Bring The Fire

Schools of Magic
A summarised introduction by Wa'iz Adham, wizard scholar of the the Phantom Tower​

Alchemy: a magic of transmuting and enhancement that can range from the creation of mystical potions and the the conversion of metals to creations of mythical blades and the construction of golems.

Arcane: magic at its most pure, often witness in the 'fire' of the jin or genies, as well as the 'elemental' properties of a portal. The magic tends to be unstable, often mixing what is refereed to as "chaos magic" (usage at its most naked) and "order magic" (usage under strict directive) which tend to be more philosophies of using magic rather than sub-schools of the arcane.

Death: manipulation the forces of death, often linked with dark magic though light powered death magic users are not unheard of. Essentially death magic is the path of necromancy, with the ability to commune, raise and command the undead.

Demonic: like eldrich demonic magic is a linkage of other magic schools through the prism of demonic power. Master requires a understanding of demonic channelling, often invoking communions with demonic beings to acquire their knowledge, a practice with prices. Despite the natures of this magic it is quite opposed to eldrich to a point that makes the binaries between light and dark magics appear at peace.

Divine: refers to the twin schools of dark and light magic. Both twins are regarded individual as among the powerful forms of magic but both schools to attract a binary hostility among user among each. Those who master both dark and light magic are among the more powerful users of magic. Users tend to link with death and life magic. The beings refereed to as "angels" tend to have mastery of either one or both of the sub-schools.

Eldrich: nicknamed "cosmic" by those who wish to not fully reference to its origins, it is referred as the "twisted parody of divine magic." Edrich magic is the realm of the eldrich abominations known as the Dark Gods. The magic tends to channel to other schools in a more twisted form. Users of this magic tend to face accelerated mutations and a rather cosmic form of insanity. The magic has also been known to forge powerful forms of psionics, though the results tend to break down the realities of the dominion it is used in.

Elemental: a collections of magic schools, each set to the five elements; in much of the realms these are air, earth, fire, water and aether. Magic users can also follow a alternative form of elemental magic based on metal, wood, water, fire and earth. For each set of five most users of elemental magic tend to specialise in one or two, though there are who have mastered all.

Life: a magic school can manipulates life forces, with tendencies ranging from the mending of the body through healing to the ability to command the beasts of nature through the magic of the fae. Body magic is often a nickname granted to this school due to the ability to enhance the natures of the body, while the term nature magic relates to practices such as communion with wildlife and haste growth of plants. This school is often linked with either a divine sub-school of magic or (for the Fae) elemental powers, though it is also founded among those who strive for both power of the body and (through psionics) the mind.

Psionic: essentially mind magic; a unusual magic that does not have any linkage to arcane considerations, with a power of manipulation that seems to follow more the physical conditions of the user's mental capabilities as of itself rather than a mastery of embodiment of a magic power source. Seen in the likes of astral protection, psychokinesis and telepathy, the latter if mastered can enable one to essentially control the minds of others through will alone.

This post was primary (with edits) a copy and past from the this post in Roll2Rule and was also of this one in Choices and Chances.​

 

I've revised my demi gods.

 

Reminder that orders lock tomorrow night, in the wee hours of the evening (about 32 or so hours from now) since I'm sure at least several of you might be busy doing things for July 4th.

General orders are acceptable if specific ones cannot be drawn up.

Re: secret actions. As something of a stat check, demigods can engage in secret actions against other players provided that of their stats of Charisma, Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom, at least 3 of them are 10 or higher.

In terms of countering secret actions, any demigod can ordered to perform counterintelligence. Their success is dependent on their own Charisma, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom compared to whoever is sent against you. Of course, this consumes a valuable action, so is ill-advised unless you have strong reason to believe someone is undermining you.

(This addendum has been added to the front page rules, under demigods, subsection "Stat checks")

Announcement:

Omega has announced her intention to drop. Romania is considered to no longer exist until further notice. This is a courtesy announcement in case anyone wanted to adjust their orders.

Set is now without a nation. Any nation that adopts Set as its deity will receive a boon every turn as the only Set nation.

Bear in mind that with the exception of AA's unnamed nation, anyone choosing Set will see a religious splinter.

 

In light of the festivities tonight for many members, I am giving one last orders extension until tomorrow afternoon. So... 16 hours.

After that, anyone with no orders will have their demigods split between counterespionage and expansion, AP will be equally split between expansion and raising demigod stats, EP will be equally split between expansion and economic investment, and half of MP will be used for expansion.

 

Imnek the Amarok- An Inuit werewolf who can take the form of a giant wolf. Rescued and later joined the KPCR after they were driven from the Russian plains. An avid and powerful hunter and war leader.
Health 15
Strength 20
Dexterity 10
Constitution 10
Intelligence 6
Wisdom 5
Charisma 4

Kuzunoha- A kitsune able to take the form of a fox. Her motives and desires are mysterious and change on a whim, but her trickery has always been reliable to the KPCR's mercurial interests.
Health 5
Strength 3
Dexterity 14
Constitution 4
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 11
Charisma 19

Lara Makarovna the Wise- A matronly Russian werebear and, despite her middling to youthful appearance, one of the oldest members of the KPCR. A powerful warrior, spellcaster, and orator.
Health 10
Strength 10
Dexterity 8
Constitution 9
Intelligence 8
Wisdom 15
Charisma 12

 

Goch Clan Leadership, Hands and the UGC's Diplomats​

The Clans will like to give record of the leaders of each of the member clans, their agendas and the principle agenda of the clans themselves.

We also wish to note the hands, elected to represented their respected clan at the Assembly of Clans, along with their individual agenda and remind of clan politics.

Finally the UGC is to announce it is sending forth ambassadors to represent the UGC at the nations they are send forth to.

Thank you for your time.

 

AP Expansion. 25% chance of religious conversion. 5% chance of rival faith. 50% chance of heathen.

The Empire of the Holy Flame – 10. 1 State. 4 Heretic. 5 Heathen.

The United Goch Clans – 10. 0 State. 4 Heretic. 6 Heathen.

Magayo – 5. 2 State. 1 Heretic. 2 Heathen.

Hinori – 5. 0 State. 2 Heretic. 3 Heathen.

Valfian – 10. 1 State. 3 Heretic. 6 Heathen.

KPCR – 5. 1 State. 2 Heretic. 2 Heathen.

New England – 5. 1 State. 1 Heretic. 3 Heathen.

MP Expansion. Each attacked province randomly assigned 1 to 5 MP. 10% chance of conversion. 8% chance of rival faith. 50% chance of heathen.

Neutral province MP loss equation: Loser’s percentage of battles won * its MP / 2, rounded down

The Empire of the Holy Flame pours 100 MP and all its demigods into a campaign against 10 provinces in Crete! 140 MP vs. 43!

