Community Request: Building Pedia Entries

[[NWO]_Valis]

The Nexus

Civilopedia

"The astro-philosophers of Krull once succeeded in proving conclusively that all places are one place and that the distance between them is an illusion, and this news was an embarassment to all thinking philosophers because it did not explain, among other things, signposts. After years of wrangling the whole thing was then turned over to Ly Tin Wheedle, arguably the Disc's greatest philosopher, who after some thought proclaimed that although it was indeed true that allplaces were one place, that place was very large."
--Terry Pratchett, "Sourcery"

Strategy text

One of the two reasons that you would build a dimension node. Te first is to have escape for your casters. For now it is the only spell in that sphere. The second is this wonderful wonder that gives you an obsidian gate in every city and settlement.

 

[Gelvan]

The Dungeon Spiders and their webs decorate an awkward wall inside of the dark hole, where traitor's are thrown into for the rest of their life. Only one portal leads in these caves of despair, only one man has the key. The commander of the guardians, Erwos - he opens and closes the door personally. There are no guards inside the Dungeon which lies beneath the sewers of the city. But rumors are there is a dark creature somewhere in this labyrinth who has found this place in one of Hemah's dark dreams. Others say there would be only rats - but thousands of them! - fed by the guardians to make the punishment complete. Erwos alone can decide if someone is guilty of a betrayal of the crown. That's why he is feared by the citizen. If it was a speech of peace, or only a tax evasion - the punishment is the Dungeon.

Strategic Value:
When you decide what to build next a Dungeon is not your first choice most often, a +1 is a bad thing to have. Not so if you have a war going on for more than 10 [?] turns. At this point you'll be forced to make a peace treaty if you don't want to loose many population points due to war weariness. A Dungeon can help you to continue a war. Also it's useful for big empires thanks to it's -20% upkeep cost.

 

[Black Whole]

Velox Workshop

Deggim stood in front of the window, looking at the city outside.
'You all heard the terrible news; many of our golems were destroyed in the field before they even had a chance to reach the enemy. Damn cannons! Without them, our foes would already lie trampled down by our army. Instead, we had to withdraw and fortify behind the city walls. It is only a matter of time until they capture this city.'
He turned around and scanned every commander narrowly.
'How many troops do we have in the city?'
'Not enough to defeat our enemy. Only the militia and the rest of our army.', answered Mareg, the youngest of the generals.
'So we have about 250 men plus the remaining golems. And it would take too much time to create more of them, am I right?'
'Yes, Sir'
'It would be senseless anyway. They were destroyed before they could attack. We are lost.'
'Not yet' replied Mareg. 'I have an idea, which could save this city.'
'Only could? Well better than to give up. Let's hear your idea then.'
'Now our golems are too slow to reach our foes in time. But what when we reduce the material and the armor they have? They would be much faster and could eliminate those cannons. Afterwards, we can send out our other golems.'
It was silent for an instance.
'General Mareg, you are a genius. You heard it! Tell our craftsmen to reform the golems, we haven't much time.'

Since this day nearly every Luchuirp city has a workshop specialized on forming fast golems.

Strategy text:
With the Velox Workshop, every of your golems produced in this city gets the Light promotion, which grants the golem +1 movement and a 10% withdrawal chance but reduces its strength 20%. It cannot be built in a city with the armament molds in it.

 

[3141592]

Inn
An inn is more then just a place for weary warriors to rest and recover, it is a meeting place where one never knows what old friends they'll run into, or what new business venture they may encounter.

Strategy
The in gives the city an extra trade route and a 25% boost to trade income. Units also heal an extra 25%.

Bowyer
Even the most terrible man or beast can be stared down, fought, and destroyed. An arrow can't.
Unknown
Strategy
Use a Bowyer to create powerful flurries or marksmen, and all archers produced in the city recieve +2XP.

Bear totem
Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!
Ork Berserkers
Strategy
A Bear totem allows you to create berserker units. Just remember, they're only good on the attack.

