Chronicles MA

[DonCorazon]

Given all the turnover, and the fact the previous admin vanished leaving the first post un-editable, here is a new thread for Chronicles MA, with the surviving players as of turn 41.

Abysia - Tifone
Atlantis - Jarkko
Shinuyama - Wrana
Caelum - sansanjuan
Ermor - calmon
Man - quantum_mechani
R'lyeh - DonCorazon
Nehekhara - Executor

Link to the old thread is here (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=41398)

[Darkwind]

Just want to pop in now to say best of luck to Chronicles MA! You've gone a lot farther than EA, I'll say that much. Following the stories is rather fun, I hope this doesn't end early. :D

[calmon]

I extended the hosting by 24 hours by request of ermor (me :) )

[DonCorazon]

One reason why the story part of Chronicles might have died is we have no audience and editing the wiki is a pain. If a another Chronicles game is ever started, I'd recommend posting entries here. I am going to throw my entries for R'lyeh here and maybe it will get me motivated to write some more

[DonCorazon]

Prologue

Eribon Coastal town, human settlement, 2029 Year of the Griffon

When we found Haldor, he was drenched in so much blood we thought him dead until the whites of his eyes blinked open, causing Erman to cut himself. Haldor cackled and ripped off pieces of his flesh until finally we bound the stocky fisherman in manacles.

Just that morning the burly lad had set out on his scully, blowing a kiss to Esmeralda with his gentle grin. Now she lay torn to pieces and Haldor a gibbering lunatic. No one in Eribon had ever seen such evil in those days.

Something must have happened to him out in the water, the smallfolk said, something that twisted his mind inside out. Would that he had but drowned and thus saved his family and spared us all the horror that was to come.

In the end though, we came to understand:

Beyond the sheltering blue sky is a horrible infinite darkness, waiting to spill forth. Beneath the gentle green waves is an endless hungering void, waiting to devour. Behind a fisherman’s smiling eyes is a fragile coil of sanity, waiting to be snapped. Beyond the gates of the Dark Citadel, is an unwitting world waiting to be conquered.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 1 - R'lyeh

Eribon, a human settlement

Not more than a month had passed after Haldor’s hanging when we found the merling washed up on our shores, wrapped in coils of sea weed. The once glittering silver scales had turned into a grey morass beneath bits of coral armor, but the warrior’s noble bearing was apparent. We could find no wounds or signs of battle on his body other than a gruesome severed hand, brackish grey with long dark nails, impaled into his intricate coral shield. When Erman rolled the body over, the face was amazing – so human-like and expressive. The merling looked like the cobbler’s son, but it was his eyes that caught our attention.

The eyes bore an expression of utter horror and madness, as if the merling had witnessed something terrifying beyond comprehension. We stood there on the shore, silent as a swathe of clouds passed over the grey sun, sending a cold chill to the four of us. Nobody said anything but all of us shared a thought – the merling’s gaze of horror was exactly like the one Haldor had while dancing in the blood of his family.

We knew then that there was something out in the sea, and I think then, in my heart, I knew the end was coming and nothing would ever be the same.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 2 = R'lyeh

Eribon, a human settlement

Erman lay in the bed above the smithy, where he kept the severed hand found on the merling’s shield, threshing as visions of a dark iron citadel beneath the waves permeated his dreams. The keep beneath the sea was filled with twisting, curved towers, organic and alien, a cold bluish light emanating from within. A thunderous rumbling from the gates as eons of silt shook loose and out of the gaping maw issued forth an army of something that looked like enslaved merlings, not unlike the one Erman had seen washed up on the shores some days past.

It wasn’t those beasts but something coming up from behind them that gave rise to a growing sense of terror. He heard in his dreams a set of footsteps slow, but loud, sending pulsing waves through the murky water. Each step brought a sharp stab of pain to Erman’s head and his heart pounded faster, a cold sweat breaking out through all of his pores. Each step the sense of terror increased, until Erman was wheezing for breath, his face blue, his eyes fluttering, his hands clenched around the sheets, the pain in his head tremendous.

We found Erman that morning, no sign of what killed him, just a trickle of blood around his ears and an expression of terror on his face, his sheets torn to shreds. I told Ulwuth then that we would be wise to leave Eribon and head for the safety of Ulm. I wish he would have listened to me.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 3 - R'lyeh

A secret note from Olug,enslaved hydromancer

Viadra, I hope this message finds you well, I must be brief, the Illithid masters are probing the minds of all the magi cadres constantly these days looking for signs of betrayal. I am not sure when they will realize I am insulated from their intrusions while in the Chamber of the Meteorite. I should have more chances to update you in the coming months as the masters are sending me out to uncover the ancient sources of aquatic vis to the west.

You should know the armies of R’lyeh are on the march. In Good Water Tr’goth the Illithid Battle Lord, in the company of the preacher known as the Hooded One, overcame the ancient water magi known as Yig Goloth and his band of sea trolls. You must tell father that the forces of R’lyeh are unstoppable – the Lord of Insanity himself has left the citadel heading east – no army can stop him for he freezes his foes in a deathgrip of fear. I do not know where you can hide from them – but the waters are no longer safe.

Your loving brother, Olug

PS Any news from Atlantis – we have heard nothing from them…

[DonCorazon]

Turn 4 - R'lyeh

Aesop, excerpt from Musings on the Dark Beyond, 1129

“None can say for sure the origins of the malevolent race known as the Illithid. The reknowned physician-scholar Demetrius of Arcos speculated that, based on the physiology of the few cadavers he was able to examine (no Illithid has ever been captured alive) these are extra-planar beings, likely from an aquatic, frigid environment. His studies proved the Illithid are not demons as they failed to exhibit adverse reactions to certain types of blessed waters. From my own studies based on interviews with survivors from the Typhalia massacre, I believe the Illithid have some ability to paralyze their victims with terror, perhaps some form of hallucinatory mind control, as the few survivors from that horrible slaughter had almost identical ravings about a horrifying being from the so-called “Dark Beyond” something called Azag…

[DonCorazon]

Turn 5 - R'lyeh

A note from Golub, enslaved Atlantean Mage, spy for Atlantis

“Deliver to the Atlantean Eastern Command

I overheard the Illithid General Tr’goth speak of using the same tactics employed on another world, something about moving their armies around the Maginot line. I am not sure what this means but beware, the R’lyehans are eager for more Atlantean slaves to fuel their expansion.

Also, a sea troll messenger arrived with a note from a distant empire called Ermor. The masters tore up the note, fed the troll to their latest visitor from the Void gate, and sent some telepathic message back to this empire – whether it was one of peace or war, I cannot say. They seemed to feel the Ermorians were not a threat since their lord was far from his capital. It is amazing how they see everything….

Golub

[DonCorazon]

Turn 6 - Rlyeh

A note from Golub, enslaved Atlantean Mage, spy

“Deliver to the Atlantean Eastern Command. Tr’goth was nearly slain! How close we came! Vastly underestimating the number of Merlings in the eastern sea, and apparently testing a revolutionary tactical plan that turned out to be a disaster, his entire force was slaughtered. This is excellent news, though the General survived and expects to launch another punishing attack next month with fresh recruits. New reports arrive each day about land-walker empires around the basin: Hoburg, Ulm, Shinuyama, Ermor, Nehekara. The Masters are busy consulting their galactic encyclopedias to determine the nutritional value of each of these nations to help them decide which will make the best dietary supplement….” Golub

[DonCorazon]

Turn 7

An account of The Battle of Eribon

The sun burned bright that day, not a cloud in the sky. We had heard rumors of an army rising from the sea and capturing the mountainous lands of Runia. But these were sparsely held villages - the denizens of Runia known for their constant feuding among the mountain clans. It was easy to see how they could fall.

