307 ends by Rex

[VballMichael]

Victory By Rex Is The Darkelven Kingdom!
                           Game End Status Points

        Place Kingdom    Player                Results-34  Grand Total

          1     DA     Vball Michael             18,705      28,977
          2     WI     Lord Diamond              12,935      22,068
          3     GN     Drogo                      9,240      17,087
          4     BL     Lord Thanatos              7,820      16,255
          5     DW     Rogal                      8,100      13,850
          6     RA     Damelon                    6,500      12,500
          7     EL     Imperial Tark              4,400      11,102

Congratulations to all on a great game, and I look forward to the write-ups and the Valhalla update. This might have been the last 2nd Cycle game.
I will post a write-up tomorrow, I hope.

[HeadHoncho]

You rat, you tied me in Golds!

Congratulations!! I shall just have to comfort myself with my fewer games played.

[VballMichael]

You rat, you tied me in Golds!

Congratulations!! I shall just have to comfort myself with my fewer games played.

[VballMichael]

Excerpts from the Personal Notes of Dahm Reflor, King of the Dark Elves:

Upon my ascension to the throne, after beheading all of the failed contenders, I called together my council to advise them of my intentions. We will re-establish the dominance of the Dark Elves across all of Alamaze. Any of the lesser races who challenge us shall be eliminated. Other races who irritate us will also be eliminated. Those races who show ingenuity and fearlessness shall be allowed to rule some sections of Alamaze subject to our rule. I advised my leaders to build up the armies, train our wizards, hire and train a special group of assassins, and hire and train diplomats to go out to the people of Alamaze to preach the Word.

The first few months of my rule have gone well. By the third month, only 2 kingdoms had established dominance over their home territories, my Dark Elves and the puny Demon Princes. My minions are already scouting Amberland and Synisvania, looking for weakness. By the fifth month, we had recovered powerful artifacts from our past, including a Crown of Anzu, a Ring of Invisibility and a Sword of Alvinitar. We have been chosen by the people to serve on the High Council and by the end of my 6th month, we are voted the second most powerful kingdom by the good people of Alamaze. We see that the Giants and Warlock are fighting in Amberland, so perhaps opportunity lies there amidst the confusion. We did pick up a couple of neutral pop centers in Amberland and will prepare to crush the clumsy giants and the sleight-of-hand warlocks.

The next six months of my reign presage the inevitable domination of this land by my Dark Elves. We achieved certain quests by my tenth month, resulting in tremendous rewards, have built up one respectable army with decent wizard and agent support, have several high-level emissaries, weathered a bad season nicely, with influence almost maxed out (over 23 according to my bean counters). In the 12th month, all of Alamaze votes the Dark Elves preeminent among the kingdoms.
 
The next six months are ones of expansion and punishment. The Underworld has irritated us, the Giants and Warlocks stand in our way, and it is time to show the power of the Dark Elves, but we will be careful to not take any additional regions, keeping our intentions hidden. My wonderful agents are assassinating Warlock and Giant agents and emissaries, as well as some high level Underworld agents who are up to no good in the neighborhood, and my emissaries are making small in-roads into Amberland while the Giant and Warlock fight. But alas, what is this? The dreaded dastardly demented demons are invading Eastern Steppes, the land of my forefathers, the land of my people? This cannot be. I will gather a dungeon-full of demons, but first I must finish off the Warlock and Giant and cement control of Amberland, and continue to punish the Underworld for all transgressions, real and imagined. But my presence in Runnimede to punish the Underworld is misinterpreted by the Gnome, who attacks my pop centers there and continues to denigrate me. Oh well, I accomplished what I meant to do there and can head back to Amberland and Eastern Steppes. So, by my 15th month in leadership, I am fighting the Giant, Warlock, Underworld, Gnome, Demon Prince and Troll (he had the nerve to invade Amberland while I am trying to take it). Pffft, all peasants, all will die. With so many opponents, it is hard to focus on one goal and hard to focus on one opponent, but our superiority will overcome; I have assured my people of this. By the end of my 18th month, Alamaze once again votes the Dark Elves to be the preeminent kingdom. The Underworld and Warlock are nearly eliminated, my Dark Elves own 48% of Amberland. Sadly, though, those delapidate duplicitous Demons have taken over key population centers in my own Steppes.

