Absolution 4: Tabula Rasa

HEY YOU GUYS!

You know what? You know what? You know what?

Wat?

We're trading our resources for FREE FREE FREE!

OMG! Really!

YEP!

As long as you don't have a tight ass, you can simply sign up for our program and we will send over our Gold and Potterscraft FREE OF CHARGE.

But wait, what about all the people who do want your limited and awesome stuff?

Well, prepare for the problem to be solved by Awesomesauce!

If more than one want to buy a product, just make an agreement or bid for it. Whatever comes out, comes out.

If you guys make an agreement earlier, its FREE! FREE I said, FREE!

Bias is included, not first come first serve. We would truely prefer biding wars or agreements over simple choices.

Thank you.

Terrance888 said:

Of course, now we need espionage stories- 1 invincible agent or 1 guaranteed success.

And we need sneaky civs! !

Click to expand...

More like:



But I don't think espionage stories work for a variety of reasons.

Espionage stories would be about training, techniques, technologies of agents.

Example: A story about training a facial expression until it can be used as a mask. A story about practicing a quick strike for use in decapitation. A story about invisible ink.

But I still think we could work all of that into the pre-existing framework.

Take your invisible ink story, I see it as a science story for a tech that adds another ability to the agents. For instance Guilds, and an intricate knowledge of trader systems, allows Agents to Divert Trade Routes. Invisible Ink, the most practical use for it would be to allow your agent to give you detailed reports on turns when they are in enemy territory, I like the idea, but I think we can work it into the technology.

I can see either of the others as a construction story to build some spy related building of your own devising or one of the generic ones.

Maybe give them a special sort of tactic, where they are more effective in some way (+1 to Steal Technology or Cause Social Problem, for instance), but still consider it a militaristic story. Subject to the same sort of discretion that tactic assignments are.

EDIT: I have added 2 "Agent Tactics" for starters. Militaristic stories can be used to assign such tactics. Militaristic Bonus applies to Agents. Barracks apply to Agents.

Light Fingers: +1 in an attempt to steal a technology
Eyes on the Ground: If an attempt to cause a Social Cohesion problem succeeds you are put in contact with a dissident leader (although... how friendly they will be... I don't know)

To: Satura
From: Land of the Sun

Is it possible for us to import some of your gold? I would also personally appreciate it if you would send some emissaries of your faith to help convert my people away from the stone worship.

To the Land of the Sun

Eminently possible! Do you wish to discuss any prices or do you want to sign here? X...............?

To: Satura
From: Land of the Sun

Would 2 EP suffice?

To the Land of the Sun

Indeed! Our precious, precious gold will soon be temporarily yours!

To: Pharon the Farseer

The messenger slowly unwrapped his vase*.

"A messege from His Most Pious Excellency, Beerholder, Shaman the Shaman."

"Shannon was my predecessor, and I would kindly advise you not to make the same mistake again. Keep up with the times. We would kindly take your Pottercraft off of your hands for the time being."

*Having no parchment to write upon, the Zulappi quickly took to scribbling pictures onto empty beer jugs.

Everyone Wants to Negotiate

(Commercial Story: Chiefdom of Korea (Trade Good: Rice Wine))

-

Often, in fact, did Chief Kar visit the Artisan's Plaza in Laozi, dressed as a common merchant of Korea and he traded with the people of Shang.

"Not much of a negotiator!" his men laughed among themselves, "he sheared those Dragons like lambs."

But to practice this tongue Chief Kar spent his days selling Furs in Laozi, taking his son with him to teach him the ways of the large cities.

"Furs, Furs," everyone wants to negotiate. It is Shang, the Chief sighs. Everyone wants to negotiate.

A Potter comes up to the stall, complaining about his day, the Chieftain offers him Furs, but nothing soothes the man's rage.

Chief Kar wonders for the long minutes as the man complains whether or not this is a negotiation tactic, whether or not this is an attempt to rob him.

The man keeps complaining until a sudden recognition sparks in the Chieftain's eye, "who have you been talking to?"

"Lao Kim," replies the Potter.

Chieftain Kar sighs again, the life of the city is such a different sort of drain when compared to the woods of Manchuria or Korea, he wishes only for the simple threat of bears and wildlife.

"Is this what you want?" Kar shows the man a bottle.

The Potter smiles, but the Chieftain pulls the bottle away, holding out his empty palm instead.

"7 Shells?" the Potter asks.

"12," replies the Chieftain.

The dance begins. It is Shang. Everyone wants to negotiate.

-

Update is this weekend... bout time to start sendin in them orders.

