Empire!7 - Into the Depths: Out-of-Character Thread (CWBG)

[Epinephrine_Syn]

For the Chora, can you use treasure to pay off somebody elses debt? Does it have to be your own you pay off?

(Opportunity: Pay off CCA Favor debt by providing Treasure! Reward: +1 Favor. Cost: Give the Chelonian Chora a total of 3 Treasure as a non-action. Deadline: End of Round 6. Details: Only countries which owe Favors to the CCA are eligible. The treasure may be paid over multiple rounds (with non-actions), but the Favor will not be paid off until the third Treasure is provided. If only a partial payment has been made by the end of Round 6, 1 Treasure will be refunded.)

Edit: Also, can I as a nonaction give the Chora treasure on behalf of another person in general? Ex: If somebody wanted to use the Song of Tranquility Favor, but wanted me to pay for the treasure portion of it.

[Tychris1]

The Reaver raids happened at the start of Round 5 - this means that the Treasure you gained passively from having 5 TPs was lost.

There's an explanation of what a Reaved Faction Support means in the opener.

But I do not have 5 TPs?

[Rolepgeek]

I'm thinking of what my Tech and Miracle will be for this ruler, given I am at the half-way point towards getting to 10 in Faith and Econ.

My current idea-

Miracle- Abjuration Magic
1) trade Posts and holy sites owned by Sakura-Do adherents get a bonus to resist being sacked equal to SKR's rep with DNA. This bonus is increases to 4 against Reavers if it would be lower. (Note: As the leader of Sakura-Do, the Primarch of The World Garden is always used as this baseline, even by other Empires that convert)
2) As an Economy special 5 action, a Sakura-Do empire can change the output of a region they hold clerical support in to Abjurers. Empires with Abjurer TPs may designate that many regions they control as being protected by DNA for the purposes of Reaving.

Technology-
Squid Chariots
Requires: Supernatic Propagation, Megafaunal tailoring, composite grafts
Requires: building materials

Concept: a giant squid pulling an air ballon made of colonial jellyfish with a gondola containing cargo.

A squid Chariot can travel very fast across open sea. It reduces distance penalties by up to 4 open border segments.

For the Miracle, for my part at least I think I might ask you to talk to me about how this is supposed to work in the sense of what involvement the Nacres actually have in this magic system themselves? It's also worth noting that it's trying to do quite a lot - between +2 and +4 to resist Sacks from a single roll is quite a large bonus for a single Special 10 action already.

I also wanted to ask if you could clarify what specifically you're wanting Squid Chariots to do - does '4 open border segments' mean it can only reduce the effective distance of regions when the path isn't crossing special borders? Or does it just mean a flat -4 regions effective distance? Also was curious why the resource req is building materials when, afaict from the description given thus far, that doesn't seem like it would be the primary obstacle to making use of high-speed squid+blimp jellyfish transport?

For the Chora, can you use treasure to pay off somebody elses debt? Does it have to be your own you pay off?

You can choose to pay off someone else's debt, sure.

Edit: Also, can I as a nonaction give the Chora treasure on behalf of another person in general? Ex: If somebody wanted to use the Song of Tranquility Favor, but wanted me to pay for the treasure portion of it.

Sure, if you have the appropriate CCA Rep that you'd be able to ask them for the favor action yourself, or you have a Trade Route to that country. Otherwise, you'd need to give that country the Treasure first and they'd need to pay for it.

But I do not have 5 TPs?

When the round opener was being made, the tables said you had 5 TPs at the end of last round, because it had been missed that you didn't actually end up creating the City. The result is the same regardless, with you having 0 Treasure - as seen for LSD when the Reavers attempted to take Treasure from them and they had none to be stolen.

[Feathersnow]

For the Miracle, for my part at least I think I might ask you to talk to me about how this is supposed to work in the sense of what involvement the Nacres actually have in this magic system themselves? It's also worth noting that it's trying to do quite a lot - between +2 and +4 to resist Sacks from a single roll is quite a large bonus for a single Special 10 action already.

I also wanted to ask if you could clarify what specifically you're wanting Squid Chariots to do - does '4 open border segments' mean it can only reduce the effective distance of regions when the path isn't crossing special borders? Or does it just mean a flat -4 regions effective distance? Also was curious why the resource req is building materials when, afaict from the description given thus far, that doesn't seem like it would be the primary obstacle to making use of high-speed squid+blimp jellyfish transport?

1) The Nacres aren't really involved, except as ideals of protection that Sakura-Jin seek to emulate.
1a) as for what it is trying to do, I had nothing to template on, so I took the concept of "ask for a lot, then pare it down." The second mechanical effect and the fluff effect of wearing "shells of light" are the primary things

2) the idea is yes, it reduces the border penalty by a lot, but only when not crossing special borders.
2a) the gondola is artificial and buoyed by the jelly blimp and pulled by the squid. It is the only part that requires anything besides generic fodder, so is the requirement by default if any is necessary.

[LapisCattis]

I'm thinking of what my Tech and Miracle will be for this ruler, given I am at the half-way point towards getting to 10 in Faith and Econ.

My current idea-

Miracle- Abjuration Magic
1) trade Posts and holy sites owned by Sakura-Do adherents get a bonus to resist being sacked equal to SKR's rep with DNA. This bonus is increases to 4 against Reavers if it would be lower. (Note: As the leader of Sakura-Do, the Primarch of The World Garden is always used as this baseline, even by other Empires that convert)
2) As an Economy special 5 action, a Sakura-Do empire can change the output of a region they hold clerical support in to Abjurers. Empires with Abjurer TPs may designate that many regions they control as being protected by DNA for the purposes of Reaving.

Technology-
Squid Chariots
Requires: Supernatic Propagation, Megafaunal tailoring, composite grafts
Requires: building materials

Concept: a giant squid pulling an air ballon made of colonial jellyfish with a gondola containing cargo.

A squid Chariot can travel very fast across open sea. It reduces distance penalties by up to 4 open border segments.

Abjuration Magic - Role and I have been passing this back and forth for a bit. Overall, your current proposal is just a bit too strong in terms of the raw bonus, unfortunately. One suggestion is:

"Sakura-Do adherents receive a +1 bonus to resist Sacks if they have a DNA Reputation Rank of 1 or higher; if the Faith Head of Sakura-Do has a DNA Reputation Rank of 3 or higher, then Sakura-Do adherents gain an extra +1 bonus to resist Sacks in regions adjacent to or containing a Holdfast.

As an Economy Special 5 Action, a Sakura-Do country can change the output of a region in which they have Clerical Support to Abjuration Specialists; if the region's local Mercantile Support is not controlled by the enacting country, this requires permission from the current region owner or Mercantile Support holder. Countries with Abjuration Specialist TPs may designate a number of regions they control equal to the number of Abjuration Specialist TPs they own as protected by DNA for the purpose of defending against Reavers."


Squid Chariots - first, I love this and I now want a poster of a squid balloon chariot. Getting away from tangent brain, I believe Role checked in and "open border segments" is agreed on being defined as non-special borders. 4 border segments is a bit high, one suggestion was:

"Regions where only normal borders are crossed count half as much for distance penalties, applying to a maximum of up to six regions. Hostile territory still increases effective distance normally for Military actions."

It was also pointed out that "building materials" may be a bit...interesting as a resource requirement for this, like if someone tried to count something like Granite as a building material, the squid may have some issues with physics and tentacle strain. I'm not going to require you change it, but it may be something to think about

Spoiler: Artifact Proposals/Requests

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I wanted to try having fun with this and I saw that the previous games' artifacts sometimes got funky. I recognize happily if this is either not welcome in this game or too unbalanced or anything. I'm also willing to change any of the numbers on here to make it work. :) Thanks either way!


The Weeping Stone: This rock continually drips a black, tarry substance. This substance rapidly dissipates if left unattended, but if the faithful tend it, they can over time isolate substantial amounts. This substance, Anathema, drives to sickness and madness those exposed to it.

As a Faith action, the holder of the Weeping Stone may contribute to a 3 turn project to produce Anathema. Once this action has been taken three times (by the same holder), the holder gains one Anathema.

Anathema: This black tarry substance functions almost as an anti-Treasure. Whenever a player makes an opposed roll, they may as a non-action release Anathema upon their enemies. This applies a minus-1 to their results and may be used in conjunction with other roll modifications such as treasure or Seek Aid.