---Results: 8 provinces conquered. -4 MP. All demigods add +2% to armies they command, which stacks. 1 State. 2 Heretic.

The United Goch Clans uses 96 MP and Gogrum Dorr against 12 provinces! 111 MP vs. 15!

---Results: 9 provinces conquered. -1 MP. Gogrum Door gains +2% to command. 0 State, 8 Heretic.

The Daylamite People’s Republic pours 90 MP and the Spectre of Communism into 30 provinces in Tabaristan! 110 vs 40!

---Results: 24 provinces conquered. -4 MP. Spectre of Communism gains +2% to commanding armies. 2 State. 7 Heretic.

Magayo uses 50 MP, and its Land and Sea Kaiju against 10! 80 vs 30!

---Results: 9 provinces conquered. -1 MP. Land and Sea Kaiju gain +2% to commanding armies. 2 State. 2 Heretic.

Hinori uses 50 MP, Omukade, and Ryujin against 10. 85 vs 11!

---Results: 8 provinces conquered. -1 MP. Omukade and Ryujin gain +2% to commanding armies. 2 State. 2 Heretic.

Valfian uses 20 MP against 3 provinces in Socotra! 20 vs. 7!

---Results: 2 provinces conquered. -1 MP. 1 State, 1 Heretic.

KPCR uses 50 MP, Imnek, and Kuzunoha against 10! 84 vs 16!

---Results: 7 provinces conquered. -2 MP. Imnek and Kuzunoha gain +2% to commanding armies. 1 State, 4 Heretic.

New England uses 100 MP, Veers, and Kerrigan against 30 provinces! 128 vs. 87!

---Results: 20 provinces conquered. -14 MP. Veers and Kerrigan gain +3% to commanding armies. 5 State. 3 Heretic.

EP Expansion. Every 1 EP spent = 20% chance of annexing 1 province and 25% chance of converting. Always state or heathen.

The Empire of the Holy Flame spends 50 on 25. 11 successful! 3 converted.

The United Goch Clans spends 50 on 10. Automatic success. All converted.

The Daylamite People’s Republic spends 30 on 10. 5 successful! All converted.

Magayo spends 50 on 17. 9 successful! 8 converted.

Hinori spends 40 on 13. 8 successful! All converted.

KPCR spends 40 on 13. 6 successful! All converted.

Demigod Rolls

The United Goch Clans

--Aeron researches to improve his magic. 3. Some charlatan’s work managed to get mixed in with the masters’, and while Aeron’s overall intelligence is not disputed, his attempt to magically rid a military base of its roaches only to cause the place to get the Starship Troopers experience has made him a laughing stock, to say nothing of the soldiers who were eaten by the resultant giant cockroaches. (-4 Charisma for until Turn 4, -3 MP)

--Ariel investigates the Isle of Man for adventure. 13. Ariel’s adventure in the ruins of Castle Rushen looks to be a disappointment, but the minotaur’s inhuman body causes a patch of ground outside the castle to give way. It looks like he just had the poor luck of falling into a sinkhole… but he’s quick to find treasure. While an excavation is quick to repossess the wealth for the glory of the state, there is a strange inscription on a piece of parchment. Despite the state’s efforts, news of the parchment has circulated; it reads as follows:

“I knew you would come here seeking surprise,

So I left you this note to open your eyes.

In my youth I spun the wheel of fate,

I tired of knowledge, preferring to dance with man.

A friendly spider, he became my mate,

I let him take over spinning every plan.

Find his treasure, and if you should dare,

You’ll be like him: eyes everywhere!”

The parchment has a blood red handprint at the bottom, with what appears to be claws. (+2 EP, Ariel gains +1 to looking for hidden objects)

The Daylamite People’s Republic

--The Red Amesha researches divine sources of food so no worker will ever go hungry again. 20. Much to the Red Amesha’s (presumed) relief, human sacrifice is not a necessary component of ambrosia, instead, it is the ability to directly absorb mental energies. While it will take some time to manufacture ambrosia for everyone (the absorption process is difficult to bring out in everyone), it is a massive breakthrough and a source of national pride nonetheless. From what the Red Amesha is able to distill, there will be enormous benefits for health, productivity, and happiness across the DPR. (+5 to Red Amesha’s max HP, Strength, Wisdom, natural EP growth increased to 6%)

Valfian

--Valikid opens a pizza shop called the Dour Decapod, featuring a brainless sponge for a chef and a qiant squid for a delivery boy. 14. Valikid’s pizza shop is a huge success, and word quickly spreads. The new tourism is great for the local economy, and it also makes Valikid have the leverage that comes with being a celebrity. (+3 EP, Valikid gains +1 on espionage rolls)

--Asmadi plants totems infused with water magic to form a magic barrier around Sri Lanka. 7. Asmadi’s totems seem to work fairly well at first, but when a friendly naval vessel is disintegrated while trying to dock there, it becomes clear it’s back to the drawing board for a bit. (-1 MP.)

--Tormak oversees the construction of a massive battleship called the Looter Cruiser. 1. The Looter Cruiser comes along smoothly, but shortly after installing its cannon powered by [redacted], there is an unstable reaction; the result is an energy shockwave that reduces most mortals within a mile to skeletons. The ever agile and quick thinking King managed to find a good hiding spot to absorb the surge of deadly magic, but is still greatly wounded and, while physicians and magicians believe he’ll make a full recovery, he’s… well, not exactly the most… aesthetically pleasing for now? (-5 MP, Tormak loses 8 HP, -8 Charisma until Turn 4)

 

Boons Received (already included in stats):

Anansi – Empire of the Holy Flame. +12 territories.
Coyote – KPCR. +12 territories.
Huehuecoyotl – Magayo. +16 Territories.
Huxian – Vilfian. +14 Territories.
Reynard – New England Dominion. +12 Territories.
Set – #ForeverAlone

***

Turn II

Map



A Neo-Greek state has consolidated, the Indian Ocean increasingly falls under the sway of a single power despite a military experiment going awry, a young adventurer finds a cryptic message buried in the ruins on the Isle of Man. The most recent cycle has been relatively uneventful, but with the discovery of the literal food of the gods on top of various state machinations, there is plenty of room for optimism that rapid change could occur at any moment. Despite the abrupt collapse of two of the world’s ten major states, more land and people are under the control of major powers than before, and there looks to be no sign of slowing.

The Set worshipping Romanians no longer are in play, ending anxieties there could be some destructive rivalry with the Holy Flame, but the military and political rivalry of the New England Dominion and the Daylamite People’s Republic raises the possibility that there could be a Cold War on the horizon. Only time will tell if the opposing hedonisms of Reynard and Huehuecoyotl heat up into something more than mere angry glances from the other side of the world.

