Lords of the Earth
Campaign
Nineteen
Turn 40
Anno Domini
1096 - 1100
Turn 41 Orders Due By Friday,
January 16th, 2004
Below are my Email
and Regular mail addresses:
4858 East 2nd Street
Tucson, AZ 85711
Email: ancaric@throneworld.com
Payment: When paying via Paypal, please send all funds to this account:
If sending checks by mail to Tucson, go ahead and fill them out to me. Note: as a rule of thumb, I prefer to receive payment through the Throneworld account. However, this is a preference, not a diktat, if you can’t access the account, or if paying by Paypal just makes you antsy in general (or it’s just darn inconvenient) go ahead and send a check.
Warning: if your account falls into arrears for any amount your position will be declared open unless you make concrete arrangements with me to pay your balance. (By “concrete” I mean, I’ll have x amount to you on or before y date). Please don’t fall behind, I really don’t like being the heavy and I daresay you won’t like it either. What follows is…
If you run up a negative account balance it can be difficult to determine the level of emotion the referee may have towards you. What follow is a convenient guide to let you know exactly where you stand.
-$5.00 or Less: hey, it happens. Please pay your balance as soon as possible.
-$5.00 -- -$10.00: c’mon, it’s not like this game is really expensive. Please pay your balance. Your kids will thank you for it someday.
-$15.00 or More: Urge to kill rising!
Modifiers: people who try to make arrangements with me regarding payment (or partial payment) will generally get a favorable hearing. Generally, players who exceed two turns of debt without keeping me apprised of their situation will be dropped and word will be sent out to the other campaigns warning the refs of the offending player’s deadbeat proclivities. Players who run up a negative balance and then drop w/o repayment, will have their names sent out to other referees as mentioned above and will have massive karmic debt for being a scoundrel and lout.
As many of you know, I am also running Lords 2. To this end, processing this campaign will be affected. Although the date listed above is the due date for next turn’s orders, it may not automatically lead to processing the turn starting that weekend, especially if I am hip-deep in processing the other game.
As mentioned above, I’m going to try to keep alterations to the rules to a minimum (a double “yeah, sure” regarding my chances). Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) There are no censuses. Change: well okay, I guess there are.
2) “Hands Off Trade” is in effect and the ships on various trade routes will be deleted in a couple of turns (unless they’re warships on anti-piracy work). Change: okay, players may now rearrange MSP among existing (not newly initiated) trade routes by having their King (only) perform the Intervene in Merchant Affairs (IMA) action. This costs six AP and can only be conducted by the ruler of the nation. Ship units will still be deleted as they are converted to MSP when placed on the route and may only be converted back into heavy transport units at a cost of 4MSP and 5gps per unit.
3) Cities and regions are separate areas for all purposes.
4) Leaders are now numbered consecutively on the stat sheet.
5) A couple of countries (mostly non-player) that were Seafaring or Barbarian have become civilized.
6) I’ve reformatted the Megaliths section in accordance with the latest version of the STATS program.
7) Player’s are encouraged to name their leaders and heirs, in some cases I have named some individuals, feel free to change these.
8) Allied Leaders: looking over some of the player-less countries, I’ve noticed a large percentage of troops under allied leaders, doubtless in an attempt to reduce support costs. While I don’t want to disallow this practice, I will be making loyalty checks for any such “augmented” forces from here on out. Failure indicates that feckless ally decides to carve a kingdom out of your Empire. The chances of this increase if there are few non-allied troops about. So don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.
9) Female Leaders: while I don’t want to disallow them totally, the Dark Ages were a pretty male dominated time. Consequently, a female Royalty member may only become Queen, Empress, Regent or Heir if they have a Charisma of AT LEAST 10. A Princess will only become an active leader if her Charisma is at least 8 (eight) or greater. Any Charisma statute less than this will result in no generation (although you can still marry them off). Any existing Female Rulers, Heirs, Princesses may remain. The only exception to this is if the sole available heir is a princess, in which case she becomes ruler regardless of Charisma (and the subsequent DF check gets an big bad negative modifier as the local nobility resents the presence of a female giving orders and intruding on their bailiwick).
10) The Homeland Income Multiple: this will decrease to x1.5 on t38 and to one on t40. If you didn’t get your doubled homeland income this turn, simply calculate it and put it in your orders with a note reminding me what it is.
