichalcum. Will finish next Turn.
-Cannon Foundry: Archimedes' new type of explosive siege weapons proved highly effective in combat. Unfortunately, Archimedes tells you that if you're going to be building large numbers of the things with any hope of consistent, reliable performance, you're going to have to build a dedicated foundry and associated tools for their production and future improvement. After seeing a few of his sketches for variations and improvements on the current design, you see his point. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Cannon Foundry Constructed, additional Learning and Martial Actions Unlocked.
Compared to his protege, Archimedes is overseeing a much less ambitious but equally important project: the construction of foundries made for the design and production of cannons and other blackpowder artillery. While cannons could conceivably be made in regular blacksmiths, such a method would produce irregular results and would never be able to produce the same number of cannons as a dedicated facility.
And so, Archimedes goes to work, adding yet more smoke-belching chimneys to the skyline as he walks metalworkers through the process of forging cannon barrels and balls. By the end of the year, you now have a means of mass-producing the most powerful weapon in your arsenal. Cannon Foundry Constructed, additional Actions Unlocked.
Intrigue: Ravenburg is as stoic and calmly professional as ever. If he's been at all affected by the War and it's aftermath, he doesn't show it. Apart from his sudden fixation upon potential happenings south of the border, he's the same as he ever was. You actually find that quite reassuring.
-Into the Storm: The Blizzard may have ended for you, but it still rages over the border. Despite the scouting expedition sent last year that gathered the vital intelligence needed to halt the invasion, you still know very little about your new enemy, or the land it calls home. You know this war isn't over, and if you're going to have any hope of winning it, you'll need intel on what exactly is waiting for you on the other side of the Peregrines. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: New Intel on Sombra/Crystal Empire. Chance of Success: 40%
Required: 60. Rolled: 84+20(To Be The Emperor Omake)+10(Soul of Steel Omake)=114 (Art Crit!)
Once again, Ravenburg calls up his best and brightest scouts and spies for a dangerous assignment beyond the Peregrines. Once again, the agents are sent out along varied routes to minimize their chances of failure and discovery. And once again, all the agents return alive and unharmed, bearing valuable intelligence.
The lands beyond the Peregrines are as you'd feared: an inhospitable frozen hellscape.
Every scout reports a close call with a sudden crevasse, an attack by hostile wildlife, a sudden avalanche, or a dozen other natural hazards, and all of them speak of the blizzard that seemed to intensify as they journeyed deeper into enemy territory. They report spotting numerous roads and mines teeming with more overworked, underfed slaves, toiling away for the sake of their dark master, some keeling over from exhaustion only for their bodies to be unceremoniously dumped into pits and ditches apparently prepared for that very purpose. Their fellows continue their appointed task, never stopping to rest, heedless of the cold that should freeze them to death where they stand.
They follow the roads to a massive city miraculously shielded from the cold, bigger than any in your Empire, buildings of crystal stretching as far as the eye can see. And at it's center sits a massive palace that towers over all else, it's crystalline spires brimming with arcane power. Your scouts didn't dare to enter the city for fear of being discovered, but they could observe much from afar with their telescopes. And little of what they witnessed bodes well for you.
For starters, the Shadow King still lives. You'd suspected that, but now you have confirmation. He's...not quite as corporeal as he was before, but you doubt that makes him any less of a threat than he was previously.
He does indeed inhabit his palace, which is guarded by a sizable force of what can only be referred to as living statues. While they bear a resemblance to the abominations fielded in the attempted invasion of your lands, these creatures are without any visible biological component, appearing to be made entirely of stone and crystal. You suspect these beasts will be more durable than their fleshy cousins.
In addition to that, the uppermost spire of the crystal palace seems to be the epicenter of the storm. It is also surrounded by numerous ghostly figures flying around at a rapid but consistent pace. Your scouts seem to think these two things are related. Are these creatures responsible for the storm? And do they answer to the Shadow King?
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, one particularly perceptive observer managed to catch a glimpse of "something important looking". In one of the rooms of the spire, just below the peak where the "ghosts" were flying, sat a massive orb of polished black crystal that seemed to visibly pulse with dark magic. More tellingly, he claims to have seen the Shadow King pass in and out of it, as if he were using it to recharge himself or something of the sort.
