Clash Of Armies [Started]

[The Panther]

RonD said:
I just noticed that the Black Book of Secrets has been forged. I thought blood was outlawed? Anyone want to fess up to having it?

Rule 1. Blood hunting is prohibited. The map settings give an unfair advantage to blood hunting nations being the reason for this rule. Since Mictlan needs to blood sacrifice for spreading dominions they are an exception to this rule. Mictlan is allowed to blood hunt but are prohibited from blood research and the forging of items that require blood slaves (with the exception of the jade knife).


Read the rules: There is nothing about blood construction, blood research, or blood summons for any nation other than Mictlan. The only prohibition is the actual blood hunting itself. I had to go back myself and read the rules closely to make sure nobody is cheating.

The idea was to prevent blood from being overpowered. For sure, whatever meager natural blood income is occuring on this map is certainly not enough to cause blood to matter much one way or the other. There are at least two blood income sites that I am aware of being on this map.

This is why I was so upset back when I realized that Mictlan was allowed to blood hunt under the revised rules. So, when he showed up with spine devils against me and was also allowed to blood hunt, it just did not seem right. Luckily, that has long since ceased to be an issue.

The black book of secrets in nice in that it gives death+1 in addition to the blood+1. That is a +2 research bonus to any nation than can get mages with both blood and death.

[WraithLord]

Guys, it's fortunate that you have brought up this subject.

I want to come forward and tell you that unfortunately I have violated the blood hunting rule. I will explain,

About five turns ago, I had made a grave mistake and actually started blood hunting. The reason is that I have forgotten about the house rule, simple as that
Now I have forged like six SDRs and blood hunted in two provinces for four turns. I have a total of 52 blood slaves that came from hunting. I haven't forged any other blood item and I haven't cast any blood spell.

For sure, I will do the following to amend for that violation: First, I will stop blood hunting; Second, I will throw away the SDRs and Third, I will get rid of the blood slaves (I was thinking of maybe giving them to the AI).

This of course doesn't negate the fact that I have violated the house rule. I want to stress that it was a mistake and not intentional. I want you guys to opinion on how I should proceed. I'm taking responsibility for this and if necessary I'm willing to step down (AI/sub) or compensate the other players or whatever.

IMO, if it was another player in my stead, I would have settled for a compensation in gold to all the human nations (like 200g for each).

I'm waiting for your response on this and I'm truly sorry for this mistake.

[RonD]

About the book - it looks like you're right about the way the house rules were written. In my mind I had just been thinking "no blood" and so had just been ignoring the small blood income I do have.

As for WraithLord - I'd say the the wasted mage time is sufficient punishment.

[The Panther]

Ron - I had thought Wraith Lord had the blood income site from the giants, but I guess you do instead. Or maybe there are more than 2 blood income sites on the map.


Wraith - Your punishment plan to yourself looks fine with me:

1. Destroy the SDRs.

2. Send your blood slaves to Vanheim since he will be dominion killed quite soon.

3. Send 200 gold to each player if you want. The gold is not a very big deal on this high income map, but this could serve as a reminder to not do it again.


On the subject of blood summons - a few weeks ago, I had a thought that I ought to summon a vampire lord with my slaves. So I built a sorcery ring, built the Black Book of Secrets, and started some blood research for the first time in the game.

But then I eventually realized that getting a vampire or 2 per turn for 20+ turns would not really scare anybody! On the other hand, getting 25 vampires a turn (which I could easily have by now with blood hunting allowed), now THAT ought to be a threat against any would-be invaders into my dominion!

It does seem to me that the blood hunting prohibition has been a good thing to do. If not for that, I am guessing that my blood income would be at least 300 slaves per turn. And probably more! Blood summons would be crashing all over the map by now without the prohibition.

It would have been a far different game indeed.

[WraithLord]

Agreed. Both to my punishment plan ( I will also write 300 hundred time "no blood hunting" and stand in the corner ) and to your observations.