Domination of Barbarians [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 3 - June 2012]

[Vikings (DoB)]

An open message to the Nether people

Thanks for your care and your good wishes. Our capital Nidaros is under siege indeed, but so far the gods have granted us victory. We don't need help for the time being. Our archers, inspired by Skadi herself, are beating the giants and villains back. Odin is guiding the hands of our military leaders and Thor sends thunder and hailstorms to the right place.

We wonder how our friends in the south are doing. We heard about growing tensions and the recent escalation. Since we have pledged peace to both sides, we won't get involved. The French declared us their enemies, which was uncalled for by our judgement, but doesn't really matter. The messages, that infuriated Benoit, weren't meant hostile, but at most cautious. After all this spy paranoia and threats and accusations hurled in various directions we came to the conclusion, that the gods probably twisted his mind.

We haven't met the Romans yet. They must be far away from us. The grey people, or Germ-Manes how you call them, never responded to our messenger and we never sent a new one. We would consider to help, once we have forces to spare, but we won't do so without being called.

[France (DoB)]

The Elder Mystic Council sat around the camp fire on the peak of Marble Hill to discuss the war. The Stonehenge Sentries had done remarkably well killing 4800 Fire Mystics before the 2000 Stonehenge Sentries were simply overwhelmed by numbers. The lost battle had been predicted though and the real conversation revolved around the surprise appearance of 6000 more axe-wielding Fire Mystics to block the route to the Nether copper hill and impact that would have on the war.

"It must have been magic. Perhaps they brought the dead back to life. How else could they have gotten another whole battalion so quickly?"

"Perhaps they were hidden on the Ocean faction's fleet of galleys?"

"The galley would have to be stationed just out of our sight. It would have to move into River Village unload the axemen and then return back out of our range. Seems too complicated of a plan for no real benefit. It is more likely that with the slaughter of all the Dutch slaves that there were more former slave drivers that could be quickly trained into axemen. In the end it does not matter how the axemen got here, it just matters what we are going to do about it!"

"We cannot attack the Nethers they outnumber us 5 to 1 and that is not counting the 4000 Roman warriors! We either defend on this hill or back in Paris."

"We have a stronger defensive position on this hill and can kill more Nethers here then in the city."

"Agreed. We must inflict as many casualties on our enemies and buy as much time as we can for the Stonehenge Priests to complete their invocation. So be it. We will make our last stand here. Vive la France."

A chorus responds, "Vive la France"

[France (DoB)]

The Dutch Defenders and the Garcons de Paris along with the Elder Mystic Council bravely fight to the last man but are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of axe wielding Nether Fire Mystics. All that remains to defend Paris are its 48000 citizens, the Stonehenge Priests and the Torino Road Crew.

With no warriors left in France the citizens panic and break into the mud palace to demand action from Benoit but only find his centuries old skeleton! Now the citizens knew why they had not seen their elusive leader for centuries. Benoit had been as mortal as the rest of the Frenchmen but the Elder Mystic Council had duped their fellow tribesmen and other tribes into thinking he was immortal like the rest of the tribal leaders.

With no other factions left in Paris, everyone turned to the Stonehenge Priests to guide them. Eilon was the most charismatic of the priests so he was chosen to be High Priest and lead the people of France through these dark times!

...

Le Gaulois, who were under relentless assault, had slain several more barbarians despite being unable to fully recover from each assault wave. One of the defeated barbarian tribes surrendered instead of fighting to the last man. Over time the defeated barbarian tribe has been assimilated into Le Gaulois making the battalion much more aggressive.

...

The Great Valley Seekers continue to explore the Far East fighting mainly wolves and the occassional barbarians. Communications between the Seekers and Paris is very slow given the great distances involved not to mention all the Nether and Roman troops blocking the route.

[Rome (DoB)]

Celebrations are held all over Rome and Antium in honour of the great victories of the forces of the Fire Mystics and the Romans in France. The people applaud the wisdom of Marcus when he made agreements with the Fire Mystics to combine forces against the French, and his position as the leader of Rome is now more secure than ever!

