Strange Tides
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Original Fantasy Alt. History
Going by the discussion, we really need a "hubris is a coward's word" tag. It'll be ironic!
Good night guys.
Tomorrow it will be my turn to update and we'll see what your new realm holds.
Tomorrow it will be my turn to update and we'll see what your new realm holds.
- Location
- France
[X] [Leader] Theoroi Nikanor
We need someone that can hire good advisor to delegate to.
[X] [Construction] Farms
Summer was already upon the lands and little time was there left to sow the few seeds the refugees had brought. The harvest would not be plenty, but they needed food for the winter just the same.
I may be doing a mistake for not building one of the temples or the palisade, but I always start by securing my ressources in strategy games (a huge weakness against guys that use Zerg rush tactics I admit), so I'll vote like I usually play.
[X] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
-[X] The forests around the hills.
-[X] The shore to the south.
If there's something there, it would be with the mountains the harder places to scout so its a priority to explore them first. The shore that's because we will probably need to trade or use our ships to explore the coast. Let's hope we won't meet sirens or Scylla . Damn what if we meet a non greek monster ?
We need someone that can hire good advisor to delegate to.
[X] [Construction] Farms
Summer was already upon the lands and little time was there left to sow the few seeds the refugees had brought. The harvest would not be plenty, but they needed food for the winter just the same.
I may be doing a mistake for not building one of the temples or the palisade, but I always start by securing my ressources in strategy games (a huge weakness against guys that use Zerg rush tactics I admit), so I'll vote like I usually play.
[X] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
-[X] The forests around the hills.
-[X] The shore to the south.
If there's something there, it would be with the mountains the harder places to scout so its a priority to explore them first. The shore that's because we will probably need to trade or use our ships to explore the coast. Let's hope we won't meet sirens or Scylla . Damn what if we meet a non greek monster ?
- Location
- Chile
*Atlantis intensifies*
Either that, Portugal, or maybe Great Britian (the latter seemed to be a Tin trading nexus that reached as far as Egypt during the bronze age. the more you know...). I'm suspecting where we ended up has a lot to do with the plans of a certain Not-Eyrine... Bat wings and skin as black as coal... does that ring any bells to anyone?
- Location
- Denmark
I am personally guessing on us being in southern France at the river Rhône, but I am unsure if that would be uncharted land for the Greeks.
- Location
- Germany
At this point Greece is not terribly aware of anything happening to the west of them, baring that tin-traders come from the west with comparatively simple ships. The center of the world is pretty much the middle-east, where currently the Hittites, Egypt and the rising Assyrians are duking it out with each other.
- Location
- France
Well maybe the gods haven't killed Humanity because they 're afraid they'll be bored if they do that,(my worst case scenario they are the equivalent of the sadist AI in "I have no mouth and I must scream), that or they've gone crazy because they exist for thousand of years and they are now senils old men, and because they are immortal they can't be killed (now maybe they can be restrained or sealed).
Souls go to the afterlife: I am so blessed to finally meet my god.
Any god you want: What's going on here ? Stop that ruckus at once ! Goodness is that one of these visitors if you want something wait till I finish my project ... Wait I forgot what I was doing, I think it must have been important at some point.
or
Hero coming to kill the uncaring and cruel god: Your reign is over tyrant I have come to end you. *brandish magical sword scelled into the stone forged by the fairies and can only be wielded by the promised one".
God bored of existence: Ah. Mmmmmmh. You thought to slay me ? *he lies down showing a body pierced by thousand of weapons forged by powerful beings some even by other gods and full of scars* Well, go on then, give it your best. Many Have tried heck I tried too. It just doesn't work I keep existing.
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- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He
I mean, the most important thing when it comes to not dying a horrible death in Greek mythology is not to challenge anybody to a contest. Here are some examples:
If you are not a god, let others challenge you or it will most likely end badly.
| Challenger | Challenged | Competition | Winner | What happened to loser |
| Marsyas | Apollo | Music | Apollo | Skinned alive |
| Pan | Apollo | Music | Apollo | Nothing, Pan is a god |
| Eryx | Heracles | Wrestling | Heracles | Died |
| Poseidon | Athena | Athens Major God selection | Athena | Nothing, Poseidon is a god |
| Yr | Odysseus | Wrestling | Odysseus | Broken cheekbone, internal bleeding |
| Lityerses | Heracles | Harvesting | Heracles | Killed with a scythe |
| Heracles(!) | Lepreus | Eating | Lepreus | Nothing, Heracles will be a god |
| Lepreus | Heracles | Combat | Heracles | Died |
| Arachna | Athena | Weaving | Athena | Turned into a spider |
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- Location
- Germany
So we arrive in a new place, from a city beset by divine wrath and (likely) treachery?
