Faeryl Viconia - Queen of Mischief (a Fall from Heaven 2 story)

Grey Fox · Dec 28, 2007

Faeryl Viconia - Queen of Mischief

First we begin with some backstory of the Fall from Heaven verse:

Spoiler The Elves :

The Elves.

Before the Age of Ice rulership of the elves switch between 2 courts.
During the summer it was held by the Seelie court, and Arendel was its Queen.
During the winter months it was held by the Unseelie court and Faeryl was its queen.

Neither court was evil, but the Seelie court tended to emphasize more of the light and open nature of the elves.
While the Unseelie court tended toward the more mysterious and hidden aspects.

A ritual was held every 6 months to pass rulership of the elves between the courts, then the big change happened.

1. Bhall (the good goddess of fire) falls, becoming evil.

2. Every evil god was opposed by a good god, with Bhall no longer active Mucarn (the evil god of winter) was unopposed and he takes the opportunity to break the compact and enter the world.

3. Sucellus (the neutral god of nature, patron god of the elves) enters the world to battle Murcarn. The two fight and Sucellus is killed.

4. The Age of Ice begins.

The rulership was in the Unseelie court when the elven god was killed. After the 6 months Arendel goes to Faeryl to perform the rite to switch rulership back but Faeryl refuses, stating that the Unseelie court will retain the rulership of the elves for as long as the winter remains.

Whats more Faeryl declares (correctly) that Sucellus is dead and the elves will have to choose another diety. She chooses Esus (the evil god of shadows) and bans the worship of Sucellus.

The Seelie court refuses to follow the edict and attempts to overthrow the Unseelie court by force. The attack is rebuffed and a bloody civil war starts. Each year the world gets colder and the elves are finally forced to forget their battle and retreat to the few holds left to support life.

During the Ice Age Cernunnos (an angel of nature who served under Sucellus) helps the ljosalfar (seelie court) survive. Kylorin kills Mulcarn and ressurects Sucellus. Sucellus spent the time while he was dead in the underworld with Arawn (neutral god of life and death). Arawn gives dominion of life to Sucellus (making him the god of life) and Sucellus gives the dominion of nature to Cernunnos.

Between the two of them they attempt to undo the damage that Mulcarn has done to the land, starting the Age of Rebirth.

Game Settings

Civ: Svartalfar
Leader: Faeryl Viconia
Difficulty: Immortal

Map: Balanced
Size: Standard
Climate: Temperate
Sealevel: Low
Speed: Normal

Barbarian World (The world starts already inhabitated with barbarian cities)
Wildlands (Double the amount of animals that spawn)
Blessing of Amathaon (Double the amount of bonus resources)
Living World (Double the frequency of Events)

Three Extra civilizations making it a total of 9.

Spoiler Settings :

Faeryl Viconia's traits are Arcane and Raiders. Arcane means her magic units get experience faster (Most spell casters get free xp overtime in Fall from Heaven), and are also slightly more successful with spells. Raiders mean that her units get +1 XP per combat, more gold from Pillaging, and most unit classes get the Commando promotion for free.

Let's get started!

Since this is Immortal, and I haven't actually finished any games on Immortal yet (but played some and stayed relatively competetive), I will be building more units than I usually do, and I will try to be as diplomatic as a dark elf can be. Meaning I will do whatever it takes to survive (lie, cheat, adultery, play dead), and backstab when necessary.

( I will add more flavor to the story telling later, if I got time )

Start looks promising. I scout around with my Warrior and Scout, revealing a bit more information about the area. I move the settler two tiles SW to settle in an area with 2 Bananas, and 2 Dyes within city Radius. Perfect reason to go Calendar early. Bad thing is one of the dyes is within Jungle and the city radius will have 3 jungle tiles when it expands.

The starting settler in Fall from Heaven 2 got 4 moves and a pretty long sight range. Our settler also got the promotion Elven, which means it got double move in forests. Which made me able to move this "far" and still settle on turn 1.

Year 2

We meet Amelanchier scouts. Both forces keeps their distance. The civil war is in everyone's memory. It might be a new age, but elves never forget.

In the first picture my scout destroyed the lair types; Barrow (where skeletons spawn) and Ancient Temple (Lizardman spawn).
Amelanchier is Raiders/Defender (+10% Str, and 10% withdrawal in own territory).

Year 4

How lucky... The jungle grows over the dye!

Though our luck is changing, as we learn Crafting from a friendly village.

Year 5

We meet Sandalphon of the Sidar. A bit cocky, just like most humans, as if humans could sneak past Svartalfar outposts!

Our scouts finds the ocean and a pretty good future city site to the northeast.

Year 7

We gain 44 gold from a village, and our scout attacks and kills a wolf.

Year 10

We meet Ethne the White of the Elohim. She doesn't seem to like me.

Year 11

To our Northwest we find a barbarian city with the Tomb of Sucellus near it.

The tomb acts as a Life Mana. A resource which enables your arcane units to learn Life spells.
And it also gives +1 happiness in nearby cities (like Forest Preserves), as well as 25% Healrate on the tile.

Year 15

We get a technological breakthrough, which shaved 2 turns of Calendar, 10 turns left now.

Animals are a much more important part of FfH than the normal game. All Recon units can gain the Subdue Animal promotion which enables the capture of them. They can then be used in warfare (they got the Hidden Nationality promotion) or you can place them in your city in cages, which boosts culture and happiness, depending on the animal. (There is also a wonder that requires most animal cages to be built)

Year 20

Worker is ready and starts farming a grassland tile.

Year 25

We get Calendar. Start research on Exploration.

Year 26

Farm is complete. We switch to Agriculture, and from Nationhood to Religion. The reason for the latter is that Nationhood doesn't help at all now without a Training Yard, low production and no war. And I didn't pick Pacifism cause I will probably not get a specialist building for a while, and the +10% Culture from Religion can actually help me atm, since it counts fractions in BtS.
1 Turn Anarchy.

Continues in the next post...

Grey Fox · Dec 28, 2007

Parties and War Games...

Year 34

We meet a funny girl called Keelyn. Seems like she likes to party.

Keelyn is the daughter of the Balseraph people's, a carnival folk, insane leader Perpentach. She was raised by summons, and learned to summon herself. Her Summoner trait means that her summons stay 3 turns instead of 1.

