"So, where are you going?" came a voice from the door.  Sly, calculating, hungry ... yes, Karth was feeding off of the discontent aimed at Dekko in recent months.  The elder Nitrix leveled his gaze at the confident young man with a displeasure that could could strip the walls bare.  Still, he didn't dare unleash his temper just yet, Karth was only dangerous in the first place because he was talented.  His talent for understanding what people wanted, and his contacts with certain undesirable elements were what had gotten the Nitrix their current favor with the Black Market.  Desperate men will pay any price for security, at least, that was the sales pitch they'd handed the arms dealers.  Of course, Dekko was forced to overlook the amount of small arms also passing into his now small domain, more than enough personal weapons to mount an insurrection.  Dekko was more than willing to bet that Karth had factored that in as well.

"What kind of foolish question is that?  There is only one place that I can go, the way things are now." he said, pushing himself up from behind the desk and clasping his hands behind his back.

"Of course, of course.  I meant, what business of state are you going to attend?"  Karth said, pausing only to smooth the front of his coat.

"It seems that Faradi has found herself a husband in a Bolavor local.  I approve, in theory, we could use some fresh, talented blood these days.  Since Zibble's death, it seems we've been forced back on our heels desperately scrambling for purchase as everything we've taken rapidly slipped away.  Besides, it will further cement our relationship with the Jungle Fighters.  However, it says something about Faradi's work ethic.  Our covert operations have been sloppy and fruitless for more than a season, and yet, our head of intelligence has enough time to find herself a husband."

"Mmn, you indulged her too quickly, I think.  You should have kept her close at hand in the beginning instead of shipping her directly to Bolavor, how is she going to respect you if she barely knows you?"

"Indeed, I thought that perhaps pulling her off that dust ball would be enough to make her suitably grateful, but it seems she requires a bit of negative reinforcement as well.  I'm finished tolerating her poor performance, the time is comming to tighten the belt, and if Faradi doesn't start producing results, I'll see her buried in the most inhospitable pit I kind find on that jungle world." his grip tightened behind his back as he grit his teeth.  Then, with a sigh, he continued, "I'm afraid that means I'm leaving you to oversee Nubiteri's Rites of Patronage, I'm sure you don't mind."

"Of course not.  I'll go make preparations and leave you to your trip.  Do take care, Dekko, there are no small number of people who think they could do the job better than you at this point."  Karth said conversationally before leaving the doorway.  Dekko glared at him through the wall.

"I am distinctly aware, Cousin."
[Private to The Void:
1- INITIATIVE-
5 + 1 (6)

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
Rolled 1 (Success)

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Bolavor - Jungle Fighters (1 Solat)
Nitrix - Nuclear Arsenal, Nuclear Arsenal, Suicide Squad (13 Solats)

4- MOVEMENT-
Jumpship "Returner" (Bolavor --> Nitrix)
Unloaded

Jumpship "Blackgate" (Nitrix --> Bolavor)
Nuclear Arsenal, Nuclear Arsenal, Suicide Squad, Dekko Nitrix

Jumpship "Ingens" (Aquaria --> Bolavor)
-=Retreating=-

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Bolavor - ARMED - Space
Bolavor - ARMED - Space

6- BATTLE-

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
Imperial Beaurocracy - (Autosuccess) +1 Init next turn
Dekko Nitrix - Moving
Karth Nitrix - 2 (Failed)
Faradi Nitrix - 6 (Failed)
Nubiteri Nitrix - 2 (Failed)]

(exterior, The Countess is seen on a reviewing stand with Foliage in the back round)
"My Subjects I come before you today to Tell you that our moment is now. Now is the time for our old wounds to be repaid. This time Frost will not be our failure but our triumph. The Sector will feel our touch. I tell you now that i go to battle myself to ensure our victory. I am willing to fall to acheive our desires. I ask that each of you be willing to do the same. ARE YOU WITH ME? <Deafing Roar>


[Private to GM:
1. INITIATIVE=1 (well roll reflects speed)

2. PRODUCTION=29+11stockpile=40

3. UPKEEP=7  40-7=33 available

4. Recruit Noble=nadda (Rouseing speach may be in order lucky i got one)

5. Recruit Troops

   2 preists on kadesh =10
   1 merc on bazarium  =2 (i have the feeling that flank is gona go badly for me)
   1 RDM on computus   =7
   Dalton twiddles     =0
   1 Nuke on mecurium  =5
   Mox twiddles        =0
   Parallax twiddles   =0
   1 Amazon on punah   =5
   1 JS at Yoravar     =4
                  Total=33(Hah just nuff)

6. MOVEMENT
   2 Fresh preists go to mox in the JS(getting a tad repative aint it.)
   Bazarium twiddles
   Computus ships 3 RDMs in JS to parallax
   Dalton twiddles
   Mecurium Packs its 3 nukes up and aims them for pyreen(The gambit begins)
   Mox Packs up Preistess Captain Sasha, 2 RDMS, 3 nukes, 5 preists and the damper off to assult frost(one hell of a distraction)

   Parallax sends its jumpship to kadesh
   Punah Sends The countess, 5 amazons, 2 preists, and 1 nuke To pyreen( The real strike i care about)
   Yoravar sends one JS to Kadesh
7. Nukes
   All nukes on my planets armed for antiship fire
   3 nukes going to frost Targeted for ground attack(gonna warm things up a bit)
   2 of the nukes bound for pyreen set for ground attack others on safe
8. Battle
   This may suck the big one. Battles at Frost and Pyreen
9. NOBLE ACTIONS
   Rebel Sabotage vs JS over Eden=nope
   Countess in Transit for attack
   Priest Captain Gerlien in Transit for Attack
   Priestess Captain Sasha sabotage vs JS over Seedeen=BOOM
   Lord Kirtiu Prad Intrigue vs imperial army=nope(seems sabotage is my thing)
   Lord Yelvin Kadesh Sabotage of the JS over quayt=nope

]
This message was last edited by the player at 07:20, Thu 26 June 2008.

*sigh*    here we go again


[Private to Countess Kadesh:
You bring the wine, I'll bring the cheese.]

The Imperial Sages report:

Several new nobles join the Houses in the sector this turn. For the Lortran, Baron Donald travels to this troubled sector. For the Gurati, Justina Montoya, another young noble from an affiliated minor house. On the eve of the Baron's funeral, the Surgeons of Silex reconstruct Castille Gurati. The genetic and cybernetic augmentations to his body are barely concealed, and some might frown at such a monstrosity taking control of the House. However, such was the will of the late Baron. The Nitrix, too, attract another noble of their house to their dwindling holdings in this sector. Nubiteri Nitrix hopes to carve out a little holding for herself in this troublesome bit of galaxy.

Gratius Rephiliad, the Gurati master assassin, the same who strangled Countess Kadesh (the former one) in her own bed, moves on with the inhuman precision he is known for. This time, his target is none other than the Duke Lortran. And, as could be expected, he was successful - the Duke's dismembered and defiled corpse was found in the concourse of the Lortran palace. However, a few days later the Duke was seen inspecting the very place of assassination and instructing his subordinates in security measures. Those subordinates who weren't executed, that is.

The Nitrix nobles are, again, plagued by a lack of success.

Kadesh's Priestess captain Sasha pilots her personal yacht on a daring raid against a Gurati Jumpship over Pyreen. Theedges of her solar sails slice into the jumpship's unprotected belly and slit the ship open. Numerous crewmen are simply sucked out into space, the jumpship gutted and useless.

The imperial tactician reports:

This season saw a major move against the Gurati by the Kadesh on two planets. Luck seems to be deserting House Gurati. In a risky move, the Countess Kadesh herself led the attack on Pyreen.

Encounter at Pyreen:

Kadesh: 4 nuclear arsenals, 4 JS, The Countess, 5 amazons (3), 2 priests (2p)
Gurati: 5x Desert  warriors (3), 1 nuke,  2 imperial conscripts (1),  1 cyborg commando(2), 1 damper, 1 noble, 1 JS

Nuclear exchange phase:
Both sides pull the stops on their nukes. Great fireballs of nuclear fury rage above and all over the planet. The Gurati arsenal doesn't do any damage to the atatcking fleet. The Kadesh have more luck, and along with a damper field take out a unit of conscripts. More irreparable damage is done to the once peaceful planet and its forests.

The Kadesh land on fields of glass left after nuclear explosions. It doesn't take long until Gurati challenge the landing; vicious fighting erupts, but the presence of the Countess tips the rather matched battle away from the Gurati. Consequently, most of the Gurati garrison is slaughtered, the desert warriors who form the mainstay of Gurati forces not used at all to this manner of fighting.

After round 1:
Kadesh: 2 nuclear arsenals, 4 JS, The Countess, 2 amazons (3), 2 priests (2p)
Gurati: 1x Desert  warriors (3), 1 noble, 1 JS

it takes just a few more days of campaigning to find out and eliminate the remnants of Gurati presence on the planet.

final score: Kadesh wins. Remaining forces: 2 nukes, 3 jumpships, the countess, 2 Kadesh warrior priests.

D'Silvia Gurati, the leader of the defense force, is brought before the Countess. The Gurati commander is bound in chains, broken and bloody, gagged to await her sentence in silence.


Encounter at Frost

The second prong of Kadesh's attack is directed at Frost, where one of Kadesh's nobles is still displayed as a war trophy.

Kadesh: 1 noble - priest Captain Gerlien, 4 JS, 2 RDMs (4), 3 nukes, 5 priests (2p) and a damper
Gurati: 11 ice barbarians(3fs),3 house troops(2), 1 noble*, 1 noble,  1 cyborg commandos (2)

Nuclear exchange: Kadesh is set to warm Frost up a little bit, as per confession of the Countes herself. Artificial dawn lights up the dark side of the planet, and left are huge craters in the icy crust of the planet. 2 house troops, unused to the environment, buy the farm.

Closely following the nuclear conflagration, dropships deposit the sizable invasion force into a valley connecting Frost's strategically inportant cities. Robot death machines, sleek black shiny messengers of death which strike fear into the hearts of their living enemies, glide towards the ground on their own.

Priest captain Gerlien and his priests call up a huge front of psychic energy, ready to slam onto Gurati defenses.

However, it is all in vain. They stumble into a well laid trap, and are all wiped out in a single hour of ambushes and withering fire. The defense force, led by the assassin Gratius Rephiliad, savages the ranks of the Kadesh, and before he can even pull his troops together, Captain Gerlien falls, skull split open by an ice barbarian's frostblade. So the altar of victory on Frost sports two Kadesh corpses from this point on.

