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The Plant Civ, Re Ki - Ideas thread
What is it about?
The Plant civ, now named Re Ki is the new civilization I'll work on once I'll consider the Ngomele done. Basically, the theme is of a civilization of tree-living creatures wanting to wipe out non tree-living creatures. Yeah, evil civ!! Eating trees, exploding mushrooms and killing pixies!
That's a bit blunt but that's the short description.
Why a thread?
We had a discussion yesterday about this civilization on #erebus (you know you HAVE to be there now!). Just a mention by lemonjelly and the channel was on fire! It was a bit crazy how people jumped to ask questions and tell me ideas...
So I figured I should do a sort of "pre-thread" where we could discuss the whereabouts of this civilization.
Just thought of mentioning that it isn't a community effort; at least not for now. I intend to do the hard work (at least the coding and fluffing) myself. The few peoples on #erebus just seemed so interested that I thought discussing here rather than on the chat was a better idea to store the conversations
The Ideas
As of 09/05/09...
The Leaders
"Lena"
Alignment: Evil
"Lena" is the main leader of the Re Ki civilization.
She's their creator and she's convinced that she's not human anymore and that she must help the Re Ki to clean Erebus from the existence of other civilizations.
Currently, I'm still hesitating between two pictures:
http://www.kolakisart.com/artemis_gallery/DRYAD.jpg
http://www.bfw3.com/images/illustrations_Flash/pages/j_PoisonIvy.html
The others
As of now, I didn't think of any lore behind other leaders (and it's Jabie's idea that created Lena anyway). But I have many pictures to choose from:
http://zevenstorms.deviantart.com/art/the-forest-goes-to-war-95699653
http://yveline.deviantart.com/art/Shall-We-Count-His-Rings-71268586
http://cgmaxtor.deviantart.com/art/Dryad-103045190
http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226063&d=1251471659
http://sandara.deviantart.com/art/Forest-Shaman-66212376
http://coliandre.acerb.be/gallery/full/dryade.jpg
http://upload.gwiki.fr/w/images/1/13/AvatarMelandru.jpg
The Cities (Vë)
A Re Ki city will be a big tree in and around which a bunch of creatures are living; the tree's spirit is the Hamadryad, a unit held that represents the city itself.
When a Re Ki city is destroyed, there's no city ruin: instead, there's a Dying Tree that evolves into a Dead Tree within five turns.
A Re Ki city is able to turn into a powerful unit using their world spell.
The Hamadryad (Then na vë)
(and the Dryad)
(and the Dryad)
The Hamadryad represents the spirit of every Re Ki city. It is a held unit with a good defense but with less chance to defend the stack.
If the Hamadryad is killed, the city is destroyed and turned into a Dying Tree.
Overtime, the Hamadryad gains xp. It will have a special line of promotions, not being any unitcombat;
The Hamadryad is able to materialize itself through a summon, the Dryad. The Dryad will get a fraction of the Hamadryad xp (fraction which could be increased through Hamadryad promotions) and some promotions depending on its Hamadryad's promotions. Thus, you will have to choose whether you want more XP (picking the "more XP" Hamadryad proms) or if you want more unique proms (picking the Hamadryad unique promotions).
The Dryad is able to move and battle like any other unit. I think it will have a special line of upgrades, something like Melee/Archer/Adept.
It will be able to "settle" on a forested tile and spread spores to the nearby tiles, giving all forested ones a chance to spawn units and making the non-forested one grow forests.
Some unique promotions (from the Hamadryad) will enhance the chance to spawn units.
In this state of "settling", the Dryad is weaker and more vulnerable to fire than at any other moment.
Once the Dryad dies, the xp she has gathered is lost. The Hamadryad should somehow suffer of her Dryad's death; the Hamadryad will be able to summon a new Dryad as soon as she recovered.
Dead Tree (Vë wë)
(and Dying Tree, Vë ten wë)
(and Dying Tree, Vë ten wë)
Dying Trees only exist during five turns; after that, they will be Dead for good.
During this timeframe, it's possible for a Dryad to cast a spell on the Dying Tree to revive it, thus creating the city anew (but bare, without buildings nor population).
