Icerust - Update 4
Long Winter Y100.M5: Czech and Mate
Greylaw
In Thunderbolt, every day is a celebration. This time, the reason was quite obvious: the expansion of their beloved bordello “Yellow dog,” to include an afterparty parlor named “Hair of the Dog.” Despite the small size of the settlement (or, perhaps, specifically because of it), the expansion sent another wave of (false) rumors about Greylaw’s prosperity across Old Ipsilanti ruins. This gave nothing but grim thoughts to the gang’s brooding leader, Conan the Snowflake, who was advised by some of the grizzled Betas to use the glory and reputation the gang had earned previously for the sake of changing its fortunes. For now, he opted in for keeping his cutthroats satisfied and oblivious to the dangers, sending some rookie teams to scout Greyhound Den for food, while at home his resourceful jacks worked on turning ancient pieces of police equipment into stylized Greylaw insignia for Conan and the other Alfas.
(Thunderbolt: -84 Grub, -20 Junk, -50 Guzz, -1 Plush, +1 Smilo joint)
(Greylaw: +1 Notoriety)
Alfa-Alfa’s challenge: Games of Greylaw
Pragmatic laws of survival meant that the much-awaited games of Graylaw had to wait until the going gets better. (Investment: Labor 0/100, Expertise: 4/4, Finesse: 4/4, Award: +1d4 Plush (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Ogayori Clan
The Highwaymen scare prompted Ogayori Denji to put his clan war experience to good use by designing a new type of warmachine out of whatever his people could scrap by. He proposed to use a tricycle with a powerful chopper engine and a backbooth as a base for new chariot-style trike cavalry. Using a snowplow like a ram at its front, the new machine was named “Yari Ashigaru” for its backbooth desant: a light mortar team, outfitted with a crossbow and a traditional Japanese yari spear. While Ogayori Denji was busy with the matters of future wars, his clansmen continued fishing and salvaging the island for scrap, now more eagerly than before. The kazoki clouts of the Ogayory Clan spread the word through Old Detroit that the Great Unifier needed help from his old clients and debtors. Soon, magnificent gifts of jewelry, ritual weapons, and rare fresh-water squid were brought to the threshold of Ryūgū-jō, some which went to outfit Ogayor Denji’s own room, while others were gifted to the newly promoted kazoki, drafted from the craftsmen (komin), who were, in turn, replaced by some of the more capable and loyal low citizens (sonmin). The prosperity brought about by this social mobilization was also marked by an opening of an authentic izakaya drinkery. This period of splendid isolation was interrupted only once and, luckily for the clan, by law-abiding migrants who happily went through the entire procedure of assimilation into the clan’s structure, attracted by its hospitable, honorable tradition. They informed Ogayori Denji that the settlement’s location is still, quite luckily, not very well-known in Old Detroit, but given its prosperity, its only a matter of time until the Funk Brothers make a visit.
(Ryūgū-jō: +187 Grub, +550 Junk, +150 Guzz, +11 Plush, +8 Proles, +2 Clouts, +1 Smilo joint)
(Ogayori Clan: -1 Glory, +1 Design (“Yari Ashigaru” Trike Cavalry))
Clan Head’s challenge: Red Beach memorial
Despite all the challenges the world gets to throw at them, the people of Ogayori Clan continued spending time in the Red Beach memorial stone garden. Over time, it grew in sophistication, and it’s only a matter of time until the clan’s elite commits to the last beautification effort and sanctifies to open it to potential pilgrims.