Lord Pagobar and his proud knights laughed easily on the fields outside the town of Eribon, eager for the excitement of battle, and already thinking ahead to the feasting and wenching to follow. The men-at-arms took heart at the easy confidence of their lords as they awaited the enemies approach. No scouts had returned from Runia which was enough to know that battle was coming to our lands.

Then the sun seemed to dim and the knights’ banter stopped. A chill crossed the battlefield and all became eerily silent. The blue sky then seemed to take on the appearance of a translucent veil, like a thin membrane, and we could see a dark form moving beyond, like watching a shark in a murky sea. Then the sky sripped open like a gaping wound and we saw the oblivion in the dark beyond around us and despaired.

That is when we saw the lord of R’lyeh. It bellowed a blood curdling alien scream and the knights looked to each other hesitantly before charging forth. Each step that we moved forward the sense of dread and despair weighed us down until we came within a stone’s throw of the beast’s presence. Pagobar was the only knight with the courage or strength to land a blow, just before a massive tentacle lashed about his body and leeched his life’s essence, leaving him nothing more than a dry husk in a chainmail shell. The knights fell in droves and then we turned and ran back into the woods.

It is said the lord of R’lyeh left and Eribon still stands. I have not gone back but heard strange tales that the citizens no longer laugh or speak but carry on their lives in a silent trance.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 8

I am Ulwuth, all all that I had once known is no more. Now I serve the masters of R'lyeh, Servants of the Dark Beyond, the Lord of Insanity. Insanity is a strange word for in the language of the Illithid it is the only word for "knowledge". Those who truly understand the universe have always been the ones on the fringes. The more knowledge you accumulate, the more you distance yourself from the rest of your society, and thus you become "insane". Similarly, the Illithid have mastered a knowledge of this universe so vast that their actions and thoughts seem incomprenhensible, insane if you will, from the perspective of the landwalkers.

Once I was a smith, now I am a servant. What I was is gone. My eyes are open. I see the darkness beyond the sheltering blue sky.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 9

Report from Ulwuth, once of Eribon, now a loyal servant of R'lyeh

Masters, From our vantage in the Moss Woods, we can see a contingent of Black Plate Pikeneers and Master Smiths have issued forth from the Great Keep of Ulm to the Glimmering Fields. We will keep you apprised - should they turn aside, we shall leave them to their miserable existance of hammering iron. But if they continue their advance in our direction, General Tr'goth says he is prepared to fertilize their fields with liquified brains, though the Ulmish apparently have very little to work with and would probably need to supplement it with some Atlanteans.

He Who Should Not be Named is close at hand as well.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 10

Aesop, excerpt from Musings on the Dark Beyond

The methods of torture applied by the Illithid are the result of eons of accumulated knowledge gathered across the universes. There is nothing you can imagine that is worse than to earn the wrath of a mindflayer. Take for example the case of Theleb.

Theleb was the leader of a merchant caravan hired by a mysterious hooded stranger to deliver a chest of gold to General Ru Shou. The caravan was attacked while traveling from the coast to the General’s camp inland, and most of the gold lost. Apparently the hooded stranger arrived ahead of Theleb, but, without the gold, was unable to confirm a pact with the Celestial Empire. The lapse in communication resulted in an inadvertent clash of forces between the two nations. The bandits responsible for stealing the tribute were later captured. Under extremely effective methods applied by the Illithid, it was revealed that the bandits were relatives of Theleb, whose head now floats in a vat of sea water, preserved magically so that his torment will last for an eternity.

[DonCorazon]

Turn 19

Clodomir, The Last Days of Ulm

Ulm’s proud keeps rose from the peaks above the fertile grasslands; impregnable and majestic – they had stood for hundreds of thousands of years: the Black Keep of Bithyne, Lord Ulthur’s Stone Hall at Omicria, and the mightiest of all, the Citadel on the Horn.

I was but a child when the dark seas boiled and the beasts emerged. I lived at the Black Keep and was their when it fell and our goddess trampled into the dust. The Illithid led by the feared General Tr’goth had breached our walls with the help from the traitors of Eribon. Tr’goth had arrayed his troops with two cadres of Illithid mindflayers on his rear flanks a mass of metorite guards and light infantry at the center, and behind them monstrous beasts out of a nightmare – towering hundreds of feet in the air, swirling masses of screaming souls.

The High Order of Smiths unleashed wave after wave of evocations of magma, blade, and iron that shredded the center ranks. The sea spawn were ill-equipped to deal with the black iron of Ulm; their flesh was soft and weak from life under the water. Ulmish iron ripped through their bodies like they were wineskins. I remember. But it meant little to the illithid overlords. Their slave warriors never ceased their assualt despite horrendous casualties. The master smiths summoned forth the power of the earth, making the air come alive with jagged blades that ripped through the R’lyehn hordes. But the losses meant nothing. Shambler thralls with both arms ripped off, roared in rage and pressed forward to trample the defenders of Ulm. We thought perhaps the day was won when the left rear of mindflayers broke and fled the field after several punishing onslaughts of iron. Yet the Hooded Stranger sang a song of might and the center advanced shielding the horrors behind them from the bulk of the sorcerous assault. A few brave black plate infantry rushed forward to hold the gate, but the formless spawn crushed them into pulp and absorbed them into their amorphous mass.

The strength of Ulm was always in its faith in steel and disdain for the supernatural. But this was their downfall for they were ill-prepared for the horror that exists in the universe. Eventually even the master smiths were paralyzed with terror as they witnessed a glimpse of the darkness beyond. Gibbering in fear and drained of energy, the sorcerous waves whimpered to a halt just as the horrific beasts of R’lyeh smashed through the gates.

I managed to hide in an overturned wagon and witnessed my goddess crushed underneath the enormous swirling mass of void and with it, my faith in Ulm and black steel and all that is good died.

[sansanjuan]

One reason why the story part of Chronicles might have died is we have no audience and editing the wiki is a pain. If a another Chronicles game is ever started, I'd recommend posting entries here. I am going to throw my entries for R'lyeh here and maybe it will get me motivated to write some more


DC,
I'll post my thread too. Will continue shortly with another narration... (Something to write about now with Ermor and I hammering each other)

-ssj


Skree
War Minister of Caelum

Eres
Strom General turned prophet of Rapture, later turned dead

Kern
Wingless Mammoth Handler from Raven Valley

Rapture
The Almighty

Shercy
Sister of Kern and Kes

Kes
Brother of Shercy and Kes

Shivnay
Priest of Rapture

Mom
Mother of Kes, Kern and Shercy

Scrot
Mammoth sized mammoth

Nellick
Bodyguard to Rapture

Ennel
Scribe of Storm General Merien, Western Front
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Prologue
The thick air breathers stir below. Bound to the earth they plod like deformed Wingless. They don't look up. Pity. Soon the rarefied air of Caelum will stir and the shadow of my Icesword will fall on their shoulders.

Eres - Storm General 1st Army (The Gathering of the Cleansing)





Dear Mom,

"Join the Wingless" you said. "Make a name for yourself in the 'Cleansing'. It will toughen you up. The ladies like a war scar." Ha! Even the Wingless don't take cripples... so they hand me a pitchfork and prod. Now I'm freezing and knee deep in Mammoth s*h*i*t. I asked what happened to the last handler. The Iceclad smiled and told me to "check between Scrot's toes". Scrot, the biggest meanest beast of the lot... hates me already. The campaign rolls tomorrow. Tell Kes he can have anything he finds in my room.

Love Kern

Turn 1
Rapture smiles on me.

"You are my chosen".

His essence fills me.

-Eres Prophet of Rapture





Dearest Kern,

Everything will be just fine. Don't you worry. Show those beasts who's boss! I wish your father were here to see you now. As if a Wingless who can read and write is not impressive enough. Our son trains Mammoths too!

