Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

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Temuchin Khan
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Temuchin Khan »

I must say, I like skeptical troll's description, too. It seems to hit all the right notes, while maintaining an air of mystery and leaving the details to the player's imagination. Good work, skeptical troll!
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by skeptical_troll »

I'm touched by all this sudden concordance, I'd have never expected that :lol: :lol:
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Eagle_11 »

Mainline that description. :eng:
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Pentarctagon »

Eagle_11 wrote: March 16th, 2018, 9:54 pm Mainline that description. :eng:
Unfortunately, that can't be done at the moment, since Wesnoth has entered a string freeze, so text that can be displayed to the user (and thus needs to be translated to various languages) is no longer able to be changed. I see no reason it can't be added to 1.15 as soon as development on that starts though.
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Iris »

It could be added to 1.14.1 as well. It'd be nice if people could make a list of stuff that's currently waiting on the string freeze lift.
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Pentarctagon »

shadowm wrote: March 17th, 2018, 2:41 am It could be added to 1.14.1 as well. It'd be nice if people could make a list of stuff that's currently waiting on the string freeze lift.
As far as the Dunefolk go, right now it's just this and then the other poll thread about maybe moving the Dunefolk into Default or renaming the existing eras from Default/Default+Dunefolk to Classic/Default.

Ideally at some point the Dunefolk's unit descriptions would be fixed up as well, though if this thread is anything to go by, doing so would be quite a project :lol:
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by skeptical_troll »

If this is going in quickly, then probably the very last sentence (mentioning Wyvern/Roc) should be left out for the time being, as there is no trace of those units in the game, unless they are included as unused bonus units under the 'monster' category.
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Pentarctagon »

skeptical_troll wrote: March 17th, 2018, 8:50 am If this is going in quickly, then probably the very last sentence (mentioning Wyvern/Roc) should be left out for the time being, as there is no trace of those units in the game, unless they are included as unused bonus units under the 'monster' category.
I wouldn't expect it to get added for a couple months, unless someone creates the 1.15 branch before 1.14.0 is released(which I hope doesn't happen for other reasons).
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Celtic_Minstrel »

Vultraz said that the 1.14 branch is being created with the release of 1.13.12 (because it's the first 1.14 RC, I guess? I dunno), so this could actually go in as early as tomorrow in that case. Even if that were not the case, now that it's decided you can certainly open a PR and it can be marked for the 1.15 milestone.

I think adding the roc and wyvern rider as non-faction bonus units (in the vein of the Dwarvish Scout etc) would be nice and could be done at around the same time as the description update if all the images and stuff are available. (I guess the roc would be filed under monsters.)
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Pentarctagon »

Well, that's a lot sooner than I expected, at least :lol:
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Sudipta »

Wow, i thought the debate would never end. Love the new description. Awesome job!
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Pentarctagon »

Alright then, unless there are any other objections or corrections, I'll open a PR to add the description to the new development branch tomorrow.
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by vultraz »

Yumi/nemaara and I have made a bunch of stylistic, grammatical, and pacing edits to the description. We've attempted to keep the general message of skeptical's text while making it flow more smoothly.
An offshoot of a forgotten nomadic civilization, the Dunefolk call home the river valleys and oases of the Sandy Wastes. How they came to inhabit this far corner of the Great Continent is unknown. Their legends tell of many long and perilous travels through far-flung lands, but the true origin of their people is a topic of endless and heated debate among even the most erudite of their scholars.

Whatever their origin, the Dunefolk have thrived. Bustling cities stand proudly in the largest fertile regions. Skilled artisans, fine smiths, and wealthy merchants form the backbone of the urban economy. Each of these cities also enjoys a degree of independence almost unheard of in the more centralized nations of the north, many even maintaining their own standing armies. In times of need, however, each and all rally to a higher authority designated to protect the superior interest of the nation.

Those who have not settled in these urban centers still adhere to the lifestyle of their ancestors, roaming the dunes and leading their herds from one watering hole to another. They are most active during the early hours of dawn and the onset of dusk, when the wastelands are neither too hot nor too cold. Their skill at moving through the sands is excellent even by Dunefolk standards. Although sometimes regarded with contempt by their city counterparts, they provide an invaluable service as mobile, light troops in war, or as escorts for trading caravans during times of peace.

The Dunefolk's inclination towards trade and exploration has allowed their cities to amass immense fortunes, a fact regarded both with admiration and envy by other races. Mutual interests have fostered cordial relations with neighboring Naga tribes, but more secretive races such as Drakes and Elves have always considered Dunefolk expeditions to be too intrusive, especially when they venture close to territorial boundaries. It is not uncommon for caravans to fall prey to troll ambushes in the mountains, something that has given rise to countless tales of unimaginable treasure amassed in hidden caves.

As a result of living in hostile environments for centuries, the Dunefolk have developed rational methods of enquiry through which they continue to improve their understanding of the world. Their study of herbal medicine keeps their warriors and workers fresh and healthy. Their knowledge of alchemy allows them to tame fire and wield it as a deadly weapon in battle. At the same time, this analytical mindset has distanced them from magical arts; to the rational mind, magic is uncontrollable, unpredictable, and hence unreliable. For this reason, the Dunefolk loathe all forms of necromancy and the dark arts, even moreso than other races.

