Theme: Concept and flavor
Creativity: Uniqueness
Economic/Martial Might: Self-explanatory
Soundtrack: https://youtu.be/h-EpQysxbzo
Duke Archibald
Theme: 7/10 - Salt of the earth
Creativity: 5/10 - Water of the soil
Economic Might: 7/10 - Breadbasket of the empire
Martial Might: 5/10 - There's a sheriff I guess
The lord upon which all other land lords are measured upon. He has one basic thing that he does, and he does it well. Like water, while relatively flavorless, he is the quickest to be missed when the world ends.
He best hope his neighbors realize his importance. Should any hostile force succeed in a sabotage or attack, the entire empire will suffer. At least he is in no danger of a blind peasant uprising, and is more than capable of taking in refugees until they are redirected elsewhere.
Not a mighty bulwark, but the steadiest clay to steady yourself on. His name may be forgotten, but any success his neighbors have will be due to him.
Quinn Smith
Theme: 6/10 - Scatter-brained ditz
Creativity: 9/10 - A fortified containment zone
Economic Might: 8/10 - Almost took the kitchen sink
Martial Might: 0/10 => 10/10 if she succeeds within ten years
A ticking timebomb, all told. While the impressive martial and magical measures are more than enough to keep the dungeon and its ornery inhabitants at bay, there is enough internal unrest and external hostility that puts even her mighty defenses on the razor's edge. A brisk breeze could send her house of cards collapsing on itself.
That said, if she manages to reinforce her domain sufficiently within the ten years she has, weathers the burgeoning revolutions and church attacks, as well as avoid the attentions of any greedy neighbors too blind to see that her establishment is the cork sparing the region a calamitous eruption... she might be our best chance yet against Abaddon.
More likely that she expires in a lab accident though.
Saint Maluscomedo
Theme: 8/10 - Doktor
Creativity: 8/10 - The main aesthetic difference between demons and angels is the halo
Economic Might: 6/10 - Holy site pilgrims and great library sales provide beyond mere sustenance
Martial Might: 6/10 => 10/10 if he succeeds, -10/10 if he fails
A dangerous individual. The line between madness and genius is paper-thin here. His experiments are as likely to see him becoming an equal to Abaddon himself as they are to... well, see him becoming Abaddon. It's a wonder the church does not see the danger at their doorstep, but I guess he is taking the tree in the forest approach.
Marquis Alric Bolivard
Theme: 6/10 - The first build to canonically have sex
Creativity: 5/10 - Vanilla
Economic Might: 7/10 => 9/10 - A great trade post, but it can be better
Martial Might: 6/10 => 7/10 - A balanced, effective border town
Not much to be said here. The retinue and features make for an excellent exotic border town, if not an economic hub. It turns in great amounts of revenue, but mere cash can only take your economy so far, and you will have to invest well and intelligently in the arcane and divine if you wish to turn your basic city into the ziggurat it could become.
Silas Nash
Theme: 4/10 - Image build? Really?
Creativity: 6/10 - A progressive paradise on the brink of collapse
Economic Might: 7/10 => 3/10 - Many resources, but war is expensive business
Martial Might: 3/10 => 7/10 if he somehow survives, but more likely 0/10
Jokes aside 7/10 flavor. Each companion having a name and personality's a fresh break.
All that said, Atlas' reach is in peril. On the brink of not just a grand crusade, but also a populous revolution. One would be surmountable, but two at the same time will likely break it to pieces for the squabbling factions to claim.
There are very few notable forces to leverage, mostly the Adventurers' guild, and whatever the Monster Breeders can hatch up in the meantime. None of your retinue hold any exceptional ability to mitigate the disasters to come at their source, merely address the symptoms.
You have an extremely tight timeline to operate under. Amass your needed resources, and use them to supplant your manpower. Tame whatever monster girls you can, and be discerning.
Should you succeed in surviving both wars by some stroke of fortune, it will be at a great cost to your economy, but will leave you that much stronger.
Failure is not an option.
Gristletooth the Turncoat
Theme: 7/10 - Everyone loves a redemption arc
Creativity: 8/10 - Carnival is kino
Economic Might: 7/10 - A bustling wonderland of sensation and imagination
Martial Might: 2/10 => 6/10 if he consumes, 8/10 if consumed
It's truly a wonder that this guy somehow became a lord. The emperor must truly be blind to race, if not outright blind.
