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Turn 3 - Early Summer
TURNTURNTURN
An old man brushes the dirt and dust from his hands, and wipes the sweat from his brow. He sits down against the trunk of a large oak, watching the branches sway.
A small group of younger folk stand a respectable distance.
“Master, are we always bound by fate? Can no one overturn their destiny?”, one asks.
The old man takes a moment to respond.
“Some fates are fickle as the wind, but there are others that not even a god can break.”

---

Western Protectorate - Vast Steppe
Upon this sea of grass, angelic cavalry remains without significant challenge. The demonic army is continually harassed by Drakegulls, slowing their progress and sapping their strength. Their rivals are also slower than before- held back by slow-moving carts bearing massive barrels. This allows the demonic army to prepare for combat slightly more effectively than last month- though they are still undoubtedly disadvantaged by their inability to decide when and where to do battle.

An angelic cultist puts on a pair of thick leather gloves. They look over to a pair of cultists by the barrel, one of which gives a nod. They carefully unlatch the crate, and crack open the lid. Light pours out, though the relief on bystanders' faces indicates the light is not as bright as they feared. The source of the light- a reddish-gold orb about the size of a human head- is lifted from its padded recess, and carried over to the barrel. The cultist on top reaches down, takes the orb in their (likewise gloved) hands, and inserts it into the box integrated into the lid. The box is closed, then a lever is pulled. There is a faint splash as the orb drops into the barrel.
Not much happens at first. The cultists wait anxiously, as around them the rest of the army prepares for battle. After a while, the barrel begins to shudder- gently at first, growing stronger over time. Then, finally, the shaking stops. The cultists proceed to unlatch the barrel's rather large lid. As soon as the metal bands holding it in place are loosened, the lid is hurled into the air. A gelatinous being (the reddish-gold orb suspended within) rises from the barrel, dazzling the cultists with its brilliant light, scattering droplets of Liquid Sunlight as it moves. It clambers out, standing almost twice the height of a human on eight limbs, and is directed to the front lines. The entire process took some fifteen minutes, during which the remainder of the army has formed up for battle- in much the same formation as last month, now joined by thirty of the shining masses of ambulant liquid.
Across the field, their demonic rivals are not sure why the angelic army is taking longer than usual to prepare for battle, but are not going to complain about the extra time to steel themselves for combat- being bedraggled by constant harassment, and forced into battle, every minute of rest helps. Eventually the angelic forces make a move, and battle begins. The demonic formation appears mostly the same as last month- although archers are present in a lower ratio, but wield new bows that have a faint dark aura about them.

These bows immediately prove their worth, as they boast a slightly increased range, allowing the demonic archers to launch the first volley. While angelic acolytes manage to throw up Ymis wards to block some of the arrows, a fair number get through thanks to the unexpected nature of the initial volley. The angelic archers reach firing range soon after, partially blocked by Novice wards on the demonic side. Ymis is more effective at blocking arrows, but in addition to a slightly extended range, the demonic archers fire at a slightly higher pace, with slightly more force, and their arrows have a slight tendency to veer in midair to strike targets they might otherwise miss. While no aspect is drastically improved, the combination of small improvements makes up for the lower numbers, and evens out the advantage provided by Ymis wards, making the archery duel roughly a wash.
As magic missile range is entered, a notable improvement to Ymis wards emerges, as some angelic acolytes transition from casting the version tuned to blocking physical damage to the one tuned to block magical damage. Previously this would cause interference, but now they are able to layer the physical and magical wards, providing more comprehensive protection to high value targets- such as the glowing goliaths, whose bulk and visibility make them a tempting target for archer and caster alike.
However, there are magical advances on the demonic side as well. While most demonic acolytes focus on wards, with only a few transitioning to throwing magic missiles, the bandaged Soul Magi each begin to cast a new spell. A ball of sparks coalesces in their hand, and is then launched forwards much like a regular magic missile. When it hits, the target is engulfed in lightning, making blackened husks of cultist and Sea Servant alike. Worse, the lightning then jumps from the initial target to another nearby, losing some intensity, but still causing lethal damage. This process is repeated several times- more often in the case of Sea Servants, killing six or seven and leaving a few more staggered, while in the case of cultists it 'merely' kills two or three (and leaves a few more staggered).
The luminescent lumberers are in most cases protected by magic-tuned Ymis, which significantly reduces the strength of the spark-balls (although the ward usually shatters as a result). In the case of an unprotected giant, a direct hit often results in their demise, as the lightning penetrates through their liquid forms to destroy the core within (the body subsequently loses cohesion, drenching the surroundings in Liquid Sunlight). If the victim of lightning jumping from a previous target, the giants usually survive, though a portion of their liquid burns off as a result, reducing their size.
As angelic acolytes transition more to magic-tuned Ymis to protect against Nar-Carok's new spell, more arrows make their way to their target unblocked, and between them the angelic army suffers markedly more ranged damage than their rivals. The melee troops pick up the pace, hoping to close the distance before being whittled down too far.

