EMPIRE! CWBG VII: Dancing With Headless Princesses! (Fish, Saffron & Ginger Edition)

[TheDarkDM]

Zap, we never really interacted by you cast a long, interesting shadow. It's a shame you have to leave us.

Sam, I'm holding off posting in the International Conference until Guilder arrives, FYI.

[moossabi]

Zap, we never really interacted by you cast a long, interesting shadow. It's a shame you have to leave us.

Sam, I'm holding off posting in the International Conference until Guilder arrives, FYI.

Where exactly would that be? I can't find it.

[TheDarkDM]

Where exactly would that be? I can't find it.

That's understandable, it blends into the painted hills pretty well.

[Rizban]

Sorry to hear that, Zap. That really sucks.

[QuintonBeck]

Where exactly would that be? I can't find it.

The International Summit is here and as a heads up your Capital City project is at 4/5 this round. I contributed a round of help last round fluffed as building the Triumvirate Embassy.

[zabbarot]

I've been working out the Kobolds of K'braashriix and they've turned out to be very musically inclined. What sort of musical heritage do the different regions have?

Woodwind, Aloren, and Genivana tend towards percussive instruments (drums, marimba, xylophone, whatnot)

[Rain Dragon]

Haljans use stringed and keyboard instruments.

[Elemental]

@Zap: It's a shame to see you go. I wish you the best with everything and hopefully one day it'll be possible for you to return.

I've been working out the Kobolds of K'braashriix and they've turned out to be very musically inclined. What sort of musical heritage do the different regions have?

Hmm... I hadn't thought that far ahead. Though, now that I think of it, Ashenia likely uses a variety of wind and stringed instruments, but I don't have any ideas as to style.

[zabbarot]

Hmm... I hadn't thought that far ahead. Though, now that I think of it, Ashenia likely uses a variety of wind and stringed instruments, but I don't have any ideas as to style.

A bit of research tells me that Mongols may have been the first to play a stringed instrument with a bow. They made them with horse hair, and after spreading far and wide they were eventually traded to Venice. Then Italy made the violin. So maybe you've got violins : P

[Rizban]

Salterri tend towards the use of resonant stones, which produce sounds similar to a bass guitar and chimes. The style tends towards that of ancient Chinese Zen music. Salterri judge music based on its complexity and style, and they expect the music to be relaxing and reverent, seeing more upbeat music as noise fit only for drunkards.

[moossabi]

The International Summit is here and as a heads up your Capital City project is at 4/5 this round. I contributed a round of help last round fluffed as building the Triumvirate Embassy.

OK, Thanks!

[SamBurke]

Zap, we never really interacted by you cast a long, interesting shadow. It's a shame you have to leave us.

Sam, I'm holding off posting in the International Conference until Guilder arrives, FYI.

OOooooh! Can't wait.

Where exactly would that be? I can't find it.

My question too.

[BladeofObliviom]

I've been working out the Kobolds of K'braashriix and they've turned out to be very musically inclined. What sort of musical heritage do the different regions have?

Glazfell, Estglaz, Frosskov, and Drugaud all tend to favor Wind Instruments, for different reasons. Skarval, Frosskov, and Haiwaste all have some history with percussion. The Glazfelli happen to lack native string instruments, which is mostly a result of lacking things like horsehair to actually make the strings out of. (Silk could be used for the Frosskovi, but then they prefer not to deal with the Riespinn if at all possible.)

[SamBurke]

OOooooh! Can't wait.



My question too.

Just found it and posted. I'm uncertain of the purpose of it though.

[QuintonBeck]

Just found it and posted. I'm uncertain of the purpose of it though.

I think only Logic really knows. It's some sort of peace conference intended to possibly form a United Nations type thing. Not really sure exactly.

[lt_murgen]

I've been working out the Kobolds of K'braashriix and they've turned out to be very musically inclined. What sort of musical heritage do the different regions have?

Woodwind, Aloren, and Genivana tend towards percussive instruments (drums, marimba, xylophone, whatnot)

The Jeweled Cities favor singing, accompanied by small guitars and drums. Singers often dance, so the term "Talk with your hips" is entirely appropriate.

Essetially, see the Lilo and Stitch soundtrack for popular Islander tunes.

Speaking of which, I really have to invent surfing.....

The Quills' only instrument is the harmonica, in a vast variety of sizes and tones. I see them as a bluesy people.

[Silverbit]

I've been working out the Kobolds of K'braashriix and they've turned out to be very musically inclined. What sort of musical heritage do the different regions have?

