The Ilsamiren Wars

[Ilsamir Lord]

Cheers Grim :) . I'm still working away, but I've had a lot on lately. I'm on holiday for 3 and a half months now so I should be able to get a lot done. Look forward to more from the Ilsamiren Wars soon!

[Maizel]

Amazing, I'll be following the progress on this one

[alpaca]

Which modders are working on this project? Or do you do it all alone?

[NagatsukaShumi]

This is one of the mod projects I have kept an eye on, looks very interesting, mostly down to it being your own work, I am doing something similar, only I don't think (sadly) I'll ever get tomake a mod about it.

Good luck!

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well thanks everyone, it really helps to get positive comments. At the moment I'm going it pretty much alone, at least on this version. I've got a lot of plans, and I'll be having a crack at some modelling and such (which I'm improving at, but its slow going) for MII just as soon as I've got the cash to get it :) .

Here's the current (WIP!!) version of the region map:

The image is fairly small, but it does give some sense of the new more spread out positioning for the islands. All this may need to change again though if MII has the same limitations on land:sea ratios as Rome does.

I've also got the height map outline done (that is without any gradient data or anything) and I'm not all that confident to continue with it at the moment. I think I'll do some reading first.

As some of you may not be aware, I am in fact writing the narrative for the Oblivion version as I go and I've got about 40 or so pages down for it. I might begin to post snippets of it if anyone is interested.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Never fear, update coming soon!

[Ilsamir Lord]

And here it is:

THE STREETS OF DARINETH

The List

Below are listed, in no particular order, the streets of the great city of Darineth as they were named at the time of the Final War. Where necessary an explanation is given as to the name, and all names are given in English and Ilsamiren. This document refers to the map below which shows the quarters separately at this time. They will later be conglomerated in a final map and numbered as they are here. Currently the Temple Quarter is missing, as I have yet to draw it to a good enough standard. Much of it mirrors the Port Quarter however. An overview map is also shown below, which gives some indication of the final layout and shape of the city. Numbers 28 to 32 of the Port Quarter section refer to the Haven (the central quarter on the map).

The overview map:


The numbered street map:

The Palace and Military Quarters
1. The Great Way – Or Sedh Gail
2. Archers’ Lane – Id Glaihali’ath
3. Range Street – Eth Glion
4. Port Way – Sedh Glatir
5. The Southern Barracks Road – Orn Erim Herion Nomer
6. Southern Barracks Lane – Id Herion Nomer
7. Soldiers’ Southern Lane – Id Hali Nomeras
8. The Lords’ Paths – Orn Eri Heiruri’as
9. Soldiers’ Northern Lane – Id Hali Vimeras
10. Northern Barracks Lane – Id Herion Vimer
11. Temple Way – Sedh Leriya
12. The Northern Barracks Road – Orn Erim Herion Vimer
13. Stable Street – Es Thior
14. Knights’ Lane – Id Ralkiri’ath
15. The Palace Way – Or Sedh Elayir

The Port Quarter and the Haven Port
1. Guardhouse Lane – Id Duhaldh
2. and 4. Galuir Road – Erim Galuir – Galuir was the great smith who forged the first steel sword and armour for the King Ilahir I.
3. Tower of the Dividing Sea Way – Sedh Diler Orn Eris Laudhas
4. See 2
5. Sea Lane – Id Eris
6. and 23. Ilsem Road – Es Ilsem – Ilsem was the king to reorganise the entire trade system between the Southern Kingdom and Darineth.
7. First East Shortcut – Erisal Himer Arina
8. Second East Shortcut – Erisal Himer Ramudwe
9. and 12. Warehouse Street – Es Holedh
10. Eastern Thoroughfare – Igleth Himer
11. Garden Way – Sedh Tangwe
12. see 9
13. Second West Shortcut – Erisal Domer Ramudwe
14. Western Thoroughfare – Igleth Domer
15. Third West Shortcut – Erisal Domer Rafina
16. First West Shortcut – Erisal Domer Arina
17. Dockman’s Lane – Id Lathe (like “dock worker”)
18. , 24 and 27 – Smith’s Road – Erim Cefali’ath – a hub for blacksmithing activity.
19. , 20 and 21 – The Market Band – Or Figal Hiolsir – a triangle of roads around the market.
20. See 19
21. see 19
22. Ignore this
23. see 6.
24. see 18
25. Builders’ Road – Erim Navori’ath – a street where a concentration of builders has traditionally had their workshops and offices.
26. Shipwrights’ Road – Erim Yalori’ath – here are the offices and workshops of a number of old shipwright companies.
27. see 18
28. Channel Road – Erim Clomeni
29. South Haven Road – Sedh Prethan Nomer
30. Haven Dock Way – Sedh Lat Prethan
31. Haven Dock Lane – Id Lat Prethan
32. Hultir Street – Eth Hultir – Hultir contributed greatly to the security of the Clomeni Prethanas by proposing and then overseeing the construction of the great chains which are at either end of it.

