Blessings of the Puissant Virtues upon you,
Grand Philosopher Ya. It has been one year since we laid the first log of your temple-palace and begun the construction of Throne. Our people prosper under the Virtues, but are not without their troubles. Still, your guidance has led us from a place of weakness to one of stability. We have now spread out over these plains of New Hope, ordered villages led by their local Philosophers, harvesting the bounty of the land and the nearby sea.
Within our lands, ample rice grows near the temple, with tea bushes growing wild in Northern New Hope. The plains to the south have shown signs of haematite for smelting into eventual iron, and the woods close by bear fruitful timber, perfect for construction. A vast desert lies to the east, but fine sandstone and marble await extraction for the construction of great temples. Our mapmakers request that you give names to those southern plains, the coastal sea, the northern woods and the eastern desert. Until then, they will use numbers to mark those territories.
There are hints of trouble to the north, however. Settlers passing into the northern forests have disappeared without a trace, no sign found of their camps and their tools and supplies vanished. No colonists will pass into those woods until the army has investigated it.
Worse still, we have fallen prey to one of the inevitabilities of finding ourselves in a new land; many of our people have grown sick in Eastern New Hope and a virulent plague now spreads across the land. We will do our best to contain it, but until it passes many good Zoa and Xiao will die.
Our army has arrayed itself at your palace for your inspection, Grand Philosopher. Composed of the finest Zoa, we have spent this year recruiting four units; two contingents of axezoa, one of spearzoa and one of Zoa peltasts. As is ever the way, the Zoa are mighty in close melee and even the peltasts will contribute when the crush should happen. Alas, these are the last of our axes - without a smithy to construct more, we can only raise spearzoa and peltasts from this point onwards. At this time, the army awaits you to travel with it, but you may of course elect to remain at Throne as its governor, or travel elsewhere to work the magic of the Virtues.
As Grand Philosopher, you have knowledge of the secret arts of concentrating the Virtues into the pure form of crystal mana for use in magic. You are also the last of the great Mystics, preserving the few mystic arts that still function in this world and will serve as a foundation for more. As one more skilled in mysticism than your years might suggest, your spells will be more potent, their effects more pronounced. The legend of your name is well-known, as well, and both your reputation and actions strike fear into the hearts of those who would oppose you.
As a student of Mysticism, you know that this art requires greater finesse than other magical arts - where Elementalists may call lightning until their reserves are spent and Summoners need only ensure they call beasts they are able to control, Mystics must know when not to use their art as well as when to. For the art relies upon understanding of the delicate balance between all things - how to observe it from the fulcrum's point, and how to
be the fulcrum and turn the universe to your advantage.
One branch of Mysticism concerns divination - only the Low forms of divination are shared here with your world, higher forms must be learned anew. Rather than acting upon a thing, it seeks to enlighten you so you may better choose how to act in future. The Prospection spell, for instance, attempts to divine the location of useful resources in a region that might otherwise escape the notice of mundane searchers. Once cast, it will expand your awareness to find what you seek. But if you do not, fear not. You may allow the spell to root and sustain itself - it will consume mana each year, but repeat its search until it finds what you seek or the available supply of mana is exhausted. As a skilled mystic, the odds of success are higher for you than for a neophyte. The Prospection spell costs
crystal mana, as it takes several days to cast and need not use a mage's personal mana.
The other branch of Mysticism concerns Karma, understanding the balance of all things - and upsetting it in esoteric ways to your benefit. Consider the spell of Soldier's Luck, which may be cast at the start of a battle, or more cheaply if cast when in times of peace. How much does chance swing the outcome of combat? If two armies meet on an open field in fine conditions, one may easily best the other by might of arms and skill. But what if their scouts get lost, their horses snap an ankle and delay the baggage train? What if driving wind and rain forces a confrontation where one side has their backs to the storm and the upper ground? Even with skilled and competent commanders, the confluence of many minor events can create a vast gulf of advantage to overcome. When cast, this spell will (very cheaply for its effect) shift the world in countless little ways to create advantage for the receiving army when it next meets battle - stored 'luck', if you will, to be expended in the next great fight.
But understand that although to be the fulcrum is simple, upsetting the balance of fate will have its repercussions. Giving yourself good luck will incur a karmic debt, which will repay itself over time. Where you can use your luck to ensure victory in key battles, you may find yourself losing minor battles more often. Bad harvests, corrupt politics and pestilence may strike your lands if your debt grows larger. In the final estimate, incurring too great a debt may bring disaster at a time when you can face it least.
However, the choice of how to use your magic is up to you, as is the choice of what your people will do next.
