Domination of Barbarians [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 10 - January 2013]

[Vikings (DoB)]

Harald Hardrada, son of Chief Ragnar the Explorer heard of the death of his father from the wailing sea monsters off the coast of Ice Island.
His advisor Odd told him - An ill omen for certain, I pray your father is well.
-My father is surely dead for the sea to cry such sadness. Hardrada replied.

Later that day the captains of the fleet gathered and spoke of the passing of their Chief. A fight had broken out on Ragnar's ship and he had decided to put a stop to it himself. A stray axeswing and his brain was scattered on the deck. The captains all agreed that in this time of trouble the safest to do was to confer temporary leadership on Ragnar's 17 winters old son, Harald. The young man would be easy to convince to turn the ships home, or better yet, to begin raiding.

The honor of leading the entire Norse fleet came as a shock to Harald, a mere youth of 17, his beard barely begun to grow. Informed that the sea captains desired to not continue west, Harald gathered his closest council, Odd the wiseman, Jarl Ulf the Raider, Jarl Olaf the Trader and spoke long with them. He then returned to the sea captains and announced.

Harken! I am my father's son and his legacy to us was a path to the west.
I shall continue in that path or die trying. If some of you are cowardly and have doubts, then you may slow the sails and beat the dull rhythm on the oardrum. Yet I shall continue west with those Norsemen who still know that the power of the old gods is not given, it is taken! Those who still believe it is better to die in battle, like my father has done shall join me and we will find the lands beyond the Fimbulwinter! Let us set sail again for the west!

The fleet continued west, though 3 captains with their ships left the fleet that day.

[Celtia (DoB)]

In the midst of preparations and training conducted among his people, Brennus recieves a messenger relaying the story of Ragnar's untimely death and the new Chief, his son Harald. The words recounted come from one of the three captains that left for home, two of which made a stop in Vienne, bargaining for trade and restocking supplies. Aware of the importance of a young leader among older advisors, Brennus has a scribe note the following, passing it to a messenger sent to the Northern fleet south/west of Ice Island:

Hail Harald Hardrade, Chief of the Northern tribe!

I am Brennus, King of Celtia and I grieve for the loss of your father. His untimely demise in the presence of men hot-blooded and impatient is a loss greater than having speech deprived.

Celtia looks forward to keeping good relations with the Northern tribe. Yet upon hearing your first speech recounted, I grow concerned. Do you intend to raid English vessels bound for the new world?

I would ask of you to stay your hand and the hands of your fellow sailors against attacking and raiding English sailing vessels, for these vessels also contain members of my own tribe. It would be counted as a loss to have our relations damaged if this be the case.

May the sea bring you peace,
prosperity, and barbarians to slaughter,
King Brennus of Celtia.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

Rumors have surfaced that Giselle, daughter of Greita, the former leader of Ocean faction survived the alleged assassination of Greita. Reports from Ice Island are saying that it was this Giselle, an avid Taoist, that started the uproar over the switch to Christianity. It is even being reported that Giselle was trained along with the original Sons of Johannes before they were captured and merged with the Royal espionage Corps to form the New SoJ.

It is decided that Kirsten will take charge of looking deeper into this matter, while Christiaan deals with a new threat, more dangerous than any the Netherlands has ever faced. King Christiaan is old now, and he had hoped to step away from public life, and turn leadership over to his son Christiansen, but the boy is not ready to face this latest challenge. The first step is to contact Czar Konstantin Simonovich..

[France (DoB)]

King Louis XXXI the Quaker is dead. Long live King Louis XXXII.

The Oracle had predicted that King Louis XXXI's reign would be marked by seismic shifts in global politics. As is most often the case, the results of the Oracle's prediction were true but not nearly what most had imagined.

The biggest shift was that long term peace was finally made with the oldest enemy of France, the Netherlands. With reparations paid, borders were opened and a flourishing trade quickly developed. While King Louis XXXI's admirers point to this deal as an indicator of the King's negotiating acumen, his critics point out cynically that the Netherlands only sought peace with the French so their borders would be secure to allow them to attack their weak German neighbour, which they did immediately upon concluding the deal with France!

The reclusive German leadership had managed to alienate most of its neighbours when they used open border agreements to expand out of their boxed in territorial homeland by settling in the forests near Russian territory and in the desert between the mighty Persian and Byzantium civilizations! The Byzantines had closed their borders with Germany in response cutting off their new colony while mighty Persia repeatedly enslaved all workers in the new colony in retaliation. Russia went even further announcing all out war on Germany conquering Munich. For no apparent reason other than sensing that the Germans were weak, the Netherlands also attacked Germany. German leadership was in total disarray and it appeared the tribe would soon be destroyed.

