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The Empire of Oleon Nickname The Kingdom of Light Colors Medium Blue and Dark Blue Flag Royal Banner Quick Glance Life in Oleon centers around traditional values. Oleanders are generally pious people, loyal to their Monarch, and take pride in their vast cultural heritage. Owning land defines one’s standing in the social hierarchy, and the rural nobility - which you can be a part of - has ever since been regarded Oleon's elite. Following her claim for superiority, Oleon today has the largest warships, fields a powerful army, and has already established a moderate colonial presence, which she is eager to expand. Oleon accepts new members, especially craftsmen, artists, agriculturalists, seamen, and entrepreneurs of all kinds, as long as they are loyal to the Monarch. Membership Oleon is open for members. If you would like to add to Oleon's grandeur, and to spread the influence and glory of the empire - join today! To do so, just sign up in this thread with an introduction post that shows your sigfig. A little background goes a long way, and we appreciate any story you would like to present with your character! If you'd like to join in The Monthly Raiding and Commerce Action, send Oleon Leadership a private message to get added to the latest "Private Message Thread" and coordinate our efforts. Index Honorable Citizens of Oleon Colonial Possessions The Royal New Terra Company Army Units stationed in New Terra Royal Naval Units in New Terra Quick Start Guide The Builders' Bulletin Board Recurring Story Characters Noble Houses of Oleon - Nobles of Oleon Medals and Decorations A DETAILED LOOK at the EMPIRE OF OLEON Leadership King Philip I and Queen Beatrice (NPC) After the sudden passing of his elder brother - the late King Stéphan II - Philip was crowned in April 616. Whereas the late Monarch was a great admirer of the occult, driven by all things mythical, which allowed the Order of the Faith to spread its influence into almost every niche of Oleander society, Philip follows in the footsteps of his father Stéphan I. Noble and almost idealistic, with a broad education, and – growing up in the Royal Palaces of Granoleon – naturally provided with a passion for the arts, he now has to prove that he can prevail on the political stage as the absolute Monarch that he will need to be. With his beloved wife Queen Beatrice by his side he rules over the empire in a crucial time. He tasks himself with nothing less than challenging the mighty Order of the Faith, and reducing the influence of its destructive elements, especially that of the Clerics of Hades, to rebuild Oleon's reputation as the predominating cultural beacon it once was adored for. Lord Chancellor Calida (NPC) Lucier Henri Calida was born into the House of Courtia - already one of the most influential Oleander noble families - and he soon saw the potential the Faith offered him for his political ambitions. He rose to power as a clergyman, but his organizational talents were soon discovered by the Royal Court. He was appointed Adviser to the King, and excelled in various tasks, foremost the introduction of a naval focus to Oleon, and the consequent buildup of La Royale prior to the Juniper War. Today he is not only Chancelier d'Oleon – the highest administrative position in Oleon – he is also Supreme High Priest of the Clerics of Zeus, making him de facto leader of the Order of the Faith, which has blossomed under his regime. Under King Stéphan II he controlled the High Council and was First Adviser to the King, answering only to him. And as the King shared his beliefs, his authority was unchallenged. Some even say Stéphan II was a mere puppet, and that Calida was Oleon's true regent. Now, with Philip I as King, his universal authority might be challenged for the first time. Nobody can tell how Calida is likely to react to this, since his agenda remains unclear to everyone. He is feared by many, and often described as a devious schemer who will do anything to tighten the Order's grasp on Oleon. Others see in him a savior and believe him to be the only guarantor for upholding the Empire's domestic order. One thing is for sure, though, he is more likely to prepare for a war with Corrington than to read mass in a temple. Structure of State Oleon is an absolute Monarchy. The King has always been the central authority, ruling over the land with a wise and strong hand since the days of King Arltrees. Oleon is the King – and the King is Oleon. Wise Monarchs govern for the well-being of their loyal subjects, taking paternal care of them. That is the natural order of all things under the sun. So there is no need for 'representation', for 'parliaments' even, or other unsacred institutions in Oleon. But wise Monarchs also listen to advice. That is the reason why the High Council supports the King in his rule, and advises him with expertise in all matters of state. The various branches of Oleon's administration then answer to the High Council and his chairman, the Lord Chancellor of Oleon, who traditionally is the first and most important adviser to His Majesty. Members of the High Council Pierre Lavalette Genaro, Duc de Vele et Pair d’Oleon, Intendant Général des Finances, Grand’Croix de l’Ordre Royal de Saint-Arltrees. Captain Genaro @Thomas Waagenaar Pierre Lavalette Genaro is the current Duke of Vele - a booming coastal region East of Granoleon - and General Intendant of Finances at His Majesty’s Royal Court. Using his formidable fiscal talent and economic expertise, the Duke of Vele has consolidated the royal treasury, and reformed Oleon’s taxation system. By many, he is regarded as the Royal Court’s rising star. Some even go as far as saying Genaro’s influence on His Majesty has already surpassed that of Lord Chancellor Calida. Berart Mazan, Duc de Boussac, Secrétaire d’État des Colonies, Grand Officier de l’Ordre Royal de Saint-Arltrees. Phred Bodi @Keymonus The Lion of Boussac is one of the most important advisors to His Majesty, and as Secretary of State of the Colonies responsible for Oleon’s fate beyond the line. Traditionalists grumble that the task of protecting the nation from her hereditary northern enemy and controlling Oleon’s overseas expansion shouldn’t go hand in hand. But the Lion of Boussac is an able man, and where better to keep Oleon’s foes at bay than in the waters of New Terra. Guiscard Emery de Beauregard, Duc de Corban, Secrétaire d’État de la Marine, Commandeur de l’Ordre Royal et Militaire de l’Étoile d’Ardros, Commandeur de l’Ordre Royal de Saint-Arltrees, Grand-Amiral d’Oleon. Kolonialbeamter @CapOnBOBS Growing up in chateau Sans-Nuage-sur-Maine - located in the hills just outside the harbor-city of Quilbignon - the young Lord almost naturally acquired a taste for saltwater, and soon was sent to pursue a career in His Majesty’s Royal Navy. Towards the end of the Forty-Nine Years War he was promoted to Grand Admiral of Oleon, and although unsuccessful in preventing Corrington from taking the Isle of Tam, he - under the direction of the Lord Chancellor - managed the rebuild of La Royale, which ultimately gained the upper hand over her Corrish counterpart in the following Juniper War. Today the Secretary’s attention shifts towards the eastern seas as the race for New Terra is speeding up. Oleon’s fate depends on La Royale - and on the salt in the Secretary’s veins. Guérin Godefry de Tourment - nicknamed Le Doublonoi - Duc d’Eranos, Connétable d’Oleon, Grand’Croix de l’Ordre Royal et Militaire de l’Étoile d’Ardros, Maréchal d’Oleon blackdeathgr @Jeff of Clubs Ever since official records first appeared, there has been a de Tourment holding the ‘Southern Key’ and shielding Oleon from the perils of Halos. Traditionally, the de Tourments also hold the title and position of Connétable d’Oleon, providing able commanders for Oleon’s armies who have proven their loyalty in every single conflict in Oleander history. But the house is not only a source of military genius for the Crown. Over the last decades they have also grown rich as prime suppliers of the Royal Army - a development that isn’t to the liking of all at the Royal Court. Robert Perrault, Duke of Vitoria @KotZ Robert Perrault, II, Duke of Vitoria His grandfather Bernard had three children, Robert, Sophie, and Camille. Being the first child, and male, of his family, Robert, I, went on great expeditions and acquired a great amount of wealth. His sister Sophie died in childbirth, but his youngest sister Camille had a child, Emile, who now is married to Elise and runs a successful alcohol business. Robert, I, after one expedition led to him needing to amputate a leg, retired from the life of the sea and turned his sights on moving up in the world. Robert, I became the leader of a trading company, getting friends in high circles. Unfortunately, Robert I died before he reached his dream of being granted a duchy. His only child Robert Perrault, II completed that goal. He continued his trading through the homeland of Oleon, expanding it as he could. But his true test of valor came on the field of battle, by wiping out a small uprising with only himself, a maid, and the gods he prayed too. It was the two (or three, depending on the stories if you believe in the gods) of them against ten. Here, you can see Robert, II, in his library, just before he gets his duchy granted. The Order of the Faith The Order of the Faith is a secretive band of highly influential clerics that is heavily involved in Oleander politics. As little is known fact about the Order and its agenda and ways, there are plenty of rumors out on the streets. Some see the Order's influence as a danger to the Monarchy, some even go as far as saying the Order already holds the true power over Oleon, with the Monarch acting only as a puppet. Others counter, pointing out that Oleon is free of dissidents, highlighting the Orders alleged importance for Oleon's inner stability and military might. Wherever the truth lies, fact is that disagreeing with the Order is a good way to get into serious trouble! The Order of the Faith can be read about in greater detail here. The Land Oleon is the largest country on the peninsula, and its land is naturally an important economic factor. Wealth is usually measured in land holdings, and hereditary grants pass on from father to son for generations. In the interior, the rural nobility traditionally resides in prestigious chateaus, and peasants live in little hamlets, and work for their lords as they have for ages. There are few large cities in the interior, but towards the coast things are beginning to change as innovations are developed. Passing from a rural hamlet with the lord's impressive manor towering over it, to a bustling port town is like going from one world to another. A multitude of coastal hubs have begun to spring up. With oceans bordering Oleon on either side, these towns have become quite numerous, and have contributed to a new emphasis on seafaring. The Order of the Faith has encouraged this emphasis, but is still eager to preserve the traditional social ways by keeping its mystical hold on the people. With its support, Oleon's navy has boomed. Her merchant fleet is growing by the day, and the Royal Navy is famous for large battleships and highly efficient gun crews, securing Oleon’s influence on the waves. A fine example of an increasingly important city is Breshaun on Le Bellan. Founded not long ago, it has turned into a sparkling and ambitious regional centre. Society and Culture Traditionally, a typical Oleander's life centers around the values of – traditions. Considering themselves the most culturally advanced people, Oleanders take great pride in their rich heritage of arts and literature. They are generally pious people, living in accordance with the divine rules of the Gods. But temples are visited more for social reasons than out of religious zeal. It is true that the Order of the Faith holds its sway over the people, but that doesn't refrain Oleanders from enjoying life. And especially the aristocracy is known throughout Halos for celebrating the most glittering balls and festivities. Oleon's cities are well organized and planned, their silhouettes often dominated by impressive temples erected in honor of the Gods. The architectural style is mostly a mix of renaissance and baroque western European, dominant among secular buildings – especially among the many aristocratic and royal chateaus and palaces that are in constant competition to outshine each other – and classic Mediterranean influences, which are preferred for religious buildings. L'Aile du Pontis (The Pontis Wing) of the Royal Palace in Granoleon is a great example for the supremacy of Oleander architects and craftsmen. The Military Oleanders are known to be fierce warriors if necessary. Military might is of paramount significance, as land is the defining social factor in society. Honor and bravery are values that every Oleander holds in high esteem, sacrificial soldiering on the fields of battle is every Oleander's duty, to die for the nation is considered the highest honor. War Banner and Naval Ensign The Army Ever since the days of King Arltrees the color blue is prominent in the uniforms and flags of the royal military. The standard military uniform always includes a blue coat, often but not always accompanied by white cross belts. A fleur-de-lys is not uncommon on the uniforms and flags either. As presented above, the standard military flag is a white cross on a blue background with a crown over crossed cannons, but there are numerous deviations from these standards. In every case, however, the color blue must be present! (some conventional flags) As a result of a history of warfare, mostly with Corrington, many cities and ports are fortified with large walls and impressive fortresses to protect the citizens in case of an invasion. The Navy Oleon's Royal Navy – or La Royale as she is affectionately called by the people – is among the finest and largest in all of the known world. Heavily expanded after the Forty-Nine Years War at the instigation of the Order of the Faith, La Royale managed to have the edge over Corrington's navy during the following Juniper War, but has since then been locked in a stalemate with her biggest rival. Oleon's master shipwrights are considered leading in the construction of heavy warships, and the emphasis on constant training and education has lead Oleander gun crews to become the most efficient in the known world. Here you can see a fine example of Oleander ship building, the glorious HRS Pride of Oleon. Ranking System If you create your sigfig you are - of course - free to give it any rank you wish. So if you want - for example - a Captain to sail your ship through the waters of New Terra - create a Captain. If you want a Major fighting off Oleon's enemies on the fields of battle - create a Major. However, we would ask you not to start out too high up in rank right away. There are certain official ranks that can be earned, and they bring in-game benefits and lots of prestige - not to mention the awe of your foes. So fight for your own and Oleon's glory and rise through the ranks - do you have what it takes? Army Ranks: Maréchal (Marshal) Général d'Armée (Army General) Général de Division (Division General) Général de Régiment (Regiment General) Colonel (Colonel) Lieutenant Colonel (Lieutenant Colonel) Naval Ranks: Grand-Amiral d'Oleon (Grand Admiral of Oleon) Amiral (Admiral) Vice-Amiral (Vice Admiral) Contre-Amiral (Rear Admiral) Chef d'Escadre (Commodore) Capitaine de Vaisseau (Ship-of-the-Line Captain) Rank Requirements and Benefits: Promotions can be earned through military contributions, means through repeated and active participation in war campaigns, fleet actions, through acts of bravery, and - as a base requirement - you need to loyally follow orders. For promotions to High Command - Général de Régiment respectively Contre-Amiral and higher - a noble title of at least Marquis is required - to make sure only the best of the best command Oleon's finest. 'But where's the beef?' - you may ask. Well, excelling in military actions is a profound way to boost your social standing in Oleon. It will lead to some shiny medals and ribbons, can contribute to your house's growing reputation, and might eventually get you His Majesty's attention - which can open doors you didn't even believe existed. And - who knows - maybe one day you'll end up commanding the unit you were once fighting alongside with - or determine the fate of a whole royal fleet in the vast waters of New Terra. The Gran Military Encyclopedia of Oleon Oleon's long military tradition has resulted in units ranging from line infantry regiments to specialized units trained to excel in one area. This diversity is all captured in the Gran Military Encyclopedia. This detailed book houses a unit's description, pictures, and history. All Oleanders are invited to review or add to this collection. Diplomacy Oleon has a hostile history with Corrington, and during the last war the two factions proved to be an even match. Officially there is no direct trade with Corrington, but various goods do make there way around via Eslandola and smugglers of all sorts. Pirates are tolerated as long as they don't operate within Oleon claimed waters, piracy is a crime and offenders will be brought to justice when they are caught. (Note: Relationships are judged on a 1 to 5 scale; Very Friendly, Friendly, Indifferent, Unfriendly, Hostile) Oleon's relationship with... Sea-Rats: Indifferent Eslandola: Unfriendly Corrington: Unfriendly Membership To sign up, post a picture of your signature figure, preferably accompanied by Oleon's formal flag colors. You are welcome to include a bit of a description as well. Your signature figure, or sigfig, will represent your character throughout your MOCs within Brethren of the Brick Seas. (That does not mean that your sigfig has to be in every MOC you make) Although this is the “Bluecoat” faction, that does not mean that everyone should have a bluecoat soldier as sigfig. Within BoBS there are many possibilities. Build your own story – for example, your sigfig could start out as a carpenter that decides to work on a ship. Via battle experiences he ends up getting his own ship, eventually becoming a privateer in His Majesty's service, etc. For those still uncertain of what faction to chose or how to sign up in a minute, we have some simple instructions here, which pretty much sum up everything. Vive le Roi!

