Turn 17: Flames of Hope
- Location
- Maryland
You wrap the ribbon connected to the medal around Hardbeak's neck as the crowd below applauds, the eternal flames burning brightly behind you. The steps of the Imperial War Memorial are crammed with recently promoted Knights of the Inner Circle and former Squires, and the surrounding green is covered by thousands of Griffons who have turned out to witness the ceremonies. In the interest of time and convenience, the medal awarding, promotion, and carving of names into the Memorial walls had all been combined into a singular event. These warriors still had a war to fight after all.
Hardbeak stands stoically as he is awarded the first ever Imperial Medal of Honor. You'd felt it necessary to create an entirely new order of military merit to honor the Grandmaster's actions in combat, despite his numerous objections that he was "merely doing his duty". After slaying Brochard and crippling Sombra twice, he's more than earned the recognition. He's not the only soldier being awarded a medal for bravery in combat this day, but he's the only one being given the highest military honor in the Empire. You know that, in time, others will be honored as he is. But for now, he stands alone as a paragon of Knights and an inspiration to citizens across the Empire.
You salute the Griffon who had once served as your bodyguard when you were but a novice King, a salute he returns with the ease of a true veteran. Shortly before the ceremony, the "Lion of the Empire" had told you that the true heroes had given their lives upon the battlefield, that they were no longer alive to receive such an honor. You couldn't disagree with him. A great many nameless heroes had died in this war. You suspected that a great many more would die before it ended. But you and all other Imperial citizens knew that it would end, and some dared to hope that it would end soon. Your second great victory against Sombra had raised spirits throughout the Empire and beyond, the news reaching even the most remote Yak Clan and most hidden village of Kitsune. With the combined might of three nations, you had faith in your ability to crush this most hated of foes once and for all, and restore tranquility to your nation.
Your children will know peace. You, and every parent in the Empire, swears it.
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather, once known as the hardest drinker and fighter in Griffonia, has sworn not to consume a drop of alcohol until the losses of Redstone Pass have been avenged, and the threat of the Shadow King dealt with once and for all. He's thrown himself into his work, seeking to ensure an end to this conflict that has already cost the Empire so many lives. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Hans, Get the Flamethrower: The flame projectors proved to be one of the most important assets of the Winter War, being the only viable method of destroying the shadow-beasts, and serving as excellent counters to the abominations. Now that the Troll-Busters' contract has expired, it's probably a good idea to build a few more of these devices for yourself. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: +4 Static Flame Projectors
[ ] Army Artillery: The cannons have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield, and now that you have the foundries up and running, it's time to start cranking out some more of these explosive artillery pieces. Cost: 500. Time: One Year. Reward: +10 Cannons added to army
[ ] The West Wall-Watchtowers: You have neighbors to your West. Large, strong, and surprisingly fast neighbors that are used to living off the land and crossing great distances in a relatively short period of time. They don't seem hostile at the moment, but it couldn't hurt to take precautions. The Black Cliffs of Aquileia serve as a natural barrier, but one that could be crossed by the Yaks (or another foe) if they really wanted to. It only makes sense to fortify this barrier and make it more difficult for any Yak raiders or warbands to cross into your core territory. You can start with some watchtowers. These small posts won't be able to prevent any sizable force from crossing the border, but their vigil will prevent a surprise attack and give you some warning in the event of a hostile mountain crossing. Cost: 1000. Time: Two Years. Reward: Western Border Watchtowers built, removes possibility of surprise attacks, may discourage raids into core territory.
[ ] Frontier Fortifications: The new towns and villages in your recently settled territory have followed the Griffin tradition of "fortifying the nest." However, these fortifications are little more than palisades, stockades, and other wooden barriers. Enough to discourage the local fauna or bands of raiders, but not sufficient to repel a determined attack by an organized foe. See about setting up some proper stone walls and weapons emplacements around the larger population centers in your newest province. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: Upgraded fortifications around Frontier Settlements.
[ ] Replacing Casualties: The Battle of the Peregrines was a great victory where your own forces took relatively few losses compared to Sombra's. Still, significant casualties were endured. Hundreds of names have been added to the walls of the Imperial War Memorial. You know that hundreds more will likely be added before this war can be brought to an end. Despite the many thousands of lives lost, there is no shortage of volunteers to fill in the gaps in the lines. Hold one last recruitment drive and get your army back up to full strength. Cost: 1000. Time: One Year. Reward: Army Returns to Full Strength
[ ] Stab at the Heart of Darkness: Sombra has been defeated and weakened twice. You have the assistance of the Yaks and the Neighponese. Your army is as ready as it ever will be. Gather supplies and march South. Put an end to this war once and for all. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Invasion of Crystal Empire Arc.
