[FFH] Kultured Kuriorates

Winter holidays have arrived, and I have the time for a FFH story again. That time, it'll be the Kuriorates, a multicultural people lead by a child whose soul is merged with the soul of a dragon. That dragon actually exists as a unit, though most games don't actually see the extremely late-coming Eurabates.

On a Standard map, they can found only three "true" cities, but their radius is increased from 2 to 3. All other founded or conquered cities will be "settlements" that don't grow or build anything. However, if you hire a settlement specialist (only one is possible) which produces gold, research or culture, he'll work as usual - nice if you capture a settlement with some buildings already built or use your Priests to build a Temple there.

Mostly gameplay narrative, Emperor level, Turinturambar's AI with modifications, no AI minimum levels, no Vassal States, no Acheron, no Orthus, Living World. I really need to update to Tholal's AI, but I don't like the prospect of merging my small personal changes there.

Anyway, let's start.



The people of the Golden Dragon are blessed with a great starting position - forests, hills and floodplains will definitely help Cardith in bringing his vision of a nation where everyone, regardless of their race and religion, contributes to the society, creating a people whose culture is envied by the whole world.

Also, the Musteval recon line is rather cute.



Cardith knew the dangers of Erebus well. Wild, barbarian orcs threatened to destroy his multicultural dream. Therefore, he ordered his people to recruit Warriors before attempting any settling expeditions. He gladly saw that a flare of Chaos mana made his units more sturdy. He was unhappy with a unit which turned out to engage in torture, but every man was important in these early days of survival, and so, the unit was kept. His heart ached for his ill people, as disease hit the floodplains, but he knew, that the future may being even harder tests.

On turn 21, a band of tigers eats our cute mousy scouts. Other attempts to send out scouting parties resulted in them meeting the same fate.

Finally, we're able to establish a second city.



Grassland, lakes, seas and pigs. Not that great, but it's fine.



The Kuriorates research Education. Cottages will be very profitable in these floodplains.



Cardith was being tolerant of the differences between his people - even when they proposed extravagant methods of increasing milk production.



These were harsh times, as goblins and horrible creatures of death descended on Kwythellar. The defenders of the city, however, proved themselves to be brave and strong.



I always liked Faeryl's first contact diplo quote.



Usual stuff for poor children of the Dragon. Barbarians and diseases.

On turn 86, the AC reaches 10. Two turns later, in decreases because of a prophecy that a child destined to be born in Naggarond will bring peace to the world.

Turn 92 - time for a trait change, since we're Adaptive. The Kurios are now Financial - with all these floodplains, it's a nice choice.



And our last proper city, at the Svartalfar borders. As I found out later, there were better options in the west of our capital. But whatever.



And a settlement, built to link our territory.

To be continued.

Cool! I always enjoy FFH stories

Sub post

EDIT: and 1st

And BTW, the map is Standard Highlands, Seas, no wrap.

We research Mysticism and Hunting and start building our first Hunters. By turn 139 we're ready to start researching Horseback Riding, for Centaurs (does this make sense?)



One of our Hunters captures a Spider. Next turn, he is killed by a Tiger, but the Spider safely walks to the capital.



Though Nature was harsh to the Kuriorates, it could also be kind to them as well. Avelorn became a city famous for its mushroom dishes.



Tebryn, how nice.



On turn 161, we dedicate our monument in Avelorn to Amathaon, giving us +2 food. Thae options in that event are really unbalanced.

We found the settlement of Caledor, which you can see circled on the minimap. You can also see that the Svartalfar had declared war on us. No doubt, they are jealous of our mushrooms.



Their army is well-prepared, but Avelorn is a (shining) city on a hill, with a garrison of a Hunter and five Warriors with Copper Weapons. Plus, we have a Centaur battalion ready to join the defence next turn.

Great story, and subbed.