He will be fighting a war from day 1, with the sexy succubi attempting to corrupt his entire realm to degeneracy. He... has almost no military might, and will be fighting a losing battle from the get-go against the enemies from within. And if he somehow, with extreme guile and trickery, manages to surmount them, he will then have to fight a grand crusade levied against him and his people, already weakened.
In all honesty, his best chances for surviving short-term would be to allow the sexy succubi to win, and then marshal his corrupted realm's might against the crusade. However, that will very likely remove any chances he has of achieving his goal, as the world will vilify him even more for losing what semblance of humanity he once claimed.
Nestor Wolf
Theme: 5/10 - Straightforward
Creativity: 6/10 - A frontier colony
Economic Might: 7/10 - Great economic potential, but little in the way of expansion
Martial Might: 3/10 => 1/10 if wenches win, 7/10 if brethren prevail
I don't think I like the idea of boons being stackable. I'll try to be fair and take it at face value.
The expeditionary force into the outlands is going well, what with the lord somehow winning over the locals with sheer charisma, including the ones thought to be unsalvageable.
However, the majority of his forces, while loyal enough, are also very... emotional to say the least. They might be the worst match possible for the sexy succubi. If enough fall to their wiles, the cascade might occur so fast that the lord simply wakes up to a domain fallen to lust
That said, he has an ace up his sleeve: mind magic. Should he manage to enact a ritual strong enough to reinforce his men's will against the succubi, he may yet stand a chance. It is a slim hope however, as the amount of people it would work on would be quite limited in the short term, and he does have to send some to deal with the roving bands of church brigands, which could be lost if they are ensnared by succubi along the way. A slow drain of precious manpower. Or he could hunker down behind his walls, and attempt to wait them out? The succubi are unlikely to wait, especially with how many of them can fly.
And should he choose to lead the revolution? Time would be even less on his side.
Sadly, his likely best case scenario is leader of a band of devoted brigands, limited by how many he manages to keep steady in the face of the succubi and their wiles.
Tanaka Haruto
Apologies, but my homophobia precludes a fair evaluation. I will have to skip.
Knyiaz Lampys Erymanthius
Theme: 6/10 - Technically well-written
Creativity: 7/10 - A hold on its last legs
Economic Might: 7/10 - A well-managed frontier with great yields for its state
Martial Might: 7/10 => 8/10 - A stable growth, even through the silent rumbling
The land is indeed hard, and requires hard men to lead. The Knyiaz has lead it well thus far. But with the passage of time, harder men are produced, and they too seek to take power for themselves. Knyiaz is liked enough by the people that any who attempt to depose him will do their utmost to make it as bloodless an affair as possible, lest they be next. Yet he has no great loyalty among the burgeoning powers, unmarried as he is, and with the court plotting against him on every measure, they are likely to encourage many a challenger to challenge him for his position. He will not best them all.
The land will continue even as its lord is relegated to the background, being called on for his experience when needed at best.
The Angel Emmanuel
Theme: 6/10 - Simple and to the point, love the use of Isekai here
Creativity: 7/10 - A roving holy order
Economic Might: 5/10 - Normally the forge would boost one's economy, but in this case I'm assuming it's solely dedicated to arming the over-armed knights
Martial Might: 7/10 - Little in the way of defense and growth
The angel from the heavens is a lord in name only, for he serves the lord first and foremost. To that end, and little else did he devote his might. Whilst his domain is unimpressive in martial might nor economic flexibility, their self-sufficiency and recovery is possibly unmatched in the empire. They will not defeat an army legions in a single battle, but they will recover in days, and return for a rematch, again and again, until their enemy's endurance is carved away, like the incessant tide chipping away at a typhoon.
They and they alone would be able to hold the line against the unending tides of Abaddon indefinitely. Will the rest of us?
Auria Hirpinia
Theme: 6/10 - Consistent structure
Creativity: 6/10 - The saintiest saint that ever sainted
Economic Might: 6/10 => 7/10 - Pilgrims and tradesmen aplenty. Clear the road of threats, and it flourishes
Martial Might: 8/10 - A martial powerhouse, though little production of its own
Monsters and brigands this deep into the lands? It is clear she has many rivals in the court, but surely not even they would allow such sacrilege to come so close to holy ground.
