[X] Take the deal, but don't try to win this bet. Your life is a small price for the safe return of all your warriors.

Let the choice of Sparrow become legend among our people!
 
Things look pretty decided.
Adhoc vote count started by Satar on May 2, 2019 at 6:40 PM, finished with 6128 posts and 28 votes.
 
[X] You will take his bet. Your warriors have taken twice their number against the River People, so what are the lowlanders before their might?
 
[X] You will take his bet. Your warriors have taken twice their number against the River People, so what are the lowlanders before their might?
 
Vote closed.

Since we had a lot of military updates lately, I'm thinking about skipping the actual battle and just narrating the aftermath from the perspective of the council. Thoughts?
Adhoc vote count started by Azel on May 3, 2019 at 3:33 AM, finished with 6133 posts and 29 votes.
 
No problem in general, but what about the loot-vote?
Given that the River People get first pick and will bring a sizable force, you will likely get the entire left-overs. If there's a choice remaining to be made, it can be easily integrated into the turn-vote.

I think that I will do that more often in the future. That is, just tacking the looting to the next turn-vote.
 
The Red Rivers - 6
[X] Take the deal, but don't try to win this bet. Your life is a small price for the safe return of all your warriors.

And thus oaths were sworn on that day. Two men spilled their own blood and clasped hands, a vow forged not in friendship, but shared enmity. On the next day they departed from Riverbend to make good on their pledge, drifting down the Cold River on the River People's boats. Their goal was Great Hearth, a village founded scarce a few years ago, and it would not be given a chance to grow any older. When they arrived, they found the place ready for their coming. A palisade stood tall, its defenders ready, for there was no way they had missed the uncountable boats coming in their direction.

No talks were held before the battle, no words left to be spoken between the two sides. With spear and axe the warriors of the Valley People, White Clans, and River People charged at the palisade, hacking away at the wood and trying to either scale it or drag the defenders down from their perches. A hail of spears and stones fell on them from above, claiming many lives from all sides, though it was the Clansmen who paid the most. But it was not their valiant attempts to breach the palisade that won the day, but the deadly skill of Greenvalley's archers. While their first volleys went wide, they soon found a lethal rhythm, picking off the defenders one by one. Quickly their ranks thinned and long before a hole could have been made to storm Great Hearth in earnest, the Sowing People's warriors fled.

They all surrendered when the attackers finally entered the village. Why they did so, many wondered afterwards. Maybe they thought that Sparrow of Greenvalley would ask for clemency, his people not known for the same brutality as the followers of Makar, though if that was the case, then they were disappointed. No one stopped the Chosen and his warriors from claiming their bloody due. Most of the warriors that had surrendered and quite a few villagers who resisted their attacks were dragged to the Cold River, where their throats were slit and their blood staining the waters red. Their bodies were thrown in afterwards as a message to Brushcrest, the River People chanting praise to their master all the while.

Many Clansmen and Valley People were terrified at seeing this display. They too were no strangers to shows of force and decimating their foes, but this savagery was a new sight for them. Only now they truly understood how the people of Makar had gained such a fearsome reputation. Yet they just stood by and watched, some even joining in to drag the Sowing People from their huts and to the river, for the betrayal by Brushcrest weighed heavily.

At last, though, the last drop of blood was spilled and stock taken of what was left. The River People took their due as it was agreed and their boats were soon laden down with as many people and things as they could carry. Among them was Sparrow, sharing a place of honor in the boat of the Chosen with the maimed warleaders and the chieftain of Great Hearth, though without rope around his wrists and feet like them.

Two great victories had the Valley People won, yet the warriors marching to their home felt none of it. These victories felt too much like defeat. Their band was smaller than when it had set out, even with the few people from Great Hearth that the River People didn't claim being forced to march along. Sparrow was not among them and the spoils of these raids was tiny compared to the effort that went into acquiring them. And this feeling festered. By the time the warriors glimpsed the valley again, they had added hatred to the things they brought with them.

