NationStates Jolt Archive

The world of this rp is set in an entirely made up one where you get create your own nation with near unlimited capacity in your ability to create your own culture, history, and race though there cannot be giants over twenty feet tall and their will be no unlimited populations of orcs or goblins.

The tech and magic levels will be quite varied as there will be a number of different with some of them possessing the technology to make gunpowder bombs like the Chinese had in the 10th century, there can be stone age tech tribes whose members can kill people, elves will be allowed to have a natural affinity to use magic to heal, their will be some peoples who gave up magic all together and as a result they became more immune to its effects and also were stronger physically, and of course tweaked human races will be allowed.

Recent History and Background:

The back story of the rp is that within the last few centuries the Valgardians arrived from beyond the northern glaciers and managed to take advantage of the turmoil of the lands of the time to establish themselves as a powerful kingdom in the great river valley. They quickly expanded over the last few hundred years to have dominion over a greater portion of the great river valley and emerged as the strongest kingdom in the known world. With that power they turned into a vast empire and enslaved many different peoples as they continued to expand.

The main reasons behind the strength of the Valgardians was their organized armies, their long life spans, more powerful and skilled warriors, and their organization of their lands into well organized individual provinces.

So now the world is set as the world is still at constant war with the states fighting each other and the Valgardians continuing to expand their lands.

Magic Rules:

The power of magic is strong, but magic is limited battle and healing uses. In battle people can use things like fire, lighting, ice spikes attacks, minor ground rising, and projectile throwing.

Healing can be used to cure diseases, quicken the recovery process many fold, heal infections, mend bones, prevent death from nearly fatal wounds, and in the cases of the aging process even to point of giving the spell user essential never ending life yet they can still be killed and their mental state will decline over time.

As well, magic can be used to animate things, but you cannot bring back the dead and animated bodies can be killed very easily.


Tech Rules:

In this time period the more advanced nations have things like kites, iron casting, plate mail, early mass production due to organization of intensive labor, but no gun powder.

Yet, to mention groups that are like trolls or orcs will be limited to some similar to late Bronze and early Iron age tech levels.

Racial Rules:

There will be racial advantages like greater average strength, higher reproduction rates, faster running speeds, more resistance to certain natural elements, but there will be always countering factors such as lower agility for stronger creatures, higher reproduction rates means weaker creatures, and the faster you are the weaker they are. To note there can be a mix of racial advantages, though this will also come at a cost.

Special Characters:

Are essentially champions in battle, generals, rulers, and important persons. But, yet though they may have superior intelligence, strength and skill enough to fight several enemies at once, they cannot be relied upon to be the only factor to win a battle or to kill an enemy leader and they cannot go running into enemies lines alone into enemy lines and expect to survive.

Map:

http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map21lj2.png

The Scandinvans: Red
Jihad Alliance: Brown
Carloginias: Yellow
Hakurabi: Does not hold any large enough swathe of land to be noted on map.
Weccanfeld: Crimsion
Uldarious: Black
Zhyolatska: Light Purple
Drekon: Turquouise
Jagaro: Forest Green
Old Atlantia: No Land Claim
Alversia: Aquamarine
Ezaltia: Orange
Moorington: Liight Green
North Calaveras: Violet

Factbooks:

The Scandinvans: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=515049]
Jihad Alliance: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528148
Hakurabi: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528865
Uldarious: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528758
Weccanfeld: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12729985#post12729985
Ezaltia: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=515079
Zhyolatska: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12746149#post12746149
Jagaro: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12750625#post12750625
Old Atlantia: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12755785#post12755785
Drekon: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528122&page=22
Alversia: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=530750
Moorington: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12802829#post12802829
North Calaveras: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=530882

IC Threads:

Valgardian Diplomacy Thread: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12740232#post12740232
Conquest of Some Islands Thread: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=529173
Slave Market Thread: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12747942#post12747942
Cloak and Dagger: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12758879#post12758879
Ezaltia Orc Wars: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12759425#post12759425
The Crimson Coast Colonies: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=529713
The Dawn of True Civilization: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12805036#post12805036

Might be interested in joining a little later, depending on how this goes. I think I'll need to see how the Valgardians go first.

One comment - You need at least one major opposing power of comparable strength.

One which not only has the power to oppose the Valgardians, but is completely uncompromising in one manner or another in their desire for the extermination of the Valgardians, and vice versa.

Moreso, these major powers would all need to have at the bare minimum an outright refusal to cooperate with each other, preventing them from ever working together and a willingness to break treaties with one another at a moment's notice to attack some perceived weakness.

Basically, you need a 2+ superpower world, not a 1 superpower world. Otherwise you may as well fast forward to total victory and RP political intrigue instead.

ooc:

Looks like a good RP though and wouldnt mind having a dabble as maybe a splinter group that isnt caught up in the war yet is drawn to one side be that by someone sending envoys or being attacked and retaliation.

Yet as is said above one super power of 6 foot tall beautiful non aging people needs another equal power to begin a struggle.

Might be interested in joining a little later, depending on how this goes. I think I'll need to see how the Valgardians go first.

One comment - You need at least one major opposing power of comparable strength.

One which not only has the power to oppose the Valgardians, but is completely uncompromising in one manner or another in their desire for the extermination of the Valgardians, and vice versa.

Moreso, these major powers would all need to have at the bare minimum an outright refusal to cooperate with each other, preventing them from ever working together and a willingness to break treaties with one another at a moment's notice to attack some perceived weakness.

Basically, you need a 2+ superpower world, not a 1 superpower world. Otherwise you may as well fast forward to total victory and RP political intrigue instead.Hmm... I was thinking along the lines of a great power system exisiting to be the counter balance with me in which two great powers are allied against me and if I attack one the other attacks me and we are all then engaged in a prolonged war in which no one can get the advantage over the other in the war.:D

Yet, the reason why I do not want another greater power is just due to the terriotory it would take.

Though I am also found of maybe a great naval power super power existing on the islands which can more then equal my navy in power which will prevent from using about 2/5ths of my total power.

ooc:

Looks like a good RP though and wouldnt mind having a dabble as maybe a splinter group that isnt caught up in the war yet is drawn to one side be that by someone sending envoys or being attacked and retaliation.

Yet as is said above one super power of 6 foot tall beautiful non aging people needs another equal power to begin a struggle.No need for OOC here.;)

Aka, the Valgardians are just long lived and only a few have ever become what are essentially liches, but even then they become weak and will die due to not being able to produce the spells that sustain them for more then a couple centuries.:D

Though I would like to ask what group would you splinter from?

Not from any group as such just a small independantly functioning faction with high degrees of military prowess, nothing magical apart from witch doctor type mad men giving out snuff. Just highly trained warriors with high self respect.

Not from any group as such just a small independantly functioning faction with high degrees of military prowess, nothing magical apart from witch doctor type mad men giving out snuff. Just highly trained warriors with high self respect.So essentially equal to the rl Templar Knights in skill and respect for themselves, but more independent and self serving right?

I was thinking like the Zulu style mixed in with a bit of spartan selection.

A zulu style goverment and culture, with the speed of the Zulu and the witch doctor essence and then the training and selection of a spartan.

The old selected at birth thing.

This enables me to allow for a low population as such in one place although a full muster could involve tens of thousands as they (as zulu were) would be spread out and undetectable only subservant to one king.


Although if indeed i do show as a elite unit of men i.e a few hundred i would still use this idea although im not sure what good a few hundred men without magic could do against thousands of mages ;)

I was thinking like the Zulu style mixed in with a bit of spartan selection.

A zulu style goverment and culture, with the speed of the Zulu and the witch doctor essence and then the training and selection of a spartan.

The old selected at birth thing.

This enables me to allow for a low population as such in one place although a full muster could involve tens of thousands as they (as zulu were) would be spread out and undetectable only subservant to one king.


Although if indeed i do show as a elite unit of men i.e a few hundred i would still use this idea although im not sure what good a few hundred men without magic could do against thousands of mages ;)Alright, to note though a knight can hold there own against one of them, though not nesscairly win.

As well, is your culture abolisinist?

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528148

Do you mean abolisnist i.e dont like slavery?

If so slavery is deemed ok in Sparlu as the weak should be used by the strong.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528148

Do you mean abolisnist i.e dont like slavery?

If so slavery is deemed ok in Sparlu as the weak should be used by the strong.Alright then, as my nation essentially relies on slavery to survive/

As well where do you want your lands to be?

Northen borders, splashed out. As seen in link im not going to have a set city lay out but i do have one "krall" that is permenant.

Northen borders, splashed out. As seen in link im not going to have a set city lay out but i do have one "krall" that is permenant.How does this look?

You are brown:
http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map2821bf1.png

I'd like to take part, too. A high-elf type of a nation, with very limited population - essentially a city state, with some rural population around it to keep it somehow fed. Beautiful gardens, great luxury and glorious nobles, stunning white walls and countless towers attempting to reach the clouds... all hidden into a rather large, secret valley in the middle of mountains, populated with some other race (orcs/goblins/whatever), guarded by a legion of Shadow Guard, extremely well trained and equipped warriors who continue their hard day-to-day service, keeping an eye on the few passes that lead to the valley, ensuring that the Hidden Kingdom stays safe.
The military also includes the famous Silver Regiment - a small number of nobles riding silver-coloured dragons.
Magic is presented, yet only very few of the elves can do more than make their hair grow a bit faster :p Those few who do are however rather powerful. They're concentrated into few clans, and since those who posses any above average magical abilities are so limited in numbers they're gathered into a mighty academy that tries to make them as good as humanly- sorry, elfishly possible to compensate their rarity.

Acceptable?


EDIT: I found a good place from the map - the eye-looking spot, in the middle of the mountains, West from you... that valley that has a lake in the middle of it.

How does this look?

You are brown:
http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map2821bf1.png

Can't acctually pick me out even after comparing but, I trust your decision =)

How Can I join It???

I'd like to take part, too. A high-elf type of a nation, with very limited population - essentially a city state, with some rural population around it to keep it somehow fed. Beautiful gardens, great luxury and glorious nobles, stunning white walls and countless towers attempting to reach the clouds... all hidden into a rather large, secret valley in the middle of mountains, populated with some other race (orcs/goblins/whatever), guarded by a legion of Shadow Guard, extremely well trained and equipped warriors who continue their hard day-to-day service, keeping an eye on the few passes that lead to the valley, ensuring that the Hidden Kingdom stays safe.
The military also includes the famous Silver Regiment - a small number of nobles riding silver-coloured dragons.
Magic is presented, yet only very few of the elves can do more than make their hair grow a bit faster :p Those few who do are however rather powerful. They're concentrated into few clans, and since those who posses any above average magical abilities are so limited in numbers they're gathered into a mighty academy that tries to make them as good as humanly- sorry, elfishly possible to compensate their rarity.

Acceptable?


EDIT: I found a good place from the map - the eye-looking spot, in the middle of the mountains, West from you... that valley that has a lake in the middle of it.Sounds good, though you can essentially have land dragons, because I do not want flying ones, but the dragons can still breath fire for a limited time of only a couple of seconds, enough though to fry a couple of intruders.:D

As well, I can be a supplier of slaves for your nation's use.;)

I hope I got the right one and also you are purple.

http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map2821nu1.png

By presenting your idea for a nation and asking??? :eek:

Can't acctually pick me out even after comparing but, I trust your decision =)Sorry, I have increaed your area good bit with the assumption your entire population, including slaves or helots, to be about 400,000-700,000.

http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map2821nu1.png

Hmmmm.... not much point in dragons that don't know how to fly =( What would you say about hypocriffs? You know, lion's ass and eagle's wings and head? Or really, really big eagles? I won't something that flies, if it couldn't spit flames! :p

How Can I join It???By presenting your nation idea, then where you want to be located, and then a factbook after your claim and nation idea have been approved.

I meant the other "eye", south from the one you gave me. Not a big deal tho.

Hmmmm.... not much point in dragons that don't know how to fly =( What would you say about hypocriffs? You know, lion's ass and eagle's wings and head? Or really, really big eagles? I won't something that flies, if it couldn't spit flames! :pThe problem is that it is high fantasy which means that not all the usual things in fantasy apply, aka flying mounts, though I do not mind at all having dragon mounts that breath fire, but do not fly.

I meant the other "eye", south from the one you gave me. Not a big deal tho.Here you changed it: http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map2821nu1.png

Considering it how should trading work?

Well we could open up trade routes between allies and of course a small amount of trade with myself I can sell cattle products, hides, weapons, gold, diamonds and basic crops.

Well we could open up trade routes between allies and of course a small amount of trade with myself I can sell cattle products, hides, weapons, gold, diamonds and basic crops.Good idea, though to think my nation is well supplied with gold and food I am more then willing to trade with you for diamonds, weapons, and hides due to the fact foreign goods will find a good market in my nation and things like diamonds have a HIGH demand in my nation due to be a status symbol.

Fun little possbile rp tool:

For the heck abolitionist moments will be allowed to exist in countries and in underground forms in countries that practice slavery.

Sounds good about the underworld movements lol

oh and trade routes open between the Sparlu and yourself trading in highly well made weapons, leather, hide and diamonds.

For pretty much gold and whatever else you have to barter with as you are trading.

Side Note; This does not mean we are allies we are just feeding from each other.

Sounds good about the underworld movements lol

oh and trade routes open between the Sparlu and yourself trading in highly well made weapons, leather, hide and diamonds.

For pretty much gold and whatever else you have to barter with as you are trading.

Side Note; This does not mean we are allies we are just feeding from each other.Problem is that few Valgardians will support ending slavery due to their reliance on it maintain their lives of weatlh and privelage and ending will be a major problem for my Empire.

As for the trade do you accept Draos my gold coins?;)

By the way I sell slaves if you want any.

For any threat to you trading will be more profitable to me as I would lose to many soldiers to justify an invansion of your nation.

By the way how should the exchange of money work and should there be a universally accepted currency?

Draos is acceptable it will be the start of the coming into line of the nation.

Slaves are not a problem for me as they are defective Sparlu or conqured enemy.

A widely based currency would be a good idea for joining nations such as the use of your currency but for a tribal nation like mine only a small knowledge of such currency will be of use. I.E i cant be bought out, everything we need is on our doorstep.

My tribe may need to be played out though i have just been called back into work for the next week.

*dust off the Yelsa idea, strokes it fondly and places it back on the shelf*

Hmmm, consider me a maybe right now.
I'll see how much interest this attracts before I make my decision, but I'll consider it and I already have an idea for a race.

...
Bear in mind Scan, you can't be the best at everything, I left the last RP because it didn't seem you were giving everyone a fair go at actually being competition.
Having said that, I assume the Valgardians are the standard jack-of-all-trades folk they were last time?

ooo secrecy nice i like it

*dust off the Yelsa idea, strokes it fondly and places it back on the shelf*

Hmmm, consider me a maybe right now.
I'll see how much interest this attracts before I make my decision, but I'll consider it and I already have an idea for a race.

...
Bear in mind Scan, you can't be the best at everything, I left the last RP because it didn't seem you were giving everyone a fair go at actually being competition.
Having said that, I assume the Valgardians are the standard jack-of-all-trades folk they were last time?Not, this time they are just effective traders, farily decent sailors, good soldiers, and relie on slave labor a little to much in agriculture and manfucatring.

By the way we all to admit we did go a little overboard last time...

Draos is acceptable it will be the start of the coming into line of the nation.

Slaves are not a problem for me as they are defective Sparlu or conqured enemy.

A widely based currency would be a good idea for joining nations such as the use of your currency but for a tribal nation like mine only a small knowledge of such currency will be of use. I.E i cant be bought out, everything we need is on our doorstep.

My tribe may need to be played out though i have just been called back into work for the next week.Ohh... well there goes one slave market, but to know you can always hire some slave masters from my nation if your soldiers are away on campiagn as they are brutal and will kill any slave that resists orders.

Some more interest please.

ooo secrecy nice i like itlol

I will soon launch a slave market thread.

Age Designations:
Old: 37+
Prime: 15-37
Young: 0-14

General Setup:
Age Designation: Numbers for Sale: Price Per Slave

Currency In Use:

Drao: Gold coin largest coin, and the most valuable of the coins, about thirty days' wages. 17 grams of gold, 7 grams of copper, and 16 grams of bronze.

Eri: Silver coin and second in value, ten day's wages. 4 grams of gold, 13 grams of silver, and 10 grams of bronze.

Tiret: Most widely used of the more valuable coins, equal to five days wages. 1 gram of gold, 8 grams of silver, and 9 grams of bronze.

Meit: Copper coin and this most valuable of the more common coins, three and a half days wages. 3.5 grams of silver, 11 grams of copper, 4 gramw of brass, and 7 grams of bronze.

Zio: Bronze coin, fairly large, equal to about day's wages. 1 gram of silver, 3 grams of copper, 4 grams of brass, and 16 grams of bronze.

Lieto: Brass coin, very small coin, and about a fifth of a day's wages. 1 gram of copper, 3 grams of bronze, and 5 grams of brass.

*Note one a day wages is the term used for on how much a trade or shopkeeper makes on average every day which is about two times higher then a soldier or a common farmer.*

Agricultural Slaves:

Males:
Old: 41,560: 3 Draos
Prime: 128,390: 4 Draos & 1 Eris
Young: 111,800: 3 Draos & 2 Eris

Female:
Old: 37,450: 2 Draos
Prime: 119,500: 3 Draos & 2 Eris
Young: 106,100: 3 Draos

Clerk Slaves:

Male:
Old: 2,100: 21 Draos
Prime: 4,200: 18 Draos & 1 Eri

Blacksmith Slaves:

Male:
Old: 5,970: 13 Draos & 2 Eris
Prime: 10,620: 14 Draos

Shipwrights:

Male:
Old: 1,600: 25 Draos & 1 Eri
Prime: 2,400: 22 Draos & 1 Eri

Concubines:

Male:
Prime: 3,200: 20 Draos

Female:
Prime: 6,400: 27 Draos & 2 Eris

To note I will not post this until I have some feedback for this as I wonder what should I add.

Yes, we did go a bit overboard. Remember kids, Escalation is bad!

Alright, I'll provide the absolute, uncompromising enemy again this time.

Just to establish the facts, the nobles who are part of this comprise a significant portion of 'the few' who support abolition, albiet only secretly. There's only a small minority of Valgardians who support abolition, but this *is* the small minority, at least most of them.

A light to guide our way, a light to make us strong, and a light to set us free.

In Valgard, there is a darker underside to the idyllic luxury built upon the blood of slavery. Not everybody is pleased with this state of affairs, and an underground movement has begun, founded upon the beliefs of a circle of nobles against this trade.

Thus, the Three Lanterns were formed from the hopes and dreams of a handful of young nobles and the slaves they secretly released from their bonds. In recent years, it has come to the fore, as the movement grew and its membership grew in both Valgardian and Slave (though free Valgardians tended to be more unwilling to join).

I've got them more fleshed out, but not much more time, so I'll leave it at that for now.

Yes, we did go a bit overboard. Remember kids, Escalation is bad!

Alright, I'll provide the absolute, uncompromising enemy again this time.

Just to establish the facts, the nobles who are part of this comprise a significant portion of 'the few' who support abolition, albiet only secretly. There's only a small minority of Valgardians who support abolition, but this *is* the small minority, at least most of them.

A light to guide our way, a light to make us strong, and a light to set us free.

In Valgard, there is a darker underside to the idyllic luxury built upon the blood of slavery. Not everybody is pleased with this state of affairs, and an underground movement has begun, founded upon the beliefs of a circle of nobles against this trade.

Thus, the Three Lanterns were formed from the hopes and dreams of a handful of young nobles and the slaves they secretly released from their bonds. In recent years, it has come to the fore, as the movement grew and its membership grew in both Valgardian and Slave (though free Valgardians tended to be more unwilling to join).

I've got them more fleshed out, but not much more time, so I'll leave it at that for now.Stop screwing around with groups from Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, aka the Twin Lanterns. *Starts a nerdy long laugh*:D

Alright, to note though some of the more valuable slaves may be a little to hard to get such as some of them have restrainats which cannot be removed save by the touch of LIVE blood from their master, so just knock them out ;) or find a pretty good alchemist to simply use acid or high tempatures to melt it off as they are simply metal,and in some cases are made to prevent the person from being able to use magic. As well, some slaves have magical seals which cause them great pain if they wander to far away from their master, though this is for important slave who know a little to much and the spell can be removed if you simply kill the owner.:p

As for the magic restaining them to an area very close to their master only less then one percent have that on them and the special restrainants only around a fifth of all slaves. Though regular bonds exist they only are used in mines and labor camps in order to better hold mass amounts of slaves together and they are they are about half the cost of the restraints so all you have to do is find the key or just knock them off. So in essence most slaves can be simply freed without much care.

To note the more 'magic' restraints are acutally just cheap spells which can be knocked off by just about most mages worth their salt, though to say the restraints are a good way for Imperial soldiers or slave hunters to hunt them down and the penalty for aiding escaping slaves is exile into the northern wastes for Valgardians, slavery for freemen and for forigeners, for mages of any race it is slavery with one of the special magic preventing restriants, to be sent to the labor camps or most dangerous of mines for slaves, which is essentially a death camp in their case.

