Age of Man, Medieval Era (IC)

[DMBlackhart]

Arguel, 1200 A.D.

Missive from his lord high majesty Arguel, concerning all the lords of the lands.

The constant warfare between Hembalk and Deliea has begun to take it's toll on my kingdom. Prepare your armies, for we will no longer take a neutral stance on this growing conflict!


(So, once in awhile you the players will receive a missive, as above. Often they will be grouped to apply to all players, as above, sometimes they will be individual though. You do not NEED to adhere to the King's demands, however that rarely ends well. Anyways, take your first turns actions, we will move on to the next turn after that. Remember, anything that can be accomplished in one month's time can be accomplished in one turn.)

[yugi24862]

The Master looked at the messenger at the bottom of the the Stonewall, shouting about having a missive from the king. His recent experiments with that thing called gunpowder must have brought the king to look up what was back here in the mountains. Still, he supposed that now would be a good time to get back to the world, so he sent the lift down to let the messenger up.

"Armies? Stonehaven has 0 men at arms, 0!!!! But if the king is insistent, I'll go round the town and see if anyone wants to shoot things and blow them up."

With that the messenger left and the Master sent someone to put the word around Stoneroot that they were going to get some people to blow things up.

Finally, the Master went to find some of the towns traders, and asked them to explore the outside and see if they could find anywhere to trade the ample stocks of metals and grains for some wood, as they need it to make crossbows.

With that the master retreated into the labs of Stonewall, working on his projects.

So, sending word around the town I want some people to join a "army" to shoot things and blow stuff up. Use 1 population
Send some traders up to trade with people (NPCs) for wood. 1 population, and resources 6?
The Master will research on how to make the crossbows more powerful and accurate, while still being usable without much training. Ability 8

[Bad Situation]

The messenger hawk came as a surprise for the young lordling. It had been years since the king had last sent word from the capitol, and longer still had any court officials come to check on Veil. Unfurling the letter, he found that it was addressed to his late father, the matter was grave indeed.

Reaching for a a quill he penned his response.

When all was said and done, he reclined lazily in his seat. War would mean a great deal of trouble, and an increased pressure to sire an heir. Hembalk and Deliea were constant thorns, but it only made him wonder, "Why now...?"

As for the request itself, the king needn't have asked. The Ivory Guard was prepared to spill their life's blood for their lord. This would never change.

Begin producing Veilan Steel and readying the troops to march through Kaiser pass. Call the inhabitants of the Veilan Roughs for their enlistment.

[LongVin]

Lord Mathias Drake

Whitecliff

The royal messenger found his Lordship within the planning room of Whitecliff. For years Whitecliff has served as the defenders of the Eastern border holding off foreign aggression and now it was finally time to strike back against the enemy.

The armies of Whitecliff would soon be on the march and preparing to secure new territory in the name of their lord.


Mobilize the armies of Whitecliff including the cannons.

Give a call to mercenaries and others interested adventurers in enlisting to create a larger army.

[nolispe]

House Carthis

The messenger stood outside the door, breathless. Inside, the full meeting of the House was drawing to a close.
'So, we're decided? Anyone still got something to say?'
'Nope. Good luck, Venais.'
'I'll need it. God knows what the king is thinking... This war won't end well.'

Venais walked out, gave the messenger a paper, at which the messenger gasped. 'Already? But sir, i've just got back...'
'Yes, already. If you'd prefer, I could hire another messenger...'
The man froze, bowed his head, and ran off to his horse.


