Vertinari118
Deity
We had better! This is brillient news Fulton! I was wondering if you had just abandoned this to die. Can't believe I might still get the chance to cursh Varcia.
Varica: In Haeka's Name
- Thread starter Fulton
- Start date
Fuschia
A Little Odd
Hooray hoorah! ![[party]](/images/smilies/partytime.gif "Party [party]")
The Strategos
Thanatos
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2002
- Messages
- 1,175
Where the ravens break their fast,
And sword-sweat covers the ground,
Where a spear song fills the air,
There will be the Hrafn’s banners
And sword-sweat covers the ground,
Where a spear song fills the air,
There will be the Hrafn’s banners
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
*pangs of joy* OMG
YES, YES, YES, YES
YES, YES, YES, YES
An early birthday present from me. I present to you the trade rules I have written so far. Please comment and criticize. Note that all income and costs will increase by 10 to accommodate the new trade system. These changes will be implemented after the current update.
***********************************************************
Trade Routes:
Every state, from the mightiest warrior kingdom to the smallest gerontocratic village engages in trade. Despite the stigma often associated with nobles who engage in trade, commerce is vital for the survival of every lord’s community. As such, the lords of Varica do not engage in trade per see. Instead, they make arrangements with other lords to establish and protect trade routes.
The creation and maintenance of roads through the jungle, caravan trails through the desert, locks and river patrols through the mighty river system require the co-operation of local lords, their soldiers, merchants, and travelers alike.
In order to engage in trade, a Varican lord need only reach an agreement with another lord and make known the path it will take. Also needed is the number and type of warriors that will patrol the route and the goods that will be sold.
Note that you must have the permission of every lord along a trade route. If you do not have a lord’s permission, his men will raid your merchant’s goods. Any lord along a trade route can decide to disallow, seize, or destroy goods and soldiers along the route. They can target specific goods and traders, or destroy everything in their path. The more soldiers protect a route, the less likely an opponent is to disrupt trade.
Example: The Nakar wish to make a trade route to Sunta territory. They choose a path that goes through Huroto and Validiran territory. Sunta agrees to the route. The Nakar offer the Huroto 5 EC to allow the trade route to happen. Validira is also paid 5 EC to allow the trade route, but refuse to let through any resources that will allow the Sunta to improve their military (i.e. metals and vorthai). The Nakar decide to sell 1 unit of metal and 3 units of cattle in Sunta territory while the Sunta decide to send 2 units of slaves to be sold to the Nakar. Validira confiscates the metal when it reaches their territory. The Huroto secretly decide to raid both nation’s trade caravans. The Nakar and Sunta have both assigned 50 spearmen to protect their traders. This is enough to protect them from bandits and river pirates, but not from the 200 Huroto warriors attacking them. Several small skirmishes ensue over the course of two years and in the end, only one unit of Nakar cattle and one unit of Sunta slaves make it their final destinations.[/b]
How to make a profit:
In order to profit from trade, you must sell your goods to a nation that has a demand for them. You can try to sell your goods to another tribe along one of your trade routes, but they will only automatically succeed if the target tribe has none of that item. If a tribe has 1 of an item, then you have a 75% chance to sell that item. If they have 2, you have a 50% chance. If they have 3, a 25% chance. Exceptions: Varica and the Thune city states have twice the capacity for trade as other tribes.
You may also give gifts to your vassals and other tribes. In this case, you have to pay the cost of the goods you wish to give as a gift.
Note that you do not profit from the sale itself, but from tolls, bribes, and other payments from the merchants carrying these precious cargoes.
For every trade items available (either produced locally or sold in your territory) your people will be slightly happier. Feeding the material desires of your people will allow them to ignore many of the minor offenses committed by your king and his thanes.
Necessary items:
Every Kingdom will consume a minimum amount of certain trade items each year depending on the power ratings of the tribes under its control. These will be automatically subtracted each year from your stockpiles. If you do not produce enough domestically, you can bring some in through trade. Items sold by another kingdom in your borders can be consumed in the stead of locally produced goods.
Your people will become very angry, very quickly if you cannot provide the necessities of life. They require the following:
For every 5 Power of your combined kingdom you require 1 Grain. If you do not have grain, your people will happily consume cheese, fish, cattle, and other livestock in that order.
For every 10 Power of your combined kingdom you require 1 timber, 1 wool, and 1 beer. If you do not have timber, your people will happily use stone to build their homes. If you do not possess beer, then your people will happily consume wine or mead. If you do not possess wool, your people will gladly use combren, or a unit of leather.
A shortage in food will cause your people to starve. This is a bad thing. Society is only three missed meals away from complete anarchy. A shortage of building materials is not as terrible, but without homes, your people may as well be nomads. A shortage of alcohol forces your people to face the harsh realities of life in Varica sober. This is a very bad thing. Wool is less necessary than other trade goods, but a lack of clothing will hurt your people’s health,
Buying trade items:
If your kingdom needs a particular item, either for your own use or for that of your people, then you may buy it from another nation. In this case, you will pay the cost of the item.
Trade Items:
Each trade item has a Trade Rating. This is the value of a trade good. This is the price you will receive when selling these items. Supply, demand, and other factors may increase or decrease the trade rating of certain goods. Example: Grain normally trades at a TR of 1. If a Varica-wide famine strikes, then the cost of grain will rise. If it is a particularly bad year, it may gain a TR as high as 3. The price of fish and cheese, normally TR 2, would also rise, as demand for all foods rise. They might see rises to TR 3 as well. A continent wide war might see metal reach TR 5, or even the theoretical value of TR 6. Slaves, on the other hand, might reach as low as TR 1 due to a massive influx of prisoners and other captives.
Trade Rating 1:
Grain – The lifeblood of Varica. The wide-spread adoption of agriculture allowed Hroth to build an Empire. Since then, various grains have become the staple foodstuffs of every level of Varican society, as well as all other agrarian societies on Valdis.
