Now that Particle Mare is the op of the Circle-jerk Competition Thread, I figure that this would be the right time to begin an Ancient Greek City-States RP:

Map

Green: Flat
Grey: Hilly
Light Blue: Shallow Waters
Dark Blue: Deep Waters

Guidelines

• The Era is set after the collapse of Mycenaean civilization (Start of the Iron Age, 1000BC).

• If you lose control of your city, you can resettle.

• You can invent whatever technology is possible for the time.

• The game will get harder as you go along:
  
  The Phoenicians will allow for easy trading at the beginning.
  
  The Ionian Greeks will be attacked by the Achaemenid Empire, who would then conquer Egypt.
  
  Alexander the Great's conquests at about 350 BC.
  
  Roman (or, if Rome falls before then, Carthaginian) influence may grow later on

How to Play

• Put a circle around where you want your settlement to be at (if you can't decide/your settlement is too small, your people will be at sea). Don't make it too large; the settlement would become difficult to control. Post it in the thread.

• List the Name, Exports, Government type, and how the city was founded in this thread.

• Make diplomatic actions official by posting them in the thread

• PM me with your actions

• The more allies you make, the more likely you are to survive

i choose laconia

specifically this little part

name: Patala

goverment type: Diarchy

exports: olive oil and wine are the main two sources of income.

founding: the city was created by a wise man named patal, his heroic feats made him a name in the region of hellas, where tribes kept following him as he imparted all kids of knowledge onto his people, specially military wise as to defend themselves, but also with other themes such as religion, statecraft, politics etc. the reason for its founding was that patal and his followers were rejected by other greek city-states and kingdoms wherever they went and in an ultimate act of defiance, founded his own city-state in the comfortable and easily defendable region of laconia where the might of his city was never contested by rivals, who had to deal with the new power in the region.

One day patal got ready to leave the city on an important journey, he gave one final lecture to his citizens and a set of rules and a goverment model that he said "if they promised to follow until he came back, his city will never perish". Patal never came back, but to this very day his citizens still follow his teachings.

ΕΛΕΔΩΣ

Name: Eledos

Location: Eastern Crete, specifically this marked area:

Government: Oligarchy

Notable local products:
- Saffron, a rare spice native to Crete
- Copper, mined from the hillside to the south
- Fish, a staple product of all harbour cities

Founding story:
Eledos was once a rather unremarkable seaport, mostly inhabitated by fishermen and a few seafaring merchants. However, with the fall of the Minoans and the disappearance of their fleet some of Eledos' more brazen sailours sniffed a chance for a more profitable business than fishing: Piracy. Eledos became soon a pirate haven in the southeastern Aegean Sea, its natives preying on phoenician and greek trading vessels alike. The city is ruled by a small council of patriarchs that represent the most influential local families, all of whom are also involved in the piracy business.

In the hinterlands of Eledos some precious little saffron is being cultivated and the mountains to its south are rich in copper. It is said that not a few victims of Eledos' pirates end up as slaves toiling in the local copper mines. However, neither the negligible amount of locally produced saffron nor copper are Eledos' most valuable asset, but its sailours. Seafarers by birth, these experienced and daring sailours excel at maneuvering their light galleys through the local shallow waters, their nautical skills rivaling those of the Phoenicians.

Name: Neo-Brazil

Government: Democracy

Exports: Exotic fruits and spices

Founding: It is said that Neo-Brazil was founded in ancient times by a man/deity named Sæn who brought local tribes together and taught them how to build a society. Certain conservatives within Neo-Brazil believe that everything from the nation's culture to the Earth itself was created by Sæn, while more progressive scholars theorize that he was merely a charismatic leader. Over time, Neo-Brazilians have grown less theocratic, and have drafted some commandments that all citizens generally live by.

map:

I'm going to make a region filled with pirates:

Name: The Islets of Rogues

Government: None

Exports: Tin and whatever they stole

Location:

Known History: The Rogues from the area had gained notoriety among Mycenaean Greece for pillaging the palaces, forcing the Mycenae to build underground tunnels for protection. After Mycenaean authority collapsed, the Rogues had developed into a small trading network, and even traded with the Kingdom up north for tin.

Damn, (other) pirate scum right at our doorstep.

OOC: It's the first time that I join such a game, so I already excuse myself if I should act like a newb.

Would you mind explaining in some more detail how the game, particulary how actions are done/what actions are possible? I guess it works in some turn-based way? I skipped through the old Nations RP thread, but since most actions were apparently taken on some discord server it's hard to comprehend what the players were doing.

Name: Cronum

Government: Oligarchic, Mercantile Republic

Exports: Produced locally: olive oil, salt, fish, timber. Luxury items from the two great trade routes: primarily silk, spices and perfumes.

