Imperial Destiny (Total War IC Thread)

[tigerusthegreat]

(This is an uneventful first turn. I am not posting exchange rates this turn to give people an opportunity to finish their submissions, however you may still plot among yourselves. Remember, the goal is to become the Emperor)

The Pyrus Empire is officially at peace. Peace, however, is not a concept the Emperor takes lightly. Every day more ships pour out of the Imperial Shipyards, and more soldiers and officers are trained at the Imperial Academies. The Litanies of Flame say "Sharpen the sword in peace, so it may cut short the war" and the Empire is sharpening its sword.

Being on-edge for years breeds a sort of paranoia into the ruling class of the Pyrus Empire. Each thinks that the others must have it out for them. Direct infighting is often discouraged, but not against any Imperial Law. The Litanies of Flame direct all that "whatever cannot be held must be surrendered, and he that failed to hold it has no recompense."

(There will be some specific stuff coming up for everyone on the next turn, but for this turn there are no calamities or hostile aliens, no uprising peasantry or other fun stuff. Welcome to the game).

Current Active Players:
The Stahn Family (Armin)
The Junker Family (Longvin)
The Thirteenth Legion (Icilia)
The Gayne Family (Starswords)
The Owlan Family (Orbiter)

Updates:
Turn 1 Exchange rates (spend this many temporary points in other stats to gain one permanent point in this stat)
Military : 6
Espionage: 8
Economy: 7
Research: 9
Morale: 8
Imperial Favor: 6

[Orbiter]

Perganum System Frontier

It was another day of peace for the stalwart soldiers in the frontier, make no mistake when talking about the Owlans for them peace is enjoyable, but they are like Bloodhounds when they smell an enemy on their territory blood is always shed.

Thus far Mars Owlan the II has kept and embodied the same ideals he keeps the system safe, and The Litanies of Flame are for the most part followed, everyone is waiting when the time for peace will be broken.

For now however he wondered what was happening with the other families, perhaps he should send them a message later, find an ally or two to get ready against all enemies of the Empire.

GM [PM]

What is publicly known about the rest of the families?

[LongVin]

Junker Family

Goethe Sector -Frontier

The Junker family was a rather new dynasty only a few centuries old and as such were assigned to this backwater at the edge of space. It wasn't the most glamorous assignment, but they made due.

Most of their time and resources were spent on a trade network ferrying people and supplies back and forth from the frontier to the colonies and the core. The rest was spent using their massive battlefleet to escort those traders or keep watch along the border region, of course, the expansive intelligence network in place didn't hurt keeping that border in check.

[Starswords]

Hades Sector
Anubis IV
Gayne Primary Computing Laboratory

Unpacking was proceeding at an acceptable pace, nothing seemed to have been left behind in the rushed move. The Viscount Rodrick Gayne watched the proceedings with dispassion that approached boredom, he cared only about the resumption of his testing, this exile was delaying that.

[Icilia]

FrostWyrm System
Homeworld Shard
XIII High Command

Little occured on Shard that wasn't documented and passed on to a senior officer. Requistion forms and red tape always started to pile up in times of peace. At least war meant action rather than requests.

Recently, Admiral Howard Thirteen's most relaxing day was the overseeing of the completion of the newest naval vessel to enter service in the Thirteenth Legion. Most days, the Admiral spends his time signing forms, planning military training and meeting foreign diplomats.

[ArlEammon]

Stahn Family To Junker Family
The Stahn's had sent messengers to the Junker Family. . . a hail from their starships for communication. "Greetings honorable Junker Family. We would like to speak with you. Elayne Stahn herself has suggested honorable parley with you, Noble House. This is of second rate urgency, but is still quite important since we are in the area to discuss important matters with you." True to the Emperor as always, the Stahn family were using every bit of power in their capacity to help fight corruption and expose officials involved in the Black Market and other forms of organized Crime.

[tigerusthegreat]

Everyone:

Strange events have occurred recently in the Empire. Several members of the Senate have gone missing, all from worlds that have recently gained the status of Core World (recently being 50 years ago). Additionally, a very powerful warship, known as the Pyre of Victory, disappeared from an Imperial shipyard orbiting one of the uncolonized worlds of the Core sectors.

Current Active Players (please only read your own spoiler):
The Stahn Family (Armin)

The Stahn family takes great efforts to make its citizens and holdings more Imperial, striving to be a model for other worlds in the Imperium. This crackdown, however, leads to some unrest. Dozens of armed protesters take to the streets causing violence and looting. The first demonstrations are put down by your military forces, but the unrest is still there, and more demonstrations will come.


