Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread]

[Pitboss Natives]

Piercias Nation meets the Wyandot Nation

The Wyandot peoples rejoice in the knowledge that they are not alone! May our two nations grow strong together!

[Pitboss Japan]

As Nobunaga prepares to bring together all of Japan he gets a report from the ninja sent to gather info on the island. The three return and give Nobunaga an updated map of the north. There isn’t anything up north except some good fertile land to settle and a few other things that would make for good trades. He looked closer to the map and saw there was another island to the north but since the ninja had no boats they couldn’t investigate. Nobunaga already planed ahead and got the ability to sail long ago. He ordered the creation of a ship that could carry scouts to explore the northern and southern islands. And so it was passed the creation of the IJN Sonya. It was put in priority of the massive army Nobunaga was creating. Although unsure how long this would take since this was the first ship of its kind built by Japan Nobunaga was determined to know what and who was out there in the rest of the world.

[Pitboss Persia]

The Tower Shield

It was a great day for the commander of the piercian forces. Exploration made difficult by the loss of the scouts, people were busy otherwise, and this busyness led to a great progress in combat equipment. Thinking about the problems a warrior would have when he need to get close to an enemy equipped with range weapons, Asiz, a respected warrior of the Imprerial Guard had the idea of increasing the shileds hight, so that they would offer better protection, without handicaping it's user in melee combat. The so-called "tower shield" now protects piercian melee fighters. Asiz was promoted by Iris herself, and was given a great house next to the palace, where he would from now on serve as Her personal guardian.



Portrait of Asiz ->

[Pitboss Rome]

Eventually the two children, named Romulus and Remus discovered their true heritage. They returned to the city of Alba Longa and killed Amulius, as the city settled down after the upheval it offered Romulus and Remus the joint crown. However, the twins refused to be the kings so long as their grandfather was still alive, and would not live in the city as subjects. Thus after restoring the kingship to Numitor and properly honoring their mother Rhea Silvia, the two left Alba Longa to found their own city upon the slopes of the Palatine Hill. Before they left Alba Longa, however, they took with them fugitives, runaway slaves, and all others who wanted a second chance at life.

And so the city of Rome began its life as a city of outcasts. Once Romulus and Remus arrived at the Palatine Hill, the two argued over where the exact position of the city should be. Romulus was set on building the city upon the Palatine, but Remus wanted to build the city on the strategic and easily fortified Aventine Hill. Romulus argued that the Aventine Hill was too far away and would add to the already too long journey, not to mention the lack of fresh water. Eventually Romulus won the argument, but as he took up more and more responsibilites in the colony Remus became jelousy of his brother. One day as Romulus was digging a defensive ditch where the cities outer limits will be, Remus jumped over it, considered a sign of disrespect and an act which would bring bad luck to the city. Romulus then killed Remu, fraternicide would unfortunatley also be a mark of Rome.

After the completion of the city, Romulus divided the people of Rome who were able to fight into regiments of 3000 infantry and 300 cavalry*. Romulus called these regiments "legions". The rest of the people became the populace of the city, and out of the populace, Romulus hand selected 100 of the most noble men to serve as a council for the city. He called these men Patricians and their council the Roman Senate. Romulus called these noble men Patricians not only because they were the fathers of legitimate sons, but also because he intended the great and the wealthy to treat the weak and the poor as fathers treat their sons.

He sent one legion into the unexplored lands that surrounded the young city. The legend goes that the party traveled far to the west into a inhospitable desert before returning to Rome and heading southeast, there the party was killed by a great pack of lions. How 3000 men could die from animal attacks has been a source of contention even in ancient times, but after carefully reading the earliest sources one read quite clearly that Romulus sent a third of a legion, 1000 men into the wilderness. Also during the many years they traveled in the desert many of them must have died. Whatever the truth of the demise, the legend of man eating beasts in the jungles of the south prevailed and the people of Rome seldom ventured there in the later centuries.

Romulus order resulted in a militarized society focused on defense, he encouraged rivalry among the legions and eventually one of the legions discovered how to smelt bronze.** The legend goes that it, under the leadership of some of the Patricians, started attacking the other legions and began taking over the city. The civil war that followed pushed back the cities growth by centuries. It took Romulus many decades before he could regain control of Rome from the rebelling legion, as punishment he enslaved the bronze smelters of the legion exiled, demoted any patricians that joined them to plebeians and exiled them to found their city east of Rome. This city would become Antium, he specifically instructed them not to settle on a hill, for he foresaw the possibility that Rome might need to take the city one day.. Several years later he sent one of Rome’s reformed legions to take control of the city, once it did Romulus declared himself King of Rome.This act would deeply affect Roman society pushing it on a road of imperialism for centuries to come.

*This is almost certainly a later addition to the myth since the horse was not domesticated by 4000 BC.

