Succession Game V: The Empire of Ra

[Locutus]

*bump*
Weird not-registering-post bug is is here again...

[Locutus]

Ben,
Did you get my email with the game?

[Immortal Wombat]

yes. I'm playing tonight. Sorry for the delay.

[Immortal Wombat]

I am alive. The game did work. I though I had changed out of my wierdo animal mod but apparently not.

---

The Chronicles of Wombat Apolyton XIV (BC 2685-2550), as recorded by the scrolls of Funi-Het
The reign of Wombat was uneventful on the whole, consiting of nothing more useful than an ingenious scheme to join the cities of Egypt with a great road network.
Then, in the year 2595BC, the Celtic empire, who had previously had little dealings with the Empire of Ra in Egypt, decided for some unknown reason to abandon all their cities, and allow Wombat to take control of them all.
It is also commented in the annals that at this point, Wombat woke up from whatever drug-induced illusion he was under, and performed the lost rite of AltTab followed by some mystical mutterings, which his most trusted advisors interpreted as "comment.out.the.mergeciv.slic.you.idiot.it.doesnt. work" or something like that in any case.
Awaking from his delusions, Wombat's reign proceeded without events of note, until 2580BC, when granaries are invented, and the wise men turn their attention to the problem of how to cross the ocean.
In 2550BC, Wombat died of exhaustion, having raced up a mountain to prove his youth and virility. He was 135.

[Gazablanca]

OK just wondering....after I'm finished my turn,shall I send the save game straight to Ed???Since Assur hasn't played the last couple of rounds in this succession game I'm wondering if he's dropped out.Assur,email or reply on here to say if you're still playing,if you could please.If I don't hear from Assur,the save game will be winging its way to Ed in about a day or so.

Thanx

Gazablanca

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Boney
Can you put some pictures up so we can all see where the story begins?

We still need some pictures from the latest Apolytons.

-Martin

[Locutus]

Gaz, sounds good to me. If Assur doesn't respond in time this round, you can skip him altogether in the future...

[Locutus]

Martin,
If I have time (I'm VERY busy with real-life right now) I'll see if I can update the website soon, I should still have a few pics of some (but not all) Apolytons.

[Immortal Wombat]

bligedy blidegy bling

[Gazablanca]

Here is the transcript of Gazablanca Apolyton XV,as wrote by Funi-Hand(Funi Het's son)

2535 BC

Army of Osiris sent to Bubastis to act as escorts for the ready to go nomad to travel south with.A barb rider is seen approaching Crocodilopolis.Meanwhile,our slave raid is successful.The slave is sent to work in Tanis.

2520 BC

Nothing much happens.Our slaver travels toward Baghdad to find more willing helpers to aid our glorious nation.....

2505 BC

Shipbuilding has been completed by our scientists.Chariot-riding is now being researched to enhance our fighting capabilities.A coracle is placed straight into the queue at Bubastis.

2490-2475 BC

Absolutely nish happens.Gazablanca makes do with tormenting his pet crocodiles with large lumps of Arabian slave flesh......

2460 BC

After getting near Baghdad,Gazablanca decides the city is probably has slavemasters or is wary of slavers themselves so decides to use the slaver as reconnaissance instead,noticing a stack of 6 units appearring from Baghdad itself....

2445 BC -2430 BC

Nish happens......

2415 BC

Our brave soldiers in the east of Egypt come against a 3 stack of barbarians,and kicked the the animal dung out of their illiterate scarab infested backsides(Funi-Hand,you edit this and you are executed!!!!!!The Boss).....
One horseman regiment is lost,however,but this is tempered by one of the regiments being promoted to veteran.

2400 BC

Gazablanca,like Immortal Wombat before him,dies of extreme boredom and old age.Before he dies though,he leaves his successor a not e saying that the final destination intended of the nomad group is the area of the grassland next to the poppy resource.He then slips away into his glorious afterlife(hopefully)

[Locutus]

Pic of Gaz (not sure how soon I can update the website so I'll post this here for now):

[Locutus]

I've been in touch with Assur and he's out of the game altogether due to affairs in his personal life.

[Hermann the Lombard]

Originally posted by Locutus
I've been in touch with Assur and he's out of the game altogether due to affairs in his personal life.

I'm sorry to hear that. God knows we *all* have troubles sometimes dealing with the real world. At least CTP2 gives us the illusion of being in control.