Campaign concluded.
Gained 1 Worker Pop, 2 Food, 1 Sea Shells (converted to 1 Culture)
Lost Elite Commander Sparrow
Antler Clans lost 1 Hunter Pop

Hunters gained new goal: Destroy or Subjugate Brushcrest
Gained +1 Military Experience and +1 Diplomatic Experience in Greenvalley




As the seasons turned and the events in the low-lands drifted out of the Valley People's minds again, routine returned to their lives. Not peace, for scouts still walked up and down the Gentle River, clashing every so often. Neither Brushcrest nor Greenvalley felt truly safe anymore, both tribes expecting the other to attack, yet it stayed at these skirmishes. The High Council saw little reason to waste more lives, not with so many wounded among the hunters. Young blood needed to fill the ranks before they would be able to leave the safety of the valley again.

Meanwhile, though, the fighting carried on elsewhere. From the occasional captured scout or daring Clansmen trader, the Valley People learned what was happening around them. The Sowing People had struck at Little River, capturing the village at great loss of life. They marched on to strike at Makar itself, but were repelled after a long battle. The name Blood Sparrow featured in quite a few of these tales, and the people of Greenvalley took great pride to hear that it was one of their own who was beating back the Sowing People.

Alas, even though Little River was retaken by the River People, it did not last for long. Raid after raid, attack after attack, the village changed hands over and over, no side winning decisively enough to truly hold it. They still fought over it, minor skirmishes around the banks of the rivers, not true battles, but still blood stained these lands each summer. It was so much that most had taken to call the village Red Earth for all the death that had stained its soil. Hunger and violence had driven away almost all people from the village by now, leaving only bands of hunters to claim the dilapidated huts.

Meanwhile though, the valley saw a curious development. With all of their hunters away on battle and their gatherers bringing in only meager amounts of food, many members of the Antler Clans had moved to other settlements. The remaining hunters of Greenvalley brought in far more game than expected, the herds being large and plenty with so few others to stalk them, and the river seemed to almost overflow with fish in these years.

Before long, the last borders between the clansmen and the Valley People had faded. They had lived beside each other for so long after all and there was little difference between the people remaining. So it came that on a summer solstice, the chieftain of the clan came before the High Council, laid down his spear and asked to become a subject of Greenvalley. There were many cheers in the crowd when this had been accepted.

Antler Clans absorbed into Greenvalley
Gain 2 Workers (1 Gatherer, 1 Woodcutter), 1 Artisan, 1 Hunter (Standard Infantry)
Woodcutting slots increased by +1


Total Income: 33

Consumption:
1 for Pilgrim Village
24 for Pops

Overflow: 6
Population Growth: None

At the same time, more and more clansmen from farther out came each year. Some came in the winter, opting to spend it near the White Halls instead of with their clans, others even using the summer months to make the journey. The Faith of Bones was spreading in the mountains, the many Bone Tenders trained by Speaker leaving their mark. Most still held to older traditions, and it was often difficult for the members of the White Clans to bring the skulls of their dead all the way to the valley, yet it was not only bones they brought. Their pockets often also brought colorful and shiny stones, carved toys and figurines, and many other strange and alluring things from the remote crevices between the mountains.

Soon enough, a few artisans had settled in the village erected for the pilgrims to use, bartering their own works for these things. The High Council thought this practice rather intriguing, for it seemed the pilgrims brought with them an opportunity. On the one hand, the rare materials they brought could be used to decorate the White Halls, making art in the styles of the Valley People from them, but they could also focus more on gathering things wrought by the clansmen as to learn more of their ways of living. Lastly, they could go the other way around and tell the artisans to sell their work cheaper so that the pilgrims carry the art of the Valley People to their clans. In time, they might realize the greatness of Greenvalley and some day even accept the High Council as their rightful rulers, much like the Antler Clans had done.

Pilgrim Village effect revealed
Each turn, the Pilgrim Village can either:
- generate 1 point of Valley People Culture for Greenvalley
- generate 1 point of Culture from another settlement that has Faith of Bones believers for Greenvalley
- generate 1 point of Valley People Culture for a settlement that has Faith of Bones believers


All in all, these years were rocky though stable for the Valley People. For all the troubles in the low-lands, their home was flourishing and they were a little less alone than before. The White Clans, their distant cousins, were stepping ever closer to them with each generation, and for all their vicious brutality, the River People seemed not that different either. But they were still dangerous and now quite aware of the location of the valley, just like the treacherous Sowing People. The question that the High Council faced in those years was thus simple. Would they stay in their home and ignore the troubles of the world around them, or venture forth and make their mark on it?