Founding:
According to the folk legend Cronus was founded by Nestor of Corinth, son of King Aletes, as a colonization attempt was made to save some Corinthians from hunger subsequent to a bad harvest. Upon landing on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, Nestor was in awe of the virility of the land and the plethora of fish to be caught. Nestor said that they received a blessing from the ruler of the Elysian Fields himself, Cronus, and thus named the city after him.

In the subsequent years, as the colony grew more independent of Corinth and Nestor departed this world, trade began to rapidly transform the city into a port. Merchants gaining prominence led to their increased influence in the city's matters, ultimately resulting in an oligarchy, a state that continues to this day.

I'm now writing Turn Zero; any City-States founded after this post will be introduced on Turn One.

Turn 0: Lydian Kingdom Rises and Egypt Reunifys

1,000 B.C. (Late Bronze)

After Mycenaean authority had collapsed, their culture had been lost to time; no one can recall how the administration had functioned, or even the writing system! However, the Greek Cities remain operational while independent. Some such cities include Patala (James Blunt), Eledos (Nigel the treasure hunter), Neo-Brazil (Roarshack), Cronum (Triangle), and the Rogues' Domain

The Kingdom of Lydia, free of the Mycenaean rivals, had begun exercising power by sending its people into the Rogues' Domain. The Rogues, driven by Lydian Tin deposits, had vowed to compete with Lydia economically in order to remain free of foreign influence.

The Egyptians, decentralized after the death of Ramesses XI, has devolved into a Civil War, with its royal families competing for control of the Nile River Delta.

Patala (James Blunt)

Government: Diarchy

Economy: Wine and Olive Oil

Land Defence: Respectable

Naval Superiority: Respectable

• Despite having alienated the other City-States, Patala remains stable due to the Patalian Military structure, the protective hills of the North, the natural harbor to the South, and the political Diarchy guiding public life.

• Ever since the Collapse of Mycenae, Patala had lacked a decent trading partner, as the other Peloponnesian City-states refuse to trade with; Patala, now isolated, now conducts trade domestically, awaiting for trade to begin anew

Eledos (Nigel the treasure hunter)

Government: Oligarchy

Economy: Saffron, Fish, Copper deposits

Land Defence: Decent

Naval Superiority: Adept

• The Rogue neighbors had somehow got ahold of tin deposits, as evidenced by the armor the Rogues wore during raids; the Rogues continue to block the way to Cyprus; rumors about exotic fruits and spices from the land Neo-Brazil had become a recurring legend in Eledos.

• After losing vital trade connections with other cities, Eledos had found themselves with no one to raid; the nearest boats belonging to the Rogues, and the westward fortress having already been plundered.

Neo-Brazil (Roarshack)

Government: Democracy

Economy: Cypriot Fruits and Spices

Land Defence: Adept

Naval Superiority: Mobilizable

• Neo-Brazil, being the least affected by the recent collapse of nearby Empires, continues to trade with the neighbouring Phoenicians as though the destruction never happened; some Neo-Brazilians had begun conducting trade with the Lydian Kingdom while still adhering to the commandments that were drafted.

• Some Neo-Brazilians had figured out how to write "Sæn" onto the Cypriot sand, utilizing the letters 'σ', 'α', and 'η'; the Neo-Brazilians continue to do this until the letters are memorized as sounds; the Phoenicians, with its close ties to Neo-Brazil, begin writing letters in the sand, including the letters 'μ' and 'ε', writing them like this: "μεμ εμς".

Cronum (Triangle)

Government: Mercantile Republican Oligarchy

Economy: Olive oil, timber, fish, and salts [rare: spices, perfumes, and silk

Land Defence: Respectable

Naval Superiority: Adept

• After the fall of Mycenae, followed by Lydian expansion, Cronum had become cut off from the Aegean Sea, restricted to sailing in the Marmaran and Black Seas; the passage to the Aegean Sea is currently occupied by the City of Troy, and its army having access to Lydia's tin and copper deposits.

• The Cronean navy has been exploring the Black Sea in search of resources to make up for the isolation from known cities.

@nigel actions are sent trough private messages only, if you want you can join the discord to keep up https://discord.gg/5vr9NQ

Turn 1: Phoenician Colonies Established and Israel Splits in Two

900 B.C. (Late Bronze)

Patala (James Blunt)

Government: Diarchy

Economy: Wine, Olive Oil, and Fishing

Land Defence: Respectable

Naval Superiority: Adept

• The Northwestern city-state is sieged, prompting the city to retreat into the hills, founding Delphi in the process.

• Trade routes are made, providing access to the Islands of Crete and Rhode; the fleet and mines are expanded.

• Olive plantations are made more efficient after analyzing the night sky.

