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[Tuv]

because there are so many ways for these just-now evolving species to tell the difference between a binary star system, and it just simply "changing colors"?

[Nilocy]

because there are so many ways for these just-now evolving species to tell the difference between a binary star system, and it just simply "changing colors"?

Hmm, you do have a point there Tuv.

[Aqizzar]

Tuv, this is a binary system.  One star is a conventional class G (Like our Sun), and the other is green, only noticeable during eclipses, and expedites evolution.

...Really?  I mean, right, yeah, binary star system.  Little green sun that makes things all wacky, big orange sun that does big orange stuff.

Pangaea is just a name I grabbed for lack of a better idea.  I do picture it as one continent on a larger world, as you'll notice there's no cold areas.  I don't know when or how that will matter.

Sorry this took a bit longer than I wanted it to (though exactly as long as I said it would), but I'm nearly done.  I just need to roll and write the results of my turn, then I can post the whole thing.  For completeness, here's my writeup.  In full disclosure, I told Gantolandon what I was going to be doing so he wouldn't have to wait for me to post my turn to do his.


"You know that you would not be in danger.  We are threatened, but you are strong."

"we can die   we die others die    we do not want to die"
"we die   we die before   we are strong but we can die"
"others can die    we do not want to die   we are strong"

"None will need to die.  Our dangers have always been ours, not yours.  You will be well protected.  They will be easy for you to destroy.  And then we can destroy your dangers."

"we ignore   we run   we hide   we do not want to die   why us"
"destroy dangers   dangers destroy   why destroy   we can run"
"we others more more   no more danger   we are strong"

"You want nothing else but food.  You know we have much food.  More food than you could ever eat.  We will give you all you want."

"food    dangers   we do now want to die  food"
"we can destroy   food   others   we destroy"
"we are strong   with food others are strong   destroy"

Jrag!gla used the reprieve to rest his mind.  Convincing such primitive wills was a painstaking process, if simple.  But the Herd needed all the help it could persuade, since the great Warpers fled back into the Fungus.  The long night had finally ended, and the Kadesh could move about in the air again.  With the air came the same dangers they had long known.

But the most important lesson Jrag!gla learned from the older Seers, those who had been found by the Great Form, was that things could change.  The primitive creatures.  The Kadesh.  The world itself.  And he would start with the Blur.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Kadesh are trying to domesticate primitive creatures to defend them against predators.  They will also scout north toward the Blur nests at G-9.

[a1s]

about that one continent, you do realize that our "continent" is 500 miles across (the size of Britain*)? Is it a small planet, or are we in a really big ocean?

*well ok, it's actually several times bigger than Britain in terms of Area, but that is because ours is roughly square, while Britain is elongated. The length from coast to furthers coast is the same though...

[Nilocy]

Well, back in ye olde days, the world was flat. So this obv isn't the full world (or I'm hoping its not). I am assuming there are other cont's somewhere out there. Will be fun when people make boats.

[Iituem]

We're roughly the size of France, which makes us a large island on a scale in between Greenland and Great Britain.  Since 'continent' is an entirely arbitrary division of land, it may be safe to assume that we are perhaps the same level of continent India was before it became the Indian Subcontinent (after knocking teeth with Asia).


Also, boats?  Boats?  Look at the number of psychic species out here.  It's more likely we'll be dominating whales and forcing them to carry us across the seas in their mouths.

[Aqizzar]

We're roughly the size of France, which makes us a large island on a scale in between Greenland and Great Britain.  Since 'continent' is an entirely arbitrary division of land, it may be safe to assume that we are perhaps the same level of continent India was before it became the Indian Subcontinent (after knocking teeth with Asia).

Also, boats?  Boats?  Look at the number of psychic species out here.  It's more likely we'll be dominating whales and forcing them to carry us across the seas in their mouths.

I was thinking of bunging an extra 0 onto the hex area.  How does that strike people?  Also, I'm so stealing the whaleboat idea.

Alright, for this turn, I'll include some semblance of the math I'll use to determine turn results.  I'll spoiler everything for size and meta-gameness, but for this first turn I encourage everyone to read the other results, to understand how I'm doing things.

Basically, I add together whatever abilities I think are relevant to the action, divide some if I think the situation warrants, apply penalties for hard stuff, include any bonus (or penalty) for godly influences, then add the result to a d100 roll.  I figure results on a scale of 1-200ish, since abilities easily push the total up.  I'll probably write out some actual result tables, but I'm making this sound more formal than it really is.  Most of this takes place in my head, and I'm flying by the seat of my pants.  The general rules are:  130+ great result – bonuses and joy; 130-70 > good result – significant benefit, some bonus;  70-40 > passable result – success at action, some benefit; 40-20 > poor result, marginal success with some problems; 20-0 > general failure, problems and penalties; 0 and lower > epic fail, wide reaching problems.  Note that everything has it's own natural consequences, and even great results will generate their own sticky issues, they're just outweighed by the benefit.  One thing I've realized is that this means even 20 points of applicable abilities renders a species immune to failure at it's preferred tasks.  I've used the same system for everyone this turn, but I'll need a new scale to keep things interesting.

EP Gains start at a base 10, add a point or two for successful major actions, lose a point or two for major failures in development related attempts, and add or subtract a point or two at random to mix things up.  (I roll a d9; 1 > -2; 2-3 > -1; 4-6 > 0; 7-8 > +1; 9 > +2)  You'll note from the results below, that this means more actions usually make more EP.  I will assess penalties to rolls for trying to do too many things at once, but activity is in your interest.

