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I would love to see what's going on in Aelantir, too. This is such a good LP, and Anbennar is just an amazing mod. I haven't played in this part of the world since it got it's big updates, I'm so glad to experience some of that through this LP. Edit: State of the World update near the bottom of the last page.
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Feb 21, 2024 01:15
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On a note, this reminds me that I really liked the oni nation path right up until the council gets usurped and you just become cartoonish evil instead of complicated evil. That bit just ruined the whole nation for me.
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Feb 21, 2024 02:46
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Yeah the work that’s currently being done for South Aelantir in particular is amazing. The whole Effelai system by which you can slowly attune with and become one with the jungle hive mind goddess as a native is incredibly cool. Also incredibly evil! But incredibly cool. The MTs are being worked on as we speak
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Feb 21, 2024 04:03
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Is there a start that's well suited for larping as Skeletor?
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Feb 21, 2024 04:34
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There's Esthíl in Escann who are big necromancers iirc
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Feb 21, 2024 04:40
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SirPhoebos posted:Is there a start that's well suited for larping as Skeletor? Chaingrasper in the southern Serpentspine Mountains near Haless.
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Feb 21, 2024 04:42
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SirPhoebos posted:Is there a start that's well suited for larping as Skeletor? The new Luciande tree is cartoonishly and non-sensically evil if thats the vibe you are going for. Bad dialogue included.
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Feb 21, 2024 05:10
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Firebatgyro posted:The new Luciande tree is cartoonishly and non-sensically evil if thats the vibe you are going for. Bad dialogue included. In a good way, or a bad way?
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Feb 21, 2024 05:45
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NewMars posted:In a good way, or a bad way? It's less Skeletor and more Castlevania Dracula. Make of that what you will. Seconding Chaingrasper for Skeletor LARPing. There's also Gemradcurt if Warcraft III meets Frozen sounds like your thing.
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Feb 21, 2024 05:55
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Lucian is basically knock-off Strahd, but I mean that in a nice way.
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Feb 21, 2024 06:01
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NewMars posted:In a good way, or a bad way? Good way. Firebat is crazy for thinking anything about Luciande is nonsensical. It is very upfront that you are playing a hybrid of Strahd and COBRA Commander. You’re a hammy supervillain and it owns. Chewing scenery start to finish.
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Feb 21, 2024 06:49
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Captain Oblivious posted:Good way. Firebat is crazy for thinking anything about Luciande is nonsensical. Is there a way to not end up at war with literally all of Cannor?
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Feb 21, 2024 07:53
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mcclay posted:Is there a way to not end up at war with literally all of Cannor? No. You’re not trying to win, you’re trying to survive. You just need to buy about two and a half years of time. If they siege down your whole nation, doesn’t matter as long as Castle Dracula is intact. Having a very meticulously castled and ramparted border is advised.
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Feb 21, 2024 08:07
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Lucian is a huge monster, and you need to take some land that's pretty far from Escann to finish the mission tree. However, the mission tree will give you a powerful and unique defensive option. You just need to survive until then.
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Feb 21, 2024 08:09
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Well, I think I know which nation I'm voting for next (hopefully there is a next)!
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Feb 21, 2024 08:51
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Eh truthfully I don’t think Luciande would be a great fit for Sybot’s writing style. Much as I love the giant bloodsucking ham.
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Feb 21, 2024 09:19
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Yeah, sorry for anyone looking forward to meeting Lucian, but he isn't on the list for the next campaign. Maybe for the future. That said, I have a full 18 options lined up for the next preliminary vote, with some very interesting choices on there, so I'm sure there'll be something for everyone to vote for.
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Feb 21, 2024 09:54
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In other news man I gotta say, playing Kheterata as a colonizer is a wild ride. Also both Lorent and Gawed just melted down into full Revolution hm. Hmmmmmmmmm.
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Feb 21, 2024 10:03
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wiegieman posted:Lucian is a huge monster, and you need to take some land that's pretty far from Escann to finish the mission tree.
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Feb 21, 2024 16:54
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Where does Luciande start? I tried looking for it in Cannor but couldn't find it.
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Feb 22, 2024 23:55
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SirPhoebos posted:Where does Luciande start? I tried looking for it in Cannor but couldn't find it. The Company of the Thorn, adventurers in south-west Escann. Unrelated to the question, I've been going through a parallel Dahui run to try and get all 13 Great Spirits and its still tricky even when you're a blobbing machine. Some of the Great Spirits are real assholes as well. I think our cuddly Kobolds will try to stay away from those ones. Sybot fucked around with this message at 00:04 on Feb 23, 2024 |
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Feb 23, 2024 00:01
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SirPhoebos posted:Where does Luciande start? I tried looking for it in Cannor but couldn't find it. You wouldn't because, the way Escann works is that you start as an adventurer band and by virtue of becoming the de facto administration in post-Greentide lands you eventually form a state. Company of Thorns becomes Luciande, Brave Brothers becomes Wyvernheart, and so on and so on. There's a poo poo load of different formables for adventurers in Escann.
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Feb 23, 2024 02:59
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Captain Oblivious posted:You wouldn't because, the way Escann works is that you start as an adventurer band and by virtue of becoming the de facto administration in post-Greentide lands you eventually form a state. Company of Thorns becomes Luciande, Brave Brothers becomes Wyvernheart, and so on and so on. There's a poo poo load of different formables for adventurers in Escann. As okay. I tried starting as Order of Iron Sceptor but had trouble parsing the adventuring company mechanics.
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Feb 23, 2024 04:36
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SirPhoebos posted:As okay. I tried starting as Order of Iron Sceptor but had trouble parsing the adventuring company mechanics. The general gist of how to adventurer is 1) Reform Progress. You need to finish your reforms to become a real nation. Prioritize tribal buildings that expedite reform progress. 2) Complete the center line of the Adventurer generic MT before you turn into a formable. This prevents you from getting owned by the Legacy of Adventurers modifier when you become a nation similar to how dwarves need to accumulate dwarven knowledge to finish their reforms. 3) Take as much tribal land as humanly possible. You and all the orcs are using native mechanics. Your goal before you settle down is to have a gigantic swathe of tribal land because all tribal land with your name on it will be auto colonized when you become a nation. During this stage you can’t really kill anyone unless they only have one province and you take all of their tribal land first. Prioritize beating up orcs with a federation with offensive wars backing you up. Only fight other adventurers if you lack soft targets/better opportunities. Broadly speaking this strategy will work for everyone in Escann you might play. Captain Oblivious fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Feb 23, 2024 |
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Feb 23, 2024 05:21
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Is there a Anbennar discord?
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Feb 23, 2024 15:09
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SirPhoebos posted:Is there a Anbennar discord? https://discord.gg/5zvW9DQ9 It's pretty active and there's a lot of good information available.
