Against All Odds: The Struggles of the Noyyau
- Thread starter Noyyau
- Start date
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.
The King's feast was a grandiose affair, the entire Palace converted for the day into a massive banquet hall, food and drinks covering endless tables, the Kingdom's best minstrels playing all day long and acrobats and dancers performing amazing choreographies.
At the feast, among the many Nobles and fair ladies, the King's attention was captivated when Lord Felix Friedrich von Caterpillar II introduced his sister, Monika von Caterpillar. The young lady did not seem overly intimidated by the King, answering his questions with unusual directness and... sarcasm? Curiosity grew into genuine interest, and the King invited the Lady von Caterpillar to return the following day, when the Palace would be less crowded and their surroundings not as loud or crowded.
The next day however, their time together was interrupted when a terrified courier was admitted, under heavy guard, to the presence of the King. Unable to stop shaking, the young man opened a box and, without uttering a single word, revealed its contents to his liege: the severed heads of the Noyyau ambassadors to Latvia.
As it became known in the following days, the Latvians had accepted both the Spanish and the Moroccans as their Vassals, under the promise to wage war upon the Noyyau.
Such was the beginning of Turn 300, by many hailed as a Turn that would surely be of historical significance.
The King would rather have had a boring, uneventful Turn to enjoy with Monika, but the Latvians had dared break a peace treaty and murder Noyyau ambassadors. The Noyyau wrath had to descend upon them.
Noyyau eyes followed warily the advancing invaders, but they were the eyes of civilian Workers, not of trained soldiers. Troops had been called from all corners of the Kingdom, but they would take some time to arrive.
In Spain, Lord Greek answered the King's call and regrouped his troops to aid Wark. Madrid and the Spanish could wait, they didn't have anywhere to run to. As if on cue, Zapotec's new garrison disabled a Spanish Galley trying to pass by.
Wark's garrison advanced towards the looming Latvians, to demolish the old Latvian Fort before the invaders would be able to make use of it. Having to dislodge the Latvians from the forests would be problematic enough.
With perfect timing, new inventions allowed the producition of heavier armor and melee weapons. Lord Greek's troops were the first to test the new weapons, upon their arrival at Wark.
In the west, a pesky Malinese Galley was finally sunk, and fishing could resume. Ringhio's inhabitants stared at the traffic on the Noyyau Road, Kannushi traveling west to Pictish lands, and Noyyau troops hurrying east towards Wark.
The Latvians finally approached Wark. Before the main core of their army had stopped, Lord Greek began leading sorties into their ranks.
The proper Battle of Wark began with a Noyyau mass archery volley, which unfortunately did little to dissuade the Latvians from attacking.
The ground trembled when the Latvian cavalry began moving, riders endlessly emerging from the forest and gathering in uncountable numbers to charge at Wark's fortifications. House Giacola's Misfits volunteered to meet the enemy as the first line of defense, hoping that their Matriarch would approve of their courage in service to the Kingdom.
They held the line, time and again, turning the tide of the battle and saving the city.
The Latvians were given no respite, no chance to rest. As soon as the city walls had been cleared and deemed secure, Lord Greek rallied all the reasonably healthy troops and led them against the enemy.
The bulk of Lord Greek's Spanish army arrived too late to be of help in Wark's defense, the fate of the Latvian invaders already written.
Despite the massacre of the Latvian invasion at the gates of Wark, the Spanish royal family abdicated and allowed Madrid, their only remaining city, to be absorbed by the Latvians. Once again, the Noyyau were baffled by the strange decisions made by foreigners.
Scouts from the border reported that a large contingent of Latvian Longbowmen had not advanced into Noyyau territory, sending forward only a small detachment, probably on a scouting mission. It was possible that some survivors of the first invasion force had managed to reach their homeland and report their defeat. Maybe they were now reconsidering the wisdom of invading the Noyyau Kingdom.
The King is happy to confirm that the immediate danger to Wark has passed, thanks to the courage of Lord Greek, House Giacola's Misfits, and all the other defenders of the city. And also thanks to the gold of the Royal Treasury, spent to purchase upgraded weapons and armor for the troops on such short notice.
Now an important choice must be made to determine our strategy: do we pursue the Latvians and conquer their lands for good, or do we once again secure our borders without advancing further, trying to obtain a new Peace Treaty in due time?
King John is of the strong opinion that such treachery (canceling a Peace Treaty and murdering our Ambassadors) cannot be allowed to go unpunished, and with all the troops still on the move towards Wark, a successful invasion of Latvia could be accomplished.
However, the King needs the collaboration of the Noble Houses in this matter, as the Royal Treasury is almost empty and taxes have already been increased, and an invasion would be an even higher expense, at least until the first Latvian city will fall.
The King's feast was a grandiose affair, the entire Palace converted for the day into a massive banquet hall, food and drinks covering endless tables, the Kingdom's best minstrels playing all day long and acrobats and dancers performing amazing choreographies.
At the feast, among the many Nobles and fair ladies, the King's attention was captivated when Lord Felix Friedrich von Caterpillar II introduced his sister, Monika von Caterpillar. The young lady did not seem overly intimidated by the King, answering his questions with unusual directness and... sarcasm? Curiosity grew into genuine interest, and the King invited the Lady von Caterpillar to return the following day, when the Palace would be less crowded and their surroundings not as loud or crowded.
