Occultus Revealed

I know what Occultus in Khelvan' s Sig means:

Latin occultus, secret, past participle of occulere, to cover over. So there ~D

But seriously speaking it can only refer to the following factions that are left:

a. The three roman factions and the senate, though in my opinion highly unlikely at this point.
b. Thrace
c. Dacia
d. Armenia- the most likely faction in my opinion considering the last four factions have been from that general area- Sauromatae, Koinon Helleon, Pontus and Pahlava.

Edit:
Since the new Faction Preview- Hayasdan has been posted and Khelvan is still using his occultus sig, so it is definately not a Faction then. Since now we are square one, I am going to take a leap of faith and say the unthinkable- Occultus is the release date of the Open Beta, and going further on a limb I say this without any proof other than my faith in the spirit of Christmas that the BETA is coming out on December,25 as our collective Christmas Gift.

Bring it on ....................Baby!

occultus revealed?

How about:

"I am full of sh*t."

Creating a new thread for this... you should be ashamed stinker money!

~D HeyIf you cann't take a joke you shouldn't have joined up ~D - and anyway semantically speaking my post title is perfectly accurate- I said that I would reveal what occultus meant and so I have- It means something that is a secret. So I would have been guilty of misleading you only if I had stated secret revealed- So there. ~;)

And in any case if you had any sense you could have pre-viewed my thread my simply pointing at it with your browser, which is what I normally and in any case my thread at least makes more sense than the earlier thread that you posted on, at least we now know what occultus is and can speculate about its nature that was not possible earlier.

Amritochates-2 Divinus Arma-0

Maybe, but it can just be a faction from a heavily forrested area. Would have thought the Sweboz<?>, but they've already been exposed. So it's probably an African faction, or one in the northern forests of Europe.

But the chances of me being wrong are quite high, I've only checked this forum yesterday..

Got it !!! it is the lost 10 tribes of Israel...

Got it !!! it is the lost 10 tribes of Israel...

That has to be the most orignal suggestion that I ever heard. ~D

Now that I come to think of it it is probably the Atlanteans from AoM-TT beware the Titans ~;)

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Originally Posted by amritochates

Got it !!! it is the lost 10 tribes of Israel...

That has to be the most orignal suggestion that I ever heard. ~D

Now that I come to think of it it is probably the Atlanteans from AoM-TT beware the Titans ~;)

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your all wrong, its probable bartix ~;)

Ye Gods! You are right it is Bartix- I have commited an error of inhuman proportions- I must redeem myself by commiting Seppuku(Loud Groaning and Screaming Commences)

But seriously Jokes apart on reflection I realise that it is an error of ommision on my part to include Thrace and Dacia as EB factions, since Khelvan or for that matter any EB team member has never confirmed that they will be included. They had only stated the replacement of Numidia by Bactria.Also in my opinion I think that there is no need to include both factions as they are more or less identical factions with a common tech tree(At least in Vanilla RTW) and occupying more or less the same geographical area.

Any Comments on my observations?? or does anyone have explicit proof that they both are included. ~:confused:

ehh helloooooo Bartix has already been revealed! Observe the proliferation of Bartix sigils... *knocks amritochates' head*

This is something else... big, hairy and smelly. Or perfumed, depending on where your tastes lie.

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

ehh helloooooo Bartix has already been revealed! Observe the proliferation of Bartix sigils... *knocks amritochates' head*

This is something else... big, hairy and smelly. Or perfumed, depending on where your tastes lie.

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Ok so we are all playing this guess game.

What are the chances of this being the Mauryan Empire? Illyrians? Another Gallic faction? I would think Dacia is a pretty good guess too...
You keep saying that it's big. But I just cannot remember anyone that was big and isn't already on the Mod. Darn, if this was ancient south american tribes I would nail it.

~D

How do you know it is another faction? It could be something else important.

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

This is something else... big, hairy and smelly. Or perfumed, depending on where your tastes lie.

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I have always found the normal pheremone-laden scent to be quite enjoya.....

Ooops, sorry, wrong thread. :embarassed:


Seamus

I have my doubts on whether or not Thrace is a faction any more.
If you look at the building descriptions of the Pahlava Countdown, the minimap shows the vanilla map and factions with two slight differences. Numidia colours are now purple/yellow, Bakria's colours, as Numidia was replaced by Bakria. The interesting thing is that Thrace is no longer light blue, but green. So it might be that Thrace has been replaced by another faction.

this thread reminds me of a christmas present

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Originally Posted by Callum Murray

I have my doubts on whether or not Thrace is a faction any more.
If you look at the building descriptions of the Pahlava Countdown, the minimap shows the vanilla map and factions with two slight differences. Numidia colours are now purple/yellow, Bakria's colours, as Numidia was replaced by Bakria. The interesting thing is that Thrace is no longer light blue, but green. So it might be that Thrace has been replaced by another faction.

