The Seven Provinces

[Magnive]

OOC: In insight, I was rater unclear, sorry. What I meant was if I could say move our warriors to the hill, then post screen caps of the result, and then allow me to choose then whether or not to move the settler taking into account the uncovered territory revealed by the warrior.

 

[Exhera]

OOC: Oh, I see. Yes, that is an option. Well, here you go.

The group of men maneuvered their ways through the dense jungle. The drum of the tropical forest was persistent. The elevation soon started to ascend as the men progressed. Soon, they had arrived at the top, and could see far in every direction. Southward lay more of the jungle. To the west sat an enormous marsh. A river stretched far into the jungle and split where the Dutch people where located. North of the people were less-dense forests. A mountain obstructed the view of the east.

My lord van Magniv, the Dutch folk await your orders. Do you still wish for them to be southbound?

 

[Et_Absoluti]

Lord van Magniv, I recommend that we settle on the jungle tile near the mountain. It seems the best place for natural resources and protection.

 

[Jehoshua]

Lord Willem van Magniv, I recommend that we settle in the citrus grove at the foot of the mountain. This location is defensible, and puts distance between a prospective city and the unproductive mire of the fens which renders it, according to current knowledge, the best position to make our dwelling place.

 

[TirolluDoruk]

O Great chief, I humbly request, for the sake of our people, that we make camp in the grove to the west of the mountain where fruits of orange colour grow. These are known to be a cure against all diseases and having them so close to the city would surely make our people healthier and happier because of their good health. Besides, the holy mountain which stretches skywards would be a great place for our wisemen and shamans to meditate far away from the burdens of civilization. It shall be their refuge, a place where they can be just a little closer to the gods of old. That is all I have to say, and that is all you have to consider. But consider it well, oh wise chief, and choose what is best for your people!

 

[Magnive]

You all speak wise words, and I am of like mind. Our first city shall be founded on the citrus grove west of the mountain!

 

[Exhera]

Session 2
The people admire the orange fruit. They would do well to provide for the people. Soon, the Dutch start unpacking their belongings. Amid the citrus trees tents were set up. In the coming days, the people retrieved building materials from the mountain and jungle alike. The first Dutch city had arisen. Magniv, it was named. Scouts had returned from the surrounding lands. They told of fertile grasslands to the south, and peculiar, yellow, long fruit beyond the mountain.

Current Orders:

• What shall Magniv produce?
• What shall we research?
• What shall the warriors do?

Actions available are those specified 'Available since beginning'.

 

[TirolluDoruk]

O mighty chief full of wisdom! It gives me joy to see that my advice, and that of many others, has not fallen upon deaf ears. You truly value wise counsel as all men of power should. Now hear me once more, for I have more counsel to give. There are many in our camp who do not have anything to do. These men and women do naught but consume the tribe's precious resources and lie idly in the sun. These men we should gather together in order to form a scouting band that will go as far as the eye can see and beyond. They shall be the first to go to unknown lands and to explore the wild jungle that surrounds us. This should be the top priority for our people. Everyone ought to work hard in order to equip and train these brave folk. Our hunters shall train them in the ways of the wild, our wisemen shall teach them the art of healing and our craftsmen shall supply them with whatever equipment they need. And when everything is done, they shall leave our base camp in search of new horizons.

As to the band of warriors which were left to our east when we moved camp here, they would certainly fear to go into the endless jungle. Instead, I suggest that they come back to our camp, and from here embark on a journey to the open grasslands south of our position. They would able to cover more ground in a shorter time by moving through open terrain.

Finally, we need a proper way of honouring the gods of old, the spirits of mountain and jungle and marsh. They whose voices we hear through our wisemen's speech. They demand a proper place in which believers can worship them as they will and an altar for offering sacrifices. However, for constructing such a shrine for the gods, we would need to find new ways of construction beyond our current understanding of the matter. Indeed, such magnificent buildings are only possible through the usage of earth which is heated and made harder than normal. Therefore, I suggest that we set our goals towards that of mastering this art. I myself humbly request that I be given the position of chief researcher and be initiated into the order of wisemen, for understanding the secrets of nature and understanding the secrets of the gods are two fields that need to go side by side and live as one.

