Caluscaria seeks international aid! (CLOSED)

by **United Lords of War** » Sat Apr 23, 2022 4:33 pm

The Day of Fate

"... another rain of black stones. Perhaps next time we'll have found a virgin land with no volcano on sight. Do you think there might be a hidden paradise waiting for us to discover?"

The Var bends down, the creature shifting oddly to pick up a stone from the beach. "There are many places Caluscria could move to live...but the price maybe more than you wish to leverage upon yourself."

"The creatures that come to this place think they come to a paradise. I know Terrans of fifth form often go to places to see 'Paradise' but only to see...they soon enough leave to their own un-paradise homes."

The Var studies the stone for a moment longer, letting the sun play across the surface in its claw-hand.

"And your ancestors say they escaped to this paradise. They escaped salt minds, then hid from the salt minds. But now salt minds rise from the molten stone of this paradise without damage. They have structures of their materials, they can walk through the molten stone, they can guide the molten stone to the sea. The salt minds have control of the island. How long have they controlled the mountain? Before Caluscaria arrived?"

The Var looks down at the Wisest. "Do I need to state the unspoken Truth before you? That the tale so spoken has chance of being full of error? That the ancestors spoken of did not escape the salt minds? That they were released to this 'paradise' like cows to the field, or young terrans to a place of play? The salt minds of your nightmares have been sitting below your feet? This may not be true. But a Tale of the escapees of salt minds randomly find a place on this planet ruled by benevolent salt minds who let them settle the surface? Perhaps it is true, but ask a fifth Terran if they think frozen precipitation surviving on a prison planet close to a blue star has a greater probability of truth ."

The Var throws the stone and it skips across the surface of the water four times before being stopped by a wave.

"Many paths lie before House Ca'Nara and Caluscaria, and most are dark as deep space without knowledge to illuminate them. One light can be cast from speech with those who give the Stone Ones commands. For although you assume the past shall inform the Truth. The Truth is that Caluscaria knows not if stones come in one hundred passes around the star, one hundred rotations of the planet, or one hundred atoms of the eighty seventh element of two hundred twenty three mass measures breaking into lesser atoms."

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Thu Apr 28, 2022 4:14 pm

Fox house

"Well all we ask is that if your neighbors ask about it show it to them...we're hoping this model will make things a touch more pleasant for living on a tropical island...live with the breeze."

The scientific team

"Yeah, I'd like to see them trying to climb the volcano or survive in the Klatch... without all that tech", he says, grinning. "Do you wanna try?", he offers his sling and a black rock. "I'm curious about your weapon".

"The Var live in the Klatch...just the really cold bit in the far north with the Vrakians. Which would be more my cup tea if those big blighters didn't rule the whole place..." She looks down at the sling and then her gun. "How about we go over back to ma' camp? I can'a get a cuppa and we can both do some practicin' with each other's weapons."

Favedor heavily sits down on a stump with a sigh. "I'd do everything for Caluscaria but, truth be told, I can no longer do it. Not as an advisor". He utters the last word as though he were tasting a sour paste. "I've been laid off", he announces, shrugging. "Surely my succesor will be able to help you beter... Williams... yes, Williams will do my job".

"What...bloody twits fired you? Eh...So do I we need to go find this William's fellow or what?"

Point Alpha

Surprisingly, Gustavo seems to know more of the plans than Doctor Rafaella, who only replies to questions about the medical needs that will be covered in the hospital and the way to treat patients. Despite her burned out look, something in her eyes betrayes a hidden emotion towards the building where she will finally have all the resources needed to heal the ill and the injured, help bring lives and ease the pain of those leaving theirs.

The Alconian's are taken aback by the press taking such a keen direction into a public project. Which leaves them a bit confused at times. But they continue to build the building to the best of their abilities.

The Harpies

"So they are real?", she asked. "Perhaps they are a lighter evolution of the ones that inspired those tales".

"They are not evolved from this planet actually...and some of the tales we've heard indicate not all Caluscarians are from this planet either...which is why the Var are here..."

"Would you?", she exclaimed, so excited that her pale face got a slightly pink shade for a brief. "That would be awesome! Just bring me to the Western Beach and I'll lead you from there".

[/quote]

"Oh, I'm sure that will happen...though the politics of the Caluscaria and the Var need to get smoothed out before we make any definite moves." She gives a wry smile, "In general we avoid annoying our allies who have grav-tech."

by **Caluscaria** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:44 am

Fox house

"Well all we ask is that if your neighbors ask about it show it to them...we're hoping this model will make things a touch more pleasant for living on a tropical island...live with the breeze."

"Yes, of course", Robertssen automatically replies.

Faridai's smile freezes, her pupils shrinking in her pink eyes while she glances at her husband.

"I'll have to make a lot of banana juce for the many guests we'll have", he tells her, excited.

She sighs.

"I suppose Saturidai will meet plenty of children to play with", she finally says. "Will you?", she asks her baby, gently touching the tip of its nose. The baby smiles and shakes its hands happily.

The scientific team

"The Var live in the Klatch...just the really cold bit in the far north with the Vrakians. Which would be more my cup tea if those big blighters didn't rule the whole place..." She looks down at the sling and then her gun. "How about we go over back to ma' camp? I can'a get a cuppa and we can both do some practicin' with each other's weapons."

Conscript Kwon makes the black stone jump on his hand. "No time to loose", he replies, relaxing his grin into a slight smile. "Lead the way".

"What...bloody twits fired you? Eh...So do I we need to go find this William's fellow or what?"

"Yes... well, no: the Wisest will eventually introduce him to you", he says. "I've been putting him up to date since the Wisest decided to dismiss me and... actually... I was not supposed to tell you oficially about his appointment". He sighs, shaking his head.

He clears his voice.

"Sorry, I mean, you can ask the Wisest and he will put you in contact with the new advisor", he declares.

The Harpies

"They are not evolved from this planet actually...and some of the tales we've heard indicate not all Caluscarians are from this planet either...which is why the Var are here..."

"D'you mean... aliens infiltrated into our society?", she asks, widely opening her eyes. "I know, we're all the descendants of people from a distant place, all but the green skins, but... and the harpies, of course".

The red haired woman scratches her chin. "We could ask the Wisest for a census... By the way, how come you got to know it?", she asks curious.

The Day of Fate

"... and that's why you'd never bring a harpy to a raft", Advisor Williams concludes, making all the bodyguards break in laughter.

"You're great, Will!", Bodyguard Sturm Swiftsling exclaims, laughing.

"Shouldn't you be walking with the Wisest or talking to the Alconians by the tree line?", Bodyguard Kena asks, displaying a friendly smile.

"Don't worry about it", he replies, confident, "he'll call me when he needs me".

"Cool then", she replies, "You've got to tell me how you met that harpy!"

"And your ancestors say they escaped to this paradise. They escaped salt minds, then hid from the salt minds. But now salt minds rise from the molten stone of this paradise without damage. They have structures of their materials, they can walk through the molten stone, they can guide the molten stone to the sea. The salt minds have control of the island. How long have they controlled the mountain? Before Caluscaria arrived?"

The Wisest looks at his guest, his eyes widely open.

"D'you mean...?"

The Var looks down at the Wisest. "Do I need to state the unspoken Truth before you? That the tale so spoken has chance of being full of error? That the ancestors spoken of did not escape the salt minds? That they were released to this 'paradise' like cows to the field, or young terrans to a place of play? The salt minds of your nightmares have been sitting below your feet? This may not be true. But a Tale of the escapees of salt minds randomly find a place on this planet ruled by benevolent salt minds who let them settle the surface? Perhaps it is true, but ask a fifth Terran if they think frozen precipitation surviving on a prison planet close to a blue star has a greater probability of truth ."

Wubana stays still, his eyes lost in the oceanic horizon, his lips hanging in an upturned U shape.

"Makes sense, my friend", he mutters. "We've been fooled. Like when parents use reverse psycology to make their children behave. Our robots have outsmarted us to the point of knowing ourselves better than we do and decided that the best way to look after us is by making us think we've left them behind, that we no longer need them... they think we're teenagers, huh?", he jokes.

The Var throws the stone and it skips across the surface of the water four times before being stopped by a wave.

The old man takes another stone and throws it. It skips twice.

"You're gonna have to tell me how you do it", he comments, admired.

"Many paths lie before House Ca'Nara and Caluscaria, and most are dark as deep space without knowledge to illuminate them. One light can be cast from speech with those who give the Stone Ones commands. For although you assume the past shall inform the Truth. The Truth is that Caluscaria knows not if stones come in one hundred passes around the star, one hundred rotations of the planet, or one hundred atoms of the eighty seventh element of two hundred twenty three mass measures breaking into lesser atoms."

"Yes, one of them's been living among us for a month or so", he recalls. "But the official meeting must be with another Stone One: a sort of monarch or chieftain, or whatever those computer scientists call the program that controls the rest of the programs. Meanwhile, I'd rather not disclose your theory; I don't want to frighten the Caluscarians even more, or stir the Church of Technophobia".

by **United Lords of War** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:08 pm

Caluscaria wrote:
"Yes, one of them's been living among us for a month or so", he recalls. "But the official meeting must be with another Stone One: a sort of monarch or chieftain, or whatever those computer scientists call the program that controls the rest of the programs. Meanwhile, I'd rather not disclose your theory; I don't want to frighten the Caluscarians even more, or stir the Church of Technophobia".