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Nope, sorry, we have been playing with colors.

Maybe it's the faction Bartix must gain independance from- Seleukix!

Aww... Here was me thinking I'd found something special.

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Originally Posted by Callum Murray

I have my doubts on whether or not Thrace is a faction any more.
If you look at the building descriptions of the Pahlava Countdown, the minimap shows the vanilla map and factions with two slight differences. Numidia colours are now purple/yellow, Bakria's colours, as Numidia was replaced by Bakria. The interesting thing is that Thrace is no longer light blue, but green. So it might be that Thrace has been replaced by another faction.

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On April fools day they said something about replacing Thrace with Illyria. I don't if that was serious or if that was a joke like those messed up hoplites

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Originally Posted by khelvan

Nope, sorry, we have been playing with colors.

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I'm probably wrong though

just ignore those ***** signatures, it's all part of khelvans evil plan to conquer the world!!!
just ignore it, cause they're all laughing with us because we're guessing and getting banabas about this signature...but I can't ingore them, they are so tempting...and secret...have to know secret...secret...
whaaaaaaaa!!!!!
:goes crazy: ~;)

Why dop you all care? Just relax, sit back and drink a beer. Or two. Or ten.
~:cheers:

your right, bloody occultus!
we'll find out what it is when the beta comes out I guess...hope...

~:cheers:

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Originally Posted by kayapó

Ok so we are all playing this guess game.

What are the chances of this being the Mauryan Empire? Illyrians? Another Gallic faction? I would think Dacia is a pretty good guess too...
You keep saying that it's big. But I just cannot remember anyone that was big and isn't already on the Mod. Darn, if this was ancient south american tribes I would nail it.

~D

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Wrong, I'm not playing this guess game. I know the answers. :-D And the price I name to your reasonable demands is 79000 staters, Attic standard weight. Yup. :)

And you don't have to wait for the beta to come out, just wait for the next few previews, which will occur over the next 2 years or so...

When I said big, I also included hairy and smelly. No -faction- is big, hairy and smelly. *nods* And now, a quote from Romeo and Juliet! 'Take it in whatever sense thou wilt.'

You're close... it something slightly further north of South America. Clue: They've got M1 Abrams tanks.

I'm guessing some sort of North African empire, perhaps Ethiopian/Sudanese? /OR/ Some sort of Scandinavian people?

Colours? Well as Plato once stated: "Phenomina perceived by the senses are mere impure copies of the prefect reality of eternal EB ideas" ...well something close to that ~;)

One man's 'thing' is another's 'Occultus' ..or should that be Occultii ?

i hope its a christmas present

I'll play too.

Let us guess here... Occultus is a secret.

So we have a surprise faction coming...

This is EB, so the focus was originally on barbarian tribes...


What barbarian civilizations are there that are not yet covered...

The gaulish culture... done.

The british beginnings... done.

The german tribes... good.

The Iberians... okaaaayyyy...


Well, that leaves one major region,

Eastern Europe... But we already have knowledge of thrace, illyria, dacia, et al... None of these would be a surprise. Instead it would be "oh, thats what they chose". Which is fine of course...

And then there is the ever-so-slim possibility of a nordic tribe...

Are there many danes, swedes, fins, nowegians, or the like in EB? Does anyone know? Could it be a distant pre-pre-pre-viking tribe? That would be pretty damn cool. Unfortunatley, there is very little evidence of culture because of poor organic preservation (or so I have read).

Its not like we hear anything about them until, like, 800 AD. They didn't conquer dick, and no one conquered them. Quite sedate, actually.

BUT I CAN HOPE!!!

you fools! didn't you hear pez? it is the modern neo-empire of the USA!

I think this whole "Occultus" thing is nothing. Its probably just some sort of joke that they are playing to keep people interested and guessing. We pretty much know what the factions are (except for the romans). I really doubt that they are going to replace the Dacians/Thracians/Illyrians with a Nordic or North African tribe and it would make no sense to put a South American tribe in the game. Indians would be cool, but I don't think that it will happen. The United States as a faction is absolutely ridiculous. This thing is a joke and nothing more.

you may be right tk-421, but it is still fun to much around

EDIT: And I have said too much. Khelvan has spoken.

