Aah, I think we need a bit of clarification from Dafty with regards movement/costs. I consider that my warriors are currently on our border, so I don't know what cost it would be to move to the northern border to help defend. That being said, I don't particularly want to march another hex again over and invading...
Just a reminder, deadline is about 31 hours from time of this post. I put it back to the end of Saturday UK time, since the update was delayed.
@Terrance888 and @Aiken_Drumn, I'm happy for the Toltec warrior to operate out of Deqline lands as a kind of mercenary this turn. Terrance will have less AP next turn due to the upkeep cost that is transferred to the Deqline, and Toltec will have some savings.
Action 1: Glut ourselves on kangaroo meat, if we are to drive them from this island as we did the crocodiles then so be it. We will sit alone atop a mountain of unfeathered beasts, surveying our home of bird and clay.
Action 2: Medicinal herbs and practices will be recorded and spread. Some folks die when being implanted with feathers, others die from infected cuts. This is not good.
Action 3: Carve paths through the continent to connect our settlements and ease transportation/redistribution of kangaroo meat. We must always remember to feed our brethren, no matter the distance.
Leadership 1:Unify ourselves with frequent communication and a shared worship of biggest birb. The Ogres might have survived in the swamps alone, but it is only through a united people that we might overcome these less than joyful times.
Note: What possible cataclysm might result from killing every large non-bird on this continent? Let's find out! Current zeitgeist is to make this continent birblandia, and then make the archipelago birblandia, and then the whole world birblandia.
Note 2: Feathers will no longer be a leader only accessory, we shall all become birb.
Action Point (AP) spending:
Start creating orchards and farms from local edible plants.
Build fishing villages on islands to the south east.
Breed the pet birds to be bigger and more ferocious.
Figure out what plants are good for medicinal purposes.
Craft slings for better hunting of smaller animals.
.Leadership Point (LP) spending - Have the gathering of priests create laws in order to create unity and cement their power.
Burial rites: The deceased has their head removed and buried under the family's guardian statue. The body is buried away from the village in the jungle.
This era marks the transition to written history and the historical age, as well as the milestone discovery of bronze working. A chain of events starting with Toltec warriors in the west led to the near-collapse of Chappa Eih civilization and the ascendency of the Trasque-Oxlen cultural complex in the east.
---
In the west, this was still a time before any history was written down, and relations between the Deqlne and toltec cultures are hard to untangle. But it seems Toltec warriors now offered protection in the northern borderlands of the Deqline. Whether planned or not, this led to Toltec warriors pushing north into Alicorn hunting lands, ahead of waves of Deqline migrants arriving from land and sea, from whom the Toltec warriors gathered tribute.
The Alicorn culture now seems to have faced numerous serious threats within the space of a generation - the multi-pronged incursion of the Toltec and Deqline, combined with pressure from Keduklan seafarers that had begun to organise raiding expeditions inland, and last but not least - a sudden and large migration of Yondyr peoples from their chilly and over-stretched homeland in the north, venturing through Alicorn lands to the east. It was not the first time that the Yordyr had ventured east, but they now did so on a much larger scale, perhaps encouraged by tales of warm summers and plentiful game animals that could be hunted there.
Evidence suggests that up to two thirds of the entire Yondyr population left their homeland behind, and made a journey that - according to legend - was led by a blind shaman who claimed to be in communication with supernatural ravens. There was almost certainly a series of battles as they pushed through Alicorn land, though the main Alicorn settlements from this time show no sign of destruction, so they either withstood attacks or were simply bypassed. As the Alicorn were a multi-ethic group, it is likely that some of them chose to rejoin their Yorndyr or Delqine kin during the chaos, even as the Alicorn took yet more captives in ambushes against the invaders. However, facing threats on numerous fronts, the Alicorn simply could not prevent the bulk of the Yorndyr migration passing through, nor the Deqline from getting a toe-hold in the south.
The end result was further mixing of populations in the north, and the addition of new chapters of legends to the Alicorn mythology. The Alicorn lost ground in the south around the inland sea, but there are signs of Alicorn groups pushing north into the former-Yondyr lands as they were near-abandoned. There are no signs of serious collapse of the Alicorn population - indeed, it seems herds of semi-domesticated cattle were actually expanding at this time. Meanwhile, a Yondyr remnant culture persisted in the north, but there are signs that their ancient monuments were already beginning to deteriorate, and Keduklan sea-peoples were also beginning to make raids or demand tribute from the remaining northerners.
The tradition of stone circles and monoliths would continue to spread however, with similar new monuments being raised by the Deqline in their own lands, along with a proto-runic script that showed some similarity to earlier Alicorn pictographs.