The Valley People
Symbol: The heads of a bear, a wolf, and a man.
Government: Absolute Directorial Despotism - Mandate of the Ancestors
General rules
- Meetings of all Councils will be held in private. However, each person attending the council may bring an additional guest, who may listen but not speak unless invited to speak by the council.
- All groups setting out to interact with outsiders must contain a representative of the their Council. Low Council representatives can only do so for groups smaller than their own community with larger groups being the domain of the High Council.
- All matters affecting more than two communities must be brought to the High Council. Matters between two communities may be resolved by their Low Councils if they can come to a consensus, or otherwise be brought to the High Council for arbitration.
- Disputes between individuals and families within a community are to be resolved by the Low Council of the community.
- High Councilor, Low Councilor, Mediums, Priests and Vice-Councilors positions are exclusive. Upon gaining one title they lose all others of the list

Organization structure
- High Council:
-- The High Council will be the highest authority of the state, referring to the three who comprise supreme authority.
-- The High Council is advised by Mediums, one selected by each Low Council. The Mediums can be a member of any community.
-- The High Council can appoint representatives from any community to speak with their authority for specific tasks when the Council cannot be present themselves.
-- Each member of the High Council must maintain at least one, and no more than three Vice-Councilors for their council duties. These Vice-Councilors must be taught how to perform and assist with the duties of a High Councilor. They can be chosen from anyone under the authority of the High Council, except for High Councilors, Low Councilors and Mediums.
- Low Council:
-- The Low Councils refer to the local authorities, each governing one permanent(lasting at least one full lifetime from birth to death) community comprising of at least three population units of adults. Such a community may be fixed or mobile in nature, so long as someone can be born into it and die belonging to it.
-- Each Low Council consists of two leaders chosen by the community, and one leader chosen by the High Council. The community leaders must be members of the community, but the High Council can choose either a local or send a representative.
-- The Low Council can appoint representatives from their community to speak with their authority for specific tasks when the Council cannot be present themselves. They may appoint representatives from other communities with the agreement of either the High Council or the other community involved.
- Priests
-- The priests must maintain an advisor to the High Council at all times, who will be allowed to listen to and advise any decisions.
-- The priests may send one advisor to any Low Council, who will be allowed to listen to and advise any decisions.
-- The priests must preferentially raise their new initiates from the orphans of the People where available. Where there are more orphans than need for new initiates, they will be chosen by lot.

Succession
- High Councilors are elected with a majority vote by the High Council and the Mediums of each Low Council from the pool of Vice-Councilors. At least two thirds of the Mediums must be present to pass such a vote.
- Mediums are selected with a majority vote by the Low Council they represent. Their status can be revoked by the same process.
- One Low Councilor seat of each community is fixed to the High Council's appointment, if this Low Councilor is removed by any means, they will be replaced by the next appointed representative of the High Council.
- The remaining two Low Councilor seats are chosen by the community they govern. Groups with preexisting selection methods may use their traditional methods, or permanently change their process to a simple majority of their community.
- High Councilors will step down in the following events:
-- Voluntary abdication, which will start the process of raising a new councilor while they remain a councilor until their successor is chosen.
-- Death
-- Incapacitation such that they are no longer able to perform their duties for more than a season.
- Low Councilors will step down in the following events:
-- Half or more of the community they govern votes to replace them.
Religion: Faith of Bones
Capital: Greenvalley


Cultural Ideas

At the dawn of time, the people were lost and separated. But in these trying times emerged three great persons that led them together again to build a brighter future. Like the Mountain Father, the Black Bear and the White Wolf, the Council of Three rules to this day, the wisdom of the ancestors guiding them on their path. No higher authority can there be in this world.

