Pre-industrial Fantasy STGOD OOC/Rules Thread:

[madd0ct0r]

that depends entirely on the power of the spells the mage casts.

[Zwinmar]

Hmm, thinking something along the lines of Arcanum's Colleges Link, and limiting the Colleges in some way so that no mage can have access to all spells.

[madd0ct0r]

well, that hardly narrows it down

In a battle between 1000 muskets on each side + one of your magic teams of three, what would be the difference in death rate?

[Zwinmar]

hmm, roughly what adding three cannon in an enfilading position firing grapeshot

[Simon_Jester]

By the way, maddoc, can I get a summary in prose of exactly what's happened to Bralla so far? I'm getting... confused; saga poetry is not my strong suit.

Simon ain't shy, and it's the second time he's had to ask. Is the poetry too hard to follow? Would other people also like me to switch to prose for the rest of the game? I'm happy either way.

I love the flavor, the problem is just that poetry reading requires a different mindset than prose reading and I have trouble switching.

Basically, I'm a lot better at parsing prose and figuring out what is significant.

So, as Esquire suggests, a summary of what happened, whether any important characters died, et cetera, would be helpful. If it were the nineteenth century you probably wouldn't need to do it since every educated person spent a lot more time reading, memorizing, and reciting poetry.

[Zwinmar]

Any imput, thoughts, suggestions before I post this to OOB?

Thyrsian Empire:

The embryonic Thyrisan Empire was first founded around a thousand years ago by a race of wolf riding greenskins known as the Thyrs. The Empire consists of a myriad of sentient species though only three are in the majority:

Thyrs: Green skinned and heavily muscled, they stand on average 2 to 2.3 meters in height with the females being only slightly smaller. Typically they have dark reddish to black hair though others are not unknown with he males being able to grow a coarse beard. Eye color ranges the human spectrum and includes red and purple and they can see slightly better than the average human at night, though their limit is approximately the same as a human. Their primary distinguishing feature, other than green skin, is the twin elongated teeth jutting from the lower jaw.

Humans: The native human inhabitants that were absorbed into the Empire though their own culture remains in places. Typically dark of hair and copper skinned.

Wolven: These are similar to the native canines in form only as they are sentient with their own primitive howling language, though they can communicate far more through scent and body language. They are telepathic though the range is no more than 40 meters for the strongest. They are unable to breed with more native species of canine.

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Much of the Thyrsian Empire is the domain of the great herds of buffalo and as such the borders of the Empire are rather soft. These herds are carefully maintained and guarded.

Mining makes up the greatest industry for the Thyrs, providing precious metals for trade, salt for a myriad of purposes, as well as other minerals and ores.

The biggest down fall is the lack of trees in any real abundance except in the north west.

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Three main highways converge in the badlands, originating from OTL Omaha, Denver and Billings. Rails flank these highways providing merchant traffic and much needed supplies. Currently a better form of propulsion is needed for the cars on the rails.

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Thyrsian soldiers can be identified by their distinctive steel kettle helm, yellowish-brown buff-coats with dark rank insignia on the sleeves just above the elbow, and their propensity for four to be in constant company.

Civilians tend to prefer heavy brocade coats.

Buffalo leather is a staple for clothing with brocade and bead-work being highly popular.

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Originally a union of clans, the Thyrs Empire slowly transitioned into three massive clans, with Thyrs, human and wolven being part of each clan. Each clan is home to its own military Corps though promotion is strictly merit based with officers attending the war-college in Harvool (OTL Rapid City) after advancing through the ranks to Sargent.

Occasionally there are minor skirmishes between the three clans though that has tapered off to almost nothing in the last 100 years.

In general, the Thyrs care nothing for religion, tolerating all that do not break the laws, and gender is irrelevant for any task. Two or more consenting adults may cohabitate as they will, though forcing ones self on another is grounds for swift execution. Slavery is unheard of as a Thyrs can do a better job themselves rather than making another do it for them.

[madd0ct0r]

Who applies the laws? who maintains them and judges?

