You have journeyed much, in these lands most strange; these unending mountains whose peaks stretch towards the heavens. Through ridge and pass you have gone, by valley and crest alike, over leagues unnumbered of blackened stone and roaring wind. What remained, then, but to press ever onwards, towards some end unknown, unseen, and scarcely dreamt? Lo, and upon the farthest verge of sight, a mountain beyond all telling, whose sides were as sheer walls set against unending skies. Thither you were drawn, compelled somehow to climb it, to ascend beyond, and gaze upon what remained above...yet before your feet could touch that dread ascent, one trial most great remained; a narrow path, a ledge upon which one could scarcely stand, poised above gulfs unfathomable, whose stygian darkness struck the surroundings with a force most like light.
What narrowness it was, what blade-like edge which stood as your only road. You could not cross it with what you carried; you could not cross it with all you brought. You could see, in the distance, possessions much alike; replacements most plentiful, of quality far greater! But how should a soul one so readily abandon that which had brought them through all that was? What hardness of heart might it take to hew one's lifeboat into lumber? To turn one's cradle into kindling?
No will so greatly weighed, none save the will to live.
You search the resolve to do so inside you; you drive your will to muster strength. What littlest burden may you carry, that shall find you the grit to walk?
Sun flows upon you, down from the sky and throug the smallest cracks in the window shutters. Your living conscience rushes to reasses your position, thoughts rushing like a windmill creaking once more with a gust of breeze. You remember quite clearly now...
You are Alessandro Galliota - Lord of the Viscounty of Portblanc of the Princedom of Segoma of the Mirevalian Empire. Through effort and will, you had journeyed across the continent to the land of Straccia as an expeditionary force in support of a civil war, and had come out of it victorious. It was perhaps because of this that your liege, the Crown Prince Don Carles IV Brascarams had summoned you to the imperial capital of Mascaloma, to his own castle.
You remember, too, how he offered you a deal unlike any other; to abandon your home and title and return once more to that exotic peninsula, where you would overthrow the Despot of Senucco and take his place. You had accepted this deal, regardless of your misgivings, and in following, been admitted to the Guest Pavillion of the Imperial Alcàsser to spend the night.
All in all, a memorable day to say the least.
Dragging yourself from your bed, you wasted no time in calling your Valet de Chambres Thibaud to dress you in your daily garbs, as he did every day. As the old man had just finished doing so, a small bell beside your door was rung; you had been told this meant service! Once presentable, you opened the door, and beheld as two female servants carried plates of dishes for you. "Breakfast, Milorde", they claimed. You knew that such meals were often a more private matter in great palaces such as this; banquets and communal dining was left for more important meals such as lunch or supper.
You ate your portions with ease; the bread, whiter than anything you had seen and so fluffy as though to melt in your mouth with a single touch. The cheese, somehow kept cold even in the heat of summer, with a taste remarkable and yet light enough so as to not bother the early senses. Thin stripes of fried pork, too, on the sides, and all accompanied by a choice of wine and small beer. You chose the small beer. It was refreshingly gelid.
As you finished your small meal, you pondered your prospects for the day; later, you would meet with the Prince, for further planning of this great enterprise you had accepted. In the morning, however, you were free to do as you pleased. There was much a man like you could do, in a city such as this, and some of it perhaps helpful to your final cause. You went over your options...
CHOOSE YOUR OPTION >Visit the Imperial Court >Visit the Imperial University of Mascaloma >Visit the Basilica of the City >Visit the Imperial Library >Write-in
Thread I - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6153604/
Thread I (Conclusion) - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6189036/
Thread II - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6231466/
Thread III - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6275844/
Thread IV - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2026/6326513/
Field Handbook - https://rentry.org/TercioQuest (Updated)
Welcome to the fifth installation of Fog of War. It would seem to my luck that, as of now, I am still able to use this site, and no action has been taken towards it that I would know of. It is my deep hope that it will remain this way, but please keep in mind that things may change.
>>6388354 Only one option, please. You will be told when you are allowed to choose multiple.