**The earliest examples of bronze tools and weapons where found in the region, so this legend may be based on fact.

[Pitboss Korea]

Corean sages have learned that a new nation of people has arisen in the world. They call themselves the Maya and apparently live somewhere in the lion-infested jungles to the northwest. The Great Han People's Nation welcomes them to bask our civilising light.

[Pitboss Greece]

Some citizen of Athens have started to work the corn-fields just outside the city together. The gigantic corn-trees are of unimaginable size but the workers of Athens aren't frightened by these gigantic corn stakes. Soon farms should be made on the corn fields, supplying Athens with much more food.



in the meanwhil the Athenian workers have recovered from their fight with the lions, some time ago.
While they travel through the fields in the far distance they enjoy the sight of nature and are amazed by starry nights, big animals, lakes, sheep and the size of the mountains.

[classical_hero]

The first contact.

The Spanish people have been an inward seeking people. Many people have thought that if they venture out we will meet up with such fearsome creatures that apparently suck the life out of their souls and such unmentionable things, so the People decided that it was much safer to stay at home rather than risk it with these fearsome creatures. Here are some artistic drawings of what these creatures might look like.
Here is the first such fearsome creature.

And this one.

So naturally the people were afraid to venture out of their mighty city since they thought such things, but their was another group of people who thought all this was just an old wives tale and that such creatures did not exist. So these brave fellows finally ventured out to see what they could find. They said goodbye to their wives and bravely went their way. Many prayers were said for them and for a safe journey. They were gone for a very long time so word spread that they had actually met a gruesome fate to these creatures. The people got very afraid, but then one day out in the distance they were finally spotted coming home. Their was much rejoicing when that happened. The warriors apologised for not sending messengers back about their travels, but they left in such haste that forgot to organise messages to be sent back.

Since these brave fellows were tired from such a journey that they needed a break. But since that time their was a long time since they had journeyed out and unfortunately the legends of old came back to the fore and the deeds of these great men were forgotten and only were remembered in a long forgotten book.

OOC. How do you get those pictures and the low level. I have tried to do it before but to no success. The rest of the story so far will be revealed soon.

[Pitboss Portugal]

People of Corecom, I have just witnessed a horrific event. While I was hunting in the southern lands I heard terrible screams coming from the other side of the forest. What I saw when I crossed the forest was just horrific; a great beast was feasting on a man, my guess a scout not of our own but a foreign tribe. I decided to attack the beast immediately with my club and smash his great skull. I couldn’t let such a savage animal roam our forests and ambush people.

I will head now for the south and look for that scout’s tribe; I will take with me the beast’s skull and gift it to those foreign people as a token of friendship.

[Pitboss Vikings]

and the people of Oldonia continued to sleep.

[Pitboss Russia]

Pitr, we have gathered together a bunch of villagers and domsta-- domastkt-- dumbastkat---- herded in the cows. This should greatly help us gettting more food and other useful stuff. We have also built a hole in the southern hill where we dig up stones and other interesting items, greatly boosting our ability to make stone hammers. Most useful. We are currently sending them to dig another pit on the northern hill, and after that they'll be taking some well earned vacation years.


Vacation? Are you mad? We need to be workink extra hard, our spiritualists and mystics say we be doing badly according to their "Scoreo Boards".


But master Pitr, there is nothing for them to do. No more hills to mine, no more animals to herd, and that's all we know how to do... Maybe we can start cutting the forests, but we need better tools. According to our brightest minds, we may be able to heat certain rocks enabling us to extract metals from them that can then be combined into a bronze-tin alloy, provided we'll be able to maintain the required constant high temperature and continous air-stream that will oxygenize the flames and...

Enough! Your fancy technical mumbo-jumbo is giveink me headache. Just finish up and then start cutting down these forests. All the tics and mosquitos are makink it unbearable in summer months. And if the workers have nothing to do, tell them to pretend like they're working. We can't have other nations be thinkink we are lazy.


Servant mutters: Why don't you pretend they're working.

What was that? Oh well, not mind. Just get to it. We need to send some Warriors to the Goose-men and talk to them.

[Pitboss Persia]

Thoughts about discoveries



On his usual guarding tour in the palace, Asiz noticed a stone in the treasure room. It was said to be given to Iris by Her ancestors. Seeing that a part of it had fallen off, he asked to take it home and make some experiments. The Empress wasn't delighted about that, but knowing the potential of this man, she allowed him to run a few tests.

Once the stone taken home after duty, Asiz tried to break off some of the reddish shiny parts of it, but he failed. He knew that a hammer would only break the entire stone, so he didn't even try that. Staring at the fire just outside of his window, he wondered what this strange material could be usefull for.

He went to see Her Great Chaman, and told him about his experiments, and asked him if the spirits of fire would be able to help him. The old man was a bit confused, but since Asiz was working for the Empress, he couldn't just send him out the door. So he gathered all his chamans and told them to conduct a ritual, where they would summon the strongest spirits of the flame. A fire was made in a pit, and air was blown into it by the side. Asiz now putted the mysterious stone into the middle of that fire, and waited.