The big things I like about this artifact would be the project-based nature of it (stolen from previous empire artifacts) and the creation of a resource that itself might be traded, but is deeply thematic to my people. If there's any way to preserve these elements in a change, I'd value it. Thanks again!

---

Version 2:

"Once per turn as a Faith action, a country with this artifact or any other country that shares a trade route with the holding country may take an altered Seek Aid targeting the action/roll of another country, rolling 2d6+Faith against a TN of 14. On a success, that action/roll receives a -1 penalty to the final roll result. This may be done even after the targeted action/roll has been rolled. If the penalty would alter the action/roll's success into a failure, it does so."

---

Censer of Mother's Breath. Swinging this censer miraculously produces clouds of mineral rich hydrogen sulfide, a sign of blessing from the Great Mother. This effect induces zealous frenzy, allowing the holder to once per turn convert an action to "faith" solely for purposes of stat growth (using the typical stat for modifiers).

This allows the holder to use non-faith actions to keep growing faith.

---

Version 2:
Once per Round the holder of this Artifact may take a Non-Faith action as a Faith Action.

These are really neat ideas!

The Weeping Stone - Your first version with creating Anathema is pretty complex and could be stronger if you'd like. Version 2 looks good but I'd advise:

"Once per turn (total) as a Faith action, a country with this artifact or any other country that shares a trade route with the holding country may take an altered Seek Aid targeting the action/roll of another country, rolling 2d6+Faith against a TN of 12. On a success, that action/roll receives a -1 penalty to the final roll result. This may be done even after the targeted action/roll has been rolled. If the penalty would alter the action/roll's success into a failure, it does so."

Basically, if one country does it, then no others can, and shift the TN down a bit

Censer of Mother's Breath - First version is alright but does have room for strengthening if you'd like. One suggestion is:

"Once per turn the holder of this Artifact may take a non-Faith action as a Faith action for purposes of stat growth only (using the typical stat for modifiers). If the holder does this, they may roll 2d6+Faith against a TN of 12 before rolling the action in question. Upon success, the action gains a +1 bonus to the roll."

Your version 2 is just too strong and versatile

I would like to request +1 unit cap as a bonus for my Line of Olgght great project, representing the new construction of military infrastructure networks.
Is this appropriate?

+1 Unit cap would work, but if you wanted to, you could do more with it, like:

+1 Unit cap and an extra +1 while you keep Aristocratic Support in the region

Technology proposal:

-Toxic Filtering:
After years of research and with the help of the Abyssal Stewards who work near toxic environments, Hymenocera scientists have finally managed to graft small pieces of engineered sponges on specifically created armour, which could be worn so the sponge could filter out the dangerous chemicals in the water before they can impact the individual. Now the toxic terrains to the North and East of the Expanse are also open for expansion.
Pre-reqs: tech: Composite Grafting; resource: armour

This looks all good!

[Minescratcher]

Belated writeup for 113 for review (by someone with a better grasp of Greek word structure than me, ideally ):

* * *

Region 113
Ektalithiades, the Petrified Plains

Spoiler: Geography

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The rocky flats of Ektalithiades stretch for miles beneath lightly clouded waters, their featureless surface unbroken save by the Stone Teeth, great spires of rock pointing surfacewards upon which clams and scallops attach to feed. Once, the region was a vast submerged mudflat, attested by the shells and fossils buried in the rock, but no longer; some unknown force long ago hardened the seafloor into stone. The northwest and east of the region are characterized by lifeless brine pools, which the inhabitants avoid, while the rocky seafloor between hosts clumps of hardy mosses and swordgrass, food for the occasional small fish, sea snail, or desperate Tyrnamoi. These last are the sapient inhabitants of Ektalithiades. Their twin cities of Dupiopóli in the north and Nótiapóli in the south twist and burrow through areas of softer rock, a network of tunnels and caves which provide the Tyrnamoi with shelter, spawning grounds, and sites to ambush passing fish or snails all at once.

Spoiler: People

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The Tyrnamoi are in many ways similar to the Middish to the north, but are clearly shown to be different species by just as many differences. Their skin is a dull white or grey color, marked by thin, wavy yellow patterns on both sides of their body. They lack the bioluminescent photophores possessed by the Middish, but instead have significantly more pronounced spines, which are hollow and deliver a painful venom primarily used for hunting. Tyrnamoi have similar reproduction and familial structures to those of the Middish, with one or more females spawning with a male, who cares for the eggs and raises the children; they also have similar resilience against oxygen deprivation and the unfriendly air, and the ability to vocalize is as ubiquitous in Ektalithiades as in Orope, though most Tyrnamoi speak dialects of a single language rather than truly distinct tongues.

Spoiler: History and Government

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Ancient history is poorly remembered in Ektalithiades; the oldest significant event in general recall is the signing two centuries ago of the Symfoníes, the agreement which officially handed power in Dupiopóli and Nótiapóli to the Mayor-Kings and their chosen sycophants, putting an end to decades if not centuries of strife and civil war. Power was consolidated into the hands of a few influential aristocratic families, who intermarried to align their shared interests as often as they assassinated each other to further some scheme, and the vast majority of the population was completely frozen out of any hope of political influence. To avoid unrest, the new rulers channeled the individualist energies of the Tyrnamoi into hunting and sporting competition, ritualized in the form of the yearly Brinesea Games between the two cities. Though this arrangement maintained the political stability of the Tyrnamoi, the hidebound aristocracy proved both too arrogant and too inexperienced to defend their realms against a proper army. The Accidental War, as it came to be called by Ironkelp Order sages, was an utter catastrophe, with the Tyrnamoi barely even able to inflict casualties on the invaders as their small forces were annihilated in a handful of decisive battles.

In the aftermath of the conquest, neither the Order nor the various Middish monarchs took much direct interest in Ektalithiades, allowing the victorious commanders free reign to do as they saw fit. Knight Commander Tolmach returned to Insol shortly following the surrender, leaving a power vacuum which two ambitious Knights strove to fill: Knight Bailiff Carlton Carrington, of Tolmach’s Inslangue honor guard, and Knight Bailiff Jörn Hanisch of the Alehlangue. The two were able to collaborate just long enough to exile the old aristocracy before immediately starting to plot to dominate Ektalithiades, each pulling other Middish nobles and influential Tyrnamoi into their respective orbits. Orope’s attention was drawn to the region once more in the 15th year of Grand Master Basilicos’s tenure, when Carrington declared himself “King of Dupiopólisol” and, in response, Hanisch declared the creation of an “Ektalithiadean Assembly” in the south. Though the two states have yet to come to blows, it remains to be seen how the Order and the Kingdoms will react to these jumped-up expatriates….

Spoiler: Resources

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The Stoneteeth are rich in phosphorite rocks, whose significant phosphate content makes them valuable as a source of vital nutrients for all living organisms (so long as steps are taken to prevent deadly algae blooms) as well as a potential ingredient in creative (read “explosive”) chemistry projects.

Despite the autocratic organization of the cities, the Tyrnamoi are constantly in need of Military Labor. Conscription has proven a failure in the face of staunch opposition from everyone except the aristocracy, leaving military infrastructure entirely dependent on foreign workers.

Spoiler: Faith

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Ektalithiades is home to what seems to be a strange offshoot sect of Sakurado. The Tyrnamoi hold that they were once sterile and reliant on the good will of the Precursors to maintain their population, but that Barbeleon suddenly manifested in the form of a living mass of algae, Sheldon J Plankton. This mass grew until it blotted out the sun above Ektalithiades, cutting off the Precursors, and declared that the age of nudity and sterility was forever ended, supposedly miraculously restoring the ability to lay eggs to the Tyrnamoi. The truth of this legend is difficult to ascertain, but in keeping with tradition, Tyrnamoi culture might be described as hedonistic; decorative metal or pearl jewelry and extravagant-bordering-on-tacky clothing made from dyed plant fibers are universal among all social strata, and outside of the largest and most important families, couplings rarely result in long-term relationships.

The twin cities of Dupiopóli and Nótiapóli, the major population centers of the region, are also the most significant religious sites. Each city claims to be the place where Sheldon J Plankton first appeared and therefore to have special holy significance.

[bc56]

+1 Unit cap would work, but if you wanted to, you could do more with it, like:

+1 Unit cap and an extra +1 while you keep Aristocratic Support in the region

Sounds good, I'll take that upgrade.

