[X] ...Opening her trade: To the far east, there was a whole sea of trade to which Hoxma had exclusive access through the river, by which Hoxman boats traveled upstreams. Now, they found themselves joined by Eskerag boats as a royal decree from the emperor formally permitted Eskeragal to trade on the eastern "monsoon sea". An immense amount of new riches were brought to Eskeragal by this new route and the palace took swift advantage of this. The power of the palace increased by several orders of magnitude as the trade brought wealth and power for Eskeragal, which the palatial taxation quickly transformed into wealth and power for the palace. (+1 Centralization)
[X] ...West: Westwards from Eskeragal, there lies an island populated by the Copper-Traders, at this point in time, famed most of all for their high-quality copper. Further west yet, however, much further west, lies another island not far from the coast of the Calf-Land. Bountiful in fertile soil and agriculture, this island was settled by the dolmen-building Grain-Farmers, who traded in olive oils and wine. Poor in metals, however, they imported their materials from the mainland itself, but with the arrival of Eskeragal, the possibility for imports from the Copper-Traders through the medium of Eskeragal suddenly became very real. As time went on, this trade route became more permanent as Eskerag traders would sail between the two, moving grain in exchange for copper and vice-versa. The Grain-Farmers gained their tools and weapons, the Copper-Traders gained their food and grain and Eskeragal? Well Eskeragal grew very rich. (You will gain control of trade routes for copper and grain. Historians will take note of the voyage and recognize your role in spreading material culture.)
[X] ...The beasts: The Wild Lady would eventually take on the aspects of a fertility goddess through the domain of the beasts. The multiplication and diversity of nature was essential to the prosperity of Eskeragal. The Wild Lady, as mistress of the beasts and ruler of animals came to patronize hunters and trainers alike, ruling in the dual office of the hunt and domestication of animals. She would eventually become consort to the Storm King and mother to his children.
[X] ...Raising her above: Eskeragal had historically been a power on the coast, but always second-rate compared to Askomekane, which was larger and more powerful in terms of military. With the diplomatic association of Hoxma and Eskeragal, this changed. Over the coming century, Eskeragal would take a stronger role in the affairs of the People as a hegemon in its own right. Askomekane would increasingly find its coalition dwindling, its power waning as it steadily became diplomatically isolated. Eskeragal, in turn, found itself growing as new houses and buildings sprung up with immigration from the People all over the coast. (+1 Sedentism) [X] ...South: Going west and then south, the Great Kingdom of the River-Children awaited Eskeragal. Ruled by the Great King from his palace, all the people around the Vast River bowed to him and all grain was his to own. He redistributed it, moved it and taxed it at his leisure and his authority was so great that even the temples served simply the purpose of furthering this vast, centralized system of redistribution. Likened more to a god than to a mortal man, the influence of the Great King on Eskeragal cannot be underestimated. Nobility dreamt of being the Great King, while the palace did its best possible to become like him. Monuments in the style of those that dotted the vast capital of the River-Children were introduced to Eskeragal, even their language was imported and the trade was lucrative. (+1 Centralization. You gain a wealthy trade route and will begin to take cultural cues from the River-Children. Historians will take note of the voyage, but you are just one visitor among many.) [X] ...The beasts: The Wild Lady would eventually take on the aspects of a fertility goddess through the domain of the beasts. The multiplication and diversity of nature was essential to the prosperity of Eskeragal. The Wild Lady, as mistress of the beasts and ruler of animals came to patronize hunters and trainers alike, ruling in the dual office of the hunt and domestication of animals. She would eventually become consort to the Storm King and mother to his children.
All of these choices are excellent and exceedingly difficult to choose between. I think right now a bit of consolidation would be helpful for the People, hence pushing for a competition of leadership among them with Askomekane and welcoming River-Children influence as a means to centralize a bit. Also the River-Children likely have a whole lot of artistic, scientific, and engineering principles that can be picked up and make for a more sophisticated culture while balancing Hoxman influence. That said it's damned hard to ignore the opposite option of going North since that garners by far the most... prestige as it were for the future, eons distant when history books (or at least scholarly monographs) are being written. I also doubt this is a one-off set of contacts so there'll likely be some continuing... orientation toward the first big voyage target and the possibility of future development and opportunities there.
