Design: Civilizations

Kael

Deity
Joined
May 6, 2002
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Location
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The Good

Bannor
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Good (Law)
Race: Human
Enemies: Doviello, Clan of Embers
Leader:
[tab]Sabathiel (Org/Mag)
[tab]Capria (Ind/Spi)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Bannor.mp3
Desc: Sabathiel is an angel of Junil sent to save a group of honorable spirits trapped in Hell. He did so, training them to be strong warriors and bringing them out of hell into the world in responce to the attacks of the Clan of Embers.

Malakim
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Good (Sun)
Race: Human
Enemies: Svartalfar
Leader:
[tab]Varn Gosam (Cre/Fin)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Malakim.mp3
Desc: Elven servants of Arawn fled his domain into the shadowed vale, a valley kept perpetually in darkness by a thick mist that obscured the border between the vale and the world. There is a long story here, but the short of it is that Auric (as a teenager) and some friends were trapped in the vale and and accused of stealing from the elves. Varn was one of the elves and he believed the kids (Varn had never fit in well with his fellow elves). When he tried to sneak them out of the vale his brother caught them and an elven band was sent to catch them, and kill the kids (these weren't exactly your nice type of elves). Auric was just growing into his affinity for magic at the time and as the elven band set upon them and killed a few of the kids he reached through the vale for any source of magic he could find to use. The faint source he felt through it was the Sun, when he pulled it through he destroyed the barrier between the worlds and flooded the perpetually dark vale with light. The elvish band was blinded but Varn underwent a transformation, he saw Lugus in that light and was rewarded for his commitment to the truth (by trying to save the kids) by becoming a priest of Lugus. He left the Vale and built a temple to Lugus in a human city leading those that would follow him in the path of light.

Elohim
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Good (Spirit)
Race: Human
Enemies: Calabim
Leader:
[tab]Ethne the White (Cre/Def/Spi)
[tab]Einion Logos (Def/Phi/Spi)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Elohim.mp3
Desc: The Elohim are caretakers of the holy places of the world. The Pool of Tears (where angels come to mourn), the Seven Firs (where the gods met to sign the compact), Bradelines Well (gate to the underworld). They are peaceful and battle only when they or their lands are threatened.

Mercurians (minor Civ)
Scheduled for: Fire
Alignment: Good (Life)
Race: Human
Enemies: Sidar, Infernal
Leader:
[tab]Basium (Agg/Rai)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Mercurians.mp3
Desc: Basium broke the compact. He was an angel under Arawn but when the contract was signed he refused to give up the direct battle with the demons. So he and a small host of other rebel angels disobeyed their lords and kept fighting. They spend their time split between time on earth and in hell waqging their war directly. They can be found anywhere demons exist. They care little for people, they are only concerned with killing demons and are often confused with demons because of it and because of their rough warlike appearence.

Luchuirp
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Good
Race: Dwarf
Enemies: Sheaim, Balseraphs
Leader:
[tab]Garrim Gyr (Arc/fin)
[tab]Beeri Bawl (Org/Spi)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Luchuirp.mp3
Desc: Dwarven enchanters and creators of the greatest of artifacts during the age of magic. They are only now begining to regain the secrets lost during the age of ice. They are the originators of golem creation and use a wide varity of golems for different military and non-military tasks.

Kuriotates
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Good (Creation)
Race: Human
Enemies: Infernal, Calabim
Leader:
[tab]Cardith Lorda (the boy king) (Exp/Phi/Spr)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Kuriatates.mp3
Desc: Bands of wild people finally brought together under one banner after the Age of Ice, but surprisingly that banner isn't held by a powerful spellcaster or warlord, but by a child barely more than 10. Yet Cardith possesses a wisdom well beyond his years and the calm control he holds over his kingdom has earned him legions of guardians more than willing to lay down their life for him.


The Neutral

Ljosalfar
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Neutral (Nature)
Race: Elf
Enemies: Svartalfar, Illians
Leader:
[tab]Amelanchier (Def/Exp/Rai)
[tab]Arendel Phaedra (Cre/Spi)
[tab]Thessa (Arc/Sum)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Ljosalfar.mp3
Desc: Elves! Their god was killed and they were nearly wiped out because of it during the Age of Ice. With his ressurection (or more importantly the promotion of Cernunnos as the new god of nature) they are coming back from the few hidden groves they still controlled.

