Note: Orders: Orders format.
Please use e-mail only to submit your orders. Please indicate your orders with the ‘[Civ Name] Final Orders [Turn Number]’ format.
Note: Orders Due: Orders for reconnaissance scouting missions are due Friday. General orders are due Saturday.
UPDATE TWENTY Years 506-520: Thom Yorke Decides, A Constellation Sighted, Sidar & Eekin Begin Worldspells, Syrii Struck By the Gods, Hippus Cursed, Averlorn Redeemed, Baelholm Founded, Viharra Tranquil Founded, Ambush at the Silver Grass Ruins, Kappa Baned, Ancient Sites Investigated
Thom Yorke Settles In Kappa Towah
The votes are in and Thom Yorke has decided; his home shall be the Kappa nation.
Kappa Towah gains ‘Bard’s Manor’
A Constellation is Sighted
Astrologers report sighting the Yew-wood Bow. It is the fifth constellation to appear in the age of rebirth, after the tome, the tree, the sceptre, and the shield. The sign is sacred to Amathaon, and throughout the Kuriotates and, to a lesser extent, the Sidar nations the Cult of Artists engages in artistic wonders on a scale and of such beauty never seen before. Most prominent amongst these is the sheer number of dedications inspired by the first monument built upon Erebus since the age of ice, the great monument to Cardith Lorda in Averlorn.
In addition, the lands themselves are also blessed with Amathaon’s bounty. Throughout Erebus, farmers, foragers, miners, herders and fishermen report a proliferation of new species and new resources. ‘Als farmers near Raz’al have begun small-scale planting of a plant whose grain is edible and potentially useful for brewing. Halluchuirp hunters and foragers operating near Freetown report the growth of massive oak trees suitable for large-scale logging operations. Eekin miners report striking a very thin and very delicate vein of some perfectly clear and extremely hard gemstone. Foragers near Nimaril recognize a tall plant growing in the meadows as corn. Kappa hunters and trappers near Kappa Towah report skittish deer in the lowlands of the Edsunhand mountains.
Kuriotates gain 2 stability.
Sidar gain 1 stability.
Amurites gain 1 stability.
The ‘Als province of Raz’al develops the hops resource. This will disappear in 5 turns if no farms are built to harvest the new resource.
The Halluchuirp province of Freetown develops the hardwood lumber resource. This will disappear in 5 turns if no lumbermills are built to harvest the new resource.
Eekin develop the diamond resource.
The Amur province of Nimarail gains the corn resource. This will disappear in 5 turns if no farms are built to harvest the new resource.
Kappa province of Kappa Towah develops the deer resource. This will disappear in 5 turns if no hunting platforms are built to harvest the new resource.
(All resource development was random with heavier weighting going to those provinces with fewer existing resources. Uninhabited provinces are also subject to the blessings of Amathion.)
Eekin Begin the Ritual known as ‘The Call of Heaven’
Eekin holy-men and seers begin the process of invoking Baelious’s and his valkyries’ blessing on a scale never before considered. Outsiders remain mostly unaware of what this entails but Shiem and other travellers report a lot of ceremonial battles being fought on behalf of Lugus’s archangel.
Eekin begin casting their worldspell.
Sidar begin the Ritual of ‘Shadow of a God’
The priests of the Sidar hierocracy in Darkvale have begun a great ritual, claiming that the spell is their birthright, taught to them long ago by the legendary Sandalphon before he left the ruling of the Sidar nation to the brothers
Dani and Karl.
None, perhaps even including the priests of gray know exactly what the ritual will achieve, but none can deny the growing sense of
expectation throughout the Sidar nation.
Sidar begin casting their worldspell.
A Witch Amongst the Lamia of Averlorn, Part 2: Redemption
The mob responsible for the Averlorn lamia slaughter are gathered near the great Averlorn monument to hear their punishment. Judgement would be passed upon their senseless violence. Even as the crowd gets more and more agitated and anxious, the Empyrean appears with food (from national stores) and reassurance for the crowd. Finally the judge appears and is ready to read his verdict. A silence falls upon the crowd.
A silence falls upon the crowd as the judge prepares his verdict
Even as the crowd mills about, half in fear, half in defiance, he reads the punishment, “Payment of property or livestock or trade-goods worth 200 half-silver coins or 2 years in the dungeons.”