Final result: 11 ice barbarians(3fs),1 house troops(2), 1 noble*, 1 noble,  1 cyborg commandos (2)

      1      2       3      4       5        6       7       8       9     10
   ______         _______        ________         _______         ______
  /Gurati\_______/       \______/Gridox  \_______/       \_______/      \______
A \_G1/5_/       \_______/      \_G0/4___/       \_______/       \______/Lortran
  /      \_______/Quayat \______/        \_______/       \_______/Scorch\_L0/8_/
B \______/       \_G1/4__/      \________/       \_______/       \_L0/8_/      \
  /      \_______/Seedeen\______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
C \______/       \_G0/12_/      \________/       \_______/ Marx  \______/      \
  /      \_______/Pyreen \______/        \_______/Zenceti\_L3/14_/      \______/
D \______/ Frost \_K4/4__/      \________/       \__L0/9_/       \______/      \
  /      \__G0/13/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
E \______/ Dalton\_______/      \________/ Eden  \_______/Hellish\______/      \
  /      \_K0/8__/       \______/Mercurum\_G1/11_/       \_L2/7__/      \______/
F \______/ Punah \_______/      \_K0/9___/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_K0/4__/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
G \______/  Mox  \_______/      \________/       \_______/Aquaria\______/      \
  /      \_K1/9__/       \______/        \_______/       \_L1/6__/      \______/
H \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_______/       \______/        \_______/Bolavor\_______/      \______/
I \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_N2/15_/       \______/      \
  /Kadesh\_______/Paralax\______/Computus\_______/       \_______/      \______/
J \_K2/1_/Yoravar\_K1/4__/      \_K0/5___/Bazarum\_______/       \______/Nitrix\
         \_K0/1__/       \______/        \__K1/2_/       \_______/      \_N1/11/

• Location -Name
• A10 -Lortran- [Private to Duke Lortran: 4 nobles,7 house troop, 1 heretics, funds:8 ]
• A1 -Gurati- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 house troops,2 damper field, 2 nobles, 1 cyborg commandos, 1 JS funds:72 ]
• J1 -Kadesh- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 nobles, 1 fanatics, 2 JS funds:3 ]
• J10 -Nitrix- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 2 Nobles (Karth, Nubiteri), 8 House Troops, 1 suicide squads, 2 damper fields,1 jumship funds:6 ]
• G8 -Aquara- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1xjumpships, 1 damper, 1 subterranean mutants,1 mercenaries, 1 noble, 2 house troops, 1 sea monsters ]
• J6 -Bazarium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troops,1 jumpship, 1 merc ]
• I7 -Bolavor- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 11 jungle fighters, 2 suicide squads,  2 nobles (Faradi, Dekko), 2 jumpships,  2 nuclear arsenals ]
• J5 -Computus- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 2 RDMs, 1 nukes, 2 fanatics, ]
• E2 -Dalton- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 5 nuke, 3 priests ]
• E6 -Eden- [Private to Baron Gurati: (old) Baron Gurati, 9 solar templars,1 colonial rangers, 1 damper, 1 JS ]
• D2 -Frost- [Private to Baron Gurati: 11 ice barbarians,1 house troops, 1 noble*, 1 noble,  1 cyborg commandos ]
• A5 -Griddox- [Private to Baron Gurati: 4 prison soldiers ]
• E8 -Hellish- [Private to Duke Lortran: 3 clone soldiers, 2 jumpships, 1 dampers, 1 mutants, 2 mercs ]
• C8 -Marx- [Private to Duke Lortran: 3 JS, 2 noble, 2 house troops, 4 psychic veterans, 3 clone soldiers,  1 arsenal, 1 dampers,  2 mercenaries, 1 heretics ]
• F5 -Mercurium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 Warrior priests , 8 miners, ]
• G2 -Mox- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 7 miners,  2 nobles, 1 jumpships, 2 warrior priests, 4 jumpships returning ]
• J3 -Parallax- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 JS, 1 priests, 3 RDMss ]
• F2 -Punah- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 3 Amazonians, 1 transhuman supersoldier ]
• D3 -Pyreen- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 noble, 2 nukes, 2 priests, 4 jumpships ]
• B3 -Quayat- [Private to Baron Gurati: 4 desert wariors, 2 noble, 1 jumpship (retreating from pyreen - available next turn) ]
• B9 -Scorch- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 house troop, 1 psychic veteran, 4 lava projectors, 2 nukes ]
• C3 -Seedeen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 11 imperial conscripts,  1 noble ]
• J2 -Yoravar- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troop, ]
• D7 -Zenceti- [Private to Duke Lortran: 9 psychic natives ]

This message was last edited by the GM at 11:20, Thu 26 June 2008.

Kadesh speaks of Gurati 'offensives', and Gurati 'assaults', Gurati 'brutality'.
Yet, it is the warmongering and greedy Kadesh who continue to attack the peaceful planet of Pyreen, continue to attack Frost, and bring war to the sacred planet of Eden (even after announcing it sacred, themselves).

Gurati will NOT lie down; Gurati will not allow its people to be slaughtered by such monsters.

[Private to GM:

beginning:
Jerstertia III
Baron Castille Gurati
Justinia Montoya
2 x House Troops
2 x Damper Field
1 x Cyborg Commando
Jumpship Epsilon II

Eden
Andorus Gurati
9 x Solar Templars
1 x Colonial Ranger
1 x Damper Field - armed to defend against Nukes.
Jumpship ALPHA

Frost
Gratius Rephiliad
Gratius Hellius
11 x Ice Barbarians
1 x House Troops
1 x Cyborg Commandoes

Gridox
4 x Prison Conscripts

Quayat
Ephrates Gurati
Indigo Montoya
4 x Desert Warriors
Jumpship ZETA

Seedeen
Florentine Gurati
11 x Imperial Conscripts

Treasury
72 Solats



1- INITIATIVE-
GM rolls this

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
You rolled 10 using 3d6 ((4,5,1)).
          _{free roll + Imp Arist + S of Silex}.
1 Noble Recruited!
   Kinsman Gurati ... second cousin to the Baron, by way of the supplicant House of Torieil.


3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Jerstertia III: Damper Field (cost: 2)
Jerstertia III: Cyborg Commandoes (cost: 4)
Frost: Ice Barbarians (cost: 3)
Seedeen: Imperial Conscripts (cost: 1)
Quayat: Desert Warriors (cost: 5)
Eden: Solar Templars (cost: 7)
Griddox: Prison Soldiers (cost: 1)
   Unspent - 51 Solats

4- MOVEMENT-
JUMPSHIP EPSILON II, Justinia Montoya, 2 x Damper, 1 x Cyborg Commandoes: Jerstertia III (1a) --> Quayat (3b)

JUMPSHIP ALPHA, Andorus Gurati, 3 x Solar Templars: Eden (6e) --> Pyreen (3d)

Colonial Rangers: Eden (6e) --> Pyreen (3d)

JUMPSHIP ZETA, Indigo Montonya, 3 x Desert Warriors: Quayat (3b) --> Pyreen (3d)


5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
none

6- BATTLE-
initiate none

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
1: Castille Gurati (1a): Govern Jerstertia II: auto success: rolled +3: = 8 Solats.
2: Andorus Gurati (6e): Govern Eden: auto succeed: rolled +3: = 5 Solats
3: Ephrates Gurati (1a): Govern Quayat: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solats
4: Gratius Rephiliad (2d): Govern Frost: auto succeed: rolled +5: = 6 Solats
5: Florentine Gurati (1a): Govern Seedeen: auto succeed: rolled +5: = 6 Solats
6: Gratius Hellius (1a): Strategic Planning: auto succeed: rolled 2 = bonus to Initiative next round
7: Indigo Montoya (1a): Intrigue "Spacing Guild": rolled 1 = Success.
8: Justinia Montoya (1a): Govern Griddox: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solats
9: Kinsman Gurati (1a): Sabotage: Kadesh Jumpship on Mox: rolled 1 = Success.
A virus is left on the 'blackbox' of the ship, to be found by Kadesh investigators.  "Gurati will not lie down" ... the virus is designed to spread itself quickly into other Kadeshi computer systems, delivering its message until Kadeshi experts can remove it.


Treasury:
Govern Jerstertia III = 8
Govern Eden = 5
Govern Quayat = 5
Govern Frost = 6
Govern Seedeen = 6
Govern Griddox = 5
Surgeons of Silex = 1
Mercantile consortium = 2
Spacing Guild = 1
   Unspent from above - 51
]

Duke Lortran looked down at his corpse.  It was not a pretty sight, to say the least.  The fact that he had expected this, and prepared for it did not reduce the anger he felt.  His double had been doing an excellent job, not just at keeping him safer from assassination, but also at governing Lortran while he pressed his diplomatic efforts.  It was difficult to think of his exactly copy as a 'friend,' especially wheny they could not afford to be in the same place for any amount of time until now, but he would miss his doppleganger.

Setting his jaw, he looked up from the defiled body, and motioned for one of his gray-clad advisors to take it away.

The duchess Catherine came running into the hall, her eyes alight.  When she spotted the duke, she gasped, thenk blinked in confusion.  "They told me you were...that you had been..."  Her tone betrayed her emotions--she had thought control of the house had finally fallen to her.

"I am sorry to disappoint, dear sister," replied the duke cooly.  "It was my double the Gurati's killed.  You will have to wait a bit longer to take over House Lortran."

"But...how?"  Catherine stammered, still blinking in confusion.

"Our brief alliance with the surgeons of Silex was more fruitful than anyone realized.  They are skilled, but so are the clonemasters of Marx.  This," he motioned towards the body being dragged away, "was the fruit of their combined efforts, though it arrived after the surgeons had returned to the Gurati fold.  I'm not sure they even know if the procedure was a success.  They didn't seem to view the clonemasters very highly, I'm afraid."

The duchess took in a deep breath, and managed to compose herself somewhat.  "Well.  It is most fortunate you were prepared for this attack, brother.  I am ever so thankful that you are alive."

"Hmm.  Yes.  I'm sure you are, Catherine, thank you," Tycho replied.  "But the Gurati will realize their mistake soon enough.  And they will be back, no doubt.  And without the surgeons we cannot produce another double.  Power may fall to you yet, sister."

Catherine kept uncharacteristicly silent in respone.  A moment passed.

"Open war is nearly upon us, Catherine.  I expect Gurati will send more than an assassin after me next time.  We need to prepare, and quickly.  Send word to all the Lortran nobles.  We need funds.  Increase taxes, and double conscription efforts.  The Nitrix and the Gurati both will be at our throats in the coming seasons, and we must be ready to defend what we have fought so hard to take."  The Duke's expression was unusually grim, and his voice betrayed an anger rarely seen in the Duke.

Catherine, however, didn't seem to be paying his words much attention.  "Brother," she asked.  "How do I know that you are not the double, and that the real Tycho hasn't been killed?"

"I'm afraid there is no way for you to know, sister."

[Private to GM: Orders:

1- INITIATIVE-
13:16, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. init.

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
13:16, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 6 using 1d6. recruit noble.

