Capt Wolf

Wonderfully done! Great story for the times. And some cool photographic effects editing on the third image! And as a connoisseur of windmills, I approve.

Oldis turned to Count Navarro and whispered something, and the count replied, motioning with his hands. Oldis nodded, then summoned General Rizzo. The general stepped forward and bent over, opened the map, and he and the archduke talked quietly for a few seconds while pointing at the map. Then the general closed the map, stepped back, and Oldis returned his attention to the other delegations. "Regarding the building of roads, if the proposed road suggested in the presentation by Mr. Montoya were to be built from Kings Port to Westface, that would leave Oleon with settlements separated by the road and the interior of the island. I would consent to Oleon being allowed to build two roads--one from each settlement--into the interior to connect with the main road, thus allowing direct access between Nola Mar and Pilnton. I trust this addresses the concern of Mr. Perrault on this issue, and would hope this is also agreeable to Admiral L'Olius as a reasonable minimal intrusion on the native interior." "However, I believe the admiral's position would be against any of us building anything constituting a fortification in any part of the interior, and I would agree. Way stations and trading posts along the road seem reasonable, but nothing that could be considered a fortification." Oldis turned to Perrault. "It is not my desire to turn this island into a network of forts, with every move by any authority weighed for its effect on the supposed balance of power. We must agree, and expect, to live peaceably going forward if this is to work." Oldis turned back to Navarro for a second as they conferred briefly, then retuned his attention to Perrault. "As to the 'great temple of Kings Port', I believe you are referring to the temple you built in August of 619 to house the Quiver of Artemis, is that correct? If so, your rights to the temple will be respected the same as any property owned by any faction within the city of Kings Port, so long as the quiver, an artifact of great importance to Terraversa, remains there, is not removed to other lands, and that Terraversans continue to have access to it." Oldis smiled a bit, enjoying the prospect of a small victory over L'Olius if the quiver remained in Kings Port. L'Olius surely covets it. To keep it in Kings Port, even if in an Oleander temple, would be a thorn in L'Olius's side, thought Oldis. Oldis turned his gaze to Montoya. "As for the status of Fatu Hiva and Ile Sous le Vent, I leave that for others to discuss." @Bregir @KotZ

Oldis read over the parchment, then motioned to General Rizzo, who produced a map of Terraversa. After studying it for a bit, Oldis and the general exchanged some whispers. Then Oldis rolled up the map, heaved a heavy sigh, and addressed the room. "I am appreciative to Grand Admiral L'Olius for recognizing my right to rule as sovereign from Kings Port. And although he proposes to usurp my right to rule over the eastern part of this island, I must recognize his effort in defending Terraversa from this invasion." Oldis was grateful L'Olius was not present to hear him speak those words. "Although this proposal further cedes portions of this great nation to the invaders, it would appear that there is a component on the island that has not given up the fight from our war of independence from Mardierian colonial rule. If such misguided souls seek to be subjugated again to a foreign master, I question the value of further bloodshed to dispute the granting of their foolish desires. I am willing to see the peoples of Nola Mar granted self-rule (such as that would be, he thought to himself) in the interest of a lasting peace, if Oleon leaves Kings Port." Oldis glanced sternly at the Olander contingent. "For if they do not, there will be no lasting peace." "Furthermore, if Terraversa is to be reduced to the western half of the isle, Pamu and Tanari, still in loyal hands, should remain under my sovereign rule." "In sum, I am willing to accept the terms of this document." Oldis could not bring himself to say "L'Olius's proposal." Count Navarro leaned over and whispered in Commodore de Pernica's ear: "I'm not sure which is more difficult for the Archduke: conceding to Oleon or conceding to L'Olius." The commodore whispered back: "Hopefully that is the most difficult part for the Archduke, but I fear it is not the biggest concession we need to hear in this room for the matter to be resolved." Navarro nodded in agreement.

Oldis harrumphed softly. "Well then, that's more like it," he said. His entourage of advisors and aides were astonished at his reserved response and relieved that he didn't find a way to complain more. Oldis looked across at Montoya and wondered how the Corrish delegation would respond to the moment, the closest thing to a breakthrough the Archduke had noted so far. @KotZ @Bregir

Cool MOC. Nicely designed and detailed. And I really like the round pieces you've used for the base. Well done. My only objection is that it should be licensed as a small property, not a medium, as it is clearly not 32x32. But art & culture is the appropriate category.