All the French prisoners that were taken to Rome in the pillaging of France were brought to Marcus, who told them this:

I know you are afraid, but please don't be. We mean you no harm, and I am sorry your people have had to go through this. This is all because of your greedy elder council, who keep telling lies about me, my people and our friends in the Netherlands. They captured some Romans a long time ago who they have kept hostage, and my people have demanded I do everything I can to get them back home. I offer you the choice of remaining here in Rome as free men and women, or to go back to France. Rome does not enslave anyone, and we only want our people back.

There was much discussion between the French people, as some wanted to return home while others wanted to stay. Eventually a small group of about fifty Frenchmen said that they wanted to return to France, and Marcus nodded and said:

Of course. You will be escorted all the way to Paris by my finest warriors. I will most likely regret this, as your elders will no doubt come up with more lies about me when you have returned. But I will at least know the truth no matter what your elders claim.

Your leaders are capable of telling the world that you were mistreated horribly by me, or even claim that you were led into the forests outside Rome to be killed, and that all this was just a ruse to pretend to the world that I am honourable. I just hope they don't kill you themselves to fabricate proof that I ordered your deaths.

If you see your leaders and they let you live, remind them that if they wish to end this conflict all they have to do is let Rome have our people back, and promise not to build the Death Oracle.

I wish you good lives, and should you regret your choice you will always be welcome back to Rome.

A large contingency of guards were sent to ensure the safe return of the French who wished to go back to their homes in France. The rest of the French prisoners were given food and homes in Rome, where they started new lives.

Marcus prepared himself for the next tirade of ridiculous lies and insults from the French. He would probably ignore them again, as he decided to do the last time when they fabricated lies about unhappy Romans under his rule and that his people died as quickly as the French. A lie so obvious that he didn't understand how they dared tell it.

Anyone who visited Rome knew the French had no idea what they were talking about. Rome was frequently visited by people from all the neighbouring tribes who returned home to their tribes and told them that the French were just fabricating things to make themselves look better. With the powerful spells the Roman mystics had discovered, it was common for any Roman to live long lives, just like Marcus. It was not some coveted secret for a small elite, but a knowledge shared freely with those who wanted it. If only the French had been good neighbours, the Romans would have shared this knowledge with them too.

[France (DoB)]

A messenger is sent from High Priest Eilon to the Marcus of Rome with the following message:

With the destruction of the Elder Mystic Council, the Priests of Stonehenge have assumed control of Paris. Since assuming control we have learned that the Elder Mystic Council has kept the secret of the tyrant Benoit's mortality and death several centuries ago and as such we are willing to consider other allegations of the Council's duplicity.

We have also noted however several lies by the Marcus of Rome. France has had 6000 warriors killed by the Nether Fire Mystics. All of their spirits have been saved from Jahannam and accounted for in the paradise of Stonehenge. As all tribes who spy on France, such as Rome, know France keeps a detailed accounting for its tribesfolk. All 48000 tribesfolk in France have been accounted for so we do not know who these 50 "Frenchmen" are that wish to infiltrate Paris but we can only assume they are Roman. We will not speculate on the reasons why Romans would want to leave Rome and come to Paris but they have all been turned away to return to Rome.

Our divinations, which can be divined by even the most primitive mystic in any tribe, have shown that the best life expectancy amongst all the tribes is only 90 years so the Marcus of Rome's claims that Romans live for centuries like Marcus are a clear exaggeration at best.

Spoiler:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]172114[/ATTACH]

It has been 250 years since the Torino workers have come to live in France. Even assuming the worst case scenario of each generation taking 25 years, the Torino workers have been French for over 10 generations and few if any of them even know their ancient ancestor that first came to France. None of the workers which you are looking for has even been alive for over 200 years. None of the French workers wish to leave their homeland and go to Rome nor will France ever abandon its kinfolk even in the face of extreme hardship. These are real people with real lives, not some game pieces to be bartered by immortal players.

It is unfortunate that the immortal rulers of other tribes hold vendettas against France for slights that were committed by our ancestors hundreds of years ago and for which no Frenchmen currently alive can reasonably be held responsible for since they were not even alive then. Such eternal vendettas can only lead to a continual cycle of violence.