Well, at least you have a clear target now. And as of now it doesn't seem like he's preparing another invasion force, which is the best news you've received in months. You commend Ravenburg and his spies on yet another job well done.
Crystal City Located, Crystal Supply Lines and Mining Operations Identified, Potential Weakpoint Identified, Intel Gained on Crystal City Defenses.
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day.
-Getting Swole: One of the numerous reasons you refused to fight Brochard was that he was so much stronger than you. A blade and a suit of armor mitigated that advantage a great deal, but it didn't remove it completely. You trained with your wife not long ago, and that training showed results, but the results weren't quite as big an improvement as you'd hoped. If you're going to be an Emperor worthy of the title, you need to be strong, especially if you're going to be throwing yourself into harms way like you did in the Winter War. Have Gabriella put you through an even more grueling fitness regimen and see if you can't improve your physique a bit more. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she can't put you through your paces! Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased martial stat, chance to upgrade Toned Trait, chance to improve Gabriella's opinion of you. Chance of Success: 55%
Required: 45. Rolled: 49+15(Comparisons of Mythology and History Omake)=64
You'd thought the training Gabriella had put you through before was difficult. You had grossly underestimated her capacity to inflict torture upon you in the name of physical fitness. She puts you through an almost comically difficult routine that involves the carrying of boulders on your back, lifting stacks of bricks off of the ground using only wingpower, and climbing up steep mountain faces with lead weights hanging off your body and your wings bound with rope. And that's just the first two weeks! All the while your children watch and laugh at your pain and suffering, while your guards carry on with their duties, trying not to let their mirth show.
Your wife's pregnant status does not encourage her to go easy on you. Far from it, it seems to encourage her to increase the pressure on you as her womb begins to weigh her down, the weights you both bear increasing at the same time. Every day you collapse into bed an exhausted mess of sore muscles and fur matted with sweat. And yet, by the end of the year, you are in better shape than you've ever been in your entire life. Weights that would have once made you collapse now seem almost trivially light, and you can fly faster and farther than you ever could before. And of course, you can now reliably beat your wife in an arm wrestling competition. You even win more often than she does now!
Gabriella is...very appreciative of your gains. So much so that you're fairly certain the only thing saving you from a fractured pelvis is her now almost full-term pregnancy. Well, your wife is happy, and you now feel like you have the strength an Emperor needs to lead his people. All in all, despite the sweat and tears that needed to be shed to get here, you're pretty happy with the result. Toned Trait Upgrades to Strong Trait,+1 Martial, +1.5 Gabriella Opinion.
-Combing the Archives: The Imperial Archives hold many secrets and much wisdom. It contains not only reams upon reams of records from recent years, but also what scraps of information have been recovered from the ruins of Pre-Discord civilization. Perhaps some of these decaying scraps of old parchment could contain bits of knowledge relevant to you in the present? Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Chance to gain information and knowledge from Pre-Discord Records.
Rolled: 76+15(Contemplation Omake)=91
You weren't really sure what you were looking for when you decided to venture into the ancient records section of the Imperial Archives. You figured that, somewhere amidst the random scraps of the old empire, you'd find something useful. But after several days of sorting through tax records, poetry and the personal journals of several nobles of who didn't seem to do anything of significance with their lives, you begin to question your thinking. Surely if something of actual value was in here, one of the scholars or archeologists responsible for finding and cataloguing these ancient texts would have brought it to your attention?
But just as you are about to give the whole thing up as a lost cause, you find something. A fragment of an ancient design for...some sort of flying machine? Judging by the date scribbled in the corner it was drawn up just before Discord first arrived and sent the Empire into chaos. You're not too sure what to make of it, but you know Archimedes and Genevieve would give their tail feathers to get their talons on something like this. Perhaps going to the Archives wasn't such a waste of time after all?
Gained "Flying Machine" schematics. New Learning Action Unlocked.
Hazard/Random Event Rolls
62 (Pass)
77 (Pass)
Birth of new child will be covered in upcoming Interlude.
Also, for anyone wondering, the War Memorial is based on the Australian Shrine of Remembrance. I thought it looked like the sort of memorial that could have been built by Griffon culture with current technology.
