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5 admin ideas as in we've hit the limit of how many we can be working on at once or 5 ideas that need Admin power to develop?
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Jan 12, 2024 23:42
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Dr_Gee posted:5 admin ideas as in we've hit the limit of how many we can be working on at once or 5 ideas that need Admin power to develop? If you have more than 50% of one type (adm/dip/mil) of idea at once you are blocked from adding any more of that type. We are at 2/3 being admin ideas, so therefore the next (4th) idea vote won't include any, we will be down to 2/4 admin ideas after that and will able to include one in the subsequent (5th) idea vote. Also, update at the end of the previous page.
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Jan 13, 2024 00:35
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Man, we're very into the ethnic cleansing of the Oni population in the territory we ostensibly conquered for the purpose of looking for Balris, huh?
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Jan 13, 2024 06:25
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Jan 13, 2024 07:35
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habeasdorkus posted:Man, we're very into the ethnic cleansing of the Oni population in the territory we ostensibly conquered for the purpose of looking for Balris, huh? Unfortunately, the oni spent centuries leaning really hard into an image of being literal demons/supervillains. It comes as little surprise then that basically everyone in Haless treats them as such.
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Jan 13, 2024 08:29
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It is sadly very in-character. Haless really does not like them, to put it lightly. Even the Sunrise Empire, which aims for full acceptance of everyone, including the Command Hobgoblins after everything they've done, has some unfortunate implications when it comes to the Oni. Two missions tell a story 'Defeat our Demons' -> 'Repopulate the Hills'.
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Jan 13, 2024 15:14
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When you spend all your time cackling like a supervillain and doing actual factual human(oid) sacrifice to steal peoples chi, and constantly talk about how you seek to desecrate and drain the great spirits everyone holds as sacred… Well it’s a very all or nothing tactic shall we say, and if you don’t get all that just leaves nothing. Like so.
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Jan 13, 2024 15:20
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When you're so evil that your chi taints the land then I'm sorry, but it's straight to genocide for you.
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Jan 13, 2024 15:26
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Ogres in general are also pretty high on the monstrous scale. IIRC one of their tolerance events involves ogres in the army eating their fellow soldiers.
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Jan 13, 2024 15:30
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habeasdorkus posted:Man, we're very into the ethnic cleansing of the Oni population in the territory we ostensibly conquered for the purpose of looking for Balris, huh? Sonic Seyz there's no such thing as an Ethical EUIV Playthrough.
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Jan 13, 2024 15:38
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Zurai posted:Ogres in general are also pretty high on the monstrous scale. IIRC one of their tolerance events involves ogres in the army eating their fellow soldiers. Big fan of when the trolls meet the ogres. "Oh hey, its fellow big lads amazing, tell us about your faith, YOU ATE OUR GODS!?"
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Jan 13, 2024 19:12
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SirPhoebos posted:Sonic Seyz there's no such thing as an Ethical EUIV Playthrough. Oh, definitely. I appreciate the responses giving some more background about the Oni.
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Jan 13, 2024 19:29
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A few countries' missions do have a path to integrate the Oni on some level, but not a lot. There's the Jaddari, but then they'll accept almost literally anybody as long as they accept the Jadd. As far as native Halessi go, I think it's mostly other mustache twirling anime villains (the other Left-hand Path countries) or pragmatic imperialists like the Command or Bianfang who don't mind pissing off everybody if it means getting to extract resources more efficiently or whatever.
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Jan 14, 2024 02:44
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Just dropping in to say I've read through this entire thread and have gotten into a bit of an Anbennar hole thanks to you. Will be following the adventures of our funny small lizard men.
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Jan 15, 2024 07:21
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JT Jag posted:Just dropping in to say I've read through this entire thread and have gotten into a bit of an Anbennar hole thanks to you. Will be following the adventures of our funny small lizard men. Same. Same. Also on a related note Eduz Vacyn’s MT is so good it’s ruined all other Bulwari humans for me Captain Oblivious fucked around with this message at 07:54 on Jan 15, 2024 |
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Jan 15, 2024 07:37
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Chapter Eight: Jade Peak, Tipped with Gold 1540-1560 Close to the peak of Balris' Rest, Jade Mountains, 1544 "Stay in line! No shoving" Gyar Namra yelled, grabbing a rowdy Grasping Tail clan member by the shoulder and pushing him back into position against the icy cliff face. He stepped back and let out an extended sigh, his blazing hot breath sending a cloud of vapour into the open air behind him as it caught the breeze. There was a thousand-foot drop to his back, with barely a guardrail against an overeager zealot accidentally toppling him over. It had taken weeks to carve a staircase that even a Kobold without mountain climbing experience could ascend, but it was necessary. Everyone wanted to be among the first to see Balris with their own eyes, so they had to form a line. Gyar Namra peered up the line to the top, where the stair turned inwards to a tunnel. They'd reached the lip of, from what the seers described, was a giant bowl carved into the top of the mountain. Going over the top would've been tricky for even the best mountaineer, so digging a tunnel was the only option. "I'll pay," the Grasping Tail member said, "I don't even need to be in the initial group. Just get me to the top of the stairs." He fished around in his thick, woolly, robes and pulled out a pure gold coin. Gyar Namra looked at it and snorted. "The only gold I want to see is His scales," he replied, "and if I'm going to be back here directing traffic while you get to meet Him, a bit more money in my pocket isn't going to change anything." "He isn't going to run from us, is He?" another Kobold, a young musician with a lute poking from his robes, said from a few spots further down the line. "He's seen us coming," Gyar Namra said, "the seers have confirmed He's waiting for us. You'll get your chance to play for Him." The Grasping Tail made a dismissive hiss. "He's a great dragon. Such a small instrument won't catch his attention," he said, "the Golden Sage will be there, my clan are bringing piles of treasure, and I bet you warriors-" he nodded at Gyar Namra "-are going to be putting on quite the performance." Gyar Namra wasn't going to fall for such base flattery. He crossed his arms and stared down the Grasping Tail. "One of His names is the Bringer of Songs, isn't it?" he said, "He gave us more than money and martial arts, even a meathead like me knows that. You've been blinded by those gold coins you love so much." The Grasping Tail stared at him a few moments longer before growling and slouching against the wall. Gyar Namra didn't expect thanks for his job, but the situation was clearly getting to people. Even with Smouldering Claw warriors scattered up and down the staircase keeping people warm, the thin air and ever-present danger was putting people on edge. Or over the edge, as despite the climb being made as safe as possible there had been a dozen deaths from falls or their bodies giving into the harsh environment. He only hoped he would get the chance to see Balris in the end, even if it was after the long line had already entered. As if responding to his worries, a cry came from the entrance of the tunnel. Honoured Sage Vata Vuzing had appeared, and was waving down the stairs at her warriors. "We are through! He is there! The line will begin moving!" she shouted, her voice cutting straight through the murmurs of the wind and of the crowd. There was an uproar almost as soon as the words reached the ears of those attending. As the whole line began to shift, from people restless to see Him, it took every ounce of Gyar Namra's strength to keep anyone from getting knocked out of position and over the edge to an untimely death. And it continued as such, as the line began to move, and every warrior guarding it fought for their lives against the crowds trying to rush up and into the tunnel to meet Balris. Minutes dragged on and the line seemed no closer to abating, until at last after nearly an hour the last officials passed by Gyar Namra and he was finally able to lean against the wall, stepping away from the edge that had been at his back the whole time. His rest was interrupted by the warriors from further down the staircase, who tapped him on the shoulder and pointed upwards, their eyes wide and expressions shining. He couldn't afford to laze around. They'd already missed so much time with Balris, but they were about to get their chance. Any hint of exhaustion drained away as the warriors scrambled up the stairs and into the tunnel in eager silence, Gyar Namra at the front. Then, he froze in place. The others piled up behind him, loudly complaining, but he held up his claws to keep them there. "Quiet. Do you hear that?" he asked. A tune and a voice were filtering down the tunnel, a melody that reverberated right through to his core. He'd heard it before, the celebratory notes and lyrics of praise of the Song of Kiu. You couldn't walk down a street in Balriza without a busker strumming out the same few distinct notes over and over again. This was different though. It kept going, the tune rising towards triumph, before descending into verses that Gyar Namra had never heard before. They were slow, sad, and made his feeling rise up in his throat. No one wanted to be reminded that He was missing. But why, now, was someone playing that for Balris Himself? Surely this should be a day of triumph? He inched forward towards the entrance and stuck his snout through, peering into the bowl-shaped chamber. There was no mistaking Him. Balris lay in the centre, His vast glowing golden body curled up around itself but his head raised up. He was looking down at the musician, the very Kobold that Gyar Namra had encountered earlier in the line. Everyone else, hundreds of warriors, merchants, and sages, even the Golden Sage himself, were struck still and silent with awe, watching this single Kobold as he faced Balris and delivered the song that told the story of His arrival, the joy of his time among the Goldscales, the despair and sadness of His departure, and then in verses that had to be very new, sang of renewed hope, a purpose and the chance to meet Him once more. The Smouldering Claw warriors watched, enthralled from the tunnel, as the song finally came to an end and the musician set aside his lute. For a few precious moments, the great dragon did not respond, merely watching. Had He not understood the message? A pit of fear opened in Gyar Namra's stomach, until one of the warriors by his side pointed to Balris' face. On that great golden snout, a trickle of water glinted. He had been moved to tears. "Oh my, it truly has been an age and a half since I heard that particular song," Balris said. That terror deep inside Gyar Namra shattered, and he and the other warriors cheered at Balris' words, at His acknowledgement of His progeny. The young warrior didn't care what this would lead to. Right now, this was all that mattered. Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the writings of Vata Vuzing, Sage of the Smouldering Claw  I stand at the front of the greatest endeavour in Kobold history. Thousands of warriors, mages, and workers fill the Demon Hills and stare longingly up at the imposing mountains facing us. We aren't alone in this challenge. Our Human friends and Nephrite Dwarf advisors are stood beside us, we even have Goblin defectors amongst our number, and the Golden Sage is willing to devote every aspect of Balrijin to this task.  He has also granted me full authority and command over the expedition. The Sage Council were insistent that we be ready to greet Balris the moment we see Him, but I overruled them. We'll be venturing into the unknown, into peaks that not even the Dwarves have climbed. Our target is the peak over Grônstunad, the capital of their long-dead Jade Empire. The tunnels teem with Goblins still loyal to the Command, so our only route is up and over. We do not have room for anything that might slow us down.  The Sages can remain in Balriza and ensure the country doesn't fall apart as every available Human and Kobold is conscripted into supplying our expedition. Once we have done the work of locating Balris, it will be their task to convince Him to return to us.  As we set off, we encountered a tribe of Orcs sneaking through the Demon Hills. Faced with the sheer size of our expedition, they surrendered, claiming that they were fleeing the oppression of the Command. I agreed to let them through, on the condition that they reported to each fort on their march and settled no further east than the Black Jade Citadel. They are victims of Hobgoblin tyranny, just as the Goblins are, so there's no reason to treat them with cruelty ourselves.  Our first peak is as tall as the highest mountain I ascended during the Phokhao expedition, and yet there are still more to come. It is a significant victory though, and spirits are buoyed by surpassing our past selves. Only the strongest climbers, including myself, summitted the peak. The rest continued the march through the gorge below.  Two years have passed, and the expedition continues. It is agonisingly slow progress, and our supply trail winds through seventy miles of treacherous terrain, as well as marauding Goblins and Oni who have been lured up to this desolate place by the sheer quantity of supplies we consume. We will persist. The Golden Sage has emptied the vaults and taken on significant debt from the national bank to keep us supplied. I can only imagine the pressure that this is putting on the Sage Council. I'm glad I'm here where I can accomplish something, and not stuck in Balriza worrying about the status of things. Balris' Rest is within sight. Not paying makes the expedition take longer and has the risk of hitting stability.  News filters slowly up to us, but we have our own sources. We find the occasional Goblin-hole, down which our allies are able to poke their nose and occasionally survive long enough to return with news. The Command are mobilising for a big push into the Marutha desert, in Rahen. So long as they aren't coming for us, I can rest assured they're not going to interrupt our great mission.  Another year has passed, and we have reached our greatest obstacle yet, at the foot of Balris' Rest itself. The peak stands high above us, completely surrounded in cloud, and below it, a great graveyard, of creatures both familiar and completely unfamiliar to us. Some of these corpses are large enough that we can use them to bridge our way up the mountain. I can only imagine how powerful He must be to defeat such monsters. Some of the Humans and Dwarves aren't as enthralled by the sight, but once they lay eyes on Him, their minds will be changed.  We saw Him! We all saw Him! It could be no other, a gargantuan golden shape soaring above us. He followed the trail we carved from the foothills all the way to our base camp halfway up his mountain. He is there. We only need to keep pushing, through the thin air, the cold, and any act of nature or demon that tries to hinder us.  We are now settled into our second base camp, approaching the peak of Balris' Rest. His appearance has lifted our spirits, but the journey remains difficult. A few days ago, as we attempted to forge a path across a steep snow bank, an inadvertent blast of flame melted something critical, and the entire mountainside began to slip. By the time the roaring and shaking ended, a quarter of Balris' Rest was clear of snow. Very few of our expedition perished, but I wonder about those who lie below. Did it break into the mountain and wipe out the Goblins in Grônstunad, or reach all the way to the lowlands? This devastates a province below the mountains and really angers whoever is there. Luckily, it's just the Command, who already hates us.  I cannot believe it, but I am writing this in His actual presence. The Golden Sage and several members of the Sage Council are exhorting him to return at this very moment, having joined the expedition as we made the final ascent to his throne-peak. He is magnificent, truly the image of divinity and our progenitor. Why does he not respond? Have we disappointed him? Should we have accomplished this a century ago? A millennium ago? There is so much that I, that all of us, want to ask him, to apologise for, and to praise.  We have our answer. His sadness must be monumental, to have glided across the world and see no sign of his kin. There is no Goldscale here who does not understand and feel themselves wracked with sadness at the sight of His tears. We're a people alone in the world as well, there are no others like us, but we've made so many friends and allies in our quest. Surely, we can lift His spirits, show to Him what we've accomplished and share our mortal companions. For now, we are returning to Balriza. Despite the circumstances, our mood is lifted beyond imagining. The Golden Sage has given the order that we must make ready to welcome Him, and I will take up that task with every scale of my body.  My primary task is the reorganization of the military. The armies of Xerlanza are becoming more focused around gunpowder weapons, which can deliver fire just as effectively as any of our warriors. While it pains me to put my clan on the sidelines, the clear strategy is to have Kindled Scale warriors act as screens for Human gunners, using barriers of fire to obscure them and stifle cavalry charges. They can even contribute to volleys with their flames. The Smouldering Claw is not completely sidelined though, as we'll enter the fray if the enemy does close to melee distance. Inferno Warriors have inverted offence/defence pips to Kindled Sentinels, but less morale pips. Since we're currently doing a morale-focused build, Kindled Sentinels make more sense.  The Golden Sage himself has taken up the task of seeing the Balkhangfa Palace restored, even to the point of taking charge of the design of ramps and lifts needed to get materials up to the top of the upper terrace. It's not really my area, but he's enthusiastic enough and has a whole host of architects from the Human cities and from Verkal Ozovar working with him. The real problem will be the expense. We're already in debt from the expedition, and this monument in the heart of the capital will be just as massive an endeavour.  With the army revitalized, we have come to an agreement to take advantage of the Command's distraction in Rahen. For the first time, we outnumber them. The combined Xiaken and Xerlanza forces will liberate the lands of Xianjie that were lost in the past.  The Hobgoblins are caught completely off guard. We are marching up the Yan into Shamakhad proper, where they have made their camps in the ruins of the old kingdoms, while the Supreme Master is focusing on securing the sprawling city slums of Sarisung, the largest city on the Kharunyana river and perhaps in all of Haless. The gangs that rule the city have submitted to the Command and will fight on their behalf, and the city itself is one of the key fords across the great river. The Kharunyana is literally impassable along most of its length, so there's some actual strategy involved when dealing with it. It also means the One Xia's west flank/Raj's east flank is much more defensible than it appears at first glance.  We've established ourselves outside the walls of the city of Sarilavhan, the centre of their power and the location of their fabled 'War Room' from where their conquests are planned. The Teeming Arm has done well to establish themselves among the local subjugated Humans, who're working to undermine the defences as I write. We will soon be assaulting the walls directly. Mostly including this to marvel at the difference between Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the writings of Gyar Namra, Sage of the Smouldering Claw  Sage Vata Vuzing met a sticky end. Sarilavhan fell, with the gates being opened by sympathisers, but the street brawls against the Hobgoblin garrison were rough. We were ambushed going into their War Room, and I watched her take down three by herself before the rest got her. I've taken up her position as commander of the war effort, I'll check in with the Golden Sage when I'm next in Balriza to see if he will take me on as her replacement.  We've spent some time securing the area by the city, including crushing Goblin forces that have been pouring from the Jade Mountains. The Xiaken and Blue Scarves are focused on the southern front, so I think we have a shot at poking our snouts into the tunnels underneath the highway that got built leading to Balris' Rest. I can't think of a better way to make sure it's safe than from inside the mountains themselves. Including the new unit model. Look at the little guy with a gun as tall as he is.  Their armies were dead and scattered out in Shamakhad, so it was no issue to enter the caves, starting from our territory. Inside, we've found a massive city, partially ruined and swarming with Goblins. It goes even deeper, though the damage gets worse the deeper you go. Some of the troops report strange visions when they sleep, so I think I'll be taking all but a small garrison back out to the front. That sounds safer than risking the anger of the spirits of whoever died here. Kobolds count as a subterranean race, so going all-in on the Serpentspine is a possibility for the future…  The battle was over before we could arrive, the main Hobgoblin counterattack defeated. I've got the Golden Sage's instructions for Vata Vuzing to discuss peace terms, and while it'd be interesting to tear up the Command's core territory, it wouldn't get me in his good books and give me a shot at protégé.  