GM Notes

You all have heretic and heathen provinces now. 1 AP can be spent to instantly convert any province to your state faith. For EP, it is more complicated: for every EP you spend, there is a 25% chance of converting a heathen province, and a 10% chance of converting a heretical province. In short, you should focus on mass converting heathens first, because provinces worshiping the main six gods are harder to convert. Another strategy tip: use AP to convert heretics, because they're much harder to convert with EP.

All players who get orders in on time, or who automate their state orders before the lock (that is, provide a general outline of national goals so I can allocate spending accordingly), will receive +1 to all demigod rolls. This guards against the worst backfires. This is cumulative with other bonuses.

Orders will lock the night of July 11th.

 

Claims:

Spoiler :

(Dark Green is what I'm spending AP on, Light Green is what I'm spending EP on.)

39 EP on expanding territories, 39 EP back into the economy, 38 EP into the military. Demigod orders will come later.

 

The UGC will like to note we are focusing our claims in the British Isles, though we are also looking to claim Madeira as a trade post for our merchant shipping, enabling us to trade secure with the Holy Flame and Magayo.

 

A little over 48 hours remain until the orders lock!

 

Raised Hands, Kaiju of the Land and Blowing Gust, Kaiju of the Air both work on how likeable they are. Their Charisma could always use a good tuning.

Meanwhile, Rolling Wave, Kaiju of the Sea, uses his likeability to hopefully bring in new converts in our new lands.

 

24 hours until lock!

 

It's time for the KPCR to expand its influence. We shalll push towards the inland areas of Alaska and lay claim to the interior for the werepeople and the wereworkers!

Imnek meanwhile will run our brave fighters through harsh training drills to improve their skills fighting the bourgeois, and Lara Makarovna will seclude herself in her studies to improve her already immense wisdom further.

 

Spoiler Rolls :

AP Expansion. 25% chance of religious conversion. 5% chance of rival faith. 50% chance of heathen.

The Empire of the Holy Flame uses 12 AP to annex Cyprus. 2 State. 2 Heretic.

KPCR uses 11 AP on Alaska. 3 State. 3 Heretic.

The United Goch Clans uses 11 AP. 3 State. 2 Heretic.

The Daylamite People’s Republic uses 6 AP. 1 State. 3 Heretic.

Magayo uses 12 AP. 4 State. 2 Heretic.

Hinori uses 6 AP. 3 State.

Valfian uses 5 AP in Madagascar and 5 in Malaysia. 6 State. 2 Heretic.

New England uses 5 AP. All heathen.

EP Expansion. Every 1 EP spent = 20% chance of annexing 1 province and 25% chance of converting. Always state or heathen.

The Empire of the Holy Flame uses 61 MP to seize all 9 Aegean islands and territory around Izmir, for 20. 11 provinces claimed. 9 converts!

KPCR spends 121 EP on 40 provinces. 21 provinces claimed. 17 converts!

The United Goch Clans use 50 EP on 25 and 8 on 2 provinces. 13 claimed. 7 converts!

The Daylamite People’s Republic uses 40 EP on 20 provinces. 10 claimed. 5 converts!

Magayo spends 39 EP on 39 territories. 4 provinces claimed. 2 converts!

Hinori uses 40 EP on 40 provinces. 7 provinces claimed. 4 converts!

New England spends 4 on 4 provinces. 1 claimed. 1 converted!

MP Expansion. Each attacked province randomly assigned 1 to 5 MP. 10% chance of conversion. 8% chance of rival faith. 50% chance of heathen.

Neutral province loss equation: Loser’s percentage of battles won * its MP / 2, rounded down

The Empire of the Holy Flame

The Empire sends 96 MP and Kenar to take over the area around Izmir, for 15 provinces. 114 MP vs. 47 MP.

Result: 9 battles won. While the Empire’s forces were very cautious, the enemy proved to be more resourceful than expected. -9 MP. +1% to Kenar’s Command.

4 State. 4 heretic.

KPCR

99 MP led by Imnek spent on 30 provinces in Alaska. 123 MP vs. 74 MP.

Result: 27 won. -3 MP. +3% to Imnek’s Command.

3 State. 11 Heretic.

The United Goch Clans

96 MP led by Gogrum Dorr target 20 provinces. 113 MP vs. 40 MP.

Result: 15 won. -5 MP. +2% to Gogrum’s Command.

2 State. 6 Heretic.

The Daylamite People’s Republic

104 MP led by the Spectre target 20 provinces. 131 Vs. 50 MP.

Result: 19 won. -1 MP. +3% to Spectre’s command.

2 State. 8 Heretic.

Hinori

100 MP led by Omukade and Ryujin target 26 provinces. 140 Vs 89 MP.

Result: 17 won. -15 MP. +1% to Omukade and Ryujin’s command.

3 State. 2 Heretic.

Valfian

50 MP dedicated to conquering 8 provinces of Somalia’s eastern coast. 40 Vs. 28 MP.

Result: 7 won. -1 MP.

2 Heretic.

New England

Kerrigan and Veers lead forces to conquer Quebec and New York State, for a total of 34 provinces targeted. After bonuses, it’s 128 vs. 73.

Result: 24 won. -10 MP. +2% to Kerrigan and Veers’ Command.

2 State. 9 Heretic.

Demigod Rolls

The Empire of the Holy Flame

Kenar – Aids the Izmir Campaign.

Vaskus works with the Empire’s scientists and researches nuclear fusion. 5 (6). While everyone tries their best, it’s apparent fusion technology is dangerous to play with, and a new reactor melts down shortly after it comes online. To top it off, many of those involved received poisonous doses of radiation. Fortunately the island of Zakynthos being used for the test reactor has kept damage minimal barring some economic dislocation. (-3 EP, Vaskus -2 HP, Zakynthos becomes uninhabited until Turn 5)

Sarah travels to the ruins of Rome and sees if there are any relics of interest. 9 (10). Sarah finds much to wonder at, but nothing that would really be of interest to the state.

KPCR

Imnek drills soldiers. 12 (15). Imnek successfully shapes many new recruits into model soldiers. He becomes a common name in military installations. (+3 MP, +2% Command)

Imnek uses a second action to aid the Alaskan Campaign.

Lara Makovna studies to increase her wisdom. 19 (20). Lara devours books as if they were served up as dim sum. She comes out of the experience with the typical traits one associates with sleep deprivation, but it is hard to doubt her newfound brainpower. (+10 Wisdom, gain “Different Wavelength,” which is +1 to research rolls)

Kuzunoha remains on defense.