• Patal is added to the Greek pantheon

Eledos (Nigel the treasure hunter)

Government: Oligarchy

Economy: Saffron, Fish, Copper deposits

Land Defence: Respectable

Naval Superiority: Adept

• Eledos gains control of the fort to the West; the cities continue colonizing Crete.

• Trade is established with Patala and Lydia.

• Envoys are sent to Athens and Troy; Athens produces grapes, while Troy has large reserves of bronze.

Neo-Brazil (Roarshack)

Government: Democracy

Economy: Cypriot Fruits and Spices

Land Defence: Adept

Naval Superiority: Mobilizable

• After the Phoenicians allow for easy access to leather, the Neo-Brazilians make balls out of it, using nets to catch them; the nets are made stationery, creating basketball.

Before I release the turn, here's some information about the map that I wasn't clear about in the OP:

First, you can settle anywhere shown except for the zones labeled in black text. I'd recommend joining the game before the empires get too powerful in later turns, unless you find first-turn wars appealing.

Second, the green percentages (you can find one adjacent to Egypt) represents the vulnerability of the route as a supply line.

Finally, I'll try to release turns frequently, but I can't promise they will be daily.

Turn 2: Assyria Strikes Back!

800 B.C. (Early Iron Age)

After getting dismantled a few centuries ago, the Neo-Assyrians begin attacking from the East. Phoenicia repelled the attack, as the Assyrians sent few units compared to it's other campaigns.

Meanwhile, in the West, a Phoenician colony called Carthage makes a name for itself by colonizing without assistance.

Patala (James Blunt)

Government: Diarchy

Economy: Wine, Olive Oil, and Fishing

Land Defence: Mobilizable

Naval Superiority: Adept

Conflicts: Corinth and Thebes (War)

• Patalian forces begin invading the neighbors, Corinth asks other city-states for assistance, only getting Thebes to help out; nevertheless, Patala now controls all but the Northeast of Pelopponesia.

• Delphi decides they want nothing to do with Patal, and makes themselves landlocked.

• The now-Patalian cities are added to the army, but are hesitant to follow patal as a deity.

Eledos (Nigel the treasure hunter)

Government: Oligarchy

Economy: Saffron, Fish, Minerals and gems

Land Defence: Adept

Naval Superiority: Adept

• Eledos continues mining Crete for its resources.

• Troy now imports olive oil, as the city has not been consuming it prior to the agreement.

• The ships now look Athenian.

• Rogues agrees to stop attacking the passing vessels and allows for trade, but don't pay the tribute of tin.

Neo-Brazil (Roarshack)

Government: Democracy

Economy: Cypriot Fruits and Spices

Land Defence: Adept

Naval Superiority: Mobilizable

Conflicts: Neo-Assyria (Threat)

• Phoenicia is threatened.
  

Turn 3: The Olympics Begin!

New Feature: Any place that is labeled can be conversed in this thread

New Rule: The list of actions must fit in a single message

750 B.C. (Early Iron Age)

[In future turns I will include a tech tree graphic]

In the miniature city of Olympia, otherwise an uncharted settlement on Patal's shore, has made a track for people to race upon (pic related). The Olympians begin sending invitations to other Patalian subjects to participate and spectate the game (there's only one game so far). The Olympiad of 776 B.C. (if Patal had a calendar I would, er, I mean the GM would put the Patalian year in parentheses) was eventually spread beyond Patal's frontiers; in particular, Athens had spent considerable amounts of silver on their Olympiads, however, some of the spectators were a certain group of pirates who had ulterior motives for visiting…

The Rogue pirates launch an invasion on Athens! They didn't raid them as expected, no, they invaded. Unlike the combatants fighting for and against Patalian expansion, however, the Rogues lacked military discipline, and were easily defeated by Athenian forces. The heavy casualties on the Rogues' side discouraged them from ever attempting an invasion like that again. The Rogues then spread word of silver sarcophagi (or, as they like to call it, "treasure"). The Athenian Aeropagus, troubled by these rumors, decides to force anonymous Greeks to be tried in the city. They hope to determine what person, place, or thing could possibly compel the Rogues to invade Athens in particular.

Patala (James Blunt)

Government: Diarchy

Economy: Grape Vineyards, Olive Plantations, Fishing

Land Defence: Adept

Naval Superiority: Respectable

Conflicts: Corinth and Delphebes (The Patalian Campaigns); Athens (Trial)

• Delphi and Thebes united to become Delphebes, continuing to resist Patal alongside Corinth; the two rulers of Patal, having continued a war for decades now, reluctantly agree to a ceasefire with their enemies; they can now easily focus on matters within their jurisdiction.

• As mentioned before, the Olympian tradition had begun; fortunately, for Olympia, the Diarchs had recently decided to incorporate the local beliefs of newly conquered subjects; the Olympic tradition has been spread beyond the Patal frontier, allowing foreign city-states to host Olympiads.

