|
Really enjoying the lore updates here; your historical writing style works really well for the setting. One question I had about combat: I assume that any dead hulks are rapidly picked over as soon as combat ends, given the overall shortage of anything technological? Are there dedicated salvagers?
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2022 08:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 19:25 |
|
|
Aethernet posted:Really enjoying the lore updates here; your historical writing style works really well for the setting. Dead hulks are indeed picked over for materials and components, with varying degrees of expertise. Some of these are immediately used to restore other ships that were disabled to operational condition, with other reclaimed salvage saved for later use. Some colonies have dedicated scrap processing plants which allow for efficient and effective shipbreaking and reclamation (along with foundry facilities which also tend to be of service to the local mining); Vega is one of these. This also happens to mean that one of Vega's imports from other nearby colonies in the league is ships (both military and civilian) ready to be scrapped, and Vega is able to export some components and reclaimed metal surplus to its own needs.
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2022 17:20
|
|
|
I've worked a little on the update- hopefully I'll finish in a couple days. In the meantime, Xlorp requested that I share this- a model of Director-General Jane Weiss and Director-Consort Mariko Weiss within the first couple of years after Jane rose to power: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D37012698/ The mouse can be used to pan and rotate the model- I hope people find it interesting to check out.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2023 07:13
|
|
|
I've found the in game portraits to be suggestive and some really do lock in a sense of personality. This is like deciding what character pairing you like best in the historical drama you read, and imagining their pose on the DVD cover
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2023 07:20
|
|
|
Fit to Print The steady work of House Weiss Administration to work to restore some of the prosperity of the past continued through 2524, with a project team headed by Executive Director Thomas Weiss restoring the data center at the Nashira colony to operation in the latter half of 2524.   The later part of 2524 also saw the death of Dembhe Shannon, Coordinator of the Shannon Collective and archon of the Shannon League, who long had been a presence of concern for the Weiss League through the border the Shannon Collective shared with the White Federation. He was succeeded as Coordinator by his youngest daughter, Lilli Shannon, a notable diplomat and a woman of remarkably modest and unpretentious manner for one of the great nobility.  As was tradition, Lilli Shannon hosted a great feast to celebrate her elevation to the throne, tendering an invite to Director-General Jane Weiss as ruler of one of the neighboring leagues. Jane accepted the invitation, travelling to Zubenelgenubi along with Director-Consort Mariko Weiss, Executive Director Thomas Weiss, Commissioner Oriole Weiss, Admiral Carmen Weiss, and their minor wards.   As the tournament that was to be held was under preparation, the Director-General noticed a container of military-grade interceptor fuel unattended in the hangar where Oriole was preparing her interceptor for the tournament. Taking young Lucy Weiss with her, the Director-General warned the hangar quartermaster that this fuel was in the hangar unsecured, and could potentially be used by an unscrupulous individual to manage higher accelerations than permitted in the tournament. This incident was only the latest example in a pattern of Jane's instruction to Lucy focusing on the value of honor and honesty- lessons which Lucy was clearly beginning to internalise.     As was usual, Commissioner Oriole Weiss was chosen as House Weiss's champion for this tournament, where her skills as a pilot would be on full display. She claimed victory in match after match, her opponent in the third match, Duke Alden Landry of the Crawford Coalition being injured after piloting his tournament interceptor straight into a stray rock fragment, thereafter easy prey for Oriole's guns. Oriole was eventually defeated in the final match by Planetary Governor Macha Koch, who made such extreme maneuvers to pull behind Oriole and tag her that she gave herself a stroke with the G-forces. Although Oriole was disappointed not to claim the championship, nonetheless she was celebrated for her excellent showing.  A stir was raised in the coronation ceremony, between the tournament and the feast, as Lili Shannon, being crowned as Coordinator of the Shannon Collective, chose to use the opportunity to reaffirm her oaths to House Shannon as she was being crowned. To disrespect the long-established traditions of succession- even in so admirable a cause as reaffirming loyalty to one's House- was considered by many to be scandalous. Not least amongst those who disapproved of this was Director-General Jane Weiss, who wondered how lightly the new Coordinator might treat her other duties with this as her very first act as Coordinator.   The feast and ball following the ceremony was a fine entertainment which left its guests in good humor, broken by one embarrassing incident for Duke-Consort Valarie Spencer of the Spencer Sector. Her fine feasting robes snagged on a rivet as she was taking her place, leaving a long rip in her clothing. Other than that, however, fine food and fine wine was had in abundance, and music, dancing, and conversation made for a fine entertainment for all. The Director-General and her party departed from Zubenelgenubi in high spirits.   As they were passing through Mu Capricorni on the return trip, they were attacked by a band of pirates operating in a region where law was still imperfectly enforced. The Director-General ordered her party's escort vessels to cover the retreat of the shuttle carrying her and her family, a duty they executed despite the losses they took. "Our first duty," explained Jane to her ward Lucy, "is to survive. Only while we still live can we perform the other duties we must fulfill."    On their return to Vega, Jane Weiss charged her brother, Executive Director Thomas Weiss, with organising a feast of their own in honor of his daughter Rebecca. Fifty three thousand marks in total were spent on preparations, with all of House Weiss's vassals invited- even Duke Kirabo Pruitt, whose reputation for dishonor and unscrupulous behavior was well known. The Director-General welcomed most of her guests graciously as they arrived, but Duke Kirabo Pruitt was subjected to the indignity of being lectured, at length, in the presence of his peers, about a long list of his misdeeds. "You should be shamed to call yourself a noble," said Jane, "for truly your conduct is more akin to a pirate. One supposes one could understand your behavior were you raised and taught by witches, but instead you are but a disgrace to the long line of House Pruitt and one who no doubt grieves his parents in Heaven. I would not have invited you, sir, save that it is my place as archon of the Weiss League to give true representation to all the states therein. I thus did as I must. I pray you enjoy the feast, sir, if you can deaden your conscience to the crimes which would weigh any decent man to tears. Be welcomed to Vega as one of the lords of the league."    