-The Peregrine Line-Watchtowers: You snagged a victory and prevented an invasion of your country by the skin of your beak, and it was a costly victory at that. You're not stupid enough to think that you've seen the last of that foe forever, and if you have to worry about another invasion you're going to need serious fortifications along your Southern Border. Your military leaders have drawn up a multi-year step-by-step plan to turn the Peregrine mountains into a nearly impassible fortress. The first step, much like the plan to fortify the Black Cliffs, begins with watchtowers. Well, technically they're watchtowers but they're more like miniature forts designed to act as signaling stations. The squadrons of soldiers assigned to these defenses won't be able to repel any significant assaults, but they'll discourage infiltration and raids into your territory, and give vital warning in the event of another border assault. And they will serve as the foundation for a much larger and more impressive set of fortifications. Cost: 1000. Time: Two Years. Reward: Southern Border Watchtowers built, removes possibility of surprise attacks, may discourage raids into core territory.
The dead are still being mourned when your generals and engineers begin working to fortify the Southern Border in an attempt to prevent such a bloody battle from occurring once again. You were lucky to catch the Dark King's forces crossing the mountains, but you don't want to rely on luck when it comes to the defense of the Empire.
Construction begins immediately on several mountaintop forts, their locations chosen to give them a commanding view of the mountain passes, as well as to serve as bases for reconnaissance flights, so that an approaching hostile force can be spotted well before it crosses over your borders. Fire pits and oversized horns are included in the designs, to allow for a means of signaling other forts in the chain should a courier be deemed inadequate or too slow. As construction continues into the nest year, plans are already being made to install cannons and ballistae on the walls of the forts, to give the soldiers within a means of ranged defense against potential attackers. It is the first brick in a Great Wall that shall guard against the darkness. Will finish next Turn.
-Licking Wounds: Your Forces were ravaged at the battle of Redstone Pass. Thousands of Griffons, Dogs and Yaks were killed in the defense of their homes. The enemy may have been defeated, but the Dark King is still out there, and you've no idea what state he or his slave-kingdom are in. If he returns before you can rebuild your forces, you won't stand a chance. The casualty rates from the battle were a shock to your people...but they know that any war against your Southern Neighbor is a war for the very survival of your culture. If you call for citizens to fill the ranks of your army, you know that they shall answer. Cost: 3560. Time: One Year. Reward: Army returned to Pre-War Numbers.
Once again the call goes out for soldiers to join the Imperial Army. And once again, the call is answered. You had feared that many would be hesitant to sign up after the Winter War, that the horrendous casualty rates would scare away potential recruits. Not for the first time, your people prove your pessimistic assumptions wrong.
Thousands flock the recruitment drives, determined to aid in the defense of the Empire. Many of the new recruits are themselves veterans of Redstone, either militia or surviving mercenaries whose companies were disbanded due to losing most of their number. They could have stayed home, could have perhaps avoided going into another war zone, but here they are, joining up to go back into the fray. They have seen the enemy, and they know that there is no running from this foe. And so they trade in their old weapons for new ones, and learn to fight as part of a larger unit.
The fact that many of the "new blood" are actually combat veterans makes basic training a much simpler process, though it makes the traditional "breaking in" of new recruits a bit awkward for the drill sergeants. Once you've faced a shadow demon and seen a griffin ripped in half by phantom limbs, an NCO screaming in your face just doesn't have much of an impact.
Army Returns to Pre-War Strength. +4160 Warriors, 3040 Polearms, 1200 Archers, 510 Diamond Dogs.
Diplomacy: Elva's department has been receiving a lot more attention as of late. The much-appreciated assistance from the Yak Clans has emphasized the importance of a dedicated foreign office, and the invasion from the Southlands has made the public anxious to find allies against the monsters and warlords of the world. If Elva has begun to feel any pressure from the increased attention, she doesn't show it, carrying on as she always has.
