The Elements - A NRP Game Create a nation/civilization and RP in the fantasy themed world. *NEW PLAYERS WELCOME* Each player starts with one tile and the tiles around it. This is where the capitol of a nation is placed. (Exceptions exist). Choose a location to start and your colors. (pick two) You may post once your nation has been approved, any aspects of your nation which I find unfair or meta that I have not already established are banned as initial traits may be denied, but not denied after you have already been approved post approving. You don't need to read the rules just be sure to follow the example set by other players, if you break the rules I will inform you of what you have done wrong and give you the chance to retroactively fix your mistakes. I am the OP, my job is to keep this game running smoothly, I will mediate inter-personal conflicts between players that relate to the game and will deny meta gamers their unfluffy modifications and advancements. Nation creation guide: How the elements work: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/china-five-elements-philosophy.htm The basic 5 elements work on a system of mutual strengthening and weakening. Between benders are Overcoming interactions which weaken the element which the red arrows points to, while Generating Interactions strengthen users of both elements when they are near each other. As an example of this dichotomy is found in if we say we have a member of the Fire race, the Earth race and the Wood Race all in the same room. The Fire race would be the strongest as they are being empowered by both Wood and Earth while the Wood race would be second strongest as they are being powered up by the Fire race. The Earth race would be weakest at a neutral empowerment as they are being weakened by the Wood yet empowered by the Fire. New Elements have been integrated into the chart, now there can be 10 in the world, two slots are currently left unfilled. Resources: Different resources will give advantages to your nation, for instance if you have a horse icon under your nation and have used an action to domesticate those beasts you will now be able to field fire throwing Calvary and have something to help with your agriculture. Most important among the resources is probably the Salt resource which boosts your meat based foods and thus national nutrition through the introduction of low time preference salted meat trading. And as something that makes potatoe and cabbage soup that your nation's populace sustains upon a little less bland. ======================================================================================================================================= Background Fluff: >From the depths ancient constructs and magics twist and turn, from the depths in ancient tombs, vaults meant to stand the tests of father time along with from the time capsules of civilizations long dead and the cursed grave sights of massacres long forgotten beasts reform. Minds meld back as the souls of the dead are thrust back into the material world. Your nation is alive once more, they can only remember how to crudely reform their ancient societies though, and they need your guidance. But blessed with your elemental sign they are forged anew, their potential is up to you to unlock, so from the places unknown in a world so dead they beckon to your, my lord. Can you build them back up? Can you reform the dead from the ashes? Can you create a civilization that will stand the test of time? (continued) (starting template) Starting Location: Nation Name: Capitol Name: Race Name: Race description/links/abilities: Element: Elemental Passive Ability: Summary of Nation: Fluff (optional): Starting Crop: (pick an irl staple crop and slap it in here, keep in mind your crop might fail early on if you decide watermelons are a good idea in the dry plains, I will use this crop and your nations biology and culture to figure out what variation of a government they will use) Elemental Passive Ability: EPAs are an exception to the rule. They are an elemental based trait which allows for strange and unique abilities to manifest, for instance if you are the metal nation you can give your dudes the ability to eat metal and integrate that metal into their physiology, you want bones of steel? Feet of mercury or the density of lead? Just do that and watch as your mines run dry from over consumption and your enemies die of mercury and lead poisoning after they go in to take your land! Or perhaps you give your men of metal a sixth sense which allows them to sniff out metal both underground and above, or instead you could allow them to become one with their metal weapons, allowing you to forge shells of metal which they can grow into over the course of a few weeks. The abilities are vast and full of potential so use them well. ======================================================================================================================================= Discord: https://discord.gg/v8DCrWu It's here use it The Last Few Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3636731/ http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3678802/ http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3723090/ ( >>3723090 ) Responses for the most recent turn: >>3765120 The project to pierce the range is restarted at the point where the falcon flew in, following the general directions illustrated in a later letter. Though sadly the expedition has run into very odd problems, in the rock large anomalies in the stone seem to have taken root recently, large chasms and perfectly smooth orbs of stale air in the rock, these aberrations can range from the size of a grain to a diameter matching that of the length of a great ship of the sea. These abnormalities have forced the size of the dug