Hey,

OOC

Commercial Stories: Will be worth either 1 Economy or can be used to generate a Trade Good for export. 1 per turn, Added Economy goes to your savings and is not spendable on the turn you write the story.


Blaze Injun

To Beerholder, Shaman the Shaman

Of course! Better to hold beer with, I always say!

Since your donkey, unlike that of Shannon's, seems well fed and not tight at all, we will allow you to receive this shipment.

Story list fixed. Thanks Blaze.

From: City of Peace
To: Zulappi

Is there any way we could convince you to instruct us in the ways of farming? We would be willing to offer 2 EP.

From: Sudan
To: Satura

Is there any way we could convince you to instruct us in the ways of farming? We would be willing to pay 2 EP.

Foul heading [Militaristc, Wariness]

The footpad was unsure of his heading. The Zulappi spoke in a strange tongue; all he knew of them was the strange Urns his father had purchased from a travelling merchant. Useful for storing grain or beer, and possibly some religious applications he was none too sure of, but not much else. He would scout for them, even if he did not know their language.

He climbed over a particularly large rock. Peering over it, he could see a low valley, with a pool of stagnant water with a small gathering of desert-dressed men. He ducked down, not wanting to be seen.

What was he supposed to do again? "Rurdi, just find the barbarians, and return to camp." That's what the man had said. That was it? That seemed too easy. He must be forgetting.

He looked again, and saw a tall imposing figure bearing down on the gathered drinkers. He pushed one aside, and scanned the area. Rurdi ducked, hoping to the Sun he had not been seen. A mirage was seen, that was all. Were the Seli expecting him?

Maybe he was supposed to bring proof with him? One man's word seemed far too scant a thing to direct a campaign on. If he and no one else had found them, would they believe him?

He had been told the warning from Hephus had seemed strict, even severe; the man had been huge himself, so he'd been told. He climbed backwards down his rock, not overly eager to expose himself once more. He crept on his belly to the next outcrop, and spied through a narrow gap between two boulders.

The huge man had disappeared. The men were dispersing, heading in all directions. Where did he go? What would happen if .. No, dismiss the thought. Time to get the moon out of here.

He crawled backwards, turning around.

... Smacking his face into a hard leather sandal, tied up to the knee. His feet planted firmly on a rock and knee bent, he pushed forward with all his weight.

The man went down, shouting; perhaps he had not been spotted yet? No matter, he shortly would've had he not acted, and perhaps with a worse head start than he had now.

The man's exclaimation was met with a chorus of shouts from behind him; a deep booming roar echoed the small valley, up and over to the camp site he could not believe he missed just the other side of the hill opposite.

He was done for.

********

To the City of Peace:

We will teach it to you for one.. given, perhaps, the opportunity to spread our Stones teachings far and wide.

OOC: If it was not clear, the story is from the point of view of a native of the Land of the Sun, one of the warriors they sent me.

To: Zulappi
From: City of Peace

Agreed. We will prepare the finest rooms to accommodate your missionaries.

Hey,

OOC

Orders sent.


Blaze Injun

To Sudan, my Man!

We're good friends! Here, you can have it for 1EP, curtesy of the faith of the Saturan People.

To: Satura
From: Sudan

Your generosity will not be forgotten.

Next to the Markets of Merchants grew a shanty town, holding the countless baubles brought by merchants across the known world. It is a rather seedy and dangerous place, especially more so due to the smuggling of Ritual Urns to sell to fanatical Faith of the Stonesmen who are stoned enough that they are willing to stop working (which always confused me) to get clay to worship stones and work with.

In the end, the decision to pillage the shanty town and build a brand new district was easy. After all, there are stoned people, stoned people scare normal people, and scared normal people are bad for business. Of course, such a warehouse can faciliate massive import and export caravans, which can be better defended by his large and growing army.

Sometimes, I smirk and wonder what will happen if Satura is Industrious and Zulappi is Commercial. It would certainly fit better, concerning all the monuments to commerce are being constructed in Satura, while Zull concerns themselves in making goods that can't be refused without threatening rebellion.

Indeed, it seems that in making a monument to commerce, he is nontheless, once more, making a temple to the Golden Sun. Let the gifts of the sun be freed from the earth, and spread out over it, so that its power can protect the world from Aset day and night. Let his power be revered by all, and accepted by all, and utilized by all as a mark of his grace against the evils of Aset.

With the completion of the Warehouse of Wonders, more and more gold will spread further and further, to the far corners of the world... just the way I like it. Beer included.