Limerey, Occupied territory of Myrph, September 608 The village was burning, all around him... a funeral pyre for their dreams of freedom. They had lost, and soon they would have been dead. Jacob clung to his musket, as the ground below his feet started to tremble. He heard some yells coming from their first line of barricades, followed by some musket shots. The final assault was coming, and they could do nothing to stop it. Only a couple of weeks before, the odds seemed on the rebels' side: with the army of Oleon advancing in the Juniper Province, and the Corrish troops retreating eastwards in disorder, they had taken their chance. The bells of the temples rang the tocsin as the old uniforms of the Myrph Guards emerged from attics and cellars, and muskets were recovered from their secret hideouts. For the first time since he was born, Jacob could finally see the glorious flag of Myrph, his nation, flying over the buildings of his hometown. The rebels quickly took control of Limerey, Tonglare, Stonemill, and a handful of smaller towns, and forced the Corrish garrison to retreat into the Castle of Gueverey. They also took their revenge against the occupiers: the hated bailiff of Tonglare was hanged in the main square, together with other Corrish officers, and some captured redcoats were brutally murdered in a nearby hamlet. But the tides had turned, and the rebels knew they could expect no mercy. If the army of Oleon had ever been on their way, indeed, the soldiers of Corrington had arrived before! A new series of shots and screams came from the eastern barricades, and then a squadron of cavalry burst into the main street. Jacob tried to aim his musket, but it was late... the horsemen were too close and too fast, and they were already upon them! Some of the rebels tried to brace for the attack, but most of them started running for their lives, or remained still, paralyzed by fear. Something hit Jacob, throwing him violently to the ground. He rolled, trying to get away from the hooves, but he was hit again, and everything got dark. When he woke up again, several hours later, it was late night. His head hurt terribly, and so did his right leg, bent in an unnatural angle. Something warm was making his hair wet... weird, Jacob didn't remember it was raining. He vaguely realized that the houses around him were burning, but this didn't seem important... nothing seemed, actually: he felt so tired... "Hey, Leonard, come! This one is still alive!" -A voice yelled, seemingly from several miles away- "He is messed up, but he's still breathing! Get him on the cart!". Jacob tried to talk, but words didn't come. As the two men got closer, he realized with relief that they were not redcoats... wait, redcoats? Memories started to flash in front of his eyes: the horsemen setting his village on fire... ...his friends falling around him, slashed by the sabers of the enemies... ...and the enemy commander leading the charge. As the two men started to move him, and Jacob started to faint again, he could almost hear him yelling again, in the language of Myrph: "Give them no quarters! They are all traitors! No mercy for the rebels!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello guys! As Era III is approaching, I felt the need for a darker secondary character… someone I could make sail under a black flag and get involved in less honourable businesses! This first part is set during the Juniper War, during which I imagined some (revolts) turmoils in the Corrish occupied territories could have occurred. As I will clarify in later builds, the brutal officer (who will appear again) is also from a loyalist Myrph militia unit (hence the orange epaulettes), but feel free to ask me for any changes. Differently from my main storylines, I will use flesh-coloured minifigs (I don’t plan Jacob to meet my more reputable characters).

Welcome to the Gran Military Encyclopedia of Oleon! Here you can admire the might of our soldiers, from their boots to the tip of their plumes. This thread aims to collect some information about the glorious Army of Oleon: during the years you saw several units of our Nation, from colonial militias to the ubiquitous line infantry, from the famed Mousquetaires du Roi to semi-legal Volunteer Corps. Here you will find a collection of them, with a brief description and the glorious history of their deeds. Most of the units depicted exist in EGS terms, but this is not an absolute requirement: if you want to show the border cavalry of the Varcosian Border, the Royal Guard of Granoleon or other units way far from the Brick Seas, you are welcome to do it! For the citizens of Oleon who want to contribute: please follow the general outline described in the spoiler Vive le Roi! Unit index Militia Units recruited locally, both in the motherland and in the colonies. Formed by willing citizens or peasants, the main function of a militia is the defending a city or a province from both foreign aggressions and internal menaces, such as bandits or riots. These non-professional soldiers often wear odd uniforms, strongly influenced by local elements. Although they are often considered poor fighters, militiamen proved their worth in several occasions, especially during Corrish invasions and along the turbulent Western Border 1ere Compagnie Milice Coloniale de Fort Arltrees Tyree'dee Warriors 4e Regiment de Triallieur Dionysian Line infantry The backbone of Madrician armies. These soldiers march in a line towards the enemies and, when they can almost see the white of their eyes, they fire a barrage of bullets with their flintlock musket. The Thin Blue Line (or Red, Green or Yellow, according to the nation) is considered capable of enduring any attack, from cavalry charges to screaming hordes of natives. Although these units look very similar, training, discipline and experience make the difference in a battle: the victory will always belong to the soldiers who can fire faster and better, who can keep the formation regardless fear and losses, who can bayonet-charge the enemy even under a rain of bullets! Légion de Mardierennes, 1ere Compagnie La Légion Etrangère Infanterie de Ligne, 3e Compagnie de New Oleon Infanterie de Ligne, 3eme ("du Roi") Armée de l'Orient Light infantry Traditional doctrines consider light infantry only an auxiliary force to "true" infantry, with the only function of screening allied units and harassing enemy forces. However, especially in the unusual colonial scenario, these light infantry proved to be by far more useful. These soldiers are trained to move and fight in small, agile units, acting independently far from the main body of the army: therefore, they can easily fight in woods or jungles, where the rigid line infantry doctrines would be useless. Light infantry is sometimes equipped with rifles or carabines, rather than with long muskets, and is often employed in difficult missions, such as long-range recognition or raids in areas controlled by the enemies. Volunteer Expeditionary Force 4eme Infanterie du Bois 1ere compagnie chasseurs coloniaux de Astrapi Tirailleurs de Guelph Chasseurs a pied 11eme Compagnie 1ere Légion Pénale Jiangkai tirailleurs Jiangkai chasseurs The Sisters of Our Lady of Artemis Huntresses of Artemis Grenadiers Elite soldiers, trained to throw explosive grenades against the enemies. Despite the name, these soldiers usually fight with muskets and represent a sort of crack force on the battlefield: these soldiers are imposing, aggressive and skillful. No matter if grenadiers are attacking you with muskets, grenades or bayonets... the best option for you is running away! 4eme Pompiers "Les Feuyens" Heavy infantry Until the end of the Forty-Nine Years War, heavy infantry dominated the battlefield: muskets were still slow to load and inaccurate, so battles were often won by pikes, swords and halberds. Even if these units may look antiquated, with their iron morions and heavy armors, they still represent a threat on the battlefield: if they can get close enough to the enemy, they will likely prevail in melee combat. Moreover, armors proved to be very effective in the fights against the natives: their arrows and wooden sticks, in fact, can't simply pierce iron plates! Knights Treasurer Foot Soldier Pioneers/Military engineers Building forts and ramparts, but also roads and bridges, are complex tasks that require specialized soldiers: although they are not properly a fighting force, engineers are often determinant for the victory. Moreover, they often build "civilian" infrastructures in newly colonized areas, therefore contributing to the development of the Empire. The sappers, a specialized branch of the corps, have a completely different role: they must open a safe passage across enemy defenses, a dangerous job that often involves fightings with the enemies. Ingènieurs du Roi, 2eme Compagnie Breshaun Sapeurs-Pompiers Intelligence and transmissions Corps de Transmissions Police and Inquisition La Force Publique La Gendarmerie Royale Naval infantry/Marines Naval infantry and marines represent the joining link between naval and land-based warfare. These units are trained to fight on the decks of ships, but also for landing operations: these brave soldiers go ashore with little rowing boats, often under enemy fire, to conquer strategic positions (such as ports or coastal batteries) or to secure a safe bridgehead for large scale operations. Moreover, marines are also an excellent light infantry, since each platoon and even every single soldier is used to move and operate independently from the others: a forced choice, since tide and wind may scatter a small landing force along miles of the coast! Troupes de Marine Fusiliers Marins Light cavalry Derived from the nomadic raiders of the westernmost nations and from the tribal cavalry of Guelph, it represented for a long time something unusual in Madrician nations. Due to its excellent mobility, this cavalry is perfect for exploration, attacks to enemy supply lines, or chasing down routed enemies. While using these units for a frontal attack against squares of infantry is probably a suicidal move, light cavalry is useful on the battlefield too, for example, to charge moving or unprepared enemy units: even if musket and bayonet give a theoretical advantage to foot soldiers, the mere sight of spears and swords approaching at a frightening speed may easily make him run away! Chevau-légers Lanciers Méharistes, 1e New Olean Compagnie Hussars D'Oleon Chevau-leger Lanciers de New Oleon Heavy cavalry Heirs of the ancient knights, who dominated the battlefields for centuries (from the end of the Empire to the War that Time Forgot, but also later), these soldiers have a simple task on the battlefield: run directly towards the enemies and crack their formation with mere brute force. Even if the golden age of the knights is over, a charge of heavy cavalry can still decide the outcome of the battle. With heavy swords and imposing horses, heavy cavalry smashes into enemy units, opening its way with cold steel; despite this, several soldiers are equipped also with pistols, or short carabines particularly useful for close-quarter fights. Courassiers Mounted infantry Mounted infantry, as the name suggests, is something between infantry and cavalry: these soldiers ride small and fast horses, similar to the ones of light cavalry, but fight mainly on foot. Due to their mobility and versatility, mounted infantry represents a useful resource on the battlefield, but also for irregular and "less honorable" tasks, such as hunting for elusive enemies, raiding enemy territory, or even repressing riots. Dragoons Artillery Probably the strongest argument you can bring to a discussion. Artillery alone can win battles, breaking enemy attacks or weakening defensive lines. Artillery is divided into several sub-specialties, such as foot artillery, siege artillery, or horse artillery. The underlying idea, however, is always the same: take a cannon, bring it near enough to the enemies, and tear them apart with a rain of fire and iron! Artillerie à pied, 6e Compagnie Artillerie à pied, 3e Compagnie de New Oleon 1st Colonial Mountain Artillery Company 17eme Batterie de l'Armée --------------------- Historical troops Western Border Skirmishes, 608 A.E.

