Ongoing Games (In-Character)Play-by-post games are going on in this forum as we speak (well, read). All threads on this board are actual games, so please, only post on a thread if you are a player of that game.
1. A normal construction kit would apply a full bonus to the wall-- no need to go that specialized. However, without some kind of factory or tool, you can't make the kit.
2. Though the soil is shallow, it is relatively fertile, including a high iron and phosphorus content, and there is an abundance of fixed nitrogen. Digging a bit will reveal the same banded iron deposit layer that other factions have observed. You observe a very low biodiversity, with only a few subspecies of the grass breaking up the monoculture on the plains, and only a handful of algae species in the river. You do not find any insect-analogs, though there are flying reptile-like creatures roughly 30cm to 80cm in length. The plants in the region consist of nitrogen-fixing savannah grass, trees with green, round leaves and large pink fruits to the north of the southern river and what appear to be the same trees with small pink seeds south of the southern river.
Because of the high nutrient content and abundant water from the river, the area could be an exceptionally productive farming region for Earth crops, particularly if fields were rotated with the savannah grass to replenish nutrients. Xenobiology XP is appropriate.
Action set 2:
1. Correct.
2. Correct. The teacher gets 1 XP in consumer goods production (which applied it's full bonus of 0) and 1 XP in teaching as well.
3. This needs to be revised because of the problem making the kit in the first place.
4. Correct.
5. Correct.
6. The level is correct.
Level 5 Construction Vehicles (2025): Can apply their bonus to construction actions in the same way as other construction tools. They also enable a PU to make a 1 hex round trip as part of another action or 2 hexes if there's a charging station in the target hex. Requires 1 energy per action +1 for every hex moved.
The Grim
Spoiler
EDIT: GM needs to read his own rules..
The Aeon Institute
Actions
Spoiler
1. The factory is set up. It's level 7 and uses 2 energy/action
2/3. The soil is exceptionally fertile, though one of the things that makes bamboo so effective on Earth it includes nitrogen-fixing symbionts. If the grass were cleared, the bamboo could be grown quite effectively on the river banks. They locate several likely sites, and adapt the bamboo to be less water-greedy in order to deal with the scarcity or water in the savannah proper. The bamboo takes about a year before the first wood can be harvested normally, though your bioengineers remove the normal "growing season" clock molecular machinery of the plant so that it grows throughout the year. Because of the modifications, the equatorial climate and the long Tau Ceti III year, the first harvest will be available next turn. The effect is the creation of a level 6 Bamboo Field, which can be harvested to produce 6 units (+mods, of course) of Bamboo once per year for an action. It does not require energy, as the bamboo should survive without any human intervention.
4. Alright, same as last time.
5. Looks like you have the mods right. You can use Mitsuharu electricity if they're ok with it.
6. Arcologies:
Spoiler
While they really are just large, complex skyscrapers, it isn't the building themselves that are truly the secret, but rather the machines that make them. The 21st century equivalent of the cranes of the 20th century, Automated Arcology Erectors (AAEs) are modular machines that can construct an arcology, floor by floor, using nothing but the required raw materials. This allows for much faster, more efficient and cheaper construction, as it almost entirely eliminates the need for construction workers and the costly safety measures and benefits they require. AAEs first arose in the early 2040's as a solution to the increasingly crowded megacities of New York, London, Beijing and Tokyo.
An AAE is an array of robots and computers that sits on top of a rising arcology with resource inputs at the bottom. As it builds floors, it raises itself, and it is capable of brachiating up and down the sides of Arcologies in order to get down or back up in order to add new floors.
((Your PU thinks an AAE is the best solution here because of its Robotics background))
To build one floor of an Arcology, you will need an AAE and 20 units of building materials of your choice, at least 5 of which must be some kind of high-strength, low weight material (high-tech ceramics, steel), within reason. At least 2 of the building materials must be some material suitable for electric circuits (copper, gold). The AAE will assemble the floor for no action, up to 10 floors per year.
Each floor of the Arcology can accommodate the living space requirements of 3 PUs for no energy due to advanced energy recycling systems and small built-in solar and wind energy plants. It will also reduce the consumer goods requirements of PUs housed in it by (X/20 roundup, where X is the level of the AAE) units per year. It can accommodate a single facility per floor, and will reduce the energy requirements of each facility in it by (X/20 roundup) per action because of the advanced infrastructure and efficient design. Each floor will produce (X/20 roundup) units of food for no action in the gardens, provided at least 1 PU is housed on the floor. A kilometer-high arcology would have roughly 20-50 "floors", though this could be adjustable.
To build an AAE with a 2 square kilometer operational footprint, you will require:
1) Construction Robots of at least level 10.
2) Construction Tools of at least level 10. The lowest of the construction tools and robots will add their modifier to the level of the resulting AAE. This can push the AAE over the cap.
3) Optional: A power source that produces at least 5 units of energy. If this is not incorporated the AAE will take 5 energy per floor constructed.
4) Optional: A PU with a skill that can apply at least 5 to a check to reduce energy expenditure (for example Physics 20 would apply 5 to improve energy efficiency, while Electrical Engineering 5 would do as well) must perform an action to develop the recycling and insulation system. If this is not performed the energy cost will be 1 energy/PU housed and the arcology will not reduce power requirements of facilities. This check adds to the level of the AAE and can improve the level of the AAE above the cap (though this check is still limited by caps).
5) Optional: A PU that can apply at least a 5 modifier to a check to improve the parks and recreation spaces must perform an action to design the recreation spaces. If this is not performed, it will not reduce the consumer goods requirement of PUs housed in it. This check adds to the level of the AAE and can improve the level of the AAE above the cap (though this check is still limited by caps).
6) A PU with at least level 10 Robotics must assemble all of the components as an action. The AAE will then be ready for use.
Note: Subsequent AAEs do not require the design actions unless you're trying to improve them; they can re-use the old check. They'd only require the tools, robots, power plant and assembly.
The Theologians
Actions:
Spoiler
1. Which tool? You had some problems with your first actions because you tried to make tools from nothing, which isn't possible. Please re-read the responses to your first actions.
2. Though the priests are anxious about the newcomers, your skilled philosophers manage to keep them from hostility without inviting them to your settlement. Though the Empire does not use slavery, there are lower castes that are effectively slaves, it is just that no one "owns" them. They offer to teach you the ways of their religion when you inquire about their beliefs, though that will require spending some time at one of their temples. By this point your church leaders are proficient in the Imperial language, and can converse mostly freely. With another ~6 months of interaction they will be completely fluent. Diplomacy XP is appropriate.
3. It seems that the only crops the Empire uses are the trees themselves. The other crops are grown in small fields and consist of fibrous plants used in cloth manufacturing, and flowering grasses that can be ground up into dyes. All Ceties in the empire have three main dietary sources; the fruits, fish, and herbivores from the woods and/or herds.
4. Again with making tools from nothing-- you need something to make the tools, unless what you end up making is exceptionally primitive.
5. The Ceties mine for iron in a lackadaisical way, but the vast majority of the abundant minerals in the mountains are untapped. It is relatively trivial to find good mining sites, and they're able to construct a mineralogical map with several likely mining sites for a number of common minerals.
2,3. Only 6 and not 7 even with all the bonuses I stacked up.
Xenobiology 1 + Lab 5/2 + Bioengineering 5
Also what can this bamboo be used for. And to be clear I can harvest it at the start of next turn, and then the start of every turn thereafter.
5. I believe that Mitsuharu is allowing us to use any energy in the excess energy bank. By the same token other factions may feel free to take food from the Institute warehouse.
Please use the OOC thread for questions like this in the future.
Yes, you can use the factory, but you need to mention that you are. Keep in mind the factory can only be used by one PU at a time.
Unity Site
Toward the end of the calendar year, a group of around 500 soldiers from the Empire of Blood approaches your settlement. A Ceti in ornate red robes leaves the main group behind and walks toward the settlement with two soldiers flanking him. The soldiers are armed with bayonetted muskets, but no artillery is in evidence. The Ceti seems to want to talk to you, and is definitely not happy.
The Aeon Institute
Spoiler
My bad, adding error. 7 is correct, and 7 units of bamboo per turn. You can harvest it at the start of next turn, that is correct.
Bamboo could be used as a building material (both for the Arcology, though not as high-strength low weight or conductive material and for other buildings), increasing the level of entirely structural buildings by 2 and other structures by 1. It could also be used to augment consumer goods production, increasing the number of consumer goods produced by one unit of consumer goods per unit of bamboo spent, up to 1/4th (rounded up) of the consumer goods produced in that action.
((Arrrgh. Guess I'll have to wait on the wall until next turn. Trying this again. And yes, anything that I've listed as 'Excess Energy' is free for the other factions to use as they wish. Reserved is extra energy that isn't used yet, but I'm saving (for the turrets in this case).))
Mitsuharu Academy
2241 AD, 1 AL
Revised Actions
Spoiler
First Action:
Architectural Engineers:
Economics 5 / Construction 2 (E)
Study Economics for +1 exp.
Second Action:
Architectural Engineers:
Economics 5 / Construction 2 (E)
Use the Level 5 Consumer Goods Factory with 1/4 roundup Economics (2). +7 Consumer Goods, -2 energy.
Biology Students:
Medicine 4 / Bioengineering 3 (M)
Use the Level 5 Hydroponics Farm. +5 food.
Dam (2120) (provides 10 energy this turn)
Level 5 School (2120) (1 energy/action)
Level 5 Hydroponics Farm (2120) (0 energy/action)
Level 5 Consumer Goods Factory (2120) (2 energy/action)
Level 5 Automotive Factory (2120) (2 energy/action)
Level 5 Wall (Pending)
Tools/Vehicles
Spoiler
Level 5 Ramjet Colony Ship (2120) (in orbit)
Level 5 Planetary Lander (2120) (in colony, 20 HE3)
Level 5 Particle Beam Turrets (2120) (in colony, mounted on Wall)
Level 5 Flying Cars (2120) (in colony)
Level 3 Wall Construction Kit (in colony)
Level 5 Construction Vehicles (1 energy/action, can move 2 hexes with charging station at the end or a 1 hex round trip for +1 energy per hex)
Resources
Spoiler
Food:
Start of Turn - 10
Food Produced - 5
Food Needed - 6 End of Turn - 9
Predicted Food Need - 6
Consumer Goods:
Start of Turn - 20
Goods Produced - 7
Goods Needed - 18 End of Turn - 9
Predicted Goods Need - 20
Energy:
Start of Turn - 0
Energy Produced - 15 (+5 from Green Unity)
Energy Used - 5
Reserved Energy - 2 (for turrets) Excess Energy - 8
Marjanne van der Veen is present as the group of three Ceti seperate from the large group and come forward. She carries with her some simple drawing supplies, a small drawing board under her arm and pencils, having taken a hint from the Ceti scribe from last time. As they still have not mastered any of the Ceti languages, they will have to resort to pantomime, gestures and drawings. Admittedly, she is not very good at drawing, but has followed a few private lessons to at least make her doodly figures not look horrible. Sure, it may not seem very professional in the end, and it may have been better to get an actual artist working to draw pictures, but these matters are less important than the fact that this way, she can go in alone on behalf of the Green Unity. After all, the Unity settlement has three other factions and what Marjanne knows is a bad idea, is to overwhelm a Ceti delegation with people to meet. And the ability to at least draw crude pictures may help considering the language barrier.
She will wait for the other factions to send representatives, but she will not wait long enough for the Ceti group to arrive at the settlement fully. As the Cetis show a willingness to at least talk, they in turn should show a willingness to come forward and meet this desire, allowing the groups to meet on 'neutral' grounds between the group of soldiers and the settlement, instead of forcing them to get all the way over to 'their' grounds. While Marjanne likely has picked up at least a Ceti greeting from the previous Ceties that paid a visit, she will not use it, as this group may greet differently. So instead, she offers a simple greeting in english, trying to convey they do not speak their language, after which she will try to ask to what they owe the visit.
Meanwhile, Matthias Reynold and several of his colleagues stand ready to interfere if needed. Familiar with the use of the laser rifles, they stand at the settlement, watching how Marjanne and any of the other faction's representatives step forward to the Ceti delegation. None of their arms are visible at this moment, still tucked away out of sight, behind chests and such, easily retrievable in case things go amiss.
