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Worth noting that the historical perspective on pre-Collapse political and economic systems is somewhat dicey, even amongst the educated. Educated persons are aware that pre-Collapse governance operated along different lines than modern feudal governance, and may have a somewhat broad outline of some of its assumptions. That said, the concept of modern individuals as to just how things differed is vague, and many members of the nobility reflexively picture what things looked like politically as 'similar-ish' to the modern feudal system. House Weiss, between uncovering an ancient data cache, having Bella Garcia around as a House member for a time, and having access to Polly, however imperfect Polly's memories, has enough context that most of its members have the minimal level of historical awareness to avoid this level of blunder- although their level of detail on past political and social organisation can still be incomplete. Less educated people- such as almost any serf, nobles with no particular historical background, or freemen with weaker educations- tend to just assume that the golden age of humanity was a feudal empire much like the modern era, only united, with things not broken down, and with access to miraculous technology that led to overweening pride which helped bring the anger of God. Many serfs believe that the noble Houses have been noble since well before the Collapse- which the nobility, in general, know is not strictly the case, although they do frequently make a point of continuity with some pre-Collapse institutions- tracing their family back to the local civil government, to the Interstellar Authority, to military forces, or- as House Weiss does- to pre-Collapse corporations. Few noble Houses will admit origin from criminals, but it seems likely that the origin of some Houses was nothing more nor less than simple armed gangs left behind in the wake of the collapse of civil authority and the dissolution of the coherence of local armed groups. Not all military garrisons on colonies held together in good order under their local officers in the Collapse, and some historians suspect that few Houses would care to look too closely on just how even the most 'legitimate' Houses ensured their survival during the Collapse. The vast majority of the nobility- including our own House- holds what would be, to an objective and omniscient observer, a decidedly romanticised and sanitised version of the deeds of their ancestors during the Collapse.
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Apr 16, 2023 15:03
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So nobody's got a copy of The Prince or Das Kapital?
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Apr 17, 2023 07:38
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Xlorp posted:So nobody's got a copy of The Prince or Das Kapital? The selection of pre-Collapse books available is... spotty, and not always consistent across colonies. Most surviving pre-Collapse books exist in electronic format in colony computer systems. That said, even with fragmentary access to pre-Collapse books, it's enough for educated people who make a study of pre-Collapse materials to get some idea of what things were like- although the inconsistent selection of centuries-old written material means that much is still a matter of guesswork based on indirect evidence. The most consistently available pre-Collapse book, of course, is the Bible, which is available on essentially every colonial computer system and occasionally made into physical books as a luxury for the nobility. The pre-Collapse data cache House Weiss discovered contained a more complete set of books, although not all were copied before hiding away access to the cache- notably including some 'introduction to civics' material explaining the basic principles and structure of the League of Starfaring Nations. Between that, having Bella Garcia on hand and her memories to talk about, and asking Polly what she knows (even if her early memories she had difficulty contextualising things), ends up meaning members of House Weiss, on average, are uncommonly well-informed about pre-Collapse social structure. It was difficult to avoid picking up some details about how things were done. That said, even if this knowledge may have helped guide Jane's programs to grant more freedoms and incentives to the serfs on Vega and may well influence some of the ideals of some House Weiss members, not even the most idealistic member of House Weiss wants to abolish the feudal system and their House's own power. Encouraging reforms amongst the nobility that help modernise the league, on the other hand...
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Apr 17, 2023 09:52
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I have all my image-processing work done (finally), but my writing focus is being killed by sinus headaches. I should get an update out as soon as I can think again.
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May 3, 2023 02:18
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Got pulled from my apartment and computer for much of this week due to repairs to the landing outside my apartment, interrupting my writing work and shaking my focus. Got distracted a bit with XCOM 2, but I think I've worked that out of my system, and I'll try to finish up the already partually-finished update tonight or tomorrow.
