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File: .0 Untamed.jpg (788 KB, 2031x1838)
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Welcome to the world of Untamed, a collaborative Civilization-style world-building project. I use Project instead of Quest because you, the players, are going to control a civilization from nomadic hunter-gatherers to a massive empire instead of a traditional story-driven quest. The only story here will be an emergent one that concerns the history of an ever-growing population of people and the struggles they face throughout the ages. Eventually, at the end of the project, a fully fleshed-out world will have emerged.

You, the anons of /qst/ will not be the only ones controlling a civilization. For the last several months, I have been running this project with individual players controlling their own civilizations on a randomly-generated fantasy world of my design. The game is played out in a series of ages, in which players experience random events, are given the choice to perform a number of actions of their desire, and progress along technological and magical trees. Much like in a Civilization-style game, once each player has finished their actions for an age, all players advance to the next era and the cycle continues.

I have decided to allow you, the anonymous players of /qst/, in on the project, now that we are about ten ages into the world's history. You will be playing the game alongside my players, eventually interacting with them through the lens of these threads. You will vote on everything that happens to your civilization, which will be the only one in this game with more than one person controlling it and the only anonymously-controlled society. Once we catch up to where my others players are located in the timeline, we shall postpone the game until the next age, at which point I will make another thread.

This is going to be a long-form game, and may not be akin to traditional civ-style quest threads on this board.
>>
Everything in this game, absolutely everything, is randomly generated. Nothing is pre-determined. Random events each age, things on the map, etc., absolutely nothing is set in stone before we begin. This is a game to play, this is also a project to build a world and its history. The civilization you control will eventually make contact with other players and the interractions between them will shape the borders, battles, and fate of this world.

A broad overview of the game:

- You control a civilization in a fantasy world. Not a character, but a people, and your decisions will shape them over generations. You start by selecting a species and a real-world cultural basis for flavor and inspiration.
- At the end of each age, you will decide on a technology to research based on the tech tree. Each player starts off on even footing as a hunter/gatherer society.
- As ages progress, your population will increase, and you will be faced with choices of how your population grows, such as allowing other species into your society and how they are integrated, or what percentage of the population goes into which job, or how much of your population will split when you form a new settlement, etc.
- Each age, you will encounter randomly-generated events that occur within your civilization. You will get to react to them and determine a course of action; factors within your civilization will influence the end result. These are referred to as "Player Reactions" and you will get one per random event (if it demands it; some events are simple and require no reaction).
- Each age, you will be allowed to make decisions outside of simply reacting to events, such as exploring, or focusing on certain things (developing works and wonders, for example). These are referred to as "Player Actions" and you will get more of them as your population increases.
- When you explore the world around you, you will encounter randomly-generated things, to include natural resources, NPC civilizations (controlled by the GM) and a large number of other possibilities (ruins, creatures, extreme terrain features, etc)
- Over the ages, you will cultivate bloodlines, magic, religion, forms of government and aesthetics, as well as things like traditions, languages and such.
- Your chosen cultural reference will influence your society in a number of ways, from unique units and buildings to exclusive forms of religion, magic, traditions, etc.
- Eventually, you will encounter other players. How you interact with them, and how they interact with you, will be up to the players.
- Your civilization will face many challenges, both from within and without: barbarians, famine, disease, dissent, influence from foreign powers and interests, and more. You will have to react to these problems and manage them as they come.
- The success, or failure, of your civilization will ultimately be up to you.
>>
First and foremost, a species and a cultural basis must be chosen. Any species can be selected, but no cultural basis may be selected twice. As such, the following cultures are not allowed to be selected due to my players having already selected them:

>Aleutian
>Anasazi
>Arabian
>Aztec
>Babylonian
>Celtic
>Chinese
>Egyptian
>English
>Greek
>Haitian
>Japanese
>Korean
>Mediterranean
>Mongolian
>Norwegian
>Ottoman
>Scottish
>Sumerian
>Zulu

As a general rule of thumb, I use the Civilization games as a point of reference for cultures as well as things like cultural bonuses, unique units and such. Though as you can see from above, I have allowed unique or slightly more obscure cultures that don't make it into the games.

Here are pages with acceptable cultures to pull from:

https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Civilizations_(Civ5)
https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Civilizations_(Civ6)

To sum up, to begin, we need:

>A species (Generally anything found in fantasy will do, provided they are biological in nature; no golems, or mechanical beings, or living crystals or what have you)
>A culture (not one from the posted list above)

Please, discuss and vote.
>>
>>5468995
>Ant people
>Ancient Greek
Myrmidon time
>>
>>5469003
I'm afraid Greek's already been taken by another civilization, so it's off the table.
>>
>>5468995
>Roman
>Half Elves
>>
>>5468995
Hmm interesting premise. As for choice of culture, maybe an eastern european one like polish czech or hungarian? Or should we go further back in time with classics like roman or carthaginian? Actually im surprised roman hasn't already been taken, makes me want to choose it even if it's so "cliche".
>>
>>5469006
I confused the list of what would be available instead of the other way around
French Frogs then
>>
>>5469014
A vote for Roman, then.
>>5469015
I was a bit surprised myself; Roman seems like a pretty common go-to, but perhaps that's why nobody selected it.
>>5469019
A vote for French Frogs/bullywugs.
>>
I'll give a little more time for suggestions and discussion, but so far that's two for Roman, one for Roman Half-Elves, and one for French Bullywugs.
>>
>>5468995
The more I think about the weirder it gets to imagine non-humans having these cultures. Humanity is too intrinsic to them in my monkey brain.

Anyway, I'll vote for
>Roman
>Human
It sounds so cliche that it's funny. Although maybe, to make it even more ridiculous, they could be something lile hyper humans. Where every man is herculean and every woman is amazonian. Like the average male is an inbetween of a normal guy and a space marine. Does that make sense?
>>
>>5469048
>Like the average male is an inbetween of a normal guy and a space marine. Does that make sense?
Based on what has happened with other cultures, and magic being a thing in this setting, I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility, but I don't think it would start off as such.
>>
>>5469048
Romans, but they are fantasy barbarians? Call them Conans
>>
I'm game for french frogs, that would be silly perkeks
>>
>>5468995
>Giants
>Germanic
>>
If I've read it right, we're up to:

Two votes for Roman Humans/Half-Elves
Two for French Frogs/Bullywugs
One for Germanic Giants
>>
>>5469049
I dunno what the exact restrictions are so im just spitballing, don't think my suggestion is too far out but the space marine comparison might have scared you right?

>>5469052
Something like that though don't take that to mean they're stupid.
>>
>>5469067
>but the space marine comparison might have scared you right?
Not nearly as much as what some of the other players are planning with their civs long-term.
>don't take that to mean they're stupid.
Conan is incredibly intelligent; scholars of his age marvel at this surprising level of intellect. But that's neither here nor there.

I'll give it some more time for votes/discussion.
>>
>>5469063
Fuck it

I vote for
>Roman
>Goblins
>>
>>5469014
>>5469048
>>5469104
Well, three for Roman, I'll go ahead and call it, Roman it is.

But what species?

>Human
>Half-Elf
>Goblin
>Other
>>
>>5469107
>Half-Elf
>>
>>5469107
You already know my vote.

"You see, aliens can never be as good as humankind"
"A more delightful race than us you'll never, ever find~"
>>
>>5469107
>Half-Elf

Two half dead tribes met eachother and decided to say "fuck it"
>>
>>5469107
>Human
Mankind rules! Whoop Whoop!
>>
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>>5469114
>>5469118
Two for Half-Elf.
>>5469116
>>5469122
And two for human.

I don't know if it will affect the decision, but there are already two human civilizations---the Japanese and Sumerian players are both human.

Might I also recommend a species that is generally accepted as being descended from humans and elves---such as the Bretons, from the Elder Scrolls?
>>
>>5469107
>>Half-Elf
>>
>>5469131
I mean... In that case there's no need to call the Bretons a different race from Half-elf

So yeah, in that case my vote goes for half-elf/Bretons
>>
>>5469131
That picture does not inspire confidence in me but the knife ear lovers have my choice outvoted so no matter.
>>
>>5469114
>>5469118
>>5469133
>>5469137
Half-elves it is, and Roman will be our cultural basis.

Now, for our randomly-generated starting location on our World Map.

I need a roll of 1d100.
>>
Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>5469141
Here
>>
>>5469139
Tbh that pic looks like some VTM vampire art
>>
Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>5469141
>>
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>>5469052
>>
>>5469139
I voted for Half-elf because some of the roman founding myths are how they are foreigners mixed with locals, so half-elf kind of fits.
>>
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>>5469143
>>5469146
Alright folks, here's our starter region on the world.

We must now select a Hex that our first settlement finds itself in.

A quick key:

>Blue: Water
>Green: Forest
>Tan: Plains
>Black: Swamp
>Brown: Hills
>Red: Mountains
>>
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>>5469154
X marks the spot
>>
>>5469157
Good spot. Supporting
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>>5469154
I'm between the Hex with the Swamp, Forest and Sea on it, just going for full Green Hex, or one of the Swamp hex with the river

What do you anons think? Or maybe go for some of the plain or even the Hill hex in the middle of the Forest
>>
>>5469154
Mountains, plains, forest, and a nice glacial (?) trade-river tuns through it down to the sea!
>>
>>5469157
Damn, I like it. Support
>>
>>5469160
I went for that spot because it seems defensible, being in a forest with a swamp to the direction to the sea, and the direction to the plains is shielded by a lake.
Also, we could access to to all the three rivers by going upstream and the sea by going downstream through the swamp.
>>
>>5469157
>>5469159
>>5469163
Very well, three votes. Shall we place our settlement on the northern (forest) or southern (plains) side of the lake?
>>
>>5469154
This one >>5469157
I like it as a starting location.
>>
>>5469169
Northern, because of what I said here
>>5469167
>>
>>5469167
>Also, we could access to to all the three rivers by going upstream and the sea by going downstream through the swamp.
I think we should expand to the swamp later, between that and the rest of the rivers there's plenty or routes for trading and stuff
>>
>>5469169
Northern.
>>
>>5469169
Forest
>>
>>5469169
Northren side of the lake
>>
>>5469177
That river mouth in the swamp does seem a good place to make a port.
We also should expand to the plains to get some farming, maybe that spot where the tributary meets the main river.
>>
>>5469169
>northern (forest)
>>
>>5469186
You're hunter-gatherers. You don't get farming out of the gate.
>>
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>>5469175
>>5469178
>>5469179
>>5469180
>>5469188
Very well then.

The origins of our people are not well known. Descended from two races, yet the nature of how these races came together in this world are unknown, a subject of oral tradition that has become lost over time. For a long time, several generations at least, our people have roamed; hunting and gathering. It is the only life we have known up until this point.

We have come to settle here, along the lake, shielded within the forest.

Our nomadic life, for the time being, has come to an end.

Of the following Tier 1 Technologies, we must select one to have at the start of the game:

>Stone Tools (Leads to Bladed Tools)
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing)
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society)
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society)

(A brief note on Technology: you will note that some of these techs lead to the same tech. Every tech must be acquired before the tech can be selected. In other words, Society can only be unlocked when Fire, Abstract Art and Burial Rites are themselves acquired.)
>>
>>5469192
That's fine. We're planning ahead is all.
>>
>>5469194
>Stone Tools (Leads to Bladed Tools)

bang rocks together
>>
>>5469194
>Stone Tools (Leads to Bladed Tools)
>>
>>5469194
How about Fire -> Weaving -> Fishing?
I think it's the best route for food.
>>
>>5469194
>Stone Tools (Leads to Bladed Tools)

YO I've been waiting for one of these
>>
>>5469194
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing)
If we're on a river then let's use it. After that we select Fire and we have another food source and advanced our foraging
>>
>>5469198
>>5469201
>>5469204
Stone Tools it is.

Our starting population is:

21 Children
24 Hunters
23 Gatherers
68 Total

With our starter location, starter tech, and starter population, it's now time to enter the 1st Age.

Three random events happen to our civilization each age (currently). As a reminder, I generate these completely randomly, using a generator of my own creation in excel.

As these events happen sequentially, we'll start with the first:

The very first thing that happens to our people is the appearance of a strange entity. A talking snake, very large and with red scales, makes its presence known to your people. It explains that it has led them to this place, the hex that is your home, and now that your people have arrived it has prepared the lands for you. The nearby lands have been cleared of monsters and other terrifying threats; all six hexes surrounding our own contain no dangers to our people.

When asked why, the serpent explains that it is part of its penance. With no greater context given, the snake vanishes without a trace.

Event 2:

We have the opportunity to form the early basis of a religion. A simple structure, for now, is all that is required. Early religions tend to center around the worship of simple concepts; the sky, the water, the earth, the stars, etc. Attribution of souls or spirits to inanimate objects, or animism, is common. Essentially, we're looking for: what we worship and how we worship it. It will start out simple and over time grow more complicated.

Event 3:

Divine favor brings about a miracle. In a turn of events likely related to the starting of our religion in the previous event, a divine source has blessed our people with a bountiful source of food in the form of bountiful fruits and vegetables which grow in this region: grapes and turnips, respectively.

What is our reaction to these three events? A player reaction is effectively a means to establish facts about our growing society with a reaction to the random events, and often only warrant a single line or so. In this instance, the first and third events don't require much of a player reaction; we simply reap the rewards they present. Events like the second event allow a more complex reaction which allow us to expand the foundational basis of our civilization.
>>
>>5469237
I mean, looking at these three, it seems obvious we should begin a process of snake-worship, and prioritize gathering the bounty. I propose collecting as much fruit as possible and fighting off any interfering predators with our tools, then offering the flesh and blood of these predators to the snake-god in the form of a totem, or feeding smaller local serpents.
>>
>>5469254
Does anyone have any objections to snake worship as an early religion?
>>
>>5469254
+1

snake worship seems like a decent idea
>>
>>5469254
>>5469283
Very well then, Snake worship it shall be.

With our reactions out of the way, we will now move onto the Player Action for the age. Player Actions allow for the players to do what they would like, within reason and technological limitations. For example, common actions are Explore, stockpile food, breed (for a population boost), attack, defend, build something, etc.

What will this first age's player action be?
>>
>>5469321
>stockpile food
Sad Snake Dad gave us all this food. Let's gather it up!
>>
Check out Cyclopes Civilization Quest for inspiration!
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Cyclops%20quest
>>
>>5469321
explore the hex to the right
>>
>>5469321
>build something
The first snake temples.
It's probably just going to be a hut with a statue, but we got to start somewhere.
>>
>>5469322
+1
>>
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>>5469322
>>5469531

Very well, this age we stockpile food. Should a food crisis emerge next age, this will counter it, and it will bring with it a very slight population boost due to the excess we generate.

Nothing further significant happens this age. Many years pass, and with it comes a greater mastery of the land and new ideas to advance society.

What is our technology advancement choice at the end of this age?

Tier 1
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing)
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society)
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society)

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture)
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
Because winter is a thing.
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
Can even tie this into our snake cult's rites and shit. Smoke rising does look like a slithering snake at times
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
>>
>>5469547
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing)
Weren't we beelining for Fishing?
>>
>>5469640
We can always spear fish until then. Or, ya know, huck large rocks into the water and grab water ever floats up
>>
>>5469640
Fire is important to cook the food.
But I'm beelining to sailing, so Weaving, fishing, bladed tools next.
>>
>>5469648
I'ma push for religion myself. The snake god must be honored
>>
>>5469649
And I mean a more organized, codified religion than our current worship. Shamans or a priest caste and shit
>>
>>5469653
Shit, dude, at least let us invent agriculture first to feed all these non-food-producers.
>>
>>5469660
Let them eat cake. And children.
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
I guess fire is the basis here :
- advanced cooking abilities,
- advanced crasfmanship
- helps in winter and darkness
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)

>>5469649
>>5469653
Yep, can't discount the need for a powerful priest-king central authority; especially at this stage of development.
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)

We all follow the Path of the Red Snake, going through the river, riding his scales.

We all offer fire for it's Kin, because the Red Snake gave us a safe place to be.

We all attack from bellow the high grass, ever grandious and lethal, and only those that survive will taste the painful embrace of our venom
>>
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>>5469561
>>5469564
>>5469569
>>5469591
>>5469680
>>5469712
>>5469715
>>5469804
>>5469808
Fire it is.

The age concludes with our people harnessing the power of fire, and integrating it with home, hunting and religious rites.

An age passes, and a new one begins.

Each age, our population increases based on a random roll of the die. Certain techs grant population boosts, like sustainable sources of food like Fishing or Agriculture. Other techs grant things like combat bonuses, culture boosts and so on.

Our population is now:

>127 Children
>53 Hunters
>48 Gatherers
>228 Total

Our random events for this age are as follows:

It is an age of terrible winter, a cold and lingering snow. It is fortunate that a combination of fire and stored food has saved our people.

1) This age, amidst the terrible snow and harsh conditions, a traveler appears to our people. He leads a group of half-elven people, and he himself is one of our kind. They claim to have been guided here by visions, much like your people were last age. Many have died on their journey, and they seek to join with your people. Their leader is tall and strong, a Heroic unit. Should you accept him and his retinue into your culture this age, he can accomplish a single significant feat of your choosing; as a Great Hero, he can do something along the lines of adventuring in a direction of your choosing, slaying a monster, securing a significant hold, or something else similarly heroic. Should he survive this age, a bloodline carrying his heroic traits will go forward.

2) At night, in the cosmos high above, twisting around the stars, a strange creature can be glimpsed, a serpentine figure of equal parts light and darkness, moving between the stars. It is infrequently seen, and its true length is impossible to determine.

3) During one such stargazing event, one of your people becomes possessed by a supernatural entity, possibly the same one seen above. With her eyes glowing white, she proclaims herself to be the Snake God, the one who coils around the stars themselves, and demands your worship. The Snake God has taken this female mortal's form to receive your adoration and tribute.

How do you react to these events?

A quick RIP to JDF the Green Ranger. May the power protect you, Tommy.
>>
>>5469903
The traveler must breed with the avatar of the snake goddess. He must undergo a great quest to earn her favor
>>
>>5469908
"Hey guys! A vision brought me her,e and I'm pretty strong, smart, and fast. I know you don't know me, but what can I do to earn me and my people the privilege of --"
"FUCK THIS SNAKE."
"...I'm sorry, what did you say? it sound like -- "
"STICK YOUR DICK IN THE SNIK, NOOOOW!"
Let's, uh... Not.

>>5469903
>Bow down to the Snake God
>Ask what she wants
>Have Hero Boy there go fetch it
I guess if what she wants IS for him to fuck her, uh, okay?
>>
>>5469903
accept the hero into our ranks. perhaps ask them to explore the tiles beyond the snake protected tiles and slay any threats potentially out there.

also. ... im kinda sus on the woman. just a little . maybe ask for proof they are indeed the god who guided us here. (new blessing?) but if they prove we should indeed give them offerings. because the god who wr saw originally did not seem to have anything to do with the stars. why didnt they return in that form? (though might be intresting to have a whole snake pantheon)
>>
>>5469912
+1
>>
>>5469912
+1
Never change quest, never change.
>>
>>5469903
1
>Accept the traveler and his people. Have him go on more vision quests to expand our faith.

2
>The people start debating among themselves if the Sky Serpent is the same Snake God that helped our people or another one.

3
>Plead to the Snake God to release the hold of the woman. Offer to create new forms so it can be worshiped. Ask questions to it, like why it was seeking penance and if it's complete

Just got to be sure it's the same one.
>>
>>5469903

Supporting >>5469920
>>
>>5469920
this is getting my support since its somewhat like my suggestion on figuring out if same god

(still wanna send the hero out to explore unprotected tiles though
>>
>>5469929
It's what I thought the expand the faith would be.
Either exploring more hexes, or becoming a sort of Priest-King.
>>
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>>5469903

Accept the Hero, as it was the will of Providence that he should arrive.

Seek the counsel of this Star Serpent which has mounted one of our own. This may yet intertwine with the fate of our wayward hero.
>>
Wait, could the hero unit be powerful enough to successfully question the snake possession and discover what it is?
Because the snake god is the one that lead our people here, if he was having visions, than he was also chosen.
Besides, the snake god wasn't demanding worship and tribute before, we started doing it out of gratitude. Why would it be doing it now? And it did it in his physical form, why it's possessing someone now?

If it's a different snake deity, I'm ok with forming a pantheon though. But the Red Snake will always be the one above the others, and the Star Serpent will be know as a trickster for what it tried to do.
>>
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>>5469912
>>5469917
>>5469918
>>5469920
>>5469923
>>5469929
We'll start with the Great Hero, going on a vision quest in a direction of our choosing. Refer to our map here: >>5469157
Which direction will he travel?

As for the possessed woman, the Snake God possessing her claims that it is the one responsible for bestowing your people with bountiful food in the past, and is offended at the line of questioning in regards to its authenticity. In response, it immediately kills a nearby gatherer with a baleful gaze, turning that poor villager to stone on the spot, which then crumbles to dust.

Once again the Snake God asserts itself, claiming that all that is good that has happened to your people is because of it, and demands both loyalty and tribute. It claims your people should be thankful for its benevolence. While many immediately bow out of fear, some of your people hold doubts that this is the same entity encountered in the first age...
>>
>>5469957
Let's explore NE
>>
>>5469957
Ok, it's denifately not the the same god, or whatever penance it did it went back to being evil immediately afterwards.
Have our people pray in secret for the real Snake God to save us. Hope that the hero can become strong enough to kill the evil Star Serpent.
Have him downstream towards the swamp. We need to make sure the river is safe.
>>
>>5469964
+1

Either it's another Snake Deity that it's a trickster like >>5469942 said, or some demon/evil spirit that saw us from afar an decided yo take control earlier before things spiral out of it's control with the Arrival of our Hero
>>
>>5469903
Supporting >>5469920

Cool quest OP. Where did you get all your tables from? Did you make them yourself?
>>
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>>5469964
>>5469975
The hero departs, leaving his people with ours, heading northwest and downstream towards the swamp.

The first land he passes through contains bountiful groves of trees which bear sweet fruit---nectarines.

To the north of that, upon entering the murky swamp, he passes vast natural deposits of gold, as well as discovering abundant plants upon which large bell peppers grow.

And finally, having followed the river north to the sea, at the mouth of the river feeding into the vast ocean to the north, there are herds of large six-legged insects. These arthropods seem to display a kind of herd mentality, and seem docile and even-tempered, moving in familial groups across the land.

Pausing at the sea, the traveler is concerned. He has traveled for many days now, and had hoped to receive another vision. He resolves to wait until one comes to him.

As fate would have it, a vision does indeed come, but not one of what will be, which is what led him and his people to our lands, but rather one of what once was. Long ago, there were many snakes, an empire of them that stretched across the land. Many races were dominated under their cruel and dispassionate and immortal serpentine masters. Forced to work, or fight, or entertain their snake masters, the serpents reached a level of decadence and arrogance that angered a mighty primordial force.

Their civilization was wiped away; the entire world cleansed of their filth, and the worst of them locked away. So great was the cleansing that even all memory of their empire---its name, its holdings, its history---all gone in a brilliant blaze of white light, leaving the land once again wild, rife for the former servants of this snake empire to reclaim what was once theirs.

The vision ends, and the traveler reflects upon what he has learned before following the river south and returning. He spreads word of his vision. However, when it reaches the ear of the possessed woman, she demands his capture; she declares the story to be false and heresy and intends to make an example of him.

Your people are divided. The half that follow the Snake God out of fear begin to clash with the half that have come to believe the story of the traveler's vision and that this entity is not the one from the first age. In the chaos and confusion of the melee, just as the Snake God is about to strike down the traveler, someone runs up from behind with a rock and bashes the possessed woman in the back of the head.

The snake god, denied its corporeal vessel, rises back into the sky in a long, coiling spectral display, claiming that it shall return.

The traveler checks the woman, discovering that although the blow was severe, she was merely knocked unconscious and, once awakened, is back to her normal self. He nurses her back to health and in time takes her as his mate, producing two children; a daughter, followed by a son.

For the remainder of this age, the false trickster snake god does not bother your people.
>>
>>5470009
We need to establish an Inquisition.
No more false gods.
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>>5470009

That resolves the Great Hero's free action for the age. What shall our player action for this age be? As a reminder, a player action is anything we wish to accomplish within reason and technological limitation, as described in >>5469321

>>5470000
All tables used in this quest are of my design. Some quick background; back in 2014 I tried to get Untamed off the ground, but it wasn't quite ready, and the project fell through. After revisiting it with a new format, new tables and redesigning several aspects of what came before, building off of it and improving it, it has so far been a rousing success. Fifteen people have controlled their civilizations up to Age 10, which is where we'll get up to in this thread.

Each age, I generate three or more random events from a list that (so far) has 684 entries, which are designed to give me brief context about what the event concerns. I then roll a few dice to narrow down specifics. Here's a glimpse at some of those random events.
>>
Death to the false god. Death to the Star Serpent the only true god is the Red Serpent!
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>>5470024
>Player action
Let's expand into the lands explored by the hero.
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>>5470024
>>5470000
In addition to that, the main page of my generator is basically a bunch of buttons on a spreadsheet that I can click which randomizes a bunch of lists I've created, using things from various sources; D&D, vidya, novels, etc.

Here, you can see the three random events I generated for this age right here, along with several other random lists. There is more to the bottom of this, much more in fact, and I also keep track of the current stats of each player civilization on it, but that's confidential information.

Anyway, back to the game, still need that Player Action for this age: >>5470024
>>
>>5470032
This is neat!
>>
>>5470024
Damn Anon, that's great! Would it be possible that by the end of this Thread (when we reach Age 10) You could share the tables and stuff? If it won't give us some kind of spoiler.

I really like this kind of Civ Quests, and I wanted to make a Game for my group with a system like that, but I don't find a system that catch my attention (except for Reign, but it's not 100% Civ building system).

Also >>5470031
+1

In the Next Age, I say we could try and tap into magical stuff. Maybe the possesed Girl has some Magical fingerprint of the Star Snake that we could use for some Magical Inquisition.
>>
>>5470036
>Damn Anon, that's great! Would it be possible that by the end of this Thread (when we reach Age 10) You could share the tables and stuff? If it won't give us some kind of spoiler.
In the long run, I do plan on sharing what I tentatively refer to as the Untamed System, which I'd like to develop into a proper game/RPG. I'm constantly adding onto it, but I'm the kind of guy who rarely thinks anything he starts is ever "done". I'm always looking for inspiration for new events, or other random lists I can add onto it, ways to refine it, etc. but I do feel that it isn't quite ready as of yet. This game, this civilization (along with all of the other player's) is the first trial run of my newly refined system (Untamed 22, if I had to differentiate it from my earlier attempt at Untamed 14). The end result will be a world built from the ground up with a complete and total history, almost like a D&D setting that stories/quests could be run in. I would share the world map, but I haven't allowed anyone to see the total world beyond each civ's starting area.
>>
>>5470031
>>5470036
So, basically establishing a range of our people moving from our hex to the sea, following the river up and down to and from home, to hunt and gather? Am I reading that correctly?

Because currently our population is too small to split into another settlement, which historically I have restricted until Society is unlocked.
>>
>>5470024
>player action

A society shaken by such supernatural events falls back on itself. The peoples of the land coalesce around the Hero and his vision quests.

Considering this is what, Roman half-elves? I see this a prime time to coalesce around a Romulus figure. Better still that he's got elements of Viracocha going on.
>>
>>5470052
Yeah, why not? If things looks that are safe up there we could use some of those bell pepper, hunt those bugs and maybe even in a future we could domesticate them
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>>5470024
Let's build a commemorative snake temple.

During this age our people met the deceiver snake, and i guess the whole schism made everything unclear. I think it would be important for the memory and the birth of the cult to have a place where the story about the snakes is set to the stone.

So in a future age, when the deceiver comes back from the stars, our people would be able to see through its lies.

Also we already talked about having a formal religion.
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>>5470063
>>5470036
>>5470031
Very well then, our people will follow the path the hero laid out and cleared along the river to the sea, and for ages will hunt and gather along that line.

What is our choice of technology at the end of this age?

Tier 1
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing) (Protection Boost)
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost)

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat Boost)
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>>
>>5470086
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing) (Protection Boost)
Now we have access to a River and sea, we will take a huge advantage from this plus the Protection Boost
>>
>>5470021
>>5470028
>>5470064
Scarlet Snake = Penitent, Protective, Paternal = Good
Star Serpent = Liar, Murderer, Thief = Evil
This is the Twin Coiled Faith
>>5470086
>Weaving (Leads to Clothing, and Fishing) (Protection Boost)
Do we aim for sailing or society?
>>
>>5470086
Burial Rites

I want society soon so we can have Roman Basket Weaving forums
>>
>>5470086
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
We have to make art to commemorate this, so our descendants never forget and, in their ignorance, fall prey to the Star Serpent's tricks.
>>
>>5470129
+1

also id say society
>>
How about we go for fishing after this, since we are moving to the coast and swamp, and then we focus on society?
Then we can either go for domestication to make use of the herding bugs, or balded tools to either get sailing or weapons.
>>
>>5470129
+1
>>
>>5470086
I've enjoyed reading the tale that has transpired after my departure. Now we have an interesting good and evil dychotomy between two divinities with this new Adversary figure.

>>5470129
Can we only record this myth through oral tradition or can we use writing? If we can't use writing then we better have a very specific story that can be memorized so as to be better preserved for when we eventually unlock better methods of recording information.
>>
>>5470349
It goes Abstract Art > Art > Proto-Writing > Writing
Until then, oral tradition

>>5470089
>>5470129
>>5470270
>>5470308

Weaving it shall be. An age passes, and as our people traverse the river from the lake to the sea they gather reeds and vines and weave them into baskets and clothing to aid in carrying our forage and protecting against the weather.

We proceed onto the 3rd Age.

>...

Our population as of the 3rd Age:

203 Children
94 Hunters
77 Gatherers

Our random events for this age are as follows:

1) A great meteor streaks across the night sky. This is no mere pretty light show however; it crash lands somewhere northwest, west of the river we have ranged upon. A great fireball and an earth-shattering quake follows, but harms no one; everyone is roused in the night and hears the tale of those who were awake to see it happen.

2) This age, a focus on hunting over gathering brings about a boost to the population of your hunters occurs, bringing the total from 85 to 94; this is already reflected above.

3) This age, we have the opportunity to lay down some foundational laws for our society. This can relate to early governance, such as how leaders are chosen or earn their position, or can relate to the punishment of crime, or something else. What laws do our people lay down in this age? They will be passed down orally, as we currently lack a form of writing.

What are your reactions to these events?
>>
>>5470364
>203 Children
>94 Hunters
>77 Gatherers
Forgot: 374 total.
>>
>>5470349
> Now we have an interesting good and evil dychotomy between two divinities with this new Adversary figure.

So snake Zoroastrianism ?
>>
>>5470364
1
We must explore n the direction of the meteor. It came from the night sky, there is a risk it is a servant of the Star Serpent
3
There must be warrior-priests, protectors of both the soul and body of our people. They will go through vision quests to understand the journey of our people and the heroes.
>>
>>5470364
investigate meteor maybe figure out a use for some of the minerals (may be an easy way to jumpstart our civ)

not sure what i wanna do about law though too tired so ill let other anons figure it out desu

(id say something to do with leadership though
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>>5470364
Leaders are elected by popular vote to form a council.
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>>5470375
+1
>>
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>>5470367
Something like that.

>>5470375
This sounds like the right direction, the vision quests are weird but they basis on the history of our people. I'd like to create the conditions for the begginning of a martial society, I'll think on interesting suggestions in service of that goal.

>>5470388
>popular vote
pic related
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>>5470401
Dont worry, give it a few ages and the Elders are gonna turn it into an Oligarchy intill they get overturned by a dictator
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>>5470378
Support, We must investigate the meteor but bear in mind it might not just be us going there so we must be prepared to fight.

3) Should one commit a crime to the tribe they must endure years of servitude, the length of servitude is based on how grave their crimes are.
Can't have the senile lead our people so there must be an age cut off for leadership so the mind of the leader is always sharp and ready
>>
>>5470388
shit way of picking a leader at this time, but nice way to decide whether or not a person is a criminal though
>>
>>5470401
The vision quests idea is because of our people's history, but also becuase this style of mixing lore, civilization building and character development reminded me of King of Dragon Pass and Heroquest

>popular vote
To be fair, we are romans, and they did have the republic after the kingdom and before the empire.
>>
>>5470404
That doesn't make it any better.

>>5470405
I think this should only apply for things like theft or an alternative punishment for things like assault. For murder or rape or any of the heavier stuff it should be a ceremonial execution.

>>5470408
>King of Dragon Pass and Heroquest
I looked them up and damn that's some old shool stuff, no wonder I never heard of them.

And yeah we're the romans but popular vote is not necessarily a requirement for representative government, though I don't think too highly of that either.

>>5470375
I think I know what I'd like to add. A direct descendant of the great hero should be made king of our people, with a warror-priest council to rule alongside him. Distribution of power and duties pending.
>>
>>5470421
How about
>We have a day dedicated to sentencing criminals and have the whole community decide on what the punishment should be for that person via popular vote
or if we're going with the warrior priest council idea
>Have the warrior priest council vote on how a person will be sentenced

either way we should have a person whose whole job is to remember what the previous decisions/punishments or something so we don't have to come up with new punishments per each new crime.
>>
>>5470443
>We have a day dedicated to sentencing criminals and have the whole community decide on what the punishment should be for that person via popular vote
Why would we wait for a specific day to sentence a criminal? They should be sentenced as they come up.

>Have the warrior priest council vote on how a person will be sentenced
A better idea, maybe the king could be the tie-breaker.

>either way we should have a person whose whole job is to remember what the previous decisions/punishments or something so we don't have to come up with new punishments per each new crime.
A member of the council, with the title of Justiciar?
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>>5470462
yeah the popular vote for all people was kinda bad so new idea

>the council and the king decides on the punishment of the criminal
>There is a member of the council with the title of justiciar meant to record all the previous decisions of the council regarding the punishments of criminals.
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>>5470364
>Seek out the meteor
>Send people on vision-quests and, if they come back with useful wisdom, appoint them Justicar
>If someone commits a crime, send them on a LONGER vision quest to somewhere dangerous or unknown; if they return, they must submit to the Justicar for final judgement, resulting in death, exile, or atonement and forgiveness
>>
>>5470421
>that's some old shool stuff
The game got a spiritual sucessor with Six Ages: Ride Like The Wind too, and Heroquest got some new editions
But yeah, Glorantha is a bit under the radar. Which is a shame, Sword and Sorcery is a cool genre.
>>
>>5469547
>Fire (Leads to Advanced Foraging, and Society)

I think we should skip advanced foraging, everything else is worth picking up to have a fleshed out people though.
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>>5470576
How the fuck am I so far behind? Did I just suffer a small bout of memory loss or something? WHY IS IT NIGHTTIME?!
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>>5470578
>>
>>5470375
>>5470390
>>5470401
>>5470378
>>5470405
>>5470476

Alright, so I'm getting a combination of searching out the meteor, and developing some manner of vision-questing-warrior-priest-justicars, but we'll deal with the meteor first.

A party led by the secondborn child of the traveler hero from the first age (the son) sets out northwest, crossing the river into lands your people have never ventured.

Thankfully, west of the river is a land claimed only by wild growths of barley. Your people move on.

Your people come upon the meteor. It is truly massive, having made both a gigantic impact and trail. Its eventual resting place is discovered by following the trail, and a massive mishapen red-hot rock is discovered, still smoking, with glowing orange bits seen between the cracks.

However, as your people advance, nervously edging closer and closer, a strange cracking sound is heard and the rock begins to move. It is discovered that this is no rock, but some manner of creature! It begins to uncurl itself, revealing a pair of wings that obsidian glass fall off of as they break off of their flaming surfaces while the winds unfurl and stretch. A massive tail uncoils from being wrapped around the body, crested with glowing spikes. Four limbs and a long, serpentine neck follow, terminating in a terrifying head of lava-like rock.

This primordial creature, finding itself upon this world from another time and place after hurtling through the heavens from unknown origins, lets out a massive roar, belching a torrent of flame that rains down upon the land, setting fire to the forest and melting anyone it touches. Your people run and hide as this winged fiery terror's eyes open, beacons of orange light within a black skull. Its chest burns hotter than any fire that man could conjure, its heart a forge that could melt the world.

It is no natural beast, and certainly not one of this world, for upon exposure to this environment it undergoes a rapid change. Perhaps this is part of some manner of magical lifecycle for these creatures, or perhaps this was merely the means to deliver something to this world from an elemental realm, but the dragon begins to shift its appearance, breaking apart, as though the very world itself is killing it; breathing our air is poisonous to it. The body of this massive monstrosity loses its fire and begins to crumble to ash, and from within this mountain of ash is uncovered two objects: eggs. They do not burn, but are very warm to the touch. Each egg is nearly the size of a man.

What do our people do?
>>
>>5470633
>Pray on it
>If no answer comes, smash them
>if they can't be smashed, cast them into the sea
>>
>>5470633
>Use them as permanent heating fixtures in buildings/places of importance/religious significance.

I guess I'll just pick up my day here then...or night rather.
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>>5470641
+1 but remove the smashing part, just cast them into the sea if no answer comes.
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>>5470666
+1 to devil trips
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>>5470633
Into the sea they go, we can't risk two more such creatures emerging.
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>>5470641
>>5470666
>>5470729
>>5470749

Very well then, we shall cast them into the sea, rolling them to the river. Thankfully, they do not hatch on the way there, and once pushed north, are shoved from a small peak into the water. There is a great splash and the two eggs sink, where they remain... for now. Who is to say what the future holds?

As for the earlier point, we shall create a small group of warrior-priests, who engage in vision quests and seek to protect our people both physically and spiritually. Of those initially selected, sixteen pass the first trials and become our first group of warrior-priests, of which both children of the traveler from the second age belong to.

We may now specify our player action for the age.

As a reminder, here is our current region map.
>>
>>5469194
How did you make this chart? I need an org chart where multiple lower level items can connect to the same higher level ones

Thanks
>>
>>5470406
Many if not most early societies with small numbers of people organized themselves democratically. At that level every government tends to be democratic in practice anyway because of a majority of the people don't agree with the leadership they can just not follow it.
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>>5470850
Build some sort of temple to the Scarlet Snake. It's probably going to be very primitive, but we take what we can get, a place that the Warrior-Priests-Justicars (Can we just call them Pontifex?) can pass judgement and the people gather to listen to the stories, a reminder of the Star Serpent evil deeds.
The meteor creature fell from the night sky, and then immediately began destroying it's surroundings, with a serpentine neck. Our people should believe that dragons are evil beings related to the Star Serpent.
>>
>>5470850
If a true vision quest was give to the traveler at the sea, we must travel to the same shore and gain our own vision quest. While they pray and fast to the Snek, they build a shine on the coast and consecrate these ‘herd bugs’ a holy animal, for their home is clearly holy.
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>>5470850
>into the sea they go
Oh no, no, no, no, no........ Oh well, too late now.

The people have need of the law, for none other will make them flourish. Democracy will lead to naught but squander and ruin.

We should make central the role of the Pontifex/Warrior Flamen order in this society. As oral tradition is fallible, the capable must be central to passing on the knowledge of the Serpents, of the Dragon of the Fallen Star, and of the clutch of spawn cast away, hopefully to never return.

We should construct an oracular hall of the learned ones. A temple to the knowledge of the people. In veneration, not worship of the tradition and the wisdom.
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>>5470902
Don’t worry, I have a plan for those eggs. We just have to wait a bit…
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>>5470857
>How did you make this chart? I need an org chart where multiple lower level items can connect to the same higher level ones
For a few years now I've been making use of a program called Realm Works, a worldbuilding program that allows one to keep track of as many details about a world as they like; characters, locations, items, plots, concepts, gameplay mechanics, etc.
Here's a picture of another world of mine, from a different project, unrelated to Untamed, that I use Realm Works for. (It's a MtG lore thing I do)
It also has a storyboard section, which is the specific thing I use for each civ's technology and bloodline flowcharts.
Here's a link: https://www.wolflair.com/realmworks/
>>
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I found an image of depiction of a bronze age roman village
>>
Here's another.
For some reason I can only find tiny images.
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>>5470850
A heretic spurned by the tribe goes off in search of the dragon eggs
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>>5470870
+1
>>
>>5470915
>Bronze Age Rome
Not only was Rome founded in the Iron Age, even evidence of pre-Roman Bronze Age settlements at its location is "conspicuously absent".
You picture seems to be of Archaic Period Greece.
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>>5470925
Nah senpai, we need to wait for domestication. Waiting would also allow the population and the myth of the Star Eggs to grow. I’ve got a plan, if anons are willing to entertain it.
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>>5470930
It's actually etruscans (proto-villanoviana to be exact) and the latial culture, but it's the closest to pre-iron age romans we could get to have inspiration.
>>
>>5470935
I personally can't wait until we tame the big bugs, ride them like ashlanders
>>
The latial culture were probably the real version of the mythological Alba Longa.
Also they had a tradition of making hut urns, so we atleast know how they looked like.
Originally I was going to post the reconstruction in Fidenae, but all the images are tiny.
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>>5470956
Same, it’s gonna be rad. My plan there is to make them holy steeds for our elite Pontifex or whatever we eventually call them, along with labor bugs and hopefully honey(dew?) producing cattle.
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>>5470958
Huh, it seems the hut is actually from the Iron-age.
Still, it matches the look of the bronze age urn
>>
And here's another, I already wasted too much time searching for these huts.
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>>5470959
YES! And if we're lucky, they produce silk of a kind as well. But that's probably a pipe dream. Though there might be another breed that could.
>>
>>5470930
Yeah, my mistake, the Latial culture, and the Latium speaking people themselves are Iron Age, but the proto-villanoviana are bronze. So it's more Etruscans and Italiotes than actual Romans.
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>>5470963
I bet they do produce silk (or some breeds will), it’s gonna be neat!
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>>5470968
We should come up with a bullshit explanation of silk to sell to outsiders so we can maintain a monopoly on it.
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>>5470972
it is actually tiny worms that produces the silk!
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>>5470976
And the worms turn into moths, so you can't even hoard them!
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>>5470972
Call it holy, say it comes from tiny snake children.

>>5470976
Genius!
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>>5470976
>>5470979
Yes, and they die very easily, sometimes rotting in their cocoons, ruining the harvest and can only eat one plants leaf
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>>5470981
And the leaves are from fruit and berry trees, so if you grow silk you have to give up food.
>>5470967
Also, that image seem to be from the villanoviana people, not the proto, meaning it's an iron age village and not a bronze age one.
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>>5470990
Well, the huts themselves probably didn't change too much.
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>>5470870
Supporting this.

>>5470850
>>
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>>5470870
>>5470927
>>5471113
>>5470875
>>5470902

Very well, a temple (albeit right now a simple one) will be constructed, dedicated to the Red Serpent (or Scarlet Snake, or Scarlet Serpent, etc.), where the Warrior-Priests will preside over congregations, mettle out justice, hold meetings and set out from/return to on their vision quests.

Let's talk about Tech, shall we?

Tier 1
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost)

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Fishing (Leads to Sailing) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>>
>>5471140
>Fishing (Leads to Sailing) (Food Boost)
I want to get fishing, so we can focus solely on society.
Then bladed tools and clothing for architecture and sailing.
>>
>>5471140
>>Fishing (Leads to Sailing) (Food Boost)
Definitely, given the village's location upon the estuary. Food is still key right now, and this furthers the route to sailing also, which will be paramount.

>>5471144
I support this route, then shift focus back to society.
>>
>>5471140
>Fishing (Leads to Sailing) (Food Boost)
>>
>>5471144
After society, we can go for domestication or agriculture too, instead of architecture or sailing. Or weaponry, depending on how dangerous things might get
But Bladed tools are important for most of them.
>>
>>5471140
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
Need society and writing to record our judgements and dire warnings about the Star Serpent and cursed dragon eggs we plopped in the river.
>>
>>5471140
>Fishing (Leads to Sailing) (Food Boost)
>>
>>5471161
Australian Aborigines had amazingly precise oral history (corroborated by geology) about a 50000-old event, so we can get by for a bit more.
>>
>>5471167
And they also stopped expressing the knowledge of building seafaring craft which had originally brought them across the Timor Sea. And they were still clubbing each other and 'roos to death when Europeans showed up, literally 50 millennia later. Time well spent, clearly.
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>>5471173
They just wanted to return to monke
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>>5471176
And desu I can't blame them. It would've been amazing.
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>>5471173
>Me: oral history can be really accurate, so no need to go into Abstract Art right now
>You: but Aborigines are dumb!!11
>>
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>>5471140
Red Serpent (or Scarlet Snake, or Scarlet Serpent)
Praise the Rubrum Serpens Optimi Maximi and beware the Sidereum Hydra. I probably mangled the latim, I just used google translated
>>
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>>5471187
Also, apparently there was a snake god on later Rome, but it was an imported, and minor one.
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>>5471192
Since there's no proper snake god in Rome, I propose we base our own on Chinese Nuwa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCwa)
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>>5471183
My point was being an unlettered peoples yielded them absolutely no advancement, in fact dragged them down through the ages and eventually was their undoing at the hands of the lettered peoples of the earth.
>>
>>5471201
Point to where I said we shouldn't invent writing at all ever.
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>>5471199
Mix her with Fuxi into only one god.
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>>5471220
This works.
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>>5471144
>>5471160
Just had an idea for a plan.
Fishing -> Abstract art -> Burial Rites -> Society -> Bladed Tools -> Agriculture -> Domestication -> Clothing - > Weaponry -> Art -> Architecture
>>
>>5471234
Honestly I like that. The tiles around our village are safe, and up to the Swamp there isn't no inmediate threat. So unless we're unlucky with the random events and there's a important enemy that wants to fuck us over, there should be no need for weapons yet. Unless we really wanna go for the true roman route and start going for the Smith and Weapons techbologies fast
>>
>>5471167
>>5471183
I recognize your point, but written records tend to be more accurate across world civilizations, and also art is kino, so I'd still like to spec into it personally.