Bottled Sunlight is thrown shortly before contact, causing some minor disruption. The ambulant entities of Liquid Sunlight cause greater disruption- their ponderous charge, while slow, is backed up by a lot of mass, and they are able to use a number of limbs as blunt-force weapons (while using the rest to move). The impact is considerable, especially when combined with the corrosive effect it has on Evil-aligned flesh, fur, and bone.
The demonic centre is especially hard-hit; a single sweep of a gelatinous limb is enough to send half a dozen Ratmen fleeing with broken bones and burnt fur, and the diminutive rodentfolk can do little to fight back- their short weapons have little hope of striking the core ensconced within the body. While they can cut off small pieces of the limbs or torso, this is a very slow means of depleting the mass, and results in a disorienting flash as the severed piece burns up. Skitterpriests do what they can to mitigate the spreading panic, but cannot prevent the Ratmen from being quickly pushed back.
The demonic left has a few Rememberers on it this month, who eagerly counter-charge the glowing giants. Their glaives and axes are better suited for cleaving through the body to strike the core within, but they are more vulnerable to the Liquid Sunlight than cultists or Ratmen. By the time cultists join the fray, a dozen Remeberers have fallen, as have two of the liquid lumberers (while others have taken a beating). Thanks to the ranged advantage they enjoy, the demonic side is able to push their opponents back slowly, with most of the giants surrounded and slain.
On the demonic right, Recallers are first to make contact with the shining stampede. They charge ahead, aiming straight for the highest concentration of hated Good- dodging the ponderous swings of the limbs, they leap directly into the torso, where they immediately explode. This causes a blinding flash, destroying (or scattering) most of the Liquid Sunlight. Although the core is not always destroyed by this, the depletion of mass leaves the survivors easy prey for the Remeberers who follow. One Recaller lags behind a little, and detonates within the ranks of angelic spears, lacking a giant to target.

Sea Servants and cultist spears join the giants in pushing the Ratmen back- and victory seems just around the corner. Unfortunately, the new lightning-spell used by the Soul Magi can be fired into the midst of a chaotic melee- even if it hits a Ratman, subsequent jumps usually (but not always) target Good-aligned individuals. This buys enough time for demonic spearmen from the reserves to shore up the centre. This, in turn, allows the Skitterpriests to restore a semblance of order to their craven brethren, sending them back to the fight. The gelatinous giants begin to fall to the combination of lightning, chip damage, and spears piercing through to their cores.
However, there is another factor at play. Unnoticed, except perhaps by the most eagle-eyed observer (who wouldn't share the information so as to improve the dramatic narrative), the angelic side has been using more magic than their number of acolytes would suggest. The source of these excess spells is now revealed- Muu reveals herself, and wades into the melee. Her tentacular limbs scythe through the mass of Ratmen and cultists, imbued with the corrosive effects of Liquid Sunlight. Several Soul Magi notice her distinctive red and blue form, and take the initiative to prioritise targeting her with spells, but she is able to dual-cast both Ymis variants (at greater strength than an acolyte), providing excellent protection against all manner of attack. Her presence emboldens her cultists, and empowers the Sea Servants pushing into the centre. Within moments of her appearance, the demonic line is on the verge of breaking.
Things are less rosy for the angelic army on the flanks. On their right (demonic left), they are steadily pushed back- while most of the Remeberers on this flank were slain fighting the giants, the giants were the first to fall, and the surviving skeletons (backed up by cultists) carve into the angelic formation. On their left (demonic right), despite most of the impact of Recallers being absorbed by the giants, the angelic spears cannot withstand the charge of the Remeberers.

