Lords of the Earth 34

The Dawn of Civilization

Year 76 - 80

Turn 18

GM notes:

v      City builds: Please make sure that if you’re trying to build a city in a region that isn’t connected to your homeland via a line of controlled regions then you ship the materials to the site. Even if the target region is controlled.

v      Mobile troop builds: ensure when you are trying to build troops that you’re paying attention to your HBZ. You cannot build mobile troops in a region or city that is outside of this range. Also if your homeland is an island then you have to build the troops there and then ship them to your target area. Yeah it this is one of the drawbacks of having your Homeland on an Island.

Wall Points: I’ve changed this due to some very good arguments of various players. The Wall Point level will be tied to the Siege AQR. For example; if you have a siege rating of 4 that’s the max number of WP’s you may build around any given city.

Any AP’s currently over this limit are grandfathered and can remain in place, if you demobilize them to increase city size then they are gone and you are limited to you Siege rating.

v      Garrisons: If you pacify a region or city and don’t leave a garrison I get to pick what troops to leave behind unless you don’t mind the region revolting.

v      Field Forts: No limits for the amounts of these in a region.

v      City Status: Many of you have sent me notes saying that your income was just a little off and that some of your cities aren’t showing up on the merchant shipping allocations. Well I guess it would help if the GM would put a status code in for newly built cities. Damn that lazy bastard GM! It should be fixed if anyone has any other income problems then let me know and Ill investigate further.

v      Trade and trade ranges: I have gone through and filled in the Ren ratings for trade ranges. I put them in at the appropriate level for your culture type. Just a note your trade ranges are as follows.

o        Nomadic = 1

o        Barbarian = 2

o        Civ = 3

o        Seafaring = 4

If you have trade routes that are over this range I will give you till turn 25 to get in range or Ill cancel the route. Mostly this will mean you will have to raise your tech level so you can up your culture. For example; if you are a barbarian culture and at tech level 3 you will need to go up to tech level 4 in order to get civilized culture. Tech 3 doesn’t allow civilized culture.

v      Religions:  I will be going through the past faxes and getting a feel for how religions stack up as far as relations to each other. Ill post a table once I get it up, I should have it done by next turn. As for now I will say this, all religions are considered Pagan still. Once a religion has been around for a half century and has a PRA then I will consider it organized. I say this so people will not have to feel locked into a religion. At the moment the following religions are organized;

o        Druids of the Olde Gods

o        Oracle of Delphi

o        Madregaist Church

v      Unplayed nations: I will be taking actions for unplayed positions, I won’t bother writing an entry for them since all I will do is Dp, build cities and PWB and initiate projects and the like. Unless the nation is built for war I won’t use its military and I will never attack a player neighbor.

v      Primacy co-builds: Are allowed, in exchange for a city level the PRA will get one up on the site level in the city or region. If the PRA builds PWB then the influence will go up by one point. This is still subject to the one city level per turn and PWB maxes so make sure your coordinate with your hosts on the cities your building in.

v      Player balances: There are many of you that owe me cash. If your balance is more than 10 bucks in the hole for T19 I will process your turn but not send results to you til you bring the balance up. Im an understanding guy so if you talk to me about it and let me know when you can pay I will be happy to make arrangements.

Troop Conversions

                    Infantry 200 men = 1 point

                    Cavalry 200 men and 200 mounts = 1 point

                    Siege Engineers 200 men = 1 point

                    Warships 1 ship = 1 point

                    Transports 1 ship = 1 point

                    Field forts 1 fort = 1 point

                    Walls 10 feet = 1 point

Mercenaries available for next turn:

Condotierri: 3i, 2xi, 1c, 1s, 1w, 2t

QRs: i5, w5, s4, c5

THE EMPIRE OF THE SUN   (Asiatic Pagan)

Emperor Okida,  King  of Taiwan

Diplomacy: Akita [f],

Unfortunately for the Empire of the Sun, the guiding hand that had shown the Empire the light was snuffed out. Empress Ariko died in her sleep at the age of 72 after having gained the love and respect of all in her realm. It was only hoped that Okida, her heir would be able to fill her shoes. Rumors around the court hinted at the fact that the Kingdom was in good hands. Okida immediately started ensuring his legacy and 2 boys were born to him during the cycle. Most likely due to his mother’s death Okida penned some rather dark prose.

Ethereal hag

Blushing churchyard splatters, hawk

Wonders loudly, last

Hastening abyss

Flying roaming cavemen shine

Bluntly, glumly, some

Quickly, bull lurks, hooked

Energy pulsates, plopping

Plopping, lakes

A port city name Kuji was founded in the newly acquired province of Akita.

