|
I genuinely do not know which to pick
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 21:06
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 20:18 |
|
|
vampire time
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 21:15
|
|
|
the promise of a Good Lich swayed my vote towards Elikhand
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 21:23
|
|
|
ThatBasqueGuy posted:vampire time
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 22:14
|
|
|
Echoing everyone else in saying that was a great epilogue. Dragons are cool. As for the new vote... Newshire is probably the best bet for showing off things the LP hasn't if the focus there is magic, but drat if I'm not a sucker for the concept of a heroic lich and Egyptian stuff.
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 22:24
|
|
|
i think the weakest option is the half-orc one which is... whatever the opposite of damning with faint praise is -- they all look p. dope however Halflings. Plants. BLOOD
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 23:50
|
|
|
VideoWitch posted:the promise of a Good Lich swayed my vote towards Elikhand Same, time to be the only actual good lich who isn't just a firmly dead lich.
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2024 23:52
|
|
|
Torn between halflings, vampires, and trolls (oh my) but ultimately voted for Newshire. This could only go well!
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 01:00
|
|
|
It's Morbin' time! 
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 01:36
|
|
|
Blood festival, I don't care if it is with the most blighted and rightly hated creatures of all, or with the vampires.
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 02:08
|
|
|
I'm voting for Elikhand myself. Mummies rule.
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 04:14
|
|
|
Elikhand is really great, though I will say the in game tooltips do a pretty bad job of explaining Dalcabba. The writer elaborated in some reddit posts that help though.
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 06:42
|
|
|
This is looking like a tight race, much closer than the last vote where the Goldscales won by a mile. Keep up the votes!RubricMarine posted:As for the new vote... Newshire is probably the best bet for showing off things the LP hasn't if the focus there is magic, but drat if I'm not a sucker for the concept of a heroic lich and Egyptian stuff. Newshire and Elikhand both have good showings for magic, so either are good picks for those who are interested in that. Dr_Gee posted:i think the weakest option is the half-orc one It's probably the most straightforward and vanilla of the options. Once you're out of the first 100 years or so it's pretty much just sandbox. I can still work with that though. Captain Oblivious posted:Elikhand is really great, though I will say the in game tooltips do a pretty bad job of explaining Dalcabba. The writer elaborated in some reddit posts that help though. I think I have a decent enough handle on what Dalcabba is, but I'd be interested in reading the original writer's thoughts as well. Do you have a link?
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 08:57
|
|
|
Sybot posted:I think I have a decent enough handle on what Dalcabba is, but I'd be interested in reading the original writer's thoughts as well. Do you have a link? https://www.reddit.com/r/Anbennar/s/oW1iVr2um8 Look for the posts by DittoMoment, that would be Ditto, Kalyin’s Prophet from the Anbennar discord. It’s not really anything you COULDN’T discern from the tooltips and text per se, but I don’t think the tooltips do a great job of articulating the deal with Castellos either. Also worth noting that in the Bitbucket branch, Dalcabba is in the Cannorian religious grouping which opens a number of possibilities for Elikhand.
|
|
#
?
Apr 10, 2024 09:30
|
|
|
Sybot posted:Newshire and Elikhand both have good showings for magic, so either are good picks for those who are interested in that. I want to change my answer from Gerudaghot to Elikhand, but all of these options are good
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2024 18:39
|
|
|
I'm hoping the Vamps can pull it out, it seems like a very interesting play style. Blood Magic Halflings currently in the lead, tho.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2024 20:42
|
|
|
Chapter One: A Flower Amidst Ruin 1444-1449 Small Fellows camp, outside the ruins of Aldainé, Escann, 1444 "To Corin!" the cry went up, a rousing chorus of cheers and clinking mugs, followed by the sound of dozens of thirsty throats being quenched with the finest ale that the Band of the Small Fellows could offer. Tonight was a night of celebration, of food and booze unending and of no care for the morning. "To Bluetusk and Ironbrow and Foolfoot!" someone else cried out. The chorus was quieter until the toast ended on Corin's famed Halfling companion, eliciting a cheer almost as loud as the one for the woman herself. "And to our own Captain Smallknight!" Aucanna cried out, one foot on a table and her mug raised high enough to touch the canvas draped over the impromptu celebration. This drew the loudest chorus of cheers of all, and then a second one, and then a third, as not a single Halfling within the tent was about to deny their Captain's own honour. In between hearty drafts of the mugs, a thunder of calls began to roll out among the feasting soldiers. "Speech! Speech! Speech!" Dustin Smallknight cracked a smile and set aside the steaming bowl of stew he had been enjoying while his soldiers celebrated. He hadn't done a single thing towards the victory. Really, none of them had, but he wasn't about to deny them their excitement at an end to the worst of the fighting. He carefully stepped up onto a seat and then onto a table, putting the ache in his joints at the back of his mind, and took in the crowd as they cheered for him. The Band of the Small Fellows was stronger and wealthier than ever, having plundered countless caches during the pursuit of the Greentide Vanguard after the Battle of Rottenstep. You might say they'd spent a bit too much time celebrating in the intervening months, given the straining armour and full faces laid out before him, but good food was a Halfling's ultimate pleasure. Any less would've hurt morale. With the whole band waited with bated breath, he began his speech. It was a rehash of one he had given in the past, but one he knew that his Halflings would love regardless, for they loved him. Later, as the party continued deeper into the night, Dustin found a moment to steal away from the commotion and get some air. He ran his fingers through his thick grey hair, straightening it where Aucanna and some of the other officers had ruffled it in celebration after his speech concluded. The young'uns could certainly party, but for a Halfling his age he needed a good night's sleep. The stew weighed heavily in his belly and a warm blanket beckoned. The moon was full and shining, almost glittering as if acknowledging the monumental shift that had just occurred. In such conditions, Dustin could see for miles in every direction from atop the hill where his camp was established. Twenty years, just twenty years since the Greentide had swept across Escann like weeds sprouting in a miskept garden. In that time, almost all the workings of the chivalric kingdoms had been torn down and left to rot. From the hilltop he could see almost no sign of previous habitation. No roads, nor farms. No villages, for those had long since been overgrown. Only the nearby town of Aldainé still stood in part, and that was a mess of unstable ruins coated in greenery. Regular raids into the town uncovered treasures that the Orcs had missed, as well as squatting Goblins in need of being slain, but it was hardly suitable as a settlement. Just days ago, he would hardly have thought of this, only focusing on the campaign against the Greentide. But now the tide had turned, all thanks to bravery and sacrifice of one woman. He pulled out the letter, delivered that morning, to read it once again. 'To our dear companions and comrades-in-arms, It is with great sorrow that I must inform you of the passing of Corin, our captain. She gave her life in battle against the monster, Dookanson, and in her final moments slew him before the last of her life left her body. Upon his death, the Orcish forces assembled before us scattered and fled in every direction. Thus, it is also with great pride that I can declare that a devastating victory has been won against the Greentide. Their leader has fallen, their armies are divided, and their will is broken. Now is the hour when the true reclamation of Escann can begin. I call upon all of us who have joined this struggle, whether for honour, in the name of the gods, out of a desire for justice, or for promised payment, to come together and decide upon a future for this ruined land. Let not her sacrifice be in vain, let not everything we have fought for fail, let us end this and begin building anew together. In Corin's name, Lothane Silmuna, Acting Captain of the Corintar' It wasn't likely to have been directly penned by the man, or rather the Half-Orc, himself, but instead be dictated or copied so it could be sent out to every band of adventurers and mercenaries from Castonath to the Forlorn Vale. A call to unity against the remainder of the Greentide and a call to redouble their efforts to bring peace and justice to the lands of Escann. It was a noble idea. Dustin had lived a long life, long enough to know that such ideals were not shared by all. Corin, for all her resplendent strength, was only one woman. While she had amassed a sizable following of those who shared her ideals of justice, they only made up a small portion of the tens or hundreds of thousands who had come to Escann in search of glory and plunder. With the threat of Dookanson passed, they would go their separate ways and follow whatever motives of greed or pride that dwelt within their souls. He was considering exactly the same, as much as it pained his kind heart to do so. There was nothing he longed for more than an end to the fighting, to plant himself firmly in place and say 'this is now my home'. However, to do so now would be to inevitably fall under the influence of the more ambitious captains or resurgent Orcs. They needed to do whatever was necessary to survive and grow. "Ah, Captain, good evening." Dustin paused in his step, then stepped backwards. He had almost trodden on a sprout poking up out of the churned mud of the camp. Reaching over to tend to the little piece of life was Robyn Greenblossom, the band's mage. Dressed in his dark red robe and crouched in the mud, he'd been nearly invisible even in the moonlight. "Robyn, apologies," Dustin said, "are your plants okay?" Robyn didn't answer him immediately, but instead cradled the sprout with the tips of his dirt-caked fingers. They glowed with power as if reflecting the teal-ish light of the moon, and leaves began to unfurl from the sprout as it grew taller. There were several rows of such leafy sprouts emerging from the mud, right in the middle of the camp. Robyn continued from one to another until they had all reached the same stage of growth. "They're fine," Robyn said. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and stayed crouched in the dirt staring up at the moon. "You know," Dustin said, "you ought to fence off your experiments. When the party finishes there'll be a lot of tipsy folks coming this way." "Mmm," Robyn said, "the Dame will protect them." Dustin crouched down to bring himself to eye-level with the mage. He'd always been a little bit out there, his mind in the clouds or in the stars, but his skills in warding and transmutation had earned him his place in the band. It didn't matter that he was experimenting with different kinds of magic. This empty place, this fresh start, was the perfect place for that to occur. "Robyn, you know I've always trusted your advice," Dustin said. The mage blinked and looked away from the moon to Dustin, his eyes still seeming as though they were looking straight through his captain. "We'll need to go to war soon. We can't just ride on the coattails of the others," Dustin continued, "we will need to prove ourselves, strike the Orcs directly, maybe even fight the other bands. I can only hope it's the right decision." At those words, Robyn's eyes regained a little bit of their focus and a smirk grew on his face. "It is the way of nature, Captain Smallknight," he said, "the soil is made of the remains of the plants and animals and insects that came before. A flower does not bloom on empty stone, but if you let moss grow first, or leaves fall upon it, or animals crawl into the cracks and die, then eventually it will have fertile ground for a hundred flowers." The metaphor wasn't lost on Dustin. Building a home in this ruined land would need work, perhaps generations of work. It would be something he wouldn't live to see, and yet he would need to do it anyway. To plant a tree that his people would one day sit in the shade of. If that sapling needed to planted on the back of blood and death, then he was only doing as nature intended. Excerpts from Days of Verdancy, Volume One: Fallow Fields, published in Beepeck Village Bookshop, 1836  It was in the early days following Corinsfall, when the future remained unwritten and all those dwelling in the ruins of civilizations that had been lost were frozen with indecision. These few critical days would determine the fate of all of Cannor, as a few brave adventurer captains and desperate Orcish chieftains made ready to dive into the chaos of a divided Escann, and to take advantage of it to achieve greatness.  Any chance of unity between adventurers or clans was discarded. It was to be a free-for-all, with control of the expanse of fallow and fertile lands of Escann up for grabs. Race, creed, faith, all of these would need to fall by the wayside for those who wished for a future in these fields. A peaceful life could not be achieved through merely sowing the seeds and waiting for a nation to grow, it had to be paid for in blood.  Into this cauldron descended Dustin Smallknight. Many of the Marcher Lords considered him a laughingstock, a Halfling who rode a pony into battle and could just about slay a Goblin in equal combat. However, he was a leader beloved by his soldiers for his blooming heart and inspiring stratagems. His interest was foremost in ensuring the Band of Small Fellows was kept well stocked and ready to strike at where the enemy would least expect, for no foe would take pony knights seriously until a charge struck their flanks. It was his decisions that set us upon the path to where we are today, and for that he should be honoured.  As with many Halflings, he was an adherent of Begga. This was fairly uncommon among the Small Fellows themselves, who were more likely to take one of the more militaristic gods as their own, but it suited his humble nature perfectly. Smallknight's aim had always been to assemble a band of soldiers that could aid the small and the downtrodden, and had spent a lot of time during the Greentide seeking and saving those who had survived the onslaught. This devotion to justice would soon shape his decision as a Pantheonic Council assembled in Anbenncóst regarding the events in Escann. Regent Court uses the deity mechanic, but makes it a bit more interesting as each deity has a set of aligned personalities. If your ruler and deity match up, you can earn extra bonuses through events. Sadly, we aren't going to have enough time for Dustin to see the benefits of Begga, and not for the reason you might think.  His devotion to keeping the band fed and watered had gathered a significant following around him. Beyond the few thousand members who made up the core of the band, there were dozens of other smaller adventurer groups who plied the ruins of Escann around them for anything that had been left behind by the original inhabitants or the Orcs. With the fall of Dookanson, these fortune seekers roved out with even more confidence to strike at minor Orc or Goblin settlements and reclaim what had once been stolen. However, there would only be so much plunder to be found. The Small Fellows would not be able to stay in one place for long, before supplies began to run thin, and there is nothing that an army needs more than a hearty meal. I'm not that familiar with the North American native mechanics that the adventurers use, so please don't get too mad if I make some suboptimal decisions over the course of this campaign. It's not quite the same as how the Dwarven adventurers work, though they both share the Adventurer Unity mechanic to help fund their oversized militaries.  Just as divisions were opening in the wider landscape of Escann, the potential was there for divisions within the band itself. While Smallknight's band remained in charge, there were mumblings and rumours of discontent from the fortune-seekers as well as the first stirrings of those who thought all the fighting was a bit too much of a bother, and would rather settle in the land they had already claimed. Appetite for gold and glory would not always be what drove the Halflings of the Small Fellows. The factions are more or less the same as Dwarven adventurers. As we'll be fighting more than settling for now, the Marchers will remain in charge.  It is important to consider just what Halann considered of the Halfling people in that era. With the Small Country occupied by Lorent and Gawed, and the citizens of Beepeck forced to go caps in hand to the Emperor of Anbennar for protection, there were no free Halfling nations of note. Always subjects, never rulers, that was the way of things. Respect could be earned on an individual level through good natured chat, fine food, or clever bargaining, but Cannor had no place that truly honoured the humble Halfling. Halflings are friendly, sneaky, and good merchants. The downsides are that they aren't taken seriously as overlords and conquerors.  The same could be said for Halfling armies. Even Smallknight's smarts were not enough to make up for the simple size and strength difference between Halflings and other races. In a simple contest of strength, they would lose. That is why a notable portion of the Small Fellows were mercenary bands that were funded by the Halfling landowners back in the occupied Small Country. There remained the risk that these Human, Elven or Dwarven mercenaries would look down upon Smallknight and attempt to seize control of the band for themselves, but his humble bearing and the devoted loyalty of his Halfling soldiers would keep them in check. Their military is one of the worst in the game in terms of their starting army. However, they make up for this by being the mercenary racial military. Also, once shock damage falls off in the late game, they do come back a little bit in being able to sustain a war for longer with better manpower recovery.  The plan for growing a place for Halflings in the turbulence of Escann would be a difficult one, perhaps one that would take decades before it truly saw fruit, but it was one that Smallknight was willing to commit everything towards. All the Escanni adventurers share the same opening mission tree, covering their transition from wandering bands to the beginnings of settled nations. It's generally recommended to complete the main line of these missions before moving to a new nation.  His first task was to rally the adventurers once more and prepare the band to march. Most of them were still celebrating the news of Dookanson's fall, and had stomachs stuffed to the brim with all they could get their hands on. Though it would take a bit of time to work off their little indulgence, they were eager and ready to take the next step along with their Captain.  Smallknight's first instinct was to reach out to the adventurer bands that he knew were nearby. If they could form a coalition, they could secure the immediate region west of Lake Silvermere and protect themselves However, both the Sons of Dameria and the House of Riches rebuffed his approach aggressively. They had no room for a Halfling as kind and as loyal as Smallknight in their ambitions, which were clearly to claim the region for themselves.  After this, he reached further afield, getting in touch with Bluetusk himself, Lothane Silmuna. The Half-Orc was very disappointed to hear that his own uncle had disregarded his call for unity, and was happy to accept an alliance for the common good between his Corintar and the Small Fellows. Perhaps he too underestimated Smallknight, as a fine little piece of wordplay managed to position the Halfling as the superior in this relationship, by giving him the authority to grow the alliance further.  As Smallknight threw himself into the diplomatic aspects of trying to secure as much support as possible among the fracturing adventurers, much of the day-to-day running of the band fell to Aucanna Bravefather. Some crude gossip claimed her to be his lover, though she was forty years his junior, but the fact of the matter is that she was a devoted follower of his ever since the Lilac Wars, where she had first joined the band, studied rigorously in the ways of war and leadership, and harvested countless connections with other Marcher Lords to her benefit.  