baseballpie
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Uh ohh........
An Illustrated History of the Noyyau
- Thread starter Noyyau
- Start date
pole475
The Blinding Light
R.I.P. Evron
GreekAnalyzer
Back from the Dead
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- May 9, 2013
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You know nothing yet.
When you'll see what actually happens, you'll understand how deeply the RNGod hates me.
So I had been lucky before, with the javelineers SoD suiciding against Robertia and my last spearman surviving. What happens to Evron is the price for that.
When you'll see what actually happens, you'll understand how deeply the RNGod hates me.
So I had been lucky before, with the javelineers SoD suiciding against Robertia and my last spearman surviving. What happens to Evron is the price for that.
pole475
The Blinding Light
That's not good news.... right
What happened, however, the spearmen could never have imagined. Instead of sacking the town and killing or enslaving the population, the Philistines took control and established themselves as the new rulers. Even more appalling and incredible, the Evronites actually accepted the new lords!
If the ballads about the barbarian javelineer invasion sing praise to Robertian courage and combat prowess, anything mentioning the loss of Evron and its transformation into Aachen is rife with prejudice, mistrust and sometimes direct insults. To this day, animosity is high between the two most ancient cities in the Noyyau state.
Modern studies suggest that these Philistines might have been emigrants (or refugees, or deserters) from the young Roman state to the west, which might explain why, during their time as an independent civilization, they named themselves “Holy Romans”. It would also shed some light in the sudden appearance of archers in the captured city, when the Noyyau at the time could still not make bows.
While these tumultuous events were taking place on the eastern coast, the emigrants that had left Robertia at the beginning of the Philistine invasion had finally reached their destination, and, unaware of the troubles in the motherland they had left behind, founded the mining town of Wark.
When news of the loss of Evron reached Robertia, the Chief of the time, whose name has been lost to the ages, called for swift retaliation.
The Second Spearmen, eager to prove their worth and wash away the guilt of not having been fast enough to save Evron, kept attacking and decimating the enemy, most of them considering an honorable death in battle a better outcome than surviving such shame.
Recruits from Robertia, wielding the recently invented battle axes, barely had time to test the new weapons against live enemies, when the last survivors of the Spearmen entered what used to be Evron.
What was left of the town was barely recognizable. In the few short months of Philistine (or Holy Roman, as they called themselves) domination, the population had been divided in different groups, called “Castes”, and even most of the huts had been torn down and rebuilt according to this idea.
While having no immediate effect, this new concept of social order would resurface in a few decades, when population growth and the need for better organization would be felt.
But at that particular time, anything of foreign origin was definitely considered evil and dishonorable. And yet, strangely enough, the name of the settlement was not changed back to its original Noyyau toponim, but would remain Aachen for the ages.
Maybe the Noyyau felt the town was not what it used to be? Maybe they left the name as a sign of grudging respect for a worthy enemy? Maybe they simply didn't care? Debates still rage today.
After things started to slowly return to normal everyday life in the East, the new outpost of Wark came under attack from yet another foreign army.
These people called themselves “French”, and although modern theories suggest that they might have simply been lost, the ancient Noyyau took no chances and slaughtered them, just in case. The loss of Evron was still a very fresh wound in the fledging national conscience.
One of the rare few events in our ancient history which is not about bloodshed, afterEvron Aachen was retaken, one of its major exports became pet parrots. Now ubiquitous anywhere Noyyau people have been, it is to the jungles north of Aachen that biologists tracked their origin.
Even though it was long known by the ancient Noyyau that the area of the Twin Rivers' confluence was inhabited, only after meeting (and killing) the French wandering expedition did the Noyyau go there again, thinking to find their point of origin. Instead, they discovered seven villages nested on as many close hills, together forming a settlement rivaling Robertia. Needless to say, these people, calling themselves “Romans”, did not take kindly to foreigners.
If the ballads about the barbarian javelineer invasion sing praise to Robertian courage and combat prowess, anything mentioning the loss of Evron and its transformation into Aachen is rife with prejudice, mistrust and sometimes direct insults. To this day, animosity is high between the two most ancient cities in the Noyyau state.
Modern studies suggest that these Philistines might have been emigrants (or refugees, or deserters) from the young Roman state to the west, which might explain why, during their time as an independent civilization, they named themselves “Holy Romans”. It would also shed some light in the sudden appearance of archers in the captured city, when the Noyyau at the time could still not make bows.
