I enjoyed Mistborn, especially the first book. I suppose that means it influenced me on some level; but I also think there are a lot of differences between my intent and style and Sanderson’s. Not least, I don’t think the world of the Hegemony will be quite as depressing. 
PS: But you will get to infiltrate a ball.
As long as it isn’t like the last Dragon Age’s infiltration - a scene that was built up beyond reasonable expectations by the devs then failed to deliver …
While reading you, (we discussed this a little before) I felt your writing influenced by David Eddings, Raymond E Feist, Mercedes Lackey and a few others … one author, we failed to discuss, which I felt you drew from latter in your 1st installment was Robert Heinlein, whose Friday protagonist ended up having some similarities with the holistic protagonist character type you presented.
Future influences I predict to see, once we enter the Xaos is Lovecraft and perhaps a bit of JD Salinger, depending on protagonist development.
Hey, can anyone give me some advice on how to get Suzanne to join my rebellion?
I have tried attacking the bare minimum of targets, but I still end up with anarchy too high.
Well I usually start the rebellion by preventing the Theurge from killing the others in the village. Spared the Alastors but killed the priest, don’t loot anything from there. Steal mules from the yeomen at least twice throughout the winter. Only raid the temples and yeomen if you need extra food and mules but if you have enough then hunt for rabbits with the max amount of hunters you can send. Either teach the rest how to fight or how to read. And generally stay away from causing any kind of mayhem like raiding Alastors or destroying the Harrower. This should improve your standing with the rebels as well. But if you want to recruit more people then send Breden or yourself to the helot camps if you have 1 or 2 charisma. This should be able to keep your anarchy level below 20 to get Suzanne. But make sure Breden is a male because if you choose Breden to be a female then you get Simon instead. Oh and always buy grain if you have any money.
May had missed more but this is the best as I can remember at the moment.
That’s good, the ending of the Mistborn series made me wander the house for the rest of the day, wondering what the point of life was anymore.
The skaa and the helots do occupy a similar spot in society, both act as sacrifices for the common good of the empire (or at least the nobility/aristocracy and ministry/priesthood see it that way), where they seem to squeeze out a meaningless existence at their own expense.
I think the idea that life can be so brutal yet people try and fight back, or simply fight to exist, despite it is the big theme that both your’s and his share.
Also infiltrating a ball sounds cool. Hope we run into the Thaumatarch or learn more about him(or her, I don’t remember it being specified).
Is that optional and only for nobles, or will helots like my mc be forced into the roles of meek and demure servants for it?
Anarchy needs to be at 20 or under, I suppose you ended up going over, despite your best efforts? Happened to me once or twice too, usually because my group had gotten too large and I needed to raid for food too many times.
If you are leaving all the numbers to your deputy, I think it’s almost impossible to get de Firiac to join. However, if you spend your first few weeks stealing only from institutions, and then switch to steal with everyone, participating only in the major raids, I think you’ll get them at the end of the chapter.
Well… alternatively , i start my main character with Charisma 2… and i spare everyone and perform no looting before leading my rebels into the wood… and for the winter, i perform the following… appoint Breden as my deputy and everyday me and Breden will plead for money or mules from harlot or yeoman … plus everyday hunt for bear, i perform NO stealing and raiding at all , most importantly perform the smuggling for the merchant … at the end of winter my anarchy is only 2. Suzane visit and join me without problem
A friend gave me Robert E Howard’s Conan Chronicles as present , and i think its Hyborian Age is more depressing due to its chaotic and un-ruling nature , that is a world for the survival of the fittest and its protagonist Conan , even with his might never led an organising rebellion to form a better world … but perhaps Conan is a barbarian who never possess the knowledge and charisma to really form a government of his own. In that Age of Chaos , the people actually live in a more depressing state than the world of Hegemony … there wasn’t even an effort to unify under one banner to create a better world .
The Dragon Age scene was part of recruiting Vivian if I remember correctly.
The way the devs built it up was that you would be entering the high stakes world of politics conducted “behind the mask” and you’d play a grand game of diplomacy to get the Northerners’ support.
