Retech

The armies of the Fisher Confederacy are called up and begin marching towards your two villages, half of their army to each of them. It seems that both of their armies contain about 1000 soldiers, physically weaker but more highly trained. They also seem to have better technology. Scouts report that they will arrive next year. Your advisors point out to you grimly that even if you defeat both of these armies, the confederacy still has thousands more in reserve, and that the most you could do after destroying their armies would be to gain a slightly more beneficial surrender than unconditional surrender. Your people, fanatic in loyalty, refuse to back down to the challenge and prepare for battle.

Around five hundred devout volunteers move to the second village to start their new life. Meanwhile, an envoy of the Fishers have come to your second village. Thankfully the people had settled down long enough that it seemed natural. "We have spoken with the grand council, and they have decided you must join the confederacy immediately. Failure will result in total destruction. You have had long enough to deliberate, it is time to act. What is your verdict?" Your advisers seem split, some of them asking you to join the confederacy while some of them advise you to prepare for combat.

Ooops, sorry about missing yours. Upon the orders of the government, the second village is swiftly constructed. However, many in the village know of its purpose and refuse to live there. Your advisors warn you that a village without life would not be very convincing at all.

[Hide=Mather] Species Name: Goa'uld Tribal Name: Abydos Adult Population: 100 Child Population: 10 Religion Name of God: Ra Attribute of God: Sun Yearly Favor: 500 Total Favor: 200 Holy Shrines: 0 Temples: - Monks: - University: Fortress: 1 Government Style: Monarchy (what closer do you get to a "god" ruling?) Annual Food Production: 500 Annual Food Consumption: 500 Number of Creatures per Unit of Consumption: 0.2 Housing: Adequate Armed Forces Total Army Size: [/hide] The Gods bless your people with sight through the deep darkness. They see a war between two previously unknown factions. Your scouts enter briefly, reporting that both factions have huge armies. In order to find out more, you must send a contingent with the scouts to protect them, as the scouts are too frightened to go deeper without protection.

Your scouts encounter a blinding unpenetrable sandstorm, and an unmoving cloud of darkness. You have a feeling you might need some divine intervention to help you get through, though the rewards might be worth it. You hear the sounds of clinking metal and screams of agony.

Jen pockets the stun dart for further use. Then she goes and follows Grim.

Bows and arrows seem beyond the competency of your researchers at the moment. However, several spears have been found in the ruins of the old Roccoan village. It is expected that you will be able to produce shoddy spears by next year.

Sooooo, your "gods" aren't actually gods? The pyramid is too massive of a structure for you to build with 200 or so laborers by themselves.

Jen stands just out of the room. If she looks in (still on the outside) to spot any ranged related items, before rushing in, grabbing those items, and running back out, stowing them in her clothing.

You suspect that you will need to do some research on that. Meanwhile, you spot some activity in the desert to the south. The gods don't really understand why you are building a large geometric shape out of stone.

Jen suggests that Grim try to break the door with the jeweled sword. Meanwhile, Jen waits for Grim.

The Scathe gradually grow to the population of 10,000 groups. However, they split into two, with you leading 5,000, after disagreement on whether it is better to munch or eat organic matter. That's lack of sentience for ya. The Jaffa have gathered dozens of pronghorn, who still seem to run rampant. You suspect that you cannot control more of them until they become domesticated. Meanwhile, the pyramid keeps tipping over as you try to build it. You suspect that you'll need far more manpower, and divine blessing. The Fishers are displeased, but they give you until next year to make your decision. You have a bad feeling that you're starting to tick them off.

The Scathe succeed with 500 of their best soldiers, but suspect that this is about as complex as they can get until they settle down and gain more intelligence, or take over a host species. The Fisher Tribes demand that you adopt their god, and join their confederacy. They offer all their technologies to share, which include harpoons and javalins.

Jen asks her horse if she is willing to let Jen ride and control her. If she inclines yes, then Jen takes her on a little trot in a circle. Then she gets off and waits for Grim to open the freakin door, before peering through and examining what is inside.

The food rots at the altar, with no one to receive them. You suspect that offering things at the moment would be foolish. Meanwhile, the Fisher tribes have formed a confederacy, creating a power unrivaled in the region.