Plus, our demi-elves are Roman-based, not Aborigine-based.

Though goddamn, that would have been kind of neat
>>
Appreciate your patience, it's just Monday so the work week has begun.

For those of you interested, the project's discord link is here: https://discord.gg/xeYq6mJ9TB

Each other civ has a player controlling it, and they're all in here. They have access to a player's only chat, as well as one for their individual civilization. People in this thread who wish to join will get alerts as to when an age has ended and a new one will begin (once this thread catches up to Age 10, I'll be making a new thread for this civ on /qst/.)

No obligation on any anon to join, I'll be making the threads regardless, but if you wanted to discuss the game with the other players, perhaps hear some stories about the crazy things that have happened to other civs, the general chat is for you.
>>
>>5471256
Imagine if we made them Polynesean or Maori.
>>5470850
Anons, I just had a thought. I thinknour people would consider both our original home hex and the ocean swamp hex to be holy sites. Now, what connects both of them? That river that comes from the lake. I think we should considered it a sacred river, and it's even snake-like.
Also, I think we should call it the Viper river, because it's close to Tiber while also being snake themed.
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>>5471327
Hey, that was MY idea anon. >>5469808

Jk, now really I like the idea, but still the Snakes bring a bunch of conflict with the histories of the past and the present. They we're dictators until they recieve Divine Retribution (or maybe there's something even more ancient that this Breed of Snake Dictators, even maybe out of our Gods of this Realm), and the fact that we worship a Snake God even tho we know their origin and stuff, brings a lot of Moral and Phylosofical (idk how it writes, i'm a ESL), like for example: We hate the Deciever and Trickters Snakes, the ones that we're tyrants in the Past but we worship one that we found in our Village, Do we forgive people for their errors and let them seek redemption? Do we worship the correct Idol? What are the stance of other civilization if there's any that now about the Tyrant Snakes and how are they going to view us? We're absolutely against the Sky Snake, but what about the others that are still in this world? Why the Sky Snake isn't doing things like the Red Snake for his past actions and what is the morality of the other Snakes? In which other way does these Snakes could manifest and present themselves in the world?
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>>5471140
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
Focus on society.
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>>5471365
I think we can consider the Red Snake a good one because he is a redeemed one, since he went on a penance.
>>5470129
Our warrior-priests judge people, I think the idea of not only forgiveness, but having to go on a quest our do deeds to prove it should be part of it.
>>5470476
Kind of like this anon said
Maybe we will eventually get fanatics or flagellants.

The Star Serpent, and any other of their kind, that refuse to admit their mistakes are evil. Specially if they try to taint the works of those that are like the Red Snake. I also like to consider the meteor dragons to be servants of the SS.
>>
>>5471365
I’m honestly hoping to bring the Star Sneak back, but this time have our society accept him as a Loki tier trickster god (instead of old Satan) with old crimson snake being our Thor, and have this be our Romulus and Remus myth.
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>>5471371
>I also like to consider the meteor dragons to be servants of the SS.
That's something that has me worried. I don't think is a Servant, by the description they might be an entire different stuff like an Elemental, and I believe that because the only Powers the Sky Snake showed were Possesion and like a Medusa's Stare. If he could make a Elemental Dragon like that, he could just make a smaller servant and instantly use that Strenght instead of killing with the Stare. But, maybe he didn't because that needs time and power to do, something that by this moment we won't know, unless we dwelve into that.

And from how I see our civ is going, I have some heavy Targon vibes. If we really grab onto "Astral Magic" if something like that exist, we could use the river and in a future make a city in the Mountain at the left side of our village, following the river.
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>>5471380
Oh, I don't think they are really servants, only that it's something our people would connect in their religion to explain it. Let's hope that is the case, right?
>>
Alright, back home and writing an update now.
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>>5471385
R-Right...

Honestly I wanted to vote for us to bring those eggs to home, but after seen the How To Train Your Dragon and how those dragons hatch, I was worried that it was going to turn into a huge inferno when they came out. But for the moment, i'm still wondering what >>5470908 plan is

>>5470908
Honestly I think that's hard considering how our first meeting went. Of we somehow find him again there will be a fight, and if we came on top and he pays for his past sins, maybe then he could be integrated. But for the moment he's going to be Ye Olde Satan
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>>5471396
It isn’t necessarily about integrating the Star Snake himself per se, just not making the Celestial the root of all evil, Eden Snake style. Would you like to hear the plan, or prefer me to wait until the time is right?
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>>5471144
>>5471148
>>5471164
>>5471158

Over the course of our age, with a slowly-expanding spiritual and organizational basis forming amongst our people, guided by our new Warrior-Priests, we continue to rely upon the lake, the river and the sea. This is exemplified by our advancement from weaving baskets and simple clothing to weaving nets and pioneering new ways to fish.

Another age passes; our people continue to learn, grow and for the time being thrive, thanks to bountiful sources of fish we have chosen to live adjacent to. Occasionally, other small bands of people like ourselves join, adding onto our population and biological diversity. Our bloodlines carry forward into a new age.

>The Fourth Age

Our population as of the 4th Age:

305 Children
129 Hunters
104 Gatherers
24 Warrior-Priests
Total: 562

Our random events for this age are as follows:

1) In the night, while a mother was sitting with her child, they are attacked by a horrible monster. Screams fill the night air and rouse many others, who come to look, but all that is left are stains of blood and tattered clothing, and a visage of something flying off into the night sky. The night after, it comes again, this time swooping down upon a man standing watch over his family. It mauls him to death and drags him away, but not before being glimpsed in the light of the two moons; a winged cat beast, larger than a man, with glowing red eyes and jaws that snap bone and swallow flesh. It spreads its membranous and expansive wings and takes off into the night. If the pattern holds, it will return for more flesh.

2) An age of comfort and simple hunting and gathering has not prepared the current generation of warrior-priests for a beast such as this. Despite qualifying for their roles, a majority of them suggest cowardly means to deal with the threat, or outright inaction, hoping it will go away. These fearful warrior-priests suggest appealing to the crimson snake god to bail your people out of the problem, so that they themselves will not be put in harm's way, and use their position in an attempt to guard their own lives; they fear to even leave on a vision quest, lest they be picked off in the dark away from home. A minority of the warrior-priests live up to the warrior part of their title, however, and are prepared to face the creature, decrying the others as cowards.

3) The appearance of the creature, and the division in the until-now unified warrior-priests, has caused a significant amount of unrest amongst your people, who fear that any one of them could be next. The creature drags its victims off somewhere else to devour them; what if it is feeding its young? What if more of them come? Why won't the warrior-priests or the Red Serpent protect us? Have we done something wrong? These are the questions that fuel their fear and panic threatens to overwhelm your people. Already one fight has broken out; more may follow if something is not done.

What is your reaction to these events?
>>
>>5471407
If the star snek didn't want to be the origin of evil, then maybe it shouldn't have killed that woman, or tried to suppress the evils it's kind did before.
Hydra delenda est.
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>>5471408
Prepare a trap for the beast, so that when it tries to swoop in for the kill, it's wings will be torn, and the warriors may be able to kill or hunt down the beast.

The Scarlet Serpent believes in self reliance: a father knows that one day the child will have to leave their home. He protected us in our early days so that we may be able to grow strong. He does not save us because this monster is a trouble for us to solve: The original hex and the six surroundings were our cribs, but the world is ours to take.

One of the Warrior-Priests, a descendant from the the hero will take the reins of the situation. If the siblings bicker among themselves, then it is the duty of the oldest to put the house in order.
>>
>>5471408
Why are there 24 warrior priests? I never intended for them to be so numerous and clearly a lot of them aren't worthy of the title. I also never intended for the title of Justiciar to equal being a warrior priest. As >>5470443 this anon had said, it was meant to be a position encharged with remembering previous decisions/punishments.

I'll mantain again that a descendant of the Traveler should be made king so as to have more decisive leadership instead of this bickering oligarchy.

As the creature, we can either go the pragmatic route or the spiritual route. The former, we lay a trap an attack it with everything we got. The latter, we send an expedition of our best and bravest to hunt down and slay the creature.
>>
>>5471408
The people demand that action be taken, and the minority of warrior-priests willing to fight convince the populace to support them, purging the cowards from the priesthood. Now unified, they take action to actively hunt and fight the beast, and when it’s eventually wounded, follow the trail of blood to it’s lair to finite job.
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>>5471422
I say we should empower the fighting minority, purge the cowardly, unify the priesthood and society, and turn this into a spiritual moment. These are supposed to be warrior-priests, not cowards who shy away from battle.
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>>5471408
1) A small group of Hunters will be tasked with finding a trail of the creature, keeping company with our Hero and his son, just to find the Beast lair. The rest of the Warrior-Priest will stay and protect the families.

While the Hero and co. Hunt the Beast, the men and Woman of the village will weave webs for the Beast, anything to restrain it movement so the Warrior-Priest and Hunters attack with bows. The ones coward Warrior-Priest will have three options: Either they hide with the Hunters to be ready and throw the Web with the potential threath of being caught by the Beast, stay near the center of the village in the light as Bait, or go with the Hero into the unknow to fight.

We're in a crisis for our people, families and friends, we can't hope that the Red Snake for always saving us
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>>5471409
Again, Trickster God. You never fully trust the trickster, but this is mainly about not turning the Celestial body into our religious hell.
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>>5471422
There are around 9,7 person to each warrior-priest, I discounted the children because there are a lot of them.
Maybe we should create internal ranks? A warrior-priest that is more warrior, a warrior priest that is more priest, a warrior-priest that is justicar, and a warrior-priest that is king.
We can call them Pontifex, Flamens, Epolones and the Rex. When we get magic we can create the Augures too.
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>>5471432
I like the night sky as hell though, it's very unique.
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>>5471199

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycon

Glycon is Macedonian but had a cult in Rome
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>>5471429
Of course, I didn't say abolish the priesthood. No man can rule alone after all. I only think that having a maestro to coordinate and give direction to the council would be for the best.

>>5471427
Anyway, I think this order is backwards. The brave and courageous should use their success against the beast as proof of their righteousness in casting out the cowards.

>>5471432
I like it this way. It's different from polytheistic religions in that it has that abrahamic dychotomy but it's different from those too because both divinities are much more earthly than them.

>>5471433
This was my intention from the begginning. A King and his council, as it should be.
>>
I think we should strip the rank of Warrior-Priest from the cowards until they earn it back either though service in dealing with the beast or some other means


I also agree that we should use our weaving skills to make a trap for the beast. It has wings so a net or the like weighted with heavy river stones could keep it down long enough to be killed.

I don't think we should have a hunting party. The beast is coming to us, no need to exhaust our forces flailing around the woods for something that can just fly away anyway.

We could use fish as bait.

And it's so big we should have the Warrior-Priest lead the charge but let anyone who volunteers also pile on for the killing blow once the mantifore is trapped
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>>5471408
This is a turn most dark indeed. Division among the tribe at such a fledgling stage could lead to ruin. The solution must be found in unity and cohesion, we must unify the tribe against the foul beast of the air. But with such meager weapons as those we bear we must rely most upon our dearest asset. The intellect.

Families must fall together into the strongest dwellings at nightfall, none are bade wander at dark. The vigils of the night will be drawn of the men, hunter and priest alike. Lay a trap, of live bait.. The beast must return and when it does it will be ensnared and brought to heel under savage blows.
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>>5471408
Only those who can prove their wisdom or courage by participating in trapping the beast should remain warrior-priests. This id their job: to use their vision-wisdom, gleaned through brave travels and travails, to protect and lead our people. Any who fail, or back failed methods, cannot be warrior-priests anymore.
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>>5471430
To be clear, the hero is dead, he passed either in late Age 2 or early Age 3; it's always a bit vague intentionally unless they die in a specific manner.

Each age, I roll for how the bloodline continues; how many children each generation has, their genders, etc. Notable traits are passed down, like "Great Hero"; this doesn't guarantee that his descendants will be great heroes, but they have the legacy in their blood and is a factor in considerations I make towards them (it gives them an edge in certain conditions, is what I mean).

The hero, and the woman who was possessed that he nursed back to health, had a son and a daughter. This age, they each had a child; the daughter had a son, and the son had a daughter. Here's a chart.
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Ok, so ideas so far:

>>5471421
Make a trap.
This is a mortal problem.
Get a king.

>>5471422
Get a king
Trap
Hunting expedition

>>5471427
>>5471429
Purge the cowards
Hunt the beast
Find nest

>>5471430
Hunt the beast
Warriors stay home to make a trap
This is a mortal problem

>>5471433
Reform the warrior-priests

>>5471439
Demote cowards
Make trap

>>5471441
Make trap

>>5471442
Demote cowards

Seems to be a majority towards some sort of trap and to remove the title of the priests.
Personally, I think we should make some sort of reform. The cowards would lose the title of warrior-priests and would have to go on penance, but they could become a sort of non-military priest if they fail. I also want to have a king so unite the people.
And separate the justicar into it's own thing maybe.
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>>5471434
I don’t, it’s generic satanism. Besides, the brothers Orobos would be cool iconography, each nipping playfully at the other’s tail.

>>5471437
I’m fine with a warrior-king leading the minority, I just don’t want the minority to get so bloodied as to lose the political battle with the cowards. Unity before we fight.

I think making the snakes more earthly makes more sense since they had an empire that decayed, and that the Pantheon was earthy itself instead of black vs white.

>>5471439
I think we need to imbue a warrior spirit into our priest class, ensure that the cowards don’t retake to priesthood with tales of valor and glory. Trapping the monster with fish just isn’t valorous, it’s cowardly.
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>>5471439
>I think we should strip the rank of Warrior-Priest from the cowards until they earn it back either though service in dealing with the beast or some other means
This, we clearly stated that the Warrior-Priests are supposed to keep our people safe from physical and spiritual danger. If the cowards are REALLY more inclined into the spiritual and don't lean into the Snake because of cowardice we understand, but this is something really troublesome and that it need our inmediate attention.

If they have some kind of distinctive they will be striped out of it.

And still, ALL OF THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!! I say that aside from the trap and coordinate the people, we should make it so the coward Warrior-Priests know that, it doesn't matter tif they don't want to directly fight, there's hardly any other alternative. Don't wanna fight something like that? Sure, but still your family and Friends could be the next meal of the Beast. You don't want to fight straight against it? Ok, and still the creature have wings that make it SO much faster than we do, so if we leave it will just keep following us. So there's no escape nor alternative, so there's only an outcome: they stay inside their homes, and hope that that night they aren't attacked by the Beast, and still they will have only one alternative that is defend themselves if they really don't wanna die, with the only difference that THEY or their families might not have a chance against it, while the whole Warrior-Priests, together like brothers and sisters will have each other backs and slay the Beast.

I say we should really push their unity and try to make them see how things could develope if they stay cowards.
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>>5471449
I don’t think we should tolerate cowardice, and force the cowards on a pilgrimage or else lose their religious status as priests.

Also, the trap would be the cowardly action, so I wouldn’t know how we role play it and still retain the courageous nobility of the priesthood.
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>>5471451
Warriors lay traps all the time. Romans were all about fortifications and maneuvers.
Just rushing in will get a lot of brave man killed, since our people only have hides and rocks.
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>>5471455
I guess it would make more sense for the Bloodline Daughter to bring this up, and have it be associated with the Trickster God.
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>>5471449
Besides what I've already said, I agree with the thought of "This is a mortal problem". And the Justiciar WAS supposed to be it's own thing within the warrior priests.

>>5471451
But in this small clan we lead, getting bloodied but ultimately winning would destroy any and all political or spiritual clout the cowards have. As for the black and white thing. It's not like the Scarlet Snake is the embodiment of all good and the Star Serpent is the embodiment of all evil, one is merely good and the other is merely evil. Just as a man can be good or evil, so too can the snakes even if they are still gods.

>>5471454
I prefer the hunt myself. It seems more in line with martial culture I want to instill.

>>5471455
Ehhh they more liked just using their heavy infantry to bully everyone else instead of being crafty. It's part of the reason that Hannibal was able to trick them so often.
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>>5471454
I my opinion the cowardly option would be to hide, run away or try to appease the beast, and any option to fight it would be courageous. Like, I don't think it would matters that much if the monster got tangled in webs, or got mobbed by a bunch of people at once, since in the end it was confronted
I'm struggling to think of a great hero, general or warrior that didn't use guile to win, but just ran in and beat people. Even Hercules did some crafty things.
I'm not being sarcastic about this, if there's one I would like to learn about them. History and mythology is fun.
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>>5471458
The roman civil wars were amazing. They had fort and wall offs all the time.
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>>5471454
>Also, the trap would be the cowardly action
I don't think so. There's a narrow line between cowardice and wit:

Just hide/run from the problem, and wait for the enemy to down their guard to make a nasty attack: cowardice, trying to avoid any confrontation like the coward warrios says (pray for the Red Snake to save us, inaction, use their high status to safe themselves) everything so they are out of harm, even being fearful to doing their Vision quests

Lay low, using our inteligence and the assets/technology we have to gain an edge against a dangerous beast with many natural advantage and going straight into the enemy: wit and courage. Unfortunally the Warrior-Priests that actually want to fight are a minority, but still since we make them there has being a direct role for them: guard their people from physical and spiritual danger. The people are more than right to be angry against the cowards, their first line of defend only to be trying to make nothing or using their status to save themselves.
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>>5471449
Ok, so RP would be a division between the majority and the minority, with the male bloodline advocating on courage and action on behalf of the minority, consolidating power into a priest-king. Meanwhile, the majority advocate for tricking and trapping the monster, with the bloodline female being the heir apparent for their cause, being the only elite to support their cause.
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>>5471458
I see you’re point.

>>5471460
Achilles just ran in and beat up people.
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I just had a thought.
>what if it is feeding its young? What if more of them come?
What if this is right? I think we actually should do both the trap and the hunt. Kill the monster that attacks, and then lead a hunt to find it's lair.
That way, the people would be safe from being preyed upon while the warrior-priests and the hunters try to track down the source of the beast.
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>>5471461
Yeah there was a big use of forts and the like but trickery and guile? Most of that was Caesar and he was quite the outlier.

>>5471462
A fair enough observation

>>5471464
No, I'd like instead for them to work towards:

>>5471468
This fair compromise. The cowardly warrior priests should be driven out for they possess neither wit nor bravery.
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>>5471468
That was the original intention with my ‘wound and follow the beast to it’s lair via bloodtrail.

I think the comprise would be to do both. Make a trap the wounds the beast, then track and hunt down the wounded beast to it’s lair. In the process, the minority conspires to install the male hier as king, and purge the cowardly tricksters from power, which said purged (not dead) rallying around the female bloodline.
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>>5471408
>in the light of the two moons
A brief detail that I have neglected to mention up until now is that when I randomly generated our planet, it has two moons and a ring (like Saturn).
Here's a mockup I made a while back from a few different assets.
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>>5471475
I can see us naming the two moons after the Snake Brothers.
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>>5471467
Oh yeah, that he did, thanks anon. For some reason I was thinking that he had a hand on the Trojan Horse, when it was Odysseus and he was only involved in being on the same side.
I never understood why he was always called brave. Is it really bravery to go to war if you know that you are (mostly) invulnerable? He should have been banned for cheating in a PvP server.
>>5471473
To be fair, I also had a similar idea before
>and the warriors may be able to kill or hunt down the beast.
But I'm adding that even if the manage to kill it, a hunting party should still be made to find the lair.
>>5471475
Two moons, just like the two snakes.
The Twin Coiled faith deepens
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>>5471475
In addition to this, with one of my player's specializing into moon worship/moon magic, here's a moon phase chart detailing the two moons and their appearances in the sky.

That's essentially 24 unique combinations of their phases:

Double Full Moon
Double Waning Gibbous
Big Last Quarter, Small Waning Gibbous
Big Waning Crescent, Small Last Quarter
Big New Moon, Small Waning Crescent
Big Waxing Crescent, Small Waning Crescent
Big First Quarter, Small New Moon
Big Waxing Gibbous, Small Waxing Crescent
Big Full Moon, Small Waxing Crescent
Big Waning Gibbous, Small First Quarter
Big Last Quarter, Small Waxing Gibbous
Big Waning Crescent, Small Waxing Gibbous
Big New Moon, Small Full Moon
Big Waxing Crescent, Small Waning Gibbous
Big First Quarter, Small Waning Gibbous
Big Waxing Gibbous, Small Last Quarter
Big Full Moon, Small Waning Crescent
Big Waning Gibbous, Small Waning Crescent
Big Last Quarter, Small New Moon
Big Waning Crescent, Small Waxing Crescent
Big New Moon, Small Waxing Crescent
Big Waxing Crescent, Small First Quarter
Big First Quarter, Small Waxing Crescent
Double Waxing Gibbous

Assuming a three-month cycle, four times a year, then each year there's about 12 full Big Moons, like our real moon's cycle, and thus about six small Full Moons, and four Double Full Moons a year.

Just flavor for the world, for those curious. Now I have to parse through all this dialogue you've had to figure out what we're doing in reaction to the random events.
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>>5471477
Nothing states that the snakes are brothers and, now that I think about it, that they're both male. And I think it detracts from their earthlyness to name a celestial bodies after them.

>>5471482
Now that's some deep flavor.
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>>5471482
>moon magic
How do we unlock magic? Is it from the tech tree? A random event? Player actions?
I want to get divination, for the full Rome experience.
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>>5471486
Player here. You'll get it when you get it. There will be a "eureka" moment at some point, and you'll begin unlocking magic.
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>>5471486
>Is it from the tech tree?
Yes.
>A random event?
Yes.
>Player actions?
And yes (eventually, after certain technological and society conditions are met).
Unlocking all of the tech in a tier grants a bonus to magic (in other words, an advancement in a school of choice after all Tier 1 techs are unlocked, Tier 2, etc.) Society also comes with, in addition to other things, a magical boost. Some techs on the tech tree later on will allow for the studying and advancement of magic to be a player action.
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>>5471480
Myth-wise, he went to war to No or his duties even though he knew it would kill him via prophecy. I think he was just very brave in general, and so good at fighting in combat unscathed that the soldiery believed him to be invulnerable (until that faith Achilles heel finish him off).

>>5471482
Neat

>>5471485
Nothing states they aren’t either, and I honestly would think that over the generations, people would associate the joining of the two bloodlines (Serpentgirl and Traveler) into one as the God’s bond being familial in nature.

Also, naming our only two lunar celestial bodies after the two snake gods, one of which is literally a Star Snake that came down from the heavens, isn’t as far fetched or unearthly as it seems. I am open for other suggestions though.
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>>5471501
Ah, so that give an incentive to just not rush a branch of the tech tree.
I like it.
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>>5471505
>war to do* his duties
>until that faithful Achilles heel
Fucking autocorrect.
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>>5471506
Just know that we didn't know some of this in the early goings of the game where you're at right now, so you've got a bit of a meta-advantage with this knowledge. Do with it what you will, but at least try and be authentic about how your civ develops.
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>>5471507
I understood you anon, no worries
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>>5471505
>Nothing states they aren’t either
Then you have proof to your assertion. And "serpent girl" had nothing to do with the Star Serpent beside being it's victim. And yes the Serpent came from the heavens but how does that translate to it being one of the moons?
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>>5471508
Well, we were planning on getting abstract art and burial rituals next to make society, so we would end up learning about it soon enough.
>>
Okay, after parsing through ALL of that, I'll proceed with something along the lines of, "The brave warrior-priests will defy the cowards and set a trap; after the beast is lured in, it will be either killed or chased to its lair to finish it off. Afterwards, settling the matter of those who refused to take action will be done."

Writing now.
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>>5471508
It’s why I’m trying to RP.

>>5471511
>And "serpent girl" had nothing to do with the Star Serpent beside being it's victim
You have to proof your assertion :^)

In all seriousness, I think the mythos would eventually see these events with more symbolism, the girl representing the Star Serpent, the traveler as the visionary Red Serpent, and their unified bloodline as indication (right or wrong meta-wise) as them being brother gods, similar to Thor and Loki. This would be our founding Romulus and Remus mythos.

As for the moons, it wouldn’t be the serpents turning into moons, but our Romans merely honoring them by naming the two largest celestial bodies after them.
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>>5471518
It's lair should be investigated regardless of it being killed or not.

Also wasn't there a consensus to demoting the cowards?
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>>5471519
>>5469903
>During one such stargazing event, one of your people becomes possessed by a supernatural entity, possibly the same one seen above. With her eyes glowing white, she proclaims herself to be the Snake God, the one who coils around the stars themselves, and demands your worship. The Snake God has taken this female mortal's form to receive your adoration and tribute.
One of our people. You have no evidence that she was anything but a normal woman.

You are also way too fond of your own brother gods idea.
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>>5471521
I think that's what will happen, but after the beast is dead.
But I agree on trying to find the lair whether the monster dies or not.
>>5471519
Agreed, RPing a nation is fun.
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>>5471523
He means that the details would eventually get muddled, not that it's the truth.
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>>5471519
And I mean that you are too fond of it despite how antithetical the behaviours of the snakes are to each other. One was good and one was evil, one tried to repent and the other tried to do the same evil. If something comes up that fits with the brother myth then I would be more than happy to go along but this just doesn't fit.

>>5471525
Didn't seem like it.
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>>5471528
I personally prefer the Snake Zoroastrianism, and while I think it's a bit of a stretch, he did mention the mythos being reinterpreted though symbolism and time here. >>5471519
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>>5471518

In the day, the warrior-priests work with the best weavers to develop a strong net. Your people work diligently, as fast yet as competently as they can, to ensure its size and strength. It shall be weighted down by large stones woven into its perimeter. By the time of the setting sun, the net is complete, and a place is chosen for the trap's placement.

All that remains now is for the bait. Many suggestions are made; fish, animal meat, but the grandson of the hero of the second age steps forward, offering himself as bait. He points out that the beast hasn't come for fish or animal meat, but for the flesh of man. He will make himself bait for the trap, for though there are others around him who are brave and will help trap and fight the beast, it is he who will take the ultimate risk.

There is no time for further deliberation, and so the trap is set into motion. In the night, the grandson waits in the darkness, with the others hidden nearby, ready to spring into place with the net. Armed only with stones, they wait in tense silence.

A flapping of wings and a growl from above is all the warning there is. The beast strikes, darting down to attack the grandson. He lets out a cry, one of both warning and defiance, as he raises his stone in hand to greet the beast. The others leap into action, throwing the net atop them, and bashing with their rocks. The monster struggles as it takes the savage blows from your people, but unfortunately it uses its claws and teeth to escape from the net, carrying the grandson in its jaws. It tries to fly away, but its wings are wounded, and so it bounds.

Your people give chase, following the trail of blood, the scent of the beast, the thick trail it leaves in the brush, and the ferocious cries of the still-living grandson. When the sounds cease, your people come upon a clearing, where a somber sight is discovered: both the beast and the grandson are dead. He died lodging his rock down the throat of the creature, his own wounds too severe to endure.

As the beast perished before reaching its lair, your people know not where it is, or if the fears of it having young have any basis. All that is known is that when the beast fled on foot, it fled towards the southwest.

Both the man and the beast are brought back home.

>...

With the death of the creature, the fears of the people are pacified, but faith must be restored in the warrior-priests. The cowardly warrior-priests must now be dealt with. Shall they be removed from their position? Exiled? Punished in some way? Sent on some task? What manner of reform shall be made?
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>>5471523
>You have no evidence that she was anything but a normal woman.
Except that she was possessed by the Star Serpent. It’s literally the same with the Traveler, we wouldn’t know he was important if the QM did explain him as a hero unit.

I also think interpretations would change thought the generations via oral tradition. We have no way of keeping records beyond stories, and no way of these characters knowing that the Star Snake just picked a host at random. They’d apply symbolism to make more sense and make it more entertaining, and through the generations distort the truth into myth. Thinking they’d have a rigid history of their founding is faulty logic.

>>5471528
Again, you assume these people would see this as binary good/evil from their actions, but I think they’d take a more symbolic view, and see their connection as familial due to the two competing bloodlines (First gen) combining into one over generations of retellings.
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>>5471537
>>5471528
>>5471523
>>5471524
>>5471525
>>5471519
Alright, alright, the point's been made; there's no reason for anyone to get too ahead of themselves. Religion, like government, magic, tech---all of these things will develop in time, and hopefully mostly organically. This is long-form and things are meant to start off simple and become more complex over time. Let's just focus on the now for now.
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>>5471534
>Removed from their positions, and forced to make a trial of redemption. They are to explore the south-west, to find the beast’s den and deal with it permanently. Only after proving themselves in atonement will they be allowed back into the fold of the priesthood.
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>>5471525
>He means that the details would eventually get muddled, not that it's the truth.
It seems it's both.

>>5471537
Bah, it's both still within living memory and you put too much emphasis on a flimsy connection between the divinities and the bloodline. One divinity protected and fed our people in penance and the other terrorized and tyrannized them in pursuit of the same evil the other repented for, they couldn't be more dychotomous.

>>5471534
I'd just remove them but maybe that's too boring? hmm.
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>>5471534
The cowardly priests will be removed from their position, and must go on a penance quest.
They will be barred from going on a vision quest again to regain their position.
Reorganize the priesthood into the Pontifex, the proper warrior-priests, who must constantly train and be ready for battle; the Epulones who will focus on the faith, ritual and festivals; the Flamens, who will focus on being justicars, upholding justice and order; and finally the Rex, who will oversee the other groups to ensure that they will not falter on their ways like the cowardly priests did.
The grandson will be honored. Twice now his kin has saved the people. If there is a descendant from the hero lines, and succeeded a hero quest, they shall be the Rex.
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>>5471541
Yes, their penance quest will be to explore the south-west.
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>>5471544
I didn’t say they believed it now mate, and I don’t think they’d believe in a Good vs Evil dichotomy until Christianity comes around. We’re playing as pre-Romans, not late-Romans. A Greek-esk Pagan Pantheon is more likely to develop.
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>>5471546
Now, I do have some thoughts on this, however---I feel it is too early in this society of still hunter-gatherers to have so many titled positions. Jumping from having none to having one is fine, but jumping from having one to several at once doesn't work for me. With each other civ I have allowed the introduction of specialty classes typically one at a time, usually coinciding with either a random event allowing the advancement of government, a player action of government organization, or a tech like Society which unlocks higher tiers of governance and itself leads to things like agriculture, which is also where hunting and gathering stops being a thing.

To be clear, I don't see anything wrong with your suggestions, but I think it's too early for them. I don't rule anything out, given enough time. Just give it some time, let things grow organically, it's worked for the other twenty civs I'm monitoring in this game and it'll work for this one as well.
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>>5471544
>>5471549
Ok you two, no more fighting, before we scare Damashi with our autism.
>>5471546
This reform might be too complex, given that we don't have society and QM wants things to be more natural
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>>5471544
Also, it’ll be a mixing of truth and myth. I don’t believe the Star Serpent is actually the Red Seprent’s brother, I just think our civ would make the connection to make it more entertaining, engaging, and relatable.
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>>5471554
Kay kay, I’m willing to drop it.
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>>5471553
I think we can just create the Rex position, someone to oversee the warrior-priests and make sure they aren't fucking up for now.
Time for a priest-king.
I still want to rename them to Pontifex though.
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>>5471549
>I didn’t say they believed it now mate
Fair point, my mistake.

But you've got the completely wrong mindset imo. Im not laying things out like this because I want to make it like christianity nor should you be trying to make it hellenic pagan. Im working with what has transpired, not trying to emulate our own world. This "we're playing romans so a pantheon should happen" is the wrong way to do things.

>>5471554
No, I loik foighting.

>>5471555
And I think it'd be dychotomous to make it more engaging, exemplary and principled

>>5471559
This, I support you.
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>>5471559
Unless having two positions is aso bad. In which case there's no reforms to be done then, just keep going until we unlock society.
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>>5471534
+1 to >>5471541

I want to believe that we could tame the offspring if there's any, but idk if there's a specific Tech path for that and any try will be bad.

Also, I think we should make the Courageous Warrior-Priests to decide for a leader for their group that will train the future Warrior-Priests and uphold their duty and values.

Also, if the grandson/granddaughter of the Hero is not the Warrior-Priests Chief, he/she should be the actual voice of the whole village.

The Hero's Grandson will recieve a place in the Altar, with a figure of him on top of the Beast Hide for his sacrifice and his ultimate victory over such a dangerous enemy
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>>5471569
>The Hero's Grandson will recieve a place in the Altar, with a figure of him on top of the Beast Hide for his sacrifice and his ultimate victory over such a dangerous enemy
We should make our next tech burial rites, to represent the people starting to honor their recently dead.
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>>5471562
>This "we're playing romans so a pantheon should happen" is the wrong way to do things.
Wasn’t using that logic, but I’ll drop it.

>>5471576
I think that’ll be a good progression desu.
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>>5471576
This was a support that idea.
I like the idea of our people carving little figurines of their dead and putting in the temple to remember them. A bit of ancestor worship I guess.
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>>5471541
>>5471547
>>5471569

The cowardly warrior-priests, stripped of their positions, are given the task of a forced redemption: traveling southwest to find the lair of the beast. If they do not retain, their fate will be to remain in exile, or death. Any who do return must bring proof; or lead a remaining warrior-priest back to the lair to verify its discovery.

And so they set out. In time, a portion of their group returns, only to report that they discovered the lair of the beast. It does indeed have children, perhaps two or three, nesting in a cave on the peninsula to the south. When questioned as to where the others went, they attempted to attack the children of the winged lion, but were killed. The others have crawled back on their hands and knees, pleading for their lives; even if they are unworthy of the title of warrior-priest, they at least found the cave and will accept meager positions as gatherers within the community.

They are capable of leading others back to the cave, whereupon their story can be proven true; there are three winged cubs within; much smaller than their parent, but no less voracious and deadly.

When the question is posed as to why these monsters have come to lair so close to home (one hex southwest), when the red serpent god promised safety, a logical answer is divined: for four generations this place was devoid of the presence of your people, for you have ranged solely along the north-running river. These beasts simply moved in not far from where you live because it was, for lack of a better term, free real estate.

What will you do with the cubs? What will you do with the men who returned?
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>>5471585
Kill thecubs, they will become a danger, since they have dined on the flesh of people, and even now can kill fully grown man.
The priests that returned have completed their penance, and can become gatherers and members of the tribe once again.
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>>5471585
>What will you do with the cubs? What will you do with the men who returned?
They will be forgiven, but won't be Warrior-Priests. They will be under training and they will be given their status as Warrior-Priests once their brothers think they have learned from their mistakes and they fit for the role

For the cubs: I suggest maybe try and tame them, and if they're REALLY dangerous to even try and tame the three, we could kill them. But before we do anything I say maybe making a wall or something to make sure the cubs don't escape, a perimeter, tho they look really young for even venturing outside, but kitten do that often
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>>5471585
Have the bloodline train them. The Grandson died protecting us, so their penance shall be to take his place in his duties.

If that’s not possible, then there really is only one solution.
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>>5471585
>>5471593
Just to make clear, this applies to the cubs as well.

>>5471592
Support, it’s similar enough to mine.
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>>5471590
Know what? You're right, kill the cubs instead of what I said in >>5471592

I'm still down for trying to tame them, but if they killed grown adults (armed with rocks, but still) that means they're a problem, and we don't know if there's some sadistic taste in them for Human meat, but for their mother always hunting us it looks that it is. Maybe if it was only 1 ir won't be that risky, but three are a huge deal
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>>5471592
>>5471593
You really want to try to tame predators of men? Before our tribe even knows how to tame herbivores?
>>
I'll be honest, if we had domestication as a tech I would have voted to try and tame them. This is a bit of a meta choice.
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>>5471602
If’s it’s the bloodline, yea. Tbh though, I don’t know why else we would be allowed the the choice of what to do with them otherwise, and we already threw the dragon eggs in the river. I assume it’s a hint.
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>>5471602
They are cute! Look at the pic!

But yeah no, after your post I think it could be a trouble to tame the three.

But if Damashi could clarify if we need to investigate domestication to even trying or having a chance to sucess, it would be nice
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>>5471614
Moonman supported my french frogs idea. I'm truly honored.
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>>5471614
Woah! Hey Moon Man! Thanks for the wisdom. Blessings of the Scarlet Serpent upon your house.
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Oh no, the Star Serpent ate the Moonman! We must have our revenge!
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>>5471625
Maybe later, for now I think it's best that we delight in the mere fact that we could be here to receive the wisdom at that moment. We should keep quiet.

OP your secret is safe with me, at least.
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>>5471628
Very well, the time of the Augurs will come one day, but for now, it must remain a secret.
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>>5471590
>>5471592
>>5471597
>>5471600
>>5471611
>>5471613

After attempts are made to capture and utilize the animals, it becomes clear that they are too wild to tame. Thankfully, no further men are killed, though no small amount of scratches and bites are sustained. Best to put them down before their wings fully develop and they become truly uncontrollable. Perhaps one day such a thing can be accomplished, but it is not this day.

Faith is restored in the warrior-priesthood for this age. The ones who returned are allowed positions within society, but none of them attempt to regain their former station.

>...

What shall be our player action for the age?
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>>5471632
We should make it so the Hunters and Gatherers go to our "safety hexes" around our village, the Hunters go first doing the job to see if they're still safe from any other Monster, and then the Gatherers go si that they aren't any free real state
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>>5471632
Explore these tiles, in this order. I don't know how many we are allowed to do at once, so feel free to cut it off at the limit.
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>>5471631
Indeed. And for now, we wait and watch.

>>5471585
Curveball thought, the Red Serpent was not wrong. These cubs could be useful but not as mundane tools of safety. Maybe we don't kill the cubs, but instead invoke the star serpent to claim them as his avatars upon this plane.
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>>5471635
Also damn, I wasn't here to read the wisdom of Moonman
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>>5471635
That's a better idea actually, let me amend my vote
>>5471636
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>>5471636
An exploration player action, at this time, allows for only one tile.
Further tiles can be revealed through random events, and future techs will allow for exploring more than one tile per action, like Pathfinding which comes after Advanced Foraging, and there are other techs afterwards that allow for per-age revealing of the map around you; following the techs of writing allows the creation of maps which mechanically serve that purpose.
But for now, each exploration action serves only one hex. There is a chance that a random encounter can occur on each hex we visit, and those could also potentially reveal more around us, but that's random as well.
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>>5471642
Huh, so we can't really explore the surrounding of our home.
Guess I'll vote to explore that forest tile to the east of the river then.
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>>5471635
I support this. We have too much of our border undefended and frankly just sitting there as terra incognita.

>>5471637
And fuck, too late. That's what I get for sitting around typing but I see that's not the popular consensus anyway.
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>>5471642
In that case, I vote we explore this one.
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>>5471642
In that case, I say we should explore and expand our activity to the tile to the right, next to the Beast Nest.

Exploring tiles is just an action for the moment, but does this kind of action it still affect the last one where we make a focus on the Swamp? Not of making a new settlement, but I mean that if we give our attention in another tile aside from the Swamp ones, do the Swamp tiles turns into free state or no?
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>>5471649
It's also a nice option honestly, not bad
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>>5471649
This is the tile I was talking about here by the way
>>5471646
>>
>>5471652
>but I mean that if we give our attention in another tile aside from the Swamp ones, do the Swamp tiles turns into free state or no?
No, once we explore a hex, unless a danger is present, our people are assumed to roam within those lands, hunting and gathering and such.
>>5471646
>>5471649
>>5471653

Very well then. Directly north of our home, deeper into the forest, there is a section where the forest gives way to deposits of natural stone; granite, specifically. But there is more to it than that; it seems that a chunk of metal has fallen from the sky here, leaving chunks of meteoric iron embedded across the land of this hex.

However, whilst exploring the deeper regions of this forest hex, we happen upon a random encounter.

A strange creature is glimpsed. At first, it seems as though part of the forest has come to life, as though a shrub is moving on its own, but it is revealed to be the wild green main of an emerald-skinned girl, standing some four feet tall, thin and lithe, with bright eyes and a lustrous smile. She is collecting butterflies, it seems, and dancing amongst the flowers.

When approached, she vanishes from sight, but then appears behind one of the hunters. She laughs at their surprise, and dances around them, walking upon the thinnest branches of a tree as though they were a tightrope and giggling all the while, apparently having no end of fun in playing hide and seek and dancing out of their field of view.

She says not a word, beyond her laughing and smiling, before eventually vanishing altogether and not reappearing.

Your hunters bring the story back, but few believe them. But there is something, perhaps a group of somethings, living in those woods...
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>>5471660

Another age passes. The granddaughter of our first hero has a single son, named in honor of her deceased cousin who died killing the winged lion.

We now proceed to the tech choice at the end of this age.

Tier 1
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost)

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
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>>5471660
Maybe we should tell anyone that goes in that part of the woods to bring a small offering, like some grapes, turnips or nectarines.
Got to be a good neighbor with we plan on making use of that tile
>>5471663
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost)
Do like this anon said
>>5471569
Small figurines of the deceased to be brought to the temple to be blessed, and then brought back home. A Memento Mori if you will.
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>>5471663
What's up with these low birth rates? Or is almost every child dying before adulthood? That makes a lot of sense actually.

Anyway
>Burial Rites
I want to basically follow this >>5471234
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>>5471663
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost
It looks like for the moment we're out of danger, unless we get unlucky with another event
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>>5471671
>Or is almost every child dying before adulthood? That makes a lot of sense actually.
Correct. Life expectancy is currently very short. The overall length of an "age" is subject to intentional vagueness, but it's essentially a generation or two long.
Advances in technology and magic will allow for greater quality of life and with it longer lifespans.
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>>5471666
Oh, and the figurines of the Hero and the Grandson should stay at the temple.
Something simple, that could be whittled by someone with a sharp rock. This image is a bit too complex, but it's only to give the idea.
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>>5471671
Birthrates are low until society and food surplus producing techs. Once we move on from just subsistence gathering and hunting, people will have more time for babymaking
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>>5471676
Agriculture, domestication and early medicine are going to be game changers.
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>>5471674
Well natural (half)human life expectancy is pretty good, biggest issue is not dying during childhood. That's why life expectancy figures from the past are the way they are, not because most people died in their 40s or 50s.
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>>5471663
>>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)

As sweet as getting to society already would be, I get the feeling that we're still more or less undefended as a society. And if the random encounter of a winged-lion was more high end for us, I think we should get strapped before winding up in some "Get off my lawn" situation from some random encounter.
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>>5471682
Do not underestimate the rock
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>>5471680
>Well natural (half)human life expectancy is pretty good, biggest issue is not dying during childhood. That's why life expectancy figures from the past are the way they are, not because most people died in their 40s or 50s.
Yes, I'm familiar with that, I boned up a lot on anthropology prior to my reboot of this game. Regardless, lives still run comparatively short compared to what will come in the future. As for the bloodline mechanic, my generator does favor fewer children (which is to say, it's weighted that having a single child is more common than two, two more common than three, etc.)
I'm not really interested in keeping track of how many children someone has that don't make it to adulthood; if they are generated by my system, they'll have made it to adulthood within their age and if they survive by the end of it will have the next generation generated at that time.
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>>5471663
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost)

I liked anon's idea.
>>
Train the cubs to hunt with us.

Domesticated manticores sounds cool as fuck
>>
Blades tools
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>>5471663
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)

>>5471675
Carve carvings and sing songs of our heroes! Make art recording their deeds!
Maybe art can impress the woodwomen?
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>>5471663
>Burial Rites (Leads to Society) (Culture Boost)
It must be.
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>>5471632
Next time that there realistically is only one option available to us, don’t have it be an open write in, alright?

>>5471663
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)

But seriously, what’s our tech plan for the future? We should start planning it out rather than it being hodgepodge.
>>
>>5471993
I had a plan here
>>5471234
And I'm still trying to more or less follow it, even knowing that filling an entire tier gives us more magic.
The only reason I'm picking burial first than art is to give the Grandson and the Traveler something worthy to be remembered by.
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>>5471993
>Next time that there realistically is only one option available to us, don’t have it be an open write in, alright?
Not sure what you mean by this, player actions are intentionally open-ended by design. While I personally feel that Exploration is weighted disproportionately in the early ages, as it fills out the map around a civ and allows for more possible random encounters, players are afforded the opportunity to do whatever they please within reason and technological limitations. Past actions have included, but are far from limited to: Attacking, Defending, Stockpiling, Building, Breeding, Worshiping, Governing, Repairing, Modifying/Enhancing/Refining, and more. In my story-driven quests I always list out about four options for the character to do and include an "Other" option, but that isn't how I see this; I'll always ask "What is our Player Action for this age?" and when we get more I'll ask, "What is our first Player Action?" and so on, just as I'll always ask "What is our reaction to these events?" in response to the random events.

