Players have visited 74% of all inhabited regions.

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.----      - ---     --     ---   -----   - --       ----  ----   -     ----.
 )                                                                         (
(                             NewOrigins Events                             )
 )                              April, Year 2                              (
(                                                                           )
 )      Some travelers are worried about an encounter between enemies      (
(      happened in the desert of Blecishchan where 134 combatants were      )
 )    killed. Neither side won. This battle will be known as Battle of     (
(                          the city of Honmioxfiw.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(       Multiple dockers are talking about a conflict between hostile       )
 )     forces happened in the desert of Blecishchan where 2 combatants     (
(     were killed. The defenders were furious and put all attackers to      )
 )     the sword. This battle will be known as Battle near the city of     (
(                                Honmioxfiw.                                )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(       Dozen wanderers are talking about a conflict between enemies        )
 )      happened in the swamps of Nurplishglen where 1 combatant was       (
(     killed. The attackers slaughtered all defenders. This battle will     )
 )          be known as Battle near the ocean of Atlantis Ocean.           (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )    Some peasants have heard about a conflict between hostile forces     (
(        happened in the plains of Pestflo where 19 combatants were         )
 )    killed. The attackers slaughtered all defenders. This battle will    (
(             be known as Battle near the town of Coprengville.             )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(      Numerous adventurers have heard about the city of Trie'enchbra       )
 )          that lies in the Furswudost plains, where a partisans          (
(                           extinguished guards.                            )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Multiple wanderers have heard about adventurers who have expelled     )
 )        Imp (6215) near town of Leserstead. Freeing the tundra of        (
(                        Rendprog from their terror.                        )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(        Many bards are rumoring about daredevils who have decimated        )
 )    Crocodiles (282) near village of Subeedom. Freeing the swamps of     (
(                         Co'i from their anxiety.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(      In the caverns of Mecshito, near city of Cengrer, Goblin Horde       )
 )        (1125) who continue to cause dread to local inhabitants.         (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )      In the ocean of Atlantis Ocean, near city of Meldorf, Merfolk      (
(          (936) who continue to cause dread to local inhabitants.          )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     In the forests of Utso, near town of Erwhestead, Demon (972) who      )
 )             continue to cause horror to local inhabitants.              (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )    In the tunnels of Seasjamant, near ocean of The Undersea, Dragon     (
(          (1074) who continue to cause fear to local inhabitants.          )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     In the swamps of Attprorspa, near ocean of Atlantis Ocean, Undead     )
 )         (752) who continue to cause fear to local inhabitants.          (
(__       _       _       _       _       _       _       _       _       __)
    '-._.-' (___ _) '-._.-' '-._.-' )     ( '-._.-' '-._.-' (__ _ ) '-._.-'
            ( _ __)                (_     _)                (_ ___)
            (__  _)                 '-._.-'                 (___ _)
            '-._.-'                                         '-._.-'

Men have prepared for a ritual. A ritual that will bring a huge rock from the sky.

Noe we have ships, we can explore the world faster than our swimmers.

Greedy neigbours have killed many beavers but beavers survived and replied. 
Thanks to magic we can see far now and see the new built cog which will be used by our greedy neighbour to escape.
Should we follow them, and wipe entirely or should we let them go?

After the wide open expanses of our ocean home, the dark confines we find ourselves in these days, is a bit unnerving. We spy a warm glow across a chasm. Looks nice, we'll check it out...

"Boys!" the bronzed lord called out, "I think this beach needs a new taco stand."

"But, my dude," replied one of the shore patrol, "I don't think those guards over there are happy with us just, like, building even a most excellent taco stand."

The bronzed lord wiped the wax from his hands.

"Well, we'll see about that."

ils se croyaient forts mais ils tomberont de plus haut...

HONK HONK HONK

New ally and new lands !

We bore witness to the most unfortunate of timings this month, or fortunate - depending on your point of view. A different set of circumstances may have ended another way.

There are two things I don't like: racism and crocodiles.