A side note you will have to find a mage or already have won to remove the restrainst as many mages will not risk helping a slave for anything save a large amount of money as they all now what happens to people who help slaves escape.

I hope this is not to much as I have based a lot of this on Morrowind in which these kind of restainants exist.

Any comments of questions feel free to ask.

Name: Kingdom of Halestia

Location: Islands of the Western Sea.

Race: Elves (Hale, Elves)

Description: Hale elves are tall, most with stunning blue eyes. Most of them are middle-class citizens earning a hard day's work. Their skin is usually white-tan, exceptions mostly to immigrants and slaves. The will of the Hale elves is absolute. The Hale elves do their best to expand their influence and culture to the cities and places of the main-land in order to open up more useful markets where they can trade their valuable recources. The class system of the Hale elves is as follow:

King, Queen
Nobles
Government Officials
Upper-MIddle class (Usually wealthy merchants)
Middle-Class
Lower-MIddle
Poor
Slaves.

The King and Queen posess the highest authority throughout the Islands of Halestia. The Nobles are the second. The Government officials which include the parliament are third, and the Upper MIddle-Class is the fourth.

Form of Government: Monarchy. Hereditary.

Government officials are elected by the people of Halestia and do the bidding of the department where they were elected from. Only the position of King or Queen is not voteable.

---

Military

Army- There is not so much an army as there is a large home-guard for each island in the Western Sea. The homeguard's system works like this:

10 men - Squad
100 men- Platen
1,000 men- Halest

Depending on the isles size, population, and worth to the Kingdom is how many homeguard soldiers are placed on it. When an army is fielded by the Kingdom of Halestia the organization works like this:

12 men- Hale
120 men- Balest
1,200 men- Battalion
12,000 men- Legion
120,000 men- Army

Navy-

The Kingdom of Halestia prides itself on having the largest, most well trained navy in the world. The navy is used as the major expander of the Kingdom and is widely regarded as 'the law of sea' for the world's oceans. The navy's size and strength is grounded on the pretense of 'Can't beat us if you can't get to us'. The King and Queen have always been supportive of the Halestian navy and continue to do so.

((OOC- Can anyone give me any reference sites to useful ships of the ancient era? I know of several Carthaginian, Greek, and Roman ones))

The navy is organized like this-

3-12 ships - Hunting Pack

12-20 ships - Disruption Squad

20-30 ships - Fleet

30-60 ships - Battle Fleet

60+ Ships - War Fleet

((OCC- The ships in each type of fleet will be added when I get a list of the ships I want in them))

---

Economic Rating - Very strong (Not using NS stuff)

The Halestian merchant fleet is one of the largest, if not the largest in the world. They do business with countries and businesses all over the world. Halestian merchants are widely reknowned for their fair and honest trade throughout the world.

Slavery Stance- Limited
Naval Strength- Extremely High
Army Strength- As needed, no standing army
National Guard- Decent
Trade - High
Recources- Rich
Technology- High
Architecture- Good
Government- Semi-Corrupt
Diplomacy - Not so good
Tax Rate- 15%
Magicka- Decent

((OOC- If you don't like how much good stuff I put for them, provide me some more cons I could add.))

---

History of Kingdom- The Kingdom of Halestia was formed more then 120 years ago at the start of the Hylest Dynasty which is still currently in power. Naval history also starts at about this time when Hylest overlords deemed it neccessary to use naval supremcy to win over control the isles of the Western ocean. They suceeded and a King was crowned at The Palace of Ulenaste on the eve of Founder's day, when the first dynasty was established. Politicaly strong then, the politics of the Kingdom have been slowly slipping away. The Kings and Queens for years have been slowly influencing parliament to give them centrilized control. Their efforts have slowly been taking their toll on the parliament whose power weakens yearly.

Soon after the unification, trade fleets brought the rich recources of the islands to the mainland and they established trade connections with every land on the continent; however with the Valgradian rise to power the Halestian monopoly in the Great River Valley shattered and the Halestians have been bitter over this for years and years. Diplomatic talks with the Valgradians is non-existant and will only occur if the recources of the Great River Valley be placed peacfully under Halestion control.

Island names:

Carloginias - Middle-most island.
Nesternia - Top most island.
Bale - The other big island
Flaysia - Southern most small island
Harlos- Northern most small island.

Capital- Carloginia

Major cities-
Elenglynn
Alyeid
Hnossus
Olasus
Nocturnus
Jalyus

Recources -

Timber
Water
Gold
Stone
Marble
Iron
Silver

---

Military

Army- There is not so much an army as there is a large home-guard for each island in the Western Sea. The homeguard's system works like this:

10 men - Squad
100 men- Platen
1,000 men- Halest

Depending on the isles size, population, and worth to the Kingdom is how many homeguard soldiers are placed on it. When an army is fielded by the Kingdom of Halestia the organization works like this:

12 men- Hale
120 men- Balest
1,200 men- Battalion
12,000 men- Legion
120,000 men- Army

Navy-

The Kingdom of Halestia prides itself on having the largest, most well trained navy in the world. The navy is used as the major expander of the Kingdom and is widely regarded as 'the law of sea' for the world's oceans. The navy's size and strength is grounded on the pretense of 'Can't beat us if you can't get to us'. The King and Queen have always been supportive of the Halestian navy and continue to do so.

Slavery Stance- Limited
Naval Strength- Extremely High
Army Strength- As needed, no standing army
National Guard- Decent
Trade - High
Recources- Rich
Technology- High
Architecture- Good
Government- Semi-Corrupt
Diplomacy - Not so good
Tax Rate- 15%
Magicka- Decent

((OOC- If you don't like how much good stuff I put for them, provide me some more cons I could add.))

---

History of Kingdom- The Kingdom of Halestia was formed more then 120 years ago at the start of the Hylest Dynasty which is still currently in power. Naval history also starts at about this time when Hylest overlords deemed it neccessary to use naval supremcy to win over control the isles of the Western ocean. They suceeded and a King was crowned at The Palace of Ulenaste on the eve of Founder's day, when the first dynasty was established. Politicaly strong then, the politics of the Kingdom have been slowly slipping away. The Kings and Queens for years have been slowly influencing parliament to give them centrilized control. Their efforts have slowly been taking their toll on the parliament whose power weakens yearly.

Soon after the unification, trade fleets brought the rich recources of the islands to the mainland and they established trade connections with every land on the continent; however with the Valgradian rise to power the Halestian monopoly in the Great River Valley shattered and the Halestians have been bitter over this for years and years. Diplomatic talks with the Valgradians is non-existant and will only occur if the recources of the Great River Valley be placed peacfully under Halestion control.

Recources -

Timber
Water
Gold
Stone
Marble
Iron
Silver

---Give more definite numbers in terms of soldier number and for the navy which I will try to help you with, though I need to know what culture you want to be based off as it would make it easier for me to find a more specific site for your own use which will make it more fun. Lol. As well, naval power will only go so far as you need to bring a large force of soldiers with you to wage a succesful land war.

Note any stats can change due to the fact that they are not always absolute. Also, please give some population states.

As well, my own nation has been in existence for many centuries and has controlled the Great River Valley for a couple centuries which thus predates your own nation and thus you cannot be older then me and sadly means you have to change this a bit.:(

To everyone, though races will have advantages and inherant disadvantages, you do not have to limit all your stats, though tech and population do not change greatly.

I can always change the age of my nation.

I am basing my navy off of the Carthaginian navy. I will add some naval statistics. I just don't know if my numbers are too liberal regarding my navy and home-guard.

Maybe 500 + ships? Carthage had about 120 ships, and I am much larger and I assume more populous then the Republic of Carthage.

My homeguard = 70,000 main isle. Concentrated in the capital

40,000 each for the other 2 big isles.

and 10,000 for each small island.

Total- 170,000 Home-Guard troops.

I can always change the age of my nation.

I am basing my navy off of the Carthaginian navy. I will add some naval statistics. I just don't know if my numbers are too liberal regarding my navy and home-guard.

Maybe 500 + ships? Carthage had about 120 ships, and I am much larger and I assume more populous then the Republic of Carthage.

My homeguard = 70,000 main isle. Concentrated in the capital

40,000 each for the other 2 big isles.

and 10,000 for each small island.

Total- 170,000 Home-Guard troops.As for the thing the Valgardians have been in the Great River Valley for the while, but do kinda of want a new nation like yours to be here to represent a threat to the older nations of the world and a representative of the power of the elven peoples. To discuss as for the change you could say along the costal areas of the many peninsulas of south, which were conquered within only the past two hundred to fifty years were once city states which were trading partners with you and offered large amounts of things like spices, cotton, sugar, exotic products, and silk in trade with you, but after the Valgardians took over the area the trade shifted which damaged the trade of your nation which after the Valgardians refused you what was essentially pure free trade you got angered as their markets were no where near as close to as profitable as they once had been and also they had closed off a couple of pretty important markets to you entirely by the shift in trade. How does this sound?

By the way for navy have about 160-300 capital ships and many other smaller craft which are either tranpsorts or lesser attack ships.

Gotcha.

Gotcha.Thank you, and by the way thank you for understanding that a new power threatning the older ones is just worthy of this :cool:,

By the way how much is slavery common in your nation?

In order to provide jobs for all citizens of the Kingdom, slavery is little used throughout Halestia.

In order to provide jobs for all citizens of the Kingdom, slavery is little used throughout Halestia.Makes sense as an island nation without a central plantation economy slaveyr would not be really needed and since your nation is centered on trade you would have less of it then I would.

Yet, does your nation trade slave at least?

Somewhat. The monarchy does it at a limited expense, but the private sector dosen't hesitate to do what will make them a profit. (Middle-class + )

Somewhat. The monarchy does it at a limited expense, but the private sector dosen't hesitate to do what will make them a profit. (Middle-class + )Alright, so you do not mind the fact that I launch slave raids and wars upon other nations that do not have major trade relations with you?

Stop screwing around with groups from Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, aka the Twin Lanterns. *Starts a nerdy long laugh*:D

Alright, to note though some of the more valuable slaves may be a little to hard to get such as some of them have restrainats which cannot be removed save by the touch of LIVE blood from their master, so just knock them out ;) or find a pretty good alchemist to simply use acid or high tempatures to melt it off as they are simply metal,and in some cases are made to prevent the person from being able to use magic. As well, some slaves have magical seals which cause them great pain if they wander to far away from their master, though this is for important slave who know a little to much and the spell can be removed if you simply kill the owner.:p

As for the magic restaining them to an area very close to their master only less then one percent have that on them and the special restrainants only around a fifth of all slaves. Though regular bonds exist they only are used in mines and labor camps in order to better hold mass amounts of slaves together and they are they are about half the cost of the restraints so all you have to do is find the key or just knock them off. So in essence most slaves can be simply freed without much care.

To note the more 'magic' restraints are acutally just cheap spells which can be knocked off by just about most mages worth their salt, though to say the restraints are a good way for Imperial soldiers or slave hunters to hunt them down and the penalty for aiding escaping slaves is exile into the northern wastes for Valgardians, slavery for freemen and for forigeners, for mages of any race it is slavery with one of the special magic preventing restriants, to be sent to the labor camps or most dangerous of mines for slaves, which is essentially a death camp in their case.

A side note you will have to find a mage or already have won to remove the restrainst as many mages will not risk helping a slave for anything save a large amount of money as they all now what happens to people who help slaves escape.

I hope this is not to much as I have based a lot of this on Morrowind in which these kind of restainants exist.

Any comments of questions feel free to ask.

Ooh. Looks like the Three Lanterns have the Valgardians beat there. The penalty for aiding in the capture of escaping slaves is death.

I'm rather surprised, though, that outright treason and banditry is tolerated to such an extent that exile and slavery are the worst of the penalties.

FYI, Liberator Keys are a signature factional weapon, and for all intents and purposes are completely unreplicatable and any defences against them are restricted to special, named characters only. Even then, special, named Three Lanterns members can breach any such protections. Any exceptions are plot exceptions, and will need to rely on methods which cannot be replicated widely.

Alright, a little more fleshing out:

Key Strengths
Omniscient Intelligence Network
"What's the news for today, Merlith?" "I overheard my master talking with some of the town watch. They've got a mole in your ranks, and they're planning a raid on the safehouse in a two day's time. They want you to believe it's in a week, though." "A raid? Thanks, Merlith. I'll be back - preparations will have to be made."
The Three Lanterns have access to what is likely the most comprehensive intelligence network in Valgard, owing to the widespread use of slavery. Yellow Lights can easily tap into the veritable goldmine of information overheard and communicated between slaves, and will almost always know any plans in advance.

Liberator Keys
The so-called 'Liberator Keys' are the secret weapon of the Three Lanterns in their 'hidden war'. Their blades are enchanted with a powerful dweomer allowing them to break even magical locks and pierce magical protections. Beware, as even the finest of armour will not protect you from a skilled combatant wielding one of these.

- City Guard training manual
'Liberator Keys' are specially enchanted daggers developed by rogue hedge-wizards to break through the often complex magical locks used to restrain slaves of high value, with the side effect of also breaching most magical protections. They are constructed primarily of steel, with adamantine edges - alchemically plated with gold. In the middle of the blade, is a stylised design of three lights - red, yellow and blue - trimmed in gold. The hilt typically is set at the pommel with a single gemstone representing the wing of the Three Lanterns the owner is a member of. The owner's name is etched on the back, and serves additionally as a badge of membership.

Possession of one of these is considered a capital crime, both by the Valgardians and by Three Lanterns members - if found in the possession of a non-member. Despite their widespread usage among the Three Lanterns, efforts to replicate Liberator Keys have been met with almost universal failure, and defences against these fearsome signature weapons are usually futile.

Thieves who succeed in the theft of a Liberator Key are very short lived, as they find themselves almost immediately on the receiving end of a silver crossbow bolt.

---
Three Lanterns Members come in many flavours!
Yellow Lighters
Our duty is to scout the path and light the way so that our bretheren will not fall into the traps set by our enemies.

- The Yellow Lighter creed
Yellow Lighters are the spies and agents of the Three Lanterns, are tasked with the identification and elimination of double agents, as well as espionage in general. Their numbers also include the mages skilled in defensive and security based magic.

Blue Lighters
"I have fought many a Red Lighter in my time, and once thought myself invincible as I cleaved through the Lanterns. In my brash youth, I sought out Red Lighters to test my mettle, leaving for weeks on end and returning with a box full of their precious 'Liberator Keys'. One night, I discovered one of their safehouses, where a Blue Lighter was passing through. Taking them by surprise, I led a contingent of guards into the safehouse, expecting an easy battle as I was so accustomed to. However, with no more than a wave of the hand, I found myself watching my captive body turn upon my comrades and begin hacking down my friends and allies, while the slaves laughed and made their escape.

Beware the Blue Lighter, for he is cunning."

- Cocius Cedus, Guard Captain (ret.) in a speech to recruits.
Blue Lighters act as the diplomats and researchers of the Three Lanterns, and many of its members are skilled enchanters and illusionists. As with all the wings of the Three Lanterns, the abilities of the Blue Lighters vary wildly, from petty enchanters to those who can turn enemies into allies with a few words and a wave of the hand.

They are also the most elusive wing of the Three Lanterns, as their ranks require a special sort of person - one with the charismatic ability and intelligence to function in the mostly social role of the Blue Lighters.

Red Lighters
I sat at the bar, reading a letter I had received only days before, requesting my assistance in tracking down a group of escaped slaves. At the bottom was an ominous message threatening slavery myself if I failed to aid the slave hunters. I was so engrossed in the letter I didn't notice the odd cloaked figure with the funny walk move slowly next to me until I felt the prick of a dagger point against my stomach. Looking down at the dagger, I saw a single red ruby in the pommel, a symbol of the dreaded Red Lanterns. My assailant leant closely to my ear, and whispered "You are not my enemy... yet." he hissed, the breath hot against my hear. "Might I remind you of the penalty for aiding the slavers?"

My heart skipped a beat as the dagger pressed harder against my soft belly. A moment later, he was gone. I threw the letter to the table, and ordered another drink, letting my head fall into my hands. I was caught between two powers, and the penalties for not aiding either were equally dire.

- Memoir by Meanaami, Journeyman Mage
The Red Lighters are quite possibly the most feared wing of the abolitionist Three Lanterns, their ranks made up of hardened ex-slaves and political prisoners. Not strangers to intimidation or even assassination, the Red Lighters act as the military aspect of the Three Lanterns. Of the three wings, the Red Lighters are also the most varied.

Red Lighters are organised into small teams, each individually responsible for themselves, with the general overall goal of liberating enslaved individuals. The quality of these units range from elite units easily more than capable of defeating even Valgardian Ranger units, such as the famous Vismar Vindicators, to groups formed almost entirely of ex-slaves and bandits with more enthusiasm than brains.

The reputation of the fearsome Red Lighters is such that some bandit groups have taken to fixing red glass beads to their daggers to ride on the reputation of the Three Lanterns' military wing, though such practices are highly risky and mistakenly waylaying an actual member is often the cause of a prospective bandit lord's downfall.

[Note here: The upper ranks of ability, such as the 'Vismar Vindicators' represent groups of 12-20 special characters formed together into a crack squad, and under no circumstances are to be taken as an indication of overall combatative strength. The two extremes are given as what basically amounts to outlying groups. The 'elite' groups, being forces of special characters, will be individually named and their abilities developed. This is your 'Circle of Archmages' sort of thing.]

All right count me in too, just make sure I have plenty of land, maybe one of those nice larger peninsulas...

Without further ado I give you the generic bad-guy types...

The Na'kaeral Semshimistha

(NA-kay-er-al Sem-shi-mist-HA)

That is the "Grouped Tribes of Semshimistha" (generic name for all demons)

I'll give more details later but basically they're demonic bad guys set up in a hierarchy with the strongest and most cunning working their way up over the long years to the top.
Basically there are several species I'll go into later, when I have more time, so for now I'll only have the top ranks around but I'll give a little more insight into even these.


Their are six primary classes....

Kiishra- "Great Ones"; these are usually the strongest, though not necessarily the oldest or wisest, of the Semshimistha. Usually they appear to be large and muscular, as tall as ten to twelve feet (approx 3.5 metres tall) and usually weighing around two-hundred and fifty to three-hundred kilograms, individual cases vary. Kiishra often have great wings of as much as ten feet in length each, but these are not made for flying, but rather serve as great armoured shields and blunt force trauma weapons, capable of breaking bones with a single slap and easily capable of withstanding blows from all but the stoutest of blades, they are also highly used in the practice of ritual duelling known as Ja'thanoth Sye (Duel of angry souls).
The ability to regenerate horrific wounds and strength that surpasses that of a wild bull coupled with a hide that can shrug off sword blows and arrow strikes and claws that can rend leather and flesh like rotted cloth and you have the typically Kiishra, rare and mighty they are the pinnacle of Semshimistha strength with each one being an unparalleled warrior.

However Kiishra are limited to perhaps two hundred alive today, any children of Kiishra are always true-blooded, but due to a slow maturation cycle and mass infanticide Kiishra population only grows with terrain conquered.

The lord of all Semshimistha is a Kiishra by the name of Harakhan Cyl Luthormus, a towering midnight-fleshed being with pale silver tatooes and eyes like bloody fire.
Harakhan himself is old, but not nearly as ancient as some, and king for a century after brutally slaying his older brother in a duel at age four-hundred.


You'll notice a very strong feel of survival of the fittest in the Semshimistha, they are brutal nature made incarnate and care only for the best, all else is much like the legions of humans they have under their sway, useful for barely more than play and slave labour.

The actual number of Semshimistha will be very large, but that is because none are as strong as the Kishraa, indeed a good portion are humans no different from you or I, well different, but not in the ways that matter.

I assure you though, they WILL be balanced, for instance, I have no navy and my technological rating is very low. Large portions of warriors must often be dispatched to put down uprisings and power grabs except in the most dire of cases when the existence of Semshimistha is at risk.

Just a question, what's the max figures for population, resources, magic etc.? I don't plan of being at any of them, as the Semshimistha still have a lot of growing and flshing out to do, but I'm just curious to see my competition.

Alright, so you do not mind the fact that I launch slave raids and wars upon other nations that do not have major trade relations with you?

Slave raids, as in you don't conquer the country and just capture some of it's populous as slaves?

Tag.

Can I go with the same Zjiugias (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=515079) I had in the last rp?

Requested claim:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i114/ninjahedgehog/zeworldsdig2.png

Can I go with the same Zjiugias (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=515079) I had in the last rp?

Requested claim:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i114/ninjahedgehog/zeworldsdig2.pngAlright, though the map has changed I will give you a slightly different area that is still quite large, though also for the picture of the fox race I will recommend giving them a more humaniod form as otherwise it will be pretty funny to see them walking around as that form is inferior.:p

Ooh. Looks like the Three Lanterns have the Valgardians beat there. The penalty for aiding in the capture of escaping slaves is death.

I'm rather surprised, though, that outright treason and banditry is tolerated to such an extent that exile and slavery are the worst of the penalties.

FYI, Liberator Keys are a signature factional weapon, and for all intents and purposes are completely unreplicatable and any defences against them are restricted to special, named characters only. Even then, special, named Three Lanterns members can breach any such protections. Any exceptions are plot exceptions, and will need to rely on methods which cannot be replicated widely.