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May 14, 2023 00:56
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An Error of Judgement Although restoration work had yet to begin, by the latter half of 2528 many nobles, traders, and mercenaries who were free to travel had begun to make their way to Miaplacidus to observe the massive ring station in orbit around Miaplacidus' fourth planet. The sheer scale of the construction undertaken by the ancients was awe-inspiring, while the increased attention to Miaplacidus reflected glory on its baron, Javen Nichols, and Director-General Jane Weiss.   The latter part of the year saw, at last, the death of Brewster Simpson, duke of the Simpson Alliance and archon of the Simpson League. Over the course of his life, he had used a mixture of diplomacy and force to forge one of the greatest leagues of the modern era, even if it was currently embroiled in fighting the rebel forces of the Busuttil Collective. Of his four children, only two survived- two had perished just as they reached their majorities, raising suspicions of foul play. Although normally the older child would be expected to inherit, his younger daughter, Phyllis Simpson, inherited the throne, resolved to re-unite the Simpson League in the wake of this revolt.     As a major neighboring ruler, Director-General Jane Weiss was invited to the coronation and feast, which she attended alongside her wife, Mariko, her brother, Thomas, along with Oriole Weiss and Carmen Weiss. Jane granted permission for Oriole to represent House Weiss in the tournament, but, to her disappointment, she was disqualified in her third match flying against Director-Consort Marnina Gill of the Jarvis Guild. Although Marnina Gill made her way all the way to the final match, she lost against Carlin Cowen of the colony of Arrakis, who took the honor of victory in the tournament.   During the feast and through the following gathering, Jane and Thomas fell deep into discussion, musing the history of the colonies, the technologies supporting life on the colonies, and sketching out plans for a strong and prosperous future for the Weiss Guild and its people. As they left Alya, they took satisfaction both in the celebrations and in the rigor of their conversation with each other.    The latter half of 2528 saw a pair of petitions for justice to Director-General Jane Weiss. One, submitted by Queen Shannen McGee of the Lamb Clan against King Gustave Porter of the Porter Kingdom for his refusal to fulfill his obligation to assist in putting down rebellions at Tseen, was easily resolved by a fine of twenty thousand marks. The other petition, by Baron Mckale Ritter of Beta Eridani, requesting justice for the disinheritance of one of the people under his protection, would require the war with the Gilmore League to come to an end to be resolved by passing the petition to the Garrett Confederation.   As these events were coming to pass, Malachi and Geraldine Weiss had their second son, Paulus, twelve years after the birth of their firstborn, Adam. When Geraldine petitioned for permission to try for another child, Jane denied this permission, as House Weiss was growing close to the limits of what even their great wealth could support. House Weiss was, as far as Jane was aware, the largest single House in the colonies, supported by the riches of a great league under efficient management- but twenty-eight house members supported in the style befitting nobility was a burden no other House's revenues could bear.   The rebellion against the Cervantes Alliance in Saiph was brought to an inglorious conclusion at almost exactly the same time as the birth of Paulus, loyalist forces crushing the rebel Villa Federation. The fighting was savage, knocking the colony at Saiph to the very edge of viability.    Near the very end of the year of 2528, Admiral Carmen Weiss was assigned to lead the attack against Algorab that would finally achieve House Weiss's war objectives against the McCoy Dominion. With the colony isolated and cut off from support from the rest of the Gilmore League, Duke Tumo Calderon did not elect to give battle and risk the death or injury of members of his House, letting Weiss peacekeepers occupy the colony unopposed.   Director-General Jane Weiss, believing in Baron Rad Hunt's protestations of loyalty, left him the throne of Algorab, and accepted Tory Calderon, heiress of Tumo Calderon and up until that point Baron Rad Hunt's ward and student, as a hostage. This was, as it proved, an error of judgement.  Shortly after the turning of 2529, the baron defected from the Weiss Guild to the Cervantes Alliance. House Weiss remained at peace with the Cervantes Alliance, and the military strength that could be mustered from Sigma Draconis would render any effort to chance a military conquest of Algorab from the Cervantes Alliance uncertain at best. In the end, the war to seize Beta Librae and Algorab only secured one of these colonies, and little further gain could be expected from the war.  Administration's efforts to repair the damage dealt to Tseen by recent violence bore fruit in early 2529, once again restoring the extensive food storage facilities of the colony to operation. Slowly, House Weiss and its vassals were helping restore some measure of prosperity to the Weiss League.  As Emily's son Anthony reached the age of six, he was judged ready to come under the guardianship of a member of the Council, and began his education under the care of Prudence alongside the standard course of instruction all children received from tutors from the Technology department.  Jane, meanwhile, turned down a request to take on the guardianship of one of the children of the duke of the Crawford Coalition in the Shannon League, Alden Landry. Jane was already taking on the duty of care for her niece Lucy, and had no intention of disrupting the education of one of her House members, even if it might help strengthen bonds with distant Houses.  