Lords of the Earth
Campaign Twenty-Four ~ Age of the Crusades
Turn 21
Turn 22 Orders Due By Friday, October 20th, 2000
Announcements
¨ My Mistake: As cogently pointed out by Charles Darden, Steve had already set Homeland taxes to x2! I had thought they were set to x1 and I was doing you such a favor… In any case, you should have gotten doubled taxation from your HM areas in turn #21. Therefore, in your turn #22 orders please indicate how much you should have received last turn and you can use it for builds, support etc.
¨ The Mailing List: If you are playing, please join the Lords24 mailing list at www.egroups.com. This list will be the main method of communication between the GM’s team and yourselves. So don’t miss out!
¨ Non-Played Nation Changes: We’re going to be keeping the NPN system, with two main changes: First, there will be four levels of control: Influenced (no tribute provided), Tributary (25% tribute provided), Allied (50% tribute) and Free State (75% tribute). Allied and Free State NPN’s under your control provide leaders and armies to do your bidding. Tributary ones do not. Second, when an NPN king dies, a roll will be made to see if the level of control degrades.
¨ Turn Credits: First a reminder – you can send money for your Lords 24 turns to either myself (by check, by money-order or via PayPal.com) or to Lorne Colmar in the UK (via check or money order). Second, if you do not have paid up your account by the 20th, we will not process any orders and will set your nation open for play by someone else.
¨ Garrisons: Previously your garrisons were placed in the Armies section, with a G-type leader. Henceforth they will be placed in the Regions and Cities section, without a leader.
¨ Feudal Allies: Your Feudal Allies are no longer listed in your armies section, though they still exist. You can call them up at the beginning of the turn (whereupon they will receive a randomly generated leader, and the standard allotment of troops), use them during the turn to smack on things, then they will go away again at the end of the turn.
¨ King Auto Admin: Previously, Steve had the KingAutoAdmin setting turned On, which meant that your king (unless he was besieged somewhere, or a prisoner) was always supplying his Admin stat in Infrastructure points to your realm. In turn 22, we’ll keep this setting, but in turn 23 we’re going to turn it off. So be prepared!
¨ Flags and Royal Portraits: Any nation submitting a GIF or JPG picture of their national flag or banner (no more than 80 pixels wide) and their ruling monarch (100 pixels wide), will get a +1 bonus to all Leader efforts. The flags go on the web-site, the leader pictures in the newsfax.
¨ Leader Names: If you have an unnamed leader attempt an action, he gets an automatic –1 modifier. So name your leaders, eh?
¨ Tithes: Any GP that you receive from a tithe (either because you are a primate, or because you have a tributary ally), is automatically included in your Saved Gold each turn. So don’t be adding it in again…
¨ Non-Viable NPN’s: A number of very small NPN positions were closed down this turn. An NPN must be able to support itself, at least.
¨ Order Formats: Please use one of the standard forms if at all possible. If plain text (or email) is used, please summarize all expenditures in the builds and investments sections.
¨ Intel Operations: Please specify the target clearly on intelligence operations: for example, CI can be used to defend vs. a specific area of your nation (Government, Intel, Religious, Army, etc.) Many operations failed this turn for lack of specific targets. If you place a “floating” CR operation to cover “any possible leader revolt”, there’s a moderate negative modifier for non-specific target, if he’s then outside your CCR, there’s more negative modifier.
¨ Operating Bases: Action range is traced in Action points from a “controlled region”. For open nation purposes, a “controlled region” has a status of pt, p, or t or higher. For Primacies, this is a region with an Abbey religious site or higher.
¨ Leader Experience: Leader stats are no longer static. Stats may fluctuate during the course of a leader’s lifetime, and can be affected by the success or failure of leader actions. Dramatic success on the battlefield or during diplomacy can increase the combat or diplomacy stat. This is far less common than Charisma changes. Even moderate success will improve a leader’s charisma stat, while any failure will reduce it.
¨ Holy Wars: In the recent update to the GM’s Handbook, we changed how religious troops (Crusaders) are generated. Basically, if a Holy War is successfully called, then a target number of Crusaders is calculated (based on your nations’ religious strength and city/regional GP production). The nation afflicted with supporting a Crusade then has to produce that number of national troop points to go on the crusade. If the nation does produce that number of troops, then some additional “religious” troops join them from the common population. If the nation does not send that number of troops to fight, then the religious army appears anyway, but its strength is ripped right out of national NFP production, which (frankly) will put it into negatives for 2-3 turns.
¨ MSP Basing: A big change this turn… I’ve finally updated the program to crosscheck MSP basing in ports. In addition the MSP Basing Formula has been changed a little:
MSP Capacity = City GPv × 20 × TaxMultiple
This is the big change. Please note that this means that T and PT cities only give you half of their capacity, and NT not at all. Please adjust your ports this turn as the program will do it for you at the end of Turn 22. Over-capacity cities will have MSP removed, and transformed into HT (which will go to Garrison), until they are under capacity.
¨ New Religious Primacy status: The new first status that a Primate gains in an area or city is a Church (ch), acquired through the Establish Church (ec) action.
Table 0‑1. Religious Authority Control Statuses
|
Control Status |
Control Code |
Taxation Multiple |
Count Control? |
NFP? |
|
Church |
ch |
0.10 |
No |
No |
|
Abbey |
ab |
0.25 |
No |
No |
|
Monastery |
mn |
0.50 |
Yes |
No |
|
Cathedral |
ca |
0.75 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Holy City |
hc |
1.00 |
Yes |
Yes |
¨ Merchant Shipping Conversions: When bringing MSP out of a route into ships, you must convert it in groups of 4 MSP, which become 1 HT, while paying 4 GP.
¨ Hiring Mercenaries: Note that mercenaries must be hired at a City within the Regional area that they form the mercenary pool of. If a group of mercenaries move out of their Regional area into another, they may be hired at the location they ended the previous turn.