11) NEW: Gold, NFP and Agro transfers: beginning immediately (well okay, next turn [41]), any inter-player transfers will only become available to the recipients the turn after they are sent. So if someone sent you stuff on turn 41, you have to wait until turn 42 before you can use it. Gold and NFP will be placed in their respective saved sections. Agro will be placed in the reserves. Note: players sending agro must spend gold to preserve it in transit. Keep this in mind when deciding how much to charge for your surpluses.
12) NEW: Entrophy, or Viagra hasn’t been invented yet: any male Royal personages attempting to begat kiddies after the age of 50 has a severely reduced chance of siring any new bundles of joy. Just so you know.
13) NEW: AP reminder: please remember that it is the slowest unit of a given force that determines which unit modifiers apply to determining APs/year. So if your army of light, elite cavalry includes even one heavy infantry unit, the footsloggers are slowing everyone down. Also if a leader has a combat rating of four or less, he has a –1 AP per year modifier regardless of what he’s doing.
14) NEW: Shooting oneself in the foot: Just so you all know, if your king continues to produces heirs after he has an established heir in place (i.e. one who has generated stats, it always goes to the eldest male by the way.) you are desperately begging for some sort of dynastic trouble when your monarch dies.
Some discrepancies between the maps and the Stats program have cropped up:
None this turn (as far as I know).
As a general rule, in discrepancies of this kind, the stats take precedence over the map.
Kondo Nobunaga, Daimyo of Yamato.
Diplomacy Saga (+7yfc)
Operations in the North
The war in the north was like a blunt instrument. After waiting on the defense for two years, Matsuoka marched into Aichi with over 25,000 troops. Nobunaga tried to stop him with slightly more than 19,000 troops. Again the Imperialists were defeated. There was no great rout this time and Nobunaga managed to get a good chunk of his army over the mountains and into Yamato. Matsuoka did not pursue, contenting himself with securing the region and the city of Kyoto. Events in the south would prove more interesting (see below).
Taira Matsuoka, Daimyo of Kwanto.
Diplomacy Kagoshima (nt)
Operations
In the South
Ishi, the Daimyo in charge of the operations on Kyushu and Shikoku was wounded by an assassin’s blade but was still able to function to some capacity. To this end he departed for Edo to gather additional ships and troops for the southern war. Unfortunately by the time he returned to Kumamoto, Kondo’s son and heir, Torohito had already arrived and was off-loading troops. Ishi withdrew as Torohito’s 5000 troops quickly secured the region of Saga. Torohito left a garrison and sailed against Shikoku. Cursing his injury and outnumbered, Ishi evacuated the Taira garrison there and sailed further south, to Kagoshima. Once there he managed to persuade the local ruler to join the Taira cause to some extent. After securing Shikoku, Torohito put to sea again and established a blockade off of Edo.
Gatumao II, Lord of the Spice Islands
Diplomacy No effect
Gatumno came of age and Ahuna stepped down. The new ruler decided to stop pussyfooting around with all this “raiding” nonsense and get down to cases. Gatumno dispatched of 100 ships and 6000 troops under Admirals Mutawalis and Kolomananui to Mindanao with orders to “make it part of our beloved realm”. This the admirals proceeded to do, smashing the local opposition flat and installing a governor to run the place in the Sealord’s name.
Nardu, Prince of Maree
Diplomacy
Nardu continued to develop his isolated realm. A new road segment was built between Goolbura and Cooma and the woodlands of Paramata were put under cultivation. The city of Nowra continues to grow, now up to a size nine (without arch supports).
Kamut, King of the Southern Islands
Diplomacy Tonga (f), Fiji (a)
The watery Maaori civilization continued to expand. Kamut sent another wave of colonists to the South Island, settling Te Wai Ponamu to a (0/8) region. The Kiwis* also continued to spread their influence among the islands of Micronesia.
Kim On Rhee, Prince of Koguryo
Diplomacy Anshan
(f)
A
quiet turn, Anshan became cultivated.
Tsu Ma Chen, King of Shan’si, Watcher of the Northern Marches
Diplomacy Ordos
(ea)
Tsu Ma Chen started his reign with a burst of new
construction. A series of postal
road links were built extending east from Tai’Yuan
all the way to Ta’Ting, in Liao-Tung. Another link was built from Tai’Yuan to Ta’Tung, in Yun. A new city
was also built, Jin’Xi in Lu’an. O the diplomatic front, the King began
to make overtures to his co-religionists out on the steppes.