All said, her constant supply of faithful, with the facilities to train them, would allow her to nigh-trivially crush the various minor threats she faces, leaving only the holy war at her doorstep. While it would not overly tax her to resolve, it would limit the growth she could otherwise achieve by pacifying and converting the various subhumans and barbarians around.
Handle this test well, and your enemies may be shamed away yet.
Duke-Elector Vicaro de' Barca
Theme: 9/10 - Finally, an intrigue build with an interesting goal, and a good use of the monument
Creativity: 6/10 - Assassin's Creed
Economic Might: 7/10 => 8/10 - Trade routes are stymied while the holy war persists
Martial Might: 7/10 - Capable of withstanding a siege for a long time
Remiss would be the traveler whose heart does not palpitate from joy to see the golden walls. A symbol of safety and prosperity from any dangers that lay beyond.
You are a local celebrity, I am sorry to say. In any lesser empire, you would be the face of wealth. But weather the raiders and spies, and the city might have your face on its coins yet. A small victory, yet a victory nonetheless.
Duke Harold Staggard II of Reins
Theme: 5/10 - Feels like it had more drawbacks that were cut out
Creativity: 6/10 - Harsh but fair lord
Economic Might: 8/10 - Nothing fancy, but a solid spread of the basics
Martial Might: 9/10 - As fortified as they come, capable of both withstanding a siege, and sending out armies
While Reins stands, so does the north. It would take specialized magics, fliers, and on top of that an ungodly number of troops to take this stronghold, and not without so many casualties that whatever takes it would scarcely be able to hold it from a neighbor's retaliation.
There are no internal troubles to speak of, as the lord's judgement is oft delivered as soon as a crime is reported, so efficient and effective are its laws.
Had the dark lord been a mere barbarian lord, duke Harold would have sufficed to crush him where he stands.
Catherinne Aisla de Lyoncaster
Theme: 4/10 - Cuteposting hurts my soul
Creativity: 6/10 - Quirky nerdy princess
Economic Might: 6/10 - Exotic materials and machines, expended to the princess's pleasure
Martial Might: 6/10 - Such a sizable concentration of mages provides a notable edge
Former princess, forgettable princess. Where do her interests lay? She wants Abaddon prepared for, but I say it is an excuse to test out some form of immorally large explosive.
Her domain is surprisingly stable for such a troublesome child, much to her chagrin I wager. She could provide great aid to those around her, yet would struggle should she herself be threatened, with no strongpoints to speak of.
Find your friends quickly, your former majesty, lest you become her late majesty.
Avesta, Lord of Boglands
Theme: 7/10 - Cool tragedy
Creativity: 7/10 - Kickass lord of an army of possessed armors
Economic Might: 6/10 - A moderately self-sufficient fortress, but no special produce
Martial Might: 8/10 => 10/10 if his plan succeeds and the armors nae nae the dark hordes
The boglord's is a sad tale of duty taken too far. His land grows even as it dies, and so does its militant strength. Himself abandoned by the very empire he sought to expand. And now his followers are returned to his ranks after their death, with or against their will.
And should we succeed and fell Abaddon... what awaits these restless wraiths?
St. Mog, the Avaricious
Theme: 3/10 - Flavor discordant with options and oh god that's a doll
Creativity: 7/10 - A decadent monster
Economic Might: 8/10 => 7/10 if she even survives to the end
Martial Might: 5/10 => 4/10 if she even survives to the end
6/10 Theme. Competently written, but I refuse to ignore the doll. What were you even thinking?!
It is the place of the rich and the powerful to be cruel. Saint Mog may be richer than most, but she is nowhere near powerful enough to be as cruel as she is. Had she a kingdom of her own, she would have been declared the next demon lord, and crushed by the church and its allies. That she merely warrants a band of knights is a testament to the darkness of our times.
Nonetheless, should the oppressed amongst her people join with the forces of the church in their bid for freedom, she would be hard-pressed to fend off attackers from both within and without. It falls to her own personal prowess to turn the tide. Whether she wins or loses, her domain's population will plummet, and would be reliant on allies for any chances against the coming of Abaddon.