In only the second match of the tournament, Oriole Weiss, flying recklessly in an effort to gain an advantage over Baron Javen Nichols of Miaplacidus, suffered a minor collision which ultimately resulted in her suffering a broken arm and several cracked ribs, leaving her stunned and easily 'shot down' by the Baron's tournament interceptor.  The Baron was eliminated from the tournament soon thereafter, with the victory claimed by Duke Kirabo Pruitt's dull-witted and corrupt brother, Commissioner Kami Pruitt, a development which rather annoyed Director-General Jane Weiss. Still, she resolved that the rest of the gathering proceed pleasantly, and soon announced the beginning of the feast itself.   During the feast, Jane took steps to de-escalate a brewing confrontation between Baron Javen Nichols and Duke Kirabo Pruitt- the Baron had clearly had too much to drink, and was mocking Kirabo relentlessly. Although Jane, of course, had no love for the Duke, she nonetheless hoped to spare Javen the unpleasantness that would ensue, and deftly encouraged him to head off and lie down until his head was clearer. Javen Nichols, for his part, once he sobered up enough to realise what Jane had done for him, was quite grateful that she had spared him making a scene during the feast and thereby humiliating himself.   The feast and entertainments continued, greatly appreciated by the guests, who eventually dispersed. Most were pleased- save for Duke Kirabo Pruitt, who had been thoroughly humiliated and made a fool of in the proceedings. His political position, already fragile due to how widely-hated he was, grew even more precarious, threatened by potential rebellion from below or the threat of hostile action from the Lamb Clan.  Soon after the feast concluded, Executive Director Thomas Weiss formally took the responsibility as guardian of his grandson Liberty Weiss, the older of Emily's two sons. Thomas once again began work on helping prepare the next generation of House Weiss for the responsibilities of adulthood they would bear to their House.  Almost as soon as Liberty became Thomas' ward, Thomas reported that Liberty had been making ever-increasing requests for documents from House computer archives, fascinated as he was by the achievements of the scientists and technologists of the colonies who were working to reconstruct the knowledge of the past. Despite concerns that he might misuse full access at his age, Jane approved full access to the archives, hoping to encourage Liberty in his studies. Thereafter, it was not uncommon to find Liberty happily seated near Thomas, reading over technical documents or tales of adventure, delighted at the world opened to him by reading.  Polly, the diplomatic AI adopted into the House, had, by the end of the year, begun to ease off on her perpetual questions, confident that she had achieved a better understanding of the many things she had to learn. She had, too, developed a number of close friends amongst House Weiss, notably including Jane herself, Noelle Garcia, Oriole, and Prudence, while other members of the House had begun accepting her as a fellow House member. Although incapable of travel and less suitable to directly overseeing assignments like a human member of the House, Polly proved to be a tireless assistant in operations at home, providing advice and gathering information from House reports. Every department, particularly Diplomacy, began to benefit from her tireless and enthusiastic assistance. The event now says 'he', but it wasn't specified before this and the person who claimed the AI went with 'she', so I'm going with a feminine persona for our AI.  Near the end of the year, while the whole House was gathered together, Geraldine Weiss issued a protest. Admiral Carmen Weiss made her way into Geraldine's quarters during the sleep shift, challenging Geraldine to a duel after waking her from sleep. Geraldine refused in disgust, and Carmen was reprimanded for her conduct by the Director-General.  Administration's work continued as 2525 began, with another data center restored to operation by a project team working under Rebecca Weiss, this one in Hyadum. As House Weiss Administration and the Houses beneath it worked to rebuild the legacy of the past, the prosperity of the Weiss League slowly grew.  Oriole Weiss was discharged from Medical's oversight soon after the turn of 2525, with Medical confirming that the bone breaks and fractures had healed without complication. Restored to health, Oriole once more applied herself to her duties with vigor.   The latter half of 2525 saw more of House Weiss's work come to fruition, with Thomas Weiss overseeing the restoration of an ancient hospital in Haldus, providing a redundant source for drug fabrication for Medical's use and better medical care at the Haldus colony, while Keir Weiss had effectively done the work to convince the local population and nobility of the effective legality and benefits of Rotanev's inclusion within the Weiss Guild. This helped serve to defuse a portion of the unrest at Rotanev, which already suffered under the demands of supporting the massively bloated House Patton.    The later part of that year also saw King Lowell Lamb of the Lamb Clan finally die at the age of 68, after general systemic failure due to age-related health issues. Romeo Weiss, who had long been assigned to Pulcherrima and grown quite fond of the old King, mourned, while the league itself marked the passing of one of its great lords. He was succeeded by his younger sister Shannen McGee as Queen. As was tradition, she invited neighboring rulers to a feast and tournament honoring her coronation ceremony, an invitation Director-General Jane Weiss accepted.     In the tournament that opened the gathering, Commissioner Oriole Weiss flew skillfully and aggressively, defeating every opponent until the very final match. There, Duchess Cherie Ferrell, although in her sixties, forced herself to sharp accelerations and maneuvers that let her gain an advantage on Oriole- no matter how brutal the experience was on her body. With this, the Duchess was able to tag Oriole's craft with tournament shot, claiming the championship. Although Oriole once again had failed to win a full tournament, her excellent showing was still widely respected and a matter for pride.  During the feast, Duke Kirabo Pruitt sought out the Director-General, seeking to strike back at her following his humiliation at the last feast. "If you reject any tool that may be to hand, no matter the so-called honor involved, how can you expect to claim victory for your House?" challenged the Duke. "Might I take the success of your House relative to my own as proof of your theories, sir?" replied Jane. Both parted in ill humor.  As the feast grew increasingly drunken and rowdy, Jane retreated to a corner, away from the overwhelming clamor. There she met Titus McGee, the husband of the new Queen, who likewise sought a refuge from the crowding and noise. There, the two had a pleasant conversation, although they had little contact with one another after the feast ended.  Despite any arguments or rowdiness, the feast and the following entertainments were generally well-appreciated, and the guests returned to their own colonies in generally high spirits.     