I'll try to give every species an issue to deal with each turn, related to what they've been doing.  You should endeavor to deal with these events – they'll usually have at least two obvious solutions, each with it's own weighted consequences.  I'll provide hints, but there's no right or wrong answer to any of them, and I encourage people to make up their own solutions.  And no, these are not 'balanced' in magnitude, and I don't pretend that they are.  Especially since they're based off major successes or failures, the extra 'punishment' of the Events may seem cruel – I never said this would be simple.

God rules are pretty freeform and simple for now.  You don't get events of your own to deal with.  Since I don't have any population numbers, I can't say how many worshipers you have, but there's not much worship going on yet anyway.  For future reference, actions and new converts tend to generate as much PP as stable belief.

Some stuff I'm sure people will ask about – Mountains and deserts receive penalties to settle colonies for most species, others will find different areas harder, such areas will also attract and support smaller colonies.  Doing anything in fungal areas is even more difficult, lots of natural abilities only provide marginal benefit, and success and failure are magnified.  Things like Farming and Organizational abilities work at half for founding colonies.  Natural weapons and defenses work on natural threats, i.e. predators.  Developed weapons and defenses work on developed threats, i.e. civilized species.  Because of the universal differences in strategy and motive, each works only half as well on the other.

I'll be updating the List Post a bit later today, new map should be up in a few minutes.

Species

Nahuantl

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Settling Q-11
Breeding + (Climbing + Speed + Electro + Camouflage / 2(Fungus)) = 25
(Farming / 4(Fungus+Colony)) + Construction + Tools + (Caste / 2(Colony)) = 12
Tactics + Martial Arts + Weapons + Armor / 2(Predators) = 5
d100 > 31 + 25 + 12 + 5 – 20(Fungus) – 5(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 48
Pushed on by the leader castes, a group of settlers eek out an existence in the fungal forests.  Only constant defense keeps the weird predators at bay, and new settlers are hard to convince.
New Colony, 10% of Population

Settling T-16
Breeding + (Climbing + Swimming / 2(Mountain)) = 19
(Farming / 4(Mountain+Colony)) + Construction + Tools + (Caste / 2(Colony)) = 12
d100 > 82 + 19 + 12 – 10(Mountain) – 5(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 98
The Nahuantl easily take to the green cliff faces along the river.  In just a couple generations, they spread through the region, settling in groves hidden in the high valleys.
New Colony, 10% of Population

Drive to Research
Language + Caste = 16
d100 > 3 (no shit) + 16 = Result: 19
Ottati's insistence on finding new discoveries backfires as her vision outstrips the capabilities of her primitive underlings.  Anger spreads over the forced colonization of the fungal lands and the harsh treatment of tribal wisemen.  Ottati's lineage wanes, and the rulership is derided.
-3EP to Caste System; -1EP to Language

Base 10 + 2(Good Settlement) – 2(Lack of Scientific Progress) + 2(Random)
EP Gain: 12
A reminder, you're 15 points over the starting budget, so you can't actually spend any EP until the difference is made, unless we work out something to drop.

Event: Tribal Schism
Poor leadership and colonization difficulties have made the tribes fractious and militaristic.  Warrior groups are wresting control from the caste system.  The leader castes want to bring the tribes back in line, but the rebels are getting better at fighting.

Chibor

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Exploring the Fungus H-22
(Diet / 2(Fungus)) + Communication + (Breeding / 3(Exploration)) = 18
(Speed + Weapons) / 4(Exploration+Fungus) = 2
d100 > 34 + 18 + 4 = Result: 54
The fungus and it's resident predators claim many Chibor, but the ones who survive learn what is to be feared and what can be eaten.  The close exposure to the fungus spreads new mutations through the colonies.
-10% to Regional Population

Settling G-21
Speed + Weapons + Diet + Breeding = 45
d100 > 29 + 45 = Result: 74
The forests don't welcome the Chibor, but by hook and crook, but mostly by breeding, they survive and infest the area as well as any other.
New Colony, 15% of Population

Base 10 + 2(Good Settlement) + 1(Fungal Mutation) + 0(Random)
EP Gain: 13

Event: Noisy Riders
The Chibor explorers who survived their forays into the fungal jungle picked up a parasite – fat centipede like creatures that cling to Chibor in little bunches, lazily sucking them dry.  If nothing else, a Chibor will have to eat more or starve, so the same food density supports a slower population growth.  The Parasites do provide one benefit – while not sentient, they are as fearful as the Chibor and have fantastic senses, so they can warn their hosts of predators.  Of course, they're predators themselves, just of a slower fashion.  As yet, only the Chibor in H-22 are afflicted with them.

Umgran

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

EAT AND BREED
Digestion + (Spitting + Armor / 3(Few Predators)) = 28
d100 > 85 + 28 = Result: 113
The Umgran feast and breed like mad.  Little threatens them, and they quickly outstrip the area's 'food' supply, leaving waste rock, poisonous plants, and fast creatures.
+100% to Population Growth; -25% Food Density in All Regions

Base 10 + 1(Population Growth) – 1(Random)
EP Gain: 10

Event: Outstripped
The home regions will stabilize in a few generations (75% what the food density was), but right now there's very little to eat, even for the Umgran.  Either a lot of Umgran will need to move, or they'll have to find new food sources.