Another shipment of gold was sent to the Kingdom of Wu for the Taiwan misunderstanding.   

THE KINGDOM OF KO-CHOSON  (Asiatic Pagan)

Minjung Wang, Emperor of the Ko-Choson Empire

Diplomacy: Anshan [a], Silla [a] 

Much success was had by the diplomatic overtures by the king himself and his men. Minjung Wang went to Anshan and picked out a bride from the local head mans family and he was so pleased that he immediately pledged his sword to the Kingdoms cause.

Wang’s trusted lieutenants made similar progress in Silla and that region too joined the Empire.

THE JADE DRAGON  (Oceanic Pagan)

Emperor Shen Tzu

Diplomacy: Anhui [fa then is cancelled by Jinn, now c], Tai ping [fa], Hwai [nt], Kweichou [ne], Hunan [a drop to t]

Shen Tzu moves over to Anhui with the intent of bringing them back into the Kingdom. He meets with some success but it is mostly canceled by the Jinn diplomats. After that episode he moves to Tai Ping and meets with the leaders there. He has more success in the region and he is present in the area when it gets rocked by an earthquake. The Quake centers on Tzu Chi and the building projects that are going on in the city are effectively nullified. Thousands are dead and wounded as the King surveys the destruction.

The longtime ally from Hunan dies crossing the treacherous Yangzhi River and the region decides to back off from the Dragon a bit. The leaders feel that this string of bad luck is a portent of more to come.

Master Kwan meets with little to no success in the regions of Hwai and Kweichou. Maybe if he was to spend more time talking to the administrators of the regions he would have more success.

In a move to help bring Anhui from its ignorance of the true meaning of faith Jae Fong goes into the area to try to get the nobles to come away from the steppe paganism. The leaders in Anhui won’t hear anything of it and any headway that has been made in the past is completely lost in the attempt.

THE JINN DYNASTY  (Asiatic Pagan)

Emperor Wang Xu-Jinn, Fourth Emperor of the Jinn Dynasty, Guardian of the

Forbidden City and Keeper of the Coral Throne

Diplomacy: Tangchou [ne], Funiu [ea], Anhui [almost cancels Jade Dp]

Three cities were expanded and a Royal Road was built from the capital out to Jinn Ling.

Jinn Tsu was elevated to the position of Heir upon his 15^th birthday and is married straight away to one of the Duke of Wu Hai’s daughters. Tsu then sets out on a mission to seed the court with many offspring. He is successful and a daughter and two boys are born to him.

The Duke of Wu Hai, now a Prince of the realm is sent out to Tangchou to try to convince them to join the kingdom. His attempts are fruitless however.

Szu Shen-Do was dispatched to Funiu to open relations with them and is able to get the locals to pledge economic support to the crown.

Shen Yuan goes to the far south to the region of Anhui and meets with the clans there. The region of Anhui has also been entreated by the Jade Dragon to the south and his silver tongue is able to cancel out the Dragons attempts to drawn the region in closer. 

THE SUBLIME KINGDOM OF WU  (Oceanic Pagan)

King Sui-Juen, the Beloved

Diplomacy: Mison [a]

Sui-Juen stayed in the capital and was able to undo the damage done last cycle to the religious laity. Juen ordered a new city to be founded in Mison named Linyi. He also was happy to see another shipment of gold from the Sun for the Taiwan situation.

Ming took a wife from Mison and produced a boy and two little girls.

Fu made great headway in talks with the nobles in Mison, bringing them up to an allied status.

Mercenaries available for next turn:

Condotierri: 1xei, 4i, 2xi, 1c, 1xc, 1s, 2w, 2t

QRs: i5, w5, s4, c4

Mercenary Captain Plutarch (M152)

THE LAND OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS   (Oceanic Pagan)

King Siduna, God-King of Chola, Lord of the Golden Mask and the Emerald Throne

Diplomacy: Petra [un], Sri Lanka [f], Johor [ea], Abadan [nt], Vengi [f]

The king ordered the region of Petra to given back to the Kingdom of Punt along with his apologies. Then the king’s men moved to Abadan to try their skills there, they were met by a hesitant populace but made some progress.

Two cities were to be founded, one in Johor named Glotus and another in Malabar named Chewi. While the cities were being built Siduna went to Vengi to find a wife. He found not only a wife but a region fully willing to join with the kingdom.

THE KINGDOM OF KHEMER  (Oceanic Pagan)

King??

