TURN 2 - Next deadline: July 23, 12:01 PM
Pardon the delay. The second turn begins.
Even for so great a species, the throne room was ridiculously large. If the exterior of the building seemed pompous and excessive, one had to look inside and forget all his troubles. It was a remarkable sight, a sight of the kind that none actually saw, because inside the building, hundreds of insects moved about. Each was concerned with his own affairs, either coming to see the king, on some errand of his, or just there as another insignificant body in the hustle-bustle of - royal - everyday life.
The king himself was a shade of a figure: old, bent, weak. His only child had had the disgrace of being female, and as such, suitors pestered him through most of the day. Most of them were nearly as old as the king, and were obese as well. He had once been a great warrior, the likes of which his land had not seen for a long time. That made him even more disgusted at the lack of a proper male for his daughter. What had happened to the warriors of old, proud and strong, with all the right to call themselves mantises?
But suddenly, the King had an idea. And not just any idea, an idea he had taken from a fairytale. Yes, why not? Suddenly, the king stood up, raised his powerful voice, and all were silent.
"People of New Requiem" his voice boomed around the room. "I announce that my daughter is now of mating age, and that suitors will now be (truly, heh) considered as candidates to become her mate. Therefore, the hand of my daughter will go to the valiant knight that brings back the head of the king of the heathen Tarantulas. May the gods guide you all, and good day!"
What a good idea, thought the King after he sat down. It was a difficult task, recovering the head of the Tarantula king, much more so to the obese suitors that wanted to mate his daughter. Most of those that tried to meet the foe in battle would most certainly be killed. That way, he killed two birds with one stone - found a proper mate for his daughter, and avoided being molested by the suitors day and night.
Most of those that were waiting to see the king were actually suitors, and after the King sat down, they started chattering amongst themselves. Was the king in his right mind? Why would he have set them a task like that if he wanted someone to mate his child? Perhaps he had lost his reason to old age? The news that the princess's hand was open quickly spread around the city. It is most logical that most males wanted to mate with her, for they would inherit great riches, glory, and power.
All of this to the great disgust of the princess.
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Nyan Ant Empire
Race: Honeypot Ants
Main Anthill: Plymouth
Cities under Control: Plymouth
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Food: 230
Food Income: 30 per turn
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone
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Soldiers: 300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles: 50 grasshoppers
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A loud and clear laugh is heard coming from the Honeypot soldiers as the emissary is devoured. Then, the soldiers (without orders) approach the old Anthill and start taunting the enemy. Several ants peep out and throw lesser projectiles, all of which miss. A little while later, after your soldiers returned laughing from the taunting session, the enemy leaves the anthill. Their captain is an old ant with a shaggy beard and a glass eye. They are dressed in grasshopper-leather jerkins, and most carry no weapons. However, a select few are wielding pebbles. The flag bearer carries a standard that depicts an ant on top of a sun. They are about three-hundred soldiers, an equal match for your army.
"Sir!" cries a lieutenant as he rushes towards you. "What are your orders?"
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The Unnamed Anarchy of Sonic
Race: Honey Bee
Main Hive: Blackpool
Cities under Control: Blackpool
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Food: 260
Food Income: 30 per turn
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone
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Soldiers: 300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles: 50 grasshoppers
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Some of your bees fly over to investigate the old hive. After a long while, they return with some honey. "Sir, we have found nothing of value but a lesser amount of honey. But there is something else you need to see."
As you fly into the nest, you notice that it is in a bad condition. Some panels have fallen down completely, and the interior appears to have been sacked. There is a small amount of corpses littering the inside. There are traces of fire, and everything stinks of ash.
However, your minions lead you towards a group of dead bees inside the nest. They appear to have died in violent struggle, as some are torn apart or have venomous substances. After investigating this peculiar scene for a while, the other group, the one sent to investigate the rogue bees, quickly flies in.
"The rogue bees that departed this nest not long ago appear to be hostile, so we dared not approach them. Our hearts doubt not, leader, nor are we afraid. But they would have overcome us in a fight, they are no less than a hunner. We will obey you, and are ready to do so if necessary."
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The Legion of Stag Beetles
Race: Stag Beetles
Main Lair: Stag Lodge, Sheffield
Cities under Control: Stag Lodge
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Food: 230
Food Income: 30 per turn
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone
-------
Soldiers: 300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles: 50 grasshoppers
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Mounted on a grasshopper, and wearing your best cape, you and your party ride towards this peculiar city, flying a white standard of peace. You are greeted by some small peculiar creatures that have six limbs and are a vivid red color, and you both communicate through gestures. One of them departs, obviously going to inform the lord of the strange place of your presence. After offering the food, you are greeted warmly and invited to feast with the anthill's lord, a large and fat ant.