Actions Summary Turn 1
Spoiler
First Actions
1. New! Green Vision. Study Economics, taught by Green Policy. Economics Level 5 0/7 +1 +2 Teaching = Level 5 3/7
2. Green Peace. Volunteers to help set up Mitsuharu's Dam, using its Environmental Engineering (L1) to ensure that construction of the Dam takes into account the environment appropriately. Environmental Engineering Level 1 0/3 +1 = Level 1 1/3
4. Green Ecology. Volunteers to help out Pacifica's Biology department in catalogue the native life forms. Xenobiology Level 0 0/2 +1 = Level 0 1/2
5. Green Planet. Volunteers to help setting up Mitsuharu's Dam, as with its knowledge of Geology (L2) and Hydrology (L1) they should be able to find the right place to build a Dam, taking into account the environment. Geology Level 2 0/4 +1 = Level 2 1/4
Hydrology Level 1 0/3 +1 = Level 1 1/3
6. Green Energy. Volunteers to help set up Mitsuharu's Dam, as their knowledge of Energy Engineering (L5) is unequalled, allowing them to take into account both efficiency and the environment in setting it up. Energy Engineering Level 5 0/7 +1 = Level 5 1/7
7. Green Architecture. Works on setting up the Housing, Factories and Solar Energy Sources with the construction kits. While it is not dedicated to setting up any one facility due to its inability to add to the quality, the people look beyond merely the structures themselves, but look at the larger colony plan, setting them up in the best location and ensuring that the Solar Energy Sources are properly integrated across the construction sites. Construction Level 5 0/7 +1 = Level 5 1/7
8. Green Products. Looks over the construction of the Sustainable Goods Factory and ensures with their own skill at the subject at hand of Sustainable Goods (L5) that the construction goes smoothly to create a factory they can get right to work on as soon as it is set up. Some already spend some time with designs for the goods to be produced on this planet. One type consumer good that is already to be some demand for are musical instruments and they are looking to create designs of durable and sustainable versions there of. Sustainable Goods Manufacturing Level 5 0/7 +1 = Level 5 1/7
Second Actions
1. New! Green Vision. Study Economics, taught by Green Policy. Economics Level 5 3/7 +1 +2 Teaching = Level 5 6/7
2. New! Green Peace. Watches over the Tool Factory and Sustainable Consumer Goods Factory to ensure that everything is environmentally alright, using their Environmental Engineer (L1) skill to determine that. If not, they will attempt to modify as needed and ensure people do not create too much unnecessary waste. Environmental Engineering Level 1 1/3 +1 = Level 1 2/3
4. Green Ecology. Volunteers to help out at the Aeon Institute's Hydroponics Farm to create food, allowing them to contribute their Botany skill (L2) to Food Production, generating +2 Food for the Aeon Institute. Botany Level 2 0/4 +1 = Level 2 1/4
5. Green Planet. Study the geological area at the faults that are some distance away and which could generate substantial geothermal energy. Geology Level 2 1/4 +1 = Level 2 2/4
6. Green Energy. Help run the Mitsuharu dam to increase its energy output using its expertise with Energy Engineering (L5), +5 energy. Energy Engineering Level 5 1/7 +1 = Level 5 2/7
7. Green Architecture. Works at the Tool Factory (L5/4) using their Construction Skill (L5) to create Construction Tools (5/4 + 5, cap 5 = L5). Construction Level 5 1/7 +1 = Level 5 2/7
-2 Energy
8. Green Products. Works at Sustainable Goods Factory (L5) using their Sustainable Goods Manufacturing (L5) to create 10 Sustainable Consumer Goods. Sustainable Goods Manufacturing Level 5 1/7 +1 = Level 5 2/7
-2 Energy
Population
Spoiler
1. Green Vision. Economics 5 6/7
2. Green Peace. Espionage 1, Green Ops (S) 1, Small Arms Combat (L) 1, Environmental Engineering (E) 2 2/4
3. Green Policy. Liberal Arts 2, Diplomacy (L) 2, Teaching (L) 1 2/3, Economics Level 1
4. Green Ecology. Medicine 2, Botany (M) 2 1/4, Biology (M) 1, Xenobiology (F) 0 1/2
8. Green Products. Sustainable Goods Manufacturing (E) 5 2/7
Colony Status
Spoiler
Facilities
Houses Level 5 (2120), Energy -1
Solar Panels and Trees Level 5 (2120), Energy +5
Tool Factory Level 5 (2120), Energy -2/action
Sustainable Consumer Goods Level 5 (2120), Energy -2/action
The appearance of the Cetis would be marked by a flurry of activity on the part of the Mitsuharu Academy. Several members of the Student Council would meet up outdoors while students were directed into the turrets. As usual, Yuma Mitsuharu would speak the moment she arrived. "Looks like the Blood Empire has shown up, huh? Since they're being polite enough to send emissaries, we'll do the same. I'll go and talk to them."
Nori Mitsuharu would interrupt with a fierce gesture of denial with her hand. "Not a chance in hell, Yuma! Out of everyone here, you're probably the least fit to run away if it turns out they have no problem with attacking emissaries, and if you haven't noticed, they are armed. No, I'll go. If they try something I'll give them a good punch to the face and shoot them with their own guns."
And Sozo Mihara would snort at that. "Yes, you'll make a great diplomat, Nori. I agree that Yuma shouldn't go, but if they try something we're better off running and letting the turrets take care of things. I'll go and talk to them. I'm a much faster runner than Yuma is, and I have a better tongue than you, Nori."
Nori would open her mouth to object, but Yuma would cut her off. "We don't have time to squabble. Both of you go, I'll help manage the defenses here with the others. Get going. Try not to provoke an all out war, Nori?" And she'd run off towards a group of students, directing them either to cover or the turrets. Sozo and Nori would look at each other for a moment before heading to meet the emissaries. Passing through the settlement as they went, Nori would try to grab a laser rifle from one of the other factions as she went, provided they wouldn't object. The escort for the Ceti leader was armed, why shouldn't she be?
The two would meet up with Marjanne van der Veen. Sozo would look at her drawing equipment before shrugging with an amused smile. "Should've thought of that myself. Ah well, wasn't as if we planned this out." He looked over to Nori, who was glaring at the approaching Cetis. "And calm down, Nori. You're usually pretty relaxed, why can't you be right now?"
"As if I can relax when we might be at war in five minutes!"
I was a dark night, darker than normal. Which was perfect, but for whom? Off in the shadows you you hear a twig snap.
sssshhhh.
sorry I'm not as good at this as you.
sssshhhh
sorry
ok I think we are out of the camp a good distentce, we can talk.
Michael: good because I'm not really that good at being sneaky. Mishra, Mishra where did you go.
Mishra: boo.
Michael: aaaaa, not funny.
Mishra: I thought it was and it proves my point.
Michael: Which you haven't even told me what it is.
Mishra: I was looking at the map and it looks like the vroy decided to take a position to attack us.
Michael: Really?
Mishra: Yes, they probably have things in place right now.
Michael: Are school.
Mishra: That's what I was thinking.
Michael: Well I guess this will get more interesting.
Mishra: I know I'm so exited, I haven't had an excuse to attack someone with a weapon in years. It will be fun.
Michael: Just don't forget your mortal now.
Mishra: yea, yea. Lets move on to some more interesting toppics shall we.
Michael: Like what tipe of interesting.
Mishra: welll....
Recap on everything that has happened for year 1, some actually needs resolved.
Spoiler
part 1 of actions:
Land on sight: 10-35 where the river meets the mountain. With group 5 doing the piloting (Physics 10* 25%= 3) +Piloting 1/2
Nsing the nanites we tell it to make a self powered general tool factory, inside the planetary lander, using parts of the planetary lander that wont affect its ability to take flight and a unit of h-3 for the self powering. (1 down 3 to go) (resolved)
Then pu 1 makes educational facility construction tools using the factory and resources gathered by pu 4. gaining +3 from factory, +1 from resources gathered by pu 4, + whatever applys from teach 6 from pu 1 (not resolved) gains +1/2 manufacturing? (unresolved)
PU 2 The Church structure gives instructions for the church and then heads to the nearest settlement to learn the language, taking what they need with them for that year. walks and does not take any weapons exept walking sticks found along the way. (Liberal Arts 25% 3, for self defense, Linguistics, or Diplomacy as needed) Well there they try to give the general ideal that the people should not go to the sight that we are at. gain +1/2 diplomacy (resolved)
PU 3 the Education group works on finding and collecting a set of year round seeds from the local area that can be used for a garden. (Medicine 25% 3) "Lets see if we can make a farm that won't impact the environment." (Resolved) gains +1/2 plantology (Unresolved)
PU 4 gathers wood and stone, and spare mettle if any can be found, to use as materials to make the educational facility construction tools. And pile any extras inside. +1/2 savaging (resolved)
PU 5 The Health group works on a Feasibility Studies for bringing down the Ramjet colony ship without having any of it destroyed. (Physics is 10) (Resolved) "I think I can, I think I can." +1/12 Physics (unresolved)
Part 2
PU1 builds a school using the school building tools to construct a level 10 (or 11) school (+ Tool, unresolved + 6 teach, max11) (unresolved)
PU2 continues making its daily visits, trying to discretely figure out what the colors are well asking about what the blood thing is. (we suspect slavery, Liberal Arts 11 * 25%= 3) gaining +1 diplomacy. (resolved)
PU3 focuses its research on the food like substances that are not grown on the ever common trees. (If slavery then the big trees could be growing some kind of drug. Medicine 10 *25% =3) (resolved) +1 plantology (unresolved)
PU4 Makes some tools that would help create consumer goods with the factory and resources gathered during the last half of the year (not the building, the goods) +3 Factory, +1 resource, + Economics 10 *25%= 3 totals lv 7 consumer goods tool (Unresolved) gains +1/2 manufacturing? (unresolved)
PU5 looks for a great mining site for whatever they can find (and marks them) Physics 10*25% = 3 (resolved) gains +1/2 geology (unresolved)
As the person with the most experience talking with the Cetis Dr. Albrektsson is nominated to go talk with the representative of the Blood Empire, despite her protests that she can't actually talk with the Cetis.
Eventually she gives in and walks out to meet with the other factions representatives. Members of her team stand by at the edge of the colony ready to shoot the Cetis if something goes wrong.
Colony Status
Spoiler
Tools:
Spoiler
1 Ramjet colony ship "The Prometheus"
1 Planetary lander "The Falcon"
1200 people (6 PUs), aboard the colony ship
1 Level 5 Flying Cars (tool) (lander hold)
1 Level 5 Laser Rifles (tool) (PU 2 Armed)
1 Level 5 Prometheus Archive (School)
1 Level 5 Aeon Experimental Laboratory (50% to any experiments, Deployable Facility)
1 Level 5 Bio Lab Module (Full bonus to Medical experiments, no use for other experiments)
2 Level 7 Bioengineered Seeds (Can be applied to farm for modifier of 50% (rounded up) (4), exceeds cap)
1 Level 5 Construction Tools
Dr. Jonathan Littleton-Paora, overall leader of Pacifica, approaches the Ceties with the rest of the Union's delegation. A small camera and two way radio allows the rest of Central to view the proceedings and offer advice when necessary. When appropriate, Dr.Littleton-Paora says, in his best attempt at the Ceties' language, Greetings, we represent Pacifica, of the Union.
Turn 2, 2242.25-2243.5, 1 Ceti Year After Landing Begins Now!
Mitsuharu Academy
Spoiler
Revised actions look fine.
The Green Unity
Actions:
Spoiler
New actions look fine. The factory is duly monitored so that any waste it generates doesn't make it into the ecosystem and proper measures are used to dispose of liquid waste. A proper waste processing facility would ensure that in the future there is no environmental harm from your industrial activities.
The Theologians
Actions:
Spoiler
Unresolved actions:
3. Teaching applies a 50% bonus for the tools. They should be level 7, provided your Liberal Arts is at least 7, and would apply a full bonus to building schools and a 25% bonus to other buildings.
5. XP to Xenobiology would be more appropriate
7. The study has been resolved. I don't understand what +1/12 Physics is supposed to denote-- Physics did not apply a full bonus, as it is a science skill, so it didn't get experience.
Action group 2:
1. You get a level 11 school of 2031 tech level, which uses 3 energy per action.
3. Xenobiology is the appropriate skill here.
4. The math is right-- the result is a set of level 7 Industrial Tools (Consumer goods). They will apply their full bonus in support of an action making consumer goods at a cost of 3 additional energy.
5. Geology is fine.
As the year draws to a close, the priests once again bring up their request to visit your site. You get the idea they won't take "no" for an answer much longer, and they keep telling you that their Gods are very anxious about the newcomers.
Unity Site
The emissary from the Empire of Blood speaks only a single tongue (examining the recording indicates that it was one of the greetings that Jane used when she first met you). Seeing that the delegation doesn't understand, the priest turns around, tilts his head slightly upward and begins speaking rapidly. He pauses to listen a number of times and then starts speaking again as if in response. Eventually he turns back around, points toward the human delegation and motions toward Unity site. The emissary (and, moments later, his bodyguards) begin walking toward Unity site, with or without the human delegation.
The Grim
As the summer ends and winter begins to set in once again, ice floes return from the south and the grass is buried under the first snows of the season. The majority of the Ceties depart, sailing north, while a few straggle in to stay through the winter. Pattern analysis and population tracking indicate that roughly 90% of the previous winter's occupants are no longer here, and that these villages are an altogether different population. The group with the captives either did not return, or did not return with the captives. Orbital recon proves unable to locate the captives, since they lost track of the boats when they docked at a small city, possibly from culture group 2, which is built on the coast of the island-continent to the north (7-14).
Pionjär
Near the end of winter a snowshoed group of 8 Ceties approaches your settlement riding some of the bipedal herbivores. They wear leather garments and carry wooden longbows and quivers with iron arrowheads, though they do not appear hostile. They carry wooden baskets loaded with preserved fruit from the nearby trees. They stop outside your settlement and light a campfire.
LSI
As spring approaches and the snow starts to thaw, Ceties are seen around your settlement in increasing frequency. Their armament varies a great deal, but not all of them appear friendly. Some of them will attempt to enter the settlement, though you have more than enough time to shoot at them before that.