This city will be recreated as closely as possible, allowing for some possible limitations of the MII engine. Ultimately I hope to present the city identically in both mods so the player will be able to experience both the perspective of an individual and a more cinematic overview of the city.

I'm considering posting excerpts from the storyline for the Oblivion version if people are interested.

[richyg13]

I LOVE original fantasy! Its what games need.

I particually like the way you've kept a consistant style with the armour designs. I looking forward to seeing more of your concepts for the other factions.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Thanks Richy, but, well, you might be waiting a while I'm afraid. I'm not sure that either of our artists will be returning to the project at this stage.

There's a full list of the current concepts and the units they relate to here.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Here is yet another "small" update (what an awful pun):

Its just the finished WIP of the region map I've been working on. I'll be getting on with the fun task of transcribing the RGB values to the province names shortly, something which I only recently discovered was necessary :D .

I based the dimensions on the current RTR map for Rome (in terms of height, though I did make it smaller in width).

This is the earlier region plan I based it on:

As you can see there are a few changes I've made, and I'll no doubt need someone with a little more experience than I have to make sure it's all working properly, but it is at least something.

Speaking of more experienced people; does anyone feel like giving me some assistance regarding the height map? I've got a black and blue template and I broadly know what needs to be done, but I'm finding it difficult to see how the heights (in grey-scale) equate to the in-game campaign and battlefield maps.

I'm sure I can have a crack at it soon, but it seems rather complicated to be doing it from scratch. Some recommendations of good ways to go about it wouldn't go astray.

Thanks for reading everyone!

[Ilsamir Lord]

The Ilsamiri had founded the Southern Kingdom in the depths of the past, partly resettling their own, partly turning and assimilating the old kings of the lands around the Bay. Now the Kingdom had become almost entirely autonomous, though their strongest allegiance remained with the Ilsamir King, unbroken even in the great Uprising of millennia past. This was the seat of power of the Southern Kingdom, a great walled island set perfectly within the Beautiful Bay, a bastion of rock, moated by the sea itself and untaken through the long centuries of its existence. Within this ring of walls, of men’s make and of strong cliffs, stood the Hill, a tall rise at the Island’s western edge which came down steeply as it neared the western walls.

Below is the first decent product of my architectural modelling - The Gates of the Southern Port:

The main gates of the chief city of the Southern Kingdom, the Port Isle. The blue indicates the sea, which for much of the time covers the walkway seen leading from the stairs. The gates themselves are missing from the image. The gate-house is 42 feet high. Atop each tower is a look-out post from which horns are blown (when the sea recedes) and bells are rung (when the sea laps over the walkway). The houses behind are place-holders for the moment and are included merely to fill in the image more believably. The blue represents the sea, the shade of grey above that blue represents a sandy beach and the grey above that represents rugged rocky slope or cliff.

[richyg13]

Just had a proper look at those concepts and they are absolutly great! I assume you drew them?
Not to take your thread off topic but how long have you been sketching for?

Also, that model of the gates is highly encouraging :)

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, the ones which are, what I would describe as really good, are by Nodachi Sam and Kataphraktoi (as I believe he is known here). I did the city plans though.

Cheers re: model :D

[Ilsamir Lord]

Hello everyone,

I'm posting to say that recruitment is on for the Ilsamiren Wars (a link to the forum of which is in my signature).

Most wanted skills are:

Unit Modellers: nothing too out of the ordinary and little or no animation should be required.

2D Artists - to finalise faction icons and banners and potentially to work on textures should the modellers be unavailable for such work.