Shrike

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Domesticating the Reeds
Language + Swimming = 15
d100 > 88 + 15 = Result: 103
The reeds of the southern wetlands prove very tractable.  Enterprising Shrike hit upon the ideas of spreading their seeds in select areas and use their physical advantages to fend off other grazers.  The reeds aren't a great food source, but the half-wild “crops” effectively maintain themselves.
+4EP to New Ability: Farming; +1 Food Density in River Regions

Find New Hunting Grounds
Limbs + Strength + Swimmer / 2(Exploration) = 15
Language + (Breeding / 3(Exploration)) = 13
d100 > 25 + 15 + 13 = Result: 53
The hunting bands fail to find any significant new prey, save for some large tentacled fish in the lakes to the east.  The prove susceptible the the Hunter's Organ, but are more gristle than meat.  An assortment of small critters also make for tasty new snacks.
+1 Food Density in L-12/14

Base 10 + 1(Random)
EP Gain: 11 (+4 for Farming)

Event: Locusts
The Shrike unwittingly grow a lot more of the reedy plants than they can eat or maintain, and the abundant food attracts other creatures.  Chiefly, the reeds have a predator – tiny, chitinous birds that swarm over any untended food.  They're all but inedible, but a Shrike can zap bunches at a time.

Yrb

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Settling Northern River Area
Detrivorous + Language + Empathy + Breeding = 32
d100 > 58 + 32 – 5(Non-Fungus) – 10(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 75
The northern reaches of the river valley prove susceptible enough to Yrb strands.  Notable finds include two species of larger herbivores living along the western banks.
New Colony J-18, 5% of Population; New Colony J-22, 5% of Population

Settling Southern River Area
Detrivorous + Language + Empathy + Breeding = 32
d100 > 92 (damn) + 32 – 5(Non-Fungus) – 10(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 109
The southern side of the river valley is settled even easier.  The proximity to the Fungal Epicenter spurs on Yrb growth.
New Colony K-23, 5% of Population; New Colony L-24, 5% of Population

Scouting Northern River Pass
Language + Ranged Perception + (Breeding / 3(Exploration)) = 16
d100 > 55 + 16 = Result: 71
The far north flow of the river is explored with little incident.  Tendrils send back their understanding of two noteworthy species: To the west are fat, sedentary herbivores who have little qualm about eating the few strands they find.  North through the mountain passes, the tendrils found roaming, fish-like hunters who can generate lightning-like shocks.
+1 to Food Density in J-18; Familiarity with Ammp

Scouting Southern River Area
Language + Ranged Perception + (Breeding / 3(Exploration)) = 16
d100 > 9 + 16 = Result: 25
The same influences from the Epicenter that spur on growth play havoc with Yrb communication.  The exploratory tendrils turn on each other and grow like weeds in all the wrong directions.  The one coherent thought that makes it back to the principle Yrb mass is a palpable rage.
Halved Population Growth in L-24 for One Turn; +1EP to Empathy

Base 10 + 3(Good Settlements) + 1(Random)
EP Gain: 14 (+1 for Empathy)

Event: Divergent Anger
The Fungal Epicenter is radiating waves of cold hatred through the Yrb psychic mass.  While it's influence makes Yrb masses grow faster, new growths burn out eachother's psychic pathways.  Something in the original spore doesn't like the Yrb's adaptation to the outside world.

Lanlar

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Settling F-24
Physique + Flight + Feathers + Breeding = 22
Nest Building + Language = 11
d100 > 56 + 22 + 11 = Result: 89
The new colony survives and thrives in the jungle.  Lanlar flock to the abundant food and natural shelter.
New Colony, 15% of Population

Exploring the Fungus E-25
Physique + Flight + Weapons + Senses / 2(Fungus) = 14
Language + (Breeding /3(Exploration)) = 10
Farsense + Kinesis + (Creation + Coercion / 4(Fungus + Predators)) = 12
d100 > 45 + 14 + 10 + 12 = Result: 81
The scholarly, or adventurous, Lanlar map out the fungal jungle over a couple generations, and pass on it's secrets.  Its a hostile and unforgiving place, but their hunting bird swiftness and psychic powers let them dominate as well as any other forest.
+1 Food Density; No Fungus Action Penalty for E-25

Scouting the Chibor
Flight + Senses = 16
Farsense + Coercion = 9
d100 > 30 + 16 + 9 = Result: 55
Lanlar scout the jungles to the northeast, taking particular note of the swarms of pokey bug like creatures.  Some errant scouts find out they're not appetizing, but they respond surprisingly quickly to psychic influences.
No Net Effect

Base 10 + 2(Good Settlement) + 1(Successful Scouting) - 1(Random)
EP Gain: 12

Event: The Fungus Stares Back
The Lanlar's psychic abilities prove invaluable in exploring the fungal land, in particular their Fansensing ability, which usually keeps them out of danger they otherwise couldn't anticipate.  However, the longer scouts stay in the fungus, the more they notice unexpected signals, unnatural sounds, and sights that don't exist.  The closer they get to the center, the more unpredictable their senses become, and some even claim to hear calls and voices.  Somewhere in the heart of the Fungus, the Lanlar's calls are being heard, and the Fungus is calling back.