[Corona]

Spoiler: Round 5 Tropics political map

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[Gengy]

Submitted for Approval

Colownya
(Region 128)

Spoiler: People

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Colownya - the Gotezhar Colony - is entirely populated by Gotezhar. When Ezcorher started to become full of so much life, the opportunity to expand into new seas - and not fight over increasingly scarce resources - was enough for many lesser nuvens of Gotezhar to make the decision to stray. Like Ezcorher, Colownya's Gotezhar are divided into various castes: The Joontar handle bureaucracy and matters of faith, the Profundus take leadership roles, the Squalls handle law enforcement and military matters, and the rest are Workers of various types. More recently, a branch of Workers has elevated themselves to a separate caste: Merchants. They are still young, but formally recognized as important.

Spoiler: Geography

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Colownya is a vast body of water with many undersea canyons, that travel underwater from west to east, like some great zipper snaking it's way all over the region. As though a very crooked smile of some god bit down just hard enough to create holes in the ground, these undersea canyons make excellent places to build domiciles for the new colonists to establish homes. Where the nuven were 'lesser' before in Gotezhar, those that arrived first and claimed a canyon for their family have become part of the local aristocracy. The largest canyons have shiny fragile walls that immediately attracted the largest nuvens, and did not just become family homes, but the start of new towns and - maybe one day - cities.

To the north, though, is one of the most important things in the entire region: A vast body of above-sea land. At the moment, the majority of this land is either impassible due to the brackish swampy waters, or guarded by defenders from the north. But the small bit of the land that the Gotezhar are able to control is a marvel to them. Unlike the spire in Ezcorher, Colownya's land allows for many different nuven to peacefully build near the shore to await for clouds - and more importantly, rain! - to just fly overhead. It is near this northern border in Colownya that the majority of the governance of the region happens, and has the burgeoning's of the region's first actual city; even more so then the larger canyons.

Spoiler: Resource

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Export: Razorglass grow from the canyon walls. It is a brittle - often dangerously sharp - crystal that can be, with the right precautions (or just Gotezhar stubbornness) mined from the canyon walls. It has many different uses, both as a fragile form of weaponry and as a lesser building material. One thing is certain: those who live in razorglass houses, do not throw stones.

Required Resource: Esoterica
The Gotezhar of Colownya share one trait: curiosity. Without this similar trait, they wouldn't have bothered to move to new waters. Without it, the large amount of Colownya Workers would have been content to laze about; instead, nearly a third of the Workers are trying to understand what it means to be 'Merchants'. While the Merchant caste is new, they understand that you trade for weird things... and to do that, you need interesting things to trade back!

Spoiler: Faith

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Glimmer Tooth - Afluente - The southern most canyon is also one of the largest, and was claimed by Joontar who still follow the Gotezhar faith. It is also one of the shiniest canyons, so ended up with the name 'Glimmer Tooth'.

[JBarca]

For approval:

Maurente [Region 74]

Spoiler: Thalassography

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Maurente is mostly a large, flat, seaswept plain, broken up by canyons that teem with creatures and seem to glow with a life of their own. The flatseas are mostly empty, though, except when the herdsfolk of the region are moving their squid, manatees, or krill through the weeds for grazing. Within the canyons, settlements and natural habitats for many creatures can be found.

The borders of Maurente are mostly unoccupied, though, for a variety of reasons. To the west, the threat of the warlike Nautilites, or more recently the designs of the Ennead, kept settlement there the resort of the truly desperate. To the north, the seeping toxins of the wastes and brine make the seafloor uninhabitable. To the east and south, the strange roughs cause great currents to sweep along, creating an obstacle to construction that, as of yet, as not needed to be tackled.

Spoiler: People, Government, History

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The major sentient population of Maurente are the Reida, a species of intelligent flatworms. The Reida refer to the region as Masae, but the arrival of the mighty Ennead has seen such distinctions disappear rapidly. The Reida are organized into many tribes, the most dominant of which is the Jugurtuns. Prior to the conquest, there was no true ruler of the region, but when the tribes gathered, it was the Jugurtuns who fielded the most warriors, produced the most representatives, and who could bribe the most small tribes.

The Reidan tribes exist in a state of near constant conflict, though this conflict tends to be resolved with injuries or, at worst, a handful of deaths. Far more important is proving superiority and claiming land than any sort of conquest or destruction. When disputes arise, as they must, swarms of Reida from each tribe will mount their squids and aim to create "infernos," or areas of heated water. The tribes will then enter a contest of wrestling, jockeying for position, and stunts that lasts until one tribe retreats, either due to shame or the heat. When the Reida need to turn to true violence, these firefly squids prove to be startlingly effective, if unreliable, deterrents to enemy combatants as well.

Under the Ennead, the Jugurtuns retain some of their power. As the Doflein love of strict hierarchies begins to drift into Maurente, the Reida find themselves slotting into position beneath their new rulers, sorted mostly by the size of their tribes. In the end, though, the major reorganization sees the extraction of taxes from the Reida. On the whole, this is not the worst thing, though many of the more powerful tribes resent their new constant need to pay off rivals - they are more used to receiving tributes, not sending them.

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Firefly Squid. The Firefly Squid are squids about six or so feet long on average. They are the main domesticated creature of the Reida, useful for everything from pack animals to war beasts to food. They are special for their eponymous fireflies - a glowing, heat-producing plankton that lives in the body of the otherwise translucent squids. These plankton can, when made to, produce incredibly hot temperatures which the squids can then vent out of their mantle.

Requirement: Crops. The Reida are not farmers, they are herders. And when tides are rough and the seafloor is barren, the squids can go hungry. An import of food for the squids - and their masters - would go a long way toward calming the constantly warring tribes.

Spoiler: Faith

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The Reida practice a vast variety of philosophies, organized into numbered, tenet-based Ways. Each Way is based on interaction with the currents of the region in a unique manner, ranging from trust to reluctant resignation to struggle. The holy sites in the region are not physical structures so much as schools centered on great teachers. The three dominant philosophies are listed below.
The Third Way: Led by Syphax. This school is based on not only accepting and trusting the currents, but assisting them. It is the most proactive of the pro-current schools, seeking to physically proselytize - those drifting with the current are encouraged to snag their less exuberant tribe members and drag them along. Some within the philosophy are even known to create vast artificial webs to snag as many as they can while drifting.
The Seventh Way: Led by Hiempsabal the Lost. This philosophy is predictive in nature. Hiempsabal is said to be able to predict the whims of the water, and teaches those who follow his word to do the same. Thus, the Swimmers of the Seventh Way begin moving before the tides shift, hoping to reach whatever it is the ocean has for them before their capricious environs shift again.
The Nineteenth Way: Led by Ṣap̄anbaʿal of Gaeitu. She teaches that the current is a great foe that most be resisted at all costs. This is by far the most enduring of the great philosophies, owing primarily to the structures its adherents build under Ṣap̄anbaʿal's watchful eyes. Their holy places dot the seascape, providing haven to those who wish a respite from the violence of the tides. Those caught in the open are advised to meditate on resist.

[Gaius Hermicus]

McTavish Enterprises

Spoiler: Summary

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McTavish Enterprises

Blurb: Corporate state led by exiled walrus merchants.

Leader: Captain Eleazer McTavish
Dip: ?
Mil: ?
Econ: ?
Fai: ?
Int: ?

Capital Region: New Gloucester (Region 130?)
Resource: Mineblossom Sponge
Desired Import: Skilled Labor
Holy Sites: Ahabian Philosophy
Faction support: All MTE

Starting tech: Composite Grafting

Spoiler: Geography

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Formerly known by its native name, Captain McTavish and the PR arm of McTavish Enterprises have essentially replaced all traces of the former toponym with a modified version of their own homeland: New Gloucester. While much warmer and verdant than their ancestral land, New Gloucester otherwise strongly resembles it in its rocky, craggy seabed. Interspersed throughout the territory are occasional promontories peeking above the salty surface, crusted over with barnacles. Seaweed is common in the region, though not the giant kelp found elsewhere.

At the northeastern corner of New Gloucester is the last remnant of McTavish Enterprises’ glorious past - the rotting corpse of the Monhegan, the great white whale, bioengineered to be a hollow transport vessel, which conveyed the Gloucesties from the far north to their new homeland. Though its body is bloated and bursting from decay, the gargantuan carcass remains a place of both ambition and sorrowfulness for its former crew, who frequently visit it to marvel at the glorious creation they cannot reproduce.