On the very day of the return of Jane and her party to Vega, Executive Director Thomas Weiss suffered a cardiac arrest in the spaceport, a symptom of his advancing age. Jane acted swiftly to help keep him alive until a team from Medical led by Technology Director Prudence Weiss herself arrived to intervene. Thomas survived without lasting ill effects, save for the fright of the incident itself.    Both the Lindsey Coalition and McCoy Dominion advanced requests to House Weiss that Alhena be transferred to their rule in late 2525, requests that were summarily denied. What was not denied was a request by the newly crowned Queen Shannen McGee of the Lamb Clan for House Pruitt to surrender its ducal dignities and to have Marfik join the Lamb Clan as a member colony, with Kirabo Pruitt now reduced in rank to a baron. Kirabo Pruitt no longer considered his tenuous political situation viable, and sought the support of a stronger state. With the dissolution of the Pruitt Systems as an independent state, the Weiss League was reduced to four member states- its founding states of the Weiss Guild and White Federation, as well as the Lamb Clan and Porter Kingdom. Baron Kirabo Pruitt did not survive much longer, eventually dying of age and infirmity in the first half of 2526.  Quiet discussions had been underway between Director-General Jane Weiss and Noelle Garcia about the possibility that Prudence's daughter Lucy and Noelle's son Harold might wed when they came of age, firmly cementing the adopted Garcia bloodline into House Weiss. It thus came as welcome news when evidence of an innocent adolescent attraction was blooming between the two children- a good omen that a marriage between the two of them might prove successful.      In an effort to recover any technology of use they could find, House Weiss's Technology department requested permission to dredge through ancient scrap found in colonies of their vassals. Much of what they found was too damaged to be of any real value save for its material content, but occasional components of use found their way into modern machinery. Near the end of 2525, however, Executive Director Thomas Weiss, looking over reported finds from scrap in Hyadum, realised the full implications of a high-quality document press still in functional order. This press, once used by the League of Starfaring Nations to produce verified government documents, was modified by House Khalil during their empire to emboss their own House seal on documents, and could likewise be modified by House Weiss. With this, its own could incorporate it into their own administration, printing out necessary forms and documents rapidly and with a higher image quality than possible with modern printers- or, were it kept secret, it could be used to create detailed forgeries indistinguishable from ancient documents. House Weiss paid King Gustave Porter a sum of thirty thousand marks for the press, preparing to convert it for administrative use.   Before it could be converted, however, 'ancient' documents bearing the seal of the League of Starfaring Nations emerged, urging all the inhabitants of the colonies to band together in peace and cooperation in the event of a civilisational collapse. The Director-General, noting the timing and the content, which was suspiciously specific to what actually happened in the Collapse, concluded that some member of the House had discovered the press and was making forgeries. However well-intentioned, such trickery was dangerous, in her mind, and she immediately publicly announced House Weiss's acquisition of the document press and her intention to have it converted for administrative use. Although this made it almost certain the culprit would not be caught, it also made it too dangerous for the forgeries to continue, and spared the House from any potential repercussions should its involvement in forgery be discovered.   With the document press now public knowledge, technical teams were brought in to study it in preparation for its conversion for administrative use, where they discovered- and repaired- a critical print head misalignment. They warned that even with this repair, the document press had a limited lifespan, beyond which further repairs were likely to restore it only to modern quality standards. Still, for the time being, it was pressed into service by Administration, accepting slightly lower print quality in exchange for being able to cover the bulk of Administration's documentary needs for the time being.  As 2526 began, a project team led by Rebecca Weiss finished the restoration of a ship components factory in Tseen. Fuel assemblies, thrusters, and onboard life support systems began to be turned out in greater quantity and traded through nearby colonies, to be incorporated into ship construction and repairs in local colonial spaceports. With ships as the lifeblood of travel, trade, and military operations, this had benefits for many nearby colonies.  Although the position of House Weiss as providing Directors-General for the Weiss Guild had been considered tainted by the stigma of the revolt against House Goodman, by the beginning of 2526 the long record of relative stability with which House Weiss had governed had begun to strengthen its legitimacy as rulers. Although not bearing the same dignity as Houses long-confirmed in their rule over a state, nonetheless House Weiss was generally considered a legitimate ruling House by the nobility of the colonies at large.     Even as House Weiss's position was growing more secure, instability was rocking the McCoy Dominion. A surge of demagoguery denouncing Duchess Leane McCoy as a weak ruler unworthy of her throne hit the colony of Albali in the early part of 2526, stirring up unrest amongst both the commoners and the local nobility. Lady Dulcina Hess of House Hess was swift to capitalise on this unrest, mustering forces from the colony to challenge the Duchess' rule. The rebellion, however, was doomed, with the Duchess able to muster forces from other colonies to challenge the small force raised by House Hess. Although House Hess' woefully outnumbered force was wiped out in its entirety, they nonetheless inflicted nearly equal losses on the loyalist forces putting down the rebellion.    House Arias launched its own revolt in Saiph at nearly the same time, hoping the the distraction of forces from other colonies due to the revolt in Albali would let them face off against the forces of Baroness Lalasa Villa without interference. This, unfortunately for the rebels, was not to be the case, and their pitiful force was crushed, Lady Del Arias gunned down by Security guards protecting the Baroness. The revolt in Albali did, however, keep Duchess Leane McCoy from offering official support to her vassal, a decision that would end costing her greatly.  Baroness Lalasa Villa almost immediately defected to the Cervantes Alliance, breaking her vassalage to House McCoy in retaliation for this failure of House McCoy's feudal obligations. Leane McCoy's reputation, already reeling from several breaches of honor, took a heavy blow in the wake of this challenge to her authority. Whether she could hold together the weakening Gilmore League remained to be seen.   Duke Hayden Roach of the Roach Colonies, the husband of Jane's sister Jessica, sent a diplomatic request to Jane and House Weiss at about the same time as these revolts, requesting that House Weiss avenge unjustified fines levied against House Roach. Director-General Jane Weiss, although sympathetic to the plight of her brother-in-law, nonetheless noted that she was not morally obligated to act in these circumstances, and that her options for punishing Acting Duke Alvin Lindsey were, essentially, far disproportionate to the crime. As such, she had no intention to pursue this particular case.   