The god decides that it was his fault that you had to commit such an atrocity. He leaves for an unknown land, presumbly to become a stronger god, so that he may aid you in the future. You can either to choose to wait for several years until he returns and receive no divine aid until then (you stop collecting favor as well), or you may choose to adopt another god. Your foraging parties bring back enough berries and game to sustain you until the crops are regrown. The food shortage has ended.

[Hide=Grim] Species Name: Kinder Gotten Tribal Name: Licht Adult Population: 1000 Child Population: 250 Religion Name of God: Abandoned Attribute of God: N/A Yearly Favor: 2000 Total Favor: 100 Holy Shrines: - Temples: - Monks: 100 University: 1 Researchers: 100 Fortress: 1 Government Style: Republic Annual Food Production: 750 Annual Food Consumption: 1000 Number of Creatures per Unit of Consumption: 1 Housing: Surplus Armed Forces Total Army Size: 100 Clubmen: 50 Slingmen: 50 [/hide] As the farmers return home, your god shows his displeasure at your killing of civilians by burning your crops with too much light, before leaving. You now have a food shortage. Meanwhile, the Fisher envoy greets you kindly and wishes you well. They propose a trade agreement, a military alliance, and ask you to follow their god, the King Fisher.

The nature worshipers turn out to be druids! They have settled in the forest near your tribe, and act as agricultural researchers requiring no food. They can also be called on for war, if they believe your reason is just. The old town is burned to the ground, with hundreds of people that have refused to leave still inside. After the nauseating smell of burning flesh has subsided, various settlers from the Fisher kingdoms have built sturdy wooden frame houses in the area. They seem to have the form of Pelicans...yet they still use tools and cannot fly.

Unfortunately, many of the Roccoan people reject your religion. Only the nature worshippers, numbering a hundred, decide to join you, and begin walking back to your town. Meanwhile, you still must make a decision as to what you will do with the rest of them. Your forces discover that they only need fifty for a needler, so they make twenty needlers.

Jen notches an enchanted arrow on her Yumi, then proceeds carefully into the space where the doorway was.

As your army enters the village, the people fall to their knees. Their god has abandoned them, as they have abandoned their god, and the entire place reeks with plague and anarchy. Your advisors are split between sharing your religion and burning the hellhole to the ground. Edit: Ah, I see. How many Scathes are doing this?

It's a miracle! Through a brilliant chain reaction, the beam of light set off the commander's cigar, lighting the surface oil field that the Roccoan army was standing on. (That's what a 19 gets you) The entire army is incinerated in a flash of burning oil and light. The faith in Ba'al weakens, and the river lowers, allowing your army to cross the ford again. Your advisors urge you to attack the Roccoan village itself, though the monks will not join you on that attack.

The creatures begin gathering up the mold, before they are quickly overwhelmed by your forces. They seem inexperienced with fighting mold that can fight back. The creatures seem to be "herbivores", and they will now gather organic matter for you, giving you an extra 200 foodies per year. [hide=Ross] Species Name: The Scathe Tribal Name: N/A Adult Population: 5,000 Scathe (There are probaly more, but I'm lumping them into groups so we don't have one million troop armies) Child Population: 5,000 Scathe Religion Name of God: Incabulos Attribute of God (God of ...): Decay Yearly Favor: 600 Total Favor: 500 Holy Shrines: 1 Temples: 0 Monks: 0 Government Style: Hivemind Altruistic Annual Food Production: 700 Annual Food Consumption: 500 Creatures per Unit of Consumption: 10 Food Stored: 0 Housing: Adequate Armed Forces Total Army Size: 5,000 Scathes (You can lessen this when you want to settle down and start a society) (Below is various numbers of each kind of soldier) [/hide]

Your troops find a large ford and cross it without trouble. They charge into the enemy camp, where they only find the remains of a dozen flames. Suddenly, the river begins to swell and the water begins to rise, surrounding the hill. You hear cackling from the leader of the Roccoans. "Your city is now defenceless! Only the fool believes in another's word, especially ours. Where is your stupid god now?" The Roccoan force begins marching towards your city. It appears that through their favor with Ba'al, they have gotten the river to swell and surround your soldiers. However, your god feels outrage as a result of the betrayal, giving you the influence equal to 500 favor. (800 favor left)

The poisonous fog has attracted the attention of a group of local natives. They appear to be four-legged stick-like creatures, with powerful reaping scythes for hands. You have a bad feeling that they are specialized in eating mold-like creatures for breakfast. Meanwhile, the expanding Scathes meet a band of humanoid hunters with long shiny spears.