Absolution 4: Tabula Rasa

First off, very good update Skilord.

Now for diplomacy.

From the Shang to the Koreans;
You can expect our trade agreement to be redone, and we are willing to increase our end of the deal for more cash, if you don't mind.

To: Shang
From: Korea

We are glad to hear it. We have 2 EP available to purchase your Rice if you would be interested.

-

Apparently this wasn't clear to everyone, but, the difference between "Buildings" and "Wonders" (including unique wonders of your design) is that "Buildings" can be built as many times as you want (or can afford).

Libraries, Barracks, Walls, Farms, all of that stuff.

Hey,

The Red Spice Circle (Trade Good: Red Spice)

Northern General Bia Xi had said two words that expressed what was needed for the fight against the Khanate, horse flesh. The need for the animal would be greater then what the Dragon Empire could supply. Money wasn't the problem. The newly formed Red Spice Circle would provide the needed trade goods that would be used to aquire the needed horse flesh. By the Dragon's Luck the Emperor had established the Red Spice Circle with the help of a lowly Innkeeper. The spices discovered in the jungles of the southern expansion quickly became something needed in every cooking pot and on every piece of meat. "The Emperor will provide."


ETG03

Totally going to stack 80 walls in Waset. I think I might even go industrial just for that.

Interesting glitch... you know, I spent more time worrying about scientific trait abuses than I did about Industrious trait abuses. I've fixed that problem.

-

For a few tokens more...

(Economic Story: Tatui (+1))

"Yes, I'll take you across the channel, it won't be any problem," Harold smiled at the men from Iberios, "Going to the mainland to talk to the civilized people I assume?"

"None of your business, rat," the men were well armored, waving their spears around.

"Yeah, yeah buddy," Harold pulled out his own skinny fishing spear and started stabbing at the air, like he was making a real mess out of a fish.

The men from Iberios paused, "What are you doing?"

"Well, we were all waving around spears and showing off how intimidating we were. I'm a fisherman, that's how I catch fish. Now, if you want a ride on my raft let's just cut out the dancing and you can tell me what you want in Tatui."

"Our destination is not Tatui, we head far to the South."

"Explorers? Well, I have a kindred soul for explorers, by the stones, I don't know why you were being so secretive about it, for explorers I'll half the price!"

With unsure steps the Iberions boarded the unsteady raft and handed over the tokens, little Bronze figures of the Iberion King, Harold pulled out his paddle, "Clear day today, lucky for that. Probably make it before sundown, you know, for a few tokens more I can offer you some Pickled Grouper."

"Pickled Grouper?"

"Aye," replied Harold, "We catch the Groupers on our rafts, then we bone them, scale them, dump them in a pot of salt water, dill, and spices. It keeps it good forever, want some?"

A few tokens more were exchanged and Harold pulled up a Pot tied below his raft, sealed against the water. He smiles and opens it, handing it to one of the Iberions.

The man inhales the smell, "This is disgusting."

"It's got all your vitamins, everything, it's good for you."

The Iberion reaches his hand into the jar and pulls out a big chunk of grouper.

"Calm waves today," notices Harold, "Just a good day all around to go rafting. Do your people raft up in Iberios?"

One of the Iberion Agents shakes his head, the other opens his mouth and drops in the fish.

Before vomiting off the side of the raft.

Harold laughs, "Of course not, you Iberions always get sea sick."

Hey,

SKILORD said:

Interesting glitch... you know, I spent more time worrying about scientific trait abuses than I did about Industrious trait abuses. I've fixed that problem.

Click to expand...

Now that sounds like I have been causing problems.


Blaze Injun

What? Did you look at the costs for Iron Age technologies?

Hey,

SKILORD said:

What? Did you look at the costs for Iron Age technologies?

Click to expand...

Yes and I figured that was because of me. But in my defense I have played by the rules and have asked questions all the while.


Blaze Injun

Hey,

To: High Priest Darius of Persia
From: Emperor Shifang of the Dragon Empire

Would you be interested in the Red Spices from the Far Southern Jungles of Junjan?
Cost of 3 Ep or perhaps 2 EP and you provide armed escort from Paranaa to Persia.


