The Bannor Imperial Council

[Lord of Cats]

As the Intro Slideshow for FfH II says, there are multiple paths to pursue power. Crafting leads to all the metal-working techs which increase military power ("strength of arms"). Ancient Chants leads to religions ("strength through piety or blasphemy") and MAGIC ("strength through arcane studies"), so it is definitely not silly. Both techs are awesome and yeah I would get them asap.

@Sleeping Bear: The Bannor Palace, like all palaces, generates culture (2 per turn). Plus we are running the Religion civic which increases culture by 20%. The culture technologies are actually at the very top of the tech screen (Festivals and Drama). Drama is the one that allows commerce to be invested in culture.

We should probably found The Order religion since it has a lot of synergy with the Bannor. We need Code of Laws and Way of the Wise techs to be able to research Orders from Heaven.

What about the scouts, guys? The early game is mostly about exploring the map.

Cheers! Cats

[Sleeping Bear]

Did palaces generate culture in vanilla? I can't remember anymore. My bad, I accidentally called them culture techs because Ancient Chants unlocks Monument. Is "Way of the Earthmaker" the one that founds the Runes religion? My councilor would prefer that, RP-wise.

Hm... scouts to the remaining village and then have them follow the coast southwards?

[Lord of Cats]

~ Proposals and Votes ~

Councilor Kirila Kitten --
Research Crafting after Animal Husbandry
Yes: 1 (Aldrick Taliani)
No:

Build a Palisade in Torrolerial after the Warrior
Yes: 1 (Aldrick Taliani)
No:


Councilor Aldrick Taliani --
Send Scouts to the other Village and then southwards
Yes:
No:

Train Workers in Torrolerial after the Palisade
Yes:
No:


Councilor Black Winds --
none


@Sleeping Bear: is your councilor a dwarf?

We would need Mysticism and Mining techs to research Way of the Earthmother. And it's mother, not maker because Kilmorph is the Earth Goddess. Perhaps I should give a brief description of the deities and history of Erebus? Or should I just reveal all that slowly throughout the AAR?

I put a dwarven faction in this game, and they're coded to get Runes of Kilmorph asap, so we'll be hard pressed to get it first (get the holy city in other words). However, when one researches any religious tech they receive a free disciple unit which can spread the religion for you. So we could still convert to it if you like. R.o.K. does fit well with the Bannor in the beginning (especially "work hard" part), but The Order is definitely the best for the late game when the Infernal pop up and Hell terrain starts spreading...

[Sleeping Bear]

I'm a big fan of dwarves, but no, he's not. Getting beat to it would disqualify as from trying for a religious victory, so it might not be ideal. It was pretty hilarious when I first read the OP all in English and suddenly there's a victory condition about the "Altar of the Luonnotar." Pretty much the same as saying "Naturess" in English

[Librarian]

"Apologies for my tardiness," Ashadi brought up his knife and licks the blood off of it.
"I was dealing with pests." Ashadi walks up to his chair, meanwhile two criminal bodies slump over in the background.
"Our empire is weak, build more units, immeaditately. If we can't, research it. I cannot stand our glorious nation, seen as cowardly and limp."

[Sleeping Bear]

Aldrick sighs heavily. "I really didn't want to have to deal with this guy today..." he thinks to himself. "Councilor Ashadi", he says, "You should know as well as I do that the strength of an empire is not measured only by the amount of men at arms. We have already agreed to research Animal Husbandry, and after that we will focus on our military."

[Lord of Cats]

~ Events That Have Transpired ~
1st Season of Year 2 to 1st Season of Year 3 of the Fourth Age

The scout party arrives at the northeastern village. The villagers are very friendly and the elders offer to teach the scouts anything they wish. The Bannor explorers request they wish to learn how to domesticate and herd animals. The elders eagerly agree and teach all that they know. After a marvelous farewell feast the scouting party returns home to impart their new-found knowledge to the populace of Torrolerial.

