A War of Three Kingdoms (Yahandar, Blue)

[Acanous]

You awaken in your sprawling, mountainside stronghold. It's a brand new month!
Taking a look about, you're greeted with the same, rather glum view of southern deserts and eastern mountains. To the West, you see your ally's verdant lands, a break from the monotony.

here are your final stats:
Population 0 - Mountain life is hard and food is more scarce.
Economy 0
Production 3 - You have easy access to building material, and the terrain assists in upward building.
Warfare 3 (+1)
Technology 2

Walking through your stronghold, you find your war room. There has been no change since last month, you sit at the eastern reach of your country, on the southern mountain range. The Blackwaste confederacy sits south of you, close enough to attack should you feel the need. To the East and North you have allies.

Two letters sit on your table. One from the treasurer, another from your general.

From the treasurer: "We have received no tithes this month. We project no tithes for next month. Our income from quarterly taxation of the merchant's guild is expected to be 0."
Looks like you'll need to start building some new developments if you'd like to have gold to play with.

From your general: "We had a standing force of approximately four hundred. It includes a unit of Fighters, a unit of Rogues, a unit of Wizards and a unit of Paladins.
Further, we have taken on a band of clerics that were lost in the mountains. They were
set upon by demons, and their chapel destroyed. I have pressed them into service in exchange for food and shelter. We now have a total force of five units, and could easily venture into another territory without fear."

Your people are unhappy with their lot, but lack any means by which to usurp your rule- if the idea even comes to their malnourished minds.
For ease of my bookkeeping, here is your sheet (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=936091)

[CozJa]

Yahandar, surveys the letters, calling his officers and dispatching some new order to hise herald and the court high singer.

"Well, looks like the new siege engines will have to wait, I need to know how much time, and money we will need to give more power to the merchants. And contact some of our neighbours, they may need some help in exchange from economic supplies."

the halfling turns to the high singer: "Contact the general, if those clerics were attacked in our territory, that means we may have to take care of wathever menace they were escaping from. Also, prepare the troops, I don't want them to sit idly in wait, as long as we find an enemy, we will strike!"

Yahandar, calls his friend Alehdram Shimazon, who works as the spymaster, asking him to start investigating on their neighbours of the Blackwaste confederacy, in search of weak points and more information on future victims of some raid.
After this, he tries to recall his nation territory as best as he can, since he knows that part of his people future resides in his abilities to help them with crops and herdings. "We may need to relocate our castle near to one of our settlements, so that I'll use my natural powers to help them during the worst seasons" He says to his herald.


Not sure of what action we can take, or how technology and warfare are to be conducted for now. I think that some check on Survival and Knowledge(Nature) may be of use to find info on Yahandar territory and neighbouring lands.
Knowledge Nature [roll0]
Survival[roll1]

I have 9800 gps left from the castle (I still need to know if you want a map, if not I can post the various spaces here). how can I expend my money/keep it? Do we have some monthly fixed expenses?

[Acanous]

Not sure of what action we can take, or how technology and warfare are to be conducted for now. I think that some check on Survival and Knowledge(Nature) may be of use to find info on Yahandar territory and neighbouring lands.
Knowledge Nature [roll0]
Survival[roll1]

I have 9800 gps left from the castle (I still need to know if you want a map, if not I can post the various spaces here). how can I expend my money/keep it? Do we have some monthly fixed expenses?



Technology is magic item creation/locations/spontaneous discoveries and is on a chart. You can spend money to increase the bonus. Long story short, the higher your Tech the more cool stuff you'll find.
Warfare is your initial troop compliment and a bonus defenders get in a siege (See Heroes of Battle). You actually have a big force for turn 1, one of the largest on the board. And you'd know that. Not THE largest, mind, and there's a couple that'd rival you... but it's up there.
You get to keep that 9800 in the province's treasury, and can spend it now. You may add a permanent bonus to say, Population, for 5,000 GP. (this will mean you gain 833 GP/turn in property tax) or put on a temporary bonus for 2,000. Temporary bonus lasts for one in-game month, but population can do more than just give you 833 GP.