Diplomacy: As the "new" Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elva has been making a lot more progress and getting a lot more done thanks her dedicated office space and expanded staff. She's very relieved to not have to carry the burden of managing the Empire's foreign policy by herself. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Leaning on the Elders, Pro-Modernist: The Yaks' internal political struggles have attracted a lot of attention throughout your government, and there's been a great deal of debate as to what the Empire's response should be, or if it should respond at all. One of the ideas that's been circulating has been to exert diplomatic pressure on the leaders of the Yak Clans to encourage them to comply with some of the modernist's demands, or at least to not clamp down on them. While this could have the desired effect, it is equally likely that such pressure could be seen as Imperial meddling in Yak affairs, risking damage to relations between your peoples. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak Leadership agrees to modest reforms, Modernists gain more influence. Chance of Success: 40%.
[ ] Leaning on the Elders, Pro-Traditionalist: Alternatively, some Griffons have been wondering whether the Empire should really want a strong neighbor that might come to threaten the Western Border. These theorists and diplomats propose exerting diplomatic pressure for the opposite purpose, encouraging the Yak Clan Leaders to suppress these reformers before they have a chance to gain traction, doubling down on the commitment to their traditional nomadic lifestyle. Again, there is the possibility that simply attempting to exert such pressure could upset the Yaks, regardless of their position on the issue. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak Leaders suppress modernists, Modernists lose influence. Chance of Success: 40%
[ ] Immigration Campaign: The addition of Magical Advisors to your court, and the memory of how much the integration of the Diamond Dogs improved your Kingdom, has led some to propose the idea of advertising abroad for immigrants, from both Neighpon and Yakyakistan. You're not sure how many takers you'll get, but it can't hurt to try. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak/Neighponese Immigrants. Chance of Success: 60%
[ ] Yaks, Meet Qilin, Qilin, Yaks: You have Neighbors that you're on good terms with, but though they both have knowledge of each other, they have yet to make actual diplomatic contact. Of course, barring their mutual relationship with you and their hatred of Sombra, you're not sure if they have anything in common. Still, it could only be a good thing to ensure your allies are on good terms with each other. See if you can arrange a meeting between representatives of both nations and facilitate the establishment of diplomatic relations. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic Relations between Yaks and Neighponese established. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Guilt Trip: While the Neighponese have pledged the bulk of their army to assist in the coming Invasion of the Crystal Empire, the Yaks have only promised a few hundred volunteers. Any assistance is welcomed and much appreciated of course, but you'd feel a lot better if you could get just a few more Yak Warriors involved in the war effort. As the bulk of Sombra's forces have been wiped out, it might be a good idea to try and convince the Yak leadership to contribute some more forces to the campaign now that the risks to their own soldiers have been minimized. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Additional Yak Support. Chance of Success: 50%
[ ] Got Any Orichalcum?: Thus far, only you and a handful of trusted advisors know about the anti-magic capabilities of Orichalcum. But you can't keep it a secret forever, nor can you afford to remain ignorant of any potential sources of the rare mineral in allied territory. Meet with Kōryū and the leaders of the Yaks and inform them of the situation, and see if they know of any deposits of the material within their borders. They're your friends, you can trust them with such information. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Yaks and Neighponese become aware of Orichalcum and it's Anti-Magic properties, potential to learn of Orichalcum Deposits in Yakyakistan and Neighpon.
Stewardship: Frida is particularly upbeat this year. The victory at the Peregrines is only part of the reason, as the establishment of the Western Frontier Settlements and the completion of the Imperial Irrigation Program has resulted in a significant amount of economic growth and new tax revenue, which is always good news. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Imperial Brew: This is something that could be...controversial. Archimedes' shroomshine has been exceedingly popular with the Imperial Citizenry. However, given it's relatively recent invention, all the people brewing it are doing so on a small scale. Someone raised the idea that, instead of having a bunch of independent brewers making a bunch of wildly disparate concoctions in their basements, the government could contract them and arrange the sale and distribution of the alcohol itself, ensuring consistent quality and netting a tidy profit in the process. Of course, some people might not approve of the government selling alcohol, or taking control of the market in such a fashion. Cost: 400. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Government Controlled Breweries. Gain Alcohol Sales Income. May raise Public Opinion. May lower Public Opinion. 50% chance of either outcome.
[ ] Neighponese Seed Drills: An invention from the East has been seeing slow but steady adoption amongst your farmers. The Neighponese call it a seed drill, a device that sows seeds for planting at regular depth and intervals with minimal effort on the farmer's part. A few larger farms have already built or purchased their own, but most Imperial farms remain without them. Subsidize the purchase of these new devises and ensure they are widely adopted by the Empire's agricultural base. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Farming Income.
[ ] Western Prospectors: The Western Frontier has a number of mines already, but the majority of its mineral wealth remains untapped. Perform a mineral survey and construct additional mines to boost the productivity and profitability of the rapidly growing province. Cost: 800. Time: Two Years. Reward: New Mines established, Increased Mining Income.