And I went with the beast option (though note the beasts are land beasts and the association with trainers suggests domesticated beasts as well, eg sheep and pigs and cattle) because it seems like the best match for a Storm King and the Potnia Theron is an interest of mine. The cyclical Death-Rebirth goddess though does offer some interesting potential for cultural development though so she'd be fascinating as well.
Perhaps in a sequel. This game will stretch no further than approximately the time of the Late Bronze Age Collapse, after which we'll see how well you've managed and if you can avoid having your state collapse.
And I went with the beast option (though note the beasts are land beasts and the association with trainers suggests domesticated beasts as well, eg sheep and pigs and cattle)
9 hours have passed, so here's what the tally looks like.
Adhoc vote count started by Arbit on Aug 10, 2019 at 2:51 AM, finished with 48 posts and 33 votes.
[X] ...Opening her trade: To the far east, there was a whole sea of trade to which Hoxma had exclusive access through the river, by which Hoxman boats traveled upstreams. Now, they found themselves joined by Eskerag boats as a royal decree from the emperor formally permitted Eskeragal to trade on the eastern "monsoon sea". An immense amount of new riches were brought to Eskeragal by this new route and the palace took swift advantage of this. The power of the palace increased by several orders of magnitude as the trade brought wealth and power for Eskeragal, which the palatial taxation quickly transformed into wealth and power for the palace. (+1 Centralization)
[X] ...The beasts: The Wild Lady would eventually take on the aspects of a fertility goddess through the domain of the beasts. The multiplication and diversity of nature was essential to the prosperity of Eskeragal. The Wild Lady, as mistress of the beasts and ruler of animals came to patronize hunters and trainers alike, ruling in the dual office of the hunt and domestication of animals. She would eventually become consort to the Storm King and mother to his children.
[X] ...West: Westwards from Eskeragal, there lies an island populated by the Copper-Traders, at this point in time, famed most of all for their high-quality copper. Further west yet, however, much further west, lies another island not far from the coast of the Calf-Land. Bountiful in fertile soil and agriculture, this island was settled by the dolmen-building Grain-Farmers, who traded in olive oils and wine. Poor in metals, however, they imported their materials from the mainland itself, but with the arrival of Eskeragal, the possibility for imports from the Copper-Traders through the medium of Eskeragal suddenly became very real. As time went on, this trade route became more permanent as Eskerag traders would sail between the two, moving grain in exchange for copper and vice-versa. The Grain-Farmers gained their tools and weapons, the Copper-Traders gained their food and grain and Eskeragal? Well Eskeragal grew very rich. (You will gain control of trade routes for copper and grain. Historians will take note of the voyage and recognize your role in spreading material culture.)
[X] ...North: To first the west and then north, a series of tribes, vaguely united in confederation lived by their inland sea. They traded here, they made wine and spoke languages unrelated to any in the area. These were the Wine-Maker tribes, undeveloped and barely sedentary. Urban centres in this region were only loosely urban and tended more towards particularly large villages. Previously, trade with powers from the Greatwater Valley had only been indirect, but after the Eskerag voyage, trade regularly increased. Over the coming centuries, the Wine-Makers would steadily take on more and more Eskerag qualities and make use of their art and art inspired by it, along with several new gods introduced. (Trade routes to the Wine-Makers secured. No other benefit other than accelerating the sedentarization and urbanization of the Wine-Makers. Contact will be studied extensively in the future.)
[X] ...The rebirth: The Wild Lady would eventually take on the aspects of a fertility goddess through the domain of the rebirth. Every winter, the world would die, and every spring, it would rise again. Similarly, the Wild Lady would die and be reborn with the world. This goddess who stood between the world of the living and the world of the dead would eventually become consort to the Storm King and mother to his children.
