Opportunity sensed! If we send a few of our cultists with the army (and seriously we're doing that, if a messenger for the ruler of the whole country doesn't bat an eye at the nature of the duke's court that must mean the capital is RIPE for corruption) we can potentially establish a foothold in with those blokes in the army. I'd think forced conscription, making sure to include some cult members in those conscripted. Sound good to everyone?
Finish the corruption of the court. Once they're all in thrall to you, you can begin enacting reforms province-wide to benefit you! Muahahahahaha etc.
It is indeed an opportunity but I have a slightly different plan
Agree to gather the soldiers using a mix of forced conscription and sending mercenaries away. Mercenary captain may ask surprisingly little for the job
In the same tine focus your effort on converting as many mercenaries as possible before sending them away with a conscripted force.
Don't simply indoctrinate them in a new cult, but create a new one, called "Army of Order". It is much more organized having a strict military-like hierarchy and more focused on sadism instead of hedonism Mercenary Captain should command this cult
Gift devil horse to the Mercenary Captain and "bless" his weapons and armour, giving him an edge on the battlefield
Further corruption of the court can wait few weeks
Orders for the cult branches:
Fellshore: Start building a stone wall around village. If anyone asks - It is a necessary measure against brutewolfs. Use the same amount of power that was used on expanding the temple. Don't stop gathering resources\training
Nuulyd: Keep using 2 power on recruiting new members. Use 3 power to create\develop courier service that will a) allow to make some money delivering goods, passengers and mail b)improve coordination between existing and future branches of the cult c)Allows sending missionaries in nearby villages. Buy horses, wagons, boats and other means of transportation.
Castle Brylib: Do nothing, yet
+1 And inquire the courtiers about what is this trade wars about.
(edited slightly for size)
A group of twelve meets in an unused dining room. Amongst their number are a handful of knights, several courtiers, and the steward. They have gathered here to discuss the elephant in the room: something is not right in Castle Brylib. They have watched as their friends and colleagues grew gradually more corrupt, to the point that they are now all but unrecognisable. They establish that the people gathered here are the only ones not to have fallen victim to this trend, each pledging to reverse the recent changes however they can. After talking about the issue for a while, they come to a conclusion: this is the work of dark forces, to be sure, and almost certainly a Necromancer at that- for no other being could control this level of Evil. With this established, they determine that they must ask the wizard to scry for this malevolent sorcerer, and send a representative to her chambers.
She is, as always, not pleased to have a visitor. She cautiously lets the knight into her room, then asks what is so important that he would disturb her studies. The knight gravely explains his mission. Mischa maintains a calm, bored face as he mentions Necromancy, though she curses internally.
That damned demon- of course this was going to happen at some point. And now she has to deal with the clean up. She informs the knight that she has not detected any sort of Necromancy in the area, and that she doubts the corruption he speaks of is even real; people change, after all. The knight shakes his head sadly. He tells her that she only thinks that because she has been corrupted as well, and warns her that if she does not- or cannot- awaken from the curse, they will be forced to kill her to prevent herself from falling to Necromancy. Mischa takes this threat on her life poorly, firing a bolt of magical energy at the knight's feet, and suggests that he leave her room at once. The knight does so, with pity rather than fear in his eyes.
The Duke gives his response to the messenger; he will round up the soldiers, by force if necessary, whilst supplementing their numbers by commanding his mercenaries to join them. The messenger replies that the grand army needs soldiers willing to fight for their country, not for their coinpurse. The Duke explains that they are willing to work for a very low wage. That would only make it easier for our enemies to outbid us, the messenger explains.
Grumbling, the Duke reluctantly agrees to gather the soldiers from his populace. The messenger says that he understands the Duke was only trying to spare his subjects from war, and that he will not mention this brief disagreement when he returns to the capital.
As the messenger leaves, he is approached by a knight, who surreptitiously hands him a note. The messenger raises an eyebrow at this, but pockets the note and leaves. At least, something like that is the plan. But it may not work out that way, for Mischa has informed you of the resistance, and you sent spectres and smokewraiths to spy on them, realised their plan to get word of the court's condition out there, though you don't know where or when they actually plan on contacting the messenger. You will deal with this attempt at subterfuge by
-Killing all twelve conspirators. No conspirators, no message delivery.
-Using magic to put the conspirators to sleep for the rest of the messenger's stay. They will realise foul play is afoot of course, but the messenger will leave sans message.
-Predicting when and where they plan on contacting the messenger and subtly interfering in their plan.
-Ambushing the messenger on the road. They may hand him your message, but he can't deliver it if he is dead.
-Doing nothing. What have you to fear?
(Probably should've had this happen at the end of the last update. Well, it's here now.)
Once that is dealt with...
The guards on duty are stunned to see a riderless horse trot up to the castle. And what a horse it is; big as a warhorse, black as midnight, with eyes that smoulder with barely contained rage. Or do they literally smoulder? The guards are discussing what to do, when the captain of the mercenaries approaches them.
"That's my horse your're looking at. Ain't she a fine beast?"
The guards ask where he got a horse that can find its way to a castle by itself. The captain explains that he... won it in a bet with a mysterious stranger. The guards nod their head; the story checks out. Mysterious strangers are always betting magic horses on things, everyone knows that. With that dealt with to their satisfaction, they open the gate, whereupon the horse trots in and heads for the stables. The captain grins in a most unsettling way.