One such connection to bear fruit was with Entef of Wibnaut and his New Wanderers. In some ways they were even more outcast than the Halflings, being from a distant land and worshipping strange feline creatures instead of the gods of the Regent Court. In that, there was an opening to secure their support for the alliance and Entef's powerful magic along with it. He might have lost out in the vote, but getting Entef and his war wizardry on side will be a huge help.  When the news of the Tenth Pantheonic Council reached Escann, bringing confirmation of Corin's ascension to godhood and the restoration of the title of god of war, thousands immediately declared Corin as their goddess. In the face of such fervour sweeping through his soldiers, Smallknight humbly put his own feelings aside and joined them in their devotion to Corin, endorsing her as the chosen goddess of the Small Fellows. This decision was one of the many critical turning points in the early years of Escann, and considering later events perhaps the most critical of them all. Here's what I meant about not being able to see the benefits of Begga. Anyway, I'm sure the question is now settled and nothing will come of this in the long term…  Once the band was drilled and ready, Smallknight made his first move. The lands to the west swarmed with foul Goblins, cut loose by their Orcish masters as they retreated. Though there would be little honour in defeating such weak foes, he knew that they had to be pragmatic. Securing these lands would open them up for adventurer parties and secure trade with the New Wanderers. The various Escann Goblins are probably one of the hardest starts in the game, being outmatched by both the adventurers and the Orcs.  He led the charge into the ruins of Taranton himself, on ponyback, while the mass of spears and slings advanced against the Goblins. A great melee ensued, and the ferocious Goblins gave as good as they got but were unable to bring down any of the pony knights. Against Halfling stubbornness, they fled the field and abandoned their camp to the band. Goblin military is also weak early game, and we start with a tech advantage. In spite of that we took more casualties and only won on morale. Halfling military is just that bad. There are custom Halfling models, but I don't think they're quite scaled right for infantry. It's more obvious on the cavalry model.  With the core mass of the tribe defeated, the band spread out through their territory, driving out or slaying any Goblin they could find. The triumph was a great boost to the morale of soldiers, even after so many losses, for it was a sign that the Greentide truly was receding. Escann could be reclaimed, the Greenskins were beatable.  Though the Goblins weren't completely defeated, a significant swathe of countryside was made safe for adventurers to ply the ruins or even for pioneers to begin reestablishing settlements. It was also a firm message to Rogier's Sons of Dameria, that the Small Fellows were here to stay and wouldn't stand to be pushed around. Adventurers get warscore cost maluses, so even a few bits of tribal land are very expensive.  There were hundreds of wounded following the Battle of Taranton, who limped back to the main camp outside the ruins of Aldainé filled with fear that they would be discarded or left behind as the band continued its campaigns. However, all was not lost, for a field hospital was established by Robyn Greenblossom to bring the wounded back up to fighting shape. His experimental chloromancy was not commonly practiced medicine, but a wounded soldier would take what they could get.  Following the swift victory, Smallknight and Bravefather worked to stabilize the situation. There were countless smaller bands roaming the now cleared countryside, raising a high risk of banditry and other such bad manners. This ebb and flow of battle and feast, danger and reward, was a key part of the Small Fellows' early successes, as every good warrior needs a moment to enjoy a good meal.  The opening of trade with the New Wanderers was also a great boon, as thousands of newcomers were making their way from the west into Escann. Whether they were more adventurers seeking easy plunder or settlers wanting to stake their own claim to empty land, having a safe route for them to approach the Small Fellows was invaluable.  It was during a celebratory dinner for one these groups of immigrants, a whole minor merchant house from Viswall, that tragedy struck. As Dustin Smallknight climbed up onto a table to deliver one of his famous speeches, he tripped over a carelessly left mug of ale and fell to the floor. For most Halflings such a tumble would be nothing, but for such an old warrior it was too much for his aging and aching body. He was buried with full honours, and the finest food and drink was brought out for a celebration of his life. In much that same manner as one of Smallknight's own speeches, Captain Bravefather named Marien of Roysfort, Captain of the Pins and Knives adventuring party, as her own successor. The two ladies, both skilled leaders and fighters in their own rights, promised to bring his dreams to fruition.  One of Bravefather's first acts was to establish a sponsored questboard in the Small Fellows' camp. So much of Escann was still teeming with monsters, filled with unexplored ruins, and lacking in good food and drink. If it was to be made safe for comfortable society to return, then such monsters needed to be slain, ruins needed to be cleared, and proper taverns needed to be established.  She also sent out a proclamation clarifying that the intention of the Small Fellows was to properly settle Escann, not merely to slay as many Orcs or plunder as much of it as possible. A new home for Halflings, away from the occupied Small Country and away from the prying eyes of the taller folk, where a quiet life was not just possible but guaranteed. Word of her success and ambition reached as far as the Small Country itself, ultimately prompting a new wave of immigration.  Not content to rest on Smallknight's initial victories, Bravefather knew that the Small Fellows had to keep moving if they wanted a piece of the pie that Escann would soon be carved into. The Goblins were scattered for now, but a major clan of Orcs occupied a huge tract of land on the west bank of Lake Silvermere. She ordered to band to begin marching in force into the lands of the Rotcleaver Clan, to prepare to strike at them directly.  The re-opening of trade with Cannor at large had many benefits, including the shipment of weapons from blacksmiths who now found themselves out of work following the end of the Lilac Wars. High quality pikes were hard to come by in Escann itself, but could be bought from abroad with the riches that the band had secured.  Ties between the Small Fellow and the New Wanderers had grown closer with the clearing of the land between them and the demonstration of the Small Fellows' will to fight. Entef was willing to call upon his magic to aid Bravefather in her ambition to drive the Orcs from the western bank. Bluetusk, was more hesitant, but was willing to accept out of respect for Smallknight and his willingness to cooperate when all others fell into greed and infighting. Probably the single most important reform so that we aren't charging headfirst at multiple enemies by ourselves. Completing the full set of reforms doesn't matter as we'll be reforming out of 'tribal' status before we get to that point.  So, the first real challenge began. The Small Fellows would go to war against three Orcish clans, with two powerful allies of their own. Defeat could be fatal, not just to their ambitions but to their whole band. Victory would sow the seeds of the future, with each drop of blood feeding the soil of Escann for its inevitable blooming. To be continued… Authors Note: For this campaign I've shifted the writing style again. After the last two being defined by characters writing in diaries, I feel like I was struck with a couple of issues, those being the short lifespans of characters compared to the length of an update, and the need to keep writing as 'in the moment' as possible despite actually being written after the fact. Let's see how framing it as an in-universe book series goes instead.
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2024 14:37
|
|
|
i'm so stoked for blood and plants
|
|
#
?
Apr 14, 2024 18:14
|
|
|
These guys were my first real game in Anbennar after one false start with another adventurer. They're just happy little guys trying to make happy trees and fields
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2024 00:13
|
|
|
Sybot posted:I'm not that familiar with the North American native mechanics Don't worry, I don't think anybody else is either.
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2024 00:43
|
|
|
puppets freak me out posted:Don't worry, I don't think anybody else is either. The opposite really, though mostly only in Anbennar. Escann is second only to the Dwarovar in popularity, and thus a ton of people know the mechanics  It’s not too tough though. Claim as much tribal land as possible, reform as fast as possible, and finish the center adventurer mission line are the three guidelines for Escann.
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2024 06:49
|
|
|
Also watch out for people migrating into your tribal land and blocking you from having a line from your capital to the person you are at war with and making it so you can only take one province, which is the worst.
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2024 12:46
|
|
|
I’m sure these wayward wanderers will have a jolly, atrocity-free time founding a new home for themselves!
|
|
#
?
Apr 15, 2024 17:51
|
|
|
So how much conquest is going to be involved here? Seems like the halflings are going to go full-on BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD  at some point.
|
|
#
?
Apr 16, 2024 02:02
|
|
|
CommissarMega posted:So how much conquest is going to be involved here? Seems like the halflings are going to go full-on BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD There will be a lot of conquest for sure, all of Escann at the absolute minimum. The maximum extent will depend on how things go. When I started thinking about characterisation for the Newshire Halflings, maximum Khorne isn't quite what I thought of. It should start becoming more obvious once they settle down exactly what I'm going for.
|
|
#
?
Apr 16, 2024 09:03
|
|
|
Captain Oblivious posted:The opposite really, though mostly only in Anbennar. Escann is second only to the Dwarovar in popularity, and thus a ton of people know the mechanics Oh sure, I'm talking base game native mechanics. Anbennar actually makes the system fun to engage with instead of "speed 5 until Portugal/Castile show up".
|
|
#
?
Apr 16, 2024 14:21
|
|
|
Sybot posted:There will be a lot of conquest for sure, all of Escann at the absolute minimum. The maximum extent will depend on how things go. More Corn than Khorne?
|
|
#
?