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Feb 23, 2024 17:56
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Chapter Fifteen: The Vulpine War 1653-1671 A forest near Sziguantai, Lower Yanshen, 1671 The trees shook with the spiritual advance. Gyar Tzangfo gripped her musket tightly, her breathing steady and her training at the front of her mind. Beside her, her fellow Kobolds of the Smouldering Claw tempered their own eagerness and readied for the moment to strike. Behind her, the Human members of her unit had their own guns aimed over her head. A double-line volley of shots would await the spirit servants of the false lord when they emerged. "Ready!" the sergeant called. Gyar Tzangfo rested her claw on the trigger. A figure burst from the treeline, a galloping canine the size of a Human. Along the line, countless more spirits of all shapes and sizes leapt from cover and charged at her and her companions, but she remained focused solely on what lay ahead of her. No matter how close they got, she would await the order. Still, it clung to the back of her mind, the urge to just open fire as the canine broke away from the 'formation' of attackers and sped ahead, threatening to reach her far earlier than any of the others. But that was how war worked. If she had to fall to keep the discipline of the rest of the unit, then so be it. Her blood and Chi would flow into the land, and perhaps her spirit would serve as a guide for future warriors. Even in that case, she wouldn't go down without a fight. Her claws would drag that canine with her to the other side. "Hold for support!" the sergeant called. The charging spirits were close enough that Gyar Tzangfo could see the rage in their eyes and the froth in their maws. She swallowed and felt a prickling under her scales, as though A roar filled the air, and a fraction of a second later the entire treeline exploded in a shower of flame and shrapnel. The cannons had finally come through and cut the charge in half with their destructive power. "Fire!" Gyar Tzangfo, and hundreds of other warriors, fire a single unified volley into the mass of spirits, which now found themselves trapped between a wall of fire and a wall of guns. Not every spirit was vulnerable to bullets, but a good number of them were, and the number of combat-ready foes before them dropped by nearly half. Some dissipated completely, while other writhed on the ground, attempting to reform from their injuries. The canine that had been charging Gyar Tzangfo had tumbled, one of its legs blown away. "Batons and bayonets!" the sergeant called. Batons for the Kobolds, bayonets for the Humans. The standard musket was already relatively unwieldy for a Kobold, attaching a blade to the end of it was almost pointless. Gyar Tzangfo passed her musket backwards in a practised motion, sliding it past the Human behind her to another Kobold who would reload and prepare for the next volley. Then, she drew her batons and flooded them with her Chi, unleashing all the pent-up stress that had been building up as a wave of anger than made the surface of her weapons hot to the touch. At the sound of a horn, she charged. "For Xerlanza!" "For Balris!" "For Yanhe!" "For Huszien!" Shouts and war cries echoed across the battlefield as the Smouldering Claw warriors on the frontline dove into the fray, engaging the remaining spirits with their bodies and with their souls. Gyar Tzangfo drove her batons into the head of the canine, deforming its features like clay and cauterizing it with intense enough heat that it remained that way. She did not pause to finish it off, and instead leapt past it, knocking a shambling plant spirit to the ground and setting it alight before engaging in a duel with an armoured warrior of unknown race. Behind her, the line of Humans was moving up to deal finishing blows and apply wards to seal any spirits that were completely immune to physical attacks. The warrior spirit was a challenge, just dwelling on the wrong side of the spiritual and physical divide. Her strikes passed right through it, but its blade was dangerously physical and left deep chips in her batons as it slashed at her. Her martial forms were well drilled, and a single enemy with a sword was no threat on its own, but this was a chaotic battlefield. All around her warriors and spirits fought, and twice she found herself mis-stepping and coming within moments of death as another spirit lashed out at her and broke her concentration. She redoubled the intensity of the fire within her soul, and lunged at the warrior spirit, catching the blade with one baton and driving the other against the spirit's hand, ripping the word out of its grip and sending the weapon into the mud. A moment's relief flooded her. Without a weapon it was just an insubstantial spirit, and not a threat. That moment of hesitation was her downfall. With its other hand it reached up and unsheathed another sword as though it was pulling it out of the air itself. It descended upon her, and Gyar Tzangfo just barely caught it with a baton, the angle and force of the blow doing enough to knock her weapon out of her claws. She barely had time to redirect the follow-up slash, and staggered backwards, away from her lost weapon. The spirit held the upper hand, and a potentially unlimited number of swords. Gyar Tzangfo prepared herself for one last push to buy time for a sealer to banish this dangerous foe, no matter if it cost her life. A presence scurried onto her shoulder, and she twisted one eye to look at it. Soft and ferocious, an ethereal fox was perched there, its claws dug into her uniform. It paid her no heed, instead growling at the foe before them. "Thank you for your aid," Gyar Tzangfo said, both to the fox spirit and the greater mind that lurked behind it. She took a deep breath, and then charged. The warrior spirit's sword came down, and she deflected it, ignoring the risk of any follow-ups. Instead, she dashed straight through the intangible body of the spirit. The fox was left behind, clinging to the warrior's armour. In a flash, it scurried up the torso, slithered through a gap in the armour, and most likely tore open the neck or throat of the spirit. It collapsed into a heap and began to fade away, leaving only the two swords it had summoned and a very satisfied looking fox coated in luminescent blood. Gyar Tzangfo took a moment and looked around the battlefield. Dozens of spirit foxes had emerged, aiding the Xerlanzan warriors against the more dangerous spirits. This fight was won, but it was only the beginning. In the treeline, thousands more spirits lurked, only temporarily cowed by the artillery barrage and now waiting to serve their false masters. She faced down the wall of fire that still engulfed the treeline and let the fox climb atop her shoulder once more. In the distance, a great white tiger loomed over the treetops, swarms of flying spirits circling it. As she watched, the detonation of cannon shells against the skin of the beast marked the beginning of another unit's assault. She took a moment to reach up and skritch her claws against the fur of the fox on her shoulder, causing it to give a happy yip. They had started this war for the sake of the foxes, for the Vulpine Lady, and now it was time to end it. Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the writings of Fax Jamgön of the Knowing Eye, Golden President  It was in a meeting of Parliament when the Honoured President once again proved his blessing by the spirits. The souls of those Honoured Presidents passed, and even some of the Revered Golden Sages who preceded them, smiled down upon him as he spoke of the need to strike further abroad and secure the safety of the spirits. Representatives from near every party knelt at their appearance, myself among them, and his motion for war passed unanimously.  Our goal was to drive the Custodian from her city and secure the ruins of the High Temple. During the last conflict, where Jiantsiang openly aligned with the Bhuvauri slavers, our forces found the spirits of the land terrified and in hiding. A skulk of sprit foxes, scorched by the Custodian's magical flames, followed our warriors south at that war's end, and whispered of more of their brethren still in hiding.  Further abroad, the rainforests of Lupulan are burning. Arawkelin is both hungry for resources and eager to end the Rending by burning back the forests in which the spirits dwell. Yanhe has also called upon us to liberate the Elves of this region who have been, even if only so that they might fall under his domain.  We have no valid justification beyond our desires for justice itself, and the economic parties are protesting at the idea of launching two wars simultaneously, but this must be done for the sake of the spirits. At the very least the Regent of Chien Binhrung has granted us access to strike overland, rather than having to engage a naval power at sea to secure a landing. No-CBing in this direction is our only choice, as there is a shortage of Elves in Haless. The only others I know of are around Azkare, now owned by One Xia.  While the President focuses on fighting for the Great Spirits, we have to keep the nation working and advancing. One such project is the reconstruction of the Godswall, nestled at the western tip of the Jade Mountains and guarding a near-impassable valley that leads into a mysterious plateau. The Command demolished most of the statues, but we have the skills and understanding to rebuild them, and even add Lord Balris and Great Spirits as statues alongside the High Gods. We've got plenty of money to spare, so why not. Also, said mysterious plateau has been populated as of the latest Bitbucket version.  Another is the Korashi Drill project, spearheaded by Chief Tinker Doomwhistle. Apparently, he managed to dig up some books that were uncovered when Hokuma initially broke from his containment, containing the secrets on how to produce Korashi. It is a very unpleasant material to be around, as it seems to draw Chi into itself and drain it away into the void, so use of it will be left to the Gnomes. They will be accompanied by guards to ensure that they only disable the High Temple wards and do not attempt to slay any spirits that might take the chance to escape. Canonically this is one of the big causes of the Rending, but if the High Temples are already busted then there's no need to worry any more.  They will have the ruins of the High Temple in Jiantsiang to test it upon, as the Custodian has been forced to flee in to the wilderness of the northern steppe. The city and its spirits are now under the protection of Xerlanza, and we have begun to search for the rumoured foxes that dwell within the hidden corners of the land.  The southern campaign ended without much trouble from the enemy, with the city itself and several outlying islands coming under our control. The issue lies more at home. This is the furthest we've ever extended our administration, and the first time overseas as well. Half of Parliament's in an uproar, demanding we devolve administration to a local governor rather than attempting to rule directly, but the Honoured President is insistent.  Such aggression is almost unprecedented, with most of our past campaigns being against obvious spawns of evil like the Oni and Jiangshi, major threats like the Command, or being part of the Blue Scarves' liberation campaigns. Riots have broken out in some of the more recently integrated lands, those whose independence was taken away just as the Rending took away their idle comforts. Our lack of Absolutism is really hurting us here, massively cutting into our ability to take lots of land. That's part of why I'll be avoiding some of the more blob-requiring Great Spirits.  We are doing what we can to sooth the anger, such as passing an extension of various rights including voting right to our newest territories. It isn't likely to deal with the immediate situation, but it should give them a reason to not revolt again in future.  Our welcoming of our new Elven citizens should do much to calm the situation as well. Elves and Half-Elves are moving into Yanshen, considering that they still face unofficial discrimination in Arawkelin City no matter what we do to try and stamp it out. Demonstrating our desire for peaceful integration will go a long way.  And of course, the spirits themselves honour us. A great demonstration of galloping horses across the skies of Yanshen prompted sudden celebration from the populace. Yanhe himself even attended the festivities, letting the spirits escort him from one end of the Yan to the other without causing any disruption to those below.  Armed with Korashi Drills, large Gommo expedition teams have been delving into the remaining High Temples, digging countless relics of the High Gods for study. As agreed, we get a significant share of the findings, and any trapped spirits found within are set free. There are some complaints from locals, particularly those who still follow the High Philosophy, especially as we're now tearing down the Temples in our own territory and not just foreign lands. This is perfect time to educate them on the true oppressive nature of the structures. As we aren't focusing on artificery this campaign, all we really get from this is a decent trade good.  For a long time, the Ruin Republics have been growing steadily more intertwined with us, and the first steps to extending full rights across Shamakhad has been completed with the full integration of Sir. All of its citizens, Hobgoblins included, have been granted full rights, though there are still isolated pockets who need to be taught the truth of Balris and the Great Spirits.  