Alright, a little more fleshing out:

Key Strengths
Omniscient Intelligence Network

The Three Lanterns have access to what is likely the most comprehensive intelligence network in Valgard, owing to the widespread use of slavery. Yellow Lights can easily tap into the veritable goldmine of information overheard and communicated between slaves, and will almost always know any plans in advance.

Liberator Keys

'Liberator Keys' are specially enchanted daggers developed by rogue hedge-wizards to break through the often complex magical locks used to restrain slaves of high value, with the side effect of also breaching most magical protections. They are constructed primarily of steel, with adamantine edges - alchemically plated with gold. In the middle of the blade, is a stylised design of three lights - red, yellow and blue - trimmed in gold. The hilt typically is set at the pommel with a single gemstone representing the wing of the Three Lanterns the owner is a member of. The owner's name is etched on the back, and serves additionally as a badge of membership.

Possession of one of these is considered a capital crime, both by the Valgardians and by Three Lanterns members - if found in the possession of a non-member. Despite their widespread usage among the Three Lanterns, efforts to replicate Liberator Keys have been met with almost universal failure, and defences against these fearsome signature weapons are usually futile.

Thieves who succeed in the theft of a Liberator Key are very short lived, as they find themselves almost immediately on the receiving end of a silver crossbow bolt.

---
Three Lanterns Members come in many flavours!
Yellow Lighters

Yellow Lighters are the spies and agents of the Three Lanterns, are tasked with the identification and elimination of double agents, as well as espionage in general. Their numbers also include the mages skilled in defensive and security based magic.

Blue Lighters

Blue Lighters act as the diplomats and researchers of the Three Lanterns, and many of its members are skilled enchanters and illusionists. As with all the wings of the Three Lanterns, the abilities of the Blue Lighters vary wildly, from petty enchanters to those who can turn enemies into allies with a few words and a wave of the hand.

They are also the most elusive wing of the Three Lanterns, as their ranks require a special sort of person - one with the charismatic ability and intelligence to function in the mostly social role of the Blue Lighters.

Red Lighters

The Red Lighters are quite possibly the most feared wing of the abolitionist Three Lanterns, their ranks made up of hardened ex-slaves and political prisoners. Not strangers to intimidation or even assassination, the Red Lighters act as the military aspect of the Three Lanterns. Of the three wings, the Red Lighters are also the most varied.

Red Lighters are organised into small teams, each individually responsible for themselves, with the general overall goal of liberating enslaved individuals. The quality of these units range from elite units easily more than capable of defeating even Valgardian Ranger units, such as the famous Vismar Vindicators, to groups formed almost entirely of ex-slaves and bandits with more enthusiasm than brains.

The reputation of the fearsome Red Lighters is such that some bandit groups have taken to fixing red glass beads to their daggers to ride on the reputation of the Three Lanterns' military wing, though such practices are highly risky and mistakenly waylaying an actual member is often the cause of a prospective bandit lord's downfall.

[Note here: The upper ranks of ability, such as the 'Vismar Vindicators' represent groups of 12-20 special characters formed together into a crack squad, and under no circumstances are to be taken as an indication of overall combatative strength. The two extremes are given as what basically amounts to outlying groups. The 'elite' groups, being forces of special characters, will be individually named and their abilities developed. This is your 'Circle of Archmages' sort of thing.]To note the keys will only work a couple of time as magic is an energy and as such they are like batteries and will run out quick enough. Also, defense can be added by more skilled mages to make the keys not work on specfic restrainants, though to say these are more plot important slaves.

As well, the mind cannot be controlled as such a way to control them with magic as the brain is essentially a giant piece of electricty and any tampering takes direct contact and gets very messy.

To note I do not like the idea of you having such extensive knowledge of my doings as what happens in the more terrible places, aka mines and labor camps, all who serve are known for the intense loyalty to the Emperor and distaste to other "lower" races and race traitors whom they will not talk to and tend to keep their mouths shut, though by no means am I saying you do not know where they are or have a fairly decent idea on how many slaves are in there as I am only saying you cannot have much idea on the staff itself or what orders are being sent there, though you can guess.:D

To state the Valgardian rangers are an elite unit and thus they are specfically trained and cannot be beat by your average units. Yet, as for groups like the Vismar Vindactors will be able to take on patrols of them without losing, though as elite units on both sides they will face high causlties. The reason for this is as it is high fantasy and we are fighting with more normal armies then before, though magic can be used to give your forces the advantage in stealth when fighting the more rank and file Rangers, though there are elite hunter units.

Aside for this the rest is pretty good.

To note exile is a death sentence if you would in the north as they are usually sent to a series of islands where they either die of starvation or freezing. The reason for this is that Valgardians, by law, cannot be slaves.

As well, captial punishment is reserved for traitors and murderers, such as your group membership is considered a death sentence in any right as either exile to the ice islands or death by the axe awaits all captured members.

All right count me in too, just make sure I have plenty of land, maybe one of those nice larger peninsulas...

Without further ado I give you the generic bad-guy types...

The Na'kaeral Semshimistha

(NA-kay-er-al Sem-shi-mist-HA)

That is the "Grouped Tribes of Semshimistha" (generic name for all demons)

I'll give more details later but basically they're demonic bad guys set up in a hierarchy with the strongest and most cunning working their way up over the long years to the top.
Basically there are several species I'll go into later, when I have more time, so for now I'll only have the top ranks around but I'll give a little more insight into even these.


Their are six primary classes....

Kiishra- "Great Ones"; these are usually the strongest, though not necessarily the oldest or wisest, of the Semshimistha. Usually they appear to be large and muscular, as tall as ten to twelve feet (approx 3.5 metres tall) and usually weighing around two-hundred and fifty to three-hundred kilograms, individual cases vary. Kiishra often have great wings of as much as ten feet in length each, but these are not made for flying, but rather serve as great armoured shields and blunt force trauma weapons, capable of breaking bones with a single slap and easily capable of withstanding blows from all but the stoutest of blades, they are also highly used in the practice of ritual duelling known as Ja'thanoth Sye (Duel of angry souls).
The ability to regenerate horrific wounds and strength that surpasses that of a wild bull coupled with a hide that can shrug off sword blows and arrow strikes and claws that can rend leather and flesh like rotted cloth and you have the typically Kiishra, rare and mighty they are the pinnacle of Semshimistha strength with each one being an unparalleled warrior.

However Kiishra are limited to perhaps two hundred alive today, any children of Kiishra are always true-blooded, but due to a slow maturation cycle and mass infanticide Kiishra population only grows with terrain conquered.

The lord of all Semshimistha is a Kiishra by the name of Harakhan Cyl Luthormus, a towering midnight-fleshed being with pale silver tatooes and eyes like bloody fire.
Harakhan himself is old, but not nearly as ancient as some, and king for a century after brutally slaying his older brother in a duel at age four-hundred.


You'll notice a very strong feel of survival of the fittest in the Semshimistha, they are brutal nature made incarnate and care only for the best, all else is much like the legions of humans they have under their sway, useful for barely more than play and slave labour.

The actual number of Semshimistha will be very large, but that is because none are as strong as the Kishraa, indeed a good portion are humans no different from you or I, well different, but not in the ways that matter.

I assure you though, they WILL be balanced, for instance, I have no navy and my technological rating is very low. Large portions of warriors must often be dispatched to put down uprisings and power grabs except in the most dire of cases when the existence of Semshimistha is at risk.

Just a question, what's the max figures for population, resources, magic etc.? I don't plan of being at any of them, as the Semshimistha still have a lot of growing and flshing out to do, but I'm just curious to see my competition.Sounds good and as for your 'nobility' they seem good as they are to few and also your population total population Semshimistha should between 1.2-2.3 million total and as for humans maybe around 10-14 million slaves.

Slave raids, as in you don't conquer the country and just capture some of it's populous as slaves?Exactly.:p

Alright, though the map has changed I will give you a slightly different area that is still quite large, though also for the picture of the fox race I will recommend giving them a more humaniod form as otherwise it will be pretty funny to see them walking around as that form is inferior.:p

Inferior? Try telling a viath that to his face. :p

Meh, I'll keep it as is. This is the same race I've been visualizing and writing about since early '05.

What would the population of my Kingdom be?

Inferior? Try telling a viath that to his face. :p

Meh, I'll keep it as is. This is the same race I've been visualizing and writing about since early '05.Cool.

*Runs and insults a Viath, get its angry and releases a giant killer monkey.*

What would the population of my Kingdom be?I would say between 18-30 million.

To note the keys will only work a couple of time as magic is an energy and as such they are like batteries and will run out quick enough. Also, defense can be added by more skilled mages to make the keys not work on specfic restrainants, though to say these are more plot important slaves.

As well, the mind cannot be controlled as such a way to control them with magic as the brain is essentially a giant piece of electricty and any tampering takes direct contact and gets very messy.

To note I do not like the idea of you having such extensive knowledge of my doings as what happens in the more terrible places, aka mines and labor camps, all who serve are known for the intense loyalty to the Emperor and distaste to other "lower" races and race traitors whom they will not talk to and tend to keep their mouths shut, though by no means am I saying you do not know where they are or have a fairly decent idea on how many slaves are in there as I am only saying you cannot have much idea on the staff itself or what orders are being sent there, though you can guess.:D

To state the Valgardian rangers are an elite unit and thus they are specfically trained and cannot be beat by your average units. Yet, as for groups like the Vismar Vindactors will be able to take on patrols of them without losing, though as elite units on both sides they will face high causlties. The reason for this is as it is high fantasy and we are fighting with more normal armies then before, though magic can be used to give your forces the advantage in stealth when fighting the more rank and file Rangers, though there are elite hunter units.

Aside for this the rest is pretty good.

To note exile is a death sentence if you would in the north as they are usually sent to a series of islands where they either die of starvation or freezing. The reason for this is that Valgardians, by law, cannot be slaves.

As well, captial punishment is reserved for traitors and murderers, such as your group membership is considered a death sentence in any right as either exile to the ice islands or death by the axe awaits all captured members.

Only a few? Actually, if you're going to impose a charge system, I'd have to say that they will, in fact, function for long enough. Around three or four battles worth of continuous use. Also, I'd like to note that as Adamantine Edged weapons, they are formidable daggers in their own right and can be used to simply cut open most locks anyway. That, and they would get recharged regularly during off periods. Just like changing batteries.

Think of it as 500 points worth of Dispel ability, expended as necessary.

There's not much issue there, though, as they're still daggers and their most frequent users will normally have less combat, while more combatative individuals would only use it as an intimidation tool or against a magically warded foe.

---

It doesn't even need to be mind control. The mage only needs to cause an irrational need to attack those around the victim. Heck, with most targets the mage doesn't even need to care about how much damage they do to the mind in question.

In Morrowind Terms, the target was hit with a frenzy spell.

---

The detailed information is an abstraction of what amounts to an information flurry, which Yellow Lighters can interpret and gain detailed information from. It's not that sensitive information would get told to slaves, it's more that through a variety of sources, such as overheard talk and documents left unattended that the slaves discover these snippets of information that are put together into the details.

Through a combination of these small bits of information the Yellow Lighters can create a pretty accurate picture, and generally sort out the misinformation.

---

The Vindicators are an example of a beyond-elite group. An analogue of them for the Valgardians would be a team comprised of the best of the best Rangers, not a run-of-the-mill Ranger Patrol or Hunter Team, who would be the match for a strong Red Lighter team. Super-Elites tend not to go fighting willy-nilly though. Would you send what amounts to a fantasy SAS team out to fight as rank and file?

Average groups are still very much average. Shoddy groups could probably be beaten down by a couple of guards.

As I said, there's a lot of variance there.

---

As to that last bit? Hmm... I think I've got a good idea for one of the Vismar Vindicators - an Ex-Ranger who was convicted of aiding a slave, and exiled. However, between his training and secret assistance given by slaves he managed to survive what was normally a death sentence and killed the soldiers on the next boat which came by that island, taking it and the prisoners on it back to the mainland and joining the Three Lanterns, whereupon he was recruited by the Vismar Vindicators unit.

Sure, it's kind of an unbelievable, 1 in god-knows-how-many chance, but that's the stuff heroes are made of, right? Defying impossible odds and everything?

Well, working on a factbook all the same.

I'd hold up on the analysis of Semshimistha until you know all about us. I was asking for the population limits on everyone.

Can I have the large peninsula to the right of the abandoned isle?

Now this is the complete write-up which will also appear in my factbook...

National name: The Na'kaeral Semshimistha

(NA-kay-er-al Sem-shi-mist-HA)

That is the "Grouped Tribes of Semshimistha" (generic name for all demons) in the native tongue.

Government:

The system is far more loose than those of human cultures, still it has a rude complexity to it and it IS organised.

At the top is the rank of Lamore, or 'Eternal', ANY Semshimistha regardless of rank or race may advance to this position, so long as they kill the previous bearer of the title. Ironically the title of "eternal" lasts only as long as its bearer is the most cunning or strongest around.

Despite the almost constant infighting the Lamorr is the recognised head-honcho, his power is absolute and his word is law, as far as Semshimistha are concerned and as far as they are obedient.
Also, although the rank is easy to gain in theory, in practice it is almost impossible as the bearer is almost always a Kiishra and thus extremely capable, aside from that the Lamorr must be a stronger warrior than other Semshimistha, which means they often the finest of the finest in terms of battle prowess.

Next is the title of Khang or 'Lord', a Khang is almost always a Kiishra, but as of now there are some that are not. Khang wield power over swathes of land, they rule by the force of their charisma, the ferocity of their strength and the power of their cunning. A single Khang usually reigns over tens of thousand of other Semshimistha and they serve as the nobility. One must be born to the Khang, take the blood of a Khang or they may be raised to it by the Lamorr.

After that comes the Graph or 'Higher', this is the highest a blood-bonded human may reach, but this is a rare occurrence, as most are Semshimistha of lower classes such as Saeli.
Graph serve as the bureaucracy, so to speak, it is their duty to summon Semshimistha to war, overseer construction and basically to get things done. Usually their are eight Graph to a Khang and each serve as a Khang's subordinate.

Next we have the Zaal, or 'Favoured' these the high class citizens, this is the highest a non-bonded human may reach. Zaal often live lives that are less harsh than their brothers and sisters of Semshimistha, however they still have a harsh lot, the only thing that separates Zaal from the lower ranks is the fact that Zaal can and do own land, in which case they are Za'Zaal, which may extend up to one-thousand people on average.
Zaal also may serve as the lowest level of beurocracy, carrying messages, stampting coins, and other such acts, in which case they are Lah'Zaal.


Society


After the Zaal comes the Kull or 'Normal', they tend to have a much similar role to Zaal, except they may not own land and keep only the wealth they can to themselves, most Semshimistha belong to this class and it is in this class that craftsmen and labourers also exist.

Cesp or 'Lowly' these are slaves, typically human although Semshimistha may sink to these depths.
Cesp exist only to serve and to labour, in times of war many human Cesp may be rounded up and sent to battle armed lightly with clubs and hammers to act as cannon fodder.
Cesp sometimes stage rebellions, but are usually slaughtered on mass gleefully by their dark and violent masters.


It should be noted that as this is a human view the actual system is a good deal more chaotic and fluid, for instance Kiishra always outrank any but Khang and humans never may outrank Zaal, unless blood-bonded.

Semshimistha society is a brutal and cruel thing in many respects, touched lightly by civilisation, but still a very savage system.
The basic is survival of the strong and cunning, death and enslavement to the weak and stupid.

Kiishra:
or 'Great Ones'.
These are usually the strongest, though not necessarily the oldest or wisest, of the Semshimistha. Usually they appear to be large and muscular, as tall as ten to twelve feet (approx 3.5 metres tall) and usually weighing around two-hundred and fifty to three-hundred kilograms, individual cases vary.

Kiishra often have great wings of as much as ten feet in length each, but these are not made for flying, but rather serve as great armoured shields and blunt force trauma weapons, capable of breaking bones with a single slap and easily capable of withstanding blows from all but the stoutest of blades, they are also highly used in the practice of ritual duelling known as Ja'thanoth Sye (Duel of angry souls).

Combine the ability to regenerate horrific wounds and strength that surpasses that of a wild bull coupled with a hide that can shrug off sword blows and arrow strikes and claws that can rend leather and flesh like rotted cloth and you have the typically Kiishra, rare and mighty they are the pinnacle of Semshimistha strength with each one being an unparalleled warrior, hardened from birth to become such.

However Kiishra are limited to perhaps two hundred alive today, any children of Kiishra are always true-blooded, but due to a slow maturation cycle and mass infanticide Kiishra population only grows with terrain conquered, to move up and serve as the lord or nobility over the conquered.

Appearance-wise Kiishra usually have dark blue, purple, black, red or green skin, their eyes can be anything from yellow to red and they often decorate themselves with tribal tattoos that depict spirals and flames.

Kiishra are quite humanoid, with double pointed ears, standard points and pointed lobes, and often they have dark hair, Kiishra often have chiselled and sharp features, with longer and sharper teeth than normal.
Some random mutations such as claws and tails of many descriptions may occur, as well as sharp bony protrusions on the elbows and knees, hands may also mutate to support much larger talons for rending flesh with greater ease, this involves having shorter and more muscular fingers and talons as long as fifteen centimetres, capable of punching through even iron armour.

On the subject, Kiishra have vastly abnormally strong flesh and bones, past that of all but a few exceptions, their bones can shrug off sledgehammer blows and turn the strikes from swords and daggers for periods of time.

This is because it takes fifty years for a Kiishra to mature and they stay strong for as long as a thousand years later, a Kiishra is considered at his prime at age five-hundred.

Male Kiishra often have larger and more heavily muscled bodies, especially with their wings, their canine teeth are much larger and their claws tend toward the thicker and sharper.

Female Kiishra are almost the opposite, to the extent of almost being a different species. Female Kiishra are around seven feet tall on average, with underdeveloped wings and lean muscular bodies.
One should not be fooled by the perceived fragility of the female Kiishra as they are lighting-fast, faster even than their male counterparts, and capable of feats of tremendous agility.
However, it is a sad truth that Female Kiishra are rare and mainly restricted to the lower levels of nobility.


The lord of all Semshimistha is a Kiishra by the name of Harakhan Cyl Luthormus, a towering midnight-fleshed being with pale silver tattoos lacing his body and eyes like bloody fire.
Harakhan himself is old, but not nearly as ancient as some, and king for a century after brutally slaying his older brother in a duel at age four-hundred.

Saeli:
or 'Strong.'

In many respects Saeli are much like lesser versions of Kiishra, they tend to have lighter skin, less developed wings and less dense flesh and bone, they also lack their 'cousin's' resistance to magic.

Unlike their older and stronger "cousins" Saeli can't turn aside axe strokes with the sheer strength of their wings, their flesh can be pierced and cut by swords and daggers, albeit without a great deal of ease.

Saeli tend to the more brighter skin colours, such as red, pale blue and bright yellow, they are usually ten feet tall on average.

However Saeli are still vastly above the capabilities of humans, they still live their lives by the fierce hierarchical system that governs the Semshimistha and they still live by the same rules of battle.

With rare blessing Saeli may give birth to the two beings higher than them, Kiishra and Ullbarr, but may also give birth to lower Semshimistha, however the vast majority of Semshimistha children are normal, albeit when they crossbreed their genetics aren't always dominant.

Saeli are one of the most common Semshimistha, most of them serve as warriors and overseers occupying the positions of Zaal.
Saeli do still live for long period of time if left on their own, with some being as old as two-thousand years.
Many Saeli are formed into Hurra or 'Clans', these are usually headed by a Kiishra noble and serve as the lower members of his or her rule.

Saeli follow the same rules as Kiishra, males more heavily muscled and more developed, females not so.

Ulbarr

or 'Elementals'

Perhaps the most mutated the freakish of the Semshimistha, Ulbarr can assume many different shapes and forms, however, unlike other races these mutations are welcomed as they show signs of blessing.

Ulbarr can be anything such as the giant Jikeel, a huge beast with two-dozen tentacles, each as long and thick as a tree trunk and a rubbery body with multiple eyes and mouths.

To the five-foot tall, fragile and stooped S'xial, one of only a few mutations that may wield magic.

Because of their immense variety not all Ulbarr will be listed, but the msot common mutations will be.

Jikeel:
A rare condition that is born resembling a normal Saeli, but seems begins to mutate and grow extra arms, their bodies grow at an astronomical rate and their hands begin to turn into spiked and sucked tentacles, by age ten they are typically several tonnes with limbs as long as men are tall. There are perhaps a few dozen of these beings and they inhabit the dark waters of the Semshimistha seas, the largest being the one who gave them their name, the giant knows as Jikeel who lies in the bay also named after himself.

Jikeel himself is by now two thousand years old, he rarely stirs even at the direct command of the Lamorr, his strength simply too great to challenge, his home simply too impenetrable.

