Realms of Orbis: Fantasy Civilization Role-Playing Game

[iAmaNewb]

[QUOTE=YogiTheWise;47330268][thumb]http://u.cubeupload.com/YogiTheWise/germaniafunal.png[/thumb][/QUOTE]

[B]BLASPHEMY!!![/B]

The God Emperor will not accept such inaccurate portrayal of His Highness!
Everyone knows it'll take 28 business days at least for His Holiness to answer!

Also, it's Divine Favor Agreement Type 17A Section C.

[YogiTheWise]

[url]http://facepunchrp.wikia.com/wiki/Realms_of_Orbis[/url] we now have this

[Native Hunter]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/7hnaMOx.png[/IMG]
-Credit to Daniel Smith

[Deng]

READ ME, SEND IN TURNS AS TURN 6.

[img_thumb]http://i.cubeupload.com/yco1Gp.png[/img_thumb]

Development: [url]http://i.cubeupload.com/kaCm8d.png[/url]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViVkhNnZ6i8[/media]

[quote]Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared. – Sun Tzu[/quote]

World population: 39 million
Events of the years 2000 – 2500 First Age of Man (FAM):

-This is a golden age for humanity, as nearly two thousand years of steady social and economic de-velopment have led to the growth of massive empires, powerful kingdoms, and the adoption of many new technologies. Many nations go through severe political turmoil at this time as the limits of their economic and administrative systems begin to surface. Even the elves feel the strain as the bronze using “Au Chau” constantly fight with them. They may have to move soon, even after adopting chalcolithic technologies.

-In 2498, the records told of a great calamity to befall every nation. The skies darken for years, and the sunset sky turns a deep red. The crops fail, the moons turn blue, and the world much colder. Things do not return to normal for three years, and strange reptilian beasts are seen in the skies screaming. The Au Chau then invaded the great Kingdoms of Oycumen, riding in from the plains after two years of crop failures cause a great famine.

-The use of bronze usage catches on so quickly that it very quickly takes root in societies shortly after or even during copper usage. By the opening of the 26th century, the distinction is mostly meaningless, except in a few certain locations as bronze is now widespread.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=462795&dateline=1425134218[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/OJQqOM.png[/img]
[b]Dvergfit – Damian0358
Capital: Miklagard
Culture: Dvegr
State Religion: Verolin
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Subsistence agrarian[/b]

-The Dvegr advance as they always have, steadily and slowly. As they coalesce into increasingly powerful chiefdoms, the chiefs have the power to organize people on a bigger scale. Irrigation ditches, dykes, granaries, and improved management of the land all contribute significantly to agricultural productivity. Most important of these, is the introduction of rice, grown in small flooded pools.

-With more food, comes a surplus that can support people who don’t need to be directly involved in producing food. Potters, flintworkers, carpenters, weavers, and warriors are among some of these early specialist roles. Groups of them work to help build and furnish fine houses in Miklagard. A statue of Ocil giving a crown to a Dvegr is erected in the largest of these houses.

-Following the expansion of Miklagard, Prestrú's descendant and ruler of Dvergfit, Ásketill, announces that he will sacrifice himself to the gods and have his heir, Bárðr, sacrifice him, just like Alvadniðr. The sacrifice happens in the 2001st year of the First Age of Man, as Ásketill is killed on an altar. The next day, Bárðr is crowned ruler. At the time of his crowning, it is said that rain fell intensely as the sun shined, at that moment, Bárðr is quoted saying that "Veldon is watering the fields, giving us the gift of life".

-Towards the end of the period, a violent volcanic eruption shakes one of the colonies to the northeast. This was followed by a strange beast flying overhead and roaring as fire burst asunder from its mouth. The confused Dvegr saw that a few hours later, a soft powder was raining down upon them, along with chunks of a rock that could float in water. Finally, a great cloud came and consumed the colony in its entirety, leaving no trace but a few survivors in fishing boats.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=601768&dateline=1420557903[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/xipbEwc.png?1[/img]
[b]Skrall – Pezgod1
Capital: Krellgr
Culture: Skagosi
State Religion: Deep ones
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Palace economy[/b]

-As the dwarves dig even deeper, they finally find a strange property from all of the gems they un-covered and inscribed with runes. When held, they make the holder have the ability to lift small objects and set things on fire. To make using them easier, these gems are fixed to staves. The downside is that some of the users have terrible visions when asleep, including a grey monster that screamed and spat boiling water. The priests say the staves may hold great power, but at a great cost to the soul.

-The military campaigns wind down over time as the needs of the rulers change. With so much wealth already, they are content to remain with what they already have. A grand underground li-brary is built to store records, while rooms for storing beers (now with new flavours!) are carved out of the rock. The dragon skeleton and dragonfly fossils have also been prominently displayed in Krellgrs palace, along with a map of the known world (a bronze disc of abstract pictures rather than a work of cartography).

-As trade and commerce expand, some regional centres begin to develop into fully fledged towns. While Krellgr holds supreme power now due to the bronze monopoly, these rival towns do have the benefit of being in closer proximity to better agricultural land or trade. As rice paddy agriculture spreads too, the population in the south begins to rise much more rapidly in the north.

-Several explorers and travellers make contact with a dwarf who is not a Skagosi in roughly 2490. He recites a tale that a great cloud of dust and rock rose up and swallowed his home before him, and so in fear he fled his homeland to head north. From him, the Skagosi become aware that they aren’t the only dwarves. Their new friend enjoys beer thankfully, as do many people outside of the Empire. As a gift, he sends a litter of kittens to Krellgr, as they had not seen cats before.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=243999&dateline=1389299675[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/1Bk1VXv.png[/img]
[b]Nigasand – Satansick
Capital: Unconquerable
Culture: Immortal
State Religion: Rage
Race: Orc
Economy: Subsistence agrarian [/b]

-The savage and backward orcs have always been on the periphery of civilization. Reluctantly how-ever, they adopted the technologies and culture of their advanced neighbours until they slowly even began to resemble them. However, a new forging technique brought strange impurities out of a red rock. A soft grey metal, which is much more common than bronze and more easily worked. A downside is that it’s so soft it bends easily. The metalworkers are busy working out how to fix it.

-The Swarerde go through a period of civil war for a century early on in this period, before they are united by a fiercely militaristic dynasty. Unlike previous ones, they no longer claim to be gods, but merely the children of them. What’s more, this dynasty used an army of charioteers to seize control of the Empire, and they are hungry to grab land from the orcs.

-Despite the orcs building up an impressive army of their own, the Swarerde charioteers drive them away, using mobility to run circles around inflexible orc formations. They are driven back to the hills, where looser formations of infantry armed with swords and shields can hold their own. Unfortunately, since they have few swords or armour, the orcs are unable to retake their lands. They lose control of the lands to the south, largely because they do not have any ships or means of bypassing the armies of Swarerde.

-Social development steadily rises in Nigasand, with the population surging past half a million orcs and humans. While sexually incompatible, the humans nonetheless live as slaves where they work in war industries (such as fletching). Improved communications with the Gor’lan allows them to buy food from the goblins in return for bronze, while gold is imported from Mokta Luka. The bars are stamped with a seal verifying its purity.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=578995&dateline=1420214107[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/R6Sn9hQ.png[/img]
[b]Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Capital: Irlinia
Culture: Irminian
State Religion: God-Emperor
Race: Human
Economy: Terminal palace economy [/b]

-The core of civilization shifts from the alluvial river valleys towards the seas. Irminonia is quick to realise this, and in this period the Empire begins to construct large wooden trading boats, along with faster and smaller ones driven by oarsmen. Fishing becomes a major industry, with whole villages and towns sprouting up like mushrooms along the coasts. As trade is equally important (contact has been made with the Gor’lan and Swarerde), this means that the first independent merchants are coming into existence.

-The palace economy of Irminonia begins to break apart. With the rise of private commerce and professionals not employed by the state, wealth and land is now being increasingly held in the hands of private individuals. Primitive market elements begin to take root, driven by the God-Emperors edicts to clear pathways for wagons and encourage commerce. This is bad news for the God-Emperor though, who begins to see his control slipping.

-In the 27th century, the God-Emperor declines in rank. No longer is he god of all, but merely selected by the gods to lead. His power further weakens when he begins to split up the Empire into separate “states” which he appoints men to rule over. Wars proliferate towards the end of the era, driven by the widespread adoption of the chariot. In these wars, as many as 30,000 men fight with 1000 chariots. After one of those wars, significant swathes of land were won in the west.

-At the end of the period, the Empire recovers partially from the wars with her neighbours and the Au Chau, but has permanently changed. Rival power centres have risen to prominence in the chaos, and many landlords have found ways to improve farming yields far from the river valleys. The spread of technology has allowed the farmers on the empires borders to grow into rather powerful kingdoms too. The Emperor sacrifices animals and humans to the gods, and is told by a priest that they have given their message already. The deep red skies common at the end of this period give an omen for the end of the golden age.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=440820&dateline=1423541430[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/7tW7R2C.png?1[/img]
[b]Gor’lan – Native Hunter
Capital: Gilgamesh
Culture: Karoshi
State Religion: Lu’tya
Race: Goblin
Economy: Terminal palace economy [/b]

-After extensive contact with the peoples of Oycumen and Notos, the Karoshi finally adopt a fully-fledged writing system of their own. Unusually, it is based on a rather restricted set of characters (each representing a sound) numbering about 30. However, this proves to be a major advantage as pretty much anybody can learn to read and write in it, and even adapt it for other languages. By the 25th century, it is commonplace among traders.