----


Venais stood at the City square, atop the podium they had had inserted.
A crowd of thousands was gathered to hear him speak.
'Hail, citizens of the Free Cities! Citizens of the Crystal Peaks!
It falls to me to to give you grave news.
Late last night, the city watch located a secret tunnel under the city. It led to a cave network beneath the grand market place. Here, they found an arms dump, intended for purposes unknown. Gathering reinforcements from the Carthis guard - whom I must humbly thank for their patriotism -, they waited, till in the morning they managed to find over twenty armed men who had arrived in the night. These men resisted arrest, and without provocation attacked the men of the City Guard. However, the guard fought like heroes. Despite the loss of three heroic men, we trapped them in their cave, slaughtering them like rats. Most were killed, but we captured a few, and they confessed to having been sent by an unknown, forign power to launch a coup in the Free Cities!
Moreover, I am led to belive that somethign similar was attempted across the kingdom. A few days ago, our most noble hking was been forced to order the mobilisation of our forces. I know not what he, in his most august majesty, knows, but I presume the need is dire.
As such, it is my duty to announce that a state of emergency now exists in the free cities, until such a time as we can, in good conscience, allow the city guard to stand down. A collection of new laws to stamp down on spies and enemy forces unfortunately require us to enforce them through preventing the free low of traffic that we would prefer. From today, I decvlare that we will build walls around the passes, such that the spies who set up the arms dump will never be able to enter again. I ask every loyal citizen to help us in the maintanence of order. I furthermore ask loyal citizens to be on watch for treachery and attempts by enemies of the free cities to betray and attack us. Finally, I must ask that every one of you goes home tonight with the memory of the three martyrs in their hearts, and with a resolution not to ever let that happen again. I ask you to meet me tommorow at the outskirts of the cities, where we will build such a wall that no traitor spy or army will ever be able to breach!'
He pauses for a long moment, and the crowd roars it's approval. Finally, he raises his hand in a salute.
'ALL HAIL MEMNA!'
The crowd cheers again.
'ALL HAIL MEMNA! ALL HAIL MEMNA! ALL HAIL MEMNA!
Venais stiffly holds his salute, then bows his head and walks off the podium, while the crowd chants behind him.


Actions:
- Use the full 16 population we have to build walls around our cities, fully across the mountain passes. Start charging tarrifs to let people through.
- Use 4 soldiers to search for additional routes down from the High Path.
- Use our Influence 8 to start a recruiting campaign for the newly-formed Mountain Guard, all across the kingdom. Add to this an intensive campaign calling the peasants to the Free Cities, where they can make their fortune!
- We send a few House Carthis traders north, with a vast supply of goods and 1 soldier to protect them, where they will trade food and luxuries (food from stonehaven) for veilian steel, at our 70% discount. Using our ability to make a buck out of anything (5 pts) and using the steel for food presevation to remove the usual loss of food in granaries.
- As above, but to stonehaven, where they trade luzuries and cash for food. And recive gunpower technology.
- Use 6 soldiers to start enforcing a collection of new laws in the city.
Law 1: All citizens must keep their money in the Carthis banks. Coins are to be phased out, and people will instead spend in bits of paper with a specific number and symbol on them, that can be redeemed at a Carthis bank for trade outside.
Law 2: A standard tax of 20% will be enforced on everything, deducted from a person's wealth when they place it in the bank. Should be easy to enforce, and since it's now illegal to use standard money, should be impossible to dodge.
Law 3: The Carthis office will now handle the employment of each and every person by noting that at their head office. Each person will be paid an amount determined by their employer, of course, but these transactions will be handled by the Carthis bank.
Law 4: Unemployment now requires the unemployed to report to the Carthis local office for assignment to a job. Carthis industries can soak up unemployment in public projects, like wall building.

[HerbieRAI]

Victor forced a smile as he read the new edict from the king. Victor knew the messanger would be reading his facial experssions and escew them as a lack of loyalty.

It was not Victor's loyalty that was questionable, it was the loyalty of the people in the plains. When Victor came to power there were many bandits that would raid and pillage continously, and the lords would not come to the peoples aid and yet the lords would get furious when the food would not arrive. Now those lords would be asking them to help attacking another nation, and Victor was sure it would not be taken well by the public.

Victor turned to the messanger from the king. I shall send this to the reaches of the plains, and begin to marshal a force together. We shall be ready when the king calls. As the messanger left, a thought came to Victor. He would be able to spin this to his advantage.