The Enlightened
The villages in the immediate vicinity of your settlement were abandoned over the winter. The Ceties appear to have left, taking most of their possessions with them, and it is unclear as to why or where they went.
Henry Ford
A group of 500 mounted Ceties is headed toward your settlement after defeating a number of smaller bands on its way east from the city on the river. They're armed with lances, longbows and bladed claws and do not appear friendly. They wear leather armor and only carry the loot they took from the other bands with them.
The Vory
The Ceties in the rainforest still seem content to leave you alone, and the mountain terrain almost certainly plays a role there. Closer observation with the drones indicates that there is a group of Ceties that live in the desert on the other side of the mountain range as well, who subsist mostly by herding quadrupedal herbivores that eat the sparse vegetation that grows on the leeward side of the mountain range.
Michael: Dear I have to go to their temple to learn more about them, I will be back in about 6 months.
Mishra: aaa, we can't have some more time?
Michael: I'm afraid that we are out of time. If we don't go now we will not be able to see if they are trustworthy, or if we can even stay.
Mishra: I love you.
Michael: I love you too.
Spoiler
PU 1 teaches PU 3 Bioengineering by 6 giving him 2 and 1/4 Bioengineering.
Pu 2 goes to their temple to learn about their religion.
PU 4 Makes migning tools +3 for 25% Economics, +3 for the factory, +1 for raw crafteing resorces.
PU 5 Uses the educational facility construction tools to make a Mine sandwitched betwean a place to get iron and coal well making it big so that the Planetary lande can be put in side. (well branch off the resorces later.) +2 tools, +3 for 25% Physics
The rest will be decided later.
(ok, I seamed to have the numbering mixed up a little bit last time, though it still worked out with the math.)
Last edited by PMChapmanii : 06-17-2012 at 02:47 PM.
Rachel Smith came in late, the military style tent they'd been using as an office already packed full of the other 'specialists' that had been assigned under her command. The group standing before her would have been considered nuisances and overgrown delinquents on old earth. Most were covered with piercings and tattoos, and they all had a glint in their eyes that suggested they were planning something that shouldn't be shared with others.
After a moment examining the symbol that had somehow been etched into every solid surface in the command tent, Rachel sat down and began the meeting. "As you likely have heard, we're being sent out. Our mission is to use what little of the local Ceti dialect we've learned to try to start up conversations and get some real world practice, hopefully this will also speed up the learning process. The Combat Core" Rachel is interrupted by one of the more respectable looking men at the table coughing the word "thugs". Rachel stares at him for a second before continuing, "As I was saying, the Combat Core are going to be providing support. They are to follow at a safe distance and only show themselves if we ask them to, or violence seems imminent. In that case our mission becomes hiding in the underbrush or up a tree while they deal with the problem. Are there any questions?" She looks around the room, trying to ignore Gerald, the one who had coughed earlier, and who is now holding his hand politely in the air like he's in a class-room. Finally she turns to him and says "Yes Gerald, what is it?". "Well, I...err.. We were wondering if you could ask Commander Delancy if she'd consider making this our official symbol." He says pointing at one of the many perfect engravings in the room to a chorus of muffled chuckles from the rest gathered. Rachel merely responds, "Dismissed, get your squads ready to move out, we'll all be receiving assignments for villages within the next day," then leaves the tent, sighing slightly. She may have picked them for their expertise, but she had certainly not been prepared to lead a group of such childish pranksters.
Actions
Spoiler
1: Combat Force, Continue patrols, but devote majority of resources to protection of Specialists. 2 Soldiering + 2 Drone Combat + 5 Specter Drones= 9
+1XP to Soldiering and Drone Combat
2: Engineering Core: Construct Medical Facility, 2/2 Construction + 5/2 Construction drones + 2/8 general factory = 5 (limited by Medicine to 3)
3: Command, continues to download Economics +4xp -> Lvl 4 (yay, some semblance of economy)
4: Medical Core: Once again, continue studying xenobiology through salvage mod, +3 XP -> Lvl 3
5: Specialists, Go from camp to camp offering small boxes of fruits, and attempting to communicate/learn from locals.
Spoiler
Primary Method, collect box of food that locals seem to eat. Bring it to edge of peaceful seeming camp. Call out something along the lines of "We come in peace," "We bring gifts," "We just wish to talk," "Can jimmy come out and play?" Or as close of approximations as we can manage at this time. If no one responds at all, box will be left just within the village. If villagers avoid the box, it will be re-attempted using armfuls of food. If after several attempts in one village they shun all the food, and don't respond, a new village will be found.
Military Goals: Stay hidden, protect the specialists at all costs. If a fight does occur, attempt capture of Cetie prisoners AFTER specialists appear to be out of danger. If after several months of this, the specialists have made no progress at all, soldiers are to find a VERY remote village, surround it, and capture as many Ceties as possible. Will give math for whichever action actually ends up occurring, depending on Cetie reactions.
Nanites: Considering how many of our people have lived hard lives up to this point, being largely career criminals, the majority of them would likely have had their nanites activated at one point or another. Rather than attempt to come up with percentages for who did or didn't have them activated, I'm going to claim that they all had their nanites activated as part of the cryogenic freezing that got us here.
Spoiler
If that's not acceptable, then I'd say that the Combat Core, Command, and Medical all had their nanites activated due to either injury, military training, or to protect from diseases while treating them.
__________________
Faster than a speeding wombat, more agile than a drunken Giraffe, able to leap off tall buildings in a single bound, it's PANTSMAN!!
Last edited by Rogue_Dragon : 06-16-2012 at 09:05 PM.
Reason: Added in Section on Nanite Activation
Exploration Crew is preparing the welcoming comittee for the approaching "Cetie Horde", as it will be called for now.
4 small groups of 10 men are stationned near the 2 wind farms and the 2 mining sites to protect the infrastructure and give the alert by radio.
They will take provisions and camp there with enough Flying Cars to transport them.
They will rotate one man every 2 hours.
Each man will also have sleeping cycle of about 8 hours, followed by a resting period of 6 hours and a senty duty of 6 hours in full exosuit.
As such, there will always be a group of 3 sentries ready.
while 3 other men will be resting but kept awaken and 4 others will be sleeping.
It is thought that 10 men with laser rifle and exosuits should be enough to keep at bay up to 50 Ceties for several hours without any problem.
Instructions are to not engage the ennemy unless he shows agressivity first.
Reports should be made every few minutes to the colony using radio.
The men inside a given group are to keep contact between each other at any time too.
If more than 100 Ceties come at less than 5 kilometers from a given small group, the Group B will depart for their position.
The sensors of the Scout Exosuits should be more than enough to spot approaching Ceties.
They also make communication easier between the men and with the colony.
The cloaking capability is supposed to help a little.
If things get ugly, each man has a laser rifle with near-infinite ammunition and much better range and accuracy than the weaponery of the Cetis.
The exosuits should assist further for tactical targeting.
If things get REALLY ugly and hand-to-hand fighting start, the Exosuit is basically a very durable power armor.
This means the Ceties would be fighting against opponents that are larger to begin with... but also MUCH more stronger and faster then them.
And are also really difficult to stab...
But if their position is impossible to hold until reinforcement arrive, they will retreat using Flying Cars.
The rest is divided into Group A (40 men), B (40 men) and C (80 men).
Group A is a garnison group, which will stay near the Planetary Lander and protect all colonists.
The colonists will go into the Planetary Lander if the Cetie Riders are less than 2 hours from the camp.
Group A will take position to defend the Planetary Lander.
It is thought that 40 men with laser rifle and exosuits should be enough to keep at bay up to 200 Ceties for several hours without any problem.
Group B will be "mobile reserves".
They will be ready to move with 1/5 of the Flying Cars to wherever there is a need.
Given the speed of hovercars compared to "Horse-Lizards", the horde will be less mobile.
It won't be able to simply overrun all positions at once through sheer number :
Any of the small groups can hold for a few minutes on its own.
And after this, B will be there to annihilate hostiles.
Then move out to the next position.
This way, any of the small groups will see its strenght go from 10 to 50 men after hostilities start.
This should be enough to defeat anything smaller than 250 Ceties without friendly KIA.
Anything bigger, out of horde of 500, would be confronted by Group C anyway.
Group C will confront the largest part of the horde head-on.
It will travel in formation with the rest of Flying Cars, trying to form a single line, with 5 to 10 meters distance between two cars.
The line will stop at about 1 kilometer from the Cetie Horde.
They will be used mainly as an impresive show of force to make the Ceties accept to talk before shedding blood.
As such, they will only open fire if the Ceties show open agression.
All groups will have a few members from the Management Crew.
Small groups might only have 1 or 2 each.
But larger groups will have a few dozens each to act as diplomats.
2. Exploration Crew, Agriculture (E3)
Spoiler
Once the threat of the Cetie Horde is dealt with, the Exploration Crew will start to set fields for "scientific farming".
A lot of information has been obtained from last year's exploration and research.
Theories are that the soil are rich because of the local grass being a nitrogen fixer.
So crops should be rotated every few years with grass to fertilize it again.
But before engaging in mass-farming, the most appropriate crops must be determined.
Various seeds provided by the Bioscience Crew are planted on small fields to determine the yield.
If a specific type of crops is successful, the cultivated area will be increased using the seeds obtained from the first harvest.
If a crop is not very successful, half the seeds will be used to maintain the species alive at an acceptable level.
The rest, including plant samples, will be studied to determine why it failed and how it could solved easily.
Agriculture (E3) +3
If calculation are correct, this action should give a Research Farm (facility, Lvl 3, 2023), which will produce a passive (+25%) bonus to future actions related to farming.
The Exploration Crew will need plant seeds for the farms.
The Bioscience Crew will start working on a reproduction program in controlled environement for the plant seeds in the banks.
They are also allowed to start cloning and breeding larger animals, like horses, cows and sheeps, which will probably thrive in the steppes.
This is for scientific purpose, not for large-scale herding yet.
They will received a full-scaled biomedical research facility for this.
This will also help to contain the small animals created last year.
Any of them which escaped might be a futur ecological hazard that will have to be kept in check.
But for now, limiting future escapes and contamination is the priority.
- 2 Electric Energy (Artificial Womb)
- 1 Construction Module (Biomedical Research Facility of 2120)
- 1 Energy (Biomedical Research Facility of 2120)
The Bioscience Crew will continue to analyze the local wildlife and its interaction with Earth fauna and flora as ressurected.
This includes horses, cows and sheeps.
Those might only be youngsters but they will be fine testing subjects, left to feed on their own in the steppes around the Planetary Lander.
They are marked with electronic collars
Or similar small-scale detection device that can reasonably be assumed available without having to build a full factory.
Their knowledge in Medicine (M2) and Bioengineering (M1) can also help them here.
Please provide more information about what they discovered.
Using the minerals collected by the mining drones, the Engeneering Crew is processing them through the Molecular Manufacturer (tool, LvL5, 2120).
The aim is to get all the alloys and raw materials needed to build "Copycat" 3D Printers (tool, LvL5, 2025)
The engeneers supervise the recombination of particules as energy and matter interact though the Molecular Manufacturer.
Physics (P2, partial) +1, Molecular Manufacturer (Lvl5, partial) +2
If calculation are correct, this action should give [raw material of "CopyCat MkI"] (lvl3)
The engereering crew spend a good deal of its time creating an automated version of the "Copycat" 3D Printers.
The aim is to allow them, if fed with appropriate raw materials, to produce a large amount of consumer goods.
The necessary raw material is available thanks to previous action.
It is being fed the the Enhanced 3D Printers, which will print the spare parts needed.
They then have to be assembled and the software configurated appropriately to automate them.
As it is a precision job, the Engeneering Crew handles it rather than the Support Crew.
Robotics (E2) +2, Good quality Raw material (Lvl3, partial) +2, Enhanced 3D Printers (tool, LvL5, 2120) +2
This action should make specialized "Copycat MkIa" Automated 3D Printers for Consumer Goods (tool, LvL 6, 2026)
The tools will consume 2 Energy units and produce 6 Consumer Good units per year, on their own.
Basic changes are possible in the proportion or types of goods that they will produce but overall quality and quantity will be the same.
1. Support Crew, Economics (E5), "Foreman MkI" Modular Construction Kits (tool, LvL5, 2025)
Spoiler
With their new construction kits, the people of the Support Crew can do real building work.
And without the need for highly refined building materials or spare parts from the Engeneering Crew.
They set themselves to work on building the Habitation Complex that the colonists have been asking for the last 12 months.
A large perimeter of 5 km x 5 km is traced around the Planetary Lander.
This give a confortable 24.000.000 m² of living space for the future city.
In addition of the Planetary Lander itself.
A small trench, 2 meter wide, is digged around the perimeter and filled with concertina razor wires made of a basic metallic alloy.
This is a very basic defense perimeter, meant to prevent large creatures to enter freely.
For the rest, the basic familial "Cocoon MkI" habitation modules and other auxiliary modules are built in large enough number to accomodate 1.000 people confortably.
As the construction is finished, people start packing their stuff and move out of the Planetary Lander's storage bays.
Families enjoy the space, privacy and confort they have been lacking for over a year.
