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habeasdorkus posted:When have Goons ever decided to try and smother Revolution? I, for one, look forward to a Great Society, where freedom from Want of More Drugs has been achieved. Not intentionally. But goon-voting to results no one wanted is a proud tradition of Paradox LPs
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Sep 4, 2023 03:21
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habeasdorkus posted:When have Goons ever decided to try and smother Revolution? I, for one, look forward to a Great Society, where freedom from Want of More Drugs has been achieved.
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Sep 4, 2023 03:21
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Plutonis posted:Why would a guy called "The All-Powerful" write a book against social inequalities? It's an issue in translation; it's a Gaz phrase meaning "all are powerful," clearly.
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Sep 4, 2023 09:27
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Vote Results We'll be getting a bit revolutionary. 
Sybot fucked around with this message at 15:00 on Sep 5, 2023 |
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Sep 5, 2023 14:53
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Chapter Twenty: The Burning Ocean 1728-1733 Threedecker Crushing Wave, off the coast of Istralore in the Divenhal Sea, 1731 The ship rocked gently with the waves, only the occasional roar and judder as a cannon fired every few minutes. This was no battle, but a mere shooting gallery of any Cannorians foolish enough to attempt to run the blockage. Orders were to stand off and avoid engaging the coastal defences, which disappointed so many of crew whose only hope at actually benefiting from this long, dragged-out campaign would be to pillage something from the landlubbers. Or, there was another way they could benefit. It had been a long, dangerous, process to smuggle revolutionary pamphlets from their secret printers in Vanburia and Haraf all the way to Viakkoc where the Cannor Fleets were stationed, but Kaxac had managed it. He was one of many who had been swayed, having suffered for so long under the harsh and unforgiving rule of the captains. An early attempt to break into the officer's stash of Demon's Blood and gather some insight from the host had gone disastrously, and many of his compatriots had been strung up in front of the cannons, but Kaxac had avoided capture. Now he hid among the other sailors, who grumbled and complained but did what the Gnoll holding the lash told them to. Their share of treasure lay in the upper decks, in the captains' residence in Deshak, in the coffers of the dwarven bankers, if only they had the courage to take up arms. It was lucky then, that he had another source of bodies for the fight. The gunnery slaves had nothing left to lose. A short life of work, or a chance of freedom. That was why he had volunteered as a slavedriver. He passed down portions of his Demon's Blood ration to the slaves under his watch, made sure their chains were loosened and the lash was spared, and used slaves as runners across the ship to his fellow hidden revolutionaries. "Boss," one of the slaves called out, as Kaxac patrolled his section of the upper cannon deck. A few beady eyes turned to Kaxac, so he lashed out with the whip, striking the wood beside the slave in a rehearsed motion. The faked cry of the slave was enough to satisfy those who enjoyed their position of dominance, and their attention fell away. "Don't speak unless I order it!" Kaxac shouted, delivering another fake lashing, before leaning in to hear the Human's report. "Ship with the colours you said to watch out for," the slave said, pointing out of the gun port. Out on the water was a frigate flying the Mykxic flag, sailing along the blockade line and engaging in a bit of semaphoric communication with the vessels of the fleet. Kaxac couldn't say that he understood that, but he could see the colours among the pennants trailing of the stern of the ship. Green, brown and orange, broken up by other colours but in that distinct order. Demon's Blood and flame consuming the land, or perhaps consuming the furred Gnollish body. Either way, that was a Revolutionary vessel almost openly wearing its colours. They hadn't had word from Graxilzin in a while, had something happened back home? Feeling his heart begin to race, Kaxac dipped into his belt and took out the one pouch of powder he had left, the one that was left over from the disastrous raid on the officers. With a sniff, his mind cleared and sharpened, and the air filled with rising fumes that gave off a scent he had never smelt before in this world. All around him, his slaves looked to him, and their looks smelled of loyalty and desperation. Across the rest of the deck, anger and fear perfumed the air, tempting and delicious as Xhazob would want. Soon though, it wouldn't be the slaves who were fearing. Out on the sea, a cloud of white burst from the surface of the frigate. A massive flock of birds had been released, and they began to disperse among the fleet. A signal, or just a mass-message? As if following his unsure scent, a pigeon flew right into the gunport he was peering through, and cooed at him. Reaching out, he took it in his hands. It would make a good meal, but there was no time for food. Wrapped around its leg was a simple message, which he unfurled to read. 'The Scourgemother has fallen. Long live the Bloodflame Revolution!' "Long live the Bloodflame Revolution!" he cried out, again getting all eyes on the deck focused on him. The scent of danger filled the air, and Kaxac reached out let a lashing whip wrap around his arm, the pain sublimating into a sharp scent that hit the top of his sinuses. He yanked on it, and the slavedriver who'd attacked him stumbled forward, where she was immediately set upon by his slaves who had worked their way out of their chains. Though she fought back, her claws gutting at least two unfortunate slaves, her skull soon gave way to their battering fists and shackles. Kaxac faced down the other slavedrivers, as cries rang out from the decks below them and the decks above them. "Join the Revolution, join a new world," he said to them. --- None of the slavedrivers had done so. No doubt they knew the slaves would sooner tear them apart than fight alongside them, so they had fought to their last breath. With the cannon decks liberated, Kaxac had surged up to the top deck to link up with the revolutionary sailors, who were still engaged with the loyalist crew. "That's enough!" Admiral Yeena, commander of the Cannor Fleet, shouted from atop the aft castle, her most loyal and strongest warriors driving off anyone who tried to climb the steps up to dethrone her. Kaxac had no idea she was even on board. A wave of warm air, reeking of authority, washed over the deck and for a moment the fighting ceased. The loyalists took the moment to scramble and regroup with their commander, while the freed slaves and mutinous sailors looked at each other with caution. Screams, shouts and explosions still echoed in the distance as other ships within the fleet fought their own battles. Kaxac could smell the anger blooming between them. The average sailor barely treated slaves any better than the slavedrivers who they had just torn to pieces below deck, so the revolutionary moment might in on itself if that anger bubbled over. He had to redirect them back onto their real target, before it was too late. "Admiral! The Revolution is here!" he called out, stepping forward among the rest of the revolutionaries to face down the loyalists. "I can plainly see that," she replied, "but we are at war. If you continue, whoever wins will be weak enough the enemy may be able to finish them off." "Then join us!" he said, "open up your supplies of Demon's Blood to the crew, give us a fair share of the loot, and treat the slaves like any one of us!" "If it will save us from tearing ourselves apart, so be it," the Admiral said. Beside her, the ship's captain was vigorously complaining, but a gesture from her had him restrained by his own crew and let her continue. "The ocean is unforgiving. A ship cannot be turned against itself. We will cooperate, survive this battle, and if we return home to find your Revolution smothered, you will face the Scourgemother's justice." In the distance, Kaxac spotted tall sails mustering in one of the Istralorian harbours. They must have noticed the chaos engulfing the blockade. If they set sail now, they could roll up the entire Cannor Fleet. He stared down the Admiral. "And if we find that we've won, you'll answer to the people's justice." She nodded, and an uneasy calm settled over the ship. A few crew began to raise flags to signal the rest of the fleet that a truce was in place between the two sides, though it was likely many ships were decisively under control of one side or the other already. After so much bloodshed, it seemed impossible that that the two sides would ever trust each other again. Perhaps they never would truly trust each other until the question hanging over everything had been answered. Just what had happened on the other side of the ocean? Excerpts from the writings of Khusa, Bloodflame Revolutionary  Revolts continue across the Ruined Sea, and while the marines are always quick to put them down each one wears on the Scourgemother's support. The most loyal and fanatical supporters are the first into battle and the first to die, while those who survive turn to Demon's Blood to take the edge off the slaughter, and our quieter supporters are positioned to whisper in their ears.  Despite the brewing disaster, our rulers pay no heed to us. With the conquest of Haraf, all of Aelantir is open to Demon's Blood, and the Blood Bringers are already raking in profits selling the cheapest and weakest mixtures to the masses. Such a waste, to focus merely on gaining addicted permanent customers, when we could be doing so much more.  The Scourgemother proclaims that Haless should be our next great goal, and word has gone out that she is assembling a fleet and an army to seize a foothold in this untouched continent. The Yanshen Coalition is a bastion of free thought that can only become greater if we can introduce Demon's Blood to it, but her goal is subjugation and forcing open markets in the name of profit and destruction.  Cannor too, is just another source of gold. Whether pillaging, pirating, or selling powder, the technology and philosophies of Cannor are thrown into a pyre with each burning city or sunk vessel. The penultimate missions of the Mykx mission tree finally take us abroad, though we have concerns closer to home at the moment.  Revolution is a tricky prospect. So many give their blood and their lives in futile struggle, but it has to be done. The Demon's Blood ports, like Ormam in Kheionai, are filled with those who sought their fortune as merchant and smugglers but were crushed by the weight of the Blood Bringers monopoly. However, if we can cut off the head of the serpent and prevent a marine response, then we have enough people in each port to throw them down from their high perches and ensure the distribution of powder can continue even through the upheaval.  So arrogant is the Scourgemother, that she has diverted most of the army and half the marines to a pointless expansion of Spearscourge territory. The intervention of Cannor has also drawn away much of the fleet, as they need to keep Istralore from being able to reinforce their subject. There will not be a better time for this.  Xhazob's words have been comforting in these past few years of making ready and suffering defeats. The host is on our side, the Scourgemother has gotten too comfortable in her wealth, Demon's Blood gives us the strength and cunning to seize the day, and the world is ready for transformation under the brilliant green eyes shining from the depths of the Pits.  So, I join those marines loyal to the Revolution and we make our way to Ilzin Mykx. This will be the beginning of a new era!  Victory for the people! I sit with the other leaders and thinkers of the Bloodflame Revolution in the Scourgemother's palace in the Inner District. An upswelling of freed slaves and revolutionary marines are sweeping the city, rooting out the Blood Bringer bosses, the high priests of the Kult, and any others who still claim loyalty to the Scourgemother. The word has gone out, and uprisings are breaking out across the Scourge Empire. The Scourge Fleet and West Fleet have declared for the revolution, their tyrannical captains keelhauled and committees established by the crew. The status of the Gate Fleet and First and Second Cannor Fleets is unknown, but they are still engaged in the war with Istralore, so are unlikely to oppose us. As for the Scourgemother herself, a hasty pyre was constructed in the plaza outside her palace, and she was offered up to Xhazob in a ritual cleansing of the authoritarian monster that our nation had become. We, of the Committee for Public Safety, partook in her finest powder as we watched her soul descend into his clutches. Now, we need to decide amongst ourselves what our nation looks like.  Guiz will be made the first Bloodflame Consul, charged with the defence of the Revolution and overseeing the transition to mass-consumptiuon of Demon's Blood. She was a minor pirate captain with experience fighting in the wars with Lorent, so she should be best positioned to win over the remaining portions of the Fleet, end the current war, and deal with any counterattack by loyalists.  The loyalists have massed on Endralliande, declaring some admiral or another as the new Scourgemother. Without the support of loyalist fleets, they should not pose a great threat to our reborn nation. As soon as Ilzin Mykx and the rest of the core territory are secure, we will move to eliminate them.  Our first debate was on just who we are. Some suggested a straightforward transition, that we would be the 'Scourge Republic', or just the 'Republic of Mykx'. I suggested something more radical, something that made clear to the world just what our intentions were, and a message to loyalists in the fleet that we would not be abandoning our roots. The Burning Ocean Republic, a nation built on the sea, destined to rule the seas and destroy any who would threaten it, and guarding the shipping of the world's most precious trade good. Viakkoc and Mykx both wanted to be the Scourge-of-all-seas, and we will remake that dream into one of our own, from Ilzin Mykx to Anbenncóst to Tianlou.  Our guiding principle will be one of fraternity. All will be freed from their chains, but all will be expected to partake of the powder. We must move as one, a sisterhood of devotees to Demon's Blood and the strength and understanding that it grants us.  To that end, the Xhazobkult will be disbanded, and replaced with the Kult of Deep Knowledge. The Everpyre and the Bone Citadel will be made places of study, where any citizen of the Republic might devote their life and let themselves be submerged in the demonic energies swirling through these places in order come to a greater understanding of this world, the worlds beyond, and our place within both. Though it is hidden, this is Tier 4, the place of religion in society.  To solve the longstanding contradiction of the Fleet, and the landlubbers that both support and need them, we will create two chambers of governance. The Grand Council will host representatives from across the islands and cities of the Republic, including the far-flung Demon's Blood ports, while the Ocean Senate will form a rotating chamber of spokesgnolls for the crews of the Fleet, designed to account for them spending most of their time at sea.  