Icerust - Update 13
Long Winter Y101.M2: Animosity
Candyland
Candyman’s conveyor of edible narcotics and tacky, yet festive jewelry continued being a true magnet for bloodthirsty megalomaniacs, many of which, of various level of entitlement, traveled to Frosted Palace this month. A whole trio of them managed to rise to prominence across Candyland, one being a well-respected old junkie and a veteran merc who boasted of being able to talk the ears off a wooly rhino, named Harold of the Rocks, and the other two being dumbhats who succumbed to the way of Harold: a reckless bath salt enthusiast and cutthroat Swamper and a sly, but shifty pothead Greeny. Hanging out with the authoritative Harold helped the departed Grandma's original lieutenants, Fireman Pierce and John Fisherman to also improve their skills. Yet, Harold couldn’t spend his entire time entertaining his colleagues, as Candyman had a serious mission for him. Ahead of a massive and comically motley convoy of bizarre native vehicles and repaired trophy machines, Harold of the Rocks headed down the zigzagging Meteoroad, through the snow-covered labyrinth of aurora walls, toward the enigmatic Anemo-City. The lengthy drive turned from an anxious routine to a fiery carnage in a matter of minutes, when Harold’s column turned an aurora wall corner and stumbled into the Czech Mates’ fleet that parked on the two sides of a big, abandoned lumberyard warehouse. The Czech Mates’ motor-riflemen on authentic “Jawa” sidecar bikes didn’t have much space for maneuver to screen their main force (one bike ending up losing the rifleman before crashing into the snowdrift), but Harold’s own reconnaissance force fared not much better, losing the crew of the Yule-themed snowmobile when its observation marksman attempted to fix his colorful pole and take some potshots at the enemy. An experienced battlefield butcher, Harold sent his heavy armaments carriers forward, but they quickly were stopped by two impressive landforts formed by camouflaged, hulking, all-terrain European eight-wheelers with articulated axes, with banners and observation masts, dragging a train of spiked armored cabins full of crossbowmen, buzzsaw shotgunners, medics, repairmen, tankbusters, and machinegunners, hiding by a mobile entertainment house and a field kitchen inside each defensive position. The Candylanders attempted to approach them under the cover of their spike-covered, ram-equipped tricycles with bulletproof pavise-carriers on board, but the Czech Mates had a solid response to that. They counterattacked with a meticulously restored and recreated early Old World medium tank famous for its participation in a now forgotten world war, featuring a riveted armor frame, decent engine, hull-mounted heavy machine gun, anti-armor turret gun, commander cupola, driver periscope, and a trophy radio set. The warmachine quickly pulverized Candyland’s “Absinthe Sparkles” and withstood the Candilanders’ swarming and ramming attacks, not cracking under their lance charges, lunge mines, and torpedoes. Yet, eventually the tank had to retreat through the lumberyard’s wall, with the Candilanders threatening to combust its engine after climbing on top of the tank. This suggested an avenue of advance for Harold and his warriors, who poured through the lumberyard and into the wagons of the enemy landtrains. On the right flank, Harold led the boarding action, eventually chopping and shotgunning his way through the enemy landtrain and forcing the surviving Molotily to surrender. On the left flank, two of his officers tried to follow his example, rushing the second landtrain in their pumpkin carriage-like warcarts. Alas, that second landtrain took off before the Candylanders could deploy big enough boarding parties. Instead, the two “Gilded Pumpkin Carriages” got isolated, stuck to it with their boarding hooks and their crew fighting for their life (unsuccessfully) on board of the moving landtrains. That put an end to the battle, as Harold was eager to secure his gains and minimize his already big losses, taking the massive landtrain back to Frosted Palace in a grim triumph.
There, he paraded his trophy in front of the local small-game hunters and vehicle manufacturers, who were later instructed by him to build two more escort trikes and two vip carts, to make up his fleet’s losses. Additionally, Harold reviewed the existing vehicle designs, taking Grandma’s original, unarmed cutie-quad for a ride and returning to the bike stable with a critique. Soon, the bike mechanics were busy producing three pink-and-black painted assault variants of the same vehicle, carrying spikes, wascythe, loudspeaker, and a spar torpedo attached to a ram, along with seats and handles for roaring javelinmen with lance charges. Not stopping there, the new war hero of Candyland suggested an improvement to the poorly performing pole-equipped snowmobile scout, requisitioning instead its variant featuring a parasail scout equipped with a searchlight and a set of javelins. Harold’s growing informal authority irked Candyman greatly, as the Chief Confectioner had just started to solidify his power after letting the influential Uncle K-9 run with his pet project (no pun intended) of building guarding kennels across all Candyland colonies, even at the cost of triggering a minor famine in Ol' Peanut Brittle Village. Under the supervision of Uncle K-9’s associate engineers, many other structures were built as well, including a sentry tower and a metal recycler in Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village and the “Sweet Meat” dispensary in Candyheart Grove. The latter town, while significantly depopulated after the recent relocation of seasonal workers to the construction of Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village, was nonetheless a major supplier of food, scrap, and fuel for the rest of Candyland, as Mr. Krinkle and Electric Auntie Sam ran ridiculously overloaded convoys from that colony to the other settlements (which workforce had only a few working hands to spare on hunting and, in the Peanut Brittler’s case, guzz siphoning.
Yet another achievement in the long list of Candyland’s ventures that month was the exploration of the frosty east of Iowa Wasteland. The newly promoted Swamper took a single ambush hunter trike east of Korn-U-Kopia, along a wide, featureless corridor of deep snow and permafrost covering what once used to be farmland. Eventually, he reached a ruined animal farm, still frequented by the now wild descendants of the cattle, with a bit of gas fuel preserved in the half-buried shed. Swamper’s happy-go-lucky friend Greeny led a cutie-quad and a scout snowmobile east of Lost Nation, navigating a wide, frozen-over creek-turned-ravine, until his observation pole spotter detected a fenced boiler station smoking in the middle of a desolated junkyard, popular as a camping spot among the nomadic migrants.
(Frosted Palace: -220.5 Grub, -147.7 Junk, -121.5 Guzz, +2.3 Plush, -19 Proles, +20 Jacks, +5 Clouts, +1 Guarding kennels)
(Candyheart Grove: -123.3 Grub, -35.1 Junk, -259 Guzz, +0.8 Plush, +1 Guarding kennels, +1 Smilo joint)
(Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village: -25.7 Grub, +45.6 Junk, +373 Guzz, +0.7 Plush, -26 Proles, +1 Guarding kennels, +1 Scrap chowder, +1 Sentry tower)
(Candyland: +Design ("Twinkle Star" Snowmobile Snitch), +Design ("Puffy Claws Junior" Combat Quad), -3 "Absinthe Sparkler" Escort Trike, 1 "Candycane Peppermint Smooch" Snowmobile Scout is damaged, +1 "Tabor" Landtrain Fort w/ Molotily Army (captured, damaged), +2 "Absinthe Sparkler" Escort Trikes, +1 "Twinkle Star" Snowmobile Snitch, +3 "Puffy Claws Junior" Combat Quads (all in Frosted Palace), +3 Commanders (Harold of the Rocks (Ruse: -1, Tactics: +3, Spirit: +3), Swamper (Ruse: -1, Tactics: +3, Spirit: +3), Greeny (Ruse: +3, Tactics: +3, Spirit: -1)), 2 Commanders retained (John Fisherman (Ruse: +3, Tactics: -1, Spirit: +3), Fireman Pierce (Ruse: +3, Tactics: +3, Spirit: -1)), Highways discovered: Snow Track (Length: 6, Expanse: 370, Openness: 160, Perils: 370), Deep Creek (Length: 7, Expanse: 160, Openness: 80, Perils: 140), Sites discovered: Deli Joint (Population Growth: 1, Fertility: 4, Deposits: 0, Fossils: 1, Protection 1, no anomaly)), Dawnstruction (Population Growth: 4, Fertility: 1, Deposits: 1, Fossils: 3, Protection 3, no anomaly))
Chief Confectioner’s challenge: Mindblowers (Completed)
What could the bloated clouts from the vice den of Frosted Palace have in common with the poor-but-honest stepkids of the young frontier town of Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village? Taste for hallucinogenic drugs, the answer appeared to be. Under Candyman’s and his clique’s oversight, Candyland’s chemists and Peanut Brittle Villagers constructed a proper sweatshop lab for producing the midblower “confections” for the (Investment: Labor 200/200, Expertise: 8/8, Finesse: 4/4, Award: +2d8 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain)
Chief Confectioner’s challenge: Float parade
Candyland had become known across Icerust for its zany, weirdly thematic, yet inventive vehicles of war. The influx of upper classes to Frosted Palace had also turned the hive-town grown on top of the Czech & Slovak History Museum into a center of vibrant culture that ranged from extravagant to downright toxic. Vying for influence, many of these clouts have started to encourage regular float parades that would imitate the vehicle manufacturing culture of Candyland. While wasteful in resources, this tradition could, if given chance to take root, provide plenty of additional prestige and entertainment for the local nobility and grandees. (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 0/10, Finesse: 0/8, Award: -1d10 Junk, +2d6 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Greylaw
After over a year of quiet buildup, Greylaw finally got its fair share of violence. Unable to contain the old guard’s unrest any longer, Conan the Snowflake finally released Rambo the Roach ahead of a column of two “Beat Jeeps” east toward the famed ruins of Old Detroit (rumored to have become ruins even before the Long Winter, which says something). The expedition, quickly found a short stretch of a comfortable, spacious, and barely worn-out old world highway, taking it to what they believed to be their end goal: the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Only after a couple of days of mapping and research, did Rambo and his crew realize they had stumbled upon a much closer, yet still a desirable target: the well-preserved Willow Run military airdrome, well stocked with supplies of meal-ready-to-eat packages, air fuel, high quality aluminum and titanium, and defended by a mostly intact barbed wire fence. With the news of this discovery, Rambo the Roach headed back to Thunderbolt, ready to present his triumph to the rest of Greylaw in his bid for power, illustrating that he was a much more dominant leader than the current Alfa-Alfa, obsessed with his petty, (albeit massive) hunting and scrap-gathering efforts across Greyhound Den. But, while the said resource gathering efforts still took place, Rambo was bitterly disappointed when he discovered Thunderbolt defenders bloodied, but triumphant, cheering for their foe-vanquishing Alfa-Alfa, who rode around on top of a massive trophy vehicle.