Finally, my world view starts to become reality but still facing some serious setbacks. I expel the Underworld from the High Council, the Troll abandons the lands of Alamaze, my agents assassinate a pesky Demon Prince, capture several high-level Demon emissaries, and my emissaries take numerous towns and villages in Arcania from the Demon Prince. My agents also assassinate the Warlock king, along with numerous Warlock and Giant emissaries and wizards, including 2 of Power 6. But the lesser races do not fold. They do not seem to understand the manifest destiny of my Dark Elves. An embarrassing secret is released and the fools of Alamaze turn me from the High Council. I will be back and with anger in my heart. Suddenly, the Black Dragon appears in Arcania, and I avoid his pop centers and groups and focus my attacks only on the evil demons. Some demons escape my prisons, the Witchlord takes a second region, the Black Dragons start to attack my towns and my city and even my group in Arcania. Why, oh why, do these lesser beings not understand the folly of such a path? Why would the Black Dragons attack when I have so carefully avoided taking anything from that worthy kingdom? It seems a bleak time for my kingdom, but as we approach the end of my 24th month as King, I am back on the Council, the Warlock has been eliminated, the Demons are mostly removed from the Steppes, the Underworld is gone, and my glorious troops have taken over stewardship of Amberland. I have wiped out the main Giant army, confiscating weapons, assassinated two Black Dragon princes, and am producing more gold and food than needed. The citizens of Alamaze once again vote my Dark Elves as the best and strongest kingdom in the realm.
 
Time to rebuild, recruit, train, hire, research, and breathe. Then I will finish off the endangered Giants, punish the Demons and Black Dragons for their unprovoked atrocities, and teach all of Alamaze to respect the Dark Elves. Finally, in my 28th month, we eliminate the Giants, and I can focus on the Demons and Black Dragons in Arcania. A fake invasion into Torvale keeps the Gnome busy defending and denigrating, and then a full invasion of Arcania. But alas, what is this? The Black Dragons have sent numerous emissaries into my Steppes? Do they not know of my agent corps? And he has sent his army to my city? Does he not understand the innocent Dark Elf children who will be killed by such a heinous attack? So, I divert one group home while the other group, along with numerous emissaries, takes Arcania. Finally, in the 30th month of my rule, I take Arcania and can focus on removing the Demons and Black Dragons from my Steppes. I kill more dragon emissaries, dome my pop centers from his attacks, capture more demons, and now own three full regions. When the 30th month votes are tallied, my Dark Elves are still preeminent in the land, but what is this? The Witchlord, while trailing me overall, has surpassed me in this month’s polls and is on track to catch me. Ridiculous. I will have to deal with him after I quell the Demons and Dragons.

The Demon capital falls, my dungeons fill up, the demons finally exit the lands, and I can claim all remaining towns and villages in Arcania and my Steppes. Too long have they had inferior leadership. It is time to take over all of Alamaze. It is so sad to watch dragons bounce off my domes, their agents and emissaries dying to my knives. My emissaries and groups invade Southern Sands; it is time to have the dragons exit these lands. By the end of the 33rd month of my rule, it is clear that Alamaze will be mine. Southern Sands will fall next month, my hold on Arcania, Amberland and the Steppes are solid, the Witchlord has three regions but is clearly a few months from a fourth region, and all will soon understand the magnificence of the Dark Elf race. 

In the 34th month of my reign, a wonderful party was thrown, black dragons in chains served the food, demons and giant prisoners were paraded around as entertainment, underworld and warlock trophies were displayed, and the Witchlord emissaries (led by a certain Lord Diamond) were honored with silver medals for their worthy accomplishments, while the gnomes (led by Drogo) received bronze honorifics for their silent work in the southwest. An award ceremony was held for Hexaglin, a level 19 agent of the Dark Elves, whose assassinations included kings, demon princes, P6 mages, L14 agents, and too many princes and dukes to count. All hail the mighty Dark Elves.

[mafmiller]

Nice write-up, Vball!

RA - Since I was nowhere near the podium, I'll keep my comments brief .

As usual for me, I spent a long time building up. I had a nice court and (I thought) a nice military, with some great leaders. I'm glad I avoided the DA, although, reading his post, I see he was the one who beat me to The Sword of Alvinitar! I was about to launch an invasion on the BL (yes, me! invade!), but just then the DE showed up taking PCs in my region. Ugh! I would have to cancel my invasion (luckily, I hadn't started yet) and would have to play defense, as usual. Well, I defended quite well for a while, but then the TR landed an army group at Jukanta! I thought I could take him ... WRONG! He totally wiped me out and I lost all my awesome leaders. I was going to drop at that point, but decided to play on and see what would happen. Then (I think I'm getting the timing right), the BL also shows up! I'm being attacked by three groups! Luckily, although it didn't seem that the DE and BL ever crossed paths in my region, the TR and DE did. Them fighting each other helped a lot. With my excellent court, I was able to keep my region. Then, the TR dropped! What luck! As the BL invasion had only been half-hearted to this point, I thought I would take the opportunity to punish the DE ... and it worked! For a short time, I actually held two regions and several PCs in the Sands. However, soon, the BL began to attack me in earnest and the DE never left, so I had to abandon my expansion plans and defend. Well, I kept my region, but that's about it. It was a lot of fun and one of the longest games I've ever played. I'm glad I didn't drop.

