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That Leechdens is looks really empty for the 1550s, are the colonizers all getting beat up back in Cannor?
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Jul 7, 2023 13:24
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Firebatgyro posted:That Leechdens is looks really empty for the 1550s, are the colonizers all getting beat up back in Cannor? Quite a few nations have colonial ideas, but are being surprisingly slow about it. Also, with Sarhal open they might be colonising there. Interlude: State of the World 1552 Contents of a missive from Ikse 'the Crafty', delivered to Grand Admiral Tegil My many eyes have seen many things, and I bring you news of the situation to the east. You were correct to employ my abilities. We cannot afford to blind ourselves to events outsides of the seas that Mykx claimed, or we will miss the sword as it descends onto our necks.  In the north of Cannor, a new power has emerged. The Bear Lords of Bjarnrík have crossed the waters from their homeland and crushed the once mighty Kingdom of Gawed, and now lay claim to all the waters of the region and even have begun colonial efforts in the north of Aelantir. The Gnomes too, having reconquered their homeland, suffer under the might of the bear. The Bjarnríki were once reavers as feared as any Gnollish raider, so we ought to be ready for a potential rival if they start appearing in force in our waters. Remember how Gawed was the final boss in the Orlghelovar campaign? Well, this time luck was against them and they have been pressed in from multiple sides. The Hierarchy is the Gnomish formable, and is one of the earliest possible Artificer nations in the game.  The other likely threat is Lorent. Having suppressed their unruly subjects and capitalized on the destruction of Gawed, they are by far the strongest single power in Cannor and have been preparing colonial expeditions and building a fleet capable of matching the Scourge Fleet. They do have concerns closer to home, though. The Wexonard Emperor still stands strong, and the Empire remains in good health. Amusingly, the Elfrealms in Venáil and Ibevar have been crushed, and with the failure of the Elves to resettle across the sea there is no chance of them reclaiming their former glory. Their ancient treasures are free for us to plunder as we wish. Ibevar starts off in a religious disaster, so if that goes badly it can lead them into a deathspiral, and Venáil needs to get its colonies going or it is doomed.  Curious news has come from deeper inland, though much of it is shrouded in mystery. Hordes of Orcs who now worship the once-Human warrior goddess Corin are pouring out of the lands of Escann, seizing territory all around the periphery of the Empire, including in Gawed and Corvuria. The cocky adventurers who wanted to reclaim the lands of Escann after the Greentide have instead been washed away by the force of the Corintide. I'm very interested to see what it actually looks like once the TI clears.  And speaking of the pathetically kind-hearted Human, my eyes in the lands of Viakkoc have confirmed that the son of the one who drove us out, now Viakkoc XIV, has converted and brought his whole kingdom with him. Perhaps he was driven to this after being driven from mainland Cannor and Toref, but either way he is rapidly eradicating the Kult and calling upon Corin's power to protect him from retaliation. I have made many inroads among those still loyal to Xhazob, if you wish to stage an intervention from across the ocean. If Viakkoc falls into religious conflict, the Elves of Elizna will only take further advantage to cement their hold on the region. It seems Viakkoc has started de-monsterizing, as this is the only way that I know of that this could have happened. Ravelian, Corinite, and the Jadd (also the Thought for Kobolds and Goblins) are available options if you have one of those nations as a neighbour (Verne in this case, who have a colony just at the bottom of the image).  Further to the east, a vast and growing collection of fanatics is pushing westwards. The Jadd Empire has incorporated Elves, Humans, Harpies and even Gnolls all under a single motto: 'There is no god but Surael, and Jaddar is his prophet'. The scattered collection of kingdoms opposing them are unlikely to hold, so soon Cannor and Sarhal might be overrun by a sunlit Xhaz. Usually, one of the Jadd or the Phoenix will arise in Bulwar without player intervention, and this time Jaddar won the coin flip.  More unfortunate news for the followers of Xhazob comes from deeper in the desert. As they rose, Gnollakaz falls. Their Golden Age has been brought to an end through rebellions by Khetists, the Jadd pressuring their frontier, and the rise of a mighty conqueror in Fangaula. Once again there isn't much to see in Sarhal that I can give a good account of.  Finally, at the very edges of my network, I have learned about the rise and fall of great powers. The Raj of Rahen has fallen, with the Jadd advancing from the west and the powerful Hobgoblin Command attacking from the north. An order of religious warriors has arisen to combat the Hobgoblins, and the stage is set for a tremendous war. Also, demons supposedly dwelt in the mountains of this region but have been subjugated by the Command. If our reach should ever one day touch this land, liberating them and returning them to Xhazob should be our goal. This is a pretty standard outcome for Haless. The Raj falls apart, Bhuvauri rises in the vacuum. One Xia forms and opposes the Command. To be continued… Sybot fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Jul 7, 2023 |
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Jul 7, 2023 18:30
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Looks like it's up to us to keep Xhazob slightly less hungry, since everybody else is slacking.
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Jul 7, 2023 22:21
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Yeah on the bitbucket version the Escann orcs seem to dominate a lot more often than they used to.
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Jul 9, 2023 19:34
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Chapter Nine: Mass Production 1552-1570 The dockyards below Ilzin Isobel Citadel, 1567 Serim climbed off the boat onto the dock, steadying himself as a tingling ran up from his toes, down his arms, and left his hands shaking. His two bodyguards followed him up, giving no indication that had seen his little moment of connection with the energy of the island. Above him, the great citadel the pirates had constructed on Isobel Island, or rather Ilzin Isobel, loomed tall and dark. Dim and distant torches and the faintly glittering light of the waning moon were their only guide in this night. Behind him, the coast of Trollsbay stretched in both directions, with Port Isobel shining with the light of tens of thousands of sailors and longshoremen working to get their goods to sea while their still had a chance. They all had protection agreements with the Gnolls, allowing them to safely pass the citadel, but out on open waters anything could happen. Moving out when the winds were good and the night was dark was their best bet for safety. None of that was Serim's concern though. The darkness aided him a different way. His ship was anchored just beyond the docks, sails stowed away and every light extinguished. When the deal was done, they would row the ship back out of Isobeliner waters and back to a hidden cove on Zanlib, all before the break of day. "Keep your wits about you," he said to the bodyguards, as he started striding along the docks. Mostly because he doubted that he could do so himself. If he hadn't been invited, he would not be walking so confidently through Gnollish territory. Dressed in fine silks imported all the way from Haless via Bulwar, and wearing jewellery acquired from the explorers who had delved beyond the Cliffs of Ruin and into the fallen civilizations that dwelled beyond them, he would be a prime target to be stripped of his fineries and freedom and worked to death below decks in the Scourge Fleet. But the Gnolls, savage creatures though they were, understood the concept of waiting now for a bigger payoff later. As they moved inwards from the outer docks, the structure grew around them like a jungle stripped of its leaves, and Serim could see glinting eyes and hulking forms multiplying around them. If they wanted, they could absolutely overpower his guards and seize him. He grit his teeth as his hands began to shake again, not from fear but from the sensation of blood and fire that filled the air. "You're early, Serim," a low voice said, speaking Castanorian Common with a rough growl permeating it. Before him, from a small wooden hut perched between two walkways, a Gnoll with at least two feet in height over Serim emerged and stood before the three Humans. "Captain Ehn, thank you for attending in person," Serim replied. His eyes were immediately drawn to the bag she was carrying, as the sensation ran through him again. "Is that it?" "Fresh from the Pits of Grillax," Ehn said, a hot hiss whistling through her teeth. She held up the bag and Serim's fingers twitched at the sight. "How many?" he asked. He couldn't let himself get completely lost, not yet. "Twenty crates of powder, ten barrels of solution," Ehn said. She clicked her claws together and previously unseen Gnolls emerged from the darkness, each carrying two containers by themselves. Serim let out a whistle. That was larger than any shipment he'd heard of reaching Trollsbay before. By itself it would make him the top dealer in Zanlib. One crate for himself and the others in charge, one crate for the local garrison members he'd gotten hooked, leaving eighteen more to distribute and build a customer base. Then the diluted and lower quality solution for the common man who couldn't afford the good stuff. Serim licked his lips and took in a long breath through his nose. "Payment is the usual," he said. On the way home, one of his vessels stationed just off the Zanlib coast would release a rowboat loaded with the payment. If something happened to him, or the Gnolls decided to seize treasure and cargo both, then the payment vessel would flee or worst case dump the loot overboard and let the Gnolls scrabble in the sea for the sinking gold. Ehn nodded in response, and turned towards the nearest Gnoll with a crate to load the bag into it. "Wait," Serim said, and a wicked toothy grin grew on Ehn's face. She didn't say anything, just holding the bag up over the open crate. The Gnoll lugging the box snorted with annoyance at the games she was playing, but Serim was fixated on the bag. There was no way he would last the whole trip home; he needed something right now. "Is that the prime product?" he asked, giving in. "Oh yes," Ehn said. She opened the bag, dipped a clawtip into it and withdrew it coated in fine green powder. Her tongue ran across her claw and she let out a long and satisfied growl as her eyes contracted until the whites were actual visible, before dilating back out to full darkness again. "I'd like some, now," he asked. Ehn approached him, her body twitching visibly under her fur her head lolling back and forth. Behind him, Serim heard the guards grab their weapons, but he stood firm and held out a hand. "It'll cost you extra," she said. Watching his expression she continued, "it's even more potent in places Xhazob reigns." Grumbling with annoyance, Serim slipped a golden ring from his open hand and handed it to Ehn. She gave off a throaty hoot of a laugh, then poured out a small pile of the viciously green powder into his palm. Serim stared at it. It had been almost a week since his supply had run out, and his whole body was feeling the lack of hellfire running through his veins. Maybe she was right, the sensation had gotten even worse since stepping into Gnollish territory. Maybe that meant that it would feel even better, or maybe that would mean the evil drug would pull him in deeper. Either way, every muscle in his body screamed for him to bury his face into his hand. He leaned forward, and inhaled the powder in just two long sniffs. His nose immediately felt like had caught fire, and his entire body locked up as the burning spread across the surface of his face and dug tendrils of fire deeper and deeper into his brain. The darkness all around him, no, the Darkness, swept up and consumed the Humans and Gnolls, leaving just a single sliver of light in the sky, which was surely Surakel fighting back and trying to save Serim's soul. Serim renounced Surakel in his thoughts and in his words, and let the wave of fire burn pleasure into every inch of his body. As the Darkness pulsed in time with his heartbeat, a demon of fur and metal stepped out, teeth and eyes on every one of their limbs, and he did not resist it as it whispered plans and plots into his ears. Minutes or hours later, Serim came to in one of a small fleet of rowboats carrying the product back to his ship. His bodyguards hadn't abandoned him, but they were very pointedly not looking at him. His whole body still radiated bliss, and his thoughts were clearer than they had been all week. He shot upright and looked back at the lights of the citadel. He could see now, the eyes burning in the Darkness, the demons the Gnolls worshipped aching to break free and teach the world their joy and despair. He would bring this revelation to the world, one shipment at a time. Excerpts from the journal of Xokir, Demon's Blood Researcher  The Grand Admiral has picked out this one guy, Ik 'the Smart', to set up the smuggling channels and make sure that the government gets its cut of the profits. I can't say I'm as smart as he claims to be but it doesn't seem that tricky to me. Find a few Humans in key places, get them hooked, and then make them leave gates open or watchposts empty in exchange for the next hit.  A batch of Ruinborn slaves have turned up in Ilzin Mykx to be our guides in the Leechdens. They whined about not actually knowing anything the swamps and jungles, but an Elf is an Elf, right? Worst case, we can feed them to the critters that live in the water and keep them off our boats.  More waves of settlers have been turning up, especially lots and lots of Kult priests. They're being persecuted back in the homeland, since the newest Viakkoc has started worshipping some Human and forcing his pack to live in harmony with the other races around him. Now I'm no fanatic, but that's hubris just asking for a fall.  