A priest (Shivnay?) visited our village in Raven Valley. They are tallying the families. Odd he is noting all the physical problems each Wingless bears. Also he said Rapture will be needing assistants and there is a shortage of young women (who, it is said, tend to be exceptional handlers of Rapture's many delicate tomes). Shivnay said even our Wingless girls can find opportunity in Rapture's fold. Your sister is eager to make an impression on this handsome priest. Kes didn't like him for some reason but couldn't say why.

Love Mom
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Turn 2
They suspected nothing. Their weakness was an invitation framed in gold. The power of Rapture was mine to command and I smote them.

Mammoths crushed.

Archers pierced.

No losses.

None escaped.

Rapture will be most pleased.

-Eres Prophet of Rapture







Dear Mom,

First Battle! Scrot was magnificent! He trampled 5 of the enemy and shrugged off half a dozen arrows. Not sure what they see in this swamp but soldiers (and handlers) do as they are told. Rumors of another campaign soon.

Love Kern
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Turn 3
Is this a test? My quill trembles in my hand. We again crushed the dwellers of another fetid swamp. Soon after I felt a Black Sorcery emanating from the land and it now rattles in my chest. My sword hangs limp in my grip. I can barely take wing. Oh Rapture... is this a test? Many of the others have fallen ill.

-Eres Prophet of Rapture



Dearest Kern,

How exciting! We've had a bit of our own excitement with the Brigands and all. With the Army on the march they seem to have taken advantage and are prowling Raven Valley and the road leading up to the Spire. I'm sure they will be brought to justice soon. Don't worry about us though. Your brother has strapped on your father's old sword.

Love Mom
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Turn 6
The campaign continues. Poor scouting miscounted the heavy calvary in the last province. We lost half the mammoths. Heads will roll.

The foul sorcery from that accused swamp continues to weaken me. I will wither and die without divine intervention. Is that your will Rapture? Alas I am too feeble to scry your plan for me.

-Eres Prophet of Rapture



Dear Mom,

Scrot went down yesterday. I'll miss the big guy. We were ready to stomp but a bunch of heavy cavalry hit the big boys hard. Scrot took a few with him but he finally fell. Command was oh so enraged at the poor assessment. Rumor is that something is wrong with the Prophet. He looks like hell and can barely draw a sword. Not very encouraging to the troops.

Love Kern
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Turn 8
-Journal of the Almighty Ascendant-

Eres has proven.... inadequate. His death on the battlefield.. welcome. The weak fledgling could not even fend off chillsick. I will seek a new vessel for my will.

The news from Raven Valley brightens me. My father's work their is evident. He only lacked ambition. I know the Bloodrites can strengthen even as they twist the bodies.


-Rapture



Dearest Kern,

The brigands have been wiped out by soldiers from the Spire! Also your sister Shercy has received the most wonderful document from that priest (such lovely quillwork!). She and many other girls (unattached so they won't be pining for their men) await summons to the Spire for the sage's Tome work.

Love Mom
----------------------------------------------------------
Turn 9
-Journal of the Almighty Ascendant-

I chafe at the tedium of searching these vast grasslands for sites of power. Alas I can not delegate the task as it is beyond the means of my incompetent underlings. I find their knowledge so... lacking it distresses me. Oh to be back among my tomes.

Suitable maidens have been noted in Raven Valley. The rituals must be hidden from the rabble. My research in Early Age literature shows the price of alarmed peasants

-Rapture
----------------------------------------------------------
Turn 11
-Journal of the Almighty Ascendant-

I muse on the path I've chosen. Instead of applying my considerable knowledge to Arcane research I find myself traveling these conquered provinces with imbecile bodyguards. No sites of power in this vast province. No gems filling with latent Power. Months wasted.

Scouts have reported ancient civilizations expanding under new banners. I shall reach out to them. They may prove... useful in my pursuits.

-Rapture


Dear Mom,

I'm back at Caelum. Many of these rabble provinces have proven tougher than our commander anticipated. Fresh beasts await us in the Capital. The news has been good from the other campaigns. There are rumours of other organized civilizations expanding their empires. Exciting indeed.

Love Kern
----------------------------------------------------------
Turn 12
-Journal of the Almighty Ascendant-

I happened across a brigand leader in this foul province. He told me his name was "Skum" and I detected no irony in his tone. Instead of having my guards slay him I struck a deal whereas he would supply my cause with some of his "fellers" for a small sum of gold. Though they reek they possess skills that might be useful in the days ahead. -Rapture
----------------------------------------------------------
Turn 15
Vellum musings

I find the world awash in Civilizations the equal of our own. The Almightly One spoke that this was so... many years ago. Ah but to hear of other Immortals touching the earth is different than staring across a swollen river at the puissant armies of another Immortal's civilization. Oddly Rapture urges caution when dealing these "others" in his last message. He senses the power in these rivals and would seek some as allies in the coming days. He has hinted that lightning will soon be ours to cage in ways unimagined. Ours to call. I have not seen a demonstration of these new powers but the high mages tell me that those susceptable will be maimed, dazed and easy prey for the Herds. I will think on this. Skree - War Minister of Caelum
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Turn 17
This span will be known as the Rat Wars. News from the front lays open before me. In massive hordes these rat beasts can overwhelm even a mammoth charge. Hundreds were killed yet still more came. New strategies are called for. Skree - War Minister of Caelum

Overheard in Offaltimes Tavern "Why gather the young maidens from the farms? I have faith in His Holiness yet... Why? Is it a man's yearnings or something more?"



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Turn 23
No soft pillow tonight. No woman for my bed. The siege drags on. When night falls the troops cease their idle banter. The rats own the night. Their vision is uncanny in the darkness. Tents are quietly moved closer to the High Seraphs. We've all seen what a Thunder Strike can do. When the siege breaks no one wants to be more than 30 paces from a Mage. The Mammoths bear scars from dozens of rat bites. Many too weak for the front lines. It is good we have allies in this War of the Rats. Yet allies are not always true. They are often born of convenience. When the Rats fall will there be treachery or will we build on our past cooperation? The seas to the North roil with creatures of unknown design. To the south the Undead have extended their lifeless hand. The fiery Abyssians touch our borders. Our only bond an insatiable thirst for conquest.

Ennel – Scribe of Storm General Merien, Western Front
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Turn 25
Quarter rations for both Seraph and Beast. The mammoths are weak and restless. The troops grumble in their cups. Will these walls come down? What will we face? Merien asked Skree for Mages of Nature knowing supplies might thin. The request went.. unanswered. Skree must be preoccupied with something beyond this castle, though we've heard nothing. Ennel – Scribe of Storm General Merien, Western Front



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Turn 26
Dear Mom, Sorry I haven't written for some time. Did you hear? Mammoths from horizon to horizon against a horde of rats. Those mammoths were MY babies. Rats and Ratmen were gelled under 10000 stone beasts and still they kept coming. A number of beasts fell or retreated but the day was ours. Rumor is the threat has now passed. That is well and good as they were frightening in both form and manner. Skree himself named the mammoths as instrumental in the battles outcome. How is sister? Does she work under the eye of Rapture himself? Love Kern



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Turn 29
Overheard in “Mangy Goat’s” Tavern

<Zink bursts into Commons room>

“I seen SPIDERS as big as THREE MEN with RIDERS ..an.. an.. hundreds of CORPSES all battl’n in Swashty Flats!”

“Aww Zink. You are so fulla oxen dung. “

“NO.. NO.. REALLY I saw it!

“ Like the time the short green fellas came outta the flying shield and had their way with you?”

“ That was bad ale. ‘Dis is REAL ‘dis time! All sorta magery and skellies crawl’n outta the ground and fire from the sky an.. an.. Awwwww.. fergit it…”
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Turn 30
Missives unanswered. Messengers rotting in endless holding queues of the T'ien Ch'i bureaucratic layers. We will chafe no more. We will awaken this beast. Better to die on the field than navigate the unfathomable regulations for an audience with the T'ien Ch'i War Ministry.