Oh honourable chief, may you reign for a thousand thousand days!

OOC: Magniv should produce a band of scouts, the warriors should go and explore the grasslands to our south, and we should research pottery. I am also applying for a job in the researchers/wisemen if such a job is available.

 

[TirolluDoruk]

I am also going to chronicle the history of the Dutch people.

On the Origins of the Tribe​

Our tribe has it's history stretching back to time immemorial. There are many legends and stories that include the creation of man and the very first days he spent on this world, however after that miraculous event what we find is but emptiness. Truly, few ever speak of the creation of the Dutch people and their descent from the very first ancestral man. In this work, I shall attempt to rectify that shortcoming of Dutch storytellers.

Our story begins with the very first man who walked upon this earth. From him came all of mankind, yet at first they were but one large tribe who spoke the same language and who lived in the same place. However, this primal tribe was not completely full of content men. Some among the tribe desired more and more and thus they began forming a group called the "Diuitsc". This group was of the opinion that the tribe was stuck for too long in one place and they wanted to explore the world outside the boundaries of their camp. Such was their spirit of exploration. However, this spirit eventually led to their exodus from the primal tribe in search of new lands and new laws. It is their spirit and their lust for getting to know the unknown that must guide our people, for we the Dutch are but descendants of the Diuitsc and in our veins flows blood the same as theirs. Like them, we should strike out and find out what is hidden behind a cloud of mist.

The Diuitsc travelled far and away for a hundred generations and they moved from one place to another. In their adventures they went through 3 types of landscapes. The first was a vast desert whose location is unknown to us. It is there that they found an oasis which took 20 turns of day and night to cross from one side to the other which was full of a breed of animals called the Liefwolf which were friendly to man unlike the wolves that roam the forests today. These wolves became the Dutch folk's closest companions. They kept him company through hot days and cold nights and they helped him hunt once he was clear of the desert.

It took but 20 generations to move out of the desert, thus for 20 generations the Dutch folk and their canine companions moved from oasis to oasis, from river system to river system. They hunted when they could, smoked and preserved the meat of their prey for when they couldn't. The Liefwolfs were blessed, for not only could they eat meat, they were also able to eat and make full use of fruits which grew on trees. Such differences they had to the common wolf, and such differences allowed them to stay alive in the desert where meat was a luxury rarely found.

After crossing the desert, the Dutch people came to the land of tall grasses, the Langgrasvlande it is here that they lived for most of their lifetime, for at least 60 generations. Here prey could be found more easily and the rivers were bountifully full of fish and other seafood. The Dutch people still yearned to explore new lands, and as they explored they began to understand the mysteries of the faith. Some amongst them stepped forth and became healers, wisemen and shamans. It is they who first found out how to use the herbs that grew in the grand Langgrasvlande and it is they who first found out about the gods. The gods were ever present, forces which moved life forward and interacted with everything in this small world. The gods spoke to the wisemen and gave them intelligence and understanding to find out more about the world. The gods spoke to the healers and told them the secrets of the art of healing and sanitation. The gods spoke to the shamans, the sjamaanen and told them of their very own nature secret knowledge which the shamans have kept until today. Their order one shrouded in mystery, one which is vital for the tribe but also one which is poorly understood and widely feared.

Finally, the Dutch people cleared the Langgrasvlande and came to the land of marshes and jungles which surround us today. Here they survived in the bogs and marshlands and here they learned how to cultivate the land and to till and reap the products of the soil. Here they first grew plants and herbs which are known to us today and here they settled down for the first time. Here, in Magniv, the namesake of our most honourable and wise chief. And here may they stay for a thousand thousand days!

 

[Jehoshua]

Lord van Magniv, noting the recent establishment of our settlement three priorities stand before the people of your tribe. Firstly how to utilise the land to its fullest, secondly, knowledge of our surroundings, and thirdly, defence against savages.