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Lortran:  Jumpship, 2x heretics. cost 8
Marx: clone. cost 1
Scortch: none
Zenceti: none
Hellish: nuke. cost 5
Aquaria: none

4- MOVEMENT-
Aquaria --> Hellish
1 Jumpship
w/ 1 damper

Hellish --> Marx
1 Jumpship

Hellish --> Aquaria
1 jumpship
w/ 2x clones, 1x nuke

Marx --> Hellish
2 jumpships
w/ 2 psychic vets, 1 clone
1 merc, 1 heretic, 1 house troop

Marx --> Scortch
1 Jumpship

Lortran --> Marx
1 JS
w/ 3x heretics

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Nukes Marx: armed (jumpships)
Nukes Scortch: armed (jumpships)
Nukes aquaria: armed (jumpships)

6- BATTLE-

Lortran group:
1. heretics
2. house troops (+nobles x4)

Scortch group:
1. house troops
2. Lava projectors
3. psychic vets

Marx group:
1. heretics
2. guild mercenaries
3. clones
4. house troops
5. psychic vets(+nobles)


Zenceti group:
1. psychic natives

Hellish group:
1. heretics
1. mercs
2. clones
3. mutant
4. psychic vets

Aquaria group:
1. Mercenaries
2. house troops
3. mutant
4. sea serpents + 1 noble

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-

Duke Tycho (Lortran) - Intrigue: surgeons
  13:35, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 5 using 1d6. noble action 1--intrigue.
Baron Marcos (Marx) - Govern
  13:35, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 1 using 1d6. noble action 2--govern.
Marquis Alex (Aquaria) - Govern
  13:35, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. noble action 3--govern.
Baroness Carly (Marx) - Govern
  13:36, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 3 using 1d6. noble action 4--govern.
Duchess Catherine (Lortran) - govern
  13:36, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 3 using 1d6. noble action 5--govern.
Marquis Douglas (Lortran) - Govern
  13:36, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. noble action 6--govern.
Baron Donald (Lortran) - Govern
  13:36, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. noble action 7--govern.


CoM diplo attempt at Pyreen (just in case):
  13:37, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 5 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #1.
CoM diplo attempt at Pyreen (just in case):
  13:37, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #2.

Imp. Secret Police Assassination attempt: gurati noble
  13:37, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. Imp. Secret polic assassination.
]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Thu 26 June 2008.

The Countess is seen on viewing records of the battle on frost.
"Hehehe well it seems we have lost yet again fighting those ice men. I wonder if that fool Gerlien ever thought he could get away with helping Gratius Rephiliad."

She turns to her captive.
"D'Silvia what am i to do with you? Ah i know. I think i will bolt you to the nose of one of my jumpships. I will make sure to instruct the pilot to take it slow next time he leaves the atmosphere. A little decompresion can do very interesting things to a human body. I wonder if you will beg or pray before you die. Take him away. Now then let us see if we can twist the knife in the wound we have made just bit more."

[Private to GM:

1. INITIATIVE=6(excellent)

2. PRODUCTION=30+3stockpile=33

3. UPKEEP=6 33-6=27 to spend

4. RECRUIT NOBLES=nadda

5. RECRUIT TROOPS
   2 preists, 2 rebel fighters, and 2 centurions at Kadesh =24
   No builds elsewhere.
6. MOVEMENT
   Kadesh ships 2 preists, 2 rebels, and 2 centurions to mox
   Bazarium twiddels
   Mox sends 2 preists to punah
   Parallax sends 3 RDMs to mox
   Pyreen sends 2 JS to Dalton, 1 to Punah and one to mecurium
7. NUKES
   All targeted for incoming ships.
8. Battle
   Hopefully i dont have a counterattack coming my way
9. NOBLE ACTIONS
   Rebel Sabotage vs JS over gurtai homeworld=Foom (bout time these guys did something)
   Countess Intrigue vs Imperial army=sucess(woot nother nail in the coffin)
   Priestess Captain Sasha sabotage vs JS over eden=nope
   Lord Kirtiu Prad sabotage vs JS over quayt=nope
   Lord Yelvin Kadesh Assassination vs noble on frost=nope
]

From his position on the homeworld, Karth schemes to strengthen his position whilst his cousin is away.
[Private to The Void:
1- INITIATIVE-
1 + 1 (2)

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
Rolled 5 (Failure)

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Nitrix - Jumpship "The Hammer" (through the Imperial Navy)

4- MOVEMENT-
Jumpship "Returner" (Nitrix --> Bolavor)
House Troops, House Troops, Suicide Squad

Jumpship "Blackgate" (Bolavor)
Stays Put

Jumpship "Ingens" (Bolavor)
Stays Put

Jumpship "Hammer" (Nitrix --> Bolavor)
House Troops, House Troops, Suicide Squad

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Bolavor - ARMED - Space
Bolavor - ARMED - Space

6- BATTLE-

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
Imperial Beaurocracy - (Autosuccess) +1 Init next turn
Dekko Nitrix - 4 (Failed)
Karth Nitrix - 1 (Success) Sabotage Lortran Nuclear Arsenal on Aquaria
Faradi Nitrix - 2 (Failed)
Nubiteri Nitrix - 3 (Failed)]

(I processed this turn on another computer. If there are errors in troop movements, alert me. And yes, the Gurati player apparently has unearthly luck even when I roll the dice by hand. At least one of those jumpships should have been destroyed by nukes.)

The imperial sages report:

Another noble joins the ranks of House Gurati. Even tho he is the second cousin to the Baron, by way of the supplicant House of Torieil, forked tongues speak of the involvement of the Surgeons... Can it be that House Gurati is succumbing to Mechanist influence? By now, almost all Gurati nobles are cybernetically or biotechnologically enhanced. The sole exception remaining the former, old Baron Gurati, who holds position on Eden.

Indigo Montoya, a less seen Gurati noble, is instrumental in leading the Space Guild back into the arms of House Gurati. This proves that the Gurati have guile as well as cybernetic commandoes... it is difficult to say which weapon is more dangerous.

The newly arrived Kinsman Gurati makes himself useful this very season. A Kadesh jumpship over Mox ceases functioning; an investigation team found a virus left on the 'blackbox' of the ship.  "Gurati will not lie down" ... the virus is designed to spread itself quickly into other Kadeshi computer systems, delivering its message until Kadeshi experts can remove it.

Gurati's economic power is unrivaled even by great House Kadesh. This is to be attributed to the support of the Surgeons as well.


The imperial tactician reports:

A quick movement by the Gurati, in retaliation for Kadesh aggression. Their jumpships are sighted over Pyreen, and catch the defending garrison by surprise. The Kadesh defensive plan relies on nukes to blast attacking ships before these manage to land.

Gurati: 2 jumpships, Andorus Gurati, 3 x Solar Templars, 1x Colonial Rangers, Justinia Montonya, 3 x Desert Warriors
Kadesh: The Countess, 2 nukes, 2 priests, 4 jumpships

Nuclear exchange phase: The Kadesh nuclear arsenals turn space around the Gurati jumpships into reflections of Hell. However, through some feat of fortune (or could it be the old Baron's luck?) the two sleek craft and the unit of Rangers escape unharmed.

Psi phase: The Gurati nobles each manage to summon a telekinetic maelstrom. The Solar templars, inspired by the nobles' effort, manage a psionic blast each. The Countess won't be outdone - she creates a maelstrom as well, while her priests fail to call upon psychic powers.

First strike phase: Noble led regiments clash. The golden armors of Solar templars and yelow camo suits of Desert warriors mingle with red cloaks of the Kadesh warrior priests. The old Baron confronts the Countess herself in single combat. They fight in the glass deserts the Kadesh nukes left on the world like huge scars. One regiment of Warrior priests perishes in the fighting; the Countess  escapes with her life, barely.

Regular combat phase: The rest of  Gurati troops perform combat drops. Only a single regiment of warrior priests opposes them. The Kadesh fight valiantly, managing to destroy a unit of Desert warriors. But in the end they are defeated.

So it comes that the Countess Kadesh suffers the same demeaning fate as the Gurati commander did last season- she was last seen battered and chained, her jaw almost dislocated by a gag, as Desert warriors dragged her in front of the old Baron.

Kadesh jumpships in orbit can just watch before retreating to Dalton.


The imperial sages continue:

Lortran nobles take an example from Gurati and help build up economic strength - namely, solats for House coffers.

A late revenge by Kadesh, as their Rebel allies work to disable a Gurati jumpship as it arrives on Quayat.

The Imperial Army negotiators arrive on Seedeen to hold talks with the Countess, just to discover that she is no longer in any position to hold diplomatic talks.

The Lortran nuclear arsenal on Aquaria is damaged beyond repair by a daring attack by Nitrix suicide commandos. Their leader, Karth Nitrix, was seen in the system just hours before the attack took place. Details are still sketchy, but this must be the introduction to a return bid by the Nitrix to recapture Aquaria.

      1      2       3      4       5        6       7       8       9     10
   ______         _______        ________         _______         ______
  /Gurati\_______/       \______/Gridox  \_______/       \_______/      \______
A \_G0/4_/       \_______/      \_G0/5___/       \_______/       \______/Lortran
  /      \_______/Quayat \______/        \_______/       \_______/Scorch\_L0/10/
B \______/       \_G0/5__/      \________/       \_______/       \_L1/8_/      \
  /      \_______/Seedeen\______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
C \______/       \_G0/13_/      \________/       \_______/ Marx  \______/      \
  /      \_______/Pyreen \______/        \_______/Zenceti\_L1/9__/      \______/
D \______/ Frost \_G2/6__/      \________/       \__L0/9_/       \______/      \
  /      \__G0/14/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
E \______/ Dalton\_______/      \________/ Eden  \_______/Hellish\______/      \
  /      \_K0/8__/       \______/Mercurum\_G0/8__/       \_L3/12_/      \______/
F \______/ Punah \_______/      \_K0/9___/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_K1/6__/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
G \______/  Mox  \_______/      \________/       \_______/Aquara \______/      \
  /      \_K6/16_/       \______/        \_______/       \_L1/7__/      \______/
H \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_______/       \______/        \_______/Bolavor\_______/      \______/
I \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_N4/21_/       \______/      \
  /Kadesh\_______/Paralax\______/Computus\_______/       \_______/      \______/
J \_K0/1_/Yoravar\_K0/1__/      \_K0/5___/Bazarum\_______/       \______/Nitrix\
         \_K0/1__/       \______/        \__K1/2_/       \_______/      \_N0/5_/

• Location -Name
• A10 -Lortran- [Private to Duke Lortran: 4 nobles,7 house troop, 3 heretics, funds:18 ]
• A1 -Gurati- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 house troops,1 damper field, 2 nobles, 1 cyborg commandos, funds:77 ]
• J1 -Kadesh- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 nobles, 1 fanatics, funds:3 ]
• J10 -Nitrix- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 2 Nobles (Karth, Nubiteri), 3 House Troops, 2 damper fields, funds:5 ]
• G8 -Aquara- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 subterranean mutants,1 mercenaries, 1 noble, 2 house troops, 1 sea monsters, 1 js, 2 clones, ]
• J6 -Bazarium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troops,1 jumpship, 1 merc ]
• I7 -Bolavor- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 11 jungle fighters, 3 suicide squads,  2 nobles (Faradi, Dekko), 4 jumpships,  2 nuclear arsenals, 5 house troops ]
• J5 -Computus- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 2 RDMs, 1 nukes, 2 fanatics, ]
• E2 -Dalton- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 5 nuke, 3 priests, 4 jumpships retreating here ]
• E6 -Eden- [Private to Baron Gurati: 7 solar templars,1 damper, ]
• D2 -Frost- [Private to Baron Gurati: 12 ice barbarians,1 house troops, 1 noble*, 1 noble,  1 cyborg commandos ]
• A5 -Griddox- [Private to Baron Gurati: 5 prison soldiers ]
• E8 -Hellish- [Private to Duke Lortran: 2 clone soldiers, 3 jumpships, 2 dampers, 1 mutants, 3 mercs, 2 psychic vets,   1 heretic, 1 house troop ]
• C8 -Marx- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 JS, 2 noble, 1 house troops, 2 psychic veterans, 3 clone soldiers,  1 arsenal, 1 dampers, 1 mercenaries, ]
• F5 -Mercurium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 Warrior priests , 8 miners, ]
• G2 -Mox- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 7 miners,  2 nobles,   6 jumpships,   2 rebels, 2 centurions, 2 priests, 3 RDMss ]
• J3 -Parallax- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 priests, ]
• F2 -Punah- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 3 Amazonians, 1 transhuman supersoldier, 2 warrior priests, 1 JS ]
• D3 -Pyreen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 nobles, 3 solar templars, 2 desert warriors, 1 colonial rangers, 2 jumpships ]
• B3 -Quayat- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 desert wariors, 2 noble,  2 damper, 1 commando ]
• B9 -Scorch- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 house troop, 1 psychic veteran, 4 lava projectors, 2 nukes, 1 js ]
• C3 -Seedeen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 13 imperial conscripts,  1 noble ]
• J2 -Yoravar- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troop, ]
• D7 -Zenceti- [Private to Duke Lortran: 9 psychic natives ]

This message was last edited by the GM at 05:03, Tue 01 July 2008.