We've arrived on one of the islands in the middle of the Leechdens, a more defensible position than putting our backs to the endless jungle on the shore. Unlike the other places that've been settled there were actually a few tribes hanging around so we had to station a garrison to drive them off. Our 'guides' have been pretty useless, so we sent them to communicate with some of the larger tribes on the shore. Didn't turn out to well for them. So far, this this whole thing's been a mess. We aren't getting the support we need. I should be mixing and cooking, not chopping trees and digging roads. Guess nobody wants to come to this Pits-damned bug hole instead of a rich and empty island. Our colonial buffs are starting to run out, dropping us down from four colonists to two and having them grow even slower.  At least we don't have to eat the local wildlife. All poisonous as Kentryn's breath, I'd say. We live off fish that has been acquired from the Lorentish fishers who think they can dodge the Scourge Fleet while harvesting the rich shoals in our waters.  There's nothing here to see expect trees and murky water. There's barely even enough for me to replenish my supply. We need to head further inland, but that's not going to be any more pleasant. Why couldn't this stuff grow by somewhere like the Cliffs? Now that was a sight to see, even if just from the deck of a ship. They've apparently found a pass through from Trollsbay to a huge river plain on the other side, wonder if we should check the local flora up there too. Much like the Marrhold tunnel, there are Great Projects that allow travel through the otherwise impassable Cliffs of Ruin, the rim of the crater caused by the Day of Ashen Skies.  A big shift back home. Tegil's out already, Skullchomper is in. Don't know much about the guy, he was minor Captain under Tegil until she was reassigned to teaching, and built up his power in the Fleet of Ruin until he could launch his own coup. The bosses are probably freaking out, but we're isolated enough here that we can keep doing what we're doing and be fine.  Skullchomper doesn't seem to have any interest in actually ruling. He's given the normal running of the republic over to the bosses and screwed off to plot campaigns in the Torn Sea. What a headache this must be, and it means we'll be getting even less support.  I take that back, we did get support, though not what I expected. He sent a detachment to conquer the shore tribes, securing us both the land and decent supply of slaves to work it. I've been promoted to foreman of the research team, so I've got a lot of work to do to locate the best sources of the Demon's Blood precursors and organize the slave gangs to build plantations. Downside is we'll need a bunch of hungry and disruptive warriors hanging around to keep the slaves in line.  The garrison is increasing in size, with Orcs roaming the jungle to the north. A massive breakout of Corintide slaves ravaged Jercel harbour, our easternmost outpost, and took all the stolen wealth and ships to Soruin. The southern ring of the Cliffs separates them from the Leechdens, but who knows when they'll be able to find a way down here.  A batch of forged manifests made its way to us. They want us to ship out the batches of Demon's Blood we have, but I've put my paw down on that. Mass production is still out of reach and internal demand is consuming what we've got. There are a lot of powerful folks who don't want to be cut off just so the bosses can make a bit of Cannorian cash.  My youngest assistants have been chattering about new beginnings and how Mykx is the last bastion of proper Gnollish culture and worship of the demonic host. Well, that won't be for more longer. If we get Demon's Blood out into the world, then everyone'll get their own demonic visitations. It'll inject a little terror and selfishness into their boring lives. But first I need my assistants working, not chatting! This event pops up for pretty much all spawnable and settled adventurer nations to give them new cultures, although as we already have our own unique culture, Ruinscourge Gnoll, it just gives us a few bonuses.  The new Grand Admiral has been in charge for a few years now, but he is still more interested in ravaging the defenceless colonies than assisting the bosses in their plans or providing us with funding. Everything we've built has been taken off the backs of the locals and whatever dumb saps decide to settle in this nightmare.  From what I hear the bosses aren't managing things too well either. Graft is on the rise, and the scribe slaves are being overworked until their wrists break just trying to keep track of the paperwork. Can't say I'm not partaking, after all a certain percent of the product is reserved for me and the team before it even leaves these walls. Pirate republics get a massive malus to governing capacity cost on provinces, and adding merchant republic mechanics through the last government reform has made it even worse.  Colonists continue to arrive in the Leechdens, sailing ships snatched from the so-called 'Ruined Triangle' and with their former crews as fresh slaves. Sorely need too, between the heat, the wildlife, and the diseases the turnover is crazy. Mykx had to have been demon-guided to stick her headquarters in the perfect place to dominate shipping between the east and west.  We're getting fewer Elven slaves, or at least fewer stuck-up twigs from Cannor. The weird and wild types who live the jungle are still plentiful. They picked up some good alliances and managed to dig themselves out of the hole they found themselves in when they got kicked out of Cannor for good. A bit late for their dream of reclaiming the whole continent for Elfdom, though. This is actually pretty impressive. Venail only had a few islands and a weak colonial nation not that long ago. It's probably a result of the unwillingness of colonial nations to revolt. Aeliande are still subject to Venail despite being much stronger.  Tall tales from the sailors talk about Skullchomper defeating a Kheionai fleet five times larger than his own. I don't doubt he's out there munching heads at sea while they fight each other on land, but at least make it a bit believable. Pretty risky for a Grand Admiral to be out there as well, I got a theory that the poisonous winds out there are what deaded 'the Dead' when she had a go.  Though if the Grand Admiral does secure some ports, it'll save a lot of lives and maybe even his own. Also, a good jumping off point for smashing open some of those massive shielded cities and getting at the juicy treasure within. Lots of cash for the research program.  The Fleet will get a big chunk of that plunder before us, though. We're spanning thousands of miles, from the one random island in the north-eastern ice waters, to these new islands far to the south west. The Grand Admiral better have a plan to be able to hold onto that, or the Cannorians will find a way to screw us over. Finishing exploration also gives us the ability to fabricate claims everywhere in Aelantir, very useful as it means we can now justify a war without needing a nearby province.  A breakthrough! It took years of work, but I have the perfect process to produce Demon's Blood in vast quantities. Leaves of the Demon's Vine, crushed and cooked, combined with the poisons of the Pit Leech and Deadly Blue fungus, then mixed with differing amounts of Tea, Tobacco and a combination of Spices to produce all of the different varieties of Demon's Blood for the different consumer markets. The bosses are already shipping put the product internally, and soon I expect the world will taste what I've made.  Some of the bosses have gathered into a single cartel, calling themselves the Blood Bringers, and handed over a list of ports to the Grand Admiral to grab and make into posts for Demon's Blood. He dismissed them, probably because taking much more territory would cause no end of problems for the guys running things, but the Kult has taken an interest in one of those regions in particular.  The first port opened up on Ilzin Isobel, and shipments and being snuck across all of Trollsbay to eager and addicted customers on the mainland. Reports are already coming back about the differing effects the drug has on Humans, Elves, Halflings, Orcs, and, somehow, Vampires. I've got access to at least some of these here, so I've repurposed some slaves for further experiments. I can't wait to refine it for even better addictive properties. And here is how we make our real money. There are four levels of income we can reach by upgrading the centre of trade and building trade-related buildings. Note that the income is yearly, and is also hit by the fact that this is wrong-religion, wrong-culture province.  I've been called back to Graxarr, where the bosses've given me my own administration to organise more production operations. I not upset to be out of that pit of bloodsuckers but think I might've fallen into another one. The Kult is strong here, and have really gotten high on the supply I've given them. There's a lot of politics going over my head between them and the Fleet's administration on Ilzin Mykx. Luckily, they're pulling in the same direction right now. All the spare money is going into courthouses and state houses just so we can keep ahead of the governing cap.  A bunch of Cannorian crusaders conquered a Ruinborn nation on the western side of the Ruined Sea and claimed it as their own nation. Now, neither the Kult nor the Blood Bringers care about the natives, but these Humans have seized and plan to consecrate a massive citadel of bones in the name of their god, who supposedly guards the gates of the Pits, and are building a port in the shadow of the ruin. The Kult wants the citadel, the bosses want the port, the Admiral wants blood and treasure. Everyone's on board.  Ruling the seas is no joke. The marines landed at both ends of their nation, so only one landing could be contested before the bulk of our troops landed. The crusaders decided to group up rather than contest either, but they didn't last long once faced with the full power of our hand-culverins.  While I was enjoying the tales from the ravaging of the cocky crusaders, a report crossed my desk coming from the other direction. Reveria has seized Jercel, and is moving on our other islands on the eastern side of Aelantir. I didn't know what I could do about it, so I attached it a pigeon to go straight to the Fleet. Better get Skullchomper doing what he does best.  The Fleet is on the way back, leaving the Kult to take over the Bone Citadel. All the Cannorian religious icons were stripped out and defiled, and the blood of both Nerat's crusaders and the Ruinborn collaborators who had abandoned their own properly demonic religion has been used to desecrate the citadel in the name of Xhazob. With my drug bubbling in their veins, our priests are going to have no trouble forcing open the Pits, no matter how hard Nerat tries to keep them closed. To be continued…
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Jul 11, 2023 21:06
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Finally, it's time to cook...
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Jul 12, 2023 02:21
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 but it's a hyena
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Jul 12, 2023 02:31
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It seems weird that your god stat admiral can become a completely poo poo ruler, I get that they might not be amazing at admin / diplo but you'd think that they would at least be semi competent and have above average mil skill. I just looked this up on the wiki and for some reason there's a 25% chance for each ruler stat that it's just a random roll of 0-3 which doesn't take the admiral's stats into account, so even the best admiral has a high chance of at least one bad stat
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Jul 12, 2023 08:10
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I'm assuming thats big brother Lorent giving Reveria the balls to declare that war?
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Jul 12, 2023 16:25
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Firebatgyro posted:I'm assuming thats big brother Lorent giving Reveria the balls to declare that war? Actually no, I'll get into the real reason in the next update. I am dreading the moment the Lorentish eye turns my way though. RabidWeasel posted:It seems weird that your god stat admiral can become a completely poo poo ruler, I get that they might not be amazing at admin / diplo but you'd think that they would at least be semi competent and have above average mil skill. I just looked up the formula, and that checks out. Maybe Mil shouldn't have that factor, but it's probably reasonable to have a chance that selecting a ruler based on fighting ability doesn't necessarily lead to good ruling or diplomancing.
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Jul 12, 2023 16:44
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Yeah, and if someone's a great tactical genius, it doesn't necessarily translate to being a strategic or logistical one. But it is video games at the end of the day I suppose. This LP is still going strong by the by, loving it. I never gently caress around with botes and don't really understand them so I'm curious where Mykx is going beyond dealing demon meth.
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Jul 12, 2023 16:49
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Getting the naval equivalent of Lu Bu doesn't seem too outlandish, even if it's a little counter-intuitive.
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Jul 12, 2023 16:49
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RabidWeasel posted:It seems weird that your god stat admiral can become a completely poo poo ruler, I get that they might not be amazing at admin / diplo but you'd think that they would at least be semi competent and have above average mil skill. I'm not sure where you're seeing this? I think you're reading the formula wrong. The formula is the same as for ordinary ruler generation, you just multiply your rolls on each stat by a factor of ((9 + sum(Pips))/18). In the case of Rri, this would be (9+16)/18 or in other words, each ruler stat is multiplied by a factor of 1.38. We can then say that we rolled 0, 0 for adm, 0, 1 for mil, and 1,1 (or 0,2) for dip. We just rolled, like, incredibly badly.
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Jul 12, 2023 17:05
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shades of blue posted:I'm not sure where you're seeing this? I think you're reading the formula wrong. The formula is the same as for ordinary ruler generation, you just multiply your rolls on each stat by a factor of ((9 + sum(Pips))/18). In the case of Rri, this would be (9+16)/18 or in other words, each ruler stat is multiplied by a factor of 1.38. We can then say that we rolled 0, 0 for adm, 0, 1 for mil, and 1,1 (or 0,2) for dip. We just rolled, like, incredibly badly. Oh yeah I misread the placement of a bracket in the formula, that makes much more sense.
