The power of appraisal, replacing misplaced and misguided seat-of-the-pants assessments of cost, has become one of The Senate's most fought over powers. Through shrewd manoeuvring or perhaps political power, both of last season's appraisal slots were leveraged in favour of Lerona Mere. One in pursuit of military power, another in the pursuit of improving the life of the common people (and the bottom line of the Realm). How well the civil service has performed has a uniquely Lerona Mere flavour, and a strongly Concordian assessment.
Years to Build a Ship, Centuries to Build a Tradition
“Appraise a larger shipyard in Legend City capable of supporting a larger fleet”
Legend City is a busy place. Within its walls there is very little room that is not owned, spoken for, or abandoned for good reason. However, there is one despicable spit of land on the south-western corner of the Docklands that is free, within reason.
Known as Shagston, it is the home to the poorest of the poor, the maligned, the abandoned, and the forgotten. Raided by the Slangfolk and Liberties Fist in equal measure, Civil Service architects and estimators have been seen scrambling over the half submerged walkways with measuring devices and slates in an attempt to bring The Senate’s dreams to life. In this they have outdone themselves, presenting four possibilities for the endeavour.
Unfortunately the ‘plot’ that is Shagston is only so large. Regardless of how appealing the options are, there is only space for one of them to be constructed.
The Cimitero
Across from Shagston is the massive pier and dock complex known as ‘The Ribs and Reach’ which hosts more than sixty percent of Lerona Mere’s naval traffic. The proposal that most directly actions The Senate’s request is a plan to build a matching pier that runs perpendicular to The Reach from Shagston (following substantial building up of the footings) and filling in the sheltered space with jetties and docks capable of supporting a truly massive fleet.
Cost: 15 Thunder Oak + 10 Vaults
Construction Duration: 2 Seasons
Location: Shagston, The Docklands, Legend City
Expected Production: None
Special: Lerona Mere Realmic fleets may be upgraded a second time, raising their maximum strength to 10,000. This raises the fleets upkeep to 7 Vaults, 15 Locks per season, but does not reduce their movement speed. Upgrading a fleet the second time cost the same as upgrading it the first time, takes two seasons and requires the fleet to take the Dock action in an ocean territory adjacent to Lerona Mere for two consecutive seasons.
The Cantieri
For some, the request from the Senate felt less about raising the largest single fleet, and more so about making the fleets that we already had far easier to manage. Plans were quickly sketched to replace Shagston with a sprawling warehouse complex and a series of docks to allow the easier resupplying of Lerona Mere’s fleets.
Cost: 7 Thunder Oak + 5 Vaults
Construction Duration: 2 Seasons
Location: Shagston, The Docklands, Legend City
Expected Production: None
Special: Lerona Mere Realmic fleets will have their upkeep reduced to 3 Vaults per season if they have a maximum strength of 5000, and to 4 Vaults per season if they have a maximum strength of 7500. In addition, Lerona Mere fleets will disband at 1000 strength, rather than 1500.
The Portofortura
For some among the Civil Service, the appraisal raised the question "What even is a Lerona Mere fleet anyway?” Surely it was more than just vessels of war. Over a few too many bottles of wine and fine Bordevarian cheeses, a plan was divised to craft a state-owned merchant fleet, based out of a series of docks, weighing houses, and sailors barracks in what used to be Shagston. This great fleet could travel the world, trading and bringing wealth and glory back to Lerona Mere!
In the scheme of drunken cheese ideas it's not bad, but it is hardly what The Senate asked for.
Cost: 5 Thunder Oak + 5 Vaults
Construction Duration: 1 Season
Location: Shagston, The Docklands, Legend City
Expected Production: None
Special: Lerona Mere realmic fleets may be converted to Trade Fleets. Trade Fleets have reduced strength, and cannot take the Bloody Attack or Raid order, but are capable of travelling to distant friendly ports resulting in income, trade opportunities, and diplomatic favour. Upgrading a fleet costs no funds or resources, but takes a season, where that fleet must take the Dock action in a sea region adjacent to Lerona Mere. Its maximum strength will become 5000, if it was not already.