The Kadesh seem lost without the countess's firey passion to guide them. The last few nobles of the house seem morose and near to collapse with strain of so many deaths.

[Private to GM: Yeech well there goes my plan out the window. Ah well time to muddle though. Maybe i should start useing a british accent.

Priestess Captain Sasha is now countess

1. INITIATIVE=4

2. PRODUCTION=29+3=32 to spend.(where is this 3 funds keep coming from i could swear i bought to empty twice now.

3. UPKEEP=6 32-6 leaves 26 to spend

4. RECRUIT NOBLES=of course not

5. RECRUIT TROOPS
   2 Preists at Kadesh =10
   Merc at bazarium    =2
   RDM at computus     =7
   nadda at dalton     =0
   Miner on mecurium   =1
   Miner on mox        =1
   Nadda on parralax   =0
   Amazon on punah     =5
   Nadda at yoravar    =0
                  Total=26
6. MOVEMENT
   Mox sends 2 centurions to mecurium and send 1 preist the 3 RDMs and the 2 rebels to punah.
7. NUCLEAR EXCHANGE
   Armed for intercept
8. BATTLE
(good lord i hope not)
9. NOBLE ACTIONS
Rebel sabotage vs JS over pyreen=boom (WOOT i may live yet)
Countess Sasha Intrigue vs silex=sucess(does this cause the Reconstructed to flip sides? that would be a real kick in the pants)
Lord Kirtiu Prad sabotage vs JS over pyreen=nope (i havent found what this guy is good for)
Lord Yelvin Kadesh Assassination vs the old baron=close but no cigar]
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:26, Tue 01 July 2008.

              ^{note:  Spacing Guild currently with Gurati}


[Private to GM:

beginning:
Jerstertia III
Baron Castille Gurati
Kinsman Gurati
2 x House Troops
1 x Damper Field
1 x Cyborg Commando

Eden
7 x Solar Templars
1 x Damper Field - armed to defend against Nukes.

Frost
Gratius Rephiliad
Gratius Hellius
12 x Ice Barbarians
1 x House Troops
1 x Cyborg Commandoes

Gridox
5 x Prison Conscripts

Pyreen
Andorus Gurati
Indego Montoya
3 x Solar Templars
2 x Desert Warriors
1 x Colonial Ranger
Jumpship ALPHA
Jumpship ZETA

Quayat
Ephrates Gurati
Justinian Montoya
2 x Desert Warriors
2 x Damper Fields
1 x Cyborg Commandoes

Seedeen
Florentine Gurati
13 x Imperial Conscripts

Treasury
77 Solats



1- INITIATIVE-
GM rolls this

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
     You rolled 8 using 3d6 ((3,1,4)).   _{free roll + Imp Arist + S of Silex}.
1 Noble Recruited!
     Lazarus de Gurati ... promoted Solar Templar.

The Head of the Solar Inquisition, High-Father Lazarus
  ... for his brilliant strategies, and impeccable leadership skills
    ... in assisting Andorus Gurati to retake Pyreen
is hereby adopted into the Noble House of Gurati.


3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Jerstertia III: Jumpship BETA(cost: 6)
Jerstertia III: Jumpship GAMMA (cost: 6)
Frost: Ice Barbarians (cost: 3)
Seedeen: Imperial Conscripts (cost: 1)
Quayat: Desert Warriors (cost: 5)
Eden: Solar Templars (cost: 7)
Griddox: Prison Soldiers (cost: 1)
   Unspent - 48 Solats

4- MOVEMENT-

Jumpship ALPHA, Andorus Gurati, 3 x Solar Templars:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Eden (6e)

Jumpship BETA, Kinsman Gurati:
     Jerstertia III (1a) --> Quayat (3b)

Jumpship GAMMA, Lazarus de Gurati, 1 x Damper Field, 1 x Commandoes:
     Jersertia III (1a) --> Seedeen (3c)

Jumpship ZETA:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Quayat (3b)

Colonial Rangers:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Frost (2d)


5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
none

6- BATTLE-
initiate none

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
1: Baron Castille Gurati (Jersteria III) 'Governor of Jerstertia':
     Govern Jerstertia II: auto success: rolled +3: = 8 Solats.

2: Andorus Gurati (Eden) 'Governor of Eden':
     Govern Eden: auto succeed: rolled +3: = 5 Solats

3: Ephrates Gurati (Quayat) 'Governor of Quayat':
     Govern Quayat: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solats

4: Gratius Hellius (Frost) 'Governor of Frost':
     Govern Frost: auto succeed: rolled +2: = 3 Solats

5: Lazarus de Gurati  (Seedeen) 'High Solar Priest ... General of the Solar Inquisition':
     Strategic Planning: auto succeed: rolled 4: bonus to next turn Initiative.

6: Kinsman Gurati (Quayat) 'Diplomat ... Ambasador to the Houses':
     Intrigue: Imperial Navy: rolled 1 = Success.

7: Indigo Montoya (Pyreen) 'Governor of Pyreen':
     Govern Pyreen: auto succeed: rolled +3: = 4 Solts

8: Justinia Montoya (Quayat) 'Governor of Griddox':
     Govern Griddox: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solats

9: Gratius Rephiliad (Frost) 'the Master of Assasins':
    Strategic Planning: auto succeed: rolled 2: bonus to next turn Initiative.

10: Florentine Gurati (Seedeen) 'Governor of Seedeen':
     Govern Seedeen: auto succeed: rolled +6: = 7 Solats


Treasury:
Govern Jerstertia III = 8
Govern Eden = 5
Govern Quayat = 5
Govern Frost = 3
Govern Seedeen = 7
Govern Griddox = 5
Surgeons of Silex = 1
Mercantile consortium = 2
Spacing Guild = 1
   Unspent from above - 48
]

A Warcrimes Tribunal is held on Pyreen ...
   a planet known for its peace loving citizen and diplomats.

The Tribunal is presided over by High-Father Lazarus ...
   General of the Solar Inquisition.
   The High-Father arrived on Pyreen with Andorus Gurati, in response to the Kadesh attack.
   They say the High-Father is a brilliant leader and tactician.

The Tribunal processes take several days, and representatives of all four Noble Houses are invited and welcomed.

Issues include the continued war-like advances by House Kadesh on the peaceful world of Pyreen ... including statistics for both military and civilian deaths caused, and the continued use of Nuclear Arsinal in these attacks ... which not only leave the populous dead and permenantly mutated, but destroys the land also.

At the end of the two week preceedings, High-Father Lazarus asks the council of Houses (made up of Baron Gurati + one member of each other house) to vote on whether the Countess Kadesh should be executed for her crimes, permenantly imprisoned on Griddox, or returned to her House.



House Gurati votes for imprisonment.

The Kadesh do not attend nor send a vote in reply. A single line message is returned to the High Father. "Let it be as the heavans decree."

"Now is the time, Tycho!  Gurati have taken troops off of Eden to retake Pyreen!  You will never have such a chance again!"  The duchess' eyes are wide and wild.

The Duke shakes his head.  "No, sister.  The time is not yet right.  An attack on Eden would leave us open to a Nitrix strike on Aquaria.  We cannot risk that.  Even as it stands, I am not sure our current forces can hold it.  We must send reinforcements.  Besides, without jumpships on it, Eden poses us no threat for the time being."

"Gaargh!" replies Catherine, forming her fisting into tight balls and shaking them incrdulously at the ceiling.  "You are a fool, Tycho!  We will die of old age before you feel the 'time is right!'  Do you not remember that the Gurati attempted to kill you just last season!?"

"I remember well enough, sister."  The duke takes a deep breath, and waits a moment before saying more.  "The Nitrix cannot win a cold war with us.  We have far superior resources.  They will realize that soon enough, and look for easier targets in Kadesh space.  After that, our we will be freer to consider other issues.  If we are to capture Eden and hold it we will need a stronger force than we currently have.  I am in negotiations with--"

"You and your endless negotiations!" interruptes the duchess.  "Always talking, never acting!  And have you not noticed that the Gurati even outdo you at that?  Every time you gain an ally, they steal it away from you a day later!  The Gurati are making you look foolish, Tycho!  And cowardly!  The people will see this.  A leader must be strong!  A leader must be feared and respected!"

The duke eyes his sister for a moment.  "Do not get any ideas, Catherine.  House Lortran is mine to command.  If you wish to lead it otherwise, you will have to wait until the Gurati kill me for real."

Catherine snears angrily, and seems about to reply, but instead simply turns and stomps out of the room.

The Duke stares at the door through which she had exited for a few moments, thinking about something.  As he ponders, a gray-clad advisor moves silently up to him, and holds out a letter.  "A message from the Gurati, M'lord." whispers the advisor.

Duke Lortran takes the note, and looks it over.  He is silent for a long moment.  "Send an emissary.  House Lortran votes that Countess Kadesh be returned to her house."


[Private to GM: Orders:
NOTE--I should have 6 more solats than listed in the last update, since I didn't actually get to purchase the JS before Gurati intrigued the spacing guild.  I may be needing them if Nitrix attacks before my turn!


1- INITIATIVE-
10:31, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. init.

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
10:32, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. recruit noble.