Not to be forgotten, the Drakegull cavalry now charge in from the sides. The new demonic archers combined with the new demonic lightning thin out their numbers before impact (the lightning reliably kills one, rarely two gulls at a time), but with most of the reserve spears being sent to shore up the centre, the impact is still devastating. Now, surely, the battle is over? Well, no. The Soul Magi have one last trick up their sleeves. Their Soul Gems have accumulated power, and now it is unleashed. The lightning that results is, obviously, more powerful, killing several gulls before fizzling out- but that's not all. Upon impact, an inaudible wail of agony emanates across the field- inaudible, yet deafening: the 'sound' of tortured souls being ripped apart. The 'thunder' that accompanies the lightning causes fear and disarray in all around the targeted Drakegull- more so in angelic forces, although the demonic forces are not immune.
The simple minds of the Drakegulls are driven to panic, their shaken riders unable to prevent them from fleeing haphazardly. While they eventually calm down, the disruption cost them, both in time and lives, as many panicking gulls were slain by arrow or magic.
The Soul Magi targeting Muu also unleash the power in their Gems. The empowered spark-balls shatter her wards, and she is engulfed in lightning several times in short succession. The staggered waves of 'thunder' emanating from her position (combined with seeing their leader suffer such a devastating assault) causes the angelic cultists in the centre to waver- and, more notably, causes many of the Sea Servants to just... stop, falling to the ground like puppets with their strings cut. The demonic forces in the centre are emboldened, and make another attempt to push their rivals back.

However, when the dust settles, Muu turns out to be still standing. Charred, perhaps, but still able to fight on. While she may or may not be able to resist a second empowered volley, the demonic forces will not get a chance to find out. She rallies her forces and strikes out at the demonic troops who had barely recovered their resolve. Ratmen flee in ever greater numbers. When the Drakegulls regroup and charge a second time, the hammer-on-anvil effect results in the demonic rear breaking. The demonic left sees the way the wind is blowing, and beats a hasty retreat also. The demonic right, despite doing quite well at carving through the angelic left, cannot stand without support, and breaks off.
As before, Drakegulls are too focused on feeding on the dead and dying to effectively chase down routing units- besides, they have suffered significant losses themselves to ranged attacks. The angelic infantry has not come out unscathed, although the Sea Servants who collapsed as a result of the 'thunder' recover after a while. The luminescent lumberers are almost all slain, and those handful still standing are just left behind (they eventually fizzle out over the course of a day). By the time the angelic army is ready to mount a pursuit, their rivals have managed to regroup to some extent, and once again the angelic army cannot advance recklessly.

More powerful magic on the demonic side did serve to balance out the cavalry advantage, to some extent. However, the glowing giants- while not the most effective combatants- provided an initial shock that was hard for the demonic centre to recover from, which combined with Muu's personal presence sealed the fate of Nar-Carok's minions.

The Angelic Army pushes the front line in the Western Protectorate by 2 segments, bringing their control of the Vast Steppe to 6/8. They receive 1 Wealth Token.
Or they would- but when the chests supposedly containing their spoils are opened back in the Twisting Isles, all that is inside is a note: "Your debt is paid"

---

Chegitha - Rolling Hills
A woman sits alone in the angelic camp. A brief glance might confuse her for just another cultist- a very brief glance, in the dark, while drunk. Even the slightest bit of closer observation would quickly realise that her skin is unnaturally pale, and that the eyes beneath her broad-brimmed hat have a distinctly red glow that belies any claim to normalcy. She methodically draws a whetstone over her sword- a completely pointless affectation, as it clearly is as sharp as it can possibly get.
The night is silent, but for the occasional snore, the rustling of the wind in the trees, and the shuffling of sentries. A faint noise in the distance is no cause for alarm- any number of normal sources could create it. Yet the woman snaps to attention, whetstone tossed aside- listening intently. Another, almost imperceptible sound reaches her ears, and she leaps to her feet, and sprints off, silent as the grave.
Elsewhere in the angelic camp, about thirty seconds earlier, a sentry is on the verge of falling asleep. Despite reports of Drakegull patrols being ambushed the past few days, the camp itself has gone unmolested, and he had traded shifts with a friend in exchange for an extra portion of dried fish- which he now regrets, as his eyes grow heavy, and the glow of the Bottled Sunlight is barely enough to keep him from drifting off. His eyes close for just a moment, before the sentry beside him shakes him awake again, admonishing him for his recklessness. He mumbles an apology- which his companion never hears, as a figure materialises into view and snaps their neck, the faint crack barely audible. Startled awake, the sentry has no time to shout for help before a clawed hand grabs his neck, choking him, and the intruder's other hand is held before his face. He has a few moments of consciousness left, during which the gemstone worn around his attacker's neck attains a malevolent glow as his own life fades away.
The Vampire Lord drops the lifeless husk to the ground, the sound of which is, again, barely audible above the background susurrus. Stepping out of the light of the Bottled Sunlight, the drain to his new accessory is reduced, and he stalks deeper into the camp, ready to cause havoc amongst the unprepared inhabitants. However, he has not reached the first tent before a pale figure lunges out of the darkness, gleaming sword aimed precisely at his heart. Had he reacted a split second slower, he might've been impaled right then and there; as is, he 'blocks' the blade with his own arm. The clearly supernatural blade cuts through his flesh like a knife enchanted to kill monsters through a pack of undead butter, but his assailant was apparently not expecting him to block, so the cut is not as deep as it could be. He leaps back before the knife in the attackers' other hand can be brought to bear, and quickly draws more power from his gemstone- not to fight back, but to run, as he has no interest in fighting someone who can track him in the dark, and has a sword that causes unnatural amounts of damage to him.
The pale woman chases her quarry, but he is slightly faster than her, and manages to keep ahead of her until reaching a copse of trees outside the camp. There, four thralls throw themselves at her. Their comparatively clumsy sword strikes are easily parried, and she dispatches them with a single strike each- but in those brief moments, the Vampire Lord has already drained the life from a fifth thrall, and has resumed his flight. She considers further pursuit, but opts not to leave the camp undefended. She drains the vitality from one of the thralls to restore her own strength, and returns to her post to resume her vigil.