Timber – The most abundant natural resource in Varica. Trees are felled from the rainforests the Varicans clear when making way for new settlement or agriculture. Timber is needed for the creation of boats, cities, and fortifications.
Clay – Clay is one of the building blocks of Haecomus society. Abundant in Varica, clay provides the basis raw material for one of Varica’s largest industries: potting. Clay is also used in the creation of tiles and other building materials.
Saon – Saon are docile, woolly animals that live in the colder regions north of Varica. Saon are dimwitted, unambitious creatures that are easy to herd and breed rapidly. Saon have thick, brownish-grey coats that are harvested annually to provide wool for clothes and other products in the north. Young Saon are often killed to provide meat for the rich Haecomus of the northern tribes.
Wool – Wool comes to Varica from the lands of the north. Timber, kibal, and pottery go north while wool comes south to cloth the people of Varica. Wool comes from Saon.
Trade Rating 2:
Pottery – The first industry to develop in Varica, pottery predates the founding of Varica and has seen a renaissance since the founding. Early pottery was used simply as vessels for holding, but has also become a way of telling stories and recording history through intricate carvings and colouring. Pottery is one of the few trade goods that the Thune are inferior to Haecomus in creating.
Tiles – Tiles also includes bricks and other all expensive building materials made from clay. These building materials are a status symbol for Varicans. While most live in homes made of sod, wattle and dob, or roughly-hewn wood with thatched roofs, the richer Varicans prefer to live in homes with roofs that do not leak.
Slaves – Slavery takes many forms in Varica. From a respected bonded servant, to a prisoner of war awaiting ransom, to a Haecomus forced in worked to death in the fields. Slaves are not produced. They are acquired through conquest. Defeated armies and tribes may become slaves if their conquerer wishes. Slaves can be consumed to raise the power of a tribe at a rate of 1 power for 10 units of slaves.
Fish – Huge schools of fish live off the coasts of Varica, Nimosa, and the Thune cities, ripe for the taking. The Thune are well advanced in exploiting this inexhaustible supply of food, but there is more than enough left for enterprising Haecomus. This resource also includes crustaceans, eels, sea mammals, and other waterborne sources of food. Some river areas can also provide fish. Fish can be consumed in place of grain.
Cheese – The people of the western plains have pioneered the creation of a wide variety of cheeses. As their wares spread, others have adapted their small herds of cattle to create cheese as well, though by far the most prolific cheese makers reside with the biggest herds in the western plains.
Leather – Leather is a common material used in making clothing. Leather is also used in the creation of a wide assortment of useful tools as well as armour. Livestock may be slaughtered to produce leather. You cannot produce both meat and leather from the same unit of livestock.
Beer – Beer is an alcoholic drink brewed from grains. Beer is the most common alcoholic drink available in Varica. Beer is essential for survival in many parts of Varica. This is partly due to the lack of drinkable water but also partly due to the fact that many Varicans would not last long if they sobered up long enough to realize how terrible their lives really are. Beer is the liveblood of noble beerhalls, feast days, and the most common form of entertainment.
Trade Rating 3:
Wine/Mead – Wine is an alcoholic drink brewed from various berries while mead is brewed from honey. Wine is the main alcoholic drink of the Thune Cities while mead is brewed in Varica. Both serve the same purposes in Varica: to serve as symbols of status and to provide different options to Varicans who want a drink.
Cattle – Cattle refers to various domesticated large animals kept as livestock. Cattle are used to aid in farming and having large herds can increase your agricultural output. On the other hand, large herds of cattle can sustain communities all on their own, including the nomadic people of the western plains who live off of the milk, blood, and meat of their herds. Cattle are also a source of leather and heir milk may be made into cheese.
Honey – There are two sources of sweeteners in Varica. The yoba ants of central Varica produce a deliciously sweet gel that holds their hives together, and serves as a food source for the young of the hive. Those brave enough to face hundreds of biting ants will break their way into the hives and steal the honey within. A similar substance is created by the sweet grubs of southern Varica. The grubs are dug out of the ground and squeezed dry. The grubs are usually eaten separately. Both types of honey are used as sweeteners, appearing on the tables of the rich.
Vorthai – Vorthai are large, shaggy animals that serve as beasts of burden and mounts for the people of the western plains. While plainsmen use cattle to measure economic might, they use vorthai to measure military might. Vorthai are used to create cavalry and chariot units.
Meat – Meat of any kind is a rare delicacy in Varica. Since the Varicans adopted a settled life, fewer and fewer learn the skills to hunt their own food, relying on grain instead. Only those skilled enough to hunt their own game, or rich enough afford to buy it from hunters and herdsmen, can enjoy the delicious taste of meat.
Boats – This is a catch all term that encompasses all small river craft forced into service by the kings of Varica. Ranging from small message ships and patrol craft to larger merchant vessels boats carry an average of thirty passengers. These boats are powered by oarsmen, often the passengers themselves. Boats can travel along the coasts of Great Ocean but it can be dangerous. Leaving sight of the coast is as good as a death sentence. Boats require timber to produce.
Trade Rating 4:
Metal – One of the dearest resources in Varica, wars have been fought over the few sources of metal on Valdis. Most metal is acquired either through Sargothi ruins, or through bog iron. Some early attempts have been made at mining, but most easily accessed metal deposits have been stripped of their contents millennia ago. Metal is required for most advanced warriors types, such as Tiaka and Raeka.
Kibal – Kibal comes from the beans of the kibal vine, a parasitic vine that grows in the northern rainforests of Varica. Kibal is a stimulant with a delicious, often sweet taste. Kibal is eaten in a variety of ways, the most common of which is to brew it into hot drink. Cooked into a stew and allowed to sit and harden, eaten raw in bean form, or used to flavour other foods.
