Domination of Barbarians [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 2 - May 2012]

[Sommerswerd]

Domination of Barbarians [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 2 - May 2012]

This is the Story and Diplomacy Thread for the Diplo Game "Domination of Barbarians" (DoB)



The purpose of this thread is to post in-character story posts and diplomacy for this game. Please discuss all organizational aspects of this game the Organization Thread.
Use your Anonymous Apolyton Game Account to put posts in this thread.

Domination of Barbarians is a diplomacy game.
The players try to rule their empires like they are real. Role playing and story telling is an important way to achieve this.

[Sommerswerd]

All the different peoples spread out over the World, settling down into tiny villages. Some learn to hunt the nearby animals, some learn to fish, and others learn to mine the nearby hills. One tribe has superior knowledge of the Mystical realm, and creates the Worlds first religion, Islam.

Friendships are formed and enemies are made. France and Dutch continue their blood feud. France declares Holy War on Arabia. The villages send out Warriors to explore and there are minor skirmishes, brief wars ensue but no villages are burned, and no civilians are killed.



Wild animals slaughter scores of the exploring Warriors. The barbarians are still nowhere to be found. The Great Valley of the Ancestors is found. The Ottomans have gone missing. The World has remained relatively peaceful...

Headship / Royal Lineages of the World

Barbarians
Barbarous the Expelled

France
Benoit, appointed successor of Tribal Chief Andre, traverser of the Alps, appointed successor of Pierre, First Despot of France, slayer of Jean-Guy, former co-ruler w/ his wife Patrica & brother Jean-Paul, son of Jean

Spain
Himilce, Princess of Spain, Mother of Astor

Portugal
Porto & Portu, husband and wife

Netherlands
Trotseer the Brave, named successor to Chieftain Aantaleen the Primersteleider and his wife Angeline

Ottomans
Head Chieftain Bedri Ayhan

Byzantines
Leader Constantine

China
Mother of Qin Shi Huang, successor to the Father of Qin Shi Huang

Viking
Chief Ragnar

England
Leader Elizabeth

Celts
Lord Chieftain Brennus & Aithe

Japan
The most Noble and Honorable Tokugawa, ruler of Japan

Russia
Leader Peter

Arabia
The Prophet & his wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid

Rome - ???
Greece - ???
Germany - ???
Holy Rome - ???
Persia - ???

[France (DoB)]

The common consensus amongst foreign espionage agents operating within the French tribe is that the French espionage forces, with agents fluent in the local languages of 14 tribes, operate with a magical efficiency.

Those foreign agents from tribes with a less mystical inclination describe a much more mundane process. French explorers, The Great Valley Seekers and Le Gaulois, seek out new tribes. Female espionage agents within the explorers use French wine and seduction on remote members of the new tribe to learn the local language and customs relaying the information back through the French explorers to the mystic elder council.



The process has worked quite well for generations however the recent Arabic counter-espionage tactic of introducing Islamic prohibitions against alcohol and promiscuity are seen as a direct threat to the process and by extension to the French tribe itself. The French mystic council of elders is believed to be seeking any means by which to stop the spread of Islam.

The most recent tactic by the council is to seek out the 18 tribes of legend to prove the Great Valley legend is true and that the Islamic story of creation is a lie. With 15 known tribes, counting the French, the French are actively seeking the remaining 3 tribes.

The French have heard of a wandering tribe called the Ottomans who are believed to have finally settled on the rising sun side of the Russian tribe. Le Gaulois are seeking to make contact with the Ottomans but were last reported to be facing a wolf attack the results of which are unknown.

There are unsubstantiated rumors that the English tribe has met another tribe on the setting sun side of their land. French agents are trying to get word through the English to this tribe to see if they could send a ship towards France to make contact. The French have no naval knowledge and even if they did the English would consider it an act of war to send a French ship through their waters. The French do have a coastal presence through which contact could be made by this tribe (as Portugal did generations ago) without going through English water.

The Great Valley Seekers were last reported to have met a new tribe, whose name and language had not yet been learned. The tribe had what appeared to be a weak but fast military unit that the French have not encountered before. The unit was poorly fortified on a barren hilltop and about to be attacked by panthers. The Great Valley Seekers have interposed themselves on a forested hilltop between the panthers and the tribal unit. The results of the panther attack are not yet known however The Great Valley Seekers are experienced woodsmen in a very secure location so they are not believed to be overly in danger. It is hoped that by saving the lives of these scouts that friendly relations can be developed with this latest descovered tribe which may lead to assistance in finding the last outstanding tribe...

[Byzantium (DoB)]

Constantine walked with his son along the beaches of Constantinople. Constantine had grown old
and his time was soon up. His son Justinianwas a great warrior who was well known among the
people for his part in safelyescorting the settlers of Thessalonica. As the two men walked along the
beach Constantine spoke to him of things to come.

