Welt/en

Geography

Selen Ard'Ragorn watched the door when Rahel, her young novice, clumsily stumbled into the small chamber in the library panel of the temple. A little bit amused, she regarded the nervously twitching tail of the young cat, who desperately but unsuccessfully tried to even her creased robe.

“Come closer, my child", Selen asked. Rahel bashfully neared the decorated table where the abbess sat. As the young cat caught sight of the big parchment spreaded on the table, she amazedly miaowed. She saw a detailed hand drawn map of the whole known world. Information from all countries controlled by the Gold−Eyed Cat had been collected and sketched in this map by skilled hands. Rahel discerned Andune, the little island almost divided into two, amid the sea. Around Andune she saw the well−known contours of the neighboring islands, embedded in the eternal ocean.

The world of Eressea consists of many islands and continents with entirely different sizes. Islands and oceans are segmented to regions. The units of the players, buildings and ships as well as peasants and several raw materials are found in the regions.

Rahel was still looking at the secret map in amazement when Selen pointed to one of the islands at the very edge. "Look, Rahel. There's an island that's just been added. Do you recognise how our cartographers work?"

The novice contemplated the map. Apparently it was confined to the essential, the discovered districts were only roughly classified. Rahel recognised forests and mountains, many swamps and some plains.

In this example, a swamp is located at (0,0), in its northeast at (0,1) you can find a mountain. Every faction in Eressea has its own coordinate system, which can be shifted with the command ORIGIN. This can be comfortable if you want to adjust your map to the one of another faction.

“Well done", Selen assured the much younger cat. "These maps are mostly used for navigating our ships. But you notice they contain only little information. Because of that..." − Selen opened a big, heavy book beside the map, − "...our scouts send us detailed reports about the explored regions every week. We gather these reports, because they are important for our decisions." Selen pointed her finger on the open page. "Take a look at this and tell me what you see." Rahel looked at the text and startled.

In the world of Eressea there are various Terrain types (mountain, plain, forest, glacier, highland, swamp, desert and volcano) with different characteristics. An explorer who does not shy away from the vast oceans may discover other, exotic region types on his exploratory journeys. One example is the "wall of fire", which represents an insurmountable obstacle. As a rule, walls of fire demarcate the worlds in Eressea. This is to prevent factions of very different ages from easily clashing.

Depending on the type of terrain, different numbers of peasants will find space in the region to earn their weekly wage in the fields. A plain, for example, provides work for significantly more peasants than a swamp. Furthermore, the number of available jobs is reduced by trees. Each peasant takes away one job, each sapling four jobs and each tree eight jobs. Although an almost infinite number of trees can grow in any type of terrain, in a very forested region there will be virtually no jobs. In a glacier, very few trees are enough to provide almost all the jobs, in a plain there can be a few hundred trees and still have a few thousand peasants working in the fields. But even a very densely forested region still yields enough fruit, roots or mushrooms for a few peasants to make a living. This means that a small number of peasants always find a job in the region: 10% of the maximum number of jobs in a region, but no more than 200, are therefore never blocked by trees or saplings. For example, if there are 150 trees in a mountain, 100 peasants will still find a job (10% of the maximum number of jobs), even though there are actually no more jobs available due to the large number of trees (150 trees x 8 occupied jobs = 1200 occupied jobs > 1000 maximum available jobs).

The only difference between a plain and a forest is the number of trees and saplings in the region. From a total number of 600 trees and/or saplings, a plain is considered a forest. This means that you can turn a forest into a plain by felling trees or, conversely, turn a plain into a forest by reforesting it.

Terrain	max. workers	min. workers (despite many trees)	Stones for road (per direction)	Herbs
Mountain	1000	100	250	rock weed, gapgrowth , cave lichen
Plain / Forest	10000	200	50	flatroot , tangy temerity, owlsgaze, spider ivy, cobalt fungus, elvendear
Glacier	100	10	250	ice begonia, white hemlock, snowcrystal petal
Highland	4000	200	100	windbag, fjord fungus, mandrake
Swamp	2000	200	75	bugleweed , knotroot , bubblemorel
Desert	500	50	100	waterfinder, peyote, sand reeker
Volcano	500	50	250	-

If the number of available jobs is exceeded, it becomes very difficult for peasants to earn the required weekly wage - peasants also need 10 silver every round to survive, which they earn through Work. Larger Castles give a small bonus to the silver earned through work in the region, so that the working peasants may be able to provide for some other peasants in the region, but the risk of peasants dying, for example due to a plague, increases enormously if the number of available jobs is small. Furthermore, no more player units can work in this region if all workplaces are occupied.

