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[Failbird105]

You not gonna change your votes Doubloon?

[Doomblade187]

Tales Design Reports

Backstory - Yokai

People like to personify things. That's why ships are all female, why swords have names, why people ascribe personality to any number of items. And as it turns out, they're right to do so - any given item or animal that's been around long enough can develop a spirit, a Yokai. That special sword? Yeah, that's got a Yokai. That harp that's been in the family for generations? Same thing. That fox that hangs around the shrine in the woods? It's probably a Yokai making sure you don't screw with the place. There's a wide variety of Yokai, and they can and often are in anything. But the thing they have in common is the thing that makes them admittedly a bit smug to the other Tales; they're essentially stories given form by the thoughts of the people. The aforementioned sword became a Yokai because enough people heard about it and believed it to be special. That fox was probably just a fox that was hanging out for any leftover snacks before people started to talk about it.

For the longest time, there was internal division among the Yokai; benevolent spirits and antagonistic ones clashing over how to treat the humans. The numbers were roughly even, and in some places their density was such that their existence was simply a part of daily life rather than a special event. Unfortunately, living in such close proximity to humanity would mean that it would be quite easy to find some…

Life in Foxwood was idyllic. Villagers came to and from the stream. They ate, fished, gathered water, and lived their lives. The fox lived here, stealing picnic baskets, cutting fishing lines, and playing games with the visitors. The villagers loved him, just as they loved the river, loved the talking river rock they say upon to fish.

A kingdom away, the hawk glided quietly above the trees of Sherwood Forest. Long had he been here, plucking fresh kills from under the nose of hunters, flushing out game for those he favored, and enjoying the quiet, timeless life only a spirit in the woods could.

Deep in the bay of Jaunt Jolie, the seal dove after a fish, snatching it in her jaws before pushing for the surface, leaping out of the sea in a graceful flip. The sailors on the nearby ships stopped to look and clap, and one threw a salted herring overboard for her. She waved her flipper as the added it to her lunch and swam off to her eating spot, an old set of dock posts along the main city docks.

Far away from all of them, a crow watched the simple iron ax, engraved with a single illuminated R, cut off the Black Knight's head. They crowed once, and then flew away from the house of the family that fed them breadcrumbs every evening.

A child calls for the fox they play fetch with. A hunter looks to the skies, searching for company in the lonely woods. A sailor unloads a ship, searching the empty pier and seeing only a lonely salted herring. The woods are quiet tonight.

Lore Bonus:  Watchers in the Woods
The Yokai have been living alongside humans almost as long as humans have been in the woods. Your people are well informed about the movements of humans thanks to the contributions of guardian and trickster spirits alike, though the enemy can always try to smoke out your eyes if they wish.


It is now the design phase. You have one design action, one recruit action, and one revision. You also need to decide where to make your base. See core thread for details.

You will receive an extra revision in the upcoming Hidden Movement phase. Normal turn order takes place from then on.

Spoiler: Current Units (click to show/hide)

Disgruntled Tales - A motley assortment of dwarves, gnomes, elves, goblins, talking animals, small scale yokai, and more. Armed with an assortment of shoddy ranged and melee weaponry. BYOS. (Bring your own sword)
Beings Cost - 1
Materials Cost - 0
Quantity - 50

Spoiler: Base Options (click to show/hide)

Capital - Camelot
The capital of the woods, founded by King Arthur, Camelot is a city of humble stone buildings and wide streets lined with vendors, landmarked by the less than humble stone citadel where the king resides.
-Tales cannot start a base here
-Bookbinders can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Outlying Towns -

Jaunt Jolie - one of the Wood’s major port cities, and the conduit for the Wonderland trade, Jaunt Jolie has a long history of rough pirate bars, fabulous merchant kings, and stacks and stacks of both rats and money. Home to the descendents of peter pan and captain hook (the originals are still nowhere to be found).
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Foxwood - a simple wooded town, sleepy and quiet. Nobody makes trouble here, lest the trees complain and put them in an extended coma. As such, many retired heroes and villains live in harmony, and the Bookbinders dont consider this area a threat. Rumors are that Rumplestiltskin keeps a summer home here.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Disturb the locals and the woods at your own risk