Act Two, Scene Forth

"... and then these creatures came at us from the thicket! The greens did not even have time to form a formation, many of them began to vomit when they did not even have time to get their weapons. We managed to throw fireballs, but they were of little use in the battle, the Necromancer's skeletons briefly delayed the beating and allowed us to escape, but the army was lost, the Commander was missing, the Weather Magician was seriously injured and it is unclear whether he will survive. I miraculously survived myself. The necromancer is still in shock, he was delirious all the way, now he looks into the void and mutters incomprehensible words... It's good that we didn't have time to do anything bad to our neighbor. There is a chance that we will make peace," the Earth Magician sobbed
"Well, you can see for yourself that" Vasily tells him
"Migrants did not make us great, but a lot of useful and valuable things were found in the chests of the head of the diaspora. Again, his decision to produce more weapons will allow us to quickly rebuild the army."
"You know, Vasily! Take command of us until all this is over!"
"And why do you think it's going to end?"
"It happens, but take over the management of the town anyway! We will not call you Lord, you will be the keeper of the keys to the town. Write to the neighbors, send support, offer cooperation. We don't have a lot of land, but we have everything we need, and it's about time go to sea..."

What can the dead teach us?  Perhaps they also have knowledge to share.  Maybe we will ask them...

The magical gates did not favor the traders. They kept returning to many the same gate over and over. Will we really be not able to establish trade network over gates wondered one of the Big Fat Traders as they arrived at Groo Gate for the third time. And not a single time they would arrive in underworld, so the speculators started thinking that there could be no magical gate underground. We invite other factions to share their observations on magical gate functionalities if any. 

And now armor.  Steel looks odd on trees

So it appears I am on an isthmus connecting two large monsters.

Quick, find the page of spells that counter both illyrthid and Kraken!

Ok, time to hide....

Housing crisis - Yes even here.

Our patrols found that Dark League had no true resistance... now questions arise - what for they block good regions with 'single man' guard posts. Answer is: to harm our faction, to hinder it development. Such  evil intentions, good that Dark League will be erased from our lands.

You can't trust anyone! Even to myself!

Not dead yet.

Times, they are a changing.

In an interesting turn of events, other factions are producing JAVE. Have they all figured out a secret strategy, or are more towns looking to buy cheap weapons?

Squirrels and Traders go back and forth with their economic philosophies in the Times, but we fishmongers know the basics of ecology. A given hex can only produce so fish in a turn, no matter how many fisherman are in the area. But no matter how many fishermen there are, it will still be able to produce that many fish every turn in the future. It's just like trees in a forest...they all grow back, month after month. Right?? But if you don't cut them down, they don't grow back...otherwise there would be twice as many trees there next month. Simple...

Show must go on.

------------------------------------------------------------
              Squirrel Chatter                  second April
------------------------------------------------------------

How to choose?  The plain town of Ledpyc and the swamp town
of Iwick both seem like such appealing places to rest and
recuperate.  What an inviting place Rantvardshal is.
                             --Mister Sandwich, Rantvardshal

Oh, look, a second giant's castle with a second cloud giant.
I wonder whether  he is just as friendly as  the other cloud
giant? Let's go see if he is friendly. I wonder why we never
find a giantess' castle? Is  this telling us something about
gender gaps in property ownership among the giants?
                                        --Wuttlic, Nenttheen