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Jul 12, 2023 18:28
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Edit - Scratch that, I misread it too
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Jul 12, 2023 18:34
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Chapter Ten: To Every Corner 1570-1590 A tavern in Death's Port, a short distance from the Bone Citadel, 1586 Raucous hooting laughter rang through air as a table collapsed under the weight of the Gnoll warrior dancing atop it. She landed among her fellow warriors, who began a small but friendly scuffle with only a little blood spilled between them. Several of the local garrison, looking to get a little friendly and perhaps find a mate, sidled over and tried to pry their way into the throng, but the warriors were not going to let some landlubber cowards into their fun and any interlopers were thrown across the tavern in short order. Darran dodged a Gnoll skidding across the floor and pivoted to keep the mugs of ale filling his hands from tipping all over his nearest customers. Well, though he considered them customers he did not really have a choice in serving them. As a slave of the mayor of Death's Port, formerly Neratport, he had no real power. However, he did have a modicum of respect, for being the one who provided Gnolls with their booze and their powder. He managed to avoid any more of the fighting tearing up a corner of his tavern and made his way to another group of warriors who were a bit more sedate. Four of them were chattering amongst themselves while two lounged against a wall with their beady eyes dilating and contracting at random. "Six tankards," he said, in his passable Gnollish, "and twenty doses." After setting down the drinks, he pulled from his pocket a small sack filled with the green powder that the creatures loved so much. The four sensate Gnolls cheered, and began to down their drinks. There wasn't any payment forthcoming, he got a stipend from the mayor to provide for visitors, and thar was it. Over the years since he was caught, he had learned a few tricks to keep that money going and some backchannels to get drink and drugs at a discount. He was about to turn and return to the bar when a furry clawed hand closed around his wrist. Not violently, but enough so that he knew he wouldn't be able to leave. "C'mon, have a little fun, barman," one of the Gnolls said. He didn't recognise her. She wasn't from the garrison or the Kult, which meant she was probably one of the new arrivals bringing in money and slaves for the Bone Citadel. "Yeah, Humans love this stuff too!" another Gnoll said, "I had a slave who couldn't keep his hands off my stash, so I had to take them off." "Excuse me," Darran said carefully, "but I need to serve the rest of your comrades, ma'am." "Trizry, marine sergeant. There are other slaves," she said. She was right, he wasn't serving a tavern full of Gnolls alone. However, he was the one in charge. Things could get out of hand without his coordination. Trizry didn't give him a chance to respond any further, pulling him onto the bench beside her and grabbing the bag of powder. In a practice motion, she dipped her claws in to withdraw a small dose, snort it, then pass the bag around to the other Gnolls at the table. "That's the stuff," she said, her snout twitching. She twisted her neck to look into the rafters, and Darran could only imagine what sort of dark images were leaking into her vision. "What do you see?" he asked. The sooner he got them distracted the sooner he could get back to work. "Oho, so you are interested," Trizry said, "been around the Citadel enough to get curious, I bet." "The Kult has been talking to us," he said, "I-" and he chose his next words carefully "-used to worship Nerat, but after he abandoned us, I have no patron. Are your visions real?" "As real as my scars," she replied, "you don't know demonic power until you have bled in the pits, your body being torn at by fiends, and the blood of Grilax burning in your veins." "Or felt your body twist and grow in the light of the Everpyre," another Gnoll spoke up. "Or watched a priest curse a cannon to only shoot hellfire, and then it explodes because we didn't offer Xhazob enough blood," a third Gnoll chipped in. "So, it's something a Human can't really participate in," Darran said, "we aren't the bloodline of Grilax." "That's where this comes in," Trizry said. She scooped a dose, larger than the one she had taken, and held it in front of Darran's nose, "or so the Kult thinks, anyway. Won't know 'till you try. Might put some hair on your chest, and arms, and everywhere else it should be." He could feel the energy radiating off the sickly green powder piled up before him, even just breathing close to it made his nose tingle. He couldn't say that he hadn't been tempted in the past, when Demon's Blood had first appeared along with the Gnollish conquerors, if only to escape from the nightmare he had been enslaved into. On the other hand, they had rampaged across the seas for decades and showed no signs of slowing down. Perhaps the Regent Court really had abandoned this continent, and left it to the demons. In that case, what was the harm? Maybe he could take a break, and see what Xhazob had to offer him. Or was that the powder speaking to him? His thoughts were swimming, his heart was pounding, and dark hands throbbed at the edges of his vision. Before he could lean forward, the door to the tavern slammed open, and he shot to his feet in an ingrained motion to greet the new arrivals. He wasn't the only one. Trizry and the other Gnolls at the table shot up, the two zonked out being dragged to their feet by the others. Across the tavern, the fighting stopped and the warriors assembled themselves into a line without any trouble, the only sign that they weren't anything but perfectly coordinated being the scratches lining their bodies. At the doorway stood a tall Gnoll adorned in fancy but practical armour. Splint armour made of strips of gold and steel covered her body, adorned with shreds of fine silk fabric that had once been part of a very expensive outfit. Over her shoulders she wore a cloak made of thick cloth, into which someone had sewn the skull and bones flag of Mykx. "Sergeant!" she called out. "Present!" Trizry replied, loud enough to make Darran's ears ring. "Get them in order," the Gnoll said, her teeth bared in a ferocious grin, "we sail in two hours. Any left behind will be charged with desertion." "At your command, Captain Szura," Trizry said. Szura turned and left, probably to smash down the doors of more taverns to retrieve her marines. Darran felt a hand on his shoulder as the tavern erupted into a flurry of movement and barked orders. He looked up to see Trizry handing him back the bag of Demon's Blood with a twinkle in her eye, before she began dragging the rest of the marines out of the building whether they were sober or not. As his customers cleared away, leaving just a few shocked local Gnolls, Darran couldn't help but wonder what was more surprising. That he was actually considering the reality of the demons, or that a group of Gnolls could actually have such discipline instilled in them. Excerpts from the journal of Szura Skulleater, Marine Captain in the Scourge Fleet  The Reverians dare to challenge us, thinking us weak and overextended. Nonsense. It is only the strange combination of naivety and ambition that makes their king believe he has a hope against us. The Scourge Fleet is larger, and my marines can match any one of their armies in the field. Here is why they decided to attack. Personalities can have quite the effect on AI actions. Also, RIP to the Gnomes once again. Reveria being a naïve GC meant that they were happy to take all the Hierarchy's territory and ignore the AE involved.  Cannor pays no mind to the fools on their periphery, focused as they are on the Corintide crisis, with even the Emperor himself bowing to the goddess in the face of the Orcish invasion. The more I hear of her the more I am impressed. Merciful and charitable she may be, but she has struck a bloody blow in the heavens themselves and caused blood to rain across a continent. Perhaps she will learn a taste for it and become a proper goddess of blood and death worthy of worship.  My marines secured the beachhead, and the army landed and pillaged their way to the Reverian colonial capital. We weren't around for the final battle, having been redirected to seize other colonies around the Ruined Sea, but I hear that Kazar ordered them slaughtered to the last pitiful cowering Human. A fitting end for daring to strike at us.  Skullchomper took the Scourge Fleet back to Cannor for the first time. It must truly have been terrifying sight, something the Humans had though long passed after Viakkoc's cowardly conversion. Our ships descended on the Humand ports and Gnomish cliff cities and devastated them with cannon and blade, and eked our revenge.  His ships returned to Aelantir laden with gold, with wealth enough to keep the fleet funded for years to come. Their colonies were permitted to remain under their control, with the knowledge that we could descend on them once again at any moment and ravage them once more.  Most of the money is going into setting up a new administration in the western isles of the Ruined Sea. The Blood Bringers are still running the show, and seem to need an ever-increasing supply of paper to manage the flow of their previous Demon's Blood. As long as they keep the doses coming for the troops, they can do what they want with the rest of the administration. Their latest scheme is trying to smuggle in a Cannorian printing press piece by piece to mass produce false manifests for their smugglers and production notes for their chemists. This was a bad idea with such a terrible ruler, I'm starved of mana for the next 10 years as a result. I chose this province because I could stick a State House on it with double effect thanks to the Gems, but in hindsight I should probably have devved up something in my capital state instead.  After earning our share of the plunder, we were diverted back to crushing those who tried to oppose our rule. While my marines were diverted to Kheionai to retake islands that had been seized by local pirates, the regulars were sent to guard the Bone Citadel from angry natives. They consider it the centre of their religion, and have been regularly rioting against the Kult's work. Their religion is an interesting one, and would fit well into the Kult, but our priests are far too impatient and have ordered the natives driven back into the jungles. The mission tree requires us to have the correct culture/religion in this province, and the Kult isn't going to be converting non-Gnolls the normal way any time soon.  An unusual message has gone out among the captains. The remnants of the Gnomish Hierarchy put out a bounty on the Reverian flagship, so we are to be on the lookout for a chance to snatch or sink it. I didn't even know we were accepting contracts from the landlubbers, but apparently some of them are willing to use us as a proxy in their own conflicts. We'll rarely hit that bonus for a flagship, but getting bonus prestige and capture chance is always nice.  The Bone Citadel has become another major hub for Demon's Blood. The lands around them abound with followers of both the Cannorian and native gods of death, ready to be turned into proper demon worshippers with just the right push.  A mass sacrifice was held at the Bone Citadel to celebrate the acquisition and desecration of the enormous temple. I am told it was revelry of incredible proportions, elevated even higher by the free flow of massive quantities of Demon's Blood. I can only take my rationed dose and dream of the heat and blood, as we are shipped from one end of the continent to the other putting down slave rebellions. You really build up sacrifices with so many coasts to raid. We ended up with over one hundred built up over the past few decades, which instantly boosted us to 100 demonic power and 100% Kult influence.  Passing through the Torn Sea once again to crush rebels on Vanburia, a deep red comet illuminated the sky. Many of the crew and marines lost in a haze of visions cried out and cowered in the face of a demonic claw scratching at the sky, but I see it for what it really is. An omen that blood will be spilled. Whose blood, remains the question.  It is not just the slave populations who are restive. The common Gnoll itches for violence, whether as a result of too much Demon's Blood, getting a kicking from drunk and angry sailors, or feeling the pinch of being taxed while earning none of the treasure that we warriors do. The Kult and Blood Bringers have their ambitions, and who knows what will happen if they no longer align with the will of the Grand Admiral.  For now, they are in tandem. They seek to strike at the Elves who have claimed a place on Noruin, having subjugated the Humans who drove them off in the first place. The priests have blessed their weapons with hellfire, and provided the warriors with enough doses of Demon's Blood to carry them from the coast to the Cliffs of Ruin. Most of this war will be fought inland by the army, my marines will just need to secure the beachhead. We will not be left behind though, there will be plenty of opportunities for raiding the Elven islands scattered around.  My suggestions for the creation of a proper marine corps have finally been accepted by the Grand Admiral. I have been elevated to the rank of Captain, equal to any other in the Scourge Fleet, and the authority to recruit to the marine corps instead of the regulars. It's more than I expected, as I could raise an army capable of overthrowing the Scourge Fleet, but I am loyal to the ideals of Mykx. If I were to do so, it would only be for the good of the Fleet.  The Kult have finally begun proper restoration efforts on the Bone Citadel, having brought in an army of Dwarven slaves from the islands. If nothing else, this will keep them busy for a long while yet.  We returned to Kheionai to clear rebels from the islands. A detachment of raiders regularly ravages the coastlines of the region and have gained a decent understanding of the deadly winds in the region. With the help of local slaves and a few Kult priests who understand the whims of the ocean winds they will be able to tell us when we can launch another campaign safely.  In Cannor, the Corintide is victorious. It is only to be expected, a warrior goddess capable of stopping an invasion on par with a Xhaz ought to have no problem claiming rule over a mighty pantheon. The Kult preaches against her, especially with many of our slaves following her, but I continue to hold respect for a strong warrior. Perhaps my soul might meet her in battle when Xhazob emerges to consume the world.  While we were on deployment there was a change of power back home. Thek is now in charge. Can't say I know much of him, but he has already clamped down on the rising internal conflicts. He has also made some bold proclamations that the Fleet needs to seek plunder further afield and not just raid the same pieces of coastline over and over again. It looks like we'll have some more major campaigns coming up.  He has already pulled out of the war with the elves after extracting monetary concessions. The war had dragged to a halt after the army failed to decisively defeat the Elven forces on the mainland, though the Elven capital was burned to the ground in the process so it was not all a disaster.  With the success of my marines and the failure of the army, Thek ordered them to be restructured more along our lines. More discipline, better organisation, a proper command structure. There will no doubt be grumbling, but they cannot stand against the Scourge Fleet so they will fall in line.  Exports to Trollsbay are ramping up as quickly as production can match, and the Kult have found a new goal in attempting to convert the slave population of the islands. Once, Gnolls were the only ones to hear Xhazob's whispers, but with Demon's Blood any race can feel the connection. I have seen members of weaker races who nonetheless have the strength to survive a pyre celevration, so perhaps they can join us in worship. Upgrading the CoT to level 2 and building a marketplace gets us a level 3 Demon's Blood modifier, and later upgrading the CoT to level 3 will get us the level 4 Demon's Blood modifier.  