It was very disappointing in its actual execution, and just like the castle assault mechanics they bragged about, actually was deployed nothing like it was promised, except on the veneer finished story plot where there was a narrative nod to the promises.
@Havenstone - sorry for the off-topic.
That was supposed to be a ball? I thought you meant the scene where you had to either save the empress or arrange for her succession (and where you can at least dance with Dorian at the end)?
Vivienne’s recruitment scene was supposed to be a ball? Huh, could have fooled me.
My question here remains however, is it optional or mandatory in this game, cause I imagine my helot mc doesn’t know very much about the nobility, what he knows doesn’t predispose him favourably and he’s not that eager to know more. More to the point he doesn’t look even remotely like a Shayardene “noble” too much scar tissue and sun damage and that’s just for starters.
I’d call it equally depressing, whether you’re sacrificed to a giant snake as an offering to the local snake-god or slow harrowed to harvest your blood in the Hegemony the life of the lowest classes seems broadly similar and hellish.
Honestly, this. Stupid and senseless brutality is pretty normal for humanity in a lot of societies.
Which is why we must kill all Karagond priests who refuse to recant their vile beliefs. Preferably by burning them, to purify their souls.
To add to everyone else’s suggestions, remember that the yeomen and other sources of mules are by far the juiciest target on a per-anarchy basis. Limit your acts of actual rebellion and attacks on Hegemony institutions to the minimum necessary.
It’s easier to teach the True Codex to the clergy if you have them paid off beforehand.
So I was thinking that if our two characters got together it would be funny since they have similar ideas on crafting society after our successful rebellion. Except my gal is compassionate while yours is more ruthless IIRC and mine went the Eclect route while you went with the Voices of the Angels.
Ruthless? Nah, Alya is running a compassionate rebellion, though I am considering a more ruthless route for her. Nobles and merchants appreciate a li’l compassion.
I don’t recall any physical identifiers of status being part of the game. The Shayardene aristocracy is a military aristocracy. I don’t think it would be unreasonable for a helot to pass as a noble or freeman returning from campaign.
Whip scars are different from battle scars, although most of those would be on the back, buttocks and thighs, so let’s just hope that things that are low cut in the back or short trousers are not in fashion at that ball. Then again maybe it’s fortunate the silly chastity rules seem to mandate literal cover-up at most times. 
Of course eliminate the physical characteristics and you’re left with the mental ones, to say my mc doesn’t have the mannerisms, attitude and grasp of the inane everyday pleasantries of “noble” conversation is not an understatement.
If you know where to look I’m sure there are some, but it is true that the helot mc isn’t branded on the forehead or anything. Some of the higher-up nobles presumably use theurgy to enhance their appearance, but then there should be plenty of barely nobles, like the noble mc, who couldn’t afford such things and who would not differ substantially from their helots in appearance, save for the obvious things, foremost among them the effects having a better diet throughout their lives and no whip scars.
Would be a much better disguise for my mc, but only if there are some merchants actually in attendance at that ball, as my mc really wouldn’t want to pose as a servant. His keen mind and facility with numbers do make him far more passable as a merchant as compared to a noble of the, as you say, military aristocracy as my mc is a pretty crappy fighter and tactician.
Anyhow going from the old thread it doesn’t seem to be a mandatory scene, unless Havenstone has changed his mind in the interim. Maybe my mc will get to do something with the merchants guild or theurgy, instead of the noble ball. 
@Havenstone: I do have a question. Will notoriety have positive effects in future volumes? (Attracting recruits, intimidating enemies, or any other situation where a reputation as a “swiving badass” will help.)
Quick answers: The ball will not be mandatory nor central, though there will be helot infiltration options. And yes, high notoriety will have some advantages.
If we have Suzane or Simon be our RO, it will be a grand sight… Suzane or Simon seems come from a highly respectable family…
and well…now i think of it… it will be in this Ball that i shall propose to Suzane 
Sorry if it has been asked before, i dont want to read much of this topic to avoid spoilers, but:
Who are the romance options?
Is this story a standalone one with satysfying ending with future games expanding it, or is it more “part 1” with cliffhanger?