"Or a salt mind not of stone. There is much that is darkness yet... But first this 'Great Stone One' must be found....they have not come to us...nor does the stone emissary speak much of a mission."

The Var turns and looks down at the Wisest. "I propose three actions. First, that House De'Nar shall be named protector of Caluscaria for one planetary cycle around the star. The House shall then have the right to prevent any unwanted outsiders from taking action against Caluscaria. For you have rights far out beyond the horizon, and have come to the attention of many, not all may be so giving as the House Wittlebach-Crawford...Terrans tend to be great thieves and slavers. We will prevent them from interfering while Caluscaria rebuilds Caluscaria with help from its true friends."

The Var then raises his claws to point at the mountain. "The second action I propose is to announce an investigation of the mountain. Not by the Klatch or Caluscaria alone...but to open to the curious of the world. If a Great Stone One exists, let them be wary of starting a war with not just Caluscaria, the House De'Nar or the House Wittlebach-Crawford. But many of this planet." He lowers his claw.
The Var listens to the consideration of the Wisest.

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Sun May 08, 2022 4:53 pm

OOC: Sorry, but have been dealing with having a flooded flat since arriving back from a work trip...

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Fri May 13, 2022 6:27 am

Caluscaria wrote:Fox house

"Well all we ask is that if your neighbors ask about it show it to them...we're hoping this model will make things a touch more pleasant for living on a tropical island...live with the breeze."

"Yes, of course", Robertssen automatically replies.

Faridai's smile freezes, her pupils shrinking in her pink eyes while she glances at her husband.

"I'll have to make a lot of banana juce for the many guests we'll have", he tells her, excited.

She sighs.

"I suppose Saturidai will meet plenty of children to play with", she finally says. "Will you?", she asks her baby, gently touching the tip of its nose. The baby smiles and shakes its hands happily.

"You know Professor..." One of the enlisted men who has been playing carpenter on the Fox house states to professor Culom when he appears at the work site again "If we got a group of your folks and built a copy of this house...well then they would know how to build it themselves and they now have a copy to work from with us telling them how things are done...but the brass would want official sanction to do so..."

Alconian Camp

Conscript Kwon makes the black stone jump on his hand. "No time to loose", he replies, relaxing his grin into a slight smile. "Lead the way".

They find the Lord in his tent in the Alconian camp. He looks at the Professor and at Kwon for a moment then seems to get a bit of a laugh out of it and shrugs. "Alright, Kwon time to teach you how to shoot a rifle...but I suggest we start off with something simpler than her semi-auto...Browning's design was to beat the Germans not to instruct Yanks in basic weapons handling which most learned as young boys already..."

He pulls out a much more simple bolt action rifle and leads them both to a cleared staked area near Point Alpha that has been set up as an impromptu range. "The Marines set this up...make sure they could test any recovered weapons..." He points to a large red and white target down buried into a steep side of the hill. "So the goal is to hit the red dot in the middle..."

The Lord goes through the standard safety training with Kwon..."don't point it at anything you don't intend to to kill..." how the device works and how not to kill yourself with it. He has done this lots of times with people from various backgrounds who wanted to go 'explore' in the Klatch. The man has learned how to teach weapons with kind authority...which used to work quite well on his former clients before he became personally wealthy from his own efforts.

Then he hands it over to Kwon to get used to standing with it, though he lets the Professor 'adjust' Kwon's stance. When Kwon is ready, he is handed his first live bullet to load into the bolt action rifle and feel the actual kick of the weapon.

"Sorry, I mean, you can ask the Wisest and he will put you in contact with the new advisor", he declares.

"Alright MacDuff lead me to the Wisest...I think I have some choice words for that grey haired autocrat..."

The Harpies

The red haired woman scratches her chin. "We could ask the Wisest for a census... By the way, how come you got to know it?", she asks curious.

Winton-Smith turns her head. "We heard the tale when...well we were forced to announce to the Klatch we had discovered an unknown, unclassified automations running around your island. Most of the Alconians don't know about any of this other than the giant walking black stone creatures we've labeled golems. But I do happen to be the Admrial's aide so I am well in 'the loop' as it were.

"As for infiltration, perhaps...but a simple genetic sampling would tell us if anyone wasn't from a known Terran race..."

The Day of Fate

"... and that's why you'd never bring a harpy to a raft", Advisor Williams concludes, making all the bodyguards break in laughter.

"You're great, Will!", Bodyguard Sturm Swiftsling exclaims, laughing.

"Shouldn't you be walking with the Wisest or talking to the Alconians by the tree line?", Bodyguard Kena asks, displaying a friendly smile.

"Don't worry about it", he replies, confident, "he'll call me when he needs me".

"Cool then", she replies, "You've got to tell me how you met that harpy!"

"And your ancestors say they escaped to this paradise. They escaped salt minds, then hid from the salt minds. But now salt minds rise from the molten stone of this paradise without damage. They have structures of their materials, they can walk through the molten stone, they can guide the molten stone to the sea. The salt minds have control of the island. How long have they controlled the mountain? Before Caluscaria arrived?"

The Wisest looks at his guest, his eyes widely open.

"D'you mean...?"

The Var looks down at the Wisest. "Do I need to state the unspoken Truth before you? That the tale so spoken has chance of being full of error? That the ancestors spoken of did not escape the salt minds? That they were released to this 'paradise' like cows to the field, or young terrans to a place of play? The salt minds of your nightmares have been sitting below your feet? This may not be true. But a Tale of the escapees of salt minds randomly find a place on this planet ruled by benevolent salt minds who let them settle the surface? Perhaps it is true, but ask a fifth Terran if they think frozen precipitation surviving on a prison planet close to a blue star has a greater probability of truth ."

Wubana stays still, his eyes lost in the oceanic horizon, his lips hanging in an upturned U shape.

"Makes sense, my friend", he mutters. "We've been fooled. Like when parents use reverse psycology to make their children behave. Our robots have outsmarted us to the point of knowing ourselves better than we do and decided that the best way to look after us is by making us think we've left them behind, that we no longer need them... they think we're teenagers, huh?", he jokes.

The Var throws the stone and it skips across the surface of the water four times before being stopped by a wave.

The old man takes another stone and throws it. It skips twice.

"You're gonna have to tell me how you do it", he comments, admired.

"Many paths lie before House Ca'Nara and Caluscaria, and most are dark as deep space without knowledge to illuminate them. One light can be cast from speech with those who give the Stone Ones commands. For although you assume the past shall inform the Truth. The Truth is that Caluscaria knows not if stones come in one hundred passes around the star, one hundred rotations of the planet, or one hundred atoms of the eighty seventh element of two hundred twenty three mass measures breaking into lesser atoms."

"Yes, one of them's been living among us for a month or so", he recalls. "But the official meeting must be with another Stone One: a sort of monarch or chieftain, or whatever those computer scientists call the program that controls the rest of the programs. Meanwhile, I'd rather not disclose your theory; I don't want to frighten the Caluscarians even more, or stir the Church of Technophobia".[/quote]

by **Caluscaria** » Sat May 14, 2022 11:19 am

OOC: Sorry, but have been dealing with having a flooded flat since arriving back from a work trip...

Don't worry. I had a flooded flat once: one day I arrived home and found all my neighbours going in and out of my house with buckets and mops because a pipeline had failed. Next day, my wooden floor had grown small hills all over its surface and we had to rebuild it. We tried camping in the living room for a few days, but we ended up going to sleep to our beach apartament until the new floor was finished. If I've survived this, I can survive anything

Fox house

"You know Professor..." One of the enlisted men who has been playing carpenter on the Fox house states to professor Culom when he appears at the work site again "If we got a group of your folks and built a copy of this house...well then they would know how to build it themselves and they now have a copy to work from with us telling them how things are done...but the brass would want official sanction to do so..."

"Yes, of course", Professor Cuaridim replies, raising a forefinger. "That's what I was planning to do".

Even before lowering his forefinger, he turns back and starts walking.

Two hours later, the engineer returns with a four-people squad. A couple of green skins who stop arguing as soon as they stop by the fox's house, a skinny black man carrying a toolbox and blonde woman with a scar on her cheek and a turtle-shaped tatoo on her left arm.

"Most people were too busy to give us a hand", he excuses himself, "but more may join in the future".

Alconian Camp

They find the Lord in his tent in the Alconian camp. He looks at the Professor and at Kwon for a moment then seems to get a bit of a laugh out of it and shrugs. "Alright, Kwon time to teach you how to shoot a rifle...but I suggest we start off with something simpler than her semi-auto...Browning's design was to beat the Germans not to instruct Yanks in basic weapons handling which most learned as young boys already..."

He pulls out a much more simple bolt action rifle and leads them both to a cleared staked area near Point Alpha that has been set up as an impromptu range. "The Marines set this up...make sure they could test any recovered weapons..." He points to a large red and white target down buried into a steep side of the hill. "So the goal is to hit the red dot in the middle..."

