Imperial Glory
- Thread starter EQandcivfanatic
- Start date
Jason The King
Deity
Haven't there been bad rulers in the OTL past that run their countries to the ground? I say it just adds to the game play...not every ruler is competent (no offense TheWesley 
) If the Ottoman Empire gets run down...then it gets run down. It makes for a more interesting game if the players all have a part in writing the history of this game.
) If the Ottoman Empire gets run down...then it gets run down. It makes for a more interesting game if the players all have a part in writing the history of this game.
Circuit
Writing Letters
Otto Koppe stood behind the counter of the mercantile passed down through the ages, where his great grandfather had first stood, and which was now his. The family business had a long, prestigious history, and was one of the finest trading posts in all of Wesel. He had learned the art of haggling for bargain prices, resulting in him convincing the supplier of how worthless a diamond was, and the buyer how valuable a straw broom was. It was a living, a history, and one that he loved and was proud of.
"That will be two marks, Mrs. Gunzert," he told the woman on the other side of the counter. She reached into her purse and plopped the coins on the counter.
She looked up from her purse. "Thank you, Mr. Koppe," she said. "Just out of curiosity, what do you think of the Development Act? It's supposedly going to affect you."
Mr. Koppe gave a sour smirk. "I don't think much of it. Weselists, Pferdists, bah. They're all of the same stock: aristocrats only interested in filling their coffers, regardless of whether the rest of Westphalia gets any. I don't think that I will get a single mark of the Development Act." He deposited the two coins into his purse. "You know how bad luck has a tendency to affect everyone other than yourself? The same thing goes with good luck."
Mrs. Gunzert nodded. "My husband holds the same distaste for the Parliament that he did for the Holy Roman Empire. Same corruption, different beneficiaries...slightly. And he doesn't think much of the hype the Development Act has been getting, either."
Mr. Koppe sighed. "Well, I know one thing: for generations my family has held this mercantile, and have made a decent living. We have the finest and most successful business along the Rhine. Development Act or not, I will still be here, and all that will have changed is that the competition will be better, although still not comparable."
"I believe that, Mr. Koppe," Mrs. Gunzert said. "I've been a patron of yours since I was just a girl, when your father ran the business. And I will continue to shop here."
A smile spread across Mr. Koppe's face. "Well, thank you."
"You're welcome." She looked over her shoulder out the window in the door to see the dim streets. Dusk was falling. "Well, I must be going. Good evening, Mr. Koppe."
"Same to you," he said, and after the door slapped behind her, he deposited the purse behind the counter, then walked to the door, flipped over the "Open" sign to "Closed", and locked the door. Business was done for the day, and after he cleaned up, he would go to bed.
He swept the downstairs, where business was conducted and merchandise displayed, then after that was done he stepped out the back door to the riverfront. The air was cool against his skin and fresh in his lungs, quite different from the thick, dusty indoor air. He took a deep breath and filled his lungs with it. He continued to sweep till he reached the edge of the stone, and met the river. He looked across to the west. The sun was low, and strips of gold dance atop the Rhine. Quite lovely, really. He looked up the river. This river was his lifeblood, and had been as much a vein for his family as the blood veins under his skin. From up the river, traders would sail down with goods, and he would stop a few to buy stock for his store. Without this river, he didn't know where he would be. No doubt, his history would be quite different. He didn't even know if he would be the same man.
After Otto Koppe locked up the store completely, he ate his dinner and went to bed. But he was awakened in the night to air that was more laden with particles than before. Taking a few more good sniffs, he identified the smell as smoke, rising up the stairs like an unwelcome guest to his bedroom. He snapped the quilts of his bed off of him, and still in his nightshirt, he jogged down the staircase to the bottom floor. The main room, where he kept his stock, had flames lapping at just about every item he owned. He hardly could believe what he was seeing. He tried running in, grabbing at one of the chairs. But he leaped back as orange flames lunged at him, and he held a burned hand, cuddling it against his chest.
