Official Ancient Empires Description Showcase by Emi

[emi]

Hi everyone! I'm back with new descriptions

Saharan trade contracts: "The only river flowing throughout the year in the scorching desert is trade: hundreds of merchants, and thousands of camels, constantly travel to and from the African coast, bringing exotic goods from Arabia, Ethiopia or even more distant lands across the desert. Ivory, gold and gemstones are just the tip of the flourishing trade blossoming every day in the dry sand, and stipulating favourable contracts with the most prominent and trusted merchants will surely bring much profit to any king clever enough to notice that the desert is full not only of dangers, but also of possibilities..."

Royal guard (Numidian tech): "Numidia has a history of kings succeeding to their predecessors using unorthodox methods, such as the help of a well-placed dagger or an army: Massinissa himself took the power from the young Lacumace with a military coup, who in turn took it from his brother Capusa after his tutor Mezetulus killed him in a duel. With such precedents, a loyal and well-trained royal guard is a much needed help in order to ensure that the next king of Numidia will ascend to the throne after the natural death of his father, without shortcuts..."

Native archers (Baktrian unit): "Hunting animals in the Baktrian wilderness requires patience and keen aim: the one rabbit or deer passing may be the only living animal in miles, and the only food a hunter may find in days, therefore hunters quickly learn how to be good bowmen, or simply starve. When conscripted for war, these archers are a valuable addition to any army: after all, a human is far slower than a deer..."

Legio I Adiutrix Cohors (Imperial): "Founded by Galba in the first century a.D. the "Rescuer" was first deployed in Galba's revolt against emperor Nero. Trajan gave the legion the cognomen "Pia Fidelis" (pious and loyal) as recognition for the legion's support in his campaigns, and then the legion was mainly stationed in Pannonia against the germanic invasions, being last mentioned in the IV century a.D. A peculiar member of the legion was Gabara the giant, an Arabic legionnaire almost three meters tall, so tall and strong he was worshipped by his fellow soldiers as an incarnation of Mars, the god of war."

Scythed chariots: "Scythed chariots are a soldier's worst nightmare. Fast chariots with deadly blades jutting out of their wheels, capable of amputating dozens of legs in mere seconds, they are often sent to charge head-on towards enemy formations: those unfortunate soldiers who survive being trampled upon by the horses' hooves, find themselves horribly crippled and mutilated by the sharp blades rotating at deadly speed. The only way to avoid this doom is to open the formation once the chariot is launched: since galloping horses can't change their direction, this tactic ensures that the chariot harmlessly passes through the corridor, allowing enemy troops to kill the horses with spears or try to capture the driver with ropes."

[emi]

Hi all! I'm now writing the descriptions for the many buildings you'll find in the game: something good for you, but bad for me, since Rome alone has 150+ buildings, meaning 150+ descriptions D: but oh well, it's fun so I won't complain

Delicatessen market: "Flamingo tongues, dormouses, milk-fed escargots, Cretan grapes, and many, many others: Roman cusine books and treaties were full of delicacies. Foods that today we consider absolutely revolting were worth a fortune in Rome, and foods that now are common were then considered revolting (parsley and basil, for example, were used only as graveyard decorations, as they were deemed sacred to the dead) or incredibly costly. Artichokes, for example, were extremely difficult to cultivate, and thus very costly: in order to be able to serve them to noble dinners all year round, they were conserved in special warehouses up in the Alps, the first known example of natural freezer, and then taken out when they were needed."

Castellum: "Castellum" (literally, "small castrum") is a small permanent fortification ("castra stativa") used to station small military garrisons, usually a single cohort. Very simple in structure, a castellum is often the exact copy of a "castrum" (the standard legion's encampment) but built on a smaller scale, since it hosts a single cohort rather than an entire legion, and with stone or brick walls instead of a palisade. Though small, a castellum is the tangible sign of Rome's presence and interest in the region, and a cohort, while a small force, is still a tough enemy, and more than enough to fend off most raiders or marauders foolish enough to cross Rome's borders ignoring all "civilize or die" signs.