What happened ranged on who told the story, but everyone agreed that the siege of Thunderbolt was an attempt of conquest by the People’s Republic of Arboretum. The attack started with a sudden raid by eight unarmed jaeger bikes that managed to totally surprise the garrison of two sentry towers by penetrating the depot town through an old hangar ruin. While the sentries scrambled to get to their positions, many of them were wounded or killed by booby traps set up by the Arboreals that arrived on a skeleton-framed aerosani with a mediocre impeller engines, well-camouflaged with pine branches and carrying a team of bowmen, trappers, and an observation kite flyer. Yet, the element of surprise alone wasn’t enough to break the will of the defenders, as Conan the Snowflake directed his soldiers into the bunkers protecting the most obvious avenue of attack. As the first assault was broken up, the Arboreans changed their tactics and regrouped for a more forceful assault, spearheaded by a light-framed, spike- and blade-covered cross-country vehicle with a powerful engine, brightly stylized ram, and a fearless team of drugged-up armor-boosters, covered by a shielded archer. Supporting this so-called stoner circle were three hippiewagons: large, if badly powered ambulance vans, beautifully decorated with flower drawings and hand-sawn flags, playing inspiring ballads through their loudspeakers and carrying teams of exalted healers and repair people in their heated on-board operating rooms. The attackers again outmaneuvered the defenders and infiltrated the crude barricade protecting a seemingly less vulnerable part of Thunderbolt. This almost turned the defenders into a rout, as the fearless stoners took over the barricade and the adjusted sentry tower and started looting the captured weapons. Yet, this gave Conan the Snowflake a chance to organize his garrison for a spirited counterattack. The fighting was unbelievably heavy, as some invisible force seemed to be charging the enemies with unbent resolve, letting them ignore even the deadliest wounds and burns. Eventually, the source of that paranormal power was revealed, as the Arboreans rammed the city gates in a covered, heavy tracked exploration vehicle with a workhorse engine, carrying a team of paranormal experts in a ritualistically painted and decorated heated lab, designed for extracting artifacts with an articulated clamp arm and storing them in a specialized dome. The artifact that vehicle must’ve carried on board indeed prevented the Arborean army to collapse, but eventually the Greylawmen’s and -women’s discipline and fire superiority carried the day. Eventually, Conan and his Alfas even managed to board the retreating chakra wagon when it got stuck in an defensive ditch, butchering the Arborean paradruids and taking hold of the sacred and fearful Oz relic.
The battle of Thunderbolt spread a stern message across the Michigan Wasteland, signalling not only the ascendancy of Greylaw, but also the apparent weakness of the People’s Republic of Arboretum, with their sacred artifact fallen into the enemy hands. Conan was happy to ride that way of perceived strength, knowing full well that his capital’s fortifications had to be restocked with weapons and ammo, and its garrison replenished. Luckily these losses were covered when massive hunting and scrap scavenging expeditions scattered across Old Ypsi, ensuring Greylaw could recover their losses and even scramble for enough resources to produce two more of their signature engineering offroad vehicles.
(Thunderbolt: -16 Grub, -4.2 Junk, -76 Guzz, -11.4 Plush, -34 Proles)
(Greylaw: +1 Glory, -5 Notoriety, +2 “Beat Jeep” Engineering Offroaders (in Thunderbolt), +1 "Narayana" Chakra Wagon w/ Paradruid Circle (+artifact) captured, Highway discovered: Depot Road (Length: 1, Expanse: 240, Openness: 220, Perils: 230), Site discovered: Willow Run (Population Growth: 2, Fertility: 3, Deposits: 4, Fossils: 4, Protection 3, no anomaly))
Alfa-Alfa’s challenge: Purging the snowflakes
The calls to purge the weaklings from among the Greylaw ranks didn’t disappear even after Conan’s impressive victory against the Arboreans, but few could doubt that the Alfa-Alfa would deal with that internal problem sooner or later. (Investment: Glory: 0/2, Award: -1d30 Proles, +1 Experience (one time), Challenge cannot be dismissed, Other challenges cannot be gained while this challenge stands)
Monolith of Sarkic
Over the past several months, Grand Karcist Maxwell’s advisor and castellan, one Võlutaar Lester Nygaard, had been accumulating decent influence amid the sprawling cult. For this, he had himself and his scribes to thank, as the Monolith’s logistics and day-to-day running of the economy were almost completely outsourced to him by the sect’s exalted leader. At last, it came to the point when even the Grand Karcist himself had to be corrected by his well-organized castellan, when his order of producing two sophisticated “Proselyte” technicals was cut by half, as the Cathedral lacked the workforce to accomplish that task, and no possible relocation of resources could make up for it. The plan to set up three aquafarms in Icon (one in each lake) also had to be abandoned, as that young colony needed to grow its own class of technical experts (something that Võlutaar Nygaard helped to promote). So, for the time being, the Iconites were reduced to performing simple hunting and fishing roles in Three Lakes, with additional foodstuffs being delivered to them from the Cathedral by Karcist Kane’s convoy. That same convoy also picked up the Cathedral’s surplus scrap and gasoline on its uneventful way back to Dunwich Harbor, where the resources were used both for vehicle maintenance and for the construction of a food conservation facility, on the insistence of the same castellan. The well-set clockwork of the Sarkic economy, as well as its preachers’ eldritch chants on the radio, did attract some attention across Icerust, both negative and positive. On the good side, over two dozen nomads, led by a master leatherworker, arrived at the Cathedral and passed the Yaldaboathite initiation rites. On the bad side, they informed Maxwell that the rock towns of the Iron Range are indeed stirring with envy and greed, as the Iron Rangers plan their revenge on the upstart cult. This prompted Castellan Nygaard to suggest to Grand Karcist Maxwell that the young colony of Icon might need proper fortifications being set up, as it lacked both a vehicle fleet stationed there and a signal tower that could possibly request reinforcements in time. While the Sarkic leaders were busy discussing this new challenge, Klavigar Caarsvärd took two “Zealot” interceptors on a scouting expedition west of Three Lakes. With them, she navigated a well-preserved and moderately snowed-over ancient Highway 26, picking up some scrap metal from an Oz-infected motorpark. Eventually, they reached a peculiar site: a sprawling ruin of an ancient correctional facility which apparently used to be a functional Icersut town with its own (now hopelessly disheveled, but scavengeable) mini-refinery and foundry, until its brutally abused inmate-slave population rebelled against their overseers and abandoned the collapsed community. With this discovery, Caarsvärd returned to her base in Dunwich Harbor, but not before parading the site’s landmark - a rusty metal plate with “New… Berry” written on it - through the streets of the Cathedral.