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AnonymousID:ZiIRcJ1v03/25/26(Wed)16:19:41
>>6388308 >Visit the Imperial University of Mascaloma You're back!
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AnonymousID:kkx25zqS03/25/26(Wed)16:21:46
>>6388308 >Visit the Imperial University of Mascaloma We must acquire knowledge.
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AnonymousID:pBKhQDiu03/25/26(Wed)20:32:29
Good to see things are still fine on your end for now. >>6388308 I have no objections whatsoever to revisiting our nerd palace but for the sake of a second opinion, for what we can solely find here (since we probably don't need to have gone all this way to research Senucco when we have our archives back home that can just as readily tell us the dustier old histories that could be relevant), >Visit the Imperial Court It'd easily be the place where any up and comers would want to find themselves, and rubbing shoulders with a few fellows of ambition could result in some additional friends and support in the preparations to come, even beyond what our patron would already offer.
It has been often said that it is education that makes the man, be he a noble sire, a wealthy burgher or a man of the cloth, and you are inclined to agree. You have read that once, all manners of studies were done by way of informal teaching; of tutoring, of small monastical schools led by men of the church. Certainly, such methods are still and well alive today, most notably for children too young to partake in complex studies or those who long to the lower rungs of the mercantile and monastical classes.
Yet as with many things related to those members of the faith, advances were made; although the scholarly orders of the church, such as the Santo Cor kept and still keep their centuries-old traditions and teachings away from the public, the demand for initiate brothers who already held knowledge of most basic tenets of religious and natural law had grown far beyond the supply as the growth of urban centers continued unchecked. It was amidst such demands that the concept of an university was borne.
Although initially constrained to religious matters, the growth of the Mirevalian Empire, as well as the crown's continuous efforts of centralization that moved governance from purely arbitrary rule to that which is based in law and bureaucracy, so too did the noble classes begin to seek education for their sons; knowledge of literacy became not an ability, but a necessity of their inborn position.
This chain of events was the background which ultimately lead to the formation of the Universitat Impériale, the Imperial University of Mascaloma. Although already existing as a small scholarly school meant to educate the clergy required to maintain the spiritual health of the very rapidly growing capital, it was given a charter and accompanying legal privileges to become a true and proper university in 1391 by the newly ascended Teodor V. Although his reign would last but two years before his untimely death, the charter, which granted to the university not only a considerable and ongoing stipend from the imperial coffers, as well as a considerable plot of land, would remain in activity even to this day, allowing the university to become the foremost academy in all of Mirevale.
Today, you were revisiting it once more.
It was a greatly sizeable building, in a city where space was of such great value, of such a size that one could compare it only to other imperial estates, such as the Alcassér and the Imperial Court. As you passed the entrance, you were able to see a group of students, merrily talking amongst themselves as they passed around some bottles of what you assumed to be wine. Although it had been but a few years ago, this sight appeared to you as something of a whole life past...certainly, you were not the same student as you were when you attended these hallowed halls.
Of course, this begged the question; why had you come here exactly? What goal was set upon your mind when you chose this place amongst all others to spend your time before the meeting with the Prince?
CHOOSE YOUR OPTION >You wish to inquire about students whose knowledge may be of use to you >You wish to endow some manner of scholarship >You wish only to stroll the grounds and reminisce of your time here >Write-in
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AnonymousID:kkx25zqS03/26/26(Thu)18:04:33
>>6388827 >You wish to endow some manner of scholarship KNOWLEDGE!
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AnonymousID:ZiIRcJ1v03/26/26(Thu)23:05:18
>>6388827 >You wish to inquire about students whose knowledge may be of use to you Maybe there are foreign students from the area of our assignment. Recruiting a local would be very useful
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AnonymousID:rI6FTOyd03/26/26(Thu)23:20:44
>>6388827 >>You wish only to stroll the grounds and reminisce of your time here ah, good times indeed.
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Corvid!ocqkfzOAxwID:USWy9mgL03/27/26(Fri)01:49:38
>>6388827 >>You wish only to stroll the grounds and reminisce of your time here
One last time.
