DaftNES 3: Alternate-World Fresh Start

[Lord of Elves]

Awesome

Can I get a PM with the available countries soon? Thank ye

 

[Daftpanzer]

Update edited for a little more dignity

@Omega124 about the barbarian unit in your neighbourhood, I imagined it as an allied tribe that has been on campaigns with your dudes for a little share of the loot. Also, note that some scouts who went into the south jungles were eaten by dragons.

This is obviously a little partisan, but I don't suppose that there are any naval technologies available? There are a couple that are listed, but they all seem pretty far down the tech tree...

Yeah, I might add Seafaring or something later on, but for now I thought it would be fun if your seafaring and shipbuilding depended on multiple things... Engineering and Economics mainly, to start with.

I see no reason why mods should not be held accountable even in mild ways when they start an NES- they should be cut considerable slack given that the service is free, but refusing to even nominate a time of update when they ask us to commit our time goes too far.

@TheWesley not to start this up again but yes, it does torture me deeply.

Deep blood red for me

The stats totally confuse me, as do the rules currently.. so many different things going on!

My veteran unit will chill.
Construct a city in Zakat.
Train up a new unit. An Ambassibor/shaman/scarey unit. He will be sent to Lani. They will approach the damaged unit and offer it support/immense power/riches etc if it will just worship Tuk as the true god.
Send a worked to the Coffee beans in Zakat.

@Abaddon units cost 1e, workers/buildings cost 2e. So I count 5e of spending there. You have 3e and the rules allow you to overspend, but with increasing risk, especially since your Economics is minimal. If you want to squeeze extra taxes from the cities you can do, but that leaves them disrupted next turn. Nice work with the Ambassibor/shaman/scarey unit BTW, I was hoping this like this would happen

Great update! I would like teal as my color.

Should income - upkeep rounded up be my available funds? If so, I should have 4e

@Kraznaya Normally yes your available funds should be the sum (Income-Upkeep). I actually added a bit more to start with, since you should have (3.5e-1e) = 2.5e, you see?

MAN-DRAWN CHARIOTS!!!!

@BananaLee its highland cow chariots! Or actually Oxen War Carts I guess.

The chariot probably originated in Mesopotamia about 3000 BC. The earliest depiction of vehicles in the context of warfare is on the Standard of Ur in southern Mesopotamia, ca. 2500 BC. These are more properly called wagons or carts, still double-axled and pulled by oxen or tamed asses before the introduction of horses ca. 2000 BC.

From: Arthendel
To: the people of Lothas

I would like to apologize for the raids my people have committed against your lands and I wish that we could join together in peace and trade.

@lopaz I hadn't imagined any raiding by the En Corthan over there yet, but defeated enemy tribes have fled from you and settled there.

Hey Daft, what faction do all of those groups with white shields over their heads belong to? In the directions it says that barbarians have no shields, and yet I see a bunch of units with shields over their heads with no clear allegiance. Sorry if I'm missing something.

Sorry for the confusion! The barbarians are indeed white, and all the units without shields are barbarians and should have white shields too.. I'm just too lazy to put shields on all of them if there is no need to disambiguate them.

Awesome

Can I get a PM with the available countries soon? Thank ye

There's still lots of room for new factions. NPC's in the first cradle are spread across the middle, going left to right: the Makdul (hardy hill folk, dark red), Sarakites (Babylonian wannabees, light green), Tharnites (religious mountain people, pink/beige?), and Haskites (Sudanese kinda, light orange). The stats are in there at the bottom of page 3.

 

[Lord of Elves]

I will go with the Mriz. That is the name of the region, or the people?

 

[Daftpanzer]

Etua is a name of a territory, like in Risk. The smaller names in italics are the actual faction names, and you see they can share territories together, or not. Im doing some different things in this game that might seem strange

 

[Lord of Elves]

Ahh. I'm going to go with the Mriz territory, since that seems to be uncontested. Here is an analysis of the culture of the people that live there, and some description of their habits and methods. I believe you said we could start the game with one technology already discovered, and since humans began settling around farms, I'll assume my people are already possess knowledge of basic farming techniques, and start out with bronze-working, if I am to understand what period of technology we're in.