Mappers - to help me get my WIP map to a workable level - no further help will be required, I'd just appreciate someone who's prepared to get me on the right track and to show me the ropes.

Concept Artists - We've got most of this done, so this job would only require a small amount of further work, mainly in defining styles for the Seaborne and the Western Kingdom. Because nearly no work has been done for these factions you will have a bare canvas to work on.

But anyone who thinks they have something to contribute is welcome.

I know that people are keener to help those who help themselves so here is what I'm bringing to the project:
The fully planned concept, a large body of descriptions, some basic modelling skills (mainly focused on architecture), some basic drawing ability, writing "skills" and, everyone's favourite intangible quality: commitment.

What we've achieved so far:
Over 30 concept drawings detailing 5 of the 7 factions in detail, a drawn version of the map (as well as a work-in-progress region map), over 100 pages of narrative, descriptive and planning text (as well as the grammatical structures, phonetic styles, scripts and some vocabulary for 4 languages), a number of basic unit models for a (now superseded) Rome version of the mod and a number of architectural models probably suitable for Medieval II. Aside from this we have conceptually complete, but not finalised, faction icons.

If you think you can offer assistance PM me here or at the mod's forums.

Thank you,
Ilsamir Lord

[][GERUDO][Mojoman]

this looks amazing! can't wait ....

[Ilsamir Lord]

Thanks, Gerudo :) .

Just another small update on the mapping front:

I've begun on the ground types map and I thought I'd show everyone a WIP version (in jpeg for size and compatability reasons):

I'm basing it on this map (of which I drew an original, later NodachiSam kindly cleaned up and coloured it and I have now re-edited):

Any tips and critiques are welcome. At the moment I've (obviously) only done the mountain ranges and the sea-depths. Just a quick question: are forests (passable and impassable) added through the ground-types file?

Next I'll be finishing off the region map and probably the trade-routes and feature maps after that. I'll eventually have a stab at the height and roughness maps though I'm sure I'll need a long time to get them right.

Comments? Suggestions?

[Ilsamir Lord]

As some of you may already be aware, this mod has gone on, with patches of success, since around this time last year. Apart from amassing a substantial library of concept art (provided by the generous NodachiSam and Kataphraktoi, as he was known on the .org forums) a plan for the map including settlement names and substantial quantitites of historical, narrative and descriptive text we have acheived little in the way of actual, working content.

That is set to change as I near completion of the first (work in progress) version of our campaign map:

What started as a rough drawing, scrawled off to illustrate my original plan...

Became a finely coloured adaptation by NodachiSam...

Which I mutated into...

And this has become (after further tweaking and effort...

The Region Map

At present I'm working away on the ground-types map, though I imagine I would be wiser attempting to get the map in-game in a more basic form before investing mammoth effort in a potentially fruitless exercise.

Check back soon for more updates on the map and the mod including unit lists!

PS - could someone direct me to a tutorial on how to get a quick test version of a campaign map in-game? I'd really hate to slave away and then have to make massive changes later which I could have avoided.

[Ilsamir Lord]

I didn't have much to post today, but I thought people might be interested in this. It would be best to refer to the short pronunciation guide below (though if you have studied Japanese, or have bothered to read the appendix in the Lord of the Rings on pronunciation you shouldn't need it).

Consonants: b, d, f, g, h, k, l, m, n, p, r (unrolled English r), s (always soft, never pronounced as a z), t, v, w, y, th (as in thin), dh (as in clothes), ch (as in German achtung), kh (as in church), sh.

Vowels: a (as in part), e (as in end), i (as in pin), o (as in born), u (as in boot), ai (as in eye), oi (as in toy), au (as in cow), ei (as in hay) and ea (pronounced as if saying e and a, by the values given above, to form one sound, similar to saying "yeah"). The values given here are the default.