The United Goch Clans

Aeron researches the cryptic poem and its presumed relationship with Huehuecoyotl and Anansi. 19 (20). Aeron’s research bears fruit. Prior to the Renewal, Huehuecoyotl was worshipped as a god of luck (among other things), and could be petitioned to change a person’s bad luck to good or vice versa, effectively making him a god of fate. Anansi, meanwhile, took on more heroic traits among the enslaved populations of the Caribbean, serving as a symbol of resistance against oppression. Based on what we know about the origins of the gods as well as the gods’ current status in the Hexarchy, the message appears to have been written by Huehuecoyotl, implying he somehow shared his power to alter fate with Anansi; this is consistent with the creation myth that it was Anansi who wrote the laws of our world. Furthermore, Aeron discovered [REDACTED]. Aeron’s findings have made him a national treasure, not bad considering not too long he was known as the guy who created abominations by accident. (The Bug Incident is removed. Aeron gains +5 Wisdom, +3 Intelligence)

Gogrum Dorr – Aids the military.

Ariel Argyris visits Madeira and attempts to convince them to peacefully accede to the Gochs as part of Clan Stuhdah. 4 (5). Ariel’s discussion of the benefits of nature does not impress the technologically-advanced Madeirans. A search party eventually finds the poor minotaur rowing in a questionably seaworthy boat off the Iberian coast, stripped off all valuables (to say nothing of clothing and fur), injured, and sans all members of his party. (-1 EP, Ariel -2 HP)

The Daylamite People’s Republic

Mazdak spreads communism and Huehuecoyotl worship across Persia. 2 (3). The Persian folk are fortunately not violent with Mazdak, perhaps hoping to avoid war with the Daylamite state, but they cling pretty heavily to their belief system, that of Huxian. Perhaps his status as a political leader harmed his attempts to enlighten them? (20 provinces demarcated as Huxian worshippers, -1 to missionary efforts)

Spectre of Communism – Aids the military.

The Red Amesha researches ambrosia, trying to understand why some people absorb ambrosia better than others. 3 (4). The Red Amesha’s experiments seem to be bearing fruit… and then a lot of the test subjects are disintegrated by the ambrosia they’ve taken in. Perhaps the secrets of the gods should not were not meant to be understood by mortals? (-3 EP, gains “Playing With Fire,” which is -1 to Ambrosia research)

Magayo

Raised Hands focuses on raising Charisma. 9 (10). Perhaps it’s the fact a kaiju smiling has a different effect than people doing it, but… at least everyone had a good, nervous laugh?

Blowing Gust focuses on raising Charisma. 16 (17). Blowing Gust is able to give a rousing performance, not only proving to be an entertaining, amicable messenger, but also quite good at convincing people to donate spare resources to the state. (+5 Charisma, +2 EP, gains “Salesman,” or +1 to Raising Funds)

Rolling Wave works on converting people. 17 (18). Rolling Wave is quite the smooth talker about the superiority of Huehuecoyotl’s way of life. He converts the 5 heretical provinces, while also inspiring the already-Faithful to up their commitments. (+5 converted provinces, +5 Faith, gains “Preacher” or +1 to Conversion Efforts)

Hinori

All demigods in defense service.

Valfian

Asmadi creates whirlpool elementals to guard the seas. 17 (18). Asmadi’s efforts to guard Sri Lanka were perhaps just a failure from not aiming high enough; the elemental program is a massive success, and unfriendly forces set foot in the Indian Ocean at their own peril. (+1 Wisdom, Gain “Sorcerer” or +1 to magic rolls, +5 MP, gain “Poseidon of India,” or sea invasions of the Indian Ocean coasts lose additional -5% when not approved by Valfian)

Tormak tries to build a different capital ship, this time with plasma weaponry that is hopefully more stable. 7 (8). As the plasma weaponry makes an uncharacteristic hum, some could have sworn they saw Tormak praying to Huxian to grant him a swift reincarnation. Fortunately, this time around, nothing explodes, but faulty engineering means a great deal of investment has been wasted and will need to be replaced. (-2 MP)

Valikid visits southern Italy to try and understand the region’s pizza recipes. 12 (13). Valikid gains valuable insight from the journey, and soon is making pizzas in greater quantity and with greater quality. (+2 EP)

New England

Faye attempts to stamp out heathen beliefs across the Dominion. 7 (10). There is some praise, some mockery, but mostly Faye’s conversion efforts don’t really change anything.

Kerrigan – Aids the military.

Veers – Aids the military.

Peaceful Expansion (from Faith)

The Empire of the Holy Flame – 4.

KPCR – 3.

The United Goch Clans - 5.

The Daylamite People’s Republic – 3.

Magayo – 9.

Hinori – 6.

Valfian – 5.

New England – 4.

Boons Received

Anansi – 12 provinces to the Empire of the Holy Flame.

Coyote – 12 provinces to the KPCR.

Huehuecoyotl – 17 provinces to the Daylamite People’s Republic!

Huxian – 15 provinces to Hinori.

Reynard – 12 provinces to the New England Dominion.

Set – #ForeverAlone

Turn III

Map



The KPCR has become the largest nation in the world as a result of a monumental campaign to integrate Alaska into its territory, while Valfian has moved to essentially control the entire Indian Ocean. The Communist Daylamites and militaristic New England Dominion continue to be the world’s predominant military powers, with the Daylamites having only a slight edge due to their economic power. But Daylamite economic power pales in comparison to that of Valfian, which has an economy 18% larger than its closest rival in Hinori. Valfian currently occupies the middle of military power rankings, but with a roaring economy and capable sorcerers, that could change.

The Empire of the Holy Flame has witnessed the first nuclear meltdown of the post-Renewal age, but fortunately the resultant radiation has been largely contained. Though speaking of radiation, there is something strange going on in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean: about halfway between South America and Africa, an island has risen from the sea. More specifically, it is a large stone structure surrounded by sand, with eight massive chains tying it to the seabed of the Romanche Trench. The island’s sudden appearance was marked by incredible surges of radiation from the area.

Scientists are at a loss to describe the massive structure suddenly floating to the surface and maintaining the stability of an island, but magicians are cackling at least. Already, private companies and adventurers have begun making trips to the area, exploring its massive main structure and the eight outlying structures surrounding it. For good reason: while no one is quite sure what the new, otherworldly archipelago is, preliminary scans reveal there appears to be an abundance of rare metals within it, indicating the presence of treasurevaluable materials.

Of course, reports have come back of many attempting to explore the complex meeting an awful end inside. However, to the heart that is ambitious enough… That said, findings do indicate the structure is apparently unstable to some degree, and could sink back below the surface at any time. With risk comes reward!

You can order your demigods to the strange structure if you so desire. Who knows what awaits you?

GM Notes

Some of you have “Banked EP” now. This is simply EP that was not spent (either purposefully or because there were insufficient funds for an action) and has been kept from last turn, you can combine it with this turn’s EP for spending.

