Hierarchy: Turn 1
In the days of the old Kingdom Under Heaven, when angel and mortal lived peacefully under the benevolent neglect of Heaven, seven mortals yet found Heaven wanting. Meeting in secret with the Arbitrary Arbiter, they negotiated the blasphemous contracts that would enable them to strike the old gods down. And strike the old gods down they did. First came the death of Farinli, God of
Prophecy, and thus did the future become less certain, and thus were the oracles blinded. Second came the death of the nameless Goddess of
Secrets, and the jealously guarded secrets of the gods were reduced to tavern gossip. Then was Sitn, God of Stone, struck down, and down came the towering walls and mountains of the Kingdom Under Heaven. Next fell the Duke, God of
Civilization, and in came the ferocious beasts of the wilds to drive the people from their homes, and up sprang fell vines to tear down the proud buildings. It was in this time that Nonina, Goddess of
Love and
Astronomy was slain by a particularly decadent cult after a botched summoning, and disturbed, heretical whispers spread through what remained of the old gods' cults. The second to last to fall was Azthatha, Goddess of
Humanity and
Beauty. Few understand the meaning of her death, and fewer still the means, but a wave of blasphemy rose throughout the land, and many angels abandoned their posts in the Kingdom. Finally, the Colossal Colossus, God of Rain and bearer of the Bowl of First Waters was knocked down, and all of the Kingdom flooded for a year and a day. When at last the waters subsided and the ministries were meted out to the conquering gods, little was left but wilderness and fledgling cities, a pale shadow of the shining cities of old. The world has turned once again, and in light of these disasters, Heaven's holdings are known as the Garden of Heaven.
After a dreadful arcane selection process that left most gods and ministries dissatisfied, the new heads of the godly ministries have been announced:
- Archivist Mion, Goddess of Murder and Wealth
- Steward Elda, God of Gemstones and Planting
- Pontifex Ronda, Goddess of Plants and Fungi
- Paragon Lu, God of Wildness and Monsters
- Marshal Fas, Goddess of Travel and Love
- Manager Tuuok, God of Knowledge and Wisdom
- Du-uke Du-Ur, Portal of Doors and Passages
and the
Arbitrary Arbiter, so easily forgotten. It is now springtime in the first year of the new gods' tenure. There is much work to be done.
There are several options available:
- Direct intervention, present: Apply for a teleportation/manifestation permit from the Ministry of Transportation. Permits may take 1-3 business days to process.
- Direct intervention, remote: Apply for a permit from the appropriate department where needed.
- Smiting: Apply for a smiting warrant from the Ministry of Smiting. Warrants may take 0-3 business days to process.
- Speaking to mortals: Make sure to file a Mortal Impact Statement to the Ministry of Civilization and Ministry of Pontifice to avoid having your access to the Bowl of a Thousand Prayers suspended. Alternatively, apply for a multi-use speech permit from the aforementioned ministries.
- Issuing a decree: Use Words (but not Tricks) to enhance an action appropriate to your ministry (or react to one).
- Proposing a Council resolution: Have someone propose it and someone else second it. If over half the Council approves, it worked.
- Trading Words: Free action
- Trading Titles: Satisfy the other Title's requirements
- Multithreading: If you have complete control over two Titles, split one off into its own god at a minimum of 1 Glory per Title per turn! If this upkeep isn't met, they'll likely merge back, but worse things may happen.
- Assigning your ministry to a task: Delegate, cover costs, and relax! Angels were created to suffer all this paperwork.
For the time being, there is an arbitrary action cap of 4 actions per turn. This will likely be recalibrated depending on how manageable things are next turn.
Feedback and suggestions are requested for this completely untested system!
The following issues are believed to affect more than half of the Greater Ministries:
Emperor Hu has lost the Mandate of Heaven! The waters have receded, but the lords of the heartlands are breaking free and scheming to claim the throne. The following claimants are waiting in the wings for any misstep from the unhappy ruler:
- Prince Wen, legitimate heir to the throne and devout worshiper of the old gods
- Princess Wai, second child of the emperor and member of the *Doormakers, who worship Du-uke Du-ur
- General Hao, who commands the respect of what remains of the army and is a member of the *Strong Ones, a fringe cult of Paragon Lu
- Disgraced imperial oracle Mei Bi, now a member of the *Cult of Knowledge, worshipers of the Manager Tuuok
- Lady Wero, whose rich demesne is both large and close to the capital and who is a *Disciple of Leaves who follow the teachings of Pontifice Ronda
- Lord Wiq, who has recently "inherited" the demesnes of his two brothers and is secretly a member of the *Murderers for Mammon, a society dedicated to the ideals of Archivist Mion
- Local business owner Wato, ardent follower of the *Cult of Ecstasy, which worships Marshal Fas
- Guildmaster That, local leader of the *Guild of Gemcutters who privately worship Steward Elda
- Taba Khan, who has no legitimate claim to the throne and worships nature spirits
- Wait a season and hope things improve. Emperor Hu is a follower of the old gods but is only dimly aware of the recent coup in Heaven...
