[PBEM game] Entwined Destiny (Over)

[Alneyan]

Why, go and beat them with your national troops! Early wars are a tried and true strategy: every single time I used it, I got trashed, so it must be good. I am merely unable of pulling it out without being blown out from the skies.

Slightly more seriously, the status mail is sent 24 hours before the deadline no matter what happens, and is mostly here to let the players who have uploaded that their turn is in and the others that they have 24 hours before hosting. It is also nice to check that all player files work, and that no player sent a .trn file instead of a .2h, among other things.

But since I am fairly lazy, those status mails are direct and to the point, so no attention should be given to the form of those mails. I simply give the appropriate information, throw in a subject and a verb to get something looking like a proper sentence, and voilà! the status mail is ready.

[Yvelina]

Guys, I extend an appology from Petar and I. We have been total flakes so far, especially as diplomacy goes. Those who have played us before know that even when we are arrogant, we try to do it without skimping on the effort.

Right now, we are just starved for time. We will get on it once I am back in Strasbourg. For now, I just want to say - we are both backing off towards our capitals, and we will not expand in the directions where our pretenders were going when they fought other players troops. All messages will be answered, just later, ok?

[YellowCactus]

Some Folks have asked for information about this game as it progresses. Obviously some aspects of each empire need to remain unobserved. However I think it'd be cool to say a little about your team and how things are going.

Ulm/Mictlan- The Blood Empire
This fledgling nation borders six factions. Ulm'lan diplomacy has been more effective in some provinces than others. Total war with Caelum and Acroscephale was narrowly avoided by both parties as expanding armies rattled sabres across a ice covered mountain range.
The Nation of Pan-bysia lays upon another border, these industrious folk have a strong dominion and seem to betotally peaceful lovers of Nature and hellish flames. A rather odd lot, but who are we to complain. All remains quiet there.
The distant Empire of Jotun-Van remains almost a mystery, though the most daring of Ulmish traders have found they're way to the frozen lands of this distant Empire.
The Blood empire is virtually ignorant of the C'ti-Gnonian peoples. A brazen scout from marignon was captured within the ulmish capitol. Unfortunately the spy died while under interigation of overzealous templars. We would wish these peoples peace and continued distance.
Relations with Erm-ithia have not as of yet developed. Though speaking with the dead is rarely fruitful, we hold no particular disdain for the strangest marriage of factions known through the ages.
Overall, the Blood Empire is strong and taking root within many provinces. While no other faction has shown itself as 'Enemy', we continue with caution. Several other empires are within striking range, as our ripe pastures are equally open to evil raiders of false gods.
-Yc

[Alneyan]

My little band of Seers are delighted by your summary YellowCacti.

I was thinking of pasting the rumours in this thread as well. They are fairly cryptic and ominous, so I guess they would be the words of some prophet. Incidentally, if you would like to send a rumour, feel free to do so (or the gist of a rumour).


The highlights after turn 6:
- The realm of Vanheim is the biggest in the known world, and their wealth is second only to the Iron Kingdom of Ulm.
- Pythium and Pangaea have been blessed with an abundance of magic jewels.
- Caelum remains the most enlightened realm in the world, and their knowledge of arcana is unparalleled.
- The land of Ermor is a place of great importance for the spirituality; nowhere else is the power of a Pretender greater than in their realm.
- The armies of Mictlan and Ermor are the most numerous at present.


The highlights for turn 7:
- The Sibling realm of Pythium and the Blazing realm of Abysia are the smallest in the known world; these nations seem content with their ancient possessions.
- Ermor is the poorest land in the realm, where even copper is worth a small king's ransom.
- The Iron realm of Ulm, the Antediluvian realm of Arcoscephale, the Fiery realm of Marignon and the Northern Marches of Jotunheim are the lands where fewest magic jewels can be found.
- The Fiery realm of Marignon is the place where knowledge is the least pursued, perhaps as a side result of the work of the Inquisition.
- The deities of Mictlan have the least power among their subjects, surely because they require much more of their believers than those soft Goddesses and Gods do.
- The army of Caelum is the smallest in the world; the Caelites are said to have lost any taste for weapons they might have had, and perhaps all measure of courage they ever had.