Apr 16, 2024 18:39
|
|
|
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD LAWN
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2024 00:42
|
|
|
Time to bring back the god drat honey to Escann.
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2024 01:12
|
|
|
In Escann, first you get the blood, then you get the plants, then you get the women.
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2024 02:03
|
|
|
GENTLEMEN! BEHOLD! MORE CORN!
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2024 04:04
|
|
|
It might be a new world crop, but blood and corn go hand in hand. Praise our lord the Flayed One!
|
|
#
?
Apr 17, 2024 23:48
|
|
|
Chapter Two: Among the Weeds 1449-1461 Somewhere near the ruins of Hagstow, Escann, 1450 Robyn crouched in the field, tall grass rustling over his head, cradling the handful of seeds as though they were the last of their kind. As he held them close, he whispered words of encouragement that would mark him out as mad to the rest of the band. Nonetheless, it was necessary. Plants were alive, as much as any person, even if they responded to touch and sound and sound in different ways. Holding them like this allowed his life force, his mana, to more readily be absorbed, while his words acted as incantations to focus that mana into what was needed. "Greenblossom, hurry it up!" If only there was a faster, more direct, way to nurse his plants. It was only due to the Captain's brilliant manoeuvring that he had the time to prepare the field in this way, otherwise he would have been relegated to the dull mundanities of maintaining the wards around their position. He stood up, though the grass still stood at shoulder height leaving him with his head poking up over the top. It was a beautiful day, with sunlight shining across the verdant green of the abandoned lands of Escann. The one blight on the view was the vast white structure looming in the distance, tall enough to tower over the treeline even from miles away. The White Walls of Castanor were an exercise in Human and Dwarven vanity, an attempt to demonstrate their dominance over nature with bare stone. Entire ecosystems must have been destroyed in their construction, vast forests chopped down to make way for them and provide scaffolding. Even as dilapidated as they were now, with visible damage from centuries of neglect and the ravages of the Greentide, greenery still refused to grow on their surface. "They're here! Get back!" The call only dully came to his ears, but what did draw his attention was the rustling in the treeline at the opposite end of the field. Time was up. He cast his cupped hands out wide, scattering the infused seeds into a line either side of him, then turned and began pushing through the grass towards the small crest of dirt where rows and rows of pikes were pointed towards him. He wasn't the only one out in the field at moment, as a dozen other trainee Chloromancers had just completed their tasks as he had done. With a swaying sidestep, he slipped between two outstretched pikes, earning a suspicious glare from the Halflings earnestly holding them steady, and squeezed through the frontline towards the commander. Marien of Roysfort, second only to Captain Bravefather, was a Halfling beyond her means. Some called her equal to a Human in strength, despite being half the size, while some called her the equal of an Orc. It ought to be unlikely that even with her incredibly sturdy frame that she ought to be able to achieve the feats that she was claimed to. Despite that, she carried a Human-sized sword in a scabbard slung over her back, and propped up beside her was a full-size longbow. "Stop dallying around," she snapped as Robyn approached, "if you'd gotten cut down, who'd grow tonight's dinner?" Robyn opened his hands in an apologetic gesture. "The seeds needed proper nurturing," he said. Marien harumphed and pointed out across the field. "Let's hope you nurtured them right, or that lot're all gonna to smash right into our pikes." Emerging from the treeline into the tall grass was a great mass of black and green bodies. Gigantic black wargs, each twice the size of a wolf, and their Orcish riders, wielding an array of crude spears and axes, as well as old and rusted weapons taken from the old kingdoms of Escann. Still, with their size advantage there was a good chance they break right through the pike line and rip the Small Fellows to pieces. "They did just what the Captain said they would," Robyn noted. "You've gotta know their minds," Marien said, "Orcs are meatheaded, just looking for a fight, but they've enough cunning to not just throw themselves onto the nearest enemy. We're on the flank, and we look puny, so we look like easy meat and a tactical win at the same time." "Feign weakness, and draw them in," Robyn said, echoing Captain Bravefather's words. Now out of the trees, the warg riders began to pick up speed as they bounded across the field. Grass that was up to Robyn's shoulders barely brushed the undersides of these beasts. Truly they were an unnatural creation that had no place in nature. With such size and ferocity, they would devour all prey in an area and leave it completely unbalanced. It was good that so many would fall today. As they charged, Robyn closed his eyes and listened only to the wind, the thumping of the paws of the beasts, the shaking and clattering of soldier on the pike line, and almost barely masked by all of that the growing of the plants. In his mind, he called upon the wisdom of the Dame, the rulership of Castellos, and the valour of Corin. He extended his hands, and pleaded with the plants to bloom. A great crash and shout arose from the charging Orcs, and he opened his eyes to see wargs piling up at the line where he and his apprentices had scattered their seeds. Tangling vines sprouted from the ground and tripped the leading chargers, causing those behind to pile into them. They were working hard to disentangle themselves, while the plants of his apprentices were weaker and had already let some of them through to resume their charge, though with less speed. "Slings and bows!" Marien called out. A volley of rocks and arrows descended upon the heads of the trapped Orcs, breaking skulls and piercing flesh. Though it didn't kill nearly as many as they might have hoped, it had completely blunted their momentum. Those who made it to the pike line fought viciously, but without speed and power they had no hope of breaking through. Robyn spoke a long prayer to the Dame as the sounds of battle and death continued. It was her guidance that had brought him this far, and demonstrated exactly what nature was capable of. At least, the very beginnings of it. There was so much more to learn or discover, so much more that might be accomplished. A great roaring explosion sounded in the distance, and a wave of heat swept over the battlefield for a moment. Every pair of eyes, Halfling or Orc, turned towards it. Enormous lashes of flame filled the horizon, like burning snakes squirming in the sky. Every so often, they would descend with a whip-crack that sounded for miles. Robyn was certain that hundreds of Orcs, as well as swathes of countryside, were perishing with every one of those strikes. It was awe-inspiring, though also left Robyn with an emptiness in his heart that they had to resort to such destruction in order to secure victory. Marien let out a long whistle. "First time I've seen Entef going at it," she said, "glad he's on our side. Tell me when you grow a plant that can do that, ey" Robyn gave a dour nod. One day, maybe. For now, his duty was to see the Small Fellows survive in this hostile land and clear it for resettlement. He watched the Captain emerge from their flank with her pony knights and begin mopping up the remaining Orcs. Both Captains Smallknight and Bravefather had given him the space and resources that he needed, but that wasn't all that he needed. He needed to continue his research, he needed more students to spread his workload, and most of all he needed to make his magic even stronger. By the light of the Dame and the blood of Corin, he would provide the band with Chloromancy that could shape the face of their nation. Excerpts from Days of Verdancy, Volume One: Fallow Fields, published in Beepeck Village Bookshop, 1836  The mustering of the New Wanderers and the Corintar against the Orcs was proof to the Small Fellows that they were not alone in the hostile lands of Escann. Smallknight's diplomatic campaign had borne fruit, and Bluetusk and Entef both departed from their camps to see to the defeat of the Orcs still squatting in the ruins of the civilization they had destroyed. These two missions are for building up a federation with good relations. It's basically free mana. The last mission on this line will need to wait until we are settled.  Bravefather's assault on the Rotcleaver Clan's settlements caught them by surprise, for there was no way for them to expect a surprise attack by the humble halfling. The majority of their army was busy plundering the ruins of the White Walls along the northern shore of Lake Silvermere. Their lust for treasure was their undoing, as Bravefather led a bold charge that shattered the few regiments of guards that they had left behind to guard their camps and families. Now, the very treasure they had stolen would fall into the hands of the Small Fellows. Just after this campaign started there were some updates to Halfling military and admin on the Bitbucket version. It was changed from being mercenary focused to more focused on larger force limit with decent morale, which I'm not sure I agree with as it takes away what makes them unique and just makes them another numbers-focused race like Goblins and Kobolds. In any case, I won't be updating the version I'm running on, so the mil/admin details in the last chapter are still valid.  Marching north to engage the main force of Rotcleaver was Entef of Wibnuat himself. The mage was a league above nearly all other magic-users in Escann, with power enough to carve out a place for his band of strange foreigners. Reaching out to him had been one of Smallknight's great triumphs, for it would be his power that would forge the rails guiding the Small Fellows to safety. I don't remember if I've ever explained War Wizards previously, so I will go into it here. If your ruler is a Powerful Mage, you can convert them to a special general. There are also other ways to gain them, but this is the most common way. They will have a Shock and Siege stats far better than any natural general, which makes them absolutely devastating in the early game and with the right military build still competitive in the late game. Recent changes in the Bitbucket version have adjusted the way death rolls for both your ruler and generals work, so it is no longer quite so immediately fatal to put your long-lived Powerful Mage ruler in charge of an army, though it is still somewhat risky.  