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Lortran: 2x psychic vets. cost 8
Marx: clone. cost 1
Scortch: none
Zenceti: none
Hellish: nuke. cost 5
Aquaria: sea serpent. cost 5

4- MOVEMENT-
Scortch --> Marx
1 JS
w/ 1 psychic vet, 2 nukes

Marx --> Lortran
1 JS

Aquaria --> Hellish
1 JS

Hellish --> Aquaria
3 JS
w/ 3 mercs, (will pay them if Nitrix has taken Aquaria by my turn)
2 vets, damper
heretic, nuke, clone

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Nukes Marx: armed (jumpships)
Nukes Scortch --> marx: armed (jumpships)
Nuke hellish --> aquaria: armed (jumpships) (NOTE: will not fire at retreating ships)

6- BATTLE-

Lortran group:
1. heretics
2. house troops (+nobles x4)

Scortch group:
1. house troops
2. Lava projectors
3. psychic vets

Marx group:
1. guild mercenaries
2. clones
3. house troops
4. psychic vets(+nobles)

Zenceti group:
1. psychic natives

Hellish group:
1. heretics
2. mercs
3. clones
4. house troops
5. mutant
6. vets

Aquaria group:
1. heretics
2. clones
3. Mercenaries
4. house troops
5. mutants
6. sea serpents + 1 noble
7. psychic vets (noble will join them if sea serpents die)
(If Nitrix attack before my turn ordering of units is still the same, just ignore those that aren't there.  Likewise for my forces that arrive there later if Nitrix controls it)


7- NOBLE ACTIONS-

Duke Tycho (Lortran) - Intrigue: spacing guild
  10:49, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 1 using 1d6. noble action 1--intrigue.
Baron Marcos (Marx) - Govern
  10:51, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 6 using 1d6. noble action 2--govern.
Marquis Alex (Aquaria) - Govern
  10:51, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 1 using 1d6. noble action 2--govern.
  (Ack!  realized I used the same number (2) for these two rolls.  Since they we both for the same thing, hopefully it doesn't cause confusion!)
Baroness Carly (Marx) - Govern
  10:52, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 1 using 1d6. noble action 3--govern.
Duchess Catherine (Lortran) - govern
  10:52, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. noble action 4--govern.
Marquis Douglas (Lortran) - Govern
  10:53, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 3 using 1d6. noble action 5--govern.
Baron Donald (Lortran) - Govern
  10:55, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. noble action 6--govern.


CoM diplo attempt at Pyreen (just in case):
  10:55, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #1.
CoM diplo attempt at Pyreen (just in case):
  10:55, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 3 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #2.

Imp. Secret Police Assassination attempt: gurati noble
 10:48, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 6 using 1d6. Imp. Secret police assassination.
]

The High-Father sends a message to the representatives of house Nitrix.

Should Nitrix choose execution, it will hang the decision making.

If this happens, the Countess will remain in custody on Griddox.
Whether this is seen as, 'remaining in custody till a decision is made', or 'Gurati gets the deciding vote due to her actions against that house' is irrelevant and moot.

If Nitrix wishes her release, or incarceration, they need to support such.

Dekko watched as another jumpship landed upon Bolavor, gray uniformed House Troops touching down on Bolavor for the first time in their lives.  All around, the luscious jungle scenary was vibrant and maintained.  Considering the status of the world as the emerald jewel of the Nitrix Holdings, it wouldn't do to strip mine large swaths of the planet for resources after all.  It was to remain a beautiful retreat from the bullet riddled deserts the Nitrix had called home for millenia.  His arms crossed over his chest, Dekko grimaced as he considered the course of the future.  His position was precarious, any step he made would be dangerous ... but where to put his foot down?

"Hmph.  It's enough to make a person wonder how my predecessors got this far." he grumbled.  Likely by not pursuing foolish grudges when easier targets were available.  Still, Dekko had too much Pride to allow himself to be be bullied, and too much honor to stab a long standing ally in the back, no matter how exposed it was.  Diplomacy is built upon trust, after all ... which was why deception was such a vital part of it.  He supposed he had to make a decision between being an honest man and a successful one before his armies left Bolavor.

"Tell High Father Lazarus that the Nitrix support the release of the errant Countess Kadesh." he said to a servant nearby.  As if there were any doubt, it was the least he could do after the support that the Kadesh had offered him so far.  And, in a way, he'd still yet to honor the memory of the old Countess who had so accurately warned him of the risks of attacking Eden.

[Private to The Void:
1- INITIATIVE-
3 + 1 (4)

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
Rolled 2 (Failure)

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Bolavor - Jungle Fighters (1 Solat)
Nitrix - Suicide Squad (3 Solats)

4- MOVEMENT-
Jumpship "Returner" (Nitrix --> Bolavor)
House Troops, House Troops, Suicide Squad

Jumpship "Blackgate" (Bolavor)
Stays Put

Jumpship "Ingens" (Bolavor)
Stays Put

Jumpship "Hammer" (Nitrix --> Bolavor)
House Troops, House Troops, Suicide Squad

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Bolavor - ARMED - Space
Bolavor - ARMED - Space

6- BATTLE-

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
Imperial Beaurocracy - (Autosuccess) +1 Init next turn
Dekko Nitrix - 3 (Failed)
Karth Nitrix - 3 (Failed)
Faradi Nitrix - 1 (Success) Assassinate Duchess Catherine Lortran.  She quite clearly does not appreciation the social niceities of diplomacy...and it'll serve as a properly poignant response to her "Offer".
Nubiteri Nitrix - (Autosuccess) Govern Bolavor (4 extra Solats)]

The imperial advisor notes:

Honorable Lords and Lady, please recall again that nobles moving between star systems may not perform special actions.


The imperial sages report:

One of two Gurati jumpships in orbit around Pyreen suffers a fatal malfunction and shuts down. Salvage parties find conductive nanite dust in the ship's electronic circutry - the fiendish sabotage devices have shorted out the ship's nerve system, irreparably damaging it. A Kadesh private skimmer is seen in the system not long before the incident.

The new Countess, the former Priestess captain Sasha, is successful in attracting the Surgeons of Silex. The effect of this on the Gurati nobles cloned by the Surgeons is unclear.

The Head of the Solar Inquisition, High-Father Lazarus, is granted the status of a hoble in House Gurati. The Baron's letter states "brilliant strategies, and impeccable leadership skills" as well as "assisting Andorus Gurati to retake Pyreen". Lazarus is instantly popular on Eden, and numerous youths enlist in templar training programmes to emulate their new hero. [Private to Baron Gurati: (he begins on Pyreen, because of the fluff)]

Kinsman Gurati, meanwhile, worked and succeeded in tearing the sector representatives of the Imperial Navy away from Lortran hands.

The former Duchess is released, a fast transport taking her to the Kadesh homeworld. She will take time to heal, both physically and psychically. (the next noble recruited may be the Countess - or not)

Lortran nobles work hard to emulate Gurati in building up their worlds' economy, with limited results.

Faradi Nitrix held a secret meeting with Duchess Catherine Lortran. The details remain sketchy; however, the Duchess collapsed soon afterwards, and despite best efforts of Lortran medics, expired soon afterwards. Traces of a poison favored by the Nitrix were found in her blood in concentrations high enough to cause scores of deaths among the medical personnel involved in her care.


The imperial strategist reports:

      1      2       3      4       5        6       7       8       9     10
   ______         _______        ________         _______         ______
  /Gurati\_______/       \______/Gridox  \_______/       \_______/      \______
A \_G0/2_/       \_______/      \_G0/6___/       \_______/       \______/Lortran
  /      \_______/Quayat \______/        \_______/       \_______/Scorch\_L1/12/
B \______/       \_G1/6__/      \________/       \_______/       \_L0/5_/      \
  /      \_______/Seedeen\______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
C \______/       \_G1/16_/      \________/       \_______/ Marx  \______/      \
  /      \_______/Pyreen \______/        \_______/Zenceti\_L1/13_/      \______/
D \______/ Frost \_G0/2__/      \________/       \__L0/9_/       \______/      \
  /      \__G0/16/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
E \______/ Dalton\_______/      \________/ Eden  \_______/Hellish\______/      \
  /      \_K4/8__/       \______/Mercurum\_G1/12_/       \_L1/4?_/      \______/
F \______/ Punah \_______/      \_K1/12__/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_K3/13_/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
G \______/  Mox  \_______/      \________/       \_______/Aquaria\______/      \
  /      \_K3/9__/       \______/        \_______/       \_L3/17_/      \______/
H \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_______/       \______/        \_______/Bolavor\_______/      \______/
I \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_N4/26_/       \______/      \
  /Kadesh\_______/Paralax\______/Computus\_______/       \_______/      \______/
J \_K0/3_/Yoravar\_K0/1__/      \_K0/5___/Bazarum\_______/       \______/Nitrix\
         \_K0/1__/       \______/        \__K1/3_/       \_______/      \_N0/2_/

• Location -Name
• A10 -Lortran- [Private to Duke Lortran: 3 nobles,7 house troop, 3 heretics, 2 psychic veterans, 1 jumpship funds:23 ]
• A1 -Gurati- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 house troops, funds:82 ]
• J1 -Kadesh- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 nobles, 1 fanatics, 2 warrior priests funds:1 ]
• J10 -Nitrix- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 2 Nobles (Karth, Nubiteri),  2 damper fields, funds:6 ]
• G8 -Aquara- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 subterranean mutants,4 mercenaries, 1 noble, 2 house troops, 2 sea monsters, 3 clones, 2 psychic veterans, 1 damper, 1 nuke, 1 heretic, 3 jumpships ]
• J6 -Bazarium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troops,1 jumpship, 2 merc ]
• I7 -Bolavor- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 12 jungle fighters, 4 suicide squads,  2 nobles (Faradi, Dekko), 4 jumpships,  2 nuclear arsenals, 8 house troops ]
• J5 -Computus- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 3 RDMs, 1 nukes, 2 fanatics, ]
• E2 -Dalton- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 5 nuke, 3 priests, 4 jumpships ]
• E6 -Eden- [Private to Baron Gurati: 11 solar templars,1 damper, 1 noble, 1 jumpship ]
• D2 -Frost- [Private to Baron Gurati: 13 ice barbarians,1 house troops, 1 noble*, 1 noble,  1 cyborg commandos,  1 colonial rangers ]
• A5 -Griddox- [Private to Baron Gurati: 6 prison soldiers ]
• E8 -Hellish- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 clone soldiers, 1 jumpships, 1 dampers, 1 mutants,   1 house troop, ]
• C8 -Marx- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 JS, 2 noble, 1 house troops, 3 psychic veterans, 4 clone soldiers,  3 arsenals, 1 dampers, 1 mercenaries, ]
• F5 -Mercurium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 Warrior priests , 9 miners, 2 centurions, 1 js ]
• G2 -Mox- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 8 miners,  2 nobles,   3 jumpships,  1 priests, ]
• J3 -Parallax- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 priests, ]
• F2 -Punah- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 4 Amazonians, 1 transhuman supersoldier, 3 warrior priests, 3 JS, 3 RDM, 2 rebels ]
• D3 -Pyreen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 nobles, 2 desert warriors, ]
• B3 -Quayat- [Private to Baron Gurati: 3 desert wariors, 3 noble,  2 damper, 1 commando, 1 jumpship ]
• B9 -Scorch- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 house troop,  4 lava projectors, ]
• C3 -Seedeen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 14 imperial conscripts,  2 nobles, 1 damper field, 1 cyborg commandos, 1 jumpship ]
• J2 -Yoravar- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troop, ]
• D7 -Zenceti- [Private to Duke Lortran: 9 psychic natives ]

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:13, Wed 30 July 2008.