Cao Jian, King of Huipei
Diplomacy Hopei
(f), Anhui (f)
After thinking for a great deal of time, Cao Jian decided to spend this turn’s allotment of money on city expansion. To this end, Hangzhou, Lian Yung, Hefei, Jinan and Yen’ching all were increased to level four cities, while Yanling grew to a level two. And that was about it, actually.
Chu Lai, Prince of Kwangsi
Diplomacy Kwangtung
(a)
Chu Lai continued to mind his own business. A major diplomatic envoy from Champa was rejected out of hand due to Bao Dai’s proclivities towards persecuting Buddhists.
Bao Dai I, King of Champa, Lord of Vijaya
Diplomacy No
effect.
Bao Dai attempted a really ambitious diplomatic gambit that sadly, came to naught.
Ieng Neou, Regent for...
Chulalongkorn, Deveraja of the Kambuja
Diplomacy None
Sat very quietly...
Shambramaba
I, King of Ava
Diplomacy Arakan (ea) Thaton
(f following allied leader death).
Avan diplomacy continued to have mixed results mainly because Shambramaba was attempting to woo the local Hindu principalities immediately surrounding his Kingdom. The ruler of Kedah joined the Nadavarians in their disdain for the Avans while the King of Samatata simply didn’t have a daughter available to marry to Shambramaba and didn’t he have a wife back home who had borne him a son and heir already? The King was also receiving flak from the local Buddhist clergy who were a little annoyed at his willingness to allow Hindic missionaries to operate within his kingdom so freely. Shambramaba, a fairly easy-going sort, was a bit mystified by all of this distress...
Prashant,
Raja of Bengal
Diplomacy Tamralipti, in Palas (t), Nadavaria (nt)
Prashant continued to quietly expand his Kingdom.
Rhama, King
of Chola, Lord of Tanjore
Diplomacy Chera (f), Kollam, in Pandya (ea)
Rhama’s diplomats continued to work on consolidating his control of the southern coast.
Mustafa, Sultan of
Punjab, Lord of Afghanistan
Diplomacy Bauluch (ea)
Mustafa continued to hunker down in Edrosia.
Sachetan, Emperor of India
Diplomacy Kalinga (c), Surashtra
(a)
Oddly enough, Sachetan
decided not to continue the war against the Muslims, contenting himself with
garrisoning the regions he had taken and withdrawing most of his armies.
Hamid, Emir
of Samarkhnad
Diplomacy Bokhara (fa)
Hamid kicked off the new turn by ordering a census to be conducted tabulating all the inhabitants of his realm. Exchanging the pen for the sword, he then headed out at the head of over 14,000 troops and quickly browbeat tribute out of Bactria (with Kar-Kalanis), Transoxania, and Tadzik before returning home and promptly expiring whilst trying to sire an heir.
This precipitated a problem to say the least. Hamid’s lieutenant, Mustafa had also died in the midst of a diplomatic embassy to Khwarzim, and his replacement, a colorless individual named Hakim had no stomach for rule. Nor did the allied Emir of Turkmen, who took the opportunity of Hamid’s death to renounce all allegiance to the Emirate. Hakim spent several months before locating a scion of one of the lesser nobility, one Osman, who was willing to assume rule of the state (one of Osman’s more attractive qualities was that he had a son and heir, an intelligent, aggressive young man, named Selim). In the interim, much of Hamid’s work was undone with the recently conquered regions conveniently forgetting to pay the tribute that they had hitherto agreed. Otrarsh and Tashkent also renounced all claims that the Emirate had on them and became independent.
Bulan II, Kagan of Khazar and Saksiny
Diplomacy Levedia (c), Polovotsy (hostile)
The cultivation of Patzinak was completed.
Omar Ibn Batutta, Emir of Damascus.
Diplomacy Petra (nt)
A postal road link was constructed between Aleppo and Carhae. Work continued on additional links throughout the Emirate. A large diplomatic mission arrived in Petra and managed to woo the Emir there into renouncing his allegiance to the Fatamids and tie his fortunes to the Hamadid kite instead.
Ibriham ibn Ali, Emir of Emirs, Protector of the Caliph.
