lindsay40k
Emperor
My friend Amy and I decided to give a Standard Archipelagos & random leaders game a try. I play MP on Monarch, she's most comfortable on Noble. She likes to build and then go to war around the Renaissance, I'm very flexible but tend to turn down opportunities to rush her early on.
Mansa Musa becomes leader of the Mali in 4000BC. All around Timbuktu, the ocean is full of Clams, the hills rich in Gold, the land abundant in Silk. The Mali learn seacraft and settle the city of Djenne on an island rich in Stone.
In a dream, Musa converses with Saladin. Saladin aims to build the greatest Pyramid in the world to prove how well organised is his Arab society; Musa declares he will construct an almighty Lighthouse to attract the trade of the world.
As Musa explores the coast, he meets Saladin in person. He lends his neighbour a Galley, so that he may send over a Missionary to share with Musa the teachings of this Jesus fellow born in Mecca, and exports Stone to finish Saladin's Pyramid in exchange for learning how to prove male parentage and enable Hereditary Rule. Saladin builds the Apostolic Palace, and for centuries the two brothers of faith bicker like children over who gets to wear the Papal hat.
Tensions rise as Musa insists the most appropriate location for the University of Sankore is Timbuktu, and then founds Islam in Kumbi Saleh. With the building of the Spiral Minaret in Timbuktu, buildings of the Papal faith become the lynchpin of the Malinese economy - and Malinese Cardinals significantly outnumber their Arab counterparts. In reconciliation - and, in part, to guarantee against a Dutch invasion - Musa becomes Saladin's vassal.
Disaster befalls Saladin, and his workers are lost. Musa graciously gifts his master two idle workers in exchange for a promise of fine Camel Archers. Knowing that his neighbour can build mounted units despite Horses being unheard of in this Archipelago, Musa strikes a deal with Willem Van Oranje to import Elephants, and begins building a counter-strike force. Just in case.
The brothers begin to explore the high seas. With the advent of Arabic Astronomy, Christianity spreads along trade routes. Musa fears hostility from heathens, however, and persuades Wang Kon to convert to Christianity. Saladin comes to regard the brothers in Korea as good friends; however, Musa is much closer to the Asian dioceses on account of a shared denominational interpretation of scripture on matters of social order, both leaders favouring a stratified Caste System.
Saladin asserts that Suleiman's refusal to allow faiths other than Judaism is blasphemy, and that the riches of the Temple of Solomon are an affront to the entirely legitimate wealth of the Papal faith. In exchange for being taught the art of Astronomy, Musa agrees to hand over the Papal hat at the next election - despite his own population giving his Cardinals an overwhelming block vote in the Apostolic Palace - and use his knowledge of Chemistry to build an advanced navy with which to support an Arabic ground force.
Whilst blockading most of Suleiman's overseas assets with Privateers, Suleiman sets his old Caravels to the task of drawing the other heathens into the Papal flock; no point blockading Istanbul's colonies if it can just import strategic resources from other heretics. (Obviously, the cities chosen are all tiny provincial settlements; you don't just give the heretics an army of Cardinals with which to out-vote you.) The advent of Economics sees the birth of Raja Todar Mal; he's left to do his thing in Kumbi Saleh, maybe one day food science will be advanced enough to realise his ideas of monopolising the seafood market.
Suddenly, Suleiman softens his line and allows the spread of non-State faiths. Musa has an idea for a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a fox. A caravel spreads Christianity to the Ottoman city of Zonguldak, and another to Suleiman's American colony. Galleons found the Christian cities of Awlil and Agades, which are "liberated" to the Theocratic Zulu and Khmer, respectively. Leonardo da Vinci is born in Timbuktu; Musa develops Corporate law to enable his ideas for Railroads supporting Mining to be used to found the Musa Mining Company in Kumbi Saleh. Fearful of the threat of encroachment of foreign corporations, Saladin declares himself to have been won over to Gerrard Winstanley's interpretation of Biblical scripture and abolishes private property.
Musa tells Saladin that he wishes an alliance of equals rather than Vassalage, and the two enter a Defensive Pact. He furthers states that he does not wish involvement in war except through arm's length via Privateers, and asks to buy himself out of the agreement to return the Papal hat to Saladin by sharing Malinese knowledge of Chemistry.
Musa's Popehood is reaffirmed and he begins building Cannon and Machine Guns to protect his cities. The Fleet of Privateers is recalled, on the grounds that Flying Dutchmen have made the waters unsafe for Ships de Marque; they are concentrated in cities most vulnerable to Arabic naval invasion. Oxford University is set the task of researching the building of Airships; all other mainland cities produce soldiers and the Colonial Musket Guards issued Rifles. This could get ugly.
Musa asserts that, whilst Jesus' message was of going into the temples of the moneychangers and casting their tables asunder, what he meant to say was 'everyone should let the Musa Mining Company set up in their cities and ban trade unions' and calls a vote on being Religious Leader. Saladin objects, but Wang Kon is so keen to agree he votes in favour (as does the secular Willem, oddly - not that it mattered in the end) then approaches Musa for a Defensive Pact.
To Saladin's spluttered objections, Musa is elected Space Pope of the faith Saladin founded in the Apostolic Palace Saladin built.