Year 40

We meet Cassiel. Some villagers give us gold.

If you are new to Fall from Heaven you might think; "Damn, Phi + Ind, what a combo, and two more traits to boot!" - Well, true it is a good combo. But Agnostic means he can never adopt a religion, and there are more to civs than just their Traits in FfH. Adaptive means he get to pick a trait with some intervals, whatever he picks will replace Industrious.
The Grigori got the special Adventurer Great Person, which they get points to from their Palace, and other buildings. The Adventurer can upgrade to any class of units and it starts with the Hero Promotion, which means it gets +1 XP every turn and access to certain promotions like Heroic Strength (+1 atk strength)

Year 42

We finish research on Exploration.

Year 43

Our herbalists have discovered a new healing plant. But we don't have time for
tests that will make our citizens unhappy atm. (Probably won't need the health for very long either).

The other options on this event have a chance of giving +1 or +2 Health. The +1 is only 50% chance or so, and the +2 is 90% chance. But they also add unhappiness like when you pop-rush. And they got a chance for the cities to lose population.

Year 45

I seem to be able to cut down jungles but I'm not gonna do it until I have sanitation since I don't believe it's by design.

Year 46

Oh aren't I lucky. Our experienced scout has become a champion in a war game. It's now considered a national hero! Too bad it can't get the Sinister promotion, or can it?

I explained what the Hero promotion does above when I described Grigori Adventurers. The sinister promotion I mention above is a Svartalfar promotion that Recon units get when produced in a city with a Svartalfar Hunting Lodge. It gives +1 Attack strength. (In FfH units have attack and defense strength, like in Civ3)

Year 48

Our city grows to size 6. We got 5 turns left on the extra happiness from the event.

Year 49

Our culture expands (approx. 5 turns earlier than without religion). Two of our warriors die to a Lizardman.

Year 55

Our researchers have experienced a setback, -3 turns on Hunting. Well you lose some and you win some.

Year 58

We meet Varn Gosam of the Malakim.

Year 65

Sandalphon demands our world map. We give it to him. I'm keeping a close eye on this guy. Probably best to attack him before he attacks us. But today I keep my friendly smile on.

Year 68

We finish training a settler unit. We will settle on the gems by the river as shown on this picture.

Year 76

Orthus spawns somewhere southwest of us.

Orthus is a barbarian Hero unit, that spawns around this time in every game. He carries a powerful equipment called the Orthus Axe, which gives the carrying unit +1 Fire Strength, and the Blitz ability.

Year 80

Finished Hunting, starting research on mining. Starts construction on a Svartalfar Hunting Lodge.

Year 81

Our hero defeats a Skeleton.

Year 82

Orthus has apparently been killed. That was quick.

Year 86

Fellowship of Leaves has been founded, Runes of Kilmorph was founded a couple of turns ago by Elohim.
My attackforce arrives at the hill outside Kalocly. We got 5 warrior units and our Hero (now at Combat V and Heroic Strength 1). I couldn't wait till I get hunters to upgrade my scout
Two warriors die, first one damaging the first one significantly, second one does no damage, but the third one wins at 11.2% surviving with 4 HP receiving 13 XP in the process. The Hero finishes off the last warrior and the city is ours.

Continues in the next post...

Grey Fox · Dec 28, 2007

War & Marriage...

Year 89

Damn it, Spilan, the city with the Tomb of Sucellus has been captured by the Ljosalfar. That was the next city I was going for, and it also means they are getting awfully close to my border. A preemptive strike might be my best choice.

Year 91

“A politically arranged wedding between one of our noblemen and noble woman from a Sidar family has collapsed into feuding as the groom backed out of the wedding on the wedding day.”

- I bet he realized that human females are nothing to the Svartalfar stock he's used to. I mean come on, look at me, I am beauty personified.

Year 93

The Hunting Lodge is finished, and our Hero upgrades

Year 95

We get mining, our gems are hooked up. Next is Ancient Chants.

Turn 96

Switch research to Festivals as we need cash.

Turn 98

Damn, the Ljosalfar takes another city I was about to take. This time after I had taken out a defender. It's time for the preemptive strike. We take the city. It's war.

Year 100

A traveling Alcemist wanted to sell our hero a healing salve, but we couldn't afford it.

Year 101

Seems we are last in tech as expected, with our brothers Ljosalfar as 2nd last.

We steal a Ljosalfar worker.

Year 103

Our hero kills an experienced orc warrior guarding a city. 2 garrison still left.

Year 104

Hero kills another, a hunter dies attacking the last one, and our experienced warrior finishes of the last one. We pillage 72 gold and raze the city.

Year 111

Uh Oh, Amelanchier created Gilden Silveric!

Gilden Silveric is the Ljosalfar Hero.
A powerful archer unit.

Year 113

Our hero attacks Spilan...

...and defeats a Fawn.

Year 116

Hero kills another Fawn.

Year 122

Keelyn built a city on a copper resource 4 tiles north of my capital. Dammit, and she probably is going to outculture me soon. I need festivals fast, and then Ancient chants so I can build markets and obelisks.

Year 124

Spilan is finally captured. Too bad that by now the Balseraph got the Tomb within their cultural influence. Not that the Tomb was the main reason this war was started. It was mainly the fact that I only needed a reason to show the Ljosalfar who's the boss.

Spoiler :

I will end this war now, since I probably won't get much further without ruining my economy even more. I need to build up my infrastructure. I need markets and culture. And I need to be able to get rid of the jungle without cheating (I can cut it now but I don't have the techs so I won't).
I see short skirmishes against both the Balseraphs and Sidar in the future. They are just too close for comfort. Especially Keelyn that settled on the copper at my border.
We get the world map for peace from Amelanchier, and thanks to the conquest money, we can get festivals in 2 turns.

Click here for the continuation...

Ozbenno · Dec 28, 2007

Good start, haven't seen the scout/hero event before. You'll understand if i cheer on Amelanchier though

Grey Fox · Dec 29, 2007

Peace, huh, what is it good for?...

Year 126

Keelyn's annoying culture expands, and my new city is separated from the rest.
I get festivals and start building markets.