The next day however, their time together was interrupted when a terrified courier was admitted, under heavy guard, to the presence of the King. Unable to stop shaking, the young man opened a box and, without uttering a single word, revealed its contents to his liege: the severed heads of the Noyyau ambassadors to Latvia.
As it became known in the following days, the Latvians had accepted both the Spanish and the Moroccans as their Vassals, under the promise to wage war upon the Noyyau.
Such was the beginning of Turn 300, by many hailed as a Turn that would surely be of historical significance.
The King would rather have had a boring, uneventful Turn to enjoy with Monika, but the Latvians had dared break a peace treaty and murder Noyyau ambassadors. The Noyyau wrath had to descend upon them.
Spoiler :
Noyyau eyes followed warily the advancing invaders, but they were the eyes of civilian Workers, not of trained soldiers. Troops had been called from all corners of the Kingdom, but they would take some time to arrive.
Spoiler :
In Spain, Lord Greek answered the King's call and regrouped his troops to aid Wark. Madrid and the Spanish could wait, they didn't have anywhere to run to. As if on cue, Zapotec's new garrison disabled a Spanish Galley trying to pass by.
Spoiler :
Wark's garrison advanced towards the looming Latvians, to demolish the old Latvian Fort before the invaders would be able to make use of it. Having to dislodge the Latvians from the forests would be problematic enough.
Spoiler :
With perfect timing, new inventions allowed the producition of heavier armor and melee weapons. Lord Greek's troops were the first to test the new weapons, upon their arrival at Wark.
Spoiler :
In the west, a pesky Malinese Galley was finally sunk, and fishing could resume. Ringhio's inhabitants stared at the traffic on the Noyyau Road, Kannushi traveling west to Pictish lands, and Noyyau troops hurrying east towards Wark.
Spoiler :
The Latvians finally approached Wark. Before the main core of their army had stopped, Lord Greek began leading sorties into their ranks.
Spoiler :
Spoiler :
cost.
The proper Battle of Wark began with a Noyyau mass archery volley, which unfortunately did little to dissuade the Latvians from attacking.
Spoiler :
The ground trembled when the Latvian cavalry began moving, riders endlessly emerging from the forest and gathering in uncountable numbers to charge at Wark's fortifications. House Giacola's Misfits volunteered to meet the enemy as the first line of defense, hoping that their Matriarch would approve of their courage in service to the Kingdom.
They held the line, time and again, turning the tide of the battle and saving the city.
Spoiler :
The Latvians were given no respite, no chance to rest. As soon as the city walls had been cleared and deemed secure, Lord Greek rallied all the reasonably healthy troops and led them against the enemy.
Spoiler :
The bulk of Lord Greek's Spanish army arrived too late to be of help in Wark's defense, the fate of the Latvian invaders already written.
Spoiler :
Despite the massacre of the Latvian invasion at the gates of Wark, the Spanish royal family abdicated and allowed Madrid, their only remaining city, to be absorbed by the Latvians. Once again, the Noyyau were baffled by the strange decisions made by foreigners.
Spoiler :
Scouts from the border reported that a large contingent of Latvian Longbowmen had not advanced into Noyyau territory, sending forward only a small detachment, probably on a scouting mission. It was possible that some survivors of the first invasion force had managed to reach their homeland and report their defeat. Maybe they were now reconsidering the wisdom of invading the Noyyau Kingdom.
Spoiler :
The King is happy to confirm that the immediate danger to Wark has passed, thanks to the courage of Lord Greek, House Giacola's Misfits, and all the other defenders of the city. And also thanks to the gold of the Royal Treasury, spent to purchase upgraded weapons and armor for the troops on such short notice.
Now an important choice must be made to determine our strategy: do we pursue the Latvians and conquer their lands for good, or do we once again secure our borders without advancing further, trying to obtain a new Peace Treaty in due time?
King John is of the strong opinion that such treachery (canceling a Peace Treaty and murdering our Ambassadors) cannot be allowed to go unpunished, and with all the troops still on the move towards Wark, a successful invasion of Latvia could be accomplished.
However, the King needs the collaboration of the Noble Houses in this matter, as the Royal Treasury is almost empty and taxes have already been increased, and an invasion would be an even higher expense, at least until the first Latvian city will fall.
Kami Yata of House Spirictum will detach a Spiritual Guide to the borders to help coordinating the war efforts. We must crush the Latvians and absorb their lands into the Noyyau Kingdom. Once we secure the North we may fix our economy. If we must increase the taxes even more, I recommend spreading more garrison troops on the cities most likely to suffer from angry subjects.
OOC: If there is a healer unit, I would like that the Spiritual Guide be it. If not, I'll rp being together with Lord Greek giving him the counsel of the kami on the battlefield.
BTW, they seem to lack metals or any metal working tech, and as our Vanguard is still really powerful, I doubt they will be able to resist. We take them and the spanish alike.
OOC: If there is a healer unit, I would like that the Spiritual Guide be it. If not, I'll rp being together with Lord Greek giving him the counsel of the kami on the battlefield.
BTW, they seem to lack metals or any metal working tech, and as our Vanguard is still really powerful, I doubt they will be able to resist. We take them and the spanish alike.
Niccolo Edwards
Looking busy
I vote pursue on the condition that this decree
is passed.
Spoiler :
Niccolo Edwards
Looking busy
Poll is up in the social group. All nobles and commoners alike are welcome to join us for a lively discussion about a reaction to the Latvian invasion.
jackelgull
An aberration of nature
The House of Giacola votes to crush the Latvians.