The effect on the crowd is electric and the mob mentality returns with a vengeance, “You bloodsucker. You want to take the last from us!” Peasant militia guarding the mob reach for their weapons as it is apparent the crowd will soon riot.
But before the crowd managed to turn into single, mindless and angry mass, the sound of galloping horses filled the square. Several centaurs and a rider on white horse rode through the gap between peasants and militia. This sudden entrance was enough to freeze both the crowd and militia members.
The rider turns to the militia who immediately offer a perfect salute. Immediately the crowd hushes as they recognize their new emperor. Taking the written declaration from the judge, he rips it dramatically and begins his own speech. He promises that the terrible cries of Hera cannot be forgotten, offers a bounty for her capture, dead or alive and compares her crimes to those of bandits in ages past. The crowd calms; the emperor is sympathetic to their plight, their anger. He continues, “The Kuriotates are a peaceful people, inspired by the divinity of Lugus himself. Your sentence will be diminished. You are guilty but your crime is one of passion- it is time now to turn your passion to reconstruction and to peace.”
Ultimately the crowd becomes a tool of the state. He melds this mob with the Empyreans and the Cult of Artists and sets their passion and anger upon a project, the construction of new and beautiful library at the centre of Averlorn. The labour is provded by murderous citizens who are repaying their debt to society. Artistic mosaics and depiction of lamia, centaur, elf and man living in harmony are provided by the Cult of Artists and organization and mediation are provided by the Empyrean.
Finally the Emperor also provides for lavish burials and funeral rites for the dead children and for the lamia killed in the tragedy. Lastly, state housing is provided by those lamia who survived the massacre and had lost their homes to the mob.
People speak less of the ‘massacre’ and more of the ‘tragedy’.
Kuriotates gain 1 stability
Crop Failure Leads to Starvation in Altheriol-ta-Mealthiel
Two consecutive years of hot, parched summers and dry long winters have led to dry and dusty earth for the Hippus. Great winds have driven these dried-out soils out to Kinayk Sea. The dry barren earth that remains proves unsuitable for planting. In two years the population of the Hippus capital quickly consumes what food they have been able to store in more fertile years but just as the rains are returning, disaster strikes once again.
This time the crop is targeted by some strange hex, the vengeful curse of a spurned and bitter witch or the scheming plot of some hell-sworn warlock. As shoots of young barley first appear in the newly enriched soil they immediately begin to sicken and die. For three years no barley or other grains grow anywhere near Altheriol-ta-Mealthiel. The land clearances of Conrond Mor and vineyards of Radannor do everything they can to alleviate the suffering of the capital by sending what food they can but the need is too great, the help too little.
Famine strikes.
a hippus barley farmer laments a field of failed crop
Soon vicious rumours begin spreading throughout the city. Gnolls and orcs have been seen feeding on those who have succumbed to the famine. Worse, even some desperate human hippus have joined them. Scared and angry, hungry and suffering, the masses turn their frustration upon their more bestial neighbours as the old fault-lines in Hippus society re-ignite.
Fortunately the hippus governors, while unprepared for famine, know how to deal with civil strife. The glory-seekers are dispatched to provide military protection to targeted civilians, break-up mobs and to speak directly with aggrieved parties. Ultimately what could have been a major disaster is averted by good policing.
Despite this success, the people still starve and thousands die. When the barley shoots finally do return and the curse is lifted many wonder if the government couldn’t have avoided such a crisis if granaries had been in place to help store previous crops more efficiently.
Hippus lose 1 stability. Hippus lose 40 food. Population of Altheriol-ta-Mealthiel is reduced by 1.
Eekin found March of Baelholm near Poison Waters Lake
Ignoring the foreboding name associated with the waters of the province, the Eekin king sends his soldiers and settlers to land on the Kuriotates peninsula (hereafter the Kuriotates/Eekin peninsula) and found the march of Baelholm (province 21).
On the coast they see ancient signs of settlements. There are hardly more than toppled piles of stones arranged like longhouses and cairns but the cultural signature is unmistakable; Eekin once lived here. It appears that some of the previous expedition that tried to arrive here did but later failed to thrive and died out due the inhospitality of the land.