¨ Warships as MSP: If you allocate Warship units to be MSP on a trade route (as opposed to their being anti-piracy patrols), they become MSP in number equal to the warships Cargo and can only be withdrawn from the route as Heavy Transports (see above).
¨ Opening Trade Routes: If you do not provide me with all of the trade route information (your base port, the other nation’s name and base port, the distance, the MSP assigned) I will not open the route.
¨ Official Map Changes: The region of Carmania (southern Iran) is Hostile Desert, not Wilderness. The southern edge of the Celtic Sea is moved up to the tip of Cornwall, making the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay adjacent. The Asiatic province of Kur, on the Amur river, is Kurshin instead. The Burmese-area province of Shan is now Wuliang, instead.
¨ The Ice…: There’s no Ice in this campaign. Sorry. I know you’re really disappointed.
¨ Regional Mercenaries: A nation can bid for
one Mercenary Captain per turn. Each Captain will have a certain level of skill
based on the amount of gold spent on him. The minimum bid for a Mercenary
Captain is 6 GP; there is no maximum. To retain an existing leader you must pay
him gold equal to his total Command and Diplomacy attributes. Any payment below
this level will reduce his Loyalty. Any payment above this level MAY improve
his Loyalty.
Each region will have a maximum
number of units that can be hired from each main type, all mercenaries are
regular (no elite or inexperienced).
Each region will have a QR for each
main troop type.
It will be possible to hire the
Mercenaries from turn to turn. It is possible to counter-bid the Mercenaries to
leave their employ and join another employer or even sit idle. The total number
of regional mercenaries that can be hired are below each regional header.
Nomenclature
Turns are currently five (5) years long.
Infantry (200 men = 1 point), Cavalry (200 men = 1 point), Siege Engineers (200 men = 1 point), Warships (2 ships = 1 point), Transports (2 ships = 1 point).
Lords 24 Web Resources!
The Lords Twenty-Four homepage is at:
www.throneworld.com/lords/lote24/index.html
All of the on-line resources, including mailing lists and web-sites, for Lords of the Earth are summarized on this page:
www.throneworld.com/lords/players/resources.html
You can subscribe to the Lords 24 mailing list by pointing your web-browser at:
http://www.egroups.com/group/Lords24
…and following the instructions on that page.
Contacting the GM Team
Thomas Harlan
4858 East Second Street
Tucson AZ 85711-1207
Various Fees and Levies
|
Turns |
$3.00 per turn. |
|
Maps |
Available on-line at the Lords 24 website. |
|
LOTE 5.7.1 Rulebook |
Printed ~ $10.00 (Local) or $15.00 (Mailed in US), $18.00 (mailed overseas). Emailed as PDF ~ $5.00 |
Manchu’ko and the Steppe
Mercenaries: 20c, 20xc
The Ju-Chen Khanate
(was Shihwei, Asiatic Pagan Nomadic Open Empire)
Wa-Yen A-kut-ta, Khan of the Ju-Chen, Favored of the Thunderbolt
Diplomacy: Harbin(nt), Ch’in(t), Manchou(fa), Shangtu(nt), Hsuing’nu(nt), Parhae(fa)
While the Chinese were getting fat in the south, on the harsh plains of Manchuko, the otherwise ill-regarded Ju-Chen had managed to stagger out of another internecine conflict with the Wa-Yen clan in control of the far-ranging tribes. Under the vigorous guidance of A-ku-ta, the eldest of the Wa, the Ju-Chen decided to extend their tribal hegemony south, into the lands previously held by the Khitan.
Mustering their own household troops, the Ju-Chen began to expand southwards…
The Goryeo Kingdom
(Buddhist Civilized Open Empire)
Moa Tai Zun, King of the Chaosen
Diplomacy: None
The Goryeo, who were feeling pretty smug about the wealth of their small realm, suddenly noticed the Ju-Chen pressing against their northern border with unexpected strength.
The Land of the Rising Sun
Mercenaries: 14i, 9c, 5s, 5w, 5t
The Akita Daimyo
Despite the threat of Fujiwara domination in the south, the Abe clan lapsed back into minding their own, local, business. They were sure the Kiyowara could handle things.
The Kingdom of Nigata
(Shinto Civilized Open Empire)
Kiyowara Kirotaosu, Daimyo of Nigata
Diplomacy: None
The Kiyowara found themselves reeling before the constant assault from the south…
Fujiwara Japan
(was Empire of Japan, Shinto Civilized Open Empire)
Fujiwara Torashima, Shogun of the Isles, Protector of the Emperor
Diplomacy: None
Torashima married and was blessed with a daughter, then a son. Despite this, he named Lord Sankin his heir and arranges a marriage between Sankin and his sister. The fleet was dispatched north to Kwanto in support of Sankin’s continuing siege of Kiyowara Edo. Unfortunately the Fujiwara didn’t have enough troops on hand to make the siege effective. Another attempt was made to conquer Toyama, and this time (due to very good luck) the Nigatan defenders were largely destroyed. The remnants retreated into the city of Kanazawa and were ignored as the countryside was pacified, and forced to pay tribute.
The Land Under Heaven
Mercenaries: 5i
Northern Sung China
(Buddhist Civilized Open Empire)
Song Zho Min,
Celestial Emperor of the Middle Kingdom
Diplomacy: Shangtung(a), Kiangsu(t), Jiangxi(f)
Song Zho Min, Emperor of Da Song Handi Guo, looked out upon the Palace Gardens as he pondered the reports he had received that morning. Each scroll was a testament to the teachings of Confucius, and the efficacy of the Song Civil Service exam. There was much that had been done since his ascendance to the Throne of Heaven, but there was so much more left to do. Zho Min had plans for the Da Song Handi Guo. Before one builds a magnificent house, he thought, one must lay a humble foundation. He summoned his Ministers.
He ordered roads to be constructed connecting the major cities of the empire. He ordered more public works to be built, and cities to be expanded. He inquired why there were merchant ships moored at their docks when there were trade goods that needed to be moved throughout the empire itself?