Duchess Lucia of House Carafa
Theme: 5/10 - Serviceable
Creativity: 5/10 - Yet another "trade hub"
Economic Might: 7/10 => 8/10 - At least she has forests. Just clean out the goblins
Martial Might: 7/10 - A safe enough domain, but ready for war it is not
Much like Duke Archibald, the Duchess acts as a steadfast economical backline for all of her neighbors. Unlike the duke, she is capable of sallying out a force to reinforce them, as well as keep the piece against any minor brigands in her domain. She is not noteworthy, until her neighbors are in the backfoot. Should she be targeted first and they fail to aid her, then they will be choked out of trade and resources, and fall soon after.
Consul Levi du Ponte III
Theme: 6/10 - The first canonical incel, and a Varys expy to boot
Creativity: 6/10 - Jack of all trades, master of one
Economic Might: 6/10 - No strengths, no weaknesses
Martial Might: 6/10 - Nothing to exploit, simply a needless slog to get at
Unassuming by design, the consul's domain is is perhaps the most likely to be ignored by any invading force. While it is by no means impossible to raze, there are very few viable tactics to achieve so in a short amount of time, and his potential as a threat is seemingly nonexistent enough that it can be deemed wiser to blockade its borders and save it for last.
Only the upper echelons of the court are wary of the consul and his domain. For reasons unknown, he is the target of both great favor, and great scorn, as if he holds knowledge that could upturn the empire itself.
But what could it possibly be? Perhaps the court itself does not know.
Emperor Aurelius
Theme: 6/10 - Some incongruencies, but interesting nonetheless
Creativity: 6/10 - The most gilded of figureheads
Economic Might: 6/10 - Carried by sheer charisma
Martial Might: 6/10 - An army of believers surrounds him
Titular is our emperor, and little else it is sad to say. His personal domain is more a monument to god and the church than it is a seat of imperial power. He himself is more prone to flights of compassionate (and passionate) fancy than to proper rulership, though any that stray from church canon and proper decorum are severely mitigated by his own allies, as they use him as a vehicle of inconvenience against each other in their spats.
Meanwhile, the followers see their ruler and divine as the shackled angel he is, if only he could be freed that he may dispense his magnanimity upon them unfettered. Should he fail to meet their ocean of expectations however, he might find himself drowning in it.
To those believers, I posit this question: If these are the divines that walk among us, what remains to be seen in heaven?
Lord Steerpike
Theme: 7/10 - YA protagonist energy
Creativity: 7/10 - Rags to riches
Economic Might: 7/10 - Unique military supplies
Martial Might: 7/10 => 9/10 - Air and sea power, just need manpower
The lords of the realm do so enjoy the chance to quash every upstart from his humble beginnings, to reinforce their superiority amongst the people. They enjoy it less when the upstart is given so many more blessings than they, and continues to inexplicably survive.
The isle holds a plethora of secrets and industries, which on their own are "merely" impressive, but when combined together could potentially turn it into a worthwhile city state. The court is aware of that, and have sought to cut the problem at its source and take over the isle for their own ends.
The lord is already on the path to securing his position, with growing support amongst the populace that is certain to turn them into a determined militant force, and with their combined sea, air, and magical power could see them turning into an unassailable haven.
Alas, the young lord's continued survival seems to have been reliant on a series of strokes of luck. While his spymaster is formidable, so are the legions of saboteurs and assassins after his head, more than capable of bypassing his military might and forcing him into a personal struggle for his life. He continues to outwit them at every turn with illusions, traps, and guile, but it is only a matter of time before someone with even more guile and prowess comes for him.
Hire a bodyguard, son of Groan. Hire one quick, and wed the earl's daughter while you can. Should she successfully bear you child, then the court may yet splinter in its vexation at your legitimacy. Therein lies your only path to survival.
Evian, Grandmaster of the Order of the Boot
Theme: 10/10 - The art, the suspense, it is beautiful
Creativity: 9/10 - A backwater ruled with a ghostly fist
Economic Might: 4/10 => 6/10 should the grandmaster be found, 1/10 if he is not
Martial Might: 5/10 => 4/10 - Eslafkrad will see to it that the domain burn before he does
A grim tale of woe and decay. An order once so great and righteous, yet brought low by corruption and self-interest. Yet can it only be blamed upon the vileness of the evil? Should foolishness and naïveté not be as much to blame for allowing the fox into the henhouse?
Yet it is also an intriguing case study where the micro could be scaled to the macro. For is the church and court's haste to lay blame and oppression upon the marginalized of our lands always so deserved? Or could they be a convenient scapegoat for the backlash from mismanagement and corruption just as much as a genuine nuisance?
