Domination of Barbarians [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 1 - April 2012]

[Spain (DoB)]

At the annual Pyrenees festival, Himilce adresses Bernard, who apparantly has loosened up a bit
after drinking some of the fermented fruit juices from the grape the Spanish call uva de vino.


"My sweet french ancas de rana, you know my dear, that I like your bravado.
I really like you a lot, but sometimes you can get a bit loud.

We have good relations with the Portuguese. And we are confident we can make satisfactory
arrangements in and around the Iberian peninsula.

So, my little hocico del cerdo, this meddling in Iberian relationships is not appreciated.
May I remind you respectfully that you are disturbing the harmony.

This while we thought we had reached a good understanding and made good future arrangements.
Is it so that the French don't appreciate these arrangements?

Don't be a mammoth in the pottery shop, be in harmony with your neighbors."
She paused for a short moment.

"So drink some more uva de vino and lets be gentle and merry. Let's enjoy life!",
she said while waving to the band to start a new wild and ferocious Catalonian dance.

[France (DoB)]

Bernard took another sip of the Spanish fruit juice and smiled to himself as he felt the mystical effects of the Spanish fruit juice flow through him. The Spanish attempt to influence a French mystic by wine magic was amateurish since French mystics had invented wine magics nevertheless Bernard decided to play along to see what Himilce was after, having invited the French delegation to this Pyrenees festival.

The Spanish, like their wine, were much too sweet and not strong enough for Bernard's taste. It had been over 30 years since Bernard first saw the shadow prophesy of the Spanish spirit summoning. He had been learning all he could about the Spanish in that time in an attempt to prevent the great catastrophe that was looming in the near future. Some on the French council of mystics had recommended Bernard for this mission because of his Spanish expertise but most had wanted him to go because they believed the invitation to be a trap and few of the French attending the festival expected to return home alive. Bernard had many enemies on the council, mainly those who did not believe the great religion spirit prophesy would happen in their life time and they would be happy to see him gone.

Bernard was therefore reasonably fluent in Spanish and was well aware of the meaning behind Himilce's barrage of Spanish insults. The French mystics had made great progress in using Seelie glamors to gain a substantial understanding of Nether death magic and Bernard briefly wondered if the spirit of a living immortal could be trapped. Bernard dismissed the thought immediately since even though Himilce looked young she was over 10 times his age. Being over 500 winters old, Himilce presumably had some significant sources of power.

It was obvious that Himilce wanted to engage in a battle of taunts so Bernard obliged, "In France the most beautiful young women find a mate by 15 winters and even the most undesirable women will find a mate by 20 winters. I cannot imagine your frustration at not finding a suitable mate in over 500 winters. It is unfortunate that none of the Spanish men can measure up to your standards."

Bernard continued on without pause, "But I do not believe you invited us here to discuss the trials of 500 years of celibacy or the stigma of being the oldest virgin alive. We have come in a final attempt to dissuade you of this madness which threatens Mother Earth herself.

Immortality has caused you to lose perspective. You treat reality as if it is but a game when your actions have consequences and effect the lives of many. You reference conversations that you had with my ancient ancestors many generations and hundreds of winters ago and act as if I should know what you are talking about!

In the real world, outside of the never changing immortal bubble in which you have encased yourself, people live and die and struggle to exist in an ever changing world. As mortals we know that we shall die and all that matters is that we die for a worthy cause!

I give you forewarning that there shall be no harmony between France and Spain if you insist upon summoning forth this 'religious' spirit! If you seek harmony then abandon your insanity. The tribes of France are faithful servants to the Great Spirits and defending the Great Spirits is the most worthy of causes to die for!

I can only hope that I never live to see the time that your 'religion' spirit comes into existence."

[Spain (DoB)]

"Bernard, you shock me by saying that arrangements made with your ancestors are nothing to you.
In Spain we honour our agreements... "

[Netherlands (DoB)]

The return of Mighty Trotseer the Brave and the departure of Aantaleen and Angeline

To much rejoicing and cheering, Trotseer's Braves returned at last to the river village home of Nation of Fire, Nation of Water. Trotseer was a very old man now, his travels taking a toll on he and his men. But he was still very strong but still, the ancient immortality of the Nether was fading with each passing year. Some say still it is because of the loss of the Great Valley, some say it is poisons and evil French Earth and Wind magics. No matter what the cause Nether were dying younger now, not the centuries and milleniums that they used to live.