So far I'm okay playing with four active players, and maybe we can get Oerdin back, but it would be nice to have a replacement for Assur.

[Locutus]

Hmm, agreed. It would be better to have at least 4 active players, esp. since I'll be on vacation for 3 weeks in a few days, temporarily leaving only 3 players...

If anyone wants to join now, whether it's temporarily to replace me or permanently to replace Assur (and Oerdin?), please let me know...

[Hermann the Lombard]

The Stela of Her-mann IV

Gazablanca, Apolyton XV yawns his way into the Court of Osiris, his last words are something about poppies. His sons and advisors go into deep mourning and call on the wisest of the wise to reveal to them the secret of the poppies, so that they may determine the true and proper succession to the throne. The Chief of the Priests of Ra-Iunu goes into seclusion for six weeks, and all of Heliopolis waits for some sign to lift them from mourning. Finally, a horseman rides from the south and into the Great Temple of Ra-Iunu. The High Priest then summons the sons and advisors of Gazablanca to a banquet, after which the Secret shall be revealed. The banquet is rich and heavy, and soon all the diners plunge into deep slumber.

This slumber is disturbed by strange and terrible dreams, x dreams of a world in which the very march of Time comes to a halt. Crops cease their growth, rivers their flow, and all the great works of the Kingdom of Ra come to naught. Slowly and groggily the diners come awake to the sight of a beam of sunlight lancing from a high window, reflecting off polished metal, and illuminating the face of High Priest Her-mann. He dozes peacefully at the head of the table, the sacred sacrificial dagger in his hand, warm from the Holy Gaze of Ra-Iunu. This is the sign they were looking for, the rightful successor revealed by the Sun-God himself!

They proclaim the priest Her-mann IV, Apolyton XVI, and their glad cries wake the new ruler. He listens in amazement to their acclaim, looks at the dagger in his hand, shakes his head, and mutters two cryptic phrases: “Guess I won’t need this after all,” and “Sipped from the wrong cup.”

Her-mann proclaims to them that the Secret of the Poppies is to bring dreams of prophecy and wonder. The advisors recall the strange occurrences during the reign of Her-mann III, and remember how much of the work of the Kingdom had come to naught in those days, seven hundred years before. The new Apolyton performs the Sacred Ritual of /Reloadslic, ringed by an honor guard of spearmen. The normal flow of Time resumes.

[Ran three turns and no progress was being made on Wonders (turns to complete stayed constant). Restarted with ritual /reloadslic and things were then normal. Note that this was run from Modswapper with Cradle 1.2, but after /reloadslic the Diplomod message from Cradle 1.31 was displayed.]

2385BC: Her-mann IV, Apolyton XVI orders abandonment of the granary under construction in Abydos. In its stead he orders the construction of a mighty coracle to fulfill the dreams of his esteemed ancestor, the fifth Apolyton. In the east, the damaged cavalry is sent back to Aphroditopolis, and the remaining troop is christened the Eye of Hathor to keep watch from the hills.

2370: The labor recruitment team cautiously circles the wary city of Jiddah, and stumbles across a small Yamato force (hoplite+slavemaster). The Apolyton sends gold to Bubastis to complete the Ziggurat of Bastet. The nomads and their escorts (The Arm of Sobek) find a barbarian spearman, who flees (north of the Great Poppy).

2355 The Ziggurat in of Bastet is ready, and Bubastis creates a special school to train men in the art of talking to barbarians. Such men are to be called Diplomats. A group of barbarian cavalry appear north of Tanis.

2340 The first Coracle of the Empire of Ra sets sail (and oar) from Abydos. The craft shakes, rocks, and pitches so badly that the crew calls out for mercy to Nun, God of the primordial Waters of Chaos. A great voice from the sea commands: “Sit down, you idiots.” After this the craft is much more stable. Thus was born the tradition of the Shakedown Cruise. Meanwhile, the labor recruiters find a great city (size 13) called Mecca, east of Jiddah. The Yamato force parallels the recruiters.

2325 The barbarians dare to set hooves on the Great Western Road! A crack hunter-killer team (The Fist of Set), “sets forth” from Tanis and destroys them. Her-mann reads the hieroglyphs that tell the tale of the eleventh Apolyton, Gazablanca III. He is intrigued by this concept of lazing in summer fields and orders a farm constructed northwest of Heliopolis (over-ruling the advisors who urged an ugly pit-in-the-ground planned along the Great Eastern Road south of the city).