The Vetharil: A pale-skinned, dark-haired people, the Vetharil reside in the cold land of Mriz, which they call Vetharoaulk, meaning in their language, "Land of the Vetharil". They are mostly a peaceful people, but are not ignorant in the ways of war. Their culture is based around the gathering and passing-down of knowledge. Their favored mode of architecture is large towers, their cities being based around one single tower which normally houses governors or a center of rest for warriors.

The Vetharil are not a markedly tall people, but are not short either, the average height of the male being around five foot nine. In battle, they are known to wear a mixture of cowhide under-bodies, with bronze over-armor, such as helmets, cuirasses, and boots. They will sometimes paint their armor, normally dark shades. As a people, their preferred weaponry is a sword and shield, but bowmen are not uncommon.

Men and women are mostly equal in Vetharil culture, but when a woman is betrothed, it becomes her role to care for the children of their union, should they choose to bear children. Although many are farmers, some hunt to provide food for themselves and their village.

Since the rise of their people to basic civilization, they have been disunited, with small regional kings and despots reigning over their own territories. However, some thirty years ago a man was born known as Alquendith in the small realm of Ithninne to the ruling family of that fiefdom. Through shrewd diplomacy, and marked and scrutinized use of military force, he has united the fiefdoms of his people into one kingdom under his rule, known as Vethmenari, "The Realm of the Nine Peoples", for the nine original fiefdoms of his brethren.

If I were to put it in terms more familiar to us all, think of the Vetharil as having a culture similar to that of pre-Norman Conquest England. Even though the Vetharil are unified within the Vethmenari, there is still a lot of infighting between the provinces and their governors. If I were to describe their common clothing, it would generally be a shirt/tunic, fur boots, and fur cloak. It gets cold in Mriz. Their battle-armor is more reminiscent of that of the Noldorin Elves of Lord of the Rings except not as elaborate or advanced.

OOC again here: Looking forward to a good game

 

[Daftpanzer]

Alrighty I will now be slowly putting the next update together, but its already getting late here and I'm not going to rush it this time. So theres about another 21 hours to send orders or ask questions etc.

@Lord of Elves cool stuff

I wasn't going to let people pick Inventions (things like Bronze Working etc) since they are supposed to be semi-random occurances. But its already known in the territory to your south and might be spreading your way anyway.

 

[Lord of Elves]

Oh, sorry, thought I read that somewhere. Derp-a-derp for me, hehe

Thanks, by the way, I write fantasy as a hobby so the creation of a new culture/civilization isn't too far from my field of common-usage. By the way, can I get an idea of what my military/economic strength is, or be pointed to where it is outlined?

 

[Daftpanzer]

Thanks, by the way, I write fantasy as a hobby so the creation of a new culture/civilization isn't too far from my field of common-usage. By the way, can I get an idea of what my military/economic strength is, or be pointed to where it is outlined?

Ah well I thought you'd kinda just be emerging this turn, and might be affected by anything else going on in the area, so I won't actually add your faction until the update. I hope thats OK.

 

[Lord of Elves]

That's fine

For now, I'll just think about the kind of religion(s) my people may have, to add to the description of their culture, and maybe see about trading with nearby nations. Maybe also describe the discrepancies between the Nine Fiefdoms, and perhaps some regional banners/image files etc.

Query: Do many people use the program AutoRealm for maps in according with NESes?

 

[Matt0088]

Agrian Orders:

Available Funds: 2e
Unspent from last turn: N/A
Income: 1e tax, 1e resource
Upkeep: 0.5e (1 unit)

- Spend 2e on a worker, who will used to clear the jungle to allow bigger settlements. The worker who is currently hunting the giant ground-birds should attempt to domesticate the animals.
- Borrow .5e to pay upkeep.
- The spearmen will be used to generally expand to nearby islands.
- Diversity among the elemental religious of the various tribe will begin to decrease as tribes, and religions, merge/fuse into larger units as the shamanish religious leaders seek greater power in numbers. A common thread in the religions will emerge to be, that in the beginning, there was only the elements of the world, which interact together for reasons unknown, and in time they created all living things (which in Agrian thought, is anything moving, within reason of course) as a side effect, including humans.