Duke Lortran sits alone in his quiet chambers, looking silently out the windows at the stars.  Why Catherine? he wondered to himself.  Why Catherine and not me?  They must have known something I didn't.  Was she going to try to take control of the House from me?  Did they fear her more than the fear me?  It is not a comfortable line of thought for the Duke.  Though he had not trusted his late sister, he had thought he knew her well enough that she would not surprise him.  But in being the target of a Nitrix assassination, she had proved that there was more to her than he had realized.  That the Nitrix considered her a bigger threat than himself was not a comforting thought.  She must have had some plan in the works, and the damned Nitrix, halfway across the sector knew what it was, when I did not.  Am I getting too old and slow for this?

The Duke's thoughts drift to the future of the House.  He had always assumed that he would be assassinated sooner or later, and that Catherine would take over.  Despite what he might have said to get under his late sister's skin, he had not serious considered who else amongst the Lortran nobles would be fit to run the House.  Marcos?  He is loyal, but he is no leader.  Carly?  She is popular on Marx, and the people would follow, but she is so young?  Would she be ready for that responsibility?  Alex?  He would be happy to lead, and would follow in Catherine's footsteps.  He's tasted the glory of victory on Aquaria and Hellish, and would launch the Lortran into battle recklessly.  He has Catherine's fire, but lacks her experience and skill.  Douglass, Donald?  Older, more experienced, true, but they are new to the sector, and I do not doubt they've only shown up once they thought there would be power and riches to be gained easily.  They are not the type to lead the Lortran to victory here.  The Duke closes his eyes and massages his temples for few moments.

There is work to be done now, I must not forget that, he reminds himself, picking up a stack of reports from his advisers. He frowns as he looks over the reports on Nitrix forces on Bolavar.  Alex can hold them off easily enough for now, but that ties up much of our forces.  Why won't the fool head towards Kadesh space?  He could easily take Bazarium at this point.  No matter, he must be dealt with as he is, not as I think he should be.

He flips over a few pages, looking at the Eden report.  Gurati's sent more troops to Eden, I see.  Seems we'll be having another cold war there as well.  And Gurati can afford it much more than the Nitrix.  The Duke grins sadly, imagining Catherine's advice in this situation.  "In good time, sister.  In good time," he says softly, a single tear escaping from the corner of his eye.

[Private to GM: Orders:

1- INITIATIVE-
11:08, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. init.

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
11:08, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 5 using 1d6. recruit noble.

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Lortran: 3x JS (cost 18)
Marx: clone (cost 1)
Scortch:
Zenceti:
Hellish:  nuke (cost 5)
Aquaria:  sea serpent (cost 5)

(note--if I lose the spacing guild before my turn, I'll be 1 solat short, so I'll skip the clone.  If for some reason something happens and I'm still short, skip the nuke on hellish instead.)

4- MOVEMENT-
Lortran --> Marx
4 JS w/
2x nobles, 2x vets, 1 house troop
3x heretics

Marx --> Hellish
1 JS w/
2x clones, 1x nuke

Hellish --> Marx
1 JS


5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Nukes Marx: armed (jumpships)
Nuke Marx --> Hellish armed (jumpships)
Nuke  Aquaria: armed (jumpships)

6- BATTLE-

Lortran group:
1. heretics
2. house troops
3. vets (+nobles x3)

Scortch group:
1. house troops
2. Lava projectors

Marx group:
1. guild mercenaries
2. clones
3. house troops
4. psychic vets(+nobles)

Zenceti group:
1. psychic natives

Hellish group:
1. clones
2. house troops
3. mutant

Aquaria group:
1. heretics
2. clones
3. Mercenaries
4. house troops
5. mutants
6. sea serpents + 1 noble
7. psychic vets (noble will join them if sea serpents die)

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-

Duke Tycho (Lortran) - Intrigue:  Imp. Aristocracy
  11:22, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. noble action 1--intrigue.
Baron Marcos (Marx) - Govern
  11:24, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 5 using 1d6. noble action 2--govern.
Marquis Alex (Aquaria) - Govern
  11:24, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. noble action 3--govern.
Baroness Carly (Marx) - sabotage (army unit parallax)
  11:25, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. noble action 4--sabotage.
Marquis Douglas (Lortran --> Marx) - none, moving

Baron Donald (Lortran --> Marx) - none, moving

CoM diplo attempt at Parallax (just in case):
  11:26, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 2 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #1.
CoM diplo attempt at Parallax (just in case):
  11:26, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 3 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #2.

Imp. Secret Police Assassination attempt: gurati noble
  11:26, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 6 using 1d6. Imp. Secret police assassination.
]
This message was last edited by the player at 10:58, Thu 31 July 2008.

The Kadesh seem content to rest and take little action. It seems no more wild gambits will be forth comeing from the kadesh.
[Private to GM:
1. INITIATIVE=1 (Um damn this may bite me in the butt)

2. PRODUCTION=29+1 for silex=30

3. UPKEEP=6 funds remaing 24

4. RECRUIT NOBLES=nope.

5. RECRUIT TROOPS

   Kadesh buys nadda=0
   Merc on Bazarium =2
   RDM on Computus  =7
   Nuke on Dalton   =5
   Nuke on Mecurium =5
   Nadda on Mox     =0
   Nadda on Parallax=0
   Amazon on Punah  =5
   Nadda on Yoravar =0
               Total=24

6. MOVEMENT
   3 JS at mox depart empty for the homeworld
   1 js at dalton heads empty to punah.

7. NUCLEAR EXCHANGE
   Nukes set for intercept.

8. BATTLE
   None here.

9. NOBLE ACTIONS
   Rebel sabotage vs JS over Quayat=nope
   Countess Sasha Intrigue vs Imperial Aristocracy=nope
   Lord Kirtiu Prad sabotage vs JS over seedeen=nope
   Lord Yelvin Kadesh Assassination vs Gurtai noble on Frost=nope(my i am rolling a lot of 3s Very nearly left my orders visable again.]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Thu 31 July 2008.

The Great Hall of Gurati is in an uproar.

"Prepare the defenses", commands the Baron, "especially on Frost and Pyreen, but also Seedeen and Eden.

The other houses have all put sanctioned the Kadeshi slaughter of our people.
They have all but told the Countess that she can do as she pleases, and they will support her".

"Damn the defenses, Castille," shouts Gratius Raphiliad, his voice booming over the din,  "We should be going to war.  Kill thier people, as they continue to kill ours ... we should have killed HER".

"NO" speaks the Baron again, in reply ... "We will NOT defy the Solar Church.
The Inquisition ordered her released.  That matter is final, and ended.
Shore up the defenses.

With the other houses backing her, nothing will stop her now ...
Nothing But US".


                                                                                    Gurati will not lie down.

[Private to GM:

beginning:
Jerstertia III
Baron Castille Gurati
2 x House Troops

Eden
Andorus Gurati
11 x Solar Templars
1 x Damper Field - armed to defend against Nukes.
Jumpship ALPHA

Frost
Gratius Rephiliad
Gratius Hellius
13 x Ice Barbarians
1 x House Troops
1 x Cyborg Commandoes
1 x Colonial Rangers

Gridox
6 x Prison Conscripts

Pyreen
Indego Montoya
High Father Lazarus de Gurati
2 x Desert Warriors

Quayat
Ephrates Gurati
Justinian Montoya
Kinsman Gurati
3 x Desert Warriors
2 x Damper Fields
1 x Cyborg Commandoes
Jumpship BETA

Seedeen
Florentine Gurati
14 x Imperial Conscripts
1 x Damper Field
1 x Cyborg Commandoes
Jumpship GAMMA

Treasury
82 Solats



1- INITIATIVE-
GM rolls this

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
     You rolled ((4,4)) using 2d6.   _{free roll + Imp Arist}.
No Noble Recruited!


3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Jerstertia III: Jumpship BETA(cost: 6)
Jerstertia III: Jumpship GAMMA (cost: 6)
Frost: Ice Barbarians (cost: 3)
Seedeen: Imperial Conscripts (cost: 1)
Quayat: Desert Warriors (cost: 5)
Eden: Solar Templars (cost: 7)
   Unspent - 54 Solats

4- MOVEMENT-

Jumpship ALPHA, Andorus, 2 x Solar Templars:
     Eden (6e) --> Pyreen (3d)

Jumpship BETA, Kinsman Gurati, 1 x Desert Warrior, 2 x Damper:
     Quayat (3b) --> Pyreen (3d)

Jumpship GAMMA, 1 x Cyborg Commandoes, 2 x Imperial Conscripts:
     Seedeen (3c) --> Pyreen (3d)

Jumpship DELTA
     Jerstertia III (1a) --> Quayat (3b)

Jumpship ZETA
     Jerstertia III (1a) --> Quayat (3b)

Colonial Rangers:
     Frost (2d) --> Pyreen (3d)


5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
none

6- BATTLE-
initiate none

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
1: Baron Castille Gurati (Jersteria III) <i>'Governor of Jerstertia':
     Govern Jerstertia II: auto success: rolled +1: = 6 Solats.

2: Andorus Gurati (Eden) 'Governor of Eden':
     Govern Eden: auto succeed: rolled +1: = 3 Solats

3: Ephrates Gurati (Quayat) 'Governor of Quayat':
     Govern Quayat: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solats

4: Kinsman Gurati (Quayat) 'Diplomat ... Ambasador to the Houses':
     Intrigue: Surgeons of Silex: rolled 1 = Success.

5: Lazarus de Gurati  (Seedeen) 'High Solar Priest ... General of the Solar Inquisition':
     Assasination: Duke Lortran: rolled 4: FAILURE

6: Gratius Hellius (Frost) 'Governor of Frost':
     Govern Frost: auto succeed: rolled +6: = 7 Solats

7: Indigo Montoya (Pyreen) 'Governor of Pyreen':
     Govern Pyreen: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solts

8: Justinia Montoya (Quayat) 'Governor of Griddox':
     Govern Griddox: auto succeed: rolled +3: = 4 Solats

9: Gratius Rephiliad (Frost) 'the Master of Assasins':
    Strategic Planning: auto succeed: rolled 5: bonus to next turn Initiative.

10: Florentine Gurati (Seedeen) 'Governor of Seedeen':
     Govern Seedeen: auto succeed: rolled +2: = 3 Solats


Treasury:
Govern Jerstertia III = 6
Govern Eden = 3
Govern Quayat = 5
Govern Frost = 7
Govern Seedeen = 3
Govern Griddox = 4
Mercantile consortium = 2
   Unspent from above - 54
]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:06, Fri 01 Aug 2008.

Dekko stood at the helm of his craft, his armor glittering darkly as he stared at the planet before him.  It seemed he'd been a poor gambler up 'til this point, but this was the only way he cound find the face the future.  He'd put faith in Zibble, and unfortunately it had proven insufficient.  That choice had forced him into his current circumstances...if he was unfit to lead, history would remember him more kindly for rallying his forces and pushing into the breach than if the Lortran found him clinging pathetically to poweron the home world.