As the midpoint of the year approached, House Weiss Security came to the Director-General with a pair of special reports. Senior Investigator Noelle Garcia had been directing surveillance at Vega, and the work of his Security officers had borne fruit- the staff of a visiting diplomat from the White Federation, Hart Harvey, were overheard discussing previous work they had done in helping fund dissidents against the Marshall Collective on Mu Capricorni on behalf of Governor-General Gualtier White. For the moment, this remained a secret, but one that could be revealed or exploited to provide leverage on the Governor-General. Commissioner Oriole Weiss, for her part, reported that overall personal security on the members of House Weiss was, in general, acceptable, with few major holes in protection. Security's responsibility to ensure the safety of the members of the House was, for the time being, fulfilled. The Weiss Guild and Weiss League, early 2526   All aspects of House Weiss operations enjoy greater efficiency and effectiveness than two years ago, with Administration and Technology more than matching their previous- quite impressive- peaks. The House remains within its means, despite its massive size, due to the wealth House Weiss commands. Still, much further growth of House Weiss may not be well-advised at the moment. Permissible House size is determined primarily by gross income. Our current gross income is 77.1 semiannually, and we'll increase our House size cap from 28 to 29 at 81. As we can only get two more House members without overrunning our limit, and we have several people trying for children, it will likely be a good idea to marry a couple of our newly adult House members into another House relatively soon.    Although the AI Polly's assistance is hardly expert in any field but diplomacy, nonetheless she has proved an asset to every department with such assistance and advice as she has offered. Administration has found the ancient document press a great asset to operations, and intends to make as much use of it as it may. The increased difficulty of forgeries of House Weiss documents has also proved another obstacle (however small) to hostile covert operations against House Weiss. Although the purported League of Starfaring Nations documents that recently surfaced have raised some small amount of discussion of increased cooperation between Houses, the fact is that its impact on the diplomatic landscape has been quite minor. If the intent of the forger was to encourage peace and brotherhood between Houses, the net effect appears to have been far more modest, and likely to drop off the attention of the colonies soon. General AI is another permanent House modifier, joining Bean Counters, strategic secrets from the data vault, and the Interstellar Authority Corps founded by Bella Garcia. Although its effect is fairly modest in most departments, it still is a permanent boost to everything, which makes the Diplomatic AI expedition a lasting benefit to your House assuming you don't pointlessly antagonise the AI. The document press is a nice asset, but will eventually expire, and the post-collapse cooperative spirit is very minor and very short-lived.  Director-General Jane Weiss remains deeply satisfied with her life and success, and is famed across the colonies as a just and glorious ruler. She has made distinct progress in her studies of military tactics and operations, helping to ensure Vega's fleets are a strong guarantor of the colony's and state's safety. She and Mariko remain dedicated to each other, as they have for many years. She has been one of the first members of the House to fully welcome Polly, and has been greatly satisfied to see how helpful the AI could be.  Executive Director Thomas Weiss is delighted to serve as the guardian of Liberty Weiss, taking a key role in the raising and education of his eight-year-old grandson. In addition to his overall duties as Executive Director overseeing Administration, he is currently overseeing the repairs and restoration of a heavy defensive station at Mu Capricorni. His marriage remains happy and devoted. Thomas is getting a huge amount of ongoing happiness for serving as Liberty's guardian. Nice for Administration's efficiency.  Admiral Carmen Weiss's rivalry with Geraldine has driven her to ensure her military skills remain sharp, to prove that she is still more worthy to serve as head of House Weiss's military forces. Although she is still vigorous, given her age, this may change at any time. Her marriage with Keir Weiss remains fairly distant. She works well with most of the House, but has few true friends within it. She has been overseeing a deployment of peacekeepers under a peacekeeper major to Miaplacidus, helping ensure the peace and order of one of the original colonies of the Weiss Guild, on top of her duties as Admiral.  Director-Consort Mariko Weiss is forced to admit that Polly's aid in Diplomacy has been very valuable, but still finds it difficult, yet, to truly open to the AI that she regarded with such mistrust earlier. While having responsibility for all diplomatic affairs, she has been placing particular focus, for the moment, on cultivating very strong relations with Coordinator Lili Shannon, helping ensure a peaceful frontier between the White Federation and the Shannon Collective.  Commissioner Oriole Weiss enjoys a happy family life, has claimed glory in several tournaments, and has been satisfied to see that Security's operations are increasingly effective in protecting the House. She continues to coordinate a heavy defensive detail on the Director-General, to ensure that the Weiss Guild's ruler is protected from any possible assassination.  Technology Director Prudence Weiss's one-sided devotion to Romeo Weiss continues, with her lavishing attention on him on those occasions he returns to Vega. In addition to her general duties involved in leading Technology, she has been spending great effort on corresponding with Allen Weiss and mentoring him in his technical and scientific skills while he follows Rebecca Weiss on her various assignment.  Rebecca Weiss, under tutoring from Ilario and Allen and with the benefit of her experience serving as a project manager for Administration, has shown noticeable improvement in administrative, military, and technical skills over the past two years. Her current duties for Administration place her at Mu Capricorni, working on putting laboratory facilities there back in operation to provide resources for local technical officers. She and Ilario are continuing to try for a second child, and her dedication to her husband remains undimmed.  Although Romeo Weiss still misses King Lowell Lamb, he remains in generally good spirits as he continues to oversee taxation of the Lamb Clan and logistics for shipping to that state. His elder sister, Colonial Director Devon Kelley, is now 59 years old, raising many questions about how long Romeo will remain within House Weiss before inheriting the lordship of House Kelley and assuming the rule of Ross 128. Although not an administrator to match Thomas' mastery, he nonetheless is an excellent project manager and expert in administration and practical engineering.  