Alas, such talk is whence heads start to roll, so I shall conclude it here.
If you are reading this Eslafkrad, you had better pray that the pale rider does not fancy your company, for however much longer he lingers, so too will you in the clutches of Evian's best.
Sir Atticus Hendrix
Theme: 6/10 - Points for wit
Creativity: 7/10 - Social strata made literal
Economic Might: 7/10 => 3/10 if the rebellion succeeds, 7/10 if it is successfully suppressed
Martial Might: 7/10 => 2/10 if the highborn are brought crashing low, 7/10 should the status quo be maintained, 9/10 should an accord be made between the low and the high
The great city of Sanctaphrax be a mighty one, unassailable from the ground, and capable of raining death and destruction from above, a feat few can match, and even fewer can counter. Their weakness however is their reliance on the grounded underground below, with a populace exploited and weak, but not too helpless to see their masters brought down into pitchfork range. Aided by many a jealous rival with plentiful resources and capabilities, the city could soon see itself eye-level with the angry common miner, or worse, set adrift with shattered anchors.
Luckily for their lord, he is more than capable of countering the odd riot, and reinforcing the guard at key vulnerabilities, all whilst his forces repel any invasion force short of calamitous. However, the saboteurs need only succeed once, and unless the populace's grievances are addressed, they will have enough time to get lucky.
Natas Reficul
Theme: 8/10 - Interesting subversion of the prisoners
Creativity: 8/10 - With "allies" like these, who needs Abaddon?
Economic Might: 8/10 - Unmatched produce in the realm, were it not for distrust and conflict
Martial Might: 9/10 - Undying monstrosities. One wonders how much power they gave up to appear like mere nobility
If there ever were a sign that the emperor was a shackled figure on the throne, it would be this. Truly, the only thing surprising about the state of the Blessed Land of Three is that it suffers but one grand crusade.
As it stands, the domain could prove to be an invaluable ally, but only to the foolish who have yet to realize that should Abaddon be felled, he would be succeeded by this more seditious foe. It is fortuitous that enough have realized this to send every manner of assassin to attempt to end this threat to our continued existence. Less fortuitous that unless the undying three are sealed, any and all deaths are but a temporary stopgap afore they are replaced.
Two glimmers of hope remain. The first is that the corrupted populace of this accursed domain seem as belligerent to their rulers as they are to the rest of the realm. The second is that we have been blessed by so many a saint in this age, that a coalition of such might just be enough to see this threat vanquished. The question is: what are they waiting for?
Alcyone Pertinax
Theme: 8/10 - I like the synergy with other builds
Creativity: 7/10 - An oasis harem
Economic Might: 6/10 - Capable of self-sustenance
Martial Might: 7/10 => 8/10 - A veritable stronghold for the emperor to retreat to, should he come to danger
Those who value the emperor and hold power seem to find their way too far away to aid him. But the consort seems to have taken her unofficial banishment with good humor, and no small measure of flexing of her might. Subhuman as she might be, none would mistake her to be witless. She leveraged her own garish nature to draw the church's attention intelligently, opening up the door for many of the court to carry out their own schemes. This gives her much seemingly inexplicable acclaim from the various nobles who hide in her periphery, invisible in her vicinity. More impressively, she manages to always bypass the church's every audit and test of faith, which while granting her no religious friends, spares her any righteous wrath.
Should she manage to tame the savages in her domain, they could prove to be a mighty reserve haven for emperor Aurelius, were his own domain to collapse.
Baron Raspail
Theme: 9/10 - Intricate details are excellent
Creativity: 7/10 - A hive of scum and villainy
Economic Might: 7/10 - A competent self-sufficient mining operation
Martial Might: 7/10 => 2/10 - More tailored to suppress primitives than armies, will cut and run at the first sign of war
If judged by mere profit-to-cost ratios, baron Raspail might be the most successful merchant of his time, negotiating a simple monstrous outbreak into a profitable mining and slaving operation, and then charging admission for others to do his monster-suppression work for him.
The inverse reality however is that he might be the poorest lord in his time. Indeed he would cut away from his domain just as easily as he cut into it, should the affairs of the realm begin to blow south, or in his case, west.