All the races of Haless now have representation under Balris and Yanhe, though I have been told of a curious case of a new race appearing in Feiten. Trolls, even larger than Oni and with large tusks, somehow bought passage on vessels far too small for them while fleeing persecution in Daengun. It is no matter, as Lord Balris welcomes all to his nation.  It must be very confusing for those Trolls who are participating us on the great parade up the Golden Highway, the great celebration of unity and diversity that we held for Yanhe. Countless spirits join us on our journey, and for just a moment the natural flow of Chi down the Yan has reversed and infused the land itself with our energy, sending spiritual shockwaves across the continent. No doubt those who oppose the Great Spirits will be angered by this, but for the moment we can share our successes with our draconic guardians. Another change in the Bitbucket version is that appeasing Great Spirits is no longer all or nothing. You get 5 years extension to the Rending for 3 quests, 15 for 4, and the full 25 for 5. That means there is some value in doing a 4th quest even if the 5th is impossible. We managed to get all 5 done, so the Rending is now extended to roughly 1700. Max effect of Absolutism is, as I understand it, a way to get a bonus above 100% Absolutism. So, sadly useless for us.  No sooner did the great parade reach Bianfang, than messengers were riding up behind us. Lower Yanshen is in chaos, with armies of spirits on the march in numbers not seen since the early days of the Rending. Our celebration may very well have been the catalyst to awaken these four mythical lord spirits, who seem completely unwilling to negotiate with us in the same way that Yanhe and Hokuma could be placated. The Honoured President has called an emergency session of Parliament to address the situation.  With every available member of Parliament assembled, Fax Ferkye stood before us, and then declared that he was stepping down as he promised. All of the Old Guard, myself included, erupted in anger, wondering how he could turn away from us in our time of need. He ignored us, and announced that Vata Namra of the Alliance would be interim President. This was not going to be a negotiation with a Great Spirit, but a war of liberation.  As he went on to explain, a spirit fox entered the chamber and clambered up onto his shoulder. It was one of those we had saved from Jiantsiang, and our kindness was clearly now being repaid. The four lords were upstarts, using the absence of the true ruler of those lands to claim power. The true Great Spirit was in fact the Lady Huszien, who had long ago divided herself into nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces to escape imprisonment at the hands of the High Gods. So long as she is divided, those lords terrorizing our people cannot be stopped, and thus her resurrection has become our greatest priority. Only four of Huszien's quests are available initially, the final one becoming available later. Overall, she is one of the easiest spirits, particularly if you already started in Yanshen, merely requiring an investment of mana points and some conquest. In fact, her quests were made slightly harder in the Bitbucket. The money/mana cost for the last quest above isn't in the Steam version, only the dev requirement.  Key to her resurrection is an artefact located somewhere on the distant island of Somyonghon. Though we have sent missives requesting access to the Hermit Kingdom, they have flatly refused, as they consider the ruins on the island to be holy, and after seeing our demolition and plundering of many of the High Temples have no desire for us set foot upon it. Vata Namra has ordered ties to be cut. The artefact will be found, one way or another.  The influence of the Gommo grows, and Gnomes are seen across more of the nation, studying the spirits and extracting what knowledge they can from the ruins of the Hight Temples. We are watching closely to make sure they do not disrespect the spirits, while the Scale Barons are purchasing their fancy machines by the galleon-load to streamline their manufactories. I am concerned that such cold machinery will disrupt the careful balance we have struck with the spirits in our urban centres, but for now my concerns are ignored. Mostly taking this for the extra production efficiency. I won't be doing any artificery research. That's more for the other Kobolds.  War has sprouted again, with Bhuvauri attempting to step in as we secure the remainder of Huszien's territory. The Alliance are confident they can hold the western border, even with one of our buffers gone.  The Gnomes are growing in number, and have established an official branch office in Arawkelin and started conducting expeditions into the Lupulan Rainforest regardless of what the locals think. Perhaps they aren't so bad, if they can uncover more information about the spirits of that region, we can do something to aid them in reclaiming the devastation.  Not all of the spirits the lords have unleashed against us are hostile. A blue man of great stature and near-nudity has appeared and engaged in theological debates with the citizens of a small village in Lower Yanshen. So fascinating is he, and so safe does he make the village against other rampaging spirits, that the village is receiving a massive influx of people seeking wisdom and safety.  The frontier war has concluded with territory coming under the administration of the monks of Tughayasa. No great territorial swings against our rival, but Vata Namra has assured Parliament that cutting Bhuvrauri's access to the northern end of the Kharunyana has strategic significance.  Far more relevant to our current situation, the last independent nations of Yanshen have been integrated into Xerlanza. Now we are in a position where we can begin fighting back against the four lords and preparing for Huszien's resurrection.  The army has been deployed to be corralling, or in the worst case outright banishing, the spirits of Lower Yanshen, starting with those furthest away from the four lords. Once the outlying spirits are cleared and the lords are effectively besieged, we can begin preparing for the ritual and then the final assault. A great temple is in the process of being raised in Tsingchingquan to house Huszien once she is reconstituted, with a mage tower annex so that we might learn more of the way of magic and spirit from her.  I feel I might have come around on the curious little creatures from Cannor. The newest Gommo branch in Tianlou is filling up with academics and philosophers I didn't expect them to be capable of producing. Rather than the cold and knowledge-hungry artificers who have been rooting through the ruins of the High Temples, these Gnomes are capable of an honest debate on the nature of the world, and our place in it compared to beings of such power as dragons and spirits. There are a lot of nice little bonuses you can get by inviting in the Gnomes to specific provinces. Frankly, I think there should be more downsides because apart from a few mild events there's no reason not to let the little guys in.  Though it has to be said that such Gnomes are relatively rare. The division in Arawkelin is more focused on military tactics, whether from our warriors, the last remnants of the First Phoenix Empire's Legions who still dwell in the city, or any of the other hundred military traditions across the world. There is no way the Alliance would turn down such an opportunity to grow stronger, and so our armies now have Gnomish advisors who experiment with unusual tactics in battle and step all over our martial traditions in the process.  Battles are continuing across Lower Yanshen, and there are still spirits that are beyond our capability to contain, such as a host of celestial Kirin who follow the Azure Dragon. Elections will go ahead regardless, as besides a few areas where the four lord spirits have been contained the situation has calmed enough that we can begin to return to proper democratic rule.  I did not expect to win such a resounding victory. The people must have seen that Fax Ferkye's approach has brought us success in navigating these trying times, and trusted the Old Guard to continue to deliver spiritual salvation to the nation. I will continue to keep Vata Namra in my cabinet, so that there is no disruption to the fight against the four lords.  One of the first items on my desk was, to my surprise, a request for an official alliance with the Second Phoenix Empire. We have mutual enemies, in Bhuvauri and Kalsyto, so this is perhaps a valuable diplomatic endeavour. My only condition, in my reply, was that this be a purely defensive alliance against our foes. I have no desire to see Kobolds marching off to some conflict in Bulwar. Switching off offensive wars isn't something I do often, but considering how distant we are it actually makes sense. If I ever need to go on the offensive against Kalsyto I might consider turning it on again.  There is good news from the Demon Hills. Hokuma remains in the earth, recuperating and calmed, and in his absence the spirits of the region are becoming friendlier. The mines are producing more than ever, the earth becoming pliable and giving, while crops are flourishing in lands that were once marginal. The hills around the Shirgrii, once fortresses of evil, and then later bloody bastions against the Command, are becoming some of the finest vineyards in all Haless.  With the construction complete in Tsingchingquan, hundreds of foxes have taken up residence in the grounds of Huszien's temple. Our greatest sages are working day and night to build up their understanding of her and establish some form of harmony and quorum amongst the countless individuals who have lived hidden in the shadows for thousands of years since she originally split herself. I can only hope that when she does return, we have done enough that she we will work alongside us.  A brief campaign has been conducted, and Somyonghon has fallen. It is truly a shame to see thousands die for something that could have been accomplished with diplomacy, and I have already begun negotiations to see if we can rebuild our relations in exchange for the island's return.  We are prepared for the final steps of the ritual of resurrection. This is precisely the moment that the four lords would be forced to make their move to halt Huszien's return, and as expected they march against us. The final days of the Vulpine War, as it has come to be known, are upon us. Ignore the warning, the final quest is more of a formality than anything else.  If there is one thing to be said for the new era, where democracy rules over theocracy, where Gnomes bring strange ideas to our armies, and where a warriors martial skill matters less than their accuracy with a musket, it is that it can deliver greater victory than ever before. The four lords, as fearsome as they might have been, were no match for the full might of Xerlanza. Armies of spirits clashed with lines of warriors, and evaporated under the practiced forms of modern martial arts, backed by bayonets, batons, and the overwhelming fire of cannons. Stripped of their protectors, each of the four lords in turn was consumed by a tide of spirit foxes, thousands of them pouring from every warren and from underneath every rock. As they fell, the foxes turned and carried their heavy bellies all the way back to Tsingchingquan to finally become their true incarnation.  We assembled in the central hall of the Tsingchingquan Temple, a great chamber built five times taller than Balris Himself, and large enough to host thousands of attendants if that is what Huszien so desired. The grand skulk of foxes swept into the chambers, a flood of ethereal fur rushing past everyone present as though we weren't even there. As they gathered at the heart of the hall, pulsing waves of Chi booming forth, the figure of a Human woman arose among them. She appeared in one of my eyes as of normal stature, and in the other as large as the hall itself. An innumerable number of tails spilled out behind her, and she lounged back onto them, more foxes wrapping themselves around her and becoming thick furred robes. Her eyes settled upon us, and she opened her mouth to speak, but then paused. Confusion crossed her face, and she crossed her arms. The Sages stepped forward to speak with her, but Huszien struggled to form any words. Perhaps millennia of division have taken their toll, and it will be a while before she is as lucid as the other Great Spirits. Nonetheless, her mere presence has calmed the spirits of Lower Yanshen, and there is much that the Sages will be able to learn from her once her mind and voice have fully returned to her. Xerlanza itself is now being watched over by three Great Spirits who are free and aligned with our intentions, so if we wish to continue the great work of the Rending, we must start looking further across Haless. Moving on, we've cleared the easy targets now and extended the Rending to around 1725. Things will start to get trickier from here. I'm not sure why Dhenbasana is cleared on the map, I ran a quick test and we can still appease him if we get over there. There still won't be a vote, as some of these are trickier than others and you can't go back once you've made your choice. To be continued… The sixth idea vote could be held right now, but I need to borrow the slot for a moment…
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Feb 25, 2024 14:27
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This is the gold standard for what these sorts of grand strategy crises should be. More of this, fewer big old death blobs (which do still have uses tho).