The first “Faith Area” has been brought into play. They have a distinct color on the map, but are not political entities. Instead, they are provinces that do not have randomized faith upon annexation. They are born from player actions generally, but will also pop up in the event a player nation collapses. They are a challenge to would-be conquerors in the fact they have a lower return on investment compared to regular neutral provinces (since it takes more resources to convert them). On the stats sheet, Faith areas are noted by faith and approximate region; currently, the only Faith Area is Huxian Persia in Iran.

On-time order benefit is not in play for this turn.

Orders will lock the night of July 18th.

 

We still have a little under 72 hours until lock, but some brief housekeeping. Hinori hasn't had any orders or requests for automation for two turns. If I don't receive any orders or guidelines from @Red_Spy for this turn, I will have to dissolve Hinori.

 

Courtesy reminder that we have a little over 12 hours until lock. Orders still need to be submitted by @Red_Spy , @GenMarshall , @MartinLuther and @KaiserElectric . As an additional courtesy of GenMarshall: as a Reynard player, you can have one of your demigods perform a second action on a given turn; I have noticed you normally give them all only one action. The second action can give an enormous edge.

Some rule tweaks for anyone who it might concern, largely done to simplify and speed up things:

The odds for religious determination in neutral provinces have been changed to make updates simpler and faster; AP annexation now has a 50% chance of your state religion, 50% of heathen, eliminating the original 25% chance of heretic.

It is possible to use AP to convert provinces in rival states. If you're converting their heathen provinces, it can be done secretly and without a declaration of war. If you're converting their Hexarchist (that is, following any of the six gods) provinces, it needs a declaration of war first. It is a viable strategy to make it harder for that state to convert provinces without expending AP of its own.

Previously, demigods added MP to military forces they helped with their strongest stat between strength, intelligence, and wisdom. This has been replaced so all three stats are converted into MP, enormously bolstering the military power of most demigods.

 

Just automatically acquire some territory for me, please.

 

Spoiler :

AP Expansion. 50% chance of religious conversion. 50% chance of heathen.

KPCR – 17. 8 conversions.

The United Goch Clans – 11. 6 conversions.

The Daylamite People’s Republic – 12. 6 conversions.

Magayo – 14. 7 conversions.

Valfian – 13. 7 conversions.

EP Expansion. Every 1 EP spent = 20% chance of annexing 1 province and 25% chance of converting. Always state or heathen.

The Empire of the Holy Flame spends 39 EP to claim 13 provinces around Izmit. 7 claimed! 5 converted!

KPCR spends 10 EP to claim 3 provinces. 3 claimed! 3 converted!

The United Goch Clans spend 54 EP to claim 27 provinces. 11 claimed! 5 converted!

The Daylamite People’s Republic spends 48 to claim 16 provinces. 11 claimed. 8 converted!

Magayo spends 138 to claim 46. 25 claimed! 19 converted!

Valfian spends 73 to claim 24 in Somalia. 15 claimed! 12 converted!

MP Expansion. Each attacked province randomly assigned 1 to 5 MP. 10% chance of conversion. 8% chance of rival faith. 50% chance of heathen. Neutral province loss equation: Loser’s percentage of battles won * its MP / 4, rounded down

KPCR spends 96 MP led by all three demigods to conquer 40 provinces. 220 vs. 83. 38 conquered! -1 MP. KPCR’s generals gain +1% command.

--4 State, 16 heretic, 18 heathen

The United Goch Clans use 90 MP led by Gogrum Dorr to conquer 20 provinces. 119 vs. 35. 14 conquered! -2 MP. Gogrum gains +1% command.

--2 State, 7 Heretic, 5 Heathen

The Daylamite People’s Republic spends 109 MP to conquer 30 provinces on its way to Mesopotamia. 109 vs. 42. 21 conquered! -3 MP.

--3 State, 5 Heretic, 13 Heathen

Magayo uses 106 MP and all three demigods to conquer 30 provinces. 167 vs 96. 23 conquered! -5 MP. Demigods gain +1% command each.

--3 State, 4 Heretic, 16 Heathen

Valfian spends 75 MP to claim 15 provinces in Malaysia; having advance bases in the area makes deployment easy. 75 vs. 39. 11 conquered! -2 MP.

--1 State, 3 Heretic, 7 Heathen

New England spends 111 MP led by Veers to conquer 35 provinces. 145 vs. 66. 28 conquered! -3 MP. Veers gains +2% command.

--3 State, 9 Heretic, 12 Heathen

Religious Conversion

New England spends 88 EP to convert 78 provinces. 24 convert to Reynard.

Demigod Rolls

The Empire of the Holy Flame

All demigods to the Atlantic!

KPCR

All demigods are on expansion duty.

The United Goch Clans

Aeron conducts a rite of passage in Stonehenge to enhance his magical abilities. 17. Aeron’s rite is a huge success, and he is quickly becoming a respected member of the magical community. (+1 to Magic actions, +2 Strength, +2 HP, +2 Dexterity)

The Daylamite People’s Republic

Mazdak meditates and consults with experts on why his conversion efforts in Persia failed. 13. After some extensive consultation and meditation, it seems perhaps his empathy abilities were a little weak and hindered otherwise strong logic. He will hopefully have better luck next time. (+2 Wisdom, Conversion Penalty is removed)

Magayo

All three demigods are on expansion duty.

Valfian

Asmadi heads to the Atlantic!

Tormak tries to get the plasma battleship ready for field usage. 16. Third time’s the charm! After the initial setback with the Death magic ship and near-disaster with the plasma ship, the ship is finally operational. The carnage the blast can deliver upon enemies brings a tear to Tormak’s eye. Making matters better, with the prototype finishing up testing, Tormak already has lots of notes and plans that can be used to speed up rolling out more of the ships. Valfian’s status as the world’s foremost naval power looks to be secured. (+2 Intelligence, +6 MP, gain Weapons Designer attribute, which gives +1 to weapon design attempts)

Valikid, upon hearing a mournful song about missing home and assuming it is the island speaking to him, attempts to break the chains on the Atlantic structure and drag it to Texas. Roll TBD below.

New England

Kerrigan participates in the new Inquisition. 6 (8). Kerrigan could be better at this. That Huehuecoyotl guy seems a lot more appealing to a lot of people now. (+3 Huehuecoyotl provinces)

Faye participates in the new Inquisition. 13 (15). After Faye’s initial flop at missionary efforts last time, they have considerable success this time around. (+10 Reynard provinces, +2 Charisma, gain Grand Inquisitor Perk, which increases chance of EP conversion by 10% per province)

Veers leads the Army westward while also supervising counterintelligence

The Great Atlantic Temple Expedition

Prologue

Six brave warriors have come from all over the world to investigate the Atlantic structure, which is sure to have valuable historical knowledge, ancient riches, and perhaps more!

From the Empire of the Holy Flame: Vaskus, Kenar and Sarah all put themselves on the line for the good of the Empire.