The elders said that one of the best animals to tame and use are horses. Unfortunately there are no wild horses in the vicinity of our lands.

As the Imperial Council ordered, our sages begin researching Crafting. We shall master it in 13 seasons. During that time all kinds of tools are devised and builders practice constructing new homes more efficiently. And it's a good thing to because the population of Torrolerial keeps booming. Over thirty-thousand people now reside around the Halls of Sabathiel.


The new regiment of warriors has completed their training. They are equipped with leather armour and drilled in the way of the spear. They join the other company in defense of the capital. The populace now focus on constructing a palisade of wood around the settlement for extra defense as commanded by the Council. It will be completed in 9 seasons.

I would encourage Councilor Ashadi to take a look at the status of crime in our city. It is at 0% right now because some of our mana crystals exude law and order magic, deterring criminal activity. May I ask who you recently disposed of?

Our scout party departs south. In the seas to the east are whales and clams. If we establish a coastal city we could perhaps secure these resources for ourselves. Whales would provide commerce and production. Clams would provide food and health.

Shall the scouts continue exploring down the coast, noble lords?

Settlement Information

Torrolerial Units Available to Recruit Warriors (Power: 3, Moves: 1) -- 7 seasons Scouts (Power: 2, Moves: 2) -- 7 seasons Workers (Can build improvements, Moves: 2) -- 8 seasons Settlers (Can found new city, Moves: 2) -- 22 seasons Buildings Available to Construct Palisade (defense bonus) -- 9 seasons Herbalist (increases health) -- 23 seasons Granary (increases city growth and health) -- 30 seasons Smokehouse (increases city growth and health) -- 30 seasons Wonders Available to Construct none Projects/Rituals Available none

No Councilor has commented about our current regime. This is how our government and society looks:

We could abandon Religion (which gives happiness from temples and increases culture) and adopt either Pacifism (increases rate of Great People appearing while increasing military recruitment time and unhappiness from war) or Nationhood (decreases military recruitment time and unhappiness from war). I assume the status-quo is satisfactory?

The Imperial Council is now in session, and decisions made will affect the next five seasons (turns). Next update shall be about a week from now.

OOC:
@Librarian: yes, we are very weak. But that is because in Civilization games one starts with nearly nothing and has to build up everything. It's different from Total War games where one usually starts with something and are sometimes able to expand very quickly (known as blitzing), but here there is just turtleling. Sorry.

[TheBlackWinds]

Continue to explore down the coast, perhaps in search of a suitable spot for a port? We should find these ''horses'' sa soon as possible. And no Runes, Order must prevail in the end!

[Sleeping Bear]

Sure, scouts should keep heading south along the coast. Who's in favor of training a Worker after the Palisade is done?

[TheBlackWinds]

Sure, scouts should keep heading south along the coast. Who's in favor of training a Worker after the Palisade is done?

Me.

[Lord of Cats]

~ Events That Have Transpired ~
1st Season of Year 3 to 1st Season of Year 5 of the Fourth Age

Our scouts cover over 95 kilometers as they move along the coast, which turns due east. During the winter of Year 4, the Bannor scouts encounter a scouting party of the Lanun Nation. The Lanun are renown seafarers... and also treacherous pirate scum. While every city and fleet of the Lanun is an independent faction, their chief leader is Falamar the Dashing.

Being a womanizer, Falamar is pleased to hear of our Queen and hopes we may grow... closer in diplomatic relations.

The Lanun scouts in their funny tricorne hats tell our explorers that their main settlement is directly to the east. Our scout party continues to head in that direction.

In spring of Year 5, after covering some 50 kilometers, our scouting party makes contact with some scouts of the Amurite Nation. We are unfamiliar with the Amurites as they were founded during the previous age, the Age of Ice, while the Bannor were fighting for survival in Hell. The Amurites are ruled by Queen Valledia the Even.

