Round Eleven: Begin
Years 30 - 32
Don’t forget to link to any rolls you make, including rolls for rulers you will start using at the start of next round. If you want a new ruler in the next round, you must state so in your action post for this round and link to their rolls. Any increases from actions for this round are counted for the ruler you start your next round with, which may or may not be your current ruler.
Good luck!
The following events occurred between Year 28 - Year 30
Rules Alerts and Changes!
Discovery!
Explorations, prospecting, and other news from afar
The Pfith realize that their newly devised filtration grafts allow them access to vast waters as yet unconquered by others, and swiftly begin to brave the toxic seas west of the Pfithreef. Beyond the volcanic vents of Ghlsgtot, the shallows give way to deeper and deeper waters, and within barely a week’s travel the seafloor is too low for any but allies of the Abyssal Stewards to weather the pressure. Furthermore, though the pressure alone is not an insurmountable obstacle to the Core-Branded Pfith, the toxicity of the water is much more severe than even their most pessimistic predictions, and the filtration grafts have difficulty keeping up. The horrific deaths of many explorers as their grafts fail, twisted and bloated by some unknown mutagenic chemical, is enough to convince the Pfith to retreat: this challenge has defeated them…for now.
Pfilghol explores west of Region 132! They discover Region 105, a Depth 1 Contaminated Toxic Open Waters region with no Holy Sites and a single Open Trade Post of Hazardous Corpses. While Region 105 remains Contaminated, it may not be Colonized and counts as an additional region for distance loss and distance penalty purposes, including actions taken in the region. The contamination seems to be welling up from a source far, far below.
Spoiler: Contamination
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[list][*]A Noble Sacrifice: A team is sent to find the source of the contamination and seal it. Choose whether to send a crack team of operatives (Intrigue, requires and occupies a Spy), an elite squad of veteran soldiers (Military, costs 1 Unit), or a local hero/members of the royal family (Diplomacy, lose a named character). Take an action of the appropriate type and roll against TN 16. This action does not count for stat gain purposes, and in fact reduces the relevant attribute by 1 point afterwards as those who volunteer or are chosen for this task are guaranteed not to survive, depriving their homelands of valuable expertise. On a success, the region will be decontaminated, the region will gain an Open Holy Site, and the decontaminator will get a +2 bonus on any Colonization attempts in the region, and give the region an extra Holy Site on a successful Colonization attempt. On a failure, the country which took the action gains a stacking +2 bonus to any future attempts to decontaminate the region via this method.
[*]Creative Gastronomy: It may be possible to develop an organism capable of both surviving and consuming the mutagens, reproducing until capable of keeping the entire region mostly clean. A country may attempt to engineer a suitable organism with a three-action project, which must consist of any combination of Military and Economy actions. To contribute actions to this project, the country must control the local Trade Post. Once complete, the organisms will be introduced to the region, and decontaminate it over the course of three rounds, at which point the resource will change and the region will gain an extra Trade Post to represent the predominance of the engineered organism. The region will also gain an Open Holy Site.
[*]Boiling X: Approaching the Core-Branded, the Abyssal Stewards offer a possible solution in attempting to neutralize the mutagens by coaxing the Ventroots into blooming beneath the region. If a Core-Branded spends a Favor with ABS, they may take a Faith action with a TN of 12 to assist the Stewards in directing the Ventroots to shift below the seafloor of the area, followed by a second Faith action with a TN of 14 in the following round to aid them in achieving a simultaneous bloom - failing to attempt or succeed on this second roll will require the entire process to begin again. The sudden eruption of heat should, the Hearthmost claim, denature the mutagenic chemicals in the water entirely, resulting in much safer waters. If the region is cleansed in this way, it will gain two Holy Sites - one Open and one controlled by Core Beliefs - the region’s resource will change to Sulfide Crystals, and the region will cease to be Toxic.
Refusing to be outdone in bravery, and spurred to action by the Sereian success in the gharial-contaminated region near Ezcorher, the Grand Conclave of Lux-Glossia sponsors a renewed venture south and east. The route is long and fraught with dangers, but aid from the Middish Knights established in the contaminated waters ensures the explorers reach their destination successfully and return safely to report back. Beyond the uninhabited waters lies a flourishing, if small, civilization, relying on the work of (what they claim to be) the tiny descendants of vast megafauna from before the cataclysm. The region is home to many varied philosophies on the meaning of life, and the Lux-Glossians report that they were approached by no fewer than three different groups, each one asking the foreigners for evidence of their own belief system’s superiority.