By early 2529, Harold Garcia, the elder son of Bella Garcia and Noelle Garcia, reached his majority, whereupon he was promptly commissioned as a colonel of peacekeepers in House Weiss's Military department. Although he was still a very junior officer with limited skills, it was hoped that managing peacekeeper deployments as needed while conducting periodic fleet drills would eventually help him develop his skills in military service. His commission as a colonel was trigger for a round of gossip amongst the common officers of Military, pointing out both his parents were members of House Weiss by adoption rather than by birth. Perhaps, if they showed enough merit, one of them might be elevated to the nobility- or so they speculated.    Duchess Phyllis Simpson of the Simpson Alliance, true to her resolution to bring the revolt of the Busuttil Collective to an end, personally led an assault against the Busuttil Collective's home colony of Mesarthim. Despite being cut off from reinforcements from deeper in the Collective by a revolt against their own authority, the Busuttil Collective managed to repulse this attack, at great cost to their fleet and with the aid of mercenary forces. Their hopes for retaining their independence seemed slim, though, as their resources were stretched to the breaking point by their 'victory'. Phyllis Simpson, for her part, was injured when her command frigate was struck by a missile launched by Busuttil bombers, and was forced to return to Alya for medical treatment.   Young Tory Calderon was soon released from her confinement in a House Weiss prison, as Director-General Jane Weiss had swiftly entered into negotiations for her ransom with her father. A diplomatic courier conveyed Tory safely back to the McCoy Dominion, in exchange for a payment of sixty thousand marks. Jane, for her part, would have been willing to accept almost any offer for Tory's release- although she was at war with Tory's father, she held no real ill-will towards the girl, and was happy enough to see her regain her freedom rather than languish in prison as a side-effect of the war.  Following the capture of Beta Librae, Administration had focused on rebuilding the colony, which had been devastated in the fighting. By the latter half of 2529, a local plant for assembly of flight systems for ships had been restored to service. The colony had yet to fully recover from the war, but progress was ongoing.  Diplomacy's work to establish a case for Weiss Guild rulership of Algorab also bore fruit at about this time, although, with the defection of Algorab and the strong position of the Cervantes Alliance for defending its borders, it seemed unlikely that this would be of any immediate value.  In the Garrett Confederation, Gerry Cruz, ruler of the colony at Omicron Piscium, was inspired by reports of the great ring habitat at Miaplacidus, and ordered his Administration and Technology departments to begin work on constructing their own copy. Although the bare beginnings of a framing for a section of the station were eventually produced, the project foundered on colonial architects lacking the experience or knowledge base to build at such a scale, with structural failures plaguing even the small portion of the work that was done. This failed endeavor served largely as an unproductive sink of resources, and made Gerry Cruz the laughingstock of the colonies. As House Weiss observed the failures of this attempt to replicate the wonders of the pre-Collapse era, it once again raised the question- was the terraforming project that House Weiss had set its aims upon achievable? Would pursuing this ambition do nothing but replicate the contemptible failures of Gerry Cruz on a vaster scale, exposing the House to ridicule and dissipating its resources fruitlessly?    As Lucy Weiss came of age in the latter part of 2529, she was promptly married to Harold Garcia, binding the Garcias by marriage into House Weiss while before they were merely bound by adoption. Noelle and Bella's descendants, from this point on, would be born with the blood of ancient nobility, with no question as to their right to their position. As Harold was marrying into House Weiss, he took on the name Weiss.      Near the end of the year, Lovie Lindsey, duchess of the Lindsey Coalition and archon of the Lindsey League, died at the relatively young age of 48, leaving her throne to her daughter, Juliet, who had only just celebrated her majority. In the feast for Juliet's coronation, Jane Weiss was invited, as a powerful neighboring ruler, and Jane set Oriole as her champion in the tournament held in the ceremonies. Although Oriole fought brilliantly and made her way to the final match of the tournament, Duff O'Neal, the admiral for the O'Neal Coalition, managed to outmaneuver her and win the honor as champion. Still, Oriole's fine showing won her respect, and reflected glory upon House Weiss.   Although Jane and her wife Mariko generally got along very well in a marriage that was widely taken as a model of mutual love and loyalty, there were still, on occasion, frictions between the two. One of these raised their head during the feast, when Jane forgot herself and began to enthuse about the engineering details from the reports being submitted from Administration to Mariko, leading Mariko to gently inform Jane that they could talk later when Jane was being less tedious. Although Jane was saddened by this, she soon was distracted by a new conversation during the post-feast ball and reception.  Duchess Nomlanga O'Neal of the O'Neal Coalition, although unsteady from the amount she had had to drink, was nonetheless lucid enough in conversation, rapidly falling into a discussion of the importance of justice and honor with Jane. Nomlanga's colony of Giedi had been struggling with heavy crime, which she had slowly begun to bring under control, but nonetheless provided plentiful material for the executioner's labor. During one execution, where a serf found guilty of murder was to be airlocked, the serf, despite his sentence, called out a warning that the inner wall of the airlock had, since its last usage, developed a crack that would leave it no longer airtight, endangering everybody present. Once this was confirmed, Nomlanga found she had no choice but to mitigate the murderer's sentence, in recognition of the great debt she now owed him, instead simply sentencing him to years of difficult labor in the mines. Jane nodded, recognising Nomlanga's sense of honor, and the two parted with good will towards one another.  By the time the guests to the feast at Edasich made their way to their own colonies, they were largely in fine spirits, as the tournament, feast, coronation, and ball proved a fine entertainment worthy of their time.  