Turn #24, Early Spring of Year 3
Starting the new year with a bang!
This month, no travellers bring word from afar of events in distant lands.
Rimdriva's Acashic Record ritual upon the Feral Woods reveals an astounding 3 magical sites: Earth Blood Seepage (2E gems), another Bronze Pillar (1F gem), and a Maze (2S gems). A steady supply of earth gems is most welcome, and an increase in astral income of 25% is very helpful. Now all I lack is a source for air gems, and more death gems. My very weak death gem income has been seriously slowing down some of the things I would like to be doing with my plethora of death mages (13 seithkona and 3 norna).
Upon arriving in Hoburgdorf, Jorgun and Sigrdriva are met by provincial defenders of a hatamoto and 8 samurai swordsmen. The wyrm chews up the swordsmen with no trouble at all. Shortly after this battle, another occurs when the Ashikagan prophet (a taisho daimyo), a jonin, a hatamoto, 8 genin, and 1 crossbowman attack Bove and my main army in Ultima Typhia as I thought they might do. (Until my army moved into it this turn, the province was weakly defended compared to other targets that Ashikaga might have attacked this month. I was leaving it as bait to lure them into another bloody loss that they cannot afford.) This time, none of the Ashikagans escape. All the leaders, their prophet included, are killed in battle, and the sole crossbowman is killed when attempting to flee through territory under my control (the battle at Hoburgdorf earlier this month having cut off their only avenue of retreat). A very satisfying conclusion to my strategic maneuvering, despite losing 3 of the Jotuns to the poisoned daggers of the genin. In the pair of battles, Jorgun acquires 6 kills and 7 trophies, and Bove acquires 5 trophies (no kills).
Bdvar reports two-score light infantry and fanatics in The Dawn Land. He also discovers that the eastern extent of Marignon's expansion ends in Runia (#23), and the lack of an Atlantian presence in Oceania (#7) implies that Atlantis is preoccupied with their war with Man. Rod the Scout reports that two-score lizard warriors infest, er, inhabit the Second Forest. Ashikaga has about 30 yamabushi monks, samurai horsemen, and ashigaru spearmen, commanded by their nataraja pretender. Robber Home to the west has roughly 50 ashigaru spearmen, yamabushi monks, and aoi standard warriors, commanded by the hero Li T'ieh-Kuai.
The Enchantress Petrona (3A1N) has joined my researchers at the Well of All Waters. Petrona's good skill in the path of air will enable her to forge air skill-boosting items -- once a source of air gems can be found.
My realm has:
- __6 Dominion max.
- __7 Temples
- _22 Provinces converted
- 550 Treasury.
- 891 Income. (+69)
- 299 Upkeep. (+16)
- 141 Resources in Jotunheim. (unchanged)
- 189 Resources in Pythium. (+4)
- _14 Provinces controlled
- Jotunheim: Dom=6, PD=25, Unr=0
- Zenthra: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
- Eribon: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
- Gwyrth: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
- Iron Range: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
- Saetica: Dom=1, PD=10, Unr=1
- Black Alps: Dom=5, PD=3, Unr=0
- Ancyrna: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
- Bel: Dom=2, PD=3, Unr=0
- Pythium: Dom=4, PD=10, Unr=0
- Hoburgdorf: Dom=-4, PD=0, Unr=14
- Feral Woods: Dom=1, PD=2, Unr=0
- Ultima Typhia: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
- Well of All Waters: Dom=5, PD=10, Unr=0
Gem income is:
- +_2 Fire (21)
- +_0 Air (--)
- +_6 Water (08)
- +_2 Earth (05)
- +10 Astral (09) (includes 5 Clams)
- +_1 Death (11)
- +_6 Nature (36)
Magical knowledge (stars denote schools being researched):
- 6-Conjuration*
- 3-Alteration
- 0-Evocation
- 4-Construction*
- 3-Enchantment
- 0-Thaumaturgy
- 0-Blood Magic
- 144 RPs (of 170 available at labs)
I recruit and 5 Jotun spearman in Pythium and another Enchantress in the Well of All Waters. I raise 10 provincial defenders in Hoburgdorf, and increase the PD of Saetica by 10 (to 20) to dissuade Ashikaga from another counterattack there. I also raise the PD of Bel by 2 (to 5). These preparations drain the treasury of 549 coins.
With most of the unrest in Saetica quelled, I raise taxes there back to normal, while lowering the tax rate of Hoburgdorf to 60% to silence opposition to my conquest.
I have the Seithkona Hnoss forge a Horror Helm for Rod the Firbolg in Pythium, and I allot 5 death gems for the task. The Enchantress Pladina forges a Charcoal Shield, also for Rod, and 5 fire plus 5 earth gems are alloted to this task.
The Norna Skade continues her monthly ritual of Awakening Vine Ogres, at a cost of 1 nature gem per month.
Bdvar moves east into the independent coastal farmlands of Ephesibor (#40), while Oedre continues to keep an eye on Atlantis and Man. Rod the Scout moves east into the farmlands of Garillion (#145). Bove will take my main army (of 38 Jotuns) to Hoburgdorf to protect my avatar, while Tahmar will escort 5 newly-recruited Jotun spearmen from Pythium to meet them there. Albrecht and Geiserik also move to Hoburgdorf. Rod the Firbolg heads back to Pythium to pick up magic items and more troops. Erkeborn and Grymis the Prophet preach at the temple in Saetica. Jorgun and Sigrdriva, having nothing better they can do this month, patrol in Hoburgdorf as they await the arrival of more Jotuns.
[ February 20, 2004, 17:49: Message edited by: Arryn ]