From the DPR: the Red Amesha and Spectre of Communism, working as a team to avoid any danger.

From Valfian: Asmadi, seen as perhaps the most powerful sorceress in the world, the Poseidon of India, has also joined.

Fortunately, there are plenty of buildings to go around, which should minimize diplomatic incidents.

There is a massive fleet from the Empire of the Holy Flame, but the Spectre/Red Amesha teamup, as well as the water sorceress Asmadi, have the sufficient talent to slip past it. Valikid is too large and well… “stealth-disinclined” to slip past, but the Navy is on orders to not fire unless there’s an imminent threat, so they watch the large crab swim past them, wondering if perhaps they ate spiked food for breakfast.

The structure is strange. Ordinary roll rules might not apply here…

The main structure is explored by the Red Amesha and Spectre, and Kenar and Sarah.

The northeast-east satellite is explored by Asmadi.

The southwest-west satellite is explored by Vaskus.

While not the strongest and still mildly poisoned from the meltdown incident, Vaskus is still very wise, and suggests he cover one of the satellite structures while Kenar and Sarah go through the main structure. Kenar and Sarah are wary to leave their Phoenix Guardian on his own, but he is confident his agility and savvy will see him through… besides, he is their Guardian, not the other way around. And something tells him they’ll want to cover as much ground as possible… something about this place feels familiar.

The Red Amesha and the Spectre are on a mission from their glorious Communist King, and they know it. In all his wisdom, Mazdak had put them together for a reason: the Red Amesha can use their intellect to compensate for Spectre’s… “simplicity,” while the Spectre can use their raw strength to protect the Amesha’s frail intelligentsia body.

Act One

On the exterior, Valikid rolls an 11. He came very close to severing some chains, but simply tired himself out. Breathing with some exertion as he rests, he ponders if he should stick to cooking… glancing up, to his shock, the chains he was cutting through for so long seem to melt back together, healing like an organism. Just what is this place?

13 (18). Inside, Vaskus does not let faint, cloudy memories distract him from his task of seeing if there is anything of use here. He finds some text on a wall… with his reserves of knowledge, he easily deciphers the riddle, then is quick to answer it as simple. A small bag of jewels falls from the ceiling as he answers. When he touches it, it seems to just evaporate. He is perplexed, but continues onward into the temple, answering riddle after riddle, receiving reward after reward… and noticing this place seems much larger on the inside than the outside with how long it goes on, the floor going down too… he may be here a while. (+8 EP, +4 Wisdom)

6 (11). Probably the wisest person here, Asmadi admittedly feels some confidence in her abilities. While she is here for treasure… she is also on a mission from the King to find out just what this place is. She deciphers and answers a riddle on one of the walls, and while the resultant bag of silver is appreciated, that’s not what she is here for (though she does try to take the bag, which vanishes, but she pays it no mind). She moves further and further into the structure… lower, too. As she starts to rise back up again, she realizes that the satellite structure has curvature that presumably goes below the water’s surface… which, if extended enough, would connect it back to the main building… and if all of them are together… this whole building would have a shape similar to that of an upside down spider. Could this be connected to that strange parchment about Anansi found in the United Clans? (+1 EP, +1 Wisdom)

Back at the main structure, as the Red Amesha moves past the entrance, they note the symbol over the doorway… a stylized circle with many layers, all unified by lines crossing from the edge to the center. Like a spider’s web. The Amesha has an idea what this place is…

The Amesha is also savvy enough to deduce that others went down the path to the right when they get inside. They and the Spectre go to the left, hoping there is more unspoiled wealth there.

Red Amesha: 18 (20). The Red Amesha solves the puzzles and riddles as they go with a fair amount of ease. (+10 EP, +5 Wisdom)

Spectre: 13. The Spectre doesn’t bother with bourgeoise riddles, opting to just smash things instead. Hey, it works. (+3 EP, +1 Strength)

Kenar: 13 (16). Kenar is joked about for being dumb as rocks (when he’s not around, of course, considering he can easily kill a man with his bare hands), but has… a surprising amount of luck with various riddles. Like something is guiding him. Of course, he still does opt to smash some of the more complicated ones to get at the treasure faster. +6 EP, +2 Wisdom, +1 Strength.

Sarah: 18 (20). Sarah is fairly brilliant, so she has no problem harvesting a good deal of knowledge… and treasure. +10 EP, +5 Wisdom.

Act Two

Having arrived first, Sarah, while not quite as wise as the Red Amesha, is more than savvy enough to determine that they are in some kind of temple, looking at all the various statues that line the halls. The ones in the lobby are particularly striking… there is one large statue in the center, with smaller ones forming a circle around it. The one directly facing the entrance is, well, the statue of a monstrous spider. As one moves clockwise around the circles, the spider contorts, and mutates, gradually becoming more canine-like, until one reaches the central statue, an anthropomorphic African wild dog raising a sword up high, a triumphant pose, his status as a mighty warrior accented by the fact he has an eyepatch over one eye.

“Anansi.” Sarah gets the words out, but is spooked as they are overlaid by someone else speaking them. She turns to see a cloaked figure entering the chamber, following by a small, levitating sphere. Sarah’s research was thorough enough to know who they were: the mysterious Red Amesha, that chief researcher of the DPR who few seemed to know what they actually looked like, but whose identity was confirmed by the levitating sphere… it looked small, but the Spectre of Communism’s profile indicated it was the size of a small planet but could shrink to a more portable (if still the same incredible mass) size for transit. It was assumed its ability to suppress a considerable gravitational pull was due to some kind of magic… no doubt helped by the Red Amesha’s metaphysical expertise.

As the Red Amesha steps forward, Kenar assumes a defensive posture. Fortunately, the Red Amesha is easily able to diffuse things (even if they make a slight jab at how immediate aggression is unbecoming for agents of Anansi). The situation diffuses into awkward silence, with two agents from the DPR and two from the EHF standing beside each other, glances switching from the statues to the other side. There is some mild discussion… but each side knows it is not here for that. They are here to explore the temple and its mysteries… so really all the info they share is their conclusion that this mysterious place is in fact a temple. To Anansi. Perhaps… the Temple of Anansi. It certainly is grand and unusual enough to hold such a title, located in the middle of the Atlantic, chained to a vast trench, and finally straddling the sea routes that, in a prior world, were used to transport countless people who would later revere Anansi as a figure of their freedom.

Perhaps the real reason the awkwardness goes on so long is both Sarah and the Amesha can feel that this area is important. Neither wants to leave it for the other to exploit… but neither wants to make the first move and risk incapacitating themselves to some ancient defense mechanism either.