Combren – Combren is a fabric woven by the Thune. It is unknown how it is made or what the raw materials used to produce it are. What is known is that combren, while very strong, is also incredibly light, breathes well, and keeps its wearer from overheating in the hot equatorial sun. It is in great demand by all levels of all Valdian societies. Even in the Thune cities themselves, combren commands a dear price. Combren is required for the production of some Thune units.
Crossbows – Crossbows are complex ranged weapons that are more difficult to make but easier to learn to shoot than bows. The Thune invented the crossbow long before Hroth’s time. There are many variations including the tiny handbow and the massive siege crossbow. This trade unit represents the heavy cross utilized by the vassals of Oerdan and the Haecomus allies of the Cirici. It is the type of crossbow best suited to Haecomus use.
Glass – Glass is a rare, expensive, and fragile commodity only available to the super-rich. Glass is very difficult to make and its secrets are known only to a few craftsmen in all of Varica. Glass is especially in demand in the Thune Cities.
Trade Rating 5:
There are currently no goods at trade level five. Some new exotic goods may be discovered by enterprising players or some goods may rise in price as demand pushes their cost up.
Creating more trade items:
There are three types of trade goods: regular goods, livestock, and created goods. Regular goods include natural resources and easy to produce goods that require no other trade goods in their production. Created goods require other trade goods before they can be produced. Livestock are living creatures that cannot be produced, but will increase in number automatically as they breed.
Production of regular goods and created goods can be increased by projects such as land clearance (timber, grain), light taxes (grain), supporting trade organizations (stone, others), improved infrastructure, and many other activities. With some created goods, direct investment has a much greater effect; the creation of breweries, for example. Often, the craftsmen who make created goods will come on their in conditions that allow them to thrive like peace, prosperity, a large supply of raw materials, and large markets among others.
Livestock cannot be created. They must naturally reproduce. The only way to unnaturally acquire livestock is to raid those who have it. Livestock are very vulnerable to capture and destruction. If all examples of a livestock species are killed, then they will become extinct, unless another population exists in unknown lands. Don’t rely on this.
Livestock:
Livestock are special trade goods. They are not material objects, but living and breathing creatures. Livestock cannot be produced by Haecomus, but reproduce on their own. Every update, in good years, your livestock will produce more of themselves. Each type of livestock has a different rate of growth listed below.
For every two units of livestock, you require 1 unit of grain. Those tribes that live on plains may feed some of their livestock without grain. Clearing large tracts of land may also allow you to do this. If you have unfed livestock, they will not reproduce, as deaths balance out births. There is also a good chance that unfed units will die.
Every unit of livestock can be killed to produce one unit of meat. You may also kill one unit of livestock to create once unit of leather. You may not create both leather and meat from the same unit of livestock. Note that while it is possible to turn units of slaves into units of meat or leather, your people may take issue with it. Some types of livestock have military purposes while others produce other trade goods. Refer to the list below to see more details.
Name: TR Produces Meat Exchange Reproduction Rate
Vorthai 3 Required for Cavalry, chariot units 1:1 4:1
Cattle 2 Cheese 1:1 4:1
Slaves 2 Half price levy units 2:1 10:1
Saon 1 Wool 2:1 3:1
Military Goods:
Some goods are also military goods. This includes Vorthai, Slaves, Metal, Boats, and Crossbows.
Vorthai – 1 Unit of Vorthai is Required for the creation of 100 cavalry or 50 chariots.
Slaves – 1 Unit of slaves may be used to create 200 levies at half price.
Metal – 1 Unit of Metal is required for the creation of every 100 Tiaka, Raeka, or Falkans.
Boats – 1 Unit of boats is required for every 10 Boat units.
Crossbows – 1 Unit of crossbows is required for every 100 crossbowmen.
Using trade goods for military purposes is the only way that you can reduce a trade good to a fraction.
***********************************************************
Trade Routes:
Every state, from the mightiest warrior kingdom to the smallest gerontocratic village engages in trade. Despite the stigma often associated with nobles who engage in trade, commerce is vital for the survival of every lord’s community. As such, the lords of Varica do not engage in trade per see. Instead, they make arrangements with other lords to establish and protect trade routes.
The creation and maintenance of roads through the jungle, caravan trails through the desert, locks and river patrols through the mighty river system require the co-operation of local lords, their soldiers, merchants, and travelers alike.
In order to engage in trade, a Varican lord need only reach an agreement with another lord and make known the path it will take. Also needed is the number and type of warriors that will patrol the route and the goods that will be sold.
Note that you must have the permission of every lord along a trade route. If you do not have a lord’s permission, his men will raid your merchant’s goods. Any lord along a trade route can decide to disallow, seize, or destroy goods and soldiers along the route. They can target specific goods and traders, or destroy everything in their path. The more soldiers protect a route, the less likely an opponent is to disrupt trade.
Example: The Nakar wish to make a trade route to Sunta territory. They choose a path that goes through Huroto and Validiran territory. Sunta agrees to the route. The Nakar offer the Huroto 5 EC to allow the trade route to happen. Validira is also paid 5 EC to allow the trade route, but refuse to let through any resources that will allow the Sunta to improve their military (i.e. metals and vorthai). The Nakar decide to sell 1 unit of metal and 3 units of cattle in Sunta territory while the Sunta decide to send 2 units of slaves to be sold to the Nakar. Validira confiscates the metal when it reaches their territory. The Huroto secretly decide to raid both nation’s trade caravans. The Nakar and Sunta have both assigned 50 spearmen to protect their traders. This is enough to protect them from bandits and river pirates, but not from the 200 Huroto warriors attacking them. Several small skirmishes ensue over the course of two years and in the end, only one unit of Nakar cattle and one unit of Sunta slaves make it their final destinations.[/b]
How to make a profit:
In order to profit from trade, you must sell your goods to a nation that has a demand for them. You can try to sell your goods to another tribe along one of your trade routes, but they will only automatically succeed if the target tribe has none of that item. If a tribe has 1 of an item, then you have a 75% chance to sell that item. If they have 2, you have a 50% chance. If they have 3, a 25% chance. Exceptions: Varica and the Thune city states have twice the capacity for trade as other tribes.