Neuburg, El Oleonda, March 624 The longboat was crawling forward in the muddy water. Almost no sound broke the unreal silence, apart from the regular paddle of the oars. One of the soldiers moved slightly, making his bench creak. Another man coughed. Nobody talked. What they had in front of their eyes was too much to accept, even for war-hardened veterans: you can face an enemy line, musket in hand. You can even brace for a cavalry charge, shoulder to shoulder with your comrades, as the world itself seems to crumble. But what can you do, strong or weak, brave or cowardly, when the End of the Days is upon you? When the gods abandon their mercy, and the works of men disappear below the waters? The boat proceeded along the streets of Neuburg, as far as possible from the original riverbed and its unbearable current. Everybody was on edge: the submerged buildings shielded them from the violence of the water, but also hid many threats: a submerged canopy, a tree in a backyard, or even just a floating barrel could represent a trap... and with the alligators lurking in the water, it could have easily become a deadly one! In the distance, the men could constantly hear the distant rumble of the once calm and harmless creek, which had almost swallowed the settlement in just a few hours. The sudden disaster had claimed a heavy toll of lives, and dozens of citizens were still missing... drowned or safe on the nearby hills, nobody could know yet. However, most of the settlers had found shelter on the upper floors of the most robust buildings, or even on their roofs. Safe, for the moment, but at the same time trapped on their tiny islands, with little food or -almost ironically- water. Fortunately for them, help was on the way. Only a few days after the disaster, indeed, ships with the blue flag of Oleon* had appeared in the bay, and the first rescue teams had reached Neuburg with their longboats. At the town hall, General Tristan Rimbaud was facing some unexpected complications. Despite the dire situation, the Burgmeister was reluctant to accept foreign help, and several minutes were needed to convince him that the sovereignty of the Empire of Carno was not being questioned or violated. While looking for his best translation of "sign of friendship between our Empires", Tristan was almost surprised that the other survivors hadn't thrown that arrogant man out of the window... at least not yet! At the end of the useless and extenuating negotiation, the rescue team was allowed inside. The longboat was moored at the first-floor balcony, and the first soldiers ventured inside. If the gods decided to finally show some mercy, all the survivors would soon be provided with food and evacuated to safety. Standing on the roof of a flooded house, however, Tristan was not particularly hopeful about the gods' benevolence. Was there somewhere safe, after all? Concerning tales were arriving from all over the New Haven Region, where wild storms raged and the sea itself had started to boil. Maybe the Finis Dierum had finally come, as some preachers claimed... in that case, kings and queens would have been just as ridiculous as that Carnite mayor, clinging to their power as the World itself was flooded! Tristan didn't know but, at the moment, he couldn't even care. His loyal Raiders had followed him once more, almost literally to Hell, and they still had a mission to complete: people were in danger, and, at least for that day, they could still be saved. Screw the preachers! If the End of the Days was upon them, they would have faced it head-on, not crying and kneeling in some temple! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The rescue team inside the building: A soldier looking for survivors on the first floor... a dangerous task, as the floor could collapse at any moment! Looking for a mooring point. Will that piece of furniture be heavy enough? A soldier with a battlefield stretcher: lightweight and easy to carry, but robust enough to carry a man out of harm's way! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional angles: Neuburg mayor at the window, with a lantern signaling the presence of survivors. A Carnite soldier inside the building. Waiting for help, but also ready to repel possible looters. The longboat, with the soldiers ready to divert floating objects or fend off alligators. An overall view, from a bird's eye perspective..

LeBellan, Old Mission of Zeus of Breshaun, February 620 Name: Legiòn de Mardierennes, 1ere Compagnie Unit size: Company Type: Line infantry Motto: Per Re Filippo e per Oleon! The last two years represented a harsh awakening for the Empire of Mardier. The colonial army, the navy, the Bumble Tuna commercial fleet… everything crumbled under the enemy cannonballs. Terraversa and Isla de Medio were lost, and entire units simply ceased to exist. With Eslandola ruling the waves, hundreds of soldiers, functionaries and civilians were left behind. Some of them accepted to remain under the rule of their enemies, while several others resettled in the near colonies of Corrington and Oleon. In Breshaun, a new company was formed with expatriated Mardierians, mainly from the garrisons of Terraversa and Isla de Medio, but also some of the few survivors of the Admiral Cadiz's expedition to Charlatan Bay, recently evacuated by Tristan Rimbaud. The members of the Legiòn de Mardierennes (Legion of Mardierians) are equipped with the same weapons of the regular army, but wear peculiar uniforms and are led by Mardierian officers. Although most of the Mardierian volunteers are already veterans, they received some weeks of training in the old Mission of Zeus in Breshaun, converted in barracks a few years before. The training included marches, bayonet drills and firing in the shooting range, as usual... ...but also lessons of Oleander language and culture, especially for the officers. As several times in the past and in other nations, the members of this company of expatriates will become loyal members of the Royal Army, while keeping a proud memory of their origin. Per Re Filippo e per Oleon! The uniform of the Legion

Located in the main sanctuary dedicated to Poseidon, on the northern coast of Oleon mainland, this little chapel is the place where the Priests of the Tides pronounce their vows.  This little temple hangs on the shore, only a few meters far from the Ocean. Therefore, many choose the place to meditate in silence, trying to find their answers in the voice of the Lord of the Seas. In the Sanctuary, as well as in most the places sacred to Poseidon, a military order ensures safety of priests and pilgrims. It is mostly a ceremonial duty, but the Knights of the Order of the Trident should not be faced lightheartedly in a real fight! —————— As I intended to license this little shrine as a small art and culture in Mainland Oleon, the rules required me to create a separate post. I used the same build in the joint AMRCA I started with @Ross Fisher, @Khorneand @Jeff of Clubs, that you can find here.

Somewhere in the Great Northern Ocean, Summer 620 The wind blew wild, as it probably did since the beginning of time at that latitude. Despite this, the sails were still more or less intact, waving in the cold air as if they were still pushing the ship towards the horizon, something very sad to see for a sailor. In the temples, the preachers always described Tartarus as a desert of fire and flames… probably because they had never been so far in the North! It had probably been an Oleander ship, a small but elegant schooner: "Le Terreur", according to the copper plate on the stern. Surprisingly, it didn't seem fit for fishing or whaling, the only two things that people could do in those waters. "Nobody on sight, Captain!" Yelled a sailor, trying to overcome the continuous whistle of the wind. It was midsummer, but that only meant that freezing to death was a little less likely. "This ship must be here since the last winter, or they wouldn't have abandoned it yet." Sometimes it happened that imprudent whalers didn't leave the northern waters soon enough, and they remained trapped in the pack. When this happened, their only chance of survival was remaining on their ship, trying not to starve and hoping not to be crushed by the sheer force of drifting ice. Most often, ship and crew simply disappeared, and some whisky was poured on tavern floors in their memory. "Probably even longer. No big thaw has occurred since the 617, probably it was trapped that year, when the long night came back again. And only Zeus knows where it happened... those blocks of ice are alive, and when they grow southward they can carry anything with them." Probably they were just high tales, but the captain remember well the stories about polar bears or whole native families that drifted on icebergs as South as Pontilla. "But don't get distracted again, Tom! If the natives stole our boat we would be in a real mess!" The captain continued: "They must have left the ship when the food started running low, but I wouldn't bet a coin on their survival. Even if they were near to the Northern Coast, they could have been at least five hundred miles far from the nearest civilized settlement. But, if they were lucky, they could still have found a native village." "If natives didn't slit throat to them all first when the ship was trapped. Like rats in a barrel" Unsurprisingly, this comment came from Arana, the tattooed harpooner from the Unconquered Islands… probably not a nice place to visit, considering how lightly he talked about killings and violence. "Maybe there are no corpses because the natives ate them." Nobody really wanted to know why, now and then, Arana talked about cannibalism, but probably it was a reason more to avoid his motherland. "Mmm, I don't think so… we have found some supplies, down in the hold, and everything seemed in quite good order. No, the ship wasn't sacked! Wait… I think I've found something!" A little envelope of oilcloth emerged from the snow covering the deck. On the wax seal, a little crown and a Fleur de Lys flanked two crossed anchors. Every sailor in Halos would have recognized that little symbol: that unfortunate crew was on a mission for His Majesty the King himself, and for sure not for some fishing! "Guys, the whales will be safe for a while! We must return to the motherland as soon as possible!" The sailors replied with some grunts… losing a whaling season could mean hunger, but the captain usually knew what he did. For sure, that little envelope jingled as if it contained some shiny, glittering doubloons... handling it intact to a crown officer, however, could be even more remunerative! This is a little anticipation of my AMRCA, which will probably be frozen (sorry for the bad pun) until the end of the challenge! It will start with the search for a lost expedition, somewhere in the icy North!