Fortress with vicus: "Most permanent garrisons developed around them a small "vicus" (village), populated by the legionnaires' families, and all those civilians who provided services to the garrison (bakers, taverns, etc.). Many modern cities were born in such a way, such as Augusta Taurinorum (modern day Turin, in Italy), founded as a military garrison by August to guard Northern Italy against incursions from the Helveti, and later evolved as a trade city inside the fortress's walls as the need for defence slowly decreased during the Pax Romana."

Slave market: "A slave market is a place of both despair and hope, where families are ruthlessly torn apart by differend buyers, and slaves may cry or rejoice at the fate they are given: usually, slaves who lived with their master, or who possessed valuable skills such as intelligence or beauty, had an easier life, since their master would never intentionally hurt his investment, and usually at the master's death, he freed the slaves living with him (the so called "manumissio per testamentum", since it was written in the master's final will). All others, mainly labour slaves, were sent to mines and villae, where they were literally worked to their death, with no rest nor comfort until the end of their miserable life."

Public latrines: "A latrine! A latrine! My kingdom for a latrine! Surely everyone has felt like this sometimes? Rome had the solution: for a very small fee, public latrines were available to anyone! They were small square rooms with a long stone slab all around the walls: the slab had holes for people to sit on, and current water cleaned the waste, making it a highly hygienic solution for the time. The only problem? there was only one sponge to clean everyone... In Italy, public latrines are still called "Vespasiani", from the Roman emperor Vespasianus, who taxed the public latrines for the first time. When his son Titus complained, he gave him a coin and asked him to sniff it: when Titus told him the coin didn't smell, his father revealed that the coin came from the latrine taxes, and told the famous phrase, "pecunia non olet" ("the money doesn't stink"), used today still to tell that, whatever the source, money is still money, and still very precious."

Great temple of Neptune: "The richest maritime cities usually host, in the preminent position of their acropolis or capitolium, a grand and beautiful temple to the great Neptune, who has gifted the city with trade and favourable winds: apart from the main building, its wonderful façade sustained by tall and graceful columns, usually the temple hosts small shrines to minor sea gods and servants of Neptune, such as Aeolus, lord of the winds, or the Nereids, the water sisters of the Nymphs. Together, these gods and spirits form the abyssal court of Neptune, following him on beautiful sea chariots pulled by playful dolphins across the seas."

[TheRomanRuler]

I wonder what you will write for Praetorians. Brief concept:
Assasination is important tool in Roman politics, wars and violence even more so. Every Roman leader needs his own elite unit of soldiers to deal with these dangerous jobs. No enemy will touch personnel protected by these guardsmen, often because Praetorians were more effective at killing their own emperors than their enemies were.

[emi]

I wonder what you will write for Praetorians.

Oh, but I already wrote that description As a thanks, since you took the time to give me your thoughts (and your concept was actually a good one), let me share it with you

Cohors Praetoria: "While the praetorians were already present during the Republic as the guards of high-ranking officers (consuls, praetors, etc) during war operations, it was Augustus who transformed them into the Emperor's bodyguards: he created nine cohorts of praetorians, not ten since it would have been an entire legion, and thus broken the tradition of not having legions in Italy during peace time, and stationed three in Rome, and the remaining six throughout Italy. In times of peace they are a lightly armed military police, concentrating only on protecting the Emperor (or killing him...), while in time of war they are an elite heavy infantry, equipped with the best armours and weapons the Roman smiths can craft. Their shield wall is all but unbreakable, and covered in the blood of all those who tried to reach the Emperor as he commands the troops on the battlefield."