You may also give gifts to your vassals and other tribes. In this case, you have to pay the cost of the goods you wish to give as a gift.
Note that you do not profit from the sale itself, but from tolls, bribes, and other payments from the merchants carrying these precious cargoes.
For every trade items available (either produced locally or sold in your territory) your people will be slightly happier. Feeding the material desires of your people will allow them to ignore many of the minor offenses committed by your king and his thanes.
Necessary items:
Every Kingdom will consume a minimum amount of certain trade items each year depending on the power ratings of the tribes under its control. These will be automatically subtracted each year from your stockpiles. If you do not produce enough domestically, you can bring some in through trade. Items sold by another kingdom in your borders can be consumed in the stead of locally produced goods.
Your people will become very angry, very quickly if you cannot provide the necessities of life. They require the following:
For every 5 Power of your combined kingdom you require 1 Grain. If you do not have grain, your people will happily consume cheese, fish, cattle, and other livestock in that order.
For every 10 Power of your combined kingdom you require 1 timber, 1 wool, and 1 beer. If you do not have timber, your people will happily use stone to build their homes. If you do not possess beer, then your people will happily consume wine or mead. If you do not possess wool, your people will gladly use combren, or a unit of leather.
A shortage in food will cause your people to starve. This is a bad thing. Society is only three missed meals away from complete anarchy. A shortage of building materials is not as terrible, but without homes, your people may as well be nomads. A shortage of alcohol forces your people to face the harsh realities of life in Varica sober. This is a very bad thing. Wool is less necessary than other trade goods, but a lack of clothing will hurt your people’s health,
Buying trade items:
If your kingdom needs a particular item, either for your own use or for that of your people, then you may buy it from another nation. In this case, you will pay the cost of the item.
Trade Items:
Each trade item has a Trade Rating. This is the value of a trade good. This is the price you will receive when selling these items. Supply, demand, and other factors may increase or decrease the trade rating of certain goods. Example: Grain normally trades at a TR of 1. If a Varica-wide famine strikes, then the cost of grain will rise. If it is a particularly bad year, it may gain a TR as high as 3. The price of fish and cheese, normally TR 2, would also rise, as demand for all foods rise. They might see rises to TR 3 as well. A continent wide war might see metal reach TR 5, or even the theoretical value of TR 6. Slaves, on the other hand, might reach as low as TR 1 due to a massive influx of prisoners and other captives.
Trade Rating 1:
Grain – The lifeblood of Varica. The wide-spread adoption of agriculture allowed Hroth to build an Empire. Since then, various grains have become the staple foodstuffs of every level of Varican society, as well as all other agrarian societies on Valdis.
Timber – The most abundant natural resource in Varica. Trees are felled from the rainforests the Varicans clear when making way for new settlement or agriculture. Timber is needed for the creation of boats, cities, and fortifications.
Clay – Clay is one of the building blocks of Haecomus society. Abundant in Varica, clay provides the basis raw material for one of Varica’s largest industries: potting. Clay is also used in the creation of tiles and other building materials.
Saon – Saon are docile, woolly animals that live in the colder regions north of Varica. Saon are dimwitted, unambitious creatures that are easy to herd and breed rapidly. Saon have thick, brownish-grey coats that are harvested annually to provide wool for clothes and other products in the north. Young Saon are often killed to provide meat for the rich Haecomus of the northern tribes.
Wool – Wool comes to Varica from the lands of the north. Timber, kibal, and pottery go north while wool comes south to cloth the people of Varica. Wool comes from Saon.
Trade Rating 2:
Pottery – The first industry to develop in Varica, pottery predates the founding of Varica and has seen a renaissance since the founding. Early pottery was used simply as vessels for holding, but has also become a way of telling stories and recording history through intricate carvings and colouring. Pottery is one of the few trade goods that the Thune are inferior to Haecomus in creating.
Tiles – Tiles also includes bricks and other all expensive building materials made from clay. These building materials are a status symbol for Varicans. While most live in homes made of sod, wattle and dob, or roughly-hewn wood with thatched roofs, the richer Varicans prefer to live in homes with roofs that do not leak.
Slaves – Slavery takes many forms in Varica. From a respected bonded servant, to a prisoner of war awaiting ransom, to a Haecomus forced in worked to death in the fields. Slaves are not produced. They are acquired through conquest. Defeated armies and tribes may become slaves if their conquerer wishes. Slaves can be consumed to raise the power of a tribe at a rate of 1 power for 10 units of slaves.
Fish – Huge schools of fish live off the coasts of Varica, Nimosa, and the Thune cities, ripe for the taking. The Thune are well advanced in exploiting this inexhaustible supply of food, but there is more than enough left for enterprising Haecomus. This resource also includes crustaceans, eels, sea mammals, and other waterborne sources of food. Some river areas can also provide fish. Fish can be consumed in place of grain.
Cheese – The people of the western plains have pioneered the creation of a wide variety of cheeses. As their wares spread, others have adapted their small herds of cattle to create cheese as well, though by far the most prolific cheese makers reside with the biggest herds in the western plains.
Leather – Leather is a common material used in making clothing. Leather is also used in the creation of a wide assortment of useful tools as well as armour. Livestock may be slaughtered to produce leather. You cannot produce both meat and leather from the same unit of livestock.
Beer – Beer is an alcoholic drink brewed from grains. Beer is the most common alcoholic drink available in Varica. Beer is essential for survival in many parts of Varica. This is partly due to the lack of drinkable water but also partly due to the fact that many Varicans would not last long if they sobered up long enough to realize how terrible their lives really are. Beer is the liveblood of noble beerhalls, feast days, and the most common form of entertainment.