I'll just say the last thing: you're all off the mark MWAHAHAHA.

I think I know what it is...

While EB is hardcore about historical accuracy, it is not impossible for them to have a little fun.

All the possible historical factions have been shown, I do not think that it can be the Indians because EB map simply does not cover all of India.

If it is just another obscure historical faction, EB would not keep it a secret like this.

My guess... the Amazons or some odd rebel faction.

Remember Themyskra (spelling)? If CA had the liscense to have its fun there, why not the EB team?

Look carefully at Khelvan's signature, the part that is uncovered near the "C" shows tips of green lettering. I would pull it into photoshop to examine it more closely, but I am fairly certain that it is a letter without any loops...

errr, i don't think any one said they believed that the USA was a faction...

Mr Jones gave me the distinct impression he did... o_O Probably just a misreading. Ya. Oh well. *shrug* Have fun guessing! I am off this thread :-P

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

EDIT: And I have said too much. Khelvan has spoken.

I'll just say the last thing: you're all off the mark MWAHAHAHA.

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Edit?

EDIT ?!?!


What was said?!

Somebody tell me!!!! What was SAIDDDDDDDDD????????


Oh God have mercy on us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

EDIT: And I have said too much. Khelvan has spoken.

I'll just say the last thing: you're all off the mark MWAHAHAHA.

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im gonna shake you like a christmas present since this is what this oculltus thing appears to be, you are just getting everyone more excited about it you evil lil bastard!!!

im curious to know what it is but i can wait because i can always play dungeon siege 2

see, i wasn't supposed to be getting everyone more excited. I was scolded for revealing things I shouldn't. Two days on the EB team and I'm already in trouble like a naughty little boy caught stealing the biggest cookie in the world :( naughty naughty me. I shall shut up from now on. *nod*

surely no one thought i actually believed occultus to be the USA? i obviously need to work quite a bit on my sarcasm. personally, i believe it to be all the remaining factions not yet previewed.

I GOT IT!!!!!

Well well, you think you can get away with all this historic accurate stuff without a comeback?

You're wrong...

Occultus is simply...dogs, pigs, head hurlers, onagers, wonders, arcani, gladiators, legionary in testudo formation, and egyptians...

...all coming to kick some serius history loving nerds butt...

BE PREPARED!!! :duel:

k

what's ahistoric about the testudo formation?

the effectiveness is overrated..and i believe out of teh timefram, dunno exact

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Originally Posted by jerby

the effectiveness is overrated..and i believe out of teh timefram, dunno exact

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Hmm...isn't the testudo used before 16 BC? crassus used it with bad effect against the parthians I've heard. Wasn't that before 16 BC?

Hello everybody, this is my first post and i want to congratulate all the eb team for this incredible piece of art.

Possibly i dont know what occultus is, but maybe i know what could/should be.
I am a shogun veteran, and i always have thought that the game would be more realistic,difficult and interesting if a lot of the statistic information would be hidden (occulus) to the player.

Example,if the statistic of the units (charge,attack,defense) were unknown to the player,only the general atributes(fast moving,can sap,...), would be more realistic cause the player doesnt need to know the exact coeficients of the units and the first time you find a enemy unit you dont have to know if your unit is superior or not.And when you fight that faction more times you begin to know about the enemy.

The same can be said about the buildings,expecially about the temples,when a gobernor constructed one temple he never knew whats were the exact effects of this temple.About the time to siege,about the chances of rebellion in the city ,about the effects of traits and acillaries and so on.

I wanna know if this could be implement and if the eb team have thought about this.

Thank you.

I'm not sure but I think that's impossible to hide? Isn't this hard coded?

Unfortunately, the game automatically displays unit statistics in-game. As much as I would love to force te player to go by description rather than numbers, this is for the best.

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

EDIT: And I have said too much. Khelvan has spoken.

I'll just say the last thing: you're all off the mark MWAHAHAHA.

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your evil, the whole eb team is evil...I'm gonna tell my mum!
:bigcry: ~;)

what does it matter anyway, I already know most of EB's secrets ~;)
(I've got my own occultus signature now so doesn't matter)

Who knows, can just be an entirely unheard of Roman-related faction. But if it's civilized, I really do hope it wasn't a culture that is neither Roman or Hellenic-influenced. But there's little chance of that. I take back ny African-faction statement, if it was so, there would be much more areas of deep Africa that would be shown. So I'm thinking some Scandinavian, Hindu civ? Might make some sense as even Baktrian units bare SOME measure of similarity to other Hellenic forces. But Hindu forces, I -assume-(and feel free/obliged to correct me) would be completely unknown, and the Baktrians wouldn't have much knowledge(Again just an assumption) of 'em...But then, there would be more of India/Southeast Asia to be expanded into.