Turns out a Champion whose driving purpose is to hunt a specific Champion is going to do well when paired up against them! What a surprise.

The Vampire Lord's injuries relieve the pressure on the Drakegulls patrolling the area, forcing the demonic army to go on the attack- as whilst the gulls are not as devastating here as in the open steppe, they are still more than capable of taking out foraging parties and scouts, whittling away at demonic strength. The angelic army, meanwhile, is lacking the mobility to stay ahead of their rivals for an extended period, as the crude barrel-bearing carts slow them down here as well. Thus they opt to occupy a hilltop, and prepare to face their rival's assault. It is, by necessity, not the steepest hill in the region, as their carts need to be able to ascend it.
In terms of disposition and formation, the forces on both sides are again similar to those found in the steppe. The demonic army advances up the gentlest side of the hill. Seeing them approach, the angelic army has time enough to deploy the glowing gelatinous giants from their massive barrels, and after a brief pause- during which it becomes clear the angels are not about to abandon their advantageous positions-, the demonic army makes the first move.

The new demonic archers, with their slightly improved range, are actually matched by the angelic archers, whose elevated position gives them improved range as well. Wards are deployed on both sides, with Ymis obviously more effective at blocking arrows. The new demonic archers' arrows greater impact (in rate of fire, force, and accuracy) is thus largely mitigated. It is, however, unclear to forces on the ground who is getting the upper hand in the archery exchange- and both sides appear content to stay put and swap arrows for a while. With archers at the forefront of both formations, they suffer most (though not all) of the losses.
This continues for a fairly long time, inconclusively. Numbers are whittled down on both sides. There are some instances of angelic troops using Bottled Sunlight to heal minor injuries, but it doesn't make a major difference to the outcome. Eventually, it is the demonic side that blinks first. Their archers begin to tire- though hatred still burns in their eyes, and they remain as driven as ever, the stress on their body builds up, and their rate of fire begins to decline. While the archers continue to fire, the rest of the demonic army advances.
As it turns out, the lengthy archery exchange benefited the Soul Magi, as their Soul Gems have been filled up already, allowing them to immediately launch an empowered volley of their new lightning spell (on entering magic missile range). Lightning cascades through the angelic ranks, felling many, and the 'thunder' causes swathes of Sea Servants to collapse, and angelic cultists to panic. The glowing giants, while unaffected by the 'thunder', fall victim to the empowered lightning, despite the protection of Ymis wards. The devastation wrought encourages the angelic army to abandon their passive stance, and they quickly advance down the hillside before being obliterated by more lightning.