Spoiler :
While these tumultuous events were taking place on the eastern coast, the emigrants that had left Robertia at the beginning of the Philistine invasion had finally reached their destination, and, unaware of the troubles in the motherland they had left behind, founded the mining town of Wark.
Spoiler :
When news of the loss of Evron reached Robertia, the Chief of the time, whose name has been lost to the ages, called for swift retaliation.
The Second Spearmen, eager to prove their worth and wash away the guilt of not having been fast enough to save Evron, kept attacking and decimating the enemy, most of them considering an honorable death in battle a better outcome than surviving such shame.
Recruits from Robertia, wielding the recently invented battle axes, barely had time to test the new weapons against live enemies, when the last survivors of the Spearmen entered what used to be Evron.
What was left of the town was barely recognizable. In the few short months of Philistine (or Holy Roman, as they called themselves) domination, the population had been divided in different groups, called “Castes”, and even most of the huts had been torn down and rebuilt according to this idea.
While having no immediate effect, this new concept of social order would resurface in a few decades, when population growth and the need for better organization would be felt.
But at that particular time, anything of foreign origin was definitely considered evil and dishonorable. And yet, strangely enough, the name of the settlement was not changed back to its original Noyyau toponim, but would remain Aachen for the ages.
Maybe the Noyyau felt the town was not what it used to be? Maybe they left the name as a sign of grudging respect for a worthy enemy? Maybe they simply didn't care? Debates still rage today.
Spoiler :
After things started to slowly return to normal everyday life in the East, the new outpost of Wark came under attack from yet another foreign army.
These people called themselves “French”, and although modern theories suggest that they might have simply been lost, the ancient Noyyau took no chances and slaughtered them, just in case. The loss of Evron was still a very fresh wound in the fledging national conscience.
Spoiler :
One of the rare few events in our ancient history which is not about bloodshed, after
Spoiler :
Even though it was long known by the ancient Noyyau that the area of the Twin Rivers' confluence was inhabited, only after meeting (and killing) the French wandering expedition did the Noyyau go there again, thinking to find their point of origin. Instead, they discovered seven villages nested on as many close hills, together forming a settlement rivaling Robertia. Needless to say, these people, calling themselves “Romans”, did not take kindly to foreigners.
Spoiler :
Attachments
baseballpie
Deity
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Romans......
It would be a long time before the Noyyau would manage to secure their shores against raiders. From the savage northern waters, galleys would appear, carrying brutes whose only interest was pillaging. But in the Noyyau lands they would only meet their doom.
When a reliable route was established to Wark, the steady supply of copper allowed Noyyau craftmen to construct a grandiose monument in Robertia: named the Colossus for its massive size, the amount of material and work it required employed so many people that the economy could only benefit. And, of course, the eternal glory for building such a magnificent Wonder was not to be underestimated.
While construction was proceeding in Robertia, Noyyau forces tested the Roman defences, engaging in skirmishes with the city defenders, but without enough numbers to mount a serious attack.
To add to the glory of the new Wonder, probably emboldened by the new accomplishments of their people, a cadre of Axemen pillaged and razed the independent village of Burgundian, whose inhabitants were accused of harboring some of the coastal raiders which harassed Aachen. Truth or lie, we do not know, but recent excavations revealed ships of far better quality and seaworthiness than those of Noyyau manufacture at that time.
Spoiler :
When a reliable route was established to Wark, the steady supply of copper allowed Noyyau craftmen to construct a grandiose monument in Robertia: named the Colossus for its massive size, the amount of material and work it required employed so many people that the economy could only benefit. And, of course, the eternal glory for building such a magnificent Wonder was not to be underestimated.
Spoiler :
While construction was proceeding in Robertia, Noyyau forces tested the Roman defences, engaging in skirmishes with the city defenders, but without enough numbers to mount a serious attack.
Spoiler :
To add to the glory of the new Wonder, probably emboldened by the new accomplishments of their people, a cadre of Axemen pillaged and razed the independent village of Burgundian, whose inhabitants were accused of harboring some of the coastal raiders which harassed Aachen. Truth or lie, we do not know, but recent excavations revealed ships of far better quality and seaworthiness than those of Noyyau manufacture at that time.
Spoiler :
Attachments
Blazenclaw
eccentric eclectic
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2010
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- 496
Keep it up!