In the western islands, the tradition of great festivals and cultural gatherings shows a decline, likely related to the increasing violence in the region over land and sea, and a more aggressive stance of the islanders. However, it was at this time that a true copper age began in the islands, with copper artefacts becoming more widely made and traded. This coincided with Deqline goldsmiths reaching a new level of sophistication in their art, producing some of the few western items that were considered worthy enough to be traded all the way to the Oxlen settlements of the east. By contrast, there is a sharp decline in tin and silver artefacts made by the Yorndyr remnants - perhaps understandable, as their focus turned to survival.
SpoilerYorndyr tribe - NPC :
Minor tribe made of the remnants of what was formerly a significant culture, the majority of which emigrated to eastern lands.
The people busy themselves with fishing, hunting and general survival, while most of the ancient monuments are increasingly weathered and abandoned.
The people export a few tin and silver ornaments. They have fine stone tools.
SpoilerAlicorn tribe - Thomas.berubeg :
More trees are cut down
Tribal gatherings and meetings take place
Basic leather-making is developed
Raids are sent into other lands, but have to retreat to their strongholds as there is an invasion by Toltec and Deqline in the south, combined with a large migration of Yorndyr.
Despite the tribal gatherings, Some of those formerly assimilated from nearby tribes chose to join the Deqline or the Yorndyr migration. The overall population increases slightly.
Goat domestication - herds expand
Goldworking developed - gold ornaments in high demand
Boats built on eastern shores
Fishing begins off eastern shores (there is now some competition for fish)
Fine stone tools are made. They are highly valued.
A stoneworking and monument-raising tradition is formed, inspired by the monuments of the northern peoples.
Trade is encouraged with the east
Copperworking is developed
Boatbuilding is developed
Ships are sent against pirates - largely succesful, however there are now corruptive elements on the mainland among the religious class
The inland sea at the centre of the continent seems to have been a relative oasis of calm, surrounded by violent events on land.
The culture known as the Akoltec continued to develop on the northern island. Local marble minerals were exploited as a building material for new ritual/temple sites, likely inspired by contact with the temple site of Yovach in the Chappa lands. Marble was also fashioned into small vessels and trinkets for trading with the mainland. There is evidence of hedonistic rituals involving copious amounts of wine, being both commercial and religious in nature.
The Deqline were also beginning to venture onto the inland sea at this time, likely this was a direct continuation of the boatbuilding tradition of the ‘sea people’ or Keduklan islander culture of the west, via immigrants who were assimilating into Deqline culture and crossing the great western peninsular. Signs of their influence are seen in the Akoltec.
Toltec boats were increasingly large and seaworthy throughout this era. Though made from little more than woven branches and treated animal hides, they were able to carry larger numbers of people and goods back and forth across the inland sea - goods which now included Deqline gold, Akoltec wine, Toltec ivory and hides, Trasque gems and copper, Chappa pottery and obsidian, and fine Oxlen glazeware.
The need to keep track of all this commerce was perhaps one of the spurring factors for the invention of the Khipu recording system by the Toltec - this was not a true written language, but rather an ingenious way to encode information in the form of knots on certain lengths of string. It was also lightweight enough to be easily carried long-distance by emissaries and messengers.
This burgeoning trade was interrupted, however, by the arrival of sizeable Yorndyr populations on the north-east edge of the inland sea, where they fused with the Vyrsa - their cultural relatives, and mixed descendents of earlier migrants - to form a kind of supergroup of migrating people. Perhaps initially planning to live as nomadic hunters among the grasslands, their ambitions may have turned more violent following the ordeal of getting through Alicron lands, or upon learning of the great wealth and abundant food being produced by the peoples inhabiting the lower Chappa river. According to legend, the migrants were led by fierce warriors clad in bearskin and wielding carefully-weighted, curved wooden clubs embedded with sharepend stone blades - reconstructions suggest such weapons were capable of causing hideous wounds and near-amputations of limbs. Surviving petroglyphs even show these weapons being dual-wielded by brave warriors.
It seems the invaders fell upon the Chappa Eih at an inopportune moment - Chappa leaders had embarked on an expedition to subjugate the southern semi-desert region inhabited by Omriti peoples, and secure access to the hunting and foraging that the region offered. The Omriti seem to have fought back hard, and this meant the Chappa leaders were unable to respond effectively to the new northern threat.
Evidence shows widespread violence, with large settlements and proto-cities along the mid-chappa river being burned and looted by the northern invaders. The Marad Zeih, formerly a colony of outcasts from Chappa heartland, took advantage of the chaos to return inland from their island stronghold at the mouth of the Chappa river, causing further disruption. Widespread abandonment of farmland, as people sought shelter from invaders, would’ve likely led to mass starvation and disease in short order.