The Lord goes through the standard safety training with Kwon..."don't point it at anything you don't intend to to kill..." how the device works and how not to kill yourself with it. He has done this lots of times with people from various backgrounds who wanted to go 'explore' in the Klatch. The man has learned how to teach weapons with kind authority...which used to work quite well on his former clients before he became personally wealthy from his own efforts.

Then he hands it over to Kwon to get used to standing with it, though he lets the Professor 'adjust' Kwon's stance. When Kwon is ready, he is handed his first live bullet to load into the bolt action rifle and feel the actual kick of the weapon.

Conscript Kwon follows the Lord in silence, attentively listening to his lesson, and devotedly gazes at the bolt action rifle for a brief when the instructor hands it over to him. He takes it with the care that one would handle a newborn kitten and lets him adjust his stance.

"So I can shoot now?", he asks. "Ah, yes...", he says when the Lord gives him the bullet.

Kwon carefully loads the bullet into the rifle, points at the target and...

BANG!

Not even close.

The pupil looks at the weapon, confused.

"I didn't expect it to push back. Can I try again?", he asks, eagerly.

"Alright MacDuff lead me to the Wisest...I think I have some choice words for that grey haired autocrat..."

They find the Wisest in the Western Beach, surrounded by his six bodyguards. He is looking at a picture that Professor Cuaridim is drawing on the sand. Advisor Williams is next to him, observing the picture.

"Good evening", Bodyguard Sturm Swiftsling salutes, playing with his moustache. Behind him, Bodyguard Benjamin sprints towards the old man.

"Do you want to meet the Wisest?", he asks with a smile. "I'm afraid he is busy at the moment but if..."

He turns back and sees Ben showing his thumb up.

"He will receive you now", he tells the visitors.

The engineer rubs the sand to delete the picture.

"Thank you, Wisest", he mumbles before leaving.

"Uh, hello", Wubana joyfully greets the Alconians. "What's up?"

The Harpies

Winton-Smith turns her head. "We heard the tale when...well we were forced to announce to the Klatch we had discovered an unknown, unclassified automations running around your island. Most of the Alconians don't know about any of this other than the giant walking black stone creatures we've labeled golems. But I do happen to be the Admrial's aide so I am well in 'the loop' as it were.

"I don't like the word 'impossible', but we've been living in this island for a long time and nobody has ever spoken about such a thing", she says, skeptical. "Moreover, automations are strictly forbidden in Caluscaria, so the Church of Technophobia would have wiped them out as soon as they had noticed them...", she stops, scratching her chin. "... unless someone had covertly started developing artificial intelligence. Do you have any traces about where they came from?"

"As for infiltration, perhaps...but a simple genetic sampling would tell us if anyone wasn't from a known Terran race..."

"Really?", she asks excited. "How much can you tell me about my genes from a sample? Eirik's not gonna believe it!"

The Var turns and looks down at the Wisest. "I propose three actions. First, that House De'Nar shall be named protector of Caluscaria for one planetary cycle around the star. The House shall then have the right to prevent any unwanted outsiders from taking action against Caluscaria. For you have rights far out beyond the horizon, and have come to the attention of many, not all may be so giving as the House Wittlebach-Crawford...Terrans tend to be great thieves and slavers. We will prevent them from interfering while Caluscaria rebuilds Caluscaria with help from its true friends."

"Your proposal is fair and generous", the Wisest replies with a warm smile, "but y'know what crowds do with sudden information... I must speak to my people to see how they would feel and prepare them for the news. Just give me a few days before signing it".

The Var then raises his claws to point at the mountain. "The second action I propose is to announce an investigation of the mountain. Not by the Klatch or Caluscaria alone...but to open to the curious of the world. If a Great Stone One exists, let them be wary of starting a war with not just Caluscaria, the House De'Nar or the House Wittlebach-Crawford. But many of this planet." He lowers his claw.

"I love that proposal", the old man happily replies. "Together we'll unveil the volcano's mystery... and attract scientific tourism!"

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Mon May 16, 2022 3:25 pm

OOC:
Don't worry. I had a flooded flat once: one day I arrived home and found all my neighbours going in and out of my house with buckets and mops because a pipeline had failed. Next day, my wooden floor had grown small hills all over its surface and we had to rebuild it. We tried camping in the living room for a few days, but we ended up going to sleep to our beach apartament until the new floor was finished. If I've survived this, I can survive anything

OOC: Ow...rebuilding a wooden floor, not fun on the pocket book.

Fox house

"You know Professor..." One of the enlisted men who has been playing carpenter on the Fox house states to professor Culom when he appears at the work site again "If we got a group of your folks and built a copy of this house...well then they would know how to build it themselves and they now have a copy to work from with us telling them how things are done...but the brass would want official sanction to do so..."

"Yes, of course", Professor Cuaridim replies, raising a forefinger. "That's what I was planning to do".

Even before lowering his forefinger, he turns back and starts walking.
[/quote]

The Alconians shrug and go to finishing things...and building some actual furnishings for the young family...like a crib, and a diaper changing table.

Two hours later, the engineer returns with a four-people squad. A couple of green skins who stop arguing as soon as they stop by the fox's house, a skinny black man carrying a toolbox and blonde woman with a scar on her cheek and a turtle-shaped tatoo on her left arm.

"Most people were too busy to give us a hand", he excuses himself, "but more may join in the future".

"Er...fine but we sort of need the Wisest to make contact with our chain of command to get our orders cut..." The officer in charge states. But we can at least let you folks look over it and ask questions under our current orders..." He adds helpfully.

Alconian Camp

"So I can shoot now?", he asks. "Ah, yes...", he says when the Lord gives him the bullet.

Kwon carefully loads the bullet into the rifle, points at the target and...

BANG!

Not even close.

The pupil looks at the weapon, confused.

"I didn't expect it to push back. Can I try again?", he asks, eagerly.

"Yup...that was the recoil I was explaining about...but two other things you forgot...you need to steady your breath when you fire and you need to squeeze the trigger with your finger not pull. He holds out another bullet. "So then watch the hot brass when the ejector pulls it out..."

"Alright MacDuff lead me to the Wisest...I think I have some choice words for that grey haired autocrat..."

They find the Wisest in the Western Beach, surrounded by his six bodyguards. He is looking at a picture that Professor Cuaridim is drawing on the sand. Advisor Williams is next to him, observing the picture.

"Good evening", Bodyguard Sturm Swiftsling salutes, playing with his moustache. Behind him, Bodyguard Benjamin sprints towards the old man.

"Do you want to meet the Wisest?", he asks with a smile. "I'm afraid he is busy at the moment but if..."

He turns back and sees Ben showing his thumb up.

"He will receive you now", he tells the visitors.

The engineer rubs the sand to delete the picture.

"Thank you, Wisest", he mumbles before leaving.

"Uh, hello", Wubana joyfully greets the Alconians. "What's up?"

"Well apparently, I need to meet your new Economic Advisor to propose a potential business venture to help your now flattened, torched, and flooded tourism sector. Then I need to haggle on Favador's services..."

The Harpies

"I don't like the word 'impossible', but we've been living in this island for a long time and nobody has ever spoken about such a thing", she says, skeptical. "Moreover, automations are strictly forbidden in Caluscaria, so the Church of Technophobia would have wiped them out as soon as they had noticed them...", she stops, scratching her chin. "... unless someone had covertly started developing artificial intelligence. Do you have any traces about where they came from?"

"Truthfully, we're likely going into areas that are classified, and it should be up to the Wisest to determine if you have a need to know. But we will be making a case for having you on any joint scientific projects..."

"Really?", she asks excited. "How much can you tell me about my genes from a sample? Eirik's not gonna believe it!"

"I am not a geneticist, but we haven't done any sampling of you for that...not needed for treatment...and Caluscaria isn't an enemy nation so your not...well...I can see about getting the doctor to allow it with your permission of course. But do you have a reason to think your part elf or part Orc?"

by **United Lords of War** » Fri May 20, 2022 4:02 pm

"Your proposal is fair and generous", the Wisest replies with a warm smile, "but y'know what crowds do with sudden information... I must speak to my people to see how they would feel and prepare them for the news. Just give me a few days before signing it".

"A terran would bet that the Lord of clan of Tech Fear shall claim that this is a move of demons, and try to use his words to prevent such. Attempts to curb their passion may be a fruitless as Terra five. I know not what the Overlord shall demand in response. I give this in warning...the stone salt minds still wait below..."

"I love that proposal", the old man happily replies. "Together we'll unveil the volcano's mystery... and attract scientific tourism!"

"We do not understand why Terrans want to travel to a new place to do nothing productive. We would only caution that those who try to attend may have other motives than 'scientific tourism'."

"However, this science is that which Caluscaria should know. I propose to leave Terran teachers here to instruct the young of Caluscaria in the ways of this planet and of the Universe. They shall not use anything more than the white writing stone upon the dark stone tablet, the pulped bushes of memory...what Terrans call books...and simple mechanics carved of wood...with this I hope to frustrate the Lord of Clan Tech Fear...for they shall know the Universe far more than he..."

by **Caluscaria** » Sun May 22, 2022 3:33 am

Fox house

"Er...fine but we sort of need the Wisest to make contact with our chain of command to get our orders cut..." The officer in charge states. But we can at least let you folks look over it and ask questions under our current orders..." He adds helpfully.