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Feb 25, 2024 19:08
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The Rending is genuinely excellent yeah. Though it has had some struggles along the way with implementation/bugs.
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Feb 25, 2024 22:31
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Doesn't quite fit with the Goldscale narrative of being a less expansionist power, though. At least our dictator actually did the Cincinnatius thing.
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Feb 26, 2024 15:54
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I assume we can just release the distant islands that we just no-cb grabbed.
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Feb 26, 2024 17:09
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habeasdorkus posted:Doesn't quite fit with the Goldscale narrative of being a less expansionist power, though. At least our dictator actually did the Cincinnatius thing. It doesn’t but I can forgive a lot in the name of stopping the re-enslavement/Super Torture of a species/a bunch of species.
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Feb 27, 2024 01:11
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habeasdorkus posted:Doesn't quite fit with the Goldscale narrative of being a less expansionist power, though. At least our dictator actually did the Cincinnatius thing. SirPhoebos posted:I assume we can just release the distant islands that we just no-cb grabbed. Captain Oblivious posted:It doesn’t but I can forgive a lot in the name of stopping the re-enslavement/Super Torture of a species/a bunch of species. It is a bit tricky from the story perspective, as a lot of the Rending assumes you'll be conquering. Almost every Great Spirit has a quest that asks you to fully conquer their domain or other random provinces, and having neighbours you can hit with the Spirittide CB (which requires you to own the provinces directly) is important to easily completing some quests. I can try to justify as much as I can but its up to the reader to decide if that's really justified or just plain imperialism. I certainly won't be pushing any further than I can justify in-story to complete the Rending, but that it is still pushing the borders out quite a bit.
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Feb 27, 2024 23:41
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It's not imperialism its wars of liberation for spiritkind
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Feb 28, 2024 00:31
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Listen, Balris said it’s okay to do some conquest for the sake of the spirits
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Feb 28, 2024 00:38
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The what the gently caress surprise Oni moment at Black Jade Citadel definitely enhanced my Azjakuma run I will say. I was ready for those cheeky bastards.
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Feb 28, 2024 05:05
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Chapter Sixteen: Rainforest Reprieve 1671-1686 Somewhere in the Lupulan Rainforest, South Haless, 1682 Rich scents filled the air, tickling Var Lazya's snout as she stepped across the lattice of thick protruding roots. Below her, on the rainforest floor, scavengers of both physical and spiritual form swarmed, drinking in the rich bounty that she had delivered into their home. Spirit plants were growing up from the soil, blooming and wilting in a matter of minutes as they were charged by the thick carpet of Chi that was now draining away into it. Though she felt as safe as she ever had, Var Lazya kept her claws ready to pull her batons and drive away any who thought her a meal. Such was the nature of the jungle. One would only survive by fighting, or making themselves an unappealing target. She was wasn't entirely sure why she had left her command tent and delved into the dense trees. There was something calling to her out here, among the thousands of corpses. Fighting in the jungle was a strain on any commander, as hundreds of skirmishes would break out without any indication besides distant gunshots. Entire regiments might be lost to the hostile jungle. Communication was near impossible across the whole front, which meant she hadn't even known that this battle had taken place until it was long over, despite it being within a mile of her camp. She paused to look down at a pile of corpses that was slowly being assembled by a spirit akin to a swarm of ants. There were a mix of Kobolds and Humans in there, their remains given over to the Great Spirit Lupulan and his ecosystem. She gave a small prayer that whatever remained of their spirits would be reborn as proud hunters of the wilderness. A stone pillar loomed out of the treeline ahead of her. She had spotted it shortly after leaving camp, and decided to make it her destination. Now, as she approached, she realised that the jungle had retreated around it, despite it clearly being centuries old. Some enterprising vines had slithered up to the base of the pillar, but as they ascended they grew thinner and more feeble until their tips were more or less dead. Slumped against the pillar was a Bhuvauri officer, from the green and orange colours of his rapidly decaying uniform. Even in death he was tightly clutching onto some kind of brass object. Just looking at it gave Var Lazya a headache, so she hopped off the root she was perched on, made her way to the pillar, and snatched the device from the dead man's hands while very carefully looking away. It reacted to her touch almost immediately, and garbled something in the Raheni tongue the Bhuvauri spoke. She flared her Chi in response, and it shut down, as did the strange sensation it caused in her head. Was that what had drawn her here? Whatever it was, the Gommo would probably be interested in it. She pocketed it, and prepared to return to camp. "A wasteful place to die, is it not?" Var Lazya spun around; her batons drawn. From around the pillar, a tall Human emerged. It was fairly common for Humans to struggle with gender of Kobolds, but far less common for the reverse. This person was draped in luxurious silks and veils untouched by the grime of the jungle, which hid any point of reference Var Lazya might have had. Even their voice gave no such hint. Their only clear feature was long, flowing hair the tone and texture of molten brass. Nor was their purpose here clear. There was no way they were a warrior, nor was there any settlement for miles around that would host such a wealthy noble or priest. The Bhuvauri army had many flaws, but it did not bring dead weight into battle. All that together, meant that this person was far more than they appeared. She would have to be very cautious. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" Var Lazya demanded. "I wanted to see it for myself," they replied, taking slow and deliberate steps towards her, "this pointless place you are fighting for." "There is nothing pointless here," Var Lazya snapped back, holding her ground against the approaching stranger. "The spirits are part of this world as much as any plant or animal." "Do you not think those are also pointless and wasteful themselves?" the stranger asked. Var Lazya looked back for a moment, at the corpses slowing being piled up and devoured. There was nothing pointless there. They had fought and died for the fate of the rainforest, and their deaths would fuel its growth. She let the stranger continue nonetheless. "They live and die for the sake of it, and endless cycle where there is no purpose and nothing productive occurs," they said, "if they were brought to order, they could do so much more." "So, you are with the slavers!" Var Lazya shouted. There was nobody else in this jungle who would talk so freely about enslaving life towards making a profit, besides the slave society itself. She took a combat stance, and waited. Her clan, the Short Reprieve, was all about waiting for an opening and then striking with all possible force. In one blow, she would cripple this person and then drag them back to camp for interrogation. Dauntless of Var Lazya's posturing, the stranger advanced another step. In response, Var Lazya lunged for their solar plexus with a baton strike, to knock the wind from them and immobilize them. She didn't make it one step further, before a howling wind sprung from nowhere, roaring past the impassive stranger and striking her with full force. She tumbled backwards through the air, and just managed to grab a tree at the of the pillar clearing, losing one of her batons to the undergrowth in the process. Clinging on tightly with her claws, she dug in tight until the blast had subsided and then descended onto a root, from where she observed her foe. The spirits and animals had been scattered, and the rainforest was eerily quiet. "Have you not considered that Balris' vaunted Golden Republic is little different from this place?" the stranger called out, "you do what you want with no higher purpose, your leaders bicker over petty politics, and you let nature itself, these Great Spirits who have no true sentience but whatever base desire spawned them, guide the course of your lives and your entire nation!" "I am a warrior, not a philosopher," Var Lazya hissed, confident this stranger could hear her regardless. "I have already proven our superiority on the battlefield, your words are pointless." "An ordered machine will outperform unordered nature in the long run," the stranger said, "if you speak to Balris again, maybe give him that hint. I am still waiting to hear if he solved my puzzle." With those words, the stranger lifted their veil to reveal their face. In that same moment, a ray of sunlight pierced the canopy and hit their face, reflecting straight into Var Lazya's eyes like the glare of light off a mirror. In that moment of blindness, the clearing was consumed by roaring wind again. When it and the splotches in her vision both faded, the stranger was gone. She glared at the clearing, now empty of anything except bodies, and took a moment to meditate and calm herself. Whatever games were being played; they were for Lord Balris to contend with. Perhaps this meant something to Him, and she would indeed write a report about this that should hopefully eventually reach His claws, but she couldn't spend much time thinking about it. She had a war to win. Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the writings of General Var Lazya of the Short Reprieve, Commander of the Lupulan Army Group  While we have fought for our lives and souls against the most dangerous spirits, our fellows in the Xiaken have been consolidating their hold on South Haless. With the Bhuvauri slavers doing their best to contain the Great Spirits, taking such proactive action to protect territories that would otherwise be weak and vulnerable is vital.  