During the feast, Juliet Lindsey took the time to arrange a private diplomatic conversation with Saxen Anderson, archon of the Anderson League. In exchange for a truly vast payment of viridium money, bulk metal, packaged grain stores, medicines, shuttles, transports, and machine parts, with an estimated total value of three hundred twenty thousand marks of money, Saxen Anderson agreed to release the O'Neal Coalition from the Anderson League, passing its oath of vassalage to the Lindsey League. In a stroke of the pen, the newly-crowned sixteen-year-old over doubled the territory of her league. Although the Anderson League was greatly diminished by this agreement, such a treasure might be sufficient to help strengthen the colonies that remained in its control.  House Weiss Administration had been steadily working to formalise and legimitimse the tax system whereby revenues were collected from colonies in the Weiss Guild and from member states of the Weiss League, and, by late 2529, Executive Director Thomas Weiss believed that the tax code was essentially in a finished state. Although immediate benefits were limited- consent to House Weiss taxation was fairly high in the first place due to House Weiss policies of light taxation on its vassals- nonetheless this helped lay the groundwork for smoother commerce between colonies of the Guild and member states of the league, with predictable taxation and duties providing fewer barriers to independent traders. The benefit of this bloodline perk is fairly limited as things stand, but it's needed to get further along the Merchants and Administrators upgrade path.  Even as Administration was finalising the Guild's tax code, Military reported an unusual find. As fleet exercises were conducted in the uninhabited system of Sadalbari between Alsciaukat and Nashira, one of the interceptor squadrons stumbled across a derelict station concealed in the asteroid belt, long cold and dead. As no colony was on record there, this raised many questions- was Sadalbari the site of a colony lost during the Collapse? Technology Director Prudence Weiss and her department were eager to follow up on the discovery, which Director-General Jane Weiss readily granted approval for.    More thorough examination of the asteroid belt by an expedition from Technology soon proved that Sadalbari's asteroid belt was riddled with ancient installations- a full-scale colony, long lost. Unfortunately, the bulk of the installations had suffered absolutely catastrophic damage, with evidence of large-scale deployment of fission weapons targeting inhabited installations. Little was recoverable from most of the colony. The first station discovered, however, was still largely intact- a refining and manufacturing plant dedicated to large-scale production of plastic products from base hydrocarbon feedstock, easily provided by gasses and ices mined from some celestial bodies. Given the versatility and utility of plastics and the relatively inefficient workshop production methods currently in use in most colonies, the factory station and its contents could prove of great value to whoever recovered them.    Rather than simply stripping the station for any portable equipment of value- a project that would be relatively simple and profitable- Jane took her sister's assessment that the station might be intact enough for towing in and through the starlane network, eventually to be shifted to Vega itself. Rebecca Weiss was set as project manager overseeing the towing, an endeavor that would require extended supply lines into a desolate system, the hire of tugs from multiple colonies, and long and difficult labor hauling a find of this size- expenses which rapidly added up to around sixty thousand marks. Rebecca, nonetheless, was confident that she could report success in time, and was left to oversee the towing.  As 2530 opened, half a year after the restoration of the ship component factory at Beta Librae, Thomas Weiss finished the repairs to the retrofitting platform there, suitable for repairs and refits to ships. By this time, Beta Librae was largely recovered from the damage of the war, although its poverty even before the war meant that much remained for repairs in the colony.  Admiral Carmen Weiss, who had caught what had seemed a relatively minor respiratory infection in 2529, eventually recovered by the beginning of 2530. The disease had rapidly progressed from its initially innocuous beginnings, leaving Carmen's lungs ravaged and her health permanently weakened even after her recovery, despite the best efforts of Medical.      Phyllis Simpson, archon of the Simpson League, launched a second attack against Mesarthim in early 2530, seeking to crush the rebellious Busuttil Collective. She entrusted the leadership of this attack to one of her underlings, as she had only recently recovered from her injuries from the attack a year earlier. Coordinator Paisley Busuttil, whose funds had been largely depleted gathering mercenaries for the last defense of his colony, nonetheless was able to muster a small mercenary force to reinforce his defense, but this was not enough to prevent the near-annihilation of the rebel defenders. With Mesarthim under control of House Simpson, Phyllis Simpson deposed Paisley Busuttil and appointed her own husband as ruler of the colony. With the Busuttil Collective's leadership lost, the state collapsed into a series of independent colonies. Although they were yet to be brought under the Simpson League's authority, nonetheless House Simpson was confident that these disorganised colonies would soon be convinced to join in the league they had been pulled from when their master rebelled.  Director-General Jane Weiss turned down another request by King Gustave Porter for control of the colony of Ross 128. The colony was now Weiss Guild territory, and Jane saw no need to reorganise internal borders at this time.  