 

[Lord of Elves]

Religions of the Vetharil:
The Vetharil are mostly polytheistic, believing in gods not so much as spiritual entities but more powerful beings. Their faith in their gods is based out of a belief that regardless of their actions, they work towards the greater good, and have every intention of goodwill to mankind and the Vetharil. Thanks to the creation of Vethmenari, the different sects of Vetharili religion are gradually being grafted into one greater religious whole. The gods of the Vetharili pantheon are as follows: Asquaril, God of Light, generally associated with the sun, Jenninu, Godess of Earth, generally associated with nature and farms, Kennkinth, God of Power, associated with the night, said to be the son of the union of Asquaril and Veili. Veili, Goddess of Knowledge, the Creator, Protector of the Vetharil and finally Olgethvin, God of Darkness, the Sunderer, associated with war and famine, the sworn enemy of Asquaril and Veili. The Sunderer, as he is known colloquially, is somewhat of a satanic figure and his worshipers, few as they are, are considered to be deluded and a threat to Vethmenari.

To the Vetharil, the universe is seen as the creation of Veili, lit by her husband Asquaril, attempted to be destroyed by Olgethvin. Its peoples are said to be chosen to rise and fall by Kennkinth, and its animals are thought to be the sons and daughters of Jenninu. Humans are thought to have been created by Asquaril, Veili, Jenninu and tainted with lust and ignorance by Olgethvin and Kennkinth. Kennkinth is considered a foil to Veili and Asquaril, whereas Olgethvin is an active enemy. It is thought that suffering is the product of the imperfection of the gods' creation, as perpetrated by Olgethvin, and aided by Kennkinth.

 

[Omega124]

(In that case, Warrior joins Spearman to go to Fadari)

 

[Lord of Elves]

From: Highking Alquendith of Vethmenari
To: Nations Neighboring Aforementioned State
In a gesture of goodwill and desire for prosperity, we welcome all offers of trade between the sovereign state of Vethmenari and its neighbors.

Signed, Alquendith and Ministers.

 

[TaylorFlame]

Faction Name: Kaerlan
Start location: Cradle 1 - Mriz
Colour: Dark Blue
Culture: The Kaerlic people have long been separated into numerous mountain tribes, raiding their neighbours and trying to survive as best they can in their rugged homeland. They are very individualistic people, but their loyalty to their clan groups is unquestionable. They are very militaristic, as their very lives depend on being able to defend themselves and take what they need. Material wealth is not highly valued in Kaerlic culture, and those that amass it often find it being taken from them by force. Their warrior culture combined with their individualistic nature has led to Kaerls attempting to 'advertise' themselves aesthetically as much as possible. A warrior will often be covered in scars and tattoos, and will be wearing anything that will make them look powerful that they can. A druid will often paint himself grey like the mountains he lives on, and will carry around heavy stones to show his dedication to his gods. The Kaerlic people worship the spirits of the mountains they live on, believing the mountains to be the protrusions of the land created by the spirits trying to reach the sky. They show a great respect to the mountains the live amongst.
Attitude: The people of Kaerlan, upon meeting a new group of people, will often try to size them up, attempting to gauge how powerful and battle-ready they are. Though not able to undertake large trading ventures, small exchanges, especially for aesthetically pleasing objects, would be welcomed. The Kaerlic people would likely raid any neighbours in an attempt to subdue them and prove their own worth, as well as take food and rare objects from their settlements.
Leadership: The ruler of the lands of Kaerlan is the Rundri, who is the overarching leader of the clans. Though the clans have great autonomy, able to undertake almost any venture they wish and even usually being allowed to fight amongst themselves, each clan being ruled by a Gaerogh, all clans and Gaerogh are to follow the commands of the Rundri. The Rundri is the Gaerogh of the most powerful clan, a distinction which is usually immediately obvious, as whichever powerful Gaerogh has the most support usually absorbs a number of other clans and takes power.
Great People: Baragth, Maraestan, Oristri, Bundanaighth, Geiloan-Kuellran
City / Place Names: Uaghlith, Aestreni, Goughlogan, Uyasbith, Kundra

 

[Abaddon]

How have I overspent?