-Shipbuilding also takes several leaps forward with the introduction of bronze in construction. Large rams are put on the end of ships to allow them to make holes in enemy ships, and after ramming the enemy vessel is pelted with arrows and spears. This new type of ship, driven by banks of rowers and commanded by professionals, allows the Karoshi to quickly dominate the seas and trade. Merchants and powerful oligarchic families are the ones benefitting the most from this, growing in power and wealth all the time.

-Two of these professionals, Gregor Karyuk and Tur Farz, are sent with a flotilla of ships to establish several colonies on the mainland. Assisted by young goblins who are hungry for a farm of their own (in wake of overcrowding at home), they begin to build tiny replicas of their mother cities. The sea in which these goblins live is increasingly called the Sea of Ful'drac, now full of trade and industry. The old palaces on individual islands are increasingly without power as the independent cities outgrow the need for centralized political authorities, and are soon swallowed up by the cities they used to rule and built over.

-A common currency of sorts is introduced by the grand family Tuur'ash at the height of this period, represented by standardized ingots of copper. The descendants of the Olla still live among the Karoshi, although they are known widely by now as the Ogallum. Due to their stronger bodies and braver natures, by now they have become the heavy warriors and mercenaries of these islands. Goblins (particularly younger ones) still fight, although mainly in an auxiliary role as archers.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=432426&dateline=1413895040[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/vz3X5w1.png[/img]
[b]Aclary - Mr. Face
Capital: Cayerus
Culture: Aclerian
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence pastoralism [/b]

-The Aclary develop a form of a pictographic written language. Usually scrawled on pieces of bark, this script is mostly used as memory aids, although a few oral tales of legend and historical accounts are also written down. They were inspired by the peoples to the north who had regular contact with the Gor’lan, who possess writing. The northerners also practice a kind of agriculture, and the practice begins to spread southwards. The Aclerians seize control of many farming villages in the north towards the end of this period, seeing them as useful places to keep livestock at. The northerners also bring polished stone tools, which are quickly being adopted.

-One such manuscript details the travels of a coastal village chief’s son. He set out with a flotilla of a dozen large sailboats, seeking new lands because of food shortages at home. He returned a year later, alone, on a single boat. He told of lands of lush green that lie to the south. Unfortunately, they didn’t have enough food to last the journey there and back, so they had to resort to cannibalism. The son had to kill and eat his crew members to survive.

-Other texts of the age are of religious nature. This proto-scripture brought an eventual shift from ritualistic violence to a code of honor, which, among other things, endorses loyalty to the chief. At this time, the Aclary begin to centralize and display increased political complexity. A Grand Chief is chosen among the village chiefs, who in turn agree to answer to him. Intertribal conflicts are less common, and are most often resolved by the Grand Chief’s own warriors. The Aclerians become more organized and geared towards defence against external foes.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=649717&dateline=1424230559[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/0bzQhbm.png[/img]
[b]Nordaney - Killbane
Capital: Skardavag
Culture: Cytanni
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-The men of the northwest isles of Oycumen have never been civilized. They only adopted farming a few thousand years ago, and only learned how to make mead and work copper in the past few centuries. In the 22nd century, Chief Ingar Kyrsson of clan Vorkaen united three great tribes around Skardavag (Dragons bay). His people have long held a spiritual reverence for strength and honour, granting the bravest men a place among the gods and heroes. They wear furs and animal bones believed to grant them powers, and scratch pictographs (or runes) into sacred stones.

-Warriors dedicate worship to particular heroes, often identifying with certain runes and having them tattooed on them in order to give the bearer power. The black dragon Azkargadan is the most revered of all, the one seen as the most powerful mortal to roam the world. Those who worship this beast, take the name of "Skardasson" (son of dragon).

-Actual observations from the tin traders from the south are less flattering. The tribes in these lands still farm the land with wood and bone tools. They wear coarse clothing, live in damp roundhouses, and only at this time do they introduce more intensive agricultural practices. Of course, this allows them to grow more food, to support more people, and may be the reason for the move from tribes into chiefdoms.

-This time is one of violence, marked by constant warfare as the Vorkaen initially battle to unify Skardavag, and later hold onto their gains too. It takes two centuries to fully integrate the three great tribes, and another two to safeguard their gains. Huge wood and earth forts dot the landscape, sur-rounded by tiny patchwork fields, huge untamed forests, and swamps. In the largest of these forts, a grand feasting hall is built and used in celebration of the unification of the tribes, alongside a temple and mustering grounds for warriors.

[B]Current player List:[/B]

Dvergfit – Damian0358
Skrall – Pezgod1
Nigasand – Satansick
Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Gor’lan - Native Hunter
Aclary - Mr. Face
Nordaney - Killbane

[b]If you haven’t already done so, please join our group. There will usually be people chatting in the chat room after each turn is posted, so please pop in for a visit.[/b]

[url]http://steamcommunity.com/groups/FaRPG[/url]

[Pezgod1]

Recently discovered depiction of the Karoshi peoples

[IMG]https://img.4plebs.org/boards/pol/image/1390/70/1390707425726.png[/IMG]

[Mr. Face]

I suspect that our people didn't "resort" to cannibalism as that manuscript states. We've got a...history.

[Native Hunter]

Time to Modernize my economy

[deltasquid]

Is it too late to join this game?

[Deng]

READ ME, SEND IN TURNS AS TURN 7.

[img_thumb]http://i.cubeupload.com/aU0xvv.png[/img_thumb]

Development: [url]http://i.cubeupload.com/AofiAl.png[/url]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae1IUPHxFzs[/media]

[quote]I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."[/quote]

World population: 52 million
Events of the years 2500 – 3000 First Age of Man (FAM):

-Around this time, the world entered the younger Ganleng period in climatology. Climate studies indicated a pronounced decline in pollen from domesticated plants and the rapid recovery of major forests in Oycumen towards the end of the period, often overgrowing most old towns. Around this time, many settlements were also abandoned or shrank significantly in size. The temperature once more also showed signs of dropping, as the treeline retreated by several hundred metres.

-The written record in Oycumen and Notos held steady at this time, but displayed a sudden drop around 2800 FAM, followed by a complete abandonment in 2900 for a period of fifty years. The numbers of shipwrecks found from this time (a proxy for trade) indicated a complete collapse of shipping as well. Grave in Western Oycumen are filled with skeletons showing nutritional deficien-cies. 20% of these skeletons show signs of a violent death. The elves, forced from their ancestral home, travelled east in search of a new one as the descendants of the Au Chau fill out the continent.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=462795&dateline=1425134218[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/OJQqOM.png[/img]
[b]Dvergfit – Damian0358
Capital: Miklagard
Culture: Dvegr
State Religion: Verolin
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Subsistence agrarian[/b]

-Rice paddy agriculture really takes off among the Dvegr at this time. Although laborious, time con-suming, and difficult, the rice paddy produces much more than any other form of agriculture. The dwarves find that the volcanic soil is extremely well suited to this, and can be easily replenished by sprinkling with volcanic ash. It takes several centuries for the appropriate infrastructure to develop, but by 3000 FAM the Dvegr population is booming.

-In 2501, with the "Dracatburðr" (the Dragon Event) still in recent memory, Bárðr's descendant and ruler of Dvergfit, Kannarfr, together with some colonists, decides to visit the volcanic island where the event happened to reassure his men such a thing will not happen again. He observes that plants are rapidly recovering, and concludes the land suited to agriculture. Several years after migrants arrive, they form a cult based around worship of the volcano. Kannafr names the island Demetey, after the name of the cult (who themselves name the island Vulcanay).

-Returning to Miklagard, as Kannarfr entered his royal home, he sits on his throne and looks out his window, he is suddenly hit with a vision from the gods. He sees Veldon being controlled by Flin, as he makes large sea waves, flooding settlements on the coast of the islands. He also sees people who worship a war god slaughtering his folk. Returning to reality, Kannarfr knew what he had to do. Fol-lowing his vision, Kannarfr decides to expand upon the cohort of warriors that was established years before. Theoretically, he can raise a thousand of them at any one time.

-By the end of the period, the exploitation of new rice farming techniques and the population boom allowed the Dvegr to colonise the whole Rybakov archipelago, in the process stimulating the beginnings of large scale trading and contact with the residents of mainland Jiuan. Besides Miklay, Flinsay and Demetey, a few more islands have gotten cults. Left of Miklay, we have the islands, going from right to left, Gomorray (after a cult surrounding Veldon and Artemedes' daughter, Gomorra), Réttrey and Áskey (after Ásketill). East of Miklay, we have the islands, going from west to east, Arheyjay (after Arheyja, the goddess of youth and fertility, because of its dense population compared to other islands), Giptey (the small island by Demetey), Faray, Hǫrgrey (the small island north of Faray, named after the number of altars on the island) and Punoray (after a cult surrounding Punor).

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=601768&dateline=1420557903[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/xipbEwc.png?1[/img]
[b]Skrall – Pezgod1
Capital: Krellgr
Culture: Skagosi
State Religion: Deep ones
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Palace economy[/b]

-With the need to move increasing volumes of bulk goods, the first true ships have appeared. Made of planks tied together around a wooden frame and powered by sails of cloth, they ply the rivers on behalf of Krellgr. They are notoriously weak on open sea however, and smash like eggshells in rough weather. An attempt to sail east in search of land ends in disaster, with the ship breaking up out at sea. Fishermen do start sailing in the eastern sea later on however, especially as many dwarves acquired a taste for fish.

