[Spoilers] Cometh the Messiah - Varn Gosam and the Malakim

[Ilios]

I'm hazy on this, but I remember reading about it a long time ago. Civic costs scale with population and maybe other things. In order that reaching certain thresholds doesn't suddenly bump up the costs of all your civics at once, they all use a slightly different formula. The civics on the right end tend to be the ones that go to the next cost level first.

Allright, thanks SS, good to know.

I am somewhat partial to Huldrych Zwingli, and Wikipedia helpfully suggests "I am thy vessel, for you to make whole or break to pieces", which seems rather appropriate considering you've been sending out religious figures outside city walls, with many angry lizards surrounding them.

I like the quote, sold!

Where is the next settler going?

Provided Sciz hasn't grabbed it with his grubby little hands, the Settler will claim Yellow Dot for the Malakim empire.

[Ilios]

T42:

Lonnie closes in:



I moved Vrej and Yevgeny back into the city. Francis and Huldrych finish another road segment. Next turn they'll road the Wines and get ready to build a Winery.

Lex is undecided:



I can't move the Scout to the west now, so I move him south to check out where the Spider went. I'm hoping he can pull the Lizard towards him, so I can finish the Plantation with Augustinus.

I decided to work a grassland forest at En-Kai. I really need to maximise growth, as I can't imagine the Calabim won't hit us with River of Blood when they found their second city. I'm hoping the city reaches size 4, before the Calabim Worldspell hits, so that when the city get's bumped to size 2, it still has a surplus of 6 food (2 grass farms).

Demographics:



GNP graph indicates Serdoa is working the Dragon Bones, and has best rival GNP at 35:



Food Graph indicates Sciz is my nearest rival in Crop Yield at 25:




C&D:

The Luchuirp and Doviello both founded a new city last turn.

The Calabim already got their third border pop land points last turn. They must have been running the Religion Civic, because they should have gotten the points end of this turn. (Calabim founded on T0, so did the Luchuirp, who should get their land points end of this turn)

The Balseraphs got a new tech this turn. I'm guessing Crafting.

[Ilios]

Diplo:


So had been wanting to engage in some diplomacy with Serdoa. I much prefer instant chats to emails for these kind of things, but Serdoa doesn't seem to like it.

I sent him an e-mail, which was basically a conversation starter, eg remarking about the barbs etc, and asking him whether he could tell me if the Doviello had changed Civics (so the Malakim Foreign Service can fill in the missing technologies in the C&D file on Mist).
As I said, I just wanted to get some conversation about the game going.

This is what I got back:

Greetings Ilios,

insane amounts of bears all around us,
maddening Perpentach, making the warriors crazy
and the workers lunatic.

So, all around everythings normal.

As for our exploration of the west,
our warriors still rest,
in Coombe View they sit
till a light gets lit.
Maybe you could burn a witch
if you happen to have such a ... woman?

At least something like that to get them moving? No? What a pity.
Then I fear they will rest some more before the explore the wildlands
to the west. But I will make sure to let you know what they find.

As for your last question I put that question forth to my spies and I will
give you their answer, word for word:

"If we happen to know if Mist switched civis recently? Sure we do, we
would be piss-poor spies if we wouldn't!"

Lovely, aren't they? Was that they answer you sought?

With best regards,
Grepe Wirutwo
First Clown of the Balseraph Empire

Wonderful, isn't it?

I have to admit, at first I didn't quite know what to do with it. Most messages with Serdoa have been short and to the point, but it would seem that in this case, he had plenty of time on his hands.
I'm not sure what the Lurkers think about it, but to me, this message fell in the "pulling my leg" department.
All I wanted was to talk. What I got in return was inane drivel.

Allright, fine.

This is what I sent him back:

Dearest Grepe,


We thank you for your message true
Hoping all is well with you
Bears are bad unless they're teddy
Fearsome warriors should be ready

The west is far too dark you say
Turn around you'll see His ray
Holy Varn would be so happy
If your spies could share their... stuff?


Gratefully far,


Tuvan Lorespinner, Balseraph Exile, advisor extraordinary to Chancellor Ilios

Wait and see...

[pocketbeetle]

Love the reply.

For lizardnames, I would suggest 'Lennie' if you're running out (there's even a slight literary reference there).

[Ilios]

Love the reply.

Thanks, let's see what the Balseraph Foreign Service makes of it...

For lizardnames, I would suggest 'Lennie' if you're running out (there's even a slight literary reference there).

Ooh don't jinx me man, I've got enough Lizards to handle at the moment!

[Ilios]

T43:

Lex really wants the Vagabond:



I think for a moment, and decide to move the Scout south instead of moving back into the city. With a little luck the Lizard will continue chasing the Vagabond King, allowing my Worker to finish the Incense Plantation next turn.

The Spider seemed to have moved again (strange, I though they didn't move aside from when they're attacking), to the tile west of the Jumbo.

My scout has discovered another Gold resource, which brings the count to four. More importantly, tile bleed suggests floodplains to the southeast!


Over to the capital:



Lonnie moved towards the Workers, who just move away and finish the road on the Wines. I'd really like him to attack Helios next turn.


