text: [Themes: historical, war]
  
  Only one week has passed since you declared yourself Governor of this southern province. The majority of your subjects are ignorant of your ambitions and accomplishments. Outside your core group of devoted followers, precious few bother to differentiate between you and other warlords. To avoid death at the swords of your enemies, you will need to prioritize pressing concerns while juggling outspoken factions.
  
  After outfitting your militia, your Treasury is down to 200 yuan. If your Treasury ever reaches negative, you will be unable to pay your Workers or Army their wages. If that ever happens they will become infuriated and quit permanently and your campaign will come to a crashing halt. The peasants who make up the majority of your citizens are unfortunately very poor and thus your tax income is effectively zero. Your Treasury adviser suggests an idea to mass cultivate lychees, a small red fruit with juicy white flesh native to the South. Since lychees can only be grown in your Southern soil, exporting them to the North guarantees ample returns. It requires an investment of 75 yuan to plant the seeds, and patience to wait for the trees to mature. (If you make this choice, 75 yuan will be deducted from your current Treasury total. Two turns after that, 150 yuan will be added to your Treasury, then 300 yuan the turn immediately after that one, 600 yuan the turn immediately following, and so on.)
  
  Your Army is fierce, loyal, and small. Although there are no warlords with much larger forces in your immediate area, there are several nearby warlords rivaling you in power who each itch to add your territory to his realm. Your colonels report that a pay increase for your Army would raise conscription considerably, giving you a much stronger fighting force. (You begin with a Small army, which costs you 25 yuan in upkeep cost per turn. If you make this choice your Army will go from Small to Large, and cost you 75 yuan in upkeep cost per turn, effective immediately. No further upgrades are available for your army in this story.)
  
  Meanwhile, the professionals toiling for your government- masons, accountants, carpenters, iron workers, tailors, etc- are imploring for higher wages. Your advisers would like you to attract more capable skilled Workers to your domain as well, as peasantry does not exactly provide the best pool of candidates to help run a kingdom. (Your Workers begin with a rating of Low and costing you 25 yuan in wages per turn. If you make this choice your Workers rating will go from Low to High, and cost you 75 yuan in upkeep cost per turn, effective immediately. No further upgrades are available for your Workers.)
  
  The Buddhist temple has yet to endorse any warlord for emperor. While Buddhism has propagated throughout China, your province is somehow the lone exception. Seeing an opportunity to gain more followers, the leaders of the religion request your donations and conversion to Buddhism in exchange for their support. Improving your relations with the Temple will ensure a favorable reputation with citizens of other kingdoms throughout China. (Your rating with the Buddhists starts at Low. If you make this choice a one-time cost of 50 yuan will be deducted from your Treasury and your rating will become High for the duration of the story.)
  
  Finally, there are still millions of people in your region who are undecided about which warlord to back. A sympathetic populace hides your person from enemy assassins. Your advisers tell you about a recent torrential mudslide that devastated the countryside where farmers live and work and ruined much of their infrastructure. The leaders of the peasants are pleading for help in repairing the destroyed houses and equipment. Aiding the peasants will ensure that the Masses are loyal to you. (Your rating with the Masses starts at Low. If you make this choice a one-time cost of 25 yuan will be deducted from your Treasury and your rating will become High for the duration of the story.)
  
  What do you do first:
  
  (The numbers in parentheses ( ) next to a faction in the Status Box signifies its per-turn upkeep cost to be effected on your Treasury after this turn is complete and before the next turn begins. The numbers in braces { } in the Status Box signify the one-time cost to upgrade the status of that particular faction.)
  
  Treasury: 200 yuan {-75}
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: Low {-25}
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  > ensure the support of the Masses by paying for their repairs (-25 yuan)
  Treasury: 125 yuan {-75}
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  You travel to the mudslide devastated community and distribute donations. Sunburned peasants give you wide gap-toothed grins as you walk among them. Some applaud when you grab a two-handed saw and help remove a tree toppled over the middle of a road.
  
  Word spreads of your leadership during the relief effort. The populace now believes that you share their priorities and values. You become the people's favorite throughout the South.
  
  Your citizens now work together with your police to ward off infiltrators. Neighboring warlords no longer bother sending saboteurs or assassins to your realm. As a result your small Army's morale temporarily spikes.
  