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AnonymousID:pBKhQDiu03/27/26(Fri)02:43:59
>>6388827 >You wish to endow some manner of scholarship Surely there is some new thing we can see news of, and draw inspiration from. Perhaps even some fresh analysis of what we enacted in the past, since it is the most recent military action of our Empire.
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AnonymousID:72ozgCtn03/27/26(Fri)10:06:52
>>6388827 >Write-in >You wish to talk to one of your teachers, someone of whom you were fond of when you were a student here
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AnonymousID:uIanGJeX03/27/26(Fri)15:26:38
>>6388827 >>You wish to inquire about students whose knowledge may be of use to you
Well, there are plenty of things one might do in such a place, but only one amongst them can only be done in this out of all others, and in such short time: to meet an old fellow! Though the scholars who are hired for teaching in this instituion have a tendency towards the older side, it has not been enough time that they should all be found deceased.
With your goal in mind, you stroll into the main building, intent on finding someone who may lead you to your goal...and to your good fortune, it does not take long until you do so! You find a clerk who remembers you yet still from your study days, and he directs you to the office of one of the scholars whom is not currently giving class, and whom you remember quite well; your old tutor of civil law, one Magister Ruberto del Çomel. Knocking on the door to his office, the man opens, and certainly, it is the same face you remember.
"Master Ruberto." you say, politely greeting him. "I am one of your former students, Alessandro Galliota. It is my good fortune to see you once again."
The man studies you for a moment before bowing in respect. "It is mine good fortune as well to see a student of mine, your lordship. Please enter, if thou wills it!" he says, welcoming you in as you walk into his office. Closing the door, he shuffles over to his table. The man is certainly old, but he seems to have aged well; although his hair is white, his features seem very vibrant and healthy looking - well beyond what you would expect from a man in his late sixties.
"Last I had seen thee, young lord, thou hadst left this institution to hold of your noble title due to the death of thine father. I can only hope mine tutoring has aided your efforts as a lord."
And certainly, they had! Although there is much in the manner of leeway for local laws in the Empire, and especially so in an autonomous region such as the Princedoms, there is much yet in common with standard Imperial Law. Your education gave you a good deal of knowledge in how to deal with the day to day matters of ruling on disputes and setting policy.
"That it has, Magister." you reply
"Good, good...your lordship remains amongst one of my best students, certainly - thou hadst not the wastrel's temperament that seems to have taken most of the noble students. Nay, not even those bound for a clerical life stand must better in that regard, drinking away before they are put in the cloth as though they are prisoners waiting for death."
He begins to chuckle, though it quickly turns into a cough. After a moment, he settles down, and looks to you again.
"Forgive my petulance, young lord, but allow me to ask thee this...what matters bring you to the throne city, this time? It had come to my ears that the Prince Don Carles had begun a war in Straccia...might I wager your presence to be a good portent as to this?"
Ah, that is certainly a question...
CHOOSE YOUR OPTION >Tell him about your true goal here, with hopes he may perhaps give some advice >Keep the secret to yourself, tell him only of the war you won. >Write-in
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AnonymousID:ShYR6AMk03/28/26(Sat)01:57:30
>>6389486 >Keep the secret to yourself, tell him only of the war you won. And I guess we can add that Don Carles has summoned us without revealing the purpose
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AnonymousID:pBKhQDiu03/28/26(Sat)02:28:08
>>6389486 >Keep the secret to yourself, tell him only of the war you won. I suppose what >>6389579 said about the summons is a point that can't be avoided, nor has any reason to be. Though information flows freely and quickly in capitals and I think we'd rather not give the current Despot any cause to prepare for us early. >Write-in I think we can couch concerns we have in the realm of the theoretical though, even if it's pretty difficult to not be direct about it. Perhaps something like matters of law binding the shortcuts of force and conquest, that may be a route to undermine the Despot and also something we can work to our advantage when we take his job. Surely there are piece of Imperial law we can implement to stabilize our position- or that point out instabilities in military autocracies.
