Cavern Quest 3rd Edition : You Have Not Been Eaten By A Grue (Yet)

[Happerry]

The Empire has dominated the known world for as long as most people can remember. It has conquered every resistance movement, all foreign foes, every bastion of independence. All magic is restricted. Fantastic creatures like dragons and giants are killed on sight. And all who don't fit in, the misfits, the rebels, those with incorrect opinions, are sent to the Deep Dark, thrown down the Pit of Loss, an enormous underground prison. There, they live out the rest of their lives in the cold stone tunnels that make up this vast cave system.

But, by their very nature.. once you mix together all the dreamers, the rebels, the wise and willful ones... They do not sit down in the dark and wait to die. They who had the spirit to defy the empire.. they instead, well, get on with living. Even locked away from the sun life goes on. It is not the end, but a new beginning. Away from the Empire's greedy grasp, the corruption and despair, the iron rod of the unfair laws. Trapped they may be, but they are also free. No more is the Empire the master, the lords, those who no one has successfully defied.. because they aren't here. They've kicked you out, They no longer care to watch and punish.

No.. Down here, in the dark.. this is where freedom is growing. A new start, a new beginning. Down here the people are gathering in those islands where life can sustain itself. Mushrooms and cave spiders may not be tasty, but they are edible. Even down here, farming of a sort can be done. Water be found...

Cities rise.

You, now, will take the fate of one of these new settlements in your hand, to lead to greatness or failure. Legends or infamy. Survival.. or extinction.

And in the darkness below.. old forces stir. Even the Empire does not know what lies down there.. What ancient secrets now stir in the shadows. Those things their gods deny...

But for now, the first houses rise, and people gather. Now.. you must make your first choices.

After the small band that follows the Founders of this place left the initial landing zone of the Pit of Loss, where did they end up before they settled?

[ ] A vast deep cavern, so wide that even with a fire, you can stand in the middle and not see any of the walls, a bubble of giant proportions beneath the earth, with a waterfall from the roof creating the center lake upon the shore of which your settlement is created. Great groves of giant mushrooms grow, scattered across the vast floor.
- Bonuses to Fishing, Construction, Mushroom (Lumber) Sources.

[ ] A network of twisting caves, with an entrance close by the Pit of Loss on one of the main exits, with salt gleaming from the walls and trickling streams flooding some of the rooms, sustaining a vast population of giant frogs and rats who feed off the detritus from above.
- Bonuses to Hunting/Ranching, Population Growth, Trade.

[ ] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast growing carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.
- Bonuses to Mining and Forging, Defense, Magic

[ ] Deep within the earth, farther down by leagues then the empire ever dared to go, suspended above a vast underground ocean by a collection of caves to the side of water filled cavern, intersecting with the wall around halfway up. Here the ruins of some great ancient city lie, swallowed by the earth untold eons ago, a store of ancient knowledge and artifacts that will be invaluable.. if anyone can figure out how to use and read them.
- Bonuses to Scavanging, Adventurers, Increased chances of uncovering Ancient Artifacts, Knowledge or Treasure

But there is also the question of who founded this town? What brave leaders stepped forwards in the darkness and inspired those who followed them?

[ ] Warriors and Brigands, Heroes of the Resistance. Those who struck painful blows against the Empire and got away with it.. for a while, that is. And then, like all the others, they were caught and banished from the surface.
- Start with a small military-level guard unit available for use and increased military traditions and aptitude in general.

[ ] Traders and swindlers, the rich and the skilled.. but even the merchants and craftsmen have enemies. Perhaps they weren't respectful enough to some noble, or a rival plotted to dispose of them. Either way, now they too are down here, to live as best they can.
- Start with bonuses to Trading and all fields of Construction.

[ ] Sages and wizards, the magic and rare. Those fleeing from the Empire's repression towards magic.. Perhaps they hid the gift for years, living in plain sight of those who would kill them, or fled to the shrinking wilds to practice their craft in defiance of their foes. Whatever the story, they too have now been thrown down this pit..
- Start with access to a small number of mages and the ability to train others, as well as a basic school built from the start.

[ ] Heretics and pagans, those poor fools who cross the imperial church. Those who choose to worship gods that have been denied, forces that have been banned, myths declared anathema. Now they are free to worship as they wish.
- Start with access to a small number of clerics and the ability to train others, as well as a holy site or relic in the settlement that attracts immigrants.

Finally, with the founding of this new settlement, what will your people chose to name this place that shall serve as the birthplace for the generations to come?

[ ] (Write in a name)

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So, yes, I'm doing a redo of this. The last one ended because people tried to copy the first one, not helped by me forgetting to bar the starting options people chose the first time which lead to people just voting for the exact same things again... but this time as people can see those ones are crossed out, so we'll be doing things in a new fashion this trip.

This game is based on the setting of Avernum, but very loosely so, so don't expect things to be exactly the same as in the games. After all, this trip into the dark doesn't even have the same cities...

And don't forget, there are drums in the depths...

SV Thread

 

[Happerry]

[X] A vast chasm in the earth, riddled with cracks and with the glow of lava far below. Far from the Pit of Loss, and thought by those sages with you to be close to the Fangs of Fire, a range of volcanoes that are active to this day, the light and heat of the lava has resulted in fast growing carpets of edible fungi and things that feed off of it. Even the most insensitive lout can feel the elemental power in the air.
- Bonuses to Mining and Forging, Defense, Magic

[X] Traders and swindlers, the rich and the skilled.. but even the merchants and craftsmen have enemies. Perhaps they weren't respectful enough to some noble, or a rival plotted to dispose of them. Either way, now they too are down here, to live as best they can.
- Start with bonuses to Trading and all fields of Construction.

[X] Twilight

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It has been a long time since you were thrown down into the dark, down into the Pit of Loss, away from the empire that scorned you. Away from the enemies that desired what you had wrought with your own two hands. Not that that story is unique to only one person, down here. Swindlers, merchants, whatever you might call yourself, you are all the same down here where the sun will never witness your deeds.

This is the last place the empire's grasp does not reach upon this world. Simply because, in the end, the empire doesn't want it.

But what it doesn't want the scattered peoples it has scorned and hated so direly shall make their homes. Indeed, some have already started forging new towns, new settlements, within this dark and unforgiving world.

Before you all left to find a place of your own, the new city of Fort Salvation was already half way under construction, right by the Pit of Loss, where it can welcome new arrivals and make their first days a bit easier. Though being as no one trusts the empire not to start dumping really nasty stuff down here if they realize you've survived, Fort Salvation wasn't being built right in the pit, but a bit off, where it can easily defend the tunnels you now call home from intruders from above.

And the group, this group, of rich and poor are not the only ones who have set off to seek their own fortunes, find new homes for themselves. Other merchants, mages and druids and shamans, priests who do not worship the same gods as those paid homage to within Fort Salvation, warriors and bandits alike, all seek a place to call their own.