He glared at Faradi, who had consistently failed him since he lifted her exile.  If she wouldn't work for the good of the Nitrix, she'd sure as hell fight to save her own skin.  They were reaching the outer limits of range for a nuclear counter attack from the surface of the planet below.  Any moment now, the battle would begin, and silently Dekko placed the featureless black helmet upon his head, the crown of spikes adorning the top the only thing to distinguish him from any other soldier.  He turned to the gathered troops behind him, the speaker in his helmet broadcasting his simple words to the soldiers he'd prepared for this assault.

"Today men, we stand proud!  We tell the Lortran that we will not be cowed!  We reclaim Aquaria and repay them for the stain they have placed upon our honor!  Today, we show them what it means to make enemies of the NITRIX!" he said, thrusting one fist into the air.  The Suicide Squads roared with approval, but that lot would cheer for any excuse to do battle.  The Surgeons of Silex had sworn that to him when he'd had them pioneer the creation of those fearless warriors in the first place.  The House Troops, however, were quiet, mentally preparing for battle ... more than a few of them felt they'd been drafted into a Suicide Mission, it wasn't at all uncommon for High Lords to choose a death in battle over being silently removed by their peers at home.

"We'll see who history favors, Karth." Dekko growled to himself.

[Private to The Void:
1- INITIATIVE-
2 + 1 (3)

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
Rolled 2 (Failure)

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Bolavor - Jungle Fighters (1 Solat)
Nitrix - Nuclear Arsenal (5 Solats)

4- MOVEMENT-
Jumpship "Returner" (Bolavor-->Aquaria)
Damper Field, Suicide Squads, House Troops w/ Dekko Nitrix

Jumpship "Blackgate" (Bolavor-->Aquaria)
Nuclear Arsenal, Suicide Squads, House Troops

Jumpship "Ingens" (Bolavor-->Aquaria)
Damper Field, Suicide Squads, House Troops w/ Faradi Nitrix

Jumpship "Hammer" (Bolavor-->Aquaria)
Nuclear Arsenal, Suicide Squads, House Troops

(If Dampers don't operate on Jumpships, replace them with House Troops, and I'll just have to cross my fingers)

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Aquaria - ARMED - Ground (Priorities Sea Monsters, Psychics, Psychic Veterans, First Strikers)
Aquaria - ARMED - Ground (Priorities Sea Monsters, Psychics, Psychic Veterans, First Strikers)

6- BATTLE-
Suicide Squad, Suicide Squad, Suicide Squad, Suicide Squad, House Troops, House Troops, Faradi's Troops, Dekko's Troops


7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
Imperial Beaurocracy - (Autosuccess) +1 Init next turn
Dekko Nitrix - To BATTLE!
Karth Nitrix - 3 (Failed)
Faradi Nitrix - To BATTLE!
Nubiteri Nitrix - 1 (Success) Nubiteri proves himself a valuable asset to the Nitrix House by Assassinating Alex Lortran.  Messily.  Like "Dropping him a cage filled with hungry Celaxian Flesh Renders" kinda messy.]

The imperial sages report:

Lortran nobles are lying low this turn. The recent death in the family caused much introspection in their ranks, it appears. The maybe-clone Duke, while he was seen paying a visit to Aristocracy's outposts across the sector, seemed distant and plagued by uncomfortable thoughts.

Kadesh nobles, thinned out as well, take a different route. They thrash around in the Gurati holdings in attempts at sabotage and assassination, only to fail miserably every time. The old Countess is sorely missed.

The Surgeons of Silex, after a brief alliance with the Kadesh, return to Gurati's fold again. This change of heart again the doing of Kinsman Gurati, the diplomat of the Gurati.

The former High Priest of th Solar Inquisition was seen rather disgruntled and disappointed by the task he was given by Baron Gurati. Little else is known.


The imperial tactician reports:

Nitrix: 4 jumpships (Returner, Blackgate, Ingens, Hammer)
2xDamper Field, 4xSuicide Squads(2sac), House Troops(1) w/ Dekko Nitrix, House Troops(1) w/ Faradi Nitrix, 2x House Troops (1), 2x nuclear arsenals

Lortran:  1 subterranean mutants (1pfs),4 mercenaries (2), 1 noble, 2 house troops (2), 3 sea monsters (4), 3 clones (1), 2 psychic veterans (2neg), 1 damper, 1 nuke, 1 heretic (1sac), 3 jumpships

Nuclear exchange phase: Neither side hesitates to employ nuclear weapons. The defending Lortran force scores a clean hit on a Nitrix jumpship - but the nuclear fury was cleanly deflected by a damper field. The return strike turned the night side of Aquaria into a brigtly lit inferno. Numerous floating cities were vaporized - but the defenders deployed damper fields as well, negating any casualties amongst fighting troops.

Nitrix:
4xSuicide Squads(2sac), House Troops(1) w/ Dekko Nitrix, House Troops(1) w/ Faradi Nitrix, 2x House Troops (1), 2x nuclear arsenals

Lortran:  1 subterranean mutants (1pfs),4 mercenaries (2), 1 noble, 2 house troops (2), 3 sea monsters (4), 3 clones (1), 2 psychic veterans (2neg)

Psi phase: Marquis Alex manages to conjure a telekinetic maelstrom even as the first Nitrix troops descend.

First strike: The first drop went wildly off target. In the ensuing confusion one of the suicide squads was wiped out in unclear circumstances.

Combat phase: The first full scale combat among islands and waist deep shores leaves one clone unit scattered. On the Nitrix side, three more suicide squads disappear without a trace into the waves.

Nitrix:
+6 suicide, House Troops(1) w/ Dekko Nitrix, House Troops(1) w/ Faradi Nitrix, 2x House Troops (1), 2x nuclear arsenals

Lortran:  1 subterranean mutants (1pfs),4 mercenaries (2), 1 noble, 2 house troops (2), 3 sea monsters (4), 2 clones (1), 2 psychic veterans (2neg)

Psi phase: Both Nitrix nobles, invigorated by the threat of an untimely loss, manage to produce impressive psychic effects. However, the defending psychic veterans dispel one of those, leaving just a Telekinetic maelstrom in place.

First strike phase: Nitrix house troops manage to rip through the clone units used as a decoy by the Lortran. In return, one of the attacking house troops is destroyed as well.

Combat phase: Disillusioned and outnumbered, the remnants of Nitrix suicide squads sacrifice themselves in senseless attacks that do no real damage at all. The Nitrix nobles themselves make their last stand on a radioactive, molten island. Only Dekko Nitrix survives to be taken prisoner by the Lortran troops.

In retrospect, Nitrix would probably have profited more by attacking Computus and Bazarium instead.


The imperial sage adds a last minute report:

Marquis Alex' triumph was of short duration, however. The defender of Aquaria was found murdered in a most gruesome way. Reports mention Celaxian Flesh Renders and sexual deviations of uncertain nature. We can only speculate what went on there.

      1      2       3      4       5        6       7       8       9     10
   ______         _______        ________         _______         ______
  /Gurati\_______/       \______/Gridox  \_______/       \_______/      \______
A \_G0/2_/       \_______/      \_G0/6___/       \_______/       \______/Lortran
  /      \_______/Quayat \______/        \_______/       \_______/Scorch\_L0/8_/
B \______/       \_G2/4__/      \________/       \_______/       \_L0/5_/      \
  /      \_______/Seedeen\______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
C \______/       \_G0/14_/      \________/       \_______/ Marx  \______/      \
  /      \_______/Pyreen \______/        \_______/Zenceti\_L5/17_/      \______/
D \______/ Frost \_G3/15_/      \________/       \__L0/9_/       \______/      \
  /      \__G0/16/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
E \______/ Dalton\_______/      \________/ Eden  \_______/Hellish\______/      \
  /      \_K4/9__/       \______/Mercurum\_G0/11_/       \_L1/8__/      \______/
F \______/ Punah \_______/      \_K1/13__/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_K4/14_/       \______/        \_______/       \_______/      \______/
G \______/  Mox  \_______/      \________/       \_______/Aquaria\______/      \
  /      \_K3/9__/       \______/        \_______/       \_L3/13_/      \______/
H \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_______/       \______/      \
  /      \_______/       \______/        \_______/Bolavor\_______/      \______/
I \______/       \_______/      \________/       \_N0/17_/       \______/      \
  /Kadesh\_______/Paralax\______/Computus\_______/       \_______/      \______/
J \_K3/3_/Yoravar\_K0/1__/      \_K0/7___/Bazarum\_______/       \______/Nitrix\
         \_K0/1__/       \______/        \__K1/3_/       \_______/      \_N0/3_/

• Location -Name
• A10 -Lortran- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 noble, 6 house troop, funds:5 ]
• A1 -Gurati- [Private to Baron Gurati: 2 house troops, funds:84 ]
• J1 -Kadesh- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 nobles, 1 fanatics, 2 warrior priests, 3 jumpships funds:-1 ]
• J10 -Nitrix- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 2 Nobles (Karth, Nubiteri),  2 damper fields, 1 nuclear arsenal funds:8 ]
• G8 -Aquara- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 subterranean mutants,4 mercenaries, 2 house troops, 3 sea monsters, 2 psychic veterans, 1 heretic, 3 jumpships ]
• J6 -Bazarium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troops,1 jumpship, 3 merc ]
• I7 -Bolavor- [Private to Lord Nitrix: 13 jungle fighters,  4 house troops, 4 jumpships retreating here ]
• J5 -Computus- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 4 RDMs, 1 nukes, 2 fanatics, ]
• E2 -Dalton- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 6 nuke, 3 priests, 3 jumpships ]
• E6 -Eden- [Private to Baron Gurati: 10 solar templars,1 damper ]
• D2 -Frost- [Private to Baron Gurati: 14 ice barbarians,1 house troops, 1 noble*, 1 noble,  1 cyborg commandos, ]
• A5 -Griddox- [Private to Baron Gurati: 6 prison soldiers ]
• E8 -Hellish- [Private to Duke Lortran: 3 clone soldiers, 1 jumpships, 1 dampers, 1 mutants,   1 house troop,  2 nuclear arsenal ]
• C8 -Marx- [Private to Duke Lortran: 5 JS, 4 noble, 2 house troops, 5 psychic veterans, 3 clone soldiers,  2 arsenals, 1 dampers, 1 mercenaries, 3 heretics ]
• F5 -Mercurium- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 Warrior priests , 9 miners, 2 centurions, 1 js, 1 nuclear arsenal ]
• G2 -Mox- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 8 miners,  2 nobles,    1 priests, ]
• J3 -Parallax- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 priests, ]
• F2 -Punah- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 5 Amazonians, 1 transhuman supersoldier, 3 warrior priests, 4 JS, 3 RDM, 2 rebels ]
• D3 -Pyreen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 4 nobles, 3 desert warriors, 2 solar templars, 3 js, 2 dampers, 1 commandoes, 2 imperial conscripts,  1 colonial rangers ]
• B3 -Quayat- [Private to Baron Gurati: 3 desert wariors, 2 noble,   1 commando, 2 jumpships ]
• B9 -Scorch- [Private to Duke Lortran: 1 house troop,  4 lava projectors, ]
• C3 -Seedeen- [Private to Baron Gurati: 13 imperial conscripts,  2 nobles, 1 damper field ]
• J2 -Yoravar- [Private to Countess Kadesh: 1 house troop, ]
• D7 -Zenceti- [Private to Duke Lortran: 9 psychic natives ]

A meeting of Lortran nobles on Marx:
"We must strike now, or we will lose our chance!  There is no time for discussion!" shouts Marquis Douglas.  "The plan has been in place long enough.  If you had doubts you should have raised them far earlier than this!"