The Rivoluzinario
Unfortunately for many in the Senate, Legend City is Legend City. When you ask them to improve support for the fleets, some hear ‘improve support for the fleets to travel the ocean blue, slaying tyrants and freeing the oppressed.’ Even while not explicitly being requested, the work was certainly done!
The resulting plan is to replace Shagston with a series of supply houses, armouries, taverns, and shipwrights for small landing craft. This will facilitate training and equipping Lerona Mere fleets with Revolutionary Marines. These marines will then join Lerona Mere fleets on distant journeys to raid the enemies of freedom and of The Concord.
Cost: 5 Thunder Oak + 5 Vaults
Construction Duration: 2 Seasons
Location: Shagston, The Docklands, Legend City
Expected Production: None
Special: Lerona Mere Admirals will receive opportunities to travel to distant ports and regions to raid and bring revolution to the enemies of freedom and known tyrants. These journeys will be dangerous and political dubious, but will be conducted in the interest of freeing slaves, combatting Artebazzan, and ensuring the liberty never dies.
In addition, Lerona Mere fleets will gain the ‘Revolutionary Marines’ trait, raising the base damage of their ‘Raid’ order from 20% to 30%.
Hold to your Devotion, Grow it Safe and Strong
“Appraisal to improve infrastructure in Loricazzo”
Growing ever stronger beneath the oncoming settlement of civilised folks, Loricazzo finds itself in a constant state of rebuilding. Repairing and improving commercial and residential buildings, places of public and private use; this is the task set to those who wish to live there, and as such it is taken as a challenge in stride to add to this task by Senate request. Many suggestions are laid before The Civil Service on what could be invested in to improve the infrastructure of Loricazzo, but only three were firmly decided to be of best consideration to The Senate.
Improve the Docks
The first and most clearly impactful would be generic improvements to the docks of Loricazzo. Rather than a plan to build something as great as The Docklands of Legend City, or a single building of great import like The Sea Hall of Jaalstead, instead a great many plans were gathered for actioning; from replacing of jetties and piers to a focus on spaces for dry docks, warehouses and minor trade houses and taverns. These improvements would not make Loricazzo’s docks the best in The Concord, but they would be well regarded boons nonetheless.
Cost: 5 Vaults + 7 Thunderoak
Construction Duration: 1 Season
Location: Loricazzo (Marepato), Mancante Terra
Expected Production: None
Special: Naval Investments based in Marepato will function as if 1 Tier Higher when taking the Profitable Work Action.
Improve Agriculture
Perhaps the greatest of considered applications would come in the form of improving the arable farmland surrounding Loricazzo. While already a pleasant place to grow crops and plant orchards, the investment of purpose-built structures for storage, planned and well marked fields that cater for future growth, arranged deals to import or create fertiliser, and even further general yet useful ideas would see Loricazzo’s farmers able to well and truly increase the yield of whatever they plan to grow or raise. This would also present the greatest option for trade for the city, notably improving taxation for the territory as the city begins to grow beyond merely sustaining itself.
Cost: 10 Vaults + 10 Thunderoak
Construction Duration: 2 Seasons
Location: Loricazzo (Marepato), Mancante Terra
Expected Production: None
Special: Farm Investments based in Marepato always function as if 1 Tier Higher.
Invest in Lamplighters
Considered the most obvious of improvements to infrastructure would be investment into a guild of Lamplighters. With an initial cost of equipment, guild buildings throughout Loricazzo and the hiring of personnel, it would be a simple answer of coin to a consistent city wide concern. Lamplighters would work, particularly at dusk and dawn, to keep the shadows of the city quelled and the habitable streets lit and safe. This would improve not only the safety of the citizens of Loricazzo, reducing crime and similar concerns, but also provide ample work for those that may be struggling in this city born anew.
Cost: 10 Vaults
Construction Duration: 1 Season
Location: Loricazzo (Marepato), Mancante Terra
Expected Production: None
Special: The Senator of Mancante Terra may choose to pay for “Night-long Lighting”, hiring Lamplighters to particularly focus their work around any ongoing construction. This will reduce the construction time of any Commissions being built in Loricazzo by 1 Season, to a minimum of 1. This costs 2 Vaults per Season, payable by letter to The Civil Service.