Pre-EkoNES: Fall From Heaven

Today or tomorrow. All I have to do is finish writing the starting techs, write up to date rules, and finish the stats.
 
Woo Hoo....!
 
Would people prefer that I choose their starting technologies to fit the resources that are around (and then pick the rest according to what seems to suit your faction) or would people prefer to choose their own techs, without knowing what resources are around?
 
I think it's better if you pick techs according to existing resources. Not only will it level things a bit (noone being unlucky in having no tech for his resources and conversely) but also morerealistic as it may help us explain how our people managed to live there until that point in time.
 
Yeah I agree with what everyone is saying - pick the resource techs baseed on what ones we have around us.

For our starts, will we be given a certain amount of gold to spend on cities, improvements, units, and more techs? Do we get to customize our start or do we all start off the same?
 
Ekolite said:
Would people prefer that I choose their starting technologies to fit the resources that are around (and then pick the rest according to what seems to suit your faction) or would people prefer to choose their own techs, without knowing what resources are around?
Click to expand...

You choose, knowing resources. More natural that way; those around large herds would learn hunting or animal husbandry, those in fertile lands would learn agriculture, et cetera.
 
Ekolite said:
Today or tomorrow. All I have to do is finish writing the starting techs, write up to date rules, and finish the stats.
Click to expand...

I hope you get your first ruleset up tonight. You've been promising us this NES since november if i remember correctly... so... its finally time and i am getting excited.
 
Regrettably, due to unexpected time constraints on my part (assignments pilling up, and the fact that I need a job and have done for several months now) EkoNES is postponed indefinitely. Sorry to let you down, but it's not in my best interests right now and I simply don't have the time to throw away on projects like this.

I will also be cutting down on my time in this forum (attempting to anyway :rolleyes: ), but if for some reason you feel the need to contact me (ie. when FFHNES 3 starts - when one of you will contact me :p) you can do so through my email address: the_ekolite@hotmail.com.

Apologies

Eko

@Ken: If you need any minor help for FFHNES 3 (You mentioned resources but I can do canon lore and things too if you need it) then I'm willing to help, but obviously I'm not prepared to take a major role - even if one was offered
 
I had written up some blurbs on my faction.

They were called the Vliseau. I didn't get to use them obviously but since this aborted in utero i'll share now.

What are the Vliseau?

Introduction/Review: Perhaps the most important thing to realize about the Khrad’Ke-zun of the Vliseau tribe stems from the fact that each of them is made up of two ‘beings’ though they each has only one soul and only one body. This stems from their ‘pact’ with the goddess Ceridwen. When the Bannor city of Braduk fell into hell (with Bhall’s fall), it took with it not only the Bannor themselves but the vibrant tribe of dwarven artificers known as the Vliseau. In hell the Vliseau were forced to work for the servants of Agares until one day a rival demon-prince stole them away to work for him. This demon-prince, known as ‘the Baron of the Bronze Seas’, was in the service of the gate-keeper Ceridwen. The Vliseau turned their considerable proficiency in crafting to the service of their new master until, with time, the goddess Ceridwen sought to make a new use of her servants. The surface of the world of Erebus (ie creation) had melted after the age of ice and the tribes of men, in all their forms and races, were returning to the surface to scratch out a living and spread their influence. Ceridwen too wished to influence Erebus and her new servants were just the tool to accomplish that.

And so Ceridwen created a new angel, a being known as ‘Uereth’ whose job it was to corrupt and control the Vliseau and to guide/manipulate them according to her wishes, both in hell and later, upon Erebus. At the right moment the angel Uereth, who appears to mortals as a gray moth with a skull-like face, approached the prince of the Vliseau, Carlo Bianchi, and offered him a chance to return to the world of Erebus if only they continued to serve Ceridwen there as well.

Prince Carlo Bianchi, a man who’s physical body was still very young (since mortals do not age in hell) but who had seen all the hardships and pain of the damned in hell for over 500 years was only too eager to agree to Uereth’s offer. After all, his people were already the servants of the dark mistress and that would not change. The invitation to return to creation and to leave hell, and perhaps provide a chance for his people to redeem themselves before their deaths, was too much. He agreed to the angel’s offer.

The angel Uereth was not so naïve as to think that the dwarves of Vliseau would willingly serve his dark mistress and so he devised a plan that would not only ensure their obedience but would also ensure their damnation so that their souls might continue to serve his mistress after their death. Ceridwen is the goddess of distance, the distance between physical objects, between immaterial worlds and even the emotional distance between people (ie the seduction of Kylorin). Uereth, working with these precepts, bound a minor demon, a creation of Ceridwen who had never been mortal and possessed no soul to each of the dwarves as they passed through the hell gate and returned to creation. He made what was separate whole and singular. The dwarves were now sharing a body and mind with a ‘deep whisperer’.

