rolled 5, 2, 4 = 11

Partway through the eighth month, edging down into autumn, your little town, now a burgeoning metropolis, survives another day as the center of the industrial revolution. Its newly-built prototype internal combustion engines fuel all manner of vehicles, from crude trucks to ornithopters to the first working examples of solid-wing airframes. Right now, there's no room in the nation's budget for border-to-border highway systems, so your short-term plans are focusing on local roads.

The reception of Primary's schematics for a full and complete analytical engine has aided computing research immeasurably. R&D estimates that it can have a working system up and running in two or three weeks, though you may wish to alter that timetable if you're concerned about others being suspicious of your breakthroughs. In other areas, such as weapons, armor, architecture, and power, the addition of ancient Frost Giant knowledge has increased the rate of progress beyond anything Dreamwood could achieve on its own.

Project Phoenix is proceeding at the expected speed and has so far seen no 'relapses' to speak of. Those healed are almost immediately brought into contact with the shaman, Avres, who has formed a sort of unofficial ruling council with Kyva and several others as members. The intelligences continue to monitor the situation and have completed the emplacement of anti-magic charges and stunners in the local security system. The high nobles' forces in that installation are steadily increasing in numbers and are becoming progressively better armed and more elite. No similar program of reinforcement has been enacted at any other installation, including K5. No official notification has been sent to you or anyone in command of your own men.

rolled 2, 3, 2 = 7

Perin's government is becoming steadily more divided as time goes on, with crucial entities being tugged between two sides and troop movements near important facilities getting more erratic. The Loyalist faction, headed by the Lord and the Prince, has no pronounced advantage over the Patricians, lead by the high nobles, aside from the secret support of yourself and your holdings in the far North. At this moment, what is being termed a political cold war is taking place almost entirely behind the scenes and has only marginally affected the lives of any regular citizens. You have been warned by the Prince himself that, should it turn ugly, one of your first priorities must be to secure or destroy, if necessary, all Iralan installations whose locations you know.

Your unprecedented 'gift' of Iralan-designed ergonomic massage chairs has been accepted by the Lord, his son, and his cabinet, without protest, though there were undoubtedly a few raised eyebrows when the shipment arrived. The Lord has been made aware of the surveillance functions of the chairs and approves. Only a few of the high nobles have actually used their chairs, after having thoroughly checked them for bugs and explosives, and so far seem content to keep them locked away when not in use.

rolled 6, 2, 3 = 11

Your current location is K26, with its associated anti-air lance under repair. It has not yet been decided whether to reveal the existence of this facility, but, since its databases have been almost completely erased, there is not very much left to find in its memory. The main issue is the physical items still in the base. Internal sensors are down in many areas, but those that have been explored contained certain things you might wish to keep under wraps, including a prototype force field generator slated for use in safety and security systems, an incredibly massive cloaking device capable of covering a small building, and a giant-portable weapon that is theoretically capable of reducing the temperature of a room to absolute zero instantaneously.

Headlines: “New Engine to Drive a Nation's Industry,” “Unrest Forces Martial Law in Plantation Town,” “The Future of Wings: Breakthrough in Air Travel Shocks Developers.”

Initiate upgrades at all Iralan facilities that we control with the upgraded internal security measures that we've put in place at K9.
Fabricate Heavy Security Golems and have them put into storage at each facility, to be prepared for Order 66.
Increase security measures around all AI cores, especially at K9.

>>11847049
Look into the feasibility of creating a Stonehenge Defense Network by using the Mobile Fabricator to build a base with rail gun turrets in the middle of nowhere.
One of the requirements is finding a plateau or some other feature that is high above sea level. The curvature of the planet and the operational range of the weapon has to be taken into account. At 100 feet tall, operating at sea level, will only be able to engage targets out to a hundred miles or so, depending on the altitude that they come in at. Of course, if we use a laser system instead, like the Excalibur, with mirror drones at stratospheric altitudes, that would get around the curvature problem.

>>11847026
Slow the timetable for the Difference Engine so that it is completed in 2 months rather than 2 weeks. We can't raise any more suspicion than we already have.

>>11847085
We could have the guns fire at an arc for anything beyond the horizon, and have the projectiles armed with an exploding warhead for anti-air, and solid core for anti-shield and anti-fortification work.

rolled 3, 4, 3 = 10

>>11847065
Consensus required for first request. Others confirmed. If you're willing to accept an increased possibility of discovery, security upgrades can be made at all installations, but it would be all too easy for someone to get suspicious.

>>11847085
The Mobile Fabricator alone is a bit limited in capabilities. To build a sizable base, it would probably need to construct additional fabricators. In any case, Frost Giant electromagnetic launch technology is not very advanced, or at least everything you've recovered suggests that. It would be much, much simpler to construct lance weapons instead. Considering the area you have to work with, finding specific terrain features is not really a problem, but their placement might be. I'm assuming you're looking to cover an area including at least most of Perin and Kharok itself, but I'd like confirmation.

It would be easiest to construct stationary gun emplacements in the Fleet Bases and have them ferried out by groups of shuttles or corvettes, rather than built on-site.

>>11847103
Acknowledged.

ICEs! Finally!
How are the roads going?
Also can we get transmuter charms that change the toxic byproducts of combustion engines into something harmless and are powered by the car battery ?

Man, I'm away from this quest for three months and what is this?
Perin in civil crisis?
Maya working with the frost giants?
Sci-fi in my low fantasy adventure? It's more likely than I think!

Now that we got the engines done, we should start with mass media devices (radio, tv, etc)
but we should be VERY careful with them, releasing first the radio and witholding the television until we think the perinese culture has advanced enought.
Also get good airplanes and start flying and mapping the world ffs

perin is going all cool and well
but what about the rest of the world?

rolled 1, 5, 5 = 11

>>11847222
The roads in Dreamwood were already of sufficiently high quality to support automobiles without much work. The main thing is in establishing a traffic routing system, parking space, and all of the other trappings that go along with cars and trucks. At the moment, the primary use of these vehicles is expected to be in freight carrying, since tractors and animal-drawn carts are currently used in that capacity, and aren't nearly as good.

Elsewhere, progress is slower but still steady. The County, regardless of its actual borders, encompasses quite a vast area between its allies (more like subsidiaries) and acquainted towns. Outside of Dreamwood, the main focus is on main roads, and no unsolvable problems are anticipated.

Research on anti-pollution measures has been moving forward for a long time, with superb results. Eliminating all pollution is impossible, but you have, among other things, a certain type of bacteria that 'eats' various toxins and excretes harmless materials. Charms, if necessary, can pick up most of what's left, but mass-producing them remains a challenge.

>>11847290
You have already patented and released a great many radio designs. The technology to transmit television signals does not yet exist, at least not in Dreamwood. The Fleet Base-built scout drones have been exploring the immediate area and have mapped a considerable amount of Perin, Forus, Cyreth, and Matmer. You may wish to speak to the government's network of institutions, as they are farther along in aircraft technologies than you.

rolled 6, 2, 3 = 11

>>11847296
What do you wish to know? Keep in mind that, outside of a relatively small area in world terms, the information you have is limited.

>>11847370
well how are the other universities going

also how is it possible that others are doing better at fixed wing aircraft ?
we know enought about propellers, wing shapes, etc to give us a huge advantage, also the government doesn't really have up-to-par engines

>>11847370
How's the general reaction to Perins sudden advances in technology?
Are countries banning the importation of tech, sending spies, creating shoddy duplicates from reverse engineered pieces?

>>11847163
Can we mask the security upgrades as facility repairs? Perhaps put it down to internal sensor network repairs?

As for the area that the defense network has to cover: yes, most of our K-Facilities, and most of Perin.
If we can't have a railgun turret network, then what about mobile heavy anti-air lances that can be manufactured at the Fleet Bases then moved into position as needed? We still don't know where the Frost Demon will appear, and must be flexible.

>>11847370
In a previous thread, we were asking the New Aarmour College for leads on Bira and Ull scholars. Iralan historical records show that they had trade with the Bira and Ull; I want to kinow what they know, and if they need any help excavating their own super-civilization ruins.

Also, how goes attempts at knowledge and philosophy exchange with the Mountain Giant enclaves? Are the local authorities still giving us trouble?

rolled 3, 1, 5 = 9

>>11847396
They are getting along well. In many things, they are quite a bit less advanced than Dreamwood, which has become even more true with the addition of Frost Giant technology. However, with government support, a vast amount of resources, and more personnel than you could hope to equal, they can accomplish with brute force and luck what Dreamwood requires finesse to deal with.

Simply, they have been working at it longer than you, and they've studied absolutely everything coming out of Dreamwood. At present, they have, at the very least, steam-powered passenger aircraft, magically lightened just like ornithopters. They also have their own Zeppelin designs, though those, as inferior models, do not see much use. Making up the gap would not be difficult for Dreamwood, only time and resource-consuming.

rolled 3, 3, 4 = 10

>>11847397
Cyreth, Matmer, and Sillasull all appear to be of the opinion that getting everything they can out of your efforts is good enough. After all, none of them have to spend anything on development, and they can simply sit back, watch Perin make all the mistakes, and reap the rewards for a final price. Cyreth, as a close ally and what is nearly a protectorate of Perin, sees no reason to do much aside from buy what they can afford. Sillasull and Matmer are both rumored to be operating their own R&D programs, but there is nothing concrete about them.

Lokar is a different matter. The majority of the population follows a more traditional society and is wary of change, though a close association with Perin keeps them in the loop anyway. Simplessis is comparable in attitude, but all the news it gets passes through other nations, since it doesn't share a border with Perin, so take that as you will. Information on other nations is available upon request.

No nation has banned the importation of technology or technological items. There are undoubtedly foreign spies in the network, but the only one DCE has uncovered in Dreamwood works for Cyreth and doesn't concern himself with specifics, only progress reports. Counterfeiting is a problem, but actual reverse engineering usually requires some sort of tech base, which is not always present.