Well anyway, I'm just raving and rambling...So, how about an Island-based faction? Perhaps off of the Iberian Peninsula so they wouldn't have been found?

Or for that matter, it can just be a cool feature of the game. Could be some sort of new religion, or sect? Occultus is secret, and secret is esoteric in Greek(ok, i'm just winging it on this) so could be some sort of new sect/cult/secret shadowy organization that gives bonuses?

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I'll just say the last thing: you're all off the mark MWAHAHAHA.

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I have to agree on this one. And hopefully status quo will remain this.

Unless you're a striking female, of course. :laugh:

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

This is something else... big, hairy and smelly. Or perfumed, depending on where your tastes lie.

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This sounds like my woman!! :balloon2:
Will she be a faction? ~:confused:

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Originally Posted by Bartix

This sounds like my woman!! :balloon2:
Will she be a faction? ~:confused:

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nice woman you got, really nice... :uneasy:

Hmm, definitely not a faction.

I'm picking that aleh came closest with his last paragraph.

OK so its spreading the net pretty wide but here are the things I think it could be in more or less order of likelihood:

A reference to the fact that EB are slowly leaching out the info/EB members know lots of stuff about EB that we don't.

Fog of War -perhaps EB have managed to find a way of manipulating this in a more realistic manner so that you get 'news' of events around the place in the form of FoW reveals. (its big but I don't know about hairy or perfumed)

Spying/diplomatic system/units -again similar theme to FoW but a bunch of the options/units available eg assassins (hairy) & courtesans (perfumed)

Possibly somehow the character traits/ancilliaries, family tree or the economy (definitely a black art)

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Originally Posted by PSYCHO V

One man's 'thing' is another's 'Occultus' ..or should that be Occultii ?

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Occulti.

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Originally Posted by Turin

All the possible historical factions have been shown . . .

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Excellent point. There are, after all, no vast tracts of land not held by any of our previewed factions.

https://img323.imageshack.us/img323/...edsofar0rb.jpg

well there's a lot of space between the sauromatae and sweboz...
and ther's a lot of space in north africa...

Well there are at least three different occultus sigs. There are not THAT many factions left.
In all likelyhood it just means that the original faction is still hidden to US.
But who knows... with roman single/double faction status....there's room for one or two secret factions (but three?, I doubt it.)

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Originally Posted by Gertgregoor

well there's a lot of space between the sauromatae and sweboz...
and ther's a lot of space in north africa...

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I'm pretty sure Simetrical was being sarcastic...

And on that note, I say its a new faction!

Most of the space in north africa is the province of sahara =\ You can see that from the province outlines.

Maybe its something on the arabian penninsula.

But maybe its something else entirely:

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi
This is something else... big, hairy and smelly. Or perfumed, depending on where your tastes lie.

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Quote:

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The Mark
Unless you're a striking female, of course.

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Some northern horse tribes has alot of women riders with them...

Or,

Maybe Lesbos is a faction! ~D

XD XD XD XD

Divinus Arma, your *ahem* fertile *ahem* imagination never ceases to amaze me :)

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Originally posted by Divinus Arma

Maybe Lesbos is a faction!

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With Cut Scenes!!!!

Crosses fingers and prays.

This is Europa Barbarorum, not Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. =\

Why can't it be Grand theft Barbarorum? You play(First person) as a "barbarian" who is part of an army that just captured a large city!

Dux would like it at least :wink:

...isn't that a tad like Spartan Total Warrior? *wonders, has never played Spartan before*

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Originally Posted by mongoose

Why can't it be Grand theft Barbarorum? You play(First person) as a "barbarian" who is part of an army that just captured a large city!

Dux would like it at least :wink:

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New talents for porn screenplay writing are forging here... ~:cool:

"Barbarian Hot Invasion, with Screeching Mandy and Marcus Gaesatae. They brought big tools to pierce the oppidum walls, but that wasn't enough for them...

Soon in your nearest X cinema screens."

~D

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Originally Posted by Dux Corvanus

New talents for porn screenplay writing are forging here... ~:cool:

"Barbarian Hot Invasion, with Screeching Mandy and Marcus Gaesatae. They brought big tools to pierce the oppidum walls, but that wasn't enough for them...

Soon in your nearest X cinema screens."