This binding, this pairing, had a substantial impact upon the Vliseau dwarves. Firstly their bodies changed (see ‘appearance’, below). Secondly, their minds changed (see ‘psychology’, below) and thirdly their society changed (see ‘society’, below). Briefly, the dwarves, who previously had exemplified the teachings of Nuentaselta, including the benevolent and supportive relationships between mortals and Killmorph, including family and clan ties and cooperation, became obsessive, jealous and wholly destructive creatures. The demonic ‘deep whisperer’ to which they had been bound ensured this. Though the demon had no control over the individual dwarf’s thoughts or actions, they were able to affect their bound-host emotionally and in a powerful way. And thus a bound dwarf could never be sure if their thoughts were a product of their own feelings or the feelings projected by the demon inside. It would almost have been better if they had heard the demons’ influence as a voice; then at least they could have discerned what thoughts were theirs and what thoughts were their own. This is what was responsible for the change in their society, in their relationships with each other and with other tribes.

Ultimately, one must remember that Ureth is not trying to destroy the Vliseau. He has three goals, in order of precedence:

1) He needs to maintain his mistress’s grip on their souls and ensure that they continue to damn themselves in creation so that the Vliseau souls serve Ceridwen again once they die. To do so, he has manipulated them to be the polar opposites of those characteristics and personalities most associated with the old gods of the Vliseau, Nuentaselta and Killmorph.

2) Manipulate creation and spread the influence of Ceridwen and her ambitions throughout Erebus. For this, the Vliseau are a tool to be used. Perhaps they will be used to fight Ceridwen’s enemies, perhaps they will be used to usurp nations and lead them into embracing Ceridwen’s ideology.

3) Protect the Vliseau form other nations, gods, dangers so that they can better complete the 2nd goal.

Leadership: It was all too much for Carlo Bianchi. He had sought to return to Erebus so as to have a chance to redeem his soul and to provide a chance for his fellow Vliseau to redeem their souls as well. Instead, his very thoughts, his moods and emotions were not his own. His fiancée of many years, of many hardships, who had sworn to marry him once they returned to creation took to jealousy and mad bouts of rage. The marriage was called off and she soon became a fanatical adherent to Uereth’s cause, hoping to secure a better place for herself in the afterlife through whole-minded subservience to the dark mistress. His family and friends became suspicious; some desired his position; others stewed in their own paranoia- sure that they were the subjects of slander or even assassination plots. Carlo swore his soul to Nuentaselta and hardened his resolve against the demon’s plotting and interference but it was too late; he had personally signed the pact with Uereth and he would not be saved so easily. The demon inside him drove him mad and in his madness Carlo the First Prince of the Returned, as he had been known, became Prince Carlo the Blind.

Today Carlo reigns in name only. The prince has many advisors and ministers who carry out the day to day leadership and governance of the Vliseau while Prince Carlo the Blind, driven mad by his quest for salvation is kept locked in a high tower.

The Crèche: (Vlisseau UB- don't know what it does exactly but i like the lore) It was not long after the Vliseau had returned to creation that the women amongst them began to show the characteristic swelling, nausea, aches and pains, appetite and especially swollen abdomen of pregnancy. No children had been born to the artificers during their stay in hell and the growth of new children was met with enthusiasm and celebration. Only 13 short months (dwarven gestation period is 13 months) after the Vliseau had returned to creation the first children born to the tribe since their fall into hell were born.

Immediately the celebrations and enthusiasm ceased. These were not the children of dwarves but of demons. The children were born with skin drawn so tightly over their frames and wiry muscles that they appeared little more then animated skeletons. They had none of the characteristic fat which children of all races exhibit. Furthermore they were born with soft delicate moth-like wings that uncurled and dried out soon after birth making them difficult to handle. Horrifically, the babies were not satisfied with mother’s milk but required more ‘exotic’ nourishment and were born with the pointed fangs to procure it.

Immediately families began to turn against each other. Lingering doubts concerning paternity and the fidelity of the dwarven women amongst the denizens of hell were greatly amplified by the ‘deep whisperer’ they carried within them. The demons amplified this jealousy and doubt and it wasn’t long before families began to split apart and children were abandoned. This, of course, was all part of the angel Uereth’s plan who saw as the greatest impediment of his domain the return of Killmorph or Nuentaselta to the dwarves. By destroying the bonds of family and marriage, Uereth had severely weakened the influence of these gods on his charges’ lives and strengthening those of his mistress Ceridwen.