These are fun to read
These are fun to read
“Crossing the woods and laying siege to Rome” became sort of a tradition over the years. After the first major spring thaw, bands of warriors would travel through the large forests dividing Wark from Rome and set up camps almost in sight of the enemy settlements. From these camps raids would be launched against the Romans, who defended their hills but did not dare intrude in the forest. The fighting would continue for most of the summer, and around september the last of the Noyyau fighters would begin the way back to their own people.
Soon after Burgundian was razed, the quality of Noyyau shipbuilding increased dramatically. Though no reliable sources confirm it, it is very probable that Burgundian prisoners were put to work in the Robertian Arsenal.
The first Robertian galley to ever leave domestic waters, the Tronco [“Tree Trunk”] went on a daring voyage of exploration. Just north of what was considered “Noyyau territory”, on a cliff overlooking the sea, was the village of Khoisan, whose daily activities included hunting, fishing, and raiding Noyyau shores.
Leader of a cadre of spearmen, Auitzotl was a renowned woodsman and hunter, who divided his time in the roman woods equally between the Romans themselves and the local game. His best known tactic was to lure roman hunters away in the woods with fake tracks and signs of game, to then hunt the hunters and revel in their fear as they realized what was going on.
As age caught up with him, he retired in Robertia but never really stopped hunting and trapping, teaching the new generations the tricks of the trade.
While the generations-long conflict with Rome was going on, Noyyau society changed towards more rigid social structures, as the constant warfare made strenght and obedience the preferred qualities in an individual. This ultimately lead Noyyau society to be stratified in castes, ruled with strenght by a series of despots whose most common cause of death was “stabbed in the back by family or friends”. It is at this time that the practice of slavery became widespread, owing to the large number of prisoners taken in the regular battles with Rome.
In yet another interregnum between one ruler and the next, a group of supporters of the recently deceased leader decided to leave before being killed by agents of the new despot (the brother of the late despot's wife).
Hiding in the wild forests southwest of Robertia, their descendants would come to call this place Saraksha.
Though considered a rite of passage for any self-respecting warrior, modern opinions vary on the usefulness of the so called “Roman Seasonal War”. Noyyau warriors maintaned their edge by actively fighting in favorable conditions, but losses were inevitable and many have argued that had all these young men lived and engaged in productive activities, we might have progressed much faster as a civilization.
The Sarakshan exiles (as they considered themselves to be, anyway) did not simply remain hidden: one of their best known actions is the Aachen revolt of Turn 325. By finding and funding the descendants of the Holy Romans, they tried to secede Aachen from the capitol in Robertia, but with little success. The meager support they could gather from the population never threatened the state, and the town militia quickly dispersed the few protesters.
Oblivious to the turmoil at home, the crew of the Tronco kept sailing and charting the coastline, holding the belief that the world was round and by going forward they would ultimately return to Noyyau waters.
While obviously wrong, it would take centuries to correct such thinking, as the Tronco did ultimately return to Wark from the west, but having circumnavigated only the continent, not the entire world.
The tales of the savage peoples and strange lands seen by the Tronco's crew would be a staple of epic songs for decades.
Spoiler :
Soon after Burgundian was razed, the quality of Noyyau shipbuilding increased dramatically. Though no reliable sources confirm it, it is very probable that Burgundian prisoners were put to work in the Robertian Arsenal.
Spoiler :
The first Robertian galley to ever leave domestic waters, the Tronco [“Tree Trunk”] went on a daring voyage of exploration. Just north of what was considered “Noyyau territory”, on a cliff overlooking the sea, was the village of Khoisan, whose daily activities included hunting, fishing, and raiding Noyyau shores.
Spoiler :
Leader of a cadre of spearmen, Auitzotl was a renowned woodsman and hunter, who divided his time in the roman woods equally between the Romans themselves and the local game. His best known tactic was to lure roman hunters away in the woods with fake tracks and signs of game, to then hunt the hunters and revel in their fear as they realized what was going on.
As age caught up with him, he retired in Robertia but never really stopped hunting and trapping, teaching the new generations the tricks of the trade.
Spoiler :
While the generations-long conflict with Rome was going on, Noyyau society changed towards more rigid social structures, as the constant warfare made strenght and obedience the preferred qualities in an individual. This ultimately lead Noyyau society to be stratified in castes, ruled with strenght by a series of despots whose most common cause of death was “stabbed in the back by family or friends”. It is at this time that the practice of slavery became widespread, owing to the large number of prisoners taken in the regular battles with Rome.