The Stymph Forest - not a kingdom, but rather a no man’s land, this dead wood borders both Bloodbrook and Foxwood, and is home to the skeletal “birds” called Stymphs. Luckily, most kingdoms have developed measures against the occasional murder passing by, but their chilling calls are still feared by all. The trees are fireproof, too.
-Both factions can start a base here
-The vinepath doesn't run here, so movement is slower
-Aboveground movement at risk of Stymph attacks

Bloodbrook - a dark forested swamp, this area is home to thieves, bandits, having separated from Sherwood Forest some time ago. This schism also took most of the werewolves with them, adding competition for optimal hideouts. A bandit king still rules this area, having joined with the Bookbinders after seeing what happened to the Black Knight.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Sherwood Forest - a shady, forested wood with endless creeks, streams, and lakes, this forest is home to nymphs and spirits of all sorts, as well as some brave and questionably noble thieves. It’s also home to Nottingham, one of the larger cities in the south. The current sheriff of Nottingham is actually descended from Robin Hood, but has thrown his lot in with the Bookbinders as well.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Malabar Hills - hilly lowlands in the foothills of the Bloodtooth mountains, the hills are home to a variety of swamps and thickly shrubbed moors. It’s widely suspected that ogres live here, but it’s hard to tell, since most people who actually decide to live here build rickety castles with lightning rods and keep to themselves.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

The Ruined Estate - unoccupied other than a few escapees from justice and desperate souls, these cursed grounds are home to a ruined castle, with twin, ornate spires and a wild, dangerous wood. It’s rumored that the great queen Belle’s husband once lived here, though that was long ago.
-Neither faction can start a base here
-Cursed lands discourage all travellers, come here at your own risk

Kingdom Kyrgios - founded by the Sultan Shahryār, this kingdom borders a desert that stretches as far as the eye can see, and is a major trading port with several kingdoms within and across the desert. A city full of wonderful smells and bustling traders, it’s one of the kingdom’s financial centers. Used to be home to many gnomes, who now work in goldsmithing shops.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Borna Coric - the kingdom of the Bloodtooth mountains, the knights of borna coric have actually tamed Stymphs using their dark magic, led by the formidable Black Knight, and his son, the Green Knight. A militant, isolationist kingdom, they nevertheless fell to the Bookbinders early on in a coordinated assault, and now the Black Knight lies dead, executed for treason. Home to many dwarves.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Maidenvale - elegant forests and steep valleys define maidenvale, which sits near the foothills of the Bloodtooth mountains. While dragons sleeping in caves and coming down from their mountain lairs have always been a concern, the magic of the elves has ensured this kingdom has been a training ground for heroes for centuries, with notable heroes such as Briar Rose, Snow White, and Cinderella emerging here.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

Ravenwood - on the other side of the Bloodtooth mountains lies Ravenwood, Maidenvale’s opposite. Maleficent ruled here once, and the witches of Ravenwood are not to be trifled with. The lord inquisitor only maintains tenuous control here - but the Tales themselves dare not tread either. Notable for the witch hunters Hansel and Gretel, whose extended family now lead up much of the Bookbinders. Recent intelligence indicates distrust of the Bookbinders, given their ties to the Hansel and Gretel families of witch hunters.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus (Tales only)

Avalon - the birthplace of both King Arthur and the Black Knight, this kingdom is renowned for its chivalry and pride. While there are murmurs of discontent, it’s proud stone walls stand tall and quiet.
-Both factions can start a base here
-Recruiting bonus

[Kashyyk]

Okay, I think we definitely needs to resolve this BYOS nonsense. By Word of God, we can either have a set of related generic gear, or a single fairy tale weapon as a design, so I'm gonna give one of each, and see which y'all prefer.

Whilst our forces are well equipped with courage, determination and a will to see things done, they are painful under supplied with weapons, armour and other things that will actually see the Bookbinders dealt with. Thus, we will seek to give them a basic set of gear with which they can fight back against the patriarchy oppression.

Each individual will receive either a bow and arrows, or a spear and a shield, plus their choice of simple sidearm (such as a shortsword, hatchet or mace). In addition, if they don't already have their own armour (as dwarves are known to keep suits of maille for generations) they will also be given some basic protection in the form of leather jacks, padded gambesons and the like. Whilst the unit's equipment will still be a bit eclectic, they should function better than the angry villagers that they are currently.

