((I really need to start to do these things a day earlier. Also the forum deleted my half written post. Well done.)
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((Does anyone else have trouble getting on IRC? I get an error...
Anyway, I aim to get the update out ASAP, but as I am also writing an exam, it might be a few days until I have time to finish it.
It'll be interesting to see how this "winter" is going to affect Gaia!))
Anyway, I aim to get the update out ASAP, but as I am also writing an exam, it might be a few days until I have time to finish it.
It'll be interesting to see how this "winter" is going to affect Gaia!))
I get error too. Try this link: http://irc.lc/coldfront/theomachy/<yournick>
Exams go first. It will be painful but we can wait.
((Alternatively, you can use mibbit. Link: http://www.mibbit.com/
Remember to connect to Coldfront instead of mibbit.))
Remember to connect to Coldfront instead of mibbit.))
Chapter VIII: First Snow
Arkouda
Although the gods extended the fourth session of the Gaian Synod, no agreement was reached regarding how to respond to the awakening of Arkouda in Cryogea. Most gods were not willing to confront a deity with such power, and the rest just hoped he would not attack their lands. And perhaps the gods of Synod were right in not disturbing Arkouda in his frozen home, for he seemed content in Cryogea. Arkouda stayed the frozen North, which descended into an even deeper polar winter under his influence.
Thus, the southern gods could turn their attention towards their fledgling kingdoms and tribes, for the remainder of the millennium oblivious as to which schemes Arkouda was devising. However, as the millennium drew to a close, temperatures once again started to drop in the North. The only southern god who took interest in this was Arcus, who was also of static alignment. Sensing that there was still vast amounts of power hidden in the polar ice caps, he travelled north to seek it out.
((Cryogea is now completely covered in ice. Arkouda and Arcus should at least try to agree on how to divide the remaining 80 static power stored in the northern ice, otherwise it will just be split in half.))
The Zinti Wars – The Zinti, the Heimians and the Pimians
The terrifying tribes of Zintia spread fear across the nations of eastern Mesogea!
Around the middle of the fifth millennium, the Great Serpent appeared before the Zintian chief Sahvot who dwelt in the far northeast of Zinti lands. In this dream, Sahvot was granted the Serpent’s Gift and his body was covered in green scales and scutes, making him almost invulnerable in single combat. In return for this, the Great Serpent commanded Sahvot to lead the Zinti to war against their southern neighbors. The Zinti were to secure the land for themselves and sacrifice the weak humans to honor the Serpent.
So the great chief Sahvot assembled his warriors, of which several also had received the Serpent’s Gift, and marched south. As his host, which numbered a hundred and fifty, came through the lands of his neighbors, he saw that their chiefs and greatest warriors, too, had grown serpent’s scales. Therefore, he told the other chiefs and their warriors that it was the gift of the Great Serpent, and that they should come south with him and fight alongside him against the Heimians.
This way, the army of Sahvot grew to encompass many hundred warriors, scaled and unscaled. They went south to the lands of the Heimians and wreaked havoc. The Heimian armies were badly organized and ill-equipped, and their spears and arrows couldn’t penetrate the thick scales of the scaled Ganguls. Thus, Sahvot was victorious and sacrificed many Heimians to honor the Serpent God.
For a century following Sahvot’s invasion, Heim was assailed by pillaging bands of Zinti men. The southen Heimian tribes united to fend off the enemy, but to no avail. They even wrought a new weapon that could penetrate Zinti scales: The Bronze Dagger. However, it came too late, and soon all Heim was overrun.
((About 128 Zinti leaders turned into Scaled Ganguls. The Zinti invade Heim and becomes known as the High Zinti. I’ve also named the scaled Zinti High Zinti in-game. Chopak retains the right to change any of these names. Roughly 2400 Zinti and Heimians are killed during the bloodiest conflict that ever took place in Gaia. Heim is completely overrun by Zinti warbands. +10 loyalty towards Xiuhcoatl for Ganguls, +20 for Scaled Zinti))
This was not the end of the troubles for the Heimians however, as the pillaging of the Zinti and the prevailing chaos in general led to great famines in Heim. Thousands of Heimians starved to death. It seemed almost as if their gods had abandoned them, and many migrated to Huritia in Pima to flee the conflict.
The wars also brought upheaval to the Zinti tribes. The knowledge of agriculture was brought in from the south, and the Zinti began growing potatoes. This caused the traditional small Zinti family camps to grow into actual villages. These were centered around the Scaled Zinti, who were held in high esteem by their clansmen and came to make up the upper class of this new agricultural society. This was the end of the traditional Zinti rule of the strongest, which was replaced by a system where the Ganguls of each village would meet and elect one of the local Scaled Zinti as chief.
((The Zinti begin farming potatoes. Government form changes to elective monarchy. Tribes evolve into small city states. Also, the population of Scaled Zinti explodes due their high status in society.))
Meanwhile in Pima, a ground-breaking new invention was made by a man called Astoki, advisor of the king of Huritia. He found out how to drain fens and marches, freeing up huge amounts of land that could now be cultivated. He also taught the people how to use channel systems to water their rice fields. Astoki was a pious man and attributed his inventions to Aynar. This led to quickly growing populations across Pima, and Dranos, one of the main gods of the Pimian pantheon planned to use this to expand into Zintia or Heim. However, before this could happen, a wave of several thousand Zinti migrants crossed the river constituting the border between the two civilizations, and settled at Fornos Hill as well as the grasslands of Northern Pima. This sparked a conflict that would last for centuries with varying intensity. In the end, the Pimians retained control over their northern lands, but it was hardly a victory, a pyrrhic one at best. Half the population of Northern Pima and Fornos Hill remained Zinti and thousands of Pimians were killed in combat. Furthermore, the land just across the river in Zintia was completely depopulated due to the war.
((+5 loyalty towards Aynar. Pima is now easily the most densely populated region in the world, but only half of the population is Pimian…))
Pima is now the most densely and most diversely populated region in Gaia.
Upadvipapura
In the lands of the Upadvipapuri, Kamahans became known as Goddess of Trade as the flourishing trade between the island of Upadvipa and the mainland holdings in Rajalraon was attributed to her. Although contact between the Upadvipapuri and the Zacatepecs became increasingly regular, trade with these eastern tribes remained scarce due to their primitive and self-sufficient lifestyle.