Flames blocked the front door, so he ran out the back to the riverfront, grabbing one of the wooden wicker buckets on the way. He ran to the edge of the river and dipped it in with his good hand, then pulled it out and dipped his burned hand in. "Fire! Help!" He yelled. He ran back into the mercantile, pulling his burned hand out of the bucket and throwing the water onto the flames. They had encroached farther in. He ran back out. "Somebody help me!"
Men began to appear out of the surrounding buildings. They looked at the burning building, and then rushed around to grab their buckets. A bell began to ring. Flames were leaping out the back door by the time ten men were reaching into the river and throwing water on them. Soon, they began to throw water on the surrounding buildings to prevent the fire from spreading. As the flames began to engulf Mr. Koppe's mercantile, soon they saw it as a lost cause, and focused only on the surrounding buildings. Within ten minutes, the supports inside began to collapse, and the building crashed in on itself. And Mr. Koppe only watched now, on his knees, hardly able to believe.
The fire was put out by the morning, with minimal damage to the surrounding buildings. But Otto Koppe was left without a home, and all he could do was stand and stare at the ruins of his inheritance while he held his burned hand under his arm. Four generations of family history lay before him, a crumpled, blackened heap. Not to mention that he lost everything: his possessions, his home, his history, his livelihood. It was hard for him not to feel sorry for himself.
Mrs. Gunzert came by, glancing at the ruins, then to Mr. Koppe, who was still in only his night shirt. Walking up to him, she took his good hand, and said, "I'm sorry this happened."
He sighed, and a very small tear appeared at the corner of one of his eyes. "I wish I knew how it happened," he said. Then a dark chuckle. "Perhaps some drunk who didn't dispose of his pipe properly."
She just looked down. "I don't think we'll ever know." Then she looked at the hand tucked under his arm. She pulled it out gently and gasped at the burn. "You're hurt! I'm getting a doctor." And before he could protest, she was gone.
He continued to look at the ruins, then smirked. Just yesterday, he said that bad fortune always falls on someone else. Well, today was his turn to be someone else to someone else. If only he could be someone else to someone else when fortune was good. Then perhaps he could enjoy life more.
"Mr. Otto Koppe?" a voice inquired behind him. He turned around. Behind him was a man in a petticoat. Obviously not normal. In fact, he appeared to be an aristocrat. The man strode up to him, and bowed. "Pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Frederick von Pilsach, a member of the Parliament of Westphalia."
Mr. Koppe gave von Pilsach an odd look. "Why are you here?"
"I heard about the misfortune you suffered last night. It truly is unfortunate."
Mr. Koppe saw the understatement as almost insulting. "Indeed it is." He looked back to the rubble. "My family owned this business for generations. My whole history died in that fire."
"I understand," von Pilsach said. "But while I cannot replace your family history and your sentimental attachments, I believe that I can help you get back on your feet."
Mr. Koppe looked back over his shoulder. "How?"
"You most certainly have heard of the Development Act of 1800, correct?"
"...yes."
"As you know, we are investing in the trade sectors of the economy of Wesel. Warehouses, ports, even pubs for sailors. Your mercantile has been around for some time, and you are an experienced merchant. I believe that the Development Act could subsidize construction of your store."
Mr. Koppe was now fully engaged in the discussion. "Is there a catch?"
The corners of von Pilsach's lips raised slightly. "Make it larger."
Mr. Koppe now had a full smile. "It's a deal!"
"Very good. Oh, and we'll need to clear the rubble. Salvage whatever you wish."
That was a non-issue. "That's fine."
"Then we will discuss the details later. Have a good day, Mr. Koppe."
"I will." And with that, von Pilsach hailed a carriage and left. Mr. Koppe looked back to the rubble, but this time not so melancholy. Luckily for himself, he was someone else to someone else twice today.