The Lux-Glossian Shades explore east of Region 94! They discover Region 91, a region which has two Open TPs of Pygmy Whales, a Desired Import of Military Labor, 5 units of defenders, one Holy Site of Grim Determinism, one Holy Site of Divine Planning, and one Holy Site of Free Radicalists.
Even the renowned Shades must sometimes take on easier tasks to train new explorers, and a rookie team is sent alongside the Gotezhar colonists traveling west to continue mapping the nearby waters. They prove more adept than might have been expected, not only producing a more than serviceable map of the waters but also gaining the fast friendship of the natives and an astute insight into the complex local politics, which proves especially valuable in predicting who among the many silk magnates is most likely to be next appointed Defender of the Seas.
The Lux-Glossian Shades explore west of Region 174! They discover Region 170, a region which has one Open TP of Sea Silk, a Desired Import of Megafauna, 4 units of defenders led by a commander of Military 5, and two Holy Sites of Radical Xenophilia.
Explorers from the Tideswept Shelf continue to probe the brackish seas to their north. Though some might call it nepotism by the Grand Matriarch, they do deliver results, and excellent ones at that, more than making up for the previous failed expedition into these waters: a few nonbreeding specimens of the local Liming Snails, a vivid description of the prophecy that allegedly predicted their arrival, and a thorough description of a military exercise at which they were guests of honor.
The Lux-Glossian Shades explore northeast of Region 111! They discover Region 115, a region which has two Open TPs of Liming Snails, a Desired Import of Exotic Goods, 3 units of defenders led by a commander of Military 8, and two Holy Sites of Prophetic Histories.
In the interests of testing their newly acquired filtration technology without resorting to experimentation on their own people, the Lux-Glossian Shades strike a deal with representatives of the Divine Nacres: field-test the grafts in exchange for the blueprints to produce more. Three members of the Nacres arrive in Cyph-Arel to take possession of the grafts, at a predetermined meeting spot designed to prevent undue attention being drawn to either the Nacres’ shimmering suits or the Lux-Glossian equipment. The explorers return a year later, bearing detailed reports on the performance of the grafts attached to a number of creatures, measured both by the time until the grafts began to fail (in many cases, indeterminately long) and second, utterly unfamiliar unit that appears to be a measure of solute concentration. Many of the test creatures bear unfamiliar names, too, though among them are included several types of fish, a large squid, two species of starfish, a sort of proto-Mer creature said to originate in the freezing southern waters, and a species of large nonsentient sea slug. The chosen region seems to have been a spectacular test run, with microscopic battles between the evocatively-named Breathstealer Algae and Heartstopper Mold raging in the bodies of unprotected creatures, even until the microorganisms perished in the filters. The survey data the Lux-Glossians receive describes a region which is practically guaranteed to kill anything that swims into it without some form of advanced protection.
[b]The Lux-Glossian Shades ask the Divine Nacres to Share Survey Data about the waters northeast of Region 122! They discover Region 121, a Contaminated Toxic Open Waters Region with a single Open TP of Infectious Seed-Spores and no Holy Sites. While the region remains Contaminated, it cannot be Colonized, troop movement through the region is impossible, and it counts as two additional regions for distance penalties. Each Organization seems to take an interest in the region; all have a different idea of how to handle the region and offer help.[b]
Spoiler: Contamination
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[list][*]Disinfection Protocols: The Divine Nacres themselves suggest the use of specially designed diseases and predator species to scour the region bare of any trace of both the lethal Heartstopper Mold and the overwhelming Breathstealer Algae. If this is the means by which the region is cleansed, the region will cease to be Toxic, and the decontaminator will gain +1 Reputation with DNA.[*]Ecological Reconstruction: The Chelonian Chora’s faith tells them that all creatures have a place in the world if the appropriate relationships can be fostered. If a form of the local Algae and Mold can be bred to have a symbiotic relationship, they may be able to outcompete and displace the local varieties - and render the area far less volatile and dangerous in the process.
If this is the means by which the region is cleansed, the region will cease to be Toxic, the decontaminator will gain +1 Reputation with CCA.[*]Destabilize the Foundations: The Abyssal Stewards suggest that the true source of the problem is not the mere existence of these organisms or their relationship to each other, but the conditions which allow them to propagate so ferociously. If the source of the nutrients which feed the Breathstealer Algae can be located and contained, then both the Algae itself and the Heartstopper Mold which parasitizes it will die down to perfectly manageable levels.
If this is the means by which the region is cleansed, the region will cease to be Toxic, the decontaminator will gain +1 Reputation with ABS.