Spoiler: People & Government

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New Gloucester’s culture was forever shaken by the arrival of the Monhegan. Though the exhausted whale-ship expired immediately after being moored, its crew, under Captain Eleazer McTavish, quickly set about exploring the region. They found it to be warmer than their thick folds of blubber would allow to be comfortable, but absolutely chock-full of delicious shellfish to gorge themselves on, and also a trade hub with merchants from the Pfilghol and Costa Sereia seeking the native Mineblossom Sponges. The Gloucesties therefore decided to stay where they were, quickly colonizing the entire area and renaming it after their homeland.

The government set up in New Gloucester consisted of the Board of Directors of the newly founded McTavish Enterprises. Originally a mere captain of a trading vessel working for a much more significant corporation, Eleazer declared that his new title of CEO should stand for “Captain of Executive Operations'' instead of the more traditional “Chief Executive Officer”, thus ensuring that there was no megalomaniacal promotion being granted - in fact, his title of Captain did not change at all. Most of the Gloucesties, formerly the crew of the Monhegan, work for McTavish Enterprises as various officers named after their previously held positions in the grunt-labor force of the crew.

Gloucesties closely resemble walruses. Heavily built, their already thick frames are further bulked out by rolls of blubber suited for their much colder native environment, leaving them to constantly complain of the heat. Their faces are short and snout-like, covered with long, obsessively-groomed whiskers, while slightly curved tusks hang from their upper jaws. They dress in crusty flannels or seaman uniforms distinguishing their position within the company.

Unfortunately, the Gloucesties are not the only sapient inhabitants of the region. Among the delectable clams and shellfish of New Gloucester are an intelligent species of oyster, which lack mobility but are able to communicate via pheromone signals. Unfortunately, the Gloucesties did not recognize the signals when they first encountered them and gorged themselves upon the terrified oysters. Though they eventually learned that the oysters were capable of sapient thought, they occasionally still eat them while professing their intention to do no such thing. Frequently, such feasts occur during philosophical discussions, when the walrus’ attentions are captured by their contemplations and they do not realize that they are consuming their neighbors.

Spoiler: Resources

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Mineblossom Sponge: Much prized by other peoples of the area, New Gloucester’s ubiquitous Mineblossom Sponge can be found all along the rocky seabed, clinging to crags and stones. Unique among sponges, it is sheltered by a hard, but pliable, outer shell, which the sponge “blossoms” out of when fully mature. While the sponge itself is edible, it is the shell which is particularly useful, as it is soft enough to be hammered into metal-like plates, which can be used for tools or building materials. However, extracting the shells from the sponges and manufacturing them into useful products is hard work, work which the newly promoted officers of McTavish Enterprises are loath to do themselves. As a result, a source of skilled labor is needed to fill out the rank-and-file of the corporation.

Starting technology: Megafaunal Tailoring. While the Gloucesties have no idea how to replicate the monumental achievement that was the Monhegan, some of the techniques that went into its construction are known. In particular, Ahab’s method of grafting smaller creatures together, eventually ensuring the brain and organs of the one were absorbed by the other to leave nothing but an increased mass, are still practiced on a smaller scale by McTavish Enterprises. In particular, highly aggressive trained lobsters are grafted together with Mineblossom Sponges to give them armor as hard as steel, which the Gloucesties use as guard animals for their markets.

Spoiler: Faith

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Ahabian Philosophy
Though most of the Gloucesties are not particularly ideological, a strain of philosophical thought managed to capture them nonetheless. This is Ahabian Philosophy, named after the scientist who designed the Monhegan. Such a feat had previously been thought to be impossible, yet Ahab’s singular devotion (some would say obsession) to his goal proved successful. Toiling day and night, driving himself to madness with tunnel vision, he finally managed to engineer the monstrous whale-ship, only to die at the very climax of his vision. This philosophy of single-minded dedication to one’s goals is the core of Ahabism, which holds that any distraction from success is antithetical to sapient existence. Dedicated Ahabians thus pursue achievement beyond any reasonable standard, with the most devout of all sacrificing their relationships, sanity, or even lives in the process.

Holy Sites

The Monhegan’s Scrapyard: The corpse of the gargantuan white whale that conveyed the Gloucesties from their icy homeland. Now little more than bones, the remains are still an awe-inspiring site that reminds Ahabians of the possibilities achievable by seeking out their own goals.

Ishmael’s Self-Help Center: For those Ahabians who are insufficiently dedicated to their own success, the philosopher Ishmael offers classes in philosophy and motivational techniques. These classes come at a steep fee but Ishmael argues that the cost is nothing compared to the results achieved.

The SeaCow and Tardigrade: A key marketplace established by McTavish Enterprises, fortunes are made and lost every day at the SeaCow and Tardigrade. Statues of a virile manatee victorious over a cowering waterbear form the center of the market, where philosophers often gather to discuss the daily market trends.

[Rolepgeek]

The current round will be extended by one day; round close will be at 10AM PST Monday.

[LapisCattis]

Submitted for Approval

Colownya
(Region 128)

Spoiler: People

Show

Colownya - the Gotezhar Colony - is entirely populated by Gotezhar. When Ezcorher started to become full of so much life, the opportunity to expand into new seas - and not fight over increasingly scarce resources - was enough for many lesser nuvens of Gotezhar to make the decision to stray. Like Ezcorher, Colownya's Gotezhar are divided into various castes: The Joontar handle bureaucracy and matters of faith, the Profundus take leadership roles, the Squalls handle law enforcement and military matters, and the rest are Workers of various types. More recently, a branch of Workers has elevated themselves to a separate caste: Merchants. They are still young, but formally recognized as important.

Spoiler: Geography

Show

Colownya is a vast body of water with many undersea canyons, that travel underwater from west to east, like some great zipper snaking it's way all over the region. As though a very crooked smile of some god bit down just hard enough to create holes in the ground, these undersea canyons make excellent places to build domiciles for the new colonists to establish homes. Where the nuven were 'lesser' before in Gotezhar, those that arrived first and claimed a canyon for their family have become part of the local aristocracy. The largest canyons have shiny fragile walls that immediately attracted the largest nuvens, and did not just become family homes, but the start of new towns and - maybe one day - cities.

To the north, though, is one of the most important things in the entire region: A vast body of above-sea land. At the moment, the majority of this land is either impassible due to the brackish swampy waters, or guarded by defenders from the north. But the small bit of the land that the Gotezhar are able to control is a marvel to them. Unlike the spire in Ezcorher, Colownya's land allows for many different nuven to peacefully build near the shore to await for clouds - and more importantly, rain! - to just fly overhead. It is near this northern border in Colownya that the majority of the governance of the region happens, and has the burgeoning's of the region's first actual city; even more so then the larger canyons.

Spoiler: Resource

Show

Export: Razorglass grow from the canyon walls. It is a brittle - often dangerously sharp - crystal that can be, with the right precautions (or just Gotezhar stubbornness) mined from the canyon walls. It has many different uses, both as a fragile form of weaponry and as a lesser building material. One thing is certain: those who live in razorglass houses, do not throw stones.

Required Resource: Esoterica
The Gotezhar of Colownya share one trait: curiosity. Without this similar trait, they wouldn't have bothered to move to new waters. Without it, the large amount of Colownya Workers would have been content to laze about; instead, nearly a third of the Workers are trying to understand what it means to be 'Merchants'. While the Merchant caste is new, they understand that you trade for weird things... and to do that, you need interesting things to trade back!

Spoiler: Faith

Show

Glimmer Tooth - Afluente - The southern most canyon is also one of the largest, and was claimed by Joontar who still follow the Gotezhar faith. It is also one of the shiniest canyons, so ended up with the name 'Glimmer Tooth'.

Approved! You can add this to your Waters of the World post

For approval:

Maurente [Region 74]

Spoiler: Thalassography

Show

Maurente is mostly a large, flat, seaswept plain, broken up by canyons that teem with creatures and seem to glow with a life of their own. The flatseas are mostly empty, though, except when the herdsfolk of the region are moving their squid, manatees, or krill through the weeds for grazing. Within the canyons, settlements and natural habitats for many creatures can be found.