-The dwarves move deeper underground when the cold weather comes. Unfortunately, their crops can’t. Numerous harvest failures in the north plague the Skagosi and force them to take up fishing, trade, or to move south. These migrations in turn led to overcrowding of the river valleys, leading to wars between the Neolithic farmers and Skagosi migrants in the far south. The process only accelerated as time went on, and by 3000 FAM a huge population shift towards the south has taken place. Fed by productive rice paddies and huge fishing catches, the dwarves there live well. Unfortunately, these shifts have led to a weakening of Krellgr as merchants and landlords have risen in wealth and power.

-Krellgr in the north continues to suffer as time goes on. High up in the hills, the first major problem after crop failure was the sudden vanishing of the trees and increasing snow. This led to avalanches, giving the dwarves an even bigger incentive to move underground. The old city is abandoned in favour of one that is mostly underground and fed by costly rice imports from the south. Bronze is the main reason that this city is still alive, as Krellgr holds a monopoly on its production.

-As staves go through rigorous usage, it becomes clear that the older priests who use them frequently are somewhat detached from reality. They have frequent nightmares, including one who claimed that a demon held him down in bed and tried to seduce him. Although apparently unsuccessful, the priest was still obliged to go through purification, as he had ejaculated in his bed and ruined the sheets. The purification process is tied into healing, taking place within bathhouses carved deep underground. They are unusually warm, and are reputed to improve health. Indeed, other priests have seemingly mastered a kind of healing magic, and some of the more powerful ones have improved on the ability to conjure up fire. Some of them can set a tree ablaze at twenty paces.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=243999&dateline=1389299675[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/1Bk1VXv.png[/img]
[b]Nigasand Republic – Satansick
Capital: Citadel
Culture: Immortal
State Religion: Rage
Race: Orc
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-Iron working is already common among the orcs, but three centuries of experimentation yielded a new way to work metal. Around 2750 FAM, the process of steeling becomes widely known, allowing iron that was equivalent to bronze in quality yet cheaper to become commonly available. Shortly afterwards, iron production rapidly increased as the orcs sought to never lose to the Swarerde ever again. They constructed a new capital (Citadel), a massive stone and earth fortress at the neck of the peninsula.

-The Swarerde Empire at this time also begin to heavily focus on expanding the army, although the cost of buying many thousands of chariots heavily indebted the state. The orcs outfit their army with relatively cheaper iron swords and armour, and granted citizenship to human slaves after they served 5 years in the army. The wars continue to escalate, and by 2800 the Emperor launched an invasion of Nigasand, besieging Citadel.

-During the siege, the charioteers were swarmed by masses of soldiers with iron weaponry, quickly destroying the cream of the Swarerde nobility and their army. The victorious orcs followed the de-feated back to the Empire, where they ransacked the defenceless cities and plundered the trade routes. The Emperor fled and many regional governors all attempted to declare themselves the Emperor in the power vacuum. None of them were able to seize complete control, and the Empire collapsed into civil war, ending with multiple warring statelets vying for power.

-The sophisticated palace economies and trade collapse. The invaders brought iron with them, and with the war soon over many human citizens of Nigasand (trained as blacksmiths) took the oppor-tunity to settle to the south or migrate, taking the technology with them. As trade collapses in the lawless land, so too does the incentive for farmers to produce for market. Many cities shrink or are abandoned, with the population going into steady decline. Only on the north coast does the population expand, and even then it is restricted to the immediate coastline.

-By 3000 FAM, even scribes have stopped keeping records. The last tablets (unfinished) describe the remaining inhabitants of the Empire living under feudal lords who fought amongst themselves and had thoroughly sacked the major cities. With the implosion of trade and the decline of the cities which created specialists, this process is now even underway in Nigasand, with many urban centres being abandoned as the hungry orcs search for food. Migration brings the last specialists and most migrants to Citadel.

-In celebration of their victory, the orcs founded the Nigasand Republic. The religion of Rage itself also began to gradually formalize at this time as an official pantheon of gods was established by the ruling elites of Citadel. These orcs (and a few humans), are voted by citizens in the city. A type of mass education is also promoted, whereby the wise (typically former priests from Swarerde) travel throughout the city state to give oral lessons on morality, mythology, and ethics. Within a century, few continue to do this, except in the vicinity of Citadel.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=578995&dateline=1420214107[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/R6Sn9hQ.png[/img]
[b]Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Capital: Ezatinsr
Culture: Irminian
State Religion: God-Emperor
Race: Human
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-The grand Empire of Irminonia stopped expanding at this time, mainly due to the massive expense in doing so for little gain. The Emperors instead spent the next few centuries bringing forth innovative reforms, mostly aimed at strengthening the state. Imperial examinations are introduced to create a professional class of civil servants, while the army is demobilized and use mainly for keeping internal peace. A period of three centuries of no warfare or major unrest thus came to be.

-This period of prosperity was one most beneficial to the people of the Empire. Edicts are regularly brought out to promote thrift, increase production (to sell goods to the Karoshi), construct major irrigation works, and to store fertilizer for use in the fields (consisting of faeces, ashes, and leaves left to rot). The population booms as a result, with many millions of people now inhabiting perhaps one of the grandest empires in the world.

-However, this Empire is not immune to the iron laws of economics. Towards the end of the period, the cost of maintaining the bureaucracy has swollen to crisis levels. Agricultural output is subject to diminishing returns, especially when the soils to the north are too poor and heavy to work, so an increasing reliance is made upon trade. The system works, especially with the Karoshi to serve as middle-men in helping the Empire to find consumers for their manufactures. Unfortunately, it comes to a shuddering halt in the early 29th century.

-The civil war of the Swarerde first impacts on the orcs and goblins, followed by Irminonia. The sud-den end to trade causes a major economic crisis at home. Wine and pottery are left without con-sumers, leading to the implosion of prices and the collapse of manufacturing. Although food is plentiful, the peasantry are in dire poverty, and the landlords find little benefit to producing for the market. The rise of piracy devastates the southern coasts, leading to the final collapse of trade and the price of labour.

-Hordes of landless and hungry skilled workers flee to the countryside, where they swear fealty to the landlords in return for food. The landlords quickly set up separate facilities for manufacturing the new iron tools and bully the freeholders. By 2900, they have become powerful regional lords who collectively obstruct the Emperor. They even begin to build their own forts and raise private armies. The swollen bureaucracy and impotent armies are incapable of outmanoeuvring the machinations of the lords, especially as the major cities (primary supporters of the old regime) shrink. The written record ends for about a century.

-As the First age ends, the Empire survives only in name. The landlords only retain the Emperor as a figurehead, and rally only when foreign invaders threaten their lands. Even then, the lords fight constantly amongst themselves. The great old irrigation works fall into disrepair or ruin, and the peasantry switch from farming massive estates to working small fields in villages tied to their lords’ home. The process of societal collapse, begun in Swarerde, continues beyond Irminonia into the north, where the great chieftains and petty kingdoms fall or suffer. The towns are abandoned, and wars multiply. In the wake of severe depopulation, the Au Chau move into the vacuum.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=440820&dateline=1423541430[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/7tW7R2C.png?1[/img]
[b]Gor’lan – Native Hunter
Capital: Gilgamesh
Culture: Karoshi
State Religion: Lu’tya
Race: Goblin
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-During this time, trade contacts with the orcs have proven very fruitful. Manufactured items ranging from iron weaponry and tools (which become increasingly common as the First Age comes to a close) to wine and cloth are all happily bought and sold by the merchants who profit immensely by their position. Huge new ships made from strong timber and with multiple sails were extremely common by 2700 FAM, with many additional ones kept in reserve for military use.

- As complexity rapidly increases in line with the population, huge new bureaucracies and social institutions are adopted to manage the intricate machinery of society. Merchants become heavily reliant on the smooth transfer of goods and information, with any holdups or disruptions often causing ruin for a great many. They adopt metal bars as a medium of exchange, while bureaucrats in the cities keep detailed records and commission many great works (including the expansion of the port facilities at Gilgamesh). The system begins to crack in the 28th century.

-The swollen population by this stage has become heavily dependent on the transport of food by ship and the movement of trade goods. A well-organized navy protecting this trade and the cities, funded by a kind of taxation is essential to this. However, the collapse of the Swarerde Empire and the advent of iron bring catastrophic changes into play. The once great cities of the Empire descend into civil war, while trade collapses. The orcs also undergo major shifts of their own as they adopt iron and slowly revert to self-sufficiency.

-At home, it reaches a crisis stage. After trade with Notos collapsed, it left many artisans at home out of work. Living standards plummet, and many Karoshi stop having children due to their poverty. One of the few industries doing well is ironworking, although the common availability of it and the sudden exodus of trained blacksmiths to the countryside in search of work only encourage rural self-sufficiency. All of these economic processes feed upon each other, spiralling downwards and leading to the complete disintegration of international trade, and by extension the great cities.