Diplomacy:  Thaton [ea]

Marfuss ordered the people of Khemer to become more involved in the workings of the faith. Unfortunately, when Marfuss died of some wasting disease the people took it as a bad sign that the kingdom had fallen out of favor with the gods. The backlash caused many people around the nation to wonder if the Oceanic faith was the right one for them.

Fortunately for the heir to the throne, Marfuss had some very loyal lieutenants and when he came of age he was allowed to take charge without incident.

Thaton was talked into pledging nominal support to the King by Siangh.

THE CONCLAVE OF THE GANGES  (Oceanic Pagan)

King Saj, Rightful King of the Conclave of the Ganges

Diplomacy: Dahala [t], Kakitya [ne], Chela [ne]

Saj ordered a postal road to be extended across the mighty Ganges to the region of Jihjhoti. On the new path supplies and men were sent to the region to put it to the plow, otherwise the king saw to the day to day workings of the realm.

Dahala was added to the realm due to the efforts of Guta. Junda wasn’t as successful in Chela, mainly due to the fact that he passed away from eating chicken curry that had chicken that was spoiled.

Urundi didn’t fair well either in Kakitya, his efforts fell on deaf ears. The locals didn’t like Urundi’s abrasive nature and mainly ignored him.

THE GAUR NATION  (Oceanic Pagan)

King Sajvala II

Diplomacy: Mandalay in Pegu [t], Burma [ea]  

Again the city of Sajvala was expanded while the king remained on station in Burma and was more successful during this cycle in bringing the people in the region closer to the Gaur.

Foundations for a postal road were laid down in the region of Burma leading to Ava. Moreover there was a new city founded in Assam, named Eleope.

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF JAVA  (Oceanic Pagan)

King No Name

Diplomacy: None

No Orders

Mercenaries available for next turn:

Condotierri: 3xc, 2w, 1hw

QRs: c4, w4

THE KINGDOM OF HIALEA  (Oceanic Pagan)

King Nahen, King of the Scythians

Diplomacy:  Bandar [t], Punjab [ne], Jats [nt]

A new city was founded in the north called Harrapa. The postal road in Sind was improved into a Royal Road and another was built up to the new city in the region of Sukkur.

The king mourned the death of his son and heir, Nahenaren was in Laipoxia drilling his men waiting for an invasion that would never materialize and he was bitten by a scorpion when he was getting ready to turn in. A great commotion was made trying to save his life but to no avail.

The king was away in Bandar overseeing the wedding of one of his daughters to the local nobles’ son and he heard of the news.

The heir’s brother Hassan, made no progress in Punjab with his talks and Arimaspi had little better luck in Jats.

THE KARA-KHATAI KINGDOM  (Asiatic Pagan)

King Orion

Diplomacy: Kush [f]

King Orion proclaimed the emancipation of all slaves within the realm. The change would take time and the

people would have to adjust but it was a step in good direction for the nation. After that the king ordered his capital, Samarkhand and the city of Aktau expanded.

The diplomatic mission lead by Lord Zaban was wildly successful in bringing the Kushites completely within the realm.   

THE KINGDOM OF PERSIA  (Asiatic Pagan)

King Ardavan

Wise Lord of Persia, Creator of Light &Destroyer of Darkness

Diplomacy: None

No orders. Needs a player.

THE MONARCHY OF PATZINAK  (Asiatic Pagan)

King Alexander II

Diplomacy: Torki [f]

No orders. Needs a player

THE KINGDOM OF CARCHEMISH   (African Pagan)

King Asher

Diplomacy: Carhae [nt]

The government was expanded to encompass the workings of the realm and the capital was expanded.

Prince Alma and Prince Laban went east to Carhae and made little headway in getting the nobles to join the realm.

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF RHODES  (Oracle of Delphi)

King Agis

Diplomacy: Cilicia [ne]

Agis brought all the boys from overseas home and sent the newly freed Bishop Basil out to Cilicia. He attempted to stake a claim for Rhodes in the region but the locals weren’t having any of it and turned him away.

In other news Atlantea was expanded to house the growing population.

Mercenaries available for next turn:

Condotierri: 2i, 2c, 2xc, 2w, 2t

QRs: i5, w4, s4, c4

THE KINGDOM OF TROY  (Oracle of Delphi)

King Theseus

Diplomacy: Pontus [f], Abasigia [t], Baeler [ne]

More attempts by Theseus to increase the size of the nursery were failures. His son however was more successful with his new wife from Abasigia, she bore him two girls during the cycle. Foodstuffs were sent to the Oracles in exchange for a small sum.

Pergamum, the city that was ravaged by an earthquake 5 years before was rebuilt on the old site.