Otherwise, Upadvipa society pretty much stagnated and nothing much transpired in their lands.
((Trade invented in Upadvipapura. This allows your civilization to receive techs from neighboring civilizations. However, all neighboring civilizations remain rather uncivilized…))
The Magi
The fifth millennium of Gaia saw the rise of an especially powerful tribe of sorcerers in the Western Spine where the Magi dwelt. These Greater Magi attributed their growing power to Shadaris, the god of magic.
Otherwise, Magi society pretty much stagnated and failed to keep up with its neighbors in technology and population.
((500 ”Greater Sorcerers” in southeastern Magocracy. +5 loyalty towards Shadaris for these particular mages. IC opportunity for Shadaris to tell the story of how these great magicians remained in the Magi civilization and what role they came to play or how they broke out to create their own.))
Brelia including the Cliff-Painters and the Heartless
Tychaeos manifested himself before his people in their dreams and commanded them to migrate west into the desert. However, most were reluctant to leave their comfortable home in the mountains, so only a very small, devout group of around 600 decided to go. They went north and settled on the eastern side of the mountains. It was a harsh land, so their photosynthesis came in handy, and the Brelians also tamed the local camels for food and transport.
Back in the Brelian mountains, those who chose to remain were soon punished, as if the god of luck had taken away his blessing. The Cliff-Painter minority that also dwelt in the same mountains rebelled against the Brelians, starting a civil war that forced many Brelians to flee into their photosynthetic Heartless brethren. Odds were even in the civil war until the Cliff-Painters of the southwestern forests intervened. Against their combined forces, the Brelians were doomed, and soon enough, the Brelian mountains was annexed by the Cliff-Painters.
((The independent Brelian civilization is close to annihilation. More Brelians now live outside its borders and than within.))
Among the Cliff-Painters and Heartless tribes, everything remained peaceful apart from the foreign wars. Both civilizations adopted agriculture, though they didn’t grow the same crops. Through trade with the Alnassi, the Heartless adopted the Alnassian cassava, the Cliff-Painters tamed their own crop, the plantain.
((And I don’t think the Heartless had writing before? Please write an IC about their language!))
Arcians
Arcus appeared before an Arcian chieftain and commanded him to tame the horse and the iron ox in order to use it to defend his tribe against the Canibs threatening the Arcians. The chieftain did as he was told, but the iron ox never became very popular because it could not cope with the cold conditions of northern Arcia. But the horse became popular among the Arcians, and though it was not used very often to ride against the Canibs, many Arcians rode their horses northward into the tundra.
((Cannot use one order to both tame the horse, the iron ox and attack the Canibs. The horse did however serve the Arcians very well, and it gives the Arcians a huge advantage over the Canibs. Also, Arkouda and Arcus should at least try to agree on how to divide the 80 static power stored in the northern ice, otherwise it will just be split in half.))
Arkouda
Although the gods extended the fourth session of the Gaian Synod, no agreement was reached regarding how to respond to the awakening of Arkouda in Cryogea. Most gods were not willing to confront a deity with such power, and the rest just hoped he would not attack their lands. And perhaps the gods of Synod were right in not disturbing Arkouda in his frozen home, for he seemed content in Cryogea. Arkouda stayed the frozen North, which descended into an even deeper polar winter under his influence.
Thus, the southern gods could turn their attention towards their fledgling kingdoms and tribes, for the remainder of the millennium oblivious as to which schemes Arkouda was devising. However, as the millennium drew to a close, temperatures once again started to drop in the North. The only southern god who took interest in this was Arcus, who was also of static alignment. Sensing that there was still vast amounts of power hidden in the polar ice caps, he travelled north to seek it out.
((Cryogea is now completely covered in ice. Arkouda and Arcus should at least try to agree on how to divide the remaining 80 static power stored in the northern ice, otherwise it will just be split in half.))
The Zinti Wars – The Zinti, the Heimians and the Pimians
The terrifying tribes of Zintia spread fear across the nations of eastern Mesogea!
Around the middle of the fifth millennium, the Great Serpent appeared before the Zintian chief Sahvot who dwelt in the far northeast of Zinti lands. In this dream, Sahvot was granted the Serpent’s Gift and his body was covered in green scales and scutes, making him almost invulnerable in single combat. In return for this, the Great Serpent commanded Sahvot to lead the Zinti to war against their southern neighbors. The Zinti were to secure the land for themselves and sacrifice the weak humans to honor the Serpent.
So the great chief Sahvot assembled his warriors, of which several also had received the Serpent’s Gift, and marched south. As his host, which numbered a hundred and fifty, came through the lands of his neighbors, he saw that their chiefs and greatest warriors, too, had grown serpent’s scales. Therefore, he told the other chiefs and their warriors that it was the gift of the Great Serpent, and that they should come south with him and fight alongside him against the Heimians.
This way, the army of Sahvot grew to encompass many hundred warriors, scaled and unscaled. They went south to the lands of the Heimians and wreaked havoc. The Heimian armies were badly organized and ill-equipped, and their spears and arrows couldn’t penetrate the thick scales of the scaled Ganguls. Thus, Sahvot was victorious and sacrificed many Heimians to honor the Serpent God.
For a century following Sahvot’s invasion, Heim was assailed by pillaging bands of Zinti men. The southen Heimian tribes united to fend off the enemy, but to no avail. They even wrought a new weapon that could penetrate Zinti scales: The Bronze Dagger. However, it came too late, and soon all Heim was overrun.
((About 128 Zinti leaders turned into Scaled Ganguls. The Zinti invade Heim and becomes known as the High Zinti. I’ve also named the scaled Zinti High Zinti in-game. Chopak retains the right to change any of these names. Roughly 2400 Zinti and Heimians are killed during the bloodiest conflict that ever took place in Gaia. Heim is completely overrun by Zinti warbands. +10 loyalty towards Xiuhcoatl for Ganguls, +20 for Scaled Zinti))
This was not the end of the troubles for the Heimians however, as the pillaging of the Zinti and the prevailing chaos in general led to great famines in Heim. Thousands of Heimians starved to death. It seemed almost as if their gods had abandoned them, and many migrated to Huritia in Pima to flee the conflict.