Woodwind, Aloren, and Genivana tend towards percussive instruments (drums, marimba, xylophone, whatnot)

Razdissi and other dwarves use harps and percussion, almost always with sung accompaniment. Trumpets and horns are used in warfare or as signals. They also find the regular beating of hammer on anvil soothing. Eyrecradian elves use metallic wind instruments, as will some Razdissi.

Music tends to be melancholy in tone, reflecting on the past, lost glories of the dwarves and heroic but doomed last stands. Razdissi are like that. Occasionally warriors will mutter fragments of heroic lays in combat.

[Aedilred]

Jarrlanders enjoy singing, especially while drunk. Songs laden with innuendo and satire, sometimes overt rudeness, are especially prized. Instrumental music has mostly not progressed much further than horns and drums, but contact with foreigners is changing this. Flute-playing has become popular in the last forty years, especially among young women, and flautists are sometimes seen at court, although most of it is very simple in terms of melody.

(I'm away from home this weekend, hence the patchiness of my replies, apologies.)

Well, if it's from the perspective of the herald that's totes cool and appropriate. I'll cross my fingers that it doesn't catch on IC without good reason or OOC.

The only people of Fera who bother with any sort of hierarchy or heraldry are the Orthyknin, so simply a flag for Fera would be great, thank you. I've eventually decided on not a crest for... obscure cultural reasons. /totally didn't just say that to pester Kitsanth

EDIT - Your heraldry thing brings up a good point. Is the Heartwaste the Heartwaste Kingdom thing or still called the Ancient Fiefdom of Sanctuary?

I'm totally going to start using it IC

Although everything is something, of course. That sounded better in my head. But even in our modern (IRL) world the official style of a country is often - indeed usually - different from the name by which people refer to it. The UK(GBNI) and USA are exceptions in that respect (along with the UAE, the CAR, the two Congos, and arguably the PRC/RoC, albeit their colloquial names are different). Even Japan, which is probably as close as anywhere to not having a style, is still "the State of Japan". And it's more important in a snobbier age, I guess, where precedence is accorded by title rather than longevity.

Not having heraldry is totally cool. I can imagine a lot of places that don't have a particular tradition of nobility wouldn't bother with it, or if they did, they'll have come up with something in five minutes for the sake of foreigners. Flags are a funny one, as historically as a symbol of national identity (rather than military/maritime convenience) they're a largely modern, post-Westphalian phenomenon, and early flags were often little more than a heraldic design anyway. For the Jewelled Cities, with no aristocratic tradition but a bunch of ships now wishing to identify with a common cause, a flag makes perfect sense. But to a foreigner with a heraldic tradition it's likely to appear a bit weird, and/or they'll just assume that the displayed flag is the heraldry of the ruling family. Which is in fact precisely what happened with the Grants in Jarrland - the heraldry of "Clan Grant" (and that of the Kingdom of Tempestia, which is derived from it) is essentially just the flag of the Jewelled Cities, transplanted onto a shield.

I actually considered doing the same for all the places that are represented only by a flag, but quickly decided that (a) it would be a faff and I couldn't be bothered and (b) it would probably cause annoyance more than anything.

On the heraldry roll I called the Heartwaste "Kingdom of Heartwaste" based on Valineth's title as Queen. From Quinton's earlier explanation it looks like Sanctuary to all intents and purposes no longer exists as an independent or unitary entity... although there would be the possibility of its revival if Tekorva and Yorukunin broke away again and/or reunited with the Heartwaste.

I will add the Fera flag when I return home.

I think you called me Mularuhm Aedilred

Nah, you're down as Palas Caercia; the note underneath about Mularuhm is supposed to be read separately. Although I can see how it might be confusing and I might adjust that.


Really the roll of heraldry was just an excuse to put all the heraldry people have devised in one place (I like heraldry). Then I thought I might as well make an attractive-ish IC-style document out of it, and one thing led to another.

[QuintonBeck]

So Diplomacy 10 and Faith 5, should they have other things they can do? I seem to remember that being discussed at some point but not much coming from it. And Holy Orders seem weird that they give +1/2 a point to rolls since no other bonus is a 1/2 point and I had thought it was +1/2 of whatever was rolled on a military check (IE Roll an 8 your roll counts as a 12). If it's just a numeric bonus, should it not be just +1? It's the same in practice and less odd that way.

[Elemental]

A bit of research tells me that Mongols may have been the first to play a stringed instrument with a bow. They made them with horse hair, and after spreading far and wide they were eventually traded to Venice. Then Italy made the violin. So maybe you've got violins : P

Huh... I was not aware of that fact. Though it does make sense as bows for stringed instruments were originally bow shaped.