(The Cathedral: -284.1 Grub, -159 Junk, +101 Guzz, -3.5 Plush, +13 Proles, -1 Jacks, +2 Clouts)
(Dunwich Harbor: +181.4 Grub, +275.8 Junk, -8.5 Guzz, -2.8 Plush, +1 Food sizzler)
(Icon: +120 Grub, -3 Proles, +3 Jacks)
(Monolith of Sarkic: +1 Glory, +2 Notoriety, +1 "Proselyte" Technical w/ Militant Squad (in Cathedral), Highway discovered: Twenty-Sixer (Length: 5, Expanse: 240, Openness: 280, Perils: 220), Site discovered: Old Berry (Population Growth: 5, Fertility: 4, Deposits: 2, Fossils: 3, Protection: 2, no anomaly))
Grand Karcist’s challenge: Karcist communion
Busy with keeping his sect running and anxious over the Iron Rangers’ threat, Maxwell had no time to spare on the luxurious living spaces for the future new joiners of the Monolith’s upper clergy. (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 8/8, Finesse: 1/1, Award: +2d4 Clouts (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Grand Karcist’s challenge: Flesh Colossus
People familiar with the concepts of Yaldaboathite creed always knew that it was only a matter of time when the worshipping of flesh sculpture would be taken to a new level. A particularly fervent and exalted artist among the Sarkics had recently gained fame for using the guts, bones, antlers, and skin of hunted animals to create haunting, but impressive frozen sculptures of ice and flesh. With them, he attempted to capture the beauty of the Geometer of Flesh and Its creations. Not everyone equally liked the aesthetics of the new flesh sculpture garden, but some Karcists advised Maxwell to consider patronizing the sculptor and giving her some access to the Monolith’s labor pool, potentially allowing to create a truly awesome (or horrifying) monument. (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 0/2, Finesse: 0/4, Award: +2d2 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Order Implacable
After the costly battle with the hated Cheeze Martians, Outlander Subaru was given a chance to rest and recover in Hammertown, overseeing the repair of his vehicle fleet in the Order’s garage and even its expansion with the order of four brand new motorlancers and another hedgehog carpet. Bishop Lamborghini, meanwhile, concentrated on a more comprehensive expansion of the Order’s capital. Two additional sentry towers were built out of ancient steel beams recovered by skyscraper reclamation crews, while the old university computer lab was repurposed to serve as a signal tower, transmitting Bishop Lamborghini’s solemn sermons across Icerust. In a series of embarrassing incidents, he and other Ducatic preachers were heckled by what appeared to be radiowave pirates. These incidents were later resolved, as the radio frequencies of Icerust turned out to be already swarming with messages from other factions, including pagan flesh worshippers from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, sweetmouth junkies from Iowa, trigger-happy enforces from Old Detroit approaches, a white trash megalomaniac from across the Michigan Lake, and a Communist commune from the Windy City ruin. While these first and messy diplomatic contacts were still being set, the local teams of hunters and fishers kept Hammertown well-stocked on food (a necessary task, given that Hammertown grew twice in size once again, when Bishop Lamborghini invited hundreds of pilgrims and new converts to join the Order), and the nearby ramshackled skyscrapers were scavenged for steel and glass. On the other end of Blue Mound Drive, the colonists of Sir Ducati’s Passing were busing themselves with a similar task, combing through Luminum Nest in search of usable scrap and cement blocks, which would later be put to use in the construction of a defensive bunker. In this climate of booming economy and diplomacy, high hopes were put upon Dame Schwinn, who was charged with exploring the Lake Michigan shore south-east of Hammertown with a trio of bike-in-arms and a single hedgehog carlet. The task seemed simple at first, as the iced-over lake surface was a relatively simple and anomaly-free landscape to navigate. Yet, ill fate came in a form nobody quite expected. The expedition ventured too far from the icy shore into an area of unstable ice, which started to crack, as a great horned serpent appeared. One by one, it crushed and swallowed every single vehicle, showing indifference to human crewmen, but mutilating or drowning them in the process anyway. Only Dame Schwinn was able to swim away, find solid footing and return home, miraculously not succumbing to hypothermia. At home, some of the newly arriving poor fellows admitted that her story sounded eerily similar to the legend of Misiginibig, a great lake monster of the ancient north.
(Hammertown: -106.8 Grub, -417.7 Junk, +41.5 Guzz, -4.3 Plush, +281 Proles, +2 Sentry towers, +1 Signal tower)
(Sir Ducati’s Passing: -16.4 Grub, -10 Proles, +1 Bunker)
(Order Implacable: can communicate with factions (Monolith of Sarkic, The Wobblies, Greylaw, Candyland, Mikeland), -3 Glory, +1 Notoriety, +1 “Mule” Hedgehog Carlet, +4 “Charger” Motorlancers (all in Hammertown), -1 “Mule” Hedgehog Carlet, -3 “Zard” Bike-in-Arms)
Grand Master’s challenge: Cursegiving
The distinct colonial culture of Sir Ducati’s Passing continued to solidify around the Cursegiving tradition, even despite the Church of St. Ducati slowly taking the position of the official Implacable creed. (Investment: Labor 150/200, Expertise: 2/2, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +2d2 Plush (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Mikeland
For far too long, the realm-sized mancave of Mikeland was long overdue for a Highwaymen visit. Even the insufferable King Mike could see the writing on the wall, so he put an effort toward some low-key war preparation. To that purpose, his court mechanic developed a picket bike proudly named “Fodder,” a simple-as-it-gets cross-country motorcycle with a decent engine and not much of anything else, mostly designed for reconnaissance and getting in the way of enemy vehicles. Six of these things were churned out in Popsicle Junction’s bike stables, helped by an influx of gasoline, scrap, and foodstuffs brought into the city by its indentured servants. Similar hunting and salvaging runs were outfitted in Mikeville-upon-Bestie (which just got a trio of overmen promoted into the King’s techie charter) and Third One. In the former, this age of plenty sponsored the construction of two aquafarms, while in Third One a bunker was made out of frozen soil, hard wood, and occasional rocks. To assist these efforts and redistribute some valuable food, scrap, and serfs, Unlucky Larry was tasked with taking his limo-truck on a ride between Popsicle Junction, Mikeville-upon-Bestie, and Third One. Mikevillians were informed about his expected arrival via radio, but ended up waiting in vain for a good half of the month, until Captain Molly arrived with her exploration party of buggies, heading for a north-western expedition across the frozen Lake Michigan. Having learned that Larry never arrived after departing Mikeland’s capital, she briefly went back and explored the ice-scape of the Northwest Hook, until discovering the place where Unlucky Larry’s luck truly and decisively ran out. Judging by the tracks, partially covered with the recent snow and thus left unnoticed by Molly during her first passage, Larry’s limo-truck was overtaken by an entire party of nimble quadracycles, fast buggies, and heavier vehicles Molly didn’t even like to imagine. Failing to escape them on his flimsy and awkward limo-truck, Larry attempted to venture into the area of unstable Oz, where he was finally boarded and captured. Judging by the raw message left by the raiders in the ice with Larry’s own blood, they were mightily upset to find his limo-truck empty of valuables (and possessing no value of its own, in their eyes), as Larry planned to load up in Mikeville, before picking up some cargo in Popsicle Junction for Third One. With the news of Larry’s gruesome departure and his vandalized limo-truck in tow, Molly returned to Popsicle Junction in a stern and solemn mood. Seeing her royal dad interchangeably go through rage and panic, she decided her time could be spent more productively elsewhere, so Molly Clever stocked up on booze and mechanical equipment and relocated her buggy fleet to her new seat of power in Mikeville-upon-Bestie. Not wishing to be cornered by the scary KKKavalrymen, she took her fate in her hands and scouted the anomaly-ridden, but otherwise fairly open east-west corridor across Lake Michigan. Eventually, she came across a large, man-made rampart of ice and snow, protecting from winds a large area of prime ice fishing, frequented by camping ice nomads and cross-lake migrants. With this discovery, Molly’s plan to cross the lake to the other side became only half as daring.
(Popsicle Junction: -46 Grub, +486.2 Junk, +5.4 Guzz, -11.2 Plush, -7 Proles, -1 Clouts)
(Mikeville-upon-Bestie: +32.5 Grub, +319 Junk, -20 5 Guzz, -3 Proles, +3 Jacks, +2 Protein pools)
(Third One: +183.9 Grub, -10 Proles, +1 Bunker)
(Mikeland: +1 Glory, +1 Notoriety, -1 Commander (Unlucky Larry), 1 “Cargo-Goer” Limo-truck is damaged, +Design (“Fodder” Unarmed Picket Bike), +6 “Fodder” Unarmed Picket Bikes (in Popsicle Junction), rebase 1 "Killer" Armed Buggy Transport, 2 "More Killer" Armed Buggies w/ Shotgunner teams (Popsicle Junction to Mikeville-upon-Bestie), Highway discovered: White Trek (Length: 6, Expanse: 210, Openness: 230, Perils: 90), Site discovered: Midlake Loop (Population Growth: 5, Fertility: 4, Deposits: 0, Fossils: 0, Protection: 3, no anomaly))
King’s challenge: Snobility by birthright (Completed)
The news of Unlucky Larry’s grizzly departure hit King Mike right where it hurts. Among the past five high-stakes poker games they had, King Mike had won four (and the fifth one was a draw only because Mike fell asleep atop his cards after three bottles of moonshine). So, at appears Larry owed Mike a lot of booze, and now, with his untimely and tragic death, the debt was unretrievable. With this sobering realization, King Mike doubled down on attracting more snobles to play poker with, erecting a fairly impressive mansion in Popsicle Junction just for the purpose of demonstrating just how serious he was about it. (Investment: Labor 200/200, Expertise: 12/12, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +2d6 Clouts (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
King’s challenge: Jacks for the Princess
Molly’s own bid for semi-independence (or, at least, autonomy) from her royal dad, would be just another snap decision in a long history of family drama, had it not been for Molly’s sharp wit and dedication. If Mikeville-upon-Bestie (and, indeed, other sections of the realm outside of King Mike’s direct control) were to be run efficiently, then the class of royal engineers and experts would have to be expanded. And sure, some indentured servants could be promoted to such positions, but wouldn’t traveling freemen and -women make even better jacks? With the construction of proper living conditions for Mikeland’s middle class, Molly could really turn her dad’s realm around, couldn’t she? (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 0/2, Finesse: 0/2, Award: +4d4 Jacks (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory)
Ogayori Clan
Despite the growing calls to go ahead and use his rapidly growing vehicle fleet, Ogayori Denji stayed adamant on his decision to let the world come to Ryūgū-jō instead. This time, he spent the last remainders of his authority outside Utsukushī Shima to invite dozens of workers to join his prosperous clan. These new joiners provided much needed help, as the isolationist Clan’s vehicle fleet continued to expand (perhaps, counterintuitively), this time adding not only two more tricycle motorized charriorts, but also a fearsome turbotank, the first such machine seen in this part of Icerust. Perhaps, the Ogayori people’s lack of experience with actually using their vehicles led to them underestimating how much labor it took to keep the already produced machines in operational shape, as Ogayori Denji initially planned to produce three of his trike cavalry vehicles, but his order was cut short, when it became clear it was simply impossible to keep the production at that pace without sacrificing the existing transports to rust and the elements. The fishing quotas also had to be cut a bit short, although Ryūgū-jō continued prospering compared to the rest of Icerust.