Zho Min sent forth emissaries to nearby regions and trouble spots within the realm of Da Song. Even the aging General Xio Yan picked up the banner of diplomacy instead of his usual banner of war. The Armies of the Dragon were ordered to patrol the empire and protect it from outside invaders. Peace and prosperity were to be the hallmarks of the Da Song!
In accordance with the Emperor’s wishes, postal roadswere built from Kaifeng through Yen-Ching and Zen Zun to Ta’tung, from Piencheng through Chiangning to Chang’ling. The cities of Chiangning and Chang’ling both expanded. While the embassies of Bin Wei and Xio Yan led to success, Li San’s embassy to Tangchou and Funio was a dismal failure.
Southern Sung China
(Buddhist Civilized Open Empire)
Song Chou Lin, “The
Grim”, Lord of the Middle Lands
Diplomacy: None
Like many lands, the southern Sung found themselves afflicted by the troubles of old age… both the decrepit Song Shi Binh and his son, and heir, Song Han Zhou died. This left the youngest of the old Emperor’s sons – Song Chou Lin – to ascend the throne of heaven. Now, unlike his father, Song Chou Lin, was not a feeble man and poor administrator. He was young and able and one of his first acts was to repudiate the tribute that his father had paid to the northern Sung.
“Let them find their own rice,” he said, while reviewing the marching regiments of his new army. “They have hands to work, backs to bend to the plow.”
Kingdom of Tibet
(Buddhist Barbarian Open Empire)
Chandragumra, Lord
of Lhasa, King of the Tibetians
Diplomacy: None
The young lord Chandragumra, and his brother, Avayapala, tired of waiting for their cruel old father, Uzrack, to die. So they set upon the king as he ascended the stair of a thousand steps and cut him with knives of iron. Blood spilled down the ancient stone, bright red against the weathered gray and green. After the clan lords had bowed their heads to Chandragumra, the eldest son made his brother his ‘right hand’ and afforded him many honors.
South East Asia and the Islands
Mercenaries: 10i, 10w, 10t
The
Dai Kingdom of Annam
(Buddhist Civilized Open Empire)
T'an Minh, King of
the Dai
Diplomacy: Kwangsi(ea)
T’an Minh was quite active, siring two boys and two girls. He was pleased with such a large family! General Li Tzu made a half-hearted attempt to woo Mison, got nowhere so conquered the region, showing his impatience with the local chiefs. The general then marched into Hmong, where he is also rebuffed. Feeling cocky from his resent success in Mison, he attacks! And get pounded. He retreats back to Mison. Such wretches they are in the highlands!
The Kambujadesa Empire
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Suryavarman II,
devarajah – god-king of the Khmer
Diplomacy: None
No sooner than the rice planting festival had ended in 1106, than old Suravaram – who had built such a powerful kingdom from swamp and jungle – died in his sleep, peacefully, while visiting Vijaya city. He left his realm in trust of his very young son, Suryavarman (called the Second). Unfortunately, the dead king had two ambitious brothers – Jayavarman (the third of that name) and Divakarapandita (who was priest of the cult of Vishnu, and the most powerful religious figure in the realm). Violence between the three pretenders was immediate, with brawling between the supporters of Jaya and Surya breaking out during the funeral feast.
While the youth and his uncles bickered, and tensions in Angor rose and rose, the provinces were also afflicted with unrest… first to revolt were the citizens of Vijaya in Champa, quickly followed by the Siamese rising up and storming undefended Chi, capturing that Khemer settlement.
The brutal struggle in the capital resolved itself into assassination (Divakarapandita poisoned Jayavarman, after inviting him to a dinner to discuss deposing Surya), open battle in the streets (as Diva’s monks attempted to overthrow Surya in a coup) and then the messy arrest of the high priest by army officers loyal to the young prince, and Divas’ execution by elephant trampling.
By 1109, Suryavarman was proclaimed devarajah by a more compliant priesthood – after some thousand executions of Diva’s partisans. The boy was seventeen years old, and now Emperor of a troubled realm.
The Kingdom Siam
Like several of their neighbors, the Siamese lapsed into independent province status.
The Kingdom of Surin
…as did Surin. Nothing but bickering principalities and petty kingdom, barely worthy of the name…
The Kingdom of Nakhon
Unable to pay his guardsmen, or even feed the royal elephants, Sui Chan was forced to become a mendicant beggar, living on scraps and a few coins tossed into his bowl by Kambudajesan merchants. Both Nakhon and Lampang became independent provinces.
The Kingdom of Kadaram
Terrible times afflicted So Bo Ti. Usually he would have laughed in the face of danger and finagled some last crust from the capricious gods – but now time had run out for the old king. As he died, withering in his bed, so did Kadaram’s dreams of a glorious empire. Now, it is only a brawling port and a province filled with laboring peasants.
The God-Empire of Sirivijaya
(Buddhist Civilized Open Empire)
Ginandjar, Blessed
of the Bohdisattva, The Builder
Diplomacy: Pajajaran(c)
While reviewing the results of the recent census, King Ginandjar married, then sired two daughters. Otherwise, he grumbled at the smallness of his realm and dreamed of the days when it would be huge and rival the great powers.
The Kingdom of Thaton
(Buddhist Civilized Open Empire)
Ga Gi Rama, Lord of
the Mon
Diplomacy: None
There was a tremendous amount of activity in Rama’s realm, but nothing you could really put your finger on… very suspicious, really. Much later, the news leaked out that Rama had died, and that his brother Ga Gi had taken the throne – Rama leaving only a daughter, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
India
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 5s, 5w, 5t
The Pala of Bengal
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Rubapala the Young,
Second of that Name
Diplomacy: Fails
King Rubapala, in the twilight of his years, spends much time with his harem, going so far as to offer an enormous fortune to the woman who bears him a son. This happened in 1109, and the king died soon after, exhausted. His ministers, meanwhile, saw that royal roads were built from Bihar through Gaur to Tamalipti. General Laksana currently serves as regent to the infant king.