The borders of Maurente are mostly unoccupied, though, for a variety of reasons. To the west, the threat of the warlike Nautilites, or more recently the designs of the Ennead, kept settlement there the resort of the truly desperate. To the north, the seeping toxins of the wastes and brine make the seafloor uninhabitable. To the east and south, the strange roughs cause great currents to sweep along, creating an obstacle to construction that, as of yet, as not needed to be tackled.

Spoiler: People, Government, History

Show

The major sentient population of Maurente are the Reida, a species of intelligent flatworms. The Reida refer to the region as Masae, but the arrival of the mighty Ennead has seen such distinctions disappear rapidly. The Reida are organized into many tribes, the most dominant of which is the Jugurtuns. Prior to the conquest, there was no true ruler of the region, but when the tribes gathered, it was the Jugurtuns who fielded the most warriors, produced the most representatives, and who could bribe the most small tribes.

The Reidan tribes exist in a state of near constant conflict, though this conflict tends to be resolved with injuries or, at worst, a handful of deaths. Far more important is proving superiority and claiming land than any sort of conquest or destruction. When disputes arise, as they must, swarms of Reida from each tribe will mount their squids and aim to create "infernos," or areas of heated water. The tribes will then enter a contest of wrestling, jockeying for position, and stunts that lasts until one tribe retreats, either due to shame or the heat. When the Reida need to turn to true violence, these firefly squids prove to be startlingly effective, if unreliable, deterrents to enemy combatants as well.

Under the Ennead, the Jugurtuns retain some of their power. As the Doflein love of strict hierarchies begins to drift into Maurente, the Reida find themselves slotting into position beneath their new rulers, sorted mostly by the size of their tribes. In the end, though, the major reorganization sees the extraction of taxes from the Reida. On the whole, this is not the worst thing, though many of the more powerful tribes resent their new constant need to pay off rivals - they are more used to receiving tributes, not sending them.

Spoiler: Resources

Show

Export: Firefly Squid. The Firefly Squid are squids about six or so feet long on average. They are the main domesticated creature of the Reida, useful for everything from pack animals to war beasts to food. They are special for their eponymous fireflies - a glowing, heat-producing plankton that lives in the body of the otherwise translucent squids. These plankton can, when made to, produce incredibly hot temperatures which the squids can then vent out of their mantle.

Requirement: Crops. The Reida are not farmers, they are herders. And when tides are rough and the seafloor is barren, the squids can go hungry. An import of food for the squids - and their masters - would go a long way toward calming the constantly warring tribes.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The Reida practice a vast variety of philosophies, organized into numbered, tenet-based Ways. Each Way is based on interaction with the currents of the region in a unique manner, ranging from trust to reluctant resignation to struggle. The holy sites in the region are not physical structures so much as schools centered on great teachers. The three dominant philosophies are listed below.
The Third Way: Led by Syphax. This school is based on not only accepting and trusting the currents, but assisting them. It is the most proactive of the pro-current schools, seeking to physically proselytize - those drifting with the current are encouraged to snag their less exuberant tribe members and drag them along. Some within the philosophy are even known to create vast artificial webs to snag as many as they can while drifting.
The Seventh Way: Led by Hiempsabal the Lost. This philosophy is predictive in nature. Hiempsabal is said to be able to predict the whims of the water, and teaches those who follow his word to do the same. Thus, the Swimmers of the Seventh Way begin moving before the tides shift, hoping to reach whatever it is the ocean has for them before their capricious environs shift again.
The Nineteenth Way: Led by Ṣap̄anbaʿal of Gaeitu. She teaches that the current is a great foe that most be resisted at all costs. This is by far the most enduring of the great philosophies, owing primarily to the structures its adherents build under Ṣap̄anbaʿal's watchful eyes. Their holy places dot the seascape, providing haven to those who wish a respite from the violence of the tides. Those caught in the open are advised to meditate on resist.

Approved! I love the firefly squid. You can add this to your Waters of the World post

McTavish Enterprises

Spoiler: Summary

Show

McTavish Enterprises

Blurb: Corporate state led by exiled walrus merchants.

Leader: Captain Eleazer McTavish
Dip: ?
Mil: ?
Econ: ?
Fai: ?
Int: ?

Capital Region: New Gloucester (Region 130?)
Resource: Mineblossom Sponge
Desired Import: Skilled Labor
Holy Sites: Ahabian Philosophy
Faction support: All MTE

Starting tech: Composite Grafting

Spoiler: Geography

Show

Formerly known by its native name, Captain McTavish and the PR arm of McTavish Enterprises have essentially replaced all traces of the former toponym with a modified version of their own homeland: New Gloucester. While much warmer and verdant than their ancestral land, New Gloucester otherwise strongly resembles it in its rocky, craggy seabed. Interspersed throughout the territory are occasional promontories peeking above the salty surface, crusted over with barnacles. Seaweed is common in the region, though not the giant kelp found elsewhere.

At the northeastern corner of New Gloucester is the last remnant of McTavish Enterprises’ glorious past - the rotting corpse of the Monhegan, the great white whale, bioengineered to be a hollow transport vessel, which conveyed the Gloucesties from the far north to their new homeland. Though its body is bloated and bursting from decay, the gargantuan carcass remains a place of both ambition and sorrowfulness for its former crew, who frequently visit it to marvel at the glorious creation they cannot reproduce.

Spoiler: People & Government

Show

New Gloucester’s culture was forever shaken by the arrival of the Monhegan. Though the exhausted whale-ship expired immediately after being moored, its crew, under Captain Eleazer McTavish, quickly set about exploring the region. They found it to be warmer than their thick folds of blubber would allow to be comfortable, but absolutely chock-full of delicious shellfish to gorge themselves on, and also a trade hub with merchants from the Pfilghol and Costa Sereia seeking the native Mineblossom Sponges. The Gloucesties therefore decided to stay where they were, quickly colonizing the entire area and renaming it after their homeland.

The government set up in New Gloucester consisted of the Board of Directors of the newly founded McTavish Enterprises. Originally a mere captain of a trading vessel working for a much more significant corporation, Eleazer declared that his new title of CEO should stand for “Captain of Executive Operations'' instead of the more traditional “Chief Executive Officer”, thus ensuring that there was no megalomaniacal promotion being granted - in fact, his title of Captain did not change at all. Most of the Gloucesties, formerly the crew of the Monhegan, work for McTavish Enterprises as various officers named after their previously held positions in the grunt-labor force of the crew.

Gloucesties closely resemble walruses. Heavily built, their already thick frames are further bulked out by rolls of blubber suited for their much colder native environment, leaving them to constantly complain of the heat. Their faces are short and snout-like, covered with long, obsessively-groomed whiskers, while slightly curved tusks hang from their upper jaws. They dress in crusty flannels or seaman uniforms distinguishing their position within the company.

Unfortunately, the Gloucesties are not the only sapient inhabitants of the region. Among the delectable clams and shellfish of New Gloucester are an intelligent species of oyster, which lack mobility but are able to communicate via pheromone signals. Unfortunately, the Gloucesties did not recognize the signals when they first encountered them and gorged themselves upon the terrified oysters. Though they eventually learned that the oysters were capable of sapient thought, they occasionally still eat them while professing their intention to do no such thing. Frequently, such feasts occur during philosophical discussions, when the walrus’ attentions are captured by their contemplations and they do not realize that they are consuming their neighbors.

Spoiler: Resources

Show

Mineblossom Sponge: Much prized by other peoples of the area, New Gloucester’s ubiquitous Mineblossom Sponge can be found all along the rocky seabed, clinging to crags and stones. Unique among sponges, it is sheltered by a hard, but pliable, outer shell, which the sponge “blossoms” out of when fully mature. While the sponge itself is edible, it is the shell which is particularly useful, as it is soft enough to be hammered into metal-like plates, which can be used for tools or building materials. However, extracting the shells from the sponges and manufacturing them into useful products is hard work, work which the newly promoted officers of McTavish Enterprises are loath to do themselves. As a result, a source of skilled labor is needed to fill out the rank-and-file of the corporation.