The new Speaker of the Greenwater Clans proves their dedication to the international stage with a mission of observation and discovery into the waters to their southeast. The explorers are astounded to discover that the once-poisonous waters drop precipitously into waters too deep and dark to see the bottom almost as soon as one passes the old boundary. The only thing of significance in the empty seas beyond is a cluster of strange, clumpy nests floating at the surface, filled with odd creatures something like small crabs. It remains a matter of debate whether they were somehow adapted to the poison before it was cleansed or were introduced by the Divine Nacres as part of their hydroforming process.
The Greenwater Clans explore southeast of Region 142! They discover Region 147, a Fathomless region with one Open TP of Driftnest Spiders.
The discovery of explorers from temperate waters to the north gives rise to a renewed drive for exploration in the Seatide Confederacy. Judge Flash of Green orders the Great Manta be prepared for its maiden voyage: into the barren waters north of Ennead territory. Though they cover a great distance, the region proves as inhospitable as expected, and the vast supplies carried by the Manta are barely sufficient to sustain the explorers until their return - for some unclear reason, not even phytoplankton call these waters home.
The Seatide Confederacy explores across the Wastes west of Region 80! They discover an uninhabitable Waste region without Trading Posts.
Growth!
Expansion, development, unification, and similar forms of growth and prosperity.
The Lambent Syndicate becomes a Sea Power!
The Lighthouse becomes a Sea Power!
The Gotezhar successfully colonizes Region 137! Holy Site 2 in Region 137 is converted to the Flowing Way
The Gotezhar successfully colonize Region 174! Holy Site 1 in Region 174 is converted to the Flowing Way
The Kar-Nath Hegemony successfully colonizes Region 64, utilizing treasure in the process
Deep Blue successfully colonizes Region 187
The Lojanese Republic begins to settle a colony in Region 11
The Lojanese Republic raises the city of Oarngalau in Region 6. Oarngalau provides a +1 bonus to battles
The Cryptid Congress raises the city of Cryptlantis in Region 84. Cryptlantis provides a +1 bonus to buyouts
Statecraft!
Cultural events, diplomatic overtures, foreign relations, and domestic affairs.
The Lambent Syndicate hosts the Second Exquisite Gala, attended by the Lojanese Republic and the Astral Rebellion
The Pax Arctica is signed by Lux-Glossia, the Riftlings, and the Gravetenders!
Costa Sereia accepts a Cultural Exchange with the Kar-Nath Hegemony
Pfilghol creates a Confederation Claim on Region 104, citing their long and happy business relationship. One would not want such prosperity to be soured by potential threats, after all, and joining the Pfith would simply be a common sense matter of protection.
With prayer and gifts, overtures are made to Region 117 to join the World Garden. The Sakura-jin create a Confederation Claim on Region 117
The Hymenocera Expanse presses its claims on Region 4 and Region 15
Offering the hand of Prince Nedir, King Rham shows a surprisingly adept hand at politics, and a successful marriage agreement is struck. The Kar-Nath Hegemony establish a Marriage Claim with Region 63
Deep Blue, armed with and supplying COOKies, creates a confederation claim in Region 59
Impresses and Sways
Costa Sereia Sways the Aristocratic Support in Region 103
The Lambent Syndicate Sways the Clerical Support in Senja Bersinar
The Cyphiri Union Sways the Clerical Support in Region 124
Greenwater Clans Sways the Aristocratic Support in Region 141
Costa Sereia Impresses the Mercantile Support in Region 128 using Whispering Eggs
Seatide Confederacy Impresses the Mercantile Support in Region 65
Seatide Confederacy Impresses the Mercantile Support in Region 71
The Riftlings Impress the Clerical Support in Region 69 and 68
Trade!
Buyouts, trade routes, and other economic shenanigans
The Lambent Syndicate buys out Trade Post 1 in Region 27 for Hardplate Fungus
The Lambent Syndicate buys out Trade Post 1 in Region 25 for Aragonite
Lux-Glossia buys out Trade Post 2 in Region 113 for Phosphorite
The Greenwater Clans buy out Trade Post 3 in Region 122 for Native Gold
The Eternal Spring buys out Trade Post 3 in Region 67 for Piezo Crystals
The Eternal Spring buys out Trade Post 2 in Region 56 for Herring
The Seatide Confederacy buys out Trade Post 1 in Region 187 for Stripdrill Hyphae
The Seatide Confederacy buys out Trade Post 1 in Region 80 for Sour Krill
The Cryptid Congress buys out Trade Post 1 in Region 78 for Preserved Foodstuffs
The Cryptid Congress buys out Trade Post 2 in Region 78 for Preserved Foodstuffs
Deep Blue buys out Trade Post 1 in Region 70 for Inkfang Worm
Faith!