I have urged the incoming President to do much of the same and give us the power to expand our remit of protection. The core territories of Xerlanza are now calmed, but atrocities against the Great Spirits continue within reach of our strength and within our power to stop.  The Alliance stands for the defence of Xerlanza against all threats, and the defence of the weak against the strong. Our forces occupying the region around Arawkelin have confirmed that the nature spirits of the Lupulan Rainforest are in dire straits, being exploited for resources. It is our duty to step in and aid them.  Though Chien Binhrung is spent on the land, having been fighting against the forces of the One Xia for the past year, their navy is not to be underestimated. Our sailors are inexperienced in matters of the ocean, even with the descendants of Blue Scarf sailors training them, and martial arts matter little in a battle fought solely by cannons. While it will not affect the outcome of this conflict, the President has ordered a massive construction effort, to overcome our skill deficit with numbers.  On land, our strength is uncontested. As we do not need cavalry in our armies, those horses have been repurposed to improve the mobility of our cannons. Imported Gnomish designs that can be disassembled in minutes and hauled forward have become a key part of our strategy. I don't usually highlight generic unit upgrades, but just wanted to point out this key part of late-game Kobold armies. As we get bonus artillery damage and bonus fire damage, going for the most offensive firepower is optimal. Though they start off weak, Kobolds can become real battlefield powerhouses.  We have secured the southern coast with little opposition, ready to stand opposed to further Bhuvauri aggression in the region. The local population aren't very grateful, but the spirits have welcomed us warmly. I didn't come here to fight against a restive population, I led my forces to fight for the future of Haless, and have sent a message as such back to Balriza.  The President agrees with me. We have been ordered to turn the territory over to local administrators, though we will remain on station for the time being until new warriors can be raised. The people of Sirtan were once allies of ours against the Command, until Bhuvauri and Chien Binhrung divided their lands among themselves. Now, they have the chance to rise again as a republic unifying the lands of Lupulan.  We can see the ascent of Phokhao even from our camps in the south, a glittering rainbow fire on the northern horizon. This is no great disaster, as the Vulpine War was. The Supreme Master of the Xia has been courting her for years, and has called upon the President to assist in the final stages of satisfying her.  A great cultural festival is to be held in her domain, containing all the accumulated works of art produced by Xerlanza and the One Xia, great displays of warrior pageantry, and the finest precious metals and jewels that our lands can produce. Many of my warriors are being called back to the homeland to be drafted into the mines to prepare for such a great event. I would say that Phokhao is the easiest Great Spirit to please as of now, as two of her quests haven't actually been implemented yet! The other three quests are reasonably straightforward, involving conquering her domain (which we will skip), getting prestige and becoming the leading producer of gems. This region contains Verkal Ozovar, a hold that produces gems, so if own it then it's not too troublesome. In our case, we'll need to work on devving up some provinces so it's a good thing that's what we specialise in.  Sometimes strategic concerns outweigh moral concerns, as Daengun found out when they refused us access to Somyonghon in our quest to liberate Lady Huszien. It is good that Lord Balris is so merciful, as He gently encouraged the President to return their holy island for no cost. Though they might still be angry with us, both for the lives lost and the relics we took, they understand that our protection and friendship is strategically invaluable.  By all reports, the festival of Phokhao was a great success. She visited Yanhe in Bianfang, and Hengdu Bowu in Xiadao, and commended the diligence of our artisans. She has declared that she will remain the diplomatic go-between for the spiritual side of our two nations, ensuring that we continue to work together and produce art that can catch her eye and that of the world. Phokhao's bonus is one of the best, giving you a massive +5 dip rep if she's your primary Spirit and a respectable +2.5 otherwise. Rending is now until around 1740.  Fresh regiments from the homeland have brought new warriors with them. It has been a long time since the Collapse of the Command, and now that the Ruin Republics are beginning to be folded into Xerlanza itself, the surviving Hobgoblins are starting to find their place. The wars have faded from living memory, perhaps only Lord Balris can remember when we were bitter enemies. Though my warriors don't hold that against them, the discipline the Hobgoblins display puts some of us to shame. I've shuffled my command structure to bring fresh eyes to officer meetings, even if it might upset some of those who've gotten too comfortable in their posts.  Replenished and dug into the Lupulan Rainforest, we are ready to begin our next mission. The great jungle's namesake, a spirit of extraordinary power, and yet also vulnerable to the depredations of mortals. Our duty is to end the destruction and restore the health and safety of Lupulan himself.  Our goals are clear. We need to drive the plundering merchants of Arawkelin and the slavers of Bhuvauri from these lands, and then begin restoring the natural habitats that have been destroyed. Though, as a warrior I do not think I am suited to the latter task, merely being the one to clear the way for those Sages who will follow. We stand ready to preserve those parts of the world where nature ought to reign. Here we start to see the trickier and sometimes outright painful quests the Rending can offer: - Owning Lupulan's domain isn't a problem, but making sure every province has a Temple is annoying, particularly if you have vassals who love to fill up the building slots with crap that you can't delete. - This is the simplest mission by far. Have fortifications in a province, and then let that province eat 50 regiments. - A 10-year debuff on construction is painful. Definitely make sure you don't have any building plans before picking this one. - Owning Jungle in Sarhal and South Aelantir is our first sign of the really taxing quests. Going abroad, if you haven't already been doing so, can be a major blocker on making progress on the quests (incidentally, completing this in the wrong order will lock you out the first quest). - 'South Haless' covers a lot more than just Lupulan's Domain, so this can take a while as well. One Xia can hopefully handle some of this for us.  As another campaign against Arawkelin begins, our fleet is deployed and is once again found lacking. Even outnumbering the enemy, our ships are driven from the water. I don't know how to proceed, besides requesting even more ships to be built in the homeland. Our new Hobgoblin comrades are not much help in this matter either, as they had never seen a seaborne vessel until we integrated them.  This can only be the work of Semat Tiditkuhai, the evil spirit that Lupulan has taken upon himself to contain. That monster must be reaching from whatever dark corner of the spirit world that it dwells in to cast a curse upon us. We are besieging the Arawkelini naval fortress of Aksa Sanyuego, but we cannot hear the sound of counter battery fire from the fortress, or the horns and shouts of officers, or even the screams of the dying. It is amazing how alien the battlefield becomes when it is merely the sight and smell of blood. Nonetheless, we continue our mission. This mini-disaster can last up from one month up to two years. The three listed options cost different amounts of cash, and improve the chances of a short duration the more you spend.  The Hobgoblins have mutinied, blaming the mages and Sages in the army, and while it hasn't come to all-out battle there have been several assaults and shacklings of mages using Korashi stolen from the Gnomish engineers. The legacy of the Command lives on them, but so does a respect for discipline. I will personally discipline the highest-ranking Hobgoblin in my army, and order the rest to fall in line. Even if they cannot hear my, they can see the results of my actions.  Sound returns, and with it the horror of war. I cannot say that I missed it, but it is welcome after months spent wondering if this was the way of the world for the rest of time. We can now press the attack, end this war, and track down Semat Tiditkuhai to bury it away once and for all. We got lucky and it ended after two months.  The Silence apparently spread as far as back home and spooked a whole lot of folk. They have elected the Old Guard again, to keep the spirits placated and anything like that happening from again. As long as they let us do our work down here, I have no complaints.  We've found the statue of Semat Tiditkuhai, located by a lake deep in the jungle. While most of the lands we've secured have been handed off to our Sirtani friends, the region around said statue has been kept under direct military administration. We cannot allow something as dangerous as the Silence to happen again, so a vast fortress is being constructed around the statue to prevent it from ever seeing the light of day again.  The fortress will be consecrated by Tughayasan monks, who have descended from their mountain to aid us in the liberation of the spirits of the jungle. You would think it strange for them to move from a freezing mountaintop to these sweltering jungles, but they bear no sign of stress or strain. Now that the Mindarandaya has been fully reconstructed and integrated into the nation, it has become the top place for our Sages to train, for good reason it seems.  We bid farewell to our Elven advisors, who had been stationed in Arawkelin so long as the alliance with the Phoenix Empire held. I don't know the higher diplomatic reasoning, but there have been some incidents between them and Xiaken warriors stationed in South Haless, so perhaps it was nothing related to our behaviour.  We make a motley crew, even if our allies dwindle. The Kindled Scale and Smouldering Claw are less clans at this juncture, and more like specific assignments within the army. You might find Kobolds of any clan, Humans from Yanshen, Shamakhad, or Sirtan, and even Hobgoblins marching under the banners of either of the two great martial clans. Our warriors fight as one, the old rivalries have been forgotten, and we are all the more powerful for it.  A small fleet of frigates passed the city earlier today, heading for the southern route past the Everstorm. Lupulan has indicated to the Sages that there is a great living jungle in the lands across the ocean, and that it must also be protected if he is to be truly happy with the state of the world. Here's where I've taken the 6th idea slot for the moment. We need to see what Aelantir looks like, to see if we have a hope of getting the last of Lupulan's quests done.  