Actions

5 of the population focuses on food production
2 population raise and train horses
5 soldiers patrol countryside looking for bandits
2 soldiers keep watch on keep and towns looking for spies


Message to Edrick Sinclair

I know the land is harsh in the Veil, so I wish to offer a trade. Your steel for our food. With this you would be better able to keep your people fed through the harsh winter and we would be better able to fight the scourge of the plains.

[Lazy Genius]

When the messenger arrived, Lord van Duchten was enjoying some rare quality time with his family, big as that is. The messenger quickly met Lord van Duchten, who marched out into his mansion's courtyard for the message.

"So, he requires my men, good." Lord van Duchten was looking into space, talking to himself when he suddenly turned to the messenger, and ordered over more messengers with a simple hand gesture. "You go back to the king and tell him he can get as many able horsemen as he needs, I haven't had anything to do for a while, but there's no need to tell him that." After the king's messenger left. He quickly explained the situation to each of the several messengers now with him. "Get word to my sons, gather the elite armored cavalry, fully equipped and armed, and send them here, I will gather more men here myself. " With only three more messengers left, he instructed them to get message to his daughters about the affairs of the military, keeping them informed that the military was going to thin out some.

After the messengers had all left, he went back into the living quarters of his mansion, looking over his children that did not have their own occupation. He placed a hand on one of their shoulders"Son, you are almost of age, do you think you can handle this city's management for a while if I'm away?" After a hesitant nod from the guy in question, Lord van Duchten looked around the room and found his wife, now alerted to his new military endeavors. He went up to her and stroked her cheek the loving way she knew of him. "I would say it's only a while, but this is the king asking for aid, so I don't know the time-span of this." He then kissed her on the forehead and went to the armory to prepare.

Use 4 Ability to have the messages speedily delivered.
Use 10 Influence, 10 Influence, and 6 Influence to get heavy cavalry armed and ready for combat in the resident city of Lord van Duchten. (using the people's reverence of the man)
Use 18 Prestige to get a backup military for the cavalry leaving the cities. (using his name as a motivator to get people excited about the noble cause)
Use 4 Population and 6 Advancement to get the people in the resident city working on some fast-moving siege engines (the giant carriage-trebuchet).
Use 2 Population and 6 Resources to get wood for the siege engines to the resident city.

This is the right way to do it right?

[DMBlackhart]

Arguel, 1200 A.D. Month 2

Lord Van Dutchen -

* Your message is delivered swiftly, no doubt the first to arrive in the king's lap.

* Many are willing to come to the call to arms of their lord and of their king! Not a single man who is not otherwise needed in town was left behind. Many young, woman, the town guard, and the craftsmen remain. Your army is massive, no doubt the largest sent to the king!

* Siege Engines are conscripted, and many completed. The entire order will be filled by next month

* Your lumber stores bulge from the increased production, allowing your stores to sell more, make better income this year, and to allow for swifter construction of your siege weaponry.

Illusive Missive
A letter comes to your house in almost total mystery. Late-night it is delivered, shortly before you are to go to war with your men. It says disturbing things, the most prominent of which is a warning. The letter threatens that your time as a ruler is at an end, and that an assassin will come for you, and if not you, then your family.


Victor -

* Food production is escalated, the coming month ensures no one man to go hungry.

* Your people train horses with haste, bowing to the will of their lord.

* Patrols are increased along the countryside, and the amount of crime this month was severely softened.

* Your people's awareness serves them well as a scheme is foiled. A man, not allied with any nation or people you know of, has infiltrated your city, attempting to poison it's people. While the scheme was foiled, it was not without loss. Your people's moral wavers as a few die from the toxic food stores.


House Carthis -

* Your walls are fortified, and tarrifs are set in place. While your people frown upon the additional cost, they do not actively call out against it.

* You send soldiers away to explore High Path. They have not returned within the first month.

* Your campaigns are well met, drawing men of little or no alliegiance the country over to tour your cities.

* your Trade with Stonehaven proves beneficial, both your economies boost this month.

* Your people seem sullen by the increased taxing, but are equally relieved by the expanded economy. If things continue at this rate your coffers will not fret starvation.


Lord Mathias Drake -

* You initiate a country-wide call to arms, quickly conscripting a large, formidable army. One the king should easily be content with.


Edrick Sinclair -

* Your troops move out, arriving at the capitol in the coming month. Reports tell that yours is the second smallest of armies sent, while two other lords had neglected to even muster a simple gaurd!


The Master -

* Your army arrives at the capitol city in the coming month. Reports tell that yours is the smallest of the four armies to arrive. However two lords had not managed to even send a single soldier! While the king prepares his war, you are given the peace of mind one needs to ensure a strong economical expansion in the coming months.

* Trade goes well, allowing your people to be that much richer, soon a missive will be sent to all the lords of the land, showing just who has the "biggest" pocket.


Alright, turn 2 down, nice. So, with this turn let me clarify something, while there won't be any SOLID numbers for anything represented in this game, you will still need to be careful of over-doing it. Obviously you don't want to assign too many tasks each month, especially too many tasks that rely primarily on your population or staff or soldiers, you wouldn't want everyone dropping dead from fatigue right?

Anyways starting next turn there will be a "list" that will show who is in the lead where. For example things like "Army size", "Kings Favor", "Economy" and other such things. These will allow you all to keep careful tabs on who is a threat to your possible future rein, and when to strike.


OoC-

Granted I did not specify too well how the system was going to work, that was mostly because I wanted to experiment and see what the others would come up with themselves. Allow me to say that, the numbers represented when you made your faction, are not points you need to "devote" somewhere. But rather finite values representing the "effectiveness" behind something. So when you post from here on out, do ANY number of things, as long as it is realistically possible within a month, and assign one (or more) of those attributes to apply to it. You do not need to list a number of "how much".

For example, you could do the following...

- Assign a new tax to the people, let our coffers run heavy with the plight of our peons! (Population).

- I wish to throw a summer harvest festival for the people, hoping to increase moral and cover up my tax increase scheme (Population).

In the above example, you are using population twice, so it is valued equally as high both times, but could easily lose or increase in "effectiveness" based on other actions that turn. Obviously throwing a festival RIGHT when you increase taxes on your people might seem foolish, but if it works, go for it!

[Bad Situation]

Lord Edrick groaned as he read the reports. He wasn't entirely sure of the king's disposition toward Veil, but his relatively small force was sure to be noted. He had to do something to gain whatever favor he might have lost. Sighing heavily he called for his assistant, Nikolai.

"Nikolai, tell the engineers to step up weapon production, and tell the craftsmen I have a special task for them. We simply cannot afford let our allies outdo us so."

When Nikolai retreated, Edrick began penning a letter.

Actions:
-Step up weapon production
-Task experts to create
-Begin construction of Veilan ballisate
-Start up Veilan Whitecloak Program, get youths to fight for Veil

[yugi24862]

The Master sighed. The few hundreds of men he had sent to the king were poorly trained and undisciplined, but they had explosives and repeating crossbows, so they should stay out of combat. If the worse became the worse they could hopefully flee and make there way back here.

Trade, however, that was going well, Stonehavens wealth of crops and resources allowed it to dominate local trade, and the deals that he had made with House Carthis had allowed the merchants to break into trade. The next thing to do was to start proper mining and forging of the metals coming out the mountains, as most easy sites were being depleted. To do that, he would have to attract workers to mine the mines. Still, the merchants were doing well and that mean more money, which meant more experiments! He would have to work on mining gear, but it would be worth it

Continue trading, dunno what with. Also use our wealth to persuade the poor peasants to come to Stonewall and work in the mines! We shall have slightly better conditions that the farms. Slightly.

Also I might aswell say it now, but Stonehaven has no gate. The only way in is by a small pulley system for people, and a large mechanical ramp for traders and the like. It takes ages to use and needs constant repairs, but the art of repairing it is easy and quick to do. From the top of the ramp there is another one leading to Stonehaven.

[Lazy Genius]

Despite the successes of amassing his army, Lord van Duchten felt disheartened. He had received his first death threat. This in itself is a sign of greatness, but his one strength had become his most obvious weakness as well; his family was also included in the threat. Of course, keeping everyone safe by way of protection was going to be impossible, so he'd try to eliminate the thread by way of convincing.