[X] ...Raising her above: Eskeragal had historically been a power on the coast, but always second-rate compared to Askomekane, which was larger and more powerful in terms of military. With the diplomatic association of Hoxma and Eskeragal, this changed. Over the coming century, Eskeragal would take a stronger role in the affairs of the People as a hegemon in its own right. Askomekane would increasingly find its coalition dwindling, its power waning as it steadily became diplomatically isolated. Eskeragal, in turn, found itself growing as new houses and buildings sprung up with immigration from the People all over the coast. (+1 Sedentism)
[X] ...The hearth: The Wild Lady would eventually take on the aspects of a fertility goddess through the domain of the hearth. A safe childbirth, a safe home and a safe family were all important to the ancient Eskerag people. Ever the dutiful and motherly wife, she fed the other gods by taking care of the sacrifices given with her excellent cookery and would eventually become consort to the Storm King and mother to his children.
[X] ...Crushing her enemy: The feud between Eskeragal and Askomekane had not ended with the defeat of the coalition. As a result of growing Eskerag superiority, Askomekane launched another attack backed by the coalition, but this time found itself severely outmatched. In the end, Eskeragal and Hoxma sacked Askomekane proper and tore down its walls. The bounty was divided between them and Eskeragal carried off the chief icons of Askomek gods back to the settlement itself. Askomekane was not permanently destroyed, but a Hoxman prince sat in the palace and every year tribute traveled from Askomekane to Hoxma. (+1 Urbanization)
[X] ...South: Going west and then south, the Great Kingdom of the River-Children awaited Eskeragal. Ruled by the Great King from his palace, all the people around the Vast River bowed to him and all grain was his to own. He redistributed it, moved it and taxed it at his leisure and his authority was so great that even the temples served simply the purpose of furthering this vast, centralized system of redistribution. Likened more to a god than to a mortal man, the influence of the Great King on Eskeragal cannot be underestimated. Nobility dreamt of being the Great King, while the palace did its best possible to become like him. Monuments in the style of those that dotted the vast capital of the River-Children were introduced to Eskeragal, even their language was imported and the trade was lucrative. (+1 Centralization. You gain a wealthy trade route and will begin to take cultural cues from the River-Children. Historians will take note of the voyage, but you are just one visitor among many.)
[X] ...Harbour of Zaharal: Built by the eponymous chieftain Zaharal IV, the harbour of Zaharal is considered by modern scholars to be one of the first artificial harbours built in this region. Built large to contain the growing fleet of ships that would make port and depart from Eskeragal, the harbour of Zaharal was at the time a marvel of engineering. The construction of the harbour led to a smaller dependence on agriculture and far greater economic pull, leading to a steady migration from the largely rural population surrounding Eskeragal, journeying into the city and staying near it far more regularly than had previously been the case. Therefore the harbour is sometimes credited with a large part of the founding of Eskeragal as a proper state. (+1 Urbanization, +1 Sedentism. Can be expanded later).
[X] ...With Hoxma: The chieftain of Eskeragal and the king of Hoxma had become blood-brothers and exchanged daughters in marriage, therefore Eskeragal joined the war on the side of Hoxma. At the Battle of Namzen, the army of Askozal III of Eskeragal intervened in a battle between the armies of Hoxma and Uraskomek against a coalition consisting of the settlements Askomekane, Axtezab, Gishmabel and the Metal-Workers. In this battle, Eskeragal sought to…
[X] ...The Storm King Cycle: Containing the earliest known reference to the myths of Eskeragal, the Storm King Cycle is a later name for this text. The text itself is an epic poem, concerning the exploits of the Storm King, a divine figure worshipped in Eskeragal as the crown prince of heaven and chief warrior against barbarian gods. This epic covers the story of the Storm King's subdual of the dragon-filled ocean on the behest of his father, his exile to the earth, his founding of Eskeragal and his driving out of the barbarian gods of the Dye-Makers, which allowed Eskeragal to triumph, as well as his return to heaven at the end.
-[X] Break the enemy: Contributing with a surprising charge, the army of Eskeragal attempted to break the morale of the coalition army and make them to rout. (Very risky decision, but can have great rewards for Eskeragal.)
Just to explain why it's been so long since an update. I've been pretty busy, but there will be an update this week. Sadly only of normal length, so I cannot gift you an update of length proportional to the time you've had to wait, but at least there is an update! After that, we should be back to the schedule of once per week.