[ ] Flax Seeding: Neighponese Silk has become a hot commodity amongst the nobility and the Nouveau riche, with garments made of the material becoming the standard at formal events. This popularity of foreign cloth has made you wonder if a demand for Griffon textiles could be generated beyond your borders. While you do not possess silk, you do possess fine linens that could potentially fetch a profit in foreign markets. Unfortunately, linen is made from flax, and with the growing demand for food to feed your growing population and Sombra's attempts to starve your people into submission, hardy food crops have taken priority over plants to make cloth. As a result, there's barely enough flax being grown to meet the existing domestic demand for linen, never mind a foreign market. If you're going to be a competitor in the textile trade, you're going to have to start with additional cultivation of flax. Subsidize the replanting of a few fields to support a revitalized domestic textile industry. Cost: 500. Time: One Year. Reward: Slight Increase to Agricultural Income, New Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Western Lumberjacks: The woods of the Western Frontier, while not quite as expansive and vast as the forests of the Imperial heartland, are still a potential resource and an ample supply of raw timber. Subsidize the establishment of logging camps and lumber mills in the newly settled territory. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Logging Income.
Learning: Archimedes and Genevieve continue their work as the Empire's top scholars, Archimedes focusing on improvements to the Imperial War Machine while Genevieve focuses on more Domestic improvements. This does not mean that the two do not collaborate and share information, merely that the two Griffons divide the work between them. They are further joined by the Neighponese trio, the Magical Experts you convinced to work for you. (Two Actions per Turn)
[ ] Cannon Ships: Archimedes' new cannons are much more powerful than the old bolt-throwers, if more volatile and expensive. Unfortunately, small scale tests have shown that your current Cog designs are not suited for the weight of the new weapons, or the force of their recoil. You'll need to design a new class of ship from the ground up to accommodate these new weapons. Cost: 100. Reward: New Ship Class Designed.
[ ] Flying without Wings: The fragment of the ancient design you found, while sparse on details due to its decay, has given both of your scientific advisors ideas. Big, big ideas. Of course, in order to make those ideas reality they'll need equally big amounts of funding and time. Just for starters they're going to have to figure out whether they can even build such a contraption with the materials they have available, and what other steps will need to be accomplished before they can even start to build this "flying machine". Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Viability of Airships explored, additional Learning Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Sugar Beets: Among the numerous crops that have been introduced to the Empire as a result of trade with Neighpon, Sugarcane has been one of the most sought after, particularly due to its inability to be farmed on the mainland. However, Genevieve claims to have an idea. By selectively breeding a particular species of root vegetable for increased production of Sucrose (the thing that gives Sugarcane its distinctively sweet taste), she believes it to be possible to engineer a hardier alternative to sugarcane that can be grown domestically. This will of course take a while to do. Cost: 200. Time: Two Years. Reward: Sugar Beets acquired, new Learning and Stewardship Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Rotative Beam Engine: Archimedes and Genevieve have been going over the designs for the Steam Pumps in between other projects for the past couple of years, and they think they've come up with a way to make the devices more versatile. By replacing the piston with something called a flywheel, they can turn the single-use pump into a multi-use engine, allowing for much greater utility. Simple in theory. In practice...well, you'll need to give them some time and funding to see if it's worth it. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Invention of first true Steam Engine, New Actions Unlocked.
[ ] A Fire Bender's Advice on Flamethrowers: Asahi Kaji is very interested in your flamethrowers and the Liquid Fire they use as fuel. Expert on fire that he is, he seems to think that, with the right adjustments (both magical and mundane), they could be made more effective in combat. He will of course need time and funding to make these modifications. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Bonus to Flamethrower/Liquid Fire Rolls.
[ ] Doing More with Less: Orichalcum is a supremely useful mineral with a wide range of applications. It is a pity that it's in such short supply. Archimedes has proposed mixing small amounts of molten Orichalcum with steel in an attempt to create an alloy, similar to how tin and copper can be combined to form bronze. Of course, you won't know whether or not this is actually feasible, or whether it will affect the potency of the Orichalcum and it's effectiveness, until you actually try it. Give Archimedes what he needs to run his experiment and see what comes of it. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Orichalcum/Steel Alloy.
[ ] Sound the War Horns!: The Battle of the Peregrines demonstrated the need for a means of long range communication between commanders and units spread across multiple fronts. Couriers and banners simply aren't good enough. An enterprising army officer and former musician by the name of Major Shrike has proposed building and utilizing specialized horns, designed to communicate coded messages through the pitch, tune and frequency of their blasts. The idea might hold merit. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Gain War Horns. Upgrade Army Communications Bonus.