Year 127

Oh yeah I figure I haven't really showed much how my empire looks like now.
Here is the SW part of it, the southernmost city is the first barbarian city I conquered. Gereth Minar is the first city I settled. I'm very low on culture, and that doesn't feel good. If you could still get bards from Obelisks I would consider getting one asap and pop Drama with it. But it seems I would need Way of the Forests and a Temple of Leaves to do that now.

Spoiler Southwest part of empire :

And heres the 2nd barbarian city I conquered. The one I razed was north of this,
a new city spawned there and the Ljosalfar bastards recently captured it.
This is looking tight. I really need to fight to get some breathing room here.
And it seems Calabim has used their spell, my cities are all 2 pop lower. Arrgh!

Every Civ got a worldspell they can use once during each game. Twice if they finish the birthright regained ritual which comes at a late tech. The Calabim worldspell gives all of their cities +2 pop, and everyone else's cities -2 pop.

Spoiler East part :

Year 130

And now I need to take care of Keelyn a bit. She needs to be taken down a notch. That copper city is about to get connected and I cant allow that to happen. A settler is on it's way through too, we need to stop that. But I can't do anything till next year.

Year 131

Ok, so what's that, five years of peace? It's war again.

Spoiler :

It's a good thing that Balseraphs doesn't seem to have Bronze Working, cause their warriors are still strength 3. First we take care of the settler. It's protected by two acrobats on the hill at the center of this screenshot. The copper city is protected by three warriors. We kill the acrobats, capturing a worker, then we capture 3 more workers.

Year 132

Varn demands bananas. Varn gets bananas.
Our capital finally finishes a market. We put a merchant to work immediatelly.
We capture the Copper city and keep it.

Spoiler :

Year 133

Ethne offers us Cows for one of our corns. Not that we need much health now, but a trade might be good for relations.

Year 135

Cassiel demand cotton. Well we comply. We have to lay low so we can't go around rejecting.

Year 139

Spoiler :

One of our hunters take care of a Balseraph Warrior around Gereth Minar.

Spoiler :

Our hero take care of an acrobat outside Spilan.

I think we will keep that Balseraph city if we take it, I'm hoping it got a settled bard. Not the best location (foodwise) in the world, but if we raze it we are probably not gonna be able to settle before the AI in the area. It would be sweet if those forests with silk became Ancient before we take it.

Forests can become Ancient Forests (+1 Food) if you are following the Fellowship of Leaves religion. And it has an excellent synergy with the two elven nations Svartalfar and Ljosalfar, cause their workers can build improvements on forest tiles.

Spoiler :

Year 140

Crap, a scout I missed took out 3 of our workers.

Year 141

Amelanchier demands we stop trading with Elohim. But I reject. Elohim is my only reliable friend even if they are good. They probably won't declare war on us (anytime soon anyways).

Year 142

Finally got markets in my 4 core cities.
Dammit! Spilan revolted and joined the Balseraphs. I thought captured cities couldn't do that. Maybe it's just back to the original owner. The worst part is I lost a 23 XP warrior. The best part is I lost some maintenance payment costs.

Thanks to the markets and the loss of Spilan I can bring up my research to 70% and will get Ancient Chants in 3 turns.

Year 143

The Sandalfool demands festivals, and he gets it. Sometime soon I need to put him down a notch!
We kill some warriors in the Balseraphs territory. We've made the tomb our temporary base cause of its increased healing rate. (it seems to be working)

Year 145

We finally get Ancient Chants. And start on Mysticism. Work is starting on Obelisks all around, except in capital and the Copper city which will finish it's market first.

Year 146

The order spreads to us. Since we don't have a religion and most of our friends are Good, and I'm fighting with the only evil civ I know, I think I will switch to it. Eventually I will get Leaves, and hopefully the Council of Esus, but the latter looks like it can be tough, unless Sidar gets it and spreads it to us. (Not sure if the AI knows how to spread it).
Our hunters kill an Acrobat and a Warrior in Ocells and a warrior in a citadel in the forest.

Year 148

Traveling Alchemist again, dammit, I need to keep some cash around, couldn't afford it. Our damaged hunter kills a warrior in the field outside Ocells, bringing him to 37 xp (level up next turn), yes! Our hero kills another acrobat in the city.
Finished a hunter in the capital and a market in Coppertown.
Converts to the Order.

When you convert to the order, your alignment becomes Good, even if you were Evil before.

Year 150

We retreat back to the Tomb. One of our experienced hunters kill an acrobat.

Year 151

Arrgh, we lose that hunter and the one guarding it. Our Balseraph skirmish is looking worse off. At least we got our hero and our most experienced hunter except him. And I'm not ready to give up on this war yet. I'm just hoping Amelanchier doesn't get back into the fighting just yet. I want to war him, but not simultaneously as I war Balseraphs and with this few units.

Year 154

We kill an acrobat and a scout in Balseraphs territory. Capital is now size 9 of 10, stopping growth to build hunters and allow for a war weariness buffer. Still got +1 food, and in 13 turns I'll get a great merchant.

Year 155

Ethne stops our cow for corn deal. Not that it effects me any. Malakim offers open borders, and we take it. Hoping he will spread the order to my cities.

Year 156

We get Mysticism, start research on Education. Will switch to God King in 1 turn. Might switch to city states+apprenticeship in 11 turns, but I think God King might pay for the empire quite good (especially once I have the great merchant) and I need the production bonus.
Killed an Acrobat near my borders. I'm basically not able to operate in Balseraphs territory atm without danger of losing my 2 experienced hunters. So I am waiting for some reinforcements before I venture back in.

Year 157

Order spread to Kalocly and we get an acolyte. We adapt God Queen. What else am I but a goddess?

Year 159

Successfully defend Coppertown against 3 hunters, one which withdraws.
Our Acolyte spread order to Gareth Minar, and we get a new Acolyte. The Order sure is easy to spread. We attack the withdrawn Acrobat, but it flees.

Year 161

I think I will use the Acolyte for culture. Varn has tons of them in my lands and will surely spread the religion to every city. The Elder Council is finished in the capital and I put a sage specialist to work. Wouldn't hurt to get a Great Sage even though I want a merchant atm, and this way I will get one faster.

Year 165

We get Education. Finally! I should perhaps have gone for this earlier, but now we finally got it at least, too bad a lot of my workers have been lost. Going for Bronze Working. We get that Great Merchant in the capital, settle it, and get an approx +9 Gold per turn. We can now research at 100%.
We trade Cartography from Ethne the White for Festivals. Everyone seems to have trade now. My chances to found CoE doesn't look good. And I can't risk to beeline towards it now.