Glazfell, Estglaz, Frosskov, and Drugaud all tend to favor Wind Instruments, for different reasons. Skarval, Frosskov, and Haiwaste all have some history with percussion. The Glazfelli happen to lack native string instruments, which is mostly a result of lacking things like horsehair to actually make the strings out of. (Silk could be used for the Frosskovi, but then they prefer not to deal with the Riespinn if at all possible.)

Alas, even if you had horsehair, it would probably not be a suitable instrument for string making. I suggest using gut as your people seem to have an aversion to silk.

So Diplomacy 10 and Faith 5, should they have other things they can do? I seem to remember that being discussed at some point but not much coming from it. And Holy Orders seem weird that they give +1/2 a point to rolls since no other bonus is a 1/2 point and I had thought it was +1/2 of whatever was rolled on a military check (IE Roll an 8 your roll counts as a 12). If it's just a numeric bonus, should it not be just +1? It's the same in practice and less odd that way.

Personally, I don't think they need anything more. Faith 5 allows you to create a whole new religion already, and it's annoying enough to get to Diplomacy 10 as it is without adding another reason to have to push for it.
On the other matter, I think it's only a half point to represent that if two forces are equally matched, that the extra bit of conviction/morale that the presence of a religious order brings can add that little bit of an edge. Alternatively, maybe the religious folk pray and meditate while the battle happens and their god/deities/spirits/unknowable forces they revere grants them a boon that what would otherwise be a stalemate is instead a victory in their favour.

[QuintonBeck]

My only reasoning for Diplomacy 10 possibly needing something more is the fact that once one has a Great Kingdom or an Empire (or a Federation) it no longer serves any real purpose whereas Curiosity 10s and Faith 10s will still have uses at any point in the game. (Military 10 suffers from a once and done problem as well that might need addressing but as Military is already a pretty heavy stat it might be dealt with already) I suppose it could be said that Diplomacy is also a powerful enough stat as to not need additional Diplomacy 10 options, and it is in as far as one is concerned with gathering land to be able to Diplomacy 10 said land, but once that's been done it's a little less useful.

Curiosity 10 can invent things that could have any myriad of uses for any myriad of things, Faith 10 often has a very powerful influence on the world when used, Diplomacy 10 is powerful twice, assuming you go the Great Kingdom/Empire route rather than Federate in which its purposeless, and Military 10 offers a powerful addition to its own stat. I feel like the last two could use some diversification of some sort.

As for the Holy Order bonus, I'm just of the mind that if it's just a direct addition make it +1 so it's not some weird +.5 which doesn't appear anywhere else.

[Aedilred]

While the +0.5 bonus perhaps isn't terribly intuitive, it does make a bit of sense: all other things being equal, the defender will win if they have a Holy Order, but it imparts less value to the battle than any technology, or an additional thousand troops: it won't turn a loss into a victory. It's still something that's worth having in every region if you can do it.

On the one hand it would be nice if most of the Special Actions had a bit more application, particularly Dip10, but I also think you're right that a high Diplomacy score for colonisation-based players is its own reward anyway. I think they're ok as they are for the moment.

[Morph Bark]

I return with blisters on my blisters, bugbites on my bugbites and a wooden ass.

Zap, even as you leave, I gotta say: all you've done for the game, the Games and with your fluff makes me recognize why Wombat spoke highly of you as a prolific worldbuilder. You have been amazing and will no doubt continue to be. You're a bro among bros in a manner completely unironic and nondouchy, and I mean that. You've established a legacy here man. The Games shall live on! And no doubt Wombat will utilize them Fellows quite a bit for some investigation, doubly so since you had some stuff related to the Lyradissians next.

I, for one, would love to host the Games at some point, and while it would be completely fitting for me to let Tailong attempt to lay claim to the First Tellurian Games, for event-hosting I will be having a similar problem as Zap during the time the next one would take place, so the one after that might be nice.

On related note, as Way told, I was at a larp event this weekend, and have attended that event's twice-yearly series for a while now. In character, I have been organizing competitions since last year there, with varying degrees of success, but always with lots of fun, and the Raaneki Games have given me great ideas for that. Heck, next time I might try and convince someone to sing a Raaneki-inspired song to herald one of my competitions.

In the meantime, I believe there was an International Council, but I have missed any links to it and it doesn't appear to bear the empire tag. Anyone?


EDIT: @mechanics: Military won't receive any new stuff anytime soon, other than battle-related tweaks for balance. It's the most single-goaled stat even if you consider it still has some variety of things to cover, but mechanically it is very aimed towards a single thing. Therefore, it won't receive anything new for a while, and the Agents will have to do for its versatility.

Diplomacy 10 or Curiosity 10 may receive uses soon for creation of a trade imperium or a more solid small state (3 regions or less).

Luck I might consider downpowering slightly, especially since Luck votes aren't always remembered.