Effects:
- gain +2 on combat morale
- gain +2 on stability checks
- troops will never disobey orders or join revolts, but may participate in civil-wars normally
- allow the deployment of military units to temporarily raise stability
- may use Subjugation actions even outside of wars with that war-goal
-- can destroy Pops to eliminate cultural values of a Faction
-- can destroy Pops to eliminate a Faction entirely
-- can forcibly resettle Pops
- using subjugation actions or deploying military units to establish order raises mood
- weaker polities receive -1 Morale when facing someone with this value
- must always treat other polities as lesser and can't interact with them as peers
- Council of Three must always be the highest authority in the state
- factions unable to alter social order or political system, but can still try to gain control of the government
- social change occurs slower, but sometimes breaks violently
- during a civil war, other groups can claim the Mandate of the Ancestors to gain legitimacy
- this idea will be destroyed when the government collapses or the polity is absorbed by another polity
Challenges come and go, but only the steadfast will remain in their wake. Neither directionless action, nor hiding from them will save the people from these trials. One must face these challenges no matter how daunting they seem, and though the price they reap might be dire one will grow stronger for these losses.

Effects:
- gain +1 on stability checks
- gain +1 on Inspiration stat of all commanders
- stability loss when radically changing a started course of action due to difficulties
A man might build himself a home. He can stack stone and wood to find shelter against the elements and make a place he can call his own. Yet many man can build many homes, and with dedication and effort, even greater works they can accomplish. The world is there for man to shape and to make it more pleasing for himself.

Effects:
- bonus to development of landscaping technologies
- large-scale landscaping projects increase mood
- diplomacy malus of -1 with all groups who venerate nature
- malus to stability checks and increased mood loss from natural disasters
Blood is life. It is shed when we come into the world and all too often it is shed when we leave it. To willingly give it to another, be they living or dead, is the highest gift one can make, for the giver offers nothing less then a piece of his life. Never should such a deed be done lightly and gravest misfortune will come to those who befoul such sacred acts.

Effects:
- gain +1 on stability checks
- religion more likely to spread to populations who have no codified rites
- religion less likely to be subsumed by other faiths
- lower risk of betrayal by oath-sworn subjects sharing this value
- factions more resistant to size and influence loss, except when caused by population drop
- lower chance to detect faction plots


Current Factions

Hunters
Description: Be it the Days of Blood, the Reign of Bear and Wolf or the many battles that followed these legendary times, they always revolve around the valiant warriors of the tribe. As the might and greatest food procurers of Greenvalley, the hunters are undeniable the most important and beloved group in the entire tribe.
Size: 2 (Tiny)
Influence: 10 (Overwhelming)
Mood: 10 (Ecstatic)

Main Issues: Glory, Destroying or Subjugating Brushcrest
Secondary Issues: Exploration


Artisans
Description: Having their support chiefly among the miners and artisans of Cliffside, Crackhome and Greenvalley itself, this group is second in prestige only to the hunters and more numerous too.
Size: 4 (Small)
Influence: 5 (Average)
Mood: 6 (Content)

Main Issues: Stability, Resources
Secondary Issues: Trade


Fishes
Description: Named after a joking answer to the question who they support, the fishers of Laketop have slowly drifted apart from the rest of Greenvalley to form their own distinct group. While wielding little direct influence in Greenvalley, the amount of food they contribute to the valley gives them still some leverage.
Size: 2 (Tiny)
Influence: 5 (Average)
Mood: 4 (Discontent)

Main Issues: Peace, Stability
Secondary Issues: None


Serfs
Description: Once the term for conquered people brought to Greenvalley, these days many others are counted as serfs. They represent the marginalized professions that most of the tribe has little appreciation for.
Size: 6 (Average)
Influence: 2 (Negligible)
Mood: 4 (Discontent)

Main Issues: Safety, Recognition
Secondary Issues: Representation


Settlements

Greenvalley
Location: Clearing in the forest near a river bend.
Size: Large Tribe
Development: Sturdy wattle and daub Village

Stability: 9 / 10
Stability Check Bonus: +4
Mood: 9 / 10
Military Experience: 7 (Elite)
Diplomatic Experience: 3 (Green)
Dominant Factions: Hunters


Minor Villages:
- Crackhome - Limestone Quarry Village
- Cliffside - Obsidian Quarry Village
- Laketop - Fishing Village
- White Halls - Holy Site with Pilgrim Village
- Rivercrossing - Village

