Now with the second month of the second year completed, the world of Volci is better developed and its affairs are increasingly entangled. The Khagan Sevar of the Kipchak is turning into a major thom in the side and arch-nemesis of king Michael of Belgorod. Along with Gong K'Bong of the Tu Chu, both players have reached the point where they have roused major enemies. Gong K'Bong wanted to know more about the Chinese to whom he is a vassal. The emperor Wang-Wu-Shu-Ti controls a feudal empire that is Zhou Dynasty in style. His power rests in his personal prestige as well as his authority to grant permission to his vassals to wage war. An alliance with his lesser lords keeps the power of the greater lords in check.

In Viking world I don't need to create outside enemies; the players have each other to worry about. Only one other player has outside enemies to worry about. He blundered his way into that position. I don't know what he was thinking, but I am sure he was trying to make friends. But king Sennacherib of Assyria lent troops to neighboring states. I guess he wanted some friendly allies or something. But he lent extra troops to King Glenmannaser of Suma who used them to conquer another minor state.

In my campaign, when one minor state conquers another, it becomes a major state. The Assyrians now have trouble. The player who controls the Macedonians comes from Macedonia, Ohio. He has a way to go before I cook up major trouble for him. The Caliphate of Shazam can grow and watch events unfold around it.

Right now I have a good group of players who respond on time. Reading back issues of Lone Warrior, especially issue 110, I find I am lucky. Since the Volci campaign is run as a solo game with a few guests contributing, the few who may drop out will not put me out of business. I even surrendered control of a favorite non-player state to a new player. His friends who are in the campaign told me he was reliable and very creative, all of which are good qualities in an avid campaigner. So far he has not disappointed me.

I have re-made four of the campaign maps and I can use gamers in these areas. I can also use another Chinese player. Emperor Wang Wu Shu Ti is getting along in years and will soon be celebrating his 101th birthday. I need a player to take control of one of his more troublesome vassals. We can't have the old boy living forever, now can we? My man from Macedonia also needs an upcoming rival.

Two players per map seems to be the right number. The unoccupied areas include my Roman empire vs Barbarians, Eastern Viking, Southeast Asian, and Siberian areas. At the moment my Siberian area is occuppied by primitives and pre-Samurai Japanese. When I get Samurai, their level of civilization will increase.

Next Installment: The Volci Campaign (LW 118)
More: The Volci Campaign (LW 119)