When Dead, the tree can be chopped by non-Re Ki civilization for 50
(an Ancient Forest is worth 30). The Re Ki civilization can build a "Tree Mausoleum", giving a boost of 
on the tile and a free specialist in the nearest city.Recon line: Pixies (fon)
According to the bestiary of Erebus, pixies are most akin to magic than to recon; although Plant Pixies are different: even though they still like beautiful flowers and are well known herbalist (Medic I), they're now trained to be deadly silent. They are flying creatures, smaller and weaker than most others;
Some pictures:
http://ekoputeh.deviantart.com/art/pepper-fairy-78462300 <- An early pixie (scout, maybe hunter)
http://slipgatecentral.deviantart.com/art/battle-fairy-72320656 <- Late one, maybe the Assassin replacement
http://jarling-art.deviantart.com/art/Fairy-and-Serpent-21865824 <- Maybe this one would be better as a Spearman!
Workers: Mushrooms! (dã)
(and the Lesser Mushrooms, dã masha)
(and the Lesser Mushrooms, dã masha)
Their workers are slow, 1 move, and weak, 1 strength, and unable to gain experience; when they're killed, they explode, giving poison damage to nearby enemy units and a "Mushroomed" promotion, akin to "Poisoned" but tougher; I think they should have some affinity with the mushroom resource;
The Lesser Mushrooms are a spawn-only unit. Mainly, they will spawn if an enemy stack walks on a Mushroom Village. Unlike the regular mushrooms, they're unable to perform worker's duties and they cost no maintenance!
Here are some pictures:
http://monre.deviantart.com/art/30-min-mushroom-64434870
http://d-mac.deviantart.com/art/Deathcap-Myconid-69721517
http://d-mac.deviantart.com/art/Mushroom-Villager-67144240
Palace & Mana
Their palace would grant them -40% war weariness.
As for the manas, not sure yet. Here's the list of possibilities:
- Nature (only one sure);
- Creation;
- Life;
- Water;
- Sun;
Race promotion
The Re Ki can "seed" other alive units. Maybe it should just be a unique unit who could be able to do that, though.
I thought of a unit converting defeated alive units non-animal non-race (thus humans) into "Seeded Human", a unit capable of creating a "Human Nest" in a Vë (buildingclass Nest, thus only one nest can be in each city, so no Elven Nest and Human Nest). With it, the city could be able to create Seeded Humans units.
The smallest creature here would be a Seeded Human: http://www.guildwars2.com/global/includes/images/concept-art/guildwars2-24.jpg
They would have -50% fire resistance and immunity to poison.
Also, innate bonuses for Forests of Eternity and maybe all other forests.
Terrain flavors
The Re Ki can't found cities on desert or snow tiles.
"Gaea" unique terrain!
The "Gaea" unique terrain can only spread into Re Ki lands. It can't spread on desert and snow tiles.
It can't be turned into hell terrain.
However, it can't spread passively to Hell terrain either. You have to remove Hell first.
(Or maybe we could the Forests of Eternity to ward Hell away, since there doesn't seem to be any other real use of the Gaea terrain...)
Forests of Eternity
Overrides Forests/Ancient Forests/Jungle/Marshes (even it may prove difficult to do without python).
Woodsman I/II promotions have no effect on Forests of Eternity.
Can't build regular improvements without choping. Choping needs a late tech.
Can damage enemy units!
Can give a Plagued-like promotion to ANY non-Re Ki unit.
Improvements: unique!
All improvements needs forests, ancient forests or forests of eternity.
"Mushrooms Field", +1
, +1 on river tile;(upgrades to "Mushrooms Village" in ~50 turns)
"Mushrooms Village", +2
, +1, +1 on river tile;onMovePython that may spawn Lesser Mushrooms if an enemy unit steps on it.
A Mushrooms Village picture: http://th01.deviantart.net/fs29/150/f/2008/120/4/3/mushroom_forest_by_hongryu.jpg
"Fruiting Grove", +1
maybe turning grains into fruits.
"Tree Mausoleum", +3
, +1 free specialist in nearest city;need to be built on a Dead Tree.
"Special Road", only usable by Re Ki units. Commando has no effect on it.
Unique Paladins: the Children of Dy! (Wany sha Dy)
The Children of Dy are vë-born human females; Dy is actually Lena, the Patrian mage who created the Vë. The Children are generated using Lena's mixed tree/human blood/spirit/soul/whatever.