As instructed, we've drained most of the Command's treasury to fund the renovation of the Palace and repay the debts from the expedition. Loads of land went back to the One Xia as well. However, I did twist things a little, and take that underground fortress. The Dwarves call it Verkal Dromak, so maybe it's one of their old cities?  When I got back to Balriza the construction was already underway. The upper terrace is a total mess swarming with workers and construction material. It's like they want to tear down the whole thing and rebuild it from the ground up. The Golden Sage has agreed to take me as protégé if I can win the next Dragon Dance, so I've already left for the clan territory in Emgolu to train.  I've gotta say that getting kicked out of the capital was one of the best things for the clan. We've got a whole range of hills to train, and without risking bumping into any of those Kindled Scale squibs. Going aggressive against the Command was a brilliant idea by Vata Vuzing, and it's paid off as we have thousands more Kobolds and a decent number of Humans flocking to join the clan.  They say Kindled Scale's doing strong as well, though I can put that on the Golden Sage, considering he gave them pride of place in the Xerlanza forces. I'll be sure to put them in their place in the Dragon Dance. I saw the one ten years ago, where Vata Vuzing finally gave us a win, and I know they'll be looking for revenge this time. I better be prepared. Both these require 10 manpower in the province. The next upgrade requires 20.  It wasn't going to end other way. I've been in the thick of things brawling Hobgoblins, Orcs and Goblins, while the Kindled Scale sit back and let bullets and fireballs do the work. This one, Vata Azok, had barely grown out of being a hatchling. I felt bad for him when I burst through his flame barrier with just a few singed scales and delivered a knockout blow. He's been shipped to the general hospital afterwards. Perhaps I went overboard, but I have been recognized as the Golden Sage's new protégé.  He's got me looking over the new Golden Lancers, the latest cooperative effort as part of Xerlanza. Riding horses is tricky for us, but we've got lots of Humans in the population who can, and a whole army now strapped to us who are familiar with using cavalry in battle. These Blue Scarves have been fighting with us for a whole century, they know what they're doing. These would be nice if they didn't cost army professionalism to hire.  They're really taking advantage of our union on their stide. With the Command kicked in its Hobs and the birdriders fallen into chaos, there's not really anything stopping them from finishing their big mission of freeing the rest of Yanshen. Good luck to them.  I've been visiting Vata Azok recently. He's young, but showed his spine facing off against me. He doesn't deserve being crippled for his overconfidence. While watching over him, I could sense his sluggish Chi abruptly unblock itself and his injuries begin to mend. He claims it was a jade rabbit spirit, but maybe his Kindled Scale constitution was showing its worth.  Dragon Dances can be rough, but they're a key part of training our warriors. I've promised Vata Azok at the next Dragon Dance, and in the meantime spent my time training against Kindled Scale sages visiting the capital.  The Teeming Arm have been getting really powerful, as they're the big winners coming out of the settlement in the Demon Hills, getting a cut of all the minerals flowing out of there. Since Kabiurgarko is no longer on the frontlines they've really hollowed it out for gold mining, and have even imported some strange machines from distant lands to manage everything. The Golden Sage is really interested as well, apparently hand-writing all the documents needed for the Palace work is putting a real strain on the Sage Council. Dev-pushing institutions is a good chance to get an HQ up to full size. The price of 20 production on a gold province that won't even deplete is mana well spent.  All the road works the Grasping Tail are doing are a huge help as well. I can travel to the clan's lands in the west in just a few days, were it'd take a couple of weeks before. All the remote villages out there are linked up by roads and have proper patrols against bandits. It's the safest I've ever seen the hills.  Though, the defeat of our enemies is another reason the folk can live peacefully. The birdriders have been dealt a fatal blow, as our northern allies have kicked the most hostile tribes off the steppe to the north and into the hills and mountains beyond. There are a bunch of herders left behind, but I doubt being ruled by a coastal city will be worse for them than a horde of marauders.  Facing Vata Azok a second time was totally different. Ten years flew have flown past so quickly, and he's grown into a fine warrior blessed by the spirits. This time, he equalled me in combat, and we duelled for hours in the restored Palace gardens. Blood and shorn scales scattered across the grass, but even after we both tore up and exhausted each other I could see him smiling. I ended the Dragon Dance there, we both did. We won't show a divided face when Balris descends to meet us. Picking Kindled Scale or Smouldering Claw victory gives you more buffs in those directions, rather than this mixed bag. I could have gone all-in on Kindled Scale, but from the story perspective resolving the rivalry makes more sense.  I'm going to take on Vata Azok as my protégé when I'm Golden Sage. I've already brought him on board to my military reforms. Instead of the rivalry, we'll split decision-making between us, depending on what we need. Holding the line, fortifying and ambushing, the Kindled Scale will lead. On the attack, assaulting walls, flanking and manoeuvring, the Smouldering Claw will take charge. It'll slow us down a little, but so long as we keep working together, we'll soon get used to it.  Balris is still sleeping up on his Rest, and I went to the Golden Sage to ask why we hadn't called upon him to return even though the Palace is in a fit state. He said we needed a feast and celebration fit for a god, not just in the amount of food, but with aspects from every great clan of the nation. Fields of warriors in ceremonial duels, representatives from every city in the two nations of Xerlanza, treasures unseen for centuries, and finally a display of the magic that helped return him to us. The last one is the issue. After the Knowing Eye were sanctioned, many left the city, and getting them to return and perform a great scrying ceremony for Balris is tricky. I'll have to leave it up to him, but he's getting old, and I'm not sure I want to be the one to have to manage it. I haven't really covered magic in-depth in any of these campaigns so far. The key point here is that there are three levels of spell strength that your mage estate can cast, based on their influence. 0-33, 33-66 and 66-100. It's actually pretty tricky to consistently get mages up to the highest level without specific privileges for them. Especially when events can easily knock off 20% like happened here…  In the meantime, he's been fawning over the palace, building it up and making it even more extravagant. As we've been peaceful for the past fifteen years, he's conscripted a bunch of warriors from our two clans as labourers. It's honest hard work, so I don't care too much. They'll come back stronger.  Who knows if it's the result of all the outside threats getting destroyed, but things have been heating up in Yanshen. Feiten fired the first shots, invading inland and demanding that we assist them, even against one of our own allies. The Golden Sage was insistent that we wouldn't side with the aggressors, and refused to send support.  The worst has happened, and now I'm stuck behind the Golden Sage's desk. As I planned, I've made Vata Azok my protégé and put him in charge of the military. He can keep an eye on the developing situation, I've got a feast to plan…  It's still escalating. The One Xia have launched an invasion of southern Yanshen, and unlike my predecessor I'm not going to stay out of this one. Even though we beat the Command they've probably built back in the past fifteen years and I can't risk our western flank getting split into two easily-attackable parts.  I'm appreciating the printing press the Teeming Arm introduced. I've got them working overtime producing documents for the Festival of Return. Balris will descend from the mountains, flying over our territory, and each city in turn will show their devotion, until He arrives at Balriza where the greatest assembly of Kobolds, and the devoted members of other races, in history will be waiting for Him. Fireworks, magic, food beyond measure, and Balkhangfa Palace rebuilt to its old glory. I cannot wait to see it.  It was a massive success. In fact, the Festival of Return is still going as I'm writing this in his presence. Probably for days or weeks more. He's called upon me, His Golden Sage, to discuss His plans for us. "Little one, you have done well, but you and your clans have taken too much power onto yourselves. I need no Golden Sage, nor Sage Council. Both will be disbanded, and thus the minor clans, the clanless, the common people will have their say in their own government." Okay. How am I going to explain this to the other Sages? To be continued… Up next, a state of the (known) world update
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Jan 15, 2024 21:53
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Balris got caught up in doomscrolling, fell asleep, and wanted to hit the snooze button when he got woken up. Truly relatable. 
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Jan 15, 2024 23:58
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Balris gonna end up running the empire himself.
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Jan 16, 2024 07:47
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habeasdorkus posted:Balris gonna end up running the empire himself. "God's back and decided they want a democracy" is a cool path to take.
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Jan 16, 2024 07:50
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Josef bugman posted:"God's back and decided they want a democracy" is a cool path to take. Yeah this is shaping up to be a pretty fun swerve. “God says theocracies are scrub tier, this is awkward for us, the theocrats”
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Jan 16, 2024 07:55
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God also happens to be a giant winged fire breathing creature, so if he says God isn't real, who am I to argue?
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Jan 16, 2024 10:56
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That was a lot more adorable than I was expecting 
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Jan 16, 2024 12:24
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RabidWeasel posted:That was a lot more adorable than I was expecting Balrijin is one of the most wholesome nations in the mod, and one of the top candidates for a 'least evil' (in so far as any EU4 nation could be considered so) playthrough out there among nations with MTs.
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Jan 16, 2024 14:30
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Direct dragon democracy, a tough pill to swallow for all those who benefited from the existing system, but when your actual god looks at what you're doing 'uhm, actually, no' (and is also a giant dragon), it's hard to argue.
