Paths of Civilization

Academia Nut · May 18, 2017

Kiba said:
We are starting to write myths down, right? What about historical accounts and historiography?

Not really. Much of writing is basically tax records, with the shaman writing being more about keep track of stars and omens, with some historical warnings of "Don't do this, we did it and it didn't turn out well". The big issue is that storytelling and oral traditions remain the big method of passing on information for the majority of people, so since the shamans need to memorize the stories and plays to tell them anyway they tend not to write them down because everyone knows them and remembers them so they would correct each other if anything was wrong, right?

Citino · May 18, 2017

[X] This man is sick, care for him but ignore his ramblings (???)
[X] Military scouting mission

veekie · May 18, 2017

Academia Nut said:
Not really. Much of writing is basically tax records, with the shaman writing being more about keep track of stars and omens, with some historical warnings of "Don't do this, we did it and it didn't turn out well". The big issue is that storytelling and oral traditions remain the big method of passing on information for the majority of people, so since the shamans need to memorize the stories and plays to tell them anyway they tend not to write them down because everyone knows them and remembers them so they would correct each other if anything was wrong, right?

Meanwhile literal strata of taxes.

Academia Nut · May 18, 2017

veekie said:
Meanwhile literal strata of taxes.

This is basically our understanding of cuneiform anyway, with thousands of untranslated tablets, mostly because we keep getting bills of sale and tax records.

veekie · May 18, 2017

Academia Nut said:
This is basically our understanding of cuneiform anyway, with thousands of untranslated tablets, mostly because we keep getting bills of sale and tax records.

Also as I understand it, one very long and vicious complaint letter for inferior goods.

Academia Nut · May 18, 2017

veekie said:
Also as I understand it, one very long and vicious complaint letter for inferior goods.

We're actually pretty sure that the complaint against Ea-Nassir was found in his house. Why? Because there were a whole bunch of complaint letters all in the same room of a building mostly used for occupation.

BungieONI · May 18, 2017

Academia Nut said:
We're actually pretty sure that the complaint against Ea-Nassir was found in his house. Why? Because there were a whole bunch of complaint letters all in the same room of a building mostly used for occupation.

Ooh. The burn travels through the ages. Displeasure must be magnified the tough the material you scribe it into is.

Heh. What'd he make?

kilopi505 · May 18, 2017

Academia Nut said:
It's the Not!Black Sea and you are in Not!Georgia, which is also far closer to Not!Mesopotamia than in real life.

So this is a world without the Caspian Sea? I see.

Academia Nut · May 18, 2017

BungieONI said:
Ooh. The burn travels through the ages. Displeasure must be magnified the tough the material you scribe it into is.

Heh. What'd he make?

Ea-Nasir was a merchant, and apparently a fairly big one, and the famous complaint letter was that a guy named Nanni had ordered a shipment of copper but got a substandard grade and thus refused to accept the shipment. He also complained that the servant he sent with the payment and to collect the shipment was treated quite rudely.

Hangwind · May 18, 2017

BungieONI said:
What'd he make?

An early example of bad customer service?

At least one enemy?

Possibly the first customer service desk? Actually, it would be pretty funny if that were actually his employee's house that the customers turned the complaints into and he just never showed up for them, so they've ended up in the ancient equivalent of the unresolved file forever.

veekie · May 18, 2017

Hangwind said:
An early example of bad customer service?

At least one enemy?

Possibly the first customer service desk? Actually, it would be pretty funny if that were actually his employee's house that the customers turned the complaints into and he just never showed up for them, so they've ended up in the ancient equivalent of the unresolved file forever.

Actually going by this:

Academia Nut said:
We're actually pretty sure that the complaint against Ea-Nassir was found in his house. Why? Because there were a whole bunch of complaint letters all in the same room of a building mostly used for occupation.

Large collection of well preserved complaint letters.
He probably lined them up in a chalcolithic display case to smug over

Duesal · May 18, 2017

[X] This man is sick, care for him but ignore his ramblings (???)
[X] Trade mission to the Metal Workers (-1 Diplomacy)

pblur · May 18, 2017

BungieONI said:
Hey veekie I was thinking next turn we can do this:

Main Expand Econ. +2 Econ.
Secondary Establish Holy Sites. +1 Mysticism for -1 Econ
Secondary Study Stars. +1 Mysticism for free.

Provinces will be generating 3 to 4 Econ.