2310 Tanis grows to 80,000 and opens a new granary. The crippled cavalry in Aphroditopolis is disbanded and the riders begin retraining as slingers, amid much grumbling. The Recruiters see an Arabian hoplite confronting the Yamato force, and then find a Yamato chariot north of Jiddah. “Busy around here,” they remark.

2295 The nomads bypass the site proposed by the late Gazablanca and found a new city called Thebes on the coast southeast of the poppy fields. The city, temple and defenders are dedicated to Amun. Probing toward Samarkand, the Labor Recruiters find an Arabian archer on one side and a frightening barbarian horde on the other (7 units, at least 3 slingers and a slavemaster, but still just over half the size of the horde seen during the reign of Her-mann III).

2280 The slingers (former riders) are ready in Aphroditopolis and join the army of Hathor.

2265 The Labor Recruiters persuade citizens from Samarkand to go to work for Egypt (in Heliopolis). Nearby, a pair of Yamato chariots confronts the barbarian horde. From the Great Coracle, “land ho! We have crossed the mighty sea for the first time.” With that a Celtic bireme streaks by. “Guess we weren’t the first.”

2250 The Kingdom of Ra discovers the secret of fighting from wheeled platforms drawn by horses: Chariots! Her-mann orders the wise men to find the secret of Trade (to prepare Copper, Bronze, and the upgrade to Hoplites). The wise men have no idea what the Apolyton is babbling about, but this “trade” business doesn’t sound too difficult.

Meanwhile a new city is founded north of the Great Wheatfield, to be called Sais, the Wheat Port. Far to the east Samarkand revolts (not happy about the recruitment, perhaps). The horde moves east as the recruiters move north. The Great Coracle makes landfall near the Celtic border, and the javelin cavalry goes ashore to see ruins beckoning on the horizon (in Celtic territory). The Eye of Hathor returns to its lofty perch.

2235 A momentous, wondrous occasion! Our empire’s greatness manifests itself in the work of our people! Heliopolis has completed the Code of Hammurabi! This great work is our first Wonder of the World (and only the third in the whole world)! Not only that, but in this year the Kingdom of Ra fields its first two units of native chariots, and the great leader Hammurabi takes command of Ptah.

The Apolyton steps forth to greet the new leader, and is struck down by a hit-and-run chariot driven by a rogue named Oerdin. So passes Her-mann IV, Apolyton XVI of Egypt.

[Hermann the Lombard]

O Most Long-lived of Marsupials, did you receive the saved game from me? I think we need to skip Locutus this round, and likely next round.

[Immortal Wombat]

Yeah, sorry it had slipped my mind. Allowing a day to wait on Locutus, the 72 hour rule expires tommorrow I think

[Immortal Wombat]

2235BC: Wombat ascends the throne that has been the seat of rulers for decades. And is therefore covered in crumbs.
2220BC: JavCav walk into some ruins in Celticland. Barbarians appear and attack, and die. Then the JavCav 'retreats' back onto the Coracle and sails away. Around this time, a withdrawal pact is entered into with the Celts, and they begin building the Valley of Kings.
Throughout the -22nd century, slaves are taken from 3 towns in the east, much to the amusement of all concerned. One of the cities revolts.
A small army of chariots is built up, and led by Hammurabi, a general of the Egyptian army, whom the people love.
In 2115BC, a diplomat is built, but decides not to leave the safety of the city, as rumours persist that a barbarian warrior is coming close to the city.
2100BC: A barbarian warrior comes close to the city.
Wombat dies of old age. The arrow through his head was thought to have aggravated the symptoms.

[Immortal Wombat]

[Gazablanca]

Apologies,but I don't have time to play this turn within the allotted time period due to work commitments.I should be able to play as normal next round though.I am passing on the savegame file to Hermann the Lombard asap.

[Hermann the Lombard]

Hmm...I guess I didn't have time this round, either. I was sick the last two days (back to about 90% now), and before that...

OKAY, OKAY, I ADMIT IT!!!

I WAS FOOLING AROUND WITH ANOTHER GAME!!!

My apologies. I will complete my turn by tomorrow. Another variation on the 720-hour rule?

[Oerdin]

Oh Herman! Say you haven't been running around with that Civ3 girl. Why are guys suckers for glittery new graphics? (runs away crying)

[Hermann the Lombard]

That Civ3 girl? Not I!