Trade Rating 3:
Wine/Mead – Wine is an alcoholic drink brewed from various berries while mead is brewed from honey. Wine is the main alcoholic drink of the Thune Cities while mead is brewed in Varica. Both serve the same purposes in Varica: to serve as symbols of status and to provide different options to Varicans who want a drink.
Cattle – Cattle refers to various domesticated large animals kept as livestock. Cattle are used to aid in farming and having large herds can increase your agricultural output. On the other hand, large herds of cattle can sustain communities all on their own, including the nomadic people of the western plains who live off of the milk, blood, and meat of their herds. Cattle are also a source of leather and heir milk may be made into cheese.
Honey – There are two sources of sweeteners in Varica. The yoba ants of central Varica produce a deliciously sweet gel that holds their hives together, and serves as a food source for the young of the hive. Those brave enough to face hundreds of biting ants will break their way into the hives and steal the honey within. A similar substance is created by the sweet grubs of southern Varica. The grubs are dug out of the ground and squeezed dry. The grubs are usually eaten separately. Both types of honey are used as sweeteners, appearing on the tables of the rich.
Vorthai – Vorthai are large, shaggy animals that serve as beasts of burden and mounts for the people of the western plains. While plainsmen use cattle to measure economic might, they use vorthai to measure military might. Vorthai are used to create cavalry and chariot units.
Meat – Meat of any kind is a rare delicacy in Varica. Since the Varicans adopted a settled life, fewer and fewer learn the skills to hunt their own food, relying on grain instead. Only those skilled enough to hunt their own game, or rich enough afford to buy it from hunters and herdsmen, can enjoy the delicious taste of meat.
Boats – This is a catch all term that encompasses all small river craft forced into service by the kings of Varica. Ranging from small message ships and patrol craft to larger merchant vessels boats carry an average of thirty passengers. These boats are powered by oarsmen, often the passengers themselves. Boats can travel along the coasts of Great Ocean but it can be dangerous. Leaving sight of the coast is as good as a death sentence. Boats require timber to produce.
Trade Rating 4:
Metal – One of the dearest resources in Varica, wars have been fought over the few sources of metal on Valdis. Most metal is acquired either through Sargothi ruins, or through bog iron. Some early attempts have been made at mining, but most easily accessed metal deposits have been stripped of their contents millennia ago. Metal is required for most advanced warriors types, such as Tiaka and Raeka.
Kibal – Kibal comes from the beans of the kibal vine, a parasitic vine that grows in the northern rainforests of Varica. Kibal is a stimulant with a delicious, often sweet taste. Kibal is eaten in a variety of ways, the most common of which is to brew it into hot drink. Cooked into a stew and allowed to sit and harden, eaten raw in bean form, or used to flavour other foods.
Combren – Combren is a fabric woven by the Thune. It is unknown how it is made or what the raw materials used to produce it are. What is known is that combren, while very strong, is also incredibly light, breathes well, and keeps its wearer from overheating in the hot equatorial sun. It is in great demand by all levels of all Valdian societies. Even in the Thune cities themselves, combren commands a dear price. Combren is required for the production of some Thune units.
Crossbows – Crossbows are complex ranged weapons that are more difficult to make but easier to learn to shoot than bows. The Thune invented the crossbow long before Hroth’s time. There are many variations including the tiny handbow and the massive siege crossbow. This trade unit represents the heavy cross utilized by the vassals of Oerdan and the Haecomus allies of the Cirici. It is the type of crossbow best suited to Haecomus use.
Glass – Glass is a rare, expensive, and fragile commodity only available to the super-rich. Glass is very difficult to make and its secrets are known only to a few craftsmen in all of Varica. Glass is especially in demand in the Thune Cities.
Trade Rating 5:
There are currently no goods at trade level five. Some new exotic goods may be discovered by enterprising players or some goods may rise in price as demand pushes their cost up.
Creating more trade items:
There are three types of trade goods: regular goods, livestock, and created goods. Regular goods include natural resources and easy to produce goods that require no other trade goods in their production. Created goods require other trade goods before they can be produced. Livestock are living creatures that cannot be produced, but will increase in number automatically as they breed.
Production of regular goods and created goods can be increased by projects such as land clearance (timber, grain), light taxes (grain), supporting trade organizations (stone, others), improved infrastructure, and many other activities. With some created goods, direct investment has a much greater effect; the creation of breweries, for example. Often, the craftsmen who make created goods will come on their in conditions that allow them to thrive like peace, prosperity, a large supply of raw materials, and large markets among others.
Livestock cannot be created. They must naturally reproduce. The only way to unnaturally acquire livestock is to raid those who have it. Livestock are very vulnerable to capture and destruction. If all examples of a livestock species are killed, then they will become extinct, unless another population exists in unknown lands. Don’t rely on this.
Livestock:
Livestock are special trade goods. They are not material objects, but living and breathing creatures. Livestock cannot be produced by Haecomus, but reproduce on their own. Every update, in good years, your livestock will produce more of themselves. Each type of livestock has a different rate of growth listed below.
For every two units of livestock, you require 1 unit of grain. Those tribes that live on plains may feed some of their livestock without grain. Clearing large tracts of land may also allow you to do this. If you have unfed livestock, they will not reproduce, as deaths balance out births. There is also a good chance that unfed units will die.
Every unit of livestock can be killed to produce one unit of meat. You may also kill one unit of livestock to create once unit of leather. You may not create both leather and meat from the same unit of livestock. Note that while it is possible to turn units of slaves into units of meat or leather, your people may take issue with it. Some types of livestock have military purposes while others produce other trade goods. Refer to the list below to see more details.