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Jan 16, 2024 14:55
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I was noticing the modifiers before reading what just happened, so my thought process was "wait, why are we getting a stability dro-ohhh  "Sybot posted:Balrijin is one of the most wholesome nations in the mod, and one of the top candidates for a 'least evil' (in so far as any EU4 nation could be considered so) playthrough out there among nations with MTs. The Roadwarriors are gentle and pure souls that only want to get all the garish paint off of a lovely world map. SirPhoebos fucked around with this message at 17:12 on Jan 16, 2024 |
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Jan 16, 2024 15:25
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Interlude: State of the World 1560 Balkhangfa Palace, Balriza, 1560  The sounds of distant fireworks echoed through the wide and tall hallways of the Palace, as the Festival of Return entered its sixth night of celebration. Fax Zixza, Sage of the Knowing Eye, took a deep breath before opening the side door into Balris' personal chamber. She had seen Him upon His arrival, but never imagined that she'd have the chance to speak to Him personally. He lounged on a sea of cushions that had been laid out across a full quarter of the room, His tail fully extended and idly wrapped around one of the pillars. He was holding up something to His face, and it took Fax Zixza a moment to realize what it was, for its golden shape was muted against the sheer purity of His scales. It was entire golden chest, held carefully between two claws as a third sifted through the contents. The whole chamber was filled with the treasures of the nation, offered to Balris as tribute. He had reportedly asked for them all to be returned to their rightful resting places, but that would wait until the celebrations were over. One eye turned to Fax Zixza as she worked her way through the treasures littering the floor. "Welcome, little one. What would you ask of me?" Fax Zixza shuddered with awe and struggled to speak, but He was patient. It took her a while to fish the papers from her robes and present them. "Lord Balris, at the request of the Revered Golden Sage, I am to present to you our knowledge of the world at large, to do with as you wish." He snorted with enough force to knock over some of the ornate vases laid out before him. "You need not address me as Lord." A pause, and an intake of breath that Fax Zixza likened to a sigh. "However, I will hear what information you have gathered on my behalf. Perhaps there are hints of my kin within."  "The combined forces of Xerlanza control the Yan River, and thus the heart of Yanshen. Beyond that, there is chaos. There are no notable external threats, so the remaining states of the subcontinent are fighting for dominance rather than banding together." "As expected of mortals." "On your orders, we could restore stability to the land." "If, as you say, we rule the heart, then there is no need for additional blood to be shed in my name. They will come to us as partners. Are there any notable nations or figures among them?" "The League of Feiten was our ally for a long time, but we ceased supporting them after their aggression against another of our allies. We also held good relations with the Kingdom of Zyujyut, until our other allies in the One Xia invaded them. We are concerned that the Supreme Master of the Xiaken will see you as a threat, but for now we are united against the Command, who I will come back to later." "I would like to see their lands someday. I hear they have developed a hundred unique martial arts. What are these small states nestled along our borders?" "Lefthand Path followers and tyrants. The foul Oni spread their corruption to some Humans before we and the Command dealt with them, and they linger because we have seen no need to eliminate them." "This Lefthand Path, I trust that you are correct in your understanding of it. Whether it is evil or not, knowledge remains knowledge. If you have any relics or artefacts of it, I would be more interested in those than these trinkets." He indicated the treasures laid out before him.  "I will ask the Revered Golden Sage. Moving on, to the north of us lies a vast sea of grass. Our ally, the Firelord of Jiantsiang, has pushed back the barbarians that dwelt on these steppes, and now guards the northern frontier against their return. Further along the coast, our other ally, the small state of Daengun, marks the northernmost reach of civilization that we are aware of." "That you are aware of?" "The great coastal cities of Yanshen regularly receive a great fleet of treasure ships that deliver goods from a land to the distant north. They claim to form a Federation of cities that are holding against siege by monstrous hordes." "Not so different from Yanshen itself until recently, perhaps."  "Beyond the southern Phokhao Mountains, several equally-sized states compete for power. The Queendom of Chien Bhinrung, the Republic of Arawkelin, the pirates of Pinghoi, and the tribes of Sirtan. It is likely that the wars in Yanshen will spill through the mountain passes and upset the balance here as well."  "To the west lies Rahen, once ruled by the mighty Raj." "Yes, I have heard of the exploits of Harimar. It is a shame I never got to meet him" "His legacy is on verge of destruction. The current Raja has done his best to consolidate, even adopting Suhan's Praxis, a variant of the High Philosophy that calls for an abolition of the caste system." "Another expectation of mortals. They only understand that they must change, when it is already too late." "Indeed, Lord Balris. The Command, a vast horde of Hobgoblins, having seen little success pushing into Yanshen, have made significant progress pushing into the north and east of the Raj. I would believe that if the Raj had been better unified against the threat, we might have already defeated them between us. Besides that, the slaves of Bhuvauri are also pulling the Raj apart from within." "It is a nation of slaves?" "Slaves, who own slaves, while being owned by higher slaves. I cannot fathom how such a society functions, but their wealth and power are undeniable. Our spies in the Brass Palace are frequently rooted out, and-" "What did you say?" "The slaves, my Lord? Their society?" "Never mind." "Very well. We believe the Raj will collapse fully within the century, if not the next two decades. If we are lucky, the Command and Bhuvauri will fight each other. If they align, which is possible as they both consider themselves highly meritocratic and autocratic states, then we will have a major threat on our claws."  "Beyond Rahen lies the deserts of Bulwar. For the past century we had heard distant tales of Zokka, the Devourer-of-Suns, a demonic monster, threatening an invasion of Rahen from the east. Now, we know that he was defeated by an alliance of Elves and Dwarves, the Phoenix Empire arising from the more distant parts of Bulwar and the Dwarves of Verkal Gulan marching forth from the mountains." "The Golden Hold. They once attempted to ply my favour when I was convalescing on the mountains their city lay beneath. As I've told the Golden Sage, gold is not what I truly desire, even if I can appreciate the high quality craftdwarfship of Halanna's children. I took the most interesting pieces with me, but I cannot be bought with mere treasure." I'd seen Zokka's name lurking large in the FoW for a while, it's a shame our demonic hyena boy got taken out before we really got a chance to interact.  "We know little of Sarhal, beyond the Raheni colonies on the coastline and horrifying tales of the dark and labyrinthine swamps of Yezel Mora. However, this is the one place where we have heard tell of one of your kin." "Oh?" Balris' head, which had increasingly nestled into His favourite cushion over the course of the meeting, lifted up again. "The tribes of the interior claim that they were once ruled by a dragon." "Who!" His question came with enough force that it almost bowled over Fax Zixza, forcing her to cling to a gold-encrusted wooden cabinet. "They call him Zenidir, and say that he gave his life six-hundred years ago to slay a monster that descended from beyond the sky" "Of course. Zenidir, brother. I am sorry I missed the chance to speak with you." He lay his head down once again, closing his eyes again for a moment before opening one to look at Fax Zixza. "Perhaps we can trade stories with these people, one day." "If you will it, it will be done, we promise."  "Most of Haless follow the Righteous Path or the High Philosophy, which includes Suhan's Praxis. Whichever a citizen of Balrijin follows, know that they hold you, Lord Balris, as a Supreme Sage or a High God." "I will accept the compliment for now, but I will soon be making clear to everyone that I am not a god, or a spirit. I already abandoned you once, I do not deserve such status. Please, do not take my wisdom on blind faith alone." "As you say, Lord Balris. Beyond these, it is notable that the Command does not follow any faith at all, and they are actively destroying symbols of faith within the lands they Rule. The Godswall has been demolished, and they actively plunder the High Temples for treasure." "That towering carving is gone? I can abide their conquests, but the destruction of art is a sin that I cannot forgive." "The other point of note is the Mystic Accord of the south. They claim to commune directly with the spirits, placing the spiritual and physical on an equal level. While we respect the spirits, this goes too far and puts the people at risk from their capriciousness." Most Righteous Path nations syncretize with High Philosophy, and while HP doesn't have the same option, many nations such as Feiten do get a special privilege that lets them ignore negative penalties from religion in exchange for being unable to convert.  "For the all the distance we have covered in our search for you, our main populations remain in the hills. We are not the great Harimari empire builders, or Hobgoblin conquerors. Nonetheless, you will find settlements across Haless, as the work we have done in building trade connections and fighting the enemies of civilization have made us close friends to all the civilized races." "I taught you well. It is pleasing to see you flourish like this." Dark blue are Kobolds, Orange are Harimari, Red are Hobgoblins, and almost all the rest are different varieties of Humans. It's an unfortunate limit of the culture/race system that Humans and Ruinborn are the only races that get multiple distinct culture groups.  "Beyond the boundaries of our knowledge, we have heard rumours of other distant empires, but we know very little of them. One is claimed to be even mightier than the Command, and to have built an empire across oceans." "By these estimates, you have created the fourth most powerful state in the world. All in the name of ensuring my return." "Anything for you, Lord Balris." Balris paused for a moment, as if the urge to once again correct her was pulsing in His head. Eventually, He seemed to decide against and instead reached out with a claw, holding it out for her, with the sharp tip pointed towards the ground. "Thank you, little one. I will call on you again. There are things you have told me that we need to speak further on." Fax Zixza could barely contain her excitement. With shaking claws, she reached out to grasp His claw and then laid her snout gently against its smooth upper surface. "Please, send in the Golden Sage, I have more I wish to discuss with him." Once again, I'm impressed that both Gawed and Grombar (formerly Frozenmaw) have held onto their slots, especially in the face of a dominant Lorent. To be continued…
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Jan 16, 2024 22:16
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Lorent has a tendency, in my experience, once it finishes its initial reunification to COMPLETELY ignore everything going on in Cannor and completely focus upon colonial adventures. Like in my last game as Elikhand Grombar just unhinged its jaw and swallowed Gawed whole and Lorent simply couldn’t be arsed.
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Jan 17, 2024 05:41
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everyone's happy
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Jan 18, 2024 01:59
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Captain Oblivious posted:Lorent has a tendency, in my experience, once it finishes its initial reunification to COMPLETELY ignore everything going on in Cannor and completely focus upon colonial adventures. My current Gor Burad game (very fun btw) had Frozenmaw get so thoroughly annihilated by Crovis that they don't even have any cores left. Corinite also didn't spawn until the mid-1550s, and Lorent has been reduced to a rump state by an ascendant Gawed that mysteriously allowed the gnomes to live. Not that any of that impacts me, I'm too busy building a perpetually angry, fanatically isolationist lavapunk autarky. Bloody Pom fucked around with this message at 03:25 on Jan 18, 2024 |
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Jan 18, 2024 03:17
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perpetually angry fanatically isolationist lavapunk autarky is my favorite band.