>>5471666
>>5471671
>>5471673
>>5471762
>>5471904

Burial Rites it is. As our people grow and survive, as ages of our blood come and go, a greater understanding of our place in the world begins to form, and with it the concept of the soul, the afterlife, and the transition between begins to emerge, particularly in the wake of such significant death as in an age such as this. For pure flavor, what form do our earliest burial rites take? Burial mounds? Cremation? Setting a body out to sea? Individual graves, familial plots, cemetery grounds? Please discuss.

>>5471666
>>5471675
>Small figurines of the deceased to be brought to the temple to be blessed, and then brought back home. A Memento Mori if you will.
I would allow this if Abstract Art were taken. A possible addition to whatever burial rites we establish in this age.
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>>5472040
I'm going for urns. Cremate our dead, and put their ashes in these little huts and keep them in a family plot behind the house.
If making the urns look like urns is too much without abstract art, then they can be normal ones, and we can upgrade to hut-urns when we get it.

>I would allow this if Abstract Art were taken. A possible addition to whatever burial rites we establish in this age.
I'm planning on abstract art in the next age, so I think it would be a good addition.
>>
>>5472051
urns look like huts
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>>5472040
>Exploration is weighted disproportionately in the early ages, as it fills out the map around a civ and allows for more possible random encounters, players are afforded the opportunity to do whatever they please within reason and technological limitations.

So I've been meaning to ask and this reminds me, have any of your Civs sought an exclusively nomadic existence yet?

Also for burials I'm going with cremations also, placing the ashes and bones in urns, but burying the urns in large specific necropolis fields. Like the Urnfield culture of bronze age Europe.
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>>5472040
I was referring about what to do with the winged cubs. If we couldn’t train them, then the only realistic choice was to kill them. Everywhere else, write ins are fine, it was just that specific situation that irked me.

Family shines, and I think a Viking funeral for heroes would be nice.
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>>5472064
>I was referring about what to do with the winged cubs. If we couldn’t train them, then the only realistic choice was to kill them. Everywhere else, write ins are fine, it was just that specific situation that irked me.
Ah, I see, my apologies; wasn't certain what you were referring to. For clarity in that specific situation, on my end the choice to try to train them resulted in me making a roll to determine if they kill any more men or not; it just so happened that they did not. The end result that occurred may have made it seem like there was no other option, but the chance of more people dying was at stake; it simply didn't turn out that way this time. I'll try to be more clear on it in the future.
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>>5472063
I didn't want to go for urn-fields, since the hut-urns are already what they did. So with the family shrines we could take inspiration without being a 1 to 1 copy
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>>5472063
>So I've been meaning to ask and this reminds me, have any of your Civs sought an exclusively nomadic existence yet?
I don't want to give away specifics as to who, but I would say that one particular civilization has designed itself around mobility and just last age packed up and moved their entire populace further away from an enemy.
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>>5472073
Hopefully they are not mongolians centaur starting a mass migration west, culminating in a different type of barbarians destroying the roman half-elves.
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>>5472040
Cremation + Urn it's fine for me, and a little of space in the huts like >>5472051 said.
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>>5472070
I respect that but I don't mind ripping off graveyards. Necropoli had good reasons for gaining popularity in many places.

I like the family interment shrines in the town, or someday city, but I worry they would get to be a chaotic situation involving relatively sacred ground present at each home; which would lead to land rights disputes when we reach the point of having to redevelop portions of the city.

I still think we can do ancestor veneration shrines at home like the Romans did, but the actual remains being present will make it far trickier to change internal policy in future generations. So that's why I was leaning to sacred internment spaces being centralized and outside the city.

>>5471686
Lol.
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>>5472202
I didn't want them to actually bury the urns, but keep them in their backyard.
So they could transport it if necessary.
But maybe there could be a necropolis, where older urns are buried? Like they only keep the urns up to their grandfather in the family shrine, but older ones get buried near a temple or a sacred place.
It would give time for our culture to develop the abstract art and statues, since each turn is one generation.
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>>5472229
I like the mix, considering they would revere the ones from living memory far more. And yeah I didn't think you implied burying them in the yard, I just thought each family's mausoleum might eventually get to be a liability.
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>>5472040
Personally I'd like individual plots in catacombs. Though hut-urns are also fine with me.
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>>5472051
>>5472063
>>5472099

Very well then, noted on our early burial rites rituals.

We now move onto the fifth age.

>...

Our population more than doubles from the previous age. Groups of half-elves, scattered throughout the land, follow the rivers to the lake adjacent to our home, joining with the next generation of children. Our prosperous growth is, however, interrupted when we are attacked.

Our current population for this age:

473 Children
285 Hunters
248 Gatherers
17 Warrior-Priests
1023 Total

Our random events this age are as follows:

1) For generations now our people have been following the river north to the sea through the swamp. However, recently, strange lights have seen in the distance of the bog, odd patterns of blinking and moving colors that vanish after being approached. This odd curiosity turned deadly when these lights began to attack our people, appearing in front of them and sucking the very essence of their life through a stream of light from their eyes and mouths. The victims shrivel up and perish, leaving a hollow body with no eyes behind.

2) It seems that history is repeating itself. Much as in the last age, when the appearance of the winged lion divided the warrior-priests, so too does the matter of these strange lights. Some warrior-priests advocate hunting them down, while others advocate forbidding anyone from entering the swamp. Others yet call for an attempt to appease these clearly angry spirits, while others claim that these lights were sent from the stars as another manifestation of the evil cosmic spirit.

3) Corrupt warrior-priests, using their position as spiritual shepherds and defenders of the people, take advantage of this climate of fear caused by the appearance of the strange lights to manipulate events to their favor. The warrior-priests in favor of hunting down the lights are persuaded to go out and attack them; this results in their deaths, as your stone tools are completely ineffective against these incorporeal foes. With the more adventurous warrior-priests dealt with, the remainder consolidate their power and influence over the people by convincing them that only they can keep the lights away from your home. They intend to use this to gather stockpiles of food, ostensibly to offer to the lights to keep them away, but in reality to enjoy for themselves. The great-grandson of the second age's heroic traveler, who was named after the one who killed the winged lion, and himself is a young aspiring warrior-priest on the cusp of earning his position, overhears the remaining warrior-priests discussing this. Having heard the tales of his mother about the difficulties with the cowardly warrior-priests of the past, this young warrior aspires to create actual, long-lasting change in his society, for something must be done before history repeats itself endlessly every time a threat is encountered.

What is your reaction to these events?
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>>5472299
Forgot picture.
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>>5472299
Make the bog a forbidden ares until the evil lights are purged.
The great-grandson will go on a journey to the forest, seeking the odd tree people that old stories have been told about. Perhaps they have knowledge of these monsters. He will bring gifts of fresh fruit to the grove. He will also meditate and pray to the Red Snake, and hope that he too, receives a vision that would be able to banish these spirits.
Also, he will seek the rock that struck his gret-grandmother and freed her from the control of the Star Serpent.
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>>5472299
>Reveal what we've heard the the public for discussion. Demand the Warrior-Priests prove that they can protect our homes. Have them all take witnesses - not friends or family of theirs - into the swamp and each 'protect' a temporary shelter. Meanwhile have the descendent of the heroic traveller take the other warrior-priests that did not advocate for forbidding entrance to the swamp and stockpiling food for themselves go and take the stockpiles of food to sacrifice in a ritual for guidance on how to solve this problem for real.

Yeah, that's all I've got. There are any number of ways to deal with this batch of corrupt priests but I don't think the general direction of how to deal with them is super in question. The real trouble is dealing with the mote-of-light spirits. I have some ideas of flavour for ideas on how to deal with them but no idea on what will actually work, so barring divine intervention or our sudden discovery of magic all I can think of is praying.
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>>5472319
That's why I want to petition the nymphs on how to deal with these will-o-wisps.
If the great-granson succeeds, i think he should take power. Twice now the warrior-priests have failed.
But before we have some way to damage them, there's nothing we can do, even if we had bladed tools, we wouldn't be able to hurt the things.
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>>5472299
Take tribute of nectarines, gold and woven goods to the residents of the forest and seek their counsel. That they know more of these matters is nearly assured.
>>
Interesting and well made thread, great job QM

>>5472299
Have the great-grandson spread rumors of the corruption of the warrior-priest's, and build support from there. Then he must go to the forest bringing valuable gifts to them and ask for their guidance/assistance in defeating the lights.
Once there is enough support have him denounce their corruption publicly and rally his followers against them.
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>>5472299
A combination of >>5472312 and >>5472319: send the corrupt priests into the swamp to test them, but instead of sacrificing food, to use it to try to bargain for help with the forest people.
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>>5472312
>>5472319
>>5472334
>>5472342
>>5472352
>>5472368

The scion of the heroic bloodline begins to tell others of what he has heard, and comes up with a plan to recruit the assistance of both his people and the strange fey beings that rumors have persisted about in the northern reaches of the forest. He plans to offer them a gift, a bounty of fruits and such, but in the midst of his planning the older and more influential warrior-priests catch word of his scheme and stop him.

Using their influence over the people, they decry him as fearmongering and smear his name, denying his accusations at every turn. They claim he is an upstart and that his bloodline has grown thin; he isn't to be listened to. They also deny the existence of the strange beings that reside in the forest; no proof of them beyond the words of a few whose judgements are easily questioned. Unfortunately the people believe the warrior-priests that he knows are leading them astray.

Determined, emboldened by the support of his mother and the burning desire to rid his people of these cowards, he prepares his gift and ventures off into the forest. He travels far north, where the forest grows thick, dark and old and calls out to them. He tries to leave his gift and wait, but nothing happens. No one appears; no magical dancing girl surrounded by butterflies whose laughter is like the wind manifests.

He returns home and is mocked widely for believing in the fairy tales. Shunned and with no help from his fellow people, he secludes himself, falling back on one final hope: receiving a vision much like his ancestor once did. In the ages since, warrior-priests have sought visions, and many have claimed to have had them, but in secret most of these were imagined, made-up or simply dreams. The scion focuses, trying as hard as he can to conjure whatever power may yet linger in his blood.

And his efforts are rewarded, for he does indeed receive a vision. Once, long ago, in a time forgotten, two factions made war on a scale the young warrior can barely imagine. Thousands upon thousands of men, serving at the behest of their masters, charged into battle, wearing armor that shined brightly and with blades of sharpened steel. They clashed, a display of brutality unlike any his people's simple hunters had ever experienced, a bloody conflict miles long. The dizzying vision places him in the heart of the battle, with the screams of dying men and ringing steel echoing in his ears. Then, there is a bright flash of light, and something sweeps across the land. Both sides are caught in it, wiped out of existence in a moment's notice, their arms and armor disintegrating along with them.
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>>5472601

What remains is an empty battlefield. A few lone survivors, stripped of their clothing and weaponry, pick themselves up, looking confused and lost, as though they know not where, or who, they are. They leave this place and begin to wander in small groups. As though he were standing amongst them, he spies one of them passing by a piece of metal on the ground, ignoring it in his confusion. The vision then seems to speed up; nature reclaims the land as grass and trees return, but the metal remains, covered loosely by dirt.

He awakens from the vision, experiencing a strong feeling of knowing just where this place was. He rushes from home and leaves the village, running northeast, into a part of the forest your people have never tread. Here he discovers a wide and open field; the ancient battleground. He searches furiously, digging into the earth with his bare hands for many hours in many spots, until at last discovering it: the only remnant that survived the blast that annihilated both forces, a single rusted shield.

Prying it from the earth, he gazes upon it as though it were a marvel beyond his reckoning, and it very well is. Whatever markings or emblems may have once decorated its surface are long gone, but the metal remains. He hefts it and, remembering the vision, slides it onto his arm. It feels right.

From this place, he sets out west, heading into the swamp. Once within its boggy borders, he prepares for the lights, and soon enough they arrive, blinking in and out of sight as they grow closer. He feels a chill grow up his spine as he hides behind the shield, waiting for them to strike, but not quite knowing what to do.

As it turns out, he can do nothing, for the shield has no effect on these spectral assailants. They surround him and paralyze him in a field of mist, preparing to feast upon his life essence. In this, what he believes to be his final moments, he curses his fortune and wishes he could say goodbye to his mother one last time.
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>>5472602

Then, suddenly, the lights stop. A strange sparkle of twisting energy shoots out from the forest, striking one of the lights and causing it to blink out of existence. More flashes come, killing more of the lights, and the paralyzing mist dissipates, freeing the young warrior. He falls to his knees and looks up as a veritable fighting force of green-skinned fey-like beings emerges from the forest, dancing upon leaves and the water's surface as they strike out and kill the lights, chasing them into the swamp.

A beautiful maiden, with eyes of rich amber and a smile warmer than the sun gently helps him to his feet. She explains that she is the one your people glimpsed long ago, when she was but a playful child, and she is the one who found the scion's gift and heard his plea for help. It took some time for her to convince her people, and even then they had their doubts, but when they saw him attempting to face the lights alone they were inspired and moved to action.

He is struck by the otherworldly and almost primordial beauty of the being before him, averting his eyes. She gently touches his cheek to turn his head to face her once more and asks what further assistance they can provide to your people.

>What do we ask of the forest-folk? What happens once the scion returns home?
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>>5472605
A joining of our two peoples, bond by marriage- our marriage, if I’m so bold.

The man returns to his village a hero, and cast’s out and purges the cowardly priests yet again. This time, it will be his line that rules the village, with the help and guidance of the warrior-priests.
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>>5472605

>>5472610
I'm supporting this right off the bat. It's the right move on a multitude of levels. The hero's return, not only triumphant but with powerful new unions would return the bloodline to its' rightful place.
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>>5472610
+1 there's need to be a higher position in our village aside from the Warrior-Priests, because it looks like each generation of these assholes get worst.
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>>5472622
Also, what if we implement a new way to fuck these kinds of traitors?

The abusive Warrior-Priests are going to wear white clothes/painting (if we can produce any paint at all) and they will lost all their prestige. Like the Sky Snake, they tried to decieve and lie to our people, and now they will turn essencially as slaves, doing the servitude for the people and the new rulling bloodline of the Traveler. They will have no vote nor choice because of their arrogance and betraying their people. At least the past generation was just cowards, but this one didn't act out of cowardice, they didn't have fear at all, they decided to do it because they can afford it and would let people die if the Will-o-Wisp problem grew or if any tried to do something by themselves
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>>5472605
Did you know that the Romans basically reproduced by integrating other peoples? Granted, they did it by conquest, but we're not literal Romans, so I support >>5472610
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>>5472605
>He ask for knowledge and wisdom. On how to protect his people from beings like the lights, and how to stop them from being led astray. Twice now the warrior-priests that meant to guide the people have become corrupt, instead of faithful.
>He promises an oath of friendship between his family and the forest folk. He will always make the journey to give offerings and thanks, never forget what she did for him. He asks a token of hers, to prove their existence and help, and to always remember her by.
>He returns victorious, with proof of not only of his success, but also of a true vision and the deeds of the forest folk. The people become enraged at the corrupt warrior-priests, and armed with his knowledge, wisdom and shield, he casts them down. He becomes the first Rex.
>He spread the word of the holyness of the forest people. They were from one of the safe tiles of Scarlet Serpent, and as such the nymphs will be know as his envoys.
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>>5472610
I also wanted for him to marry her, but I tried to be more subtle, with him courting her first.
>>5472637
>white clothes/painting
They are going to be naked
Also, here's a cool thing I found out the romans did
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sacer
The will be know as the accursed holy men. This will be their penance, they will continue to live in the tribe, but will have no rights.
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>>5472642
This is be our Rape of the Sabine Women, except instead of abducting them, it will be voluntary.
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>>5472655
So it's more like a Date of the Sabine Women (And Probably the Men Too)
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>>5472637
I think making them to dangerous but community-rewarding trials before being induced into the priesthood would solve some of the problems, it seems like there’s just no moral standards that they’re forced to uphold after they achieve the rank of warrior-priest.

>>5472653
Anon, if we’re not blunt, our hero be dead in the next age without our two peoples joining.
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>>5472610
>>5472620
>>5472622
>>5472642
>>5472644
>>5472653
>>5472662

With his heart in his throat, he asks for her hand, and she laughs. His heart is nearly broken by this, but she laughs not at the prospect, but at how surprisingly forward he is. She says that she knows him very little, but that he may return with her to her people to learn their ways and, in time, she may very well just accept such a proposal.

He agrees, and asks only to return to his people, asking for her to accompany him. She does so. Upon his triumphant return, he tells them the tale, showing the shield and speaking of how the lights will no longer haunt the swamp. With the evidence of his tale standing right alongside him, the village turns upon the conspirators within the warrior-priests and casts them from their position.

The scion prepares for his journey, says farewell to his mother with a promise to return, and travels with the girl back to her people, who live in the northernmost section of the forest which borders the sea. Along the way, he learns of her people as she tells him stories. For ages unknown they have lived within this forest, living off of all that it provides. The forestkin, as they call themselves, are some ancient merging of feyfolk such as spirtes and pixies and more traditional elves. They have a natural affinity for the magic of the natural world, as it comes to them like second nature, and seek above all else to live in harmony with the world. There is shared ancestry amongst your people and her own, with traces of elvish fey within both.

Her people are not very accepting of others. While amongst them, it takes time for him to grow accustomed to their ways. In time, as he learns to live as they do, running through the forests and listening to the heartbeat of the land, a deeper understanding and appreciation of both cultures for the other begins to develop. He earns a place amongst their kind, developing into a strong and capable leader.

When the time comes for him to leave and take his new bride with him, for over time their love did indeed grow, the forestkin pledge their friendship and support to his people, so long as a member of his bloodline endures. They do not wish to forsake their ancestral homeland and depart from it, but will be receptive of visitors, and will send visitors of their own to your people. Perhaps in time your two peoples may even reach greater heights of unity, but for now this will do.

>Mechanically, this is an allied community. Over time, provided relations do not sour and are actively improved upon, they will join with your people fully. Each age, there is a chance that some immigrants from a neighboring community will find their way to live with your people, and in the case of compatible species a chance that hybrids will arise.

The scion returns home with his new wife, ready to lead them into the future, and with the two twin children she has produced---a son and a daughter---the bloodline seems secure.
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>>5472605
Just caught up to the thread, loving this so far, Damashi!

>>5472610
Supporting this. More magical interweaving bloodlines will make our future nation strong.
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>>5472679
I wanted them to marry, but, something that he would do during this age, not as part of the favor he asks right now.
>He will always make the journey to give offerings and thanks
> He asks a token of hers ... to always remember her by.
I meant to mean he would continuosly journey there to court her until they fall in love.
It's not a "wait for the next age." but a "do it during this age"

But I'm not averse for him to just ask her out right now.
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>>5472691

During his time with the forestkin, he learned some of their magic.

Choose a school from the following list for your civilization to gain a rank in. A total of five ranks in any school of magic results in its total mastery and the ability to wield its most powerful spells, with the ranks being: Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert and Master.

>Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
>Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
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>>5472691
It worked out, nice
>>5472702
>Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
Some defense in case more intangible monsters appear.
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>>5472702
>Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
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>>5472702
>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
We can calm and domesticate all the animals easier with this, focus on our diplomacy game, and maybe we can create a permanent anti-corruption/coward enchantment that’ll help keep warrior-priests standards up.
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>>5472719
I think it's enchantment on the enchant a person meaning, not the enchantment of runes and crafting type, otherwise I would vote for it.
>>5472702
Damashi, could you confirm if that is indeed the case?
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>>5472724
Ah, that would make more sense now. Still, I think we should focus on our diplomacy game and get a head start on domestication.
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>>5472695
Oof missed it by that much.

>>5472702
>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)

We should start the early shift from hunting to the more long-term sustainable gathering. Ranching/Herding seems like a great way to go as >>5472719
this anon indicates. Plus whenever we get into trade and diplomacy this will give us an edge. Rome wasn't built in a day, boyos
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>>5472724
Correct, it's enchantment in the D&D sense of the school, which is to say spells that charm, manipulate, beguile, embolden, confuse, or otherwise alter the mental states of living beings. Due to a variety of sources using the term "Enchantment" to refer to creating magical equipment, video games and such, there's often confusion. Make no mistake, such a school of magic DOES exist in this, but it comes later as a specialized school (artifice) and requires some foundations in other schools of magic as well as technological development.
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>>5472702
>Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
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>>5472731
>>5472730
I'm worried if more intangible monster like ghosts show up. Some way to defend ourselves would be nice.
We can get agriculture and/or domestication in 3 to 4 turns, since it needs abstract art, society and bladed tools.
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>>5472702
>>Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
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>>5472733
Thanks boss.
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>>5472738
If we get started early and invest in food gathering early, we will grow faster. Plus, the chance we can turn enemies into allies would be a great boon.
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>>5472702
>Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
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>>5472707
>>5472715
>>5472737
>>5472719
>>5472731
>>5472741
>>5472767
Alright, looks like that's three for Evocation, two for Enchantment, and two for Illusion.

Evocation it is.

To be clear going forward, this does not mean that everyone in our civilization can do novice-level evocation magic. Magic, like any skill, is practiced by a minority within any given population. Some take to it naturally, others can train themselves, but most people live normally without it. Certain choices we make may influence the degree to which spellcasters, mages, wizards and such influence our society and how prevalent they are, but for the time being only a fraction of our people are capable of wielding magic.

Now then, one final question before we move on to the player action for the age; what shall our scion's leader role be called? King? Chief? Rex (suggestion from earlier)? Something else?
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>>5472781
Headman.

This is still a village, after all.
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>>5472781
Well, both King and Rex mean the same thing. Only one's in english and the other in latin and since we're inspired by the romans then might as well call it Rex.
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>>5472781
Rex (it means king in latin)
Or even Rex Sacrorum if we want to go for priest-king
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>>5472781
Considering our culture's inspiration is Roman, how about our leader acting like a classic dictator? In times of peace the clerics will guide the people but in times of crisis the heir of the heroic lineage will assume absolute power over our people.

Also Salvatore something that resembles the word savior in Latin would be the appropriate title for this leader.
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>>5472804
Fuck no. The Warrior Priest class has shown itself incapable of not being corrupt cowards. I say The Fey Layer calls himself King. Chosen by Forest, Fey and Serpent.
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>>5472781
Yeah, something like this >>5472804 sounds good.
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>>5472804
The most I'm willing to cede power to the Warrior-Priests (Pontifex) is letting them be a council that the King (Rex) rules over.
But he has the authority, and the warrior-priests are not a hereditary title, while his is.
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>>5472804
Salvatore could only be an epithet to this scion not the title for a monarch. Also no, every time shit has happened most of the warrior priests do fuck all and then a descendant of the traveler bails everyone out. Therefore, I don't see why the power of the descendants should be temporary and conditional.

>>5472819
Yeah, agreed.
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>>5472781
Princeps, which means "first in time or order; the foremost, the most eminent, the first man, first person"

Central concept in the Roman principate and the Imperial cult.
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>>5472809
100% this.
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>>5472804
Classic dictator sounds interesting, and the hero did want to reform society into something better. Making it so that the warrior-priests need to meet more demands (acts of bravery and maybe even pledge loyalty to the hero's bloodline) if they want to be part of it could help in that regard.
Besides, if we go down the monarchical route corruption will still be there, whether in the form of aristocrats or civil bureaucrats (though to be fair these are both problems for the future, but I'd like to have a class of people the hero's lineage can influence).

>>5472838
This also sounds good.
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>>5472787
>>5472803
>>5472809
>>5472841
Very well then, King, or Rex, it shall be.

What shall be our player action for this age?

By the by, I didn't mention it, but between our lands and the forestfolk was a hex that got filled in; stegosaurus herds roam there in the forest/swamp.
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>>5472937
Forgot map.
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>>5472939
stego's
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>>5472937
The new king will begin taking a more active role rule the people and overseeing the warrior-priests.
Perhaps create a council chamber, separate but nearby the temple so that the Rex can govern and solve their woes? It's probably still going to be just a large hut.
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>>5472939
I would say explore directly to the south
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>>5472948
Also, a reminder of suggestions that Damashi said we can do as the player actions.
>Past actions have included, but are far from limited to: Attacking, Defending, Stockpiling, Building, Breeding, Worshiping, Governing, Repairing, Modifying/Enhancing/Refining, and more

We could also start experimenting with the nearly gained magic too.

I don't know which to choose between governing, building the council chamber, experimenting with magic or just exploring, so I'll just leave these ideas here.
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>>5472937
We should have the Warrior-Priests, under the auspices and governance of the Rex, found a school of sacred study as part of the Temple of the Scarlet Serpent dedicated to understanding the divine and arcane powers we have begun to grasp.

Pic unrelated. I hope.
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>>5472937
Social reform. Bring greater cebtrakization of authority, and greater vetting of the warrior-priests. Make sure each warrior-priest proves themselves worthy in our ways and the ways of the forestkin, and make them perform a brave act and a generous act before they officially graduate to their position.
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>>5472974
Supporting this.
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>>5472974
Is it time for the Augurs, secret keepr? To follow the lost wisdom of moonman?
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>>5472974
+1 for the wizard school
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>>5472974
Fuck it, I'll join the bandwagon.
Besides, I suggested something similar, and I was there to learn the hidden knowledge.
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>>5472988
>>5472998
Should the auspices hold then all things will work in our favor, but I'm not spilling anything. All things in due course; the augurs are coming.
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>>5472937
I think we should try to consolidate our governance more, maybe even build a council like >>5472948 suggested?
Making sure the warrior-priests have better standards should be a priority.

>>5472974
We shouldn't trust the warrior-priests yet, I think we should make sure they can't repeat history before giving them any power.
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>>5473005
>We shouldn't trust the warrior-priests yet
But anon, we're in charge of them now. We purged the assholes and are recruiting and training anew, to purify their order.
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>>5473005
I think the new school would be more of rivals to the warrior-priests than giving them power.
Also magic was taught to us by the forestkin I hate that name, makes me think of foreskin and brought by the Rex, it's likely they would be more loyal to the bloodline.
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>>5473009
That's good, but I was hoping for a codified set of rules for people to be able to join the warrior-priests. I mean, the king won't always be alive forever to do it and I fear that warrior-priests might become a type of aristocracy and eventually try to usurp power.

>>5473016
I don't think that was what >>5472974 had in mind though, I see it as just giving the new warrior-priests power under our guidance and I fear that history will repeat with a new set of cowardly members (but this time with magical abilities).
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>>5472974 >>5472937
I don't think it should be a school so much as a thing that the King and his council do when possible.

Furthermore, the warrior priest as a position needs to be better filtered. There needs to be some kind of standard or test or requirement because they have failed their duties twice in a row now.
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>>5473005
I think I tried to cover that with "under the auspices and governance of the Rex." Yes, they clearly can't be trusted to rule and have to be brought to heel by someone, it might as well be the Rex with the sexy green wife.

Evocation is highly offensive magic, and they are warrior-priests. So really who better to be slinging the spells than the guys we already call our initiated caste.

>>5473022
Agreed and I was thinking a codified set of rules was very much part of the scheme here. It can't be a hereditary class, nor become an aristocracy. It's intended to be a school of the driven, bellicose, adept, and highly initiated members of society, so by definition it is intended to be a meritocratic process.
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>>5473022
Well, the school is founded a pasrt the temple, but since not everyone has the potential to learn magic, and studying probably takes times away from training, the members of this school wouldn't really be all warrior-priests themselves.
Since it would have been founded under the authority of the Rex, and he agreed with the Augur idea >>5473003, then I see it as separate things, clerics vs wizards kind of thing.

But I do agree that perhaps we should have a way to see if the vision quests are legit, since a big part of the corruption of the warrior-priesthood was that.
>>5472948
It's why my first idea was a governance action, and a council chamber.
Damn, all of this is reinforcing waht I said here
>>5472955
>I don't know which to choose between governing, building the council chamber, experimenting with magic or just exploring
>>
Ok, quick check for the ideas so far so we can think about it

Study magic, either with a new school, type of priest or a side thing

Spend time governing the people, overseeing the warrior-priests, reforming their trials and laws

Build a council chamber separate from the temple

Explore south
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>>5473033
Maybe we could make the school a type of induction class? What I want to avoid is potential nepotism on part of the warrior-priests, and allow only the bravest (those that passed trials, are passionate about it and are allowed under set conditions)
But talking about making a magic-school, if we choose to do that we ask some of the forestkin to come and teach us, for payment and gifts of course.

>>5473039
It's true that not all members would be warrior-priests, I just don't want them to have too much power so soon.
>we should have a way to see if the vision quests are legit
Yes, especially if we go down the route of making a school that teaches magic.

>>5473044
I still think we should consolidate first. We can focus on building the school later, but right now while the priesthood is under our complete control we should try to make sure the warrior-priests won't ever become corrupt again.
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>>5473053
Maybe we should consolidate this turn, and create the school on the next, if things stay stable.
>>5472998
>>5472937
>>5472948
Changing my vote to to spend the action governing and overseeing the warrior-priests. Some type of laws or reforms to combat corruption, validate the vision quests and regularly test them to see if they aren't slacking.
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>>5472937
>Explore South

Guys, we just went over this, we don't even have society tech yet, it is a bit soon for codifying laws and making a bunch of different hierarchical positions.
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>>5472937
I typically ignore civ quests anymore, saw your quest recommended and I have to say I'm not disappointed in the slightest.

>>5473084
Support, anons are getting ahead of themselves.
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Alright there's quite a bit to take in, so I'll offer a compromise and consider the scion/First Rex's final action in his story this age to be the act of government reform, and we'll also explore south.

Essentially, he'll position himself as Rex, and now that he has authority over the warrior-priests and can personally vet him, will act as a shield against corruption. He'll instill these values into his children, and ensure the warrior-priest's selection and duties are refined, also to act against corruption, perhaps by lessening their overall power and direct influence over the people, and perhaps elevating non-warrior-priests to positions of importance/authority. Overall a stronger sense of delegated duty and responsibility. It seems, based on the current goodwill of our relationship with the forestkin and the significance of our bloodline, that Rex will be an inherited title, for the time being.

As for the hex directly south of us, it is wide open land, plenty of fertile plains, a river running through it along with the southern tip of the lake, and partially forested, but overall empty with nothing significant upon it. (For clarity, my generator does allow for hexes to have nothing at all. It's not the most likely outcome, about 20% or so.)

So, with all that settled, let's move onto Tech for Age 5.

Tier 1
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
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>>5473090
>can personally vet him
can personally vet them*
Proofreading, Damashi, c'mon, get your head in the game.
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>>5473090
>>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
Finish Tier 1, and get started on society.
Glad to see the Rex isn't incompetent. It would have been weird if we built simple temples without architecture, created a tradition of vision quest without literature, but he couldn't oversee the warrior-priests without society
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>>5473090

>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)

finishing up teir one
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>>5473090
Huh...what was the supposed plan we apparently had again?

I guess for now I'll vote for Abstract Art with the intent to go for Society, since anons seem pretty eager to flesh us out as proper fantasy Romans.

Though personally I think it might be wiser to go for food boosting techs, maybe some stuff like clothing for protection as well. The point being to get a early-game boost to population.

Or we could go for pathfinding for the early exploration benefits.

>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
>>
>>5473090
>>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
>>
>>5473105
Society is important good for food too, since it unlocks domestication, and plus bladed tools unlocks agriculture.
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>>5473090
>Abstract Art (Leads to Art, Music, and Society) (Culture Boost)
That empty hex might be a good place to farm once we get Agriculture.
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>>5473105
Also, I found it
>>5471234
But maybe we should amend it to be
Abstract art -> Society -> Domestication -> Bladed Tools -> Agriculture
>>
>>5473098
>>5473099
>>5473105
>>5473108
>>5473110

I'd say that's pretty definitive. Unlocking each tech in a tier is awarded with a bonus rank in a school of our choice, from each of the nine basic or foundational schools of magic.

You got a taste of this earlier with the options in >>5472702, so our civilization possesses a rank in Evocation (one out of five).

Select one school out of the following list:

Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
Abjuration (Defensive magic that combats other magic; spells that negate, counter, bind, reverse or otherwise hamper magic users and magical beings.)
Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)
Transmutation (Twisting the physical nature of reality to transform substances into something else; spells that can alter objects and people to become something they were not previously.)
Conjuration (Spells that summon, to include summoning substances, creatures, as well as effects like moving the user like teleportation.)
Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
Necromancy (Spells dealing with the resurrection or animation of the dead; flesh and bones, as well as harnessing the life force of living beings for various purposes.)

These are the basic schools. More advanced schools will become available in time.
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>>5473124
Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
Fits well with the visions that are part of our society
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>>5473124
Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
>>
>>5473109
Yes, well, I was count agriculture in the 'food boosting techs'.

>>5473114
Sounds good to me. I forgot to mention in my last post, but with our discovery of magic I feel slightly less pressure to obtain weapons now that we have an alternative means of defence. Sure, most people can't use it yet and we are nowhere near mastery, but at this stage we don't really have to worry about armies clashing or large scale conflict beyond what a few magic-wielders could fend off with the help of warriors. This is the era of the raid, at least for civilizations, gods and monsters are a different deal entirely.

>>5473124
>Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)

As >>5473128 says, it fits with our whole vision quest thing. Though healing spells to help people live beyond childhood and deal with any soul fuckery from any monsters we encounter is tempting. I also kinda like the idea of us resurrecting or reanimating our past heros either for holiday celebrations or to rally society during momentous events where failure could result in calamity, could be a cool cultural knack.
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>>5473124
>Divination
>>
>>5473124
>Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
Making a school for Oracles sounds cool.
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>>5473124
>Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
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>>5472691
You seem to have a picture for every occasion, nice!

>>5472787
>>5472803
>>5472809
>>5472841
This reminds me how fucking proud the Romans were that they have no king, even when they had emperors...

>>5473124
>Divination
>>
>>5473240
Roman were massive hypocrites, it's just like they were proud of having no human sacrifices, but every triumph ended with the prisoners being executed in the temple of Jupiter, or how they claimed that every war they had was actually in self defense.
They had a king for some time, but then they overthrew the monarchy and started the republic. During the empire, they pretended that the emperor was actually just the most important citizen and that the senate was still in control.
>>5472838
Which is the princeps deal. There was also the whole imperium concept of absolute authority, that they gave to rome and the senate, but extended to the emperor. Or how imperator was a military title, but then it became exclusive to the emperor, and he didn't even to actually command a legion for it.
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>>5473124
>Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)

Considering divination has saved our asses on no fewer than two occasions already.
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>>5473343
Yeah I always had to give it to Augustus for having the absolute PR vision to go with a title that implies "first citizen."
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>>5473349
Yeah, he did what Caesar seemed to tried to do, being a king in all but name. The man knew how to maneuver politically without losing his popularity
He learned well from his grand-uncle, from both his successes ad his mistakes.
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>>5473240
>You seem to have a picture for every occasion, nice!
To be fair I made that on the spot and it isn't very good, lol
>>5473128
>>5473136
>>5473143
>>5473160
>>5473237
>>5473148
>>5473240
>>5473344

Very well then, Divination it is.

We proceed onto the 6th Age.

>...

Over the course of the last age, our people have begun proper divination rituals. The magic of divination, combined with the new Rex's vetting of warrior-priests, has resulted in a lack of corruption and those chosen for their position living up to their role. Some forestkin have come to live with us, curious about the ways of our people due to the first Rex's positive influence among them. In coming and going between our home and theirs, a path of quick navigation, or shortcut, is eventually codified.

Our population for this age:

899 Children
542 Hunters
471 Gatherers
20 Warrior-Priests
13 Forestkin
2 Half-Forestkin
1 Rex
1932 Total

Our random events for this age are as follows:

1) This age, a monument may be constructed by our people. It can take whatever form we desire, given reason and technological limitations. The form, purpose, and overall role in our society may be determined by us, from a statue to a temple to an open space of some variety, or otherwise.

2) A strange, pale and sickly-looking half-elf is spotted on the border of your lands and is investigated. He attacks one of your hunters, biting him and attempting to feast upon the hunter's blood. The other hunters manage to drive him off and he flees in the forest where his trail is lost.

3) Later that evening, as the Rex and warrior-priests discuss the report of the hunters, a strange chill makes its way into the village. A dark figure emerges, tall and thin, with white skin and red eyes, feminine in form and shrouded in mist. She identifies herself as the master of the "stray" that attacked your men. She explains that he was lost and confused and hungry, but that her "flock" has retaken him. She wishes for no more blood to be spilled between your people and her own, and came to deliver the message personally. When asked who or what she is, she replies that she was once just as you are, only now is something more. After promising that her people will not stray into your lands further, she warns your people not to hunt her or her other "children of the night," for her power is great and it is a fight you will not win. With that, she vanishes in a cloud of fog into the darkness and the chill goes with her.

What is our reaction to these events?
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>>5473409
>Build a statue depicting the first hero, using what knowledge we have of him.
>Have the hunter that was bitten placed under observation, see if he acts strangely.
>Increase the training of the warrior-priests and try to make a divination (with our most talented Oracles/Magicians) on who these 'children of the night' are.
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>>5473409
1
Create the Forum: The center of religious, magical and political power of our people.
A plaza in front of the old snake temple, the council chamber from where the Rex rules, and a magic hall for divination. All huts, obviously
At the center, a statue to the Scarlet Serpent, probably made of wood. painted red if possible.
2 + 3
The night is the domain of the Star Serpent, it's children are not to be trusted. Set up night patrols and a buddy system to protect the people.
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>>5473415
I can support making statues of the first hero, the grandson killing the beast and the first Rex to decorate the plaza as well.
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>>5473409
1. Lets build a monument that honors our relations with the forestkin, maybe even with their help/input. Maybe a statue of the couple.
2. Keep close eye on the bitten hunter to see if he changes, if he does we may have to deliver him to the vampires
3. For now, lets try to ally ourselves with the vampires. Maybe we can send them criminals to feast on, as a form of capital punishment. Assuming they're not insulted by the gesture, of course.
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>>5473409
The monument should be practical in nature. A grand square, city center or agora for use as a market, civic center, etc.

With a column at the center depicting the genesis of the nation, and it's union with the forestkin.

>>5473416
Oh good, we've grok'd


>forestkin
>foreskin
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>>5473416
My idea was a collection of lesser structures being collectively a monument, instead of one giant building being one.
If it's too much, than just the council chamber.
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>>5473420
>forestkin
>foreskin
I also said that before here
>>5473016
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>>5473420
So I'm not the only that keeps seeing "foreskin"
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>>5473422
Lol, yeah I think I caught your spoiler-text. And yeah >>5473423 it's haunting me every time I read it, haha.Very giggle worthy.
>>
Petition to rename the forestkin to Silvans
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>>5473427
Actually, name them Silvians
Silva means forest in latim, and wikitionary says that "Rhea Silvia was the mother of famous twins Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome." https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Silvia#Latin
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>>5473409
>build a statue of the Scarlet Serpent
>keep an eye on the bitten hunter
>conduct a divination to reveal as much as we can about these apparent vampires

I say we leave them alone unless they become a problem.
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>>5473409
>Make a monument like pic related, to symbolize the our founding tale of the Celestial and Crimson Serpents.

>Send out a hunting party for the sick half-elf, have our forest allies Enchant and converse with him.

>Have Rex converse with Lady Night and see if we can’t become, if not allies, mutually cordial.
Sorta digging the vampires.
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>>5473431
I say we incorporate them, Lady of the Night and Divination magic combines into a Celestial Oracle, which would be rather neat.
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>>5473409
>1 build a forum complex, with statues of the red serpent and the first hero
>2 put the injured under observation
>3 establish a standing night guard force
>>
Quick check since the ideas are a bit scattered

Monument:

Statue of first hero
2
Statue of the Scarlet Snake
2
Forum complex/civic center
3
Statue of the forestkin alliance
2
Statue of the Star Serpent together with Scarlet Snake
1

Vampires:
Observe bitten
5
Night Guard
2
Divine about them
2
Ally with vampires
2
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>>5473409
This >>5473416 but also with a depiction of the Traveller within the council chamber.
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>>5473492
im going to add a vote of

forestkin alliance and observe bitten

if i still can add vote
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>>5473498
Of course you can, I'm not the QM to end the voting.
It's an unofficial tally so we can organize ourselves
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>>5473481
I also counted this one as observe bitten, since I had the feeling it's the same general idea, just explained in more detail on how to do it.
If that wasn't what you intended, feel free to object anon.
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>>5473510
I object …to nothing.
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>>5473409
I support the idea of great-house or council-chmaber, comemorating each ecah with a pictogram inside: the Scarlet serpent's gift of penance, the coming and banishing of the Star Serpent, the battle against the winged panthers and arrival of yhe Meteor Dragon, the will-o-wisps and forestkin/Sylvian alliance...

As for vampire-bitten boy, maybe try to use divination to figure out how bad or danegrous his condition is? If he gets sick ro turns vampiric, deifnitely send him and a warrior-priest on a quest to seek advice from the Pale Lady.
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>>5473529
If the forum is too complex, then I fully support this idea on how the council chamber should be.
Apparently the romans did have something similar, they called it Basilica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica
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>>5473492
If it's a choice between just a statue and the Forum complex, I'll go with the latter. But I'd still like to make statues as here >>5473417 and maybe along the statue of the first Rex have one of his wife there as well to commemorate the friendship between the forestkin and us.
And I think allying with the children of the night might be a bad idea, since the stars and the night harbored the Star Serpent. There is a chance they might be related, so we should learn more about them through divination before interacting with them again.
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>>5473567
Instead of a bunch of statures of the heroes, how about we go with this anon's idea >>5473529 of there being pictograms inside the relevant buildings?
Here, I made an updated scheme
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>>5473589
I forgot to put the arrival of the dragons in the aedes, and the sylvian banishing the wisps in the curia
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>>5473589
Sounds good by me.
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>>5473589
Ayo, add the Possesed Wife of the Traveler in the Basilica too
>>
A combination council chamber, plaza and forum containing artistic representations of our historic events, such as the scarlet snake, first Rex, and so on, will be erected. For the time being the art will be comparatively simple, but over time it can grow more complex as our art and skills advance; statues and such will eventually take form and greater works like paintings will fill it in time. The chamber will be a place of meeting and discussion, where the Rex and the warrior-priests meet with each other and the commonfolk, and where other groups can meet over organizational, religious and magical matters.

As for the bitten hunter, he is observed while being tended to. Thankfully he shows no signs of any manner of affliction, and makes a full recovery, despite having a nasty scar.

A night watch is put into effect. Your people keep perimeter fires lit and patrol, forbidding civilians to go out at night. Between the lights from the swamp, the winged lion and now these strange pale folk, your people have developed a fear and wariness of the dark. For days your people keep watch, but no signs of them are witnessed.

The Rex, however, finds himself increasingly distracted as time goes on. His thoughts continually turn towards the mysterious pale woman; her almost ethereal nature and piercing red eyes gazing at him through the veil of mist she cloaked herself in continually burn within his mind. The strange, almost melodic tone she spoke in, the mystery surrounding her and her disciples and children, the stark beauty of her ghostly-white skin. She vexes him, haunting his every thought as time goes on. Has she cast some manner of spell upon him, or is this how his father felt when he first gazed upon his sylvian mother?

He finds himself torn between his duty to his people and his insatiable curiosity surrounding this woman.

>What is our reaction to this?
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>>5473614
I thought that would be covered in the Star Serpent treachery.
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>>5473620
Perhaps he should make a journey to the home of the Sylvians, so they may inspect him to see whether it is magic or the matters of the heart.
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>>5473620
Let's meet with the vampire lady. She's been true to her word so far (no further sightings of vampires) and it would be nice to know how they're getting along. They must be feeding on something/someone and so have some information about the area that we currently lack.
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>>5473627
>>5473630
Oh, and if it is love do this, but if he was hit with an enchantment, try to dispel it.
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>>5473620
He takes his warrior-priests and a fae or two with him to visit the Lady- maybe they can come to an accord, like the forest folk?
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>>5473620
The mark of a good king is to put his people first before any of his own desires, and so I think we should continue to focus on building up the foundations of a proper school of magic.
But if these feelings persist we can always ask our Oracles (Diviners? Magicians?) if they could divine anything about the vampires or go to the forestkin (can we call the Sylvians? I really hate the name forestkin) to inquire if they know anything about what's happening.
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>>5473631
Actually, it might be a bad idea for him to go after the woman, even if she didn't charm him.
He could end up a thrall, there is a chance vampires are undead and she can't conceive a heir, and if she can, she might be immortal and outive him, and if she does turn him, he might just leave.
In the best case scenario we get an immortal vampire king, but I'm unsure if that's even a good thing, since the lady sees mortals as lesser. Maybe he could warm her heart, but it's just as likely we end up with a tyrannical vampire aristocracy.
Of course, all of this is a bit meta, since we don't know about vampires in-character
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>>5473634
>>5473630
The main reason why I'm so hesitant to ask for their friendship is just in case they might try to assimilate us into their culture.
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>>5473636
Seems that QM has accepted to call the forestkin Sylvians
>his sylvian mother?
>>5473631
Ignore this part of my vote, I'll support this anon
>>5473636
And my original of asking the sylvians for help
>>5473627
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>>5473636
>can we call the Sylvians? I really hate the name forestkin
Yes, yes, yes, I already referred to them as sylvians in the last post, I'm accommodating it.
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>>5473636
Supporting this
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>>5473641
Atleast the forestkins gave us a good laugh though.
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>>5473640
My bad, I didn't notice that.