Calling it now. We'll settle a tiny bit and immediately there'll be infighting.
I doubt it since it was less divine wrath and more divine 'sorry guys, but these other guys promised so many shinies if we wreck this place' just without the sorry
Also it was foreign treachery, therefor I would expect more xenophoby and less infighting
Or maybe it's the same reason why humanity hasn't killed every rat on the planet for carrying sicknesses
Because it's a pain and nobody can be bothered since there are much more fun things to do
OK let's see what the tally is at.
- Location
- Perfidious Albion
[X] [Leader] Oikonomos Isidoros
[X] [Construction] Temple of Hephaestus
[X] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
-[X] The forests around the hills.
-[X] The shore to the south.
[X] [Construction] Temple of Hephaestus
[X] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
-[X] The forests around the hills.
-[X] The shore to the south.
Orpheus and Tiresias?
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He
Could you point at the exact myth? I have not found a connection between them.
Vote closed.
Writing now.
Writing now.
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Also, don't live near a village where someone gets laid by Zeus, and don't get laid by Zeus. Hera is kind of ... unforgiving. And since she cannot punish the king of gods ...
- Location
- Germany
The chief deity these days is actually Poseidon, not Zeus. That came later.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
What year is it?
- Location
- Russia
- Pronouns
- He
Note: For most of the "exact" dates, I will be referencing the Parian Chronicle.
----
We know that Demeter is worshipped. Demeter arrived in Athens and taught Greeks agriculture in 1410BC.
Knossos has a trait "Children of Minos". So Minos managed to piss off Poseidon already. He came to power in 1432BC, and Theseus killed the Minotaur in 1260BC. (yes, Minos lived very long, apparently)
Mycenae is shown as powerful, which means it has not been knocked down by the invading Dorians (~13th century BC).
Miletus is resettled in 1077BC but it is known that a city with this name existed from ~4000BC.
We have not seen any references to the Trojan War (1218-1209 BC), but that is not solid evidence.
----
To summarise, likely between 1350 and 1250 BC.
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Part III: Wise Man's Fears
Wise Man's Fears
Most know fear at the sight of strange hills, not knowing what might slink out of them. The pious cling to the memory of the Gods' wrath falling upon the city of their forefathers, but the truly wise look around them to their fellows and wonder, how long will the scraps of food gathered in haste last them all? How long until the leaves turned brown and then the trees would be left bare before winter's deathly kiss?
Little wonder that they chose to raise up Oikonomos Isidoros, a man with grey in his beard, a man of steady counsel, whose wisdom had been respected far and wide in the days when Orchomenos yet stood.
In their trust the people were rewarded. The clang of hammers rang over the crests of dry hills as ships no longer fit to be put to sea were pulled apart, and from their planks new walls and roofs were raised. Not the most sturdy it is true, but a roof is something to be cherished by the exile upon a foreign shore. No great forges were raised belching plumes of black smoke, only the light of a thousand cook-fires like fireflies in the night. So was Hyphyria truly born in toil and in hope.
Built Makeshift Houses
***
The man who had once been guardian of the palace of Orchomenos smiled, the gesture almost painful. So little had it been used of late. "You see, Theoroi, our arts have not failed us, nor do the gods hate us so that they would see us starve. With plows we shall tame the earth and from such humble roots we will be born again."
Oikonomos was all too aware of how rehearsed the words sounded, but they needed to be said and to be heard. Noting had come so close to breaking the spirit of their people as the curse of Demeter but now it seemed as though the goddess had relented perhaps they had simply outrun her wrath. Whatever the case they would not starve... before winter at least.
Farming action: Critical Success.
Three Farms Built (Each produce 1d6 supplies per season)
Gain 11 Supplies
Alas that as news from the scouts made far less encouraging hearing. Few were there among the sons of Hyphyria who knew the ways of the wilds, and even those brave souls knew not these forests, these hills and gullies, nor the habits of the beasts and the temper of the river gods. Storms, hails, and floods all conspired to hamper their progress, though it was a far stranger happening that finally saw them turn back.