>>11847503
Should we consider a joint plane research project with New Aarmour? We can use it to bypass tri- and bi-plane designs, going straight for Messerschmitt, Zero, and Mustang designs. They have the better airframes, while we have the engines.
We still far outstrip them technologically, since we control the Fleet Bases, and increased cooperation between us and New Aarmour should help our political ties with the College.

ok can we disguise K26 into another installation ?
or hell make it look like it self destructed while we were away due to catastrophic generator failure or something like that

>>11847588
We could doctor the records in all of the databases like we did with K19, and have K26 designated as an astrometrics research facility. We can also truthfully say that due to extensive computer damage, and multiple breaches in Geothermal, that humans not go into the facility at this time, until the repair golems are able to shore up the structure and stop the magma flowing into the base. That should buy us some time.

rolled 3, 6, 5 = 14

>>11847449
You can, in a limited fashion, but implementing facility-wide security systems necessarily requires that work be done everywhere. If you start having every installation undergo such far-reaching 'upgrades' when no-one else knows much at all about the systems involved, someone is bound to get suspicious. This is not to say that any attempt is doomed to failure, just to warn you that things may not go well.

Mobile anti-air is easy enough to build. You need only tell me what you're looking for exactly. There are wheeled, tracked, and hover platforms, long-range, shield-penetrator, and rapid-fire weapons systems, among others, and quite a few other variables.

Two suggests the Adranis-Class Mobile Gun. It is a heavy hover vehicle with attached solid outriggers that mounts a single Heavy Lance Gun, outranging most of the weapons on your Frigate. Without the sort of power systems available to warships or ground installations, it can't manage a very impressive rate of fire, but it is still quite a machine. If you're looking for the best coverage and the best range, Canderous suggests missile batteries. They are vulnerable to interception, and, unlike beam weapons, have noticeable flight time, but they have other advantages as well. For instance, you can't put a nuclear warhead on a lance beam.

>>11847489
In Perin, they know what the population knows. There are myths about the old ages, great cities and powerful ancient civilizations, but there is nothing concrete in them. There is no reason to assume that those races reached the same technological height as the Frost Giants.

Your team has made contact with a single Mountain Giant clan and been assigned a Scout to speak to. Lokarian authorities are present with the team and don't seem all that happy about everything. The Mountain Giants, as always, are perfectly hospitable and seem to delight in sharing cryptic riddles that your people don't understand.

>>11847579
Creating a wind tunnel to study drag would allow one to build an airframe that effectively ignores the issues of early plane designs by simply knowing how they'll work. No need for biplanes or triplanes if you know how the air will interact with the wing and fuselage.

rolled 5, 1, 2 = 8

>>11847588
You can disguise it all you want, but the anti-air lance would have to be explained away as a telescope or something like that.

To make the facility appear to have self-destructed you would have to destroy a substantial portion of it. With earth mages around, anything less would be unconvincing.

rolled 6, 3, 4 = 13

>>11847628
You do already have several subterranean wind tunnels in Dreamwood. Their main use has been in testing ornithopter designs, though one was always reserved for more standard airframes. It is one reason why you're not as far behind as you could be.

>>11847627
Well, even if all of the facilities started on the "internal network repairs" at once, no one but us knows that that the communication arrays are back up. As long as the Command intelligences repond with "Internal Network Maintenance and Repair" when asked about the work, who are the High Nobles' researchers to argue? It's not like they can find the (non-doctored) blueprints of the facility, accurately read it, and know that stunners are being installed, rather than local wireless hubs.

>>11847627
Go with both Two's and Canderous' suggestions. If possible within the timeframe, have 6 Adranis Mobile Guns built, and 12 missile batteries, 3 shield-penetrators and the rest anti-air.

>>11847662
Then if there's any development going into planes, a design like the Hawker Hurricane isn't out the question:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane

It has a metal tube airframe which is covered by fabric and wood. This means that it's lightweight, easy to repair, and easily made using more "primitive" techniques. Making something as successful as the Hurricane off the bat is likely impossible, but it does lend credence to the possibility of such aircraft being developed relatively early on.

How soon can we get flying aircraft carriers?
I want my own magical kingdom in the sky :/

rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12

>>11847685
Indeed. But, if every single installation's intelligences were to initiate those 'repairs' at the same time, with no-one receiving any forewarning or even knowing that such repairs were necessary, that would raise questions.

>>11847713
The Mobile Guns are quite a bit smaller than Corvettes, and fairly easy to produce. It should be possible to build over a hundred before deadline, resources permitting. As usual, the bottleneck is in the fabricators, not yard space.

A missile battery is pretty much just a silo complex attached to another installation or stand-alone. If you want twelve, the best bet would be to attach three to each Fleet Base, so they could receive a constant supply of ammunition. This would have the added benefit of protecting the Fleet Bases themselves, which have no external defenses. You don't have to choose between types, since the needed warheads are, for the most part, interchangeable.

>>11847744
Don't forget the Mosquito: airframe made mostly out of wood, which is much easier to come by than steel right now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito

rolled 1, 6, 3 = 10

>>11847744
Almost all aircraft manufactured to date have primarily wooden frames. It would not be a stretch to create something like a Hawker Hurricane, but metal is always in short supply, given all of your projects.

>>11847765
The Frigate, which is flight-capable at this very moment, has integrated fighter/shuttle bays, so it could be considered a carrier. You'll have to wait for the Antaeus-Class Adaptive Light Cruiser if you want a dedicated carrier.

Assuming you're including Zeppelins, you've had carriers for a while now. Each of the two airship squadrons includes four carriers, which maintain five ornithopters.

>>11847766
Very well. Begin construction of 3 missile batteries each for each Fleet Base.
Churn out as many Mobile Guns as we can (minimum of 30), as long as it doesn't compromise the completion of the corvettes or of our fighters.
Make sure that we have enough dropships and decoy dropships for the marines we['re training. As I recall, our current production order was only 12; we should increase that to at least 24.

As for installing the internal defenses at the K-Facilities, would it raise less suspicion if the upgrades were limited to Central Command, Geothermal, and the power plants?

>>11847770
Ah yes, the lovely Mosquito. Another airframe that could be easily replicated with a simple understand of drag mechanics.

Duraluminum would be fairly simple to produce as well though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duralumin And it has a vast array of applications.

>>11847807
Excellent! The revolution will soon be at hand, that or when the nobility invertible turns on us we can become skypirates
or if we're really bored.
Guys, do we have anything resembling a SOCIAL LIFE?

rolled 2, 2, 5 = 9

>>11847807
>four carriers

Two carriers, actually.

>>11847847
Acknowledged.

Dropship complement will be increased to accommodate additional marines.

Yes, that would raise less suspicion. You could also prioritize certain installations and initiate other 'repair' projects somewhat later. The best option would be to simply insert the security upgrade plans into regular repair schedules, up their priority, and wait.

>>11847896
>insert the security upgrade plans into regular repair schedules, up their priority, and wait.
Very well, that is a prudent course of action.
As for the situation with K26, have the intelligences do the same scrubbing operation they did with K19, keeping a hidden backup of the real facility list, and changing all references to K26 as an astrometrics observatory, with a large telescope.
The weapon that can reduce a room to absolute zero is to be relabeled as an experimental cooling system.
We will report K26 as possibly useful in the future, but as currently seriously damaged. Databases mostly unrecoverable, central computer destroyed, self-repair systems barely able to hold back the magma leak coming from Geothermal, and the structural integrity of the facility in question. Advice that no humans enter the facility except for short trips to Guardian to see if repairs are complete.
We tell only the High Lord and the Prince the true nature of the "telescope" and the research that was being done at K26.

I want to remind everyone:
We are going to capture Kharok Main and secure it. Not destroy it!
I don't want another K14!

rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16

>>11847952
Alterations made, weapon relabeled.

Report constructed. If there are no objections, the high nobles and the Lord will each receive their own word, as per usual.

>>11847896
>prioritize certain installations and initiate other 'repair' projects somewhat later. The best option would be to simply insert the security upgrade plans into regular repair schedules, up their priority, and wait.
Obvious priority installations (in order of importance) are K5, K8, K19, K16, K1,.

rolled 4, 1, 4 = 9

>>11848060
Noted. Security upgrades will proceed on this basis.

>>11847851
So, are we going to have that joint project with New Aarmour, or should we stick to our own development? We have the advantage of knowing where we need to go in research, but they've still got the advantage in terms of pure raw scientific and engineering personnel, as well as raw experimental materials.

Greater cooperation and political capital should not be discounted.

Craaaap. Forgot about FG quest with ZQ still running.

The issues that came up with the Druids the other day were only partially resolved. Even if we start building taller buildings in the larger cities they'll still expand outward. When that starts to happen in any serious way it'll threaten farmland and in turn existing forests.

I think i've come up with a way to take advantage of this expansion as long as it remains planned and controlled. We have already set the precident for all sorts of underground buildings and even farms like in the one suggestion for Cyreth. I'd like to see about taking that a little bit farther. Build underground farms benath some larger forests.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_tube
Using light tubes and hopefully eventually Optical Fiber tech we place tubes 1-2 feet in diameter in locations to least disturb the existing wildlife. From there we use Earth magic to bore straight down. (Dunno what we'll do about going through the water table.) Up until there it'll mainly be the job of the Druids to make sure the least damage is caused. We can use airships to lower the light tubes into place.

Once the initial holes are done we'll have to map them and decide how best to connect them underground. Connecting them should be easy enough with our earth spirit thing and our mages. At the bottom of each light tube we tunnel out a dome and them bring in what's needed to start growing plants in each one.
We should also work with Druids on projects that would generate more topsoil. Compost projects and the like would be a good start.