Oldis let out a loud Hrmph! "You know that is not what I meant! I refer to citizens of Kings Port displaced by your attack. If you intend to interject Mardierians from across the Brick Seas into this discussion, you should be prepared for a long fight." Oldis turned his back to Perrault and whispered into Count Navarro's ear, but not so softly that he could not be head by others, "I told you this would be a waste of time. They have no intention of negotiating in good faith. This is all a charade. They have no honor." @KotZ @Bregir

The professor stated it well. A simple design, executed with an elegant level of detail that brings it all to life. The ground texture looks especially good from the angle of the image. And I'm a big fan of the shutter technique on the tower windows. Well done! I also really enjoy these builds that explore processes that are directly tied to a realistic economy of the colonial period. I've done a bit of the same with the indigo of Salida Este (I need to backtrack and do the plantation; I did a dye factory and textile mill). I look forward to the future builds in the vanilla process.

Oldis furrowed his brow and cleared his throat. "Am I to understand that the position just offered, allowing cities to choose their political alliances, that the Oleonese include Kings Port in their list of cities? And that when we talk of citizens choosing their own political alliances, we are talking of the original, in many cases displaced, citizens, not merely the current occupiers?" @KotZ @Bregir

Cool headgear piece, and nice use of the female pirate torso. More cool cavalry! Add me to the list of folks who want to know what the black border piece is.

Beautiful cavalry. The Roman helmet works surprisingly well here. And a good little scene with nice detail and good posing. Well done. I do have a question, though. The title says Eltina, the story text says the location is Astrapi, and the scene looks like the battle-worn streets of Kings Port. Is there a reason for the disconnect between these elements?

Archduke Oldis listened in silence, but with a gaze that could kill. Representatives from Corrington and Oleon were standing in front of him, carving up two-thirds of his island. At least Corrington was insisting on Kings Port returning to his control. L'Olius was wise to not get too greedy and throw Oldis a bone. But L'Olius would come out of this as leader of his own nation, and Oleon would be rewarded for their treachery. Oldis's gaze grew more intense. Eslandola had been a true friend, sending troops as quickly as possible, but it had not been fast enough to hold Kings Port, or to force a better bargaining position. Even if Eslandola and Corrington teamed up to drive the bluecoats off the island, L'Olius would be in position to claim half the island. Their personal cold war was quickly coming to a conclusion. Oldis doubted Esalndola would want to get into a civil war on the island once Oleon was dispensed. Eslandola's grand ambassador, Roman Fontonajo of Nova Terreli, understood the proper role and responsibility of nobility to lead the masses, Oldis thought to himself, but Fontonajo's son-in-law, Eslandola's ambassador to Terraversa, was a native islander from Berelli, and sympathized with the Terraversan Atwi, who naturally looked to L'Olius. Yes, the politics are complicated. And so, as other nations discussed what Oldis might be left with when all this was over, he bit his tongue and said nothing, lest he be left with nothing. But if he did not come out of this with Kings Port and the ability to rule even a smaller nation from his palace, he would cause as much trouble as possible, he thought to himself. Oldis's gaze could have burned a hole in a ship's hull. Hell hath no fury like a noble scorned ...

Another awkward silence ensued. Eslandola’s Admiral de Flynt stepped up to break the silence. “If I may presume to speak for Archduke Oldis …” de Flynt glanced at Oldis and received a nod of consent, “… he and his Eslandolan allies are prepared to listen to a genuine Oleonder proposal for peace. But, as the Archduke has not committed any offense against Oleon, I am instructed to inform the delegation that Eslandola is prepared to assist in the defense of his rights and of Terraversan sovereignty to the fullest extent possible.” The admiral bowed and stepped back. The tension in the room was palpable. What would the Oleon delegation propose?