Next morning, Professor Cuaridim arrives early with one of the green skins of his building squad.

"So... just look?", the green skin asks, making an ample gesture with his hands.

"Just look... for the moment", the engineer replies. "Good morning!", he greets the Alconian officer. "The rest of the squad will come later, they're at mass. By the way, the Wisest has granted you an audience to specify the functional requirements of the work order. I've asked him to set it tomorrow at down, so that the meeting doesn't impact on the current project's release date".

Alconian Camp

"Yup...that was the recoil I was explaining about...but two other things you forgot...you need to steady your breath when you fire and you need to squeeze the trigger with your finger not pull. He holds out another bullet. "So then watch the hot brass when the ejector pulls it out..."

Conscript Kwon responds with a quick nod and loads the new bullet. Then he points at the target, holds his breath, and visibly tenses his triceps before slowly squeezing the trigger.

BANG!

"Well apparently, I need to meet your new Economic Advisor to propose a potential business venture to help your now flattened, torched, and flooded tourism sector. Then I need to haggle on Favador's services..."

Wubana sighs, his eyebrows and lips falling on the sides like algae.

"Favedor... It was a hard swallow to tell him that I would find another advisor", he moans. "He has always been a keen professional, everything he did was perfect, clean and... how did he call it?", the old man scratches his beard for a while. "Uh, yes: accurate".

He puts a hand on Williams' shoulder. "But Williams is very gifted too. His common sense about social impact and his ability to learn quickly will surely make him the best advisor in History".

The blond advisor smiles with a perfect teething.

"Of course, he'll be pleased to help you in anything you ask him", the Wisest clarifies. "After all, it's for the good of Caluscaria... but you wanted to propose a potential business venture, weren't you? I'm all ears", he says slightly moving his head to the side.

Behind him, Advisor Williams crosses his arms, still keeping his perfect smile.

The Harpies

"I am not a geneticist, but we haven't done any sampling of you for that...not needed for treatment...and Caluscaria isn't an enemy nation so your not...well...I can see about getting the doctor to allow it with your permission of course. But do you have a reason to think your part elf or part Orc?"

Vronik laughs... or she tries to, because at some point she abruptly stops and puts a hand on her ribs. "No, I don't have doubts about my inheritance...", she scratches her nose. "But it would be fun to know what Science can learn about me by something akin to a source code for my body..."

She stands up. "Well, I cannot wait to move on. Can you bring me back to the island?"

The Day of Fate

"We do not understand why Terrans want to travel to a new place to do nothing productive. We would only caution that those who try to attend may have other motives than 'scientific tourism'."

"Yes, we'll keep an eye on them", the Wisest replies.

"However, this science is that which Caluscaria should know. I propose to leave Terran teachers here to instruct the young of Caluscaria in the ways of this planet and of the Universe. They shall not use anything more than the white writing stone upon the dark stone tablet, the pulped bushes of memory...what Terrans call books...and simple mechanics carved of wood...with this I hope to frustrate the Lord of Clan Tech Fear...for they shall know the Universe far more than he..."

"You are right", the Wisest concedes. "We cannot be losing our books each time the volcano wakes up or the waters sneeze at our land... and it gives me an idea: what if..."

The old man scratches his beard for a while.

"You'll need someone to translate your wisdom onto a language that the folk can understand, even the future generations", he explains. "And we need the Caluscarian population to agree on you to become the official protector".

The Wisest stays silent for a few seconds, glances back at the crowd of bodyguards following them and then takes a deep breath.

"If you can keep a secret, I know some guilds have been developing recently", he whispers. "Selfish people that practise their craft for the sake of Science, Beauty... or foreign currency. You know it's illegal here, but I am forced to turn a blind eye for political reasons... I could put you in contact with them in order to start the printing of a Caluscarian Encyclopaedia. They will perceive it as a heroic strike at the stablished rules and volunteer to deliver your lore. You will be perceived as the philosophers who started the Caluscarian Illustration, which will pave the road for the survey about you becoming Caluscaria's protectors. Do you think it will work?"

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Fri May 27, 2022 2:51 pm

Fox house

Next morning, Professor Cuaridim arrives early with one of the green skins of his building squad.

"So... just look?", the green skin asks, making an ample gesture with his hands.

"Just look... for the moment", the engineer replies. "Good morning!", he greets the Alconian officer. "The rest of the squad will come later, they're at mass. By the way, the Wisest has granted you an audience to specify the functional requirements of the work order. I've asked him to set it tomorrow at down, so that the meeting doesn't impact on the current project's release date".

"Work Order? The Alconian Officer looks at the engineer aghast. "I'm not a contractor...even if I were, I'm here as an military officer. I don't need to get a work order from someone like I'm a damn facility flunky...I need orders from my superior officers changing my current orders. The Wisest, or your foreign minister or your defense minister or even the local defense commander...or the ambassador...another good choice...needs to make a request to my chain of command for our assistance, those two mucky mucks come to an agreement and then the orders flow down to me. Sorry, but I'm not going out on a limb especially when it isn't a life or death issue...I mean if say pirates started attacking I could rally the team and counter act them per the Alconian Marine Regulations..." He stops and shakes his head. "Listen I'm a little butter bar Lieutenant who doesn't want to have an Admiral decide I've overstepped my orders so...who is the Wisest supposed to coordinate with? Actually who is the ambassador to the United Duchies?" He asks.

Alconian Camp

[/quote]
Conscript Kwon responds with a quick nod and loads the new bullet. Then he points at the target, holds his breath, and visibly tenses his triceps before slowly squeezing the trigger.

BANG!

"It looks like your still a little to the left and high but that was marked improvement young man."

Wubana sighs, his eyebrows and lips falling on the sides like algae.

"Favedor... It was a hard swallow to tell him that I would find another advisor", he moans. "He has always been a keen professional, everything he did was perfect, clean and... how did he call it?", the old man scratches his beard for a while. "Uh, yes: accurate".

He puts a hand on Williams' shoulder. "But Williams is very gifted too. His common sense about social impact and his ability to learn quickly will surely make him the best advisor in History".

The blond advisor smiles with a perfect teething.

"Of course, he'll be pleased to help you in anything you ask him", the Wisest clarifies. "After all, it's for the good of Caluscaria... but you wanted to propose a potential business venture, weren't you? I'm all ears", he says slightly moving his head to the side.

Behind him, Advisor Williams crosses his arms, still keeping his perfect smile.

The Alconian Lord seems to give Williams the look for what an mature, deadly Manx would give a Poppin Jay, but then focuses on the Wisest. "Quite simple, as I was noting earlier your foreign accounts of hard currency are dependent on the tourist trade. One that has seen on international newscasts that you've got some deadly harpies flying about. To help you bring in tourists and hopefully counter act some of the bad press is to upgrade the experience for the tourists. One way to do that is provide a quality hotel to act as their 'base camp' which will help make a broader selection of the world's tourists actually come to Caluscaria. And their presence can let you earn the hard cash to provide other amenities to ensure visitor safety, like protected vehicles to keep them from being attacked by the Harpies... One dead tourist from a harpy and your entire foreign income program is dead. Plus, you can charge hotel tax...literally get paid by all the customers who use the hotel for using the hotel while the hotel investors get paid back for their investment from the income from the room rates and all of the 'extras' like the mini bar and the restaurant...anyway the idea is that once the hotel investors are paid back with the bonded interest then Caluscaria and they both share in dividends from the profits..."

The Harpies

Vronik laughs... or she tries to, because at some point she abruptly stops and puts a hand on her ribs. "No, I don't have doubts about my inheritance...", she scratches her nose. "But it would be fun to know what Science can learn about me by something akin to a source code for my body..."

She stands up. "Well, I cannot wait to move on. Can you bring me back to the island?"

"I don't know that your doctor has discharged you yet...So you might want to lie back down before a nurse walks in her and puts you back into bed the hard way...they are marines after all...When you've been discharged, the boats are regularly taking discharged patients back to the island. Although, I thought you had a floating nurse called Chimpunk?"

The Day of Fate

"We do not understand why Terrans want to travel to a new place to do nothing productive. We would only caution that those who try to attend may have other motives than 'scientific tourism'."

"Yes, we'll keep an eye on them", the Wisest replies.

"However, this science is that which Caluscaria should know. I propose to leave Terran teachers here to instruct the young of Caluscaria in the ways of this planet and of the Universe. They shall not use anything more than the white writing stone upon the dark stone tablet, the pulped bushes of memory...what Terrans call books...and simple mechanics carved of wood...with this I hope to frustrate the Lord of Clan Tech Fear...for they shall know the Universe far more than he..."

"You are right", the Wisest concedes. "We cannot be losing our books each time the volcano wakes up or the waters sneeze at our land... and it gives me an idea: what if..."

The old man scratches his beard for a while.

"You'll need someone to translate your wisdom onto a language that the folk can understand, even the future generations", he explains. "And we need the Caluscarian population to agree on you to become the official protector".

The Wisest stays silent for a few seconds, glances back at the crowd of bodyguards following them and then takes a deep breath.

