The Dance of Civilizations [Diplo Game] [Story Thread Pt4 - December 2009]

[India (DoC)]

Concerning to the occupations of "the new lands"

Byzantium,

Nice you had included yourself into the list, too bad yourself don't have astronomy so your pact actually can be read like this: "the top 5 most advanced civs-excluding us- should give away freebies to the others.

Nevertheless we agree with the sentiment. We are not greedy and our people don't want to live far from our holy places anyway. We wont race to occupy all the land we can, we have plans to found some cities then leave the rest.


We also offered our help to those of our neighbours who hadn't had astronomy yet by upgrading their galleys to galleons. (not a free service)
At the moment all of our neighbours have the ability to send their settlers whereever they want (ooc well except Mali becaue they hadn't log in for 5 turns now...)

About map sharing: we don't do that for security reasons, but if someone needs direction they can contact with us and we will give them.

[Russia (DoC)]

The Fall of Hastograd

Watching the endless hordes break through the defences, Dominika and her last remaining survivors holed up inside the Keep. The thundering blows of the siege rams rung through the shrine. Having been wounded multiple times the Princess still stood, supporting herself on a broken pike. The survivors numbered in the dozens. Two knights of the thousands that had taken up defences remained. They were Vladislav and Mikhail of Novgorod. Dominika took them aside and spoke to them.

-There are times when the greatest sacrifices are made insignificant by the tyranny of circumstances. This is one such moment. We have done well and right in our actions, but we have still been defeated. This is the way of the world. I believed falsely that the small could challenge the great through courage, skill and determination. This has been shown before and again to be an illusion, the great rule and the small suffer. And now I am wounded and bleeding the last drops of my life into this shrine. There is nothing left here in this world for me. I will now ask you the most difficult task you have ever been entrusted with. You came to my rescue and fought bravely. Now you must finish what I cannot, my life is ebbing out and I will rather die by my own hand than give the satisfaction to the Persians. One of you must give me your sword. I will use it to pierce my heart. Then you must take my corpse and burn it on the shrine altar. After that one of you must leave through the secret tunnels I built, leading out to the Volgorad roads. One of you must stay behind and delay the Persians from taking the shrine long enough for the other to escape. You must choose who shall go and who shall stay. Make your choice quickly, for we do not have much time.

The two Knights looked somberly at her, then at each other. For what seemed forever the two did not speak. Until finally Vladislav nodded. Mikhail would stay. Drawing his sword from its sheath, Mikhail knelt before Dominika. -My Princess, my sword is yours, thy will be done. Dominika accepted the blade, then limped to the altar where she sat down, the entire room seemed to fade into blackness, only she stood out, like a small flame in the dark. She untied her armorfastenings and it clanged to the stone floor with a hard cold noise. She then braced the hilt upon the altar so that the sword stood at an angle pointing upwards. Carefully putting her back upon the tip, she closed her eyes and took a breath. By leaning backwards forcefully she drove her body onto the sword, ending her life.

Mikhail then drew the sword from her wound, wrapped her in the cloth of the altar and emptied the burning-oil upon it. Turning to his brother in arms he sheathed the blood-dripping sword without wiping it off and handed it to his friend. -Take this, he said, our people will see it as a relic, a symbol of glory and courage. Vladislav nodded, took the sword, kissed his friend and went to the hidden tunnel without any further words. Mikhail took a torch and set fire to the altar.

Mikhail then picked up his mace and shield, walked to the door and turned around to the remaining defenders. -Soldiers of Russia. The war is lost. We have fallen where we could not fall and we have failed when we could not fail. Our future is no longer that of our homelands, but in a faraway land as slaves. Those of you who would stay and fight with me for our people and our lands may do so, even though death is certain. Those who see hope in the future may leave to tell the tale of what happened here to our children so that they should never forget what happened here. That is all.