The Priests of Stonehenge are committed to peaceful coexistence with its neighbors. We are simple peaceful builders so we request that now that you have exacted your revenge by killing our warriors and destroying our infrastructure that you leave France.

[Rome (DoB)]

An open proclamation is sent in response to High Priest Eilon of France from Marcus of Rome:

I send this message with true hope for reconciliation between our two tribes.

I am sorry for the loss of your people, but I am glad to hear that your potent magic protected them and that they now reside in paradise in their afterlife. I am also glad to see that the people of France are beginning to realize how many lies the Elder Council told. I hope that under your guidance France will be a friendly and reliable neighbour. Onto your message, that I will treat with respect considering that I have not dealed with you before, even though you do insult me by calling me a liar.

First of all, it is truly sad that you would deny your own people the right to live in their homelands, and claim they are not French. I am impressed and puzzled that you are able to keep count of your people down to the last man when your people are still following the code of Barbarous. I would like to know the secrets behind how you manage this. But at least you let them live, which is more than I would have expected from the Elder Council. I promise you they will have peaceful lives in Rome, even though they would have preferred to live back home in France.

I have no interest of going into a prolonged discussion with you on whether or not my people live as long as they do, so listen very carefully as I shall say this only once: If you refuse to believe, or do not wish to understand, then that is your problem and not mine. You do not have the faintest idea what is the reality in Rome, as your people have been barred from entering Rome for centuries, and Roman security is far ahead of the French. It is well known to all tribes that the mystics are only able to divine an average expectancy of life, and that this does not take causes of death into consideration. Some Romans live for centuries, while others die young in work accidents, brawling, and other various reasons. Please, do not start another fight over words and continue the quibbling of the Elder Council. I am tired of fighting with your people, and would truly welcome an end to all this bad blood. It is obvious that I would gain nothing by telling lies about Rome and her people, so do not fall into the same trap your Elder Council did and tell me that I am a liar when I am not.

I have promised my people to return their kinsmen who are held in Paris that you claim are dead generations ago. The mystics of Rome knows many of them are still alive, and our scouts that are now actively scouting out your lands have confirmed this too.

The formal peace treaty offer from Rome is simple, and if you truly wish to prove yourself a peaceful neighbour, then I promise on my life that I will not return to bother your people if you accept the terms.

I. The Roman worker families must leave Paris and go south, to allow my warriors to escort them back to Roman lands.
II. France must promise that they do not build a building of the magnitude of the Stonehenge in Paris, as this severely disrupts the neighbouring tribes territorial claims. This shall be limited to fifty seasons though, as a demand like this would be very harsh if not limited. I expect France will have enough to do rebuilding their lands for the next fifty seasons.
III. France must promise not to send scouts or spies into Rome for the next fifty seasons.

In return, these are my promises.

I. Rome will not declare war on France for at least the next fifty seasons.
II. Rome will not send any scouts or spies into France for at least the next fifty seasons.
III. Rome will open the borders to France again, allowing messengers to pass freely between our people again.
IV. Rome will treat France honourably and fair as long as France does the same to Rome.
V. Rome will also, when France has proven trustworthy, help the French people in any way we can if France asks.

If you decide to not accept these terms, then I have to assume that nothing has changed in France except a transfer of leadership. Your Elder Council knew this conflict will not truly end until my people have been returned, and now you have been informed as well. I do not care if this leads to an endless cycle of violence, as I never declared war on France and kidnapped French people. I do however care about the promise I have given my people. A promise I must keep.

As soon as you send the Roman workers out of Paris to meet my warriors there, I will order my troops to leave France together with my people. Rome will not send warriors or scouts - spies as you call them - into France unless you attempt to build another great monument within the time stated by this peace treaty, thus breaking the treaty.

The fate of France rests within your hands, High Priest Eilon. Choose wisely.

Spoiler:

OOC clarification just to be certain: 1 season = 1 ingame turn. I know the IG turns are currently far more than just a season, but in spirit of RP I try to avoid using terminology that is not techwise known (in this case Calendar) as best I can. Thus the need for this spoiler.

