[OOC] The Sun Will Never Set (Reboot)

[Willy Vereb]

<Snipped quote by Willy Vereb>

I'm fine with it, sounds fun!

Also, would you mind if the king of one of my nations was say, one quarter elf? Old alliance from centuries ago, I think the guy's grandmother might very well be still alive too. Justify previous diplomatic relations etc, to say that not ALL of Vinculi hates elves.

ALSO! What's the status of magic here? Necromancy in particular.

@Wernher

Magic is banned. Necromancy is doubly so.
Fantastic races and elements should be explained more like sci-fi. Different evolution, differently formed elements, etc.

As for quarter-elf, it'd be difficult. Half-elves in general have a problematic situation within Yllendthyr. The only solution I see if that certain ruler also earned the right to be a honorary elf which also means he probably has a noble title in Yllendthyr and in one sense the Emperor's vassal (well, at least by technicality). This is both good and bad. It for example can explain further the reason why Yllendthyr trusts them with producing their equipment. It also earns you a first hand insight into Yllendthyr politics. On the other hand you're part of Yllendthyr politics, technically the Empire's underling (even if not upheld in any form in reality, see Gig's Setra) and may have to feign subservience when meeting certain officials especially the Ymheodr (Emperor). Granted, the Emperor visiting anyone would be extremely rare and probably you have other shit to worry about when it actually happens.
Overall, being a half-elf/quarter-elf is a plausible scenario but it's going to be quite complex.
I like the idea but I'm not sure how you feel about all these.

[Wernher]

@Willy Vereb

The way I'd see it, it was originally accepted by the king at the time of the marriage but was marketed more as an equal alliance to the people (they need not know after all) and afterward the relationship become more and more ambiguous. Thus, the king is aware that he is... theoretically, a vassal of the emperor, but he doesn't tell anyone about that detail and when the Emperor calls to war, he answers... but markets it as doing so as an ally to his own people. If confronted about what his allegiance is without room to wiggle away in a non-committing answer, he'd probably say he's not a vassal (Unless he's really desperate for help on that moment).

I'd say the previous king could have been awarded this honor in a scenario such as: Another Vinculi nation waged war on a then smaller elvish empire and had decent chances to win. Seeing its chance, the king of the previous nation decides to say he is utterly convinced on the evish envoy's request for help and will come to aid against the unjust Vinculi invader with all his might! The aim of course is to snag territories. This doesn't go as planned as the king gets trashed in the Vinculi mainland, but this allows for the elves to claim a victory on their homefront. As a consolation prize, the Emperor offers the title as well as a daughter to the king. He normally wouldn't have accepted, but his choice to go to war left him in a bad posture and, with his armies defeated, he suspected others might try to wage war against him. So he accepts, to gain diplomatic weight against his hostile neighbors by threatening them with the weight of a superior ally. Hell, I'd say the two nations could have fought a few wars together.

[Willy Vereb]

<Snipped quote by Wernher>

No magic is the rule I believe and even more so against necromancy for obvious reasons, at least nothing that can actually do anything. Other wise everyone would be using the Luminark of Hysh and using magical girls in their armies.
If I remember correctly, @Willy Vereb used alchemy to make mithril but most of the process is more or less ceremonial randomness but his elves can't figure out which steps are actually useful and which is just dancing around a fire pit and having an Elvish pow wow.

@ClocktowerEchos

Alchemy is basically pseudo-science. They combine scientific observations with mysticism and other occult elements. Whatever advantage alchemists have over classic science is because they just got lucky. Alchemists are also like Guilds of the old days who try to keep their trade secrets at all costs. Mithril in particular is like Damascus Steel. It's Mithral (a mix of titanium and aluminium in properties) containing various alloy metals and carbon from the melted remains of a certain plant which imbued the structure with carbon-nanotubes. Yup, Damascus Steel apparently contained CNT thanks to roughly the same reason. Which is why it was nearly impossible to copy. Now alchemists in Yllendthyr learned this by some accident and use this and its hundreds of different variations for creating all the different types of mithril. Yeah, just like steel there are numerous different grades of mithril to use.
And you're right, they use practical methods combined with rituals even now. Albeit compared to before the amount of rituals dwindled as certain steps were proven to be unneccessary. For example thanks to an experiment in mid-1800s they are no longer limited to smelt Mithril under the shine of the Moon. Which as you can expect intantly multiplied Yllenthyr's speed at producing mithril. Granted, mithril production is still not as efficient as steel. Higher quality steel products also gained an edge over mithril now.

[ClocktowerEchos]

@Willy Vereb So I was right about the midnight Elvish pow wows then? Can I sign up to see one? :P

As a general thing, I think I'm going to make Fuso say stuff they don't understand or find scary as having to involve pow wows. Like balloons. Balloon pow wows

[Serpentine88]

@Willy Vereb So, how would you like to go about history between the Sacred and Heavenely Empires?

