God Games: Civilization Rise

The following day, Venkix woke up abruptly. Sitting up from his spot, leaves rustling and some twigs snapping. His personal cavern had little to no decorations other than the various tied bones hanging from the entrance. ‘A new day starts.’ He thought to himself before he slowly stood himself up, using his tail to balance his body upwards, and took a step from the edge of his nest. 

Stretching his body, bones satisfyingly snapping in place, Venkix looked to the ground right beside his nest before he stretched out his tail and wrapped it around his chieftain armour with the animal bones tied to it clanking like wind chimes. Letting out a sigh, Venkix seamlessly wore it on his shoulders and his lower left arm grabbed a bone necklace with a few different kinds of feathers and claws that hung on an exposed crevice of the cavern. Venkix let out a yawn with his throat bobbing up and down and letting out rapid clicks like the predator. ‘Let’s get this over with already.’ He thought to himself before he stepped out of his personal cavern and proceeded to walk towards the centre of the tribe, near the entrance tunnel. On the way, from one of the many pillars, Venkix spotted Raathos dangling on the edge while tying a thin vine rope and intertwining them together into a loose circlet.

Venkix wondered what she planned to do with it. Although it looks like a circlet, knowing how best suited Raathos is in stealth and quick ended battles, there’s a lot to think about if that circlet is truly a circlet and not something to kill with. ‘She scares me;;’ Venkix thought to himself while inwardly letting out a shiver. Tilting his head upwards a bit, he let out a few clicks to catch her attention. Quickly freezing in place, Raathos looked down towards Venkix while she hid the circlet with her lower right arm to somewhere inward of the platform. [Father!] She tilted her body forwards before flipping towards the ground. ‘AAAAAHHHHH!!!!’ Out of instinctual habit, Micheal inwardly screamed in panic. Completely forgetting she was not a human. In response to the habit, one of his lower arms clenched tightly. Causing his nails to pierce his skin, letting out a trail of blood drip travel down his arm into his wrist then into the edge of his fist before dripping down.

The slight sting managed to quickly snap him out of his thoughts and remember his current reality. He watched Raathos land with a soft thud and a puff of dust before she stood up. She swung her tail in front of her, blowing the dust away and walked towards Venkix with a kind smile. [Father! How was your sleep?] She asked him, Venkix gently smiled towards her before he placed his upper hand on her cheek. [My sleep was peaceful, and you my child?] Raathos made a face similar to a pout, biting her lower lip while the corners of her mouth frowned and her eyes slightly narrowed. [I am not a hatchling anymore Father, my celebration is already near!] She shouted with feigned annoyance, in truth she was actually liking the attention. 

Knowing her true thoughts with how frequent Venkix does this to his children, he just rolled his eyes and chuckled. Removing his hand from her cheek, he looked around the area, noticing that other tribesmen were exiting their nest and did their usual things like vine wrapping and thorn slicing, or crafting and practising. ‘Quality of the entire combat oriented tribesmen is good.’ Venkix rubbed the top of Raathos head before moving on contemplating to himself while his destination was the prey area. Raathos followed right behind him like a duckling.

‘Although quality is good and we’re a carnivorous tribe, it gives us more of an advantage.’ Venkix opened a research window and saw the completed research on Early Warfare. Mentally clicking on it a separate panel opened up with information.

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Research: Early Warfare

• The Host’s race has now researched Early warfare, target race has unlocked new craftable items and early tactics! Additional research tree unlocked!

Craftable Items:

• Primitive Weaponry: Clubs lv.1, Wooden shields lv.1, Slings lv.1, and Stone tipped spears lv.2

• Armour: Hide Armour lv.1, Reinforced Bone Armour lv.1

• Traps: Pitfalls, Snares, Spikes

• Fortifications: Small Barricade

Tactics: 

• Ambushes

• Hit-and-run

• Territory Control

• Formation

Note:

What is shown is the basic side of the research, once integrated into target race newer research trees can be formed from the inspiration given to them.