>>11848136
Ah, I had almost forgotten about that.
Make sure that the druids, ecological mages and enginners also work on a good sewage treatment plant system and design.
Make sure that none of our factories are simply dumping waste into rivers or such; it'll be expensive, but make sure that we use that magical recycling plant that the druids developed.

rolled 2, 3, 6 = 11

>>11848136
This idea would be relatively easy to implement, with the only real difficulty relating to the actual farming. Since no metal is required here, resource shortfalls will not have such a great effect, and, because of the tunnel spirit's utility in underground construction, there should be no problem with building the spaces needed.

As for topsoil, composting measures are already in place, though much of the bio-waste produced in the County is routed to underground reactors where it is used for power production. The various mixes of soil required for certain species are not very difficult to produce in smaller quantities.

This technology would allow you to create tiered farms served by light tubes, with the first layer getting the most light and the last getting the least, so that each layer would be suited to a different species. An immense amount of land area could be 'stacked' in a relatively small space this way.

>>11848235
well lets do it then
get some engineers, farmers and druids
explain to them our idea

>>11848235
If the druids and ecology mages agree to this idea, that it's less disturbing to Nature and any nature spirits that might reside in our County, let's begin this project.
Also, subsidize cleanup and ecological perservation projects in all of our affiliated and allied towns. They might not think much of it now, but their great-grandchildren will be thankful for it.

rolled 4, 5, 2 = 11

>>11848172
Acknowledged. Dreamwood Stream, which is magically purified, can accommodate more toxins than most, but this quality should not be abused. Incidentally, its source has been discovered, far, far to the North. It issues from an underground spring, not the mountains, and the mouth of this spring exudes a great amount of magical energy.

>>11848258
It shall be done. The idea is workable and will require a minimum of development for testing. A suitable field will be created in a short while.

>>11848235
Well I'm glad to hear that it's a viable idea. Was going with the name 'Project Ground Tree' as lame as that may sound. The tricky part will be getting strong thin light tubes that extend up just above treetop level so they get enough light.


And looking at the things so far this thread regarding roads and cars I just want to double check that we're all on the same page. We're still planning to have rail and airships do all the mid and long distance stuff while trucks are for local?

>>11848273
>It issues from an underground spring, not the mountains, and the mouth of this spring exudes a great amount of magical energy.
Send a druid and ecological mage field research team to study it, with support from our Arcane division.
Given the value of this spring, they must be very careful in their observations to not disturb it unduly.

>>11848286
I, at least, am with you. Though we shouldn't neglect research into subways and railcars for inner city mass transit.

>>11848286
how about the name
"Project Underfarm" ?
sounds much more descriptive imo

rolled 4, 3, 4 = 11

>>11848261
As ordered. Eco-friendly measures will be undertaken in allied and friendly towns, if they accept them.

>>11848286
Alchemy can be of great assistance here. The necessary structures, while a bit daunting to produce with non-magical technologies, could be alchemically joined without much difficulty.

>>11848295
Acknowledged. Care will be taken. The team will be warned not to take any unnecessary risks, either.

ENOUGHT WASTING TIME
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT KHAROK INSTALLATION WITH HASTE

rolled 4, 3, 3 = 10

>>11848380
Which one? The closest sites are the ruins of Ground Base 7, and the stasis research installation/test bunker K21.

Oh hay. First time in a long time since I caught up with a quest as it is going on.

Can we get a listing of the strength of our militia (counting frost giant gear), the number of of men who are working for the prince, and a recap on our fleet?

Also, can we get an idea on what is going on politically?
Maybe we should ask the prince if he could use any help gaining support or funds.

>the number of of men who are working for the prince

The ones who are manning the ships that is.

How about, on our way back to Dreamwood, we make a detour to GB7? It's the closest installation besides K21, and we haven't explored any of the Ground Bases yet.

After that, there's U-1, in the middle of the Wildlands, which has been transmitting a distress signal for all these years. I'd like to check it out, but I'm afraid doing so might jeopardize our infinite supply of wood pulp and lumber.

>>11848399
Let's hit up Ground Base 7. Since it seems to be mostly above ground not too much will be intact. As a bonus we can tell the Nobles that it's a genuine Iralan military base later if we want since it's doubtful to have any shipyards.

>>11847627
>and seem to delight in sharing cryptic riddles that your people don't understand.
We need copies of these riddles. The Ai's or even Ivala might notice something familiar with them.

>>11847627
>>11848554
>Mountain Giants, as always, are perfectly hospitable and seem to delight in sharing cryptic riddles that your people don't understand.
Send them some Terran riddles of our own, and try to open up a dialog on matters of transhumanist philosophy, such as the if a person is copied perfectly, who is the original, stuff like that. They might enjoy it.

rolled 3, 4, 5 = 12

>>11848417
Your militia (in total) currently includes 448 men and women. All of them have been issued Kerberos armor (though some are stuck with slightly less-advanced versions, for the moment), sidearms, and repeating rifles, with special weapons or equipment, such as grenades, rocket launchers, or flamethrowers issued on a case-by-case basis. Twenty of these have been training in Iralan Close Combat Powered Armor since the construction of the suits. The Loyalists quartered at the Fleet Bases for ship duty (including those whose arrival is expected shortly) number 965. Your fleet is quite large, but incomplete, and listing all of the assets tied into it would be tedious.

Suffice it to say that you have one Efrius A-Class Frigate, the flagship of the fleet, requiring a basic crew of 292, including pilots for its 4 shuttles and 12 fighters. You have a good number of Corvettes, the largest of which requires a crew of 52, either complete or in various states of construction. A dozen were originally ordered but more are on the way, including an additional dozen picket craft and eight AWACS Corvettes.

In addition to this are the fighters, 32 of which were originally ordered (all complete), requiring crews of one, torpedo bombers, some automated, numbering over a dozen and requiring crews of two (for the piloted variants, of course). Finally, there are the dropships, requiring crews of 9, most to man weapons. You have ordered enough of those to drop all of your marines, with half the craft being decoys. Each dropship can carry 12 marines in full combat armor, plus a small support vehicle or squad of drones. With marines only, the tally comes to 22, though it would be cramped. If you used one of the dropships to transport unarmored humans, you could fit at least 60 in the central bay.

Political information to follow. Please specify if you'd like any additional information on something.

>>11848598
"What's one up and two down yet it's always counted twice ?"
a pair of pants

>>11848625
>dropship can carry 12 marines in full combat armor, plus a small support vehicle
We should check the ground vehicles already constructed at FB2 for small IFV that can fit in the dropship and that we can send along with the marines when we breach Kharok Main's defenses.
We shouldn't underestimate the Frost Demon's ability to equip his Frost Giant army. Kharok Main has the best fabricators in the region, after all, and they've had 2 years to produce and train with phaser rifles and powered armor.

rolled 5, 3, 2 = 10

>>11848417
Politically, the situation is volatile but has not exploded into anything like open war. An old-Earth pundit might refer to it as a 'powder keg'. The Loyalists and Patricians are steadily retreating from open dialogue and cutting ties with those they see as the enemy. The high nobles are actively encouraging their own subordinates to reach for all they can and prepare for the worst. On the other hand, the head of state and his son are trying, for the moment, to smooth things over and keep a lid on it all. It's reasonable to assume that they want to hold the conflict down until after or on the deadline.

Perin is being split down the middle. At the moment, it's all just political maneuvering, but civil war is a possibility. The high nobles, satisfied with the way things were, are rebelling against the new, more assertive team of father and son, desiring to finally cement their power as the true leaders of Perin's government. The Lord, on the other hand, wants to maintain the constitutional balance of power and is not above using force to do it. He is not a particularly ambitious man, but he fears that allowing the high nobles to usurp his rightful authority would have worse results than fighting them for it.

This situation is reflected in cities and towns all across the nations. It's not quite a brother against brother scenario, but things are complicated. The more powerful nobles usually come down on the Patrician side. The common people, as a group, dislike the Lord, but are enamored with his son, and are usually on the Loyalist side. In between are the corporate interests and less-well-off nobles, as well as professionals, soldiers, and workers in the government itself. All in all, the Patricians have greater power, as a whole, but are fewer in number. For the Loyalists, it's the opposite. It should be noted that your assumed support for the Loyalists has swung this entire region in their favor.

More information available upon request.

>>11848749
Have our diplomatic corps make sure that those nobles, professionals, and city leader within Illian's bro network are subtly shifted towards allying with the Loyalists.
Also, I would suggest, under the guise of more stringent safety regulations, strengthening the supports, foundations, and walls of any large buildings that we or BemCorp owns throughout Perin. When civil war breaks out, we will need to have fallback positions and sanctuaries ready.

I was thinking about the buildup of High Noble troops at K9. I can think of only 2 reason why they would do this:
1. Secure K9's advanced medbay. The High Nobles are mostly old; they would want to make sure that such an advanced hospital be within their control as they age.
2. They are about to, or already have, struck a deal with Avres, to become their new pet Frost Giant and secure more K-Facilities. They probably believe that since she's lived all her life as a barbarian, that she will be easier to control and less of a threat than us, especially since we're already a political and social thorn in their collective side.
Have Two and K9-Guardian go back through all security sensor data to see if Avres has made contact with High Noble personnel or their agents in any way, or if they have been communicating via the computer network (assuming that we would underestimate their proficiency with computers).

>>11848749
>More information available upon request.
Just for my own edification:
How is our 'Old Terra' label of whiskey coming along?
Can we also have a quick update on cultural issues, such as how well the MacGuyver series is doing, and the children's plays that we've put together?
How are relations with our neighbors and political allies? Are they receiving any trouble from their own populations about their noble status?