The large temple site of Yovach, built up by previous generations, was now looted and subsequently near-abandoned, seemingly reduced to a trickle of ritual activity in the following years, with little to no maintenance being done. All of this was undoubtedly a major blow to the world-view of the Chappa, in which a pantheon of gods were meant to protect the people from all manner of disasters.
The Chappa began to recover under a new cultural phase known as the Nappa Tar or literally ‘south side’, with a base of power made from the former fledgling military of the former Chappa Eih and some of the settlements which had escaped attack. They began to mix with Sil-Eshal migrants and Omriti slaves to form a more ethnically-mixed culture than before. Warriors armed with an early form of longbow were particularly feared in battle on open terrain. They would however now have to contend with the Marad Zeih culture at the mouth of the chappa, which had now established itself as a serious rival.
The Yorndyr-Vysra supergroup would continue to raid Chappa and even Trasque lands for some time, before beginning to lose steam and fragment into two increasingly-different groups, seemingly hastened by outbreaks of contagious disease. They would form the Syresh and Eaorndyr, each being a different kind of hybridisation with the eastern peoples. The Eaorndyr were closer to their Yorndyr ancestors and continued the same tradition of monument-raising, erecting monolithic stones to honour fallen noble warriors.
By the end of this era, the amount of east/west trade through the region was still far below its initial highs, though there was still a significant accumulation of copper, gold and gold-copper artefacts.
SpoilerToltec culture - Aiken_Drumn :
- Pigs (normal-sized) imported from Akoltec and begin to be domesticated on the east coast
- grain seeds imported from the Chappa region are sown around Tecnoclaen, with some success.
- Khipu recording system invented; this is a force-multiplier for the political system
- boats developed further; fishing developed. There is competition for fishing around Akoltec waters.
Warriors fought in Alicorn lands and helped Delqine expand there. Delqine pay the warrior’s upkeep, and the warriors contribute somewhat to loot/tribue this turn.
There is some danger the warriors will go fully independent and go wandering if not recalled soon.
Domesticated goats spread from the north. They now provide a more regular source of meat and hides in some marginal areas.
Foreign peoples have more influential religions, and monuments. There is a danger of traditional Toltec shamanism fragmenting into numerous syncretic faiths.
Kerutumos seafarers arrive off the west coast, offering a trade in copper and wool.
Government is now barely functional for the size of population and complexity of foreign relations - the invention of Khipu has helped stave off serious problems this turn, but it is likely there will be splinter-groups or civil wars in future.
Some of the elite are becoming corrupt and aggrandising themselves.
Tecnoclaen needs more investment in housing, farming and/or expansion of waterways to keep growing.
Small but rapidly growing society of island traders and fisherpeople, with a taste for the finer things in life. Basic cultivation of grapes and wine production, which is traded overseas for copper, animal hides and pottery. Basic farming of other crops.
A syncretic religion has formed, fusing Deqline, Toltec and Chappa Eih elements.
They have begun to exploit local marble for trinkets and as a building material.
SpoilerSyresh tribe - NPC :
Nomadic tribe. A mix of Yorndyr, Trasque and Chappa-Eih stock.
They have fine stone tools, basic textiles, animal hides, bows and tents.
It is rumoured they have stolen treasures from the Trasque.
When not raiding, the people busy themselves with hunting, gathering and surviving.
SpoilerEaorndur tribe - NPC :
Nomadic tribe. A mix of Yorndyr, Alicorn and Chappa-Eih stock.
They have fine stone tools, basic textiles, animal hides, bows and tents.
It is rumoured they have stolen treasures from the Chappa Eih.
They are said to have a core of formidable warriors, imitating bears with their ferocity in combat.
When not raiding, the people busy themselves with hunting, gathering and surviving.
SpoilerNappa Tar culture - NPC :
Recently formed from half of former Chappa - Eih, immigrants from Sil-Eshal and slaves captured from the Omriti-Axti.
A minor tribe of nomadic warrior-hunters and their wives. Their former settled life was ruined by Chappa-Eih invasions.
They have fine stone tools, axes, basic bows, and shields to counter the Nappa-Tar archers.
The first proto-writing appears in Trasque and Sil-Eshal lands at this time, in the form of clay tablets adapted from Oxlen and using many of the same symbols. A few fragments of written language exist to back up ancient legends, telling of a sudden invasion by western barbarians - literal beasts in some versions - who desecrated or stole some famous fetishes, only to fall victim to curses of madness, in-fighting and disease.
Trasuqe lands were in fact bracketed by violence to the east and the west. In the east, the Oxlen culture descended into another period of violent civil war - perhaps sparked by the disruption of continental trade routes and events in the west. In between the fighting, however, traders were able to import quantities of tin and silver that had begun to be mined in Oxlen lands, and bring them to the metal workers of the Trasque heartlands, who already had a long tradition of making alloys of copper with other metals. It was here that the first bronze artefacts were created on a large scale.