Official Dispatch. If you are not the intended Oleonic recipient, report to the nearest Force Publique agent for summary execution. Dated this the 14th day of December of the 623rd year After Empire. From the office of Colonel Gerard DuQuesne, Chief of the General Staff of Guerin Godefrey de Tourment, Marechal d'Oleon, No. 12 Mardier Square, Breshaun. Dictated and Read. The following materials are to be reprinted at the expense of the Crown (rebate vouchers issued pending proof of circulation) and distributed throughout His Most Gracious Majesty's Colonies in the New Haven Sea regardless of convenience; After review of the Battle of Seawatch, it is the opinion of the Chief of Staff's Office that casualties were higher than anticipated. In order to rectify this shortcoming in future armed disputes, an Infantry Primer has been ordered into production. Excerpts from said text follow; ... ... Signed via proxy, Colonel Gerard DuQuesne. Chief of Staff. OOC: clearing out the backlog in anticipation for Era 3! Thanks, ♧

Garvian League Guildhouse Part of Fort Arltrees Foreign Merchants' District Since the very first days of the Age of Discovery, ships with the flag of Garvey were a common sight in the New World. When the ports of the Mardierian colonies were still closed to all the other Madrician Nations, indeed, the Garvian smugglers already visited them with regularity, mooring in hidden bays and eluding the hunt of Lotii patrols. Over the years, the Garvians strengthened their presence beyond the line, establishing their own settlements and even winning a colonial war against Mardier in 617 A.E. In the last years, however, they had started to fall a little behind the other nations: Freeport and Leopaldis remained little more than small towns, and no settlements were established east of Prio. The relations between Oleon and Garvey had never been hostile, but they never were particularly warm either. Everybody knew that the Empire of Light and Mardier were close friends, and that only reasons of political opportunity kept Oleon out of the Garvey-Mardierian War... in those days, everybody in Freeport feared to see a row of blue banners appearing on the horizon! International politics had its rules, however, and holding grudges with one of the most powerful empires never seemed a good idea. Nobody was therefore particularly surprised when the Garvian League, the powerful guild of merchants dictating most of Garvey colonial policies, asked to establish a seat in Fort Arltrees trading district. Due to the close relations between Carno and Garvey, several dispatches were exchanged every day between the Essian and the Garvian delegations... too bad for the messengers that the two buildings are almost at the opposite ends of the district! The Guildhouse was garrisoned by a little unit of Garvian marines, wearing the dark blue uniform of the infantry. Due to the tight connections between the mercantile companies and the government, the Guildhouse was one of the few buildings in the District guarded by a contingent of regular soldiers, and not by private guards or trade company troops. On the upper floor, the small office was largely occupied by a long table. Due to the corporative nature of the Garvian League, representing rich merchant families, trading companies, and the merchants' guilds of different cities, important decisions often required complex discussions among the different representatives. In Fort Arltrees, so far from both the motherland and the main Garvian colonies, the seven available seats were rarely all occupied, and most votes were delivered by letter. At the moment, the Garvian representative had just signed an agreement to supply Seawatch with food and other supplies coming from Fort Altrees farms: while the siege was over, the fields around the town were still largely abandoned and devastated by trenches and other earthworks. With the Lotii war junks still lurking in New Haven Seas, the ability of the Garvian smugglers could once again come to good use! The lower floor of the building, instead, was completely occupied by a warehouse. Due to the absence of large distilleries in the growing settlement, the import of rhum produced in the Prio Sea Colonies was a particularly profitable business, even if the delivery journey was long and difficult. Garvian sailors didn't have particularly good fame in the colonies of the New World: they were considered excellent seamen, but also undisciplined, violent, and a little too eager to turn to piracy. They hadn't created specific problems in Fort Arltrees yet, but the city watch passed twice as often in front of the taverns where they meet than in any other area of the city! Another thing Garvian sailors were renowned for was gambling: differently from other navies, the Garvian one allowed cards and dice on board, even though the punishments for ensuring brawls were severe. Never challenge a Garvian in a game of card, if you want to keep your money and your shirt!

The battle was won, and the enemy was retreating... southwards or eastwards, to form a new defensive line between the advancing enemies and the city of Oryant. Only a few hours before, the shock troopers of the Empire had shattered the first line of the Lotii: after slicing through the defenses as a blade in the butter, they assaulted batteries, deposits and command points, causing absolute havoc among the enemy troops. Despite the complete victory, nobody among the soldiers of Oleon was celebrating any longer: during one of the first assaults, General Hercule François was hit by a stray bullet. The old commander was brought by his soldiers' hands to a farm outside Seawatch, but the red stain widening on the uniform left little hope for his survival. Almost by chance, one of the soldiers started humming, soon followed by another, and then another one. It was an old, sad song from Western Eranos, Tristan's motherland... the mourning of the soldiers for their dying officer, killed in one of the uncountable border wars. He had heard his chasseurs singing it dozens of times, but that day... that day it felt different, with their general on his deathbed. "The Captain of the Company / is wounded and he's about to die / he sends word to his chasseurs / so that they can come and see him." None of the officers Tristan had lost had had that luxury... not the old Captain Montier, drowned in his blood with an arrow in the neck, back in a dark Varcosian wood, nor the brave Major Artaud, found under a pile of dead Salleeki pirates, the sword still in hand. But going without a word wouldn't definitely halve been General François’ style, thought Tristan with a half smile. "His chasseurs go tell him / they have not shoes to walk there. / Shoes or not shoes, shoes or not shoes / I want my chasseurs here now!" In the old song, the soldiers are tired, tattered, and wounded. They are far, and they have to walk with broken shoes. On El Oleonda, the bluecoats were ready to gather around their commander, forming a wall around him. Their uniforms and their flags shane as a beacon in the jungle, despite the stains of mud and blood: no irregulars, natives or scouts, around the wounded general, but the best line infantry of the Empire. He would have been proud of his men, if he could fully realise what was happening around him... "What are the orders, Captain, Sir? / Your chasseurs now have arrived! / I command that my body / in five pieces it shall be cut!" Gruesome, yet somehow poetic... nobody even questioned why the wounded captain of the song could want that weird ritual, or how could the receivers of those weird "gifts" react. That was the tradition, the rhyme sung around the fires in the cold nights of Eranos and in the Varcosian woods... and so let the captain be sectioned by the singers one more time, without inappropriate doubts! General François didn’t ask anything similar, but still all his officers were gathered around him, to listen for his final words. "The first piece to her, the Motherland / so that she can remember her soldier. / The second piece to the battalion / so they remember their captain." General François had several defects, he was arrogant and loved the wine a little too much... but, for sure, he was a true patriot and an excellent soldier. Under his command, the soldiers felt unstoppable, as they charged with the banners flying in the wind. Despite his rank, he fought on the first line, pistol in hand, alongside his beloved bluecoats. No, the motherland and the army would never forget General Hercule François, with or without a piece of his body! Tristan realized that he had tears in his eyes, and that by now all the soldiers were singing, even the ones who had never been in Eranos. "The third piece to my dear mother / so that she can remember her son. / The fourth part to my sweetheart / so that she remembers her first love." Well, General François' mother was since long gone, and that left one spare part... that could come to use, considering the rumors. One part should probably have gone to Guemain Manor, to the General's widow, and another to the village, to the house of a certain peasant girl. A little François could already have been born, by the time the sad news arrived back in the motherland... "The last part to my woods / that will cover it with roses and flowers." Tristan didn't know where the General would have found his final rest... maybe in the woods of Gueiman, back in the motherland, or in a mausoleum there on El Oleonda. For sure he would have not lacked the flowers. The fallen commander would have been remembered among the heroes of Oleon, and the citizens of the Empire would have paid homage to his tomb for the next centuries. The song was over. The men marched on in silence, pushing forward the captured Lotii cannon: the light infantry of the allied forces was forming an advanced line on the hills south of Seawatch, in case of an enemy counterstrike. Meanwhile, the main forces were reorganizing, preparing for the next blow towards Oryant. Colonel Beauchamp had just taken command of the Oleonese contingent: everyone was still mourning the General, but the war was far from being over. The Siege of Seawatch, the Raid on Jiangkai, and now the death of General François... yes, the war was far from being over. And soon, that cannon would have been put to good use! ------------------------------ Just a quick reaction to the last KPA, and a heartfelt farewell to General Hercule François. Some of the builds are mine, others are from @Ross Fisher (pics 2, 4, and 6) and @Jeff of Clubs (pic 5). The song from Eranos is actually a famous, very sad, song of the Italian Alpine troops (The Captain's Last Will), dating back to WWI, and translated more or less literally. However, songs about wounded generals asking to be buried in multiple places have existed since at least the 16th century, with the Song of the Marquis of Salluzzo.