Ding!

Target race, Xinzu, has four made technologies that are yet to be integrated into the research tree. Suggest to do so directly for a new research pathway.

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Venkix smiled, showing off the tips of his sharp teeth. ‘Finally!’ He exclaimed to himself, tail slightly curling in delight. ‘With this, the survivability of sent out teams rose significantly.’ Venkix glance to a nearby cavern wall, leaning on it was a long row of spears and whips. Right beside it are a few craftsmen repairing or making newer weapons. ‘It’ll only take time for one of them to gain sudden inspiration and build new items.’ Venkix continued his walk, thoughts to himself as he checked the other ongoing research.

Narrowing his eyes while he stared at the remaining progress. ‘Botanical Study is still a long way away, while Primitive Mining Tool 4 more days.’ Switching his view on Civilization research, after Early Warfare another item was unlocked for research. Clicking on it, the screen zoomed in and the new research Item was focused on Agriculture. ‘Although I don't know how to use Agriculture in the mountains but maybe…’ Venkix contemplated himself while he restarted his path towards the prey area, Raathos following close by right beside him. ‘Maybe, if the group managed to gain the trust and word of the Spike Back tribe I can make them into a vassal tribe?’ In the game, Vassalisation was only possible if the target was taken over completely or by swearing loyalty. Micheal had no idea if Vassalisation was the same here and if the research is possible to integrate it with a vassal. 

Venkix and Raathos passed two more pillars before they were met with the main cavern. Already, tribesmen were already scattered around doing their own things to help the tribe. On the side were two adult xinzunians in front of a group of hatchlings. The male xinzunian standing around 6 '0 was wearing bone bracelets and braids while a small leaf pouch tied around the base of his tail. The other was a muscular 6 ‘5 female who had worn skull shoulder pads of an Avifurin with large feathers tied to it with twine, that reached from her shoulders and covered her chest while on the back had reached her shoulder blade. These feathers came from a large predatory flyer known as Wath’fer, its appearance was that of a vulture minus the head like an elongated owl head. From head to talons it was covered in fur similar to a cats while its wings were the same width and length of a vultures but feathers as long as a human infant.

The bird itself was the same height as a young adult xinzunian, its talons so sharp a slight scratch can tear an arm off. Its speed was comparable to arrows but its reaction time lags behind by a second. And this female warrior was one of the best spear throwers Venkix knows.

Opening the female Xinzunian’s status screen, Venkix pretended to stop beside a pillar and observe the surroundings.

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Unit Name: Ath’ia (Althea)

Race: Xinzu

Gender: Female

Level: 7 {58/230}

Affiliation: Black Vine Mountain Tribe

Class: Warrior

Sub-Class: Spearman lv.3

Stamina: 120%

Energy: 100%

Attributes:

Strength: 35

Agility: 49

Intelligence: 41

Wisdom: 36

Charisma: 51

Skills:

Precise Throw lv.3, Splinter lv.2, Thrust lv.2, Clear Sight lv.4, Tracker lv.1, Presence lv.2

Abilities:

Sensitive lv.3, Friend of wind lv.2, Silent steps lv.2

Equipment:

Bone pads (+5 Defence, +3 Bludgeoning), Worn Spine spear (+2 penetration, +3 bloodloss)

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‘She’s probably the top five in the hierarchy of the warriors if I remember correctly.’ Venkix pondered to himself before he suddenly remembered something. ‘Wasn’t her agility stat 46 last time?’ 

 Venkix looked towards Ath’ia with a curious gaze, the only iteration that an attribute gets added is when they level up and is randomly given to an attribute. As if sensing his gaze, she looked towards him, her eyes showing surprise and a little apprehension. A second pass before she broke their little stare off and spoke to the hatchlings. ‘Something about her is weird…’ Venkix narrowed his eyes a little further before he turned his head to Raathos but his eyes not leaving Ath’ia. [Raathos, see that warrior over there?] Raathos followed her fathers eyes and locked in on Ath’ia. She nodded her head slightly as an affirmation. [I want you to watch her closely, something about her is strange.] He hummed silently. Raathos nodded her head again. Venkix removed his gaze on her and proceeded to continue to the prey area without stopping this time.