Intrigue: Ravenburg is as stoic and calmly professional as ever. If he's been at all affected by the War, 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. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Sleeping Dragons: Koryū is a nice guy, or at least he seems to be, and the Neighponese are steadfast allies in the war against the Shadow King. Still, the old saying goes "trust but verify". Aside from what your fellow Emperor and the first contact team told you you don't really know much about the Neighponese. Their economy, their politics, their military, their level of technological advancement. You don't even know if everything Koryū told you is true. Surely it wouldn't be a big deal if you sent a few gryphons to poke around Neighpon and report back? Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: New Intel on Neighpon, New Intrigue Actions. Chance of Success: 50%
[ ] Backing the Modernists: Picking sides in the Yaks' internal political conflict isn't exactly something that should be done publicly, but it's still something that might be necessary. Ravenburg has offered to have his agents reach out to the leaders of the Modernists and supply them with intelligence and funding, as well as carry out a subtle propaganda campaign that should encourage the greater Yak population to see the Modernists in a more favorable light. This is of course a risky venture that will enrage both the Yak leadership and general public should your activities of your spies be discovered. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Modernists gain Influence in Yakyakistan. Chance of Success: 35%
[ ] Undermining the Modernists: Alternatively, you could have Ravenburg and his spies spread slander, rumors and misinformation to harm the Modernist cause and prevent them from gaining more influence on Yak society. You won't be telling the Yak Leadership about this, and if it's discovered you'll face condemnation from both sides of the political aisle. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Modernists lose Influence in Yakyakistan. Chance of Success: 35%
[ ] Useless Black Stones: Orichalcum is a very valuable and very rare material. So rare that you only know of the one deposit in all of the known world. But you and your advisors suspect there are other sources out there somewhere, beyond your borders. Have Ravenburg send some agents to ask innocuous questions and poke at the ground under the guise of a "geological survey" in Yakyakistan and Neighpon. They may be your allies, but you don't think you're quite ready to tell them about your new wonder material, especially if they might also have access to their own source of the stuff. If you should find an Orichalcum deposit in allied territory...well, you'll cross that bridge when you come to it. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Intel on possible Orichalcum Deposits in Allied Nations. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] The Great Escape: The suffering of Sombra's slaves is immeasurable. Killing him will hopefully free them, but until then they work themselves to death or serve as fodder in his armies. Not only do you have a moral responsibility to free as many as you can as quickly as possible, you can't take the chance that Sombra will try to kill them all in some final act of spite. Have Ravenburg send agents back into enemy territory with Orichalcum to free as many slaves as they can. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: More Crystal Slaves Freed.
[ ] Groundwork for Invasion: You've sabotaged Sombra's industry, mined the walls of his city, and gained valuable intel on his defenses. What else is there to do but have Ravenburg's agents scout out routes of travel and supply for the coming Invasion? Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Routes of Travel through Crystal Empire identified. Bonus to certain Campaign rolls.
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions per Turn)
[ ] Overtime: Your advisors can only do so much, and sometimes that's just not enough. If it's truly necessary, you can sacrifice some of your otherwise free time to carry out an additional action from another category, provided said action has a duration of only one year. The costs and chances of success for that action remain the same.
[ ] Combing the Archives: Your last trip to the Archives proved a fruitful endeavor that reintroduced long-lost technology to the Empire. Who knows what else you could find buried amongst the piles of faded parchment? Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Chance to gain information and knowledge from Pre-Discord Records.
[ ] New Swords for Everybody!: Now that you've got a neat new metal, it's time to start forging it into blades. Unfortunately you only have the one deposit of Orichalcum, which, due to the nature of the material, has proven difficult to mine in large quantities. As such, you don't have a lot of the stuff to work with. But that still leaves you with more than enough to forge new blades for yourself, Gabriella, your children, and the Grandmasters of the Knightly Orders. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Orichalcum blades for you, your family, and the Grandmasters.
[ ] Son's Socialization: Gawain is brilliant, a fine young ruler in the making. He has excelled in his studies and conducts himself in a manner befitting the Crown Prince of the Empire. He also doesn't really have any friends his own age, outside of his sisters and the children of some of the castle staff, and the latter are more acquaintances than true friends. It might be time to look into introducing him to a peer group. Not only would it be good for him to make friends his own age, it might be advantageous for him to have trusted contacts in certain levels of Imperial society. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Gawain makes some friends. Chance to develop future contacts.
There will be a twelve hour moratorium to allow for Discussion and Plan Building.
Sorry about the delay in getting this out. Had a couple exams to take care of. Have also been rethinking a few things about the Quest (mostly the placement of yet-to-be discovered nations) as well as ways the mechanics might change at some point in the future. Please let me know if you guys have any input or suggestions in regards to the latter.
As an aside, I just saw the Trailer for MLP: FIM's final season, even though it's been online for weeks. I haven't really watched the show since the beginning of the seventh season (nothing to do with the show, just kind of stopped watching) but let me tell you, that trailer was a sucker punch to the feels. It is kind of amazing that it lasted as long as it did, and though I haven't watched it in a long time, I'm still saddened to see it about to end, the same way I was sad to see Adventure Time end. I mean, I was in Middle School when I first saw an episode of MLP: FIM. Now I'm a couple months away from graduating college with a Bachelors Degree.