Thek has much wider ambitions than his predecessor. As soon as news came that the deadly winds of Kheionai had turned away, the Scourge Fleet departed to ravage the region. We landed on the main island for the first time, marching on and laying siege to a mighty city guarded by magical wards that barred our entrance. Such magic was no match for the power of hellfire. The Scourge Fleet blasted open a path for us and we marched inside. The city had not been sacked for centuries, and there was enough treasure for every Gnoll to return laden with an unimaginable amount of plunder, and enough slaves to carry it for them.  There was no intention to actually take the city in the region, but rather more of the islands to extend the reach of the raiders assigned to the region and give them more safe harbours from the death winds.  The plunder from Kheionai was enough to fund the beginning of the work on the Bone Citadel. It was impressive to see as we arrived escorting resources and slaves to the construction effort, the massive ziggurat swarming with dwarves working to carve the bones that make up its structure into the proper emblems of Xhazob and his host. The growing port beneath it was also impressive, but more of the quality and quantity of Demon's Blood flowing through its merchants.  One major issue is that every time we go abroad to fight, we effectively abandon several of the outlying islands to local rebels. There are not enough Gnolls in Aelantir to patrol every region that contains restive populations, and while my marines can easily be shipped to any battlefield, we can't be in two places at once. And yet, Thek demands that we continue expanding our reach.  After many delays the Blood Bringers have their printing press up and running. Now every time we dock in port, we get deluged in advertising flyers proclaiming that this or that brand of Demon's Blood is the best. There are upsides. I have commissioned training manuals to be distributed to my marines. Getting even the lowliest and feeblest Gnoll to the same level of understanding will be valuable, although still nothing beats being blooded in battle.  Beyond procedures for boarding actions, landings, and profiles of the races that we might face in battle, one thing that I have focused on in the manuals is the use of firearms. Guns are more common than they were in Mykx' day, and we have to be ready to use them ourselves. Heavy musketoons, short-barrelled and very powerful, are finding increasing use and replacing the ramshackle hand-culverins that were in use previously.  In between campaigns, Thek has been pushing back against the Kult. He seems a bit more sceptical of the idea of bringing other races into the Kult, and without his backing the Kult is having trouble with their conversion experiment on Ilzin Isobel. Our ability to convert relies on the Kult being in charge and having an inquisitor advisor. To consistently convert we absolutely need religious ideas.  After putting down a multitude of rebellions, we are on the offensive again, this time to the far north-west of Aelantir where another native civilization dwells. Our Vanbury collaborators say that this region is rich in Precursor relics, which will fetch a pretty price for Cannorian collectors. That is reason enough to secure a base in the region and begin raiding them.  Disaster. After securing one of the outlying islands to use as a base, the Grand Admiral ordered the Scourge Fleet onwards without waiting a moment to resupply and conduct repairs after the long voyage. The native fleet, stronger than we had expected from such primitives, emerged from port and caught Thek off guard. I watched from further back in the fleet as the Salt Tower caught a cannon shot in its powder stores and exploded. The Grand Admiral and Mykx's flagship, gone in a fit of hubris. Besides losing my Admiral, the reason this battle was lost was because I got overconfident and let my heavy ships sit in water that wasn't adjacent to an owned port. Because we were so far away from the core ports, attrition stacked really high and most of the ships went into this battle on 20%ish health.  The rest of the fleet was reeling, but I took command, using my marines to put down any insubordination, and ordered us to turn around and end this overextended campaign. It was not something that I ever intended, but by the time we made it back to the island of Lismel, the captains were proclaiming me as the new Grand Admiral.  We were able to hold the island from their counterattack and claim it as our own, but it was clear now that the era of easy victories had passed. We were stretched too far, even primitive civilizations are mounting fleets that can challenge us, and the eyes of Cannor are increasingly turning westwards. By the time I return to Ilzin Mykx, I need to have decided on our approach. To be continued… Vote With many challenges arising, the Gnolls of Mykx need to clarify their direction and prepare to meet the approaching new century. The fourth idea group will soon be open, giving a chance to mould the nation further. Religious – Demon's Blood is a powerful tool, and with investment could be used to spread Xhazob's grasp around the world. Imagine Gnolls, Orcs, Humans, and all other races enraptured and dancing together in pits of blood and fire. Economic – The economy is still highly reliant on raiding and war plunder to survive. A little bit of theoretical work and reorganisation could forge a strong foundation, allowing the plunder to go towards bigger things. Influence – The nations of Aelantir are blossoming, and in future might have the strength to stand against us. Bringing some of them to heel will give us weapons to fight wars on the mainland. Maritime – The Marine Corps has proven highly effective, and the Fleet is the core of the nation, so both should be further elevated. Quality – Gnolls are still the greatest warriors and sailors in the world, and can only grow stronger as their 'enhancements' are further refined. Offensive – We win through furious aggression, and this should be reflected in our military policy. Vote below by clicking on the image. Vote for up to two options, but only one will be selected. Second and third place will get a guaranteed slot in the next vote.  Voting closes in 48 hours
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Jul 15, 2023 22:16
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The monstrous races getting more discipline and such over time is one of my favorite aspects of Anbennar, I think. Tluukt is one of my favorite MTs because of that, this band of demon worshiping monster hyenas becoming a state with a caste of state-raised administrators overtime. Curious to see where the Mykx tree goes from here. I'm guessing you're staying full Monstrous to go with the evil campaign theme, though.
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Jul 17, 2023 11:41
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RubricMarine posted:The monstrous races getting more discipline and such over time is one of my favorite aspects of Anbennar, I think. Tluukt is one of my favorite MTs because of that, this band of demon worshiping monster hyenas becoming a state with a caste of state-raised administrators overtime. Curious to see where the Mykx tree goes from here. I'm guessing you're staying full Monstrous to go with the evil campaign theme, though. Yep, there's no need to de-monsterize, unless Influence manages to win a vote and we start managing subjects. We've already taken the reform that bars alliances with non-pirates. Speaking of votes, a strong win for Religious. The Kult will soon start seeing new members, and I can finally do something about our rebel problems. 
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Jul 17, 2023 22:49
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I have to say, being a piratical narco-state of demon-blooded hooligans does make the gameplay mesh with the narrative much more than being a bunch of liberal crusaders did in the Dwarven playthrough. We were an expansionistic imperial state, at the very least since we started conquering large chunks of the surface, and I felt it clashed with the multicultural and democratic society that the updates described.* Here, of course we're going to conquer poo poo and take thousands of slaves. That's what those other civs are there for! Your fiction interludes have also been particularly enjoyable in this playthrough as well, Sybot. Two thumbs and a pseudopenis up. * e: of course, that's also true of real life democratic empires.
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Jul 18, 2023 15:47
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habeasdorkus posted:I have to say, being a piratical narco-state of demon-blooded hooligans does make the gameplay mesh with the narrative much more than being a bunch of liberal crusaders did in the Dwarven playthrough. We were an expansionistic imperial state, at the very least since we started conquering large chunks of the surface, and I felt it clashed with the multicultural and democratic society that the updates described.* Here, of course we're going to conquer poo poo and take thousands of slaves. That's what those other civs are there for! One of the criticisms that EUIV in general is that the mechanics white-wash much of the ugliness of the period it covers (as one example,, just put some Bird Points in a province, and its now a friendly culture! No elaboration on how that works), and for all the cool stuff in it Anbennar can only fix so much of that. Now, whether it is EUIV (or Anbennar's) responsibility to highlight what actually occurred is a debate far beyond the scope of this LP. But as you said, this can lead to moments of disconnect where it feels like a narrative you're trying to make for an LP sound awfully similar to IRL historical narratives that make the same excuses. Again, this is not meant to be an indictment of the mod or the LP, but it is worth being conscious of.
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Jul 19, 2023 20:59
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habeasdorkus posted:I have to say, being a piratical narco-state of demon-blooded hooligans does make the gameplay mesh with the narrative much more than being a bunch of liberal crusaders did in the Dwarven playthrough. We were an expansionistic imperial state, at the very least since we started conquering large chunks of the surface, and I felt it clashed with the multicultural and democratic society that the updates described.* Here, of course we're going to conquer poo poo and take thousands of slaves. That's what those other civs are there for! Thank you! I'm glad people are enjoying the narrative sections, I was concerned people would skip over them in favour of getting to the gameplay. On the question of what is 'really' happening, I think the dwarves were reasonably good at practising what they preached domestically both in game mechanics and 'realistic' terms. By the end of it almost all of the surface conquest were stated and all cultures promoted to accepted, which I take as full rights and acceptance within the Union. I did try to make it clear the up-front blood price that was being paid for that though, what with the descriptions of heavy use of incendiary weapons, deliberately maiming enemies with glass shrapnel, and building giant city-destroying laser cannons. That contradiction was never really resolved in the narrative. I had intended to cover more of the military-industrial complex and attendant issues in the epilogue but the size was getting away from me a bit.
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Jul 20, 2023 00:16
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Chapter Eleven: Faith in Blood 1590-1608 Applicant Chambers, the Bone Citadel, 1602 The halls of the Bone Citadel carried sound well, but intermittently. Towering archways made from the ribs of strange extinct creatures marked out individual sectors. Walls lined with the skulls of fifteen hundred years of Elven sacrifices, and one hundred years of Kult sacrifices, let through the sounds of the chambers beyond. Screams of terror, moans of despair, and cries of joyous connection peaked and dipped as the Kult priests walked their nightly routes. Dokk, the most senior of the group, tapped his staff, and brought them to a stop. Their first visit. "Visions of desecration," Anzah said, reading from her notes, "applicants are Orcs of the Corintide." "Fed with most intense Demon's Blood," Dokk said, his grin wide enough that his teeth lit up the hallway almost as much as the torches lining the walls. He inserted his staff into the door, and twisted it with all of his strength to work the lock. The priests were the only ones who could open up these chambers. They had been built to hold anybody, no matter how warped by demonic energy they grew or how much they were willing to destroy their body to escape. In this case, they could hear the whimpering of the inhabitant of the room through the walls so it was safe for them to enter. Within the room, there were two Orcs. One Orc really, the other was in a heap with their throat ripped open. The survivor was curled up against wall in a foetal position, looking like a freshly born cub that was not going to survive the attention of its siblings. His head was up, and locked onto the main adornment of the room. During a raid of a Corinite vessel, the crew had seized a massive portrait of Corin and had much fun desecrating it. Now it stood as an insult to anyone who considered the Human woman a worthy warrior. Eventually it came into the Kult's possession, and someone had the brilliant idea of discovering exactly what someone seeing through demonic eyes made of the painting. Anzah bounded into the room, quill at the ready to take notes. She crouched down by the Orc, who still refused to make eye contact with anything besides the torn scribble eyes of the Corin painting. "What do you see?" she asked. "She's eating him," the Orc managed to get out, "and then she's going to eat me." The priests looked at the painting, which loomed over the second Orc's corpse. It wasn't moving to their eyes, but who knew what demonic possession the crew's desecration had invited to it. "She's eating Dookanson," the Orc continued to ramble, "she's eating Adean, and his blood, his blood's in the water." "The only way a Human might achieve what Corin did is through the patronage of the demonic host," Dokk said, punctuating his statement with a slam of his staff, "consider that, and more will come to light." He placed a mug of Demon's Blood solution on the room's sole furnishing, a stone bed, let Anzah finishing taking notes, and then left and sealed it again to leave the Orc with his demons. "Do you think he tore out the other Orc's throat? He didn't have any blood on him," Anzah asked as she hurriedly sorted her notes for their next stop. "It's most likely. A manifestation of evil would be an impressive feat from an Orc," Dokk said. He tapped his staff with one claw thoughtfully as they walked. "But with the presence of the painting, such a vivid desecration, it could be possible. With that opposing his devotion for Corin, twisted further by Demon's Blood, the barrier keeping his soul from the Pits would be paper thin." Anzah nodded and took even more notes, leaving her arms full of paper that needed organising before the next room, which was one that would demand even more of her attention. "Hellfire artificery," she noted, "Reverian Humans and Gnomes." The door opened and Dokk immediately had to shield himself as a flicker of green flame burst from the room. "Come on! I can take it!" a Human yelled, back against a wall on one side of the room. He bounced up and down, his clothes nearly rags on him and his flesh and angry red wherever it wasn't blackened and burned. The other Humans were piled up in a corner, some probably dead and others groaning and staring at the ceiling. "Forty third shot! I call upon Kentryn!" a squeaky Gnome called out from the other side of the room. She raised a contraption that had been assembled from metal and bone and launched a ball of green fire. Somehow, this did not burn the man but caught his clothes alight. He half-screamed, half-yelled in excitement, and began rolling around the floor. "Fascinating, the demon of Envy only takes what he has but does not