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AnonymousID:WhVqXcde03/28/26(Sat)02:43:23
>>6389486 >Tell him about your true goal here, with hopes he may perhaps give some advice Might as well. I doubt he's the kind to go talking to people, not at his age, and if he is we can ask him to keep it quiet.
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AnonymousID:Kg6Xg/PC03/28/26(Sat)08:07:36
>>6389486 >>Seek his advice but only tell him half the truth, keep your true goal to yourself.
He is giving~ acquaintance vibes. Best not to be too naive, we are in the Imperial capital after all.
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AnonymousID:Jguq/EDb03/28/26(Sat)09:49:36
>>6389486 >Tell him about your true goal here, with hopes he may perhaps give some advice
cant get help if we dont ask and it would be good have a unconnected mind look at our task and give us advice
"You remain wise still, Magister. It is victorious that I return here, and his highness the Prince as well."
"Ah, how fortunate!" the old man replies, smiling.
"Yes, our victory was won quite swiftly, though it was not a war of conquest. I..." you say, before stopping mid-sentence as you came upon an idea that might give you answers without compromising your secret. "It is but an errant thought, Magister, but one that had brought me some manner of curiosity nonetheless. What might one as knowledgeable of the law you do, were you made Viceroy of one of those foreign republics, in the far north? It would seem to me nigh impossible, to conquer a land with no nobles, no lords, none bar a class of ruling merchants."
"A curious thought indeed..." says Ruberto, grumbling as he rubs his beard in thought. He turns to you. "I've not great knowledge of history, young lord, but the matter of law is something I have studied deeply, and to this I tell you, law cannot be grown from aether. Even our Imperial Law holds roots to the old customs of the land. If I were given such an honor, certainly, I would seek to use their law to mine own benefit."
"I see..." you say, considering his words for a moment. "Enough about me, however, Magister - what goes on in this university still?"
Your question having been answered, you then talked of casual matters with Ruberto for another hour or so, until the ringing of the bells signaled your time to go. You waved your old tutor off, and silently hoped you would meet him yet again when you next returned to city.
With your morning matters dealt with, you make your way once more to the Imperial Alcàsser, and to your good fortune, you are none too late for the lunch! Although not a true and proper feast, there remains yet still a communal banquet that is held on every saturday, as was the centuries-old traidtion of royalty. Lead to one of the dining halls of the palace, you find yourself seated amongst a plethora of other imperial guests, and even as a mere saturday lunch, it is certainly a great sight! To your side and front there are dukes from both near and afar; men of the highest echelons of the military, the Prince Carles himself, and most notably of all, the Lord Regent of the Empire, the man who was left to keep the throne while his imperial majesty, Teodor XI, lead his armies in the far west: Archbishop Immanuel das Holas, of the Archbishopric of Mascaloma.
It is not often you see a man of the white cloth in such positions, you muse. Although it is true that the church rightly holds great sway over the matters of men, the regular body of the faith is yet amongst the weakest of them: the maintainers of the soul, yet lacking in the tradition and study of the monastic orders of brotherhood. Being that they hold but a single seat within the Holy Council, it is no surprise.
Regardless of his presence, however, you keep yourself focused, knowing what far greater goal lies ahead. The food, of course, is soon brought: great platters of whole roasted meat of every type: of pork, of hog, of deer, of cow, of hare, and of goat too. Two large pies of meat, adorned with a pheasant's head upon them, were also present. There was manchet bread, of course, and soup of several types too. There was wine, and where you had thought you seen all manners of it, you were surprised to find a new one, sourced not from Mauva but from the snowy lands of Samica. You did not even know it was possible to grow grapes, in such a place...
Yet most memorable of all were, without doubt, the Subtleties. These fine sculptures, made of marzipan and sponge sugar, meant to depict all sorts of matters from animals, to ships, and even castles. You knew that a veritable guild of culinary artisans remained at the beck and call of the castle for the sole production of these fine creations, and you were at last able to taste one! The sweetness, needless to say, was almost overwhelming.
