You are Lord Governor Goetus Trevelyan by the ordainment of the Four Families and by the Charter of Imperium Immemorial of the planet Texalar. The monumental task of the governance of millions falls on your shoulders, capable or otherwise. While the noble families of Texalar have their own degrees of power, yours is the kind that is solely responsible for the fate of the planet. You and you alone answer to the wider Imperium of Man for what happens on this world. The benefits of great success would be yours as would the consequences of failure.

For a man of such far reaching power and crushing responsibility you have a background to match. Someone who has the knowledge and skills necessary for this job has lived a lifetime gathering these tools. What sort of background does Governor Trevelyan have?

>Astra Militarum
A soldier, you clawed your way up as a young man from junior officer to command of a regiment. You fought in a number of major campaigns including the Cyberthrall Rebellion and the Blood Coven Wars. At the end of it all a nasty lingering injury forced your retirement where your command abilities made you a prime candidate for the governorship on troubled world.

>Rogue Trader
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night." With the stars as your home you blazed a trail in the name of the Emperor, building fortune and glory. You’ve returned to the Imperium on a pause between expeditions to the fringes where you’ve been asked to serve as governor given your talents.

>Blueblood
The classic career path. It’s not just what you know but who you are. Born to the right people on Texelar you grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth and a silver dagger at your throat. With close ties to one of the Four Families you are no stranger to backroom deals and backstabbing. You politick as you eat and breathe.

>Blueblood

silver spoon inserted rectally upon birth

>>4287885
>>Blueblood

DARK EMPIRE II WHEN

>>4287900
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/1629305/
It's right here

>>4287901
Haha nice try. You know what I meant.

>>4287885
>>Rogue Trader

>>4287885
>Astra Militarum

DE lewdbins when?
Tfw no alana v2

>>4287885
>Blueblood

>>4287915
>>4287915
They're in my pastebin where they've been entombed since I wrote them.

>>4287885
>Blueblood

>>4287965
>>4287957
>>4287900
>>4287893

>Blueblood

Writing

File: TexalarMap1 (2).png (419 KB, 1134x787)

419 KB PNG

As one of the upper crust of Texalar you are tied by marriage to the expansive Von Griff family, the premier family of the hive city of Monticello. Your connections within the Von Griff family in particular gives you extended connections within the Four Families at large, though those relations aren’t always peaceful. You must always be wary of budding rivalry and resentment.

The world that is your charge, Texalar is an agriworld, what some might call a ‘breadbasket’ of the Imperium. It was a charming moniker applied to agriworlds by people fortunate enough to never experience one first hand. The brutal reality was less whimsical.

Rather than a lush and rural planet dotted with rustic villages and sweeping vistas of beautiful countryside it was a titanic feat of planetary engineering. Multi-kilometer long irrigation pipes run from horizon to horizon, extending from the desalination plants that dot this soggy world’s coastline and running inland toward its drier regions. Cavernous storage barns are dispersed across the planet, packed tight with nutrient rich bales of biomatter - the building blocks of food to be processed alongside ubiquitous corpse starch on nearby hiveworlds to feed their burgeoning populations. Endless fields of Creepvine and Broadleaf choke the land, their roots digging greedily into the thick, noxious mud of Texalar, sapping the nutrients endlessly spewed out from fetid fertilizer stockpiles dredged from bioseptic silos and livestock waste feeds.

In strategic clusters,. dim and rank warehouses full of servitors lie, their charges waiting to be unleashed to tend crops, their flesh moldering and components gradually corroding due to overexertion. The smell of decay and rust mingling with the pungent stench of rotting vegetation fills these places.

(1/2)

Not all those who work Texalar’s rich soil are lucky enough to be without sense and consciousness. Legions of human laborers are required to maintain the vast infrastructure that makes this world work, toiling in sweltering heat and suffocating humidity to harvest the organic material that will feed their human brethren packed into the dense hive cities of Texalar and beyond. Living in worker barracks, crowded with the desperate and downtrodden they were men and women with little to hope for anything beyond a life of servitude. Given enough luck and wits they might survive their labors long enough to take their meager pay and scrape out a new life elsewhere.

Such a desolate and comparatively barren place may seem a strange thing to value, but in the interstellar desert, a small muddy ball like Texalar was a paradise that could not be overlooked.

Outside of the endless production fields, Texalar has a few major cities which butt against the coast of its grey seas but the real power here lies in the four hive cities, home of the Four Families and the centers of power of the land-owning elite, the AgriLords and AgriLadies that together own the sum of Texalar and as such profit from its endless exploitation. These hivecities, Atlas, Monticello, Bonaparte, and Nashton, are worlds into themselves. Tangled networks of habitation blocks, gothic spires, and crumbling infrastructure which requires constant maintenance.

++++++

Despite the staggering size and scope of the Imperium, nothing is ever static, even this world, - humble compared to the trillions on trillions of humans across the Imperium - is in motion. Threats abound, internal and external. Even then, try as they might, the people of the Imperium cannot survive by bayonet and lasgun alone. Populations must be fed and placated.

Before you can worry about affairs of state, you have more personal matters to attend to, there has been a death.

From the gold-tinted windows that line the entire far wall of your office atop the citadel spire in Monticello you can look down into the opulently broad, flat expanse of Holy Light Plaza choked on all sides by towering buildings, where the state funeral had been held the day before. The ‘guest of honor’ was Vizier Kimmick, your closest advisor and confidant until his untimely death. The man was long in years, close to a century, but with the right modifications and equipment provided by the enigmatic tech priests then his life might have been greatly lengthened.

(2/3)

The funeral had been a grand affair with a full four regiments of the Planetary Defense Force parading before his gilded coffin, forming ranks as it was interred in the mausoleum in the basement of the Basillicanum of the Emperor’s Radiant Glory. You only hope when your time comes that your funeral will be just as magnificent.

There’s no time to fantasize about the release of death quite yet though, business awaits you.

Turning from the vista you sit at your desk, a gargantuan thing carved from a dark hardwood, imported at great expense some decades past. Sitting in the aged leather chair you tap a runic key to ignite your data slates which begin spitting out streams of data at once fed to them by cogitators hidden deeper in the citadel.

The Vizier’s post cannot be allowed to remain empty, the work he had done for you was invaluable, freeing your attention for other matters. While Kimmick had been a valuable servant of the Emperor he also died with no heirs to call upon. What this means for you is that you must select a replacement from a field of fresh candidates. It is into this vacuum of power that the Four Families of Texalar stride confidently, each with their own candidate for the role.


>Regina Von Griff
A consummate aristocraft, Von Griff has made a name for herself as someone able to marshal the support of her whole family to any goal, no small task when that family controls nearly all of what happens in Monticello.

>Michel Toussaint Beauregard
A professional soldier. Beuregard is a high ranking officer in the PDF at present and a former Guardsman who fought in the Blood Coven Wars. With an eye for organization and efficiency he would make a strong military leader.

>Alexander Pemberton
A skilled bureaucrat. Pemberton has increased crop yields of the production fields surrounding Nashton by 17.3% and consequently decreased worker loss. This type of organizational mind could ensure food tithes are met for the Imperium.

>Khemal Aluwani
A political maverick. Khemal has avoided the near constant infighting between the Families instead favoring tactics of compromise and cooperation. While he isn’t loved by the other families, he can at least keep them from one another's throats.

>A fresh Imperial Adept
An outsider. Choosing among the ranking nobles of this planet might be showing favorites. Perhaps a safer choice is to avoid them all in favor of requesting an Imperial adept from the Adeptus Administratum.

>>4288004
>>Regina Von Griff

>>4288004
>Alexander Pemberton
I like this guy. This is a person who knows how to NOT fuck up food and make people die for inane reasons. We do need to address the servitor issue though. Mixing Servitors of moldering flesh and corroding metal near any form of food would be very bad. Perhaps an order from the planetary Tech Priest(s) to get replacement Servitors, in addition to something that would make them last longer? I'unno, give them Plasteel components or something that wont corrode in addition to armaplas suits to cover electronics and flesh? It just makes me mad how they don't do that.

>>4288004
Are we married to Regina or some relative?

>>4288004
>>Alexander Pemberton

>>4288016
Regina is a distant cousin by marriage. No direct relation.

>>4288030
What's the stat of our PDF?
Do we have any orbital defense space stations?
Have we any ships?
Do we have any planetary defense lasers?
Is there away to reduce the waste and smog emissions from the Hive Cities?
Does this planet have any problematic history with dealing with tyranids and orks?
Be there any cults in the underhives of the found Hives that we should worry about?
What of the Adeptus Arbites?
Will all these questions be answered in due time?

>>4288004
>>A fresh Imperial Adept

>>4288035
>What's the stat of our PDF?
Adaquate. The ongoing BLood Coven Wars nearby have been a constant drain on your manpower reserves but that will be handled later.

>Do we have any orbital defense space stations?
No

>Have we any ships?
Nothing significant. Texalar has historically been secure for outside threat.

>Do we have any planetary defense lasers?
Each hive city has an extensive defense network.

>Is there away to reduce the waste and smog emissions from the Hive Cities?
Potentially, but it will be a monumental undertaking

>Does this planet have any problematic history with dealing with tyranids and orks?
None. Texalar has been safe from external threat for its history but has had some internal strife between the Four Families.

>Be there any cults in the underhives of the found Hives that we should worry about?
There are rumors . . .

>What of the Adeptus Arbites?
Adaquate. They are primarily used to dealing with laborer uprisings and herding convicts to work the fields. Things have recently been quiet enough.

>Will all these questions be answered in due time?
Most of these, yes, and more. Once piece at a time, my friend!

>>4287883
I could see Planetary Governor quest concept working with Tau too, maybe Orks as well but that would get old fast
Eldar are too alien and already live post scarcity so it wouldn't be interesting

>>4288004
>Regina Von Griff

>>4288004
>>Alexander Pemberton

>>4288004
>>A fresh Imperial Adept

>>4288004
>Khemal Aluwani

Seems the best to shore up support among the other key decision-makers.
Regina would be the absolute worst choice given that it'd be putting all of our eggs in the Von Griff basket.
Pemberton and to a lesser extent Beauregard are solid practical choices, I'd be happy with either of them if my guy loses.
Random adept is too much of a crapshoot.

>>4288004
>Alexander Pemberton

>>4288004
>A fresh Imperial Adept

>>4287963
It's good ngl. I'm demanding more too.

>>4288040
Which sector/subsector are we in?

>>4288004
>>Alexander Pemberton

>>4288043
Ork Freebootz would be fun. There are so few stories that explore pirates in 40K.

>Regina Von Griff
>>4288008
>>4288065

>Alexander Pemberton
>>4288011
>>4288021
>>4288066
>>4288206
>>4288361

>A fresh Imperial Adept
>>4288039
>>4288078
>>4288283

>Khemal Aluwani
>>4288108


Writing

>>4288333
I actually haven't decided yet. It won't be material for this quest though. At least for a while.

>>4288411
Make it happen! The world is your oyster.

>>4288535
Would it be heretical to eat ork meat? Ork meat is technically vegan, and grox is xeno meat in origins I think.

“Pemberton,” you say on Alexander’s entry into your office. Gold light passing through the armorglass panes by your desk plays over his smooth features. You don’t mistake his apparent youthful features for inexperience though. You’ve heard rumors about the effectiveness of the Pemberton families gene therapy baths. “Welcome, good to have you.”

“A pleasure, my Lord,” Pemberton replies, carefully taking a seat opposite your desk. He fiddles with the brass-plated autoquill mounted to his left arm before adjusting the navy blue Pemberton family sash draped over a shoulder.

“I’ve heard good things about your work,” you say, “Your abilities. I hope we can put them to use for the good of Texalar and the Imperium.”

“I’ve had an aide fill me in on current quotas and production levels.”

You grimace slightly, “Then you know about the shortfall.” A statement, not a question.

Pemberton gives you a half-nod. “The problems of this world are no secret.” He grins at you knowingly. “I’ve seen reports of Arbites raids into the underhive. Into the harvester barracks.”

You’ve seen the reports yourself of course, but don’t let emotion show.

“Hints of revolution. Stockpiles of pilfered weapons,” Pemberton says. “So many of our best men have been drawn off to the wars, it’s a miracle they haven’t risen up sooner.”

“Anti-revolutionary raids are up almost twenty percent,” you say. “Beyond that, not much more can be done right now.”

“What about the rumors of heresy?” He says the last word with all the contempt such a taboo word should carry. You know the walls of your office are secure - as secure as you can make them, but you don’t even like the implication that the taint of Chaos lurks on this planet. You know more about it that most given your high rank, and you still know very little though it’s more than you want to.

“The Ecclesiarchy deals with those we find,” you say. “The fires of damnation await them. We have more immediate concerns.”

You and Alexander spend the next several days compiling reports and logs relating to production statistics, his analytical mind streamlining much of the process and allowing you to focus on the larger problem. The Tithe.