"Some of us did raise doubts far earlier," replied Baroness Carly icily.  "Catherine forced us to take part in this plan.  And now she is gone.  We should not betray Tycho this way."  She looks to Marcos for support, but the quiet baron only nods.  Carly presses on.  "We could be walking into a trap.  The Gurati have massed troops on Pyreen, which are probably on the way to Eden as we speak."

"All the more reason to act now," answers Baron Donald quietly.

"Yes!  All the more reason to act now!" shouts Douglas.  "We follow the plan Catherine laid out, it is too late to back out now, and too late for debate!"

"The plan called for Alex and Catherine both taking part," Carly replies.  "We no longer have the leadership we need for this kind of strike!  The templars are mighty foes.  Even with a numerical advantage, we stand a good chance of being beaten back.  And as we would be rejecting Tycho's orders, he won't be likely to send reinforcements even if we were to win."

"Once we have Eden, Tycho will see that we were right, and follow along.  If not, he is not fit to lead this house!" says Douglas.  "Should it come to it, I will take control of the house.  The duke is too old to leave Lortran anyway.  He does nothing but pander to so-called allies, who humor him for a few weeks before returning to the Gurati!  The house needs bold leadership, not over-cautious, ever-waiting Tycho!"

"The Nitrix had bold leadership," says Marcos, quietly.  For a moment, all eyes go to the quiet Baron, as if noticing him for the first time.

"The Nitrix were fools to attack when they did," growls Douglass.  "We will have far greater numbers, and better leadership.  The Nitrix attacked too soon.  No one can say that of us, after all the waiting we have done!"

The room erupts into angry shouting, and the debate goes on for some time...


[Private to GM: Orders:

1- INITIATIVE-
13:03, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 5 using 1d6. init.

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
13:03, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 6 using 1d6. recruit noble.

3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Lortran:
Marx: clone (cost 1)
Scortch:
Zenceti:
Hellish:
Aquaria:


4- MOVEMENT-
Marx --> Eden
5x JS w/
2x psychic vets (+2 nobles (Marcos and Carly)), 1 damper
3x psychic vets (+2 nobles (Donald and Douglas))
3x heretics
3x clones
1x mercenaries, 1x, clone, 1x nukes

Hellish --> Eden
1x JS w/
1 mutant, 1 damper, 1 clone

Aquaria --> Eden
3x JS w/
 1 subterranean mutants, 2 psychic veterans,
 3 mercenaries
 1 mercenary, 1 house troops, 1 heretic

NOTE: will pay mercs to attack

5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
Nuke Marx: armed (jumpships)
Nuke Marx --> Eden: safe before fight, then armed(jumpships) after fight
Nukes Hellish: armed (jumpships)

6- BATTLE-

Lortran group:
1. house troops(+noble x1)

Scortch group:
1. house troops
2. Lava projectors

Marx group:
1. guild mercenaries
2. clones
3. house troops
4. psychic vets(+nobles)
(will just be house troops left there after my turn)

Zenceti group:
1. psychic natives

Hellish group:
1. clones
2. house troops
3. mutant
(will just be house troops after my turn)

Aquaria group:
1. heretics
2. clones
3. Mercenaries
4. house troops
5. mutants
6. sea serpents
7. psychic vets (noble will join them if sea serpents die)
(will just be sea serpents and a house troop left after my turn)

7- NOBLE ACTIONS-

Duke Tycho (Lortran) - Intrigue:  Imp. Aristocracy
  13:18, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 1 using 1d6. noble action 1--intrigue.
Baron Marcos (Marx) - none, moving

Baroness Carly (Marx) - none, moving

Marquis Douglas (Lortran --> Marx) - none, moving

Baron Donald (Lortran --> Marx) - none, moving


CoM diplo attempt at Parallax (just in case):
  13:19, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 4 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #1.
CoM diplo attempt at Parallax (just in case):
  13:20, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 3 using 1d6. Church of Mankind diplo. #2.

Imp. Secret Police Assassination attempt: gurati noble
  13:20, Today: Secret Roll: Duke Lortran rolled 6 using 1d6. Imp. Secret police assassination.
]
This message was last edited by the player at 12:52, Fri 08 Aug 2008.

Countess Sasha meets with her officers. "Well it seems we will see who will win this sector soon. Be fervent in your prayers my brothers and sisters. We have the means to be the victors here. We need but the chance. I sense that that chance is soon upon us. Our plans are laid. Go now to your duites. May fate be with you all." The officers leave the countess by herself. "Well then we shall see who cracks first. Now wont we lady luck. Hehehe"
[Private to GM:
1. INITIATIVE=4 hope it nuff to save my tuckus
2. PRODUCTION=29-1 for debt=28
3. UPKEEP=7 total avaibale funds =21
4. RECRUIT NOBLES=of course not.
5. RECRUIT TROOPS
   3 rebels & 3 centurions at kadesh =21
   no builds elseware
6. MOVEMENT
   3 rebels, 3 centurions and 2 warrior preists to mox from kadesh.
   3 JS at mox travel empty to kadesh.
   No other movement
7. NUCLEAR EXCHANGE
   Nukes to intercept. Dalton arms 3 for ground defense. other 3 are set for intercept.
8. BATTLE
   This may hurt.
9. NOBLE ACTIONS
   Rebel sabotage vs JS over Pyreen=boom
   Countess Sasha Intrigue vs Imperial army=sucess
   Lord Kirtiu Prad sabotage vs JS over Pyreen=miss
   Lord Yelvin Kadesh sabotage vs JS over pyreen=miss
]

thanks again, all, for bearing with me.
I am still having to find time (and money) to post from internet cafe's.
hopefully soon, I shall be fully internettable again.

[Private to GM:

beginning:
Jerstertia III
Baron Castille Gurati
2 x House Troops

Eden
Andorus Gurati
10 x Solar Templars
1 x Damper Field - armed to defend against Nukes.

Frost
Gratius Rephiliad
Gratius Hellius
14 x Ice Barbarians
1 x House Troops
1 x Cyborg Commandoes

Gridox
6 x Prison Conscripts

Pyreen
Indego Montoya
High Father Lazarus de Gurati
Andorus Gurati
Kinsman Gurati
3 x Desert Warriors
2 x Solar Templars
2 x Dampners
1 x Cyborg commandoes
1 x Imperial Conscripts
1 x Colonial Rangers
Jumpship ALPHA
Jumpship BETA
Jumpship GAMMA

Quayat
Ephrates Gurati
Justinian Montoya
3 x Desert Warriors
1 x Cyborg Commandoes
Jumpship DELTA
Jumpship ZETA

Seedeen
Florentine Gurati
13 x Imperial Conscripts
1 x Damper Field

Treasury
84 Solats



1- INITIATIVE-
GM rolls this

2- RECRUIT NOBLES-
     You rolled 12 using 3d6 ((5,1,6)).   _{free roll + Surgeons of Silex + Imp Arist}.
ONE Noble Recruited!
Nathanial expa-Kadesh; a young nobleman of the Kadesh Family, who has defected to the Gurati, claiming support and respect for their recent actions and decisions during the War Trials of the Countess.


3- RECRUIT TROOPS-
Jerstertia III: Jumpship EPSILON(cost: 6)
Jerstertia III: Jumpship THETA (cost: 6)
Frost: Ice Barbarians (cost: 3)
Seedeen: Imperial Conscripts (cost: 1)
Quayat: Desert Warriors (cost: 5)
Eden: Solar Templars (cost: 7)
   Unspent - 56 Solats


4- MOVEMENT-

Jumpship ALPHA, 1 x Dampener, Andorus Gurati, 1 x Desert Warriors, 1 x Solar Templars:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Dalton (2e)

Jumpship BETA, 1 x Dampener, High Father Lazarus, 1 x Solar Templars, 1 x Desert Warriors:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Dalton (2e)

Jumpship GAMMA, Indego Montoya, 1 x Imperial Conscripts, 1 x Cyborg Commandoes, 1 x Desert Warriors:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Dalton (2e)

Jumpship DELTA, 2 x Desert Warriors, 1 x Cyborg Commandoes:
     Quayat (3b) --> Pyreen (3d)

Jumpship ZETA:
     Quayat (3b) --> Frost (2d)

Jumpship EPSILON, Nathanial expa-Kadesh:
     Jerstertia III (1a) --> Seedeen(3c)

Jumpship THETA:
     Jerstertia III (1a) --> Seedeen (3c)

Colonial Rangers:
     Pyreen (3d) --> Dalton (2e)


5- NUCLEAR EXCHANGE-
none

6- BATTLE-
Invade Dalton ... using Strategic Planning by Gratius Raphiliad (last turn ... rolled a 5)


7- NOBLE ACTIONS-
1: Baron Castille Gurati (Jersteria III) 'Governor of Jerstertia':
     Govern Jerstertia II: auto success: rolled +4: = 9 Solats.

2: Andorus Gurati (Eden) 'Governor of Eden':
     Intrigue: 5th Sector Rebels: rolled 1: SUCCESS.

3: Ephrates Gurati (Quayat) 'Governor of Quayat':
     Govern Quayat: auto succeed: rolled +3: = 4 Solats

4: Kinsman Gurati (Quayat) 'Diplomat ... Ambasador to the Houses':
     Strategic Planning: auto succeed: rolled 5: bonus to next turn Initiative.

5: Lazarus de Gurati  (Seedeen) 'High Solar Priest ... General of the Solar Inquisition':
    Strategic Planning: auto succeed: rolled 2: bonus to next turn Initiative.

6: Gratius Hellius (Frost) 'Governor of Frost':
     Govern Frost: auto succeed: rolled +5: = 6 Solats

7: Indigo Montoya (Pyreen) 'Governor of Pyreen':
     Govern Pyreen: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solts

8: Justinia Montoya (Quayat) 'Governor of Griddox':
     Sabotage: Kadesh troops on Punah: rolled 1: SUCCEED.

9: Gratius Rephiliad (Frost) 'the Master of Assasins':
     Sabotage: Kadesh troops on Punah: rolled 1: SUCCEED.

10: Florentine Gurati (Seedeen) 'Governor of Seedeen':
     Govern Seedeen: auto succeed: rolled +3: = 4 Solats

11: Nathanial expa-Kadesh (Jersteria III)
     Govern Griddox: auto succeed: rolled +4: = 5 Solats


Treasury:
Govern Jerstertia III = 9
Govern Griddox = 5
Govern Quayat = 4
Govern Seedeen = 4
Govern Pyreen = 5
Govern Frost = 6
Mercantile consortium = 2
Surgeons of Silex = 1
   Unspent from above - 56
]