With the desserts finished, the banquet was at an end - all that remained were those of the very highest rank, such as the Regent and the Prince himself, who ate small, wafer-like sweet biscuits stamped with the coat of arms of the Brascarams family, a subtle delicacy reserved only for those of great honor and power. You were not amongst them.
Still so, you left the banquet greatly satisfied, and ready for whatever matter there was to discuss with his highness the Prince - who by good fortuned, had just as well sent a servant to call you over, that you might by escorted to that very same office of his once again...
"Your highness." you say, kneeling in greeting as you enter the room once more
"Greetings once again, Viscount. We shall be going over some varied matters relating to our...plan, today, but first amongst them, I think it wise of us to go over the current situation on the peninsula. Do come closer", he says, gesturing to a table on the side of his office, where a map is laid out. Whereas the great map set on his wall portrayed the entirety of the continent, this one seemed to be contained to the Straccian peninsula, although in this case, there seemed to be yet some remainders of what previously remained.
"In the North, the situation is stable, although not in a manner to our liking. The Republic of Genatta, being a waterlogged swamp with little else of note other than the cultivation of Wetgrain, remains under the influence of the League, and I have little doubt they are at work to expand it - the Principality of Sufia holds good relations with Bach, and the Judgedom of Ghiabria
"Judgedom?" you say, not quite remembering what such a manner of government was.
"It is the rule by a an absolute autocrat, who bears the title of Judge. It is in all matters not dissimilar to a royal crown. Irregardless...The Duchy of Silenia has proven somewhat amicable to the Empire, but theirs is an aging lord with no heirs. Nevertheless, they remain friendly for the moment."
He puts his hand on the map, gesturing to the leftmost side.
"In the West, there is of course, Nera, whom you know plentifully, and shall be your staging point. The Avonnese, another Judicature mucjh like Ghiabria, does not stand with the League, yet their rivalry with Nera makes them unsuitable for friendship all the same...though they might be more willing to aid weakening a foe such as Senucco. The Kingdom of Allegro, of course, are the remannts of the old Great Kingdom...they've little power to spare, despite their claim to the region."
"What about Vitellia?"
"They are a city state of the same name...well fortified, but unable to make any great movements. Having seen what happened to Antinia, however, they may be desperate to find a path to avoid the same fate...perhaps something you may be able to use."
You ought to remember that much. To take over a nation, mere warfare is not enough...you must make use of diplomacy as well. Don Carles continues to speak.
"Finally, there is the East. Much like the other countries of the eastern coast of Straccia, they are nearly all afflicted with rains that have left their coasts as swamps and wetlands.The Republic of Chiantia stands as notable in this regard, that they have managed to raise a grand city out of these murky waters. They are another one of the puppets of the League in the region, alongside the Principate of Monto. The latter have tried to destroy Antinia quite a few times already, but failed quite substantially. Friendly or not, it would not surprise me if they were to make a move should the Despot find himself unable to protect his new conquest."
He takes a breath.
"The Marquisate of Lubro is remarkable only that it is opposed entirely to the League of Bach, being surrounded by their puppets. You may find in them a possible ally, in the future. At last, Bellavista is little more than a haven for privateers and pirates on the Meringian, but one that has survived since the 12th century."
Although it seemed he was done, one more state seemed to catch your attention. Pointing to the borders on the furthest right, you asked. "And what of Keusig? I know them to be of the human race, rather than Straccian, and the kin of those who had fled the Ipenali Mountains during the reign of Old Himmeria, but where do they fit in this theater of politics?"
"Not greatly, I am afraid. Much like the Vidrellians, their neighbours leave them with little in terms of political ambition beyond the defense of their borders. If that is all, then I would have us proceed with the next item of the day, but if you've any questions, you may ask them as you wish, Viscount."