Ignore  Nanotha's "Capital/Income  ratio".   Use instead  my
simpler "Income/Population".  The two  terms in my ratio are
easily defined.   Population = leaders    elves    dwarves  
gnomes     goblins    gnolls     orcs    humans     centaurs
  lizardmen.  Income  =  taxes    sales     entertainment   
food.  Food is  30 times food consumed. Income  from food is
booked when the food is sold or consumed, not when produced.
Nanotha's  "capital"  has   a  complicated,  arbitrary,  and
controversial  definition, but  if Nanotha's  capital/income
ratio and my income/population  ratio plots are both painted
with a wide brush,  Nanotha's plot is indistinguishable from
50 silver divided by my  per capita monthly income. That is,
to reasonable approximation, Nanotha's  capital is simply 50
times population.  So  my simpler, well defined  plot is all
anyone really  needs.   Squirrel per capita income rose to a
maximum of 30 silver at the beginning of the second year but
has since fallen to 26 silver per month, and is still slowly
falling as the frontier becomes  an ever smaller fraction of
squirrel lands.  Most places  that squirrels explore are now
occupied. In a  few places  squirrels can still  expand into
virgin land, but almost everywhere  the borders are now set,
and further expansion is impossible.
                   squirrel income / population
  35  ----------------------------------------------------- 
     |                                                     |
     |                                                     |
  30 |-                                        *          -|
     |                                        * **         |
     |                                       *    *******  |
     |                                  *****            **|
  25 |-                               **                  -|
     |                               *                     |
     |                            ***                      |
  20 |-                     ******                        -|
     |                     *                               |
     |              *      *                               |
  15 |-             **    *                               -|
     |             *  *   *                                |
     |             *  *  *                                 |
  10 |-           *    * *                                -|
     |            *     *                                  |
     |           *                                         |
     |         **                                          |
   5 |-       *                                           -|
     |      **                                             |
     |    **                                               |
   0  ----------------------------------------------------- 
         2       4      6       8       10     12      14
                              turn
                                     --Zas Dathnesmot, Yglen

The  traders, (and  who  would be  more knowledgeable  about
development  economics  than   a  trader),  quite  correctly
pointed  out that  I do  not define  "Capital".  Traditional
economists divide  the factors  of production  into physical
tools (bags, lassos, farms,  temples) and population, naming
the first "capital" and the latter "labor".  Squirrels don't
think like that.  Among the  squirrels, "capital" is the sum
of  past  work  that  increases  future  harvests.   When  a
squirrel farmer  makes the  sacrifice of  not eating  a seed
today, but instead planting it  to have more seeds tomorrow,
that squirrel  farmer is increasing capital.   In this world
planting  seeds doesn't  work like  that, but  squirrels can
still invest in  the future by spinning herbs  into bags and
lassos,  by  studying  to  be  more  effective  farmers,  by
building farms and temples,  and by raising young squirrels.
Among the  squirrels, "capital" is  the sum of all  of these
investments.  So  bags plus  lassos plus farms  plus temples
plus squirrels plus  skills is capital.  The  traders wish I
would break this down, but I  can tell them, for now, as Zas
claims, squirrel capital is  almost entirely invested in the
raising and training of  novice squirrels, the contributions
of  the other  addends to  the  sum is  negligible.  How  to
weight each of these  contribution to squirrel production is
a matter  of fierce  debate among the  learned.  It  is less
effort to raise a young gnome than a young centaur, but each
produces  an  equal  amount  of  grain.   Should  a  centaur
count more  toward squirrel capital than  a gnome? Squirrels
disagree about that.  I  consider each novice farmer equally
valuable.  To  determine the  value, I  start from  the fact
that our holy books value a bag  at 150 silver.  A bag is as
valuable as 3 novice farmers, because a dozen novice farmers
produce 8 grain per month, and 3 novices with 3 bags produce
8 grain  per month.  So one  novice farmer is valued  at 1/3
the cost of one bag,  or 50 silver.  This pleasantly matches
the cost  of bringing up,  feeding, and training  one novice
gnome  or goblin  farmer.   Journeyman  farmers produce  2.5
times as much grain as  novices, so journeyman farmers count
as 125 silver of capital.   Many learned squirrels believe a
warrior to  be worth  100 silver,  because a  novice warrior
produces twice the  income of a novice  farmer.  I, however,
count each novice  warrior as the same 50  silver of capital
as a  novice farmer.  So I  count capital as 150  times bags
and lassos    50 times novices   125 times  journeymen   one
per  silver in  a squirrel's  pocket.  Some  squirrels would
also include livestock in the field, grain in granaries, and
unclaimed  silver  in the  state's  treasury;  I omit  these
because they are not so  easily spent to train new squirrels
or otherwise  generate more capital.  Using  this definition
of "capital", the squirrel capital  to income ratio has held
steady at 1.8 months (54 days)  for the last 3 months.  Were
travel  unnecessary,  and  were  all  squirrels  gnomes  and
goblins, this would accompany exponential growth of squirrel
capital with an e-folding time of 54 days.  Sadly, squirrels
spend much  of our time  traveling from place to  place, and
include many  expensive races,  so our  true growth  rate is
much  slower than  that.   Squirrel  centaurs and  lizardmen
suggest that this is a  fundamental flaw in Squirrels' model
of  growth  economics;  a  model that  ignores  travel  time
ignores the fundamental limit to growth.
               capital / income (squirrels)                      
   ----------------------------------------------------- 6       
  |                                                     |        
  |*        *                                           |        
  |*       **                                           |        
  | *      * *                                          |        
  | *     *  *                                          |        
  |  *    *   *                                         |        
  |  *   *    *                                         |4       
  |   *  *     *                                        |        
  |   * *      *                                        |        
  |    **      *                                        |        
  |    *        *                                       |3       
  |             *                                       |        
  |              *                                      |        
  |              ***                                    |        
  |                 *****                               |        
  |                      ***                            |        
  |                         *                           |        
  |                          **                         |2       
  |                            ******                   |        
  |                                  **      ***********|        
  |                                    **  **           |        
  |                                      **             |1.6     
   -----------------------------------------------------         
  4         6         8        10        12        14            
                           turn                                  
                                        --Nanotha, Ersatrork