The lands are unoccupied; even animals are very rare, especially in the lowlands near the rivers and the lake. It soon become evident why the term ‘Poison Waters’ has been given to the lands. The waters are a bronzish-red and powdered red dust appears all along the river banks.
Enterprising and educated settlers soon realize that the red dust is nothing other than the ore hematite however and that furthermore, with only a little bit of digging at the very surface of the lowlands huge bands of fine hematite ore can be recovered from the land. Recalling the Halluchuirps’ announcement regarding smelting, could this be an easy available source of the rare ore known from antiquity as ‘iron’? This same hematite however, is so common in the area that it is poisoning the waters and animals do not drink from the streams or river (
OOC: for fear of Siderosis). Settlers immediately set about collecting rainwater; wells will be just as poisoned.
Additionally the Eekin settlers, as they move further inland soon realize that the hills are covered in sweet-smelling nutmeg plants. What other resources will reveal themselves with a survey of the province’s bounty?
That is not all that the province has to offer however. Eekin explorers report that a strange island rises from the centre of the province’s namesake island. The island appears to be covered in some structure rising from the waters, perhaps man-made. There are no footprints or campfire remains in the area however so what could it be?
Eekin settlers do not actually found the march at this point however; they are waiting on the CCCC treaty being amended.
EDIT: treaty ammended- march founded.
Syrii Found City of Viharra Tranquil on Rinwel Isle
Making use of the centralized administrative functions of their social welfare program and of the assistance of their inherent propensity for
law, the Syrii continue their expansion by settling a new city on the island known as Rinwel isle. Though the Syrii had long suspected that their might be some sentient creatures living on the island (due to sighting wood-smoke in the distance) their suspicions were never confirmed until such time as actually arrived on the island.
While beginning the construction of their settlement and exploring the coastal regions, the Syrii have occasionally come across pale humans though the occurrences are rare due to the tribe’s secretive nature. Morphologically, the humans appear identical to the Sidar from across the straights though their language is different and they have no knowledge of the waning process or of shades whatsoever.
When news arrives in Darkvale of this discovery the immediate supposition is that the modern Sidar nation may have descended from people such as this and only through Sandalphon’s gifts have differentiated so greatly.
The ‘pre-sidar’ share the same secretive nature as the true Sidar and though they are aware of the Syrii encroachment on their lands, they have made no efforts to establish formal diplomatic relations nor to begin trade. Instead they have retreated further into their forests and swamps. And so, their culture and customs remain largely a mystery.
Syrii explorers report sighting wild rice in the lowlands of Rinwel isle. Who knows what other treasures may lie upon the island.
Syrii establish city of Viharra Tranquil
’Als Find the Crown of the Ancient King
The ‘Als state, with the assistance of Halluchuirp mud golems launch an expedition to excavate ancient caves thought to be associated with the hiding place of the ‘Als people during the age of ice.
They quickly determine that the ‘Als, with the age of ice coming and freshly victorious over the servants of the sun-god, those strange lizard creatures who pray at the mirror of heaven, broke up into six tribes and each of these locked itself in a cave network deep beneath the mountains or deserts. Only one such cave ever emerged (which now form the modern ‘Als people). Two other cave networks have also been found, but now the ‘Als have been able to excavate the fourth set of caves, learning a little more about their past (detailed here) and finding many bodies (amidst signs of great violence). This fourth cave also houses more treasures than any other (though many are badly damaged) including the fabled crown depicted in many illustrations of the ‘Als king.
’Als gain 15 gold and the item ‘Crown of the ‘Als King’
Delii Goldhand Opens an Orphanage for the Children Who Lost Their Parents to Poisoning
Delii Goldhand is a dwarven trader who made his fortune in silk trade. Like many, he lost his family in the great poisonings that struck the Halluchuirp approximately a decade ago. This opened his eyes and made him realize that he would need to provide something to assist the children who, like him, had lost their families.
And so, with the assistance of the state, he constructed an orphanage. The state is heavily involved in the day to day running of the orphanage and provides round-the-clock military protection to its children and religious teachings from both the Bronze Owl and Blossoms of Mercy.
What well protected and beloved children!