Khazad
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Neutral (Earth)
Race: Dwarf
Enemies: Hippus
Leader:
[tab]Arturus Thorne (Ind/Org)
[tab]Kandros Fir (Agg/Fin)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Khazad.mp3
Desc: The more traditional dwarven civ the Khazad tend toward priest and warrior vocations. What few mages they have are humans recruited to their cause.

Sidar
Scheduled for: Shadow
Alignment: Neutral (Death)
Race: Human (sorta)
Enemies: Calabim, Mercurians
Leader:
[tab]Morgoth (Hid/Ind)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Sidar.mp3
Desc: Shades, men who have traded portions of their soul for immortality, the Grey are detached from the events of the world. Only intervening to protect themselves or striking out to destroy undead (they see undeads as abberations despite their own use of magic to extend their life).

Lanun
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Neutral (Water)
Race: Human Pirates
Enemies: Clan of Embers
Leader:
[tab]Falamar (Cre/Exp)
[tab]Hannah the Irin (Fin/Rai)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Lanun.mp3
Desc: Falamar see's himself as a dashing rogue. He doesn't tend to kill the victims of the raids (claiming that would keep them from bringing him more loot) and is an excellent swordsman and charming leader. Hanna is everything he isn't. She is the storm personified, tempermental and powerful. She has had entire cities razed for a percieved insult and rules not by charm, but by fear.

Grigori
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Neutral (Force)
Race: Human
Enemies: Sheaim
Leader:
[tab]Cassiel (Agn/Ind/Phi)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Grigori.mp3
Desc: Cassiel was an angel in the service of Dagda. He spent the age of dragons protecting the men that hid from the might of the warring gods around them. It was his council that lead Dagda to create and sign the compact, but Cassiel felt the compact didn't go far enough. He wanted the gods to retreat entirely, to let the men form their own world. When the Compact allowed the gods to battle through men Cassiel abandoned Dagda's service and began his own crusade to lead men away from a war that has little to do with them.

Hippus
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Neutral (Air)
Race: Human Horsemen
Enemies: Khazad
Leader:
[tab]Tasunke (Agg/Rai)
[tab]Rhoanna (Exp/Fin)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Hippus.mp3
Desc: Warriors for hire, the swift moving Hippus have fought for every nation at one time or another. They are equally happy partnered with orcs as they are with men as long as they pay.

Amurites
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Neutral (Metamagic)
Race: Human
Enemies: None
Leader:
[tab]Valledia the Even (Arc/Org)
[tab]Dain the Casswallawn (Mag/Phi)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Amurites.mp3
Desc: Although few know it, the Amurites are the descendants of Kyorlin. Because of that they have a powerful bond with magic and even the warriors amoung their ranks often know a spell or two.


The Evil

Doviello
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Evil (Chaos)
Race: Human Beastmen
Enemies: Bannor
Leader:
[tab]Charadon (Agg/Bar)
[tab]Mahala (Ind/Rai)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Doviello.mp3
Desc: No one is sure what the Doviello were before the Age of Ice, most likely men from many nations. But instead of retreating to caves to last out the cold they became wild men barely surviving on the surface, raiding and killing any groups they found. They continue their habits even as the other nations try to settle on the surface.

Balseraphs
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Evil (Mind)
Race: Human Carnival
Enemies: Luchuirp
Leader:
[tab]Perpentach (Cre/Phi)
[tab]Keelyn (Cre/Sum) (nikis-knight)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Balseraphs.mp3
Desc: Perpentach is insane. He belives the world is a carnival and he is its shadow prince. Speaking in rhyme, creating morbid amusements for himself and his people. He is nearly impossible to deal with and quick to turn on you.

Clan of Embers
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Evil (Fire)
Race: Orc
Enemies: Bannor, Lanun
Leader:
[tab]Jonas Endain (Bar/Exp/Sco/Spi)
[tab]Sheelba (Agg/Bar/Mag/Sco)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Clanofembers.mp3
Desc: Once fair creatures and friends to the elves the orcs were cursed and enraged when Bhall fell. Jonas is much more quiet and controled than his fellow orcs but even he carries a mace with the head of a young girl as the ball, when he raises it in combat the lips peal back showing sharp teeth and she screams.