In banishing all those who disagreed with the Imperial Truth, the empire may yet have sown woe unending for its future... but those are thoughts for the future, not these days when mortals survive off fungi and stale water, and live in fear of giant bat attacks.

The journey took... you don't know how long it took. Not down here, with no day or night to tell the time, and only the light of your torches to guide you. But the rumors, the report of the far wanderers that first were banished down here, and walked far into the dark, were true.

Even down here in the dark, there is power. Even down here in the dark, you can find a guiding light to brighten your days.

For here, in the bones of the world, the world itself burns.

And you will turn that fire upon any who would take your new homes away from you.

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And so was the city of Twilight founded in one of the only places in the Deep Dark that wasn't, in fact, Dark. In the fire and stone was it forged, and in the fire and stone would the people of Twilight live.

But before the first houses had even been finished, they looked to the future and sought more for themselves, for their children, for those who would come after them.

There was some disagreement at first, but soon they had all come to an agreement to build...

[ ] The First Mint. For was it not true that no one single coinage stood dominant in these lands down below? Was it not true that barter and trade ruled the nights down here? Like wise merchants, the people of Twilight knew that the best road to fortune lay in coin, not the time consuming direct exchange of products. And so, taping into the metal wealth and molten power of their new home, they built the first forge of the land people would come to call Avernum.

[ ] The Fire Gardens. Fungi, mushrooms and ratflesh. Slain bats and cooked slimes. Was there ever a diet more horrible? More tasteless? But in disgust there is opportunity. The people of this city are traders, mainly, swindlers some, but few were farmers. But some were, and others have seeds anyway. No where in the dark, baring heavy magical intervention, could a garden of surface plants be grown. But Twilight isn't in the dark, is it? Under the burning light of the earth's blood, the first gardens were made. And while the first crops were of food, in times to come wood became seen as the true harvest of the Fire Gardens.

[ ] The Molten Forge. The City of Twilight was born not only in fire, but also in iron and steel. For while the earth burned around it, there were also many veins of metal, precious or useful, within the area claimed by the settlement. And with the molten blood of the world, the first great forge was crafted from stone. From it, steel was born. The first steel born below the earth. In the days to come, steel would be sought by many, and all who desired it would come to the city.

[ ] The Burning Moat. Merchants the people of Twilight might have been, but they had already lost everything once. And if they had their way, never again. The very earth itself was reforged by the labor of many hands, the world's molten blood channeled according to mortal desires. Walls were thrown up, not of breakable stone, but of magma and heat. Barriers only a fool would try to bypass, and gates designed to hold off an army. Twilight would not be an easy town to take.

It was this first work that would become known as a wonder of Avernum, and the likes of it would not be built again in Twilight for a long long time. But what a wonder it was!

 

[Happerry]

[X] The Fire Gardens. Fungi, mushrooms and ratflesh. Slain bats and cooked slimes. Was there ever a diet more horrible? More tasteless? But in disgust there is opportunity. The people of this city are traders, mainly, swindlers some, but few were farmers. But some were, and others have seeds anyway. No where in the dark, baring heavy magical intervention, could a garden of surface plants be grown. But Twilight isn't in the dark, is it? Under the burning light of the earth's blood, the first gardens were made. And while the first crops were of food, in times to come wood became seen as the true harvest of the Fire Gardens.

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It has been many days since the original settlers were thrown down into the Deep Dark, but who knows how many? Here, in the depths beneath the earth, there is no sun to tell time with. In the caves and tunnels beyond the city, all is dark outside the flickering lights of torches, and the city itself is constantly lit by the ruddy light of the volcanic chasms it is built around.

People slept as they willed, and spent their 'days' likewise, for how could time be tracked?

But now things have changed. Because the people sent back to Fort Salvation, and the Pit of Loss it is built so nearby to, have reported something new within the shadows. A clocktower! A cunning design, of gears and pendulums to track the hours and tell the days. While the benefits it will give to Twilight directly are few, not being built within this lava lit town, it means that the people of the tunnels now have years and days of their own.

A new calendar has been created, dated on the founding of Fort Salvation as year zero... or at least what they think that date was, the clocktower not being built until just recently. Still, that close to the Pit of Loss they have had some ability to track the days and nights as the sun shines down that pit, so it's probably somewhat close. At the very least within the right month. Probably.

In any case, the people of Twilight now know that the year is, for it is the year AB 1! Or, After Banishment One.

Closer to home, other changes have been happening.

Soil, created by the decomposing fungi attracted to the light of the lava has been collected. Special rooms, light brightly by the burning blood of the earth designed and carved out with brute labor and the bribe of getting some of the harvests once there is one. Seeds, collected from those who'd saved and preserved them for whatever reason, and then planted within the soil.

The first green of new growth is already visible.

Pollination is yet an issue, being as the underground lacks the normal array of friendly insects, bees and otherwise, but it is one that is being worked on and hopefully a solution will be found soon.

...And if nothing else manages to solve the problem, pollination by hand remains a (very tedious) option.

Still, such issues are more then worth the results. The crops might be a bit strange, as there was only a limited collection of seeds, but if plum trees are the only option they by the gods people will eat plums. And pumpkins and beans and if people can get them growing corn, but for whatever reasons the fates work by the only tree seeds to be found were for plums. Still, people are already planning what to do with that oh so precious wood now that everyone has had a year to try to make houses out of stone and hollowed out giant mushrooms.

It turns out those materials do not make the most comfortable or easily built houses.

But there is other important news that the expedition to Fort Salvation brought back was the news of new cities. Twilight has not been the only new settlement founded within this year, for two more groups have found homes of their own, and the news of the success the settlers for those cities and Twilight have found is encouraging even more people to set out to seek places of their own.

Tibero's Bastion was the first of the two new cities to be founded, as many of the warriors, champions, and other heroes of the resistance apparently decided that living so close to the Pit of Loss, the obvious point of invasion should the Empire decide the new civilization being created down here should be brought to heel, is a tad to exposed for their taste.

To be honest, from what the travelers said and saw the new settlement isn't that much farther away from the Pit, and certainly not as far as Twilight is, but it is far less casually found should an army come down to visit. The bastion was established inside a large cavern that circles a vast underwater lake. The lake itself is full of fish, and replenished by a great waterfall from the ceiling, so with fresh water and food the bastion could probably hold out from any invaders for a long time... well, once they get some defenses up.

But what they do have may be just as important as the Fire Gardens in the long term, for a new guild has been created. The so called 'Hunter's Guild', also being called the Adventure's Guild by others, is an organization dedicated to mapping out this new underworld that they now live within, and understanding and learning about the native life that lives within said underworld. While they do mean to study all forms of native life, already they have supposedly learned some very interesting things about the more monsters forms of said life...

Meanwhile, the more magically oriented of the people banished down here have gone in search of a place to call their own and work some real wonders in. The new city they call Belltower is built in a vertical cavern of great length. While horizontally speaking it is no more then the size of a (quite small) town, vertically it is as big as any city, and several other caverns of like nature are close by. It is also almost in the direct opposite direction from the Pit of Loss and Fort Salvation that Twilight is in, so few people expect to see much magic wonders making it to their city soon.