Ilario Weiss has been able to follow his wife Rebecca wherever they have travelled, as he remains assigned to assisting her with developing her skills as a military leader through research of sources. Their young daughter Salome has accompanied them, remaining with her mother at this tender age. Although not as smitten with Rebecca as she is of him, he nonetheless is deeply fond of his wife, and very happy that they can remain together full-time. Although not as hostile as he previously was to Polly, he remains somewhat dismissive of the AI.  Noelle Garcia has taken his success in uncovering misdeeds by a member of a major House as a vindication of his value to House Weiss, where he continues to serve as a diligent investigator of crime and visitors to Vega- if, perhaps, one willing to bend rules in the interests of uncovering the truth. The knowledge that his and Bella's son Harold will marry into House Weiss is a comfort to him- proof that his family will continue, and that their status as nobility is permanent. He has easily found sympathy for Polly, seeing in her an echo of the past that provided his lost wife, and another person who was not born into the nobility but instead had to be recognised by adoption.  Malachi Weiss has happily continued in his assignment overseeing taxation and shipping logistics for Beta Eridani, ensuring that the surplus of ores it produces find their way to the workshops and factories of surrounding colonies. Although not the expert that nobles in House Weiss Administration are, he is nonetheless very solidly competent and showing steady improvement over time. He and wife Geraldine remain fully in love with one another, and make the most of the times they are both in Vega to attempt for another child.  Geraldine Weiss has been serving as a colonel of peacekeepers at Marfik, helping bring the situation there under control. Although the local situation is still unsettled, she believes that even without her deployment, it should be slowly settling down, which suggests to her that perhaps she soon shall be redeployed. She is a skilled and aggressive military commander, who is striving to outdo Admiral Carmen Weiss and prove herself fitting for the position of Admiral.  Leslie Weiss continues as a colonel of peacekeepers at Mu Capricorni. At last, he believes that he is making progress bringing things back under control, but, without his presence, there is little doubt that Mu Capricorni would explode into outright revolt. He is trying for a third child with Emily, when the two are both in Vega. Although this would be his third child with Emily, it would be his fourth overall, as he had a son, Sir Bart Porter, head of the minor House Waller at Nashira, from his first marriage that ended in divorce.  Keir Weiss, like his wife Carmen, has grown to an age where his health is increasingly uncertain, but, for now, remains healthy and active. He heads a diplomatic mission to Saiph, advancing arguments for the Weiss Guild to control the colony, backed up by judicious bribes to minor nobility where simple persuasion does not suffice.  Vanida Weiss has continued with her efforts to gather intelligence on House Werner at Alathfar, making her position the furthest-flung posting of any member of House Weiss. Her services to Security have been, thus far, minor, but having another member of Security building up her skills has a value all its own.  Emily Weiss is, by now, readily accepted as an expert scientist and technologist, a credit to House Weiss's Technology department. She is deeply dedicated to her husband Leslie, with whom she is trying for a third child. She has been assigned to Vega to assist with the Director-General's development as a military commander. Emily has grown to rely on Polly to help with looking up resources, and has developed a strong respect for the AI.  Although Allen is still relatively unskilled by the standards of House Weiss technologists, he is still a solidly competent and careful technologist and teacher. His primary focus has been on conveying his own scientific and technical skills to Rebecca, helping prepare Rebecca for the day where she shall eventually claim the throne of the Director-General of the Weiss Guild and the position of archon of the Weiss League.   With the defection of Saiph to the Cervantes Alliance, direct diplomatic contact has finally been made with the new liege of the Cervantes Alliance, Duke Brewster Simpson of the Simpson Alliance. Brewster is a driven and honorable man who, like Jane, forged an expansive empire from relatively modest beginnings, in his case relying more on his superb skills as a diplomat and his personal courage as a military leader. The Cervantes Alliance has become the fifth state of the Simpson League, after the Simpson Alliance, Busuttil Collective, Jarvis Guild, and Todd Planets. The Simpson League is, at the moment, a strong and stable league, assisted by the excellent reputation of Duke Brewster Simpson, despite the heavy taxes he is currently levying upon his vassals. Although the league itself is stable, its new member state, the Cervantes Alliance, is wracked by unrest. Unlike the Weiss League, which is heavily dominated by the Weiss Guild itself, the member states of the Simpson League are much closer to parity in overall strength and size.  The known colonies are, for the most part, at peace, save for a war between the Anderson League and the small Shannon League border state of the Shannon Quadrant. The Shannon Collective has come to an agreement with its vassal the Crawford Coalition, trading the former exclave system of Murzim for the bordering system of Al Nair, ensuring that the Shannon Collective's internal arrangement is more compact and easily administered. The steady work of both House Weiss Administration and of lesser Houses has finally brought the whole of the Weiss League to the cusp of a new age of prosperity, where no colony within its borders needs fear famine, although there is still much that can be done to advance the prosperity of many of the colonies of the league. The Weiss League, too, is relatively stable and orderly across most of its colonies, avoiding the surging unrest seen in many outside colonies- particularly in the Lindsey Coalition, which is a seething mire of unrest as things stand. It is far from a perfect state, but it nonetheless represents real progress over the past years. The McCoy League, on the other hand, has been steadily weakening, with member states lost to its neighbors and the territory of the McCoy Dominion fragmenting away. It is, perhaps, in its most vulnerable state in recent history. After many years of labor, the Weiss League has achieved a state of near-stability, and with growing prosperity, while instability outside its borders might allow for opportunity. The aid of an artificial intelligence dedicated to the service of the House by her own choice, whatever the misgivings of wider colonial society about AI, has proved a valuable asset to House Weiss, while Vega continues to be the most productive colony in the known colonies. What future years shall bring to House Weiss remains to be seen, but nonetheless it appears there is some room for optimism. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 02:51 on Jan 9, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 20:51
|
|
|