>Yes, I do have questions (If so, which) >No, let us continue
No update tomorrow, I will be busy
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AnonymousID:ZiIRcJ1v03/28/26(Sat)22:59:11
>>6390046 >Yes, I do have questions What is Senucco's primary income source? Being landlocked, it can't be sea trade (Pls ignore if we've been told this already, I don't remember nothing from the last thread)
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AnonymousID:pBKhQDiu03/28/26(Sat)23:42:35
>>6390046 It seems pretty clear that, besides the Despot (we haven't actually heard his name yet, I think, though names only serve to distinguish between the similar anyways) our biggest problem is going to be Chiantia and Monto, almost definitely motivated to act by their patron in Bach, even if not in clean unison because of Lubro separating them from proper cooperation. Carles' counterpart in Bach, if we're unfortunate enough for such a rival to have cast his eye on the same region, probably sees the same opportunity as we're being made to take. The Despot's probably not that concerned about them if he's kept his power and might up this long, and could probably knock around both of them if they tried something by themselves, but the moment we hurl ourselves in it's just a matter of time. And another enemy we'll have to fight. With that in mind: >Yes, I do have questions (If so, which) >What support or leverage can Bach levy towards Senucco or our own campaign, through their puppets? I'd imagine notable mercenaries or similar varieties of indirect support would be a given, beyond the finances needed to support those. At worst, an expeditionary force of "volunteers" or "adventurers" of Bach's own would not be a welcome sight. Our best advantage would be not being anticipated, but even if planning goes perfectly and nobody knows our game until the moment we declare our war of "liberation," there's definitely going to be a scramble the moment we make our move.
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Corvid!ocqkfzOAxwID:I6ZYixqp03/29/26(Sun)00:27:06
>Yes, I do have questions (If so, which) >What local allies can I call upon?
If we want this to go well, we need local support we can rely upon.
>>6390046 Oh golly, this is fun! What a complex game! Bear with me as I work out my thoughts
Okay, so I've bastardize Tercio's beautiful map to identify those countries that are sure to oppose us as an agent of Mirevale or at least are under pressure from Bach to do so. They are in red. Of these, we're conduct a land campaign so the greatest threats are Monto and Chiantia, both on the east coast.
States inclined to favor us are Nera (obviously), Silenia (unless the duke has died before we even arrive), and Lubro in the southeast. I've marked them in blue. So long as we make contact beforehand, Vitellia is probably a friend as well, though not an important one
Allegro and Avonna seem like the real wild cards here. They're well situated to intervene if they want. Avonna seems liable to view us as a Neran agent and might oppose that. Carles has told us nothing important of Allegro.
Since this is very much Carles's plan, the only question I can think of is: >How important are the interests of Nera? Why ask this? Avonna is an important unknown: it dislikes the current Senuccan despot, but is also rivals with Nera. We might be welcome as a friendly government for Sennuco, but not if we are perceived as a Neran ally. So we should ask Carles if and how often we can throw Nera under the bus to cut deals with Avonna
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AnonymousID:lCuoGTg503/30/26(Mon)03:23:26
>>6390261 Not to put the cart before the horse but with Vitellia's concerns, Antinia's subjugation, Allegro's lack of power and Lubro's lack of friends, depending on how things play out and how good our deal making is, I think we could finagle a sort of "Central Straccian League" or the like that's just a wall of defensive allegiances. Trying to knock everybody over into one flag Risorgimento style could alarm rival powers, but a defensive league of smaller states in troublesome positions could both frame us as liberator and protector while also presenting a stone wall in the face of escalations: the sort of peace I think Don Carles wishes for. Just floating the idea of it, we're a long long way from even beginning to actually act upon such grandiose plans.
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AnonymousID:d42aC6ZT03/30/26(Mon)03:45:31
>>6390803 Diplomacy is boring and cringe. Kill them all I say. The more enemies we make the more cool battles we can fight.
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AnonymousID:72ozgCtn03/30/26(Mon)07:32:58
>>6390803 I liie this idea and it'll be neat to see how it shapes out. Got to see how many Straccians actually want peace and stability on their peninsula
>>6390068 >>6390092 >>6390126 >Primary Income >What Support They might have >What Support I might have >How important are Nera's interests Questions accepted, writing will begin.
Also, I will just say, I really appreciate the map, any sort of "fan content" is good to see.