Terraversan Commonwealth Rum-Runners Part of the Fort Arltrees Foreign Merchants' District Close to the southern end of the Foreign Merchants' District, the East Terraversan commercial delegation represented the greatest surprise for most of the inhabitants of Fort Arltrees. Only three years before, Terraversa and Oleon had faced each other in a bitter war, and only the military intervention of Corrington and Eslandola -both on the island and in other areas of the archipelago- prevented a complete victory of the Empire of Light. However, while not completely defeated, independent Terraversa itself didn't survive the war. The eastern region of the island declared independence from the capital, in open rebellion against Archduke Oldis, giving rise to the Commonwealth of Terraversa. At the moment, the Commonwealth was struggling to recover from the war and, despite its dreams of freedom, it had de facto almost become a vassal state of Corrington. Allowing a commercial delegation of the Commonwealth on El Oleonda, together with the ferry built between North and South Sillitholina, represented an important attempt towards the normalization of the relations between Granoleon and Westface, even if doubts and mistrust still existed on both sides. An official Terraversan consulate in an Oleonese colony or formal trade agreements between the two nations was still far too much for both sides. Instead, an office and a small warehouse of a trading company represented a less "official" step, but still allowed some informal contact between the governments. If things worked well, an RNTC office might have appeared in Tarlor or Westface, in the future, breaking the almost complete monopoly of Corrington on the trade of the young nation. The name of the company, the Terraveran Commonwealth Rum-Runners, seemed appropriate for a band of smugglers... and actually it had started as such during the Mardierian rule, before the Terraversan Revolution granted it some respectability. Quite unsurprisingly, the acronym TCRR (with the "C" added after the Westface Secession) was often preferred, especially in official documents. The uniforms of the TCRR guards were clearly inspired by the ones of Corrish soldiers, even though their training was not even comparable with the one of Her Majesty's Royal Marines: with the militias still in place, even the regular army of the Commonwealth lacked men with military experience. A couple of soldiers guarded the entrance, while a figure in black slipped through the door, with an envelope of papers in hand. A simple merchant or someone else? An Oleonese diplomat? Or maybe a Corrish agent? The core business of the TCRR in Fort Arltrees -despite its name- was not Rum, but vanilla. The only known source of this valuable spice was Jameston, on Cascadia Island, but small vanilla crops existed also on El Oleonda. Due to the huge distance from the motherland, and the limited amount of production, Fort Arltrees couldn't compete with Jameston in this profitable business (not yet, at least), but the profit margin was still interesting. The TCRR office was small and overcrowded: bags and cases of vanilla pods occupied any available space, together with maps and piles of documents. The flintlock pistol on the director's desk, a memory of his past in the Terraversan Revolution, tended to make all the reports particularly fast and concise. Even though the Corrish influence was starting to take place in some aspects of the Commonwealth administration, the influence of Mardierian culture was still clearly recognizable: for example, in the overly decorated uniforms, or the baroque still-life painting hanging on a wall. Only time would have told whether the relations between the Commonwealth and Oleon could sooner or later normalize, or if the business of the TCRR in Fort Arltrees was destined to last. Profitable trade between two nations, sometimes, could be a good reason to avoid unnecessary wars between them! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The reason why the TCRR could only dispose of the lower floor was also the only reason why that small company could afford a place in the Foreign Merchants' District of Fort Arltrees. The reason had a name and a surname: Professor Alejandro Coronel, archeologist, writer, philosopher, and, as a hobby, occultist. This peculiar character was not interested at all in the vanilla trade, but had a desperate need to move on El Oleonda... something not easy, for a citizen of the Corrish-aligned Commonwealth. Therefore, he paid a significant portion of the settling taxes for the TCRR, and personally financed the construction of the building. In return, he occupied the whole upper floor and obtained from the company a passage to the island, as well as the promise to support him in all his future enterprises. The studio of this peculiar character was completely occupied by a variety of "findings": a variety of idols, ritual masks, maps, scrolls written in ancient languages, and many other objects. In an (apparent?) chaos, Atwi idols were positioned side by side with antiquities from Tellvok, Tyree'De artifacts, and ancient codices written by the first Mardierian explorers. Professor Coronel had heard about the ruins of an ancient city on El Oleonda, and hoped to finally prove his extravagant theory. Indeed, he firmly believed that an ancient civilization once existed in the East, far before recorded history: after ruling most of both the Old and the New World, that Empire had somehow disappeared, leaving mankind in the darkness for thousands of years. Even the Great Pyramids "of Tellvok", according to Professor Coronel, were actually an artifact of that ancient empire. How could all the other archeologists not understand this truth? Despite the plot of the Order of the Faith to conceal the truth, the signs were hidden in plain sight, if one just looked for them! Even the tarots, considered by many a senseless superstition, also told a part of the story... the Rising Sun, the East; the Broken Tower, a clear hint to the cataclysm that had destroyed the ancient empire. Little mattered if other symbols didn’t have an obvious meaning, all of them must have been in a way or the other allegories of the ancient disaster! Most of the academics laughed at him, but he would have proven all of them wrong! He only needed to find the proof of his theory somewhere in the archipelago, possibly even there on El Oleonda... the large islands of New Haven Seas were clearly part of the ancient continent, swollen by the merciless Ocean millennia before! He would have laughed last, he was sure… Even if most considered him a lunatic, and the TCRR guards hoped never to be chosen to accompany him in his expeditions (actually they had placed bets on how soon he would have disappeared in the jungle), Professor Coronel had actually done some important discoveries, down in Tellvok. Only time will tell if the Professor will be able to discover something about the ancient civilisation of El Oleonda, despite his weird theories, or if he will get lost in the interior. For sure, you will probably hear about him in the future!

Fort Arltrees, El Oleonda, November 623 War was still raging on El Oleonda, somewhere in the East, but the inhabitants of Fort Arltrees weren't particularly concerned. The enemy army was reorganizing around Oryant and Luyang, and the only immediate threat to the Fort was represented by bands of Lotii stragglers and Carnite deserters: they still created some troubles for the most isolated farms... but, after all, that was the New World, and always keeping the musket at hand didn't seem something particularly unusual. Therefore, during the previous months, the settlement kept growing steadily: the arrival of the allied contingent required more warehouses for the supplies, more workshops to fix the carriages, more blacksmiths, more stables, and obviously houses and taverns for all the workers. The gold mine and the farms also contributed to attracting a third wave of colonists, ready to seek their fortune in this remote corner of the Empire. With the allied fleet securing the main trade routes, and the safety offered by the imposing fortifications, the wealth of El Oleonda started attracting enterprising men from all over the Empire, but also from abroad. In Fort Arltrees, merchants from foreign nations were encouraged to settle and start their businesses in a dedicated district, close to the commercial port. In the plans of the local authorities, the presence of foreign merchants in the settlement will further boost the economy of the settlement, encouraging more regular visits from the Madrician commercial fleets. On the other hand, Oleon doesn't want to repeat the mistakes made by Mardier with Terraversa: closing the port to the other nations would only encourage them to try establishing their own footholds in the New Haven Seas, with no control or advantage for the Empire of Light. Several nations established a commercial emporium in the settlement: these little buildings represented at the same time warehouses, offices of the commercial delegation, and informal embassies. To avoid crossing too much one another's path, each trading company specialized in a few specific wares: trading from and to the very corner of the map is already complicated enough, and nobody wants to start pointless concurrencies! In the Foreign Merchants' District, hundreds of doubloons change hands every day: a single ship loaded with spices, dyes, or sugar may be worth a real fortune back in the Madrician nations, while some relatively common goods produced in the motherland or in the Western Islands might be rare and expensive in the New Haven region. In the District, it is also possible to hire captains, ships, and crews of almost any nationality, to circumvent the current political complications: for a fair price, you could get a shipment of Lotii porcelains, or even get a passage to the Southern Kingdoms on a neutral ship; needless to say, this is also of great interest for the secret services, and the "Altonian salesman" who just embarked for the Lotus Empire could easily be an agent of Corrington or Oleon, an ambassador involved in secret talks, or even a Lotii spy! Sailing under a foreign flag can also allow a safer journey to Fort Arltrees for rich passengers, valuable objects... or both, as in the case of the famous painter who has just been hired by the Garvian delegation! A real army of porters works in the district and in the nearby port: hundreds of crates, barrels, and bags have to be moved every day from the ships to the warehouses, or vice versa. Not everything, however, is worth its weight in gold, as in the case of the shipment of fruit and vegetables just delivered to the Mardierian delegation. Even if Fort Arltrees looked very different from the small hamlet of wooden shacks of only a couple of years before, the settlement was still very different from the most civilized cities of the Western Islands. Despite the fancy buildings of the District, trappers and boucaniers are still a common sight in the settlement, and the inhabitants are not particularly picky about the possible meanings of "roasted venison"... differently from that Altonian officer, who would probably think twice before visiting a local tavern! Unfortunately, the development of Fort Arltrees also started to attract a few scoundrels and petty criminals... apparently an unavoidable price of progress and prosperity, in the New World exactly as in the Old one. This officer from East Terraversa should have been a little more watchful while telling tall tales about the Glorious Revolution of 616... Citizens of Southern descent represent a relevant minority, as some inhabitants of Jiangkai resettled in Fort Arltrees after the destruction of the settlement. Some Monomonto swordsmen, abandoned by their own comrades and simply left behind, asked to serve in the Grande Armèe of Oleon: most of them were enlisted in the King's Musketeers, a unit already well-known for the swashbuckling skills of its members... if with a rapier or a katana, apparently, makes little difference for the recruiting officers. ------------------------------ A list of foreign commercial missions: The Essener New World Trading Company The Ferrer Family Commercial Enterprise The Altonian Commercial Mission Miroslav Dobric's Trading Emporium Garvian League Guildhouse Terraversan Commonwealth Rum-Runners ----------------------------- OOC: This diorama includes several little details, including a full interior for most of the builds. Therefore, apart from text completion, expect it to remain “alive” For the next few days, as I figure out the best way to assemble/move/reorganize the different parts! In particular, I plan to add individual posts for each building in this thread, so stay tuned!

Miroslav Dobric's Trading Emporium Part of the Foreign Merchants' Trading District of Fort Arltrees Far in the West, back in the Old World, lay the country of Varcoast. With the discovery of a whole New World, people rarely remembered this small and poor neighbor of Oleon. Nestled among the Madrice Peninsula and the steppes of the Continent, Varcoast was out of the main trading routes and had never attempted to change that. With its dark forests, the unforgiving weather, and its tiny, wooden villages, the country seemed indeed to have remained out of time, still trapped in the Dark Ages. Only a few merchants traveled along the roads connecting the main Varcosian cities with the Oleonese border, mostly for some livestock or wool fairs: a difficult journey along bad roads of dirt, plagued by wolves, brigands, and, even worse, arbitrary taxes imposed by the local lords. The Nation of Varcoast never attempted to colonize New Terra, and only a handful of Varcosians were ever seen in the colonies. Therefore, the Governor was rather surprised when he received a letter from a Varcosian merchant, Monsieur Miroslav Dobric, asking for settling and trading rights in Fort Arltrees. The little building established by the Varcosian delegation would probably fit better in a little town of the motherland, than in a lively city of the New World. A little out of place or not, Dobric's Commercial Emporium was bringing to Fort Arltrees an interesting number of Doubloons and silver Talers, so nobody cared particularly about the antiquated architecture. The Varcosian contingent also looked particularly unusual, when compared to the troops of the other Madrician nations. Wearing an iron helmet and a brigandine, an armor made of heavy cloth and small steel plates, these soldiers seemed more ready to fight a dragon than for a modern battlefield. Completely outdated at first look, this equipment could save a soldier's life back in the motherland, where the brigands and the raiders from the Western steppes still used bows and swords as often as muskets. El Oleonda, however, was far warmer than the Varcosian woods, and the soldiers on guard were severely put to the test by the tropical sun. On the ground floor, in a corner of the warehouse, an officer was enjoying some rest from duty, together with a little glass of liquor. The Varcosians had brought with them a large amount of rakija, a strong spirit made from plums, which soon gained popularity among the inhabitants of Fort Arltrees. The little warehouse also contained several caskets of indigo dye, produced in the nearby settlement of Jiangkai and dried in small bricks. Back in the Old World, blue was a particularly appreciated color, but most of the available pigments were either insanely expensive (as the Mokolei lapis lazuli) or not particularly resistant. For sure, the imported indigo would soon have made the vests of wealthy Varcosians far more colorful! The upper floor of the building contained a small, bare office, largely occupied by barrels, caskets, and more bottles of imported spirits. Various benches and a robust table represented the only pieces of furniture in the room, while a Varcosian flag hanging from a wooden wall was the only visible decoration. During his periods of leave in Fort Arltrees, General Tristan Rimbaud was often a welcome guest of Monsieur Dobric. The lands of the Rimbaud Family, where Tristan was born, were only a few miles from the Western Border, and Varcosian was almost his mother language. Tristan had last been to his family manor almost five years before, and receiving recent news from the Old West was always a pleasant surprise for him... even if, in this case, it also meant being offered a glass of strong spirit after the other, a typical aspect of Varcosian hospitality! The rakija, a strong spirit obtained from the distillation of fermented plums, apples, apricots, and other fruits. Typical of Varcoast, it was also popular in Pontilla and Western Oleon regions.