The wars also brought upheaval to the Zinti tribes. The knowledge of agriculture was brought in from the south, and the Zinti began growing potatoes. This caused the traditional small Zinti family camps to grow into actual villages. These were centered around the Scaled Zinti, who were held in high esteem by their clansmen and came to make up the upper class of this new agricultural society. This was the end of the traditional Zinti rule of the strongest, which was replaced by a system where the Ganguls of each village would meet and elect one of the local Scaled Zinti as chief.
((The Zinti begin farming potatoes. Government form changes to elective monarchy. Tribes evolve into small city states. Also, the population of Scaled Zinti explodes due their high status in society.))
Meanwhile in Pima, a ground-breaking new invention was made by a man called Astoki, advisor of the king of Huritia. He found out how to drain fens and marches, freeing up huge amounts of land that could now be cultivated. He also taught the people how to use channel systems to water their rice fields. Astoki was a pious man and attributed his inventions to Aynar. This led to quickly growing populations across Pima, and Dranos, one of the main gods of the Pimian pantheon planned to use this to expand into Zintia or Heim. However, before this could happen, a wave of several thousand Zinti migrants crossed the river constituting the border between the two civilizations, and settled at Fornos Hill as well as the grasslands of Northern Pima. This sparked a conflict that would last for centuries with varying intensity. In the end, the Pimians retained control over their northern lands, but it was hardly a victory, a pyrrhic one at best. Half the population of Northern Pima and Fornos Hill remained Zinti and thousands of Pimians were killed in combat. Furthermore, the land just across the river in Zintia was completely depopulated due to the war.
((+5 loyalty towards Aynar. Pima is now easily the most densely populated region in the world, but only half of the population is Pimian…))
Pima is now the most densely and most diversely populated region in Gaia.
Upadvipapura
In the lands of the Upadvipapuri, Kamahans became known as Goddess of Trade as the flourishing trade between the island of Upadvipa and the mainland holdings in Rajalraon was attributed to her. Although contact between the Upadvipapuri and the Zacatepecs became increasingly regular, trade with these eastern tribes remained scarce due to their primitive and self-sufficient lifestyle.
Otherwise, Upadvipa society pretty much stagnated and nothing much transpired in their lands.
((Trade invented in Upadvipapura. This allows your civilization to receive techs from neighboring civilizations. However, all neighboring civilizations remain rather uncivilized…))
The Magi
The fifth millennium of Gaia saw the rise of an especially powerful tribe of sorcerers in the Western Spine where the Magi dwelt. These Greater Magi attributed their growing power to Shadaris, the god of magic.
Otherwise, Magi society pretty much stagnated and failed to keep up with its neighbors in technology and population.
((500 ”Greater Sorcerers” in southeastern Magocracy. +5 loyalty towards Shadaris for these particular mages. IC opportunity for Shadaris to tell the story of how these great magicians remained in the Magi civilization and what role they came to play or how they broke out to create their own.))
Brelia including the Cliff-Painters and the Heartless
Tychaeos manifested himself before his people in their dreams and commanded them to migrate west into the desert. However, most were reluctant to leave their comfortable home in the mountains, so only a very small, devout group of around 600 decided to go. They went north and settled on the eastern side of the mountains. It was a harsh land, so their photosynthesis came in handy, and the Brelians also tamed the local camels for food and transport.
Back in the Brelian mountains, those who chose to remain were soon punished, as if the god of luck had taken away his blessing. The Cliff-Painter minority that also dwelt in the same mountains rebelled against the Brelians, starting a civil war that forced many Brelians to flee into their photosynthetic Heartless brethren. Odds were even in the civil war until the Cliff-Painters of the southwestern forests intervened. Against their combined forces, the Brelians were doomed, and soon enough, the Brelian mountains was annexed by the Cliff-Painters.
((The independent Brelian civilization is close to annihilation. More Brelians now live outside its borders and than within.))
Among the Cliff-Painters and Heartless tribes, everything remained peaceful apart from the foreign wars. Both civilizations adopted agriculture, though they didn’t grow the same crops. Through trade with the Alnassi, the Heartless adopted the Alnassian cassava, the Cliff-Painters tamed their own crop, the plantain.
((And I don’t think the Heartless had writing before? Please write an IC about their language!))
Arcians
Arcus appeared before an Arcian chieftain and commanded him to tame the horse and the iron ox in order to use it to defend his tribe against the Canibs threatening the Arcians. The chieftain did as he was told, but the iron ox never became very popular because it could not cope with the cold conditions of northern Arcia. But the horse became popular among the Arcians, and though it was not used very often to ride against the Canibs, many Arcians rode their horses northward into the tundra.
((Cannot use one order to both tame the horse, the iron ox and attack the Canibs. The horse did however serve the Arcians very well, and it gives the Arcians a huge advantage over the Canibs. Also, Arkouda and Arcus should at least try to agree on how to divide the 80 static power stored in the northern ice, otherwise it will just be split in half.))
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Having the most numerous and most diverse set of cultures worshipping him, Xiuhcoatl has become the most powerful god of all Gaia. That is, if you don’t count the great power that Arkouda and Arcus will retrieve from the static powerbank of Cryogea. Winter is not over yet!
Things are starting to get interesting in the south and east. The Scaled Zinti dominate the entire southeastern coast, but we will see how long that lasts. Pima and the Heartless also show a great deal of promise with their high population density and technology level. Upadvipapura is lagging behind for some reason and has been blocked from expansion by their primitive neighbors.
I’ll set the next orders deadline to saturday night. Try to get your orders in early, or if you don’t want to reveal them, just write them down plenty of time before the deadline and post them as it draws near.
It would be nice to see a few IC updates on the state of your civilization or about any of the events I wrote about in the update!
Download the savegame here.
((Oh right, yes, DutchGuy is still playing as Arkouda. He has been sending orders secretly))
Kamahans Goddess of Wisdom and Enlightenment
Kamahans travelled Gaia saw many lagging behind and those who were living in ignorance but she did not have enough power to change the entire populace of these planet and so she decided to create "Geniuses" humans with more intelligence and scatter them throughout the nations in every people and in every part of Gaia except of course Cryogea from which she dared not go for when she came close to the continent she became incredibly still and could not move but through her godly powers.She had a meeting with the god Xiuhcoatl and decided to increase the intelligence not fby0.1 but 0.3.