Skree – Caelum Ministry of War
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Turn 33
"Send for Kenc IMMEDIATELY!" Rapture screamed

The dead virgins are piled in the back of the room. A soon to be dead manservant wriths in pain at his feet as the poison from the Armor of Twisting Thorns stills his heart.

“The Armor has fused to my skin! Idiots! It... won't... come.. off!”

“I will bring sage Kenc immediately your holiness! The forging ritual must have ..ah.. went awry somehow...”

Panting with frustration the Pretender caught his advisor's eye.. “His research was flawed... just bring me his head.”

[DonCorazon]

Turn 43 R'lyeh
The Chronicles of General T'rgoth

Yig Goloth spat and kicked the heavy infantry known as Cutter.
"Get up wyrm" he hissed. "Tr'goth has ordered the storming of the walls of Lastfort."

Cutter was fevered, the inland campaign had been harsh. Unlike Tr'goths successful blitzkrieg in Ulm, the war against the annoying humans in Tien Chi had been a long, painful campaign. Their foes had amassed huge amounts of calvary and archers, with skilled magi and flying warriors. Their troops were always on the move and it had taken almost a year to hunt down the wily raider Lao Ming. The Lord of the Dark Beyond himself was said to have come through the Void Gate enraged to crush these ants.

The inland empire of Tien Chi was barren. The troops were starving but T'rgoth did not care, so great was his hatred for the empire of Tien Chi that he would throw hordes of troops against their walls and drench the soil with illithid blood.

Cutter roused himself, shook off the fever sweat, gripped his meteorite trident, and began the march to the walls of Lastfort, wondering if he would ever feel the cool waters of the Cerulean Sea again...

[Executor]

To all thing comes an end.
No more than characters in a story, our lives easily extinguished for the will of the High King.
Turn the page and thousands die. And for what? For the pride of leaders who are inexorably drawn by power and a destiny unknown? A mere prophecy it was.
An entire nation promised immortality. But only trough death would it be found after many millennia. And so it had been done, our fates sealed from the moment the preparations began.
An entire empire asleep in the Great Tombs, all that was left was to await destiny.
And than the Ermor cataclysm occurs. Death is set loose.
A blinding flash!
Another turn of the page.
The destruction brings earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and deaths uncounted. But not here. A destiny stolen from us, reawakened as undead never to embrace our promised destiny.
Just when it seems we are doomed, we flip the page once more.
A being of great powers reawakened by the cataclysm, the first and most powerful of the Tomb Kings, the Immortal one. Only under his rule shall the Empire be reestablished again.
Now we are left to seek our fate in this new world and enact our vengeance on those responsible for this, curse...
Is this the end of our tale? No, we are the pawns of fate. There are still many pages to turn.
And to all things comes a beginning.
-The rise of the Tomb Kings-


An expedition was sent into our long forgotten desert a month ago, there were some interesting findings.
-A messenger arrives to the Nehekara Necropolis and steps into the main chamber, he bows and reports-
"My Lord, It seems that the Sacred river of Nehekara is still fertile and very much alive, maybe even too alive for that matter. The first High Priest, Kahotep, cast an ancient spell to hide his true appearance and approached the tribes that dwell on the river banks with only a few bodyguards during the night. Peaceful negotiation was his plan, but as we heard from the screams that followed, the negotiations... failed. By the time we came to the battlefield the battle was already over, and Kahotep, with his few bodyguards, stood over what was left of the warrior tribe. The fools ignored the warning and tried to overpower Kahotep, they failed miserably of course. A warning has been sent to all the neighboring tribes, they will either join our ranks or die..."

Slowly the entire Empire of old has been retaken by Nehekhara. The human tribes that now dwell in our ancient lands chose wisely, to join the great Empire rather then die fruitlessly defending a lost matter.
New expeditions were sent far to the north, east, south and west. Many reports came.
From the northern shores word was sent that a strange army appeared. An army of insanity. An army led by a great being sent from the Void. It was said that it's mere presence terrified the mortals and its gaze paralyzed them instantly. They do seem powerful but we are no mere mortals, and we are not familiar with fear. The High King has decided to make peace with these strange being, for now.
We came across more humans last month also. But these were no pathetic tribe warriors we fought so far. They don great plate armors and wield heavy axes and swords. They seem very organized and effective, although not as much as Nehekhara. No formal agreement has been reached so far, but Nehekhara fears no one. We will outmaneuver any enemy that crosses the desert border and our Immortal warriors will swiftly slay anyone from the shadows. An emissary was sent to negotiate with these plateheads, although we can not expect much from these warriors. After all they are living, and the living fear the undead.
To the East over the vast Nehekhara desert, over the seas, we found more traces of life, but unlife also. The once glorious Empire or Ermor now stand cursed and weakened, just as Nehekhara. It is said that the dead walk side by side with the living. A diplomatic message was sent. Ermor wishes no war with Nehekhara.

Another report came today, The great tomp priest, Kahotep, chose to lead his small elite force down south. He was informed that a great Volcano is located not far from the southern border of Nehekhara. It it believed that it holds strange powers, he will investigate this.
Just before reports from Kahotep arrive, a hooded stranger asks for an audience, he says he has important diplomatic matters to discus.
<Report from Kahotep>
"After reaching the strange volcano, located south of Nehekhara, we set up base there and investigated the surrounding area. To my surprise I found that the neighboring lands had a "grip of winter" on them, which was strange, after all there is a big active volcano here.
I decided to send a recon force south-west, while I went east with a small armed force to investigate this. We came across a larger tribe of warriors which attacked us on sight. That we anticipated, not many humans like the dead. But barely after the battle was over an army of giants attacked us from the rear.
There was no time to maneuver and Nehekharans do not retreat from battle.Facing an enemy twice as numerous our infantry slowly advanced under a shower of arrows only to be stopped by a pack of large Giants with flesh of iron.Their hides were so thick that even the very best of the warriors could barly penetrate them. Half of the giants were slain in combat including their leader before our downfall. The few archers that provided cover fire also perished.
If we had time to prepare for this attack it might have turned out differently. Now we know what lies in the cold land below. We will leave this land be."

Much happened in the last several months, Nehekhara has grown powerful in size and might once again. The legions of Nehekhara march the desert with unsurprised speed crushing everything that dares oppose them. Order is finally restored in the desert under the banner of Nehekhara. Outposts are built on important strategic locations to ensure the safety of the Empire. Deep in the Great Tombs Immortals, the undying, the elite force of the Empire are being revived, and are ready to fight for the glory of the Kingdom once more. Temple Guards stand tall over the temples of Anubis, the God of the old, where ancient secrets are being reawakened.
It was finally time. The world shall tremble once again before the might of Nehekhara. The undying armies gathered under the rule of Kahotep received their orders. The legions of Nehekhara are to march west to a Kingdom ruled by humans,a warrior people, which refuse to acknowledge the rule of Nehekhara. All resistance will be crushed and their armies annihilated!
All this happened a few months back.
The undying legion met little resistance in it's way. By the time we reached the castle walls the kingdom was already in chaos. The Horrors that emerged from the depts of the sea, just weeks before we invaded, drove the Empire insane. Soon the remaining forts shall fall and Nehekhara will enforce rule on those lands conquered by the undying legion. There will be no meddling with the forces of insanity. Their buisniss is their own. Soon the tides of war shall turn again...

The desert was long silent but now the drums of war eho again, a whole season has passed since the downfall of Ulm and now, once again, the Undying legion is on the move. The Nehekhara war council was busy these last few months, never before was such a large military operation even planned let alone put to work. Almost every signle soldier was marching south. Destination, the cold lands of the Jotun.
The problem with this plan was how to organize an army this big, and more importantly how to supervise a front that stretches for hundreds of miles? The answer was found in the Acrain library of Nehekhara, we used ancient magic to forge an item called "The Stone Sphere". It's power is beyond comprehension to ordinary man, with it one can project himself to any place in the world.
This has speed our advance much. In no more than two months of war an enormous landmass was overrun and captured. We met resistance on the way, huge Jotun Werewolves and Giants with flesh of iron commanded by huge Ice Devils, but their efforts to stop our advance were in vain. The very Capital of Jotunheim faces the possibility of being overrun this month.

