                       "Realms of Arcania"
            - a scenario for Civ II by Martin Bauch


I. Installation in your civII directory:
Make a copy of the files "rules.txt", "city.gif", "cities.gif" and
"units.gif".
Copy now the files supplied with this scenario in your civII-directory.


II. Background
The scenario's situated in Aventuria, the background world of the most
popular German fantasy roleplaying-game, DAS SCHWARZE AUGE, in America
known as THE DARK EYE or REALMS OF ARKANIA. This paper-RPG has first
been published in 1984. Up to now, three computer games have been 
produced ("RoA - The Blade of Destiny", "RoA - Star-trail" and maybe
"RoA - Shadows over Riva"). In the States, those computer games have been 
much more successfull than the original game (Unluckily, I'd say).
The background of the paper-RPG (on which the PC-games base) is extremly
worked out. I'll try to give a litte description:
Aventuria is quite a small continent (about 1900 miles from north to south,
and a maximum of 1200 miles from east to west) situated on the word "dere". 
In the Northeast it's separated by high mountains from another continent.
In the North, it's surrounded by "Ifirn's Ocean", in the West by "The Sea
of the Seven Winds", in the South by the so called "South- or Fire Sea" and
in the East by the "Pearl Sea".
In terms of climate, Aventuria reaches from polar areas in the North, to tundras
and impenetrable, conferious forests, temperate zones, Mediterranean climate 
, a large desert called "The Khom" to the misty, wet jungles of the South.
The most powerful realm in Aventuria is the so called "New Empire" or "Middle-Realm"
- a state that's clearly inspired by the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation.
der deutlich an das Heilige Röm. Reich dt. Nation. The inhabitants of the New
Empire are of named after their capital Gareth (the continent's largest city) 
"Garethians". But this realm isn't a unified block: There are lots of principalities,
earldoms and duchies, all having their own interests. When the last emperor of the
Midlle-Realm, Hal, disappeared, his son, the prince-regent Brin had to fight a long
and bloody civil war against parts of the nobility and an usurpator. 
Just a short time later, the orcs, in Aventuria often called "blackfurs", invaded
the weakend realm. Just in time, the orcish hordes could be beaten in front of the
imperial capital. The Garethians recovered only slowly of this strokes of destiny and
right now, their still quite weak.
This weakness was witty taken advantage by the Horas-Empire, often called "The Gentle
Field" after the largest part of it's area. At the coast of this land, about 2500 years
ago, settlers from the legendary "Goldenland" arrived here and settled in Aventuria.
They founded the Bosparanic Empire, which ruled most of Aventuria in its heydays. But
the citizens of Gareth beat the last bosparanian empress Hela-Horas and her legions
a thousand years ago when she tried to establish a demonic tyrannis. The Gentle Field
was for almost sevenhundred years a province of the new garehtic empire. About 300 years,
the Gentle Field was able to fight for its independence and from then, it slowly rose to 
old power again. When the Garethic emperor disappeared for unknown reasons, the Queen of the
Gentle Field took her chance and declared herself "Horas" (Title of the ancient bosparanic 
emperor) and conquered some neighbouring countries.
For the Middle-Realm, this was of course a vile provocation and just by luck a bloody war
between both lands could be avoided. The Horas-Empire, as the Gentle Field's called now,
is without any doubt the most modern aventurian state, since it is obviously in the 
renaissance yet. Arts and sciences are flourishing like nowhere else.
In foreign policies, the Horas-Empire has made irreconcilable enemy with Al'Anfa by the
annexion of Drôl and its striving for colonies on the Forest Islands in the South. 
Al'Anfa is a city-state of slave-owners and the second-largest city on the continent.
It's ruled by rich patricians, the "Grands". The wealth of Al'Anfa's based on the enslavment
of the Forest-Men or "Mohas", as they're called after their largest tribe.
At the head of the Al'Anfanian state is the Patriach, also head of the church of the god of death 
and sleep, Boron. Al'Anfa is especially an enormous naval power, even though the "Black Armada" 
widely consist of old-fashioned galleys. "The Hand of Boron", the feared assassins of Al'Anfa
are one of the most effective weapon in Amir-Honak's (the actual patriarch) arsenal of 
cruelties.
The Caliphate of Mherwed's dominated by the desert tribe of the Beni Novad. They believe in
a single god called "Rastullah" which revealed himself to them 300 years ago. Although they
were always keen on converting the unbelievers with fire and sword, they have to reduce their
activities now. The drain of the devastating attack by the Al'Anfanians ten years ago isn't
got over yet. Some of the former independend cities like Khunchom and Rashdul in Mhanadistan,
where the Tulamids life (related to the Novadis), have leaned on closely to the Caliphat under
the reign of Malkillah III.
The azure color puts together lots of smaller powers: Arania, for almost thirty years now 
independent from the New Empire, the free city-states of the South, always in trouble with
Al'Anfa, Xorlosh, the most important dwarven-city, the famous amazones with their major
castle Kurkum, the Svelltian Federation with its capital Lowangen, which is just vegetating 
since the orcish attack on the Middle-Realm and the small independent cities of the north.
The destiny of the rough Bornland is set by the rich merchants of Festum and the infamous nobles
of Seweria (A landscape in the northern Bornland), keeping their serfs under iron rule. Who wonders
that there are often revolts and many outlaws roam the land. In military ways, the Bornland is
known for its modern and powerful navy, securing the trade routes and fighting with Al'Anfa and
the Horas-Empire for colonies in the Soutern Sea.
Last not least, there are the Thorwalians in Aventuria's Northwest. They're very much like the
Vikings on earth and they're known for their daredevil journeys on their fast ships, called
"dragonships" or "ottas". There is no real political attitude within all the different clans
("ottaskins"). They're just united in their boisterous hatred against the Al'Anfanian slave-owners.

Well, that's it. I tried to give you a litte impression of this fascinating background.
Please excuse the mistakes I made in the language and orthography.
For further questions contact:

                     martin.bauch@t-online.de

OR: Martin Bauch
    Beckenkreuz 64
    88471 Laupheim
    Germany
    

P.S.: I know the sounds aren't correct, but does anybody know how to change 'em properly?

P.P.S.: To all German DSA-Players: Please don't crucify me for the translations of the names of
        cities. Do you have better suggestions?