Comparatively, the Corintar put on a poor showing in engaging Hoshrish Deadfang. Bluetusk assigned the task to one of his lesser commanders, but the Orcish chieftain was a ferocious warrior with a loyal horde at his back. Even advanced tactics could not save the Corintar from a devastating defeat, a defeat that was perhaps the beginning of the end of their ambitions for powerful nation forged in Corin's name. I'm glad that if a GC had to spawn in Escann, he's reasonably distant from us.  Bravefather and Entef joined forces to pursue and destroy Deadfang's warband before it could completely lay waste to the Corintar. They were able to drive them into the wilds in such a way as to trap the Orcs against the ruins of the White Walls and annihilate them with overwhelming magical force. This battle was the debut of combat Chloromancy, and as such marks a critical point where history took a different path through the dark forest of time.  Not all of the Small Fellows were so eager to throw themselves into battle with the Orcs. As was common among Escanni adventurers, many of the smaller parties and groups in the orbit of the larger bands would break ranks to go chasing a haul of treasure or softer targets than an Orcish warband. Bravefather was lenient towards such acts, allowing them to keep their spoils and a place within the band in exchange for a public tongue-lashing. Though, one ought not to underestimate the spite of a Halfling scorned. The other options cost cash, a bit too much cash even if we'll being coming into a bit of it shortly.  Deadfang himself escaped north and linked up with the forces of the Venomtooth Clan, slaying their commander in single combat to take control and face the combined forces of the New Wanderers and Small Fellows once again. Once again, he fell before their magical prowess and the Orcish resistance collapsed.  Entef led the push into Venomtooth's lands, a morass of mud and disease, while the Small Fellows departed south to plunder the undefended lands of Deadfang. Naturally, Entef's magic was far faster at burning down the meagre defences the remaining Orcs could offer. He claimed most of the spoils for himself, but transferred a reasonable portion to the Small Fellows as well. Captain Bravefather considered it a fair trade, given that it was his power that decisively won them the conflict. Really, from now on just assume that if there're any secondary participants in a war then I'm letting Entef siege them down and then taking their cash.  The forests of the western bank of Lake Silvermere fell into the hands of the Small Fellows. It was a fertile land that had been left untilled for too long, and as a result the forests had reclaimed much of what had once been there. Already pioneers were beginning to set out to cut out clearings and roadways, and some semblance of countryside management was returning.  More and more, the Halflings were considering Escann their home. Very few of them had been born there, but the rolling countryside of the western half was very reminiscent of the Small Country and drew ever more immigration from that subjugated region. It soon became a slogan within the Small Fellows; 'From Loam to Home', a call to turn the unkempt landscape into something purer and more comfortable.  Relations with other adventurer bands roaming Escann were strained at best, and outright hostile at worst. It was clear that it was a free-for-all to claim as much as possible, even in the alliances that the bands had claimed among one another. The House of Riches was one such band, a group of profit-seeking mercenaries cowering in the shadow of the Small Fellows while Bravefather led the alliance that pillaged the Rotcleaver. She had strong words and strong steel to deliver to them, to further secure the southern extent of the Small Fellows' control. The insult was needed as all adventurers start with a massive bonus in relations. House of Riches had dropped off their rivalry and thus were above +100 relations.  While taking the fight, she also aimed to secure her people's legitimacy within Escann. There would be many who sought to restore the old kingdoms, or denied that a Halfling nation had any right to settle in Escann. She posted quests for the adventurers: find evidence of previous Halfling habitation in old Escann, by any means.  The inter-adventurer conflict was much more peaceable than that against the remnants of the Greentide. A sign of civilized and honourable combat, where mutual sieges were the order of the day. That said, it was not the Small Fellows that suffered their camps being raided and their headquarters being assaulted, but the Corintar once more. It was clear that for all his desire for cooperation, Bluetusk was the one who had lost the most.  Naturally, Entef of Wibnuat completed his assault the most swiftly. He tore through the unsettling magical constructs the Order of the Iron Sceptre placed before him, including the skeletons and zombies that the secret necromancers of the Order kept in reserve. For one as righteous as Entef, there was no reason to tolerate such dark magic, so they were burned with extreme prejudice. Wanted to highlight these guys, they form Esthil, one of the premier undead nations in the game. They also start with a Powerful Mage who can become a War Wizard, so getting them out of the war quickly has saved the Corintar from occupation.  The House of Riches were forced to part with their ill-gotten gains, which would then be used to further fund the expansion of the Small Fellows and the import of goods and settlers to slowly reclaim the lands around them.  Though Bravefather was an advocate of completing quests by any means, and was willing to look the other way or offer only mild reprimands for those who kept their rewards for themselves, she was not willing to let them fall into petty banditry. With civilians beginning to swell the ranks of the band and filter into the countryside, the idea of peaceful homes being pillaged by adventurers in search of loot was unconscionable. Party leaders had to have the discipline to only target the real monsters (and occasionally rival adventurers) and instead pillage their homes.  Fighting both Orc and Human, monster and adventurer, had built up Captain Bravefather's reputation as a merciless fighter willing to do whatever it took to bring peace and security to Escann. This was a reputation she eagerly embraced, for she knew that the Halflings under her protection would appreciate someone who would do anything to shield them against the ever-present violence.  With the southern front secured, Bravefather lead her band north the shores of Lake Silvermere. A few hamlets had survived, keeping their heads low and surviving on the bounty of fish within the lake itself. Soon they found themselves revitalized with Halfling settlers, who brought with them the means to rebuild society, at the cost of many more hungry stomachs to feed. This would not be the last stop for the band, as the Captain's intention was to go north and strike directly at the Venomtooth, who held a great deal of marginal land to the north that could become productive grazing land in future.  With now over a decade spent plying the ruins and monster-infested wilds of Escann, a new kind of warrior was emerging. Rather than massed regiments of pikes or ponies, the band was finding itself dividing into smaller groups to protect fledgling settlements and as such these upstanding soldiers needed to change to defend what was important. Making use of their knowledge of the terrain, a firm understanding of locally available medicinal herbs and poisons, and old-fashioned Halfling determination, the Bushrangers were able to fend off many a raid by Goblins or Orcs still lingering within lands claimed for resettlement.  Increasing discipline among the adventurers and the growing power of the Small Fellows as a central authority within Escann led to a commensurate decrease in levels of insubordination among the minor adventurers. Many of them could see the way the winds were blowing, and that they ought to pay enough to find shelter under the canopy offered by the band. The other options give more Adventurer Unity, but we're rushing for settling, so I don't really need that.  Such windfalls of treasure paid into the band's treasury were frequently re-invested into improving conditions for adventuring parties. A great guild hall was assembled in the main Small Fellows camp, built out of stone salvaged from ruins, logs harvested from forests that were being cleared for farmland, and filled with offices to run the increasingly large and complex network that the Small Fellows was at the centre of. A good value building, combined with Halfling Admin we can run some very cheap advisors.  During their stay besides the lake, Captain Bravefather made rebuilding her primary focus. Quests were issued to see long-overgrown roads cleared of foliage and any beasts or monsters in the vicinity purged. New arrivals were tasked with building up villages and organising trade with the other burgeoning settlements in adventurer territory around Escann.  During this time, the New Wanderers and the Corintar launched their own campaigns, primarily focused on the Goblins that still lurked in the countryside. The Small Fellows were more than happy to contribute, by allowing detachments of adventurers to run rampant across Goblin-held lands and secure as much treasure as possible, but these wars did little to impact the progress of their work.  Adventurers took to reconstruction work with surprising gusto. Though one might consider them to be murderous vagabonds most of the time, only useful to a state for the monsters that they slay, there are countless minor adventuring parties who lack the strength, dexterity or charisma to achieve great victories over bands of Orcs or even roaming wild animals. For those who sought the adventure of a new frontier, but lacked the stomach for diving into the deepest and darkest dens, the work offered by the Small Fellows was perfect.  Illicit trades blossomed in the soil of Escann, especially as roads began to be cleared. There were not enough guards or inspectors to ensure that taxes were collected properly from the new settlements or to inspect goods being brought into the region. Nonetheless, Captain Bravefather made sure to crack down on such corruption and vice so that it would not pollute the peaceful homeland she was preparing for her people.  Rumours that she was taking for herself some of what was seized from black market dealers or from villages that dodged taxes are clearly propaganda. The other adventurer bands likened her to a tyrant living large off the plunder of Escann and the people she was meant to protect, but in reality she was simply a Halfling like any other who enjoyed occasionally relaxing with a full table of food, a few bottles of wine, and the finest Tipney pipeweed. It was her dream that all those who came to Escann could enjoy life as she did.  