Should this be leveraged by any clever enough rivals, the coming of Abaddon could be faked just long enough to have him cede his territory before they would move in to claim it for themselves.
'Archangel' Seraphina
Theme: 7/10 - A voice is appreciated
Creativity: 6/10 - Saintiest saint that ever sainted runner-up
Economic Might: 5/10 => 1/10 - A holy land beset on all sides. Once the domain falls, little will remain to attract any visitors but the desecrated ruins of the holy ground
Martial Might: 7/10 => 2/10 - A strong standing force, but insufficient against the coming tide
Whoever said the gods haven't a sense of humor need only gaze upon their "archangel". Fighting her own kind, desperate for approval from a church with nowhere near enough power to protect her, lead by a kingdom that sees her as an eyesore to be rubbed off.
Too mighty to die is she, but her domain shares not her fortitude. Saboteurs and vampirical lords will slowly but surely worm their way to her fort, and from thence, its gate shall fall, and so will her order's seat of power. The heretical churches and their armies will desecrate the holy land beyond recognition, leaving nothing but a monument to the remnants of her order's failure.
Or so would the story go were it a tragedy. With divine providence, it shall be a comedy that takes her through a path of self-discovery, assuagement of needless guilt, and thence absolution as she rallies the faithful from both home and beyond.
All she would need is to convince at least two saints that to aid her is to aid the church. One of those saints would need to be herself.
Magus Filius Lupa, Barone
Theme: 2/10 - wtf is this thought stream bullshit
Creativity: 8/10 - Mail order husband service
Economic Might: 4/10 => 8/10 - An economy inhibited by surrounding threats, but with great potential for growth should the monster girls be truly tamed
Martial Might: 4/10 => 7/10 - Beset upon by foes, but nowhere near hopelessly so
8/10 theme actually, it does give off proper deranged vibes and has a very detailed plan. Just for the love of god would it kill you to voice your character more consistently and remove the meta speak?
The mad sage Filius seems to have run afoul of the court with his outspoken thoughts, and so was "assigned" to a monster-infested land all thought was so worthless it remained unnamed, with naught but a knightly order defending its dwindling peoples. Instead of despairing, he giggles and hatches a mad scheme instead, pulling at his myriad connections to revitalize the economy, encouraging schools guilds and lords to send him their reviled, their maddened, their desperate. The people of the land, and those sent at his request, held him in high regard as a benefactor and champion.
While the court ceased to see him as a threat and instead as a source of schadenfreude, the church was less amused by his plans of monster girl integration, and so an order of holy knights was dispatched to his lands to punish his folly.
Were it not for Filius's exceptional followers and connections, his realm would likely fall in months. However, he seems to have a plan to organize them in an intricate fashion that should see them turned into a unique source of monster girl parts and services in the world. Should that succeed, the sky is the limit.
Thread the needle carefully you crackpot, and you may yet show the world that it is genius and not madness that afflicts you.
Piza the Conqueror
Theme: 1/10 - I've seen better excuses for a plot in LN titles
Creativity: 1/10 - PvP murderhobo
Economic Might: 7/10 - Decent weapon industry
Martial Might: 8/10 => 9/10 - A powerful air force, and once production ramps up they might be unmatched in their corner
I would've given you 0/10 for the theme, but I'm saving that for whoever posts a shopping list for a build.
Little is known about the Conqueror, as he seems to have no past. Some even swear that he and his hold and fully formed army coalesced from a mirage into his domain, with bloody cries for the death of a Filius fellow.
Should his existence be proven to be more than a collective figment, then the might he brings to bear could upset the power structure of the south. The Steerpike barony would lose their air superiority over the waves, though should the two manage to reach an alliance instead of a conflict, the days of the pirates of the southern sea are numbered, with their only hope being a forced personal confrontation.
The man himself is an enigma, with naught but professed hatred for a single individual. This has led to speculation about his nature as a reality distortion and black magic ritual gone horribly wrong, though again, it is ultimately unsupported by any precedent events. Only time will tell whether he continues to exist, or vanishes like he appeared, into the ether.
Tiberius Rex, The Pirate King
Theme: 8/10 - Noble turned pirate, classic
Creativity: 8/10 - Mega yacht
Economic Might: 8/10 => 6/10 - Deescalating from a piracy-based economy with no alternatives provided
Martial Might: 7/10 => 6/10 - A powerful crew, but the focus on the dungeon to the exclusion of all else will see followers and subjects leaving in droves
The story of the pirate king is mired in propaganda, folk tale, and historic documents.