Halluchuirp gain a free almshouse in Luciedo
Kappa Ban In Halluchuirp Nation
Though no proof is provided, Halluchuirp officials have decreed that the attack on their people is the work of rogue Undertow cultists and so they have ensured that no more Kappa scholars can come to visit the ‘Sky-Golem’. The meteor itself has been stored away from the prying eyes of the public and only those most intimately involved in its study are allowed access.
All Kappa are questioned extensively as they leave and no new Kappa are allowed in. Most Kappa accept the treatment as more evidence of ‘dry-lander’ racism and allow the questioning but some slip away quietly in the night, not willing to face the questions and probes of the Halluchuirp state. Within two months of the ban not a single Kappa remains in Halluchuirp lands.
Unofficial public sentiment of Kappa and Halluchuirp of each other is adversely affected
Sidar Launch an Investigation of ‘Mirror of Heaven’
Sidar scholars explore the region of the Mirror of Heaven. They soon learn that the place is sacred to the ancient race of sand-dwelling and sun-worshipping lizard-men for a reason. Sun mana flows throughout the site and can be harness by the Sidar nation (which should help in countering enemy reconnaissance and espionage). In addition, the scholars find many secrets relating to the ancient race that developed this site and to the wars they fought with the ‘Als prior to the age of ice.
Sidar gain sun mana. Cult of Fortune and Empyrean influence increases.
Hippus Scouts Ambushed
The Hippus military receives a report from their scouts that awakens their curiosity. And so they are deployed to the ancient Silver Grass Elf ruins in the hopes of investigating them. Arriving, they initially find no signs of their scouts except slaughtered and half-eaten bodies. Around the site of carnage are booted humanoid and animal tracks, including a variety of lizards and birds and some sort of large canine. But the Hippus scouts are
blooded and
careful and well-trained and experienced. When the attack came, some of their members, realizing that they would soon be overwhelmed and slaughtered, ran, their only hope to get news of the attack back to their military command.
In their report they states that they were ambushed in the dead of night by the most silent and stealthy forces they have ever faced. These forces, which numbered between 100 and 200 men had apparently no difficulty seeing in the dark despite the Hippus unit’s own near-blindness. It was a massacre and almost the entire Hippus unit was slain by these men and only less than 10 escaped alive. If they had been only slightly less experienced or the enemy only slightly better trained, it would have been a complete massacre.
Hippus scouts require 14 gold to recruit to full strength.
Investigation into the Silver Grass Ruins on hold (though resources spent do not ‘go bad’ and can be applied next turn.
Brazen Assault on Scholar’s Library in Cevedes
Disaffected and unsatisfied with the ‘empty promises’ of the Amurite Caswellan, orc and gnoll ancestors of the Clan of Ember have begun to agitate throughout the slums and alleys of Cevedes. While the prophet Ember appears to be aware of their dissatisfaction, her only answer when questioned is, “Can you really blame them?”
The orc and gnoll anger continues to simmer below the surface of Amurite society for several months before it is suddenly manifest in an act of heinous arson. Brazenly and without regard to surrounding buildings or the lives of innocents a band of young orc and gnoll hooligans set fire to the Cevedes library, completely engulfing many of its precious tombs even as the brave Scholars of Oghma do what the can to save the remainder of their precious books.
The Scholars of Oghma lose their most precious treasures.
Amurite library in Cevedes requires 20g in repairs prior to producing any more research points. Failure to repair the library has a 1/6 chance, turn by turn, of causing a 1 point stability loss.
This event is due to Amurite mistrust in their government.
Eekin Arm Themselves to Defend Their Beloved King
Baldr is the most beloved of the Eekin kings and the people realize he is a great man, destined for great things. And so many have taken it upon themselves to personally provide their spears in protection of their great king. Spontaneously they have formed a band of spear militia calling themselves ‘The King’s Guard’.
Women throughout the Eekin Isle swoon for king Baldr (…sigh…
This event is due to Eekin trust in their government.
Eekin gain a spear militia unit with the descriptor of ‘loyal’ (though they are not at full strength and will require 25 gold to recruit to full capacity).
Syrii Harvest Wild Rice Near Veherra Tranquil
With so much wild rice growing around Verherra Tranquil motivated settlers set about sowing the wild grain in ordered farms near the small city.