 

[Miloe]

Eyes and Ears Network

I cant sleep. I fear if I close my eyes they will come and silence me for good. Oh why wont anyone listen to me. They come to our lands, wear our clothes and behave like us. But I will not be fooled by them. I'm the only one who knows the truth. People must be warned. They are everywhere.

- part of local madman's diary

 

[Gutus]

Bazaar of Mammon

Civilopedia

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both Gods and Mammon. Which is why I choose to serve Mammon"

Arcom Lopo, one of Lanun pirate captains.

Strategy text

Bazaar skyrockets your city income, better build it in a city with a decent gold income. If you are not Ashen Veil, preferably your holy city. Bazaar will also help you to produce great merchants.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Bazaar skyrockets your city income, better build it in a city with a decent gold income. If you are running the god king, preferably your capitol. Bazaar will also help you to produce great merchants.

Just a note: I believe the multipliers from God King and the Bazaar of Mammon don't stack. I suggest putting it in any holy cities you have (except the AV one).

 

[Gutus]

This issue needs clarification, unfortunatelly I do not have means to check that now. I will add your, safer description Chandrasekhar and think of adding the one with god king, if someone can verify it.

 

[[NWO]_Valis]

Freak Show

Civilopedia



All moveables of wonder, from all parts,
Are here--Albinos, painted Indians, Dwarfs,
The Horse of knowledge, and the learned Pig,
The Stone-eater, the man that swallows fire,
Giants, Ventriloquists, the Invisible Girl,
The Bust that speaks and moves its goggling eyes,
The Wax-work, Clock-work, all the marvellous craft
Of modern Merlins, Wild Beasts, Puppet-shows,
All out-o'-the-way, far-fetched, perverted things,
All freaks of nature, all Promethean thoughts
Of man, his dulness, madness, and their feats
All jumbled up together, to compose
A Parliament of Monsters. Tents and Booths
Meanwhile, as if the whole were one vast mill,
Are vomiting, receiving on all sides,
Men, Women, three-years' Children, Babes in arms.

Wordsworth's description of Bartholomew Fair (from The Prelude, Book 7. 1805, lines 706 - 721)


Strategy text

You know that if you have a carnival you can build animal cages, righ? Why only limit your self to animals I am asking you?! With the additional building called Freak Show [that replaces the hunting lodge for other civilisations] you can use your captured slaves to increase further the happiness of your people, culture and the chance you will get a Great Bard. It also allows you to make a bard specialist.
This building is necessarily for Balseraphs to be efficient in stealing land with culture war.
It is unique to Balseraphs.


[ the pedia quote is from this site: http://freaks.monstrous.com/freaks_show.htm ]

 

[[NWO]_Valis]

Ok, this is a tricky one but we DO have a Republic in FfH and this IS a game of alternate outcomes.

Winter Palace

Civilopedia

The blank shot of Aurora's canon served as a signal for the sturm of Winter Palace and beginning of Great [name of FfH month] Revolution in 417 Age of Rebirth. Man O'War Aurora deemed to be the mightiest battle ship in existence, since even the blank shot of its canon destroyed the whole country in split of second.

--Forging of The Great Grigori Republic

Strategy text

This one you already know, it is the same as Forbidden palace but you need at least 12 cities to build it. It is recommended to be build in a newly conquered continent so the maintenance of your new 'jewels in the crown' of your empire wont drag your budget do the limits of bankruptcy. It will increase the cultural output of the city as well.

A good strategy is to keep a Great Engineer to build the Forbidden Palace or Winter Palace in one turn after you sign peace treaties with the emeries you have taken the surplus cites from.