Unfortunately for the angelic forces, their formation is not in the best of shapes- with sections of the Sea Servant ranks (temporarily) disabled, and morale shaken, their charge is poorly coordinated. While the giants are quite impactful following a downhill charge, causing the Ratmen centre of the demonic line to buckle considerably under their assault, their infantry backup is lacking, rendering them vulnerable to demonic spearmen and skeletal glaives/axes.
Drakegull cavalry, while also suffering losses to ranged attacks, pose a significant threat to the demonic rear. They charge in from the flanks, and cause chaos- but on both sides, forces move to deal with them. On the demonic right, the Vampire Lord and his entourage of Thralls rush to counter the avian menace. His new gemstone allows the Vampire Lord to move with most of his nocturnal speed, allowing him to quickly strike crippling blows on a gull or its rider, while his Thralls follow behind with spears in hand to finish the job. On the demonic left, Nar-Carok unveils himself, rallying his forces as he cleaves into gulls with glaive and lightning- while he cannot drive them back single-handedly, his impact is considerable, and his presence bolsters the morale of his underlings, driving them to push the birds back.
While the Vampire Lord is engaged in fighting gulls, a singular angelic warrior carves her way through the demonic ranks, headed straight for him. This time, he notices her approach before she reaches him, and pulls back behind his thralls and a group of cultist spears. While the pale warrior is unmatched in melee, and is able to heal her injuries by draining the blood from those she slays, she is not immune to ranged attack. While she is occupied with killing spearmen one at a time, the Vampire Lord orders archers and Soul Magi to prioritise her. As arrows and lightning rain down around her, she is eventually forced to retreat, while the Vampire Lord taunts his retreating rival (safely, from behind a wall of minions). Her intervention did at least distract the Vampire Lord sufficiently for the Drakegulls to reorganise for a second charge from a different angle.

With the impact of cavalry thus partially mitigated, the battle is firmly in Nar-Carok's favour. The glowing giants in the centre gradually fall to lightning, arrows, and spears from the reserves, enabling Skitterpriests to return their brethren to the fight, which begins to overwhelm the ragged angelic formation.
However, the Sea Servants previously 'stunned' by 'thunder' begin to recover, and their return to combat offers a reprieve to the beleaguered angelic soldiers. It is not a long-lasting reprieve, however, as soon after, the soul-sucking regalia of the Soul Magi are once again topped up, and another round of empowered lightning is launched. As before, this causes many losses, many stunned Sea Servants, and- most crucially- a significant shaking of angelic resolve. Though they are not defeated yet, some angelic cultists begin to retreat, and the knock-on effect of seeing comrades flee soon cascades into a general rout. The pale paragon (who has single-handedly cut down dozens of foes by this point) is unable to rally her allies, and is forced to pull back herself, lest she becomes surrounded and overwhelmed.
The Sea Servants tie down the demonic forces for a while longer, while Drakegulls screen the retreat, but the battle is lost. The demonic army, after mopping up, advances confidently (though not recklessly, given the Drakegulls are still at large) towards the Fjords once more.

Though the new angelic Champion was able to significantly reduce the impact of the Vampire Lord, her monster-slaying expertise was somewhat wasted on demonic cultists and Ratmen, and she was unable to outmatch the Vamp and Nar-Carok combined. Without the presence of the Champions, the battle may have gone differently, although the novel demonic spell's morale-shaking ability and the improved demonic archers would've been difficult for the angelic army to deal with regardless.

The Demonic Army pushes the front line in the Chegitha by 2 segments, bringing their control of the Rolling Hills to 8/8. They receive 1 Wealth Token. Next turn's combat will take place in the Sheltered Fjords.
   

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(Reminder that the influence lanes have a slight random aspect, as mortals engage in their own activities that may help or hinder infiltration efforts)

Thpenos
Gridlocked Polis
Breaking news! The Thpenian Senate managed to agree on something! Namely... a pay raise for all senators!
This is not as well-received as the senators may have hoped. Spontaneous protests erupt, though they generally stay peaceful, and after a few weeks things blow over.

"All the world's a stage, and men and women merely players", it is written. Specifically, it was written by the famous playwright-philosopher Wobbleglaive, and is the first line in The Complete Works of Wobbleglaive (first edition), a Thpenian national treasure. It used to be kept in the National Treasury, a building guarded 24 hours a day by three-hundred phalangites. It has now vanished. To steal such a priceless artifact, from such a well-secured location, was described by a Thpenian senator as "literally impossible", two days prior to the theft.
Turns out, The Impossible Thief likes a challenge. Not content with merely stealing the most valuable book in Thpenos, he also stole:
  -Approximately 790 drachmae worth of jewelry & coins (accidentally)
  -17 other famous works of theatre and philosophy, including some the authors had not yet written down (and now never will)
  -Compromising material, suitable for blackmail, regarding 12 senators and 35 other prominent figures
  -37 kilos of Community Coral (see below)
  -The Worms of Muu infecting 41 prominent figures
  -The enchantment/hexes placed on this month's angelic Gadfly
Meanwhile Masters of Rites made use of their newly-acquired New Age Recovery Centers to further the indoctrination of key individuals. Nominally offering therapy to those dealing with loss of loved ones, the Masters use the one-on-one sessions to subtly instil a hatred of angelic causes in their 'patients', and support for demonic goals. These unwitting pawns are then manipulated into inviting demonic missionaries to garden parties and the like. Once there, the missionaries use a combination of blackmail material (provided by the Impossible Thief) and the powers of Dark Seduction/Empathy to strongly encourage influential people (identified last month by the Vampire Lord) to join Nar-Carok's cult. This proves quite effective, and demonic influence in the Polis expands.  2/5 -> 3/5