Constantine: My son tomorrow you will become the new leaderfor our people. I have done my best
to lead our people in peace and war but itwill be your time now. My son the gods have shown me
much and though I cannottell you everything without fear of changing events to come I can tell
you this. The gods are angry with another nation. There blasphemies have releasedan ancient evil
that will infest the rest of the world if we allow it to. Wemust not allow them to enter our lands. The
passage to the ancient lands mustbe guarded if our nation is to survive.

Justinian: Father who was it that has released this evil onthe world? Why do we not let them be
punished?

Constantine: I cannot say who it was but their intolerance ofothers is great. The evil itself has no bias,
they see everyone as enemy, andlike an animal it seeks only to kill. Be careful not to focus only
there,others are not always what they seem you must make sure to defend our citiesand attack if
needed.

Justinian: I will father.

That night Constantine passed in his sleep. His body wasburned in the traditional way and hours after
Justinian was named leader of theByzantine people. For his first order he sent a group of warriors to
hold the landbridge to the south. He hoped to hold the evil back as long as he could but onlytime and
the gods would tell if his men could hold true.

[France (DoB)]

French campfire tales were telling the story of how Le Gaulois had hunted down another wolf pack. Some were even saying Le Gaulois were nearly as good woodsmen as the legendary Great Valley Seekers.

The Great Valley Seekers had spent 15 winters learning the Chinese language and customs from the scouts stationed to guard the Chinese from the wild cats that prowled their borderlands. It is said that Gabriel tried to persuade the scouts to move their encampment into the hilled forest where they could better defend themselves against the wild cats however the scouts would not move until they received orders from their new chief. The scouts had been stationed on the barren hilltop for over 30 winters as their last chieftain had died and no new leader had arisen in that time.

The wild cats fearing the heavily defended Great Valley Seekers eventually moved around the Seekers' fortified position as they found easier prey in the Chinese scouts. Fearing for the lives of the Chinese scouts, Gabriel approached the Chinese borders seeking an audience with someone in authority but found none.

The Chinese tribe was in a disastrous condition. Disease was rampant. So many border patrols had been slain by the wild cats that no one was left to organize the village and the women-folk were pleading with the tree spirits to save them! If the wild cats did not overrun the village then the prophesized return of the children of Barbarous would surely wipe them out.

Gabriel, in the guise of a short dark skinned man with a permanent scowl on his face, came across Qin, a boy who had reportedly slain his best friend to end his suffering. That was the type of tough action was going to be needed if the Chinese tribe was going to survive.

Gabriel told Qin, "Your people need a strong leader if they are to survive. My understanding is that you are over 900 winters old. Even by immortal standards you are now a man and it is time you acted like a man. You need to take the role of chieftain of your tribe and start getting them organized better.

As your first action start by moving your border patrols to more secure locations. Your patrols should only be moving in forest or jungle, preferably hilled, and they should only ever defend instead of attack. Have the patrols fortify themselves by digging pit traps around their encampments so that the wild cats are easier to kill. If you follow this advice then your border patrols will no longer be slain and will quickly become very experienced troops.

We are on a quest to find the 18 tribes of the Great Valley but will be searching in this area for many winters so feel free to ask if you want advice or need assistance."

[China (DoB)]

Qin disputes your claim that our people are suffering.
We thrive and need no assistance or advise from your kind.
Be gone speaker of foreign tongues that are garlic garbled.
Be wary of the great cats that prowl this land.
Your sweat smells sweet to their hunt.
They will eat you alive.

[France (DoB)]

The French campfire tales were aglow with the restraint and mercy of Gabriel and The Great Valley Seekers. The Chinese leader Qin's rude insults were sufficient grounds for war and most French warriors would have responded by immediately invading China however The Great Valley Seekers were the most noble of the French warriors and they were on a quest that could not be delayed to teach the brash Chinese leader a lesson in barbarian diplomacy.



The Chinese scouts had moved to a more secure position, following Gabriel's advice despite their new chief's ingratitude. The scouts in their new defensive position managed to repel more wild beast attacks but still had taken many losses. It would have been easy for The Great Valley Seekers to have wiped out the wounded scouts but instead The Great Valley Seekers moved into position to protect the wounded scouts since some of the scouts were friends despite their leader's contempt for the French tribe.

The French tribesmen are strangely proud but confused by The Great Valley Seekers gallant actions in this age of barbarism where might makes right and the proper response to insults is war.