He gave a mighty speech to his armies sent to the Kin, in the King's honor. While it might annoy the king that he didn't receive anything from the man with the most military history, his spirits will be soothed by the army now arriving, surely they must be the size of what's already there, and then some. BEsides that, Lord van Duchten thought of a very implausible way to deal with the death threat. "So tell the king he's welcome to send you with your legion anywhere you like, but you will remain sole commander. And lighten his mood with the promise of siege equipment next month." This was said to his eldest son, who also brought a letter signed by him proclaiming the same. "I bid you well and you take care of yourself, son."

Actually send the army we amassed, as we amassed it all in Lord van Duchten's resident city.
Subtly scope the area for people who dislike Lord van Duchten. (People&Ability, Prestige)
When found, drag them around the country a bit and have Lord van Duchten talk to them to convince them that it would be much more fruitful to work for him, eliminating his political enemies. (Area, Influence, Prestige)

If all else fails, send a succinct note to Champion Victor:
Dear Fellow Ruler,

I think you and I both know that with our ownership of vast lands in such a kingdom as this we amass people who aren't sympathizers of our cause. As such, I believe it fruitful to open a prospective companionship between my familial grounds and your Errant guard.

With kind regards,

Lord van Duchten.
OOC:I imagine a signature (with a seal next to it) to be between the 'regards' line and his name.

[HerbieRAI]

Commander Gromst was an old grisly man who had a lot of respect in the Errant Guard. He was the oldest active member and held the title of Northern Martial. Currently he was riding with a small guard of new recruits, who were looking around intently for the enemy.

There was supposedly some bandits in the area that were stealing horses. Gromst got the impression that the peasants were trying to get some free horses from the guard or their neighbors. Gromst knew that the chances of a group of bandits with 100 stolen horses in an open plain would be next to impossible to miss, and there were no tracks in the area. Dispite all this evidence, protocol demanded that the Errant Guard look into the accounts, and these recruits were rigorusly looking for the enemy.

A thought came to him, maybe these men were looking for combat so they could return home, and perhaps be spared from this coming "war" everyone talked about. If they believed the rumors it would be a good reason to be looking for a fight.

Before he could ask his men what they thought of the possibilities of war, he noticed the tracks. roughly 40 horses by his estimates, only about an hour away. He slowed his pace to see if any of the others noticed. Of course they were all looking in the distance, not right beneath their own feet. When they were about 40 spans ahead of the commander, he shouted at them

Usually when one man slows down it's because he's found something of interest

The other men came to a halt quickly and circuled around Gromst

You are expecting to see them in the distance, but I've found our targets beneath us. Now, Yerth, how many horses do you think we're following?
20?
I'd put it around 40. It's always best to overestimate the enemy than to underestimate them. This may just be some herders traveling as well, so when we catch up to them we'll need to be cautious but not agressive. Isand, how far behind would you say we are?
One of the recruits stared down intently at the tracks for a few minutes.
6?
Sorry my boy, only about 2. Unless there are actually 40 men riding, this herd will be moving at about a quarter the speed of us. Let this be a lesson to all of you, even though it seems you can see for miles, the humiditiy blocks your sight. Tracks are the best way to follow or find a target at large distances. Now, let us see where these tracks lead us.
At that they began following the trail. These lessons were boring, but nessicary. As a full member of the Guard, his job was to train the recruits so they had a chance of living through their first fight, and so they would be able to handle some of their own problems afterward.


We are going to bring the man into the citidel and put him in the dungeon for now.
We replace the food that could have been posioned. We don't want any more people to die from this event. (negative to food)
We contruct barracks in the small towns for Errant Guard partrols to stay in. (pop)
We have the populous continue to grow more food/ breed more horses. (pop)
We bring in 2 (of 4) contingents of Errant Guard and begin a short training in horse archery (military)
We send a message to the king

My Lord,

The Errant Guard has our horse archers ready for a campaign. If you send the word we shall ride to you with haste.