The terrain type also determines which Herbs can grow in the region. An alchemist will be able to brew helpful Potions from different ingredients. Some herbs only thrive in deserts, others need the swampy climate of a bog, so there are herbs for every terrain that can only grow there. However, the herbs that grow there cannot be changed. Even if all herbs have been plucked from the region, only the herb that originally grew there can be replanted PLANT. If in doubt, you must try out which herb has ever grown here. Herbs generally do not grow in volcanoes.

In each region, Roads can be built. The costs vary depending on the terrain. In addition, roads can only be built in glaciers, swamps and deserts if there are special buildings.

In addition, the type of terrain determines which Resources can be found in the region and with what chance. For example, in mountains and glaciers where no resources have been mined so far, iron and stone can always be found at mining level 1. However, mountains always have significantly more resources than a glacier. In a volcano, a quarryman has a 50% chance of finding stone at level 1, and a miner only has a 50% chance of finding iron at level 1. A volcano can therefore provide stone and iron in a similar way to a mountain, or only one of the two resources or, with bad luck, none at all. However, mining in a volcano is of course much more dangerous because it can erupt from time to time and then cause considerable damage to the people who are in the region. To summarise, however, you can remember that you will always find stone and/or iron at level 1 in these three region types (mountains, glaciers and volcanoes) - if they exist in the region at all.

However, other region types (plain/forest, swamp, desert, highland) can also provide iron and/or stone with a certain probability. In these regions, however, the geologist may need to be a little more experienced, as the deposit does not necessarily have to be at mining level 1. For example, iron may start anywhere from mining level 1 to 7, while stone can be found at mining level 1 to 4 - provided the region has this resource. It is useful to know that a geologist always sees mining layers twice as deep as his talent value. For example, a level 3 miner can see any iron up to a maximum mining depth of layer 6.

Conversely, you can also say that if a level 4 miner sees no iron in a plain (where no iron has been mined so far), then there is no iron there either and the miner can try his luck in another region.

In addition to iron and stone, there is also the much rarer metal laen. If a mountain, glacier or volcano is home to laen, then it can be found from mining depth 7. In other region types you can also find laen with luck, but then possibly only at mining level 7 to 10. You therefore need a miner with mining 5 to be able to exclude laen in every land region. However, if you are very lucky and have found a region with laen, you will need a Mine to mine it.

Selen looked at the young cat Rahel, who was obviously trying to memorise all the numbers and dates. "Rahel, my child, you don't have to memorise all these numbers. Instead, remember that you can look them up here in the library at any time." The young novice tried to look composed, but Magistra Selen noticed her relief at not having to memorise all the information immediately. Selen then continued "You don't just learn in the academies and libraries, but also in the taverns. Because that's where you occasionally meet miners over a mead who tell each other stories about an even rarer metal than Laen. They call it adamantium. It is said to be even rarer than Laen and only the most experienced miners have ever found it. But the best smiths can make the best weapons and armour in all of Eressea from this metal."

The information for the following region is explained in detail:

Vîpot (3,-4), Desert, 0/1 Trees, 22 Stones/3, 190 Peasants, 5765 Silvers, 36 Horses.

The region is called "Vîpot" and has the coordinates (3,-4) as seen from the ORIGIN of the faction. Another player - with a different ORIGIN- knows the same region under the same name but with different coordinates. The region type is desert. There is a maximum of 500 free jobs in a desert. There are currently 190 peasants living in Vîpot. Each peasant consumes one job. In addition, a sapling grows here, there are currently no trees. The sapling currently consumes 4 jobs. This means that there are currently 306 vacant jobs in the region.

There are 36 wild horses living in the region. Horses have no influence on the number of jobs available. With the talent Taming you can capture the horses and use them for Transport of goods, for example, or equip fighters with them, who can then receive the Horse_bonus in battle if they have at least Riding 2.

