Updates (Long one today, a lot happened):
I have heard from people in Argos last night that they heard hideous screams and the sound of bones breaking. Some also saw a massive man with what looked like a lion’s cape running from the city afterwards. In the morning, several servants serving the military commanders of Sparta found seven of them brutally slain in their tents, their necks snapped and backs severed! ‘Who could do such a thing?’ one of them asked. ‘It had to be something, or someone, with strength and rage that had no limit.’ The other said. As far as I know, the Spartan military has not been directly impacted by this, though the chain of command has been put into flux. The people of Argos are fearful that this monster may return. Perseus, King of Argos, has been notified, and he has increased security in the wake of the meeting between he, Cadmus, and their father Zeus.
On the topic of Cadmus, it appears that his soldiers have begun to move south, towards Athens. The government of Athens has been told by messengers that they are to welcome these troops into their city as additional protection from the god Poseidon. Cadmus also is currently awaiting talks with Zeus and Perseus in Argos. In Thebes, we have seen large fires in the sky, and this is coming from the temples to the gods. All of the temples in Thebes are currently being destroyed! The people of Thebes are basically putting their trust in Cadmus, and have no avenue to worship divine beings anymore.
Hades has instructed Eretria to use some of the city wealth to buy both materials and labor for fortification of its ships and city walls, increasing their defenses! Eretria has also sent several emissaries, along with multiple large chests of gold, out to Aegina. It looks like the city is trying to buy an ally.
The city of Aegina, meanwhile, seemingly taking a page out of Cadmus’ playbook, has destroyed the temples to Zeus in the city! The people of the city have been instructed to put their faith in other gods. This did not go over entirely well, as there are whisperings that this was a direct order that came from the magistrate in charge of maintaining the temples in Aegina. The magistrate is nowhere to be found, though he may be in the citadel walls where the King of Aegina resides.
After a successful strategy of (I guess) not being drunk in front of the harpies, Pan has gained control of them! The townspeople of Elis, so relieved to not be terrorized by these she-beasts, are lifting the banishment of Pan. ‘I know our Lord Zeus wants you gone, but you have been generally good to us, so we will lift our banishment and allow you to come by for visits if you wish. Please just notify Zeus if you are going to do such a thing; and, if he has a problem with it, to not get us involved,’ an official said to Pan. ‘Though we are not allowing the Satyrs back into the city, we are still cleaning up the mess they made while they were here.’
Also of note, one of you has been especially sneaky in your moves, and has been privately notified that the fastest mortal on the planet, Atlanta, has joined your side!
Finally, announcing our first alliance, and it’s a doozy. There is a triple alliance between the city-states of Rhodes, Corinth and its commander Bellerophon, and Syracuse! They are united in their opposition to the city-state of Eretria, and Rhodes and Corinth have begun to move their navies to blockade the trade routes of Eretria. Corinth has also sent a delegation to Aegina, looks like they are seeking a fourth in their alliance. It also appears that the fabled Colossus at Rhodes is currently locked in place on the island, and not being resurrected. Because of taking part in intense negotiations with two other city-states, the fabled military commander Agamemnon has joined the side of Bellerophon!
I will update the map and descriptions to reflect the various troop engagements and moves.
Also one more note, when writing your moves, try to keep this in mind. You are able to directly control your actions, but when you interact with the world, that is independent of your actions. The probability of getting something you want is higher if the people/monsters are under your influence, but it is not necessarily the case. Generally, keep to these rules, and remember the more original, true to your character, and descriptive your moves, the more likely they are to pass:
- The players say what they are doing or going to do.
- I will let the players know what the consequences of the actions are.
- The players can then move on to their next action.
So if you are a mortal in charge of a city, you can move your troops around and attack other players, who are able to respond. If you are a god, you can will them to move their troops, but it may not always happen, especially if the city is not all that under your influence. As a god though, your deity’s control over nature is under your control, ex. Summoning thunderstorms, Urthquakes, chaos, etc. I will tell you the results of your actions though. If you post your intentions for doing these actions, that will help me in determining what sort of reaction and consequence happens. Hopefully that helps clear up some things.
Theia, the all-seer