 

[Gamestation]

Siege Workshop

Civilopedia
"Master Ding, would you consider making me your apprentice?"
"Why of course! It seems very few young men ever come to me anymore to learn about the wonderful job of being a siege engineer. So tell me, what is it that made you think of becoming one anyway? The idea that you can create weapons that will turn the tide of wars, crushing the defenses of any city to rubble, and all this from a safe distance away from all the combat?"
"Yeah that sounds great!"
"Or, is it the idea that you will get to work very closely with these machines? So closely in fact that you realize that any little mistake could completely jeopardize the entire campaign. That one slight miscalculation could be the end of your company. That your catapult may be flinging boulders upon your own. Or that you may accidently put in too much gunpowder in your cannon, causing it to blow up."
"Erm, I think I'm having second thoughts Master Ding, where is the swordsmith?"
"It seems everyone who asks me always has second thoughts..."

-Master Engineer Ding and young man

Strategy Text
A costly investment in hammers, siege workshops should only be constructed in cities with a high production. A siege workshop is required to build catapults, cannons, and chariots.

 

[Gelvan]

Obelisk
Martha our Acolyte was standing in front of the Obelisk, the moon was spending some light in the darkness. Our leader started the ritual. He walked to her, kneeled down and said the phrase. "Here we stand, before the gods, here we stand before their voice" and Martha answered "And here the gods, they speak through me, here they say we need a fee". Then our leader took the sack of gold he had collected and opened the cord. He put the gold in front of Martha and she spoke silently to the gods. The obelisk was flushed in a blue light - and the gold disappeard. "The gods have accepted the fee", Martha said and the ritual ended.
Kanthor, a pilgram from a small village near the frontier.

Strategic Value:
An Obelisk provides a great cultural influence, which will spread your civilizations cultural borders fast. This helps in grabbing more resources without building more cities. But remember: it costs 1 gold which will slow your research. Take in account what neighbours you have, are they creative? Have you Balseraph or a civilization with many religious buildings beside you? Then you have to build Obelisks. Cultural borders provide a sanctuary from animals as well.

 

[Xuenay]

I also have a special request for Xuenay, he wrote a lot of the OO spell pedia tags and does an amazing job capturing their flavor (a little to good, sometimes I worry) so if your available and willing Xeunay Im saving these building entries for you:

*****Asylum
*****Temple of the Overlords

Oooh, thanks. I've been a bit busy recently, but I'll promise to see what I can do with these two. Just give me a couple of days - I'm already getting some ideas...

(By the way - I notice the Infernal Grimoire is on the list. By mistake, or did Fire outdate my old flavor text for it, or something else?)

 

[Samael]

Library

Civilopedia
"We all know of stories. The old legends told around the flames, held dear by those venerable figures. The words spoken only hoped to survive for a moment, in the minds of those around, sometimes staying long enough to be passed to others. No longer. Not here. Within this building, the tales forever preserved. They live through the ages, presented for all to know. This is the heart of civilization."
- Anonymous Librarian

With the compiling of such a variety of texts under one roof, any scholar, mage, priest and, sometimes, even the common folk may find some of the answers that they seek or, at least, clues. Furthermore, with all these literary works available and the gathering of the studious around them, the interest in learning grows and the city can provide a new sage.

Strategy Text
Its early availability and increase in science makes the library a must for any growing city, especially in the early game to try and gain a lead in technology. Its probably better to focus on something else though, such as in times of war or when science has to be lowered due to a financial deficit.


Thieves Guild

Civilopedia
"One must be certainly wary of the streets in the night, lit only the flickering flames of the odd torch by the paths and guarded only by weary men of the Watch – longing for rest. It was on such a street I found myself on just only last night. After a successful evening attending the exciting wiles of the casino, I had wandered out to the streets to find a place to rest the night. No sooner has I turned a corner when I felt the wind whip at me, the shadows slide and stretch from the surrounding avenues, sweeping passed and down the next road.
It was several moments later, I realised, that my purse had been cut and a Thieving Permit had been pinned to it. Now, good fellow, I would rather like the contents back."
Nobleman, reporting the theft to the local Thieves Guild

Strategy TextThe bonus to recon units and the fact that it allows superior ones to be trained is a fair advantage. However, the increase of licensed thieves is hurtful to the economy as the rich - the money lenders, tax collectors, lords, nobles and, of course, yourself - find themselves relieved of some of their golden burden. This is not something you would wish to construct in your most prosperous cities and, if your civilization is running Mercantilism, you may wish to put it in a city that has a great surplus of happiness or - if you are worshipping the Overlords - where the Tower of Complacency can be found.