>>11848813
3. Want to be able to take them all as hostages to dictate terms to us.
4. Are preparing to exterminate the entire race and destroy the medical facilities to prevent the Iralan's from ever reclaiming their technology or power.

rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12

>>11848749
>all across the nations

Nation.

>>11848554
The riddles can be compared to Koans in that they don't resemble traditional riddles and don't have traditional answers either. A list of those heard has been transferred. One of them is:

The man who cannot see is blind. The man who cannot hear is deaf. The man who cannot think.

That's the end of it. Something like this is in Primary's database. It's a test statement used to evaluate the reactions of an intelligence.

>>11848598
Done. The clan appreciates the 'gift' and replies with two identical wooden statues of a person crafting a pot.

>>11848850
>The riddles can be compared to Koans
"What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
"If a tree falls in the forest, yet there is none to hear it, does it create a sound?"
And then some Buddhist Zen parables:
Student: Master, please pacify my mind!
Master: Show me your mind, that I might pacify it!
Student: But I cannot!
Master: Then I have pacified it.

And the story about the student, master, and courtesan at the river.

>>11848849
All the more reason that I'm glad that I pushed to have the internal security systems beefed up at K9.

>>11848850

rolled 2, 2, 1 = 5

>>11848637
This brings a grin from the Scout, but not much more.

>>11848663
There are plenty of IFVs in the Fleet Base's contingent. Some of them are small enough to be carried by the dropships. Apparently, there is no specific design that is meant to go along with marines, though many vehicles can be taken by the dropships.

>>11848777
Being done. They tend toward that faction anyway, due to their affiliations.

The 'safety' program has been noted and will be implemented where possible. Subtle alterations of new structures can make them much more suitable for service as defensible positions.

>>11848813
Avres has made no contact with any Patrician personnel and has made very little attempt to use the computer system. For that matter, none of the awakened Frost Giants have spoken to any Patricians.

>>11848835
Old Terra is extraordinarily popular among the self-styled 'elite', as well as a certain class of commoner. It is seen as a drink suited to interesting and powerful men.

Cultural information in the next post.

>>11848749
Is there any factionlization of the Patrician base?
Perhaps more moderate people who wouldn't want to go through the anarchy that a civil war would bring, or more flamboyent or narcistic ones who want to be seen as first among their compatriots?

rolled 6, 5, 1 = 12

>>11848835
The MacGuyver series has been slowly moving away from magic and focusing more on technology, with an accompanying increase in popularity. The main character is something of an idol among local engineers and researchers, and his rather pacifist philosophy is emulated by many.

Some plays, such as those based on Samurai Jack, Star Wars, or the Knights of the Round Table are exceedingly popular among children, perhaps in part because the variants intended for the younger ones portray the classic battle between good and evil, with the good guys almost always coming out on top. This formula has, after all, been used for many, many years back on Earth with enormous success.

Relations with your neighbors are strengthening due to the impending crisis, though the fact that you are rarely actually in the County is hurting you in the long run. Few of your allies or friends have abandoned you, but some of them have come out in favor of the Patricians or decided to remain strictly neutral. So far, the region is overwhelmingly Loyalist and pro-Dreamwood.

Noble status alone is not enough to sway most people. A great many nobles, such as the Baron of Kaver Peak, are relatively poor, softspoken, and completely opposed to the authoritarian tactics the Patricians tend to favor. Basically, there is a division in the nobility as much as anywhere else. Those at the head of things are usually Patrician, but those at the other end, just trying to scrape together enough to sustain their people, are usually Loyalist.

rolled 3, 1, 4 = 8

>>11848958
Yes, plenty. In fact, the Patrician faction, because of the type of people who are part of it, suffers much more from its own internal divisions than the Loyalist. The more power-hungry nobles and officers are always scheming, seeking a better place in the faction and a better chance at authority. Some, on the other hand, are indeed more moderate, and could possibly convinced to abandon the faction. On the other side, certain Loyalists are as selfish and vindictive as the best high noble, and would jump at any chance to improve their own lot.

>>11849013
>Relations with your neighbors are strengthening due to the impending crisis, though the fact that you are rarely actually in the County is hurting you in the long run
I believe that, once we secure GB-7, and possibly mount an expedition to U-1, that we should spend the remainder of our time back in Dreamwood.
We can communicate with the FC's and Tac-Com, as well as any of the Kharok Facility AI's via the personal comms. I think that now we need to start planning ahead for a post-Frost Demon world.

Oh, how has the anti-Demon close assault power armor suit we ordered come along? Can we start testing it now?

>>11848913
What is the source of this?

>>11849036
> Some, on the other hand, are indeed more moderate, and could possibly convinced to abandon the faction.
Working this angle should be one of the current objectives of our diplomatic corps. Have them talk with the Prince and High Lord's own men in this regard, to try to come up with a combined strategy to persuade the Moderates to either come to the Loyalist side or at least stay neutral. They should also work to try to woo back some of our allies that have fallen towards the Patricians.

While we're getting these questions answered, could we fly over to GB-7 to check out what's there?

>>11849036
Maybe we could Try to encourage some of the more egotistcal and vainglorious lords to assume direct control of the Patrician faction- assuming it has no real leader at the moment.
Think like the US election of 1912- Wilson didn't have a clear majority, but won anyway because the republican factions were split by the Bull moose party.

rolled 5, 3, 5 = 13

>>11849043
It has been ready for some time. You may test it whenever you wish, but it really shouldn't be difficult to get the hang of it. After all, your troops only had so much trouble because they were unused to the size.

>>11849044
http://www.smbc-comics.com/

>>11849069
Confirmed. The Diplomatic Division will work with the Lord and Prince in retrieving those lost to the Patricians and influencing the moderates.

rolled 4, 3, 4 = 11

>>11849105
Yes. If there is no objection, you will proceed.

>>11849129
The faction is lead by the high nobles themselves, but it is fractured enough (currently) to have no real chain of command. There is also the fact that it encompasses something like 30-40% of the entire population of Perin.

We should make some PR campaigns about science and how cool it is
we don't want stereotypes like 'nerd' or 'geek' to appear as they severely hinder studies and flow of researchers
in fact we should accept any kind of recreational activity as long as it's
'fun and doesn't harm anyone involved in any way'.

>>11849141
Okay, while on our way to GB-7, let's brainstorm ways that we can defeat the Frost Demon.
We already have many plans and contingencies on how to neutralize K-Main, but the Frost Demon remains the big problem.
I wish there was a portable plasma lance or a BFG-9000.

Can we have a complete list of what all the R&D are researching and at what point are they ?

rolled 2, 1, 4 = 7

>>11849189
You already have, numerous times. In fact, your PR department is one reason why Dreamwood's (permanent) population is now just under 4,500.

>>11849191
There are portable lances. They just aren't practical. For the size, mass, and power, you're better off taking a stunner rifle or a grenade launcher.

>>11849191
Someone suggested that our big anti-Demon power armor (We need some kind of short name for it) have anti-magic fields fitted in it's hands for punching. That still brings them rather close to the body. What if we had a lance for it that had them inside the blade?

Also yes, let's get moving.

>>11849225
>They just aren't practical.
Perhaps for normal anti-infantry use. But we're going to go up against a Frost Demon.

Actually, we should talk with those Conclave members and mages who lean towards the High Lord and the Prince for advice and help in coming up with plans against the Frost Demon.
For those not cleared, these will be preparations for the future, since we know that there's a Frost Demon running around somewhere.
For those that are vetted and known to be loyal and discreet, we can let them in more on our plans, and the weapons we have at our disposal, to come up with a more in-depth plan of attack.

rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9

>>11849209
I can't possibly provide that. At this point, Dreamwood is more like a small nation than anything else. Its R&D projects cover basically every scientific discipline and range from attempts to find new uses for petroleum to the creation of better field rations.

>>11849252
I believe that was the Welltall-2, the 'giant robot' armor. Using a weapon that generates an anti-magic field, say, in the tip, would reduce the chance of it directly affecting the suit systems.

>>11849252
I still think we should use Kagemusha as a decoy, controlled by Canderous, while we get in close and personal in a suit of regular anti-demon armor that is a proven design.

rolled 3, 2, 3 = 8

The journey to GB7 is thankfully short and gives you some time to work on a few things that have been bothering you lately. Dealing with politics seems to sap your time and your energy, and you're very grateful to have all those poor people in the County government to trudge through this for you.

From the air, the site doesn't look like much. A collection of stone ruins clustered about a central point, with the remains of what might be roads sweeping aimlessly through them. Drone surveys marked it as a potential base location, but geological probes didn't find much in the way of subterranean areas. That said, it doesn't hurt to check, as you've so often thought. After your personal transport sets down, you set about inspecting the ruins, with yourself and your mages scanning through the ground at regular intervals.

You find very little of interest. Whatever underground structures were here appear to have long-since collapsed. However, above the surface, certain isolated buildings are still standing, albeit looking like they played host to a couple of cruise missiles. Within is what has stood the test of time. The scattered parts of a console, circuits gone but screen mostly intact. The end of a stunner, bayonet fitting still attached. A small, sealed box made of Carbon Light, the same material used to armor warships, buried beneath a foot of frozen soil and rock.

In your short time here, that is all you find.

I grapple the giantess.

>>11849401
>A small, sealed box made of Carbon Light
Let's open this up before leaving. Make sure that our mages and ourselves scan it for magical traps and whatnot before opening.

>>11849401
>examine the box

rolled 6, 6, 2 = 14

>>11849269
The Lord and the Prince can put you in touch with the Loyalist members of the Conclave, if you so desire. A few belonging to that organization's ranks of mages are among those sent to your Fleet Bases.

>>11849432
>A few belonging to that organization's ranks of mages are among those sent to your Fleet Bases.
Then those are the ones that we know already have the security clearance and vetted by the Prince to know what's really going on.

Given how much Canderous wants to pound somebody's face in, have him plan with the mages possible tactics and weapons we could use on the Frost Demon.