• In a further effort to integrate the conquered regions, the Diarchs lowered taxes and subsidized education while preserving some aspects of the local cultures.

• The Athenian neighors had recently began trying random Patalians, alongside members of Anti-Patal cities, under the Aeropagus's jurisdiction; if the Aeropagus of Athens cannot reach a decision soon then the trial will drag on.

Eledos (Nigel the treasure hunter)

Government: Oligarchy

Economy: Saffron, Fishing, Mining

Land Defence: Mobilizable

Naval Superiority: Mobilizable

Conflicts: Athens (Trial)

• Eledian mines are expanded upon, providing the merchants with significant quantities of lead and even some silver!

• Foundries and smithies are made to replace bronze tools and weaponry with iron versions; the Eledians import tin and copper from Troy to make bronze shields and armor.

• Shipbuilders build more ships for the Eledian navy, modeled after Athenian, Cypriot, and eventually Neo-Brazilian ships; the Eledians also develop their own model of ships that they called biremes, adding bronze-tipped bow rams to them.

• The Athenians had been impressing Eledian sailors, luring them into their courtrooms to be tried; the Eledians, inspired by these devious actions, begin doing the same with the Rogues; the Rogues, being impressed by both the Athenians and Eledian sailors, experience a decline in population, opening the seas between Eledos and Neo-Brazil for trade.

• The Eledian ships begin to travel to the Cyclades Archipelago to loot and pillage the islands, enslaving the survivors.

Game Manager's Note: Scale for military performance is maxed out at "Mobilizable" and will not go higher for the rest of the Early Iron Age!

About Next Turn

As Neo-Brazil is very distant, relative to Patal and Eledos, it will take a few more years for the latter to be properly informed on how Neo-Brazil will deal with the Neo-Assyrians in Asia, as with the commerce between the Aegean and Cypriot waters. The next post will be set in the 740's B.C.E.

tl;dr: I'll release Turn 3.5 when roarshack's turn is submitted, but the current players, and anyone who joins the game after this post will have to wait for Turn 4.

Eledos Contacting Athens

Eledos send an envoy with the following message:

"Appealing to the friendship between our two states as trustful trade partners, we urge Athens to release all unjustly arrested Eledian citizens and stop trying them baselessly for the rogues' attack. It is a grave insult to our nation to even imply that we could have incited the rogues to attack Athens. After all it also harmed our own trade, so why should any Eledian merchant be involved in the rogues' attack plans on Athens? As proof of our condemnation of the rogues' attack we launched a punitive expedition against their pirate strongholds of Karpathos and Rhodes. To discourage any further unprovoked aggressions we also propose a defensive pact between Athens and Eledos. We are two naval powers who can reach each other quickly, this way we can ensure peace in the sea between us."

After taking a moment to think it over, the Athenian who heard this message told the envoy to "tell the Aeropagus". The envoy, not knowing what an "Aeropagus" is, doesn't immediately go back to Eledos, deciding to instead study the Athenian justice system.

When someone is convicted of a crime, they are forcibly brought to court. The highest court in Athens, the envoy learns, is the "Aeropagus". Lastly, the envoy realizes that the oligarchical government appoints the judges depending on rank.

The envoy repeats the message, summarized in the first paragraph of this post, to the Athenian jurors, who respond by apologizing, recognizing the cultural differences between Athens and Eledos, appearing dumbfounded after hearing of the Eledian invasion of Rogues, and reaches the following decision:

Athens has decided to cease arresting Eledians, will better strengthen ties with Eledos, and will work to collaborate with Eledos in the ongoing investigation.

Here be Achievements

>TFW No Permashelter:
Relocate your entire city. [nobody]

Level Up:
Go from city to nation. [dean blunt of Patal, Nigel of Eledos, roarshack of Neo-Brazil]

It's empire time!:
Conquer/Colonize parts of the map. [dean blunt of Patal, Nigel of Eledos]

i was democratic before it was cool:
be democratic before Athens does. [roarshack of Neo-Brazil]

The Concert of Greece:
Befriend an city of equal strength while also having the strongest forces of the Meditteranean. [Nigel of Eledos]

Found the Beef:
Domesticate cows. [nobody]

Bane of Senators:
Sack Rome. [nobody]

Carcino-Geneticist:
cure cancer. [NOBODY]

♪We are the pirates‼:
Sack Carthage. [nobody]

Literally Alexander the Great:
Capture the city of Persepolis. [nobody]

Luigi:
Win by doing absolutely nothing. [triangle of Cronum]

Frontiersmen:
Found your city on the least populated part of the map. [triangle of Cronum]

(working on the epilogue)

okay nevermind im posting it on 8ch /natrp/

hey James can you give me an email called "natrp@knowyourmeme.com"?

remember to auto-move all unrelated emails to spam.