if Alehedram is an NPC you're getting with Leadership, let me know and I'll adjust stats. For now, I'm assuming he's a lv 1 sage. here's his checks: [roll0] [roll1]

"To our Southwest there is a small province currently lacking in leadership (DrK doesn't have his sheet done). They are reasonably strong militarily, but we may be able to supplant them- if we had some assistance.
To our Southeast, there's a seafaring province led by a woman named Mawar, a Tibbit Factotum. She's actually remarkably beautiful, but... well, Tibbits. She's got a ship, and rules in somewhat of a guild-driven autocracy. She's less formidable, militarily speaking, but her territory is small and offers little for the conquest."

[CozJa]

Oooooh so maaaany options! How cool is it? :smallbiggrin:
Besides, yes, Alehdram is my cohort, a swordsage 5, you can find him in my "contacts" box on the sheet. Also, I forgot to tell you that my animal companion is the Watch Spider, that you can easily find in the book Waterdeep city of splendors. Let me know if you want me to stat and build the cohort, or you prefer to prepare and control it. As for the bonuses, do you have a chart somewhere, or you prefer to keep it more "misteryous?" :smallwink:
So... for attacking enemies, I think I may do it, but, well... If I attack and conquer what happens to the other player? Beacuse, I obviously like the idea to attack someone, but I would not want to ruin immediately the game for somebody else. Especially, since mine is a nation of barbarian raiders, there's the option to pillage parts of an enemy country? Also, I suppose we will need some time to communicate with each other players, right?

[Acanous]

You may attack and pillage an area. (You cut down their production and take a bonus to your economy)
You may attack and Conquer an area, taking the towns and population for yourself. (an area has as many towns as it has population)
If an area has 0 population, your conquest takes place at their stronghold. If the character flees, they may become a lord without a land, and require aid to take back their holdings.

If they don't escape, you can kill them or capture them. Who knows, maybe you want a new wife. Tibbits, though, they're...small.

[CozJa]

Yahandar, reading the first reports, prepare himself for the coming week. And orders his herald to dispatch a message to his five Palatine companions:


To my valuable ally,

I discovered that our hated neighbours are still unprepared and I desire to strike them before it is too late. The glorious halfling tribes are mustering forces to plunder and conquer. Do you want to share the honour and join us in our daring expedition? I will prepare as long as you answer me, with, or without, your assistance.

Palatine Druid Yahandar


After this, he asks to his general how much it would cost to another units of his army, and how much our actual monthly army expenditure is.
He speaks again with his faithful companions Alehedram: "My friend, I want more informations on our southwestern neighbours, if their leader is away and they are not very organized, we may be able to attack them and destroy a powerful enemy. Money can wait, but honour in battle cannot. Now go, and give me all the specific informations you and your scouts can get me."

(as a level 5 swordsage going for the Shadow Marauder prestige class, he has the stealthy feat, maxed hide, move silently, ride, Know(Nob&royalty) and Know(Local); if you want me to be more precise I can give you a complete sheet, let me know.)


If they don't escape, you can kill them or capture them. Who knows, maybe you want a new wife. Tibbits, though, they're...small.

Well, halflings are small too :smallbiggrin: but that can wait. I'll assume that I'm giving actions for the first 5-7 days, as needed.
1) I'd like to know if my rolls on Know Nature (wich couldn't be worse) and Survival can be used to scout my territory, in wich case it will be the first thing Yahandar will do, to search new resources or animals to use as "cavalry".
2) Since I'm not exactly sure if I understood how research works, I'm thinking to research the "Etch Schema Feat" wich requires caster level 10, because I believe that having 1/day renewable scrolls up to 6th levels can be really powerful and useful. That means that with my 2 in technology I'd need 5 months to complete the research. right?
Also, I'd like to know if I can research something else at the same time
3) For production I need to take a look at the phb2, therefore I'll be back laytely with info.
4) How can I establish trade agreements? Also, who are my friendly neighbours?