[France (DoB)]

Another messenger is sent to the Marcus of Rome:

We accept your point that it may be possible that many Roman babies are sacrificed so that a small number of Romans may live for centuries thus accounting for an average longevity span of Romans of 90 years or less. The Priests of Stonehenge have chosen not to judge the practices of our neighbors no matter how abhorrent we find them.

Unfortunately the Torino workers have lived the last 250 years in France, where as you said the Romans have not shared their knowledge of how to live longer lives by sacrificing babies. The average lifespan in France is a mere 69 years old since our neighbors have the unfortunate habit of invading France and killing us. Without the Roman secrets to long life, the original Torino lived only French lifespans and died centuries ago as we have repeatedly stated. There is nothing that we can do about this so obviously we cannot accept your first term.

Your second term is indeed harsh as you say and as such we cannot accept it either. The French are completely surrounded by foreign tribes and have nowhere to go. Our choices are either to build a large army and invade one of our neighbors or create buildings that make the world a better place. We have made the peaceful commitment to the latter course of action since the French are naturally industrious and creative. As always we encourage our neighbors to create their own wonders instead of the armies which they use to invade us and then there should be no issues over territorial borders.

Your third term about scouts and spies is something that we could agree to in return for a peace treaty.

We are doing our best to come to terms for a longterm peace with your tribe however unfortunately you continue to repeat the same terms which are unacceptable to the French (this stance has not changed between the Council and the Priests of Stonehenge) therefore we are not going to get anywhere.

The difference between the Council and the Priests is that the Council always believed that negotiation was pointless and that our neighbors were always going to invade us for building our wonders so we should preemptively strike to prevent the attack whereas the Priests have said that our neighbors will be reasonable and diplomacy can work. We hope that you will not prove the Council correct.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

The Nether in charge of learning new skills marvel at the vast advancement knowledge of French. We know well that the sun go up and down and comes up. That is a day. Beyond this we knows that lots of days make a month and when the months are too many to remember that is what we call a year. When it gets so long that people having the children that is centuries and when you die that we call many centuries old. One, some, alot, too many for remembering. That is how we keep track of things. Any more than this and we have not learned the knowledge to understand it. When talking about men or warrior what we call "hundred" means a lot. And when we say thousands well that means to many to remember how many, so many that you cant even see to the end of it is a "thousands"

We have no idea how the French have such precise ways to keep track of men and days. Our seers say many years from now we Nether will discover ways to make precise measurments of days and keep track exact of how many days but that is far far awy. Our seers say even that there is in the future some knowledge coming that will make us know how to say exact whether all the men in Nether are the same before a battle and after. For now all we can say is it looks like "thousands" meaning too many to see the end of it. The French must have some powerful magic to know that only a handful of men are missing or not from thousands.

And then there are these strange images the French messengers produce by some fire and flashes of light that even our few Fire Mystics don't understand. The images are full of some strange markings and symbols, we have no idea how France can even make sense of such nonsense. Ous seers say that someday we will learn new knowledge that will make us know symbols different from each another and each symobol has a name as you give a name to a man. It all sounds like nonsense, but this is what they say.

Last thing this confuse us is France messengers say this flashes of light and fire shows us symbols we dont understand to tell us meanings of keeping track of how long lives mortal man that we have no knowlege to know and then all this meaning is that Rome lies when they say that their people are immortal and not mortals. But if France fire images are for keeping track of mortals then they dont include immortals.

The French messenger looks confused at this, he has no answer. And then poof! His evil illusion dissapears

[France (DoB)]

The Priests of Stonehenge marvel at the utter lack of basic mystic knowledge of the Nether. Could it be that they did not know that the Great Spirits are all-knowing and can answer even the most complicated questions easily if entreated properly? Perhaps they were not as attuned to the Fire Father and Water Mother, as they have led others to believe!

Even the most novice Acolyte of Stonehenge knew not to look at the fire and flashes of light but instead to read the shadows on the cave walls which the fire and flashes cast. The Nether had learned a terrible secret in their copper axe weapons but apparently they had not even studied the most basic Mysticism!!!