Small micro-adjustment at En-Kai:



There is a chance River of Blood will be fired next turn. If I had continued working the grass forest, En-Kai would be at 16/17 stored food when ending turn. Should the Calabim Worldspell be triggered next turn, En-Kai would be bumped back to size 1. At size 1 a city has a food box of 14 food, which means I'd lose two food in the process.
So the city is working the river gold, for a food surplus of 4, bringing food to 14/17 and ready to accept the population loss. (sunrise/darrell, wait just one more turn please!)


C&D:

The new Balseraph city of Coombe View has grown to size 2.

The Calabim already got their third border pop land points last turn. They must have been running the Religion Civic, because they should have gotten the points end of this turn. (Calabim founded on T0, so did the Luchuirp, who should get their land points end of this turn)

This was obviously wrong. At 2 culture per turn, the Luchuirp should have popped their borders on turn 24, which has them gaining their land points on T43.
If they're running Religion, the Calabim get an extra 0.2 culture per turn, or 1 culture every five turns, or 4 culture in 20 turns, which could account for them already getting their land points on T41.

[Ilios]

I'd need to check some old saves, but I'm pretty sure the Calabim capital has been stuck at size 4 for quite some time now (it grew to size 3 on T21, and must have grown another size a couple of turns later).

So, 15-20 turns of no growth...

Okay, knowing sunrise/darrell's penchant for flashy play, I'm starting to suspect they have been building not one, but two Settlers in succession, and will try to found them at the same time, and then fire River of Blood for an extra six population (two per city).

If that is the case, I'm not sure it was the best play. Everybody has a couple of food tiles improved and will be growing that lost population quickly.


Anyway, we'll see what happens I guess...

[Ilios]

T44:

Tech:



Discovering my sixth technology gains me 12 points, which confirms 5 first Ancient Era techs at 11 points, then sixth at 12, etc.


Lex takes the bait:



I decide to continue exploring and moving away from En-Kai. The Scout moves to the forest which could someday become a nice little Malakim city.

Augustinus finishes the Incense Plantation, increasing my commerce output by a big margin, and putting me (temporarily) in the lead in GNP:



En-Kai grows to size 4 after ending turn.


Helios:



Lonnie has apparently fertilised the tile to Helios' southeast to such an extent that a new forest has appeared!

Said Lizard man stays put, my warriors inside the capital proceed to taunting him thouroughly. Hopefully Lonnie attacks and loses next turn!

Both Workers put a turn into the Winery. Provided they can finish it next turn, I'll probably turn off research next turn, which should get me enough gold to finish Mining.

C&D:

The Doviello new city grows to size 2.

I was about to show you the MFG graph, telling you that the Balseraphs have started a new Settler. Comparing their points, from last turn, I then spot a pop increase.

And sure enough:



Wow, that's really quick! I'm kinda hoping the new city isn't working improved tiles, because I'd start feeling bad for myself...

And now, the Calabim...

They gained 21 points last turn, and I have no idea what it could be. Maybe a Classical tech?

Still no River of Blood... Come on, let's get this over with!

[Ilios]

T45:

Great Sage born:



And not in Jubilee. If I'd have to guess, I'd say the Ljosalfar, who've had Mysticism for quite some time now, and haven't founded their second city yet.


The Vagabond moves:



Contact!


Or, almost... Lennie the Lizard prevents me from moving the Scout into contact range, forcing him to move behind the peak and hide...

Hmmm, why didn't Lonnie bother the Lanun, and instead moved all the way north to Malakim lands?


Speaking of which:



The walnuts-sized brains of the Lizards still haven't quite settled on a specific task. Oh well, as long as I can freely move my Workers.

Francis and Huldrych have finished the Winery, appeasing the angry citizen in Helios, allowing me to set him to work the Winery right away. Only gains me one extra hammer while I'm building the Settler, but those three commerce come in handy!

Both Workers will finish the Farm Augustinus has started, while Augie Farms the grassland east of the Incense, before it the jungle claims it.


As you can see, research has been set to zero. I might set it to 50% next turn, so I have some cash on hand should a nice event turn up.

This obviously puts me well into first position GNP-wise.


C&D:

The Calabim capital has grown to size 5. I will stop mentioning River of Blood now other than it will hurt me the most...

The Luchuirp have gained their land points, and Cotton Valley has grown to size 2.

[Ilios]

T46:

Lex:



No comment...

Lonnie:



Oh come on, I need to start moving out escorting Warriors next turn...
Now I'll have to either build another Warrior before finishing the Settler (booh!), or just leave Otto Van Hoek behind (+25% City Defense +25% Fortify Bonus +25% Hill Bonus +20% Culture Bonus).
We'll see what happens next turn.

The Vagabond:



Provided the Lennie the Lizard doesn't move back towards the Scout, I should have contact with the Lanun next turn.
I've discovered quite some land now, and this is only the third Mana Node I've spotted so far. There isn't any Mana Node I could safely call mine...

Demographics:



Someone built an Academy methinks...

C & D:

The Doviello have gained their land points, and like the Malakim and Luchuirp, have no water tiles inside their third border pop.

The Lanun have gained 13 points, most likely land points as well, but I'd prefer to wait until I have contact with them for confirmation.

It would seem that I am completely off regarding the Calabim. According to my calculations, they have no new city and a capital at size 5. But checking the Top 5 cities screen i noticed another city at size 6, which I'm pretty sure can only be Prespur, the Calabim capital.
If I have time this weekend, I'll go over all my old save to see if I can find the place where I went wrong...