~D

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Lol. Pornorum Barbarorum - see how barbarians did it. ~;)

I wonder if diplomats would ask if you want to drink a coffee...

too much noise for a bad taste sig imo ~:cool:

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Originally Posted by Idomeneas

too much noise for a bad taste sig imo ~:cool:

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~;) like your sig is the most readable:
μηνιν αειδε θεα Πηληιαδεω Αχιληοs ουλομενην
i havent got a clue what that means..
it's all greek to me...

Its gotta be Dacian/Thracians/Illyrians. All that Baltic area north of Pelleponese isn't gonna be all Rebel. The Illyrians fought wars against Rome in this time period. The team member that posted the map further up just about said straight out that "there isn't large tracts of land unused". That area is not used; ergo thats our man. Unless its Arabia wich I highly doubt. In 1st & 2nd century BC those guys are all independent semitic nomads.

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Originally Posted by Tricon

Well there are at least three different occultus sigs. There are not THAT many factions left.

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Try piecing them together and see if you get anything special :)

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Originally Posted by pezhetairoi

see, i wasn't supposed to be getting everyone more excited. I was scolded for revealing things I shouldn't. Two days on the EB team and I'm already in trouble like a naughty little boy caught stealing the biggest cookie in the world :( naughty naughty me. I shall shut up from now on. *nod*

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You can't have gotten it worse then I got it when I was about to reveal some very serieus and secret information :-O Oh well, at least I can say, I've always known :D :P

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Originally Posted by Crownsteler

Try piecing them together and see if you get anything special :)

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You dont ive already tried, besides some of the segments of colour overlap.

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Originally Posted by Crownsteler

Try piecing them together and see if you get anything special :):P

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I got "Eat at Poluvius's".

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Originally Posted by manbaps

You dont ive already tried, besides some of the segments of colour overlap.

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I have to hand it to Khelvan and friends, with those 4 sigs youve got your fans going all out detective just to find out what your sig means. ~:cheers:

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Originally Posted by jerby

~;) like your sig is the most readable:
μηνιν αειδε θεα Πηληιαδεω Αχιληοs ουλομενην
i havent got a clue what that means..
it's all greek to me...

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It means, "mēnin aeide thea pēlēiadeō akhilēos oulomenēn"! . . . yeah, I don't know either.

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Originally Posted by Simetrical

It means, "mēnin aeide thea pēlēiadeō akhilēos oulomenēn"! . . . yeah, I don't know either.

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I'll give you a clue: "The wrath..."

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Originally Posted by Divinus Arma

Maybe its something on the arabian penninsula.

But maybe its something else entirely:





Some northern horse tribes has alot of women riders with them...

Or,

Maybe Lesbos is a faction! ~D

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By the way, I think this would be horrible. I am all for the historical and a faction of only women just doesn't fly.

I was just guessing.

In reality, since there are multiple occultus sigs, it has to just be the cover for each remaining faction. Like the wrapping paper on a present.

Common EB, do you really want us to poke our eyes out!

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Originally Posted by jerby

~;) like your sig is the most readable:
μηνιν αειδε θεα Πηληιαδεω Αχιληοs ουλομενην
i havent got a clue what that means..
it's all greek to me...

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Its the first verse from Iliad. Read it its good ~;)

By the way as graphic designer i still find that occultus sig bad tasted.

I don't think it's really bad taste. it's kind of bland as a joke though. we already know that you have tons of secrets before you started using sig images with "Secret" written on them ~D

They certainly know how to build excitment.

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Originally Posted by mongoose

I don't think it's really bad taste. it's kind of bland as a joke though. we already know that you have tons of secrets before you started using sig images with "Secret" written on them ~D

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Is it soo bland that you don't care if you know :bow: ???
k

My point is that there isn't some great secret here. can't you see that they just took the sig images for the new factions and blacked them out?

They never tell us what the next previews would be. To quote orda: "Nothing has changed"

I guess the EB team has to silence me now :help:



*Edit* But just to make sure im right, i will now unleash the FULIX POWEIX of bartixain minix contixl!!!!


"Stare deeply into the smiles :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :duel: :duel: :duel: :duel: :duel: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :duel: :duel:

:duel: :duel: :duel: :duel: :duel: :duel: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: :duel: :duel: :duel: :charge: :charge: :charge:


I am the official earthly assistant of abokasix. anything you tell me will please abokasix. Don't you want to make abokasix happy? It would please him to know this."

~D

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...isn't that a tad like Spartan Total Warrior? *wonders, has never played Spartan before*

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No, think more like the latest GTA... ~;)

Dux corvanus: soom interesting idea's there ~:eek: