[FFH] The Story of the Calabim

[Lone Wolf]

Monarch difficulty. My own modmod, that doesn't take Sephi's AI changes into account - I've changed so many little things, that I find it a hassle to adapt it to the new version. Anyway, let's begin. Classical era start. Comments are welcome.

At the end of the Age of Ice, the Vampires and their lowly cattle subjects found themselves in a relatively fertile valley between rivers. At least, there was rice - which meant that there'll always be new souls to devour in dark life-prolonging rituals, Flauros regarded as he oversaw the building of Prespur. He licked his lips.

Obligatory civic switch.

The scouts sent by Flauros reported on the Dark Elf settlements next to the ancient relic of the Seven Pines. Flauros wondered whether devouring elf souls is even more pleasurable then devouring human ones.

After Prespur was developed and defended enough, the Calabim founded the city of Nubia, next to wine, rice and floodplains. Mmmm.

By the 159th season, we've met the Bannor, the Grigori and the Svartalfar. Also, a new Settler team was ready for founding a new city.

Expand, my cattle, expand.

An old pirate offers us a treasure. Why not?

Also, we switch civics to Foreign Trade. Flauros likes trade.

Flauros always regarded the lands of the Svartalfar as his future domain. He felt nothing but contempt for Faeryl, this puppetmaster who doesn't understand the pleasures of raw power and the feeling of devouring souls. However, he was a pragmatist and he freely admitted that the Elves know a thing or two about arcane mastery. He was willing to trade.

Hi Mom.

Great Merchant born and merged. Flauros was always ready to appreciate the talents of the more capable members of the cattle caste.

Griffons, tamed by the Hunters, spied the Yggdrasil, a magnificent tree of enormous fertility in the Svartalfar lands.

Secretly, Flauros was recruiting bloodpets and Moroi to attack the Dark Elf lands. In Season 214, they crossed the borders of the Svartalfar, and came to the gates of Brakkah.

Note that the Calabim had to sacrifice their research and settlement, which is reflected on their score. It will soon change, however...

 

[christos200]

good update.

 

[SouthernKing]

Good update

 

[Yoshiegg737]

Awesome

 

[Lone Wolf]

Our brutish Moroi are not deceived by the Svartalfar trickery.

Faeryl, for all her deception, was completely unprepared for the war.

Our Griffon finds a Jade Torc in the chest - a mediocre artefact that gives the wearer resistance to poison.

Trades.

The Moroi fought bravely and captured many thriving Svartalfar cities, including its captial Thariss, and the Yggdrasil tree, but eventually, their numbers were thinned out by the Fawn defenders, and when mighty Treants started spawning in the Elf forests, Flauros decided to regroup and sign a cease fire.

Flauros liked the new religion. It provided a perfect justification for all these hunts that he and his vampire friends sometimes made on the unsuspecting citizens of Prespur.

Hyborem appears on Erebus.

Civic switch

Finally, we recruit the first Vampire. Also, these Frostlings are a nuisance. They cannot be used in soul-devouring rituals.

Thessa asked Flauros for help in destroying the Winter Court. Flauros saw no reason to decline, since his armies were already restored and thirsty for some Elf blood.

However, Hyborem apparently decided that the Calabim are too strong. Somehow, "so be it" doesn't strike me as being the appropriate response.

His Demonic Champions capture Gereth Minar. I wonder whether its citizens prefer Vampiric or Demonic overlords. Either way, they don't really have a choice.

Hyborem's forces aren't very numerous, but he has Iron and is quite technologically advanced. Moreover, his power usually increases as the game goes on.

To be continued...

 

[NinjaCow64]

Nice Update!

I should really play FFH.

 

[inohotep]

wow you really shot up those ranks

 

[Lone Wolf]

Flauros ordered his realm to devote all its resources to the military.

He also ordered a great Erebus-wide hunt to lighten the mood of his Vampiric subjects.

He continued to keep good relations with Thessa. "Sometimes", ruminated Flauros, "you have to keep your bloodsucking desires to yourself in order to conduct diplomacy". Were Alexis on the Calabim throne, she wouldn't be so pragmatic.

On the same Season as this trade, the Hippus declared war. They were probably bribed, since Rhoanna never sent more then a small, easily-destroyed stack.

Finally we recapture Gereth Minar -

But demonic hordes killed one of these Vampires, and the other one was destroyed by a Burning Blood Moroi regiment that turned against their former masters, capturing Gereth Minar. The poor citizens now were subjected to the harsh rule of barbarian Moroi.

And just when the loyal Moroi were ready to retake the city, the chariots of the Godless archangel swept in and took the city for themselves.