[emi]

Hi! Here is another batch of descriptions for you

Council of Priests: "In the ancient world, and in many countries still today, members of the clergy were considered to be wise men, usually due to the fact that while the majority of the population was illitterate, priests were skilled in many disciplines, such as history, geography, but also mathematics and administration. Also, since most priests cared little for politics and power struggles, they were perfect candidates for the position of advisors to kings who feared conspirations and plots from influential members of the court."

Palace with Iwans "An "iwan" is a typical eastern architectural element, consisting of a rectangle with a half-dome inside it: such combination gives a feeling majestic and welcoming at the same time, and therefore iwans can be often found at the entrance of a palace or temple. Depending on the wealth of the commissioner, iwans can be very simple, or covered in beautiful mosaics, depicting myths or forming intricated calligraphies. A palace with iwans is a symbol of wealth and power for the one building it, and any city featuring one can be considered a center of power and culture."

Weaving house: "Weaving houses employ dozens of weavers in great workshops, so that they will work more efficiently and produce even more beautiful clothes. Usually, such houses produced very complicated and precious clothes, that a single weaver would have spent months working on. By establishing such businesses, a city will ensure prosperity for many years to come, and may also turn into the capital of fashion! Mediolanum and Lutetia will have a fierce rival..."

Philellenic Scriptorium: "Philellenic scriptoria work tirelessly to bring the light and delight of Greek culture even to the eastern fringes of the known world. While despised by the official government propaganda, many merchants, nobles and even priests can be counted among the customers of such scriptoria, filling their bookshelves with Sophocles's tragedies, Aristophanes's comedies, Plato's philosophical works, and many other treaties and plays."

Royal Mausoleum: "The word "mausoleum" comes from "Mausolus", king and satrap of Caria: deeply loved by his wife Artemisia, after his death she built a beautiful tomb for him so that everyone would remember him, calling the best architects of the known world and using only the best materials. The tomb was so grand and so beautiful that it was included among the Seven World Wonders, and the word "mausoleum" became a synonym for "great tomb complex". While today it doesn't exist anymore, its memory still lives on, and with it, a wife's love for her husband."

Royal Tombs: "Former kings usually find their place of eternal rest in royal necropolises, where beautiful and solemn monuments guard their slumber from those who would dare to disturb it. Looting royal tombs was a very common practice in those times, and while the main example was Egyptian Pharaohs, kings all around the world were buried with great treasures to help them in their new eternal life, therefore attracting many desperate or greedy looters. Such actions were considered horrendous crimes, even worse than treason, and being caught usually meant a very slow, and very painful, death."

[emi]

Hi everyone! I won't be posting any new updates since the mod will be officially out in a matter of hours, and you will be able to directly read all my descriptions "in their natural habitat", but I wanted to tell you that it has been beautiful to share my work with you during these past weeks. For now only some fations are complete, since I joined the mod team only a couple months ago: unit-wise and tech-wise, all major factions are done except barbarians, with only some Roman legions requiring a description, while building-wise the work has been much tougher than I thought, and only Rome and Parthia are done. I'm currently working on the Hellenistic factions, and as soon as I complete them, Sheridan will add them to the release.

Don't forget to share on this thread your thoughts and opinions, so that I can always improve my work: while my job is indeed far less important than the game mechanics, I think that having good descriptions adds much more to game depth and immersion. I hope to hear from all of you very soon, and have fun playing the mod that everyone in the team worked so hard to release!

With my best wishes, Emi

[mrcsrd85]

You Great!

[emi]

You make me blush like this

[emi]

Hi everyone! With the new mod expansion an incredible number of new units, buildings and technologies has been introduced, all of which will have their descriptions written by yours truly, at least until my hands fall off due to overuse
Since they will be implemented in a single solution so that poor Sheridan doesn't die from exhaustion, as he is busy with actual mod work, while I get to have fun writing what I like, I thought about giving new life to this thread by posting from time to time some of the descriptions I have done
As before, feel free to criticise anything, from grammar, to writing style, to the correctness of the information provided, keeping in mind that I allow myself some degree of poetic license when dealing with units with little background or very generic
I hope you will like reading my descriptions as much as I liked writing them!