(1/2)

Once a year Texalar pays its due to the wider Imperium of Man, an event that coincides with the annual harvest as countless acres of thick green plants are scythed down and blended into palatable nutrients. When the harvest is finished naught will remain on the surface but twisted stumps and churned earth when the planting will begin.

Texalar provides two things in its tithe. Food and men. The food goes to worlds across the sector but the men mustered into the Astra Militarum largely now are committed to the Blood Coven Wars, a series of conflicts now raging for decades. Yet more capable regiments will be needed to finally stamp out the rot of heresy on nearby words like Rindar. With that in mind, you are in a dilemma. Last year you already selected the most able-bodied among your sallow and sickly laborers, joined them under the command of the most promising young leaders from your aristocrats, and sent them to the war. Now you have less to give.

Another sweep of your harvesters for soldiers will leave that many less capable of collecting the harvest which would result in possible food shortfalls or famine. Taking the men from your Planetary Defense Force is a good intermediate though it will also mean your planetary security is that much weaker. There is also always the option of simply providing weak or under strength regiments for Imperial service. You are responsible for providing bodies, not ensuring they don’t die of lung-rot two weeks after shipping out.

You could also leave this problem to Pemberton. Granting him such a task might allow his skills to work out a bureaucratic solution you’ve overlooked. Maybe skimming from various other sources could meet all of your needs. One way or another, you will have to pay your tithe.

>Strip the required manpower from the PDF
>Take the manpower from the harvesters
>Provide weak/under strength regiments
>Let Pemberton handle this one
>Write in

>>4288560
>Pull from the prison systems and slums, no need to waste good men. Round up gangsters and scum to ship off.

>>4288560
>Let Pemberton handle this one
>Write in
Work something out with Pemberton and see what solutions he may have in mind first before approving them?

>>4288566
Ah! A Penal Legion! That's a good idea. Put the Arbites on full blast and have them round up as many criminals as they can. Less underhive scum to deal with, fewer mouths to feed in prison, and we'll maintain our food and PDF quota.

I'll support this, but I also want to see what Pemberton has in mind.

>>4288566
For full clarity, prisoners and the working poor are already basically shoveled into the fields to work as harvesters. You'd be talking about raiding the under hive and dredging up scum and gangers. This is roughly equivalent to giving the Astra Militarum crap regiments of crap soldiers.

>>4288574
Would we get in trouble if we tried to do that? Do we have the funds to make labor life slightly less shitty so the menials are less likely to die or turn to chaos?

>>4288560
>Strip the required manpower from the PDF
>Take the manpower from the harvesters

Do a bit of both in an attempt to minimize the damage.

>>4288574
Better than giving them farm workers, the gangers already know how to use a gun/fight. If anything, they are better guardsmen than the labour force.

>>4288574
>>4288580
He's right you know. Grab all the gangers. Arm the Arbites with stun mauls and rubber 40mm slugs.

>>4288574
Grab the Gangers, PENAL REGIMENT HO!

>>4288578
Depends on what sort of subsector governor and administratum we have honestly. Generally not a great idea given that the Imperium pretty much runs on "govern yourself how you like, as long as you don't allow heresy to crop up and you *give us the promised tithe*"

>>4288584
>You are responsible for providing bodies, not ensuring they don’t die of lung-rot two weeks after shipping out.
Ganger bodies are better than sickly farmer bodies, and reducing our PDF manpower would give the ruinous power the window of opportunity they'd need to make a major push against our world.

>>4288589
Somehow I suspect trying to capture a tithe's worth of underhive gangers alive and healthy enough to serve, with the ROEs that entails (because it's not especially easy), is going to cost a not insignificant number of arbites and PDF lives. I don't think this will be the massive manpower-saving coup people expect.

>>4288600
We can ask the captain in charge of the Arbites of the viability of the idea and if they are capable of such a feat.Something tells be that this is a viable option, but we need to ask if it is.

>>4288560
>Let Pemberton handle this one

>>4288560
>Let Pemberton handle this one

>>4288560
>Provide weak/under strength regiments

>>4288560
>>Let Pemberton handle this one

>>4288560
>Take the manpower from the harvesters

>>4288560
>Let Pemberton handle this one

>Let Pemberton handle this one
+
>Writin ins

Writing

File: nlDBON.jpg (80 KB, 800x600)

80 KB JPG

You opt to leverage your new Vizier’s bureaucratic prowess and allow him to take lead. The two of you spend the preceding days collecting information and pursuing possibilities. Meetings with the chief of the planetary Arbites are held and the possibility of rounding up underhivers and gangers is considered. Ultimately you decide that some of your quota can be met this way but not all of it. With careful consideration Pemberton is able to trim out unneeded PDF personnel from bureaucratic posts and selectively take laborers from different barracks. These shortfalls will be made up with a rotating labor pool that will assist in working different sectors of the fields as the need for harvesters peaks. It is a rickety solution, but one that will see all quotas met.

You are continually amazed by Pemberton’s ability to work the system, you doubt this would have been doable without his assistance.

(1/3)

At the peak of the Tithe, a grand assembly is held in Holy Light Plaza. The four regiments of guard Texalar has assembled are formed up here in all their majesty for a joint review by you, the Imperium’s representative from the Administratum, and a general of the Astra Militarum.

The flat grey of Texalarian soldiers stands in unending rows, soldiers in parade formation, or a rough approximation of one. As the three of you walk the ranks, saluted by the stone-faced officers, you take note of the blank gazes of the unwilling conscripts. They were used to a life of labor and suffering, dying in the guard was no different than dying in the fields. Some sport half-hidden ganger tattoos or have the sunken cheeks of emaciated underhivers. It’s a rough force, but the best one you can reasonably assemble. You are afraid of what steps may have to be taken for next year’s tithe if the Blood Coven Wars don’t simmer down.

“A fine force,” the pasty-faced administratum official tells you, “My congratulations Lord Trevelyan.”

You give a humble half-bow. “We all serve the same goal. I trust General Ormund will put these men to good use.”

“Yes,” Ormund says, scratching at his neck and looking uncomfortable in the warm humidity of the city, “There is going to be a major offensive on Rindar, one to crush the heretics for good. We’ll need all the manpower we can get.”

Distantly, titanic landing craft grind open their cargo doors to admit throngs of soldiers carrying gear.

“Emperor protect you,” you say.

Ormund waves thanks and leaves, taking with him the Administratum official and eventually the army you’d gathered.

Returning to your office, you review the food situation with Pemberton.

“The harvest proceeds according to our schedule,” he says, reading a data slate as he talks. “On schedule, food reserves are being maintained across the city.” He grins, “There may even be a minor surplus.”

“Good,” you nod, “Ensure it’s distributed to the top-performing harvesters. Increase their rations, it may help stave off another wave of uprisings. We can’t have that mucking things up.”

(2/3)

Your optimism doesn’t last long unfortunately. You’re finishing a hot breakfast of poached fowl eggs, strips of salty meat and buckwheat cakes - all imported - when news of a conflict arrives. There has been a minor clash between the cities of Monticello and nearby Bonaparte, a dispute over harvest zones. It seems two minor families members were injured in what amounts to a duel over it and now both the Bueregards and Von Griffs are threatening to take the fields by force.

You summon the appropriate data at once, ancient cartography depicting the delineation between the two Families fields. It’s borderline unintelligible. Centuries of erosion and changing topography has left the old survey nearly useless. Now each family accuses the other of trying to squeeze them out of rightful family land.

The situation is especially difficult as it not only involves the capital but your family as well. If you side with Monticello it might spread resentment in the other cities that the capital gets preferential treatment, however siding with Bonaparte will mean upsetting your own family and possibly losing their approval and backing.

It isn’t long before Pemberton gets word of the dispute, “What about arbitration or compromise?” he suggests.

“Arbitration?” you smirk at his naivete. “The only arbitration either family will accept is Imperial arbitration. It would mean summoning surveyors, checking land claims, reviewing deeds and calculating land yields.”

“So?”

“So,” you continue, “The last major land dispute was submitted to Imperial arbitration seventy five years ago.” You grimace, “The result is still pending, the land left fallow until judgement can be obtained.”

As titanic as it is, the Imperial administrative engine is not swift. You know if you submit to any sort of compromise or negotiation it will result in decades if not centuries of a loss of productivity. Even a simple agreement to split the disputed land will likely result in ongoing legal battles and animosity from both families.


>Side with Bonaparte and the Beauregard family to dispel idea that the capital or the Von Girff family gets preferential treatment
>Side with Monticello and the Von Griff family to maintain your power base
>Send an investigative commission and survey team to re-mark and delineate the boundary
>Write in

>>4289518
>>Send an investigative commission and survey team to re-mark and delineate the boundary

>>4289518
>Send an investigative commission and survey team to re-mark and delineate the boundary

>>Send an investigative commission and survey team to re-mark and delineate the boundary
>Write in
Claim the land in dispute under special planetary powers to be used solely for paying the tithe, and excess will be distribute to productive or PDF members of society and their families, and children to make em grow up healthier and stronger.

>>4289607
I'm with this anon. Claim the disputed boundry and throw it out to the families who make their holdings production increase by more.
Better turnover = more land. Caput?

>>4289607
>>4289632
+1

>>4289632
to clarify, don't give it to random peasants, give it back to whichever of the disputing families makes their revenue's increase. Obviously the family who owns this land cannot be outdone by their inferiors, right?

>>4289607
This is an intelligent solution

File: 1590394968617.jpg (29 KB, 335x430)

29 KB JPG

>>4289518
>Send an investigative commission and survey team to re-mark and delineate the boundary
>Write in
Tell them if they don't like it, they can send their best noble out and duel to the death, should they both agree to the dueling prerequisites.

>>4289632
Nicely done anon. You have my vote!

>>4289518
So what with a majority of Texalar being an agei-world too toxic to grow "normal" crops", they opted for more hardy plants (not typically used for food) that absorb nutrients through the toxic soils and convert into something that passes as edible. Was that right or did I misread what you established in the first few posts?

Let's say theoretically we had all the money we need or money was of no con concern. If we had the money, how long would it take to ruduce the waste and garbage from all four hives to the lowest they can go, and how long would it take to make the soil not so shit anymore?

>>4289825
Partially correct, Texalar is not so much 'toxic' as it is 'toxic to human life'. That's just a result of extensive pumping of fertilizer and chemical growth agents. To the crops it grows it's an oasis, to humans it's sludgy, putrid, eye-watering, and foul. A bio soup mixed with things like phosphates and pesticide.

As for cleaning the planet, if you wanted to grow, say, corn and wheat it would be a century of hard work to reverse phosphate salinization of over-farmed areas and to clean up pesticides and things.

As for cleaning the hives, you'd have to cull off probably 60% of the population first. It would be a monumental task.

>>4289928
Oh I think I get it now. We maxed out the crops we can possibly grow via pesticides and fertilizers, and the hives are already being kept in check. So theres not much to actually fix orcan be improved. The only other idea that comes to mind is making skyscrapers or deeper underground warehouses to grow more crow with special lamps.

>>4289607
Also adding that when the dispute thing is settled then we give the land back to "rightful" owners.

>>4289607
>This
+
>Write ins

Writing

You dictate a draft of the planetary edict to one of your scribe servitors which transcribes the document swiftly. The disputed land in question is being stripped from both parties pending arbitration to be worked by both sides and contributed to the tithe until such time as a survey can determine the rightful inheritors. In the meanwhile its produce will help feed the more important elements of your society.

A response is not long in coming from House Beauregard. You read the slate twice to be sure you understand its contents correctly.

“Hiding behind the veil of the Imperium while House Von Griff continues to expand its already considerable influence? This will be noted. I expect that we will be duly compensated for this lost land once the arbitration determines it rightfully is ours.”
-S.G. Bureagard

You smirk as you craft your own response.

“I am certain that an arbitration will come to a satisfactory result for all parties in due time. If this isn’t acceptable then I am also willing to allow you to duel House Von Griff for the rights to the land should this result not provide satisfaction.”
-Lord Trevelyan.

The silence you get in reply is sweet and you let the Beauregards stew in their unhappiness. Your own family isn’t thrilled with the choice, but they at least trust your judgement. The nature of your office does not allow you to dwell on it in any case.

In the days after the massive tithe fleet has finished emptying the agri warehouses across Texalar the replanting begins. Legions of laborers and servitors begin to cross the muddy growing fields to ensure they are fit for the next crop to be planted. Already casualty reports are high. Most common among the incapacitations are lung rot and chemical burns to legs and arms from prolonged contact with the fertilizer mix. Some of these men and women will be returned to productivity but others will be left to waste, the cost of treating them, higher than simply releasing them from service to subsist somewhere in the underhive.