Name: TR Produces Meat Exchange Reproduction Rate
Vorthai 3 Required for Cavalry, chariot units 1:1 4:1
Cattle 2 Cheese 1:1 4:1
Slaves 2 Half price levy units 2:1 10:1
Saon 1 Wool 2:1 3:1
Military Goods:
Some goods are also military goods. This includes Vorthai, Slaves, Metal, Boats, and Crossbows.
Vorthai – 1 Unit of Vorthai is Required for the creation of 100 cavalry or 50 chariots.
Slaves – 1 Unit of slaves may be used to create 200 levies at half price.
Metal – 1 Unit of Metal is required for the creation of every 100 Tiaka, Raeka, or Falkans.
Boats – 1 Unit of boats is required for every 10 Boat units.
Crossbows – 1 Unit of crossbows is required for every 100 crossbowmen.
Using trade goods for military purposes is the only way that you can reduce a trade good to a fraction.
Fuschia
A Little Odd
Complicated for you, but it seems like it would work. Only way to really know is to try it.
EDIT: Rather humorous that slaves are in the livestock category.
EDIT: Rather humorous that slaves are in the livestock category.
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
As long as you can figure everything out, I have no qualms 
Excel I assume?
Excel I assume?
The Strategos
Thanatos
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2002
- Messages
- 1,175
Ah Finoir, come in, come in. Have a drink with me since it is a terrible thing to drink alone! Without waiting for a reply, I grabbed a flagon, filling it with the precious grape-blood. Appreciatively, Finoir brought it to his lips, making an obvious show of tasting the liquid.
Ah, Validiran I see. Whats the special occasion?
A message from my nephew Rodull. I paused, a smug look on my face before tossing a wrapped packet in front of Finoir.
Carefully Finoir unwrapped the leather package, staring at the contents for a few seconds And this is?
The best present anyone has ever given me I answered cryptically with a laugh. Perhaps this will explain:
Rodull, son of Hestr, grandson of Burrulfr, a warrior of Hrafn to Adalbrandr, Son of Burrulfr, King of Assfell. May the light of Haeka find you well! As my lord commanded his loyal servant, I have marched against the Witch Queen of Kaldar in order to fulfill the vengeance of my father, your brother, and my grandfather, your father, and all the shades of the departed warriors of Hrafn. Understanding the blood-weight set upon me, I marched south, intending not to show my face before thee, my lord, until we had repaid our debt to the witch a hundred fold.
But it came to pass that we were delayed first by the Serala, a tribe of Werar. But I had no stomach for the fight there, knowing that we were fighting men who were caught under the spell of the witch, just as the Werar were those many years ago, and as we almost also were, but for the grace of Haeka which preserved us. Nonetheless, we fought not as men, but as Hrafn, and slew many warriors, until their corpses reached Haekas throne.
Then with Serala being destroyed, we marched south against the witch and her kin. And the closer we got to the witch, the less our feet touched the ground until it appeared that we flew with our brethren the ravens. And as we marched, from the south and north, east and west, flew our brethren until the sky was as night, for they blocked out the sun. Now this was not due to sorcery, as some Werar imagined, for we worship Haeka and not demons like the witch but our brothers follow us wherever we go, for they know where our raven banners march, there they will be fed.
And thus we met in battle the warriors of Kaldar, or rather I should say the magicians of Kaldar, for as is suitable for a Witch Queen, even her subjects worship the darkness and perform forbidden rites that even the Sargothi dared not do. I myself saw with my own eyes one Kaldarian raise the dead, and command them as a shepherd commands his flock. And when one of my shield brothers cut off his head, the severed head spoke from the ground, and cursed him, and he immediately fell down dead, though touched by no mortal weapon.
But though faced with such foes, Haeka did not abandon us, and we smote our enemies, and they fled before us like darkness flees before the dawn. And as we were chasing them, we came upon a palanquin, engraved with all manner of charms and curses. And not one of us dared to approach. But, as I hung back, I remembered the burden my father placed upon me, to avenge his death, and the death of his father, and the death of all those killed by the witchery of Kaldar, and I reached inside, and pulled out the witch who had so tormented us.
But alas! For as I did, she released a stream of curses of such power that I could neither move nor speak and my companions thought I was dead. And all fell back in fear, for though no mortal can stand before Hrafns spear, who are we before the unseen realm? But at that time, an arrow of light from Haekas quiver hit me, and the power of the curse melted away like springtime snow. Then I took the witchs tongue and cut it out, so that no more would mankind need to fear her spells.
And after this, I handed her over to the Werar, for they know how to treat a witch. And before my own eyes, I saw her burn, and her bones fed to the dogs, and her ashes thrown into the river, so that no man might use them in witchcraft and thereby gain a portion of her power. But I myself kept the tongue I had taken from her, my battle-won trophy. And now I present it to you, my lord, proof that I have fulfilled your commands to me, and gained vengeance for our family and for our tribe.
I tell you the truth Finoir, neither sword nor gold nor woman has ever looked as beautiful to me as this gruesome token.
I think I might sleep well tonight.
Ah, Validiran I see. Whats the special occasion?
A message from my nephew Rodull. I paused, a smug look on my face before tossing a wrapped packet in front of Finoir.
Carefully Finoir unwrapped the leather package, staring at the contents for a few seconds And this is?
The best present anyone has ever given me I answered cryptically with a laugh. Perhaps this will explain:
Rodull, son of Hestr, grandson of Burrulfr, a warrior of Hrafn to Adalbrandr, Son of Burrulfr, King of Assfell. May the light of Haeka find you well! As my lord commanded his loyal servant, I have marched against the Witch Queen of Kaldar in order to fulfill the vengeance of my father, your brother, and my grandfather, your father, and all the shades of the departed warriors of Hrafn. Understanding the blood-weight set upon me, I marched south, intending not to show my face before thee, my lord, until we had repaid our debt to the witch a hundred fold.