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Jan 18, 2024 06:46
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Chapter Nine: Haste and Waste 1560-1572 Temporary Parliament Chamber, Balkhangfa Palace, 1560 At one time, the Parliament chamber had hosted arguments and duels, where the Sages of Balrijin would watch young warriors resolve disputes and display their skills. It was a square chamber, with terraces of stone seats rising up around the central floor. In recent years, a window had been installed through which Balris could peer into the room, as He was far too large to fit in the chamber Himself. Also recently, the chamber had hosted arguments of a different sort, the vigorous debates of the first elected politicians of the hatchling republican state of Balrijin. In this small stone crucible, the very first political parties were forged, and allies and enemies were beginning to emerge. A new, properly constructed, Parliament chamber would be built one day, but for the moment and for the benefit of Balris, this chamber was sufficient. However, it was not being used for either purpose at this moment. Instead, it was packed to the brim with hundreds of Kobold and Human workers carting crates of papers around. The first seating of Parliament had just been the beginning, and now the it was the closing moments of first round for the true prize; the presidency, the leadership of the new order. Gyar Namra sat with his legs crossed on the lowest terrace, watching the candidates who had assembled on a podium in the centre of the chamber. There were fourteen in total, and that wasn't even all of them. Countless voters had written in their local leaders, their clan head, or someone completely random for the position. These fourteen were the only ones who had confirmed votes from every province, though even among them there were massive differences in magnitude. He let out a hiss and looked away, wondering whether the next election would have rules to avoid this sort of chaos. On the terraces above him, the workers rushed back and forth, collating the ballot results that were still coming in from around the country. They had set up a straightforward pipeline, with the highest terrace adding up individual villages and towns to get the province level results, then the next terrace down doing the same for provinces within a region, and so on until the final numbers were presented to the candidates. Again, Gyar Namra was left to wonder if they couldn't set have proper election infrastructure next time. In their haste, they'd just made things more complex. He caught a flicker of gold at Balris' window, but when he looked closer there wasn't anything there. If He was watching then He'd already left. Was this what He had wanted? "The results have been tallied!" called out the adjudicator, Tingbiao, a respected politician from the Lanjinhui city of Ciying. There were several poll watchers from Balrijin's ally and union partner, taking advantage of their long experience with democracy. One such watcher, and the architect of much of the new political system, approached Gyar Namra. "Revered Golden Sage, are you prepared to make history?" Gyar Nytari asked. He wasn't of any of the major clans, and was in fact dressed in the same blue robes as any of the other Lanjinhui attendees. Yet, it was that same background that had earned him this place. "No formalities anymore," Gyar Namra said. He stood up, noting that almost as many eyes were on him as on Tingbiao, even though he held the results. "You will still be honoured," Gyar Nytari replied. He extended out his claws, encompassing all the people working hard around them to see this election through to the finish. "Even if Balris willed it, how many would have looked past their own personal power and brought about this change in such a short timespan?" "That's what I'm concerned about," the Golden Sage replied. The crowd parted for him, and he stepped up beside Tingbiao as he prepared to read out the results. "Attention, candidates," the Human said, "the following candidates each received less than five percent of the vote across Balrijin." He proceeded to read off ten of the names, including the only two Human candidates among those on the podium. Of those, one didn't appear pleased with the results, but didn't complain out loud. All ten candidates left the podium, leaving four Goldscale Kobolds vying for placement in the second and final round of voting. "With 10.6% of the vote, Fax Amrita of the Teeming Arm. With 17.2% of the vote, Vata Udumtzen of the Grasping Tail." The two named Kobolds were the most ornately dressed of those on the podium, representing the guilds and the merchants respectively and thus all the wealth that those groups produced and managed. There was a moment between the two of them, perhaps the Grasping Tail candidate lording it over the 'lower-class' Teeming Arm candidate, but then they both bowed to Tingbao and Gyar Namra and departed the podium. That left two candidates, both of whom were confirmed through to the final round of voting, but the room remained silent as everyone present waited to hear how the votes had landed. Kiu Isho stood for both Kindled Scale and Smouldering Claw, the alliance that Gyar Namra had forged by shaking claws in the final Dragon Dance bearing fruit in this new arena. He stood tall, projecting an unbreakable wall of confidence and youthful vigour. Ironic then, as his younger opponent, Kiu Chödzen, wrapped in the purple robes of a Knowing Eye sage, did his best to demonstrate an air of wisdom and contemplation. In both cases it was all for show, considering millions of voters would never see the scene, but it was laying out their campaign platform in very simple terms. "With 29.8% of the vote, Kiu Isho of the Kindled Scale," Tingbiao said. A grin grew down the length of Kiu Isho's snout. "With 31.2% of the vote, Kiu Chödzen of the Knowing Eye." It disappeared in an instant. This wasn't the end, but it wasn't the win the alliance needed. They would need to work double time campaigning before the final vote to ensure all the other candidates swung their way and overcame that deficit. Gyar Namra stepped up onto the podium to congratulate the two contenders, but he spared a glance for the window high up above the chamber, where a draconic eye peered through. If Balris were to endorse a candidate, it'd guarantee their victory, but to do so would put the legitimacy of the new system at risk. It had all been so simple when it was just the Golden Sage and the Sage Council. The fate of the nation was now in the hands of its people, but what did that mean for the future? Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the writings of Gyar Namra of the Smouldering Claw, the final Golden Sage  Balris has explained his feelings, and I cannot deny them. The Sage Council was set up as spiritual leadership for our people, but they've turned to petty politics as we've grown. He wants His country to be run by the people who rule over it, and the Sages to return to matters of the soul and Chi. I don't even really know where to begin. This isn't something I can do by myself. We only have a few new missions for now, but this will grow as events progress.  I am a blunt person, as befitting my clan, so I took His words directly the Sage Council. It was uproar, a free-for-all, as they all begged and pleaded for their clan to remain part of the government. If anything, I just made my job easier, as with His wishes out in the open the Sages will be torn between their loyalty to Him and trying to hold onto as much as possible in the upheaval. That'll give me the chance to move freely. This was a ludicrously convenient random event.  There's no way I could find an ally in any of the major clans, so I've looked for agitators and reformers among the minor clans. Gyar Nytari of the Grinning Maw has caught my eye. He's spent his years working closely with the Azure President to keep their elections clean and bring in new cities and townships that've been liberated. It won't be cheap to lure him away, but his experience is just what I need. I've also been leaning on Batavix. The two of us have gotten old, considering we met on that freezing staircase nearly twenty years ago, but he's kept his pure heart. He's the right person to spread this news to the people, so they understand why Balris has asked this of us.  We don't need to strip away all aspects of our faith. He recognizes our devotion to Him and the good that the Sage Council has done over the years. We can hold onto that while still removing the power it holds over the government. I just need to decide where to focus my attention.  The Sages, and the temples they represent, have always held privilege over the less spiritual institutions. There used to be no real administration except that which the temples provided, but past Golden Sages have done a good job bringing economic and bureaucratic management across Balrijin. We don't need the temples to collect taxes or manage the population any more. They will have authority over their grounds and sage, and nothing more. A net change of 15% influence, pretty good.  As for the Sage Council itself, we can't be the ones to rule. Maybe at one time, when most of the population were Kobolds of the major clans, but not anymore. Balris has returned, and He will be the one to hold oversight of the nation. The Council will revert to a spiritual role, ensuring a smooth translation between His wishes and the policies of the new government. I will also open secular education possibilities, which we'll need if the government is no longer dominated by religious figures. And another 15% more brings down the numbers to where we need them. Depending on how your nation is set up, hitting the target can be fairly easy. Even that earlier event means we just get to keep one extra privilege.  The era of Sage rule, nearly a full millennium, has ended with a few strokes of my brush. On the other side, Gyar Nytari has prepared a plan for the establishment of the Golden Republic. There will be two branches of government, the parliamentary legislature and the presidency. The Presidency will be elected by the vote of all citizens of Balrijin and have authority over diplomatic and military matters. The Parliament will represent the individual peoples of the nation, and manage the nation's economic and civil policy. Above it all, Balris himself will watch over us and ensure that neither oversteps their bounds.  I was invited to the first session of the Parliament, held for the moment in an antechamber of Balkhangfa Palace. It was chaos. The largest cities got representation, but this left several of the major clans out of the process, notably both my clan and the Kindled Scale, who live and train in the rural hills. Kiu Isho of the Kindled Scale almost boycotted the entire proceedings, but I convinced him to stay. Even if something fails, we can work through it with Balris' guidance. The first order was the preparation of elections for President, including how candidates would be selected. There were a lot of obvious dealings going on there to get things smoothed out, but in the end the first Parliament managed to come to a decision. As the representatives shook claws, I saw Balris' head poking through an upper window of the chamber, an inscrutable expression on His face.  There's so much work left to do, and I will be happy when the election takes place and I can hand off the work to the President. In our haste we've undone almost all the institutional work of my predecessors, but maybe some of those institutions needed to be rooted out for this fresh start to work. Normally when you switch government types you get to keep some reform progress. For Balriza, there is a hidden effect to delete all of your progress, to simulate the fact that we're building up institutions from scratch.  Seeing the counts in Balriza, it was almost as chaotic as Parliament. The first round of voting saw dozens of candidates all proclaiming that they had been endorsed by Balris, but He remained quiet and watched proceeding. Eventually, after days of waiting for news to come in on the first-round votes from the more distant corners of our territory, we've narrowed it down to two candidates. Kiu Isho, from 'the Alliance' that our two clans have formed, and Kiu Chödzen of the Knowing Eye, representing those who think my reforms went too far. Even though both candidates presented themselves to Balris before the ballot papers were sent back out, He gave no sign that he preferred one over the other. So, the people will have to decide for themselves. The Golden Republic gets a unique style of selections. You get two parties to choose between, costing 5RT if you do. Or, you can gain 10 RT and have one picked randomly.  I can breathe a sigh of relief! The Old Guard was soundly beaten, and Kiu Isho has claimed the presidency. In a ceremony before Balris Himself, I handed over the keys to Balkhangfa Palace, a symbol that the authority of the Golden Sage is no more, and instead we'll be led by the Golden President. Kiu Isho's first act was to give a fiery speech about the future, about how this was just the first step towards bringing peace to the wartorn lands of Yanshen, and how we would continue to progress under the watchful eye of Balris, no matter how hard certain groups tried to drag us back. Watching him speak, it's easy to see how he won. He's a very charismatic speaker.  