Everyone has a sword over the mantelpiece, or a pair of spears hidden under the floorboards for when they are needed to fight the latest threat, but some of these weapons have a bit more story to them. Perhaps that sword was once used to protect the family from marauding ogres, this hunting bow was all that kept the family fed one bitingly cold winter, or the axe the last five generations used to cut wood was the one that cut an old woman out of a talking wolf. Either way, they may not seem like much, but they have all entered familial legend, and with that comes the beginnings of yokai weaponry.

[Doomblade187]

Skirmisher gear is a normal difficulty, probably pretty middle ground cost for a full gear kit. (~10-30 per material)

Hereditary Weapons is an easy design, moderately costly. (~2-5 per Material)

[Kashyyk]

Some more ideas, both for discussion and to probe difficulties.

Most Yokai spirits are small individuals, such as swords or foxes. Most Yokai are also very localised, such as to a specific temple or family. Sometimes they are neither small, nor localised.

Take, for example, Sherwood Forest. There are many stories of this shaded place, although Sherwood is rarely the focus. However, they all add an air of mystery, of freedom and righteousness, that has caused the whole Forest to become a Yokai. Whilst Sherwood is normally happy to let things go by, it may occasionally interfere when some morally ambiguous criminals are being chased by morally reprehensible soldiers start pushing into the Forest, tripping them with roots and vines, hiding the bandits behind full branches of leaves, and dropping dead wood to confuse pursuit.

Sometimes however, Sherwood might feel the need to manifest fully. In this case, the very trees themselves start to move, forming humanoid forms of bark and twig, (commonly known as a Dryad). These Dryads will then act directly in the interests of their trees, and the forest as a whole.

Denizens of Pixie Hollow, the diminutive fairies are known for their love of tricks, guest right, and freedom. They are easily missed thanks to their small stature, but are capable of illusion and natural magic that catches many off guard. Once a deal has been brokered with them however, you can be assured that they will stick to the agreement to the letter. Be careful to avoid any embarrassing loop holes, however.

[Doomblade187]

Forest Spirits - Very Hard to Theoretical for the full Sherwood, but just Dryads would be hard.

Fairy Folk - Normal or Hard depending on magic that they have, a good number of units per point (small)

[TricMagic]

Ungaikyō
The mirror which existed for 100 years, reflected many people and sights, and eventually developed a soul. These mirrors are Yokai, and with the new rulership, are no longer safe. And so they left through their levitation and other Yokai aiding them.

Unlike normal mirrors, Ungaikyō are more durable and can repair cracks, leading to them existing in families for generations. However, their ability is to show the reflections of others, as well as manipulate reflections shown, not just the one that looks at them. In this manner, they have developed a type of sight, which they can use to act as communication units for our own people. In this manner, all types of beings can write a report, which the Ungaikyō can then use their farsight-reflection to see along with the one who wrote it.

In this manner, each Ungaikyō is a priceless treasure for a resistance, as one in each base makes for a frightening communication network. Some have even developed to reflect sound as well between themselves, which is a trait that usually isn't seen due to that only working between various Ungaikyō.


And just for Sherwood, not the Dryads?

[Doomblade187]

Ungaikyō - Proposal is hard, but rather expensive, think ~3-5 per Being.

As per making the entirety of Sherwood a Yokai - you won't be able to recruit such an entity, not really. Such a recruitment will be ludicrous in difficulty, and cost >1 Being points to purchase units for. You would still be able to buy units to use in missions, but they would be hyperlocalized to Sherwood Forest, and not necessarily the full power of the woods.

[Failbird105]

There are hundreds, thousands of Tales in these lands. Ogres, Fairies, Yokai, Dwarves... Yet no individual Tale has quite as much fame, or rather, infamy, as the Big Bad Wolf.

Long, long ago, far longer than any wolf should ordinarily live, the Big Bad Wolf was once a normal Wolf, a fearsome wolf indeed, but still an ordinary wolf. And one day, things changed. The wolf stumbled across a flock of sheep. A flock, guarded by naught but a single child. Seeing the child as the weakest creature there, it attacked him first. The child cried out, but the town guards trust had been worn thin by false cries throughout the day.
The boy died, and the Wolf savaged the flock he had been guarding.