>>5473641
Thank you QM, sorry.
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>>5473639
The point is to assimilate them first. We have the cultural advantage with our tech now, right?
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>>5473666
>The point is to assimilate them first.
I don't think we're gonna be able to assimilate a culture as foreign as theirs after only one age. You need to make friends with them or subjugate them first, then attempt to assimilate.
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>>5473679
Yes, hence the making friends first bit in my vote.
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>>5473687
I'm worried that the vampires might take us over instead being assimilated. They are clearly powerful and see themselves as superior to mortals.
The sylvian were isolitionalists, but we had a shared ancestry, and our first contact was peaceful.
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>>5473636
>>5473640
>>5473647
>>5473627
>>5473630

Traveling north to the sylvians to seek their guidance, and bringing his most skilled diviners amongst the warrior-priests, the Rex seeks to learn why this woman has haunted his thoughts. After much determination, it is conclusively narrowed down that this woman has cast no spell upon the Rex, save for the manner of spell that a beautiful woman can cast upon a man.

Once again his feelings are torn. A dutiful king would put his people first; she has kept her word and hasn't sent any of her kind back into your lands. They have not even been seen. The matter should be closed. The sylvians are familiar with this kind of feeling; the inexorable draw towards the unknown. There is a lingering feeling within each living being that causes them to seek out that which they do not know, sometimes against better judgement or reason. They have a parable of one of their own who sought to cross the ocean just to see what lies beyond---and he drowned. The nature of the story is clear; if he seeks out these creatures, he may be bitten.

Even so, knowing he may very well be marching to his doom, he takes his retinue and heads towards the lands where the first pale one was encountered. It isn't long before a familiar chill begins to cause the hairs on their arms to stand up. They find themselves surrounded by pale folk hiding amongst and within the trees, staring down at them with bright eyes. A swirling cloud of mist appears, and from within it she emerges.

She asks why they have come, and the Rex says that he came to see her. He replies that if there is to be a fight, then let it happen, else she may hear what he has to say. Perhaps driven by a curiosity of her own, she commands her underlings to fall back, vanishing into the darkness, but doubtless only just out of sight. She agrees to hear his words, and invites him to walk with her. The warrior-priests object, but he departs with her and they walk alone.

He asks her what she is; the true nature of her and her people. She explains that they are creatures of the night, unable to walk within the day lest they perish. Provided they avoid the sun, death and age cannot find them, and the only requirement is to dine upon the blood of the living. It needn't be men or women; animals will do, and that is what they hunt.

When asked how she has created others of her kind, she explains that each of them were lost souls in the wild that she appeared before, offering them the choice to live eternally at the cost of never again knowing the light of day. She herself was offered the choice by her own sire, of whom she knows very little, only that he imparted upon her the importance of controlling the power it bestows. It can overpower one of weak will, turning them into little more than a savage monster, a bloodlust-driven fiend who preys upon people like cattle. When one first turns, they nearly fall to feral status, much like the one who encountered your people.
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>>5473703

She has taken it upon herself to guide her "family" and keep them in check, which were her master's final wishes before his suicide, for he could not control himself fully. He bestowed upon her a form of his power that was more easily controlled, and strode into the light.

She has lived a long time, and grown a small clan, some two dozen or so. The gift brings with it enhanced senses, as well as speed and strength, along with unnatural magical abilities. When asked why she is being so forthcoming with all of this, she responds that she does not know; perhaps she feels she has no reason to be, since he sought her out to speak. Or, she admits, perhaps she has grown lonely.

In seclusion, she places a hand upon his chest and stares into his eyes. She confesses that she too has thought of him, and knew not why until this moment. She desires a companion, a leader to stand at her side, perhaps even to stand alongside her for all time. Yet, she knows that there is no hope for such a thing; the nature of her curse is to inspire fear and dread in the living. No matter what, someone will fear her kind, and resolve to hunt them down. Nothing can be done about it, for it is the natural state of the living to hate the unliving. Even worse, the sylvians and her kind have no love for each other; they who hold the lives of animals and the living to be sacred, and her kind who can only consume the blood of the living. There is no reconciling such a blatant contradiction between their peoples.

She can provide no heirs such as she is. As part of the friendship you have with the sylvians, provided a living member of the bloodline is always there upon the throne, she cannot abide destabilizing the region by falling in love with him. Tearfully, she asks that he forget her, for she desires only peace and for her people to be left alone. It would be wonderful if things could change, if she could love him openly without having to hide in the forest, but she has no hope that they ever could. One of the last things her master ever told her was that no matter what, in spite of whatever one may try, the living will always seek to destroy what which should be dead. It is merely one last cruel price for immortality.

>What is the Rex's reaction to her plea?
>>
>>5473706
He should forget his passion for her for they were not meant to be but that does not mean he must forget about her. If she were willing, would she continue to speak with him throughout his life? Could there still be a friendship to be found within?
>>
>>5473706
Is there any possibility of a cure? (If this is in fact an affliction or curse and not a separate species). If so, maybe we can get our magicians to research it. If not, I still say we get together, creating a new culture that unites the living and the dead.
>>
>>5473729
Looking for a cure is also a good idea but I don't want to choose between having the Rex become a vampire or dying with no heir. Such a match is simply not meant to be.
>>
>>5473739
You don't need an heir if you're immortal
>thinkingblackman.jpg
>>
>>5473706
If true peace/assimilation is truly impossible, then what about something akin to a reservation, or protectorate?
>>
>>5473745
Yeah. As I said, I don't want him to become a vampire.
>>
>>5473706
>>5473720
Supporting this. No reason why we can't be friends while he's alive, though love is pretty much out of the question.
Still, we should ask if there is a cure for her and her kind, and if she would be willing to take it and join us in our mortality (though from what she said it's not likely, considering what she said about her master's final wishes and all).

>>5473729
>creating a new culture that unites the living and the dead.
That would probably make the sylvians hate us though. We should put the wishes of our people before the desires of the Rex.
Besides, I still feel like becoming a vampire might come from the same power the Star Serpent possesses.

>>5473746
Not sure if that's a good idea, especially if the sylvians caught wind of it.
Though maybe we could make a deal of non-aggression?
>>
>>5473706
The Rex understand the price of rulership and the sacrifices that need to be made, and accepts to forgo their love.
However, he refuses part of her plea. Our people hunt animals still, and the sylvan still live among them. They may not need to be completely alone. extend friendship and cooperation, so that we can be the bridge between the forest and the night.
Our people fear the night, yet theirs live in it. Could not the living dead protect the living form death? What if there are others like her, but that does not care about restraint?
Every animal will die. Do they need to drain the animals? Could them not capture animals that the Sylvian mark as as too old, or too many, and slowly drain them?
If peace is impossible, then the Rex accepts to declare her home protectorate, as long as their kin does not become larger.
>>
>>5473746
But peace is possible, it's just assimilation that isn't. And why would we make a "reservation"? What purpose would that serve? Just have the Rex and the vampire lady become lifelong friends and then, when she has nothing else tying her to this region, she can move on. We don't need to collect every type of human like pokemon. And since she's immortal, she can come back whenever she wants.
>>
>>5473729
>>5473739
I can support looking for a cure.
>>
>>5473755
I think the reservation is just to mark the area that they live in as offbounds to our people. That way they can live in solitude and peace like she wants to.
Atleast that's what I meant for the protectorate, don't know what that anon did.
>>
>>5473706
Put the duty to our people first. This love wasn't meant to be. Maybe compose a sorrowful song and give birth to a lyric poetry tradition.

>>5473720
The Rex has fallen for the vampire based on her appearance only, without knowing her personality. This is not friendship material, and in such cases it's better to cut contact and stop pining for the unachievable.
>>
>>5473759
That's what I meant, yeah.
>>
>>5473706
So as a wrap-up, here's what I support.

He should forget his passion for her for they were not meant to be but that does not mean he must forget about her. If she were willing, would she continue to speak with him throughout his life? Could there still be a friendship to be found within? After some time, he would even become willing to look for a cure for her if she wishes to forsake her immortality.

>>5473760
He didn't fall for her so much as get attracted by her, not exactly the same. And yes they might not become friends but why not try? She's been quite pleasant so far.
>>
>>5473409
Holy hell you drew that? That quick? In color? Your skills are amazing!
>>
>>5473767
That's a good one.
I wanted to go talk about the sylvian to see if their ways of life are really incompatible, or if it's just the goth gf being overly dramatic.
If the sylvians care so much about the animals, would they eventually object to domestication?
>>
>>5473481
The Rex should open up relationships with the Vampires. We will build a mighty magic alliance among the people in the area and ensure peace and prosperity.
>>
>>5473772
>Holy hell you drew that? That quick? In color? Your skills are amazing!
No, anon, I just made the girl green, lol
>>
>>5473774
While doing this sounds tempting, if we became too close to her and her kind we risk alienating the sylvians, the warrior-priests, and most of our people.
It might end in some sort of civil conflict between the Rex-vampires and the Sylvians.
>>
>>5473706
>>5473753
Just to be clear, I'm not against completely forgoing her and making some sad poetry if she refuses like the anon said here >>5473760
As the Rex, we must always put our people first.
>>
I say we just leave the vampires alone, it's going to lead to nothing but trouble trying to integrate them or anything like that
>>
>>5473760
Supporting break up and sad boy poetry
>>
>>5473821
Im not trying to integrate them but only to make the Rex a personal friend of the vampire lady. It is only the two of them who would interact, maybe some others if the Rex brought them over.
>>
>>5473780
We bought a lot of Goodwill with our people given our heroic blood line and esteem.

My proposal

1. People who want to become vampires (for example the dying or incapacitated) are given the option to go to the Vampire lands and ask to be turned
2. The Vampire Queen keeps the Vampires from killing what they aren't allowed to kill (people, encroaching into hunting grounds without permission)
3. Our people can visit the Vampire lands during which they will be fully protected from nonconsensual feeding
4. We can ask Vampires for help with fighting various monsters


Also if the Rex is truly in love with the Vampire queen let them date. Either we make the title non-hereditary, we make our twin sibling and their descendants the heirs or we just introduce polyamory/polygamy.
>>
>>5473821
I'm starting to agree with that the more I think about it. It's just too much of a chance to take, and I don't want to cause civil strife.

>>5473706
>>5473753
Changing my vote to support >>5473760
>>
>>5473831
The Vampires have a supportive immortal leader who is against feeding on people, they have superpowers and they are a way to convert dead numbers into superhuman allied shock troops.

If we Varangian Guard them it's all upside.
>>
>>5473831
What do you mean too much of a chance to take? How's being friends with the vampire lady risky?

>>5473830
No.
>>
>>5473851
>How's being friends with the vampire lady risky?
Alienating the whole Sylvian tribe, for once.
>>
>>5473857
I sincerely doubt that the sylvians would be so dogmatic and zealous as to be alienated just by the Rex going out to meet a vampire once in a while.
>>
Isn't the current Rex betrothed to the Sylvian lady? Let's stop playing dating sim
>>
>>5473857
Our leader is half Sylvan we can smooth things over with diplomacy. And if we can't from a pure realpolitik standpoint the Vampires are more powerful allies than the Sylvan

And from an ethnical standpoint the Sylvan are being prejudiced against a culture that has self control and regulation as a central value. Their leaders sire died rather than go feral, the current regime eats only animals and the one time a vampire went wild they reign them in.

We're basically dealing with the Cullens.
>>
>>5473830
That's a fair point. But I still think it'll make the sylvians mad at us if we don't at least consult them first before doing anything that has to do with the undead. And I still suspect that vampire magic has something to do with the Star Serpent.

>>5473834
>Vampiric Varangian Guard
Interesting and a bit tempting, but I think they'll be too unreliable and situational (considering they can't fight in the sun, and they probably have to be wrangled by a vampire).

>>5473851
Well, I'm afraid the Rex might fall for her and not make any heirs. There's also the chance that he might be tempted to become a vampire after he dies, and I fear this could cause the beginnings of a rift in our classes (warrior-priests now decide that the Rex is being too cowardly now, or some other group of people in our tribe start to get angry and break off).
>>
>>5473862
This is the child of that Rex, half Sylvan

Who also has a twin so we don't even need to be caught up over inheritance since we can pass the Rex title to their sibling or their sibling's kid.
>>
>>5473866
Isn't it us who decides what the Rex does? >>5473706
>What is the Rex's reaction to her plea?

It'd be railroady of Damashi to make him do something that directly contradicts what we decided.
>>
>>5473862
This is the half-Sylvan child of that Rex.

They also have a twin. So we don't need to worry about inheritance through the bloodline because if that's so important we can pass the Rex title to our twin or our twin's child.
>>
>>5473866
I mean, we do have a spare heir here… though desu, the Lady here should allow us at least one heir before we devote ourselves to her.
>>
>>5473866
The Rex pursuing a relationship with the Vampire Queen doesn't threaten to succession.

Many options

1. We pass the title to our twin
2. We pass the title to our twin's child
3. We have a relationship with the Vampire Queen but have a kid with someone else
4. We pass the title to a non-relative
5. We set up some type of trial or contest for someone to earn the title of our heir.
>>
>>5473877
>>5473870
No on the vampire marriage from me. It should purely platonic, it is not meant to be. i.e. I don't feel like min maxing.
>>
>>5473880
I don't care about the stats,(they are a bonus) they're into eachother and I don't want them to not try it out just because his grandparents will give him shit . I'm team love.
>>
>>5473880
Also they don't have to get married I am pro them hanging out and seeing where it goes while at the same time building a normalized relationship between our governments
>>
>>5473866
>wrangled by a vampire
*wrangled by a vampire that can control his or her impulses.

>>5473868
I meant in more of a story tone, making the vampires closer to us politically. Though this might not necessarily be a bad thing, I imagine most mortal beings will start to be wary of us and refuse to interact with our tribe.

>>5473877
>>5473871
While that's true, I don't want to end up with a big chunk of the world against us because we're too friendly with the undead.
That and it sounds more poetic to leave a love that's not meant to be.
>>
>>5473885
Then you wouldn't you vote for the Rex to fuck off with her and to pass the crown to his sibling?
>>
>>5473889
But the closeness would not only be minimal given he has to go out to meet her but also limited to the lifetime of this Rex.
>>
Honestly, I’d like to try to broker an accord between the two divides. If we can have good relations and ally both, however strenuous, we should attempt to do so.
>>
>>5473864
>from a pure realpolitik standpoint the Vampires are more powerful allies than the Sylvan
Nope. There's two dozen vampires and probably about as many Sylvians as us. And their numbers will grow faster than the vampires'. That's not even considering that the assumption that a single vampire is a stronger ally than a single Sylvian isn't actually supported by any evidence.
>>
The Rex brings his hands up, gently cupping her face. Her skin is cold to the touch, her breath even colder, yet her words contain such an ernest desire for peaceful coexistence even at the cost of her loneliness that it enflames his heart. Were he a lesser man, he'd have left everything behind for such a woman, but he knows it cannot be. He has his people, and she has hers. Even so, he cannot deny himself one small indulgence, and leans forward to kiss her. It is a powerful and passionate kiss, one laden with desire from both of them, but when they part, she replies with a voice full of sadness, "I only wish I could have felt it."

He parts ways with her, leaving her with a promise to leave her people alone. His people still fear and spread rumors of the vampires, but he protects them by forbidding any to venture within their lands. He wishes to pursue more diplomatic initiatives and friendship, but whispered rumors of his time with the vampire woman have been difficult, and he risks losing the faith of his people and the relations with the sylvians should he attempt it; he elects to keep the faith of his people. In time, the ache of his heart passes, and he marries a strong woman warrior-priest, a skilled diviner and seer, whose visions and guidance are invaluable in the later years of his reign. Together they beget a son, the next Rex.

In the last days of his life, he sees her again, the immortal girl he could never have. She stands across the lake as he sits near its edge in the night. He has grown older and wearier, twilight and eternity lingering just beyond and growing ever so close, but she is the same. Even from this distance, he can see the intent in her eyes: she is offering him the choice. But his time has passed; the new Rex will soon take over, and he himself will soon join with his wife in rest. It isn't his place to become an immortal Rex and deny his lineage their legacy. He smiles and shakes his head, and she nods in understanding, holding up a single hand in a mournful, yet grateful, goodbye. She fades in the fog, leaving the old Rex to contemplate which is the more tragic; to die, or to never die at all?

>...

What is our player action for this age?
>>
>>5473895
Initially I assume so, but I imagine she'll take a deeper interest in at least being close to the people that her love ruled over.
>>
>>5473899
This
>>5472974
Now that we have civil stability, and two types of magic, it's time to seriously study it.
>>
>>5473899
Bravo, beautiful writing QM!

>Continue on with the magical training, focus on laying the foundations of magical schools and keeping the warriors strong.
>The next Rex decides to continue his father's policy of avoiding the vampires, and he tries to foster closer relations with the sylvians (especially by learning their magics)
>>
>>5473908
Also next turn we can get society and start dividing the warrior-priests into specializations. With the Curia we can have dedicated wizards, with the temple dedicated clerics, and the council can have dedicated fighters.
Can't wait to get domestication to tame bugs and dinosaurs. Big morrowind vibes.
>>
>Seek peace with the Vampires
I still have a dream that all the peoples if the coast can live in harmony.
>>
>>5473899
>Study magic, diplomatic initiatives on both neighbors to improve relations.

I’m saddened that they never got to be together ;_;
>>
>>5473918
The burden of the crown
>>5473917
I think we should wait until domestication for that.
No need to hunt animal to drain if they can take just drain a stego.
>>
>>5473928
Although the
>he risks losing the faith of his people and the relations with the sylvians should he attempt it
Means that maybe we shouldn't do it at all, to avoid a civil war.
>>
>>5473929
That’s because he actually visited her, this would be ‘influence free’ initiative.
>>
>>5473929
Also we have had the majority of the nation be wrong before, the first Rex bucked against them because they were wrong and made us stronger for it
>>
>>5473911
Support
>>
>>5473899
>Establish a reciprocal gift-giving tradition with the sylvians
This will maintain relations and give our people more chances to interact and possibly interbreed and integrate.
>>
>>5473899
+1 to >>5473908
But also add

>The next Rex will try to have more time in understanding the Sylvans, their philosophy and their thoughts on Vampires, so that the Sylvans and his people start understanding each other

This is to try and better our relationship with the Sylvans and make more sturdier the bridge between our communities, and hopefully also so that the next player action we have we have a better understanding of the Sylvans so we can make friendly relationships with the Vampires. For how I see things, it's better to have a new friend that a potential enemy.

If we can gain the favor of the Sylvans and make them see the good side of the Vampires (and maybe make some neutral ground so they understand each other) there will be no need to spill halfelves or Sylvan blood at the first misunderstanding between the two.
>>
>>5473987
Supportin'
>>
>>5473908
>>5473911
>>5473948
>>5473987

This selection results in an age of mages. In taking the time to study and codify magic use for our people, we will unlock a new class of magic user for our civilization, the Seer, who specialize in divination magic. The warrior-priests, in turn, will focus more heavily on the offense-based evocation magic, following the warrior portion of their title. They will also specialize in a second school of magic, selected now:

Due in part to our association with and continued study alongside the sylvians and seeking out their guidance, we made select another school of magic that remained previously unselected in >>5472702, so our options are:

>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
>Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)

In addition to this, our population has grown large enough to support a second player action per age. What will our second action be?
>>
>>5474018
>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
>>
>>5474018
>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
>>5474018
Build the Curia (Magic Hall) for the seers in the forum complex, so they can work on their magic in peace. >>5473589
If it was already exists, then explore some more tiles. Did we explore the south-east one already?
>>
>>5474030
I'm only mentioning it beacuse here >>5473620
you said "A combination council chamber, plaza and forum," but then you said "other groups can meet over organizational, religious and magical matters." so I'm not sure if the magical hall exists or not.
I probably should have asked for clarification back then actually. Sorry
>>
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>>5474030
>Did we explore the south-east one already?
No, not yet.
>>5474030
>>5474033
Right now I'm envisioning it as only one structure, so a second hall would need to be constructed to be its own thing.
>>
>>5474039
Is there a way to mark explored, but empty hexes? Because we might forget we already checked the southern hex.
Thanks, I think it might be better to make a separate building dedicated solely to magic study. It would be safer in case something bad happens, and gives some silence.
We can even add different "wings" depending on the type of magic, like a divination part, evocation part, enchantment part, and then expand as we learn more
>>
>Enchantment
With Enchantment we can both domesticate animals and also charm Vampires to calm there bloodlust and make them safe to be around.
>>
>>5474018
>>Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)

I mean we ARE half elves. Watch yourselves.
>>
>>5474018
>Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
>>
>>5474018
>Enchantment
And this >>5474030
>>
>>5474026
>>5474047
>>5474057
>>5474059
Anons, don't forget about this
>What will our second action be?

We can do an extra action. Do you want to explore the south-east? Make a wizard college with wings for each school? Something else?
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>>5474044
Oh, I just forgot to mark that one as empty, my bad.
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>>5474065
>explore the south-east

Why not
>>
>>5474018
>Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)

>Continue to foster better relations with the sylvians, give them gifts and help them out.
>>
>>5474065
im aware just dont have time to think about what i want desu. and am letting other peeps vote for it
>>
>>5474018
>Enchantment
>For the second action, I again propose >>5473951
There's no point exploring while we don't actually have the population or techs to do anything with those tiles.
>>
>>5474026
>>5474030
>>5474047
>>5474061
>>5474072
>>5474073

Very well then, Enchantment it is.

In exploring southeast, we discover two vegetables; wild rice and truffles.

We also happen upon a random encounter:

A lone figure is seen in the distance, somewhat short and hunch-backed. When a better look at him is achieved, your hunters are bewildered at what they see: for lack of a better term, he is some kind of rat-faced goblin-thing. This rat-goblin looks very ugly, aesthetically speaking, with muddy skin and patches of rough-looking hair or fur, a face somewhere between a rat's and a man's with overt goblinoid features thrown in and two prominent gnawing teeth.

The rat-goblin, to our surprise, speaks our tongue and says that it means no harm, it is alone, and merely on a quest. Though it speaks rather hoarsely, and is generally foul to look at, it holds its hands up in a gesture of submission and peace.

What is our reaction to this?
>>
>>5474095
Ask what is his quest. Our people have a deep respect for those that go on them.
If we can not help then say that we wish that the Scarlet Serpent protects and guides him.
>>
>>5474098
+1
>>
>>5474098
+1
>>
>>5474098
>>5474103
>>5474109

He explains that he has been sent on a holy quest by his people's god to find them a new home. He has been searching for some time, but believes he is close. The lake your people live upon is a very large place; surely there is room for others to live nearby? If not directly upon its edge, then along one of the tributaries that feed into it. His people are few in number, he readily admits, and they seek no quarrel with any others who stake claims upon these lands.

If you would have them live elsewhere, he will heed your words.

What say you?
>>
>>5474124
Our people also have been brought here by a holy quest by our god, in ages long past,.There is empty land directly to the south of our home
However, these are the holy lands of the Scarlet Snake, their people would need to accept him alongside their god.
>>
>>5474124
This >>5474135 but we won't let them live here, better keep looking.

I don't any other people group collecting. We already got the Sylvians to handle. That's enough.
>>
>>5474124 >>5474140
As in,
Our people were both protected and brought here with the blessings of our god, in ages long since past. We wish you luck in finding the same success our ancestors had, may the Scarlet Snake guide and protect you on the way.
>>
>>5474140
>>5474152
I for one want to collect groups because when I play Age of Wonders 3, going Keeper of Peace Theocrat and integrating everything that moves is the only way I can win.
But if we do send them away, could we ask for a diviner to try and divine a good home for them first? Maybe give him a little token of the Scarlet Snake too.
>>
>>5474165
Hey, I like your idea. If the rest of anons don't want to keep taking communities close, then we at least help them with divination to this rat fellow
>>
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>>5474165
>>
>>5474165
+1
>>
>>5474165
I too want to catch 'em all. Let's at least find out more about them, their strengths and weaknesses, why they're looking for a new place to settle to begin with (could be a potential danger for us too)
>>
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>>5474165
>>5474180
I don't. It is both not something you can do and then go back on if you regret it and it's not how the people living on the ground would see it. This ugly ratman comes along to the land you and your ancestors have been living in with the blessing of your god for generations and he thinks he can just mosey up to the place on a quest from his own god and bring his entire extended family along? From that perspective, it really doesn't sound appealing.

The Sylvians are the exception because they have also lived here along side us since our arrival and so must also have the blessing of our god and, now, Sylvian blood flows through the veins of our ruling dynasty ever since their instrumental help to the Scion in defeating the Swamp Lights that terrorized our people.

'Tism rant over.
>>
>>5474196
It's ok anon, your arguments are completely valid, and I recognize mine is purely emotional.
I would hardly call what you said a rant or autistic.
>>
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>>5474165
I almost forgot, if the problem with the suggestion is it being on one of the holy hexes, or right next to our home, I also marked other potential places they could settle.
But if you don't want them on the map, or at all, it's fine.
>>
>>5474215
The one next to our home wasn't meant to be there in that image. I must had a brainfart while making it.
>>
>>5474203
It is surprising to hear such words coming from a fellow anon. As for the tism comment, it was mostly hyperbole.

>>5474215
I'd prefer it to be off the map but we wouldn't be able to enforce such a thing as of now. At least proverbially telling him to fuck off would give us a casus belli (ha) later.
>>
>>5474227
Alright, just had to be sure there wasn't any misunderstandings.
>>
>>5474124
I say that we have a meeting with their leaders and discuss it then, so long as they are not a danger to us I suppose it might not hurt to have a friendly neighbor, or perhaps tributary.
>>
>>5474095
>don't share our holy lands so readily
>Offer him food, the help of a seer to guide him, and send our neophyte warrior-priests to aid him in safely reaching a different place to call home to to guide him back to his family to report back
>>
>>5474253
Could you argue against >>5474196 this? I'd only accept them as tributary or vassal if expelling them was too burdensome.

>>5474257
Yes on the seer, maybe on the food, no on the escort.
>>
>>5474124
I support the Ratfolk settling, on the banks of one of the tributary rivers to the south or west.

>>5473899
>damn it OP, I'm not crying, you're crying.
>>
>>5474165
I’m fine with semi-conversation to the local god, but I do think helping him with his quest via Divination is in the long run worth it.
>>
>>5474265
Same question to you, anything to say against this >>5474196?
>>
>>5474124
I'll support sending the rat on his way with the aid of our seers and a warrior-priest escort and some food.
>>
>>5474196
I think settling here with no strings attached is a no-go, but I’m happy with either them partially/fully accept our culture and god or helping them achieve their quest with our divination abilities. Also think the new blood would attract the vampires to be on their case personally, so maybe it’s wiser/safer for them to try a different land?
>>
>>5474268
Maybe.

>>5474196
I guess I was trying to remember this is supposed to be a Romanesque society and this group of beastfolk presents us with the first opportunity to incorporate a lesser nation. In a couple generations they could be the field laboring class at large, freeing our half elves to further pursue their highly neglected bellicose nature.
>>
>>5474275
The romans performed their own field labor prior to the period of rapid expansion of the mid to late republic when foreign slaves became more prominent. Besides, this isn't exactly like the romans enslaving another human people is it?
>>
Quick tally

Find out more about them first, either a meeting or divination
2

Settle in empty if they partially convert
1 (2)

Settle in one of the tributaries
1

Decline, but amicably part ways
1 (7)

Decline, but help them with divination and a snake token
4 (5) (7)

Decline. but help them with divination, food and an escort
2 (3)

>>5474267
>>5474274
I'm unsure if I should count this as a support to the settle, or one of the two divinations, so it's in parentheses.
Also not sure if I should count the ones giving more help as also support to the lesser help and/or declining in general, so also put it in parentheses.
>>
>>5474275
Oh and the enslaving others so you can work on your martial ability is more of a spartan thing.
>>
>>5474276
No it's more like free labor showing up at the doorstep.

>>5474278
Note I didn't say enslave, I said incorporate. Incorporating neighboring polities into their system was very much part of the early Kingdom and Republic.
>>
>>5474294
That's not what you said and implied.
>In a couple generations they could be the field laboring class at large, freeing our half elves to further pursue their highly neglected bellicose nature.
Which was to have the ratmen as an underclass of laborers.

And again, this is neither a neighboring polity nor a group of people of the same kind as us. They aren't other half elves of the same culture group as us who have also lived alongside us but an entirely foreign population from a distant land, with a different god and an entirely different biology.
>>
After some deliberation, the ratman is sternly asked not to settle near your lands. This is due primarily to the gods of his people being very different from your own; they pray to the four winds, and seek guidance from it exclusively. Divination on your part currently offers no direct hints about the future in regards to co-existence with these folk, which is another key factor in asking him to leave. The goblin-rat departs west-southwest, into lands you have not explored.

>...

Real quick, before we move onto tech for the age, for purely flavor purposes, what are our earliest forms of divination? Mechanically it won't change anything, it's just for cultural flavor.

For example: reading flames, interpreting the clouds, rolling stones/bones, reading the stars, crashing waves, using herbs/drugs, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_divination
>>
>>5474303
There is only one option for roman divination
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruspex
Our Seers got to be Augurs
>>
>>5474303
I'd imagine that if we were to continue with the prescedent of being fascinated by visions then the herbs/drugs option would make the most sense.
>>
>>5474303
>>5474304
Actually, there is another one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augury
>>
>>5474306
Actually, I'm going all in on Augury, reading entrails might be weird for our Sylvians neighbours.
However, instead of watching birds, our Augurs watch snakes.
>>
>>5474303
This >>5474308
>>
>>5474303
This is also interesting >>5474308

Now that reminds me of an idea I had about eventually domesticating snakes when we need an animal to perform pest control. Instead of pet cats there would be pet snakes.
>>
>>5474308
Supported. The time has indeed come at last.
>>
>>5474303
>>5474308
Supporting.
>>
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>>5474304
>>5474306
>>5474308
>>5474309
>>5474313
>>5474318
>>5474319

Augury it is.

Let's talk Tech choice for the end of Age 6, shall we?

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
>Music (Leads to Astrology) (Cultural Boost)
>Society (Leads to Agriculture, Early Medicine, Domestication, Taxation, Furnace, and Astrology) (Government/Religious/Cultural/Magical Boost)
>>
>>5474308
Apparently there is a proper name for it: ophidiomancy.
>>
>>5474321
>Society

Consulate time.
>>
>>5474321
>Society (Leads to Agriculture, Early Medicine, Domestication, Taxation, Furnace, and Astrology) (Government/Religious/Cultural/Magical Boost)
This then domestication next.
>>
>>5474321
>>Society

I say next we go bladed tools > sailing
>>
>>5474321
>Society
>>
>>5474321
>Society
Then domestication then bladed tools then finally agriculture. Really need that pop boom.
>>
>>5474321
>Society (Leads to Agriculture, Early Medicine, Domestication, Taxation, Furnace, and Astrology) (Government/Religious/Cultural/Magical Boost)
Time to live in a society.
After that going for Bladed Tools then Agriculture would make a good base.
>>
>>5474321
>Society (Leads to Agriculture, Early Medicine, Domestication, Taxation, Furnace, and Astrology) (Government/Religious/Cultural/Magical Boost)
Time to culturally assimilate the surrounding peoples.
>>
>>5474323
>>5474324
>>5474325
>>5474326
>>5474328
>>5474329
>>5474344

Alright, we'll handle this one at a time. First and foremost:

>You may define an early structure for your government. It will be primitive, but these simple foundations will be expanded upon in time and become more complex. Essentially, the generals that we will need are: who leads your people, how they are chosen, rites of succession, traditions relating to governance, etc. Some examples would be a council structure, an autocratic one-above-all leader, a bloodline-based system, rotating leadership, etc. You may be as thorough as you desire, given reasonable limits.

We have a pre-existing system with the Rex and the warrior-priests, but this is an opportunity to expand upon it, much like the random events earlier. Keep in mind this isn't a straight-up leap from what we have to, say, the height of Rome; we're still looking for small steps. Effectively, something along the lines of one major addition, or a few small additions/refinements, is acceptable.

Please discuss.
>>
>>5474366
Rex at the top, with the final say over everything. His has an elected council of 10, consisting of warrior-priests, augurs, and secular leaders. The council makes most decisions via vote, with the Rex counting as 3 votes and is allowed to Veto any idea.
>>
>>5474366
I still think we should separate the warrior-priests into more warrior than priest and more priest than warriors. Like paladins and clerics.
We already have priests that focus more on magic with the Augurs, right?

Another idea is to introduce smaller, civil administrators directly under the power of the king, not bound to religion.
>>
>>5474373
So you know, there is a religion step to the "build Society" process, so hold onto that first half.
>>
>>5474065
Try to talk the Sylvan out of their Vampire hatred
>>
>>5474366
The religion basically enforces social meritocracy as a moral virtue, leading society and the warrior-priests to adopt a proto-HeinleinIan Democracy based on merit and investment in the system. The Rex will end up becoming more of a spiritual leader position over the decades, helping to guide society and holds a lot of diplomatic, traditional, and cultural influence but practicing more self-restraint as the generations pass and society grows larger and more complex.

We can create a Proto-Republic format when we start expanding and taking actual territory.
>>
>>5474379
This. You don’t condemn a lion because it needs meat to survive m, same principle.
>>
We build our society around trials and quests.

Every role in our society "Warrior-Priest, Seer etc" is to be earned by completing a trial or quests. Finding a new hunting spot, winning a great battle, unlocking a hidden truth and so on.

Once someone completes a trial or quests they will be inducted into their respective order. As our society grows we can make new orders built around new magics and tech we unlock.

When the current Rex decides they will call for a Great Trial. An epic quest or challenge. The winner of this Great Trial will become the Princeps.
When the position of Rex is vacant, through death or retirement, the Princeps becomes the new Rex.

Everyone who has completed a trial or quests has equal standing in decisions of the nation, the Rex also has the ability to set the rules and standard for trials and quests while also serving the nation in whatever other capacity they choose.

Also I don't think we have an official name yet
>>
>>5474366
The Rex should be the one with the most power, with a council of 15: 5 warrior-priests, 5 augurs, and 5 of a newly established influential families (who act as advocates to their communities). Any member of the council is subject to removal if there is proof of treachery, or by divination.
The members of the council must be chosen by their competence and bravery, usually by following the rules needed to weed out the corrupt and cowardly, as is tradition.
The Rex himself must prove his worth before being able to take on the mantle of leadership, and must pass a test of divination as well as a test of strength to succeed.
There should also be some rites that every class needs to complete, most of these are symbolic to the Hero bloodline's desire to get rid of corruption and cowardice. But they have practical use as well in making certain that there are more people wanting a pure system rather than one lead by the weak and self-serving.
>>
>>5474390
But to add to this, all members of this new council (and the Rex included) must follow the way of the Scarlet Snake.
>>
>>5474389
That basically sounds like my idea, only more fleshed out. I like it.
>>
Also start weaving nifty togas that only people that completed quests or trials get to wear
>>
>>5474389
Supporting this. As for a name... Sylvanguites, from "Salvae" (woods, like our Sylvian buddies) and "Anguis" (serpentine dragon)?
>>
>>5474390
Support
>>
>>5474389
>>5474390
>>5474384
>>5474408
>>5474399
>>5474416

Very well. I'll consolidate this info in a bit. In the meantime, let's talk about the next section: religion.

>You may define an early structure for your religion. Much like government, religion will play a key aspect in the lives of your people. Early religions tend to revolve around simple concepts, and will gradually become more complex over time. What we're looking for is a fundamental basis of: what do you worship, how do you worship it (such as early practices, rites and such), the structure of who leads it and how, etc. Again, you may be as thorough as you desire.

Much like with government, we have a preexisting framework, and we're just looking to add onto it for now. Practices, rites, traditions, integration on a daily level, how normal people practice it, etc.
>>
>>5474501
I think the idea of trials to prove bravery and selflessness, and trials to prove one's worthiness to return from exile, are big ones. The Scarlet Serpent was an atoner, after all. Each time we raised up warrior-priests, and they fell or failed, they were made to atone. Our first Rex was dishonoured and driven out, but proved himself worthy of returning and ruling with a trial.

Not everyone can be a warrior priest, but redemption through action, especially through service, should be key. The capacity for even an ancient evil tyrant to be redeemed should also affect our understanding, especially after meeting and befriending the 'evil' vampires: anyone can be redeemed, with enough effort.

Maybe we could have a symbolic ceremony where we cover a person in mud or paint at the start of a year, or season, they can recount the flaws they wish to overcome, and we can strip the outer layer away and wash them clean, like a snake shedding its skin to be reborn?

Maybe snake-handling and such can play a role in religious rites as a simple show of courage and capability, while small acts of service and making small wrongs right can be key to day-to-day religious practice? Maybe 'unearned forgiveness' could be a taboo?

Oh, and night-time is scary, and bad monsters descend from above, for the night sky is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT a bad, hellish domain.
>>
>>5474501

Basically >>5474384 again.

Snek Worship, this is our Garden of Eden, we should try to be nice and just, etc. Visionquests are important, they are both a practice and a rite, as is the traditional pilgrimage to the shore of the first hero’s vision. Anyone can become a priest if they strive for it, and it is actively encouraged to be meritorious, loyal, and brave. Rex is the unofficial Spiritual Leader, hold great respect and influence, though practices great self restraint as a tradition. The counsel is elected democratically by their peers based on merit and spirit, though Rex holds enough cultural capital to effectively veto the corrupt, the cowardly, and morally bankrupt. Tend to focus on practical, grounded issues mainly.
>>
>>5474501
The main basis of our religion should be the veneration and worship of the Scarlet Snake, who seeks redemption for any wrong he's committed, acts paternally and is protective.
The Rex himself should act as someone who embodies these qualities, the warrior-priests and the general population likewise (but its expected more on the warrior-priests and the Rex).
Merit and bravery are seen as great virtues, and there is small tolerance for those that are weak-willed or corrupt.
Quests and actions to prove oneself are necessary to have any sort of religious influence, and there is an emphasis on denying yourself for the collective good (like it was said of the hero that fell in love with the vampire from before) rather than giving in to one's on individual desires.

The Star Serpent is seen as malicious, and the starry night sky would be considered the place where it dwells.
>>
>>5474501
The Star Serpent should be seen as a trickster god btw, and the Celestial a source of great mystery and wonders. The fallen stars are made of the stuff of the holy relic, the Shi-elder (Old Shield)!
>>
>>5474539
I imagine we could guess at this, but I'm hesitant to assume anything concrete beyond the evilness of this very real and very dangerous entity.
>>
>>5474539
Well, it's probably less of a trickster and more of a tyrant from it has revealed of itself.
And didn't the dragon come out of the night sky too? What about the Winged Lion attacking at night?
Too many bad things for our religion to ignore that happened at night, it wouldn't make much sense to look at the stars for guidance if that's were the Star Serpent came from.
And I don't think we know much about the shield or who crafted it, only that it was used in a great war long ago by people serving their master. and that it was one of the only ones not destroyed by the flash of light.
>>
>>5474547
Also, the Star Serpent wanted to suppress the memories of this great battle and the snake empire, while wanting to 'make an example' of the hero for speaking about it.
>>
>>5474546
I don’t want to automatically declare the first alternate Godlike entity we’ve seen as pure evil either.

>>5474547
The Dragon was scary in it’s death throes, but it didn’t really kill anyone, just disintegrated and left behind it’s children. It clearly wasn’t evil. The Wing Lion also wasn’t magical in the sense that it displayed magic abilities, so it’s probably a mundane creature in this world.

Also, didn’t say we should look to the Stars for guidance, I just said the space metal came from the stars. Are we really gonna just classify it as evil by association?

And the closest metal we’ve seen to the shield was the meteor, all we’ve seen elsewhere was just malleable gold.

>>5474552
He didn’t suppress shit, we weren’t even alive or our people in the area when the Snake Empire was a thing and fell to have a memory of it. Hell, the Red Serpent didn’t tell us anything either, it was just a random vision from huffing too much swamp gas.
>>
>>5474556
I feel like making the Star Serpent as a worthy deity will be bad for us in the future, it did promise it would return.
>we weren’t even alive or our people in the area when the Snake Empire was a thing and fell to have a memory of it
That doesn't mean there isn't some sort of oral tradition that says the Star Serpent clashed with the hero and wanted to do evil. And who knows, there still might be rumors of the rule of the serpents somewhere. And I'm sure the seers and oracles can find out more about it if they wanted to learn more about the Scarlet Snake.
>The Dragon was scary in it’s death throes
That's enough of a reason for an ancient civilization to fear it, though you're right that it might not be evil.
And the winged lion isn't magical I agree, but it only hunted in the night.
All of this is a pretty bad look for the nighttime in a primitive society.

Look I'm not against making a pantheon, but the Star Snake is clearly some sort of remnant of the old decadent tyrants from the Snake Empire. I don't think it would be a good idea to deify it in a positive light.
>>
Wait, don't the sylvians have any gods they worship or things they revere?
We should try exporting our religion to them and integrate theirs into our culture, we might be able to assimilate them easier that way.
That and it sounds like a very Roman thing to do, especially a Rome that's in it's early stages.
>>
>>5474561
I’m not trying to put a positive spin on him, I just don’t want to make him pure evil, it will radicalize our eventual dissenters. Being afraid of the night and it’s creatures is understandable, but we shouldn’t try to vilify everything associated with it either. Just turn them into a Hades or Loki figure.

>>5474562
>We should try exporting our religion to them and integrate theirs into our culture, we might be able to assimilate them easier that way.
Ye, we totally should. It’s honestly how I figure proto-Pantheons started originally.
>>
Supportin' the trickster/Malevolent/scary aspect over full baddy bad
>>
>>5474591
In what way did it show itself as such. It took over a person body, demanded worship and tribute and threanted death to anyone who opposed it. It is a tyrant and evil incarnet
>>
>>5474581
Still, if it's normalized and has a following of its own it could lead to bad consequences since the Star Serpent is very real.
I think it'll try to come back to and take over, so I'd rather not have an accepted group of cultists that are willing to welcome a cruel god.
>>
>>5474501
This
>>5470129
And to expand on it
Scarlet Snake is our god, he has reached redemption. Penance is a big thing on our culture, forgiveness though actions and repayment. The Sylvian are a kindred people, since we share ancestors, and were allowed to exist in our holy lands by the Scarlet Snake.
The Star Serpent is evil, representing corruption, lying and tyranny, just like the warrior-priests that were against the first Rex. The meteor dragons and the wisps were it's servants, one coming from the stars, and the other looking like them. Beware the night.
Divination is a important part of the people religious life, since the visions hold great importance.
Non-poisonous snakes are seen as a scared animal. Seer watch them for prophecies, and if one makes a home under the hut of a family, it is seem as great fortune. Meanwhile, poisonous serpent are evil animal, trying to pretend to be the sacred ones.
This is our holy land. The hex of our home is the promised land. The hex where the river meets the ocean is also one, where the traveler had a vision .
>>5471583
>>5471666
>>5471675
Every backyard has a small collection of hut-urns of their ancestor. After some generations (grandfather's grandfather), the ashes are removed and buried near a temple. However, the family will keep a small figurine of the buried ancestor to remember them.
>>
>>5474592
It also faked being the Scarlet Serpent, tried to suppress the vision of it's past, killed one woman after being questioned, and demanded the death of the traveler.
>>
>>5474562
I can support integrating their faith.
I'm not against a pantheon, hence why was ok with the rat's gods. But I am if it's a being that that doesn't deserve it. Specially one that promised it would return after being defeated.
>>
>>5474501
Oh, and I would like to repeat my suggestion to separate the warrior-priests into two types from here
>>5474373
Pontifex, a warior-priest that focus more on warrior part, like a paladin; and Flamen, a warrior-priest that focus more on the priest part, like a cleric.
Also there is the Augurs, seers that focus more on the magic part.
>>
>>5474621
Oh, and the river itself is also sacred, since it's snake like and connects the promised land to the vision ocean.
Sorry for posting so much. I probably should have just mass-replied instead.
>>
>>5474501
I'll support >>5474511 though maybe without the night sky being literally 100% evil. Everything else from everybody that is mostly compatible with this I'm also fine with.
>>
>>5474511
>Maybe we could have a symbolic ceremony where we cover a person in mud or paint at the start of a year, or season, they can recount the flaws they wish to overcome, and we can strip the outer layer away and wash them clean, like a snake shedding its skin to be reborn?
I like this but I would like it to be even more extreme and snakelike. Snakes brumate during the winter--hibernate underground without sleeping--we can do something similar: bury the person alive then unearth them, allowing them to be truly reborn.
>>
>>5474654
Bury then up to their neck, like if they are in the beach
>>
>>5474656
I was thinking more something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8vVrj9ubLU

The random length of time before they unbury is vital. That fear is what needs to be overcome for true atonement and rebirth.
>>
>>5474656
This was a joke by the way, I don't want to bury people. Feels like accidents waiting to happen.
>>
>>5474657
Maybe make it something as a punishment or penance, instead of an yearly ritual?
>>
>>5474629
I support the tripartite structure of the priesthood.

>>5474501
On the nature of the serpents and their place in the cosmology, it would be foolish to strike the Star Serpent from the pantheon out of fear, ignorance, and superstition. It performs a necessary function in the cosmos alongside the Scarlet Serpent as functionaries of the two channels, of the passive and active principles. Of the generative force and the ruinous power.