As always, unclaimed members of House Weiss are open to be claimed by readers; I would particularly welcome people willing to claim Mariko or Carmen, who hold Council positions. A special report by Carmen shall be coming shortly. E: Admiral Carmen Weiss posted:I believe it is my responsibility to report that, as things stand, we can muster a force parity with the McCoy Dominion at Beta Librae, leaving aside mercenary forces, while we have the advantage on the defense. I have consulted with Diplomacy and determined that one of our vassals has a claim that would provide full legal justification for a war on the McCoy Dominion. An immediate war may be premature, but if we were to make efforts to build a war chest, develop a proper assault plan and staging of forces, and provide legal cover for our acquisition of Beta Librae, we could easily carve off two colonies from the McCoy Dominion that could support a future push toward Sigma Draconis through Saiph. I am in support of preparing for war, but the decision is, of course, ultimately in the hands of the Director-General as advised by the rest of the council. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 21:39 on Jan 8, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 21:18
|
|
|
Director-Heir Thomas Weiss posted:Things are going so incredibly well for us that I can't see any reason why we can't throw a little of our wealth into acquiring new assets, however perhaps waiting a little while before declaring war will provide us an opportunity to save some additional money.* Private communique from Thomas Weiss posted:Janey, if it's not too much trouble, could you please stop trying to get my wife killed in pointless tournaments? I respect her choice of hobby, dangerous though it may be, but I'm aware of how you've been pushing her at every feast. Given my heart's propensity to take unauthorized breaks, I'd prefer if my children could see at least one of their parents make it to their dotage. Your drive and ambition are one of the keys to the League's success, but they're just tournaments, we don't have to win those.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 22:46
|
|
|
Director-General Jane Weiss posted:If we are going to be accumulating a war chest, we'll have to temporarily step down our tempo of repair work so we're not reinvesting almost all our income into colonial improvements. In your judgement, Thomas, if we were to prepare for future war, which of you and Rebecca should be pulled from repair duties, and where should the person pulled from these duties be reassigned? Or do you think we should pull you both and have you both focusing on revenues until we have a proper war chest in place? Am I to take your statement as support for planning a war against the McCoy Dominion? It is true that Leane McCoy has shown herself dishonorable, despite her efforts to curry our favor, and gaining these colonies would support our future strategic aims. Perhaps, too, we can ensure that the inhabitants there do not languish in their current state of precarious poverty. Director-General Jane Weiss, private communique posted:A fair point. I suppose we can let Carmen or Geraldine try for the glory next time we need to attend a feast. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 22:59 on Jan 8, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 22:56
|
|
|
Oh dammit, I forgot to actually note the asterisk there. I meant to include that we should wait for our next Bloodline Perk if one might be coming up in the near future, since the next Admin perk (and the last one before we get The Big One) gives us a discount on mercs IIRC. And probably best to pull Thomas from stuff, as he'd raise more revenue more quickly with his skill level. And yeah, I'm good with a quick war. Let's make sure to get it done as swiftly as possible.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 23:20
|
|
|
EclecticTastes posted:Oh dammit, I forgot to actually note the asterisk there. I meant to include that we should wait for our next Bloodline Perk if one might be coming up in the near future, since the next Admin perk (and the last one before we get The Big One) gives us a discount on mercs IIRC. And probably best to pull Thomas from stuff, as he'd raise more revenue more quickly with his skill level. And yeah, I'm good with a quick war. Let's make sure to get it done as swiftly as possible. Our next one is actually Justified Taxation, and that's probably 4 or more years out. So let's not wait for Blood and Gold.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 23:28
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:Our next one is actually Justified Taxation, and that's probably 4 or more years out. So let's not wait for Blood and Gold. Didn't we already get Justified Taxation with our last perk? Or has that point still not popped for us?
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 23:41
|
|
|
EclecticTastes posted:Didn't we already get Justified Taxation with our last perk? Or has that point still not popped for us? The vote broke for Diligent Serfs, which ensured our budget increased over these two years instead of decreased. We now have Justified Taxation lined up for our next perk, with 352/900 points of progress made over the last two years since getting Diligent Serfs and a passive increase rate of 62 points semi-annually (assuming no respect is gained by our kin to speed it up). nweismuller fucked around with this message at 23:59 on Jan 8, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2023 23:56
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:The vote broke for Diligent Serfs, which ensured our budget increased over these two years instead of decreased. No, that was the vote from last August, the most recent vote was in November and, having just checked, it broke for Justified Taxation, but it looks like you're noting back there that it's eventual, which I assume means the perk still hasn't yet popped for us, as I'd surmised.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 00:00
|
|
|
EclecticTastes posted:No, that was the vote from last August, the most recent vote was in November and, having just checked, it broke for Justified Taxation, but it looks like you're noting back there that it's eventual, which I assume means the perk still hasn't yet popped for us, as I'd surmised. Yeah, I held the vote immediately after we got Diligent Serfs to determine what we're eventually getting, so I can write towards it as we get closer to completion.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 00:24
|
|
|
Well, in any case, since we're still not up to Justified Taxation, let's just go to war as soon as our finances are solid enough to do so. Let's definitely get that Hospital in the Lamb Clan up and running first, though, just to offset any minor losses to Stability we take from warfare.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 00:58
|
|
|
Romeo was this close to running administration, ah well EclecticTastes is a better writer than I. When Romeo's older sister passes, will he be forced to assume leadership of Ross 128? Is their a mechanic to pass it to someone else? Not like Romeo would pass it up, being greedy and all.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 02:13
|
|
|
dervinosdoom posted:Romeo was this close to running administration, ah well EclecticTastes is a better writer than I. There's a mechanic to change inheritance order, but it's in his sister's hands, not ours. Rulers are allowed to change inheritance laws, disinherit characters, or specifically designate a heir, at varying levels of reputational impact.