-By 2900 FAM, the population has halved due to low fertility rates. Most goblins have reverted back to subsistence farming, labouring under major aristocrats who rule from heavily fortified palaces built in the midst of the ruined great cities. Trade by this stage is almost non-existent, and writing has mostly fallen out of general usage. Additionally, the mainland colonies decline similarly and display a complete abandonment of urban areas, although they retain the use of many technologies (the most important being ironworking). Climate change leads to the last misery for the goblins. Date trees, once common throughout their islands, no longer fruit due to the cold. They clear the useless trees, and break up the ground with iron ploughs.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=432426&dateline=1413895040[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/vz3X5w1.png[/img]
[b]Aclary - Mr. Face
Capital: Cayerus
Culture: Aclerian
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-The Aclerians make the final leap into a wholly agrarian lifestyle. Although keeping large herds of cattle and other animals is important (indeed, necessary), people are now deriving a greater share of their calories from cereal grains. Wooden ploughs have made an appearance among them, and are used to break up the soil (no major rivers exist, often restricting farming to oasis’s and near to the mountains where a few small rivers originate). The new farms are encircled by the larger and drier plains (which have been drying even more recently) left to the pastoralists. Otherwise, the adoption of multiple new technologies and their subsequent expansion marks the dawn of a new era.

-The growing population leads to ever more organisation and trade. While largely ignorant of events in the wider world, they often trade with strange little goblins who visit the northern coast every once in a while to exchange trinkets. From them, they learn many new ideas and technologies, although they are never quite integrated into the wider world. One of the great chiefs hears of grand men outside of the mountain ranges who call themselves “Kings” and hold absolute power, which their children inherit after death. Although keen on the idea, when he declares himself “King”, he proves to be unpopular and detested. He is later mur-dered in his sleep when his skull is caved in with a large rock. To prevent his children taking revenge, they too are killed.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=649717&dateline=1424230559[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/0bzQhbm.png[/img]
[b]Nordaney - Killbane
Capital: Skardavag
Culture: Cytanni
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-Bronze comes by the sea to Nordaney, along with a variety of other technologies, including chari-ots, horses, and some of the finer trappings of civilization (such as wine). Unfortunately, many of these innovations have been brought by an offshoot of the Au Chau, who have settled the south-east of the island and pushed out the native inhabitants. Nonetheless, they are of considerable benefit to the Cytanni.

-Throughout the end of the First Age, the cooling climate induces many changes. Although it was possible to grow grapes for wine, they stopped fruiting about a century after introduction. Declining farming yields are offset by improved technologies that allow more land to be brought into cultivation. The old haphazard Neolithic fields are replaced by regular patchwork fields, each typically maintained by a single family.

-The Cytanni are still as expansionist and fierce in battle as they always have been, with an eye on the lands to the north. With increased access to bronze weaponry at this time, they conducted many successful raids on their enemies and slowly gained control of prominent hillforts. A type of diminutive axe made for throwing is widely used, and is a popular choice of grave good too. As the usage of bronze later expanded, tin traders would come to the islands more frequently to trade. Bronze remains in common use until the end of the First Age, when the southern traders almost entirely vanished. However, bronze is still used on a reduced scale and heavily recycled by the Cytanni.

-The hillforts expand slightly as the total population of the islands reaches around 400,000. The highest densities are in the south, where agriculture is fairly well developed and contact with the continent is advanced. The Cytanni take advantage of their position that they can support a few craftsmen in the hillforts and farmsteads. They typically produce smaller goods such as pottery, metalwork, and woollen cloth, along with the mining of tin. These goods are rarely produced in quantity, the decline in trade during the 29th century having virtually no effect on the peoples here. The arrival of the Scadutians to the southeast however, does.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=161518&dateline=1271152744[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/4QLGPi.png[/img]
[b]Scadutannia – Crossu88
Capital: Sceadwian
Culture: Scadutian
State Religion: Scadutian Polytheism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-Having split off from the Au Chau over a thousand years ago, the Scadutians slowly migrated west-wards along the northern coast of Oycumen. The Au Chau peoples (and their descendants) have come to dominate massive swathes of the mainland already, but the Scadutians are the first to attempt a living on the Midnight islands of the northwest. They bring bronzeworking technologies with them, along with relatively advanced methods of animal husbandry and a type of drinking cup they bury with the dead (alongside daggers). They worship the sky-god Dyeu (who rules the skies), who heads a pantheon of gods.

-Moving into the southeast, the Scadutians encounter resistance from a particularly large hillfort by a large swamp. They successfully drove out the inhabitants and took over the fort, naming it Sceadwian. They are also (unlike most of the people in the Midnight islands) led by a chieftain. He holds his power by virtue of the fact he can work bronze. Most Scadutians still use quite a few bone and stone tools and weaponry however. When they go to fight, they still use flints for arrowheads – bronze is reserved for swords, which have been getting longer and stronger as metalworking techniques improve.

-Although initially violent, the Scadutians are keen to trade and interested largely in peaceful expansion. To this end, they begin to slowly drain parts of the swamps and rivers around Sceadwian and to set aside pasture for sheep. They also divert streams into one particularly large river, which slowly becomes the main conduit for boatsmen to use. As wood is difficult to come by, in addition to stone, the Scadutians mostly make pottery and woollen cloth in addition to brewing beer for trade. They exchange it for timber and limestone quarried to the far north of their hillfort, where several tribes have established cordial relations with the newcomers. The river is particularly shallow and slow moving, allowing for the construction of a wooden trackway and bridge later on.

[B]Current player List:[/B]

Dvergfit – Damian0358
Skrall – Pezgod1
Nigasand – Satansick
Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Gor’lan - Native Hunter
Aclary - Mr. Face
Nordaney – Killbane
Scadutannia – Crossu88

[b]If you haven’t already done so, please join our group. There will usually be people chatting in the chat room after each turn is posted, so please pop in for a visit.[/b]

[url]http://steamcommunity.com/groups/FaRPG[/url]

[iAmaNewb]

ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Damian0358]

Can't wait until everyone's collapsed once at least.

[Native Hunter]

[QUOTE=Damian0358;47386118]Can't wait until everyone's collapsed once at least.[/QUOTE]

We're entering the dark ages of the classical era afterall

[Deng]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/bDjWau4.jpg[/img]

[Crossu88]

INFORMATION CAREPACKAGE

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/ymxmyyj.png[/IMG]

[Deng]

READ ME, SEND IN TURNS AS TURN 8.

[img_thumb]http://i.cubeupload.com/20uJAU.png[/img_thumb]

Development: [url]http://i.cubeupload.com/6s8XGD.png[/url]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZtEEYCvJ_w[/media]

[quote]There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.[/quote]

World population: 78 million
Events of the years 0 – 250 Second Age of Man (SA):

-Despite the major interruptions in the last age and in the early part of this age, the collapse of empires and kingdoms does little to prevent the expansion and development of complex societies. Ironworking becomes common throughout most of the civilized world, although it has only just been recently introduced in Jiuan. New religions are making an appearance too, starting with the goblins of Gor’lan, who now practice organized religion and worship only one god. Due to population pressures, they have also started establishing colonies, a practice now increasingly common in the civilized world. The age old copper-using cultures vanish too, either having become wholly bronze using or masters of ironworking. Even cultures that solely use bronze are becoming rare, and may soon adopt iron.

-The elves of Oycumen finish their grand migration east, having reached a land cold and poor for farmers. Despite their reluctance to give up their old ways, they have adopted metallurgy into their lifestyle (although they look down on smiths). Throughout the rest of Oycumen, the continent has reached either a baseline or is now in recovery. Indeed, the Gor’lan were among the first to recover, followed in turn by many human kingdoms. The opposite is underway in Jiuan, where the great Shui kingdoms and the Skrall implode for similar reasons as the societies in Oycumen and Notos did centuries before.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=462795&dateline=1425134218[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/OJQqOM.png[/img]
[b]Dvergfit – Damian0358
Capital: Miklagard
Culture: Dvegr
State Religion: Verolin
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Palace economy[/b]

-With the dawn of a new age, comes the first of many major changes to the Dvegr lifestyle, already underway at the end of the preceding age. With agriculture intensifying and the population steadily increasing, the range of crafts and trades has also expanded. Bronzeworking is introduced to the islands from the northeast, taking roughly two centuries to become commonplace (although it is virtually unused in the most westerly islands). Since the metal must be imported, the traders to the north are now relied on to get it, and usually exchange it in return for spices, luxury wood, and now a new mineral discovered near the volcanoes – gold.

-Although Kannafr is long gone, his visions and sayings remain potent even now. Although the Dvegr have multiplied and become the masters of these islands, they still see fit to build extensive fortifications and towers on the coastlines. The small towns now common on the islands surround themselves with walls of pounded earth and ditches for protection, while groups of Dvegr are rallied in case of a skirmish. Most of the time, these walls are hollowed out and used for henhouses.

-Trade with the mainland begins to rapidly expand near the end of this period, marked by the sudden introduction of metalworking. It quickly became apparent that the volcanoes are excellent sources of gold, although the fumes there have overcome many. Despite the high risks involved, the Dvegr begin to exploit the gold deposits, and to export stocks of timber and spices. Some of the more enterprising and organized chieftains by the mainland have even started aping the methods used by the far off kingdoms of the east. They now live in big halls, organise labour on a large scale, and set up workshops by their “palaces” for artisans to produce goods such as jewellery and to prepare and weigh spices.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=601768&dateline=1420557903[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/xipbEwc.png?1[/img]
[b]Skrall – Pezgod1
Capital: New Krellgr
Culture: Skagosi
State Religion: Deep ones
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Manorialism[/b]

-The great Skrall Empire begins to undergo major changes as a new type of metal is introduced for usage. Iron is inferior to bronze, but much more readily available and cheaper, although none of the mines in Krellgr hold any. The most productive of the new iron mines lay on the north-western borders of the empire. The iron is typically processed there before it is carried by donkeys to the fertile southern lands, where it can be made into a whole variety of tools and weapons.