Pt02

To: The Emperor Shifang
From: High Priest Darius

3 EP, we do the escort, and you throw in your knowledge of Guilds.

Hey,

To: High Priest Darius of Persia
From: Emperor Shifang of the Dragon Empire

4 EP & Escort of Traders from the western border of Paranaa for Red Spices and the Dragon's Wisdom of the Hanghui.


Pt03

To: Emperor Shifang
From: High Priest Darius

4EP and Escort for Hanghui and spices and Zorroist missionaries will be allowed into your cities.

Hey,

To: High Priest Darius of Persia
From: Emperor Shifang of the Dragon Empire

4 EP and Escort for Hanghui and spices and a Ambassador, preferably a High Priest Darius family member to live in the City of Soo.



Pt04

To: Emperor Shifang
From: High Priest Darius

My nephew, Xerxes, is a scholar of our faith, well versed in the lore of Zorro. He will meet your traders in Paranaa and then follow your escorts back to Soo and he shall bring many riches with him (4 EP worth, to be exact). It is agreed.

-

Seli Khan, Tricks are for Kids

(Cultural Story: The Khanate)

The agony of his people sent chills through the Khan's heart, and often he spoke with his advisers and the wise men of Ulaanbaatar asking them how the plight of the masses could be ended.

"The people crave war, crave conquest. They want to see the Barbarians of the local lands routed and they want our borders to expand even to the Doorstep of the Dragon upon the Mount Paranaa, and to the Rivers of Shang."

Seli Khan nodded, "We must give them what they desire. They have seen us rely on these tricks, and they crave the raw meat of battle instead. It is good that you have spoken so plainly."

"Seli Khan, Tricks are for kids, I would not attempt to deceive the Master."

Seli Khan laughed, "My Agents have done their work well, perhaps if I sent them among these people they could raise the spirits of the land."

"Perhaps, sir. But I also happen to know of a convoy of Wandering Merchants who go from Persia to Shang, they run like clockwork, we can simply raid their goods and distribute the exotic wares to the men."

Seli Khan nodded again, "You are a wise advisor, let us ride together into battle and bring back many goods for the joy of our people!"

-

:sigh: when the world gets me down I come here and it cheers me up.

By the Stones What a Treat!

(Commercial Story: Iberios (Trade Good: Olive Oil))

-

The white leaves glittered in the sun like smoldering tin ore, Brough climbed the tree and reached up for the olives unafraid of the height. The fields and streams of Iberios lay out in the glorious Sun and a warm breeze clattered the rigid leaves.

Drop the olives on at a time to the ground, trying to land them in the bushel. It is slow work. One olive at a time, crawling through the branches, drop them into the bushel.

It is tedious, but the reward... what a reward.

And so one at a time with the patter of olives landed in the bushel or the soft thump when they hit the grass Brough collects his harvest. It takes all afternoon and Brough knows that he will only be back out here tomorrow, these olives are only ripe for a month out of the year and he must work daily during that time to collect them. There are other men of Iberios elsewhere, doing the same thing, but the harvests are vast and the manpower cannot be spared for farming when the army and High Guard hold such appeal.

As the bushel fills Brough drops down through the tree and begins collecting the errant olives that missed their mark, placing them now more carefully into the bushel. Yes, good and full.

So he picks up the bushel and marches towards his little home, from afar he can hear the mechanical heaves as his wife works the press.

The sun still too high in the sky for him to quit, Brough simply adds his olives to the press and lifts the empty bushel back up, sharing a smile with his wife as they watch the juice drip into jars, before returning to the fields of olives.

Hey,

Northern General Bia Xi and the Silk Khanate. (scientific)

"Good" Northern General Bia Xi motioned his officers from the porch that overlooked the great Soo Harbor. A large galley was being tied up at his personal dock. Soon a man dressed in leather outfit came running down the dock and onto he porch. Tripping at the top step to throw the two large wooden planks wrapped in silk, he carried under his tanned arms, across the porch. "I'll have your head if you break those."

He waved the man away and watched as he ran back to the galley. He turned and retrieved the packages and laid them on a large table. He carefully unwrapped them and laid them side by side. "The luck of the Dragon is with me." He smiled looking down at the craved planks. Put together they showed a map of the upper Mie River & the the two most northern trade routes carved into them. He walked around the table to look more closely to the parted he was most interested in. The Northern Steppes.