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 02:23
|
|
|
Ilario's Private Journal posted:<There is a page ripped out prior to this.> Ilario Weiss posted:I'm always in favor of more hospitals and medical centers being restored, and I can't deny that restoring the hospital should help with unrest in the Lamb Clan. However, between the hospital here in Vega and the recently restored one on Haldus, we have sufficient medical coverage for our core. General Revil fucked around with this message at 04:56 on Jan 9, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 04:44
|
|
|
In cooperation with Vee, I have come up with an in-game portrait for Polly's holographic representation:
|
|
#
?
Jan 9, 2023 06:16
|
|
|
Polly the friendly AI chimed in to say posted:I am glad everyone is feeling better after their recent difficulties. I don't like to see friends hurt! If there is anything I can do to help with the repairs to the hospital or any other life sustaining or prolonging projects, please let me know! I feel like I've only just gotten to know you all, I don't want to lose any of you!
|
|
#
?
Jan 10, 2023 07:01
|
|
|
I would like to take on the role of Mariko, if that's alright.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 01:24
|
|
|
Artificer posted:I would like to take on the role of Mariko, if that's alright. All right, I can do that. Let me whip up a Diplomatic report for you. E: Diplomacy report sent off via PM, I hope that contains most of the information you'd want? nweismuller fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Jan 11, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 02:11
|
|
|
Yes, thank you. Sent you a response asking more about the details of our diplomacy agents.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 08:46
|
|
|
Mariko Weiss's Personal Journal, excerpt: Jane and her council has led us to a new stage of peace and prosperity and, as much as I am hesitant to admit it, the AI- ...Polly. Polly has been a small but noticeable boon to our efforts. I am franky unsure still if..she can be trusted or if she is just a particularly clever algorithm. But frankly, I think I recall having an easier time accepting Ilario, and our previous family members actually shot each other. Fear of the different, of the unknown, is a core part in any diplomatic dealing. This is just another extension of that. In the meantime, stability and reputation wise we are in a good place. As loathe as I am to admit it, that "good place" is a resource of my beloved wife. Just like diplomatic overtures. Just like the military. I will council her to plan to prepare a warchest and plan for war. I will trust in her leadership to pilot us in a right and just manner, as I always have. War is bloody and it is cruel but our current happiness and stability for our people will remain under threat unless we can ensure we have the resources to maintain our own safety. We must act with wisdom and justice to ensure we are correct in our actions, but striking while the iron is hot is reasonable. McCoy is destabilized and that's never good for neighbors. Better to resolve intergalactic issues through words and treaties but when that isn't possible, and when your counterpart is lead by a dishonorable woman.. Other methods should be leveraged.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 09:46
|
|
|
Director-General Jane Weiss posted:Mariko, in preparation for the upcoming war, I believe I should pull you temporarily from overseeing improvement of relations on our opposite border and ensure we establish a claim on Beta Librae in the interests of greater stability there once we take control of the colony. We can always return to keeping channels open with Lilli Shannon later, but having a claim in place will be an important element of making our territorial gains good. Do you have any objection to such a course of action?
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 10:00
|
|
|
Senior Investigator Noelle Garcia posted:There's a school of thought that every war is a crime. Assault, battery, vandalism, manslaughter, murder, you name it. And yet, in all of human history, we haven't worked out how to be rid of it. Do what you have to do. Also, I draw your attention once more to the actions of Hart Harvey. We really can't tolerate or condone this, especially not from one claiming to be a diplomat. Persona non grata at least.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 12:08
|
|
|
Director-General Jane Weiss posted:What can be done is to reveal what has been done to all the colonies. We do not now have responsibility to deliver justice, but it will give the victims the chance to appeal for justice if they need the aid.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 12:34
|
|
|
Director-Consort Mariko Weiss posted:Lilli Shannon is a pleasant enough conversation partner but our relationship and interests are stable there for now, especially after that feast.
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 16:43
|
|
|
Prudence Weiss, private journal posted:A human is imbued with the divine spark we call a soul, that's what sets us apart from animals. Doctor Prudence Weiss posted:I'm delighted to see you value medical resources to the degree that you preempt my request Thomas!
|
|
#
?