But more interesting, the reason for the new city's name is the wonder that hangs on it's top. The Bell of Sanctuary is an ancient artifact that was for some reason thrown down into the pit with the order that safeguarded it instead of being melted down like normal (perhaps the empire hoped it'd crush a lot of people when it landed), but has now been fixed up and given a new home. The bell's magic might not be blatant, but it is powerful and subtle, and all citizens who hear it mark the mornings and nights with its ringing are placed under its aegis.

And when you are experimenting with magic 'not being blown up' is always an important concept to remember.

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While the majority of the population of Twilight consider the peoples of Tibero's Bastion to be plain out paranoid, as if the Empire had any reason to believe the exiles were managing to stay alive down here they'd probably stop throwing people down the Pit of Loss, it must be admitted that force of arms is an important concept in these new lands. Not because of any enemy army, but because the wildlife is as one mind towards the exiles thrown down here.

Sadly, that one mind consists entirely of the thought 'man, those people look really tasty'.

As such, the defense of the city must be something considered from these most early days, as no one enjoys having an arm taken off by a Cave Worm or being attacked by a Giant Spider.

However, the discussions on how to provide that defense were not noted for their agreement...

[ ] A Branch Office of the Hunter's Guild could potentially be established within the city. Already, the hunters of the guild are known for their skill and bravery, and the presence of such heroes (as well as their habits of seeking out monster nests) could do much to prevent the native wildlife from troubling the people of the city. Of course, some question the wisdom of having the city's first line of defense be part of an organization headquartered in a different city altogether, as effective as it could be...
[ ] Other people think that is Murderhob... er, adventurers are the solution, there is no need to involve the Hunter's Guild when the city has plenty of metal to pay said adventurers with (and perhaps more importantly/bribey some very tasty crops) when the city can just set up an Adventurer's Hall. Such a building would coordinate and oversee the hiring of adventurers for both official tasks and any task a citizen could scrap up the wealth to pay for. Of course, Adventurers might be noted for their skill and luck, but they aren't always the most reliable of folks.
[ ] Yet more people think that Twilight should just eat the expense and organize a proper civic guard to defend the city, armored and armed with the city's own products and manned with the people who live in the city. Naturally, their loyalty to the place they live in would be generally unshakable and they'd be far more reliable then your average sellsword, but generally speaking townsfolk aren't anywhere near as perilous a foe as those who make a living by the edge of a blade.
[ ] The last option to be discussed is that of simply designing and building some very thick city walls, caving in some of the smaller passages, floodiing a few others with lava, and then hiring a far smaller force to defend the remaining entrances. While this would certainly make Twilight a target too hard for the average monster, and make the average citizen far safer then the other options, it wouldn't do a thing to make the outside wilderness more safe. Of course, some people consider the idea that if someone wants to attack you they'll have to deal with all the monsters as a bonus. Others consider the potential effect on trade and general travel as unacceptable.

 

[Happerry]

[X] Other people think that Murderhob... er, adventurers are the solution, there is no need to involve the Hunter's Guild when the city has plenty of metal to pay said adventurers with (and perhaps more importantly/bribey some very tasty crops) when the city can just set up an Adventurer's Hall. Such a building would coordinate and oversee the hiring of adventurers for both official tasks and any task a citizen could scrap up the wealth to pay for. Of course, Adventurers might be noted for their skill and luck, but they aren't always the most reliable of folks.

Spoiler: Votecount

b]Vote Tally[/b] : Cavern Quest 3rd Edition : You Have Not Been Eaten By A Grue (Yet) | Sufficient Velocity
##### NetTally 1.1.23

[X] Other people think that Murderhob... er, adventurers are the solution, there is no need to involve the Hunter's Guild when the city has plenty of metal to pay said adventurers with (and perhaps more importantly/bribey some very tasty crops) when the city can just set up an Adventurer's Hall. Such a building would coordinate and oversee the hiring of adventurers for both official tasks and any task a citizen could scrap up the wealth to pay for. Of course, Adventurers might be noted for their skill and luck, but they aren't always the most reliable of folks.
No. of Votes: 5
veekie
Biigoh
notthepenguins
Orisha91
Zaratustra

[X] Yet more people think that Twilight should just eat the expense and organize a proper civic guard to defend the city, armored and armed with the city's own products and manned with the people who live in the city. Naturally, their loyalty to the place they live in would be generally unshakable and they'd be far more reliable then your average sellsword, but generally speaking townsfolk aren't anywhere near as perilous a foe as those who make a living by the edge of a blade.
No. of Votes: 3
emeralis00
Trent01
Winged One


Total No. of Voters: 8

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The past year has seen much discussion about the proper defenses of the city, with two main factions making their views known. One that wished for the raising of a city guard, and one that wished to simply employ that time honored tradition of merchants who need something violent done and hire someone else to do it.

While the arguments are long and loud, in the end it turns out that while a noticeable amount of people are in favor of a civic defense force, none of them wish to be the one who actually has to set up and run things. After all, they have more profitable... er, important... things to do with their time. And so it transpires that a Adventurer's Hall is built within the city, and sellswords and mercenary magi and all sorts of other people begin to flock towards Twilight and the steady work the city offers.

What effect this deluge of adventurers will have in the long run is unknown, but at least all nearby monster lairs are being enthusiastically looted, right?

However, the year's argument has caused another issue to arise that will consume much debate in the times to come. To be precise, who's actually running this town, anyway? Who's in charge and what kind of government are they using? The heated debate on this most vital of subjects is already causing much commotion among the people of the city.

Meanwhile, news and rumors trickle in from the rest of Avernum. As expected, the good results Twilight and the other new cities have found have resulted in more people setting out to create a place of their own, and this year two new settlements have been founded. The first is a place known as Warlock's Pit, which according to reports is actually around half way between Twilight and Fort Salvation, if off to the side a bit. It was settled by a group of wizards who had some sort of dispute with the inhabitants of Belltower, and so did not join that first wizarding city. The city itself is located in a large and empty cave, chosen because it seems to be near several areas rich with precious crystals, gems not only valuable but also very useful for those involved in the arcane arts.

Supposedly the people of Warlock's Pit have sworn to save and recover all knowledge lost to the empire and its authoritarian and restricting views on magic. In pursuit of that goal, they have begin to create a Grand University, Avernum's first and so far only institute of higher learning... as well as the only institute of any kind of learning at all, for those not lucky enough to get an apprenticeship. Who knows what secrets such a place might come to possess?

As well, on the shore of an underworld river, a renegade sect of priests, given to worshiping ruin and annihilation, and the unknown secrets of the void, have created the city of Black Fathom. While so far they have not been violent or otherwise hostile towards their fellow (non-imperial) mortals, many eyes have turned towards them with suspicion about what such folk might get up to with a city of their own.

