CivPedia Thread

[arkham4269]

Clipper

These are the men that sailed with me
In the Lanun clipper Meryn Ambree.

These are the men that kept her going
Through the fog and the ice and the big gales blowing:
Skipper and bosun, mates and sails,
Tough as leather and hard as nails,
Wise in the ways of seas and ships,
Soaked in brine to the finger-tips.

These are the chaps that toiled together
In Trade and Doldrum and black Horn weather:
Scoured and holystoned, reefed and furled,
Watch and watch round the whole wet world,
Hauled and sweated at sheets and braces
With the sun in their eyes or the sleet in their faces,
Fought and fisted the frozen courses
On footropes jumping like bucking horses.

These are the men that sailed and manned,
Worked her and drove her from land to land,
Most of 'em gone, as the ships are gone,
For times must change, as the old words run,
And men change with them, we know full well;
For worse or for better? Time will tell.
This only is certain — ships and men,
We never shall build their likes again.

Ballad of the Meryn Ambee (Famous Lanun Clipper)

HISTORY: Cutting through the waves like a sea serpents, the clipper is the ultimate expression of the Age of Sail. No ship can match it's speed, grace and maneuverability. While not built for war, a well seasoned clipper can even give a Frigate pause.

 

[Seon]

No one wants to comment on the general "ambience" Music I posted?

 

[arkham4269]

No one wants to comment on the general "ambience" Music I posted?

No...it was too creepy to talk about.

 

[Seon]

No...it was too creepy to talk about.

Ha! Score!

 

[Valkrionn]

That.... would have been incredibly creepy late at night. As it was, the first part still made my skin crawl.. then I started laughing.

 

[arkham4269]

"Of course the Gods exist, boy! The point I'm trying to get into your sheepherders skull is what is a God? Power? I have power but that doesn't make me a God. Is it magic? Look at that lumos bulb over there? To some Doviello savage, I'm sure that looks as magical as any fireball but its just something we know how to do that he doesn't. So these Gods are merely beings that have power we don't have and knowledge we don't know...yet. If you'd knock out those old superstitions out of your head, you'd be on your way in finding those answers that will enable us to challenge these so called Gods and keep them from meddling in our rightful affairs."

Lecture in progress, Vaul Academy of Natural Sciences

HISTORY: In a magical world, there is often little reason to question how something works since since the answer, "It is magic" is often a true statement. To the natural philosophy of the Mechanos, this answer is not enough. What is magic and how does it fit in to the rest of the universe? In asking these questions, the Mechanos Adeptus have taken the road less traveled and thus have brought forth knowledge and technology no other civilization of Erebus could even conceive of due to their preconceived acceptance of that simple answer "It is magic" as an answer to all things.

 

[arkham4269]

"Think for a moment about the concept of the flamethrower. Okay? The flamethrower. Because we have them. Well, *we* don't have them, the Mechanos has them. That's right. We don't have any flamethrowers. I' would say we are screwed if we have to go up against the Mechanos, would you not? But there are flamethrowers. And what this indicates to me, it means that at some point, some person said to himself, "Gee, I sure would like to set those people on fire over there. But I am way to far away to get the job done. If only I had something that would throw flame on them." Well, it might have ended right there, but he mentioned it to his Adeptus friend. His friend who was good with tools. And about a month later, he was back. "Hey, quite a concept!" WHHOOOOOOOOSSHHH! And of course the Mechanos army heard about it, and they came around. "We would like to buy about five hundred-thousand of them please. We have some people we'd like to throw flame on. Give us five hundred thousand and paint them dark brown. We don't want anyone to see them!"

Balseraph comedic thespian Gyorgy Karlyn before the Perpentarch Court

HISTORY: Soldiers throughout the ages have steeled themselves to the onrushing line of troops or stood firm even when charged by cavalry or hail of arrows. Yet few are those that can stand to when a fire is directed at them with hellish precision. The Mechanos 'firemen' are a special kind of soldier; some are volunteers while others enlist for a certain time to be pardoned for their crimes. For while they are feared, the danger of going into battle with a tank of volatile liquid on their back is one that rarely allows them to retire after the wars are done.