-Population decline and the monopoly over bronze become less important, to the point where Krellgr and the northern towns spiral downwards into poverty. The old buildings are cannibalized, the mines flood and are abandoned, and mountain trade completely collapses by SA 100. The ultimate decision to relocate to the south is made, after which the ancestral homeland of the Skagosi is left to the elements and wild tribes of the mountains.

-The relocation begins to cause severe political and social problems. Wishing to retain his power, the King founds a brand new city (named New Krellgr) in the middle of the wealthy lands of the south. It required bullying quite a few landlords and relocating many thousands of peasants, and then consumed many more in the construction of the new capital. The collapse of the northern parts leads to the rapid loss of his traditional power base, and the landlords begin to refuse his demands.

-By the end of the second century, trade is in decline as law and order suffers. Agricultural estates become steadily more self-sufficient in order to prevent dependence upon the king, leading to the decline of his army as he becomes steadily poorer. Eventually, an attempt to put down a revolt leads to the landlords all banding together to attack New Krellgr. They kill the king and divide up the country amongst themselves, before breaking down into constant warfare as they disagree over the division of the spoils. The former Skrall kingdom is left in control of a reduced rump state in control of New Krellgr (an underpopulated city with few lands).

-Despite this, civilization does not come to an end. Writing is preserved, alongside food and beer trade. Iron is another valuable commodity, which is imported from the north. Knowledge of the arts is preserved. The rival lords also patronize various philosophers and priests, sometimes with many contrasting views on the nature of reality and how people ought to live. The “summer and Winter” nations of the west keep in regular contact, and eventually towards the end of the period the Skagosi become aware of dwarves from an archipelago who use bronze. They speak a language with a few similarities to the Skagosi.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=243999&dateline=1389299675[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/1Bk1VXv.png[/img]
[b]Nigasand Republic – Satansick
Capital: Citadel
Culture: Immortal
State Religion: Rage
Race: Orc
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-Although a great deal of knowledge was lost in the past, some knowledge has survived. Travelling human specialists have discovered or recovered some forms of the older arts. They show that ashes and fat can be used to clean with, methods of making lye for leatherworking, and dyes made from plant leaves. Additionally, they have saved many traditional medicines, knowledge of which filters down among the orcs.

-For a period of two centuries, the Nigasand wage war on the kingdoms inside Swarerde. They adopt galleys for naval combat and hire humans to act as auxiliary skirmishers in their battles. With numbers now more important, warfare is slowly intensifying once more as many rulers move to arm their soldiers with iron weaponry and introduce ways of organizing ever larger armies. The orcs mastered this first, and profited greatly from it as they seized much of the river delta and the island off the coast. Unfortunately, this island had such vast walls it required the orcs to build a ramp up to it in order to gain entry. Corpses of animals, people, and orcs were used to build it when they ran out of timber.

-At home, the great engine of trade begins to shudder back into life. Humans still frequently travel to live among the orcs, as the orcs highly prize their skills as craftsmen (amongst other services). Jewellers and beer brewers are common in Citadel, and sometimes in the lesser villages too. Interracial prostitution is common likewise, and the shamans often organise areas for this undesirable activity to take place. A lesser number of orcs also copy the humans (somewhat imperfectly) in their trades, and often are apprenticed as everything from potters to jewellery smiths. Gong farming has also picked up, as orcs will pay good money for faeces to be collected up and spread upon the fields.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=578995&dateline=1420214107[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/R6Sn9hQ.png[/img]
[b]Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Capital: Ezatinsr
Culture: Irminian
State Religion: God-Emperor
Race: Human
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-Although the Empire is defunct in all but name and the grand old buildings are abandoned, they disguise real changes in how people live day to day lives. The spread of iron and the process of steeling have led to an explosion in the manufacture of all kinds of tools, from hoes to picks, shovels and spades. In turn, this has led to a population shift away from the great river valleys. The forests are cleared for lumber, the swamps drained, and thick, heavy soils are ploughed up. The population recovers rapidly.

-As metalworking becomes more common, the peoples of the empire begin to naturally demand increasing quantities of it. Iron mines have sprung up, often being small pits tended to by part-time shepherds. Gold has become slightly more common, with most of the nobility finding the ability to hire jewellers. New skilled crafts emerge, and although people rarely trade, the artisans under the feudal lords diversify immensely.

-Although the Emperor has limited powers, he does manage to pass laws within his core territories. Known as the “Order to Expand Favour”, it decrees that in succession, all lands will be divided up among the sons instead of just the eldest. Within a century, it leads to the rapid decline of many of the great noble houses. Some families catch on, and begin to deliberately restrict the number of children they have. Land tends to increasingly become more equitable and is held by greater numbers of people. It has also led to a vast segment of the population being forced to either leave their shrinking farms or adopt the trades. The towns begin to grow once more, while marginal lands are cultivated.

-The Emperor regains some of his former glory as the larger noble houses decline, leaving him as the sole major authority. He rebuilds the granaries and reintroduces a standing army (which at present mostly maintains the peace). Unfortunately, his reforms have created tensions with his so-called “vassals”, who towards the end of this period declare independence entirely in all but name, or claim the title of King. As the new economy spreads and is adopted abroad, new kingdoms sprout up in the north, one of which the Emperor allies with to prevent attack by his vassals.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=440820&dateline=1423541430[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/fX18lTr.png?1[/img]
[b]Gor’lan – Native Hunter
Capital: Gilgamesh
Culture: Sayite
State Religion: Saya
Race: Goblin
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-With the old palaces long since decayed or built over, the Goblins of Gor’lan have gotten used to living as subsistence farmers. However, this period marks the beginnings of recovery. Iron tools become widely used, especially towards the end of the era. Trade quickly recovers, even including bronze (although bronze is now used mostly for decoration). Population also recovers, and soon far in excess of what the land can support. Famine becomes more of a problem, and the impoverishment of many farmers leads to their enslavement. The great families begin to rebuild the cities and fill them with slaves and citizens. The trades recover, and the aristocracy begin to wear elegant clothes, drink fine wine, and wear jewellery once more.

-In this Dark Age, one Goblin brings a beacon of light that takes them out of it. Said to have received messages from the one true God, a young goblin by the name of Abrylim has begun preaching the glory and greatness of Rosaya. Reputed to perform miracles, he gains many followers to this new faith of “Saya”. The religion preaches that those who profess themselves as followers of Rosaya and the Saya faith will be guaranteed a spot in Jartool, a land where followers of Saya go after death. Jartool is described as a land where the rivers flow with milk and food is abundant, and no one knows any hardship.

-Abrylim also introduced a code of religious laws known as the Hrok yo Roasaya (Judgement of God.) The laws prohibit adultery, theft, murder, lying, coveting, and following any god but Rosaya. Breaking these laws leads to eternity in Tartyol, where only suffering is known, unless you admit guilt and make penance for your sins. Towards the end of the period, the Vat yo Tarrow, (Book of Truths) is composed as the unifying holy text. This religion also promotes actively converting others to the faith, something which Abrylim promotes upon being elected to the position of Great Goblin.

-Under his wise rule, Abrylim successfully convinced the majority of the aristocracy to convert to the new faith, while also resettling islands to the southeast. Although they have goblins living there, they do not follow the true faith. Several bloody wars were necessary to subjugate them and those at home too. The new religion has brought a whole raft of political and social tensions, and in combination with the rapid population increase has brought rioting to many of the resurgent towns. Conflicts among the aristocracy are also rising as they fight over land. Others move overseas in search of a home, taking their faith with them.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=432426&dateline=1413895040[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/vz3X5w1.png[/img]
[b]Aclary - Mr. Face
Capital: Cayerus
Culture: Aclerian
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-The great migration of Notos begins, with the Aclerians at the head of it. Having already adopted agriculture and new crafts in addition to a variety of technologies, many tribes have started migrating east and south in search of new lands to cultivate (despite warnings about what lies beyond the mountains). They lose contact with the Aclerian culture, but are successful enough that they begin to expand quite rapidly, displacing untold numbers of hunter-gathering tribes. Along the way, one of these groups uncovers a cave with strange paintings on the walls, showing that the dreaded deinotherium harassed whoever lived in this cave too.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=649717&dateline=1424230559[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/0bzQhbm.png[/img]
[b]Nordaney - Killbane
Capital: Skardavag
Culture: Cytanni
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-The age of bronze slowly comes to an end among the Cytanni. With ironworking technologies spreading so rapidly, it didn’t take long for it to arrive in the Midnight isles, although it does so only late in this period. It took until the 2nd century for the first iron tools and weaponry to appear, and even by 250 the use of iron is sporadic and infrequent. Bronze is still used for weaponry among the warrior elite, who have also adopted something now obsolete far to the south. Chariots are now common among the Cytanni, who ride on them to battle and throw axes from them. In the wetter and hilly areas this is a bit more difficult, but in the plains it allows them to rapidly spread and dominate. They move northwards, overwhelming smaller farmsteads and building hillforts. Unfortunately much of the land is also covered in forest or boggy, or worse yet, inhabited by direwolves.

-New burial practices come into being. Gone are the great old graves full of goods, they now hold replica tools made of pottery (indeed, many older graves have been pilfered for bronze and gold). These graves also tend to be close together, and usually a considerable distance away from the hillforts. The reason is that recently many of these settlements have started to expand and rebuild their defences, with huge stone walls, wooden towers, and warning beacons. They encountered many skeletons in the process (including ones buried with flint tools and models of cats with huge fangs), which had to be removed.