The Dunefolk's inquisitive and explorative nature does not preclude military strength. Not only do they field nimble light troops, cataphracts, and heavily armored infantry, but their keen knowledge of technology grants them a decisive advantage over their opponents. When facing the Dunefolk in battle, however, the most fearsome sight is certainly their deployment of ferocious and bizarre beasts. From the majestic Roc to the imposing Wyvern, their synergy with these creatures allows for great versatility in combat. The origins of this tradition likely lie in the heritage of the Dunefolk's distant past in the exotic far corners of Irdya.
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by Pentarctagon »

Another slightly modified description(bolded sections changed):
An offshoot of a forgotten nomadic civilization, the Dunefolk lay claim to the river valleys and oases of the Sandy Wastes. How they came to inhabit this far corner of the Great Continent is unknown. Their legends tell of many long and perilous travels through far-flung lands, but the true origin of their people is a topic of endless and heated debate among even the most erudite of their scholars.

Whatever their origin, the Dunefolk have thrived. Bustling cities stand proudly in the largest fertile regions. Skilled artisans, fine smiths, and wealthy merchants form the backbone of the urban economy. Each of these cities also enjoys a degree of independence less common in the more centralized nations to the north, many even maintaining their own standing armies. In times of need, however, each and all rally to a higher authority designated to protect the superior interest of the nation.

Those who have not settled in these urban centers still adhere to the lifestyle of their ancestors, roaming the dunes and leading their herds from one watering hole to another. They are most active during the early hours of dawn and the onset of dusk, when the wastelands are neither too hot nor too cold. Their skill at moving through the sands is excellent even by Dunefolk standards. Although sometimes regarded with contempt by their city counterparts, they provide an invaluable service as mobile, light troops in war, or as escorts for trading caravans during times of peace.

The Dunefolk's inclination towards trade and exploration has allowed their cities to amass immense fortunes, a fact regarded both with admiration and envy by other races. Mutual interests have fostered cordial relations with neighboring Naga tribes, but more secretive races such as Drakes and Elves have always considered Dunefolk expeditions to be too intrusive, especially when they venture close to territorial boundaries. It is not uncommon for caravans to fall prey to troll ambushes in the mountains, something that has given rise to countless tales of unimaginable treasure amassed in hidden caves.

As a result of living in hostile environments for centuries, the Dunefolk have developed rational methods of enquiry through which they continue to improve their understanding of the world. Their study of herbal medicine keeps their warriors and workers fresh and healthy. Their knowledge of alchemy allows them to tame fire and wield it as a deadly weapon in battle. At the same time, this analytical mindset has distanced them from magical arts; to the rational mind, magic is uncontrollable, unpredictable, and hence unreliable. For this reason, the Dunefolk especially loathe the perversions of necromancy and the dark arts, even moreso than other races.

The Dunefolk's inquisitive and explorative nature does not preclude military strength. Not only do they field nimble light troops, cataphracts, and heavily armored infantry, but their keen knowledge of technology grants them a decisive advantage over their opponents. When facing the Dunefolk in battle, however, the most fearsome sight is certainly their deployment of ferocious and bizarre beasts. From the majestic Roc to the imposing Wyvern, their synergy with these creatures allows for great versatility in combat. The origins of this tradition likely lie in the heritage of the Dunefolk's distant past in the exotic far corners of Irdya.
edit-
Also not sure what I think about:
When facing the Dunefolk in battle, however, the most fearsome sight is certainly their deployment of ferocious and bizarre beasts. From the majestic Roc to the imposing Wyvern, their synergy with these creatures allows for great versatility in combat.
though, given right now they can only recruit the weak falcon. I know there was talk of adding the wyvern as something that was present but not normally recruitable, and maybe making the Roc another advancement of the Elder Falcon, but at the moment neither of those even exist in the game.
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Re: Dunefolk(previously Khalifate) race description

Post by skeptical_troll »

As far as I can judge english prose, it looks good to me. I would have tried to avoid repetitions of some terms like 'urban' and 'rational', but they are probably safely apart from each other. I am not sure about using 'perversions' referred to necromancy and dark arts, as it implies a particular (although very common) point of view instead of being dry and objective as an encyclopedia should be.
Pentarctagon wrote: March 22nd, 2018, 5:12 am
When facing the Dunefolk in battle, however, the most fearsome sight is certainly their deployment of ferocious and bizarre beasts. From the majestic Roc to the imposing Wyvern, their synergy with these creatures allows for great versatility in combat.
though, given right now they can only recruit the weak falcon. I know there was talk of adding the wyvern as something that was present but not normally recruitable, and maybe making the Roc another advancement of the Elder Falcon, but at the moment neither of those even exist in the game.
I agree, as I said above if those units are not in the game, naming them would only cause confusion.

Another thing to discuss is whether substituting 'a higher authority' with something (at least slightly) more specific. In my campaign I now replaced 'khalif' with 'sultan' because it was the easiest thing to do, but in the description it could be as generic as 'an elected/nominated/supreme leader' if it's a single person, or 'a supreme/high council' if it's a group of persons.
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