tunnels and thus the buttresses involved to become larger as to facilitate the movement of new materials with which to form bridges and larger machines with which to dilute the air with. The new pasteurized milk improves the quality of life for the burned men greatly, as its relative cheap nature when it comes to preforming the process means that even those in the cities can afford milk not spoiled and longer lasting cheeses as well. >>3765811 The demand for the fine marble of the city brings the wealth and resources needed to justify importing food to the once small city, and so now it can grow to a respectable size which gives it enough influence, political leverage and prestige to be taken seriously by the other city lords. The lady mystic of the lake emerges, telling stories of the realm she beared witness to. She describes the feeling of entering the elseworld, of the feeling of the force which keeps us all down turning to the other direction, and of the sight she saw once she regained her composure with the help of the spirits. She tells of the feint noise of chanting that could be heard to what she assumes is the west, and of the great screams of distress coming from the north. Along with fainter noises of metal scraping against metal, flapping wings and the sounds of men of the trades past the screaming and turmoil. She gives word of what she had seen once she opened her eyes, above her she could see a great void, desolate of stars say for a few stars about as bright as the north star, she tells of what she could see around her, spirits dancing in and out of the surface of the plain of existence, overshadowed by brighter lights in the distance which look like souls. She could even make out the nearby town which she grew up in, still just over the horizon and bursting with the light of those who live. Through this town and the relatively barren expanse she could see in the other direction she discerned the four directions. In her speaking she describes the great weight she felt pulling her back towards the overworld, as though she was underwater in a suit of burned men armor of lead. She states she could only stay in this realm with the help of the spirits, whose presence she could feel keeping her lifted up, even then she only got to stay for a mere few minutes, the most monumental few minutes of her life perhaps but only a few none the less. After she had finished telling her tale she also had one more thing to say. To the west she saw a great red light, not a pretty or bright red but a darkened red wrought with a pale afterglow of orange and white, looming and horrific, this sight was the last she saw in the realm sadly, and she has had a hard time keeping the memory in her mind for some odd reason. Thankfully she had her com patrons to rely it to, she then states she has forgotten what she is saying and is in the mood for some meditation. (relying player actions and diplo) ---Sonarii--- Diplomacy: Multiple treaties are signed with the Plagasm to open our borders for mutual access, and with the treaty signed to bring their regular forces into the war against the Totu, discussed and ratified in the discord, to replace the Earthbending mercenaries we can no longer afford, as well as to act independently and seize Totu lands on their own remit for their own possession. Action 1: With the mineral riches of and around Larnet, Sonarii smiths experiment more with metallurgy, trying to fashion weaponry that is both stronger and lighter for their military forces to use, and if possible that can be used whilst on the wing as well as on the ground. Action 2: The Pig native to the lands around New Glecoone is found to be an incredibly tasty beast, and so domesticated as a source of delicious meats. War Action: With Plagasm Earthbenders carted in to provide their new devastating Earthbending Earthbreaking technique to their Sonarii allies as replacement for the mercenaries, the offensive upon the Center begins. Plaguism Earthbenders and Sonarii Airbenders will provide support to an offensive of Oni, Plagasm and Sonarii combat units. The Duke of Damhuest, Arbar of the house of Ordon, will command this offensive due to the histories of his house in fighting against monstrous beasts from below the ground, and Duke Trayth and the armies of house Egnart will be at his side. The Dukes of Chaelkeat and Alkilme will also send their forces to support this offensive, harrying the areas around the city to cut off potential reinforcement, take out positions of Canonade and provide swift strikes into any flanks or pockets that might develop. ---Totu Krurt--- >Action 1: Scorch the Scortched Earth The Center had only existed as long as the war has. Hardly a loss, the Totu collect their resources and escape to the capitol. Their tunnel homes had existed for their protection against predators, though the sheer defenses surrounding the capitol was plenty of protection to exist above ground now. As they fled the city, a few grunts and laborers remained to surrender the city. As the Sonarii attempted to enter and claim the loot which no longer belonged there, the blockades which once prevented the vermin and gas are unbound to make a death trap out of the city. The same technique is ready incase a cave-in is attempted, ready to release the vermin to the surface. >Action 2: Mobilized Deployment The Totu turn the salvaged Sky carts of the Sonarii into sleds to mount their artillery onto. These sleds are led by elephants to improve the speed and responsiveness of the Totu artillery. No encampments are safe as the artillery can constantly linger just within range of bombardment. >Diplomacy: Guardian Spirit The Totu accept the Yokai's offer and urge them to move quickly. >Diplomacy: Fillibuster An emmissary is sent to the Sonarii to