- Late Summer in the third year of our Reawakening, the battle at Jotunheim -

-We are one days march away from the Capital of Jotunheim but the enemy seems to have gathered many militia to try and stop us, they are slowly advancing towards our ranks, what are your orders my Lord?
-PREPARE FOR BATTLE, FORM RANKS, WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE IN RANGE! SORCERERS, AT MY SIDE, the Undying legion has need of your powers. Today we fight in the shade, you know what to do. Give the order Capetian.
-Archers, FIRE AWAY! INFANTRY, FORWARD, RIGHT WING, OUTFLANK THE BASTARDS!

Within seconds the sky turned dark as a swarm of deadly asp arrows covered the Sun and pierced into the flesh of the mighty giants. The arrows did little damage on their own, it was the poison from the enchanted arrows that killed the first of the giants. The rain of arrows was followed by multiple bolts of fire which set many giants ablaze. The sorcerers called out strange powers and clouds of flame and poison covered the battlefield. But that wasn't enough to stop their advance. They hurled their huge javelins which pierced trough the armor with ease. Axes and swords clashed like thunders, the giants managed to push back our forces for a moment but were very soon outflanked and surrounded. The battle ended in a blood bath, not a single giant survived.

-The path is clear my Lord, all the giants are dead.
-Push onwards, we have a city to conquer...

A Shadow of death has a grip over the Empire of Jotunheim, overrun by the Undying legion it is a kingdom of ruins now, it's armies scattered over the land, the tall walls of once great cities under siege. This wretched land shall burn, and with it all those who oppose the power of the reborn Nehekhara. Soon the remaining isolated areas will be concurred and the once proud name of Jotunheim will only be known in the Jotunheim chronicles.

Suddenly a huge blazing pyre lights up the landscape. All sights are turned toward the Nehekhara Necropolis. The huge pyre that formed all of a sudden over Nehekhara could be seen even from the most remote part of the Empire, and beyond, nobody knows for sure what just happened.
Some say the pyre was powered by the anger of the High King, The Immortal one, once he saw the defeat of his army at the very gates of Jotunheim...
Now the Necropolis gates have opened again, horrors unseen before have emerged and disapered into the night under a new standard, The Standard of the Damned.

While the unexpected breach of the siege and defeat at the gates of Jotunheim resultet in the total annihilation of Kahoteps armies, the forces of Jotunheim were decimated also. Weakened as they were, they had no choice but to try and defend the Capital until the very last one of them was dead, and such was their fate. Within weeks they met their creator.

- High Kings chambers-

-“Guard! Find me Anok Fero, the eagle tamer, and bring him here.”
Within several minutes Anok Fero fly into the Necropolis riding a Ziz, a great undead eagle. Anok Fero is human, a descendant of one of the few Royal members that believed that the prophecy was a delusion, now he serves the Immortal One.
-“I do not trust any other with a task this important, you are to deliver this to the Lord of Ermor, the one responsible for our reawakening.”
Anok Fero swiftly fly over the sea that separated the two undead Empires and delivered the message. It was a war declaration, vengeance was the main reason.
How the Lord of Ermor took the message nobody knows, but Anok Feru was returned on the Ziz without his heart, there was surly some symbolic meaning in this.

[calmon]

24 hours added. Weekend is in moment very stressfull for me.

[sansanjuan]

The undead had their own particular smell. Not just of rotting flesh but of the arcane sorcery that knitted arm to shoulder, leg to hip. The morning air carried this scent from the host of Longdead arrayed before us. The low hum of a communion began in their back rank of sorcerers and carried on the wind like angry hornets shaken from a hive. The priest next to me raised her arms, her wings ruffling. As she began her chant everything happened at once. A shout for “Shields up!” as arrows swarmed in. Thunderstrikes fell in their ranks, my senses sharpened as Wind Guide bathed me. An elephant crumpled like a felled oak as his soul evaporated. Flanking Longdead hurdled themselves into a phantasmal army that appeared seconds before they would have carved into our mages. Banishments shredded undead flesh. Scores fell on both sides. I thought myself doomed as a dozen deathless swarmed the priest and I, too many for her to banish. She was my charge and I was determined to fall before she did. As I parried, Water rained from behind and fell on me, priest and undead without selection. I remember the Longdead looming over me as the Water splashed over him. He reined back his foul steed and lifted his head skyward as the holy water dissolved the magic binding his form. In two heartbeats the priest and I were alone again, many ales in debt to the Water cadre.

-- author unknown

[Jarkko]

Atlantis would like to buy 80 nature gems for 80 fire gems.



(It is about time Atlantis would finally get a Nature mage...)

[Executor]

Talk about stupidity... It seems I forgot to put battle orders on the Fire King.
Ah, lack of astral magic is a real pain in the ***.

[DonCorazon]

R'yeh (turn 46)
The Acropolis in Ermor

Gazul’s appearance and features were hidden behind a deep, unnatural darkness around his robes – the only sign of his otherworldly origins was the trail of slime that he left in his path as he floated down the cobbled path leading to the Acropolis, the heart of the decaying Empire of Ermor. It had been a thousand years since the hooded emissary of R’lyeh had visited the Acropolis. The ancient being’s last visit had been amidst blooming oaks, dancing minstrels, and valiant gladiators dueling in front of roaring crowds. Now the capital was shrouded in gloom, windows shuttered, streets deep in rubbish and bones.

Gazul floated through the decay and into the dark halls of the Acropolis. There he pronounced the will of his master, hissing:

"Too long have the children of the stars endured your unholy presence. The peace we once forged with Ermor was with the living, not the dead. Death is entropy and the end of intelligence and insanity, which we cannot abide. We give notice that the ancient treaties will be terminated according to their terms."

Horrifying wails of rage from the depths of the swirling shadows, as giant skeletal hands reached forth to crush the emissary, only to find Gazul had vanished leaving behind a leather bag. A frail theurg scuttled out from the shadows, opening the sack to find the rotting head of the sea troll who had delivered the message of peace to R'lyeh, so many years ago, eyes still open - frozen in insane terror.

[calmon]

Well i'm out of this game. My last dogpile (on artifacts) its just a too short time ago.

I'm not sure whats the fun for people is to unite 4 vs 1. I'm happy with 2 wars against equal strong Nehekhara on westside and somehow weaker caelum on east. We had a lot of battles since the start of the war.

But know with Shinuyama and R'lyeh NAP notices is just the begin of the end of any fun.

It seems the game ran in the same ways artifacts did. I've no fun to overrun others with a huge alliance and on the same time i'm not a fan of being overruned once again. Sure i'm strong but there are a lot of other nations strong as well therefore i have problems to understand the reason.
Maybe i lack to intrigue enough to prevent this. However its not my world and like i said 'not again'!

I think the new RAND game will be the last one i participate in dominions.

[quantum_mechani]

Well i'm out of this game. My last dogpile (on artifacts) its just a too short time ago.

I'm not sure whats the fun for people is to unite 4 vs 1. I'm happy with 2 wars against equal strong Nehekhara on westside and somehow weaker caelum on east. We had a lot of battles since the start of the war.

But know with Shinuyama and R'lyeh NAP notices is just the begin of the end of any fun.

It seems the game ran in the same ways artifacts did. I've no fun to overrun others with a huge alliance and on the same time i'm not a fan of being overruned once again. Sure i'm strong but there are a lot of other nations strong as well therefore i have problems to understand the reason.
Maybe i lack to intrigue enough to prevent this. However its not my world and like i said 'not again'!