(or not lately)

I was going Greek (Zeus: Master of Olympus).

-- HtL

(Turn complete, game and account shortly.)

[Hermann the Lombard]

The Stela of Her-mann V

The Empire of Ra falls into gloom and chaos! The Sun God hides his face (behind the moon), and dynastic confusion rules the land. The traditions are overthrown, worse than the Heresy of Antidisestablishmentarianreloadslicism. Upon the death of Her-mann IV, rule should have passed to the Clan of Oerdin, but their lousy driving ruled them out. The Wise Men turned to the Locutians, but none were to be found; apparently they were on some sort of pilgrimage regarding the Holy Language. The crumby throne was assumed by a Wombat, redeeming the empire from anarchy. But now the Wombat lies murdered, and the Wise Men turn to Clan Gazablanca…but again none can be found. Apparently they have all traveled far into the Arabian West in search of the Waters. They were misinformed.

Now the Wise Men come to the Temple of Ptah and call on the priests to once more take the reins of the Empire. The High Priest takes the name Her-mann V, Apolyton XVIII, and takes the throne (grumbling that Wombat never swept away those crumbs).

2100 BC: The first order of business is to learn what really happened to the late Apolyton XVII. A drunken barbarian, captured outside Memphis, and is cooked slowly over an open fire. (This procedure is called “barbaricueing.”) The spit-roast protests that there had been an “unfortunate hunting accident,” but after further basting he reveals that the barbarian warriors were hunting marsupials. Her-mann cries to the Sun God for vengeance!

The barbarians lurk outside our cities, just off the roads, just beyond the reach of the slingers, warriors and spearmen in our cities. Cunning bastards. The murderous warriors are just outside Memphis, two slingers are outside Crocodilopolis, and two spearmen are outside Bubastis. Are they massing? Orders are issued, along with hunting permits: barbarians are in season.

Now the new Apolyton calls on the Wise Men to learn their course. He finds they are researching Herbalism. “Herbalism?” he cries, “Herbs? Weeds and Seeds?? We need weapons to hunt barbarians, not spices for our tables! Our scouts report metal weapons in the hands of our enemies; let us learn to make such before we feel their bite!” The Wise Men shuffle off, muttering that they need apothecaries: “These young whippersnappers don’t have the aches and pains we do…”

2085 BC: Scouts discover that the the group northeast of Crocodilopolis has grown with the addition of dread Archers, more deadly than our finest slingers. The warrior is marching southeast toward them, and the two spearmen are racing west along the Great Road. “We must defeat them in detail!” cries the Apolyton. Hammurabi leads the Big Toe of Anubis west through Aphroditopolis, looking for trouble. They drop off one depleted chariot squadron (the Chipped Toenail) and pick up replacements in the form of javelin cavalry. The Fist of Set marches east from Tanis as Sobek marches north from Croc., converging on the murderous warriors.

2070 BC: Weird messages arrive to confuse Her-mann, something about “Bigger,” and “Positive Points for…” The new Apolyton returns to the temple for a hasty and belated ritual of Reloadslic. A ziggurat is read in Crocodilopolis as the Wise become wiser. Sais grows to 50,000. Far to the east, the Labor Recruiter feels that the heat is on in Arabia; it is time to head for less-watchful pastures: Yamato, perhaps?

The bloody-handed barbarians, seeing the jaws closing on them, hurl themselves against Sobek, but disappear in a hail of stones. But with this the cunning strategy of the barbarians is revealed! The warriors were bait to draw the defenders away from Memphis and from Crocodilopolis! The archers and slingers move to cut off Sobek from the city, and the spearmen march up to the walls of Memphis, expecting that the former capital would be denuded of defenders. Why we would be removing nudes is unclear, but Her-mann’s orders have thwarted the barbarian plan! Ptah remains in stout defense of Memphis, and the Fist of Set joins Sobek to protect Croc. One swift cavalry (the Eyes of Sobek) rides north and east to get behind the barbarians.

2055 BC: The Gods of Egypt walk the land, smiting barbarians! (Well, that’s the story, anyway, and the High Priest is sticking to it!) Sobek and the Fist of Set try to come to grips with the elusive barbarians. Our Diplomat meets and avoids barbarian spearmen falling back from Memphis, and the forces of Anubis are thundering to his aid. Ra takes up a fortified position from which they can respond to Heliopolis or Aphroditopolis. Meanwhile, the eastbound Labor Recruiter passes a westbound Yamato chariot.