Kamahans travelled Gaia saw many lagging behind and those who were living in ignorance but she did not have enough power to change the entire populace of these planet and so she decided to create "Geniuses" humans with more intelligence and scatter them throughout the nations in every people and in every part of Gaia except of course Cryogea from which she dared not go for when she came close to the continent she became incredibly still and could not move but through her godly powers.She had a meeting with the god Xiuhcoatl and decided to increase the intelligence not fby0.1 but 0.3.
Use Biomorphy to make genius template humans but 0.3 more intelligent with power pooled together with Xiuhcoatl Use Demopoeia to scatter them around randomly around Gaia but put 100 in the Upadvipapuri lands and the Zacatepah lands both
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Shadaris god of mysticism and sorcery
Shadaris continues to increase the power of his people, he would see how this all played out. Shadaris would make his move soon but he needed his people to be stronger
Biomorphy- Add .1 magic affinity to the sorcerer "Template" for 10 power
Demomorphy- Change 500 hundred magi in each marked tile to the newest template for 3.6 power
((Guess what? Deadline incoming in 24 hours))
((EDIT: @Shebedaone - can you specify where you want to create geniuses and how many in each place? I have no means of determining it randomly.))
((EDIT: @Shebedaone - can you specify where you want to create geniuses and how many in each place? I have no means of determining it randomly.))
Dranos looked down at the world and smiled. One might be surprised by this, as Pima in recently years has not been the strongest civilization, what with the failed campaign against the Zinti and the mass immigration of them that has led to a potential Fifth Column within Pima, but Dranos had a plan. Or rather, Dranos and His allies had a plan. His first action was to transfer one third of his divine power for this millennium to Ulgan. Ulgan would know what to do with it.
He also contemplated on the greater state of Pima. The population was very dense, although the actual territory possessed was small. That just meant that He had not been properly fulfilling His end of the pantheon’s agreement and Aynar had been. He would have to do better. Hopefully this turn would lead to a great victory and He would gain much glory and power from it.
That done, Dranos turned to His people and looked for a suitable propet. He had thought He was done with prophets and had no prepared to turn back to them so soon, but He had more complex orders that it was very unlikely to be followed through with without more direct instruction. Dranos spied a suitable one, a very suitable one indeed. One Pimian who went by the name Kimmaw had suffered at the hands of some Zinti bullies who had immigrated to his village when he was young, and now had an intense dislike for them. Not only that, it had driven Kimmaw to become stronger and be the best warrior in his village so none may ever be able to hurt him again. There was no doubt Kimmaw would devote all his energy to driving out the Zinti and taking their lands, and that he’d be capable of it should Dranos’plan work. That night, the dream began.
“Greetings Kimmaw, I am your God, Dranos. You have been chosen to be my next Conqueror-Prophet. The Zinti have come to our lands uninvited and unwanted, you know this well. Your job is not to drive them out though, I have another plan in motion for that. You are to take an army south through the steppe, then strike east, avoiding crossing the river to avoid the mistake that cost your predecessor much in the previous invasion of the Zinti. The steppe is technically Zinti territory and may be difficult to cross, but make friends with the Heimians living there who chafe under Zinti rule by giving them some of your excess rice crop. Good luck my servant.”
(Simple orders: Tell a Pimian to move through the red square and attack the blue square with oneirophany, send five power to Ulgan(Hazbot)
).
He also contemplated on the greater state of Pima. The population was very dense, although the actual territory possessed was small. That just meant that He had not been properly fulfilling His end of the pantheon’s agreement and Aynar had been. He would have to do better. Hopefully this turn would lead to a great victory and He would gain much glory and power from it.
That done, Dranos turned to His people and looked for a suitable propet. He had thought He was done with prophets and had no prepared to turn back to them so soon, but He had more complex orders that it was very unlikely to be followed through with without more direct instruction. Dranos spied a suitable one, a very suitable one indeed. One Pimian who went by the name Kimmaw had suffered at the hands of some Zinti bullies who had immigrated to his village when he was young, and now had an intense dislike for them. Not only that, it had driven Kimmaw to become stronger and be the best warrior in his village so none may ever be able to hurt him again. There was no doubt Kimmaw would devote all his energy to driving out the Zinti and taking their lands, and that he’d be capable of it should Dranos’plan work. That night, the dream began.
“Greetings Kimmaw, I am your God, Dranos. You have been chosen to be my next Conqueror-Prophet. The Zinti have come to our lands uninvited and unwanted, you know this well. Your job is not to drive them out though, I have another plan in motion for that. You are to take an army south through the steppe, then strike east, avoiding crossing the river to avoid the mistake that cost your predecessor much in the previous invasion of the Zinti. The steppe is technically Zinti territory and may be difficult to cross, but make friends with the Heimians living there who chafe under Zinti rule by giving them some of your excess rice crop. Good luck my servant.”
(Simple orders: Tell a Pimian to move through the red square and attack the blue square with oneirophany, send five power to Ulgan(Hazbot)
Tatius, Lord of Tyrants
Tatius fumes with anger at the Zinti expansion into the rightfully Heimian lands and starts to plan how to best throw off the chains but then Tatius leaves that to his allies to do...For now Tatius will just make a new caste for the Heimian and he scours the lands to search for the most devout of his followers being of those bellow the caste of Kings and hopes to spread this mostly among those of the warrior caste and transform them into something more powerful (from Shadaris design he gracefully gave Tatius)...Mage-Priest(Simple orders transform 1666(if my math is right)Heimian into Greater Sorcerers in from evenly across the lands (Except in the grasslands)(Roughly 166.6 again if my math is correct) for 6 power and transfer 10 power to Ulgan(Hazbot))
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Xiuhcoatl, Fire Serpent
The plan went well. Even too well. Xiuhcoatl expected scaled ganguls to take some land from Heimians, but they managed to subjugate entire eastern coastline. That was sure to bring some reckoning from other gods.