For all the smugness the Red Amesha has about their abilities… it is in fact the Spectre of Communism that moves of its own accord to try and smash the statues (though Kenar was not far behind). However, the statutes do not so much as crack from the application of force… in fact, the Spectre feels as if it just got hit a truck if anything. And then… the whole structure vibrates. The Amesha and Sarah glance at each other, able to find common ground in being frustrated by simpletons.

All of the statues… melt. As if they were made of snow. Even though they just withstood a hit from the strongest demigod on the planet. The strange goop spreads across grooves in the tile, able to defy gravity as it flows up grooves in the eight pillars around the room. They hear the sound of grinding stone, all glancing back to see a stone slab move into place and cover the doorway… Kenar’s first instinct is to go and pound at it (despite Sarah’s warnings that aggression might make things worse), but the door does not yield.

And then… the world spins. Or rather, literally turns upside down. All four demigods suddenly find themselves on the ceiling, before falling… though fortunately the Amesha and Spectre’s magical abilities are ample protection of a hard landing. Sarah and Kenar don’t have much in the field of magical protection… but Kenar has the physical integrity of a true demigod, allowing him to easily withstand the fall… though he fails to catch Sarah when he reaches out for her.

Fortunately, Sarah’s far more agile, and is able to get herself into Kenar’s arms just before he hits the ground. Had she been a second later, she would have been turned into a pancake!

The Red Amesha muses aloud about the defense mechanism, having deduced the structure must flip around so the resultant fall would kill almost any intruder. Gods know the four were able to hear multiple screams from other parts of the structure, all those ambitious treasure hunters, reporters, and insurance salesmen having just been unceremoniously killed (hopefully, given how awful the injuries would be otherwise).

“Imperial fleet calling in, the structure just rotated, should we open fire? If no response within the minute, we open fire as a precaution. Over.”

The sound goes through the whole chamber, and the Amesha, though cloaked, is obviously staring over at Sarah. It would be hard not to, considering a fleet just radioed in plans to level the whole place.

While Vaskus would probably have more authority than her, Vaskus also is not in the same chamber, so might not be as aware of things as they are, so Sarah is quick to respond that the Temple simply has a defense mechanism that caused it to roll over, and that there’s no need to open fire just yet. After a moment of tense silence, the fleet wires in once again, confirming they are standing down unless there is a pressing sign the structure is dangerous.

All of the demigods breathe a sigh of relief, positive that would have been the end of their current life cycle if the fleet decided to start bombarding them… never mind how devastating that would have been to the DPR and EHF to lose some of their best people.

…the relief is short lived as a large glob of gray goop falls from the ceiling. Then another, and another… it’s not a cause for alarm, simply being the statue goop reacting to gravity… and then they make the mistake of looking up.

The goop that was riding up the pillars is now riding down them… attached to a large center of goo… and all the goop has come together into the shape of a monstrous, amorphous spider, standing upright. 7 eyes stare down the heroes, one of the original 8 missing. The Spectre and Kenar do a spectacular teamup, with Kenar grabbing the Spectre and hurling it at the beast’s head… the resultant mini-meteor combination attack absolutely destroys the beast, sending it splattering all over the chamber! Cries of celebration ring out!

…then all the goo collects back towards the center, and the spider reforms anew.

An otherworldly voice resounds through the chambers, but every demigod feels as if it is right next to them… even inside them, “Strength is what got you here, and it is wielded by villains. Wisdom will get you out of here, and it is wielded by heroes. The wicked live in fear, the just face it. In order to be just, you must be willing to expose yourself to danger. Defeat my champion, and you may claim my prize. Fail, and share its watery grave.”

Sarah and the Amesha look at each other and nod. This battle was more their specialty.

Act Three

(Act 3 is an interspersed series of rolls, with characters getting free rolls between doing battle until one of them reasons how to defeat Anansi’s champion. Every 5 Dexterity adds +1 to dodge rolls; every 10 Wisdom adds +1 to thinking rolls)

Of course, they don’t have very long to think on the subject before the spider swings its goopy legs at them. Both are sufficiently agile to get out of the way, but time spent dodging is time they can’t spend thinking; each commands their less intelligent companion to focus on distracting the beast while they think of something!

The beast swings at the least agile warrior, Kenar! Roll to dodge! 7 (8). Kenar takes a considerable blow for the Empire. -2 HP.

The Red Amesha tries to think of a way to defeat the spider! 1 (3). The Amesha, reasoning the creature seems to be made of some kind of oil, tries to light the beast on fire with the torches around the room… now it’s a FLAMING spider monster.

The beast swings at the Spectre of Communism! Roll to dodge. 19 (20). The Spectre not only dodges, but deals a spectacular blow, disintegrating two of the creature’s legs with such force that it should lower its strength… at least for now. They don’t have much time though, as the splattered fluid shows signs of congealing and getting ready to rejoin the beast.

Sarah tries to think of a way to defeat the monster! 8 (10). Sarah’s suggestion they smash the creature’s head to make the rest of it die only seems to make it more irritated.

The spider swings a leg at Sarah! 5 (7). Sarah is hurt, but not out of commission just yet! -3 HP.

The Red Amesha is desperate to solve this! 20! With a cry of “hey, meatheads!” they get the attention of

The Spectre, Kenar… and the (once again having 8 legs) spider. The Red Amesha positions themselves with their arms outstretched, staring the spider down (as best a cloaked person can), and ushers a challenge to the spider to take down the smartest person here and doom them all.

Everyone else is screaming at the Red Amesha’s actions, but it’s too late. The spider swipes to make the other insects scatter, and charges with fangs on display…

…the Amesha dissipates, having conjured an illusion in their place, and the spider hits the entrance door that was behind them head on. As the door stands strong, it whips itself around with surprising agility, now more irritated than ever!

…the sound of cracking stone fills the room. While Kenar lacked the strength to leave a scratch on the door, the Temple’s very guardian was more than up to the task. The stone continues to crack, appropriately looking much like a spider’s web, before it shatters into pieces, a surge of ocean water blasting the beast head on… and it soon proceeds to melt, the surging water dousing its flames, then robbing it of integrity, and the creature soon dissolves with a screech.

But they don’t have long to thank the Amesha’s quick thinking, never mind it takes a moment to realize them further back in the chamber. The Amesha’s plan was simple: when the temple flipped, the doors that had granted entry had gone underwater, and now the place was rapidly filling up. Opening the door to this room meant a flood of water would quickly dissolve the spider into bubbles of oil, like when one pours it into a boiling pot. (+1 Wisdom) But now… they were all sinking.

Everyone promptly scrambles to leave the temple.

Amesha. 17 (20). Amesha outsmarted the spider, escaping the temple is no problem at all for them. But where’s…?!

Spectre. 7 (9). Turns out magical wrecking balls and otherworldly (discovered via submersion into it) water do not mix. Spectre gets a taste of what it’s like to be a chicken bone in vinegar before Amesha is able to use their magic to save them. -2 HP.