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AnonymousID:xSypzicT03/30/26(Mon)22:57:57
QM told to say that he wasn't able to post today but will return tomorrow
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AnonymousID:MOIuu9LO03/31/26(Tue)17:25:40
Knowing that we're giving up the Viscounty to go play around in an italian republic has really sapped my enjoyment of the quest. It's been fun at least.
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AnonymousID:IWCrjxkW03/31/26(Tue)17:31:57
>>6391527 Akchsyually it's not a republic, it's basically just a kingdom with a fancy name.
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AnonymousID:IWCrjxkW03/31/26(Tue)17:33:39
>>6391528 Also, the viscounty was like...one single city in a tiny island. tf were we even gonna do there bruh
>>6391611 I have another question: >The border with Chiantia looks quite strange, crossing the river several times instead of following its course. Is this perhaps a result of some convoluted legal dispute or long-standing territorial claims that we need to be aware of?
You knew somewhat of Senucco, from your tutoring, your reading, the things you had heard during your stay in Straccia; yet the specifics of that nation evaded you so. And amongst these, one stood by as of great importance...
"What of their wealth? Your highness had told me of their wealth of fertile ground and of mountain resources, sire, but they remain a landlocked state - and not one of the boisterous, barbarian plaindweller kind like the Gigantes. Whatever trade they may carry out upon, is it not of greater difficulty to what one might easily acquire and ship through the sea?"
"Not quite..." says your prince, shuffling the table to show another map which showed the mountains and rivers of this land. Though you knew not how deep the Prince's trove of maps and charts, they were proving useful indeed.
"The Vietta River, which falls upon the sea and streaks across the north of their land, stands between two great valleys. It is a land with fertility greater even than those verdant hills we had seen in our campaign in Tilano. The farmlands there alone are capable of sustaining the population of the cities of the Despotate, but even beyond that, their lack of coast has also rendered their territory entirely without the curse of the wetlands to be found in their eastern neighbours. Chiantia, in particular, was quite dependant on their crops to supplement their own, until the League offered them an alternative supplier..."
That would certainly explain their loyalty - Chiantia, you believed, was the second biggest city in the entirety of Straccia, short only of Vetra in Silenia - with Montellegaria as a close third. Still so, it begged the question... "If they have gained a new supplier, who, then, might still buy crops from Senucco?"
"Is it not true you yourelf have gained dozens of thousands of Imperii from the trade of Bachman Glass, Viscount?"
Well, he's certainly not wrong.
Before you are able to answer, however, he continued to speak. "Aside from independent merchants, they've also connections to Lubro, Allegro, Vitellia, Avonna, and until not so long ago, Antinia. And of course, whatever they produce is highly sought out within their own territory...quite curiously, despite the lack of any truly great city, the lands of Senucco are second in terms of populace only to the Silenians."
"I undertand, my liege - though, if they've enough connections in trade, might they not ask for the help from Bach, as it was with the Spisa?" The thought of being on the other side of such an expedition seemed a tad too ironic for your taste.
"Quite the opposite." replied the Prince. "To aid the Despotate so brazenly would invite enmity from the governments they had already seized. To the league, their interests require only that Senucco remains powerless while their influence increases elsewhere. It is far more likely they might support whatever interests Chiantia and Monto decide to take upon this war."
Hopefully, it will be to your favour...still, one question yet remained, for the moment.
"I must also ask, sire, of the degree of independence as to this conflict of mine. To what degree might I be bound to the interests of the Nerans? What direct support might I be able to acquire?"
"That, Viscount, shall depend upon your actions. To intervene too brazenly, too directly, would invite a spark that, however miniscule, might set alight the arsenal of Mauva...and bring us to direct war with Bach. And as for support, and local interest; there is only so much that my influence might realize, before those states which remains independent still begin to fear the expansion of the Empire, and flock to the League accordingly. However you deal with those local powers of Straccia, it must be with assets borne of your own hands."