Conversions, organization, and other such matters of faith
The Riftlings Many of the Dead Seas exalt their domain and become a Holy Sea! A Holy Order is created in the Dead Seas
The Gravetenders exalt their domain and become a Holy Sea! A Holy Order is created in Region 78
The Shifting Ennead adopts the Eternal Communion as their main religion!
The ironkelp Knights create a Holy Order in Region 96!
Hoping to help their allies, the Ironkelp Knights seek aid to assist in Lux-Glossia’s colonization attempt. Though their prayers seem to be answered, the colony ultimately is unsuccessful.
The Riftlings convert Holy Site 3 in Region 74
The Hymenocera Expanse convert Holy Site 2 in Region 29
The Hymenocera Expanse convert Holy Site 2 in Region 3
The Sakura-Jin convert Holy Site 1 in Region 120
Wonder!
Miracles and inventions, ancient relics and spectacular undertakings
Using observations collected by forays on the Tipsy John, the Cyphiri engineers are able to construct a new ship of their own - the Wayfinder. The Cyphiri Union builds a Specialized Ship!
Utilizing their own knowledge of advanced breeding techniques of Gardenbearer Turtles and new access to other technologies, a scientific partnership between the Lux-Glossian Shades and the Greenwater Clans pays off with the completion of the Crystal Garden. The Greenwater Clans build a Specialized Ship!
One would not expect a collection of rocks and soil to be very mobile, but the Big Boulder exceeds expectations and serves as a useful vessel. The Eternal Spring consolidates the materials to make a Specialized Ship!
The principle of ‘waste not, want not’ is exemplified in the Plastic Flower - a recycled optical organ which is able to amplify prosperity. If only all rulers could be so useful. The Eternal Spring creates the artifact Plastic Flower! For every treasure you spend in a single round, a randomly selected Player that you have a Trade Route with gains one treasure at the end of the round.
At long last, the Tairlav Palace is complete! The owner of the Tairlav Palace may spend 1 Wealth as a non-action to activate it each turn. If the Tairlav Palace has been activated for the turn, then the owner may once in that turn attempt to Buy Out a Trade Post as a sub-action of an attempt to Impress or Sway a Mercantile Faction in the same region. Additionally, if the Tairlav Palace has been activated for the turn, the owner may reduce any distance penalties suffered for their Buyouts that turn by 1.
Spoiler: Lojanese Republic fluff
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The central room is where the Lojanese Prime Minister, nobility and trade guilds receive foreign ambassadors and merchants, the Mer sitting on tall thrones and the Tobar holding on to gilded poles with their tails. The floor is terraced, with the deepest level forming a narrow rectangle stretching from the entrance to the middle of the room, with increasingly higher floor levels as you go outward towards the walls, like an arena. People entering the room, both those granted an audience and the Lojanese, may only walk on or swim above the sections of the floor corresponding to their rank. This arrangement is said to maintain the spiritual purity of the upper parts of the room and allow the higher classes to rise above material matters and conduct wise debates. Unintelligent beasts and slaves may only be brought to the bottommost level of the floor. Free people may ascend one step, above them are soldiers and craftsmen and so on. Behind and above the seats of rulers and philosophers, there is one more step where nobody is allowed, reserved for the divine. Incidentally, on the wall above that step, the body of the Plo'uogoar, torn into pieces just as it was discovered, is displayed, cast in resin. It is certainly a powerful symbol, but for the sake of the unity of the Republic, it is intentionally left ambiguous whether the peculiar cephalopod's body is displayed to be revered or as a warning to other would-be deities.