Economics (E5, partial) +2, "Foreman MkI" (tool, LvL5, 2025) +5
If calculation are correct, the "Cocoon MkI" is (facility, LvL7, 2027)
They will provide appropriate accomodation for 7 PU at the cost of some energy.
2. Support Crew, Economics (E5), "Foreman MkI" Modular Construction Kits (tool, LvL5, 2025)
Spoiler
Here again, the aim is to build more facilities.
On windy hills, a third "Dutchman MkI" Wind Farm is built.
It is much more crude than what the nanites built but it seems to be as efficient.
Time will tell if there is any real pratical difference.
The Management Crew is spread between the various groups of the Exploration Crew.
It will act as diplomats if the the Cetie Horde accept to discuss rather than attack on sight.
Ideally, the bulk of the Cetie Horde should be confronted by Group C well before it reaches the Planetary Lander and the colonists.
There, the two armies will face each other.
On one side, 500 or so mounted ceties with spears and bows.
With their loot and bad attitude.
On the other, 80 human colonists in exosuits with laser rifles, driving 50 or so flying cars.
One of the flying car will advance, transporting 2 men in armor and 1 diplomat to open negociation.
The car will stop at half the distance between the two groups.
The diplomat and the men in armor will get out of the vehicule and wait.
If the Ceties send something similar, talks will be initiated using signs and pictures on paper.
The basic offer is as follow :
Quote:
- We are travelers
- We want to settle here
- We won't depart without good reason
- We offer friendship and respect to your leader
- If he accepts, let it be peace between us.
The warriors of this horde will always be welcomed and many gifts shall be given.
As gifts, 1 unit of Consumer Goods will be given.
This will be made of the most basic goods.
- We also offer, as friends, to learn more about each other
3 of our own people will journey with the Horde until our next meeting.
They shall learn the language and culture of the Cetie Horde.
And teach the Horde our own.
3 of the riders will remain here and do the same among our people.
- If he refuses to let us stay here, let it then be war.
Turn 2.0
The ad-hoc office in the lander was crowded, inside where the leaders of the units and their closest advisors. It normally felt small, but now when there was close to fifteen individuals inside it felt absolutely tiny. Crates and boxes had been converted to sitting areas and on the steel table lay piles of reports.
The ceties had arrives mere hours ago and immediately all analysts had been ordered to spring to work on situation reports. Now the command staff of the expedition was parsing and deliberating over what to do regarding the natives that had stayed away for a year.
”So, we’re running with the hypothesis that they’re either here to greet us, and what they brought is a gift, or they’re here to trade with us and they expect goods in return”
”Major, many cultures of earth had traditions of mutual exchange of goods during greeting ceremonies. Even in modern times that was common practice. We should bring something of our own to them regardless of what we believe their intentions are”
”Thank you doctor. This does leave us with the problem as to what to provide them with in exchange.”
”Trinkets. That’s what we should provide in return. Things that are trivial to us and we can do without, but they will find at least a symbolic value in. But nothing consumable.
”Water filters. It is something they’ll have a great benefit of and we got them to spare. Give them a short demonstration on how to use them and hand them over”.
”I like the idea. Is everyone in agreement regarding this?”
A murmur of agreement sounded around in the office.
------------------------
Major Sköld, Dr. Nurmi, Director Jensen, one of Doctor Nurmi’s fellow Xenobiologists and two armed soldiers as escort approached the ceties that had set up camp closely outside the colony-site. With them they had a crate with water-filters, ones designed to purify water simply by pouring it through them. It wouldn’t help against the smallest viruses, but against most other harmful things.
Once they were sure the ceties had seen them and understood that they were intending to parlay with them the delegation would stop and wait for the ceties to approach them. If the ceties would reach for their weapons the delegation would stop and back off. If the ceties approach them, the delegation would try to greet them as neutrally as possible. Trying not to declare war by accident or something. If the food is handed over, the delegation would open the crate and demonstrate a waterfilter by pouring visibly filthy water through it and thus purify it, then proceed to demonstrating the result by drinking the purified water and then try to hand over the crate to the ceties.
If given the opportunity dr Nurmi, Director Jensen and her collegue will try to learn something about the ceties language and their people.
PU 1: 1a Astropionjärerna. Location: Colonysite Action: The unit is to escort the Agromedical unit on their seed gathering expedition. The ceties are to be avoided if possible and lethal action is only authorized if a human’s life or health is in serious danger.
Skills: Soldiering 1 (full bonus), Lvl 5 Laser rifles (partial bonus?). Tools:Lvl 5 Laser Rifles
PU 2: Agromedicinska enheten. Location: Colonysite Action: The unit is ordered to set up an expedition to gather the seeds of the long fruits that grow all over the place. Escorted by the astropioneers. Natives are to be avoided if possible. The seeds are to be stored for later planting.
Skills: Lvl 2 farming (full bonus). Tools: None
With empty backpacks on their backs, the farmers headed out of the camp. All around them the soldiers walked escort, their eyes like those of hawks peering over the empty landscape. They were all headed towards a cluster of the trees that they had seen no natives around. Still, the astropioneers would send some men ahead to confirm that there were no ceties present.
PU3: Industriella enheten. Location: Colonysite Action:Use the GPF (General Purpose Factory) lvl 3 to churn out consumer goods.
Skills: Economics lvl 3 (partial bonus) and GPF lvl 3 (partial bonus). Should result in 2 consumer goods. Tools:GPF lvl 3.
PU 4: Xenologiska enheten Location: Colonysite Action:The unit is ordered to observe the local Ceties, to gain a more thorough information of the neighbours. Using the flying cars to move around and stay away from all danger. Ordered to, if possible to do so safely, fly in low light circumstances to limit detection. They are to at no point approach the seties or land in locations that lend themselves well for ambushes and definitely not in the mist. All observation of the seties is to be done at range. They are not allowed to do flybys over the seties
Skills: Espionage 1 (full bonus), Lvl 5 flying cars (partial bonus), Piloting 1 (full bonus). Tools:Lvl 5 Flying Cars
PU 5: Nybyggarenheten. Location: Colonysite Action: Use the lvl 2 Construction Tools to construct some houses. The division uses their still rudimentary theoretical skills and tries to apply them in praxis. Using local materials like stone and wood, the team focuses on trying to build rudimentary but functional living spaces. The entrance aimed towards the centre of the colony so that the back walls can function as a crude wall against outsiders.
Skills: Construction lvl 0 (full bonus… which still is 0) and lvl 2 Construction Tools (full bonus). Should result in a lvl 2 housing complex. The PU should advance to lvl 1 construction following this. Tools:Construction tools lvl 2.
If an action is required to interact with the Ceti delegation, it is PU4: Xenologiska enheten, which will drop its action in favour of that one. Fringe 3 would give a partial bonus.
Only the 1s Astropioneers and the Industrial unit have active nanites.
Central Division: Negotiating with the Blood Empire, as previous post.
Market Division: Within the week after Jane leaves, Market assembles the mining drones and the last construction module. They put these on some crude carts, and march up into the mountains, following the river. Green Planet from Green Unity is invited along, as their knowledge of geology and hydrology will be immensely useful. Once to the source of the river in the mountains, they deploy the construction module, instructing the nanites to build an ore processing facility. They simultaneously deploy the mining drones. While the mining drones are to prospect and mine for all useful materials, they are instructed to give priority to silicate minerals, copper, and iron, in that order.
Defense Division scouts ahead of Market. They are to seek out any large mountain predators and Blood Empire hostiles. They will not engage unless attacked, but they carefully note the positions of the aforementioned groups. They are the only group with activated nanites.
Biology division is allowed to continue their study on Ceti biology, with a focus on the eyes.
Physics conducts general research at the lab, augmented by information from the archives, improving its own skill at physics.
Venus is interested in where the ceti villagers went to and will ask his two alien friends for information while the people he leads pray.
"Do your god's tell your people leave their settlements every winter. Surely your 'god's' aren't scared of a little cold weather."
1. Peace will assist Shadow in salvaging redundant electronics and metal from the lander. Their focus will be on keeping it in a relatively safe condition for travel in a vacuum and re-entry. Peace decide that 2 layers of insulation from the outside should be sufficient, so anything not in the rooms with views are up for grabs as long as structural integrity is sustained. The lander is a sturdy machine so should have some redundancy built in. The main problem will be fixing the reckless salvaging last year. Whatever they try the lander will be less safe but they aim to minimise risk.
Peace will share the salvage tools for the repairs and will use a few components from inside the ship as they are pulled off, lowering the amount of items available for use elsewhere. If they consider the lander a write-off after they are finished then they will ask Friendship to ask to use a lander from somebody else.
2. Knowledge study the effects of the spear in the school. Minerva knows a lot about the inner workings of the spear and its current limitations and leads discussions on how it works and how to adapt the technology to alternate thought patterns. The result is a greater understanding of the intricacies of thought control and its other potential uses in the new empire.
He pauses briefly when asked about the possibility to brainwash humans into worshipping Quirinus.
"But Quirinus is The Saviour, The Divine Emperor, The Righteous One, we have all been enlightened to his divinity but others are less fortunate. We do not have to 'Brainwash' humans into belief as they will all recognise these facts in time. However, this artefact has been gifted to us to educate the lesser beings, who can not understand on their own, and it is our task to adjust it for the aliens inferior neurobiology." is his reply.
3. Friendship will pray at the altar of power for more energy. The altar recognises their thought patterns and translates them into orders to increase power output, at the price of a whole year of its 198 year lifespan.
4. Shadow will salvage useful supplies from the lander, with the assistance of Peace who try to keep the lander safe to fly. They take the wall and door panels, electronics from lighting and the automatic doors, and some monitors and camera equipment from the interior of the ship, leaving the bridge untouched.
Work is made more difficult by Peace interfering and occasionally using the tools for repairs but they still manage to salvage and impressive amount now that the lander isn't to be used for housing.
5. Wealth create construction tools, from wood and stone, at the general purpose factory. The series of saws, hammers and supports should be most useful for building housing, but can be helpful for many other facilities as well.
6. Health will harvest the food from the farm during the spring and summer when it should be growing at its best. The fresh new vegetables are a welcome sight to the settlers after eating dried packaged food for more than a year.
Actions
Spoiler
1. 3/4 from Physics + 3/4 from partial use of salvage tools + 5/4 from lander built in redundancy = 3, capped by physics, to keep the lander safe, 1xp in shuttle building (P)
2. 5 experience in thought control = level 2.0 thought control (F)
3. 5/4 from Liberal Arts to pray = 7 energy produced this turn, 1 prayer (L) xp = level 1.0
4. 3/2 from partial use of salvage tools + 2 from salvaging + 5/4 from lander technology = 6 level 3 electronics, 1xp in salvaging
5. 5/4 from Economics + 5/4 from general factory = level 4 construction tools, 1xp in construction (E)
6. 1 from farming + 3 from farming tools + 5 from farm = 9 food
Turn 2, 1 Ceti Year After Landing (CYAL), 1.25 Earth Years After Landing (EYAL)
The Theologians
Actions:
Spoiler
PU 1/3: In the future, please list the Teaching and Liberal Arts skills of the teaching PU and the level of the school, as well as the current level and XP of the learning PU.
PU 2: The priests are happy that you've chosen to learn their ways, and take the church leaders to a Henge built into the deepest part of one of the medium-sized cities. They introduce you to yet another caste of priests who wear black robes in the same style as the priests you've previously observed. They're an order called the Guardians of the Eggs, who are charged with ensuring the paternity of eggs entrusted to the priesthood, which are basically all eggs laid by the upper castes. They're also the enforcement arm of the priesthood; they typically walk around carrying a two- or four-barreled pistol and a shortsword, though Guardians with other weapons are visible among their ranks. They say that Guardians, like Priests, serve because the Gods assign them their caste before they hatch by moving the eggs into a special chamber without the other Guardians noticing.
The Guardians teach you a number of ritual gestures and phrases that are required to present yourself to a God, and chide you that the Gods will not appear to you if you are not worthy. The rituals are what you'd expect from a polytheistic religion, address individual Gods by long, self-aggrandizing titles that don't make a great deal of sense ("Master of lightning, bringer of rains, light winds, and spilled porridge"), and complicated precise bowing motions. The Gods have few commandments that are written down and well known, and prefer to govern on a case-by-case basis through the Priests and the Godshands (another caste, which wears cyan). However, they have a single, unbreakable rule that must never be broken under any circumstances (which I will PM to you).
They tell you of the history of their religion and Empire, that long ago the Gods created the world to be paradise for the Ceties, and some of the Gods came down to live among them to steward the world and ensure that the Ceties remained loyal to the Gods. For ages, the Empire of Blood ensured compliance with Godly directives and the Gods in turn kept the Ceties from wanting for anything. In the last hundred years, Gods in distant parts of the world have failed, and some blasphemous nonbelievers even went so far as to kill their gods and profane the Gods' sacred gifts. The Empire is in dire straights, as the blasphemers have cut them off from the continents to the west, and the Gods in the east have proven unable to contain the demons that have always plagued that land. The Gods to the south have abandoned their own ways in favor of heathenistic, perverted acts that the Guardians won't name, but only mention that they are no longer within the teachings of the Gods. While they maintain nominal control over the peninsula to the northwest, the Gods there have become divided and quarrelsome, and the whole region descended into chaos roughly 80 years ago. They fight wars on and off with all of their neighbors, and have been unable to advance convincingly and restore the old ways.