- Someone else?
Supporters of specific pretenders are invited to fill out Form SCR-1243-G to contribute Glory and legitimacy. Those preferring to send angels in a general capacity instead are directed to fill out Form MR1-463-MA or Form MR1-463-MD to be submitted to the Ministry of Pontifice and the Council for review. The Ministry of Smiting is accepting applications for smiting warrants, that is to say, Form LTN-8077. Finally, those wanting to intervene directly can apply for teleportation and manifestation permits from the Ministry of Transportation. Note that some claimants are better equipped to seize the throne by certain methods than others.
The Ministry of Heavenly Constructions is planning to construct a large new office with the latest divine amenities Heaven has to offer. While it is illegal for them to accept bribes of any kind, they are loudly complaining that they neither know who will get the office nor whether they have enough Glory to get it done in a timely fashion nor whether it will obstruct an existing ministry office. The plans as currently drawn up would require approximately a year and 30 Glory to complete and would likely be enough to boost the Favor and Influence of two greater ministries by one step at the expense of one step of Funding.
A steppe clan has literally stumbled on a large cavern complex exposed by the receding floodwaters that does not show up in Heaven's records. Angels from several ministries are already clamoring to do something about it:
- Speaker-To-Animals Adner, manager for the Ministry of Pontifice: "Verily, this may be the lost gate to the Underworld! Send a party of scouts down at once!"
- Build-Strong-Fences-That-The-Exhbits-Not-Escape Ayarteshki, zookeeper for the Ministry of Records: "This cavern presenteth an unprecedented opportunity to improve our records of cavernous monsters. Send us down and we shall bring our collection closer to completion."
- There-Is-No-Knot Sabal, clerk for the Ministry of Civilization: "Why aren't we sending a rescue party? They could be dying in that pit!"
- Fiercely-Fighteth-The-Frog Ugduk, quartermaster for the Ministry of Might: "What my foolish colleague meaneth is that there could be ore in that cavern! Seize it for our mortal armies for the glory of Heaven!"
- Where-Thy-Heart-Is-Thy-Treasure-Will-Be-Also Sisini, accountant for the Ministry of Glory: "Ore is good and all, but think of the gems! Surely tipping off the nearest member of the *Guild of Gemcutters would be the cheapest method by which we may improve the Garden's wealth without the hassle of lobbying for the creation of another deposit!"
- Wait a season and hope the roaring sounds were just an illusion
In this case, approving an angel's mission and sending Glory suffices to handle the issue.
Ministry of Glory - Heaven's vault is relatively impoverished at 8 units of Funding.
- Tithes and taxes from the Garden are currently set at Light, returning 30 units of Funding.
- The Nod of the Sun is such that it returns 70 units of Funding.
- Upkeep for all ministries was 100 units of Funding this turn.
- Total funding from the Sun and worship increased by +5 units this turn. Allocate these units among the Ministries, greater and lesser, as fairly as possible. Your bureau heads will not approve a budget resulting in a deficit greater than -3.
Sun's Court - The Sun is sufficiently glorified
- The courtiers have heard 2 Prophecies this turn and taken steps to benefit from them.
- Whisper these to other Ministries, greater and lesser, to maximize the benefits to Heaven before they become obsolete next turn.
Ministry of Might - The angelic host is not deployed and completely disarmed
- The Kingdom's armies are weak but fully equipped
- You may expend Funding or Influence to rearm Heaven's armies or do so using your personal income.
- Many in the ministry are itching to help seize the throne down in the Garden.
- Some demand that you smite Emperor Hu and say that the cost of violating the sacred compact between Heaven and the Kingdom is negligible compared to the business your ministry will get.
Ministry of Pontifice - The scouts in the Great Steppe report that everything is normal
- The contacts in the imperial capital report that the Emperor has powerful enemies and will not last long without support. (Then again, this Emperor is pledged to the old gods...)
- The emissaries in the Kingdom of Dalhim have nothing interesting to report
- The celestial emissaries report that relations with the Helpers are cordial
- The emissaries in the Barbarian Empire of Yan report that the Empire is in turmoil as a result of their recent divine coup
- The southwestern scouts report a few losses among the Watchers following an attack from the Southwestern Bonelands
- The Underworld offices are not in contact with Heaven
- Your representatives in the Ministry of Transportation bring word of an upcoming office party, and you and the bureau heads are invited
Ministry of the Realm - There is an active hiring freeze purportedly instituted to "stop the malignant growth of Heaven's offices" in the words of your predecessor. Many angels are petitioning to have it reversed.