The printers have been a massive help throughout this whole process. Handwriting ballot papers for the countless candidates would have been scale-snapping. That said, I can foresee them being overloaded with work printing political pamphlets from now onwards.  Though I no longer lead, I still get the privilege of supporting the new President as he comes into his role. He received a note from the LNP, requesting that the franchise be extended to Lanjinhui as a whole. I could see the argument, and you could just as easily argue that any citizen of Balrijin should be able to vote in the Azure President's election. After consulting with me, Kiu Isho put a bill before Parliament to open up mutual voting rights with our partner-in-nations. This opens up the Lanjinhui integration branch of the mission tree.  The bill passed astoundingly quickly. Only the Old Guard were truly against it, expressing fears that it would lead to a marginalization of the Kobold population and thus Balris. Every other party was eager to have more supporters, with the LNP being obvious, our Alliance looking for votes from Blue Scarf veterans, and the Scale Barons and United Guilds wanting full rights for their merchants and workers up and down the length of the Yan. This'll make elections even more complicated to manage, but it's not my problem any more.  It's been a strange year, and this's been felt throughout the nation. From the celebrations for Balris' return, to my hasty reforms, to the chaos of selecting and electing representatives, some folks have been letting things slide. Taxes are down without the temples collecting them, weeks of work have been used up as more remote citizens travel to a polling place, and the United Guilds and Scale Barons have been at each other's throats over working conditions, to the point the UG have downed tools in several regions. The Sage Council, for what is worth now, will be sending mediators to try and resolve this.  Kiu Isho was not joking about bringing peace to Yanshen. He's invaded the remaining Lefthand Path enclaves on our border, ostensibly to protect the people from their cruel masters and preserve the ancient knowledge that Balris was interested in, but I think more likely he wanted them safely under our scales rather being targeted by the One Xia.  The Supreme Master's finished his latest push deeper into Yanshen, which places him dangerously close to violating the old agreement we made with Lanjinhui about our respective spheres of influence. The coastal cities, besides Tianlou proper, have retained their independence for now but I have advised Kiu Isho, and I believe that Balris has done the same, to let them be. I don't know what'll happen if we dive into another Yanshen-wide war.  I'm disappointed with our people. There's been a huge upswing in the number of officials taking money for favour. I don't know whether it's a result of the privileges being removed from the temples, or if elected officials are more vulnerable, but between this and the obvious favour-trading in Parliament I wonder whether we have followed Balris' wishes correctly.  We buried a hero today. Batavix' funeral was attended by hundreds of thousands from across the nation, and Balris Himself emerged from the Palace to pay his respects. He said, "Batavix was mortal, and yet he moved me beyond anyone I had met in my life. He is a model for all to aspire to, of honesty of heart, hard work of body, and devotion of soul. May his spirit rest well." I'm already missing his kind words and songs of comfort. I might fully retire one soon, and let this new generation of politicians have their time in Balris' eye.  We've lost so much experience in moving from clan-based organisation to elected officials, that its degraded some of our war capabilities. The President is attempting to rebuild some of this, following his declaration that the tyrants of Bianfang would be driven out of hiding for good, but it's already shown off the cracks in the alliance between our clans. My clanmates are unhappy about Kindled Scale favouritism, and the next election is already approaching.  It was so simple to smooth over divisions in society when they could come to the Sage Council to have their voice heard, or partake in a Dragon Dance to resolve a conflict. Now that everything comes down to voting, it's harder to directly deal with problems. I hear so many complaints that I no longer have the power to address.  With the Alliance in shambles and the LNP on the rise, the second election was a contest of conservatism against integration. Kiu Chödzen finally has his chance to wield power, and with him comes a number of bills putting a halt to the disestablishment of clan authority, granting the Knowing Eye authority over secret matters, and rolling back the biggest electoral reforms. Luckily, the Old Guard do not hold a majority in Parliament, so they're not going to get all of that through without some concessions. It is five years between elections (modified by gov reforms) and you don't get to keep your ruler. There is a way around this, which we may get to see later.  The war with Bianfang, started by his predecessor is likely to be the first big change he enacts, considering it falls under his purview. He's likely to end it as soon as possible and return us to isolation and inward focus, allowing the tyrants to escape into exile in other countries.  An unlikely coalition has formed in Parliament between the United Guilds and Old Guard, enshrining restrictions against buying Parliament seats or presidential candidacy, in exchange for transitioning the Knowing Eye from a clan to a guild, specializing in divination and information gathering. The argument is that each clan has its speciality, so by the reason of merit we should let each clan hold onto its area of expertise. We martial clans are resistant to this kind of playing with words, but I don't know if the other clans will fall into this new way of thinking.  Though even their coalition seems fragile when the Old Guard conservatives contain representatives dismissive of Human members of the government. The United Guilds is equally comprised of Humans and Kobolds, so the President had to publicly rebuke his own party to avoid it breaking down.  Far from the headache-inducing politics of Balriza, the Demon Hills are almost pleasantly quiet. The spread of cannons has been a huge worry for the fortification engineers stationed in the Dwarf hold and the Shirgrii, so they've been testing out new ways of building against artillery, using dirt ramparts and angled walls to minimize the damage it can do. If the Command wants to take advantage of our instability, we'll be ready for them.  I've been avoiding the capital for a while now, but even out in the rural clan territories we can feel the effects of corruption. Taxes go missing, merchants delay shipments without additional fees, weapons get sold abroad rather than sent to the front. Maybe I moved too quickly, without enough thought about what I was doing, when I tore up everything we'd relied on for centuries.  The Grasping Tail, or the Scale Barons as their party is named, have been taking advantage. Their wealth lets their candidates reach places that others can't. Even if the UG-OG coalition controls Parliament, there isn't much they can do if all the bureaucracy is paid for by the wealthy.  They've used their position to force the President to grant them more land concessions, paying him off as well. I fear for the next election. If the Scale Barons are able to bribe their way into victory, they could completely dominate the government. I've gotten the Alliance together to smooth out any remaining disagreements between our clans and to agree on a candidate and a strategy.  Our representatives in Parliament pushed for a bill that would expand the bureaucracy and dilute the effect of the most corrupt officials. It looks like we'll have to get involved in backroom dealing just to get this passed, but being openly against the rising corruption should earn us more votes in the next election.  Gyar Natari has stepped back into the spotlight, with a comprehensive treatise on the rapid development of electoral politics and a range of ideas on how to correct the missteps we've made so far. Balris also briefly spoke to Parliament after having read the work. "It is never too late to learn, and this institution is very young." His words were taken as full backing of Gyar Natari's work, and new bills are being drafted up as I write.  The Kobold himself has returned to his own personal project in Lanjinhui, establishing a printed political and scientific periodical to share news across the two nations of Xerlanza. With citizens of both nations voting in each other's elections, it's more important than ever for current events to be shared.  It's just days before the election, and we've gotten word that Gyar Natari has died. He was found inside one of his own printing press machines in Jiangdu. It is one thing to see the corruption growing within the new government, but it is another to even consider that we would kill our own over politics. Have we, have I, made a mistake?  We have returned to power, under Var Namra of the Smouldering Claw. It was close run, but we had a straightforward approach, calling back to the violence inflicted on us and our allies by the Command, and that it was likely they'd be coming for us again. Only the Alliance has the strength to lead Xerlanza against the Command. An investigation into Gyar Natari's death has been opened, thought it may have to wait, as events are already moving.  On the day that the President spoke before Parliament, Balris emerged from his chamber to offer his opinion on the Command. As much of an idle comment as it was, it was still enough to inflame the devotion of even the idlest plutocrat. With Balris returned to us, our fortifications stronger than ever, and the Alliance leading the way, perhaps crushing the Command once and for all will bring us the unity and purpose that our nation truly needs, and my legacy will be one of triumph. This opens up the 'End the Command' portion of the mission tree. It's showdown time. To be continued… Votes Long live the Golden Republic and the Azure Republic! Xer rgyal kha, Lan sheng! The first, and most important vote is the final decision on the fate of Xerlanza. As Balirjin and Lanjinhui draw closer together in their institutions, there will be the question on whether the two nations should truly unify. When the time comes to make that choice, should Xerlanza remain purely a unified diplomatic and military front, or should it be made official that all Kobolds, Humans and other inhabitants of Yanshen are united under a single republican Xerlanza, with Balris as the eternal figurehead. One Nation – Annex Lanjinhui and officially become Xerlanza. There will be a permanent malus to autonomy as a result, but also bonus to integrating future subjects. Generally, we will take territory directly and integrate subjects. Two Nations – Lanjinhui becomes an un-inheritable personal union under Balrijin (which means they won't have their liberty desire affected by any future subjects we might gain, so effectively a permanent 0% LD for them.). Generally, we will aim to build a network of subjects that won't be integrated. Vote for one option by clicking on the image below  The second vote is another idea vote. Now that the Golden Republic is established, we need to consider its future, in terms of dealing with the Command once and for all, deciding the way forward politically, and securing our economic control over the subcontinent. Each of the five parties will make a suggestion. Alliance – Quality – The Kindled Scale and Smouldering Claw are agreed on one thing. Our armies need to relentlessly improve to defend the fledgling republic. United Guilds – Plutocratic – Freed from the bounds of clan and clergy, the we need to reform around the ideals of freedom and democracy. Both military and economy will benefit from an infusion of innovation. Old Guard – Court – The instability of the new republic proves the need to build an understanding of this new politics, all the little tricks and shortcuts needed to keep the power players of the nation under control. Scale Barons – Trade – With dominance of the Yan, undisputed control of trade is within reach. We need only reach out for it to achieve unlimited wealth. Lanjinhui National Party – Influence – The success of Xerlanza has proven that we do not need to hold territory directly to have a great influence upon it. We should bring our allies closer to us, and carve new allies out of our enemies. Vote for up to two options by clicking on the image below. Second place will get additional votes (along with Innovative) in the next idea poll. Voting will last 48 hours
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Jan 20, 2024 21:02
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I'm surprised there even is a one vs two nation path. With the emergence of a Lanjinhui National Party I figured we were basically already 70% there. Interesting though.