[X] ...Opening her trade: To the far east, there was a whole sea of trade to which Hoxma had exclusive access through the river, by which Hoxman boats traveled upstreams. Now, they found themselves joined by Eskerag boats as a royal decree from the emperor formally permitted Eskeragal to trade on the eastern "monsoon sea". An immense amount of new riches were brought to Eskeragal by this new route and the palace took swift advantage of this. The power of the palace increased by several orders of magnitude as the trade brought wealth and power for Eskeragal, which the palatial taxation quickly transformed into wealth and power for the palace. (+1 Centralization)
[X] ...West: Westwards from Eskeragal, there lies an island populated by the Copper-Traders, at this point in time, famed most of all for their high-quality copper. Further west yet, however, much further west, lies another island not far from the coast of the Calf-Land. Bountiful in fertile soil and agriculture, this island was settled by the dolmen-building Grain-Farmers, who traded in olive oils and wine. Poor in metals, however, they imported their materials from the mainland itself, but with the arrival of Eskeragal, the possibility for imports from the Copper-Traders through the medium of Eskeragal suddenly became very real. As time went on, this trade route became more permanent as Eskerag traders would sail between the two, moving grain in exchange for copper and vice-versa. The Grain-Farmers gained their tools and weapons, the Copper-Traders gained their food and grain and Eskeragal? Well Eskeragal grew very rich. (You will gain control of trade routes for copper and grain. Historians will take note of the voyage and recognize your role in spreading material culture.)
[X] ...The beasts: The Wild Lady would eventually take on the aspects of a fertility goddess through the domain of the beasts. The multiplication and diversity of nature was essential to the prosperity of Eskeragal. The Wild Lady, as mistress of the beasts and ruler of animals came to patronize hunters and trainers alike, ruling in the dual office of the hunt and domestication of animals. She would eventually become consort to the Storm King and mother to his children.
Over the coming centuries, Eskeragal would grow more wealthy. The newly opened trade routes both upriver and on the sea injected new sources of wealth into the economy and the chieftaincy progressively grew better at taxing his subjects. The burgeoning Eskerag state was still insufficiently centralized and struggled with cementing its power over the growing territories, but it had moved far from its origins in tribal traditions. The populace of Eskeragal was more settled, more urbane and more receptive to the state's growing power than they had ever been. What would later be dubbed the first golden age of Eskeragal was well underway as the Greatwater Valley and Midland Sea opened themselves up to a growing state increasingly active and dependent on foreign trade. In general, this good state of Eskeragal would span approximately two hundred years, in which the future prospects looked good.
Then came the news from Hoxma.
The Hoxman Empire had expanded towards the east, conquering their way up the river and out of the highland-surrounded valley, parts of which it had already subjugated. The current emperor had been leading an army against an incursion of eastern steppe barbarians, expecting to subdue them with terrain that massively favoured the Hoxman defence and a vast host that outnumbered the enemy several times. Instead, the emperor had been slain by an unlucky arrow, the banner had fallen when a bannerman grabbed the falling emperor and the army had turned to rout. The emperor had a single child of three years, Ixmen, completely unfit to rule the Hoxman Empire, but supported by the closest advisors and palatial ministers. In the east Astnam, the emperor's second-in-command, declared that the dead ruler had pronounced him his successor and the army seemed to believe him. Retreating from the eastern border and marching towards Hoxma itself, the palace had little option but to mobilize more of the population and call on allies.
Barely a few days after the palatial messenger arrived in Eskeragal, a similar messenger arrived from Astnam. Both praised the wisdom and power of Eskerag chiefs, both spoke at length of the great sailors who sailed undaunted on river and sea alike and the mighty warriors that had made Askomekane bow many generations ago. Both wanted the same. An Eskeragal that declared for them and raised its young men for warfare in Hoxma. The pretender had to be subdued, whether his home was in the gilded palace or the marching host. This would be the first large-scale instance of civil strife in Hoxma and its proximity to Eskeragal meant that it was impossible to ignore. Such warfare would spill out and embroil every near-lying people, but as a result of Eskeragal's special relationship, it stood in a special position to be grabbed and involved. In the end, the situation was such that Eskeragal…
[ ] ...Declared for the palace: Eskeragal took the side of the palace, seeking to subdue the rogue Astnam and his plunderer-army. The warriors were called together and the chieftain Askozal IV led the host into Hoxma and the land of the Tower-Builders. The palace had prepared, rationed the granaries and called its ad hoc army to defend the city and prepared for a long siege, counting on the Eskerag to break Astnam's army. The plan of Eskeragal was to...