Kila is a Mer merchant from region 12 who wants to sell goods within the borders of Lojan. As a foreigner, she is required to come to the Tairlav Palace to discuss the trade agreement. If her merchant guild or sovereign had a trade agreement with Lojan, she would still be required to come to present her wares and demonstrate their quality, because her turnover will likely be above the threshold set by the Lojanese government - artisans and small merchants trading just to sustain themselves are not required to undergo the expensive journey. Kila could also send someone of sufficient rank as a delegate, likely one of her children, but she decides not to risk them getting lost in the bustling cities of Lojan. Once she arrives and takes in the impressive palace garden and architecture, she is ushered to a room by a servant, and the palace administrator takes note of her arrival. Kila is not told anything about the schedule of her visit, so she simply socializes for a few days with the other visiting merchants and nobles close to her social status. There are bars, libraries, steephouses, sports halls, and countless other places to spend the time, all inside the palace. Kila's behaviour is secretly, silently observed by the omnipresent servants. They report it to the palace administration, which passes the information on to the official who is to decide the specfics of Kila's permit to trade in Lojan. Is she honest or deceitful? Does she see the world as a bright or a dark place? What is her religion? This info does not usually disqualify anyone from trading with Lojan, but it allows the official to assess the quality of presented wares more accurately and compare the observations to the merchant's answers in the one-to-one interview to come. One morning just after breakfast, Kila is suddenly called to a room she was not previously allowed to visit to participate in such an interview. After she answers the questions, both personal and trade-related, the official calculates the odds that she is seeking to illegally transport goods into the Republic or subvert the government as hundred to one, and so she is granted the permit. That does not conclude her trip. Tomorrow, she is required to visit the central audience room along with many other merchants and formally present one of the vases to one of the ten highest representatives of the Lojanese state, who declares Kila and the other merchants to be Trade Partners of the Republic. After that, she will likely stay for a few weeks in the palace or the nearby city of Sheade. Not only are there representatives of most of the guilds in the Republic that she could possibly want to trade with, it is also a unique opportunity to establish contact with powerful foreign personages who conveniently gather here all year round, and need to kill some time as they wait for their audience to start. Finally, Kila, even if she is an upper-class worldly person living in a city of local importance, will likely be tempted to stay a while to visit all of the new and superlative attractions and establishments Sheade has to offer.
The Ironkelp Knights achieve a Miracle! The Regalis Arbor becomes a Flowing Way Holy Order in Orope (Region 114)
Spoiler: Effects
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As a non-action, up to twice per round, the Ironkelp Order may invoke one of the following effects:
Launch Couriers: When taking an action, the Ironkelp Order may pay 1 region of distance to "skip" from a region that they control and which contains a Flowing Way Holy Order to any non-Wastes region within three (non-Wastes) regions of said owned region for the purpose of effective distance when determining distance penalties or distance losses. The path may then continue on from that region, adding additional regions to the path and increasing the effective distance appropriately as normal. To skip to a Brackish, Toxic, or Glacial region in this way still requires the appropriate technology, but such regions may be skipped over without a technology. This effect may not be applied to rolls for Colonization or Secret actions, but may apply to unit movement for battles; if it is applied to unit movement, the units cannot be intercepted in a region they skipped.
Launch Scouts: The Ironkelp Order receives a +2 bonus to the Maneuvering roll for a single battle they participate in. The battle must take place in a Depth 0 region within three (non-Waste) regions of a region that they control and which contains a Flowing Way Holy Order. The use of this effect in a battle must be declared before any Interception rolls are made, and this effect may not be applied to Maneuvering rolls to intercept or avoid being intercepted.
The Astral Rebellion builds a Specialized Ship!
The Astral Rebellion hatches the Naked Ones, which become the Scintillating Twins and join the Astral Menagerie
Spoiler: The Astral Menagerie
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Amidst the falling leaves of kelp in Glacier Crag rose a beast, weaving together the dark colours of the abyss into muted marrow. With a creaking stretch of missing bones it rammed the trunk of the tree above it – a rain of spores shaken lose to obscure the entities until only one remained.
The Kelpie appears in the possession of the Kar-Nath Hegemony!
Providing the Kelpie with a rider as a fluff non-action lets it be used for a +1 to one roll during the round
Bedecked in shimmering rocks the former Mer feel their selves dissolving, despite their fair trades. Awareness fading they question whether acting fairly even matters anymore. Perhaps they jus need more, more wealth to appease their jailors next time.
Reassembling in temperate waters in dancing shadows they set their gaze on the luminous crystals around them, setting out to pry them free from slugs and rocks alike.
The Banished Merchants provide CYP with 2 Treasure and reappear in the capital of the Lux-Glossian Shades, Glossian Sea!
At the end of Round 9, they will move on, providing LUX with 1d4 treasure; on a 4, the landscape is scraped bare, and a random Support moves towards Unruly.
From one of the many thermal vents in Senja Bersinar an endless stream of kelp begins to sprout forth. Reaching for the surface the foremost neon leaves sloughs off at the same rate new ones appear. Inside the shroud of rot innumerable spores comingle and each offer their own version of truth for those swimming through.
The Withering Everlight appears in the possession of the Lambent Syndicate!
It may be used for a +1 to one Faith roll during the round, before it disappears.