The propaganda claims that he attempted to take liberties with a member of the royal family, who proceeded to commit suicide to deny him the chance to defile royalty. In his impotent rage he became a scourge of the sea, selling his soul for safe passage into Kraken's Repose and away from his righteous pursuers.
The folk tale tells that the member of the imperial family, a princess, came onto him, and after he'd bed her, the emperor blew his top and ordered his death for sullying imperial blood with his. After a chase through the high seas wherein he sunk pursuer after pursuer, he was finally backed into a corner by the full might of the imperial navy. The princess would then give herself to the sea, in exchange for saving her love from his all-but certain doom. And so the sea granted her wish, turning her into a ship as mighty as her love, which decimated the imperial fleet, before tugging the leaking Fury to the repose. There, the love of the captain would lay, and so he would never take another love but the sea.
Historical document reports that a member of the royal family who had died around the date of Tiberius Rex's defection was of the male persuasion. Further, it numbers the imperial ships sunk or missing in the period between his defection and the estimated date of his settlement of Kraken's Repose to be close to a 20, 11 of which due to foul weather conditions. Finally, revelation mage records of Tiberius Rex's surveillance indicate that at one occasion, the captain was in the process of pursuing relations with a nereid, only to rudely rebuff her when he realized she was not an undine.
Fact or fiction, one thing all agree upon that his current position as pirate king is at risk, especially with his single-minded focus on his dungeon and its secrets. Should he or his retinue fail to take the reins of their petty kingdom, they may yet all walk the plank.
Giovanni Florina
Theme: 6/10 - Inherited authority
Creativity: 8/10 - Bridge city that is a bridge that is a flotilla(?)
Economic Might: 8/10 - Finally a properly positioned artery of trade
Martial Might: 6/10 - Terrain shaping allows for good fortifications
Descendent of a descendent of a descendent of a man of great contributions. So it is that many a lord obtains his authority, not by the sweat of their own brow, but through the achievements of greater men whose blood they now carry, watered down.
Using the resources he obtains not just from those traveling from the west of the empire to the east, but also those coming from the south, seeking passage under his bridge as far inland as possible to trade with the north, he seems to plan an expansion of his bridge's function from passage to boat, in the effort to ostensibly cast into the sea, and take the fight to Abaddon should he come through it. The purpose of such a ploy eludes myself, but one assumes the lord has reasons beyond the ken of the overeducated such as myself to ponder upon.
Misguided as his plan may be, let it not be said that Giovani Florina lacks ambition nor drive.
Margus Iscariot Pertinax
Theme: 8/10 - Not much left for me to write at this point is there?
Creativity: 8/10 - Penal battalions
Economic Might: 4/10 => 3/10 - Militarization is his business
Martial Might: 9/10 => 11/10(?) - Business is doing fine
Little can be said on the subject of Margus without attracting the ire of the church and having a crusader knock down one's door. Luckily, the patron of this gazette can be trusted to keep my anonymity safe, which passes the risk from myself to the readers. I suggest you either burn this part of the book after reading it, or store it separately someplace hidden.
Margus is many things our emperor Aurelius is not, and the inverse can be claimed just as readily. The emperor sees subhumans as equals with nothing to prove, while his shadow sees them as chattel whose worth can only be proven in death. The "god in the flesh" sits on his throne and enjoys the love of the empire and church, while the monster works his own kind tirelessly for the good of all. The emperor is a beautiful human beloved by all, while his shadow hates himself.
A fool would cheer for the boon the empire gained and be done with it. But I ask you all: what happens when the monster's loathing turns outward? Would any in the empire be safe? Would his imperial highness?
An army is being raised under the empire. And when it is unleashed... who can leash it after Abaddon is vanquished?
Duke Pollu Contra of Sunge
Theme: 4/10 - Chinks break the theme
Creativity: 7/10 - Chinkenomics
Economic Might: 9/10 => 12/10(?) - As long as Abaddon doesn't show up south, he'll be the richest until the empire falls
Martial Might: 6/10 - No threats allow his barracks to be leveraged handily
While many denigrate the emperor's policy regarding subhumans, claiming that it is only humans who have the divine right to rule justly, lords like duke Pollu bring such claims into question. Having appeared from a nation far away with a caravanful of exotic goods, his ancestor leveraged his wealth into acquiring lands through predatory practices, bankrupting a lord into trading away his title away, and then acquiring enough other such titles that he became a duke despite having no relation to the imperial line.