Before the Svatalfar assault, there were seven battalions in Avelorn. After the assault, there're only three. But the Svartalfar army is severely weakened, and the Children of the Golden Dragon destroyed it in the battle follow-up.


Our Hunters spot Thariss.



One of our Hunters explores a lair and goes Enraged. That means that he'll wander the map by himself until he suicides on some enemy unit.

We realize that the Svartalfar were not the only Elves to survive the Age of Ice. Unfortunately, the Light Elves are led not by the gentle Arendel, but by a rather xenophobic military commander. He dislikes the Svartalfar even more then us, though.



We research Stirrups and show these Dark Elves the true terror of our Centaurs. Cardith is benevolent, but he can strike terror in the hearts of those who oppose his people.



Well, that is inconvenient.



Cardith decides that he can't fight on two fronts. So he evacuates Caledor, and gifts the evacuated settlement to Hyborem. If it helps us to evade conflict, so be it.

Also, we learn the Way of the Earthmother. The Holy City is already founded by someone else. We don't convert yet.

Faeryl sends a new army. It is massacred by our defending Centaurs.



Our Centaurs attempted a counterattack, but found the Svartalfar defensive armies to be too strong.



Another nice and gentle leader.



The Kuriorate people ponder what do meteors from Bhall's heaven mean, while another Svartalfar army is pierced by the arrows of our centaurs.

Nice

FFH is awesome, great to see more stories based off it

FFH is awesome, great to see more stories based off it

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Indeed. The flavor of the mod is so strong that I feel virtually forced to roleplay.

Season 218 witnesses another Svartalfar army suiciding into our Centaurs' arrows and the Kuriorates finally learning how to make Bronze and starting planning Festivals,

Amelanchier sends his own stack:



And, after piercing the pale Svartalfar skin for one more time



We follow his stack. The Light Elves fail in their assault:



But the Dark Elves have only three Swordsmen battalions, one group of Hunters and an Adept in the city. Our Centaurs overwhelm the tired defenders.



Meanwhile, our Hunting Lodge in Kwythellar is being overseen by an expert, while the cottages had developed into beautiful Enclaves. Travellers marvel at the difference between the burning sands and shallows of Hyborem's domain, and our fertile land.



Also, we start to make trades:

Amelanchier - gives Philosophy for Way of the Earthmother, and Masonry and Warfare for Stirrups;
Hyborem receives Stirrups in tribute, and gives Carthography for Hunting;

And we do that trade with Tebryn. The knowledge of everyone, from Elves to Demons, shall serve the Golden Dragon!



We also capture the Svartalfar city of Enoreth (circled in the minimap).

Cardith was not sure what to think about Falamar. He seemed to be a friendly person, but he was still a pirate. And Cardith knew that the watery Overlords have rather sinister practices in their temples.

Meanwhile, further Dark Elves died as fast Centaurs captured Idris.



I am always slightly amused when the Lanun - a Pirates of the Caribbean-style civ that, despite Hannah the Irin's links to the Overlords, is decidedly the odd one out in Erebus, lead the scoreboard.

As news reached Cardith that more and more elves are dying under the Centaurs' hooves, je decided to sign peace with Faeryl. Enough blood had been spilt, and the Svartalfar are clearly no danger now.



He surveyed a map of lands Kuriorates gained in the war.



Cardith predicted that peace would led to increased trade activity among his people. He was right - but then, he almost always was.



We meet Decius of the Bannor, who follow the Overlords. Apparently, they decided that they no longer need Junil.


After researching Priesthood, we start on Poisons. Musteval Assasins FTW.

Amelanchier starts to conquer Keelyn. Since she summoned Hyborem and attacked me in another FFH game I had recently played, I can only welcome the brat's removal from Erebus. I even give Amelanchier Priesthood so that he can make peace with Faeryl and concentrate on the Balseraphs.

Cardith received the news of a Sheaim town deciding to serve him instead without much surprise.



As Amelanchier captures another city, we exchange Sugar to the Ljosalfar for Silk.