Beneath the frozen surface of the Dead Seas a heap of Kelp rolls into existence from the darkness. Shivering it constricts itself into the shape of a Mer, a few Herring with coppery scales appearing from unseen hollows before it is done. A cloud of shining spores surrounds the creature as it begins swim down, down towards an embrace of the Deep.
The Mare appears in the possession of The Riftlings Many of the Dead Seas!
Providing the Mare with a steed as a fluff non-action lets it be used for a +1 to one roll during the round
Leaving the living dead behind and enduring the horrible buzz of a Titan the Kelpie passes through an empty home before continuing north on its march. On the way its ashen kelp turns dark, until no light remains, and it begins to stumble occasionally, unsure where to place its holdfasts in an unfamiliar shape. Slowing only when it reaches creatures far greater than itself once more. With a frustrated shake of its mane a whirlwind of spores is released, challenging anyone to dare tame it.
The Mimic appears as the Kelpie in possession of The Magaramach!
Providing the Kelpie with a rider as a fluff non-action lets it be used for a +1 to one roll during the round
The Scintillating Twins appear in the possession of Draigiau Residuum Gathering!
Offering each one of them a unique object as a fluff non-action let them each provide a separate +1 bonus to an Intrigue roll during the round.
The Scintillating Twins attempts to undermine the Aristocratic Support of Aelwyd Adeferiad with a 19!
Might!
Military matters of all kinds, be it warfare or strategic developments
Yura Darkwater is promoted to the rank of General for the Greenwater Clans. General Darkwater holds a Military score of 8 and the Tactical Doctrine Ruinous Currents: +2 to battle roll, -20% to enemy casualties, +10% to own casualties, and automatically recruit one unit
High King Lord Deca V promotes Colonel Odonto to the rank of Lord General and grants him headquarters in the fortress of Tsaundosa. General Odonto possesses a military score of 8 and the Tactical Doctrine Combined Arms: +4 to battle roll, +10% to own casualties. This Tactical Doctrine may only be used if your army outnumbers the opposing army
To reward his fearlessness and the mettle proven in the disastrous southwest mission, Clös is elevated to the rank of General by Primarch Marcion of the Sakura Jin. Clös holds a military score of 7 and the Tactical Doctrine Witness of the Great Commission - Upon victory, gain a free attempt to convert a Holy Site in the region, +4 to the battle roll, reduce enemy casualties by 40%, increase own casualties by 10%
Inspired by treason and very un-Doflein ideals, Tulticius is nevertheless proven in battle and abundantly armed. A worthy General, Tulticius holds a military score of 7 and the Tactical Doctrine First to Kill - +3 to battles, -4 to Allied leader loss, -2 to enemy leader loss, +10% to enemy casualties, +10% to allied casualties.
Protected by the generation of poison itself, the Riftlings sidestep their tradition of not building and create a fortress of water and air, the Mother’s Wrath.
LOL invades Region 14 - Kaarme
Route: Adjacent. General: Zabkrew. TD: Graceful Show of Force. Technology: None. Units: 2. Treasure spent: 2 (+1 battle, +1 mercenary unit).
Lojanese Republic’s invasion of Kaarme (14)
Spoiler
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Led by General Zabkrew (Military 9) with Military 4 ruler, 2 LOL Units invade Kaarme (14), spending 2 Treasure and attempting to use Graceful Show of Force, facing off against 2 AOK units led by Master Juma (Military 9) with Military 6 ruler, attempting to use Unyielding Force!
Master Juma wins Tactical Maneuvering, successfully utilizing Unyielding Force! (+2 to battle, +20% own casualties)
Despite Lojanese claims of disorder and chaos among the Auros of Kaarme, Master Juma at least proves his title is not misplaced. His first victory is not on the physical field of battle, but in the hearts and minds of the Auros, who by and large reject Lojanese propaganda efforts. A deceitful local guide leads General Zabkrew in such a confused and twisted path that his army marches for two weeks only to find itself back at the borders of Lojan, and by the time he corrects his bearings, the defenders of Kaarme have had more than enough time to assemble. The situation is still bleak for the defenders, but Master Juma proves his skill once again. When the day of pitched battle finally comes, the Auros immediately charge the mercenary auxiliaries General Zabkrew deployed to the left flank. With little faith in their leader and hungry stomachs, the mercenaries break and scatter, and the Auros wheel about to press the assault against the Lojanese and Selachians who remain on the field. In the end, though the casualties are roughly equal, the invaders break first, and General Zabkrew is forced to abandon the peacekeeping mission and retreat to friendlier waters.