-The Neighborly Thing to Do: The Yaks came to your assistance when the shadow king sought to invade your lands, and their warriors fought and died alongside your own. You don't know if you can repay them for that, but you can try. Gather some steel armor, weapons, tools, and assorted trade goods, and distribute them to the four clans. Such an action should soften the blow of losing so many of their number, and foster better relations with the clans, reinforcing the importance of unity against threats to your mutual security. Cost: 1000. Time: One Year. Reward: Better relations with Yak Clans, Yaks gain access to steel tools, armor and weapons. Chance of Success: 70%
Required: 20. Rolled: 42+18=60
The miners, smelters and smiths are busy this year. Not only are they outfitting the soldiers of your army, they are also producing mountains of steel weapons, tools and armor to be gifted to the Yak Clans. Cartload after cartload of finished goods are transported over the Black Cliffs into Yakyakistan, and the metallic bounty distributed to the Clan Leaders to do with as they please. To say the Yaks are surprised is...a bit of an understatement. They had expected a gesture of gratitude of some sort, but this was on a completely different level!
Still, the clans are universally grateful for such a generous gift, and the fact that each clan received the exact same amount of steel is a detail not lost on them. You see their whole race as allies, and do not favor any one clan over the others. Their people are now better equipped for a potential future battle against the Shadow King, and the fact that your Empire is capable of producing such vast amounts of steel weapons, armor and tools that you can afford to simply give them away has given support to arguments among the Yaks that they should be reconsidering their fractious, nomadic lifestyles.
Regardless of the political ramifications, your neighbors are both better equipped and more inclined to view you and your people in a positive light. You consider this a win. Yaks gain access to Steel, Pro-Modernization faction gains strength, +2 to Relations of All Yak Clans.
Stewardship: Frida has arguably been the least impacted by the war. Mind you, she's still had to deal with labor shortages in some areas after the militia suffered such horrendous casualties, but that's been the extent of it. Despite everything, she has retained her upbeat and optimistic demeanor, something you can really appreciate these days.
-Tomb of Fallen Heroes: Thousands of Imperial citizens died in defense of their homeland at Redstone Pass. And, the world being the dangerous place that it is, thousands more are likely to give their lives in service to the Empire at some point in the near-future. Such sacrifice deserves more than a simple headstone or makeshift memorial in a town square. It deserves a monument. A hall of ancestors greater than any other in the Empire, a building like the great temples of the ancient Gods. The honored dead deserve no less. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: War Memorial Constructed, Bonus to morale and certain combat rolls.
When you left Redstone Pass, you had the surviving Dogs in the army carve a simple message into the granite cliffside, written in both Gryphonese and Yakyakistani, acknowledging the land as the site of a great battle, and stating the number of warriors who gave their lives to defend their homes. It was the best you could do with the time and resources you had available. Everyone knew it wasn't enough. The dead deserved better.
The moment you returned to Gryphus Peak, you sent out letters to some of the finest architects and sculptors in your Empire, tasking them with designing a great memorial befitting the sacrifice of so many brave souls. Once the final design was selected, the site of the construction was chosen: Griffonstone. Sitting at the geographic center of the Empire and itself being the former capitol before the age of Discord, you'd had many suggestions and petitions to move your own capitol there. You aren't quite ready to pull up roots just yet, but this seems like a good start.
Ground is broken only two weeks after the battle itself. Laborers and artisans from across the length and breadth of the Empire pour into Griffonstone, temporarily swelling the population and bringing much appreciated money to the poor city with a great history. Over the next twelve months, work proceeds at a breakneck pace, the work sped along by volunteers from across the Empire donating their money, muscle and time to assist in the building of a great tribute to the honored dead. Hundreds of tons of granite, sandstone and marble are carted in from mines and quarries across the Empire and assembled together to form a design reminiscent of the great temples to the ancient gods.
The dedication ceremony is a thing to behold. Tens of thousands of people travel to Griffonstone from across the Empire to see the opening of the memorial, so many that the city's population more than quadruples overnight. Griffons, Dogs, even a few Yaks make the journey to pay their respects. You, Gabriella, all three Knightly Grandmasters, and representatives from the Yak Clans lead the proceedings. The speeches are short. Words alone are inadequate in light of such sacrifice and dedication.