Starting technology: Megafaunal Tailoring. While the Gloucesties have no idea how to replicate the monumental achievement that was the Monhegan, some of the techniques that went into its construction are known. In particular, Ahab’s method of grafting smaller creatures together, eventually ensuring the brain and organs of the one were absorbed by the other to leave nothing but an increased mass, are still practiced on a smaller scale by McTavish Enterprises. In particular, highly aggressive trained lobsters are grafted together with Mineblossom Sponges to give them armor as hard as steel, which can

Spoiler: Faith

Show

Ahabian Philosophy
Though most of the Gloucesties are not particularly ideological, a strain of philosophical thought managed to capture them nonetheless. This is Ahabian Philosophy, named after the scientist who designed the Monhegan. Such a feat had previously been thought to be impossible, yet Ahab’s singular devotion (some would say obsession) to his goal proved successful. Toiling day and night, driving himself to madness with tunnel vision, he finally managed to engineer the monstrous whale-ship, only to die at the very climax of his vision. This philosophy of single-minded dedication to one’s goals is the core of Ahabism, which holds that any distraction from success is antithetical to sapient existence. Dedicated Ahabians thus pursue achievement beyond any reasonable standard, with the most devout of all sacrificing their relationships, sanity, or even lives in the process.

Holy Sites

The Monhegan’s Scrapyard: The corpse of the gargantuan white whale that conveyed the Gloucesties from their icy homeland. Now little more than bones, the remains are still an awe-inspiring site that reminds Ahabians of the possibilities achievable by seeking out their own goals.

Ishmael’s Self-Help Center: For those Ahabians who are insufficiently dedicated to their own success, the philosopher Ishmael offers classes in philosophy and motivational techniques. These classes come at a steep fee but Ishmael argues that the cost is nothing compared to the results achieved.

The SeaCow and Tardigrade: A key marketplace established by McTavish Enterprises, fortunes are made and lost every day at the SeaCow and Tardigrade. Statues of a virile manatee victorious over a cowering waterbear form the center of the market, where philosophers often gather to discuss the daily market trends.

Approved! Welcome to Region 130. There are a few unfinished sentences you might want to finish for fluff, but nothing critical and you can add this to the Waters of the World!

[JBarca]

Approved! I love the firefly squid. You can add this to your Waters of the World post

Thanks! If you want more, they are the subject of my Genus Taxonomia Gelidum Mare submission, too

[Minescratcher]

Sad overlooked region writeup noises

[mystic1110]

Submitted for Approval:

Artetchhue - Region 55

Spoiler: People

Show

There are two races in Artetchhue - the Chelonian Ortel and the Tetraodontid Orquig.

The Ortel are Chelonian race of hunters. They are exclusively carnivorous and subsist as a slow moving consumptive mass. These sharp toothed turtles eat almost anything, scavenger like in that they would eat bones and shells, but prefer good fresh meat. They are a tribal people, living in loose bands run by chiefs. The chiefs could be of either gender and sometimes the chiefdom is shared between two individuals, rarely even three. Importantly the chiefdom(s) are not hereditary – instead the strongest rule. It is not rare for Ortel to engage in brutal (yet leisurely) blood baths as rivals compete to eat each other to become the next chief, or to engage in horrifying (yet unhurried) coup attempts as a up and commers team up to take down the current chief by tearing them apart.

The Orquiq are a race of pufferfish – they are extremely unpredictable and volatile and often explode with little to no stimuli or provocation. Interestingly, they seem to share some genes with some species of eels and contain truly shocking about of electrocytes, specialized cells that generate electric charge and take up much of an Orquiq’s body. As an Orquiq expands by puffing itself up it builds and build electrical current until it reaches critical mass and explodes. Because of this tendency to explode, the Orquiq are a strict gerontocracy – those of them that live longer lead, the primary importance of a leader is to not explode. Much of the leadership decisions revolve around placating the younger Orquiqs and calming them down, informing them to just enjoy life and not to blow up.

The two races rarely interact, simply because while the Ortel would eat anything, it’s counterproductive trying to eat a pufferfish that would explode in a ball of electricity frying you alive as you approach it. The Orquiq, on the other hand, don’t swim close to the Ortel, because they know they would fly into a rage or a panic – either one of them might cause them to blow up – which might cause a chain reaction.

Spoiler: Geography

Show

The geography of Artetchhue is not anything special - it is cold and filled with the usual underwater sights of steep abyssal cliffs, corals, grottos, and sandscapes - however, an important fact of Artetchhue is that it holds no volcanoes, lavatubes or other heat vents - anywhere in the region leading to a remarkably cold region of water in an already cold region of the world. The frigid water seems just above the temperature one would expect massive ice sheets to form - and yet they do not. This glacial environment probably let to the strange development of those that inhabit the region - the Ortel, turned carnivorous - need warm blood to sustain themselves, while the Orquiq developed the ability to generate electricity, presumably for the warmth.

Spoiler: Resource

Show

The main resource of Artetchhue are hiring or conscripting a pack of Ortel - one could always use a slow-moving garbage disposal for your enemies or the refuse of their society, and their bones. The main import of Artetchhue is a Heat Source - any heat source, as it would placate the Ortel which would stop eating everything to bask in the warmth and calm down the Orquiq and stop them from blowing themselves up.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

Both races of Artetchhue worship the Claw. The only doctrine of the Claw is that "The claw decides who will stay and who will go." This doctrine is shared between the races although their interpretations of what "The Claw" is widely differs. The Ortel believe the Claw refers to a giant Turtle who was their forbearer and that the Claw was called such because of it's giant claws. It was large enough to tear open icebergs and eat whatever was preserved within. This Giant ancestor determines where the Ortel travel and as such determine who would stay (those that the Ortel don't eat) and who will go (those that the Ortel do eat). On the other hand that Orquiq believe that the Claw refers to a sort of protective Goddess that would wrap an exploding Orquiq in her claws and stopping the internal cascade. She would therefor save the Orquiq by being a ground for them. In this fashion she, the Claw, determines who would stay (those she saves) and who would go (those that end up exploding).

[Corona]

Spoiler: Round 6 Tropics political map

Show

[TheDarkDM]

Submitting for Tactical Doctrine Approval:

Victory is Life: +2 Battles, +10% own casualties, +10% opponent casualties

[Silent_Interim]

A heads up for everyone: I am going to be dropping out of participating in E7 as a player, due to a number of factors, but I will be coming on as Unrest GM, taking over for Gaius as he shifts to playing instead. For those in the tropics, there are already plans a-brewing to do with the Crimson Chant and the now-abandoned CCC, more to come soon. I hope you will all, if not necessarily like what I have planned, at least find the travails entertaining.

[Volthawk]

Remembering to post the maps here as well this turn:

Spoiler

Show

[Torv]

Updated TacDoc proposal!
The Wild Hunt
When entering battle the naked one may summon a temporary unit of kelpies. This unit will be the first one lost in battle casualties.

[Frostwander]

I wanted to post this, the idea came to me out of nowhere as a potential Tactical Doctrine, and wanted to get some feedback. I don't have immediate plans for this, but as a hypothetical to understand the system. And who knows how plans will change.

Tactical Doctrine: Dynamic Supply Lines
Effect: +3 to battle rolls in regions where you own a Trading Post. -10% to own casualties in regions where you control Merchant Support.

[LapisCattis]

Belated writeup for 113 for review (by someone with a better grasp of Greek word structure than me, ideally ):

* * *

Region 113
Ektalithiades, the Petrified Plains

Spoiler: Geography

Show

The rocky flats of Ektalithiades stretch for miles beneath lightly clouded waters, their featureless surface unbroken save by the Stone Teeth, great spires of rock pointing surfacewards upon which clams and scallops attach to feed. Once, the region was a vast submerged mudflat, attested by the shells and fossils buried in the rock, but no longer; some unknown force long ago hardened the seafloor into stone. The northwest and east of the region are characterized by lifeless brine pools, which the inhabitants avoid, while the rocky seafloor between hosts clumps of hardy mosses and swordgrass, food for the occasional small fish, sea snail, or desperate Tyrnamoi. These last are the sapient inhabitants of Ektalithiades. Their twin cities of Dupiopóli in the north and Nótiapóli in the south twist and burrow through areas of softer rock, a network of tunnels and caves which provide the Tyrnamoi with shelter, spawning grounds, and sites to ambush passing fish or snails all at once.