Some of the dwarves had embraced their demonic nature whole-heartedly, the greatest of these being the ex-fiancée of the Vliseau prince, Carlo Bianchi the Blind. This woman, Vanni Sartori was a woman of exceptional faith in her dark goddess and only to eager to listen for the subtle prodding and suggestions of her own ‘deep whisperer’ and serve Ureth’s purposes as best as possible. Sartori claims that she was divinely inspired when she suggested that the children were not cruel curses of hell but a gift from the dark goddess and that the best place to raise them would not be amongst the families they were born into but in specially constructed crèches deep underground near the heart of the great Khrad’Ke-zun furnace- the ‘engine’. The parents and families of the new babies were only too eager to discharge the creatures born to them and soon a whole subset of religious care-givers were running these demonic crèches deep under the ground of the Vliseau capital.

As the years passed however some families tried again to have children and these were successful but Sartori again claimed to have received divine inspiration and again suggested that the babies born should be raised by those who had specialized in care-giving in an environment specialized in raising children- the deep crèches. The state soon claimed the children and reassigned them to the care-givers to raise in their crèches. In the beginning there were difficulties but the ‘deep whisperers’ were able to manipulate the feelings of parents and families and dampened the sense of loss they felt, at least initially.

Soon a tradition was born and Vliseau children were not raised by their parents but by the state. It was another great blow to Nuentaselta and Killmorph’s influence amongst the dwaves for what, if not children and the bond between community, parents, and children, lies at the heart of one’s dedication to these traditional Khrad’Ke-zun gods.

Appearance: A long time ago, before the goddess of righteous and cleansing fire became the goddess of all-consuming, chaotic and destructive fire, the Vliseau appeared like most Khrad’Ke-zun; they were short of stature, bearded and stocky.

Their time in hell did little to change their appearance. Many were covered in perpetual scars from the floggings and scourging inflicted upon them by their demonic masters and many more bore burns and boils from the harsh heat and sicknesses permeating the hells, but they were, effectively, still Khrad’Ke-zun.

With their passage through the Uereth’s gate into creation they were irrevocably changed. Firstly, they lost all their hair, both facial as well as cranial and body. Their stout bodies lost their heavy musculature and adopted the wiry, skinny appearance of goblins. Their fingers, palms, feet and toes extended and their hands and toes grew small claws and hardened. Their eyes sunk into deeper eye-sockets as their cranium reformed into a longer form that allowed for hallowed cheeks, long chins and a more angular jaw. Their eyes themselves turned a solid black broken only by the vertical slits of cat-like golden irises. The teeth within the jaw also changed as each and every tooth elongated into small filed fangs so that their maw appeared more like that of their demonic masters and less like the men and animals of creation. Lastly their skulls were adorned with a crown of twelve small needle-like horns, solid black and wickedly sharp.

The Vliseau are aware that their appearance does not conform to foreigners’ expectation of what the Khrad’Ke-zun should appear as and when they are in foreign lands they wear heavy overcoats, often dark, a hat or turban, and often, a mask.

Psychology: At the heart of a nation’s society are its people and the behaviour they exhibit: their psychology. In no manner have the Vliseau been so affected by their ‘deep whisperer’ as in their psychology. The angel Uereth has carefully orchestrated the manipulations of each of his ‘deep whisperers’ to ensure that each individual cannot be redeemed, exhibits those behaviours most pleasing to his mistress Ceridwen, and ultimately acts to further the goals assigned to him (see above in introduction/review).

Ceridwen is known to cause obsessive behaviour in her followers and the Vliseau are no exception. As the hold of a ‘deep whisperer’ tightens around the mind of its host, it will work to find some object, some behaviour, with which to obsess its charge. One Khrad’Ke-zun may devote themselves entirely to excavating the perfect tunnels and rooms deep under the nation’s capital, creating rooms for the engineers who dedicate themselves to repairing ‘the engine’, homes, everything else. That dwarf would be unable to form proper bonds with others, neighbours, families, clan. Efforts to involve that individual in conversation or social activities may seem to be effective on the outside but the dwarf would be thinking about mine shaft pressures, excavation volumes and support infrastructure even as they enjoy a beautiful meal and flagon of ale. Another dwarf may be a politician and become obsessed with making a particular idea work, gaining a particular position, determining who is plotting to kill them. The Vliseau are aware of their obsessive nature and realize it cannot be hidden from other races and nations and so have tried to ‘brand’ it as a natural ‘Luchuirp’ single-minded purpose and have even provided a name for it: “The Heart Stone” to symbolize the love they give to their obsession (heart) and the single-minded stubbornness and neurotic fascination of it (the stone).