(Ryūgū-jō: -377.6 Grub, -63.6 Junk, -302 Guzz, -7.4 Plush, +88 Proles)
(Ogayori Clan: -1 Glory, +1 “Amematsu” Turbotank, +2 “Yari Ashigaru” Trike Cavalry (in Ryūgū-jō))
Clan Head’s challenge: Jazu witch hunt
The Jazu conspiracy continued to brew inside the Ogayori Clan, as the Great Unifier remained stubbornly against any attempts to explore the world beyond Utsukushī Shima. (Investment: Glory: 0/2, Award: -1d30 Proles, +1d20 Junk (one time), Challenge cannot be dismissed, Other challenges cannot be gained while this challenge stands)
Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival
Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival had its own dose of mayhem this month, as the Trolls have finally delivered on their promise to avenge their earlier defeat in the siege of Shelby Carnarium. Alas, their highway ambush proved to be rather anticlimactic, with the attackers being outnumbered and easily outmaneuvered. It all started when Ringmaster Vanessa took all of her vehicles (three cargo buggies protected by an autocannon-bristling battle hatchback and a minigun buggy with a troupe of shotgunners) from Shelby Carnarium to Clown Town Party Palace, looking to deliver a load of scrap, gasoline, and five expert technicians to that young colony nested inside the cosy Rigged Valley. Just when the convoy entered the snowed-over, overgrown Seventy-Fiver highway, the enemies revved up their engines and appeared out of the thicket, consisting of a single dirt bike with a loudspeaker and two underpowered (but impressively looking) cars with gasoline bomb squads. This group appeared to be led by a rogue Troll commander, who, in his youthful eagerness, chose to override the warlord’s orders and take upon the Chaos Carnival himself. The result was predictable. A master runaway driver, Vanessa easily outran and outmaneuvered the Trolls, protecting her cargo buggies from being boarded, rammed, or set on fire. In a rather comical manner, all enemy vehicles crashed into pine trees or rolled off the frozen highway ramps, and their crew was mowed down by Vanessa’s own autocannons (luckily for the enemy, she had no time to stop and destroy or tow away the enemy cars). Her own fleet, however, had to split, as a battle bugg started to leak oil, and its cargo partner was damaged when its driver lost control during a particularly aggressive maneuver. Eventually, their load was redistributed, and a few injured crewmen were left to be taken care of by a passing group of nomads. With the escort successfully completing its job (an gaining some fame and battle experience in the process), the Chaos Carnival’s settlements were left to their devices. Rigged Valley became a site of big snowhog hunts, and in Shelby Carnarium the scrap and oil harvesters supplied the city with resources for building two thirds of a future lorry plant. As for the Trolls, they were rumored to have taken their aggressive posture down a bit, but the defeat was blamed on the raid commander’s ill discipline and not the Carnival’s strength, so the Highwaymen refused to see it as a truly humbling defeat.
(Shelby Carnarium: -48.3 Grub, -360.2 Junk, -52.5 Guzz, +0.3 Plush, -5 Proles, -5 Jacks, +1 Lorry plant (INCOMPLETE, 150/260 Labor))
(Clown Town Party Palace: +234 Grub, +400 Junk, +195 Guzz, +5 Jacks)
(Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival: +1 Glory, +1 Experience, -2 Notoriety, 1 “Battle Bugg” Utility Vehicle w/ Shrapnel Troupe and 1 "Cargo Bugg" Utility Vehicle are damaged)
Ringmaster’s challenge: Madhouse Circus (Completed)
Over a year in production, the Madhouse Circus had to be a truly eye-opening moment in the history of Icerust. At last, with all the acts been rehearsed, revised, and rehearsed again, the Madhouse Circus finally opened its gates. And it was… good. Certainly not a “cross the tundra and cannibalize your brother” kind of good, but Ringmaster Vanessa enjoyed quite an encore, especially after her goons walked onto the stage with shotguns and machetes. One way or another, it’s hoped the circus would supply the Chaos Carnival and its people with some joy and entertainment. (Investment: Labor: 100/100, Expertise: 4/4, Finesse: 6/6, Award: +1d4 Plush (15% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Ringmaster’s challenge: Bread, not circus!
The Madhouse Circus might’ve been a moderate success, but the Chaos Carnival's roundabouts and troupe members started to voice a concern. Rarely being the ones to enjoy the fruit of Shelby Carnarium’s entertainment industry, they simply requested that from time to time Ringmaster Vanessa uses her newly gained fame to promote food drives from across the surrounding wasteland. (Investment: Labor: 0/60, Expertise: 0/4, Finesse: 0/4, Award: +1d16 Grub (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
The Wobblies
Comrade Valentina Rodriguez, once being feared by her crewmen more than the perils they could possibly meet in the icy wasteland, was visibly shook by her recent clash with the fearsome gigants. Despite seeing no signs of the Loopers in the vicinity of Windy Wasteland’s North Side, she insisted on keeping her vehicles, including the massive wheeled fortress, within the Commune’s walls. In the meantime, the majority of Ravenswood Commune’s workers were busying themselves with the Great Potato Struggle in the crowded (and rather steamy) greenhouses lining against the heatcatcher’s pipes, and the remaining few Wobblies scanned Raven’s Wood for salvageable materials, some of which went into the production of prime vodka, hygiene products, and various utensils by the local artisans. The surplus of such luxury items was expanded, when plenty of fur hats and gloves (along with squirrel jerky) was added to the storehouse by the participants of the first official Squirrel Tap Dance festival, attended by hobbyist trappers and professional hunters alike.
(Ravenswood Commune: +242.9 Grub, +144.1 Junk, -13 Guzz, +6.2 Plush)
Grand Foreman’s challenge: The First Nice Council (Completed)
With the First Nice Council concluded, all that remained was to spread the new doctrine to the Workers. This would result in a not insignificant productivity drop as Proles would spend many an hour being proselytised to. (Investment: Labor 100/100, Expertise: 20/20, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +1d10 Clouts (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Grand Foreman’s challenge: Laborium
Grand Foreman Gardener has decided to take a preemptive action to ensure that the Cult wouldn't spiral out of control with bizarre ideological fixations through the construction of a Worker's Museum and Library of Labor, or, as the common Wobblies named it shortly, the Laborium. In Chandra Gardener’s mind, this place of learning was supposed to correct and (more importantly) useful ideas to the proles, further advancing her plans to ensure the survival of the ideals of the Commune in some form or another and to improve the productivity of the Commune. Quite quickly, these rosy assumptions were corrected by the fellow Committeemen and -women, who pointed out that it was unlikely for an averagely literate worker to wish to read a book after a full day of backbreaking labor growing potatoes in the barely thawed soil. However, the IWW engineers did agree to start working on a blueprint for a building that could make the life of local jacks and clouts more comfortable and fulfilling, lowering their demand in other goods. (Investment: Expertise: 25/40, Finesse: 2/5,Award: new structure available only to The Wobblies in the Building list, +1 Glory (one-time gain))
The Republic of Sinclair
With much fanfare and excitement, a large convoy was outfitted toward the much desired El Dorado of Fist Energy Bowl. Over the next few weeks, hundreds of workers (the majority of Sincair’s citizens, really) worked on establishing a self-sufficient boomtown inside the massive ruin of an ancient football stadium. These efforts couldn’t be left unnoticed by the Highwaymen of Old Cleveland, and rumors swirled about the Order of the Straight Edge planning its revenge of “the booze-lickers of Sin-Claire.” In the meantime, those who stayed back in the ramshackled Asiatown kept on working on hunting and gathering everything edible from across it, while also dragging plenty of valuable haul back home for the use of local jewelers and tinkerers.