Turn 8:
Everything seems so quiet now that fall is coming to an end. With the ever shortening days and the white mantle of winter spreading over the land, warfare should come to an end... or so was hoped.

Rumours of an unlikely union between the two realms of the Northern Marches, Jotunheim and Vanheim, were becoming more common. Together, the Northern realms hold more land than any other, and winter will certainly not prevent them from expanding their holdings further. It appears that blood will dot the snow after all.


Turn 9:
During those long nights in the heart of winter, the common folk gather by the fireplace, exchanging stories to raise their spirit. Where the harvest was bountiful, a few prayers in glory to the One can be heard, thanking the Pretender for this new found abundance. Where food is scarce, the One is called upon in the hopes of better days to come.

Boasts about the greatness of one's nation are frequent, regardless of the actual welfare of the realm; but not all the braggarts have equal reason to be so content. Bold would be the one claiming to know the future, for there was no telling which realm would be first to fall; when faced by the cold iron and the fury of magic, pride means so little.


Turn 10:
The longest day was over, and the grip of winter was weakening day after day. Many times the sun would rise and fall before the green hues of spring would arrive, as all were reminded by the biting cold in the mornings. Soothsayers spoke of this year as the Bittersweet winter, an herald of the times to come, and of the increasing strength of the Icy Gods.

The weather was not the only reason for some of the shivers that were felt this year however. Dire tidings from the Sibling realm of Pythium were brought by travellers; their words were not for the wonders of Pythium, often called the jewel of civilisation and humankind, but for the battles that were fought near the city. Some had it Pythium itself had already been sacked, others claimed the invaders had been crushed; each time the story was told, the fate of Pythium changed.

On one thing did the rumours agree: that Pythium could be endangered thus, or fall so swiftly, was no good omen for the future.

[Steerpike]

Bravo Alneyan a beautiful post indeed, it created images and made me long for more.

Should be more of this and less of the numbers say I.

[PashaDawg]

The rumors of Great Pythium's immanent demise are pure SMUT spewed by our jealous rivals.

[Alneyan]

The Association of Travelling Rumourmongers may not be sued on any ground whatsoever; the information is provided free of charge without any guarantee regading its validity, as evidenced by the fine print coming with all our rumours.

We nonetheless provide top-notch intelligence to all interested clients, but that would cost a small extra, and a tiny bribe to solve "matters of conscience of an honest host".

[Alneyan]

As word from Pythium grew scarce, they faded away from the prime concerns of the people: never the prideful Pythium had fallen to an enemy, strong in the confort of her walls. And whatever their fate was, precious little could be done. Rather, the closer neighbours were becoming a concern. While in the past borders were held by mild hirelings, lords and even royalty were now strengthening their hold on their provinces. Sometimes the quill determined where the border between two realms was to be; other times the sword solved such disputes. Peace still reigned, but already skirmishes occurred, and talk of war could be heard among the bolder soldiers.

Winter was coming to an end, more sharply than in known memory: it was as hot as in springtime, flowers were blossoming, and the land was almost wakening. A fiery cult was gaining in influence, or so was said; others spoke of the ever-burning pyres of Abysia, where more of their folk worked than was usual, and the ones with the "inner flame" were often sighted far from their birthplace. But late blizzards brought the painful reminder that winter was not over yet; Abyssians were not the only ones having such power as to alter the weather of the land.

[YellowCactus]

Did the turn run? huhuhu?
-yc

[Alneyan]

It is scheduled to run in exactly 23 minutes and counting (2000 GMT, so 2100 my time). Problem is, I am still missing turns for two teams, so it will likely be delayed.