Spoiler :
In yet another interregnum between one ruler and the next, a group of supporters of the recently deceased leader decided to leave before being killed by agents of the new despot (the brother of the late despot's wife).
Hiding in the wild forests southwest of Robertia, their descendants would come to call this place Saraksha.
Spoiler :
Though considered a rite of passage for any self-respecting warrior, modern opinions vary on the usefulness of the so called “Roman Seasonal War”. Noyyau warriors maintaned their edge by actively fighting in favorable conditions, but losses were inevitable and many have argued that had all these young men lived and engaged in productive activities, we might have progressed much faster as a civilization.
Spoiler :
The Sarakshan exiles (as they considered themselves to be, anyway) did not simply remain hidden: one of their best known actions is the Aachen revolt of Turn 325. By finding and funding the descendants of the Holy Romans, they tried to secede Aachen from the capitol in Robertia, but with little success. The meager support they could gather from the population never threatened the state, and the town militia quickly dispersed the few protesters.
Spoiler :
Oblivious to the turmoil at home, the crew of the Tronco kept sailing and charting the coastline, holding the belief that the world was round and by going forward they would ultimately return to Noyyau waters.
While obviously wrong, it would take centuries to correct such thinking, as the Tronco did ultimately return to Wark from the west, but having circumnavigated only the continent, not the entire world.
The tales of the savage peoples and strange lands seen by the Tronco's crew would be a staple of epic songs for decades.
Spoiler :
Attachments
After an “investigation” (i.e. torture) by the Personal Guard of the despot revealed the ties between the recent revolt in Aachen and the settlement of Saraksha, it wasn't long before relations were established. The rumored payment of a hefty sum of money from the personal treasury of the despot helped to maintain the situation peaceful.
What had started as a newer, larger lighthouse for the ever-growing Robertian fishing fleets, became a massive engineering project, simply dubbed “The Great Lighthouse”. Any rumors that extra funds and workers were devoted to the project because the main architect behind it was the despot's nephew are, of course, false.
After Saraksha, the ruling caste discovered that money worked better than spears in placating dissent. Funds permitting, this would become the preferred way of maintaining internal order. Sometimes the money would be used as a bribe to the rebel leaders. In cases of more general and disorganized unhappiness, the expense would be for improvements in the quality of life of the dissenters.
Becoming tired (and depleted) from the constant infighting and treachery, more and more noble families agreed with the idea that succession should be better regulated, and a single family should rule. The problem was, every noble family was of the opinion that they should be the rulers, so nothing changed.
The raider landings on Noyyau shores continued unabated for several more generations.
To try and finally put a stop to such occurrences, an expedition was finally sent to capture the settlement of Khoisan. No one knows exactly what happened there, but the village was completely burned down and the inhabitants enslaved.
Among the loot brought back to Robertia were small clay tablets, decorated with strange marks and signs. The Khoisan survivors insisted they had a meaning, that it was a way to record and remember what had been said after it was forgotten, even after who said it was long dead. The Noyyau, however, did not believe them, as how can one remember what has been lost in the mists of time?
Still, this idea would resurface later on, and change history forever.
Soon after the razing of Khoisan, a new kind of building was constructed in Robertia: a Treasury, where the ruling despot hoarded his personal wealth, to display it in hopes of impressing an increasingly large and unhappy population. Though not as effective in calming the people's anger as hoped, the Treasury had a beneficial side effect: to curry favor with the despot, many notable families began gifting items of value to the Treasury's collection, inducing an increase in jewellery production and indirectly benefiting the economy in general.
It would be centuries before the concept of a “state treasury” to be used by the state as a tool to regulate the economy would take hold.
Spoiler :
What had started as a newer, larger lighthouse for the ever-growing Robertian fishing fleets, became a massive engineering project, simply dubbed “The Great Lighthouse”. Any rumors that extra funds and workers were devoted to the project because the main architect behind it was the despot's nephew are, of course, false.
Spoiler :
After Saraksha, the ruling caste discovered that money worked better than spears in placating dissent. Funds permitting, this would become the preferred way of maintaining internal order. Sometimes the money would be used as a bribe to the rebel leaders. In cases of more general and disorganized unhappiness, the expense would be for improvements in the quality of life of the dissenters.
Spoiler :
Becoming tired (and depleted) from the constant infighting and treachery, more and more noble families agreed with the idea that succession should be better regulated, and a single family should rule. The problem was, every noble family was of the opinion that they should be the rulers, so nothing changed.