Year 166

My Hunter Hero survives an onslaught from an Acrobat and two warriors while being damaged, and I'm lucky he did cause he is up for a level up to Drill IV.

Just look at that list. He is damaged btw, his strength value is 6/4 at full HP.

Continued in the next post...

Grey Fox · Dec 29, 2007

Boys and Vamps...

Year 170

Empyrean has been founded somewhere, Council of Esus can't be far behind.

Finally we capture Ocells. Now we just need to take Spilan and get peace, and then perhaps war Ljosalfar again.

Year 171

Finally someone trades us a happiness resource. Sandalfool gives us wine for one of our corn.

Spoiler :

We meet Flauros, as we learned earlier (from the result of their world spell) the Calabim are in the game.

Ethne trades cows for corn again. Strangely enough, Varn wanted to do the exact same trade, but with my last corn. I said no.

Year 173

Biggest battle so far, our duo of experienced hunters defend against 13 Units, 3 warriors, 2 Freaks, and the rest Acrobats. While Coppertown also defended against 1 Acrobat.

I promote the Hero hunter with Heroic Defense (I should name him something, there, he's now called Dreadnought like my game name). I felt Heroic defense was fitting since he got the experience defending, and also, now he'll be better at it. The other hunter (Dread's Bodyguard from now on) gets Drill II. (Orells did not have a settled great bard btw.)

Year 176

Amelanchier gets a great commander. We get Bronze Working. We trade it to Ethne the White for Writing. This is a risky move as Balseraphs might get it from her, but we need techs, and especially Writing.
Flauros declares war on Ethne, hopefully BW will help her.

We go for Sanitation, as we build some libraries.
We trade BW to Varn for Animal Husbandry and Masonry. We got horses in Coppertown's radius.
We trade BW to Cassiel for Archery.

Year 180

Another big attack from Keelyn. We fend it of, they take a goblin worker from us that I forgot to move. Dreadnought and his bodyguard doesn't take a single HP in damage (or they healed whatever they got). I give all credit to the awesomeness of Drill.

Crap we trigger a Treant! We retreat and let the human Acolyte take the pain.

Year 182

Flauros want us to war against Malakim. But we reject. We'll probably accept if Varn asks the reverse question. (Or Ethne the white).

Year 183

We finish the Library in Thariss, and start working on an Archery Range. We start using two sages. Sanitation in 13 turns at 50% research. We need this war to end, so I move towards Spilan, we need that city for two reasons;

It got Leaves religion, meaning we can adopt it if we take it.
It used to be ours!

Year 184

We meet Cardith Lorda of the Kuriotates. He's just a boy! How can these foolish people follow him?
This should be the last leader in the game. Making this list:

Year 186

Amelanchier completes Catacomb Libralus, Guild of the Nine sets up HQ in Zarlra, A big Sidar city that borders me. (This means Sidar was first to currency)

Spoiler :

Now I'm definatly gonna take this city. That guild is the mercenary guild, meaning you get the chance to hire mercs.

Year 188

Our siege outside Spilan kills many units as the Balseraphs try to break out of their city.

Year 189

We attack Spilan with our hero killing an Acrobat, then suicide attack with 6 bronze-weilding warriors, and a Hunter. Damaging with every unit. Two of their
Warriors die. I hope they don't heal too much next turn.

Year 190

Crap, they get 3 acrobats as reinforcements. Well atleast some of my units got experience. Oh crap, Ocells rioted, and my 3 warriors got damage so they could easily take the city back. Damn, I should have seen that one coming.

Year 192

Sandalfool and Ethne the naïve cancels their resource deals with me.
Man, the AI make a sick amount of units on this difficulty. Everything was going well, albeit slow, and all of a sudden Spilan got 10 defenders and Ocells 6.

Year 193

We open our borders to Sandalfool.

Year 194

I've retreated into my territory with my hunters. This war is turning into a disaster.

Year 195

We get Sanitation.
Trading it to Varn for Code of Laws and Construction.
We get Horseback Riding, Warfare and 20 gold from Sidar for it.
We get Fishing, Philosophy, and the world map from Elohim for it.
Starting research on Trade, maybe we will be able to found CoE after all.

Year 196

Ashen Veil has been founded in Gaudium. One of the Balseraph cities.

Year 197

We open our borders to Kuriotates.
This war needs to end soon. We got insane war weariness.
With 5 turns left on Trade, we trade Warfare to Cardith and get Trade + World Map. We adopt Military State, and Nationhood.

And on AI's turn came what I dreaded.
Snap! Amelanchier declares war.

Continues in the next post...

Grey Fox · Dec 30, 2007

War with nature...

Year 198

Malakim wants us to declare war on Flauros so we do. Hopefully this war wont give us any additional war weariness.
Yeah this is bad. Amelanchier got 3 stacks in my territory and even Keelyn has started coming. At least my hunters are pretty high level now.

Year 199

The Ljosalfar attacked, but we didn't lose a single unit. They however lost plenty.
I ask the Sidar for some gold, and I get it, 90 coins. I use 75 of it to upgrade a warrior to an Archer. Dreadnought is now lvl 18.

Year 200

We survive the attack on Gereth Minar, thanks to some troop movement, and the intervention of our, now with mobility, hero Dreadnought who attacked their stacks flank.

Year 201

On the Wealthiest Civilizations of the World list we end up at #5 with our 34 coins.

We lose our workers cause I forgot Amelanchier was a Raiders leader.

Year 203

Crap, 16 turns on Deception and someone founds CoE. Dammit, it seems to be Grigori, and they never adopt religions

Finally we manage to capture Spilan.

Year 205

We ask Varn Gosam if we could get a gold resource, and we get it. For free.

Year 206

We end the war with Keelyn for now. It has really been dragged out for too long, and we can't possibly handle two fronts at this time.

Year 207

Sandalphon constructs the Guild of Hammers in his capital Celo, which founds the Guild with the same name.
We lose Spilan to Ljosalfar, among the casualties is Dread's Bodyguard.
We kill their archer in Spilan with Dreadnought, and we get peace with Flauros.