The King would not be opposed to passing such a decree, however His Majesty is of the opinion that:
Section 3 should only be valid while the conquered city is under direct military administration, and any House Florentianus agent must be escorted by a military escort.
After normal civilian administration is established, House Florentianus agents will have the right to search for and seize illegal equipment and stores, but only with the permission of the local Lord or City Council.
After normal civilian administration is established, House Florentianus agents will have the right to search for and seize illegal equipment and stores, but only with the permission of the local Lord or City Council.
Section 4 should only be valid after normal civilian administration has been established. It would not be sensible to fault foreigners for not following Noyyau legislation while not under Noyyau rule. Anyone trying to infringe on House Florentianus' monopoly after the establishment of Noyyau rule, however, should be punished as intended.
Of course, the approval of the other Noble Houses would expedit the proclamation of said decree.
There is a Medic I Axeman on the way. Alternatively, I could make an Explorer (or other unit of your choice) and give him Medic I, and/or send a Kannushi along with the military forces. Shinto must be spread to the conquered cities anyway.
Medic I is the only Medic promotion available at this moment. Woodsman III also gives some healing to units on the same tile, but we already have enough of those.
Yes, the Latvians lack metals, luckily for us, or their first invasion would have probably been much worse, and Robertia might have fallen.
For that same reason, I had made peace with the Picts (they had Axemen), but kept raiding the Iranians: the Iranians had no metals (or even Obsidian for Axemen).
For spreading the garrisons... we're spread thin as it is! Except for Wark right now, all cities have 2 or at most 3 garrison units, a mix of Archers and Longbows, some even without any promotion. There simply hasn't been the time to make enough garrison units, even though Fiamma and Tehran will soon start contributing (although they need 3 turns per Longbow, but they give enough xp to get CG3).
Niccolo Edwards
Looking busy
For the purposes of pacification House Florentanius would like to propose that passage of an official decree by which no alcoholic beverages will be permitted in recently conquered cities until the populace has ceased to oppose Noyyau rule. To this end House Florentanius would like the sole rights to produce and sell alcoholic beverages within any cities conquered by Noyyau after the passage of this decree. This would ensure that alcoholic beverages are being sold only by a company that is loyal only to the crown and help the process of pacification.
Under this decree:
Fixed
Under this decree:
Spoiler :
Fixed
OOC: There isn't a medic-specific unit like a Healer, Medic, Supply Wagon? I thought RAND had such units. If not then my advisor won't be a unit, but will accompany Lord Greek's detachment to give spiritual councils when needed.
CaterpillarKing
Conqueror of Cacoons
I'm glad to see Monika is peaking the king's interest. I say we crush them! My house is generally a peaceful one, but we must annihilate the Latvian scum.
OOC: When I read it for the first time I was WHAT? Crush Monika and the King? Oh.. It's the Latvians he was talking about
The King approves such a decree, and gives House Giacola and House Florentianus the duty of informing the Kingdom's subjects of the new regulations.
OOC: No such units in RAND. C2C probably has them, and I think VIP as well? Haven't played those mods in a while.
The only unit that comes close is the Shaolin Monk: 10
, can only defend, starts with Medic I. But they are only available in the city that built the Shaolin Monastery wonder. And that's been built... somewhere in a distant land.
CaterpillarKing
Conqueror of Cacoons
OOC: When I read it for the first time I was WHAT? Crush Monika and the King? Oh.. It's the Latvians he was talking about
That's the funniest thing I've seen/heard in days
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.
Having saved Wark from the Latvian invasion, the Giacola Misfits were sent to hunt the last Latvians on Noyyau soil.
The time had come to retaliate for the Latvian murderous treachery. King John himself took command of the Warriors that his father had led to countless victories, and provided personally for their weapons and armor to be the best the Noyyau smiths could make.
Surprisingly, Lady Monika von Caterpillar agreed to accompany King John on this campaign, the reasons known only to the King and herself, though speculation ran rampant among nobles and commoners alike.
Workers were ordered to contruct roads following the army's advance, to allow for quicker reinforcements. Along these newly built roads came a group of Kannushi sent by House Spirictum, to give spiritual counsel to leaders and troops alike, and to bring the wisdom of the spirits to the soon to be subjugated Latvians.
And so, generations after the First Axemen had been chased away by Latvian cavalry, the Noyyau once again stepped on Latvian soil, this time with the definite intent to stay.
As the war moved into Latvia proper, the last gap in the northern border was sealed with the foundation of Orkham.
To secure more funds to cover the costs of the invasion, a deal was made with the Picts, providing them with fine Noyyau Glassware.
Not everything was perfect in the Kingdom, however. Now that only minimal garrisons had been left in former Iran, protests against Noyyau rule became more common, the few troops present unable to be everywhere at once.
The superiority of Noyyau weaponry and tactics became self evident during the push towards Riga.
The eastern coast had not been forgotten. The King sent the First Axes and a small detachment to deal with the former Spanish capital and the Latvian settlement further north.
House Spirictum's efforts to send numberless Kannushi to Pictland finally bore fruit when the Picts agreed to declare Shinto as their official religion, abandoning their support of Iranian Hinduism and strengthening even more the bonds between the Noyyau and Pict Kingdoms.