The Amurites tell us they are descended from Kylorin, the greatest archmage in all of Erebus, who is also immortal but has disappeared since the Age of Rebirth began. Kylorin was the one who slew Mulcarn, God of Ice, with the famed Godslayer blade, ending the Age of Ice. Having been lead by the most powerful sorcerer in all of history, the Amurites have a natural talent for magic and training mages. It would be wise to pursue friendly relations with them lest we get fireballs thrown in our faces.

So determined are they to discover everything about the magic disciplines, including necromancy, that the Amurites despise any restrictions placed upon sorcerers. Since we the Bannor have deemed ourselves good and holy warriors, we have banned necromancy and frown on all those who use dark and evil magic. Because of this our current relations with the Amurites are a bit tense.

The twenty Bannor scouts continue on and do eventually reach the borders of the Lanun Nation.

Their lands seem to be infested with a barrow. Barrows tend to be filled with cursed skeletons. Now that the ice sheets have melted perhaps these animated skeletons will come out to attack unsuspecting travelers?

Where shall we send our scout party now, my lords?

Meanwhile, back at home, the palisade is completed. Our six-hundred warriors shall patrol it unceasingly. The populace is now training two-hundred workers to go out and improve the surrounding lands, to either increase food, commerce, or production yields. They shall be ready in 6 seasons. What shall Torrolerial produce next after the workers, noble lords?

Settlement Information

Torrolerial Units Available to Recruit Warriors (Power: 3, Moves: 1) -- 4 seasons Scouts (Power: 2, Moves: 2) -- 4 seasons Workers (Can build improvements, Moves: 2) -- 6 seasons Settlers (Can found new city, Moves: 2) -- 19 seasons Buildings Available to Construct Herbalist (increases health) -- 15 seasons Granary (increases city growth and health) -- 20 seasons Smokehouse (increases city growth and health) -- 20 seasons Wonders Available to Construct none Projects/Rituals Available none

Crafting will be finished in 5 seasons. Ancient Chants (11 seasons) will then be researched.

The Imperial Council is now in session, and decisions made will affect the next 6 seasons (turns). Next update shall be a few days from now.

[Sleeping Bear]

Crafting will be finished in 5 seasons. Ancient Chants (11 seasons) will then be researched.

Hm? I thought we agreed on Mining after Crafting?

[Librarian]

I know, I play Civ 5. I am just in characterisation, who wants a boring old council who agree with eachother and don't wage war, my purpose on the council is to play devil's advocate.

"Scout immeaditately, we must find peoples to conquer!" Ashadi slams down his hand.

[Lord of Cats]

@Sleeping Bear: oh, yeah, we did. The current research order is: Crafting --> Mining --> Ancient Chants.

@Librarian: can you be a bit more specific? General directions (like north, west, south) would be nice. And we already encountered two new civs to negotiate or fight with (Lanun and Amurites). I wonder if you read my updates? The best course of action is to find a spot for a new city.

I was planning on doing the update today, but two big decisions must be made: where to send the scouts and what to produce in Torrolerial. Please decide and I'll post the next update. Thanks. Cats.

[Lord of Cats]

Time to give some CPR...

~ Events That Have Transpired ~
1st Season of Year 5 to the 4th Season of Year 6 of the Fourth Age

The scouts decide to backtrack a little ways and then head south.

In the 3rd season of Year 6 our sages announce they have completed their research of Crafting. They are now learning the ways of Mining.

We, unfortunately, do not have wine grapes for our workers to build wineries for. We can, however, build a great brewing house in the city of Torrolerial. And if our workers build a rice farm, the rice will be used to make lovely beverages and therefore increase the commerce of the city.

Speaking of workers, our two-hundred workers have finished their training and are ready to move out. What shall we have them do first, my lords? Considering there is a goblin fort nearby, sending a unit of warriors out to accompany the workers would be a wise idea.

As recommended by Councilor Ashadi a while ago, another regiment of warriors shall be recruited to increase our military.