Pratihara Kingdom of Kaunaj
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Kavali, Emperor of
the North
Diplomacy: Paramara Gujari(Allied)
Emulating his eastern neighbors, Kavali ordered that royal roads be built from Kaunaj to Thanesar. Too, the city of Rewa expanded. Kingdom of Gujerat becomes Allied as numerous Rajputi diplomats overrun the place.
Kalachuri Kingdom of Tripuri
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Ajayapala the Weak,
King of Kings, Lord of Ramagiri
Diplomacy: None
Feeble as he was, Ajayapala remained cloistered in Tripuri, fearful of the great kings whose realms surrounded his own. Cravenly, he continued to send tribute to the Pratihara, whose light threatened the sun with its brilliance.
Paramara Gujari
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Bhoja, King of Dhara
Diplomacy: Allied to Pratihara Kaunaj
Damn, there are a lot of Pratihara nobles in the marketplace today… do you suppose it means something?
The Paramara Avanti
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Munja the Young,
King of the Dhara
Diplomacy: None
The Dhara clan managed to get together to celebrate the funeral of old king Mungapala, who was not missed, particularly by his cousin, Munja, who succeeded him.
Western Chalukya Kingdom
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Mularaja, Lord of
Anahillapura
Diplomacy: None
The remaining fragment of the Calukaya went through another dynastic tiff between 1104-08, before the cadet branch ruled by Mularaja managed to win out. The “mountain” king found, at least, some coin in the coffers.
Sad Drivida Kingdom of Ceylon
(Hindu Seafaring Open Empire)
Vijayabahu, Lord of
the Tamil and the Nadu
Diplomacy: Madurai(fa), Kollam in Pandya(f), Chera(t)
While the city of Polonarva expanded, the royal court of King Nubiejambubi was devastated by the deaths – in quick and suspicious succession – of essentially every great lord and prince, including the king! Luckily, he had recently named his nephew, young Vijayabahu, to succeed him. Now the young man found himself as ruler of a great nation!
The Lohara Kingdom of Kashmir
(Hindu Civilized Open Empire)
Kalhana the
Historian, King of Kashmir
Diplomacy: None
Old Jivasha died, leaving his bookish son Kalhana (who was, actually a rather brilliant historian) the throne, a substantial debt, a large and restive army and little means to pay for everything. The royal larder was looking rather bare… then the Ghaznavids came acalling to take the rest!
Central Asia and Persia
Mercenaries: 15i, 15c, 5s
The Ghaznavid Sultanat
(Shi'a Islam Barbarian Open Empire)
Yamin al Dala, Lord
of the Punjab
Diplomacy: Und(fa), Peshawar(nt)
His army reinforced by gangs of Kushan mercenaries, Yamin struck down out of the Hindu Kush even as his great forebear, Mahmud, had done. However, rather than devastating the Indian princelings, he swung through Und and attacked Kashmir. He had learned that the prince of that land had died, and his son was only a scholar! Yamin flexed his mighty thews and considered how to spend the money from looting Parapavura…
Various lieutenants were sent off into the high mountains to gain allies for the Sultanate and they all, without exception, came to horrible and unfortunate ends. Luckily, the avalanches did not bury the whole realm. Whew.
So Sultan Yamin burled into Kashmir province and almost immediately found himself in pitched battle against Kalhana and the Kashmiri army (which was numerous, if not especially skilled). The two armies were almost perfectly matched, and the battle was decided by entirely by the professionalism of the Kushan mercenaries and the valor of the Ghaznavid lancers. Kalhana fell back into the city.
Yamin was now in a pickle – he had only dashed through Und and now that province cut him off from home – and the Kashmiri were mewed up in their city behind high walls… with no options at hand, he was forced to abandon the campaign and fall back into Und. Parapavura’s stout defenses had bested him.
The Sultanat of Balkh
The Ghúr sultans decided to stay home and farm in their highland valleys. This game of kings was too fierce for them. Besides, the goats needed currying.
The Saffarids of Baluchistan
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Rasan ibn Leys, Shah
of Baluchistan, Governor of Khorasania
Diplomacy: Qatar(a)
Having his fill of raiding the Indian coast (for the moment), Rasan decided that he would offer a generous hand in trade – sending many ships to Dravidia Ceylon in search of rubies, silk, spices and steel ingots. The Saffardi cities of Quetta (in Mand) and Safahali (in Baluchistan) also expanded. Rasan himself visited the pearl fisheries of Qatar (though he was sure it should have been called Bahrain instead) in search of a new wife – the last having inconveniently died in childbirth. And, indeed, he was very successful – marrying the princess Yehana – whom he carried back to Quetta on the fleet in great splendor.
The Karakhanate of Ilig
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Jasmine,
Bughra-Khan, Queen of the Ilig
Diplomacy: None
The Queen wept to see her coffers so empty. Some of the ministers attempted to convince her that there were still heaps of gold and jewels, but in truth there were not. The revolt of the western cities had plunged a dagger into the realm’s heart. Jasmine did not know if she were strong enough to pluck it out…
Efforts to further expand the army, therefore, were stymied by the lack of coin. This did not mean, however, that Jasmine was powerless. A vast army remained at her command and she rounded up every umen she could find before launching a campaign against the rebellious Khawarz.
With nearly thirty thousand men, Jasmine swept into Turkmen province, which surrendered, and then into Khwarzim itself. The young governor of the province, Muhammad, immediately offered resistance – fighting from a maze of forts, supported by veteran infantry and heavy cataphracts. Too, Jasmine and her generals were new to battle, while Muhammad had long experience in the field against the Yasi and the Khazakhs. After fierce battles along the Oxus and in the qanat-watered plains Jasmine was forced to admit defeat.
The Kharakhanid army fell back to Turkmen, where they seized the city of Maracanda, which was undefended. Jasmine brooded… next time she would bring a greater army, and have victory! And that pup Muhammad’s head on a pike as well, to ornament her victory feast.