THE KINGDOM OF GREECE  (Oracle of Delphi)

Queen Delphinia Zecharias

Diplomacy: None

Delphina wanted a royal road built from the capital down to the city of Corinth and her engineers made it so. She also ordered the ports to increase the volume of merchants they would handle.

THE ORACLES OF DELPHI  (Oracle of Delphi)

Oracle Jessica Fadon of Delphi

Diplomacy: Mansura [ne], Morea [mn], Lydia [mn], Macedonia [ab], Isauria [ne], Thessaly [ch]

Jessica and Cassandra would upgrade the facilities in Lydia and Morea while Pythia wouldn’t have the same measure of success in Mansura.

Helena Jafor was dispatched to the city of Trieste to take charge of the troops left behind by their previous commander. Once she got there she had enough time to settle in and issue orders then she succumbed to the cold weather that arrived from the Alps at the same time she did. The troops were beginning to wonder if they or the city was cursed. 

THE KINGDOM OF UNITED LITHUANIA-UKRAINE (KULU)  (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Ivanov

Diplomacy: none

No Orders. Needs a player.

THE UNITED TRIBES OF THE FOREST KINGDOM (UTFK)  (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Duran, Ruler of the Forest Kingdom

Diplomacy: Moravia (ea), Meissen (a), Moldavia [ea]

Continuing with the strengthening of the nations infrastructure King Duran ordered the region of Little Poland put to the plow. The farmers would be able to harvest much more crops than previously thought possible.

King Duran also extended the nations borders farther than they had ever been before. The nation now stretched all the way to the Black Sea in the south. The empires diplomats were successful in several other regions as well, making headway in Meissen and Moravia as well as Moldavia.

DRUIDS OF THE OLDE GODS   (Druids of the Olde Gods)

Lilith, Gothrithar of the Druids, beloved of the Gods

Diplomacy: Connaught [ch], Little Poland [ab], Poland [ab], Novgorod [mn], Strathclyde [mn]

The reaches of the Church were stretching far and wide. The mistresses of the cloth built up sites in UTFK, Avalon and new sites were established in the Green Tribe.

Missionaries were sent to Musa to begin shedding the light on the blind there and made some headway. Lillith also struck a deal with certain member nations and the sale of indulgences started, surely the money would be put to good use for building more churches and alters.

Mercenaries available for this turn:

Condotierri: 3hi, 2i, 8xi, 2c, 2w, 2t, 1s

QRs: i5, w4, s4, c5

Andrew of Green Tribe (M951, age 34)

THE KINGDOM OF THE SVEAR (Oracle of Delphi)

King Ymir of Giantstock

Diplomacy: None

No orders.  

THE WARRIOR CLANS OF CUMAN  (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Gan-Chinua, Kahn  of the Cuman, Slave-master of France

Diplomacy: Tver horde [ne]

Gan-Chinua  put the thousands of slaves taken from the western regions to work in Paris and the surrounding region, the men were directed to work on the grounds of the fledgling university, at government buildings and in the sewers cleaning out the offal.

Now that those were taken care of the Cuman needed more to replace them. They turned their sites toward the north and east this time. In succession the regions of Ponthieu, Flanders, Vermandois and Burgundy all feel to the massive horde army. The regions were ransacked by the fiendish troops and then the men women and children were rounded up and marched back to Paris to be added to the great Cuman slave pits.

THE KINGDOM OF LORRAINE  (Oracle of Delphi)

King Harold

Diplomacy: none

Many troops were shuffled around within the realm to await retaliation from the Bavarians that would never come. Other than not much took place.

THE KINGDOM OF BAVARIA   (Roman Catholic)

King Christian

Diplomacy:  none

Sensing the urgency of the situation Christian called to his people to leave their homelands and come with him on a journey. One that would take them to the far south to a land beleaguered just as theirs was. After his people gathered in Swabia the King led the long march through the Italian peninsula. During the trip Christian saw the Lombards taking more chunks of the Sicilian nation, this would be good news to help convince the King to join his cause.

When Christian arrived in Sicily he locked himself away with the Sicilian king and pitched his proposal. After many months of negotiations the two nations decided to merge and become one. Now the main thing on Christians mind is where to settle his burgeoning troupe.

KINGDOM OF ALBA (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Hamish

Diplomacy: Faeroes [a], Highlands [f]

King Hamis, just like his southern neighbor, would die of a horrible cold during one of the winters. As with the south the Heir’s succession would not be challenged.

Aside from that bit of excitement there was quiet expansion into the northern islands and the mainland was firmly established as a part of the kingdom. One boon for the highlanders was that the king chose their region for a massive redistricting of farmland. More area was found for the plow and higher crop yield was expected.