Unexpectedly, the Latvians attempted a raid on Zapotec. While a good idea in theory, with most of the Noyyau armies unable to get there quickly, it failed due to the woefully insufficient Latvian forces. The survivors attempted to escape, but were caught and eliminated.
One of the Kannushis still roaming Pictland reached its northern borders, discovering that the barbarian peninsula visited in ancient times by the Bold Voyager was actually the home of the Malinese, one of the smaller nations that had sworn fealty to the Latvians.
From the southern edge of Pictland, an Explorer's last report told of a Pict city clearly founded to deny Moroccan expansion, and of a Moroccan army camped just outside the Pictish borders, probably waiting for the best moment to break their peace treaty and attack.
The Latvians had brought some reinforcements to Madrid, so the First Axes decided to bring down the city's defenses before attempting an all out assault.
The Noyyau main attacking force went around Riga, to be able to reach the city without having to ford the Daugava river.
Most of the siege equipment stayed south of Riga, raining destruction on the Latvians from the other bank of the Daugava.
Latvian riders were seen taking the difficult mountain crossing, probably headed to raid Orkham or Zapotec. Some troops were ordered to stop them before they reached their destination.
Helena Blavatsky had been one of the many street children of Noyyau, living on handouts and petty theft, until the day she had been taken in by the capital's Shinto Temple, giving a purpose in life to homeless children being one of the major priorities of House Spirictum's charity efforts.
Under the tutelage of House Spirictum's Shinto priests and priestesses, Helena began walking the path set for her by the spirits, becoming a fervent believer and helping many of her former street comrades to see the true faith.
When the King left to personally lead the retaliation against the Latvians, Helena claimed to have been told by the spirits to lead a pilgrimage to Ringhio, where Kojiki had been first contacted by the spirits, and to build a great Shrine there to properly worship that holy place.
With logistical support from House Spirictum and donations from all strata of Noyyau society, the Ise Jingu would become the holiest of holies for the Shinto religion.
Such a development deeply angered the Iranian Hinduists, many of them convinced that the next step would be outlawing any religion other than Shinto. Any activity in Isfahan and Tehran came to a standstill, the population refusing to work for the Noyyau oppressors, and many fearing, or hoping, that an open revolt would soon come.
Meanwhile, a few late artillery units sank a Latvian War Galley, on the way to raid the Wark coast.
Progresses in stonemasonry and architecture allowed the construction of sturdy fortresses, and acrazy inspired inventor produced the first crossbow.
After a massive barrage, the First Axes led their few troops into Madrid, overwhelming the Latvian defenders and burning to the ground the last remnants of Spain.
Having saved Wark from the Latvian invasion, the Giacola Misfits were sent to hunt the last Latvians on Noyyau soil.
Spoiler :
The time had come to retaliate for the Latvian murderous treachery. King John himself took command of the Warriors that his father had led to countless victories, and provided personally for their weapons and armor to be the best the Noyyau smiths could make.
Surprisingly, Lady Monika von Caterpillar agreed to accompany King John on this campaign, the reasons known only to the King and herself, though speculation ran rampant among nobles and commoners alike.
Spoiler :
Workers were ordered to contruct roads following the army's advance, to allow for quicker reinforcements. Along these newly built roads came a group of Kannushi sent by House Spirictum, to give spiritual counsel to leaders and troops alike, and to bring the wisdom of the spirits to the soon to be subjugated Latvians.
Spoiler :
And so, generations after the First Axemen had been chased away by Latvian cavalry, the Noyyau once again stepped on Latvian soil, this time with the definite intent to stay.
Spoiler :
As the war moved into Latvia proper, the last gap in the northern border was sealed with the foundation of Orkham.
Spoiler :
To secure more funds to cover the costs of the invasion, a deal was made with the Picts, providing them with fine Noyyau Glassware.
Spoiler :
Not everything was perfect in the Kingdom, however. Now that only minimal garrisons had been left in former Iran, protests against Noyyau rule became more common, the few troops present unable to be everywhere at once.
Spoiler :
The superiority of Noyyau weaponry and tactics became self evident during the push towards Riga.
Spoiler :
The eastern coast had not been forgotten. The King sent the First Axes and a small detachment to deal with the former Spanish capital and the Latvian settlement further north.
Spoiler :
House Spirictum's efforts to send numberless Kannushi to Pictland finally bore fruit when the Picts agreed to declare Shinto as their official religion, abandoning their support of Iranian Hinduism and strengthening even more the bonds between the Noyyau and Pict Kingdoms.
Spoiler :
Unexpectedly, the Latvians attempted a raid on Zapotec. While a good idea in theory, with most of the Noyyau armies unable to get there quickly, it failed due to the woefully insufficient Latvian forces. The survivors attempted to escape, but were caught and eliminated.
Spoiler :
One of the Kannushis still roaming Pictland reached its northern borders, discovering that the barbarian peninsula visited in ancient times by the Bold Voyager was actually the home of the Malinese, one of the smaller nations that had sworn fealty to the Latvians.
Spoiler :
From the southern edge of Pictland, an Explorer's last report told of a Pict city clearly founded to deny Moroccan expansion, and of a Moroccan army camped just outside the Pictish borders, probably waiting for the best moment to break their peace treaty and attack.
Spoiler :
The Latvians had brought some reinforcements to Madrid, so the First Axes decided to bring down the city's defenses before attempting an all out assault.
Spoiler :
The Noyyau main attacking force went around Riga, to be able to reach the city without having to ford the Daugava river.