Diplomacy Zagros (hostile)
Ali’s big plans to invade Persia got off to a rocky start when the Emir was thrown from his horse and smashed his fool head wide open. Fortunately, his Lieutenant Mustafa was on hand to finish the job and the region was taken with some difficulty. At home, another of Ali’s henchmen, Akmed alternated between conducting a Census and serving as a temporary regent until Ali’s son, Ibriham came of age. This happy event occurred at the end of 1100 and the weary Akmed was eager to go back to his ledgers.
Constantine Pophryogenitus, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire
Diplomacy Cilicia
(f)
Constantine came of age and Cleon stepped down. Urbanization throughout the Empire continued with the construction of a new port, Theodosiopolis, in Georgia on the shores of the Caspian Sea. In addition, Heraclea, Nicomedia, and Thessaloniki increased to size four and Troy to size seven. Finally, control over Pechneg and the Crimea were relinquished, although a claim to the latter area was still maintained.
Igor Bratislav,
Boyar of Muscovy
Diplomacy Polotsk
(fa)
1095 came in with a bang (literally) as Igor blew a blood vessel whilst celebrating the New Year and perished horribly. One of his advisors, Oleg, stepped in to run things until the late Boyar’s son came of age. Another of Igor’s lieutenants was given the pacified region of Tver to rule as his personal fief...that promptly went friendly when the newly comissioned allied leader croaked two years later (weird bunch in Tver).
Lore II, King of
Poland
Diplomacy None
No
Orders. Danzig
became cultivated via the city of Da’Kur.
Villem Viikberg, Duke of Estonia
Diplomacy Daugava (a), Yaroslavl (f)
Tallinan was increased to a level five city.
Sabastian Govner I, Duke of Bohemia
Diplomacy Austria (f), Swabia (f), Bremen, in Friesland (f)
Work continued on the ducal road net with a new link being built between Franconia and Swabia. Elsewhere, Brunswick grew to a size four city. Abroad, ducal diplomacy was very successful.
Julius Caesar Germanicus, Emperor of Italy
Diplomacy Lybia (hostile!)
Veronite domestic activity amounted to the conducting of a census; the expansion of the capital, Venice, to a level 5 city and the construction of two fishing fleets in the Tyrhennian and Adriatic seas. Abroad, attempts to woo the Lybians diplomatically were met with gales of derisive laughter. Attempt to convert the muslims of the region were also a rank failure.
Phillip Capet, King of the Franks
Diplomacy: Brabant (f), Flushing, in Brabant (f)
For his own part, Phillip continued to oversee the increasing urbanization of his realm. Nevers, Paris, Bruges, and Reims all increased in size. In the south, a royal road link was built between Lyonnais and Provence and trade was opened up with the Zirid Emirate.
Sancho, King of Navarre
Diplomacy Zaragoza,
in Aragon (f), Burgos, in Old Castile (f), Lisbon, in Portugal (ea), Cornwall
(c)
After spending much time in consultation with his advisors and the great nobles of the realm, Snacho enacted a series of laws further regimenting Navarrese society. The rights of the peasantry to leave their fields were abolished and a more rigid, caste-like structure arose instead. From now on, the son of a peasant could only aspire to his father’s toil, that of a cooper, a cooper. (How Diocletianic of ole’ Sancho.) In other domestic affairs, the cities of Arles and Tortosa each grew to size seven. Finally, there was the question of how to deal with the Kingdom’s Arab population. Sancho had a wonderful answer, totally in character for him. Troops under the heir, Miguel and General Diego marched forth and put colonies of friendly Iberians in the regions of Murcia and Andalusia, as well as the city of Seville. The former inhabitants were reduced to a state of penury and underclass status. Their co-religionists in Granada (and Madiera) registered their disapproval of this action by stopping tribute and going independent.
Olav, King of the Swedes
Diplomacy Halland (f)
A new port city, Malmo, was built in Skane on the junction between the Baltic Sea and Skaggerak Sea Zones.
Bjorn Haraldson, King of the Norse
Diplomacy None
Not to be outdone by his Scandinavian neighbor, the regent ordered the construction of a new port city, Haraldswick, around the fortress on the Shetlands. Snorri also dispatched the Jarl Lief to northern Britain, where the inhabitants of the Orkneys, the Hebrides and the Highlands were browbeaten into paying tribute. Finally, Bjorn came of age and Snorri stepped down.