What remained of the boy, and the flock, where found later that day. And just like that, a story began to spread. A story of the great and terrible wolf. The wolf that ate children, the wolf that devastated flocks of sheep. The cunning and devilish wolf that waited until the guard would not come to strike. A new Tale, a new Yokai, had begun to form.

The Big Bad Wolf has existed for over a century now, and he has grown much since then. His size great enough to swallow a young man whole, his mind sharp and cunning, and his howl strong enough to topple a troll.

He would maim and devour humans, and to the other Tales of the forest he gave one ultimatum: "This is my territory. Stay. Out."

Thus, this was how things stayed. For generations, the wolf would devour humans and trespassing Tales alike, occasionaly he would receive his commupence, and there would be peace as he recovered.

Then the Bookbinders came. We found the Wolf, not within the territory he had claimed, but bloody, broken, and halfway butchered at our doorstep. For once, we had a common foe.

The Big Bad Wolf is a powerful fighter, with great size and strength to use to his advantage, and howls that can blow foes off their feet. And while he is no genius, he possesses a brutal sort of cunning to him, a knack for ambush and luring prey into traps. However, he is certainly no unstoppable force. The Wolfs great size prevents him from entering most buildings, and makes him an easy target. Not only that, while he is powerful, he is still just a wolf. He cannot hold weapons or use tools properly with his large paws. He is, as the term would say, a 'lone wolf', he does not enjoy working with others. And of course, there is but one of him. Should he die, we will have no one to take his place.

[TricMagic]

Tales of the Revolution
a Design Plan bringing out the Disgruntled Tales' Talents.

There exists among us those who actually know things. The dwarves know how to build and plan tunnels and dig in the earth as well as forge, gnomes with their knowhow of buildings and gadgets and miscellaneous knowledge, elves who can speak to trees that are in fact normal trees and know how to shoot a bow really well, goblins which know when and how to pick a fight and surviving off the land, talking animals known for their trickery(not that much different from some Yokai), and more. Including those who know how to fight in groups effectively.

Effectively, this proposal involves taking those who know of war and combat and training to work as a unit. Basic stuff that takes advantage of our wide pool of knowledge and applies it to our new lifestyle, the Revolution. The use of tunnels, secret areas, traps and the land, and battle.

Yokai are a bit different though, as they embody a specific trait that is best used for special forces to support and act as a hammerblow. They too will learn and apply their talents, whatever they may be.

[Kashyyk]

Base:
(1) Ravenwood: Kashyyk

Design:
(1) Skirmisher Gear: Kashyyk

Revision:
(1) Hereditary Weapons: Kashyyk

Recruitment:
(1) The Big Bad Wolf: Kashyyk

[Doomblade187]

First things first, Basic Revolutionary Training is a very hard revision or a very easy one. It either gives you full access to all the natural abilities of your Disgruntled Tales motley crew, or it minorly improves their combat and infiltration ability. Cost would remain unchanged.

Secondly, the Big Bad Wolf.

This is a Character unit. Characters can only be bought once (or in the case of a transferrable mantle, are different each time they are bought.) You only get the one unit, and they have wounds. Where a normal unit would die in combat, Characters are wounded, and live to lick their wounds. This puts them out of commission for an entire turn cycle, and if they die when they have no more wounds, they're gone for good.

Difficulty Normal-Hard

Edit: minor note on the wounds system. You can design units or equipment to heal wounds on Characters, other than your leader. You can also design units or equipment to remove the 1 cycle downtime, though these designs won't be able to heal wounds.

Edit2: The death of a Character is a blow to all. It's very likely that a new Character will emerge in the aftermath of such a loss.

[TricMagic]

Might as well go VH, for full abberra. Go big or go home to the executioner's block.

If it works, massive boost to start with. If it doesn't, at least it's a Revision.

What difficulty would it be as a design though?

[TricMagic]

Base:
(1) Ravenwood: Kashyyk

Design:
(1) Skirmisher Gear: Kashyyk
(1) Tales of the Revolution: TricMagic

Revision:
(1) Hereditary Weapons: Kashyyk, TricMagic

Recruitment:
(1) The Big Bad Wolf: Kashyyk, TricMagic

Bring out the ability of the Tales we have, so we can make use of them.