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Jan 20, 2024 23:51
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When we get the chance, we will be forming Xerlanza. Quality wins the idea vote, with Influence earning +5 votes for its next appearance. Chapter Ten: Arise from Ruin 1572-1583 Approaching Sarilavhan, Above Shamakhad, 1582 Neither roaring wind, nor bitter cold, nor thin air were any impediment, as Balris glided high above the clouds, idly watching his shadow flicker over their upper layers. For centuries the empty sky had been his only companion, first in his failure of a journey around the world, and then in the endless days and nights perched atop the mountaintop where the young mortals had found him. He glanced to the north, catching a glimpse of the distant Jade Mountains towering through the cloud layer and ending in glistening white peaks. They still called to him, even after the time he had spent in the palace the mortals had prepared for him. Decades were nothing, just a blip in his lifetime. However, he did not want to disappoint them. They lived such short lives, and for them to die thinking that he had abandoned them again would be heartbreaking. He was not here to hide; he was travelling for a reason. Flexing his wings a little, his speed began to drop and his altitude along with it. He could have dove down, speared through the clouds and still landed safely on the land below, and he might have done so if he was a few thousand years younger, but there was no point to such frivolity. He let himself descend gradually, the clouds spattering him with chill spray as he passed through. It did not take long for the clouds to part and the lands to stretch out before him. Shamakhad was the name the mortals gave it, home to the Ruin Kingdoms. Or, it had been before the Command had torn them all down. Even that was yesterday to Balris, but he could understand how it might seem an age ago to the mortals who dwelt in these lands. The countryside seemed almost untouched by the raging war. Clusters of Humans working in fields or herding livestock scattered as he passed overhead, but their villages were more or less intact. It was only when he first encountered a road that the damage started to become clear. A churned-up line of mud extending for miles in both directions, with burnt out ruins at regular intervals. He recognised these as the Hobgoblin camps and minor forts, both military camp and home for the militarized mortals. Their rigid layout and minimal architecture were already an eyesore, and the devastation had only made it worse. When he next spoke to his mortals, he would suggest the roads be repaved and lined with something more pleasant. "Lord Balris!" a cry from below came, the dragon's hearing picking it out from behind the sound of wind in his ears. He looked down and spotted a few dozen golden figures on the muddy road. Most of them were prostrating themselves in the muck, which he really wished that they would not do, but a couple were waving at him. They were escorting a large group of pack mules along the ruined roadway in the direction of the city, probably bringing in supplies from the countryside. There was no way to stop and thank them, with as fast as he was moving. He flew overhead, spooking several of the mules by accident and leaving his mortals to rush to keep them from scattering. Silently, he decided to apologise for all the disruption his flight had caused, as soon as he landed. It was so rare that he left the palace, or before that his mountaintop perch, that he tended to forget the impact that his appearance had on the common mortal. That the Parliament and the President were able to address him directly and speak and argue openly in his presence was a miracle at all. He had done much to make himself a fixture of the workings of the palace, so that the little ones working inside were no longer cowed and awed by his presence. Perhaps that might take yet more generations before that would come to pass. His mortals were good-hearted, enthusiastic, and friendly, and he wished that one day they would speak to him as equals. On the other hand, they were capable of just as much viciousness as any other mortal. As he crested one final hill over which the road passed, the city of Sarilavhan came into view. Sprawled out on one bank of the river were tens of thousands of large tents and temporary structures surrounding the core of the old city. The Hobgoblins had made it the centre of their war effort, and now the occupying Kobolds were making full use of that infrastructure to host their army. From so high up, Balris could not see a difference. The city walls were in ruins from the battles that had raged over this land, and the ancient stone of the old city was scarred and shattered. He did not want to know how many mortals had fallen, and how much blood drained into the river in his name. He was not worthy of such devotion, and even if he was, he would not have demanded the young ones give up so many of their lives for this. That was why he wanted them to decide their own destiny, not hang onto every word from a relic like him. That was an interesting idea. The last dragon, kept as an exhibit, the palace turned into a museum. There was not much for him in the outside world anyway. It was only on the insistence of the President that he had flown out this far, to see what they had accomplished in his name. As he approached, he could see that despite the devastation there was still life within the city. Flags of gold and blue hung from those spires that were still standing, there were throngs of civilians freely mingling with the soldiers, and somewhere in the extended camp a celebration was ongoing with the scent of richly spiced meat wafting up to him and small fireworks popping. Balris banked around the city and lifted his wings to brake, coming in for a landing in a plaza just outside the city walls. It was easy to spot where he had agreed to arrive, from the mass of warriors lined up along the edges and the podium upon which the President and several officers stood. As he hit the plaza at a lope, his claws causing even more damage to the already battered stone, the warriors shot flames into the sky in salute. It was all very ostentatious. "We welcome the Bringer of Songs to this ravaged land!" the President said to the assembled crowd, his voice enhanced through magic. Balris shook himself, folded up his wings and then paced across the plaza as music began to play. They were putting in so much effort for him, it was cute. His presence here was merely a formality, the military strength of the Xerlanza alliance was what had won the day, not anything he had said or done from his lounge in the palace. Still, these young ones had lifted him out of the worst of his thoughts, so perhaps it was okay to indulge them. They still had much to learn, as the blood-soaked fields around them attested to. "The Command is in retreat, the Ruin Kingdoms are saved, and peace will soon return," the President continued. He extended one set of claws to Balris. "I accede to your authority, Lord Balris. The people of Ghatasak, Khadisrapur and Sir are waiting to hear your intentions for them." The crowds went quiet as they all turned to Balris for his response. He looked across the assembled armies, and the crowds of locals behind them. He could not, would not abandon the mortals again, but he would need to do more to wean them off of his words. It should be their leadership alone, with merely his guidance, which was precisely why he was going to make his intentions clear at this moment too. His voice needed no magic to be heard across the plaza. "The Ruin Kingdoms perished one hundred and fifty years ago. The Ruin Republics will arise, and grant the people of these lands the chance to choose their own destiny, as all life should." Retrieved from the Deep State Archives, excerpts from the writings of Var Namra of the Smouldering Claw, Golden President  The Command has lingered on for too long. Their delusions of military dominance have brought ruin to the nations of Rahen and cost the lives of millions. Only through the bravery of ourselves and our allies; the Smouldering Claw, the Kindled Scale, the Blue Scarves, the Xiaken, have we managed to halt their attempts to invade Yanshen too. I have called upon the Knowing Eye to scry across their lands and unveil their secrets, so we can bring an end to them once for all.  They are currently patrolling their lands, their appetite for invasion quietened. If we are able to crush their armies piecemeal, then we will give the opportunity for the oppressed of Rahen to rise against them their hard yet brittle military structure to crumble.  So, we march together once more to restore peace, freedom, and justice to a land that has not seen it in one hundred and fifty years. The Collapse of the Command has begun. This is a very powerful CB, and costs 100% war score to achieve, so it's a suitably dramatic climax to this rivalry. It'd be neat if other nations bordering the Command could gain access to this somehow.  Yanshen will stand beside us in this campaign. The Xiaken Masters have replenished their strength and have reforged their army into one where their one hundred martial schools, meld together into an unstoppable force. From the northern frontier, the Custodian of Jiantsiang marches with his fierce warriors and suborned bird riders. With the forces of Xerlanza at its core, this alliance will end the Command.  Our enemy are not to be underestimated. Tales have arisen from Rahen of the Hobgoblin commander Tose Wolfborn. The fortresses along the Kharunyana river, including the mountain fortress of Tughayasa, have been brought low by his genius. Our new bastions in the Demon Hills are a new level of improved, but even that might not be enough. Our armies will remain on station so long as the Wolfborn is present. Six siege and a siege specialist, and not even a war wizard, is a crazy combo. I don't know if the Command managed to get this naturally or through some kind of event or decision.  This war is opportunity for new warriors to show their mettle. The two warrior clans have made up the majority of the army, and almost all officers have been drawn from them, but as we come to understand Balris' desires it is clear that he wants all to be treated equally. Those who show their acumen in battle will have a route to the top, regardless of their clan. This is the only Quality idea we actually need for the moment, considering we don't use cavalry and the rest of the good ideas are at the very end of the group.  The Scale Barons are on the move, taking full advantage of the war to build up connections in our allies. Goldscale Kobolds can be found across Yanshen and Haless, even beyond the boundaries of Xerlanza, and make easy contacts for the merchants. They have suggested that we can coordinate war logistics by creating a unified banking system across Yanshen, but I remain suspicious that they have ulterior motives. For now, they can work by themselves.  As might be predicted, they have failed to breach the Demon Hills thanks to the brave efforts of our warriors. Instead, a massive offensive has begun into northern Xianjie, brushing aside an effort by the Xiaken to defend it. I have ordered the armies to consolidate. If the Supreme Master is captured or killed, our war effort could collapse.  Though it was far from a decisive victory, we caught the invaders at the gates of Xiadao and drove them back. There are interesting reports from our warriors, that the enemy centre was comprised mostly of Goblins from the Jade Mountains, rather than Hobgoblin warriors. Is this an indication that the individual 'commands', their glorified tribes, are exhausted?  Xerrivur has grown significantly, as far too much of Parliament has been convinced to devote resources to the Scale Baron's banking initiatives. I cannot say it was completely without merit, as they have donated a generous portion of their profits to the war effort, but I will need to be cautious regarding their ambitions.  The eastern bank of the great city of Sarisung has fallen, but that has not secured the river flank, as the Command had the good sense to seizes crossing further south. The Blue Scarves are tasked with holding this front, while the army marches north into the heart of the Ruin Kingdoms.  Wide open plains of Shamakhad are impossible to defend, and now that we have driven them from our hills, their capital is open to us, just as it was in the previous war. This time, we will not be leaving. Our diviners also report that the only forces of note are again the Goblins, showing that perhaps the Collapse is truly on its way.  As the Scale Barons ramp up their politicking, I have taken the decision, granted to me as an emergency option by Balris Himself, to suspend elections for President until this war is done. I will not allow us to be undermined by gold-minded merchants, not when we are so close to bringing an end to our greatest enemy. I have given Parliament all of my assurances that I have no intention to retain these powers longer than needed, with Balris as my witness, literally. Here is the means by which you can hold onto your leader for longer than the 5-year election cycle. It's a very useful tool when you have an Alliance president, considering the combined buffs let you take war taxes for free and gives a 66% reduction to the cost of reducing war exhaustion. There are consequences if you to try to take advantage of it too much, though…  The war has turned into a stalemate. There are simply too many Goblins backing up the remnants of the Hobgoblin army for us to push any further west. Our armies are spending months marching back and forth between Shamakhad and Sarisung to contest efforts by Wolfborn to reclaim either his capital or the river crossing.  