(Investment: Labor 100/100, Expertise: 2/2, Finesse: 3/6, Award: +1d2 Plush (15% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
The Wobblies
One problem with the planned economy is that plans tend to change faster than they come to fruition. This became obvious to Grand Foreman Chandra Gardener when the gradual dwindling of resource assets forced her hand on the grand design to build a renewable energy installation in Ravenswood Commune. While the design project continued running, the Wobblies threw all their energy toward building a more conventional heatcatcher power plant. Almost half of the work was accomplished by the month’s end by the tiny, yet resourceful IWW commune, and chances are the plant will go operational next month. In the meantime, a union call was sent far and wide, inviting all proletarians of Old Northside to unite… and to join the Wobblies for an ancient Chicagoan ritual: a foodfest. Hotdogs were served (made of prime meat of stray dogs, as the meal’s name implies). Some fistfights occurred when an oblivious foreigner attempted to put ketchup on his hotdog (the no-ketchupers handedly won), but in the end the foodfest was a resounding success: many arrivals ended up joining the immigrant quarters under the bridge (some of them doing it even despite arriving after all the hotdogs were eaten), and some offered various novelty items as a tribute to the much respected IWW.
(Ravenswood Commune: -206 Grub, -400 Junk, -30 Guzz, +21 Plush, +27 Proles, +Heatcatcher (109/230 Labor))
(The Wobblies: -1 Glory)
Grand Foreman’s challenge: Ray funnel (Completed)
Despite the plan for the ray funnel construction being abandoned, the Commune’s engineers and mathematicians were still ordered to finish their blueprints and calculations, making the revolutionary new heating structure available for production in other settlements in the future.
(Investment: Expertise: 40/40, Finesse: 5/5, Award: new structure available only to The Wobblies in the Building list, +1 Glory)
Grand Foreman’s challenge: Gob rigging
Few people in Icerust know how to read, and even fewer know how to write in a legible way. But the mere feat of producing paper with words written on it (and readable not only by the jacks or clouts) is a status achievement in and of itself. So, the Wobblies’ committee was happy to accept the idea of building a simple paper-making workshop complete with a printing press (or, in their linguo, the “rigging”), from which the stories of IWW accomplishments could spread across Old Northside and Chicagoland. Of course, this idea has a downside: the newspapers (or gobs, as the Wobblies call them) have a chance of getting into the wrong hands and attracting enemies of the people to the Commune, but for now the benefits outweigh the dangers. For now, no labor could be spared on this ambition, but the Wobblies’ engineers and chairmen had plenty of expertise and journalistic talent to offer to the entire enterprise.
(Investment: Labor: 0/60, Expertise: 20/20, Finesse: 1/5, Award: +2 Glory (one-time gain), +1 Notoriety (one-time gain))
Monolith of Sarkic
The Cathedral, despite its prosperity, luckily remained a secret for the larger wasteland, despite drawing crowds of refugees in monthly feasts. After Grand Karcist Maxwell experienced another revelation in a dream, a massive celebration of Yaldabaoth was organized in the Cathedral, drawing crowds from across Old Sault St. Marie and its surroundings, some attracted by the Monolith’s authority and others merely by the promises of food. The bizarre festival was made ever more glorious by the presentation of additional regalia and relics to the Sarkic Klavigars and Karcists, made from the materials recovered across Still Mill. Outside of the festival, the ascending cult had its hands full with hunting for wild game and salvaging across Still Mill, so far not depleting its natural resources. The Cathedral itself has sprawled even further from the old factory ruins, adding a food conservation facility to its economy and erecting a heavily-armed sentry tower overlooking the flattened remains of the one-story residential neighborhood.
(The Cathedral: -237 Grub, -10 Junk, -20 Guzz, +2 Plush, +180 Proles)
(Monolith of Sarkic: -1 Glory)
Grand Karcist’s challenge: Heathens at our doorstep (Completed)
With the Cathedral rapidly growing, Grand Karcist Maxwell ordered his devoted to build proper residential quarters for the awaited stream of pilgrims and aspiring initiates.
(Investment: Labor 180/180, Expertise: 1/1, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +3d10 Proles (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Grand Karcist’s challenge: Flesh temple
With plenty of living flesh around, Yaldabaoth the Geometer of Flesh appeared in a dream to Grand Karcist Maxwell and demanded that the lad finally does some shepherding. Consumed by this revelation, the Sarkicist leader tasked his clergy with developing a blueprint for proper temples, in which the devoted can be illuminated and the heathens may be sacrificed. Exalted Karcists and Klavigars were quick to propose the litanies and rituals that could be performed in the new flesh temples, and now it’s time for the practically-minded Volutaars to architect the structure itself in a form pleasing to the Geometer of Flesh itself.