-The Cytanni begin to trade regularly with the Scadutians at this time, as their borders come to meet and economic activity picks off. Along with increasing trade in iron objects, the Cytanni buy woollen cloth, manufactured goods, and imports from the mainland. In return, they trade timber, cattle, quarried stone, and much later, raw iron from the hills. Beer brewing and cattle droving become popular too. Many of the Cytanni would drive cattle throughout the land for grazing in the summer, and then slaughter them in the autumn. The lack of salt makes it difficult to preserve the beef however, which means most of it must be eaten before it rots.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=161518&dateline=1271152744[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/4QLGPi.png[/img]
[b]Scadutannia – Crossu88
Capital: Sceadwian
Culture: Scadutian
State Religion: Scadutian Polytheism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-The Scadutians, with their extensive ties to the continent and promotion of trade, are the first in the Midnight isles to adopt ironworking technologies. Although considerably behind, iron tools were common by the 3nd century, with most settlements boasting blacksmiths and a plethora of tools and weaponry made from the metal by 250. New ploughs have been made using this metal, and with their heavy iron blades they make short work of the wet and heavy soils. The population begins climbing upwards, although the danger of living on an exposed plain means many people stay close together, and often on islands in the rivers or on the tops of hills.

-Like their ancestors, the Scadutians bring the proud tradition of horseback riding with them. Until recently, horses had been too small and weak for the purposes of war (or carrying somebody for long), but now the power of selection has allowed them to grow big. With strong and powerful bodies, they can not only carry a rider for long distances, but use their weight to ride down men. Although restricted to the wealthy fighting elite, these horse riders raid smaller tribes and villages, before running away as quickly as they arrived. It didn’t take long for them to secure the plains. By that point, they had met the other major power in the region – Nordaney.

-Nordaney is filled with people who are willing to trade a great deal, although both nations initially lacked metal. By the end of the period, the situation had changed with the advent of iron. The Cytanni have not yet truly mastered the art of working iron, but they do have deposits of it scattered in the hills suitable for exploitation. Bog iron (which is common in the wetter areas) is another major source of the metal, which is traded for in return for woollen cloth and manufactured goods. The Cytanni also have good stands of timber and stone, both of which are appreciated in the water sodden towns and villages the Scadutians call home.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=178241&dateline=1304611174[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/sbtleJ.png[/img]
[b]Mizukan – Deltasquid
Capital: Sakasu
Culture: Sakasunese
State Religion: Tropical Pantheon
Race: Elf
Economy: Subsistence [/b]

-Far beyond the reach of any civilized peoples, or even those who plant seeds and till the soil, live an isolated group of elves. Having been restricted to their archipelago for tens of thousands of years, they have changed little, until now. They live in small tribes numbering no more than thirty apiece, scattered throughout the islands and sharing a common language, religion, and ancestry. The elves are tattooed, and live in a matriarchal society.

-Recently, some of the tribes they trade with intermittently report a people who have started clearing forests on the mainland and plant grass instead. They bring new technologies and ideas, some of which have started influencing the elves. Around the third century, a lady of war united many of the tribes in her home island through a combination of force and guile. Although they number only a thousand strong, she manages to convince many of them to live in a semi-permanent village where many of the tribes gather for special occasions.

-Here, the elves have always exchanged gifts, established social bonds, and celebrated many religious events. They revere the god of the sea in particular, as travelling by boat is integral to their lifestyle. Indeed, towards the end of the period they adopt a more robust kind of boat that uses the wind to help it move, with a sail made from rushes are twisted into a kind of fibre and woven together. They use this new boat to fish from, which helps generate enough food to sustain the village at Sakasu.

-The residents name themselves the “Mizukan”, who grow to have sometimes a hundred living there at once, although they are also referred to as “Sakasu” after the village. They have also switched to intensive foraging, as by staying in one place they have changed the land without realising it. They discard seeds and frequently clear away weeds and trees that don’t produce fruit, leading to the growth of forest gardens. In a self-reinforcing process, rubbish tips full of rotted fish and faeces leads to the land becoming more fertile, meaning more fruit trees, and allowing the population to grow.

[B]Current player List:[/B]

Dvergfit – Damian0358
Skrall – Pezgod1
Nigasand – Satansick
Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Gor’lan - Native Hunter
Aclary - Mr. Face
Nordaney – Killbane
Scadutannia – Crossu88
Sakasu – Deltasquid

[b]If you haven’t already done so, please join our group. There will usually be people chatting in the chat room after each turn is posted, so please pop in for a visit.[/b]

[url]http://steamcommunity.com/groups/FaRPG[/url]

[Damian0358]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/z0HwnVB.png[/IMG]

The proud home of the Dvegrs, the Rybakov Archipelago!

[Pezgod1]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/R5PFtW1.jpg[/IMG]

[Satansick]

Where's turn?

[Deng]

Sometime tomorrow or the day after. Lab reports and depression have slowed me down but I'm back to work on it.

[Deng]

READ ME, SEND IN TURNS AS TURN 9.

[img_thumb]http://i.cubeupload.com/b6jkTw.png[/img_thumb]

Development: [url]http://i.cubeupload.com/P8Bc3b.png[/url]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuomEfenx_8[/media]

[quote]Strongest is Necessity because it governs all things.[/quote]

World population: 117 million
Events of the years 250 – 500 Second Age of Man (SA):

-At its coolest in thousands of years, the world is certainly a different place, much to the upset of many in the northern parts of the world, whose crops have been ruined by frost. Many upland areas have been abandoned in the past thousand years, most notably the lands once inhabited by the Skagosi, whose former great city is now buried in snow. The ice floes travel considerable distances southward too and there are even reports of white bears visiting the Midnight Isles. The climate has also induced many peoples to start migrating once more, leading to yet more violent conflicts.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=462795&dateline=1425134218[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/OJQqOM.png[/img]
[b]Dvergfit – Damian0358
Capital: Miklagard
Culture: Dvegr
State Religion: Verolin
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Palace economy[/b]

-The palaces of the Dvegrn enter a golden age, literally. The volcanoes are an excellent source of this precious metal, fashioned into beautiful ornaments and jewellery. Shipbuilding begins to rapidly improve, evidenced by the proliferation of ports and expansion in trade. Large wooden ships made from tied planks ply the seas, carrying gold, luxury wood, pottery, rice, salt, copper, bronze, and iron wares. Most trade is with the grand kingdoms of the east, although a smaller trade with the dwarves to the Far East and barbarians to the west is also undertaken. The former of these proved to be of great importance, especially once it became clear how much they had in common.

-The syllabic-ideographic writing of the Skagosi is seen as poor, but their alphabet possessed potential. In the 267th year of the Second Age of Man, a Dvegrn named Himinis in the relatively affluent islands of the northeast took the Skagosi alphabet and adapted it to the Dvegrn language, creating a phonemic, orthographic writing system. He spent the next decade transcribing many of the oral tales and existing texts, including "The Book of Ocil" (a religious book), "The Misadventures of Dauforn", "Veldon and the Demetes", "Dvegrn Folk Songs" and "Great Dvergfit" (a history of Dvergfit). Inscribed on wooden slats and tied together with string, they are kept alongside official records. Unfortunately, only palace clerks and those involved in accounting and figures are the ones able to read, and they mostly use the new writing system for note taking.

-Himinis had a much wider and longer lasting impact, however, when he also developed philology and linguistics after noticing interesting similarities between Dvegrn and Skagosi (notably those basic words such as “mother” were often the same, but terms referring to more recent developments diverged significantly). His work into this field has led to the birth of several philosophical movements, most of them focusing on language. At this time there is an increasing degree of political centralization, and the first “King” of the Dvegr himself preaches the utility of eloquence in speech and the value of oral tales and epics in legitimizing his rule (he claims he is related to the gods). Despite the common ancestry with the Skagosi, contact is still heavily limited by geography. Only a few things such as jewellery and cottonsilk travel in either direction, but they hint at something more. Ironworking was brought from the east as well, although usage of it spreads slowly due to the distances needing covered.

-The Dvegr finally colonize parts of the mainland at this time, naming the land the “Járn Peninsula”. A land plentiful in trees, it comes at a time when wood is sorely needed. Growing shortages of timber hamper daily life, and moving wood from the hinterlands is often costly. Fuel has switched to dried dung or reeds, while houses are built from stone and clay. Land shortages have led to fish, chickens and pigs becoming more important to the diet. Water shortages have also become a problem for rice paddy fields, and many elaborate networks of irrigation channels and dykes have to be built. The fertility of the volcanic land (in addition to the presence of gold) draws many to settle there, in spite of the danger.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=601768&dateline=1420557903[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/xipbEwc.png?1[/img]
[b]Skrall – Pezgod1
Capital: New Krellgr
Culture: Skagosi
State Religion: Deep ones
Race: Dwarf
Economy: Manorialism[/b]

-Although long divided and broken politically, the sleeping giant begins to stir once more. A major demographic recovery takes place at this time, aided by the introduction of new heavy ploughshares with iron blades. Blacksmiths, now common to every village, have refined their techniques and manufacture a whole range of wares. The Skrall state, once impoverished and weakened, still held onto the strategically vital city of New Krellgr (despite being in a swamp, it controlled much of the nearby river) long enough that the recovery of trade justified its existence.