Hardbeak stands stoically as he is awarded the first ever Imperial Medal of Honor. You'd felt it necessary to create an entirely new order of military merit to honor the Grandmaster's actions in combat, despite his numerous objections that he was "merely doing his duty". After slaying Brochard and crippling Sombra twice, he's more than earned the recognition. He's not the only soldier being awarded a medal for bravery in combat this day, but he's the only one being given the highest military honor in the Empire. You know that, in time, others will be honored as he is. But for now, he stands alone as a paragon of Knights and an inspiration to citizens across the Empire.
You salute the Griffon who had once served as your bodyguard when you were but a novice King, a salute he returns with the ease of a true veteran. Shortly before the ceremony, the "Lion of the Empire" had told you that the true heroes had given their lives upon the battlefield, that they were no longer alive to receive such an honor. You couldn't disagree with him. A great many nameless heroes had died in this war. You suspected that a great many more would die before it ended. But you and all other Imperial citizens knew that it would end, and some dared to hope that it would end soon. Your second great victory against Sombra had raised spirits throughout the Empire and beyond, the news reaching even the most remote Yak Clan and most hidden village of Kitsune. With the combined might of three nations, you had faith in your ability to crush this most hated of foes once and for all, and restore tranquility to your nation.
Your children will know peace. You, and every parent in the Empire, swears it.
Martial: Gustav Kingfeather, once known as the hardest drinker and fighter in Griffonia, has sworn not to consume a drop of alcohol until the losses of Redstone Pass have been avenged, and the threat of the Shadow King dealt with once and for all. He's thrown himself into his work, seeking to ensure an end to this conflict that has already cost the Empire so many lives. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Hans, Get the Flamethrower: The flame projectors proved to be one of the most important assets of the Winter War, being the only viable method of destroying the shadow-beasts, and serving as excellent counters to the abominations. Now that the Troll-Busters' contract has expired, it's probably a good idea to build a few more of these devices for yourself. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: +4 Static Flame Projectors
[ ] Army Artillery: The cannons have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield, and now that you have the foundries up and running, it's time to start cranking out some more of these explosive artillery pieces. Cost: 500. Time: One Year. Reward: +10 Cannons added to army
[ ] The West Wall-Watchtowers: You have neighbors to your West. Large, strong, and surprisingly fast neighbors that are used to living off the land and crossing great distances in a relatively short period of time. They don't seem hostile at the moment, but it couldn't hurt to take precautions. The Black Cliffs of Aquileia serve as a natural barrier, but one that could be crossed by the Yaks (or another foe) if they really wanted to. It only makes sense to fortify this barrier and make it more difficult for any Yak raiders or warbands to cross into your core territory. You can start with some watchtowers. These small posts won't be able to prevent any sizable force from crossing the border, but their vigil will prevent a surprise attack and give you some warning in the event of a hostile mountain crossing. Cost: 1000. Time: Two Years. Reward: Western Border Watchtowers built, removes possibility of surprise attacks, may discourage raids into core territory.
[ ] Frontier Fortifications: The new towns and villages in your recently settled territory have followed the Griffin tradition of "fortifying the nest." However, these fortifications are little more than palisades, stockades, and other wooden barriers. Enough to discourage the local fauna or bands of raiders, but not sufficient to repel a determined attack by an organized foe. See about setting up some proper stone walls and weapons emplacements around the larger population centers in your newest province. Cost: 800. Time: One Year. Reward: Upgraded fortifications around Frontier Settlements.
[ ] Replacing Casualties: The Battle of the Peregrines was a great victory where your own forces took relatively few losses compared to Sombra's. Still, significant casualties were endured. Hundreds of names have been added to the walls of the Imperial War Memorial. You know that hundreds more will likely be added before this war can be brought to an end. Despite the many thousands of lives lost, there is no shortage of volunteers to fill in the gaps in the lines. Hold one last recruitment drive and get your army back up to full strength. Cost: 1000. Time: One Year. Reward: Army Returns to Full Strength
[ ] Stab at the Heart of Darkness: Sombra has been defeated and weakened twice. You have the assistance of the Yaks and the Neighponese. Your army is as ready as it ever will be. Gather supplies and march South. Put an end to this war once and for all. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Invasion of Crystal Empire Arc.
Diplomacy: As the "new" Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elva has been making a lot more progress and getting a lot more done thanks her dedicated office space and expanded staff. She's very relieved to not have to carry the burden of managing the Empire's foreign policy by herself. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Leaning on the Elders, Pro-Modernist: The Yaks' internal political struggles have attracted a lot of attention throughout your government, and there's been a great deal of debate as to what the Empire's response should be, or if it should respond at all. One of the ideas that's been circulating has been to exert diplomatic pressure on the leaders of the Yak Clans to encourage them to comply with some of the modernist's demands, or at least to not clamp down on them. While this could have the desired effect, it is equally likely that such pressure could be seen as Imperial meddling in Yak affairs, risking damage to relations between your peoples. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak Leadership agrees to modest reforms, Modernists gain more influence. Chance of Success: 40%.