Small communities of Orcs continued to survive even in areas where adventurers and pioneers were numerous. They were comprised those to young or old or infirm to fight, who had gathered together in the wilds to escape the growing re-civilising of the land. When not being specifically hunted down for the crime of theft or squatting on rightful Halfling land, they still faced the risk of local Bushrangers coming through, disrupting their savage practices, and driving them further away.  Half-Orcs were treated better marginally better, being tolerated through the close relationship that the Small Fellows held with the Corintar led by Bluetusk. As the majority of settlers in the region would be Halflings, who could not produce Half-Orcs in the same way as Humans could, the population only increased through Half-Orcs fleeing from oppression by their Orcish forebears, who considered them weaklings unworthy of rights. There's been a little bit of a rework of the migration feature. I think that this is what allows the regular migration events to now occur, rather than getting involuntarily spammed by individual events.  With the shore of Silvermere settled, Bravefather turned her eyes northwards. The Sons of Dameria were encroaching on Halfling territory, so she dispatched her second-in-command to deliver them a humiliation and defeat, and reminder Rogier where the borders lay. Marien of Roysfort had become a renowned commander of the Bushrangers, and made use of their in-depth knowledge of the lands of Escann to drive off the theoretically superior Damerians.  Though the rebuilding efforts had taken up years, Bravefather hadn't forgotten her goal to claim the swathes of Venomtooth territory in the name of the Small Fellows. Pushing past the Sons of Dameria into Feldham, she prepared for another campaign against the Orcs.  Behind her, she had left thousands of Halfling settlers and their Bushranger protectors, slowly bringing civilization to the lands that the Small Fellows had cleared. It was a solid claim, but it would require even more investment to transform it from a wild frontier into a true nation. These final two missions in the main line cost 700 crowns between them, but completing them gives a very important bonus, which I will explain in a later chapter.  Along with her allies, the Captain signed an agreement to charter companies from across Cannor to build settlements. Her reputation had spread far and wide among Halflings, just as Bluetusk's had among supporters of Corin in general, ensuring that there would be a steady stream of settlers arriving to seek their fortunes and build up the burgeoning nations.  As the nation began to take shape, she was left with a question. What direction should it take? As a veteran warrior herself, the Captain was firmly of the position that the national defence ought to be first priority. However, she had many factors to consider begore making a decision. Would she continue to rely on the adventurers and Bushrangers, build a people's militia, or a professional soldiery?  The infrastructure of the Small Fellows' camp was looking less and less like a military outpost and more like the centre of a massive logistical effort. Warehouses were rising filled with supplies, adventurers gathered at the guild hall to offer their services and guards and pest control, carts entered and left at every hour of the day, and at the centre of it all was the pioneer office, charged with coordinating the settlement effort. I'm hoping that stacking settle cost is a good option, but I don't really have any idea if it matters.  Faced with the massive effort it would take to tear down and rebuild everything that had suddenly come together in Feldham, a decision was made. The Small Fellows would make Feldham their permanent camp. From that position they would have easy access to both the open grasslands to the north and the forests and lakeside to the south. This lets us start settling provinces properly instead of wandering around. With the Orcs and other Adventurers settling provinces and potentially blocking a migrating adventurer force, I don't think the other option is very viable.  Almost immediately a lot of those hanging on around the camp dispersed, seeking their fortune or settlement in the territories claimed by the band. Aldainé was the first beneficiary of their attention, having been the place where the decision had been made to claim a home for Halflings in Escann. With many thousands more setting down roots, and thorny barriers of Bushrangers patrolling the now-official borders, the first true expansion of the Halfling nation had begun.  They were not the only ones though. Across Escann, adventurer bands were beginning to come to terms with the realization that they were burgeoning nations, and that roaming and plundering would soon be a thing of the past. Already, such claims were beginning to come into conflict, as the New Wanderers began planting themselves into territory that the Small Fellows had liberated from the Goblins. It would be more than the Orcs that they would have to contend with as the budding nation began to bloom. To be continued… Vote Captain Bravefather has made it clear to her soldiers. The Small Fellows won't be pushed around any longer. We are prepared for one final push against the Orcs before settling down for good, but we also need to be prepared for a fight with the other adventurers going for landgrabs, and any others who might try and poke their noses into Escann. As such, we must decide on the founding principle of our military. Mercenary – Let others do the fighting, so we can relax and focus on building up peaceful homes. Quantity – Call upon every Halfling who has made these lands their home. No matter how large or small, everyone can do their part. Quality – Build up a core of elite soldiers whose sole profession it is to protect these lands. Offensive – Take the fight to the enemy, so that no threat might break the peace of our new nation. Plutocratic – A citizen's army, devoted to defending the freedom of the common Halfling (will not be picked until we form Newshire) Vote by clicking on the image below.  Voting will last 48 hours.
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2024 22:04
|
|
|
I went Merc due to a little foreknowledge. Halflings get plenty of sweet bonuses to make them good, the Smallfellows might be able to make them better, and concentrating on them will make them great. Besides, eating the bonus damage REALLY sucks and you'll have access to a lot of mercs.
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2024 23:13
|
|
|
Halflings have many fine qualities-- a taste for good food and better pipe weed, for instance-- but disciplined and ferocious warriors they are not. Let's follow the strong halfling tradition of building a peaceful, prosperous country for our people, and then letting everyone else earn a living defending it. We're job creators!
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2024 23:53
|
|
|
A Small Fellow always pays her debts.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2024 02:25
|
|
|
Lateinshowing posted:I went Merc due to a little foreknowledge. Halflings get plenty of sweet bonuses to make them good, the Smallfellows might be able to make them better, and concentrating on them will make them great. This sounds good to me!
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2024 02:54
|
|
|
Settle cost is unfortunately not terribly valuable due to the Escann unique mechanics All tribal land you hold is going to be auto settled when you form your Escanni nation. This is why playing Hungry Hungry Hippos with tribal land is really 90% of what matters. If you do it right you basically auto colonize 50% or more of Escann in one fell swoop
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2024 05:32
|
|
|
Mercenary wins a very comfortable victory. Chapter Three: Fencing the Garden 1461-1477 Eastfield Village, near the ruins of Feldham, Escann, 1472 The road had been rough, and as such Dominic was glad to have arrived in somewhere a bit more civilized. Rocky mud marked most of the paths in Escann, and were a real infernal pain in the foot for those who preferred the more traditional bare foot march. Those adventurers could have their fun, putting the boot to some miserable cretinous Goblin, but nothing beat feeling wild grass under your soles. He would accept a properly kept smooth gravel path though, which the people of Eastfield seemed to have managed for themselves. It was a shame there was no welcoming party, but these were chaotic times. Perhaps his letter had gotten lost, or the postman had been eaten by an Orc. Whatever the case, he ought to introduce himself to his soon-to-be neighbours, otherwise they might think lesser of him. The village itself was spread out across a wide forest clearing, with plenty of space left in between each of the houses. None of them were proper barrows, most of them being built up out of the wood that had been cut down to clear this space in the first place. No less than three houses had been built backing onto the same hillside, which left Dominic to wonder whether there was presently any enmity regarding basement extensions among those folk as they tried to dig their own barrows. Fences seemed to have been drawn across the village almost at random, with each house carving out its own little garden space around it as far as it could before it was forced to stop by someone else or the presence of a road. Though, there was good reason for such aggressive claims, for each garden was flourishing with plant life. Some grew flowers, some grew vegetables, a few had saplings that would almost certainly grow into trees that would blossom magnificently or drop juicy fruit. Hearing of the gardeners of Eastfield was exactly the reason Dominic had left the cramped and dull confines of Beepeck to come to Escann. The Tellumite criers shouting of the latest victories, or adventuring parties seeking new members before departing, none of those had caught his ear. Instead, it was a merchant in an inn talking about the fresh fields of vivid flowers, as bright as the finest Viswall dye. Now that he was here, he was pleased to find the truth was just as told in the stories. He stopped walking in front of the gate to one house, whose owner had divided their garden into circular segments, with stony paths separating each part of it that looked laid out with mathematical precision in their arrangements of stones. In one circle, flowers bloomed in a rainbow of colour that seemed almost impossible considering the different needs of different plants. In another, a tree was growing. It was surprisingly tall for something that was only a decade old. In the last he looked at, was growing the largest pumpkin that he had ever seen, though living in a city he'd only really previously seen them in the form of delicious pies. Not wanting to waste another moment of the afternoon, he pushed open the gate and carefully following the arcing pathways towards the front door. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the curtains of the house twitch. He reached out with his walking stick to knock at the door, only for it to swing wide open in front of him. "If you're selling, I don't want none of it!" snapped an older Halfling man of maybe seventy, waving an iron poker in Dominic's direction, "and if you're one of Leafworth's cronies snooping at my plots you better get gone before you get a couple of new holes." "Oh no, nothing of the sort!" Dominic said, stepping back while keeping a big smile on his face and his arms open in greeting. "My name is Daniel Marchfoot, I'm a florist. I sent a letter to the village steward, asking to be allowed to settle down and open up a shop." The man squinted at him with a suspicious eye, but lowered the poker. "Trian Appleseed. Haven't seen you around," he said, "you're not one of those nosy nobodies at least. So, what? You're going to buy our flowers?" "Buy them, display and sell them, even preserve them and send them back west," Dominic said, a veritable spring in his step that the man seemed at least a little open to his proposal. "Well," Trian said, trailing off and scratching his nose, "I'm not going to be selling anything just yet. Not until I have enough flowers to beat Leafworth twice over at least. Don't see any reason the steward wouldn't let you settle. She lives three doors that way, go ask her." Dominic followed Trian's pointed finger to a house that looked more or less the same as any other. It was impressive just how humble and equal things here were. There were no slums, nor towering mansions. Just simple folk showing off their green fingers. Just then, from behind the steward's home, a towering green figure loomed out. It stepped into the garden with a massive wooden club as long as the house was tall, its muscles as large as Dominic's head all straining with power, and with its dark and beady eyes it looked straight at him. Dominic squeaked and almost tripped backwards, but Trian caught him before he could fell. "Hey, don't mess up the grass," the he snapped. "Orc!" Dominic squeaked, "right there!" Trian looked and broke into a hearty peal of laughter. He took Dominic by the shoulders and lifted him upright, before pulling him indoors and away from any further risk of falling or stepping on the grass. "Don't mind Zug," Trian said, "he does all of the rough work around here. Newcomers always get a fright when they see him for the first time but he's perfectly obedient." Dominic peeked out of the door again, and saw Zug traipsing across the village with, not a club, but a full wooden log that had recently been an upstanding tree. A Halfling in uniform with a pike was walking behind him, keeping the Orc going in the right direction with the occasional poke. At this, he breathed a sigh of relief and almost collapsed right there in Trian's front hall. He'd been walking so long that his legs had been on the verge of giving out, and that excitement had pushed him right over the edge. "Maybe you can stick around for a drink," Trian said, "let you rest your feet before you go meet the steward." "That'd be much appreciated, sir," Dominic said. He took a few shaky and careful steps further indoors, and waited for Trian to welcome him into the dining room. Behind him, Trian closed the door with slow and steady care, peering out the whole time as if concerned someone else would sneak into his garden. As soon as the door was shut, he turned around and was all smiles for his guest. "Well, I hope you like pumpkin juice!" Trian said, "courtesy of Mister Greenblossom, I can't seem to run out of the stuff." Excerpts from Days of Verdancy, Volume One: Fallow Fields, published in Beepeck Village Bookshop, 1836  Faced with the question of how the military should transition from a roving band of adventurers into a national military, the answer was clear. There would always be those who sought their fortune through battle, and where that fortune could no longer be found in lands beginning to civilize, it could instead be taken by those who threatened the peace of a burgeoning nation. A smaller standing army would patrol the roads and guard the borders, while mercenaries took the battle to their foes. Added relatively recently, Mercenary ideas allow you to build a strategy around mercenaries as the core of your army.  That full transition remained in the future, however. For now, there was still plenty of plunder to be found as the Small Fellows took the offensive against the Orcs in the north. There remained a great deal of unclaimed and sparsely populated lands in the north, as marginal as they were compared to the rich farmlands and forests on the shores of the lake.  Decades of fighting had turned the Small Fellows into skilled combatants, despite their humble size. With Marien of Roysfort at their head, and skilled mages providing support, they brushed aside any opposition from the Orcs while taking even fewer casualties than would have been expected. It's the tech advantage, really. With a 6 mil leader we've been really pushing ahead of the feudalism-lacking Orcs by leaps and bounds.  From one clan of Orcs, the Small Fellows claimed all the remaining territory on the north bank of Lake Silvermere up to the White Walls, as well as a little beyond. This was crucial land for trade, as it also held the outflow of the lake, giving the Halflings control over goods being shipped by water from the more distant reaches of Escann. Taking settled territory is now possible, but very expensive. Tribal land is better value, but we already took most of Rotcleaver's.  From the other clan, they claimed more of the Taran Plains, the sparsely inhabited grasslands bordering onto the foul untamed marshes around Bal Mire. Captain Bravefather was eager for there to be a certain level of diversity among the resources that the land offered up to them. The plains would be valuable grazing lands, while the interior around Feldham would make for good farmland, and the southern woods would provide fuel and construction material.  Halfling territory was now spread far enough that administrating it was an impossible challenge for a band of adventurers. Proper institutions would need to be established, but this also brought with it great expense and a certain unwillingness from adventurers to part with their reclaimed plunder in the name of nation-building. Negating the admin efficiency malus is key to getting a good headstart once you switch to your new country. It's a big enough deal that this mission is an absolute must-have if you're playing an adventurer.  Seeking other sources of funds, Bravefather's eye was caught by reports of Orcs fleeing eastwards from the adventurer bands who had achieved even more comprehensive victories and were actively driving the survivors away. The Bushrangers were ordered to intercept these passing bands of barbarians, and offer them jobs and safety as menial labourers, in exchange for them volunteering their remaining possessions for the good of the burgeoning nation. As the danger of Orcish resurgence was fading, the settlers would appreciate a few strong sets of literal green fingers to tend to their crops.  Goblins, conversely, were driven out wherever they were found. The sneaky and chaotic creatures had no place in a peaceful land of homes and farmers. A large group had moved into Aldainé after the Small Fellows initially moved away, so several adventuring parties were sent to clear them out and establish Bushranger outposts to prevent further such incursions.  Growing trade brought with it growing innovation. Pony barding from Roysfort, basic firearms from Nimscodd, and even a few cannons that could be emplaced to protect the main Small Fellows camp. Far from being the laughingstock of the Marcher Lords that they had been, the Small Fellows were now one of the best equipped and strongest bands in all of Escann. Bravefather was confident in their ability to defeat any one or even two Orc clans by themselves, even without the aid of their allies.  Such success was required, considering that Bluetusk was leaving the alliance and focusing more on fighting his own battles in eastern Escann. The Corintar had been struggling for a long time, and were now having to pay exorbitant fees to settlers just to convince them to settle in the still savage lands east of Lake Silvermere. Bravefather wished him well, but it was clear that even he had abandoned his ideals of united front among the adventurers. Corintar gets a headstart on their government reforms, so they've fully settled down already, kicking them out of our federation. This seems like a bit of a trap, considering they now have to colonize provinces the slow and expensive way. Maybe if you've been grabbing as much tribal land as possible it'd work better.  The failure of such a united front could be the attributed reason for the state of Escann as the adventurer era began to come to a close. Without a concerted effort to push eastwards, most of the territory being settled was in the west, where adventurers had an easier time and settlers could arrive without any risk. The east remained mostly the domain of the Orcish clans, with only a few adventurers and the Escanni holdouts in Oldhaven and Marrhold tending to the flower of civilization.  Economic policy during this time remained highly protectionist. There were many organisations eager to take the spoils of Escann back to Cannor, but for the Small Fellows it was far more important to feed the ever-growing number of settlers and provide the resources for reconstruction. For the moment, trade almost entirely of importing finished goods, paid for by selling the treasures retrieved by adventurers.  To fund both the growing economy and the administration growing alongside it, further expeditions against Orc clans were conducted. These punitive expeditions also served a useful strategic purpose of curtailing Orcish strength in Inner Castanor and particularly around the monumental stone ruin of a city, Castonath itself.  By this time, Marien was an experienced Orc slayer, who could lead the band to trap and destroy entire clans through judicious use of armoured ponies, pike walls, and her own massive longsword. The spell of Orcish dominance during the Greentide had been broken, and even the smallest brave warrior could drive them back. The Captain elected to stay behind during this campaign, as there were more pressing matters in establishing the administration.  Bravefather's reforms were a key moment in the foundation of the nation. She recognised that the Small Fellows were still adventurers at heart, even if they had begun to settle down. To attempt to transition to a fully civilian government immediately would lead to alienating their many mercenary allies and possibly lead to a coup. Instead, a war council would be established with the explicit goal of formalizing payment for the mercenaries and stabilising the situation in Escann, with the aim of handing power to civilian officials at a later date. She was confident that they wouldn't hold too tightly to power, for when peace returns Halflings are far more inclined to indulge and relax than cling to warlike ways. The other option here lets you re-found Escanni nations, which are different to the unique formables each adventurer gets.  