S'xial:
This stoops and lizard like beings are fragile and weak, almost nothing like their parent stock.
They tend to be exceptionally strong wielders of destructive and defensive magic, but their numbers are perhaps a hundred.
In the most bizarre of ways thge S'xial are much like the hulking Kiishra of their own, they are greatest in magical ability of all Semshimistha.
However they tend to be bend-over and thin, little bigger than a human child, they carry daggers that they may wield with lighting speed and canes made of solid wood to rest their easily-tired bodies on, they are typically hairless and pale grey-green with green reptilian eyes.

Sa'call: More in line with Saeli, they are human sized but like the S'xial they are wingless and pale. They make up for this with magic of intermediate strength, they tend toward the offensive-defensive mix and number in the hundreds, maybe as many as a thousand, they are the equal of a human mage,
Surprisingly Sa'call are actually quite common, but alone of the Semshimistha they are short-lived, living barely over a century.

Rahoom:

These small Semshimistha are about two-feet tall with large eyes and wear thick dark robes, they have wings much larger than themselves which they often tuck around their bodies.
Their lot in life is poor, serving as watchmen and detectors mainly, their only strength is their sight and it is the only reason the harsh nature of the Semshimistha has not taken them.

Usually Rahoom are dark-skinned with thick stout bodies and bright yellow eyes, sometimes they even ride on the shoulder of large and strong Saeli or Kiishra and serve as and extra pair of eyes, their service is rewarded with food, space and money, but they are not allowed to own more than enough land to raise a family on, nor could they hold onto such if it was attempted.

Rahoom can see well in dark or light, they can see the threads of magic, they can predict much and see what many can not, they number in the thousands and are employed on watch throughout the land.

Espent

Espent are tall and willowy, but small and fragile for Semshimistha.

Espent have a lifestyle of their own, they are lean and muscular with sharp-edged wings.

Espent are a by-product of the savage system of selection favoured by Semshimistha, unlike their larger cousins they tend toward agility and speed to remain strong, they still occupy the same positions in social strata as Saeli though.

Espent are still capable fighters, they are around seven feet tall and sinewy, capable of wielding bladed spears and long swords with ease, they are also agile and may serve as assassins due to their stealth skills, HOWEVER, Espent are little stronger than humans and lack the resilience of the other Semshimistha, so they are not often seen in the field of battle.

Despite their similar positions Espent are vastly less common than Saeli, outnumbered five-to-one by their larger cousins.

Appearance-wise Espent are usually dressed in close-fitting plaes of overlapping armour, to make up for their weak skin, which is a dark blue colour, their eyes are often bright green and they usually have their hair in long braids.

Both male and female are very similar physically and mentally, with the only significance being sexual organs.

Sahadar

'Chosen'

These are humans who have been deemed worthy of blood, they serve as leaders of groups of men sent in to battle, they often wear all black armour and clothes and have eyes the colour of fresh blood, their skin becomes chalky and their hair loses its colour, fading to a soulless dark grey.

Sahadar is both a gift and a curse, to be Sahadar means ans that one is forever bound to one's Samshimistha master, but it also brings the possibility of a better life.


Flest

'Servants' negative connotation.

The lowest of the low, they are the standard human stock, they live short and brutal lives lightened only by their short periods of time at the feeding troughs and mating grounds.
Flest are humans who slave to aid the Saeli in their labours, they live in cramped settlements and are always watched over.
The only way for Flest to progress is by being soldiers and appeasing their lords, their lives may be ended at any time for any reasons.
It should be noted that females are given the title Geh'Flest, and may be used as objects of sexual satisfaction as well, but are primarily used as mating stock for males.

It should be noted, however, that a very few female Flest have become something more by bearing the half-blood children of Saeli and also that despite the conditions they exist in, the human stock of Semshimistha is actually very strong, in much the same way that the Semshimistra weed out the week from their own races they do so for their human servants as well.

Still to come....

Halfbloods and other less-common races + other abnormalities.

Origin

The Semshimistha are an ancient race, thousands of years old, but even in the oldest half-rotted scrolls of animal skin nothing is known of how and where the Semshimistha began.

The truth may never be known, legend and myths surrounds the beginnings of Semshimistha.

In truth they arose some one-hundred thousand years ago as a brutal and tribal race, their history has been long and vicious and it is only in the last few thousand years that they have organised themselves past the levels of clans and tribes, time will have to see whether the Semshimistha are to extend their reach or become just another half-remembered legend.


Major Cities
There are a few major cities that serve as hotspots of trade and organisation they are....

Gazam Doth: Oldest city, two thousand years old and mainly made of bedrock, it is a great and wondrous site to behold, but at the same time its vicious pillars and spires and cavernous domes are unearthly and disquieting to humans, the city itself is a dull grey despite the hundreds of thousands of inhabitants.
Despite its age Gazam is only the third largest city, surpassed by Cellasar in the centre and the harbour city of Mishrael, it mainly serves as a stopover point for metals and cloth as it makes its way across the land.

Mishrael: a huge city of peach coloured rock Mishrael is the largest population of humans, at over a million. Mishrael actually is the most pleasant of Semshimistha cities in that it has been most effected by the more delicate human touch, it is not nearly so violent looking but rather has smoother towers and the domes tend to be more gentle and rolling than sudden and intimidatingly.
Mishrael was founded a thousand years ago by the fledgling Semshimistha as a place to explore the world.

Cellsar:
The truth greatest of Semshimistha architecture, it is ringed by a wall fifty metres high and forty thick of the deepest bedrock. The entire city is fang-like towers and spires with domes like hulking giants and citadels like hidden ogres, the city is vast and great, menacing and overpowering.
The wind itself makes a shrill scream as it flies through the city and the sky above is filled with the bodies of lesser Semshimistha going about their work, it is the seat of the authority of the ruling Luthormus nobility, founded two hundred years ago, it has taken over three centuries to build.

These cities are generally the exceptions to the general gist of Semshimsitha culture, as cities are usually built as places to contain and house the massive human populations.

Trade
The Semshimistha are not strong trades, they often raid traders who travel on and near the Semshimistha lands, but they conduct little trade themselves.
What trade that is done is done under heavy watch at Mishrael, the exports are metals, hides, cloth and herbs.

The imports are poisons, magical items and rare works.


Technology

Technology in Semshimistha is an off thing, generally it has progressed in leaps and bounds when necessary to free up labour or make weapons more solid, but in other areas it has stagnated.

For instance technologically the Semshimistha have excellent construction and metal smelting skills, but the still rely on ores to row boats and manpower to lift out crates.
While Semshimistha weapons are solid and well-made, their clothes making and food preparation skills are standard.
While Semshimistha human conscripts may wield steel-armed heavy crossbows and wear leather armour with breastplates, Semshimsitha are still to widely use horse-drawn scythes or mass irrigation.

Basically Semshimistha technology advances on a basis of it is made if necessary, and not if it is not.


Religion

Semshimistha are violently anti-religious.

They have legends about heroes and warriors, but they deny the existence of any powers beyond comprehension, to them a God is a crutch for the weak and has no place in the savage reality of life.


Population

Semshimistha population is vast, exact numbers are not yet known nor is the breakdown (working on it) but it is known that there are tens of millions of Flest labouring day after day, being born and dying under the savage iron yolk of Semshimistha dominion.

Military
Semshimistha military is another thing of many levels.
It is organised like so...

Krell: "Pack" 7-13 Semshimistha
Plest-Krell: "Serving Pack" 15-20 humans.

Naphon: "Force" 16-22 Semshimistha
Plest-Napthon: 18-30 humans.

Elmar: "Guard" 102-116 Semshimistha
Plest-Napthon: 120-140 humans

Rakk: "Fist" 450-462 Semshimistha
Plest-Rakk 470-500 humans.

Xarr: "Blade" 1078-1106 Semshimistha
Plest- 1120-1160 humans.

Batarnos: "Killing Strike" 2205-2265 Semshimistha
Plest- 2250-2300 Semshimsitha

Naft: "Swarm" 10320-10430 Semshimistha
Plest-Naft 10420-10625 humans.

Gaur: "Horde" 21505-21610 Semshimistha
Plest-Gaur: 21600-21700 humans

Surprisingly it is the human contingents that have learn discipline the best, as they need to stay alive given some of the battles, human soldiers or Plest-Fletri often fight in tight, organised formation with crossbows and lances, as fighting up close would be suicide. It is an interesting system whereby the humans act to balance out the weakpoints of the Semshimistra and in turn are protected from their mutual enemies. Humans who are sent on campaign are always led by blood-bonds and are never first-generation slaves, showing one's strength is one of the only way to gain status for humans.

Also the Semshimistha army doesn't have cavalry, but rather some breeds of Semshimistha to compensate, such as Espent for use a messengers and particularly heavily developed Saeli armed with great swords as breakers.

The thing that many must remember is that the Semshimistha are brutal and violent, but they are NOT stupid, they have a rough and effective way of fighting and understand concepts such as encirclement and cutting supply lines. The benefits of defensive and offensive positions and the nature of siege warfare, all born from practical experience.

The major weak points of the Semshimistha are their lack of siege ability and their lack of a navy (only about forty warships in total, who are mainly used as raiders), the major strong points of the Semshimistha are peerless close range ability and resistance to damage, battle endurance and the ability to carry out attrition.


Coinage

A lot of the everyday trade is made by barter, money is usually only used in either very large or very small trades. Due to the raider nature of the Semshimistha many coins from many nations are present, but some coins are made domestically.
However, since coins are often made from confiscated plunder they have rather abnormal and unique make-ups. Some of the nobility own very few coins, but isntead trade in small precious gems, pearls or other such things.


Sath: Brassy disk, small and light, used for menial things such as buying bread or meat.

Namon: Silver coin, larger and heavy.

Sula: Can be used as a substitute for Gerri, about half the size, same make up.

Gerri: Thick and heavy gold coin.

Will update for weapons used and other subspecies soon, also once population figures are negotiated.
How's this sounding? I'm trying to go for a more traditional evil feel, combined with a bit of survival-of-the-fittest.

Only a few? Actually, if you're going to impose a charge system, I'd have to say that they will, in fact, function for long enough. Around three or four battles worth of continuous use. Also, I'd like to note that as Adamantine Edged weapons, they are formidable daggers in their own right and can be used to simply cut open most locks anyway. That, and they would get recharged regularly during off periods. Just like changing batteries.

Think of it as 500 points worth of Dispel ability, expended as necessary.

There's not much issue there, though, as they're still daggers and their most frequent users will normally have less combat, while more combatative individuals would only use it as an intimidation tool or against a magically warded foe.

---

It doesn't even need to be mind control. The mage only needs to cause an irrational need to attack those around the victim. Heck, with most targets the mage doesn't even need to care about how much damage they do to the mind in question.

In Morrowind Terms, the target was hit with a frenzy spell.

---

The detailed information is an abstraction of what amounts to an information flurry, which Yellow Lighters can interpret and gain detailed information from. It's not that sensitive information would get told to slaves, it's more that through a variety of sources, such as overheard talk and documents left unattended that the slaves discover these snippets of information that are put together into the details.

Through a combination of these small bits of information the Yellow Lighters can create a pretty accurate picture, and generally sort out the misinformation.

---

The Vindicators are an example of a beyond-elite group. An analogue of them for the Valgardians would be a team comprised of the best of the best Rangers, not a run-of-the-mill Ranger Patrol or Hunter Team, who would be the match for a strong Red Lighter team. Super-Elites tend not to go fighting willy-nilly though. Would you send what amounts to a fantasy SAS team out to fight as rank and file?

Average groups are still very much average. Shoddy groups could probably be beaten down by a couple of guards.

As I said, there's a lot of variance there.

---

As to that last bit? Hmm... I think I've got a good idea for one of the Vismar Vindicators - an Ex-Ranger who was convicted of aiding a slave, and exiled. However, between his training and secret assistance given by slaves he managed to survive what was normally a death sentence and killed the soldiers on the next boat which came by that island, taking it and the prisoners on it back to the mainland and joining the Three Lanterns, whereupon he was recruited by the Vismar Vindicators unit.

Sure, it's kind of an unbelievable, 1 in god-knows-how-many chance, but that's the stuff heroes are made of, right? Defying impossible odds and everything?

Well, working on a factbook all the same.Alright seeems pretty good, but to say an hero can be beaten by about a dozen trained soldiers.

...

Let's not get into that crap again.

They get beaten by being beaten, not some arbitrary number of soldiers being thrown at them.

...

Let's not get into that crap again.

They get beaten by being beaten, not some arbitrary number of soldiers being thrown at them.Okay, thanks for pointing that out and by the way as for special characters they will be more of extremly skilled warriors and powerful leaders then do as to avoid our little debate.

I think by now we all know the rules, but you should put that up somewhere....

Simple logic should tell you how many men are necessary to beat something, hell, well-equipped veterans are usually the equal of many times their number in actual combat.
So using that logic a battle-hardened knight should be able to take down virtually any other foe with equal probability of victory, but he could still be killed by a stableboy with a wooden staff, its all plot, surprise, planning, natural traits...

I assume the standard rules against metagaming are on?

With special characters it all comes down to a judgement call. Not all of them are exceptional. Many are no more than characters.

But it stands that they are characters in whom effort has been spent developing them, and are personalities in PT World.

If they die, they do not die because somebody decided to send fifty crack soldiers at them. They either escape or make a valiant escape, cleaving through their adversaries to escape into freedom, even if all the mooks with them die.

However, for all their skill, they may be lain low by a single stableboy, with nothing more than a wooden staff and grim determination. Even then, most times a Character will survive the ordeal, escaping at the last moment or managing to become merely wounded.

That is the difference between just 'Super-Skilled Elite Person' and someone who can truly be called a 'Special Character'. Just because somebody is 'The Best Swordsman in the World' doesn't mean he's a special character. It just means he's some mook of a powerhouse with a title. Until he becomes a name and a face, he is nothing more. A pawn to be cast away in the name of storyline. He doesn't even deserve to be challenged, for all his skills, because he will fall like any other. At best, he deserves some flashy display of a character's abilities and discarded.

---

Metagaming kinda signalled the beginning of the end for the first PT world, in my opinion. Let's try to keep such things to a minimum. For example, obvious events should not conspire against a plan - a disguise would not fail because there happened to be a festival on, for instance.

Indeed, the important thing is to keep our characters realistic.

Even if Hero 'X' was to face World's Greatest Swordsman 'X' it doesn't mean he'd die, it'd be like oh so many scenes where they fight valiantly and the hero either catches him unaware or ,in the case of opposing players, he gets away with a few cuts and scrapes and his ego a bit bashed up.

Of course we also need to remember that sometimes the situation degenerates to such that even our own hero characters can't escape certain doom.

I see you decided to set up shop again, then, Scan. I'd like to join in this time round. But before I ask anything else, is there going to be a undead nation up north, like I thought I saw last time round?

Anyway, I'm looking for a quite Volcanic Area. The place in the north west looks like I could bend it that sort of biomes. That valley in the mountain could just be a humugous volcano (a bit like Red Mountain off Morrowind, but with actual lava flows). I'd like a coast, as well, so I have a navy of sorts.

I was thinking along the lines of this (http://img513.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mymaplf2.jpg). And that piece of land to the left is a colony, one that could bring me into relations with that nation who's name I forgot, that's yellow (sorry).

Basically I was thinking along the lines of a lizard/dragon race up there, that like their hot environments. This volcanic world would mean I would be pretty good at forging, and I'd need some sort of a navy to keep raiders of my land, and a army. Also, where the lava dosen't flow, you'd have a sort of Southern Italy environment, because of the ash and currents and whatnot. I was also looking to get suspisous eyes turned toward me, due to me proximity to three nations. If you accept these things, then I'll work on my factbook.

So basically, what I am asking is; Can I turn that area up north into a Volcanic place, but with a Southern Italian coast, and have that land I highlighted in that picture, or as least a part of it?

I think by now we all know the rules, but you should put that up somewhere....

Simple logic should tell you how many men are necessary to beat something, hell, well-equipped veterans are usually the equal of many times their number in actual combat.
So using that logic a battle-hardened knight should be able to take down virtually any other foe with equal probability of victory, but he could still be killed by a stableboy with a wooden staff, its all plot, surprise, planning, natural traits...

I assume the standard rules against metagaming are on?Thinking of it let us say one of you attacks a personal bodyguard, of let us some my Emperor, the two may be pretty on the same level so it might come to us just rping the fight till a reasonable holes appears and the other rper makes his move and the fight is over.:)

Or we could have have the rule that in a fight the victor might will be determined more on conditions, like endurance and styles which I can easily agree to.:cool:

As well, I agree with your idea no metagaming.

My real idea is that characters are more like generals and rulers due to their higher intellgience, and can be defeated as such by any number of normal means by normal peoples,

As well, as for assanations both sides should agree on them if they happen to a person like a ruler or other key characters.

I see you decided to set up shop again, then, Scan. I'd like to join in this time round. But before I ask anything else, is there going to be a undead nation up north, like I thought I saw last time round?

Anyway, I'm looking for a quite Volcanic Area. The place in the north west looks like I could bend it that sort of biomes. That valley in the mountain could just be a humugous volcano (a bit like Red Mountain off Morrowind, but with actual lava flows). I'd like a coast, as well, so I have a navy of sorts.

I was thinking along the lines of this (http://img513.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mymaplf2.jpg). And that piece of land to the left is a colony, one that could bring me into relations with that nation who's name I forgot, that's yellow (sorry).

Basically I was thinking along the lines of a lizard/dragon race up there, that like their hot environments. This volcanic world would mean I would be pretty good at forging, and I'd need some sort of a navy to keep raiders of my land, and a army. Also, where the lava dosen't flow, you'd have a sort of Southern Italy environment, because of the ash and currents and whatnot. I was also looking to get suspisous eyes turned toward me, due to me proximity to three nations. If you accept these things, then I'll work on my factbook.

So basically, what I am asking is; Can I turn that area up north into a Volcanic place, but with a Southern Italian coast, and have that land I highlighted in that picture, or as least a part of it?Sure, but yet the southeastern part of what you want is already in the hands of another player, just haven been to lazy to post a new map.

What, the mountain or the coast?

Oh, and I'll work on my factbook. How does the name Lesser and Greater Draconic Union of Lígbryne sound?

What, the mountain or the coast?

Oh, and I'll work on my factbook. How does the name Dragonic and Lizardmen Union of Lígbryne (DLUL) sound?The southeast mountains with the sources of the southern parts of the river.

I'll expand my land in your direction if thats' not a problem.

Characters = Judgement calls.

A sniper with a crossbow on a rooftop will almost invariably beat an honour guard member of the emperor.

That same sniper, if thirty troops showed up, would need to run or die, whereas the honour guard member would likely be able to simply cut them all to pieces, numbers be damned.

I'd like to restate my minimum criteria for considering someone more than a mook: Name and Face.

Your personal body guards should also be name and face. Not just 'Twenty Bodyguards'.

If they simply act as an army unit (ie. Attacks at x, shoots at y) I have every right to take that as a hole in their fighting and stop them in their tracks with something like, say, a fireball dead centre in the middle of their pack.

---

We should refrain from rules on special characters, because it really restricts the potential for character development.

I say we just judgement call on a case by case basis.

I'll expand my land in your direction if thats' not a problem.That would be alright.

Alright then, so...anything else that needs sorting out? Should I, like, post my fact book or something now?

Characters = Judgement calls.

A sniper with a crossbow on a rooftop will almost invariably beat an honour guard member of the emperor.

That same sniper, if thirty troops showed up, would need to run or die, whereas the honour guard member would likely be able to simply cut them all to pieces, numbers be damned.

I'd like to restate my minimum criteria for considering someone more than a mook: Name and Face.

Your personal body guards should also be name and face. Not just 'Twenty Bodyguards'.

If they simply act as an army unit (ie. Attacks at x, shoots at y) I have every right to take that as a hole in their fighting and stop them in their tracks with something like, say, a fireball dead centre in the middle of their pack.

---

We should refrain from rules on special characters, because it really restricts the potential for character development.

I say we just judgement call on a case by case basis.Name alright, face not such much as it is hard to find a face for alot of people here.:(

To state I do not want their to be things like numerical numbers as that is just pure controversy waiting to happen.

Alright then, so...anything else that needs sorting out? Should I, like, post my fact book or something now?Yeap.

O-kay, so how's thirty million sound for my population? (includes slaves and rebellious aspects, at least 25 million human slaves)
Also, I was thinking and I'm also like to point out that my country does have dissident elements that can be hired out as mercenaries too, I'll make a sub-post for that too.

Here we go, FACTBOOK http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528758

O-kay, so how's thirty million sound for my population? (includes slaves and rebellious aspects, at least 25 million human slaves)
Also, I was thinking and I'm also like to point out that my country does have dissident elements that can be hired out as mercenaries too, I'll make a sub-post for that too.

Here we go, FACTBOOK http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528758A little large, but yet I will leave it up to the other players to determine if it is to large so generally ignore this statement.

As for the thread looks worthy of this.:cool:

Awesome-cool:p

I still have a bit to do on armour, arms, armies, war chiefs, renegades, cross-breeds and other things, but it's okay for now.

Oh yeah, when am I getting first page link and a place on the map!

Awesome-cool:p

I still have a bit to do on armour, arms, armies, war chiefs, renegades, cross-breeds and other things, but it's okay for now.

Oh yeah, when am I getting first page link and a place on the map!Question is your nation involved in the international slave trade as my nation is kinda of the main slave trading one?