The rest of the guard will be spread across the region to keep order (military)



Message to Lord Mathias Drake

My Lord,

With the comming war, our land is looking to build new forts to protect our country. We also know with so many men leaving, food production will be down. Would you be willing to trade a quantitiy of your wood stores for our food?

[nolispe]

House Carthis

'Good evening, citizens of the Crystal Peaks. From the assault on us all last month, we have recovered as a people. We have emerged from the enemy's attack stronger than ever, and we shall remain. I promise you, we shall rise ever stronger, no matter what the cowards attempt on our nation. However, you will be aware that we have been asked to send our forces off to war, and that we shall do. From today, those of us in non-essential industries are going to march to the defense of the Kingdom, with our righteous king at our head. I, myself, will go with them.'
*Cheers*
'I, and the men of the Crystal Peaks, must also ask you to help us in the fufilling of our duty. I ask you to move onto a full war footing, that us at the front may do our duty to the fullest of our ability. Let those of you who can, do their best to aid us, in the manifold new industries that are springing up to support the war. If you will do your duty, then I can personally guarntee you that we will do ours. In that, I think, the King will not be dissapointed!'

In the Cities of the Crystal Peaks, the Schola Mandata, Schola Logistica, and the Schola Ars have been founded in each city. They are a collection of military academies that will provide an equal chance at advancement in the armies and so assist the king's forces.

Actions

- Begin mass printing the living daylights out of the bible and other books. Keep the tech secret, but as gutenburg found out, there's a whole lotta money waiting to be made there. Also, communications! And all the paperwork our new system must be generating... It should also make our logistics way more efficent, as well as helping our new tests.
- Launch a takeover of the logistics of the combined armies. I presume most will be quite happy to let us take over, and we can out do anyone because of our super eocnomy, new trade deals with stonehaven for cheap food, and massively enhanced preservation with the new cold metals. We're the only group that can deliver freshish food without chance of contamination. At the very least, the entire upper class goes for us, and we can do better with the lower groups by simply selling cheaper and better. Our power (5 pts) helps here, as we can make a buck off anything - and this happens to be a pile of money waiting to be made. :smalltongue:
- Use that 8 influence to keep attracting people, espessialy people displaced by the war. Come to the Crystal Peaks, where there's a guarnteed job and paycheck.
- Begin hiring other people, preferably people slightly inferior to most and so not considered good candidtates for our armies, to form the Night Watch. We have 16 population, we should be able to do it.
- 16 population, laws inserted last turn, 8 influence from last turn - Mass conscript the unemployed. Also, those people who the guard think were involved in criminal activity, as well as those people who we figure are outside of Carthis control - well, they happen to get noted down and conscripted en masse. Of course, while they're gone their positions get filled by Carthis members.
- 14 size, 16 population, laws from last turn - begin mass hiring of mercenaries from around the kingdom.
- Send out our newly assembled armies. so 12 soldiers + lots from conscription.

New laws
Law 5: Compulsory employment is now extended to women within employable age brackets (10-60, what with child labour and suchlike) and retirees. They will be assigned to less physically demanding jobs, like the paperwork of the new system and generic production.
Law 6: With the support of the church, (reasons for support - A: there will be Carthis representives in the church, and B: We can teach the masses scripture) we introduce compulsory education between the ages of 5-10, pushing for literacy and numeracy. We need people to be able to fill out the forms in our glorious new regime, anyway... As part of this, we create (I presume population and size apply here, 16 and 14 respectively) an aptitude test to determine rough intelligence, and ship off the best to our new academies.
Law 7: The Schola Mandata, Schola Logistica, and the Schola Ars are each military academies, covering Leadership, Logistics, and tactics respectively. Here the children will be trained to lead, as will adults that score well.
We also use them as an opportunity to indoctrinate the gradutates.
Finally, they should provide a superb advertising tool, reinforcing what we've been saying about the Crystal Peaks being a land of limitless opportunity. Should lend itself to a flood of new wannabe generals from across the world, who would be held back by the principles of commission in their native lands. We train them up and indoctrinate them, and send them out.