The sign-up deadline for the next Trade MRCA is April 13, midnight, anywhere in the world. ---------------- To sign-up for the Trade MRCA, read the rules here and then sign-up via this form. For a ship to take part in the MRCA, it must be licensed. You can license your ship under the new ship rules via this form. If there are any issues (typo, wrong number of points or other issues) with this process, PM @Bregir. Note that the MRCA signup form still doesn’t have raids added yet, so if you’re interested in conducting a raid this turn, PM @Capt Wolf. If you’re just going to be trading, you can go ahead and fill out the forms normally. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT MAP ZONE INFORMATION: - Note that zone 34 connects to zone 36 - Explorers have confirmed that the open sea south of zone 35 is navigable. As such, zone 62 (unmarked on map) is available for travel in the MRCA. Zone 62 connects to zones 33, 35, 37, and 38. Cartographers are working to get the maps updated as soon as possible. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition to the information above, consult the following two maps for trade zone numbers before submitting any forms. First, the continental coast and the seas closest to northern Halos:  IMPORTANT: Note that if you click on the above map to go to one you can zoom in on, there is an error on the linked map (zones 10 and 11 are mislabeled). Use the map visible above for proper zone labels. Note that the settlement marked on the above map as Dragonstone now goes by the name of Aurelia. Second, here is the map for the New Haven Sea, which has a growing number of settlements: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And here are the trade values as of March 17, 621. When filling out your MRCA form, please make sure you spell the ports exactly as they appear below. Settlement Faction Zone Trade Value Acropolis OL 24 45 Aden CAR 2 178 Alexport PRI 29 172 Arlinsport COR 6 695 Astrapi OL 23 420 Aurelia OL 20 65 Balmin NAM 2 175 Balondia COR 2 149 Bardo ESL 8 295 Baskers Island MAR 6 126 Bastion SR 18 490 Belson COR 4 897 Black Rock SR ??* 85 Breshaun OL 7 2250 Brickford Landing COR 39 30 Calisto MAR 25 160 Camp Isaac COR 35 80 Cecropia OL 22 55 Ceniza Bajo ESL 38 20 Charlatan Bay SR 24 710 Chiquita ESL 36 10 Dortanix MAR 1 594 Elizabethville COR 22 360 Eltina OL 7 550 Elysabethtown ESL 20 265 Fatu Hiva OL COR 35 495 Fortaleza Victoria ESL 32 5 Fort Arltrees OL 43 150 Freeport GAR 27 120 Fuerte Unido ESL 32 350 Granoleon OL 5 892 Hellion SR 50 100 Hojaroja ESL 32 60 Hussar’s Isle COR 24 5 Interlagos ESL 41 80 Jameston COR 35 980 Jiangkia OL 39 90 Kieg GAR 3 594 King’s Harbour COR 24 770 Kings Port TER OL 13 898 La Puebloto ESL 32 5 Lavalette OL 28 490 Leopaldis GAR 24 118 Londa MAR 2 594 Mehit ESL 32 5 Mesabi Landing COR 35 1320 Montario ESL 17 105 Mooreton Bay COR 24 465 Moray’s Den SR 21 50 Myzectlan COR 35 205 Neuberg CAR 39 100 Neustadt CAR 38 180 New Haven COR 24 75 New Nassau SR 35 45 Nola Mar TER OL 13 170 Nouveau Oleandia OL 51 15 Nova Malto ESL 32 95 Nova Terreli ESL 17 1340 Pontelli ESL 17 130 Poorvintia CAR 26 50 Poppy Port SR 26 230 Port Mordo COR 49 25 Port Raleigh COR 20 320 Port Wilks ESL 22 25 Port Woodhouse COR 35 235 Prinport GAR 9 840 Puerto Alijo ESL 20 5 Puerto Desafio ESL 32 230 Punto Sur ESL 42 110 Quinnsville COR 24 745 Salida Este ESL 23 300 Seawatch CAR 43 20 Spudkirk COR 43 170 Stedor ESL 3 297 Stormhaven COR 22 100 Terreli ESL 3 892 The Sereen Cay SR 31 55 Tortuga SR 32 365 Trador ESL 32 675 Ulric ALT 1 149 Weelond ESL 8 1320 Westface TER 13 592 Windfall Island OL 28 10 Wullham COR 40 80 Yeldo COR 1 594 * If you have to ask where Black Rock is, you can't find it. These islands can also be chosen as destinations. They have no trade value, so you won't earn any DBs sailing to them, but they're better than sinking. If sailing to one of these islands, use the name listed here: Island Faction Marked on map as Zone Trade Value Fever Island --- 1 26 0 Island of Bats ALT 4 27 0 Bubbling Island NAM 6 30 0 Garden of Hades --- 9 31 0 Gunpowder Island --- 16 35 0 Stilt People Island --- 17 35 0 Glimmer Island CAR 20 35 0 Mud Beach SR 21 35 0 Screeching Isle --- 22 35  0   Also, the pirate hideout of Barracuda Bay in zone 27 can be visited by black flag ships of any faction and remain hidden in the subsequent KPA ship report. But this is for pirates only. Ships not flying the black visiting Barracuda Bay will likely be captured by Captain Roger Redbeard!

Good job keeping this updated. Thanks! Ceniza Bajo and Punto Sur show up in the Settlement Status tab, but I don't see entries for them in the Accounts tab.

Another wonderful build from you, Ayrlego! Great detail on the building all around for what is at its core a very simple structure. Wonderful landscaping (love the tree) and great minifigs. Well, I like both the green and the yellow, but not on the same building. And now I know exactly what the windows and shutters I have been imagining using in a future build will look like! You beat me to it! Great job!