These two chambers together will hold the real power within the nation, though the Bloodflame Consul will need to guide us through these early years and ensure the ideals of the Revolution are not betrayed in the name of petty politics or imperialist authoritarianism. Yes, we keep the existing Mykx factions rather than gaining the Revolutionary factions.  The former republic was built on a military principle, that is the Fleet is supreme and all other aspects of the state ought to go into supporting it. While we acknowledge the Fleet is the greatest asset the Republic holds, such a powerful weapon should be directed towards a new purpose. Spreading the revolutionary understanding of the drug we produce is our true purpose.  All should be represented within the government. Demon's Blood does not know race or religion, and we should not ignore the voice of one touched by Xhazob even if they are smaller and weaker than we are.  In the end, we are doing this for the people of the Republic, no, all the people of Halann. We have a chance to uplift the world into a new age of information, strength, and ecstasy, and nothing will stand in our way!  The first act of the Grand Council was to revoke the ban on artificery, allow members of the Gommo to enter the Republic, and fund the creation of scientific, philosophical, and theological divisions in the few universities of the nation. There are so many ideas out there, long suppressed, that we now have the chance to bring to the forefront. I've already covered artificers in the Orlghelovar campaign, so I will only highlight inventions that we actually use.  Overall, the transition of power has been smooth. With most of the local elements of the Fleet under our control, the loyalists have not had a chance to organise and oppose us. There are still struggles going on in the outer reaches of the Republic, ports and manufactories where Blood Bringers managed to hold out against uprisings, and towns where the Kult has dug in deep with the population. Despite this, the new government is functional, if argumentative. After each session, we can bond in a mass ritual of consumption and hash out our greatest ideas for the future of governance, occasionally with a little blood spilled, but ultimately the best ideas rise to the top of the heap.  We can sit comfortably, knowing that the last of the loyalists on Endralliande have been rounded up and burnt. There is effectively no more military threat to the Burning Ocean Republic, as even the loyalist Fleet elements cannot take Ilzin Mykx by themselves.  As for those elements, they continue to stew in their isolation, doing their duty in the ongoing war against Istralore, but little else. They have completely blockaded the Dameshead, throttling trade to Cannor and ensuring the war will soon come to an end. When they return, we may have to pay them off to get them to stand down and hand over control of their ships without having half the Fleet scuttled in the process. As the fervour of victory dies down and the realities of governance and compromise set in, these sorts of deals are becoming more frequent.  Our ideals spread to the territory we occupy, helped by the vast quantities of Demon's Blood our armies bring with them. With the Blood Bringer reserves cracked open, we can flood even more into these lands, bringing the burning enlightenment to the Humans and Elves dwelling in the region.  Much of our time has been revoking the oppressive and counterproductive policies of the Scourge Empire. For so long we drove the native Ruinborn from our lands, but these people know Aelantir even better than we do, and the prototype Demon's Blood mixes were based on knowledge acquired from tribes that made use of the components in their own rituals. There is much we can learn from them, and much that has no doubt already been lost due to short-sightedness.  Opening up to the Gommo has already borne fruit, as hundreds of Gnomes from the Hierarchy-in-Exile have swarmed our ports to make use of our looser regulations on innovation, and access to substances that can expand their minds. The Kult of Deep Knowledge welcomes their voices and souls to a greater cause.  Our call goes out across the world, speaking of a new way to live and rule. The nations of the Aelantir, already steeped deeply in Demon's Blood, are within reach of our ideal, if only they could only throw off the shackles of Cannor. As we ramp up production to meet increased internal demand and external smuggling contracts, we will ensure that they have all the powder they need to forge the courage to declare independence.  Although, perhaps not the ones that we intend to introduce it directly to. A group of Istralorian colonist in the occupied Lai Peninsula approached us offering to align with us in exchange for our withdrawal, but that was deemed pointless.  Instead, their territory was integrated directly into Spearscourge. With the war over, the warriors and sailors returned to a nation transformed from the one that they had left. High-quality Demon's Blood awaited them, and those who refused to partake or did so and still found themselves unmoved were retired from their positions, scattered to colonial projects around the Republic. There are countless zealous revolutionary recruits eager to replace them.  Awaiting the new recruits and freshly converted veterans were the first benefits of our new knowledge. Repeater rifles, based on designs raided from High Dominion vessels, will become the standard firearm of the Revolutionary Army and the Revolutionary Marines. Further innovation is already planned, so we might one day any soldier might bring hellfire to enemies of the Republic. We've really been having trouble with casualties when facing off against Cannorian armies, so hopefully that will be helped a little by taking the more defensive option.  The loyalists are defeated, the Revolutionary government is set up and stable, the Fleet is more or less under control, and we are producing more Demon's Blood than ever. We are now ready to look outwards, and begin taking the truths we have discovered and smashing the contradictions of this world. The Burning Ocean will spread and bring hellish light to every corner of Halann! The Revolution disaster ends when you reach 3 stability or wait 20 years (and eliminate all rebels). With a few improvements to stability cost, it was easier to spend than wait it out. To be continued…
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Sep 8, 2023 22:35
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That is a hideous tricolor.
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Sep 9, 2023 06:20
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So we can spend money to raise revolutionary troops in enemy cities now? Never played EU4 so I really don't know.
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Sep 9, 2023 07:08
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habituallyred posted:So we can spend money to raise revolutionary troops in enemy cities now? Never played EU4 so I really don't know. You mean the event involving the Istralorian colony? That just bumps their liberty desire up in exchange for cash/mana. If they're disloyal they won't participate in wars outside of their home soil, so I'll definitely be accepting it if it pops up for a Lorentish colony but I don't think I've ever seen one actually declare independence.
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Sep 9, 2023 11:57
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This is probably the one time I won't be annoyed by a "revolution turns bad" storyline, because "free evil drugs for all" is not even a great starting point. Christ, these gnolls are terrible!
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Sep 9, 2023 13:16
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GunnerJ posted:This is probably the one time I won't be annoyed by a "revolution turns bad" storyline, because "free evil drugs for all" is not even a great starting point.
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Sep 9, 2023 14:35
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A narcorepublic that all can aspire to
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Sep 9, 2023 18:35
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A gnarcorepublic, if you willGunnerJ posted:This is probably the one time I won't be annoyed by a "revolution turns bad" storyline, because "free evil drugs for all" is not even a great starting point. Having a religion of worshiping literal demons makes it really hard to be nice, unfortunately! All the pre-xhazobkult stuff with the gnolls in Bulwar makes them much more reasonable, if still slaving jerks. I think currently the only not-utterly-evil MT the gnolls have is Tluukt, but there's a formable in the bitbucket that seems like it has potential to be good (the one where gnolls become Kheterata and convert to Khetism)
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Sep 9, 2023 21:46
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On the other hand, if you want to lean even more into the evil, there's also been a more recent update on the Bitbucket (more recent than the version this LP's on) that lets your leader become Xhazobine (the demonic messiah) and set the Great Xhaz on course to ravage the world.
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Sep 9, 2023 22:28
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Kurgarra Queen posted:Harsh discipline, demon drugs, and eternal damnation for all! Discipline = Liberté Drugs = Fraternité Damnation = Egalité
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Sep 10, 2023 01:02
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Everyone is equal in Xhazob's gullet.
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Sep 10, 2023 04:24
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I suspect that, by this point, whatever equivalent to the philosophes that might exist in this nation have probably rationalized that the whole "gullet of Xhazob" business is just a metaphor for death being permanent and inevitable, and so they genuinely do want to make the world, the only world that exists for them, into a better place by their lights. Unfortunately, they are definitely headed full-speed down a path of self-degradation and possibly wrong about their deity being only a metaphor.
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Sep 11, 2023 02:57
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If the other gods were real, could we powder them and snort lines of god dust?
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Sep 11, 2023 03:04
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Chapter Twenty-One: Forward, Vanguard 1733-1748 Somewhere in the Leechdens, 1734 "Fix bayonets!" Lucian shivered despite the heat, his uniform clinging to his skin and his fingers slippery with sweat as he worked his bayonet into its fixture on his rifle. He couldn't imagine how the furry warriors either side of him were handling the stifling heat, considering he was on the verge of heat exhaustion. "Charge!" Despite his legs wobbling underneath him, he pushed himself to his feet and vaulted the earthworks he had been crouched behind. If he fell here, he wouldn't be worth anything to the Revolution. Everything he'd been through, everything the Bloodflame Consul had done for him, would be for nothing. Humans like him were still seen as weak, but he would show exactly what he was capable of. The ground was slick, and pitted with craters from cannon-fire. His boots barely held any traction as he slogged forward as fast as he could, each step carrying the risk of slipping and falling into the mud to be trampled by the rest of the troops behind him. He cradled his rifle close to his chest as he peered into the smoke ahead of him, looking for his quarry. Roars filled his ears as the Gnolls either side of him let out battle cries. Surely, in a battlefield filled with smoke, that would make them easy targets. So, to even the odds, he let out a scream of his own, loud and clear and echoing through the tiny slice of the world that his existence had become. Suddenly, he faced a short slope with a dark shape atop it, their weapon raised directly at him. With all the force he could muster, he leapt up the slope, ignoring the mud coating the front of his body, and drove his bayonet into the figure. His leap had enough force to carry him over the top of the enemy's earthworks and onto the other side, where he straddled their body and shouted incoherently as he stabbed over and over again with his bayonet, ripping them open. "Hey, tear it up any more you'll be sewing up sandbags for the rest of the day." Panting, Lucian paused at the words and stared down at his enemy, a training dummy made out of a sandbag mounted on a carefully arranged wooden frame, which was now spilling its contents into the mud. "Also, you're dead." He looked up just in time to see Sergeant Egzeth, stood behind the line of training dummies, swing the butt of her rifle right into his face. It was a light tap, but as tired as he was it was still enough to make him collapse on top of the sandbag. "You took too long to kill them, and the warrior behind them shot you or shoved their bayonet into your neck," she said. She slung the rifle over her shoulder again, wearing a toothy grin on her snout. "But your enthusiasm, that was good." "I can keep going," Lucian grunted, his Gnollish still rusty even after months of it being drilled into him as hard as military tactics. He shoved his rifle into the mud and used it as leverage to push himself to his feet and face the Sergeant with proper respect. She was almost two heads taller than him, and probably twice his weight. No doubt she could single-handedly tear him apart. Nonetheless, she was training him. The Republic was training him, for the Revolution found a place for everyone to serve the greater good regardless of their race. "You've got real Gnollish grit, Human," the Sergeant said, "if you can keep going, then let's do it." She handed him a pouch of Demon's Blood powder from her supply, leaving him blinking in surprise while she went over to one of the Gnollish trainees and began to drag them over. That she'd give up such a precious gift to someone like him was almost inconceivable. Times truly had changed. With a moment's hesitation, he took a full dose and immediately felt his aches and pains wash away in fire. His arms and legs burned as though molten metal poured through his veins, and the hairs on his skin bristled and pushed at the clinging fabric. He let out a long slow breath that felt as though it was bubbling up from the Pits themselves, and watched as the Gnoll approached. The Gnoll was only slightly shorter than the Sergeant, and his nose was dashed green with powder consumption. "After breaching their lines, you found an officer," Egzeth said, pointing the both of them to one another, "subdue them for interrogation." Lucian and his Gnollish counterpart sized each other up, as Lucian fought against the whispered urge to charge straight in and gut his opponent. Bloodlust had its place, but orders were orders and if he failed to keep it in check, he might not be entrusted with such power again. His muscles burned, twitched, swelled and pulled, and before he realised, his rifle was braced against his shoulder, barrel aimed at the Gnoll in front of him. He trusted in the guidance of the demon possessing him, and pulled the trigger. It was a blank, obviously, and a puff of smoke came from the barrel, but that was enough to make the Gnoll flinch. Lucian launched himself forward in that moment, spearing the bayonet into the Gnoll's leg and barrelling his own body into the Gnoll's gut. With a grunt, the larger trainee gave way and they tumbled into the mud. A gleeful cackling filled Lucian's ears, and it took a moment to comprehend that it wasn't coming from the observing NCO, but from his own throat. He yanked out his rifle and swung it up, pinning one of the Gnoll's arms into the mud, even as the claws of the free arm tore at his uniform. Embers of hellfire flickered off of his body instead of flecks of blood wherever the claws penetrated skin, an in that moment where pain and damage did not matter, Lucian took the time to draw his dagger and press it against the Gnoll's face without doing any permanent damage. "Enough!" the Sergeant said. She really was cackling this time. She helped the both of them to their feet while going over the good points and bad points of their little spar. Mostly pointing out that Lucian's fake-out would be harder to do with live ammunition, without killing the target, and conversely encouraging the Gnollish trainee to embrace the confidence and heightened reflexes of Demon's Blood to avoid being caught by something like that. "-but," she finished, "you have the right mindset. In battle, the powder will be twice as strong as this and I know you will be able to handle it." "Thank you, ma'am!" Lucian said, saluting her. His heart soared at the compliment, and his mind, still running ahead from the effects of his dose, imagined just what he could accomplish with even more potent powder. She clasped a hand on his shoulder and began to move him to rejoin the rest of the trainees. "We Gnollish warrior out of a Human, after all, it just took the right motivation" she said. Excerpts from the journal of Lucian, warrior of the 1st Vanguards  I set out today for training in the Leechdens. The birthplace of Demon's Blood. It must have some of the best powder in the world, stuff that will turn me into a true warrior of the Revolution. My parents didn't want me to go, but I wanted to do my part. The Bloodflame Consul released all of us from slavery, and I am willing to give my life as thanks. There are thousands just like me on board the ship, zealots for the new world we'll be creating.  