Even this was affecting Chieftain Aantaleen and Cheiftess Angeline. One day they finally call all the people together.

"Now it is time for us to go, we must pass into the Nether-regions of Ocean Mother. She will carry us deep to her Nether regions, into the realm of the rebirth where we shal renew our life force and return as reborn infants. Farewell to you our beloved countrymen, Nether and Dutch alike. When we return, we will not remember this lifetime again. Trotseer is here now to look after this land." The next morning they were gone, never to be seen again.

Some say that night, the two lovers held hands and walk towards the Northsea. They step into the waves, each step going deeper and deeper into Ocean Mother's embrace. Soon the heads are not visible as the waves wash over them. Then they are gone. Others say they went into the Darkwoods alone to hunt for the Great Valley where they would live forever as immortals. But no one really knows where they went.

[Japan (DoB)]

The most Noble and Honorable Tokugawa, ruler of Japan, has reviewed all reports coming in from the brave warriors traversing the land. In his mind, the fertile grasslands and magnificent mountains give shelter for village upon village, filled with his thankful and prosperous people. Mysterious the sea may be, surrounding every piece of this land, yet meaningful to us. This land, this solitary foundation, will grant us the greatest of strengths and protection from both beast and men.

Our village grows steadily, and the boats that sink give us insight into what can be improved. Soon, we will walk among the waves and greet the sun first hand, rising from the sea. Then the land and the sea will be shared among us, and we will learn more of what there is to find out there.

May we bend like the trees in the face of storms,
dig our roots deep, firm in the earth,
growing ever stronger under the sun.

-Jiraya, personal secretary to the Noble and Honorable Tokugawa, leader of the Japanese people, Year of the Yawning Snake.

[Arabia (DoB)]

In the year 3310BC, the first Religion Holy Islam is discovered in the Holy city of Mecca. All the Arabian people rejoice at the discovery of the first and one true faith. All the world must turn away from false religion and submit to Islam, the path of holy Submission.



The angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet at the Cave of Hira, the Quran, began to be revealed to him. His wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, encouraged him to describe the events that happened in the cave.

[France (DoB)]

OOC: Interesting historical trivia on Jun 7, 3301 BC at 8:36 AM there was a total Solar Eclipse that lasted 6 min and 8 seconds.

Bernard was an elderly man but he still insisted on getting up early each morning and leading the younger mystics to walk along the seaside cliffs since he considered that a sacred moment and spot where the four Great Spirits came together. The rising sun (Fire), the cliffs (Earth), the ocean (Water) and the morning breeze (Wind) all combined to discuss the upcoming days events and Bernard had become quite adept at interpretting their conversations.

This morning the four Great Spirits were particularly agitated and Bernard knew something important was happening but even he was not prepared when Father Fire turned his back on the Earth blotting out the Sun! Staring at the black sun, Bernard immediately knew that the religious Spirit was being summoned but not in Spain where he had interpreted! Bernard had failed the Great Spirits!

Just as the thought of his failure struck him, Bernard was struck blind by the black sun. In his confused panic, Bernard stumbled off the side of the cliff and fell through the air to drown in the sea below. Thus did the four Great Spirits fulfill Bernard's expressed desire to "never live to see the time that your 'religion' spirit comes into existence"!

[France (DoB)]

Foreign espionage agents have been reporting that in the 30 years since the Great Spirits granted Bernard's desire, the tribes of France have become stagnant and demoralized. The power of the revered mystical council of elders has been increasingly challenged.

Rumors abound that the mystical council have fallen out of favor with the Great Spirits and that the magic of this generation is far weaker then previous generations. There have even been occassional calls for Chief Benoit to show himself and take back visible control of the tribes!

Tales of Gabriel's heroic exploits have not appeased the masses, as they have done in the past. The tale of Gabriel hunting down the Persian Lion mystics is hardly even told having been supplanted by rumors that it was the great French hero Gabriel that summoned forth the religious spirit called Islam!

A few small pockets of French rebels have arisen which have asserted that the Great Spirits are a lie which the mystic council have invented to control the people and that Gabriel learned the truth in the Great Valley where he freed the spirit of Islam. These rebels were mostly wiped out by the french mystics, after the rebels openly called for Gabriel to return to Paris and claim his rightful place as ruler of the French!