"Three main highways converge in the badlands, originating from OTL Omaha, Denver and Billings. Rails flank these highways providing merchant traffic and much needed supplies. Currently a better form of propulsion is needed for the cars on the rails."

Are the highways paved? You note trees are scarce. Why invest in a wooden railway? Best to spell out its currently carts dragged by buffalo.

[Simon_Jester]

You invest in a wooden trackway because they can haul carts several times heavier with the same amount of animal traction.

Any imput, thoughts, suggestions before I post this to OOB?

Thyrsian Empire:

The embryonic Thyrisan Empire was first founded around a thousand years ago by a race of wolf riding greenskins known as the Thyrs. The Empire consists of a myriad of sentient species though only three are in the majority:

Huh. Now I know who the ancestral Ohioans (i.e. the culture that forms the bulk of the ancestral influence on the cultures now occupying the Ohio river basin and much of the southern shores of the Great Lakes) were running from when they crossed the Mississippi, a thousand years ago.

You didn't assimilate all the humans in the territories you conquered; some of the more nomadic cultures just... displaced. As nomadic plains warrior tribes tend to do, when a rough enough bunch start coveting their lands.

[Esquire]

As the Turks, I approve this message - we started out in China and ended in Europe, after all.

Totally unrelated note - I'd like to officially claim the Empire as the home of epidemiology; I'm working on a post to that effect now. Nobody go swiping my science before it's done.

[Zwinmar]

As for the law code: I'm thinking something along the lines of Anglo-Saxon or possibly Ancient Greek though still thinking it over:
Perhaps the Greek would be better though it would mean the Thyrs are a group of orators.

Two things for consideration
1: The basic code is inscribed upon the stele of each town.
2: Court and debate can only be held at stele.

[Simon_Jester]

Let it be noted that the ancestral proto-Ohioans were something of a rabble, about as you'd expect for Iron Age steppe nomads, "lesser breeds who lack the law" by the standards of either the (probably) disciplined nomadic bands of the Thyrs, or of the relatively civilized mound-builder cultures they ransacked in the Ohio Valley and points north.

The modern Ohioan culture is very heavily influenced by legal and cultural customs inherited from the mound builders, with a heavy overlay of the essentially feudal governance that was put in place by the barbarians when they conquered that region. Thus, the mound builders stand in analogy to the Romans (providing, for example, most of the civil law and the substrate of star-worshipping religion with its female votaries). Whereas the Ohioans themselves are more like the Germanic tribes that conquered Roman civilization in the West in the fifth century.

[Zwinmar]

Well it looks like the Thyrs would have a Civil law code rather than a common one, which means they will have trained judges with the basic codes being inscribed on the stele.

So court would be held periodically by a tribunal in front of the stele.

So need a good example of civil law as I am by no means an expert on the system.

[Eternal_Freedom]

As the Turks, I approve this message - we started out in China and ended in Europe, after all.

Totally unrelated note - I'd like to officially claim the Empire as the home of epidemiology; I'm working on a post to that effect now. Nobody go swiping my science before it's done.

You can have epidemiology, but you can bet your ass that Orion will enthusiastically absorb the knowledge as soon as possible. Maybe some of your guys would come on a lecture tour to the Imperial Academy?

[Simon_Jester]

Ohioans will watch with interest attempts to mathematically analyze the reason there is no typhus in Ohio.

Plenty of cholera, et cetera. Probably other diseases unknown to Earthly medical science. Maybe even diseases entirely unique to Imperial territory or portions thereof. Just, specifically, not typhus. Far more lice than they'd like. Just... no typhus.

[If TRR objects, fine, I'll drop it. To me it's just a little weirdness brought on by past religiosity. I wouldn't try to use it to confer some kind of competitive advantage to Ohioans]

[Esquire]

... Huh. More of that Ohioan luck, maybe? A random mutation snipping some protein chain short of the 'kill humans very, very effectively' link without being detrimental to the bacteria?

[Raw Shark]

Epidemiology is... not a particularly strong area in Aztec science, despite our propensity for surgery. Diseases are generally (and often factually) presumed to be the result of pissing off some kind of spiritual entity, though a general understanding of the connection between open wounds and sepsis exists.