It deserves a place of veneration and understanding, just not among the throngs of the masses. So frankly like any responsible race on Earth we need a front of house religious operation to appease the unwashed in their worship of but one serpent, the red one. However in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple the Rex, and inner council of the priesthood must understand and directly deal with the functions of the cosmos, unimpeded by ignorance.
>>
>>5474688
>a place of veneration and understanding
We're not worshiping the star serpent, in any form. Understanding the tricks and motives of the Great Enemy is important, to keep their fangs from gaining purchase in our people, but worship, no matter how small, is a very slippery slope.
>>
>>5474691
Personally, I want it to be a figure comparable to Typhon or Tartarus, titans recognized as existing and powerful, and responsible for bad shitâ„¢. Or how Set was treated after he became demonized.
So no worship, but it has a role in the cosmology.
>>
Am me >>5474591
>>5474688 have my support.
>>
>>5474697
>So no worship, but it has a role in the cosmology.

Thank you for explaining. You post seemed to imply we should have priests of the Star Serpent to advice the Rex.
>>
>>5474703
Oh, I'm not that anon, I'm just weighting in my opinion.
>>
>>5474704
Oh, shit, lmao. I'm a newfag to /qst/, so I'm still getting used to poster ids.
>>
Tally of everything. There is a lot of ideas and arguments, so I may have made mistakes.

Trial for bravery and penance
4

Redemption is possible, actions are important
4

Mud rebirth (shed skin)
2

Mud rebirth (bury alive)
1

Snake handling
2

Unearned forgiveness is taboo
2

Night is evil, space is hell
2

Holy land
2

Pilgrimage to shore
1

Meritocratic faith, corruption bad
2

Visions and divinations are important
2

Rex is both secular and religious
1

Snakes are a sacred animal, omen of good fortune
1

Poisonous snakes are evil animals, omen of bad fortune
1

Lake to swamp River (name it Viper) is sacred
1

Sylvian were allowed by the Scarlet Snake
1

Integrate Sylvian faith
2

Hut-urn backyards for close ancestors, older ones get their ashes buried and figurines at home shrine.
1

Dragons and wisps are Star Serpent servant/spawn
1

Separate Warrior-priests into 3
2

Scarlet Snake is the main god and is good (Penitent, Protective, Paternal)
3

Star Serpent lives in the sky and is evil (Liar, Thief, Murderer)
4

Star Serpent apologists
3
>>
>>5474709
Actually, there might be 5 for Star being evil
>>5474511
>>5474546
Depending if this anon decides between letting a being that has done absolutely nothing good be worshiped or not.

There is a line between a trickster, and an evil being. A trickster atleast has a purpose beyond self grandification.
>>
>>5474711
Just woke up but put me in for
HYDRA DELENDA EST
>>
>>5474709
Integrating the Sylvian faith is 3, not 2. Sorry.
>>
Just had an idea to explain how meteoric iron can be a good thing when it comes from the star. By chipping and reshaping it, you are removing the evil of it, making it repent.
So when we develop forging, blacksmith will be seen as beating the devil out of the star metal. And the best part is that it can fit as a religious representation of the process of removing impurities of metal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy6J4e1z4Lc

It can expand to an eventual explanation for a cure for vampirism, that it's possible to overcome corruption. Although our neighbors aren't evil, since they show restraint. So while they are night touched, they are a penitent people.
>>
There is also something anons here have to remember, the Star Serpent declared itself to be the Scarlet Serpent when it was here. I have a feeling that when it returns it'll demand us to only worship it and no one else.
So any wishes of having a Zoroastrian system or a polytheistic one might be in danger if we accept it. And if magic is done in its name, then the Star Serpent's priests will probably find out its will.

>>5474718
I like this explanation, it fits with the theme.
>>
>>5474709
Can I add to my tab (subject I have'nt voted on) :
Trial for bravery and penance
Redemption is possible, actions are important
Mud rebirth (shed skin)
Snake handling
Unearned forgiveness is taboo
Meritocratic faith, corruption bad
Visions and divinations are important
Snakes are a sacred animal, omen of good fortune
Poisonous snakes are evil animals, omen of bad fortune
Sylvian were allowed by the Scarlet Snake
Hut-urn backyards for close ancestors, older ones get their ashes buried and figurines at home shrine.
Separate Warrior-priests into 3
Scarlet Snake is the main god and is good (Penitent, Protective, Paternal)
I think I'm just an apologist for now
>>
>>5474722
I counted your support here >>5474702 as accepting Star
I didn't add it as a support of the trio organization, since I was unsure if a support of a support counts.
>>
Star Serpent is clearly evil and not deserving of any veneration. Night sky though isn't evil, just a place where scary stuff lives
>>
>>5474711
I am in favour of regarding Star Serpent as evil. It was a dick, and has shown us no actual positive qualities.

>>5474688
Attributing cosmological, metaphorical "meanings" to these entities only makes sense in a world where the Star Serpent isn't a real being who manipulated, extorted, and attacked our people, and then promised to return. A secret quasi-Satanic sect among the elites who VENERATES our one-time tyrant sounds insane and self-sabotaging, to me.
>>
Ayo, I get the think about the Star Snake being Evil, but I don't want that our people aren't agains the Sky and the Cosmos just because of that asshole.

If anything there's where the Star Snake hides from his rightful punishment, but that doesn't mean we have to fear of hate the Stars, I really want us to maybe develop Astral Magic and go like the Targon route. Because there's a ton of epic shit in that part of the lore in League.
>>
>>5474807
Sounds like what a filthy Star Serpent worshipper would say
>>
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>>5474807
>League
>>
>>5474813
And you're a poopoo head >:(
>>
>>5474766
>>5474807
Don't worry about making the sky evil, I miscounted and there is only one vote for it.
>>5474646
Because this anon specified to remove that part in his support

Although there is talk about being afraid of the dark as a religious tenet, on top of the fact that our people already culture are afraid of it.
The sky and night being where monsters hide away can fit, even if it isn't hell or evil by itself.
>>
Also, I wonder how our people would react if they meet a stargazer culture like the late moonman
Brave people? Vile heathens? Madmen? Fools?
Probably would depend on how they answer about their opinion on the serpentine figure moving between the stars.
>>
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Arlgihty, that's a lot to take in again, so I'll take some time to consolidate it again.

Let's move onto our first Cultural Value.

>You may pick your first Cultural Value. A cultural value, summed up, is a word, concept, phrase or some such that defines your people. It gives them pride to live up to it, and they seek to incorporate it into their lives on every level. Concepts like Honor, Respect, Strength, Virtue, Dedication, Spirituality, Duty, Sacrifice, Freedom, etc. Another way to look at it is that it is a word that can be used by someone else to describe your people. Pick only one; more will come in time.

This isn't all for flavor. Mechanically, cultures (controlled by players) that meet up, if they share a value (or arguably a near-value, like say Resilience and Endurance) will have diplomatic bonuses.
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>>5474856
Redemption or Duty seem like good ones. Between the two, I favour...
>Redemption
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>>5474856
Redemption through Penitence
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>>5474862
Another idea is "Actions matched with Intent". It doesn't matter if you are sorry if you doesn't fix your mess, and doing good without believing in it is empty.
I still prefer "Redemption through Penitence" as our culture's motto though.
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>>5474862
Supporting this

As an aside, for the people who're arguing about the pantheon, I strongly recommend this blog post series about ancient polytheism: https://acoup.blog/2019/10/25/collections-practical-polytheism-part-i-knowledge/

Btw the blog author is specialized in Imperial Rome, so he's bound to have more useful stuff there.
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>>5474857
>>5474862
>>5474878
Redemption through Penitence or simply Redemption/Penitence it is.

And, finally, a rank in a school of magic of our choice:

Select one school out of the following list:

Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
Abjuration (Defensive magic that combats other magic; spells that negate, counter, bind, reverse or otherwise hamper magic users and magical beings.)
Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)
Transmutation (Twisting the physical nature of reality to transform substances into something else; spells that can alter objects and people to become something they were not previously.)
Conjuration (Spells that summon, to include summoning substances, creatures, as well as effects like moving the user like teleportation.)
Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
Necromancy (Spells dealing with the resurrection or animation of the dead; flesh and bones, as well as harnessing the life force of living beings for various purposes.)
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>>5474891
>Abjuration (Defensive magic that combats other magic; spells that negate, counter, bind, reverse or otherwise hamper magic users and magical beings.)
Counterspells would be useful
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>>5474891
>Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)
Healthcare revolution
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>>5474891
>Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances
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>>5474891
Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
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>>5474891
>Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)
More population!
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>>5474891
>Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)
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>>5474891
>Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)

just caught up, pretty neat civ! In the future we should try to have our mages specialize a bit further, until now we only have diviners as a defined caste.
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>>5474936
It's what I wanted to do with this building >>5474044
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>>5474511
>Not everyone can be a warrior priest, but redemption through action, especially through service, should be key. The capacity for even an ancient evil tyrant to be redeemed should also affect our understanding, especially after meeting and befriending the 'evil' vampires: anyone can be redeemed, with enough effort

I agree with it

And by extension our religion should be a Universalizing one (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism) as opposed to an Ethnic one (Judaism, Shinto)

Anyone, regardless of species , gender , orientation or class should be given the ability to prove and/or redeem themselves in the eyes of the people and the Serpent via trials.

As we modernize I can see even our idea of citizenship being tied to trials.
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>>5474629
Wizards, Fighters and Clerics to use DND terms
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>>5474856
Meritocracy. I think our key value is that everything must be earned. Titles, power, forgiveness everything is accessible to everyone if they prove themselves.

At best this makes us very accessible and inclusive, we wouldn't be the type to deny someone because of background or personal biases.

At worse it could lead to a strict pressure of over achieving in our culture.

(I think all cultures have the potential for help and harm.)
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>>5474891
Enchantment.

I want to ride dinos and talk no jutsu magical beings.
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>>5474891
>Illusion

Elves and glamor go together, simple as
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>>5474891
>Evocation
Upgrade our combat magic!
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>>5474891
I was eating Turkey, I would’ve chosen Meritorious/Meritocracy. Don’t mind Redemption/Penance aspect though.
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>>5474891
Enchantment or Illusion
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>>5474894
>>5474918
>>5474934
>>5474936

Looks like four votes for Restoration, so that's what it'll be.

I'll need some time to consolidate our choices for Society into cohesive blocks of descriptive text, and I need to finish up sending Age 10 events to the Scottish Gnomes and the Sumerian Humans, so I'll be back with events for Age 7 for our people in a bit; likely tomorrow (Happy Thanksgiving and all).
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>>5475064
Seems we are catching up to others.
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>>5475064
>>5475069

I hope everyone's been enjoying the game so far. For perspective, here are some select random events that have occurred to other civilizations in the game across ages 1 through 10:

>A tornado wiping out between 70 to 90 percent of a starting population in Age 1.
>A demon taking control of your civilization and breeding with a bunch of women to create an army of hybrids.
>Being attacked by a horde of barbarians that wipe out all of your leadership and culture.
>Having a bunch of children eaten by an attack of giant bird-people.
>The daughter of your civilization's leadership murdering her father to assume his throne to take over all of society and create a caste of conquered slaves.
>A mind-controlling sorceress sending an army of enslaved monsters to attack your home.
>Four ages of a demon cursing your people by turning them into feral savages, then turning them into trees.
>Mutagenic plague turning your people into horrible devolved monsters.
>Balls of fire raining from the sky, burning nearly all of your homes and people.
>Tsunami; see above entries on balls of fire and tornado.
>Godzilla.
>Evil devils coming out of the ground to kill you for like five ages in a row, then a portion of your populace begins worshiping them in a cult.
>Godzilla, again.
>Royal incest!
>Being attacked by interdimensional soldiers fighting a war between gods that your people are on the farthest periphery of.
>Your civilization splitting in half due to civil strife and war.
>An elemental entity tormenting your people for three ages out of boredom and cruelty.

Just some choice examples off the top of my head. Things have gone fairly well so far.
>An invasion of Giant Spiders.

So far.
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>>5475078
That's a lot of demons.
Maybe we should learn how to cast smite evil.
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>>5475078
Huh. We ARE getting off light.
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>>5475078
The Gods must love us
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Damashi certainly has a type, don't they?
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>>5475150
>Damashi certainly has a type, don't they?
Can't say I blame 'em.
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>>5475078 >>5475146
The Scarlet Serpent is truly a kind and valorous god! He has continued to protect our people from abominable horrors we couldn't even know about!
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>>5475150
Monstergirls and demons as far as the eye can see.
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>>5475150
>>5475152
>>5475177
Hey, look, just because I exclusively run my adventures with the Tome of Erotic Fantasy doesn't mean anything.
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>>5475078
Sounds rough
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>>5474989
Hard disagree. For a proper Roman approach we would have an ultimately utilitarian view of religion and not claim to be holders of the ONE SACRED TRUTH! That means a basic understanding that the scarlet snake is OUR people's god, but other people have their own gods and we would not deny their existence or power. When we assimilate a people into our greater cultural sphere, we can also integrate their religion into our pantheon.
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>>5475078
Dad Snake Protects!
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>>5475108
Like impressively light. Can't state who but there's at least one other civ that might not crawl back from the brink.
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>>5475108
You have no idea how much of a stupendous start the thread got.
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>>5475221
No but it does unironically leave the door open for Centurii chan to wind up in our civ.
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>>5475078
Btw, I wonder, did anyone create a hermaphrotitic species? Asexual reproduction? More than 2 sexes?
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>>5475358
I second this understanding. After all, that was why the rat-goblins weren't permitted to join us, right? Our land was provided to US by OUR god. We don't necessarily have to begrudge others their differences of culture, race, or faith, but that doesn't mean they are all compatible to share our faith or society.
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>>5475358
>>5475551
The Meritocratic model *is* utilitarian.

Our God was evil but redeemed themself through service. In the same way all people are valued through trials and quests, the same model should apply to gods.

Any god that can prove itself of worship will be seen as a valid deity within our pantheon. The Red Serpent cleared the land of danger and so we worship it.

If any other deities perform similar services , they should be options for the people to worship.

We can build our Half-Elf Roman Pantheon over time as needed, but we shouldn't have hard monotheism as one of our values.
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>>5475638
That anon was arguing against proselytising our religion to others, not against polytheism
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>>5475358
The roman model is to accept other gods, but also merging them with our pantheon, claiming they are local aspects, different names, or even relatives or servants. Both the Greek and the Roman did were very big on Interpretatio in their expansions, through romanization and hellenization.
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>>5475638
I mainly took offense with Christianity, Islam and Buddhism being used as an example because none of these would work in a Roman polyreligious setting.
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>>5475679
Well Christianity eventually worked
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>>5475693
True, and maybe we can make our own version of it take power down the line? But that's way into the future, right now I think we should try to emulate early Rome and its society as best as possible.
And I don't know if it needs to be said, but taking a Rome-like focus for our culture will easily help us become a major player in the world stage: integration and Latinization of foreign tribes, extreme militarism, high value in order and sacrifice for the greater good and so on.
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>>5475703
Rome's growth model was unsustainable though. We need to remember that
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>>5475532
>Btw, I wonder, did anyone create a hermaphrotitic species? Asexual reproduction? More than 2 sexes?
No, nothing like that. One civilization has made peaceful contact with a hive of intelligent bugs, though.

Alright, I'm back, let's get this rolling. I'll write up the info from our Society choices and then we'll move onto the events for Age 7.
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>>5475679
Universalizing religions just mean they are religions that are built around accepting and including multiple peoples and groups. As opposed to ethnic religions that are more about isolation to their culture.

On our Earth a decent chunk of Universalizing religions happen to be monotheistic but nots not a requirement. Buddhism is a Universalizing religion and it notable for how compatible it is with other faiths.
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>>5475719
It helps that we didn't fall for the oligarchy of cowards at the beginning, or that the Rex didn't act like a tyrant.

>>5475721
Will we be able to add more values to our society?
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>>5475724
I wouldn't necessarily call ancient Roman religion a Universalizing one. I think it's more similar to what >>5475677 said, in that foreign gods are incorporated to the Roman's beliefs as cultures are assimilated.
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>>5475725
>Will we be able to add more values to our society?
>>5474856
>Pick only one; more will come in time.
Yes. One other player civ already has 2; they got another one from a random event.
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>>5475734
I thought you were referring that we would get one value in every circle of the cultural sphere (one ethical value, but then we can choose a spiritual value later). I must've misunderstood.
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>>5475735
Don't mind that picture, I just googled "Cultural Values" and chose one. I often try to post with a picture for an important post as kind of an anchor, but also not always; anyway pay that one no heed. I did rather like it though, I thought it would inspire some thought as to what constitutes a "value" so to speak.

Anyway, writing.
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At the end of our people's sixth age, with the passing of the second Rex and the time of the third Rex, our society has grown. Cultural values, religion, government, traditions, rites, the formation of laws and more have turned us from a simple folk into a true civilization. Our people look to the future with determination; every problem we have faced, we have overcome, and that is something to be proud of.

We now begin the 7th Age.

>...

Our population as of this age:

1708 Children
1030 Hunters
902 Gatherers
25 Warrior-Priests
10 Seers
25 Sylvians
13 Half-Sylvians
1 Rex

Our random events for this age:

1) A group of powerful-looking bronze-skinned half-elven warriors has arrived from the southeast. They are muscular, barbaric-looking men clad in animal hides and warpaint, carrying weapons more refined than your own (the tech of Bladed Tools). They claim to represent the Barbarian King, the Strongest, the One-Above-Chiefs, he who brought together the eight clans and rules over them all. They worship the Warlord, a barbarian god of strength, whom they claim is the ancestor of their Barbarian King. If you do not pay tribute in the form of a tithe of food, hides and women each month, their barbarian army will come here and take it along with many of your lives.

2) A holiday in the form of a festival celebrating the friendship and unity of both our people and the sylvians is put into place. It commemorates our first meeting, the love between their daughter and the First Rex, and celebrates unions between the two races. As a side-effect, the number of half-sylvians this age increases from four to thirteen (already reflected above).

3) Your people have discovered a temple to the north, at the absolute northernmost tip of the swamp, covered in the iconography of snakes. Within this temple, your people are awed to discover none other than the great red serpent who appeared to your people in the first age! The large red snake is, however, in the process of dying, unable to move or eat, and is too weak to even so much as speak. Its scales have lost their luster, and its eyes have gone dim. It seems to be on its very last legs (so to speak, being a snake and all).

What is your reaction to these events?
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>>5475733
https://www.albert.io/blog/ethnic-vs-universalizing-religions-ap-human-geography-crash-course/
>Universalizing religions offer belief systems that are attractive to the universal population. They look for new members and welcome anyone and everyone who wishes to adopt their belief system. Universalizing religions have many diverse members, who come from different ethnic backgrounds, hence the term universal. Therefore, it is evident that universal religions consist of many different ethnic groups because they convert and accept anyone of any background and are usually not closely tied to one location.

As opposed to

>In contrast to universalizing religions, ethnic religions usually consist of beliefs, superstitions, and rituals handed down from generation to generation within an ethnicity and culture. It follows one’s ethnicity because the religion does not tend to convert. In some ways, ethnic religions act like a folk culture. It expands via relocation diffusion and often increases through birth rates. Ethnic religions relate closely to culture, ethnic heritage, and to the physical geography of a particular place. Ethnic religions do not attempt to appeal to all people, but only one group, maybe in one locale or within one ethnicity. Judaism and Hinduism are two prime examples of ethnic religions.

I would argue that both the ancient Roman Religion and how our religon will be set up both count as Univerzaling. Univerzailing doesnt neccsary mean "Ours is the one true way follow it or die" it is a broad term covering any religous set up built around growth by aquiring members of various cultures as opposed to expanding the population oif your own culture.

A Roman polytheist telling a Germanic "Woden is just your word for our god Mercury" is just as universalizing as a Roman Christian telling a Germanic "stop worshipping Woden and start worshipping Jesus."

My pitch is that our meritocratic values would be like "Sure we'll worship Woden if he can teach us written language" or something along those lines and that added with our "accept all through trials" makes us universalizing.
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>>5475765
we need to perhaps use our magic to fight back against the barbarians . though im not sure how well we would do with so little magic users. maybe request the sylvians assistance.

and assist the red sepent in their final days. do whatever they ask and later give them a proper burial in the earth with offering and perhaps a statue (or some other sort of tribute through our primitive art) as thanks for its help
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>>5475765
1 move to another hex until we're strong enough to fight back
3 try to heal the snake with restoration magic
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>>5475765
Well shit, this is the time our our good times ends.

1) I got some ideas:
Pay the tribute, but only as a plan to assassinate the barbarian king. The women will only be volunteers, to carry it out.
Prepare to defend. Traps, guerrila warfare, scorched earth. We will die rather than give up the holy land.
Ask for help from the Sylvians and/or the Vampires.

3) Take care of the Red Snake, shower it with gifts and constant company. Ask it if there is anything we can do to help or it desires. In death will it be reborn, or join the heavens it was denied? It earned it's redemption.
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>>5475772
>>5475787
Oh yeah, magic. I support it.
Can divination reveal anything about the barbarians?
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What if we move to the swamp and make the will-o-wisps our protection?
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>>5475800
The will of wisp are gone aren't they? The Sylvans got rid of them.
>>5475789
If only the barbarians weren't obsessed with strength, perhaps we could offer this chief a political marriage to unite our people like we did with the Sylvians, since they are also half-elfs.
But they would be more likely to see it as weakness and take us over. Also the warrior-priests would see it as cowardice.
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>>5475765
>Fight them with our magical abilities, ask the Sylvians for help. If they refuse, just tell them that if we fall they will be next. And not to trust anything the barbarians say, for our races have coexisted in harmony while the barbarians wish to subjugate. Ask the Sylvians if they can bring magicians as well as any fighters.
>Be shrewd with our defenses, use our home advantage to its fullest.
>Use magic divination in order to find more out about the barbarians. Prepare our restoration magic for the warrior-priests.
>Make a divination about the red snake, what will happen to it, if there is any way it can be healed. Keep it company and do what it wishes.

>>5475767
Hm, that's fair. Though I guess we'll have to balance it with what our main gods want/represent (and what would be best for Roman-elven society) eventually.
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>>5475765
1) Prepare to fight. Train all adults in fighting and ambushing. Ask the Sylvians to take care of our children and noncombatants for a time. Divide the fighters people into groups, each having a diviner, an evoker and a healer. Disperse across the land, use divination to choose perfect times to strike and ambush. Wage a guerilla war using our knowledge of the land.
Use the assassination ploy from >>5475789 as a last resort

3) Try to heal the Serpent. We didn't advance Restoration for nothing.
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>>5475765
Oh, and as an addition to 1): send a brave adventurer to the barbarian lands to steal an idol of Warlord. If we worship Warlord too, the barbarians lose their combat bonus (hopefully)
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>>5475789
Another idea: A duel between One-Above-Cocks and the Rex. Our king too, has a exalted lineage. Also knows magic and has the artifact shield that should be better than bladed tools.
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>>5475765
>>5475811
Also add 'try to heal it with restoration magic' to what to do about the Scarlet Snake.
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>>5475819
Yeah, I like this idea. Compensates for any numbers disadvantage.
Use divination to choose the best tactic too.
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>>5475765
Offer to trade with them rather than pay tribute, and inquire about this god of theirs, perhaps we can add him to our pantheon? Regardless we should contact the vampires and sylvians to prepare for an attack.

We should attempt to use restoration magic on the scarlet serpent, and comfort it regardless.

Since we are now a bit more civilised can we form a proper militia/standing army? If so, we really need to.
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>>5475832
>Since we are now a bit more civilised can we form a proper militia/standing army?
No need to. As hunter-gatherers, every adult male has weapon skills and we don't need to leave the bulk of our people to work the fields. We basically consist of warriors (if Damashi follows RL)
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I'm not sure if we should ask the vampires if they could help. She might take offense to any demands we make (or ask us for compensation/a favor, which could potentially be really bad), and that's not even saying about how the Sylvians and our own population will react.
Rather, we should warn them that there is danger incoming and that soon the barbarians will come knocking to subjugate them, thus breaking any peace they might have.
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Our seers attempt to use divination to gain information about either the barbarians or the red serpent, but unfortunately nothing valuable is foreseen; the combination of the appearance of the barbarians and the rumors of your god dying have the people in a fearful and irrational mood. Panic bubbles under the surface and fears abound that this is the end of your civilization.

However, your people have much more success in using restoration magic to heal the snake. It seems that some life and color return to it, giving it motion and the ability to speak once more. It recognizes your people, but when it learns it has become a subject of worship and deification, the only emotion it can express is disappointment.

"I am no god," it says. "Immortal, yes. Powerful, yes. But I am no god, and had no desire to be that to your people. I should never have done what I did, appearing to your people like I did. I didn't expect you to make of me a god. What I did I did out of penance, for not only my crimes but the crimes of all my people."

When asked what he means, he explains as best he can:

"It is our fault the world is the way it is; blasted, ruined, with no civilization to speak of. Once, we ruled this world... countless ages ago, we dominated the lands, subjecting all lesser races to our whims. Slaves, entertainment, food---it didn't matter. Ours was an empire of decadence and cruelty. So great was our degeneracy that some... power, I know not what it is, for my memory was wiped out along with very nearly every single shred of our empire. I do not even know its name, nor my own---even all the memories of all living things were wiped out, so great was the offense of their empire to whatever power was capable of wiping them out that not even a memory, beyond the basest details of why things are the way they are, linger in our minds. The absolute worst of us were imprisoned in esoteric prisons; the depths of the earth, the deepest reaches of the sea, the veil behind the stars... and those few of us who could repent were given the opportunity to do so, to shepherd and prepare the younger races for their time to rule the land. Your people were one of them, and I was selected as your guide... but I have failed."

Your people insist that he has not failed.

"But I have. I am no god and for you to worship me as such is for history to repeat itself. The empire of old, ruled by the immortal members of my kind, were worshiped as gods; sacrifices made in their names, tributes upon tributes, and all they did was abuse and torment their worshipers. Made them go to war with each other for fun. Your people are free now, free to live without subjugating yourself beneath a serpent! Why shackle yourself to me?"

>What is our response to this?
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>>5475851
There's a big difference between saying 'help us fight the enemy!' and 'invaders are coming by, we and the Sylvians are putting up a stand against them. Be prepared to defend your realm if we fall, since you'll likely be next'
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>>5475858
>"It is for the reasons that you've given that we revere you, O Scarlet Snake. For amongst all those of your kind that were wicked and cruel, you have redeemed yourself. There is no greater virtue in this world than redemption, to seek to right one's wrongs."
>Share to him the story of the Star Serpent, and of how it tried to rule over us in a way similar to the Empire. Tell him about how we rejected it, and how without the guidance and the example of the Scarlet Snake we would have bowed down to it.
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>>5475858
>We have learned of the snake empire of old from a vision, when the Star Serpent tried to impersonate you, to become a tyrant, to subjugate us. We drove it back, but still continued worshiping you.
>There are no schackle, no subjugation to you. We chose to worship you. The fact that you are refusing it, that you acknowledging previous mistakes, that you are ashamed of them - proves that we right, that you are worthy.
>No one is beyond redemption, as long as they are penitent


>Talking about slavery though, there is a bunch of barbarians coming here to do just that. What do we do?
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>>5475858
Oh, and show him the artworks on the temple, to prove that we know about the old empire.
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>>5475858
Is a father venerated by his son a failure? Is a daughter bowing to her mother subjugating herself? Even as adults, children revere their parents. He is our honored ancestor. If he doesn't want sacrifices and tributes, alright, but the statue stays.

By the way, if he's immortal, why is he dying? Does he need any help?
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>>5475873
+1
>>
Also
>The absolute worst of us were imprisoned in esoteric prisons; the depths of the earth, the deepest reaches of the sea, the veil behind the stars
Star Serpent confirmed evil, and that the prison is not that good. And that there are other two.
Atleast we know that the night sky isn't evil by itself, since there's bad shit underground and in the ocean.
Oh shit we threw the dragon eggs in the ocean
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>>5475873
>Talking about slavery though, there is a bunch of barbarians coming here to do just that. What do we do?
Adding this to my vote. We should tell him about our preparations as well, and how they will probably follow us if we try to flee.
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On an unrelated note, I made a little flag for our people.
The initials are of Sanctum Regnum Rubrum Serpens, which is very broken latin for Holy Kingdom of the Red Serpent.
I thought of a bunch of different names, but this initial kind of sound like a hiss.
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>>5475858
Imma +1 to >>5475872
>>5475873

Also, i'm gonna add
>Tell him the story of the Dragon that came from the sky
>Make a group of people to go and seek for the place where we threw the Dragon's egg.

My theory is that MAYBE the Star Snake got away of his prison via Projection, maybe his True Body is truly inside a prison, but we saw him because of how powerful his soul is and that could explain why he possesed someone instead of presenting himself physically. If my theory it's true, then that means there might be no problem and the Eggs are ok. Or, maybe the Sea Snake get to manipulate some Sea People and he got the eggs some time ago. OR, the Sea Serpent go for the 40k Chaos God's route and started to whisper into those dragons egg so he could manipulate them once they hatch
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I have been asked by someone to post this in the thread due to his being banned:

>>5475765
1)
>Use Enchantment to hypnotize the invaders. Make them forget they saw us and our location, and also have them tell us their military secrets, including how to make their weapons
>Ask the Vampire Queen to protect us from invaders.

3)
>Try to use Healing magic on the serpent
>If that doesn't work try to get nonverbal consent (or if the healing worked enough to let them speak, verbal consent) to have the Vampire queen turn the Snake God. We have killers at our door and we need out god to protect us. But only turn the Serpent God with they're permission. We can't do evil to protect us from evil.
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>>5475913
Oh yeah, enchantment. If we can do that, it might buy us some time.
Banned anon, you are reading this, you are smart.
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I'm surprised none of the anons want to go with what the Scarlet Serpent wants and stop showing reverence to him.

>>5475872
And we should tell him about the corrupt and cowardly warrior-priests that believed the Star Serpent, how we have many checks and rules to make sure nothing like that happens again, and how some were even able to redeem themselves.
I'm saying all of this under the assumption that oral tradition has been strong enough to help us recall all of these events.

>>5475910
Very nice, I like it as long as we change that 'Kingdom' to 'Empire' after we get our Caesar.

>>5475911
Supporting telling him about the dragon and sending out an expedition (but the latter only if we have enough time).

>>5475913
Also supporting trying to use Enchantment, but not the help from goth ex-gf. Still just want to warn her.
>>
>>5475872
>>5475873

These are both good, I support a merger
>>
>>5475923
Sad snek dad is depressed, we must lift him off his funk.
God, saint, guide, protector, ancestor. No matter what we can call him, he is a being of good.
>>
>>5475923
If we change the kingdom, then the initial become S.I.R.S. And that kinda sounds like a name for a posh british themed pub.
>>
>>5475937
No reasons we can't be Roman and posh.
>>
What's the religion of the Sylvans? I feel in a time of such great spiritual uncertainty many might turn to our closest allies for guidance.

Regarding the barbarians, we should try to scare them off/impress them with our magic. Maybe we can enlist them as mercenaries? I guess our cultural level is higher than theirs so we can offer a more comfortable life than anything their warlord can offer.
>>
>>5475934
>>5475937
>Sad snek dad is depressed, we must lift him off his funk.
>God, saint, guide, protector, ancestor. No matter what we can call him, he is a being of good.
Agreed.

>spoiler
We could always make it something else, like The Redeemed Snake Empire, or even the Second Snake Empire if we're feeling ballsy.
Also, >>5475939
>>
>>5475913
I'm going to support the use of Enchantment, but not the rest in my vote of >>5475911
>>
The scarlet serpent hears your words, the stories of your people and the difficult situation in which you now find yourself, and for a time is silent. Whatever thoughts linger behind its reptilian eyes are difficult to guess at. It closes its eyes and seems to find itself deep in thought, at something of a crossroads.

After a time, it opens its eyes and speaks.

"Very well then. It is clear that whatever damage I have done cannot be undone. If you require an ideal to strive towards, a guide, a mentor... a god, then it shall be me, for there are forces that would seek much worse fates for you. If I can protect you, if I can show you a way to a better future, then I shall accommodate your people's faith. I shall know no name other than the titles your people have bestowed upon me."

It departs from his temple and returns to your people, who fall upon their knees to worship as it passes. The snake pays it little heed; it is clear that the serpent is uncomfortable with the notion of being a god to your people and intends to use that shame as a shield against temptation and corruption. Regardless, your people praise the snake and hail it as a savior, returning to your people in a time of need.

Your people prepare for battle, and seek out allies. The sylvians do not come to your aid. They seem more concerned with their own survival, hiding in the woods. This causes something of an outcry from your people, who feel betrayed by this sudden turn.

However, to the surprise of all, one evening a chill wind blows into your home, one that hasn't arrived since the last age. The Rex stands as the mist approaches, and surrounds him. A woman's voice speaks into his ear: "I have killed the Barbarian King. I will not allow harm to come to those who have sought to protect us... nor the children of the man for whom I cared so deeply."

The vampire departs. Your seers, evidently emboldened by the appearance of the snake, use their divination successfully and foretell that the barbarian king is indeed dead! The army, however, approaches for it seems they are seeking vengeance. They number at least twice that of your people, perhaps more.

On the eastern shores of the lake, your people gather, waiting for the army to arrive. The barbarian army, a horde of nearly twice your population, stops upon the arrival of your snake guardian. The red snake opens its mouth and from within is issued a great ball of flame which bursts upon the front rank of the horde, destroying many of them. The army flees before the might of the serpent, returning to their lands. Your people rejoice and celebrate the snake's saving of your people, but the serpent seems remorseful; it seems to find little joy in fulfilling the role of a savior, knowing it will only make the worship of him grow.

He returns to his temple in the north, asking only for some time alone to reflect upon his choices.

>...

We have two player actions for this age; what shall they be?
>>
>>5475967
I got some ideas
1)
>Seek to deepen friendship with the vampires.
I feel that it's appropriate after the Sylvian cowardice

2)I got some ideas, but they might not be possible.
>Try to copy the weapon of the barbarians, using any loot as inspiration.
Getting tech like this might be illegal

>Establish a militia system, with every citizen mustering for training once a month and be trying to fight as organized groups instead of rabble
Might be too complex for a hunter-gatherer society

>Build the Curia: a magic hall with different wings for each school of magic
I proposed this before, so I know it's allowed atleast
>>
>>5475979
The second action was in order of importance. If it's impossible, than the next one takes priority.
>>
>>5475979
gonna +1 militia and vampire friendship
>>
>>5475967
Surely the cowardice of the Sylvians is not unanimous? Where did the character shown by the wife of the Scion go? Did they think the barbarian horde would spare them? This craven behaviour is shameful to the ancestors, theirs and ours both!

>>5475979
I'll back this but with the caveat that the approachment towards the vampire will be tentative, something like what I proposed beforehand. With the Rex and other important figures going out to meet them, especially the Lady.
>>
>>5475995
Could always handover a grandson of her beloved Rex that looks like him to her. If that is what she wants
>>
>>5475979

>Establish a militia system, with every citizen mustering for training once a month and be trying to fight as organized groups instead of rabble
Too complicated, organize just the hunters for 2 weeks of training since they already have weapons they can use we don't have to provide them with weapons or weapons training
>>
>>5475967
>establish a militia system

Nothing overly complicated, merely set aside some time for our hunters to train in military drill occasionally, perhaps take some the most promising and make them into full time soldiers to form a nucleus for when the militia is needed.

>contact the remainder of the barbarians
We should attempt to incorporate them into our civilization, they have seen the power of the scarlet serpent.
>>
>>5475967
From the banned anon:

>1 Open Trials to other species
The Sylvian have shown cowardice, the Invaders evil and the Vampires heroism. We should offer for people within these groups to under go trials or quests. With successful ones earning their places without our society. Redemption is the right of all. Heroism is the aspiration of all .
>2
Let it be known the Serpent isn't a god, but a very powerful magical being that serves the people as all do . They are a heroic figure but there virtue is something any can achieve and that all should aspire to.
>3
Practice magic
I don't know how "exp" works in this system but do something to increase our magical ability. If the Curia would do that build it. Otherwise some other way to raise our MAG stats
>>
>>5476027
>Let it be known the Serpent isn't a god, but a very powerful magical being that serves the people as all do . They are a heroic figure but there virtue is something any can achieve and that all should aspire to.

Sounds like a fucking heretic who wants the people to go into mass revolt
>>
>>5476027
1. I assume you mean "within" and no. The barbarians can since they're half elves and the vampires are getting closer but if those ratmen show up again? No.
2. No said that the Scarlet Serpent is some incomprehensible divinity. Like I said earlier, he is simply an extremely powerful being of good nature or, more succinctly, a god worthy of worship.
3. Yes
>>
>>5475985
>>5475995
>>5475979
>>5476013

So, effectively we're looking at contacting the vampires and establishing a militia, which in effect is an early unlocking of the Warrior class.

Writing now.
>>
>>5475967
Huh, I thought they would come to our help after all the I said with >>5475811
I feel like something is going on here. Can we send some more people over there to see what's happening?
>>
The current Rex, along with several guardians, priests and the like, travel northeast towards the lands of the vampires in order to pay respect to the slayer of the barbarian queen. However, it seems they were not the first to arrive; a battle clearly took place here, with dead bodies littering the ground.

It seems that the barbarians, either before or after coming to your people, came to exact a toll for their dead leader. The only survivor is the woman, who stands amidst the dead men and vampires, deeply mourning.

Upon seeing the Rex, she is reminded of her dead love and turns away. "I ask of you to leave me be," she says, her voice full of pain. "I thought I had known the deepest of pain, but life has seen to take from me everything I held dear. First my love and then my children."

The Rex, privy to the private stories of his father, approaches her. He knows not the extent of his father's intimacy with her, but in the spur of the moment he offers her the option of returning with him to your home.

In a surprising turn of events, perhaps in a moment of vulnerability, she agrees. She claims that she no longer has any desire to turn others into vampires like her, and wishes seclusion. The Rex offers her his personal protection, and the creation of a chamber in which there will be no sun; it is the least he feels your people can do for her help and the cost it brought her.

And so, she returns with the Rex, traveling by cover of darkness to your home. She offers to take up an advisory role to the Rex, and to fulfill this role for all future members of his bloodline.

>...

This age, you can create a Warrior class. A portion of hunters and gatherers will be trained to become full-time warriors, with significantly greater combat capability, who will serve as permanent guards of your civilization when not sent out on assignment. They act as a defensive and reactive force; should an enemy attack, your warriors will defend.
>>
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>>5476124

What is our choice of tech for this age?

Tier 2
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
>Music (Leads to Astrology) (Cultural Boost)

Tier 3
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)
>Taxation (Leads to Bartering) (Economic Boost)
>Furnace (Leads to Bronze Working, Smoke Signals and the Forge) (Production Boost)
>>
>>5476127
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)

DOMESTICATE THE STEGOS

(AND perhaps use them as war animals so we arnt caught offguard again
>>
>>5476127
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
I was going for domestication, but it might be better to go for bladed tools and agriculture first.
>>
>>5475913
Support
>>
Also, what do we call our warrior class? I'm partial to Equite, so we can have them mounted on dinosaurs and bugs when we get animal husbandry.
>>
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>>5476127
Well, that went quite smoothly. Only thing left is to get answers from the Sylvians.
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
Then Agriculture, we need those pops!
>>
>>5476127
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
Security before prosperity.

Also, maybe we could slowly grow the Lady’s ranks with the most virtuous, most capable warriors. She did sacrifice her children on our behalf, so we should repay her in kind.
>>
>>5476127
>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)
Part of me thinks there's still something more to the Sylvians not coming by.
Well, anyway, we need to defend ourselves better for the future.
>>
>>5476144
But we don't have mounts for our warriors yet. We need to call them something else, and also not legionnaires.

>>5476148
No, no more vampires. Repay the favour with something else, we have time to spare.
>>
>>5476152
An elite group of Night Watchers would be rad in all honesty, given our fear of the night. Plus, it would give our regular warriors more rest since they wouldn’t take up the duties of night patrols.
>>
>>5476132
>DOMESTICATE THE STEGOS
Don't forget the Winged Lions! (hopefully there are more left for us to eventually tame)

>>5476150
How could the Sylvians not bring any magicians to help us? They were willing to get rid of the Lights that were terrorizing us. Could they have really just fallen to cowardice in all those eras?
>>
>>5476127
>>Bladed Tools (Leads to Mining, The Wheel, Weaponry, Architecture, Sailing, and Agriculture) (Combat/Production Boost)

>>5476148
>Also, maybe we could slowly grow the Lady’s ranks with the most virtuous, most capable warriors. She did sacrifice her children on our behalf, so we should repay her in kind.

No, far too much risk there.
>>
>>5476127
>>Bladed Tools
>>
>>5476163
When I mean slow, I mean like 1 or 2 per age. Only the best of the best (and a small pittance compared to our population growth). And honestly, having one or two dedicated scholars as vampires would be kino for keeping history alive. I mean, they would’ve actually LIVED though those times. It’d be interesting at least.
>>
>>5476148
She doesn't seem to want to turn more people into vamps
>>
>>5476177
She’s also currently grieving, so I would expect that. I also don’t want her to remain alone, the only survivor though out the ages. That’s just… it’s just sad.
>>
>>5476180
Maybe she could be a friend of the Red Snake. They can be sad together.
>>
>>5476197
Both immortal, having sacrificed a great deal to help us. I think it would be a beautiful friendship.
>>
>>5476197
>>5476199
The Red Snake says they aren't a god. We should respect their wishes, but still honor them.

I propose we create a new class within our society. One reserved for powerful magical beings who have protected us and ours. To be honored, respected
, Paid homage to and called up on for wisdom, but not to be worshipped and not to rule.

The Red Snake was the first of these figures, the Vampire Queen will be the second.

(I don't know any cognants in Roman myth but I was thinking about the Holy Prophets in Islam, and the Buddhas in Buddhism)
>>
>>5476134
>>5476146
>>5476148
>>5476150
>>5476163
>>5476172

Bladed Tools it is. Taking inspiration from the weapons used by the barbarians, we refine our tool use, creating sharpened tools capable of more effectively cutting and chopping.

Our civilization grows, both in its worship of the savior the Red Snake and the integration of the Rex's new vampiric advisor. We inquire as to why the sylvians did not come to our aid, but they remain silent, citing that while you are friends, and may share blood, the decision was theirs to make and seemed to be the prudent one to make at the time. For what it's worth, they're glad at the outcome, but your relations have been somewhat strained as a result.

The Rex has one son this age, while his female cousin ends up having three children; a male and two females in that order.

And so, we move onto the 8th Age.

>...

Our population as of the 8th Age:

Don't mind the smaller children count, I'm just refining my population growth statistics because I kept ending up with numbers of kids in excess of 50% of a total population which just isn't realistic, but my new formula won't let that happen.

658 Children
1139 Hunters
973 Gatherers
423 Warriors
35 Warrior-Priests
15 Seers
33 Sylvians
17 Half-Sylvian
1 Rex
1 Vampire
1 Naga
3297 Total

Our random events for this age are as follows:

1) A massive meteor streaks across the sky, and lands nearby. History seems to repeat itself; just as in the 3rd Age, this impact creates a massive explosion. This one, however, is much closer than the previous; it is one hex directly south of us, on the southern end of the lake. All of our people are capable of looking at it across the water, seeing the fires from home. Fear races through your people; what if this is another monster? To this day, the eggs of the first beast can still be seen in the ocean. Is there some kind of connection?

2) The Rex of this age (the fourth) is captivated by a beautiful girl in the village, and immediately marries her. In short order, they successfully produce three children; a female, followed by two males. But this creates an issue; up until now, the former Rexes have only produced male heirs; this is the first one to produce more than one child, and the first is a female. What is to be the nature of succession? Can there be a female Rex, or is it to go to the firstborn Male in the family? What if a Rex produces no children, or only females? Much discussion is born out of this union.

3) This age, a monument may be constructed by our people. It can take whatever form we desire, given reason and technological limitations. The form, purpose, and overall role in our society may be determined by us, from a statue to a temple to an open space of some variety, or otherwise.

What is our reaction to these events?
>>
>>5476250
1)
>Investigate the meteor. Divine about it first.
2)
>Adopt Agnatic-cognatic succession. It is for parental reasons: pregnancy and childcare demands more attention of the mother than father, and every child deserves to be raised in a loving household.
3)
>Curia time?
>>
>>5476250
1. Explore the site of the explosion.
2. Male preference heir nomination. The Rex may nominate any of his sons as the heir and if he has no sons, he may nominate any males from within the dynasty. In the event that there are no males remaining, repeat the process but with females instead. And if the Rex was unable or unwilling to nominate an heir them default to male preference primogeniture.
3. Complete the third building that anon laid out a while ago.
>>
>>5476250
>>5476264
Support, but divine about the meteor as well.
>>
>>5476264
I like the nomination idea, I'll support it.
Maybe we should write a clause that women can inherit if they pass some great trial, just in case we get a female hero unit.
>>
>>5476271
Ehh even if we get a female hero that's part of the dynasty I don't think that should mean she could get to be Regina without the process I laid out. Maybe do some inbreeding though, that's a classic.
>>
>>5476250
>1.
Investigate the meteor use divination to scout it first
>2
Implement the trial/quest system of picking the Rex outlined here. (Which I thought we already voted for.)

>>5474389
>3.
Build the Curia
>>
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>>5476262
>>5476264
>>5476271
>>5476268
>>5476296

Very well then, this age the Curia/Mage Hall will be built.