- There is an ongoing zoning dispute with the Ministry of Mortal Constructions which is attempting to resettle an area that overlaps with monster-infested wastelands
- Angels from the Ministry of Records are petitioning for stronger worker protections to avoid unjustified arrests.
- Restless heroes have accidentally burned down a small wing of your Ministry's offices
- The Ministry of Names and Works is requesting recognition for a batch of six heroes who were injured fighting monsters form the Southwestern Bonelands.
- Several prominent divisions of your bureaus want you to back the imperial oracle Mei Bi in a bid to reduce the influence of the Ministry of Civilization (and put someone sympathetic to your cause on the throne).
- Current projections show that the ratio of villainy to heroism is increasing in the Garden.
Ministry of Civilization - Worship is slowly but steadily increasing as the cults of the new gods consolidate.
- Most of the ministry agrees that Prince Wen or Princess Wai should take the throne. Certainly not the oracle, who has no legitimate claim on it.
- Some angels are requesting that you petition for the Ministry of Pontifice to improve relations with the Barbarian Empire of Yan
- The Ministry of Transportation is hosting an office party and no one in the Ministry of Civilization is invited. Bitter angels are suggesting that you could easily crash it regardless.
- One of your divisions is raising funds to purchase a 50% share of the planned new offices for your ministry, but their cause is hopeless without the income of a ministry head.
Ministry of Records - The deep probe has uncovered no evidence of your wrongdoing so far.
- The ministry's zookeepers are clamoring for access to the mysterious cave.
- Time is currently set to flow at 3 months per turn. You may adjust this down as far as one week per turn or two and a half years per turn
- Your clerks are massively behind on their recording.
- Several division heads are suggesting that you purchase a share of the new office building, which they say will help increase productivity tenfold!
- Your bureau heads are mysteriously absent. Have they gone missing?
StatusArchivist Mion (
Murder,
Wealth)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Strained
- Titles:
- Accuser: None can match the bearer of the title's litigious streak
- Twiceborn (contestsed): This individual has successfully fled the afterlife
- Words: Both x3, Uncertain, Take
- Effects:
Steward Elda (
Gemstones,
Planting)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Disliked
- Titles:
- Unscratched: Legend has it that the bearer of this title can never be scratched, scraped, tarnished, or blemished
- Words: And x3, Show, Polish
- Effects:
Pontifex Ronda (
Plants,
Fungi)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Disliked
- Titles:
- Unceasing: The title's bearer's capacity for regeneration is legendary
- Words: Not x3, Break, Grow
- Effects:
- TP1-775-3AA Teleportation Permit: 4/turn, cleared for neighboring regions
- MP2-683-3AA Manifestation Permit: 2/turn, cleared for neighboring regions
Paragon Lu (
Wildness,
Monsters)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Somewhat disliked
- Titles:
- Terrifying: This individual is famous for being incredibly fearsome
- Words: And x3, Barbaric, Unleash
- Effects:
- Ascended semigod: Slight increase to angelic opinion and cult heterodoxy
Marshal Fas (
Travel,
Love)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Tense
- Titles:
- Fairest: None are as mesmerizingly beautiful as the bearer of this title
- Words: Not x3, Dark, Inn
- Effects:
- Anticowardice resolution LMS-300-Y5NP-1: Forbidden from backing down, surrendering, or otherwise de-escalating
Manager Tuuok (
Knowledge,
Wisdom)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Cordial
- Titles:
- All-Seeing: This individual has unmatched powers of perception
- Words: Or x3, Blind, See
- Effects:
Du-uke Du-Ur (
Doors,
Passages)
- Glory: 10
- Favor: Neutral
- Titles:
- Key: Nothing stays locked or closed long before this avatar of Knock
- Twiceborn (contested): This individual has successfully fled the afterlife
- Words: Both x3, Wet, Open
- Effects:
- Pro-peace resolution LMS-300-Y5NP-2: Forbidden from aggressing or otherwise escalating in armed conflicts
Ministry of Justice- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Adequate
- Influence: Eminent
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Investigation: Conducting a deep probe into the Ministry of Records
Ministry of Glory- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Adequate
- Influence: Moderate