Population:
Type Number Culture Faction Notes
Workers 16 Valley People Serfs (9)  
      Fishes (5)  
      Crafters (2)  
  1 Sowing People Serfs (1)  
Hunters 6 Valley People Hunters (6) 2x Heavy Infantry
2x Regular Infantry
1x Light Infantry
1x Archers
Artisans 4 Valley People Crafters (4) 3x Basic Goods -> Production
1x Basic Goods -> Culture
Buildings:
Name Upkeep Effect
Holy Site - Faith of Bones 0.6 Production 3 Culture
Pilgrim Village 1 Food can generate 1 Culture of own or friendly culture, or create 1 own Culture in friendly polity
Stone Wall 0.2 Production defensive bonuses in combat
Active Trades:
- give 1 Production to White Clans for 1 Dye (Azurite)

Resource Production:
Name Current Maximum Bonus
Gathering 2 - +30% (Base)
+20% (low area utilization)
+20% (river)
Total: +70%
Hunting 6 - +30% (Base)
+10% (hunting dogs)
+20% (forested terrain)
Total: +60%
Fishing 5 5 +30% (Base)
+20% (Advanced Dugouts)
Total: +50%
Orchards 4 5 +30% (Base)
+10% (forested terrain)
+20% (river)
Total: +60%
Cattle Raising 1 2 +30% (Base)
+20% (river)
Total: +50%
Clay Mining 1 3  
Limestone Mining 1 1  
Obsidian Mining 1 1  
Woodcutting 2 4  
Silver Mining      
Production & Culture:
Name Task Production Culture
Artisans Basic Good -> Production +3  
  Basic Good -> Culture   +1 (Valley People)
Holy Site Base Income   +3 (Valley People)
Pilgrim Village Strengthen Own Culture   +1 (Valley People)
Luxury Goods 1 Unit of Obsidian (basic conversion)
1 Unit of Dyes (Azurite) (basic conversion)
1 Type of Luxury Goods
  +2 (Valley People)
Trade Balance   -1  
Building Upkeep   -0.8  
Pop Upkeep   -1  
Cultural Ideas Upkeep     -5
Total     +2 (Valley People)

What should be done in the coming years?

General actions:

[] Reassign some of the workers to different tasks.
-[] Let the simple workers produce some other resource.
--[] Write-In
-[] Tell the artisans to focus on something else.
--[] Write-In
Note: If you reassign artisans, it takes effect immediately. So switching 1 Artisan from producing Culture to Production means you have +1 Production and -1 Culture to spend this turn.

[] Send the hunters on a raid.
-[] Write-In target.
-[] Write-In what troops to take.

You have 0 Production to spend this turn:
[] Improve the village by construction sturdy longhouses for the people. (Cost: 3 Production)
[] Erect menhirs to clearly mark the lands the Valley People claim for all to see. (Cost: 2 Production per map hex)

[] Train some of you workers in other trades. (Cost: 1 Production per Pop)
-[] Train Hunters
--[] Heavy Infantry
--[] Regular Infantry
--[] Light Infantry
--[] Archers
-[] Train Artisans
-[] Train Bone Tenders

[] Create a new village to claim more land for the Valley People. (Cost: 1 Production per Pop settled in the new village.)
-[] Write-In which Pops to settle there.
-[] Write-In where to build the village.
-[] Immediately build a palisade around the village. (Cost: 3 Production, new village must have at least 3 Pops)

You have 3 Culture to spend this turn:
[] Attempt to change a Pops culture to Valley People.
-[] Write-In which Pop
-[] Write-In how much Culture to spend.

[] Try to influence a faction.
-[] Write-In which faction.
-[] Write-In goal.
-[] Write-In how much Culture to spend.

Pick an action for the High Council:
[] Gain +1 Production to spend this turn.
[] Gain +1 Culture to spend this turn.
[] Send a diplomat to someone.
-[] Write-In target of the visit.
-[] Write-In goal of the visit.

Others:
[] (Optional) Change the focus of the Pilgrim Village.
-[] Encourage own culture. (+1 Valley People Culture in Greenvalley) - Current focus
-[] Encourage White Clans culture. (+1 White Clans Culture in Greenvalley)
-[] Bring Valley People Culture to the White Clans. (+1 Valley People Culture in the White Clans)

[] Send your Great Prophet Speaker somewhere:
-[] To the White Clans
--[] Establish local shrines.
--[] Proselytize to the clan leaders.
-[] To the River People
--[] Proselytize


AN: Plan voting only please.
 