Noting these key priorities, I suggest that firstly we research mining and bronze-working. These arts will in addition to providing our people superior defence would greatly assist with regards to taking dominion of the jungle wilds that surround us. In addition to these technologies, it would be prudent to invest in research in pottery, and animal husbandry with an eye to future research into the sphere of a calendar and in the trapping of animals.

(summary: mining > bronzeworking > animal husbandry > calendar > trapping)

With regards to city production, I would suggest that instead of a scout, that a warrior would be of more long-term utility, since it would be of continued use in defence of our lands in the years to come, and training one would ensure we can immediately send our current warriors on a scouting mission (presumably downstream along the river) while avoiding an egregiously long delay in maintaining city-defence. I shall personally assist in training these warriors should you institute this policy. Proceeding from this endeavour, a monument to the ancestral gods of the people would be suitable, and would serve as a tangible sign of our permanent presence in this place.

(summary: warrior > monument .... current warriors scout south following river course)

Finally, should the development of our society dictate it, it would be most prudent for the chief to institute tradition as the foundational principle of the state. No society in existence has ever succeeded and enjoyed good order that has not enshrined as its most hallowed principles the maintenance of the tradition of the ancestors, and reverence to the gods.

(summary: if social policy choice comes up, we should pick tradition)

 

[Magnive]

Once more, I am offered advice aplenty. First, I must assure you that even if I elect not to act as advised, I value your input.

Our warriors are to scout out the grasslands to the southeast, moving along the edge of the jungle when possible. The units are to move no further than 10 tiles from our city, at which point they should begin moving east-north-east, unless ordered otherwise later.

In order to further the spirituality of our nation, we will begin researching Pottery, so that we may properly worship our spirits and gods.

Meanwhile, a Monument is to be built, detailing the spirits granting my father the vision that led to the creation of our great city.

Lastly, I will Chronicle our History as well:
Listen well, children, for these words are the history of our people, and one day, it will be your responsibility to pass on our take to your children.

In the past, we were simple folk, hunting and gathering to satisfy our needs. However, during the twilight years of my father's reign, a most wonderful discovery was made: rather than praying for luck in hunting and gathering, it is possible to work the earth for it to reliably produce food!

Until then, our people were fragmented, disunited. We were many different tribes, loyal only to our nearest families, and interacting only rarely. Even rarer was friendly meetings, as we would often try to kill each other due to shortage of resources.
But that is now a thing of the past! My father showed leaders of other tribes the possibilities, and the wisest of them agreed to join him.

Unfortunately, he passed away before he could see his dream realized, but I will complete his work for him! When we find land fertile enough for our people we will settle down and build a world for us where we may prosper!

OOC: @Tirollu As far as I'm aware, I am not currently able to hand out jobs like that. Would it be possible to get GM clarification on this, Exhera? Also, how long would you prefer for turn orders to be?

 

[TirolluDoruk]

Sure, send the warriors to the jungles or the marshes and allow them to perish. It would take them years to travel through the though terrain which we can hardly transverse as a tribe collecting and building while en route, and these men are but fighters, those who do not know much other than to fight with the beasts of the land. Sending them, who are without the proper skills needed for survival in the jungle as a group would be plain suicide. No, we need to send them to the open field to our south, where they may move freely without hindrance. And in their stead send a trained party well-versed in the ways of the forest and marsh to scout the jungles surrounding the river.

And what is this nonsense about training more warriors? To defend against savages? What savages are you talking about, those who are made of thin air? Our city, deep in the marshes and jungles of this world is as defendable as it can get. There is no need to bolster it's defences. Besides, what use would defending when we don't even know who we are supposed to defend the city against? No, we must explore as our forefathers, the Diuitsc did and find new lands and new folk. Only by doing so may we be able to survive and grow.

And by looking at your suggestions for research I can clearly see that you intend to destroy the sacred jungles and in their place build farms. While it is true that gathering alone can not sustain our civilization and that farms must be built in order to provide enough food for all, we must be careful not to upset the gods who claim the endless jungles as their own and neither must we destroy the precarious balance of nature. Instead of destroying the jungles, we should make of them a sacred groove where men can go to find out about the mysteries of the world and the gods alike.