Your seers set about attempting to divine the nature of the meteor, but a strange omen surrounds it; your novice skill at divination is unable to determine its exact nature. Due to the close proximity of the meteor, several people are able to approach it.

Much like before, the meteorite unfurls itself and becomes a lava-dragon. Your people watch as the monstrous fire-breathing creature unleashes a torrent of flame in its death throes before dying, leaving behind two man-sized obsidian eggs that are very warm to the touch and glow with an orange light in the cracks. This time, your people heed the stories of the first encounter and observe from a great distance.

What is to be done with these eggs? Push them into the lake? Move them north to dump into the sea?
>>
>>5476299
Where is that guy who said he had a plan for the eggs? I got no fucking clue what to do with 'em.
>>
>>5476299
Bring them to the Red Snake and ask what they think
>>
>>5476311
+1
>>
>>5476311
yup ask the RS and the vampire queen, they've been around for a while
>>
>>5476311
Support
>>
>>5476264
>2. Male preference heir nomination. The Rex may nominate any of his sons as the heir and if he has no sons, he may nominate any males from within the dynasty. In the event that there are no males remaining, repeat the process but with females instead. And if the Rex was unable or unwilling to nominate an heir them default to male preference primogeniture.
Also this if that issue is still undecided
>>
>>5476250

Put a painting of the Sylvian ancestor of our Rex in the Curia, too, and a painting of the Vampire, as well as a memorial to her lost children who died so that we might live.

I advance the ides that the Rex's children, male or female, would have to complete a Great Trial to qualify and, if none of them do, other members of his extended family with Sylvian blood may then step up to attempt. If a female successor can pass trials of moral, mental, and physical fortitude, why NOT have a Regina?

>>5476299
Ask the Scarlet Snake (naga, I guess, according to the population stats?)
>>
>>5476334
>ask the vampire
Oh, right, duh. She's our advisor.

>>5476299
Adding to >>5476342, ask BOTH our semi-immortal super-elders.
>>
>>5476342
I really do think the way our culture is set up that gender based succession seems OOC. We're built on earning everything through trial and tribulation. Awarding the highest office based on an accident of birth seems antithetical to our philosophy.

The office of Rex should be earned through trial the same way people have to earn being Warrior-Priests or Seers.
>>
>>5476349
Like if even our god has to earn their position why wouldn't our ruler?
>>
>>5476349
oh yeah that's true! How about
>The Rex gives all his children great tasks upon reaching maturity: erect a grand monument, discover new lands, vanquish a foe etc. He will base his choice in succession on their performance.

it's also somewhat similar to what the Romans did with their triumphs (aggressive go-getters)
>>
>>5476360
I like this but would extend it to the anyone who has already passed a "normal" trial to become a Warrior -Priest, Seer, or any other of our elite classes.
>>
>Ask Vampire and Red Snake about eggs
>The Rex gives all his children great tasks upon reaching maturity: erect a grand monument, discover new lands, vanquish a foe etc. He will base his choice in succession on their performance.

Meritocracy over gender roles.
>>
>>5476311
>>5476322
>>5476334
>>5476344
>>5476342

Unfortunately the vampiress knows nothing of these eggs. Upon being brought to the red serpent, however, it explains that while it has no memory of specific information, it is aware of the existence of other realms, places where the normal laws of reality hold little value. Sometimes, beings from these places are unable to adapt to the conditions of our world; we would similarly find their world exceptionally unpleasant. It suspects that these eggs, similar to a bird of fire of which a vague recollection exists, are the means by which these particular dragons reproduce. They are not normal creatures, like other dragons who live upon this world, but suspects that the children which hatch from the eggs would be able to adapt to the conditions of this realm. The serpent suspects that the nature of leaving behind two eggs means that they are a mating pair; male and female. It seems logical to the snake that if being born upon the plane fundamentally alters their biology, them adopting male and female roles so as to propagate their species would follow the same line of logic.

It is very curious that two such dragons should land in the same region, separated by a few hundred years... The snake knows not why, nor their true purpose for coming here. Perhaps they were sent, or came of their own volition. Perhaps there is some greater cosmic coincidence responsible for it all...

If the eggs you pushed into the water so many ages ago have not hatched, it is likely that the conditions of being submerged are acting as a means to subdue the eggs and keep them in a state of suspended animation. Perhaps, when the time is right and your people are ready, these eggs could be harnessed and their occupants captured and used for your purposes.

>What do you do with this information?
>>
>>5476425
Shove the eggs into the sea. We'll collect them when we can, uh, actually DO something with them.
>>
>>5476425
Build a pool for them in our temple for further studies. Have our diviners continue pondering over them.
>>
>>5476433
Oh and if possible fish out the other two as well. Can't rely on the fickle sea to guard them.
>>
>>5476425
Build a pool, put the eggs there. If possible, fish out the previous pair and put them there as well.
>>
>>5476450
+1 for containment pool. But put it in the Curia

And dig out the old eggs from the ocean too and put them there.
>>
Success suggestion

>The Triumph Code

In the Tenth year of a Rex's reign they will call for triumphs.

At the end of the year, anyone can apply with a magnum opus. This can be any achievement that serves the people as a whole. Discovery of a new food source, elimination of a dangerous threat, development of new magic or technology, design of a great building and so on.

The Rex will judge the magnum opuses, and name the creator of the greatest of them the Triumphator. The Triumphator is made the heir apparent, and when the Rex dies or retires, the Triumphator becomes the new Rex.


The Rex may also designate runners up as oviationators. These will be ranked. If the Triumphator dies before they inherent the throne, the highest ranked oviationator becomes the new Triumphator. And if a Rex dies before there tenth year of reigning, the highest ranked oviationator from there "class" becomes Rex.
>>
>>5476474
Let's not forget that our bond with the Silvians AND the vampires basically depends on the bloodline remaining in power, so let's be careful with a pure meritocracy.
>>
>>5476481
Yep, this. Let's limit the candidate pool to the vampire-loving Rex's bloodline. With time, it'll expand anyway.
>>
>>5476481
>>5476502
I'll give you the Vampire Queen, but it seems the Sylvian Nation (not the Sylvian people within our community) aren't actually that useful as allies here.

I'm not saying that we should attack them or cut them off, but I don't think we should make policy decisions based on how it would appeal to them or not

For example it cost us the chance of the super cool Vampires being allied or integrated into our civilization. Instead we just have one traumatized super soldier .
Even with their lowered numbers they took down an invading force at slightly above equal force

Imagine if we had had them voluntarily turning people for decades.

Given the Vampire Queen's promise I can accept the compromise of the Triumphs being acceptable from any descendant of the Third Rex.

But in the future I don't think "The Sylvians won't like it" is a good enough reason not to do something. The cost benefit just isn't there.
>>
>>5476535
I think you love vampires too much. We're a half-elven civ, not a vampire one.
>>
>>5476535
They were kinda disappointing in our last encounter, but then again we have never really done anything for them besides fucking their leader lol. I wonder how (if at all) their Civ has progressed in the last few hundred years. We live so close yet don't really know a lot about them.
>>
>>5476535
You should also take into consideration that, according to the vampire queen herself, most mortals are distrusting of any undead races. So if we make any vampire warriors our diplomatic relationships will take plunge.
That and them getting wiped off was makes me feel a bit unimpressed by their powers, not to mention how we'll need someone (most likely the vampire queen herself) to make sure they don't go feral.
Part of me regrets not voting for other Rex to become a vampire, but I still think it was a poetic tragedy.
>>
>>5476271
>>5476264
I'll change my vote to support trials + nomination for both genders, but it's limited to the Rex dynasty. If there is no candidates, then default to primogeniture.
Also maybe some divination first, and perhaps a talk with the Red Snake before assuming power, so he can vet them.
>>
>>5476425
Build a pool and submerge them there. Get the old eggs too.
Maybe make it some sort of vault for the temple, magic hall or civic center? That way they could be watched over.
>>
>>5476625
Meant to reply to this post
>>5476250
Not this one
>>5476264
>>
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>>5476450
>>5476433
>>5476453

Very well then, a pool shall be constructed in the Curia and the eggs placed within. It is a considerable effort to retrieve the eggs from the sea and bring them south, but thankfully it is done without much hassle and the eggs do not hatch during the journey.

As for the detail regarding succession, noted. The three siblings will compete this age to see who comes out on top.

In the time being, however, we must determine our player actions for the age; still two. What shall they be?
>>
>>5476633
You forgot to mark the wild rice and truffles on the southeast
>One child will explore towards the barbarian lands, see if there are remnants.
>Another will try to deepen relations with the Sylvans.
Back to working towards integrating our neighbors.
>>
>>5476637
Support
>>
>>5476301
Unfortunately it was me, and I had work when this happened.

>>5476425
Original plan was to wait for domestication, then create a village in the mountains dedicated to becoming Dragon Riders. Now? I think putting them in the sea/pool and guarding them is our best bet, then maxing out Enchantment before trying our hand at taming them and putting them into good use.

Call it the Dragon Prophecy- the Universe clearly want us to take care of and take these dragons, why else would they send TWO dragon in the same region, producing FOUR eggs? They are our by right, and so is the Star Metal!

Also, can we talk with the Silvians about further cultural exchanges. I know many the recent strain on our relationship was unavoidable, but they did save our ass in our first meeting. It’s probably that they are spec’ed into fighting the mystical, but physical fighting is their weakness. In any case, we all benefit from bettering relations (and assimilating them quickly).

>>5476474
I’m willing to entertain this, but if it fails, default to male succession.

>>5476581
They took on overwhelming barbarian numbers as a handful of half-feral vampires- imagine what they could do if properly focused on training instead of foraging.

Besides, we wouldn’t encourage making more vampires, we’d just tolerate it diplomatically. They did save our tribe from destruction and subjugation at the cost of almost total annihilation after all, even the distrustful race would understand that kind of loyalty.
>>
>>5476633
>Deepen relations with the Sylvans, get magic.
>Find barbarian remnants, try and create positive relations.
>>
>>5476633
>Further try to develop our relationship with the Sylvans and see if there's a way we could help them with something

I'm leaning into the theory of >>5476647
About them being great mistical fighters, so maybe the next Age we could train our mages with the Sylvans

>Try to make a see any other tiles that we didn't explore around us, if there's not other left then let's explore more of the Swamp tiles
>>
>>5476637
>Explore unknown tile next to home
>Deepen sylvian ties
>>
>>5476662
There is no unknown tile next to our home by the way, Damashi forgot to put the rice and truffles after we explored it and met the rats.
>>5474095
>>
>>5476664
Right.
Switching to
>Explore whatever vision tells us to
>Deepen sylvian ties
>>
>>5476658
I’d honestly wait for Pathfinders before exploring more desu, we get better mileage out of our player actions that way.
>>
>>5476637
Supporting this as well. We would not do well to forget about the barbarians. They can bacome the bane of our people but might as well become great allies or bolster our ranks with their fighters.
>>
>>5476647
We'll see how things turn out, though I still feel like this will make problems for a future power struggle.
>imagine what they could do if properly focused on training instead of foraging
Yes, but there is one key weakness here, the weakness to sunlight. We would have to develop new complex stuff for them to protect them from it.
And I think you have to much hope for other races on this planet. If the barbarians are anything to go by, they won't see it like we do unless they trust us first.
I'm not necessarily against the vampires, but I think we should save it for something down the line (once we establish elven-rome as a major power, for example).
Even then I'm not so sure. Maybe we can ask the queen if there's a cure for her vampirism? She is pretty sad, and it would be cruel to just have her around while everyone else dies (though that other anon had a good idea with making the Scarlet Snake and her friends).

>>5476633
>Develop our relations with the Sylvians, take not of their system of government
>Seek out Barbarian remnants, offer them the chance to redeem themselves
>>
>>5476704
>Yes, but there is one key weakness here, the weakness to sunlight
No, that’s their main strength. Elite night-fighters in a time when most armies can only use torchlight to see. The ambush potential is insane really.
>She is pretty sad, and it would be cruel to just have her around while everyone else dies
Also why I think we should (slowly) increase vampire numbers. The Lady needs some companionship.
>>
>>5476704
Having an elite vampire force is certainly enticing but I simply can't see a way where this will not end in a decadent vampire aristocracy feasting on an enslaved population. I'm not even sure if keeping the queen in our midst - amongst so many delicious blood bags - is a good idea. After all even her master went insane and feral after the millenia...
>>
>>5476633
>Deepen ties with the Sylvians
>Explore in the direction of the barbarians
>>
>>5476545
The Vampires have superpowers and have done nothing but help us age after age.

We're not a Snake Civ either and we still adore the Snake for all it's done.
>>
>>5476647
Max out enchantment.

I want to use it for domestication and diplomacy.

We have two actions I want to use both on boosting Enchantment
>>
>>5476704
>take not
*take note

>>5476732
What you're saying about their skills is true, but what I'm saying is that vampires are more of a situational use when fighting.
I feel like making more vampires, especially now, would cause more trouble in the future. I don't want to end up with a vampiric praetorian guard that'll play musical chairs with the title of Rex a couple of centuries from now.
And I don't know if a bunch of half-feral vampires would make for good companionship. I mean, she seemed pretty lonely even when she had her domain.

>>5476733
That's a concern I have as well, I agree with not making more vamps. Though I don't want to just kick her out after everything she's done and sacrificed for us.
>>
>>5476733
Not only do we have enchantment to help with that but the Vampire Queen's sire was so good hearted he committed suicide rather than go feral.

And the Queen was stated to have more control than her sire. And she has kept the ferals in check.

Honestly based on what happened in game Vampires have a massive number of pros in their column. I think most of the cons are just cultural stigma, both in and out of universe.
>>
>>5476829
I don't believe in forced Vampire breeding. Just don't ban people from becoming Vampires if both the biter and biter agree to it
>>
I've got thinking about how can we be a Rome analog when our Snake Dad absolutely despises the ancient snake empire that behaved very much like Rome.
>>
>>5476852
We can be imperial rome. Or focus on asoefts of Roman culture that fit more I to our lore. No civilization is a monolith. Rome had more to it than conquest . Conquests is just what is focused on heavily in history and culture.
>>
>>5476852
Thats just how you choose to picture it, but we have virtually no information. These guys could have been Aztec, Egyptian or Japanese for all we know.
>>
>>5476867
>Ah, but you see, that was not Roman enslaving people and making them fight for entertainment, but Aztec enslaving people and making them fight for entertainment! Roman enslaving people and making them fight for entertainment is okay!
>>
>>5476861
>Pre-imperial Rome
I meant
>>
>>5476901
Pre-imperial Rome was the same, it's conquest and enslavement all the way down.
>>
>>5476875
yup that's how people have reasoned throughout history
>>
Here me out folks, what if we were ... good guys?
>>
>>5476988
We're always the good guys, anon. Even when we're not.
cue evil laugh
>>
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>>5476637
>>5476647
>>5476656
>>5476658
>>5476662
>>5476671
>>5476689
>>5476704
>>5476755

Very well, an attempt at diplomacy to both the sylvians and barbarians.

In the matter of the sylvians, their lack of sending aid comes down to something of a cultural quirk on their part; a kind of stubbornness when it comes to their "live and think in the moment" philosophy. Despite sharing nearby lands and blood with our people, they still see themselves as independent and "of the forest" so to speak, and the forest is inherently more passive and so they are more given to defense. When it comes to the matter of the swamp lights, they were spurred to action because it was an enemy that they could defeat easily, and the wife of the first Rex was very persuasive. Some higher-up elements of their society are still hesitant to mingle with our people, hence why such a small minority of them have come to reside with us and half-sylvians are an even smaller number. They see themselves as apart, separate, and not beholden to any specific pact beyond one of friendly neighbors. However, when asked a hypothetical question that if they were in danger would they call upon us for help, they cannot honestly say that they would not ask for it. They admit and recognize the tension their elders have created with the decision, but stand by it; at the time, it seemed like they would be sending their people to die. Perhaps now, with our elder snake's abilities, they would reconsider; the fundamental basis of their choice was one of self-preservation for their society. They were confident that even if the barbarians came further north of the lake, their natural advantage in the forest would protect them, perhaps even allow them to avoid detection entirely.

They are glad things turned out the way they did, but are not apologizing for the choice they made. They are a people who live in the moment, and in the moment that choice seemed most prudent to avoid the slaughter of countless sylvian sons and daughters.

Your delegation takes a moment to consider their next talking point.

>...

As for the barbarian delegation, after passing through lands with very crunchy and juicy star fruits, we encounter a group of barbarians and are met with unquestionable and unrelenting hostility from the barbarian tribes. The initial encounter results in no deaths, but they depart to get more men.

If our delegation lingers, they will undoubtedly be attacked.

>What is our reaction to these events?
>>
>>5477052
>Their beliefs, and the hatred of vampires. Do they hate wolves?
>Return home to warn the others that the barbarians can't be dealt with peacefully.
>>
>>5477063
Actually, maybe they dislike vampires because it's a unatural immortality, not because they hunt creatures.
So no asking about the wolf thing. They may be just majorly hypocritical instead of completely.
>>
>>5477052
>Say that nonetheless both the Sylvians and us have enjoyed many benefits with our friendship, and that we wish to deepen our ties despite the differences in philosophy. Like the forest, both our culture and theirs shall grow. And much like how the woods are stronger when working together, so should we.
>Have the delegation leave, the barbarians clearly aren't in speaking terms. Have them warn everyone that they are hostile and will probably seek to attack us when they regroup.
>>
>>5477084
+1
>>
>>5477084
Supporting. Also: rally an offnesive force to preemptively ambush the barbarians the seo nd we spot them approaching us. Let one of the Rex's kids lead it to prove their merit.

>>5477052
>>
>>5477065
The Vampires are objectively good allies.

They have done nothing but help us time and time again and acted out of kindness and humility even when it hurt. They are good people and should be honored as such.

I move that the Vampire Queen be elevated to a place of honor alongside the Scarlet Serpent. We hail the serpent because they saved us from predators. The Vampire Queen has done the same.
>>
>>5477125
Also contrast the Vampire Queen's bravery and sacrifice with the Sylvian elders isolationism
>>
>>5477125
In regards to the invaders pull back our delegation and boost our military with plans of defense.
>>
>>5477052
In regards to the barbarians we should subjugate them while they are weak and in disarray if they are not willing to talk, no sense in letting them recover.
>>
>>5476829
>And I don't know if a bunch of half-feral vampires would make for good companionship. I mean, she seemed pretty lonely even when she had her domain.
This time they won’t be half-feral, they will be civilized.
Also, if they’re use is situational, they can never achieve Praetorian guard btw, since that would require Daylight resistance desu.

>>5476832
Same. Consent is key.

>>5476875
The Roman’s didn’t enslave thousands just to rip their hearts out in mass human sacrifice lad.
>>
>>5477052
>Say that nonetheless both the Sylvians and us have enjoyed many benefits with our friendship, and that we wish to deepen our ties despite the differences in philosophy. Like the forest, both our culture and theirs shall grow. And much like how the woods are stronger when working together, so should we.
>Try to enchant them, but leave before reinforcements arrive and warn everyone that they still might be pissed.
>>
Anons are literally begging for a repeat of Ermor from dominions with all this vampire talk

Hard no from me on making more of them.
>>
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>>5477084
>>5477096
>>5477100
>>5477164

Our passionate plea does not fall upon deaf ears; the sylvian leadership, a council of their eldest and wisest, admit that there is wisdom in our words. They concede that their action, while they defend it as prudent, was not the best one to take from your perspective, a perspective that is not totally alien from their own. They acted without faith on your part, and that is not what a friend does, and so they make for you a pledge: when you call upon them in a time of great need, they will answer, and trust in your judgement; they will have faith in your alliance, that together you both are stronger. They also concede that they too will call upon you if they truly need it.

Your relation with them has improved, and you can hold them to their oath in the future.

As for the delegates we sent south into the barbarian lands, they return home and prepare defenses. A small force of barbarian scouts arrives, however we are able to ambush and capture them with our new class of warriors; some of their party die in the ambush. The ones that live explain that ever since the death of the Barbarian King, the eight clans have devolved into fighting each other, making war on each other and shedding blood for blood. The tribes raid each other and have grown weak, but one tribe in particular has grown powerful, the one that the king originally hailed from. They are on the cusp of once again taking control of all the clans.

>What is our reaction to this? What of these captured barbarians?
>>
>>5477179
>Enchant the captured barbarians, and pledge to support the other weakened tribes against the strong one. Try and create a coalition to keep the barbarians disunified and fighting one another.
>>
>>5477179
We must defeat the big tribe, to avoid the barbarians uniting again and surely coming for revenge. Perhaps working together with the smaller to take down the big one, divide and conquer.
The barbarians will be captured, but treated well. This will be a show of good faith to their home tribe. Use enchantments to help charm them, to convince that allying with us is a good choice.
>>
>>5477179
>Kill the captured barbarians
>Try and divine the lands of the most powerful clan to find any weakness, prepare for an attack

Diplomacy doesn't seem possible until we're at least kind of threatening, it might just be best to attack a weakpoint and let them crumble
>>
>>5477198
+1
>>
>>5477198
I'm also adding divination to the this.
>>
>>5477198
Support
>>
>>5477198
>>5477190
>>5477213
>>5477214
>>5477229

Our seers have foreseen an end to the lead barbarian tribe, but only through unification of the other tribes; they have the numbers and the strength to see it through. However, uniting them will not be simple; they respect only strength, and right now we do not possess the strength.

The greatest Seer this age is a woman, wise and mysterious, and she foretells a prophecy: next age, a child will come about, one of light and darkness, who possesses the power of both day and night. This child will have the strength to conquer the tribes and bring them to heel, and slay the new barbarian king, but the child's true challenge will lie not within the barbarian lands of the south, but within home...

The prophecy delivered, the age comes to an end.

Of the three children of the fourth Rex, it is indeed his secondborn and first son who earns the right to take the title. Though all three children competed well, accomplishing tasks worthy of individual renown and respect, it is the elder son who is chosen above his older sister and younger brother.

His younger brother grows petulant and jealous, spending more and more of his time alone. Well, not alone exactly; this is the first generation of the royal family to grow up in the presence of the new immortal advisor, the vampire. She has been a fixture in their lives, and it is with her that this son takes refuge, spending time with her in the underground chamber constructed beneath the council chamber.

It was his great-grandfather that she once fell in love with, and over the course of the time these two spend together she finds herself falling in love again, against her better judgment. The thirdborn son of the fourth Rex professes that he has always loved her, since he was a child, and wishes to be with her, but what she does not know is that he is manipulating her and her predisposition to his bloodline. What he truly seeks is her power, and in a moment of weakness, she grants it to him, draining his blood as they make love, exploiting her passion for his true goal. In the heat of the moment, emotionally manipulated, she loses control, just as he was expecting. She is forced to turn him, lest he die.

She is ashamed at what she has done, for she had sworn to never again turn another, but she found herself unable to deny him. Now, empowered as he is, he seeks to take revenge upon his brother and claim the title of Rex for himself. In the night, he appears to his brother and attacks him, strangling him in bed. Their elder sister appears and tries to stop her brother, but she is powerless against his supernatural strength. As he stands over her, ready to end the last perceived threat to his immortal rule, he takes a moment to proclaim that he shall never die. He then dies, for he has been stabbed through the heart. He turns and looks upon none other than the Seer, who has come to fulfill her role in her own prophecy.
>>
>>5477365

For the union between the thirdborn son and the vampire was not, in fact, fruitless. In the midst of their passion when she fed upon him, she found herself filled with vitality like never before, having drunk the empowered magical blood of his half-elven-sylvian life force. For a moment, it returned enough of her undead form to life to take with child: the child of the prophesy that the Seer foresaw. She saw the death of both brothers and the rise of the first female Rex as being necessary steps to bring about the end of the barbarian threat to the south.

A catastrophe like this is unable to be contained or kept secret. The people learn of the deaths of the brothers and the vampire that has been concealed underneath the council chamber, and are in an uproar. Rumors spread about the monster who feeds upon the royalty and whispers commands into their ear, who steals babies in the night and bathes in the blood of children. It was clearly she who seduced the brother, and had him kill his siblings so that she could rule the throne in secret behind him! She must have used her magic, her wicked dark powers, to twist the innocent thirdborn brother, a respected and beloved scion of royal blood! They demand the death of the vampire, especially those with strong ties to the sylvians, who themselves are shocked at the news. While they do not cut ties with our civilization, they make their stance on the matter clear: the vampire, like all undead, is an abomination of nature. It does not follow the cycle of life and death, it is a parasite upon the very essence of living. Immortality is the height of hubris and to live as one of them is to not truly live. Furthermore, simply the act of keeping one around is inviting the possibility of something like this happening. Regardless of her quality of character, she has shown to be able to be manipulated. That power in the wrong hands would result in pain, death and torment, as proven by the fallen thirdborn brother.

Even the royal family begins to consider that keeping the vampire was a mistake; the surviving sister certainly has no love for the one who caused the death of her two brothers.

Amidst all of this chaos and confusion, having brought nothing more than pain and death to the family she had grown to love, and manipulated by someone she thought cared for her, the vampire's heart truly breaks once and for all, causing her to spiral into a pit from which there is no escape, a despair without equal. She flees, vanishing into the woods. The people chase her, hunting for the monster, the Rex-killer, the abomination.
>>
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>>5477368

Much later, once things have grown quiet, one year later, a cold fog creeps into town just before dawn. A bundle is left within the council chamber, and contained within is not one, but two children: twins, both male. The half-vampire children of the thirdborn son. It seems that the prophecy of the female Seer wasn't perfect, for she had predicted only one child...

The future Rex awakens in her room and comes face-to-face with the vampire. Within her eyes is such a sorrow that all hate and anger on the part of the daughter vanishes. "I will never ask for forgiveness but I am truly sorry," the vampire says. "For your brothers, for everything. It will never happen again, and I will prove it to you. Please, do not hate the children... it wasn't their fault."

The daughter wishes to speak to her, but as the vampire finishes speaking, she closes her eyes for the last time as the first rays of the sun reach her. She vanishes in a brilliant display of flame, with ash falling from her body like leaves from a tree, but her end could only be described as serene.

She is gone, ending her sad story. Yet, her legacy endures, for the children live on.

>...

What is our tech choice for the end of this age?

Tier 2
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
>Music (Leads to Astrology) (Cultural Boost)

Tier 3
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)
>Taxation (Leads to Bartering) (Economic Boost)
>Furnace (Leads to Bronze Working, Smoke Signals, and the Forge) (Production Boost)
>Mining (Leads to Masonry, Bronze Working and Cement) (Production Boost)
>The Wheel (Leads to Wagons, Advanced Pottery, and Siege Towers) (Production Boost)
>Weaponry (Leads to Bronze Working, Archery, and Siege Towers) (Combat Boost)
>Sailing (Leads to Shipbuilding) (Exploration Boost)
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
>>
>>5477370

well all that was fucked up and unfortunate we lost several members of the bloodline... anywayyy
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)

DOMESTICATE THE STEGOS
>>
>>5477370
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
Fucking Sylvians, when we integrate them, their culture is getting deleted.
>>
>>5477370
>best Lady gets killed
…we just killed the only good vampire in existence. I just want y’all to know that.

>Weaponry (Leads to Bronze Working, Archery, and Siege Towers) (Combat Boost)
We are fighting this age, right? Otherwise Domestication is the play.
>>
>>5477370
A sad shame, told you anons the vampires were nothing but trouble.

>>Weaponry

We should go agriculture next for that sweet population growth, though sailing is very tempting
>>
>>5477420
Anon, she’s been nothing but extremely helpful, to the point of self-immolation. The Triumph system was what caused the majority of this catastrophe. Like fuck, we probably could’ve returned her back to the living with Sylvian assistance (it’d be a hard argument, but the could be persuaded).

We should tell everyone the truth of what happened (except for the half-vampire children).

>>5477370
For players actions (since I’ll be at work), put me down for
>Commit to the prophecy, have the Lady’s children assimilate the warring clans and defeat the largest clan.
>Improve and deepen Sylvian relations, arrange another marriage in the style of the original.
We must go full assimilation!
>>
>>5477420
>Lady does nothing but help in every action we had
>One of our own does an evil thing
>It's the vampire's fault
Are you a Sylvian?
>>
>>5477455
>>5477461

The mere presence of them is what caused the problem. Thankfully it blew up before a whole coven of the bastards were able to sink their fangs into our society.
>>
>>5477179
Send envoys to each of the tribes with enchantment magic to secure alliances. We may not be able to ally with all of them but even if we only get one or two. Them plus us and the Sylvians will make us the strongest faction
>>
>>5477559
We're a bit beyond that, anon, sorry.
>>
>>5477370
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
>>
>>5477391
Her sire was good , committed suicide to avoid going feral.

And her flock followed her no feeding on people rules and sacrificed themselves for us.

I move we immortalize this story as what happens when people value preconceived biases instead of merit. A cultural tale that shores up our moral system.
>>
>>5477455
I disagree with the Triumph system being at fault, this would've happened almost with any system owing to the jealous brother. Nomination system, jealousy. Primogeniture, jealousy. And so on and so forth. He may not have done it without the chance at immortality and vampiric abilities, but I personally think he would've.

Not agreeing with the vampires being trouble though, they were practically saints.
>>
>>5477455
>The Triumph system was what caused the majority of this catastrophe
The abusive noble who started all this wasn't the first born son so he would have still gone full Scar from Lion King even without the Triumph system.

Such a system is important to keep unworthy people from being in charge just because of who their parents are.

Imagine if someone with this guy's personality was first born and got to be Red by default?
>>
>>5477370
>Art
>Domestication
Gonna go for a cultural victory here. And the dinos are a good resource untapped.

Also we need to raise these kids very well. Don't pressure them to fufil the prophecy tell them it's an option but that they will be loved all the same.

We do not want super powerful twins growing up maladjusted.
>>
>>5477632
Seconded
>>5477662
Also seconded are we planning on making public schooling a thing soon
>>
>>5477370
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)

Stego cavalary!
>>
>>5477662
Supporting this
>>
>>5477370
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)
>>
>>5477159
>The Roman’s didn’t enslave thousands just to rip their hearts out in mass human sacrifice lad.
I never said they did. You're engaging in an "Aztecs bad, Romans good" argument that has no relation to what I actually posted..
Then you should know that the Aztecs didn't sacrifice slaves, it was too prestigious for them.
And that the Romans engaged in mass killing quite readily, though not by way of sacrifice.
>>
>>5477370
>Domestication (Leads to Animal Husbandry) (Food/Production Boost)

>>5477632
>I move we immortalize this story as what happens when people value preconceived biases instead of merit
Can we do it if all of our tribe is convinced the vampire was a seducer and a manipulator? We know the truth, but we don't exist in the game world.
>>
>>5477792
It is the role of the Regina to set them straight. Just like her ancestor did when the majority of the leadership was wrong about the Sylvians.
>>
>>5477370
QM, the reason we put the dragon eggs in a pool was so we could study them and try to cast divinations over them. Did anything come from that?
>>
Looks like Domestication it is.

So far, animals we've discovered are:

>Herd Bugs in the north (>>5470009)
>Stegosauruses (>>5472937)

In addition, I've generated some normal fauna that exist in our region; these would account for the animals our people have been hunting and living off of for a while (in addition to generic fish and such):

>Purpose
>Quagga (zebra subspecies)
>Cow
>Prairie Dog
>Horse (Mustang)
>Rabbit
>Weasel
>Wolf
>Chamois (Goat-Antelope)
>Llama

On the more fantastical side, there are the winged lions and lava dragons (currently eggs), which will take a more dedicated effort.

As the vast majority of domesticated species eat, well, a lot, the vast majority of tameable enemies won't become fixtures in our society until we unlock agriculture. In the meantime, however, we can get some wolf pets. Small-scale animal rearing, like with cows or the herd-bugs, can also occur. Animals will become more common throughout our civilization.

>>5477821

Divination reveals that the dragons will hatch if taken out of the water and subjected to a great fire. The creatures will be unruly, and exceptionally difficult to tame. It will be possible, but should only be attempted when you feel you are absolutely ready and feel that it is time; having a heroic unit on standby would also greatly increase your odds.
>>
>>5477857
I think nomadic pastoralism should be possible even at this stage. Those cows have enough to eat in the wild if they live here.
>>
Man, now I really feel bad for voting the way I did.

>>5477814
But does the Regina want that? She probably won't blame the children for what happened, but 'the surviving sister certainly has no love for the one who caused the death of her two brothers.'
>>
>>5477878
Yup, same for horses, llamas and possibly stegosaurus
>>
>>5477632
Support

>>5477880
That was before the self-immolation lad. I think that changes one perspective.
>>
>>5477880
I'm pretty sure the brother caused the death of the others.
Also Redemption through Penitence is the core principle of our culture.
>>5477857
>Herd Bugs
Outlander
>As the vast majority of domesticated species eat, well, a lot, the vast majority of tameable enemies won't become fixtures in our society until we unlock agriculture
I had a feeling that was the case, which is why I wanted to go agriculture first.
>>
>>5477924
We almost got rekt by barbarians with [Bladed Tools] tech, we need security before we can secure prosperity.
>>
>>5477938
Need to tame stegos to thagomize some fools.
>>
>>5477938
I have a feeling that the barbarians would always have a weapon tech above ours when they appeared, just because of how screwed some of the other civs got.
Domestication + agriculture unlocks animal husbandry, which likely means cavalry. If we get weaponry + archery + wheels, we can probably get some chariots, the bronze age superweapon.
>>
>>5477946
I'd like to point out that
>Cavalry is better than chariots in all fields
>Chariots appeared before cavalry because ancient horses simply couldn't carry a man in armor
>This doesn't have to be true in our case
>>
>>5477946
Would Early Medicine be more pressing after Animal Husbandry? And should we knock out the second tier tech for that societal/magic school boost?
>>
>>5477953
>Would Early Medicine be more pressing after Animal Husbandry?
Mmm, zoonotic infections
>>
>>5477953
>Early Medicine
Depends on how much we can rely on restoration. Maybe it would be good to get protection against diseases, because a plague could overwhelm our casters.
>second tier tech
That's four techs we would need to unlock: Art, Music, Foraging and clothing.
Clothing would let us get architecture, which could be good for defense and expanding the city. Also the cultural and protection boost by itself.
Foraging lead to medicine and path finding. I already talked about medicine, but pathfindinding let us explore two tiles at once. Give us a food boost.
Art lead to numerals and proto-writing, good for magic and administration. Gives us a cultural boost.
And music unlocks astrology, which could be good for magic. Give us a cultural boost.

Oh, and agriculture also means we stop being hunter gatherers: besides the food and population bonus, our society could become more complex.
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>>5477924
> Redemption through Penitence is the core principle of our culture
True enough. She was truly a worthy member of our society.

>>5477857
Let's make domesticating the most impressive species a task for our people to compete over and strive for, to earn their stations and titles this age?
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>>5477965
I like the domestication contest idea.

Also the Vampire Queen barely did anything wrong. I don't know the mechanics of Vampire sex in this setting but if the son deliberately set her up to accidentally kill him that was him knowing she would turn him, even if she didn't want to, because she didn't want him to die. Praying on her good nature, self loathing and broken heart.

Jesus fuck what a dick
>>
Guys, idk you but I say that our next player action is to try and integrate the Red Snake in our community as our new Counselor.

I believe that if our people start to understand him and see him more as another living being, instead being seeing and worship like a God we might start to see him in something more acceptable for Him.

I say that Maybe if he talks about himself and the downfall of His people we see a "Human" side of him and so he might be more willing to join us.

Hell, we might call him Grandfather Snake and actually treat him as such, after all, we could Say he was one the first ones in our Civilization long ago
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>>5478151
+1
>>
An interesting note, our current Rex (or Regina) technically didn't earn her title by merit, but only because the two others died and through the prophesy of one of the warrior-priests.
Whatever happens should be interesting.

>>5478151
Didn't we talk to the Scarlet Serpent about this already?
And honestly I'd like to wait a bit before choosing whether or not to become a godless nation.

>>5477924
He is, but she doesn't fully know that I think (though the end does imply she forgave the vampire queen because she could see that she was sad).

>>5477888
Perhaps the Regina saw it as a way the vampire queen could be sure her children wouldn't die or be cast away?
Though either way there doesn't seem to be much resentment from the Regina.
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>>5478220
>warrior-priest
*seer
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>>5478220
She completed a trial, her brother's was more impressive but she still did SOMETHING
>>
Due to the fear of the people, the true origin of the half-vampire children is kept a secret. Despite their somewhat pale nature, they can walk in the sunlight just fine and are accepted as members of the royal bloodline. The 5th Rex raises them as her own in lieu of having her own children; for whatever reason she produces no direct heir. But succession is a matter for later this age for this is still her age to rule.

Our people begin the integration of animals into society, as wolves begin to feed on our scraps and warm themselves by our fires they slowly transform into loyal companions. Simple herd creatures like the cow, herd bug and llama become common sights. Even the occasional mighty stegosaurus with its impressive plates and spiked tail join the ranks of your domesticated creatures. Their impressive natural armor and weaponry begin to be worked into your people's tools and architecture; imagine a rooftop shingled with stegosaurus plates!

And so we move onto the 9th Age.

>...

Our population as of Age 9:

1446 Children
2004 Hunters
2491 Gatherers
1083 Warriors
50 Warrior-Priests
25 Seers
85 Sylvians
43 Half-Sylvians
2 Half-Vampires
1 Rex
1 Naga
7231 Total

Our random events this age are as follows:

1) Rumors have reached your civilization about the new Barbarian King. They say he has united all of the clans once more, and is stronger than ever. The word is that he does not want our civilization to pay tribute, he wants to raze it to the ground for what our ancestors did to his ancestors. The rumors tell that he is supernaturally strong, able to life a boulder over his head and and that he has magical powers. The barbarian army follows this pillar of strength and power unquestioningly.

2) Strange patterns are noticed in the stars. Your seers set about to work, but a grave omen is discovered: the Star Serpent has awoken from its slumber. From its prison in the veil beyond the stars it is wriggling, using its power to influence events down below...

3) And it is discovered by your seers that the Star Serpent has chosen a new champion, the Barbarian King. It becomes clear that this entity does not want revenge for what happened to its avatar's ancestors, but rather what your people did to it ages ago! Panic and fear begin to sweep across the commoners of your civilization, for the Star Serpent's interference in this could throw the entire prophecy into limbo.

Elsewhere, the daughter of the Eldest in the sylvian society falls in love with one of the half-vampire scions. Her love is not returned; it is the other twin who falls in love with her. She cares not for him, however, and only desires his brother. Despite being twins they are slightly different in appearance and temper; one is passionate and free-spirited, while the other is serious and focused. She has fallen in love with the carefree brother, while the studious brother pines for her. This is causing the brothers to feud.

What is your reaction to these events?
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>>5478220
>Didn't we talk to the Scarlet Serpent about this already?
We tried and somewhat failed, he accepted that we will still worship him but he's still shamed and feel Bad for him. My thought process is more about making so he stops alienating himself in his greif and regreat from our people worship him so he feels more confortable with us. He will keep being a God, but my idea is that he's integrated enough with us to the point where he's somewhat "mundane" ("Oh, Grandfather Snake? Yeah he's giving a Speech on the Swamp with the new Warrior-Priests, he should come soon")
>And honestly I'd like to wait a bit before choosing whether or not to become a godless nation.
We won't be a godless one, we will have a powerful being present with us which he's with us and we worship
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>>5478233
I'm not denying that, in fact I bet she's more competent than her corrupt brother.

>>5478247
That's not a bad plan.
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>>5478253
+1

I really think it isn't fair to make them so uncomfortable after all they have done for us. They should be treated like a Kami less so a hard diety. A powerful magic being we call upon for aid but not something with all the pressures of capital G god.
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>>5478242
>Go seek for the Red Snake in his temple and tell him about what the Star Snake is doing, then ask him if he would like to be our conselor (either official or not) because of the tragic Vampire's Death (and make it so the Female Rex tell him about on his own)
>Try to make a plan with the Red Snake to see if there's a way he could help "our Champions"
>The Female Rex will talk in private with the Seers and the Red Snake (in the Red Snake's temple) about the Prophecy
>But before that, the Female Rex will talk with their sons about this love problem: If only a single person is enough to cause such troubles between the Brothers, then that only means our People won't last long. Anyone can have feelings, but for them to take any rational thinking and cause infight between them, it means being turned into the biggest Fools, because Jealousy is one of the Natural and Destructive Poisons in each living being. As brothers they should forget this and have eachothers back, because the Family is most important instead of fighting because a person you like doesn't like you back

I'm gonna push for the Twins to feel this brotherly love between them. If the Prophecy is true, maybe both of the Twins have to take their part of the Prophecy as one, and just a pretty chick shouldn't make them fight (because you know, the carefree twin doesn't want the girl and all and it's kinda dumb to be jealous because the girl doesn't like the other twin back. It would be completly different if they we're both fighting for her, but that's not the case and the jealous twin should see that)
>>
>1.
Prepare for war. Cash in our favor from the Sylvian and mobilize our forces to prepare for an invasion
>2.
Ask the Red Serpent if they know anything about the Star Serpent and what we should do now that they are awakening
>3.
Sit them down and have them talk this out. IMMEDIATELY. If this goes unanswered it could spell doom.

Tell the Sylvian Elder and Studios Brother that they have to accept someone else not being in love with you. There will be other people and that obsessing over someone who doesn't love you back isn't true love it is mere selfish desire. The next time either of them does something inappropriate, assign them a redemption quest.
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>>5478242
>1), 2), 3)
Ask Red Serpent's advice on how to deal with Star Serpent. I don't think he'll blame us for this.

>Elsewhere
Well ain't it a diplomatic incident in the making.
One option is to separate them until they get over their crushes. Send the carefree brother on a lengthy quest, tell the studious one to focus on preparing to defend from the barbarians so he doesn't harass the girl.
Another option might be to tell the brothers to take one for the tribe and both marry her if she agrees.
The final option is to wait until one of them dies fighting the barbarians

I'm inclined towards option one.
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>>5478242
>speak to the Scarlet Serpent about the actions of the Star Serpent, request whatever aid he might give
>formulate a plan with the Sylvians to defend against the barbarians
>sit the brothers down and have a talk
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>>5478242
1 & 2) Consult with the Scarlet Serpent, and petition him to live among us; it will help us to understand him and follow precepts he WANTS us to follow rather than guessing and deifying him in abstract, and help protect us against the Barbarians and Star Serpent.

Also, cash in our Sylvian favour.

3) Make both half-vampire heirs offer to simultaneously marry the Sylvian Eldest's daughter for the good of relations between our people, and stability of their relations as brothers. Have them rule as co-Rexes as well, being twins and all.

Have a talk with carefree lad about his ancestor who took one for the team and eventually found some measure of happiness with his mortal wife and family. Make it clear that he has a duty to our people which comes first, before anything else.

We can enmesh the Cylvian leadership into our, let serious-bro pick up the slack romance-wise for carefree-bro, and prevent succession drama
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>>5478302
I would really prefer not forcing one the Brothers and Sylvian into an unhappy polygamous relationship. That's just a recipe for things to go south.
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>>5478242
>Consult the Scarlet Serpent about the Star Serpent and the barbarians, ask what he knows about them.
>Talk with the two brothers, tell them about the sacrifice the Rex made for himself (the one in which he denied himself to be with his love for the sake of the country), imply that they should both forget about her. Send one or both of them on a quest to help solve the issue with the barbarians (together or separate it doesn't matter).

I feel like making them both marry the Sylvian might cause lots of drama in the future.
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>>5478294
supporting this. Codify "Bros before hoes"
>>
Yea this whole two husbands one wife thing sounds pretty 'tarded
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The Scarlet Snake is coaxed out of his home and offered to live with the people. Though he seems to initially be discouraged at the notion, he eventually accepts and travels south to take up permanent residence in our home.

In his meditations over his new role in your society, he has assumed a position of non-violent-interference, which is to say he will not fight your battles for you. He feels that if your people are to grow, then you cannot come to rely upon him for every situation. As a god, he does not want to be a god of destruction and killing to your people, and to put himself on the front lines would make him so. He will defend himself if it comes to it, but he asks of your people to not treat him as a weapon. Even so, he will provide you the means with which you can grow and prosper.

To this end he bestows knowledge upon your people that he has refined in his time alone, specifically because he knew the Star Serpent would once more rear its cosmic head. A rank in Abjuration Magic has been taught to your civilization, with a special emphasis in dealing with possessive entities. As a school of defense, he means to shield you as best he can.

The sylvians come to our aid. A fighting force of nearly three-hundred of their finest warriors arrives. They are strong and gifted in magic. If things should come to it, a much larger portion of their population is being held in reserve; they do not consider themselves a violent people and wish to avoid sending their people into the grinder needlessly.

The barbarian army looms on the horizon. It seems to be just under 7,000 strong. They approach from the west, coming around the lake, and will be here within days.

Our Seers tell us that the key to victory, simultaneously the weakest and strongest point of their army, is their leader. If the avatar of the Star Serpent should fall, their army will lose faith and scatter. If he does not, however, their forces outnumber us by a considerable margin. It is in the prophecy that we must place our faith.