THE UNITED KINGDOM OF AVALON (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Buford, Ruler of the United Kingdom of Avalon, Protector of Portugal

Diplomacy: Portugal [+5 YfC], Lindisfarne [a], Northumbria [+2 YfC]

King Oak was out on a hunting trip in the forest around his keep. Oak was separated from his retainers during the trip and when his body was found they had to chase away a pack of wild wolves from his lifeless body. Buford would get the news late while he was concluding talks in Lindisfarne. The transition of power would go smoothly and for that the people would be thankful.

THE GREEN TRIBE (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Arthur

Diplomacy: None

No orders.

Mercenaries available for next turn:

1hec, 1hei, 1hc, 2hi, 2i, 2xi, 3c, 2xc, 3s, 1xew, 1hw, 2w, 2xw, 2t

QRs: i5, w4, s4, c5

THE KINGDOM OF GRANADA (Druids of the Olde Gods)

King Corum

Diplomacy: none

The capital was expanded again and Corum promoted his son, Justin, to follow him in line for the throne.

Everyone else played a tense waiting game.

THE KINGDOM OF LOMBARDY (Roman Catholic)

King Odotheus

Diplomacy: Latium [pt], Campania [pt], Calabria [pt]

Sensing the weakness of the Sicilians Odotheus ordered his men to move from the south of Italy and meet up in the north. The regions of Calabria, Campania and Latium quickly fall and swear fealty to the Lombard king. Italy is at last united under one crown.

Mercenaries available for next turn:

Condotierri: 5c, 1xc, 13i, 1xi, 11w, 11t

QRs: i5, w6, s4, c4

THE SULTANATE OF MORROCO (Madregaist)

Sultan Ghalib

Diplomacy: None

There was a slow building fire burning within the nation of Morroco. The people in the realm felt abandoned by the Catholic faith. The sacking of Rome by an outsider clearly showed these people that the Catholic faith was a dead end. Traders brought a message of a new religion from the south. Mother Earth would embrace her children and provide succor. Slowly the people of Morroco threw their crosses away and began to follow in the footsteps of the Earth Mother. The King himself is heard to have seen a vision which has led to the religious furor in the nation. It is rumored that the Sultan one night was approached by a four faced entity and while it made no sound it indicated out the window to a southerly direction. The Sultan decreed the conversion the next morning and threw open the doors for the merchants and priests from the south.

Aside from those actions the realm was quiet, Zeitoune was expanded and many sewers were improved to enhance the living in Marrekesh.

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF SICILY (Roman Catholic)

King Axeres II

Diplomacy: None

Nation absorbed by Bavaria.

Mercenaries available for next turn:

3hi, 9i, 7xi, 2w, 1hw, 1xw, 2t

QRs: i3, w4, s4, c3

Shekelek of Punt (M697, age 43)

Mercenaries hired for this turn: 3hi,7i,1hw,2t by Punt

THE KINGDOM OF PUNT  (Oracle of Delphi)

King Falilikish, the Lion

Diplomacy: Petra (a), Levant [fa]

The region of Mansura was now able to produce double the crop yield that it used to. Surely this would be a great benefit to the people of Punt in the future.

Katili was ordered to settle in the region of Levant and ensure its day to day running went smoothly. He was happy and the king was as well since Katili wasn’t the best of men on the field or off.

The Golden Lotus gave the region of Petra back to the Puntish captain that was present, and he set to cementing relations with the folks there.

THE KINGDOM OF IFE  (African Pagan)

 King Bu 'wagu II, Lord of the Niger

Diplomacy: Kwarafara [ne], Kafin [ne]

The King ordered a new city to be built on the banks of the Niger in the region of Oyo. While he was in the capital he saw to filling the nursery. A boy was given to him in 77 and a girl was born in 79.

Grotara was sent out on a whirlwind diplomatic tour across the Niger to the regions of Kwarafara and Kafin. Unfortunately due to poor planning his attempts had no effect on the tribal leaders.

THE MADREGAIST CHURCH  (Madregaist)

Primate Tuhara

Diplomacy:   none

No Orders

THE KINGDOM OF TIMBUKTU  (Madregaist)

King Lasaka Mansa, the Second

Diplomacy: Segu [f], Hausa [f]

The regions of Hausa and Segu were fully integrated into the kingdom due to the outstanding efforts of Desmond Tutu and the King himself.

Missionaries in the region of Kurfei fully converted area over to the Madregaists.

Other than that, a postal road was extended into the region of Sudan from the capital.

THE SEAHOLD OF TAKRUR  (Madregaist)

King Sekani

Diplomacy: None

No Orders. Needs a player.