Meanwhile, angelic missionaries are not having it quite as easy. Sales of decorative Corals of Community to the wealthy citizens of the Polis go well- and while their customers are often relieved of their newly-acquired decor by the Thief's efforts, the angelic cultists are quite happy to replace the lost Coral for free. The Thief cannot steal Coral as quickly as it is imported, and its mesmerising effects are exploited by angelic missionaries to improve their odds of conversion. Similarly, Worms of Muu continue to be seeded through the city- while the Thief does steal some of these as well, throwing a wrench into things with regards to a fair number of important targets, they are far too widespread for the Thief to steal them all, and lower-class support continues to grow. The most frustrating of the Thief's interventions is the Gadfly. Despite selecting, training, and enchanting a suitable candidate, the execution (for violent opposition to the recent pay raise) is uneventful- those who witness it are barely moved. The subsequent funeral (organised at Muu's expense) provides a gathering for angelic missionaries to target... but this too is lacklustre with the magical effects missing.
While the atmosphere in the Polis was receptive to their efforts this month, and a handful of prominent individuals succumb to the array of angelic conversion methods, the Impossible Thief's sabotage combined with sub-optimal levels of support from adjacent provinces prevents the angelic cult from gaining a significant presence in the upper classes (though inroads made will persist). 2/5


Bountiful Quarries
A major landowner actually deigns to visit the region this month- having finally noticed that output has dropped in recent years. They are appalled when they learn about the state of things, and loudly demand of the people overseeing their property to get their act together. Several overseers are fired (one is even arrested), and new overseers are appointed in their place. The landowner then returns to the capital, confident that things will work themselves out. Of course, they do not- the replacement overseers come from the same stock as the old ones, and are just as incompetent and corrupt. At the end of the day, nothing really changes for the common people.

Despite the fact that the well-off of the region have no shortage of fancy materials to acquire from local sources, it is a universal trait of the wealthy that they are never satisfied. Consequently, the introduction of a novel decorative item- colour-and-shape-changing coral- takes the local markets by storm. Additionally, a non-sabotaged Gadfly operation is followed up with a large (angelic-cult-organised) funeral, where the lingering spirit of the Gadfly further drives those in attendance into the arms of Muu's missionaries.
Prominent locals, pushed towards Good by Worms of Muu, shaken up by a Gadfly funeral, and mesmerised by Corals of Community, are inducted into the angelic cult in large numbers. 2/5 -> 3/5

Demonic efforts are less successful, but not fruitless. While the Masters of Rites are locked out of the Gadfly's funeral, there are other funerals, and many a grieving relative is lured to a New Age Recovery Centre. The indoctrinated individuals are able to open doors (literal and metaphorical) for Nar-Carok's missionaries, and despite the occasional dead end (where a target turns out to be en-Wormed, or similarly under angelic influence), they are able to gradually expand the cult's presence. 1/5 -> 2/5


Restless Satrapy
The local governor is recalled, and replaced with a new, slightly less racist one. While people are glad to see the old one go, it ultimately does little to resolve the underlying tensions.

From the New Age Recover Centres, aggrieved natives are driven to join the rebels- and, once there, to direct rebel activity in ways that benefit Nar-Carok and the Federalist cause. While these unwitting pawns are not as easy to direct as full converts, their more organic motivation helps them integrate into rebel groups (who are naturally wary of spies and infiltrators). As graffiti extolling the virtues of decentralisation (in cruder terms) springs up across the region, and a number of more Assimilator-friendly officials find themselves the victims of rebel intimidation, Federalist representatives resume contact with Nar-Carok's cult. Combined with conventional conversion efforts, this restores demonic influence to previous levels. 2/5 -> 3/5

Muu's missionaries spread more Worms of Muu, enact another Gadfly operation (and follow-up funeral), and sell a few small pieces of Community Coral. While not dramatic, this steadily increases their influence in the region. An Assimilator agent seems quite interested in their ability to create harmonious communities, and suggests that future cooperation might be quite fruitful. 1/5 -> 2/5

---

Xyrania
Schism'd Capital
The Shah announces the completion of the repair efforts of the North Gate. Nobody cares, except for a few people who ask why the Shah even bothered to announce this.