The female Rex gathers her adopted sons, who are truly her nephews. She tells that that above all else family is important, whether one is noble or otherwise, family is sacred and must always come first, otherwise only pain and misery follows. She tells them of her brothers, how one killed the other out of jealousy. The story humbles them, even though they do not know the truth of their birth, that it was their father who committed this vile act. She keeps it from them, making the choice to not cloud their minds before the battle. The brothers reconcile and leave behind their feud. They make an oath to each other and their adoptive mother that family will always come first.
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>>5478395

The time of battle is nearly upon us. What preparations, tactics and such shall we employ?

Our fighting forces:

1083 Warriors
2004 Hunters (Less combat effective than warriors)
2491 Gatherers (Less combat effective than hunters)
50 Warrior-Priests (Evocation, Enchantment, Restoration and Abjuration magic available at the novice levels)
2 Half-Vampires
300 Sylvian Warriors
Reserves: 1 Naga, about 2,500 civilian sylvians

The Enemy forces:
1 Barbarian King (Avatar of the Star Serpent)
Somewhere around 7,000 Barbarians (Hunter/Gatherers mixed)
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>>5478398
I mean, the Sylvans said that they are more about defense, right? We don't have fortifications and such yet, but If they have some Forest Magic to make Tree Walls or something we can use that advantage.

I say that if we count with bows the Hunters should stay back, the Warriors and the Sylvans mix with a little group of Warrior-Priests for Magical backup. The Siblings will act like 3 generals and have their own squad of Warriors+2 Warrior-Priest+5 Sylvans while they command groups.

The Gatherers will stay close on the front-line where they're going to use Spears and a Web to use in important or troublesome enemies for the army to focus.

The principal objective is for making it to the Barbarian King, some Warrior-Priest are going to sneak to him and exorcise him, so the Twins fight against the Barbarian King

And we should have a group of Seers trying to see the tactics of the Enemy, with maybe the help of the Scarlet Snake so he's sure the Star Snake isn't fucking with our visions, and the fastest of our Hunters (like 2 or 3) are given the task to run from the Seers to the Rex so she can adjust her tactics
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>>5478398
Traps, guerrila and ambushes, try to draw out the barbarian king from the mass of the army.
Then use abjuration to weaken his possession of him, and gank him with the Half-Vampires using abjuration to protect them. Remember the heirloom shield.
Mass use of evocation and enchantment, to take multiple enemies at once, or get them to fight one another.
Use divination to try and find out about possible battlegrounds, to choose a favorable one. A funnel, forest area, a river crossing, anything to lessen their number advantage so we can leverage our skilled warriors.

Perhaps make use of stegosaurus herds and wolves?
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>>5478410
I like this strat. Supporting.

>>5478398
>Harry the foe with guerilla tactics to draw out their leader and ambush him
>Use enchantment to separate him from his forces, use mixed-unit tactics and rare domesticates in tandem with Sylvian forces to drive back or hold at bay these barbarian
>funnel leader into bottleneck or surround him
>Use abjuration to break the possession, or weaken it
>Send in the twins with the heirloom shield and evokers as back-up, take him out
>Fall back, fight defensive war until broken and demoralized enemies surrender or leave
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>>5478410
>>5478428

Support
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>>5478398
Can you post our stats in the various schools of magic?
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>>5478537
He did
>Evocation, Enchantment, Restoration and Abjuration magic available at the novice levels
>>
The Barbarian King sounds like a prideful leader who leads his army based on image.

Why not challenge him to single combat?

If he accepts we have multiple super humans and magicians who could beat him and we have training on disrupting his possession.

If he refuses, he looks like a coward in front of the army and they lose respect for him and may disband.

I am open to plan B's but I think this is a good plan A.
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>>5478565
They are being possessed by the Star Serpent, who promised revenge. Also the barbarians want to raze our civilization.
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>>5478569
I know that. But they still follow a culture of strength and power.

If the King refuses the challenge because the Star Serpent just wants to wipe is out anyway, that will make the King looks week in the eyes of the army.
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>>5478398
Defend the crossing at the river; they can’t cross we don’t allow them too.

The brothers and the warrior-priest create a plan to ambush the barbarian king personally.
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>>5478565
>If he accepts we have multiple super humans and magicians who could beat him and we have training on disrupting his possession.

I wouldn't be so confident in that, we don't have any combat focused heroes and he's bolstered by a powerful entity, sounds foolish to attempt it.
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>>5478588
This, and attack when they are either in the middle of or are trying to exit the river.
>>
The Barbarian King is not a subtle foe. He means to overwhelm your civilization with sheer numbers and brutality. As such, his force moves as one solid horde, spread not very thinly. Consequently, the move slowly, giving your people time to prepare, both physically and mentally.

On the eve before battle, all is quiet. Your civilization has never gone through a battle on a scale such as this, and so many do not know quite what to expect. In your history there has been internal strife, hunting animals and monsters, but never a conflict of this scale. There is fear, and doubt, and even the seers know not what will happen.

You do not allow them to reach your front door before the fighting begins. Your people, aided with illusion magic thanks to the sylvians, lie in wait until the moment is right, and strike. The forest comes to life with roars of battle as your forces collide with theirs, and the screams of the dying and wounded soon fill the air, mingling with battle cries. Your people strike from hidden places, large groups of them emerging from the brush or trees as the illusion magic fades, allowing you to take portions of their army by surprise. Your warrior-priests and the sylvian warriors add offensive magic to the mix, working alongside stone-throwers to pelt the enemy from afar.

The barbarians, however, are tough and fierce and many. They show no mercy to their foes, crushing the skulls and chests of any they capture and trample underfoot. Skirmishes between the two armies break out in continual roving groups as they move throughout the forest, trying to coordinate with each other but in the chaos of battle all cohesion is lost. Your people have never experienced such utter barbarity as conflict on a scale such as this, with waves of men crashing against each other, chopping, cutting, slicing, pummeling, crushing, stabbing and gutting. Blood paints the forest as the battle rages on; the river where the bulk of the battle takes place soon runs red.

In the midst of it all is the Barbarian King, possessed by the specter of the Star Serpent. He wades through the field of corpses, a mountain of a man, burning with unnatural energy and vitality. He picks up two men and crushes their skulls against each other before casting aside the bodies.

Your scions, the children of prophecy, have waited for their moment. They share one final moment together before charging into the fray. With their enhanced speed, strength and magical skill, brought about by their unique bloodline but also their fiery determination, they serve as a rallying point for your forces. They lead a final charge against the barbarian horde with the imposing king at its head meeting them in combat.
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>>5478659

The challenge of the brothers and the king does not go well. Your army is losing too many men, and he tosses them about like rag-dolls initially, shrugging off their blows and laughing, taunting about how he will finally have his revenge against your people. Whether it is the barbarian or the star serpent speaking, it matters little; the end of your civilization looms.

Then, the sylvian reinforcements arrive. They are not powerful, nor warriors at heart, but they are willing to make a sacrifice based on faith, trust and hope. Their reinforcements bolster your ranks and charge the barbarians, occupying them and momentarily drawing the attention of the king.

It is in this moment of distraction that the free-spirited twin makes his play; he leaps onto the weapon of his foe in order to get close. He grasps the man's head with both hands and shoves his thumbs into the glowing eyes of the barbarian, robbing him of his sight. The other twin, the more logical and calculating of the two, knows that his brother's sacrifice is meant to give him an opening, and so hoisting up a sharpened axe he hefts it backwards with both hands before bringing it down upon the skull of the king in a powerful downward chop from behind.

A spectral explosion of white-blue energy emanates from the wound as the corporeal vessel of the star serpent is once again destroyed, causing it to be released and drawn upwards into the sky in a spiral of coiling light. It screams in pain, anger, and ultimate fury as it is once more denied its prize. The barbarian army, upon seeing this, all scatter and disperse, just as the Seers predicted, running away into the wild. Many of them are picked off by surviving remnants of your population, some captured, but most of the survivors escape back south, fleeing for their lives.

Amidst the battlefield, surrounded by corpses, within the river as it washes over them, the reserved twin holds his free-spirited and passionate brother's dying body in his arms. The dying twin implores him to live his life well, but his brother refuses to let his twin perish. He calls for help, and the Eldest appears, the current leader of the sylvian council, and manages to use his healing magic to save the dying twin. The two brothers joyously embrace; victory, and life, is yours.

The battle was costly. Our foe outnumbered us and, despite our early tactics, were stronger in a straight-up fight. The cost was nearly one-to-one for the early portions of the battle before the barbarians rallied, necessitating the aid of the civilian sylvians.

Very nearly three-fourths of our adult population was lost in the battle. Our novice rank in Restoration only goes so far. We began this age with a population of 7231, and now possess a living population of 2699. A scale of loss of life unprecedented in the annals of your history.

Yet, victory is yours, and your civilization endures. Your people pick up the pieces and prepare to move on.
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>>5478661

What are our two player actions for this age?
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>>5478664
Breed, and build defences.

Heavy Svylvian intermarriage may be necessary, but ALSO could be beneficial for unifying our tribes.
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I call for The Trial Pact.

To the Sylvians they have proven bravery and loyalty. All who have served in the battle are given the choice to unite fully with our nation.

For the Barbarians they ha e been defeated but we know they respect strength. Tell each Tribe that we will make no war against them and take no vengeance if they submit themselves and there land to us. All who attacked us directly will be given the choice to go on redemption quests and when completed may join as us free and equal peoples.

Our numbers are down this will deal with that issue.

Twice now the invading tribes attacked us and twice now there kings have fallen. They should recognize us as the stronger foe, and per our culture submit.

We also have a magic serpent and superhuman nobility.
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>>5478679
Since there are eight tribes even if they all don't take the deal one or two should. And that should be enough to make us the most powerful nation in the region and shore up our defenses against any new invasions.

If we get lucky we could get our Rex our of of the twins declared their new High King .

Use the other option to research domestication. We need surplus food for a population boom
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>>5478679
>>5478683
I can support these as well, as to how to deal with the Barbs.
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>>5478679
Support, all this needless violence must end. We have the same shared ancestry even, our peoples must join and become a force to be reckoned with. We do have two eligible bachelors that could be wed as well, just saying.
>>
Told you all we needed that Weapons tech.

>>5478661
Don’t know why we put our women on the front lines but whatever.

>>5478664
Breed, and take control of the surviving barbarian clans. I ain’t aiming on dealing with this particular problem again.
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>>5478766
Henceforth I think the women folk should be kept at home instead of out fighting, though I suppose it was an end of the world scenario.
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>>5478766
>>5478772
We earlier established that female heirs still had to complete trials, and our cultural influences include the Sylvians (seem egalitarian) and Vampires (had a very-capable warrior-matron). Plus, we have a female Rex, and Rexes are EXPECTED to be courageous and self-sacrificing. Makes sense that, when our very existence was on-the-line, our women fought.
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>>5478772
Why would they be put on the front lines in the first play? They aren’t hero units, not better in a fight compared to men, and they are essential to the continuation of society. Like, if all the men got wiped out we can bounce back within a generation, if all the women get wiped out that is Game Over.
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>>5478785
Anon, women should not be fighting in wars, our population won’t recover if this becomes tradition.
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>>5478786
We had our warriors , hunters and warrior -priests on the front line.
We don't discriminate classes by gender. The current Rex's grandmother was a warrior-priest.

If we send 7 warriors to the frontline and some of them are women, then we will send women to the frontline.
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>>5478790
If a rampaging horde of barbarians that numbered almost as great as our entire civilization COMBINED showed up with the explicit intent of genociding us, including killing and/or raping all the women... Yeah. They should fight.

Put another way: we BARELY scraped by, WITH all our women and the Syvlians (including Sylvian women) fighting. Without them, we might well have lost, and then the ladyfolk were pretty fucked either way. We NEEDED all hands on deck.
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>>5478671
>>5478679
>>5478683
>>5478691
>>5478734
>>5478766

At the conclusion of the war, a time of rebuilding and repopulating follows. The sylvians become even more closely interrelated with our populace, and this age going into the next sees a marked increase in intermarriage between our peoples. The sylvian home territory becomes closely linked with our own, to the point where we now control both.

As for the barbarian tribes, they prove somewhat more unruly. They return to the petty ways of their squabbling clans, despite their heavy losses. Some of the ones we captured integrate into our society, but most return to their homelands south. Over time, some of the smaller and weaker clans, particularly those hit hard during the battle, come to settle within our territory, mingling with our folk. Despite our efforts to reach out to them, they remain scattered, leaderless and stubborn.

It seems they have learned at least one lesson, though; they do not come further north.

Government-wise, adopting the sylvians results in our society adopting a council of elder advisors from various roles in society who serve the Rex. Foremost representatives from each major group and family tend to have voices on it on a rotational basis; a lead hunter, a lead gatherer, and more when we obtain more classes.

Religion-wise, due to the small number of barbarians who actually remained to integrate with us or joined us later, not much alters, though aspects of worshiping strength do make their way into the common snake-centric religion we already possess. It becomes more of a strength-through-unity, or inner strength, or strength of character, alongside physical strength or martial might.

As for the two half-vampire brothers, they are finally told the truth of their origins by their adoptive mother, about them being the offspring of her murderous sibling. They are conflicted by this, but ultimately decide that their fate is their own and that they are not beholden to whatever dark legacy their father left behind. Both of them decline to obtain the position of Rex, feeling that they need not be defined by it and instead working towards the betterment of their society as a whole with other tasks and jobs, allowing for the first time the other branch of the royal family to compete for the position.

A secondborn daughter of one of the families that traces its origin back to the first Rex by way of his daughter comes to earn the title of Regina not through strength of arms but through diplomacy. A major barbarian clan in the south is sought out and a truce is made, negotiating peace between them and your people. This brings with it even more former barbarians that integrate with our people, and guaranteed protection within their lands, as the passage south opens. Within just a few short years, it isn't common for groups of either to travel north or south for trade and seeking of wives.

Thus ends this age, and hopefully a better one will follow.
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>>5478849

What is our choice of Tech at the end of this age?

Tier 2
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
>Music (Leads to Astrology) (Cultural Boost)

Tier 3
>Taxation (Leads to Bartering) (Economic Boost)
>Furnace (Leads to Bronze Working, Smoke Signals, and the Forge) (Production Boost)
>Mining (Leads to Masonry, Bronze Working and Cement) (Production Boost)
>The Wheel (Leads to Wagons, Advanced Pottery, and Siege Towers) (Production Boost)
>Weaponry (Leads to Bronze Working, Archery, and Siege Towers) (Combat Boost)
>Sailing (Leads to Shipbuilding) (Exploration Boost)
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
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>>5478851
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
The integration of these three cultures has brought about interesting values to the population, I think it would do us good to foster them for now at least.
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>>5478851
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)

it's time
>>
Agriculture .

Also have we moved to the point where we can get names? Both for our land and for MCs.
>>
>>5478851
>Agriculture

Is there a way to catch up on early techs? Or we may never invent clothing
>>
>>5478851
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
Time to farm, bois!

What's our total population and demographic breakdown by tribal affiliation these days?
>>
>>5478874
I mean, we HAVE clothes I assume. Are we all naked? I have to doubt it... Presumably it's just, like, advanced textile clothing. Right now we're probably wearing hide tunics and leaf skirts.
>>
>>5478899
>Not being a nudist civ
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>>5478851
>Weaponry (Leads to Bronze Working, Archery, and Siege Towers) (Combat Boost)
We nearly died because anons wanted to delay this tech. Don’t be stupid again.
>>
>>5478899
I move that we are canon nudists until we unlock clothing.
>>
>>5478899
So, regarding this
>we are hunter/gatherers yet never had to move camp, as our surroundings always provided enough despite massive population growth
>we seem to have no need for clothing

from this I must infer that we live in some kind of tropical paradise!
>>
>>5478915
Or near... A magical fairy-forest?
>>
>>5478915
Oh, also we have a dedicated warrior caste so our hunters and gatherers create such a massive surplus that 1/5th of the population (pre-war number) can pursue warlike activities. Man, writing like this make me question my own choice for agriculture, we don't seem to need it!
>>
>>5478921
We fight fairly few wars, so for.most intents and purposes, the warrior-priests are just hunters who know magic and (if it comes down to it) are better at fighting other humanoids.
>>
>>5478915
Or some type of Garden with a serpent infestation.

>>5478921
We lost over half of pre-war population numbers anon, many of them also women. The warrior caste isn’t gonna recover for a couple ages.

Like, [Weapons] tech would’ve turn a catastrophic situation into just a bad one. Hell, even [Early Medicine] or fucking [Clothing] would’ve put losses above 50%.
>>
>>5478851
>Weaponry (Leads to Bronze Working, Archery, and Siege Towers) (Combat Boost)
It's time, don't be foolish, the stegos and other animals can still be fed with the vegetation near our civ one more turn
>>
>>5478785
Well that needs to end, we need our women to be pumping out babies.

>>5478790
Agreed
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>>5478851
>>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)

Weapons next
>>
>>5478851
>Agriculture (Leads to Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, and Alcohol) (Food/Population Boost)
>>
I had a thought
Archery + Animal husbandry means we could have mounted archers, the cancer of combat.

Although we could also go for clothing -> architecture for both defense and culture
>>
>>5479005
Considering we almost got annihilated because of a lack of clothes, I’d support the clothing -> architecture defense/culture play.
>>
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>>5479012
Alright, It's what I'm going for next then.
Maybe we could build some walls, or a even a fort.
>>
>>5478874
>>5478899
Clothing represents a transition from very simple animal skins/grass or reed woven garb to a distinct style and more advanced forms of protection, which is why it is also a cultural boost, it's just about progression of style and thought as well as substance. A small defense boost accompanies it, but not as significantly as later on technologies, like Bronze/Iron and such.
>>5478856
>>5478857
>>5478874
>>5478898
>>5478959
>>5478989
With the choice of agriculture come massive societal changes as our society now finds itself able to produce food in abundance, as opposed to the systems in place previously where one was expected to support themselves. Gatherers cease to exist and hunters are no longer the primary food-producers. Our society now changes to one that can afford multiple positions and specializations per citizen and new jobs become common.

What I need now is for you to agree on a population division of 100% into the following categories:

Hunter
Scout
Warrior
Farmer
Fisherman
Worker
Priest

For example (don't feel beholden to this),

Hunter 10%
Scout 5%
Warrior 20%
Farmer 30%
Fisherman 15%
Worker 19%
Priest 1%

This will distribute our current adult population starting the next age. As more technologies are unlocked, specific positions within society will also start to appear to accompany them (things like blacksmith, fletcher, etc).
>>
>>5479018
Why are there no herders, even though we have domestication? Would it unlock with animal husbandry instead?

Hunter 10
Scout 4
Warrior 20
Farmer 30
Fisherman 10
Worker 18
Priest 3

I increased the priests because they are our casters, so it's useful to have more of them.
>>
One thing I hope we continue is the marriage of magic and religion. I'm tired of fantasy settings having their mages and priests hate each other.
>>
>>5479024
It is fitting for ancient religions, or even non-abrahamic ones. Druids and seers were all types of priests, magus is the title for a vzoroastrian priest, etc.
>>
>>5479022
>Why are there no herders, even though we have domestication? Would it unlock with animal husbandry instead?
Yeah for the time being I just lump them in with farmers; animal husbandry where we start dedicating real efforts to refining animals through selective breeding, shepherding them, etc.
>>
>>5479022
+1
>>
>>5479018
Hunter 10%
Scout 4%
Warrior 19%
Farmer 30%
Fisherman 15%
Worker 19%
Priest 3%

We should lump Scouts and Hunters under Pathfinders when we have the tech, I figure it’ll give us a raw boost to both positions.
>>
>>5479022
Fisherman was meant to be 15
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>>5479022
Your missing like 5% there friend
>>
>>5479058
I noticed it
>>5479057
>>
>>5479054
Your plan might be better actually, reducing the warriors instead of the workers
Might be good to go for 18 and keep workers at 20, since the priests are also warriors
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>>5479061
So something like

Hunter 10%
Scout 4%
Warrior 18%
Farmer 30%
Fisherman 15%
Worker 20%
Priest 3%
>>
>>5479063
Or even

Hunter 10%
Scout 5%
Warrior 17%
Farmer 30%
Fisherman 15%
Worker 20%
Priest 3%

Depending on how bold we want to be with sacrificing military power
>>
>>5479022
+1
>>
Ok let's run down the list

>Hunter:0
We have moved to agriculture so we don't need these as much and we have warriors as our dedicated combat class.
>Scout:0
We have most of the local area scouted out at the time. For the time being we should focus on developing and utilizing the land we have access to before searching for new land
>Warrior:20
We have a potentially hostile culture to the south. They are cowed for now but we need to have a defensive force ready at our frontiers in case the tribes get randy again
>Farmer:25
This is the backbone of support for the other classes. It isn't the highest in numbers because one farmer can feed multiple people
>Fisherman:0
See Hunter. Agriculture is a more effective food source
>Worker:25
With our new population we can now use excess labor to develop more resources
>Priest:30
Magic is our most useful asset at this time and compensates for our relatively lower technology. We should focus heavily on this. With bigger population our caster class can grow our might to local great power levels

I am open to making the 0s single digit token forces but the general ratios I am convinced for. Especially the heavy focus on priests.
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>>5479018
What kind of fucking paradise do we live in that we can get by with less than 90% farmers?

Anyway
Hunter 5%
Scout 5%
Warrior 20%
Farmer 43%
Fisherman 15%
Worker 10%
Priest 2%
>>
>>5479066
Priests are warrior-priests, so it’s probably a flat upgrade desu.

>>5479078
Sorta agree desu, but this is fantasy, so I’ll just run with it.
>>
>>5479018
Hey Damashi, what and how much can each profession produce?
Since herders are together with farmers, I take that they can get some meat together with grain and vegetables.
This would be important to know how to divide our society.
>>
>>5479081
>Priests are warrior-priests, so it’s probably a flat upgrade desu.
I should be clear; warrior-priests are specialized units and are separate from both warriors and priests.
Seers and Warrior-Priests are specialized units, that's why they're not on the list. "Priest" refers largely to non-magical (but they can be) spiritual figures, who act as assistants to our special religious figures, caretakers of things like shrines or other places of worship, they're stewards of the religion acting as a go-between of common folk and our warrior-priests and carrying out more mundane tasks.
Specialized classes will always be something of minority, they will grow with our population but not in the exponential way that average professions will.
>>
>>5479075
I think hunters and fishermen would be important to have food variety, there are some very nasty sicknesses, and we don't have medicine.
I also think that the scouts are not only to scout new areas, but also to patrol and keep watch on the areas we already know about. We can rely on divination, but having someone personally check is important too.
>>5479085
Oh, that makes investing on priests less important.
>>
>>5478956
We flung everything at these fuckers and barely won, if we invent some dumbass tradition which prohibits women from battle we won’t be so lucky next time. I can understand having women focus on safer roles IN battle but we cannot afford to write off half our fighting force. For example, we could have women make up a large portion of our mages and ranged units to not have them on the front line.
( slings don’t suffer from boob placement like bows do and we don’t seem advanced enough to even have proper bows)
>>
>>5479075
>Getting rid of hunters and scouts

those guys are our border patrol and the reason we know what's going on in our lands. The only reason we survived the barbarian onslaught is because we knew they were coming and could prepare. Putting any of these numbers at 0 is not a good idea. Agriculture could get fucked in a tater bug situation and then we'd need our fishermen again.
>>
>>5479018
I thought of a new spread

Hunter 10%
Scout 3%
Warrior 20%
Farmer 45%
Fisherman 10%
Worker 10%
Priest 2%

Farmer making the bulk of food production, but still having fishermen and hunters for variety.
Enough workers to produced tools and repairs.
Priests and scout being in lesser number, but still enough to do their duties. When we unlock medicine, we could separate one of the priests into apothecaries.
And warriors to be prepared against the southern menace.
>>
>>5479093
I like this but would swap farmers with builders.

Farmers can support more people than they take up (the key advantage of agriculture) so we don't need them so high.

Now that we know Priests don't have magic powers workers are the best means of development.

I think the ideal spread is majority workers with farmers second place and warriors third. Everything else in small numbers.
>>
>>5479096
Something like this ?

Hunter 10%
Scout 3%
Warrior 20%
Farmer 30%
Fisherman 10%
Worker 25%
Priest 2%
>>
>>5479098
Yeah sure
>>
I would like to point out that as we integrate our neighbors, we are becoming more like Rome: the Sylvians gave us a senate, and the barbarians a martial tradition. We of course already have the religious and settled part.
>>
>>5479106
That's very cool anon, I'm curious as to who's next and what they'll bring
>>
>>5479106
The council of elders is based on leaderships of job positions, not families or wealth.
What we have now is like a neolithic version of the Florentine guild system.
>>
>>5479106
Rome does have a habit of stealing things from elsewhere, be it pantheons, military tech and tactics, or schools of thought.
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>>5479098
Nah, replace 1% of priests with 4% scouts, they aren’t as important apparently.

>>5479106
Fun
>>
>>5479096
>Farmers can support more people than they take up
That's like one supported person per 100 farmers IRL at that level of agricultural advancement.
I know this is a fantasy game, just don't want you to have misconceptions about RL.
>>
>>5479018
Hunter 10%
Scout 3%
Warrior 20%
Farmer 30%
Fisherman 10%
Worker 25%
Priest 2%
>>
>>5479148
Really? Then what is the advantage of agriculture. If it takes 100 farmers to feed one person, isn't that less effective than every person just getting there own food
>>
>>5479018
>Hunter 10%
>Scout 5%
>Warrior 20%
>Farmer 35%
>Fisherman 10%
>Worker 19%
>Priest 1%

>>5479088
As I said, it was an apocalyptic situation, perhaps of we had invested in weapons instead of playing with animals we might have faired better.

Women don't belong in combat, if its the potential for the end of our civilization they should be utilized where appropriate to facilitate the war effort sure, but it is counterproductive to have them involved in fighting.

"Dumbass tradition" yeah ok, they can do best to support wars by pumping out lots of healthy children.
>>
>>5479176
>If it takes 100 farmers to feed one person, isn't that less effective than every person just getting there own food
First of all, those 100 farmers also feed themselves and their families, so it's already more effective. That one extra person can then be an artisan, a priest, a king, a professional warrior, whatever.
Second, agriculture can support much more people per given area than hunting or pastoralism. Hunter-gatherers are usually nomadic because they have to move after they eat everything they can in a certain place. Agriculture lets you just sit there and grow your cereals.
>>
>>5479176
Surplus, farming allows to have extra food while hunter gatherer is of subsistence.
Hunter gatherer would eat better than early farmers, but early farmer would have access to more food. And therefore more specialized society with people that could devote their time to trades.
I think that anon meant 100 farmers to sustain one extra person doing absolutely nothing to sustain themselves. Many of the earlier specialists also hunted, gathered and farmed on the side as well, so there were more than 1 to 100.
>>
>>5479177
Our society has people of all genders in combat.
For your proposal to work we would either have about half our Warrior-Priests and Warriors never see combat or we would have to ban everyone who isn't a man from serving a Warrior or Warrior-Priests.
Neither are better options than the status quo .
>>
I don't want to go on a long rant about historical realism vs fantasy, so I'll simply say that I don't intend on tracking male to female ratios in jobs of the 21 major civilizations in this project. It's a minute detail that I personally consider trivial or irrelevant to the bigger picture. When a story beat calls for me to introduce a character, I roll on their gender, 50/50 male or female. It's the same with generating bloodlines when I determine gender.
When it comes to battle or war and such, I do of course picture in my head the males of the civilization doing the fighting, I just don't really try to comment on it or put any emphasis on it; I suppose I did so when more than half of our civ was lost this age, creating a implication that women took part in the fighting, which wasn't really my intention but unavoidable due to the way I've chosen to handle population mechanics. But as this is a fantasy setting there will be viking shield maidens and female knights and witches and amazons and monster girls and all manner of fetish bait, that's just the nature of it.
>>5479083
>Hey Damashi, what and how much can each profession produce?
Admittedly, I don't exactly have a system in mind for how many farmers produce food. The numbers for the professions are primarily for flavor, something fun to think about. The more mechanical aspect of it comes with knowing how many combat and combat-adjacent vs. non-combat units are in a civ, or more specifically by each town (as I do have a system in place for tracking multiple towns within a civ and their respective populations and growths and such) but that's not to say that non-combat roles aren't important. I do have events that target specific groups/jobs of a population, so knowing how many people are in what jobs helps with that (I don't think any such event has occurred in this civ as of yet).

Anyway, I said I didn't want to go on a long rant but I suppose I did, and I found myself deleting paragraphs of in-depth explanation behind my choices and methodology that I think are better just left to myself, so I'll just leave it there.
>>
Alright, since it's a little easier to do the whole "distribute percentages across jobs" with an individual person, I've nonetheless taken all the suggestions and derived an average from them.

>Hunter 10%
>Scout 5%
>Warrior 19%
>Farmer 33%
>Fisherman 13%
>Worker 19%
>Priest 1%

I'll generating the events for our tenth and final age (for this thread) this evening when I return from work.
>>
>>5479230
I don't think gender equality should be assumed to be fetish bait.
>>
>>5479273
Anon, I think Damashi's saying female warriors, monster girls, witches, etcetera are HIS fetish (or, at least, will inevitably be SOMEONE's fetish here).
>>
>>5479273
>>5479279
I'll be terribly honest with you, I have a big thing for women. It's a bit out there, not very mainstream, I know.
>>
>>5479290
What's next, saying you like handholding?
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>>5479290
/d/ tier degeneracy. I hope this isn't through the whole quest
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>>5479209
>ban everyone who isn't a man from serving a Warrior or Warrior-Priests.
>Neither are better options than the status quo .

Yeah basically, our people can learn that having their women die off in droves can have an extremely adverse effect on our population growth, are you being willfully ignorant here?
>>
>>5479303
If someone wants to serve as a Warrior-Priest and they complete their trials it is just for them to be anointed as such.
>>
>>5479338
Seconded.
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>>5479303
He’s one of those ‘empowering women’ types that thinks making them wage-slaves is actually a good thing for society, so he is willfully ignorant about population demographics.
>>
>>5479338
The feel goods for an individual do not outweigh the necessity of the survival and growth of our civilization.

So you've at least folded on thinking we should have equal representation of women amongst our warriors I take it?
>>
>>5479421
Better paid slaves than unpaid slaves
>>
We enter now into the tenth and final age for this thread. Upon its completion, we will be completely caught-up with where the players are, and once each of them finishes their ages (admittedly I've been spending a lot of creative energy getting this thread caught up to Age 10, so hopefully it won't be long) I will begin another thread on /qst/ for the 11th Age, and so on.

As a reminder, the project's discord is available to any who wish to join to get updates on when I'll be posting a new thread, as well as discussion about the game with my players who control their own civs.

Here's that link again: https://discord.gg/xeYq6mJ9TB

I would post my twitter, which I used to use to post /qst/-related updates but I've lost the password for it and also forgotten the email and I'm currently being held at gunpoint please send hel-

>...

Agriculture brings about many changes in our society, allowing our home to expand and rebuild after the conflict with the barbarians. As our food production increases, so too does our population and the roles in our society, allowing for the emergence of dedicated workers, priests, fishermen, farmers and so on. Our animals benefit from food we produce as well, becoming more numerous. The bounty of the land and lake is ours and our people prosper. This age, we see the rise of the second Regina, who earned her place by brokering a lasting and effective truce with the remaining barbarians of the south. Despite tense relations due the recent conflict, the barbarians respect strength above all else, and so a grudging respect has formed on their part.

The half-vampire brothers have grown older, and are respected members of society. Though they turned down the chance to compete to become Rex, they have nonetheless become pillars of our community, leaders in their own right, though they submit to the rule of the Regina and the wisdom of the Scarlet Serpent.

Our population going into Age 10:

850 Children
309 Hunters
155 Scouts
588 Warriors
1022 Farmers
402 Fishermen
588 Workers
32 Priests
30 Warrior-Priests
30 Seers
141 Sylvians
98 Half-Sylvians
2 Half-Vampires
1 Regina
1 Naga
4249 Total
>>
>>5479433

Our random events for this age are as follows:

1) A holiday is established by our people, one centering around romance and love. What are the details of this holiday? When is it celebrated? What are its traditions, customs, etc.?

2) A sickness is beginning to spread amongst our people. It causes weakness, fatigue, welts, rashes, boils and nausea. However, it doesn't appear to be directly contagious, so it must be caused by something. After narrowing down who has become sick and when, and comparing all of their actions, it is determined that anyone who ate fish recently have become sick. Something is wrong with the fish we are pulling out of the lakes and river around our home.

3) Word has spread to our people about a great barbarian in the south. Unlike the last few times a rumor of this variety reached us, however, this one is different in that he does not seek to unite the clans. Rather, the rumors surround his incredible strength and deeds; it is said that he has already slain a great monster, some kind of worm-like serpent or dragon-beast. Rumors are that he is blessed by some god are a matter of concern; has the star serpent returned and found a new avatar, or could this be some other new trouble?

What are our reactions to these events?
>>
>>5479435
We should send some scouts upstream, to find the source of the sickness in the fish, and send another group to the south to learn more about this great monster-slayer.
>>
>>5479435
>1
Fertility festival time

>2
Divination should be conducted to see if we can fix the issue.

>3
We should send an envoy, at the very least we should make diplomatic overtures.
>>
>>5479435
1) Let it draw inspiration from the intermarriage between our primary peoples (the Sylvian and, uh, whatever our founding group was called), and weave in themes of communal and familial union. Drawing upon formative romances of our cultures, let's also touch upon love as a thing which requires compromise and sacrifice as well, and warn against obsessive pining or neglect of responsibilities. Since we're so trial-centric, performing a deed of service or presenting a handcrafted item to a (potential or current) paramour could be a feature of the day, too?

2) Can we divine a culprit for this poisoning, be it malevolent or natural? If not, simply stay away from fishing for now, and send some forces (hunters, fishermen, and warrior-priests) to the source of the waters to seek an answer.

3) Ask our contacts and allies among the barbarians and, if that doesn't work, send the Vamp-Lads and a contingent to check it out.
>>
>>5479435
1)
Obviously it's around the day of the marriage of the first Rex and the Sylvian. Lovers will seek to emulate their courting. It is one that involves gardens and forests. Also the burning of lamps in the river, to simbolize the swamp lights.

2)
Stop all fishing. Divine about the source. Send scouts there. Could it be because of the dragon eggs? Be ready to cast dispel if it's magical in nature

3)
Divine about the barbarian, send some scouts to know about him. He seems to be going on quests and trials instead of conquests. Perhaps he is a kindred soul?
Prepare to defend the Red Snake if he comes for us.
>>
>>5479435
1) Let's organize a multi-day festival where people from different villages can mingle, eat, dance and have a chance to meet someone they wouldn't normally see who maybe could become their soulmate. It's good for genetic diversity.

2) Definitely should investigate upstream

3) Send someone to befriend the barbarian. Either a worthy rival guy or a spunky girl.
>>
>>5479431
Until society collapses, that is. You can’t a reverse age paramid and still expect the economy to work.

>>5479435
Fertility festival, with an emphasis on romance and the ‘spirit’ of love.

Stop eating fish and investigate why this is happening.

Try to woo and entice this great southern barbarian. Maybe we can be friends instead of enemies? Maybe he’ll even find… love (looks to the female Rex).
>>
>>5479455
>the economy
My fellow anon, we wear crude hides and leaves and just BARELY know how agriculture works. We're a ways off from worrying about "the economy".
>>
>>5479435
>1) It is celebrated in spring. It is a time when people are encouraged to find love and for women to have children. Though unlike usual love-customs, more emphasis is put on collective good rather than caring for individual desires. It is closely linked to the union between the first Hero and the Sylvian, and there is lots of symbolism on the holiday that reflects this.
>2) Divine about who or what might be causing it. Then send a group of scouts/warriors/scouts/seers to deal with the situation.
>3) Have another group of scouts, this time accompanied by a few warriors and a priest (and possibly one of the half-vampires), to seek out and/or investigate more about the barbarian hero. Use divination if no clear answers are found.

>>5479445
I like the imagery of the holiday in this, especially with the river lamps symbolizing swamp lights. Supporting.

>>5479455
>Maybe he’ll even find… love (looks to the female Rex).
Ha. That's honestly not a bad idea.
>>
>>5479456
Anon, that’s assuming our people get developed enough to be payed. More likely we’re going to die because some anons went on a female empowerment kick and cucked our population demographics beyond recovery.
>>
>>5479466
Oh my god, no one fucking cares. It literally does not fucking matter, by word of god/qm.
>>
Anons, can you shut up about the female thing?
Just read what Damashi said here >>5479230
>>
>>5479456
There is literally 0 benefit to potentially reducing our reproduction rates, you're all fools to imply otherwise. Population growth is visibly part of the mechanics of the quest.
>>
>>5479433
> I will begin another thread on /qst/ for the 11th Age, and so on.
Unless it takes months for everyone to respond, this thread will still be alive. /qst/ is a slow board
>>
>>5479455
>>5479460
Marrying the Regina could work, given that she got the position by making peace with the barbarians. Mixing the new great barbarian would make it even more stable, but it could also backfire if he isn't the settling type, if he has other heirs or if he takes charge instead of ruling together.
>>
>>5479421
/pol/ already ruined the best quest in this board. Keep it out of this one.
>>
>>5479500
The QM did it himself, where he wanted to take the narrative was never going to be popular.
>>
>>5479453
+1
>>
>>5479493
Also we want to be careful of personal union and dynastic issues. We want to avoid a War of Spanish succession type thing.

Like what happens if one of the kids of this union think they are owed the Southern Crown and the Northern Crown by birthright, and doesn't accept the winner of the Trial?

If we do have any intermarriage it has to be made clear that the Serpent Throne can only be won through trial, not by force or birthright.
>>
>>5479481
>Unless it takes months for everyone to respond, this thread will still be alive. /qst/ is a slow board
I won't say months, but ages have been slow to get going; I like to make sure everyone is done, and I do a little bit of post-age cleanup and checking up on things and such. I run it in my free time, and I don't hold players to responding quickly; they'll get to it when they get to it, and I nudge them accordingly every now and then.
>>
>>5479479
>potentially reducing our reproduction rates
>you're all fools to imply otherwise

>>5479230
>I don't intend on tracking male to female ratios
>It's a minute detail that I personally consider trivial or irrelevant to the bigger picture

Suspend your disbelief or suspend your internet connection. You're being silly.

>>5479500
>>5479502
>picrel

>>5479506
>>5479493
Let's get to know Conan over there (and see if it IS a Conan and not a Sonja) before we get too invested in this.
>>
>>5479512
Yes, we should know more about them first, which is why I'm keeping my divine and scout vote.

Talking about Conan, I wonder if that anon that wanted sword and sorcery romans is happy, we may end up getting them afterall.
>>5469048
>>
>>5479519
I mean, we're in loincloths and wielding magic in service of an ancient snake god, ourselves, and we live next door to savage magic woodspeople. We pretty much just fought Thulsa Doom. I think we're already doing it!
>>
>>5479500
Oh blow it out your ass tranny

>>5479512
>population growth mechanics
>not an asexual reproductive race

The fault in this is not mine.
>>
>>5479525
Maybe this isn't the quest for you, if you consider a core mechanic an unacceptable fault and plan to just whinge about it forever.
>>
>>5479525
>>5479530
I would appreciate it if the discussion on this matter ceased.

>>5479441
>>5479444
>>5479445
>>5479453
>>5479455
>>5479460

The adoption of a fertility festival with emphasis on sylvian and half-elven rituals, with a historical emphasis on the meeting and union between those two species and courtship rituals involving mini-trials of love and such will go into effect this age. An annual ritual of the sort will give a minor population boost.

For the time being, our people stop catching and consuming fish. Through a combination of divination and scouting, it is determined that whatever is causing this sickness is coming from the western tributary of our lake. Our scouts move into that never-explored land, discovering it to be the primary hunting grounds of massive and monstrous carnivores; devilsaurs, looking like spiked tyrannosauruses. These creatures are brutal and scour the wide and flat plains with their impressive strides, often fighting with each other over territory and mating rights, scavenging larger corpses and occasionally gobbling up smaller ones. Our scouts get no further than their lands for the time being.

A delegation of your people heads south, further into barbarian lands than ever before. The eight clans are scattered and live in different areas around their home hex, mostly keeping to their own. The third largest of the tribal families is the one that has produced this exceptional heroic unit. When your people are brought to him, it is clear that he is a specimen of great power, standing tall, broad-shouldered, with a prowess for strength and athleticism that few men of his time can achieve. He certainly doesn't seem possessed by any evil god, though he does appear to be blessed, or at the very least very naturally and fortunately gifted. The creature he slew, a linnorm, was a powerful and serpentine dragon-like creature that was feeding upon his people. He didn't slay it out of a desire to protect his own, he slew it to see if he could. His curse is boredom; he has wrestled and subdued men and beast alike, and now seeks greater and greater quarries to fulfill his drive to slay.
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>>5479537
Tell him we appreciate his questing nature, and that one of our own was stopped because of Devilsaurs to the west. Perhaps he would like to join us in this trial, an opportunity to push his strength and cunning further? And be sure to send a few aspirants with him.
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>>5479552
Supporting
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>>5479537
Ask him if he could scout the lands of the Devilsaurs, and perhaps kill and tame a couple. I want to see if he even could do this trial.
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>>5479552
Supporting. Maybe we can solve one problem with another...
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>>5479552
+1
Maybe we won't push for a wedding between Him and our Regina, but maybe if this Hunting goes right, we could make some friendly relationship and train our own "Monster Hunters"
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>>5479571
>train our own "Monster Hunters"
Now I'm picturing the barbarian wearing this
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>>5479552
>>5479560

Supporting.
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I actually move we use Enchantment and domestication on the devilsaurs

Because I think half elves riding t rexes is cool.
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>>5479628
Hey... That would be cool, but I think it could be equally dificult like trying to tame the winged lions or the dragons we have.

>>5479591
I'm not QM but this is canon
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>>5479628
Not shabby, though a bonding experience with the barbarian sounds pretty useful. Though, perhaps we could bend him towards dominating great beasts rather than just slaying them?
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>>5479667
Taming is a bigger challenge than slaying. If he wants to try, he is welcome to.
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>>5479674
+1
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>>5479674
+1 But of course our civ is going to learn about taming too

Hopefully this won't come later and bite our ass :)
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>>5479552
Supportin'
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>>5479721
Yeah, there is a risk of the barbarians having spiky t-rexes if they try to invade again.
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>>5479552
>>5479555
>>5479560
>>5479569
>>5479571
>>5479613
>>5479848

He knows of these creatures, and has been eager for an excuse to set out and face one. Accompanied by a contingent of your folk and his own, he sets off to further challenge himself.

West, in along the river, a devilsaur moves in to investigate the gathering. The intrepid barbarian rushes in to meet it alone in single combat. Your people, still skeptical about his bravado, worry that he is rushing to meet his end. Soon enough they learn just how wrong they were. The man fearlessly faces down his titanic foe, dodging its undoubtedly instantly-fatal bites before managing to get upon its back. It tries to shake him off, but he holds onto the spikes protruding from its back, howling with laughter as he rides the monstrous animal and has the time of his life. Eventually he scales its back to its head and brings his axe down upon its skull, driving it deeply into its brain. The monster falls in the dust and the assembled peoples cheer. The prowess of this warrior is truly unmatched!

Having slain the largest buck of the land, your passage west is guaranteed. His people go about the work of skinning and using the remnants of the beast as he retrieves his axe. He comments that it was a good fight, but that he is still bored; perhaps two of them would serve a better challenge.

Further west, your people discover the source of the contagion: the rat-goblins your people once met. It seems they have developed a practice of dumping their dead in the river tied to stones, and given their putrid lack of hygiene and diseased appearance already, their rotting dead are releasing who knows what into the water supply that feeds into your lake. As they live alongside the river and get all of their water from further upstream, they don't seem to have noticed what their tradition has caused.

What is our reaction to these events?
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>>5480021
Kill the rats. It's simple pest control.
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>>5480021
Ask not-conan if he can pest-control in less than two days.
Take their most intelligent as prisoner.
Try to steal their technological or societal secrets.
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>>5480021
Tell them that their decomposing dead are tainting the river downstream, suggest cremation and burial of ashes instead.
If they don't agree, well, then it's either us or them.
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>>5480021
Tell them of the plague they caused, and ask for reparations (tech and magic) with a change in their river policy. If they refuse, sic Conan with a T-Rex on them, and take their mages and other survivors as prisoners. We won’t suffer them poisoning our river.
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>>5480021
Allow the barbarian to fight whatever creature he wishes (except for the Scarlet Snake obviously).
Request them to stop doing this and make burials/burnings/cremations instead, explain what it's doing to the fish in the river downstream. If they refuse, offer their leader a gift for them to change their ways.
Alternatively, we could build a dam/filter or dig the river in such a way that we don't have problems with the fish making us sick in the future. Do we have the right tech for that?
Our Regina is an expert diplomat, right? She should be able to convince them that if they keep doing this a coalition will form against them.
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>>5480033
>>5480058
If they don't agree those dirty skaven should be delt with permanently
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>>5480078
I wrote it here anon
>If they don't agree, well, then it's either us or them.
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>>5480033
Supporting
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>>5480033
>>5480057
+1
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>>5480095
Also, I say that if the Rat Goblins say som excuse of how the should throw their deads to the water, tell them some bullshit about his God

From what I remember the first Rat Goblin we met said that he was in a Quest for his God of the wind to find a place. If that's the case, then say that the cremation is better so that the smoke and ashes of their people can join the divine winds of their gods and take them to their resting place where their ashes will lay (Preferably to the mountains or somewhere far from the river)
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>>5480058
This one has my support.