So WAIT, you're telling me that we developed anti-aircraft missiles before newspapers?
This shits gonna bite us in the arse.

>>11849467
>we developed anti-aircraft missiles before newspapers
What?
No! We have newspapers, and we only have anti-air missile batteries because we have several ancient magical STC's to make the missiles and ancient AI's to control them.

>>11849513
sigh
well at least we're not going full 40k on this

rolled 2, 1, 2 = 5

>>11849421
>>11849431
The box, a heavy cube with slightly worn corners, is faintly magnetic but otherwise completely mundane, lacking any magical trace. Scans reveal no sign of traps, so you decide you might as well open it. With your hazard suits, you and your men are quite insulated from any contaminants, so you don't have much to fear. Even so, you are on your guard.

The latches pop open as you trigger them in sequence, as marked. There is a soft hiss as the cool midday air rushes in, and you open the lid. Inside are a power cell for a stunner, a keystone, a personal memory circuit in a clear plastic housing, and twelve iron disks marked with the first twelve symbols in the Frost Giant alphabet. On the inside of the lid is scratched, in Iralan, 'Keep'. The amount of force needed to damage Carbon Light is considerable.

>>11849446
Acknowledged.

>>11849467
You had printing technology before rocketry. Your first priority has always been advancing the 'tech base', not weapons development.

>>11849546
>well at least we're not going full 40k on this
Please. We're quite aware of what lies down that road.

>>11849421
>>11849431
Thirding examining it though we may want to open it in a controlled environment where we wont damage the contents.

>>11849585
Let's collect everything, and be on our way back to Dreamwood.
Can our personal comms load the memory circuit? Can it scan the keystone to find out what it was keyed to? And is there anything special about the iron discs that we can discern?

>>11849585
I suppose we should get something to read the memory circuit.

If the personal comms can't read the memory circuit, we could just detour to FB3 to do so.
Or we could secure K21 on the way instead, if people don't want to lose in-game time.

I realized that by taking more K-Facilities, we can spread the Patrician forces, while still keeping them under our guns. The security golems at a K-Facility, and especially if it's upgraded with Order 66-level internal security, would be more than capable of taking down a Patrician security complement.
What do you guys think?

rolled 1, 1, 1 = 3

>>11849614
Your portable comm is compatible with the memory circuit. It appears to be a journal, with the last entry dated to some time before or during the collapse, and the first 52 years earlier. Some entries are corrupted, but most are readable.

The keystone, as far as can be determined, no longer holds any useful information, only gibberish.

The disks resemble coins, but with an unknown purpose. The intelligences do not know what they could be for, though FC suggests that, considering the other contents of the box, they had some sentimental value. Perhaps they are a remnant of childhood, 'flashcards' used to assist in the learning of the language. Further study might tell you more.

Returning to Dreamwood, unless anyone wishes otherwise. What do you want to do there?

>>11849690
If no one else wants to secure another K-Facility right now, when we get back to Dreamwood we should take care of all of the administrative tasks that have undoubtedly piled up. Take care of our social engagements, dinners, balls, and all the rest to strengthen our ties with our allies. Prepare an expedition into the Wildlands, to leave in 1 months time. Mostly it will be an ecological and magical expedition, to try to understand the incredible growth rates of the flora there, as well as some mineral surveys.
The real goal, however, will be to examine U-1, the source of the distress beacon. Make sure that we have some drones in the stratosphere, making sure that our comms will work and to provide extra firepower should something go catastrophically wrong.
Knowing the dangers of the Wildlands, we should make sure that the expedition is well armed, and request to be allowed to bring along some of the regular security and some Remote Repair (Heavy Security) Golems with us.

>>11849771
Sounds good.
>>11849690
Have we informed the nobles about Ground Base 7?

>>11849690
Before we head back, do I hear any other votes for K20?
K20 was involved with advanced navigation and power systems, as well as sensors.
Better power systems should be useful in all of our vehicles, and there might be designs for Giant-portable ones that can be used to power a plasma lance. Might be a nasty surprise for that frost demon.

rolled 1, 1, 4 = 6

The return to Dreamwood is, as usual, uneventful. The quiet wind that brushes across the Zeppelin points it slightly off-course, but the pilot corrects his heading, as he is trained to do. Sleep is in short supply on this trip, largely due to the stress of worrying over the future and planning endlessly for what could go wrong. You've thought on many occasions that you'll be incredibly pleased to put this all behind you, but you know something else will come up afterwards. It always does.

On approach, you see a government airship heading off to the Kharok research base, chugging along on its inferior, pure coal-burning engines. Refit day is coming, and the steam-powered machinery you have relied on for so long will soon be replaced by clean (you hope), efficient internal combustion engines. The increase in power will make these little trips so much faster. You can hardly wait.

It's a dreary day in the County when you disembark. A cold snap and an overcast sky has robbed the town of its warm sun and autumn air, now replaced by the all-too-familiar chill of winter. Still the trains go on, oblivious, their whistles filling your ears with the sound of progress.

The Manor has gotten on well without you. New buildings, created to house the ever-expanding mass of government, trail behind the structure proper, tethered by underground passageways and walkways ringed with hedges. After a short, formal greeting to the present staff, you're ready to get to work.

>>11849832
>Have we informed the nobles about Ground Base 7?
Not yet, and I see no reason to hide anything from them.
There was no useful technology recovered or facilities secured.
While fascinating for archaeologists and anthropologists, I doubt that the military will find education toys or a personal journal of a civilian useful or interesting.

rolled 2, 4, 4 = 10

>>11849771
Expedition scheduled, with drones. No-one has any problem with you going into the Wildlands, beyond concern for your safety, but the high nobles forbid you to take any golems you did not build yourself. Obviously, this does not preclude the possibility of taking some anyway and not telling them.

>>11849832
No. Do you wish to? There is not much there worth seeing.

>>11849901
If it is your wish to inform them, it will be done.

>>11849884
Please begin preparations as outlined in >>11849771
Also, I'm looking for a consensus on initiating a joint research program for powered flight with the College of New Aarmour. We know that we vastly outstrip them in terms of what military vehicles we can field, thanks to the Fleet Bases.
I think it very important that we strengthen our ties with them with the coming civil war. Also, greater willingness to cooperate in military technology development and exchange may sway some Moderates in the Perin Military to either move towards the Loyalists, or at least stay neutral.

>>11849946
>high nobles forbid you to take any golems you did not build yourself.
Have one of the Fleet Bases construct some Heavy Security Golems and load them up on a dropship or two, then have them loiter high in the sky near U-1 when our expedition starts.
1. It'll give us a big boost in firepower.
2. Emergency escape in case something goes wrong down there.

>>11849884
>Refit day is coming, and the steam-powered machinery you have relied on for so long will soon be replaced by clean (you hope), efficient internal combustion engines. The increase in power will make these little trips so much faster. You can hardly wait.

Been thinking about that. Heat from the Internal combustion engines alone probably wont be enough to heat the gas bags and even if they did would only work when they're running. We'll need a system to control how much heat from the ICE's is transferred to the ships interior when they're running. For other times like when the engines are cold or still coming up to power we'll need a fire magelock that can be used to heat the interior through the radiators. I'm not sure how efficient this whole system will be but then again we wont have to carry as much water as we needed for the steam engines.

>>11850067
I thought we were using helium (with an engineer-alchemist converting air to helium as needed) for our primary lift, and the ICE's were to power our propellers.
Did things change from this plan?

rolled 6, 3, 2 = 11

>>11849771
Filling out a good portion of your schedule for the rest of the month, you see to the social duties you have neglected on your voyages in the North, remembering your commitments to your allies. They are all very pleased to join you at the Manor for supper, taking the comfortable, proven rail cars from their places of business and administration. It takes no less than an hour for the question of the political war to come up, and thereafter the night is filled with heated debate that would do any scion of the Internet proud. Several days seem to pass in your mind before there's an end to it all. Your allies are looking for a tighter bond, for protection, for the opportunity to stand united against the lumbering Patrician behemoth. Nearly all of them wish to be formally incorporated into the County, and know that this desire is reflected in the will of the people.

>>11850017
Queued. The dropships will wait at the appointed position, safely above cloud cover.

>>11850067
I wasn't aware that the gas cells need to be heated. As these craft are lifted by helium, not hot air, that isn't crucial.

>>11850105
>>11850130
You can heat helium to give additional lift, modern hot balloons used for round the world flights do/did this. We've been using steam from our engines to heat the helium gas cells up until this point to provide more lift. (That was all in the original design proposal.) Obviously once we remove the steam engines they're going to need another heat source to help control bouyancy.

>>11849946
>Do you wish to? There is not much there worth seeing.
All the more reason to.
>>11849971
Seconded. I supported a joint aircraft research plan with them several weeks ago in the hopes that we might have had better designs able to mount ICE's by now.

>>11850017
Seconding this. Or we might even want a dropship with a few Marines so they can test out the power armor in the field. Give them some more experience.

>>11850130
>Nearly all of them wish to be formally incorporated into the County, and know that this desire is reflected in the will of the people.
Well, if the populace is willing, I don't why not.
But before we go through with it, make sure to consult our legal and political teams, and the Diplomatic Corps, about it. Also include Sahl, Bem, the other Elders, and of course, request some sage advice from the High Lord. Seeing as we're one of his biggest backers, I'm sure that he will consider the matter.

Also, no one has an opinion on the joint plane research with New Aarmour College?
I guess if no one says "no", then it can be taken as an implicit "yes"?

>>11850182
>want a dropship with a few Marines so they can test out the power armor in the field. Give them some more experience.
This sounds like an excellent idea. Let's run this past the High Lord and the Prince. Most of the Marines are their men, after all. We shouldn't endanger them lightly.
But yes, there is quite a difference between a simulator and real combat.
Make sure that all anti-scry charms are at full power when we do this. We don't want the High Nobles getting any warning about Loyalist troops in giant powered armor dropping on them from assault dropships.