Passing tribesmen bowed their heads in greeting to the both of them, Venkix nodded to them in return while Raathos glanced at them with a small smile. Once both father-daughter duo reached the prey area, two Avifurin carcasses were placed atop a long stone slap and were currently being sliced up. The ones who were slicing it up were a shaman and two hunters, using sharpened knives tied to a claw-carved handle, doing their best as much as possible in slicing away the thick hide to reach the meat. The upper half was already skinned off, showing the muscle and tendons while the shaman was silently slicing and tearing bits and pieces of the prey to segregate them to those that are eaten by the tribe today and eaten by the tribe tomorrow.

Venkix tilted his head to the side by three degrees and let out two soft distinguish clicks. The shaman looked up, and like clockwork sliced a thin section of meat and offered it to Venkix while she gave a little thicker slice to Raathos with her lower hand. Raathos, in surprise, swiftly looked to her father and stared with her mouth slightly ajar. Venkix only glanced back at her with a tint of amusement in his eyes before he took his slice and promptly ate it. [Take it child.] He told her with a hidden meaning in his eyes, telling her if she refused there would be punishment. Raathos subconsciously lowered her shoulders and tilted her head by a miniscule amount. 

She tenderly took the slice with her right hand and began to nibble at it. Venkix rolled his eyes and raised a hand to rub her head. Raathos looked away while nibbling on her food. [Are you planning to decide the final positions for the group?] She asked, both of them had turned around and left the prey area. Heading towards the arena cavern, Venkix only glanced at her and nodded his head, having a smirk on his face. [I have a feeling that the finalists for each position would be interesting.] Venkix told her with a knowing hum in his vibrations. 

Raathos raised a brow, or what could be considered a brow since only the area above her eyes rose slightly, while she nibbled at her food. Needles rose and began vibrating in a high tune, a tune of amusement. [I feel like you already have an idea, father, on who to pick on each position.] Her eyes narrowed with a knowing look when Venkix not only did not answer but his curled up tail slightly twitched and his shoulder rose by a centimetre. Raathos only shrugged before she seperated with venkix and went towards the tunnel for every tribe member while Venkix headed towards the chieftain tunnel.

But before he could, a subtle shift towards the right side of the tunnel caught his attention. Tensing his body, he lowered himself to a crouch and stalked towards the spot. The sound of shuffling rock was more prominent the more he got closer. Beside the chieftain tunnel were ground grown stalagmite that had gaps between them for anyone to hide in. Once he got closer, he used his upper arms to grab on the stalagmite while Venkix heard two distinct soft grunts. Rising up slowly, he peeked over and was met with a surprising sight that made his eyes widen to saucers.

Laying down on the ground, two xinzunians were wrestling one another, with Venkix’s eyesight mostly covered by the stalagmite he slowly raised himself a little more and noticed that the two xinzunians were males and both of them were rolling around and kept wrestling one another. ‘Wait…Is that.’ Venkix stood up suddenly and used his tail to roughly whip the ground causing a loud clap that startled both of the wrestling xinzunians. The two quickly separated one another and hastily stood up all roughed and scuffed. Venkix furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes on the two. To the left was Vireladon covered in dust while the herbal paste that the shamans rubbed on him covered with leaves were mostly torn off and had pebbles and a little leaks of red, meanwhile on the right was another male xinzunian that stood around 6’2 that had green herbal paste on his body with 2 squiggles and 1 triangle beside a square. The other was a shaman apprentice with two pouches tied around his tail while an Avifurin skull rested on his left shoulder with small bones tied to it. [What are the two of you doing?] Venkix questioned, sending a scrustionising look to the both of them. 