Military : 5
Espionage: 3
Economy: 3
Research: 3
Morale: 3
Imperial Favor: 4
The Junker Family (Longvin)
No species that the Empire has had contact with has psionic abilities or technology (that they've revealed at least). The Xenren have a low level psionic field that operates as a hive mind, but has only proven useful for a minor empathic link and no useful technology has been derived from it.

Your spies pick up something interesting. Apparently, it was the Thirteenth Legion that was responsible for outfitting and upgrading the Pyre of Victory, and it was from their spaceyards that the ship disappeared.

Military : 5
Espionage: 5
Economy: 2
Research: 3
Morale: 3
Imperial Favor: 2
The Thirteenth Legion (Icilia)
*No turn information given for last turn*

Unknown to most of the rest of the Empire, you had been trusted with the creation and deployment of the Pyre of Victory, a powerful warship with a unique weapon designed to fire a beam of flaming power that could penetrate the strongest shields known to exist. The ship was very fragile in its current state, but powerful. It disappeared from the moorings yesterday, the security and engineering teams working on it were found dead onboard the orbital spaceyard.

Military : 7
Espionage: 0
Economy: 4
Research: 1
Morale: 4
Imperial Favor: 4
The Gayne Family (Starswords)

Your big event to show off your powerful technology is a big hit. Several important people are impressed, and your political position is solidified. There were more than a few people interested in the technology itself, moreso than the power it represents for your family.

Your efforts to detect threats in the relatively uncharted border space meet with some odd success. One of your spy vessels detects temporal disturbances, but they are so sparse and short in duration that it could just be sensor problems. Only one ship detects the disturbances.

Military : 5
Espionage: 2
Economy: 5
Research: 9
Morale: 1
Imperial Favor: 0
The Owlan Family (Orbiter)
The Owlan family spends great efforts securing their system. The increased patrols and efforts to defend their holdings cause the destruction of dozens of pirate vessels. Investigating the pirate vessels leads you to find a hidden pirate base on the edge of the system. It would take some effort to dislodge the pirates, but leaving them alone could give them free reign to raid your planets.


Military : 6
Espionage: 1
Economy: 6
Research: 0
Morale: 6
Imperial Favor: 2

Turn 2 exchange rates (spend this many temporary points in other stats to gain one permanent point in this stat):
Military : 8
Espionage: 7
Economy: 11
Research: 9
Morale: 8
Imperial Favor: 9

[LongVin]

Stahn Family To Junker Family
The Stahn's had sent messengers to the Junker Family. . . a hail from their starships for communication. "Greetings honorable Junker Family. We would like to speak with you. Elayne Stahn herself has suggested honorable parley with you, Noble House. This is of second rate urgency, but is still quite important since we are in the area to discuss important matters with you." True to the Emperor as always, the Stahn family were using every bit of power in their capacity to help fight corruption and expose officials involved in the Black Market and other forms of organized Crime.

"We would be honored to speak with you in private over any matters you wish to bring up."

[ArlEammon]

Stahn's Negotiations
"We will of course follow proper procedures in our parley, however we thank you in advance for your hospitality."

[Starswords]

Hades Sector
Anubis IV
Gayne Primary Domicile

The Viscount and Viscountess were having a meal together, an unusual occurrence brought about my an improperly directed transport vessel. The conversation thus far had been mostly about the children, but now turned to the political situation within the empire.

"Already things are falling into disarray: Missing Senators and the Pyre, I imagine the Emperor is regretting his little tantrum right about now." The Viscountess was far more displeased with this exile than her husband.

"That seems....unlikely." Rodrick had kept the details behind the forced move even out of his wife's knowledge, a point of contention but an old one.

"Well if you could discover what has happened, you could perhaps force the issue..."

"That would not help that particular area...but could perhaps help in other ways. We shall see."

[tigerusthegreat]

Everyone:
Communication has been lost with the Trilanna system on the border of unknown space. It was the only colony in the Tri system, a largely dead section of space with plenty of asteroid fields left over from long destroyed planets. It was being built up as a resupply base for future expansion into the unknown sectors nearby.

A bill has been defeated in the Senate that would have limited the Emperor's peace-time powers significantly. No public comment has been made about the bill, which was not very popular among the people, most of whom view the Emperor as a benevolent god among them.

The Emperor has decreed the formation of the 22nd Imperial Marine division. This new division is to specialize in ship-boarding action, and will be deploying from the latest generation of penetration pods, designed to puncture an enemy hull and allow the marines to deploy rapidly. The individual technologies have been around for a while, but this is the first concentrated effort put into training and equipping a special force for the task. Several new ships have been ordered specifically for the 22nd Marines, and have begun construction in the Core Worlds.