Calling themselves High Zinti, scaled ganguls divided heimian lands among themselves. Their rule was enforced from High Zinti gords spread across eastern Mesogea. Gords were lead by elected rulers, gordjuns, who had complete authority over their domain for life and were independant from other rulers.
One of the gordjuns, Kinzonqah, had a terrible dream. His scaled brethren were dying, so were his non-scaled cousins. Even himians who were loyal to his rule. Some by arrows, some by this new, "bronze" weapons; they were being ambushed and assasinated; they were dying of hunger and of poisoned water wells.
He sweating, that can't be happening. He was a High Zinti. Who would oppose him? He was a lord of this lands; who would dare?
"What you see, is what will happen, Kinzonqah." He heard a voice. "You conquered himians too easily. You grew nonchalant, careless. You think you won, because you are so tough. But do you remember who MADE you tough?"
Kinzonqah was now seeing his gord burning. The huts, wooden walls, even the ground was on fire.
"I am Xiuhcoatl. The Great Fire Serpent. I made you and I tell you this: To attack and conquer is one thing; to keep your prize is completely different. Because you thought yourself indestructible, you bit more than you can chew. Himians may be easiy to subjugate, but your daring conquest will have consequences. Fortunately for you, I am still your God and I don't wish you to fail. Heed me, and maybe you can prevent the inevitable."
Gordjun was terrified and nodded his head in agreement. "Y-y-yes?"
"Meet with other gordjuns. Tell them that your gords need to work together. Ally with them for incoming crisis. Make a plan to act when things go awry. You think that you all stand strong. Together you will be even stronger. And you will survive incoming hard times."
Zacatepec
Xiuhcoatl attention was needed on another side of continent as well. Zacatepec were still an uncivilized bunch. They were excellent hunters and trappers that's for sure, but they did not know any weapons, couldn't write and lacked any central authority. The cold wind was already blowing and they were not prepared.
Serpent decided that extraordinary measures were needed. He talked with Kamahans and together came with the way of making humans much more intelligent. They called these new human breed "Geniuses", after the Genii, guardian spirits of old. They would serve as teachers, leaders, thinkers for the people.
He bestowed the Gift of Knowledge to various Keepers of Fire in Zacatepah and appeared in a dream of one of them.
"Listen to me, Xipil the noble Fire Keeper. It is me, Xiuhcoatl. Your creator and your guardian. I give you great wisdom. Wisdom you need to use for Zacatepec to prevail. Hard times are coming for the Tribes. The cold wind is blowing from the north. You struggle to find new hunting grounds. Zacatepec enter a frightful era. But under a proper guidance you will survive. Guidance of those like you - Fire Keepers that are thoughtful and farsighted. You need to bring tribes closer together. Unite with other Fire Keepers, merge smaller tribes, protect your hunting grounds. Lead them.
A single burning branch gives little light, but a great bonfire can light entire forest. Build that bonfire, Xipil! Unite Zacatepec branches into single fire that will set the world ablaze!"
Orders:
((spend 10 mana on oneirophany to tell High Zinti to prepare for hard times, unite gords (city-states) and make contingency plans for hard times.
spend 15 mana to create Genius template with Kamahans (can we do better than 0.3 int for 30 mana?)
1 mana to transform some Zacatepec Fire Keepers on Zacatepeh hills into Geniuses
10 mana for oneirophany to Zacatepan Genius Fire Keeper Xipil, to try unite Zacatepec))
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Ulgan, Lord of Death and Decay
Tastav:
While much of the world was in upheaval both as a result of the rise of Arkouda and of the conquest of Heim, the Dolghan, separated from the rest of the world by both a literal and metaphorical ocean, continued to live much as they always had done. Life on the Burning Continent was hard, but ultimately peaceful.
There were few developments in Tastav, much as there always have been. Overpopulation among the temperate northern coasts of Qazdyr had forced settles southwards, into scorching, inhospitable desert. Though they may not know it yet, the Dolghan are slowly approaching the seat of their god's power, and who knows what might happen then?
Ulgan:
For too long had Ulgan consigned his involvement in the Great Game between the gods to a few words spoken at the Synod, it seemed that now, more than ever, Gaia called for his gifts to be unleashed unto the parasites that litter her surface and defiling her with blood spilled in conquest.
Other gods agreed, they had met Ulgan in shadowy corners of Gaia where they could not be discovered and told him of their plan. Though their motivations may have been different, it mattered little, what did matter was how the Zinti, thanks to their conquest of Heim, had become a far greater piece in the Game than they had any right to be. Ulgan mused how the throne they had built for themselves over the other civilisations of Gaia is metaphorically founded on the bones of their enemies, well then, though Ulgan, perhaps it is their own bones that shall serve to collapse this throne.
Ulgan uses 20 power to take the existing Yersinia Pestis and shape it into a marrow-affecting pathogen that targets only Ganguls and their scaled cousins. The disease interferes with the production of red blood cells, leading to a slow death by oxygen deprivation as the loss of blood vessels eventually becomes too great to sustain life. It's mild symptoms make it difficult to detect, and its choice of target organ make it difficult to treat even if knowledge of pathology was advanced enough to do so.
The plague begins on the marked hex. I'll leave it to the Zinti to give it a name.
Ulgan the turns his attention to his worshippers on the Burning Continent, their recent migration southwards had left the god somewhat conflicted, as life had begun to crawl towards his otherwise lifeless White Garden, and life that he chosen to protect no less. In the end, he chose to help the Dolghan in their expansion rather than send them away northward for now, for reasons that he decided to keep to himself, for now.
Ulgan uses 10 power for Oneirophany to appear before one of the settlers of the desert region south of Qazdyr, now known as "Aldyr," and teach them where to find water in such a hostile land. He teaches them to build wells where the sand gives away to rough sandstone, a sign there may be water underneath, and to build around these locations.
He uses his remaining 6 power split to create 2,137 camels, 1,282 horses and 2 power's worth of Sheep (as the creation cost is unspecified) and gifts a few of each to each tribe of the Dolghan, in the hope that they will learn how to domesticate them.