harm his flesh," the Gnome said. She sniffed, rubbed the little smear of powder below her nose, then took out a bone needle and scratched some symbols onto the wall. "We have to compare notes!" Anzah chirped, almost as squeaky with excitement as the Gnome in front of her. The two of them quickly started jabbering at each other in the way that young mad scientists could. Dokk walked over to the Human, who had put out the flames at the expense of most of his remaining clothes and was now collapsed on the floor. He withdrew a pinch of Demon's Blood from his pouch and rubbed it under the man's nose, before taking a step back. A moment later, the man shot to his feet, his eyes wide and a canine grin on his face. "Okay, next, next! Come on, I can take another!" he shouted. A similar grin sprouted on Dokk's face, and he tapped his claws on the man's shoulder. The Human's attention was finally drawn to him, and his face switched rapidly between shock, terror and excitement. Who knew exactly how a demonic priest looked to those burning with Demon's Blood. "How would you like to participate in your very first pyre?" Dokk asked. When the man nodded enthusiastically, he continued, "bring the sacrifices to the lower chamber." Dokk pointed at the Humans sprawled out nearby. A flash of recognition crossed the man's face for a moment, before it was lost in his manic devotion and he eagerly walked over and grabbed two of his former comrades. He was able to hold two other adults despite the sorry state of his body, which made Dokk ponder whether he had gained some kind of gift from the dark masters, or if the drug had just removed all sense of pain and stress. It wasn't yet perfect, there were too many failures. Fifty percent in the last case, more in this case, but it was now clearly true that other races could enjoy life in the way that only a Gnoll could. Excerpts from the journal of Agga, Priestess of Forzzra, attached to the Scourge Fleet  We landed on Lismel, wounded and weary. The Grand Admiral, cursed by Forzzra with power and ambition, ordered us to set sail for Ilzin Mykx once again, no matter how many needed treatment. The blood of those who would not survive was offered to Xhazob's host in exchange for favourable winds. As the ranking surviving priestess, it fell to me to make the offering to the ocean. While watching their shouting and begging figures tumble over the side of the damaged fleet, the Grand Admiral approached me. She had been thinking that the Fleet needed to be bolstered further, needed even tighter discipline and more funding, and asked me for whatever readings I could glean from the Pit. Looking inwards, I could only see fire, spreading across land and water alike. She dismissed me and returned to her cabin.  Upon our return, with Kzryl's hot breath filling our sails and carrying us home, she began to work. As an infantry captain, many of the other captains did not accept her authority, but her marines took control quickly. She established a cadet academy on Graxilzin, close to Ilzin Mykx, and began filling it with loyal marines that she wished to elevate to captaincy.  She also sought to replace what was lost, by building a mighty flagship to replace the Mykx' Salt Tower. The Salt Citadel was loaded to the brim with weapons, intended to be able to defeat any other single warship in battle and support her marines in their landings. Discontent among the other captains continued to rise, as they saw this as a further focus on the marines who held her absolute loyalty. Another captain, named Ik, approached me. She asked me the same question Szura had; did the demons support what she was doing. Her ambition radiated off of her, and I could feel Forzzra's burning eyes at her back. My vision also beheld fire, but Ik was willing to listen.  The premonition came true in the most spectacular fashion upon Izlin Pirendral. I was sailing with a squadron commanded by Ik to raid the Ravenous Isle, when one night a streak of blue fire crossed the sky and impacted in a blast that lit an inferno covering a quarter of the island. A gift from the host, a source of magical power that can bolster the demonic gifts that we receive. We immediately went ashore to take some of its strength unto ourselves.  Firey doom had come to the settlement on the island, and as we picked through the rubble on our way to the impact crater, we encountered a group of Orcs. Their bodies flickered with internal hellfire, and their eyes were as deep and black as any Gnolls. Their hands were coated in powdered Demon's Blood. They knelt before me and denounced their Human goddess, proclaiming that they had seen into the darkness and found true power there. We eagerly added them to our retinue.  When we returned to Ilzin Mykx, our Orcish and Gnollish warriors drove Szura from the Grand Admiral's citadel and installed Ik into power. She proclaimed that the republic owed everything to Xhazob, and that all inhabitants, from the mightiest captain to the lowliest slave, ought to give their devotion to the host. This was not rigged in any way, just a very lucky coincidence after Religious won the last vote.  The Blood Bringers were brought before the Grand Admiral and the priests of the Kult, myself included. There, we displayed to them the Orcish converts and instructed the smugglers to increase the strength of their product. The deeper and more intense the demonic visions it granted, the closer the user would be brought to the truth. One day the sacrifices might walk themselves into the pyres, their faith so strong, and slaves of every race will toil with fervour for Mykx.  Szura was not killed, nor were her marines purged. They were simply too focused on material matters, advancing their own power and not considering that the reason Thek failed was because he disparaged the Kult and thought he could conquer the world without the aid of those we speak for. Xhazob is always watching. Szura was sent into exile on ships crewed by those who refused to acknowledge the new Grand Admiral. She will sail distant lands, finding new ports to deliver Demon's Blood into, until the day she dies.  Demon's Blood does not always have the intended result. Faced with visitations from the darkest reaches of existence, they turn to strange beings. Not the gods of Cannor, nor the demons of the host, but monsters from beyond the furthest skies and beneath the deepest caves. Monsters that whisper and transform, much like the host, but claim no relation. The Leechdens seem to host the most of these cults, and our priests claim to be struggling to convince their members that the voices they are hearing are actually Xhazob's. There is a sub-mod (that I am not running) that goes into more detail on the Leechdens. It gets…interesting.  While our initial attack on Eordand was repulsed, we cannot let their lands go unravaged. North of their lands are islands that spend half the year encased in ice, but hold a few coves that raiders can wait out the winter in. Our furriest warriors have arrived to drive out the few natives and establish hellfire beacons that may strike terror into those who once defeated us.  With none of their cities safe, their fortunes in Precursor relics are ours for the plunder. Many Cannorians are eager to purchase them from us, at a steep markup of course, and we are happy to take their money and funnel it into the weapons and drugs that will destroy them. There is also a similar mission for Kheionai, which I completed but didn't screenshot.  At home, debates rage on the direction of the Kult. Some denounce the Blood Bringers as merely in it for the profit, others refuse to allow other races participate in our rituals. I replied to them: my patron is Forzzra. He desires everything, be it wealth, converts, or flesh. The Blood Bringers are doing his work, taking the money of the landlubbers and passing the demonic gift into their blood. Another debate is whether to move the Everpyre to the Bone Citadel. This was a more material question, as angry natives and vengeful Cannorians still surround the Citadel. However, I fall on the side of keeping it on Graxarr for theological reasons. It ought to stand at the centre of the great crater that Xhazob carved from the Precursors, not at its perimeter. Mechanically a second Everpyre just means a minor boost to demonic power at the cost of extra maintenance. Not really worth it, so we keep one and in the more defensible location.  Unlike those who would neglect the Kult, we know not to neglect the Fleet. Ik has paid for a complete rebuild of the Scourge Fleet to match the Cannorian galleons now moving through our waters. The effort has filled up the shipyards for years, though it will be worth it to deliver hellfire upon our enemies with greater effect.  Szura has travelled the world and returned charts and maps of trade lanes, and samples of Demon's Blood can now be found in ports from Cannor to Haless. As the rest of the world opens up to trade, so will tendrils of Xhazob's influence, until the whole world knows our scourge.  A group of supposed intellectuals had the brilliant idea of trying to infiltrate Vanburia to preach about some warbling Precursor cube that they consider the voice of a god. No matter how smart they consider themselves, they all work the same when in chains.  The Leechdens is a vital part of our efforts, being the source of Demon's Blood, but is increasingly at risk as Reverian colonists close around them. A heavily fortified bastion is under construction on one of the islands guarding the safe channels through the marsh, its foundations sunk deep into the mud of the Mznyr-cursed place. If it is invaded, the Scourge Fleet should be able to break through any blockade and deliver relief directly to the defenders.  The days of Cannor ignoring us are soon passing. With the growth of Reverian territory, and the Lorentish invasion of Endralliande the old-world powers are getting increasing large stakes in our Xhazob-granted dominion. The Elves are holding off Lorent at sea, but one of their largest territories has fallen.  There is much discontent among the other captains that Ik favours the Kult too much. She reassured them that the Grand Admiral remains the supreme force in the land, and each captain is still the lord of their own vessel. The Kult merely has a place at the Grand Admiral's side, advisors but not rulers, to make sure that the admiralty does not stray too far from the Pits.  Our priests are trained and loaded with barrels full of Demon's Blood. The inhabitants of Ilzin Isobel are a captive audience. Forzzra drives us to bring the darkness of Xhazob to all under the hellfire whip. Already countless slaves have flocked to our temples, eagerly spending their nights lost in burning nightmares after long days of toil. Many of the former upper class continue to resist, but they cannot last forever.  The Elves were an easy target, their attention distracted by invasion from across the ocean. Our warriors landed in the face of hundreds of cannons, and fuelled by the burning blood pulsing through their body they charged through steel and fire to ravage the expensive Elven artillery.  However, the invasion was withdrawn as news came of Reverian forces invading the Leechdens. With far more presence in Aelantir they think themselves strong enough to take us on. Our armies are fuelled by the bottomless pits and funded by the gold plundered from arrogant Elven cities, and the Fleet is stronger than ever. With our eyes upon them they have no chance.  Though the other powers within the republic might fear us, the common Gnoll loves us. We have brought them wealth, brought them a bounty of powder, and secured their souls a direct path into the bellies of the greatest lords of the host. The pyres burn brighter than they ever have since Mykx landed, and we stand as the foremost power in Aelantir.  Why do they believe they can stand against us? Our landing on the Ravenous Isle was opposed by a squadron of Reverian frigates lead by a galleon. When the Scourge Fleet approached, the Humans unleashed a barrage of Gnomish inventions against our battle line. Admiral Kelzeth, granted a great understanding of winds and currents by his patron, swung around and evaded every trick and gadget they mustered and rammed his galleons directly into their frigates despite their better mobility. Now barrels of mysterious devices fill his holds, and will soon be distributed around Mykx as trinkets and trophies.  The war has given us reason to push out into the Ocean of the Lost, where galleons filled with riches from the frozen north ply their way to warmer waters before crossing the vast ocean. Gold fills our pockets, and strange artefacts are passed to Kult priests to be charged with demonic energy. Some of our captives claim them to be from beyond the stars, found within the Pillar of the Heavens that lies close to the northern coast. I'm slightly confused as to how this is happening. North Pearls is in the very north of Aelantir, sending Treasure Fleets to Pearlsedge, just east of Lorent. We don't have any pirates along that route. Not that I'm complaining.  Our distant cousins, now oppressed under the heel of the weak and merciful goddess Corin, are still able to provide us information on the situation in Cannor. The Corintide, Orcs fuelled by blood and devotion, has claimed all of the Escann region, and continues to batter against the edges of the Human and Elven Empire. Most of them have also submitted to Corin, making Lorent and Reveria the only major holdouts of their old pantheon. Meanwhile, in the mountains, a dark empire has emerged from the depths and threatens to take the surface too. An interesting enemy, should we ever come to blows. The land versus the ocean. Looks like the Obsidian Invasion and Greentide both succeeded in the end.  Ik got too close to one of the mysterious relics. When she took one as a trophy and opened it too close to her face it released a gas that melted her skin and had her coughing up blood until she ultimately drowned in it. Truly devious, and worthy tools for the Kult. Kelzeth has taken charge, and began preparations to end the war by once again plundering the Reverian homeland.  He is not an enemy of the Kult, and while he does not match Ik's zeal, he does give us our deserved respect. Before his departure he authorized further expansion of the Bone Citadel. The mighty skeletal fortress, having been denied becoming the Everpyre, has become our main research and distribution hub for Demon's Blood, and is now filled with eager cultists of all races yearning for a closer connection to Xhazob through its consumption.  As expected, none could match the Scourge Fleet. Their armies cowered on land while Kelzeth ravaged their coastline. The whispers tell me that this will not be the last time, for Reveria's colonies, though plundered, remain fully intact so they may find the courage to attack again in future.  Some explorers were captured as the Fleet departed Cannor. They spoke of a city carved into a massive Damestear meteorite, inland far to the south. Much like the Pillar of the Heavens, it has been marked as a location worthy of plunder for future generations, once Aelantir is under our demonic thrall.  Lorent's campaign ended with most of the Elven lands in the Banished Isles coming under their control. The juggernaut of Cannor is building its strength, so we must build ours faster.  And how better to build our strength, than by bringing more into the fold. The great experiment is successful, and thousands of Humans now praise the names of the host. A pyre was held on Ilzin Isobel, and for the first time Humans, Orcs and Gnolls mixed amongst one another in celebration. Blood was spilled, the weaker races died in greater numbers, but an exuberant time was had by all and the survivors are stronger for it. Now, the real work can begin. To be continued…
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Jul 21, 2023 20:52
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Sybot posted:"She's eating him," the Orc managed to get out, "and then she's going to eat me." oh my goooooooood
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Jul 21, 2023 22:27
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Ahhh, should have waited before building that Flagship, one of your missions requires you to not have one! Also I honestly need to check out the Leechmen submod sometime.