[ ] Leaning on the Elders, Pro-Traditionalist: Alternatively, some Griffons have been wondering whether the Empire should really want a strong neighbor that might come to threaten the Western Border. These theorists and diplomats propose exerting diplomatic pressure for the opposite purpose, encouraging the Yak Clan Leaders to suppress these reformers before they have a chance to gain traction, doubling down on the commitment to their traditional nomadic lifestyle. Again, there is the possibility that simply attempting to exert such pressure could upset the Yaks, regardless of their position on the issue. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak Leaders suppress modernists, Modernists lose influence. Chance of Success: 40%
[ ] Immigration Campaign: The addition of Magical Advisors to your court, and the memory of how much the integration of the Diamond Dogs improved your Kingdom, has led some to propose the idea of advertising abroad for immigrants, from both Neighpon and Yakyakistan. You're not sure how many takers you'll get, but it can't hurt to try. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Yak/Neighponese Immigrants. Chance of Success: 60%
[ ] Yaks, Meet Qilin, Qilin, Yaks: You have Neighbors that you're on good terms with, but though they both have knowledge of each other, they have yet to make actual diplomatic contact. Of course, barring their mutual relationship with you and their hatred of Sombra, you're not sure if they have anything in common. Still, it could only be a good thing to ensure your allies are on good terms with each other. See if you can arrange a meeting between representatives of both nations and facilitate the establishment of diplomatic relations. Cost: 100. Time: One Year. Reward: Diplomatic Relations between Yaks and Neighponese established. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] Guilt Trip: While the Neighponese have pledged the bulk of their army to assist in the coming Invasion of the Crystal Empire, the Yaks have only promised a few hundred volunteers. Any assistance is welcomed and much appreciated of course, but you'd feel a lot better if you could get just a few more Yak Warriors involved in the war effort. As the bulk of Sombra's forces have been wiped out, it might be a good idea to try and convince the Yak leadership to contribute some more forces to the campaign now that the risks to their own soldiers have been minimized. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Additional Yak Support. Chance of Success: 50%
[ ] Got Any Orichalcum?: Thus far, only you and a handful of trusted advisors know about the anti-magic capabilities of Orichalcum. But you can't keep it a secret forever, nor can you afford to remain ignorant of any potential sources of the rare mineral in allied territory. Meet with Kōryū and the leaders of the Yaks and inform them of the situation, and see if they know of any deposits of the material within their borders. They're your friends, you can trust them with such information. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Yaks and Neighponese become aware of Orichalcum and it's Anti-Magic properties, potential to learn of Orichalcum Deposits in Yakyakistan and Neighpon.
Stewardship: Frida is particularly upbeat this year. The victory at the Peregrines is only part of the reason, as the establishment of the Western Frontier Settlements and the completion of the Imperial Irrigation Program has resulted in a significant amount of economic growth and new tax revenue, which is always good news. (Two Actions Per Turn)
[ ] Imperial Brew: This is something that could be...controversial. Archimedes' shroomshine has been exceedingly popular with the Imperial Citizenry. However, given it's relatively recent invention, all the people brewing it are doing so on a small scale. Someone raised the idea that, instead of having a bunch of independent brewers making a bunch of wildly disparate concoctions in their basements, the government could contract them and arrange the sale and distribution of the alcohol itself, ensuring consistent quality and netting a tidy profit in the process. Of course, some people might not approve of the government selling alcohol, or taking control of the market in such a fashion. Cost: 400. Time: 1 Year. Reward: Government Controlled Breweries. Gain Alcohol Sales Income. May raise Public Opinion. May lower Public Opinion. 50% chance of either outcome.
[ ] Neighponese Seed Drills: An invention from the East has been seeing slow but steady adoption amongst your farmers. The Neighponese call it a seed drill, a device that sows seeds for planting at regular depth and intervals with minimal effort on the farmer's part. A few larger farms have already built or purchased their own, but most Imperial farms remain without them. Subsidize the purchase of these new devises and ensure they are widely adopted by the Empire's agricultural base. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Farming Income.
[ ] Western Prospectors: The Western Frontier has a number of mines already, but the majority of its mineral wealth remains untapped. Perform a mineral survey and construct additional mines to boost the productivity and profitability of the rapidly growing province. Cost: 800. Time: Two Years. Reward: New Mines established, Increased Mining Income.