Did we ever make any formal articles of governance for Dreamwood county?

rolled 1, 2, 6 = 9

>>11850182
Ah. In that case, yes, additional magelocks should be used, though they are not strictly necessary. This and other problems will be addressed during testing of the new ICE systems.

The high nobles have been informed of the location of GB7 and are quite unimpressed. They stop short of saying 'don't bother us with such trivial things' but it is obvious they have little interest in pure ruins. A team might be dispatched for survey, and it might not.

If there is no one actively opposing the joint research plan, then it shall be set up immediately.

>>11850194
There is no legal reason why you couldn't do this, but care should be taken to ensure that there are no conflicts between legal systems and there is a clear chain of command. Politically, this could set off a bomb or it could go over with no one noticing. Either way, it's a bit of a tricky problem. There are sure to be many who won't like the prospect of you amassing even more power.

The Diplomatic Division is all for it. The benefits outweigh the risks and the people, as said, overwhelmingly support this measure, at least in those areas which have requested incorporation. One town, under the control of a Moderate noble, is known to support a small but growing movement for self-governance, which would probably be more easily attainable under your own rule. Sahl questions the wisdom of adding still more mass to Dreamwood when so many problems have resulted from moving too quickly and allowing the population to grow without control. Of course, these allied towns have practically been a part of the County for a while, but things may change when the formality is concluded.

rolled 2, 6, 5 = 13

>>11850424
Bem sees this as an opportunity to expand markets and consolidate production potential, which is a fancy way of saying that it'll make you more money. However, he agrees with Sahl: Step lightly. Mal, the third elder, favors any option that will help the people under your allies. It's not just about the gains, it's about your citizens. The Lord has no problem with any of this and suggests that any circumstance which gives you greater power should be considered carefully. If this is truly the best choice, then you should use the results to your (and the Loyalists') advantage.

>>11850233
The answer is yes. Drills are a very good idea, as long as they are done without any chance of the Patricians finding out. You should know that the Fleet Bases are not using anywhere near their total yard capacity and could easily create terrain enclosures within the empty yards, to simulate various environments the marines may fight in. Golems can be used in a pinch to represent enemy combatants.

rolled 4, 1, 3 = 8

>>11850382
Yes. They incorporate a fair degree of provision for change, given that you established early on you wished to eventually transition to a democracy rather than the present autocracy (which itself came from what was nearly communism). Democratic principles have been slowly instituted in Dreamwood, but, as is plain to see, you still wield dictatorial power should you choose to use it.

If at all possible, I'd like to end this session in the next hour or so. The next session will be Sunday. I'm sorry if I'm not quite on top of things; the return of the college season tends to have that effect.

>>11850424
Hmmm, moderate noble?
Well the last thing we want to do is throw more fuel on the fire- why not invite this guy over and try to persuade him to our side of things, talk about how better things are when we aren't feuding with each other, about how the principals of self governance benefit him more than autocracy, and that the future could hold great things for a man who knows how to compromise.
If he seems interested, try to bring him under the fold and get him to work with others who show similiar points of view- if not, then just leave him be.

>>11850424
>care should be taken to ensure that there are no conflicts between legal systems and there is a clear chain of command
Have our legal team work with the attorneys and legal firms of the interested parties, as well as working with the bureaucrats and officials down in the capital, so that the from a legal standpoint, the transition goes as smooth as possible. Make sure that members of the Diplomatic Corps are also part of the project team, in order to iron out questions of precedence and authority.
As for the Moderate that wants to be their own little county, I don't see any problems letting them do what they want. The costs outweigh the benefits in their case, I believe.

Also, thank Sahl for being honest and giving us a good straight answer. That's always important for someone in a position of power, even if they don't always act on it.

>>11850424
Well if they're incorporated into the county they should still remain in control of their respective zones. We'd likely have to set up a 'counsel of the counties' to come to agreements on things that would or could be implemented across the board and the meetings of this group could take place in alternating locations. Each of the sub counties taking turns to host a weekly or bi-weekly meeting?
This could still be implemented even if the respective areas wern't amalgamated.

>>11850536
Hey, Subprocessor, I kind of wrote up some articles of Governance for Dreamwood that are broadly the same as the principals you laid out, only with more flowery language-
can I post it and you decide what parts mesh and what parts don't?

>>11850474
>done without any chance of the Patricians finding out
If the dropships can be equipped with anti-scry charms, then they should be. Make sure that there is enough to prevent the High Nobles from seeing the Marines in action, or the dropships.

>Fleet Bases are not using anywhere near their total yard capacity and could easily create terrain enclosures within the empty yards
Well, if they're not using all of yard space, even with our increased production orders, then have extra space set up for combat drills, especially for urban environments. Scenarios should include both Kharok Main and cities inside Perin.
Make sure that our militia are also involved.

rolled 5, 4, 2 = 11

>>11850569
Speaking to him about self-governance over autocracy could have an unpleasant result, given your own position in Dreamwood's government. Nevertheless, he is at least open to conversation, or else he wouldn't be pushing for incorporation.

>>11850575
Confirmed. The skill the high nobles have in interfering with the bureaucracy should not be underestimated. Some degree of Patrician resistance should be expected. The Diplomatic Division will do their level best to smooth things over.

Sahl says no thanks are necessary. It's his duty to be honest, both to you and to the people. That ideology runs completely contrary to the whole institution of politics, and he doesn't care. He is who he is.

>>11850588
Such a council should be meant for the day-to-day and routine governance of the County.
Remember, we still need to keep ourselves free to go gallivanting around the continent, unearthing ancient secrets and fighting abominations from beyond.

>>11850684
>Speaking to him about self-governance over autocracy could have an unpleasant result, given your own position in Dreamwood's government.
Yeah...no. Don't bring this up.
Instead, just talk about what's best for everyone, and what he wants for his people out of this deal.

>>11850738
Alright, thanks for the catch- still catching up on the situation. Do whatever this anon says.

rolled 6, 6, 2 = 14

>>11850588
This can be done. In fact, it might be better for each specific entity to be handled according to its own unique case. For some, transferring all control to Dreamwood might be desirable. For others, maintaining as much power as possible in local hands might be better. The region is large and diverse enough for these allies of yours to be vastly different. Calling them all to meet, as you witnessed in the Manor, might result in nothing more than bickering.

>>11850609
Of course. I'd be glad to read it.

>>11850663
They are. Anti-scrying charms have become standard equipment. This does mean that, if something goes wrong, you won't be able to use magic to pinpoint a craft's exact location, only the location of the 'blind spot'. I assume that this is an acceptable trade-off.

Acknowledged. Environments such as the city of Kharok, population centers in Perin, ship interiors, and the like will be reconstructed. Would you like to set up a program to rotate most or all of your militiamen through the Fleet Bases for training?

>>11850684
I think most of our preparations for our expedition into the Wildlands is complete. We have several drones keeping overwatch and maintaining communications, a number of dropships, all of which should be equipped with anti-scry charms, Marines in power armor and stunner rifles with anti-scry charms backed up by squads of Heavy Security golems, all currently above U-1.

Let's timeskip and get going. The incorporation will undoubtedly take a lot of time to iron out.

>>11850787
The age of the county of dreamwood has ended- the time of the Federation of Dreamwood has just begun.

>>11850787
>might be better for each specific entity to be handled according to its own unique case
Have our Incorporation Project Team work on something like this. Even if a holding wants to give up all administrative rights to Dreamwood, we should have the nobles there keep their titles, even if it doesn't really mean much beyond social cache; like in England.

>Would you like to set up a program to rotate most or all of your militiamen through the Fleet Bases for training?
Yes, but we should be careful to make sure that there aren't any Perin Intelligence or Patrician sleeper agents. Make sure that they are vetted properly. In this case, it may be prudent to work alongside the Prince and High Lord's own intelligence apparatus as well.

>>11850787
>The Dreamwood Articles of Governance:
We the people hold these truths to be self evident; that all sentient beings are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights- life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness- and, to secure these rights, governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the Consent of the Governed.
Therefore, we the People of the County of Dreamwood, being loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord [Insert name of Lord of Perin], by the Grace of the Gods ruler and Defender of the Kingdom of Perin, do ordain and establish this constitution in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare hence, and secure the Blessings of Liberty for ourselves and our posterity.
We do by these articles present solemnly and mutually in the presence of the Gods and one another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, and offices, as shall be thought most convenient for the general good.

>>11850826
Let's refrain from calling everything Dreamwood. United Counties could work.

Seconding timeskip if there's enough time.

>>11850853
>Article 1
Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be invested into a Congress, which shall consist of the Parliament of Commons and the Council of Elders.
Section 2. The Parliament of Commons shall be composed of Citizens of the County of Dreamwood who are over the age of 14 and deemed sound of mind and capable of self determination.
Subsection a. A citizen of the county of Dreamwood shall be defined as any individual resident within its borders at the time of the implementation of these articles, any individual born within the defined borders of the county of Dreamwood, or any individual who maintains residence within the defined of the county of Dreamwood for at least two years and is capable of signicating their desire to join the county of Dreamwood’s general citizenry and take up such a stations rights and duties.
Subsection b. Any citizen of the county of Dreamwood who wishes to take up a position within the Parliament of Commons must register at the town hall within fifteen days of a scheduled session.
Section 3. The Council of Elders shall consist of five general members elected by the general populace of citizenry and approved of by the office of the count of Dreamwood, and a representative of the office of the Count.
Subsection a. Those elected to the Council of Elders shall hold office until retirement, proof of inability to uphold the duties of their office, or death.
Subsection b. A candidate for the position of a general member of the Council of elders must be a Citizen of Dreamwood and resident within its borders for at least twelve years

rolled 6, 4, 5 = 15

>>11850688
Indeed. It will be assumed that these measures will be designed to handle things satisfactorily without your presence at every gathering. If things get hectic, Sahl volunteers to go in with some flash grenades and help them focus.