OOC: This is on Prince difficulty. The city alone should be able to defend against any and all barbarians that the game can throw at us and even if it can't, we can always build more military units. However, finding out more about our surroundings in the early days of the game is vital, and so I champion the cause for building a unit of scouts.

And instead of chopping down the forests, why don't we try and get Sacred Path for that extra culture, and once we get a university, 2 extra science? I tend to use jungles in that way when I actually get jungles but I might be completely wrong in doing so. Who knows, I'm not really that experienced in civ and not sure about some of the higher level tactics.


EDIT: Oh shoot, the chief has already decided. Well, sorry about this redundant post then.

And I thought you could hand out jobs. If not, it doesn't really matter, I can just get a normal job or something..

 

[Et_Absoluti]

Mijn chief, I agree with all your plans except in the case of a monument. At this crucial point in our peoples history, we must ensure our security before we can create magnificent monuments. We need to immediately scout our surroundings and see all our options before we commemorate the founding of the city.

((TLDR: don't build a monument before a scout))

 

[Exhera]

Pre-Session Report
OOC: In response to Magnive's question about appointment, you are the all-powerful leader of the people. About his second question, I have no preference.

Statistics Report:
Disease is unknown to this newly founded village.
Willem van Magniv:
Chief
Young
30 wealth
Liked in Ruler Popularity
10 experience in Culture
Suleiman van Tirool:
Citizen
Young
30 wealth
Known in Politician Popularity
10 experience in Culture
Heinrich van Absolut:
Citizen
Young
25 wealth
Known in Politican Popularity
Henri van Jeho:
Citizen
Young
25 wealth
Recognized in Politician Popularity ((Endeavors in the rules))

State Report:
The land of the Dutch is Reasonable, due to the abundance of citrus and wonderful settling location. The people support van Magniv for his father's actions. In this time, any sort of impeachment or coup would probably fail.

Far north, tales of a people called the Llar, llarlaki, no, the... double-l people have arrived in the settlement of Magniv. They are supposedly an intelligent group and rather friendly. The coming days would tell.

OOC: Duh duh duuuuh! (To challenge and/or aid the game, I will do random events like this occasionally. I do hope that's fine.) The next session will probably be Friday. Saturday at the latest. I have a piano recital and a violin recital in two consecutive days, Thursday and Friday. Eek.

 

[Jehoshua]

The chiefs decision to construct a monument is a good one, and its good to see him taking my advice on this matter. That said I maintain that it would be preferable to train a second warrior unit prior to beginning this project to enable a more flexible scouting and defence plan than is currently possible, and provide certain security of our lands against enemy tribes. We cannot always trust that those we come in contact with are friendly, indeed we still do not have certainty as to the intentions of the so-called "double-l people".

Likewise although pottery is a good avenue of research, I am uncertain with regards to the level of priority the chief has placed upon it. Our interests lie firstly in developing the land and secondly in securing our position, interests which once fulfilled would enable us to build in peace and serenity. The chief should clarify future research taking these interests in mind rather than merely instituting immediate goals without establishing a clear progression of study, and leaving long-term policy ill-defined and subject to competing personal interests.

-

Actions:

1: Get a Job.
2: Get Married.

 

[Magnive]

I have chosen Pottery over Mining due to the fact that the former provides us with benefits now, while the latter is only a stepping stone to Bronze Working. As for a Monument, I hope to see our borders grow far and wide, a goal I feel would be helped most by the Monument as it is.

Also, I will Get Married.

 

[Jehoshua]

That stepping stone however is necessary if we are to overcome the severe deficit in production potential that the capital currently experiences and will become inevitably necessary in the future. It would be good if you could explain how pottery provides an immediate benefit and how such a benefit would in consideration of the benefits, overcome our long-term interest in securing the tools of the development of the land.