[Netherlands (DoB)]

Yes this exactly is what said to us the messenger when he was with us. Then he shows us the fire and says it is proof of Rome's lies. He says it show that the life of a mortal man is only this long. Then we say but Romans are immortal, living many centuries as are the Nether. What your fire says about this? Immortal man lives not mortal man lives?

He had no answer. He just scratch his head like a Germ-Mane and leave.

[France (DoB)]

The French messenger meeting with the Romans, and apparently some Nether guests, had returned to Paris quite frustrated. Apparently he had given up trying to explain simple shadow interpretation to the Nethers. The Nether guests had correctly interpreted a longer shadow meant a longer life for a mortal however they then assumed that an immortal would therefore have a very long shadow. The French messenger had been unable to teach the Nether guests that the shadow representing an immortal was The Marcus, "a very small limp club-shaped shadow"!

[Arabia (DoB)]

The proclivity for lies and deception of the worlds most Evil tribe never ceases to astound us. Now we hear that they are sending around their snake oil peddlers to put on a show of illusion, deception and sleight of hand. We know well the secrets of Mysticism and this French fire illusioneering is not it!

In fact we have learned all the Mystical secrets of the known world including religion. And Most of them we discovered far before the French, so we are must more knowledgeable about Mysticism, and we can say without question, that what the French are peddling is not Mysticism at all, it is pure lies and Evil deceptions. Blasphemy against the truth of Islam is all the French can offer. Smoke and mirrors it will always be with these Dark magicians, the French. They are utterly incapable of speaking plainly or truthfully about anything, because of their Evil, they always have so much to conceal.

A messenger-magician came to Arabia peddling his nonsense and we threw him into the Red Sea to be eaten by the ferocious, voracious, but equally delicious, fish that live there. As he drowned screaming and gasping while fish ate his genetalia, we asked him "So, How long does the average Frenchman live again?" When he failed to respond we answered him. "Until an Arabian throws his sorry hide into the Red Sea!"

"Oh and also" we said,

"Faranca wajaba sara damaar!"

"What does that mean?" a visiting Byzantine messenger asked.

Why of course "France must be Destroyed" we told him.

"I agree" he said.

[Rome (DoB)]

After receiving the last messages from the French, Marcus sends a messenger back to the French:

I will not stoop to your levels of disgraceful insults by claiming things about your people, like sacrificing young children. In fact, your insults are so ridiculous that I will ignore them altogether, as it only is proof of how twisted your minds are. I will let Rome's actions will speak for Rome, while your insults and lies can speak for France.

As you do not accept my generous terms, and you continue the path of the Elder Council with lies and insults, your wish shall be granted. Our war continues, until the terms have been accepted, and there is nothing unfortunate about this. Your people were the aggressors, not ours.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

Fire Mystics have been camped in France a long time. They slowly replace the casualty from men from River Village. Trotseer's Braves have gone off. Some say to chase plentiful boars in France, some say chase women, some say to chase meeting Himicle. Already she is called the Maiden of the Pink Mountains in River Village for the way the Sun look against the Alps Mountains in her country. Others say it is for her bed which has no been touch by no man to this day is like a Mountain no man can cross. There are other reason that most men keep to himself for calling "Pink Mountains"

Now that the insane Elder Mystics Council are dead perhaps some sanity can be found from the Stonehenge Priests. Elder Mystics send all France warriors, thousands men to their deaths for no reason instead of safely retreating to hide and disguise themself as civilians. It is the only weakness of the Fire Mystics that they refuse to harm the hostages Torino workers with invading the Paris streets to hunt down to the last man the Stonehenge Priest to finally end this years long war.

Instead of heeding the mercy of Fire Mystics the Stonhenge Priest continue to hold hostage the Torino's and use them as a human shield, knowing the soft hearted for the defenseless nature of the Fire Mystics. All the time behind their human shield Stonehenge Priests continue to conjure some evil spell that will curse the Fire mystics somehow. And still France continue its secret Oracle building project.

[Persia (DoB)]

With the skilled aid of Byzantium craftsmen, Helu of Awan, Rightful Ruler of Persia is pleased to announce the settlement of Western Gate.