Genbu, Dark Emperor of the Heavens, Harbinger of Winter, Northern Guardian of the Sky, Virtue of Knowledge, Symbol of Water and Yin

Genbu, the turtle that resides in the Northen Sky. Mortals have long known of them, passed down the legend, but the four emperors don't normally move. However, with the Bookbinders action, one has been moved to help those who resist. An so to one human girl  who decries the bookbinder's decision, locked in a tower to be married off with no choice in her life, Genbu passes down his power to her, a girl of 15.

With this power, this girl holds the power to control all water, and the knowledge of battle and tactics to lead and plan. Her power is such to be said as an impenetrable shield, and a looming death not through quick ends, but the freezing cold she is immune to. And so leaving a trail of water from the air to melt upon the stones of her prison, slips into the forest and joins the Resistance to help. Her name is Yoshi, Priestess of the Northern Sky, wielder of Genbu's Mantle.

[Failbird105]

The discussion in the current headquarters of the Tales continued. Their Yokai allies provided possibilities, but where any of those options what they needed right now? Ideas where tossed back and forth until...

"Well well well, what do we have here?" A voice interrupts the discussion. Seemingly comng from everywhere, yet nowhere. The gathered Tales gaze around in a panic, have they been discovered already?

The Green Knight however, does not even flinch. Even as a feline face fades into view upon the shoulders of a troll.

"Why are you here, Cat?" He asks.

"Always serious, hmm Green Knight?' The voice continues as its owner, the Cheshire Cat, fully materializes. The troll panics as he suddenly becomes aware of the Cat upon his shoulders, and falls to the ground. The Cat, however, does not fall with him, or rather does, but... slowly.

"Get to the point, you're interrupting our meeting."

"Oh fine, fine. These... Bookbinders. They think the world around them is mad, they wish to make is sane." The cat fades in and out once again, now stood upon the ceiling. "Perhaps that would be for the best. Yet they fail to consider that if the whole world is mad, they may just be mad too"

"I did not believe you where bothered by maddened rulers."

"I am not. I am bothered, because I don't believe their madness will stop here. The Queen of Hearts may be content to rule her own kingdom, but Rafal... The cat fades again, now manifesting in the center of the table. Larger than before. It stares into the eyes of the Green Knight through his helmet.

"...He will not."

"Indeed, and if it goes far enough? I feel unsure as to who will suffer most"


With a grim warning, the Cheshire Cat has chosen to provide us its aid. The Cat is a mysterious being, able to simply fade in and out of sight at will, in nearly an instant, or even only fade in or out partially. When it chooses to, it may simply float in mid air, or gently drift to the ground instead of falling. It is not uncommon for the Cheshire Cat to simply... not be there, when an attack hits what was its position at the moment the swing or shot began, and it often times seems as if even walls do not impede it, as, though it has never been witnessed walking through them, it isn't rare to see it simply appear in a sealed room that it was previously outside of.

All these traits put together make the Cheshire Cat a master of infiltration and information gathering. Add in its long and deadly claws and even sharper teeth, and the Cat might seem unbeatable. This is not the case, for you see, the Cats weaknesses lie not in its body or its claws, but in its mind. The Cheshire Cats attentions are mercurial, and at all times it carries a playful attitude. The Cat may go where you tell it too, it may begin gathering information as you asked, but it may come back and tell you not about the enemies secret tactical meeting, but rather how well the Baker across the street did that day. The Cat will benefit your cause, at least, provided it is not stopped, but it will do so in ways that may not be helpful or intended. The Baker across the street may be a front, gathering money or information for the enemy. The captain it was sent to assassinate may instead wake up safe and sound the next morning to find that he is the only one alive in the barrack. It may choose not to steal the magic scroll, but instead take the map of the inside of the enemy fortress.

Even if sent with others to keep it on track, there is no saying that the Cat will not simply wander off and direct its attentions to a different task while those it left behind work on the one they were sent to perform. And in combat, it often fights like... well, a cat. More accurately, a cat hunting a mouse. It does not fight, so much as it plays with its opponents violently. Expertly dodging strikes, but then leaving painful scratches instead of slit throats. Knocking a foe to the ground, only to then pounce onto the still standing foe on the other side instead of the downed enemy. We expect it to be infuriating, for everyone involved, but nowhere near as effective as it could be, and we expect it will take more than training to make the thing take its job seriously.

Still, whether it listens or not, it gets... a job done, and when it does do its job... it is terrifying.