[Lord Diamond]

Who played the Warlock? Once we know that, we can run the Valhalla program. I emailed Support on Friday. It's almost as if Rick and UM have a personal life or something...

[Rytek]

I was warlock. First game.
Giant attacked me right from the get go. I actually had him on the ropes ...i wiped his army out at my capitol with a much superior fleet. Dark elf played perfect and swooped in with his Army and agents to claim the prize.

[Ry Vor]

Excerpts from the Personal Notes of Dahm Reflor, King of the Dark Elves:

I like my Dark Elves dark.  Well done. 

[Lord Diamond]

I was warlock. First game.
Giant attacked me right from the get go. I actually had him on the ropes ...i wiped his army out at my capitol with a much superior fleet. Dark elf played perfect and swooped in with his Army and agents to claim the prize.

Is 'Rytek' also your game persona?

[Lord Diamond]

Witchlord

     I had planned to leave my immediate neighbors, the Elves and the Dwarves, to their own devices. I had my eyes set on some southern conquests and would have been content to never interact with either of them. The Dwarves seemed to be likeminded and we never even molested one another's villages within our respective borders. The Elves were the same right up until turn seven when a large Elven army arrived at my town of Craven Woods in Oakendale. Without provocation, the cowards attacked my small detachment and then the town. General Atilius, Captain I Grexa, and 2,000 brave soldiers were slaughtered. 

     I followed this attack with nothing more than a diplomatic mission to the Elven town in Northern Mists. When the Elf didn't move in, I even declared neutrality in an attempt to lure him into complacency. And then I watched. Oh, I watched!

     I watched the Elven court decide that the Witchlord kingdom wasn't worth bothering with while he moved his diplomats and armies against the Troll in Torvale. I watched while he emptied Oakendale of all defenders! While I watched, I also prepared my revenge and sought out jewels and artifacts of power to aid in that revenge. The most interesting occurrence during this interlude was a brief skirmish with the vile Gnome.

     On turn 11, my scouts sought to delve the deep in search of a magical key that would give us access to the fabled Ring of Power!. The party encountered Gnomes and Dwarves, also seeking the Key. Fortune favored us, and my patrol sped away with the loot! Oh, we were so clever. Our divinations determined that the Ring was located in the mountains of western Runnimede, which explained how the Gnome even knew about it. I teleported down to retrieve this lost relic and disaster struck!! That damned Gnome had set thieves to automatically attempt to steal the Key the moment we arrived! Oh, how we gnashed our teeth and raged! We could not retrieve the Key, or later the Ring, but we did express our anger by slaying a P-3 Gnomish wizard and by temporarily capturing a Gnome town and village. The rest of our revenge would have to wait, as the time was right to strike into Oakendale!

     Something tipped off the Elves that I was moving. Possibly, his own spies noticed my Enamor or build up on the border. His enemy declaration was enough to slow me down, but couldn't stop me. The invasion started on turn 21 and by the end of turn 22, I had control of Oakendale. A few turns later, Oakendale was just about cleansed of Elf-stench and my forces were following the retreating Elf into Torvale. 

     There was some back and forth, but the Elf wasn't able to resist too strongly. I am sure that the lowlight for him was perhaps the time my wizards killed eight of his brigades with poison gases. He continued to strike back as he was reduced to not much more than an annoyance when the Gnome stepped in to contest Torvale. The remaining Elves were pretty much crushed between us.

     The Gnome put up more of a fight and managed to murder my brave P-6 Mage, but he was also outmatched. I had control of Torvale and was invading Runnimede when the Darkelf claimed the throne.

     Good fight, everyone!


Prisoners: For the most part, my dungeons were inhabited by a higher class of scum. 

      Rank              Name                  Kingdom         Area       Points

      King              Uttara Kuru           Elven            AH         150
      Prince            Cpt Archenbow         Underworld       AH         120
      Prince            Thoduk Diamondnose    Gnome            AH         120
      Prince            Turreg Skullsplitter  Giant            AH         120
      Prince            Yizinna Oracan        Elven            AH         120
      Princess          Zusha                 Giant            AH         120
      Count             Abronis Casp          Elven            AH          90
      Count             Azget Bonegrinder     Giant            AH          90
      Baron             Oauri                 Elven            AH          75
      Baron             Sluka Stenchmaker     Troll            AH          75
      Baron             TYRANT                Gnome            AH          75
      Governor          KELPWOOD FOE          Elven            AH          45
      Governor          VARYS                 Gnome            AH          45
      Ambassadress      Nunidon               Elven            AH          30
      Agent 9           Nistril               Elven            AH          90
      Agent 4           Patience Ends         Elven            AH          40
      Agent 3           PICKLE                Elven            AH          30