As each Goblin army is crushed, another emerges from the mountains. The Command pet Orc shaman, Thunderfist, remains at large and an ever-present threat. His bolts of lightning are no match for a full cannon salvo, but if left unchecked he can obliterate smaller forces. Our armies are depleting rapidly, both from battle and plain attrition. It is strange to be on the receiving end of such a problem.  One thing has become clear in the fifteen years of the Golden Republic: the election cycle is far too short. As each Golden President may only serve one term, five years is simply not enough time to accomplish their goals, especially if they as lofty and critical as mine. At my urging, Parliament has passed a law to extend the election cycle to six years. Though the Golden Republic doesn't use regular election mechanics, the associated events are still modified by the reforms on this tier. Taking this is a no-brainer considering there's no re-election bonuses and so no reason for shorter terms.  It drags on. Five years of war, and we still have not pushed much further west than the Kharunyana River. Every warrior in the nation has been summoned to the frontlines, so that we may hold another month. To help ease the burden, those injured who were pulled from the front lines to train new recruits have been allowed to return home. It may hurt the quality of our warriors, but it will let some families be re-united and stave off disaster.  Though, not all the commonfolk are safe. There are vast reserves of warriors still in training among the Kindled Scale and Smouldering Claw. I have ordered a mass conscription of those warriors to fill out our ranks. We cannot give up. This is our best chance to destroy the Command, allowing it to pass us by is unacceptable.  The Goblin swarms continue to vex us, and actually advancing into the Jade Mountains themselves has been considered to be too risky a venture given the depleted state of our forces. We merely have to endure their raids while slowly advancing westwards into Hobgoblin-occupied Rahen.  Though pressure to end the war is rising, I cannot allow all those lives to have been wasted. The Command remains standing, its western territories still secure. The Supreme Master of the One Xia has sent a letter pleading for the war to come to an end so his warriors can return to their temples, but we cannot give up while the Command is so close to collapse.  They are completely exhausted. Their last attempt to reclaim their war room has faltered, through the combined efforts of ourselves and the Xiaken. So long as they stand by our sides, we will win this war.  My overconfidence has been my downfall. The Supreme Master declared a unilateral withdrawal of the Xiaken to the east bank of the Kharunyana. I have seen with my own eyes the impact this war has had on the people of Balrijin and Lanjinhui, so I do not judge him for wanting to spare them that. But now, we face the Command almost alone. Jiantsiang has withdrawn its forces to deal with tribal uprisings, and the Blue Scarves are focused on blockading the Jade Mountains. This is really bad timing, as they held a lot of provinces giving me warscore. We were literally maybe 5-10% away from ending the war…  Like we did once before, we have called upon the Wandering Wind to bolster our numbers. They are fresh and eager for battle, and have helped repel a Command invasion that sought to bypass our fortifications and cut off our supply lines to Sarilavhan. The war is not over yet.  I have spoken with ever ounce of Chi that I can muster, imploring Parliament to support us in this final push for victory. Though we are expending thousands of scales to pay mercenaries, the Command itself is exhausted and near collapse. The Blue Scarves have almost taken the Jade Goblins' capital. We just need one final push.  With the assent of Parliament, I have hired the infamous Sirtani, from the plains of South Haless, to rampage across Shamakhad and destroy any attempted mustering of Hobgoblin forces. It pains me to resort to such forces, since I doubt they will treat the common oppressed inhabitants of the lands they pillage any more leniently. However, if we are to prevent the Command from regrouping, we must make sacrifices.  The Custodian of Jiantsiang has withdrawn his support from the war, leaving only the combined armies of Xerlanza in the fight. What is more concerning is that he has denounced the Golden Republic as a sham ruled by tyrants both mortal and immortal, and claimed that Balris' intentions are Yanshen ruled beneath his claws. Such an insult to myself I can accept, given my failings over the course of the war, but the insult to Balris has Parliament in an uproar. This will be answered, one day. Well, that's just mean.  It seems to be drawing to a close, after years of exhaustion beyond what I could have imagined. The Sirtani have ravaged Hobgoblin settlements across Rahen, the Wandering Wind are seizing their eastern fortifications, and the last effort by the Goblins to drive us away has been crushed, with the entrances to their tunnels having been finally plugged by the Blue Scarves.  All at once, everywhere, local militias and lords and generals in hiding have risen up and overrun their local Hobgoblin garrisons. The surviving Goblins have managed to find mountains holes to sneak into, and the armies of the Command are in full retreat, being harried by those who were once terrified of them. It has cost us so much, but it is all finally over. Those are some gnarly numbers. I blame my allies for being bad at handling attrition while on the offensive. Pure battle losses are much more even.  As the outer layers of Hobgoblin territory fall into chaos, I have ordered our armies to set up camp around Sarilavhan, and will be personally attending alongside Balris Himself to see that the nations of old are restored with the consent of those who live there. We have no intention of claiming these lands as conquerors, but rather restoring peace and civilization to a land that has spent one hundred and fifty years ruled by barbarism.  We do not have the Kobolds to guarantee the stability of any other Command's other conquests, so we must leave them to secure their own destinies. Though there are reports of the Command regrouping in parts of occupied Rahen, I suspect that these newly forged people will be eager to the last remnants of their masters driven away completely. And here is the final outcome of the CB. A collapse worthy of a rigid military hierarchy finally being brought to the breaking point.  Our emissaries into the Jade Mountains have been rebuked, and raids are already increasing on the pilgrimage route over the mountains to Balris' Rest. It is clear the Goblins were ready for the Collapse of the Command, and have already secured their fortified positions and most likely replenished their armies. They will be a threat to the fledgling nations of Shamakhad until their can stand on their feet.  In response to Goblin aggression, we will ensure the Shamakhad plains are secure through military force. The Wandering Wind will remain on station in the region for the next few years to deter any raiders or Hobgoblin remnants from attempting to tear down the new order we have assembled.  As for the new order itself, the original nobility that ruled the Ruin Kingdoms is long dead. Rather than raise up new lords for the people to bow to, they will be reformed as the Ruin Republics, with democracy much as has been established in Balrijin. Under our guidance, a new era of peace and prosperity awaits them. For some reason the mission completion didn't appear. It makes them autonomous vassals and converts their governments to republics. It also adds +3 diplo relations slots to fit them, but it would still have been nice to have had influence at this point…  There remains the question of whether these nations should be fully integrated into Xerlanza, and that answer is for a future ruler. Right now, all I can do is ensure the Golden Tongue have enough resources to manage a federation that spans even further than it has before.  With the war over, I honoured my promise to stand down, and have called for an election. I may have destroyed my own voting base in the process of this war, as the martial clans are shattered and tens of thousands of families grieve for lost loved ones. The Scale Barons are likely to make this election a matter of rebuilding the economy, and with the work they have been doing in the background of the war, they are likely to win.  Once they do, their Scale Bank Initiative is likely to launch. I just hope that they have the best interests of the nation and of Balris in their hearts. To be continued… Votes The old order has been restored and brought into the new age. The remnants of the Command are scattered and no longer a threat, but already new threats are arising, as the nation recovers from the debilitating effects of the last war. While there will likely be a period of recovery, the next conflicts are already on the horizon. What should be done about the Jade March? The Goblins were a significant force during the Collapse of the Command, and will likely remain so as long as we border the mountains. Conflict is inevitable, but also opportunity. If an all-out invasion of the Jade Mountains occurs, what should be done with the lands within? Kobold Holds – Our race was born underground, and these mountains host Balris' Rest. They are perfect for the growth of our people. Take the mountains for ourselves, settle the holds with Kobolds, and build brand new underground cities. The Goblins will be treated with respect, but not autonomy. Dwarven Reclaimers – The Jade Empire once ruled these caverns, so by right it should belong to the Nephrite Dwarves, the last remnants of that nation. Invite the Dwarves to reclaim Verkal Dromak, create a new Dwarven vassal and feed them the Jade Mountains. This may lead to unfortunate results for the Goblins. Goblin Homeland – Goblins are driven out wherever they are found by the 'civilized' races, yet they are not pure evil. They even aided us in the search for Balris. In His honour, we should give them autonomy and a homeland of their own. Work towards vassalizing the Jade March and let them retain control of the Jade Mountains. Even if we eventually annex them, Goblins will retain control of their holds. Vote for one option by clicking on the image below The second question, what about Jiantsiang? They have turned on us very abruptly, and present a new threat in the north. We have a few options to deal with them, but what should the approach be? Leave alone – They are limited in strength, while we only grow stronger under Balris. He will outlive the blasphemous Custodian, and with diplomatic pressure the successor will come back around. Punitive expedition – We might counter their betrayal by stripping them of their steppe frontier and restoring control to the local tribes, ironic after supporting the reverse previously. The terrorbird riders will return, but technology has far outpaced them. Install democracy – A full invasion, with the plains and steppes coming under the protection of Balrijin, perhaps to build a new steppe nation under Balris' guidance, and Jiantsiang itself and its surrounds going to Lanjinhui. Vote for one option by clicking on the image below Voting will last 48 hours.
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Jan 26, 2024 20:11
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Hot drat that's a satisfying map and a beautiful thing to see after a billion games of the Command's dumb 'stratocracy' balling out of control. A very cool CB indeed. We absolutely need Influence next the way things are going tho.
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Jan 26, 2024 23:22
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Captain Oblivious posted:Hot drat that's a satisfying map and a beautiful thing to see after a billion games of the Command's dumb 'stratocracy' balling out of control. A very cool CB indeed. Yeah we need to start knowing how to chat with folks about our huge alliances.
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Jan 26, 2024 23:33
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It is better to jaw jaw than war war.
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Jan 27, 2024 02:10
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So we've broken one of the main villains, where do we go from here? Also has anyone played any of the anbennar mods for CK3 and Vicky are they any good?
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Jan 27, 2024 15:25
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A great victory for all Halessi! Things will be smooth sailing from here on out... Right?Josef bugman posted:So we've broken one of the main villains, where do we go from here?
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Jan 27, 2024 16:33
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Josef bugman posted:So we've broken one of the main villains, where do we go from here? There's another villain that frequently appears in Haless in the mid-late game, so we're not short on potential enemies. Longer term, I have ideas for custom content beyond the mission tree, but to say any more would be spoilers. With a day to go on the vote it's looking like a sweep for the most nice-guy results, which I guess I should have expected.
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Jan 27, 2024 20:09
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Sybot posted:There's another villain that frequently appears in Haless in the mid-late game, so we're not short on potential enemies. Longer term, I have ideas for custom content beyond the mission tree, but to say any more would be spoilers. I mean we did choose possibly the goodest folks. NeverHelm posted:A great victory for all Halessi! Things will be smooth sailing from here on out... Right? Thank you very much for the info!
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Jan 27, 2024 21:03
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