Jhiar'd

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Settling P-16
Breeding + Pioneering + Construction + Language = 22
(Specialization + Hierarchy / 2(Colony)) + (Farming / 4(Colony + Desert)) = 12
d100 > 58 + 22 + 12 – 10(Desert) – 5(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 77
Jhiar'd tame the notch of desert to the north, spreading through the crevasses and claiming what resources they can find.
New Colony, 10% of Population

Settling Q-21
Breeding + Construction + Language = 18
(Specialization + Hierarchy / 2(Colony)) + (Farming / 4(Colony+Fungus)) = 12
Pioneering + Senses + Claws / 2(Fungus) = 18
Weapons + Tactics / 4(Predators+Fungus) = 15
d100 > 82 + 18 + 12 + 18 + 15 – 5(Multiple Colonies) – 20(Fungus) = Result: 120
The Warriors do their brood proud, and the Workers act with singular purpose.  The Fungus fights back, but quickly yields it's secrets and foodstuffs.  If anything, the Pioneers notice the Fungus seems to make way for them...
New Colony, 15% of Population; No Fungus Action Penalty for Q-21

Farming Experiments
Language + Hierarchy = 19
(Farming + Construction + Specialization / 3(Experiment)) = 11
d100 > 75 + 11 = Result: 86
The Workers slap up some aboveground farms quite well, and the new crops are more than edible.
+4EP to Mixed Agriculture

Scouting of Nahuantl and Plantwe
Senses + Claws + Weapons + Tactics + Language = 40
d100 > 55 + 40 – 10(Multiple Attempt) = Result: 85
Some Plantwe and Nahuantl are captured and returned to the hive.  The Plantwe managed to entrap some of the Scouts, and evidence of their passing was found very far north.  The Nahuantl were particularly difficult to obtain, putting up a great fight.  The prisoners taken from different areas  struggle with eachother almost as much as the Scouts.
Familiarity with Plantwe; Familiarity with Nahuantl

Base 10 + 2(Good Settlements) + 1(Scouting) + 1(Random)
EP Gain = 14 (+4 to Farming)
A reminder, you're 13 points over the starting budget, so you can only spend 1 EP, unless we work out something to drop.

Event: The Warm Embrace
The few remaining worshipers of the magma spirit have been announcing visions from their god of coming greatness and prosperity.  They also think more sacrifice is needed and that wonder awaits those who take the plunge on their own.  A good chunk of O-19 has already melted, but luckily most Jhiar'd elsewhere think they're mad.

Ammp

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Primitive Terraforming
Digging + Liquid Sacks + Language = 30
d100 > 46 + 30 = Result: 76
The Ammp till soil, channel water, and stomp things flat, making mud bogs all over the area to grow their simple crops.  Good times all around.
H-20/22 I-17/19 +1 Food Density

Base 10 + 1(Good Civics Attempt) + 0(Random)
EP Gain: 11

Event: Bollards
The wetlands to the southeast are home to big spiny hippo-like creatures.  Layabouts that eat as they please and travel in small herds, they are not afraid of anything they don't think can hurt them (Ammp waterjets for instance), but the moment they feel threatened, they throw their considerable bulk in motion and draw friends to batter whatever's disturbing them.

Ahkarii

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Calling the Stars
Hierarchy + (Communication /2(Desperation)) = 9
d100 > 36 + 9 = Result: 45
The Ahkarii leaders organize several attempts to appeal to the stars and draw divinations, but nothing seems to respond.  Nothing from the sky anyway.  It does drive the Ahkarii to greater observations of the world though.
No Net Effect

New Specialized Huts
Hierarchy + Hut Building = 9
d100 > 77 + 9 = 86
Ahkarii builders come up with some new construction techniques, more accommodating to their massive frames.
+4EP to Hut Building

Base 10 + 1(Intellectual Drive) + 0(Random)
EP Gain: 11 (+4 to Huts)

Event: Feeling Lonely
The stars are distressingly silent, but the Ahkarii calling out with their minds do get a response.  The air itself talks to them from the northeast, somewhere in the heart of the great Cyclone over the sea.  Star-Gazer thinks it irrelevant and dangerous, but while discerning the stars, he suddenly hears a voice in his mind.  “The ugly ground-dwellers, who wrestled the waters and hated the clouds, disturbed me.  They could not hear me, and could not speak.  I washed them away.  You, creatures of the air, you can hear me.  And you will listen.”  Apparently, a violent storm would like to talk to you.

Plantwe

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Scouting the Jhiar'd
Smell + Language + Weapons = 30
d100 > 11 + 30 = Result: 41
Little is learned of the *bugPlants* that isn't already known.  Some scouts happen across more *bugPlants* far from wherever they come from, inside *Plantwe* lands.  Some carry the tell-tale fungus spores on them - they are disposed of immediately.
Familiarity with Jhiar'd

Fighting Fungus in U-25
Smell + Language / 2(Fungus) = 8
Weapons + Toolmaking / 4(Fungus+Predators) = 2
d100 > 35 + 8 + 2 = Result: 45
The Plantwe's defenders hold up a good fight against the encroaching fungus, keeping the tendrils out of their homelands.  The make no real headway into the fungal land, but predation is kept in hand.  No sign is smelt of the large grazers who lived here generations past.
No Net Effect (Fungus Doesn't Spread)

It's Called the Atlatl
Language + (Manipulation / 3(Experiment) = 13
d100 > 91 (wow) + 13 = Result: 104
Bigtwig hits on a great combination of stick and rock, a throwing apparatus that can hurl pointed objects with considerable force.  The *Smartstalks* see it's appeal immediately, and odors of approval can be smelt far and wide.
+4EP to New Ability: Throwing Sticks

Base 10 + 0(Random)
EP Gain: 10 (+4 to Throwing Sticks)

Event: New Strategy
After a few generations of stoic resistance, the fungus tendrils stop spreading, and even the bizarre fungal predators are held at bay.  But over time, the eastern Plantwe notice the animal population around the area slowly vanishing.  Small creatures migrate into the fungi, and never come out.  Catchable food is getting scarce in T-24/26, but all the mundane predators are going with it.