We stand ready to face Bhuvauri once more. My army group is tasked with liberating the remainder of the Lupulan Rainforest, while the bulk of our forces march on Srmaya and force the slavers to come to terms. With the One Xia aiding us, the enemy front will be far too long for them to have a hope of defending.  My troops were eager and ready, and cross the border almost immediately, overrunning a Bhuvauri artillery division that was stationing itself to bombard our fortress around the statue. Protecting this is paramount, lest the slavers find a way to unleash and then shackle to their own ends the monster that lurks there. I had a strange encounter in the jungle after the battle, and have sent a missive back to Balriza regarding it, but otherwise any resistance shattered easily under our spirit-hardened warriors.  Word from the northern front is that it is all too quiet. The slavers hide behind their forts, with their armies not making any appearance on the front lines. I would consider them cowards, if I wasn't aware just how seriously they take the regimentation in their society. Each enslaved commander would not be doing this if they didn't have orders from the enslaved general above them.  We've found those missing armies. They seek to drive us back and burn down the rainforest on the way. My forces are holding their positions, but we need to do something before they do irreparable damage, or worse shatter the statue we spent so long trying to fortify.  Facing the enemy in near-equals numbers ought to be terrifying, and yet we shatter them. For all that person claimed, the strict regimentation and unquestioning discipline of the slave-soldiers is just a phantom. Any warrior will break when beset by endless artillery salvoes and a line of little dragons wreathed in fire charging your lines. We have a tech over Bhuvauri, our Kobold military is really starting to come online as mentioned earlier, and apart from merc spam they really don't have anything going for them military-wise.  Our Gommo colleagues were celebrating when we returned to Arawkelin after driving the enemy from the rainforest. Their expedition into one of the still-standing High Temples had uncovered a secret heart of pure Tamphora powering the entire building and acting as the last barrier for the spirits still trapped within. They even won the bidding war for the material itself, and promised to reinvest their findings back into Xerlanza. There are very few ways to get artificer loyalty, so I take this one even we aren't likely to use that capacity.  The war in the north came to an end with a further apology to Daengun, with a good portion of the coast returning to their control. It had been ruled by them centuries ago, only for the Faceless Queen to steal it away, and then Jiantsiang to subsequently occupy it. Our alliance is now firmly re-established.  As for Bhuvauri, their control over the jungle has been smashed by my forces, and they have no choice but to cede it to us. Sirtan will rule the rainforest and be charged with its protection, while Xerlanza will retain control of the coast for the moment, to prepare for future campaigns to drive Bhuvauri from South Haless entirely.  I was very amused to find a newspaper in Arawkelin calling me a butcher, based on some propaganda produced by Bhuvauri that has somehow floated its way out of the Gulf of Rahen. Maybe if their armies were competently led and honoured the spirits of warfare, they might not have died so easily. As much as my officers want this stamped out, Lord Balris has made his opinion clear on free speech, that one must hear out even their enemy, lest they grow blind to their own flaws.  The Sirtani people are brave and diligent, and when they came to me asking for additional military independence, I was happy to grant it. Once Bhuvauri is fully driven from these lands, Sirtan will become the bulwark of South Haless, protecting the continent's greatest natural asset and its iterant spirits from those who would threaten it.  With the statue fully secured and peace for the time being, I have gathered fifty thousand volunteers, all of them firm devotees of the spirits, and many of whom have bonded with the spirits of the Lupulan Rainforest as we've given our lives to defend it. We march to the great fortress surrounding Semat Tiditkuhai's statue, where we will settle and never again set foot outside of the Rainforest. If our nation, and all the free people of Haless, are to be protected from another event like the Silence, then this sacrifice is a necessity.  Though I might never see the outside world again, I know that Xerlanza will continue to flourish. As long as Lord Balris and the Great Spirits give us guidance, our Golden Age will never truly end. No matter where our quests take us, across the ocean or deep into the desert, or what might stand in our way, be it slaver or colonialist. To be continued…
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Mar 1, 2024 21:47
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Hey wait a sec, peahens don't have any kind of impressive display...
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Mar 3, 2024 14:12
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Chapter Seventeen: Gold and Brass 1686-1702 Balris' Chambers, Balkhangfa Palace, Balriza, 1702 A quiet murmuring of debate wafted through the air as Kiu Razhak made her way into Lord Balris' chambers. She held a cup of steaming tea in her claws, and was very tempted to take a sip herself. However, to do so before her seniors would show disrespect. Several attendants were following behind her, two carrying a teapot and cups for the smaller members of this little assembly, and the rest pushing a cauldron taller than they were, for Lord Balris Himself. The three were gathered around the partially-disassembled brass contraption that had been His on-and-off project for longer than Kiu Razhak had been alive, but only now was nearing completion. It was an incredibly intricate device given as a gift by the Grand Republic of Bhuvauri, the society built on a hierarchy of slavery that had been opposed to Xerlanza for so long. To challenge even Lord Balris' intellect, it must be a mighty puzzle indeed. Beside Lord Balris himself, as resplendent as always as He curled up on his pile of treasures and expertly worked the puzzle's mechanisms with his claws, there were two others focused solely on completing this puzzle. With flaking scales of faded yellow, Fax Ferkye, the former President and hero of the Rending, worked at the oversized puzzle box with a number of attached manipulator arms. As one of the oldest living Kobolds, his body was failing him but his mind remained sharp, bolstered by years of debates with the other elder stateskobolds of Xerlanza. Beside him was the inventor of said manipulator arms, also very old but well within a normal lifespan for a Gnome, the Chief Tinker Arnolt Doomwhistle. He scratched at his thin white beard and gave comments on the work of the dragon and dragonkin, his hands too small to really work the device. "Lord Balris, Honoured President, Honoured Tinker," Kiu Razhak said, offering them a bow, "I believe it is time we spent a moment to settle our thoughts and reclaim our Chi." "But this layer is so close to completion," Doomwhistle muttered. He glanced at the other two who appeared a little more eager for the break, and relented. "Thank you, little Sage," Lord Balris said, "your care for our minds, bodies, and spirits has been invaluable in these endless days." Fax Ferkye gave her a nod, then settled back using his own manipulators as a seat. As the tea was served, Kiu Razhak joined the three of them. Sitting down besides Lord Balris was always an enrapturing experience, ever since the first time she had done so. A couple of years earlier, He had called upon a group of Sages to assist with an earlier layer of this puzzle, and nearly all of them had failed to see a path to progress. However, staring at it, she had made a realization. The intricate mechanisms, which could be moved into almost any configuration, could also be made spell out characters. From that hint, they had been able to come with a number of combinations, settling on 'society', 'order' and 'progress', based on a strange hint sent up from a commander in the Lupulan Rainforest. The pieces making up those three characters had sunk down deeper, and the rest of the layer had unlocked and fallen away. That had earned her place among these venerable minds. "You've had more than a moment," Doomwhistle said, as he cradled his tea. Of course, he was always eager to push forward. "Did anything new come to mind?" Kiu Razhak stared at the current layer of the puzzle cabinet. The conclusion that they had come to, quite a while ago now, was that this was designed as an emulation of a society, specifically the highly regimented slave society of Bhuvauri. Most of the mechanical pieces on an outer layer would be sacrificed and cast away, to ensure the advancement of the key mechanisms that would allow the puzzle to advance. The trick, and the reason that Lord Balris had spent so long pondering this puzzle, was the puzzle was not reversible. Anything cast away was lost, so absolute certainty was necessary. As to what the purpose of all this was, she was not yet certain. However, one thing had been bothering her recently, based on one fact that came from the initial report. "I was actually considering cheating," Kiu Razhak said. Fax Ferkye almost spit out his tea, and she could see that Lord Balris had to take a moment to swallow the mouthful that he had, lest his companions be drenched in boiling liquid. "Now that's outside the box!" Doomwhistle cackled, shaking with enough laughter to splash his tea over his beard. "Lord Balris has spent a century on this, and you would suggest throwing that away?" Fax Ferkye croaked out. Balris, for his part, kept a quizzical eye on her, not adding anything to the debate. "Cheating is maybe putting it too strongly," Kiu Razhak said, "but we have been playing by the rules for a long time, and it has taken this long to even get this far. This was built before the Rending, and was confirmed to have no magical or spiritual components. There is nothing stopping us from calling on the spirits to aid us in solving it." That was enough to pause Fax Ferkye's scorn. As one with a special relationship with the spirits, he ought to know just what they could do. He scratched at his undersnout with a blunt claw and cast a look up at Lord Balris. "If this is meant as an image of a society, a thesis that absolute order and sacrificing the weak produces strength, then solving it with a part of our society that they couldn't even imagine would shatter that notion," he said "I'm not sure," Doomwhistle said, "I'm here for the physical mechanism, which