Year 209

Balseraphs have settled yet another city near my borders.
Year 211
We research tracking. Just poison to go for Alazkan the Assassin, and other assassins.
Year 212
We trade tracking and 40 gold for Knowledge of the Ether.
Year 213
Flauros created Arthendain.
Damn, the Ljosalfar got some Satyrs. And a whole lot of Fawns, and some rangers and Priests of Leaves. I rush a Siege Workshop in Coppertown.
Year 214
Crap, Dreadnought died in the Ljosalfar attack, but atleast only him and one archer died. And they attacked with quite a lot.
Oh stupid me, I rush a building I don't need yet. Svartalfar can't build catapults! Arrrgh, and I checked the civiliopedia before, just to see, since Ljosalfar can't build them either, and it lists the catapult. Though it lists Barnarux too I see, dammit. Ah well.

Year 215

Coppertown gets attacked by multiple units again, none of my archers die. But they are all hurt. Good thing 2 new archers arrive this year.
We get a great sage in Gereth Minar, we move him to the capital.

Year 216

The Ljosalfar attack once again and not a single archer dies this time either!

They seem to be running out of units (only 4 left in my territory, check screenshot), and we will soon get Poisons, so soon it's time to strike back. It's just sad that all my hunters are dead, even my hero.

Flauros want me to adopt Fend for Themselves, but I reject.
Wow, the AI dogpile Ethne the White. Cassiel, Varn Gosam, Cardith Lorda and even Amelanchier declares war on her (and Flauros already was at war). I guess it's almost time for her to use her worldspell.
The sage constructs an academy in the capital.

Year 217

OH SNAP! Amelanchier used his worldspell, and now he got tons of Treants for 4 turns more, wish I had fire mages by now.

Spoiler Treants :

Year 218

Only 2 Treants attack coppertown. Both die to my archers.

Year 219

Sandalfool has spawned Basium, seems to be in a city I can't see.

Year 220

Yey, we finally have Poison. We start recruiting Alazkan the Assassin.

Year 221

Hyol defenses hold against a Ljosalfar assault. One warrior dies.

Year 223

We trade Poison to Sandalphon for 1150 gold and Military Strategy.
We rush an adept in Gereth Minar for 230 gold (8 turns left).
We trade Poisons and 165 gold to Varn Gosam for Currency.
And to Ethne +70 Gold for Way of the Forests and Way of the Wise.
And to Cardith +340 Gold for Animal Handling.
Trading it might have been good, it might have been bad, only the future can tell. What I know is I got a decent amount for it and the AI would have gotten it eventually anyways.

Year 225

Alazkan the Assassin is completed.

Year 228

Amelanchier tries to kill my archers and adept that is upgrading my mana to a fire node.

Year 230

Finished my 2nd Assassin, now starting on a Trainingyard. Alazkan gets Drill IV.
Upgrades a scout to another Assassin. (was actually gonna make this one a Ranger but misclicked).

Year 231

The Defenders of Hyol fends of an attack. A Ljosalfar ranger attacked Alazkans illusion just like I hoped. Our adept finishes the Fire mana.

Year 235

A wave of Ljosalfar troops attacked Hyol again. No deaths on our side.

Year 236

Alazkan kills a Sidar Axeman, and his illusion kills a Balseraph worker.

Year 238

Hyol defends itself yet again.

Year 239

Rushed Heroic Epic in the capital Thariss, cost 516, was 6 turns left

A border skirmish.

Year 240

Finished Heroic Epic, starting on a stable. 6 turns left on Stirrups, 5 turns on stable. Gonna try and time their completion at the same turn. Using some extra specialists now.

Year 242

I'm adopting Conquest and Protect the Meek. I dont want to switch from Military state to Apprenticeship, cause that would mean I'd lose 35% mil production, and a lot of free units. Also, I need to be able to spend gold to finish production. And Protect the Meek gives me the health I lose from switching away from Agriculture. Our stack gets attacked, but survives. Only the Illusion of Alazkan gets destroyed.

Civic explanations:

Agriculture (Economy Civic)
- +1 Food from Farms
- -1 Production from Farms
- +1 Health in all cities
Conquests (Economy civic)
- New Units gain +2 XP
- Military Units produced with Food.
- More gold from city capture
Education (Labor civic)
- New Units gain +2 XP
- -10% Military Production
Military State (Labor civic)
- +15% Military Production
- +Free Military units (how many depends on population)
- -25% Culture in all cities
- Can spend gold to finish production
Protect the Meek (Compassion civic)
- +1 Health in all cities
- +1 Health from Infirmary
- Can't be used by evil civs

Continued in the next post...

Grey Fox · Dec 30, 2007

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

Year 244

Alazkan gets 65 xp, I decide he is ready to take Blitz. Which means he got a potential of 4 attacks per turn. 2 by himself and 2 by his illusion.

Year 246

Heh, I killed the two archer defenders that was left in Eaca with the Illusion of Alazkan the Assassin. A 59.7% battle and a 57.7% battle. Btw, this is the city site by the ocean that I said would be a good city earlier in the game, when I was scouting, remember?

Now that I've spread the Leaves religion to all my big cities I will change. Finally we will see some Ancient forests grown.

Year 249

Now that I've divided the Ljosalfar territory. It's time to conquer the first part. Their lower empire, which is 2 cities. I need to solidify my hold of Eaca, and prevent any reinforcements from reaching their lower empire. Although, they have gotten Dexterous Iron Longbowmen (8 str) now. But I just got stirrups, and my make-shift catapults, the Nyxkin. I've already prepared some scouts to be upgraded to them, and I'm lowering my research now to pay for them. Also, my capital will produce one every 3 turns.

Year 251

We are the 3rd wealthiest nation in the world.
The first Nyxkin rolls of the production line, along with a comrade upgraded from a scout last turn. Both have the Flanking I promotion, bringing their withdrawal rate up to 55%. What we want with these units is primary survivability and speed. They will be used for alpha-strikes, to lower the enemy's HP so our assassins can pick them off one by one, like catapults but only on one target. And as pillagers, harassment units, killing lone enemy units in the field if they are able.

Our first Nyxkin attack is successful. See, you dare attacking at 37.3% when your total survival rate is 74%. The second Nyxkin also win, this time at 45%.