We are going to become the Vanguard. The first in, the last out, the tip of the spear as we take the Revolution back to Cannor. Training will be hard, and the coming battles will be even deadlier, but the blood we spill will be replaced with the burning blood of the Pits. Revolutionary Guards are unique regiments with additional bonuses based on which specific buff you select. I've selected Vanguard, which reduces their damage taken as that's been a problem for us. The other options are 'Mass', which increases the number you can have, 'Professional', which reduces their loss of 'drill', and Elite (which we do not have enough Army Professionalism to select), which increases their discipline.  The instructors are drilling into us not just wielding a rifle, holding formation and fighting against mages, but building a proper fraternity. They are teaching us Gnollish, rather than letting us use Common, building combat units across racial lines, encouraging all of us to participate in Kult ideation sessions, and giving us Demon's Blood that enhances our body as it enhances our minds. The same is happening with the civilian populations around us, though they seem less eager to align with the Revolution. Culture conversion is now dirt cheap, so I might as well spend the diplo mana on it.  While we Vanguards are in training, the marines and regulars have been ordered to clear the rest of the Ruined Sea of Cannorian influence. It begins with the Elves in Noruin. They are major buyers of Demon's Blood, but now we will be able to provide it to them directly.  Our Revolution has not gone unnoticed. The newspapers are abuzz about a declaration from Busilar against the Republic and our mission. They call us 'insane', 'monsters', 'murderers', and much worse. Other Cannorian nations are following suit, but we of the Vanguard pay them no heed. The Fleet guards our waters, and soon we will show them the power of Demon's Blood.  Our training is complete, though we cannot deploy until the cannons are built. My hands shake with excitement, the first taste of enemy blood, the lights and sights of Cannor in front of me. The training camps are already running again, more Vanguards being trained. Soon every man, Gnoll, Orc, or Elf in the military will be as deadly a warrior as me. I'm replacing regular infantry with vanguards, as they'll get the most benefit from the damage reduction. Sadly, at this point marines are relegated to taking unguarded islands and fighting rebels, their extra damage taken is just a liability.  Watching the new recruits, they seem so eager, so green, and so numerous. The instructors are teaching them proper Gnollish tactics, all massed charges and breakthroughs. There's no need for subtlety when you have a fire in your veins and a fire in your heart.  The war in Noruin ended without us getting a chance for deployment. Neratica got the lands it lost in the run-up to the Revolution, while we took the north. It is far from over. Lorent is campaigning in Larankar again, which means their territory in Noruin is ripe for liberation. This time, we might get a chance to fight.  I voted for the first time today. Guiz, naturally. She freed us, she founded the Vanguards, she is leading us to victory over all our enemies. I owe her everything.  It's begun, starting with taking Isobelin. The last surviving member of the Trollsbay Concord, protected from Lorentish predation by our fortress sat off the coast of Port Isobel. Our marines crossed the strait and took control of the port, then began their invasion of Lorentish territory. We, however, have been ordered to Ozgarom to guard the southern flank against Lorentish forces withdrawing from the Larankan front. It is dull, though the Orcs give us a good fight when the powder has our blood up.  Patrolling Soruin is dull work, but we do get the chance to see the effects of the Revolution on the common citizens. Villages, which only a few years ago were slave camps, are filled with the light of hellfire and the cackling laughter of Humans on the path to deep Gnollish knowledge. Every evening after marching we relax among civilians taking Demon's Blood in quantities unheard of before the Revolution, and enjoy the bouts of bloodshed, demonic possession and revelatory insight that come with it.  The farmers in these parts are switching their crops away from food to Demon's Blood precursors. They're using some kind of soil enhancer that the Bloodflame artificers came up with to grow crops faster and larger. Can't say that the whispers ever gave me an idea like that, but I'm a soldier not a scientist. Normally I wouldn't take this invention, but because our income from Demon's Blood comes in as tax, it's actually very useful.  Finally, battle! We caught a rampaging group of Lorentish soldiers on the western end of Soruin and descended upon them in a haze of powder-enhanced rage. Their horses panicked at our charge, their centre broke and their artillery crews were torn apart by our bayonets. When my mind cleared, the field was filled with the surviving members of my unit, coated in blood both theirs and ours, celebrating among the corpses. My mind halted for a moment, but then I took a spare dose to snap me out of whatever was giving me pause and joined them.  Our crushing of their southern army brought the war to an end. All forces loyal to Cannor have been purged from Noruin, securing the northern side of the Ruined Sea. West Tipney still holds some of Trollsbay, but they are no real threat. Demon's Blood runs rampant through their territory, so they will join the Revolution soon enough.  All over the Republic, there is resistance against the Revolution. They claim that Demon's Blood is dangerous, or that the Bloodflame Consul wants to turn everyone into compliant drones, or that Gnollification is destroying the cultures and lives of the former slaves. It's all nonsense, of course. They merely hate what they don't understand.  General Alra, despite her rumoured proclivities, has been a great promoter of our unit. Our victory in Soruin has been spread across the nation, and my face is appearing on posters as an example of just what a former slave can accomplish for the Republic. We are departing for Cannor soon, and the newly trained Vanguards being assembled in the Leechdens and on Endralliande are looking to us for guidance.  The news arrived just as we departed eastwards. With the fall of these islands, the Ruined Sea is now the sole property of the Burning Ocean Republic and its allies. The days where Lorent and Istralore threatened it are long past, and now the war comes to them.  Cannor lies just across the Divenhal, but before we can begin our invasion, we have been ordered to remove the nation of Ekha. They have been a thorn in the side of the nation's attempts to reunite the lands of Viakkoc ever since the Gnolls returned to this land, so I can understand it to an extent, but it is still a distraction.  There has been plenty of blood so far on this campaign. Ekha is heavily fortified, so the 2nd Vanguards are slowly working their way through it while the rest of us battle Elizna's attempts to break into Viakkoc's territory. They fought the armies of Mykx in the past, but have not seen anything like what the Vanguard brings to the fight. In some of the battles the enemy were entirely washed away in a tide of blood, bullets and bayonets.  Viakkoc itself is interesting. The Gnolls here worship a Human, and while some of them were brought back to the darkness as Demon's Blood began to filter into the country the majority still follow Corin. With the arrival of the Vanguards, that is changing. Administrators from Ilzin Mykx are bringing their laws in line with the Revolution, including stripping away noble and knightly titles, enforcing consumption of Demon's Blood, and turning Corin's churches into centres of the Kult of Deep Knowledge. Ignore that it says Neratica, we're diplo-annexing Viakkoc.  As we push Elizna back, we are getting more and more weird innovations for testing. The most effective we've found so far has been a mounted gun that spit out hellfire shells with incredible ferocity. It can cut down an enemy charge, suppress them as we conduct our own, or blast down the walls of a fortification. I think the commanders are most excited about this one. I didn't expect to be two-for-two on useful inventions. Extra siege ability is nice even if we aren't using artificer regiments to get the other bonuses. We're now at cap, a much more typical value for nations that don't specialise in artificery.  This war has dragged on for year now, a lot longer than I had hoped. Hundreds of thousands of Eliznan Elves and Humans lie dying in the desert, many slain by my hand though I remember little of it. We have pushed the front back to Kheterata itself, so we may yet accomplish something worth all of this bloodshed.  Elizna has given up a port at the mouth of the Mother's Sorrow. Demon's Blood can now reach into Kheterata and all the way into the Gnollish territories of inland Sarhal. A lot of the Gnolls are excited about the possibility sailing up the river, searching for the mythical entrance to the Pits and delivering a shipment to Xhazob in person, but my eyes are turning northwards.  We have finally secured the rich cities of Ekha. Their wealth has been stripped away to support the push into Cannor, though we do offer them a plentiful supply of powder as compensation. Nothing more stands between us and the land I want to see.  The key to Cannor is Istralore. They are longtime rivals of the sil Wex dynasty, so their Emperor and, more importantly, his Lorentish cousin, will not come to their aid. Their bickering will be the key to our victory, as it will allow us to sail directly into the Dameshead near-unopposed. Elizna is likely to intervene though, so the 3rd and 4th Vanguards will remain behind to deal with them while we of the 1st and 2nd begin our invasion.  Hellfire washed over the fortress as we assaulted the outermost layer of Istralore's defences. They were completely cut off from any reinforcements. Their forts are nothing against the power of the Fleet and the courage of we Vanguards. We will be conducting an island-hopping campaign to ensure our supply lines are secure as we drive into the very heart of Cannor.  The Pearls are the gateway to the Dameshead itself. Against the tides of warriors unloading onto their shores, they stood no chance. The Istralorian Fleet sailed out in a last-ditch attempt to stop us, and battle raged on both land and sea for control of the entrance to the very heart of Cannor. Nothing can stop us now. Having lost a lot of the bonuses to capture chance from being pirates, we are sinking rather than capturing flagships more often than not. Not that it matters, we're reaching the point of the game where money starts overflowing.  Engineers joined us for the assault on the Pearls, armed with volatile explosive devices capable of delivering a burst of hellfire that can level fortress walls and immolate its defenders in just moments. As we dig deeper into Cannor, we need more weapons like this. More siege ability is always welcome when Cannor is filled with level 8 forts.  We are in the Dameshead now, and every night as we camp out on this island the lights of the cities on the shores around us illuminate the horizon. But there one above all that I'm interested in. Anbenncóst, the 'City of the World's Desires', is just within reach. But it is still so far away. We have orders to land in Istralore Proper and bring them to terms.  Their own allies were too scared of our approach to even stop us from marching on the city of Istralore, instead sitting miles away in safety. Their royal family fled, the city was nearly empty, but those inhabitants who stayed behind were well treated with food and Demon's Blood, showing exactly how a proper state provides for its people whether they like it or not. As we sat in their seat of power, we intercepted a courier talking of a rebellion in Anbenncóst. Clearly this was why we had ignored the city, it was a cunning scheme of the Bloodflame Consul to have Revolution seize the city for us!  Negotiations were not needed. We simply declared the Revolution's victory over one of the great coloniser states of Cannor. All of the Lai Peninsula under Istralorian control was handed over to Spearscourge administration, and all of the islands we had seized in out campaign, both those within Cannor and those in the ocean off Sarhal, came under our control.  But the greatest prize of all was Anbenncóst itself. We sailed into the harbour, and I couldn't help but marvel at the Elven city-ships and monumental buildings. The local revolutionaries were oddly combative with regards to our arrival, perhaps due to traitors and splitters among their ranks, but after those were put down the rest quickly fell in line. We're in the old imperial palace now, where our commanders are planning how to turn this city into the greatest Demon's Blood distribution hub in the world. To be continued… Sybot fucked around with this message at 19:15 on Sep 12, 2023 |
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Sep 12, 2023 19:12
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"The Revolution is freeing the slaves." "That's good." "They're making them snort demon powder." "That's bad." "They're invading the Cannorian colonies in Aelantir to overthrow them." "That's good." "They're following that up by invading Cannor and have taken Anbenncóst." "..." "That's bad."