"If you can keep a secret, I know some guilds have been developing recently", he whispers. "Selfish people that practise their craft for the sake of Science, Beauty... or foreign currency. You know it's illegal here, but I am forced to turn a blind eye for political reasons... I could put you in contact with them in order to start the printing of a Caluscarian Encyclopaedia. They will perceive it as a heroic strike at the stablished rules and volunteer to deliver your lore. You will be perceived as the philosophers who started the Caluscarian Illustration, which will pave the road for the survey about you becoming Caluscaria's protectors. Do you think it will work?"

by **United Lords of War** » Sat May 28, 2022 6:18 pm

"You are right", the Wisest concedes. "We cannot be losing our books each time the volcano wakes up or the waters sneeze at our land... and it gives me an idea: what if..."

The old man scratches his beard for a while.

"You'll need someone to translate your wisdom onto a language that the folk can understand, even the future generations", he explains. "And we need the Caluscarian population to agree on you to become the official protector".

The Wisest stays silent for a few seconds, glances back at the crowd of bodyguards following them and then takes a deep breath.

"If you can keep a secret, I know some guilds have been developing recently", he whispers. "Selfish people that practise their craft for the sake of Science, Beauty... or foreign currency. You know it's illegal here, but I am forced to turn a blind eye for political reasons... I could put you in contact with them in order to start the printing of a Caluscarian Encyclopaedia. They will perceive it as a heroic strike at the stablished rules and volunteer to deliver your lore. You will be perceived as the philosophers who started the Caluscarian Illustration, which will pave the road for the survey about you becoming Caluscaria's protectors. Do you think it will work?"

"Confusion abounds why would Caluscaria mimic the ways of the Lorhal? Guilds? Why does your population wish to organize itself in Houses of Work? Encylopedia? But these questions will remain for the moment. A Hall of Peace, or Embassy, in Terra Common, would be needed. Shall then you grant Our House a place to build place a...Embassy...where these 'Guilds' may attend with their questions?"

by **Caluscaria** » Sun May 29, 2022 5:40 am

Fox house

"Work Order? The Alconian Officer looks at the engineer aghast. "I'm not a contractor...even if I were, I'm here as an military officer. I don't need to get a work order from someone like I'm a damn facility flunky...I need orders from my superior officers changing my current orders. The Wisest, or your foreign minister or your defense minister or even the local defense commander...or the ambassador...another good choice...needs to make a request to my chain of command for our assistance, those two mucky mucks come to an agreement and then the orders flow down to me. Sorry, but I'm not going out on a limb especially when it isn't a life or death issue...I mean if say pirates started attacking I could rally the team and counter act them per the Alconian Marine Regulations..." He stops and shakes his head. "Listen I'm a little butter bar Lieutenant who doesn't want to have an Admiral decide I've overstepped my orders so...who is the Wisest supposed to coordinate with? Actually who is the ambassador to the United Duchies?" He asks.

Professor Cuaridim crosses his arms. "If you don't know who the Alconian ambassador is, I'm not gonna know it either", he replies, blushing and frowning. Then he turns back and starts walking, while muttering something about bureaucracy.

Finding the Wisest was not an easy task. This day was being quite busy for the leader of the Caluscarians, so whenever Cuaridim asked someone about the Wisest's whereabouts and got a reply, the old man had already set off to another part of the island.

"The ambassador?", Wubana echoed the engineer's question when they finally met. "Actually... I don't know", he shrugged. "They asked me to set up an embassy, but I don't remember them appointing a particular ambassador. Can you go to Point Alpha and ask about it? I'd go myself, but I'm quite busy at the moment and I wouldn't like to delay your project, y'know..."

Point Alpha

Panting, limping, and featuring an ugly bump on the back of his right hand, Professor Cuaridim arrives at Point Alpha.

"Hello?", he greets the first Alconian he finds there. "I'm looking for the ambassador".

Alconian Camp

"It looks like your still a little to the left and high but that was marked improvement young man."

Conscript Kwon nods and waits for his instructor to give him another bullet. He will point a little to the right next time.

The Alconian Lord seems to give Williams the look for what an mature, deadly Manx would give a Poppin Jay, but then focuses on the Wisest. "Quite simple, as I was noting earlier your foreign accounts of hard currency are dependent on the tourist trade. One that has seen on international newscasts that you've got some deadly harpies flying about. To help you bring in tourists and hopefully counter act some of the bad press is to upgrade the experience for the tourists. One way to do that is provide a quality hotel to act as their 'base camp' which will help make a broader selection of the world's tourists actually come to Caluscaria. And their presence can let you earn the hard cash to provide other amenities to ensure visitor safety, like protected vehicles to keep them from being attacked by the Harpies... One dead tourist from a harpy and your entire foreign income program is dead. Plus, you can charge hotel tax...literally get paid by all the customers who use the hotel for using the hotel while the hotel investors get paid back for their investment from the income from the room rates and all of the 'extras' like the mini bar and the restaurant...anyway the idea is that once the hotel investors are paid back with the bonded interest then Caluscaria and they both share in dividends from the profits..."

"Quite interesting proposal, what do you say, Advisor Williams?", the Wisest asks with a wide smile.

Williams uncrosses his arms and lets his head fall backwards, making his blonde hair form a short curtain over his nape.

"Well, I'd need more precise information", he says looking at the Lord straight in the eye... was that a wink?. "For example, you say that Caluscaria provides the land where the hotel will be built, and Alcona and Hubris provide the construction workers, don't you? My first question is how much land will you need, so that I can translate the square metres to favours, and set a tax accordingly".

"My second question is who will provide the building materials: I don't know if you're planning to forage in the island or to transport it from the Klatch or wherever."

"My next question, mmh... third, is about the people who will run the hotel", he continues, removing a strand of yellow hair from his eyes. "Will you hire only Caluscarians or add some of your own people? A course-grained percentage, y'know... if you say 90% Caluscarians I'n not gonna complain if we get 86%".

"My... fourth question is about currency", he continues, examining his fingers as though he had just filed his nails. "So far, tour operators buy favours for their customers before they arrive, so that they don't have to care about money. You know commerce in Caluscaria is... not so explicit as in other nations. But if the people in the island have to exchange between favours and griffens, our currencies would lose stability".

"There's also the ecological issue", Williams point out. "To care about the land we live on and the beauty that will attract tourists, we need to ensure that all forms of contamination are kept to the minimum; for example, the emissions from the vehicles you are going to provide".

The Harpies

"I don't know that your doctor has discharged you yet...So you might want to lie back down before a nurse walks in her and puts you back into bed the hard way...they are marines after all...When you've been discharged, the boats are regularly taking discharged patients back to the island. Although, I thought you had a floating nurse called Chimpunk?"

"Chimpmunk?", Vronik comically grins, "You mean Blue Chipmunk? A nurse?", she laughs. "She's definitely nothing like a nurse..."

She suddenly stops laughing and looks at the lieutenant in concern. "Come to think of it, how did you know about her? Is she here?", the red haired woman asks.

The Day of Fate

"Confusion abounds why would Caluscaria mimic the ways of the Lorhal? Guilds? Why does your population wish to organize itself in Houses of Work? Encylopedia? But these questions will remain for the moment. A Hall of Peace, or Embassy, in Terra Common, would be needed. Shall then you grant Our House a place to build place a...Embassy...where these 'Guilds' may attend with their questions?

The Wisest, still opening his mouth to reply to the first question, closes it and smiles warmly.

"I will be glad to grant Your House a place build an Embassy", he declares. "And I'm sure you will receive many visits from the Caluscarians".

Two days later, a red haired short man holding a written document approaches one of those humans dressed in black coveralls. Unsure about why would the Wisest have found him fit for the tasks he has been assigned, Eirik scratches his nape before speaking.

"Hello... good morning", he greets. "I've been sent to deliver this paper to the delegate of House Ca'Nara of the Var. Where could I find him?"

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 8:02 am

Point Alpha, Current time

Panting, limping, and featuring an ugly bump on the back of his right hand, Professor Cuaridim arrives at Point Alpha.

"Hello?", he greets the first Alconian he finds there. "I'm looking for the ambassador".

The guard looks at him with a quizical look. "Er...the Caluscarian Ambassador to the United Duchies or the United Duchies Ambassador to Caluscaria?"

Alconian Camp

Conscript Kwon nods and waits for his instructor to give him another bullet. He will point a little to the right next time.

"Professor, if you would take over his training, I need to go talk to Favador now..." The Lord hands over a set of bullets to the pupil and walks off to corner Favador in his newest proposal..

"Quite interesting proposal, what do you say, Advisor Williams?", the Wisest asks with a wide smile.

Williams uncrosses his arms and lets his head fall backwards, making his blonde hair form a short curtain over his nape.

"Well, I'd need more precise information", he says looking at the Lord straight in the eye... was that a wink?. "For example, you say that Caluscaria provides the land where the hotel will be built, and Alcona and Hubris provide the construction workers, don't you? My first question is how much land will you need, so that I can translate the square metres to favours, and set a tax accordingly".

"My second question is who will provide the building materials: I don't know if you're planning to forage in the island or to transport it from the Klatch or wherever."

"My next question, mmh... third, is about the people who will run the hotel", he continues, removing a strand of yellow hair from his eyes. "Will you hire only Caluscarians or add some of your own people? A course-grained percentage, y'know... if you say 90% Caluscarians I'n not gonna complain if we get 86%".