I have to second that question Scan. Not trying to be a pest, but when is the map being updated?

I have to second that question Scan. Not trying to be a pest, but when is the map being updated?New map.

http://img409.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map21ds4.png

Great. I presume those red dots are lava flows and lakes?

Great. I presume those red dots are lava flows and lakes?Yeap, by the way does your nation particpate in the slave trade such as selling or buying?:)

Yes, a lot, but my nation will only accept none Reptilian races, as my lot don't like the slavery of their kin. They esspecially like human ones.

Yes, a lot, but my nation will only accept none Reptilian races, as my lot don't like the slavery of their kin. They esspecially like human ones.While my nation does enslave a number of reptillian races they tend to be more ampihibian coming from the swamps of the southern empire.

As well, my nation can sell you a LOT of slaves at a decent price if you wish and supply with as much as we can get.

While my nation does enslave a number of reptillian races they tend to be more ampihibian coming from the swamps of the southern empire.

As well, my nation can sell you a LOT of slaves at a decent price if you wish and supply with as much as we can get.

'Fraid they still count. But we'll look the other way and take humans off you.

We need to start the diplomatic ball rolling. Got any ideas on how to do that Uldarious, seeing we share a border?

'Fraid they still count. But we'll look the other way and take humans off you.

We need to start the diplomatic ball rolling. Got any ideas on how to do that Uldarious, seeing we share a border?Good then, by the way what economic importance do slaves play in your nation?

Fairly high, I hope to be quite high in the metalware and wine industries, especailly in armour, so they won't make up my entire econmoy.

They tend to work on the farms and in the mines, so they make up most of the primary workforce, though if that's what you ment. I'll need a bit of ore as well.

Fairly high, I hope to be quite high in the metalware and wine industries, especailly in armour, so they won't make up my entire econmoy.

They tend to work on the farms and in the mines, so they make up most of the primary workforce, though if that's what you ment. I'll need a bit of ore as well.So like in my nation where slaves are used to extract coal, metals, to farm, to grow spices, and in that they are basically the economic back bone of my Empire.

I said most, as sometimes serfs do the primary work. But similar.

And are you at war, or at least at cold war with the western faction?

Oh, and what is your nations opinion of humans?

I said most, as sometimes serfs do the primary work. But similar.

And are you at war, or at least at cold war with the western faction?

Oh, and what is your nations opinion of humans?More of an era of cold relations due to the fact I do not really let him exploit my southern markets how he would like to as he would dominate them without me there and make a killing, in more then the sense of the world.

As well, I have not ever been in an open war with him.

Right. But what is your opinion of humans though? As a race.

Question is your nation involved in the international slave trade as my nation is kinda of the main slave trading one?

No, my nation raids the lands of others for their slaves and breeds them in a similar manner to how humans would breed horses or sheep, they cull the ones with less desirable traits and keep the strong, practical and obedient.

As for diplomacy...we could always arrange a meeting between one of my Semshimistha war chiefs and one of your nobility.

Right. But what is your opinion of humans though? As a race.The Valgardians think of them as short lived inferior beings due to the fact that the Valgardians live life spans between 475-650 years for the normal Valgardians, as for High Valgardians it is between 600-1000 years depending on the degree of Imperial blood int hem as Imperial live naturally between 810-1000 yeras.

As well, Valgardians are physically taller, naturally immune to most diseases, smart, more glorious to behold, and consider themselves of a more hardier build.

Thus they generally see humans as lower, not worthy of being equal to them, and also see most other races, excluding a number of elf races, as lower and they use this as a justification to enslave humans.

To note many Valgardians see it as their right to own slaves by customs and rights and will defend this pratice as a sign of their power.

Hang on, I thought Valgardians were a type of human, just a sub-set...Learn something new every day.
So what are your reptile men like Wecca? We gonna see a FB soon?

Sounds good, though you can essentially have land dragons, because I do not want flying ones, but the dragons can still breath fire for a limited time of only a couple of seconds, enough though to fry a couple of intruders.:D

As well, I can be a supplier of slaves for your nation's use.;)

I hope I got the right one and also you are purple.

http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map2821nu1.png


I spotted this post. Now, my nation is going to have dragons, but as population rather than steeds. Are there any limitation on what a dragon can do in this world?

God, I'm being a right pest ;).

Hang on, I thought Valgardians were a type of human, just a sub-set...Learn something new every day.
So what are your reptile men like Wecca? We gonna see a FB soon?

1: Well, you'll have dragons like I've mentioned previously, but you'll also have more reptilian lizardmen than amphibian ones, if you know what I mean.
2: Fairly. I keep on tearing it up and starting again in places. But it'll get out eventually. Today or tommorrow, that's a promise (and I'm not using valve time).

One post to go until one hundred!

Alright, I've posted a compilation of what I've put in the thread so far as a factbook.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528865

Remember, that while Valgard is the major supplier of slaves, the Three Lanterns have unparalleled access to information in any slaver state, given a bit of time to establish.

However, tapping into this source of information generally precludes slavery, or at least continued support of slavery.

This will probably be a major bargaining point in diplomatic negotiations with the Three Lanterns, as promises can be made and concessions brokered in exchange for critical information.

I'll be updating the factbook with more fluff and detailed character descriptions.

Wait...do you think these Three Lanterns are in Semshimistha as well?
I'm not saying it would be impossible, indeed it might be easy, but humans are more seen as cattle and tools than actual living beings, with the regular slaughters and working to death (that is, like the wearing out of a saw) of workers.

Also since Semshimistha are excessively brutal and violent in regards to disobedient slaves they'd need to step real light-like as if discovered that'd likely be gleefully torn limb-from-limb.
It doesn't bother me too much though, just make sure you ask me before you make a post about my nation (eg human walking into tavern, unless he was a blood-bond he might be killed for slacking off, if he was he'd be tolerated by only barely.
I suppose you could have Semshimistha in T.L ranks, but it would run directly opposite to the creed of "survival of the best and strongest, death and slavery to the lesser. It is trough conflict we grow, through struggle we prosper," that all Semshimistha run by.

Also since we have no trade contact with Valgard it'd be hard to have Three Lanterns infiltrators, but we can negotiate that later.

I got a metion of you in my factbook, if that's not a problem Hak.

Woohoo! A hundred posts!

Could i be a Goblin Race?

I've got no probelm with that. In fact, we need a goblin nation. But wait until Scan gives you the go ahead.

Hang on, I thought Valgardians were a type of human, just a sub-set...Learn something new every day.
So what are your reptile men like Wecca? We gonna see a FB soon?The acutally pyhsically are between elves and humans such as they have moe delicate features, slightly pointed ears, pale skin, fiery eyes, study limbs, an portional torso, and a number of other features which are a kinda of mixture between them.

I spotted this post. Now, my nation is going to have dragons, but as population rather than steeds. Are there any limitation on what a dragon can do in this world?

God, I'm being a right pest ;).



1: Well, you'll have dragons like I've mentioned previously, but you'll also have more reptilian lizardmen than amphibian ones, if you know what I mean.
2: Fairly. I keep on tearing it up and starting again in places. But it'll get out eventually. Today or tommorrow, that's a promise (and I'm not using valve time).

One post to go until one hundred!As long as the dragons do not fly and do not breather fire contiously for more then 18 seconds I will not have a problem as flying dragons handling can get a little messy. As for type as long as it does not go against what I said now as long as they are not the size of a basketball court.

Alright, I've posted a compilation of what I've put in the thread so far as a factbook.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528865

Remember, that while Valgard is the major supplier of slaves, the Three Lanterns have unparalleled access to information in any slaver state, given a bit of time to establish.

However, tapping into this source of information generally precludes slavery, or at least continued support of slavery.

This will probably be a major bargaining point in diplomatic negotiations with the Three Lanterns, as promises can be made and concessions brokered in exchange for critical information.

I'll be updating the factbook with more fluff and detailed character descriptions.By the way you have the most idea where slaves are going, but not nesscaraily the most info about it as though my nations is buearcatic their are multiple slave trading companies so it would be hard to get all the exact info on the slave numbers and types.

Also, as for you having the best knowledge I think it would be best for you to have the best overall knowledge of what is going on as it can get VERY controversial if you have the most intimate knowledge about everything.

Could i be a Goblin Race?What kind of high fantasy thread would this be without a goblin/orc race?:D

So please by all means and by the way you may make a claim.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528877

My factbook incomplete, still tons to do, btw do you have MSN?

As long as the dragons do not fly and do not breather fire contiously for more then 18 seconds I will not have a problem as flying dragons handling can get a little messy.

Not even flying chicken style, like assited long jumps rather than flying proper? I don't have a problem with the fire thing, it just that a dragon that can't fly is just a oversized lizard that farts the wrong way.

Snap one of my creatures can fly. :( But there are only 14 of them, is that ok?

Not even flying chicken style, like assited long jumps rather than flying proper? I don't have a problem with the fire thing, it just that a dragon that can't fly is just a oversized lizard that farts the wrong way.They can jump a maxium of four hundred feet and twenty five feet high.

Snap one of my creatures can fly. :( But there are only 14 of them, is that ok?Alright, if they are not an important part of battles that would be alright with me then.

Good :D So is my Factbook ok? If no i make some changes now, if yes i shall continue completing it.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=528877

My factbook incomplete, still tons to do, btw do you have MSN?No I do not have MSN and your factbook states that your Gorlizaions are to powerful as the maxium range for an magic attack to effect in radius is four meters as three hundred meters in radius would be enough to take down a sqaure kilometers of forces and magic, while cast by a singular person, is meant not to be enough to win a battle.

Um, wait that is one of the Spiecial Character. Only Lord Falubialisk of the 14 Lord Falubialisk has the ablity to do so. Yea maybe i reduce the amount and write about the bad part of the spell when it is casted.

Good factbook by far, but I'd advise you to tone down your population. My southern neighbour Semista only has 30 million senitent beings. I think 80 million is a bit much, even for goblins.

Oh, and what metals are we restricted to? The standard ones, or some mythical ones (ebony, adamantine)?

They can jump a maxium of four hundred feet and twenty five feet high.

That's fine, keeping in mind they can acieve more when jumping from high places. More like gliding than flying. Or even falling with style.

Um, wait that is one of the Spiecial Character. Only Lord Falubialisk of the 14 Lord Falubialisk has the ablity to do so. Yea maybe i reduce the amount and write about the bad part of the spell when it is casted.Special characters are more highly skilled mages and warriors and leaders, which in essence means they are more powerful yet not overwhelimly powerful.

Good factbook by far, but I'd advise you to tone down your population. My southern neighbour Semista only has 30 million senitent beings. I think 80 million is a bit much, even for goblins.

Oh, and what metals are we restricted to? The standard ones, or some mythical ones (ebony, adamantine)?



That's fine, keeping in mind they can acieve more when jumping from high places. More like gliding than flying. Or even falling with style.Metals, thinking in Elder Scroll terms, ebony, chittin, and adamantine are allowed though they are not leveled.

As well, a population for goblins would acutally be smaller due to sheer ability to feed the populationd due to them being very primitive.

Metals, thinking in Elder Scroll terms, ebony, chittin, and adamantine are allowed though they are not leveled.

That's good news for me. I read that person in the south has the Adamantine trade in his pocket. Looks like he may have competition in the hard metal field!

Well, here it is, my factbook (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12729985#post12729985).

Yeah, I know it's not finished, and some bits may be incositant, but it shall be finished.

Oh, do you like the flag by the way?

That's good news for me. I read that person in the south has the Adamantine trade in his pocket. Looks like he may have competition in the hard metal field!Cool, by the way considering Adamantine will be fairly uncommon I would prefer its use as an armor to be restricted to the nobiltiy and the guards of the highest nobility and your own royal family.

Well, here it is, my factbook (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12729985#post12729985).

Yeah, I know it's not finished, and some bits may be incositant, but it shall be finished.

Oh, do you like the flag by the way?Remember dragons do not really fly as I am keeping an eye on you.;)

By the way I said feet note meters, so it would be around 110-125 meters, to lazy to do the conversion.

Remember dragons do not really fly as I am keeping an eye on you.;)

By the way I said feet note meters, so it would be around 110-125 meters, to lazy to do the conversion.

That would be a problem of incosistancy, not me trying to sneak in facts that don't exist. And I can use both measurements, interestingly.

Cool, by the way considering Adamantine will be fairly uncommon I would prefer its use as an armor to be restricted to the nobiltiy and the guards of the highest nobility and your own royal family.

I meant ebony, but I suppose it still stands, even if Ebony is technically not a metal, it's a volcanic glass with metalic properties. I could mix it with iron and coal to make my steel stronger, of course. And if I've gone and said every soldier does have that armour, that's what has happened.

Anyway, I'll presume that we've been trading for years. What products would you need from me?

Oh, and I might see if I can get my NS pal on this rp.

Incidentally, The Three Lanterns do have something to offer those who do the 'survival of the fittest' regime - the opportunity to make oneself fitter than others. By accepting the survival of those who are not as fit as themselves, individuals can tap into the resources (most notably intel and assassination) of the Three Lanterns, and artificially make themselves more powerful in exchange for a few 'petty promises'.

Also, the Three Lanterns are not human-exclusive, and its best tend to be those recruited from recently captured slaves from ex-honour guards and court wizards and the like. In fact, the majority of humans in the ranks of the Three Lanterns would be non-northerner humans. The primary makeup would likely be Reptiloids and Felinoids, because of their substantially larger slave makeup.

By the way you have the most idea where slaves are going, but not nesscaraily the most info about it as though my nations is buearcatic their are multiple slave trading companies so it would be hard to get all the exact info on the slave numbers and types.

Also, as for you having the best knowledge I think it would be best for you to have the best overall knowledge of what is going on as it can get VERY controversial if you have the most intimate knowledge about everything.

Actually, I'd have the best overall knowledge and the most 'intimate':fluffle: knowledge - just not the same kind of intimate knowledge you're thinking of;). Social death can sometimes be just as effective as actual death:D.

But yes, they do have the ultimate in overall knowledge - if there's something going down, they'll generally know about it, and if they decide something's worth investigating they can dispatch a few Yellow Lighters to infiltrate or break in and ransack the records for the necessary information.

Also, exact numbers and identities of slaves, at least, are well within the scope of the method of obtaining this information. After all, every slave will know ten or eleven others at the least, and they can construct an amalgam to identify every slave. Slave A would know if their best buddy Slave B was hauled off into the death mines, etc.

Bureaucracy works in their favour, really, because there's a longer paper trail to raid. They could always go for the total corporate annihilation route, too, ransacking each office, freeing all the slaves and destroying each property in turn - perhaps even moving on to assassination of the personnel.

EDIT: Scandinvans:

Could I get some details about the weapons your Rangers use and what kind of training they have?

I guess slaves get a few moments to organise stuff at the feeding troughs , which are quite literally huge troughs that hundreds of humans swarm up to and eat out of, mainly thick stew made of lesser-off cuts of meat with ground up vegetables inside, enough to keep people going strong, but dull and plain in flavour.

Slaves are kept in dens, usually stone, and locked inside without blankets or anything else. Usually there a hundred slaves to a den that is 90 square metres, they are usually roughly rectangular in shape.

Slaves are woken at dawn and worked till dusk, at each stage they are sent to the feeding and watering troughs, there is no rest periods and slaves caught doing so are usually brutally beaten, sometimes to death.

Slaves are not branded, but are watched over by Rahgoom, the sharp eyed little critters earn their keep by making sure no one sneaks off. So most riots and rebellions are spur-of-the-moment type things or organised only recently in the dark of the dens.

At the end of each week the slave who earns the most work is given one hour to rest during the day and is allowed to take a mate from the females, similarly a female who achieves well is given an hour of rest and allowed to take a mate from the males.

However, slaves who perform consistently badly for a week or more are killed off, the same with sick slaves, their bodies are usually thrown into the nearest fire.

Rarely a salve will be taken for mating by a male or female Semshimistha, depending completely on Semshimistha they may be used and killed, kept as personal servants or simply sent back shaking to their den.

Sometimes slaves are also killed and eaten, these are never low performing slaves, but never the best either.

Basically although these are rough guidelines a Semshimsitha can pretty much do whatever the hell she/he wants to slaves and no one will object, within limits.


Anything else ya want to know?

BTW: isn't Ebony a dark, black, ornamental wood?

That would be a problem of incosistancy, not me trying to sneak in facts that don't exist. And I can use both measurements, interestingly.



I meant ebony, but I suppose it still stands, even if Ebony is technically not a metal, it's a volcanic glass with metalic properties. I could mix it with iron and coal to make my steel stronger, of course. And if I've gone and said every soldier does have that armour, that's what has happened.

Anyway, I'll presume that we've been trading for years. What products would you need from me?

Oh, and I might see if I can get my NS pal on this rp.I would prefer manfauctered goods, unique resources to your nation, and of course large amounts of ebony.:p

Incidentally, The Three Lanterns do have something to offer those who do the 'survival of the fittest' regime - the opportunity to make oneself fitter than others. By accepting the survival of those who are not as fit as themselves, individuals can tap into the resources (most notably intel and assassination) of the Three Lanterns, and artificially make themselves more powerful in exchange for a few 'petty promises'.

Also, the Three Lanterns are not human-exclusive, and its best tend to be those recruited from recently captured slaves from ex-honour guards and court wizards and the like. In fact, the majority of humans in the ranks of the Three Lanterns would be non-northerner humans. The primary makeup would likely be Reptiloids and Felinoids, because of their substantially larger slave makeup.



Actually, I'd have the best overall knowledge and the most 'intimate':fluffle: knowledge - just not the same kind of intimate knowledge you're thinking of;). Social death can sometimes be just as effective as actual death:D.

But yes, they do have the ultimate in overall knowledge - if there's something going down, they'll generally know about it, and if they decide something's worth investigating they can dispatch a few Yellow Lighters to infiltrate or break in and ransack the records for the necessary information.

Also, exact numbers and identities of slaves, at least, are well within the scope of the method of obtaining this information. After all, every slave will know ten or eleven others at the least, and they can construct an amalgam to identify every slave. Slave A would know if their best buddy Slave B was hauled off into the death mines, etc.

Bureaucracy works in their favour, really, because there's a longer paper trail to raid. They could always go for the total corporate annihilation route, too, ransacking each office, freeing all the slaves and destroying each property in turn - perhaps even moving on to assassination of the personnel.

EDIT: Scandinvans:

Could I get some details about the weapons your Rangers use and what kind of training they have?Acutally, the locations where the slaves are being transported to are generally only to be known due to direction as they are never really told much as they are just slaves.;)

Slave numbers will be within a reasonable give or take a few percent which is alright with me.

Also, it is hard to raid the corporate bases due to the fact that they have armies of mercenaries to protect their trade and are often located in specfically built Imperial forts or fortress cities as let us assume that it is easier and more ecomically to have near the place where the slaves are put unto ships and then shipped off to their destinations. Yet, to attack the slave trading fleets is not really smart either as they often travel in large groups and the decks where the slaves are kept are below or near the water line so the slaves could have the haul opened upon them and all kiledd. Though to attack the slave caverns would be easier and it is more simple to attempt to free slaves from the the more remote plantations.

Rangers are trained to hunt people down, track others, hide in forest, be able to fire bows up to two hundred yards with their quite bows, trained to skillfully wield their longswords, and are essentially my guerilla unit. To note they are trained to follow orders and any tatics are only known by their commanding officers, though to say the guy you claim to be a Ranger would have been killed as a traitor outright if he were a higher ranking person and to escape would not have been plausible due to all higher ranking traitors been guarded by my best guards and to escape would have required an all right attack on one of the most strongest forts by your group. Another unlikely thing as all major forts are guarded by an entire legion, 5,000 fighting men, and the guards are selected due to their ability and their near fanatical loyalty to the Emperor and their commanding officers. The reason why I say this is so to prevent you from using some of my tricks by on me.;)

As for Ranger equipment they use a light wooded longbow, wear a brest piece of chainmail, cover the rest of their body with leather armor, and a carry as a side arm a fairly short long sword.

I would prefer manfauctered goods, unique resources to your nation, and of course large amounts of ebony.:p

Don't you worry, I'll have lot's of the black stuff on it's way. Though keep in mind it takes a long time to forge, six months, this being my evidence (http://til.gamingsource.net/mwbooks/armchallenge.shtml), so I'll presume you'll want it smithed here as well. As for the special forging that takes three days, I'll say that necessity is the mother of invention, and seeing as right now I seem to have the monopoly on ebony metal. In other words, I'm setting up a rp. Keep in mind you'll need to find metal, and I'll be (Icly) unpleased.

I'm presuming by manufactured products you mean stuff like cutlery and things like that. And I'd like to add gold to my shopping list. Because what is the point of black metal when you can't gild it?

Oh, and Uldarius, we're neighbours right? How do you fancy a bit of cold relations, or even a military stalemate in a war that has gone on so long that everyone doesn't treat it as a war?

And Hak, your three lantern thing, I would presume it would have cells in my nation, more so than Uldarius, but less so than in Scan's, with our trade routes?

I need a continental ally, anyone want to ally with meh?