(Investment: Expertise: 0/40, Finesse: 5/5, Award: new structure available only to Monolith Of Sarkic in the Building list, +1 Glory)
The Speed Freaks
Joe’s Pitshop was long known in Old Sudbury and its surroundings, and this month its Speed-Ace decided to finally convert his fame into something material. His old debtors were encouraged or shamed into donating some scrap metal to the growing town. Meanwhile, the pitstop crew was sent to hunt wildlife across the desolate landscape of Buried Sod, bringing home a humble, but much appreciated haul of food. In the Pitshop itself, a truly big development took place, as Joe’s mechs put their engineering skills to good use and took over the construction of a heatcatcher power plant. However, one project Joe One-Toe chose to work on himself: the Battle Buzzard. That name was given to a restored drag racing car with a speedy “Valkyrie” engine and a carbon frame partially duct-taped together, plus an operator of a backward-facing light mortar in its back. Some whisper that the idea was borrowed by Joe from an unknown Canadian racer gang in the east, but Joe himself denied any such rumors. If anything, he said, everyone else must’ve stolen the idea from him.
(Joe’s Pitshop: -258 Grub, -200 Junk, -30 Guzz, -2 Plush)
(The Speed Freaks: +1 Design (“Battle Buzzard” War Roadster, -1 Glory)
Speed-Ace’s challenge: Bandwagon joiners
Joe One-Toe stuck to his reputation of the chilliest guy and a prank demon, to boot. His idea was to make every bandwagon joiner run a few laps around Joe’s Pitshop with sticks between their legs, as if they’re horses. The winners, he told the crowd, would be let in; but here’s the rub: everyone actually gets to be admitted. The stick-riding challenge, of course, will likely weird out many potential joiners, but the few desperates that do get pranked are sure to give plenty of joy to the cackling and hooting Speed Freaks. What was remained unsaid, is that Joe’s Pitshop will still need a primitive living quarter being built into one of the dealership floors, specifically for the new arrivals’ use. (Investment: Labor 0/60, Expertise: 0/1, Finesse: 0/1, Award: +1d4 Proles, 1d2 Plush (5% chance/turn))
Mommaz Boyz
For Mommaz Boyz, the month could be divided into two parts: before and after. The before was a stroll from strength to strength. The family’s influence in the Land of Five Seasons was leveraged to attract some traveling clouts and lorekeepers, three of which were eagerly appointed by the Grandma to lead future scouting expeditions outside the crib. One, Jerry the Race Car Driver, was a young, lanky, fearless daredevil with love of methamphetamine, cheap moonshine, salted meat, and loose women. His opposite was one John Fisherman, a solemn and peaceful social outcast who tended to disappear every morning from the bustling chaos of the overpopulated Crib to find peace and solitude in ice fishing on the Cedar River. In between them was Fireman Pierce, a (probably) delusional wannabe commandant of a fire station, swaggering around in a full fireman outfit, barking orders through his bushy salt-and-pepper beard. The purpose for the hiring of the strange trio was quickly revealed, when Grandma Bubblegum popped in the newly built bike stables with a crude blueprint of her latest cocaine-inspired creation: “Rocknrolla”-powered recon quadricycles with cartoonishly big, puffy wheels, named by the maniacal lady “Peekaboo Puffy Paws.” Grandma’s cocaine run didn’t end there, as the mechanics were quickly rounded up and forced to produce four “cutie-quads” as fast as possible. While Bubblegum Ultraviolet and her three chief drivers were still familiarizing themselves with their new unarmed steeds (and arguing with John Fisherman over the best way of extracting themselves from sticky situations), the Crib continued to grow at a scary pace. Over a hundred “ferals” were attracted (and sometimes lured in) with promises of plentiful food, while the hulking Candyman continued to step up his narcotic/confectionary business, drawing two capable grandkids as his apprentices and tasking them with producing aromatizing and hallucogenic bath salts for the Crib’s elders. Not to stop there, a heavily armed sentry tower was erected on top of the Czech&Slovak History Museum, tasked with