Name: Fort Arltrees Ownership: Squatter settlement founded by Tristan Rimbaud Location: El Oleonda, New Haven Sea Map: Mayor: Lieutenant Marcel Dubois (@Keymonus) Who can own property in Fort Arltrees: Citizens of all the Empires, and the independent traders who call themselves "Sea Rats" Who can freebuild in Fort Arltrees: Citizens of all the Empires, and the independent traders who call themselves "Sea Rats" Description: Fort Arltrees was founded as a small military outpost during the first El Oleonda Campaign. The nearest settlement, Fatu Hiva, was several hundreds of miles far from El Oleonda, and the Kingdom of the Light needed a stable foothold in the area. The fort was at first nothing more than a fortified camp with a few warehouses and a pier, a place where soldiers could rest and friendly ships could resupply. Located in a little bay on the North-Western Coast, Fort Arltrees is in a strategic position between the Carnite cities in the West and the Lotii settlements in the East, and also represents an excellent starting point to explore the northern part of the archipelago. The settlement is surrounded by a thick tropical jungle, but a nearby river -recently named River Rimbaud- offers easy access to the interior. Most of El Oleonda inland is still unexplored, but the recent expeditions have mapped quite well the surroundings of Fort Arltrees. The first expeditions in the interior confirmed a limited presence of other nations in the area -substantially some small military units hunting one another- and found a number of small native villages, likely inhabited also by indigenous people and early Lotii explorers stranded on the island. The jungle around Fort Arltrees is also spotted with large ruins, ancient roads, and a system of canals, likely remains of an advanced civilization. During the last months, the settlement has grown quickly: after the end of the first hostilities, the small tent camp surrounded by a palisade has grown into a bustling, large town. The first wooden shacks were soon replaced by large stone buildings, including a new impressive fort guarding the bay. However, small wooden buildings such as farms and hunter shelters are common in the outskirts of the settlement. Despite the fast development, Fort Arltrees is still a frontier settlement, where life is hard and can end with a sudden, violent death. However, thanks to the new, imposing fortifications, it is very unlikely that Fort Arltrees can be simply wiped out of history. War is raging again on El Oleonda, but everyone feels safe inside the settlement, and both businesses and services are rising. Outside the palisade, on the contrary, almost everyone carries a musket in everyday activities: the natives of El Oleonda are mostly friendly, but bands of both Carnite and Lotii stragglers still haunt the jungle. Even if the settlement has grown quickly, most of the future buildings are expected to be simple stone or wooden structures, and development plans are still focused on the basic needs of the inhabitants. Most of the residents are currently soldiers, hunters and adventurers, but more and more colonists are looking for fortune on El Oleonda. With the growth of the population and of the settlement economy, large stone builds have appeared in Fort Arltrees, and important urban development plans are ongoing. Outside the settlement, instead, most of the buildings are still simple wooden houses and small farms, often fortified against the bandits. More Information on El Oleonda: El Oleonda is one of the four main islands of the New Haven Sea region. Like most of the lands of the New World, it is largely covered by jungle and thick tropical forests, but grasslands, marshes, and a variety of other biomes are also present. The central part of El Oleonda is crossed by a range of rocky hills, one of the highest in the whole New World. The island is inhabited by several native tribes, each with its unique traditions and culture. Moreover, the abandoned ruins of an ancient civilization (imposing temples, canal systems, even large cities) are scattered all over the island, and often host the -far more modest- settlements of El Oleonda tribes. In 620, El Oleonda was the theatre of one of the major wars of the Second Era of colonization: tensions and fights between Carno and Lotus Empire quickly escalated into an open war. The Madrician Empires were soon directly involved in the conflict, with the military campaigns against the Lotii forces and the Lotii raids against Spudkirk and Jiangkai. You can find more about the first El Oleonda Campaign here or in the spoiler below. Garrison: 1 Company of Essener Totenköpfe El Oleonda Ragamuffins - local militia unit Builds in Fort Arltrees: Please post a link to your build and specify if licensed or not. Licensed properties: 37 Size for EGS purposes - Level 4 'Large Town’ Properties required for the next level Artisan: 10/8 Commerce: 14/8 Cultural: 7/2 Educational: 4/3 Factory: 8/8 Residence: 13/8 Royal: 0/1 Total points: 69/61 Notable Events: A fort in the jungle - Founding of the settlement, in February 620 The Battle for El Oleonda - The First El Oleonda War, started after the Lotii raid against Spudkirk The Seawatch Campaign - Military campaign of allied Madrician Nations (Carno, Corrington, Eslandola, and Oleon) against the Lotii forces on El Oleonda, started after the Siege of Seawatch and the Lotii raid against Jiangkai The Foreign Merchants' District - A new commercial district of the settlement, attracting several merchants from foreign nations Residence: Fort Arltrees Vicarage - medium Hotel in Fort Arltrees - small Tree House - small An Essener House - small Marshal DeQuesne’s Flat - small Homestead - large A mostly warm reception - small Forward HQ Corrington Expeditionary Force - small Tamish bothy - small Fort Arltrees brig - small Factory: Vin de riz brewery - medium Small Factory Sawmill - small Smoked meat for the Fort - small Candy Factory - small Smith’s Smithy - large Plantation: A'Chua's people - small Rice Plantation - medium LBSF wheat farm - large Mine: The mine at the World's End - gold mine Artisan: The Tavern - large Fort Arltrees Bazaar - large Mr. Shur's Lotii Curiosities - small Ship repairing workshop - small Rimbaud Aqueduct - medium Commerce: Sutler's shop - small Lighthouse of Fort Arltrees - medium Small Commercial Wharf - small Dress Shop - small Among thieves - small Fort Arltrees military HQ - medium The Altonian Commercial Mission - small The Ferrer Family Commercial Enterprise - small The Essener New World Trading Company - small Terraversan Commonwealth Rum-Runners - small Garvian League Guildhouse - small Miroslav Dobric's Trading Emporium - small Education: A Little Schoolhouse - small Fort Arltrees public school - large Art & Culture: Church of Hades - large House of the Ancestors - medium Gardens of Poseidon- medium Forts: Fort Arltrees - small Gatekeeper Point - large Unlicensed Builds (similar to EGS properties): Essian Reiterhaus - a small garrison of Essian light cavalry Other Freebuilds (not similar to EGS properties): Sweet, sweet rotten eggs - A sulfurous spring, somewhere in the interior Monsieur le Filon - Prospecting outside Fort Arltrees found a gold vein A patrol encounters a bear outside the settlement - an unpleasant accident Return to the Tyree'dee - Bishop François returns to El Oleonda Introducing General Hercule François - General Hercule François arrives at the settlement Adieu, mon général - General Hercule François is deadly wounded during the Battle of Seawatch

April 622, Somewhere not far from Seawatch, New Haven Sea "Hoist the mainsail, ya scurvy dogs!" - the captain was yelling at the top of his lungs, but hearing him in the whistle of the wind was still very difficult- "Let's see if those fishing boats wanna dance with us!". The "fishing boats" had just rounded the promontory, one mile behind, and were closing in fast... but as soon as they left the cover of the shore the waves started to hit them with their full strength. The sailors of the Stormchaser laughed wildly as the three junks started to swing and list dangerously, the sails flapping out of control: they could imagine the chaos, the soldiers slipping and rolling on the deck, the wheel spinning around... for that day, their chase was definitely over! "Brace yourselves lads! Give me more jib and say farewell to those bilge rats!" The little crew roared and ran to the ropes. Soon, the Lotii would have turned back to their port, seasick and humiliated, and Seawatch would have been fed for one more day. The Stormchaser, and many other little ships with her, were the last, weak connection between Seawatch and the rest of the world: the settlement was surrounded, and all the roads had been cut. However, the Lotii junks blockading the port were not as fast and seaworthy as the Madrician sloops. When the sea became rough, therefore, brave and slightly mad captains tried the dangerous routes from Fort Arltrees or Spudkirk, defying the storms and the enemy patrols. They were called Sturmreitern, the riders of the storms, because that was exactly what they did: riding the waves and the winds, that the Lotii didn’t dare to face! Some considered them smugglers and profiteers, others called them heroes and saints... whatever the truth, their cargoes of dried meat, hardtack and gunpowder allowed Seawatch to survive. Before departure, the boat had been stripped of anything less than essential, then barrels and crates were fastened in every empty space. The little ship must remain as light and fast as possible, but the cargo had to be worth the risks! "Port ahead, Cap! I see the lighthouse!" The little port tower had been shelled several times, but somehow it was still standing. They had completed another passage, one more line to carve on the mast. Now the waves seemed funnier, and everyone was laughing and cheering... apart from the Carnite officer they had taken on board, who was still a little too green to talk! ---------- Front view of the Stormchaser A side view of the ship and its support ------------------------- After a week on a sailboat, I can finally present you the Stormchaser, which I completed soon before my departure! I'm thinking of licensing it as class 2 or 3 (suggestions appreciated: 22 studs at the waterline, 40 at the deck, excluding the bow mast). This is an idea I had before the siege of Seawatch was lifted, but I never had a chance to complete it. Now that the "humanitarian smuggling" task of the Stormchaser is over, it can move to more profitable businesses!

The Ajax is an 18-gun sloop-of-war carrying the Oleonaise royal colours. I think she's probably a class 6, but I'd be keen to hear opinions on that. Not sure what to do with her. I'll probably sell her to the nation or the RNTC, but this may be the point at which I finally give in and join the EGS. I also don't have any backstory, so if you wanna invent that for me, I'd be much obliged.