So a war of your own making, then. It seems almost impossible to you, that an foreigner might drive himself to the conquest of one amidst the most populous of realms within a distant land...but you have agreed to the task, and so, you must achieve it.
"That is all, your highness. My curiosity is sated." you say, bowing once more out of reverence.
"Very good - then let it be so. It is time we move to a different matter, one of a choice that must be made. Your...suit of armor"
"Forgive me my liege, but my armor?" you say, not quite understanding what he meant by such a statement.
"To drive a war of such ambition by oneself, strong belief is required. It is most important that one should show themselves with a degree of power and appearance in the battlefield. Even mercenaries, flighty as they are, may be influenced by one's air of authority to remain longer upon the field. To that end, it does not do well to wield the same manner of armor as the knights that protect him."
You had, upon the eve of the Fortelli War, chosen to buy one of the ready-made suits of plate, rather than to have one made in custom for you. Though it served you well, perhaps it would have been better to take the more expensive road...
"My apologies, milorde. It was with little time that I was able to acquire my piece of armor." you say, excusing yourself to the Prince.
"It is of no issue - but you must use one of better make if you wish to succeed. I had told you upon our victory, Viscount, that you would be rewarded. To that end, I shall be the one to bear the cost for this order."
"My unending gratitude, your highness. You are too generous." you say, bowing yet another time. Although you have little doubt you would be able to afford even the most expensive of plate suits, to receive such a gift from a Crown Prince amongst all others is a great honor indeed. There is little doubt the artisans, whoever they are, shall put far greater effort into an order given by none other than the Prince himself.
"There remains a question pertaining to this, however." he interjects. "There stand amongst this continent three cities whose armorsmith possess skills of great note. Mascaloma, in which we stand; Strahlendorf, from Bach...and Antinia, which now stands under the control of Senucco."
"Is it even possible, milorde, to acquire such? I know not of the state upon which Antinia stands, but in comparison with how Montechia was left standing upon the end of our siege..."
"It is possible indeed, Viscount, though risky...it is not often that a smith might receive an order of suits fit for a monarch, and even so, for one not fit for the inhuman features of the Straccian. Questions may be raised, and however unlikely, knowledge of the source might reach the Despot's ears. To order anonymously would bring even further questioning.Yet their quality is unparalleled, and it cannot be denied what benefits it might bring to be armored in the style of the locals when you seek to overthrow their ruler."
"What of the smiths of Strahlendorf, then?"
"It would be of great ease, of course. Gold flows freely in their land, and the merchant class is unscrupulous in their dealings. There would be little in the way of questions, and the quality of their make is of little inferiority, compared to those of Antinia...and yet, distant as it is, it could find itself lost - taken by highwaymen, or an rival smith seeking to tarnish their rival's name, or even stolen by pirates at sea..."
"Mascaloma, then - certainly, they are as reliable as they are safe..."
"Truly they are, Don Alessandro, and yet the patterns and qualities of their style are seen with ease. There shall be little doubt of your origin, then, and it shall be that much harder to convince the locals that you have taken to becoming one amongst them."
Truly, a conundrum you might have never thougt capable of existing! It truly speaks to the web of trade that has spun through this land, that one might so easily consider options of such great distance to hold similar availability. Yet still, the problems they pose remain real. What would remain, then, the most valuable of assets?
>>6391616 I'll just say this for free, but, while the real reason is that that's just how borders work on the software I used, It will probably be treated as a case of enclaves on a long-standing contested borderland.
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AnonymousID:ZiIRcJ1v03/31/26(Tue)22:33:49
>>6391619 >I shall choose Strahlendorf Plate And to ensure it is not lost, we'll go to Strahlendorf personally to receive it.
>>6391620 Since the river is likely a major trade artery, the question of tolls is probably a really hot one right now as Senucco lost their leverage of being Chiantia's main grain supplier
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AnonymousID:72ozgCtn03/31/26(Tue)23:16:19
>>6391619 >I shall choose Antinian Plate I think it is worth taking the risk in order to reap the rewards of being armored like a Straccian. Also, it is the best armor and we would probably look very handsome in it