Shahdom of Khwarzim
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Qutbu’d-Din Muhammad, Khazarim-shah
Diplomacy: None
Tentative anarchy in Khwarzim was brushed aside by the rise of the vigorous young general Qutbu’d-din Muhammad, who took up the reins let fall by the death of old Omar-alih. All stood ready to repel any invasion from the Ilig, though none came as yet…
By night, however, black-robed assassins attempted to end the life of Muhammad and were only barely foiled by his guardsmen (Kipchak mercenaries, and very alert). By this foul stroke, Muhammed knew that he was locked in a death struggle with the Queen of the Ilig. And so… (see Ilig)
The Polovotsy
(Asiatic Pagan Nomadic Open Empire)
Morgu, Khan of the Kipchak
Diplomacy: None
The Kipchaks spent their days riding on the great grasslands, and among the river woods and looking always to the sky for guidance.
The Turki
(Asiatic Pagan Nomadic Open Empire)
Zhenchi-wen, Turki
Khan
Diplomacy: None
Unlike the weak and unmanly Kipchaks, the Turki hunted bears in the woods, and wolverine and cougar.
The Yasi
(Asiatic Pagan Nomadic Open Empire)
Tzelgu Khan,
Destroyer of the Khazars, Stormblade
Diplomacy: None
Grumpy as he was, Tzelgu took great delight in insulting an ambassador from the Armenians and driving them with whips from his camp on the banks of the Rha. He ruled all the lands under the arc of heaven! These dirteaters would pay him tribute!
Ar Rawwadid Emirat at Tabriz
(Sunni Islam Barbarian Open Empire)
Isra’il Alueddin,
yabghu of the Rawadid
Diplomacy: None
A brief scuffle among the Rawwadid chiefs upon the death of the old khan was resolved in favor of the Aleuddin clan, who had been steadily moving up since the Rawwadid had seized power in the highlands.
As Shaddadi Emirat
Togrul-beg, the last of the Shaddadi, was killed in an ambush by bandits in 1109 and with his death, the Shaddadi cause foundered and then collapsed. The diquans of Ahvaz, Fars, Persia and Zagros then fell to preying one upon the other and petty raiding and skirmishing.
Middle East
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 10xc, 5w, 5t
The Abasi Caliphate
(Sunni Islam Im’am)
Mustarshid, Judge of
Judges, the True Calif
Diplomacy: Mosul(mn), Carhae(ch), Aleppo(ch), Antioch(ch), Edessa(ch)
The usual round of deaths managed to elevate a relatively young scholar, Mustarshid, to the califate of the Abassi. He hoped to restore the unity of Islam, but almost immediately found his flock threatened by ruinous internal strife, and the growing power of Christenden in the east. Further, there were rival califs – often it seemed their numbers matched the stars in the sky… Too, the Fatamids in Egypt almost immediately refused his request for monetary assistance. Proud dogs!
The young judge, however, was not afraid of these trials – had not Mohammed himself been driven from his house by the unbeliever? – and set out on the road to the west. By doing so, the holy leader found himself traveling in lands beset by war and famine and massacre, but despite this he persevered and eventually found his way to Antioch and then home again, safe.
The imam Al’Arsalan, however, set out for Selucia and was immediately waylaid by Hiran bandits and murdered.
The Arbiliq Emirat
Faced with pressure from all sides to mind their own business, the Arbiliq became nothing more than an independent province.
The Buwayid Emirates
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Jord’na ibn Buyid,
Emir of Baghdad
Diplomacy: None
Though he was quite old, Rasul still harbored a grudge against the Hatamids and a fervent desire to see his realm extend to the western sea. To this end, he secretly gathered a large army (reinforced by new levies, some of whom were dispossessed Shaddadi noblemen) and launched a massive invasion of Hatamid Carhae. (see Hatamids)
The Hatamid Emirat
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Rukh al-Din, Sultan
of Damascus
Diplomacy: Abadan(goes neutral)
Now, as it happened, Carhae was a tributary province of the Hatamid Emirat, so the local lord mustered up his troops while dispatching couriers in haste to Damascus. Two months after Rasul’s army had marched into Carhae, the Hatamids were there in force, bolstering the locals. Rukh and his generals observed the size of the Buyid army (24,000 men!) and immediately tried to fall back into Aleppo.
Well, Rasul was having none of that! He pressed hard, and forced the Hatamids to give battle at Micophaelion. Unfortunately for the Emir, his rush to battle left his forces disordered and the Carhae fell upon his flank with great energy. A wild melee followed, with the Buyid lord E’van bin Sahel wounded. The Hatamids managed to break free and retreated in good order into Aleppo province.
Rasul was able to reorganize his army, and spent the rest of 1105 securing Carhae. This done, he advanced against Aleppo the next summer. Rukh al-Din, of course, had spent the intervening winter in frantic activity – fortifying the strong points along the border. Rasul came barreling in anyway, and found his advancing army stymied again and again, forced to reduce outposts and fortified towns. This time, despite the presence of some engineers, the Hatamids dealt him a severe defeat. The Buyids were forced back into Carhae, their army battered, with little to show for their troubles.
Rasul Mohammed died in 1108, while encamped with his army in Carhae. His son, Jord’na, was a weak creature and had no taste to continue the war. The Buyid army was recalled to Baghdad. Over the border, the Hatamids breathed a huge sigh of relief. It had been very close indeed…
Hayrenik’un Armeniam
(was Kingdom of Armenia, Eastern Orthodox Barbarian
Open Empire)
Hayrenik Theodotus,
Lord of the First Men
Diplomacy: Cappadocia(a)
The Armenians, cautiously, sent settlers down into Pontus to resettle that land to (1w6). Some commerce was also undertaken with the Turkiye and the Hatamids. But not too much… wasn’t safe!
The Kingdom of Abasigia
The prince of Taman decided to stay home. He had expected a Byzantine princess to visit, but she seemed to have perished at sea.