Plutonis fucked around with this message at 22:45 on Jul 21, 2023 |
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Jul 21, 2023 22:43
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Plutonis posted:Ahhh, should have waited before building that Flagship, one of your missions requires you to not have one! Also I honestly need to check out the Leechmen submod sometime. I realised that as I was playing through the next update. I can always scuttle it. Boksi posted:oh my goooooooood I was very tempted...
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Jul 21, 2023 23:57
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Uh, what am I missing about that line?
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Jul 23, 2023 03:43
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GunnerJ posted:Uh, what am I missing about that line? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyophYBP_w4
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Jul 23, 2023 03:47
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Chapter Twelve: Exports Open 1608-1626 Inner District, Mykx City, Ilzin Mykx, 1611 Brick and scaffolding loomed high, leaning and creaking inwards as though any moment the street would collapse in on itself. The ground itself was hard packed dirt. Someone a few decades ago had the sense to try to pave it, but years of the relentless growth of Mykx City had left roads like this in the dust, literally. Storefronts were painted up in green and decked in gold, selling treasures from across Aelantir at some markup or offering hits of supposed higher quality Demon's Blood to the desperate. Kozmar kept his head down and ignored it, holding tightly onto his bag of papers. He knew well the real value of things, and wasn't about to get dragged into a scam or burn his heart out with powder that had been cut with something unsavoury. Even this early in the morning the streets were packed. Slaves carried goods up from the Grand Harbour, sailors still loaded up with booze and blood wandered the streets singing shanties and hassling civilians, and Kult adherents lurked in dark corners, their eyes lit with inner fire. Just don't make eye contact with the zealots and show the proper deference to the Fleet, and you could make it through safely. "Hey, shrimp!" a voice said, followed by a few cackling laughs. Why today? A sailor strode through the crowd and puffed himself up, barring the path for Kozmar. A train of slaves carrying buckets of fruit was on one side, and a set of stalls filled with fake golden trinkets was on the other, blocking him from going around the other Gnoll. "How can I help?" Kozmar asked. There was a hoot of laughter from nearby. Through the moving bodies, Kozmar could see a collection of sailors hanging out under a canopy. They were mostly females, and all larger than the one before him. So, it was some dominance play. If this guy couldn't beat any of his comrades, he'd pick on the next smallest. Not that Kozmar was small, but he was just a clerk, not a warrior who fought every day. "I can carry that bag for you," the sailor said, extending a claw to hook under the strap. With one hand Kozmar batted away the sailor's arm and with the other he dipped into one of his pockets. "Don't touch the paper," he said, a snarl in his throat. The sailor seemed almost shocked that Kozmar would fight back, and Kozmar himself almost shocked himself with his ferocity. But he was very protective of his work, even if for no other reason than he would rather take a punch to the snout than have to write out days' worth of paperwork all over again. A Gnollish clerk was still a Gnoll. "Don't touch me, landlubber" the sailor snapped back, teeth bared. His hand slipped around the dagger at his belt and drew it with a deliberately loud 'shing'. Kozmar took his hand from his pocket and immediately shoved it up his nose. The sounds and sights around him exploded and unfolded as demonic perception rushed through his senses. The clarity was perfect for surviving a long day at a desk, but it would work in fight too. A bit of a waste of good money and product to use it on the streets, but he didn't want to be stabbed. The dagger came at him, and he batted it away with his elbow, not minding as it cut into the flesh of his arm. Burning blood pumping through his veins would see the wound closed almost as soon as the blade was removed. That said, it would mutate him ever so slightly, which is why he took the blow on his arm and not his hands. He didn't want end up unable to hold a pen. With his free hand he delivered a punch that made his muscles ache, and a moment later the bag, as heavy as a child with the amount of paper it held, slammed into the side of the sailor's head. He went reeling, and his dagger dropped from his hands. Kozmar stepped past him and kept going, not looking back. His enhanced senses were picking up the hooting derision of the sailor's crewmates, and the sailor cursing and moaning while cradling a possibly broken jaw. A little bit of bravery powder had gone a long way, but he just wanted to get to work, not get into a fight to the death in the middle of the streets. Other instincts were taking back control as he picked up his pace. The crowd closed around him, cutting him off from his assailant. Little brawls like this were happening by the dozens. Just one of the facts of life in the overcrowded capital. His office was one of the better constructed buildings in the city. Built with brick and stone and adorned with jewels and gold, real treasures this time, and sat in front of a plaza that had actual trees growing in it, it was the centre of the local administration for the Blood Bringers. Here, the bosses would control distribution throughout the city and manage some portion of the overwhelming intricate trade and smuggling networks than ran out of the Grand Harbour. "Meetings on, you're late," one of the guards at the door grunted. "Thanks," Kozmar snapped with every ounce of spite he could muster. His heart was still pounding from the small dose running through his body. The interior was chaos, but beautiful chaos. Shelves of paper sprang up everywhere, with scribe slaves balancing carefully on top of them as they fished out documents that needed updating. Clerks sat at their desks, their carved-out fiefdoms with their scribes arrayed around them. Despite all this, Kozmar knew exactly where everything would be. Smuggler manifests were with Lerlam, local dealer licenses were tracked by Uc, Kult liaisons were Brurr's responsibility. Now, getting those details was a pain and a half, but that's what his slaves were for. A central staircase emerged from the chaos, and he managed to slip through and climb up without getting waylaid by someone demanding something from him. Upstairs was far less busy. The bosses didn't want slaves and clerks running under their feet while they plotted and partied. Huge carved wooden doors, literally ripped from some Cannorian settler mansion, loomed over him as he stood in the foyer of the main conference room. Inside there would be several of the bosses, who would not want him to wate their time, and several other clerks who would be looking for any way to undermine him and improve their own standing. Once again, he reached into his pocket and took a good dose of Demon's Blood. His senses spun up again and he pulled out the correct document from his bag on his first attempt. He wasn't a warrior, but that didn't mean he didn't fight. For the wealth and power of Mykx, even for those who didn't appreciate the work he did. Excerpts from the journal of Kozmar, clerk for the Blood Bringers  Paperwork, more paperwork. The Kult is organising a mass conversion campaign across the Human inhabited islands, and have gotten the Grand Admiral to divert some of his effort towards that goal. Whereas before Vanburia and Silsensald were just slave outposts, we now have to deal with a whole administration there, and in my case quadruple the Demon's Blood exports to the regions. There are a lot of dealers out there who are not going to be happy that their supplies are being diverted. I should have been doing this earlier. It's not something I normally do until I have run out of government reforms to enact, but considering the cap is the biggest limiting factor at this moment it makes sense to delay reforms a little.  One of the marine commandants was caught trying to hoard their stash and got themselves thrown onto a pyre. It's all hands-on deck for bringing the Humans into the fold. As the one who runs the numbers, I think my taking a little powder off the top should be fine.  Just finished processing a new batch of slaves. The Fleet caught out a whole convoy of Cannorian slavers, and captured their cargo more or less intact. The Grand Admiral gave them an option to convert or return to chains, and a number of them, perhaps after tasting what we had to offer, chose to convert.  So now we have a bunch of Orcs bolstering our army, and some even joining the marines. I'm not one for blood, at least not of red variety, so the more would-be slaves fill the ranks the less likely I'm going to get drafted. The Grand Admiral's orders for more cannons and ammunition are a bigger pain. We don't have much manufacturing of that stuff ourselves, so now the Fleet is going to be mad when their guns are redirected. The numbers in brackets show how much we are building up the army. It's getting to the point where fire damage kicks off, so if nothing else we need it to give the frontlines a boost so they can survive to the shock phase.  Szura, the Admiral who lasted less than three years, had made it her life's goal in exile to completely encircle the globe. Well, she didn't make it. Instead, the Reverians did. For a bunch of Humans and Gnomes who keep getting kicked by us, they sure don't give up.  The offer given to those slaves seems to be a general policy now. Outcasts, exiles, criminals, whatever their reason or their race we are starting to accept non-Gnolls into free roles within the nation. The first requirement of their freedom is a good huff of Xhazob's best powder, followed by blooding in a pyre. Not all survive, and some get cold feet and have to be seized and chained, but enough are enamoured by the tales of the might of the Scourge Fleet to dive right into the excitement.  The more I hear about the Bone Citadel the less I want to visit there. Now, I know Xhazob will eat my soul when I die, and I listen to what he speaks when I'm under the influence, but I don't see any need to throw myself into whatever mad experiments they have going on there. The halls are supposedly filled with rampaging possessed, and minor demons fly freely. The Kult want to invest even more, and have claimed to have been offered a mighty ship to tempt the Grand Admiral to divert the national hoard into their zealous projects.  If we are going to fund the Kult, we need new markets for Demon's Blood. Trollsbay is almost saturated at this point, and internal markets are just moving our own money around. I sent a note to one of the bosses, pointing out the potential of the Ynn Plateau, if we could access to the river. Sure, there's a giant waterfall between the plateau and Trollsbay, but that's a job for the Cannorian settlers to work out. Anyway, a few weeks after sending my report, the Fleet was suddenly dispatched to secure Ynnsmouth. Coincidence, or do I have someone's ear?  Between the guns of the fleet and the guns of the army, I doubt the locals would have much of a chance. They have the backing of the Cannorian Elves, but the marines can secure a landing point and let the army disgorge itself onto land before they can respond. With the flagship, the ideas and the age bonus we get a nice bonus to coastal sieges.  While there's a military battle ongoing in Noruin, I'm fighting an economic battle. There's competition in the market of highly addictive stimulants, and this 'Dark Beverage' is both cheaper to produce and less tainted by association with us. That doesn't mean we need to start burning piles of beans though, I have suggested that our smugglers offer both. Start with a few mugs of Dark, and if you still need to stay awake how about a little sniff of the green.  Having naval dominance is a huge bonus for us. While the Elves trudge west to try and liberate Ynnsmouth, our fleet has turned east and dropped a contingent of marines in the Sella estuary. Taking the Elven capital at the mouth of the river would be another big win, as it would give our smugglers access to the river that runs all the way across the Elven territory in Noruin.  One thing I have to take into account is Demon's Blood riling up the crews and given them ideas. The demons are fickle, and would love to see our ships descend into chaos. Crews need appropriate doses to keep them awake and active, and keep their thoughts focused on flesh and treasure rather than collaborating against their captain.  Ilzin Isobel has become the main distribution centre for Demon's Blood, so my office has been moved here. It is pretty crazy to imagine that at one time smugglers had to sneak into the port under cover of darkness, because now the docks beneath the fortress are filled with ships that are openly loading barrels and crate aplenty, all with false manifests and bound for the settler states on the mainland or as far away as Cannor.  Corinite pamphlets continue to find their way among our slaves, and while words on paper can't match up to the magic of an addictive substance, they are a good way of keeping up with news from Cannor. The latest one contained a proclamation from Viakkoc, declaring that we, of Mykx, must be destroyed for our crimes. Apparently having suffered further defeats, I do not know what he plans to do about it.  As more and more product gets moved there are more and more opportunities for graft. I've been keeping things small-scale, but I've run into evidence that the Grand Admiral is siphoning off far more than his share, and far too much to keep things under wraps. I've passed it up to the bosses to do something about before the Kult finds out and starts looking too closely at my books.  The war was coming to a close, with the coastline completely secure and the Elves backed up against the Cliffs of Ruin. In the shadow of those enormous crater cliffs, the bosses nudged Kelzeth to lead the final charge against the Elves. Terrified and exhausted, the Elves fell apart with only a few Gnolls fallen, but the Grand Admiral managed to find himself among the bodies.  Vierha has taken charge, and she is far more interested in conquest and plunder than scraping off the top of the economy. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Some Gnolls need to take what they can get. It's just not fitting for a Grand Admiral, is all.  The Sella estuary is ours, which means I have to draw up distribution plans for the whole of Noruin. These Elves, unlike the ones mixed in with the Humans in the other colonies, are very stuck up and resistant to the idea of polluting their bodies with something like Demon's Blood. I'll leave it to the bosses and the Kult to work out exactly how to get it into their veins.  Ynnsmouth too, though I don't think we'll be building up as much infrastructure there since everything is focused here on Ilzin Isobel. All the real work will be done by the smugglers getting the cargo up past the Cliffs and onto the Plateau beyond. Slight problem. I didn't realise that you could only have one trading post per trade node, and since I already put one on Ilzin Isobel that I can't seem to remove, I can't complete the mission that requires a trading post on this province…I might just bypass it, the mission rewards aren't that notable.  