Spoiler: People

Show

The Tyrnamoi are in many ways similar to the Middish to the north, but are clearly shown to be different species by just as many differences. Their skin is a dull white or grey color, marked by thin, wavy yellow patterns on both sides of their body. They lack the bioluminescent photophores possessed by the Middish, but instead have significantly more pronounced spines, which are hollow and deliver a painful venom primarily used for hunting. Tyrnamoi have similar reproduction and familial structures to those of the Middish, with one or more females spawning with a male, who cares for the eggs and raises the children; they also have similar resilience against oxygen deprivation and the unfriendly air, and the ability to vocalize is as ubiquitous in Ektalithiades as in Orope, though most Tyrnamoi speak dialects of a single language rather than truly distinct tongues.

Spoiler: History and Government

Show

Ancient history is poorly remembered in Ektalithiades; the oldest significant event in general recall is the signing two centuries ago of the Symfoníes, the agreement which officially handed power in Dupiopóli and Nótiapóli to the Mayor-Kings and their chosen sycophants, putting an end to decades if not centuries of strife and civil war. Power was consolidated into the hands of a few influential aristocratic families, who intermarried to align their shared interests as often as they assassinated each other to further some scheme, and the vast majority of the population was completely frozen out of any hope of political influence. To avoid unrest, the new rulers channeled the individualist energies of the Tyrnamoi into hunting and sporting competition, ritualized in the form of the yearly Brinesea Games between the two cities. Though this arrangement maintained the political stability of the Tyrnamoi, the hidebound aristocracy proved both too arrogant and too inexperienced to defend their realms against a proper army. The Accidental War, as it came to be called by Ironkelp Order sages, was an utter catastrophe, with the Tyrnamoi barely even able to inflict casualties on the invaders as their small forces were annihilated in a handful of decisive battles.

In the aftermath of the conquest, neither the Order nor the various Middish monarchs took much direct interest in Ektalithiades, allowing the victorious commanders free reign to do as they saw fit. Knight Commander Tolmach returned to Insol shortly following the surrender, leaving a power vacuum which two ambitious Knights strove to fill: Knight Bailiff Carlton Carrington, of Tolmach’s Inslangue honor guard, and Knight Bailiff Jörn Hanisch of the Alehlangue. The two were able to collaborate just long enough to exile the old aristocracy before immediately starting to plot to dominate Ektalithiades, each pulling other Middish nobles and influential Tyrnamoi into their respective orbits. Orope’s attention was drawn to the region once more in the 15th year of Grand Master Basilicos’s tenure, when Carrington declared himself “King of Dupiopólisol” and, in response, Hanisch declared the creation of an “Ektalithiadean Assembly” in the south. Though the two states have yet to come to blows, it remains to be seen how the Order and the Kingdoms will react to these jumped-up expatriates….

Spoiler: Resources

Show

The Stoneteeth are rich in phosphorite rocks, whose significant phosphate content makes them valuable as a source of vital nutrients for all living organisms (so long as steps are taken to prevent deadly algae blooms) as well as a potential ingredient in creative (read “explosive”) chemistry projects.

Despite the autocratic organization of the cities, the Tyrnamoi are constantly in need of Military Labor. Conscription has proven a failure in the face of staunch opposition from everyone except the aristocracy, leaving military infrastructure entirely dependent on foreign workers.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

Ektalithiades is home to what seems to be a strange offshoot sect of Sakurado. The Tyrnamoi hold that they were once sterile and reliant on the good will of the Precursors to maintain their population, but that Barbeleon suddenly manifested in the form of a living mass of algae, Sheldon J Plankton. This mass grew until it blotted out the sun above Ektalithiades, cutting off the Precursors, and declared that the age of nudity and sterility was forever ended, supposedly miraculously restoring the ability to lay eggs to the Tyrnamoi. The truth of this legend is difficult to ascertain, but in keeping with tradition, Tyrnamoi culture might be described as hedonistic; decorative metal or pearl jewelry and extravagant-bordering-on-tacky clothing made from dyed plant fibers are universal among all social strata, and outside of the largest and most important families, couplings rarely result in long-term relationships.

The twin cities of Dupiopóli and Nótiapóli, the major population centers of the region, are also the most significant religious sites. Each city claims to be the place where Sheldon J Plankton first appeared and therefore to have special holy significance.

Approved! Unfortunately I know absolutely nothing about Greek word structure so you're stuck with what you've got. You can add or create a new post in the Waters of the World thread

Sad overlooked region writeup noises

I offer a baby cuttlefish in apology

Spoiler: Adorableness

Show

Submitted for Approval:

Artetchhue - Region 55

Spoiler: People

Show

There are two races in Artetchhue - the Chelonian Ortel and the Tetraodontid Orquig.

The Ortel are Chelonian race of hunters. They are exclusively carnivorous and subsist as a slow moving consumptive mass. These sharp toothed turtles eat almost anything, scavenger like in that they would eat bones and shells, but prefer good fresh meat. They are a tribal people, living in loose bands run by chiefs. The chiefs could be of either gender and sometimes the chiefdom is shared between two individuals, rarely even three. Importantly the chiefdom(s) are not hereditary – instead the strongest rule. It is not rare for Ortel to engage in brutal (yet leisurely) blood baths as rivals compete to eat each other to become the next chief, or to engage in horrifying (yet unhurried) coup attempts as a up and commers team up to take down the current chief by tearing them apart.

The Orquiq are a race of pufferfish – they are extremely unpredictable and volatile and often explode with little to no stimuli or provocation. Interestingly, they seem to share some genes with some species of eels and contain truly shocking about of electrocytes, specialized cells that generate electric charge and take up much of an Orquiq’s body. As an Orquiq expands by puffing itself up it builds and build electrical current until it reaches critical mass and explodes. Because of this tendency to explode, the Orquiq are a strict gerontocracy – those of them that live longer lead, the primary importance of a leader is to not explode. Much of the leadership decisions revolve around placating the younger Orquiqs and calming them down, informing them to just enjoy life and not to blow up.

The two races rarely interact, simply because while the Ortel would eat anything, it’s counterproductive trying to eat a pufferfish that would explode in a ball of electricity frying you alive as you approach it. The Orquiq, on the other hand, don’t swim close to the Ortel, because they know they would fly into a rage or a panic – either one of them might cause them to blow up – which might cause a chain reaction.

Spoiler: Geography

Show

The geography of Artetchhue is not anything special - it is cold and filled with the usual underwater sights of steep abyssal cliffs, corals, grottos, and sandscapes - however, an important fact of Artetchhue is that it holds no volcanoes, lavatubes or other heat vents - anywhere in the region leading to a remarkably cold region of water in an already cold region of the world. The frigid water seems just above the temperature one would expect massive ice sheets to form - and yet they do not. This glacial environment probably let to the strange development of those that inhabit the region - the Ortel, turned carnivorous - need warm blood to sustain themselves, while the Orquiq developed the ability to generate electricity, presumably for the warmth.

Spoiler: Resource

Show

The main resource of Artetchhue are hiring or conscripting a pack of Ortel - one could always use a slow-moving garbage disposal for your enemies or the refuse of their society, and their bones. The main import of Artetchhue is a Heat Source - any heat source, as it would placate the Ortel which would stop eating everything to bask in the warmth and calm down the Orquiq and stop them from blowing themselves up.

Spoiler: Faith

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Both races of Artetchhue worship the Claw. The only doctrine of the Claw is that "The claw decides who will stay and who will go." This doctrine is shared between the races although their interpretations of what "The Claw" is widely differs. The Ortel believe the Claw refers to a giant Turtle who was their forbearer and that the Claw was called such because of it's giant claws. It was large enough to tear open icebergs and eat whatever was preserved within. This Giant ancestor determines where the Ortel travel and as such determine who would stay (those that the Ortel don't eat) and who will go (those that the Ortel do eat). On the other hand that Orquiq believe that the Claw refers to a sort of protective Goddess that would wrap an exploding Orquiq in her claws and stopping the internal cascade. She would therefor save the Orquiq by being a ground for them. In this fashion she, the Claw, determines who would stay (those she saves) and who would go (those that end up exploding).

Approved! You can add or create a new post in the Waters of the World thread

Submitting for Tactical Doctrine Approval:

Victory is Life: +2 Battles, +10% own casualties, +10% opponent casualties

No issues here, consider it approved

Updated TacDoc proposal!
The Wild Hunt
When entering battle the naked one may summon a temporary unit of kelpies. This unit will be the first one lost in battle casualties.