[ ] Flax Seeding: Neighponese Silk has become a hot commodity amongst the nobility and the Nouveau riche, with garments made of the material becoming the standard at formal events. This popularity of foreign cloth has made you wonder if a demand for Griffon textiles could be generated beyond your borders. While you do not possess silk, you do possess fine linens that could potentially fetch a profit in foreign markets. Unfortunately, linen is made from flax, and with the growing demand for food to feed your growing population and Sombra's attempts to starve your people into submission, hardy food crops have taken priority over plants to make cloth. As a result, there's barely enough flax being grown to meet the existing domestic demand for linen, never mind a foreign market. If you're going to be a competitor in the textile trade, you're going to have to start with additional cultivation of flax. Subsidize the replanting of a few fields to support a revitalized domestic textile industry. Cost: 500. Time: One Year. Reward: Slight Increase to Agricultural Income, New Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Western Lumberjacks: The woods of the Western Frontier, while not quite as expansive and vast as the forests of the Imperial heartland, are still a potential resource and an ample supply of raw timber. Subsidize the establishment of logging camps and lumber mills in the newly settled territory. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: Increased Logging Income.
Learning: Archimedes and Genevieve continue their work as the Empire's top scholars, Archimedes focusing on improvements to the Imperial War Machine while Genevieve focuses on more Domestic improvements. This does not mean that the two do not collaborate and share information, merely that the two Griffons divide the work between them. They are further joined by the Neighponese trio, the Magical Experts you convinced to work for you. (Two Actions per Turn)
[ ] Cannon Ships: Archimedes' new cannons are much more powerful than the old bolt-throwers, if more volatile and expensive. Unfortunately, small scale tests have shown that your current Cog designs are not suited for the weight of the new weapons, or the force of their recoil. You'll need to design a new class of ship from the ground up to accommodate these new weapons. Cost: 100. Reward: New Ship Class Designed.
[ ] Flying without Wings: The fragment of the ancient design you found, while sparse on details due to its decay, has given both of your scientific advisors ideas. Big, big ideas. Of course, in order to make those ideas reality they'll need equally big amounts of funding and time. Just for starters they're going to have to figure out whether they can even build such a contraption with the materials they have available, and what other steps will need to be accomplished before they can even start to build this "flying machine". Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Viability of Airships explored, additional Learning Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Sugar Beets: Among the numerous crops that have been introduced to the Empire as a result of trade with Neighpon, Sugarcane has been one of the most sought after, particularly due to its inability to be farmed on the mainland. However, Genevieve claims to have an idea. By selectively breeding a particular species of root vegetable for increased production of Sucrose (the thing that gives Sugarcane its distinctively sweet taste), she believes it to be possible to engineer a hardier alternative to sugarcane that can be grown domestically. This will of course take a while to do. Cost: 200. Time: Two Years. Reward: Sugar Beets acquired, new Learning and Stewardship Actions Unlocked.
[ ] Rotative Beam Engine: Archimedes and Genevieve have been going over the designs for the Steam Pumps in between other projects for the past couple of years, and they think they've come up with a way to make the devices more versatile. By replacing the piston with something called a flywheel, they can turn the single-use pump into a multi-use engine, allowing for much greater utility. Simple in theory. In practice...well, you'll need to give them some time and funding to see if it's worth it. Cost: 500. Time: Two Years. Reward: Invention of first true Steam Engine, New Actions Unlocked.
[ ] A Fire Bender's Advice on Flamethrowers: Asahi Kaji is very interested in your flamethrowers and the Liquid Fire they use as fuel. Expert on fire that he is, he seems to think that, with the right adjustments (both magical and mundane), they could be made more effective in combat. He will of course need time and funding to make these modifications. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Bonus to Flamethrower/Liquid Fire Rolls.
[ ] Doing More with Less: Orichalcum is a supremely useful mineral with a wide range of applications. It is a pity that it's in such short supply. Archimedes has proposed mixing small amounts of molten Orichalcum with steel in an attempt to create an alloy, similar to how tin and copper can be combined to form bronze. Of course, you won't know whether or not this is actually feasible, or whether it will affect the potency of the Orichalcum and it's effectiveness, until you actually try it. Give Archimedes what he needs to run his experiment and see what comes of it. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Orichalcum/Steel Alloy.
[ ] Sound the War Horns!: The Battle of the Peregrines demonstrated the need for a means of long range communication between commanders and units spread across multiple fronts. Couriers and banners simply aren't good enough. An enterprising army officer and former musician by the name of Major Shrike has proposed building and utilizing specialized horns, designed to communicate coded messages through the pitch, tune and frequency of their blasts. The idea might hold merit. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Gain War Horns. Upgrade Army Communications Bonus.