Most of the siege equipment stayed south of Riga, raining destruction on the Latvians from the other bank of the Daugava.
Spoiler :
Latvian riders were seen taking the difficult mountain crossing, probably headed to raid Orkham or Zapotec. Some troops were ordered to stop them before they reached their destination.
Spoiler :
Helena Blavatsky had been one of the many street children of Noyyau, living on handouts and petty theft, until the day she had been taken in by the capital's Shinto Temple, giving a purpose in life to homeless children being one of the major priorities of House Spirictum's charity efforts.
Under the tutelage of House Spirictum's Shinto priests and priestesses, Helena began walking the path set for her by the spirits, becoming a fervent believer and helping many of her former street comrades to see the true faith.
When the King left to personally lead the retaliation against the Latvians, Helena claimed to have been told by the spirits to lead a pilgrimage to Ringhio, where Kojiki had been first contacted by the spirits, and to build a great Shrine there to properly worship that holy place.
With logistical support from House Spirictum and donations from all strata of Noyyau society, the Ise Jingu would become the holiest of holies for the Shinto religion.
Spoiler :
Such a development deeply angered the Iranian Hinduists, many of them convinced that the next step would be outlawing any religion other than Shinto. Any activity in Isfahan and Tehran came to a standstill, the population refusing to work for the Noyyau oppressors, and many fearing, or hoping, that an open revolt would soon come.
Spoiler :
Meanwhile, a few late artillery units sank a Latvian War Galley, on the way to raid the Wark coast.
Spoiler :
Progresses in stonemasonry and architecture allowed the construction of sturdy fortresses, and a
Spoiler :
After a massive barrage, the First Axes led their few troops into Madrid, overwhelming the Latvian defenders and burning to the ground the last remnants of Spain.
Spoiler :
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.
The last surviving Latvian Horse Archer was finally eliminated attempting to approach Orkham.
The battle for Riga was long and bloody, the Latvians refusing to let go easily of their beloved capital. However, their defenses were constantly being eroded by the Noyyau siege machinery, safe on the other bank of the Daugava river, while King John Raynor personally led his troops into battle, proving to his subjects that he did not merely inherit the Kingdom, as some rumors would have it.
The Latvian royals barely managed to escape on a fisher's boat, the Noyyau deeming unnecessary to have a naval presence along with their superior ground forces. Riga by that time was already being sacked by the victorious Noyyau, King John declaring that history was being written that day.
As advocated by House Spirictum, several Kannushi followed the Noyyau troops, and they immediately began preaching to the Latvian civilians, promising food and protection if they would only recognize the true faith in the spirits.
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.
What took everybody by surprise, though, was King John's sudden request for Lady Monika von Caterpillar to join him in the captured Latvian throne room. The palace had just been captured, and there had been no time to even clear out the bodies, much less clean up all the blood.
But the King's order had to be obeyed.
By the time the Lady had been escorted to the palace, the King had seized a Kannushi at random from his retinue, personally dragging him all the way to the throne room.
There, in the presence of the bewildered representative of the spirits and of Lord Emmanuel Greek, as well as assorted other commanders and troops, King John Raynor, the first of his name, asked Lady Monika von Caterpillar to become his wife and Queen of the Noyyau Kingdom, promising her the whole of Latvia as a wedding gift.
The Latvian servants, now sure that their conquerors were completely insane, had no choice but to hastily organize a banquet to celebrate such an unforeseen event.
While the King was feasting in Riga, the First Axes had left the ruins of Madrid and moved along the coast towards the desolate Latvian settlement further north.
Scouting detachments were sent forward to determine the lay of the land and find the remaining Latvian cities, as no Noyyau had ever been this far into Latvia. Jelgava was discovered north of Riga, and, being Confucianism's holy city, it made for a juicy next target.
Not all the Noyyau subjects were happy with their lot in life, and in Barcelona many Spanish slaves revolted against their Noyyau masters, wanting to return to their lost freedom and independence.
Despite the local Lord's willingness to find engage in talks and find a compromise, the local garrison had to hunt down many escaped slaves, and disorder continued for some time.
While some troops were sent to hunt any Latvians in the frozen highlands, the King rushed towards Jelgava with whatever few troops were ready to move out, intercepting what probably was most of Jelgava's garrison before they could reach the safety of the city's defenses.
Leading from the front, King John incited his Warriors to keep going, and whatever few defenders were in Jelgava could not resist their unstoppable momentum.
Along the eastern coast, the First Axes similarly advanced towards Jurmala, the Latvian village surrounded by ice in all directions. Lacking the King's inspiring presence, however, the First Axes had to take their time and await the siege machines.
623 advancing north along east coast624 first axes make first attack vs latvian city
Lord Greek received the King's blessing to go and capture as many Latvians as possible, before they realized that Jelgava had fallen.
Trade with the Picts continued to grow in volume, and some entrepreneurs organized the first caravan route to regularly connect the two Kingdoms.
In exchange for regular supplies of Noyyau foodstuffs and wool, the Picts agreed to declare war on Mali, their northern neighbour and one of the small Kingdoms that had foolishly allied with the Latvians. The long hand of the Noyyau would reach everywhere, even if indirectly.
After the quick conquest of Jelgava, the rest of the Noyyau army moved west, discovering that the last Latvian city was situated on a forested peninsula.
Meanwhile, the last Latvian stragglers in the frozen highlands were easy prey for the Noyyau.