My Notes: If I have to tell you where I got this...well you need to watch some more classic comedy sketches.

 

[arkham4269]

"The sails they are bent and the cargo is stowed —
Aye, aye, roll along home! —
And far will her way be and lonely her road —
Shake out the topsails and roll along home!
Yes, long is the road through the storm and the shine
That brings me back home to you, true love of mine;
No longer I'll wander, no further I'll roam,
But shake out my topsails and roll along home —
Roll — roll along home!"

Excerpts from "The Way of The Ship" a collection of Lanun Songs and Poetry

HISTORY: After the success the Doviello enjoyed with their drakkar, a new type of ship had to be developed from the old galleys and triremes. Known as Cogs, these ships had much higher gunwales than the Doviello drakkar, and significantly more cargo space, but were still open to the weather. Valuable cargo was being shipped more and more often, and damages from salt water entering over the sides of the ship led to the use of barrels to protect the cargo and keep it dry and safe.

For reasons lost in the mists of time, these barrels, at some point, came to be referred to as “hogsheads.” Hogsheads are a development that would outlast the Cog itself. Hogsheads continued to be employed in the newer caravels and galleons as well as river barges. To the Lanun and many other civilizations, a 'hogshead' is a common unit of liquid measurement.

My Notes: Adapted from Cicely Fox Smith's (1882-1954) "Roll Along Home" written in 1920

 

[arkham4269]

"You see, my boys, it is a marriage of sorcery, craftsmanship, and to be frank, a lot of luck. That our golems can throw fire is wondrous enough to our enemies but most never think of the real wonder in how we are able to do this in the first place! I mean who would have thought a love sick sorcerer's attempt to make a crystal that would carry a flicker of flame inside forever to give to the lady who had constantly spurned him would end up being the discovery that gave our golems a power usually reserved for mages? By my father's beard, Kilmorph certainly smiled upon us that day!"

Lurchirp Crystalsmith Harin Forkbeard to a new group of apprentices

HISTORY: After the accidental discovery of embedding a crystal with mana from a fire node, Lurchirp craftsmen have used a process one part alchemy, one part sorcery, and one part mechanics to gift their golems with the ability to cast fireballs. Yet for all their jewelers care, the making of such crystals is fraught with danger as often times the crystal explode under the strain, making the blasting workshop a odd mix of precision workshop, jewelry shop and armored bunker.

 

[arkham4269]

"Move to the city? Have you had to much mead on this your wedding day? Out here we make our own rules to run our day to day affairs. We make our own friends, whether they be orc or elf; I would like to see you do that in town and get ahead in society no matter what people say about tolerance. No, as long as we pay our taxes, don't deface any of the monuments to His Most Royal Majesty and keep quiet, we are as much lords then any Bannor Baron or Calibim Governor. Cities! Phagh! There the lowest tax collector ends up being your master!"

Miller Foran Jopspur to his son and new wife, somewhere in the Kuriotate hinterlands

HISTORY: While many civilizations try to keep an iron grip on their lands, the Kuriotates took a counter-intuitive path. By keeping strict control of growth in the King's hand could easily have brought resentment to the masses. Yet in this total control, the Kuriotates allow almost unlimited freedom to their enclaves. Thus any disgruntled citizens in the Royal cities can easily leave to the enclaves and live as they please. In time the disgruntlement turns to loyalty to a King willing to allow his people so much direction in their own lives. Even when the tides of war turn against the Kuriotates and many an enclave is conquered by a foe, the independent minded folk bide their time, secure in knowing the Dragon Blessed God-King will come for them in the fullness of time, never in their hearts giving in to the oppression set upon them.

 

[arkham4269]

Have a general question here. Looking at the current Civlopedia, it seems to me that the Beserker Pit and the Bear Totem seem to be reversed. The Bear Totem (which I would think as being more of a religious thing) is listed as being the Doviello version of the Training Yard while the Beserker Pit is the Doviello version of the Pagan Temple. Plus the History of the Beserker Pit is much more in line with a Training Yard and is more akin to the Balseraph Arena UB.

