Even though the threat has passed, you tell your soldiers to remain on the walls. After all, the raiders could come back. You order the injured troops to be taken to the main building and cared for. Some of your local healers will soon be attending to them. While they can't regrow severed limbs or restore lost youth like the healers of ancient days they do have some of the more practical and everyday knowledge of the Old People. They know of the importance of cleanliness and the risks of infection. They can set broken bones and stitch closed cuts, but beyond that their skill is hampered by a lack of knowledge and advanced equipment.
Despite your successful defense against the raiders you are angry. Not only have you lost loyal defenders of Sala-Zione but your store of precious, precious rockets has been depleted. If it hadn't been for your launchers might not have been able to drive the raiders away and you worry that 4 rockets remaining is not really enough. You decide to give your militia a stern talking to after everything has calmed down about preserving vital resources. You also decide to send 5 militia out the main gate to see if anything useable can be scavenged from the battlefield.
You decide that the only proper thing for a leader to do after the death of one of his followers is to tell the family yourself. Luchano de Meridi, the soldier who was killed, was a loyal veteran. He was with you when you cast down the false Overseer Jorgal and you feel his loss keenly. You arrive outside the family home and are greeted by Sophia de Meridi, matriarch of the de Meridi family. She has already heard the bad news but she appreciates that you've taken the time to come and offer your condolences. Luchano was her eldest son and the family is stricken by grief. As if the loss of a family member wasn't bad enough, the destruction of his equipment means that the social standing of the de Meridis will go down because although they have other family members of an appropriate age who would normally come forward to fill the position, they can no longer equip them. Hard times may be ahead for the de Meridis.
Having dealt with these unpleasant duties you finally decide to go and see the Technocratia merchants. They have parked their vehicles in the trading plaza and seem to be somewhat agitated. As you approach you notice that several of them have minor injuries and that their vehicles all look pretty beaten up. You notice the large gash in one of the tankers. Their leader approaches you. He is a man in his late fifties or early sixties who's body is supported by a delicate Alloy exoskeleton. He has a lot to say for himself. He offers formal greetings on behalf of the House of Technocratia, mightiest power of Rome. He denies any responsibility for the attack, claiming that any house as mighty as his naturally has enemies. He apologizes profusely for any harm that may have befallen your people and thanks you for your assistance. You get the impression that he's more than a little flustered by the recent turn of events. He seems to find his equilibrium when he gets to what trade goods he has brought.
He shows you two large piles of good being unloaded form the heavy hauler. He explains that the first pile is representative of the types and amounts of goods House of Technocratia would be willing to trade once a month for 100,000 L of pure, desalinated water once this becomes a regular organized arrangement. There is a small pile of Alloys sheets, perhaps the size of a small table. There are a six Kalash rifles and a crate with 5000 rounds. There is a medium sized crate paced with circuit boards and other electrical parts, all of which seem to be in good repair. There are a dozen barrels of preserved fruit. Finally, there is a small crate filled with assorted medicines, mostly anesthetics and antibiotics.
He points to the second pile and explains that these are gifts of good faith to cement the agreement. They are representative of the most valuable types of goods that the House of Technocratia provides. He explains that further trade caravans may bring such items again, but only by special arrangement. You look over the goods and your heart is filled with greed. There are three large caliber linear accelerator rifles, each with 300 6mm nickel cored Alloy tipped rounds. There is an efficient looking computer unit. There are two dozen power packs that look compatible with your laser rifles. There is a small crate filled with advanced parts. There is an advanced looking pressurized container holding what looks to be about 5kg of HE-3. Lastly and most impressively there is an armored exosuit. The clean lines and perfect articulation of the Alloy speaks of the craftsmanship of the Ancients and the gold and platinum scrollwork speaks of the most skilled of modern hands.
Essentially, the merchant wants a confirmation of the trade agreement, 100,000 L of water each month for roughly the types and amount of goods on offer in the first pile. To sweeten the deal he offers the second pile of goods and an understanding that similarly advanced items may be ordered in the future, but would likely be very expensive. He would also probably like some help fixing up his vehicles.
What do you do now?
Alcide Brunelleschi: Family Armor, Laser Rifle, Hover Scout Trike
Sala-Zione:
Population:1002
Major Official Buildings: The Main Building (water desalinization and machine shop), the Control Room (computers that control important stuff), The Reactor (a Sony AFIC MK23.a45 civilian Light Industrial Fusion Reactor) currently at 33.76% of fuel capacity and generating 14.94% of potential full capacity, the Control Tower (once a large coms relay unrelated to the plant but within its walls, now missing its dish and the seat of your government.
Minor Official Buildings: A small steel barrel and chain dock, painted white. A communal workspace with some machine tools, a power line and a small prototype steam engine.
Citizen Owned: A variety of houses, from rich to poor. Many small industries. A dozen tinkerers workshops, A large Solar Forge operating bellow capacity.
State Stores: 12 Kalash Rifles in a poor state of repair, 3000 rounds of ammunition. 37 Arbalests in good repair with 20 pig iron bolts each. A medium-large pile of assorted Alloy without any large preshaped sheets, a small pile of composite plates. A good stock of basic spare parts and scrap metal, a small stock of essential advanced parts and 125,337.29 L of pure water.
20 Composite rods, two crates of electrical parts. Some assorted trade goods (nails, bolts, torches etc).
Health: No diseases of note, an immunity to genetic plagues.
Defenses: Large Circular Pored Stone Wall, in reasonable Repair. 11 breaches filled with crude stone blocks and Alloy plating on the outside, some minor damage near the gatehouse from a recent raid. 30 dedicated Militia with Old Composite Armor and Laser Rifles, 3 out of action due to injuries. 2 Rocket launchers with 2 HE and 2 incendiary rockets remaining.
Food Supplies: Adequate. A sudden shortage could cause problems.
If you notice stuff that should be here but isn't, please tell me. Likewise with any suggestions I may have missed.
Author
Topic: You are a Lord of the Wastes (Read 26161 times)