Firtree Villages



The Firtree Villages are a collection of small autonomous villages that have come together to solve things a single village cannot. It is an isolated place and one of the great mysteries hidden within their deep forests. But change is brewing, the chief of the Coldmouth clan has died without an heir, leaving the politics of the villages in disarray, but even more dangerous the spirits that lie in the forests seem to be restless, ready to make the world remember they still live.

Lore
In the year 1007 ALB, the world still knows close to nothing about the Firtree Villages. Bandits hardly bother raiding them, diplomats look over them on their maps, with no industry or technology to speak of the Firtrees are possibly isolated even more so than even their fellow hill ponies. But the people of Firtree prefer it this way. For now, they are content to live their lives separate from the world, and especially away from magic. But the world seems to be getting closer, as the Chief of the Coldmouth clan dies without an official heir people begin to point out his exiled daughter who was sent away for practicing forbidden magic but many also point to the Grand Elder Iorweth who already leads them spiritually, why not also temporally? But as all of this occurs the shamans begin to have visions, visions of the return of the forest spirits. But all of them know, if Firtrees is to survive things are going to have to change.

Starting Situation
Give us an overview of the things you need to consider starting out - what are the good and bad things, what directions could you take, etc.

Military
The Firtree Villages start with 2 infantry divisions armed with Medieval Weapons and each containing 6 battalions.

Threats
The Firtree Villages is surrounded by mostly weak and unindustrialized nations, such as Farbrook and  Watertowns. To it's south lies Diamond Mountain, which is allied with the entirety of the River Federation, and  Ordensstaat Hellquill, which often becomes a Griffon supremacist government that may prove problematic to ponies.

If Farbrook goes Supremacist or Communist, they will always attack the Firtrees. However, this will often happen later in the game, usually after 1010, and them going non-harmonist is highly unlikely.

Opportunities
If the Firtrees expand into the surrounding area, they will find many weak nations with outdated technology. If Farbrook forms the Hillpony League, which they do as Harmonist, Firtrees will be able to kill two birds with one stone.

A Firtrees player, once they have dealt with the surrounding pony nations, might expand south into Hellquill or west into the Sunstriker Clan. This is best done as the Supremacists, as they can get war goals on Watertowns, Farbrook, and the Sunstriker Clan, though any ideology that can justify is good for expansion.

Army Loyalty and Influence
The army has influence and loyalty. These can be affected by decisions, focuses from the army tree, and events concerning the protests against modernisation. Loyalty will affect political power gain while influence affects army experience and command power gain, and recruitable population factor. Also both high and low influence and loyalty have associated events, some good, and some bad. Most of these events have a MTTH of around 6 months.

High army influence events Low Army influence events. High army loyalty events Low army loyalty events. Beware if the army has low loyalty and overwhelming then you will not be able to do the focuses in the army tree and the military will eventually attempt a coup.
 * If war support is under 80%. Army is seen as glorious. Gain +5% war support.
 * If ponypower is under 75000. More recruits to the army. Choice between +5000 ponypower or +50 PP.
 * Army gets lazy. Spend -30 PP or suffer minor army penalties for 200 days.
 * Unemployed stallions. Gain +30 or spend -30 and gain +30 command power.
 * Soldiers retire. Lose -3000 ponypower.
 * Officers retire. Lose -20 army experience and command power.
 * Army informs on political opponents. Gain +30 PP
 * If stability is under 70%. People feel safe. Gain +5% stability
 * If stability is over 25%. People don't feel safe. Lose -5% stability.
 * Army leaks secrets. Lose -25 PP.

National Focus
Firtree politics center around the ban on magic within Firtrees society with the slim exception of the seers who commune with the spirits. Years ago the perspective heir of Firtrees Shinespark was exiled for practicing highly dangerous and illegal magic, and there are rumors she will return. When she does there will be significant conflict over whether she should assume leadership of the Firtrees or not. If the debate gets to heated a civil war can break out for Shinespark's leadership or not. Then the focus splits into whether or not Firtrees will remain isolated or if they will open themselves up to the world.

If Iorweth remains in power he can either open up the villages, either signing treaties with or warring against their two hill pony neighbors; with the treaties granting steel from Farbrook and a national spirit granting stability and monthly population for Watertowns. Or he had turn inward into the spirit woods to decide Firtree's future. This will lead to a communion with spirits at which time Iorweth will either become the Avatar of the 4 elements and unlock a tree related to this, or the great spirit of the forest will take control of Iorweth and lead the nation himself.

If Shinespark gains power she will either turn to raiding and dirty warfare to gain enough slaves and test subjects for her work in her "outward" branch, or she will turn to her own homeland to support her experiments, and possibly even reach out to some old friends for help...

The non-political national focuses of Firtree follow the same general theme as those of their neighbor Farbrook.

Economic policy is dependent on whether or not the player has accepted Shinespark's ideas on industry as it is the only way to go with rapid industrialization. The player can choose between industrializing rapidly ending with an Outdated industrial Sector or stick with traditions ending you with a pre-industrial society. Rapid industrialization is better in every way except for the fact you rapidly loose stability and it can cause a revolt if you do not manage your stability well.

The army policy of Firtrees is decided by whether or not you adopted Shinespark's military ideas, if you do you can go with the Standing army branch. The army tree has a few focuses that affect army loyalty and influence, and some research bonuses. However the main purpose is to fix Firtree's tribal army of with there are 2 paths to do so. The final bonuses from the national spirit affected are shown below. Reforming the tribal militia grants moderate bonuses specially on core territory while a standing army allows for an extremely capable fighting force albeit with less manpower and significantly more time to train.