Chapter 1 - Windward

[Earth]

I don't plan on taking Leadership. Shadows not a leader, he's more of a follow-and-don't-draw-attention-to-yourself kind of guy.

[Nexaduro]

*the waterproof bag was given to me by grim and should be returned to avoid his skeleton/zombie filled wrath

 

General suggestion: Instead of having one centralized society where everyone plays one part in a higher order, why not have anyone who is gathering a following (which may or may not entail taking leadership) act as their own nation state, which would then work as part of a confederacy. We would all work together, but it would give us all far greater control of our nation's affairs.

I used your waterproof bag as a makeshift canopic jar. It was left at camp when the beach collapsed since I didn't want to bring it to dinner with the Kind Old Lady.

[Grim_]

Hrmm, how about if we give anyone with followers (read, the leadership feat) a part of the city which they administer, and use their cohort as their steward? So retech would not have to deal with the full ramifications of having multiple people taking leadership, and we would all have some sort of autonomy, and control over our nascent society without having all of the disadvantages stated above.

[archimage_a]

Well, it is simply a matter of apportioning responsibility for overall stuff.

For instance if we were attacked by a contingent of soliders then Nex would have the deciding say in any plans and we all follow him to the best of our abilities. We also respect his right to control the town guards and what not. He doesn't neccessarily have to have leadership, since the guards would count as hirelings, if they counted as anything.

Alg works as the Steward, in charge of tax, tax collectors and the treasury, which pays for the guards, and the guards protect the tax collectors.

The Vizier (Who may need recasting) works with other races, other nobles, whatever, to keep us at peace, or warn us of war, controlling our diplomats and some of our agents.

The Spymaster simply looks after the innerworkings of the Sheikdom, with some agents.

The Qaid controls the law, in accordance with the holy book.

The Mullah advises on spiritual matters, and runs the Mosques.

 

If people want side responsibilties then they are free to take them, but if we divide the responsibilties then we don't come to cross purposes as often as if we just left it with a free tiller...For instance if it turns out there is only one source of Iron on the Island, which happens to fall in my section, but I don't have the capital/workforce to realise it. If I invite you in then you need to house your workers and feed them, which makes for a convoluted setup...and one that is dangerous for both of us if there isn't trust. (And if we are striving for autonomy then there won't be)

Working as a collective, with individuals responsible for different departments of the whole Island, allows us to bypass that problem...We find the Iron Mine, the Steward puts up the funds, if possible, the Iron is processed and made availible.

 

If troops land in your part of the Island, and your troops can't stop them, you don't need to worry that my troops won't leave if they are allowed in, because all the troops belong to Nex, and all of the Island belongs to me(In Character, OC it belongs to all of us/whoever already lives there, just for reference).

 

The City/Island itself would be under my control (Sheikdom), under a strict feudal system. As the settlement grows we can provide lands to individuals who have shown loyalty, like your Barony.

I provide you with land and protection, you provide me with loyalty and men, so no one ends up stuck holding the can. Likewise you provide land/coin to your followers and they provide you with loyalty, all the way down to the pesantry.

 

If we went with a Federation then there is no reciprocation, we are not bound by honour to help each other but just to look out for number one...And since we would innevitable set ourselves up as dictators we would have little interest in working together because that would limit our power.

 

Ultimately it only exists on paper...We haven't even got a city yet, and when we do we can review and change things based on circumstances.

[Resistance]

The town guards are generally police which act under the law. Not the military which is a separate entity. I'll take the guardsmen.

[archimage_a]

You can work that out with Nex(If he comes), but the Chief Qadi is more closely related to a judge than a chief of police, and Allah takes a dim view of a judge with a relationship with the Prosecutrix, aka the Police. =P

[Resistance]

Actually, my plan was to replace the police with judges similar to Judge Dredd who have the jurisdiction to give their own ruling on cases while simultaneously enforcing the law. They would enforce the social systems and make their own rulings (in accordance with holy law) to make sure crime is completely destroyed.

The shrthqadi

 

 

à la Judge Dredd.

[Nexaduro]

Huzzah, Chief Tactical once more.

 

In response to the above, I repurpose a statement from my last term in office:

[Neferast], [town guard] maybe. And over my dead body are you getting a budget for anything.

 

I vote for [Oligarchy].

[Grim_]

I would hope that there will be no problems with me setting up a temple guard to deal with attacks on churches, and clergy members, as well as acting as an apolitically motivated secondary police force (Actual, live guardsmen, not skeletons too)

[archimage_a]

As Badshah I have no objections to whatever redistribution of city guard powers that Nex agrees to and I will oppose any redistribution he disagrees with.