Spoiler :
The raider landings on Noyyau shores continued unabated for several more generations.
Spoiler :
To try and finally put a stop to such occurrences, an expedition was finally sent to capture the settlement of Khoisan. No one knows exactly what happened there, but the village was completely burned down and the inhabitants enslaved.
Among the loot brought back to Robertia were small clay tablets, decorated with strange marks and signs. The Khoisan survivors insisted they had a meaning, that it was a way to record and remember what had been said after it was forgotten, even after who said it was long dead. The Noyyau, however, did not believe them, as how can one remember what has been lost in the mists of time?
Still, this idea would resurface later on, and change history forever.
Spoiler :
Soon after the razing of Khoisan, a new kind of building was constructed in Robertia: a Treasury, where the ruling despot hoarded his personal wealth, to display it in hopes of impressing an increasingly large and unhappy population. Though not as effective in calming the people's anger as hoped, the Treasury had a beneficial side effect: to curry favor with the despot, many notable families began gifting items of value to the Treasury's collection, inducing an increase in jewellery production and indirectly benefiting the economy in general.
It would be centuries before the concept of a “state treasury” to be used by the state as a tool to regulate the economy would take hold.
Spoiler :
Attachments
pole475
The Blinding Light
Update!!!
I tackled playing RoM several times at these (or similar) settings, that is very slow pace. Sadly my PC can't handle that too well
Looking forward to seeing more of this.
Any chance you upload the config file?
Try the new versions of RoM-AND2.2 (here) if you haven't yet, they're much faster than the old RoM and previous versions of AND as well.
Using maps with a high percentage of water also helps (I love naval warfare so that works nice for me).
Which config file exactly do you want? there's tons of them! editing the xml is really easy, you could probably do it yourself.
I'm glad people actually like this
By the way, the RNGod truly hates me. I just crossed into the industrial era, and even with my absurdly higly promoted units, any battle that's less than a 95% chance, it's guaranteed my attacker dies. And I lost some 96% + battles too. I mean, damn.
Blazenclaw
eccentric eclectic
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2010
- Messages
- 496
I have a feeling first strikes affect combat more than the percentage odds indicate, or at least it feels that way to me. I feel like I tend to win more often with lower odds if I have more first strikes, and conversely lose more often against enemies with higher first strike chances.
I think it's because a unit can have multiple first strike chances, and if you're unlucky, an enemy might say damage you 4 times before you can respond, or something like that, and the combat odds only take into account if they do 2, but I'm not familiar enough with the combat mechanics to know if there's any truth to that or not.
While first strikes have always been a difficult factor to consider in combat odds, it's not just a few first strikes making the difference here. A Combat VI Ironclad at full health (hell, just out of the shipyard) shouldn't even get scratched against a Steamer with just Navigation II. But apparently some sailor was smoking near the gunpowder stores and those exploded, it's the only explanation that comes to mind.
Upriver from Khoisan, wandering Noyyau axemen found a village named Chehalis and quickly seized the opportunity to capture some more slaves for the greater glory of the Noyyau Empire (and their own pockets, of course).
In a couple of decades, an expedition was mustered and Chehalis was conquered and razed, its population sent in chains back to Noyyau lands. Exploring the surroundings, the warband found the homeland of the French warriors that had attacked Wark so many centuries before.
And at the same time, in a spot roughly midway between the former positions of Chehalis and Khoisan, a group of settlers from Aachen founded Noyyau, a city that was intended to become the jewel of the Empire.
Surprisingly, even after the destruction of what was believed to be the origin of the sea raiders, more barbarian landings kept occurring.
Even without enemy ships, sailing was a dangerous profession. Many ships were lost to storms and reefs.
In the span of just two Turns, great changes occured in the Noyyau Empire: the methods to work Iron were refined and large deposits of the metal were discovered, and the previously disregarded concept of Writing was now quickly spreading. Studies suggest this happened after the conquest of Chehalis because its inhabitants, now slaves spread across the Empire, were literate and influenced their owners with their knowledge.
Several ways of writing were tried, until an alphabet was established and formalized.
In another attempt at rebellion, a forest near Aachen was set on fire to try and distract the local authorities, but a combination of rainy weather and actual efforts from the government to replant the lost trees managed to choke the revolt before it started.
