Fortnightly Progress - 22nd August (Patreon)

Right, no matter what I'll have an update out for you on Sunday. I still have a bit of the aspects and a lot of the assignments and new patron stuff to implement. If that's still not done by then I'll split the update and put out what I have so at least you can play that and save the rest to polish off for a hotfix.  

As a preview of what you'll soon get to try out at the end of this post I'll be listing all the new aspects along with a bit of commentary on a why not basis. 

• No Haven

Last couple of days been neck deep into the two assigning a slave aspects. Mentioned I'd worked out the implementation last time but actually these into practice was another matter. Getting them to work so that their traits would be checked like an owned slaver while not checking anything from their owner/'owner' was a fun lengthy time. 

That it's a potential to have more than one either due to being you or them being a switch made it even more entertaining. 

Still very almost done. Just got to do the assignment buffs and some end of day functionality/text to reflect their new living situation. 

All the other new aspects are done including the pretty much ridiculous Trickster's Synchronicity and a couple that I didn't expect to be even a tenth as complicated as they turned out to be like Unstable Change and Ritual Caster. 

• The No Haven Conversion

As of this Sunday I'm on the conditions! 

Honestly didn't expect to be here now. Hell, when I started I thought I might be doing well if I got to here sometime next year.  

Also oh dear was I so very, very wrong back in WR where I was convinced it'd be impossible to do what I've managed to do already. Really didn't think the way the conditions were setup could at all translate, but it turns out there is indeed a way to do it. Not just a way, but a way to do thousands of them at once. Which is bloody lovely than doing every single one manually like I did in WR which took aaaages. Hell, not all done now even which is going to be fun when I get back to that game. Of course there's a couple of assumptions here. I'm pretty sure this new way works. Needs a proper going over in Twine proper though to be entirely certain. 

Not all sunshine and roses. I've discovered some of the loops with pauses in them like those would show a menu to make a choice will all need individual attention as while some loops will translate these won't as I'll need to do them with passages backtracking. Also the action choices will again likely need to be done one by one. 

• Commissions

Doing an update on these like I did last time: 

May+June - Cheerleaders: Still in progress. Base colours on all of them. Big piece for the artist though so I'm not sure when this will be done. 

July - Hidden Temple: All fully confirmed. Aiming to be done by the end of August with a sketch aimed for the 26th.

July+August -  Deep Mountains Slave Caravan, Watchtower, and Fake Herald of Paradise: Still in first place though not with an insurmountable lead with 8 days to go. 

Bonus Commission - Oozes: Fully confirmed and I'm in the artist's queue. 

Bonus Commission - Discord Assignment: Incredibly this is already fully confirmed with a new artist. Should be 15-20 days for the first sketch. You can see the details of what this will involve with the final post I did on this on Monday.

Bonus Commission - Halt Human Caravan: Thanks to a patron's generous donation I've got another two parter coming from Eladaer.  They're really into this one and I've already seen a sketch for the first part.  I should also be able to get another one from them after this one has been done from them. 

• Picarto

All of these will be at the usual time of 22:30 BST outside of the odd occasional one where I need to catch up and so start an hour earlier or change the planned day. 

Thur 22nd Aug

Fri 23rd Aug

Sat 24th Aug

Sun 25th Aug

Mon 26th Aug

Wed 28th Aug  (Twine Conversion day) 

Fri 30th Aug

Sat 31st Aug

Sun 1st Sep

Mon 2nd Sep

Wed 4th Sep (Twine Conversion day)   

As always I hope that was worth the read, and thanks again for your support!    

Now as promised all the new aspects coming with the update:

Arcane Flexibility: Having a good grounding of the underlying basics an Arcanist is well primed to enhance their understanding. Counts as having the listed trait at a reduced level of power. Does not count as an aspect taken, and may take again to convert the bonus trait to a full trait. Another Arcane Flexibility may not be taken until the first is completed.   (Required Trait(s): Sympathetic for Healer - Loner for Blight - Crafting: Apparel/Metal for Enchantment - Depraved for Corruption - Spiritual for Nature)

Ballet of Brutality: May use Dancer to replace Aggressive, Strong and Brutal if they do not have those traits, and provides a bonus if they do. Increased Disaster chance during Diplomacy and Infiltration assignments.  (Required Trait(s): Dancer and Agile) (Other: If has Weak or Enfeebled will instead cancel those traits out of adding Strong)

Blind Judgement: Additional Critical Success on all assignments where Depraved or Magic: Corruption would be a negative. Loner, Agile, and Sneaky always count as fully favoured. Additional two Disasters during Corruption.  (Required Trait(s): Faith: The Blinded Lady) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

A very strong aspect to make up for how rare this faith is along with how much of a headache that I'm aiming to have this faith be to you in the long run.