Vireladon grunted in pain while the other xinzu the same age as him looked towards him and huffed before facing Venkix and bowed his head slightly. [Forgive me of the insolence, Chieftain, but I was ordered by the Great Shaman to change the herbal paste before his match.] The young xinzu answered with his neck slightly stretched out to show his vital area. Venkix let out a sound similar to a ‘hrn’ before looking pointedly at Vireladon, who was looking away from his direction. ‘Honestly, I thought the two of them were doing something else;;’ In his mind, Micheal sighed in relief while wiping away metaphorical sweat. [Vire…] Venkix started and didn’t need to continue as Vireladon groaned and plopped down on the ground while the other xinzu let out a huff of amusement and kneeled down to proceed to change the paste.

Venkix looked towards him and opened his status window while he opened the Shop window, moving it with mental hand to move it to the right side of his vision  since he was planning to browse something anyways.

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Unit Name: Rid’ Vern (Rai-vern like Wyvern)

Race: Xinzu

Gender: Male

Level: 6{168/}

Affiliation: Black Vine Mountain Tribe

Class: Shaman

Sub-Class: Apprentice lv.5, Herbalist lv.0, Potioneer lv.0 (Locked)

Stamina: 83%

Energy: 79%

Attributes:

Strength: 20

Agility: 38

Intelligence: 46

Wisdom: 41

Charisma: 37

Skills:

Crafting lv.1, Foraging lv.5, Gathering lv.4, Nightvision lv.3, Sense lv.2, Presence lv.1

Abilities:

First Aid lv.3, Efficient Herb lv.2, Quick Hands lv.4

Equipment:

2x Hide pouch (10 slots max.)

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‘Potioneer!? Isn’t that one of the rare subclasses a unit can get!’ Venkix yelled in his mind while he tried to control his facial expression to not show something. ‘Even though it's locked, if I manage to unlock that, the efficiency of the herbal paste will rise in quality in healing injuries while it is also possible to create enhancing potions for temporary boost.’ Venkix contemplated himself, looking Rid'Vern up and down. He was quite skinny for a male xinzu, even though shamans eat the bare necessity he was too skinny to be called healthy. Then without any kind of forewarning, two windows suddenly popped up and covered his vision. {Ding! The player has found a status effect!} Venkix read the prompt before it closed by itself and made Venkix look towards the remaining window with his eyes only. {Unit Rid’Vern has permanent status effect “Weakened”} Venkix’s brows rose slowly before it suddenly shrunk out and stuck itself to his status window. ‘Status effect on individual units is around 25% chance to appear,’ Venkix closed the window and looked towards Rid’Vern with interest. Said xinzu was already finishing up, only glueing leaves to Vireladon’s body, so the paste won’t get wiped off during a match.

Focusing back to the shop window, placing it in front of him, on the top right corner of his remaining IP. ‘Soon…’ He mentally cried, feeling the pain of all of his hard earned points lost. To the left side corner of the window was a long search bar and beneath it was another bar of options. The size of the shop window was the size of a tablet, items, abilities, and even bloodlines that the shop recommended covered the entire screen in separated columns.

Tapping the search bar, he selected the bloodline option and selected adaption before he inputted in the genetic adaptations he wanted. The recommended page shrunk slightly before it slid away and a new page slid in and replaced the previous page. There were currently 4 available options as the rest were greyed and had crossed chains on them. Venkix glanced at the locked options and noticed that there were requirements to unlock them.

For example, one of the options was called Seasonal Adaptation and required the player’s current era around Mid Stone Age which was a long long time till he reached it, seeing his current situation but maybe it’ll change along the way. The 4 options that were available to him were listed as such with a short explanations

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Enhanced Claw Grip

• The claws of your units will be able to easily grip on the barks of the trees or prey, with extra sharpness it also gains moisture resistance to be able to grip on wet surfaces easily and explore the terrain in safer heights.