Svartalfar
Scheduled for: Shadow
Alignment: Evil (Shadow)
Race: Dark Elf
Enemies: Malakim, Ljosalfar
Leader:
[tab]Faeryl Viconia (Arc/Hid)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Svartalfar.mp3
Desc: During the Age of Magic the elves were ruled by two seperate courts. The Seelie court (the fairer and more spiritual) ruled during the spring and summer and the Unseelie court (the more arcane and malevolent) ruled during the autumn and winter. When Sucellus died the elven prayers went unanswered. Because the Unseelie court was in power when it happened they decreed that the elven diety was gone and that Esus would be adopted in his place. Normally the Seelie court would wait for spring and then reverse the ruling, but spring never came as the Age of Ice began. The Unseelie court saw this as a symbol of their dominance and began to punish elves that refused to stop worshipping Sucellus. This caused a bloody civil war within the elven nation during a time when their numbers were already hard hit. The Age of Ice eventually stopped the war as bands were seperated by expanses they couldn't cross. Now that the Age of Ice is over they are free to reach out and begin their war anew.

Calabim, the Order of Blood
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Evil (Body)
Race: Human, Vampire Aristocracy
Enemies: Elohim, Kuriotates, Sidar
Leader:
[tab]Alexis (Agg/Phi)
[tab]Flauros (Exp/Org)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Calabim.mp3
Desc: A vampire aristocracy ruling over a human population that serves them as little more than blood puppets. There is no worse fate for a child than to born into the cities of the Calabim. Breeding pits, slavery, and treatment which wouldnt be acceptable for animals in most civlizations are common, while the vampire live lives of lush pleasure.

Sheaim
Scheduled for: Light
Alignment: Evil (Dimensional)
Race: Human
Enemies: Luchuirp, Grigori
Leader:
[tab]Tebryn Arbandi (Arc/Sum)
[tab]Os-Gabella (Spi/Sum)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Sheaim.mp3
Desc: Tebryn was the first to discover the power of the Armgedddon spells and means to cast them until the world is destroyed. His armies are schools of mages seeking to train under the archmage, they are not born in his lands but come seeking a bit of his power.

Infernal (minor Civ)
Scheduled for: Fire
Alignment: Evil (Entropy)
Race: Demon
Enemies: Mercurians, Kuriotates
Leader:
[tab]Hyborem (Bar/Sco/Sum)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Infernal.mp3
Desc: Demons, denizens of Hell. They hope to open up gates to the world of man and then either conquer it or pull the entire plane into Hell.

Illians (minor Civ)
Scheduled for: Ice
Alignment: Evil (Winter)
Race: Human
Enemies: Svartalfar
Leader:
[tab]Auric Ulvin (Agn/Mag/Phi)
Theme: http://kael.civfanatics.net/images/Audio/Illians.mp3
Desc: Auric is the reincarnation of Mulcarn, a dead god born as a man. His power is just a shadow now as it is scattered across the planes but he, or more correctly the voice inside him, means to regain it.
 
Reserved for ideas under consideration.
 
I want to propose that we create at least one civ that is completely different from the others.

Here an example of what i am thinking:
Some time ago using FfH 0.9 i created a giant civ (as the Giant Slaying promotion was quite useless until that moment). The idea was that the civ should be quite pure so that there is a straightforward way of playing with it. I therefore disabled nearly all buildings for them (giants are not good at doing craftmanship or building cathedrals) and replaced their units with 7 unique giant units (Settler, Worker, warrior, axeman, macemen, berserker and a giant catapult - no fancy waepons or beliefs for giants) that were about 30% to 40% stronger than their counterparts and much more expansive. They got a small set of available promotions.

As you can imagine they are really strong at the begining but their power fades when others get the more complicated things. Of course this was only a very done fast hack but it gave quite a feel running around with the giants and triing not to get outproduced and completely outteched.
 
How did the Giants eventually do? Did they play well? I like the idea of certain races being better at the beginning and then falling behind later. It'd be cool if they could enslave other civs and gain their know-how when they sense themselves lagging behind.
 
Chalid said:
I want to propose that we create at least one civ that is completely different from the others.