Booty Snatcher: Improves the quality of any slave's taken and adds a bonus to their estimated value.  (Required Trait(s): Trapper)

In terms of quality they'll come with more traits than they'd normally start with. 

Cold Fish:  If assigned first no penalties will be applied due to the Obsessed over, Desired and Alluring reputations. Reserved counts twice on all assignments. (Required Trait(s): Reserved)

Conjured Companion: Gains temporary additional traits as if another slaver was present on assignments based on their summon.  (Required Trait(s): Magic: Summoner

--Fire Elemental : Aggressive - Brutal - Strong - Follower (Elementalist: Fire)

--Fulminus: Brutal - Fleet - Agile - Follower (Elementalist: Lightning)

--Lesser Succubus: Slutty - Seductive - Submissive - Follower (Magic: Corruption)

--Living Statue: Stubborn - Brutal - Strong - Follower (Elementalist: Earth)

--Nereid: Slutty - Seductive - Singer - Follower (Elementalist: Water)

--Nymph: Slutty - Herbalist - Creative - Follower

--Rift Tentacles: Brutal - Tentacles - Strong - Trapper

--Zephyr Spirit: Slutty - Ethereal - Beautiful - Follower)

This works a lot like the two new slave assigning aspects while not conflicting with them. So it is possible for a slaver to have both for a mini entourage.  As you can see by the names I've reflavoured some of the summons and they have had updated descriptions. 

Dawn's Radiance: Additional Critical Success on all Defending assignments. Inherent traits such as Mighty Strength for an Ogre or Tentacles for an Ooze will count twice. Cooperative, Monster, and Heroic always count as fully favoured. Additional two Disasters during Diplomacy.  (Required Trait(s): Faith: The Light) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

Quite possibly one of the strongest aspects in the update. Of course say they involves getting an ooze with that faith, but if you do you'll be rewarded for it.

Dumb Luck: Decreases Success chance on any assignment where present with an equal bonus to Critical Success and Disaster. This bonus is is doubled with the Thug trait and trebled with Bimbo.  (Required Trait(s): Clumsy) 

Entropic Leech: As others suffer some suckle greedily and grow engorged with new found power. Gains a Critical Success bonus based on the number of currently wounded slavers and broken slaves up to a maximum of three. Increases wounded recovery time and level of being broken when this bonus is used. Loner will always count as a fully unfavoured trait (Required Trait(s): Magic: Blight) 

Broken is defined by when they start suffering wear checks. 

Green Soul: Counts Spiritual, Magic: Nature, and the Ever Forest as fully favoured, and will reduce the time taken on any assignment there by two days to a minimum of three. (Required Trait(s): Magic: Nature)

Lackey: If not in the first position and the first position has Leader adds a bonus to the Success of the assignment. Penalty to their respect checks making them easier to manipulate.  (Required Trait(s): Follower)

Naturalist: May use Herbalist to replace Healer if they do not have that trait, and gains a bonus to it if they do. Always gains additional supplies from Encampment scavenging and assignments in the Ever Forest if they are not wounded on the assignment. (Required Trait(s): Herbalist) (Other: Does not stack with the Rampant Blooms event)

This one does have reflavoured healing text a bit. 

Old Hand: Having seen it all before if assigned first other slavers without Seasoned (Deb-) will not count their first Failiure trait on each assignment, and if Inexperienced will count as Competent. Will count Leader (Lea) as a fully favoured trait.

Pact with Damnation: Gain up to three Corruptions with the first at a much higher chance than usual for Debauched Exultation. Repeatable and does not count as an aspect.

If you've played WR this is definitely the equivalent of Dark Pact in that game. This is the one that changed the most from what I first came up with where it would grant a number of traits too. This turned to be too much of a git to do and really many corruptions already. Plus there's many traits that even via corruption just didn't make a lot of sense. Still did give me an idea for some more future corruptions like gaining a demonic mount for example.

Private Dancer: Doubles all traits on solo assignments. Increased Disaster chance on group assignments.  (Required Trait(s): Dancer and Loner) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

Yes, it's the very powerful UNBRIDLED FURY!!! with much more specialisation and a harder to find trait combo. 

Queen's Gaze: Additional Critical Success on Marauding assignments, and bonus to supplies earned if present. Aggressive, Honourable, and Unruly always count as fully favoured. Additional two Disasters during Infiltration.  (Required Trait(s): Faith: The Frozen Queen) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

Ritual Caster: Unlocks the option to prepare before the attempt. For each day spent up to a maximum of three will improve the chance of getting a better result while performing Biomancy, Corruption, or any assignment requiring their magic. (Required Trait(s): Magic Biomancy or Magic: Corruption) (Other: May not be taken with the Aspect Unstable Change)

This will need to be done manually each day with the exception of if you leave them idle after doing it once or twice and they'd go to use a slave they will instead increase the count by one instead. They won't use the slave pit while this buff is active.