Mohammad ibn Umar, Emir of Morroco
Diplomacy Cartenna, in Idjil (f)
Like so many others, Mohammad decided to do the trendy thing and conduct a census. Trade was also opened up with the France and Bohemia across the Med and with Timbuctu and Kanem-Bornou across the desolate Saharan caravan routes. A port fortress, christened Rahalgul (or Eye of the Demon) was built in Morocco across the Gates of Hercules from Andalusia, in case the Navarrese got any ideas and Caralis, in Cheliff was increased to a level four port. Finally, in keeping with his continued western orientation, the Emir ordered that the capital be moved from Panormus to Fez. Amazingly, all of this managed to get done despite the death of three of Mohammad’s lieutenants during the turn. On a final note, delegations from Granada and the city of Madiera showed up at the court in Fez, pleading for assistance against the Navarre aggressions in And-Alus.
Mohammad ibn Ibrihim, Fatamid Caliph of Egypt
Diplomacy None
No Orders
Maracatu, King of Songhai and Hausa
Diplomacy None
Sobered by recent events, Maracatu girded himself for the difficult task of re-conquering his Kingdom. To this end, he ordered his troops to methodically pillage Togo and to sack the port of the same name. After distributing this largess to his troops, he then marched into Akan and subjected that place (and it’s city) to the same treatment. With the troops paid, Maracatu marched north, into Asante and vanished into the trackless jungle...
...to
emerge nine months later in Segu. Maracatu,
looking a bit peaked from his jungle trek and with his troop strength reduced
somewhat, nevertheless plowed into the region and rapidly began to secure
it. Leaving a garrison and ignoring
the fortified city of Joliba, marched on into Songhai at the head of some 22,000 troops...
...where he ran smack into
Ajayi at the head of some 19,000 troops of his
own. Most of
which were cavalry...and backed by an extensive network of fieldworks. Although Maracatu
had enough siege engineers to deal with the forts, the more mobile Timbuctu army was more than he could handle and between the
hammer of Ajayi’s cavalry and the anvil of the forts,
Maracatu’s army was obliterated. Although, the King managed to escape the
disaster (albeit wounded), his lieutenant, Sundiata
perished while trying to cobble together some sort of rearguard. Ajayi then
marched into Segu and liberated it.
Ajayi, True King of the Songhai
Diplomacy None
Deciding that he would
start the ball rolling at the expense of his immediate neighbor, Ajayi massed over 19,000 troops and struck down the
Imperial highway into Gorouol. Surinama’s
main general, Mtesa reacted from Hausa with a
similarly numbered force, only to beat a hasty retreat after being wounded by
an assassin. Ajayi
gleefully occupied the undefended province and the (unwalled)
city of Ayoru.
Unfortunately, Ajayi wasn’t able to enjoy his
success long, having to march back and rescue his new homeland from attack (see
above).
Mugabwe, Lord of Kumi-Saleh
Diplomacy None
Mugabwe
built up his forces and kept a wary eye out on the frontier.
Surinama, King of Nupe and Oyo
Diplomacy None
Surinama
swore that Ajayi would pay.
Chitambo II, Lord of Ife and
Yoruba
Diplomacy None
Chitambo
braced himself for the expected Songhai
onslaught...and was rather surprised when it didn’t come.
Susiseko, King of Kanem and Bornu
Diplomacy Daza (nt)
In contrast to his subdued
diplomatic activity, Susiseko was quite active on the
domestic front, building a new port city, Katsina, in
Soro; and expanding Ngazargumu
to a size four city. Trade
overtures from the Tunisians via the Sahara were welcomed.
Abrija, King of Benin
Diplomacy None
Declaring his unshakeable resolve to not get involved in any of the Songhai war nonsense. Abrija declared neutrality. To reinforce this commitment, the King ordered a general increase in the size of his army. But it was not all militarism: Kwararafa and Kafin were put under cultivation, a capital port, Whydah was built in Benin itself and trade was opened with just about everybody.
