Liz blushes.Then she leans and against window frame and smiles slightly as she drinks the gift. If only this was a different time and place
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“A Citizen Pretender’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”
– Jane Clawsten, Pincers and Pinchability
Turn Deadline: Sun Mar 25 @ 5pm EDT
Salon season is in full swing, but the members of Leviathan’s are plumb smitten with the rememberances of the ball and determined to pursue their desires accordingly.
Please note - given the options available this round, the spring of 2419 presents a remarkable opportunity to take advantage of submitting private orders to @Bartlebot. One may certainly wish to commit one’s intentions to the Public Ledger, but the advantage of a quiet move submitted off the record cannot be underestimated.
Turn-specific events
Meanwhile, one might expect the following:
Turn 6 plague progress: Very Good chance for any existing condition to improve, Poor chance for it to worsen instead.
Turn 6 risks: Fair chance for any ‘sketchy’ tract to be contested in court by Weatherby’s Barristers. Contested deeds have an Good chance of being resolved in favor of the current owner, otherwise prior claims are discovered by the courts and ownership of the tract will be transferred to a random household.
Turn 6 special risk: Vanishing chance of experiencing a catastrophic encounter.
Noblesse Oblige
Optional: With the recent coverage in the Space Times that working classes have managed a meager but respectable collection in order to construct an orphanage, common sense dictates that the better classes should address the shortfall of public services within the city at once. Any number of collections are immediately organized to be made toward any number of worthy causes. One may donate to any combination of causes in any amount as one sees fit, naturally assuming one can support such a set of donations.
For example:
DONATE 3 400
Option 1: Donate to the construction of a grammar school: The next generation must be instructed in the fine arts of reading, writing, and rhetoric. Why in time, it may rival even Excelsior Hall!
- Benefits: PER+2 and Rank+20 per 100£ donated. School to be named after the largest contributor.
Option 2: Donate to the construction of a public park: The open spaces are so inviting in all seasons. Let us endeavor to set aside a space for all citizens of Weatherby to enjoy blossoms of spring, the sultry summer evenings, and the charming decay of autumn.
- Benefits: FSH+2 and Rank+20 per 100£ donated. Park to be named after the largest contributor.
Option 3: Donate to the construction of a trade school: A traditional path for the bright and eager to enhance their standing. By pairing young minds with lifelong masters, skills may be enhanced to the benefit off all. Benjamin Wheatly himself would be proud.
- Benefits: BUS+2 and Rank+20 per 100£ donated. School to be named after the largest contributor.
Option 4: Donate to the construction of a public library: Ah, the hallowed halls of learning and introspection. Weatherby University may cater to the academics, but even young minds delight to hear a stirring tale of adventure in a far off land.
- Benefits: EDU+2 and Rank+20 per 100£ donated. Library to be named after the largest contributor.
Military Service
With the potential threat of a resurgent New Prussia, the Queen herself has authorized the purchase of an official commission in the local forces. Purchasing a commission is a one-time payment that allows one to immediately assume the appropriate rank. Each subsequent rank is incremental instead of cumulative, that is to say: moving from the rank of Ensign to the rank of Lieutenant in the Space Hussars will cost an additional 250£ and yield an additional bonus of MIL+3 an Rank+15. This option will remain available for at least the next 12 months (i.e. at least through Turn 9). For example:
Commission Ensign Space Dragoons
| Commission | Space Hussars | MIL bonus | RANK bonus | Space Dragoons | MIL bonus | RANK bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensign | 450£ | 4 | 20 | 840£ | 8 | 80 |
| Lieutenant | 700£ | 7 | 35 | 1190£ | 12 | 120 |
| Captain | 1800£ | 18 | 90 | 3225£ | 32 | 320 |
| Major | 3200£ | 32 | 160 | 4575£ | 44 | 440 |
| Lt. Colonel | 4500£ | 45 | 225 | 6175£ | 60 | 600 |
Courtship
Thoughts are filled with gentle gestures and coy conversations. One should continue to pursue a potential pair bond with all possible haste against the encroachment of a potential rival. One may continue to demonstrate affection for any dance partner from the ball or alter one’s focus entirely. Heartfelt letters will be written with honesty, forthrightness, and dignity. One may write up to two Citizen Pretenders with increasing levels of interest. For example:
Write 1 Jasper Rawhide (indicating a level of honest but guarded interest)
Write 2 Madeline Penumbra (indicating a level of intrigue and fascination)
Outcomes will be modified by PER only during this phase. One will have an advantage with any Citizen Pretenders that were pleased to share a dance with you at the ball, but rivals may yet win the attention of any potential sweetheart with a few well placed words. The list of Citizen Pretenders available for courtship may be found in the program you’ve kept as a memento of the evening of dance. Next season, you will expect to take a moment to call upon the recipient of your first letter and to stroll through the Weatherby Botanical Gardens with the recipient of your second letter.
