Thus, the game commences.
The lands of Hyperborea are a fickle place. The winds are cold and a killer of many, yet lead many ships to their home and jetty. The ground is hard and rough, but fertile and ready to be used. And the sun looms above, watching and rarely setting. In this land live many people. All barbarians to the southerners and nothing but a dirty rabble. Some of this 'rabble' tends to their herds and crops, others to their fishing lines. Some spend their days gathering goods from all over the lands, trading them from tribe-to-tribe, from land-to-land. And others simply raid and steal. Whatever the task and life, Hyberborea is a land of great riches, and great hardships.
...
The Trogocs. That's all people needed to say when they appeared in a village one day, dirty and bloody. Everyone would understand. Then the questions. Would they come here next? Were they still plundering? What if this one was a spy? Sometimes a village would pack and move just at the word of the Trogocs appearance. But that was a generation ago.
The Trogocs were smaller now, strong but far smaller. They were little more than 800 and were scattered along the Hillands, tending to horses and the uncommon grape or grain. Raids were still performed on the Lowlanders such as the fishloving Skoltte and the treehugging Afette, but no longer did the Trogocs even dare raid the Pyte or anyone else for that matter.
Oluft Macoluft was the last chief and under his rule, the Trogocs had continued their previous policy of raids, rape, and tribute; quite a lucrative business, even if they were forced to prey on weaklings. Problem was that Oluft was not of the generous type, he accosted too many women, killed most traders (even when it was a very good idea not to) and he was a wierdling. Most would have throttled him immediately after learning about that but Oluft kept his friends close. He always had his bear near, a huge creature he fed human flesh, and a loyal cadre of tribesmen he made sure to reward from time to time.
You like to believe that you would have been able to pummel them all at the time, but you never really had a chance to prove it. You, Haggash Maclarken, had accepted an invitation to serve in the Grekland to the far south, where the sun set often and cowards spent their days thinking and talking. Cowards they may have been, but they payed much for guards and fed them well too. You had served in the household guard of one Aiolos Nemonos. He was an obese man with too much love for wine and vine and would've served a fine meal. No guts about him but he had lots of gold. And for that, you put up with your broken pride and defended him from the occasional assassin and the drunken party guest. It was a good life, just missing some real fighting. As the years passed, you earned enough to buy a proper set of armour and weaponry and a few slaves. You also gained some friends among the houseguard, interestingly enough.
You would have stayed had you not heard about who was in command and how he had been ruling. Angered and seeing a great opportunity, you resigned from the guard (not after a drunken party where a man died) and made the trip back to the Hillands with a small group of "friends". The moment you returned, your men cut through Oluft's men and you personally marched up to Oluft's hall. The fighting was fierce, with the hall filled with the sounds of iron and steel striking one another as well as the growls of a great bear. The Clan-fathers were there too. Were this any normal fight, they would have attacked you to, but they knew you had a chance and thus moved to the sides. The battle soon proved to be yours as Oluft discovered breaking through chain was harder than leather and cloth. Eventually, you grabbed him by the neck and pushed him into the firepit. The screams of the wierdling seemed to go on forever...as well as that of his bear. A weaker man would have ended him there with a stab through the neck, but you were strong. You plunged his head deeper into the fire, letting him suffer the flame. He died soon enough and you became Chieftain.
Its been a month since that time, and you now control the Trogocs. Your people are scattered over the Hillands in four small villages and spend their days fighting among themselves and raising horses. The Lowlands are no good for extensive agriculture and there are few streams. The Highlands are also occupied by several other tribes, including the Pyte. Generally, the Pyte live to your north and east, the Skoltte to the northwest, and the Afette and Lesob to the south.
The principal village of Trothem contains your hall, which your ex-guard allies reside in; a shrine to the gods, where the priest accept supplications to the gods and try their best at healing; and several dozen huts and a few tents. The village is built on three large hills; your hall occupies one of them with the shrine and Clan Macgrommen, a major clan, occupying the other two. Along and at the base of these hills are the huts and tents of the common folk. Of most import among them arethe markets, pens, and smithies. The markets, located on the southern side of the Shrine hill, are currently being used by Clan Aflekt to show off the goods they acquired on a recent raid. There is a trader from the south coast present. The pens are currently occupied by a large amount of goats. The smithies are just on the eastern side of Your Hill, strangely with less smoke erupting from the area than usual. Several herds of horses and goats can be found grazing on the nearby fields. A small stream can be found to the south a little more than a kilometre away. Clan Oluft has set up their new abodes here.
Your friends in the guard, while still very much loyal, are expecting a reward for their part in the coup. There is also the business with Clan-Father Leik Afleckt who is demanding to see you and Clan-Mother Getha MacDoffen, one of the major clans, also expects a word. There is also a problem of iron supply; it has dried up completely. Traders used to pass by, bringing in iron, but that all stopped at the start of your reign. These traders originated from an Inaari settlement some days to the east. Oh, and you personally owe 3 horses to Gef MacRet after you bet you would never return.
Oluft's advisor who you chose to keep, is ready to answer any question that comes to you. He's called Old Hemegger and no one knows his real name. He reminds you that you only have real power in Trothem with the other villages more or less being independent, although still listening to you on certain occasions. He says that Oluft was able to control Trogeil and Gotch during his younger years. He further states that Trogeil and Gotch have been victims of raiding from Alheim as of late. Finally, the tributes from the Lowlands have not arrived.
Possessions:
Trothem- 423 population
Trogeil- 59
Gotch- 46
Alheim-274
Horses-50
Goats-75
NOTE: These are only your personal herds.
Forces:
15 Ex-guardsmen
20 warriors
300 militia
Major Structures of Trothem:
Your Hall
Shrine
Hall of Clan Macgrommen
Abodes of Clan Oluft
Marketplace
Minor Structures of Trothem:
Smithies
Goat Pens
There. If any questions about the game feel free to ask. If anything seems wrong, say so.
E: a general map has been provided.
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Topic: Chieftain: Suggestion Game (Read 7092 times)