Besides the multitude of Halfling immigrants, Humans were entering Small Fellows territory in search of the peace and land available there. However, they found that much of the prime land was already snatched up by enterprising landowners or held by adventurer captains suspicious of the motives of the taller kind. They were not outright barred from entry by the band, but their opportunities were far diminished from what they expected. Some settled for more transient lifestyle such as merchants or adventurers, while others decided they would prefer to move on and try to carve out a life in the remaining Orcish lands. A bit strange to happen, as I'm pretty sure House of Riches are Human…  One of the most important outcomes of the expeditions against the Castonath Orcs was breaking down their lines of communication. If the Orc clans of the east were able to unify, they might yet trample across the crops now growing in Escann. Through this decisive action, Captain Bravefather earned the attention and adoration of settlers of all creeds across the region. When all others stood for themselves, she fought for the future of all.  However, the expedition was also a demonstration of raw strength to the other adventurer nations, lest they gather any though of striking at the freshly sprouted Halfling villages in the name of further plunder. Parties and bands from the Small Fellows were free to range along the western edge of the White Walls and devastate the Orcs that had laid claim to it, and they could do the same to anyone who opposed them. I don't use Show Strength nearly as often as I should. It's a nice chunk of mana points.  Though relations with the New Wanderers were somewhat strained by their settling in land that was rightfully claimed by the Small Fellows, Entef of Wibnuat personally offered to share grain grown in the land among both bands as recompense. He was well aware of his people's isolation in Escann in terms of religion, and worked to keep close ties with those people isolated in terms of race. However, he was one of the few within his own band that thought this way. As he grew older and took to the field less often, his captains were beginning to plan for a more aggressive future to spread their worship of the Khet to all before them. As I understand it, tribal development still has some value even now and I might as well get some more to make use of those settle cost reductions.  They began to strike out against the Goblins lurking around them, seizing as much land as possible to build their territory to the same level as the Small Fellows, anticipating a conflict in the future. This was a story repeated across Escann, as young new adventurers filtered in and took ever-more nationalistic and aggressive stances on claiming as much as possible from the remnants of the Greentide.  With the construction of a tax office in the Small Fellows camp, it had become a full administrative town in its own right. Village stewards from across the lands were starting to call it the capital, with the nickname 'Braverton', but Captain Bravefather remained insistent that it would be a temporary settlement until the government could be proper organised.  While most Orcs now dwelling within the borders of Small Fellows' influence were more or less pacified, there were still those clans who violently resisted the firm hand of civilization. They lurked in the swathes of unexplored forests and overgrown farmlands, lashing out at traders wherever the Bushrangers were overextended. As the band grew more centralized, they were able to coordinate to construct and man watchtowers to prevent exactly this sort of attack and to act as starting points for adventuring parties to cleanse the land.  As Escann grew more crowded with settlers, conflict became inevitable. While the New Wanderers were kept placated by the forgiving nature of their leader, others were less so. Large numbers of Humans would move in, pronounce their claim to territory that was already being settled by Halflings, and then begin strong-arming those settlers to hand over their hard-built villages and tilled fields. Such pioneers, still far from the core of the Small Fellow's control, had no choice but to flee in the face of such uncouth bullying.  Captain Bravefather could not allow that to stand, so coordinated a counterattack. She had Marien of Roysfort swept into the Sons of Dameria first, demonstrating just how far Halflings had come as soldiers by standing against a charge of five thousand Cannorian knights and breaking them, before joining the New Wanderers against the Anbenncóst Expedition.  Shortly afterwards, the New Wanderers had to withdraw from the battlefield as tragic news came from their camp. Their captain, Entef of Wibnuat, had passed away peacefully in his sleep. While most of the Small Fellows were away in battle, Captain Bravefather personally travelled to the camp in Cantercurse along with an entourage carrying the finest food and drink grown in Escann to honour him. His skill as a mage and leader had been crucial in the early days, and his friendship had helped the two bands to secure a dominant place in western Escann. She was surprised to find that the funeral was not quite as she imagined it. Instead, it was more akin to a mystical ceremony, where Entef's remains were dried out and wrapped in cloth, then stored in a sarcophagus in the centre of the camp. It almost put her off her dinner. While the Halflings attending did find a moment to indulge along with the commiserating Kheteratans, they did find the atmosphere somewhat cold. Eventually, they were asked to leave by the new Captain Raad Khesen before even having the chance to begin the dinner's sixth course. This is normally a New Wanderers event, but since they came so close to winning the poll I thought it'd be good to give Entef a send-off.  It was not the only tragedy to occur at the time. Marien of Roysfort died in battle while assaulting the camp of the Cobalt Company, an ally of the Anbenncóst Expedition. Command was taken over by Adelar Raincrest, an aging veteran almost as old as Captain Bravefather. A proper funeral feast was later held in Braverton once the war came to an end, with enough food to feed the grieving army through the night and the next day.  Though the Greentide was defeated and the wild days of Escann were tamed in favour a slower lifestyle, there were still many adventurers seeking fame and fortune in the lands of Escann. Perhaps they imagined more treasures left to dig up, or they could tell that peace would not last, or simply found the frontier more interesting than the cities of the west. Whatever their motives, the Small Fellows would have quest boards filled with hundreds of tasks that needed doing, whether removing infestations of Goblins and other monsters, or clearing ruins for rebuilding, or raiding rival nations who threatened the borders that were now being set down. Adventurers get a generic idea set. I'll show off the equivalent Newshire idea after we switch to them.  The Captain's skill at forging connections allowed her to bring in some of the best and brightest directly into the administration. There was no sense in risking a pliant young mind in a monster den somewhere in the hills, when she could use her pull and some of her personal wealth to secure them a place in tending to the roots and stem of the nation.  The Age of Greentide, as the era commonly came to be known, was one of war. Whether considered justified or not, the simple fact was that safety and comfort in the chaotic resettlement of Escann could only be won through violence. Though others may not like this, they knew that they would do the same if left in the same situation. You'll want this in Escann, as there'll be conquest to do and the risk of coalitions starts to ramp up once everyone is settled. Colony development would also be useful if you start as Marrhold or Count's League, or failed to get a lot of tribal land as Corintar.  Of course, the surviving Orc clans remained a target that any civilized people were happy to see beaten. Though taking too much Orcish territory risked destabilizing the Small Fellows' control, they could still claim whatever the Orcs had managed to build for themselves and use it to further their own people's needs. Several such smaller campaigns were waged over the course of the 1470s.  Though it might not be noticeable in the peaceful towns and villages, the soil of Escann had sprouted a people that were not afraid to get their hands a little dirty. Even if they relied on the mercenary and the adventurer, each Halfling was just as ready to grab a pike and join in the defence of their homes if it ever came down to it.  In 1477, Captain Bravefather called upon all the stewards of the towns and villages within the Small Fellow's domain to attend a great celebration in Braverton. This was to be her announcement that the Small Fellows were to be disbanded, that all adventurers who still considered themselves soldiers would be hired on as contractors in the nation that would replace them, and that an official government would be established, laying claim to the soil that Halfling lives had bled into. The final adventurer reform. You need to either own 3 cities or have 150 crowns to select it. Afterwards, you still need tech 7 to actually hit the decision though.  The celebration was the greatest party that Escann had seen since the days before the Greentide. Food and drink were shared freely, feeding every attendee and providing a great deal of merriment and countless indiscretions that would surely fuel the national gossip mills for the next decade. For just one night, all the worries of the world were forgotten and the hard work of building something anew would wait. The Small Fellows had achieved what some thought impossible, showing the world just what the smallest folk were capable of. One last hurrah from the adventurer mission tree. This mission required 80 prestige, but I guess we only just hit it.  So, a new nation was born into the world. Far from the shires of the Small Country, which still lingered under the boot of Human oppression, a place of hope, peace and joy could be found. Blood is, in the literal sense, life, and the blood that had been spent had brought a new life for all free and wholesome folk in Newshire. To be continued…
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2024 17:31
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 20:18 |
|
|
did you settle near Adencia?
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2024 18:57
|
|