[Acanous]

your Knowledge: Nature tells you there are nearby mountain goats, wolves, feral cattle, ducks, pigs, and geese, as well as squirrels, voles, badgers and puma.


Your territory is mountainous and forested. Your enemy's territory (SW) is desert. Enemy territory (SE) is mountainous and coastal.
Not really sure what else you can get off a 16...

You begin directing research towards Schema. It will take 10 months. You cannot research more than one thing unless you have multiple points in Technology (At which point you're just dividing the labour and they both take longer)

Alderham nods and takes his leave. Please get me a sheet for him by next monday, as that's when he'll begin infiltration.
I sense an assassination in the future...
Also, which province are you sending him to? SE or SW?

Trade agreements can be established with any nearby nation and can swap points of Economy with Production, or gold for Production. The terms of the trade are up to the players, and there is no guarantee of point-for-point. People who don't use their Production value for much will be more willing to part with it, which would allow you to build weapons, armor, buildings and goods in a hurry.

Effectively, one point of production is equivalent to 30 skilled workers working full time on a project for the month. Each point above that is another 30.

This doesn't mean that's all you have in your kingdom, just that's the "Government contractors" you don't have to pay for.

Your general gets back to you quickly. "We are spending roughly 30,000 gold per month on our troop salaries, lodging, weapons and equipment, ammunition, food, and training." this number has already been deducted from your income "If we were to lay off some troops, the severance we'd need to pay would be rather punative. Laying off one hundred troops would garner your coffers perhaps nine hundred gold next month. It'd increase from there, but... It's not a good trade. Not when we can make our coin by taking it from those less inclined to pay their troops."

[CozJa]

Eh, you are right about the 16... and I have a +14 modifier... :smallyuk:

I'm sending Alderham to SW province, I want him to prepare things for my militar strike. I'll post the sheet later today

I'm confused: it take 10 months base, divided by two for my 2 technology or it takes exactely 10 months?

Oh, and, are you going to forward my letter IC to my other companions or do I post it in the OOC thread?


Yahandar listens to his general. "Well said, then, prepare for mobilization, I want the army ready as soon as possible, while I'll wait for my companions to answers."

[Acanous]

Base 10 months. So 5 for you. If you want to work on 2 at once, it's 10. Letters are delivered in 2 real days. The messengers gotta walk. If you send by magic, it goes instantly and I post in their thread.

Your general salutes, and prepares to strike.

[CozJa]

If by casting Animal messenger I can do it faster, then I'll cast it once to reach Illven (since he's the 'leader')

Ok, here's Alehdram (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=598896)

Yahandar goes back to his meditations

[Acanous]

If used on a bird, that would speed it up considerably. I'll send it to Illven when I wake up. He may have no special means to reply, however.

[CozJa]

Ok, thanks. Read you later, then! :smallwink:

[Acanous]

Your bird flies off, and a few days later you understand it was delivered.

[CozJa]

While waiting during those days, Yahandar occupies himself with more state matters


Ok, I'm going to spend those 2000gp on a population temporary bonus, advancing 7800. Of them, I may invest part of it in speeding up research (let me know about how it works).

[Acanous]

You elect to put on a fair, encouraging people to flock to your city for the month. You know that doing so will increase the population temporarily, and make the people a little happier. Good move, prior to going to war.

Your palms itch a little at the coming conquest.

[CozJa]

Very well, Happy people with better. Now it is time to let them produce more!


So, you mentioned business buildings in Phb2, but I can't find anything, aparto from the guilds. Would it be possible to build one of the guilds using my production points?
So, just to be sure, I list some things I'd like to do with production, and you can tell me how many are doable during the month.
1) Building a guild chosen from those in phb2
2) Preparing new siege weapons for the incoming attack.
3) Send scouts in search for places to mine, and set up mines.
4) Building a watchtower on the border with my future tibbit "friend"

Also, I'm working on a finally complete castle, but I'm going to PM you it!

[Acanous]

Anything except for the mines, which you'll actually have to prospect for- unless you want a granite or shale mine. That can be done easily.