An Example of the Ilsamiren Language translated from the History of the Ilsamiri

It began with the Weaver, a benevolent force who controls the wind, waves and vapour. His rival was the Malice, lord of fire. Where once there was wind-swept void the weaver made a sphere of wind, and within this he set a sphere of earth. And about the earth he wrapped the clouds, woven of wind and water.
Upon the clouds he set the Ilsamiri, his much-loved children. The Malice saw what had been made, and he too made a sphere. His sphere was of fire and with it he hoped to topple the Ilsamiri, to burn away their vaporous home. The Weaver strengthened the wind, and with it caught the globe of fire, holding it far, but not far enough, from the sphere of the world. The sphere of flame did what it was made to do.
It destroyed the Sky City of the Ilsamiri, and sent them tumbling to the earth below. The fire then threatened to bake the earth but the Weaver called on the vapour and with it made the seas, and strengthened the clouds with rain to protect the land from the onslaught.
So were made the mountains, baked into rock by the fiery orb, too far from the sea to be spared its scalding touch. This orb of fire was named Sun, Cehu, and the sphere of rock was named Weaver’s Mercy, Cleru Denaurath.

The fall of the Sky City, Iraneth, rent the world and into the channel flowed the new Sea. The island formed would be a haven in times of strife, another gift of the Weaver to his children.


Ie teruse il or Denaur, o gedhal dethir ca batheibe or hiren, luri ve gluir. Cothai eras sureb or Fedh, heru Vauri’as. Ce inase sures yith hiren-flothes, or Denaur egase olin hirenath, ev ise to er hoise on olin solurath. Ev udho or solur er bales orn iruri, enause hiren ive glumath.
Seg iluri er hoise orn Ilsamiri, tior-ve iheri. Or Fedh awese ci esegase, vi er gia egase on olin. Olin eras sures vauri’ath ev il ie er clenes aduri orn Ilsamiri, acheli fiel endh gluire thio’as. Or Denaur eyause or hiren, iv el ie snese orn olin vauri’as, nuoleb ie cather, ai dacather iso, yan orn olin ulteras. Orn olin vauri’as giles ci ie egase agil.
Ie khaules orn aneth irer Ilsamirath, eve hures hoiri calgeb at orn ulter gudh. Or vauri asi havas achalo or solur ai or Denaur saldes i or gluir ev il ie egase orn erisir, ev eyause orn iruri le glir a pria or loir yan orn ahal.
Tir egase orn arkiri, chalose anat suld is orn olin vaurire, cather fai yan orn eris antocleru sari chaibe ie’as. To olin vauri’as vithes Cehu, v orn olin suldath vithes Cleru Denaurath.

Or dari Iranethas claches orn ulter iv anat or clomeni loglase orn eris iwe. Orn indul pasise insurem o prethan an ulgar ihilas, agia garis Denaurath at iheri eras.

I'm not sure what sort of comments I expect about this, seeing as it is probably a colossal waste of time :) . I suppose that if people could be bothered telling me how plausible it sounded that would be nice. Difficulty in speedy pronunciation should only be commented on after comparison with some of the more complex languages of our own world, though there are some ways I have in mind to make it flow a little better if need be. Also, there may be some inconsistencies, as I have not had the luxury of an Ilsamiren spell-checker, and I have varied one or two words (particularly them [thior/hoir]) in an attempt to find a more euphonius version.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Hi everyone, I'm just after some advice:

When using Big Map Labyrinth (which I must say is excellent) as a base for my own map I get this error:

09:37:48.203 [script.err] [error] Script Error in BigMapLabyrinth/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/descr_strat.txt, at line 69, column 12
could not create settlement at script line 69.

Just to clarify, I haven't had any problems or errors running an unmodified version of BML, so this error must be of my own making.

Because my mod has an Aztec-like culture, the Ocean Tribes, I copied the entry for Tenochtitlan from vanilla, changed the region name to "Foinil_Island" and made all the appropriate changes to the other files so this name would be recognised, and indeed I now get no "could not find name in string-table" errors. Instead I get the error above.

This is the settlement entry which seems to be causing the problem:

; >>>> start of factions section <<<<


faction aztecs, balanced smith
ai_label default
denari 50000
denari_kings_purse 10000
settlement
{
level city
region Foinil_Island

year_founded 0
population 9000
plan_set default_set
faction_creator aztecs
building
{
type core_building stone_wall
}
building
{
type temple_pagan high_temple
}
}

To further clarify, I'm not wanting to play as the Aztecs, but as the Russians, for whom I've added other settlements down the list, which will no doubt also have this error, but if I can fix this one I can fix the others. I've added the three settlements I've done so far in the same order in which they appear in the descr_regions.txt and in the same format (number of lines between entries etc.) as in the vanilla descr_strat.