The basic technique for bronze seems to have been rapidly adopted by the metalworkers of the central mountains. Though not as beautiful as other metals, bronze was immediately recognised for being hard, durable and suitable for being made into weapons as well as tools and ornaments. Supply of tin was a limiting factor however, and was in huge demand, giving certain factions among the Oxlen higher bargaining power. One of them was able to import a sizeable amount of Trasque bronze for itself, using it to create war-axes and reinforced leather armour and shields. Known as the Polnar, this warrior elite from the north of Oxlen territory was eventually able to re-unite the Oxlen lands and won the submission of the large town of Sushmanalkal, a proto-city that now existed at the mouth of the great river now known as the Sushma.
The Oxlen population levelled off as a result of the fighting and disruption, but did not substantially decline - instead there are signs of expansion of settlements and agriculture, including the first evidence for primitive wheeled carts tied to buffalo and used to move heavy loads around the farmlands. Meanwhile, the Oxlen writing system became more developed, approaching a true written language - there are now not just names and places recorded, but also deeds and words, shedding more light on this era.
Some legends even have members of the Polen travel to the other side of Sil-Eshal lands to ‘battle the western beast-men, and restore order to the whole world’. While almost certainly an exaggeration, there is no doubt that the new Oxlen leadership wielded a large amount of influence across the eastern continent. With the faltering of the Chappa-Eih, the Sil-Eshal lands also fell more firmly under Trasque and Oxlen influence.
Oxlen emmigrants continued to travel to the south-east peninsular, helping to establish the region as largely a Oxlen tributary, with a partly Sil-Eshal population, while Axti-Talati tribes retreated deeper into the forest and jungle. The region began to be important for the Oxlen and Sil-Eshal as it was discovered to be a source for colourful jade minerals, as well as plants that could be made into a flavoursome tea, believed to have medicinal effects. Dhulen seafarers are also believed to have sailed all the way around the coast at this time to reach and make contact with Axti lands proper.
The eastern island, however, seems to have remained unsettled, though there are signs of occasional visits by small groups of seafarers.
To the north, the Elqua people emerged as a mixture of Oxlen and Trasque peoples inhabiting the north-east of the continent. This time, perhaps borrowing from past experience and accumulated Trasque knowledge of cold-weather survival, humans were able to gain a permanent foothold in one of the last uncolonised corners of the continent. Strange tales continued to be told of a race of giants, snow-people, or ice-creatures, inhabiting the far north, and possessed of greater strength than a human.
Meanwhile, it appears the first Trasque bronze artefacts and spearpoints appeared too late to play a role in evicting western raiders, but they may have helped to keep the later generations of Earndyr and Syresh from probing any further east. Despite, or perhaps because of the disruptions, the tradition of fetish-building reached a new height, with fabulous treasures of precious metals and gemstones being created in the depths of the mountains.
SpoilerTrasque culture - Kyzarc :
Small Oxlen influence (Terrish)
2AP sheep domestication / feeding - more domestic sheep breeds begin to emerge, being easier to manage and producing more wool or meat. The population is unfortunately capped out on what can be sustainably bred among the mountains.
2AP copper alloy working - bronze is discovered using tin from Oxlen
2AP fetish creation (some of this effort is lost to western raiders)
Housing is expanded, providing more shelter.
Proto-writing system spreads from Oxlen.
LP - encourage migration and exploration. Elqua splinter-tribe formed, with part-Oxlen population.
Vyrsa raids occur. Some treasures stolen. Some settlers who went west are captured and assimilated by the westerners.
There are problems governing the people. Full development of writing and/or expansion of government using LP would help.
Elqua splinter-group formed from a mix of Trasque and Oxlen stock.
Moderate Trasuqe influence - Kyzarc
Great buffalo statue begins construction
Tin/silver ores discovered: bronze is rapidly developed by Trasque, and traded east
Bathhouses tradition - general health improves slightly
Proto-writing begins to transition to true written language (government is more effective, large-scale trade deals can be made)
Warriors trained, equipped with Bronze weapon and studded leather armour/shield.
Influenced by - Oxlen and Trasque culture
Minor mixed tribe of Oxlen and Trasque colonists, trading in some exotic animal skins and furs.
The people busy themselves with survival in a harsh land.
There are sporadic contacts with the ‘ice giants’ or ‘snowmen’ that seem wary of humans.
SpoilerDhulen tribe - NPC :
Influenced by - Oxlen culture - Terrish
Minor mixed tribe of Oxlen and Trasque colonists, trading with the motherland in the north.