Eventually the Guardians decide that you've learned enough that you could be allowed into the presence of the Gods themselves. Several Guardians silently fall in behind the delegation as it approaches the central ring of the underground Henge. The Henge room is literally at the center of the settlement, built along the ground such that other buildings have formed a dome over the central ring. It is almost completely dark inside, save for the light of a bioluminescent moss that coats the sides of the standing stones that form the henge itself. You can see ten of the Godshands in the dark chamber at the center wearing cyan, lobstered steel plate armor and carrying a short sword in each hand.
Assuming the Church leaders perform the rites they've been taught, one of the Godshands (it is hard to tell which one is talking, since their winged plate helmets' visors are down) yells, "Speak, and let the Gods judge those who are worthy!"
PU 4: Please list the economics skill (not just the bonus), and the factory's level next time. The idea is that I don't want to go digging for numbers for every action I resolve.
5. So, uh. This is where the "within reason" clause of the "tools can be housed inside buildings within reason" comes in. The lander is the size of an aircraft carrier. Storing the lander underground isn't impossible, but it would be stored in something like an "underground Lander hangar", not a mine shaft; it would need to be a separate facility, though the actual underground infrastructure could definitely connect. Making the mine is fine, though; it will produce 3 units of iron ore and 2 units of coal per action, and requires 2 energy per action. The area has abundant coal deposits and the banded iron deposit appears to be planet wide, so the mining site can be as close to your settlement as you like.
The Vory
Actions
Spoiler
1/5: When the Ceties figure out that you're approaching the village, their first instinct is to hide indoors, with only the occasional glance outside to reveal that they're still inside the buildings. When they see the box, there are actually a number of them that literally scream and start to run away, running off through the swamp or onto their pole boats and retreating with all available speed. Those that stay seem to dig into their buildings as far as they can go, with windows and doors shuttered and barred. They don't respond to any speech, and after a couple hours of trying the specialists give up and decide to try another village, this time without the box. Leaving the box in the village proves to be a pretty good way of getting the villagers to abandon the settlement.
The second village goes much better, with the villagers gazing at you cautiously from doorways and a few of the braver ones, especially children, approaching at a respectful distance. Eventually a Ceti in ornate red robes makes his way toward the specialists and tries to communicate. He eventually manages to inform you that the Ceties are subjects of the Empire of Blood and loyal worshipers of all of the Empire's Gods, and wants to know who you are, who you worship and where you are from.
2: That's correct. The 2023-tech medical facility will require 3 power per action, and can apply its full mod to healing Earth life animals initially, and Ceti life after the completion of a megaproject. It would also function like an imperfect Biology lab (50% bonus).
Rachel is ecstatic when the red-robed Cetie starts to approach her group, she'd spent a decent number of hours arguing with people on various forums over whether or not aliens exist, and now she was about to talk to one. Now she WAS one. She tried not to let her enthusiasm show too much, though, for fear that it might give the wrong impression. She recalled what Delancy and the rest of command had told her in regards to these first interactions, and new they'd likely be watching through camera's on drones flying so high no one could see them as more than just a strange bird, and listening to her through microphones set up in her traveling gear. After going through the words in her head she says in the Cetie dialect "I am a representative of the Vory. We come from a land far beyond the stars, and are new to this world. We wish to learn of your people and your ways." After thinking for a bit, she continues "The gods of our world were weak, and can no longer reach us on this world, but we are willing to learn of your gods." Rachel stares at the Cetie for awhile, and he stares back seemingly in confusion. She'd gotten something wrong, she knew they weren't ready for this kind of conversation, the language was too foreign. Like trying to speak ancient Egyptian using a tuba instead of your tongue. So she started over at the beginning, speaking slowly, and getting help from the rest of her team when the Cetie seemed to have some difficulty understanding something.
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Faster than a speeding wombat, more agile than a drunken Giraffe, able to leap off tall buildings in a single bound, it's PANTSMAN!!
The Blood Empire. A startling name for a nation and proof that while we may have left Earth, its blood-stained history is not a unique to it. It is clear that the only reason this so called empire took on the name was because of its use as an intimidation tool. And in that, it has proven effective, as even some of my colleagues are tense by their approach. Let us hope that blood will not be spilled. Now the question arises: What does Ceti blood look like?
- Personal logs of Doctor Lukas Bauer
Marjanne van der Veen is slightly ticked off about the Blood Empire's delegation's insistence, though she does not let it show. She understands the reasons, though, as anybody would want to see what their colony is about. Still, she can not help but fear for a moment that his intentions are far from noble, considering the reputation of their Empire. In any case, she walks along, still trying to get some interaction of meaning going, even if it is with gestures or the like. If things continue to remain fruitless, she will try another approach, trying to gesture some basics to convey simple meanings, like "this is where we stay" and such.
Actions Summary Turn 2
Spoiler
First Actions
1. Green Vision. Run the Sustainable Consumer Goods Factory (L5). Produce 7 Sustainable Consumer Goods. (L5 Factory + 5/2 Economics) Sustainable Consumer Goods Production Level 0 +1 = Level 0 1/2
2. Green Peace. To be determined.
3. Green Policy. To be determined.
4. Green Ecology. Volunteers to help out at the Aeon Institute's Hydroponics Farm to create food, allowing them to contribute their Botany skill (L2) to Food Production, generating +2 Food for the Aeon Institute. Botany Level 2 1/4 +1 = Level 2 2/4
5. Green Planet. Helps out the Pacifica expedition to study the land and water with their Geology (L2) and Hydrology (L1) knowledge, helping to provide them with essential information while they are settings things up. Geology Level 2 2/4 +1 = Level 2 3/4
Hydrology Level 1 1/4 +1 = Level 1 2/3
6. Green Energy. Volunteers to run the Mitsuharu dam to increase its energy output using its expertise with Energy Engineering (L5), +5 energy. Energy Engineering Level 5 2/7 +1 = Level 5 3/7
7. Green Architecture. To be determined.
8. Green Products. Works at the Tool Factory (L5/4) using their Sustainable Goods Manufacturing Skill (L5) to create Sustainable Goods Manufacturing Tools (5/4 + 5, cap 5 = L5). Sustainable Goods Manufacturing Level 5 2/7 +1 = Level 5 3/7
-2 Energy
Question: If the Economists were to get up their Economics to L6 in the first action while at the same time the above tool is made. Would said tool be capped to L5 or L6? (Answer may change Economics PU action.)
As for Nanites, while a lot will have them activated in Green Peace, it is a huge mixture in the other PUs. Some, like Doctor Julia Leroux, do not have them activated yet, while others are very old and have had them activated for many decades, like Doctor Ferdinandez del Manos. Most activations are because of age, and the Green Unity's age spread is huge.
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Last edited by Zweanslord : 06-18-2012 at 01:24 PM.
I'm posting these with minimal narration because I think it's best that I do, despite the fact that this turn has moved on. I'm hoping to simply catch up with the action. Maldiem, PM me if you have a problem with this.
Actions for the Mormons - Year 1 Turn 1
Spoiler
President Black and the Quorum of Twelve consult the Necrosages Church Elders whose memoirs are stored in the geneaological banks to study/develop Governance on board ship. While most of the effort is dedicated towards immediate planning, a good portion of this is also devoted to modernizing the liturgy for ministry in the Cetian frontier context, which is critical to maintaining community morale and social cohesion. (Liberal Arts 7 at 1/4 + Geneological Banks for 5)
President Black directs Mission Control to assist the First Seventy in their efforts of evangelism. Mission Control puts the Nephi into that walking orbit, which enables the Nephi to function like LANDSAT. The Nephi makes a flyby of every point on Tau Ceti about once every two weeks, taking pictures at about 25m resolution. The mission scientists onboard ship then develop a routine to process the images generated and collate them into the first detailed global maps of Ceti settlement and vegetation density. With hte President's approval, this information is broadcasted on public radio channels to all human factions. (Physics at 1/4 + Logistics 1, + whatever the ship itself gives?)
Out of the consumer goods cargo carried by the Nephi, the Presiding Bishopric prepares a special cargo of "evangelical trade goods" which are deemed to be of minimum technological risk, like aluminum tools, butane lighters, and Polartek blankets for trade. These mostly end up being what would likely be familiar objects made of exotic materials. (Espionage 0 + Economics at ?? for the relative utility of the goods.)
The Nephi's planetary lander first makes Planetfall at (24, 16). It contains the following 3 PUs, the laser rifles, the flying cars, the 4 nanoconstruction modules, and all of the stored food and the consumer goods, including the evangelical trade goods. (I hope I am correct in presuming that the Ship's recycler effectively has its own stock and flow for 5 PUs, right? It doesn't just regenerate the flow?)
The First Quorum of Seventy use the flying cars and some of the rifles to scout out the region for nearby settlements and make first contact. They take the evangelical trade goods with them - evangelism through trade is the emergent working doctrine. Priority goals are to learn the local languages, observe Ceti social structure, and maybe even teach them some English, if they can pronounce it. (Diplomacy 3, Propaganda 2, Teaching 2.)
UAW workers use a 2120 nanoconstruction kit to set up New Zion's first facility - a multipurpose factory. (Construction 2, Mass Production 2, + 5 Module)
CSDA Extension uses a 2120 nanoconstruction kit to set up a hydroponic farm of Terran food crops near the river. The water infrastructure there is larger than it needs to be for that facility alone, and there are safeguards that attempt to prevent the escape or intrusion of either biosphere into the other. (Life Sciences/Medicine 3 at 1/4, Agriculture 2, +5 Module)
__________________
Problem Solving (mod 2): If you have one big nasty, wicked, unsolvable problem, simply create a second, and make them cancel.
Grieve not greatly if thou be touched a-light, for an after-stroke is better if thou dare him smite.
The Play with the Two-Hand Sword in Verse, circa 1430. British Museum manuscript #3542, ff 82-85.
This wonderful avatar of Melinda Joanath brought to the Internet by Telasi
Putting their experience with the nano constructors to use with more conventional tools Dr. Prichard's team finally gets to work on building an apartment complex for the Institute. It won't be as nice as their houses back on Earth, but all the same the scientists are eager for it to be completed so they can move out of the cramped Falcon.
Realizing that continuing to try and talk with the envoy from the Blood Empire is pointless when there are much better qualified individuals from other factions already working on Dr. Albrektsson takes her team and checks on the bamboo fields. They prove to have grown quite well in the Tau Ceti climate, which first leads to praise amongst the xenobiologists for their good work specifying the proper changes, and then groans as they realize that someone has to harvest the bamboo and that someone is them. Dr. Albrektsoon chides them for their complaints and soon the scientists are collecting bamboo and piling it in huge mounds to store for later use.
After some quick discussions with the Pacifica colonists Dr. Wolfe's team takes over the manufacturing of new goods in the Pacifica goods factory so that the Pacifica team can go and prospect for some badly needed ore. Dr. Wolfe's team has little experience with producing the various odds and ends that a colony needs, but fortunately the instructions are fairly clear.
The instructions are just as clear in the Institute's own factory where Dr. Granger is duplicating Wolfe's efforts. This sort of low level manufacturing wasn't really what they had envisioned when they had signed up for the colony, but everyone knew that things were going to be rough in the first few years.
Meanwhile in the Robotics Facility Dr. Rasmussen is at least putting her team's engineering skills to work rather than blindly follow an instruction manual. Their goal to make a set of assembly line tools to make future work in the Goods factory a whole lot easier.
Dr. Roy's team meanwhile is considering a fundamental problem of the Institute. So far they had exclusively relied on the Academy's dam for their power supply, but not only was that being far too dependent on their being excess energy that Mitsuharu wasn't using, it would also soon not be enough to supply the needs of the Institute. Plans were already in the works to start laying a solar power farm, but doing so manually would take valuable time away from other pursuits. And one of the engineers had been inspired by the AAEs that they had recently been researching. The plan was to strip out much of the complex equipment from the AAE design that wasn't going to be used for the much simpler job of laying out solar farms. That way it could be built much more quickly than an actual AAE would be.
Turn 2 Action 1
Spoiler
1. College of Economics. Dr. Bendiks Wilmǣr Prichard
Skills: Economics 7, Construction 1/0 (Ec)
Build apartments with level 5 construction tool
Tool 5 + Construction 1 + Economics 7/4 = Over Max so Level 7 Apartments
2. College of Theoretical Sciences, Dr. Idoya Tara Albrektsson
Skills: Fringe 5, Cybernetics 1 (Fr), Xenobiology 1/1 (Fr), Linguistics 0/1 (LA)
Harvest Bamboo for 7 bamboo. Gain 1 Harvesting xp.
3. College of Biotechnology, Dr. Talulla Yoav Wolfe
Skills: Bioengineering 5/2 (Me), Reproductive Cloning 2 (Me)
Run Pacifica CG factory and put goods in Pacifica stores. IT should be free since Cgrela asked me to do this so his Pus would be free to go mining.
I think the Pacifica factory is level 5 so create 5 goods for Pacifica.
-2 Energy
4. College of Medicine, Dr. Jacob Ashley Granger
Skills: Medicine 7, Liberal Arts 3/4, Bioengineering 0/1 (Me)
Run Aeon CG factory
Level 7 factory so 7 goods.