watching over expeditions of grandkids sent to hunt in the Land of Five Seasons and scout it for gasoline canisters. That is where the “after” part started. On a day when the spore fog of Five Seasons was particularly dense, one of the hunting expeditions bumped into a column of car-riding Highwaymen. Hidden from the view of the sentry tower, they were quickly surrounded, shackled together, and taken away along with all of their haul. Some grandkids managed to find cover in the fog and returned home to tell the enraged Grandma of what happened. According to them, the Highwaymen are the exiles who once tried to build a prosperous ethnostate in Old Cedar Rapids,, but were expelled from there around the time the Coral of Five Seasons appeared. Calling themselves the Czech Mates, the gang speaks a foreign tongue and drives a fleet of imported cars and armored vehicles, drawing particular pride from the transoceanic origin of their steeds and weaponry. Luckily, the Czech Mates had trouble believing any settlement could function in the Land of Five Seasons, but it’s only a time until they realize the Crib exists and come to claim their abandoned homeland.
(The Crib: -398 Grub, +132 Junk, -21 Guzz, +2 Plush, +5 Proles, +2 Jacks, +1 Sentry tower)
(Mommaz Boyz: +Design (“Peekaboo Puffy Paws” Cutie-quad), +4 “Peekaboo Puffy Paws” Cutie-quads, swap “Rapid withdrawal” for “Orderly evacuation”, +3 Commanders (Jerry the Race Car Driver (Ruse: +3, Tactics: +2, Spirit: -2), Fireman Pierce (Ruse: +3, Tactics: +2, Spirit: -2), John Fisherman (Ruse: +2, Tactics: -2, Spirit: +3)), -1 Glory)
Grandma’s challenge: Lost grandkids (Completed)
In the closest approximation to being morally defeated, Grandma Bubblegum Ultraviolet did listen to her nemesis, Uncle K-9, and put him in charge of a proper living quarter for the arriving grandkids. Their gratitude to K-9 couldn’t be overstated, as the crowds of newcomers finally could somewhat escape the squalor and dysentery of the overcrowded Crib.
(Investment: Labor 60/60, Expertise: 2/2, Finesse: 1/1, Award: +1d10 Proles, +1d3 Junk (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Grandma’s challenge: Barter with the ferals
The Land of Five Seasons is sometimes called the Land of Five Smells by the wandering survivors of Iowa wasteland. For the longest time, the strange, multicolored fog produced by the Coral of Five Seasons has been keeping people away from Old Cedar Rapids, but rumors of the Crib’s growth and prosperity has started to draw more migrants toward it. Now, Uncle K-9 and his proteges propose establishing an ongoing bartering agreement with the “ferals,” offering them to exchange locally harvested food for the precious scrap metal, which gets eroded by the local anomaly otherwise. Besides some trade stations, it’d require a decent diplomatic effort on the Mommaz Boyz’ leadership’s part.
(Investment: Labor: 0/60, Expertise: 0/4, Finesse: 0/8, Award: -1d20 Grub, +1d20 Junk (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Order Implacable
Order Implacable continued its rapid growth and expansion, calling for potential recruits to join it in Hammertown. While the pilgrims were still arriving, massive harvesting and salvaging parties spread along Hammerhill, hauling massive loads of hunted wildlife and scrap metal back home. Unfortunately, they reported that slowly but surely the ruins of central Old Milwaukee are starting to get cleared of salvageable metal, although plenty of materials are still there to be found. The delivered junk was put to good use, as yet another protein pool based on a domesticated rat colony was built, and the main university building’s tower was armed with heavy machine guns and repurposed for defense and observation. The biggest development took place in the bike stables, however, as another vehicle design was introduced: a “Rocknrolla”-powered sports quadracycle protected by a minicar frame, to which warscythe blades were attached both for slicing through enemy formations and for hooking up the Order’s warriors. The latter ones were armed with lance charges and grenades, and a light mortar was squeezed in the back in a feat of ergonomics and improvised engineering. A prototype of the new raid carlet was rapidly produced, along with yet another “Zard” bike.