Current Active Players (please only read your own spoiler):
The Stahn Family (Armin)

The mollification of the people seems to be working, as fewer and fewer show up to protest anything. They seem settled into a more Imperial way of life, and are at least a little happier for it. This in addition to the intermarriage between your family and the Junkers means some additional security for your people.

One of your scientists has sent you a file, having detected some strange graviton pulses coming from a nearby white dwarf star. The star is technically outside of your territory, but in the ill-defined border region on the edge of the Empire. The scientist has gathered all the information he can about the star from a distance, and is requesting a ship to head very close to the star to see what is causing the pulses.


Military : 5
Espionage: 3
Economy: 3
Research: 3
Morale: 4
Imperial Favor: 4
The Junker Family (Longvin)
Your family has intermarried with the Stahn family, providing some additional security in this cut-throat world.

Your efforts to expand your economy and military haven't payed dividends yet, but further investment may give them the boost they need.

You've come across some clues as to the Pyre's location and disappearance. You are certain now that the missing Senators were onboard the Pyre, and that they had something to do with its disappearance. There are rumors that some unnamed Senators, perhaps the same ones that disappeared, were pushing for legislation to limit the Emperor's peacetime powers. The legislation had enough votes to pass, but the crucial ballots were not to be cast until a few days after the Senators disappeared. The measure has failed in the Senate, without those missing members present.

You have come across a minor advancement in the field of psionics. With some effort, you could develop and equip your military with a psi-helmet that would allow a group of soldiers or a ship's crew to experience the low-level psionic field that the Xenren have naturally. This allows the crew to have a rudimentary hive mind, and with proper training, they can operate more in-synch with one another. This would increase the efficiency of your military and give them a small edge in combat. Further research may be able to improve this technology further, and make it more useful.

Military : 5+
Espionage: 5
Economy: 2+
Research: 3
Morale: 3
Imperial Favor: 2
Unique Technology: Psi-helmet
The Thirteenth Legion (Icilia)
*No turn information given for last turn*

Nothing unusual has happened this turn.

I will turn this into an NPC family if I do not receive orders this turn.

Military : 7
Espionage: 0
Economy: 4
Research: 1
Morale: 4
Imperial Favor: 4
The Gayne Family (Starswords)
Your ship and scientist explore the disturbances in the uncharted areas. After much study, he has determined they are artificial in nature, but cannot pinpoint the source. The energy readings are unlike anything he has experience before, indicating, perhaps, an alien origin, but no other ships are detected.

The Senators that disappeared seem to be supporting the bill to limit the Emperor's power that was recently defeated. Perhaps with their votes, it would have passed. Your spies are certain that the disappearance of the Senators is related to the missing ship, particularly because they were on a tour of the ship when they went missing, and the ship itself went missing days later.

Your ships have detected the faint jump-signature of the Pyre, indicating it was headed for one of the border regions, near unexplored space. You are unable to follow the trail further, as it has decayed enough to make it indistinguishable from other traffic.

Military : 6
Espionage: 2
Economy: 5
Research: 10
Morale: 1
Imperial Favor: 0
Achievements: Best Minds in the Galaxy (be the first to reach research 10): Effect Hidden
The Owlan Family (Orbiter)
You hit the pirate base with an overwhelming display of firepower, melting their defenses, and capturing the facility. None of the escaping vessels get away, and you capture dozens of prisoners, including many pretty women. You capture a large number of ugly women and men to serve as slaves. While slavery isn't legal in the Empire, it is doubtful anyone will notice "prisoners" working as forced labor to pay for their crimes.


Military : 6
Espionage: 1
Economy: 6
Research: 1
Morale: 6
Imperial Favor: 2
Achievement: Brute Force (Destroyed a Pirate Base with overwhelming firepower): Pirates are afraid of you, and won't be bothering you anytime soon.
Entourage: Pirate Slavegirls: You have captured a large number of pretty pirate lasses to do with as you please.

Turn 3 exchange rates (spend this many temporary points in other stats to gain one permanent point in this stat):
Military : 10
Espionage: 9
Economy: 6
Research: 6
Morale: 7
Imperial Favor: 8

[tigerusthegreat]

Everyone:
The Emperor has decided to hold a scientific caucus to discuss the future of standard armaments in the Imperial Fleet. Currently, the standard fair is railguns firing explosive ordnance that shreds enemy vessels in a rain of shrapnel and plasma fire. Such weaponry has served the Empire very well, however, such caucuses are held every so often to ensure that the best technology is being used, and every advantage is taken. (you can choose to send delegates to this or not (free), if you want to show off your technology or military might, you will have to spend some points. If the emperor adopts your viewpoint, it could mean a lucrative contract).