At any rate, if you insist upon the current course I would advise that you set our citizens to exploit the [fur tile], to maximise wealth and production generation in the capital. This would have the effect of temporarily slowing population growth due to restriction of food resources, however this would only be short-term given the super-abundance of food in the surrounding region, and be of greater benefit than alternative exploitation options given the quicker production of the monument this action would result in.

-


OOC NOTE: @gm .... I would strongly suggest that in future updates that you make available the city-screen for our cities for player consideration. This would provide us with information on various statistics that is important in the discussion and implementation of policy.

 

[TirolluDoruk]

O chief by whose orders we live and die! Yours is most certainly a wise mind and a strong heart for you have chosen well. Honouring the spirits should be our first priority and destroying their homes should be our last! And building a monument to honour both the gods and our ancestors who worshipped them and lived and died for them would certainly be seen as a prudent action by all.

As for these double-l people, we should greet them with open arms! For they are our long lost brothers and for all men were once part of the same tribe. Just as the spirit of exploration held by the Diuitsc led them to strike out for their own from that tribe, the spirit of these men have meade them strike out from theirs. I suggest that we throw a feast in their honour, and stuff them full of the sinaasappel which grows abundantly all across the lands close to Magniv and allow them to taste the peculiar yellow fruit which is found to the far side of the mountain. Surely after such a feast they would return to their homes and tell their kin of our generosity and good intentions. I myself am ready to cover a part of the costs for this feast


((Let's wine and dine them! They would surely be grateful!))


And chief, I would fear to trouble you, but have you considered my wish and desire to lead our men of spirit and explorers of this world as well as the other in uncovering the secrets of nature as well as the gods?

((Since you are the all-powerful leader of the people, that probably means you can do pretty much anything you want, assigning jobs to people included. So once again I am petitioning you to give the position of chief scientist and an initiate position in the order of wisemen to myself.))

Today I would also like to announce to the good people of Magniv that I am looking for a faithful wife to stay by my side for now and ever. Hopefully we will live and die together and grow old in the same bed!


Actions:
1.Get Married
2.Find a Job(Chief Scientist if I can, something related to science if I can't)

 

[Jehoshua]

It would not go amiss as the noble lord suggests to express hospitality to strangers, although calling strangers "long lost brothers" is naïve and foolish to say the least. Our own people come first and their interests are primary over those of outsiders. A feast would perhaps be good opportunity at any rate to uncover these strangers intentions, and would serve to provide amusement to the people.

As to the noble lords request to you to appoint him to certain positions. While I do not oppose granting him oversight of research if that is what you desire, it would be most unwise to appoint a sycophant to act as intermediary with the gods, when the task entails conveying the divine will to those in power no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Likewise it seems to me the height of hubris to suggest that the divine mysteries can be "uncovered" by human endeavour as if matters of the higher orders were lesser to the human intellect and comprehensible to our finite minds. As you surely know it is only by divine revelation that such things can be known to mankind. One who does not comprehend this is surely unsuitable to act in matters religious however pious he may be.

 

[TirolluDoruk]

The gods hid the secrets of their world in our own. It is through the exploration of this world and of uncovering the unknown that we can find out more about creation and by understanding their creation, we can understand the gods themselves. Does not everything created by the hand of man bear it's creator's mark? Is there not something subtle yet obvious in every item ever created which tells us something about the man or woman that made it? So does our world. In every tree and in every rock we see the mark of the creators, the gods and spirits whose nature is a mystery to us. And by seeing and understanding their creation we can see and understand them. I will not go so far as to claim that man can truly understand the workings of the high planes, but we can understand that of our own plane of existence which will tell us something and something more about the higher mysteries, for this world is an imitation of the higher worlds for the gods took inspiration from their own world during the creation of it. Just as we look at nature and take inspiration, the gods themselves looked at their own nature and in doing so created a world similar to their own. Such is my belief and such was the belief of my forefathers. But I will not hold it against you for not believing in it. I will merely ask that you go to the jungle one day and see it's beauty and perfection for yourself. Then you will understand that this world in it's perfection can only be a copy of a higher one, even more beautiful and even more divine than our own.