Year 252

Our nyxkin both gained enough xp to max out flanking, ending up with 85% withdrawal. It's a bit dissapointing that the last lvl of flanking only gives 10% and first strike immunity. Sure it's good, but nyxkins already have first strike immunity.

Year 253

We get a Great Merchant in Kalocly, moving it to the capital.

We sell Elementalism to Keelyn for 845 gold coins.

Year 255

Crap, the Ljosalfar is starting to use Assassins, I need to keep my adepts from the front lines for now.

Year 257

Armageddon counter is at 40, but nothing happens.

Year 258 - Blight!

But now it did! >_<. Lets count our losses. I lost a banana at the capital. And a corn at Kalocly. 5 plains became desert around Vincon, one of those tiles belonged to our capital.

Blight is an Armageddon event that happens when the Armageddon counter is at +40 . It removes every farm in the world, some food resources, and some terrain gets worse. Plains can become desert, floodplains can disappear, grass can become plains, etc. This isn't as bad as it would have been in vanilla, since there are magics to upgrade terrain. But this event still hurts.

Year 259

Fake Alazkan kills their newly built Longbowman and damages one other. Then Real Alazkan kills the damaged Longbowman. 2 Longbowman left.

Year 260

A patron of knowledge from the Svartalfar city of Thariss has donated a cache of rare writings to the local Library. We gain 260 beakers (10%) towards Summoning.
Same Alazkan strategy used again. Only 1 Longbowman left now. But next turn he'll get a ranger and a disciple.

Year 261

Sweet! For 226 gold we get the Guild of Hammers in our capital. Perfect. Upgrades will cost 50% of what they do now, and my capital is the city with many of the unit buildings.

Ultigar is ours! Alazkan's mirror ability is so powerful!
Loki is causing unrest in one of our cities, the bugger.

Year 263

Used the mirror tactic on Eodd, as well as some Nyxkins, only a Ranger left in the city now. This city I will raze cause it's too close to the Malakim and Grigori borders to be useful.
Btw, I used scorch on the jungles at Gereth Minar, I should have done this much sooner.

Year 264

We capture and raze Eodd. We get peace from Amelanchier. He's kind enough to give us Sailing and 20 gold. We switch to drama, and adopt Foreign Trade + Religion to boost our culture a bit. Or well, I was going to do that, but it won't let me.

Click here for the continuation!

reverend oats · Dec 30, 2007

Great story, I hope you can come back from your tech deficit.

Grey Fox · Dec 30, 2007

reverend oats said:
Great story, I hope you can come back from your tech deficit.

Yeah. I haven't rebuilt all farms lost in the blight yet, but no cities are starving any longer. And it should have hurt the AI more than me. Soon I'll get Guardian of Nature which will boost my happiness massively (+1

per forest) and +5 Health per city.

Nikis-Knight · Dec 30, 2007

I hope selling poisons to the Sidar doesn't come back to haunt you...

Post the minimap sometimes if you get the chance, it's nice to see the size of the rival empires.

Grey Fox · Dec 31, 2007

Nikis-Knight said:
I hope selling poisons to the Sidar doesn't come back to haunt you...
Post the minimap sometimes if you get the chance, it's nice to see the size of the rival empires.

Yeah I know, but I figured they would get it eventually anyways, and I must use any means necessary to gain in on the AI. Also, if I could get my hands on that netherblade.

Besides, they payed more than it was worth.

Sandalphon definitely got some cities that I want, but his and Basiums armies seem to be huge and if I'm gonna expand it's probably gonna be into Amelanchier and Keelyns lands, and after that maybe Ethne the white.

Here's the current supersized-minimap at turn 265:

Oops, Armageddon counter is at +44.

Grey Fox · Dec 31, 2007

Heaven and Hell...
First we start with some backstory to the Fall from Heaven verse.

The compact

The Compact is a deal between the 21 gods that they would not war openly. Agares was one of its strongest supporters. He has no desire to wage direct war with the other gods (especially when the neutral gods threatened to join against whoever broke the compact) and would rather work through his manipulations than prolonged battle. Philosophically he believes that rebellion is the natural result of free will, so he thinks he has a better chance in a war of ideologies than a war of powers.

Year 265

Doing some hidden nationality raiding with Alazkan and his mirror.

Year 266

We meet Hyborem. He seems... hot tempered.
And he is not just anywhere, he's at my border! But he has no place to settle.

Hyborem is the leader of the Infernals. As you can see he is Expansive, Barbarian, Summoner and Fallow. Barbarian means he is at peace with the barbarians, and Fallow means his people don't need food. So how does his city grow? Well he sacrifice manes for +1 population, and he gains manes over time when Evil units die.
"Hyborem is one of Agares's subordinates (a fallen solar) and a true demon. He tends to be more aggresive than his lord but he wouldn't defy Agares. So he complies with the compact and hopes that when the One returns to judge the world he won't find his chastized children still banished to their tiny corner but that all of creation will have turned against the One and worship Agares. Then if the One is to destroy the evil in creation he will have to destroy everything. Hyborem wants to make sure that if he is going down, everyone is going down with him."

Spoiler :

Maybe it's target practice time for Alazkan?

Our illusion destroys a worker.

Year 267

Ethne wants us to convert to RoK. We kindly say no.

We attack Hyborem with our illusion. He got 2.9 strength left (32 HP).

So I attack with Alazkan. But Hyborem was reborn, and I'm now considering the fact that I just placed Alazkan at the point of retaliation and that I might lose him to the Infernals next turn. Uh oh.

Hyborem is immortal. Meaning he is reborn if slayed. But he will die the next time he dies, for real.

Year 268

Alazkan survives! And not only survives, I checked the combat log and he only took one hit, a loss of 17 HP.
We kill their settler. And to not destroy the Gela, we declare war on Hyborem.

Our Nyxkin kills the last of the Manes, and Hyborem says his good byes. His Gela is now ours, and the Armageddon Counter retracts to +33.

Hyborems Gela gives the unit carrying it +2 Unholy strength.

Year 270

We get Drama, and raise the culture to 30%.
Alazkan is now 12/8 thanks to heroic str and the Gela. His mirror is only 10/6 however since you can't make illusions of equipment.
Finally we get to do some harassment during peace in the Ljosalfar lands.
Our mirror was killed by no other than Gilden Silveric himself! We station Alazkan in the citadel of Bruti, while the mirror kills all defenders in Bruti.