They require the Commune with Nature tech and replaces Paladins/Eidolons.
They have 8
and 6 poison combat; 2:moves:, are a national unit (limit of 4), can cast some spells (undefined yet) and cost 260 hammers.Hero: Izha Ru
Izha Ru is one of the two Re Ki heroes. However, only one of them is buildable! Izha Ru is only available for Dy/Lena.
Izha Ru is a Children of Dy hero: strength 8 and 6 poison combat AND 3 holy combat. She starts with Courage, Hero, Life I, II (maybe III?), Divine I (maybe II?).
Here's the picture for Izha Ru and for the Children of Dy: http://www.wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:SlyvariWinter.jpg
The humanoid in this picture could be also another Child of Dy: http://www.guildwars2.com/global/includes/images/concept-art/guildwars2-28.jpg
Hero: Unknown
This one hasn't anything yet but his picture: http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=226188&d=1251551708
World Spell
Their world spell is available with a somewhat late tech.
It turns all cities but the capital into powerful units for now known as Avatars.
The Avatars consume all the buildings in their city and turn them into promotions. They also consume every population point, gaining strength thanks to them, so hugely populated cities will create more powerful Avatars.
They will also consume the Hamadryad, gaining power with it too.
They won't be able to get any promotion/xp.
They will be able to re-found the city they were, using the promotions they have to recreate it as it was.
The creature here is an Avatar: http://www.guildwars2.com/global/includes/images/concept-art/guildwars2-28.jpg
Units spawning
The Vë (the cities) are spreading spores on all the first ring of culture (the 3x3 square). The mechanic will be fired by the PyPerTurn function of the Hamadryad. The units spawned will depend on buildings and Hamadryad's promotions.
Alternatively, the Dryad will be able to settle and spawn some units too.
Unique Spells
Forest Vengeance (Nature II): Poison damange to enemy units on forested tiles in a 1 range from the caster.
Wood Dragon (Nature III?): Needs to be casted on a Dead Tree; removes the Dead Tree and summons a World Unit Wood Dragon, killing the caster.
Warfare
They would greatly reduce population of captured and kept cities. Every pop point removed will be used to generate new units, except if the civilization was a Fallow one. These units would be either Seeded Humans/Elves/Dwarves/Lizards, either "Plant Zombies". The first one seems to be a better fit since they don't have such an affinity with Death mana.
Naval Units
No regular ships. I don't know yet how they will handle naval units.
Other units
Here are some pictures I think could be used as a base to create units:
http://mysticaldonkey1.deviantart.com/art/Dryad-118490970 (Melee units?)
http://ironshod.deviantart.com/art/Evil-plant-35664250
http://www.guildwars2.com/global/includes/images/concept-art/guildwars2-24.jpg (the biggest)
http://ursulav.deviantart.com/art/Plague-Fairy-744749 (what? No?)
Relations with other civilizations
The Re Ki will have a malus with leaders (maybe not all) of the Scions, the Mercurians, the Mechanos and the Infernals.
The Re Ki will have a bonus with leaders (maybe not all) of the Ljosalfar, the Svartalfar and the Ngomele.
Base iBaseAttitude of most of the Re Ki leaders will be -6.
They will be at peace with Animals.
They dislike leaders who took a great part in rising the AC.
They dislike Fire mana (-1/mana), Entropy mana (-2/mana) and Ice mana(-2/mana).
What about the lore?
The Plant civ is basically the answer of people against the intrusion of others into their lands. At first, there was only one Tree (not Yggdrasil!) and a lot of tree-people around and in it (Mushrooms, Pixies), living peacefully. Then came some houses-dwellers that tried to chase them away to acquire the Tree for whatever purpose. The tree-dwellers didn't think about it twice: they attacked right away, throwing everything they had against the enemy.
Some think that they are the answer of the Creation itself against the troubles Erebus is dealing with, thinking they are like the judgement or something.
Spoiler :
Last Note
Bear in mind that this is a work in progress in every way: lore, gameplay, graphics, everything
) to simulate how their forests are tough to get through, as Commando and Woodsman wouldn't help (right?).
)