The Rum Khanate of Turkiye
(Roman Catholic Barbarian Open Empire)
Belar, Khan of the
Seljuq Turks
Diplomacy: None
Well, this was a pretty state of affairs… Belar (who was getting on a mite in age) expired nosily, coughing his lungs out. This left his Brother, Alp, as the khan of the Seljuqs – but he was seventy years old! And barely able to hold up a stirrup-cup of kvass… all of this meant that Alp’s son, Malikshah, bore the brunt of administration. In fact, the fellow (he was forty-six at the time) was busy in the countryside south of Bursa repairing an old Roman road when the news reached him that his father had agreed to accept the Catholic faith.
Malikshah was a little startled by this, and immediately rode back to Bursa to find hoary old Alp getting his head ducked in a basin and swarms of Churchmen all around. Further, peace had broken out with the Byzantines and a glorious new era[1] was promised to all. Malik thought this was all a little suspicious… but since the peasants that the Seljuqs ruled were Christian themselves, it made a kind of sense. Indeed, the provinces sighed in relief.
So Belar was put into the ground a Christian, and Malik got his hair wet. The rest of the Seljuq nobility suffered a round of funerals as the last of the ‘old riders’ trotted off into this new Catholic heaven – Zakim, Constantius, Zachano – they all died by the end of 1110. Malik, at least, was capable enough to realize that the age was turning, so he took care to appoint his men of his own acquaintance to replace the dotards.
Oriental Roman Empire
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Constantine,
Avtokrator of the Romans
Diplomacy: Crimea(t)
Despite a considerable amount of bad blood between Rome and The City, Constantine allowed his merchants to open direct trade with the Italians. Of course, they were opening trade with the Turks and with the Hatamids as well, so love and joy was breaking out all over… (don’t expect it to last, eh?) Despite all expectations, the Emperor did not die.
Missionaries were dispatched to Taman, but they all drowned when their ship overturned in a gale. More martyrs. On the other hand, long negotiations with the Turks finally yielded an unexpected victory! The Rum agreed to accept Catholicism and so peace and trade was the order of the day.
Prince Leo, one of Constantine’s sons, choked to death on a piece of cheese, and then later the princess Zoë’s body was returned by some Kievian merchants, pierced by many arrows. A gruesome funeral season for the Emperor’s household. On the other hand, Basil’s new wife, Eudocia, managed to bring forth a healthy boy, Heracles.
The Horn of Africa
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 5s, 5w, 5t
Ar Rassid Imamat as Sa'na
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Abu Jahal, “the
jackal”, Imam of the Beni Makhzum
Diplomacy: None
The sleepy coast towns of Sa’na drowsed in the sun, entirely ignoring that the Beni Makhzum had overthrown the previous dynasty, placing Abu Jahal (otherwise known as “the jackal”) in the Imamate.
The Yemeni Rassid Imamat
(Sunni Islam Barbarian Open Empire)
Al Aamir ur’Adal,
Emir of Yemen
Diplomacy: None
The Rassid emirs found themselves strapped for cash… barely able to pay their soldiers and those few clerks that would work for them. Some of the scribes actually left, taking ship for Basra in hopes of finding work among the northern kingdoms.
The Adal Emirat of Ifat
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Achmed ibn Uba'id,
Emir of Emporyion Ifat
Diplomacy: None
All Adal was saddened by the death of old emir Aziz, who had reached the tremendously advanced age of eighty-five. His son Achmed – a little grumpy at having to wait so long to be emir of glorious Ifat! – ascended the throne.
The Makuria Kingdom of Dongola
(African Pagan Civilized Open Empire)
Raphael III,
Negusa-Negast of the Makuria
Diplomacy: None
Trouble afflicted Raphael’s realm – his old vizier Arounja died of feebleness and extreme age – while his beloved son, Raphael the Fourth, managed to cave his head in while hunting lions. Disgruntled, The Negusa elevated two more of his son, Pakepe and Eonus, to heir and prince, respectively.
Eastern Europe
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 10xc, 5w, 5t
The Varangian Rus of Kiev
(Eastern Orthodox Barbarian Open Empire)
Alexsandr II, Prince
of Kiev, Lord of the Rus and the Varig
Diplomacy: Muscovy(a)
Grim old Alexsandr, ex-Viking that he was, toured the provinces and found that the cities of Smolensk and Chernigov were little more that collections of huts separated by muddy streets. Disgusted with this, he ordered that the streets be paved with logs, that the churches be repaired and that - in general – the inhabitants live like Christians, rather than savages. Much as had been done with Kirivitch, the Prince focused his attentions upon Muscovy – sending in swarms of missionaries, as well as the prince Thorfin and boyar Nikolai to broker a marriage for the boy.
Alexsandr also rousted out his son Jarik, who was just moping about the house, and set him to work. “No lazy sons allowed!” The old man boomed, hitting Jarik with a stick. “Get to work!” Jarik slouched out of the longhouse, as sullen as ever. Perhaps he could go hunting…
Meanwhile, in Muscsovy, Olaf the Glib and the missionaries had made enormous strides among the pagans there – more than three-quarters of the entire province had been baptized and a flurry of church construction was underway. Olaf was pleased, as was Alexsandr when letters reached him revealing that Thorfin’s mission was a success. He had a charming young wife, and the alliance of the girl’s father. “See, your brother can work!” Alexsandr threw a shoe at Jarik, who had crept back into the house to sleep.
The Ests
(European Pagan Barbarian Open Empire)
Hegrid the Oak, King
of the Estonians and Rurik
Diplomacy: None
A Svearish embassy arrived in Reval, hoping to ply old Vasil with sweet words and to bind him to their nation, but the king was dying – his roots rotted through at last – and the Svearish found themselves dealing with Hegrid, called the Oak for the strength of his fists and arms. The younger man had no interest in their lies… so was Svearish influence reduced in the lands of the Balts. The Kievians, however, remained friends.
The Kingdom of Lithuania
(Roman Catholic Barbarian Open Empire)
Jiagello Pialowik,
King of the Lithuanians and the Poles, Defensor Christianum
Diplomacy: None
The peaceful death of old Rikoulo paved the way for his nephew, Jiagello, to ascend the throne. Like his uncle, Jiagello struggled to bring the Lithuanians and the Poles into the modern world. As it happened, old Rik could not have chosen a more capable man to entrust the kingdom with. Jiagello‘s administration proved to be both wise and just, and the slide into anarchy was swiftly reversed. Now, the young king had only to find a wife and sire some sons to carry on his legacy.