Akencheres, King of Nubia
Diplomacy Kassala (ea)
Akencheres devoted a not inconsiderable amount of time and energy in improving the communications within his Kingdom. A new Royal Road was built between Adulis and Danakil while a postal road was run out from Adulis to Kassala. In addition, Pwenet grew to a size four city. In more sinister events, the King was definitely not going to allow any Ras the option of leaving the Kingdom just because they wanted to. To this end, Generals Nilesueyou and Nilesuntzu marched into Lalibela at the head of 10,000 troops and crushed the locals under foot. The region was then systematically pillaged and the population enslaved. Nilesueyou then pressed on into Adowa with 4,000 troops and attempted to subject the natives there to similar treatment. This proved much more difficult to accomplish as Nilesueyou was a less than stellar commander and the Adowans had an inkling of what lay in store for them. Consequently, due to incompetent leadership and fierce resistance, Adowa took three full years to fully subjugate, plunder and enslave.
Namodu II, King of Bakongo
Diplomacy Douala (fa)
Namodu continued to work for the betterment of his people. A new Royal Road link was built between Matadi and Mbundu. The cultivation of the region of Teke, begun via the city of Kango was completed through additional investment. Finally, Bokona (the capital) was expanded to a size five.
Asserate, Chief of the Nyasa
Diplomacy None
The Nyasa control Nyasa and Kilwa
Shaka II, King of Rozwi, Lord of Zimbabwe
Diplomacy None
Shaka came into his primacy and Seko stepped down. The new king was so grateful to the former regent that he offered the man the hand of his elder sister in marriage. Seko eagerly accepted this offer and was duly declared prince. He then promptly died in early 1100. Unfazed by this grievous news, the new king ordered the howling jungle wastes of Shona put under cultivation. In addition, a new city, Lusaka, was built in Kafue. Finally, Shaka proved as much a slave to fashion as everyone else and ordered a counting of the number of people living in his realm.
M’tesa, King of Vaal and Mapungubwe
Diplomacy None
M’tesa holds sway of Vaal and Mapungubwe.
Majwara, Chief of the Transkei
Diplomacy None
Majwara controls Transkei and Nguni
Kreli-Sarhili, Chief of the Xhosa.
Diplomacy None
The Kingdom comprises Cape and Xhosa.
Blue Hair, Chief of the Tlingit, Lord of the Far North.
Diplomacy None
The
cultivation of Comox continued at its usual glacial
pace.
Obsidian Coyote, Ruler of California
Diplomacy None
Deciding that one great megalopolis wasn’t enough, Obsidian Coyote began pouring money and manpower into expanding Mokelumne Hill, increasing it to size ten. Work was also begun on cultivating the region of Pomo. Elsewhere, the great sailor Tohono, continues to plumb the icy waters to the north, again without success. Undaunted, Tohono vows to keep trying. We’ll f-f-f-f-find a w-w-w-way! He declared through chattering teeth. On the other hand, a group of Anasazi explorers came up from the south, where they spent some time gaping in awe at the great Californian cities before returning whence they came.
Manchuk, Chief of the Anasazi, Lord of the Chaco
Diplomacy None
Having accumulated a considerable sum of money and a lot of manpower (some of it involuntary), Manchuk ordered the regions of Culiacan and Macuzari put under cultivation. He then sent waves of colonists into these former wilderness regions and managed to raise their values to (2/6) and (2/7) respectively. Moache also received additional settlers, bringing it to a (2/5) region. In other news, two small squadrons of war canoes set out from Mesa Verde and Navolato. The first didn’t travel very far before the ref looked at the map and noticed that that section of the Colorado is un-navigable (its the Grand Canyon, folks). Consequently, Mesa Verde is no longer a port. The second group sailed into the Sea of Montezuma and beyond the great spit of land (Baja California) into the great expanses beyond. After several years, the sailors returned with tales of great, cold, fog-bound seas populated with all sorts of great fish and mighty cities populated with throngs of people. In this way, the Anasazi and Yokuts met.
Leaping Crane, The Great Beaver of the Snake
Diplomacy None
Upon consulting with his advisors and not bothering to ask the heir his opinion, Arrowhead promulgated a new policy in tribal council: all slave-raiding was to cease forthwith and any offspring of slaves (or masters and slaves) were to be born free. There was a great deal of grumbling about this, particularly from Leaping Crane himself, who wasn’t particularly happy that Arrowhead showed no inclination for stepping down or relinquishing power...but then Arrowhead died and Leaping Crane became Great Beaver and the whole mood of melodramatic plot tension I had just tried to establish fizzled out.