Only one of those things can be done at a time per point in production. You get more progress for more points. Again, a point of production is roughly equivalent to 30 experts working for 30 days.

[CozJa]

Ok, so if I'd were to spend a point of production each for 1, 2, and 4 how many of them would be completed for the month?

Specifically:

1) A Guild of my choice (still have to look)
2) 1 Trebuchet and 2 Catapults
4) the Watchtower?

As for prospecting mines, may I send scouts?

[Acanous]

one point of Production gets you:
One Trebuchet, heavy, with ammunition (20)
If you actually pay 853 GP, you can have both light Catapults as well. (ammunition sold separately)

If you can somehow increase your workers' skill checks by +1, you double your output.

Long story short, if you're not paying for the supplies at all, and having your people mine/work and then craft, you can count on about 1280 GP/turn in crafting. If you're paying for the raw materials, you can speed that up to 2560 GP/month from a single point of production. (This costs you 853 GP)

on Masonry:
Profession checks are a bit better than Craft checks and net you 8550 GP per month per point.

Business rules are actually in the DMG II my bad.

To build a business in your capitol takes somewhere in the tens of thousands of GP, depending on what, exactly you'd want. There's rules for contributing to guilds, assume a guild would cost you 100,000 GP to found.

Points of Population grant about 833 GP/month per. Points of Economy generate 2500 GP every 3 months. Production is actually the best of the lot.
If you're generating saleable goods, you can actually open trade routes and have people buy what you're selling. the math is roughly +427 gold per month per point of production if you have a trade agreement going and aren't devoting anything to raw material.

So, to answer your question, 2 points of production gets you a trebuchet (heavy) and two light catapults (with ammunition) in a single month with no gold investment. With some gold investment, you can get the trebuchet and light catapults with one point and 853 GP. If you want Heavy catapults, it's going to cost you 2 points of production minimum, no way around it.

You can also dedicate your Production to raw materials, which would earn you 8550 GP in "Raw Materials" which you can then spend on production.

So assuming you want to dedicate one point of production to harvesting lumber, rope, and supplies for your siege engines, you have 8550 in "Supplies". You then spend the 2 other points on making siege engines, which costs 1706 GP and nets you a heavy trebuchet, two heavy catapults, and enough in change for another trebuchet and enough ammunition to have 20 shots with each engine.

You would then have 6844 GP in "Supplies" for next month.

To build a guild using nothing but your points in production would cost you 5 turns and a little gold, or 6 turns and none.

Building a business would take 3 turns with a moderate gold investment, or 4 turns and none.

I hope this has answered all your production questions.

Actually, do me a solid and put this in the Blue team OOC :p

[CozJa]

So, I'm going with the 'Raw Materials+ Siege Engines" for this month, so that I can attack faster next month.
That leaves me with 6844 GP in "Supplies" for next month.

So, if I understand it well in practice: I have 3 production points and with a trade agreement I'd get 427*3 prod points every month.
In the case I'd use one of those production points to generate "Raw Material" (but only in that case, if I'd use them for other buildings and productions I'd be fine) I would not get the 427/month for this month. That's Right?




Actually, do me a solid and put this in the Blue team OOC :p

Ahahaha yes, I'm doing it now!

Ah, by doing all those things, I can already invade my neighbour(s) by next month, or do I have to start mobilizing now? (and how do I count the crawling castle if I decide to move it?)

[Acanous]

your produced units will be available at the start of next month.
Attacking a territory takes place at the end of a month, and the battle report is generated during the following Monday.
(It takes your troops a month to move there, raid/conquer and return, basically)
Your crawling castle takes a month to move to any adjacent territory. If you want to attack with it, it is committed until the following month.
To answer the question, things you produce this month can attack next month.

Also yes, production points assigned to things are not generating gold.

[CozJa]

So... let's see if I get it: for example, I can immediately attack one of my neighbours, with the army I have now. Then, this monday you tell me how the attack went, and I can do whatever I want during the week, then attack again before next sunday, with my actual army, and with the siege weapons I built during this actual month. Is it right?