Name Likes Dislikes
@Tom_Ratchetcrank ??? ???
@liversnaps-grayson ??? ???
@Qaaxtzl ??? ???
@Rockford_Julius ??? ???
@Chewseen ??? ???
@Ssskidwish ??? ???
@Eighth ??? ???
Mary Flowers (Space Moose) FSH, Income MIL
Johann Wentworth (Space Human) PER, BUS FSH
Oblate Spheroid (Geometer) MIL, BUS EDU
Harriet Codsworth (Space Piscean) Income, PER FSH
Henry Argyle (Space Human) Rank, EDU BUS
Jasper Milkthistle (Space Human) PER, FSH Rank
Melisande Copse (Space Moose) Rank, FSH Income
James Riptide (Space Lobster) MIL, Rank PER
Lizzy Heliotrope (Holographic) EDU, Income MIL
Madeline Penumbra (Space Human) FSH, PER BUS
Cassie Oceana (Space Lobster) Income, Rank EDU
Richard Forester (Space Moose) BUS, EDU PER
Jasper Rawhide (Space Canine) EDU, Income FSH
Margaret Rockingham (Space Human) EDU, PER BUS
Zoë Thistleheart (Space Lizard) Income, Rank EDU
Charlotte Branchwit (Space Moose) FSH, MIL PER
Place Wagers
Optional: One may choose to wager on this season’s Lagoderm race. Merely select a promising creature from the Sports & Leisure section and also indicate the size of the wager. Example:
Wager Hamdinger 100
Rent:
Optional: One may procure personal quarters within the city at the current market rate. Any change of quarters comes with an additional 25£ fee for moving services. Each improvement represents a move to a better neighborhood with a more impressive address. Example:
Rent Spartan apartment
The following neighborhoods are available for rent.
Nature of Quarters Upkeep Effect Neighborhood
-------------------- -------------- ---------- --------------
Spartan apartment 75£ per turn +50 rank Ten Path
Modest apartment 200£ per turn +75 rank Paddingdown
Proper apartment 400£ per turn +150 rank St. Marrowbone
Fashionable apartment 700£ per turn +300 rank Dragoon Mews
Luxurious apartment 1200£ per turn +500 rank Whipweed Place
Although the plague continues to abate, several useful medicines are still available for purchase by popular demand:
5£ Dr. Arbuckle's Whipweed Tonic Wine
10£ Ms. Merrimoose's Soothing Syrup
15£ Franklin Gooseberry's Remarkable Colloidal Seryl
3 Likes
Might I ask, as a point of clarification, whether one might donate to multiple causes?
What good is it, I ask, if you teach a young sentient to read, but do not provide them any suitable material to peruse in their leisure time?
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What a lumping dance party!!! Like this is totally how my love story begins, isn’t it? A Grand March, a Double Quarille, and then that lumping sweet Waltzzz! It was better than a hot can of beans!
Like, I mean, I could have sworn I took a break for sandwiches, but those temporal glitches! You never know when these timelines collapse. This is for sure the best timeline, where I’m extra hot and sizzling. You know I should totally write a book about how I’m hot. It’d be like a best seller. And then maybe I could give out tips and junk! So everyone can like dance like me! They’d get so popular~~~
But getting sick was SO eye opening! I gotta live life! Hoarding all that money didn’t really make me happy. Spending it does! I am living my best life.
[ Dutchess Gummibuns finally reads the papers, having failed to do so in any timely manner. ]
Oh, my Glob, you guys, drama bomb! Like, I totally thought that cube was just boring and skipped the ball! BUT…
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One may certainly donate to multiple causes! It is only fit and proper that a landed estate support any individual cause to varying degrees as befit the interests of the household.
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This military commission - can we purchase commissions for other people?
Obviously, there’s nothing so base as a salary associated with the position, but is there a pension?
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Excellent! That is what I expected, but when one cannot make multiple investments or multiple wagers in a season, one feels the need to ask.
Thank you.
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Most certainly not! Purchasing a commission means in essences that your financial backing directly results in the support and maintenance of a body of soldiers of the appropriate size. You yourself are considered in command of that body of soldiers should they ever be called up to service.
No salary per se, but when command of the unit is relinquished under proper circumstances naturally, one will receive that invested measure back in full as a pension. In the meantime, one may look forward to all the respect and glory that such a position entails.