THINGS THAT I AM CONSIDERING FOR CERESIAN HISTORY:
#1: A gigantic invasion of that old Not!Rome (Old Morovian Empire?) using sea monsters and trident wielding-naga a millenia or three ago, act like a common enemy for all the main civilizations in the past
#2: Some kind of ancient binding treaty that allows the elves to hold those islands in the Ceres Sea. Possibly there was some ancient alliance against a common enemy and the Ceresians gave those islands as a reward. This is probably a better explanation that military concessions since I am already giving concessions to other nations in recent history.
#3: A war against a player in the past that I actually won (Any volunteers?)

[Willy Vereb]

@Willy Vereb

The way I'd see it, it was originally accepted by the king at the time of the marriage but was marketed more as an equal alliance to the people (they need not know after all) and afterward the relationship become more and more ambiguous. Thus, the king is aware that he is... theoretically, a vassal of the emperor, but he doesn't tell anyone about that detail and when the Emperor calls to war, he answers... but markets it as doing so as an ally to his own people. If confronted about what his allegiance is without room to wiggle away in a non-committing answer, he'd probably say he's not a vassal (Unless he's really desperate for help on that moment).

I'd say the previous king could have been awarded this honor in a scenario such as: Another Vinculi nation waged war on a then smaller elvish empire and had decent chances to win. Seeing its chance, the king of the previous nation decides to say he is utterly convinced on the evish envoy's request for help and will come to aid against the unjust Vinculi invader with all his might! The aim of course is to snag territories. This doesn't go as planned as the king gets trashed in the Vinculi mainland, but this allows for the elves to claim a victory on their homefront. As a consolation prize, the Emperor offers the title as well as a daughter to the king. He normally wouldn't have accepted, but his choice to go to war left him in a bad posture and, with his armies defeated, he suspected others might try to wage war against him. So he accepts, to gain diplomatic weight against his hostile neighbors by threatening them with the weight of a superior ally. Hell, I'd say the two nations could have fought a few wars together.

@Wernher

Sounds good to me.
Like I said it's kind of like more of a formality. Also nobles are technically the most entitled to protect their own land. So unless it's a desperate war at the survival of Yllendthyr at stake or other extreme reasons your King is only demanded to protect his own country. An ironic situation where the laws of Yllendthyr outright order you to do exactly what you want. Since your king's territory is not part of Yllendthyr, not even by the same degree as Setra, you aren't required to pay taxes, your people obey Yllendthyr's laws or tribute soldiers to the Brascad.
On the other hand your king does need to pay taxes to Yllendthyr as all nobles after the reform but for the above reasons it's also rather minimal. Similarly since your kingdom isn't part of Yllenthyr you aren't ever invited into the parlaiment unless somebody outright summons you as a noble of Yllendthr which is unlikely.
In short it's a formality, nice and immensely convoluted but overall changes very little for your kingdom.

[Wernher]

#3: A war against a player in the past that I actually won (Any volunteers?)

@Serpentine88

Volunteer. NOT!Spain with a NOT!Spanish armada.

[ClocktowerEchos]

<Snipped quote by Serpentine88>

Volunteer. NOT!Spain with a NOT!Spanish armada.

@Wernher

Nobody expects the NOT!Spanish Inquisition!

[Isotope]

An FYI for everyone, since nobody is really doing it and because me and Serp worked out a way for it to play into our trade would it be ok for Verendes to be the worlds leading producer of optical and other sorts of specialized glass?

[Willy Vereb]

An FYI for everyone, since nobody is really doing it and because me and Serp worked out a way for it to play into our trade would it be ok for Verendes to be the worlds leading producer of optical and other sorts of specialized glass?

@Isotope

Given the elves' standards due to their eyesight they're likely building pretty decent optics but sure, I don't mind somebody else leading in the field.
It's preferable if my elves aren't the best in too many things.

[ClocktowerEchos]

Wait, if we're doing nation specialization, what is Fuso supposed to do? I want to feel special and needed too! ;-;

[Isotope]

You don't need to be great at anything lol, I'm only doing glass because it allows for the relationship me and serp wanted.

[ClocktowerEchos]

Don't worry @Isotope, I already have a way to conquer the world.

I'll convert all of you to the one true faith: Animism

Yes, you will all see the kawaii light of our lord and savior Waifu Jesus.

The heathens who cling to the old ways will be compelled to knee before the moe presence of Waifu Jesus!

May our souls be saved by the moe moe kyun of Waifu Jesus, A-nya~

[Wernher]

Please, husbando hellion is best god.

[Isotope]

Lmfao.

[ClocktowerEchos]

Please, husbando hellion is best god.

@Wernher

[Cyclone]

Wait, if we're doing nation specialization, what is Fuso supposed to do? I want to feel special and needed too! ;-;

@ClocktowerEchos

Can you say sushi?

[ClocktowerEchos]

<Snipped quote by ClocktowerEchos>

Can you say sushi?

@Cyclone

You think people are going to trade sushi for metal? :P

[Isotope]

It it was really good sushi....

[Cyclone]

<Snipped quote by Cyclone>

You think people are going to trade sushi for metal? :P

@ClocktowerEchos

Sushi is my favorite food! A good roll is worth all of the shekels on the Interwebz.