[China (DoB)]

Qin ponders the response from the French valley peekers who have taken camp near China's borders. A council of the elders argue for war given that they have twisted facts. It was they who insulted our proud and devine country first cry the council. We asked for no interference or assistance, says Wie Me. In response the citizens protectorate are being called up and arming themselves. With spears raised they bang their bamboo shields with blunt end ... "Arump Bop Bop Arump Bop Arump Arump Bop Bop Bop". The hope is that the noise attacts more of the wild cats that prowl the country side to clear the garlic eaters.

But Qin worries that this is no means to start relations with the first foreign power since they left the barbarian village years ago. He sips his longetivity tea that the shaman has provided him for years. He ages very slowly so is in his 21st year of life. Having that longetivity allows a control over Beijing like no other chief and the people welcome his leadership.

Despite the insults he convinces the council to send an offer to the valley peekers to come to village for protection and food. Their journey must have been long and dangerous. Qin offers information on the missing tribe they seek.

[France (DoB)]

After persistent pleading from his Chinese scout friends, who are happy to be alive due to their new defensive position, Gabriel and a small delegation of the Great Valley Seekers agree to go to Beijing to meet once again with Qin. The Great Valley Seekers were once a diplomatic expeditionary force however for several generations they have lived alone in the jungles and even Gabriel has lost the diplomatic skills for making contact with a new tribe. It also did not help that they have had no grapes with which to make French wine for hundreds of winters instead they had learned to make a strong but tasteless wine from the local rice plants.

With rice wine in hand as a gift for the Chinese, the blunt talking Gabriel gets straight to the point.

"No insult was intended to the proud Chinese people however despite the thriving assessment of your tribe that your advisors give you, the tales of the border patrols are not as positive. They tell tales of disease like the coughing sickness that claimed your father or the black rot that killed your friend Shen. They tell tales of your womenfolk wailing to the tree spirits in mourning like your mother. Mostly they tell the tales of how 3 border patrols have been slain by the wild beasts thus far and yet you send more of them out to die. If the latter is true then it is no wonder your troops are so demoralized that they only tell tales of death and sorrow.

If you have truly lost 3 border patrols then your military advisors are using poor tactics. I do not say this as an insult but merely as a statement of fact. I shared with you solid tactical advice so that no more of your border patrols needed to die. The testament to the success of those tactics is the fact that the Great Valley Seekers have travelled farther than any other warriors in all the known tribes and slain more beasts than any other warriors, having slain a bear, 2 panther and a lion pride. Le Gaulois have also slain a bear and a wolf using the same tactics and no French warrior patrol has ever been slain. French survival is not a matter of luck but of using proper defensive terrain tactics.

I will give you some more unsolicited advice which you are free to ignore if you so desire. French mystics have prophesized that in slightly less than 50 generations the children of Barbarous are going to rise up and exact their revenge on the 18 Valley tribes. Having already spent so much time training warriors and scouts instead of workers to build a defensive structure like a Great Wall, it is unlikely that the Chinese can create such a structure in time now. With so many military losses already, it may be difficult for your tribe to withstand the barbarian hordes especially if the patrol losses continue.

On a related note, while the Chinese scouts are fine against wild beasts they will be useless when the barbarian horde is unleashed and they will be quickly overrun regardless of defensive terrain and promotions. The best use for those scouts would be to attempt a run to meet other tribes, which will make your research go much faster.

The scouts should either accompany the Great Valley Seekers as we seek out the remaining lost tribes or they should make the solo journey towards the setting sun before the barbarian horde prevents such an attempt. If you choose to attempt the solo journey towards the setting sun then I recommend keeping the mountains to your right and the river to your left as you travel through the jungles as it is the safest route until you meet the Persian tribes.

These are the facts as I see them and this is the best advice that I can offer based upon hard earned experience. A wise ruler seeks out good advice and is not insulted when it is offered. Now in return for this advice, I understand that you have information on one of the missing tribes..."

[China (DoB)]

With great fanfare the Valley Peekers are escorted into Beijing with a miltary escort, to protect the foreigners from the people of Beijing. The people crowd the streets and push against the soldiers holding back the throng. Some to see the strange clothes and others to throw rice paddies soaked in their urine to show their disdane. Qin calls for calm and silence at the council of elders...

"Gabriel I do not recall meeting with you prior but lets start fresh. First I must apologize for the greeting you have received at the hands of the people. I have ordered all rice and pee throwers to be hung from trees and stretched. You will see them when you leave the city with their entrails waving goodbye.

We appreciate the advise of which we have learned the hardway. We caution you that the lands about us are inhabited by many great beasts. It is not due to idleness but our warriors have succumbed to successive attacks of 4 beasts in a row. So go with caution to the far east where you will see the land of the rising sun over the eastern shores of our lands. We have not met the people that dwell there but the edge of their border and the smoke from their fires could be seen in the distance by our warrior as reported by a runner before they too were slain by tigers, bears and wolves (oh my!)."

