I have decided to try writing a strategy article in a more bard-like way that I associate with fantasy. Let me know what you think with the format. The biggest flaw is that it is quite difficult to make the strategy apply to different opening map situations. Anyway, here we go.
As the last ice age ended the peoples of Erebus were scattered nomads; hunting and gathering what they could to survive while avoid the many fericous animals wandering the land. Not long after the last ice receeded some of these people, wandering near the coasts of Erebus, came together and decided to pool their resources for their mutual benefit. Amongst these people one in particular, Hannah the Irin, gained fame and reputation and became their leader. Hannah's strengths were his financial accumen and her ruthlessness in the acquisition of money; whether it be from her own people or taken from others. The other great gift she gave to her people was a unifying belief in the lord of the seas: the Octopus. It is through there shared belief that their dominance of the seas and land was possible, and it help to spread their culture throughout the land. Early on, especially, Hannah focused on religion in order for her cities to grow and prosper.
When Hannah formed her capital city her first goal was to teach her people how to harvest the bounty of the seas. While this was occuring she sent some people out to scout the nearby coasts, determining how far it stretched - until she came to the mountains. Hannah, knowing the power of the sea, immediately began preparations for setting up her holy city, and some other financial centers along this coast. Then, as her people started going out to sea to bring in food and commerce Hannah had a brilliant idea; she decided to embrace the wildness of the sea and the chaos of the Octopus and financed pirate coves. These coves, which would grow over time, brought resources and wealth to the nearby cities; but she limited their number to avoid destructive competition.
As time went on Hannah gather some people, outfitted them with resources, and sent them along the coast to found her holy city; she didn't want the holy city and her palace to have to compete for the people's attention, plus the she would be able to delay cultural buildings for a while.
Around this time the barbarians started becoming more ambitious, attacking cities instead of just running around the countryside. With little in the way of
land-based infrastructure to protect Hannah decided to wait out the initial forays in her cities while focusing on ways to more effectively scount and defend against the animals and barbarians. She trained a number of hunters, outfitted them with hawks and then sent them to explore the valleys leading away from the coasts. As the exploring continued she discovered that other tribes had organized and, understanding the power of trade, decided that it would be best to open up relations and trade. To do this she need to create maps and boats so her people could find where these trading people were located and, via the coast and rivers prevalent in the land, transport their goods.
During these early years Hannah also discovered better ways to work the land around her cities; building mines, choping trees, founding villages, and
constructing farms and roads. She trained some of her people in the application of these technologies and sent them out to transform the land to meet her needs.
In the cities she was finding that her people where well fed; too well fed. It seemed like everyone was harvesting food and living quite well - but the cities where overcrowding. She decided, then, that she need to find some non-farming activities to perform and, also desiring to please the Octopus, she built various temples and instructed some of her people to work as priests in service to the Octopus. Eventually, one priest rose above the rest and the Octopus bestowed upon him the title of prophet and instructed him to build a shrine in His name. Hannah was overjoyed by these prospects - her holy city would become much more influential and the spreading of the religion would bring travellers and wealth to her people. Also, with a higher level of stature and influcence more people would become priests; further pleasing the Octopus. She planned, eventually, to build a religious altar to further raise the stature of her people in both the eyes of the Octopus and the other peoples of Erebus - and the prophets would help her do this.
As the last ice age ended the peoples of Erebus were scattered nomads; hunting and gathering what they could to survive while avoid the many fericous animals wandering the land. Not long after the last ice receeded some of these people, wandering near the coasts of Erebus, came together and decided to pool their resources for their mutual benefit. Amongst these people one in particular, Hannah the Irin, gained fame and reputation and became their leader. Hannah's strengths were his financial accumen and her ruthlessness in the acquisition of money; whether it be from her own people or taken from others. The other great gift she gave to her people was a unifying belief in the lord of the seas: the Octopus. It is through there shared belief that their dominance of the seas and land was possible, and it help to spread their culture throughout the land. Early on, especially, Hannah focused on religion in order for her cities to grow and prosper.
When Hannah formed her capital city her first goal was to teach her people how to harvest the bounty of the seas. While this was occuring she sent some people out to scout the nearby coasts, determining how far it stretched - until she came to the mountains. Hannah, knowing the power of the sea, immediately began preparations for setting up her holy city, and some other financial centers along this coast. Then, as her people started going out to sea to bring in food and commerce Hannah had a brilliant idea; she decided to embrace the wildness of the sea and the chaos of the Octopus and financed pirate coves. These coves, which would grow over time, brought resources and wealth to the nearby cities; but she limited their number to avoid destructive competition.
As time went on Hannah gather some people, outfitted them with resources, and sent them along the coast to found her holy city; she didn't want the holy city and her palace to have to compete for the people's attention, plus the she would be able to delay cultural buildings for a while.
Around this time the barbarians started becoming more ambitious, attacking cities instead of just running around the countryside. With little in the way of
land-based infrastructure to protect Hannah decided to wait out the initial forays in her cities while focusing on ways to more effectively scount and defend against the animals and barbarians. She trained a number of hunters, outfitted them with hawks and then sent them to explore the valleys leading away from the coasts. As the exploring continued she discovered that other tribes had organized and, understanding the power of trade, decided that it would be best to open up relations and trade. To do this she need to create maps and boats so her people could find where these trading people were located and, via the coast and rivers prevalent in the land, transport their goods.
During these early years Hannah also discovered better ways to work the land around her cities; building mines, choping trees, founding villages, and
constructing farms and roads. She trained some of her people in the application of these technologies and sent them out to transform the land to meet her needs.
In the cities she was finding that her people where well fed; too well fed. It seemed like everyone was harvesting food and living quite well - but the cities where overcrowding. She decided, then, that she need to find some non-farming activities to perform and, also desiring to please the Octopus, she built various temples and instructed some of her people to work as priests in service to the Octopus. Eventually, one priest rose above the rest and the Octopus bestowed upon him the title of prophet and instructed him to build a shrine in His name. Hannah was overjoyed by these prospects - her holy city would become much more influential and the spreading of the religion would bring travellers and wealth to her people. Also, with a higher level of stature and influcence more people would become priests; further pleasing the Octopus. She planned, eventually, to build a religious altar to further raise the stature of her people in both the eyes of the Octopus and the other peoples of Erebus - and the prophets would help her do this.