Last edited:
-[] Bring Valley People Culture to the White Clans. (+1 Valley People Culture in the White Clans)
I think this is a must to help speed up the conversion of the White Clans. Raiding Brushcrest also is something that we should do.
 
So overall not great effects for the campaign but hardly a disaster. I think we should concentrate on absorbing more population and increasing our reserves. We have had quite enough military adventures for now.
 
Last edited:
Meanwhile, though, the fighting carried on elsewhere. From the occasional captured scout or daring Clansmen trader, the Valley People learned what was happening around them. The Sowing People had struck at Little River, capturing the village at great loss of life. They marched on to strike at Makar itself, but were repelled after a long battle. The name Blood Sparrow featured in quite a few of these tales, and the people of Greenvalley took great pride to hear that it was one of their own who was beating back the Sowing People.
I am so proud of Sparrow.

And I'm pleased this turned out so poorly for Brushcrest. Had they not betrayed us we would have been happy to take out Makar together. But they did, and now we'll burn their village down.
 
Added the current map to the frontpage and the update. Going to update the info blurps on the different people you know over the weekend.
 
Well we got precious diplomacy experience alongside military experience, so that's a plus for the longterm, and all losses can be replaced eventually, not a win but not a major loss.
I think we should spend at least a turn just building up and spreading our faith to the clans whilst the lowlands spend their strength against each other.
 
So with the surrounding regions currently on fire I believe this should be a prime oppurtunity to try and form that Stone Age Empire we've been dreaming about. I imagine we'll want direct rule in Brush rest while surrounding cities can provide tribute. Achieving that will be diccult though and likely require prep time. Probably also a good idea to talk more to Makar and come to an understanding.
 
On the note of spreading faith, here are your options:

- use the Pilgrim Village by setting it to export Valley People Culture to the White Clans
-- only works for the White Clans since nobody else has any Faith of Bones worshipers in their polity
-- has the great benefit that it always works and the only thing the other polity can do against it is using Subjugation or Terror to wipe it's Faith of Bones pops out or relocate them

- use Speaker to Proselytize, but reminder here that this is his last turn
-- great effect at zero cost

- train a Bone Tender Pop, who can also Proselytize, but that costs Culture
-- if you train them this turn, they can start preaching next turn
-- they can also grant you bonuses for Mood and Stability rolls by burning Culture

- send a diplomatic mission and establish a trade deal to sell your Culture to someone else
-- the easiest and most straightforward thing to do, but you would need to find someone willing to buy your Culture
 
Hmm should we use our Prophet to speed up the conversion of the White Clans or try to spread our faith to the River People and hopefully reduce the odds of us fighting for a while?
 
It's really ironic, if Bushcrest had stuck to the deal Makar and Riverbend and Red Earth would've been destroyed or conquered by the Coalition, the Makar would no longer have been a threat to them.

Instead they lost their second secondary settlement to us, they have failed to hold Red Earth in a stable grasp, leading to its current name due to it being the main battlefield, and Sparrow is the reason Makar and the Priesthood who rules there didn't get destroyed by their coalition.

I hope they realise this, and that in their negaverse they chose to banish their intrigue hero. They have suffered due to their lack of honour, and soon enough I think we should raid the once again, to hammer home exactly why they made a mistake when they chose to lie.
 
Last edited:
Hmm should we use our Prophet to speed up the conversion of the White Clans or try to spread our faith to the River People and hopefully reduce the odds of us fighting for a while?
You are unlikely to make enough of a dent to influence policy with it, but if you get at least a few converts, it would open up the option to target the River People settlements with the Pilgrim Village.
 
Hmm should we use our Prophet to speed up the conversion of the White Clans or try to spread our faith to the River People and hopefully reduce the odds of us fighting for a while?
Leaning towards White Clans at the moment. While the benefits of converting Makar would be amazing we also have to consider the risk that it pisses them off and we end up with another enemy.
 
Back
Top