The fact that their first act was to carve a great shrine, a Temple of the Void, from the black rock of the cave walls that border their city, has not helped settle those fears. And more, what impact is it that the first city built for primary religious purposes should be for such a fearful sect will have on the history of Avernum? While it is true that Fort Salvation is a Theocracy, the city's function is not that of prayer, but of the salvation it was named for, welcoming and assisting new exiles in life down here in the dark.

Perhaps it is this paranoia that has caused the trend in advancements for the majority of the cities this year, but on the other hand, the wildlife is more then enough a reason of its own. Whatever the cause, it can not be denied that many cities have begin the road to creating an armed force for themselves.

While adventurers may flock to Twilight, Fort Salvation has chosen to create a force of Ordained Militia, which supposedly is much like a normal town guard except with more priestly support. Such folk might not be as well equipped or experienced as a veteran adventurer, but they have high morale and ready access to healing magic, and so are making a good attempt at clearing out the caves around the fort. Meanwhile, Belltower, while well warded by the bell they are named for, has chosen to also throw up some thick town walls, as well as closing down some of the smaller passages that lead to their shaft. While the small civic guard that defends said walls (or at least the fortified entrances that a vertical town's walls turn out to mainly be), they have done little to make the surrounding lands safer for travelers...

Meanwhile, Tibero's Bastion has chosen to put their faith in the protection of the Hunter's Guild, and instead they have started a farming operation in the great lake their city is built around. A farm that does not farm fish, but Kelp instead. These Kelp Gardens might not produce as tasty food as the Lava Gardens, nor serve as a source of wood, but they do add something unique to the local diet. More importantly is their use as a locally provided fuel source for the rare and vital fires all cities must have, and the experimentation that is exploring the potential use of Kelp as a source of fiber. Many people would be willing to pay well for clothing not made from mushroom and rat hide if cloth could be made, and even if not kelp rope could be very useful to many people.

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Within the city of Twilight, much argument can be had on a very important subject. That is, what kind of government shall the city possess? Every single form imaginable can be heard suggested by one person or another, but of those that have the support to perhaps actually work there are far fewer.

[ ] Plutocracy : The golden rule in action. IE, those with the gold make the rules. A government made up of the richest people of the city.
[ ] Guild Council : Rule by the experts. Each recognized guild will appoint one person to represent them in a common council, with one non guildsman elected by popular vote to serve the citizens not part of a guild, and one priest to represent the gods.
[ ] Republic : Rule by the people. One citizen, one vote, and several elected officials. A more organized form of the current arguing that leaves no one happy and no one too upset.
[ ] Constitutional Monarchy : One King, a collection of nobles, a lot of rules, and even more traditions. Concentrates power into a small amount of hands, so that when the citizens are upset enough to riot they know who to lynch.

However, despite all this arguing (and the uncommon assassination or three, either of character or literally), the gears of progress continue to grind on, and the city grows. While the second year of the new calender saw the creation of the Adventurer's Hall, year three would see the creation of...

[ ] A Bronze-Forge : While many private individuals have already begin the small scale forging and crafting of copper, proper bronze forging has required more effort and funding then available outside of the scale of the city states in these early years. The creation of an Bronze-Forge, and the potential prestige of being the first city to create bronze gear, are attractive concepts within Twilight that many have been campaigning to see realized. Such would also attract adventurers seeking better gear then that is available in other cities, as well as anyone else interested in good quality tools, arms, and armor.
[ ] A Mage's Guild : It has to be admitted that Twilight is, speaking in general, lacking those given to arcane inclinations. The original population had seen few wizards count amongst their number, and even with the high local levels of magic energy the early founding of Belltower, and of Warlock's Pit this year, had given newly arrived magi more convenient and closer cities to immigrate to. However, despite being limited, the population of practicing magic users is not non-existent, and the cities location within such a high level field of natural magic means that it is a sure thing that coming generations will have talent. The creation of a Mage's Guild to find and train such individuals could give the city some very useful native magical resources.
[ ] A Silver Mint : Much to many merchant's dismay, there is no single form of coinage within the caves of Exile. The Empire was not eager to allow those it had banished to take large amounts of coinage with them, and no single source has stood up to provide a unified form of currency in their stead. Instead, many local powers, local nobles or temples or wizards, have started to mint their own forms of cash, often on the side. This economic confusion is doing no one a favor. If the city was to build a mint of its own, and create an official coinage of the city, local economic efforts could be much simplified. Sadly, it is far to late to seek to make such a coinage the standard of Avernum.
[ ] A Lava Shrine : It can be hard to look at the burning blood of the earth and not feel the pull of faith. Within the volcanic vent that the city was built around, many spirits of elemental power live. When faith and power meet, opportunity knocks. The creation of a proper shrine to placate such spirits (and get their attention in the first place), could easily result in some potent priests. As well, many people consider a priest's traditional aptitude for curative magic as something they would like to see in the city, so the creation of a proper shrine is supported by a surprisingly large amount of people. And from such humble roots, who knows what could be forged in time? Well, some people hope 'being able to smite annoying outsiders with a volcanic eruption' is one such thing.

Spoiler: Turn Summary

Black Fathom Founded, Warlock's Pit Founded
Fort Salvation creates the Ordained Militia. (Temple based militia with basic clerical magic backup and blessed gear)
Twilight builds an Adventurer's Hall.
Tibero's Bastion creates Kelp Gardens. (Food, Rope/String, Fuel, Medicine?)
Belltower builds Stone Walls improvement.
Black Fathom builds the Temple of the Void wonder.
Warlock's Pit builds the Grand University wonder.

 

[Happerry]

[X] Guild Council : Rule by the experts. Each recognized guild will appoint one person to represent them in a common council, with one non guildsman elected by popular vote to serve the citizens not part of a guild, and one priest to represent the gods.

[X] A Mage's Guild : It has to be admitted that Twilight is, speaking in general, lacking those given to arcane inclinations. The original population had seen few wizards count amongst their number, and even with the high local levels of magic energy the early founding of Belltower, and of Warlock's Pit this year, had given newly arrived magi more convenient and closer cities to immigrate to. However, despite being limited, the population of practicing magic users is not non-existent, and the cities location within such a high level field of natural magic means that it is a sure thing that coming generations will have talent. The creation of a Mage's Guild to find and train such individuals could give the city some very useful native magical resources.

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In the end, despite all the initial noise, it turns out that for once in a universe the entire population can agree on a form of government! A strange and unnatural thing, but still the truth. And it is the Guild Council that decides which of the civic improvements being considered will be undertaken, breaking the deadlock that had taken over that subject. After all, as a Guild Council, is it not true that there must be a Mage's Guild for the magi if they want to be on the council?

And no one wants to ban the people who can set other people on fire with their minds from the government. That leads to being set on fire. And no one enjoys spontaneous mortal combustion when they're the mortal in question, whether the individual in question is Human or Nephilim or, well, any other type of humanoid.