 

[Black Whole]

Golem Workshop

While the years were passing by, the Luchurip recognised, that their golems, they can produce at this time, aren't suited for war anymore. The wood golems were burnt down by the fireballs of the hostile mages, the gargoyles were torn to shreds by the stone-throwing catapults and the iron golems, their strongest weapon, was much too complicated to create in the forges. So they looked for a new and primarily easy possibility to fabricate golems. And the new possibility is called Golem Workshop.
In this building, there is a room with a smith's heart, which can generate a big ardour with magic. In this room, huge pieces of metal like copper can be heated and shaped without being taken from the fire. After the shaping is finished, the craftsmen pour water over the golem so he becomes solid. Then it's the task of the mages to make him a being.
Of course, this procedure coudn't be kept secret and in the following years, many copied it, but nobody could manage this like the Luchuirp.

Strategy text:
The Golem Workshop allows the creation of the copper golem, and, for the Luchuirp, it opens up golem-improving buildings like the Armament Molds, the Velox Workshop and the Blasting Workshop.

 

[Kael]

Oooh, thanks. I've been a bit busy recently, but I'll promise to see what I can do with these two. Just give me a couple of days - I'm already getting some ideas...

(By the way - I notice the Infernal Grimoire is on the list. By mistake, or did Fire outdate my old flavor text for it, or something else?)

It was a mistake, I'll remove it from the list.

 

[Kael]

Okay, I updated the first post with the entires I checked in. I know its just personal opinion that keep some in and some out and I appreciate everys entries, even if I didn't use yours. In general I prefer not to use to many real quotes, there are definitly a few scattered through FfH, and I did use the Terry Prachett one valis linked but in general I would prefer new things.

Im not to interested in the strategy tags at this point. The reason is that while we are changing things so much the strategy tags often become obsolete and I spend a lot of time going back and fixing them (or they create more confusion that they are worth). Right now Im only using strategy tags if something about the building needs to be described that isnt indicated from the main help.

 

[Nero's fire]

Governors Manor
Mikael held his hand nervously in his hand. He never liked coming to the manor home, rumors of people going in and never leaving were common in the city but he was chosen by villagers to get help.
"My lord, sorry to bother you but the villagers are sick. The aqueducts have fallen into disrepair, animals lie dead in our streets, and desiese has become common place. We beg of you my lord send help some of the townsfolk are beginning to lose faith in you."
"Fear not, I have foreseen this problem and have already dispatched a man to clean up the town. He is a efficient man and when he leaves you have my word there will not be a sick or malcontent person left."
Something in the governors tone made the man wonder if it was actually a good idea to come.

 

[Red Boxer]

Breeding Pit

"...and whatever you do never, ever order a shepherd's pie in Prespur."
-[insert Great Merchant's name, I couldn't find a list] to an apprentice peddler

or

Master Flauroserviam Notar hurried along the muddied path, pulling his heavy livery above his ankles, remembering the last reprimand he received. Even with the torrents of rain, the smell didn't abate as he worked his way down to the pits from the palace. The Broodseers walked amongst their brood culling out those ready to serve their city. Little was wasted, they first took their turn in the palace, where Dominatii drank of them, and from their they went to their servants. Food was always plentiful, even after the worst of seasons, it was just best not to think on where it came from.

 

[Gamestation]

Code of Junil

Resolve the weaknesses of your heart,
Obey the laws of your providence,
Yield to the goodness that surrounds you,
Grant silence to those who betray it,
Bring wrath upon those who will destroy,
Inspire love of the righteous law,
Vest in you is the Code of Junil

Just a little note: I wanted to use "Thy"s and "Thou"s or whatever they are but I'm not sure which goes where so if you include this and you do know which goes where then by all means change them.