Title: Pliska
Version: 1.5
Map size: 400x400
Level: Hard
Playing as: Defender
Win conditions: No enemy or invasions left
Lose conditions: Lord killed
Designed at: Very hard
The rising sun spreads it’s rays over the large Dobrudjan valley and burns the cracked earth. The small pigeons sing the love song as they fly away from desperation and fear. The small goat herds run and try to erase the memory of Pliska. Only the river can’t escape and it’s echoes shatter the graveyard silence to millions of tears. None of the people can escape. Their homes, their young ones, their dreams all will cease to exist. Why…why does mankind need to fight and conquer can’t everyone prosper and live together. Since the beginning of time many want to hold the power to control others. Gallons of blood will be poured thousand of souls will be lost to the wind , but one will emerge victorious!
This is the story of Pliska. My story:
For decades two foes fight to control the Balkans. Byzantine the large southern Empire and the proto-Bulgarians. Since I was a boy Khans , Kings and Lords have fought for a dream. A dream doomed to failure from the start. A reverie that I thought to be impossible. The founding of a country. Many have laughed at my father. He wanted to unite the tribes and make a country where the people would live together and share the land. A family as big as 13 kids has this task. But nobody wants to realize this idea of a land made for everyone. Why is this curse so painful to lift even death can’t free me from my vow. An oath to make Bulgaria the first nation on the Balkans after Byzantium. If only I hadn’t agreed. My life is a nightmare and I can’t get away from it. While the birds sing people kill and destroy. Nature doesn’t seem to balance life on this glorious planet. Why can’t we live in harmony. Why is my father so obsessed of controlling the down stream of Danube. Many sleepless nights and a broken heart is all I’ve inherited from my family. My mother the princes of our tribe murdered by our own kind. I share a life with demons not by men of honor. Even the animals don’t behave like us. Many think I am a child of Madar himself. I don’t want to be different I don’t want to have a royal family. I wan’t to be alone in the cold and peaceful mountains. But the quest I have taken must be completed. My father wants to make a country so he shall have one.
681 AD
The dream is now reality. The first Bulgarian nation has been established. This is too good to be true everyone is enjoying life and the promise of another morning keeps the people going. But what kind of a promise is this. Everyone thinks that tomorrow they will wake up to see their youths. So why can’t that be true. If only all those questions had answers! But alas a year after our founding and the young country is under attack. The great Empire wants to control us as well. This is no different from home. Everyone wants power. But I am also a ruler everyone listens to my orders so why doesn’t that make me feel happy. How come swordsmen have to go everywhere with me and protect me from my own people, my brothers.
Battle is upon us. If I can’t live a normal life than I won’t ruin the lives of others. If war is what these barbarians want then war they will get even if the entire city is leveled the country won’t be crushed that easily.
Authors notes:
Well now that my partner Lan al Malkier has returned we are happy to announce that we can finish the Book “Treachery”. About Pliska: This must be one of the toughest maps we have made yet. It’s very hard to achieve victory. Three years of Non-stop war. A simple mistake can lead to a disaster so plan your strategy well because you won’t get a second chance in the same game. We can assure that it’s very hard if not impossible to win on the first try. A lot of tests are needed to find a suitable way to defend the castle and only then can the real thing begin. As a capitol this city must have a large trade system but since it’s only the beginning the stocks are limited. Hints and the full storyline can be found in the zip file.