The Architects went all out, both on the interior and exterior of this grand mausoleum. Murals and mosaics depict soldiers of all races engaged in everyday tasks as well as battle, to remind all who see them that such warriors are people not so different from them. Statues of ancient heroes stand guard at the corners of the building, and at the very center of the structure sits a torch that is to be kept burning eternally, symbolizing the enduring spirit of your people.
Finally, carved into the walls and ceilings of the memorial are the names of every soul who gave their lives at the battle of Redstone. Be they Dog or Griffon, Militia or Mercenary, Imperial or Yak, all earned their place upon the stone. Their names only take up a portion of the space allotted, but that is by design. Everyone knows that more will give their lives before long, and when they do their names will also be added to the list. And, should there prove to be insufficient room in the memorial itself, plans have been made to erect granite and marble slabs in the form of walls and monoliths along the exterior grounds for yet more names to be carved in. The dead shall be accounted for, and given the respect they deserve.
The mourners of the Empire appreciate such a fine place of remembrance for their loved ones, and even those who have not lost friends or family feel inspired by such a structure. You are relieved to know that your dead will be memorialized in a manner befitting their service in life.
Imperial War Memorial Constructed, +5 to morale. Army morale may never fall below 20, Militia are considered regulars when defending core territory.
-Steam Pumped Land Drainage: Due to the mountainous and heavily forested nature of the Griffonlands, arable land is often at a premium. If one wishes to establish a farm, one must clear the land of trees (and the beasts that live among them), or risk trying to farm on rocks. There are a handful of places in the Empire that would be prime farmland were they not flooded or otherwise too wet to plant crops on. Ordinarily these lands would be impossible to drain, but Archimedes' new Steam Pump offers a new potential option for land drainage. It'll be expensive and time consuming, but the extra agricultural output just might be worth it. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Water-logged areas cleared, additional farming income.
Several of Archimedes' steam pumps are assembled, piece by piece, at the shores of numerous swamps, marshes and shallow lakes. Lengths of pipe are set up to funnel the water into existing rivers and streams, and after much preparation the pumps begin the process of siphoning water away from the soon-to-be farmland. Of course, it's going to take months to drain them all sufficiently, and once that's done you'll have to actually divide up the lands and prepare them for planting, but it'll be worth it to expand agricultural production. Will finish next Turn
Learning: Archimedes has been poring over the information salvaged from the battlefield these past few weeks, seeking to learn all he can about the Southern enemy and brainstorming new ways to fight them off should they return. Genevieve prefers to focus on more domestic advancements, and has recently found a way to use liquid fire in specially made lamps as an improved source of light, a significant improvement over candles or torches which has already made her a household name across the Empire. You're glad to see such dedication from both of them.
-Coke-Fired Blast Furnaces: Iron and Steel are the lifeblood of your economy, constituting everything from tools to building materials to weapons. However, they are difficult to produce in vast amounts. The only reason your people have been able to do so thus far is because of the sheer amount of ore available to you in your mountains, and the number of mining and smelting operations currently underway as a result. Genevieve has come up with a potential solution to allow for greater production of these metals. Using coal that has been treated in much the same way wood is treated to produce charcoal, a new form of dense, cleaner-burning fuel can be used to heat a new kind of massive, vertical smelting furnace the size of a building with a much greater output of metals. Naturally, this will be expensive, but Genevieve states that the increased metal production will be necessary to allow for greater innovation and widespread implementation of new devices, not to mention the smelting of this new "Orichalcum". Cost: 600. Time: Two Years. Reward: Increased Iron/Steel Production, Discount on troop recruitment, new Learning Actions Unlocked, Can now Smelt Orichalcum.
Construction begins on Genevieve's "Blast Furnaces", massive building-sized smelters meant to produce vast amounts of metal from the equally vast amounts of ore that is annually extracted from the mountains you call home. At the same time, work begins on the mass production of "coke", or coal heated in the absence of air, the relatively new fuel material being produced in great ovens by the cartload in preparation for the completion of the new furnaces.
In between overseeing the two projects, Genevieve takes some time to examine the new wonder-material being stockpiled due to your current inability to smelt it. Unfortunately, she's unable to determine anything more about the material than Archimedes had, though she is confident that the new furnaces should produce temperatures sufficient to smelt and shape the Orichalcum. Will finish next Turn.