>>5480021
>>
Ask the Rat Goblins to stop throwing their dead in the river because it is polluting it and discuss with them alternatives that would work for them
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>>5480021
Oh, and further, discourage him from testing our Snakedad's mettle by talking up how old, tired, nd sickly the Scarlet Serpent is.
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>>5480021
Can we not propose a marriage between the Regina and the barbarian?

And yes, tell the rats to stop doing it or we prepare to destroy them.
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>>5480125
>Can we not propose a marriage between the Regina and the barbarian?
What for? He'll probably wander away to look for a tougher fight, and that'll be that.
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>>5480127
Get Regina to supplex him for superiority.
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>>5480125
Support, I want his gene-seed. Also have the half-vampire bros been married yet? I guess the Silvian hussy is out of the picture now...
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>>5480157
There's no need to call derogatory names
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Part of me wants us to call for the Grand Trials. An ancient Olympics style contest of skill, bravery, intelligence and honor that all the Half-Elf tribes and nations will be invited to.

Make it known that the Regina will select her heir from the champions and encourage other tribes to select their great King in the same way.

With any luck we'll finally unify with some or all of the South.

The issue with that is this great hero figure is more a blunt tool than a leader figure so I wouldn't want them as Rex.

Any ideas?
>>
Man, a lot has happened since I was gone. A lot of questionable decisions as well.
>>5480182
This is part of the issue, this obsession with trials. They should be important but not what our entire civilization revolves around. Anyway, not part of the Traveller's dynasty? You can't be Rex.
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>>5480186
>Anyway, not part of the Traveller's dynasty? You can't be Rex.
It's important to remember this
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>>5480182
Olympic games sounds like a good idea, selecting our heir from it sounds like a very bad idea.

>>5480186
>This is part of the issue, this obsession with trials. They should be important but not what our entire civilization revolves around

I agree, it's gotten out of hand
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>>5480186
Both the north and the south have meritocratic cultural values. Getting shared leadership between us is going to have to be based on someone earning it, a trial seemed like the path of least resistance since we already select our leadership that way and they have a tradition of unifying under heroic figures as king.

What if we make it not like sports or games but more practical things? Clearing out predators, domesticating animals, unlocking new food sources, finding resources that sort of thing.
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>>5480191
Actually this brings up a point, what is the bloodline cut off?

Is it all descendants of the Traveller or all descendants of the first Rex? (Heck, while the Vampire Queen worked for us her loyalty was only to descendants of the SECOND Rex)
>>
The ratfolk explain that it is due to their religion; according to them, once someone breathes their last breath their soul goes with the exhale, joining the god of the four winds. The body, as a vessel, is now pointless and garbage, so they dispose of it. They also throw all of their trash in the river and use it as their primary toilet; that's what it's there for, isn't it?

When you explain that this behavior has led to your people getting sick, they are not exactly mortified, but they don't seem to be able to conceptualize the idea of getting sick from the corpses. You attempt to explain it to them but they seem unable, or perhaps unwilling, to connect the dots. However, when you explain that violence is on the table as far as you are concerned, they quickly change their minds. They are cowardly and seek no quarrel.

You offer to teach them about cremation, but evidently that offends them deeply; a burnt body pollutes the winds of their god. A compromise is reached, however, and they promise to instead bury their dead and stop defecating in the river.

The barbarian, having heard tales of your snake, wishes to see it for himself. He promises not to kill it; after all, it is capable of speech, and he would hear what it has to say for itself. He travels with your contingent back to the north. There, he meets with your Regina of whom he has heard due to her brokering the peace between your peoples. Upon meeting her, it is clear that he is smitten. She, however, will not fall so easily for a man, even one as impressive as he, and he must in the tradition of your people complete a trial. Afraid of no such thing, he accepts.

Firstly, however, he meets the serpent. Your people worry that it will result in violence, but instead the two have a long conversation that turns surprisingly philosophical. The serpent breaks down why he is continually unsatisfied with his accomplishments, eventually allowing the man to reach a breakthrough that his strive to slay bigger and badder creatures is a result of his father never loving him and the desire for him to conquer the metaphorical father within his mind. The serpent and the man become incredible friends and he thanks the serpent for his wisdom and allowing him to grow as a person.

>What manner of task shall the barbarian hero attempt to perform? As a heroic unit, he is capable of going on a quest or undertaking some manner of trial, perhaps one of exploration or the slaying of a great beast. You may dictate the form which it takes.
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>>5480182
I'll support the Olympic part of this, it will foster more unity between the half-elves (especially those that promote merit).
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>>5480203
>Have him kill at least three of the Devilsauruses, and explore beyond their lands.
>Alternatively, have him go on a quest to permanently kill off/subdue the Star Serpent somehow.
Honestly I don't have anything. I feel like killing the Star Serpent would be impossible due to the lack of astrology tech, and I don't want turn away someone who could be a great leader and promote cultural ties to the barbarians (also he's Red Snake's buddy, and I'd hate to do anything like that to a friend of his).
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>>5480203
Damn! I really want to ask for the hero to go the Nearest mountain to explore and make a temple for us to keep the dragons in there with a pool.

But it is like 6 to 7 tiles far from our home, so my dream of Half-Elf Romans with Astral Magic and riding dragons it's really far.
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>>5480203
Could he tame the dragons or the manticores? Or would it be beyond a hero unit without animal husbandry?
If it would, then perhaps impressing all the tribes and making sure they all pledge eternal friendship would be on the table, so they may never again fall to the Star Serpent, or even the Ground Wyrm or the Sea Adder.
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>>5480221
Winged lion, not manticore. Those are two different creature
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>>5480203
His quest is to tame a large and vicious predator. Devilsaur, winged lion, so on. He has already proven he can kill, now he must prove he can be kind.
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>>5480228
I support this
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>>5480228
Support
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>>5480228
Support. Domestication XP grind
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Make the trial securing eternal friendship of all the Half Elf Tribes. Not only does it fit his character arc of moving past killing giant monsters out of insecurity, but it is the most useful thing he can do at this time
He can always take dragondinos after they are married.
>>5480221
+1
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>>5480279
*Tame
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>>5480279
Actually, thats far superior to taming a trex, swapping my support to this.
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>>5480203
>>5480279
Supporting this instead of my vote.
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>>5480279
"Eternal friendship"? Surely you mean uniting all half elf tribes under our banner right?
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>>5480279
Support
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>>5480221
I'm settling on just my second suggestion of his trial is uniting the tribes to a pledge to our civilization and the Red Snake.
Not only is the most useful, but likely the most impressive for the Regina, the one he fell in love with.
>>5480349
The same thing the Sylvians have
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>>5480385
I like the Red Snake part. The Southerns respect strength and the Hero likes the Red Snake.
I think if the Hero proposes it as an alliance with a super Snake the Southerns will like the idea more.

>>5480349
One step at a time.
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>>5480349
Yeah your trial is to subdue the unruly South and bring it into our sphere of influence. Through whatever means necessary.
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The Regina charges her would-be suitor with a task that displays a different kind of strength; one of uniting the tribes for a purpose other than a goal of destroying civilization, but rather empowering it. With both groups weakened as they are since last age's conflict, a joining of your peoples would be wise and strengthen both. She explains about the quality of life that agriculture has brought with it, and promises to share your people's knowledge with them, making them stronger as well.

He scratches his chin. It wouldn't be an easy task, due to the animosity that still exists; many who live now were still around for that battle, and their children have grown up with that lingering animosity. Many cases of bad blood yet exist. In order to do this, he would need to convince each of the eight clans to join, and work with the Regina to ensure that their integration into your society goes smoothly.

However, he boasted that he is afraid of no challenge, and so sets about the task in order to win the hand of the beautiful queen. He returns south and calls for a conclave, a meeting of the clans. Such a thing has not been done since the last failed invasion. They heed his call, and all barbarians arrive to listen to his words. He gives an impassioned speech about strength, and how it can take many forms; the north has proven their strength through resilience and determination, and that the physical might of the south could not overcome it---twice. The brain and the hand are separate, but the strength of the brain is meaningless without a hand to grasp things, and the hand is meaningless without the brain to command it.

As for all of the barbarians who disagree, he challenges them to single combat. Several prominent clan leaders, those who fought in the battle last age, step forward, but the younger and stronger barbarian defeats them all, wrestling them into submission. As the sun sets, all eight clan leaders kneel to him, and he effectively becomes the new Barbarian King. Their only condition of their submission to our society is to maintain their family lands, where they have lived, fought and died for generations; their burial grounds, in particular, are important to them. Knowing that this should not be a problem, he accepts their conditions.

The barbarians march north once again, only this time it is not to destroy but to create something new. The Regina and the Barbarian King meet amidst a congregation of both peoples and she formally welcomes their clans and accepts his proposal. Their union is symbolic of the union of the two peoples. The half-elven nations of your homeland and the clans of the south is secured, and a grand celebration follows. Even those who fought against each other last age find themselves celebrating with their former enemies.
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>>5480471

The Barbarian King and the Regina prove a powerful couple, able to wield ultimate influence over both groups; she is even able to smooth things over between the sylvians and the barbarians. You share with them the technology of Agriculture, and they share with you the technology of Weaponry (unlocked for free). Their union produces three children, a daughter followed by two sons. The barbarian clans of the south are now considered part of our civilization and a separate town, much like the sylvians, and each of the eight clans lends a voice in your government's council.

A new and unified people look towards the future with hope and strength.

>We now have three seperate communities under our banner that we control. As this represents the beginnings of a national identity, we will need names for these towns to differentiate them: our home, the sylvian home and the barbarian lands.

>In addition to this, suggestions for our two player actions for this age may now be put forth.
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>>5480474
We should scout further down the river inland, south-and-westward in to the desert.
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>>5480474
Ok, I propose to name the barbarian lands Taurica, and them the Tauri Conan is a Cimmerian, real Cimmerians were Crimean, and roman Cimea was called Taurica
The Sylvians' home is Sylvia.
Our home is Capitolium, being the summit of our three peoples. We shall be the Capitolines.
The overall nation is the Holy Kingdom of the Scarlet Snake.

>Work on integrating all three people
>Explore around the barbarian lands.
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>>5480478
>>5480482

I would think that the hexes around the barbarian lands and the ones around the sylvian home should already be explored, as well as the route to the ratmen lands.

Could we get an updated map before proceeding?

Taurica and Sylvia sound fine as far as names go, not so sold on our home province. Latium is pretty unoriginal, but thats the name I'm putting forth.

Be cool if the twins founded a city on a hill, just saying.
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>>5480488
Yeah, an updated map would be good.
>Be cool if the twins founded a city on a hill, just saying.
I would rather they founded a city in the swamp river mouth. It's a holy site of the traveler afterall. I don't mind the hill, since I named the city after the Capitoline Hill, the one that had the Temple to Jupiter. It's just that I think our civ has more IC justification for that hex.
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>>5480482
>>5480488

I'll also throw my hat in the ring for Sylvia and Taurica.

We should name ourselves after our actions, instead of using a kinda generic reference to Rome. Something to do with our ability to bring people together, maybe?
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>>5480506
We could call the city something about being the promised/holy land too.
Other options are to go for children of the red snake. The redeemed because of the penitence, the guided for the visions, triumphal for the trials.
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I like calling out homeland The North. It has a certain primal vibe to it and we are literally at the North of our known world.
>>
So yeah, what about Filiisers? Filii = Sons Serpens = Snake

Also there's Rubrum which is Red, we could also try and push in there so we end up with something

Also theres Squamae = Scales
Salvator = Savior
and two words I tried to use google translate and I doubt are correct

Elf = Dryadales
Fairy = prædictas

Keep in mind i'm translating from spanish to latin so maybe if other anons search with those english words it might come with something different maybe.

So yeah, we either come with something like merging latin words into some kind of meaning or we invent something that sounds like it. Also I thought about something like "scaled backs people", "Red scaled skin" or idk something like it that we reference our God-Advisor or maybe trying to also tap into one of our races

Or hell, we might end up being in the future something more like a different race like the Sylvans if we diverse from elf and humans and we could develop some physical change that might differ us from others

But yeah, honestly I dont like the idea of naming our city Capitolium, it sounds kinda lame but yeah, it depends on whatever it ends because can't think in something better right now
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Looking at the map, founding a city on the isthmus in the winged lion hex looks pretty sweet, with a little work it would be extremely defensive.

Though I don't suppose we're really at the point to do that, technologically.
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Thoughts on going sailing>shipbuilding next for tech? It would allow us to exploit all the rivers quite nicely I would think.
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>>5480474
Build statues commemorating the union of the Barbarian King and the Regina, create a national holiday celebrating the unity of the three cultures.

>>5480541
>The North
>Latin translation is Aquilone, Aquilo, Septentrio
I was thinking of something like 'City Between the Rivers (Urbem inter Flumina)' or 'River-City (Flumen-Urbem)' but this is also good even though we technically aren't as north as our race knows it can be.
But calling ourselves Septentrio or something sounds neat.
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>>5480474
>Names
Sylvia from the Sylvan lands, Taurica for the Barbarian lands, and maybe Anguia (from "Anguis", meaning a serpentien dragon) for our starting people-group and their lands.

This Sylivans, Tauricans, and Anguians, forming the Sanctum Regnum Rubrum Serpens!

>Player actions
Build small forums and artistically-decorated council-chambers in each land, to meet with one another's dignitaries and hold council in each province to hear specific concerns and grievances of the locals(and encourage some cultural commonalities).

Try domesticating a couple of the dragon eggs while we have a heroic monster-busting leader.
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>>5480565
Supporting the name "Anguia".
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>>5480561
Aquilonians is a sick name for our people. For the city how about Cor Magicae (heart of magic)?
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Correct me if I am wrong but our proto-Senate is currently

>8 Elders from each Southern Tribe
>The Elder Hunter
>The Elder Scout
>The Elder Warrior
>The Elder Farmer
>The Elder Fisher
>The Elder Worker
>The Elder Priest
>The Elder Warrior-Priest
>The Elder Seer
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>>5480482
Support player actions.

What about something related to Crimson or Scarlet? When we unlock architecture, I’m hope to turn the city into a vibrant red desu.
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>>5480571
Probably some elders from the Sylvian as well.
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>>5480565
>This Sylivans, Tauricans, and Anguians, forming the Sanctum Regnum Rubrum Serpens!
Sounds good to me
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>>5480569
Not bad, it fits with the whole magical academy we have going on.
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>>5480474
This is unrelated to the naming of the communities but I suggest that the name of the ruling dynasty be the Viatorii

As for names of the people and locations, >>5480565 sounds pretty good to me. Additionally, the dragon domestication with the Barbarian Rex-consort is also a good idea if possible.

I'd like to come up with a common name for the three peoples but for now, let's really put an effort into integrating all of them into a single culture group with a single religion.
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>>5480573
When the Sylvians joined they introduced the elder system and when they did it was role based not racial.

That leads me to believe we don't have "Sylvan Elders" but rather a significant proportion of our job elders are Sylvan
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>>5480592
What would count as a the Viatorri dynasty?

All descendants of the Wanderer? All descendants of the first Rex? Or all descendants of the Second Regina?
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>>5480596
Viator means traveller, so probably all his descendants
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>>5480596
All descendants of the traveller, his descendant was chosen to be the first Rex not only because of his feats but because of his blood.
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>>5480598
Support
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Here's that updated map some were asking for.
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>>5480617
I propose we explore these two hexes, assuming we are limited to 1 hex per action
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>>5480598
Eh... I think I it's sort of a Bobby B thing where the bloodline was a tacked on thing AFTER he already won it by feat

Remember the Rex was ostracized and the Warrior-Priests said his bloodline was diluted
>>
But it any case I support the name Viatorri for the family
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>>5480474
I suggest that we learn more about who/what wiped out the ancient snake civ and then start worshipping it.
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>>5480628 >>5480629
No it wasn't and those warrior priests were decadent oligarchs, unworthy of their titles. They spoke those untruths to slander and deligitimize the Scion who was trying to fight the swamp lights whilst they sat on their laurels, their word means nothing. And it's Viatorii not Viatorri.

>>5480631
Hell no, the Scarlet Snake has been the god of our people since the beginning. Protecting us and guiding us and now has done so more than ever. Why would we ever start worshipping the force that wiped out the empire of the snakes?
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>>5480635
The Snake empire was evil, our people know that, because the Wanderer spread that information, the Star Serpent wanted it silenced and the Scarlet Snake reminded us of it.
It was the being that judged them for their crimes and gave the Scarlet Snake a chance for redemption as our guardian.
Perhaps it could be some sort of mystery deity, an overgod, a judge or even a titan inside our religion.
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>>5480628
The bloodline is important for legitimacy among the Sylvians... Specifically, the bloodline of our first Rex, who married that Sylvian and fought the will-o-wisps. They promised to support us while HER blood ran in our veins, right?

>>5480635
>Why would we ever start worshipping the force that wiped out the empire of the snakes?
Snakeciv were evil pricks, and the Scarlet Serpent himself acknowledges this. They were wiped out for decadence, and now the Shitty Star Snake is the truest heir to their awful legacy, while our Snakedad has defected from the precepts of his old world and rejects them.

Thus, the supreme power which wiped them out may be a friend to him, and us, after a fashion.
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>>5480617
All eight southern tribes are in one hex?
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>>5480641 >>5480643
Yeah they were evil, how does that translate to worshipping the force that wiped them out? Not even the Scarlet Snake knows what it was and we're just supposed to worship it because it wiped them out? That doesn't seem like enough of a reason to me when it's such an unknown force or being.
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>>5480643
>The bloodline is important for legitimacy among the Sylvians... Specifically, the bloodline of our first Rex, who married that Sylvian and fought the will-o-wisps. They promised to support us while HER blood ran in our veins, right?

That would mean the dynasty would have to start from the first Rex, and not the Wanderer.

The current Regina isn't descended from the first Rex but from a different line of the Wanderers kids.

So if the Sylvan 's required that bloodline for their loyalty they would have left by now. (Which loops back to my claim the bloodline thing is as important as some would make it .)
>>
Anyway, time to get all the suggestions together to help with the voting

Barbarians:
Taurica (Tauri) 5

Sylvians:
Sylvia 5
Dryadales 1
Praedictas 1

Us:
Capitolium (Capitolines) 1
Latium (Latins) 1
North 0
Aquilone Aquilonia is the roman like kingdom Conan ended up ruling 1
Aquilo 0
Septentrio 1
Filiisers 1
Squamae 1
Salvator 1
Urbem inter Flumina 1
Flumen-Urbem 1
Anguia 3
Cor Magicae 2

Dynasty:
Viatorii 2

Nation:
Holy Kingdom of the Scarlet Snake / Sanctum Regnum Rubrum Serpens 3
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>>5480653
Well, that would be the reason that anon suggested to learn more about it first.
Although that sounds like something that we would find out way later, since it seen to be a hidden being.
>>5480482
I'm chancing my vote from explore to tame
>>5480592
And supporting the dynasty name
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>>5480657
I vote for The North.
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>>5480655
>>5480643
Let me clear up some confusion here: the ruling bloodline is descended from the union of the First Rex and the Sylvian, and the First Rex himself was the great-grandson of the Traveler.
The current Regina is from the offshoot bloodline created by the First Rex's daughter, who was the female twin of the second Rex.
>>
What about

Serpentrio?

A faux Latin mix of "North" and "Snake?"
>>
>>5480662
But which flavor? you got Aquilone, Aquilo and Septentrio to choose.
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>>5480657
I support Viatorii as a dynastic name.
>>
>>5480665
Ah I see then .

The Wanderer has no descendants that aren't also descended from the First Rex so which one is considered the founder is just semantics.
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>>5480666
That could work, Star Serpent.
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>>5480669
Serpentrio
It even has three in it
>>
Alright, I've got the names of Anguia, Sylvia and Taurica. We'll henceforth know the ruling bloodline as Viatorii.

We're a little scattered on actions, though, but I feel like most people were focusing on the names first and foremost. So, now that those are out of the way, I'll go ahead and simply ask once more, what are our two actions for this age?
>>
>>5480679
>Integrate the three people. This anon has a good plan >>5480565 on how
>Try to tame a big creature. One of the dragon pair, a winged lion or a devilsaur.
>>
>>5480679
Creating a national holiday for the union of our three cultures and making something to commemorate the barbarians being added to our sphere (something about the Barbarian Hero that married the Regina? Maybe a statue of them both, similar to having a statue of the first Rex and the Sylvian?)
>>
>>5480679
Domesticate Dinosaurs and unlock a new technology
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>>5480679
Focus on the integration of the three peoples into one culture group with a single religion. Be it through holidays, artĂ­stico depictions that demonstrate the strength and commonality of the union, festivals and celebrations to promote travel between the communities, small fairs to promote trade, a rare event of the Scarlet Snake travelling with a royal and religious procession to the other settlements etc.
>>
>>5480679
And, if possible, have the Barbarian Hero domesticate the dragon hatchlings.
>>
>>5480679
Reiterating from earlier:

Build small forums and artistically-decorated council-chambers in each land, to meet with one another's dignitaries and hold council in each province to hear specific concerns and grievances of the locals(and encourage some cultural commonalities).

Try domesticating a couple of the dragon eggs while we have a heroic monster-busting leader.
>>
>>5480635
>Viatorri

Better name though, I'm voting for it.

>>5480657
I'm the Latium voter, switched to anguia. Though aquilone would be cool too.
>>
>>5480679
>>5480627
>>
>>5480681
>>5480684
>>5480702
>>5480708

With the birth of our new alliance, steps are taken to strengthen it over the remainder of our age. This includes integrating our customs and governmental structure amongst the clans; though they still have a strong tendency to rule with a might-makes-right attitude, they adopt a council structure within their respective clan holdings, with elders amongst the notable family for each group holding seats. Through other means such as celebrations, artistic depictions of the three cornerstones of our burgeoning kingdom, or finding ways to integrate the faiths and religions of the three people into one cohesive structure, the alliance is made overall stronger.

Having united the clans, the new Barbarian King sets about a new task, one arguably greater than any he has accomplished: taming a dragon. The seers foretell that he will be able to succeed, and so a great pyre is constructed. One of the four eggs is removed from their pool and placed within it.

A great fire, larger than any your people have ever made, is constructed. It is within this grand pyre that the egg, kept for so many years in a kind of stasis, is hatched. A creature, born of fire and smoke, emerges; it does not completely resemble its more primordial forebear, though it retains qualities that harken back to that elemental creature. Its scales are dark and black, its eyes and chest a smoldering orange, and it roars as it is born.

The hero sets about his work, attempting to subdue the creature. Unfortunately, despite his efforts and despite the prediction of the seers, he fails. Every attempt is rejected, no matter what means he approaches it from. The dragon lashes out, threatening to kill anyone who draws near, and very nearly kills the barbarian lord.

Seeing no recourse, the barbarian moves to kill the beast before it can do harm onto your people. He is stopped by the two half-vampiric brothers, who hold him back at the behest of the Regina. She does not wish to see the beast killed, not when there is yet a chance. When the dragon sees its moment, it takes off into the sky, testing its new wings, flying west towards a mountain range.

The barbarian slams a fist onto the ground. He has never known defeat, and it is a bitter thing, particularly when so much hope and predicted success was heaped upon this. Refusing to believe that failure is the only thing to accept in this situation and determined to prove the seers right, he plans to set off. The two half-vampire brothers accompany him.
>>
>>5480741

They follow the river west, towards that mountain range. There, they pass through the land of the ratfolk, who are frightened of some new evil that has begun to prey upon them, a vision of their religion's devil, a fire-breathing monster on wings of ash and smoke that has been sent to punish them. Realizing that the dragon has acquired a taste for rat-goblin flesh, and having no love for the foul creatures, the brothers and the barbarian set a trap in the form of several of the rat-goblins tied up. Further west and upriver, where wild peas grow and vast deposits of orichalcum can be found, that is where the trap is set.

The dragon takes the bait, and when it arrives, swooping down upon the terrified souls, that's when they spring into action. Working in tandem with the brothers, the barbarian is able to finally wrestle and subdue the dragon, holding it down until it grows weak and tired. Though as large as a man, it is still only a child, and as the barbarian was the first thing it saw upon awakening it has come to imprint upon him; a little tough love was required, but finally the task was a success. Even the rat-goblins who served as bait managed to survive.

The dragon is returned to the community, whereupon the four of them receive a grand welcome.

Debate follows about hatching the remaining eggs; the seers predict all three will be successfully domesticated, but their prediction on the first one was only correct after an initial failure. What if something else goes wrong?

>Do we attempt the other eggs?
>>
>>5480745
>Do we attempt the other eggs?
Only one more, so there is a breeding pair.
Make sure to get from a different meteor though.
>>
>>5480747
Agreeable.

Perhaps it will be easier with one already present that is tamed, but still we should prepare some nets just in case.
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>>5480747
Then what? One pair isn't enough to prevent inbreeding so is it just for the experience?

>>5480745
Is the barbarian up to the challenge? If so, then yes. If he and the brothers tame them one at a time then I think a disastrous outcome is very unlikely.
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>>5480745
>Realizing that the dragon has acquired a taste for rat-goblin flesh, and having no love for the foul creatures, the brothers and the barbarian set a trap in the form of several of the rat-goblins tied up.
Getting a bit hate crimey aren't we?
>>
Hatch another but do so in the most isolated area of the kingdom to avoid collateral damage.

These are basically stone age nuclear tests.
>>
>>5480754
Four won't be enough to stop inbreeding as well.
Given that each meteor had two, and the second was because of random event, these magical creatures probably won't suffer from it.
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>>5480755
Seriously, what the hell? Not that I'm against the occasional bit of barbarism, but we JUST talked (well, coercively) these guys into changing their religious practices so as to not shit up our water. Now we abducted and endangered their people to appease Dragon-Satan, who our bosses are going to ride around on.

We should make this up to them sometime. Somehow. If we can.

>>5480745
>Yes
ONE MORE TIME, baby!
We're gonna' fuck it up, aren't we?
>>
>>5480755
Extremely based more like, mus homine delenda est.

>>5480760
Fair point, still see no reason to not hatch them all.

>>5480766
Absolutely not. If they do anything, we kill them. Hell, they can do nothing and I'd still be up for killing them. Mus homine delenda est.
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>>5480767
I wanted to save it for when we have adult dragons, animal husbandry and a hero, for maximum chance to minimize the risks an initial failure before the success. I would be willing to skip on animal husbandry or a hero, but not an adult dragon, since it's more likely that the hatchling would imprint with the same species.
Since I don't know how long dragons live or take to grow in this world, or how long it would take to get a new hero or research the tech, I was risking getting an extra one so they could breed in case they die too early.
So it's delaying the hatching, not avoiding it. Although we may never end up getting the chance again.
I wonder if we can produce enough food to sustain a dragon population
>>
>>5480747
+1
>>
>>5480767
>mus homine delenda est
But why just them? The Sylvians hung us out to dry. The Tauricans tried to blackmail us into giving them our women to violate, then tried to genocide us. The rat0goblins haven't ever actually done anything rude or malicious to us on purpose.
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>>5480818
It's a fair point, they do seem to be extremely unsanitary though. I wouldn't call for their extermination, though I don't know that I would want them in our settlements.
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>>5480841
I mean, no, I don't want to LIVE with them, but let's not harass and bully them. That's shit the Starsnek would do.
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>>5480745
No, let's not.
The seers predicted we would succeed either way, but that doesn't mean there won't be major consequences for it. I'm not sure if the price will be too high to tame them.

>>5480847
Agreed. If snake dad saw how we treated them he'd be disappointed.
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>>5480745
I'll go between one and three more.
Give me dragonrider Conan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1TedErVQBY
>>
Proposition: how about we implement a new rite of passage, a pilgrimage to the snake temple, Silvian homelands and barbarian homelands? Some Mecca thing that every adult should strive to do during their lifetime. It should bring us closer together.
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>>5480745
I'm gonna say yes, BUT ONLY after we prepare large amount of food/bait and we make it in a more safer place.

Only AFTER we go with the Ratgoblins and give them a proper gift for what we did and apologize.

The second dragon will need to eat first some tasty meat before he gets to kill/eat another civ and terrorize them so he doesn't acquire a taste this early for their meat. And I say latter down the line when the dragons are like near adulthood we could hatch the other two eggs, so they take care of the two new eggs plus any they make.

Also, I say we should make our next settlement into the Mountains.
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>>5481019
+1 to everything in the post

But also make sure to hatch them in a deserted area (or as close as we can get)
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>>5480921
I like this societal-bonding rite.
>>
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>>5481019
>>5481023
>>5480747
>>5480751
>>5480754
>>5480756
>>5480766
>>5480796

A second egg is prepared, and using lessons learned from the first one, a large stockpile of meat and other delectable treats is also made ready. When the second dragon emerges, a male, it is far feistier than the first. The dragons seem to have an innate hostility when they first emerge, some manner of survival instinct perhaps, or a holdover from aggressive ancestors. The danger it presents is enormous, and a death very nearly occurs when one of the half-vampire twins is burnt by a blast of fire. It takes all three of our heroes to subdue it, and after some time and feeding, it calms. After being introduced to the other dragon and socializing somewhat, the dragons are able to integrate into our society, serving as pets and companions for the royal family. As they grow, they become surprisingly intelligent and clever, and within just a few short years they develop the ability to speak.

Given the trouble with the first two dragons, it is determined that the other two eggs will be attempted only once these dragons are older and can assist with wrangling the smaller dragons.

As for the rat-goblins, they accept a gift from us in an attempt to apologize, but it is clear that they view our civilization's dragons as monsters and wish no interaction with us. Evidently their religion's sky-demons and our dragons share several similarities, and so long as we have them the rat-goblins will have nothing to do with us.

And so a productive age comes to an end, and our people enter into a new era of growth and cooperation with our neighbors.

>What is our choice of tech at the end of this age?

Tier 2
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
>Music (Leads to Astrology) (Cultural Boost)

Tier 3
>Taxation (Leads to Bartering) (Economic Boost)
>Furnace (Leads to Bronze Working, Smoke Signals, and the Forge) (Production Boost)
>Mining (Leads to Masonry, Bronze Working and Cement) (Production Boost)
>The Wheel (Leads to Wagons, Advanced Pottery, and Siege Towers) (Production Boost)
>Sailing (Leads to Shipbuilding) (Exploration Boost)

Tier 4
>Alcohol (Leads to Advanced Medicine, and Distillation)
>Animal Husbandry (Leads to Riding, Falconry, Trapping, and Chariotry)
>>
>>5481065
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
Time to end the meme.
>>
>>5481065
>Animal Husbandry (Leads to Riding, Falconry, Trapping, and Chariotry)
More bonuses to dragon taming.
>>
Several possibilities.
>If we aim for Tier 2, I'll go for either Foraging to get medicine, or Clothing to go for Architecture.
>Else, we can try to meet and integrate other people that already have this kinds of tech to develop them for free. In that case, The Wheel will be my go-to choice
>>
>>5481065
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
We should have our history written down before the details are forgotten/exaggerated.
>>
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>>5481065

Oh, damn, I forgot Archery, and I was doing so well up until this point too. Ah, well, better to stumble at the end then earlier on I suppose.

Tier 2
>Advanced Foraging (Leads to Pathfinding, and Early Medicine) (Food Boost)
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
>Art (Leads to Proto-Writing, Astrology, Numerals and Pottery) (Cultural Boost)
>Music (Leads to Astrology) (Cultural Boost)

Tier 3
>Taxation (Leads to Bartering) (Economic Boost)
>Furnace (Leads to Bronze Working, Smoke Signals, and the Forge) (Production Boost)
>Mining (Leads to Masonry, Bronze Working and Cement) (Production Boost)
>The Wheel (Leads to Wagons, Advanced Pottery, and Siege Towers) (Production Boost)
>Sailing (Leads to Shipbuilding) (Exploration Boost)

Tier 4
>Alcohol (Leads to Advanced Medicine, and Distillation)
>Animal Husbandry (Leads to Riding, Falconry, Trapping, and Chariotry)
>Archery (Leads to Crossbows, Trapping, Soldiering, and Ballistae)
>>
>>5481075
Hey QM, little suggestion,
Maybe you could use a third color on your graph? Like Teal, displaying what are available techonologies? That could make reading it easier for both you and us, and avoid this kinds of mistakes as you can update easier in the future?
>>
>>5481079
Boy, I would adore it if the program I used allowed that, lol

I'll see what I can do, I would probably have to manually edit it myself. Not hard, just tedious.
>>
>>5481065
>>5481075
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
Toga time
>>
>>5481075
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)

personally think we should work on finishing teir 2 (for the magic boost) also we need clothing eventually . either that or advanced foraging so we can get to medicine
>>
>>5481065
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture)

Jeez no ones down for exploiting the waterways early
>>
>>5481075
>Clothing (Leads to Architecture) (Cultural/Protection Boost)
There's a lot of tech we need to develop first in the tier 2, but there's also Sailing which would be a good thing to use the rivers and use the ocean near us
>>
>>5481096
actually secondary option animal husbandry this age riding next age.

we just have dragon riders XD
hopefully the dragons would be big enough by then and start breeding. but its another idea
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>>5481075
Huh, chariots are an option. Maybe it means we would have to breed the horses to be bigger.
>>
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>>5481071
>>5481089
>>5481096
>>5481105
>>5481114
>>5481073

Very well then, clothing it is.

So ends our Tenth Age, as well as this thread as a whole.

I'd like to thank everyone for helping contribute to a very interesting first ten ages; here's to (at least) 90 more!

Once all of my players have finished up their reactions, actions and tech choices for Age 10, we shall proceed onto the 11th Age. I will make a new thread at that time.

I've gone ahead and archived the thread in the usual place: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Untamed

Several people have joined the discord, where I will make public announcements about ages, new threads, civilization and player achievements and milestones and such. Here's that link: https://discord.gg/xeYq6mJ9TB

I'll also make sure to post public thread announcements in the /qst/ discord and the quest general.

Once again, thank you for playing and I look forward to the future of the project. I'll be around if you have any questions, suggestions and such, otherwise you can always reach me in the channel.

And, for those curious, the other player civilizations are:

>Aleutian Orcs
>Arabian Ratfolk
>Aztec Orcs
>Babylonian Giants
>Celtic Elves
>Chinese Birdfolk
>Egyptian Elves
>Haitian Trolls
>Japanese Humans
>Korean Lizardfolk
>Mediterranean Merfolk
>Mongolian Centaurs
>Norwegian Dwarves
>Scottish Gnomes
>Sumerian Humans

As well as five NPC civilizations run by myself using the same rules as the players which are, for the time being, unrevealed.

Until next time.
>>
>>5481162
Thank you for running QM!

>other civs
This is an interesting group, I'm looking forward to us interacting with these countries in the future.
>>
>>5481162
>>Mongolian Centaurs
Called it
>>5472077
>>
>>5481162
I wonder if those human and elven civs have common ancestors with us.
>>
>>5481162
>Mediterranean Merfolk
We know what we must do
>>
>>5481231
Would make a certain amount of sense. Perhaps Egyptian Elves or Celtic Elves had an empire that stretched from one of their realm to the other, interacting with the Sumerian Humans, and the Taurican and Anguisn populations derive from these interactions? The Sylvians, too, I assume.. Though I forget if they had any human ancestry originally.

>>5481162
The Korean Lizardfolk and Chinese Birdfolk seem interesting, too.
>>
>>5481162
>Japanese Humans
lol weeb civ
>>
>>5468995
>>5481162

>>Anasazi
>>English
>>Greek
>>Ottoman
>>Zulu

Interesting choices QM
>>
>>5481189
To be clear, the understanding is that all direct player interactions will be filtered through Damashi himself. If you meet any of the player civs, you will not formally parley with the player themselves (outside of chatting in the public channel); you will interact with them as described by Damashi.

>>5481232
The Mediterranean Merfolk player has mentioned that their civilization is based in part on the Etruscans, Phonecians and Minoans - peoples all specifically blown out by the Romans. Still, this is a new realm, so things might be different this time around.
>>
>>5481231
>>5481246
I would imagine that telling the
>Egyptian Elves
>Celtic Elves
>Sumerian Humans
>Japanese Humans
that they may have had a hand in creating the Roman Half-elves and use that as justification to fold them into Rome is only going to cause an international incident. It's like telling a Warcraft elf that they're descended from trolls - while it's probably true, it's not something you say to their face. See >>5475476.
>>
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>>5481383
>Phonecians
>Carthage started as a phoenician colony
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>>5481389
Sadly, our fates are already written i this case.
>>
>>5481383
We clearly need to get on sailing and shipbuilding tech then.

>>5481386
It’s a compliment! Who wouldn’t want to be related to us? :^)
>>
>>5481389
>>5481535

For our own safety if nothing else, and the bonus to exploration and movement is very enticing.

To that end I've been thinking about the ratgoblins, they occupy a strategic location when it comes to river travel. I don't want to exterminate them or anything, and they aren't willing to be involved with us diplomatically. Perhaps make them a tributary?
>>
>>5481621
Offer a deal to keep our Dragons away from them in exchange for them keeping invaders out from their side of the region.
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>>5481383
Anon, Minoans weren't blown out by Romans, they lived like 2000 years earlier.
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>>5481817
Perhaps, though I'm sure there will come a day when they will attempt to collect a toll for river passage.
>>
>>5481621
I'm OK with extorting them but on the other hand I don't really want anything they have touched with their filthy rat paws. I keep trying and failing to find a use for them. Can't even use them as slaves, because they are unsuitable to any kind of food production, construction labor or even supposedly dirty labor like burying the dead!
>>
>>5482096
Rattus Auxilia?

Or like, teach them how to make soap from animal fats? It’ll at least keep them clean.
>>
>>5482096
What's wrong with using them to bury the dead, sorry? Or, like... As dyers and tanners?
>>
>>5482096
What about leaving them alone?
>>
>>5482746
Seems to be the only viable choice except extermination). Then again they're a bit too close for that, as our empire expands we'd have to build a reservation or something around them. And with us being in cahoots with what they consider the devil I'm not sure they won't start some shit down the line. How about we run them off to stink up some other place?
>>
>>5482865
We could let the dragons fly around their areas, hoping to either intimidate them out of the area or provoke them into attacking so we have a good reason
>>
So warcriming has already started I see.
>>
>>5482972
posting hate speech against rat people is my guilty pleasure
>>
>>5482980
Its your Civic duty as a Roman
>>
>>5483143
>Implying the ratpeople are Greek
>>
Monke quest is that way folks
<
>>
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>>5482972
GODS... I HATE RAT-FOLK. MY GRANDFATHER HATED THEM TOO, EVEN BEFORE THEY PUT OUT HIS EYES.
>>
We give a pass the people who tried to rape and genocide us twice and wiped out an allied nation but the rat people are the Greta devil because you think they're ugly and didn't know how germs worked in the stone age?
>>
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>>5482972
>>5486205
>>
>>5486205
You know what website you're on, right?
>>
>>5486205
With the barbarians it was a series of brother wars, with these people they are both rat and goblin, a most terrible combination.

And truth be told, the barbarians did us a favor eradicating the vampires.
>>
>>5486380
>The Vampires who died to a man because their queen saved our ass
>It was a good thing the invading horde killed them off.

What the hell?
>>
>>5486397
>>5486205

Turns out prejudice IS sort of irrational, sometimes
>>
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>>5486205
The Barbarians look like a tall, buff, tan version of us. They are sexy as fuck so we can't stay mad at them.

>mfw Rat Goblins
>>
>>5486205
>>5486397
Being massive hypocrites is a very roman trait to be fair.
>>
>>5486397
They were fucking vampires. What'll it be nest?

>b-b-but he is such a kind and peaceful demon lord

Some things must be eradicated, even if they do not possess the intent themselves they will corrupt our people and destroy us.
>>
>>5486639
If it wasn't for her we would have been devasted by the United southern kingdom.

And her kids, who are also Vampires were instrumental in stopping the second incursion. Despite your notions the actual facts of the game shows that Vampires aren't inherently a problem and have helped us far more than harmed us.
>>
>>5486639
Ah yes the strong and helpful are the same as the strong and destructive. Therefore we must get rid of the strong, this will make us safe. Vampirism in this setting lacks inherent evil because it’s a glorified carnivore diet instead of something which requires the vampire to feed on people. What happened to them was a waste of a valuable resource which we could have otherwise leveraged to great effect.
>>
Yeah, although I'll be hatin on Ratfolk allday erryday I won't stand for discriminating vampires who have been nothing but Bros!
>>
Ratfolk are too culturally different. But please let's not slander vampires.
>>
It's simple, if they don't integrate, their nations will disintegrate. And those smarmy rats would be great target practice for our dragons
>>
I see you are missing an initiation ritual for the younglings this will prevent the cowards from an early age.
>>
>>5486896
I do suggest the cowards still be somewhat allowed to live shrewdness is a good tool to have
>>
>>5469351
Man, I miss this one so much.
>>
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Merry Christmas!

As a reward for completing ten ages, and since I am in a festive mood, I am allowing players to select a reward. You may earn a free rank in a school of magic of your choice, or...

>THE MYSTERY BOX.

Which will it be?
>>
>>5508416
mystery box
>>
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>>5508416
Take my money already and give me The Damn Box.
>>
>>5508416
The schools are these one right?

Divination (Magic rites and rituals that assist in foretelling the future, seeing events before they happen, and communicating over long distances.)
Enchantment (Spells that charm, calm, and communicate with other living creatures, such as animals, people and monsters.)
Illusion (The creation of sights, smells and sounds that do not truly exist; magic that fools the senses. Invisibility, deceptive images, etc.)
Abjuration (Defensive magic that combats other magic; spells that negate, counter, bind, reverse or otherwise hamper magic users and magical beings.)
Restoration (Spells of healing, curatives against disease, cleansing of bodies and souls, imbuing of energy and vitality.)
Transmutation (Twisting the physical nature of reality to transform substances into something else; spells that can alter objects and people to become something they were not previously.)
Conjuration (Spells that summon, to include summoning substances, creatures, as well as effects like moving the user like teleportation.)
Evocation (Offense-based magic with spells that harm at range or make use of arcane force; magic missiles, walls of force, fireballs, etc.)
Necromancy (Spells dealing with the resurrection or animation of the dead; flesh and bones, as well as harnessing the life force of living beings for various purposes.)

And we got one point in Evocation, Enchantment, Restoration and Abjuration already
>>
>>5508429
Yes, those are the schools.
>>
>>5508435
>>5508416
I'm voting to put one more point in divination, which we do have and I forgot to mention it.
We have been using it for nearly very turn since we got it, so getting better at it only helps.
>>
>>5508416
>THE MYSTERY BOX.
>>
>>5508416
Merry Christmas!
>Upgrade evocation
>>
>Mystery box!
>>
>>5508416
Mystery box
>>
>>5508416
I'm not usually one to vote for the mystery box, but...
>THE MYSTERY BOX.
Next age when?
>>
>>5508416
>>THE MYSTERY BOX.

It could be anything
>>
>>5508420
>>5508424
>>5508446
>>5508479
>>5508489
>>5508537
>>5508561

Very well. I have rolled for our random mystery box reward, and it is...

A new specialized class of exceptional scouts!

These scouts will be combination scout-hunters, working closely with the newly-domesticated wolves, becoming something akin to pack-leaders. A deeper bond will exist between these advanced scouts and your wolves. These scouts will move farther over rougher terrain and be even more proficient at sniffing out enemy positions, warning us of advancing forces and surviving on their own. Anything that scouts can do, these new wolf-scouts can do better, and for longer and over greater distances. In turn, their mastery over their wolf-hounds will lead to greater levels of specialization and domestication over that species for your society as a whole.

With that, have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! We're almost onto the next age and the next thread, so keep posted for it either in the catalog or the project's discord channel.

I'll also take this opportunity to publicly announce that three new players have joined up and are being brought up to Age 10; their choices for society and species were:

>German Dhampirs
>Incan Lamia
>Persian Dragonborn

I won't be accepting any further new civilizations, but if you are interested in adopting one of the NPC civilizations that I control, you may message me personally and we'll discuss it.

Until next thread!
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>>5508616
Quite fitting for the roman civ to have wolf furries.
Proposal to name them something like Lupus Velites.
>An entire nation of Dhampirs
Hopefully they will be cool like the vampire lady, and not the asshole second son.
>>
We must, eventually, impress upon the people that to be Rex is to know sacrifice. There are no rulers or elders here who would not give their lives in a heartbeat for their people.

They must learn that authority and power is given to only those who wish for betterment. It will be taken away from the greedy and undeserving. They shall be sent away to atone and even when they return, never again will they hold their station.
>>
>>5508619
Roman scouts were called Speculatores.
I wonder if we can breed giant wolves for them to ride.

>>5508616
>3 more civs
I'm scared to imagine your workload.
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>>5508616
Sweet, we can get some proper exploration done now.

>>5508735
Well, that's outta left field.
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>>5508619
That's wishful thinking anon, They're German, they'll want world domination
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>>5509796
Are we anyone to talk? We're Roman elves, if we aren't making up excuses to conquer our neighbours in a couple dozen generations I'll be shocked.
>>
>>5510863
Look, we just need living space and plenty of slaves to keep the economy going, thats all. And besides, if we don't enslave people someone else will!
>>
>>5511187
And if you just pay taxes and venerate our gods, we'll let you conquer, pillage and enslave the next guys. It's win-win!



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