Ice, probably the weirdest good ever traded after the discovery of the New World: worthless for the ones who own it, but impossible to buy, no matter how rich they are, for the ones who don't have it. Nevertheless, frozen water is a quite useful commodity: ice and snow, stored in dedicated cellars during winter, have been used for centuries by the Halosians for the most different purposes, from preserving perishable foods to preparing slush and ice creams, from providing relief to the feverish people to cooling the drinks of the wealthiest nobles. Storing clean snow in a ice house. This is a common winter activity in the Old World, especially in Northern regions. All the ones who moved in the New World, however, had to reconcile themselves with a simple fact: the temperate weather of their motherlands is one thousand miles away, and here in the archipelago you can't collect snow and keep it for the summer, since there is no snow to collect. And, in the scorching summer of Breshaun, under the sun of Mesabi Landing or in the sultriness of Pontelli, you have no way to keep fish or meat eatable for more than a couple of days, unless you cover them with salt, or to drink something cold, unless you have the stomach to add some saltpetre to your grog. Starting from this problem, Charles Lautrec, an Oleander merchant, decided to start a new business, something never seen before: collect ice in Altonia, during winter, store it in insulated warehouses and then ship it to the archipelago. Charles Lautrec, the Ice King The first voyage was a complete failure, the cargo melted and monsieur Lautrec almost bankrupted. His enterprise, considered by most a complete insanity, was noticed by the René Duchamp, the financial administrator of Rimbaud family, who decided to finance the ambitious project: delivering ice to tropical islands. Huge profits are ahead for Charles Lautrec (the Ice King as people nickname him), for his supporters, and for anyone crazy enough to follow their business. (placeholder => ice cutting in Altonia) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category A: Icehouses and warehouses Before ice can be delivered to a settlement, a dedicated infrastructure must be built: otherwise, ice would melt in less than a day. If you want to see ice in your settlement and keep it for more than a few hours, a storing place, owned by Rimbaud Family, must be present. Aim: build an icehouse, an insulated warehouse or something similar in your settlement. Requirements: it must be licensable as a small or medium build. Rimbaud Family (me) will buy it for twice its licensing cost and license the property. Gain for the participants: Twice the licensing cost of the build you submit. Opening a settlement for Cat B builds. Deadline: TBD, according to the participation. Prize for the winners: 1st 50Db+ 25% of the revenues for Cat A properties (for 4 MRCA turns); 2nd 25Db+ 15% of revenues (4 MRCA turns); 3rd 20Db+ 10% of revenues (4 MRCA turns). Winners decided with public voting; I will build something in Cat A but I will not enter the challenge (my builds will open settlements to Cat B, but will not enter the competition). Category B: Fresh fish and cold wine Now your settlement receives its monthly supply of ice. What to do with it, is completely up to you: build a super expensive ice statue to impress your guests, drink something cold, sell ice cream or slush (in Italy it was done since the Middle Age, using snow from Alps and Mount Etna), preserve fish or even try to send tropical fruit back to the motherland. Aim: use your fantasy and build something (more or less historically accurate/possible). It can be a commercial activity, a private use of ice or something different. Requirements: you don't have necessarily to build something in category A, but you can build only in settlements hosting a category A build or in Eltina (see later). The property can be licensed or not; if you don't want to license it, Rimbaud family will gladly buy it at 1.5 the licensing cost. EDIT: You can also build something not licensable in EGS terms. EDIT: You can also participate building in Altonia, provided that you build appropriate steps of the trade (ice cutting, the loading in ships, the transport to the port… or something similar) Gain for the participants: in this case, nothing but the possibility to build something unusual. Your faction or individual players, however, may decide to offer incentives for builds in specific settlements. Deadline: TBD, according to the participation. Prize for the winners: 1st 100Db; 2nd 50Db; 3rd 40Db. Winners decided with public voting; I will build something in Cat A but I will not enter the challenge (my builds will open settlements to Cat B, but will not enter the competition). Category C: Eltina Royal Project While ice trade is moving its first steps in the archipelago, the aristocrats and merchants of Eltina decided to finance something bigger, both for prestige and for economical reason. Eltina Ice House will provide all the ice needed by the elites, but will also allow the storage and preservation of valuable goods, in particular tropical fruit, imported cheese and fresh meat. Ice will also allow a more efficient brewing process for beverages usually requiring cold winter months for their production. Aim: building a Royal Commercial Property in Eltina, starting from the unloading and the transport of the ice, continuing with its storage, and ending with its uses, in particular to preserve goods. Requirements: The quality needed for Royal Builds, and some coordination with the others to reduce overlapping (for example, two ice houses would be useful, but showing storage of fruit in all the builds would be a little boring) Gain for the participants: Honor and glory: you are contributing to the glory of Oleon, our homeland won't forget your dedication. Each participant, moreover, will receive a flat of 50Db for each entry exceeding 1000 square studs (consider about 32x32 as reference, but also 950 studs will be fine; the cut-off is only to have an easier calculation of the overall size). Deadline: The completion of the project Prize for the winners: No winners for this category. If the build is completed and approved, each participant will receive an extra prize of 25Db. EDIT: Post your entries directly in this thread. Please specify the settlement and the EGS class. This mini-challenge is funded and organized by the Rimbaud family (that means with my personal funds), so I can't offer super high prizes, but I hope you will enjoy it anyways. If you have any question, feel free to PM me. Multiple entries are allowed (and encouraged), but you can win only 1 prize in Cat A and 1 in Cat B (your builds take the first and third places => you get the first prize, the third prize goes to the fourth classified). If you need inspiration you can look at wikipedia pages about ice trade and Frederic Tudor, the real Ice King. Voting will be opened at the end of the challenge.

Somewhere Southwest Seawatch, El Oleonda, April 623 All the pieces were in position, the chessboard ready. The marching songs, the chants of the native allies, the last nervous jokes...everything was replaced by an unreal silence, as every unit reached its starting position. Finally, General Hercule François roared: "Unfurl the colours. Remind everyone who the greatest warriors on this battlefield are." And louder, so that everyone could hear him: "Men of Oleon!" He roared, his voice carrying back all the way to the artillery. "I know you can gut this cowardly enemy and wipe them from this isle! But now I want you to prove it to me! Pour le Roi!" The soldiers echoed, with a deafening yell: "Pour le Roi! Pour le Roi! Pour le Roi!" It was the time. "Monsieurs, send them all you've got!" Said General Tristan Rimbaud, a fierce grin on his face. In less than a minute, all the artillery pieces assigned to his unit were blazing. The soldiers cheered loudly as, seconds later, the jungle in front of them was shattered by a series of violent explosions. Tristan had specifically required mortars and howitzers, capable of firing on high-arching trajectories... and, even more importantly, capable of firing explosive shells. "Captain du Motier! Two more salvos, then fire forward!" At this point, Tristan was yelling at the top of his lungs and waving his saber, to overcome the clamor of the battle. "Soldiers, forward! At the double! It is time to destroy our enemies!" ----------------------- Tristan and his men marched forward, with the shells whistling above their heads, and a hell of explosions in front of them. A grenade fell short, dangerously too short, but none of the soldiers was hit. As planned, the assault group reached the Lotii trenches immediately after the last explosions. If du Motier knew his job, the next salvo would have fallen a few hundred meters behind the first line, just in front of them, to hit and paralyze the Lotii reinforcements. Otherwise, Tristan would have probably had little time to regret his choices. Tristan jumped in the trench, followed by his chasseurs. The walls had collapsed in several points, allowing an easier descent. The earthworks were scattered with the corpses of several Lotii soldiers, but everyone was more concerned about the ones -alive and armed- who were running towards them. The barrage had been brief but extremely violent and, now that it had moved forward, it was cutting that position out from orders and reinforcements. The bluecoats stormed the enemy positions before the Lotii could set up an organised defence. The grenadiers, who were following closely the first vanguard, started throwing their weapons across the ditch, where some enemy musketeers were trying to form a defensive line. Other soldiers, with the muskets on their shoulders, were carrying light wooden ladders, useful to quickly climb the trench walls. Tristan didn’t plan to conquer that specific position: instead, his assault column aimed to slice through the enemy lines, to attack the artillery batteries behind them and the closest command point. The Lotii soldiers were determined and well-armed, but still disorganised. Moreover, Tristan had gathered some of the most elite troops available… including the grenadiers, who were definitely not sparing their weapons. As the battle was still ongoing, the teams in charge of the light mortars placed their weapons and opened fire. The assault column could have easily been outnumbered, but only if the Lotii could recover from the initial shock, something rather difficult if everything around kept exploding! Soon the regular infantry, the feared “blue line” would have arrived in their support… or, if everything went by the plans, to collect the wounded and the prisoners. If everything went by the plans… the soldiers had no way to know how things were going in the other areas of the battlefield, if they were rushing to victory or if they were going to be encircled. But, for Hades’ sake, their charge would have been remembered! Overall view --------------- Note: as Fort Arltrees couldn’t seem further from the frontline, and the new Gardens of Poseidon are opened, the Second Battle of Seawatch has begun. As news from the frontline have not reached the settlements yet, we still don’t have any idea whether this is a glorious victory, a limited success, or the prelude to a defeat. Credit to the (impatient ) @Ross Fisher for the general’s speech! I’m sorry for the little technical inconvenience of the half-completed story, for the next time I swear I’ll avoid that!

Fort Arltrees, El Oleonda, April 623 Fort Arltrees was not on the frontline with the Lotii, at least not yet. However, building monumental gardens in the middle of a war didn’t seem a priority… but the point was precisely sending a message to both the citizens and the other Madrician Nations. The mighty Empire of the Light was not scared by a distant kingdom of the South; its settlements could keep growing, war or not war! Two men were walking along the cobbled trail, between the statues and the fountains: one, the city mayor Marcel Dubois, was well-known among the citizens; the other, instead, was a new face in the settlement. From his elegant and costly clothes, however, it was evident that he was not a trapper or a common adventurer. "...and as you know, Monsieur Dubois, my family has always been open to investments in distant lands... risky investments, sometimes. With our ships, men, and capitals, we participated in all the colonial enterprises of the Mardierian Crown, from Terraversa to King's Island. We were among the first ones to face savages, hurricanes, and tropical diseases, almost a century before the other nations even arrived on Terraversa... and this is how we earned our little wealth and the favor of the King." Don Francisco Ferrer, the foreigner, was intentionally minimizing the role of the Ferrer family in the colonial adventures of Mardier. An understandable move, considering the avidity and cruelty of the first Mardierian expeditions. From the information Marcel had taken before the meeting, however, the situation was very different: the Ferrer had not participated in anything but had instead funded, organized, and directed some of the main enterprises of the Old Empire on Terraversa and beyond the Line; the conquistadores and the galleons of the Ferrer expeditions were only slightly fewer than the ones under the King's own banners, and if possible even more brutal; and the little wealth, actually, would have been envied by several small nations. This, however, was before the Civil War... after half an hour of empty talks about trade, and prosperity, it could be a good chance to arrive straight to the point. "You and your family gave for sure a fundamental contribution to the establishment of the Mardierian Empire, and even more to the development of the colonial economy. I heard that you owned almost all the tobacco plantations on Isla de Medio, and at least half of the sugar factories on Terraversa... but I hope that the Terraversan Revolution and the Eslandolan operations of 617 didn't affect too much your enterprises!". Don Francisco didn't show any emotion, but Marcel knew that he had just hit the right point. His interlocutor would have never admitted that, but the recent events in the New World had been a real disaster for the Ferrer Family: they had lost all their estates on Terraversa, and most of their business on Isla de Medio had ended abruptly after the Mardierian defeat. By themselves, the economic loss was important, but not catastrophic. However, most of the investors had lost their trust, and their doubloons were quickly disappearing. Even the Mardierian crown had reduced its support, also due to some ambiguities of the Ferrer in the Civil War. In other words, the Ferrers were still filthy rich, but their fortune was quickly fading. "Well, Monsieur Dubois, I cannot hide that our trade companies are facing some difficulties." -in other words, they were just a few steps far from bankruptcy- "The Terraversan Rebellion and the treacherous aggression we faced in 617 had some consequences on our business... and the Empire of Mardier might not be anymore the ideal environment for our enterprises. My cousin Alvaro even decided to leave our business to reconquer our estates on Terraversa, sword in hand. But I'm sure you already knew how serious is our financial situation, and we both know that this is the reason why I am here." Marcel didn't expect the Mardierian merchant to be so sincere... better, now they could play with all the cards on the table. After a long discussion, the main points were settled, and an agreement was reached. With just some more details to define, the two men took leave and parted. Before going back to his many duties as city mayor, Marcel Dubois went to pay homage to the statue of Poseidon, right in the middle of the gardens. What they were going to do was not completely fair, nor even completely legal... but was also a unique opportunity for Fort Arltrees and Jiangkai to grow and flourish. Why understanding what was the right thing to do could never be easy? ------------------------------------- The gardeners are planting tulip bulbs in one of the flower beds, supervised by a Priest of Poseidon. Apparently, after some recent speculations, a single doubloon can now buy several cases of tulip bulbs! Meanwhile, some fish are transferred to the pond behind Poseidon's statue. Apparently, the rivers of El Oleonda host some of the most colorful and beautiful fish ever seen in the New World (that, according to the Tyree'De, are also extremely good if grilled on hot coals). On the other side, the pond has been emptied for some cleaning activity. In a settlement so far from the motherland, the workforce is too valuable to keep it closed in jail! In return for their work, the inmates receive some money to start a new life when their sentence will be over. The New World is quite different from the motherland: it can be harsh and violent, but sometimes more open-minded and forgiving. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall view: The story is finally complete, after some little technical inconvenience! I hope you enjoy it! BTW, I'm not planning to involve Mardier in our new colonies... I just needed to introduce a side character for some shady businesses I'm planning! To be licensed as a Medium Art and Culture