There are also stones in Vîpot, this does not apply to every desert, but it does occur from time to time. There are currently 22 stones at quarrying level 3. To discover this stone deposit, a quarryman with at least quarrying level 2 is required (note: with quarrying level 2, you can see stone deposits up to a maximum of quarrying level 4). However, to actually extract stones, the unit must have quarrying level 3.

In principle, you can build Roads in any land region to increase your travelling speed over land. For the Vîpot desert, you need 100 stones to build a road in one of the 6 cardinal directions (W, NW, NE, E, SE, SW). In addition, there must also be a developed road in the neighbouring region in the direction of Vîpot so that there is a closed road connection. However, since Vîpot is a desert, you also need a fully developed Caravanserai. A desert is therefore not necessarily the first choice for building a road network, but can be a worthwhile investment depending on the geography of the island.

The line also contains the current level of regional silver. This amount is important to be able to estimate how the peasants are being supplied and how much silver player units can earn here through entertainment or tax collection Income.

The regions of Eressea

Selen pointed her finger on the open page. "Take a look at this and tell me what you see." Rahel looked at the text and startled.

The report lists all regions in which you have a unit, through which you have travelled or ocean regions that you have seen from a Lighthouse:

Tetos (−1,0), plain, 1042 peasants, 73/5 trees, 10953 silver, 132 horses. To the northwest lies the the forest of Faldorn (−2,1), to the northeast the plain of Litforuvys (−1,1), to the east the plain of Tumyvesfod (0,0), to the southeast the swamp of Titymovut (0,−1), to the southwest the plain of Livedfir (−1,−1) an to the west the mountain of Nipevan (−2,0).

“First, there is the region's name and of what kind it is. We can also see how many peasants live there and how much silver they've got. Finally, the scout has reported the amount of trees and horses he has found in this region. Stones and iron have not yet been discovered there.”

The peasants living in the region can be recruited to your faction with the command RECRUIT, the trees can be cut down and horses tamed with the command MAKE.

"Very good, Rahel. And what is written in the lines below?"

The local market offers incense at a price of 4 silver. Traders can sell balm for 12 silver, spice for 10 silver, gems for 21 silver, myrrh for 15 silver, oil for 12 silver and silk for 30 silver.

Statistics for Tetos (-1,0):

entertainment: max. 547 Silver
worker salary: 11 Silver
recruits: max. 26 peasants
luxury goods at this price: 10
people: 20
silver: 821
wood: 13
swords: 2
horses: 4

The young novice beamed proudly at her obviously satisfied teacher. "This, Magistra, is about further information that our scouts have discovered. Firstly, they seem to have looked around the market and noted the prices. The section below notes how much silver the inhabitants of the region are willing to spend on showmen and musicians, how much you can get for simple labour, how many peasants are willing to join a faction and how many goods are sold at the market for the price listed above. The last lines then state how many of our people are there and what they are carrying."

At Luxuries you can see the amount of goods bought or sold by the peasants for the listed price (see also Trade). Trading more goods will change the price durably ! For further information read the section onTrade.

"Excellent, my child. This is a complete report. Sometimes we only get less extensive ones, especially when our scout only passed through a region with his horse. We only get detailed reports like this when members of our people are there."

Selen deutete mit der Hand auf den Stuhl auf der anderen Seite des Tisches. "Du kannst dich jetzt setzen, mein Kind." Rahel ging zum Stuhl, nahm Platz, und gab ein kurzes Schnurren von sich, eine Mischung aus Zufriedenheit darüber, daß sie ihre Lehrerin offenbar nicht enttäuscht hatte, und Erwartung des noch Kommenden. Die Geweihte der Goldäugigen Katzen lehnte sich in ihrem Stuhl zurück und blickte Rahel einen Moment an. "Was du dort siehst, sind nur Zahlen. Nützliche Zahlen, die es wert sind, bewahrt zu werden, ja. Aber wichtig ist es auch, die Gesetze zu erforschen, die hinter diesen Zahlen stehen."

Sie stand auf, griff in den Beutel, den sie unter dem Tisch plaziert hatte, und zog ein weiteres Pergament hervor, welches sie auf dem Tisch über der Karte ausbreitete. Rahel blickte interessiert darauf, erkannte aber zunächst nur eine chaotische Zeichnung aus mehr oder weniger horizontalen Linien. Fragend blickte sie ihre Lehrerin an. "Was bedeutet das, Magistra?"