Nabatean clan champions. "Arabian clans and tribes still hold great influence and power, and among the ever-changing dunes, kings and tyrants do not last very long, for the desert claims the unworthy, reserving for them a bare sepulcher deep down the unforgiving sands. These men are battle-hardened warriors, veterans of many battles never recorded, for even ink runs dry under the fiery heat of the desert. The tales of their bravery, however, trascend such feeble things as books and records, and resonate in the emptiness as if every grain of sand sung their praises. While ill-suited to formation fighting, these champions are each a unit of his own, and any foe who underestimates them will only become a new verse in their tale."

Macedonian bronze shield phalanx: "Macedonia is the birthplace of the pikemen phalanx, invented by king Philip II, father to Alexander the Great, after he united the disparate Macedonian tribes into a single, modern, unified nation. Armed with a 6-meters long "sarissa", the "phalangites" fight side by side in a tight formation, positioned so that at least three rows can point their pikes at the enemy, while the rest keep them pointing at the sky in order not to impede their comrades. These men are the rank-and-file soldiers of the Macedonian army, recognisable by their bronze shields, but they are still a fearsome enemy: advancing through dozens of moving blades without being gutted is a feat worthy of a hero!"

Arab Levied spearmen: "Spear and shield are often adopted by levies: spears are cheap to craft, easy to use, and grant the advantage of fighting from a longer distance, especially against cavalry. Large shields, often made out of wood and animal skins, are very light, but still grant enough protection from enemy fire, especially since most levies can't afford any body armour. What levies truly lack, however, is training and motivation: these men are not soldiers, they are farmers and poor men, ripped from their homes and asked to die for someone they barely know. Therefore, do not expect them to bravely accept death."

Nabatean Camel Archer: "In Arabia, it is said that men love camels more than their own wives because camels are actually useful in combat. Forgetting abot wives, camels are indeed a fundamental component of any desert community: in time of peace, these animals that can spit in your face with pinpoint precision from ten meters are unvaluable beasts of burden, capable of traversing the desert when horses would simply die due to the heat, thanks to their large feet and water reserves. In times of war, camel archers are a deadly force, since they can rain death upon the enemy and flee before retaliation, with the added perk of scaring away, due to their smell, the same horses sent to hunt them down!"

[Hektor27]

Hear! Hear! Glad to see life back in this forum!

[Sheridan]

Hear! Hear! Glad to see life back in this forum!

Indeed, Emi has been producing quality descriptions for dozens of factions at an astonishing rate. It really makes the campaign come to life with immersion.

[emi]

Sheridan, you always make me blush

Anyway, more descriptions!

Caravan guard: "Caravans are the desert's lifeblood: gold, ivory, gems, incense and spices are but drops in the river of riches that slowly makes its way from Arabia and Nubia to the Mediterranean nations. The sheer value of the goods transported every day is such that any man lucky enough to steal a single camel's cargo wouldn't need to lift a finger for the rest of his life. Therefore, merchants pay handsome sums to hire the best mercenaries as caravan guards: armed to the teeth, these men will fight with skill and surprising bravery, for they know that breaking the terms of their service would mean no more business, and thus hunger."

Nabatean Royal guard: "As the state begins revolving more and more around the King, who now acts as a proper ruler rather than merely a mediator between the tribes, he now faces increasing risks of being killed, bot within and without the battlefield. Therefore, an elite unit of bodyguards is formed, ready to protect their liege from any danger, be it a sword in the open, an arrow from afar... or a dagger in the dark."

Great Temple of Aramazd: "The greatest cities of Armenia can be spotted from afar thanks to the towering presence of a Great Temple to Aramazd. Here, the High Priests offer sacrifices to the benevolent Aramazd, so that he may bring prosperity to all Armenia: as the tiny grain spike grows strong and bears fruit under the benevolent care of the farmer, so will Armenia and her people grow great under Aramazd's protection."