Once again, the Reverians are back. Admiral Laadaa has already delivered a defeat to their fleet and sent them scurrying back to Cannor, but their colonies remain a thorn in the side of our armies. Funding is being increasingly allocated to fortify our more outlying ports so they can hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive in the event of more attacks like that.  Economies trundle on, regardless of war. While the Elves are not the most eager consumers, they did have a lot of trade relations with Cannor. By granting security to vessels that originally docked at the port of Sella in exchange for them giving up a little bit of cargo space, we can start delivering our product to Cannor in proper bulk.  Note to self to stay indoors at night. The Fleet is capturing so many vessels from the Reverians that they are struggling to fill them all with sailors. Any Gnoll that looks like they can handle a rope is being taken off the streets, loaded up with Demon's Blood, and thrown onto a ship. I suppose I should take it as sign the war is going well, at least.  As expected, the war ended with a load of plunder returning from Cannor, though I was not the only one to notice that there was far less treasure than before. The Humans are getting more cunning at defending their wealth from our marauders, and our administration isn't capable of taking the territory that we need to punish them any further than that. I need to do something decisive, they are getting more entrenched in Aelantir and more stubborn in accepting peace, but I can't take territory from them without going over the governing cap and colonial nations can't be turned into vassals, though they may be other options in that regard.  Its never ending for the soldiers. As they finished with the Humans, they were reassigned to rooting out the cult that sprung up in the Leechdens. I guess the Kult had tolerated the competition for long enough. They were waiting for the Leechfather to emerge from the swamps, but he never came.  After that, straight into another campaign, though this one is much more in my area. A significant population of Humans, Gnomes and Goblins have settled in the Haraf region, just north-west of Vanburia, and we need proper distribution ports to make inroads with our product. Without the support of their homeland, they fell easily to the Scourge Fleet and its marines.  The campaign in the west cost Vierha her life, though I have no idea if that was chance or somebody's plot. None of my business either way. Grand Admiral Laadaa has big, and expensive, ideas about how our ports and cities should be constructed, which means more work for me to secure that funding. I can't say I disagree with her though; I don't know how many slaves I've seen crushed by the ramshackle constructions of the port outside my window. Perhaps it would save money in the end.  A major beneficiary of her spending has been the Kult, who finally get the completion of the Bone Citadel that they were asking for. We'll see if Xhazob holds up to his end of the bargain and delivers the warship we were promised. Luckily Great Project upgrade cost isn't actually affected by construction cost. EU4's stats and modifiers pile-up working in our favour.  The western campaign continues regardless, with a goblin city in Haraf being prepared to become the next major distribution hub. They have contacts in distant Haless, which should allow us to begin making inroads in that area as well.  Demon's Blood is spreading around the world. Our smugglers have contacts in every port, and authorities are struggling to keep up. Even our legitimate exports are appearing in Cannorian markets, as consumers don't care if slave hands harvested their cotton or the money is passing through the hands of pirates. And the fleet loves it too, as more trade means more opportunity for piracy.  Vast quantities of wealth are pouring through our ports. Even Ilzin Isobel has been surpassed by Qithcel, our easternmost port, and Ricardsport, our westernmost (until the new conquests are built up to spec). I can only imagine how much money we will have access to if we start taking ports in the heart of wealthy Cannor and Haless. And how much paperwork that'll leave me with. The Demon's Blood Export modifiers give bonus tax and stack with things that buff tax income, which is why there is such a range of results in income. Religion, culture, and tax buildings all matter. It's a bit counterintuitive compared to the official trade mechanics, as it means a fresh export port in the middle of Dameshead won't make much money, and that's part of why I've been not so subtlety pushing for religious ideas so we can make sure our ports give as much money as possible.  The bosses have authorized me to hire a bunch more clerks so that we can actually start getting a handle on things. We have the money to do it now, and from what I hear the Kult, the Fleet, and the Colonialists are all doing the same thing and ramping up their administrations. There's plans to build a full Naval Academy on Graxilzin, the Bone Citadel is almost complete, and the we will soon be able to start expanding in earnest. It's more work for me, but if I get paid more then I welcome it. To be continued…
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Jul 24, 2023 20:30
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Always fun to see how fictional evil empires actually work day to day.
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Jul 24, 2023 23:33
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Mykx really is America if even the clerks need demon cocaine to keep up with administration.
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Jul 25, 2023 01:47
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How does Via even get to rival you? They look they barely got enough Dev to do that.
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Jul 25, 2023 03:18
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Plutonis posted:How does Via even get to rival you? They look they barely got enough Dev to do that. It might be something to do with being historical rivals, which might have some of effect on who's allowed to select rivalry. Alternatively, it might be the same reason we are constantly being declared war on, that being that the game rates army (which is small for our size) much higher than navy (which isn't).
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Jul 25, 2023 18:07
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God what a ghoulish nation it's so good. just a completely perfect flavour of nightmare shithole. Governing cap do be an issue that'll never go away with pirates, maybe bite the bullet with a few chunky inland vassals just to make things less of a headache? Some other big states in aelantir are bound to consolidate soon if they haven't already and then it'll probably be a neverending chain of annoying declarations from every dumb midsize-and-up neighbour.
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Jul 27, 2023 20:51
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Chapter Thirteen: Battle for Ruin 1626-1643 The Galleon Salt Citadel, Trollsbay, 1634 "Starboard and a half, and give me full speed!" Arkez called, lowering the spyglass from his eye. His voice was nearly drowned out by the roar of cannons both near and the splintering of wood. Another volley of viridescent shots blasted from their starboard guns, carving a line of destruction along the flank of their target. The last attack had knocked out their main mast, leaving them nearly immobilized. Perfect for a boarding action. The entire galleon tilted as it turned hard towards its target. They were not completely lifeless, as a few cannon shots found their way back to the Salt Citadel, but the former flagship was tough. It could take a bit of damage. On the deck, the Kult priests prepared a sacrifice. Three Human prisoners stacked on top of one another were sacrificed one after another, by a weather vane being driven down through their bodies. As their life drained into the deck, a gust of wind caught the sails and propelled the ship forward towards its target. "Blades and bullets!" Arkez cried out. "Brace!" The shout was echoed across the ship by his officers, and every Gnoll aboard responded with a roar that for a moment overwhelmed all other sounds of battle. Arkez drew his cutlass and gripped the banister as the enemy galleon loomed closer. He was almost thrown from the aft castle when they impacted. The bow, reinforced specifically for this action, rammed straight into the other vessel, nearly tearing it open from deck to keel, before the sheer weight behind it caused the target to move and the bow to scrape across its entire starboard side, tearing away cannon mountings and anyone Human unfortunate to be manning them. The first boarders were already moving before they had come to a stop, hooting and cackling as they leapt across ships. Snipers took position and began making potshots at anyone who looked important, while crew slaves began chucking grapples to bring the two ships properly side by side. Arkez watched the slaughter unfold through his spyglass, while another Gnoll climbed up to the aft castle to stand beside him "Admiral," Captain Vasga said, "not joining 'em?" "This battle is too critical to lose myself in the bloodlust," he replied. He spun around and took a look across the water. Dozens of warships were engaged in knife-fights with one another, blood and wood flying in equal measure as the Gnollish and Human fleets tore into one another. Galleons met in devastating exchanges of fire, frigates zipped and harried at the Scourge Fleet's wakes, an inexplicable squadron of galleys pinned one of his ships and fought a fierce hand-to-hand battle to capture it. "Really, do we need orders right now?" Vasga asked. She had her own spyglass and was tracking his eyeline. "This is where we thrive. Grand Admiral's out there, too." With a glare, Arkez lowered his eyeglass. "I am still in overall command of the battle," he said, "the Grand Admiral has her hands full." "Right now, or tonight?" Vasga asked. She let out a short hoot of laughter and pulled out a pouch of Demon's Blood. "If you want something to eat besides rations, come on over. I won't save anything for you." With that, she stuffed a huge dose up her nose, howled to the demon's above, and bounded away to join her crew in tornado of blood they were brewing up. Arkez took a dose himself, to clear his head and focus himself. There was still work to do, still orders to give out to the fleet. He stared up the clouds in the sky, watched them transform into faces that would terrify any being whose dreams weren't already haunted by demonic power. Whispers began to swirl around him, and he took them all in, mapping out the positioning of the fleet that they spoke to him. "Incoming!" someone shouted. A moment later, the aft castle exploded around him, showering him with wooden shards that tore at his flesh. With near impossible reflexes and the backing of demonic patronage he flung himself from the structure and down onto the deck to safety. Merely flesh wounds that would heal back stronger. The whole ship shook as another volley hit them. A shot passed straight through the ruined aft castle and turned one of the Kult priests, and the pile of bodies they were attending to, into a fine red mist. One of the masts took a hit, creaking ominously, and shortly afterwards another shot ripped the sails apart. A galleon, larger and heavier than either the Salt Citadel or their unfortunate victim, rounded from the aft and began to turn to line up for a full broadside against the presently immobile Gnollish vessel. The open guns ports yawned like a hundred hungry mouths, punishing Arkez for his overconfidence. It was the enemy flagship, the Favourite. "Port cannons, load and ready!" he shouted, to only a few echoes transmitting his orders below decks. Most of the officers were enjoying their time in the boarding action, as were many of gunnery crews. Perhaps he ought to have taken his chances as well. For a few tense minutes, made even worse by the heightened sense of time and reflex that Arkez was running on, the Favourite lined up the perfect broadside, while a few scattered shots from the Salt Citadel battered at its sides. Arkez stared down his looming destruction. Then, a streak of fire like a comet shot in and splashed against the side of the Favourite with enough force to shatter ten cannon mountings and knock the whole vessel askew. Someone over there gave the order to fire, and the Salt Citadel was pounded by dozens of misaligned shots that tore apart the port side and sent Gnolls screaming into the churning water below, but were survivable. Arkez ignored the carnage beneath his feet and peered through his spyglass in the direction of the hellfire blast. At the sight, he could not help but let out a hoot of delight. Looming towards them was a vessel of pitch-black wood and bone white sails. As the wind carried it towards them, the sounds of screams and laughter echoed through the air. Another couple of shots from the hellfire cannons mounted on the prow were enough to see the Favourite break off its attempt against Arkez' ship and turn to defend itself against the oncoming monstrosity. "Mother Mykx," Arkez said. Flame and blood filled the air as the two sides clashed, and Mykx' spirit drove her descendants to victory. Excerpts from the journal of Arkez 'the Deadly', Admiral of the Scourge Fleet  For years we have been fighting defensively, never leaving the Sea of Ruin for anything except a brief raid. The Blood Bringers want us to open up markets in Cannor, the Kult want us to go and liberate Viakkoc, but to do so we need to secure ports that will secure supply routes back to Cannor. It is interesting to contemplate, and I wonder if Mykx ever believed we would return in such a fashion.  We have crushed the Reverian fleet once again, leaving the fight to the army and the marines down in the Leechdens. The Grand Admiral has insisted that we do something about their presence in Aelantir, as they insist on constantly striking at us. If nothing else the constant disruption to the flow of Demon's Blood puts the entire economy at risk. The army has been ordered to cross the jungle and raze their local administration.  The wars we fight in the jungle are nothing compared to the grand battles that take place in the interior of continents like Haless. The supposed mighty warrior monks of the One Xia and the military geniuses of the Command have been crushed by the coastal powers to their south. However, I would wager than neither Bhuvauri or Bim Lau could stand up to the might of the Scourge Fleet at sea, and time has proven the oceans tell who rules the world.  Our fleet continues to grow in strength, both from vessels we capture in battle and the work of the Blood Bringers, who seek to have their investment protected at all costs. They may be greedy cowards, hiding behind the Scourge Fleet, but I know I can trust their motivations.  Poor Laadaa worked herself to death in her push for perfection and 'pretty borders' as she liked to call it. Also, taking huge amounts of powder to keep herself awake through the night probably did not help. Szuril is a skilled commander and an even more skilled manipulator. I expect she will be able to keep a lid on the factions and remain in power, which works for me as she has delegated overall command of the Scourge Fleet to me.  With advice from myself and other admirals, she has written a series of treatise on the nature of the Grand Republic. It has been made clear repeatedly in the past that the Scourge Fleet is the supreme power, even if pushed and pulled by the other factions, and this should extend to all aspect of policy. We will not be left to plunder and raze in peace, so we must be ready to fight.  