Shouldn't that be the other way around? Early Doviello pray at the Bear Totem, doing all sorts of shamanistic ritualistic magic to imbue themselves with the spirit and strength of a bear. Then the Beserker Pit is where only the strong survive the training and thus able to go on to be the elite of Asenas?

Plus, in some respects, if I am correct, shouldn't it be changed to a Animal Totem? I would think that different groups of Doviello would revere different animals. I'm sure the recon folks would revere the speed of the wolf for an example.

 

[Tayschrenn]

University

Not only is a university a centre of learning in any empire, moreover, research is done here on great scale and knowledge is gathered to further the research. There can be any number of faculties depending on the interests of nations, being physical, philosofical, theological or arcane. But remember "Knowledge ís Power" and where power gathers it will distort reality, as can be seen on a bit smaller scale in libraries. Then again, universities aren't any ordinary places of knowledge, so if the innerbuilding has two floors more than the outside suggests, don't worry, there is a logicalexplanation

Arch-chancellor Stuppadly, lecturing a fresh class of first years, University of Ciriail

 

[Jabie]

Flagbearer

No sooner did we kill one than five more of those accursed god-botherers would scuttle to take his place.

Gritkan Goreguts explaining to Jonas Endain why the Clan of Embers was defeated by the Bannor in the Battle of Calmor Plain.

 

[Jabie]

Shadow Court

I demanded she show me this court of hers, that I might make an example of them. The elf just smiled, a wicked, wispy smile, and agreed to lead the way.

She led me across the Mournflow Bridge, and made no attempt to evade my grasp in the chaos of the traffic, although she had ample opportunity to do so. We slipped down mossy steps and into the old alleyway beside The Stag's Head, where the ale is so rotten even the orcs will not drink it. I followed my quarry to the docks, then through a warehouse, empty and forlorn, forgotten property of some failed merchant. Surely, I thought, this is the place, but still she continued onwards. We passed through the nicer district of town, and I marveled at the marble monuments and statues to ancient heroes that adorned the facades of the residences, but my companion did not let up. She led me up the hill and into the graveyard, where lilies droop sadly in the sun and time has ground away the names of the dead. Not for a moment did she pause. Next we passed the courthouse, filled with lawyers and priests discussing the ethics of murderers and thieves, but still my compatriot merely continued upon her way. By the time the sun had reached it's zenith, we had returned to the Mournflow Bridge.

I snapped and angrily demanded to know where I could find the Shadow Court.

"You are already there," she said, "and you have been all morning."

 

[Ahwaric]

Anyone can use any of my text. All I ask is that I'm listed in the "I'd like to thank the following..." list.

Besides, half the fun is wanting people to appreciate this stuff! Although my ego does compel me to admit I didn't write it, just tweaked it from a Bedouin poem.

you're... unstoppable arkham4269 is now officially the human pedia creator

I hope the position of court writer for Orbis is good enough? There is no mod team, but you just got the position close to it - listed in the second post of welcome thread.
Thanks again for all the entries. You write them faster than I can add them to mod

Regarding Berserker's pit and bear totem - the reason they are where they are is purely historical - the totem was already taken, and was used by all civs. But you are right, they fit better the other way around. I will try to change it. Tempted to add different totems, but I will rather keep it simple.

History: The emnity between the Prospectors Guild and the Order of Arches is legendary. Each guild claims to construct the best mines in Erebus. Recent reconciliation talks staged by the Stonewardens of Kilmorph ended in bitter recrimincation when Abdul's rabbit stew was found to be laced with hemlock.

I am sorry to be negative again, I really am. But order of arches has nothing to do with mines. They are constructors, not miners. Think of architects that created gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe - there are secret messages in the proportions, symbols in details. There is no rivalry between prospectors and arches. Architects use the products of mines, but that is all.
I think Freemasonry and The Da Vinci Code give some general feeling of it, but it was much deeper and more connected to the actual art and engineering.