I suspect I will need to add all the new regions I've made to descr_strat, but if I can get past this error (like I nutted out the "could not find settlement name in string-table" one then I'll be right as rain.

If any more details are needed for a diagnosis, I'll provide them immediately.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, its getting better. Having replaced my maps with some corrected ones (my region map had some cities which were in questionable positions) I have now progressed beyond the could not create settlement error to an unspecified error! Woohoo!

Anyway, after that jubilation, would anyone be willing to look over my map files and tell me where I've gone wrong? I know that it is probably not the most enjoyable of work, but perhaps I have made a simple mistake which would be obvious to someone with more experience.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, thanks to oscotty, the Tsar and Goatbuster3000 (of the TWC) my map is now in-game, albeit in a single settlement form.

To prove it, here's a screenshot. I stress that this is a WIP, but it did turn out better than I thought it would, considering its the first bit of height data I've ever made.

The brightening is caused by windows picture viewers auto-correct function. The region in game was beneath the fog of war.

The image is of the mountain range called the Final Wall, Ar Hlan Kires in the language of the Hoir Lechan (the Northern Kingdom, literally True God's People), and the Dwindling Forest, Or Thenor Firige in the Ilsamiren language as spoken by the people of the Western Kingdom (Heirua Domer). The lake behind the range is the Icy Lake (Ar Todh Licher). There will be two cities in this shot when it is finished, Varas Thenor and Enuth Licher (Forest Gate and the Icy City).

[Ilsamir Lord]

These forums seem quite dead at the moment, that or nothing I've posted in the last five or so posts has been regarded with any interest.

Oh well, must press on. We now have two modellers, who will begin just as soon as the necessary files are released, a concept artist (Kataphraktoi has returned :) ) and a composer who has already given me some very encouraging conceptual ideas for the soundtrack.

Today I'm posting an example of another language, that of the Mekathenain, usually referred to as Mekathenic. The same pronunciation guide as for Ilsamiren above applies, though there is the extra consonant combination zh which produces a softer, longer j sound.

The format of the translation is this: English original, Mekathenic, literal translation and word order.

The text comes from the Mekathenain introductory narration:

Since the first storm we have dwelt here, provided for, kept and loved by the gods.
Hatir Shothol gir oy tola budgliar, Bezhan’ur kioar, dhuar ha vahiar.
First Storm-since(/from) we [at]here have dwelt, gods-by provided for, kept and loved.
The gods gave us the flowing water, the rain, the still water and with these things they made the fertile plains, the swift rivers.
Bezhan oyir galgin, yarhen, golin hinar ha sin ja nar Bezhan kayin shol, kyal zolgin ozirar.
[The] Gods us flowing water, rain, still water gave and with this thing Gods fertile plain, swift river made.
We hailed from these Great Plains which are now the Rainless Wastes.
Oy ja Gilur Shol gir tadhar de ur Yarhen’oi Marnud ishor.
We these Great Plain from hailed which now Rainless Waste is/are.


In centuries past our people wrought great works in that place, crafting our futures with metal and stone.
Thur mayinal oyon telim gilur zir jau udal uzhirar, oyon muthin kalya ha goi’in goziror.
Past centuries our people great work that place-in wrought, our future metal and stone with crafting.
We had our rivals, but they are now a part of us.
Oy oyon zhag doar, i kay ur oyon zo ishor.
We our rivals had, but they now our part are.
They have added to us, as we have added to them.
Ay oyir ubigliar, khu oy ayir ubigliar.
They us have added to, as/like we them have added to.
But now the Wastes encroach.
I ud Marnud khathor.
But now Wastes encroach.
The gods do nought to provide for us so we must provide for ourselves.
Bezhan oyir kioar la mair auzhor. - incomplete, grammatical problem needs solving.
Gods us provide-for-to/in-order-to nought do.
But we cannot provide all that we need.
I oy zhoi jau oy unior ilodhaor.
But we all that we need provide-cannot. (Ilo – to provide is modified to potential by adding dhor then to negative potential by adding a before the or.)
From the Gods came the Rain, and of that there has been none these past hundred years.
Bezhan gir yarhen datar, ha jau’on jau thur maloim adir ishgliar.
Gods from rain came, and of that these past hundred-years none has been.
The Wastes encroach, held only by a mighty Range and we dwindle, down to the sea.
Marnud khathor, kur soa Zherir’ur kolor ha oy with’iz dul hafar.
Wastes encroach, only great Range-by held and we to sea down dwindle.