The DMW ritual with Portugal worked as usual and the 21st French war came to an end with little fanfare.

The expected English invasion had not materialized as the English were still repairing their infrastructure from the last war and were focusing on improving their defenses and on their expansion plans into the New World. This had been very fortunate for France since the reinforcement legions from the Holy Roman Senate and from the Greeks failed to arrive as promised! A cold war remained in place between England and France however the fishermen near Hastings had submitted to English rule fearing that France could not withstand the overwhelming alchemy of the English and their war god Zeus since more French allies had proven unreliable! The English had apparently convinced the Celts and probably the Netherlands to pay for their fee to setup colonies for them in the New World. It was still unclear to the French whether the Northern tribe were intending to raid the English ships or also participate in the New World settlement scheme but most advisors believed it would be the latter.

The promised axe legions from the Holy Roman Senate did eventually arrive nearly a century after they had been promised. The Holy Roman Senate appears to have been locked in an espionage war with the Netherlands, which had crippled the Senate as a functioning government body for all that time due to assassinations.

The Greek betrayal was more of a mystery. An ancient agreement had been made between Greece and France to exchange 6 Greek Phalanxes for a settler and a worker. The Greeks were to provide 2 Phalanxes quickly to France which was to be followed by the French worker being gifted to Greece followed by the settler and remaining phalanxes exchange roughly at the same time. During one of the ancient English wars, France had made an exchange of 2 workers to Byzantium for the 4 Immortals known as the Sons of Zoroaster. The trade had also involved France loaning Byzantium another worker, 2 galleys and some wine in exchange for the Byzantines using the galleys to raid English coastal fisheries. When the successful Byzantine raids were ended due to the English DMW, France was so happy with the Byzantines that they allowed the French worker to remain in Byzantium until it was to be needed by France (although the French galleys were returned to France).

France made another agreement with the Byzantines to provide Greece with the French worker once the 2 greek phalanxes arrived and to build the settler required for the Greek trade in exchange for some spear and axe legions. French reasoning being that the Greek phalanxes acted both as axemen and spearmen and as such each phalanx legion would make a cost effective alternative to maintaining two separate legions of axemen and spearmen.

The French/Nether agreement was being negotiated around this time and the Nether had agreed to trading gold coins to the third parties for France in exchange for a small fee. French advisors felt that gold coins would likely be more useful for the Greeks than the settler and worker units therefore a messenger was sent off to Greece asking if they would prefer payment in gold or with the original worker/settler units. The two Greek phalanxes arrived in France but the messenger never returned from Greece and instead of joining the French army the Greek phalanxes instead chose to scout French lands and move on to other territory! Another French messenger was sent to Greece to find out what was going on but this messenger also did not return.

Frustrated by the lack of Greek response, France turned to the Byzantines to see if they knew what was going on with Greece. Turns out the Greeks had betrayed both Persia and Byzantium using a ploy similar to the German tactic of using open borders to try to settle cities deep inside neighbouring territories. The Persians and Byzantines apparently had to close their borders with Greece to prevent the settlement from occurring! The Greeks apparently believed that their massive kingdom, army and superior alchemical skills made it unnecessary for them to keep their word. So it was that France discovered that yet another ruler was untrustworthy!

King Louis XXXII takes over the reign of France, in a world where some alliances have changed however the more things change the more they stay the same!

[England (DoB)]

LANDFALL! The city of NewFoundLand is founded and more settlers disembark to find a second city site.

The long and treacherous journey is over. While only lightly armed barbarians have been sighted on shore (and none as of yet near NewFoundLand), their presence was more than felt at sea. Three separate barbarians ships attacked the English flotilla, and while the expertly manned crews of the warships HMS Icebreaker and HMS Moses destroyed two of these attackers in quick succession, a third ship broke through the lines and nearly destroyed a less well armed galley.

The Domination of such well armed Barbarians would be no easy task.

[England (DoB)]

Welcome King Louis the XXXII,

A response was never received from your predecessor regrading proposals for a lasting peace. We hope that as France has ended its conflict with the Nether, we too may be able to mend relations long fraught with conflict and war.

-Queen Elizabeth I

[France (DoB)]

King Louis XXXII sends an open message to the leaders of Germany.

Given that German growth is stagnant in Europe and that many German neighbours are hostile towards Germany, it would probably be best if the German population were to take advantage of the English offer to setup colonies in the New World. To facilitate such a move I publicly propose that the German leader follow this process.

1) Declare DMW to reclaim Munich and make peace with Russia and Netherlands.
2) Publicly auction the 4 German cities to the highest bidder, with opening bids starting at 1 settler. By publicly holding the auction, Germany is likely to get the best value for its cities.
3) Use the auction proceeds to setup your colony in the New World.