[ ] ...Break the siege: While Astnam laid siege to the city, the Eskerag army would arrive in order to break his soldiers in a decisive battle outside the city, where they would be made to rout. (A toss-up. Astnam's army has experience but is tired from the march. Yours is inexperienced but can easily resupply.)
[ ] ...Assist the defense: Before Astnam arrived, the Eskerag had hastened to the city in order to bolster its defences and prepare its defences for the siege, contributing to the guard inside it themselves. (Risky as the Eskerag army is unprepared for an extended siege. Will undoubtedly see the Eskerag army struck badly if failed. Will earn the eternal gratitude of the palace if you succeed.)
[ ] Write-in: Describe a strategy in no more detail than a few lines. Assume that the riskier the strategy, the potentially bigger the reward is for Eskeragal. Playing it safe does not win the most pitched battles of the ancient world.
[ ] ...Declared for the army: Eskeragal took the side of the army, seeking to restore the successor to his rightful throne and break the pretenders in the palace. The warriors were called together and the chieftain Askozal IV led the host into Hoxma and the land of the Tower-Builders. Astnam marched from the east and the western Eskerag army would therefore easily be able to make it to Hoxma by following the river, in order to lay siege to the walled capital of the empire. The plan of Eskeragal was to...
[ ] Block the river: While Astnam laid siege to Hoxma, Eskerag boats would cut off the palace from its access to the river. A Hoxman navy could challenge the boats of Eskeragal, but the navy had become very experienced. (Not risky as the navy of Eskeragal is superior, but also very passive.)
[ ] Aid the siege: As Astnam arrived, Eskerag soldiers would reinforce his army and a joint siege would wear down the defenders, so that Eskerag and Hoxman could take part in the plunder both. (Moderately risky as the siege could fail, will win you the plunder of the city but not much more.)
[ ] Write-in: Describe a strategy in no more detail than a few lines. Assume that the riskier the strategy, the potentially bigger the reward is for Eskeragal. Playing it safe does not win the most pitched battles of the ancient world.
MD: As you can see, the options for aiding Astnam are generally easier, but don't really win you that much. If you aid Astnam and fail, it is most certain that he will visit vengeance upon you for this treachery. This will not be a game-over.
As an expanding sedentary settlement, Eskeragal of course benefited from the diversification of labour that came from agricultural surplus. This meant that there were many different occupations in the settlement, and with occupations came economic opportunity and with economic opportunity came legions of interested. Every single conceivable industry had its representation in Eskeragal, from smithing to baking and from grisly abattoirs to world-weary fisheries. Of course, economic opportunity and growing industries also meant regulation, laws and an increasingly interested government. From his palace, the chieftain was increasingly interested in making the most of the many sources of wealth in the settlement.
Traditionally, the priesthood and tribal chieftains had entered into marriages; the priesthood would be given the chieftain's power and the chieftain would be legitimized. With the transition to a steadily more centralized system, this meant that the priesthood remained a group of families that carried the priestly traditions and which occasionally adopted someone of common birth, but otherwise mostly married into each other and the families of the onenamekene. Due to this system, expertise was transmitted from father to child and the priesthood had become a rather effective bureaucracy in service of the burgeoning Eskerag state. Priests could keep records of trade, balance budgets and had the favour of the people to extract taxes. Due to this marriage between temple and chieftaincy, the priesthood also acquired immense influence.
As Eskeragal grew, so did the power and size of the priesthood, but so did the challenges of administering the settlement that was now vast. Furthermore, new cultures were introduced to Eskeragal, and with the new cultures, so came new expectations. A father had sought to open business in Eskeragal as a baker, but the priesthood blocked this on account of him having no law-given right to do so. The father brought the case before the chieftain, then Zaharal V, and the onenamekene, arguing that as a subject of the chieftain and father of a family, he was entirely in his right to open his bakery and give his sons work. Ultimately, the chieftain listened to both parts and decided that...