2040 BC: The Wise Men reveal the secret of Copper Smelting, and Her-mann orders them to learn to add tin to the mix. (This combination was revealed to him in a dream, rumored to have something to do with more of those poppies.) He also orders the Treasury to amass gold—no doubt those metal weapons will be expensive!

The Great Ra has a new emissary: the first Prophet of the Empire emerges from Tanis. More javelin cavalry are ready in Thebes; these ride west to join the campaign against the barbarians. [Screenshot to follow.] Thebes grows to 40,000 and Crocodilopolis to 50,000.

2025 BC: A new victory in our campaign of vengeance: the Big Toe of Anubis boots the barbarian spearmen all the way to the Underworld! A granary is ready in Abydos. The Labor Recruiter passes another westbound Yamato chariot (where ARE they all going?) Mighty Tanis grows to 90,000, and Bubastis to 60,000.

2010 BC: Perhaps Tanis grew too fast; an earthquake strikes the city. Meanwhile, the Surveyors of the Apolyton extend the Great Road to link the east and west of the Empire, all the way from Tanis to Aphroditopolis. The road should be named in honor of Egypt’s greatest roadbuilder, the Immortal Wombat, though he should learn to duck next time.

At last! Sobek has cornered the barbarians, who are encircled by javelin cavalry.

Far to the north the Great Coracle lands cavalry on the shore of Yamato near the border with the Celts. Simultaneously, the Labor Recruiter reaches the outskirts of the city of Kamakura; surely there are surplus workers among their 90,000.

1995 BC: The Eyes rejoin Sobek as the barbarians turn at bay. The great Battle of Crocodilopolis results in the total destruction of the barbarians! Wombat has been avenged!

In the north the seaborne cavalry sights the walls of Yamato Odawara, then rides back to the coast. The Labor Recruiter sees too many bronze weapons in the hands of Yamato hoplites, and thinks better of recruiting in Kamkura. A new chariot is ready for Anubis in Aphroditopolis.

1980 BC: Riders speed ahead of Sobek toward Tanis to bring word of the great victory. In honor of the victory the Eighteenth Apolyton orders new roads to shorten travel among Memphis, Tanis, and Crocodilopolis. [He’s giving Wombat a run for his road-building money.] Her-mann V dedicates a shrine to Ra in Heliopolis, then orders the entertainers back to productive work.

1965 BC: Our sixth squadron of chariots is ready in Sais and joins the Arm of Hathor (which should be renamed). More road is laid out to link Aphroditopolis through the hills to the Great Wheatfield and to the port of Sais. When the Great Wombat Road is complete, only the city of Thebes will remain isolated from the network.

Her-mann continues ordering entertainers back to the fields, now in Sais and Crocodilopolis and even Memphis (which desperately needs a shrine to Ptah, once the current Wonder is complete). The Entertainers Guild is very unhappy; the Apolyton is putting them out of work! A plot is hatched in Memphis…

1950 BC: A new chariot in Tanis is ready to join Set; meanwhile, back in Memphis…

The city has labored for years to bring a new wonder into the world. New works are rising: stadia and gymnasia abound. Young men sweat and strain to new heights of athleticism, and new sports are invented yearly. Soon, Her-mann will be able to announce The Olympics to the world, and he will invite all the nations to see the wonder and power of the Empire of Ra. He looks with curiosity upon a youth who stands in a nearby field, a heavy metal disk under his arm…but the Apolyton’s attention wanders. Visions of torchbearers dance in his head, running along The Great Wombat Road to a ceremony to open the Olympics. This reverie is abruptly—and permanently—interrupted as the discus crashes into his head. The youth grabs a stringed instrument from the grass and runs swiftly away. The Entertainers’ Plot is successful!

So ends the Stela of Her-mann V, Apolyton XVIII

[Hermann the Lombard]

Game forwarded to Oerdin; hope you'll join us this round! Just in case, game also forwarded to The Distant Locutus and to The Immortal Wombat.

The Empire of Ra: The East, 1950 BC

[Immortal Wombat]

I got a road

[Oerdin]

Sorry but I will probably be skipping until further notice. I'll still come in and read this thread though.

[Immortal Wombat]

As Locutus is still away, I'll take my turn then shall I?

[Gazablanca]

Yes mister Wombat sir....and I'm definitely playing this round

[Immortal Wombat]

cool