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Sep 13, 2023 14:34
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A little side relish of cultural genocide in the mandatory free drugs regime to spice things up.
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Sep 13, 2023 19:23
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Very disappointed that we're not spreading free demon cocaine even faster, the only failure of the revolution so far
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Sep 13, 2023 19:28
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Not enough choppy bois
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Sep 13, 2023 19:35
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Crazycryodude posted:Very disappointed that we're not spreading free demon cocaine even faster, the only failure of the revolution so far You'll be pleased with the next vote then. I'll be putting our final priorities up for a vote next update as we finish the mission tree next update, with focusing on spreading the drug love being an option. If anyone has any other ideas on what to focus on please post them, and I'll add any reasonable ideas as an option. It'll be priority ranking, rather than plain yes/no, so don't worry if you don't think your idea will be popular as it might still get completed.
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Sep 13, 2023 20:13
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Sybot posted:If anyone has any other ideas on what to focus on please post them More choppy bois
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Sep 13, 2023 20:19
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Somehow we ended up as revolutionary republican multiracial skaven gnolls so I guess the proper thing is more artificiery
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Sep 14, 2023 00:28
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Pacho posted:Somehow we ended up as revolutionary republican multiracial skaven gnolls so I guess the proper thing is more artificiery MORE DOOMWHEELS.
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Sep 15, 2023 03:36
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I'd think getting toe holds into as many major ports would be the thing for spreading the good
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Sep 15, 2023 04:03
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Chapter Twenty-Two: The Siege of Lorent 1748-1757 The office of the Bloodflame Consul, Ilzin Mykx, 1751 With a groan, the rich wooden doors swung open. Two Revolutionary Vanguards, eyes glimmering with an attentive high, watched Imariel as she tided the stack of papers in her arms and adjusted her clothes. Once she was ready, she entered the office of the most powerful person in Aelantir, possibly even the world. At one time this would have been piled high with gold, packed with furniture or littered with opulent outfits, all stolen by the ferocious pirates of Mykx. Now though, it was filled with a different kind of clutter. Books were piled high, maps of the ocean, the land, and countless unidentifiable locations were strung up on the walls, and papers were scattered everywhere. The only memory of its past was the deep brown desk at the centre of the room, and the massive portrait that hung above it. It seemed odd at first glance, to have a portrait of Mykx herself in the room where the leader of the Revolution did their work. With blood coating her claws, stolen jewellery dangling from her body, and a mass of faces in the background who were either slaves or functionally slaves it was almost an image of what the Revolution tried to get away from. However, there was another message there. Mykx founded the first Republic in Gnollish history, though it was later suborned by Pirate Queens and Kings, and forged her own path in a world that hated her. In some ways, she was the first Revolutionary. "Imariel, is that you?" a voice came from behind a pile of books and papers in a corner, startling her. "Yes, madam Consul," Imariel said, spinning to face Guiz as she emerged from behind the heap. The Consul had a notebook carefully balanced in her claws, a pen held in the other paw, and a distant look in her eyes. She wore clothes that would be scandalous if worn by upper class of Criabeahn, who still held influence even after the Revolutionary conquest. An incredibly loose tunic and pants, with a single gold bangle inlaid with orange and green gems on one of her arms. There was reason for this, of course. Imariel herself was wearing a similar outfit, though with wrappings underneath as underwear considering that Elves did not have enough fur to cover themselves. The Committee for Gnollification had put out a directive to encourage the wearing of Gnollish styles of clothing over Cannorian styles, which had started to get popular towards the end of the Scourge Empire during the 'demonsterification'. This applied to all races, and to be honest Imariel was okay with it. Much better to wear loose clothing in the stifling heat of the Ruined Sea than the dress and corset she would be expected to wear back in Noruin. Of course, just because they were simple did not mean the outfits were cheap. They were made of the finest fabrics, sewn by the most skilled tailors in Aelantir, fitted perfectly and inlaid with intricate designs. Nothing less for the Consul and her secretary. "Needs the numbers," Guiz said. She sniffed, twitched her snout, and snapping the notebook shut. After setting it down in the chaos of her office, she approached Imariel. "Excellent, you've done your hair as the Committee suggested," the Consul said, "It was nice to try something new," Imariel said, lying. Compared to the clothes, having to cut her hair short and style it 'wild' was not as comfortable a directive as changing her clothes. She was glad she didn't really have body hair to grow like the Dwarves and Humans, who were being directed to let that grow just as wild as the hair on their head. The Committee was going a bit overboard, but she didn't dare say that. Before continuing, she cleared her throat. Speaking Gnollish was pretty rough on it. "I've brought you details from the Kult's Invocation of Eyes on the Dragon Coast," she said. She headed over the sheaf of papers and gave the Consul a moment to leaf through them. "Summary?" the Consul asked. "An unlikely alliance of Kobolds, Gnomes, and Reverian Humans are holding the caves against Lorentish forces," she said, "we estimate one hundred thousand soldiers are tied up in the efforts." "That's-" Guiz started, before stopping and rushing over to another pile of papers and comparing them. After a minute of staring at paper she finished her sentence. "That's excellent news. Thank you for bringing this to my attention." "Of course, madam Consul," Imariel said, offering a bow. "Did I tell you how I got my title?" Guiz asked. Imariel had to pause at the sudden change of topic. She straightened up and shook her head, not sure exactly how to answer in words. "It was a joke," the Consul said, "by my rivals back when I was a pirate captain. 'The Rash', something that I never was. Instead of having the courage to charge in at the first opportunity, I make sure I have all the information before I commit." She strode across the office to a map of Cannor and pinned Imariel's document to the prominent outcropping that was the Dragon Coast. The other paper she had selected went up to occupied Gawed, in the north. Across Lorent's territory were dotted other notes, lines drawn in string, and little pinned symbols indicating armies and navies. It made no sense to Imariel, but then she hadn't taken her dose of Demon's Blood for the day so her mind was running a little slower. "But they didn't know that there was truth in it," Guiz continued, "when I have the information I need, I strike. No waffling, no hesitation, no waiting for more data. A decision with the backing of the facts and the decisiveness of a blade." She drew a knife from her belt and stabbed exactly onto the star representing Lorent's capital. Imariel did not need to ask if that meant the Consul had made such a decision. "Shall I call the admirals?" Imariel asked. "Of course," Guiz said, "it is time to finish what Cannor started, so long ago." Excerpts from the journal of Guiz 'the Rash', Bloodflame Consul  The Revolution has been a more than a transformation of politics and faith, but also a transformation of power. At one time, the Fleet was the only competent military force in the nation, but I have spent my tenure ensuring that is no longer the case. The Vanguards have proven themselves in battle, Demon's Blood makes our warriors greater than any Cannor can field, and we have the strategic flexibility to master both attack and defence.  That is why I am comfortable initiating this campaign. With the ships seized from Istralore we have enough warships to place a cordon around half of Cannor. The Revolutionary, formerly the Scourge Fleet, and the two Cannor Fleets have been split to give us six squadrons that should be capable of defeating any single fleet the enemy can field.  Vakkra has taken over the training program for the Vanguards, as two more divisions are being assembled for the campaign. She strikes the perfect balance between maintaining unit cohesion and allowing the fury of Demon's Blood to take hold in our warriors.  I cannot ignore the continued growth of the administration. The Grand Council has approved the creation of a Civil Service, which is an extension of the Administrative Council and Blood Bringer Administration the Scourgemother relied on to run her empire. As Gnollification of the nation continues, we will need to ensure that every outlying island is able to follow the will of the Revolution. Finishing admin ideas also earns extra governing capacity, but ironically we have more than we can ever spend at this point because we were so tightly capped as a Pirate Republic. Harbour Administration meh at this point, but the Liquor Act is more useful than it appears. Keeping up troops' numbers and morale in foreign territory is essential when on the offensive.  Though it took nearly two decades to complete, the last of the slaves have been freed. It has been no easy task to shift the economy from relying on cheap labour, but many of the former slaves were happy to work at their old jobs for a wage and a steady supply of Demon's Blood. Many of those that weren't have taken their newfound freedom to join the army or Fleet, establish themselves in underdeveloped rural areas, or join Ozgarom or Spearscourge. So long as they do not betray the Revolution by attempting to leave it, and accept the oversight of the new civil service, they can do what they wish. This decision requires zero overextension, which is why it took so long to officially get done with all the wars.  With the final end of slavery the last great slave markets of Ilzin Mykx have closed. There has been a lot of speculation of what exactly it will be known for. The Grand Harbour and the multitude of shipyards around the island are of course one thing, but the economic reports I have seen indicate that it's actually glass, made from the endless pure sand of the Ruined Isle in sweltering foundries of the inner city, that is the biggest money earner. A nation once dependent on piracy, plantations, and drugs, is starting to gather industry.  The newest recruits are an impressive sight to see on the march. Before they set out for Cannor, they gave a great display at the mouth of the Leechdens, first in perfect parade formation, and then in a savage mock battle where incredible quantities of blood were spilled and yet they held back just enough to avoid killing or maiming anyone beyond recovery. These warriors will be unstoppable. So close to 150% discipline, but not quite there. Finishing Offensive ideas additionally gives more recover morale speed. The policies weren't worth highlighting.  At the dawn of the great siege, the 1st through 6th Vanguards are assembled on the Dameshead, representing the majority of the Revolution's manpower. A few units remain in Aelantir to put down reactionary revolts and any attempts to strike back by the enemy's colonial subjects, but our earlier campaign to clear the Ruined Sea has made our home near unassailable.  Along with them, the fleets are strung out along the Cannorian coast, ready to bring an entire nation to a halt. This will be a true siege, on a scale never seen since the days of the Precursor Empire.  Our goal is nothing less than the defeat of our old enemy, the Kingdom of Lorent. For over a century they have tried to erase our nation from existence, expand their imperialist control of Aelantir, and rule the seas that are rightfully ours. For all that time the Ruined Sea was effectively under siege by their fleets, and it was only in the latter half of the previous century that we started to take the fight back to their home waters. Now, they will be besieged, and their homeland will feel the taste of war.  The blockade has been set, their fleets have been sent scurrying back into port, and their economy begins to suffer. They relied heavily on trade along their coastline and into the Dameshead, but now their only way to access the markets of the Empire and beyond is the long overland route through occupied Gawed.  As we starve Lorent out, our first real objective in this war is to knock out the Emperor of Anbennar, the cousin of the King of Lorent. While our fleets batter their coastal forts, we shall take advantage of Imperial territory to strike directly at Wexkeep, their capital.  They are too confident in their fortifications, which have held against enemies of the Empire for so long. Their armies swung around and attempted to invade Anbenncóst, but we still had two divisions in reserve who proved more than capable of annihilating their armies after the Fleet trapped them on the island. I don't think I've shown an image of it before, but as ugly as the tricolour is, I prefer the colour scheme it puts on the uniforms compared to the ugly purple that was there before.  Lorent took the field for the first time, with King Kylian himself marching on Anbenncóst with an army large enough that we had to withdraw our forces from Wex to match it. He proclaimed that he would crush the Revolution himself, starting in the city at the centre of everything, and began a brutal purge of any and all Gnolls and Demon's Blood users in the city. When our forces massed enough, a brutal street-by-street battle began, but our formations did not falter. The King was sent fleeing like the coward he is, and he wasn't even present for the final destruction of his trapped army.  The campaign continued on the mainland. Those units most battered by the battle for Anbenncóst rested, while those still ready to fight turned to end any attempt by the Emperor to reclaim his keep. At the sight of the Vanguards crossing from the Damesear, fresh from annihilating the main Lorentish army, he agreed to give in, abandoning his own cousin. Another cowardly monarch.  With the first portion of the campaign over, the Vanguards were withdrawn to our island holdings to rest and recuperate. Lorent is still under siege, its economy floundering and its armies suffering. Conversely, the Republic has never been stronger. Workers earning a fair wage and fuelled into a fervour by copious quantites of Demon's Blood are far better and working in the foundries and factories that are supplying our armies and fleets. Ozagarom, Isobelin and Spearscourge are sufficiently suppressing the Lorentish colonies that we feel no threat at all, and supply lines across the ocean have never been safer.  