Two men stood in Oikonomos' meager hall to present their tale to the leader, one Glaukos cold as sleet the gaze for which he earned his name. "There is nothing to find there, nothing but treacherous fiends who seek to do us ill. I swear upon my name and honor that..."
"That you are a sniveling old fool," golden-haired Augewas proclaimed. "Those were no fiends but men, and you seek only to hide behind others."
"Friends, are we so lost to our brotherhood in these lands that we should spit venom one upon the other?" the old seneschal interjected, though his tone was not half so forgiving as his words.
It soon came to light that on the eighteenth day of the expedition the scouts had seen a crown of green fire upon a nearby hill, and Glaukos commanded that they withdraw in haste, fearing evil spirits, but Augewas being still in the first blush of youth and brashness chose to sneak away the next day from camp and investigate the place where the fire had been. There he found only the remains of burnt driftwood and in the ashes the marks of human feet, shod in wood like the farmers were wont to.
The young scout had sought to persuade the older to follow the trail leading onward into the hills, but Glaukos had been adamant they they aught to return lest ill luck befall them, and there they were returned with naught but a trail and a hope to show for it.
Hills Exploration: Marginal Failure (+5 bonus if retried next season)
Such hope was still far more than still far more than the sailors could offer. Fierce winds had cast them against the shore, shattering a galley against the treacherous rocks outright with two more foundering in the attempt to come to its aid. It was oft said that a seaman's craft was not most prized in Orchomenos and thus it was proved that day twice over. The commander of the expedition, a man who had been made captain by virtue of blood than merit, refused to return bent-backed to his fellows and instead insisted on pressing on.
Would that had more of Glaukos' caution, Oikonomos thought to himself. The ships had sailed into a strange fog where a man could hardly see his hand before his face and from that fog but one of the surviving galleys had emerged with tales that made an ill hearing. Half-a-dozen among the crew, the captain among them, claimed to have seen the dark coils through the fog, as though belonging to some titanic serpent.
Easy enough to speak of foes beyond mortal ken to escape censure, the Lord of Hyphyria said to himself, for had he not so recently heard such a tale, but a chill went down his spine at the thought just the same.
Coastal Scouting Crit Failure: Lost 1 Galley Squadron
Autumn approaches and with it you begin eating into your stocks more and more. What shall you do next as you for your first winter in this new land?
[] [Construction] Woodcutting Camps
The boards of ships might serve you as shelter for now, but to truly grow Hyphyria will need a source of native lumber. Best to send men with swords before those with axes, for one never knows what the forests hold
[] [Construction] Temple of Hephaestus
Not all gods had turned their back on Orchomenous in its last days, and so would it not behoove the people to offer thanks to their patron for his protection? Someone must have sent the strange woman after all, and convinced Poseidon of guiding the fleet's voyage.
[] [Construction] Temple of Demeter
Here in this strange earth was a chance to start anew. The people would give due reverence to the Lady of the Harvest so that her wrath was quenched. The fall of Orchomenos would not repeat itself.
[] [Construction] Palisade
Of soldiers the new settlement had many, yet there was no telling what dangers lurked beyond the hills. Even though a palisade was no true wall, it would have helped greatly to see the people safe.
You have learned but a little of these lands and none of it good, but you will not quail before the the unknown like fearful children.
[] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
-[] The mountains to the east.
-[] The forests around the hills.
-[] The shore to the north.
-[] The shore to the south.
[] [Exploration] Don't explore for now.
OOC: Exploring by sea was not the best idea since you had a civ mauls and a rather unskilled leader in such matters. On the plus side you are well on the way to not starving.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Steady on, to tame a land
-[X] [Construction] Woodcutting Camps
-[X] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
--[X] The forests around the hills.
Obviously not risking our scouts on sea or mountain in Winter, we can do that under better weather.
Now we have to get knowledge of these forests.
For food, for shelter and to survive surprises.
So we clear them where they are nearest, by scout, then sword, then axe.
-[X] [Construction] Woodcutting Camps
-[X] [Exploration] Explore the land. (Pick up to 2)
--[X] The forests around the hills.
Obviously not risking our scouts on sea or mountain in Winter, we can do that under better weather.
Now we have to get knowledge of these forests.
For food, for shelter and to survive surprises.
So we clear them where they are nearest, by scout, then sword, then axe.