"Captain Chee Wa, may the Dragon bless you with long life." He said amazed at the details. Here and there were painted notes about the terrain. In places the river had notes on speed and depth. The Trade Routes showed safe havens with peaceful Horse Barbarian tribes, mountain passes and ambush points. But the key information was on the location and terrain of the Khanate. This Seli Khan's united Horse Barbarians.

"Captain Yang get out here." Yang appeared wearing the red silk and bronzed plated armor of the new horsemen of the Northern Army of Junjan. "Look upon the map of the Empires first northern expansion." Northern General Bia Xi said tilting his head. "Well not expansion. Our job is to guard the Trade Routes west and stay south of the Mie River." He pointed to the carved map.

Captain Yang walked around the table taking it all in. Not a detail missed. It would be his job to supply the Northern Army. "I see one problem with this."

"What would that be Captain Yang?"

"This will never work for horse tactics." He used his hands to show the large size of the map.

"That has been taken care of." Northern General Bia Xi leaned back over to look at the Khanate. "It will be be painted on silk." He smiled. "Emperor Shifang has ordered maps be painted on silk." He stood and started walking down the porch steps followed by Yang. "Come my young horseman. The terror of the steppes awaits the Northern Army."



NGBX01

The Finest Baskets under the Watch of the Dragon

(Commercial Story: Paranaa (Trade Good: Fine Baskets))

The Persian was talking in his nonsense language again, rambling on and on without a stop, Arostese felt compelled to remind him that no one understood him, and he did so in Saturan, while working hard on a basket, weaving it together as the matriarchs of Hep often did. Now with the prophecy fulfilled Arostese was finding little to do with his days, and so he wove baskets now and took travelers into his home.

Xerxes reaction took Arostese aback, the small Persian man was up in arms immediately, "Do not speak to me in that tongue," he said in perfect Paranese.

"Well, what do you have against the Saturans?"

"My uncle has set up an idol to their God in the Temple of Zorro. It is sacrelige!"

"And so you've been sent to the far east?" Arostese laughs.

"Banished, is more like it."

Arostese wove more into his basket, "There are skills we have here that you might find useful. Perhaps you may even find truths of the Dragon's puzzle. It is hardly banishment. Banished? Out of the desert? To a land of writing and society? Banished?"

Xerxes watched the man weave his baskets, "The exciting lands where men do women's work?"

Arostese laughed, "I'll fetch a fine profit with these. Perhaps when you have reached Junjan, or Soo, then you will know real wisdom. The Heavenly Dragon, he does watch over his lands."

Xerxes shakes his head, "When the day comes that the Khan must be dealt with, we both know that it will be Persia to do it. The Emperor lacks resolve."

Arostese laughed again, "You poor boy. You are from a land of high priests. You have not met an Emperor. You do not know the first thing about resolve."

-

To: Satura
From: Paranaa

Can we interest you in some fine baskets?

To: Shang
From: Paranaa

Can we interest you in some fine baskets?

To Paranaa
Of course we would be very interested. We will trade our Jewlery in return.
Profit and Prosperity! As Pharon always said.

Hey,

Admiral Fan Qianfan's New Mie River Guard. (Militaristic)

"The training goes well I see Admiral Fan Qianfan." Guoliang said coming up the steps to a overlook of the Soo River Harbor docks. Huge galleys sat docked loading and unloading supplies and armored spearmen in formation. "Is this part of the new Northern Army?

"As you know, it is not." Admiral Fan Qianfan turned with a frown at the old man. "It is the two newly created Mie River Guards. Ordered to patrol by river in galleys from the Shang river border to the source of the Mie. Any where along the river that trouble might happen."

"I understand." Guoliang cut him off as quick as a smooth talking Shang gem dealer. "The Emperor's galleys and guards will be.

"Its a good command Guoliang." General Fan Qianfan said grimly. "But I wanted to be in the winds of the steppes." He turned looking back at his little river fleet. "To war with the Khanate tribes."

"I hope that never happens my young friend." Old Guoliang stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "I heard that the old nomads, that helped found the Empire, told tales of the winters out there in the dark."

"And what did they tell of the dark." General Fan Qianfan asked with a look of interest.

"Move south." Guoliang laughed turning away to leave. "It is warm in the south."



GGQ01

Orders will be in by tomorrow.