A bit unorthodox in terms of the point system but it works! Consider it approved

I wanted to post this, the idea came to me out of nowhere as a potential Tactical Doctrine, and wanted to get some feedback. I don't have immediate plans for this, but as a hypothetical to understand the system. And who knows how plans will change.

Tactical Doctrine: Dynamic Supply Lines
Effect: +3 to battle rolls in regions where you own a Trading Post. -10% to own casualties in regions where you control Merchant Support.

Really interesting conditions! It's too strong as is, even with the conditions. We had a thought that it may make more fluff sense to tie the stronger effect to Support rather than TP ownership, so +3 to battle rolls where you control Merchant Support and -10% to own casualties in regions where you own a Trading Post. It's still a bit too strong but makes more mechanical and fluff sense, and is a step towards weakening it enough for balance. Maybe +2 to battle rolls where you control Merchant Support and -10% to own casualties in regions where you own a Trading Post?

[Frostwander]

Really interesting conditions! It's too strong as is, even with the conditions. We had a thought that it may make more fluff sense to tie the stronger effect to Support rather than TP ownership, so +3 to battle rolls where you control Merchant Support and -10% to own casualties in regions where you own a Trading Post. It's still a bit too strong but makes more mechanical and fluff sense, and is a step towards weakening it enough for balance. Maybe +2 to battle rolls where you control Merchant Support and -10% to own casualties in regions where you own a Trading Post?

+2 to battle rolls only in regions where I have a Merchant Support seems a lot weaker than the -10% casualties would make up for (especially also limited), considering it could just be +2 Battles everywhere, right?

[Gengy]

Just weighing in with an opinion:

I agree with Frost. A +2 is fairly standard by the TacDoc Point system. Getting an additional benefit by having a specific Support or TP already in the region would make sense. Especially if the opposing force can spend part of their own actions to remove the support, or ownership of the TP.

[Minescratcher]

I offer a baby cuttlefish in apology

Spoiler: Adorableness

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Yay!

[farothel]

I offer a baby cuttlefish in apology

Spoiler: Adorableness

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It might actually be an adult as there are cuttlefish that are really that small. But cute nevertheless.

[Torv]

Spoiler: Kelpie and Mare fluff

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Kerstin stared into the Kelpie’s mellow eyes. Well at least what passed for eyeballs in the in the shape of ever churning kelp. Fathom upon fathom of dead stalks coiled around themselves as four restless legs. Loose strands extended up into a knitted torso, rhythmically constricting around nothing but water. Exhaling the Kelpie neighed, abyss knows how, and shook its mane of glimmering spores.

Kerstin felt the sound reverberate in her chest and pull at something in her core. Something new. Her flippers shuddered and split along the bones. Long fibrous strands dripped from the wound, painting her gray skin in a coppery orange until nothing of Kerstin remained.

The mare flexed unhinged bones, their white a highlight against the slithering mess of rustic kelp in the resemblance of a Mer. Latching on to the Kelpie two entanglements became one the ashen steed solidifying with specks of copper.

A cloud of glowing spores surrounded the Kelpie as it galloped into the Forests of Astral Yearning. The verdant kelp stalks swayed and then as if pressed down by a wave they latched onto the amalgamation. Green spears halted its progress and ripped it apart, loosened chunks obscured by the simmering light. Absorbed by the kelp forest the spores disappeared without a trace of the Kelpie left behind.

The wall surrounding the Great Kelpland began to glow with a soft light and the densely grown kelp parted in a tunnel of radiance. Trotting out came an ashen steed led by a golden brown Mer. The Mer seemed in no hurry to mount the companion but as she did the light became a rain of spores seemingly melting the two together and urging them into breakneck speed.

Followed by innumerable specks of light they flowed from one end of the wall to another. Any Otterieans carefree enough to inhale the afterglow beset by visions of warmer waters, ruled by a kelp stalk larger than one for their dwellings and sprouting iridescent flowers. Slamming into the outer wall of kelp the creature was absorbed leaving a sense of confusion and wonder behind.

[farothel]

I will oppose the roll in region 13. Because i didn´t object too much doesn´t mean i´m giving it away.

[Grim ranger]

Region 75
The Plains of Sarkenos

Spoiler: Geography

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Situated in a rather plain territory of rolling seafloor vegetation and occasionally rising cliffs between it and many of more important regions surrounding it, the Plains of Sarkenos are a curious case of “good enough” terrain. Defensible, but not the most. Have their share of holy sites, but not the most holy. There is a measure of natural wealth to harvest, but only truly enough for one trading post to take advantage of without intensive measures. Simply speaking, the Plains are a borderland.

Settlements in this terrain mostly fit for fish-farming and other simple agricultural projects tend to be smaller communities, dotting the plains wherever they have found a particularly ample spot to settle themselves. Often these communities can even be quite mobile, some of them being mostly made up of tents and other structures easily packed and moved when situation calls for it. The most established of the various villages and small towns is the township of Plain Current, from which the more important people of the region (and its chieftain) attend to administrative functions of the scattered community. Founded upon the side of one of the larger rock formations in the region, the place is fairly defensible, and hosts the mining operation of magnetic sand.

Spoiler: People

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Borderlands attract migrants, and as such it has population from many of the surrounding civilizations, simple folk that have gathered together into small communities. Most of the people inhabiting the Plains are not particularly wealthy, simple bartering and communal goodwill worth more than riches or rigid rules. There are races from most surrounding regions, often people seeking to escape the constraints of whatever has alienated them from their home…and over time, their descendants have grown more accustomed to community of many mingling races.

The daily lives of the people inhabiting this land are mostly focused on making certain essential tasks are done. Herding schools of fish, maintaining housing, tending to fields of seafloor crop and attending to mining of the magnetic sand prized by traders are all common ways to spend one’s time, and only a few take to administrating, matters of faith or fighting full-time. Still, the chieftain has mandated a measure of militia drills to drive away marauding beasts or occasional band of raiders, something that has proven to be a wise choice.

While the communities of the plains are generally allowed a fair degree of self-governance, they are still expected to follow the mandates arriving from the chieftain reigning at Plain Current, as well as to pay a measure of taxes. Regardless of this, many find this relative freedom compared to the neighbouring empires of the region a pleasant change of pace.

Since the Hegemony’s takeover of the area, relatively little has changed. The soldiery of Kar-Nath mostly patrol the border regions and leave the commonfolk of the Plains to their business, much to everyone’s relief. While still nominally part of Hegemony's territory, the Plains are offered almost full autonomy by the deal struck between their chieftain and the Frozen King, and as such they can expect to see relatively little of their overlords at any given time while reaping the benefits of being protected by a larger nation.

Spoiler: Resource & Requirement

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Resource: Magnetic Sand
Mined out of the deeper-reaching iron cliffs of the plains, Magnetic Sand is somewhat of a peculiarity. While not an item of massive import for day to day life, it is often sought out as magical material by many, and is seen as status symbol or academic curiosity across the seas. As such, it makes for a good trade good, even if its use in the region itself is highly limited.

Requirement: Toxins
The business of cultivating crops and herding schools of fish brings about its own challenges, and some of the most pressing of such are parasites, unwanted weeds and potentially invasive species that threaten such humble livelihoods. The people of the Plains have found a solution in various toxic mixtures mixed up depending on the pest they are supposed to guard against, and require constant supply of such products or risk losing harvests of fish and flora to such common misfortunes.

Spoiler: Faith

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As a loose community, those finding their home in the Plains of Sarkenos do not have a codified religion. Preachers of many varieties ply their trade in the small villages and townships, and thus far no faith has united the people. Many worship their deceased ancestors or subscribe to various faiths they have brought with themselves from the empires around the Plains, but it is often seen as polite not to bring one’s faith up too often.

While the lack of codified faith has resulted in no new holies being truly raised, there are certain natural formations that often draw people’s worship. The Roil (HS 1) is an inexplicable whirlpool near the very center of the plains that seems to have dug through the seafloor itself, with many whispering of its unique properties in tones of reverence or fear. The Claw of Sarkenos (HS 2) is the highest rock formation on the plains, curling out of the ground akin to four-clawed hand of a massive beast, made of unique dark stone none have been able to identify.

With Blossiming Sequence having moved into the territory from the neighboring territory of Bastion, they have quickly opened up modest reliquary temples to invite theological discussion from the locals. While not yet a dominant faith of the region, their influence is regardless growing.