-Taking advantage of this, the Kings of Skrall pushed to the unsettled or abandoned lands to the north, with the old mines in particular being of great importance. The army was reformed at this time with a focus towards a merit based system of rank rather than nepotism. Although unable to win any wars against the hostile kingdoms to the south, Skrall is able to recover and display a great deal of vitality as they expand northwards. Another major benefit was the Kings of Skrall focusing on internal peace and encouragement of immigration. As the period draws to a close, warfare between the states once constituting the empire flares up and intensifies, creating many refugees who bring their skills with them to Skrall.

-As trade recovers, the Skrall become increasingly aware of the Dvger, a group of dwarves who speak a bastardized variant of Skagosi. Limited exchange through merchants and adventurous travellers revealed interesting similarities in creation myths (particularly the legend of Dvergr) and much of their religious beliefs too, suggesting ancient ties in the cloudy past. Actual material goods that travel between them are limited largely to jewellery, fine metalwork, luxury wood, and cottonsilk, all of which tend to be small, lightweight, valuable, or a combination of all three.

-Although recovery has taken place, the Skagosi are still divided into mutually hostile kingdoms, much like the Gan Kingdoms to the northwest (and until recently the only other major civilization). But, demographic recovery and expansion to the north in combination with military reform yielded fruitful benefits as the period draws to a close. The relative peace and influx of refugees allowed for the cultivation of many marginal lands and boom in trade, with cottonsilk now grown for sale in domestic markets or overseas. To help in this trade, Skagosi exchange small copper or bronze axeheads for goods and vice versa, them being a vestigial reminder of the former empire. Some of them are worn as badges by a rather shadowy group who profess complete loyalty to the King. The extent of their activities is of yet unknown, and as the rival kings descend into warfare it becomes even harder to keep track of them.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=243999&dateline=1389299675[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/1Bk1VXv.png[/img]
[b]Nigasand Republic – Satansick
Capital: Citadel
Culture: Immortal
State Religion: Rage
Race: Orc
Economy: Market economy [/b]

-Although nine in ten orcs practice subsistence agriculture (or fighting), they have encountered some problems with geography. Quite simply, some places are better at making things than others. With the population having swollen, the old ways simply won’t do, and armies of human peddlers, dispossessed goblins, and even a few orcs have started wandering the countryside (alongside the teachers) hawking everything from tools to smoked fish. To ease transactions, small iron (or bronze) tools are used as a kind of money. For the first time, the Orcs are introduced to the benefits (and problems) of a strange new system. Timber is imported to meet growing shortages, and small artisanal workshops are sprouting up everywhere.

-The expansion in trade is matched by the growing military reach of the Republic. As the armies grow bigger and more professional, the core of the army consists of older and experienced Orcs (with heavy weaponry and armour), while younger Orcs tend to skirmish around the edges. Shamans and craftworkers (along with prostitutes, camels, and peddlers) have started trailing these new armies too, hawking their services or keeping up morale. Many campaigns are conducted by this massive but lumbering army, which with the aid of fleets of galleys and barges advances southwards along the Flovis river valley, seizing control of rich and fertile lands. The old administration and populations persist for now.

-By the end of the 5th century, Nigasand has subjugated the Lower Flovis River and put many former great lords into a state of servitude. The other petty kingdoms quickly followed and pledged submission to the great Nigasand Republic, now the largest empire in the whole of Notos and controlling territories both rich and vast. The camel begins to rise in prominence at this time, as Orcs prefer riding them over horses (and horses prefer not to be ridden by Orcs). Camel trains begin to thread the ends of the republic together, carrying all sorts of goods overland. Citadel itself swells into a city of 100,000, with academies now teaching the landed aristocrats, and increasingly the growing numbers of those involved in government and business. Schools of philosophy develop here for the first time, most of them being Flovis or Sayite in origin.

-Despite this, the Orcs are still violent and constantly looking for ways to expand and fight, while riots are common in the growing towns (especially during famine). The smaller farmers frequently revolt too, as many of them have been forced into slavery or debt bondage. The growing human presence within the Republic has also led to many Orcs working under human masters in the towns, and in some cases even becoming enslaved by wealthy humans. Citadel and the borderlands between Flovis and Nigasand proper are particularly unstable. In addition to the existing teachers, priests, and philsophers, are missionaries from Gor’lan preaching a religion and system of government that further incites tensions. Factions of farmers, town orcs, humans, landowners, slaves, religious fanatics, and traders mingle in this volatile melting pot.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=578995&dateline=1420214107[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/R6Sn9hQ.png[/img]
[b]Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Capital: Ezatinsr
Culture: Irminian
State Religion: God-Emperor
Race: Human
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-Irminonia continues to develop, aided by one animal in particular. The horse was only really adopted relatively recently, having been introduced by the Au Chau in the mists of time. Their full potential is still being explored, as horse breeders continue to work on breeding bigger and stronger horses. Riding the horse has become much more common too, rather than using chariots (although the latter is still preferred as being more elegant). Some of these horses are strong enough to carry men in heavy armour and weapons, a fact later exploited by some Emperors.

-In 320, the Emperor managed to successfully outmanoeuvre his rivals in a political stunt so cunning that a fox went to god himself and told him he had been replaced. This began with the Emperor sending spies to the Kingdom of Blute, where they at once began to spread rumours among the people and became aware of the size and positions of Blutes armies. The people became dissatisfied and it required the army to be put on alert, a move which put them at unease. Next, the emperor sent an emissary with gold and jewels to the duke under vassalage of the Blute King, promising him lands in return for raising a rebellion against Blute. The duke thought that the Blute King was readying to pre-emptively crush him, so he agreed because he knew Blute could not recover even if they won the war.

-In 321, the Emperor had managed to raise an army of many chariots, infantry, and horsemen. An alliance with a lesser King outside of the Empire allowed him to discreetly move reinforcements over without alerting the other Kingdoms. Mercenary goblins and orcs were also hired to fight, and to bang loud drums to raise morale and frighten the enemy. When the time for war came, the Emperor marched into the Kingdom without any resistance as he captured town after town. Each city was unable to hold out against such vast forces, and the King of Blute struggled to call upon his vassals, who had deserted him. He fled the country and Blute was summarily divided up. The Duke who had pledged allegiance also pledged vassalage, in the hopes of securing more lands.

-By the end of the 5th century, Irminonia is in the midst of a widespread and sustained economic boom. The forests have been cut back and cleared, while the amount of land under cultivation has grown appreciably. Iron usage is common, while artisanal workshops churn out enough goods that they can be exported abroad to either the north (which is a valuable source of raw material and slaves), or to the Sayites, who have become powerful merchants once more. However, the Kingdoms that were once under rule of the Emperor have also been changing, and now many of them have been adopting central government or introducing standing armies.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=440820&dateline=1423541430[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/fX18lTr.png?1[/img]
[b]Gor’lan – Native Hunter
Capital: Gilgamesh
Culture: Sayite
State Religion: Saya
Race: Goblin
Economy: Market economy [/b]

-The Sayites continue to undergo severe turmoil and major stresses as the world changes. Quite clearly the way in which they now live is utterly different to the way their ancestors with the grand palaces did a thousand years ago. However, they have found a way to make a mockery of those palaces with new masonry techniques. Pillars, carved out of rock and cemented together with an aggregate including lime, are used to hold up massive roofs, allowing the Sayites to build impressively tall and open structures. In addition, they have started to fire bricks of clay and use them in building, starting with poorer structures. However, the wider potential of them has not yet been fully explored.

-The Sayites also steadily reform their military structure, introducing a system where “Legions” of 1000 goblins and humans fight together (typically with goblins as commanders and skirmishers). Smaller units designated as “Har’ims” patrol cities and maintain public order, and are directly subservient to the Great Goblin. Another key reform introduced in the 4th century was the Rollatar. Established as a concession to the aristocratic families, they are given seats in the Geronium and are now allowed to reign on a council that is in control of regulations on trade, law, and taxation. When they begin to introduce taxes for the first time, it causes much resentment among the population, who become increasingly violent with time. The Har’im is unable to keep the peace, requiring another solution.

-This comes in the form of the colony and new trade regulations. To reduce overcrowding, many goblins are given assistance to set up colonies and rule themselves as outgrowths of the older settlements. Unfortunately for the great aristocratic families, these new cities tend to be democratic, and full of merchants and people who make their living by industry and trade. Textiles develop into one such major industry, especially as many farming goblins switch from goats to sheep (or flax for linen). Slavery has become increasingly common too as the aristocrats control increasingly larger estates, forcing the impoverished farmers into either fleeing or slavery. The overseas trade routes are such a way for have-nots to escape, although many of them are forced to row the galleys as slaves too.

-The Saya religion continues to gain new adherents, with some now in the Flovis valley and Nigasand proper. Unfortunately, it only tended to further heat up tensions there, as the religion tends to exclude other faiths. Since goblins and humans in the motherland are forced to convert or face exile, and due to the fact that prospects at home are poor, they often choose to emigrate. The new cities quickly become just as rich (if not more so) than their mother cities, and tend to be ruled by democratic assemblies in combination with merchants. Philosophy blossoms in these places, and soon the older aristocratic cities have only succeeded at delaying the riots. Slave revolts are typically common too, aided by the fact some humans are wealthy enough to own goblin slaves, further inciting tensions.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=432426&dateline=1413895040[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/vz3X5w1.png[/img]
[b]Aclary - Mr. Face
Capital: Cayerus
Culture: Aclerian
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-Although largely isolated from the outside world, the Aclerians have started communicating with the disturbing but shrewd little goblins once more, which haven’t been here in many centuries. Unlike last time, they wear finer clothing and bear daggers made of a stone that bends. What’s more, they are very interested in buying livestock and their products in particular. Although the Aclerians primarily raise cattle (and a few donkeys and chickens), cowhide is especially prized. It didn’t take long for the Aclerians to begin selling sacks of it to the goblins, and soon they are introduced to small wheeled carts. Pulled by donkeys or cattle, they are an efficient way of moving heavy goods around, and spread extremely rapidly.