Some fine details might differ from the .replay file; the telling of the story is more important than spending six hours fact-checking. Also, you still owe me them Camel Archers, Amy.
Mansa Musa becomes leader of the Mali in 4000BC. All around Timbuktu, the ocean is full of Clams, the hills rich in Gold, the land abundant in Silk. The Mali learn seacraft and settle the city of Djenne on an island rich in Stone.
In a dream, Musa converses with Saladin. Saladin aims to build the greatest Pyramid in the world to prove how well organised is his Arab society; Musa declares he will construct an almighty Lighthouse to attract the trade of the world.
As Musa explores the coast, he meets Saladin in person. He lends his neighbour a Galley, so that he may send over a Missionary to share with Musa the teachings of this Jesus fellow born in Mecca, and exports Stone to finish Saladin's Pyramid in exchange for learning how to prove male parentage and enable Hereditary Rule. Saladin builds the Apostolic Palace, and for centuries the two brothers of faith bicker like children over who gets to wear the Papal hat.
Tensions rise as Musa insists the most appropriate location for the University of Sankore is Timbuktu, and then founds Islam in Kumbi Saleh. With the building of the Spiral Minaret in Timbuktu, buildings of the Papal faith become the lynchpin of the Malinese economy - and Malinese Cardinals significantly outnumber their Arab counterparts. In reconciliation - and, in part, to guarantee against a Dutch invasion - Musa becomes Saladin's vassal.
Disaster befalls Saladin, and his workers are lost. Musa graciously gifts his master two idle workers in exchange for a promise of fine Camel Archers. Knowing that his neighbour can build mounted units despite Horses being unheard of in this Archipelago, Musa strikes a deal with Willem Van Oranje to import Elephants, and begins building a counter-strike force. Just in case.
The brothers begin to explore the high seas. With the advent of Arabic Astronomy, Christianity spreads along trade routes. Musa fears hostility from heathens, however, and persuades Wang Kon to convert to Christianity. Saladin comes to regard the brothers in Korea as good friends; however, Musa is much closer to the Asian dioceses on account of a shared denominational interpretation of scripture on matters of social order, both leaders favouring a stratified Caste System.
Saladin asserts that Suleiman's refusal to allow faiths other than Judaism is blasphemy, and that the riches of the Temple of Solomon are an affront to the entirely legitimate wealth of the Papal faith. In exchange for being taught the art of Astronomy, Musa agrees to hand over the Papal hat at the next election - despite his own population giving his Cardinals an overwhelming block vote in the Apostolic Palace - and use his knowledge of Chemistry to build an advanced navy with which to support an Arabic ground force.
Whilst blockading most of Suleiman's overseas assets with Privateers, Suleiman sets his old Caravels to the task of drawing the other heathens into the Papal flock; no point blockading Istanbul's colonies if it can just import strategic resources from other heretics. (Obviously, the cities chosen are all tiny provincial settlements; you don't just give the heretics an army of Cardinals with which to out-vote you.) The advent of Economics sees the birth of Raja Todar Mal; he's left to do his thing in Kumbi Saleh, maybe one day food science will be advanced enough to realise his ideas of monopolising the seafood market.
Suddenly, Suleiman softens his line and allows the spread of non-State faiths. Musa has an idea for a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a fox. A caravel spreads Christianity to the Ottoman city of Zonguldak, and another to Suleiman's American colony. Galleons found the Christian cities of Awlil and Agades, which are "liberated" to the Theocratic Zulu and Khmer, respectively. Leonardo da Vinci is born in Timbuktu; Musa develops Corporate law to enable his ideas for Railroads supporting Mining to be used to found the Musa Mining Company in Kumbi Saleh. Fearful of the threat of encroachment of foreign corporations, Saladin declares himself to have been won over to Gerrard Winstanley's interpretation of Biblical scripture and abolishes private property.
Musa tells Saladin that he wishes an alliance of equals rather than Vassalage, and the two enter a Defensive Pact. He furthers states that he does not wish involvement in war except through arm's length via Privateers, and asks to buy himself out of the agreement to return the Papal hat to Saladin by sharing Malinese knowledge of Chemistry.
Musa's Popehood is reaffirmed and he begins building Cannon and Machine Guns to protect his cities. The Fleet of Privateers is recalled, on the grounds that Flying Dutchmen have made the waters unsafe for Ships de Marque; they are concentrated in cities most vulnerable to Arabic naval invasion. Oxford University is set the task of researching the building of Airships; all other mainland cities produce soldiers and the Colonial Musket Guards issued Rifles. This could get ugly.
Musa asserts that, whilst Jesus' message was of going into the temples of the moneychangers and casting their tables asunder, what he meant to say was 'everyone should let the Musa Mining Company set up in their cities and ban trade unions' and calls a vote on being Religious Leader. Saladin objects, but Wang Kon is so keen to agree he votes in favour (as does the secular Willem, oddly - not that it mattered in the end) then approaches Musa for a Defensive Pact.
To Saladin's spluttered objections, Musa is elected Space Pope of the faith Saladin founded in the Apostolic Palace Saladin built.
Some fine details might differ from the .replay file; the telling of the story is more important than spending six hours fact-checking. Also, you still owe me them Camel Archers, Amy.