I think the new RAND game will be the last one i participate in dominions.I feel your pain Calmon, and I agree with you normal dominions games hinge far too much on diplomacy (in particular staving off ganging that way). But there are lots of games where that is much less a factor. No diplo games, graphs off and blitz games are all alternatives.

Don't let two disasters of games (this and artifacts) sour you to dominions altogether.

[Calahan]

Well i'm out of this game. My last dogpile (on artifacts) its just a too short time ago.

I'm not sure whats the fun for people is to unite 4 vs 1. I'm happy with 2 wars against equal strong Nehekhara on westside and somehow weaker caelum on east. We had a lot of battles since the start of the war.

But know with Shinuyama and R'lyeh NAP notices is just the begin of the end of any fun.

It seems the game ran in the same ways artifacts did. I've no fun to overrun others with a huge alliance and on the same time i'm not a fan of being overruned once again. Sure i'm strong but there are a lot of other nations strong as well therefore i have problems to understand the reason.
Maybe i lack to intrigue enough to prevent this. However its not my world and like i said 'not again'!

I think the new RAND game will be the last one i participate in dominions.

Up until now, I have never had the pleasure of playing in a game with you Calmon, although I will be correcting that in Pasha's new RAND game.

But speaking for myself, and I'm sure many others as well, I would certainly hate to see you leave the Dominions community. You are a very talented player, and you are one of the very few players who, for me at least, always manages to get to the real heart of the issue when it comes to discussing various aspects of the game.

Yourself, Micah and WraithLord are the only players who's posts I religiously read, as they usually without fail highlight some really minor detail in a discussion that is easy to overlook, but which has a major baring on the issue, and normally escapes most regular players attention. It would be a real shame for the community to lose one of the very limited sources of such expertise :(

I know how much I hate diplomacy in MP games, so I have no problems understanding when players get put off playing in future games because of it. I am more convinced than ever that no diplomacy games are the way forward, since that goes a long way to helping ensure that the most skilful players do well, and not just the players who just happen to have a silver tongue.

Soon I am hoping to start, and be the non-playing admin, in a new RAND game or two. I would be honoured if you considered playing in one of those games, as there you can let your talents do the talking for you :)

[sansanjuan]

Well i'm out of this game. My last dogpile (on artifacts) its just a too short time ago.

I'm not sure whats the fun for people is to unite 4 vs 1. I'm happy with 2 wars against equal strong Nehekhara on westside and somehow weaker caelum on east. We had a lot of battles since the start of the war.

But know with Shinuyama and R'lyeh NAP notices is just the begin of the end of any fun.

It seems the game ran in the same ways artifacts did. I've no fun to overrun others with a huge alliance and on the same time i'm not a fan of being overruned once again. Sure i'm strong but there are a lot of other nations strong as well therefore i have problems to understand the reason.
Maybe i lack to intrigue enough to prevent this. However its not my world and like i said 'not again'!

I think the new RAND game will be the last one i participate in dominions.

cal,
Join or start a team game. With only two teams (such as the recently finished Lord of the Rings game) there is zero diplomacy, no chance of back stabbing, etc. All teamwork. I *really* enjoyed the one I played in.
-ssj

PS Your play in Chronicles is very strong. I've learned a lot trying to hold back the undead horde...

[Executor]

Ganging up is one of the reasons I started my own no diplo game.
I know how it feel to be ripped to shreds by several players, I've been there on more than one occasion, it's interesting at first but eventually really kills the desire to continue the game. Had a game, and still have, where I was in war with 9 out of 9 nations.

I didn't plan having a global war against you, didn't even know Cealum was in war with you at the time I broke the NAP, I did discus attacking you with DC a few times but never made any concrete decisions.
And I've been planning to attack you for a long time, but it took me a while to contain Jotunheim.

[DonCorazon]

Calmon,

I sympathize – I too have been frustrated about the fact that Dom 3 is often a series of dogpiles and comes down to who is best at avoiding being attacked. My last game ended with me fighting a war against 3 nations. With open graphs it makes sense for weaker nations to gang up on the stronger one – why wouldn’t that be the case? In this case, graphs are off but I had plans to war with you for a long time, just kept putting it off to deal with AI TC. Meanwhile, your growing power is obvious and you put up powerful gem producing globals that drew even more attention. I don’t love diplomacy but it’s a part of this particular game.

And as much as I find the most enjoyable/interesting wars are 1:1, unfortunately those are often the ones that usually lead to eventual defeat since they cause you to use up a lot of resources while others prosper. That's what happened to me in Artifacts when I attacked QM - I squandered an early lead in a grinding war and probably ruined chances for both myself and QM.

For those reasons, it seems conventional wisdom to gang up or attack the weakened in Dominions. So I am surprised/sad that your reaction to this is to consider stop playing MP, though I understand your frustration. I think RAND will be a nice change of pace and hopefully gets you motivated to keep playing Dom3.

[calmon]

Thanks for all your sympathy!

I'm frustrated about the fact that people tend either to lead an alliance against whatever with argmuents based on more or less honorful official objectives but always with the own goals in mind OR the second group just follow such calls again and again blind to see they are used or just accept this fact.

Count me to the third group. I normally don't ally with others because i know i've to betray them at one point of the game. Dominions is a game of single pretenders with the goal "to ascend to true godhood using all the power at your disposal".

So i would wish more people in my group but it seems it tend to be a game of ICQ, steady emails/PM and whatever to discuss defeating the next one which IS of course the new "Prime Eval" and needs all hands on deck.

However at least the last paragraph may less valid for this game, sorry ;). Also note i know that the initial objection of this game were different.

If nobody cares i set Ermor AI next turn. If someone interested in playing PM me. You're somehow doomed but i didn't use all diplomatic options...

[Jarkko]

Dominions is the digital version of Survivor. Diplomacy is in my opinion a crucial part of the game, as it should IMO be in a MP game. I used to play quite a few "gunboat" Diplomacy games by mail in the late 80's because I too thought at the time it provides a better measure of game-skill. I later found out it was most likely because I did suck in the English language. I still don't think I am too silver-tongued (I have the bad tendency to get rash when I really truly want something :re: ), but to me that is how MP games should be.

Then again, I suggest people to try gunboat games. Some do like them very much (talking about Diplomacy here, but most likely true for Dominions too), but most of those who I am aware of regard gunboat games something were you can try out new strategies in a fast game that will be soon over anyway. But as I said, some people seem to love them above all, so each to their own :)

For me this game and Heracles game are the first experiences with games using no statistics. I don't think no-stat games are my cup of tea, because it does seem diminish the fun of the game for me. There is no way to get a general glance at the map and know who you should go for. The top-dog is always the dangerous one, and it is in my opinion simply bad gameplay to *not* go after the leader (if you want to stay competitive right to the end, that is).

[llamabeast]

What's a gunboat game?

[Jarkko]

What's a gunboat game?

Ah, sorry. In Diplomacy (the game, that is) a Gunboat game is a game where there is no diplomacy and players don't know who plays which nation. So the only form of diplomacy is the good old gunboat diplomacy, ie smack your opponent(s) in their face and jump on their toes until the message goes through. Usually gunboat games allow the use of "press releases" (ie in the style of: "The King of Germany informs that any unit moving next to Silesia is viewed as a declaration of war." or "Austria informs everybody that she has no quarrels with Turkey, but Greece is and will stay under Austrian control."), but in the most strict versions of gunboat games not even those are allowed (ie you only communicate with the Game Master).

Ie pretty much the opposite of the "NAPs are binding or you shall be frowned upon" -policy which seems to be so widely in use on this forum for Dominions MP games, because there are no NAP's, no promises no nothing except brute force and clever use of your stomping abilities :) Then again, in Diplomacy the "stats" are always "on", because everybody can see the map and see who is heading for winning -> in gunboat games it is usually *very* risky to gain a lead initially, because everybody and their dog will jump on you (because there is no communication between the players, but one thing is sure: Nobody wants somebody else to gain a lead which can not be overcome).

