[spoilers] Commodore: Worse than Toku, it's Giggles of Siam!

[Thoth]

A couple of things to note from a look around ingame:

Tech:

The leader with the ugly phiz is Slowcheetah.


If we want Lib.....we'll need Paper next along with a plan to get at least 1 GS to bulb towards Edu. Edu is 4300 b. A GS is worth ~1950 b with our current pop. 1 GS + teching is fine (that leaves another GS to bulb towards the more expensive PP, currently worth ~25+ base commerce) but if we can finangle two fast enough, we can 1t Edu on break even non GA beakers.

Trade routes:

Just letting CV grow to size 14 means a 3 commerce domestic route for our North West cities.

[Commodore]

[Commodore]

Thoth, by the way, I agree about CV growing, although it'll need a little more happy, maybe ferrying over an extra archer or two. Slow is dismayingly well-equipped in tech, but once we complete Optics we actually have the beaker edge thanks to the bulb. Encouraging.

[Thoth]

He's not all that far ahead in total beakers: We're up Monotheism, Construction, Engineering and Philo. He's up Feud, Guilds and Paper.

[Commodore]

Samuel Gottar, Jewish-Dutch merchant who lived in Stoney Knob the middle of the twelfth century.
My dear Ji Tho,
I am most delighted to report peace, peace is the order of the week! The Great King's Army is to return to the near borders of the city, their campaign in the warm hinterlands at a close. Nobody truly believed that a full tithe of the whole Kingdom's army was on the march merely to pacify the rustics of the area and protect traders. I am told that a battalion of axemen from Maya marched south and encountered the forward engineers of the Army; thus forwarned the Mayans were probably scrambling many knights to their outposts, and could bring in many pikes to the defenders of Yokitob. I thank G-d, as do all of us within the city, for such a conflict would not profit us, nor the Kingdom.

I am hearing grim reports from my brother, of a disaster along the Roman border of my homeland. Heralds speak of a new great general having a triumph, and of the top power in the world decimated. I know not what to believe, but if you can pray at all along your Path, pray for us Dutch. We are people of the book, not great people of the battlefield.

It seems indeed your own Kingdom is at peace and shall thus stay. Why not, for the Great Kingdom is waxing ever greater...my nephew David has recently returned from a trading trip to the great city of Western Heights, where the East Prince dwells. These green and pleasant lands send such a wealth north to our city, I cannot imagine how much is sent to the west. The Zulu are remembered and mocked, and I note that followers of the Tao are more numerous than Hindoos it seems. How vast are the holdings of the East Prince, long may he live, and his father as well!

I continue to battle ill health myself, though I would love to travel to the west. I am very proud to say I have recently brokered a deal for Hawk Chargers to be delivered to the great city of Gilgemesh itself, and I may yet try to join one of the fleets as they make way to the Hookland. I hear that the people of that island are some of the greatest masons and smiths in the realm, odd to see in an ore-starve little land. Is it true, my friend?

I shall write at length later, but I thought you should know the news now; I am sending this by the Charger Express at no little expense. If the Kingdom is not funding the Army in the field beyond our borders, I have good reason to believe there are going to be new contracts to come from it. Perhaps your cloth will find a market up here, eh? I have it on good authority that the governor would like to beach a fleet of his triremes and build some of the new lanteen-rigged caravels instead.
Go in peace,
-Samuel Gottar


Mar Ji Tho, "The Father of Generic Paper". He used his wealth from his wool trade to fund development of paper within the Kingdom, first sold 1178 AD
My dear Samuel,
My heart does indeed go out to your people, for we too have heard rumors of a great disaster in the distant north. You must come to Lakeside Garden; if you think young Prince Zhu Koh's lands and subrealm extensive, you should see the west. The lesser cities of the valleys are the size of Western Heights, and the capital is very great indeed. I think you and your daughters would find the environs most accommodating, as well. Although we have no Jewish communities, followers of the Tao and the Hindus live together in peace. Even in the Greenway district, I have heard of nothing but harmony. It would be any easy trip as well, although very long; travelling through the Great Canals and the Long Salt Lake, you would need never leave your ship. If you leave in early spring, you should have little trouble arriving before the great autumn storms.

Those selfsame storms to greatly trouble the city; although we are far upriver a larger harbor is still needed for the great ocean-going merchantmen of France. I should expect our trade to increase even more once it is complete. You must, must come to the capital. The greatest city in the world is rife with possibilities to a merchant of your skills, and I would fear no prejudice; if we trade with the Exile Kingdoms of the Zulu, we certainly see no issue with the Dutchmen.

I am glad indeed to know that we shall not be warring with the Maya, although it comes as little surprise. I had in fact heard from...
(letter is cut off from this point, not uncommon with the old papyrus texts)

Turn: 175
Status:

[Krill]

You need to fix those links...

[Sisu]

Prince Zhu Koh?

[DaveV]

I noticed that too. Does he have a trusted advisor named Eye Row?

[Thoth]

Nice report Commodore.

But I'm unclear as to what is happening up north....

[Thoth]

Also:

[Insert obligatory ded-lurker bitching about the state of our defenses.]

We have a couple of empty coastal cities. I'd like to see a pair of CG II longbows in each of our coastal cities that matter.

Some fast movers centrally stationed to provide zone coverage and a few cats stationed up north to help deal with any opportunistic landing parties would be nice as well.

Ditto dozen or so picket caravels.