Meanwhile, the soldiers watching over the strange creature notice that it is silently approaching the city. They manage to scare it away with shouts, but still it roams the countryside. This time, however, they managed to get a good look at it. It has eight limbs, and is hairy and black. A messenger takes the fastest grasshopper available and rides towards you, shortly afterwards informing you of this strange encounter.
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The Glorious Empire of Wasp
Race: Common Wasp
Main Nest: Stingza, Cork
Cities under Control: Stingza
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Food: 230
Food Income:30
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone.
-------
Soldiers:300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles:50 grasshoppers
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Your working wasps fly towards a nearby fence, chew wood, and paste it in the Nest. However, there must be some strange property in the wood that caused it to be faulty, because after being left to dry, the paste cracked. But this must be certainly one of your lesser problems, because the scouts had just arrived with information from the frontier.
"Sir!" reports the leader of the first group, the one who flew west. "We have found some strange eight-limbed creatures a while after our western border. They appear to be building their housing, yet we dared not approach them, for they were hideous. We stand ready, nevertheless."
"Hail, leader!" cries the second group. "We have found that the mysterious inhabitants of the eastern lands are assembling a large force of footmen, and building peculiar wooden vehicles that float upon water."
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Goldberg's Worshippers
Race: Pharaoh Ants
Main Anthill/Lair/Nest: Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Cities under Control: Newcastle-upon-Tyne
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Food: 230
Food Income: 30
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone.
-------
Soldiers: 300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles: 50
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"All praise to Goldberg!" cry your spies (who also listened to your speech) as they depart the anthill, trying to track the band of outsiders. They will return (if they return) the next turn.
The group of soldiers departs for Bernwick. Shortly afterwards, they return with an emissary. The inhabitants of the city were like your own in appearance, but they were a darker brown color. However, you both spoke the same tongue.
"Hail, lord of the Tyne, hand of Goldberg!" cries the emissary upon arriving at your Royal chamber. The emissary has three companions, all of them bearing the standards of Bernwick, an ant scaling a mountain.
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The Empire of the Fallen
Race: Fire Ants
Main Anthill: Liverpool
Cities under Control: Liverpool
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Food: 230
Food Income: 30 per turn
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone
-------
Soldiers: 300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles: 50 grasshoppers
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Before your soldiers arrive in Greenway, they are greeted by a messenger.
"If you come to our lands with war, then you might as well bring a larger army. Whilst we do not approve of your warring tendencies, we would like to say that are prepared to fight you if you continue this destructive path. Do reconsider your actions, neighbor."
The message is rapidly carried to your presence by a young and faithful ant, who arrives drenched with sweat and hardly breathing.
(you can't forage yet, it's a technology you need to research).
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The United Federation of Brown Recluse Spiders
Race: Brown Recluse Spiders
Capital: Keep of the Recluse, Eastbourne
Controlled Cities: Keep of the Recluse
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Food: 200
Food Income: 30
Technology: None
Age: Age of Stone
-------
Soldiers: 297
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles:50 Grasshoppers
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As the soldiers approach the strange shrine, a large force of Praying Mantises quickly comes forth. They growl and threaten your soldiers, urging them to be on their way. Scared by the hideous creatures, your soldiers flee back to the Keep to report what happened.
Meanwhile, your soldiers are throwing stones at the bird-creature. It goes into a terrible rampage, stomping around the keep and screeching with a ravenous tongue. In its madness, it devours three of your men as they attempt to bind the creature's legs. Another soldier is carried by the bird-creature high into the sky, and then released, his corpse being dashed to pieces in a rock.
However, one of your strongest men (named Goliathh) hurls a heavy rock at the creature when it lands again. From atop the Keep, lesser stones are hurled at the bird-creature, that panics and runs away. It roosts in a nearby tree, about twenty meters from the Keep. A strange red liquid covers a part of its wings.
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League of Theridiidae
Race: Black Widow
Main Lair: Lactrodectia, Killarney
Cities under Control: Lactrodectia
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Food: 200
Food Income: 30 per turn
Technology: None
Age: the Age of Stone
-------
Soldiers: 300
Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
Vehicles: 50 grasshoppers
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