The people trade jade, tea and special herbs.
Oxlen proto-writing has spread here.
SpoilerTalati tribe - NPC :
Influenced by: Axti culture (LordAragorn)
A minor tribe that is a secondary offshoot of Axti..
The peoples are concerned with survival in a strange land. They have fine stone tools and axes.
Despite sporadic contacts with its neighbours, Axti culture seems to have been largely isolated from events elsewhere and fairly stable at this time. The population slowly grew along with the expansion of basic agriculture, though tropical forest could not be easily cleared with stone tools. Some settlements formerly under the Omriti tribes were re-absorbed into the Axti culture proper, as the Omriti became reduced to little more than a wandering band of warriors in their fight with the Chappa and the Nappa Tar.
At the same time, villages were established among the southern islands but with infrequent contact with the mainland, these soon began to form a splinter group known as the Usul.
Interestingly, the development of the sling as a viable weapon for hunting or fighting is first known from the Axti of this period.
SpoilerAxti culture - LordAragorn :
Cultivation of orchards is partly successful - will need a bit more work to get fully established (citrus fruits)
Basic agriculture is partly successful - cultivation of local root vegetables. Will need more work to expand.
(will also need to cut down more trees to expand agriculture).
Herbal medicine is developed using local plants.
Breeding of chickens to be more aggressive? They are already quite feisty. However, cock-fighting becomes a sport among the tribal elites.
Slings are developed as a weapon. They are effective against small prey but can also scare off larger predators at a distance.
Leadership - the people move closer towards an organised theocracy. However, the priests are taking an unfair share of food and luxuries for themselves (corruption).
Some of the Omriti peoples are re-absorbed, swelling the population.
Some river (floodplain) farmland and cereal crops are inherited from the Omriti.
Fishing village is established among the south-east islands. Central leadership cannot yet enforce its rule on the islands and so they form yet another splinter group (Usul).
LP: 1
AP: 6/9 ( well motivated +; corruption -, maintenance -3AP)
Faith level: 2 (Axti mysticism - stone guardian worship)
Government level: 1.5 (tribal council / basic theocracy)
Unity: 70%
SpoilerUsul tribe - NPC :
Influenced by: Axti culture (LordAragorn)
A minor tribe that is an offshoot of Axti..
The peoples are concerned with survival among strange islands. They have fine stone tools and axes, and imported chickens.
The continent of the Ohpauh Eh continued largely as a world unto itself, despite increasingly regular contact with the Axti - Usul peoples who were now settling the northern islands. It seems the Ohpauh took little notice of these strange boat-peoples.
Food and survival remained a struggle for the population in this harsh, largely arid climate, full of dangerous creatures.
This chapter in Ohpauh culture is marked by the laying out of smoothened trackways through the desert and scrubland between settlements - work that continued over generations. The routes are believed to be partly ceremonial in nature, but could also serve a practical purpose, allowing easier transit of human travellers and their Puah birds, often used as pack animals.
Wheel-like objects made of hardened wood have been discovered from this time in asociation with the trackways, though it is not clear if these are purely ceremonial objects or if they had a functional purpose.
Breeds of Puah became increasingly diverse, with some able to carry heavier loads - though not yet that of an adult human - while others were able to be trained to assist in kangaroo hunts, flushing the prey out of cover and into ambush sites.
SpoilerOhpauh Eh culture - JAM :
Kangaroos hunted with limited success. They are fast and agile, so perhaps ranged weapons would be useful (or traps of some kind).
Basic trackways are built between some settlements. More work is needed to complete the network (at least 1AP).
Medicinal herbs are propagated, herbal medicine lore expands. However, hunger and injuries still take a toll.
LP - organisation / leadership / unity increased. There will begin to be decreasing returns without some form of writing or record-keeping.
LP: 1
AP: 4/9 (food shortage -1AP, adequately motivated =; injured/displaced -1AP, maintenance -3AP)
Faith level: 1 (Divine Guide worship)
Government level: 2.5 (tribal confederation / leadership challenges)
Unity: 80%
Notes
Treasure - some people now have a ‘treasure’ stat. It is basically a treasury of precious items, and can be spent for equivalent AP this turn (motivating people to do more work / trading for food / tools etc), provided your population is at least matching the amount of treasure being spent. You can also trade directly with other players, or potentially steal from them.
Treasure has a prestige / cultural value over time, so you may want to hold onto it for that reason.
To deliberately make treasure, you’ll need to spend 2AP *plus* 1AP per your existing amount of treasure (if there is any). So this is deliberately inefficient and has decreasing returns.
Otherwise it will appear semi-randomly over time, as a side-effect of having good trade, stability, and investment in monuments / crafting stuff.