The Virtuous Lands [Theocracy] | Population: 10.9k (9861 rural, 1007 urban)
Treasury: £106.68 |
Tax Logs | Ideas: 22.2 | Manpower: 609/1092 |
Mana: 1.0Technologies: Foundation Mysticism, Mystic: Low Divination, Mystic: Karmic Balance
Factions: Virtuous Aristocrats (52),
Virtuous Church (68),
Virtuous Burghers (50)Faith: 62.9% agnostic, 37.1% Virtuous
[b]National Goods Stocks[/b]
grain - Stock: 15.9
tea - Stock: 15.6
HeroesGrand Philosopher Ya ~{Ruler}~ [Alive - L3, Upk: £7.5]: Cleric,
High Priest,
Mysticism Training,
Adept Mystic,
IntimidatingLongsword, Shield, Leather Armour
Skill: 3, 3/3 Mana || Spells: Prospection [T1 D2 4m], Soldier's Luck (Battle) [T1 D1 4m], Soldier's Luck (Strat) [T1 D1 3m]
Armies1st Virtuous Legion [-]: [Ya] 1000 light infantry, 500 spear infantry, 500 skirmishers | Upkeep: £15.1/turn | Location: Throne
1st Light Infantry (L. Axezoa) [500/500 light infantry, £3.95/turn], 2nd Light Infantry (L. Axezoa) [500/500 light infantry, £3.95/turn], 1st Spear Infantry (Spearzoa) [500/500 spear infantry, £4.1/turn], 1st Skirmishers (Zoa Peltasts) [500/500 skirmishers, £3.1/turn]
Agent ReportsWest New Hope (Plains) - Villages:
3154 population (3117 rural, 37 urban) |
Economy |
FoodGovernor: - |
Faction: Virtuous Church |
Autonomy: 3.6% |
Unrest: 1.4% |
Tax: £2.88No Garrison
Throne (Plains) - Market Town:
4033 population (3170 rural, 863 urban) |
Economy |
Food |
FaithGovernor: - | Faction:
Capital |
Autonomy: 0.0% |
Unrest: -73.9% |
Tax: £28.54Garrison: 1st Virtuous Legion | [Ya] 1000 light infantry, 500 spear infantry, 500 skirmishers
Palace, Shrine
Cereal Fields
North New Hope (Plains) - Villages:
3223 population (3116 rural, 107 urban) |
Economy |
FoodGovernor: - |
Faction: Virtuous Church |
Autonomy: 3.8% |
Unrest: 1.7% |
Tax: £3.53No Garrison
Tea Time
East New Hope (Plains) - Villages:
458 population (458 rural, 0 urban) |
Economy |
Food |
SpecialGovernor: - |
Faction: Virtuous Aristocrats |
Autonomy: 0.0% |
Unrest: -10.6% |
Tax: £0.42No Garrison
Plague
East New Hope: The dreaded plague has come!
Racial UnitsZoa Peltasts (500 men) Cost: £37.45, Upkeep: £3.1/turn
Zoa, javelins, wicker shields, padded armourOffence: Skirmish 250.0, Melee 550.0
Defence: Ranged 400.0, Skirmish 450.0, Melee 625.0
Cover: Ranged 75.0, Skirmish 75.0, Melee 25.0
L. Axezoa (500 men) Cost: £42.45, Upkeep: £3.95/turn
Zoa, axes, wooden shields, leather armourRequirements: Armoury L1
Offence: Melee 800.0
Defence: Ranged 475.0, Skirmish 550.0, Melee 900.0
Cover: Ranged 75.0, Skirmish 75.0, Melee 50.0
L. Swordszoa (500 men) Cost: £45.55, Upkeep: £4.25/turn
Zoa, shortswords, lesser swordsmanship, wooden shields, leather armourRequirements: Armoury L1, Training L1, Iron Working, Warrior Code
Offence: Melee 900.0
Defence: Ranged 475.0, Skirmish 550.0, Melee 1150.0
Cover: Ranged 75.0, Skirmish 75.0, Melee 50.0
Spearzoa (500 men) Cost: £46.1, Upkeep: £4.1/turn
Zoa, spears, leather armourOffence: Melee 725.0
Defence: Ranged 425.0, Charge 625.0, Skirmish 500.0, Melee 750.0
Cover: Charge 500
Bowzoa (500 men) Cost: £46.55, Upkeep: £4.4/turn
Zoa, daggers, shortbows, leather armourRequirements: Training L1
Offence: Ranged 375.0, Skirmish 550.0, Melee 600.0
Defence: Ranged 425.0, Skirmish 500.0, Melee 750.0
Xiao Peltasts (500 men) Cost: £34.3, Upkeep: £3.1/turn, Morale: 85.0%
Xiao, javelins, wicker shields, padded armourOffence: Skirmish 250.0, Melee -75.0
Defence: Ranged 400.0, Skirmish 450.0, Melee 625.0
Cover: Ranged 75.0, Skirmish 75.0, Melee 25.0
L. Axexiao (500 men) Cost: £39.3, Upkeep: £3.95/turn, Morale: 85.0%
Xiao, axes, wooden shields, leather armourRequirements: Armoury L1
Offence: Melee 175.0
Defence: Ranged 475.0, Skirmish 550.0, Melee 900.0
Cover: Ranged 75.0, Skirmish 75.0, Melee 50.0
L. Swordsxiao (500 men) Cost: £42.4, Upkeep: £4.25/turn, Morale: 85.0%
Xiao, shortswords, lesser swordsmanship, wooden shields, leather armourRequirements: Armoury L1, Training L1, Iron Working, Warrior Code
Offence: Melee 275.0
Defence: Ranged 475.0, Skirmish 550.0, Melee 1150.0
Cover: Ranged 75.0, Skirmish 75.0, Melee 50.0
Spearxiao (500 men) Cost: £42.95, Upkeep: £4.1/turn, Morale: 85.0%
Xiao, spears, leather armourOffence: Melee 100.0
Defence: Ranged 425.0, Charge 625.0, Skirmish 500.0, Melee 750.0
Cover: Charge 500
Bowxiao (500 men) Cost: £43.4, Upkeep: £4.4/turn, Morale: 85.0%
Xiao, daggers, shortbows, leather armourRequirements: Training L1
Offence: Ranged 375.0, Skirmish 550.0, Melee -25.0
Defence: Ranged 425.0, Skirmish 500.0, Melee 750.0
Author
Topic: Sorcerers @ War - Game Thread [Turn 8] (Read 6079 times)