>>11850738
The noble, as a Moderate, falls midway between raising the will of the people up as the supreme motivator and putting all of his faith in his own personal power. In many things, he 'sails with the wind', doing what will keep things quiet and calm rather than standing on solid principles. Like the Lord, he is not particularly ambitious, but still committed to retaining some degree of power. Sahl thinks you could remove him as a factor by offering him a lucrative position in Diplomatic Division. If he remains in power, however, a slow push in the right direction should keep him in figurehead capacity and let the people do as they will. These are fairly good options.

This Moderate is intent on retaining his position, but is willing to bend to accommodate his citizens' wishes, to a certain extent. Actual self-governance he will not allow without appropriate compensation.

>>11850925
>Article 2
Section 1. The Parliament of Commons shall be called into session on the third day of the third week of every month, and, in the case of unforeseen emergency or event, at the request of 51% of the members of Parliament or a 3/5’s majority of the Council of Elders.
Subsection a. The Parliament of Commons, if called into session and found that less than 60% of its general members are present, shall elect a proviso date of the soonest time Parliament may reconvene.
Section 2. The Council of Elders shall be called into session on the last Sunday of every month, during times of national emergency, or at the order of the office of the count of Dreamwood.

rolled 1, 4, 3 = 8

>>11850790
Presuming that you wish to depart at the first of the upcoming month, yes, preparations are more or less complete. Timeskip to follow. I will try to avoid any cliffhangers.

>>11850852
They will see about this. It will be impossible to please everyone, so they'll shoot for the best compromise, as always.

Confirmed. The troop rotation will begin shortly, with all necessary security checks. Would you like to come up with a cover story in case of discovery?

>>11850901
Skipping.

>>11850935
>This Moderate is intent on retaining his position, but is willing to bend to accommodate his citizens' wishes, to a certain extent
I believe that this is acceptable.
Personally, I don't foresee a real republic being implemented for maybe another good 50 years or so. Enough time for people to ease into the idea, for us to make the necessary preparations, and it gives us the time with absolute power we need to complete or at least start many of our projects.
Many of our work and health safety initiatives could not have been implemented as well as they have, without us have absolute dictatorial power.

In short, I think we can work with this Moderate, because he'll be dead of old age when our plan comes to fruition.

>>11850925
>Article 3.
Section 1. A member of the Parliament of Commons shall have the power to write a bill concerning the laws and day to day governance of the County of Dreamwood- if such a bill is supported by the signatures of twenty members of the Parliament of Commons or one hundred signatures of the general citizenry, then it shall be added to the voting consensus of the Parliament. If the bill is approved by 2/3rds majority, it shall be passed to the council Elders for consideration as a law.
Subsection a. A member of the Parliament of Commons shall not have the power to write a bill concerning the laws and governances of those outside of the county, the manners of taxation, public defense, or treaties with powers outside of the county
Subsection b. A bill passed by the Parliament of Commons must be approved by ¾ majority of the Council of Elders, and will then be sent to the office of the Count.
Subsection c. If a bill passed by the Parliament of Commons does not meet the required ¾ majority approval of the Council of Elders, than it may be voted on again by the Parliament of Commons if it obtains a petition of 200 signatures of the general citizenry requesting it to be so. If the Parliament of Commons again approves of the bill by 2/3rds majority, it may be sent directly to the office of the count.
Subsection d. A bill must obtain the signature and the implicit consent of the Office of the count to become a law- the office of the count has the ability to veto any bill.
Subsection e. If a bill is vetoed by the office of the count, it may still gain approval by the complete and unanimous approval of both the council of Elders and the Parliament of Commons.

>>11851041
>Article 3 cont.
Section 2. The Council of Elders shall have the power to introduce a bill to his peers concerning matters similar to that which may be introduced by a member of the Parliament of commons, as well matters concerning the manners of taxation, public defense, or treaties with powers outside of the county.
Subsection a. If a bill introduced to the council of Elders meets with ¾ approval, then it shall be introduced to the office of the count.
Subsection b. A bill must obtain the signature and the implicit consent of the Office of the count to become a law- the office of the count has the ability to veto any bill.
Subsection c. If a bill is vetoed by the office of the count, it may still gain approval by the complete and unanimous approval of both the council of Elders and the Parliament of Commons.

>>11850998
>The troop rotation will begin shortly, with all necessary security checks. Would you like to come up with a cover story in case of discovery?
How about this as a cover:
We are sending our militia on security training exercises. We've had problems securing Kharok Facilities before, especially with the disaster at K14. We are getting our troops experienced in indoor combat within a Kharok-type facility. Since the FB's are waste reclamation plants, and there aren't researchers to get in the way, we thought that they would be a good placed to practice.

rolled 3, 4, 1 = 8

Strangely, you feel more apprehensive about this particular journey than you did about heading off to most of the Northern installations. Perhaps that's just because you have no idea what to expect; the unknown isn't in the current installation list and doesn't appear to be part of Kharok's system. That means it could be practically anything, though the distress code does indicate that, whatever it is, it traces its origin to the Frost Giants.

Your Zeppelin floats gracefully into place above the thick, ever-moving canopy of the Wildlands jungle. Above you, safely out of sight, the emergency battalion waits aboard its hovering dropship, and the accompanying force of drones keeps watch over the centerpoint of the signal, its generator concealed beneath the plant growth. Scans indicate the presence of stone and some sort of machinery, as well as the more obvious indicators of running power supplies. You'll need to go in to get good reads. Fortunately, you have planned well for this and are ready to evacuate on a moment's notice. If there are any serious predators this deep in the Wildlands, time might be short.

Continuing on the assumption that you're dropping in.

>>11851119
If our anti-scry charms are working, I think we should drop the Heavy Security Golems in now to clear a landing zone, with their dropship providing fire support and overwatch.

>>11851149
But be careful! There's no telling how fragile the ruins might be, or if there might be a negative reaction to ancient Iralan technology.

>>11851063
>Article 4.
Section 1. The office of the count shall have the power to raise armed forces, for both the defense of the County and the defense of the Nation of Perin, lay and collect taxes, appropriate items of interest, create offices for the better execution of his or her duties, appoint officials, appoint and approve the decisions of local officers of the law, and furthermore shall be able to institute any and all laws similar to those which may be brought into existence by the council of elders or the Parliament of commons.
Furthermore, all powers of governance not already granted to the government, nor forbade by any of the laws of Perin, shall be given to the office of the count, to be executed as it’s representatives sees fit.

>>11851119
How dangerous are the moving trees on a scale of Forosian red shirt at 1 to Frost Demon at 10. We've had company guys helping at the borders of the wild lands so we should know a bit about the threats.

Yeah let's get in there. Maybe we should have brought some light powered armor to wear ourselves...

>>11851176
>Suggested Provisios-
in the course of natural events, wherever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish said governments, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its Powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
If the people of the county of dreamwood find that their current mode of government no longer serves to protect and encourage the pursuit of prosperity and liberty, it may be dissolved by a majority consensus of no confidence.
If such an event occurs, general elections will be held to reinstitute the offices of governance.
In such an election, a Frost Giantess carries ten thousand votes and her battle axe carries another five hundred.

>>11851189
>Maybe we should have brought some light powered armor to wear ourselves...
Damnit! I knew I forgot something!
Don't you hate it when you're already on the road, going somewhere on a long trip, then you suddenly remembered you forgot something, while not vital, would have made life easier?

>>11851227
>In such an election, a Frost Giantess carries ten thousand votes and her battle axe carries another five hundred.
This needs to be hidden deep within the constitution. It should cause a lot of angry debates between constitutional lawyers and scholars in the future.
Though I think you should add >and any ice being or beings brought into existence by the aforementioned Frost Giantess shall carry 200 votes per entity.
And maybe give the AI's a vote, too.

rolled 6, 5, 1 = 12

Your boots hit the ground with a squelch, sinking deep into the mud. Your squad follows, slinking down the Zeppelin's lines and landing gracefully (or so they think) in the same pool of muck you so easily found beneath you. Sending the golems in first was a good idea, judging by the piles of vegetation circling the mud. Lights come on, illuminating your surroundings. You don't know exactly how many levels the canopy has, but it's easily sufficient to block out almost all of the sunlight pounding down from the clear blue sky. Restraining thoughts about what lurks in the darkness here, you press forward, edging past the thick trunks of ancient trees.

Some of the golems stay behind, keeping watch and sweeping their bright beams around as they turn, scanning and stamping out anything that tries to grow back. In less than a minute you can't see them anymore except on your portable comm's sensor screen; the jungle is too thick, eating up the light like a black hole. Thankfully, it doesn't seem the least bit malicious. Everything you cut or destroy begins to heal or grow back nearly immediately, but there is a strange absence of low-growing roots, snares, spines, or anything else that could make this trip dangerous. Besides the lack of light and the close quarters enforced by the vegetation, it's not all that uncomfortable.

You come to the source of the signal after about ten minutes of walking. An array of stone pillars twenty feet high, completely covered with vines, rings a central metal tube that appears to be sunk deeply into the earth, its more-exposed circuits glowing faintly blue through the omnipresent infestation of green. As you move closer, you think you can make out a display screen and a few command panels, nearly hidden by the vines. A plaque sits at eye level above the screen. Clearing the covering away, you can see what it says.

Automated Terraforming Unit B

Ovren

rolled 5, 3, 2 = 10

>>11851097
This will be used, if there are no objections.

>>11851149
Confirmed, and used.

>>11851167
You will be as careful as possible.

>>11851189
Less than 1, in any normal situation. The only real danger comes from getting lost, or trapped when the jungle grows back over a clearing.

>>11851366
Can FC tell if there is an Intelligence here, or is it simply a very complex but not self-aware computer system?
Can it get in and get control?

>>11851314
Well, it was merely a suggested provision- I'm sure there's enough room for all kinds of finagling

>>11851366
Ah jeeze- are there any indications of which buttons /not/ to press?

>>11851424
It's funny, but, especially with Project Pheonix, we won't be the only Frost Giantess to be voting in the future.

>>11851407
Can anyone come up with a better cover story than the one I wrote?
>>11851097

>>11851366
Examine. Dont turn off. Find out if it's where the distress signal is coming from.

TESTING CAPTCHA x3

>>11851366
What can FC tell us about the distress signal being sent?
Also, since it's transmitting, a transceiver might still be functional and allow a way into the computer system. FC should go in and take a look around.

>>11851539
>Dont turn off
Very much this. We mustn't endanger our paper industry!

rolled 1, 4, 6 = 11

>>11851419
FC detects no sign of intelligence or, indeed, of any coherent guiding system. Whatever's in there is fragmented enough to defy FC's neat and proper classification, but it's running the hardware well enough. An override has been inserted. FC should be able to gain control of the machine at any time, since its communications system is online. Incidentally, the distress signal has now ceased.

>>11851461
The self-destruct control would be an obvious one. As with other systems, this one has a user interface controlled through the touchscreen display. The menu holds various options, most of which are grayed out. FC is capable of controlling the machine if you tell him what to do. He suggests that you might want to leave this one mostly alone, since it's not a Kharok system and many things could go wrong. Besides that, you did want to avoid jeopardizing your infinite supply of wood pulp.

On the other hand, if this terraforming machine is the reason for the presence of the Wildlands, deactivating it could clear an area that could fit Perin, Forus, Cyreth, Matmer, and several other nations in comfortably. Wireless control will be available as long as a communications relay, such as the portable comm, is left near the machine. Its array is too weak to penetrate the canopy, and its distress beacon is a standalone system.

>>11851539
It is. Or was.

>>11851541
It was an automated beacon of presumably standard make, but its codes were not recognized, possibly because it's not a Kharok system. Inside the machine are the programs needed to run it, hopelessly scrambled but still somehow operating it. There is nothing else. No database, no purpose, no positional data, nothing.

>>11851576
Will a drone suffice in place of the personal comms?
I don't want to leave the comms unit, because only an FB is capable of fabricating one, and drones are cheap.

Since we don't want to mess around with the terraformer any more that we already have for now, let's collect biological samples from the surrounding forest, and have our field research team do what we brought them here to do: SCIENCE!

Actually, speak to the druids about the Wildlands; do they consider it a sacred site, representing the power of nature? Or is an abomination, a blight of uncontrolled growth?

>>11851606
This.

>Actually, speak to the druids about the Wildlands; do they consider it a sacred site, representing the power of nature? Or is an abomination, a blight of uncontrolled growth?

This would be good to find out when we get back. Turning it off should also be discussed both with Perin's government and with those surrounding the wildlands. It could result in a MASSIVE land grab between nations and result in several wars.

rolled 2, 5, 6 = 13

>>11850853
>>11850925
>>11850946
>>11851041
>>11851063
>>11851176
>>11851227
I very much like this, especially the last proviso, though you no longer have your axe. It all seems solid enough, but I don't know if I'd be up to the task of working out the effects of this. I did notice that there is no formal judicial system, or at least none that I recognized. I'd like to know what you would do about courts, but that question can wait till next session, seeing how late it is.

>>11851606
Yes, it will. It's not that the regular installations are incapable of making one, just that they can only make inferior models. Those would suffice as well, for this purpose.

Samples will be collected, and returned for study.

Depends on who you ask. Some see it as the consequence of a modern world; a haven the planet has created, to be free of all that persists in destroying its greenery. Others liken it to a cancer, an aberration that, while a natural occurrence, is a blight that serves to damage the whole, as you said. You'd be likely to find support among the druids for either position and plenty of others.

Now, is there any other pressing matter that must be handled quickly?

>>11851647
>It could result in a MASSIVE land grab between nations and result in several wars.
I believe that we should keep the option of turning off the terraformer off of the table for now.
>This would be good to find out when we get back
We brought a contingent of druids with us as part of the field research team.

>>11851692
Just double check that this station isnt going to suddenly run out of power or turn off.

>>11851692
>You'd be likely to find support among the druids for either position and plenty of others.
I am so tempted to blast the misconceptions of those that think the Wildlands are a natural occurrence, by revealing their very artificial origins.
But, that might have some unintended consequences, and jeopardize our paper industry.

We should talk with the druids that we brought along, get their ideas.

>>11851692
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!
For the judicial system- Well, I thought that the Judicial system would be pretty much be under the direct control of the office of the count.
I'm not sure how ye olde archaic lawyering works, but I assume that giving Maya to establish such courts and officers of the law as she sees fit would be the best.
On that note, was a formal police department ever established?

>>11851692
Just check to make sure that the terraformer won't be breaking or shutting down anytime soon.
Also get Primary on the link to take a look at this thing, with maybe some assistance from K9-Command for biological advice.

rolled 6, 5, 1 = 12

>>11851727
It's running on a geothermal probe, with battery backups. Unless the mantle stops being hot, it will run for millennia more. Some repair work may need to be done, but, overall, it's a hardier machine than most warships. It was built to last.

>>11851738
The druids with you see this as kind of a lesser holy place, an area where nature is strong, with a presence that can be truly felt. They see no danger in exploring it, or even in 'testing' it with your weapons. It has always grown back in the past and will do so again. It's the ultimate expression of the power the planet wields, and how it chooses to wield it.

>>11851786
>The druids with you see this as kind of a lesser holy place
Guys, should we break it to these druids that this entire place is the result of an ancient Frost Giant experiment in controlling the very forces of life and growth via machine?

rolled 6, 2, 5 = 13

>>11851757
Yes, but it's not quite what it would be in the United States. It's more of a subsidiary of the militia, a peacekeeping division of the defense force. Those that volunteer for it get specific training and non-lethal munitions. On a smaller scale, 'deputies' drawn from the citizenry, who hold no rank in the militia but have limited police power, keep things moving day-to-day. The peacekeepers are usually present when numbers or greater force is required, such as during a carnival.

>>11851758
It won't be shutting down on its own for many, many years.

Primary doesn't know quite what to make of it, but feels certain that the programs could be replaced after some study, its origin notwithstanding. More than that, analyzing it may give you the key to producing more, and a remote terraformer would be an extraordinarily valuable tool. Or weapon.

There is not much to gain from K9's intelligences, since they don't have much information on or experience with this kind of thing. You might have better luck with K11, which had biosciences within its project sphere, or K25, with environmental sciences.

Man, our druids are going to have a crisis of faith when they find out that the "Wildlands" was created as an experiment by the Frost Giants to see how much they could make Nature their bitch via advanced technology and machines.

>>11851816
You know, they may be interested in how it causes this effect. I know I certainly wouldnt mind finding ways of making use of it. Using smaller scale devices like this it might be possible to help regrow areas burned out by wildfires or other devastation.
Then again a Druid Terrorist could plant one in a major city disguised as something else and cause havoc.

>>11851816
the only wayI see that scenario ending good for us would involve the Druids worshiping the machine like Techpriests.

>>11851871
Exactly. This is a eco-terrorist's wet dream: destroy technology and modern society while creating plant life that will rampantly grow out of control and reclaim the land.

Have Primary keep looking around, and make note to self to put K11 and K25 on our short-list of facilities to recover.

Also, maybe we should find the most reasonable and open-minded amongst the druids, the one who would take the news about the terraformer best, tell him and have him decide how the druids should be told, if ever.

rolled 4, 2, 4 = 10

>>11851918
As ordered.

The most reasonable druid you know of is still in Dreamwood. Those with the 'holy' mindset were the ones who volunteered first and... well, 'beg' would be a strong word, but they very much wished to come. Your reasonable contact could take it or leave it. Others thought it better to stay where they were needed.

I am departing now. Thank you all very much for participating. The next session will be Sunday. Sorry to cut this shorter than normal, but I can't always go 2:00am or later. Goodnight, everyone.

So I guess the consensus is to keep the secret of Terraformer B to ourselves for now, while talking with the druids to try to figure out who among them would be best suited to be given this knowledge.
Perhaps we should ask if there is a recognized high authority amongst the druids, some council that most druids will generally defer to in matters of global or international policy.

>>11851977
Thanks Subproc for another great session.
See you Sunday!

>>11851867
Do these guys have any kind traditions or pagentry that distinguish them from the normal hired toughs who usually are part of city guards?
If not, then could we maybe issue each one a lantern to take out on night patrols, and encorporate the color green into their uniforms, to better distinguish them from regular military forces. Citizens deputised could be given a small bronze token emblazoned with a stylzed symbol of a lantern.
Before being accepted into duty, each much swear that "By brightest day and blackest night, I swear to uphold that which is right. Let those who would do others harm face my might- the innocent protected by Justices' light."

>>11851977
Thanks Subprocessor!
I really love being back and participating in this quest, even if I have no idea what's going on!
I'm going to go read through the backlog of archived quest threads on sup/tg/:
NOW TRY TO GET SOME SLEEP OUT THERE

>>11852025
It does sound like a good idea to begin setting down the foundations of a modern police force.
I'm more partial to the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, myself, for regular local police duty. But I am more than willing to accept the Lantern Corps as our version of the FBI, given jurisdiction across our entire County.
And don't forget the concept of "in hot pursuit".

While some might argue we didnt get a whole lot done I think we made some real progress.
See you guys Sunday. Everybody vote.