Aynar, the God of Responsibility , Nationalism and Industriousness
On Aynar and Other Gods
Aynar saw the Pimians fruit of his work and in some way Dranos too, although the later had not been very successful in his endeavors to increase the size of the Pimian civilization and as such the Pimians were kept in their little corner of the world trying to compete with their larger neighbours, however, it was a matter of time until their neighbours surpassed them in both wealth and might, as a small nation it had limited potential alone in their borders. Another problem also arose and it was that of the Zinti who had come to migrate as refugees but stayed for way too long, and so something had to be done, first of all Aynar spoke to Dranos several times, about what to do and so he did with other gods, it was time to return the status quo to the Eastern part of the continent. After many conversations and ideas the thing that was going to be done had been decided and so Aynar gave a little part of his power to Ulgan.
Pimia in the eyes of Aynar
Huritia the main of city of Pima in the center of the city the Stone of Aynar is covered by a temple
Meanwhile, he would give another gift to the Pimians, who had started to worship him even more that his partner Dranos, he was seen as the god of inventions and prosperity by the Pimians, that had received many gifts from him and prospered because of that, knowledge also became important as that was the way in which Aynar gave the people of Pimia his gifts, how to do something or how to do the other became the main questions of the Pimians over time and also their main focus, once Aynar saw a young pimian asking many questions to his elders, questions that for them were difficult to answer or that they were unable to answer at all, not by lack of trying though. This made Aynar more proud of his efforts, he felt that the community of the pimians became closer although the inmigration of the Zinti somewhat undermined that as races don't tend to like each other that much unless the live together for a long time.
The kings of Huritia were at the very least just and responsible in the eyes of Aynar, he often checked on them every while since he wanted to see if the Pimians had not lost their ways, thankfully some of the blessing that he gave to the ancestors of the kings, seemed to stay there in some ways as the kings were fit and able to do their job, they became the very admired by their people. When asking a Pimian soldier why he fought he would answer "For My King!!" , this shows the level of national consciuness that now exists in the population of Pimians, who now use that adjective to refer to all people living in Pima territory.
But there was still a long way until a real nation was formed but Aynar was sure that Pimians would make it there sooner or later.
The Gift of Aynar
And as he had done for a long time Aynar decided to give another of his gifts to the Pimians, this time it wasn't for the prosperity of the Pimians but to defend themselves an invention that had to be given to them as the time were dangerous and Aynar did not want the Pimians to suffer from being a small player in the eastern area, he decided to give them the tools to defend themselves now and ever, he gave them weapons of bronze, the Pimians who had started to use metallurgy to a small scale would surely be able to produce this alloy and because of that Aynar gave them this instead of something that did not require a previous knowledge of something, after all , the Pimians were quite capable of understanding his other gifts with ease.
And so Aynar appeared in the dreams of Meriat, the same young boy whom he had seen asking so many questions, over the years Meriat had studied by himself many things in the mortal plane, like animals, plants, materials and people, always getting something out of his studies, once he was asked by the king to do a study on how to make a new canal something that he did quite perfectly so much that the King gave him the project so he would oversee it and make improvements if needed. Meriat ended up with a canal so well done and made so fast that the king was very much impressed and decided to give him a job as advisor in his court in Huritia. He tasked him to study and share his knowledge with others so it wasn't lost through the ages.
So two decades passed and Meriat became very renowned but he entered a stage in his life in which he no longer made more studies and he felt like he had lost the spark of his young self, as such he became depressed , everyone tried to comfort him even the king who had benefited from his services for a long time, but not avail Meriat continued to be like that. One night , Meriat dreamed and found himself in strange world, alone until Aynar appeared from the nothingness of this world, he spoke to him.
"What you see here is what you believe to see, you think there is nothing here but there are so many things, is just that you are limiting yourself to a small scope of sight, your studies have benefited your people greatly and you think you have done everything there is to study already has been done, but no there are still many things you have to see" And so from the nothingness appeared minerals , animals never seen, orbs of light, races and natural disasters " There is still much you haven't seen, people you haven't met and stuff you have not tried yet, use the knowledge that there are infinite things to do to inspire you to continue and you won't find yourself seeing nothing again , I will show you one of my gifts that you will have to give your people as I fear that they may be the target of others and I want to be prepared should that come to be"
And so Aynar shown him to do make bronze , how to do weapons , from swords to spears, to Meriat days passed but in reality it was only hours, once the dream was done he found himself in his bed in the morning and he had felt renovated, ready to do what Aynar told him and much more.
(10 Power to give the knowledge of Bronze to the Pimians, 5 Power to Ulgan)
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Create as much as Brelians as I can in the Brelian provinces. They will most likely try to expand because they wouldn't have enough food.
Sorry for the inappropriate orders. I don't have the time to do anything for now.
Sorry for the inappropriate orders. I don't have the time to do anything for now.
Arcus, Lawgiver
Former chieftain Hull slept poorly. Once he had ruled a great tribe of his fellow Arcians, and slept on a bed of the softest furs. Now the Circle was disbanded, his people ruled by the foreigners with the large eyes. They had taken away his chiefdom, and banned the teaching of the Codex. They had even taken away his soft bed, and now he slept with the common people.
Yet as Hull slept that night, a force more powerful than un-comfy rocks disturbed his dreams. He cried out as he was pulled into that great empty void where so many of his forbears had been summoned. Hull though, knew more than perhaps any of his forbears of this place. He had learned the holy texts before they had been banned, and sat in Circles as the shamans told their tales of how prophets had been summoned into this vast black void. He knew this was the place Arcus dwelt, and gave instructions to his chosen people.
Every child and chief of the Arcians longs to be chosen by Arcus, and given a task to bring victory and order to the Arcian people. Yet as Hull realised this destiny was his, he came to know the horror and awe of that task. Hull draw a circle over his chest and tapped over his heart; a circle and a dot, the holy symbol of Arcus, and waited to hear the words of his God.
"Listen mortal. I have long laboured to bring your people to glory and divine order. Yet, here you are denied. The Canibs rule over many times their number, and theirs is not a rightful rule. The Law is the Law, yet Law comes when men sit in circles and agree. You must bring back rightful rule, and Law. Take up arms. Overthrow the Canibs. Reestablish the Codex Arcia here. If the Canibs wish to make laws over Arcians, they must sit in your circles, and convince you of their words."