The tribes of France were disunited but they are not any more since they have declared WAR on Arabia for spreading false rumors about Gabriel and for unleashing the Islam spirit to attack the four Great Spirits!

[Arabia (DoB)]

The people of Islam are saddened by the French declaration of holy war. This is unprovoked and unwarranted. Islam is the true faith not these false Earth and Water spirits. Islam should be praised and heralded as the first great religion of the world. Many imitators will come from Islam, this is only the beginning. France must stop this foolish path and embrace the future. Religion is here and her name is Islam.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

Nation of Fire, Nation of Water calls also for all to stop this religion madness. We do not trust the lies of France, but we believe that Ocean Mother and Mountain Father must be respected at all times. If there are any who defile them, they must stop the before the world is aflame.

As for the liars of France we don't trust them and think they must be some excuse they are making to steal the lands and women of another land. Greedy Piggyswines that they are.

[France (DoB)]

Tales around French campfires talk about a band of the Garcons de Paris that has been cut-off from returning to France by Holy Roman tribe expansion. The band, known as Le Gaulois, was attacked by the spirits of the bears that Gabriel slew to free the Jinns of Arabia. The bear spirits were summoned up by the Islamic forces of Arabia to test the magic of the French mystics, who easily trapped the bear spirits.

Another popular campfire tale, is of how the immortal French mystic Gabriel used Persian shape changing magic to give himself thousands of wings so that he could fly around the lands of the rising sun exchanging knowledge with the mystics of the far off tribes. The Arabian mystic Muhammad, was one of Gabriel's frequent students. Muhammad's magic involved the summoning of the Jinn, which are actually a separate race from the Arabs, even though the two tribes inhabit the same desert. The Jinn are free-willed mostly invisible spirits of fire and wind while the Arabs are just normal mortals.

Muhammad became obsessed with the prophesies of Bernard concerning the summoning of a great religious spirit but instead of helping Gabriel prevent the great disaster, Muhammad used his new knowledge to secretly summon up the religious spirit of Islam for his own tribe. Betrayed Gabriel went to confront Muhammad but the Arab mystic had withheld the powerful secret of Arabic warding magic with which he prevented Gabriel from returning to Arabia. Gabriel and the Great Valley Seekers have headed further east seeking new magic to break the Arabic warding magic.

There are many Jinn who still remember Gabriel's defeat of the Great Bears which allowed the Jinn to return to the ground. Many of those Jinn have joined Gabriel, acting as messengers since they can fly invisibly over long distances extremely fast. Other Jinn act as Gabriel's agents in Arabia.

A third tale is that Arabic spirit attackers and spies have been unable to penetrate the French wine-based wards however some Arabs are taking vows of prohibition against wine in the hopes that their spirits might resist the French wards. While French mystics claim to be confident in their wine wards there is a concerted attempt by the mystics on learning the Arabic warding magic, just in case!

[Byzantium (DoB)]

The Byzantine people celebrate as the finnal house is risen in the new city of Thessalonica. For many years, citizens from Constantinople worked hard to create a new home so that there people would have the chance to grow. Let us all celebrate the compleation of Thessalonica.

[Arabia (DoB)]

Surely these Lion spirits are evil magic conjured by the bloodthirsty evil French. They prey on our warriors nonstop and must be the work of the evil French. Any other nations who are victims of the evil French magic, let your voices be heard! Speak out against this French menace of evil!

[France (DoB)]

French fireside tales are ablaze with the tales of the crafty invisible Jinn warriors slaying evil Arabs and leaving their corpses for the lions to feast upon. With no survivors the Arabs believe it is the lions that are slaying their warriors.

Another tale is of how the sacred land of the Battle of the Bears and where Gabriel exchanged mystical knowledge with the Jinn mystic called Salem has been settled by the Byzantines. The Jinn rebels fighting against the Arabs had already built a fortification on the site which they called Jerusalem, meaning "Salem gives instruction" however due to its concealment and the Jinn's natural invisibility the Byzantines had not yet discovered the fortification. Rumor has it that the Jinn are willing to accept the Byzantines settlement on the site as long as the sacred land never falls under evil Islamic rule. Gabriel is reported to have agreed to launch a crusade to free the land should that ever happen.

The Great Valley Seekers have slain another pride of panthers in the far lands of the rising sun however it is not yet known what force was behind the attack perhaps a hitherto unknown tribe.