  Your Treasury adviser reports that, although your Treasury has been dramatically reduced, you still possess just enough yuan to make the fiscal investment that will ensure you do not go broke. The Buddhist temple chastises your lack of piousness, but otherwise does not frown upon you for tending to your people. Some government professionals complain about not getting a raise, but most remain optimistic and continue to work for your benefit. They even finish construction on a castle, a sturdy, gated structure that will serve as your residence and enhance your capital's defenses.
  
  You listen to news from faraway lands. The northern empire of General Nahru is experiencing internal turmoil and the General is barely holding onto his own life. He will not pose any threat to you, at least for now. Your other main rival, President Min, has been seen traveling East in your direction. He reportedly met with several minor warlords nearby. Other warlords had been skirmishing back and forth among each other, but none had acquired enough power to be worth your time.
  
  While the chaos in China has been wearing on the populace, hope has not been lost. The people long for a capable leader who will bring peace and create a sound economic environment. They say they would be willing to secede from their kingdom and join such a leader if one were to emerge.
  
  Your next move...
  
  Treasury: 125 yuan {-75}
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: Low (-25)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  > pay Workers more money (-75 yuan instead of -25)
  Treasury: 25 yuan {-75}
  Army: Small (-25)
  Masses: High
  
  Workers: High (-75)
  Buddhists: Low {-50}
  
  You announce salary raises for your professional Workers. They are happy to hear the news and your government's administrative efficiency greatly improves.
  
  Just days later, you hear to your surprise that President Min and his allies have marched their armies to a position a few miles outside your castle. "No rest for the weary," you mutter to yourself.
  
  Your militia knocks on every door rallying citizens to help defend your city. The next day, Min and his allies unfurl a large white banner half a mile away from your castle. It reads:
  
  "Astute Governor Toleron, we offer you a proposition. If you relinquish your claim to China and open your castle gate, we will spare the lives of everyone inside. Otherwise we will have no choice but to lay siege to your castle. At that point, we will no longer show mercy."
  
  You keep your gate closed. They stay true to their word and blockade your castle. Weeks pass, but your citizenry's faith in your guidance keeps their spirits high. The attacking force, on the other hand, begins to lose cohesiveness. One warlord cites your small Army and insists on launching a full scale attack on your walls. Another advocates a long-term siege, using their pooled advantage in resources to wear you out, taking years if need be. Another has citizens back home pushing for more attention to other matters and would rather call off the attack completely. President Min is unsure of what to do. He is not quite prepared for actual bloodshed, thinking originally that his larger forces would induce your surrender. On the other hand, resigning so easily would be a bitter pill to swallow. After much bickering and deliberation, they halfheartedly send their troops to attack your walls.
  
  Foot soldiers carrying rope ladders charge at your parapets. Your archers respond with barrages of burning arrows. Many attackers expire before reaching your walls. The ones who do encounter dense fire as they climb up their ladders. Some fall to their doom when your warriors cut through their rope. Those who manage to reach the top meet ferocious resistance from everyone stationed inside. Sparks fly between clanging swords while crimson blood flows readily over the battleground.
  
  Your ranks gradually shrink, but for each of your warriors killed in battle, the invaders lose five of theirs. Without a strong leader, the remaining attackers outside your castle lose their resolve and give up. Remnants of the invading force disperse, to the cheers of your triumphant defenders.
  
  Warlords all over China learn of your improbable victory. Many now think so little of President Min that he will never wield much diplomatic influence again. Unfortunately, your outlook is no brighter. Raising your workforce's wages without first improving cash flow has depleted your funds. You will not be able to keep both your Workers and Army.
  
  You allocate your remaining resources to your military since it keeps you safe. Soon, your professionals desert you, leading to inefficiency throughout your kingdom. Your castle falls into disrepair, military supplies dwindle, and rations become scarce.
  
  When General Nahru regains control of his forces and leads one million troops to your castle a couple of months later, your city is already at half-strength. Unlike President Min, General Nahru's army is stout and well trained. They surround your castle and quickly overwhelm your defenses. All of your troops eventually die in battle.
  
  As you meet for the last time with your most trusted advisers in your throne room, General Nahru's commandos barge inside without warning. They forcefully bind you and your advisers' hands behind your backs. You are then all led blindfolded to a gravelly patch of soil outside. Haunting regrets and pleasant memories slowly float into your mind.
  
  "Ready."
  
  "Aim."
  
  "Fire!"
  
  Your spirit leaves its arrow-riddled body before your head hits the ground.