You debate internally whether to corrupt the court even further, but decide against it in the end on the basis that you already have enough control over the court that you can make them do almost anything you want them to. Which you do, whispering in the Duke's dream of how the priesthood is defying him, and subtly suggesting to the advisers that crime is on the rise- perhaps they should make punishments harsher, even for the smallest infractions. Your manipulations mostly have the desired effect, and the Duke soon issues a decree that any peasant who speaks out against his betters shall be whipped to discourage him from further crimes, and a commandment that the temples should send representatives to his court to pay homage to him, to make it clear that he is their master. In addition to all this, recruiters come asking for volunteers for the army- and if they don't get enough, they tell people that they also want non-volunteers for the army, threatening punishment for suitable candidates who refuse to join.
You cannot help but smile as the trickle of evil coming off the land intensifies. Soon this senseless suppression will create the unrest it seeks to curb, and may even escalate to violence. Perhaps you should help it along?
Your cult-courtiers inform you that the Trade Wars are not actually wars, per se, or at least, not yet. It is an economic war, waged with tariffs and embargoes, roaming merchants the foot-soldiers. Jilgalia (that's the country you are in) is merely one of a handful of sides looking to control trade across Grand Lake. They started a few years back, after the previous agreement regarding trade rights broke down. Of course, war is also an economic tool, so Jilgalia has been bolstering its army, and especially its fleet.
Meanwhile, you grow increasingly weary of being cooped up in this castle. You must leave soon, but not before
-
Resisting the temptation to leave! You still have more work to do here.-Converting as many people as possible, starting with [blank] followed by [blank], followed by everyone else.
-Eating those who are still pure (if you haven't already), and those three sticklers to boot.
-Converting people, then ordering them to sacrifice the above
-Doing something else (that involves leaving)
When you leave, you breath in the fresh air and choke on it, and consider starting a few forest fires here and there to fill the air with much-more palatable soot. For now, though, you will
-Head back to Nuulyd/Fellshore to direct activities there.
-Go on a rampage, destroying a village or two, gaining power from the death and destruction.
-Go visit a string of villages, establishing your cult in each.
-Do something else.
Maybe you want to name the Mercenary Captain and make him one of your champions?
Before anything else - please tie up the loose ends.
There are 3 People that know of our existence that shouldn't.
Have them Invited to a hunting expedition. Lead them to the Brutewolf Den and have them be flayed and eaten alive.
An unfortunate hunting Mishap...
This started getting +1s after I started writing. Well, it can still happen next update.
Name: Nokluvgn
Age: 6 months
Physical might: 33 (-1: blessing Merc Captain's weapons and armour)(+3: province-wide suffering (continuous))
Mental might: 31 (-1: blessing Merc Captain's weapons and armour)(+3: province-wide suffering (continuous))
Followers:129 (93 cultists, 4 Wordbearers, 14 rich people, 6 councilfolk, 3 knights (heavily armed), 1 ex-priest, 1 mercenary captain, 7 courtiers)
Slaves: 12 (4 priests, 1 high priest, 7 guards (armed))
Servants: 13 (4 Brutewolves, two Smokewraiths, one devil-horse, 3 spectres, 3 giant-rat-packs)
Cults: The New Way: Low organization.
Locations:
Fellshore: 76 members (74 cultists, 1 Wordbearer, 1 knight (heavily armed))
Power level: 13
Of which: 4 spent gathering resources, 5 spent building wall, 3 spent training.
Resources: 22 (-2: building wall)
Other: Training is underway (21/30). The villagers begin building a crude wall around the village. They can't quite manage a stone wall, but earth and wood makes a serviceable alternative.
Nuulyd: 38 members (19 cultists, 2 Wordbearers, 14 rich people, 6 councilfolk, 2 knights (heavily armed), 1 ex-priest)
Slaves: 11 (4 priests, 7 guards (armed))
Power level: 10
Of which: 2 spent recruiting new members, 3 spent developing caravan system.
Resources: 1
Other: Their recruitment efforts this week were a dismal failure. Only a single new cultist joined the ranks. Meanwhile, they set about creating a courier service to let them move more freely. The mercantile connections of the wealthier members make acquiring transportation easier, and the council members help move their application (for the licenses required) through the system. (9/10 complete)
Castle Brylib: 8 members (7 courtiers, 1 mercenary captain)
Power level: 3
Resources: 0
Other: You should really get around to merging the three branches of the cult- which requires them being able to exchange resources and members freely.
Champions: Mischa Alwiz: The Duke's 'loyal' companion, now corrupted by the allure of evil.
Physical Might: 1
Mental Might: 6
Knowledge: Magic, basic Necromancy.
Possessions: Grey imp (knowledge of human & demonic magic, disguised as a crow)
Other: Her experiments go much better with the imp helping her, and she manages to draw on the evil energy of the cemetery and send it in your direction, as thanks for the imp. She makes extensive notes, but fortunately she is well practised in keeping her writing secret, so it is unlikely a maid will discover them whilst cleaning her study (only an example, as would never let anyone clean her study but her).
At the end of the week she is frustrated to learn the conditions required to get further answers, and considers how best to accomplish this.
Fortresses: Fellshore: A small fishing village nestled between a small lake and a forest (with mountains not so far in the distance), now undermined with many tunnels and chambers forming a twisted maze, lit with smoky torches, where the shadows form strange shapes in the corner of your eyes.
Smallish labyrinth (10, increases secrecy)(10 denotes the defensive strength of the structure), Crude wall (under construction 5/100)
Small (hidden) altar: A suitable place to sacrifice to you and praise your dark name.
Author
Topic: Demonhood 2 -Number of giant minions lost: between 0 and 3- (Read 143923 times)