Jan 11, 2023 18:20
|
|
|
As much as I would like to be all  about the upcoming fight, and make no mistake I am 100% chortling like the warmongering little gremlin that I am, one of the major things in this game seems to be "everything is always on the verge of collapse and self-destruction because keeping unrest in check is really loving hard, you guys."Part of the war chest being built up is, I assume, making sure that the colonies you recently "acquired" do not promptly rip themselves apart with unrest or gently caress off back to someone else.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 00:03
|
|
|
MechaCrash posted:As much as I would like to be all The main purpose of the war chest is to pour money out on mercenaries for major offensives, with a buffer built in because our enemy probably has a treasury built up they can use to reinforce their defenses with mercenaries. Once we've captured new colonies, we then want to invest in rebuilding their devastated infrastructure, and likely assign somebody to quell unrest there. Fortunately, we'll likely have deposed the old baron and installed a new one who owes his position to us, so they're likely to remain loyal on that end.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 00:29
|
|
|
MechaCrash posted:As much as I would like to be all Keep in mind that we've gone through vastly more precarious situations, acquiring a couple dozen colonies in rapid succession, many of which were on the verge of outright collapse. I'm not sure how much was visible to the thread at large, but you guys should know, any colony with fewer than four active facilities was at risk of famine, and generally had much higher unrest. Most of our colonies came to us with fewer than four active facilities. However, because our income is completely insane, we were able to throw money at the problem, and we will very shortly have no colonies left in the League with any starvation risk. Shaving a couple colonies off of a rival will be child's play in comparison, as long as we don't get careless. Because, my observation about this game has been "money fixes everything".
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 00:33
|
|
|
The Death of Homam Following the internal violence at the Homam colony in the Shannon League in 2527, structural damage leading to accelerated atmosphere loss and cascading life support failures began to become apparent. The noble Houses native to Homam gathered what ships and wealth they could, spending every fragment of viridium they could spare to arrange for relocations to new colonies, along with key officers and a handful of serfs to support them in their new homes. Many freemen- officers not able to be evacuated with their houses or craftsfolk and traders- spent what fortunes they could to escape wherever they could manage, even if their ultimate fate at a new colony would be serfdom. As for the serfs- only a few could be evacuated with the Houses. Some more were evacuated by neighboring rulers, offered cramped quarters and new positions where they could survive. Still, these evacuations were not enough. When the Homam colony failed entirely, about half of its population remained. Now the dead choke the streets and corridors of a colony with atmospheric pressure rapidly dropping to zero. Even decomposition is arrested, the microorganisms that would induce rot sterilised by exposure to vacuum and the loss of water from the bodies. There they shall remain, until an effort is made to repair and repopulate the colony. May God have mercy on their souls. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Aug 17, 2023 |
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 05:07
|
|
|
Director-Heir Thomas Weiss posted:And there we have it, everyone. A clear sign that we need to assume control of these incompetent fools' territory, because they can't build or maintain infrastructure to literally save their lives. If the children can't take care of their toys, it's time to take them away. And let's earmark some future spending towards restoring the Homam system once we have access to it. Ugh, the things I do to keep this galaxy functioning....
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 06:09
|
|
|
Director-General Jane Weiss posted:The Shannon Collective is more than militarily secure against any advance we might make, so I do not believe we are well-served to turn our ambitions there. What we can do is remember the people of Homam, both those who escaped into hardship and those who lost their lives, in our prayers. By God's mercy and by our efforts I pray we shall never have such a tragedy occur in the colonies under our rule. This is, indeed, an illustration of the importance of proper Administration, that our colonies be kept in proper repair. Let us never forget the stakes of such labor.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 06:26
|
|
|
You know, the system we share a border with is their capital, couldn't we land a decisive blow by just launching a blitz on it at some point? If we take out their leadership, won't they break up into their constituent domains, and basically be ripe for eventual annexation, or is that not how it works? Like, say we mustered forces at Kastra, could we not just declare war and immediately dump the full force of our military on their doorstep before they can rally ships from their other systems? I mean I'm sure Jane would have issues with that strategy because it's "dishonorable", but I'm curious if we could do it, or if there's something in the game's mechanics preventing it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 06:38
|
|
|
EclecticTastes posted:You know, the system we share a border with is their capital, couldn't we land a decisive blow by just launching a blitz on it at some point? If we take out their leadership, won't they break up into their constituent domains, and basically be ripe for eventual annexation, or is that not how it works? Like, say we mustered forces at Kastra, could we not just declare war and immediately dump the full force of our military on their doorstep before they can rally ships from their other systems? I mean I'm sure Jane would have issues with that strategy because it's "dishonorable", but I'm curious if we could do it, or if there's something in the game's mechanics preventing it. It's hypothetically possible, but we'd want an absolutely ridiculous war chest to pull it off; they have a huge military advantage with standing forces at that border. This isn't something where we could just easily knock them out, but if we managed it, yes, it would be a decapitation strike.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 06:40
|
|
|
After reviewing the reports of what happened to the Homam colony, Penny the friendly AI quietly asked posted:I know house resources are currently being tasked to other matters but... is there any way we could perhaps create some sort of memorial for the Homam calamity? Something to remember the people lost there, and remind us that the things we work for every day aren't just abstract concepts but the things that protect people's lives. No one deserves what happened there, but maybe if we take time to remember we can at least make it mean something.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 07:19
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:It's hypothetically possible, but we'd want an absolutely ridiculous war chest to pull it off; they have a huge military advantage with standing forces at that border. This isn't something where we could just easily knock them out, but if we managed it, yes, it would be a decapitation strike. Definitely not a short-term goal, but given the results of success, I really want to see it happen eventually. The setup is too perfect to let go to waste. Though that does remind me, is there an "end date" for Star Dynasties, like there is in Paradox's various games? Or does it basically last until you conquer the whole galaxy/collapse in shame? I'm wondering if there's a ticking clock on some of our long-term goals.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 07:21
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 19:25 |
|
|
EclecticTastes posted:Definitely not a short-term goal, but given the results of success, I really want to see it happen eventually. The setup is too perfect to let go to waste. Though that does remind me, is there an "end date" for Star Dynasties, like there is in Paradox's various games? Or does it basically last until you conquer the whole galaxy/collapse in shame? I'm wondering if there's a ticking clock on some of our long-term goals. The game runs until you either achieve victory (either through controlling 58 of the 115 colonies on the map, or through an alternate, hidden, victory condition) or until you no longer hold ducal rank, at which point you lose.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2023 07:26
|
|