Intrigue: Ravenburg is as stoic and calmly professional as ever. If he's been at all affected by the War, 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. (One Action Per Turn)
[ ] Sleeping Dragons: Koryū is a nice guy, or at least he seems to be, and the Neighponese are steadfast allies in the war against the Shadow King. Still, the old saying goes "trust but verify". Aside from what your fellow Emperor and the first contact team told you you don't really know much about the Neighponese. Their economy, their politics, their military, their level of technological advancement. You don't even know if everything Koryū told you is true. Surely it wouldn't be a big deal if you sent a few gryphons to poke around Neighpon and report back? Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: New Intel on Neighpon, New Intrigue Actions. Chance of Success: 50%
[ ] Backing the Modernists: Picking sides in the Yaks' internal political conflict isn't exactly something that should be done publicly, but it's still something that might be necessary. Ravenburg has offered to have his agents reach out to the leaders of the Modernists and supply them with intelligence and funding, as well as carry out a subtle propaganda campaign that should encourage the greater Yak population to see the Modernists in a more favorable light. This is of course a risky venture that will enrage both the Yak leadership and general public should your activities of your spies be discovered. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Modernists gain Influence in Yakyakistan. Chance of Success: 35%
[ ] Undermining the Modernists: Alternatively, you could have Ravenburg and his spies spread slander, rumors and misinformation to harm the Modernist cause and prevent them from gaining more influence on Yak society. You won't be telling the Yak Leadership about this, and if it's discovered you'll face condemnation from both sides of the political aisle. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Modernists lose Influence in Yakyakistan. Chance of Success: 35%
[ ] Useless Black Stones: Orichalcum is a very valuable and very rare material. So rare that you only know of the one deposit in all of the known world. But you and your advisors suspect there are other sources out there somewhere, beyond your borders. Have Ravenburg send some agents to ask innocuous questions and poke at the ground under the guise of a "geological survey" in Yakyakistan and Neighpon. They may be your allies, but you don't think you're quite ready to tell them about your new wonder material, especially if they might also have access to their own source of the stuff. If you should find an Orichalcum deposit in allied territory...well, you'll cross that bridge when you come to it. Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Intel on possible Orichalcum Deposits in Allied Nations. Chance of Success: 70%
[ ] The Great Escape: The suffering of Sombra's slaves is immeasurable. Killing him will hopefully free them, but until then they work themselves to death or serve as fodder in his armies. Not only do you have a moral responsibility to free as many as you can as quickly as possible, you can't take the chance that Sombra will try to kill them all in some final act of spite. Have Ravenburg send agents back into enemy territory with Orichalcum to free as many slaves as they can. Cost: 400. Time: One Year. Reward: More Crystal Slaves Freed.
[ ] Groundwork for Invasion: You've sabotaged Sombra's industry, mined the walls of his city, and gained valuable intel on his defenses. What else is there to do but have Ravenburg's agents scout out routes of travel and supply for the coming Invasion? Cost: 200. Time: One Year. Reward: Routes of Travel through Crystal Empire identified. Bonus to certain Campaign rolls.
Personal: You refuse to let your duties as Emperor take up every moment of your day. (Two Actions per Turn)
[ ] Overtime: Your advisors can only do so much, and sometimes that's just not enough. If it's truly necessary, you can sacrifice some of your otherwise free time to carry out an additional action from another category, provided said action has a duration of only one year. The costs and chances of success for that action remain the same.
[ ] Combing the Archives: Your last trip to the Archives proved a fruitful endeavor that reintroduced long-lost technology to the Empire. Who knows what else you could find buried amongst the piles of faded parchment? Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Chance to gain information and knowledge from Pre-Discord Records.
[ ] New Swords for Everybody!: Now that you've got a neat new metal, it's time to start forging it into blades. Unfortunately you only have the one deposit of Orichalcum, which, due to the nature of the material, has proven difficult to mine in large quantities. As such, you don't have a lot of the stuff to work with. But that still leaves you with more than enough to forge new blades for yourself, Gabriella, your children, and the Grandmasters of the Knightly Orders. Cost: 300. Time: One Year. Reward: Orichalcum blades for you, your family, and the Grandmasters.
[ ] Son's Socialization: Gawain is brilliant, a fine young ruler in the making. He has excelled in his studies and conducts himself in a manner befitting the Crown Prince of the Empire. He also doesn't really have any friends his own age, outside of his sisters and the children of some of the castle staff, and the latter are more acquaintances than true friends. It might be time to look into introducing him to a peer group. Not only would it be good for him to make friends his own age, it might be advantageous for him to have trusted contacts in certain levels of Imperial society. Cost: 0. Time: One Year. Reward: Gawain makes some friends. Chance to develop future contacts.
There will be a twelve hour moratorium to allow for Discussion and Plan Building.
Sorry about the delay in getting this out. Had a couple exams to take care of. Have also been rethinking a few things about the Quest (mostly the placement of yet-to-be discovered nations) as well as ways the mechanics might change at some point in the future. Please let me know if you guys have any input or suggestions in regards to the latter.
As an aside, I just saw the Trailer for MLP: FIM's final season, even though it's been online for weeks. I haven't really watched the show since the beginning of the seventh season (nothing to do with the show, just kind of stopped watching) but let me tell you, that trailer was a sucker punch to the feels. It is kind of amazing that it lasted as long as it did, and though I haven't watched it in a long time, I'm still saddened to see it about to end, the same way I was sad to see Adventure Time end. I mean, I was in Middle School when I first saw an episode of MLP: FIM. Now I'm a couple months away from graduating college with a Bachelors Degree.
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