In other events, a new port city, Minnetonka, was raised in Croix, on the banks of the Great Snake and work began on a new road link between Michegamea and Scioto.
Flying Knife, Great Sun of the Natchez
Diplomacy None
Deciding he needed a military campaign to legitimize his rule, Flying Knife marched across the Great Snake at the head of 7,000 warriors and invaded Chatot. After enslaving the local populace, he marched back to Chitimacha in Triumph. In other events, Gull’s Low Tide set out with a handful of big war canoes to plumb the northern waters off of Nantucket. He returned (alone) five years later with horror stories of great sea beasts and thoroughly hostile natives who killed everyone. While other tales of carnivorous “men-fish” that dragged hapless victims down into the depths were dismissed as ludicrous, it was clear that the hapless would-be admiral was clearly traumatized by the affair. Finally, Tonkawa was put under cultivation.
White Feather, Chief of the Yamasee
Diplomacy None
Here is another proto-nation that has been activated. The Yamasee control Yamasee (and Kolomokoi), Cheraw (now a (1/7) region) and Creek (now a (1/4) region).
Itzamna, Grand Hegemon of the Maya
Diplomacy Totonac (a)
Mayan results were mixed: an attempt to conquer and enslave the population of Huave was an utter failure. Despite having a considerable advantage of numbers, Lord Mextli proved to be an absolute duffer when it came to military matters. Despite this he managed to blunder through the initial conquest. When he tried to have the locals enslaved however, he proved unable to control the situation and was driven from the region in shame, his troops racing to keep up with him. Note: additional instructions to your generals such as “retire when losses reach 50%” are not relevant as the combat results table gives a battlefield result that may determine whether your army stays and fights or runs regardless of casualties. Example: an Attacker Withdraw result may occur but the actual battlefield losses may be dependent on the strength of the opposition. Not to mention the fact that once a battle is joined it was very, very difficult for the commander to affect events.
Further west, the Mayans had better results, Lord Dzuuy was able to conquer both Tepanec and Culhua provinces in short order. Toltec colonists were then sent in to displace the native Nuahtl speaking locals. In domestic affairs, Totonac was put under cultivation and the missionaries of Tlaloc and Quetzalcoatl continue to make slow headway against the shamans of Ulva.
Awcom, Lord of the Islands
Diplomacy Ciboney
(a), Havana (f), Carib (nt)
Awcom’s diplomats finished bringing the rest of the Caribbean basin under his sway. The Island Lord also ordered the construction of a great fleet to protect it from his jealous neighbors.
Cilan, King of the Chibchan
Diplomacy Choque (a)
A new player, please welcome James Cody to the game, all.
Cilan ordered the grasslands of Caquetio put under cultivation. Also, hundreds of settlers were dispatched to Yaruro, colonizing it to a (0/2) region. Back at home, Cilan’s son and heir (also named Cilan) came of age and into his inheritance.
Panib II, King of Paraiba
Diplomacy None
Panib died and was replaced without incident. Under hies successor (and namesake), the colonization of Shoco was completed (to a (2/2) region) as was the cultivation of Caete.
Orozco, Emperor of the Incas
Diplomacy Nazca (a)
Deciding that misery loves company, Orozco decided to build a city in the fetid jungles of Cuilino. Located on the banks of the Amazon, the inhabitants of the little port of Huexotla are even more miserable than those dwelling in the surrounding region. Slightly to the south, the inhabitants of Huanco managed to burn off the thick vegetation and begin cultivating the land and so where less miserable than heretofore.
Nati, King of Shokleng
Diplomacy None
The colonization of Heta was completed (it’s now a (2/10) region), and that of Bauru begun (to a (0/4) region. Nati was not a little pissed off to discover that quite a few individuals in high positions in his military were in the pay of the Mapuche. In response, the King ordered several dozen of his more prominent soldiers thrown to the caimans. Nati also cut trade with his southern neighbor in protest over this breach of protocal (not to mention good manners).
Obsidian III, King of the Mapuche
Diplomacy None
Continuing to put vast tracks of grassland under cultivation seemed like a wonderful idea to Obsidian. To this end, Puelche was the latest region to feel the bite of the plow’s blade. In addition, a new Royal Road link was built between Guenakan and Puelche.
* I’ve heard this term applied to New Zealanders in a non-pejorative fashion. I hope I haven’t inadvertently offended if this is not the case.