Jotunheim:Utgard AAR

[Arryn]

Originally posted by BouquetOfFlowers:
{snip} Thanks for all your hard work!

And thank you for your praise!

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Bayushi Tasogare:
I think my main confusion stems from the fact that I don't see you summoning anything that would require Conjuration 6.

It was an error in judgement, plain and simple. It presumed I would grow my gem income faster than I have. Even my current gem income, while passable for item-making (if slowly) is woefully inadequate for the summons I'd like to be doing using Conj-6/7.

Anyway, love your AAR, keep it coming, and when I get the full game, I plan to do AARs using yours as a model.

I'm delighted you feel this way. Thanks!

[Arryn]

Turn #34, Winter of Year 3
A fat and happy wyrm.

Part 2 of 2

I recruit a Seithkona in Jotunheim, Pythium, and Ashikaga. A "red" Wizard is recruited in the Black Alps, while a Garnet Priestess is recruited at the Well. I recruit another 4 Jotun spearmen in Jotunheim, 6 Jotun spearmen in Pythium, and 2 Jotun spearmen plus a Jotun huskarl in Ashikaga. I also recruit a Priest in Barra and the Rim Mountains, and another Scout in Eribon. These preparations drain the treasury of 1025 coins.

The Norna Rimdriva prepares to invoke the ritual of Acashic Record upon the province of Ultima Typhia, for which I allot 25 of the astral pearls in the treasury. The Skratti Tunne forges another Clam of Pearls, at a cost of 10 water gems.

Tahmar moves to Hoburgdorf with a half-dozen newly-recruited Jotuns from Pythium, and Stark moves to Hoburgdorf from Ashikaga to rendezvous with him. A priest in Ancyrna moves to Bel, with intentions to erect a temple there in the near future. A priest from Zenthra moves to the Iron Range, also with like intention.

Rod the Firbolg, leading my army's vanguard of 21 healthy Jotun spearmen and a bodyguard of 5 vine ogres, along with 4 priests carrying Sceptres of Authority and with one vine ogre apiece as bodyguards, continue westwards from The Promised Land to Barra, the second step on their march to the seige at Man. Three more priests from The Promised Land join the army heading to Barra, as do two from Robber Home. (Next month there will be a temporary assemblage of 9 priests in Barra!)

Bove, commanding the rest of my Jotun army, along with Grymis and two priests sets out from Ashikaga to The Promised Land, following in the path of Rod's vanguard.

My wyrm Jorgun, alone, maintains the seige of the capital of Man.

Turn #34 plotted movement (1280x1024)

[Arryn]

The start of Turn #35 ...

overview (1280x1024)

Please note the location of provinces controlled by Abysia, Arcoscephale, Atlantis, Caelum, Machaka, Man, Marignon, Mictlan, Pangaea, R'leyh, Ulm, and Vanheim. With the discovery of provinces controlled by Abysia and Caelum, all nations are now accounted for.

(Nation names in boldface are newly-visible this month.)

[Norfleet]

I find that large army to the north of you, in the mountains, belonging to the whatever side has that green flag thing, to be rather alarming. The posture looks rather hostile, or at least rather unfriendly, as there doesn't seem to be an immediately obvious reason why such a large army would mass there, other than possibly attacking you soon, and strategically, they stand to gain a very advantageous position over you if they leave the mountains and invade your province of Herghendorf. It's rather alarming. Which team is that?

[Arryn]

That's Ulm, and it's the second time they have done that. I may well be wrong, but I don't think they plan to attack Herghendorf. I think they plan to use that 170-strong force to attack the 40 barbarians in Arnbeg. Or so I hope. The indies would be easier for them to take, and that wouldn't start a war that Ulm may not be able to afford. Ulm is very likely at war with R'lyeh, and may also be at war with Van, Mictlan, or Arco.

While the large force that Ulm has is certainly worrisome, and could cause untold damage to me, I am actually more wary of Atlantis. They just captured the sole remaining Man province of Nifel with ~50 spearmen/shamblers, and they, too, may go after Man's capital. Which would embroil me in a third war (I'm at war with Man & Vanheim), and with an enemy I do not wish to fight. They are much weaker than Van's empire, but also much harder for me to counter at this time, being a sea nation.

[ March 02, 2004, 10:44: Message edited by: Arryn ]

[Arryn]

Turn #35, Late Winter of Year 3
A breath of fresh air.