A few hours later, when the fire was no longer, he went to see what happened to the stone. Digging around in the ashes, he finally found it, and all the reddish shiny parts were gone, leaving holes in the stone. He continued to dig around in the ashes nearby, and found all the reddish shiny material gathered in a single peace, on the very buttom of the pit. Now he understood : when the spirits of fire and air are dancing, they can turn the earth and stones to water ! Proudly announcing this to Her Great Chaman, he showed him the object, that looked like the sharp tools made from silex for cutting animals apart. Together they found a way to attach it to a stick. The first piercian axe was born.

Heading back to the palace, proudly bearing (<- russia) his new weapon, he heard screams coming from the imperial garden. He ran as fast as he could and arrived to see a terrible scene : Esther was trapped on a tree, with a dragon lurking around it !

He screamed in order to get the beasts attention, and succeeded immediatly. It charged him, and he avoided it, but was hit on the arm holding his shield by the fangs of the beast, leaving him with only his new weapon to defend himself. With a ferocious roar he jumped towards his opponent, hitting it so hard on the head, that he pierced it's skull. Even with that wound, the creature still struggled for a few minutes, but he was able to hold the great reptile on the ground, laying all his weight on the scaled neck. Once he was certain about the dragon being dead, he helped Esther down the tree.

She looked at her wounded saviour, who held his left arm and was still recovering from the fight with the giant beast.


He was clearly affected by some kind of poison, having the yellow liquid flowing all over his wound. She took him by the hand and went to the well. She cleaned his wounds and asked him about his experiments with the stone of the ancestors. When he explained that the weapon that saved her was made from it, she looked a little confused and remained silent for a moment. A few minutes later she said : "My ancestors must have given this stone to my mother for allowing you to save me. It has to be a sign...". The young people shared an embaressed look towards each other, and then remained silent. Once the wound cleared, it was time to make Asiz's report to Her Highness.

He stepped into the throne room, carrying the creatures body on his shoulder and holding his weapon in the other hand. A few steps away from the Empress, he dropped the body to her feet and salutated his ruler.

-"You are an impressive man, Asiz. Not only have you given our soldiers better protection, but you also saved my daugters life, with a powerfull new weapon you made yourself."
-"I am always glad to work for the prosperity of Piercia, oh my Empress, but this weapon was not made by my hand..."

He explained the role of the four spirits in the ritual to Iris, and told her to thank Her chamans for their knowledge. She made Asiz her personal adviser, and charged him with the duty of watching over Esther's safety when he wasn't needed for advice.

On his advice scouts were sent out to the known lands in order to find more of the reddish shiny material that he named Kho'per, meaning "Piercias tool". They found enough for making some usefull tools for the local workers, but no source able to sustain military exploitation was found. At least, the forests around Pierced Hill could now be cutten of, in order to get usefull construction materials, but he warned the workers from doing too much, because of the forest still being a holy place, blessed by the spirits.

But he trusted them, having seen the excellent work they have made on the windy hill to the east, working the gems there. If only they had an efficient way to get them back to Pierced Hill...


OOC: Pictures are from the upper left to the lower right : The stone of the ancients ; The dragon ; Esther looking at her saviour ; Asiz holding his arm with poison flowing over it.

[Pitboss Vikings]

and so time passed in Oldonia and Roger Wilco and his band of men did discover that if they tied a sharp rock to a large stick they could swing this stick and hit trees with it. They suddenly whooped for joy and realised they could now clear the hill where the shiny things were and then they could use the stick with the flat rock attahced to it ti dig a hole.

Oldonia though was not a happy place. With the leaving of sensible Roger Wilco, the town went into uproar. Civil war broke out, a young strap of a man named Ab Lincoln took half the people and threw rocks at the other half. Another man who was generally was a quiet soul, took offence at the rock throwing and so Jeff Davis led the other half of the people.

Many Oldonians died.

[Pitboss Vikings]

.

[Pitboss Celts]

One day as Gavin explored on the hill near the borders of the Celtic nation, he discovered small concentrations of heavy material. Gavin took these small, heavy globules to the village elder. There was much discussion with the Great Counsil and after much debate and experimentation, it was discovered that this new material could help strengthen buildings. Workers traveled to this hill repeatedly to recover these heavy objects and eventually named the objects "ore". After many years of digging in this hill, a mine was built because the workers were digging further and further into the hill to recover ore. There is hope that another hill also located on the border covered in wild grapes will hold the same ore.

[Pitboss Vikings]

and so after a long struggle Jeff Davis and his group won the civil war and they made Ab Lincoln and his group their slaves.

Jeff Davis gahtered to his side his friend Fred PAtton and told him to lead a team of people armed with large sticks to go find the lions outside the city. He gave hisfriend the title of General.

So it was General Patton did lead his hardy warriers into the Great forrest. They did see the Wilco Corporation chopping logs as they passed.