Corruption - this is something else that has started to eat the AP of certain cultures, representing hoarding of wealth / withholding of resources / unfair arrangements / manipulation of social contracts, all for the gain of select individuals rather than society.
The only way to reliably get rid of this is to spend Leadership Points on anti-corruption measures (laws, inspirational leadership etc), and/or deliberately trigger a civil war to fight and try to break up the corrupt faction(s).
Details - I’m sure I’ve now missed out a load of details that people have provided. I aim to catch up with at least some of these in future updates.
Hiatus - I am travelling, so will not be able to update for over a week now. I’ll be back in the UK late Tuesday next week. So there will be a short hiatus... I won’t set a deadline yet since I may not be able to respond to questions.
I’m still on holiday from my job for the two weeks following that, so we could fit in an extra update to catch up, if people want to.
I’ve been super distracted for the past few days, so please do let me know of any derps in the update and I can make amends.
Work upon 'The rest of the mother buffalo' continues at a steady rate, despite the distractions to the southwest. With the head nearly completed at this point in time, and a monument in its own right, the carving of the body began. Countless lines carved into it to represent its fur. Excess stone removed to give shape to it's curled up legs. And the hundreds of lesser animals caved to look like they were sleeping with in the fur. There are also traces of an entire complex of facilities springing up around it at this point of time to house the carvers, including what would be the residence of Poloxannaldar, though only his wife and son would actually reside in it.
SpoilerAP 1 :
1AP+1 Treasure: Work upon the great mother Buffalo. Scope expands to the construction of an entire complex around it. Residence of the leader, along with smaller (but wealthy) residences for the Polnar and their families. Various bureaucratic buildings and an actual library. Statue is still open to the public. Statue will be the only thing that is an actual monument.
The great conquest also severed to spread the Oxlens written word, and to improve it. Shaping to be able to hold words from dozens of languages encountered. Letting it be flexible enough to permit one to read it crudely, no matter what it's language of origin might have been. While this effort was far from successful, the attempts to do so did enrich it in ways that otherwise would not have occurred to them.
SpoilerAP 2 :
1AP: Continued development of writing. Active pushing of our written language onto everyone we trade with, and/or conquer.
The development of wheeled carts among the Oxlen soon lead to another development, that of roads. More and more goods could be moved between settlements using them, and the existing dirt paths were simply not enough to handle such heavy traffic. Thus, the first road was born. Mostly level paths of dirt packed down to support the heavy carts, letting the Buffalo pull them with less effort and without risk of them tipping over. It was no wonder then the efforts towards the Sil-Eshal started that the roads followed.
SpoilerAP 3 :
1AP: Development of Proper roads. Mostly packed dirt, but perhaps some stone ones in wealthy areas?
But perhaps the biggest shift in the Oxlen culture of this era was the popularity of the Polnar, and the many warriors that were trying to imitate them. They were the perfect target for Poloxannalder to recruit when raising forces to deal with the Sil-Eshal. effort that would only expand as the conquest went on, both in the oxlen core and in the newly conquered areas. Each and every one of them drawn in by his charisma.
SpoilerAP 4-6 +other? :
3AP+1 treasure: Recruiting of 3 more units of warriors, for the conquest effort. 2 units will be recruited in the Oxlen homeland. The third will be recruited from the Sil-Eshal once they are conquered.
1 treasure will be used to entice any defeated warriors durring the conquest to join the growing army. or basicly replinish any losses taken durring the fighting
LP:
Poloxannalder, The first Polnar to be born in Sushmanalkal, is perhaps the most documented of the early Oxlen rulers. Emerging just as Oxlen writing was truly developing, He oversaw the majority of carving efforts for the Great mother Buffalo. Directed the establishment of a road network within oxlen lands, and brought untold wealth upon them.
Oh, and he also made a fair attempt to conquer the world.
The conquest is said to have started over a small incident on the border with the Sil-Eshal, A group of "bandits" occupying a path near a ford over the Sushma, forcing any traders passing nearby to pay them a portion of their goods to pass. Poloxannaldar eventually led a group of Polnar across the river to destroy their camp, and chase the "bandits" down, eventually catching up with them at one of the nearby Sil-Eshal settlements.
A settlement that refused to hand the bandits over, seeing that they were actually warriors from that settlement, and for the most part leaders of it. Despite this, he still went on to capture and punish them, taking over the settlement in the process. The political mess that resulted from this first conquest is a story in itself, but to sum it up: This settlement was far from the only Sil-Eshal settlement having their guards moonlighting as bandits. Those groups were willing to stop all trade to keep this side game going, and managed to convince those not doing it to side with them, expecting Poloxannalder to back down in the face of their unity.