Also, it is worth mentioning that a lateral promotion from the Space Hussars of the Weatherbean Army to the Dragoons of the Weatherbean Space Navy is also possible if one can afford the differential. Although it may be said that the Dragoons never quite look upon an officer coming up from dirtside in quite the same way as one of their own, as one might recognize.
ETA: Additional Q&A regarding military commissions can be found in the Players Handbook
5 Likes
“Okay, everybody, listen up. Word out there is that even if New Prussia isn’t getting ready to invade, we’re getting ready for them. That could mean conscription orders. If you get them, bring them to me… I can’t guarantee we’ll get out of this in one piece, but we can certainly try.” A nervous laugh runs through the newsroom, but everyone in it knows the truth: the Crown doesn’t care about Pretenders as anything other than cannon-fodder. The best they can hope for is an officer that thinks otherwise.
As far as that goes, he calls a meeting of his most trusted editors and reporters. His hands are shaking worse than at the Ball, and there’s not enough water on the entire planet to ease his dry throat. But this is the right thing to do, the only fair thing to do.
“Given current events, there’s likely a story coming that could hit us hard. If we can’t get out ahead of it, I don’t want you getting blindsided. I don’t know how this is going to shake out, or when, for that matter, but I think you have the right to know.” With that, he tells them the story. There’s silence through the entire thing and a little bit afterwards, before Skrissh confirms some of Liv’s earlier suspicions with a wisecrack. Liv bows his head, acknowledging the hit, and most of the tension dissipates from the room. He wishes he could tell them (and himself) that it will be okay, but there’s no way to know that. He hardly even dares hope.
10 Likes
The drums of war beat louder, we all can hear it yet some insist in filling their ears with the pretty ayres of waltzes. I for one cannot do so. Capstanturnbuckles have been bred for action since time immemorial.
I shall have no use for my current opulent quarters, the funds saved can be spent on the improvement of Weatherby!
Rent Spartan Apartment
I once flew the Yellow Pennant as Commodore, now I find myself an Ensign. So be it, Duty before Pride.
Reinstate Ensign Hussars
Though I am not without means, and command is in my blood, so
Purchase Commission Space Dragoon Lieutenant
7 Likes
Young Tom’s face pales
Right, back to the ol’ hammock I go.
Oooookay, off to the front it is then. Jolly good, sigh. Ah wells, maybe bein’ his valet I can strike up a deal with the Quarter Master, set aside a little something for when we come hom…
Ah cr@9. I’m dead.
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The military, eh?
Brummell had left before when he was posted to an unfashionable system. And it had been such a long time since he had been a Cornet.
At least his holographic nature meant he didn’t need to worry about fitting back into his old uniform.
Although he still had his doubts about the nature of the New Prussian threat. And now there was that delightful dance partner to consider.
Still, needs must. @Qaaxtzl! Fetch my trunk out of storage!
12 Likes
Automatic door sliding silently aside, Damerl stepped onto the darkened and still bridge of his latest ship. Sliding a hand along the control panel to bring up the lights he felt the smooth precision of the finely crafted helm. ‘She’s a fine ship,’ he thought, ‘small, but quick.’ Even with the main reactors on cool he could feel her deck plates practically surging to break free of gravity, to race across the stars.
‘To what use shall you be? A ship of war or one to explore?’ His thoughts turned to the building tensions; would there be war with New Prussia? He could not tell, the motivations of those who fancied themselves the leaders of society had always baffled him. What matter the fleeting admiration gained for a night of wearing the latest togs? He looked upon his now antiquated patent boots- they still served well. Who cared what street your calling card named, did they not all lead to the same places? Was it not only the stars that promised freedom, where a sentient could truly test himself and find his measure? But no, those were not the ways here, and the lobster he was could not do but to defend this place and its sometimes foolish ways.
Of their forming military he reflected proudly though; those who had been tested in battle before had been the first to step forwards, and had given as much as they could to fund the outfitting of the troops. And old Frankenbeans, who would have known the madman had such experience?
No, no sentient could know what was to come, but this Damerl knew- no place rich as Weatherby could go forever without having to defend itself. An involuntary shudder ran down his carapace as he recalled the slaughter of the colonies on Nephropidae 3 and 7, they too had the arrogance to ignore a looming threat and instead walzted into annihilation.
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Liv, I hear you have a big scoop you are working on. Care to share?