The Pyre of Victory has been spotted again, on the edge of colonized space. She is venting fuel and drifting. The few patrol craft that approached her were fired upon by the Pyre's light guns. The heavy armament of the ship hasn't been used yet, but nobody is wanting to get close enough to check it out. (anyone can investigate this)


Current Active Players (please only read your own spoiler):
The Stahn Family (Armin)

After a concentrated effort, the scientist recovers a strange probe from the star. It is definitely alien in origin, but you do not get a chance to study if very far before the imperial scientists you brought in to assist in its recovery take it to the Core for close examination. Luckily you ahve the technical readouts, and some scans. You could always track down the ship they are transporting it on, your fleet is faster than the ship, but that might mean angering the Emperor if he found out.

Your scientist estimates that the probe has been there for a few years, and a malfunction caused it to start emitting gravitons. He tracked its previous orbital pathways and found that it must have come from a nearby jump-point, connecting to the Tri system. The colony in that system has been destroyed recently, so it may not be safe to venture forth into the borderlands. Any information about that probe lies in the hands of Imperial scientists, or the clutches of the civilization that sent it.


Military : 5
Espionage: 3
Economy: 3
Research: 3
Morale: 4
Imperial Favor: 4
The Junker Family (Longvin)
Through continued investigation into psionics, you have discovered something very interesting. The Xenren, apparently, are always reading the thoughts of other creatures, but the lower brain functions filter out this noise in favor of the communications from the hive mind. You hope this can lead to modifying your soldiers to be able to telepathically communicate on their own, or read the thoughts of enemies, but for now, you've only managed to modify a few Xenren volunteers to actively listen with their telepathy. This has allowed you to begin training your soldiers in how to resist such mental incursions, which is useful at least until you can begin training them to read the minds of others.

You've also integrated the Psi-helmet into much of your fleet. Because of range limitations, each setup can only work on an individual ship. Perhaps more research would make a fleet-wide hive mind a viable option. In any case, even your novice crews act like seasoned veterans.

Your search for the Pyre of Victory leads you to find it in the borderlands. It shoots out two patrol craft that approach it, and is leaking fuel badly. Your scans indicate there are only a handful of lifeforms onboard, but sensor interference prevents you from telling much more than that. Your vessels are probably the closest and best able to approach it. If you delay, someone else might reach the ship first...provided it doesn't blow your ships out of space.

Military : 6*
Espionage: 5
Economy: 3
Research: 3
Morale: 3
Imperial Favor: 2
Unique Technology: Psi-helmet (integrated into your military)
Traits: Telepathic Resistance Training
The Gayne Family (Starswords)
You make a massive investment in your economy, and soon all nearby systems are using your technologically advanced goods. You begin brushing up against a lot of Imperial Regulations, however. It seems your ill-will with the Emperor is causing some markets to close to your goods, and this greatly disheartens your people. While they do enjoy having great technology and a smashing economy, their spirits are very down without the blessings of the Emperor.

Your investigations into the Pyre's disappearance are very interesting. According to all records, the Senators all chose to take a tour of the ship. It seems they wanted someplace private to discuss some things. That would be well and good, except these records have clearly been faked by an expert. It is sheer luck and powerful sleuthing technology that you figure that out.

Military : 6
Espionage: 2
Economy: 8
Research: 10
Morale: 1
Imperial Favor: 0
Achievements: Best Minds in the Galaxy (be the first to reach research 10): Effect Hidden
The Owlan Family (Orbiter)
Your experiments on the prisoners have some....interesting results. All the subjects die out, except for two, a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. They are quite young when you begin the experiments, but something about the process makes them age into adolescents very swiftly. They seem to be the most promising, which is why it is such a shame that they have escaped, killing dozens of guards on their way out. They possess great strength, speed, and cunning, and if your experiments are to succeed, you will need to recover them...or at least their bodies.

As it is, your experiments have had one advantage: You have discovered cures for dozens of common diseases that, while few are horribly life threatening, all could reduce productivity and cause problems in your military.