(Hammertown: +172 Grub, +15 Junk, -87 Guzz, -4 Plush, +90 Proles)
(Order Implacable: +1 Design (Giftgiver” Raid Carlet), +1 “Zard” Bike-in-Arms, +1 “Giftgiver” Raid Carlet, -1 Glory)
(Hammerhill: -1 Deposit)
Grand Master’s challenge: Fast and faster
Bishop Lamborghini continued promoting the fasting tradition among his fellow Hommertownsmen and -women, organizing a post-fast dining hall in an abandoned wing of the university cafeteria. (Investment: Labor 31/60, Expertise: 4/4, Finesse: 2/4, Award: +1d40 Grub (20% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
The Motors Parliament
The discovery of Green Runway resurrected the slowly fading reputation of the Motors Parliament, and many gifts of exquisite foods and valuable novelties were brought to the Garage by the survivors of Old Ottawa. Prime Motor did enjoy her newly gained fame, but she also spent time analyzing the expedition and what could’ve gone wrong during the Exec Way expedition, and the result of that analysis was a blueprint modification of the Motors Parliament’s only car design. Named “L’Amerique Prit,” it replaces the patrol car’s light mortar with space for two grenadiers and a box of explosives. While PM was working on this variant, the Parliamentary Garage expanded further, with more metal recycling and biofuel production facilities being added (polluting the Parliamentary Garage with screeching echoes and unpleasant smells in the process). Excessive labor not used in construction and car maintenance was thrown outside - quite literally, as the people were sent to gather up extra junk for future projects. Finally, amid all of these routines, Prime Motor announced yet another ambitious venture, this time taking “L’Amerique Pleur” far east, in a search for the semi-legendary Mountain of Kings (or Mount Royal). The voyage started well, but after the red-and-white roadster passed Green Runway, things turned for the worse. A massive pack of pseudowolves started stalking the car, being able to keep up with the fast roadster thanks to their knowledge of shortcuts. Eventually, this turned into a duel of nerves and stamina, as the car crew had to take turns sleeping and driving, being unable to stop even for a short maintenance or observation. Two crewmen were lost when they attempted to take a brief stop to relieve themselves, probably dragged off the Highway by the pseudowolves. Prime Motor briefly attempted to press on, but soon the car started leaking oil, and she turned back to the Parliamentary Garage before it became too late. With the arrival home, the car went straight to the repair shop, where it’ll take a month to be brought back into a Highway-ready shape. As for PM herself, she chose two more volunteers for her crew and got back to her planning table.
(The Parliamentary Garage: -85 Grub, -192 Junk, -11 Guzz, +22 Plush, -2 Proles, +1 Waste kitchen, +1 Scrap chowder)
(The Motors Parliament: -1 Glory, +1 Variant (“L’Amerique Prit” Patrol Car w/ Grenadier Squad), -1 “L’Amerique Pleur” Patrol Car disabled)
PM’s challenge: Syrup of Fast Life
Together with some fascinating stories, PM brought some strange, wing-shaped seeds from the Green Runway. The seeds are rumored to belong to a magnificent, semi-legendary tree called “maple,” providing the sweet drink of gods to the ancient race of Parliamentarians. Some of the deputies suggest that the Motor Parliament dedicates some effort to securing several tubs of viable soil and try to grow several trees from these seeds. If successful, the project may become a source of the precious syrup of Fast Life. The downside is quite obvious: it takes plenty of time and agricultural knowledge to grow a tall tree inside a garage. (Investment: Labor 0/300, Expertise: 0/4, Finesse: 1/1, Award: +3d4 Plush (5% chance/turn), +1 Glory (one-time gain))
Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival
With their immediate grub and junk production challenges resolved, the Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival directed its efforts toward future expansion. Under Ringmaster Vanessa’s supervision the first impressive “Lion Tamer” was produced and armed, its crew selected from the most reliable and fearless circus actors. To feed the greedy machine, a small group of salvagers was sent to scavenge Carnival Ground for gasoline tanks and oil canisters. Meanwhile, the needs of Shelby Carnarium were not forgotten, as a power plant’s foundation pit was dug up and resources for its construction properly stacked up, with the goal of accomplishing the construction and setting it operational in the future. This development would remain a minor rumor in more prosperous regions of Icerust, but in the vast nothingness of the Peninsula wasteland this was big enough news to bring some bad actors’ attention to Shelby Carnarium.