The Angels take their first city.

Year 271

Something I hadn't considered happens.
Amelanchier agrees on becoming Sandalphon/Basium's vassal! This is disastrous!
We start killing angels with Alazkan and his Mirror.

Year 272

Just check this image!

Spoiler :

Sandalphon and Basium has almost everyone as vassals! I missed that they vassalized Keelyn when I was busy killing Gilden.
The only free states are now us, Malakim, and Grigori. And Grigori got Calabim as vassal! Malakim is the Order holy land, so if we attack them we will probably get Basium and his goons on us as well. Grigori and Calabim is a bit far off. So it seems I have to live the Svartalfar way, by being as mischievous as possible! Guerrilla warfare till the day war is upon us.

Year 273

Basium is here!
Wow, we attack Basium with the Illusion at 34.2% and he dies! I totally didn't expect that so I didn't manage to take a screenshot of the moment. But here is the combat log.

Again. I have to give credit to the Drill line. I absolutely love first strikes.
Since Basium died, the Mercurians lost their traits. They are no longer Raiders/Aggressive/Ingenuity.
We upgrade our first adept to an Illusionist.

Basium is the leader of the Mercurians. A band of renegade Angels who broke the Compact to fight demons in Creation and in Hell. Just like Hyborem is the Archangel of Agares (Angel of Entropy), Basium used to be the Archangel of Arawn. Worth noting is that Cassiel used to be the Archangel of Dagda.

Continued in the next post...

Grey Fox · Dec 31, 2007

Charming Faeryl...

Year 274

We summon our first mistform.
We still can't change civic. It seems like it's cause of that bug with the resolutions. The overcouncil has made Liberty into a Global Civic, but I don't even have honor, and I'm not part of the overcouncil.

Year 278

We use a hawk and find a ghost in Zarla. Alazkans illusion kills it.
We use mistforms to pillage Sidar lands.

Year 279

We see Rathus Denmora in Zarla, he does not have the Nether Blade.

Year 280

We kill Rathus with Alazkan.

Year 281

I found the Nether Blade. It's in the hands of a Crossbowman unit. We attack him with our illusion at 48.2% and win, without taking a single hit. Man I'm really digging Drill now. Sure there are units that are immune to first strikes, and you can make yourself immune now quite easily with Blur, but still.
I pickup the Nether Blade with my Ranger.

Year 282

We take the Nether Blade with Alazkan.

Year 283

Clues of treachoury has been found in Thariss, and we order the military to do a full investigation to find out who is trying to overthrow our government.

Year 285

We trade Gems to Ethne for Gold.

Year 286

Fur from Sidar for gems.
We close our borders to Sidar so our Hidden nationality units are safe in our territory.

Year 287

Sidar declares war! Maybe the open borders were the only thing hindering them from declaring or maybe they had it planned all along (they had some huge stacks on their way).

They got two stacks by Kalocly which they just captured from us. I lower my research, and start building warriors everywhere and archers in the capital.

Year 289

The war has made Thariss an attractive market for merchants. Merchants from all across the world have come there to take advantage of the increased costs of everything.

Gareth Minar is probably a lost cause. So I'm doing everything I can to protect the Capital and as much of the rest of the nation. I withdraw Alazkan from Gareth after I kill a Ghost, but I leave his illusion there after he kills two units.

Year 290

I sent the illusion to Gareth Minar, and killed a crusader in their stack.

Year 291

The defenders of Gareth Minar fought bravely but the city fell to the Sidar's superior numbers and technology.

On another note, Barbatos the Lich has been killed.
Alazkan and his Illusion takes care of some of the Angels around the capital.

Year 292

We get a treant. Lots of angels and other units in our territory now.

Spoiler Capital Situation :

Nice, Keelyn breaks free and is now also at war with Sidar and Co.

Year 293

Elohim's troops are getting close to the capital. I use charm person on their units and 5 out of 6 gets affected.

Year 294

I use charm person again on their big stack. It said spell resisted many times but I think that was units that was already charmed. I find the spell to work too well actually. I think it should have a limit of units you can affect, like catapults.

Spoiler Charm Result :

Year 297

I attack a stack with Alazkan and the entire stack flees to a border city. o.O

Year 298

The Sidar attack Hyol.

Year 299

Now it happened again, an entire stack fled. This is a serious bug.

Year 300

An archer and a worker dies in Hyol.
We get a great merchant in the capital, I settle it and stop using specialists.

Year 301

Flauros has created Losha Valas.

Year 302

Keelyn has yet again capitulated to the Sandalfool team.

Year 303

We kill the Baron Duin Halfmorn.

Year 306

A somewhat good thing happens. Varn demands me to adopt Overcouncil. Which I can't do on my own, cause it wont let me change civics. Although, this means I will switch to Liberty, which will give me even more war weariness. Damn.
Cassiel and Flauros declares war. Fun.

For some reason, Varn Gosam declares war too. Same turn as he makes me change to the Overcouncil. I guess it was an Overcouncil decision to go to war?

Year 307

Mirror killed an Angel of Death, a Ghost and an Ljosalfar assassin.

Year 309

Malakim capture Hyol and kills Alazkan in the process.

Malakim also declares war on Sandalphon and takes a city from him.

Click here for next part!

tiberion02 · Jan 1, 2008

Very impressive story. Way to get dogpiled by the whole world. Great Mod and well delivered here. Good luck and try to keep it together, I wouldnt want to be in your shoes.

reverend oats · Jan 1, 2008

Ouch... at least you'll get the award for most world units killed in a single game.

Grey Fox · Jan 1, 2008

I'm going back through the story to add some explanations for non-FfH players at this moment.

I'll probably post the last chapters to this story today or at least soon. I haven't played it through yet though.

Grey Fox · Jan 1, 2008

This is a pretty cool tidbit from the back story of Fall from Heaven:

Arawn was intially the god of life and death. He created 2 archangels, twins, one to guard the gates that new life enters creation (Basium), and one to guard the entrace to the netherworld (Gyra). Gyra is more compassionate than her brother and she has acted a few times to protect the Sidar (including keeping Basium from wiping them out once), she also helped the enslaved elves escape from the Dungeon of Laroth.