 

Though I won't put limits on people hiring guards for their own purposes, except to make war, which is forbidden unless expressly approved by me.

[Nexaduro]

Security should be a constant. Militia may be formed, but they will also be subject to the same judiciary processes as the citizenry. I'll start outlining some policies now, in fact.

 

Each married household may legally own, without further license or registration, two plain weapons of war. Married household in this context is defined as a pair of formally wed individuals, neither of whom is more than a human-lifespan-equivalent decade older nor younger than their partner, or younger than the age of optional Guard enlistment (16).

All items classified as weapons of war must be examined and approved by a representative of the Guard prior to sale, or in the case of foreign goods, within two weeks of acquisition by a civilian. All items aboard an inbound ship or other transport must also be registered personally by scribes or assigned Guardsmen upon unloading.

 

That's all for tonight.

[archimage_a]

As per Retech's instructions, here are the Islands. Some assembly may be required.

(Names are purely to give character, rather than Island 1-10...They can be changed, though the Island we choose will be Ratzenstar.)

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1) New Hollygrove

2) South Goblinwater

3) Fort Swordshaft

4) Aeroswood

5) Earthvale

6) Icemerrow

7) Seabrook

8) Oakhood

9) Crossmouth

10) Bloomingshine

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Scale obviously needs adding.

The continous lines are flood zones/high tide markings.

 

My top five are:

Icemerrow

Fort Swordshaft

Earthvale

Oakhood

Crossmouth

 

My top two are Crossmouth and Icemerrow.

 

I think Icemerrow is my top Island, by virtue of a large inland lake, near mountains, with a narrow inlet.

Though Oakhood is quite good as it as twin inlets, inland lake, is near mountains and has a narrow point in the middle which could be bridged(dependant on scale).

Crossmouth has the opportunity for multiple docklands due to its narrow isthmus and three inlets...I think if we chose it I would rename the Island Ladoga (Lake Lagoga, look it up). Small inland lake could be harnessed, there are nearby mountains...has pretty much everything.

Earthvale has everything I want, but everything is set far apart.

Fort Swordshaft was my early favouriate, but like Earthvale everything is too far apart.

 

Anywho, choose away.

[Retech]

I don't recall mentioning ten islands. :)

 

Although given that I really like them, you can pick three of them as the three-island chain and I will use the rest in the future.

[Earth]

I don't believe Diplomacy is Shadows strong suit, mate. You're gonna have to recast that vote, unless you want a hillbilly Grand Vizier in practice.

[Resistance]

I don't believe Diplomacy is Shadows strong suit, mate. You're gonna have to recast that vote, unless you want a hillbilly Grand Vizier in practice.

That's fine. I'll take the post.

[Retech]

Kingmaker wasn't my intention, but I'm okay with it.

 

Note that there will be necessarily abstraction if the city gets larger.

 

---

 

Also, I made a big mistake in regards to the scale of these islands. The island that you guys started on should actually be around 10 miles across and wide (16 km). These islands above are closer to 5 miles across and wide (8 km).

 

At least based on Nex's walking speed, since it took about half the day to travel across the island and back. I made a guess before regarding the speed of regular people, and I am not a very fast person, to say the least.

 

The practical effect being that your island just got bigger in area by around 10 times.

[Resistance]

Using stone shape and stone wall, Grim and I could convert the inlets into cliffs with cover against attackers. I'd agree that Oakhood and Icemerrow are the best but I would probably lean towards Oakhood assuming we would be able to put defences on the east of the island quickly.

[Retech]

Join #Windward

 

We'll be starting in about an hour, but I'll be afk for a bit while I clean the floor.

[Grim_]

well as I managed to lock myself out of my hotel room I'm not going to be able to participate in the session at least until I get irc working on my phone

[archimage_a]

Ah. Session ended, but a few people are still sitting in there. Planning our next moves away from the prying eyes of the GM =P

 

[Retech]

Hope everyone had fun. To recap on the situation:

 

Using the time on the island as 0

Sedrial and Elgretor (keep changing your name :P) are two days behind that

 

It takes two days to go from the shackles to the island, so Sedrial could sync if she wanted.

[Retech]

Also, I would put this in edit but incase anyone just read the above and doesn't check back:

 

Welcome to level 7

 

My initial plan was to have it based on completing quests or plot points, but you've completed half of several different quests and I'm not sure if you'll ever get back to them, so enjoy.

[Earth]

Rgh. What do I do with my character then? I dunno what makes Shadow tic and I don't want to disrupt anything.