But it came to pass that we were delayed first by the Serala, a tribe of Werar. But I had no stomach for the fight there, knowing that we were fighting men who were caught under the spell of the witch, just as the Werar were those many years ago, and as we almost also were, but for the grace of Haeka which preserved us. Nonetheless, we fought not as men, but as Hrafn, and slew many warriors, until their corpses reached Haekas throne.
Then with Serala being destroyed, we marched south against the witch and her kin. And the closer we got to the witch, the less our feet touched the ground until it appeared that we flew with our brethren the ravens. And as we marched, from the south and north, east and west, flew our brethren until the sky was as night, for they blocked out the sun. Now this was not due to sorcery, as some Werar imagined, for we worship Haeka and not demons like the witch but our brothers follow us wherever we go, for they know where our raven banners march, there they will be fed.
And thus we met in battle the warriors of Kaldar, or rather I should say the magicians of Kaldar, for as is suitable for a Witch Queen, even her subjects worship the darkness and perform forbidden rites that even the Sargothi dared not do. I myself saw with my own eyes one Kaldarian raise the dead, and command them as a shepherd commands his flock. And when one of my shield brothers cut off his head, the severed head spoke from the ground, and cursed him, and he immediately fell down dead, though touched by no mortal weapon.
But though faced with such foes, Haeka did not abandon us, and we smote our enemies, and they fled before us like darkness flees before the dawn. And as we were chasing them, we came upon a palanquin, engraved with all manner of charms and curses. And not one of us dared to approach. But, as I hung back, I remembered the burden my father placed upon me, to avenge his death, and the death of his father, and the death of all those killed by the witchery of Kaldar, and I reached inside, and pulled out the witch who had so tormented us.
But alas! For as I did, she released a stream of curses of such power that I could neither move nor speak and my companions thought I was dead. And all fell back in fear, for though no mortal can stand before Hrafns spear, who are we before the unseen realm? But at that time, an arrow of light from Haekas quiver hit me, and the power of the curse melted away like springtime snow. Then I took the witchs tongue and cut it out, so that no more would mankind need to fear her spells.
And after this, I handed her over to the Werar, for they know how to treat a witch. And before my own eyes, I saw her burn, and her bones fed to the dogs, and her ashes thrown into the river, so that no man might use them in witchcraft and thereby gain a portion of her power. But I myself kept the tongue I had taken from her, my battle-won trophy. And now I present it to you, my lord, proof that I have fulfilled your commands to me, and gained vengeance for our family and for our tribe.
I tell you the truth Finoir, neither sword nor gold nor woman has ever looked as beautiful to me as this gruesome token.
I think I might sleep well tonight.
Ok, so marks are almost in for the year. I just finished the halfway point and they're due on Monday morning. After that, I can focus my attention back on Varica. I've been developing a few more rules in my spare time as well as some background. Below you will find how to obtain metal and some new units available as of next update. The background I am writing involves religion and what lies beyond the known world.
Oh, and by the by, if you could tell me where the Sargothi ruins are in your territory, please do so. I will add them all (plus many others) to the map.
Metals:
Metal is one of the most precious resources on Valdis. Thanks to the Sargothi, the majority of easily mined metals have long since been dug out of the ground. What exactly happened to it few can say. There are three sources of metal for Haecomus. Bog iron, naturally occurring deposits of iron that accumulates in wetlands, is a common source in many parts of the world. While Varica has some bog iron, it is not plentiful. Mining is another option, though few mines are successful and mining itself is in its infancy. The most common source of metal is to reclaim it from the Sargothi.
Sargothi ruins are the main source of metals for Varicans, Nimosans, Nakar, many western plains tribes, and some Thune cities. Those few standing Sargothi buildings have been picked clean long ago. In fact, the lure of precious metals is often what drew settlers there; almost nothing else could overcome the fear such ruins normally inspire. Instead, metal hunters explore the underground layers of the Sargothi cities. Basements and sub-basements, bunkers and secret facilities, entire villages crushed under layers of rubble or buried under the weight of years.
Exploring Sargothi ruins is unpredictable and dangerous. Even more so if a settlement exists on the ruins. Entire villages have been wiped out due to the horrors unleashed by unwitting metal hunters. Still, the siren song of the precious ore continues to draw hunters.
If you wish to acquire metal through metal hunting, then assemble a team of hunters (warband, professional soldiers, commanders, etc) and order them to a Sargothi ruin. They will return at the end of the update with a random amount of metal. Ranging from 0-3. There is a chance that they will also return with a Sargothi artifact. There is also a chance that they will not return at all or that they will unleash the unspeakable evil left behind by the Sargothi.
You may hunt in any Sargothi ruin you choose, but be warned, other tribes may not take kindly to interlopers, especially not if you risk the lives of those who live on top of the ancient ruins.
New Units:
Crossbowmen
Type: Professional
Availability: Oerdan, Yumin, Thune Cities
Recruitment Cost: 1EP/10, 1 Crossbow per 100
Upkeep: 1EP/40
Description: Crossbowman have a significantly lower rate of fire than archers do. However, what they lack in speed, they make up for in power. Crossbow bolts have significantly greater stopping power and penetration compared to arrows. Crossbowmen are more effective against heavy units (Tiaka, Raeka, etc.) than archers. However, they are not as strong against lighter foes and will usually lose in a shooting match against archers.
Falkan
Type: Professional
Availability: The Nakar
Recruitment Cost: 1EP/5, 1 Metal per 100, 1 Vorthai per 50
Upkeep: 1EP/20
Description: The Falkans are the warrior elite of the Nakar. Falkans are light chariots pulled by two Vorthai each. Two charioteers ride inside. Both are armed with sword and spear but usually only one can fight. They wear louse chain mail underneath white robes. Rare white Vorthai are reserved for the Nakar’s warleaders.