"That will be two marks, Mrs. Gunzert," he told the woman on the other side of the counter. She reached into her purse and plopped the coins on the counter.
She looked up from her purse. "Thank you, Mr. Koppe," she said. "Just out of curiosity, what do you think of the Development Act? It's supposedly going to affect you."
Mr. Koppe gave a sour smirk. "I don't think much of it. Weselists, Pferdists, bah. They're all of the same stock: aristocrats only interested in filling their coffers, regardless of whether the rest of Westphalia gets any. I don't think that I will get a single mark of the Development Act." He deposited the two coins into his purse. "You know how bad luck has a tendency to affect everyone other than yourself? The same thing goes with good luck."
Mrs. Gunzert nodded. "My husband holds the same distaste for the Parliament that he did for the Holy Roman Empire. Same corruption, different beneficiaries...slightly. And he doesn't think much of the hype the Development Act has been getting, either."
Mr. Koppe sighed. "Well, I know one thing: for generations my family has held this mercantile, and have made a decent living. We have the finest and most successful business along the Rhine. Development Act or not, I will still be here, and all that will have changed is that the competition will be better, although still not comparable."
"I believe that, Mr. Koppe," Mrs. Gunzert said. "I've been a patron of yours since I was just a girl, when your father ran the business. And I will continue to shop here."
A smile spread across Mr. Koppe's face. "Well, thank you."
"You're welcome." She looked over her shoulder out the window in the door to see the dim streets. Dusk was falling. "Well, I must be going. Good evening, Mr. Koppe."
"Same to you," he said, and after the door slapped behind her, he deposited the purse behind the counter, then walked to the door, flipped over the "Open" sign to "Closed", and locked the door. Business was done for the day, and after he cleaned up, he would go to bed.
He swept the downstairs, where business was conducted and merchandise displayed, then after that was done he stepped out the back door to the riverfront. The air was cool against his skin and fresh in his lungs, quite different from the thick, dusty indoor air. He took a deep breath and filled his lungs with it. He continued to sweep till he reached the edge of the stone, and met the river. He looked across to the west. The sun was low, and strips of gold dance atop the Rhine. Quite lovely, really. He looked up the river. This river was his lifeblood, and had been as much a vein for his family as the blood veins under his skin. From up the river, traders would sail down with goods, and he would stop a few to buy stock for his store. Without this river, he didn't know where he would be. No doubt, his history would be quite different. He didn't even know if he would be the same man.
After Otto Koppe locked up the store completely, he ate his dinner and went to bed. But he was awakened in the night to air that was more laden with particles than before. Taking a few more good sniffs, he identified the smell as smoke, rising up the stairs like an unwelcome guest to his bedroom. He snapped the quilts of his bed off of him, and still in his nightshirt, he jogged down the staircase to the bottom floor. The main room, where he kept his stock, had flames lapping at just about every item he owned. He hardly could believe what he was seeing. He tried running in, grabbing at one of the chairs. But he leaped back as orange flames lunged at him, and he held a burned hand, cuddling it against his chest.
Flames blocked the front door, so he ran out the back to the riverfront, grabbing one of the wooden wicker buckets on the way. He ran to the edge of the river and dipped it in with his good hand, then pulled it out and dipped his burned hand in. "Fire! Help!" He yelled. He ran back into the mercantile, pulling his burned hand out of the bucket and throwing the water onto the flames. They had encroached farther in. He ran back out. "Somebody help me!"
Men began to appear out of the surrounding buildings. They looked at the burning building, and then rushed around to grab their buckets. A bell began to ring. Flames were leaping out the back door by the time ten men were reaching into the river and throwing water on them. Soon, they began to throw water on the surrounding buildings to prevent the fire from spreading. As the flames began to engulf Mr. Koppe's mercantile, soon they saw it as a lost cause, and focused only on the surrounding buildings. Within ten minutes, the supports inside began to collapse, and the building crashed in on itself. And Mr. Koppe only watched now, on his knees, hardly able to believe.