(Sinclair: -30.9 Grub, -893.1 Junk, +179.7 Guzz, +8.8 Plush, -500 Proles)
(Last Energy: +500 Proles, +Boomtown in Fist Energy Bowl)
(The Republic of Sinclair: +2 Notoriety)
Captain-Defender’s challenge: Toyotathon and Honda Days (Completed)
With the city of Sinclair mostly depopulated, the preparation for the Toyotathon and Honda Days celebrations was left mostly to the haves rather than the have-nots. However, with the lion’s share of the preparatory work already done in the previous months, it was an easy assignment to push past the finish line. Just as the news of its successful foundation started to arrive from Fist Energy, Sinclair had its first festive snowball fight between the float fleets of fiercely competitive Toyotathoners and Honda-Day Saints. (Investment: Labor: 240/240, Expertise: 5/5, Finesse: 2/2, Award: -1d10 Junk, +6d2 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Captain-Defender’s challenge: Boozehound
Some of the captured Straight Edgers recently opened up about their faction: an ascetic monastic order and an offshoot of a bootleg brewery that fell apart due to its members habit of getting drunk on their own supply. The enslaved Straight Edgers said that their order’s engineers discovered a device that allows to keep vehicles running longer and more efficiently on a mix of alcohol and gasoline, as opposed to the guzz alone. While neither of them was particularly good at chemistry and engineering, they promised that given enough help from the Sinclairian engineers and inventors they could help retroengineer the same engine for the Republic. This, of course, would stand on the way of working them to the bone, but the output of that investment could be an engine with a much longer running range than anything that price ordinarily buys. (Investment: Labor: 0/50, Expertise: 0/30, Finesse: 0/5, Award: new Engine available only to The Republic of Sinclair in the Vehicle Designer)
Map:
GM's notes:
- stats are up to date
- map is up to date
- orders are due April 10
Long Winter Y101.M2: Animosity
Candyland
Candyman’s conveyor of edible narcotics and tacky, yet festive jewelry continued being a true magnet for bloodthirsty megalomaniacs, many of which, of various level of entitlement, traveled to Frosted Palace this month. A whole trio of them managed to rise to prominence across Candyland, one being a well-respected old junkie and a veteran merc who boasted of being able to talk the ears off a wooly rhino, named Harold of the Rocks, and the other two being dumbhats who succumbed to the way of Harold: a reckless bath salt enthusiast and cutthroat Swamper and a sly, but shifty pothead Greeny. Hanging out with the authoritative Harold helped the departed Grandma's original lieutenants, Fireman Pierce and John Fisherman to also improve their skills. Yet, Harold couldn’t spend his entire time entertaining his colleagues, as Candyman had a serious mission for him. Ahead of a massive and comically motley convoy of bizarre native vehicles and repaired trophy machines, Harold of the Rocks headed down the zigzagging Meteoroad, through the snow-covered labyrinth of aurora walls, toward the enigmatic Anemo-City. The lengthy drive turned from an anxious routine to a fiery carnage in a matter of minutes, when Harold’s column turned an aurora wall corner and stumbled into the Czech Mates’ fleet that parked on the two sides of a big, abandoned lumberyard warehouse. The Czech Mates’ motor-riflemen on authentic “Jawa” sidecar bikes didn’t have much space for maneuver to screen their main force (one bike ending up losing the rifleman before crashing into the snowdrift), but Harold’s own reconnaissance force fared not much better, losing the crew of the Yule-themed snowmobile when its observation marksman attempted to fix his colorful pole and take some potshots at the enemy. An experienced battlefield butcher, Harold sent his heavy armaments carriers forward, but they quickly were stopped by two impressive landforts formed by camouflaged, hulking, all-terrain European eight-wheelers with articulated axes, with banners and observation masts, dragging a train of spiked armored cabins full of crossbowmen, buzzsaw shotgunners, medics, repairmen, tankbusters, and machinegunners, hiding by a mobile entertainment house and a field kitchen inside each defensive position. The Candylanders attempted to approach them under the cover of their spike-covered, ram-equipped tricycles with bulletproof pavise-carriers on board, but the Czech Mates had a solid response to that. They counterattacked with a meticulously restored and recreated early Old World medium tank famous for its participation in a now forgotten world war, featuring a riveted armor frame, decent engine, hull-mounted heavy machine gun, anti-armor turret gun, commander cupola, driver periscope, and a trophy radio set. The warmachine quickly pulverized Candyland’s “Absinthe Sparkles” and withstood the Candilanders’ swarming and ramming attacks, not cracking under their lance charges, lunge mines, and torpedoes. Yet, eventually the tank had to retreat through the lumberyard’s wall, with the Candilanders threatening to combust its engine after climbing on top of the tank. This suggested an avenue of advance for Harold and his warriors, who poured through the lumberyard and into the wagons of the enemy landtrains. On the right flank, Harold led the boarding action, eventually chopping and shotgunning his way through the enemy landtrain and forcing the surviving Molotily to surrender. On the left flank, two of his officers tried to follow his example, rushing the second landtrain in their pumpkin carriage-like warcarts. Alas, that second landtrain took off before the Candylanders could deploy big enough boarding parties. Instead, the two “Gilded Pumpkin Carriages” got isolated, stuck to it with their boarding hooks and their crew fighting for their life (unsuccessfully) on board of the moving landtrains. That put an end to the battle, as Harold was eager to secure his gains and minimize his already big losses, taking the massive landtrain back to Frosted Palace in a grim triumph.
There, he paraded his trophy in front of the local small-game hunters and vehicle manufacturers, who were later instructed by him to build two more escort trikes and two vip carts, to make up his fleet’s losses. Additionally, Harold reviewed the existing vehicle designs, taking Grandma’s original, unarmed cutie-quad for a ride and returning to the bike stable with a critique. Soon, the bike mechanics were busy producing three pink-and-black painted assault variants of the same vehicle, carrying spikes, wascythe, loudspeaker, and a spar torpedo attached to a ram, along with seats and handles for roaring javelinmen with lance charges. Not stopping there, the new war hero of Candyland suggested an improvement to the poorly performing pole-equipped snowmobile scout, requisitioning instead its variant featuring a parasail scout equipped with a searchlight and a set of javelins. Harold’s growing informal authority irked Candyman greatly, as the Chief Confectioner had just started to solidify his power after letting the influential Uncle K-9 run with his pet project (no pun intended) of building guarding kennels across all Candyland colonies, even at the cost of triggering a minor famine in Ol' Peanut Brittle Village. Under the supervision of Uncle K-9’s associate engineers, many other structures were built as well, including a sentry tower and a metal recycler in Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village and the “Sweet Meat” dispensary in Candyheart Grove. The latter town, while significantly depopulated after the recent relocation of seasonal workers to the construction of Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village, was nonetheless a major supplier of food, scrap, and fuel for the rest of Candyland, as Mr. Krinkle and Electric Auntie Sam ran ridiculously overloaded convoys from that colony to the other settlements (which workforce had only a few working hands to spare on hunting and, in the Peanut Brittler’s case, guzz siphoning.
Yet another achievement in the long list of Candyland’s ventures that month was the exploration of the frosty east of Iowa Wasteland. The newly promoted Swamper took a single ambush hunter trike east of Korn-U-Kopia, along a wide, featureless corridor of deep snow and permafrost covering what once used to be farmland. Eventually, he reached a ruined animal farm, still frequented by the now wild descendants of the cattle, with a bit of gas fuel preserved in the half-buried shed. Swamper’s happy-go-lucky friend Greeny led a cutie-quad and a scout snowmobile east of Lost Nation, navigating a wide, frozen-over creek-turned-ravine, until his observation pole spotter detected a fenced boiler station smoking in the middle of a desolated junkyard, popular as a camping spot among the nomadic migrants.
(Frosted Palace: -220.5 Grub, -147.7 Junk, -121.5 Guzz, +2.3 Plush, -19 Proles, +20 Jacks, +5 Clouts, +1 Guarding kennels)
(Candyheart Grove: -123.3 Grub, -35.1 Junk, -259 Guzz, +0.8 Plush, +1 Guarding kennels, +1 Smilo joint)
(Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village: -25.7 Grub, +45.6 Junk, +373 Guzz, +0.7 Plush, -26 Proles, +1 Guarding kennels, +1 Scrap chowder, +1 Sentry tower)
(Candyland: +Design ("Twinkle Star" Snowmobile Snitch), +Design ("Puffy Claws Junior" Combat Quad), -3 "Absinthe Sparkler" Escort Trike, 1 "Candycane Peppermint Smooch" Snowmobile Scout is damaged, +1 "Tabor" Landtrain Fort w/ Molotily Army (captured, damaged), +2 "Absinthe Sparkler" Escort Trikes, +1 "Twinkle Star" Snowmobile Snitch, +3 "Puffy Claws Junior" Combat Quads (all in Frosted Palace), +3 Commanders (Harold of the Rocks (Ruse: -1, Tactics: +3, Spirit: +3), Swamper (Ruse: -1, Tactics: +3, Spirit: +3), Greeny (Ruse: +3, Tactics: +3, Spirit: -1)), 2 Commanders retained (John Fisherman (Ruse: +3, Tactics: -1, Spirit: +3), Fireman Pierce (Ruse: +3, Tactics: +3, Spirit: -1)), Highways discovered: Snow Track (Length: 6, Expanse: 370, Openness: 160, Perils: 370), Deep Creek (Length: 7, Expanse: 160, Openness: 80, Perils: 140), Sites discovered: Deli Joint (Population Growth: 1, Fertility: 4, Deposits: 0, Fossils: 1, Protection 1, no anomaly)), Dawnstruction (Population Growth: 4, Fertility: 1, Deposits: 1, Fossils: 3, Protection 3, no anomaly))
Chief Confectioner’s challenge: Mindblowers (Completed)
What could the bloated clouts from the vice den of Frosted Palace have in common with the poor-but-honest stepkids of the young frontier town of Ol’ Peanut Brittle Village? Taste for hallucinogenic drugs, the answer appeared to be. Under Candyman’s and his clique’s oversight, Candyland’s chemists and Peanut Brittle Villagers constructed a proper sweatshop lab for producing the midblower “confections” for the (Investment: Labor 200/200, Expertise: 8/8, Finesse: 4/4, Award: +2d8 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain)
Chief Confectioner’s challenge: Float parade
Candyland had become known across Icerust for its zany, weirdly thematic, yet inventive vehicles of war. The influx of upper classes to Frosted Palace had also turned the hive-town grown on top of the Czech & Slovak History Museum into a center of vibrant culture that ranged from extravagant to downright toxic. Vying for influence, many of these clouts have started to encourage regular float parades that would imitate the vehicle manufacturing culture of Candyland. While wasteful in resources, this tradition could, if given chance to take root, provide plenty of additional prestige and entertainment for the local nobility and grandees. (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 0/10, Finesse: 0/8, Award: -1d10 Junk, +2d6 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Greylaw
After over a year of quiet buildup, Greylaw finally got its fair share of violence. Unable to contain the old guard’s unrest any longer, Conan the Snowflake finally released Rambo the Roach ahead of a column of two “Beat Jeeps” east toward the famed ruins of Old Detroit (rumored to have become ruins even before the Long Winter, which says something). The expedition, quickly found a short stretch of a comfortable, spacious, and barely worn-out old world highway, taking it to what they believed to be their end goal: the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Only after a couple of days of mapping and research, did Rambo and his crew realize they had stumbled upon a much closer, yet still a desirable target: the well-preserved Willow Run military airdrome, well stocked with supplies of meal-ready-to-eat packages, air fuel, high quality aluminum and titanium, and defended by a mostly intact barbed wire fence. With the news of this discovery, Rambo the Roach headed back to Thunderbolt, ready to present his triumph to the rest of Greylaw in his bid for power, illustrating that he was a much more dominant leader than the current Alfa-Alfa, obsessed with his petty, (albeit massive) hunting and scrap-gathering efforts across Greyhound Den. But, while the said resource gathering efforts still took place, Rambo was bitterly disappointed when he discovered Thunderbolt defenders bloodied, but triumphant, cheering for their foe-vanquishing Alfa-Alfa, who rode around on top of a massive trophy vehicle.