Cassiel claimed that he wanted to save the citizens from their horrible fate. Flauros, however, remained unconvinced, and, after bringing his Vampires next to the city, declared war on Cassiel, retaking it.

Another trade with Thessa:

Unfortunately for Flauros (and the poor citizens of Gereth Minar, not that Flauros cared much about them) the city was soon retaken by a horde of demonic Champions and Deceased Corpses. Then, the demons advanced to Thariss, the former Svartalfar capital.

Flauros had to use the magic ritual of Peace of Seven Pines to stop the wars he's currently in. But Gereth Minar remained in enemy hands.

 

[Tomorrow's Dawn]

You're making me want to play FFH, Lone Wolf.
Keep up the great work with your story!

 

[Lone Wolf]

Around that time, as I found later, Thessa bugged out and stopped building units. Everyone else still built them. It was a strange bug which harmed a civ which was both my competitor and my friend.

Anyway, let's continue.

Flauros observed that Perpentach the fool had made enemies of virtually everyone on Erebus. The Vampire king congratulated himself on his pragmatism, which meant that he would never end in such situation.

More trades.

The Infernal army captured the Balseraph capital. That spelt doom for Perpentach, but also signalled that the bulk of Infernal forces is away from their homeland.

A Vampire had entered a lair and met the Elohim abbey, which is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Flauros decided that Einion is simply a pathetic weakling, unworthy of his attention.

Fanaticism in a trade, which means the ability to train Losha Valas, our Calabim hero.

Flauros disliked the magic sphere of life, but he didn't allow his dislike to hinder his pragmatism. That sphere would be useful in fighting against the Infernal, to whom Flauros felt no affection whatsoever. They've taken Gereth Minar, the city that was his by right, and wanted to destroy the world, while Flauros wanted to dominate it.

Trade.

And the Undercouncil.

Finally, in Season 327, the Calabim forces crossed the Infernal border and came to the walls of Gereth Minar. There weren't many defenders there - the Infernal army was in the Balseraph lands, and was doing pretty well. But the Demonic homeland was definitely underdefended. Flauros' plan worked.

Flauros never cared about what his people think, and he liked the philosopher from Sheaim lands, that preached the philosophy of spiritual beauty contained in strength and uglyness contained in weakness. So he offered the philosopher an Academy in his capital.

The Infernals never really composed a counter-stack. They only defended in cities with their Longbowmen, who were barraged with the Vampire-summoned Spectres and killed by the Vampires. It was not an easy campaign, and some Vampire aristocrats died in battle. But the army still rolled on.

The Calabim found a town on on island.

And trade with the Seelie Court and its leader, mysterious Thessa.

Aren't they beautiful?

As the Calabim were about to capture the last Infernal city on the Demonic homelands, the jester left the game. That was quite a rapid downfall from the second place in score. After the capture of Despero, the Calabim and the Infernal signed a peace treaty.

Meanwhile, the wannabe Ice God was destroyed by the Bannor crusaders.

 

[SouthernKing]

Your making me DL FFH2 right now!

 

[Mosher]

FFH2 is a great mod, second only to RFC, in my opinion.

 

[inohotep]

to me it goes
1.RFC
2.GEM
3.G&G(glory and greatness)

 

[Optical]

Nice work so far!

@mods:

FFH2 1st
then RFC
then I ran out of space on my hard drive

 

[reddishrecue]

Thats quite a mod there with all the unique effects and additions than the usual modless civilization version.

 

[Lone Wolf]

The Bannor summoned Basium on Erebus. Flauros did not like this at all, especially since the Infernal, against whom Basium would be useful, were already weakened. So, Flauros began another troop buildup.

We've recently researched Rage, which allows us to train Brujahs, vampiric Bersekers, powerful collateral damage - causing units. Flauros Fin/Org and his Governor's Manors, which give us 1 extra for each (for each face, not for each difference between and ) make our Calabim into an middle- and late- game economic powerhouse. He is vulnerable early, but Classical start and absense of early rusher AI's next to me didn't make it into much of a concern this game.

Flauros announces empire-wide celebrations of Cernunnos. He understands that even the cattle sometimes needs to have their fun.

Undercouncil resolution.

During the celebrations of Cernunnos, the Calabim were joined by a half-human, half-elf horse archer named Kythra Kyriel. Despite not being a Vampire, he's treated with respect by the Calabim government for his martial prowess.

Trade with Rhoanna for gold.

Soon, a formidable army forms next to Nubia. It is huge, but the peasants are afraid to protest - they are aware of the risks of having your soul devoured.