The fire was put out by the morning, with minimal damage to the surrounding buildings. But Otto Koppe was left without a home, and all he could do was stand and stare at the ruins of his inheritance while he held his burned hand under his arm. Four generations of family history lay before him, a crumpled, blackened heap. Not to mention that he lost everything: his possessions, his home, his history, his livelihood. It was hard for him not to feel sorry for himself.
Mrs. Gunzert came by, glancing at the ruins, then to Mr. Koppe, who was still in only his night shirt. Walking up to him, she took his good hand, and said, "I'm sorry this happened."
He sighed, and a very small tear appeared at the corner of one of his eyes. "I wish I knew how it happened," he said. Then a dark chuckle. "Perhaps some drunk who didn't dispose of his pipe properly."
She just looked down. "I don't think we'll ever know." Then she looked at the hand tucked under his arm. She pulled it out gently and gasped at the burn. "You're hurt! I'm getting a doctor." And before he could protest, she was gone.
He continued to look at the ruins, then smirked. Just yesterday, he said that bad fortune always falls on someone else. Well, today was his turn to be someone else to someone else. If only he could be someone else to someone else when fortune was good. Then perhaps he could enjoy life more.
"Mr. Otto Koppe?" a voice inquired behind him. He turned around. Behind him was a man in a petticoat. Obviously not normal. In fact, he appeared to be an aristocrat. The man strode up to him, and bowed. "Pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Frederick von Pilsach, a member of the Parliament of Westphalia."
Mr. Koppe gave von Pilsach an odd look. "Why are you here?"
"I heard about the misfortune you suffered last night. It truly is unfortunate."
Mr. Koppe saw the understatement as almost insulting. "Indeed it is." He looked back to the rubble. "My family owned this business for generations. My whole history died in that fire."
"I understand," von Pilsach said. "But while I cannot replace your family history and your sentimental attachments, I believe that I can help you get back on your feet."
Mr. Koppe looked back over his shoulder. "How?"
"You most certainly have heard of the Development Act of 1800, correct?"
"...yes."
"As you know, we are investing in the trade sectors of the economy of Wesel. Warehouses, ports, even pubs for sailors. Your mercantile has been around for some time, and you are an experienced merchant. I believe that the Development Act could subsidize construction of your store."
Mr. Koppe was now fully engaged in the discussion. "Is there a catch?"
The corners of von Pilsach's lips raised slightly. "Make it larger."
Mr. Koppe now had a full smile. "It's a deal!"
"Very good. Oh, and we'll need to clear the rubble. Salvage whatever you wish."
That was a non-issue. "That's fine."
"Then we will discuss the details later. Have a good day, Mr. Koppe."
"I will." And with that, von Pilsach hailed a carriage and left. Mr. Koppe looked back to the rubble, but this time not so melancholy. Luckily for himself, he was someone else to someone else twice today.
Abaddon
Deity
IMO it ruins the game. Those nations around it gain a huge advantage by grabbing the spoils.
OOC: I think that EQ and the Janissaries can do the job perfectly well if need be.
Circuit, great story. But why do your aristocrats want to rebuild shops for unfortunate merchants?
Crezth
i knew you were a real man of the left
Keep lurking, I have the feeling there will be open nations soon.
I have not called you incompetent, yet. I did allege that you may have been drunk or have a personal vendetta against the Ottomans, which I wouldn't blame you for, the dirty camel %&*%$*$(s. In the past I have not restricted NESers joining in, nor have I ever removed anyone directly. I will say though, that I have very little problems with having your miltiary men declare the Sultan senile and incompetent (the Sultan) and remove him, and by the rules, you. That's the last I'd like to hear on the matter as I feel we've wasted enough time and that I have made my arguments, and if you choose to ignore them, the consequences will be made readily available for all to see.
TheLastJacobite
No Commies
OOC: Ignore them! Though keep in mind that the last time someone directly ignored a warning from EQ, he destroyed their country.