More alarmingly are the poor recruitment numbers for harvesters. Each day the youth of Texalar’s lower class are mobilized from menial work at home to serve in the fields. These dregs, sad as they are, are still not the bottom rung of the hierarchy of this world. For that you have criminals and undesirables dredged from the hive cities or shipped in from off world. This group is alternately lobotomized and shaped into semi-mindless servitors by the tech priests of Texalar or kept in their crude human forms before being worked.
(1/2)

This year the report is not quite dismal but could be much improved. Fortunately, your office has a budget for this exact sort of thing. In the past, laborer numbers have been supplemented with large expansions to your constantly shrinking servitor fleet or with disingenuous recruitment campaigns on nearby worlds, offering agriwork to downtrodden hivers.

There is also the possibility of instead using these funds to make a sizeable donation to your Adeptus Mechanicus branch in exchange for upgrading and improving your current servitors. Acid-proofing their biological components or outfitting them with larger, more efficient planting and harvesting implements. A servitor fleet doesn’t have to be fed and housed in the same way that your human laborers do, but it also puts much more control of your crops in the hands of the insular Mechanicus, something your nobles might find unsettling.

Whatever your choice, you must ensure the planting continues unabated to allow for a good harvest next year.


>Pay for a larger servitor fleet
>Launch a recruitment campaign for more human laborers
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors
>Write in

>>4290373
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors
Best to keep a stable servitor base to rally normal "volunteers" around.

>>4290373
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors
If we have enough in the treasury to do so then we might as well do it. Better to improve what we already have then have the noble households bemoan to us their complaints.

>Write in
Alexander Pemberton is our newest advisor -Emperor bless Vizier-s soul- and was most noteworthy for his ability to increase crop yields of the production fields surrounding Nashton by 17.3% and consequently decreased worker loss. I would like to hear what kind of solution he could think up on how to deal with this issue. In addition I would value his commentary and another idea: outfitting the active labor forces (people rotating out of their suits before switching it off to the next menial) with acid and chemical proof hazard suits. Should they last long enough they should be able to pay for themselves in a decade or so in the form of lives they will save and hopefully reduce the odds of rioting.

>>4290373
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors
Can we start recruiting from nearby hiveworlds as well? We could ask their governors to ship their gang members and prisoners to us to be put to use as servitors

>>4290373
>Pay for an upgrade to our existing servitors.
Indeed, this way the nobles won't complain at us.

I also support >>4290427 while I also suggest that we spread a lot of rumours on other worlds that our agri-world work is getting some improvements, a means to entice more suckers in without greater cost but naturally not as effecient as a proper drive.
All the same, the rumours reap their own rewards.

>>4290490
You mean in this planet or in this system? Isn't asking for bodies to use as servitors sorta of the same as paying for a fleet of them? It's cheap to get bodies, but it costs a little more to modify said bodies into servitors.

>>4290515
It's in response to the option to recruit from nearby worlds. I imagine most governors would be happy to be able to ship off their prisoners, and we could do the minimum to convert them into servitors. Just enough cheap bodies to get through planting season

>>4290368
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors
>Write in
Issue proper PPE or personal protective equipment for the workers to lower casualties and worker attrition rates, and improve morale.
I'm talking reusable boots, gloves, eye wear, and respirators. Have decontamination showers installed so workers can wash off all the toxic sludge after their shifts. This will also likely improve morale as ts probably the only way they can get a shower with relatively clean water.

Its probably more cost effective this way having a more willing returning workforce, with experience than a new inexperienced one every season, and being force to carry out large scale operations to round people up with Arbites or PDF every rotation. Maybe we can also use servitors for the more risky jobs, and ensure equipment is cleaned properly after every use.

>>4290427
>chemical proof hazard suits
I should have read your post more closely, this probably better than boots and gloves, etc.

>>4290535
Unless other governors have the same ideas to utilize their prisoners and gangers into force labor. It can't hurt to try I suppose.

>>4290543
>>4290545
The decontamination showers in addition to the note of veteran menials are good points. I'm not sure if the grim dark future allows them the fortune to shower but that would probably be a nice bonus.
That's generally what Servitors are made for. Doing dangerous jobs that normal humans cannot, typically the ones of the most hazardous nature. A caveat to ensure most will treat their equipment well is to make sure to pray to and not anger the machine spirit within the suit, less they die.

>>4290543
Support

>>4290373
Wait now that I think about it, it was mentioned that the climate of this world is hot. Unless we set them to work at night with headlamps mounted to the exterior of the suits, they'll need some sort of AC unit or cooler in their suits to prevent them from dying of heat stroke. You know because warm air tight suit = a baby in a hot car. Head lamps or AC's, which ever is more effective I guess.

>>4290373
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors

>>4290373
>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors

>>4289958
According to the first post we are actually having a severe issue relating to maintenance for the fields and equipment. Especially the servitors. That would be the best fix. Another issue is boosting the arbites and PDF to raid the underhives more successfully for manpower/guard tithe. Gangers while not great honestly aren't that bad at least they know how to fight.

>>4290427
This.

>>4290427
support

solid idea

>>4290373
Can we also hear from our adviser if he has any long term agriculture plans regarding the efficiency of all the crop output on this agri world?

So is each hive world responsible with their own methods of crop growth?

Can we have a small grox meat farm? So the populus of this planet has a little variety?

>Pay the Mechanicus to upgrade your current servitors
+
>Write ins

Writing

>>4291919
The average citizen's diet in the Imperium has little variety. It's basically Whatever has nutritional value and is cheap. Plankton, plant matter etc + corpse starch from ground up bodies of those who came before.

I will incorporate your write in though

>>4291919
>>4291927
What about mushrooms?

>>4291927
Morale is important to the every day life of the imperial citizen. From what I understand the Grox can survive on eating just about anything, in addition to their meat being very palatable and almost the entire beast being edible. The parts that probably cant be earned (the bones) could probably be ground up and mixed with some of the meat to make grox nuggets. The citizens will love it! So whatever crops we grow, corpse starch, and the addition to grox meat will surely brighten everyone's day.

So I know the Mechanicus is lazy and dont like apply safety measures to most of their machines to prevent worker related deaths because "lol fuck you machine spirit amgery," but is there any measure of social combating wr can apply to make the manufactorums slightly less deadly? Like fucking hell at minimum safety rails? You could argue that the machine spirit would probably appreciate not having human corpses gunk up their parts for fucks sake.

Plankton right. Gotta think cyberpunk dispotian tier food distribution. Is tofu on the menu? You could just add flavorings to tofu to make it whatever you want.

If we made aquaponics facilities that grew some leafy crops and fish, how long would it take for it to pay for itself/would it be too heretical to create? If we're already growing Plankton then men thinks some of the fishy water is utilized for the fertilizer?

>>4291930
Mushrooms typically like cool and dark conditions. Neither of those can be applied to our planet unless we make it so. Not saying that it's not possible of course, just that we'll probably want to save up money a little more money before we decide to create underground mushrooms farms.

>>4291966
>>4291967

I'll cover this in my update.

>>4291967
well anything that can make some food variety or plans for it in the future is fine.

>>4292007
All I know regarding cheap future food comes from cyberpunk or shadowrun. Bioengineered and selectively breed types of food stuffs made to be the most profitable and easily affordable to the masses being onions products, tofu, krill, and one or two other things I cant remember. They're typically added with food additives to make them taste different, so your fancy Sakura Co. (TM) food printer can make you a hamburger out of say and flavorings.

I think rice was a relatively affordable food stuff too?

“Pemberton,” you address your Vizier as you look up from a data slate.

“Yes, Lord?”

You drum your finger on the table. “I’ve been reviewing our budgetary numbers and I would like to try some . . . reforms.”


“Reforms?” Pemberton is intrigued.

You nod. “There is a high degree of wastage among our harvester class given the hazardous working conditions.”

Pemberton shrugs, “Such is the nature of being a Harvester.”

“Yes, but it necessitates obtaining fresh stock each year and retraining them. I’d like to procure some chemical suits for one. Work lamps, and spend some time cleaning up their living conditions.”

Pemberton considers this, “That’s a substantial investment of capital.”

“Yes,” you say, “But I believe it will pay for itself in time. Let’s say we approach the issue of laborer morale by treating the cause rather than the symptoms. We buy their complacency with a moderate increase in their living conditions.”

Pemberton drums his fingers on his own desk and looks out the window at the huge plaza nearby. “Interesting. I believe we could receive some chemical protection gear from Brinstill, that world deals heavily in chemical production. Perhaps with a gift of extra foodstock. There is a risk though.”

“Risk?”

Pemberton quotes an old adage you’d heard in your distant days in Monticello Academy. “Change begets change.” He smiles haughtily. “If we do this much for them they will come to expect more change. More rations and better rations will become a push for more living space, more rights, shorter working hours, the abolishment of cullings. It could open the flood gates.”

“It would be a measured change,” you say firmly.

“A mile starts with an inch,” Pemberton counters.

You smile at his obstinance. “Humor me, will you?”

“Consider yourself humored. Let’s say we get the chemical suits, work in shifts, spend a modicum of time decontaminating tools and the like, it should decrease wastage rates. What else do you have in mind?”

“Grox,” you say, “And perhaps mushrooms, aquaculture. A richer diet. It will mean happier workers, stronger workers, and more variety in the event of blight.”

“At home in Nashton there are some aquafarms,” he says, “Crustacean and kelp farming. It’s mostly small scale, kept to areas free of fertilizer runoff. Algae blooms cover most the rest of the sea.”

Texalar’s seas, much like its land, have been ravaged by unchecked centuries of high-intensity industrial agriculture. Countless tons of fertilizer have gradually been flushed into the seas turning them into enormous algae ponds, green and red-tinged soups that reek of decay. Cleanup is possible but would require a tremendous diversion of resources.

“Hydroponics then,” you say, “Indoor farms and mushroom groweries.”

>>4291987
Are there methods and machines in the Imperium that can clear the smog from the atmosphere, or would doing so in theory negatively after our crop yields?

Pemberton nods allowance at this, “Doable. Old packing barns could be repurposed with minimal expenditure. Grox will be more difficult.”

“How so?” Despite your homeworld you are no farmer.

“They’re quite territorial things. They have to be kept permanently sedated effectively. It’s not a simpler operation. If we let them roam wild on the surface they will no doubt attack workers and servitors.”

“Then we sedate them,” you say. “A moderate introduction of protein will have large effects for our population,” you say.

“Atlas I have heard has a large underground storehouse network,” he says, “It may be suitable for a Groxery.”

“Look into it,” you say. “If we can reduce misery then perhaps we can reduce risk of trouble.”

“It’s a fine line to walk,” Pemberton warns.

“Leave that to me,” you say, waving him off, “I’ll make a decision after I have our affairs in order. For now, I want you to check the viability of such a plan.”

“I can do as much,” Pemberton says, standing and clasping his cloak back in place. Texalar is too hot for such fashion to be practical but it certainly looks stylish. “I’ll begin at once.”

“Good. I have a meeting,” you say, “With the Magos about upgrading our servitors.”

“Good luck,” Pemberton says, grinning. “I hear they’re a charming bunch.”

++++++

Arranging to meet with the Magos of Texalar is a simple matter for a man of your stature and power. The mostly-mechanical man who enters your office pays only lip service to the idea of a human form. Both his eyes have been replaced with phoceptors and a third, glass-lensed eye has been set into his forehead which is one of the only patches of visible flesh, appearing grey and shriveled. Most of his body is hidden beneath thick red robes but you can hear the skitter and clack of his mechanical parts as they shift and move beneath this covering.

He is accompanied by a trio of floating servo skulls that orbit above his head, spinning to take in the room.

You spend a moment sizing one another up. You have little practical experience dealing with the Mechanicus as they largely keep to themselves here on Texalar. Their duties are largely confined to the production and maintenance of servitors and maintaining the generatoriums of the hive cities. You’d seen low level tech-priests blessing the servitor barns with holy oils and machine, but never thought to speak with one.

File: BecomingATechPriest-June2(...).jpg (84 KB, 1000x416)

84 KB JPG

“I am the Magos of this world. I am called Aluminum-13 Rubidium-37. Aluminum, the thirteenth element, is taken because it is a remarkably light and durable naturally-occurring metal which, through the machine-god’s infinite knowledge, assisted in elevating mankind from its squalor. Rubidium, the thirty seventh element is taken firstly to represent, rubidus, the red of Mars as well as the remarkable and unique properties it has. You will no doubt find it easier to call me Alum.”

His low gothic is strangely accented and carries a cant you suppose is a hint of binarium. As he speaks, the servo skulls mirror his words, boosting his augemtically-enhanced voice further, though one of the three repeats what he says in the chattering lingua-technis, total gibberish to you.

“Interrogative: you requested my presence here. For what purpose?”

You fold your hands together and take a moment to word your reply. “I am interested in upgrading our servitor fleet,” you say. “The harshness of work takes a toll on them and I would like to extend their lifespan.”

“A distinct possibility,” Magos Alum says. “We in the Mechanicus have many exceedingly exquisite servitor designs that would be of use here.” His machine-cant servo skull rattles off a series of beeps and low tones as he speaks. “It will require the devotion of significant resources. Your servitor numbers are not insignificant.”