-Cannon Foundry: Archimedes' new type of explosive siege weapons proved highly effective in combat. Unfortunately, Archimedes tells you that if you're going to be building large numbers of the things with any hope of consistent, reliable performance, you're going to have to build a dedicated foundry and associated tools for their production and future improvement. After seeing a few of his sketches for variations and improvements on the current design, you see his point. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Cannon Foundry Constructed, additional Learning and Martial Actions Unlocked.
Compared to his protege, Archimedes is overseeing a much less ambitious but equally important project: the construction of foundries made for the design and production of cannons and other blackpowder artillery. While cannons could conceivably be made in regular blacksmiths, such a method would produce irregular results and would never be able to produce the same number of cannons as a dedicated facility.
And so, Archimedes goes to work, adding yet more smoke-belching chimneys to the skyline as he walks metalworkers through the process of forging cannon barrels and balls. By the end of the year, you now have a means of mass-producing the most powerful weapon in your arsenal. Cannon Foundry Constructed, additional Actions Unlocked.
Intrigue: Ravenburg is as stoic and calmly professional as ever. If he's been at all affected by the War and it's aftermath, he doesn't show it. Apart from his sudden fixation upon potential happenings south of the border, he's the same as he ever was. You actually find that quite reassuring.
-Into the Storm: The Blizzard may have ended for you, but it still rages over the border. Despite the scouting expedition sent last year that gathered the vital intelligence needed to halt the invasion, you still know very little about your new enemy, or the land it calls home. You know this war isn't over, and if you're going to have any hope of winning it, you'll need intel on what exactly is waiting for you on the other side of the Peregrines. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: New Intel on Sombra/Crystal Empire. Chance of Success: 40%
Required: 60. Rolled: 84+20(To Be The Emperor Omake)+10(Soul of Steel Omake)=114 (Art Crit!)
Once again, Ravenburg calls up his best and brightest scouts and spies for a dangerous assignment beyond the Peregrines. Once again, the agents are sent out along varied routes to minimize their chances of failure and discovery. And once again, all the agents return alive and unharmed, bearing valuable intelligence.
The lands beyond the Peregrines are as you'd feared: an inhospitable frozen hellscape.
Every scout reports a close call with a sudden crevasse, an attack by hostile wildlife, a sudden avalanche, or a dozen other natural hazards, and all of them speak of the blizzard that seemed to intensify as they journeyed deeper into enemy territory. They report spotting numerous roads and mines teeming with more overworked, underfed slaves, toiling away for the sake of their dark master, some keeling over from exhaustion only for their bodies to be unceremoniously dumped into pits and ditches apparently prepared for that very purpose. Their fellows continue their appointed task, never stopping to rest, heedless of the cold that should freeze them to death where they stand.
They follow the roads to a massive city miraculously shielded from the cold, bigger than any in your Empire, buildings of crystal stretching as far as the eye can see. And at it's center sits a massive palace that towers over all else, it's crystalline spires brimming with arcane power. Your scouts didn't dare to enter the city for fear of being discovered, but they could observe much from afar with their telescopes. And little of what they witnessed bodes well for you.
For starters, the Shadow King still lives. You'd suspected that, but now you have confirmation. He's...not quite as corporeal as he was before, but you doubt that makes him any less of a threat than he was previously.
He does indeed inhabit his palace, which is guarded by a sizable force of what can only be referred to as living statues. While they bear a resemblance to the abominations fielded in the attempted invasion of your lands, these creatures are without any visible biological component, appearing to be made entirely of stone and crystal. You suspect these beasts will be more durable than their fleshy cousins.
In addition to that, the uppermost spire of the crystal palace seems to be the epicenter of the storm. It is also surrounded by numerous ghostly figures flying around at a rapid but consistent pace. Your scouts seem to think these two things are related. Are these creatures responsible for the storm? And do they answer to the Shadow King?
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, one particularly perceptive observer managed to catch a glimpse of "something important looking". In one of the rooms of the spire, just below the peak where the "ghosts" were flying, sat a massive orb of polished black crystal that seemed to visibly pulse with dark magic. More tellingly, he claims to have seen the Shadow King pass in and out of it, as if he were using it to recharge himself or something of the sort.