Spoiler :
In a couple of decades, an expedition was mustered and Chehalis was conquered and razed, its population sent in chains back to Noyyau lands. Exploring the surroundings, the warband found the homeland of the French warriors that had attacked Wark so many centuries before.
And at the same time, in a spot roughly midway between the former positions of Chehalis and Khoisan, a group of settlers from Aachen founded Noyyau, a city that was intended to become the jewel of the Empire.
Spoiler :
Surprisingly, even after the destruction of what was believed to be the origin of the sea raiders, more barbarian landings kept occurring.
Spoiler :
Even without enemy ships, sailing was a dangerous profession. Many ships were lost to storms and reefs.
Spoiler :
In the span of just two Turns, great changes occured in the Noyyau Empire: the methods to work Iron were refined and large deposits of the metal were discovered, and the previously disregarded concept of Writing was now quickly spreading. Studies suggest this happened after the conquest of Chehalis because its inhabitants, now slaves spread across the Empire, were literate and influenced their owners with their knowledge.
Spoiler :
Several ways of writing were tried, until an alphabet was established and formalized.
Spoiler :
In another attempt at rebellion, a forest near Aachen was set on fire to try and distract the local authorities, but a combination of rainy weather and actual efforts from the government to replant the lost trees managed to choke the revolt before it started.
Spoiler :
Through trial and error, Noyyau blacksmiths perfected their techniques, and were able to start producing large quantities of a new kind of weapon: the sword.
The first cadre of swordsmen, eager to prove their worth in battle, began the long trek towards French lands, on the heels of several bands of axemen.
In Turn 410, a massive Noyyau force approached Paris, observing the city from the top of a nearby hill. The siege began in earnest, and while the French archers inflicted some casualties, the traditional Noyyau tower shields and the discipline of the attackers ensured that most of the troops could close the distance to the city unharmed. And as soon as the fighters entered melee range, through a breach opened by rams, axes and swords made short work of the unarmored archers.
The conquest of Paris was a bloody affair, and when the Noyyau finally conquered it, most of the surviving population was made up of women and children.
In Paris, the first true city other than Robertia that the Noyyau had ever seen, things were strange and wondrous.
The French had strange beliefs, thinking that there was only one god as opposed to the plethora of deities of the Noyyau pantheon, which had not changed much since their nomadic days.
And to praise their one god, instead of offering sacrifices, the French regularly organized athletic competitions, to choose one champion for each of several of what we nowadays call “sports”.
The first cadre of swordsmen, eager to prove their worth in battle, began the long trek towards French lands, on the heels of several bands of axemen.
Spoiler :
In Turn 410, a massive Noyyau force approached Paris, observing the city from the top of a nearby hill. The siege began in earnest, and while the French archers inflicted some casualties, the traditional Noyyau tower shields and the discipline of the attackers ensured that most of the troops could close the distance to the city unharmed. And as soon as the fighters entered melee range, through a breach opened by rams, axes and swords made short work of the unarmored archers.
The conquest of Paris was a bloody affair, and when the Noyyau finally conquered it, most of the surviving population was made up of women and children.
Spoiler :
In Paris, the first true city other than Robertia that the Noyyau had ever seen, things were strange and wondrous.
The French had strange beliefs, thinking that there was only one god as opposed to the plethora of deities of the Noyyau pantheon, which had not changed much since their nomadic days.
And to praise their one god, instead of offering sacrifices, the French regularly organized athletic competitions, to choose one champion for each of several of what we nowadays call “sports”.
Spoiler :
GreekAnalyzer
Back from the Dead
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Niiiiice.
From the hills around Paris the Noyyau could enjoy a breathtaking view of the Twin River Valley. What really caught their attention, though, was the glimpse of what seemed like a city, nested on a hill on the other side of the floodplain valley.
Another boon from the conquest of Paris were horses: these animals had been domesticated by the French, but had not been used in battle. The Noyyau recognized their potential, however, as smaller but significantly faster elephants.
Having spent the winter in Paris, come spring the Noyyau army was on the move again, crossing the Seine from French farmland into the still wild floodplains of the Khmer (as these people were called) side.
If the siege of Paris had seemed a bloodbath, the fighting in and around Hariharalaya was a veritable massacre.
The First Swordsmen led many a charge, in their attempts to “win greater glory than the brutish axemen”, as the heroic epics of the time put it. Their commander, William the Conqueror, a native of Aachen, earned his title by having no mercy for his foes.