Military : 6
Espionage: 1
Economy: 6
Research: 1
Morale: 6
Imperial Favor: 2
Achievement: Brute Force (Destroyed a Pirate Base with overwhelming firepower): Pirates are afraid of you, and won't be bothering you anytime soon.
Entourage: Pirate Slavegirls: You have captured a large number of pretty pirate lasses to do with as you please.
Trait: Borders Secured (Constant patrolling has made your borders secure.)
Technology: Cures for Minor Diseases

Turn 4 exchange rates (spend this many temporary points in other stats to gain one permanent point in this stat):
Military : 9
Espionage: 8
Economy: 9
Research: 10
Morale: 8
Imperial Favor: 9

[tigerusthegreat]

Everyone:
The Emperor's Science Fair has drawn the attention of most of the lesser Houses, but only the Gaynes have decided to make a showing out of the greater houses. They impress greatly with their advanced technology, and leave with a smile on their faces.

The Pyre of Victory has also been subdued, by a force of House Gayne warships. How they did it is unknown, but the ship is not firing at every passing vessel now, and is in the firm control of House Gayne, surredly just until they can hand it back over to the Emperor.

An open design contract has been announced for the Emperor's new Marines. Anyone who can design a better class of armor or armaments for them will be awarded with lucrative contracts.


Current Active Players (please only read your own spoiler):
The Stahn Family (Armin)

With some negotiation and investment of massive amounts of money, the Emperor has seen fit to allow the investigation of the alien artifact to occur within your space, at the newly created Research Facility you built seemingly overnight. The artifact is firmly in your control, now, even though the pesky Core Scientists insist their research is more important than the tests your scientists want to perform.

You have discovered the way the probe managed to hide so close to the star. Such technology would allow any ships equipped with it to travel more efficiently around stars and survive in dangerous environments.

Military : 5
Espionage: 3
Economy: 3
Research: 3
Morale: 4
Imperial Favor: 4
Technology: Polarized Shield Matrix: Allows ships to survive in dangerous environments, like the corona of stars, stellar storms, or dangerous nebula.
The Junker Family (Longvin)

No Actions this turn, so nothing has changed. See last turns data for information about your progress.

Military : 6*
Espionage: 5
Economy: 3
Research: 3
Morale: 3
Imperial Favor: 2
Unique Technology: Psi-helmet (integrated into your military)
Traits: Telepathic Resistance Training
The Gayne Family (Starswords)
You make a grand showing, and the Emperor is very impressed with your technology. Though they do not announce it, you are awarded several important contracts, which will take up some of your production capacity for the next few turns. However, the reward is favor of the gracious Emperor. (for the next 3 turns you will have 2 less temporary Economy to spend, but you gain 2 permanent Imperial Favor)

Your warships successfully disrupt the firing systems on the Pyre, and board her. Onboard you find the missing Senators. Several are dead, but the few that are at the controls try to fight your soldiers as they come onboard. They are taken alive, but are delirious or mad, ranting about a Voice from the Darkness, and that "He will destroy all of us with his lust for Power." Your soldiers are a little freaked out by them, and they are shoved in the brig of the Pyre.

As for who is behind altering those files....your investigation leads to a lot of people not wanting to talk for any amount of money, and a high level security code locking down the information you need. Both facts point to someone of great authority being behind this. To your knowledge, only a select few would be able to put that much fear in people, and have access to that kind of security....the head of the Espionage Bureau, the Emperor himself, and the head of the Senate.

Military : 6
Espionage: 2
Economy: 8
Research: 10
Morale: 1
Imperial Favor: 2
Achievements: Best Minds in the Galaxy (be the first to reach research 10): Effect Hidden
The Owlan Family (Orbiter)
You have managed to find the female twin, who calls herself Aurilia. She agrees to be married into your family, with a cold warning that if she is harmed she will hunt down every member of it and kill them all. You manage to secure a blood sample and some high quality scans from her, which should help continue the research. Her brother is still missing and she has refused to tell you anything about him.

The real question is how to deal with her. If you keep your word, there are several members of the family to marry her off to. You could keep her close to the main line of the family, or marry her off to some distant branch. There is no telling what kind of problems the altered genetics would have on her child bearing, if that is even possible anymore. Without continued treatments, her rapid growth has stopped, and she is approximately 20 years old developmentally, exceptionally strong and fast, and showing a high level of intellectual and emotional maturity.


Military : 6
Espionage: 1
Economy: 7
Research: 1
Morale: 6
Imperial Favor: 2
Achievement: Brute Force (Destroyed a Pirate Base with overwhelming firepower): Pirates are afraid of you, and won't be bothering you anytime soon.
Entourage: Pirate Slavegirls: You have captured a large number of pretty pirate lasses to do with as you please.
Trait: Borders Secured (Constant patrolling has made your borders secure.)
Technology: Cures for Minor Diseases

Turn 5 exchange rates (spend this many temporary points in other stats to gain one permanent point in this stat):
Military : 7
Espionage: 6
Economy: 8
Research: 6
Morale: 11
Imperial Favor: 6