[QuintonBeck]

International Council

[lt_murgen]

While the +0.5 bonus perhaps isn't terribly intuitive, it does make a bit of sense: all other things being equal, the defender will win if they have a Holy Order, but it imparts less value to the battle than any technology, or an additional thousand troops: it won't turn a loss into a victory. It's still something that's worth having in every region if you can do it.

On the one hand it would be nice if most of the Special Actions had a bit more application, particularly Dip10, but I also think you're right that a high Diplomacy score for colonisation-based players is its own reward anyway. I think they're ok as they are for the moment.

I like the 0.5 for holy orders, since essentially it means their inspiration becomes a tie breaker. If we up it to 1, then we have the risk of ties again, and it think that detracts from the fluff. Personally, I would like to see it changed to 0.5 and an additional for every 5 units committed to battle, rounded down- so at 5 units its +1, at 10 units its +1.5 and so on.

[Reggiejam]

Hi! DurkBlanston said I should check out this game and it looks fun! He's explained most of it to me and says I need to get a region, so I would like to sign up to do that. Also, hello to everyone! You can call me Reggie for short, I'm Durk's friend outside the game and know QuintonBeck through him (hey guys!) I've heard good things from both of them about the game and I'd love to join it. When Durk and Quinton were talking to me about it they mentioned I might be better eased into it by taking over an existing region that's an NPC? I'm fine with whatever, just looking to try out the game and play and world build with people who enjoy doing the same. Anyway, I think my introduction is getting long so I'll wrap it up here. Can't wait to start playing!

[Lord_Burch]

Hi! DurkBlanston said I should check out this game and it looks fun! He's explained most of it to me and says I need to get a region, so I would like to sign up to do that. Also, hello to everyone! You can call me Reggie for short, I'm Durk's friend outside the game and know QuintonBeck through him (hey guys!) I've heard good things from both of them about the game and I'd love to join it. When Durk and Quinton were talking to me about it they mentioned I might be better eased into it by taking over an existing region that's an NPC? I'm fine with whatever, just looking to try out the game and play and world build with people who enjoy doing the same. Anyway, I think my introduction is getting long so I'll wrap it up here. Can't wait to start playing!

If you're looking for an NPC region, I believe there are five available: Solus, Crima, the Heartwaste, Raaneka, and I think a region known as Wyrmar(?). Of those, the Heartwaste is the only one that isn't anyone's vassal to the best of my knowledge.

[QuintonBeck]

Hey Reggie, good to see you here! As she mentioned, Durk and I had talked to her about taking over one of the existing NPc regions but we debated whether that would make things easier or more complicated. I leave that decision up to her and Morph if you want to talk to her about any of the NPCs or what have you.

@Mechanics: I agree that military is already well cared for and doesn't really need any more. I suppose Diplomacy can fall somewhat in the same category but I still feel like once Kingdoms and Empires have been established Dip 10 is gonna need some expansion. Cur 10 is already pretty powerful since techs can be so variable in their bonuses and such so I'm not sure it needs boosting, but that's me.

In regards to holy orders, I see the cinematic appeal of the .5 it just bugs my inclination to streamline to have a +.5 bonus. That said I do agree having it be a scaling bonus might be a good idea to give it a slightly more relevant bonus in big fights.

[Reggiejam]

If you're looking for an NPC region, I believe there are five available: Solus, Crima, the Heartwaste, Raaneka, and I think a region known as Wyrmar(?). Of those, the Heartwaste is the only one that isn't anyone's vassal to the best of my knowledge.

Durk and Quinton said most of the NPC regions were vassals except the Heartwaste which is why I was interested in it when we were talking, but it sounds like its complicated and while Quinton explained it and I think I get it I'm not 100% on the political situation there. I'm not opposed to being a vassal though, having a higher up to show me the ropes doesn't hurt my feelings.

Solus seemed most interesting of the ones they told me about, very Greek, and there was mention of some Irish sounding place that a player, Wombat, had control of? It sounded interesting too. I'd like to hear about both of them from the GM or whoever controls them at the moment.

[BladeofObliviom]

If you're looking for an NPC region, I believe there are five available: Solus, Crima, the Heartwaste, Raaneka, and I think a region known as Wyrmar(?). Of those, the Heartwaste is the only one that isn't anyone's vassal to the best of my knowledge.

I'll add on to this, as Crima's creator and original player (Long story), that I have no objection to a new player assuming control of it. As long as they don't mind starting as a Vassal, anyway.




EDIT: On the subject of Holy Orders, why not just have them literally just act as tie-breakers for the defender, in addition to their Faith-based roles? We don't need an ugly +.5 bonus to understand that.