With such wise reasoning in place, soon a Mage's Guild is constructed in the lower regions of the city, where magi and wizards can meditate on the subjects of lava, magic, and covering people in lava with magic. Even without the year having fully passed, the city is already seeing an uptick in magic using adventurers as well as registered magic using citizens. While only three wizards are currently in the city, classes remain small in size, but with classes in progress soon more magic users will reach such ranks. And the guild is already creating, or at least cataloging, some interesting local fire and earth magic that the adventurers have come up with...

After all, being able to throw balls of lava at enemies is more effective an attack spell then the normal technique of throwing balls of elemental fire. For one thing, lava tends to stick longer. It's just a pity the spell is also harder to learn and use then the normal fireball...

Meanwhile, beyond the city limits, things are happening. Just like last year!

First off, yet another new city has been founded. Port Granite is actually the closest city to Twilight at this point, built on and around the bank of a subterranean river. While so far they're sustaining themselves off fish and other river products, in the future they plan to purchase enough wood from Twilight, and perhaps figure out some magical ways of growing their own, to make themselves a real port, and not just one in name only. After all, the river and other underground waterways people have seen are more then big enough to handle some shipping...

But for now, as the wood is still growing in the gardens of Twilight, they've satisfied themselves with establishing a Civic Watch to defend themselves against the normal and normally annoying monster attacks that all cities must face.

The goblins are really not liking the fact that they have to share these caves with humanity even before all the native monsters get involved.

Meanwhile, on the subject of martial achievements, Tibero's Bastion has built themselves a Drill Grounds. Such a location is very useful towards the purpose of raising and training troops, so many paranoid eyes are on them wondering what they intend to do with such a trained force...

Perhaps with such worry prone people focused on the Bastion there'll be less worry about Black Fathom this year, as that most creepy of priestly cities has created an Adventurer's Hall of their own to attract the sellswords who will keep the area clear of monsters. This is far less scary then the initial rumors they were planning on raising an undead army for that purpose, that's for sure.

While we're on the subject of theocracies, Fort Salvation has also been busy this year with the creation of a Shrine of Prevailing Righteousness. The order of Prevailing Righteousness is a respected sect of battle-priests whose goal is to bring peace through smiting those who would disturb that peace. For obvious reasons, it tends to be popular amongst a certain kind of adventurer. Perhaps the Fort was annoyed that Black Fathom had a full on temple to worship in while they had no such location, or perhaps the Fort is expecting the need to smash some heads sometime soon. Or perhaps they just wanted some more priestly healers about.

While all this was going on, the two mystical cities made their own improvements this year as well. To start with, Belltower has constructed an Enchanter's Hall within the city. Such a location is a natural node for the research and development of the creation of magical items and great artifacts, and the work of the hall's apprentices insure a steady flow of more minor artifacts as well. Though they're still forced to buy all their metal from Twilight given the lack of any other source currently in existence.

Perhaps seeking to show Belltower who the real enchanters are, Warlock's Pit has created a Stone Servant Forge. Stone Servants are one of the most simplest kinds of golems, being man sized figures carved from stone. While often harmless, Warlock's Pit has started arming and armoring some of them with copper purchased from Twilight, and is using such Combat Servants as the town's local defense force, where their lack of fear and utter immunity to things like poison are proving effective against the local monster population. And in more civic rolls, they're proving as effective a form of untiring brute labor as they always were.

Still, even being the cheapest and simplest kind of golem, they lack in numbers, as they are golems and are therefor no casual rote task to give to an apprentice.

Lastly, near the end of the year, the news comes of an amazing find! An ancient city, buried beneath the earth, if also half flooded. Already settlers are preparing to journey to the location of the discovery in hopes of making big bucks providing services to the adventurers that will be attracted to such a find...

More worrisome to Twilight is the news that a new site, rich in metals if not in lava has been found on the far side of the realm of Avernum... It seems their monopoly over ore is unlikely to continue, as miners are already heading out in search of the fortune and luxury of a big strike.

Yet more new cities will be formed before the next year ends, it seems.

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Meanwhile, with the worrying news of a new mining town soon to be formed, the arguments over what improvement should be made this year are even more heated then last year. Few can agree with what should be done about this competition the city will soon face, though all are in relief that Twilight should be maintaining its monopoly on surface food and wood for a while longer.

[ ] Copper Yard : With the fact that Twilight shall soon not be the only source of metal ore in existence, some people are of the opinion that the thing to do with competition is to outproduce them with a vengeance. A Copper Yard would be a vast installation for the purposes of refining and forging copper based items, both for war and for peace. While Copper might not be as good as Bronze, it is what the city has orders placed for, and the use in mass production for lowering the costs of production is well known.
[ ] Gold-Smith : The city is making a lot of money on raw ores, it is true, but some people think the city could be making more money on worked ores. To be more precise, they desire to make a Gold-Smith so that gold can be worked into the kind of things that rich people will pay a lot of money for and that poorer people will also pay a lot of money for. While some artwork type smithing is already going on in many cities, the creation of an official, and most importantly a large, building for the working of Gold could bring the city good money... as well as being useful for the creation of enchanted items.
[ ] Scroll Scriptorium : With the creation of the city's new Mage's Guild, some people want to go a step farther and create an official building for the mass production of scrolls. While it is true that both Belltower and Warlock's Pit are creating their own scrolls, and the Mage's Guild has already been producing some, all current sources are doing it on the side. A properly designed Scriptorium could produce low end scrolls in very large numbers... and with all the adventurers around here the city could be almost utterly assured of finding buyers for them all. And what could be bad about the city mass producing ways to set enemies on fire?
[ ] Branch-Shrine of the Consuming Void : A delegation from Black Fathom has approached the city this year with an interesting request. To be precise, they wish to set up a Branch-Shrine for their specific order within the city. A shrine could be a very useful thing, as priests are all (almost always at least) skilled in healing and supportive magic, and healing is something that the local adventurers would love to see. As well as any local citizen who strikes it sick in a way that needs aid and would really prefer not going to Fort Salvation in their sick condition. On the other hand... well, the void priests are admittedly kinda creepy. Still, useful is useful, right?

Spoiler: Turn Summary

Port Granite Founded
Fort Salvation builds a Shrine of Prevailing Righteousness.
Twilight creates a Mage's Guild
Tibero's Bastion builds a Drill Grounds.
Belltower builds an Enchanter's Hall.
Black Fathom creates an Adventurer's Hall.
Warlock's Pit builds a Stone Servant Forge.
Port Granite creates a Civic Watch.

Turn at SV

 

[Happerry]

As a completely imaginary thing, my muse got excited and started writing up some spell lists as if this actually was a game of Avernum... and if in Avernum different magical groups had different spell lists instead of it sometimes changing between games.

Well, hopefully people will find comparing what is alike and what is not an interesting view into different location's different considerations of what is important.