One last thing I think I'm going to do this month is preparing 5 bags of sand (or dust), and have them delivered to my companions with this message:

My honourable friend,

take this bag and keep it with you. As long as you have it, I can contact you every day, and I'm sure you can do the same thing if you ask around in your cities.

Salutations, Yahandar.

My idea is to have the ability to use the "Whispering Sand" spell to accelerate communications with each other.

[Acanous]

Correct.

You receive a reply back from Nina, and one from Luce.

Nina is unwilling to lend you aid in your conquest. Luce has contributed 200 troops and will meet you on the field.

Also, an actual player-written reply from Petrus.
To Yahandar,

Though my forces are meager, and my mission is peace, I can at the very least provide you with a hundred of my paladins for the sake of a just war, so long as you continue to spread the word of Chryse through your army.

Respectfully,
High Bishop, Petrus Alastair.

Your message is sent.

[CozJa]

Well, those 100 extra paladins are interesting, but I don't want to delay too much especially, if Luce is going to join me. When they will come?

Oh, and when can I get informations on the Southeastern country from my cohort spy?

[Acanous]

Your spy moved into the country this turn, and is getting established. You will get a report Monday evening, once he's had time to blend in, gather information, and send a messenger.

The Paladins will be in your territory Monday.

Luce can either attack now, or go on Monday evening with the full host. (poor DrK)

[CozJa]

Well, in that case I'll invite Luce to wait, and when we have the spy report+the extra paladins, We will plan our attack(s) on DrK


Don't know you, but for me is already monday morning :smallbiggrin:
Oh, and Stegyre proposed that, since we are neighbours, we could already have set up a mean of fast communication with each other, if it's fine for you. See BLue team OOC for more info :smallwink:

[Acanous]

you have to do it in game :p

Anyhow, Luce and her 200 troops arrive, awaiting your attack order.
The 100 paladins arrive as well.
You complete your siege engines.
You sent your spy to the Tibbit, didn't you? Anyhow, I'm making spy checks. Does he have a sheet yet?

Events:
Forest Fire! Your people are battling a raging fire, and it seems unending. Production halts on projects for [roll0] weeks. (If you can actually put out an entire forest fire, you can resume this)

Income from taxing your people results in 833 gold added to your coffers.
Your spy reports that Mawar is sending her small military to investigate a ruin in the mountains. It has been disastrous for her, and she's made no progress.

[CozJa]

Here's the cohort sheet:


Ok, here's Alehdram (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=598896)



Actually, I wanted to send it to DrK province, but I see I mispelled it, so that's fine as it is :smallwink:

As for the forest fire, exactly what works to put it down? I have a decanter of Endless water, and being a druid I'm sure it can help. Now I'm going out, but later I'll see if there's a spell to do this work.

[Acanous]

A decanter of endless water is about as good as a fire hose at best. One won't stop a forest fire.

The good news is if anyone is attacking you, they have issues.

Will you be launching the attack against DrK?

[CozJa]

How stupid by me: Sleet Storm unless you think that it is going to do more damage than a Fire! How many castings would be needed?

And yes, I'm going to attack DrK, but first I want to plan things with Luce.



So, Tech is still going so I've got no new orders.
Production, I'll decide after the fire problem is dealt with.
Economy: I may make some trade agreement

I have new questions:
1- I've seen that the war modifier can be used to set up raids on enemy provinces, that can be done even when you are invading another province or not?
2- What can my cohort spy do, now that he is in Mawar's kingdom? Assassinating someone may be interesting but not really useful. Maybe obtaining extra info on her army/stronghold, but I don't know if he has the right modifiers...
3- Did my allies received the new message with the spells to use for quick communication?
4- Can I start trade agreements now?
5- What modifier I need to send prospectors in search for materials to mine?
6- Would you like if I slowly prepare a more in depth description of the halfling tribes, maybe using the basic city-town statistics in the manuals? For example, I don't know what population I have, apart from: 1 city, 1 town, so I'd like to know if you prefer to work on those details or if it's fine for me to do them.