Well, at least you have a clear target now. And as of now it doesn't seem like he's preparing another invasion force, which is the best news you've received in months. You commend Ravenburg and his spies on yet another job well done.
Crystal City Located, Crystal Supply Lines and Mining Operations Identified, Potential Weakpoint Identified, Intel Gained on Crystal City Defenses.
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day.
-Getting Swole: One of the numerous reasons you refused to fight Brochard was that he was so much stronger than you. A blade and a suit of armor mitigated that advantage a great deal, but it didn't remove it completely. You trained with your wife not long ago, and that training showed results, but the results weren't quite as big an improvement as you'd hoped. If you're going to be an Emperor worthy of the title, you need to be strong, especially if you're going to be throwing yourself into harms way like you did in the Winter War. Have Gabriella put you through an even more grueling fitness regimen and see if you can't improve your physique a bit more. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she can't put you through your paces! Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased martial stat, chance to upgrade Toned Trait, chance to improve Gabriella's opinion of you. Chance of Success: 55%
Required: 45. Rolled: 49+15(Comparisons of Mythology and History Omake)=64
You'd thought the training Gabriella had put you through before was difficult. You had grossly underestimated her capacity to inflict torture upon you in the name of physical fitness. She puts you through an almost comically difficult routine that involves the carrying of boulders on your back, lifting stacks of bricks off of the ground using only wingpower, and climbing up steep mountain faces with lead weights hanging off your body and your wings bound with rope. And that's just the first two weeks! All the while your children watch and laugh at your pain and suffering, while your guards carry on with their duties, trying not to let their mirth show.
Your wife's pregnant status does not encourage her to go easy on you. Far from it, it seems to encourage her to increase the pressure on you as her womb begins to weigh her down, the weights you both bear increasing at the same time. Every day you collapse into bed an exhausted mess of sore muscles and fur matted with sweat. And yet, by the end of the year, you are in better shape than you've ever been in your entire life. Weights that would have once made you collapse now seem almost trivially light, and you can fly faster and farther than you ever could before. And of course, you can now reliably beat your wife in an arm wrestling competition. You even win more often than she does now!
Gabriella is...very appreciative of your gains. So much so that you're fairly certain the only thing saving you from a fractured pelvis is her now almost full-term pregnancy. Well, your wife is happy, and you now feel like you have the strength an Emperor needs to lead his people. All in all, despite the sweat and tears that needed to be shed to get here, you're pretty happy with the result. Toned Trait Upgrades to Strong Trait,+1 Martial, +1.5 Gabriella Opinion.
-Combing the Archives: The Imperial Archives hold many secrets and much wisdom. It contains not only reams upon reams of records from recent years, but also what scraps of information have been recovered from the ruins of Pre-Discord civilization. Perhaps some of these decaying scraps of old parchment could contain bits of knowledge relevant to you in the present? Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Chance to gain information and knowledge from Pre-Discord Records.
Rolled: 76+15(Contemplation Omake)=91
You weren't really sure what you were looking for when you decided to venture into the ancient records section of the Imperial Archives. You figured that, somewhere amidst the random scraps of the old empire, you'd find something useful. But after several days of sorting through tax records, poetry and the personal journals of several nobles of who didn't seem to do anything of significance with their lives, you begin to question your thinking. Surely if something of actual value was in here, one of the scholars or archeologists responsible for finding and cataloguing these ancient texts would have brought it to your attention?
But just as you are about to give the whole thing up as a lost cause, you find something. A fragment of an ancient design for...some sort of flying machine? Judging by the date scribbled in the corner it was drawn up just before Discord first arrived and sent the Empire into chaos. You're not too sure what to make of it, but you know Archimedes and Genevieve would give their tail feathers to get their talons on something like this. Perhaps going to the Archives wasn't such a waste of time after all?
Gained "Flying Machine" schematics. New Learning Action Unlocked.
Hazard/Random Event Rolls
62 (Pass)
77 (Pass)
Birth of new child will be covered in upcoming Interlude.
Also, for anyone wondering, the War Memorial is based on the Australian Shrine of Remembrance. I thought it looked like the sort of memorial that could have been built by Griffon culture with current technology.
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