With that the Valley Seekers were escorted to the border and pointed the way to the far east by a squad of chinese warriors, once reaching the sea they will need to travel north over threacherous lands and then east again to be within spitting distance of the rising sun.

[Arabia (DoB)]

Until further notice, the Warriors of Islam will no longer be exploring the nearby lands. We have determined that the countryside has become completely overrun by ferocious hungry wild beasts of all kinds. Poisonous snakes, Maneating Pythons, Hippos, wild boars, crocodiles, Mammoths have all been rumored to have killed people in this area. And large packs of Wolves, Panthers, and Prides of Lions, Tigers and Bears (oh my!) have been confirmed to be about by our scouts. Bears especially are known maneaters and are known to be virtually invincible, surviving many club-bashes to the face and torso with almost no effect except a bloodthirsty man-swallowing rage. If you see a Bear run away as fast as you can.

Only the evil French are able to withstand the Bears with their evil blasphemous necromancy magic learned from Netherlands and their heretic immortality magic learned from the so-called Great Valley seekers. Do not ask evil France for the seecrets to these magics as everything they do is heresey and against the true faith of Islam. Those wishing to know the true faith of Islam need only tell us, and we will send our Missionaries to you to spread the true faith to your lands.

[France (DoB)]

French campfire tales are ablaze with the latest secrets unearthed by French mystics about the Arabic cult of Islam . The evil Islamic patron spirit is trapping the dead spirits of all who fail to join the Islam cult and imprisoning them for eternal torment in a prison called Jahannam. The Arabs are said to be sending out agents that threaten eternal torment for the spirits of deceased loved ones unless entire tribes convert to Islam.
Foreign spies are reporting that French mystics are collecting entire wine harvests and massive stones to build a magical defensive wall that will protect their spirits from being sent to Jahannam. Shamans from mystical tribes are sensing a massive build up of spiritual energy the likes of which the world has never seen.

The people of France seem to be in good spirits despite the enormous sacrifices in terms of labor efforts and more importantly limited wine consumption that they are making. There is an air of grim but optimistic determination in France, as the tribe rallies to defeat the evil Arab plot.

[France (DoB)]

The Great Spirits smile upon the French tribe for their perseverance and discipline. Le Gaulois and The Great Valley Seekers each sacrifice another lion pride to the Great Spirits while the French mystics perform a massive ritual involving every mystic in France performing the wine and stone spirit trapping spell in unison on an unprecedented scale!

Using immense stone blocks and sacrificing many wine harvests, the French mystics have created a wonder they call, Stonehenge. On the Paris field open to the wind, is a bonfire which is never allowed to die. Surrounding the bonfire is a ring of immense marble stones which are in turn surrounded by an even larger circle of granite stones. Surrounding both of the stone rings is a circular ditch filled with water. Thus are the four Great Spirits honored in this depiction of the circle of the seasons and of life and death itself.

The spirits of the French dead are magically drawn to Stonehenge where they securely spend eternity in a spiritual paradise with the four Great Spirits and their ancestors thus preventing the Islamic spirit from sending their spirits to Jahannam for eternal torment.



News of this wonder is spreading fast to the other tribes as the French are obviously relieved that at least their spirits are now safe while also being proud of their demonstrated magical dominance over their Arab enemies. The French are advising other tribes to build magical monuments to save the spirits of their people from the Islamic spirit.

[Japan (DoB)]

These are the words as heard by Jiraya, follower of Tokugawa. As spoken to a group of hunters before they embarked on a hunt in the forest. As these words were spoken, his eyes glowed in the light of the fire, and the intensity of feeling may never be rendered in full, for he is our most Noble and Honorable leader,
who we live to serve through life and death.

For a man, to do
For your woman, let go
Into the trees, belong
Into the night, be strong!

From dawn - Rise high
At sun set - make light
Make Your Eye - see their sound.

To the strong
In the grass
Let the hunt - be for that worthy kill!

-Jiraya, personal secretary to the Noble and Honorable Tokugawa, leader of Japan, Year of the Fornicating Finch

[France (DoB)]

The slaying of 2 lion prides, 1 by Le Gaulois and 1 by The Great Valley Seekers has resulted in both forces recuperating for many winters to rebuild their numbers. The Great Valley Seekers recovery is augmented by a group of runaway chinese scouts, descended from the scouts befriended by the Seekers many winters ago. The scouts greatly increase the speed of the Seekers and add to their knowledge of local forests.

Rumors are circulating around France, that the mystical elder council is becoming concerned with the number of non-French individuals in the French expeditionary forces. The Great Valley Seekers have sizable components of Persian mystics along with the Chinese scouts while Le Gaulois has a significant number of Russian woodsmen in its ranks. Some of the council are concerned that the expeditionary forces are becoming legions of foreigners.