I have to say is still the most complex machine I've ever seen. I have no idea how they managed to cast it out of brass. To solve it without using what is provided feels like a waste." "You still need to learn, little Tinker, that there is more to life than the material," Lord Balris said, "this is an interesting idea. Let us call upon the aid of our friends, and see what they can glean." The Gnome grumbled and reluctantly accepted the agreement, though he took thorough sketches of the current layer while Fax Ferkye prepared a small ritual to call upon the Great Spirits for aid. In such a place of power as Balriza, home to hundreds of thousands of people, one of the greatest beings in Haless, and a massive nexus of spiritual energy, it was easy to send out the call. However, with such meagre sacrifice as a small portion of Lord Balris' hoard, a full response was not expected. A purple haze rose up around the brass puzzle cabinet first, a sign that Hokuma was probing and studying the strange box that now sat within his domain. A few minutes later, a serpentine dragon the size of small dog rose up from within a pile of golden scales further back in Balris' chamber, and skittered across the ground. It wore a brilliant iridescent feather in its mane. Finally, a spirit fox bounded into the room, cheerfully sniffing at the attendants and playing with the dragon before settling down in front of the cabinet. "Thank you all," Kiu Razhak said, claws extended to the emissaries of the Great Spirits. "Let us work together, whether mortal, immortal, or beyond mortal, to show this brass machine how our world works." And so it continued through the night, all attending invigorated by the new approach. Yanhe and Huszien crafted new ethereal mechanisms to slot into place where needed, Hokuma worked at the mechanisms that lay within the deeper layers, and the mere presence of Phokao's feather allowed the spirit and the material to meld together flawlessly. It was still no easy task. If the puzzle was intended to be representative of a society then the Xerlanzan society that had emerged from the Rending was still not truly defined. As each subsequent layer fell away, and it became clearer and clearer that the intention had been to have Balris craft a perfect machine that was orderly and yet capable of self-improvement, an ideal the presence of the spirits completely defied. To replace that machine, required all attending to work together, to produce a design beyond even what the original designer had intended. Kiu Razhak had lost track of the time when they final layer fell away, and with it all the other sides of the cabinet. She didn't know if what they had produced was representative of what their society would become, but the simple act of working so closely and intensely had given her a greater appreciation of the Great Spirits and their place in society. There was nothing in the cabinet except a brass statue of a Human, naked but androgynous, smaller even than Doomwhistle. After a few moments, it came to life. Despite being solid brass, it stepped forward, the metal flowing like water around its joints. "Apologies for the effort you've spent," the statue said, in a smooth and flawless tone. It turned towards Balris, but instead of offering any respect, it crossed its arms. "I had to be sure you had plenty of time to contemplate my way of thinking. I knew that this would catch your attention." "Lord Balris?" Kiu Razhak asked, looking up at Him. His jaw was hung open slightly, and His eyes were wide, wider than she had ever seen them. "Now that you have been shown the logic behind my thoughts, we can meet in the flesh," the statue said, "I look forward to seeing you again, brother." Lord Balris took a few steps back, scattering treasures that had been laid around Him. His jaw worked but He didn't seem to have any words to speak. If what Kiu Razhak was imagining was true, then His world had just been upended. It had been in front of them for so long, right there, and they had ignored it. He had to be beside Himself with a combination of anger, regret, and happiness. He snorted in the direction of the doors, and the assembled attendants rushed to open the for Him. As soon as the path was clear, He bounded out of His chambers and towards the Palace entrance. "Jyntas!" His voice echoed as He took flight.  Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the personal writings of Gyar Jamgön of the Goaded Song, Chief Editor of the Weekly Crier  Balris and the Great Spirits be praised, we finally have a President that considers the common person. The LNP have been sidelined for so long since the foundation of Xerlanza, and the development of proper democratic institutions has been stalled by the Rending for far too long. Perhaps they might clean up the corruption the Scale Barons have been indulging in while our armies are abroad. I wish Balrijin/Xerlanza had a more consistent way of being able to select which parties are an option. We haven't had the LNP in power before, but they would have been very useful when we were annexing vassals earlier.  The great blue comet has only re-inflamed the hearts of the population, who would rather the government focus on our own development instead of spending lives fighting for the Great Spirits who dwell beyond our borders. Such aggression is a clear sign of the real powers hiding beneath Balris' wings, pulling the strings to make us the hegemon of Haless no matter how little that matters to the little guy.  We're in an age where nations are forming, Xerlanza itself being the key example of that. We are very much torn between our desire to be the self-determinant nation for the peoples of Yanshen and Shamakhad, and the imperialist desire to extend our influence to distant shores. First the Lupulan Rainforest, then where? Sarhal? Aelantir? Even further? Having access to Imperialism CBs makes our lives a little easier, in some cases at least. Nationalism, less so, as seen below.  Then there are the ethnic nationalists within the government. Kobolds and Humans hold near parity within Xerlanza proper, but ultimately it was we Kobolds who took the initiative that founded the nation. There are some who are considering whether we should use our power to liberate our distant brethren, oppressed by the great powers of Cannor, and turn Xerlanza into a nation for all Kobolds. I think such egregious ethnicist thinking can only lead to disaster. Cannor is finally revealed, but I won't be doing a state of the world for at least a few more updates.  Good news doesn't sell, but even I can appreciate a great celebration where the people and spirits come together and show what makes us strong. If only the music wasn't so loud outside my office. I still have work to do, I'll be out to the festival later!  I need to finish my write-up of the LNP's reforms to split Parliament. For too long the regional capitals have been overrepresented, thanks to the double-vote system. So now, there will be the Chamber of the People, a purely proportionally elected chamber, and the Chamber of the States, a regionally elected chamber based on first-past-the-post. As to whether this'll fix the issues or merely exacerbate them, I remain sceptical that there isn't something written into the new system that continues to allow the kickbacks and favour trading that fill Parliament. The random candidate bonus still applies, despite not using the regular election mechanics, so this is a pretty nice pick.  My headlines are full of the latest 'discoveries' in Aelantir, including a whole nation run by a triumvirate of Gnomes, Goblins and Kobolds. It is probably better if we'd never discovered them, with both the nationalists looking to claim the Triarchy as part of a global Xerlanza, and also the Old Guard and Alliance looking to find distant jungles to liberate with the blood of our youth. The Vanbury Guild counts as South Aelantir, so I think they'll be a good shot for us to get the jungle we need for the quest.  If we must fight, let it at least be for those already under our wings. The rivalry between the Goblins of the Jade March and the Jade Republic has been a longstanding one, a battle of outright autocracy versus freedom. We need only provide some support to continue the steady liberation of the Jade Mountains and bring peace to Balris' vacation spot.  I often print reports that no one else will, even if they come from our foes or might hurt our war efforts. Even propaganda has a hint of truth, if one is willing to dig into it a little. For instance, the official reports only speak of soldiers buoyed by the presence of warriors past urging them forward to victory. However, they do not speak of the spirits of those who died in vain, were left bleeding out on the battlefield, or thrown into battle for the goals of the greedy. Such spirits can only chant dirges and speak warnings on the futility of war. We need to heed their words, and not let lives be wasted meaninglessly. This cancels out the earlier event. Weird timing.  They say that the Queendom to the south has only been honouring the Great Spirits as a means to legitimacy, and thus driving them from the Lupulan is righteous. It is hard to think of it as anything less than imperialist, when it was an opportunistic strike shared by the One Xia and Bhuvauri as well, carving up the remains of a collapsing nation. The LNP have also made sure to seize the city of Cuihiok, claiming it as the southern boundary of the rightful territory of Xerlanza. Time in government has made them just as hungry as any other party.  However, I can commend them for standing strong against Cannorian colonialism in the Ringlet Isles. The invaders claims that our presence is stirring the great whale spirit against their settlements, but we have refused to aid them in subduing it. I presume that once the jungles are saved, the Sages will start appeasing it in their own manner, and can only hope that doesn't involve too many lives spent.  Our withdrawal from our alliance with the Elves has proven good sense, as it has saved us from a slog of a conflict with Kalsyto. All indications are that this is a stalemate, so there isn't even any reason to fear that they'll turn on us next. Some want us to intervene, but the President gave an impassioned speech against this, making the point that we need every soldier available to defend ourselves and protect the Great Spirits, not dying in a desert in Bulwar.  The newest imperial acquisition is now ongoing, in the name of high-minded ideals like protecting the jungles of Sarhal from the ongoing civil war in Bwa Dakinshi. Though Lupulan might demand it, we do not need to satisfy the more vicious urges of the Great Spirits. His own rainforest is safe, which ought to be enough.  If only our leader spared a moment to relax, meditate, and settle down with a nice full teapot. What happened to the Sages of old, who dwelt in their temples and pondered the nature of the world? Though this path led us to reuniting with Balris, have we gone too far? We need innovativeness for a later quest. I didn't realise until now just how powerful this religious aspect is for gaining it.  