Several themes repeat themselves again and again in regards to the obsessions induced by the ‘deep whisperer’ and their maestro Uereth. Generally, many seek to expand their cities and nations into the sky through the construction of tall columns, colonnades and needle-like towers and spires. Uereth has done this to disrupt the link between the Khrad’Ke-zun and the ‘earth-mother’ Killmorph. Additionally the theme of paranoia and mistrust appears again and again though the ‘dark-whisperers’ do not typically force one Vliseau to scheme and plot against the others (as this might weaken the people he was sent to use and protect). The same cannot be said of non-Vliseau and many of these dwarves have very intricate ‘Heart Stones’ with regards to the plans they have for the people of other nations and races. This paranoia does much to alienate the bonds of clan (associated with Killmorph) and family (associated with Nuentaselta) and thereby strengthens the hold Uereth has on his charges’ souls.

In keeping with the goal of distancing the Vliseau from redemption through the typical dwarven gods, Uereth has also manipulated the Vliseau attitude towards work and industry. Killmorph rewards an honest day’s labour, and the money one makes through one’s own efforts. In response, Uereth has manipulated the Vliseau to make them manipulative and hierarchical. Those with the most power are only too willing to force others to work for them and strengthen their treasuries, inventories, or power-base, or especially to work towards their ‘Heart Stone’ at their own expense. The greatest example of this is their penchant for enslaving the ‘lesser races’.

Society: Despite their internal conflicts the Vliseau tend to come together to meet any external threat. Indeed, the Vliseau are somewhat fascist and nationalist in their outlook; they believe in the inherent superiority of both their own kind and of their tribe. When the slaves of one house rebel against that house, it is the whole of Vliseau society, regardless of their relationship with the slave-holding house, that remind the errant slaves of their place in Vliseau society.

Additionally while individual Vliseau may be extremely isolationist and withdrawn, as a whole society they are not afraid to trade and interact with other nations provided they do so from a position of protected strength and with room to manoeuvre. Like rats, Vliseau like to know where the nearest escape route is and when one is lacking they will do everything they can to extract themselves from the situation, provide some advantage they can use or escape mechanism should they be endangered, and only then re-establish contact.

Within Vliseau society there is an internal hierarchy that is reflected in the physical manner in which the dwarves live and interact. It is generally accepted that the highest-ranking Vliseau should not have to hold court with lowly Vliseau, or worse-yet their slaves, and so these individuals of high stature protect themselves from the impurity of the lower classes by physically separating themselves from them. Vliseau homes are built not like typical dwarven structures, squat and low, but like those of elves, tall needle-like towers and spires of delicate stone reaching for the skies interconnected with bridges, walkways and balconies. Slaves and non-dwarven city-dwellers live at ground level and are involved in menial tasks such shop-keeping, gathering materials for the house-holds, maintenance of livestock, petty crafts and gardening. Within the first few layers of the towers and gangways live those Vliseau who have most to do with the menial day-to-day tasks of maintaining the Vliseau cities. These include those who manage various shops and industries, metal-workers, slave-managers, or those who serve as clerks and minor government officials. At the highest levels of the towers live the nobles themselves who own vast tracks of land worked upon by slaves, business moguls, important government officials and even those of royal lineage. An exception to this general structure is the priests of Uereth who live far below ground near the beating heart of the Vliseau empire, the (currently defunct) engine.

Lastly, a note should be made regarding children. Slave children are allowed to be raised as their masters see fit; this usually consists of choosing a particularly brutal and loyal slave and delegating to them the task of raising slave children. Slave children are also often traded amongst slave-owners to prevent them from developing deep and permanent attachments with parents, potential foster-parents, each other or particular slave-masters. Vliseau children are different. Though the children are aware of who their parents are and Vliseau parents are free to visit their children, the children themselves are raised by the most dedicated of Uereth’s servants, the priests themselves. The fact that the most prestigious members of Vliseau society are involved in child-rearing only illustrates how important Vliseau children are to the society. It also ensures that the children are properly indoctrinated into their roles in the nation and in the faith of Uereth.
 
Hmmm 4 dead/postponed ffh Neses? :(

Edit: OMG Immac. OMG
 
Told you Immac's civ lore was good.

Immac you will be able to reuse that if you want at some point, but I guess the beans are spilled now.
 
So yeah... i was looking forward to playing in a NES again and may have gone too far in preparing for it...
too bad for me. :(

I guess i dont mind people knowing... i'll just make allies with the sheim and balseraph instead of the 'good' races.
 
Yeah, now I feel bad about the lore I was preparing for my House :(
 
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