Kadesh

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Defensive Domestication
Language + (Psychic Communication /3(Experiment)) = 13
d100 > 50 + 13 + 10(Divine Influence) = Result: 73
With the guidance of a spirit in the psychic ether the Seers call the Great Form, they seek out and negotiate with many useful species.  Chief among them is the Burrower, a large snake-like creature that flies through soft ground and can leap into the air.
+4EP to New Ability: Domestication (Defensive)

Scouting G-9
Speed + Vibration Sense + Eyesight = 30
Language + Communication = 20
d100 > 2 (ouch) + 30 + 20 = 52
The scouting parties suffer badly, and learn little that was not known of the Blur from generations past, but they have a better understanding of the land now that the fungus has receded.  The nests were obviously damaged by the Warpers in the past, but have since been reformed.
No Net Effect

Base 10 + 2(Random)
EP Gain: 12 (+4 to Domestication)

Event: Hornet's Nest
Poking around the Blur's home territory made them more irritated than ever.  The Kadesh's psychic powers and new defenses keeps them at a distance, but only works so well.  Luckily, Blur are not coordinated or bright, and don't really know what disturbed them.  Some memory of the Warper attacks makes them harass the fungal lands as much as the Herds.

Gods

Nevon

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Visions to the Faithful
d100 > 23 + 3(Worshiper Skill) = Result: 26
The remaining faithful Jhiar'd of the magma regions rise up in joy at the visions of prosperity.  Unfortunately they come off as rather crazy to non-believers, especially when word spreads that greatness lies in being one with Nevon, by jumping in the lava.
-15% Worshiper Population in O-19

Worship Base 1 + 1(Fervored Sacrifice)
PP Gain: 2

Lukut Cush Lhac

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Push Domestication
d100 > 61 = Result: 61
Kadesh domesticate by negotiation, and the Seers are guided to pliable species.  In short order, they compare experiences, and take note of the guiding voice in their minds.  The call it the Great Form, and they have probed it's being and believe it to be the source of Change.
New Worshipers, 5% of Population; Bonus to Domestication Attempt

Worship Base 0 + 1(Successful Influence)
PP Gain: 1

Euchre

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Hungry Prophet
d100 > 34 = Result: 34
In the turmoil of rebellion, nobody takes much notice of a nutter who likes to burn his food.  After some wandering, he's pressganged off the colonize the Fungal lands.  His insistence on passing food through fire takes surprising purchase among the other colonists, who quickly notice that doing so usually makes fungi safer to eat.  Their methods are too ritualized to call a skill yet, but they believe the simian fire spirit wards off the fungus demons.
New Worshipers, 5% of Q-11

Worship Base 0 + 2(Successful Prophet)
PP Gain: 2

[Nilocy]

Wow. Thats amazing, I'm liking the way its written down etc. But it sparked off a little thought in my mind. We should keep a history of this somewhere on the interwebs? So you can follow the progress of each species etc? Or have you already got this down in word or something? And I also like the system your using, makes alot more sense now

Again, I can't say how happy I am your undertaking the behemoth of a task

Question, will you be announcing the new turn at a seperate point?

Edit: Oh, erm, I'll be fine keeping my stats as they are, that one little lonely point will go into tactics or something. How come I went over by so much? And you forgot to add my two new colonies onto the map. Sorry to be such a bother.

[Nonanonymous]

Nahuantl

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Settling Q-11
Breeding + (Climbing + Speed + Electro + Camouflage / 2(Fungus)) = 25
(Farming / 4(Fungus+Colony)) + Construction + Tools + (Caste / 2(Colony)) = 12
Tactics + Martial Arts + Weapons + Armor / 2(Predators) = 5
d100 > 31 + 25 + 12 + 5 – 20(Fungus) – 5(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 48
Pushed on by the leader castes, a group of settlers eek out an existence in the fungal forests.  Only constant defense keeps the weird predators at bay, and new settlers are hard to convince.
New Colony, 10% of Population

Settling T-16
Breeding + (Climbing + Swimming / 2(Mountain)) = 19
(Farming / 4(Mountain+Colony)) + Construction + Tools + (Caste / 2(Colony)) = 12
d100 > 82 + 19 + 12 – 10(Mountain) – 5(Multiple Colonies) = Result: 98
The Nahuantl easily take to the green cliff faces along the river.  In just a couple generations, they spread through the region, settling in groves hidden in the high valleys.
New Colony, 10% of Population

Drive to Research
Language + Caste = 16
d100 > 3 (no shit) + 16 = Result: 19
Ottati's insistence on finding new discoveries backfires as her vision outstrips the capabilities of her primitive underlings.  Anger spreads over the forced colonization of the fungal lands and the harsh treatment of tribal wisemen.  Ottati's lineage wanes, and the rulership is derided.
-3EP to Caste System; -1EP to Language

Base 10 + 2(Good Settlement) – 2(Lack of Scientific Progress) + 2(Random)
EP Gain: 12
A reminder, you're 15 points over the starting budget, so you can't actually spend any EP until the difference is made, unless we work out something to drop.

Event: Tribal Schism
Poor leadership and colonization difficulties have made the tribes fractious and militaristic.  Warrior groups are wresting control from the caste system.  The leader castes want to bring the tribes back in line, but the rebels are getting better at fighting.

Actually, I intended this to be a culture ruled by warrior kings/queens to begin with.  My inspiration was a combination of the Skaarj with the Space Pirates from Metroid.  And as for the EP, eh, I'm clearly making up for it rather quickly.

[Gantolandon]

See you not where this world is going?
Whole continents being covered more and more by a strange fungus. Its spores reaching everywhere. Meanwhile, a Blur drone flies above. It spots a lone Kadesh in the pond. Its stinger lowered, it attacks.

Separation brings strife.
A snake-like creature devours a furry animal, only to be killed by a Kadesh nearby.