The void, the distant star, the ring of ice faded. And Hull awoke on the hard floor.
ORDERS
Oneirophany - Appear before an Arcian on the red marked tile and instruct them to revolt against Canib rule .
Oneirophany - Appear before an Arcian on the blue marked tile and attempt to inspire them to farm the native plants.
Aegis - 30 power - Cast on aegis over lands where Arcians live to prevent outside Godly interference (assuming I can cast it over that big an area - if not just protect the Arcian forests with 5 power/tile)
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Chapter IX: Anarchy
In many areas, the fifth millennium was marked by a descent towards anarchy, both among men and among gods.
Among men, the rise of anarchy appeared to be grounded in the adoption of the new lifestyle. Agriculture and animal husbandry had become commonplace, and led to the demise of old, societal structures.
Among gods, anarchy seemed to stem from a waning respect of Synod law and rising inequalities in the power of gods.
At least, the threat of winter seemed to have vanished, as Arkouda kept to himself in the North and Arcus kept his stasis within his own borders.
The Zintian Wars continued – Pima, Heim and High Zinti
In opposition to the Zintian menace that grew so quickly in the fourth millennium, Dranos and Aynar joined forces with Tatius of the supressed Heimians and Ulgan, Lord of Plagues. They planned to defeat the Zinti through a plague followed by an invasion. However, Dranos managed to order his champion, Kimmaw of Southern Pima to attack the Zinti even before the plague had kicked in. The plan was that Kimmaw would lead his army south into the Redfell, a barren moor populated by both Heimians and Zinti, and then strike east, avoiding having to cross the river. While Kimmaw was rather succesful with making friends with the local Heimians, his armies were beaten by the High Zintian gordjun of Zinigord that Dranos had targeted. Thus, Kimmaw was forced to retreat back to the Redfell, which he however secured and which remained under Pimian control. The king of Fornos Hill was also succesful in settling unpopulated areas across the Zinti river.
Aynar wanted the Pimians to adopt the use of bronze tools and weapons, but the use of these never spread, perhaps because the Pimian kings no longer felt threatened by their neighbors due to Zintia being on the verge of collapse.
In the late centuries of the millennium, the Pimian kings yet again face a wave of migration; this time from the west.
((Pima expands! And the domains of Pimian kings increase in size. Pima now consists of proper nation-states. Pimians fail to adopt bronze. -20 centralization due to migrations))
To the south, in the Heimian forests, Tatius bided his time and did not order his people to overthrow their oppressors. Instead he sought to create a caste of magically capable Mage-Priests. The Heimian population also started to grow again.
((Tatius: Opportunity to determine the role of Mage-Priests in Heimian society via IC.))
Xiuhcoatl was aware of the scheming neighbors of the Zinti and impending crisis, and decided to try and unite the High Zinti against their common enemies. However, it seemed that this was already too late at the beginning of the millennium, and when the Zintian plague struck, what little cooperation between individual gords existed, vanished along with thousands of Zinti.
((The Zinti are struck by a terrible epidemic, which brings the civilization to its knees. Zintia is in a state of anarchy. Can it rise again before its enemies take advantage of its weak moment?))
Great Atl Bay – Upadvipapura and Zacatepeh
In an effort to further enlightenment and development among their peoples and beyond, Kamahans and Xiuhcoatl join forces to create a strain of humans with exceptional intelligence. And perhaps it works, because the Zacatepecs adopt agriculture and thus make their first technological advance in history. The Upadvipapuri develop a trade doctrine that they call mercantilism. Now they only need some colonies…
Kamahans also proceeded to give random populations in Tannu-Tastav, Brelia, Gabah Alruh, Zintia, Vitorica and Arcia the Gift of Enlightenment.
The Magi
In the forested mountains of the Magi, Shadaris, the god of magic, continued increasing the magical capabilities of chosen tribes of his people. His efforts gave birth to a new tribe of Master Magi who dwelt in the midmost part of the Magi Forests.
Some Magi also began growing crops. However, this was only viable in the western forests, for the mountains and the taiga were too cold to grow wheat in.
In the later part of the millennium, Shadaris’s experiment of increasing magical power of led to conflict in the southern mountains, as the tribes of greater sorcerers living there ousted their less powerful clansmen and isolated themselves from the northern Magi tribes.
Tannu-Tastav
Around the middle of the millennium, a historical event for the Dolghan comes to pass as a fleet of Alnassian catamarans show up on their western shores. The Alnassi weren’t there to make friends, and brought with them bow and Heimian bronze weapons, but, miraculously, the local Dolghan tribe manage to fend off the invaders without any help from the other tribes.
Otherwise, the Dolghan continue on as usual, but soon enough they will have spread out across the entire Burning Continent, and what then?
Brelia
In the Brelian Desert, as the last refuge of the Brelians has come to be called, Tychaeos made his people fertile in order for them to expand. However, surrounded by stronger enemies, they had nowhere to expand to, and instead they turned against each other. The sands of the desert were reddened by the blood of Brelians, and when some Brelians were blessed with Kamahans’s gift of enlightenment, they quickly decided that they were better than the others and founded the Brelian Aristocracy.
((Once again, someone decides to tamper with Tychaeos’s civilization. Brelia splits in two!))
Arcia
Arcus was very succesful with his endeavors in this millennium. The Arcian chieftain Hull succesfully lead an insurrection against the Canib clan mothers and the Arcians also began growing potatoes and clearing the forests in order to make fields. This lead to an explosion in population, but also led to an influx of Magi immigrants fleeing hunger and conflict in the West.
Arcus also led the raw, stagnant force of stasis flow into his kingdom, and it settled as a fog over the Arcian forests, protecting them from the threat of change.
((Polibian Coast, as I've decided to name it after the term used by the Canibs to refer to those who do not live in caves, has been freed! An aegis has been placed over the forests, protecting the landscape from being altered by men and gods alike.))
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Pictures and savegame will be up tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Synod should discuss whether or not Ulgan, Dranos, Aynar and Tatius are guilty of breaking the Gaian laws of warfare which state that gods may not intervene directly in wars. The Zintian Plague might be such a direct intervention. While we didn't vote on these laws, no-one disputed them, and Dranos even applauded them, so I moved on, assuming they were enacted unanimously.