What happened ranged on who told the story, but everyone agreed that the siege of Thunderbolt was an attempt of conquest by the People’s Republic of Arboretum. The attack started with a sudden raid by eight unarmed jaeger bikes that managed to totally surprise the garrison of two sentry towers by penetrating the depot town through an old hangar ruin. While the sentries scrambled to get to their positions, many of them were wounded or killed by booby traps set up by the Arboreals that arrived on a skeleton-framed aerosani with a mediocre impeller engines, well-camouflaged with pine branches and carrying a team of bowmen, trappers, and an observation kite flyer. Yet, the element of surprise alone wasn’t enough to break the will of the defenders, as Conan the Snowflake directed his soldiers into the bunkers protecting the most obvious avenue of attack. As the first assault was broken up, the Arboreans changed their tactics and regrouped for a more forceful assault, spearheaded by a light-framed, spike- and blade-covered cross-country vehicle with a powerful engine, brightly stylized ram, and a fearless team of drugged-up armor-boosters, covered by a shielded archer. Supporting this so-called stoner circle were three hippiewagons: large, if badly powered ambulance vans, beautifully decorated with flower drawings and hand-sawn flags, playing inspiring ballads through their loudspeakers and carrying teams of exalted healers and repair people in their heated on-board operating rooms. The attackers again outmaneuvered the defenders and infiltrated the crude barricade protecting a seemingly less vulnerable part of Thunderbolt. This almost turned the defenders into a rout, as the fearless stoners took over the barricade and the adjusted sentry tower and started looting the captured weapons. Yet, this gave Conan the Snowflake a chance to organize his garrison for a spirited counterattack. The fighting was unbelievably heavy, as some invisible force seemed to be charging the enemies with unbent resolve, letting them ignore even the deadliest wounds and burns. Eventually, the source of that paranormal power was revealed, as the Arboreans rammed the city gates in a covered, heavy tracked exploration vehicle with a workhorse engine, carrying a team of paranormal experts in a ritualistically painted and decorated heated lab, designed for extracting artifacts with an articulated clamp arm and storing them in a specialized dome. The artifact that vehicle must’ve carried on board indeed prevented the Arborean army to collapse, but eventually the Greylawmen’s and -women’s discipline and fire superiority carried the day. Eventually, Conan and his Alfas even managed to board the retreating chakra wagon when it got stuck in an defensive ditch, butchering the Arborean paradruids and taking hold of the sacred and fearful Oz relic.
The battle of Thunderbolt spread a stern message across the Michigan Wasteland, signalling not only the ascendancy of Greylaw, but also the apparent weakness of the People’s Republic of Arboretum, with their sacred artifact fallen into the enemy hands. Conan was happy to ride that way of perceived strength, knowing full well that his capital’s fortifications had to be restocked with weapons and ammo, and its garrison replenished. Luckily these losses were covered when massive hunting and scrap scavenging expeditions scattered across Old Ypsi, ensuring Greylaw could recover their losses and even scramble for enough resources to produce two more of their signature engineering offroad vehicles.
(Thunderbolt: -16 Grub, -4.2 Junk, -76 Guzz, -11.4 Plush, -34 Proles)
(Greylaw: +1 Glory, -5 Notoriety, +2 “Beat Jeep” Engineering Offroaders (in Thunderbolt), +1 "Narayana" Chakra Wagon w/ Paradruid Circle (+artifact) captured, Highway discovered: Depot Road (Length: 1, Expanse: 240, Openness: 220, Perils: 230), Site discovered: Willow Run (Population Growth: 2, Fertility: 3, Deposits: 4, Fossils: 4, Protection 3, no anomaly))
Alfa-Alfa’s challenge: Purging the snowflakes
The calls to purge the weaklings from among the Greylaw ranks didn’t disappear even after Conan’s impressive victory against the Arboreans, but few could doubt that the Alfa-Alfa would deal with that internal problem sooner or later. (Investment: Glory: 0/2, Award: -1d30 Proles, +1 Experience (one time), Challenge cannot be dismissed, Other challenges cannot be gained while this challenge stands)
Monolith of Sarkic
Over the past several months, Grand Karcist Maxwell’s advisor and castellan, one Võlutaar Lester Nygaard, had been accumulating decent influence amid the sprawling cult. For this, he had himself and his scribes to thank, as the Monolith’s logistics and day-to-day running of the economy were almost completely outsourced to him by the sect’s exalted leader. At last, it came to the point when even the Grand Karcist himself had to be corrected by his well-organized castellan, when his order of producing two sophisticated “Proselyte” technicals was cut by half, as the Cathedral lacked the workforce to accomplish that task, and no possible relocation of resources could make up for it. The plan to set up three aquafarms in Icon (one in each lake) also had to be abandoned, as that young colony needed to grow its own class of technical experts (something that Võlutaar Nygaard helped to promote). So, for the time being, the Iconites were reduced to performing simple hunting and fishing roles in Three Lakes, with additional foodstuffs being delivered to them from the Cathedral by Karcist Kane’s convoy. That same convoy also picked up the Cathedral’s surplus scrap and gasoline on its uneventful way back to Dunwich Harbor, where the resources were used both for vehicle maintenance and for the construction of a food conservation facility, on the insistence of the same castellan. The well-set clockwork of the Sarkic economy, as well as its preachers’ eldritch chants on the radio, did attract some attention across Icerust, both negative and positive. On the good side, over two dozen nomads, led by a master leatherworker, arrived at the Cathedral and passed the Yaldaboathite initiation rites. On the bad side, they informed Maxwell that the rock towns of the Iron Range are indeed stirring with envy and greed, as the Iron Rangers plan their revenge on the upstart cult. This prompted Castellan Nygaard to suggest to Grand Karcist Maxwell that the young colony of Icon might need proper fortifications being set up, as it lacked both a vehicle fleet stationed there and a signal tower that could possibly request reinforcements in time. While the Sarkic leaders were busy discussing this new challenge, Klavigar Caarsvärd took two “Zealot” interceptors on a scouting expedition west of Three Lakes. With them, she navigated a well-preserved and moderately snowed-over ancient Highway 26, picking up some scrap metal from an Oz-infected motorpark. Eventually, they reached a peculiar site: a sprawling ruin of an ancient correctional facility which apparently used to be a functional Icersut town with its own (now hopelessly disheveled, but scavengeable) mini-refinery and foundry, until its brutally abused inmate-slave population rebelled against their overseers and abandoned the collapsed community. With this discovery, Caarsvärd returned to her base in Dunwich Harbor, but not before parading the site’s landmark - a rusty metal plate with “New… Berry” written on it - through the streets of the Cathedral.
