Dawn of Civilization - First Epoch

[painintheear]

Nomad Phase - Round: 1 (of 4 guaranteed)

So, for now I'm going to give each of you a description of where you are starting from. You will each have three choices;

to "stay around" (you'll technically be nomadic, but yeah... this is where you want your tribe to be) and if you do this quick you'll have a slight advantage going on into the next round (but only slight, so don't rush it too quickly... find a good spot!)

to "explore" the important thing about this option is that you don't tell me what you find... that's my job! Please also note that this is very important... unless I give you free-range don't just make assumptions about things and discover things I don't tell you that you've discovered (that'd just be cheating!) but you can do whatever you want with what you've discovered

to "move" roll a d8, followed by a d7, and followed again by another d8. This method may make you end up doing a circle, but the chances are very slight

until you "stay around" these will be your 3 choices for the nomadic stage... sorry, but the beginnings are sort of meager... I mean, you're a nomadic tribe!

Kuma Da
The group rests amongst the tall grasses of the area they inhabit, winds slowly swaying them as small reptiles scurry under their cover and grasshoppers jump through them. The evening sun peeps through tall mountain peaks far far in the distance, it is time to decide what must be done tomorrow.

Pingcode20 (I may call you pc20, btw)
The group's feet are nearly bleeding as they cross the hot rocks that litter the place during the day. At night, when many smaller rodents seem to come out, the groups rests on the smooth tops which remain warm from the day-long sun they are exposed to and ponder what the next day will bring.

Carinthium
Whoa... half the group is buried under the sand, a quarter is swimming in the ocean, and another quarter is eating bananas. Lizards slither by at every angle... but very fast - if they stopped for a second, the hot hot sand would probably burn their feet off.

Bangles
Atop a high, and very large, plateau the group can see far far away in every direction around where they are. Completely surrounded by ocean... its sorta small, but good for the small lot of them. The noticeable lack of trees at this height will cause them trouble in escaping the very hot sun though.

Johel
Permafrost crunches under the groups' feet. Brown and wooly, but mostly stationary, herds of a medium-sized creature are scattered across the landscape. They are balled up, but occasionally one will uncurl and walk around slowly on their four unsteady legs and plop down again somewhere else.


whew! that took abit of time... one last thing, a note on roleplay for this round: well, for starters you don't have to do it, and if you do just remember this: there are no leaders, you are not a person dictating the group they just do as they do, and that the group isn't named yet... that happens later

G'Luck!

[Carinthium]

I'm going to move- I can't afford to have my guys killed.

1d8: 4
1d7: 1
1d8: 2

[pingcode20]

(It usually gets abbreviated to 'Ping'.)

On the goings-on of the Tribe

"Ugh." said the first, holding up a piece of stone. "Urgle urg urg." The primitive creature passed the stone to the next one sitting in the circle.

"Ugh." said the second. "Zurg Ugh." it said, nodding in agreement and throwing away the stone.

The spear hunters looked at the circle, and picked up their tools with resignation as the tribe prepared to move to greener pastures. The farmer smirked with smug satisfaction that his complaints had not fallen on deaf ears.

Movement
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Johel]

Frozen Toundra

"-Don't make a sound..."
It was a great day for Müsh. 150 moons had grown full in the sky since he was born and, as such, he was now an adult. Nearly one, at least. To be accepted among the Hunter Brotherhood, he still had to prove his worth.

Müsh had been training hard, using crude shortspear he and the other boys made, hunting small rodents and birds to emulate the adults and prepare themselves for the day of their first true hunt. For their first true kill.

Now, crouching behind a rock with his father and uncle, Müsh waited, nervous as the herd walked in front of them. Should he fail, he'll have to wait until the next full moon to show. He wouldn't be able to bear the shame that long, even if such a failure was common. A strong, callous hand hit him at the back of the head. Soft but firm...
"-Stop daydreaming and focus !! Tÿla's going to send the signal soon. You better be ready."

Tÿla, a 168 moon old girl, suddenly jumped in the open, running on the permafrost like if she was flying, one arm ready with a spear while the other one held her "knife" : a sharp stone, food near a river's banks during the "Less Cold" season, when the ice melt and the water ran free. She weared the hide from her first kill : a brown and furry skin with four white spots where the legs of the "Wooly" used to be. On her head, a cap made with the Wooly's head.

"-Now, Müsh !!"
Müsh hesitated, his muscles paralyzed as his eyes chased madly for the right prey. Something smaller, slower or simply as unconfident as he was. Something he would have no trouble to kill.

Well, that wasn't a problem :
The "Wooly" were nothing but fat furry balls mounted on four weak little legs that couldn't handle a run, let alone an escape. The humans were faster and probably stronger, though the Woolies were slightly more massive. These stupid lichen-eating animals spent their time grouped into a thick furry mass, keeping each other from freezing while also making a convincing deterrence for predators...most predators, at least.

----------------------
"-'Can't stay any longer here."
"-Why so ? We get everything we want from the Woolies !! Only have to follow them and hunt one when we need meat, bones or clothes."

While most of the tribe was feasting upon the fallen beasts, acclaiming a new hunter in her ranks, Rörc the Lore Keeper and Shägam discussed. As the eldest of the hunter, Shägam was respected by all and it was him who was tasked with the preparation of the hunts. Rörc, still young for a Lore Keeper, had only recently inherited the title from the last Lore Keeper, who died of sickness.

"-I know... We may survive endlessly. But still... This place might not be for us. The lores speak of hotter lands, where there is something else than the Cold season and the Less Cold season.
"-We can't move. Not right now, Rörc. And it's not that cold, common !! We got a roof, at least !!"

The long hut was indeed well built, the bones of the Woolies tied together with dried sinews such as to form panels on which hides were stretched, weeds and moss closing the holes. During the Cold season, it was a good shelter, though the roof was bit low but this was meant both to keep the heat and to make it easy to disassemble. Each hunter slept near the other, with the children kept at the center, near the fire, an adult looking over to feed the flames and prevent "accidents". Couples or young mothers could hang skins as to isolate themselves from the rest of the tribe but space was scarce and privacy a luxury.

"-Yes...That we do. Listen, I'm not saying we leave tomorrow. Just have the hunters storage meat under the ice. That's it, more than usual. We can't rely on the Woolies for ever, can't we ?"

Shägam remained silent for a moment. From the fireplace, the laughs indicated that the feast was going well. Was he ready to risk this happiness just to check on the Lore Keeper's idea ?
"-Let's wait for the Less Cold season. If a herd goes the way you want, then we'll follow it. If not, I guess it will be up to Müsh's generation to change our lifestyle.


Explore
My tribe moves toward warmer regions, following a herd who goes that way.
Depending of what they find, I'll either make them go back to the Frozen Toundra or keep exploring.

[Bangles]

Plateua.

The tribe having ample space and high visibility to all they can see settle down and prepare a more pemanent area to stay in.

The peoples of the tribe start exploring the plateau in more detail, any ways down to the sea and the surrounding seaside as well as looking for any caves that may be naturally formed under the plateau.

those that gather food start to look for animals and fish to hunt and catch and the farmer slowly sets up in a fertile part of the plateau.


Tribesmen :


1 Point - Fisherman = 5
1 Point - Spear Hunter = 5
3 Pts - Hut Builder = 2
3 Pts - Tool Maker = 1
5 Pts - Healer = 1
7 Pts - Farmer = 2

[painintheear]

Wow, you guys have replied quickly... I've been checking in - Krrth is going to take Kuma Da's spot and I'll be continuing on after that.

Also note, one player chose to 'explore' by moving towards something noticeable thats really really far away from his plot of land; I'm not sure how I should handle it, 'explore' was meant to get more information on your own plot of land...

Any suggestions? Or would the player (I forget who) like to change moves?

[Johel]

((OOC : I think I'm said player. I'll move then. Here are the dices, sorry))

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Krrth]

Plains

The tribe looks around and is pleased. This looks like a good place to live, assuming water can be found. The tribe gets to work building temporary shelter out of whatever is around them. In the morning, the hunters begin exploring the area while the shaman seeks out the local spirits.


My tribe will explore. If they can find decent sources of food, water, and building materials, this is a good place.

[Johel]

((OOC : Is the GM still there or, for that matters, anybody else ?))

[Krrth]

ooc: I'm still here.

[painintheear]

Round 2 of nomad

Yeah, I'm still here - weekends are a bad time, for now, for me to post and we've had some initial trouble; things are gonna start rolling now. Alright, it's event time. Yay!

Everyone gets a d100 and based on where you are from last turn... here is the scale. Not everyone will get an event this round.

travelling
1-20 communication event
21-30 path event
31-33 resource event
34-100 none

exploring
1-5 communication event
6-10 territory event
11-33 more resources discovered event
34-100 event

staying
1-35 local discovery event
36-45 location event
46-70 group member's based event
71-75 weather event
76-100 none

(Not all events are good, btw.)

crrth [roll0]
Bangles [roll1]
Carinthium [roll2]
Johel [roll3]
Pingcode20 [roll4]

(and, I think there is somebody who didn't roll movement... I'll go ahead and roll that too, just to make sure: [roll5] [roll6] [roll7])

okay, I'll update after I get the roll results (and if the forum ever stays stable, it's being really bad right now) ...really, I'm planning on a nice quick game/sorry about current (and previous) delays

[Krrth]

Yeah, with the new comics updating like they did, the forums a mess. No biggie though, since we know the game is still running, I can be patient.

Incidentally, was a 34 and higher on exploration supposed to be event or no event?

[Carinthium]

Rolled a 93.

[painintheear]

Thanks Krrth for all your understanding. Oh, and 34 was 'no event' ... really sorry about that one guys.
... and no, Car, you didn't get a 93... I rolled for you ???

So, now update time.

-Krrth-
You discover a nearby river that contains plenty of fish to feed your fledging society; this looks like a classic place to begin a civilization!