The Western Bulgarian Empire
(Eastern Orthodox Civilized Open Empire)
Euthemius, Rex
Bulgaris, Tsar of the Greeks
Diplomacy: None
At the direction of the tsar, a great record was taken of every church, house, plot of land, cow, pig, dog, living human and tract of wilderness within the realm. This registry was compiled by Princess Euthemia, with the assistance of Cyril the Just. Unfortunately the effort proved too much for the old man, who died in 1109.
Roman efforts to ring the Bulgars into their church were met with good success – all Serbia became Catholic, as well as the citizens of Ochridia (thanks to Euthemius’ own efforts among the townsfolk). Of course, this left the rest of the realm still following the old rites, but the tsar was sure that they would soon follow suit.
Michael the Good was, at last, allowed to get some rest. Whereupon he immediately perished, drowning in a flood-swollen river in the mountains of Macedonia. Much like princess Eudokia, who fell down some slippery church steps and bashed her brains out.
Principality of Illyricum
(Roman Catholic Barbarian Open Empire, Bulgar Free
State)
Sejanus, Dux
Illyricum
Diplomacy: None
Sejanus, when not lamenting over the poor condition of his small realm, grieved for his wife Anna, who died of pneumonia in the winter of 1108.
Scandia and the Out Isles
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 5s, 5w, 5t
Kingdom of Svear
(Roman Catholic Seafaring Open Empire)
Erik Lughassen, Jarl
of Scandia
Diplomacy: No effect
King Godfred and then his son Olagar died in quick succession. This left Godfred’s remaining son, Erik, to become jarl of the Svar. A new port city, Segervik, was built in Smaland. And things were pretty quiet in the spruce forests of the north…
The Norwegians
(European Pagan Seafaring Open Empire)
Bjarn Hejarsson,
“The Red”, King of the Norwegians
Diplomacy: None
The Norse continued to fish in the long fjords and run sheep and goats in the high mountains. Everyone heard that more gold had been found, up in Fjordane. Bjarn, the new king (after Hejar fell through the ice at Spaten during the winter and froze to death) was envious.
Jarldom of Orkeneyjar
(Roman Catholic Seafaring Open Empire)
Haragar, vikingrik
na orkneyjar
Diplomacy: Highlands(f)
The Orkneymen tested their longships and found them seaworthy. They traded with the Icelanders for various and diverse goods.
The Commonwealth of Iceland
(European Pagan Seafaring Open Empire)
Olaf Longnose, Jarl
of the New Islands
Diplomacy: None
The gathering of the Allthing in ’06 was cause for serious deliberation, as the old Jarl – Storri – had died during the winter, gored by a bull seal. After a great deal of discussion, Olaf Longnose was elected the new Jarl, ably assisted by his son, Tyrvik. Some boats were sent to Orkney to see if seal fur and whale ivory could be traded for iron ingots and pigs.
The Tuath Kingdom of Thomond
(Roman Catholic Barbarian Open Empire)
Dermond ard-Brien,
High King of Eire
Diplomacy None
The house of Thomond suffered an eclipse, with old Briag dying in a thicket, run through with many spears, and his sons already gone into the cold ground. The Briend clan asserted their authority over the Tuatha, and strapping young Dermond became ard-righ of the western isle.
Saxon Kingdom of England
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Harold Godwineson,
King of the Britons
Diplomacy: None
The Saxon shore was blessedly quiet and king Harold, while keeping an eye on the Normans across the Channel, minded his own darned business.
Western Europe
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 5s, 5w, 5t
Das Deutches Konigsreich
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Alexander, King of
the Germans, Emperor of the West
Diplomacy: Danzig(a), Krakow (in Bochnia)(a)
The king of the Germans continued to press for eastern expansion, and his able ministers managed to deliver solid alliances with various eastern barons and dukes.
Duchy of Bohemia
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Sviatoplus, Duke of
Bohemia, Prince of Prague
Diplomacy: None
Sviatopluk III passed on, and his son Sviato the Large followed him as duke. Beautiful Prague expanded and everyone in the duchy agreed that it was a fine city.
Le Royaume de Bourgogne
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Hugh the Second,
Duke of Burgundy
Diplomacy: Limousin(nt)
Eager to tax more trade, the Duke granted a charter to the city of Metz in Champagne. Hugh was also pleased that god had granted him a son, Phillipe. Some rascally Normans were chased out of Limousin, where they had been trying to foment trouble.
Le Duche de Normandie
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
William, Duke of
Normandy, King of the Western Franks
Diplomacy: Le Comte de Poitou(Influenced)
Every vigorous, the Normans sloughed off their long indolence and saw to various and diverse projects; the cities of Brest and Tours expanded. Fine metaled highways were built from Paris to Cherbourg and Le Mans. Two Norman diplomats nearly arrested mucking about in Burgundian territory. Finally, Duke William marries lady Araine of Poitou to cement the alliance between the two realms.
Le Comte de Poitou
(Roman Catholic Barbarian Open Empire, influenced by
Normandy)
Robert de Giscard,
Count of Gascony
Diplomacy None
Merchants from all over Europe thronged the Comte’s court and old Henri found the attention paid him by the Norman emissaries to be quite pleasing. Unfortunately a surfeit of Christmas hams led to his long-expected death in 1107, and the accession of his nephew, Robert de Giscard, to the count’s seat in La Rochelle. Like Henri, le comte Robert found it prudent to listen carefully to the Normans. After some haggling, he was forced to give up his sister Araine to be the bride of duke William.
Lombard Kingdom of Italy
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Geowolf of Milan,
King of the Lombards
Diplomacy: None
The Lombard king was getting a little tired of the Salerno princes constantly thronging his court – oh, he might listen to them with half an ear – but they were eating him out of house and home. He was forced to undertake massive public projects (canals, mills, granaries and swamp-draining) in Lombardy just to try and produce enough food to cram into their greedy mouths!