Poloxannalder instead raised an Army of trained warriors, and set off to conquer them. It took nearly three years to do so, despite overwhelming victories against them, mostly due to his insistence in bringing non-combat crews to set up proper roads to his new conquests. Though, he would eventually give up on these efforts for a multitude of reasons, and they would not be seen in any of his other conquests.
This "relatively" easy conquest was perhaps why he arrogantly thought he could conquer the worlds, something he declared in a speech near the end of the Sil-Eshal campaign. It might have been the riches acquired and returned to Sushmanalkal, the joy of battle, or dozens of other reasons that people have theorized over the years. But after raising more warriors from the conquered Sil-Eshal lands to support his army, he set off to do so.
Briefly he considered Invading the Trasque, even going so far as sending a request for them to declare him their ruler and adopt the Oxlen written word, but he eventually marched his army south, towards what he later learned were the Nappa Tar and Marad Zeih. It was here he faced his first tactical defeat, with the Warriors of Nappa Tar briefly stopping him, though in the end the shere size of his army and the core of better equiped Polnar managed to deal with them, takeing their and the Land settlments of the Marad Zeih. He possibly also managed to invade the Marad Zeih's island settlements, though history still debates it. Oxlen stories tell that he did, but the Marad Zeih's tell that he didn't even try, instead heading further south to strike at the Axti settlements.
Again, the record here is a bit conflicted, with Oxlen records telling of their success and eventually march along the coast until they had conquered the Talati and were welcomed by the Dhulen. Axti tales paint a more contested story, with the Oxlen forces being repulsed after only a few settlements were taken.
But both stories eventually end in the same outcome, the Oxlen army turning north to the Trasque, where Poloxannaldar had sent his demand for submission so long ago. Where he would eventually meet his end. The Trasque had actually prepared after his demands. While his army was still larger, and with decades of experience under their belts at this point, it was still a hard march into their lands, with its natural defenses on top of what the Trasque had prepared. It is unsure which side was actually winning in the historical record, but the end of the invasion was clearly documented.
Durring an attempt to break through the defenses of the Vally leading to the Cernashal, Polloxannaldar was struck down by an arrow to his eye, instantly dying. Over the next hour the battle would die down, with the Oxlen abandoning the attack to discuss what to do, and eventually deciding to withdraw to what was the Sil-Eshal lands to relay the news back to Sushmanalkal, so a new Polox could be determined.
Over the next year, the many conquests he had made in his lifetime unraveled. The Axti settlements being retaken by them, the Nappa Tar, Marad Zeih, and other tribes revolting. Only the Sil-eshal remained under he Oxlens control, mostly due to the majority of their army existing there. Though, this would cause other issues further down the line.
SpoilerLP summery :
Order summery, short version:
Poloxannalder conquers the Sil-Eshal, then raids anything else he can reach for treasure and developments, spreading Oxlen written language as he gose.
Expanded summery
Poloxannalder, The first Polnar to be born in Sushmanalkal, attempts to pull an Alexander the great and gose adventuring. Off to conquer the entire world, or at least as much as they can reach. He eventually raised a great army, with the existing Polnar at it's core.
The Primary Goal is to take over the Sil-Eshal, building roads into their territory to link it to the oxlen heartland. Force our writing system upon them. Recover and move their treasure back to Oxlen. Even if they push us out of the area by the end of it, I want them painted with our culture. Initial trigger is a trade dispute over the river, that quickly becomes a rallying cry.
The secondary goal is whatever we can get away with. Taking and moving any treasure we can be back to the Oxlen land. Taking craters with unknown techniques back to teach our own people. Forcing our written language upon them in a failed attempt to control them.
For Trasqu: after the Sil-Eshal is taken, apply soft pressure to them to submit and adopt our written language, via restrictions on their trade and cultural pressure (which I think will be very light) if all other conquest go through, try to actively invade them at the very end of the era, and be the place the great conquer dies.
Damn! That is one hell of an update. So much going on! It seems my nation is doomed to fracture.. perhaps I will manipulate it so. I wonder if we are closing in on actual armies fighting? Certainly a lot of unplanned conflict.
Trasque Turn 6
The Skypeople of Trasque watch with trepidation
Action 1+2+3+4: The hunters on the western slopes of the Trakkan mountains become more and more aggressive in their trips down-mountain, egged on as the crafters of the Ettin-en-Sid start giving fine weapons and jewelry not only to those who slay great beasts, but also enemies of the Trakkan clans. Taking the forefront in this are the Ettin-en-Shan in the west and the Ured-Le in the northwest, whose finest hunters steadily turn more towards raiding the Earondyr and Syresh respectively rather than great beasts. (recruiting two military units and arm them with fine bronze spears and axes who then go a-raidin')
Action 5+6: While the most aggressive and glory-minded of the Trakkan join the raiders of the Ettin-en-Shan and the Ured-Le, back home the crafters of the Ettin-en-Shid focus their efforts on establishing a large settlement where members of all the clans can live. This massive village, simply named Roque, is intended to provide a place where the clans mingle and trade freely and as such is placed at the foot of the Cernashal valley confluence. The leader of this village is the Quesan (foremost crafter), as determined by the elder crafters from the various tribes.
