The Discussion Thread at Dawn!

[Stargate525]

I think we've got our first Jihad and Crusade going on here between Inveran and the Machta.

The question is, who will come out on top?

[Atlantis]

so, its impossible to ride lions into battle?

[Polycarp]

Some animals I can see being tamed... for example, check this out.  Big carnivores, however, would be more likely to eat you than let you ride them.  I mean, you can tame lions for a circus, but they're still dangerous - just ask Siegfried and Roy.  I don't think riding lions is doable.

[AllWillFall2Me]

I think it has more to do with the instincts of the animal in such cases. Ever try and get a cat to do something it doesn't want to? Now make it bigger than you and less domesticated.

Though it could also be "innocence" on the part of the animal. One of my dogs frequently nips people because he forgets he can't lick you with his mouth open. When a cat swats his paw on your hand, it's cute. When a lion does, that arm is broken.

Turtles, on the other hand... ;P

[Polycarp]

I was reading an article on why it is that the big animals of Africa were never domesticated (with the single exception of the North African Forest Elephant, which is now extinct):  Zebras, African Elephants, Hippos, Rhinos, etc.

The possible reason they gave was that humans had evolved around these creatures long before the advent of domestication, so those big animals knew us as hunters and predators long before they knew us as potential friends or sources of free food.  I don't know how true that is, but it seems at least possible that, given a different evolutionary history, we could have zebra cavalry instead of horse cavalry.

I've also heard it suggested that horses in particular were probably domesticated as livestock, first - that is, for food.  Only after that domestication did people consider that they might be useful to pull loads.  After all, domesticating an animal just to stand in a pen and accept food is probably a lot easier than teaching it to be a useful draft animal and war steed.

Edit: But of course, there's always this:

[spoiler=Oh Snap]

[/spoiler]

[Atlantis]

then can i release armored lions into battle?

[Polycarp]

Well, yes, but there's not much of a guarantee that they would eat the enemy and not your men.  They're probably more useful in controlled circumstances (like the Roman Coliseum, for instance).

[Atlantis]

ok

[snakefing]

Well, I feel screwed. I mean, I didn't lose anything... unless you count the complete loss of coherent political unity. No faction in Kashtu has the power left to get anything done. This is going to be a bad turn.

So we stayed (mostly) out of the war, no one attacked us, yet we lost completely.

[Locknpop4life]

that oh snap pic made me laugh

hippos are big lazy freeloaders

[AllWillFall2Me]

I'm feeling dead in the water right now. I mean, usually I have plots within plots spinning, but right now I'm so busy with other stuff, and so...not at war, that I'm finding it hard to figure out what to do. (This does not mean I WANT war, Oh Holy one)

[Polycarp]

Everybody wants war.  The problem is that nobody wants to lose at war!

To be fair though, any problems with Kuregn are problems the League brought upon itself - there's almost no way Yaffa could have fallen with the League fighting on Celend's side.

In times of slump, drastic changes are usually called for - just see snakefing's brand new military coup.  Of course, it remains to be seen how that works out. :)

[spoiler=OH SHI-]

[/spoiler]

[snakefing]

Ah well, that military coup may not even last until the next update. I haven't decided. For sure it won't be smooth sailing. There are factions in Kashtu that won't be pleased. If the military is gaining power, someone is losing it...

[AllWillFall2Me]

To be fair though, any problems with Kuregn are problems the League brought upon itself - there's almost no way Yaffa could have fallen with the League fighting on Celend's side.

Damn. I just figured that, between a nation run by eunuchs, and one who's leader was titled Despot, I should side with the one least likely to crush me under their boot should I cross them. Guess I overestimated their power.

I'm thinking of having a religious wave. Blending these new tribal beliefs with the teachings of Father Sea.

[Polycarp]

Well, "despot" didn't always have negative connotations - despotes simply meant "lord" in byzantine greek.  It's similar to how "tyrant" used to mean an illegitimate, but not necessarily bad, ruler.  I used it in that sense - an absolute monarch, but not necessarily a "despotic" one.