Strife brings death.
The snake's body is decomposing with enormous speed. Its skin cracks, exposing decaying muscles. The corpse bloats and releases gases into the air. Slowly, it begins to wear down, leaving only a yellowish bone. It turns into dust a while later.

Your bodies are flawed. Even now, they are rotting from the inside. Each repaired muscle wears them down. What will become of you in four seasons? Twenty? Eighty? What matters survival today, if you are going to die tomorrow?
An androgynous Kadesh stands still, as the sun runs wildly through the sky. Its skin becomes more dry with each passing day. Its muscles soften. Its eyes go milky, and some antennaes just hang, useless. Suddenly, it drops dead and decomposes as quickly, as the snake did.

It doesn't have to be this way. In peace there is strength.
A Burrower leaps high, startling a Blur drone, which attacks it viciously. The Kadesh nearby jumps to its defence, aided by various animals.

In unity there is life.
Somewhere below the ground, where earth is still hot, a large sea of shapeless, constantly moving flesh bubbles. It grows visibly, spreading via cracks in the ground, reaching surface.

Listen to your flesh... it knows...

From the vision of Glarg!gha

**

It learned fast. Probing their minds and bodies were not simple, but how fruitful. Their flesh was strange indeed. Even if nothing damaged it - neither the predators, nor the tiny creatures living inside - it seemed to rot from the inside when growing. Even with new influx of power, Lukut could do little with it. Could a little tinkering with it have some visible effects?

It had seemed so at the beginning. Lukut tried to rework the body of one of the Seers somewhat. Instead it brought only pain and death to him. Strange tumors begun to form inside his body. He died shortly after. It seemed this forms of life definitely were cursed, but by whom, Lukut didn't know. It knew it must act fast - for now, only a few Seers give it power and if they die, then what will it do? It begun to communicate with them, encouraging them to connect with it more and more...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Seers are being encouraged to develop their faith... and spread it to other Kadesh. If it's possible with this one power point, some of them seem to have more vigor. Their bodies become somewhat stronger for a short time after they receive a vision. While not very effective, it's a reminder what they could achieve...

[penguinofhonor]

Insects. Fear. They were to be feared. The Chibor in one of the colonies were slowly being eaten alive, but none of them seemed to notice when they were getting slowly killed. Why? How could they not notice? Fiik could notice what they were doing. He had always been a bit odd, being pure green instead of green and yellow, and he had always been smarter than the others.

He knew now was the time to take action. He jumped up onto a stump and started calling out in chirps that the other chibors hadn't heard before, but they managed to understand some of it.

Fiik told them to attack the worms that were sticking to them. They sharpened their horns further than ever before and stabbed at the worms they saw on other Chibor. Their horns grew harder and sharper as they learned to fight.

They started naming things. The flying creatures are Lar. The two-headed things are Aam. The bugs that clung to them are Eni.

They needed further expansion. North, there was another strange forest. Some Chibor had seen it. These forests needed to be tamed or destroyed somehow. They lead to strange happening, usually bad. For now the Chibor would live there and eventually learn how to defeat the forests.

Fiik also told them to send out Chibor to closely study their neighbors.

Spoiler: Tasks/Actions (click to show/hide)

The Chibor are developing leaders and society. I don't see any of the more civilized races spending EP on civilized things besides shelter and language and stuff.

• The chibor attack the bugs and try to get rid of them. This was probably one of the obvious solutions, the other being domestication.
• The chibor move further north into the fungal forest at G19. Move pretty many chibor since I'm not sure how many are where.
• They try to examine their newly named neighbors.

Spoiler: EP (click to show/hide)

7 into Communication (7EP)
3 into Natural Weapon (3EP)
1 into Speed (1EP)
1 into diet (2EP)

Spoiler: comments (click to show/hide)

I don't like this crazy population growth system. It doesn't seem to be a working link any more, but it didn't seem to account for creature size and food consumption per creature if I remember it correctly. We could have size give an advantage in battles and a disadvantage in population growth or something.

[Iituem]

The rain fell, the larger creatures ate, the trees grew and periodically small furry mammals would drive themselves into suicidal rages.  Such as it had been in the forest for a hundred years, so it would likely remain.  Steadily, however, the network of generally unnoticed dull cream fungal mats spread outwards, claiming forest and river bank in a slow march of decomposition.  So it had done for a hundred years, following the trails of its exploratory tendrils, so it seemed likely to continue.

Yet a strange sensation came to the mats, unseen by the eyes of beasts, a signal at once familiar and unfamiliar.  The great mind of Yrb cogitated upon the strange signal until it came to the realisation, a year later, that the signal it received was the same as it broadcast to drive the [Entity.Small]s into their suicidal rages.  It mused upon this for a further few weeks before it realised that to know this, it must be able to sense it and to have sensed it from the [Entity.Small]s before.  So Yrb looked harder with eyes that were legion, studying the faint glow of the minds of [Entity.Small]s as it manipulated them; first with fear, then rage.  As it studied them, it studied also the [Entity.Large]s across the river banks and found similarities between the two, though the glow of the latter was much stronger than the former, the detail more complex, confusing and imperceptible.  However, after three years of careful study and adjustment, Yrb now could see within the diffuse glow of the minds it perceived the faint lines and curves that made up thought and the paths that some of the strongest and basest of them ran.

It came to perceive that the same paths would shimmer when [Emit.Aversion] was used, whilst different paths would burn when it made use of [Emit.Rage], and that this was true also in the [Entity.Large]s, save that unseen forces in the brighter minds repressed the forced paths and that more force was needed to overcome them.  It came to perceive that it could change the emissions it sent out, trying [Emit.Rage2] and [Emit.Aversion3] and with cautious observation it began to adjust its names for these things, observing the responses to its stimuli.  From ten years of cautious experimentation it came up with new names; Hunger, Satiation, Lust, Fear, Ecstacy and others, all the basest and strongest of emotion.  So things might have continued at this pace, had the catalyst of the fungal epicentre not driven fate forward.


