Green as they come: Hiding Kneel plays the Ljosalfar [SPOILERS]

[Commodore]

Excellent! Continue being friendly and cooperative, I'd say, Elimist can be ruthless sometimes, but Kyan will be ruthless all the time. If it's a case of aligning, take orcs over horselords, and try to not be attacked.

One general comment, though: Have a side, and a plan. So many of these games, the runaway runs away as the others look suspiciously at each other. Even worse, diplo on means #1 and #2 are extremely likely to cooperate to keep down the others, so don't "stay out in the hope they kill each other".

[HidingKneel]

Another two turns played. Ellimist interpreted my previous message as asking for a NAP. Which is not exactly what I meant: by "short term assurances", I meant more that I wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to send his archers to scope out the defenses around Evermore. I'd prefer that nobody knows that Evermore isn't built on a hill, for example.

It sounded like his intent was to bring his archers home to his own territory (and I can't really stop him from doing that anyway), so I opened borders.
Here's the latest in the diplomacy:





This sounds like a fantastic arrangement. Ellimist gets four settlers for the price of one. I would very much like to be able to cash in on that, if possible.
But do I understand correctly that the game mechanics behind such an exchange are "Ellimist founds the city, then gifts it to me"? So that if I'm buying cities, they'll need to be founded outside of my culture?

In other news, it looks like Ellimist founded two cities last turn, and is now up to six. He also mentioned in a previous message (which I forgot to get a screenshot of) that Kyan asked him for a NAP, but he refused. Which is excellent news: like you said earlier, Commodore, a Hippus-Clan teamup would mean game over for the underdogs.

Diplomacy-wise, what I'd really like to do is forge good relationships with Tholal and Weezel. Right now I only have contact with Ellimist, though, so that will have to wait.

In domestic news: Two more barbarian warriors entered borders, and I attacked. Both times I lost the initial warrior, then earned a promotion on the cleanup crew. Which is good for maintenance costs, but also means means that garrisons are thinning out (especially considering I'm about to found a fourth city). Hyll has an archery range now, so I think I'll set it to building archers after the current build finishes.

Screenshot from EOT:

[Mardoc]

But do I understand correctly that the game mechanics behind such an exchange are "Ellimist founds the city, then gifts it to me"? So that if I'm buying cities, they'll need to be founded outside of my culture?

Yes.

[HidingKneel]

Another turn in. More diplomacy:



I'm not exactly sure what Ellimist is thinking here. For example: has he chosen me, specifically, as an ally? Or is he telling the same story to everyone who isn't Kyan? The logic of "I'm strong early and you're strong late, so let's be friends" just doesn't compute. Not that I'm complaining: he could have done some real damage just with those three archers, so I'm happy to be on his good side. But if he's really worried about Kyan, shouldn't he be rushing while those goblin archers are still relevant? (Or trying to gobble up weaker neighbors, like me?)

One general comment, thought: Have a side, and a plan.

Well, I'm on Ellimist's side by default at the moment. I guess I'll try to mine it for what it's worth right now; maybe I can catch up a little on the expansion front if he'll sell me some cities.

So, what else is going on? [STRIKE]Hyll[/STRIKE] Eaca finished a worker this turn, and Evermore finished a settler. Next turn Evermore will start on Gilden, and Hyll on an archer buddy for him. Should be able to get them out right after education comes in, so they can benefit from the +2xp from apprenticeship. One worker finished a mine near Eaca, and another finished a road to our new city site (spot A, which grabs the gold). Made another successful attack on a barbarian warrior, earning one of our warriors another two promotions.

(Incidentally, I think I've got the elven city names out of order... isn't the fourth one Yonna? Anybody know where I can find a list?)

[Commodore]

Hrm. Maybe Kyan's found something that makes him ugly to hit? Like a lizzards/dwarves event? If so Elimist probably concludes that Kyan is too tough to crack right now, and so is trying to align the world against him. Worthwhile effort, might be in vain...I've seen the guy's stuff, Kyan can talk the panties off a nun. Glad he screwed the pooch with Elimist, thanks for the anger there Lewwyn. He's not exactly having a hard time just settling rather than conquering, given his quarter-cost settlers. Elimist is plenty strong later.

[HidingKneel]

Alright, several more turns played. The first bit of exciting news is that we got an event!



That was in Bruti. I went with the commerce boost; we sorely need it.
Education came in shortly after that, and I made the swap to apprenticeship.
Hunting is next up. I ran 0% science last turn, and will probably do so again before hunting comes in.

The next exciting bit of news happened at the end of the latest turn:



We delayed our economic development seven turns for this guy, so he'd better be worth it. I'm thinking I'll stack him with an archer from Eaca, and send them both east. We can collect up that treasure chest, scout out potential city sites, and maybe rack up some xp against barbs. Ought to be seeing some barbarian cities by now. I think grabbing some of those is the best way to make Gilden earn his keep.

Oh, we also have a new city:



Not much to look at yet, but it'll be nice to get at that gold. Three turns from now we'll have it connected, just in time for Evermore and Eaca to grow a size. Then I guess I'll start another settler in Evermore. I'm thinking the next site is here:



Not great, I know. But it claims a nice resource (we'll have hunting to work the furs by then) and can also work two floodplains farms and a copper mine. It's also close to Evermore, which should save on maintenance costs and make it easier to develop (one of those farms is already built).

An alternative is here:



Claims two happy resources, which we could definitely use. But it's quite a bit further out, and not yet capable of feeding itself: we don't have the tech to pasture those pigs.

(Hopefully we'll find some other promising locations after Gilden begins his great adventure.)

[Commodore]

I'd go to the site with the free trade connection.

[HidingKneel]

Barring the possibility that I find something awesome to the east, that's what I'll do.

So, turn 51 is in. Got another event (no events for 49 turns, then two in a row? Weird.)



Unfortunately, not a nice one. Turned my elephant tile into desert, so it's no longer worth working. At least it's only temporary.

The event log has more bad news:



Could that be the drama bard? It wouldn't be in the log if it was from the harpy event, right?

Finished my first cottage this turn. Need more of those everywhere.

Screenshot from EOT:



I'll grow Evermore and Eaca (into unhappiness) next turn, then cure the unhappiness by hooking up the gold the next turn. Then I'll start Evermore on a settler and Eaca on a worker. I'm going to need a lot of workers.

[Yell0w]

Could that be the drama bard? It wouldn't be in the log if it was from the harpy event, right?

AFAIK every GP shows in the event log, if you get it via points/events/lair doesn't matter.

[Mattimeo]

Fairly certain Great People from events don't show up in the log. AI getting random culture bombs that you don't know anything about 'til they hit is not fun.