The Latvian Conquest ended for the First Axes and their troops with the burning of Jurmala.
The placid life of Fiamma's countryside was interrupted by a band of Sand People Spearmen, threatening the only Noyyau source of Salt. They were quickly dealt with.
The former Iranian territories, however, were still a hotbed of sectarian violence, and Hindu rebels once again rose up against their Noyyau masters. Faith alone, however, would not be enough to offset their lack of numbers and weapons.
In Robertia, the pinnacle of Noyyau shipbuilding was given the mission to explore and chart as much of the world as it could reach. The Rude Voyager's crew was ordered to ignore any and all denials of passage, indeed they were given the permission to act as pirates and hide their Noyyau affiliation, as long as it would allow them to continue travelling.
The last surviving Latvian Horse Archer was finally eliminated attempting to approach Orkham.
Spoiler :
The battle for Riga was long and bloody, the Latvians refusing to let go easily of their beloved capital. However, their defenses were constantly being eroded by the Noyyau siege machinery, safe on the other bank of the Daugava river, while King John Raynor personally led his troops into battle, proving to his subjects that he did not merely inherit the Kingdom, as some rumors would have it.
The Latvian royals barely managed to escape on a fisher's boat, the Noyyau deeming unnecessary to have a naval presence along with their superior ground forces. Riga by that time was already being sacked by the victorious Noyyau, King John declaring that history was being written that day.
Spoiler :
As advocated by House Spirictum, several Kannushi followed the Noyyau troops, and they immediately began preaching to the Latvian civilians, promising food and protection if they would only recognize the true faith in the spirits.
Spoiler :
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.
What took everybody by surprise, though, was King John's sudden request for Lady Monika von Caterpillar to join him in the captured Latvian throne room. The palace had just been captured, and there had been no time to even clear out the bodies, much less clean up all the blood.
But the King's order had to be obeyed.
By the time the Lady had been escorted to the palace, the King had seized a Kannushi at random from his retinue, personally dragging him all the way to the throne room.
There, in the presence of the bewildered representative of the spirits and of Lord Emmanuel Greek, as well as assorted other commanders and troops, King John Raynor, the first of his name, asked Lady Monika von Caterpillar to become his wife and Queen of the Noyyau Kingdom, promising her the whole of Latvia as a wedding gift.
The Latvian servants, now sure that their conquerors were completely insane, had no choice but to hastily organize a banquet to celebrate such an unforeseen event.
Spoiler :
While the King was feasting in Riga, the First Axes had left the ruins of Madrid and moved along the coast towards the desolate Latvian settlement further north.
Spoiler :
Scouting detachments were sent forward to determine the lay of the land and find the remaining Latvian cities, as no Noyyau had ever been this far into Latvia. Jelgava was discovered north of Riga, and, being Confucianism's holy city, it made for a juicy next target.
Spoiler :
Not all the Noyyau subjects were happy with their lot in life, and in Barcelona many Spanish slaves revolted against their Noyyau masters, wanting to return to their lost freedom and independence.
Despite the local Lord's willingness to find engage in talks and find a compromise, the local garrison had to hunt down many escaped slaves, and disorder continued for some time.
Spoiler :
While some troops were sent to hunt any Latvians in the frozen highlands, the King rushed towards Jelgava with whatever few troops were ready to move out, intercepting what probably was most of Jelgava's garrison before they could reach the safety of the city's defenses.
Leading from the front, King John incited his Warriors to keep going, and whatever few defenders were in Jelgava could not resist their unstoppable momentum.
Spoiler :
Along the eastern coast, the First Axes similarly advanced towards Jurmala, the Latvian village surrounded by ice in all directions. Lacking the King's inspiring presence, however, the First Axes had to take their time and await the siege machines.
623 advancing north along east coast624 first axes make first attack vs latvian city
Spoiler :
Lord Greek received the King's blessing to go and capture as many Latvians as possible, before they realized that Jelgava had fallen.
Spoiler :
Trade with the Picts continued to grow in volume, and some entrepreneurs organized the first caravan route to regularly connect the two Kingdoms.
In exchange for regular supplies of Noyyau foodstuffs and wool, the Picts agreed to declare war on Mali, their northern neighbour and one of the small Kingdoms that had foolishly allied with the Latvians. The long hand of the Noyyau would reach everywhere, even if indirectly.
Spoiler :
After the quick conquest of Jelgava, the rest of the Noyyau army moved west, discovering that the last Latvian city was situated on a forested peninsula.
Spoiler :
Meanwhile, the last Latvian stragglers in the frozen highlands were easy prey for the Noyyau.
Spoiler :
The Latvian Conquest ended for the First Axes and their troops with the burning of Jurmala.
Spoiler :
The placid life of Fiamma's countryside was interrupted by a band of Sand People Spearmen, threatening the only Noyyau source of Salt. They were quickly dealt with.
Spoiler :
The former Iranian territories, however, were still a hotbed of sectarian violence, and Hindu rebels once again rose up against their Noyyau masters. Faith alone, however, would not be enough to offset their lack of numbers and weapons.
Spoiler :
In Robertia, the pinnacle of Noyyau shipbuilding was given the mission to explore and chart as much of the world as it could reach. The Rude Voyager's crew was ordered to ignore any and all denials of passage, indeed they were given the permission to act as pirates and hide their Noyyau affiliation, as long as it would allow them to continue travelling.