Paragon of military command (trait): "I destroyed the enemy army, and lost only fourteen men, two of which returned in the evening: a fine day, I daresay!"

A new Athens (effect): "As the Greek tide expands, freedom and beauty blossom in the hearts of the people whose shackles we broke, as well as in their cities: let the very stones and columns sing of our achievements!"

[Hektor27]

Sheridan, you always make me blush

Paragon of military command (trait): "I destroyed the enemy army, and lost only fourteen men, two of which returned in the evening: a fine day, I daresay!"

I think it will be more immersive if it was written in 3rd-person perspective, like a bunch of soldiers sitting around the campfire at night telling tales about their general. Something to the effects of "I heard one time he destroyed an enemy army losing fewer men than you have fingers. Two of them showed up at camp later that night, each with 20 captives. You're in good hands here, lad!"

[emi]

I think it will be more immersive if it was written in 3rd-person perspective, like a bunch of soldiers sitting around the campfire at night telling tales about their general. Something to the effects of "I heard one time he destroyed an enemy army losing fewer men than you have fingers. Two of them showed up at camp later that night, each with 20 captives. You're in good hands here, lad!"

Indeed, many traits are written in 3rd person, however I try to vary, so I add some in 1st person in order to break the monotony Your suggestion was a very good one, so as a thanks for your interest towards my work allow me to show you some other traits I have written

Uncompromising: "This man's subordinates could hear the screams coming from his office, the last time someone tried to bribe him: the poor lad was taken directly to the prison, never to be seen again..."

Self-possessed: "You can count on this man to be able to think clearly even during a crisis: a great quality in those who lead."

Indifferent governor: "So, a widow needed to sell her nuptial ring to pay the taxes? Why do you bother me with such useless things, I have quotas to meet!"

[emi]

Hi all! I'm writing many Roman auxiliaries descriptions: thanks to the almighty Jupiter, I have a new great writer who is a great help, the auxiliaries are truly a lot! Here are some:

Cohors Legionaria Classica: "When Rome achieved naval supremacy in the Mediterranean, the great Roman fleet was slowly dismantled, preferring smaller vessels (such as the Liburna), more suitable to pirate hunting, to cumbersome warships. This left a great number of skilled marines on land, hence their reorganisation into Cohortes Classicae ("fleet cohorts"), specialist cohorts used for amphibious assaults, crossing rivers under enemy fire and other operations which require familiarity with water."

Evocati Classici: The Evocati ("summoned") are former legionaries, discharged with honour after the end of their service, who chose to re-enlist in the army, either because they love the military life, or because their wives are worse than a German berserker: veterans of many battles, these men are old but incredibly skilled, and almost venerated by their younger comrades for their choice of serving Rome again. With their experience in amphibious operations, the Evocati Classici stand ready to storm any beach or coastal city, Neptunus smiling upon them from his abyssal palace.

Cohors Hispaniorum: "Hispania is home to many different populations, all united by their fierce attachment to independence: for centuries, they fought anyone trying to conquer them, from Hasdrubal, Hannibal's father, who was killed in battle against their guerrillas, to Scipio Aemilianus, who finally crushed their last resistance at Numantia. Even if the Hispani have been pacified, these auxiliaries are still somehow mistrusted by their comrades, a risk deemed acceptable for the fierceness with which they fight."

[Sheridan]

I really like the reference to Neptunus! Excellent work. Gives me a history lesson to look forward to; exactly like Total War should be.

[emi]

Sheridan is such a wonderful boss: cruel in his assignments, but oh so sweet with compliments XD Just joking, don't kill me!

Anyway, here are the latest fruits of my efforts:

Civic settlement (Hellenistic): "While great cities like Athens and Alexandria are wonders of architecture and wealth, the truth is that most settlements within a state are much more mundane: small towns, protected by a wooden palisade or simple stone walls, dot the landscape, acting as local administrative centers, and markets for the farmers living in nearby villages. While prosaic and sometimes boring, these are the actual bricks that form the foundation of an empire."