When the scouts start to move west they encounter a tall mountain range. We are told this is the border of Amurite lands.

Where shall we send our scouts too, noble lords?

Settlement Information

Torrolerial Units Available to Recruit Warriors (Power: 3, Moves: 1) -- 5 seasons Scouts (Power: 2, Moves: 2) -- 5 seasons Workers (Can build improvements, Moves: 2) -- 7 seasons Settlers (Can found new city, Moves: 2) -- 19 seasons Buildings Available to Construct Herbalist (increases health) -- 15 seasons Granary (increases city growth and health) -- 20 seasons Smokehouse (increases city growth and health) -- 20 seasons Wonders Available to Construct Deruptus Brewing House (increases happiness and commerce) -- 27 seasons in Torrolerial Projects/Rituals Available none

Technology Information

There are currently eight different technologies available to research. The time to research them and the abilities they unlock are as follows -- Ancient Chants (11 seasons) -- unlocks Monument building (increases culture), and leads to Education and Mysticism technologies. Masonry (16 seasons) -- unlocks Quarry improvement (requires stone or marble resources), unlocks Dungeon building (decreases crime rate and war unhappiness), unlocks Stone Walls building (increases city defense), and leads to Construction technology. Mining (21 seasons) -- unlocks Mine improvement (requires any hills tile), enables workers to chop down forests (increases production), reveals Copper resource, and leads to Archery and Bronze Working technologies. Calendar (18 seasons) -- unlocks Plantation improvement (requires silk, dye, banana, incense, or reagents resources), unlocks Agrarianism civic (increases health and food from farms), and leads to Festivals technology. Fishing (18 seasons) -- enables water tiles to be worked, enables trade along rivers, unlocks Work Boat unit, unlocks Heron Throne world wonder (increases production from water tiles), unlocks Fishing Fleet improvement (requires fish, clam, crab, or whale resources), and leads to Sailing technology. Horseback Riding (41 seasons) -- unlocks Stables building (allows recruitment of Horsemen, Horse Archers, and Knights units if we have horses resource), allows captured elephants to be upgraded to War Elephants, and leads to Trade technology. Cartography (23 seasons) -- enables Open Borders in diplomacy, unlocks City States civic (decreases maintenance costs and culture), unlocks Project of the Nilhorn project (gives 3 free Hill Giant units), and leads to nothing. Hunting (52 seasons) -- unlocks Camp improvement (requires deer, fur, or ivory resources), unlocks Hunting Lodge building (allows recruitment of Hunters, Hawks, and Assassins units), and leads to Animal Handling, Poisons, and Archery technologies.

The Imperial Council is now in session, and decisions made will affect the next five seasons (turns). Next update shall be a few days from now.

[Librarian]

I would suggest something but really, I don't really understand... I get that it is akin to Civilisation 4 but... Ah actually I see now. My suggestion is based on Goblin Forts being weak.

---

Ashadi studies the map closely, "Send our new Warriors to intercept and eliminate the Goblin hold." Ashadi shuffles through the information, "I'm no accountant, but wheres the money information? Gold is the sinews of war, are they not?"

[Sleeping Bear]

"The goblins are well fortified, one unit of warriors won't be enough for an assault. They'd serve better protecting our workers."

[Librarian]

"Then I agree."

[Lord of Cats]

Yeah, eliminating goblin forts is difficult in the early game. Either 3 Warrior units, or 2 Hunter or Axmen units can take them out... barely.

We have 50 Gold in our treasury so far. We are currently investing 0% of our commerce into Gold. In the top left of the screen you can see our total commerce (10 per turn) is being invested totally in research (being converted into research points). You can propose to lower the percentage being invested in research (which would increase research times) to start generating gold if you like.

Cheers! Cats

PS: the priority should be deciding where to send the scouts and what Torrolerial should produce next.