(Shelby Carnarium: +27 Grub, -381 Junk, -110 Guzz, -3 Plush, -5 Proles, +1 Heatcatcher (30/230 Labor))
(Mid-Apocalypse Chaos Carnival: +1 “Lion Tamer” Battle Hatchback, +1 Notoriety)
Ringmaster’s challenge: Carnival visitors
With some creative energy being finally put to the logistical part of the Chaos Confections stands, the Carnival visitors’ integration program is as close to completion as it ever was.
(Investment: Labor 60/60, Expertise: 1/1, Finesse: 1/2, Award: +1d10 Proles (10% chance/turn))
The Republic of Sinclair
For the time being, the Republic of Sinclair was quite happy to follow Eugenia St. Clair’s policy called “Food, Saturate, and Defend” (needless to say, the citizenry did appreciate being able to understand the policy’s nature from its name). Under supervision of heavily-armed sentries (positioned in the belltower of St. Clair church) the Sinclarian economy ran like a well-oiled machine, with massive salvaging and hunting parties scanning through St. Clair ruins and bringing massive hauls back. There, Captain-Defender was busy establishing a holding of office supplies, eye glasses, ink pens, and other once proliferated, but now extremely rare tools of bureaucracy, with which the growing Republican apparatus could function. In fact, local production could not keep up with the Republic’s humble demand (even after some citizens volunteered to become artisanal papermakers), and the legendary Captain-Defender had to tap into her reputation and authority, calling for volunteer donations from all across Old Cleveland.
(Sinclair: -1 Grub, +300 Junk, +23 Plush, -10 Proles, +5 Jacks, +1 Sentry tower)
(The Republic of Sinclair: -1 Glory)
Captain-Defender’s challenge: Justice and peace (Completed)
With the Tabula Rasa policy slowly accepted in the Sinclarian society and its headline words translated into the Icerust Common language, Captain-Defender St. Clair had an easy time instructing her police-wardens to keep an eye over the new order. (Investment: Labor 50/50, Expertise: 0/2, Finesse: 2/2, Award: +1d4 Jacks (10% chance/turn), +1 Glory)
Captain-Defender’s challenge: Republican Watch
The young service of police-wardens gave Eugenia St. Clair some food for thought. If Sinclair was to become a proper republic, that republic would need a proper army. Of course, without a vehicle fleet or fortifications it would be mostly good for parades and interior law enforcement, but even that by itself could be quite an achievement. In fact, if the Republican Watch could be established, it’d surely send a message across Old Cleveland or even the entire Ohio wasteland about the young Republic’s ambition. (Investment: Labor: 0/120, Expertise: 0/10, Finesse: 0/5, Award: +2 Glory (one-time gain), +1 Notoriety (one-time gain))
Mikeland
Popsicle Junction continued being that one place everybody hates, yet still comes to live there, like the legendary ancient city of New York. With his fame spreading far and wide, Mike extended his personal invitation to the unwashed savages of Michigan wasteland, and hundreds indeed came to settle down in Singing Ice and have their labor viciously exploited. With so many new mouths to feed, Mike sent massive hunting expeditions to comb through the snow country, and their bounty was truly massive (and the best hunters were even promoted to the rank of gamekeepers). Yet, some know-it-alls started saying that Singing Ice is starting to suffer from overhunting - a preposterous claim that saw some of thes smarthats “volunteered” to join the crews of Mike’s vehicle fleet. Speaking of which, Mike’s got himself a vehicle fleet! The first vehicles produced in that part of Michigan wasteland since the start of the Long Winter, the machines were armed buggies, hastily bolted together out of bare armature, with an underpowered but undemanding “Boomer” engine, an impressive anti-materiel rifle, and a desant nest on top, repurposed as a cargo hold. Named “Killer” (after a legendary ancient hero, Killer Mike, no less), these buggies were a creation of the King’s own daughter, Molly Clever. Spoon-fed stories about greatness and adventure since her childhood, Molly had grown up to be a perfect candidate to lead Mikelanders to their own discoveries and conquest. Her first order (on her daddy’s behalf, of course) was a construction of a new forge, where cheaper tools of war for Mike’s own army could be later produced.