[DonCorazon]

I guess I am admin again :)
I am going to postpone hosting 48 hours and see if we can find a sub for Ermor.

[DonCorazon]

Also, Calmon, there is no alliance or allies or IRC planning that I am aware of in this game. Maybe that was the case in Arti but here I think its just a case of sharks smelling blood in the water. Sorry to see you go.

[Jarkko]

I'll be traveling from June 3rd to June 17th. I *should* have access to the internet June 7th to June 12th. Thus I will not be able to send in turns between June 3rd - June 6th and June 13th - June 16th (will be home late on the eveing of 17th).

I would like to ask wether I should try to find a sub for those two periods, or can the game be slowed down during those two periods?

Thanks,

-Jarkko

[DonCorazon]

I have no problem slowing down the game to accommodate your schedule. Just remind me when you need the extension. Thanks.

[Jarkko]

I have no problem slowing down the game to accommodate your schedule. Just remind me when you need the extension. Thanks.

Thanks, this is great :) :up:

[Executor]

DC, I really need a daley of about 6 or so hours to do my turn.
A crazy time for me, classes are over, day/night celebration parties and so on so it would be very bad to do the turn under the infuance of alhc. again.
Hope tyou see this in time.

[DonCorazon]

I'm traveling - just managed to extend it 6 hours from my iPhone and I pmed you the password in case you need more time and I am not around. Cheers!!!

[sansanjuan]

The walls were nearly down. The vast undead army aligned in the surrounding fields like a thousand marionettes. One minute it was the horde against a lone mage. The next minute 40 High Seraphs alighted and stood by her side. Two bells later even Ermors Tartarians had lost their stomach for the battle after facing hundreds of thunder stikes and an endless downpour of holy water. The Imperial Artist painted the following (ooc- attached) at battle start.
-- Owl

[Executor]

Hahaha, It looks I'm not the only one with really ****y luck, a DC?

[DonCorazon]

Karmic balance as the turn before was too good - I thought I should have lost the battle at Ermor (25+ grand thaumaturgs). Computer paid me back this turn with some major smackdown.

PS in another game I had a fully decked out MR 29 tart enslaved with the very first casting of the spell. So I (grudgingly) have learned no battle is guaranteed.

[Executor]

Karmic balance? I don't think that works for me unfortunatly.
It just keeps getting worse and worse for me.

I'm in fear of auto-killing myself one of these turns.

"PS in another game I had a fully decked out MR 29 tart enslaved with the very first casting of the spell."
28MR Tart with the first charm for me.

[Jarkko]

I'll leave for the vacation tomorrow (and will be online probably on Saturday evening nxt time). We seem to be on a 72 hour schedule in this game now, and as I have just posted my next turn, so I should have absolutely no problems in getting my turns after this in in time (unless everyone get hyperactive all of the sudden :P) :)

[Executor]

Uuuuuu that was painful!
And there goes the Lord of Insanity, along with the Lord of the Gates.
Not a good move, I like it.

[DonCorazon]

Why? He is not the only Astral/Water mage in R'lyeh nor the only big body. And he'll be back shortly. In fact, I like to think of him as immortal at this point :)

[Executor]

Equipment, and the fact that you "Killed our pretnder, we will not rest until you are annihilated", or something like that.
Soooo, thanks, Ermor will only be attacking you now.

[DonCorazon]

Mm...equipment was recovered along with more loot from Ermor. I'd never heard that about the AI only focusing on a single player though - is that true? In any case, thanks for the heads up.

[Executor]

I think so, overheard it somewhere. Will need to check that out now doe.

[sansanjuan]

Mm...equipment was recovered along with more loot from Ermor. I'd never heard that about the AI only focusing on a single player though - is that true? In any case, thanks for the heads up.

I seem to be still getting "attention" from the AI undead hordes. They biggest horde in my area numbers in the 500s now thou instead of 1200s
-ssj

[DonCorazon]

I killed Ermor's pretender this turn so if its true he is after me now, it will be apparent next turn.

Please send condolence gifts to the Azag Lord of Insanity Memorial Fund at
122 Void Gate Corporate Headquarters

[sansanjuan]

I killed Ermor's pretender this turn so if its true he is after me now, it will be apparent next turn.

Please send condolence gifts to the Azag Lord of Insanity Memorial Fund at
122 Void Gate Corporate Headquarters

:D

Good one dc.
-ssj

[Executor]

DC, could you add 4 hours to the clock?
I knew you sent me the password a while back but I deleted it and I'm trying real hard to remember but with no success.

[DonCorazon]

No problem - adding 4 now.

[DonCorazon]

Wrana PMed and asked for an additional 18 hours, which has been added.

[DonCorazon]

I need a bit more time, going to add 2 hours.

[Tifone]

Hey there guys. Sorry I staled the turn. Second sorry I have not been able to written for a long time, but as some may confirm I've roleplayed intensively through diplomacy and it was great fun.

Third sorry, gotta drop the game :( RL has swallowed me lately and I will be far from home for a couple of weeks. I'm in not bad position, quite peaceful, having war just with Man. I'm a little behind in research but got very good blood hunting provinces and a nice demon horde waiting for command. Maybe not a winning position but definitively a playable and funny one if someone wants to take it.

Otherwise I'll just switch it AI, let me know in 48 hrs plz (or find an AI-switcher) ^^

It has been a great game and will miss it. Thanks for everybody for having provided a great experience.

[Executor]

Sorry to hear that Tiffone, you've been a good neighbor. Hope you solve you problems, if you have any.

I don't want to see yet another nation go AI, so can we please look for a sub?

[DonCorazon]

Tifone - can you please post for a sub and if you happen to find one update them on your situation? Assuming you don't find anything in 48 hours we'll turn you AI.

Btw, I am open to declaring this game over at any time. I don't even recall what the victory conditions are. I don't mind to keep playing if everyone wants to either, but every additional AI makes it less interesting.

PS You were a great RPer and get my vote for excellent writings.

[Executor]

Sure, declare me the winner and finish this game. :)

If Tiffone doesn't put up an add for his nation, than I will.

[DonCorazon]

I think with graphs off, everyone feels like they are doing well...

From what i can see (which is pretty much everything :) ), its probably down to Caelum, Nehekara and R'lyeh just given their footprint, though I wouldn't count anyone out. I'd be willing to let an independent judge look at turn files and call it, or just keep playing, which is fine, though frankly, I'd rather spend my time on a new game fighting humans. Although killing the AI Lord of the Gates every turn is pretty amusing :)

Oh, and its confirmed that killing the AI god does not mean the AI focuses solely on the slayer - I have seen AI Ermor spreading its attacks around equitably.

[Executor]

So it seems I was wrong, shame.

Well I'm oposed to just quitting the game for whatever reason, I already have two game which I never finished and had a great chance of winning, due to bug/host disappearing and I don't plan to make this the 3 I "could" have won".

However I agree that this game uses a lot of my precious time and the game itself has lost all it's flavor due to the AI outbreak.

I say we take an indipendant judge to evaluate each position and declare a winner.

[DonCorazon]

Assuming QM does not consider himself a contender, how about asking him to judge? Since he was in the game and has all the game files, etc. shouldn't be too much of a hassle. If not him, or if he does not want to, I am open to suggestions for a judge (assuming everyone else agrees to call it).

[Executor]

Well, I'm for it, you are, Abysia is leaderless, I guess QM wouldn't mind as also Jarko with Atlantis, so that only leaves Wrana and Sansanjuan to agree, which I hope they will.

I'm good with QM calling it, that is if he wants to since I suspect it's not an easy job.:)
If not, than we should get some player like Baalz, Wrathlord or some other experienced player who can assess the positions fairly.