God I miss TWTUD
God I miss TWTUD
TheLizardKing
Let's talk Michelle.
TheLizardKing said:
Reposted, because I feel it was forgotten in the last few pages of.. discussion. As I said EQ, I hate to be a pain in the ass, I just want to make sure everything's good.
The University of Ingolstadt has published this survey, which shows how many regular regiments each nation could presently produce in a year.
France 24
Ottoman Empire 24
Spain 24
Russia 16
England 15
Austria 13
Poland 10
Netherlands 8
Sweden 8
Scotland 8
Prussia 6
Denmark 5
Portugal 5
Hannover 5
Rhineland 4
Papal States 4
Bavaria 4
Courland 4
Sicily 4
Sardinia 4
Frankfurt 3
Saxony 3
Westphalia 3
Wurttemberg 2
Genoa 2
Switzerland 2
Tuscany 2
Venice 2
Baden 2
Modena 1
Parma 1
OOC @EQ: A cavalry regiment costs 3EP and 1 manpower, and so nations like Russia, with lots of manpower but no economy to match, will, no doubt, avoid them in favour of the cheaper infantry. It strikes me that this is upside down.
France 24
Ottoman Empire 24
Spain 24
Russia 16
England 15
Austria 13
Poland 10
Netherlands 8
Sweden 8
Scotland 8
Prussia 6
Denmark 5
Portugal 5
Hannover 5
Rhineland 4
Papal States 4
Bavaria 4
Courland 4
Sicily 4
Sardinia 4
Frankfurt 3
Saxony 3
Westphalia 3
Wurttemberg 2
Genoa 2
Switzerland 2
Tuscany 2
Venice 2
Baden 2
Modena 1
Parma 1
OOC @EQ: A cavalry regiment costs 3EP and 1 manpower, and so nations like Russia, with lots of manpower but no economy to match, will, no doubt, avoid them in favour of the cheaper infantry. It strikes me that this is upside down.
Circuit
Writing Letters
Thank you. The reason why is that Wesel is being renovated, so they are willing to support whoever if they can be a part of the plan; the Development Act.
Nice sketch, i like how the batteries are facing the coast as they should be
Well one does. The other originally did until I realized I messed up Cape Palmas geography a little so I edited in some land there. It's still fine though, maybe the coast is right there to the left with only a stretch of beach in between.
@TheLizardKing: I believe I already answered your question, in case the post was directed at me. Also, the tribes aren't even going to bother responding.
@spyrillino, I felt that increasing the cost was the best way to represent the difficult and time of training a skilled horseman in comparison to training an infantryman.
@spyrillino, I felt that increasing the cost was the best way to represent the difficult and time of training a skilled horseman in comparison to training an infantryman.
TheLizardKing
Let's talk Michelle.
@EQ
Well, you did sort of. This was your response to me asking if I had a colony on the Niger. Your response was-
It wasn't mentioned in the update, or posted in the stats. If it's just too minor for a mention, then okay, sorry for the bother haha. Otherwise.. yeah.
Well, you did sort of. This was your response to me asking if I had a colony on the Niger. Your response was-
It wasn't mentioned in the update, or posted in the stats. If it's just too minor for a mention, then okay, sorry for the bother haha. Otherwise.. yeah.
nothing here
SoldierChild
Anarchist
To: Ottoman Empire
From Sicily
we still await your word on our peace agreement. We suggest you take this deal or there will be severe consequences for your unprovoked actions towards Sicily.
ooc: peace for 4ep, need to know so i can write my orders today because friday night i probably will be to incoherent to do such a thing and saturday i will be all over the city
From Sicily
we still await your word on our peace agreement. We suggest you take this deal or there will be severe consequences for your unprovoked actions towards Sicily.
ooc: peace for 4ep, need to know so i can write my orders today because friday night i probably will be to incoherent to do such a thing and saturday i will be all over the city