Executive Director Thomas Weiss had long been cultivating Terry Winters, one of his officers, as a protégé, with some hope that he would eventually make a valuable addition to House Weiss, adopted for his service. A fluke micrometeorite impact on Terry's shuttle as he was heading back from Beta Librae to deliver a report on the progress on the restoration of an old lab facility in the colony penetrated the hull, and, although the damage could have been patched before shuttle pressure loss, the fact that the micrometeorite ripped through the shuttle like a rifle round and passed through him was not something he could survive. Alas for Terry. So it often goes for protégés before they can be promoted to full House members.   Phyllis Simpson, in her role as archon of the Simpson League, approached Director-General Jane Weiss with a request for justice against Acting Baroness Kai Lindsey of Alhena. Following a rebellion two years ago by Lady Coral Stuart, Kai Lindsey had Coral Stuart vented from an airlock- a punishment considered grossly disproportionate to a rebellion by a kinswoman pressing a stronger claim and effectively little more than simple murder. Coral Stuart's former husband, Sheadon Stuart, petitioned for aid to Colonial Governor Taffy Ritter, and the petition for justice passed up the chain of feudal fealty until it reached Phyllis Simpson, who could then demand justice from Kai Lindsey's master on even terms. Jane, wishing to avoid provoking Kai Lindsey to revolt but hoping to resolve the petition for justice, ultimately fined Kai Lindsey a total of sixty thousand marks as a penalty for her crime, satisfying the demands of justice. The Weiss Guild and Weiss League, early 2530   House Weiss has continued to maintain the very high efficiency of its various departments, especially Administration, Technology, and Diplomacy. With the rush of supply from the war with the Gilmore League having fallen off and the need to attend to maintenance deferred while maintaining maximised output at Vega's scrap planets, the added revenue from the scrap processing at Vega seems likely to dry up within the year. With Harold and Lucy now adults, they have been granted positions in Military and Diplomacy, serving by their efforts to uphold the strength of House Weiss.  Director-General Jane Weiss has recently celebrated both her 55th birthday and her 30th year of rule as the Director-General of the Weiss Guild. Her studies have continued to cultivate her abilities as a military commander, although her primary skills remain her superb abilities as an administrator and technologist, and her remarkable abilities as a diplomat. She is delighted with the overall course of events, even despite the recent setback at Algorab. Now that Salome Weiss is six years old, Jane has taken her on as her ward, providing the best education possible to the next generation in the line of inheritance for the Directorship-General.  Executive Director Thomas Weiss, although generally in good spirits, has nonetheless been struck by the death of his protégé, leaving him relatively subdued. He has taken the introduction of tax code reforms as a major accomplishment, while other portions of his attention have been focused on the education of his grandson by Emily, Liberty Weiss. He is currently working on overseeing the restoration of a laboratory in Beta Librae, helping stabilise the economic situation there.   Admiral Carmen Weiss is in generally good spirits, although her health is growing progressively more fragile over time. She may have years of service as the admiral ahead of her, but this has grown increasingly uncertain. As well as overseeing House Weiss's military forces as a whole, she has been directing a major of peacekeepers to oversee a peacekeeping deployment at Marfik, struggling against the unrest created by a rattle lung quarantine, as well as educating Malachi's son Adam Weiss.  Diplomacy Director Mariko Weiss has, herself, been in good spirits, even in the course of the war. She has overseen the Weiss Guild's diplomatic efforts overall, as well as leading an effort to re-establish lines of communication with Tumo Calderon of the McCoy Dominion so that peace with the Gilmore League can be restored. She has just taken on the responsibility of taking Allen and Vanida's six-year-old son George as a ward.  Commissioner Oriole Weiss has been pleased to once more be permitted to compete in tournaments, despite not recently claiming a victory. She has been overseeing the Security department, maintaining personal protection details for Jane, and handling the education of her and Thomas' youngest daughter, Anna. She had made relatively rapid progress in military affairs using resources provided by Prudence, which hopefully shall improve her odds in future tournaments.  Technology Director Prudence Weiss has overseen yet another discovery from the distant past, one that seems likely to be of great value to House Weiss. She continues to nurture an unrequited love for her husband, while overseeing the Technology department, Oriole's studies, and the education of Emily's son Anthony.  Rebecca Weiss is delighted that Ilario's work keeps her beloved husband close, although her daughter is now spending her time at Vega with Jane. She has resigned herself to the idea that she and Ilario will likely never have another child, although she continues to try for one. She is currently overseeing the towing of the factory station from Sadalbari, a project she estimates is within half a year of completion. She has shown some improvement in administrative abilities, and rather rapid development of her (admittedly still somewhat limited) military abilities, between her work and her studies.  Romeo Weiss has continued in his position overseeing taxation and logistics from the Lamb Clan, steadily ensuring a stream of revenue for the Weiss Guild. His elder sister Devon is now 63, making it likely that he shall soon inherit her position as Colonial Director of Ross 128.  Noelle Garcia has continued in his position as senior investigator for Security at Vega, hunting down any evidence of crime in the colony. His work now is largely routine police work at a colony grown peaceful, as well as monitoring noble guests to the colony. With the marriage of his son Harold, he is now kin to the whole Weiss family.  Ilario Weiss has continued travelling with Rebecca, helping provide material to her to help her develop her military skills. Being with her while she has worked to tow the Sadalbari factory station has allowed him time to examine the devastated ruins of Sadalbari, which, although hardly recoverable, are of some historical interest.  