Name: Nola Mar Ownership: Oleon Location: Royalist Terraversa Mayor: Knights Treasurer Chapter Master Sir Helmut Von Braun (Ross Fisher)  Who can own property in Nola Mar: Anyone except the WTC (current properties excepted) Who can freebuild in Nola Mar: Anyone Size for EGS purposes: Large City Needed to upgrade to Grand City: 12 Artisan, 6 Commerce, 15 Factory, 1 Residence, 1 Education, 1 Royal (53 total) Trade value: 570 Troops: 310 Architectural guide: As one of the oldest settlements in the Brick Seas, Nola Mar has a large number of buildings built in the local blue-grey stone. The remainder are usually built from local timber, with white or tan plaster. Buildings from the Mardieran or Independent era are often accented with yellow elements, whereas those associated with the current Oleonaise administration are frequently accented in blue. The heart of the settlement is marked by canals, colonnades and piazzas. While the port region is decked out with red wooden warehouses. Fortresses: City Walls Artisan: 16 Nola Mar Stud Farm Avenue Des Champs Valerie Claude's Shipbreakers Cafe and Taverna Commerce: 16 The Harbour The Quay Harbourside Buildings Warehouse RNTC Way Station FTA Rum Store and Office Nola Mar Campanile Factory: 15 RNTC Silver Refinery Large Factory for the production of bricks LBSF Pottery Factory Residence: 31 Courtyard A Nola Mar Street Knights Treasurer Chapter House Nola Mar Gaol Mansion Art and Culture: 18 Caves under Nola Mar Respite Mission of Zeus Nola Mar Priory of Athena Orphanage of Athena Shrine of the Recovery Cooke's interrogation Silhouette's Umbran Cameos Art Gallery Floating Chapel of Poseidon The "Shell" of Artemis Mardieran Consulate Education: 6 Nola Mar University of Classical Studies Index Libroram Prohibitorum Pigeon Post Plantations: 0 Mines: 0 Other builds: A pamphlet from Nola Mar Get Ready, and... Fire! Military Supply Depot Cooke's Escape Trenches and Barricades Training the Troops Imports! Royalist Redoubt A Meeting on the Shore The Gates of Nola Mar Another Meeting on the Shore Meanwhile, in Nola Mar

Jiangkai, El Oleonda, March 623 After some silver nuggets were found by chance in a field outside the town, an exploitable vein of the mineral was discovered on the nearby hills. In the next weeks, a mine was set up, and a steady flow of silver started reaching Jiangkai. Soon, the valuable metal will leave the settlement in the form of ingots and silver livres, the Oleander equivalent of pesos, shillings or pieces of eight. Before this can happen, however, the valuable lore must be reduced into small pieces with hammers and pickaxes… …transported to the surface (currently in bags and canisters, but soon rails and carts will be implemented)… …and washed in a stream of water, to separate the heavy pieces of metal from the lighter bits of stone. The mine is expected to be a valuable asset for the nation, with an expected yield of at least ten million silver livres. Therefore, even if a pile of unrefined silver minerals somewhere on a hill is very unlikely to be stolen, the mine is constantly guarded by a small detachment of soldiers. In this moment the men on duty are zouaves from New Oleon… a dull task, but definitely less risky than fighting the Lotii in the jungle! Overall view: ———————— Licensed as silver mine in Jiangkai

Operation Hephaestus Hammer  Commander: General Hercule François  Forces involved: 6 battalions (2 line infantry, 1 light infantry, 1 artillery, 1 cavalry, 1 engineers). 540 EGS soldiers.  Aims: engage and destroy the Lotii army south of Seawatch. Plan summary: 1) Advance Our forces continue their advance, with extensive scouting by cavalry and light infantry. Increased patrols from Seawatch, in the meantime, localise the Lotii forces and fix them in position. 2) Contact  As the other armies of the coalition advance and engage the Lotii front, our forces engage the left flank of the enemy. Our forces advance in oblique order, attacking the enemy and closing the gap between our left flank and the right side of the coalition forces. 3) Press the assault Our forces advance along the whole front, pressing the enemy forces. We organise our attack in three waves: -after heavy, concentrated shelling of few selected locations, columns of elite soldiers (chasseurs and grenadiers, with a few light mortars) attempt to crack the enemy lines. If successful, they will march on, attacking supply deposits, command centres, second line mortar and rocket batteries, etc. (in modern military terms, we attempt a thunder run). -immediately after, our forces attack along the whole line. The chaos and the panic generated by the thunder runs, by the contemporary attack on two fronts (from Fort Arltrees and from Seawatch) and by the guerrilla operations on the supply lines (Operation Pandora) is expected to make the enemy line to collapse in several points, with the resisting units encircled or forced to an orderly retreat. -final blow: if necessary, we commit all our reserves against the enemy, turning the retreat into a route. 4) Exploit Our forces (cavalry and light infantry) chase the enemy to kill and capture the enemy forces. This, together with the forces from Jiangkai, should also force our enemy to abandon artillery, ammunitions and supplies, and to retreat in disorder to Luyang. ———————— Note: I’m just reposting our battle plan (with @CapOnBOBS’ great vignettes) as a separate thread, as required by the combat rules. I’ve just expanded a little bit the text, but the general plan is the very same we presented in the coordination thread. ———————— @CapOnBOBS @Ross Fisher @Capt Wolf @Ayrlego @LM71Blackbird @Bregir @Garmadon @Professor Thaum

Letter from Duchess Celeste Dupré to Guérin Godefry de Tourment dated 3 November, 618. My darling Guérin, I hope you are well! It has been too long, simply too long since we last met! How is your darling wife? We miss her dreadfully at my salon. Please tell her the conversation is simply drab without her charming sparkle. And your daughter, she must be nearly of an age? When do you plan to let her debut in society? You must allow me the honour. I will throw Granoleon's finest gala ball for her. I am so sorry to hear of your son's sickness. I will send my best physician to you as soon as he is ready to travel. I know the boy has his father's strength, and I have faith that, with the grace of the gods, he will recover. But I am afraid I have a silly request to make of you. It's my little brother. Not the priest; I hear the Order plans to promote him after some business in the colonies, to Abbaye or something? No, we need to do something about the baby of the family, young Pierre. Possibly you have heard the nickname he has been lumbered with? "Le Chevalier de la Chasse" - so humiliating! As if he was some sort of debauchee. His vices don't even compare to those of his peers in the provinces. Like that Hollande fellow, scandalous! Oh, I agree the fellow needs to change his ways, become a productive citizen of Oleon. But he can hardly do that under the cloud he is suffering with. To that end I am asking you to invest him with a rank. Make "Chevalier" more than a mockery. Give him a position he can apply himself to. I know you can. And you do owe me a favour or two. More than one member of your family owes their necks to the gentle words I had with the crown after that debacle during the Juniper Wars. And let's not forget, there are a few secrets of yours that I have been graceful enough not to share with your wife. Please, help me Guérin, you're my only hope. Your affectionate, Celeste Dupré P.S. It occurs to me that you may not know the François family crest - we've been out of favour for a long time. It is, I am given to understand; A falcon displayed parted per pale azure and argent on a field counterparted argent and azure. I trust that you can make sense of that? I certainly can't. [1] OOC, this is my request to the Oleon leadership for a promotion for my Sig. Being a clergyman, he cannot accept a noble title. But his little brother can! And perhaps you can see to it that the Padré receives an appropriate commensurate rank at the same time?

Jiangkai, El Oleonda, March 623 If the enemy know not where he will be attacked, he must prepare in every quarter, and so be everywhere weak. Everyone knew that the plan was dangerous, but still the problem was turning down volunteers, not finding enough of them. The citizens of Jiangkai had seen their city invaded, sacked and destroyed, and they would have never allowed that again, at the cost of their lives. For sure, they would have never forgiven their former compatriots, responsible of both the forced evacuation of 620 and the raid of summer 622. They were the enemy, and now it was time for them to pay and to bleed! As the main forces of the Royal Armies marched from Fort Arltrees to crush the Lotii forces outside Seawatch, a young officer of the Jiangkai Tirailleurs was authorised to harass the enemy supply lines and delay enemy reinforcements in any possible way. The forces available were not large, but they would have been sufficient to make the life of the Lotii army much more difficult! Operation Pandora Commander: Captain Guillaume Tiger Dupont. Born in the Eranos province, he spent several years on merchant ships, mostly in the Southern Seas. He later joined the infanterie de marine, serving in the Second Terraversan War. He speaks fluently in Lotii and Monomonto, plus some words of the other Southern languages. He knows very well the Lotii culture, and often even quotes the texts of the Wu Cru. Respected by his men, he will soon be feared by the enemies! Forces involved: a company of light infantry (1 platoon of colonial chasseurs, 2 platoons of Jiangkai tirailleurs), plus native guides. 30 soldiers in EGS terms. Aims: harass enemy forces, block or delay supplies and reinforcements headed to Seawatch frontline, divert enemy troops to irrelevant areas. Plan summary: the company will leave Jiangkai and head north-northeast, across the roads from Oryant and Luyang to Seawatch. Once there, the soldiers will start guerrilla operations against Lotii supply lines. The soldiers will avoid direct engagement enemy troops, and will instead ambush supply convoys, small units, messengers, etc. Moreover, they will interfere as much as possible with the enemy movements by placing obstacles on the roads, damaging bridges, and creating false trails and signals. The unit will move continuously, waging attacks in distant locations and occasionally sparing a vulnerable target, to create confusion about the area of operations. Significant increase of Lotii patrols would keep our soldiers out of some areas, but also divert forces from the garrisons and/or Seawatch front. ————————————- OOC, a note for the GMs: this operation starts from Jiangkai (30 EGS soldiers involved) and is independent from the main attack, but it’s coordinated with the attacks in the Seawatch area. Please manage it as you think it’s better for the game dynamics. @CapOnBOBS @Ross Fisher @Capt Wolf @Ayrlego @LM71Blackbird @Bregir @Garmadon @Professor Thaum

Jiangkai, February 623 As new colonies are established more and more eastward, and the frontier of the Empire gets farther and farther from the motherland, the local recruitment of high-quality troops has become a paramount. Officers born in the colonies and trained in Breshaun military schools lead to the victory men who have never been in the motherland, for a king they’ll only see on coins and medals. In Jiangkai, this resulted in the recruitment of both line infantry and auxiliary light infantry: units equipped and trained according to Oleander military doctrines, but mostly made up of citizens of Lotii descent. On the same line, a unit of chasseurs was raised in the settlement. Despite the inclusion of some Lotii elements in the uniform, these skilled marksmen are equipped and trained as the other metropolitan or colonial light infantry units. Differently from the tirailleurs, the chasseurs know how to fight in a battle line, but they are far more effective in open formations: their role on the battlefield is not to face the enemy in a tight formation, but to aggressively pursue and flank him, shooting without fail with the lethal Charleville rifled carabines! This build will be used to raise a platoon of soldiers in Jiangkai.