"My... fourth question is about currency", he continues, examining his fingers as though he had just filed his nails. "So far, tour operators buy favours for their customers before they arrive, so that they don't have to care about money. You know commerce in Caluscaria is... not so explicit as in other nations. But if the people in the island have to exchange between favours and griffens, our currencies would lose stability".

"There's also the ecological issue", Williams point out. "To care about the land we live on and the beauty that will attract tourists, we need to ensure that all forms of contamination are kept to the minimum; for example, the emissions from the vehicles you are going to provide".

"Actually, the whole concept is designed so that Caluscaria doesn't tax the hotel property since it is joint corporation, Caluscaria gets a share of the profits rather than revenue from the land tax. The reason for this is to reduce the risk to the outside investors to pony up money to finance in a soft currency, semi-authortarian, anti-capitialist state in the first place. Caluscaria takes on some risk and doesn't have a guaranteed income, but the potential upside in revenue is much larger. Even if the venture can't make a profit or cover operating costs, there is a hotel building with a fairly low cost to buy out by Caluscaria for some other purpose. Of course you do get to tax the guests staying here but again that is not guaranteed revenue for Caluscaria or a guaranteed overhead cost for the hotel."

"Now that takes us to your question about staffing. Have you trained and or experienced individuals in hotel management, food and catering management, hotel housekeeping, hotel maintenance, grounds maintenance? If not, then trying to set even a 1% requirement on staffing would be self-defeating. After all bad reviews caused by untrained staff would be a hit on Caluscaria's hard currency pocket book just like another tidal wave. Now before you go off about employment of Caluscarians as part of this deal...I agree...hell 100% Caluscarian staffing would be ideal. The question here isn't about getting positions now, its having those positions in the future. So I propose that the hotel corporation, in contracting with a hotel management company, have a revenue pull back of say 10% on all non-Caluscarian wages. The pull back can be countered by the wages for Caluscarian trainees...that should make the hotel management responsive to getting Caluscarian's into the positions and training them to do so. We can also make it such that the pull back increases by say five percentage points every five years."

"Continuing on to your whole exchange rate problem is quite obvious, you already have a currency exchange office...even if it is just you doing it Williams which is a bad choice...delegation is key here. We just have the hotel house a branch...actually why not just have the whole office housed in the hotel itself? You can then operate a counter for individuals to exchange currency into favors with listed exchange rates...hell you could likely list them at levels 100% more favorable to the favor than the negotiated rates and likely would still be better than the tour companies who are likely taking anywhere from a 200 to 400 percent cut currently."

He shakes his head, "Which brings me to your other questions. What we are talking about is a joint corporation for a hotel for Caluscaria. The rest of those details, size, number of rooms, style of rooms, other facilities, emissions, power, vehicles, land area needed...neither of us should be trying to figure that out here and now. You and I should just be agreeing to the concept and general terms and then appointing people who we know can work on those questions in a sensible manner. Essentially the folks of the initial corporate board who will work the questions and then provide us with a plan that will tell us how much buildings to build on, how much land is needed, the materials sourcing, the energy sourcing and how to contract the building work out and the management after construction. Most importantly that will tell us the amount of money we need to raise to capitalize the whole project. I will fund some of the initial engineering and planning work but my main job will be to find the investors to capitalize the project. Your effectively the head of Caluscaria's nancient tresasury...the power plant for a hotel is not on a list of things for you to be trying to work out in the here and now. I can come up with answers but are they the optimal ones in terms of cost to benifit? who knows..." He shrugs.

The Harpies

She suddenly stops laughing and looks at the lieutenant in concern. "Come to think of it, how did you know about her? Is she here?", the red haired woman asks.

"Chipmunk came out here with you...and sort of turned into a guardian of sorts...then when the steam blast happened off shore she helped in the evacuation of the wounded from the water. I'm not quite sure where she is at the moment." She looks down, "you've just been on our radar because of the Harpy vs Var problem..."

by **United Lords of War** » Fri Jun 03, 2022 6:07 pm

Caluscaria wrote:Fox house

"Work Order? The Alconian Officer looks at the engineer aghast. "I'm not a contractor...even if I were, I'm here as an military officer. I don't need to get a work order from someone like I'm a damn facility flunky...I need orders from my superior officers changing my current orders. The Wisest, or your foreign minister or your defense minister or even the local defense commander...or the ambassador...another good choice...needs to make a request to my chain of command for our assistance, those two mucky mucks come to an agreement and then the orders flow down to me. Sorry, but I'm not going out on a limb especially when it isn't a life or death issue...I mean if say pirates started attacking I could rally the team and counter act them per the Alconian Marine Regulations..." He stops and shakes his head. "Listen I'm a little butter bar Lieutenant who doesn't want to have an Admiral decide I've overstepped my orders so...who is the Wisest supposed to coordinate with? Actually who is the ambassador to the United Duchies?" He asks.

Professor Cuaridim crosses his arms. "If you don't know who the Alconian ambassador is, I'm not gonna know it either", he replies, blushing and frowning. Then he turns back and starts walking, while muttering something about bureaucracy.

Finding the Wisest was not an easy task. This day was being quite busy for the leader of the Caluscarians, so whenever Cuaridim asked someone about the Wisest's whereabouts and got a reply, the old man had already set off to another part of the island.

"The ambassador?", Wubana echoed the engineer's question when they finally met. "Actually... I don't know", he shrugged. "They asked me to set up an embassy, but I don't remember them appointing a particular ambassador. Can you go to Point Alpha and ask about it? I'd go myself, but I'm quite busy at the moment and I wouldn't like to delay your project, y'know..."

Point Alpha

Two days later, a red haired short man holding a written document approaches one of those humans dressed in black coveralls. Unsure about why would the Wisest have found him fit for the tasks he has been assigned, Eirik scratches his nape before speaking.

"Hello... good morning", he greets. "I've been sent to deliver this paper to the delegate of House Ca'Nara of the Var. Where could I find him?"

By now the vessels that have held above the land and the coast have settled into the waters of Caluscaria. They move slowly and gracefully. But seem to be almost apart still from the sea, ignoring both changes in waves and weather.

On the rise of Point Alpha, far away from the finalizing hospital, a wall of dark stone has been erected around the site of the Ca'Nara Embassy. Inside of the walls circular buildings of the same dark stone blocks rise. Cranes move the large curved blocks into place as people with strange tools seem to 'weld' the stone into place.

At the gate, three sentries stand. Two are rigid holding their blades silently and switching places every few minutes.

The third sits at a small, false wood kiosk with an umbrella over her chair. She smiles as the local walks up to her. She brushes back her long, silvery hair showing her pointy ear. "Ah yes...what is the paper about? or is this a paper of news?"

by **Caluscaria** » Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:30 am

Point Alpha, Current time

The guard looks at him with a quizical look. "Er...the Caluscarian Ambassador to the United Duchies or the United Duchies Ambassador to Caluscaria?"

Still recovering his breath, Professor Cuaridim looks at the guard for a few seconds, his eyes moving chaotically as though he were following a squirrel jumping just behind the guard.

"Er... the Alconian one", he finally replies before coughing twice. "The... Unites Duchies... Ambassador... to Caluscaria".

Alconian Camp

"Actually, the whole concept is designed so that Caluscaria doesn't tax the hotel property since it is joint corporation, Caluscaria gets a share of the profits rather than revenue from the land tax. The reason for this is to reduce the risk to the outside investors to pony up money to finance in a soft currency, semi-authortarian, anti-capitialist state in the first place. Caluscaria takes on some risk and doesn't have a guaranteed income, but the potential upside in revenue is much larger. Even if the venture can't make a profit or cover operating costs, there is a hotel building with a fairly low cost to buy out by Caluscaria for some other purpose. Of course you do get to tax the guests staying here but again that is not guaranteed revenue for Caluscaria or a guaranteed overhead cost for the hotel."

"I understand, this is a joint venture, after all. The only particularity's that one of the parts is the Caluscarian Government", Williams says with a wide smile. "So the only tax would be a Value-Added Tax the Caluscarian Government would apply to the guests. The rest would be like any other business in a capitalist nation: initially, each part provides a capital - be it in hard currency, real state, land or whatever -; later, if the business works, they'll eventually pay dividends, proportionally to the value of the capital initially provided by each investor. If the business doesn't work, the building will lose value because some hotel-exclusive facilities would become useless. Investment implies risk, and in order to assess that risk, we need t'know how much land we'll have to invest, among other things".

"Now that takes us to your question about staffing. Have you trained and or experienced individuals in hotel management, food and catering management, hotel housekeeping, hotel maintenance, grounds maintenance? If not, then trying to set even a 1% requirement on staffing would be self-defeating. After all bad reviews caused by untrained staff would be a hit on Caluscaria's hard currency pocket book just like another tidal wave. Now before you go off about employment of Caluscarians as part of this deal...I agree...hell 100% Caluscarian staffing would be ideal. The question here isn't about getting positions now, its having those positions in the future. So I propose that the hotel corporation, in contracting with a hotel management company, have a revenue pull back of say 10% on all non-Caluscarian wages. The pull back can be countered by the wages for Caluscarian trainees...that should make the hotel management responsive to getting Caluscarian's into the positions and training them to do so. We can also make it such that the pull back increases by say five percentage points every five years."