Angelic missionaries sell Coral, spread Worms, raise a Gadfly, host a funeral. While this does further cement their presence in the city, significant progress is hindered by a lack of support from neighbouring regions and a lack of techniques that synergise with the ongoing religious conflict. 2/5

Their demonic rivals have better luck. Masters of Rites have to be careful with their funeral sermons, lest someone take theological offence. But in one-on-one sessions in New Age Recovery Centres, they can tailor their messaging to fit the specific beliefs of the 'patient'. The charismatic Masters are then able to seamlessly insert other commandments into this religious mix, leaving the target thinking that to disobey them would risk religious condemnation.
Those thus influenced unwittingly provide other demonic missionaries with opportunities- such as invitations to private gatherings, where Dark Seduction/Empathy can be used to sway the lesser nobility to the cause. Though insufficient to grant Nar-Carok access to the halls of power yet (due to a lack of support from neighbouring regions), it is only a matter of time. 2/5


Raiders' Roost
What do you call an adventurer with one arm, one leg, three gold teeth and a purple eyepatch? If you know, please come to the morgue to identify his body. There's not much excitement on the political front this month.

While outwardly the residents of the Roost are used to death, it is simply not possible to witness so many companions dying in various horrible ways (to traps, monsters, or rival adventurers) without suffering trauma. Indeed, many residents have what is essentially PTSD. This is very sad, if you think about it. The only way it could be worse is if some group set up locations purporting to provide therapy to help people overcome such trauma, but actually abused the emotionally vulnerable people in order to further some dark cause.
So anyway, Nar-Carok's followers make progress this month. 2/5->3/5

There's a problem with selling Coral in the Roost, which is that the denizens are pretty familiar with cursed artifacts, and many are thus more cautious about mysterious colour-changing coral than elsewhere. Not to the point that no sales occur, but it's not as effective as elsewhere. A big funeral shindig goes down better, which combined with the effect of Worms seeded in the area allows angelic missionaries to recruit a sizeable number of middle-class locals. 1/5->2/5


Pirate Haven
Turnover amongst officials is quite high in coastal towns- as they run a high risk of being killed or kidnapped by pirates, and many are eager to find jobs somewhere safer. The local governor announces a hiring spree, overseen by a senior official. The senior official in question is known to be a compassionate and generous man, with a keen eye for a person's true nature. As a result, most of the new hires tend to lean towards Good.

Indeed, some of the new hires were already members of Muu's cult. Others are quickly targeted for conversion- not yet used to having power, they are easier targets than long-serving officials tend to be. Corals of Community are sold- although some of the buyers are suspiciously pirate-esque, and a fair amount of Coral ends up on the black market. It doesn't really matter, though- the important thing is that the Coral ends up in the homes of prominent people, be they governmental, military, or self-employed privateers.
With the tide in their favour, angelic missionaries expand their presence in the region, gaining a foothold in the halls of power. 2/5->3/5

That the angelic missionaries have it easy doesn't necessarily mean demonic ones have it hard. For them, expanding their base amongst the lower and middle classes is more pressing than gaining allies in government (although they wouldn't say no if given the opportunity to gain some). There are enough funerals to manage, and grieving relatives to manipulate, that the Masters of Rites can provide missionaries with an array of suitable targets. 1/5->2/5

---

Ran out of space in this post :I

The undersigned remaining members of the Absolute Cancer Alliance agree to the following split of spoils:

Chia Interstellar (36 CT) will receive:
-Mining Planet Chomba
   -Chia Interstellar will keep Chomba, at the cost of 5 Prestige.
-Manufacturing Planet Muamba
-Farming Planet Ukraina
   -If Maximum Spin seeks to reclaim Ukraina, Deutsche Bank agrees to pay 2 of the 5 Prestige needed to overrule their objection.
-2 Food

Deutsche Bank (83 CT) will receive:
-Farming Planet Mana
-Farming Planet Kachi
-Recruitment Planet Mando
-Farming Planet Crabicus Prime
-10 Food
-6 Ore

Following the distribution of spoils, ACA will be disbanded, and all Crab Tokens will be void.

---

Signed:
-Chia Interstellar
-

You can never make it clear enough that it's the wrong time for jokes and comments. Enough.

This is a genuine question: when and where are comments appropriate? As in, if people have suggestions as to how you might improve your games, how should they share them? Or are you literally saying that no criticism of any sort is allowed?

Thought about it more, and changed my mind again. I think improving our domestication baseline would be better, as domesticating lions has a potential for failure. It does kinda kick the can down the road, but then we don't really need domesticated lions yet, and better techniques could make up for lost time. I can even imagine skipping lions, if the situation doesn't support it.