And now, Pollu stands at the throat of the empire. His practices should have earned him many enemies amongst the church and nobility, but absent as his subtlety and compassion for the citizens is, his coffers are deep enough to bribe away such enemies with impunity, whether drowning their grievances with currency, or with a visit to the lower levels of his pleasure palace.
Yet would such a fiend of greed be such if he were satisfied so easily? I think not. Already he has sent messages to many a lord, promising bounties of economic incentives should they aid him in deposing his neighboring competition. I advise any such lords reading this gazette to ignore such requests, if not retaliate at his enterprise. For if one day he holds all the means of food production, he will starve lord and beggar to finance the decadence of his palace, temporary as it might be with Abaddon's approach.
Valeria
Theme: 7/10 - Another voice, wonderful
Creativity: 7/10 - We have Abaddon at home
Economic Might: 7/10 - Some notable resources
Martial Might: 6/10 => 8/10 - If her mind magic works, 3/10 when she slips up and her monsters overrun her
With how many monstrous "half-siblings" the royal family is producing, one wonders if our dear emperor hoarded all the humanity from his bloodline, and if we would be ruled by a demon had the luck of the blood draw not been in our favor.
On the subject of luck, Valeria seems to lack it like a beastman lacks hygiene. Her domain was given her as a joke, and despite her prodigious talents she has failed to clean it, and instead seeks to tame it. The fact that the church only sends her the pettiest of their crusaders rather than any sizable force is indicative of how little a threat they consider her.
Should she succeed in obtaining a man that can direct her considerable forces and might however... she might yet prove to be a frightful demon lord yet.
If you are interested in finding such a man, Valeria, you may attempt to message me through the designated Scholars Monthly Q&A mail circular.
Robin Stormlily
Theme: 8/10 - Wonderful journal, if incomplete
Creativity: 8/10 - Ghibli witch
Economic Might: 6/10 - Somewhat self-sufficient, by necessity
Martial Might: 7/10 - Good standing military, but not much in the way of expanding it
There are many academy cities in our blessed empire, and nearly as many former adventurer lords. Robin Stormlily breaks the mold by keeping to her adventuring roots, while simultaneously leveraging her efforts to the benefit of her domain.
What she may learn from her journeys, one can scarcely tell. It is very curious how welcoming otherwise ornery and standoffish lords are to her. What do they hope to gain by impressing her? Or is it not so much her that they wish to impress, but... the youth? Hah, they should get married and have children already I say. Such behavior is unhealthy for their state, and could be exploited had she a mean bone in her body.
Vožd Lampys Erymanthius
Theme: 10/10 - Well-detailed map, lore, and holdings
Creativity: 6/10 - Viking Knyiaz
Economic Might: 7/10 => 9/10 - Bounteous natural resources and trade routes, hampered by unrest
Martial Might: 8/10 => 9/10 - Monstrous peoples are a great boon should they be tamed, 2/10 should he fail in some fashion
Seriously there's like two options difference between him and the Knyiaz... wait it's the same exact guy lol. 7/10 creativity then.
Brash, irreverent, strong, wealthy in natural resources, Lampys Erymanthius is the very model of a border lord. His land is hard, his people hardier, but by sheer force he manages to just barely keep them in line. Woe betide any invaders that seek to enter his harsh domain, for their doom awaits even should they manage to somehow oust him from power, unless they also eradicate his people to their last.
Luckily for him, his more troublesome neighbors will bear the full brunt of the church's wrath, so the pressure will be lessened significantly.
Count Amos Hek
Theme: 6/10 - Serviceable
Creativity: 8/10 - It's a good life
Economic Might: 8/10 - Compact, flourishing economy
Martial Might: 6/10 => 7/10 - Defensible, room for growth as the economy expands
My editor has advised me to be brief, as the more said, the more room for a psychometric black magic curse. Stay away from him, or crush him with overwhelming force. The things I've seen...
M. A. Miser. "The Lords Of The Realm: Who Is, Who May, Who Will." Musings of The Overeducated, Maluscomedo's Scholars Monthly, 10 B.A.