As dawn breaks on the young Spanish settler, decisions are on the table. The mountain range in the south is rather foreboding, so he decides to take a gander to the north and heads for the elephants. After seeing, well nothing except possibly the outskirts of a jungle, he decides this would be a fine location to call home, and Madrid is founded right in the middle of a pachyderm herd. The people demand to know the mysteries of religion, Hinduism is the choice, and the scholars are put to the test. All of the village tradesmen are put work on a small boat, they believe it will be enough to help them grab the small shelled creatures hiding just offshore. In the meantime, all available troops are sent into the wilderness. They begin searching for all things unknown, which is pretty much everything at this point, and immediately begins looking for a way around those giant peaks to the south.
Hinduism is founded in Madrid in 3460BC and people rejoice at their great fortune! Now the call goes out for metals, since we're not quite sure where to look, the task of Mining seems like a great way to begin to understand the intricacies and other small details associated with the eventual harvesting of non-precious ores. About that wandering warrior. He has discovered that indeed there is a way around the mountains, and a great (read GPP) floodplain lies on the other side. He has also discovered some other very interesting facts. There are some really great looking hills on the western shore of this landmass that seem to have plenty of food supplies for supporting a new settlement. As he continues his journey northward, one fact becomes abundantly clear. The jungle is thick and there is a lot of it! He puts in a call for reinforcements.
In 2560BC, the art of Bronze Working is discovered, unfortunately, there ain't no bronze or copper or any other substance to play with. The towns people of Madrid are starting to become a little concerned for their safety at this point, so the village elders decide it might be prudent to increase their skills at Hunting, figuring this has got to be able help them protect themselves as well as make the people forget, at least for the time being that there are no actual troops stationed for the defense of the city.
In 2470BC, the settlement of Barcelona is founded next to the golden hills in the west, and by 1090BC Hinduism had spread to the upstart village. The people of Barcelona are very peaceful in nature and undertake a great project, they hope to call it the "Parthenon", if they are allowed to complete it.
The tale of the wandering warrior heats up, as reinforcements begin to slowly trickle into the jungle behind him, only darkness lies ahead. He snakes is way northward, and suddenly, from a hilltop, the unmistakable appears on the horizon. An archer representing a ruler named Peter offers us peace or war! Since we're not quite sure who "Peter" is at this point, or how many archers may be following after this one, we gladly accept his offer of peace.
By 940BC the Spanish empire is ready to expand even further and it is decided that a city in the south would be rather easy to defend. So it is written, so let it be done. Seville it is named, hills and floodplains galore!
The scholars of the Spanish empire have really been doing an outstanding job. After mastering the skill of Hunting, in quick succession that was followed by Archery, Wheel, Pottery, Priesthood, and in 925BC Animal Husbandry. As in the case of our earlier discoveries, knowing what a horse is, won't allow you to play with 'em if you can't even find one.
Peter seems like a nice enough fella at this point, so we decide to research Writing next to see if he'll let us do a little exploring in the northern part of our shared homeland. Lo and behold, Peter is agreeable, and not only that, he seems to have access to that copper stuff, and horses also.
It's about 800BC now, and the Spanish are calling for more settlements. All available settlement sites are now situated in the jungles to the north, something must be done. The elders say Iron Working is our only hope, so it is written, so let it be done. Can you even believe the lousy luck of the Spanish, Peter has iron too, right next to that brand new city of his just north of Madrid! Just when it seems as if the Spanish didn't have bad luck, they'd have no luck at all, they catch a break. Hinduism has spread into the Russian empire, and Peter converts. Now the elders tell us that if we adopt Hinduism as well, Peter will be more likely to trade his knowledge with us. It's worth a shot!
At 580BC, we can start clearing the never ending jungle and begin to plan some settlements in the north. The scholars begin looking into Meditation and follow that up with Agriculture, Masonry, and Monotheism.
A great wonder of the world is created in 115BC. The people of Barcelona have completed their great project, The Parthenon draws artists from far and wide to marvel at its magnificence.
Northward expansion for Spain. Cordoba is the first of the new villages, it is founded in 70BC east of the gems and near the Russian border city with the iron.
Also occurring in 70BC is a religious push by some of the Spanish citizens. The recent discovery of a Code of Laws has made it possible to pursue Theology, which it seems the people desire, who am I to argue.
Christianity is founded in 200AD in the city of Cordoba. The discovery of Theology has allowed a new religion to spring forth from the land, and the people rejoice in their most certain abundance!
However, all is not well in the Spanish empire. The elders in Madrid are beginning to become concerned. There is very little land left for the burgeoning Spanish empire. It has been determined that the needs of the empire require at least 9 or 10 cities of significant size to reach our ultimate goals. The options appear to be rather limited. Something must be done about the "Russian Problem"!
Given the lack of resources at the disposal of the arms makers, they implore the scientific community to come up with some alternatives. The scientists are very quick to respond. They determine that the study of Mathematics will allow them to study Construction, and this will give the arms makers the ability to create the powerful weapons they so desire.
In 320AD the scientists discover Mathematics. At this point, a Great Scientist that has been teaching to small groups of people, decides that the time is right for an astounding discovery. Nabu-rimanni heads for the hills to undertake some serious contemplation! After 5 short years of studying, he is enlightened, Philosophy must be the answer, even though we're not quite sure what the question was!
Taoism is founded in 325AD in the city of Barcelona, and the people rejoice in their most certain abundance!
In 365AD the village of Toledo is founded on the western shore, north of Barcelona and very near to the small town of Visigoth which has just been captured from the barbarians by the evil Russian empire.
485AD! Preparation for the "solution"! The discovery Construction has opened the door, and the arms makers rush in! War Elephants and Catapults are the answer, and soon the Russian masses will be begging for relief.....
. 
. Meanwhile the warrior went West. He went South. He went North-West. In short, he went everywhere that the Russians weren't, until he got eaten by a bear, 3-4 tiles short of probably discovering Russia. Here is a lesson in the vast impact that minor chance decisions can have. I'm pretty sure if I'd moved the warrior North to the hills-jungle tile, he'd have lived, and the game would've turned out very differently, but in a moment of carelessness I moved him NE to the hills tile.
) but I think it's worth any detours involved. And after two victorious battles, I can upgrade him to Woodsman and improve my chances in the future. It is one of the more nervous moments in my games when moving around the first warrior on plains. And I agree that the fate of the first warrior has a very big impact on the rest of the game.
, and that I would try to pay for a sprawling empire using a shrine 
). So a few more turns needlessly being without iron, but as far as I remember it didn't really matter.
. Toledo I founded NW around the gems. Cherokee & Saxon, that were located between me and Peter, joined by cultural conviction. Who says one needs weapons ....!