Satrapy: "The Seleucid Empire, and most other Successor Kingdoms, found themselves ruling over lands with close to no Greek population, and still loyal to the past regime: in order to avoid civil unrest or secession, they integrated the Satrapies, semi-autonomous provinces of the Persian Empire, each ruled by a local noble, the Satrap, into their administrative system. While this meant that Satrapies de facto rule themselves as if they were never conquered by Alexander, they swear an oath of obedience, thus ensuring peace and some measure of unity."

Imperial Restoration (effect): With a new satrapy established, we are one step closer to reclaim the mantle of the Persian Empire: our legacy shall be restored!

Cohort Sequanorum: "The Sequani are a Celtic people hailing from Eastern Gaul, just North of the Helvetii. They are mostly famous for being the casus belli for Caesar's invasion of Gaul: after a losing war with the Aedui, their rivals, they invited the Suebi as mercenaries, but got enslaved by them in turn, and so they invited Rome to set them free. Even though at first they joined Vercingetorix's revolt, after his final defeat they accepted Roman rule, quickly becoming a prosperous land: now, the Sequani fight for Rome as auxiliaries, a precious and loyal unit, even if still a bit disgruntled."

[Hektor27]

Sheridan is such a wonderful boss: cruel in his assignments, but oh so sweet with compliments XD Just joking, don't kill me!

I think this is cause for adding a "Sheridan" ancillary, just in time for the new updates for character.

[emi]

I think this is cause for adding a "Sheridan" ancillary, just in time for the new updates for character.

Yeah! "Sheridan, Master of the Modding", the effects could be "+10% income from all modders and writers, +10 repression", with the description being "All modders who don't meet their quota are invited to his basement, never to be seen again...". Jokes aside, he is very good at coordinating people, speaking of which, I have some more descriptions

Nosocomium Militare (Roman military hospital): "A Roman military hospital is highly advanced for the time: taking lessons from famous Greek medics such as Hippocrates, father of modern medicine, the medics and surgeons stationed here are ready to perform surgeries considered very complex for the time, thanks to superior tools such as very sharp scalpels or various types of specula or tweezers, some of which have been found in Pompeii. Still, little can be done in the case of grievous or greatly infected wounds, or heavy haemorrages, other than amputating the gangrenous limb, or praying to Aesculapius."

Ephoreias Stratopedon (Hellenistic mustering ground): "Serving into a hoplite or pikemen phalanx is not an easy task, and requires both physical strength and mental readiness. Therefore, when the horns of war are heard, both volunteers and conscripts are assembled into a large field, where officers can inspect each candidate and assess at a glance wether he is fit for service or not. The field is often equipped with small warehouses and barracks, so that after the preliminary inspection, those who are deemed fit for service can be immediately equipped and assigned to their unit."

Military Arsenal: "A military arsenal is a small city within the city, always lighted by the fires of the forges crafting, repairing and improving the equipment needed to field the armies of the Republic. Here, all kinds of craftsmen produce the ammunitions thrown by the Punic ranged forces, from archers, to slingers, to ballistas and catapults. This also benefits the city, as the huge reserves of ammunitions will bolster the defenses in the event of a siege."

Megalopolis: "Inhabited by tens, often hundreds of thousands of citizens from all social classes, and all corners of the worlds, a Megalopolis ("great city") is a sight to behold. WIth gilded palaces where the ruling elite lives, markets where you can find Chinese silks and amber from far Scandinavia, and shady downtowns where the poor, the petty and the downtrodden live, hoping in a better life, or plotting to get one at the expenses of others, a Megalopolis is both a blessing and a curse: if you know how to tame it, it can become a powerhouse of wealth and industry, of culture and trade, but if you don't, it will swallow you whole, never to see the light again..."