Teacher Nanotha  is busy responding to Zas  and the Traders,
so it falls to me to publish the world population graph this
month. Maybe world population growth is slightly increasing?
                     world population by month
  25000  -------------------------------------------------- 
        |                                                  |
        |                                                  |
        |                                                **|
        |                                               *  |
  20000 |-                                             *  -|
        |                                            **    |
        |                                           *      |
        |                                         **       |
        |                                        *         |
  15000 |-                                     **         -|
        |                                    **            |
        |                                  **              |
        |                               ***                |
  10000 |-                            **                  -|
        |                            *                     |
        |                          **                      |
        |                        **                        |
        |                      **                          |
   5000 |-                   **                           -|
        |                  **                              |
        |            ******                                |
        |         ***                                      |
        |       **                                         |
      0  -------------------------------------------------- 
            2      4      6       8      10     12     14
                       --Cale (Nanotha's student), Ersatrork

What's the difference between a sheet and a halyard?    I am 
never getting on another boat, ever again.
                                             --Visela, Cedid

In the tropics is a  region called the doldrums, where winds
never blow, and sailing ships never move.
                                              --Amama, Cedid

Can we row this thing?
                                            --Recathu, Cedid

------------------------------------------------------------
                         Be with us next time for
                         "Wiewiórka - futro = ?"
                         or
                         "Purrfect meal for a koci wojownik"
                                                 --Squirrels
------------------------------------------------------------

This world is big and weird.
But we like it.

Getting ready to leave.

There is too much noise around, it is hard to concentrate on what really matters.

INTERMISSION:
We interrupt this program to give those who need refreshing time to stretch their legs, get some fresh air, or run for their lives.
Feel free to visit our concession stand for refreshments (popcorn, soda, etc.) or to pick up weapons, skills, or spells you feel you may be in need of.
You may even wish to visit the Carnival of Shadows, but don't linger too long and be sure to be back in your seats for the beginning of the next part of our presentation.
The clock is ticking, time marches on, and the Bell may be about to Toll for a few of you.

The grain must flow.

I see a little cloud here and there.

USE YOU FORCE!!!

Demons of the afterlife, be gone!

First boat eaten by the Kraken. Lets try again but this time we offer appropriate sacrifice.