Malachi has continued in his role of helping ensure steady revenues from Rotanev, one of the most productive colonies of the Weiss Guild. The elder of his sons, Adam, is now 13, rapidly approaching his majority, while the younger, Paulus, is still only 1.  Leslie Weiss's sister, Natalia Porter, died at the age of 52, leaving him dispirited and listless. Despite his mourning, he continues to oversee a peacekeeper deployment to Beta Librae as a colonel of peacekeepers, where he has rapidly restored order in the colony. Perhaps soon he and his peacekeeper force will be redeployed to another trouble spot.  Geraldine Weiss has been focused on clamping down on unrest in Merope with her peacekeeper deployment, while continuing to participate in periodic fleet exercises in the hopes of outdoing Admiral Carmen Weiss. Geraldine has her eyes on being the next Admiral for the Weiss Guild, and has bent all her efforts on honing her skills.  Harold Garcia, now Harold Weiss, has been granted a commission as a colonel of peacekeepers and had a force mustered to help maintain order in Tseen, an assignment expected to be relatively long-term. His military skills are, at the moment, decidedly limited, as might be expected of someone still only 17. He and Lucy are expecting their first child- Lucy fell pregnant almost immediately after their marriage. He is well-regarded as a brave man with a strong sense of honor, while being approachable enough by the commons to be quite accessible to the troops. He is popular amongst his men, even if his actual military skills thus far are limited. Harold is Brave, Honorable, and Humble.  Lucy Weiss is now the newest noble ambassador in Diplomacy, for now assigned to see if a mission to sway the attitude of Rad Hunt of Algorab might encourage him to foreswear his new allegiance to the Cervantes Alliance and join with the Weiss Guild. Her preliminary findings have been, thus far, somewhat discouraging- perhaps the Weiss Guild might regain Algorab, but Lucy sees the immediate chances of this as limited. She is pregnant with her first child, concieved shortly after her marriage to Harold once she reached her majority. She is generally considered charming and clever with her words, but nonetheless has a reputation for basic honesty that makes her easy to trust, a fact which helps offset her thus far limited experience as a diplomat. Lucy is Charming, Honorable, and Individualistic.  Keir Weiss has quietly been honing his skills as a diplomat as he has continued to ensure strong relations between the Weiss Guild and Shannon Collective. Despite the relative vulnerability of the Weiss League on its border with the Shannon League, it seems that there is little danger of relations breaking down there- the border secured by friendship and diplomacy, rather than by strength.  Vanida Weiss has seen immense development as a Security agent over the past two years, as her husband Allen spent much of that time providing research materials for her while she continued to track down information in distant Alathfar. Still, what precisely she is accomplishing there remains somewhat obscure.  Allen Weiss has recently been shifted back from helping his wife develop her skills as a Security agent to resuming Rebecca's technological education. Although still the least skilled of the House Weiss members assigned to Technology, he has what are considered quite respectable skills overall.  Emily Weiss remains a deeply accomplished technologist, staying with the Director-General to ensure the Director-General's continued development as a military leader. There has been preliminary talk of having her daughter Anna marry Jayne, the younger Garcia boy, when both are of age.  The Lindsey League is newly risen to be one of the greater powers of the colonies, while the Simpson League has resolved its civil war. The Wang League is newly dominated by the Calderon Guild, following Fondea Wang's dissolution of the Wang Confederation given her unpopularity and weakness as a leader. The Weiss Guild has gained no territory over the past two years, but, at this point, the war is likely to settle to a stalemate, with attacks on any portion of the border too costly and chancy to wager on either side. The Anderson League, once widely-respected, has shrunk to relative obscurity. With God's help, the Weiss Guild may enjoy strength and prosperity in coming years, although the steady aging of Jane and her siblings begins to raise the questions of a transition to a new generation of leadership. How the Guild and the League shall fare will only be made clear with the passage of time. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 06:06 on May 17, 2023 |
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May 16, 2023 23:00
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Now that we have Justified Taxation, I'll take votes on our next bloodline perk. Blood and Gold would see the first benefits of helping to make the Guild a more welcoming place for independent travelers and an establishment of a solid relationship with freeman contractors- cheaper mercenaries, when needed. Beloved By the People would cement the popularity our reforms have gained us amongst the serfs and freemen of Vega, ensuring that Vega is very stable indeed, with House Weiss widely recognised as the benefactors of the people. Technologists Bloodline would give us a straightforward +10 House Technology score boost, as we gather more lore of the past and gain a greater understanding of the lost principles of pre-Collapse technology. System Leaders would solidify our relations with the remaining minor Houses of Vega, ensuring we have no trouble from them in the future.
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May 16, 2023 23:07
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God, everyone is so old now. I vote Technologists Bloodline
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May 16, 2023 23:24
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dervinosdoom posted:God, everyone is so old now. Yeah, we've gone from the fresh young upstart siblings with their spouses to a sprawling family line after thirty years of rule, and that starting generation is really feeling those thirty years. But hey, there are two more generations after them to carry things on!