Spoiler: Fort Salvation - Clerical Spells

1 : Healing - Heals a single target
2 : Curing - Removes status effects from a single target.
3 : Holy Scourge - Calls down wrath upon one of your foes, inflicting several curses and a magical blow.
4 : Protection - Shields nearby allies. Enemy blows have a lower chance of hitting and will do less damage.
5 : Battle Blessing - Increases the target's statistics
6 : Call Storm - Calls forth an icy wind, freezing your foes and knocking them back
7 : Cleansing - Removes hostile enchantments from the target.
8 : Unraveling - Deals good damage to a summoned entity.
9 : Thought Ward - Gives your group an extra chance of resisting mental attacks .
10 : Mass Healing - Heals people in mass.
11 : Mass Curing - Removes status effects in mass.
12 : Mass Blessing - Applies the effects of Battle Blessing in mass.
13 : Ward of Steel - Gives your group resistance to physical attacks and acid.
14 : Mass Cleansing - Removes Hostile Enchantments in mass.
15 : Smite - Deal untyped damage to all enemies within a small area.
16 : Holy Forbidding - Creates an area within which enemies can not go.
17 : Word of Life - A spell that restores life to the very recently dead.
18 : Divine Retribution - Calls down a cloud of holy power, searing all nearby foes.
19 : Divine Restoration - Heals damage and cures or reduces all negative effects for all nearby allies.
20 : Divine Host - Summons a Holy Spirit with magical powers to aid your party.

Spoiler: Black Fathom - Clerical Spells

1 : Healing - Heals a single target
2 : Curing - Removes status effects from a single target.
3 : Holy Scourge - Calls down wrath upon one of your foes, inflicting several curses and a magical blow.
4 : Protection - Shields nearby allies. Enemy blows have a lower chance of hitting and will do less damage.
5 : Rend Spirit - Deals good damage to anything undead and can force it to flee.
6 : Soul Vortex - Deal small amounts of damage to all foes around the target ally, healing the ally equal to the damage this spell deals.
7 : Cleansing - Removes hostile enchantments from the target.
8 : Fearful Arms - Infuses weapons with raw terror, making any enemy attacked risk being overcome with fear and forced to flee.
9 : Shadow Passage - Renders the party resistant against or immune to environmental hazards.
10 : Mass Healing - Heals people in mass.
11 : Mass Curing - Removes status effects in mass.
12 : Vampiric Weapon - Allows the target ally to heal by dealing damage.
13 : Void Pulse - Deal damage to a single target and attempts to paralyze it.
14 : Shadow Puppets - Summon several undead spirits to aid the caster.
15 : Smite - Deal untyped damage to all enemies within a small area.
16 : Domination - Clouds the mind of the target, potentially causing it to fight on your side.
17 : Elemental Ward - Gives your group resistance to magical attacks
18 : Shadow Veil - Makes your entire group invisible for a short time.
19 : Divine Restoration - Heals damage and cures or reduces all negative effects for all nearby allies.
20 : Vengeance - Deals damage to and curses all nearby enemies in relation to the amount of damage the caster has. The more hurt the caster is, the stronger this spell is.

Spoiler: Warlock's Pit - Arcane Spells

1 : Fire Bolt - Strikes one foe for a small amount of fire damage.
2 : Magic Light - Summons a magic flame that needs no fuel, illuminating the area.
3 : Word of Stunning - Stuns enemies in a small area.
4 : Call Beast - Summons a beast to serve you. Stronger casters get stronger animals.
5 : Haste - Increases the speed of the target for a short time, allowing them to do more actions.
6 : Arcane Shackles - Paralyzes an enemy until they break free.
7 : Lighting Cone - Strikes all enemies in a cone shaped area with branching lightning.
8 : Acid Blast - Strike a single target with conjured acid, doing damage over time and ruining their equipment.
9 : Reveal the Hidden - Reveals hidden doors and invisible foes within a small area centered on the caster.
10 : Doppleganger - Creates an illusionary copy of the target. The copy can deal no actual damage, but will confuse foes.
11 : Stone Pulse - Causes a large amount of knockback to happen to all nearby enemies, as well as dealing blunt damage to them.
12 : Warp Location - Allows the caster to teleport a short distance.
13 : Ice Lances - Strikes all enemies with an area with a lance of ice. Once lance is created per enemy.
14 : Conjure Servant - Summons a powerful magic spirit to attack your foes. Stronger spellcasters get stronger spirits.
15 : Ethereal Form - Grants the caster an immaterial form, protecting him or her from non-magical attacks.
16 : Terror - Inflict great fear on all nearby enemies, causing them to flee from combat.
17 : Finger of Death - Reach out and touch a nearby enemy to attempt to stop their heart, doing great damage to them.
18 : Spell Flux - Create an flux of arcane power that makes spells more effective within the area.
19 : Mass Escape - Teleport the entire party a moderate distance. Useful for fleeing combat.
20 : Infernal Gate - Summon a powerful demon to slay your enemies. A stronger caster can bind a stronger demon.

Spoiler: Belltower - Arcane Spells

1 : Arcane Missile - Deal a small amount of raw arcane damage to a single target
2 : Spell Fist - Infuse your hand with magical enemy and then punch out a foe for moderate damage.
3 : Prismatic Spray - Deal a small amount of random elemental damage to all enemies within the area of a cone.
4 : Call Beast - Summons a beast to serve you. Stronger casters get stronger animals.
5 : Haste - Increases the speed of the target for a short time, allowing them to do more actions.
6 : Lightning Bolt - Strike down a single enemy with a lightning bolt that does a moderate amount of damage.
7 : Icy Rain - Strikes all foes in a small area with a damaging rain of ice.
8 : Peaceful Slumber - Attempt to put a single foe to sleep until awoken.
9 : Reveal the Hidden - Reveals hidden doors and invisible foes within a small area centered on the caster.
10 : Mirror Images - Create several false copies of the caster to confuse enemies.
11 : Magic Weapons - Enchant the group's weapons so they deal more damage.
12 : Arcane Prison - Create a magic circle that prevents enemies from being able to exit its area.
13 : Thunderclap - Deal electrical damage to all nearby enemies and knocks them back.
14 : Conjure Servant - Summons a powerful magic spirit to attack your foes. Stronger spellcasters get stronger spirits.
15 : Arcane Storm - Strike all enemies within a large area around the caster with an arcane missile.
16 : Shadow Step - Become invisible and make a short ranged teleport.
17 : Arcane Armor - Enchant the group's armor so they are more protecting of their wearers.
18 : Cyclone - Strike all enemies within a small area with lightning and wind, damaging them and knocking them away from the center of the spell.
19 : Rust Beam - Destroy a target foe's weapons and armor.
20 : Arcane Blow - Strikes all foes in a cone with an intense magical blow.

Spoiler: Twilight - Arcane Spells

(Being as Twilight is not a magic city and only has the first level of magic infrastructure, they only have ten levels of arcane spells.)
1 : Fire Bolt - Strikes one foe for a small amount of fire damage.
2 : Unlock - Attempts to unlock a locked door or chest.
3 : Lava Orb - Strike a foe with a conjured orb of lava, doing fire damage on impact and over time.
4 : Call Beast - Summons a beast to serve you. Stronger casters get stronger animals.
5 : Haste - Increases the speed of the target for a short time, allowing them to do more actions.
6 : Burning Weapons - Ignite a party's weapons so they deal fire damage in addition to their normal effect.
7 : Lava Plume - Create a burst of lava that damages and ignites all enemies within a small area.
8 : Fire Rune - Create a magical land mine that explodes when an enemy gets near.
9 : Reveal the Hidden - Reveals hidden doors and invisible foes within a small area centered on the caster.
10 : Dragonbreath - Breath out fire as if the caster was a dragon, doing large amounts of fire damage to all enemies in the area of a cone.