Nous sommes sur la bonne voie, camarades.

Aura of fear does wonders, half of the defenders decide to flee, while others are killed, and their equipment and money are now ours.
Immediately afterwards a friend comes for a visit.
In the name of glorious victory, it was decided to make a huge Olympic challenge.
The odds are in my favor, of course, but still, it should be fun, never know how it can go.
With the city at hand, we have much more resources to spend on improving people's lives.
For peace and prosperity!

So many tiny islands here in the Northern oceans.  All are succumbing to the swarm.

Another quiet month

Mysterious Fog Envelops Carnival of Shadows Grounds

This morning, a thick, shimmering fog rolled over the Carnival of Shadows, obscuring the tents and performers from view. Visitors who had planned to attend today’s shows were met with swirling mist that seemed to whisper as they approached, causing many to turn back.

Officials have reported no natural cause for the phenomenon, and Old Jobobo offered only this cryptic statement:
"Ah, the fog? It’s simply the carnival’s way of taking a breath. Sometimes, even magic needs a moment of mystery."

With the carnival hidden in the mist, Atlantis waits eagerly for what might emerge once the fog clears.

By assimilating other races into our collective, we are bringing them closer to perfection.

I'm the kid on the block with my head made of rock
And I ain't got nobody
I'm the state of the art, got a brain a la carte
I make the babies cry
I ain't one of the crowd, I ain't one of the guys
They just avoid me, they run and they hide
Are my colours too bright, are my eyes set too wide?
I spend my whole life burning, turning
I'm a teenage Frankenstein, the local freak with the twisted mind
I'm a teenage Frankenstein
These ain't my hands and these legs ain't mine

"We're gonna need a bigger boat!" - last words of Quince Appleseed, Kraken Hunter.

Baaa was in bed dozing. Somebody was watching 'It's All True.' - the Seers' documentary channel. The volume was up and the narrators voice carried facts and speculations on The Six Lost Treasures of the Ancients. Baa dreamed of piles of silver and gems, pearls and jewels...

Kylie was shopping. It was Orthogonal's birthday soon. What do you get a pet rock for its birthday? Just the thing!  A sweet little girl pet rock with the bluest of three eyes. Named Sapphire. She would knit her a nice black dress. Baaa won't mind if I borrow a bit of his fleece while he sleeps...

One of our Consulates is in panic. The City Guard massacred. A host of llamas rides in. Or they looked like llamas -  hard to tell amidst the dust. The traditional slaughter of the emissaries may begin anytime. Time to hide under the bed... 

It is supposed that more enigmatic llamas lurk nearby. The hunt for the wild centaurs is abandoned. Troops fly hither and thither, refusing to be stopped by anyone. The army is concentrating in a few regions. Not enough...

The men hurried in the dawn light. maybe, just maybe they could survive another year.
those holed up in the city were beginning to get hungry.

Coming to you live from the Underground! the Minstrels are starting a club! thats right! more lutes! more bawdy tales! more sloshing ales! more of everything!

come be entertained by a minstrel! 

the Pied Piper

Groo was mad,

he had issued the same orders as last month and chaos had ensued! Traders not producing, warriors moving in the wrong directions.... Groo had to fix all this.

At least the squirrels were keeping him company. Groo was happy for the remoteness of his island, however the many monsters that inhabited the tiny place was a concern. soon he could deal with them.

how hard could a lich be anyways?

Dark

Flashing time!

Honk?

Thee smoke cleared , acrid smells from the arcane.
looking around Lucky Luke noticed relatively little damage had been done to the city.
the Forts were being raised, the monsters cleaned up. things were looking up at last

I wonder when the pirates will strike?

Honk?

Why is this so difficult?

An old centaur said: It is better to have horns on your head than below your navel.

World should spin slower soon.

Time to offer fealty to Him, we suspect.

Grey sky and cold rain
Hot words, hotter blood, then fire
Clouds and men both weep