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May 17, 2023 00:23
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We're already extremely popular in Vega, so no real need (to me) to increase it. We seem to have fairly stable relations with most of our minor nobles (loss of colony not included)... We don't use mercenaries that much so not sure there's a ton of extra currency to be gained from that So that leaves Technologist
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May 17, 2023 02:43
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We need Blood and Gold in order to open our Intergalactic Markets. Its primary worth is as the final prerequisite for that. Finishing the Administration tree is our #1 priority, because it provides easily the single most powerful benefit in the game (our capital generates, and our other colonies will thereafter have a percentage chance per-turn of generating themselves, a building that grants +1 base wealth to every colony within six jumps. Just the initial one will be a significant increase to our income, but once they start turning up in other colonies, we're going to snowball out of control. I've gone over the math a few times already in the thread, so feel free to refer back to my previous posts on the topic. Director-Heir Thomas Weiss posted:As has happened so often, personal tragedy must take a backseat to deal with professional tragedy. Having the rug pulled out from us at Algorab was... unpleasant, to say the least. However, things are otherwise going smoothly. Revenue is down slightly, due to the Lamb Clan's lower tax policy, and will likely continue downward somewhat as various temporary policies expire. That said, recent developments present us with an opportunity. As we well know, two can play at the "buying vassals' loyalty" game, and it so happens that my revisions to the tax code can help us do just that. Audio Diary of Malachi Weiss posted:Finally, that bothersome thorn in my side has been removed! They were poised to swoop in and steal my rightful place as successor to the throne of the administration department! Always by uncle's side, diligently taking notes, as scrupulous and efficient as the old man himself. Amazing, though, that it was so cheap to arrange that little "shuttle accident". And not a single member of the council is any the wiser! They all blame a stray micrometeor, when it was I- Malachi Weiss!- who turned the vile little interloper into so much space dust! And I'd do it again, to any who would dare attempt to keep me from my birthright! EclecticTastes fucked around with this message at 05:48 on May 17, 2023 |
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May 17, 2023 05:45
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Edited the update with Terry's name. And yes, Blood and Gold will be handy to lead to the final Merchants and Administrators perk.
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May 17, 2023 06:07
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Director-General Jane Weiss posted:I believe a temporary tax increase for the purposes of such a diplomatic push could be managed. I think the loyalty of our vassals will be able to stand that, and a peaceful expansion of our territory is something we cannot underestimate the value of. That said, Thomas, I assume you're looking to prioritise repair of the new factory when it's towed in, and the Miaplacidus habitat? Any other installations you're thinking of restoration work on?
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May 17, 2023 06:18
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Thank you for the Diplomacy update report.Diplomacy Director Mariko Weiss posted:
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May 17, 2023 07:05
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Director-General Jane Weiss posted:Do you have any thoughts on overall diplomatic strategy, Mariko? Do you support this plan of trying to make a territorial purchase? Do you think any of Diplomacy's ambassadors should be reassigned?
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May 17, 2023 07:44
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Director-Heir Thomas Weiss posted:Yes, make sure to earmark all necessary funds for special projects. Such investments, when we don't try to turn them into state secrets, have generally paid significant dividends. If a single year of increased taxes is insufficient for our needs regarding the Cervantes Guild, by the way, it can be extended quarterly up to a second full year, though I'd prefer this be avoided, to keep our vassals placid.
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May 17, 2023 07:51
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Besides the obvious benefit of the final perk, Blood and Gold lets us pay others to do the dying in place of our own people.
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May 17, 2023 15:47
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Diplomacy Director Mariko Weiss posted:While money is a useful tool in diplomacy and I am always going to prefer using it to military force, I hesitate demanding more of it from our people and vassals, so soon after a war. Perhaps in the future, but I am unsure if the economics and politics of it would prove beneficial now.
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May 17, 2023 17:49
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The idea of handing out sparkly stickers to the administrators of colonies that fixed all their facilities, and it's done in a ceremony treated with great dignity and gravitas, because That's What The Ancients Did, and the fact that it was done for small children is lost to time, is absolutely precious.  I have no input on much of anything else at this time, except for the obvious "sure would be a shame if that guy you allowed to keep the throne who then thanked you by immediately defecting accidentally fell into a pile of KNIFE GRENADES" thing.
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May 17, 2023 19:02
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Doctor Prudence Weiss posted:Let me begin by saying that while it might look like it, this discovery of an advanced polymer factory, and your decision to tow it to Vega Jane, is far more important than I believe many of you realise. Groetgaffel fucked around with this message at 02:50 on May 18, 2023 |
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May 18, 2023 01:32
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Director-General Jane Weiss posted:I would be more comfortable advancing Rebecca's technological education rather than her security education for now, if you'd be willing to consider it, Prudence. And I do understand the importance of preserving the knowledge of the past, but, at this point, I do think focusing on helping make our space more welcoming for travelers and traders could potentially be of immense value. Jane votes for Blood and Gold. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 02:12 on May 18, 2023 |
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May 18, 2023 01:48
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Doctor Prudence Weiss posted:You know me Jane, it's already a fight against my instincts to not proselytize about technology. I'll gladly have Illario pick up her Technology lessons.
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May 18, 2023 01:53
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Have been convinced, switching vote to Blood and Gold So please note me as changed vote
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May 18, 2023 02:51
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I want to say, although I'm not vetoing the assassination by Malachi of the protege, doing a crime like that with no reflection in the game mechanics so it's impossible to discover is sort of awkward for other people writing. Our Senior Investigator will have to never find the evidence, because I'll never get the standing to punish Malachi for murder. Just a thing to keep in mind for future crimes.
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May 18, 2023 04:51
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I’d like to vote for Blood and Gold. Markets sound fun.
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May 18, 2023 08:40
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I give you the sparkly stickers in question: Clearly they need to be a Weiss Guild symbol, after all!
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May 18, 2023 09:05
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Noelle votes for Blood and Gold
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May 18, 2023 18:27
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nweismuller posted:
Commissioner Oriole Weiss posted:Happy as always to take the tournament risks on to protect the rest of our House. Better to go out with one's boots on showing Weiss grit all the way.
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May 18, 2023 20:03
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nweismuller posted:I want to say, although I'm not vetoing the assassination by Malachi of the protege, doing a crime like that with no reflection in the game mechanics so it's impossible to discover is sort of awkward for other people writing. Our Senior Investigator will have to never find the evidence, because I'll never get the standing to punish Malachi for murder. Just a thing to keep in mind for future crimes. Sorry, didn't mean to step on any toes, but the setup seemed almost too perfect. In all my years of watching/reading/playing sci-fi, I've yet to see a shuttlecraft "accident" that *wasn't* a murder of some kind, and it just so happened to affect a person that Malachi would view as a threat. Director-Heir Thomas Weiss posted:I'm sorry, Pru, but I've already fast-tracked most of the hospitals in the guild as favors to yourself and Illario. I appreciate your desire to have them all finished, but as you said, all these last hospitals add is redundancy to a system that already handles our healthcare needs. Moreover, our vassals are more than capable of conducting their own repairs, should they decide the hospitals are necessary.
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May 18, 2023 20:08
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Doctor Prudence Weiss posted:Yes, your notes are correct Thomas.
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May 18, 2023 21:18
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Still hoping to hear from Ilario and Polly before I play through the next update. I'll make final calls on what I do once I hear from them.
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May 22, 2023 06:08
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While it's Carmen that has the ravaged lungs in game. It seems to be Ilario's player that has them in real life. I exaggerate, but I've been sick.
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May 23, 2023 05:43
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Penny AI internal processes snapshot posted:-reviewing archived file- Penny the friendly AI posted:I want to voice my support for Thomas's plan to raise funds for the purchase of Saiph. This is a chance not only to advance our objectives without violence and bloodshed, but also for something more. Saiph is at the edge of survivability and if nothing stops it the next time violence erupts it will be like the loss of Homam all over again. We can't let that happen, not when we can do something! I know the increased taxes will be a burden, but for the sake of all those people I know we can find the strength to bear it. We can be the ones to make the difference, to create the hope for tomorrow! I know we can do it! Penny supports the plan to raise money and purchase Saiph. She also supports Blood and Gold.
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May 25, 2023 04:47
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Ilario Weiss examining Carmen Weiss posted:Sadly, there comes a time when medicine can no longer help. At a certain point, the body stops regenerating, and all we can do is slow down the ravages of age and disease. Short of a miracle, I might advise getting you affairs in order and making your conscience right with God." Ilario Weiss standing at the observation deck with Rebecca posted:It looks so impressive. To think that we have the power to organize all of these tugs from across the entire Weiss League just to tow an abandoned plastics factory to the capitol.
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May 26, 2023 07:47
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Am I missing something, or isn't it a little odd how the game is set up to give you judgement scenarios where one (or multiple) parties involved are "unknown"? Like, wouldn't the presenting of a case and the facts therein presuppose you at least being informed of who the people are? "I must go to my liege and request justice for the crimes of Jonas!" "Wait, my liege has never heard of Jonas before..." "My liege, please grant me justice for the crimes perpetrated by a person you do not know and who I cannot name!"
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May 26, 2023 10:35
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KazigluBey posted:Am I missing something, or isn't it a little odd how the game is set up to give you judgement scenarios where one (or multiple) parties involved are "unknown"? Like, wouldn't the presenting of a case and the facts therein presuppose you at least being informed of who the people are? I think we have to assume in those cases we're accepting the fact-finding of the previous nobles in the chain. Mechanically, we can be assured those justice requests are based on valid grievances.
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May 26, 2023 15:46
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The funeral was a quiet affair, with all of House Weiss sober and subdued. He had been well-liked and respected in the House, if not always appreciated outside it, and none had expected him to pass so soon- but sudden heart failure remained, at times, a risk to all. Although the colonies had little space for the dead, still the nobility maintained their ossuary shelves where the dead of the House would have their skulls rest in perpetuity, and the funeral was finally held when the skull was prepared and ready to be placed on its shelf, there to join the past generations of House Weiss. Jane's words were almost a whisper. "Farewell, little brother. May God receive you into glory." SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI Thomas Weiss 2477-2531
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May 27, 2023 15:56
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It was my birthday this week. 
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May 27, 2023 18:52
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EclecticTastes posted:It was my birthday this week. I hope you had a good one! Unfortunately, we just got that 'you need to do CPR' event, and had poor luck on the outcome despite trying to help.
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May 28, 2023 08:16
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| # ? May 31, 2024 05:48 |
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I'm leaving to assist the Gilmore Guild.  I kid. I knew this would happen eventually, but I was hoping it would be a little more distant. Guess Thomas probably felt the same way. Ah, well, guess there's naught to do but attend to the survivors. Audio Diary of Malachi Weiss posted:drat it all to to the fiery pits of Hell!
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May 28, 2023 08:45
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