-Johel-
As your group moves you come upon an area similar in nature to the area you first started in, but the tundra-esque region is less hard and the ground crunches under the steps of the group now. The woolies are still here, too, often stuck like giant wooly barnacles on the sides of huge lichen-bearing rocks that frequently appear here, too.

-Bangles-
You've settled down! Now, instead of moving like regular you can begin to describe the inner workings of your group as they prepare to become an official tribe. (event: in the distance you see the beginnings of a volcano which, many years from now could create a whole 'nother island or even a junction of yours to increase your nation's land. Hooray!)

-Carinthium-
Oh, unfortunate you! Your group travels from one edge of sandy beach to another... it is an island! Will you make it an island paradise or be miserable in the sun? Hmm... at least this time you have more land in your area... but still, mostly sand. Lizards and coconuts abound though, plus many fish in the sea.

-Pingcode20-
You find yourself in an area very similar to where you were before, it is still very rocky... but, its somewhat cooler here and close to a river.

Go Go, Round 3!!

[Krrth]

The tribe was happy. When the river was found, the Shaman declared the spirits of the area had welcomed the tribe , and were willing to take the tribe as their people. Quickly, a camp was created near the river.

The hut maker did the best he could with mud and grass.

The tool makers attempted to make fish hooks out of bone, as well as other useful items.

The farmer looked for edible plants, and tried to grow those.

The fishermen spent most days on the river, catching fish.

The spear hunters ranged over the plain, looking for game and checking the lay of the land.

The healers did their best to keep people healthy.

The shaman blessed the tribe, and beseeched the Spirits for health and success for the tribe.


The tribe is Settling Down This is where they are going to stay.

Original Group, for Reference.

1 Shaman
2 Healers
2 Tool makers
1 Hut maker
1 Farmer
3 Fishermen
2 Spear hunters

[Johel]

(Less) Frozen Toundra

As the cold wind blew across the plains, Müsh, now an "old" man, cupped his hand as to hide the blinding reflection of the sun on the snow. This place seemed nice. Not a heaven but it was warmer, somehow wetter, still plenty of Woolies and as the ice didn't seemed to take hold everywhere, the idea that THIS direction was the warm direction seemed right.

"-So, what shall we do ?"
The question came from one of the children. A 11-year old boy who wanted to become a hunter like so many but who had no skill for this. He would probably become a hutt builder or a toolmaker. For this reason, the look Müsh gave him was less than appreciative.

"-It's Old Tÿla's call. We've travel that far because the Woolies did so. Hadn't they moved, we would still be there. She's the eldest hunter, she decide when to move or when to settle."

"-There's plenty of Woolies here. And it feels nice !! Wind is hot !!"
The "hot" wind was a 30km/h cold breath, which prevented the ice to melt under the summer sun but for the men of the north, it was indeed hot : at least, since their arrival, no blizzard had raged. Müsh was tempted to stay.

He advanced toward Tÿla. The 38-years old woman was something of a matriarch for the tribe, having given birth to seven children, two of whose were alive and fit, making her proud. She was still herself a skilled hunter, though the arthritis and some old wounds made it impossible for her to call the first strike. But after all, this was the youth's privilege.

Müsh found her sitting, a panel made of Wooly skin protecting her from the wind while she meditated, playing with her necklace, where each of the tiny bones represented a step of her life : her birth, her first hunt, her first fertile blood, her first kill, the predators she had killed, the children she had had, the children who had died, the children who had their first hunt, her grand children... the necklace was endless, circling three times around the old woman's torso, which the splendid hide of a crimson fox, a rare animal, covered.

"-You want my advise, Müsh ?"
"-You're the eldest hunter. I'm confident in your experience and so is the rest of the tribe."
"-I stay."
"-Good, I'm telling the news to everybody. I'm sure they'll agree."
"-No. I stay, you keep moving."
"-W...What ?"
"-I'm too tired to keep traveling. My life was a good life and I know it's about to end. All I wish is to remain here, alone, with my joys and pains, knowing that my children and grandchildren will find a even better place. You're a good hunter, Müsh. The tribe will be fine."
"-I...You're only 2 years older than me, Tÿla !!"
"-Well, that means you'll soon feel the same need as I feel today. And when this day will come, trust me, you'll not want your tribesmen to remain behind with you. Better to leave alone, in dignity. Ask the Lore Keeper and he'll tell you this is the right thing to do."
"-...We will leave you some supply. And a waterskin of Gnöl."
Tÿla said nothing.
--------------------------------------

This night, the tribe feasted on the spot, laughing with the old woman and sharing for the last time with her the Gnöl, a strong ritual drink, made of blood, honey and anything sweet the tribe found, the whole fermented over the fire camp.

By noon, it was already far away from her small shelter. As went the last sunset of her life, the old woman watched the South, where the new generation would grow.


Travel, same direction.

[painintheear]

Dead Thread then? I waited over the whole of spring break, and still only two have replied. Anybody left?

[Krrth]

I am, and I'm fairly certain Johel is as well. We can probably get replacements for those who dropped fairly quickly, if you feel like trying.