The LNP, for all their tendencies, are at least serving the nation. I know that the Scale Barons are really only out for themselves and lining their pockets. That they occasionally manage to lift the rest of us up with them is an unintentional side effect supported by the other parties. At least my papers see more circulation when there's big money scandals on the horizon, so maybe their presence lines my pockets a little more too.  You can at least count on the barons to finish a war in the most cost-effective manner. They have secured a piece of jungle to act as an undeveloped haven in Sarhal, and an island off the coast to station the actual garrison. I don't know if Lupulan expects us to maintain this in perpetuity, but perhaps we can leave it to local administration in the future.  The campaign against the Cannorian occupation of the isles has started, beginning with the softest target. Though the Elves of Moonhaven have the backing of their 'Empire', none of them have the fleet to contest us, compared to Lorent and Derrane. This is a properly righteous war, fought to defend the continent against outsiders and with no intention of taking the fight thousands of miles away, so I have no issues with supporting it. Using a conquest-type CB rather than Imperialism is the trick to dealing with tricky Cannorians (and Europeans in vanilla). So long as you can hold the ground against any single landing party they can muster, the warscore will slowly tick up and you don't need to worry about doing a cross-continental invasion.  On a tip, I went down to Tianlou harbour to find a small fleet unloading with some very weary crew coming ashore. With a little prodding they confirmed that they'd circled the entire world, travelling along the southern Sarhal coast before following Cannorian ships to across the ocean Aelantir and then passing through the Ruined Sea and using the routes we've already mapped out back to Haless. While the crew is being replenished, all the maps and gifts they accrued are being kept aboard and shipped somewhere else. I wonder who this is aid of, and when it was originally planned to be announced, before I got my claws on the scoop.  The Scale Barons know how to re-invest back into the nation, even if it usually takes some prodding and yelling from the other parties. Parliament has unlocked a significant budget for expanding production and paying off the families of those who have lost loved ones in the many wars of these past few decades. We could now claim Economic Hegemon, but our grip on it is marginal and might annoy One Xia so I don't want to do it until Bhuvauri is firmly beaten.  Funding is also going to the continued integration of the Ruin Republics into Xerlanza. The population out there is less receptive to the spirits and a bit more sceptical of the government, but that's just more potential readers for the Weekly Crier. I should look at getting in touch with printing houses out there. The Quality-Influence policy combos well with the group itself, especially if we can get the LNP in power on top of this.  I picked up one of those new tail grafts today. Very fancy, and very expensive too. It uses a small core of Tamphora to sync your Chi with the device, so twitching your tail the right way opens and closes the manipulator claws. It's tricky to learn, but very handy. According to the ad copy, the inventor Arnolt Doomwhistle took the idea from watching Balris using his own tail with more dexterity than any of us mortals can manage. I said I wasn't going to do artifice, but then I found out there are some unique Kobold inventions. This'll be the only one for now, we don't have more capacity at the moment,  Of course, while our armies and fleets are in the south, why wouldn't we go conquering even further. I question just how much a jungle lizard cares about the coastal cities, but according to all the Sages this is the only way to show our devotion to him. It makes me wonder just what the other Great Spirits might demand of us, and what price we'd be willing to pay. This set of quests have been a massive slog, as we're really not built for mass-conquest. I don't think I'll be pushing for any others that require such actions after we're finished with Lupulan and the islands.  Conversely, taking a few islands from occupiers seems a minor effort in comparison. Though, even then, the Scale Barons went so far as to take an island off the coast of Ardimya, the southernmost cape of Sarhal, to watch over trade heading west.  Their victories have emboldened them. These limited campaigns have led to very few casualties, and the massive investment they've championed has won them a lot of points among the voters, so we'll see them in power for a lot longer it seems. I am concerned the new President will get ideas on where to invade next, as he has had some strong words to say about Bhuvauri, yet doesn't appear to have the military sense to back it up. Could another war of butchery be on the horizon?  When the philosophers start talking of high-minded ideals like enlightenment and reason, I get sceptical. It is one thing when such ideals bring democracy to the people, but it is another when they are used as ideological cover for corruption and atrocity. 'Only the enlightened should lead', or 'the economy should be based on axiomatic logic'. My reporting will keep them honest.  It's strange to write anti-Gommo articles with my Gommo-enhanced tail, but I'll accept being a hypocrite if it helps me get the word out. Relying on Gnomish companies to produce our cannons is a serious risk, should we find ourselves at odds in future. I know that they're supposed to be superior models, but they're expensive and I'd bet they're also experimental and dangerous to their operators.  I warned the people of this day, of another way against the great slave-powered machine of Bhuvauri. Parliament is still riding high off the last war, assuming that a full invasion will be as easy as securing a few patches of jungle. They aren't even inviting the One Xia to aid, and this time Bhuvauri has Cannorian backing. The slavers aren't fools; they'll have planned for this day.  News from the front is not good, it will upset many, and yet I must report it anyway. It's my duty as an ardent critic of the government in all things. Bhuvauri have invested in the defence of their territory, building up their fortifications against our cannons and granting themselves time to concentrate their forces against us. Our front is far too wide, while they can easily ship troops back forth across the Gulf of Rahen and strike us where we are weak.  I'm sure they regret letting Var Lazya lock herself into a fortress. Though she may have slaughtered her foes, she knew how to fight in the jungle. These new commanders are struggling to hold onto our gains in the Lupulan Rainforest, which means that all the blood we've spent so far would be in vain. I think I'm just being overconfident after how the last war went. Our quality isn't high enough to stand up to 2-1 or worse odds.  And yet despite these losses there are still hundreds of thousands of young warriors eager to join. They've lived a life of luxury while the experienced warriors of the Alliance spend their lives in battle. I fear for what will happen when these soft-scaled newcomers come suffer a cannon barrage or need to charge a line of Bhuvauri muskets. Surely peace would be better, rather than doubling down and sacrificing even more for a war that is already close to stalemate.  The one success our armies have accomplished is cutting off the remnants of Jiantsiang from the coast. The betrayal of Daengun was always a mistake, and I am glad to see we are paying them back tenfold for the damage we did to them.  It is being covered up, but I have uncovered information that the Oni are not as extinct as once thought. According to Balris, the last Oni were wiped out by Hokuma at the start of the Rending, and yet now their old fortress of Kabiurgarko has barred its gates and is under siege by spirits loyal to the Great Spirit. A number of Sages from the Old Guard have been deployed to the region, on what is being called a spiritual mission. If this is a sign of things to come, we must be ready.  Shamakhad has been subject to a dozen armies marching across it, as our commanders struggle to meet Bhuvauri in a battle that we can win. Finally, it seems like they have lured them into the underground where we can properly bring firepower to bear. I would recommend suing for peace as soon as we've finished driving them out, but I know that's not how this works.  They'll keep marching south, taking as many casualties as they need to. I've seen some of the reports, slipped out of the Alliance headquarters. Even when wielding superior numbers we're suffering heavy casualties. As our armies get filled with fresh and inexperienced bodies, they'll just feed more and more lives into the Brass Machine that is Bhuvauri.  So much death has already occurred, and we have yet to even touch their heartland, which has been heavily fortified. I don't know how Balris can tolerate this. Perhaps this is why I saw Him depart the Palace earlier today, to talk some sense into our commanders and endless the bloodshed. I doubt He would join the battle, that is not His way, but His words have power. Perhaps He might even sway the leaders of Bhuvauri.  To be continued… Vote We've accomplished everything we need to do with Exploration, so now an idea group can be selected to replace it. Bhuvauri have proven to be more of an opponent than expected, but the Alliance is confident of our eventual victory. Should we aim for a swifter victory, or continue to develop our national prosperity? Alliance – Offensive – Fighting in the lands of the enemy is draining and slow. Our offensive capabilities need improvement. Old Guard – Quantity – We cannot rely on the enthusiastic, but weak and slow, to make up numbers. Mobilizing the common Kobold to fight in the name of the Great Spirits is necessary to keep our armies intact as wars become larger. Scale Barons – Trade – Securing our hold over Halessi trade will make our position as economic hegemon unassailable. United Guilds – Innovative (+7 votes) – Progress has brought prosperity to Xerlanza, and delving further into it will make us a shining beacon in Haless. LNP – Plutocratic – We must show the world our dedication to democracy and freedom, and ensure that we enshrine such values into the heart of the nation. Vote for up to two options by clicking on the below image. The option with the most votes will be selected. Second place will get bonus votes in the next idea poll.  Voting will last for 48 hours
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 Well, this ought to be... interesting.
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Mar 4, 2024 21:57
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