Action 7+1 Treasure: Looking down from the high valleys of Eshalque, the Ettin-en-Path forsee an age of strife and murder, and they create fetishes to the ugly spirits they believe will dominate this new era. Chief of these spirits are Shan-Que-Cern (Tallest Breaker of Roots) and his bloody-handed wife, Go-Sush-Sil (Red Eye Seeker), whose passions dominate the other spirits and can only be appeased with blood. These stories coming down the mountain from Ronpath galvanizes the elders of the other clans to discuss the roles and interactions between their various spirits, determining their internal hierarchy and portfolios as a (somewhat) unified whole.
Leadership: Quesan Eyes-Open-to-Red-Skies of the Ettin-en-Shid, whose bronze working is without peer, encourages the clans of Trasque to come to Roque to trade and mingle, networking with the elders of the other tribes and ostenentatious displays of trophies in public ceremonies where bronze weapons are awarded to skilled hunters and warriors.
1) Pushed by the greater pressures of migration through the area, and the constant pressure of Toltec and Decline presence in the south, various ALicorn tribes have taken to building wood and stone tower/forts on high ridges or hills, overlooking rivers and passes. From there, Alicorn warriors can strike at those who dare infringe upon our territory.
2) Alicorn Agriculture continues, with signs of the domestication of the local Apple Trees - numerous apple varietals have emerged in the archaeological record, and the Alicorn appear to have developed an almost mystical reverence for the fruit. It helps, of course, that there is significant evidence of cider making in this period.
3) Similarly, the domestication of the cattle continues, a natural progression of the greater dependence of the Alicorn on the herds as a source of protein, clothing material, and even milks - there's significant signs of cheesemaking in this period as well.
4) Alicorn war/trade parties range into neighboring lands, both raiding villages and taking prisoners and goods when a village looks weak, or distracted enough, to raid, or trading, when the opposition appears too strong. The goods traded are likely worked stone, ciders, cheeses, cattle, etc.
1 LP) A great Queen emerges in this period, tying together the Alicorn into a more cohesive whole. She leads both the development of the Alicorn as a single people - great stone megaliths are built during her reign, marking significant events - festivals, wars, etc, as well as leading a great war party to conquer the Decline and Toltec who have settled in the south, on the shores of the sea. Her death sparks a belief of a cycle, amongst the Alicorn, where significant individuals are reborn again and again, and gravitate towards the accomplishments of thier past lives.
Fun on a spiritual level... The countryside in Sweden feels very open, it's not all boxed-in and closed off like it is in the UK. Plus, you can safely walk on the country roads without constant fear of being run down. Bigger country with fewer people. That was introvert's heaven.
Also stayed in Stockholm for a couple of days before flying out. Beautiful city with lots of history. Seems not really more expensive than living in southern UK.
On my journey home, I was noticing how shabby and dirty everything seems here... Part of it I'm sure is that we have a higher population in a smaller area. But it's also an attitude thing. Like, as a society we just don't see the same value in making things nice and keeping them nice. So long as we have our jobs and our home comforts to retreat to. Which is a shame really.
Action Point (AP) spending:
Create a written language. Each sigil will represent a sound, with more intricate sigils for important words.
Start to use metalworking mainly copper, with some bronze for the important people.
Make metal wood chopping and cutting tools.
Clear out more rainforest.
Finish the orchards.
Finish the gardens.
.Leadership Point (LP) spending - Have the gathering of priests create a written code of laws, so there can be no wiggle room on what conduct the spirits demand
Action 1: Glut ourselves on crocodile meat, slaughter the rest of the reptilian menace. Job's not done 'till it is done.
Action 2: Develop slinging practices and devices. Whistling 'round and 'round, a stretch of leather can throw a bullet much faster than a human hand!
Action 3: Finish paths through the continent to connect our settlements and ease transportation/redistribution of kangaroo meat. We must always remember to feed our brethren, no matter the distance.
Action 4: Practice laying traps and ambushes for Kangaroos. The time for their death is not yet at hand, but there is little harm in practice, is there?
Leadership 1:Develop writing, to better record our advancements. Words without sound, knowledge without breath. Nowhere is there less art than in writing. It is a useful tool and nothing more, nothing less.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