AOK Victory! LOL loses 1 Unit! AOK loses 1 Unit! Kaarme (14) remains under AOK control!
Schemes!
Coercion, betrayals, and spycraft
Small mobile parties prove the key to success, and though the waves are treacherous, the Pfilghol search parties are able to confidently locate the Kela Ein Kamohu in Region 133. The Kela Ein Kamohu is found! Use an Intrigue action next round to attempt to recover the artifact
All appears quiet in the Eternal Spring
The Cryptid Congress recruit a Spy! Barbeesha The Neck Biter, a cryptid known for their abnormally large eyes, Barbeesha was once banished for her proclivity towards inter-pod violence but has been called back in a rather controversial meeting of the Congress. While on the run, Barbeesha has become quite adept in the ways of espionage and stealth
Terror!
Violence, upheaval, murder, and destruction.
SEN sacks TP 66.2 from the CCA (14), losing 1 Reputation with CCA.
The Eel Without End Coerces TP3 in Retret Ringan (19), TP1 in Region 18, and TP2 in Binar Fajar (7). Holy Site 1 in Retret Ringan (19) is converted to Church Of The Firstborn! Holy Site 3 in Retret Ringan (19) is converted to Bloodstrewn Altar.
The Eel Without End slithers into Region 6, Senja Bersinar (2), and Binar Fajar (7)!
Spoiler
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- Armies fighting in regions where the Eel Without End is present may attempt to use it to their advantage; if they do, then the side which loses the Maneuvering roll takes an additional 10% casualties - this stacks for up to +20% casualties if both sides opt to do so.
- Regions where the Eel Without End is present count as 1 additional regions for the purposes of distance losses and distance penalties.
- Whenever the Eel Without End enters a region, it will attempt to Coerce 1 random Trade Post in the region with a +8 bonus; if it is successful, the Coerced Trade Post cannot be bought out or coerced until the Eel is no longer present in the region, as the Eel's deadly body swirls about the ruins of the location.
- The desperation of those afflicted by the Eel Without End may present opportunities to those willing to look for them, and as local populations search for solutions, they become more easily Swayed - all countries receive a +2 bonus to Sway attempts in regions where the Eel Without End is present.
- If the Eel Without End enters a Region it is already present in, it becomes omnipresent.
- Regions where the Eel Without End is omnipresent count as 3 additional regions for the purposes of distance losses and distance penalties (this replaces and does not stack with the previous region increase).
- The intense and prolonged exposure to the energy of the Eel Without End results in strange effects on the behavior of both wildlife and local populations when omnipresent:
- When the Eel Without End enters a region for the second time, it will attempt to Convert 2 random holy Sites in the region to a different religion, determined semi-randomly.
- Regions where the Eel Without End is omnipresent may sometimes present an opportunity to be Prospected, and controlled, Unruly, or Rebellious Supports may become Open.
- Exceptionally prolonged exposure may have further consequences…
Organizations!
CYP builds a smoking garden (3 actions) - gains +1 Favor and +1 Reputation
Like tendrils swaying in the currents, the hearts of the Medusae pulsate in time to the beat of a spectral drum. The small glowing metallic object found on the seabed seems not to be the Source itself, but a relay or repeater of some sort. Still, it is strong enough to interfere with the unfamiliar new sense the Medusae feel, at least at first, and the best search method available is a blind random walk, plants stumbling across Magma Falls as if drunk.
It is not long, however, before a more efficient method is found. The red light emitted by the strange object pulses faster or slower as it is carried about, and it is not especially difficult, with so many Medusae involved, to triangulate the rough location of the Source based on its pulsation: south and east - beyond the glaciers that mark the southern boundaries of the Dead Seas.
ESP successfully Seeks The Source! The Source is in region 61 - southwest of The Dead Seas (60).
Heat Follows Light
KNH wins first place, gains Marshal Adaya shel-Girum ban-Liav, a Military 8 General with the
Unbending Iron Tactical Doctrine (defense only, +3 to battle roll, -2 to own leader loss roll, +20% enemy casualties, +10% own casualties) and Abyssal Expertise: Gains a bonus to Maneuvering rolls equal to the current Depth level.
STC wins second place, gains 2 units
SEN wins third place (tie w/DPB broken by Reputation)
STC gains +1 Reputation with CCA from A Little Less Lonely Road for exploring W27
Writing Collections
KNH and GRV each contribute one action while GTZ contributes two actions to the Crescent Companion. The Crescent Companion is completed!