This event is due to Syrii trust in their government
Syrii receive a communal rice farm in Veherra Tranquil and 4 food.
Grigori Adventurers Convert Old Ruins to a Shaft Mine
The first patrian ruins to be discovered, those closest to Troday Yithi, contain more than just old treasures and snivelling little lizard folk, they contain small amounts of metal items, intricate stone work, and best of all, if one digs just a little further, minute veins of several minor ores.
Adventurers trying to find more treasure in the old ruins soon realize that there is little of value for adventurers remaining to the Patrian ruins but that industrialists might be interested in the metals and ores within. And so they have organized a conversion of the old ruins to a mining enterprise.
This event is due to Grigori trust in their government
Grigori ‘men with tools’ improvement in Troday Yithi upgraded to a ‘shaft mine’
Reforms amongst the White Mist Elves
A growing nation and a new outlook towards events in Erebus have led the elven monarch to decree many changes to her nation. Firstly, the criminal elements that have been more active lately will be dealt with using a programme of forced labour and brutal work camps where an offender may serve for up to 20 years. It becomes known as the ‘'Law Concerning Criminal Punishment and Rehabilitation’ and though it has its detractors, especially amongst the growing middle class who see it as an arbitrary means of keeping the nobles in power and providing them with cheap labour at the cost of the disenfranchised who cannot prove their innocence.
Secondly, the stewardess Vanwen of Noble House Diro is provided with economic control over the city of Fionn Ulriel and immediately sets about making use of local resources. A limestone granary originally used by the Dove-Yellow is rebuilt and the stones exported to the Kuriotates. Vanwen is already lobbying the monarchy to release stored grain to allow the population to grow considerably faster, a prospect marked with cheer by the House of Ránëwén Anwamanë who see it as a way of establishing a true nation and with disdain by Maranwë Elanessë who see it as more ‘corrupted thinking’ and a lapsing from the true old ways.
Lastly, the White Queen Isil Carnesir soon becomes the subject of adoration as monuments are crafted, poems written, sermons given about the White Queen and her numerous amiable traits, effectively elevating her to a near-deity status among the lower orders of Elven society. She is literally worshipped by them and increasing amounts of the Elves of the Mist begin each day with a prayer to their Queen-turned-Goddess. Among the nobility, however, she still is regarded as simply another Elf, though one with a staggeringly keen intellect and control of an unsettling amount of power. Word of 'Prophets of the White Goddess' circulating the newly opened boarders of those nations belonging to the Three Nations Alliance has begun to spread.
White Mist Elves adopt communal work camps labour civic, stewardship economic civic and personality cult religious civic at the cost of 2 stability and 10 gold.
’Als Adopt Stewadship
That’s about it.
‘Als adopt the stewardship economic civic at the cost of 1 stability and 5 gold.
Eekin Adopt an Open Economy
Greater profits lie ahead for this trading nation as they adopt an open economy.
Just what it says
Kappa Develop Cobblestone Roads
While rafts and dugout canoes are probably much better than dirt roads (which quickly wash out in the torrential rains) within the Kappa swamps, cobblestone roads, elevated and allowing for drainage are much superior to either.
The Kappa have used gravel from their quarry, mixed with mortar to construct an extensive road network from east to west within their swamps. Already the volume of trade in the great Kappain metropolises has greatly increased as Kuriotates and White Mist Elf merchants can freely reach the inland villages and shops that previously had been unavailable to them.
No additional effects
Hippus Find Feral Boy in South-Western Conrond Mor
Grigori hunters have stumbled upon a small shack in the woods were a young boy was found who could not speak the Hippus tongue, did not know how to use cutlery, drank from stream and puddles by lapping like a cat or dog and barked aggressively at the hunters when approached. Though actually probably closer to seven years of age, the stringy, underfed, naked and filthy child appears closer to four or five.
It appears that the boy’s parents had died when he was very young in some unknown hunting accident and since that time he had been raised by the family’s hunting dogs (who had taken over the shack) as one of their own and even sleeps with them as one of their pack.
The boy has been returned to civilization but the process is proving traumatic for the child who had not seen humans for several years and probably does not remember ever seeing them before.
No effect
).