Rule of Nature: Additional Success on all Exploration and Scavenging assignments outside of the City of Aversol. Tracker, Trapper, Beastmaster, Fleet, and Flying always count as fully favoured. Additional two Disasters in the City of Aversol.  (Required Trait(s): Spiritual) (Minimum Level: Veteran)  (Minimum Level: Veteran)

Scourge Artiste: Additional Critical Success while Training and Marauding. Gains Terrifying if they do not have it already, and counts it as fully favoured. (Required Trait(s): Creative and Sadistic)

Shadowplay: Those that are lost know full well how important it is to work within the perverse embrace of darkness. Magic: Corruption, Fel Tainted, and Depraved will no longer count as negative traits on assignments.  (Required Trait(s): Magic: Corruption, Fel Tainted, or Depraved)

Shallya's Mercy: Additional Critical Success on Diplomacy assignments, large bonus to avoiding wounding/removing if present. Peaceful, Sympathetic and Healer always count as fully favoured. Additional two Disasters while Marauding. (Required Trait(s): Faith: The Goddess Shallya) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

Slave Driver: May be assigned a personal slave with Advanced Obedience Training or Obedient. Gains a morale bonus, a number of bonus traits, and assignment buffs depending on the slave's traits and training. Assigned slave is effectively removed from the encampment and you are no longer able to enslave this slaver. (Required Trait(s): Dominant) (Other: This will add a new option under Talk to for you to be able to assign them a slave. If taken by you instead of an assigned slave you will be able to use your Bedwarmers with any form of Submissive on assignments.)

Strict Supervision: May be assigned a slave with Advanced Dominance Training to whip them into shape. Gains a number of bonus traits and assignment buffs depending on the slave's traits and training. Has a large reputation penalty, no longer gains any bonuses or penalties from morale, and will be far easier to manipulate. Assigned slave is effectively removed from the encampment and you are no longer able to enslave this slaver.  (Required Trait(s): Submissive) (Other: This will add a new option under Talk to for you to be able to assign them a slave. If taken by you instead of an assigned slave you will be able to use your Bedwarmers with Dominant on assignments)

If you take either of these (or both when you being able to take Switch is a thing) then you can take your qualifying bed warmers instead along. I'll likely come back to this so if you have this and you have bed warmers you'll be able to use them in respect checks as ways to manipulate your slavers.  

Talented Tormentor: Additional Success while Training, always counts as being brutal with slaves, and no longer counts Sadistic as a negative trait. Reduced condition penalty while Training and Making Use Of, at the cost of significantly increased inflicted Willpower loss. (Required Trait(s): Sadistic) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

This does stack with Scourge Artiste for a really scare nasty piece of work. 

The Seven Veils: Critical Success bonus to Infiltration and Diplomacy assignments, reduces the chance of being wounded/removed on these assignments, and will increase the gold rewarded. Increased chance to be wounded/removed on all other assignments. (Required Trait(s): Dancer and Seductive) (Minimum Level: Veteran)

Might rename this one when I've got a proper find and replace in the Twine version and the Veil race are a thing. Or maybe not as it still kinda works :D

Trained Mind: Improves the assignment bonus given for experience level, and no longer counts Unhinged or Unruly as negative traits. (Required Trait(s): Educated)

Trickster's Synchronicity: Immersing themselves into the great game and letting the flow take them an adherent may find everything falling into place. After each assignment they will get a sense of what region and type to do next. Following this will add an additional Critical Success and reduce the time taken by one day to a minimum of four. This can stack up to three times. However not following the flow outside of the Encampment will add a Disaster for each stack they currently have and all current stacks will be lost. Cunning, Creative, and Persuasive always count as fully favoured on any assignment. (Required Trait(s): Faith: The Laughing Trickster)

Now this might be my favourite aspect in the game so far. Appropriately it is also one crazy gamble given the faith in question. It can give you assignment combinations that doesn't correctly exist. Though it won't give you Corruption, Crafting, Defending, or Marauding ones so it's not as harsh as it could be. 

Unstable Change: Some adepts of these arts favour speed even if the results may end up being a little sloppy. May perform Biomancy or Corruption over the course of a single Morning or Afternoon with a reduced chance to get the selected outcome. (Required Trait(s): Magic: Biomancy or Corruption) (Other: May not be taken with the Aspect Ritual Caster)

Very much the counterpart to Ritual Caster this one.