Here an example of what i am thinking:
Some time ago using FfH 0.9 i created a giant civ (as the Giant Slaying promotion was quite useless until that moment). The idea was that the civ should be quite pure so that there is a straightforward way of playing with it. I therefore disabled nearly all buildings for them (giants are not good at doing craftmanship or building cathedrals) and replaced their units with 7 unique giant units (Settler, Worker, warrior, axeman, macemen, berserker and a giant catapult - no fancy waepons or beliefs for giants) that were about 30% to 40% stronger than their counterparts and much more expansive. They got a small set of available promotions.

As you can imagine they are really strong at the begining but their power fades when others get the more complicated things. Of course this was only a very done fast hack but it gave quite a feel running around with the giants and triing not to get outproduced and completely outteched.

This may be doable, we would have to create a set of buildings for them, scaled way up so their cities look like giant cities.
 
When i played them i lost i got a real good start and was able to crush my neighbors and dominate my small continent but when i tried invading the other continent (oh forgot to mention the giant galley (prerequiste was the same as galleon)) my invadings force was lost two times and i was starting to become seriously outteched.

When playing against them (small pangea) i really feared them as there where a lot of giant axemen at the borders that let me live under the tread of an quick and brutal invasion. Fortunatley i had not modded the Leader to be kind of a Monty and won by religios victory. If i do them for 1.0 i will definatly make them very aggressive....
 
This may be doable, we would have to create a set of buildings for them, scaled way up so their cities look like giant cities.

When playing them i thought about that but i prefered playing at that time. You know creating an ERA_GIANT and the Buildings going with it would not be a problem... maybe we could even use another trigger in the LSystems but until now i had no luck with the ones i tried..
 
Chalid said:
When playing them i thought about that but i prefered playing at that time. You know creating an ERA_GIANT and the Buildings going with it would not be a problem... maybe we could even use another trigger in the LSystems but until now i had no luck with the ones i tried..

What happens when another civ takes a Giant's city or visa versa? Maybe Giants can only raze? And you could seriously subdivide the Giants' houses into condos ;)
 
woodelf said:
What happens when another civ takes a Giant's city or visa versa? Maybe Giants can only raze? And you could seriously subdivide the Giants' houses into condos ;)

The non-human freindly civs (demons and orcs) are set to have to raze cities. I would imagine giants should be the same way.
 
What about hybrids? What happens when a Human civ takes over an Elven city? The game lasts for centuries....will there be cross-pollination? I'm not trying to shoehorn half-this and half-that, but when dealing with races I don't see how they can stay pure.
 
You could simply say they are separate species and there are no half-breeds.
 
talchas said:
You could simply say they are separate species and there are no half-breeds.

Bad news for woodelfs wife.
 
Heh, the whole "culture" thing makes little sense when you think about it when you are considering different species as opposed to different nationalities. I just say that culture=breeding rate. So when a city's culture from one species goes up, I say that they bred more, and when another species' culture goes down in the same place, I say that they are not breeding as much and are dying from natural (or unnatural) causes faster than they are being born.

Here's an idea that may or may not be good:

Perhaps the leader of the civ could be a unique unit. Make them powerfull, but if you lose the unit, you lose. Kinda like the king in chess. You'd have to make sure whatever city they were in was well defended. (and the AI would have to understand the consequences of losing the unit as well)
 
So you are plants?
 
While out skiing today, I did some thinking about the Celabim (well, the skiing pretty much does itself, and when you're on your own on a track you've skied dozens of times, you can put your mind to other uses).

I know you said you had ideas about the Celabim using humans (i.e. population) as a resource, but if that should turn out to be unworkable, I have some ideas that may achieve a similar effect.

Units: I thought of two spells the vampire UU should have. The first should be the ability to spread a kind of "vampirism light" to units as a promotion. It would give strength, first strike and perhaps LOS (nightvision or summat) bonuses to the "affected". Insofar as vampirism is a form of gift the vampires are unwilling to share, it makes sense to dangle it infront of powerful warriors as a reward.