The siege continued for two long Turns, with brief lulls in the fighting only during the coldest winter months, with the Noyyau warriors camped in the almost impenetrable jungles covering the hills north of the city.
When the last surviving defenders finally surrendered (and were promptly beheaded), of the city itself very little remained. Between elephant charges and accidental fires, all that the Noyyau now controlled was a bunch of smoldering ruins. The population was enslaved and the place abandoned.
Meanwhile, the accidental fermentation of grains forgotten in a Robertian farm led to the discovery of alcoholic drinks, which the rest of the nation quickly discovered it enjoyed.
The soldiers returning from the first Noyyau expedition in foreign lands brought with them not only loot but tales as well. And the ever increasing literacy rate helped in writing most of these down to be preserved for posterity, forming the first core of Noyyau literature.
A revolution in commerce occurred on Turn 424, when the legendary Robertian trader Edward Coke established the first true retail shop, introducing the concept that the producer of the goods does not necessarily need to sell them personally to the public. This sparked an unprecedented economic boom, and in all the excitement, one nobleman by the name of Cid Raynor began his ruthless ascent to the throne.
After decimating his rivals through both subterfuge and single combat, Cid Raynor was crowned as the first king of the Noyyau. The tradition remembers him as “the first true king”, as all before him were mere despots (and because he was the first to so thoroughly exterminate any potential pretender).
Many consider Raynor's reign a Golden Age, a time of growth, stability and peace (internally, obviously, as the Noyyau were quite busy conquering the continent), though it is quite disputed. Modern opinion is leaning more towards the economic revolution as the true cause of the “golden age”.
A status symbol of sorts for the new rich of the time was spending as much as possible on charity, to show they did not care only for themselves.
To this day, royalist supporters (yes, there still are such people, even in this age) never get tired of repeating how he was the first ruler in recorded history to peacefully pass away of old age.
Spoiler :
Another boon from the conquest of Paris were horses: these animals had been domesticated by the French, but had not been used in battle. The Noyyau recognized their potential, however, as smaller but significantly faster elephants.
Spoiler :
Having spent the winter in Paris, come spring the Noyyau army was on the move again, crossing the Seine from French farmland into the still wild floodplains of the Khmer (as these people were called) side.
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If the siege of Paris had seemed a bloodbath, the fighting in and around Hariharalaya was a veritable massacre.
The First Swordsmen led many a charge, in their attempts to “win greater glory than the brutish axemen”, as the heroic epics of the time put it. Their commander, William the Conqueror, a native of Aachen, earned his title by having no mercy for his foes.
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The siege continued for two long Turns, with brief lulls in the fighting only during the coldest winter months, with the Noyyau warriors camped in the almost impenetrable jungles covering the hills north of the city.
When the last surviving defenders finally surrendered (and were promptly beheaded), of the city itself very little remained. Between elephant charges and accidental fires, all that the Noyyau now controlled was a bunch of smoldering ruins. The population was enslaved and the place abandoned.
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Meanwhile, the accidental fermentation of grains forgotten in a Robertian farm led to the discovery of alcoholic drinks, which the rest of the nation quickly discovered it enjoyed.
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The soldiers returning from the first Noyyau expedition in foreign lands brought with them not only loot but tales as well. And the ever increasing literacy rate helped in writing most of these down to be preserved for posterity, forming the first core of Noyyau literature.
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A revolution in commerce occurred on Turn 424, when the legendary Robertian trader Edward Coke established the first true retail shop, introducing the concept that the producer of the goods does not necessarily need to sell them personally to the public. This sparked an unprecedented economic boom, and in all the excitement, one nobleman by the name of Cid Raynor began his ruthless ascent to the throne.
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After decimating his rivals through both subterfuge and single combat, Cid Raynor was crowned as the first king of the Noyyau. The tradition remembers him as “the first true king”, as all before him were mere despots (and because he was the first to so thoroughly exterminate any potential pretender).
Many consider Raynor's reign a Golden Age, a time of growth, stability and peace (internally, obviously, as the Noyyau were quite busy conquering the continent), though it is quite disputed. Modern opinion is leaning more towards the economic revolution as the true cause of the “golden age”.
A status symbol of sorts for the new rich of the time was spending as much as possible on charity, to show they did not care only for themselves.
To this day, royalist supporters (yes, there still are such people, even in this age) never get tired of repeating how he was the first ruler in recorded history to peacefully pass away of old age.
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