(The Cathedral: -284.1 Grub, -159 Junk, +101 Guzz, -3.5 Plush, +13 Proles, -1 Jacks, +2 Clouts)
(Dunwich Harbor: +181.4 Grub, +275.8 Junk, -8.5 Guzz, -2.8 Plush, +1 Food sizzler)
(Icon: +120 Grub, -3 Proles, +3 Jacks)
(Monolith of Sarkic: +1 Glory, +2 Notoriety, +1 "Proselyte" Technical w/ Militant Squad (in Cathedral), Highway discovered: Twenty-Sixer (Length: 5, Expanse: 240, Openness: 280, Perils: 220), Site discovered: Old Berry (Population Growth: 5, Fertility: 4, Deposits: 2, Fossils: 3, Protection: 2, no anomaly))
Grand Karcist’s challenge: Karcist communion
Busy with keeping his sect running and anxious over the Iron Rangers’ threat, Maxwell had no time to spare on the luxurious living spaces for the future new joiners of the Monolith’s upper clergy. (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 8/8, Finesse: 1/1, Award: +2d4 Clouts (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Grand Karcist’s challenge: Flesh Colossus
People familiar with the concepts of Yaldaboathite creed always knew that it was only a matter of time when the worshipping of flesh sculpture would be taken to a new level. A particularly fervent and exalted artist among the Sarkics had recently gained fame for using the guts, bones, antlers, and skin of hunted animals to create haunting, but impressive frozen sculptures of ice and flesh. With them, he attempted to capture the beauty of the Geometer of Flesh and Its creations. Not everyone equally liked the aesthetics of the new flesh sculpture garden, but some Karcists advised Maxwell to consider patronizing the sculptor and giving her some access to the Monolith’s labor pool, potentially allowing to create a truly awesome (or horrifying) monument. (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 0/2, Finesse: 0/4, Award: +2d2 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Order Implacable
After the costly battle with the hated Cheeze Martians, Outlander Subaru was given a chance to rest and recover in Hammertown, overseeing the repair of his vehicle fleet in the Order’s garage and even its expansion with the order of four brand new motorlancers and another hedgehog carpet. Bishop Lamborghini, meanwhile, concentrated on a more comprehensive expansion of the Order’s capital. Two additional sentry towers were built out of ancient steel beams recovered by skyscraper reclamation crews, while the old university computer lab was repurposed to serve as a signal tower, transmitting Bishop Lamborghini’s solemn sermons across Icerust. In a series of embarrassing incidents, he and other Ducatic preachers were heckled by what appeared to be radiowave pirates. These incidents were later resolved, as the radio frequencies of Icerust turned out to be already swarming with messages from other factions, including pagan flesh worshippers from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, sweetmouth junkies from Iowa, trigger-happy enforces from Old Detroit approaches, a white trash megalomaniac from across the Michigan Lake, and a Communist commune from the Windy City ruin. While these first and messy diplomatic contacts were still being set, the local teams of hunters and fishers kept Hammertown well-stocked on food (a necessary task, given that Hammertown grew twice in size once again, when Bishop Lamborghini invited hundreds of pilgrims and new converts to join the Order), and the nearby ramshackled skyscrapers were scavenged for steel and glass. On the other end of Blue Mound Drive, the colonists of Sir Ducati’s Passing were busing themselves with a similar task, combing through Luminum Nest in search of usable scrap and cement blocks, which would later be put to use in the construction of a defensive bunker. In this climate of booming economy and diplomacy, high hopes were put upon Dame Schwinn, who was charged with exploring the Lake Michigan shore south-east of Hammertown with a trio of bike-in-arms and a single hedgehog carlet. The task seemed simple at first, as the iced-over lake surface was a relatively simple and anomaly-free landscape to navigate. Yet, ill fate came in a form nobody quite expected. The expedition ventured too far from the icy shore into an area of unstable ice, which started to crack, as a great horned serpent appeared. One by one, it crushed and swallowed every single vehicle, showing indifference to human crewmen, but mutilating or drowning them in the process anyway. Only Dame Schwinn was able to swim away, find solid footing and return home, miraculously not succumbing to hypothermia. At home, some of the newly arriving poor fellows admitted that her story sounded eerily similar to the legend of Misiginibig, a great lake monster of the ancient north.
(Hammertown: -106.8 Grub, -417.7 Junk, +41.5 Guzz, -4.3 Plush, +281 Proles, +2 Sentry towers, +1 Signal tower)
(Sir Ducati’s Passing: -16.4 Grub, -10 Proles, +1 Bunker)
(Order Implacable: can communicate with factions (Monolith of Sarkic, The Wobblies, Greylaw, Candyland, Mikeland), -3 Glory, +1 Notoriety, +1 “Mule” Hedgehog Carlet, +4 “Charger” Motorlancers (all in Hammertown), -1 “Mule” Hedgehog Carlet, -3 “Zard” Bike-in-Arms)
Grand Master’s challenge: Cursegiving
The distinct colonial culture of Sir Ducati’s Passing continued to solidify around the Cursegiving tradition, even despite the Church of St. Ducati slowly taking the position of the official Implacable creed. (Investment: Labor 150/200, Expertise: 2/2, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +2d2 Plush (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Mikeland
For far too long, the realm-sized mancave of Mikeland was long overdue for a Highwaymen visit. Even the insufferable King Mike could see the writing on the wall, so he put an effort toward some low-key war preparation. To that purpose, his court mechanic developed a picket bike proudly named “Fodder,” a simple-as-it-gets cross-country motorcycle with a decent engine and not much of anything else, mostly designed for reconnaissance and getting in the way of enemy vehicles. Six of these things were churned out in Popsicle Junction’s bike stables, helped by an influx of gasoline, scrap, and foodstuffs brought into the city by its indentured servants. Similar hunting and salvaging runs were outfitted in Mikeville-upon-Bestie (which just got a trio of overmen promoted into the King’s techie charter) and Third One. In the former, this age of plenty sponsored the construction of two aquafarms, while in Third One a bunker was made out of frozen soil, hard wood, and occasional rocks. To assist these efforts and redistribute some valuable food, scrap, and serfs, Unlucky Larry was tasked with taking his limo-truck on a ride between Popsicle Junction, Mikeville-upon-Bestie, and Third One. Mikevillians were informed about his expected arrival via radio, but ended up waiting in vain for a good half of the month, until Captain Molly arrived with her exploration party of buggies, heading for a north-western expedition across the frozen Lake Michigan. Having learned that Larry never arrived after departing Mikeland’s capital, she briefly went back and explored the ice-scape of the Northwest Hook, until discovering the place where Unlucky Larry’s luck truly and decisively ran out. Judging by the tracks, partially covered with the recent snow and thus left unnoticed by Molly during her first passage, Larry’s limo-truck was overtaken by an entire party of nimble quadracycles, fast buggies, and heavier vehicles Molly didn’t even like to imagine. Failing to escape them on his flimsy and awkward limo-truck, Larry attempted to venture into the area of unstable Oz, where he was finally boarded and captured. Judging by the raw message left by the raiders in the ice with Larry’s own blood, they were mightily upset to find his limo-truck empty of valuables (and possessing no value of its own, in their eyes), as Larry planned to load up in Mikeville, before picking up some cargo in Popsicle Junction for Third One. With the news of Larry’s gruesome departure and his vandalized limo-truck in tow, Molly returned to Popsicle Junction in a stern and solemn mood. Seeing her royal dad interchangeably go through rage and panic, she decided her time could be spent more productively elsewhere, so Molly Clever stocked up on booze and mechanical equipment and relocated her buggy fleet to her new seat of power in Mikeville-upon-Bestie. Not wishing to be cornered by the scary KKKavalrymen, she took her fate in her hands and scouted the anomaly-ridden, but otherwise fairly open east-west corridor across Lake Michigan. Eventually, she came across a large, man-made rampart of ice and snow, protecting from winds a large area of prime ice fishing, frequented by camping ice nomads and cross-lake migrants. With this discovery, Molly’s plan to cross the lake to the other side became only half as daring.
(Popsicle Junction: -46 Grub, +486.2 Junk, +5.4 Guzz, -11.2 Plush, -7 Proles, -1 Clouts)
(Mikeville-upon-Bestie: +32.5 Grub, +319 Junk, -20 5 Guzz, -3 Proles, +3 Jacks, +2 Protein pools)
(Third One: +183.9 Grub, -10 Proles, +1 Bunker)
(Mikeland: +1 Glory, +1 Notoriety, -1 Commander (Unlucky Larry), 1 “Cargo-Goer” Limo-truck is damaged, +Design (“Fodder” Unarmed Picket Bike), +6 “Fodder” Unarmed Picket Bikes (in Popsicle Junction), rebase 1 "Killer" Armed Buggy Transport, 2 "More Killer" Armed Buggies w/ Shotgunner teams (Popsicle Junction to Mikeville-upon-Bestie), Highway discovered: White Trek (Length: 6, Expanse: 210, Openness: 230, Perils: 90), Site discovered: Midlake Loop (Population Growth: 5, Fertility: 4, Deposits: 0, Fossils: 0, Protection: 3, no anomaly))
King’s challenge: Snobility by birthright (Completed)
The news of Unlucky Larry’s grizzly departure hit King Mike right where it hurts. Among the past five high-stakes poker games they had, King Mike had won four (and the fifth one was a draw only because Mike fell asleep atop his cards after three bottles of moonshine). So, at appears Larry owed Mike a lot of booze, and now, with his untimely and tragic death, the debt was unretrievable. With this sobering realization, King Mike doubled down on attracting more snobles to play poker with, erecting a fairly impressive mansion in Popsicle Junction just for the purpose of demonstrating just how serious he was about it. (Investment: Labor 200/200, Expertise: 12/12, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +2d6 Clouts (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
King’s challenge: Jacks for the Princess
Molly’s own bid for semi-independence (or, at least, autonomy) from her royal dad, would be just another snap decision in a long history of family drama, had it not been for Molly’s sharp wit and dedication. If Mikeville-upon-Bestie (and, indeed, other sections of the realm outside of King Mike’s direct control) were to be run efficiently, then the class of royal engineers and experts would have to be expanded. And sure, some indentured servants could be promoted to such positions, but wouldn’t traveling freemen and -women make even better jacks? With the construction of proper living conditions for Mikeland’s middle class, Molly could really turn her dad’s realm around, couldn’t she? (Investment: Labor 0/200, Expertise: 0/2, Finesse: 0/2, Award: +4d4 Jacks (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory)
Ogayori Clan
Despite the growing calls to go ahead and use his rapidly growing vehicle fleet, Ogayori Denji stayed adamant on his decision to let the world come to Ryūgū-jō instead. This time, he spent the last remainders of his authority outside Utsukushī Shima to invite dozens of workers to join his prosperous clan. These new joiners provided much needed help, as the isolationist Clan’s vehicle fleet continued to expand (perhaps, counterintuitively), this time adding not only two more tricycle motorized charriorts, but also a fearsome turbotank, the first such machine seen in this part of Icerust. Perhaps, the Ogayori people’s lack of experience with actually using their vehicles led to them underestimating how much labor it took to keep the already produced machines in operational shape, as Ogayori Denji initially planned to produce three of his trike cavalry vehicles, but his order was cut short, when it became clear it was simply impossible to keep the production at that pace without sacrificing the existing transports to rust and the elements. The fishing quotas also had to be cut a bit short, although Ryūgū-jō continued prospering compared to the rest of Icerust.