A total of +2 Mysticism and +1 Econ gain from us. With 3 to 4 more Econ and possibly +1 Mysticism gain from Provinces. We'd end at 5 or 6 Mysticism and 9 to 10 Econ for the mid turn.

Narrative benefits of preparing: Study Stars might have a massive hidden benefit. Though I kinda doubt it will come. Maybe we can spot it early, that will not trigger the belief I don't think. Holy sites would create a place dedicated to something, maybe the stars. And the stocking up on Econ is just good sense.

Vote Format
[] [Main] Expand Economy
[] [Secondary] Establish Holy Site
[] [Secondary] Study Stars

It doesn't do the final step to unlocking Iron (which is guaranteed to be one of the biggest game changers to date) in exchange for preparing for a disaster only hinted at in the words of a madman.

Also, Mine is almost certain to bring a big econ windfall as well, just like Copper mine did.
[] [Main] Iron Mine
[] [Secondary] Grand Sac
[] [Secondary] Grand Sac

should increase econ, stability AND unlock iron.

Reader of all · May 18, 2017

pblur said:
[] [Main] Iron Mine
[] [Secondary] Grand Sac
[] [Secondary] Grand Sac

should increase econ, stability AND unlock iron.

We do still need to restore legitimacy so how about double secondary proclaim glory instead it would cancel out stab loss and conserve econ

Candesce · May 18, 2017

pblur said:
should increase econ, stability AND unlock iron.

Also leaves our policy on Expansion, which means we get a bunch of marginal and undefended settlements in the nomad plains.

veekie · May 18, 2017

pblur said:
It doesn't do the final step to unlocking Iron (which is guaranteed to be one of the biggest game changers to date) in exchange for preparing for a disaster only hinted at in the words of a madman.

Also, Mine is almost certain to bring a big econ windfall as well, just like Copper mine did.
[] [Main] Iron Mine
[] [Secondary] Grand Sac
[] [Secondary] Grand Sac

should increase econ, stability AND unlock iron.

Actually, we're looking at Mid-turn Econ.
Only Expand Economy will always provide the Econ before the mid-turn.
Other ways of gaining Economy will proc at a random point, which can leave us temporarily without enough to use.

...and really, while Iron is valuable ,a 1 turn delay while we survey for additional iron mine sites is good while we let the 'prophecy' fade from memory.

DragonParadox · May 18, 2017

Candesce said:
Also leaves our policy on Expansion, which means we get a bunch of marginal and undefended settlements in the nomad plains.

Wouldn't the provinces to Forest and expand economy before throwing up more settlements on the plains of all places?

veekie · May 18, 2017

DragonParadox said:
Wouldn't the provinces to Forest and expand economy before throwing up more settlements on the plains of all places?

Main New Settlement is the most efficient action for Econ expansion, so they will take it as often as they can.

DocMatoi · May 18, 2017

Academia Nut said:
The Spirit Talkers are starting to enter myth/being conflated with the Thunder Speakers. The People only have a very vague recollection of who they were and what they were about, and attributes about them have mostly been absorbed into internal mythology

That's... Really sad. Is there any way we can remember them?

veekie · May 18, 2017

DocMatoi said:
That's... Really sad. Is there any way we can remember them?

Depends on if the Thunder Speakers left the spoopy Level 10 Holy Site blocked or not. If left sealed, it'd be preserved well.

Going by their name, I suspect their shamans figured out how to make the caves 'speak'

Deathbybunnies · May 18, 2017

[X] Stockpile resources for the return of the Doom Comet (+1 Stability if over 5 Econ by mid-turn next turn, ???)
[X] Trade mission to the Metal Workers (-1 Diplomacy)

Candesce · May 18, 2017

DragonParadox said:
Wouldn't the provinces to Forest and expand economy before throwing up more settlements on the plains of all places?

Nope.

Academia Nut said:
When there are no more settlement sites to expand into.

Omegahugger · May 18, 2017

DocMatoi said:
That's... Really sad. Is there any way we can remember them?

Remember who?

Sivantic · May 18, 2017

Omegahugger said:
Remember who?

The Tirit Spalkers obviously

Quest · May 18, 2017

Sivantic said:
The Tirit Spalkers obviously

You mean the Thunder Speakers.

Paths of Civilization

Seven gremlins in a trench coat

American Monarchist

Reminiscing over the halcyon days of Ymaryn

Theoretical Lover of Girls

Inattentive Idiot

The Great One