Spoiler :
CaterpillarKing
Conqueror of Cacoons
May the alliance between the Noyyau Royal Family and von Caterpillar House last a lifetime and many more.
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.
Ogre, the last Latvian stronghold, was completely encircled, so that no Latvian might escape their doom.
To their credit, the Latvians fought bravely to the last man, refusing to surrender even when facing their impending death. But courage alone could not stop the Noyyau, and so another civilization met its end at their hands.
While the King and his future Queen were still on the road back to Noyyau, preparations for the royal wedding were already underway. Nobles and commoners flocked to the capital, overcrowding the city to its maximum capacity. Farmers outside the city walls became wealthy almost overnight by renting their fields as camping areas for exhorbitant prices.
The wedding reception was the most lavish event in living memory, banquet tables extending along entire streets and food and drinks flowing freely for anyone. During this special day, no one was barred from sitting at the King's Banquet.
The wedding ceremony itself, conversely, was witnessed only by relatively few people: the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Kingdom's Noble Houses and ranking members of the military and the clergy.
House Spirictum's current Kami Yata officiated the ceremony. As he had promised, King John granted Queen Monika the former Latvian territories as her personal fiefdom, to administer as she would see fit.
While in Noyyau the people were celebrating the Royal Wedding, in Iran the Hindu revolt was violently repressed.
Traders reported that the Picts were celebrating their conquest of a Malinese city, though the Noyyau had no knowledge of its location.
Some categories of artisans began organizing themselves into guilds, to protect their interests and regulate prices and quality of their goods. Debates began whether the government should bother with these spontaneous organizations, or leave them be.
The Stonemasons' guild, to seek approval, promised to build a magnific temple to the spirits.
Roughly half of the Latvian veterans rallied south of Barcelona, with the intention to liberate the whole of the eastern coast, so that Noyyau settlers might finally occupy the old Czech lands.
The Rude Voyager continued its travels, battling with savages inhabiting a small island off the Malinese coast.
Sailing west, they glimpsed the Malinese town of Djenne, the holy city of the Taoist faith.
To evaluate their possible military potential, a squadron of Horse Archers was raised, trained, and sent raiding against the Sand People. Unfortunately, they never returned, convincing the Noyyau that horses were best used as beasts of burden, rather than war.
Not having learnt the lesson the previous time, Hindu rebels once again took arms against the Noyyau, forcing the King to declare Iran back under military governance and virtually stopping any useful activity in the region.
Pakistani traders approached the Noyyau embassy in Caledonii, and after some negotiations, a deal was reached, to exchange Noyyau Cotton for Pakistani Tea. The beverage quickly gained popularity among the Noyyau cultured elite.
The Cleansing Expedition met no serious resistance, the local independent towns unable to match Noyyau weapons and tactics.
Circling the Malinese peninsula, the crew of the Rude Voyager had the chance to observe the Pictish invasion force moving aggressiveli into Mali.
Ogre, the last Latvian stronghold, was completely encircled, so that no Latvian might escape their doom.
To their credit, the Latvians fought bravely to the last man, refusing to surrender even when facing their impending death. But courage alone could not stop the Noyyau, and so another civilization met its end at their hands.
Spoiler :
While the King and his future Queen were still on the road back to Noyyau, preparations for the royal wedding were already underway. Nobles and commoners flocked to the capital, overcrowding the city to its maximum capacity. Farmers outside the city walls became wealthy almost overnight by renting their fields as camping areas for exhorbitant prices.
The wedding reception was the most lavish event in living memory, banquet tables extending along entire streets and food and drinks flowing freely for anyone. During this special day, no one was barred from sitting at the King's Banquet.
Spoiler :
The wedding ceremony itself, conversely, was witnessed only by relatively few people: the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Kingdom's Noble Houses and ranking members of the military and the clergy.
House Spirictum's current Kami Yata officiated the ceremony. As he had promised, King John granted Queen Monika the former Latvian territories as her personal fiefdom, to administer as she would see fit.
Spoiler :
While in Noyyau the people were celebrating the Royal Wedding, in Iran the Hindu revolt was violently repressed.
Spoiler :
Traders reported that the Picts were celebrating their conquest of a Malinese city, though the Noyyau had no knowledge of its location.
Spoiler :
Some categories of artisans began organizing themselves into guilds, to protect their interests and regulate prices and quality of their goods. Debates began whether the government should bother with these spontaneous organizations, or leave them be.
The Stonemasons' guild, to seek approval, promised to build a magnific temple to the spirits.
Spoiler :
Roughly half of the Latvian veterans rallied south of Barcelona, with the intention to liberate the whole of the eastern coast, so that Noyyau settlers might finally occupy the old Czech lands.
Spoiler :
The Rude Voyager continued its travels, battling with savages inhabiting a small island off the Malinese coast.
Sailing west, they glimpsed the Malinese town of Djenne, the holy city of the Taoist faith.
Spoiler :
To evaluate their possible military potential, a squadron of Horse Archers was raised, trained, and sent raiding against the Sand People. Unfortunately, they never returned, convincing the Noyyau that horses were best used as beasts of burden, rather than war.
Spoiler :
Not having learnt the lesson the previous time, Hindu rebels once again took arms against the Noyyau, forcing the King to declare Iran back under military governance and virtually stopping any useful activity in the region.
Spoiler :
Pakistani traders approached the Noyyau embassy in Caledonii, and after some negotiations, a deal was reached, to exchange Noyyau Cotton for Pakistani Tea. The beverage quickly gained popularity among the Noyyau cultured elite.