Should the new German leadership choose to follow this advice then France hereby places an opening bid of 1 settler, 1 worker, 2 axemen and 2 galleys for the German capital.

OOC: Bid is worth 760 hammers of production all useful to founding a new German capital as quickly as possible.

[England (DoB)]

The French King makes a sensible suggestion and one I have privatly suggested to both the German and Russian leadership as a means to avoid their current conflict.

To aid the the German leadership in finding the best possible deal for their cities--and discourage collusion between bidders--I suggest that any deals where a German city is turned over to another tribe require that tribe to control the city for a considerable period of time. Otherwise, It would be easy for bidders to keep their offers low and make deals among themselves to exchange German cities after a deal is made.

[Russia (DoB)]

Prayers are held each morning, midday and evening in Munich.



Among the warriors of General Ivan are many men of the faith, and these men speak the words of Allah to the good people of the city, calming them more than any number of guards. Confusion abounds as rumour come from Nether, France and England about the abandoned Palace of Berlin and the countless fights among the most influential trade families there.

Whispers of negotiations for the leadership and assassinations are ripe, and General Ivan holds many talks with leading men of the Munich community about the future of the German tribe.

[Celtia (DoB)]

Walking along the path made of gravel, Brennus is feeling content, his arm linked with Elizabeth. They watch as birds fly among the trees in the great green park behind the Palace of London. He turns to her and sighs.

"You surely are a beautiful woman, and your children are strong, with a measure of your beauty in them as well."

She looks into his eyes with a smile,

"Surely you do not mean to court me at this time in our lives?"

He looks upon her, and turns forward with a sigh.

"I have had headaches of late."

She grabbed him then, made him turn toward her, her hands at his temples.

"No fever."

His eyes closed, and he sighed again.

"Are you doubting the forces we have sent to the new world? I assure you that my men on the ships will prevail. No finer men have set sail ever before, and you should know better than anyone that I remember them all."

she stated this with a commanding voice, the assurance of leadership nurtured and expected after four thousand years.

"I do not contest the experienced forces we have sent across the sea. For some reason I simply wanted to state my long held regard for you. We are friends, neighbours, allies as close as they come without bedding one another."

He knelt then, grasping a handful of gravel and a handful of grass. Rising, he held them out toward Elizabeth, who frowned upon this unusual display.

"My hands are filled with life and death, none can command them and truly be said to have power enough to judge all of the world."

as he said the words, he released his grip and the grass flew away in the wind while the gravel fell down with little clicks and clacks, their sound like a sledgehammer upon a tombstone, or nails in a coffin. She shivered, and said no more as they walked back to the palace.

In the trees, thrushes and finches tweeted and trilled as the sun lit up the bright blue sky, under which sail upon sail headed west across the sea, to the great unknown beyond the setting sun, the ships filled with English and Celtic settlers, bound for greatness and danger beyond their wildest dreams and darkest nightmares.

[Russia (DoB)]

General Ivan meets with a man named Allemanni the 1st behind closed doors. Talks progress as a new leader has stepped forward for the German tribe.

Meanwhile rumour of dissent among the people of France and the people of Byzantium flow through Russian lands. The world holds a collective breath, waiting to see who takes the first step in the dance of power..

[England (DoB)]

English philosophers have theorized that parallel realities or dimensions might exist. Alternate world where the events of today may instead unfold in completely different directions. Most consider this complete madness and argue that such heretics should be stoned to death.

[Japan (DoB)]

"Is it done?"

"Yes, Empress."

"Are they aware of our involvement?"

"No, Empress."

"Good."

[Netherlands (DoB)]

"myyy Kiiinnng"

"My King"

"MY KING!"

"Huh What!" King Christiaan awoke with a start and looked bleary eyed into his servants eyes "What is it slave child?" He asks

"You were tossing in your sleep my King. Is anything the matter?"

"So it was all a dream" the King thought

"Where is my sister? Where is the Queen?" the old King coughed as he bellowed.

"To Ice Island to investigate the rumors of this Giselle, daughter of Greita your Majesty"


"So it was not a dream then. Where are my military council? I must hear news of the war!"

The slave girl was puzzled "War highness? Netherlands has had peace for all your reign."

"then I did dream it" the King said, now confused "But the Queen is gone you say?"

"Yes Highness"

"Call my Advisors. I must figure out what is dream and what is reality."

"I am getting far too old for this." the King thought

[Japan (DoB)]

A message is sent to the tribes of France and Byzantium:

Greetings,

News reach even here from along the border of Germany and Russia.
The last of which hint at strange events taking place in the lands of Byzantine and France.

How fares your tribe, your people, your leader?

Signed,
Empress Aiko of Japan.

-recorded in the library of Nishikyo, AD 360, in the year of the bewildered turtle.