“I have sequestered a sum of money,” you say, “A donation to the Machine-cult to help offset your trouble.”

“Denied,” Alum says. “A monetary payment is not admissible.”

This flat rejection catches you completely off guard. “Money isn’t what you want?”

“Information, Lord Governor,” Alum says, his vox emitter buzzing with excitement, “Information is the currency of the universe. Coins can be stamped from any crude metal, sheaf printed on vegetable pulp and animal hide. Information is sacrosanct.” As Magos Alum says this his servo skulls unit in twittering a short binauric hymn. “It can neither be created nor destroyed. It - like time - has intrinsic value.”

“You have full access to our data steams,” you say.

Magos Alum raises his voice to an almost shrill pitch, “The Tomb of Saint Suspiria.”

The place is familiar to you, but not the significance. The tomb of the saint is a holy site- the holiest on Texalar easily, said to contain a minor saint from distant early days of the Imperium. The tomb was under the careful control of the Adepta Sororitas, specifically the Order of the Crimson Dagger. Outsiders were not permitted.

“Magos Alum,” you say, voice placating. “The Tomb has no value to you surely, it is a holy site, well documented.”

“We have heard rumors otherwise,” Alum says. “Rumors of the presence of archeotech.” His three skulls - even the binaric one - all say this word in perfect Low Gothic.

You had not heard such rumors. Of course, you haven’t heard much of anything. But you do have the power to authorize visits to the tomb, though you’ve normally done so only with the local Cannoness’s explicit approval. Technically it isn’t required.

“Lord Governor,” Alum says, “I should like to lead an exploratory mission to this site to scour it for any relevant information and technology. Once we are finished the Sisters may return to their prayer and silence. Three days of unfettered access will more than pay for an upgrade to your servitor fleet and-” he clicks at you a moment. “And you will be that much richer. The funds for the servitors may be elsewhere invested.”

It is a significant sum of money you would save, maybe enough to easily pay for your program of reforms or other local improvements. It would also likely make you allies with the Mechanicus, though you imagine the Ecclesiarchy would be less than thrilled you opened a holy site to prying, mechanical eyes.


>No deal, the money is all I will offer.
>Agreed. I will inform the Sisters of your team’s imminent arrival
>I will have to get authorization from the Cannoness first
>Write in

>>4292075
>I will have to get authorization from the Cannoness first
>Write in
Not to insult Alum's social interaction capabilities, but humor this solution of us asking the Cannoness to do our own filter search to look fo this rumored piece of archeotech first as a precautionary measure, then we can let you. I'm just worried that he might a mentally offend the Sisters. They're usually known for their hardcore devotion and I dont want any bad blood between the Mechanicus and the Adepta Sororitas.

Beyond that would Magos be interested in "small talk" or is he much too busy?

>>4292075
>Authorization
>Write in
Metal men so rarely play nicely with the church. I personally don't think it is a wise idea to piss off the church with this blatant use of our powers in favour of the techpriests for some farm equipment.

That being said I think we should consult the cannoness, not get authorization, consult. We still hold the power which is something all present should remember.

Likewise in the event that we go through with it, we should forbid the damaging of the tomb in any capacity and request the mechanicum produce a seneschal of theirs to mediate the friction between these two orders. One of those techpriests which dedicates their expertise to dealing with fleshies.
Lastly, The sisters shouldn't be forced out and will keep watch. More difficult but this is their house and you will respect it.

>>4292094
You've never made small talk with a tech priest so you have no idea. Trying is always a possibility! But as for the supposed Archeotech, all you are aware of is the basics of the legend.

Suspiria fought alongside the Crusaders who first liberated this world. Later she died in the Horus Heresy defending Texalar. As far as you know her tomb has no special significance, but you don't study such things. The only people who would know for sure would be the Sisters.

>>4292094
>>4292120
Well judging by his station and statement of "“It can neither be created nor destroyed. It - like time - has intrinsic value.”" He is saying that time is money, wasting it with small talk is not very much in line with a magos. very efficient bunch.

File: 1590692747608.png (129 KB, 312x479)

129 KB PNG

>>4292110
Support this. This guy is more coherent than mine. So we talk to the cannonness to let em search aight.

>>4292075
Any way we can try squeezing a little more help out of Magos? If there does exist some archeotech, would its knowledge be more valuable than a fleet of upgraded Servitors?

>>4292124
"IF" it exists, yes. It is well worth the fleet and more.

The mere hint of it will buy us the fleet, imagine how much actual archeotech will get us. Something to be discussed once we have talked to the sisters.

>>4292120
Small Talk ideas:
>What are the purpose of those Servoskulls?
>Do you have an input on how to better improve Texalar's crop output or ways to effectively improve the PDF's equipment?
>Do some tech priests try to take care of their remaining fleshy parts? Like moisturizing?

>>4292123
Then maybe we can recommend us a tech priest Acolyte for us to talk their ears off and force them to replace their ears with cyber ones?

>>4292126
Good point

>>4292127
Never mind about the small talk then.

>>4292110
Correction, the seneschal's are called "Factors" or "Executors Fetial" for the lathe worlds and titan legions respectively

Hardly a fair trade if there is archeotech there, and dealing with the sisters is another matter, if they would even let us take anything at all.

What we should agree to is the parameters of the search and purpose of the search is in exchange for any information of IF there is any archeotech at the location or not. It should not include the permission or ability to TAKE any archeotech or other artifacts, or anything at all there if discovered. That should be for a separate agreement.

>>4292110
Supporting.
At some point are we allowed to train our own agricultural biologists / geneticists without them being tech priests? It's a little vauge in-universe about how prevalent higher education is but the ability to engineer strains of resistant crops will help us. Best case we can sort of transition to a mix between an agri-world and civilized world.

>>4292409
That does make a lot of sense, although OP and that other anon did point out that we could go in there and check. it's just they Sisters might get angry if they're zealous enough. Maybe a mix of this and that?

>>4292415
It's a weird topic. The Mechanicus has a sort of monopoly on tech, including biological things. Bio magos exist but they are a sort of rarity.

>>4292421
Yeah sure, lets keep the plan coherent.

>>4292110
Support this.

>>4292409
A wise decision, but do we want to earn the lasting ire of the Adeptus Mechanicus? I don't imagine they would take kindly to a minor planetary governor blueballing them on some fine print.

>>4292421
Ah ok thanks, I suppose we'll have to cozy up either the mechanicus to get a bio-magos to come over.

>>4292555
Also I forgot to throw in, for the people getting benefits, we should make it merit and productivity based. So its a privilege not a right, the equipment belongs to the Imperium or planetary governor, and not everyone gets the equipment. Lower rung workers start off with the cheaper or inferior gear if any at all, then they can move up. Showers can be introduced at a later date, lets not spoil them with too much all at once, and the used water can either be recycled or used to water the fields.

This way we can find excuses or reasons to take away their privileges if they cause problems.

>>4292555
I think if we piss off a magos, we just piss of him and his group of followers, but we piss of the sisters, then we piss off a fanatical and fairly large portion of the ecclesiarchy that knows how to hold a grudge and tends to back each other up passing judgment on others.

We don't intend to screw the Magos, we just make it clear that this is what it is, a fact finding mission.

Now if we find anything, we figure out what to do from there, and assist him in getting it without being insensitive to the ecclesiarchy (and get a nice reward for it.)

>>4292555
tbf if we agreed the magos would be doing the same thing as if we were gonna do it. It's just that we're better at talking with people than he ever will be.

>>4292845
a mini meritocracy makes sense.

>>4292845
You realise that if they find archeotech, they will take it. Contract or no they will take such technology because they believe it is their birthright.

>>4292110
>This

+
>Write ins

Writing (might be a little bit, we'll see)

You let the proposition hang in the air a moment before responding. “You really believe the tomb might have valuable tech in it? Why?”

“There are irregularities,” Alum says, pronouncing the last word with extreme precision.

“Such as?”

“The story of the Sisters does not fit the data we have. The location of the tomb, it’s size and disposition, all are suspect to us. Interrogative: You do not trust the Mechanicus?”

You shake your head, “It’s not a matter of trust. Of course I trust you-” A lie. “I just have to wonder why the Sisters would keep such a thing secret.”

“There are a multitude of hypotheses and conjectures to be made. Because they do not understand what it is they possess,” Alum says, “Because this do not wish to share their findings, because what has intrinsic value to us has sentimental value to them. Multitude.”

All these sound reasonable to you, the ecclesiarchy was not traditionally very open. Still, you have no desire to offend the Sisters. Though most of their number are off fighting in the Blood Coven Wars there was no reason to risk their ire.

“You’re correct that I can grant you access to the tomb,” you say, “But I have typically done so with the blessing of the Cannoness. I see no reason to break tradition.”

“No,” Alum agrees. His servo skulls do not echo this statement.

“If I do decide to take this deal,” you add, “There will be stipulations that you and your associates will have to abide by.”

Alum bobs his head, “I expect nothing else.”

“Alright. In that case I have a call to make. If you would like-”

“I will return to the generatorium,” Mangos Alum says, straightening up and withdrawing a spread of mechadendrites. “To await your decision and prepare my team.”

(1/2)

After his departure you arrange a call to the Cannonness, tapping on your desk impatiently until her weathered face appears on your hololith. Her eyes are white, blind you think, a consequence of the same wound that left a burned band of flesh across her face.

“Lord Governor,” she greets, her voice soft, “Always an honor.”

“The honor is mine Cannoness,” You give a small bow though you’re not sure if it registers. “Cannoness Jezera, I’m calling to arrange a visit to the tomb.”

“Visit?” She asks. “Offerings have already been left. Prayers said. The day of remembrance won’t come again until next year.”

“This isn’t for remembrance,” you say. “A delegation of tech priests have an interest in conducting a survey of the tomb for academic purposes,” you say, a half-truth.

“The cult mechanicus?” You can hear the distaste in her voice. “In the tomb of the saint?”

“They believe there may be an artifact of scientific value in the tomb.”

Jezera is silent for a moment. “We have cataloged all items of historical and scientific value already. All relic weapons have been sent to the Wars. There is nothing left to interest them.”

“Then I hope we can ascertain that and lay the matter to rest. With your blessing we might begin the process.” You desperately want to avoid making this an order.

“What is it they think they will find?” she asks.

“I can’t say, but I can guarantee no harm will come to the tomb or the Saint - Emperor rest her soul. They ask three days of unrestricted access. I can promise you to have representatives on site to ensure everything that occurs happens with the utmost care.”

“As you know, Lord Governor,” Jezera says, “We are loyal servants to the God-Emperor and we recognize you as his representative on this world, but I’m afraid I see no reason to submit to an invasive investigation of our holiest site on the whim of a member of the Cult Mechanicus.”

You may give her no choice in the matter, choosing to override her authority and open the tomb. You might also take the money the Mechanicus refused and donate it to the Order. Unlike the tech priests, you’re sure the sisters of the Order have a use for money. In addition to war they conduct charitable work across Texalar, preaching to the masses and helping the poor and sick.


>I can make a sizable donation to the Order in exchange for your cooperation
>I’m afraid I must insist. By planetary edict you will open the tomb to the Mechanicus
>Very well, Cannoness. Thank you for your time and consideration.
>Write in

>>4293445
>Write in
"They believe to find some manner of Information which shall be used to venerate the god emperor, Or in their terms venerate the Omnissiah. You may consider it their own form of service to the golden throne, if that helps.

However the potential of what they believe they shall find is of immense value to the imperium and the mechanicus especially. While you may find it distasteful to work alongside such a distorted faith, refusal will simply see them turn to more covert means. For such a reason I find it to be much better for all involved if they conducted their dealings above the table where we may see them, isn't it better to concede this ground and make sure that the tomb is treated properly under your watch?"

And maybe give a donation to the order, but not the full amount we are saving. We need some of that to offset the costs of reforms.

>>4293445
>"I can make a sizable donation to the Order in exchange for your cooperation. It is not my intention to disrespect the memory of Saint Suspiria, blessed be her name beneath the God Emperor, but the Adeptus Mechanicus has given me an ultimatum. Either I allow them to investigate the Holy Site, under armed guard of Sisters with the most faithful of my own agents outside should they seek to renege on their agreement, or the servitors tending to the crops feeding the masses of mankind are left to rot and in doing so, leave millions more Hive-world mouths hungry than could have been. Blessed Cannonness, please understand they would accept none other and I feel it is better that they search with our permission under the watchful sight of those willing to ensure they show the proper respect, than to risk them sabotaging my charge's agricultural efforts and strong-arming my position into granting them full reign. I don't want to see a Holy Site ransacked for the sake of material greed, likewise, I don't want to see the war effort against the thrice-damned heretics abroad compromised over the stubbornness of a single Magos. I don't like it, but we each know well how obstinate the Scions of Mars can be. Blessed Cannoness, I beseech you, a lowly man lifted high by chance of birth and circumstance to a Bride of the Emperor, and beg, show clemency and allow me to mitigate the scale and scope of their meddling. Know that I come to you out of respect."