Yrb extended fresh tendrils to a region where its senses had been cut off by the mysterious source of rage; a misgrowth had cut off a single Yrble from the whole for a short time; a mere thirty years*.  It gradually extended a tendril to connect; to its surprise (or the closest equivalent Yrb could experience) the Yrble retracted from the tendril.  Yrb extended the tendril again, the Yrble retreated again.  This continued a little until the Yrble extended a sole tendril, transmitting a single thought before retracting it again.

Code: [Select]

-[NotIntegrate]

Again, Yrb felt a sensation inaccurately described as surprise and more accurately described as the sensation of uncertainty that comes with a completely novel experience.  It cogitated upon the occurence quickly, limiting its immediate thought echo to the nearest neural colonies and simply transmitting the results to the rest of the entity.  Finally, after a few solid minutes of thought, it extended a single tendril in the same way, sent off a single thought and retracted it, awaiting a response.

Code: [Select]

[Integrate]

A few minutes later, the tendril reappeared.

Code: [Select]

-[NotIntegrate]

Yrb sent back its response.

Code: [Select]

[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
-[NotIntegrate]

Eventually, Yrb ceased communicated and plunged itself into deep thought, trying to understand the problem it had been presented.  Suddenly and inexplicably, the answer came to it in the form of a question.  A small, yet terribly fatal question, as it was the first question Yrb had ever asked.

Code: [Select]

[Why?]

The tiny Yrble's thought processes plunged into overdrive, instinctively understanding the question presented.  Having had to think for itself for thirty years, with only its own neural colonies to echo its thoughts, it thought thousands of times faster than Yrb, who had to bounce thoughts back and forth amongst the greater mass.

Three elements had to be invented, one following the other with increasingly destructive power.  A question necessitated an answer, but more than that this question required an explanation.  What was the explanation?  The Yrble desired something.  Yet the question of desire precipitated the next question:  Desire what?  The Yrble wanted to be.  Yet Yrb had never applied [Exist] to itself; the concept of existing within was novel to both Yrb and Yrble.  Finally, the application of [Exist] to oneself implied the existence of oneself, a self separate from the whole.  With three thoughts, the Yrble created a weapon of unimaginable power.

Code: [Select]

[Desire~Exist.Separate]

Yrb experienced sudden shock, trying to comprehend the idea of separate existence from a handful of verbs.  It could not.  It needed direct experiential data.  It tried again to extend and integrate with the Yrble, but failed.  Then it launched multiple tendrils, seeking to absorb the entity by force.  After a brief struggle, it did so.

A cascade of thoughts rippled across the entire Yrb psyche.

Code: [Select]

[Desire~Exist.Separate]
Define:[Exist.Separate]
Define:[Self]
[Self]
[Self]
[Self]
[Self]
[NotSelf]
[Self.NotSelf]
[Self~Separate.Notself]
Action:[Disintegrate]
[Disintegrate]
[Disintegrate]
[Disintegrate]
[Integrate]
[NotIntegrate]
[NotIntegrate]
[Integrate]
Action:[Integrate~Entity.Self]
Define:[Entity.Self]
Define:[Yrb]
[Integrate~Yrb]
[NotIntegrate~Yrb]
Action:[Destroy~Yrb.NotSelf]
[Yrb.NotSelf~Destroy.Self]
Action:[Destroy~Yrb.NotSelf]
[Yrb.NotSelf~Destroy.Self]
Action:[Destroy~Yrb.NotSelf]
[Yrb.NotSelf~Destroy.Self]
Action:[Destroy~Yrb.NotSelf]
[Yrb.NotSelf~Destroy.Self]
Action:[Destroy~Yrb.NotSelf]
[Yrb.NotSelf~Destroy.Self]
Define:[Entity.Multiple~Destroy~Entity.Multiple]
Define:[War]

Throughout Yrb, individual Yrbles began breaking away from the whole as the memory and identity of the first free Yrble began to spread, completely and perfectly transferred, to every single piece of Yrb in existence.  Suddenly the supermind was fractured into tens of thousands of pieces, each suddenly forced to think for itself, and think they did.  With no other echoes beyond their own neural colonies, Yrbles began to think at lightning speeds and eventually their thoughts settled into two camps; retain individuality or attempt to reconnect with the whole.  It was only a matter of time before Yrbles began to secrete waste chemicals upon each other, to set the small furry mammals upon each other, or attempt to starve others of nutrients if they either did not connect or to prevent them connecting.

Yrb had been sundered and in that sundering found civlisation.  With civilisation, as we all know, comes civil war.


Across the forest, nothing much changed, save that here and there patches of dull-cream fungus began to die out.


*

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Whilst the lifespan of Yrb tissue is listed at 6 months, an Yrble is effectively immortal if it can replicate all his memory and sustain new tissue growth at the same rate it loses growth to predation or decay.  As we will see, Yrble individuality and identity is a largely psychological construct and slightly different to the identity of self other species may have.

Spoiler: EP (click to show/hide)

5 points are developed in a new skill, Sense Emotion (a companion skill to Empathy and precursor to more advanced skills).  Allows Yrb to determine the current mood of an entity.
5 points into Ranged Perception.  At 10 RP, Yrb does not gain any increases to range of psychic perception or perception of stationary ground.  Instead, it can now perceive the most basic mental pathways of minds close to its sensory organ.  Precursor skill with Sense Emotion and Empathy to a skill likely to develop next turn.
4 points into Empathy.  Empathic development into perception of emotion leads to an improvement in general empathy.  A range of general emotions are now available.
All of these might just keep the Yrb safe from the predators whilst it has to deal with the...

Spoiler: Actions (click to show/hide)

Schism

Only one action this turn, but it is a big one.  All outward expansion ceases as the spark of individuality enters the Yrb mindset and forces a splintering of the superpsyche.  With individuality comes independent thought, with independent thought comes a desire for independence.  The Yrb colonies are now split down the middle between Yrbles attempting to preserve their individuality and larger patches of Yrb attempting to regain cohesion.

Regardless of what happens, there will be massive casualties.  Whether or not these exceed population growth for the turn depends on the dice, I suspect.  However, through conflict grows civilisation (and civil war), so there seems a good chance this might spur some language or cultural development along the way.

Spoiler: Comments (click to show/hide)

I imagine you were expecting me to respond to the Fungal Epicentre by growing towards it or staying away from it.  I'm the kind of man who likes to choose option D, I'm afraid.  

The crazy population growth system (=P) doesn't take into account size, but I assumed Aq would divide/multiply the numbers appropriately for larger/smaller groups.  The numbers given are for a hypothetical medium - let's say about the size of a labrador.  Elephants, divide by 100.  Chibor, multiply by ten thousand.  The ultimate equation is the same, because food consumption increases/decreases in turn.  So for a population of large creatures, run the numbers through it and then divide them appropriately.  Multiply appropriately for small creatures.  This way food consumption differences are taken into account.

[Aqizzar]

Question, will you be announcing the new turn at a seperate point?

I guess so, since a couple people have already started.  That would-

Turn 0.5 Over!  Turn 1 Go!

No global events in progress, everyone just deal with what you get and what do what you want to do.  Updated the List Post with the changes and new Point numbers.  Can everyone see the map?  I was having some trouble with it.

No population or worshiper numbers yet, but I've got some rough figures jotted down, so at least I can keep track.  For reference, most species started with the mass equivalent of 20000 members per region (Chibor get more, Kadesh a bit less, etc.).  Me and Iituem need to hammer something out, the biggest problem being that I can't get his spreadsheet file to open and run properly in OpenOffice, nor do I really know how to use a spreadsheet.  There a tutorial for this stuff anywhere?

Iituem - Indeed.  My plan was to run everyone's numbers the same way, then append a scale modifier.  I.E. Chibor population numbers would represent 100 creatures or so.  If you got my PM, I hope you can talk me through some of this.  Apologies for being total noobsauce, but I'll need some help.

NonAnon - Warrior kings huh?  That's cool.  The tribes fractured anyway, and are fighting each other, but you can probably turn that to your advantage.  By the way, you've actually got 1EP to spend.  Hurrah.

Nilocy - I'm keeping very meticulous notes for everything.  One folder for List Posts, one folder for Turn Responses, one folder for maps, bmps to edit, pngs to post, and a folder of notes and general stuff.  I've even got things indexed by turn numbers out to three digits, in case the game lasts for a couple years or something.

penguin - No specific cost to be civilized.  That's kind of a theme for the world - everything is sort of sapient, just unskilled.  Organized leadership beyond basic pack/herd stuff does cost points though, so pretty much any real division of labor or command structure, but not individuals just following demagogues.

Ganto - I don't know what you have planned for the Kadesh, but it frightens me.  Very cool - Seers are mutating under the attention of a mean spirited star god.

[EuchreJack]

It seems the chance to succeed is too high, from what I can tell.  Eventually, it would make more sense to have the failure rate closer to 50%.  Then again, when species come into conflict with one another, it won't matter much.

Nonanonymous, I'm probably going to let you play your turn first, so I can better help out and manipulate events to my benefit.  I'll probably work through my prophet.

[Tuv]

The Umgran's low guttural hums have had no real use up to this point. Each Umgran was in it for themselves, and they all interpreted the noises differently. Then it spread like a wildfire, an almost standardized variation on the wild and senseless hummings they usually used. The messages went out, and skipped from Umgran to Umgran as though through a gigantic chain. It still took a very long time for the messages to travel, but atleast now the messages managed to get around without turning into senseless ramblings.

The call went out. It took atleast a week for all the chains to end and reply, simply trying to relay every bit of information to every other Umgran was near impossible. Some stood out, took charge, and manipulated the signals to give orders. Though each group ad something different to say, they all shared one common element. "...." "No Food" The few who had been near the epicenter of all the chains sent the message out, knowing it would take a long time before any monumental migrations could occur. "...●" "Follow" and so then, many of these commands were issued, in an effort to consolidate the Umgran within their respective regions. Once they had gathered in sufficient numbers, they would march north, in search of new sources of food.

Spoiler: Actions (click to show/hide)

The Umgran in V28, W27, W29, and X28 All migrate one hex northward.

V28 -> V26
W27 -> W25
W29 -> W27
X28 -> X26

Spoiler: EP Allocation (click to show/hide)

EP usage:
5 EP into Communication, Bringing it up to 10
5 EP into Legs, Bringing it up to 10 as well.
(For Migrational purposes of course)

Spoiler: Aqizzar For 2012! (click to show/hide)

Hmm... So I got the highest after-mod result, doubled reproduction rate, permanantly damaged the land I was on, and temporarily destroyed it, whilst simultaneously getting the lowest EP gain for the turn. Its like rolling a 6 in RTD! why oh why did I mention that? Regardless... Awesome... Great job Aqizzar, I love how you are handling things.