[Nexaduro]

Two halfs make a whole, after all, and three rights make a left. :thumbup:

 

Now I just need to find somewhere to land, buy some new equipment and bury my crewman. I don't want that Rime of the Ancient Mariner bit I said earlier to turn prophetic on me.

[Grim_]

Journal of Garmund the Twiceborn, priest of Thenatos, and ex pirate of Frega

Day 1

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Our merry band of pirates has landed on one of the islands that I scouted several days ago, and it is decidedly strange. After I widened a gap in the coral reef that encircles Oakhood, the name that the fetchling has given to this island, we further explored the island and found two things of major import. Firstly, the mountain which feeds the springs on the island has traces of copper in the soil, and secondly, that we were being spied upon! Some sort of semi magical bird has been following us for quite awhile, though it seems fairly skittish. As of now I've set the sea snake to crushing the various hiding places in the cove, which had the side effect of raising a cloud of fish, a situation that was greatly appreciated by our resident tengu. My only problem with this island is that it looks like none of the trees by the sea are usable to make ships.

Glory to Thenatos,

Garmund Twiceborn

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Day 2

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The exploration of the island continues, we have found evidence of two things that will greatly aid our cause in the future. 1) Beaver dams, which will provide future income, and 2) Hard wood, and trees suitable for ship building. The local wildlife is not bothersome, about what one could expect for an island this size, and we have not seen any evidence of any large predators or Sahuagin, Thenatos be praised. That damned bird is still following us though.

Glory to Thenatos,

Garmund Twiceborn

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Day 3

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We've started building a pier, and a palisade, which will doubtlessly be useful in the coming weeks. The wizard found the entrance to a cave system, and like the fool he is, got his familiar killed in it, so now he won't stop crying. Thenatos grant me the patience to deal with fools such as these, though there is one upside, the 14 kobold corpses have been unloaded from the boat, as they were starting to smell, and Thenatos willing I will be able to find good use for them. I sent the snake to probe the cavern where the owl died, as of yet there has been no sighting of it. That blasted bird has not appeared yet today.

Glory to Thenatos,

Garmund Twiceborn

[/hide]

 

Day 4

[hide]

Well, I'm alone on the island for now, after the wizard managed to swim back to the boat. The rest of the fools have gone on to the shackles to look for colonists mad enough to set foot upon this strange rock, which magical examination has shown to have a pervasive aura, weak it may be. However, I have not been idle! I have reinforced the palisade with some extra wood and further cleared the area around the palisade to 100', thus making it far more difficult for anyone to sneak up to the gate. I started the construction of some giant stone caltrops in the surf, and under water, which will help us keep secure from aquatic attack. The snake came back today, and I was able to glean that there is a tunnel network under the island, as such I sealed the entrance with stone until such a time that I am ready to delve deeply and greedily. The bird has not been seen today.

Glory to Thenatos,

Garmund Twiceborn

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Day 5

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While the other members of our makeshift crew have been sailing frivolously towards the shackles, I have been hard at work. As of today I have constructed a stone gate house by the pier, and a stone bed, table, and a set of chairs to go in it. I'll be damned if I'm going to sleep on the ground again, not when I can have an admittedly firm bed. I continued to fortify the beach with pits in the surf, and sundry stone fortifications. I was also able to reinforce the pier with stone supports. The bird was not seen today.

Glory to Thenatos,

Garmund Twiceborn

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Day 6

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Two momentousness events occurred today. The first is that I put the kobolds corpses to work, and they are currently working on a series of houses, and a storage depot near the docks, it should be completed post haste. The second is that an organization of necromancers is apparently interested in me, Thenatos be good, and wish to recruit me into their ranks. So far I have deferred them, but the more I learn about this whispering way, the more intrigued I am. On a more banal note, I have created a surplus of stone construction materials, and have made an altar to Thenatos to sit near the pier. The thrice damned bird has started watching me again.

Glory To Thenatos,

Garmund Twiceborn

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Day 7

[hide]

The fools are back again, with one less than those who set out. Evidently the wizard was left behind and ran afoul of one of the savages who briefly accompanied us at the last island. I had wondered what had happened to her, and now I know. Fools they may be, but they bear strange tidings to say the least. Kobolds on gliders have attacked a major port in the shackles, an act of unprecedented violence and audacity. They have also brought a stow away, who will not even give his name. Stowaway for that wizard, I'd call it a fair trade, especially since the wizard wouldn't stop blubbering about losing his familiar. The bird was not sighted today.

Glory To Thenatos

Garmund Twiceborn

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In Game this was all written in celestial, and kept hidden from everyone else (and no one but arch or possibly shadow speaks celestial). This is more to fill in Alg as to what happened when he was missing.