(Popsicle Junction: +299 Grub, -14 Junk, -80 Guzz, +1 Plush, +193 Proles, +3 Jacks, +1 Forge)
(Mikeland: -2 Glory, +1 Design (“Killer” Armed Buggy Transporter), +2 “Killer” Armed Buggy Transporters, +1 Commander (Captain Molly Clever (Ruse: +1, Tactics: 0, Spirit: +2))
(Singing Ice: -1 Fertility)
King’s challenge: Mike’s statue
Building a statue of himself was always on the back (or even front) of King Mike’s mind. But if an energized crowd doesn’t break up chanting “Build That Statue!” then what is even the point? (Investment: ??? Award: a chance of a positive event occurring every turn)
Restless Spirits
The Schism of the past month delivered a devastating blow to the Restless Spirits, but Clara Eden wouldn’t be the Dame in the first place if she didn’t know how to lead her people out of a pit of despair. The spiritual challenger was driven away from Autos Bastille, and he took a small following of Schismatics with him. Meanwhile, Clara ordered a hasty construction of algae-based protein pools, with the remaining souls commandeered to scan Sagnasty for any wildlife that could be killed and dragged home, however unappetizing it could be. Even these measures could not prevent yet another hungry month from occurring, but after the loss of all disbelievers and starving to death, Autos Bastille emerged as a settlement with a healthy(er) food production and much better future prospects. Meanwhile, Dame Clara’s advisers suggest that, perhaps, the cult could tap into its remaining authority among the survivors of Sagnasty and use it to recover from the losses.
(Autos Bastille: -90 Grub, -100 Junk, -20 Guzz, -2 Plush, -90 Proles)
Dame’s challenge: Spiritless strangers
The schism of the Spiritist cult, the massive exodus of disappointed settlers, and the ongoing famine made Autos Bastille quite an unattractive place to live, even if you were a homeless refugee. This, for the time being, shelved the question of immigration. (Investment: Labor 0/60, Expertise: 0/1, Finesse: 0/1, Award: +1d10 Proles (5% chance/turn))
The Addlebrained Alcoholics
The problems of the Rotten Apple were only beginning when its Top Brewer was still trying to figure out how to save the dying brewery. A virulent faction emerged in their ranks, consisting of proles and jacks who suffered the most from the jacks’ and clouts’ past drinking bout, and led by a clout who came to view his alcohol addiction (and other vices of luxury) as the very thing that needs to be eradicated. This started a bloody civil war inside Rotten Apple that eventually saw the brewery destroyed, and its Top Brewer Evie Jiang exiled. Now, the once boosy Alcoland has earned a reputation as a land of ascetic joy-killers with a tendency for automotive violence.
(The Addlebrained Alcoholics: game over)
GM's notes:
-
orders are due on Monday, October 26
- stats are up to date now
- same map as the previous turn