I really like Shadow Court though

No one wants to comment on the general "ambience" Music I posted?

Creeepy. I wanted to kill the laughing one after hearing half of it...

 

[Jabie]

I am sorry to be negative again, I really am. But order of arches has nothing to do with mines. They are constructors, not miners. Think of architects that created gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe - there are secret messages in the proportions, symbols in details. There is no rivalry between prospectors and arches. Architects use the products of mines, but that is all. I think Freemasonry and The Da Vinci Code give some general feeling of it, but it was much deeper and more connected to the actual art and engineering.

Hey, no probs, someone's got to be the editor I wanted to exploit the natural rivalries between the guilds, but the mining link was always tenuous at best. A riff on prospectors wanting to sell materials at expensive prices and architects wanting to purchase them cheaply might be a better angle.

I really like Shadow Court though

Great. I've a loose idea of how to continue the story into the Den of Esus.

 

[Tayschrenn]

Trollslayer

Grung the Troll went one day stalking,
He stole a bunch of cows and a chicken from the field
The farmer didn't like and went calling
and o my a succes did it yield

Reem the slayer was one nasty fella'
He found Grung wideeyed with the chicken on the spit
One nice blow send the head high flying,
and now it decorates a mantelpiece of how it fit

Dwarven song - 52 years after the end of Winter (Translated 155 AoR, by Balian the Loud, Bard at the court of the Momus)

 

[Tayschrenn]

Bath House

A bath a day, keeps impurities away

Bannor saying - sourcs unknown

 

[arkham4269]

I hope the position of court writer for Orbis is good enough? There is no mod team, but you just got the position close to it - listed in the second post of welcome thread.

Since my wife can't have kids, I'll take what I can for my 'immortality' - Ian Alexander, Born 1966, Died 2076 - One hell of a Civlopedia Writer!

Thanks again for all the entries. You write them faster than I can add them to mod

I'm sure it's feast or famine, eh? BTW, taking out all the ' is a pain! I feel like I'm channeling Star Trek's Data who cannot use contractions!

Regarding Berserker's pit and bear totem - the reason they are where they are is purely historical - the totem was already taken, and was used by all civs. But you are right, they fit better the other way around. I will try to change it. Tempted to add different totems, but I will rather keep it simple.

I agree. I know when I play the Doviello (which is often w/Orbis!) I tend to keep the wolves to be used by the recon units. It just seems more elegant. Almost like different tribes/families of the Doviello tend to go down certain paths. Those who favor the wolf go for speed and smarts and thus become great rangers while the bear or lion totem folks end up Sons of Asenas. Nothing that needs to be shown in the game, but maybe something referenced in the Civlopedia, history or maybe a possible scenario someday. Something like akin to that scenario where the Lanun have to capture animals for the Balseraphs.

I think I asked this before, but while many of these entries are very Orbis specific, are any of these sucked up into other mods like FF? I would think a few of the entries I've seen and a few I've written would apply for almost any FfH mod.

 

[arkham4269]

Got a general question. I know there is a FfH Wiki - http://fallfromheaven.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page - but it doesn't seem to be updated. Like someone started it and then stopped. Is there another place to look for stuff? Since I'm having issues with WiFi, I post on my wife's computer but Orbis is on my laptop. So when creating entries, I have to have both on to check Civlopedias.

So I guess what I'm asking is there any other places to get info on units, buildings and the like? Plus, is there a Wiki that isn't being used that can possibly be taken over? Hell I wish my HTML knowledge was up to scratch, I'd be willing to do a Orbis Wiki just for the fun of it.

Also, can we get a sketch about the Mechanos' and their 'machine spirits' - I've been writing them as 19th Century Nature Philosophers who want to pick apart nature and all that. Very Victorian England in that which fits the Steampunk motiff. However, I've read 'pedia entries and things about the spirit of the machines and I want to know more about them.