The time has come for this siege to progress to the next stage. Venáil, the staging ground for the Elven 'reconquest' of Aelantir, will ironically serve as the staging ground for Aelantir's retaliation against Cannor.  It took less than a year from the start of the invasion of Lorent proper, but the southern tip of Lorentish territory has come under our control. Their forts fall to hellfire barrages, their main fleet gets chased from port to port, more ships coming under our control with each fight, and their capital lies only a few hundred miles from the frontlines.  For all their weakness, Lorent cannot be underestimated. Our Vanguard vanguard was caught out attempting to push towards Lorentainé by a quarter of a million troops, mustered by lords terrified by our approach. It is a testament to the nerve and skill of our Vanguards that they were able to hold out for as long as they did and allow the expensive artillery to be withdrawn back to the southern coast.  The numbers are not necessarily in our favour. We are nearly tapped for recruits, while Lorent can muster another three-hundred thousand if they so wish and are supported by a significant force of mercenaries hired by the northern Elves. We have done more than enough damage to them, and I doubt this will be the last time we fight them. I have ordered the Vanguard march directly for Lorentainé and force Kylian to come to terms.  I have issued a proclamation officially ending the Corsair Kingdom. The last of the Viakkocs will become a citizen of the Republic just like any other, and the Corinite temples will be replaced by houses of Deep Knowledge. In anticipation of the end of the war in Cannor I made time to stop in Kokerrat and meet some of the Gnolls of our homeland. I know that out there, across the desert, there are countless more Gnolls forced to kneel to sun gods and oversized cats, and perhaps one day they can be remined of where they first crawled from.  The final assault on their walls began just as I arrived on mainland Cannor. I watched from a hillside above the massive city as the Vanguard scrambling through the blood and fire into the breach, and then a few hours later followed in their footsteps to the royal palace to make my demands. As expected, Kylian had only left expendable envoys behind, but this was workable.  First point to the peace; The Burning Ocean Republic would gain treaty ports from which Demon's Blood could be distributed legitimately throughout Lorentish territory. Wineport in the south, Westport in the west, and Oddansbay in the north-west would be under Revolutionary administration, though the citizens may freely travel back into Lorent if they so wish. If they all do leave, then there will be plenty of Gnolls willing to populate the city instead.  Second point; Lorent will withdraw from the Lai Peninsula entirely. Spearscourge will gain administration of this region, and the whole region will be recognized as under the protection of the Burning Ocean Republic.  Third and final major point; in Norther Aelantir, the nation of Istranar, which had been annexed by Lorent fairly recently, would be granted independence and placed under Revolutionary protection. Though Lorent still holds a few scraps in both North and South Aelantir, they are very close to being driven from the west entirely. I do not expect this peace to last, and when it does break Lorent will suffer yet more.  Work never ends. Though now thoroughly infiltrated by Demon's Blood smugglers, the great Eordandi nation of Arakeprun and its smaller subjects are still resisting the revelation of the powder. Now that the Cannor front is quiet, perhaps we can focus on taking indirect and even direct action to bring them around to our way of thinking.  In the same manner, Lorent's remaining colonies could be brought into the fold by supporting those elements who are already ensorcelled by the drugs we are pumping into their ports. Perhaps we need not fire another shot to end Lorentish influence in Aelantir.  The Kult has done its work, and Anbenncóst has now become the greatest centre of Deep Knowledge in Cannor. Philosophers and inventors from across the continent come to sample our wares and make their great discoveries, and vast sums of money flood into the treasury as we take our cut. The city is now the single largest and most profitable port within the Republic, and is likely to get even more so as the Gnollification of the population proceeds.  Economic development continues in the Ruined Sea. Now that we have unleashed our population, their innovation will help secure our hegemony over the seas even more so. Wanderer's Bay has become the centre of cannon production within the Republic, proving that Mykx' long-ago decision to keep the dwarves alive was well founded.  The legacy of Mykx is something that we all have to contend with. She was a revolutionary in her own way, but her decisions lead to the tyranny of the Scourge Empire. Now that we have show the ability to defeat even the greatest powers of Cannor in a direct fight, and the seas are indisputably ours, we could claim the title that she aimed for from the moment she abandoned Viakkoc. The final mission requires 25 Demon's Blood ports, and the last three we took from Lorent were enough to take us over the edge. Honestly, the requirements could be higher. You already need 20 to complete the prerequisite missions, so five more isn't a huge ask.  But I refuse to do that, and I will make as such clear to the nation. We need not tie ourselves to an old goal. The Revolution has broken the wheels of power. The seas are ours, but we need not scourge them. Instead, the water will be become the circulatory system that pumps Demon's Blood through Halann, until every corner of the world understands Deep Knowledge. Rewritten from the actual event, obviously. Originally it mentioned the 'Empire of Mykx', and was focused on what should be done about Viakkoc. Both those being are a little out of date... To be continued… Vote So, the mission tree is complete, the Burning Ocean Republic has defeated its greatest long-time rival, and there is really nothing else that can stand against the Revolutionary Vanguard. However. there are still several tasks to be addressed to ensure the oceans all burn with Bloodflame. Which of these should take priority? This is not a straight yes/no vote; the options will be actioned with priority based upon the results though not all might be accomplished. This will also likely be the last vote of the LP. The final idea group will be chosen based on whatever is most useful to our priorities. Finish securing the Revolution in Aelantir – Bring all remaining land within Aelantir under the control of the Republic, its clients, or other revolutionary states. Liberate the Gnolls of Sarhal and Bulwar – Free those who suffer under the rule of Human and Elven kings and return them to the Kult of Deep Knowledge Bring Demon's Blood to the world – Sarhal and Haless are still mostly untouched, so we should secure ports further across the length and breadth of Halann to teach them all the truth that lies within the powder. Break the chains of Cannor – Continue breaking Lorent, dismantle the Empire of Anbennar, and possibly strike at the Dwarven and Orcish empires Seek Deep Knowledge – Delve deeper into artificery by taking territories that supply Precursor Relics and Damestear, and secure the ancient Precursor structures that dot Aelantir. Rank your choices by clicking on the image below.  Voting will last 72 hours.
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Sep 15, 2023 17:41
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Vote Result A strong result for spreading our demon powder around the world, while also focusing on revolutionising the rest of Aelantir and then moving onto occupied Gnollkind. We'll be away from Cannor until the others have been addressed, and while we might end up with some additional artificer capacity from Based on this, the final idea group will be Trade, to allow to build as many max-size Demon's Blood ports as possible. 
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Sep 18, 2023 16:09
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What would you be doing for the artifice capacity one, anyhow? I thought it was relatively very low capped unless you're one of the artificery species.
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Sep 18, 2023 18:41
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RubricMarine posted:What would you be doing for the artifice capacity one, anyhow? I thought it was relatively very low capped unless you're one of the artificery species. You get +1 capacity for Coal, +3 for Damestear, and +5 for Precursor Relics, per province owned, so a lot of targeted conquering of provinces with permanent deposits. There are also several Precursor sites in Aelantir that give unique bonuses, and I'd probably go raid the Precusor Temples in Haless as well.
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Sep 18, 2023 19:22
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Chapter Twenty-Three: Wealth of Nations 1757-1770 A manufactory somewhere on Endralliande, 1766 Deep fog settled on the lower floor of the factory, fumes and smoke leaking from endless rows of mixers, distillers, centrifuges and all the other components of the manufacturing of Demon's Blood. Down in there, hazardous chemicals all around them and fumes lingering around their feet, the workers of 'Guiz' Finest Smokers' worked quickly to meet their quotas while wearing just enough protective clothing to keep from instantly succumbing if they spilt something on themselves or tripped and fell face-first into the fog. On walkways above, in relative safety, the overseers monitored the situation. Some of the machines were hooked up to the new Damestear engines the artificers had produced, but the majority still required manual labour and so there needed to be constant vigilance for operator error. Finally, above them all, the factory manager's office was sealed tight so even in the worst chemical disaster there would be survivors. Peering out of the windows, Alra worked her jaw, letting the cigar roll between her teeth. She took a puff, feeling her chest bloom with heat and watching sparkles of light start dance in the clouds below. "Good, right?" Dunez asked, taking a puff from his own cigar. As the manager, he had taken first dibs on the latest flavour to come from his factory, and had invited his good friend to sample them with him. "It's not too intense," Alra said, inhaling a bit more of the smoke and enjoying the sensation slowly percolating outwards from her lungs. "A bit more tobacco, a bit less powder," Dunez said. He tapped ash from the end of his cigar and reclined on the gold and mahogany couch that adorned his office. His fur sloughed a little as he adjusted his considerable bulk, and he let out a sight of satisfaction when he found the perfect position to lounge in. "For when you want to relax, rather than go frantic with ideas." "So, intended for us, running the economy, rather than the Vanguards and Fleet out there fighting," Alra mused, "a good investment. We're the ones with the money, after all." She turned around and leaned on the windowsill, putting the view of the factory behind her. "Have you ever felt it?" she asked, "Fozzra's invisible hand guiding your investments, your business decisions." "Forzzra? A demon, I think…" Dunez said, trailing off a little, "…of Greed?" "Have you not read any philosophy?" Alra chided him. "Hey, the old Kult was disbanded when I was just a pup," Dunez said, "I was raised on accounting and statistics." "Well, you should," Alra said, "there is a lot to be learned from the old tales. The seven virtues of power, the eternal devouring of the soul, it all still has relevance in this day and age. Even if the host is just a metaphor, the Pit turns out to be some magic hole in the desert, and Xhazob has no true will of his own." "You're losing me a little," Dunez said. He took another puff from his cigar and started to cough, indicating for Alra to continue as he did so. "My point is, you run your business on principles of Greed," she said, "the plunder-based economy of the Scourge Fleet and the monopoly of the Blood Bringers both did the same, but were brought down by the Revolution. In that way, it was not a revolution but rather than an evolution, towards a more perfect form of greed." She rapped her claws against the window behind her. "No longer slaves, the workers below are free to follow their own greed, to build careers as chemists, machinists and manual labourers. The farmers who turn their fields over to growing Demon's Blood precursors are doing the same. It's the way the economy runs, a demoness' invisible hand guiding us all towards prosperity." "Some more prosperous than others," Dunez said, before letting out a half-hooting, half-wheezing laugh. "Indeed, and your wealth goes into buying the luxury products that others are paid to make," she said, indicating the cigars and the couch. "It's a cycle, one that we merely need to let run. Whether real demonic whispers, or a fundamental law of the world guiding you forwards, you need to listen to those voices." "Remind me to snort some of the potent stuff when I get home," Dunez said. He stared at Alra for a bit longer, before puffing out another snoutful of smoke and continuing. "I'm not sure why you're not with the Kult of Deep Knowledge debating all this. They'd love the metaphysical chatter." "Data, and experience," Alra said, "the Kult gets too inside their own heads too often. Relying on flashes of inspiration from rolling around in piles of powder, or staring too long into the Astral until something snaps. I've been on a tour of the nation, seeing how the economy has changed since the Revolution." "And what're you going to do with all of that data?" Dunez asked. "Write a book," Alra said, letting out a cloud of smoke that glittered green in the haze that lingered below the ceiling. "Show the Republic how the world works." Excerpts from the writings of Alra 'the Butcher', Gnollish economist  When seeking a gateway into Sarhal, there is no better starting point than the islands of Fahvanosy. Historians believe this to be the original Halfling homeland, and the islands remain populated by them to this day. With access to continental Sarhal and sitting astride the great oceanic trade routes between Haless and Cannor, there is no better place to begin establishing economic control.  The Revolutionary Vanguard takes point in securing the Republic's economic interests in the region. Though the Halflings may resist, once their ports are under our jurisdiction, they will understand the benefits of having the Burning Ocean guarding their trade routes and filling their ports with trade goods.  Innovation brought on by the Revolution brings great change to the Republic. Industrial processes have accelerated the manufacture of Demon's Blood to levels never seen before, and the widespread application of artificer engines and other labour-saving devices has transformed the workforce. In the old days these slaves would have been thrown into a sacrificial pure or something else, but in the post-Revolution world of freedom, they can join the Vanguard and safeguard our economic interests. The Industrial Revolution is all great for us. Bonus cash from Demon's Blood, more Vanguards, and more manpower to keep them fighting.  Haraf is a land caught between the innovative and industrial mindset of its majority population of Gnomes, Goblins and Kobolds, and the extractive desires of their Elven masters in Cannor. If they can be liberated, this land could very well become a major industrial engine for the Republic.  We are no longer savages. Conquering all the Halflings would be possible, but it is ultimately pointless when we merely need them as consumers, not subjects. Having authority over a single city on Fahvanosy itself, plus several strategically located islands to act as our naval bases in the region, is all that we asked for  The Grand Council agrees. The era of mass conquest is over. We are here to liberate the peoples of the world and introduce them to the marvels of modern understanding.  After liberating the majority of Haraf, a vote was held by the Grand Council on whether to establish an independent Harafe Triarchy, but it was decided that the region would be best served under direct control of the Republic. The Committee for Gnollification has been given sweeping authority to bring the societies and economies of the region up to the standards of the rest of the nation, thus ensuring smooth economic integration.  Seeing the Vanguard, fresh from their victory in Haraf, marching in celebration through the boulevards of Ilzin Mykx that have only just been laid over the demolished and unproductive slums of the Inner District, fills me with patriotism beyond mere economic interest. We are transforming ourselves, building cities that glow with harnessed demonic fire and wielding weapons that can project power across the world.  Spearscourge is an interesting land, in that it is more an economic burden on the Republic than anything else. The disparate Cannorian settlers constantly feud with each other in numbers that need intervention from the marines, there is very little useful material produced by the lands, and even Demon's Blood profits are fairly low. And yet the Bloodflame Consul sponsored the final integration of the remaining settler states in the region. This is one case where military necessity, in particular guarding the southern approach to the Leechdens, is worth the price.  Securing trade routes into continental Sarhal is no problem for our Vanguard. Trained in the depths of the Leechdens, the sweltering jungles of the mainland are like home. This Human nation was chosen because the Halfling traders reported Gnolls suffering at the northern edges of their territory. This was more than enough for the Consul to approve a liberation. This version of the Bitbucket is pretty old, to the point that these guys don't even have a flag.  It is a shame that she did not live to see it, though. Her hand-picked successor, Vieh, has smoothly stepped into the role and continues the plan to expand our economic grip on the world. She was very well-chosen, as her careful nature aligns with the focus on only taking the territory that we need to bring Demon's Blood to each region.  As such, the peace deal she is preparing for the Humans is to secure a port along their coast, and free the Gnolls of the interior. We may not be able to support them directly, but Elizna to their north is vulnerable after a beating at the hands of the High Dominion so it may not be too long before we are able to secure a route across the desert and meet our distant cousins in person. Perhaps even begin to forge a single worldwide Gnollish nation.  The next goal in the economic expansion through Sarhal is the great desert peninsula of Ardimya. At one time it was heavily populated, but reliant on unstable magics. The great destruction of the Precursor Empire shattered the magics and left the region near uninhabited. However, the arrival of Cannorian settlers changed that, and they dominate the habitable margins of the desert. Driving them from this land will be a significant investment, so another approach will be taken.  It was a surprise to learn that the isthmus connecting Ardimya to the rest of Sarhal is incredibly densely populated. While one side of the isthmus is mountainous, the opposite side is incredibly fertile and productive, and a major civilization has built itself upon these narrows. Even the Vanguard will have some trouble in facing such numbers, as half their number have been diverted to another task. Seriously, this whole region, no matter whether jungle, mountain or desert has development in the 30-50 range. And all without any dev cost reduction ideas. These AIs must have been really bored.  The great city of Qasri Baashi, spanning an entire island much like our home here on Ilzin Mykx, is the perfect place to make the regional headquarters for Demon's Blood export. The Humans here mingle frequently with the Merfolk, peoples of the sea who would be perfect additions to the Republic, both in terms of our position as rulers of the Burning Ocean and to open up new, completely unknown until now, markets for export.  After taking the city, securing part of the isthmus was straightforward. While having access to such a rich and populous land is valuable in and of itself, there have been suggestion that we might be able to carve a canal through the isthmus to bypass Cannorian-patrolled water around Ardimya entirely. While such a project would be enormously expensive, between the artificery and digging experience that the many races of the Republic represent, I am sure that it will be feasible. Note: Such a canal is not available in-game at the moment.  After decades of work and observing the flow of goods across Halann, I feel ready to release my greatest work. The 'Hand Of Fozzra' reaches out and guides the economy, and with the power of the Fleet and the Vanguards to ensure the seas are open and that we have access to all the markets of the world, the most meritorious will inevitably be guided to the top by his whispers.  The ever-faithful Orcs of Ozgarom are one such group. Their strength and devotion to the cause of first the Scourgemothers and then the Revolution has been invaluable and proven them to be worthy allies in the fight to rid Aelantir of Cannorian influence. We have extended their control over Amadia, slowly bringing the Cannorian colonies there into Orcish hands, where they will undoubtedly be better managed.  Guarding the trade routes between Haless and Ardimya are the Ringlet Isles. Already beset by war, a peacekeeping force was dispatched to bring the islands to order and secure an agreement to open free passage for Demon's Blood traders travelling the routes.  I am pleased to see the government taking my ideas on board and loosening the restrictions on our merchants. The free flow of goods is essential to turn the wheels of this economic engine, and allowing our merchants to expand their markets by any means necessary will ensure the wealth of the world flows into the hands of citizens of the Republic.  The routes to Haless are open. Markets of hundreds of millions await us. Demon's Blood almost circumnavigates the globe. Though the necrotic guardians of Bim Lau stand tall and the Yansheni cities hide under the protection of the army of Jiangdu, I am certain the Vanguards will find victory once the Fleet delivers them to this distant land.  Closer to home, too, the army mobilizes. Larankar has completely conquered the Kheionai nations, and banned all of our merchants from their lands. In the name of bringing down the tyrants of Larankar who only care for their own economic interests, turning the wheel and allowing their advancement to greater forms of Greed, the Revolution will come to their shores. To be continued…
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Sep 22, 2023 18:11
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Gnoll Adam Smith embodies a greed demon? Sounds about right. Only fifty years left, though. Has Cannor stopped randomly declaring war on you after you kicked Lorent's rear end, or are you still handling them off screen?
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Sep 25, 2023 14:46
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Oh good, the gnolls have invented Capitalism. I was worried they were starting to seem sympathetic 
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Sep 25, 2023 16:14
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Once again I feel like saying that I was worried the "PIRATES YARR!" option winning would be corny for a "bad guy" run, but the evolution from "pirates" to "theocratic piratical slaver empire" to "slave colony drug kingpins" to "revolutionary drug pushers and cultural genocidaires" to "cutthroat capitalist libertarian drug pushers" has been loving perfect as a fantasy villainous arc in an early modern setting.
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Sep 25, 2023 17:12
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RubricMarine posted:Only fifty years left, though. Has Cannor stopped randomly declaring war on you after you kicked Lorent's rear end, or are you still handling them off screen? Pretty much. I think the AI takes army size into consideration much more than navy size, so once the Revolution turbo charged our army and we started churning out Vanguard infantry, they realised they didn't have a shot. GunnerJ posted:Once again I feel like saying that I was worried the "PIRATES YARR!" option winning would be corny for a "bad guy" run, but the evolution from "pirates" to "theocratic piratical slaver empire" to "slave colony drug kingpins" to "revolutionary drug pushers and cultural genocidaires" to "cutthroat capitalist libertarian drug pushers" has been loving perfect as a fantasy villainous arc in an early modern setting. There was the risk of straying too far from theme after voting for the Revolution, but there's always more ways to be evil. Getting the event for Gnollish Adam Smith was a fantastic bit of luck.
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Sep 25, 2023 17:58
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Chapter Twenty-Four: Wonders of Halann 1770-1782 Military encampment, somewhere in the jungles of central South Aelantir, 1775 The night lit up green and orange, flickering flames from the depths of the Pits and fires ignited by more mundane means working in concert against a wall of twitching and shivering foliage. The Orc at the head of the defoliant unit hefted his flamethrower and unleashed an unrelenting stream of liquid fire at a group of hundreds of vines growing through the churned and burned mud towards him at an unnatural rate. All around the perimeter of the encampment were similar sights. The 7th Vanguards had been prepared to face a hostile jungle as wells as hostile Ruinborn, but the sheer ferocity of the attack, and at night too, was a sign that they had probably gone too deep. Gakar watched the flames dancing in the distance as the power of modern artificery and Deep Knowledge drove back the creature posing as an entire wild rainforest. From atop the central watchtower she could see everything in the little valley in which they had set up camp. They were descending from the highlands on the western coast, following waters that would eventually lead to the Leechdens. It seemed unlikely they could progress any further in this direction, but luckily that was not their objective. There was a whole war on. A panting Gnoll clambered up the ladder and slumped in a corner of the tower. "Must they set the fireline so close to camp?" she said, before taking a long swig of water. "The heat not agreeing with you, Vazga?" Gakar asked. It was almost humid enough that you might drown in open air, even in the depths of the night. Not the worst place Gakar had been, that would be the Leechdens, but Vazga had joined this campaign directly from Ilzin Mykx. While that was hot, it was a different kind of heat, kept tolerable by the steady breeze blowing in from the Ruined Sea. Here, surrounded by highlands and jungle, air lingered. And the smoke filling the air as the jungle burned was just trapping even more heat. "If I were running things, I would stay as far away from the cursed jungle as possible and raze it with incendiary artillery," Vazga said. "You aren't running things, though," Gakar said, "and you volunteered to come here, on behalf of the Committee for Commercialization. Burning down all the potential profits isn't what the Hand of Forzzra would guide you to do." "The more I view, the less I believe there is anything worthwhile out here," Vazga said, "we should withdraw to Amadia, let the Fleet conduct the war from the south coast." "That's where you're wrong," Gakar said, "training in inland jungle warfare, necessary if want to fight in inland Sarhal or southern Bim Lau, weapons testing, and simple wonder at the mysteries of the world." Gakar looked out at the flames. The latest push had been defeated, and the jungle shrunk back into the darkness, discarded tree trunks and poisonous blooms burning in the no-Gnoll's-land. Did it think? Did it feel pain? Could it be beaten in battle? What secrets was it protecting? "You sound like more of a member of the Kult of Deep Knowledge than the Committee for Militarization," Vazga said. "Perhaps," Gakar said, "but if I'm seeking knowledge, it's for military benefit. The Fleet and the Vanguard are the ones keeping your precious economy safe. Cannor, the High Dominion, Haless, none of them will stop innovating." "So, what martial benefit did you learn from fighting trees?" Vazga asked. Gakar pulled out her notes, flicked through them, and observed the defoliant units clearing the last remnants of the jungle. The hellfire flamethrowers were powerful, but too short-ranged for an open battle. On the other end, they were too heavy for close-quarters. If they had tried to engage an enemy force with them, rather than the jungle, a stray bullet might have pierced the fuel canister and incinerated a dozen soldiers. Even something as dumb as the living jungle that lurked beyond the light of the camp had managed to accidentally do that once, with a root lashing from beneath the soil. "I've learned that there is a lot in the world that we still don't understand," she replied, "and we need to be ready to face it." Excerpts from the journal of Gakar Handchewer, member of the Committee for Militarization  Our scouts have reached the very outskirts of Haless, and have met with monsters. Beyond the inhabitants that we expected, the Humans and Harimari, we've had to deal with spirits ravaging the outlying areas of our concession in the Ringlet Isles. They do not seem to appreciate our presence, and have met us with creatures that are like some parody of a Gnoll in the righteous frenzy of Demon's Blood. I have ordered further investigation, to understand from where these beasts emerge. Now that we are in Haless, we start getting Halessi flavour events. The continent is full of roaming spirits that can give positive and negative benefits. More on that in a future playthrough.  At home, the Kult, having lobbied for additional support in driving out the dissident faiths of Cannor that have managed to entrench themselves in Aelantir, as well as the remnants of the Xhazobkult. They are busy tearing down temples to the Host and the Cannorian Gods both, and replacing them with centres of Deep Knowledge, a task requiring a lot of support from our peacekeepers to deal with unruly religionists.  All of Amadia is now under Orcish administration, securing the north-west flank for the coming conflict with Larankar. Connection from Amadia itself into the jungles of central South Aelantir are a set of narrow mountain passes, so this should be defensible.  Haraf too, is secure, though this does nothing to benefit the overall military situation except remove one potential source of agitation. Some of them fled into the desert separating Haraf from Arakeprun, but reports are that something emerged from the sands and devoured them. It is fascinating what is still out there for us to understand.  The great jungle of the central continent, named Effelai by the natives, is almost alive in itself. So much of it is impassable, with scouting parties simply disappearing with no sign whether they were devoured by animal or plant. Our only route deeper is up the rivers from the Leechdens, where open water gives respite from the choking plants. Once the continent is secure, I'm sure the Kult would love to delve deeper into its depths. From the military perspective, there is only one viable route from the Leechdens to Larankar proper, which we will be taking.  In the opening hours of the war, a rare defeat was suffered by the Fleet. Was this a result of incompetence from Admiral Trangka, the Fleet being overstretched covering 80% of the world's coasts, unexpected skill from the enemy commander, or simply bad luck. I have ordered some of my subordinates to have a report prepared for the Committee.  I myself am joining the 7th and 8th Vanguards in pushing through the central jungle. We have entered a marvellous forest of mushrooms in the heights above Effelai proper. It is not nearly as hostile, though the troops are wary of the oversized fungus. I have been taking constant notes on the military implications of these growths, and have requested scientific support from the Kult to identify which mushrooms are safe for consumption or other purposes.  Trangka managed to eke out a little bit of revenge, taking the Larankhara flagship while sinking a significant portion of their sealift capacity. With this stretch of coast secure, we can be confident the Larankhara are confined to their portion of the continent, and our armies can advance.  Our forces have broken into Larankar proper, and have marched into the great city of Nanru Nakar, a city that appears to be have been carved out of a Damestear meteorite of unimaginable size. Surely something so great striking Halann would have caused a calamity on par with the Day of Ashen Skies. Or perhaps, the mountains surrounding the Tachyend in the remains of its crater much like the Cliffs of Ruin. There are strange reports coming from the troops as they battle the many defenders of the city, of whispers and disappearances. Another mystery that needs investigation.  As we advance through the central jungles, hellfire flamethrowers have proven incredibly useful in clearing foliage and beating back the very aggressive growth of Effelai. From the field tests, they don't appear suitable for general combat use, but will certainly find uses elsewhere. One of the unique Gnollish artificer inventions. However, as we aren't using artificer regiments and get more than enough demonic power from Demon's Blood ports, this isn't actually that useful. Also on display, the other unique Gnollish invention, Scrapperclaws, which I forgot to highlight earlier.  The Consul is becoming more highly strung with each passing day, to the point I wonder if she won't give herself a heart attack. A squadron of Larankhara ships made it through the blockade and caused some trouble in the Ruined Sea until a detachment of the Fleet was able to catch up with them, and she is demanding a full investigation. It makes me glad to be landlocked at the moment.  While half the invasion force is busy securing the Tachyend, we have been engaged in a back-and-forth with the enemy in the jungles, both tree and mushroom. We finally caught them with their backs to the Effelai, and annihilated them. The survivors were driven into the deepest parts of the jungle, where I doubt they lived much longer. With this, the last of their standing army has fallen.  Our goal here was not conquest, but alignment. The Amarayam agreed to lift all restrictions on citizens of the Republic within his borders. The free flow of Demon's Blood and Revolutionary ideas should do the work of armies in terms of bringing them to our way of thought, while opening up a market of millions for our economy to profit from. Spread the Revolution only adds 'Revolution' to the nation's provinces, it's up to the disaster and rebels to do the rest of the work, so it's a bit up in the air whether they will actually go full revolutionary.  Following my reassignment to the Halessi campaign, I have immediately identified a weak point for us to exploit. The coalition that guards the independent states of Yanshen has broken down. Bhuvauri currently suffers under invasion from the High Dominion, meaning the great threat that united them has faded and they have started bickering amongst themselves. The great port city of Tianlou is under siege, so I have proposed an intervention to bring it under our control and gain access to the Yanhe river on which it sits.  Taking the city was simple. As ravaged by war as it was, the Fleet and the Vanguard were able to sail right into the harbour and force its concession. The government of the city technically still exists, in exile in the surrounding countryside, but for how much longer is in question.  The military rulers of Jiangdu have declared themselves the protectors of all Yanshen. A Grand Republic, though still under military rule, has been established and laid claim to the entire subcontinent. This includes Tianlou, under our stewardship, so likely another conflict will come in future to secure our control of the concession. I have recommended to the Committee that a secure offshore strategic base be secured to supply a potential land war in Haless.  Spurred on by demonic heat, the Revolution has begun in Larankar. The government was not brought down in the initial uprising, unlike here in Mykx, so it will likely be a long, hard fight. The Committee is debating whether intervention in support of the rebels would be worth the price.  As we are settling in in Tianlou, word has come from the Serpentspine. Bhuvauri has ceded most of the Tree of Stone the High Dominion, and their Runechosen leader has declared the High Dominion the true successor to the ancient Aul-Dwarov. The free slaves of Rahen had been holding on the last gem required to reforge the ancient crown, and with it back in dwarven hands their claim to the mountains is as solid as the rocks that make them up.  Spending time in Haless is a strange experience. Spirits, demons, whatever you might want to call them, are a near-everyday experience. Our outpost in the Ringlet Isles even gained a new tourist attraction as a result of the appearance of such a spirit. I wonder how interactions with these spirits will change as we flood the continent with a product that connects us to the Pits. A positive Halessi spirit event.  Meanwhile, across the sea, the Committee has pushed for an invasion of Arakeprun. While our Demon's Blood flows much more readily through Eordand than it did Larankar, a little disruption is needed to really get the Revolutionary fervour going within their borders. The 6th through 12th Vanguards have all been assigned to this task.  Standing tall above the city of Tianlou is the great temple, one of many such structures scattered around the continent, supposedly predating the Phoenix Empire, the Harimraj, and by some suggestions even the Precursor Empire. The temple of Tianlou is more prominent in that it is the one where Harimar the Great disappeared. Another monument of the world that I have seen with my own eyes, and there is yet more to see. The Gommo has petitioned to investigate further, and I encouraged the city government to agree. For some reason I don't have access to Korashi Drills to actually start digging into the temples. You can gain more Precursor Relics, and the only real downside is Disaster that has not yet been implemented in the mod.  As the war in Eordand kicks off, our blockade has given us a near monopoly on Precursor Relics. With almost all of Aelantir under the sway of the Revolution, we can sell the ancient artefacts at a premium to the Gommo, Cannorian artificers, even the High Dominion if they want them. Even throw in a little Demon's Blood as part of the deal. Eordand is very rich in Relics. If we were going for artificery I would be conquering all the relevant provinces as part of this war.  Istranar is tragically serving as a speedbump for Arakepruni forces in the region, while we focus on their homeland. This region contains the Pillar of the Heavens, another structure of great interest to the Kult, not to mention myself, so we are working to take control of their fortifications before trying to liberate our allies.  While their armies are busy, we have almost completely cleared their homeland of armies. The Fleet freely ships Vanguard divisions up and down the coast, striking wherever the enemy tries to liberate, and two divisions are marching on their capital. Victory is assured.  Much like Larankar, we forced heavy concessions to Demon's Blood merchants and Revolutionary propagandists, but we also secure a great deal of their eastern territory. They had begun invading the settler states of the Ynn Plateau, all of whom are within our sphere of influence and thus more useful to us whole and functional, so much of those stolen lands have been returned. Despite what the peace deal says, it does actually spread Revolution to their provinces in North Aelantir too.  The Pillar of the Heavens now lies within our grasp, and I have requested leave from the Committee to visit it myself. There's so much still to see, and with all of Aelantir either under control of the Revolution, or soon to be so, I need to take every moment of free time I can. Supposedly the Pillar held connections to other worlds during the days of the Precursor Empire. If those can be reactivated, perhaps we spread the Revolution to the Astral itself.  Alas, my request has been denied. The Committee needs someone in place to monitor the situation on mainland Haless. At least the Gnomes have been hard at working repairing the temple, which had been damaged between our attack on the city and the earlier attempt at unifying with Yanshen. They have been babbling something about preventing a 'Rending' by rebuilding the temple wards, but I am leaving that to the Gommo and the Kult of Deep Knowledge to discuss.  While Demon's Blood is flowing up the Yanhe deeper into Yanshen, materials and goods are flowing back to Aelantir. The city is filled with administrators instituting inspections on the quality of goods produced by the local companies, and the Kult is digging their claws into understanding the processes and technologies used by the locals, and how those are affected by the presence of so many spirits. That we have been able to mobilize and integrate the economy of the city already is a testament to the efficiency of the Republic. Ideas are now fully completed, and policies are basically maxed out.  Also newly arrived to the city are the latest generation of flamespitters to outfit the Vanguards garrisoning the city. Much smaller and more manageable than the flamethrowers I saw deployed in the jungle, they will be effective weapons at close quarters making them perfect for the Vanguards' usual tactics.  It is disappointing to see that even after all of our work Tianlou does not appear on the list of top Demon's Blood export ports. Haless is a barely tapped market. Surely it has potential as great if not greater than Anbenncóst itself. Bim Lau and the self-proclaimed unifiers of Yanshen remain resistant to our products, so it falls on me to plan a more forcible opening of their markets. To be continued…
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Sep 25, 2023 21:04
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Chapter Twenty-Five: The Great Liberation 1782-1795 Approaching Harranbar, southern Bulwar, 1790 A warm wind descended from the mountains that flanked the left of the advancing regiment. The Sur Mountains, southern gateway to Bulwar were dry and unhospitable, and yet thousands of Gnolls lived in villages and camps in the valleys and caves of the region. They had been confused to see a mixed army marching through their lands and had taken a little bit of prodding to accept gifts of food and Demon's Blood. Their next destination was another matter altogether. Harranbar, or, to give its proper name, Ilzin Tluukt, was the centre of the Sareyandi Elven administration in the region, so might not be so welcoming to a preponderance of powder. Colonel Seilzu shifted in her saddle, causing her war hyena to grumble, and adjusted her cloak to keep sand and dust from blowing into her eyes. Out to the east was nothing but desert, even more uninhabitable than the mountains they were passing through. It made her wonder how her ancestors had ever managed without access to the open ocean. Or perhaps, that had been the only thing that had been holding them back. The great Xhaz of the past had each devastated entire nation while marching overland, and as soon as Gnollish might had gained the freedom to cross the sea they had accelerated into dominance over nearly the whole world. Of course, there were other reasons for that too. She patted the Demon's Blood pouches at her belt, as diminished as they were from her generosity with the locals. The army marching alongside here would certainly seem strange to anyone on this side of the ocean. Gnolls, Humans and Orcs made up the majority of the warriors, with a few Dwarves, Goblins and even some Ruinborn Elves scattered among them. Though armed with deadly weapons of Gnollish artifice and pumped with Demon's Blood to keep them up and moving even through the heat of the day, the regiment moved with perfect discipline. Each sub-unit kept their place in formation and carried with them the equipment to make camp and enough food for the day, while outriders scouted the surrounds and regularly checked on the supply train a mile or so behind them. Over the past few years, they had fought mostly Human-Elven armies, which while equipped with technology and tactics on par with the Vanguard, did not have the flexibility or furious devotion to the cause that the Revolution had instilled in the diverse settlers and natives of Aelantir. That was what had carried them across thousands of miles, overthrowing countless tyrants who would oppress Seilzu's ancestral homelands, putting down any who had been tricked and deluded into worshipping the fake god of the Elves, and spreading enlightenment-in-a-bag to one and all. "Colonel," Lieutenant Ac said, riding up to her from the front of the column, "the gates of the town are open." "Then we will accept their welcome," she replied, "organize an advance unit." --- Harranbar was originally one of Tluukt's camps, built on a rocky prominence that jutted out of the hillside. Since the Elven occupation it had sprawled out onto the rest of the hill and around the road that ran underneath the prominence. It was only lightly fortified, unlike some of the other fortresses that they had battered down as they had crossed the mountains. A stone wall that Seilzu was confident she could scrabble up with her bare claws and a handful of cannon emplacements on the highest point were all that opposed them. Not that it mattered, as the gate remained open as Seilzu, Ac and a dozen other warriors on hyena-back approached. A few inhabitants, all Humans from the looks of things, watched cautiously from the walls, a white flag hanging below them. Inside, a small entourage awaited them. Again, all were Human but Seilzu was surprised to see Gnolls in town as well. They watched fearfully from windows and alleys, trussed up in clothes of the Bulwari Human style rather than proper Gnollish garments. As the mayor offered up his surrender, she took in the town some more. The buildings were mostly plain stone and brick, ornamented by vibrant cloth draped over windows and awnings. Such an isolated roadway town did not see much wealth, and even the mayor looked poor by the standards of Bulwar. He explained that the Elven governor and the garrison had already fled, and that he was throwing himself on their mercy for lack of any other option. It was something that Seilzu had heard a dozen times before, and let go just as many times, so she left Ac to finalize the negotiations and focused on the most prominent building in the town. Atop the prominence was a much more ornate building than the rest. Tall and proud, with a gold ring glinting at the top of the tower. It could only be a temple to the Human-Elven sun god. The rest of the town could stand, but that would need to go. A growl from her mount was the first warning that someone had snuck up on her. As she turned and placed her hand on her pistol, the interloper spoke up in accented Gnollish. "Do you bring Darkness to these lands?" he asked. Seilzu relaxed when she realized it was just an Elf, and an elderly one at that. It was still unusual to see him considering every other Elf had fled as they had advanced, but he did not seem like a threat. "We bring liberation," she replied, "both for the body-" she patted her weapon "-and for the spirit." She patted her powder pouches. "I have been priest of this town for two hundred years," the Elf said, "and I know that an army cannot liberate. The light of Surael has cleansed the hearts of even the darkest of beings. That is real freedom." Seilzu did not like how he indicated the observing Gnolls as the 'darkest of beings'. "But you're the one in the fancy priest robes, with the golden tower," she replied. "These are not for me, but for the community. The temple welcomes all who hold to Surael's tenets," he said, "and that is why I have stayed. I must ensure the Darkness does not reclaim their souls." He was staring at the Demon's Blood powder on her belt. Even this deep inland, the potency of the drug must have been infamous. "I'm not here to debate," she said, "but there are members of the Kult of Deep Knowledge in our supply train. You can chat all that you want with them about Light and Dark." She nudged her mount to turn back to the negotiations, but the priest grabbed at its fur, causing a deeper growl that almost startled the Elf back. However, there was a determination in his eyes that drove him to cling on even as the hyena grew ever more annoyed. "I implore you, do not sully their bodies," he begged, "I have spent my whole life rehabilitating your kin. They would have been purged if not turned away from the Darkness." "If your god is so powerful, perhaps they can meet him with a little help," Seilzu said, with a grin. She took a bag of powder and tossed it at him, forcing him to let go or risk it coming open and dumping its contents onto his face. "It's a new era, there's no need for them to be tied down by you anymore." She spurred her mount forward, to meet up with Ac and get the details on the agreement for the town to host the regiment overnight. Sparing a glance back, she watched the priest glare at the powder, before dumping it into the dirt and grinding it away with his feet. It didn't matter. His time had passed, and his flock would have their eyes opened soon enough. Excerpts from the journal of Vieh Rashskull, Bloodflame Consul  The ancient lands of the Gnolls encompass nearly the full breadth of Sarhal. From Viakkoc's coastal ports, to the deepest parts of the desert, to the highland savannahs of the interior. Ever since we first crawled from the Pits, tribes have freely roamed these lands fighting amongst themselves and occasionally organising just enough to form a Xhaz and break into other lands.  The reality is, that way of life is dying. The Bulwari Elves pushing from the north, and the Sarhali Humans pushing from the south, have completely swallowed the Gnollish territories. The tribes forced to flee or be destroyed as monsters. Even the attempt to resurrect Gnollakaz that I secured shortly after my ascension has failed, being as they were cut off from any hope of reinforcement. This cannot stand any longer. We need to put our paws to the sand and do the work ourselves.  There is an ongoing situation in Yanshen, where the Gommo have decided to unveil a new invention that will allow them to crack open the High Temple of Tianlou. Given our precarious situation on the continent, and the prospect of an immenent continent-wide war elsewhere, I have given orders not to inflame the situation with the locals. Ah, here it is. Much later than usual. Perhaps it depends on a nation agreeing to that event from last chapter letting Gnomes visit the temples.  Elizna is just the first step. They have been squabbling over the title of Chosen of the Khet with Sareyand, and at present have lost the title. The blessings of their oversized cats will not aid them as we march through Kheterata.  There have been reports of a significant Eliznan fleet stationed off the coast of Ardimya, which almost caught the local squadron off-guard. Apparently, they consider this colonial venture more important than defending the waters of their homeland. I had the foresight to station a division of Vanguards in the area, so this front should be no concern.  Once again, the Leechdens are abuzz with activity. Our forces are getting overstretched, with two Vanguard divisions in Sarhal, two in Haless, two at home in Aelantir, and a full six invading Elizna. Before we can begin to imagine facing the full might of Halessi armies, more soldiers are required. These warriors will be shipped to Tianlou as soon as their training is complete.  The ferocity of our Vanguard has spread to our enemies. They refuse to engage us even as we march up the Mother's Sorrow into Kheterata. The same is true on other fronts as well. Numerical superiority does not matter in the face of our armies. The Committee for Militarization is watching closely, drawing on the details to plan campaigns in Yanshen.  Elizna itself is on an island off the coast of Kheterata, easy pickings for our forces as it is cut off from reinforcement since the High Dominion seized the mainland side of the main crossing. Negotiators have already been dispatched to make our demands, and I believe they will accept. The destruction of the Eliznan state is not our goal, for now.  All Gnolls within Eliznan borders have been freed. They worship a strange mix of faiths, including the Gods of the Diven, from the Fangualan occupation, the Sun Cult, and the Jadd. Besides folk religions in isolated villages, they have lost almost all of their heritage. This is something that needs to be corrected, and so the Kult has been dispatched to teach proper reason and deep thought to these Gnolls.  We also demanded their territory in Ardimya. With the canal across the isthmus still decades from completion, this is the perfect staging area for troops bound to Haless.  Our Halessi territory itself is suffering from natural disasters. The local priests have suggested that the presence of our Demon's Blood is angering the spirits, but the local Kult members disagree, saying that this is merely a side-effect of the demonic power settling into the land. I keep getting spammed by this event every couple of years, followed by the 'temple rebuilt' event. I wonder if there's a bug in this version.  The campaign continues. The Sarheli Humans are being easily pushed aside, with the forces blooded in battle against Elizna moving straight into a full invasion of occupied Gnollish territory in the north, while the garrison for our coastal concessions moves inland to take their capital.  Once again, Gnollish territory is freed. The Gnolls, who had a brief taste of freedom a decade ago thanks to us, greet us as liberators. Yet, there are reports of violence from the more devout followers of the Jadd among them. They consider us servants of 'the darkness', which Jaddar preached needed to be fought at every turn. The Kult will educate them. They simply don't know the gifts that knowledge and powder can bring.  The liberation has moved straight on to Sareyand, which is caught in a devastating conflict with Bhuvauri. Both nations have drained themselves of manpower, and are relying on vast mercenary armies funded by the Raheni and Bulwari trade networks. We have stepped into this battle to liberate our kin out from underneath them.  Events in Tianlou are escalating. An entire district of the city vanished; its thousands of inhabitants replaced with gold. The Gommo are pleading to be let into the temple to track down the source of the spirit attacks, and I am tempted to let them. However, the city is being made ready for war and I do not want another risky endeavour piled on top of that. Perhaps later. This event gets very silly when you have such a large empire.  I have found myself relaxed more these days. The frantic scrabbling to remove the remaining threats in Aelantir is over. The Committees and Kult are fat and happy, money is entering the right pockets, the Vanguard have proven themselves near-unbeatable. I don't have to worry so much.  Even outnumbered in battles, the Vanguard achieve victory. The riverlands of Bulwar, once ruled by brutal Gnollish warlords, now face the liberation of the Revolution.  Bhuvauri has taken Gnollish land away from Sareyand, giving us one more enemy to fight in future. This may have to wait, though, as we need time to consolidate and plan before taking on the slave-slavers. The sheer size of the mercenary armies they bring to bear may be enough to overwhelm our forces as they also deal with misguided Gnollish zealots.  Inspired by the power of our armies, and by the vast quantities of Demon's Blood they hand out to the locals as they pass through, Revolution has bloomed in Sareyand. This is our signal to pull out and claim the territory we are here for, rather than risk interfering in the fury of the mass of Humans these Elves have been oppressing.  All the remaining Gnollish territory, besides that held by Bhuvauri and a small sliver held by the High Dominion, now tastes the freedom the Republic offers. Already businesses are moving in, granting jobs to the local Gnolls and extracting useful goods from the lands, while the Kult educates them on matters outside of the Burning Ocean of sand that they've lived their whole lives in. Some explorers have suggested expeditions deeper into the desert to locate the entrance to the Pits of Grillax, and I have granted permission. So many questions might be answered if we could locate it.  There are also more isolated tribes of Gnolls to be integrated. These poor creatures haven't even touched civilized society, much less de-monsterized. They spend their time lurking on the edge of the remnants of the Jaddari, raiding and skirmishing. Integrating them will take time and effort, but is a worthwhile endeavour to ensure the uplift of all Gnolls.  Word from the east is that now is the time to strike. The Republic of Yanshen are making their move against the last remaining holdouts over their rule over Yanshen proper. Fresh troops have arrived in Tianlou and are ready to engage. Thought we only have 150 thousand warriors, against a force numbering one and a half million, I trust the Committee's planning to come through and achieve victory.  Knocking Feiten out of the war is our first priority. Despite how many forts lie between Tianlou and Feiten itself, the fact that they are coastal works against them. In a coastal battle, we are unbeatable.  Maintaining full control of the seas allows us unprecedented movement capability. Our armies are drilled well enough to embark and disembark in their entirety in a matter of hours, and thus sail up and down the coast, striking at any isolated Yansheni army that attempts to retake coastal territory.  Such manoeuvrability means that they will never truly be able to threaten one of our coastal concessions. We can strike as one, and drive away an army of any size. Tianlou may be earthquake-prone, but it will not fall to outside invaders again.  Knocking Feiten out of the war will give us another port to operate and spread Demon's Blood from, and another tempting target for overconfident Yansheni and Bim Lau generals to attempt to besiege before we strike at them from the water. All reports from the front bring good news of victory after victory, and suggestions that the enemy is being forced to rely on Bhuvauri mercenaries to keep their army functional.  Our world-spanning conflicts have had significant impact at home as veterans return telling of the strange lands they have visited. Modern techniques from Cannor, ancient designs from Bulwar and Haless, traditional Gnollish styles from Sarhal, are all finding themselves in use in a booming architectural sector across the Ruined Sea. Wealthy industrialists are commissioning monumental residences, slums are getting razed to build boulevards and upmarket mansions, and government buildings are getting major overhauls to display the power and wealth that the Revolution has brought to the people of the Republic.  Just two years of war have drained the enemy enough that the Committee has recommended that we take the war inland. The capital of Tongyi Cheng, formerly Jiangdu, lies not far from Tianlou. It being the ancient home of the 'art of warfare' does not mean much if the army assigned to defend it are all dead or besieging coastal fortresses.  I have no intention to attempt to rule the multitudes of Yanshen directly. They can have their empire, but they must cede all their claim to the coastline. Both Tianlou and Feiten will remain independent, including the coastal territory they conquered in the war that we had just intervened in.  During the period of war in the east, the Kult has been hard at work across the Sarhal. Though many resist, the greater population of Gnolls have eagerly taken to the modern version of their ancient faith. Stories of Xhazob had persisted in their underlying culture no matter how hard the sun-worshippers had tried to beat it out of them, so it was a simple matter for the Kult of Deep Knowledge to turn that towards their own viewpoint. As the situation in the desert stabilizes, we now look to the remaining Gnolls, and prepare for the final push. To be continued…
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Sep 29, 2023 15:05
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GunnerJ posted:This is probably the one time I won't be annoyed by a "revolution turns bad" storyline, because "free evil drugs for all" is not even a great starting point. actually "good cocaine for everyone" is an awesome revolution also finally more-or-less caught up, this poo poo rules! thanks for the lp
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Sep 29, 2023 21:27
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I'm pretty sure a bunch of gods are dead and at least one of them is a blood drenched warmonger so how bad can the demon cocaine be I ask you
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Sep 30, 2023 07:16
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