A location for the peace talks has been proposed, and invitation presented:

A Terraversan courier approached Oleander troops on the outskirts of Kings Port. He presented the following letter, to be delivered to the Duke of Vitoria: To Robert Perrault, II, Duke of Vitoria Archduke Oldis wishes to discuss positions for a potential peace treaty. However, the Archduke's personal guard has deemed it impossible to ensure the security of the Archduke and the remaining delegation in Kings Port. Hence, your lordships are invited to join negotiations 500 yards outside the range of the Pamu fortifications. The Archduke will be accompanied by the delegation and 12 guardsmen. Oleon is allowed the same contingent of guards, but no swords shall be drawn by the negotiation table. On behalf of Archduke Oldis, Ignacio Palma Ayda del Campo to the Archduke

Aaron van der Meede rose from his seat at the Sea of Storms delegation. "What do you think economic sanctions will do to Oleon?" he asked, looking at Dr. Ayuda. "In concept, I agree with your thoughts. In reality, Oleon ships do not call on our ports, so we can do nothing to them. On the other hand, their taking of Kings Port threatens to close a wealthy friendly port to us, a port with which we have a favorable trade agreement. Their attack on Kings Port is in effect a very real attack on our economics. It requires a real response."

"Ah, no. I should have been clearer," Guilder replied sheepishly. "To this point, we have sent troops to Terraversa to reinforce Oldis's forces in Pamu, and assumed that those troops would see combat with bluecoats on the island, but not elsewhere." Guilder looked and saw that there were still quizzical looks. "Given the tenor of the Oleander opening statement heading into the peace talks, I think we need to make it clear that, if the Oleanders do not bargain in good faith, combat can occur anywhere. If private citizens want to raise troops and fleets and attack bluecoat troops in Oleander cities like Eltina or Lavalette, rather than just Oleander positions on Terraversa, the Eslandian government will not disapprove. I fear that this may be the only way to make the bluecoats come to the bargaining table in good faith, as they fail to see the larger ramifications of their invasion. They have already lost Fatu Hiva to the Corries' WTC. I see no reason to prohibit Eslandians from doing the same. But as this would be awfully close to a declaration of war, this council must discuss the matter."

A courier entered the main doors and delivered papers to the desk at the front of the hall. Guilder looked through the dispatches, frowned, and pounded his gavel to gain the attention of the council members, who had been talking among themselves. "I have word from Lady Condora in Terraversa," stated Guilder. "The bluecoats have taken quite an obstinate negotiating position as the peace talks are about to begin. I fear they do not really plan at negotiating at all. As such, I seek the authority of the council to inform our representative at the talks that, if Oleon does not negotiate in good faith, that the Eslandian government will not prohibit it private citizens and trade companies from helping the Terraversan cause in any way they see fit, including using military might against OL ships and troops wherever they might be encountered." Guilder looked around the room to see if the importance of that request was sinking in. "What are the councilmembers thoughts on this matter?"

Lovely build! I feel like I've been in that room before, with the wood framing and mottled walls. You've really captured the atmosphere of such a meeting. And an excellent job of recreating the minifigs from my earlier build. Bravo!

Nice vig. Very stately. I particularly like the stonework on the exterior. --- Oldis has responded in the peace talks thread:

Archduke Oldis sat at the table and read the letter from Oleon’s representative. It was an absurd proposal, he thought, but after consulting with his advisors both foreign and domestic, the consensus was that it required a response. So, in his own hand, he wrote: To Robert Perrault II, Duke of Vitoria, and those whom he represents in this conflict, including King Philip I of Oleon, I concur that full-scale war is something we want to avoid. I personally led Terraversan troops in battle against Mardierian forces in the war that won our independence, so I’ve seen the horrors of war, but also know what the blood spilled means to those who still live. I’m glad to hear that Brigadier des Armées Gabriel has come to understand that your invasion is futile and that we must end this at the negotiating table. And I am in agreement with you that I would like to see your nephew and his colleagues safely back in Oleander territory. Therefore, I propose the following solution: 1) An immediate ceasefire between all warring nations on the island of Terraversa. Furthermore, Oleon will not send any more troops to the island. 2) The distribution of territory in Terraversa shall revert to the status quo prior to your invasion. All settlements will revert to Terraversan control under my authority as Archduke. 3) Safe transport shall be assured for all Oleander troops and those sympathetic with their cause to Oleon territories beyond the borders of the island of Terraversa. 4) Once all has been restored to antebellum conditions, I shall authorize the town of Nola Mar to negotiate trade agreements in the same manner as Westface, as is my purview as Archduke of the sovereign nation of Terraversa. 5) Beyond the borders of Terravesa, Oleon’s conflict with Corrington is of no concern to me, and Terraversa will remain neutral in such a conflict if all above items are agreed to. I hope you truly want to resolve this conflict relatively quickly and without bloodshed, as you say, because I cannot stand by and see the independence so many Terraversans fought and died for merely negotiated away to an ally of our previous oppressors. Know that, if this war continues, Oleon will know the furiousity with which Terraversans will defend their freedom. Sincerely, Miro Oldis, Archduke of Terraversa

Excellent MOD! Those sails and the brickbuilt flag at the stern are scene-stealers, but well done all around turning this into a three-master.

Hilarious build! The pouring and spilling milk effect is awesome.