Exploit Clay:
Beasts of Burden: (1) NUKE9.13
Domesticate Lions: (1) m1895
Domestication of Elephants: (1) Powder Miner

Exploit Clay: (1) quarque
Beasts of Burden: (1) Doomblade
Domesticate Lions: (1) Taricus
Domestication of Elephants:

People of the Baobab/Baobabi (demonym): (3) Powder Miner, NUKE9.13, Taricus
Nothing for now: (0)

(Is there going to be another game of this after somebody wins this round? I’d like to play it, but I would rather be a major one instead of a minor, and maybe take some designs in a different direction. 😅)

The idea is that the game will go on for a long time, I think. But also the idea is that you can join as a minor and become a major if people like your ideas. As for taking designs in a different direction- well, it's a cooperative game, so that depends on whether people like your proposed direction.
Either way, it's early days yet- there's a lot of direction still to be determined. Join in, it doesn't require much investment.

---

Anyway, changed my mind. The more time we spend domesticating lions, the better the results (because we need them to undergo artificial evolution into the feline equivalent of a dog, which requires many generations). Better to start early.

Domesticated big cats? You're lion to me (Domesticate Lions):
Despite the unfortunate ending to the attempt to tame the lioness, many remember the progress made, and before long, a more organised attempt is made to bring lions to heel. Hunters set out with the specific goal of catching live lions, travelling eastwards in search thereof. They bring large quantities of meat with them on their 'hunts', which they use to bait their targets, such as by attempting to ambush lone lions that are drawn in by the free food. As big lions are more dangerous, and lion cubs very cute, they make a concerted effort to catch the cubs- challenging though it may be, with time and patience anything is possible.
Once acquired, the captives are treated like the first lioness, although there is a higher degree of caution taken to avoid... accidents. As a result, the most aggressive lions- those who absolutely cannot be tamed- are slain, cut down as they attempt to attack their captors. Those who learn to live with humans- or at least not attack them- are, after enough time in captivity, released. The initial idea being that they would return to their pride and tell them of how well they were treated, this morphs over time into a ritual practice. Consequently, unbeknownst to the tribe, artificial selection begins to favour lions that can get along with people. Eventually, perhaps, resulting in lions that voluntarily return to the settlement in search of food, opening a route towards further domestication.
Said further domestication might consist of teaching lions to join the hunt- having them chase game towards the hunters, enabling ever larger hauls of meat with less effort.

Exploit Clay: (1) m1895
Beasts of Burden:
Domesticate Lions: (1) NUKE9.13

Exploit Clay:
Beasts of Burden:
Domesticate Lions:

People of the Baobab/Baobabi (demonym): (2) Powder Miner, NUKE9.13
Nothing for now: (0)

I can understand not wanting to go down the domesticated lions path, though I personally think it would be entertaining. However, I feel like you might be focusing on the wrong aspect of the bola proposal.
-Bolas are fairly dead-end as weapon tech goes, but they're not intended to serve as long-term military equipment. The primary purpose of the action is to be a stepping stone to domestication. In comparison, bows- while obviously having greater longevity as weapons- don't lead into other technologies as much.
-Lions are not the only game in town (so to speak). There are also elephants that could be domesticated at some point, and hopefully we will come across (or discover as a result of developing domestication) potential livestock as well. Domestication has great potential beyond simple attack lions- they would just be the first use case.
-Human enemies with ranged weapons may well come up, but we could just as easily- if not more easily- develop bows when they do. On the other hand, human enemies with any number of other advantages could emerge, where ranged weaponry wouldn't be as important. Heck, if humans with horses show up, attack lions would be great, and being able to steal their horses afterwards would be gravy. My point is that we shouldn't put too much stock in trying to pre-empt future threats, given the wide variety of potential dangers that could be out there.

Expand to 49-C and use a Wood Token (1): Powder Miner
Bolas (2.1): NUKE9.13, MINOR
Rope Traps (0):

Expand to 49-C and use a Wood Token ():
Bolas (2): Kashyyk, Taricus
Rope Traps (1): Doomblade

I think Bolas are better than Traps, as setting up, maintaining, and retrieving traps far from a settlement is harder than carrying a couple of bolas on a long-distance hunt. That is, if we did traps, we might not be able to harvest the lions without expanding there.
I prefer Bolas to Expansion because the expansion would be a net drain on resources (-1 Food), we don't really want/need the resources there (yet), except for the lions who might be exterminated by our settlement. Bolas let us deal with the lion threat in a less destructive way, and provide a technological stepping stone to domestication.