>>4293470
I think it's best to feed the ego of both factions and convince them that we're on the same side while maneuvering whichever way is best for Texalar. Basically, suck up to both one-on-one but make it seem like we're in pitched negotiations with the other. It's dishonest but we're a nobleman and that shit's our bread and butter.

>>4293470
While good, small thing.
Daughters of the emperor, if you say bride then they may get really pissed if they are the uptight sort.

I don't quite like the grovelling though. Sends the wrong message in my book.

>>4293456
This

>>4293470
Support

>>4293474
>Daughters of the emperor
Right. I thought so but wasn't sure. As for groveling, we're a minor planetary governor, if we can get the church to think we're humble and pious, which she will report, we can get significant dividends at no risk to ourselves. Same thing with the Adeptus Mechanicus, to a lesser extent. The groveling is mostly rhetoric and playing into her ego, as a representative of the Sisters of Battle not necessarily an individual, easier to smooth over the unpalatable deal.

>>4293485
There is a difference between humble/pious [which can be discounted by checking our church attendence] and "I beseech you, a lowly man lifted high by chance of birth and circumstance." It's blatant grovelling and a lie to boot, since the actual low men are in the fields.

The strong arming argument has it's basis in truth, so we can go with that.

>>4293445
Woops. I meant to support this. >>4293456

>>4293473
I'm not sure how to feel about this

>>4293474
>Daughters of the empero
Ya wot?

>>4293485
We really shouldnt be groveling. It should be the other way around, and as our station puts us above the cannonness we shouldnt show such a sign of weakness. I'm voting no on any form of grovelling and begging. I liked the idea of donating a portion of our servitor funds to them.

>>4293505
Basically in the reign of blood Vandire, master of the assassin temples, made a coup of rulership of the imperium and succeeded. He then made the daughters of the emperor [sisters of battle] into his personal guards and renamed them the brides of the emperor. So he had hot warrior nuns as his concubines, bodyguards and soldiers.
When his reign came to an end, Alica dominica re-renamed them back to daughters of the emperor to distance themselves from vandire and their shameful service to him.

On another note, I do think the suggestion of "They are putting us in a hard situation" is a good card to play.
>Blessed Cannonness, please understand they would accept none other and I feel it is better that they search with our permission under the watchful sight of those willing to ensure they show the proper respect, than to risk them sabotaging my charge's agricultural efforts and strong-arming my position into granting them full reign. I don't want to see a Holy Site ransacked for the sake of material greed, likewise, I don't want to see the war effort against the thrice-damned heretics abroad compromised over the stubbornness of a single Magos. I don't like it, but we each know well how obstinate the Scions of Mars can be.

This ^ is a good argument

>>4293456
support

perhaps we should see the place as well, when the survey starts.

>>4293510
So a combo of this >>4293456 and this >>4293470? So long as we dont give off the image of getting on our knees and begging.

As a second, possibly cheeky, move we could tell the mechanicus that the order of sisters wants a donation to soothe the troubles that the techpriests are going through.

That would amuse me to little end, but is probably a bad idea. But if it works..

>>4293555
Basically

>>4293556
>But if it works
I cannot tell you just how much I want this. The magos just said metals and payments wasnt as good as knowledge. Maybe we could imply to the cannonness that she should see if the sisters can get anything from the mechanicus. The sister will get their much needed additional funds or war gear, the magos gets his search warrant, and we get to keep our budget to invest in how we see fit.

>>4293563
Yeah, make the suggestion that such a thing they seek is very valuble, possibly that they should make a toll of gear or shit. Even if they don't need it, it should appeal to their distaste for the mechanicus. So long as it isn't too outrageous the magos will probably capitulate

>>4293505
>>4293556
Yeah, I'm thinking I overdid it.

>>4293555
Supporting.

>>4293556
>>4293563
>>4293570
The balls involved

File: 1590562889469.gif (291 KB, 350x315)

291 KB GIF

>>4293608
the utter BALLS

I'll be closing this vote in 1-2 hours

File: excited babu.gif (77 KB, 97x90)

77 KB GIF

>>4293640
BALLS

>>4293456
>This
+
>Write ins

Writing

File: sandwhich.jpg (316 KB, 2048x1792)

316 KB JPG

>>4293611
>>4293694
Sandwich.

You return a placid smile in the face of her flat rejection. As has been established, politicking is your bread and butter. You’re no stranger to rejection and excel in turning it into something else. “I can appreciate your position, Cannoness, it is not my intention to disrespect the memory of Saint Suspiria, blessed be her name beneath the God Emperor, but if I may, the Mechanicus believe they will find some manner of information which shall be used to venerate the God Emperor- or in their terms venerate the Omnissiah. You may consider it their own form of service to the Golden Throne, if that helps.”

“I understand they wish to pay homage to our savior in their own way,” Jezera says, “I don’t find it offensive but I do find it misguided.”

You press on, undaunted, “Cannoness, the potential of what they believe they shall find is of immense value to the Imperium and the Mechanicus especially. While you may find it distasteful to work alongside such a . . .” You struggle for a word “-distorted faith, refusal will simply see them turn to more covert means. For such a reason I find it to be much better for all involved if they conducted their dealings above the table where we may see them, isn't it better to concede this ground and make sure that the tomb is treated properly under your watch?"

She furrows her brow which only accentuates the thick scar that runs across her face. “You are implying the Mechanicus Cult will violate Saint Suspiria’s shrine?”

“I have no doubt you and your fellow Sisters would never let anything of the sort happen,” you add quickly, “But I do find myself in a tough situation. Either I allow them to investigate the holy site, under armed guard of Sisters with the most faithful of my own agents outside should they seek to renege on their agreement, or the servitors tending to the crops feeding the masses of mankind are left to rot and in doing so, leave millions more Hive-world mouths hungry than could have been.”

Jezera purses her lips in thought. “I see. Blackmail.”

“An exchange,” you add quickly. “An equal trade of information for technology. I am sure that this will further all of our causes, the mutual glory of the Imperium. You must also understand my position here. As planetary governor I alone must bring the many minds of our world together as one. I feel it is better that they search with our permission under the watchful sight of those willing to ensure they show the proper respect, rather than to risk them sabotaging my charge's agricultural efforts and strong-arming my position into granting them full reign. I don't want to see a Holy Site ransacked for the sake of material greed, likewise, I don't want to see the war effort against the thrice-damned heretics abroad compromised over the stubbornness of a single Magos. I don't like it, but we each know well how obstinate the Scions of Mars can be.”

(1/3)

You see conflict on her face as options war with one another in her mind. You decide to go for the killing blow. “This information they expect to find, they have implied it has substantial value to them. The Magos might be willing to show his gratitude with a large donation to your order.”

“I can give you my blessing,” she says at last. “One day of access. Under our supervision. Not a single relic or artifact will leave this tomb without my express authority. On this matter, Lord Governor, I answer to a power higher than you.”

“I understand,” you say.

“I will give the Mechanicus one day - no more -to conduct their business, make their investigation and leave.”

You sense this is as far as you can push her without giving orders. “One day,” you repeat.

“And I will also ensure that the Deacon himself is present,” Jezera says.

Deacon Levben is the highest religious authority on the planet, the principal representative of the Ecclesiarchy. His presence will imply a high degree of scrutiny on this operation.

“I intend to be present myself,” you say, bringing the number of top level representatives to three. “I assure you that no harm will come to the shrine.”

“I mark your word, Lord Governor,” the Cannoness says. “Emperor go with you.”

The next several hours are spent relaying scheduling between three monolithic pillars of Imperial authority, the Mechanicus, the Ecclesiarchy, and your own power. The plan is to conduct this survey in a matter of days. Magos Alum’s office is pleased with your decision and arranges for the donation to the Church as well as proper care to be taken. You cap the number of Mechanicus priests at four excluding the Magos himself and satisfy yourself that they will not strip mine the facility.

The visit to the tomb will be in a few days. You also have an upcoming banquet scheduled to be held with the Four Families, an event that never fails to entertain. Capping off this flurry of activity, a major combat offensive should be beginning against the heretics in the Blood Coven Wars. You hope for good news, you know Texalarian troops will be spearheading this attack.

(2/3)

File: 40K-20171013021351.jpg (140 KB, 1164x1654)

140 KB JPG

You put this all out of mind to focus on the coming reforms you have planned. With Magos Alum’s promised servitor modifications you expect to lessen your dependence on human labor and spend more funds improving their lives to some degree. A day later, Pemberton returns with the numbers and the both of you look over the budget.

“The money you pilfered from the Mechanicus-”

“Saved,” you correct.


“Saved,” Pemberton repeats, “will go a long way to offset the costs of what you have in mind. I’ve managed to secure a few tons of surplus chem suits and safety gear that will help reduce deaths, enough to allow shift work that’s fully protected. I’ve also drawn up some additional plans.” He winces, “Money is the main problem though.”

“How so?”

“We can expand the food supply for our own workers,” he explains, “Decontaminate some of the sea and fallow land to be used for more palatable foodstuffs for export, or improve hab conditions for the workers.”

You know that worker habs are squalid hovels, crowded, dirty, unventilated, no better than the industrial barns bales of biomatter are kept in. Vermin and disease are rampant. Constructing fresh new hab blocks is an expensive proposition, but you can mostly offset the cost with the money you earmarked for servitors. The rest will have to be borrowed from noble houses and the Adminsitratum, if they will part with any of it.

“The habs are disease vectors,” you say, “They will have to be changed first, the rest can follow.”

“I wouldn’t be so hasty,” Pemberton says, cautioning you. “That’s the obvious fix, yes. But it will mean another year or more before we can expand our food crops, either for domestic consumption or for export. If we instead funnel this money to pay for decontamination and low-grade terraforming we can more quickly create productive land. That produce will be exported and help pay for further improvements. Or anything else we desire. The chemical suits alone will make the workers happy enough to stave off an uprising.”

You’re not sure you share his optimism on that front. A number of arbites patrols have gone missing in the depths of the worker habs. Never a good sign. Of course, this might make it the worst time to start demolishing and rebuilding hab blocks.

Splitting the money will do little on all fronts. If you’re to make an impact it will need to be spent in one solid chunk.


>Spend the money to expand the available food for our people
>Spend the money to upgrade their living conditions
>Spend the money to decontaminate land for exporting produce
>Write in

>>4293979
Well that was a minefield well navigated gentlemen. Good work.

Now then.....We want a semi-happy populace. Thus common sense makes it that we want to please the workers with food, because a good meal is legitimately a great vector for contentedness. They can have shitty housing, bad work but with good food they have something to savour.
On the other hand, making better land to increase revenue will serve us well. right, so I got an idea.

We go with decontaminating land for more produce right? but what we do next is we order some cheap but strong spice like chilli peppers or something and we grind it up with the corpse starch and other shitty rations to give it a bit of flavor. At least it won't taste bland.
The best outcome is if there is something like this which is a natural side product we produce, which turns our waste into a new means of profit.
Anything like that present, GM?

>>4294006
Simply offering different "flavors" of chow should be no obstacle. Spicy, chicken, oriental, whatever. Spice is relatively cheap.

>>4294006
So far it looks like you're going with the-
>Spend the money to decontaminate land for exporting produce
>Spend the money to expand the available food for our people
>Spend the money to upgrade their living conditions
-prioritizing top to bottom. Yeah I can't think of anything atm so I'll support this.

File: 56yrtf.jpg (4 KB, 226x223)

4 KB JPG

>>4294050
FOR THE LOVE OF THE GOD EMPEROR
GET THESE POOR BASTARDS SOME SPICES

>>4293979
>Spend the money to decontaminate land for exporting produce

>Write in
Send PDF with air support to start paroling and searching room by room for missing Arbites and purging out any problems. Bring flamethrowers.

>>4294050
.....Fucking. This solves tons of problems. Like holy shit. People love their food, the simple act of introducing flavored slop will do us just as, if not more good than the hazard suits.

And our meritocracy idea can easily be applied here. Two flavors of something like "spicy" and "chicken" for everyone but if you do great work then your block/shift will get an extra flavor or some shit.

>>4294051
No actually. With this revelation that spices are no obstacle, we can drop the "food" shit to bottom.

>>4294054
I am laughing for real right now.

File: 1589231379963.jpg (163 KB, 563x364)

163 KB JPG

>>4294073
fair point about the food. Spices first, the food quality for the people last.

>>4294077
GOD EMPEROR DAMMIT I'M CRYING THEY'RE IN PAIN PLEASE FEED THEM FOR THE EMPERORS SAKE!

>>4294084
ha ha ha ha ha

File: KFC Melange.jpg (612 KB, 1200x636)

612 KB JPG

>>4294084
The spice must flow!

>>4293979
>>Spend the money to decontaminate land for exporting produce

>>4293979
>Disease
>Arbites disappearing on patrol

A goddamn nurgle cult is present in those hab blocks.

>Spend the money to upgrade their living conditions

Also get the Eccelscharchy to be present, deploy more arbites, and PDF forces when we go to replace the hab blocks. We are gonna need them to deal with the cultists so we can rebuild everything quicker.

>>4295008
Oh that's a good point. This. If we dont take care of the cult it's only going to spread and fester.

>>4295008
Tell the church of our concerns, deploy additional men to deal with the problem and purge the cult dead.

>>4293979
>If we instead funnel this money to pay for decontamination and low-grade terraforming we can more quickly create productive land. That produce will be exported and help pay for further improvements. Or anything else we desire. The chemical suits alone will make the workers happy enough to stave off an uprising.
Wait a sec. So if we do this, how long until we can afford to have the Hab Blocks referbished? I changed my mind again. Stick with changeling the land and dealing with the Hab Blocks later.

We're gonna see if we can get some sisters with flamers to cleanse some of the diseased with flames. The Hab Blocks are already bad as it is, but any Nurgle cultist presence is just going to make it worse. At the very least, once they are gone the blocks should be more habitable until at least a year or two, by the time we can afford to renovate them.

>>4295008
>>4295037
Do we even know about chaos stuff and chaos gods?

>>4295071
We do, but not an amazing amount.
>“What about the rumors of heresy?” He says the last word with all the contempt such a taboo word should carry. You know the walls of your office are secure - as secure as you can make them, but you don’t even like the implication that the taint of Chaos lurks on this planet. You know more about it that most given your high rank, and you still know very little though it’s more than you want to.
>I don't want to see a Holy Site ransacked for the sake of material greed, likewise, I don't want to see the war effort against the thrice-damned heretics abroad compromised over the stubbornness of a single Magos.

>>4295071

>>4295081 is correct.

To be more specific: You (and all Imperial citizens) know that Horus led a band of other traitors against the Emperor resulting in his interment in the gold throne.

You are vaguely aware of the traitor primarchs. You know the loyalist primarchs. You know about Chaos, you know it makes heavy use of psykers and there are rumors of other, worse, things.

You do NOT know about the reality of the chaos gods. You know that heretics profess to worship "other" gods and that's about it. Think medieval Catholics encountering a pagan culture. All you know is it isn't YOUR god.

Closing this vote in approx 2 hours

>>4295119
Would it be not too meta to contact the cannonness and ask her about the rumors of cultist worship? If she had to hazard a guess, would she have an idea where it might be? Someone a part of the Adeptus Ministorum would probably hold a great deal more knowledge about the great enemies of mankind.

>>4295181
You'd be surprised how little detail they would know. They recognize "the enemy" but won't have spent significant amounts of time learning about them. Studying Chaos is frowned upon.

>Spices
>PDF patrols
>Decontaminate the land
>Solicit church help w/ chaos cults

Writing

Give me a little while.

“You’re right,” you say to Pemberton. “Long term investment over short term appeasement.” You shuffle the dataslates on your desk and check a map of the world. “We’ll start decontamination of these three sites. Wind and rainfall patterns should help shield them against re-contamination. Lower intensity agriculture for higher value crops.”

Pemberton takes notes with his autoquill on a parchment scroll.

“As a stop gap, maybe we can take what we have and make it seem like more.”

He cocks and eyebrow, “How do you mean?”

“Simply flavoring the rations differently may allow us to pass them off as more diversity. Do you know of a cheap source for spices and flavorings?”

Pemberton consults his slate. “There is a particularly thorny breed of Creepvine that has evolved a sort of self defense in those spines. Potent irritants. We use them in riotgas, nonlethal. If we dilute it I believe it would make for a mild spice. I might also be able to obtain liquid runoff from slaughterhouses and repurpose it to make stock or broth.”

The both of you consult the relevant data and nutritional information. Non-lethal, approximation of more exotic flavors, and more importantly. Cheap.

“Run it through some poison-sensing servitors first,” you say, “To be safe, then we can roll it out starting with or top performing harvesters. Couple that with the chem suits and I think we can stave off a revolt for now.”

After meeting with Pemberton you dedicate your attention to your secondary concern.Chaos insurrection. With little hard information you opt for a two pronged approach. Firstly, you dispatch large teams of arbites backed with the PDF to scour the underhive and the outlying worker habs for any hint of taint. You also intent to involve the Ecclesiarchy but decide you can broach the subject with the Deacon himself when you meet him at Suspiria’s tomb.

(1/2)

In the following days, worker unrest is tempered by the ‘increased ration variety’. Annoyingly, the Four Families jointly make a statement calling this a sign of their benevolence and generosity toward the people of Texalar. Fine, let them steal a share of the credit if it makes them happy. Protests in Nashton and Atlas fizzle out in a flurry of riot-gas and with the application of benefits behind the scenes.
Your attention turns now to news returning from Rindar. An enemy attack on the shrine city of Glory Falls was successfully repelled with heavy loss of life and word is that an Imperial counter offensive is being prepared.

So far all is well until work returns from the captain of Atlas’s arbites. You read through the report with growing alarm. An Arbites/PDF raid on an underhive settlement encountered fierce resistance by what can only be described as Chaos cultists. In the ensuing firefight all of the cultists were killed or driven off and a shrine of sorts was discovered before it was burned. The picts of arcane symbols and nauseating idols turn your stomach. The final word of the report is what troubles you.

“I fear, Lord Governor, that it is getting worse.”

If Chaos is in force on Texalar and growing like a cancer then it must be burned out at once. So far your efforts have kept it tamped down, but what if it is growing?

The PDF is stretched to its limit in regards to what equipment and leadership is available. Attempting to dredge up yet more soldiers from your already stretched population seems beyond consideration.

You know being upfront with Imperial authorities about the possibility of a growing Chaos cult on your world will spell an end to your career and potentially an end to the planet itself. If you’re to contain and eradicate this it will have to be done as quietly as possible.

You are a man of some means. You know the right people in high places to exert some of your considerable will off world. The idea occurs to you that it may be prudent to arrange for off-world reinforcement of Texalar’s security forces. If you are correct it could make all the difference in the next few weeks. If not . . . then you will be weakening the war effort at a critical moment.


>Strings can be pulled to get some good troops here
>Excuses can be made to return a single regiment of Texalarians home
>The wars are sacred and our efforts cannot be weakened
>Write in

>>4295221
Hmm....Well I think everyone can agree that this problem needs to be dealt with. The question is HOW do we do this.
My first thought is reach out to the inquisition, but that's just asking for bad tidings when you fuck with pandora's box.

The second idea was to extend some of our will and get some troops from another planet that isn't involved in the blood covern wars and have them routed to us for a while.

Third idea is to request the mechancus supply some skitarri if they found any archeotech, considering it a repayment for the colossal find.

the last idea is levying a tax/order on the 4 families which says they need to either contribute their household guard or a sum of mercenaries to the muster, forbidding the picking from the laborers.

These are all the ideas I have, so any thoughts on them?

>>4295240
I can weigh quickly and say:

>Calling Inquisition
This could have potentially disastrous consequences

>Other planets
All available troops are contributed to the war

>Skitarri
It's very unlikely the Mechanicus will pony up any significant forces. They don't have a large presence on Texalar which means calling for off world support that ISNT committed to the wars.

>Household guards/mercs
Potentially possible, but if you exclude laborers they will be reaching out to off world mercenaries which will take time.

File: Fiddled.png (179 KB, 369x438)

179 KB PNG

>>4295253
Perhaps a combination of
>Strings can be pulled to get some good troops here
>Household guards/mercs
This way we might be able to press the troops we personally find immediately into service, while the ones the noble families call upon will back ours up? If that makes sense. Any that survive we can just push into the Texalar war. At least half.

In addition to a propaganda campaign against the chaos cultists. If we can do this without revealing too much information about them to the general hive populous without giving the Imperium cause to execute us for revealing too much about the great enemy of man, we should paint it in a light to show all cultist activity being the cause for everyone's misery. Why everyone lives in squalor, why young men and women are being sent off to war etc., that is if we're not doing so already. Perhaps we can discuss this with the sisters and the Deacon to gain some of their insight into the matters.

How rationed is water? If water isn't too rationed in the underhives, perhaps we can also include water flavorings with minor amounts of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins to bolster citizen health. Should it not cost too much?

>>4295266
I like the idea of pulling strings and merc/guard combo. It will serve us very well.

A regiment typically serves to be about 360 men composed of 9 platoons of 35 plus command staff, commisat and psykers, so with each house told to levy 200 fighting men, barring drawing from laborers, we should have about 3 to 4 regiments if we pull some more strings. That should be enough for any insurrection. Maybe drop the requirements to 150 me each? hell possibly just 100. Such a thing would be enough to stomp out a hives worth of insurrectionists.

Now then, on who to draw back, we ideally want a regiment that is just finishing up their battles on a world or is being rotated off of the front for some rest. These are soldiers who will not have been put into any plans which cannot be adapted due to lack of forewarning.

And lastly, Don't give them good water. We need to save some of our treats for when people start to grow discontent again.

>>4295287
Good ideas. What about...
>withdrawling troopers from off world back to Texalar
I'd go with veterans. There was that one Imperial Guardsman General that was something like a living saint that ran all his men ragged because he was "TOO" successful in his nonstop crusading. We might be able to get away with the excuse of recalling men who have been touring for a long time to restock their moral so they can be shipped back out after a year, or stay to train new regiments.

I guess we can save the water until after we deal with the cultists. Is that good?

>>4295304
The general you are referring to is Saint Macharius, Alexander the great Expy. He conquered a hundred worlds and would have done more had his men not gotten fed up and refused to leave the galaxy.

Mhmm, Maybe try targeting the depleted regiments to re-stock here so they can be merged into a cohesive regiment[s]. We have the food after all.
So target either those getting rotated off or arrange for our world to be where the depleted regiments get merged into composite formations. Sounds good.

As for water, I'm saying "Leave it until the plebs get antsy". When that happens, I have no idea yet, but it's a trick to use when we need it.

>>4295316
Poor Alexander. If he just chose to rotate his men in and out he would had conquered a few hundred more before the deaging surgeries stopped being effective.

Do you think we should schedule a holo-vid thing meeting with the head of our PDF and Arbites to get a personal measure of how fucked shit is? Reports are nice and all, but doesn't covey the same amount of urgency as an actual conversation. That is only if they have the time to spare.

>>4295253
As an Agri-world our main export of food, but are there other things we can manufacture? Do we have any minor weapon and vehicle manufactorums?

>>4295322
A holo-vid would be good for their personal thoughts and opinions. recommended courses of action and the like.

But you did give me another idea. The mechanicus doesn't want money when we had a chance to buy more servitors. If they find anything, we could cash in our favour with buying some combat servitors/turrets/tanks and walkers/other equipment to utterly fuck the revolting lower classes. That only works if they find archeotech though

>>4295322
The lightest of light manufacturing takes place here. Mostly incidentals like eating utensils and spare parts and the like. 90% of all industrial goods you import from elsewhere. There is little heavy industry outside of agriculture and no military industry outside the bare minimum to keep your PDF armed. The weapons and gear you outfit your regiments with is imported.

>>4295333
Right. Of course. We should stick to our strengths which is still agriculture. Perhaps once the war is over, or at least the cultists in the hives have been dealt with we can focus on minor things that can be accomplished within a year or two, such as the improvements to the hab blocks once we've cleaned some of the land and water for export and can afford to do it. After the food and living conditions have been dealt with we can focus on other tasks, like improving the water recycling systems in the hive and agricultural areas so all the chemicals from the fertilizers arent immediately dumped into the sea. After that we can world on unfucking the ocean so we can grow additional products like krill and fish in aquaponic like hatcheries.

Short term goals: spices & food additives, clean land for more crops, deal with cultists. Then fix Hab's and offer better food.

Long term: better water recycle systems, unfuck ocean for fish harvesting, building
more skyscrapers or underground farms.

>>4295329
Can you remind me of the deal? Was it that we get the servitor upgrades and/or fleet uf we ensured he gets his search warrant, in addition to a bonus if he found anything?

Right, what to ask for if they find anything. I like walkers because they're pretty much all terrain and are able to maneuver around a hive than say a tank or taurux truck, while still being able to mount a Heavy Bolter or Las Cannon. I think if there was anthing we should ask for, it would be a wide range of cleaning/industrial equipment for agriculture purposes, in addition to some Walkers, a bulk of Lasguns, and armor of the carapace and Flak variety. This is still only an agri world so we dont have to go full on Armageddon.

>>4295221
>Write in

Let s find inconsistencies in the halls and tunnels of the under hives as well minor surface settlements. Send some of our spies for verify this, this cultists have spaces for storage, praying and living. They probably have some contacts for gain weaponry or equipment, even if they are living waste they wouldn't just use weapons they can craft there.

>>4295385
the deal was we get our upgrades for the warrant, and we decided to re-open talks if they found anything down there.
Nothing was explicitly set in stone.

And what I suggested asking for was weapon servitors. They can be repurposed after the fighting.

>>4295386
It's something to talk to the Deacon at least. Perhaps once our Arbites, PDF troops and Sisters of Battle can collaborate a raid they can torture as many cultists as it takes to find their dealers. That way we'll be able to take out two birds with one stone. The cultists will be weakened, and we deal with additional hiver scum.

>>4295389
The nobles will probably complain about the additional farming Servitors. Think that'll be an issue?

>>4295397
Maybe, but do you think they would complain more about the weapon servitors?

>>4295413
They better not, those asshole. I wish there was a way to overthrow the families of the opposing hives and just replace them with someone else.

>>4295452
It's possible! Just Bring enough troops back, fabricate a reason, and attack the other hives.

>>4295452
Devil you know is better than the one you don't, unless you fancy purging an entire family.

File: The_Purge_Election_Year.png (123 KB, 220x329)

123 KB PNG

>>4295534
I wouldn't be against removing some obstacles.

>>4295517
As enticing as the idea sounds, now's probably not the best idea. If we did purge then we'd probably have to kill our advisor.

File: Spoiler Image (86 KB, 634x714)

86 KB JPG

>>4295551

File: tumblr_ef5048665d0a7ae338(...).jpg (29 KB, 500x470)

29 KB JPG

>>4295565
Yeah. He's kinda growing on him, and it would be a shame to cull such a talented individual due to his loyalty to his family.

File: Hmm.gif (240 KB, 320x320)

240 KB GIF

>>4295569
Von griffs and Pendletons could easily split the planet between them. Come to think of it, which hive has the chaos infestation, if it's someone we don't like then.....well.....It may not be a cult that grew without their knowledge.

>>4295240
>>4295221

After reading the post, I was thinking house guards since they oh so nicely claims credit for serving the greater good from our "shared reforms", and shall continue to do so with sending their own servants. Those dudes that claims more credit need to send more guards.

>>4295634
this
and maybe when their guard forces are exhausted, ours will sweep in a clean house. Perhaps that anon wasn't all that far off by having our's and Alexander's family share power of the planet, but we can only do this once we've confirmed we stamped out off the chaos influence in the Hives.

>>4295644
Wait actually Pemberton's own family was steal our clout. Fuck them. Shoot why can't he be the head of his own family AND be our advisor?

>>4295634
Yep. Claim credit, put your money where your mouth is.

>>4295644
And you can only wipe out a family when you have everything in order to tear them out, root and stem.

>>4295645
Conflict of interests and What?

File: tiAzdFN.jpg (518 KB, 2133x1920)

518 KB JPG

>>4295648
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zbZmbbZBY8

Yeah. They owe us for the clout.

>Conflict of interests and What?
I don't know. maybe we should talk to him a bit more. He might be great with agriculture, but we at least have him beat in the social combat game. I say he deserves more than what his family offers.

>>4295634
We can't be shown openly forcing some Houses to do more than others, especially when they claim to have already done the most and could spin it to turn the masses against us, but we CAN spread propaganda listing the efforts of the Houses to safeguard our world with detailed, as in how many each sent relative to the others, but vague in that it says nothing concrete and gives no strategically relevant information, statistics. The real question to answer is do we want to mediate and merge the Four Families, or do we want to establish our own dynasty as supreme and diminish the others? I say we go for a mediator mindset until we have sufficient troops and some off-world advisors to rely on, in which case we give the lesser nobles the choice to swear fealty or undergo a stripping of titles for "seditiously undermining the Planetary Governor" while retaining enough of their assets to remain financially solvent but diminishing their influence, to minimize the chance of an aristocratic coup or top-down rebellion.

>>4295266
>>4295287
>Strings can be pulled to get some good troops here
+
>Press the Families to hire mercenaries
+
Write ins

Writing

You can’t take chances with the safety of Texalar. You lean on some of your contacts in your family to in turn lean on their own contacts in the wider Imperium arranging for a battle group of soldiers to be redeployed to Texalar ostensibly for training and refit. In the meanwhile you can use them to hold ground while your PDF conducts more extensive sweeps of the underhive.

Adding to that, you pass a planetary edict that each of the four families must contribute a two thousand man contingent to your control for peacekeeping. Presently Texalar’s four families aren’t allowed to have anything like a standing army so these numbers will be impossible to meet unless they greatly expand their household guards or hire offworld mercenaries. Either solution gives you many more soldiers to work with, although there is a possibility that the houses will use this as an opportunity to become minor military powers in their own right.

You also meet briefly with your minister of security who acts as a liaison for planetary defense force as well as the four hive city’s aribites. The picture he paints is . . . not as grim as you feared. There is rumbling of cult activity in both Atlas and Nashton, but nothing entirely cataclysmic. The heretics don’t dare practice openly at any rate. Still, you already have the troops en route so you commit to a firm policy of eradication. Strike teams will root out and purge any hint of chaos taint they find with an eye for arms and food stores that they may be using to feed and equip clandestine armies.

++++++

Today is the day, the visit to the tomb of the saint. You leave Pemberton to run your office and travel with your small entourage of guards and scribes as you leave Monticello headed for the coast. The shrine itself is nestled in the outskirts of a small city which squats on the green-grey shoreline. It is a fishing village though nowadays all it does is dredge up bottom feeding slugs and crustaceans to be added to the nutrient pulp that constitutes your citizens’ diet.

The shrine is unassuming. A low block structure marked with a golden Aquila, its wings stained with salt from the nearby ocean. A gaggle of transports and vehicles are parked around the area each belonging to a different faction involved with this opening.

(1/2)

Cannoness Jezera is here to greet you, as is a corpulent man in the robes of the Ecclesiarchy, Deacon Levben.

“Lord Governor,” Levben says. The three of you exchange a series of differential bows. “I understand you will be opening the tomb to a Mechanicus survey?” His tone betrays no judgement.

“That’s correct, your grace,” you say, “A difficult decision, but I feel it will suit all of us well.”

“They have certainly paid well enough,” he says, “A donation was made in the name of the ‘Omnissiah’ to our charitable organization.”

“That is good news.”

“The Magos is here,” Jezara says, “We were waiting for you to arrive before opening the tomb.” She hides any misgivings she may feel.

“There is a topic I wanted to broach with you first,” you say, “as Ecclesiarchal representatives. There have been . . . troubling rumors of Chaos cults on this planet forming among the laborers.”

Jezar furrows her scarred face into a mask of concern.

“Heresy?” Deacon Levben says.

“I’m afraid so.

“Quite troubling. Has this been brought to the eyes of the Inquisition?” he asks.

“Not quite yet,” you say, “I’d prefer to handle this matter internally before it gets to that point. Would either of you have any insight?”

“The unclean must be expunged with the Emperor’s wrath,” Jezera says. “Were my battle sisters present here in any number we would gladly lend you our torches and swords to this task.”

“You may have that chance, Cannoness. A battle group will be gathering here soon and I expect it includes some of your Order.”

“I should also be happy to lend you any number of preachers to minister to the masses,” Levben says, “And I should like to deliver a sermon as well, perhaps to the laborers of Monticello at morning assembly. Perhaps some divine words could help change the situation.”


>I welcome a sermon, your grace
>No sermon necessary, the preachers will suffice.
>Write in

>>4296923
"You can never have too much faith, Your grace. If time permits you, then such words would be ambrosia to the faithful soul."

>>4296923
>I welcome a sermon, your grace
I honestly see no reason why she shouldn't if she's already offering. It would do the citizens good to steel their resolve in the Emperor. We've already made some changes to improve the loves of the average citizen with the safety equipment and improvement to food. It would be nice if the other nobles didn't try to take credit for it. Emperor forbid they ACTUALLY to make an effort of making the planet slightly better.
Oh yeah and I guess the Cannoness will probably leave someone at the temple to keep everything handled in case of visitors wishing to pray.

>>4296923
>I welcome a sermon, your grace

>>4296951
The tomb needs to be properly guarded. The spiritual significance of such a place makes it's loss a crippling moral defeat.

>>4296923
>>I welcome a sermon, your grace

>>4296962
This, yeah, exactly what I meant. If she got someone to hold down the fort then power to her to come on down the hab-blocks to hold a sermon.

>>4296923
>I welcome a sermon, your grace

>>4296967
It's the deacon who wants to give a speech.

We also need extensive paperworking of the regiments summoned, done by our office.

>I welcome a sermon, your grace

Writing

"You can never have too much faith, your grace. If time permits you, then such words would be ambrosia to the faithful soul."

Deacon Levben smiles a taught grin. “I will begin preparations once our mission here is complete.”

The three of you move across the small ruined site toward the tomb entrance. There had once been a grand structure on this site, destroyed long ago, in the Heresy you suppose. Only a few squat buildings and the tomb remain.

Here, by the gilded, arched door is Magos ALum and his group of tech priests, all bristling with augmetics save one, a young woman who for all outward appearance seems completely human.

“Lord Governor,” Alum says, his servo skulls buzzing. “This is Aloetta, our Factor.”

She bows, “Greetings, Lord Governor.” She would be pretty you think, were it not for the waxy quality of her skin and the visible I/O ports that dot the sides of her skull.

“Hello,” you return, unsure of what to make of her.

“I will be acting as a liaison between Magos Alum and the blessed representatives of the God-Emperor.”

You’ve never heard of a Mechanicus adept refer to their deity as anything other than the Omnissiah. You take this to be a good sign. “Wonderful.”

“Cannoness,” Aloetta addresses the Sister. “With your blessing we will begin our work.”

Jezera hesitates only a moment before nodding.

(1/3)

The doors are unbarred by a waiting pair of sisters. Fragrant smoke is dispensed with a pair of censors and the door blessed with oil before it is pulled smoothly open. The cool, dry air that emanates from within is strangely sterile, lacking the smell of decay you would have expected.

“This way,” Jezera says.

Your group descends single file into the tomb. The walls here are coated with melted wax, beads of it pooling at the edge of the stairs allowing only a narrow path to descend. Parchment strips inscribed with holy words and passages from sacred texts are adhered all about, some of them brushing your heads as you pass, giving the illusion of moving through a sacramental jungle.

You’ve been in this tomb many times before, you’re not a young man and you’ve made this trip yearly to pay your respects, but it feels different somehow without the fanfare.

A pair of sisters in power armor wait at the bottom of the stairs. Their armor is the red of the Order of the Crimson Dagger though they wear black morning robes over it. Each is armed with a fearsome looking bolt rifle. They are knelt and do not look up as you pass.

A final door remains which Jezera opens with a key hanging about her neck and admits the group.

The catacombs open up from here, starting in a large circular room. Its walls give way to alcoves choked with holy symbols, candles, prayer paper, and medallions. Between them are individual cells, each one a tomb for a fallen Sister. The most recent ones have legible inscriptions bearing names, deeds, and dates. Many of the legible ones bear the name of the world Rindar, focal point of the Blood Coven Wars. Beyond them are even older cells, their names long faded away.

Arched doorways lead to other grave sites and chapels branching from this hub.


In the center of the room is a massive, decorated sarcophagus. It bears Aquilas, symbolized skulls and daggers, withered flower petals across it, half-melted candles form a ring about it. The saint’s tomb.

“You may begin your work,” Jezera says.

(2/3)

The tech priests fan out, their servo skulls flitting about and probing the tomb with scanners as their masters plod down separate tunnels searching.

Only Aloetta remains, smiling placidly and waiting patiently beside you.

Jezera skulks near the sarcophagus and watches the outsiders do their silent work.

Deacon Levben seems untroubled and smiles curiously at some decorative work on the walls, pausing to brush a thin layer of dust away.

Minutes pass as the work is conducted. You give into your curiosity and turn to Aloetta. “Tell me, Factor-”

“Please, address me as Aloetta, Lord Governor.”

“Aloetta,” you start again, “what is it you hope to find in these passages?”

“I cannot say with certainty,” she says. “Saint Suspiria lived in an interesting time, witnessing both the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. We know she was a valiant warrior and highly valued soldier of the Imperium in this time. It stands to reason that she may have been interred with equally valuable tools.”

A simplistic explanation, but one that would have to do for now. Though Aloetta’s body language is open and inviting you can think of nothing more to say and content yourself with waiting.

Hours later, Magos Alum returns, spouting a binaric string at Aloetta.

“I am sorry to report,” she says, “that our search has been fruitless.”

“A pity,” the deacon says.

“We will seal the site then,” Jezera says.

Alum speaks quickly and Aloetta interprets. “There is one last place we should like to check.” She looks to you. “The Saint’s sarcophagus has not been opened in recorded history. A likely place for the items we seek.”

“Under no condition,” Cannoness Jezera replies, her voice icy. “Saint Suspiria - Emperor rest her soul - is not to be disturbed.”

“Wealth, Lord Governor,” Mago Alum says to you, switch to gothic. “If we find an artefact consider the wealth we may possess. Interrogative: What harm can there be in looking?”

“Sacrilege,” Jezera says. “The sarcophagus is a holy relic, not a grave to be plundered!”

