[SPOILERS] The Peaceful Centaur: a Study in Possibility

[Mardoc]

Settler finished up, Podagros started on a 2T Centaur. I've got roads all the way to Deinos' site, so I should be able to found the city next turn, and start improving the horses/other tiles immediately afterward.

[Mardoc]

Also, something confusing: Jkaen, while still on one city, chose recently to adopt Agrarianism/Slavery?

I suppose this means I'm not the only one interested in Ashen Veil, most likely, but Slavery? On this map? Without being Lanun and 3/5 food coasts/coves, or at least simultaneous with a revolt to Sacrifice the Weak? And especially when he's still at only the capital, so it's not like he's short of places to spend excess food?

On the other hand, this makes me very glad not to be attempting to take his capital .

[Azoth]

Also, something confusing: Jkaen, while still on one city, chose recently to adopt Agrarianism/Slavery?

I suppose this means I'm not the only one interested in Ashen Veil, most likely, but Slavery? On this map? Without being Lanun and 3/5 food coasts/coves, or at least simultaneous with a revolt to Sacrifice the Weak? And especially when he's still at only the capital, so it's not like he's short of places to spend excess food?

Well, if Jkaen doesn't have Education for Apprenticeship (unlikely but possible), there's no harm in swapping to Slavery alongside Agrarianism. Even if he never uses the whip, he might capture some Orc slaves in his battles against the barbarians. (There's also +1 hammer to Quarries, for what it's worth.)

I'm more concerned that he already has Way of the Wicked. Playing the Amurites, he's bound to research Knowledge of the Ether soon. Those are the two prerequisites for Corruption of Spirit; there's a good chance Jkaen will deny us the Ashen Veil holy city! Though I can't say much for his tech path, if he has indeed picked up Philosophy-Way of the Wicked before Education-Code of Laws.

[Mardoc]

there's a good chance Jkaen will deny us the Ashen Veil holy city!

Now, now, if there's any holy city that's appropriate to conquer rather than let someone else have, it'd be Ashen Veil. I'm pretty sure it would at least still give us the beakers and the mana as a settlement, too.

At the moment, I think I need to place Kurio growth as a higher priority than worrying too much about who's getting Ashen Veil - I'm not going to divert from Mining/Calendar to get it sooner. And I might even put Trade + Council of Esus as a higher priority; I like Nox Noctis that much, and centaur lancers would be golden too.

[Azoth]

Oh, absolutely. I'm not suggesting we divert our research: it's Mining and Festivals, full speed ahead.
I also agree that Nox Noctis is far and away the best shrine in the game and well worth chasing.

All I'm saying is that I'm fairly certain the Kuriotates cannot build shrines in settlements. If Jkaen founds Ashen Veil, and doesn't build Stigmata on the Unborn himself, then we're out of luck. (Barring a risky manoeuvre in which we capture the city; then gift it to a third player, build the shrine, and ask for it back.) In that case, we might as well raze the holy city: it would sharply reduce the Armageddon count, and prevent passive religion spread.
But once again I'm getting ahead of myself.

[NobleHelium]

Sorry, why can't the Kuriotates build shrines in settlements? Shrines are built by great people, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[Azoth]

Sorry, why can't the Kuriotates build shrines in settlements? Shrines are built by great people, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

An oversight by the developers, I think.
You can't settle Bears in settlements either; nor any other animal, even if you have free Carnivals from the Grand Menagerie.

[Mardoc]

Good things this turn.


Trapped another bear. That's the main reason I ought to figure out how to slip in a Hunter into the queue, to tame all these nearby animals. It could let us skip using Legends, too, if we get our culture from dancing bears instead - but I think there won't be a better time to cast Legends, claiming settlement land is much less important than getting the megacities off to a running start.

Also - no Mistform .

And, the Lanun did have pretty much what you were predicting, Azoth - plains, a little bit of food, a river, and no commerce specials. Would have been nice 50 turns ago, but now that KoTE is on the horizon, there's really no point.

Then, when I hit End Turn:


Yep, we've got Copper. I'll go ahead and mine it for the yield, at least; I'm also debating if we should slip in Bronze Working soon, but we're going to want the mobility of Centaurs at least as much as we want their strength, so I'll hold off for the moment. Better to hurry to the economy boosters.

I'm sorry to hear about the AV shrine problem. We couldn't get around that by promoting a settlement to a city, founding the shrine, and then demoting it right away, could we?

So, goals - I'll slip in at least one more Centaur at Podagros, possibly two, and maybe even a Hunter, then go for the settler for Lampon. I want Lampon founded ASAP as well, so that I can use Legends in a clear conscience and start building up Kurio bonuses.

[NobleHelium]

Eh, you can demote cities to settlements? Are you sure about that?

[Mardoc]

Eh, you can demote cities to settlements? Are you sure about that?

I'm sure it's in the manual, and I think it's likely true about SP. Not sure at all about it being possible in the latest version or MP.