The text is incomplete, though the English has been written, I'm just about to translate the rest.

[Ilsamir Lord]

CONCEPT PRESENTATION

As the demo version of the mod will include the Ilsamiri, the Mekathenain and the Southern Kingdom we (our concept artist Kataphraktoi and myself) have decided to focus on these factions before the others. To that end we've got a couple of new concepts to show today and a few descriptions to go along with them.

(The original plan for the demo included only the Ilsamiri and the Mekathenain, but by adding one more faction we will be able to show more variety, both in tactical gameplay and design.)

Infantry of the Southern Kingdom

A - Harrier
Harriers are typically men who have shown certain special skills during their time in the archer regiments of the Kingdom. They are given special training for closer range skirmishing and are often used in ambushes for which they wear specially camouflaged quilted leather tunics.

The bows they carry are short (3 feet in length when strung), but still powerful and accurate, when used at an appropriately short range. Their armour is lighter than most of that worn in the South, but it is still heavy enough to stand up to fierce fighting in close quarters. They carry straight swords in reserve.

B - Peasant Levy Soldier
As in most societies the peasant classes will be called on in times of dire need to bolster the professional army. The men of these levies are equipped, as they have traditionally been, with quilted leather armour and a stiffened leather hat, much like those worn by the men when they are farming.

They carry varying weapons, depending on their usual vocation, which can range from hoes to pitch-forks and from wooden mallets to axes.

Ilsamir Infantry

A - City Guardsman
These dedicated volunteers are provided with basic equipment, in the form of sword and shield, but, as a rule, augment this gear with higher quality weapons and armour which they purchase themselves.

The regiments of city guard are usually maintained from the coffers of the Knight Chiefs and the High Merchants, though should the King wish to employ them in war away from their home province it will cost him considerably as these men have agreed to defend their own homes rather than fight in defence of others.

Typically the City Guard operate as a kind of all-purpose law enforcement and fire service, usually functioning on a roster - this allows its members to pursue other trades when they are off duty.

B - Militiaman
Drawn from the poorer sections of society, Ilsamir militia wear leather armour, often emblazoned with the crest of their home city, and carry spears and swords, both of which are mass-produced and distributed as and when danger should arise.

While these men are extremely useful in times of great hardship, they are neither well trained nor well equipped and are best used as either a cheap alternative to professional soldiers or in the flanking and pursuit of other enemy infantry.

C - Pikeman
These are the lowliest professional soldiers of the Ilsamir army. The rank of pikeman is the lowest for a professional soldier, and it is where most of the men of the army begin, except those gifted enough to enter the ranks of the officers or the more celebrated regiments.

Pikemen carry a very long spear and wear a metal cuirass and helmet, though they have little other protection. Should an enemy close to an uncomfortable range they will fare badly without support for they lack the fuller armour of other troops. They are armed with swords however, and an experienced unit of pikemen has been known to hold its own even after their spiked wall has fallen.

[SigniferOne]

Must press on indeed, nice job so far :)

[][GERUDO][Mojoman]

lookin good, keep up teh good work dude

[Ilsamir Lord]

Thanks guys :) .

I've been considering my options for smaller scale campaigns (focussing on a smaller area, but giving more detail to that area and having equipment of different periods etc.) and I've come up with a short list with accompanying descriptions. The list is in no particular order - though I've attempted to base it on a rough chronology. I am, however, still finalising the timeline. Each of these wars will have unique and varied victory conditions (or as unique and varied as the game will allow) to reflect the, sometimes radically, different goals in each conflict.

The War of Expansion
This is the first true "Ilsamiren War" and concerns their exploration of the Western Continent and its neighbouring islands. The area covered will include most of the Western Continent between the Three Ranges and the Clauthnor. The conflicts will largely be between the Ilsamiri and rebel enemies, though perhaps some "mini-factions" will be added to expand this if interest is shown.