You glance to the Deacon for support. To your surprise he gives a permissive shrug, “The site can always be blessed and reconsecrated. I suspect the Saint would want us to use whatever tools she may be able to provide.”

The betrayal that registers on Cannoness Jezara’s face is heartbreaking to you. All the same, she doesn’t dare speak against the Deacon.


>Very well, open the sarcophagus
>I see no reason to violate the tomb. The search is over.
>Write in

>>4297056
"The deacon has spoken, His wisdom on such matters outweighing my own, we may pray that it provides a great tool in the fight against the heretic and the heathen. I do ask that you do not disturb the bones of the saint as much as you are able, Magos."

Attribute it as much to the deacon as we can for the sisters sake. Maybe give her an apologetic look. We gain very little by making this seem like our first decision. If we are swayed by the most holy man on the planet though, we may claim deniablilty

>>4297056
Hold on. Do we know the composition of the sarcophagus? Would it hinder the scams of any auspex, cogitators, or other like sensory equipment?

>>4297104
A scan first may be nice, but I assume they would have done that anyway.......

But suggesting it first may make us seem even better.

>>4297104
Yes, sorry. Meant to say that it is shielded against such things.

>>4297056
>Write in
Ask the deacon what else we can do to help keep the resting soul of Saint Suspiria peaceful and reconsecrate her after we are done? Perhaps impart some knowledge or tradition from her time and maybe gift her some of her favorite ambrosia if records of what she likes is known? Perhaps have the Magos and his cohort stay and participate in the reconsecration?

Ensure the utmost care an caution is used when opening and examining.

>>4297056
>Interrogative: What harm can there be in looking?”
Should there be something of value in her sarcophagus Magos ALum, would you explain how to us how you would carefully extract them should they be on top of her remains, or inside her? To at the very least put our minds at ease?

>“Sacrilege,” Jezera says. “The sarcophagus is a holy relic, not a grave to be plundered!”
I apologize cannoness. Please do not see this as simply the defiling of a saint's tomb. If the Deacon word is true then no doubt that were she alive to day, she would want to continue our eternal fight for humanity, but as she lays here resting I think the most she could ask of us is to use what war gear to protect all that she had fought so far for. In on manner or another.
I would also hope you do not judge Mago's character so harshly. As we all can be pragmatic at time the prospect of wealth shouldnt be imaged invested in the vain or wasteful. With wealth we can be distributed to the people, or the guardsmen. We all wear different coat but our causes are one in the same.
So pretty much
>Very well, open the sarcophagus
But we're super polite about it, and we explain to the cannoness that the Deacon's passuveness probably shouldnt be interpreted as uncared, and the Magos not as greed.

>>4297056
This too >>4297071
Social combat enabled.

>>4297071
Supporting this

His words provide us with the perfect shield

>>4297071
This, it's out of our hands. Be sure to clasp in our hands and bow our heads in prayer for repentance during the excavation process.

>>4297666
Nice touch.

>Write ins
+
>Open it

Writing

"The deacon has spoken, His wisdom on such matters outweighing my own, we may pray that it provides a great tool in the fight against the heretic and the heathen. I do ask that you do not disturb the bones of the saint as much as you are able, Magos."

Alum buzzes at you, “Of course. We shall be delicate.”

You turn your attention to Jezera next, “I apologize cannoness. Please do not see this as simply the defiling of a saint's tomb. If the Deacon’s word is true then no doubt that were she alive today, she would want to continue our eternal fight for humanity, but as she lays here resting I think the most she could ask of us is to use what war gear to protect all that she had fought so far for. In one manner or another.”

Jezera seems unhappy about it but make no further argument.

You clasp your hands and bow your head in prayer as the tech persists use precision tools to slip the lid of the sarcophagus open. A moment later the heavy stone cap is set to the side, laying the Saint’s skeletal remains bare. You can’t help but look.

She is still dressed in ancient power armor, a corroded sword clasped to her chest.

Jezera quickly bows her head recites a prayer.

Alongside the remains of Saint Suspiria is a small tube, a cylindrical container that Alum fishes out carefully. It appears to be a parchment tube.

“What is that?” Deacon Levben asks.

“Analyzing,” Alum replies, turning the tube over in his hands and passing it to a pair of precision mechadentdrites which careful unscrew the cap and produce a large rolled parchment.

“Be careful!” Jezera barks, looking aghast.

“Cannoness, I assure you it is mathematically impossible for me to be more precise.” Alum’s testy reply silences the cannoness and he finishes unfurling the document. “It is,” he says, “A map.”

(1/2)

And a map it is. It seems to depict planetary clusters and snaking warp pathways that wind between stars. It’s labeled entire in high gothic and bears the seal of the Aquilla.

“A warp map?” you ask.

“Impossible,” Alum says, “Such a thing would be an exercise in folly. The empyrion cannot be mapped.” Even as he says it, you sense doubt.

For all the world it looks like a map of the warp to you. “If it is a map,” you hazard, “Where does it lead?”

“The Mausoleum,” Jezera says, breathless. “It must indicate the Mausoleum of the Forgotten.”

You’ve never heard of such a place and it shows on your face.

“It is said to be a legendary weapons trove, sealed away before the Heresy. Weapons the God-Emperor himself set aside,” Jezera explains. “Saint Suspiria was said to have been involved in their internment.”

Magos Alum turns the map over in his grip, studying it from a different angle. “That is quite impossible,” He says, “Interrogative: you believe the Omnissiah would cast away valuable weapons?”

Factor Aloetta speaks quickly in binaric and switches to gothic for you, “You must forgive our skepticism, but I feel this legend may have been corrupted by time and - as my Magos says - maps of the warp are impossible to reliably keep. Even if it does indicate such a weapons trove it will have no value to us now.”

“A pity to be sure,” the deacon says, holding out a hand. “But it will make a valuable addition to the ecclesiarchal archives in Monticello.”

Magos Alum looks at the deacon and then at you, “We were promised access to what was found.”

“And so you will be,” the deacon says, “But I believe the deal was for archeotech. Not historical documents.”

“This document may bear important information,” Alum replies.

“A warp map as you say has no value to you, Magos. My scholars will study it and see if we can divine any value from it for the order here.”

You cast a glance at Cannoness Jezera and see only quiet discomfort, an unwillingness to speak out of turn though she’s clearly unhappy with such a holy relic being squabbled over.

“We will be content for a copy of the map,” Alum tries, “And you may keep the original.”

Deacon Levben shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Magos, until we can ascertain its value I’m afraid I can’t consent to copies being made. If there is significance to this document it will need to be carefully studied.”

All eyes and picters are on you. Ultimately you hold dominion over all present as the final arbiter. You’d promised Alum Archeotech, but you’re not sure the supposed map counts. At the same time, you’re reluctant to hand it over to the Deacon if it does lead the way to fantastic treasures. Sealing it back with the saint might be a prudent option, and you could always take it yourself.

>The map will be re-interred with the Saint
>The map will go with the Magos
>The map will go with the Deacon
>I will take the map myself

>>4298105
Yeah......Sorry about this deacon, but we gave our word here. Ignoring that as a Magos who has seen the script, Alum already has the item perfectly stored in his memory coils. The best deal you can get is to keep the original while Alum gets a copy.

Now....the question is how we go about this action while wringing as much good favor from the endevour as we are able.
Taking the map now to "Deliberate upon the issue later" may be a good choice.

Exact from the Deacon a finely worded and very pointed promise to hand over a copy of the map when the value is ascertained or in a few months, whichever comes first could also work.

>>4298105
Make duplicates of the map with cogitators and auspexs, with the flash off, then return it to the saint.

>>4298105

Return it to the saint tomb.

While making a single copy, that will be studied by a group of ecclesiarch scholars and mechanicus techpriests under the watch of one of our representatives for avoid any petty squabble.
A combine effort will bring more fruits, to Texalar and the Imperium.

>>4298150
I really don't think putting them together is going to yield fruits, the metal men and the church don't like eachother.

>>4298150
+1
tell them to work thogether for the betterment of the Imperium

>>4298150
Backing this. The copy will be kept in our care, but will be accessible to both parties.

>>4298151
True, but it doesn’t matter if deciphering it takes 100 years - it’s been interned here for thousands of years already after all

>>4298457
It does matter if they try stealing it/killing eachother/sabotaging eachother or flatly refuse to work together.

>>4298150
Support.

>>4298471
If they refuse to work together or actively work against each other, then we will submit the map to the Inquisition for further study.

Not that we want to, but it should work as an effective threat.

>>4298150
>>4298542
These, put our foot down and make ourselves seem like the most reasonable man in the situation.

>>4298150
>This
+
>Write ins

Writing

File: 20200523_025718.png (638 KB, 1146x1080)

638 KB PNG

>>4299593

You’re fairly confident that Magos Alum’s insistence on getting the physical copy of the map is purely for show. Surely with all those cogitators in his head he has a good picter to capture this item.

All the same- “Magos, Deacon,” you say, “The map will be returned to the tomb and to Cannoness Jezera’s care.”

The canoness relaxes fractionally.

You gesture to one of your aides, “My office will produce a single, full-spectrum copy to by studied jointly by the Ecclesiarchy and the Mechanicus. A combine effort will bring more fruits, to Texalar and the Imperium.”

“Lord Governor,” Deacon Levben says, “I must protest. This document belongs to the church.”

“And with the church it will remain,” you say, “This copy is purely for academic purposes. If an agreement can’t be broached I’m afraid I would have to defer this question to the Inquisition.”

The word is magic and both the Deacon and the Magos suddenly seem more alright with the situation. You ensure a copy is made and the original re-entombed. Deacon Levben intones a prayer and Jezera lays a bouquet of flowers. The deed is done.

(1/2)

You’re happy to return to Monticello and the familiarity of your office, leaving the salty stink of the dead sea behind you. A thick stack of reports awaits your attention. The first is the acknowledgement of the Four Families with your expanded retinue plan. The reports praise your intellect and insight as they promise to build worthy defense forces. It’s blatantly sycophantic but you appreciate it all the same.

The second is the confirmation that a sizeable contingent of the war is being diverted to your world. Regiments for Qyquester, Vendee, and Texalar as well as a Mission of Crimson Dagger sisters. It’s a fearsome war party, one that will surely secure order on Texalar, one you hope won’t be missed on the battlefield.

The land reclamation project progresses well, the chemical suits you and Pemberton procured are invaluable for cleaning away dangerous fertilizer byproduct and hazardous mold growths on the edge of farmland. When coupled with the “new” rations for workers, laborer morale seems quite high. The Deacon will deliver a sermon soon enough and you look forward to hearing it. For now though you have a banquet to attend. As Lord Governor you are always guest of honor, though you know the sentiment doesn’t always translate well to good behavior by your hosts. Among the most minor tasks is the selection of which of the cities hosts the banquet. Each of the families relishes the chance to flaunt their wealth and power and show they have the favor of the Governor by receiving his blessing in hosting the event.

Monticello, being the capital, is a possibility, a fairly neutral ground which will offend all the families (save yours) equally.

Bonaparte would show favor to the rankled Beauregard family which has a lot of bad blood with your own. It might be a nice way to show peace between the two groups though the decision might also feel superficial or give the Beauregards an unwarranted sense of power.

Nashton would show favor to your Vizier’s family, the Pembertons. A good way to reward his service but also clearly playing favorites.

Atlas’s family, the Aluwanis have been remarkably quiet lately. You would consider it good behavior except that their city especially has been plagued with rumors of cult activity and secular rebellion. It’s more likely they want to avoid drawing attention to their problems. Hosting the banquet there might force them to shape up more quickly.

>Monticello will host (Von Griff Family)
>Bonaparte will host (Beauregard Family)
>Nashton will host (Pemberton Family)
>Atlas will host (Aluwani Family)

>>4299621
>Bonaparte will host (Beauregard Family)
Pemberton is awesome. I'm not worried about the Atlas family since we'll put all cult activity to the heel soon enough.

>>4299621
>Boneaparte
We lose nothing by stepping into their domain. But I don't want this to be a red wedding situation, I don't think it will be but all the same have the staff vetted and triple vetted

>>4299621
>Nashton will host (Pemberton Family)
Good service leads to good rewards

>>4299643
what's a red wedding situation?

>>4299621
>>Atlas will host (Aluwani Family)

>>4299621
I fucked up. I wanted to vote for this
>Nashton will host (Pemberton Family)

>>4299661
Massacre of guests at a wedding or event, like in one of the most famous parts of aSoIaF/GoT

>>4299661
Game of thrones spoilers if you haven't seen them, even after all these years

Basically one of the protagonists of the seiries, a king of the north, scorns a fellow noble house by getting married to a commoner instead of the arranged marriage, which he passes off to an uncle. This pisses them off but they put on a nice face and wait their time, then they get the king in the north and most of his family/commanders in the dining room and then pumps them full of crossbow bolts and steel.

The price of trusting the wrong people

>>4299621
>Atlas will host (Aluwani Family)

>>4299643
fuck it change this to Nashton. Good work will be rewarded.

>>4299621