Love is in the Air
The story so far:
#1 – Katie Bond: A Young Leader with a Lot to Prove
When I took over from my father, I decided to focus on increasing the goodwill of my family and rulers towards me as a matter of domestic policy to strengthen my authority.
In fact, I am a loyal, hardworking and compassionate person, so it is in my nature to do the best I can for my kin and rulers anyway, and I do genuinely care about what they think of me.
Ruler Leland Davis
Ruler Leland Davis approached me first.
He is proposing marriage between his father and my step-mother, with the married couple setting up home together on my colony.
This looks like a good opportunity to make me more popular with one of my rulers, as well as my stepmother, Rosaline Kerr (as long as she approves). The couple don’t know each other, but they seem compatible – both are considered loyal, and good-looking (lucky them!) Double win!
One slight fly in the ointment is that Ruler Leland’s father is an ambassador for him, living on Situla as a diplomatic guest of Leader Odele Ayers, our very powerful neighbour.
This marriage will recall Onslow Davis from Situla, which Leader Ayers could take as an unfriendly gesture – although to be fair, any disapproval would be targeted at Ruler Leland Davis. I could be dragged into the conflict to support my ruler if hostilities occurred between them, but the risk is very small.
I want to please Leland Davis, so let’s crack open the champagne and have a wedding between Onslow and Rosaline!
Note: Locating your ambassadors at other colonies earns positive approval for diplomacy, the idea being that it signals a desire for a peaceful relationship.
Grandma Tanya Bond
OMG … this is so fantastic! I am so happy!
More wedding bells in the air apparently ?
I’ve been feeling a bit miserable about refusing to look for a marriage partner for Granny Bond. The topic keeps being suggested, and I keep avoiding it.
I did promote her to my council as my Head of Administration as a sweetener, in spite of the fact that she is notoriously irresponsible and fickle! Even that didn’t improve her mood much.
Note: happiness in indicated in the bar to the left of the character’s portrait. Red is unhappy, Green is happy
Now my grandmother has taken matters into her own hands and has asked me for permission to marry my stepmother’s father, Noble Cheney Kerr!!
Wow, talk about love affairs happening under your nose!
Apparently, he was attracted to her a year ago, but then I guess he wasn’t sure, or something happened – I don’t know why, but his feelings for her cooled for some reason.
It seems he couldn’t get her out of his mind after all! 3 months ago, he revealed that he does fancy her again (perish the thought that perhaps he was influenced by her promotion as one of my council members?)
Well, whatever the reason, Granny Bond has pounced on the chance to get a ring on her finger!
Why not, I say! In fact, ‘good on you, Granny and Step-Grandad!!’
They like each other, they’re similar ages, it will make them both happy AND the cherry on the cake is that this marriage will create an even stronger tie of kinship between the relatives from my father’s first and second wives, which can only help our family loyalties to each other. PERFECT!!
Other Matters of State
Over the next couple of years, I steadily gained in power and earned greater respect as a faction leader by investing in the economies of my rulers’ colonies; giving my family members (and other key individuals) roles and influential positions suited to their skills; and marrying my relatives off into aristocratic and ruling houses around me. Everyone likes to marry into higher status and greater wealth in this world!
After two years, I finally became pregnant and my baby daughter, Isabelle, was born (and became my heir). Leader Odele Ayers’ wife had become pregnant 3 months before me, and rather inappropriately, Leader Ayers propositioned me to have an illicit affair with him! I imagine he didn’t realise that I was also pregnant? Obviously, I refused, which he didn’t like, so I am half expecting he may cause me trouble in the future.
Note: sorry, I forgot to take appropriate screenshots here!
As I sign off for now, I’d like to tell you that Granny and Cheney lived happily ever after; but actually, poor Cheney died two years later so my grandmother is a merry widow again.
Look out mankind!
Footnote:
We’re running two AARs in parallel to showcase what Star Dynasties is like to play. This AAR is a more light-hearted look at how you can play Star Dynasties. I am playing using Story Mode, where the game presents possible actions in a choose-your-own-adventure approach to interaction.
Our other story, featuring Jory Hutchinson, takes a more analytical approach to the game and also showcases Strategy Mode.
Star Dynasties is in development; some of the game systems in this prototype are incomplete or may change in the future, and more content will be added as development progresses.
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