Meanwhile, the Bannor and the Grigori destroy the Infernal. Basium becomes completely useless to Flauros.

That's the size of our army now.

Finally, in Season 387, we declare war on the Bannor and the Mercurians, moving our stack to Astrum. The Mercurian resistance is pretty feeble, but the first Bannor stack that most likely returns from the Infernal capmaign is slightly more annoying:

 

[Yoshiegg737]

 

[Lone Wolf]

We easily destroy the Mercurians. Basium is so delusional that he still continues to whine about the destroyed Infernals.

The few Vampires that remain in conquered Astrum raise Skeletons from the bodies of the city's human defnders. This will help in countering any potential attacks.

The mighty Calabim state is reorganized on military principles.

Apparently, the godless archangel took issue with our meteoric raise to power. He is wrong, however, when he says that we Vampires rely on our gods. We rely on our numbers, brutality and arcane mastery. Yeah, our arcane mastery is granted to us by Aeron, but he isn't likely to abandon us anytime soon.

We bribe the Hippus mercenaries to be on our side.

The Bannor army enters our lands...

And receives quite a beating from the Fireballs, Catapults, Spectres and our other powerful units.

Cassiel makes a major strategical mistake. Instead of sending his powerful, Mithril Weapons - powered army to the main front, he sends it to underdefended, but irrelevant North.

The Bannor bring another, larger army to the field (I dislike this interface flaw that makes the unit list continue going up after the screen edge).

It is first assaulted by the Spectres (who look kind of cute - in Flauros' eyes, at least)

Then attacked by out main army.

Here's the result.

We've lost two Brujahs, three Catapults, and twelve Vampires. But their army is completely disorganized. Also, this season saw inconclusive minor battles next to the city of Enoreth.

The Hippus start to advance their own army. It's a long way from the battle, though.

We kill Sphener, the angel of Junil. It's a major blow to the Bannor cause. Unfortunately, the vampire who killed him was soon killed by the Bannor.

The Grigori army appears in the North, and captures an irrevelant city.

Our armies advance into Bannor territory. The Bannor armies are completely exhausted.

Cassiel brings a small army to Enoreth. Also, the Bannor bring a relatively small, Arquebus-only army.

We capture Trinity. I use the Disciple Great Work (I usually use it sparingly, since the AI is not capable of understanding it).

Only now, after capturing another irrelevant northern city, Cassiel realizes his mistake and moves his army South.

We have some minor problems next to Trinity, but nothing too major.

 

[inohotep]

wow, this is heavy

 

[Lone Wolf]

wow, this is heavy

Indeed! Although the most parts of this war is over.

We destroy the nuisance next to Trinity and the Bannor Arquebusier stack with minor losses - the latter is destroyed with the new Vampiric aristocrats from our cities, ready to replace their fallen comrades.
The Bannor are completely gassed. Their city garrisons are weak.

And are easily destroyed by the elite of our army - Knights, Brujahs and Losha.

We capture the second Bannor city.

The Bannor are sooo finished.

The Grigori stack finally appears in out territory again. After Flauros saw this, he ordered more Vampires and Chariots to garrison the city.

Flauros nods approvingly as his commanders present him the map of captured Bannor lands. The blood of these tough, crusading people aren't that tasty, though - but it's a minor concern.

And Flauros doesn't forget Thessa, his only friend on Erebus, as well. Everyone else seems to be irrationally scared of that "soul-devouring bloody ritual" thing. Flauros doesn't understand why - he is a pragmatic person and will never devour anyone useful.

If I were a romance novelist, I'd use this opportunity to write a cheesy romance novel between a vampire and an elf.

At least, Flauros has his parrots.

The Grigori capture Idris. For some mysterious reason, the bulk of Cassiel's forces retreats into his territory after the capture.

Cassiel had convinced some demons to abandon their evil gods and fight alongside with him. This didn't save these northern cities captured by the Grigori from recapture.

The Calabim juggernaut rolls on.

The Bannor capital is as poorly defended as everything else. With our fast Haste-boosted Knights capturing their cities, the Bannor can't organize a proper resistance, as the only part of their empire that is away from our armies - former Illian lands - is covered in ice. While the former Illian capital is about size 15, the majority of tiles it works is water. Auric had his postmortem revenge.

Finally, after we recapture Idris, the other part of Cassiel's army shows up:

It tries to attack and kills many of Calabim warriors, but them retreats again. The Grigori military leadership is atrocious.

We slightly overextend ourselves in the Bannor lands, allowing some recaptures...

That don't last long.

Overall, that war seems won. If Cassiel had been smarter with his army, the outcome would be far less certain.