"Das, mein Kind, ist ein Versuch, Naturgesetzen auf die Spur zu kommen. Jede Woche verändert sich die Zahl der Bäume, Bauern und Pferde in einer Region. Sie sterben, werden geboren oder suchen ihr Glück anderswo. Ich habe mich bemüht, herauszufinden, warum sie das tun, ohne sie jemals zu befragen." Die Geweihte lächelte in sich hinein. "Es scheint, als würde viel vom Platz abhängen, den es in einem Landstrich gibt. Bauern, Bäume und Pferde nehmen sich gegenseitig den Platz." Die Novizin deutete auf eine an den Rand des Pergaments gekritzelte zweite kleine Zeichnung. "Und was bedeutet diese Zeichnung? Sie sieht fast aus wie die große." "In der großen Zeichnung, Rahel, habe ich die Zahlen für eine flache Küstenregion mit ausgezeichnetem Boden aufgetragen. Die kleinere Zeichnung beschreibt die Entwicklung in einem unwirtlichen Sumpf. Wie du siehst, ist die Entwicklung ähnlich, nur daß im Sumpf von allem weniger zu finden ist."

siehe REKRUTIERE, UNTERHALTE

Die Zeitrechnung Eresseas

Selen Ard'Ragorn erhob sich von ihrem Stuhl. Wie immer bewunderte Rahel, wie geschmeidig sich die alte Bibliothekarin und Tempelvorsteherin noch immer bewegte und erhob sich selbst. Sie wußte schon, was kommen würde. Am Ende jeder Unterweisung unternahm die Magistra einen Spaziergang durch den weitläufigen Park des Großen Tempels, und erteilte ihre währenddessen einige weitere Lektionen.

Gemeinsam schritten sie durch ein kleines Erlenwäldchen des Parks. Bis jetzt hatte Selen geschwiegen, doch nun richtete sie ihr Wort an Rahel: "Siehst du die untergehende Sonne? So früh schon... Es wird langsam Winter. Schon bald geht der Sturmmond in den Monat des Herdfeuers über. Eine entbehrungsreiche Zeit für viele. Für die Insektenvölker zum Beispiel, denn sie können sich in den Wintermonaten nicht vermehren." "Ja, Magistra. Aber wenigstens unsere Seeleute atmen auf, daß die Zeit der großen Herbststürme vorbei sind und die See wieder sicherer ist." "Du hast recht, Rahel. So ist denn in allem auch etwas Gutes zu finden."

Bis spät in den Abend konnten die Tempelwachen die beiden stumm durch den magisch erleuchteten Park wandern sehen...

Das Jahr ist in der Welt von Eressea in neun Monate zu je drei Wochen eingeteilt:

Monat	Jahreszeit	Sturmhäufigkeit
Feldsegen	Sommer	0.5%
Nebeltage	Herbst	3%
Sturmmond	Herbst	4%
Herdfeuer	Winter	2.5%
Eiswind	Winter	1.5%
Schneebann	Winter	3%
Blütenregen	Frühling	3%
Mond der milden Winde	Frühling	0.5%
Sonnenfeuer	Sommer	3%

Jede Runde des Spiels entspricht einer Woche in der Welt. In dieser Zeit kann man viel unternehmen. Es gibt aber ein paar Sachen, für die man fast die gesamte Woche aufwenden muß: von diesen Aktionen, den sogenannten langen Befehlen, kann man jeweils nur eine pro Woche ausführen (mehr dazu im Kapitel Befehle).

Wenngleich der Einfluß der Jahreszeiten im allgemeinen nicht überaus stark hervortritt, so gibt es doch einige Bereiche bzw. Ereignisse die durchaus nennenswert beeinflußt werden. Hier eine kurze Übersicht:

• Völker der Rasse Insekt können im Winter kaum rekrutieren
• Stürme auf See sind im Herbst weitaus häufiger
• Die einzelnen Phasen des Waldwachstums sind an bestimmte Jahreszeiten gekoppelt
• Im Winter kommt das Wachstum der Kräuter zum Erliegen.

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