DPB and KNH each submit entries to the Verglas Volumes, while SEN contributes a second action to the Verglas Volumes. DPB, KNH, and SEN each gain a Favor with ABS.
Astral Rebellion contributes an action to the Songline of the Sunlit Seas, earning a Favor with CCA.
CYP and OKI each submit an entry to the Genus Taxonomia Vadosus Mare, earning a Favor each with DNA.
Reputation
DPB raises its Reputation with ABS from 0 to 1 spending a favor in the process
HYM and SEN both raise their Reputation with ABS from 2 to 3, with each spending a favor in the process.
SEN raises its Reputation with CCA from -2 to -1 spending a favor in the process
KNH raises its Reputation with DNA from 1 to 2 spending a favor in the process
Favors
The Kar-Nath Hegemony and the Shifting Ennead both ask for support from the Abyssal Stewards in establishing new Smoking Gardens. While the Kar-Nath Hegemony has been favored by the Abyssal Stewards for longer, they do not control any regions the Stewards would consider suitable for another - Gan Atzamot in The Dead Cities is too near all their existing territory. However, were the Nathi to establish a rapport with the locals in region 63, the Stewards believe the area would be suitable. The Shifting Ennead, on the other hand, receives confirmation of the possibility of a Smoking Garden in Sketi (68).
SEN spends 1 ABS Favor and receives permission to build a Smoking Garden in Sketi(68)!
The Gotezhar Builder’s Union asks for support from the Abyssal Stewards in establishing a new Smoking Garden. Their first choice of region 137 is unsuitable, however, lacking the necessary conditions to support a Garden, especially water levels that can be relied on to remain high enough above the local seafloor. The Meadows of Elyan’dan (136), on the other hand, appear quite suitable.
GTZ spends 1 ABS Favor and receives permission to build a Smoking Garden in Meadows of Elyan’dan (136)!
The Abyssal Stewards are more than happy to pay off their debt to the Cyphiri Union by fulfilling Baran Hallus’s request for a system to enable the Wayfinder to more effectively search for valuables in the wastes. Steward messengers arrive in Cyph-Arel bearing what at first appears to be the skull of an enormous beast, larger than any living creature known besides a Reefback, with a long toothy snout and a ridged, bumpy cranium. The exterior of the skull is plated in a silvery metal, with vein-like metal tubes protruding from the eye sockets; they are warm to the touch, and emit a stream of bubbles when rubbed. When the skull is finally mounted atop the Wayfinder, the Stewards arrange for a demonstration with Hallus and Belar representatives. The great maw opens, and a piercing shriek resounds from somewhere deep within, its echoes returning several times before they fade. Within the ship, a small circular metal plate has been mounted, attached to the skull by two more metal tubes that run through the ship’s hull. It takes the Cyphiri a moment to realize what they’re looking at, before it strikes them. The patterns of discoloration on the plate exactly match the contours of the seafloor. As they share in this realization, the discoloration clears, readying the plate to be used again.
The Stewards name it Gulgolet Shero'ah Hakkol.
CYP spends 2 ABS Favors and loses 1 ABS Reputation for Prize of the Depths. CYP receives Gulgolet Shero'ah Hakkol (One Prospect action per turn in a Wastes region gains a +2 bonus).
LUX spends 1 Favor to asks DNA to Share Survey Data NE of 122
Prestige
All throughout the seas, power legitimizes power.
LSD, LIT, GRV, RFT gain +1 Prestige from To Greatness
OKI is the first in the Temperate zone to establish a Holy Order! OKI gains +1 Prestige from The Religious Community
FAY, STC, and OKI gain +1 Prestige from A Divine Display!
Spoiler: Acclamations and Condemnations
Show
COS Acclaims LUX and Condemns SKR
LUX acclaims COS
CYP Acclaims LUX and condemns SKR
LOL acclaims LSD and condemns LIT
GTZ acclaims LUX and condemns DNA
RFT acclaims GRV and condemns the Pattern
OKI acclaims CYP
FAY condemns LIT
Admiration for the Acclaimed:
LUX gains +1 Prestige
GRV gains +1 Prestige
LSD gains +1 Prestige
Scorn for the Condemned:
SKR loses -1 Prestige
LIT loses -1 Prestige
OKI completes a Monumental Undertaking: The Regalis Arbor’s Propagation, and gains +1 Prestige!
As some rise, others must fall.
HEX falls to PRS Rank 1 from Big Fish in Small Ponds! KNH falls to PRS Rank 2 from Big Fish in Small Ponds!
Re: Empire 7: Into the Depths IC Thread
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