Spoiler :
The Cleansing Expedition met no serious resistance, the local independent towns unable to match Noyyau weapons and tactics.
Spoiler :
Circling the Malinese peninsula, the crew of the Rude Voyager had the chance to observe the Pictish invasion force moving aggressiveli into Mali.
Spoiler :
Now that the Latvian threat has been eliminated for good, and the colonization of the eastern coast will happen in the near future, the King asks for the opinions of the Noble Houses on where the Noyyau Kingdom should move next.
Should we ignore these two nations, as they are too distant and pose no threat to us?
Or should we prepare to send a military expedition and pillage and raze them?
Or even ponder about a peace treaty?
Should we consider bribing some of them with gold from the treasury to placate them at least temporarily, or should we simply keep crushing the uprisings in blood?
While Isfahan can be left in anarchy, as it is not that important to our economy yet (it's the Hindu holy city but its shrine has not yet been built), Tehran would be really helpful in training extra garrison units for our expanding Kingdom.
Should we research techs that enable different civics with positive revolution modifiers, or should we just keep enduring the turns of anarchy in some cities (and the extra xp for the garrisons from the fighting)?
Mali and Morocco
These two nations had allied with the Latvians against us, and hostilities are still open, though no actual action has happened directly. Our good friends the Picts have begun, on our request, an invasion of Mali, but they are Frienly with the Moroccans, so we can't expect any help on that front from them.Should we ignore these two nations, as they are too distant and pose no threat to us?
Or should we prepare to send a military expedition and pillage and raze them?
Or even ponder about a peace treaty?
The Iranian Hindu rebels
Revolts in former Iran will continue if nothing changes (i.e. our civics).Should we consider bribing some of them with gold from the treasury to placate them at least temporarily, or should we simply keep crushing the uprisings in blood?
While Isfahan can be left in anarchy, as it is not that important to our economy yet (it's the Hindu holy city but its shrine has not yet been built), Tehran would be really helpful in training extra garrison units for our expanding Kingdom.
Civics
Our stability problems in former Iran and to a lesser extent in former Spain, not to mention the possibility that former Latvia might also become unstable, are all due to our current civics, which have a total net increase of local instability per city, and the more distant the city, the worse it gets.Should we research techs that enable different civics with positive revolution modifiers, or should we just keep enduring the turns of anarchy in some cities (and the extra xp for the garrisons from the fighting)?
Niccolo Edwards
Looking busy
House Florentanius would like to propose the creation of a small force with the intent of capturing and holding the Moroccan lands.
Once these lands have been captured, subjugated and controlled. The force will secure the countryside against the Malians:
1. If it is possible to undertake a large scale assault on the Malians without angering or causing undue diplomatic tensions with the Picts the force will maintain their position until reinforcements for any men or equipment killed or lost during the assault on the Moroccans will do so after veterans of the Iranian riots have secured the cities against assault.
2. If it is not possible to undertake a large scale assault on the Malians without angering or causing undue diplomatic tensions with the Picts the force will; while maintaining the security of the Moroccan cities and lands; conduct a rapid series of raids against the Malian lands with the intent of causing great and insufferable damage to Malian infrastructure before retreating back to secured lands and if possible entering diplomatic negotiations under the guidance of representatives of, or directly the King and representatives of, or directly members of the Noble Houses of Noyyau.
As for the rebels in Iran; they should be ground into the dirt by the heel of the mighty and glorious Noyyau army, their leaders brought to justice and these petty criminals who have caused damage against our empire and its people made an example of for all the Noyyau empire to see: We will not tolerate criminals! We will not tolerate dissident! We will not tolerate rebellion! And we will not allow these criminals to overcome the Noyyau empire!
Once the treasonous scum have been... pacified, House Florentanius would like to assert its authority over alcoholic beverages within the city. To that end House Florentanius would like to request of King John that an additional force of soldiers be deployed to each of the cities to help maintain the peace
Once these lands have been captured, subjugated and controlled. The force will secure the countryside against the Malians:
1. If it is possible to undertake a large scale assault on the Malians without angering or causing undue diplomatic tensions with the Picts the force will maintain their position until reinforcements for any men or equipment killed or lost during the assault on the Moroccans will do so after veterans of the Iranian riots have secured the cities against assault.
2. If it is not possible to undertake a large scale assault on the Malians without angering or causing undue diplomatic tensions with the Picts the force will; while maintaining the security of the Moroccan cities and lands; conduct a rapid series of raids against the Malian lands with the intent of causing great and insufferable damage to Malian infrastructure before retreating back to secured lands and if possible entering diplomatic negotiations under the guidance of representatives of, or directly the King and representatives of, or directly members of the Noble Houses of Noyyau.
As for the rebels in Iran; they should be ground into the dirt by the heel of the mighty and glorious Noyyau army, their leaders brought to justice and these petty criminals who have caused damage against our empire and its people made an example of for all the Noyyau empire to see: We will not tolerate criminals! We will not tolerate dissident! We will not tolerate rebellion! And we will not allow these criminals to overcome the Noyyau empire!
Once the treasonous scum have been... pacified, House Florentanius would like to assert its authority over alcoholic beverages within the city. To that end House Florentanius would like to request of King John that an additional force of soldiers be deployed to each of the cities to help maintain the peace
Spoiler :
Similar threads