[ ] ...The priesthood must be secured: The priesthood was necessary to regulate Eskeragal. Therefore, it was cemented that to open and practice business would require permission from the priesthood and apprenticeship under a priest. These services required a payment to the priesthood to compensate for the services. The priesthood and the palace would grow closer together and both would acquire prodigious power over the shaping of the settlement. The palace, especially, would acquire an exhaustive list of the households of business owners, allowing for far more efficient taxation upon the populace and a stronger state. (+1 Centralization. The priesthood and state in Eskeragal complete their gradual merging)
[ ] ...Trade could not be refused: Eskeragal was built on trade, but allowing anyone to open a business as they wanted would be chaos. Therefore, trade would be restricted to the wealthy families, the landowners and the husbandmen. With an expansive, but still restricted elite, good trade with Eskeragal both up and down the river could be ensured. Such an elite would already have the wealth necessary to invest in risky trades without risking poverty and the sons of these merchant families could carry on their tradition of trade. The wealth of Eskeragal would be secured, but the palace would be far less capable of taxing these families and depend on their cooperation. (Eskeragal will become wealthier and its trade network integrated further into neighbours.)
[ ] ...Inequality must be quashed: Despite the introduction of new populations to Eskeragal, a certain degree of homogeneity and equality had been kept. Neither priests nor wealthy families could be privileged at the expense of the Eskerag community and therefore these restrictions on trade and business had to be removed. Everyone would be allowed to open up a business and everyone would be able to trade at their leisure within Eskeragal. This would increase the number of goods in circulation and make products generally cheaper to those who live in Eskeragal, but lead to no further benefit. It may contribute to greater homogeneity and cultural unity within Eskeragal proper but only marginally.
Worship in Eskeragal had - as it had with most of the People - developed into a generally polytheistic system. Eskeragal had taken several divergences not present in other settlements of the People, such as the division between heavenly deities and ocean-bound deities and similarly, an ethnic component of barbarian and civilized gods was present in Eskerag cults that is generally not identified in other cults among the People. In this regard, Eskeragal was unique at its time, but in other regards, it was not very divergent at all. In fact, in most regards, Eskeragal at this time period was not exceptional at all, simply another polytheist system of worship among many others.
And as with those many others, Eskeragal possessed no dogma. New divinities could be added and old ones removed at a whim, there was not even really any system to speak of. It was less like a religion in the sense of a common creed as much as a series of practices that could be described as related. However, even then, certain practices were more amenable to the temples and priests than others were, and certain gods never saw cults within the temple walls. Some of this was easily attributable to the cults of later coadunated settlements that had been absorbed by the Eskerag synoecism, through which the smaller settlements surrounding Eskeragal slowly merged with with it and became part of it. But it was also attributable to a very real difference between the lives of a rural and illiterate population and the literati elite among the priesthood.
An example of this difference were the so-called "lesser cults". The term lesser cult is one that has been invented by historians since, in order to describe any sort of smaller and related religious practice performed by any group of people on the Eskerag periphery. These cults not only worshipped the gods that were given regular obeisance in the temples by educated priests, but also their own practices. To some degree, the notion of labeling them as specific cults is misleading, as it would indicate that these practices were limited to them, but it is simply a case of emphasis. Many of these rituals were common among the Eskerag population in general, but inside the settlement, they were generally subordinated to the rituals of the priesthood. This was not so on the periphery where an older, yet more unchained and transformative version of the traditional Eskerag faith could prosper and thrive. Among these practices, the most common practices that would ultimately survive the centuries were…
[ ] The appeasement of ancestors: Ancestors served an important role in Eskerag belief and worship. They would guard families, they would bless devoted daughters and good sons and curse an enemy. And unlike the high gods, they could be expected to listen to a family's pleas and concern themselves with the desperate cries of a bloodline fallen on hard times. Small sacrifices at house-altars were common and even chieftains and onenamekene would make elaborate references to their proud ancestors and give the praise for letting them accomplish great deeds and defeat worthy foes.