Soruin was in chaos, as the Reverian colonists fought to the death to defend what they had. Our own territory was in the same state, with Human occupiers rampaging through burning plantations that we did not have the troops to defend and freeing Human slaves they found (while taking Orcs in chains). One of the most curious parts of the battle was the discovery of groups of Orcs that had fled and hidden in the jungle near the Cliffs of Ruin. These were former slaves from our own chain gangs who had fled, but since then had been fighting a brutal guerilla war against the Cannorians who had swept in and attempted to re-enslave them.  When Reveria finally admitted it could not hold Soruin any longer, we were left with a vast swathe of territory that would take decades to bring under full control. Humans scattered to hide from our slavers, and Orcs emerged from the jungle ready to fight us.  So, we gave the region over to the Orcs. They originally settled in the area, and had experience of the dense and dangerous jungles. Over time they had even lost their belief in Corin, after she had abandoned them to their fate at the hands of Reveria and the trials of the jungle. This was not a one-way trade, though.  The Orcs had already been introduced to Demon's Blood. Smuggling routes that even the Blood Bringers weren't aware of filtered their way over the Cliffs and into the deepest jungles, where they took it as a distraction from the harsh life their freedom had left them with. It was not hard to find Orcs willing to lead their kind into the arms of Xhazob, and the Kult was happy to assist with conversion efforts. We also made it clear that we would call upon them to guard the mainland from invasion in future wars. Liberating them and handing out provinces gives a massive amount of liberty desire reduction, so that we can eat a whole 100% from force-converting them without too much trouble. They ended up around 70% liberty desire, enough to use devving and interactions to buy down.  When the Kult does something, it does not hold back. As promised, in a great and bloody ceremony a vessel was raised from the deeps to serve the Scourge Fleet. The Grand Admiral and I were the first to board, and it was a momentous feeling. The black wood, like none in the world, patterned with screaming faces in the very grains. Cannons that perpetually brim with hellfire. Sails that creak and moan, and move by themselves, empowered by the souls of the sacrifices. I do not put too much stock in the demon host, but this I cannot deny. The vessel was named Mother Mykx, in honour of the founder who brought the Scourge Fleet to its natural home. The Mykx heavy flagship is specced for direct combat, with extra cannons and a reinforced hull. The Mykx light flagship is specced for trade patrols and piracy. Honestly, I am not sure why you would take the light ship (also in general when choosing a flagship). You can always get money other ways, but the combat buffs can be decisive.  With the celebrations over, we decided to bless the Mother Mykx with the blood of Eborthíl. Her birthplace, the Golden Citadel of Toref, was once ruled by these Humans. They had since been forced to flee into exile to Aelantir, so eliminating any claim they might hold to their old home would be the first step to taking it for ourselves.  That was the plan, but our invasion was halted by a massive force of Lorentish warships bearing down upon us. Caught off guard, we withdrew to prepare a line of battle, but after a brief skirmish the Lorentish fleet withdrew north. They were not here to defend Eborthíl but, but in fact intended to end our dominance of the Ruined Sea and drive us from Noruin entirely. As we made harbour in Ozgarom, we conferred with the Kult and asked for them to deliver Xhazob's rage into our cannons so that they might match the Mother Mykx. They accepted, and our ships were loaded with sacrifices to keep a fresh supply of blood to fuel the cannons. When we met the Lorentish fleet again, we would not falter.  Before we departed the Grand Admiral, myself, and the other captains, assembled to assess the situation. With Neratica on Lorent's side, they held as much territory as we did even with the recently claimed Orcish lands. The army and the marines were not numerous enough to defend everywhere at once, so some territory would have to be conceded until the situation was stabilized. Defending Ozgarom and the Bone Citadel from land invasions were agreed to be the highest priority for our warriors. The Scourge Fleet could guard the seas. I included the minimap to show how much of a pain this war is. All those dots are fleets from Lorent, its colonies, and its allies. While most of them cannot stand up to the Scourge Fleet directly, they are enough to pose a risk to our transports and blockade and cause devastation on our territory.  When the word came that the Lorentish Fleet was headed for Trollsbay, likely to take Ilzin Isobel or Ynnsmouth, the full strength of the Scourge Fleet departed Ozgarom to intercept. The Grand Admiral herself took command of the Mother Mykx, while I remained on the now-demoted Salt Citadel. Seeing more than thirty vessels bristling with spouts of green flame, and headed by a black ship from the depths of the Pits itself was have been a terrifying sight for any traders who sought to ply our waters. Luckily for them, we had bigger prey.  We met them at the gates of Trollsbay, and though outnumbered nearly three to one, charged forward with all the fury Demon's Blood could grant us. The Mother Mykx engaged the Favourite directly, while I led a detachment in capturing as many vessels as possible. The crew Salt Citadel claimed three enemy galleons by themselves, though by the end of it my ship was in tatters and I had to move my command to one of the seized vessels. As I coordinated the fleet in rounding up the enemy frigates, I got a clear view of the Favourite detonating in a pillar of green flame that split the clouds open. It was a decisive victory, and though battered the Scourge Fleet came out of it stronger than it went in. Also showing off the benefits of the Bounty Hunting government reform here.  From there, we actually had enough ships, and were confident enough in Lorentish weakness, to split the Scourge Fleet into two independent fleets. Szuril retained command of the Mother Mykx as part of the Gates Fleet, guarding the entrances to the Ruined Sea from further intruders from Cannor. My portion was the Scourge Fleet proper, hunting down the smaller raiders harassing our territory and covering the invasion and surrender of Neratica. The threat to the Bone Citadel was removed, but there were still many Lorentish colonies opposing us.  Our fleet was victorious, but we could not rest on our paws. This was the first large fleet action that the Scourge Fleet had seen in decades and the other captains had many words about the performance of their galleons, especially with Mother Mykx right there showing what a warship is truly capable of. Suggestions have been filtered back to Ilzin Mykx for a dedicated 'war galleon', with more guns and a hull designed to resist damage more than carry cargo. Though we will not likely be able to produce any until the war is over, we need to ensure we do not fall behind Cannor.  With most of our forces fighting in Soruin and Neratica, the Lorentish were able to seize the Sella estuary, ostensibly their primary goal in the war. However, they were trapped there once we restored naval supremacy in the region, so they were left to rot taking twenty thousand soldiers out of the war.  I linked back up with Szuril to hold back another attempt to land forces in Soruin. Our Orcish converts had eagerly thrown themselves into battle and were holding their own against the Lorentish colonies in the region, so preventing reinforcements from arriving swung the battle further in our favour.  For most of this war I have been whipping the Scourge Fleet into proper shape. As deadly as we are, many captains fight only for their personal glory, pulling away from the battle to loot treasure and slaves from ships that are floundering. If we are to ensure the Fleet remains in good shape going into the future, the lessons of this war need to be passed on. There has been talk in the past of establishing an academy on Graxilzin, and I intend to do that as soon as I am able. When the Kult suggested raising a temple academy alongside it, with a dedication to studying the use of hellfire in warfare, I advocated it to Szuril. The sight of entire vessels obliterated as though Xhazob himself reached out of the depths instilled in me a great respect for their capabilities and what they can bring to the Fleet.  The next time the Lorentish Fleet returned, we did not even need both Fleets. The waters of the Ruined Sea were clear, and we were free to retake Sella and go on the offensive against the Lorentish colonies.  With their fleet in tatters, Lorent had no choice but to abandon the war effort. Our forces moved eastwards and secured several strategic harbours that would give us a path back to Cannor whenever we were ready. A few enclaves in Soruin were also integrated into Ozgarom.  Hellfire had proven spectacularly successful as a weapon against Lorent, so the marines were eager to integrate it into their units. The Kult found that they could inscribe runes into the barrels of wider weapons, then drench them with blood, to draw out demonic power and cause a simple blunderbuss to spew fire as though it was ship's cannon.  Today, we lost a great warrior. Szuril was given a funeral on par with that which had been held for Mykx, over one hundred years ago. She led us through the largest war we had yet experienced, and raised the Mother Mykx from the sea bed. I sent her to Xhazob's clutches with a thousand slaves, all packed into the funeral ship, before the Mother Mykx incinerated it with its hellfire cannons.  The funeral was interrupted by news of Busilari forces invading Jercel on Endralliande, while their colonial subjects advanced on the Leechdens. There is never a quiet moment for the Grand Admiral.  Busilar is hardly considered a threat compared to Lorent, so I have not yet deployed the Gate Fleet or the Scourge Fleet. My first stop was onto Graxilzin, where I officially opened the Naval Academy. Many veterans of the Lorent war had retired here to teach the next generation of captains and admirals. There were suggestions that the Academy could focus on teaching the common crewgnoll, or giving instruction to smugglers, but that was the job of the captain. Hence, the Academy should teach the captain how to lead first of all. With maxed out demonic power and our event selections, we are running at 117.5% discipline as a baseline. That's really good. With absolutism and ideas, we could easily hit 130%. The buccaneers give more sailors (and drain a chunk of tax income), while the smugglers give improved light ships.  In the end I was so caught up at the Academy that I dispatched Kazz to dispatch the Busilari fleet. As expected, they were obliterated without too much trouble. Lorent was the single largest threat, and even they had not been able to withstand hellfire. Aelantir's waters are ours.  In our triumph, I make a declaration. The islands, the harbours, the rivers of Aelantir have no defence against us. They are ours for the taking, and all the inhabitants thereon will soon know what it means to serve Mykx. To be continued… Vote The situation of the Grand Republic of Mykx is changing. The eyes of Cannor are upon us, and we need to be ready to further defend ourselves and strike back at them. The government is open for new ideas, and some are advocating a change of direction in the ideas already committed to.  Vote for two ideas. The first one will definitely take the fifth idea slot; the second may also be picked depending on the outcome of the following vote. Administrative – As we expand and drive the Cannorians from our islands, we will need to expand the administration in turn to hold onto them. Economic – Our economy could always benefit from more investment. Trade – Trade holds a great many benefits, not least in terms of Demon's Blood export (the highest export modifier comes from level 3 CoTs, which are limited by the number of merchants) Maritime – Further expansion of the marine corps will be necessary if we ever intend to strike at Cannor directly. Quality – Our armies have struggled against the organisation and technology that Cannor has brought to Aelantir, so let us even the odds. Offensive – We merely need to hit them harder and faster, until their defences collapse. Vote below by clicking on the image. Vote for two options. Should we abandon the policy of Expansion? Only the first idea has been selected so far, which goes to show how hungry for admin points we have been. If we abandon it, the second highest vote from above will replace it. Exploration is not up for vote right now because we are constantly pushing our Naval Force Limit. Keep Expansion – It still holds potential economic benefits Abandon Expansion – We should seek alternate approaches Vote below by clicking on the image. Voting will last 48 hours
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Jul 28, 2023 16:08
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We're already way behind on admin points (still only halfway through religious ideas), dropping expansion and avoiding any new admin idea groups right now sounds like a smart idea. And we absolutely should take at least one mil idea, both offensive and quality are really good and having both of them would be fine, quality will buff the army and navy together so might be the better choice if we do need even more naval power. Trade ideas are also usually a really good pick in my experience.
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Jul 28, 2023 16:51
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Would administrative reduce the admin point burden of our conquests? Even so, I'm not sure that would offset the admin cost of investing in the idea group in the first place. I think scrapping expansion and getting Maritime a military idea is the best bet. Maritime has some really nice bonuses for trade and for ship combats while importantly costing diplo instead of mil points. That's means we can swap expansion for a mil idea set without worrying about having the mil points to fill out both. I personally like quality more in that case.
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Jul 28, 2023 17:20
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Yeah, like I said before, Expansion's honestly not worth it so I'd suggest dropping it. Quality absolutely would work, especially since it adds some juicy Discipline, why not go for 135% after all. Also agree that Maritime could be a good replacement, although if it already looks like we are already overpowered Navalwise, I do wonder if it could be overkill.
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Jul 28, 2023 17:30
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Yeah I'm thinking Maritime is not so much about winning individual battles but that the bonuses to sailors and marine force limit will let us sustain a larger force, and that the bonuses to ship speed, repairs, and blockade efficiency will let the ships we have more effectively fight many battles all over the ocean.
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Jul 28, 2023 17:36
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Also, very fitting for roleplay.
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Jul 28, 2023 17:40
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Vote Results Quality and Maritime win fairly decisively, so we will be picking up these idea groups next.  And we will have one slot free as expansion is getting removed. This week is looking very busy, so the next update isn't likely to be until next weekend.
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Jul 30, 2023 21:28
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