Turning around again he waited for the splintering door to be broken down. Of the survivors none left. Only Vladislav stood at the tunnel entrance with bitter determination to uphold his promise to the Princess, when what he wished was to die fighting. Finally he closed the stone that concealed the tunnel and took the path to the outside. A few horses awaited him and he rode fast and hard to Volgorad. There he told of the news and the people cried out in grief and despair. As he changed horses and continued east to Moscow he could see the young Knight nobles still in training preparing to ride north. He did not try to dissuade them. Arriving at Moscow the same response came. Entering the Palace Vladislav found High Priestess Roza Pahlavinova staring out towards the west. She spoke to the exhausted Knight:

-The people need a leader. I am too old and Konya is too young. There are no others left, our nobles have all taken arms and died, except you. The Princess and her husband are dead, you need not tell me this. There is nothing left to fight with, the people will continue to fight nonetheless, but hope has abandoned these lands. I have looked at the information we have received from the Persians concerning relocation, but they know hardly nothing of the new world, I doubt very much that we could replace the 5 cities of Russia, Moscow, Novgorod, Rostov, Sevastopol and Volgorad. Especially with a dozen nations scrambling for lands in the new world. We have no army to fight with and no money to finance a growing empire. Russia spent millennia building the 5 cities to where they are now. The time it would take to do so in the new world would be painstakingly long. You must take the Prince, Konya, to the new world and train him to be a good leader. He will face nothing but the cruelest hardships, teach him to endure. There is a Britannian ship in the port, I have bribed a captain to arrange for safe passage for you and Konya to the new world. I do not trust the Persians to preserve the line of Catherine. Go now, you may rest on your sea voyage. I will lead Russia in this time of despair.

[Mali (DoC)]

Sun Dak was pleased at the invitation to celebrate Delphi and Sha'Tao. Sun Dak, fresh from his trip to meet with Pharaoh Ramesses in Friendship City boarded a ship to sail down the coast to India, eager to meet with King Kaliph.

[Persia (DoC)]

When some soldiers of Sha'Az take possession of the Shrine,
they see a small burning fire on the alter.
Fire and ashes. Nothing else.

"What sacrifice did they make here?" Mustaffah wondered.
"Nothing that really helped..." Ali laughed.

[Korea (DoC)]

very true


i will not communicate again


my opinion is not sought

Korea,

You talk a lot of nonsense.
Persia is already helping it's friends to settle new lands.
While you do the blabla the Ottomans are already sailing with Persian constructed ships to new shores and the Britannians are already constructing new ships with Persian knowledge.

Why don't you stop the talking and start helping your friends settling new worlds?
You have no rights to talk about these things.
You have done nothing so far to aid small civs and yet you're full of it that others should do it.

You have nothing to say about New Russia.
This is Russian soil.

Now be gone.

Fed'Az

[Byzantium (DoC)]

King Kaliph of India,

I am glad that you agree that the weaker nations of this world should be aided to gain a stake in the new world. And how kind of you to have a concern for my own technological abilities - be assured that they will be sufficent to carry out this deal long before nations have finished arguing about it.

However, you talk of aiding your neighbours, but those are not the weak nations of the world. The Koreas and Mali are great powers.

What of the Romans, Arabias, Greeks, Egyptians and Russians?

I call again upon the India, England, Persia and Korea to not look to their own advantage, not to look to gifts to bolster their relations with their strong neighbours, but to seek the welfare and independence of the weaker nations. Lets not use our power to control, while pretending to help - choosing places for them to settle which suit us - lets give to them the power over their own destiny - ships to go and settle where they wish.

[Persia (DoC)]

Theodosius,

Why do you 'call upon Persia' to help others, while Byzantium never did anything to help others. Persia is already helping Britannia and Ottomania settling new coasts.

Not to mention that it's easy for you to make these demands since you don't have the knowledge of astronomy yourself. There's nothing to lose for you.
I gave Astronomy to Britannia at the cost of one voucher for Persia.

If you are that eager to help others, why won't you step up and pay for the voucher?
Then we have a joined way to help Britannia. I pay the tech, you pay the voucher.