(Ryūgū-jō: -377.6 Grub, -63.6 Junk, -302 Guzz, -7.4 Plush, +88 Proles)
(Ogayori Clan: -1 Glory, +1 “Amematsu” Turbotank, +2 “Yari Ashigaru” Trike Cavalry (in Ryūgū-jō))
Clan Head’s challenge: Jazu witch hunt
The Jazu conspiracy continued to brew inside the Ogayori Clan, as the Great Unifier remained stubbornly against any attempts to explore the world beyond Utsukushī Shima. (Investment: Glory: 0/2, Award: -1d30 Proles, +1d20 Junk (one time), Challenge cannot be dismissed, Other challenges cannot be gained while this challenge stands)
Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival
Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival had its own dose of mayhem this month, as the Trolls have finally delivered on their promise to avenge their earlier defeat in the siege of Shelby Carnarium. Alas, their highway ambush proved to be rather anticlimactic, with the attackers being outnumbered and easily outmaneuvered. It all started when Ringmaster Vanessa took all of her vehicles (three cargo buggies protected by an autocannon-bristling battle hatchback and a minigun buggy with a troupe of shotgunners) from Shelby Carnarium to Clown Town Party Palace, looking to deliver a load of scrap, gasoline, and five expert technicians to that young colony nested inside the cosy Rigged Valley. Just when the convoy entered the snowed-over, overgrown Seventy-Fiver highway, the enemies revved up their engines and appeared out of the thicket, consisting of a single dirt bike with a loudspeaker and two underpowered (but impressively looking) cars with gasoline bomb squads. This group appeared to be led by a rogue Troll commander, who, in his youthful eagerness, chose to override the warlord’s orders and take upon the Chaos Carnival himself. The result was predictable. A master runaway driver, Vanessa easily outran and outmaneuvered the Trolls, protecting her cargo buggies from being boarded, rammed, or set on fire. In a rather comical manner, all enemy vehicles crashed into pine trees or rolled off the frozen highway ramps, and their crew was mowed down by Vanessa’s own autocannons (luckily for the enemy, she had no time to stop and destroy or tow away the enemy cars). Her own fleet, however, had to split, as a battle bugg started to leak oil, and its cargo partner was damaged when its driver lost control during a particularly aggressive maneuver. Eventually, their load was redistributed, and a few injured crewmen were left to be taken care of by a passing group of nomads. With the escort successfully completing its job (an gaining some fame and battle experience in the process), the Chaos Carnival’s settlements were left to their devices. Rigged Valley became a site of big snowhog hunts, and in Shelby Carnarium the scrap and oil harvesters supplied the city with resources for building two thirds of a future lorry plant. As for the Trolls, they were rumored to have taken their aggressive posture down a bit, but the defeat was blamed on the raid commander’s ill discipline and not the Carnival’s strength, so the Highwaymen refused to see it as a truly humbling defeat.
(Shelby Carnarium: -48.3 Grub, -360.2 Junk, -52.5 Guzz, +0.3 Plush, -5 Proles, -5 Jacks, +1 Lorry plant (INCOMPLETE, 150/260 Labor))
(Clown Town Party Palace: +234 Grub, +400 Junk, +195 Guzz, +5 Jacks)
(Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival: +1 Glory, +1 Experience, -2 Notoriety, 1 “Battle Bugg” Utility Vehicle w/ Shrapnel Troupe and 1 "Cargo Bugg" Utility Vehicle are damaged)
Ringmaster’s challenge: Madhouse Circus (Completed)
Over a year in production, the Madhouse Circus had to be a truly eye-opening moment in the history of Icerust. At last, with all the acts been rehearsed, revised, and rehearsed again, the Madhouse Circus finally opened its gates. And it was… good. Certainly not a “cross the tundra and cannibalize your brother” kind of good, but Ringmaster Vanessa enjoyed quite an encore, especially after her goons walked onto the stage with shotguns and machetes. One way or another, it’s hoped the circus would supply the Chaos Carnival and its people with some joy and entertainment. (Investment: Labor: 100/100, Expertise: 4/4, Finesse: 6/6, Award: +1d4 Plush (15% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Ringmaster’s challenge: Bread, not circus!
The Madhouse Circus might’ve been a moderate success, but the Chaos Carnival's roundabouts and troupe members started to voice a concern. Rarely being the ones to enjoy the fruit of Shelby Carnarium’s entertainment industry, they simply requested that from time to time Ringmaster Vanessa uses her newly gained fame to promote food drives from across the surrounding wasteland. (Investment: Labor: 0/60, Expertise: 0/4, Finesse: 0/4, Award: +1d16 Grub (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
The Wobblies
Comrade Valentina Rodriguez, once being feared by her crewmen more than the perils they could possibly meet in the icy wasteland, was visibly shook by her recent clash with the fearsome gigants. Despite seeing no signs of the Loopers in the vicinity of Windy Wasteland’s North Side, she insisted on keeping her vehicles, including the massive wheeled fortress, within the Commune’s walls. In the meantime, the majority of Ravenswood Commune’s workers were busying themselves with the Great Potato Struggle in the crowded (and rather steamy) greenhouses lining against the heatcatcher’s pipes, and the remaining few Wobblies scanned Raven’s Wood for salvageable materials, some of which went into the production of prime vodka, hygiene products, and various utensils by the local artisans. The surplus of such luxury items was expanded, when plenty of fur hats and gloves (along with squirrel jerky) was added to the storehouse by the participants of the first official Squirrel Tap Dance festival, attended by hobbyist trappers and professional hunters alike.
(Ravenswood Commune: +242.9 Grub, +144.1 Junk, -13 Guzz, +6.2 Plush)
Grand Foreman’s challenge: The First Nice Council (Completed)
With the First Nice Council concluded, all that remained was to spread the new doctrine to the Workers. This would result in a not insignificant productivity drop as Proles would spend many an hour being proselytised to. (Investment: Labor 100/100, Expertise: 20/20, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +1d10 Clouts (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Grand Foreman’s challenge: Laborium
Grand Foreman Gardener has decided to take a preemptive action to ensure that the Cult wouldn't spiral out of control with bizarre ideological fixations through the construction of a Worker's Museum and Library of Labor, or, as the common Wobblies named it shortly, the Laborium. In Chandra Gardener’s mind, this place of learning was supposed to correct and (more importantly) useful ideas to the proles, further advancing her plans to ensure the survival of the ideals of the Commune in some form or another and to improve the productivity of the Commune. Quite quickly, these rosy assumptions were corrected by the fellow Committeemen and -women, who pointed out that it was unlikely for an averagely literate worker to wish to read a book after a full day of backbreaking labor growing potatoes in the barely thawed soil. However, the IWW engineers did agree to start working on a blueprint for a building that could make the life of local jacks and clouts more comfortable and fulfilling, lowering their demand in other goods. (Investment: Expertise: 25/40, Finesse: 2/5,Award: new structure available only to The Wobblies in the Building list, +1 Glory (one-time gain))
The Republic of Sinclair
With much fanfare and excitement, a large convoy was outfitted toward the much desired El Dorado of Fist Energy Bowl. Over the next few weeks, hundreds of workers (the majority of Sincair’s citizens, really) worked on establishing a self-sufficient boomtown inside the massive ruin of an ancient football stadium. These efforts couldn’t be left unnoticed by the Highwaymen of Old Cleveland, and rumors swirled about the Order of the Straight Edge planning its revenge of “the booze-lickers of Sin-Claire.” In the meantime, those who stayed back in the ramshackled Asiatown kept on working on hunting and gathering everything edible from across it, while also dragging plenty of valuable haul back home for the use of local jewelers and tinkerers.
(Sinclair: -30.9 Grub, -893.1 Junk, +179.7 Guzz, +8.8 Plush, -500 Proles)
(Last Energy: +500 Proles, +Boomtown in Fist Energy Bowl)
(The Republic of Sinclair: +2 Notoriety)
Captain-Defender’s challenge: Toyotathon and Honda Days (Completed)
With the city of Sinclair mostly depopulated, the preparation for the Toyotathon and Honda Days celebrations was left mostly to the haves rather than the have-nots. However, with the lion’s share of the preparatory work already done in the previous months, it was an easy assignment to push past the finish line. Just as the news of its successful foundation started to arrive from Fist Energy, Sinclair had its first festive snowball fight between the float fleets of fiercely competitive Toyotathoners and Honda-Day Saints. (Investment: Labor: 240/240, Expertise: 5/5, Finesse: 2/2, Award: -1d10 Junk, +6d2 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Captain-Defender’s challenge: Boozehound
Some of the captured Straight Edgers recently opened up about their faction: an ascetic monastic order and an offshoot of a bootleg brewery that fell apart due to its members habit of getting drunk on their own supply. The enslaved Straight Edgers said that their order’s engineers discovered a device that allows to keep vehicles running longer and more efficiently on a mix of alcohol and gasoline, as opposed to the guzz alone. While neither of them was particularly good at chemistry and engineering, they promised that given enough help from the Sinclairian engineers and inventors they could help retroengineer the same engine for the Republic. This, of course, would stand on the way of working them to the bone, but the output of that investment could be an engine with a much longer running range than anything that price ordinarily buys. (Investment: Labor: 0/50, Expertise: 0/30, Finesse: 0/5, Award: new Engine available only to The Republic of Sinclair in the Vehicle Designer)
Map:
Spoiler :
GM's notes:
- stats are up to date
- map is up to date
- orders are due April 10
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