The Seaborne War
This would follow the typical TW "invasion" system as seen in M:TW VI and S:TW MI. The two main factions would be the Ilsamiri and the Seaborne and this campaign would stress the danger the Seaborne posed to the coastal settlements of the Ilsamiri and the tactics developed to counter the Seaborne.

The War of Divergence
This campaign would see the Ilsamiri split into two factions: the Weaver's Children (Orn Iheri Denaurath), the name under which the Ilsamiri went during this period, and the People of the True God (Ar Hoir Lechan), who would become the people of the Northern Kingdom. This campaign would focus on religious unrest and the methods used by either side to quell the rise of the rival religion. Use of priests will be important. This war will also include several unique religiously inspired units. The geographic focus will be quite small.

The Mutinous Struggle
This campaign would see the Morchanin appear as a seperate faction in direct opposition to the Ilsamiri. This campaign would stress the differences in culture between the Ilsamiri and the Morchanin and also the difference in tactics which stems from this. The geographic focus would be small.

The Southern War
Another conflict fought largely with rebels, this time with the Southern Kingdom as the player faction. The key point of this campaign would be the contrast between the heavy, slow fighting style of the Southerners and the geurilla tactics of the warlords of the Clauthnor. The geographic focus would include the Bay and most of the Clauthnor.

The Final War
This is detailed above and would constitute the "full" campaign and the key focus of the modification. All factions will be playable and the entire map will be accessible.

The Peninsula War
No, not one of the Napoleonic Wars but the war fought be the Mekathenain in a bid to drive the barbarians of the southern peninsula of their continent into the sea once and for all. Their other goal in this war was to seek more agrible lands as their plight in their home territory became ever more dire.

The Second Morchanin War
A repeat of the first dire war of independence fought by the Morchanin against the Ilsamiri. The main goal of this war was the establishment of a Morchanin ruled province in their ancestral lands south of the Darineth River.

Possible Extras
The Nomadic War
This would detail the rise to power of the Mekathenain on a much more vibrant Eastern Continent as they fought against the other nomadic tribes of the region.

The Oceanic War
A similar scenario to the above but concerning the rise of the Ocean Tribes, or rather the establishment of a unified body of tribes.

Hopefully I'll be able to nut out how to actually incorporate them. One option would be to release the mod in seperate "chapters" but I'd rather have it as one condensced package.

I thought I'd post my current campaign structure, just to give people an idea of how it would play out.

The faction mentioned after the name of each war is the one which will be earnt/unlocked for selection in the Final War. The War of Expansion must be completed in order to play the Final War but if you only complete the War of Expansion only the Ilsamiri and the Western Kingdom will be playable in that campaign.

Another example - If you wished to unlock the Mekathenain for play in the Final War you would need to complete the Nomadic War and the Peninsula War. If you wished to unlock the Seaborne you would need to complete the Seaborne War etc.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Concept Presentation

Just one this week, but a fine one I'm sure you'll agree. I've posted this in its original and coloured forms (the colouring was done by me in PS and is by no means the finished product). The original is by the very talented, may I say, Kataphraktoi (though he may go under a different name here).

Royal Knight or Knight Chief of an as yet undecided Order
From the ranks of all the knightly orders come the King’s Knights who bear only his seal and serve as bodyguards and servants during campaigns. They carry lances and shields, and also long swords and wear the deep blue of the Ilsamiri beneath their rich armour. They typically go mounted into battle.

The Knight Cheifs govern all military matters in their own regions but this function can be vetoed or taken over by the King when he deems it necessary. The Chiefs have typically risen from the common soldiery as it is believed that a man who has had to work his way to the top will have a stronger grasp of military matters than one whom privilege has provided for. Each order bears distinct arms, both offensive and defensive, and wears different colours.

Aside from these governing Orders of knights, the King traditionally maintains a number of his own orders, among them are the Knights of the Autumn, of the Spring and of the Waves.

That's all for now, but we've still got some concepts in reserve to show in coming weeks. At present I'm working with our composer, Bedford, on the score and also on finessing the map.

[NagatsukaShumi]

It is still looking an impressive project IL, I continue to wish good luck to yourself on completing the works!

[Master_Thief]

This is looking mighty impressive. Keep up the good work.

[][GERUDO][Mojoman]

go illy go!