"Well, actually we're in a better starting point", Williams says, crossing his arms. "Many Caluscarians have alreasy hosted tourists, although I must give you that they were only bed-and-breakfast rather than hotels. Consecuently, your plan to make the management company pay 10% of their revenue on foreigners back to the owners of the hotel and raise it five points every five years, so that in less than eighteen years the hotel would be fully managed by Caluscarians, makes sense".

"Continuing on to your whole exchange rate problem is quite obvious, you already have a currency exchange office...even if it is just you doing it Williams which is a bad choice...delegation is key here. We just have the hotel house a branch...actually why not just have the whole office housed in the hotel itself? You can then operate a counter for individuals to exchange currency into favors with listed exchange rates...hell you could likely list them at levels 100% more favorable to the favor than the negotiated rates and likely would still be better than the tour companies who are likely taking anywhere from a 200 to 400 percent cut currently."

"It sounds reasonable...", Williams starts saying.

"Quite reasonable!", the Wisest interrupts, laughing. "You've really got an eye for business!"

Williams dedicates an ample smile to the old man, while keeping both hands under his back; his left hand firmly grabbing his right punch.

"Moreover, we could offer the exchange services to everybody, not only to guests. We could build an exchange facility near my house, to make it more... y'know, a public service of the Government of Caluscaria. Advisor Williams could manage it from the first day", he says before turning to the blond man. "Would you?"

Williams eyebrows raise, his mouth shrinks.

"Of course!", he replies.

"Wonderful... and forgive me for my interruption", the Wisest says, "Go on, please", he prompts his advisor.

He shakes his head, "Which brings me to your other questions. What we are talking about is a joint corporation for a hotel for Caluscaria. The rest of those details, size, number of rooms, style of rooms, other facilities, emissions, power, vehicles, land area needed...neither of us should be trying to figure that out here and now. You and I should just be agreeing to the concept and general terms and then appointing people who we know can work on those questions in a sensible manner. Essentially the folks of the initial corporate board who will work the questions and then provide us with a plan that will tell us how much buildings to build on, how much land is needed, the materials sourcing, the energy sourcing and how to contract the building work out and the management after construction. Most importantly that will tell us the amount of money we need to raise to capitalize the whole project. I will fund some of the initial engineering and planning work but my main job will be to find the investors to capitalize the project. Your effectively the head of Caluscaria's nancient tresasury...the power plant for a hotel is not on a list of things for you to be trying to work out in the here and now. I can come up with answers but are they the optimal ones in terms of cost to benifit? who knows..." He shrugs.

"I agree", Williams concedes, earning a raise on the Wisest's eyebrow. "In the end of the day, all important decisions will be made among the investors, so there's nothing we can set in stone yet".

Wubana relaxes and nods.

"We'll be looking forward for that meeting with the investors you'll find, then!", the old man exclaims, happily.

The Harpies

"Chipmunk came out here with you...and sort of turned into a guardian of sorts...then when the steam blast happened off shore she helped in the evacuation of the wounded from the water. I'm not quite sure where she is at the moment." She looks down, "you've just been on our radar because of the Harpy vs Var problem..."

"Chipmunk...", Vronik slowly utters. "I wouldn't expect she would be here, looking after me. There's much I have to thank her, then!", she says, her eyes shining like a pair of ponds.

Black Fort of the Var

By now the vessels that have held above the land and the coast have settled into the waters of Caluscaria. They move slowly and gracefully. But seem to be almost apart still from the sea, ignoring both changes in waves and weather.

On the rise of Point Alpha, far away from the finalizing hospital, a wall of dark stone has been erected around the site of the Ca'Nara Embassy. Inside of the walls circular buildings of the same dark stone blocks rise. Cranes move the large curved blocks into place as people with strange tools seem to 'weld' the stone into place.

At the gate, three sentries stand. Two are rigid holding their blades silently and switching places every few minutes.

The third sits at a small, false wood kiosk with an umbrella over her chair. She smiles as the local walks up to her. She brushes back her long, silvery hair showing her pointy ear. "Ah yes...what is the paper about? or is this a paper of news?"

Eirik smiles at the pointy-eared sentry.

"It's a document granting House Ca'Nara permission to build an embassy", he replies, blushing. "All details about location are here", he adds, raising the scroll.

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Fri Jun 10, 2022 1:11 pm

Caluscaria wrote:Point Alpha, Current time

"Er... the Alconian one", he finally replies before coughing twice. "The... Unites Duchies... Ambassador... to Caluscaria".

I believe that Lieutentant Winton-Smith is now acting in that role sir...the political machinations back home still have not appointed someone more premantently. Would you like me to see if I could raise her on coms sir?"

Alconian Camp

"I agree", Williams concedes, earning a raise on the Wisest's eyebrow. "In the end of the day, all important decisions will be made among the investors, so there's nothing we can set in stone yet".

Wubana relaxes and nods.

"We'll be looking forward for that meeting with the investors you'll find, then!", the old man exclaims, happily.

The Alconian shakes his head. "No, what we need is to get someone from your side to work with my people on all of the questions we've both raised to mutual satisifaction. If we're in agreement on the general concept....which we both see advantages to under the right agreements and rules... we both send personnel to work on figuring out those questions, that have been raised by both Williams here and myself. Now I don't think that should be Williams because he's got a lot on his plate...But if he can think of an Assistant Advisor to work on the details with a few of my folks? Then we can put together the prospectus and entice investors... They want all of those questions answered before they invest...just like Williams here does with the land portion of the investment."

The Harpies

"Chipmunk...", Vronik slowly utters. "I wouldn't expect she would be here, looking after me. There's much I have to thank her, then!", she says, her eyes shining like a pair of ponds.

OOC: I can't answer 'Where is Chipmunk' since she's your character.

by **United Lords of War** » Sat Jun 11, 2022 5:11 am

Black Fort of the Var

By now the vessels that have held above the land and the coast have settled into the waters of Caluscaria. They move slowly and gracefully. But seem to be almost apart still from the sea, ignoring both changes in waves and weather.

On the rise of Point Alpha, far away from the finalizing hospital, a wall of dark stone has been erected around the site of the Ca'Nara Embassy. Inside of the walls circular buildings of the same dark stone blocks rise. Cranes move the large curved blocks into place as people with strange tools seem to 'weld' the stone into place.

At the gate, three sentries stand. Two are rigid holding their blades silently and switching places every few minutes.

The third sits at a small, false wood kiosk with an umbrella over her chair. She smiles as the local walks up to her. She brushes back her long, silvery hair showing her pointy ear. "Ah yes...what is the paper about? or is this a paper of news?"

Eirik smiles at the pointy-eared sentry.

"It's a document granting House Ca'Nara permission to build an embassy", he replies, blushing. "All details about location are here", he adds, raising the scroll.[/quote]

OOC: So, following old rules I screwed up here as normally the Var would have waited. They just assumed to have received the legal permissions beforehand which was a wrong assumption apparently. Not sure how to fix the screw up.

by **Caluscaria** » Sun Jun 12, 2022 12:11 am

Point Alpha

I believe that Lieutentant Winton-Smith is now acting in that role sir...the political machinations back home still have not appointed someone more premantently. Would you like me to see if I could raise her on coms sir?"

"Yes, please", Professor Cuaridim replies.

The Alconian shakes his head. "No, what we need is to get someone from your side to work with my people on all of the questions we've both raised to mutual satisifaction. If we're in agreement on the general concept....which we both see advantages to under the right agreements and rules... we both send personnel to work on figuring out those questions, that have been raised by both Williams here and myself. Now I don't think that should be Williams because he's got a lot on his plate...But if he can think of an Assistant Advisor to work on the details with a few of my folks? Then we can put together the prospectus and entice investors... They want all of those questions answered before they invest...just like Williams here does with the land portion of the investment."

"Of course, that's what I was meaning from the beginning", Williams says, grinning while he scratches the tip of his nose. "Tell your expert to come in... a week's time?", he proposes, "to meet ours".

The Harpies

OOC: I can't answer 'Where is Chipmunk' since she's your character.

OOC: My fault. I've recalled a previous post from me stating:

Meanwhile, Vronik wakes up, restored, and meets an alconized Blue Chipmunk, who breaks in tears when she sees her alive. After a long hug, she asks the conscript turned seaman about Eirik, but she knows nothing about him.

So Vronik should already know Blue Chipmunk had been there.

Black Fort of the Var

OOC: So, following old rules I screwed up here as normally the Var would have waited. They just assumed to have received the legal permissions beforehand which was a wrong assumption apparently. Not sure how to fix the screw up.

OOC: Let's forget that part, then. Granting permission to build an embassy was not Eirik's only mission.

"I came here to collaborate in the translation of the Var's lore", he tells the sentry. "I've been told they are going to print it in stone".

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 5:11 pm

Point Alpha

"Yes, please", Professor Cuaridim replies.

A few moments later he finds himself seated on a folder chair in a shady spot with a tablet and radio in his lap. The young woman appears and she leans back. "Ah, Professor Cuaridim...so good of you to call...on what matter do you need to see me?"

She leans back and chuckles as the Professor explains. "Ah, yes...people can be worried about CYA especially after the most recent issues and court martials being declared. So I am sure I can get the orders passed down the chain from the Commadore. Now then, perhaps you can help me with a few things...like what is the name of the Ambassador to the United Duchies?"