We should not fear the knowledge of the demons if they help us. We make this trade:


(Ignore what he's saying, I attempted to get more from him then he was willing to give)

And a trade with the beautiful Ethne, who leads the last nation we meet on Erebus:


We built Sylvien's Perfect Lyre, and then the Theatre of Dreams. These two wonders are essential for a culture victory.


Killer rabbits are all the rage now...


On Season 300, our nation finally changes to Runes of Kilmorph.

Hyborem demands Ale (demons like beer, too!). Ethne demands Divination. We agree, and trade her Priesthood for Honor. We need to collect religions and their Temples, if we want to build a truly multicultural society.

I have A couple questions about the Kuriorates.
They can only found so much cities and other ones are merely 'settlements' Right ?
What about conquered cities. ?

And what would happen if you build city of a thousand slum in a Kuriorate city.. ? I guess i could use WB to find out.

They can only found so much cities and other ones are merely 'settlements' Right ?
What about conquered cities?

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They're also Settlements. Kurios don't gain much from conquering.

And what would happen if you build city of a thousand slum in a Kuriorate city.. ?

Click to expand...

Nothing, I believe. That wonder is pointless for them.

Lone Wolf said:

They're also Settlements. Kurios don't gain much from conquering.


Nothing, I believe. That wonder is pointless for them.

Click to expand...

Kurios cannot build the Slums.

Good story! I must say you are doing quite well, but the infernal people-- they're scary. I don't have much experience with this mod, but the one time I played as the "masters of magic" race, and I was very advanced with quite a few magic units among other things, and then the infernal popped up and started slaughtering me. I was only saved when a random event plopped a barbarian dragon on top of their city nearest me; after that the amount of troops they sent after me decreased and I was able to recapture most of my cities and make peace.

And in my personal mod, the Infernal palace gives +10 , and Hyborem also receives Financial and Creative traits! (the latter because I've seen him spawning in a small amount of space next to culturemongers and felt sorry for him). I probably need to reduce the hammer bonus to 5 or so, since he isn't weak when the AI summons him early, like I told it to.

Something strange happened this year. Rich, abundant lands that always gave rich crops saw their fertility become lower. A strange disease affected the people all over Erebus. Only the demons in their black cities of fire weren't affected. Wise people knew, that it's the first sign of the possible upcoming Armageddon.



Ethne recommended Cardith to stop trading with the Infernals, who profit of human suffering during the blight. The boy-king agreed.

The Balseraphs launched a desperate counter-offensive against the Ljosalfar, but their presence on Erebus as an independent nation was still doomed.



We discover Arete.



Amelanchier, who had recently been a friend and an ally of the Kuriorates, did not like their recent worship of Kilmorph. He decided that the extensive mining techniques. granted to the Kuriorates by the Goddess of Hard Work are an insult to the trees. The Kuriorates decided not to antagonize him further and to issue a formal war declaration to the Balseraphs.

We also research Message of the Deep, for the Temples of the Octopus Overlords. Say what you like about these overlords, but they are certainly cultured. Their temples grant +3 in addition to +20% bonus to existing culture.


As we do it, Falamar decides to be a jerk and declares war on us.



The recent spiritual developments in the realm allowed a certain Prophet to emerge. He built the first stage of the Altar of the Luonnotar, that grants XP to Disciples.

Amelanchier continues to insist on a compensation for the trees we cut down in order to build our mines, while Keelyn is finally unsummoned.



It's a good thing we have the noble Elohim as friends.



Also, Naggarond is proving itself to be a town of Iron and sorcery, with many Adepts training there.



Cardith always welcomes new traditions.



Unfortunately, Amelanchier didn't like these traditions at all:



Finally, our Lamia Adepts turn into Lamia Mages. The whole Erebus is prejudiced against these creatures, but we Kuriorates are tolerant and welcoming of diversity.