[Lord of Cats]

~ Events That Have Transpired ~
1st Season of Year 7 to 3rd Season of Year 8 of the Fourth Age

The workers move out with a warrior escort as commanded by the Council. They begin constructing a road to the rice fields. When the road is done the workers begin building farms to grow and harvest rice to send to the city to increase the health of our citizens.

What shall we have the workers do next?

Our scouts decide to head west and discover what is there. If the any member of the Council would like to change the scouts' destination they can make a proposal.

Another regiment of warriors has been recruited. This is followed by yet more warriors being trained, which will bring our total military strength to 2400 warriors (or 4 units of them). What shall Torrolerial produce next, lords? Or will Councilor Ashadi's bill remain in-force?

More than a hundred-thousand people teem the streets of our capital! Torrolerial has grown rapidly to be one of the largest cities in the world.

News reaches our palace that the Amurites have adopted Agrarianism for their economy. This means that they have mastered Calendar technology. Whether or not the Amurites are ahead of the Bannor in technology overall is unknown.

Our astrologers report on what they have observed lately in the night skies:

Dagda is the God of Balance and Peace. He created the Compact that all the gods abide by (mostly), which prevents the gods from interfering directly in Erebus. It is enforced by the Godslayer sword.

Alas we do not have the technology to engage in effective diplomacy or trade with other civilizations. Nonetheless it is important to keep up to date on astrology and take advantage of a deity's sway over the world, or take precautions against it.

Settlement Information

Torrolerial Units Available to Recruit Warriors (Power: 3, Moves: 1) -- 5 seasons Scouts (Power: 2, Moves: 2) -- 5 seasons Workers (Can build improvements, Moves: 2) -- 7 seasons Settlers (Can found new city, Moves: 2) -- 19 seasons Buildings Available to Construct Herbalist (increases health) -- 15 seasons Granary (increases city growth and health) -- 20 seasons Smokehouse (increases city growth and health) -- 20 seasons Wonders Available to Construct Deruptus Brewing House (increases happiness and commerce) -- 27 seasons in Torrolerial Projects/Rituals Available none

Technology Information

There are currently eight different technologies available to research. The time to research them and the abilities they unlock are as follows -- Ancient Chants (11 seasons) -- unlocks Monument building (increases culture), and leads to Education and Mysticism technologies. Masonry (16 seasons) -- unlocks Quarry improvement (requires stone or marble resources), unlocks Dungeon building (decreases crime rate and war unhappiness), unlocks Stone Walls building (increases city defense), and leads to Construction technology. Mining (14 seasons) -- unlocks Mine improvement (requires any hills tile), enables workers to chop down forests (increases production), reveals Copper resource, and leads to Archery and Bronze Working technologies. Calendar (18 seasons) -- unlocks Plantation improvement (requires silk, dye, banana, incense, or reagents resources), unlocks Agrarianism civic (increases health and food from farms), and leads to Festivals technology. Fishing (18 seasons) -- enables water tiles to be worked, enables trade along rivers, unlocks Work Boat unit, unlocks Heron Throne world wonder (increases production from water tiles), unlocks Fishing Fleet improvement (requires fish, clam, crab, or whale resources), and leads to Sailing technology. Horseback Riding (41 seasons) -- unlocks Stables building (allows recruitment of Horsemen, Horse Archers, and Knights units if we have horses resource), allows captured elephants to be upgraded to War Elephants, and leads to Trade technology. Cartography (23 seasons) -- enables Open Borders in diplomacy, unlocks City States civic (decreases maintenance costs and culture), unlocks Project of the Nilhorn project (gives 3 free Hill Giant units), and leads to nothing. Hunting (52 seasons) -- unlocks Camp improvement (requires deer, fur, or ivory resources), unlocks Hunting Lodge building (allows recruitment of Hunters, Hawks, and Assassins units), and leads to Animal Handling, Poisons, and Archery technologies.

The Imperial Council is now in session, and decisions made will affect the next eight to ten seasons (turns). Next update shall be this Saturday.