Funny that it's Sidar that spawned Basium in this game.

reveler · Jan 1, 2008

A great story.I can't wait for you to finish it or be finished as it seems now.

Grey Fox · Jan 1, 2008

The Last Stand
Some more Fall from Heaven backstory:

Spoiler Amelanchier :

The smell of the smoke became worse. Not like a cooking fire, the sweet smell of dry wood tinged with game and entwined with all the smells of the woods he knew so well. This was the smell of burning leaves still moist from yesterday's rains, of the deep wood from the interior of ancient firs ablaze, and the fear of trapped animals waiting for painful death.

His home was burning. It wasn't long until Amelanchier and his rangers met the inferno that was raping their homeland. With a signal he dispatched two to nearby Elendwine, to alert the citizens and ready the mages. The rest followed him, circling around the flames and surveying the extent of the damage. Shortly the elven prince was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face the unseeing eyes of Calatin. The ancient elf had been a gift to Amelanchier when he pledged to Arendel Phaedra's court.

"Fire is a natural part of the cycle of the forest. But it should not have spread this far, this fast. The heat..."

Amelanchier nodded.

"It is unnatural."
"Or perhaps... supernatural."

They grimly continued their search from the treetops.
It did not take long for their suspicion to be confirmed. At the heart of the semi-circle of fire a battle was raging. A company of shining Paladins faced down a Balor. But it was the lone elderly man that caught Amelanchier's eye. A wave of flame radiated out from him, washing over a group of imps, which vanished in a puff of acrid smoke.

"Do you know where they are?" Amelanchier asked.

"No, but the forest does," replied Calatin.

"Hold them."

Calatin spoke gently to the mammoth ancient fir tree in which they were perched. A low rumble filled the air, though the combatants on the ground were obliviousuntil the roots and underbrush around them rose up around them. Before they knew it they were trapped. Amelanchier pointed to the Balor, and his ranger's let fly their arrows. They were not blessed, nor enchanted. But the demon was injured, and the elves had more than enough ammunition to put down the monster. It died with a roar.The druid kept the humans entangled, however.

"Bring me the old man," said Amelanchier.

Calatin nodded and spoke again to the tree-trunk. After a moment, the forest next to them parted and a giant treant emerged, looking the druid in the eyes, then turning and picking up the old man from the tangled underbrush, holding him up to Amelanchier.

"This is your doing, human? This fire?"

The old man mustered what dignity he could.

"I am an emissary from Pontiff Elmin. I have come to bring the message of Junil to the Ljosalfar. In Elendwine we found a branch of the Ashen Veil cult and sought to cleanse them from your lands."

"With fire?"

"The Veil will bring corruption from hell to the world! The must be opposed at every opportunity, for the sake of the world!"

"Why should I care for the world when you imperil my home?"

"Already the world is moaning from the stain the Veil has placed upon it. Surely you have seen the crops dying, disease spreading... The Elves cannot ignore the coming apocalypse!"

The elf seemed to be considering the argument.

"Perhaps I can."

He held two fingers in front of his face, pointing at the treant, then slowly separated them.

"If I make a suitable example of interlopers."

The treant ripped the confessor in two, and the elven rangers struck the Paladins dead from their perch.

Year 309

A warrior from Coppertown finally manage to kill a Ljosalfar Flurry that fled from us.

Year 310

Amelanchier creates Yvain the Woodelf.

Year 311

The Cassiel arrives with Branding, a War Chariot hero, and Comillo, an adventurer not yet upgraded to anything o.O. Don't tell me he have those two units grouped, way to nerf the warchariot's movement speed.
Flauros has a Ranger, Horseman, Assassin group next to the capital.

Year 313

We kill a Calabim Assassin with a Nyxkin. And a Horseman with our Assassin.

Year 314

Our Nyxkin dies to an Assassin. Our archers kill a Grigori Dragon Slayer.
We kill the grigori assassin with a mistform summon. Our assassin kills a ranger.
Grigori capture Ultiger and the Mercurians capture Vincon, the coppercity.

Year 315

We kill a Ljosalfar Ranger, and the healing salve he drops.
Grigori capture Eaca. We now have only the capital!

Spoiler Current Situation 315 :

Year 317

We attack an angel stack with a Mistform and kill the damaged one with an assassin. We try the same trick with a second assassin, but it fails, our third assassin is successful.
A Calabim knight and a Beastmaster attacks Thariss, the knight withdraws, but the Beastmaster successfully kills an archer.

Year 318

Our best assassin gets promoted to Blitz and takes care of an adept and a knight. Another of our assassins puts down the Beastmaster. Our newly built assassin fails to assassinate a Sidar Ghost, but weakens him.
While defending our archers kill a Grigori Father Jeon, a Sidar Champion and one archer falls to the enemy.

Spoiler Current Situation 318 :

Year 319

An entire group flees from my assassin again, damn bug, left my assassin in the forest with no movement points left.

Wow, she defended successfully against a Ljosalfar fawn, then killed of by angels.
Our assassins kill two horsemen.

Spoiler Foreign Advisor :

Year 320

The chamber doors flung open and there stood Amelanchier.

Always so gracious. Faeryl said, as Amelanchier just stood there, silent.

Amelanchier issued commands to his followers, still silent, and in came several rangers closing in on Faeryl.

If it was up to me, you'd be dead already. Amelanchier said while entering the room, facing Faeryl.
Arendel wants to see you. He continued.

Is that so. She replied.
Well, I have other plans, so if you excuse me...

Suddenly smoke filled the room and Amelanchier finds himself fighting unseen enemies. It's all over very quickly and his enemies seemed very skillful but he survives unscathed. Faeryl however is nowhere to be seen, and his rangers are lying on the floor, throats gushing.

Thariss is lost to the Ljosalfar, but our people flees the city to live in the forests, and for always, we will be a thorn in your side. Politicians lost in the night or generals dead in their tents, we will leave our marks on history. You might not know it, but we will always be there.

The End

Faeryl Viconia - Queen of Mischief (a Fall from Heaven 2 story)

Master of Points

Master of Points

Master of Points

Fly Fly Away

Master of Points

Master of Points

Master of Points

Master of Points

King

Master of Points

Deity

Master of Points

Master of Points

Master of Points

Chieftain

King

Master of Points

Master of Points

Chieftain

Master of Points

Similar threads