Ethne beats us to Shrine of Sirona. We are too tolerant and peaceful to complain. Meanwhile, the Elven civil war is coming to a close.



And we sign peace with the Lanun for some gold.



On season 346, the Sheaim cast their Worldbreak wordspell, that damages units in cities. They fail to put it to proper use, though.

That event again.



Trade with Decius, who seems to like us, despite being an Overlords follower. Also note, that Falamar, in his quest for power, summoned Basium, the ruthless renegade archangel who hates demons. He, and, by extension, Falamar, declare war on the Infernals and the Sheaim.



And here you can see the way our society is run.



Our Stonewardens start building Temples of Kilmorph in our Settlements, so that we can hire Merchants in them.



Our people create magnificent epics - a testament to Kuriorate culture and bravery.



Apparently, the Sheaim were jealous of our culture and declared war on us.



They are a very arcane people, knowledgeable in the dark arts of Ashen Veil, and have many Mages and Ritualists.

Sub post great story

Awesome FFH story! Must play that mod sometime...

Also, subbed.

Basiliscus, the Sheaim Commander Mage, didn't like demons or Pyre Zombies. In fact, he outright despised their ugly appearance. Yet he always acknowledged their usefulness. "The true meaning of life", he liked to say to young Veil Savants, "is understanding that if a job is worth doing at all, it's fine to use any means to complete it". And achieving personal power was definitely worth doing. As for concerns about the world - is the world really worth saving? Accepting that Erebus is full of injustices and atrocities, not caring much about them, and fixating on power was the right thing to do. Elohim moralists might call his actions "evil", yet compared to the evils of Erebus taken as a whole, all evil actions he might have done were insignificant. And what is "good" and "evil", anyway? To Ljosalfar crazies anything that harms their precious trees is "evil".

That's why Basiliscus hated Lamias. They were unnatural, inhuman creatures, who, instead of partially redeeming themselves by providing useful to the Veil, actively worked against it as a species. The boy-king preached "tolerance", yet the Sheaim were also willing to tolerate Lamias - as long as they help the Veil Mages. Good thing they had been really ineffective so far.

Anyway, he thought, soon the inhuman abominations of the enemy will be destroyed by inhuman abominations on our side.

He was unpleasantly surprised when the snake-women raised their staffs and said something in their weird language, causing all the Pyre Zombies and Diseased Corpses in his army to be destroyed before his eyes. He was even more surprised when an arrow send by a Centaur hit him straight in the eye.



Yes, "Destroy Undead", the Life II spell, is useful when fighting the Sheaim.



At least, Tebryn now has some artist named "Claudius, Chorus of the Damned".

We, too have our Great Artists, who tell tales and sing songs about our victories over Sheaim undead hordes.



The Sheaim conquer a minor settlement of ours:



While we continue to destroy his units.





Basium sends his Angels to join the fight against the Sheaim.



We are always willing to provide compensation to Hill Giants.



This city was entirely defended by the undead, which made it all even more easy. We take it next turn.



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And thanks for the subs, people

Bravo! Constant updates make ot 20% cooler!!

More of the same. We capture Grottiburg.



We lose a settlement to the Sheaim, and then to the Lanun, since the Lanun immediately took it from the Sheaim the turn they captured it.



I wonder how did the Sheaim get Demonic Mages.



We slightly outstretched our forces, allowing the Sheaim to go on the offensive...



Which the Army of the Golden Dragon has to counter. We also Mutated our troops (Chaos II spell). Most of the mutations were beneficial.



We pay Amelanchier to sign peace with Ethne.



The Sheaim do an another counterattack, but it fails to take any cities this time.



We go on the offensive once more.



The work done by FFH Art Team is beautiful. These Mercurian Heralds are majestic.



Amelanchier's army.



And with one more Sheaim city captured, Cardith grants Tebryn peace, provided he returns that settlement he took early in the war. Let him be destroyed by the Ljosalfar and the Lanun/Mercurians.

Good haul of techs there.