Also, Kamahans has changed parts of other civilizations’ populations into geniuses. While this may be seen as a gift, it actually caused a lot of trouble in Brelia, and might be a violation of the Protection of Creations.
In many areas, the fifth millennium was marked by a descent towards anarchy, both among men and among gods.
Among men, the rise of anarchy appeared to be grounded in the adoption of the new lifestyle. Agriculture and animal husbandry had become commonplace, and led to the demise of old, societal structures.
Among gods, anarchy seemed to stem from a waning respect of Synod law and rising inequalities in the power of gods.
At least, the threat of winter seemed to have vanished, as Arkouda kept to himself in the North and Arcus kept his stasis within his own borders.
The Zintian Wars continued – Pima, Heim and High Zinti
In opposition to the Zintian menace that grew so quickly in the fourth millennium, Dranos and Aynar joined forces with Tatius of the supressed Heimians and Ulgan, Lord of Plagues. They planned to defeat the Zinti through a plague followed by an invasion. However, Dranos managed to order his champion, Kimmaw of Southern Pima to attack the Zinti even before the plague had kicked in. The plan was that Kimmaw would lead his army south into the Redfell, a barren moor populated by both Heimians and Zinti, and then strike east, avoiding having to cross the river. While Kimmaw was rather succesful with making friends with the local Heimians, his armies were beaten by the High Zintian gordjun of Zinigord that Dranos had targeted. Thus, Kimmaw was forced to retreat back to the Redfell, which he however secured and which remained under Pimian control. The king of Fornos Hill was also succesful in settling unpopulated areas across the Zinti river.
Aynar wanted the Pimians to adopt the use of bronze tools and weapons, but the use of these never spread, perhaps because the Pimian kings no longer felt threatened by their neighbors due to Zintia being on the verge of collapse.
In the late centuries of the millennium, the Pimian kings yet again face a wave of migration; this time from the west.
((Pima expands! And the domains of Pimian kings increase in size. Pima now consists of proper nation-states. Pimians fail to adopt bronze. -20 centralization due to migrations))
To the south, in the Heimian forests, Tatius bided his time and did not order his people to overthrow their oppressors. Instead he sought to create a caste of magically capable Mage-Priests. The Heimian population also started to grow again.
((Tatius: Opportunity to determine the role of Mage-Priests in Heimian society via IC.))
Xiuhcoatl was aware of the scheming neighbors of the Zinti and impending crisis, and decided to try and unite the High Zinti against their common enemies. However, it seemed that this was already too late at the beginning of the millennium, and when the Zintian plague struck, what little cooperation between individual gords existed, vanished along with thousands of Zinti.
((The Zinti are struck by a terrible epidemic, which brings the civilization to its knees. Zintia is in a state of anarchy. Can it rise again before its enemies take advantage of its weak moment?))
Great Atl Bay – Upadvipapura and Zacatepeh
In an effort to further enlightenment and development among their peoples and beyond, Kamahans and Xiuhcoatl join forces to create a strain of humans with exceptional intelligence. And perhaps it works, because the Zacatepecs adopt agriculture and thus make their first technological advance in history. The Upadvipapuri develop a trade doctrine that they call mercantilism. Now they only need some colonies…
Kamahans also proceeded to give random populations in Tannu-Tastav, Brelia, Gabah Alruh, Zintia, Vitorica and Arcia the Gift of Enlightenment.
The Magi
In the forested mountains of the Magi, Shadaris, the god of magic, continued increasing the magical capabilities of chosen tribes of his people. His efforts gave birth to a new tribe of Master Magi who dwelt in the midmost part of the Magi Forests.
Some Magi also began growing crops. However, this was only viable in the western forests, for the mountains and the taiga were too cold to grow wheat in.
In the later part of the millennium, Shadaris’s experiment of increasing magical power of led to conflict in the southern mountains, as the tribes of greater sorcerers living there ousted their less powerful clansmen and isolated themselves from the northern Magi tribes.
Tannu-Tastav
Around the middle of the millennium, a historical event for the Dolghan comes to pass as a fleet of Alnassian catamarans show up on their western shores. The Alnassi weren’t there to make friends, and brought with them bow and Heimian bronze weapons, but, miraculously, the local Dolghan tribe manage to fend off the invaders without any help from the other tribes.
Otherwise, the Dolghan continue on as usual, but soon enough they will have spread out across the entire Burning Continent, and what then?
Brelia
In the Brelian Desert, as the last refuge of the Brelians has come to be called, Tychaeos made his people fertile in order for them to expand. However, surrounded by stronger enemies, they had nowhere to expand to, and instead they turned against each other. The sands of the desert were reddened by the blood of Brelians, and when some Brelians were blessed with Kamahans’s gift of enlightenment, they quickly decided that they were better than the others and founded the Brelian Aristocracy.
((Once again, someone decides to tamper with Tychaeos’s civilization. Brelia splits in two!))
Arcia
Arcus was very succesful with his endeavors in this millennium. The Arcian chieftain Hull succesfully lead an insurrection against the Canib clan mothers and the Arcians also began growing potatoes and clearing the forests in order to make fields. This lead to an explosion in population, but also led to an influx of Magi immigrants fleeing hunger and conflict in the West.
Arcus also led the raw, stagnant force of stasis flow into his kingdom, and it settled as a fog over the Arcian forests, protecting them from the threat of change.
((Polibian Coast, as I've decided to name it after the term used by the Canibs to refer to those who do not live in caves, has been freed! An aegis has been placed over the forests, protecting the landscape from being altered by men and gods alike.))
------------------------------------------------------------
Pictures and savegame will be up tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Synod should discuss whether or not Ulgan, Dranos, Aynar and Tatius are guilty of breaking the Gaian laws of warfare which state that gods may not intervene directly in wars. The Zintian Plague might be such a direct intervention. While we didn't vote on these laws, no-one disputed them, and Dranos even applauded them, so I moved on, assuming they were enacted unanimously.
Also, Kamahans has changed parts of other civilizations’ populations into geniuses. While this may be seen as a gift, it actually caused a lot of trouble in Brelia, and might be a violation of the Protection of Creations.