Sarah. 13 (17). Sarah is sufficiently dexterous enough to hold her breath and get past the current, escaping the submerging temple.

Kenar. 10 (13). While Kenar showed early signs he might start drowning and Sarah would have to save him, he pulls through just fine, and escapes with nothing besides being a little out of breath.

At the surface, everyone is able to climb on top of one of the stone legs that make up the temple, currently poking above the water as the temple sinks. Sarah is able to radio in a pickup, as is the Amesha… though in the interest of diplomatic goodwill (and maybe a desire to find out more about such dangerous rivals), she allows the Amesha and Spectre to go with them until the DPR sends its own rescue craft. The Amesha opts to simply plant themselves on top of the Spectre and levitate in the air, though they do follow close behind, reasoning some company might be good for the time being.

After the temple submerges completely, search parties frantically scan the surface of the water for Vaskus, the great phoenix, the guiding light of the Empire, the chosen messenger of Anansi. Time continues to pass. There is no sign of him. Optimism quickly turns to despair, Sarah and Kenar – and even some soldiers – falling to their knees in grief. Sarah blames herself for Vaskus’ fate, having not argue with him enough to not split up.

…and then, a light emerges from the surface of the water, like the Sun over the horizon.

**

9 (13). Vaskus’ decision to go separate from the others seems to have been a very poor one indeed as he comes to a door right where the main temple area was… and he swears he can hear the sounds of Sarah and Kenar in pain on the other side, but alas, no magic is strong enough to get him through. Then the sounds subside… and the sounds of rushing water get louder. On the side of the door, and on his. For a moment, the phoenix is positive he’ll face certain death, think there is no way he will be able to get past all that water…

And then inspiration hits. A phoenix is known for dying and being reborn with intense flame, but does such a power have to be associated solely with birth and death? Nay, he is the Phoenix of the Holy Flame, and he should be free to tap into its power at any time.

It’s an amazing sight, as Vaskus surrounds himself with the sheer power of a magical inferno, a perfect sphere of it. As he enters the water, it does not extinguish, but burns with such heat that it forms a shield against the water. While as a phoenix he could simply embrace death and return to the Empire in a newer, if weaker, form, he owes more to Sarah, Kenar, and the Empire as a whole.

Vaskus looks like a flaming bubble as he floats through the submerging temple, noting the many bodies floating out of its entrances as he finally reaches the exit, but he looks far more brilliant when he pierces the surface.

6 (12). It would have been hilariously ironic for Asmadi to perish beneath the waves, given her status as the “Poseidon of India.” But fortunately, her elemental magic is more than up to the task of getting her out of the temple… more or less safe. Perhaps a tad traumatized and exhausted, but safe.

Epilogue

The Imperial forces celebrate the miraculous survival of Vaskus, even if he is incredibly tired out from the exertion of burning with such intensity that he could evaporate water on contact. He has enough breath left in him to say an idea struck him: people are able to pass their limbs through flames, even lava, because there is enough moisture on their skin that it can absorb the heat, preventing damage for that split second. So why not try and apply the same logic in reverse? A single droplet of water cannot hope to quell a mighty blaze… so he just simply generated the most intense blaze possible to protect himself.

And with that, Vaskus passes out for a well-deserved nap.

The forces are understandably under a great deal of pressure to keep things secret as they talk and wait for the DPR’s extraction airforces, but they do tell each other of the knowledge gained, the considerable riches… perhaps even a personal relationship that could help future Imperial-Daylamite relations.

As DPR helicopters arrive, the Red Amesha makes a joke that Sarah is not so bad for a dirty capitalist. Sarah responds in kind, saying the Amesha is not so bad for a dirty commie. Everyone was positive the Amesha was smiling under their hood as they left.

As the parties split, everyone sees the last bubbles from the Temple of Anansi rise to the surface, not sure just what it was it that it held, if anything besides riches.

Nobody notices Asmadi looking clearly annoyed as she rides Valikid back home to India. Perhaps for the best; she’s so irate she probably would summon some whirlpools to sink some ships and cause an international incident.

 

Spoiler Final Rolls :

Peaceful Expansion (from Faith)

The Empire of the Holy Flame – 2
KPCR – 0
The United Goch Clans – 3
The Daylamite People’s Republic - 3
Magayo – 2
Valfian – 3
New England - 5

Boons Received

Anansi – EHF. +10 Provinces, +2 MP

Coyote – KPCR. +11 provinces, +2 MP

Huehuecoyotl – United Goch Clans. +16 provinces, +2 MP

Huxian – Valfian. +12 provinces, +2 MP

Reynard – New England. +11 provinces, +2 MP

Set – #ForeverAlone

Turn IV

Map



Hinori’s sudden collapse has shocked analysts from around the world, suggesting the Empire was keeping more of its internal issues hidden from outsiders than first thought. Lackluster military performance no doubt did not help matters. With Hinori’s collapse, the Empire of Valfian remains the sole state that worships Huxian first and foremost, and now has unrivalled access to the rich Huxian-worshipping territories of East Asia.

The Empire of the Holy Flame displayed a massive show of force by deploying a large portion of its fleet near the structure in the Atlantic, but true to Anansi ethics, did not engage in aggression towards any of the expeditions exploring the area. However, the natives of some territories along the way were so impressed they’ve pledged fealty to the Empire. Whether the Empire assumes sovereignty over the areas or rebuffs them remains to be seen.

In the meantime, the mysterious Atlantic structure, which many have dubbed the Temple of Anansi, has sunken beneath the waves once more. While there are some fun stories regarding what happened within, it remains unknown whether or not there was anything of value in the Temple, and whether or not it has been retrieved or now rests at the bottom of the Atlantic.

New England’s Inquisition has left many in awe, with close to one fifth of its territory having become Reynardine in denomination. Should the Inquisition successfully convert the whole nation, New England could very well see an enormous increase in power from its patron god, Reynard.

GM Notes

Rule adjustments: The odds for religious determination in neutral provinces have been changed to make updates simpler and faster.

AP in international relations: you can use AP to instantly convert a rival power’s provinces if they are heathen WITHOUT a declaration of war. To convert any province of the six major faiths, you must declare war first.

To simplify combat, Demigods’ Strength, Wisdom, AND Intelligence all convert into MP at a 1:1 ratio when they are used for combat, rather than just the highest of the three as before. This has enormously bolstered everyone’s real MP value.

All states have had their number of provinces expanded by 10%.

To balance out the effects of Hinori’s collapse, every faith’s holy city has a faith area around it now. This faith area will grow by one row of hexes per turn so long as the Holy City is independent, feeding all six faiths with new converts and providing a balancing effect. The different colors are just to differentiate them if/when the borders reach them.


Orders will lock the night of July 25th.