And if anyone has any questions on the game, on the setting, or on what different buildings or options do, always feel free to ask.

 

[Happerry]

[X] Gold-Smith : The city is making a lot of money on raw ores, it is true, but some people think the city could be making more money on worked ores. To be more precise, they desire to make a Gold-Smith so that gold can be worked into the kind of things that rich people will pay a lot of money for and that poorer people will also pay a lot of money for. While some artwork type smithing is already going on in many cities, the creation of an official, and most importantly a large, building for the working of Gold could bring the city good money... as well as being useful for the creation of enchanted items.

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In another show of strange solidarity and non-arguing agreement, the city soon agrees on the creation of a Gold-Smith with almost no disagreeing voices at all!

Soon, the sound of hammers can be heard in the city (to an even greater extent then before at least), and worked gold is making it's way out through the trade routes to feed the eternal hunger both magical cities have for items that make good artifact bases... as well as rich people who want something pretty to show off to other people.

The local Mage's Guild also enjoys having a professional and skilled source of gold items instead of having to do all the work in house, and soon is selling even more items then before to the large crowds of local adventurers.

The Gold-Smith is also doing a sideline in gold coinage (The so called Golden Trees), which helps with local trade to a noticeable amount... if perhaps not as much as it would have if not for Akkadia's new wonder.

Your new competition, the only other mercantile city in existence (at least, down here), has created a new Royal Mint by the decree of its new king, to establish a stable and official coinage of the city. While such measures are too late to completely dominate trade as it could have done in the earlier years, the sheer amount of coins produced combined with the official backing of a city state means that Akkadia's new coinage is slowly becoming a majority. The amount of Copper Blades, Silver Shields, and Golden Crowns being added to the economy is kinda ridiculous, really.

Meanwhile, Tartarus, the other new city, has solidly failed to develop any form of formal or stable government. The adventurer's paradise as it is becoming known as instead has become a twisting and confusing maze of individual holdings, from the large quarters of allied merchants to the twisting streets held by a block lord. The great Ruindelver's Guild it has developed is the only true great power the city has that could possibly unify it, and the guild lacks the internal unity to succeed in such a task.

Combined with the rate that ancient treasures are being hauled out of the ruins and the discoveries that historians and wizards are making by studying them, interesting times are happening in Tartarus. Well, better that city then Twilight, right?

Meanwhile, Fort Salvation has done it's own very annoying thing in that they are now (if indirectly) competing with Twilight in the area of 'plants that need light'. The new medical garden they have created might be magically illuminated, but it isn't in the business of growing food or wood, even if some of the herbs it grows are very tasty. Still, now that they've shown such magic greenhouses are possible, others might be tempted... even if they'll never pass the efficiency of 'we don't have to do anything to get light on grounds of lava'.

Tibero's Bastion on the other hand, has built a nice new shiny arena where people can pay good money to watch other people beat the shit out of each other, wild animals, summoned monsters, and the rare bound demon. Also some athletic challenges (A certain age category of females seems willing to pay good money to watch the traditional wrestling matches just like the ancients did them), animal against animal fights, trained animal shows, and so on. They're making a nice buck from the tourists and also building up a solid core of professional fighters even without a real enemy to get experience against. Not a bad move, really.

Nextly, Warlock's Pit has become the second city to have an official presence from the Hunter's Guild, as they have opened up a Hunter's Guild Branch office. While it lacks the sheer scale of facilities as seen in the Hunter's Guild's Headquarters, the branch office still has plenty of institutional lore and brave people holding sharp pointing weapons. Combined with the armed and mobilized stone servants Warlock's Pit was already deploying for defensive purposes, that is an arcane city that shouldn't be troubled by monsters any time soon.

While this is going on, Belltower has continued on the same path it was on last year with the Enchanter's Guild by starting up a new Alchemist's Guild. Already they're making money hand over fist as the only major source of potions, salves, and other such elixirs, even if Fort Salvation is still offering some good competition in the area of healing potions. They're well and truly becoming a city of magical craftsmen.

Perhaps because of the viewpoints of the portion of the population who tend towards paranoia, Black Fathom has become the second city to build a proper stone wall around itself, becoming a fortified settlement akin to Belltower. While the adventurers that work out of the Adventurer's Guild of the city have been doing a good job in keeping things safe, it seems the city wanted to make extra sure that its citizens would not be raided by goblins.

And speaking of a stone wall, construction of such was made much simpler by the new organization now found in Port Granite. A Mason's Guild now graces that city, carving out and otherwise putting to use the good solid granite that gives the city its name. Already gold and silver is flowing into the city from those who are rich and want a bigger, fancier, house then their neighbors have.

Such solid construction that a Mason's Guild makes possible may be a blessing for the future, as trouble may be dawning. Vast numbers of the Fang tribe of the Nephilim have been being banished this year, and admittedly though few noticed it at the time last year as well. While many Nephilim have integrated with the greater refugee population, or made small communities of their own that keep to their own, the Fang clan is staunchly traditional... Which would be less worrying if the traditional form of interaction between Nephilim tribes didn't involve the words 'semi-constant raiding'. And the rate of banishments does not seem to be slowing.

Given that the Fang Clan is also holding a (not entirely undeserved given the actions of the empire) massive grudge towards humans in general, well... Many people are quite worried indeed. Black Fathom may have been wise indeed to build that wall.

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With the news of the Fang Tribe's arrival in mass to the lands of Avernum, the caves of Exile, the minds of the city are turning towards the need for defense... And ponderings on how to be annoying towards Akkadia for their competition with the city.

[ ] Drill Grounds : Taking a page from Tibero's Bastion, some people are arguing for the creation of a Drill Grounds, within which a formal company of troops can be massed, equipped, and most of all trained. While it could be used for either archers or spearmen, what type of force that is mustered here could be quite useful if hostilities break out with the Fang Clan.
[ ] Mercenary's Hall : The city is already leaning on adventurers, many people point out, so why not take it to the logical next step? A formal hiring hall for Mercenaries both would allow traders to protect larger trade caravans with more ease, and allow the city to convert cash into armed force when trouble breaks out. And given that trouble is likely to break out soon, some people think this is a very good idea.
[ ] Militia Armory : As a last resort, all cities can call out the population to form a militia. However, this is a last resort because the general population, even ignoring training, rarely has lots and lots of armor and arms to equip themselves with. A proper Militia Armory would mean that if the militia was called out, each and ever man and women would have a proper spear and set of armor to use in combat.
[ ] Shrine of Prevailing Righteousness : A respected sect amongst adventurers, the order of Prevailing Righteousness is dedicated to keeping the peace by smiting those who would disturb that peace. And in times of war this respected sect of battle-priests is a very nice organization to have on your side. Given that the Fang Clan is likely about to disturb the peace a lot, having a bunch of these people around is sounding like a good idea to many folks.