Maybe we should PM those folks to speed things up.

[Jarkko]

I think with graphs off, everyone feels like they are doing well...
I don't think Atlantis is doing too well :P

When I promised to take over Atlantis I thought I am going to grit my teeth until the very end, but nobody is ever bothering me -> a sure sign of the level of importance Atlantis has in all things :D Basically I just sit in my pond and look at the battles my scouts are reporting about, which is sort of fun too (like that sole AI Ermor Tartarian who lst turn refused to rout for some reason, and proceeded to win the fight when all other Ermorians had already legged for it :D).

EDIT: To make it more clear, yes, I am for ending the game if that is the consensus.

[quantum_mechani]

I'd be more than happy to judge (and end the game). :)

[Executor]

Great, I'll PM Wrana and SSJ to see if they accept this.

EDIT: And done, Wrana and SSJ PM'd.

[DonCorazon]

Yeah, I agree. If QM wont or cant I'll ask Baalz - he has the files too. Once we get everyone signed off on appointing a judge, then perhaps we can post a message describing our nation's power - that would make it easier for whoever is looking at the files.

I don't mind posting my turn file publicly as well.

Lets see what the other players have to say. I think SSJ was willing to end it a while ago, along with Jarrko. I don't recall what Wrana's interest level was...

[Executor]

You type slow...:)

QM, should we describe our intensions as DC proposed?

[DonCorazon]

hehe - damn didnt know everyone was so eager

[quantum_mechani]

QM, should we describe our intensions as DC proposed?Any extra info would be fine.

[Executor]

Great, let's just wait for those two to show up and DC can give you access to the turns and we'll PM you the info.

[sansanjuan]

I'll go for binding arbitration with QM as judge( :doh: knew I should have named all my guys after quantum particles...)

I did get to call a couple Spentas which I had been looking forward to. Lucked into a few sweet sites including a 20% Conj and a 30% Ench site. Will AAR some more later.

-ssj

[Tifone]

Shalallam a'el-Fyara!

It is said and sworn that I'll wait 'till we know if the game is ended or not before asking for sub ^^

[Executor]

DC, since we're only waiting for Wrana to state his mind now it wouldn't be a bad idea to e-mail him via Llamaserver since he doesn't show up on the forum frequently.

[DonCorazon]

Did that yesterday :)

[sansanjuan]

dc,
Could you move the game clock 48 hours until we figure this out? I'm on the road the next two days (family road trip to Yellowstone.

Hopefully I won't be forced to sell my children into slavery for fighting in the car as we enjoy each other's company all the way across North Dakota ...

First :poke:
Then :fight:
Then :fire: .. wish me luck.

I should have connectivity there to take turns if needed but didn't want to put the effort in if the game is ending..

-ssj

[DonCorazon]

ssj (aka clark griswold) - good luck on your adventure - sounds fun!

I added 72 hours - if we don't here from Wrana soon though, we should just go ahead and let QM judge the turn files. I seem to recall Wrana was willing to end this game a while back and since everyone else is ready to call it, doesn't make sense to keep this lingering longer than necessary.

Wrana hasn't been on the boards since 6/13 and no response from the email from llamaserver...

[DonCorazon]

Ok, it has been 3 days since we proposed declaring an end - Wrana would have staled at this point anyway so I am going to assume he is in favor of ending the game, which means it is unanimous - game over!

I will change the email addresses of nations to QM and send him the last turn files. You should PM him any commentary to make it easier to assess the situation. Good luck!

[Jarkko]

I won't bother to PM QM, I think Atlantis is dead last for sure :D

When I took over Atlantis, it was not in a stellar position tbh. The pretender had some serious afflictions, and had paths in Water and Earth. Thus an Atlantis with no nature and no death.

Eventually I did trade for gems with various nations to boost a mage to D1 (so that I could summon the Kokytiads) and finally a couple turns ago got enough Nature gems to boost a mage to N1 (to get Naiads). All in all Atlantis was a very minor player during my rule, even though I was eventually able to wade on dry land too. I bet most of you didn't even remember Atlantis was around :D

Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to step in here. Was interesting to play with charts off (this and the game Heracles are my first attempts to play without charts) and I am now damn sure I will not take part in such in the future :P No charts means to me the fun factor is seriously limited, and it feels weird for me (having played various board S&T games for nearly 30 years) that there is no way to see the general situation in a glance; I like things kept in secret, but with no charts it is as if in the real world there were no TV, no newspapers, no nothing except the mirror image of the village idiot looking back from the mirror.

Thanks for DC for the game-mastering and giving me a fair and objective briefing when I joined the game. I would be honoured to join any games you GM in the future (as long as the charts are not off ;) ) :) Also, thanks to all you who helped me hoarding the gems to allow me to empower the mages, I am quite certain none of you needed the traded gems as desperately as I did, so it was really nice sportsmanship from you all :)

Take care!

[rdonj]

You all remember way back when the hoburgs were selling off gems to pay for that last great stand against man/abysia (hoburgs had unfortunately atrocious research and couldn't actually use them)? R'lyeh bought over a hundred gems from me, at around turn 20. Mostly in the form of nature gems. So if DC cast any big nature globals, that was probably my fault :)

[DonCorazon]

Thanks Jarkko, especially for stepping into a horrible position and doing your best with what you had and not giving up. Especially with all the AIs that made this game somewhat painful to keep going. I'd be happy to play in a game with you anytime :).

I didn't actually set this game up but I think I am beginning to move into the "graphs on" camp as well. I love/hate the mystery of graphs off and like how it prevents auto-diplomacy, where the leader continually gets ganged up on - but I guess that happens anyway, even with graphs off, as happened to Calmon. But graphs off favors the more diplomatically active, and the more I play Dominions, the more I prefer less diplomacy (eg less ganging up on people). Rand games (random nations, unknown who plays who, no diplomacy allowed but graphs on) games are actually my favorite these days.

rdonj - R'lyeh likes to keep a low profile. No globals cast by us! :)

[Executor]

No need, I bet you have a ton of clams.
I prefer no diplo games, and graphs off, they take a lot of pressure off.
QM, you have mail.

[Wrana]

Yes, I agree - even though I hadn't see this thread when it had started. ;(
By the way, I think R'lyeh would won. I would join him against Nehekhara due to his texts being better from start. :) When it would probably be Abyssia, Caelum and me against him - but I don't think we would have much chance.
And, by the way, I think graphs off to be completely unrealistic - surely in any world there would be merchants, minstrels and journeymen artisans who would provide at least some information on general power of various nations. This is without taking into account mercenaries who could change sides several times a year!
And also - it was a great game until people strated to drop out. Thanks to all!
And I think the way to set such games should be to make first turns relatively fast without requiring a story each turn - there probably wouldn't be much worth writing about at first...

[quantum_mechani]

So, on looking at turns, the clear leaders are Ry'leh and Nehekhara. Now, it's my opinion as well that eventually Ry'leh would likely win due to some tactical advantages and allies, but Nehekhara is actually slightly ahead in more concrete areas.

I think the only fair thing here would be to declare them joint winners.

[Executor]

I suspected it would end a tie. :)

[DonCorazon]

And so it ends. GG all - I will declare it over on llamaserver.

[Executor]

Shame, I really enjoyed this game and I wish it lasted more but no point in playing with all those AI's.

I was hoping to play out the last R'lyeh - Nehekhara war, had big plans for it and some nice stuff prepared. sigh

It's a shame the game lost it's original meaning, there were some promising stories in the start. Maybe one day some brave fool will start another game like this.

I'd like to thank the people who participated in this game, and especially those who stayed till the end even when it was very much pointless, Jarko :) .

DC, since you're the admin it's up to you to declare it over and write it in.

[sansanjuan]

Great game all! Congrats to the two winners.
-ssj

[Jarkko]

Grats to the winners :)