[Simon_Jester]

... Huh. More of that Ohioan luck, maybe? A random mutation snipping some protein chain short of the 'kill humans very, very effectively' link without being detrimental to the bacteria?

Saint Marcelina.

The responsible species of rickettsia was exterminated roughly one hundred and thirty years ago, within an area including most of the Empire's present territory (excluding a few bits of land in the northwest, the area immediately around OTL Pittsburgh, and possibly a few bits and pieces here and there in other places, also extending to a few locations not presently under Imperial jurisdiction but containing relatively high populations of Living-Star worshippers and few unbelievers).

The curse upon the species stands.

Ohioan saints do not appear very often. When they do appear... let's just say I would put a LOT of points into one of them. As a one-shot. Invariably a one-shot; they do not hang around afterwards.

[Dark Hellion]

What is this mortality you humans speak of? Is that where you bodies become frail and brittle and your spirits fade into the astral sea?

BTW, I am done for the first quarter but I plan on having my dragons arrange some sort of political summit over the course of the next season or two where we can bicker at each other over perceived slights.

[The Romulan Republic]

Just a heads' up-

Unless I have a very good reason not to, I intend to end the winter season in one week's time from midnight tonight.

If you wish to post about things that happened before then via flashback, you are, of course, welcome to do so, as long as they do not conflict with later events.

I hope this is satisfactory to all concerned.

[The Romulan Republic]

New story post up, finally.

I'm aiming to have at least two more up (one for Esquire and one on the general situation for my peoples' new homeland) before the aforementioned deadline, but I can't make any promises.

[madd0ct0r]

Great obat.


Would anybody be up for a major invasion?

[Simon_Jester]

[stirs]

I'm sorry, I got sidetracked into the rest of life... I have a story post I can gin up detailing some of what happens to Delatour, but aside from that there's not much except the preparations for and reduction of Detroit.

I should talk to my friends who help me plan campaigns... gah, I feel like I've been letting every vaguely social part of my life decay.

[The Romulan Republic]

Just a reminder-unless anyone has a good reason not to, I'm declaring the winter season over as of last night. Any unfinished plot lines may be resolved via flashback, of course, provided they don't contradict subsequent events.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Great obat.


Would anybody be up for a major invasion?

Define "major invasion." I may be interested, though I have a nascent naval war brewing in the Chesapeake as well.

On another note, I will be making one last "winter" story post in a couple hours or so, but that only serves to continue setting up my succession crisis storyline and will not directly affect anyone else.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Ghetto edit:

So, this is my last storyline post for this season. The Succession Crisis begins in earnest, a potential wais brewing with the Chesapeake and the Army Siege Regiment, or elements thereof, will be joining Ohio's reduction of Detroit.

Plus, a new application of Interromancy for compelling Oath-sworn government officials to keep secrets, though as Aberforth shows, it is open to interpretation.

Additionally, I present an update to my OOB for the new three-decked Flagships:

Flagship (1800 points)
Three-decked first-rate line-of-battle ship, 850 strong crew, Technomantic cannons, copper-sheathed bottom, max speed in favourable winds 12 knots
Lower Deck: 32x 36 pdr long guns, 2x 36 pdr as stern chasers
Middle Deck: 32x 36 pdr long guns, 2x 36 pdr as stern chasers
Upper Deck: 32x 36 pdr long guns, 2x 36 pdr as stern chasers
Quaterdeck: 10x 24 pdr long guns
Forecastle: 2x 36 pdrs as bow chasers, 4x 6 pdr swivel guns for close defence
Poop deck: 6x 6 pdr swivel guns for close defence
Total long guns: 114
Total weight of Broadside: 1,848 lb solid shot (long-guns only, 1,878 lb inc. swivel guns)

Ships commissioning this year: OINS Dreadnought, Defiant
Ships commissioning next year: OINS Ark Royal, Challenger

Also:

New Battleships (two-deckers) commissioning this year: OINS Renown, Repulse, Vanguard, Leviathan, Guardian, Achilles, Cerberus, Basilisk, Illustrious and Implacable.