IP cost: 25

Camouflage Adaptation 

• The black scales and vine patterns are given the ability to shift their colour shade slightly to blend in with the shadowy environment and tree barks to hide from both prey and predator

• Possible to grow with the species

IP cost: 48

Branch Running Limbs

• Strengthens the limbs of the species to gain the ability to balance on tree branches and constantly run on them for hunts, explorations, or stealth. Also gains a sub adaption of Dual Lungs to gather more oxygen and lessens the rate of a units exhaustion

IP cost: 67

Thermal Vision (Lesser)

• Similar to a snake, the species gains an extra gland for the purpose of sensing the environmental temperature while the vibrations extend the range by a good 3 metres by the original 6 metres.

IP cost: 31

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Mentally, Micheal was laying down on the ground curled up and hideously crying. The adaptations were especially good and best suited his current race but the cost was quite a huge number. ‘I hate myself,’ Micheal thought before he rolled around the ground and randomly swung his arms and legs in the air. ‘Why did Tharn have to pick a wrong time to confront me! If I had my previous IP this would’ve been easy picking!’ He mentally cried like a child while cursing his luck. After a moment of calming himself down, he took control again and starred the options into a seperate column to purchase later.

Sighing, he closes the window just in time for Rid’Vern to stick the last leaf in place and stand up from his position. Vireladon also took this as a cue to stand up now, using his arms to balance himself he placed his tail on the ground before promptly raising himself up while dusting off some dirt and a few pebbles. Vireladon groaned again when he looked towards Venkix, who had unknowingly stared at him with a slightly narrowed look. Truth of the manner was that Venkix went to think on who to match Vireladon with, but his groan made him focus. [Vireladon, son…] He began before Vireladon huffed and continued his words. [I know, father, keeping a healthy body makes us unkillable which also means letting the shamans check on our injuries.]

Venkix humorously nodded his head, Rid’Vern trying to hold back a chuckle blooming in his chest. [Good, I’ll see you in the cavern later. Young Shaman] Venkix told him before nodding towards Rid’Vern with a soft smile, already thinking of a few possible scenarios that might seem feasible in unlocking the Potioneer subclass. Rid’Vern suddenly shivered unconsciously as a feeling of crawling dread creeped up his spine. Venkix then turned around and walked towards the tunnel while mentally humming a random tune. 

Vireladon watched his father enter the tunnel silently, once he did enter the tunnel and the sound of his footsteps slowly fading. He turned his head and glared towards Rid’Vern sternly. [You’re annoying…] He told him tiredly, his body slightly slacking, Rid’Vern only let out a chiming giggle before he patted Vireladon on his right shoulder before leaving to the direction of the tribe tunnel. There was a slight hop to his steps and a amoused look that plainly just said “I told you so”. Vireladon rolled his eyes in feigned annoyance before he grunted and followed suit towards the tunnel after Rid’Vern disappeared from his view.

~~~

Venkix entered the cavern and was immediately greeted with the sight of Dredlinor fighting with a couple of warriors and a hunter. All of them grouping up and fighting one another. ‘Here we go again…’ Venkix thought as he rolled his eyes in exhaustian, he glanced towards the usual spot Tharn stood in and was surprised that she wasn’t there at all. ‘That’s surprising,’ Venkix wondered where she went while he watched the lone hunter just sucker punch a warrior, knocking her out with a few of her teeth. ‘Impressive, but he left himself open.’ Venkix watched as the loner hunter’s tail was yanked by another female warrior and swung around like a flail before being thrown directly to a wall. Looking to the side, Venkix just asked the nearest tribesmen. [What happened before I got here?] The tribesmen were an elder with their scales having a shade of grey while their red pattern faded a little. 

[Chieftain, as per tradition, Warrior Dredlinor has started a fight again that started with another warrior and only devolved to this because of…relationship issues.] The elder finished his words with a ring of exasperation and his face slightly creased. Venkix only did the only thing sensible in this situation and placed his right upper hand to cover his face and released a deep sigh. ‘For fuck sake…’