Oh, Hakurabi my nation's monarcht is avidly against the slave trade. I would not mind you setting up some sort of large powerbase in one of my islands. Slave-wise I want to make my nation sort of like a Victorian Canada.

Don't you worry, I'll have lot's of the black stuff on it's way. Though keep in mind it takes a long time to forge, six months, this being my evidence (http://til.gamingsource.net/mwbooks/armchallenge.shtml), so I'll presume you'll want it smithed here as well. As for the special forging that takes three days, I'll say that necessity is the mother of invention, and seeing as right now I seem to have the monopoly on ebony metal. In other words, I'm setting up a rp. Keep in mind you'll need to find metal, and I'll be (Icly) unpleased.

I'm presuming by manufactured products you mean stuff like cutlery and things like that. And I'd like to add gold to my shopping list. Because what is the point of black metal when you can't gild it?

Oh, and Uldarius, we're neighbours right? How do you fancy a bit of cold relations, or even a military stalemate in a war that has gone on so long that everyone doesn't treat it as a war?

And Hak, your three lantern thing, I would presume it would have cells in my nation, more so than Uldarius, but less so than in Scan's, with our trade routes?Sounds good, though gold is not needed in my nation it takes a skilled hand of a might dragon thing in order to make it cool enough for a Valgardian noble to wear.:p

As manfacutred things go, considering your nation is very different then mine, goes for essentially everything from weapons, armor of course, clothing, furinture, and a lot of other things you can think of.

As for the six month thing it does state it can be increased and with your people living near the fires of volcanos you can maybe do it in half of the time.

To note my nation's reptile slaves are in general acutally soft skinned, like salamanders though their skin in terms of feel is like rough human skin that is a little more squishy.;)

I need a continental ally, anyone want to ally with meh?

Oh, Hakurabi my nation's monarcht is avidly against the slave trade. I would not mind you setting up some sort of large powerbase in one of my islands. Slave-wise I want to make my nation sort of like a Victorian Canada.Well, I would have, but since you turned into an avid anti-slavery nation you have lost any support I might have given to you and if you welcome the Three Laterns into your nation you might have also lost a trading partner. As well, to point out if your nation tries to elimnate the slave trad you just alienated two more majors nations.:(

Lol. As I said, my monarchy is against the slave trade. And who says anyone has to know about the Lanterns being in Halestia?

Lol. As I said, my monarchy is against the slave trade. And who says anyone has to know about the Lanterns being in Halestia?Sorry, jumped to conclusion the better thing to say would be that your nation would be against the slave trade and since it would be biased towards the Three Laterns side my nation would view your nation with more suscipion and thus your nation would loss a good deal of possible trading with my nation.

So when can we start actually rping? I am planning on adding the rest of the isles in my area into the Kingdom, and eventually reforming my government to fit Imperial criteria.

So when can we start actually rping? I am planning on adding the rest of the isles in my area into the Kingdom, and eventually reforming my government to fit Imperial criteria.Either tommorrow or Wed.

BTW: isn't Ebony a dark, black, ornamental wood?

Yes, but it is also a hard volcanic glass, according to the elder scrolls universe, which I seem to be using as my basis, along with other things.

Volcanic Glass? Does this also happen to be razor-sharp? Because if it is it sounds freakishly like obsidian.

Just two things for the Valgardians:
Light wooded longbow

Longbows aren't light, they usually need, IIRC, 150 pounds to draw them, a light longbow would be no good as it'd be better used by the likes of a short bow or compound bow, longbows are supposed to be big and heavy so they can out-range their foes.
If you want the mobility I'd advise a nice strong compound bow, like the ones the Mongols used.

Another unlikely thing as all major forts are guarded by an entire legion, 5,000 fighting men, and the guards are selected due to their ability and their near fanatical loyalty to the Emperor and their commanding officers. The reason why I say this is so to prevent you from using some of my tricks by on me.

Might I suggest that this isn't the best idea?
Because this means you have a lot of forts, presumably, all staffed with the loyalist men and five thousand at this, this means your strongest and loyalist men are tired up in defence and watching over slaves leaving the remaining dubious troops as your army.
I'd advise a lot less troops, maybe half as much as a good fort should be able to take 5:1 odds (of comparable troops quality, individual national differences abound of course) and I'd also advise a lot more loyalists in the army, say a thousand fanatics to fifteen hundred normal soldiers should do to watch over saves, shouldn't it?

Oh, and Uldarius, we're neighbours right? How do you fancy a bit of cold relations, or even a military stalemate in a war that has gone on so long that everyone doesn't treat it as a war?

I have a better idea, if it was a full-out war the Lamorr would have called everyone to war and you'd have a few hundreds thousand bloodthirsty Semshimistha knockin' on your doors, so one of us would be dead by now or we'd be exhausted.
How about we have a mutual state of non-aggression with raids coming up and down often and to let our troops train up their strength.
I can't imagine better foes for the Semshimsitha and Saeli in particular to train their skills against than your lizardmen and you're lizardmen would have to look far and wide to find stronger enemies than my Saeli Semshimsitha.
Occasionally small-scale invasion could take place too.

Yes - Open Alliance with the Three Lanterns will generally alienate strongly pro-slavery nations. However, it does open as many doors as it closes, given that you'd effectively have access to a very powerful intelligence agency.

Alright, Calorginas, alliance should work fairly easily, and would probably source funding and high grade equipment from you in exchange for an intelligence partnership. Their presence would also be less hostile, as the overall level of hostility would be lesser, and they could merely spread rumours to shut down anybody seriously mistreating slaves.

Most importantly, they would offer an incredible method of keeping tabs on any rebellion, because they have the best access to the grapevine network.

Also, it is hard to raid the corporate bases due to the fact that they have armies of mercenaries to protect their trade and are often located in specfically built Imperial forts or fortress cities as let us assume that it is easier and more ecomically to have near the place where the slaves are put unto ships and then shipped off to their destinations. Yet, to attack the slave trading fleets is not really smart either as they often travel in large groups and the decks where the slaves are kept are below or near the water line so the slaves could have the haul opened upon them and all kiledd. Though to attack the slave caverns would be easier and it is more simple to attempt to free slaves from the the more remote plantations.

Rangers are trained to hunt people down, track others, hide in forest, be able to fire bows up to two hundred yards with their quite bows, trained to skillfully wield their longswords, and are essentially my guerilla unit. To note they are trained to follow orders and any tatics are only known by their commanding officers, though to say the guy you claim to be a Ranger would have been killed as a traitor outright if he were a higher ranking person and to escape would not have been plausible due to all higher ranking traitors been guarded by my best guards and to escape would have required an all right attack on one of the most strongest forts by your group. Another unlikely thing as all major forts are guarded by an entire legion, 5,000 fighting men, and the guards are selected due to their ability and their near fanatical loyalty to the Emperor and their commanding officers. The reason why I say this is so to prevent you from using some of my tricks by on me.

As for Ranger equipment they use a light wooded longbow, wear a brest piece of chainmail, cover the rest of their body with leather armor, and a carry as a side arm a fairly short long sword.

First, about the raids: Hard, yes. Difficult, no.

What good is an army of mercenaries if they're trapped in a burning building, or paid better. Of course, a *raid* will mostly consist of lightning rushes to cause damage - potentially barricading the barracks and lighting the door on fire to cut off reinforcements while they grab any papers they can find.

It does provide an easy reason why the Three Lanterns haven't just burned all the slave companies to the ground, though. Thanks much for that. :cool:

---

There's really only a few possibilities. The one I prefer is this one:

A grizzled old Ranger Captain who became disenchanted with slavery after seeing all the hardship, and began trying to help the slaves. One day, a slave he was aiding in his hardship begged him to let him free, and he did so, unknowingly observed by a more hardline loyalist. Since he was a loyal soldier of many years, he was sent off to the ice isles as a method of 'honourable death', where he was rescued by the Three Lanterns due to his name spreading among slaves.

---

As I said earlier, it's not that they'll be told, but it's more through word of mouth and overheard conversations. They'll know, and it's plenty enough to keep tabs on slave movements.

Again, it's not like they're *telling* the slaves the information. It's that the slaves are picking up snippets of information and it's being turned into a intelligence gestalt map.

Quick thought, would the Three Lanterns be willing to enter a "deal with the Devil" style of thing?
They agree to stay out of Semshimistha and we agree to provide sanctum? All very much "under the table."
I say this because it would help portray my Lamorr as more than just the strong and cunning warrior that he is, but also a man (Semshimistha) set to conquer the world and purge the weak.
Of course such an alliance would no be long-lived, but it might happen something like that, maybe in exchange for foreign intelligence.
Of course, it would be a deal with the current Lamorr, not the Semshimistha as a whole, but what'ya say?

Sounds good.

Not that it'll stop them, really. They'll just hold back on the 'stab stab' part of it, and when they do they'll take extra care to frame one of the Lamorr's rivals with the crime so nobody wants to dig too deeply.

Heck, they're probably just as likely to renege on it as the Lamorr himself. Crossbow bolt to the head in the middle of a speech and all that.

I think it's good that we're getting more 'not very nice people' factions. It helps with the intrigue side.

Yes - Open Alliance with the Three Lanterns will generally alienate strongly pro-slavery nations. However, it does open as many doors as it closes, given that you'd effectively have access to a very powerful intelligence agency.

Alright, Calorginas, alliance should work fairly easily, and would probably source funding and high grade equipment from you in exchange for an intelligence partnership. Their presence would also be less hostile, as the overall level of hostility would be lesser, and they could merely spread rumours to shut down anybody seriously mistreating slaves.

Most importantly, they would offer an incredible method of keeping tabs on any rebellion, because they have the best access to the grapevine network.



First, about the raids: Hard, yes. Difficult, no.

What good is an army of mercenaries if they're trapped in a burning building, or paid better. Of course, a *raid* will mostly consist of lightning rushes to cause damage - potentially barricading the barracks and lighting the door on fire to cut off reinforcements while they grab any papers they can find.

It does provide an easy reason why the Three Lanterns haven't just burned all the slave companies to the ground, though. Thanks much for that. :cool:

---

There's really only a few possibilities. The one I prefer is this one:

A grizzled old Ranger Captain who became disenchanted with slavery after seeing all the hardship, and began trying to help the slaves. One day, a slave he was aiding in his hardship begged him to let him free, and he did so, unknowingly observed by a more hardline loyalist. Since he was a loyal soldier of many years, he was sent off to the ice isles as a method of 'honourable death', where he was rescued by the Three Lanterns due to his name spreading among slaves.

---

As I said earlier, it's not that they'll be told, but it's more through word of mouth and overheard conversations. They'll know, and it's plenty enough to keep tabs on slave movements.

Again, it's not like they're *telling* the slaves the information. It's that the slaves are picking up snippets of information and it's being turned into a intelligence gestalt map.As you said my system is fairly repressive so any sign of dissent, save short of a person of the closest kin of the Imperial family, will be meet with the harhest of punishments, legally fit, for their crimes and thus there would be quarter given even for service and the execution would be quick death with no real chance for word to spread about it. So in essence your Ranger would have to have been a normal one for there to have been any chance for him to escape, even if he had the sympathy of the guards they would not have helped him.

To state there is not much sympathy to begin with and many Three Laterns will be seen as simple murders and will often be killed by the soldiers sent to arrest any known operative.

Volcanic Glass? Does this also happen to be razor-sharp? Because if it is it sounds freakishly like obsidian.

That's what I thought when I first worked out what it was Think of it like this; the faster lava cools, the harder the rock gets. Obsidian is high up that scale. Now, go futher, making it harder still. Then, add propertites of metal, like making it meltable and mallerble. Basically, it's a ignenous rock version of Adamantine, that is hard (due to the time required) to forge. Oh, and yes, it can be razor sharp.

I have a better idea, if it was a full-out war the Lamorr would have called everyone to war and you'd have a few hundreds thousand bloodthirsty Semshimistha knockin' on your doors, so one of us would be dead by now or we'd be exhausted.

How about we have a mutual state of non-aggression with raids coming up and down often and to let our troops train up their strength.
I can't imagine better foes for the Semshimsitha and Saeli in particular to train their skills against than your lizardmen and you're lizardmen would have to look far and wide to find stronger enemies than my Saeli Semshimsitha.
Occasionally small-scale invasion could take place too.

That would be fine. But keep in mind the proper dragons like to get stuck in at times too. It's just that we'd probably be contesting over humans in the area, my lot are religious, yours are anti-religious, we hate humans, you let some become ones of your own, and a host of other reasons. And what is a rp without war?

And what time is it over there, Scan? Different times zones and all that.

Volcanic Glass? Does this also happen to be razor-sharp? Because if it is it sounds freakishly like obsidian.

Just two things for the Valgardians:


Longbows aren't light, they usually need, IIRC, 150 pounds to draw them, a light longbow would be no good as it'd be better used by the likes of a short bow or compound bow, longbows are supposed to be big and heavy so they can out-range their foes.
If you want the mobility I'd advise a nice strong compound bow, like the ones the Mongols used.



Might I suggest that this isn't the best idea?
Because this means you have a lot of forts, presumably, all staffed with the loyalist men and five thousand at this, this means your strongest and loyalist men are tired up in defence and watching over slaves leaving the remaining dubious troops as your army.
I'd advise a lot less troops, maybe half as much as a good fort should be able to take 5:1 odds (of comparable troops quality, individual national differences abound of course) and I'd also advise a lot more loyalists in the army, say a thousand fanatics to fifteen hundred normal soldiers should do to watch over saves, shouldn't it?



I have a better idea, if it was a full-out war the Lamorr would have called everyone to war and you'd have a few hundreds thousand bloodthirsty Semshimistha knockin' on your doors, so one of us would be dead by now or we'd be exhausted.
How about we have a mutual state of non-aggression with raids coming up and down often and to let our troops train up their strength.
I can't imagine better foes for the Semshimsitha and Saeli in particular to train their skills against than your lizardmen and you're lizardmen would have to look far and wide to find stronger enemies than my Saeli Semshimsitha.
Occasionally small-scale invasion could take place too.Alright, I will just use ebony longbows, though heavy they are of high quality and with the proper string they will be able to be used well.

Remember though that that they are an elite force and will be equipped with the best avaivble equipment. As well, to say the soldiers will tend to use these longbows for many a decade due to their long life span and the fact that they have signed up for service in the army for a couple decades about.

As for the fort thing they are designed to house a legion and I did say they are fortresses which by itself makes them larger then forts.

As you said my system is fairly repressive so any sign of dissent, save short of a person of the closest kin of the Imperial family, will be meet with the harhest of punishments, legally fit, for their crimes and thus there would be quarter given even for service and the execution would be quick death with no real chance for word to spread about it. So in essence your Ranger would have to have been a normal one for there to have been any chance for him to escape, even if he had the sympathy of the guards they would not have helped him.

To state there is not much sympathy to begin with and many Three Laterns will be seen as simple murders and will often be killed by the soldiers sent to arrest any known operative.

On the contrary - there's a majority of sympathy, if only because the numbers of slaves far outnumber the numbers of freemen, and as you confirmed, the 'Repressive Society' will ensure there's not too much resistance among the freemen.

Remember that The Three Lanterns still have a vastly superior intel agency and they have the added advantage of being able to blend in when necessary. Thus, if I set a scene with an OOCly identified Three Lanterns member, you do not have the ability to automatically have guards recognise this individual as a Three Lanterns member until such time that this individual does something to cast suspicion on themselves.

Alright, the ex-ranger is a stock ranger, though I still want to maintain that he was sent to the Ice Isles and survived, being rescued after a couple of months.

He's still going to be damned good, though. It doesn't matter that he was once just a ranger. He's a special character, and through trial by ice wastes he has proven himself far better than your average ranger, as well as training with a famous unit with many varied and strong styles.

He will not be subject to a Ranger Captain's orders, and he will have a very good knowledge of his own tactics and several abilities above and beyond Ranger Training.

---

However, I must remind you of this: I will be holding you to what you've said. The Rangers, except the higher ups, will have *no* knowledge of their own tactics, and I will call you on this. They also will be reliant on their COs, as you said.

I will also hold you to the fact that your best rangers will be concentrated in groups of 5000 in fortresses, which are large enough to be common knowledge.

Additionally, I will also hold you to your decision that Valgard will invariably apply the harshest possible penalty in any condition, no matter their rank, record or title, given any evidence. This might be pulled back to involving slavery only, but all the same I will hold you to it.

I will also hold you to the policy of summary execution for as little evidence as eyewitness reports.

I fully intend to ensure you do react as such when said situations occur.

Sounds good.

Not that it'll stop them, really. They'll just hold back on the 'stab stab' part of it, and when they do they'll take extra care to frame one of the Lamorr's rivals with the crime so nobody wants to dig too deeply.

Heck, they're probably just as likely to renege on it as the Lamorr himself. Crossbow bolt to the head in the middle of a speech and all that.

I think it's good that we're getting more 'not very nice people' factions. It helps with the intrigue side.

Heh, Harakhan wouldn't keep the treaty either, probably order people coming in for sanctum to be tortured to death or something equally as grizzly.

So...I guess we're BOTH backstabbers, that'd make for some nice negotiations.
I would like to point out that the Lamorr, Harakhan, probably would be able to deflect such an incoming projectile. It is a skill of battle-hardened veteran Semshimistha (Espent, Kiishra and Saeli at least, whatever has the body capable of doing it) to quickly "snap" missiles out of the air, and given some of the unique mutations this is sometimes necessary.

I can see I'm going to enjoy this realistic style of play, complete with betrayals and all.

Just one more thing, I wouldn't expect a lot of Three Lanterns members in Semshimistha, simply because by the third generation of living under Semshimistha hope of revolution or escape is usually crushed and the slaves are left as broken labourers, trudging on through day to day with little hope of salvation.

It is the cruel reality of Semshimsitha that the primal "fight or die, follow the strongest, reject the weak" instinct takes over and even lowly humans take on Semshimistha civilisation, thus are the slaves infected with Semshimistha culture and left with their only hope of making life better as Sahadar, this is to be seen in the POV of Gespar Leonard, among others.

So I'd expect Three Lanterns membership to be highest in new slaves, although still low due to the large amount of cultural factors against them.
Speaking of which, you've now got your own anti-three Lanterns...

The Everlasting Night is a Sahadar institution made with the explicit purpose of killing all internal threats to the Semshimistha Empire. Unlike other clan-based organisations or guilds the Everlasting Night is all Sahadar group bound to a single Kiishra, who you'll be able to get to know in my fact book when her biography is complete, also unlike other organisation they exist only to hunt down threats to Semshimistha and NOT to seek power for themselves.
Basically the Everlasting Night is always sworn to the current Lamorr and no other, without going into too much depth they are headed by a crippled Semshimsitha who could never gain power for herself due to her inability to have children or fight on a level of other Kiishra, meaning that she could be trusted.
Three Lamorr have come and gone, all killed by stronger and smarter challengers, but Sysaphal Juis, the Terror of the Night, still watches over Semshimistha.

(I thought it would only be fair for such a thing to exist, simply because most Khang or Graph are too arrogant to think humans could ever be threats.)

Oh yeah, not sure if I already posted this, but it's my IA thread, pretty tame to begin, but only because its from the POV of a Sahadar. http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=529056

On the contrary - there's a majority of sympathy, if only because the numbers of slaves far outnumber the numbers of freemen, and as you confirmed, the 'Repressive Society' will ensure there's not too much resistance among the freemen.

Remember that The Three Lanterns still have a vastly superior intel agency and they have the added advantage of being able to blend in when necessary. Thus, if I set a scene with an OOCly identified Three Lanterns member, you do not have the ability to automatically have guards recognise this individual as a Three Lanterns member until such time that this individual does something to cast suspicion on themselves.

Alright, the ex-ranger is a stock ranger, though I still want to maintain that he was sent to the Ice Isles and survived, being rescued after a couple of months.

He's still going to be damned good, though. It doesn't matter that he was once just a ranger. He's a special character, and through trial by ice wastes he has proven himself far better than your average ranger, as well as training with a famous unit with many varied and strong styles.

He will not be subject to a Ranger Captain's orders, and he will have a very good knowledge of his own tactics and several abilities above and beyond Ranger Training.

---

However, I must remind you of this: I will be holding you to what you've said. The Rangers, except the higher ups, will have *no* knowledge of their own tactics, and I will call you on this. They also will be reliant on their COs, as you said.

I will also hold you to the fact that your best rangers will be concentrated in groups of 5000 in fortresses, which are large enough to be common knowledge.

Additionally, I will also hold you to your decision that Valgard will invariably apply the harshest possible penalty in any condition, no matter their rank, record or title, given any evidence. This might be pulled back to involving slavery only, but all the same I will hold you to it.

I will also hold you to the policy of summary execution for as little evidence as eyewitness reports.

I fully intend to ensure you do react as such when said situations occur.Abilities alright, but he will not have knowledge of what the heck is going on except for base tatics which are in training, such as being trained to ambush and to hunt people.

Also, do not attempt to set other people's laws as they can very well vary as punishment depeneds on the declared severity of their crime and their rank as the more important people are usually the only ones who ever are sentenced to death as soon as possible. Yet, to say the law determines the punishment and my nation is intended to have a well defined set of punishments for crimes, and the higher the rank the more immediate the punishment will be apillied.

To state I only said my fortresses are the centers of a number of my legions, never did I state my Rangners were in any permanent location as they act as units which move where they are needed or have been assigned a larger sector to patrol.

The reason for the higher ranks being punished quickly as possible is to prevent disloyalty from occuring in the commanding positions as that would be the most damaging.

By the way I have given my definate statement with this so I do not want any varying in interpation, though to make sure this is as little controversy as possible the soldiers do face the death penalty for treason, which is cut down to aiding insurgent groups, helping foreign causes, breaking direct orders due to personal beliefs, though if there is a rational reason to breaking them they will be pardoned.

Also, no heros who win a battle against larger forces of good training and strong arms as this is High Fantasy and special characters are meant to be more leaders and not so much as invincible warriors.

So, are we allowed to start role-playing yet?

Oh, and in order to ensure good relations with people on the continent I will need a continental ally (As I previously stated) and I am rather inclined to look towards either the Undead of the Lizard-creatures in. I am interested in you two simply because the positioning on the map makes it near impossible for us not to come in contact with one another.

So what do you think?

So, are we allowed to start role-playing yet?

Oh, and in order to ensure good relations with people on the continent I will need a continental ally (As I previously stated) and I am rather inclined to look towards either the Undead of the Lizard-creatures in. I am interested in you two simply because the positioning on the map makes it near impossible for us not to come in contact with one another.

So what do you think?Feel free to launch away as I am about to launch my diplomatic thread.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=529173

Alright. That is my war post about unifing the islands of the west. I need an rper unless I can do it on my own, and if the Lanterns want they can liberate the slave populations of the northern and southern large isle as I move it.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=529173

Alright. That is my war post about unifing the islands of the west. I need an rper unless I can do it on my own, and if the Lanterns want they can liberate the slave populations of the northern and southern large isle as I move it.To note the Three Laterns will be somewhat limited due to the fact that they are a secret group who will have many limits and there funds are also not great within my own nation as the wealth is concentrated in the hands of the major slave owners and they themselves are all rapib supporters of slavery and view most other races as inferior and not worthy of their real consideration.

Also, my own nation has a habit of not really accepting the currency of other nations, as to buy anything in my Empire only my currency is really accepted and my own nation has a number of exchange booths in cities avaible to foreign traders that give a weight value exchange, yet only people with a pass may do this to any large degree.

Uldarius, I posted in your thread. Now I need to ask; a inexperienced noble is hanging around with a smallish raiding party, heading the same way as one of your raider armies. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Scan, can you put down everyone's NS name next to the name of their nations? Just asking because I am curious as to what nation Weccan's Dragon family is from.

Oh, and is anyone willing to rp the tribes of the isle and the small far-western island?

Scan, can you put down everyone's NS name next to the name of their nations? Just asking because I am curious as to what nation Weccan's Dragon family is from.

Oh, and is anyone willing to rp the tribes of the isle and the small far-western island?I will do it latter tonight, and by the way for the tribe thing it is up to you rp it or if you want someone esle can if you want.

I do it. I'll do it as fair as possible. Any gauge on what I cannot do? As in I don't expect the tribesmen to be technologicaly advanced at all.. or you can just check up on it?

I do it. I'll do it as fair as possible. Any gauge on what I cannot do? As in I don't expect the tribesmen to be technologicaly advanced at all.. or you can just check up on it?I would think that they would proably be traders so give something that is on par technoligically with your weapons, though with armor that is a different story so just give them leather armor with a couple wearing chain mail.

Aight.

They don't need to be that secret, you know. The Vindicators, for one, are not.

Either way, yes, they are somewhat limited, but they do have access to well enough funds to construct high quality equipment (ie. Liberator Keys, for one).

Also, who said anything about fighting like regulars? They're almost necessarily irregular forces.

1 hero won't swing a battle. Twelve will.

They don't need to be that secret, you know. The Vindicators, for one, are not.

Either way, yes, they are somewhat limited, but they do have access to well enough funds to construct high quality equipment (ie. Liberator Keys, for one).

Also, who said anything about fighting like regulars? They're almost necessarily irregular forces.

1 hero won't swing a battle. Twelve will.Metagaming right there as this is high fantasy so therefore twelve would not as they are only the most skilled warriors and will die in the face of overwhelimg numbers.

Also, my own nation has a habit of not really accepting the currency of other nations, as to buy anything in my Empire only my currency is really accepted and my own nation has a number of exchange booths in cities avaible to foreign traders that give a weight value exchange, yet only people with a pass may do this to any large degree.

Wouldn't that discourage trade?
I'm not trying to nitpick, but wouldn't you just accept the money on a weight ration and then cash it in for domestic use?
I mean gold is gold and if their coins are three times smaller, won't it just take three-times as many to pay for the same good?

Wouldn't that discourage trade?
I'm not trying to nitpick, but wouldn't you just accept the money on a weight ration and then cash it in for domestic use?
I mean gold is gold and if their coins are three times smaller, won't it just take three-times as many to pay for the same good?To state trade is usally done through these exchange booths take catalouge of all what is imported and that is where the payments for goods are all made and this is more of a secuirty measure in order to prevent foreign goods from entering the country without permission and espeically to prevent the illegal importation of weapons. Also, when you consider it is rather more efficent for me as it more straightforward then other trade as the offices are quite large and there are multiple of these in each major trading city.

But that means that only large-scale trade can be conducted, obviously it isn't the sort of system that favours hundreds of small groups of peddlers or poor merchants who roam entire lands selling bits and pieces to every village.

Also I fail to see how such measures stop the importation of foreign goods or weapons as such things could be legitimately bought in another nation and merely carried to Valgard, or if they were illegal they could merely be smuggled to Valgard (there are a hundred places, inside walls of ships, fake-bottomed crates etc.)

I'm not dissin' your system, just saying it seems a bit overly-centralised and controlling.

Metagaming right there as this is high fantasy so therefore twelve would not as they are only the most skilled warriors and will die in the face of overwhelimg numbers.

The trouble is, they cannot be simply singled out in the face of such numbers. In fact, as irregular forces they do not need in any way to actually confront said forces at any point in time. Thus, if they are in a combat, and they are leading a force of their own, they can fight many times their own number.

See: Lord of the Rings, 300, Any High Fantasy Heroic Stand.

What army will function without generals? Without food? Without clean water? In the face of nightly assassinations?

On fire?

Don't tell me just because it's high fantasy they can fight on despite this.

It's not metagaming at all. Twelve heroes will swing a battle. Just not how you think they will.

A special character isn't just a bundle of skill wrapped up to beat somebody over the head with, you know.

Ahhh Hak, that's the problem though.
They MIGHT swing the battle, but this is because of their ability to provide morale support and strategy, in LotR the forces of Aragorn et al provided much-needed inspiration and morale boosts to their men, giving them the courage to go on.
Actual battlefield conditions tend to take a long amount of time and even the best sword master isn't like to score more than a hundred kills in an entire battle, and when you're dealing with thousands or tens of thousands such a difference is minor.
However, if you're hero is standing at the forefront of battle yelling encouragement and "spitting in the face of the enemy" so to speak then the men may easily gain heart to keep on fighting, because if morale and fighting spirit breaks people often become a lot easier to defeat and break up.

Remember that it would be considered a Godmode if an army running desperately low on supplies, that has been moving with little rest for weeks, could fight off an army twice its size of competent men, it just isn't likely to happen unless they have legit reasons (terrain advantages, for example.)

One thing I can guarantee is that we will have no 300-like fights, unless we're dealing with the actual historical situation, where the much smaller force actually has logistics, command, training, experience, weapons and terrain advantages.

Why?
Because it's simply no fun if your enemy can pull that sort of crap, nor is it realistic 99% of the time.

How would you feel if every time a force was sent against an undefended place and a few hundreds guardsmen somehow manage to hold off your fifty thousand men?
The point is that such situations are exceptions to the rule.

I do believe that such things are allowed for the traditional Blaze of Glory death, such as Boromir in LotR where one man can fight on past his breaking point and take down dozens of his enemies, because it is his death.
However, such things are not expected to be abused and in many cases it is a lot more reasonable to let your character be bested by just a few men.

To use a more relevant example, if your character X is a master spy and he is discovered by guardsmen A-E, chances are he might take one or two down, but he'll probably be overpowered and defeated in the end without such a blaze of glory.

However, if your character was a master swordsman fighting in your army it might be acceptable for such an event, but nonetheless it is strictly a plot convenience designed to give your character an honourable death, a dozen characters won't turn the tide of a big battle unless they are using legitimate techniques such as morale support, tactical planning or something to the effect.


Oh, yeah, SIGN-UPS ARE STILL OPEN, DO IT, THE POWER OF CHEESE COMPELS THEE!

True.

But as I said, they *can* swing a battle.

More importantly, when I said they cannot be singled out, this means that they simply cannot be singled out. In the melee of soldiers charging and fighting, it would be unreasonable to say that they simply go for the guy who happens to be turning several of their comrades into dead comrades. Or the guy who is shooting fire from his hands and blowing them away.

If a group of say twelve goes around and cuts off supplies, or burns food stocks, then it will cause serious damage to any war effort. That would be how they swing battles.

I never said they'd be going about stabbing the enemy, except maybe in an assassination situation.

In fact, what you name as valid strategic employment of legendary figures is precisely how a comparitively smaller group could break a larger one. As I argued, they're more than just bundles of skill to beat people over the head with.

Command and Logistics are perfectly valid and quite vulnerable targets for irregular forces.

---

Admittedly, I have never seen 300 (nor heard of the actual confrontation), so that was likely a bad example. I just came up with it as an example of victory of a smaller force over a larger one.

Still, a logistically strong small force which actively destroys (or contaminates) opposing supplies and eliminates commanding officers will emerge victorious.

Individual results may vary...lolz.

some characters might be singled out by opposing 'heroes' though, simply because of old grudges or because in some cases heroes have the "I'll get the strongest enemy I can" mindset.

Also focusing on mages wouldn't be a strategically un-viable moves, it might, and is, a perfectly reasonable order to tell your archers something like "Kill any magic users you see first" granted this means that a lot of arrows that are fired and don't hit will be wasted, just like if you told your archers to kill any commanders, this is because that a lot of arrows will miss if they're all aiming at a single man out of a hundred.

Hell, archers usually only have accuracy up to 90-100 paces at their best, for less experienced half that wouldn't be unexpected. At two hundred or more paces in a battle with hell going on you're better off just saying "shoot at the enemy" as sniping will probably be pretty unlikely to succeed simply because of the range issues.

I'm saying all this because it is fair enough to say "target X" to a small group, but to issue a wide-scale order would probably be detrimental to the battle as those archers which could be hailing arrows down on formations of spearmen are instead trying to take out a handful of scattered mages.

But really, so long as the named character isn't the only one of his type, he shouldn't be expected to experience too much more attention, so if there was only one mage it might make sense for a command to order a specific group to focus on his death, but only a fool would have all their archers assigned to such a task.

But really it all comes down to individual commanders and races, some guys might prioritise differently and say "kill that mage!" whereas others would ignore them and focus on the main battle, really there are a thousand tiny changes and possible alterations, but such situations are best handled in-character to better define the personality of the characters.

Thank you Uldarious as you essentially just made a better arugment then I would have for the point I am trying to make.

As Uldarious is saying I wish to prevent heroes for being the sole reason you win the battle as let us say I am fighting your forces on an open plane with a large force you will lose simply on a plain I will win no matter if you have a few dozen heroes as a plain will provide me a prime place to use larger numbers against you and also since my soldiers are mostly professional and are trained they will not be able to be defeated easily.

Admittedly, I have never seen 300 (nor heard of the actual confrontation), so that was likely a bad example. I just came up with it as an example of victory of a smaller force over a larger one.

The people who made the movie left off the part where 5,000 Greeks help defend the pass.


Also, it dosen't matter what type of terrain you got. If your army is tired, out-numbered two to one, and hungry then your dead. Remember the old saying "An army marches on it's stomach."

The people who made the movie left off the part where 5,000 Greeks help defend the pass.


Also, it dosen't matter what type of terrain you got. If your army is tired, out-numbered two to one, and hungry then your dead. Remember the old saying "An army marches on it's stomach."Good point as well that shall be essentially one of the main factors for determing the winner of a battle.

And as I've been saying, say I use a fighting withdrawl tactic and continuously cut down your supplies, perhaps even contaminating your food and water with some deadly disease or poison, then those twelve heroes who have gone around cutting you off would swing the battle.

At no point did I suggest that they would not have an army (even if a small one) behind them.

To take your example as a scenario...

We'll make your large force arbitrarily large, say, 10,000 highly trained soldiers against 2,500 and the twelve heroes, on plains.

Now, an army can only move so much in a day before they get tired to the point of being unable to fight, despite training (and contrary to Morrowind characters who appear to be able to walk and fight all day given a moment's rest:p). Thus, at some stage you must pitch camp, and eventually you will need more supplies.

Alright, given this situation, the 2,500 strong army has been retreating constantly, because they know you hold a 4:1 advantage. In the meantime, the heroes, a group of 12 being far easier to hide than 2,500, is creeping around the formation.

They begin cutting down supply convoys, and not necessarily by actually capturing it. They can simply destroy them, by, say, igniting the wagon or even just using some sort of poison to contaminate it before running.

Eventually, your highly trained troops will become starving, tired troops - faster if the commandos somehow destroy your food and drink supplies, and the 2,500 strong army can (assuming they have managed to ward off similar tactics, or are using an area in which they can focus on getting more food) simply fall upon the starved and probably diseased army and destroy them.

There, 12 heroes have swung a battle significantly. They were also the sole reason the 2,500 strong army have won the battle. Even on a plain.

is it at all possible to still joint his? it sounds interesting and I have a few ideas on nations including culture, military, lifestyle etc))

And as I've been saying, say I use a fighting withdrawl tactic and continuously cut down your supplies, perhaps even contaminating your food and water with some deadly disease or poison, then those twelve heroes who have gone around cutting you off would swing the battle.

At no point did I suggest that they would not have an army (even if a small one) behind them.

To take your example as a scenario...

We'll make your large force arbitrarily large, say, 10,000 highly trained soldiers against 2,500 and the twelve heroes, on plains.

Now, an army can only move so much in a day before they get tired to the point of being unable to fight, despite training (and contrary to Morrowind characters who appear to be able to walk and fight all day given a moment's rest:p). Thus, at some stage you must pitch camp, and eventually you will need more supplies.

Alright, given this situation, the 2,500 strong army has been retreating constantly, because they know you hold a 4:1 advantage. In the meantime, the heroes, a group of 12 being far easier to hide than 2,500, is creeping around the formation.

They begin cutting down supply convoys, and not necessarily by actually capturing it. They can simply destroy them, by, say, igniting the wagon or even just using some sort of poison to contaminate it before running.

Eventually, your highly trained troops will become starving, tired troops - faster if the commandos somehow destroy your food and drink supplies, and the 2,500 strong army can (assuming they have managed to ward off similar tactics, or are using an area in which they can focus on getting more food) simply fall upon the starved and probably diseased army and destroy them.

There, 12 heroes have swung a battle significantly. They were also the sole reason the 2,500 strong army have won the battle. Even on a plain.You have to realize that twelve are twelve men cannot really do so much as supply caverns often, in my case do, march with the army and in my internal movements they move fort to fort to replinish their food and as for water each soldier carries about two liters on them so if there is posining of a water supply, when on campiagn, it can be averted as the commanders often will not let the men go up to it a massive charge as disipline has to be kept to prevent any chance for the enemy to overwhelm them and as such posion will be noticeable before it would affect the entire the army which would mean rougly a quarter would be affected before it was stopped. As for food you cannot posion it like you think as disease often only broke out due to damp conditions and can be prevented by simply covering it with a tarp. For burning twelve men would not be able to do so much damage as in war any person who started a fire would only have a minute or so to start a fire as it night and fire is bright and twelve men would not be able to cripple an army in that fashion.

Also, cutting down supply convoys will not work effectively as twelve time will only do so much damage and will face casulties due to cavarns being guarded, espcially during times of war, so lone attacks will damage you to much and if you keep raiding the food supplies will last a couple days so it would only make the opposing force launch an earlier attack on your forces which will only grant you the choice of not being starved out and having the only real advantage of choosing the time the enemy attacks, within a few days.

So in conlcusion twelve men cannot affect a major battle by their efforts alone as it does not simply make any logical sense in my opinion no matter how you put it as they are still mere mortals and can only do so much and can be killed like other mortals.

Sorry, though as I am really trying to limit the powers of characters in their ability to limit battles solely on them this time.

is it at all possible to still joint his? it sounds interesting and I have a few ideas on nations including culture, military, lifestyle etc))You more then welcome to join all I want to know first is where you want your claim to be?

Map:



http://img240.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map21oc8.png

(( I was thinking on the little peninsula between the orange and the red borders, in the bottom middle, running up to that big lake where all the rivers converge? I can't edit it myself. To try and describe it better, right before the orange border is an isthmus, from the bottom part of that isthmus running up the mountain hills and meeting with the tributaries that merge into the rivers that lead to the lake. If you could save the map in a different format I could probably edit it myself, but c'est la vie

More often then not a supply caravan is guarded. My caravans are ALL guarded. Especially in my island invasion because they have only 1 months supply of food.

If there are still spots open I'd like join this as well.

(( I was thinking on the little peninsula between the orange and the red borders, in the bottom middle, running up to that big lake where all the rivers converge? I can't edit it myself. To try and describe it better, right before the orange border is an isthmus, from the bottom part of that isthmus running up the mountain hills and meeting with the tributaries that merge into the rivers that lead to the lake. If you could save the map in a different format I could probably edit it myself, but c'est la vieDo you want to have a small area on the other big lake, west of the other lake, so as to have access to a faster trade route to the west?

Also, will your nation allow slavery?

yeah, perhaps a colony enclave or something, that sounds good, as far as slavery, I'm thinking of having that be part of the nation, if that's a problem I can stick to serfdom.

If there are still spots open I'd like join this as well.Of course what is your claim though, though to note you cannot claim the penniusla near between the red and orange and the lower river near it, though you can claim any other open land.

I'll take the land south of Black and north of Orange if that's alright.

You're forgetting that as high fantasy, modern tactics are often possible.

Yes, there are guards. Yes, there convoys are guarded.

However, unlike a medieval setting, there is magic.

A simple fireball will almost immediately eliminate a caravan, or set it aflame. It works out as a High Fantasy equivalent of a rocket launcher, interestingly enough. Yes, even a weak fireball will set such things aflame.

Alchemically created fire would cause far more damage than more traditional methods.

Even with limited magic, a competent mage can indeed cause enormous damage, especially when backed up by proper forces.

Disease doesn't need to come about naturally. It can come about through deliberate contamination. It means that *all* the food affected is lost. It doesn't need to actually affect the soldiers.

They are guarded, yes, but the objective is to cause as much damage as possible in as short amount of time as possible. These are not petty raiders come to steal food, they are people coming to destroy it.

Besides which, if there's a nearby fort it's hardly a campaign, and anything that occurs there will likely involve siege engines and lots of fire.

Either way, it's easily possible for a group of 12 characters to cause serious damage behind the lines with the right skills.

---

But let's set that aside and argue about it when the time comes.

http://img505.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map21pq2.png

Drekon: Light Blue

Zhyolatska: Light Purple

How does this look by the way?

yeah, perhaps a colony enclave or something, that sounds good, as far as slavery, I'm thinking of having that be part of the nation, if that's a problem I can stick to serfdom.No problem, as I am asking only for my nation's purpouses as my own nation is a major slave trading nation, where around sixty percent of my entire population are slaves. Considering it though it will be to both of our benefit if you did have slavery.:D

As well, economically you can grow a lot of trading goods more profitably with slavery due to the fact your nation has access to a year round warm climate to grow foods, spices, and other goods which may or may not be able to grow anywhere else.

You're forgetting that as high fantasy, modern tactics are often possible.

Yes, there are guards. Yes, there convoys are guarded.

However, unlike a medieval setting, there is magic.

A simple fireball will almost immediately eliminate a caravan, or set it aflame. It works out as a High Fantasy equivalent of a rocket launcher, interestingly enough. Yes, even a weak fireball will set such things aflame.

Alchemically created fire would cause far more damage than more traditional methods.

Even with limited magic, a competent mage can indeed cause enormous damage, especially when backed up by proper forces.

Disease doesn't need to come about naturally. It can come about through deliberate contamination. It means that *all* the food affected is lost. It doesn't need to actually affect the soldiers.

They are guarded, yes, but the objective is to cause as much damage as possible in as short amount of time as possible. These are not petty raiders come to steal food, they are people coming to destroy it.

Besides which, if there's a nearby fort it's hardly a campaign, and anything that occurs there will likely involve siege engines and lots of fire.

Either way, it's easily possible for a group of 12 characters to cause serious damage behind the lines with the right skills.

---

But let's set that aside and argue about it when the time comes.My final comment for now is magic is limited to a reasonable degree, yet what is the defination of reasonable in the end of it all?;)

((would it be at all possible for me to have a world wonder? also, here's something along the linesof what I'm thinking so far

The governing system consists of a complex court system under an emperor figure or "Bayiz". Ya Bayizjed Byzojakon [Lit]"The empire-state (of) Byzoj" consists of an emperor figure head, a supreme governer, holding the largest power, followed by a divided court. The court consists of the councils of Najavjed, ((advisors, each province-state has a council consisting of a representative from each city, each of these councils has a representative advisor (Najav) present at the court, which answer to a grand Najav who reports and advises the Bayiz directly)) Saembajed ((domestic advisory council, literally "Collection of women" (( the suffix-jed denotes that the noun forms a collective, or shows that the noun is a organized plural, I.E Bayiz=emperor Bayizjed =empire)) this is made up of a collection of non democratically elected women who advise the emperor on matters, usually headed by the emperor's wife, and consisting of his mistresses)), and Çivudjed ((scribes and accountants, the rest of the court, consisting of scribes and accountants, who manage the emperor's treasury and trades and all such matters.)).

Interestingly businesses of Byzoj do not operate in such a manner as in other places. There is an almost totally free market. Those who harvest raw materials usually work under an estate or merchantry, as those are the only two things outside of the emperor who will pay for such at a constant rate. miners, loggers, etc are paid by the amount of product they bring to the pay master, as well as paid a set rate per day labored to ensure that they do not grow hungry.

Further if one seeks to establish a craft work one can do one of two things, secure steady income working for a merchantry or estate, or take up the craft themselves. if they pursue the latter they must first go through a grueling apprenticeship, in which the apprentice will not be paid, but given room and board. Then there are the merchants, these cunning men establish an almost iron grip on trade routes, they secure and vend wares, they offer investments to independent store owners and whatnot. The merchants and traders are among the most respected professions in Byzoj, short of the artists and writers.

Merchants and traders will often organize into large collectives and form their own hierarchies. this is called a "merchantry" ((as opposed to an estate, which is owned by one family and has a hierarchy)). Finally there are government jobs, these pay the most, but the requirements are the highest. Also, the Emperor's court, and by extension, the Bayiz himself, have total control over the entire economy. While there are systems in place to ensure that an emperor cannot drive his people into total poverty, the emperor can requisition use of ANY resource and amount he wishes for use in construction and grand projects, paying a sum to compensate. The Emperor also has total control of how many coins are minted, and as such is the richest man in the empire. However, unlike other nations there is no "national budget" all expenses paid by the government must be taken from the emperor's treasury, even his home belongs to the state. However, being as the emperor IS the state, it balances itself out.

((That's all I have for now, I still need to explain how the estate works, plus other things

((would it be at all possible for me to have a world wonder? also, here's something along the linesof what I'm thinking so far

The governing system consists of a complex court system under an emperor figure or "Bayiz". Ya Bayizjed Byzojakon [Lit]"The empire-state (of) Byzoj" consists of an emperor figure head, a supreme governer, holding the largest power, followed by a divided court. The court consists of the councils of Najavjed, ((advisors, each province-state has a council consisting of a representative from each city, each of these councils has a representative advisor (Najav) present at the court, which answer to a grand Najav who reports and advises the Bayiz directly)) Saembajed ((domestic advisory council, literally "Collection of women" (( the suffix-jed denotes that the noun forms a collective, or shows that the noun is a organized plural, I.E Bayiz=emperor Bayizjed =empire)) this is made up of a collection of non democratically elected women who advise the emperor on matters, usually headed by the emperor's wife, and consisting of his mistresses)), and Çivudjed ((scribes and accountants, the rest of the court, consisting of scribes and accountants, who manage the emperor's treasury and trades and all such matters.)).

Interestingly businesses of Byzoj do not operate in such a manner as in other places. There is an almost totally free market. Those who harvest raw materials usually work under an estate or merchantry, as those are the only two things outside of the emperor who will pay for such at a constant rate. miners, loggers, etc are paid by the amount of product they bring to the pay master, as well as paid a set rate per day labored to ensure that they do not grow hungry.

Further if one seeks to establish a craft work one can do one of two things, secure steady income working for a merchantry or estate, or take up the craft themselves. if they pursue the latter they must first go through a grueling apprenticeship, in which the apprentice will not be paid, but given room and board. Then there are the merchants, these cunning men establish an almost iron grip on trade routes, they secure and vend wares, they offer investments to independent store owners and whatnot. The merchants and traders are among the most respected professions in Byzoj, short of the artists and writers.

Merchants and traders will often organize into large collectives and form their own hierarchies. this is called a "merchantry" ((as opposed to an estate, which is owned by one family and has a hierarchy)). Finally there are government jobs, these pay the most, but the requirements are the highest. Also, the Emperor's court, and by extension, the Bayiz himself, have total control over the entire economy. While there are systems in place to ensure that an emperor cannot drive his people into total poverty, the emperor can requisition use of ANY resource and amount he wishes for use in construction and grand projects, paying a sum to compensate. The Emperor also has total control of how many coins are minted, and as such is the richest man in the empire. However, unlike other nations there is no "national budget" all expenses paid by the government must be taken from the emperor's treasury, even his home belongs to the state. However, being as the emperor IS the state, it balances itself out.

((That's all I have for now, I still need to explain how the estate works, plus other thingsLools dang good and as such I look further for it be done. Though to say once you are done make a factbook.

Here is a decent sum up of your nation, In your nation state is Emperor, and Emperor is state.

Would it be at all possible to have more northern land? Around the lake that is?
I'm willing to take a penalty or sacrifice some western land if it would be unbalanced.

also, to clarify the world wonder, I was thinking about having a great palace and/or a holy site for a religion.

On the slavery thing, I was indeed planning to have slavery, slave conscripts, private slaves, and the like, and my Nation geared more towards trading/cultural progress.

Edit:

Fairly good summation, but there's a lot of bureaucratic "red-tape" as it were there, councils to decide councils to decide councils etc.

oh, and I'm really looking forward to this

I'm just curious, who's playing Orange? I can't seem to find any information on them.

Would it be at all possible to have more northern land? Around the lake that is?
I'm willing to take a penalty or sacrifice some western land if it would be unbalanced.

also, to clarify the world wonder, I was thinking about having a great palace and/or a holy site for a religion.

On the slavery thing, I was indeed planning to have slavery, slave conscripts, private slaves, and the like, and my Nation geared more towards trading/cultural progress.

Edit:

Fairly good summation, but there's a lot of bureaucratic "red-tape" as it were there, councils to decide councils to decide councils etc.

oh, and I'm really looking forward to thisIf you wish I could sell slaves to you as soon as my slave trading thread is put up.

As for the holy place idea feel free to set it up to any reasonable size, such as not bigger then let us say a city of 25,000 for one complex though it could be a sprawling one that goes on in all directions.

By the way the rping, aka IC, threads have opened up so feel free to start rping.:p

Here is the newer map and any changes will be easy to make if you want them done so feel free to ask: http://img358.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map21jb3.png

I love my position.

Scand, how large would you say my maritime-trade fleet is?

I'm just curious, who's playing Orange? I can't seem to find any information on them.Here you go: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=515079

I love my position.

Scand, how large would you say my maritime-trade fleet is?Fairly unlimited for smaller ships, as for larger ships that can transport around 100, or more, persons if needed a couple hundred.

My fleet size contains rougly 340 trade ships, 80 of which are slave ships which hold each around 500 persons in cramped conditions, and a thousands of ships that range from cargo ships to fishing boats.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12746149#post12746149

My factbook, if it's okay?

Lookin' good....'


Do forgive me Hak, I have been otherwise detained....

Basically if you're inventive enough a small force can easily swing a battle, but you also have to remember that an army of ten thousand men in ideal conditions will have at least an equal amount of supply personal, for well-constructed armies that is.

So twelve men really can't starve out the resources of an army that large, unless their enemy commander is an idiot, which is a possibility.

To put it in simple terms...

say Army One is gifted with ten thousand men + auxilaries and ten thousand support personnel + extras, which will probably be a couple of hundred supply wagons/whatever is used.
Now given that the average soldier needs to consume several litres of water and several kilos of food a day, if you were to take out fifty wagons it'd force rationing, which will lower the combat abilities of the army from max, but it won't starve them out.
Lets say you also contaminate some food/water, I'd still say only a few hundred men would get sick from the wagons that could be infected.
Of course this in turn brings up how much of the army is being used to guard supply caravans, the more men set to supply, the less that are actually used in battle and thus the more net forces that must be deployed.

Assuming that the commander is smart and has assigned something like 25% of the force to supply, I'd say you might get a couple of dozen wagons, which in turn might take out 500-750 soldiers, which does mean that your army of 2500 men is now only facing it off against 6750 men, all due to your twelve heros and their actions (mind you, supplies should always be protected.)
However, at the end of the day that larger army will still likely win, it'll just take longer and encounter heavier losses, but by the same token if the smaller force is smart they should just wear the enemy down and then fight from the highest terrain advantage where they might uses their heroes to keep their men fighting strong and maybe convince the enemy that they are unassailable, because morale counts.

So it might come down to 6750 V 2500 and losses like so
1500 700

But the larger army becomes convinced it cannot win the day and so retreats.

Granted it is all down to the attitudes of the commanders being used, one might quit the field after a week or so of no progress, another might get up to the confrontation and get beaten-back, others might persevere and grin the smaller army down.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12746149#post12746149

My factbook, if it's okay?Looks dang good and is quite thorough.

Yet to ask what does Byzoji and Yanizvarajed groups entail?

Byzoji-ethnic members of the descendantsof the original people of Byzoj, my empire, hence Byzoji.

Yaznivara, I thought I mentioned this in the factbook, oh well, Yaznivara= slave conscript jed- ending denoting plural so Yaznivarajed= Slave-conscripts, basically military slavesand sent to fight and die, so our fine artists needn't! Unfortunately they have a tendancy of revolting every now and then:rolleyes: you'd think they'd be happy being slaves =P armed variously, with clubs, javelins, axes, halbers, chopping swords, an overall variety depending on the mix. Most combat in the Bayizjed is carried out by the Yaznivarajed, and it's been that way, so we have our traditions! why we always wear out hats...;)

Byzoji-ethnic members of the descendantsof the original people of Byzoj, my empire, hence Byzoji.

Yaznivara, I thought I mentioned this in the factbook, oh well, Yaznivara= slave conscript jed- ending denoting plural so Yaznivarajed= Slave-conscripts, basically military slavesand sent to fight and die, so our fine artists needn't! Unfortunately they have a tendancy of revolting every now and then:rolleyes: you'd think they'd be happy being slaves =P armed variously, with clubs, javelins, axes, halbers, chopping swords, an overall variety depending on the mix. Most combat in the Bayizjed is carried out by the Yaznivarajed, and it's been that way, so we have our traditions! why we always wear out hats...;)Thank you as I wanted a little more detail on what they were and so I say I am sorry for making you do that as it was acutally quite clear.:D

Also, what kind of slaves are you looking for as I have a large overflow of them for sale as I have kept slave raids on 'barbarian' lands up for a while...

As well, can I ask can my nation and yours be in alliance so that we will be able to use our combined resources to wage war on our neighbors?

No problem, I think an alliance sounds good, I need some sort of military meatshi-....friend.. Yes... meat-friend.:p I'm sure there's something we can supply you with, artists, architects, supplies money for slaves.. =P barbarian slaves sound fine, warriors, uneducated, the perfect tool!

But as far as war goes, we'll see how we can help... Can we say trade embargo? =P Should I make a post in your Diplomacy Thread?

No problem, I think an alliance sounds good, I need some sort of military meatshi-....friend.. Yes... meat-friend.:p I'm sure there's something we can supply you with, artists, architects, supplies money for slaves.. =P barbarian slaves sound fine, warriors, uneducated, the perfect tool!

But as far as war goes, we'll see how we can help... Can we say trade embargo? =P Should I make a post in your Diplomacy Thread?Alright, then make the post and let us get to the :cool:

Byzoji-ethnic members of the descendantsof the original people of Byzoj, my empire, hence Byzoji.

Would that entail humans? Because for my lot that's important.

Posted in your thread

somewhat human, they appear human, but they are a different race(with different ethnicities like humans), Byzoji appear inclined to have traits with olive or almost bronze (tan-wise) skin, hair is generally black except cases of blondism where it's brown, eyes are brown, green, or hazel, hair is also wiry or curly and they have moderate facial hair, but less inclined to heavy body hair.

Ah, right. Well, my lot aren't the biggest fans of humans as a race. I could trade to you though Valgard, but that's it, really.

I was under the impression the valgardians were human-like too,wouldn't that make trade by either party not possible? :confused:

I was under the impression the valgardians were human-like too,wouldn't that make trade by either party not possible? :confused:

Nah, their more elf-like. You can get away with that if you want, I suppose.

Oh, and did you say you had decent architects? Because so do I. Welcome to the club.

I suppose combat works out to a hundred different factors. Heroes are quite versatile tools, in the end.

Since a couple of heroes could pretty much kill off around five or six soldiers without too much trouble, divvying them into small counter-scout groups could cause problems as well, eliminating enemy scouts with almost no chance of retaliation, and forcing an army to 'march blind', as it were.

Every strategy I put forth could be countered by another strategy, which in turn could be countered again by changing tactics. The situation changes again if the smaller army has an easy escape option (ie. only drawing out a larger force as a diversion) in which case all they need to do is keep the enemy on the move and causing as much damage as possible to the larger force, dispersing when finally attacked.

There are far too many what ifs in the end to actually make a blanket ruling.

I'll start posting properly once I've finalised the Vindicators.

I'm certain there's a difference in architectural style, but anyways, I wanted my nation to have a shift more to culture, and art, and learning, than warfare, that's why I have slaves to fight for me! knowledge is power indeed, but the Byzoji are not human, they're a different species as it were. They have no magical aptitude, at all, plus they're weaker than humans physically, and as far as height goes they stand around 5'8-5'9, no special athletic aptitude... Infact I don't believe they have any bonuses racially,only flaws.

Hmm... I can see how we could do a plot with a slave uprising there, Zhy.

Perhaps releasing slaves secretly could allow for a powerful enough army to challenge the 'soft' Byzoji and force a shift in power.

It could make for a good change, suddenly mobilising nearby slaving states and potentially holding the Byzoji to ransom, testing how much their allies truly care.

RE: Anti Humanism: You know, I think in this case so long as they look relatively human they'd be subject to discrimination. If the Byzoji look at least reasonably human (with a little imagination) they would probably be subject to just as much hate. To a lesser extent, Elves and Valgardians, though elves do tend to be depicted with different builds above and beyond pointy ears.

Not to mention that the one who holds the Byzoji ransom will be able to extort tribute from them and fill their coffers.... Y'know I probably shouldn't contribute to my own downfall should I?:p

But the Byzoji have had slave rebellions before.. unfortunately it's been two hundred years since the last one, so the empire has grown really lax in it's non-yanizvarajed army, which is a really bad chink in the armor as it were.

You might also want to try to recruit some Kovakta tribesmen to raid fromthe north, or Ionais to try and stir dissent in the conquered west. Or you could play the corruption angle, with the countless councils and representative and provinces, surely one could get a few to break off or put biased opinions in the governing powers.

Oh bloody great, keep this up and the Three Lanterns will have an entire nation under their foul sway.
(walks off mumbling to self)

so don't complain, ally me :P

or at least trade! you mention importing rareworks in your fact book, we can give you some high quality works of art, literature, etc or fruits, or something that we trade in exchange for something else. enticing, eh?

Fair enough, how about building a fortress for one of my lords? You're architects would be protected by his influence and the slaves would do the actual work.
Aside from that...Semshimistha aren't that hot for art, maybe a few painting depicting themselves, as it says we aren't strong traders so it would be slow going, but as long as you have architects and armour smiths making their craft you'd probably have business, maybe also for some irrigation systems or painters in some areas, but your men will have to stay in Mishrael to trade, if they wander off they'd risk being mistaken for humans.

Alliances aren't likely with the Semshimistha, you might get a cease-fire or a peace agreement, but if you're close you'll have to worry about raids and Semshimsitha aren't likely to prove very supportive allies unless it is a slow day and they feel like plundering (in which case it is like a double negative where the enemy army and the allied territories would both take a beating) it's how the Semshimsitha operate IC so I have to stick with it.

Alright, I can send an envoy north to Mishrael containing an architect to help design a fortress with a guard of 6 armed Kovakta tribesmen

...You could do that...except Mishrael is a port town, and the only one where business with humans is done, so doing so by ship would be considered a far better option as otherwise traders risk raids and banditry.

EDIT:
So who wants to RP the resistance for the Unification of the Isles thread?

Scand said I can do it myself. I haven't been at my uncles office since the day before yesterday, and I'm here today. I'll make a post in a bit.

I'll be giving them steel weapons, tribal armor, and several thousand units. I don't expect them to have a highly advanced civilization in the least. Simple traders. With a damn good trade location. But if someone wants to RP it, I'm cool with that.

Well I just thought someone might want to do so, to stop you from getting lonely;)

You can if you like. Might give me some inspiration to post.

Not me, I'm busy with my FACTBOOK and internal affairs threads, soz.

Ah, right. Well, my lot aren't the biggest fans of humans as a race. I could trade to you though Valgard, but that's it, really.Well, for your fandom of humans I thought it was depending on how fat and tasty they were?;)

Well, for your fandom of humans I thought it was depending on how fat and tasty they were?;)

Oh, in that respect, of course we do. He love them, infact. Can't get enough of them. They go especially well with a bit of garlic ;).

Oh, in that respect, of course we do. He love them, infact. Can't get enough of them. They go especially well with a bit of garlic ;).Throw in a bit of pepper and salt they are espically tasty.:p

Throw in a bit of pepper and salt they are espically tasty.:p

Oh aye. And don't forget the HP sauce!

Wow, we've gone from Characters to caniblism in a couple of posts.

Scand said I can do it myself. I haven't been at my uncles office since the day before yesterday, and I'm here today. I'll make a post in a bit.

I'll be giving them steel weapons, tribal armor, and several thousand units. I don't expect them to have a highly advanced civilization in the least. Simple traders. With a damn good trade location. But if someone wants to RP it, I'm cool with that.lol. your uncle locked you in his office for a long time and only gave you a computer to enterain you.

*Sends mountains of chips, salsa, pop, water, an Xbox 360, WoW with paid sup., Elder Scrolls: Obilivion for Xbox 360, a vial of brain juice, a Giant Killer Monkey, some cats, a chicken, a Borat, a Willy Wonka factory (with chocalte and lovable orange men sold seperatly), and a box of rare pictures of Hilary Clinton not looking stuck up and without bowel problems.*

I Can Sell Those Pictures!

Oh aye. And don't forget the HP sauce!

Wow, we've gone from Characters to caniblism in a couple of posts.Alright, let us be done before the mod of doom comes to this thread.:eek:

Now, for a slightly relivant question;

What time is it over there? Time zones and that, could affect roleplay somehow.

Now, for a slightly relivant question;

What time is it over there? Time zones and that, could affect roleplay somehow.In my area of the United States, please no fan fare of hate mail as the mail box is gone since a letter bomb went off, it is Central Time.

Is it lunchtime over there then?

Almost 12:00 noon. (Central)

Is it lunchtime over there then?Yes, earlier on I was describing what I was eating.:eek:

Is this still open if so than I would like to RP an insectoid nation called Kath'Jal, more info comming soon.

Is this still open if so than I would like to RP an insectoid nation called Kath'Jal, more info comming soon.

Who doesn't love Insectoid nations? I have no problem with that, and neither will Scan I bet.

It's interesting no one wants to play a human nation.

Is this still open if so than I would like to RP an insectoid nation called Kath'Jal, more info comming soon.Sure, just give me your claim and factbook and all will be set.

((OoC: I'm afraid I'll be off for a day, be back saturday night probably, sorry if this is an inconvenience, but for timezone issues, I live in central time

((OoC: I'm afraid I'll be off for a day, be back saturday night probably, sorry if this is an inconvenience, but for timezone issues, I live in central timeQuite alright as we all have 'real' lives outside of NS.

Aye.

I've noticed, a signifigant proportion of lanugages not only on this, but on NS, that have been made up seem to be very similar - you know, lots of aposhphoes and that. It's not a problem, but it's an interesting observation.

Also, got an idea for a trade rp or similar? Between you and me, of course.

Aye.

I've noticed, a signifigant proportion of lanugages not only on this, but on NS, that have been made up seem to be very similar - you know, lots of aposhphoes and that. It's not a problem, but it's an interesting observation.

Also, got an idea for a trade rp or similar? Between you and me, of course.Here is my slave market thread: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12747942#post12747942

For diplomatic thread it is on the front page.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=529401

Here's my factbook, tell me if I need to change anything.

I shall claim the part behind the green.

Kath'Jal is a nation of very diverse and well cultured insectoid people, each race of Kath has a set of roles which they perform mostly without complaint. Kath buildings are built with a mix of stone, sun-dried mud bricks, and Theridion (spider people) silk. Kath tend to be very open, usually build with seemingly one wall missing. The Kath army is made up of many different units ranging from large divisions if Siafu (ant people) to small elite Lymantri (moth folk) task forces. Only Lymantri, Mantids, and Theridions can use magic which tends to be centered around lightning and cold spells.

let me know it there is any thing else you need to know.