negotiate surrender. He puts up a fight, realistically attempting to defend the interests of the Totu but eventually caves to whatever demands the Sonarii have. He takes as much time as possible to stall the negotiation and in the end, has no offical power to do anything about the war, existing soley to stall the Sonarii and their troops. >War Action: Offensive defense. The totu have held their defense to such a point that where-ever there is walls, there is victory. The Totu continue to expand their defenses out to The Center so that they can re-take the city once it has been abandoned or safely fire upon any who attempt to linger. A focus on wiping out earthbenders is employed. ---Plagasm--- action 1: set up a village/research station near the portal exit, call it mortuary. Diplo/Action 2: if we will attack the totu we get to keep the land we conquer (and the domes we previously had before the expansion) (OP here) I have put the second part in parenthesis since the domes belong to haze, who is as of yet uninvolved in this war. (responses to relayed player actions) ---Sonarii--- Bronze, which is heavy and old fashioned is abandoned in favor of much lighter iron. All new units entered into the war and all available for a quick regearing are armed with iron weaponry and chainmail/cloth/leather armor along with the occasional iron helmet as to stop anti-air weaponry from taking down sonarii in one shot too easily. A lighter yet still strong kind of wood is also shipped from the plagasm for use in the production of new sky carts, which must be bulkier lest they fall to anti-air emplacements. The new pork is quite good while fresh, but beyond a day it spoils quickly even when cooked. The coalition stands victorious over the defenders of the city, now only a massive collection of ruins remains, though a sizable potential army still exists in the ruins and thus a small portion (about 30%, mostly the majority of the Oni forces and non-sonarii) of the combined army must stay behind to make sure the enemy stays down and bleeding in the ground after a brief assault. Though disaster had struck the corpse kickers, as a noxious gas erupted from the ground, killing all in the local radius of the city, and surrounding the city in a haze of fog. The generals count their lucky stars that their remaining forces had been moved out in time to march and soar east. The great mine to the east also fell to the gas, a small consolation to the loss of much of the army. Scouts also tell of massive caravans moving from the Oni lands to the enemy capitol. ---Totu Krurt--- With the opening of the deathtrap came the cutting off of the major northernly route along with the nexus of the great mine due to a great error in the maps or planning of the queen, though which is to blame is hard to tell. The supplies from the Oni alleviate the major issue of starvation for the most part in the capitol, and at the cost of a few useless shinnies as well, truly it is a wondrous deal. Though with the loss of the underground route to the north overworld caravans must be used which could be vulnerable to enemy attack, especially considering that the sonarii are an airborn race who would probably love to let their soldiers feast on some exotic foods from a far off land. Thankfully the anti air emplacements along the route alongside mobile units have kept minor sonarii actors from raiding caravans in the meantime. Speaking of the new mobile artillery already stone and metal designs are coming up, though the problem of wheels getting stuck in the sand is a problem for smaller units, requiring the purchasing of expensive wooden wheels from the Oni. Though the main source of elephants still exists in the grasp of the empire so the problem of getting more elephants to pull these emplacements is not an issue right now. Due to the overflow of the dark mist a defensive line is instead drawn over the hills and between them near to the capitol, allowing for more defensive structures and emplacements to be rapidly set up. New units of dedicated metal spike launching artillery are drafted up, designed to devastate the deadly necrotic units of the enemy, though metal is currently scarce in the empire say for what was taken from the mine, merchants and overwhelmingly from the corpses of enemy soldiers and launched metal rounds. Less hastily built defenses are also built up north of the dark haze, and many backline harassers are sent out from there to disrupt enemy supply lines from the mountains. The Oni mercenaries are very expensive to upkeep but prove devastating against the overconfident Earthbenders. New mercenaries join from the Oni through word over the merchant lines. ---Plagasm--- The Research station and mining nexus of Mortuary springs to life, the metal it brings in from the otherlands gives the state immense wealth, this allows a substantial force of Metal men to be hired as mercenaries for the war. A line in the sand has been drawn in the north, guarding the enemy's capitol. The generals feel that a full offensive must be taken soon while the opportunity is still ripe. (I recommend you discuss the angle of the offensive or a long term strategy with Grenoll) The results of the testing by the men of metal on the blue metal comes through, it has three very interesting properties which have been reported, firstly it is the strongest metal known so it can hold a sharp edge indefinably. Second of all it cannot be easily bent by metal men, requiring the use of hazy water to be bent, that is the third property. Due to this it can only be altered in the monastery of haze, making the product very expensive but worth it for the pure power it brings to the battlefield. Due to its high refinement and shipping cost it will only be possible to arm a select few with this metal.