-2 Energy
5. College of Physics, Dr. Madyson Suzan Rasmussen
Skills: Physics 5, Electrical Engineering 1/2 (Ph), Mechanical Engineering 1/2 (Ph)
Build a CG tool at the robotics facility.
Physics 5/4 + EE 1 + ME 1 = Level 5 tool
6. College of Applied Engineering, Dr. Lara Terry Roy
Skills: Robotics 3 (Ec), Construction 3/1 (Ec), Manufacturing 1 (Ec)
Feasibility Project on an Automated Solar Array Extender
Robotics 3 = ? Feasibility
ASAE
Spoiler
Essentially this will be a very simplified AAE. Rather than building up though it will build outward and lay out solar panels as it goes. When it runs out of solar panels it returns to the solar panel factory for more and continues. It's also going to be powered by the solar panels it lays down. So at first it will need an outside source of power, but once it lays down a couple arrays it should be able to get all the power it needs from there.
I'm hoping that since it doesn't need to build the complicated facilities of an arcology, or build with as advanced materials that it will be much simpler to construct than an AAE. Also it's only automating one type of tool for one job not allowing for automation of all tools, so I hope that it would be a simpler megaproject than those kind of general purpose robots would be.
Colony Status
Spoiler
Tools:
Spoiler
1 Ramjet colony ship "The Prometheus"
1 Planetary lander "The Falcon"
1200 people (6 PUs), aboard the colony ship
1 Level 5 Flying Cars (tool) (lander hold)
1 Level 5 Laser Rifles (tool) (PU 2 Armed)
1 Level 5 Prometheus Archive (School)
1 Level 5 Aeon Experimental Laboratory (50% to any experiments, Deployable Facility)
1 Level 5 Bio Lab Module (Full bonus to Medical experiments, no use for other experiments)
2 Level 7 Bioengineered Seeds (Can be applied to farm for modifier of 50% (rounded up) (4), exceeds cap)
1 Level 5 Construction Tools
1. College of Economics. Dr. Bendiks Wilmǣr Prichard
Skills: Economics 7, Construction 1/1 (Ec)
(1 Food, 3 Goods)
2. College of Theoretical Sciences, Dr. Idoya Tara Albrektsson
Skills: Fringe 5, Cybernetics 1 (Fr), Xenobiology 1/1 (Fr), Linguistics 0/1 (LA), Harvesting 0/1 (Ec)
(1 Food, 2 Goods)
3. College of Biotechnology, Dr. Talulla Yoav Wolfe
Skills: Bioengineering 5/2 (Me), Reproductive Cloning 2 (Me), Manufacturing 0/1 (Ec)
(1 Food, 2 Goods)
4. College of Medicine, Dr. Jacob Ashley Granger
Skills: Medicine 7, Liberal Arts 3/4, Bioengineering 0/1 (Me), Manufacturing 0/1 (Ec)
(1 Food, 3 Goods)
5. College of Physics, Dr. Madyson Suzan Rasmussen
Skills: Physics 5, Electrical Engineering 1/3 (Ph), Mechanical Engineering 1/3 (Ph)
(1 Food, 2 Goods)
6. College of Applied Engineering, Dr. Lara Terry Roy
Skills: Robotics 3/1 (Ec), Construction 3/1 (Ec), Manufacturing 1 (Ec)
(1 Food, 2 Goods)
The Ceties don't seem interested in approaching the wind farms, instead heading for the lander. They reign up when confronted with the line of flying cars and a number of riders at the front of the group seem to converse for several minutes. Eventually, one rides down the line waving a lance over her head and yelling, then points the lance at the flying cars and charges, the horde hot on her heels. They don't seem like they're going to stop for the diplomats, and when the first of them start nocking arrows to fire at the delegation, group C opens fire. The front ranks are immediately cut down by the laser rifle barrage, the steaming wreckage of mount and rider alike tripping up those riders unlucky enough to be behind them. The band falls apart, its riders screaming a single, unintelligible phrase and breaking off. The group scatters and rides off in every direction but back toward the Ford's landing site. You could pursue them and attempt capture if you'd like.
((This was a short enough encounter that it does not count as an action))
Actions:
Spoiler
Exploration crew:
2. The plains are not water rich enough to be corn country (without irrigation, that is), but are absolutely ideal for wheat. Because the winters are mild, it is also likely that winter wheat could be grown. Given suitable water, most crops do fine, and the high nutrient content likely contributed here. Crops that need a lot of light will do wonderfully in the summer, though in winter yields could be expected to drop. The native grass is pretty fast at recolonizing the fields if left alone, the seeds likely carried by the bird-like reptiles that eat the grass's "fruit", and can actually outcompete Earth life if a field is not tended.
Sure, research farm level 3 sounds fine.
Bioscience Crew:
1/2. The expeditions are assumed to have embarked with a stock of normal food crops in their holds, as well as a number of common useful crops like cotton, tobacco and hemp.
The nanite kit makes a level 5 Biomedical Research Facility (capped by Medicine). The small animals bred last year are housed in the facility, and it can accommodate 1 other animal "tool" (5/4 roundup = 2 animal tools housed). As far as the bioscience crew can tell there have been no escapes.
Later, when the livestock have been released into the plains, they worry about escaped mice and rabbits a great deal less when the animals come down with severe cases of vitamin deficiency and start to die. Further analysis indicates that a number of vitamins that Earth animals are unable to synthesize are missing from Ceti plants, and though the grass is calorically rich, the animals are plagued by severe micronutrient deficiency.
The animals could be engineered to have the biosynthetic molecular machinery to survive in the plains (a bionengineering action requiring a check of at least 5, and you'd need to make a fresh batch of animals to engineer in the genes for these enzymes, since regaining somatic gene therapy is a megaproject), but in the current situation your livestock will need 1 unit of food per year in order not to die of nutrient deficiencies.
Engineering Crew:
1/2. The math is right, but automated tools are a megaproject-- see the OOC thread for details. You could make an automated facility that uses the tools, though-- you'd need the facility (a consumer goods factory or GPF), robots (which will cap the result of the action) and a PU to install the robots. The robots in the facility could then use the tools, though the level of the robots would cap the result of the action. You could use the Consumer goods copycat in a consumer goods factory with an action to produce more goods, though; they'd apply their full mod. 2 units of energy per action is correct.
Support Crew:
1. The math is right, though the razor wire is largely aesthetic since it is not a separate facility. They 2027 tech apartments will require 1 energy per year per PU housed.
2. 2027 renewable energy is less efficient than 2120-level-- it produces energy equal to 50% of it's modifier-- in this case 4 per year.
Management Crew:
1. Didn't need to be an action unless you capture and attempt to interact with the Ceties.
Pionjär
The Ceties drop to their knees when the xenobiologists and soldiers approach their campfire. They begin chanting, and one of them draws a waterskin from his pack and begins smearing a blueish-green liquid that smells distinctly of copper on his face and hands, and then passes the waterskin around to the other Ceties who behave in a similar fashion. After a few minutes of this, they draw the fruit from their packs and lay them on the ground in front of the xenobiologists, before returning to their knees.
They appear puzzled at the water filter demonstration, but after a few bewildered moments the "leader" of the group comes forward and repeats the motions with the water filter as exactly as is possible for him. When he is finished drinking the water, a cry goes up from the other Ceties, and the leader withdraws a severed Ceti head from his pack and throws it into the fire.
The Ceties then seem to look to the xenobiologists for guidance. ((It isn't an action to interact with the Ceties, but it is an action to try and translate their language or teach them some human language. I'll write up the rest of the interaction when you decide if you're going to try to translate.)) Regardless of how much attention they are paid, they seem to show no inclination toward returning to wherever they came from, setting up a camp inside your settlement if they're allowed to or as near as they can without getting chased off if they aren't.
Winter draws to a close and spring arrives, thawing out the snow and reducing the duration of the fog.
Actions:
Spoiler
1/2. Though the native settlements are always built in the forest patches, it is possible to gather seeds without being bothered, particularly since the natives give you a great deal of breathing room, as if you scare them.
Farming would apply a partial bonus here. You are able to gather 1 unit of food from this action, as well as enough seeds to plant a sizable number of trees.
When the soldiers are sent ahead into one "abandoned" copse, they encounter a grisly scene. The savaged corpses of about one hundred Ceties litter a ruined village, with dried blood staining the walls of the crude wooden houses and patches of melting snow in shady areas. Some sort of animal, possibly the large blind cat-like beasts, has been at the corpses, with body parts strewn around the clearing, making it impossible to completely identify what happened. There are enormous, three meter holes in the sides of some of the wooden homes in the village, with debris patterns indicating that something huge and powerful battered its way in or out. In addition to the reddish blood that is obviously from the Ceties, there are patches of bluish-green blood, like the blood of the catlike creatures you've hunted recently.
3. That is correct. If I could make a suggestion, if you were to instead use the GPF to construct Consumer Goods Production Tools level 2, you could use those to aid in making consumer goods next action, for a total of 4 goods this turn (instead of 4 without producing the tools). Consumer Goods Production tools would add their full modifier to make consumer goods at a cost of 2 energy per action.
4. The Ceties are very low-tech, and obtain most of their nutrients from the fruit. They herd herbivores on the grasslands between forest patches (but only when it isn't foggy), and post guards at their village perimeter every night. Their forest homes are typically built toward the center of a forest patch, and large spike-and-pit traps are dug in many places throughout the woods, though only along routes open enough for one of the large cats to move through. There are occasional inter-village skirmishes and one or two (ritual?) single combats observed within villages, but otherwise they seem very placid. You do not have nightvision equipment, but it is clear that they occasionally do something of religious significance at night in the grasslands, as groups of Ceties are sometimes seen out of the forests at night carrying torches. Investigation of the sites of their rites show that they tend to occur on hilltops, and usually include some kind of sacrifice, either animal or Ceti. Ceties that are killed in this manner are usually bloated and blackened, as if they died from asphyxiation, though more investigation of Ceti biology or an autopsy would make you more sure about that (an action).
5. The math is correct. The 2022-level housing complex will provide room for 2 PUs at an energy cost of 1 per PU housed.
Unity Site
((Shipping traffic halts on the river until the locks are built; I think the Aeon Institute was considering building some at one point, but I can't find the post now. Please give an update on the status of that here.))
The emissary from the Blood Empire doesn't seem like he's in the mood to talk any more and brusquely disregards Marjanne's attempts to explain the function of the various buildings. As he inspects the various structures around the settlement he does appear to talk on occasion, but he generally isn't looking at anyone when he talks and he sometimes nods or speaks as if in response. He seems more and more upset as he looks through the settlement, and jumps up and down in rage when he sees the dam and the reservoir from on top of a hill. He cuts his visit short, leaving without any sort of message to the human accompanying him, and his force decamps the following morning, moving back north. They march back to a large fortress in the shape of a six-sided star built at the confluence of two minor tributaries that forms the northern river (22-9). Over the following six months, troops begin to mass at the fortress from the settlements in the area, particularly to the west of the main fortress.
Pacifica
Actions:
Spoiler
Please number actions in the future.
1. This was short enough that it did not have to be an action.
2. The ore processing facility is fine, but without some sort of infrastructure to bring electricity to it, and to bring the processed ore back to Unity site, it will be of limited use. The crust of Tau Ceti III, like Earth, is primarily composed of silicon-based rocks, so unless it's farther down the priority list, you're going to end up with a big pile of rocks. The drones will mine up to 5 units of minerals, and everything you mentioned is readily available in the mountains, so just go ahead and decide how much of what you're going to mine yourself.
A general ore refinery will be able to refine 50% of its level units of metallic ore per action, at a cost of 2 energy/action.
For laying down electrical infrastructure, you could use the general construction tools. Transporting the ore back to Unity site after its refining would require some sort of cargo vehicle.
3. The natives from the Blood Empire are less dense south of the northern river, and no mountain predators are observed. The natives seem to leave you alone, with the civilians clearly terrified of you and the military units taking up defensive positions inside of villages, small cities and fortified bunkers. A map of Imperial settlements is constructed, which could be useful in a conflict.
4. Further analysis of Ceti eyes indicate that different optical receiver cells in the basement layer of the eye respond differently to light of different polarization. The net effect is that it is likely that Ceties can determine the polarization of light without technical aid. Examination of Ceties taking into account the way their skin polarizes light reveals that each Ceti bears unique skin markings, that vary in pattern by gender; males are spotted, while females display stripes of alternating polarization modalities. While it is likely a result of sexual selection, it does imply that stealth technologies from Earth, which typically involve either a metamaterial to "bend" light around the cloaked object or projection-based active camouflage, will not be wholly effective on Ceties. Though they will be unable to see the cloaked object, they will be able to see that the polarization of the light nearby is wrong.
Examining other native life under different polarized filters indicate that skin patterns of this type are very common in Ceti life. It is likely that other animals share this feature.
5. Alright, I suppose the lab would apply a 25% bonus to this action.
The Green Unity
Spoiler
1. Ok.
4. Alright.
5. Green planet manages to find mining sites that won't interfere with the ecology very significantly, which proves easy, because above the treeline there only appears to be green, fruit-bearing grass and the birdlike reptiles that feed on them. Locating the refinery proves more difficult, as typical ore extraction processes involve the use of chemicals that are quite toxic, as byproducts and impurities are leached out of the ore and into the fluid surrounding them. Without more knowledge or proper tools, a purely ecologically neutral metal refinery is impossible.