City=2
Unit=1..

Does moving a worker cost?

 

[Thlayli]

Ah! Creation, that is a slippery matter. You must understand, we all have a different story. To the Kalakan, one of the coastal fishing castes, the World was a timeless pearl of white, the white from which clouds are made, before the rain carved out the mountains and seas. The rain was the saliva of their personal god, Okalon, a mighty turtle who carries the world in his mouth. During the day, he opens his mouth, letting in light from the Great Outer Sea.

For the Teph'alar trader caste, however, we have a different story. The world was once a molten ball of fire, as the stars are. In time, the the fire cooled, and hard rock was made. The clouds gathered, and rains softened the land. Myriad forces then began to gather from outside, as life spread. These forces soon named themselves. Some became great beasts, like the dragons of the south. Others became spirits, and flew through the dark. When we see new lights in the sky, we worship them as they are spirit-signs. But others decided to settle in this world, and became gods.

Each caste has its' own god, except for we Teph'alar. We have seen so many worlds, and in our travels heard of so many gods, that to choose one for our own would be presumptuous. We consider that there are a great multitude of gods, demi-gods, and spirits warring across the face of this earth. We do not pretend that the supernatural does not occur, for truly there are things that man cannot explain.

However, we choose no god for ourselves. We respect them all, and every personal god of the castes of the Shahanar is honored each year with rituals within our walls.

Whatever the gods are or may be, we see beauty in this world. This is why we craft, why we are beginning to make beautiful glazes and fine clothes. We wish to profit from enriching ourselves, our caste, and all the castes. Certainly, every caste seeks to ennoble themselves. We are not without conflict, and trade-wars and caste-splits as new trades are formed are not uncommon. But above all, we respect the ultimate rule of the Shahanar. Spill not caste blood.

We have no supreme ruler, as the patriarchs decide for us all. But we tell our tales, build our cities, and in all things, seek beauty and comfort for ourselves.

Ah yes, that is our story, perhaps. Creation is ongoing. It has not ended simply because men have lifted up their eyes to the sky. It is something we carry on ourselves, when we trade, when we craft. We are the creators. And we shall create more.

 

[TheWesley]

Do stories actually influence "canon"?

 

[Thlayli]

Do stories actually influence "canon"?

Generally, players are given free rein to detail their culture in stories, as long as they refrain from "god-modding," i.e. affecting their stats, winning great victories over their enemies, discovering a massive gold mine, etc.

Whether the mod chooses to acknowledge the stories with a bonus or otherwise is a matter of personal preference. Most mods tend to let the stories influence the 'flavor' of the player's culture in subtle ways, however.

 

[TheWesley]

Generally, players are given free rein to detail their culture in stories, as long as they refrain from "god-modding," i.e. affecting their stats, winning great victories over their enemies, discovering a massive gold mine, etc.

Whether the mod chooses to acknowledge the stories with a bonus or otherwise is a matter of personal preference. Most mods tend to let the stories influence the 'flavor' of the player's culture in subtle ways, however.

Daftpanzer hasn't actually detailed that stories exist, and I don't want to pre-empt the mod. I should wait on his response.

 

[Anonymoose]

Well Daft is such a stifling mod, I can see why you'd want to wait for his approval to write a story. The consequences of writing one could be disastrous. *flutters arms and sweats profusely in nervousness* I do so hope he doesn't slay Thlayli for writing a STORY. What kind of forum is this? Some kind of board for stories that don't end or something? Ridiculous.

To maintain relevance, I asked about the elephants already, but would they hold advantages if I were to exploit them, Daft?