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“Now, Lady Elizabeth,” Unlike his smile when he attempted to comfort her after the disaster of a ball, this one was more a baring of the teeth than anything indicating sympathy or warmth, “surely you realise that the nature of our business isn’t to share. I am hardly going to betray the hard work and loyalty my staff give to me simply because not enough freelancers have decided to offer their services.” He doesn’t add the part out loud that those who can afford to work at the rates she pays can’t also afford to do the kind of investigative work that full-time paid reporters can. So what if his best churn out two or three good stories a year – those stories are doozies and have given the Post-Ledger the reputation it has. A freelancer (especially one selling to Lady Elizabeth) has neither the time, nor money – or if they do, they unlikely have the motivation – to seek out the kind of stories she seems to crave. “I am sure you realise that the Ledger is always chasing stories, so I can’t possibly comment, even if I knew what you were talking about. As for ideas we’ve chosen not to pursue, surely you don’t want someone else’s leftovers for your dinner, do you?”
Do your own damn work, he thinks. The nerve to simply ask him to hand it over. He thinks suddenly about what he told her that morning after the ball. At least if I didn’t dance with anyone, it was by choice. It’s a nasty thought to be certain, but he suddenly feels his blood becoming as cold as hers. Either she really is the airhead she seems, or the entire thing is an act to get people to let down their guard and be manipulated until they can’t see straight. Option one, and she needs a few more good knocks before she realises that the world hands itself to nobody. Option two and it’s all the more reason not to play her game.
He sighs. “@Rumpthwaite, some hot water, please.” The galaxy is going to run out of willows before he runs out of headaches at this rate.
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I will devise something pun-ishing, I’m sure!
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Very good Doctor, most assuredly it will make an im-Prussian upon them!
It has been much too long since you and I have had the pleasure of each other’s company; I was just on my way to the Leviathan, care to join me?
Capstanturnbuckle eyed the Doctor surreptitiously. Surely the @Old man played the fool, but there was something behind those eyes, something truly wicked and cruel. Damerl hoped when the time came it would be on their side.
11 Likes
“I like the hat.”
“Quiet, you.”
“No, really. It bringth out your eyeth.”
Sigh. “I have no patience for your whims and subterfuges, Ssskidwish.”
“Would you lithen to yourthelf? You’ve utterly drunk the Thkink-Aid and now you’re believing your own hype. You actually think that you’re Cathinogennifer Honeyvenom, Royal Ambathador to the New Prussian Empire.”
“And who else could lay claim to the title? You?”
“Don’t make me laugh.”
“Don’t make me laugh, Captain, it hardly suits the dignity of my position to be seen rolling on the floor in mirth at the very idea of an aging salamander like you mincing about in Weatherbean drag, fending off dewy-eyed and moist-palmed advances from all the arthropod Sea Peas scuttling in every alley from here to the palace. Do you know, I once found you something substantially more than just ridiculous, but for the life of me I cannot think what.”
“They won’t retheive you.”
“The New Prussians? Of course they must.”
“They will thee right through you.”
“That, I am relieved to say, will be my own problem, and not yours to exacerbate.”
“I should be with you.”
“Ha! I know what you’d do, and I won’t hear of it. It’s because of the love our mothers bore for each other that I don’t reveal you right now as the would-be traitor you are. I won’t have you anywhere near these negotiations. You’d enter them with only a gimlet eye toward short-term personal profit, and you’d bring ruin down upon us all. I can but hope that the New Prussians are both wiser than and less opportunistic than you.”
“…”
“And that’s all I have to say about that.”
“Carthy…”
“What is it, Ssskidwish?”
“You mutht lithen to me.”
“I’ll hear you out upon my return. There is no time for your plots now.”
slam!
13 Likes
Oh Liv @MalevolentPixy there is no reason to get snippy. Some of us in this industry do choose to cooperate. But your welcome to go it alone if you prefer. Becareful though, don’t put all your resources on this new prusssia threat. There are other much greater threats lurking.
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Liv accepts his hot water from @Rumpthwaite, never breaking eye contact with Lady Elizabeth @Hadley. It’s definitely option two, he decides. The threat is unmistakable. “You do what you see fit, Lady Elizabeth.” He wonders if she has some other predator skills. Can she hear the beating of a heart, or see the changing heatmap of a warmblood’s circulatory system?
He stands and collects his hot water, moving to a table at the other side of the club. Silently, he curses himself for not seeing it sooner. Clearly, her earlier devastation was mere crocodile tears, and he’d fallen for it, offering sympathy and drinks.
Of course, it could be a bluff. She could be trying to see if he’d inadvertently blab about any of the things the Post-Ledger is working on, which only shows how badly she may have misread him. Either way, he definitely has no intention of sharing her company – the creature is more venomous than a red-spot arachnoid looking for a quick snack.
9 Likes