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Budget health resolution GLR-1005-B6: Forbidden from submitting a budget with a deficit
Sun's Court- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Slightly overfunded
- Influence: Underappreciated
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Primordial rights: Permitted to create intelligent life (~100 Glory), moons (~1000 Glory), and stars (~100 Glory)
Ministry of Might- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Adequate
- Influence: Underappreciated
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Expedited teleportation/manifestation permits
- Expedited smiting warrants
Ministry of Pontifice- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Slightly underfunded
- Influence: Moderate
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Expedited teleportation/manifestation permits
Ministry of the Realm- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Adequate
- Influence: Moderate
- Focus:
- Effects:
Ministry of Civilization- Rank: Greater
- Funding: Adequate
- Influence: Moderate
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Slow teleportation/manifestation permits
Ministry of Records- Rank: Lesser
- Funding: Adequate
- Influence: Underappreciated
- Focus:
- Effects:
- Deep Probe: Collecting evidence pertaining to an ongoing case involving NLHLN Zuraya
- Time distribution: Time is flowing at 3 months/turn
- State of the records: Massively behind
Proposed resolutions:
- Productivity resolution PRR-8895-BZ2: Assign the task of counting bee-flower interactions to the Ministry of Records (+9/-7/8)
- Financial reform STR-8943-DA: Affirm the ban on bribes given in exchange for expedited forms (+6/-10/8)
- Zoning resolution ZON-9355-1: Zone the heartlands as monster-infested wilderness (+4/-12/8)
Members:
- Accuser (Title)
- Unscratched (Title)
- Unceasing (Title)
- Terrifying (Title)
- Fairest (Title)
- All-Seeing (Title)
- Key (Title)
- Twiceborn (Title)
- *Murderers for Mammon (High Priest)
- *Guild of Gemcutters (High Priest)
- *Disciples of Leaves (High Priest)
- *Keepers of the Shrines of Lu (High Priest)
- *Seers of the Throne (High Priest)
- *Cult of Knowledge (High Priest)
- *The First Doormaker(High Priest)
- High Priest of Sitn (High Priest)
- A-Bird-In-The-Hand-Is-Worth-Two-In-The-Bush Elebrir (Angel)
- Wasteth-Not-Wanteth-Not Dwari (Angel)
- Time-Flieth-Like-An-Arrow Alarwen (Angel)
- If-Thou-Meetest-God-On-The-Road-Kill-Him Balcmauh (Angel)
- Triplicate-Or-It-Did-Not-Happen Esuunar (Angel)
- Thou-Eatest-To-Live-Not-Livest-To-Eat Sisanga (Angel)
- The-Passive-Voice-Shall-Not-Be-Used-On-Pain-Of-Death Berguld (Angel)
- The-Sun-Is-A-Deadly-Light-Sword Nistra (Angel)
*Murderers for Mammon
- Target: Mion, Goddess of Murder and Wealth
- Tenets: Murder, Wealth
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Medium
- Effects:
Brotherhood of the Blood Pearl
- Target: Mion, Goddess of Murder, Wealth
- Tenets: Murder, Wealth
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Tiny
- Effects:
*Guild of Gemcutters
- Target: Elda, God of Gemstones and Planting
- Tenets: Gemstones, Planting
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Small
- Effects:
*Disciples of Leaves
- Target: Ronda, Goddess of Plants and Fungi
- Tenets: Plants, Fungi, Planting
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Small
- Effects:
*Keepers of the Shrines of Lu
- Target: Lu, God of Wildness and Monsters
- Tenets: Wildness, Monsters
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Small
- Effects:
*The Strong Ones
- Target: Lu, God of Wildness and Monsters
- Tenets: Monsters
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Tiny
- Effects:
*Seers of the Throne
- Target: Fas, Goddess of Travel and Love
- Tenets: Love, Travel
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Small
- Effects:
*Cult of Knowledge
- Target: Tuuok, God of Knowledge and Wisdom
- Tenets: Knowledge, Wisdom
- High Priest(ess): (Unnamed)
- Size: Small
- Effects:
*The Doormakers
- Target: Du-Ur, Portal of Doors and Passages
- Tenets: Doors, Passages
- High Priest(ess): *The First Doormaker
- Size: Small
- Effects:
Kingdom Under Heaven
- Ruler: Emperor Hu, Son Under Heaven
- Size: Small
- Effects:
- Neighbors:
Heartland villages
- Size: Small
- Effects:
- Neighbors:
- Heartland villages
- Qadai Tribe
Qadai Tribe
- Ruler: Taba Khan
- Size: Small
- Effects:
- Neighbors:
- Great Steppe
- Heartland villages
The Watchers
- Ruler: Archmage Reha Anjat
- Size: Tiny
- Effects:
- Neighbors:
- Heartland villages
- Southwestern Bonelands
(Apologies for the extra [/list] tags! I can't quite seem to track them down)[/list][/list]