"Of course, that's what I was meaning from the beginning", Williams says, grinning while he scratches the tip of his nose. "Tell your expert to come in... a week's time?", he proposes, "to meet ours".

Not showing if he believes Williams or not he just replies, "Typical we wound up talking past each other half the time. Anyway it will take me more than a week to get someone up to speed. I'll likely be able to send someone in three weeks at the soonest."

Nodding he then looks at the Wisest. "Now that we have that settled perhaps we can discuss Favador..."

The Harpies

OOC: I can't answer 'Where is Chipmunk' since she's your character.

So Vronik should already know Blue Chipmunk had been there.

Winton-Smith nods, "Well when the doctors give you your discharge you'll be on your way home. Although, I should ask...how would you like a job?"

by **United Lords of War** » Sat Jun 18, 2022 6:36 pm

[/quote]

OOC: Let's forget that part, then. Granting permission to build an embassy was not Eirik's only mission.

"I came here to collaborate in the translation of the Var's lore", he tells the sentry. "I've been told they are going to print it in stone".[/quote]

The woman looks at him blankly for a moment, not comprehending. "Lore...The Deep Time of the Great Houses and the Time Before are swords of thought...swords not to be given to some mere...rab" She stops and realizes something. "Ah, stall my speech, for did was spoken that we would translate the Truth of the Universe...Yes...For with that Caluscaria takes on the Path."

She then stands and holds her had to her forehead. "Our sister Adenia the twelfth has been given this task. This One who attends shall take you to her Place of Study."

Another guard appears, apparently unarmed and leads the Caluscarian around the ocean side of the building site. Here there are many round temporary tents. Each appears to be quite tall with wide openings in the side indicating that there appears to be a 'floor' inside the tent about 2/3 inside.

Eirik is led into one of these. A woman who appears to be an exact double of the one at the gate looks up from a long table with various books and other materials around her. "Ah, this is the Caluscarian to assist us in the destination of Truth..." She stands and gives a head bow, "I am the twelfth Adeina of Clan of the Lorp, House D'imon , Elder Sept of Ca'Nara, Senior Seeker of the Universal Truth for Caluscaria Ca'Nara and you are?"

by **Caluscaria** » Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:45 am

Point Alpha

She leans back and chuckles as the Professor explains. "Ah, yes...people can be worried about CYA especially after the most recent issues and court martials being declared. So I am sure I can get the orders passed down the chain from the Commadore. Now then, perhaps you can help me with a few things...like what is the name of the Ambassador to the United Duchies?"

"I've never been to the Caluscarian Embassy in the United Duchies...", Professor Cuaridim replies, scratching his chin. "Wait... Is it a new embassy? I'm not sure who'll be appointed for that role. You can ask Advisor Favedor, who runs the international affairs office".

Nodding he then looks at the Wisest. "Now that we have that settled perhaps we can discuss Favador..."

Williams crosses his arms, showing a perfect grin.

"I'm all ears", the Wisest says smiling while he makes an open gesture with his palms.

The Harpies

Winton-Smith nods, "Well when the doctors give you your discharge you'll be on your way home. Although, I should ask...how would you like a job?"

Vronik's mouth opens at the same speed as her pupils. "In the United Duchies? You mean getting real money for my work? Come to think of it... what's the Alconian currency?", she asks, excited.

"And what would I have to do? I've got experience at scientific research and I've written programs in BASIC to help processing data, but I can learn ForTran or other languages..."

Black Fort of the Var

The woman looks at him blankly for a moment, not comprehending. "Lore...The Deep Time of the Great Houses and the Time Before are swords of thought...swords not to be given to some mere...rab" She stops and realizes something. "Ah, stall my speech, for did was spoken that we would translate the Truth of the Universe...Yes...For with that Caluscaria takes on the Path."

She then stands and holds her had to her forehead. "Our sister Adenia the twelfth has been given this task. This One who attends shall take you to her Place of Study."

Another guard appears, apparently unarmed and leads the Caluscarian around the ocean side of the building site. Here there are many round temporary tents. Each appears to be quite tall with wide openings in the side indicating that there appears to be a 'floor' inside the tent about 2/3 inside.

Eirik is led into one of these. A woman who appears to be an exact double of the one at the gate looks up from a long table with various books and other materials around her. "Ah, this is the Caluscarian to assist us in the destination of Truth..." She stands and gives a head bow, "I am the twelfth Adeina of Clan of the Lorp, House D'imon , Elder Sept of Ca'Nara, Senior Seeker of the Universal Truth for Caluscaria Ca'Nara and you are?"

"Eirik", he replies.

"Björnsson", he halfheartedly adds.

"I repair and program machines", he finishes. "Not that we've got many in this island".

by **Alcona and Hubris** » Fri Jun 24, 2022 2:01 pm

Point Alpha

"I've never been to the Caluscarian Embassy in the United Duchies...", Professor Cuaridim replies, scratching his chin. "Wait... Is it a new embassy? I'm not sure who'll be appointed for that role. You can ask Advisor Favedor, who runs the international affairs office".

"I thought he was your finance minister...apparently no one has informed us of your recent cabinet shuffle..."

"Am I to understand he's 'on the beach? as we'd say back home? He gave the impression he was at a loss for employing himself after the recent incidents here with the Var..."

The Harpies

Vronik's mouth opens at the same speed as her pupils. "In the United Duchies? You mean getting real money for my work? Come to think of it... what's the Alconian currency?", she asks, excited.

"And what would I have to do? I've got experience at scientific research and I've written programs in BASIC to help processing data, but I can learn ForTran or other languages..."

"Ah, yes and no...See my current duty is to set up an Embassy here and get a Caluscarian Embassy set up in the United Duchies. You'd be a what is termed a LFE, Local Foreign Employee. Your job would be mostly administrative and interfacing, at first helping us to construct our embassy but then also working with researchers in the United Duchies and around the world connect with local researchers. I know there are several xenobiologist from Europe who have already tried to us to get into studying the harpies but I'm sure there is a plethora of other fauna here that people are going to want to research. So you would get a salary from us but then you'd have to translate it back to favors for local commerce.

As for programming skills, I only thought the people in the nuclear weapons and reactor fields use Fortran anymore...just because the Yanks can't afford to reprogram it all into a new language."

by **United Lords of War** » Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:52 pm

Ca'Nara Caluscaria Hall of Peace

"Eirik", he replies.

"Björnsson", he halfheartedly adds.

"I repair and program machines", he finishes. "Not that we've got many in this island".

"Ah Eirik of Clan Bjornsson we greet you. Shall we sit?" She offers one of the folding chairs around the table. "I shall attempt to speak more in a Terran manner. My sister stated that you were here about printing Var science lessons in stone?"

by **Caluscaria** » Sat Jul 02, 2022 7:26 am

Point Alpha

"I thought he was your finance minister...apparently no one has informed us of your recent cabinet shuffle..."

"Cabinet... shuffle?", Professor Cuaridim repeats, confused. "I don't know what you mean. Honestly, I've only met him once, in our visit to an Alconian big ship, and I haven't got an accurate idea about what he's doing right now."

"Am I to understand he's 'on the beach? as we'd say back home? He gave the impression he was at a loss for employing himself after the recent incidents here with the Var..."

"Well, actually... the concept of employment here is different. Unique", the Wisest replies, smiling. "Everybody collaborates and nobody gets paid. You only have to ask a favour", he explains. "Yeah, I'm not gonna ask him again to run a diplomatic meeting like that, if you mean it. He will be sad, of course; I know how much he liked his job. But I had to choose the best for Caluscaria"

The Harpies

"Ah, yes and no...See my current duty is to set up an Embassy here and get a Caluscarian Embassy set up in the United Duchies. You'd be a what is termed a LFE, Local Foreign Employee. Your job would be mostly administrative and interfacing, at first helping us to construct our embassy but then also working with researchers in the United Duchies and around the world connect with local researchers. I know there are several xenobiologist from Europe who have already tried to us to get into studying the harpies but I'm sure there is a plethora of other fauna here that people are going to want to research. So you would get a salary from us but then you'd have to translate it back to favors for local commerce.

"Mmmh", Vronik taps the tip of her chin with her forefinger. "Seems less of a hands-on job than what I've been doing so far and it lacks definition, but I could give it a try. I would meet a lot of scientists from all over the world!"

Ca'Nara Caluscaria Hall of Peace

"Ah Eirik of Clan Bjornsson we greet you. Shall we sit?" She offers one of the folding chairs around the table. "I shall attempt to speak more in a Terran manner. My sister stated that you were here about printing Var science lessons in stone?"

"Yes, I will help you translate your knowledge; so the more you speak like a Terran, the easiest my job will be", he says, sitting on the edge of a folding chair and resting his elbows on the table. "We could classify the books by area of knowledge and start each one with a table of contents. By the way, do you have a stone printer? I built a daisy printer with an old typewriter, a set of magnets and a Z80 processor... and a lot of copper: there were wires everywhere!", he exclaims, proud. "Well, I suppose it's now covered on solidified lava", he adds, puffing.

Caluscaria seeks international aid! (CLOSED)

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