The second was a regeneration/sacrifice spell (akin to Warcraft's "Devour"). This would allow the Vampires to "Sacrifice" units to drastically speed up regeneration for a turn/fully heal wounded units in a stack. Perhaps you could link this to the "Lite Vampirism", making the promotion extra useful. This spell would lead the Celabim to adopt a rather unique battle tactic of a handful of very powerful units along with hordes of weak units (warriors, workers, slaves and old, expensive-to-upgrade units) to be used for quick regeneration of the main force.

I have a mental image of the vampire as a rather weak, but immortal unit with a high movement rate and LOS, but more importantly, powerful spells like these and perhaps some more. They would turn out as a form of dark healer/scout. After all, they are an aristocracy, who rule not so much by their own strength as by using the strength of "lesser" beings.

Cities: If you cannot work humans as a resource, I suppose you would have to go for food and unhealthiness to achieve something similar, people sacrificed for gold and production. First of all, military units would have to use food to build. Sacrifice for production should ALWAYS be an option for the Celabim, perhaps even a bit cheaper than for others, to encourage their use.

Finally, I had an idea for a new specialist, either one you can assign as a result of a building ("Manor", "Spooky Old Castle", "Dark Palace" or similar), or who appear thru the sacrifice of a Vampire UU (like the Super Specialists). They'd represent the Vampire Aristocracy in the cities, and would provide large production, money and research bonuses, but cost food in addition to the food they use by merely existing (I was thinking -2 food/unhealthiness).

Particularly the Aristocrats would lead to a civilisation with small, but incredibly powerful economic cities placed in the middle of fertile areas. A Celabim/Veil civ would have enormous research capabilities, but small cities. A Celabim/Fellowship civ (who says vamps can't get along with elves) would perhaps be able to cancel out a bit of the negative effects, allowing even more vampires.

Just my two cents on the Celabim. They fascinate me.
 
wilboman said:
1. While out skiing today, I did some thinking about the Celabim (well, the skiing pretty much does itself, and when you're on your own on a track you've skied dozens of times, you can put your mind to other uses).

2. I know you said you had ideas about the Celabim using humans (i.e. population) as a resource, but if that should turn out to be unworkable, I have some ideas that may achieve a similar effect.

3. Units: I thought of two spells the vampire UU should have. The first should be the ability to spread a kind of "vampirism light" to units as a promotion. It would give strength, first strike and perhaps LOS (nightvision or summat) bonuses to the "affected". Insofar as vampirism is a form of gift the vampires are unwilling to share, it makes sense to dangle it infront of powerful warriors as a reward.

4. The second was a regeneration/sacrifice spell (akin to Warcraft's "Devour"). This would allow the Vampires to "Sacrifice" units to drastically speed up regeneration for a turn/fully heal wounded units in a stack. Perhaps you could link this to the "Lite Vampirism", making the promotion extra useful. This spell would lead the Celabim to adopt a rather unique battle tactic of a handful of very powerful units along with hordes of weak units (warriors, workers, slaves and old, expensive-to-upgrade units) to be used for quick regeneration of the main force.

5. I have a mental image of the vampire as a rather weak, but immortal unit with a high movement rate and LOS, but more importantly, powerful spells like these and perhaps some more. They would turn out as a form of dark healer/scout. After all, they are an aristocracy, who rule not so much by their own strength as by using the strength of "lesser" beings.

1. That huge list of spells I posted earlier was all thought up while skiing.

2. I believe Kael's idea was to be able to sacrifice population to give vampires more XP.

3. I think that the vampires would be much more exclusive than this. What if they have the ability to sacrifice any unit in their stack to heal themselves by that unit's health.

4. See point 3

5. Yeah, they are more of a recon unit. Flying abilities of course. Maybe the only way to kill them is an undead slayign promotion or a spell. If something else killed him he would just be respawned int he city that built him.
 
loki1232 said:
2. I believe Kael's idea was to be able to sacrifice population to give vampires more XP.

3. I think that the vampires would be much more exclusive than this. What if they have the ability to sacrifice any unit in their stack to heal themselves by that unit's health.
2. I saw that after I wrote my ideas down.:blush:

3. I thought of something similar, but if they are immortal, that would make it less useful than otherwise, which is why I thought of expanding it.
 
@ Kael:
I think that calling the horse civ Hippus is a bit obvious (latin word for horse). IMO you should call it something like The Horse Lords.
 
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