6. That'll work.
8. Yep. They'll use 2 energy per action.
Caps are updated after the action round they go up-- the tools are capped at 5.
The Aeon Institute
Spoiler
1. Correct. It will use 1 energy/PU housed/year
2. Bamboo is harvested.
3. Alright. I'm not keeping a master spreadsheet or anything on the stats, please handle the book-keeping yourselves.
4. Yeah. You could grab Mass Production XP if you'd like.
5. Yeah, the level 5 Consumer Goods Production Tools will use 2 energy per action and apply their full bonus to making consumer goods.
6. Automated Solar Array Extender
Spoiler
An invention new to Tau Ceti, since Earth never had to deal with this kind of labor shortage, an Automated Solar Array Extender is a "stupid" robot, of roughly Roomba-level behavioral complexity. Given the dimensions of the solar array it is supposed to build and the solar panels it needs to deploy, the 10 meter-to-a-side cube-like, treaded robot will level and prepare the site, install solar panels, and return to the factory for more. Though it is simpler than a true autonomous robot, it may fill the a crucial labor niche. To build an ASAE, you will need:
1) Level 5 or greater Construction Tools
2) Level 5 or greater Electrical Engineering Tools
3) Level 5 or greater Robots
4) A PU must perform a check of at least net result 10 to design the solar panel array and the behavioral algorithms to deploy the solar panels with the tools available. The check will allow a full bonus from Logistics, Construction, any programming skill (Programming, Hacking, Cyberwar, AI), Electrical Engineering and any computational tools/supercomputers, 25% bonus from Economics, Fringe and Physics, and ignores all caps. Other skills may apply within reason. Going over 10 does not effect the quality of the ASAE.
5) A PU with at least 5 in Robotics to perform an action to assemble all the components. The ASAE will then be ready for use.
An ASAE will take solar panels from a solar panel factory and deploy them into a solar power plant of a level equal to the lowest of its three tool components (construction tools, electrical engineering tools, robots) plus 50% of the level of the solar panels it uses, capped by economics. For each array, it will use 5 units of photovoltaic cells/solar power plants. For simplicity's sake, it will use 4 energy/solar panel array deployed, and can deploy 2 solar arrays per turn.
The Enlightened
((Where are you housing the captured Ceties, and what are you feeding them?))
The captured Ceties have no idea why the settlements would be abandoned, and say that the villages have been in this area for as long as anyone can remember. They say that the Gods bring the weather, so that they are not afraid of it, but you'd know that, since you're Gods, right?
Actions:
Spoiler
1. Salvaging components from the lander is a tricky job at best. Electronics and metal are duly removed, and since it is a spacecraft there are redundant systems.
This yields a unit of electronics systems and 2 units of high-grade structural alloys. They will add 3 to the level of things made with them, provided they could reasonably apply.
2. Is this a learning action or just using the spear for 1 XP? How much experience did you have before this?
3. Fair enough.
4. So I see where you're going with the salvaging tools and I suppose it's alright. You have removed all the electronics you can from the lander that you can without digging into the backup systems required to run the drive and/or vital systems.
5. Correct.
6. Also correct.
The Vory
It takes a long time to communicate "beyond the stars", but the priest (who goes by a name different enough from any human name that you settle for calling him "Abe") seems interested in who you are and vaguely friendly. He is very happy to educate you about his gods, and works through the language barrier to the best of his ability and helping you to understand his language.
He worships the village's local God, who is said to control the daily rains, though he also reveres the rest of the Empire's Gods as well, even those he's never heard of (and he admits he hasn't heard of all of them; there are too many for all but the most devoted priests to know, and the Empire is large, with many Gods far-flung and remote). He doesn't seem to notice or care that other Gods from this area are also said to control the rain. Over time, he describes the Empire to you; it has holdings on three continents (the island continent to the north, where you are and north and west of that as well on the central continent, as well as a foothold in the rainforests of the eastern continent). The Empire is benevolently ruled by the Gods, via the priests, with various religious orders serving vital functions within the Empire, like ensuring egg paternity and keeping the peace, as well as enforcing the central divine mandate, the Directive of the Flesh.
This takes a long time to communicate because of the language barrier. By the end of the action, Rachel and the linguists are functionally fluent in this dialect of Ceti language, and deeper interaction can be completed in subsequent actions. Abe seems content to talk to you as long as you're willing, since his other duties mostly seem to be telling other Ceties what to do and hosting cultural events, like music gatherings and officiating at the lacrosse-like games.
LS Nephi
((Yeah, we can catch you up. Going to have to get this done tomorrow since it's really late. Please try to be a bit light on the native interaction in the first turn.))
As noted above, the Xenobiologists will forgo their action to focus on the far more local ceties. Aiming at trying to learn to communicate with them, either by teaching them to speak our language (which in this case would be some sort of quasi-scandinavian) or by trying to learn theirs. Nothing complex is demanded, just enough for basic communication.
Since this language is about as foreign as they can get, I figure it is Fringe that is the skill of choice (for now). Only a partial bonus.
The first two messages to be conveyed (once possible) is that A) The pioneer expedition are not gods and B) the pioneer expedition would prefer if they didn't kill anyone else. Once those messages has been conveyed inquiries are made as to what they call themselves.
The ceties are allowed to stay at the outskirts of the colonysite as long as they do not act in a threatening manner. They are not allowed to enter the hydroponic farm or the lander and not allowed to approach the powerplant or the tanks (in case they're not inside the lander anymore).
1 Unit of 20 Nullifiers (Lv 5 Tool) (2120)
200 Laser Rifles (Lv 5 Tool) (2120)
Resources
Spoiler
4.5 Units of coal
4.5 Units of iron
7 Units of energy from wind farm (No action required)
5 Units of Food
5 Units of Consumer Goods
Extensive footage of all mainland Ceti tribes in a natural environment (obtained by research associates)
1)The lander is close to the base of a very resource rich mountain range. Notably, Iron and Coal are in abundance
2) Local natives are incredibly warlike
3) The MMRC central control station is linked to the IRM by direct rail
4) The Grim have no weapons and have been attacked by natives. They may need additional assistance.
5) The cybernetic learning center and housing units have been built into the lander architecture.
6) A communications node has been given to the Vory for private communication to act as an embassy for the purposes of coordination
Results of Executive meeting 041a: Intelligence Branch Directive 005
Spoiler
Our footage indicates that the natives are primitive. Interestingly, even though they clearly have the capacity for technological innovation, they tend to worship mythical entities. Standard protocols must be dramatically altered in light of this. Find a local warlord, convince them we are servants to sky-gods (Nullifiers). We can offer technology, calling it "magic". This should allow for arming of the natives without giving them any meaningful technological advancement. Pressing chain gangs of natives to LSI intuitive manufactorums (See "War on Terror") frees LSI operatives to suppress dissidents as required.
Finishing their work of last year, the Intelligence Executives will go through the collected Ceti data to decode their language. Observation of multiple culture groups will be used to detect commonalities of language. Particular focus will be put on the language of the warlike tribes of the north referred to internally as "Thane tribes". Words like "kneel", "surrender", "slave", "servant", "dragon", and "king" will be given priority.
Using Cryptography 1
If needed, one will play the part of "dragon" in the Intelligence Associates action, and 5 Nullifiers will always be on patrol with three executives each.
Central Technicians: AI Programming (F) 6 (1exp) /Cybernetics (E) 1(1exp)
Spoiler
Central technicians will create sophisticated puzzles and games ran by advanced AI to entertain LSI operatives.
AI Programming (50%) (3) Cybernetics (1) Central (50%) 3: 7 units of consumer goods
Operations Associates: Economics 7 Prospecting 0 (1exp) Construction 0 (1exp)
Spoiler
Operations Associates link to the massive robotic worms of the MMRC, which dig deep into the mountains with their grinding maw and their sharp talons. Their patented "build as you go" system allows them to build cave supports as they dig caves into the center of particular rich coal deposits.
Using the MMRC Center, create a coal mine (Economics (7) (25%) (2) MMRC (6) = Level 7 Coal mine
1 Construction Module is used to make an hydroponics farm (Lv5 farm) which is isolated from the landscape to prevent contamination
1 Construction Module is used to make an LSI advanced electronics assembly facility(Level 5 tool)
Research Executives: Fringe 6 / Robotics (E) 1 (1exp)
Spoiler
Research Executives will use the IRM to coordinate the construction of a mobile construction scaffold unit.
Fringe (6) (25%) (2) Robotics (1) IRM (50%) (2) for a level 5 construction tool
Intelligence Associates as a unit will be learning Liberal Arts from the cybernetic learning interface, giving 6EXP towards LA
Intelligence Associates will also be responsible for meeting the Cetis, as described below. The Cetis will be met by 5 Intelligence Executives in Shadow exo suits carrying laser rifles.
LSI Diplomacy
Spoiler
All bands will be met by 5 Intelligence Associates backed up by 2 Nullifiers. Before the language is translated, any adventuring parties will be exterminated. Their bodies will be shredded by Nullifiers, and then their remains will be slagged by Associates laser rifles until the area is sterilized.
Once the language has been sufficiently translated for basic communication; an approaching adventuring party will be approached by the 5 associates whose forms are weirdly distorted by the shadow exo-suits, leaving them as visible blotches of ephemeral shadow.
The lead figure will speak in a heavily filtered voice "Kneel before the Dragon's servants." Assuming they do not do so at once, one of the ones who looks like a servant or low-ranked fellow will be slagged by a Nullifier. The statement will be repeated, with a similar response if the kneel is not given.
Once they kneel, the associates will speak again with that same voice. Above them, the natives will be able to see the shadowy figure of the Nullifier, and will be able to hear the rhythmic thumping of its rotors.
"We have been sent by the Dragons to find the bravest of your people. The Dragons seeks a herald to spread its terrible power. Prove worthy, and they will come at your call to kill your foes. Conquer in their name and know glory. Will you take the vows and conquer in their name?"
In advance, one of the Central Technicians will use the IRM to make a simple tracking and communications device and embed it in a stark crown of iron. The associates will demand vows of fealty, and will teach the Ceti the nonsense prayer words needed to activate the crown. Once the ritual is done, one of the Nullifiers will fire into the air as if to seal the bargain.
The Ceties live with their god, Venus, who is currently the only person keeping them alive. His PU have been praying and it would be strange for an avatar of a god to join them. Instead he has been taking them into the forest to find food, trying to make them eat Peace's kills. Any attempt to escape would be kept from the others assuming Venus can catch them again as he doesn't want them to be seen as a liability.
2. Knowledge study use of the spear at the school. Minerva knows how the spear works and teaches his group how to assist him when using it, the positive thought patterns that it can pull from to transfer them to other minds. The spear assists in this, allowing them to be taught a lot quicker than people with no experience normally would. Changing the spear to recognise and adjust to other brain structures, even replicating the technology, would be massive undertakings so aren't really the focus of the class.
Spoiler
Given that discussing wouldn't really work the school isn't the greatest climate but the thought control from the spear can help. The resulting xp is 5/2 from school + 5/2 from spear = 5 as learning is capped by LA
With the Lander now unsuitable for living and the nearby villages abandoned the settlers will move in. Venus informs his two friends that they will finally be able to return to their village, and will lead them and his people to the village. The exodus of the ceties and reports of monsters on other parts of the planet worries Venus slightly, but his followers are as mindlessly loyal as always.
1. Peace will move to nearest village with Friendship and Shadow. They will control the skies with their Armour of Angels providing support if there is any danger.
3. Friendship walk straight to the settlement down the road, bringing their Ceti guests back home. If there is anybody left they will talk with them otherwise they will start preparing the village for humans to live. They carry the laser rifles but hope they don't need them.
4. Shadow will watch the forests and the buildings in the village for anything dangerous using the Stealth Drones.
All of these will change if all the ceties move back to their settlement.
Other actions will depend on whether this is possible and the results of the actions.
Dr. Prichard, Dr. Albrektsson, and Dr. Granger were gathered around a table in the falcon looking at the results downloaded from the Prometheus in the last orbital sweep. The other heads had been too busy to make the meeting, but would be looking at the results later.
Dr. Albrektsson shakes her head. "This is exactly what I feared would happen they're massing for an attack. Just like Jane told us they would."
Dr. Prichard sighs and puts down a sheet showing the Ceti Fortification, "And in the same kind of numbers too. We might have laser rifles, but that is a lot of Cetis and let's not forget that they do have guns too."
"This isn't what I hoped for when I signed up for you know." Dr. Granger is looking over a report of the latest colony figures. "We don't even have a hospital to deal with wounded just that little lab, and the nanites can't take care of everything."
"Obviously we're going to need something better than just our guns and the Academy's turrets. I'll have my team start putting together a wall."
"Madyson isn't going to be happy. That's going to take resources she was going to build a solar plant with."
"But she'll understand. Surviving this is more important than making sure the lights stay on."
"I know I know, but We're scientists. None of us want to be fighting a war."
"Tell that to the Cetis. Maybe they'll listen and we can all get saved a lot of trouble."