Part 1 of 2

This month, no travellers bring word from afar of events in distant lands.

The Gift of Health cures my wyrm and four of my afflicted Jotuns this month. (Three Jotuns, plus Bove, remain wounded.)

Rimdriva's Acashic Record ritual upon Ultima Typhia reveals a magical site: a Canyon of Wild Winds (2 air gems). At Last I have a source, modest as it is, of air gems. I am, however, quite surprised to find an air site in plains, especially a canyon!

It does not surprise me that I have apparently made an enemy of Vanheim, the most powerful nation in the world thus far. After the previous two months in which their forces were repulsed, bloodily, by my avatar at Man, they signal their displeasure by summoning a score of Black Hawks to raid Robber Home. The score of Jotun militia assigned to the provincial defense make short work of the oversized birds, killing nine before the rest fly off, only to be hunted down and spitted in my neighboring provinces. There is much roasted fowl to be had after the battle.

A commander, a monk, one knight, a cu sidhe, seven fanatics, two archers, and twelve slingers sally forth from the fortress of Man to engage my wyrm and try to break the seige. All of the troops are starving and most have one to as many as four afflictions. The knight becomes a tasty appetizer. Hungry for more, the slingers become the next course of Jorgun's meal. Alas, the wyrm is only able to gulp down just three more slingers (and render unconscious 5 more) before the enemy goes into a general rout and retreats back into the relative safety of their unsupplied fortress. Jorgun is able to chase down one Last, diseased and crippled slinger before the battle ends. My avatar accrued 10 kills and 11 trophies this month.

An independent force attacks Pangaea in Grypha. 2 knights (leaders), 7 knights, and 13 fanatics engage 1 centaur commander, 3 harpies, 6 satyrs, and 9 light infantry. The knights make very quick work of the harpies after which they charge the rest of the Pan forces. Next to be impaled by the knights are all the satyrs. The knights move on to engage the light infantry and finish them off just as the fanatics finally reach them. The centaur commander, left without troops, barely manages to escape ahead of the pursuing knights, and Pangaea loses control of the province.

The "red" wizard that was recruited at the Academy of High Magics in the Black Alps possesses skill in water (2W) and blood magics (1B).

My researchers achieve mastery of the sixth level of Evocation, and expect to achieve mastery of the sixth level of Enchantment by the end of the month.

My realm has:

• ___8 Dominion max.
• __19 Temples
• __38 Provinces converted
• 1024 Treasury.
• 1564 Income. (+14)
• _534 Upkeep. (+62)

• 23 Provinces controlled
• Jotunheim: Dom=8, PD=25, Unr=0
• Zenthra: Dom=6, PD=17, Unr=0
• Eribon: Dom=5, PD=10, Unr=0
• Gwyrth: Dom=7, PD=17, Unr=0
• Iron Range: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Saetica: Dom=4, PD=10, Unr=0
• Black Alps: Dom=8, PD=10, Unr=0
• Rim Mountains: Dom=1, PD=20, Unr=0
• Ancyrna: Dom=4, PD=17, Unr=0
• The Promised Land: Dom=3, PD=20, Unr=0
• Bel: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
• Ashikaga: Dom=2, PD=0, Unr=0
• Pythium: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Barra: Dom=1, PD=20, Unr=1
• Robber Home: Dom=3, PD=20, Unr=0
• Hoburgdorf: Dom=6, PD=20, Unr=0
• Man: Dom=0, PD=0, Unr=13 (under siege)
• Feral Woods: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Ultima Typhia: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Well of All Waters: Dom=7, PD=10, Unr=0
• Kepess: Dom=3, PD=15, Unr=0
• Melma: Dom=4, PD=20, Unr=0
• Herghendorf: Dom=3, PD=20, Unr=0

Gem income is:

• +_4 Fire (16)
• +_2 Air (02)
• +10 Water (18)
• +_4 Earth (18)
• +19 Astral (20) (includes 12 Clams)
• +_3 Death (10)
• +_9 Nature (23)

Magical knowledge (stars denote schools being researched):

• 7-Conjuration
• 3-Alteration
• 6-Evocation*
• 6-Construction
• 5-Enchantment*
• 5-Thaumaturgy
• 0-Blood Magic
• 234 RPs (of 279 available at labs)

To be continued in Part 2 ...

[ March 02, 2004, 12:54: Message edited by: Arryn ]