Boats
Type: Naval
Availability: All kingdoms with internal rivers or on a coast.
Recruitment Cost: 1EP/1, 1 boat per 10
Upkeep: 1EP/5
Description: This is a catch all term that encompasses all small river craft forced into service by the kings of Varica. Ranging from small message ships and patrol craft to larger merchant vessels boats carry an average of thirty passengers. These boats are powered by oarsmen, often the passengers themselves. Boats can travel along the coasts of Great Ocean but it can be dangerous. Leaving sight of the coast is as good as a death sentence.
Oh, and by the by, if you could tell me where the Sargothi ruins are in your territory, please do so. I will add them all (plus many others) to the map.
Metals:
Metal is one of the most precious resources on Valdis. Thanks to the Sargothi, the majority of easily mined metals have long since been dug out of the ground. What exactly happened to it few can say. There are three sources of metal for Haecomus. Bog iron, naturally occurring deposits of iron that accumulates in wetlands, is a common source in many parts of the world. While Varica has some bog iron, it is not plentiful. Mining is another option, though few mines are successful and mining itself is in its infancy. The most common source of metal is to reclaim it from the Sargothi.
Sargothi ruins are the main source of metals for Varicans, Nimosans, Nakar, many western plains tribes, and some Thune cities. Those few standing Sargothi buildings have been picked clean long ago. In fact, the lure of precious metals is often what drew settlers there; almost nothing else could overcome the fear such ruins normally inspire. Instead, metal hunters explore the underground layers of the Sargothi cities. Basements and sub-basements, bunkers and secret facilities, entire villages crushed under layers of rubble or buried under the weight of years.
Exploring Sargothi ruins is unpredictable and dangerous. Even more so if a settlement exists on the ruins. Entire villages have been wiped out due to the horrors unleashed by unwitting metal hunters. Still, the siren song of the precious ore continues to draw hunters.
If you wish to acquire metal through metal hunting, then assemble a team of hunters (warband, professional soldiers, commanders, etc) and order them to a Sargothi ruin. They will return at the end of the update with a random amount of metal. Ranging from 0-3. There is a chance that they will also return with a Sargothi artifact. There is also a chance that they will not return at all or that they will unleash the unspeakable evil left behind by the Sargothi.
You may hunt in any Sargothi ruin you choose, but be warned, other tribes may not take kindly to interlopers, especially not if you risk the lives of those who live on top of the ancient ruins.
New Units:
Crossbowmen
Type: Professional
Availability: Oerdan, Yumin, Thune Cities
Recruitment Cost: 1EP/10, 1 Crossbow per 100
Upkeep: 1EP/40
Description: Crossbowman have a significantly lower rate of fire than archers do. However, what they lack in speed, they make up for in power. Crossbow bolts have significantly greater stopping power and penetration compared to arrows. Crossbowmen are more effective against heavy units (Tiaka, Raeka, etc.) than archers. However, they are not as strong against lighter foes and will usually lose in a shooting match against archers.
Falkan
Type: Professional
Availability: The Nakar
Recruitment Cost: 1EP/5, 1 Metal per 100, 1 Vorthai per 50
Upkeep: 1EP/20
Description: The Falkans are the warrior elite of the Nakar. Falkans are light chariots pulled by two Vorthai each. Two charioteers ride inside. Both are armed with sword and spear but usually only one can fight. They wear louse chain mail underneath white robes. Rare white Vorthai are reserved for the Nakar’s warleaders.
Boats
Type: Naval
Availability: All kingdoms with internal rivers or on a coast.
Recruitment Cost: 1EP/1, 1 boat per 10
Upkeep: 1EP/5
Description: This is a catch all term that encompasses all small river craft forced into service by the kings of Varica. Ranging from small message ships and patrol craft to larger merchant vessels boats carry an average of thirty passengers. These boats are powered by oarsmen, often the passengers themselves. Boats can travel along the coasts of Great Ocean but it can be dangerous. Leaving sight of the coast is as good as a death sentence.
The Strategos
Thanatos
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2002
- Messages
- 1,175
There are Sargothi ruins little to the north-east of the city of Assfell. As I imagine it, pending your approval, the present city of Assfell used to be a slave pen/city/slum for the nearby Sargothi city. After the Sargothi disappearance, the slave city became the center of a powerful Fulanti tribe which held the north in its grip. Under the leadership of Hroth, the Fulanti tribes power was broken and the Hrafn were established in their place in order to secure Varicas northern border against the remnants of the Fulanti, many of whom were either absorbed by the Eleven Turtle or fled over the mountains. The Hrafn built their city of Assfell on the ruins of the Fulantis fort/settlement and used the nearby Sargothi ruins, which remained uninhabited, as their metal source to fuel their feared military.
Vertinari118
Deity
As I have said Tasnakari is built upon the ruins of a Sargothi city. Regular parties of explorers head down into the ruins to bring up metal from all known Sargothi stockpiles in the city. When these run out please tell me. Great work on the new and improved rules. I can't wait for the update.
Fuschia
A Little Odd
I think the location is in one of my stories, so I'll do some scrounging for it tomorrow and edit it in here.
Approved ^_^
Vert, also sounds good. You will have to send hunting parties into the underground sections of the city with each order set. Keep in mind that living on Sargothi ruins is dangerous.
Fuschia, I remember you had some ruins as well. That was where you found the Crown of Ernica, I think. Been a while, could be wrong.
Vertinari118
Deity
I have always been living in Sargothi ruins and have stated the fact in several stories. In fact I sent my elite explorers to help recover the Crown of Ernica remember? So far nothing bad has happened and I will not retcon the entire way my leaders are chosen. Thanks for the warning though.
Fuschia
A Little Odd
The Sargothi ruins in Oerdan land are to the west of Paredor, just within the jungle at the end of the river there.