-The Aclerians begin to slowly leave the shrouded timeless era of prehistory as their contact led to them being recorded for the first time by outsiders (Aclerians: Impulsive and violent). The existing writing system begins to be used to send messages from the grand chieftains to these traders in order to arrange for the exchange of certain goods (such as iron). Unlike the chieftains of the past, these ones have been fairly successful in establishing their title as a permanent position that is typically inherited by their firstborn son. One even crowned himself a “King” to make it clear that he was the most powerful. Indeed, with several thousand heads of cattle and tens of thousands of subjects, who can dispute this?

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=649717&dateline=1424230559[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/0bzQhbm.png[/img]
[b]Nordaney - Killbane
Capital: Skardavag
Culture: Cytanni
State Religion: Animism
Race: Human
Economy: Subsistence agrarianism [/b]

-The “wild” Cytanni have changed much from their ancestors who wore animal skins and hunted in the woods with flint spears. They now work with iron, making ever longer and sharper swords in addition to heavier ploughs. These new ploughs tear up the wet and heavy soils that once frustrated many a farmer, allowing them to expand even further north. The new lands are organised in a very different way due to this invention, with fields being larger and less people devoted solely to farming. The population has grown significantly, and many hillforts have become overcrowded. Defensible land is harder to come by, leaving many of the Cytanni vulnerable to direwolves and the savages of the north.

-The introduction of new technologies has impacted how the Cytanni fight, too. They now ride in chariots with metal rims, wear armour of leather studded with metal, and sometimes even ride horses. The direwolves are a constant menace, but careful effort on the part of warriors and hunters has made driving them out much easier. One tactic is to set fire to a forest, before riddling whatever comes out (deer, wolves, and outlaws) full of arrows. The farmers have also cleared even more land, making it harder for the beasts to hide. The pups of direwolves are sometimes encountered, and are adopted by hunters and warriors in order to help them further north as they war with the less-organized tribes of the north. In the south, new villages have started sprouting up due to the relative safety there, as hillforts are often overcrowded or difficult to access. In these new villages, mead halls are a common fixture.

-Back in the homeland, the Kingdom has undergone major changes due to the result of population growth and increasing economic specialization. Saltworking is a common activity now, with many people using their spare time to boil seawater away down to salt, which is used to preserve meat through the bitterly cold winters. Sacks of salt are often carried by hardy horses that withstand cold or boats to trading posts that have sprung up throughout the south. Little more than a timber stockade, they are a place for traders to meet in safety and to exchange goods. A century after the birth of the salt trade, a network of trails criss-crosses the land, often with some enterprising fellows putting stone beds in areas that flood often.

-A group of hunters who got lost and ventured way too far north find a giant slab of ice. As they approach it, they see what seems like a humongous leathery wing and run away in fear, spreading tales of this awe-inspiring find among the populace.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=161518&dateline=1271152744[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/4QLGPi.png[/img]
[b]Scadutannia – Crossu88
Capital: Sceadwian
Culture: Scadutian
State Religion: Scadutian Polytheism
Race: Human
Economy: Manorialism [/b]

-Being close to water has its advantages, especially in this day and age. Trade has been growing for some years, and people now travel by boat quite frequently too, often using the rivers to move goods around. The Scadutians have introduced a new way of making boats, in which they build a frame of wood and then nail overlapping nails onto it to produce a strong, but relatively light vessel that can be used for all sorts of things. With a shallow draft, it can go inland a long way and may be dragged short distances overland, plus its wide bottom allows it to carry a great number of goods or people. Within a century of introduction, they have become common to the east coast of the Midnight Isles and the continent. Despite poor handling at sea, they do superbly in internal waters.

-The reason for the adoption of this boat is largely down to the new economy in place. Along with the Cytanni, the Scadutians have increasingly gotten involved in trade. Salt, once rare here, is now common thanks to the mines and saltworks of Nordaney. Wine has been imported from the continent for the first time, and is greatly appreciated. Stone and wood are still commonly imported, usually by barges. Many of the younger villages have been fortified with substantial ramparts, and soon become much more attractive to live in than the older hillforts towards the end of the period. In these villages, the craftsmen proliferate alongside drinking halls and brothels. New breeds of sheep with fine hair and the rise of dyeworking leads to the nobles adopting finer clothing. Despite this increase in commercial activity and luxury goods, the new settlements are uncommon and rarely exceed a thousand residents. Indeed, most people still stay in or close to the hillforts.

-Other notable changes begin to take shape as the Kingdom expands. The chieftains have started forming rather interesting relationships with one another, copying the political systems of the continent. In them, a chief looks after his people in return for military service or a kind of rent. Very often these chieftains live in the new villages, and usually in much bigger houses than the common people. They raise small warbands of infantry and cavalry, but prefer to ride chariots into battle. In a much later development, a great chief goes on military campaign in the south and crushes the local tribes, before declaring himself a “King”. The land is distributed out to his supporters, who found many new villages far away from the hillforts and encourage migration and new farming methods. By the 6th century, the hillforts begin to be abandoned as the countryside is opened up to settlement.

[img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=178241&dateline=1304611174[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/sbtleJ.png[/img]
[b]Mizukan – Deltasquid
Capital: Sakasu
Culture: Sakasunese
State Religion: Tropical Pantheon
Race: Elf
Economy: Subsistence aquaculture[/b]

-The Sakasunese continue to develop relatively rapidly; to that end they have carved up the land and treat it like a personal possession. From experiments with fishing and staying in one place, the Sakasunese have figured out how to raise fish. They build little rock walls in streams and rivers, before throwing drugs into the water to knock out the fish. They pick them up and put them into ponds and specially dug channels and raise them on insects and scraps, giving a year round reliable source of food. This provides yet another incentive to remain there, especially as they begin to also tend orchards and herb plants. Some elves have started making crude imitations of the clay pots humans make (or bartering for them).

-The practices have started being copied beyond Sakasu, but the town is certainly the major place to be. The population swells to a thousand, and now elves are travelling to the place to drop off food and supplies. More permanent housing has been constructed, with the grandest being the villa of the queen, made from quarried blocks of volcanic rock. The title is held in matrilineal succession and becomes a rather permanent fixture (much to the annoyance of many elves). Not only are there queens, but now it’s often common for her to appoint a “Lady of War” to be in charge of fighting and a high priestess (although sometimes they appoint men).

-Growing rapidly, this nascent chiefdom quickly begins to direct resources on the island towards investing into expansion. The Lady of war usually does this by gathering several dozen followers to raid tribes on other islands and to force them to acknowledge the rule of Sakasu. This extends to the volcanic islands too, which are seen with great reverence. Trade links have also worked in the favour of the polity to extend influence overseas, and now many of the human farmers on the mainland are at least vaguely aware of a great elven queen, who is believed to be a great seductress, rivaled only by the mysterious kitsune, who also populate the archipelago.

[B]Current player List:[/B]

Dvergfit – Damian0358
Skrall – Pezgod1
Nigasand – Satansick
Irminonia – iAmaNewb
Gor’lan - Native Hunter
Aclary - Mr. Face
Nordaney – Killbane
Scadutannia – Crossu88
Sakasu – Deltasquid

[b]If you haven’t already done so, please join our group. There will usually be people chatting in the chat room after each turn is posted, so please pop in for a visit.[/b]

[url]http://steamcommunity.com/groups/FaRPG[/url]

[Barno]

Oh boy dragons

[Deng]

[QUOTE=Killbane;47458606]Oh boy dragons[/QUOTE]

Don't talk nonsense, nobody has seen one in a thousand years.

[Native Hunter]

Woo, finally entered into that Sexy Market Economy

[Barno]

[QUOTE=Deng;47458705]Don't talk nonsense, nobody has seen one in a thousand years.[/QUOTE]

Oh silly me i completely forgot

Can i tame the polar bears?

[deltasquid]

So how long do elves live in this setting anyway?

[Deng]

[QUOTE=deltasquid;47461483]So how long do elves live in this setting anyway?[/QUOTE]

Haven't actually decided, but they are definitely mortal and there's none left alive to remember the ice age.

[deltasquid]

[QUOTE=Deng;47461492]Haven't actually decided, but they are definitely mortal and there's none left alive to remember the ice age.[/QUOTE]

Mostly trying to figure out how long my kingdom booms under good rulers or suffers under bad ones. Also, low mortality rate probably also means low fertility rate and that might influence how I do things.

[Deng]

[QUOTE=deltasquid;47461506]Mostly trying to figure out how long my kingdom booms under good rulers or suffers under bad ones. Also, low mortality rate probably also means low fertility rate and that might influence how I do things.[/QUOTE]

Out of the races they are the longest lived, I'll chat with Yogi a bit about specifics, but like other races, half of them are dead before they are adolescents.

Also I might organise a supremacy 1914 game later if anybody is interested.

[iAmaNewb]

What happens in the upcoming turns in a nutshell
[t]http://i.imgur.com/mSXNneA.png[/t]

[Native Hunter]

[QUOTE=Killbane;47458606]Oh boy dragons[/QUOTE]

Its a walrus

[img]http://media.charlesleifer.com/blog/photos/walrus-lurker.jpg[/img]