Spoiler: Turn Summary

Tartarus Founded, Akkadia Founded
Fort Salvation builds a Medical Garden.
Twilight creates a Gold-Smith
Tibero's Bastion builds an Arena.
Belltower builds a Alchemist's Guild.
Black Fathom creates a Stone Walls Improvement.
Warlock's Pit builds a Hunter's Guild Branch Office.
Port Granite creates a Mason's Guild.
Tartarus creates a Ruindelver's Guild Wonder.
Akkadia creates a Royal Mint wonder.

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So, I've been pondering how to do/interact with military force for a while now. (That's one of the reasons this turn took a bit.)

I considered a few options, but this is what I've decided on. In short, buildings determine your force list. Every city can call up the militia at need, but beyond that what you have built determines what forces you can muster (and how well they are equipped) in times of war.

Currently, the City of Twilight has available to it Two Units of Militia (an average amount), One Adventurer Warband (from the Adventurer's Guild. Often Powerful, but lacking in discipline and staying power, as well as larger scale teamwork), and one unit of Battle Magi (A collection of apprentices from the guild, with a few fully trained wizards as leadership. Powerful offense in that no one wants to be fireballed, but lacks numbers. Best used as support instead of a primary force).

Each Drill Grounds a city has can be used to muster one force of either melee or ranged infantry, of the type depending on what else the city has. A Mercenary's Hall can potentially hire a larger number of mercenaries (IE, a dice is rolled to determine how many units it can muster), but sometimes none are around. A Militia Armory improves the quality of the militia by making sure they all have gear. And a Shrine of Prevailing Righteousness allows for a unit of Battle-Priests to be mustered.

If anyone has an objection to this system, or a question, now is the time to speak up because I think you can all see the forshadowing this turn.

 

[Happerry]

[X] Drill Grounds : Taking a page from Tibero's Bastion, some people are arguing for the creation of a Drill Grounds, within which a formal company of troops can be massed, equipped, and most of all trained. While it could be used for either archers or spearmen, what type of force that is mustered here could be quite useful if hostilities break out with the Fang Clan.

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In the face of the oncoming threat of the Fang Clan, it is no surprise that the people of the city of Twilight have decided to increase their defenses. A Drill Grounds is built within the city limits, and soon warriors are training within the grounds, turning into true soldiers upon whom the city can trust to protect it. Here Twilight's great wonder, the Fire Gardens, proves it's worth again. While other cities are forced to depend on slingers and blowpipes, throwing axes and magic missiles, for their ranged forces Twilight, unlike said other cities, has enough spare wood that proper bows can be crafted for its soldiers, and spears as well should melee forces be raised.

But with the current troubles, other cities are also turning their minds towards defense, and Twilight is not the only one to prepare for strife. While Fort Salvation may have taken only defensive measures in their construction of stone City Walls, Tibero's Bastion has built a Mage's Guild, and a new Branch Officer of the Hunter's Guild has been established in Tartarus as Warlock's Pit creates a dedicated Summoning Chamber. And perhaps most forbiddingly of all, Belltower has built a Storm Prism Foundry.

The new Mage's Guild at Tibero's Bastion is not one given to research, as can be said in Warlock's Pit, or creation of artifacts of power as they do in Belltower, or even for adventurers as it is in Twilight, but is instead focused on the destruction of the Bastion's foes. True war wizards may soon be known to the underground for the first time. But even more potentially scary, with their new Summoning Chamber Warlock's Pit can now call and bind summons at sufficient scale as to make a true military force from them. Who knows what demons their enemies may end up facing? And the new Storm Prisms of Belltower... rare and expensive as they might be, no other siege weapon down in the darkness can currently compete with the lightning they can project.

Not all cities have turned towards war, however. Port Granite has created a great Clocktower of the city's own. While the wealthy, powerful, and otherwise privileged members of society have long made a point of adding smaller scale clocks to their own homes, and 'dawn' and 'nightfall' is traditionally announced publicly to help people keep on a proper day/night schedule, a publicly available town clock should help with day to day life in that city immensely, as now everyone, rich or poor, can actually schedule things and have those schedules be followed.

Meanwhile, Black Fathom has turned towards thinking not of war, but what comes after war.

In short, they have built an official Graveyard, where all might be buried without fear of being consumed by giant mushrooms, eaten by giant lizards, devoured by giant rats, or dug up by grave robbers. Here, all will be able to find a final rest, whether rich or poor. Or so the propaganda goes at least. Still, to have a proper place of rest is good for the people's peace of mind, even if in reality only the richest will likely be able to afford being buried in a city that they did not live and die in.

And Black Fathom has promised very muchly that they won't raise all the bodies as an undead army, too.

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As expected, the Fang Clan is causing more and more trouble this year. Unlike humans, they are not settling into settlements, but instead attempting to retain their tribal ways of old. While speaking in general, few exiles are not sympathetic to the idea of retaining the ways that the Empire exiled you for, in regards to specifics few are sympathetic to the idea of being casually raided by tribal brigands. And the Nephilim are not the only ones causing trouble, as human bandits are also taking the chance inherent in the chaos the Fang Clan is causing to go alooting and apillaging themselves.

Something must be done, but the cities can not agree on what. There are three plans being discussed and pushed for, and which one will be done is still up in the air...

[ ] Unified Forces : The lord of Tibero's Bastion, Tibero himself, is pushing for a unification of the City State's forces (under him of course), on the grounds that the unified power of civilization should have no trouble jumping up and down on some annoying tribals. In his words. While this would probably assure the City State's a true dominance of force wherever the unified army goes, the thing that people have issues with is that the army can only be in one place at a time... and no one wants to be the last to be helped.
[ ] Coalition Army : Certain people are of the opinion that while Lord Tibero has an interesting idea in the Grand Army he wants to create, donating the majority of the City State's forces is a step to far. Instead, they think, each City State should donate one or two units of their army to create a collation capable of bringing down the hammer on the Fang Clan, and reserve the rest of their forces for affairs closer to home.
[ ] Independent Alignment : Each City State has problems of their own, some say, and each City State's problems are that City State's own. And, those ones say, each City State can handle those problems on their own. No need for a unification of the armies and giving up any measure of independence, they claim, as surely the Fang Clan can be handled without any need for some sort of grand army.

Spoiler: Turn Summary

Fort Salvation builds Stone Walls.
Twilight creates a Drill Grounds
Tibero's Bastion builds a Mage's Guild.
Belltower builds a Storm Prism Foundry.
Black Fathom creates a Graveyard.
Warlock's Pit builds a Summoning Chamber.
Port Granite creates a Clock Tower.
Tartarus creates a Hunter's Guild Branch Office.
Akkadia creates a Civic Watch.