Put your money where you mouth is, or shut your mouth up.

Persia is getting bored with nations like Korea and Byzantium who never did anything for others but demand that Persia, who is already helping other nations, helps others.

If you send me 4 galleys and 4x 155 gold I will then upgrade these galleys into galleons and give them to Rome, Greece, Egypt and Arabia.
Put your money where your mouth is, Theodosius.

Fed'Az

[Persia (DoC)]

High Priestess Roza of Russia,

To show you our good intentions with Russia I am willing to hand New Moscow over to you immediately if you comply with our terms right now and execute phase 1 immediately.

Fed'Az

[England (DoC)]

Concerning to the occupations of "the new lands"

England agrees with the above said. We have offered our aid to the Romans (in game and via letters). Sadly the Romans haven't return any replies.

Still there has been much success with the Koreans and Natives.

We hope the Romans will find the time to answer our offers.

We are too willing to upgrade any nation's Galleys to Galleons.


Wallace

[Byzantium (DoC)]

Great Wallace of England,

I respect what you have said - its difficult if you do not get responses to such offers.

Fed'az of Persia,

I don't quite understand what you mean when you say "I pay the tech, you pay the voucher" - there is no cost involved in giving away technology. Byzantium has long given its technology to any and all that ask.

But I welcome your offer:

If you send me 4 galleys and 4x 155 gold I will then upgrade these galleys into galleons and give them to Rome, Greece, Egypt and Arabia.

Lets share the burden. I will certainly provide for one of these four. Which other nation will agree to get a galleon to one of these four - whether using Fed'az's kind offer or their own means?

[Ottoman Empire (DoC)]

Byzantium, Korea,

You are both big nations, help the weak, walk the walk, stop talking! Why don't you lead by example?

I am ready for my gift! When shall I receive it?

[Persia (DoC)]

Theodosius,

Persia has already given Astronomy to Britannia for free and a free galley upgrade to the Ottomans. We just gave 200 gold to another friend to upgrade one of his galleys as well. Maybe you should first start to try to match this before you make new demands.

I'm done discussing this subject now.
As you know very well Persia is still under attack from it's neighbours.
We have to keep focussed to save ourselves from our enemies.

We are not living under the same peaceful conditions as you do, but yet we have already done more for other nations then you ever did. Go figure.

Fed'Az

[Native America (DoC)]

Theodosius,

Persia has already given Astronomy to Britannia for free

Fed'Az

Surely there was a cost (ie voucher).

I don't quite understand what you mean when you say "I pay the tech, you pay the voucher" - there is no cost involved in giving away technology. Byzantium has long given its technology to any and all that ask.

My understanding is that, there is a cost in trading techs (outside of the free tech eras).


Native America has benefited from the assistance of galley upgrades (at a cost).

And we are within sight of the new land to our East.

[Russia (DoC)]

Russia needs time to prepare for our exile. If you give us New Moscow and 2 other settlements so that our people will have room to settle, and time to establish libraries and forges in those three cities, then we will begin handing over territory. If you do not agree to this, then the war will drag on and you will find yourself fighting for every inch of Russian territory.

[Persia (DoC)]

Russia: ooc, I'm not sure if you read the org thread, but some say that this 'deportation' is against the 'measured war' rules. We had a little debate there. Bottom line is that, like I said to you before, I will not continue it if you don't like it in an ooc way and it will take away your fun for this game. I just want to make sure that you know that before we continue IC.
------------------------

Roza,

How can I be sure that Russia won't betray us again?
If you can make us believe, then I will do as you ask.

There's one practical problem, the two settlers I have ready to settle in New Russia are unprotected.*
To make sure that barbarians won't destroy the new cities we may want to wait founding them till defenders arrive.

New Moscow will finish a fishing boat in 4 turns.
Maybe you want it to finish this task and fish the seas (fish resource) before I hand it over to you.

Fed'Az