Actions 1.1
Spoiler
*The economists built a lock system in my first action of the first turn with one of my starting construction modules. It should be either level 6 or level 7 I'm not entirely sure.
4. I did note down the xp gains from producing the goods.
Questions
Will guarding the settlement count as an action. Do I have time to study the Ceti language with the same PU.
Also none of my PUs started with active nanites. Can I use my medical PU to activate another PUs nanites without any kind of trauma and then also do something else with them?
A new year, a new batch of experiments. The pit bulls are growing fine, but soon, it'll be time to reinstate a project that caused many Knights to win fame during the middle ages. Soon, the Grim Dohva will soar once more.
Just give it a few years.
In the meantime, there's sea snake venom to be used on them buggers....
Action 1
1) Resource Will operate the Hydroponics farm. If there's time, they'll also grow some goods from the Consumer goods plant.
2) Bio-tech will grow a additional Consumer goods plant (7/2 Bioengineering [3.5]) as a add on to the main plant (Separate plants, but their connected)
3) Treatment Department will be using the RNA Transfer Archive, in combination with the previous study in Xenobiology, to study the native life patterns, after it's been processed through the Gene Processor (2 LV 5 tools/2 so 5 XP. LV 2 Xenobiology)
4) The Life Department is going to feed the Biomass converter, to make sure theirs enough energy to begin phase 1.
5) Medical will make the consumer goods if Resource can't. And if Resource can make them, Medical will begin growing a Medical bay (7/4 from medicine, 7/2 from Bioengineering, total of 3.5 Facility)
__________________
98% of the internet has a Myspace. If you're one of the 2% who isn't an emo whiner, show solidarity by putting this in your sig.
The terrain near the landing site is where the steppe blends into the deciduous forest in the wetter lands to the west. The steppe is primarily covered with dense green grass of roughly one meter in height, which bears peanut-sized fruit perennially. Patches of forest dot the steppe, but by all means the primary form of life is the grass. Herbivores of several types graze on the grass, and Ceties riding some of the bipedal herbivores are the primary sentient inhabitants. The steppe gradually blends into forest, which is composed in its entirety by a species of round-leafed, deep green trees which bear small pink seeds. There is a grassy undergrowth of a number of species, but the trees are dominant. In both biomes there are bird-like reptiles that flit around eating the seeds of grass and tree alike.
You landed in the southern hemisphere's winter, and it is very cold. Fronts blowing in from the ocean occasionally drop large quantities of snow, which builds up into a layer about 50cm deep at the height of winter.
The steppe Ceties seem to live here as well, though in much lower population density. The Ceties in the vicinity seem to mostly spend their time killing each other and burning things down, so there is very little in the way of permanent settlement, barring the occasional sod or wooden structure. Their culture is very gender-egalitarian, and family groups tend to be matrilineal since paternity is difficult to determine for externally fertilized egg laying creatures like the Ceties. Males carrying around eggs to prevent other males from fertilizing them is common. Because Ceties are not gender dimorphic, a leader of a band is about equally likely to be a male or a female.
((You're landing near the river, right?))
Actions:
Spoiler
Please number your actions in the future and clearly denote what they mean crunch-wise.
1. So... this is a learning action directed toward Govern? Liberal arts applies to teaching, not to learning-- learning is only affected by the level of the school and any teaching tools.
2. The map is duly assembled and disseminated. You should probably note this in the comms thread, and the map would be useful in locating Ceti settlements and fortifications. Since it is a map of an entire planet, either an action to dig through all the data looking for interesting things would reveal a lot of details about the planet, or some sort of computer program could do it (a programming/AI action)
3. Picking out consumer goods to give doesn't have to be an action, since an action represents roughly six months of work. Since so little is known about the Ceties in the vicinity of the landing site, it's pretty hard to invest a lot of useful time in this.
The recycling module has enough supplies to feed into the system that you don't have to worry about shortfalls when people leave, if that's what you're asking.
4. Assuming that the First Quorum of the Seventy tries to contact small bands at first, the natives are initially freaked out by the flying cars and giant freaking aliens that get out of them, but seem to warm up to you when you present them with gifts, even returning some of their own. The gifts the give tend toward dried and cured meat from local creatures, a nut-flavored, thick drink made from the grass seeds, and one or two recurved longbows, with arrows to go along with it.
Their social structure seems basically tribal, though occasional large bands exist where a single strong leader unites several family units. Their principal activities turn out to be hunting and fighting, exactly as they appeared initially, though bands this close to the forest do raid the settlements of culture group 2 (which the Ceties near you refer to as The Iron Republic) that are nearest to their territory. You do manage to teach the tribes close to you a bit of English, but as you have no linguists progress in learning their language is very slow.
5. Alright, the General-Purpose Factory will be level 8 (1 from Construction, 2 from mass production, 5 from module) assuming your economics cap goes that high. It will use 2 energy per action.
6. Alright, the farm is level 8 (1 from Life Science, 2 from Agriculture, 5 from the module) assuming your Economics cap goes that high. It will not use energy. The structure can be actively self-contained instead of outdoors, making contamination unlikely.
Pionjär
Spoiler
Fringe is indeed the skill where xenolinguistics would reside, though you could use original flavor Linguistics (Liberal Arts) to do so as well.
The Ceties are eager students and passable teachers, and over time it becomes possible to interact enough to convey the messages. They are very puzzled that you claim not to be Gods, since you display Godly powers and fulfill Godly duties, such as killing the cat-beasts, which they refer to simply as Demons. In fact, you did the job better than their God, which was why they killed her, bathed themselves in her blood and sacrificed her head to gain your approval. They don't intend to kill anyone else any time soon, since you're the best Gods (well, perhaps not Gods, but good enough as far as they're concerned) they've seen in awhile.
The Ceties are from the River Tribe. They had grappled with the Demons in the past decades, as they're thickest where their prey is most abundant, in this case in the vicinity of the river. Their God had grown lazy and complacent, and had not ventured from the safety of her shrine to battle the Demons in several years. When they saw the human hunters eradicating the demons, they were too afraid to approach initially, but this group, along with a number of their fellow tribesmen, formed a plan to overthrow their God. They tried to sneak up on her in her sleep, but she somehow knew they were coming and decided she'd had enough of the whole tribe. She began to slaughter the tribe, and there was a horrible battle; though she was a God, her laziness had dulled her skills, and eventually the band that stands before you managed to bring her down, though the rest of the tribe perished.
The "leader" of the group has a Ceti name that roughly translates to Mistrunner. Ceties in this area take names appropriate to their profession when they reach adulthood, and Mistrunner was one of the Ceties who herded the herbivores on the plains; he was one of the bravest and strongest warriors, and so the normal choice to retrieve a lost animal after the mists had descended.
LSI
Actions:
Spoiler
1. Passable, though broken speech in the language of culture group 3 the "Thane tribes", is now possible. I will refer to them as such until you figure out what their actual names are. They have no word for "Dragon", as far as you observed, though "Demon" would be a close fit.
2. It is assumed that people have passable pocket computing devices and weak personal computers/TVs as part of their consumer goods requirements, so the games can be played once they're made. That sounds fine to me.
3. Correct. The mine will take 2 energy per action and produce 7 units of coal per action. Since coal is abundant in the region, the mine can be close to or in the settlement, so transport infrastructure is not required.
4. The farm is deployed without incident. It will not require power to run.
5. Same with the factory, though it will require 2 units of energy per action.
6. Robotics is a partial bonus (the mod is still 1, but doesn't get XP), but otherwise it's fine; level 4 construction tools. What's Fringe-y about it instead of economics-y was clarified by IM.
7. Learning accomplished
LSI "Diplomacy" (partially worked out by IM)
As parties start to disappear, new ones become less and less frequent. The first party to approach after the language is passably translated is composed of five of the armored, lizard-horse mounted riders and 12 other Ceties with a mix of leather armor and heavy packs, also mounted. They draw their weapons as the associates approach, and look perplexed and worried when they speak. They start to converse among themselves when the Nullifier lets go with a needler blast and one of the servants turns into a fine red mist.
The lead rider charges at the associates, his two-handed axe in hand. The associates use the laser rifles to take off his mount's legs, and he tumbles to the ground in a heap of metal and blood. The Nullifier slags another of the servants, and the remaining riders reign up when they see the first rider's mount go down.
It takes a few seconds for the rider to pick himself up, and he stares vacantly at the screaming lizard-horse. "Submit to the Demon's servants", the associates intone once again. The other riders drop their weapons and throw down their helmets, and after looking at his companions in disgust, the leader does as well.
When the Nullifier, appears, they look truly frightened, dismount, and bow deeply, their heads as low as they can get without falling over in the heavy plate.
When they hear the Associates' deal, they look at one another, and the leader agrees. He introduces himself with a Ceti name that doesn't directly translate, but the moniker "Beowulf" seems to fit well enough. He has a title over a number of villages in the area that roughly translates into a Duchy in feudal Earth terms (his holdings reside in 22-6, on the other side of the mountain range). He claims this title through the local Gods, which have declared themselves the only true Gods in the Ancient Mountains (the region inhabited by culture group 3), and he had ambitions to become an Emperor. He says he will fight for your Demons if they grant him the power to fulfill his ambitions.
He accepts the iron crown, and when you ask for captives he asks for time; he wants to muster a full warband to raid these areas. He says it will take a few months to muster the strength he needs from his holdings.
The Enlightened
As the year goes on, both of your captives seem to be growing larger. They gain a total of about 10 cm in height over a period of roughly a Ceti year. When they see the wildlife with obvious laser burns, they have more to say about why the villages would be abandoned-- if there were, say, giant aliens flying around in powered armor shooting random animals with lasers, Ceties would tend to not want to live near that. They appear pretty terrified basically all the time, and do not attempt to escape. They show you how to cook the kills to bring out the flavor (which is still pretty bland to human palettes).
Actions:
Spoiler
2. The spear does not apply a bonus to teaching actions, but the school will apply a full bonus-- the result is the same. Though having tools available for hands-on demonstrations makes a lot of sense, this sort of tool-aided learning could get game-breaking pretty fast, so I'm going to rule it out for now. You could make tools that would aid in teaching/learning actions, though they would be a megaproject.
Second actions:
Spoiler
1/3/4: The villages, which consist of stone interlocking stepped pyramids of at most 5 "layers" tall are well and truly abandoned. They only housed about 10,000 Ceties at their peak, but now all that remains are the stone structures and fallow fields. There is an open-roofed area surrounded by 4 meter-tall columns on top of the tallest pyramid that was clearly a temple, but virtually all of its adornments were removed when the Ceties left.
The interiors of the pyramids are made for Ceti dimensions, with ceilings at most ~2.5 meters high. There are raised platforms probably used as beds, and your companions explain that at the base of each pyramid there was a chamber that contained all the eggs and allowed the Guardians of the Eggs to monitor them at all times.
Though they are large, they possess only the mast basic plumbing infrastructure (there is an open sewer down the center of the major thoroughfares that the pyramids all drain into) and no electrical infrastructure, so it will still require an action to turn them into structures inhabitable for humans (without causing morale problems on account of no electricity or indoor plumbing, that is). The pre-existing structures are quite sound, and would apply a +2 modifier to this check.
You do not see any Ceties in the woods, on the roads or in the village other than your two friends.
The Aeon Institute
Spoiler
((Alright, I missed the lock system somehow. It will require 2 energy per year, and allow Ceti shipping traffic on the river to proceed)).
4. Ok.
Guarding the settlement without moving from it, basically being ready to defend the settlement, is not an action. If the guarding includes patrols or combat sorties, then it would be an action.
A medical PU could activate other PU's nanites without trauma if they had some sort of medical tools or facilities. Otherwise it's pretty much just snapping a major bone (femur, humerus), taking a nonlethal stab wound or some life-threatening condition (diabetes, serious hypertension, minor strokes) that does it.
The Grim
Actions:
Spoiler
1. They can operate the farm or the consumer goods plant, not both. They are both full actions.
2. This isn't possible without tools of some kind, and without finishing a megaproject making biological factories (capped by Medicine/Life Science instead of Economics) isn't possible right now.
3. Same deal with teaching/learning tools. For game balance reasons, any tool that improves a learning action requires a megaproject. The school would, however, apply its full bonus (5), not a partial, so the net result is the same.
4. Alright.
5. Since resource can't make the consumer goods because they're busy at the farm, the consumer goods are produced. The medical bay runs into the same problem as in action 2.
As the snows of winter begin to thaw and the last of the ice floes leave the fjords around the island, three large boats from culture group 2 drop anchor in the fjord nearest to your settlement. There are two three-masters, each with a gun deck above another, windowless deck and one five-master with two gun decks and several windowless decks. The ships fly a red flag with a cyan spatter pattern, and about two hundred Ceties from the three ships get into smaller boats and start rowing toward the shore. The Ceties are armed with bayonetted rifles, and many carry curved hand-and-a-half swords either on their hips or slung across their back. There is a red-clad cloaked figure at the front of one of the boats examining your settlement through a crude telescope, who carries a four-barreled pistol on his hip and two short swords slung across his back. The five-master is anchored in such a way that its broadside is pointed toward the beach.
Last edited by Maldiem : 06-19-2012 at 11:59 PM.
Reason: Updates
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