[ ] The cult of the axe: For those who could afford it, the axe was a vital tool. It could log trees and it could separate limb from limb. It was sharp and heavy, light and powerful. The power and force of the axe were necessary for the existence of some communities, whether they were warriors or they were farmers. Therefore, it was not uncommon to find such an axe placed in a pit in the floor of some houses, with a clay vessel before it in which to receive offerings. The veneration of the axe was not bound to any strata of society; from the simple axes of lower warriors to the richly dedicated axes that hung in the palatial corridors, it was a universal icon.
[ ] The rites of nature: The high gods of the water and the heavens were not the only divinities which mattered in Eskeragal rites. All of nature was alive and full of animating essences, from animals to trees, fields and forests, rivers and mountains. Nature was not some passive recipient for human will, but full of agency and power, and to placate and work with these forces was necessary for Eskeragal to thrive and prosper. Small ad hoc shrines with uneducated priesthoods could handle the rites of a single river, and tradition preserved the names of these forces for far longer than text had ever done.
[X] ...Trade could not be refused: Eskeragal was built on trade, but allowing anyone to open a business as they wanted would be chaos. Therefore, trade would be restricted to the wealthy families, the landowners and the husbandmen. With an expansive, but still restricted elite, good trade with Eskeragal both up and down the river could be ensured. Such an elite would already have the wealth necessary to invest in risky trades without risking poverty and the sons of these merchant families could carry on their tradition of trade. The wealth of Eskeragal would be secured, but the palace would be far less capable of taxing these families and depend on their cooperation. (Eskeragal will become wealthier and its trade network integrated further into neighbours.) [X] The cult of the axe: For those who could afford it, the axe was a vital tool. It could log trees and it could separate limb from limb. It was sharp and heavy, light and powerful. The power and force of the axe were necessary for the existence of some communities, whether they were warriors or they were farmers. Therefore, it was not uncommon to find such an axe placed in a pit in the floor of some houses, with a clay vessel before it in which to receive offerings. The veneration of the axe was not bound to any strata of society; from the simple axes of lower warriors to the richly dedicated axes that hung in the palatial corridors, it was a universal icon.
I would like to continue to invest in trade, and axe worship dovetails nicely with the boat focus.
I will need some time to decide on which course of action to take in the war.
To be honest, I'd rather declare for the army. If they take power, that may start precedent for armies taking power in their country, keeping them subordinate to ours in the long-run and maybe allowing for easier integration in the future.
[X] The rites of nature: The high gods of the water and the heavens were not the only divinities which mattered in Eskeragal rites. All of nature was alive and full of animating essences, from animals to trees, fields and forests, rivers and mountains. Nature was not some passive recipient for human will, but full of agency and power, and to placate and work with these forces was necessary for Eskeragal to thrive and prosper. Small ad hoc shrines with uneducated priesthoods could handle the rites of a single river, and tradition preserved the names of these forces for far longer than text had ever done.
[X] The rites of nature: The high gods of the water and the heavens were not the only divinities which mattered in Eskeragal rites. All of nature was alive and full of animating essences, from animals to trees, fields and forests, rivers and mountains. Nature was not some passive recipient for human will, but full of agency and power, and to placate and work with these forces was necessary for Eskeragal to thrive and prosper. Small ad hoc shrines with uneducated priesthoods could handle the rites of a single river, and tradition preserved the names of these forces for far longer than text had ever done.
[X] ...Trade could not be refused: Eskeragal was built on trade, but allowing anyone to open a business as they wanted would be chaos. Therefore, trade would be restricted to the wealthy families, the landowners and the husbandmen. With an expansive, but still restricted elite, good trade with Eskeragal both up and down the river could be ensured. Such an elite would already have the wealth necessary to invest in risky trades without risking poverty and the sons of these merchant families could carry on their tradition of trade. The wealth of Eskeragal would be secured, but the palace would be far less capable of taxing these families and depend on their cooperation. (Eskeragal will become wealthier and its trade network integrated further into neighbours.)
[X] ...Declared for the palace
-[X] ...Break the siege