The Papal States
(Roman Catholic Pope)
Paschal II, Western
Patriarch, Successor of Peter, Keeper of the Keys
Diplomacy: Meissen(mn)
Doddering about in Rome, Sixtus continued to invest vast sums in fortifications – which now lined the beaches of Latium and perched on every hilltop – while also maintaining a personal army that would have made William of Normandy proud. All of this, however, did not prevent death from closing its cold fingers about his neck in 1107. After some discussion, Cardinal Glemp was elevated as pontiff, taking the name Paschal the Second.
Lotario di Conti’s mission in Serbia met with welcome success, and that province was entirely converted to the Roman rite. The local Orthodox bishops were disgruntled, but the Bulgar king favored the western Church. What could they do? Even many of the city folk in Ochridia were convinced to accept the Roman sacrament. Sadly, Di Conti died at the end of 1110, never returning to Rome.
Unfortunately, a similar missionary effort on Sardinia only yielded a bumper crop of martyrs. Likewise, De’Albret’s mission among the Danes found him bleeding his life out on a lonely road, after marauding Balts beset him and cut his throat and purse.
Paschal (neé Glemp) returned from the field in Croatia, to Rome, where many matters needed his direct attention. His troops were glad to come home – Rome was much warmer than the cold, rain-drenched hills of Croatia!
Principality of Salerno
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Vitturio, Duke of
Naples, King of the Italians
Diplomacy: Spoleto(ea)
Vittorio was forced to have some people’s heads lopped off when it was revealed that the “huge sums” in taxes he expected were simply nowhere to be found. As a result, the enormous statue of himself that he planned to erect in Naples was not built and everyone had to settle for a new wine-press and repaired bridges. The city did, however, expand.
Petro of Spoleto died and his son decided to only pay taxes to the Principality. Events in Lombardy did not go much better… Marcelus, who had been “leading” the embassy in an attempt to get himself both a wife and an entire nation, failed to impress old Geowulf and then embarrassed himself (and the entire delegation) by falling out of a closet with a nun at just the wrong time. The rash boy was sent packing by the Lombards.
El Reino de Leon y Navarre
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Sancho III, King of Leon, King of Navarra
Diplomacy: None of note
Sancho III dies shortly after the birth of his second son, Sancho V. Queen Margot followed him swiftly, struck down by a fever. Sancho’s first son, Sancho IV succeeded to the twin thrones. Much to his disgust, attempts by the Navarrese to convert the Muslims of Aragon and Portugal failed spectacularly. The would-be preacher in Aragon (the King’s uncle, Sancho II) was lynched and the region revolted.
Norman Valencia
(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Tancred, Baron of Castellon
Diplomacy: None
The Normans continued to lord it over their small domain. Tancred, at the urging of his advisors, began to consider building walls around Castellon.
The Akramid Caliphate
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Achmed, Sultan of
Granada
Diplomacy: None
Achmed, flexing his muscles, led over 9,000 troops into Talavera and smashed it into submission, as well as capturing the city of Badajoz. Let the infidels in the north tremble before his power! The Sultan received a delegation from the emir of Aragon, requesting support in repelling an expected Christian attack on that newly independent realm.
North Africa
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 10xc, 5w, 5t
Al Fatimid Caliphat al Qaira
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Badr al’Jamali,
Sultan of Egypt, Calif of the West
Diplomacy: Failed
“Al’ Hamar, Chalifate and Emperor of all Egypt, rode hard upon his
great stallion. The stallions skin, like an extension of the stark white clouds
above, glisten from the ride in the noon sun. He had spent the day looking upon
the land about Alexandria, seeing the discomfort of his people. As he rode through the gate of the palace,
his honor guard about him, he called for his advisors, lieutenants, seconds,
and generals. “Let the coffers be
thrown open! Let the message go forth, for the land’s of Egypt shall be
remade.” So great effort was undertaken! In Thebes and Falyum, better housing,
roads, aqueducts, and many sewers were built. The city’s of Alexandria,
Al’Qairah, and Mount Sinai grew. Two great city’s where created, with
fortifications for their ports, in Thebes (El’Uqsor) and Petra (Al’ Aqabah).
Additionally, defenses were strengthened throughout both Sinai and Thebes.” ~ From Al’Tabari’s History
of the Fatamid Dynasty.
Throwing aside the cloak of sloth that had garbed the Fatamid realm for so long, sultan Hamar undertook an enormous number of projects – fortresses were built at El’Uqsor on the upper Nile (in Thebes) and at Aqabah in Petra. Military towns were established around both citadels. Within Egypt proper, the cities of El’Gitar, Al’Qairah, Mount Sinai and Alexandria all expanded. Enormous projects were undertaken in Faiyum and Thebes to clear old irrigation canals and bring new lands under cultivation.
Hamar received various letters from the Abassi kalif in Baghdad, stating that this young pup was the rightful judge of judges and that the Fatimid realm should pay him tribute. “I think not,” Hamar said to his secretary. “Send him some oranges, if he is hungry.” The letters were returned with a terse note and a golden orange.
Of course, if Hamar had not been promoting his own imams and scholars, and providing them with money and housing, he might have taken the request in a better light. Indeed, everything seemed to be going so well that the death of Hamar in 1107 was something of a shock. Worse, he had left no son… only a conniving younger brother who immediately declared himself Sultan and Calif.
Unfortunately for the brother, he had neglected to secure the allegiance of the army. He had also neglected to determine if he had any enemies. He did – Badr al’Jamali – one of the viziers of the court and a veritable spider. Badr took the time to secure the loyalty of the muhjadin and Hamar’s brother was seized and hustled away into a nice deep, dark hole. The next year, in 1108, Badr was acclaimed commander of the armies, director of the missionaries, and vizier, symbolizing his control of the military, religious, and bureaucratic establishments. He maintained the title “Fatimid”, but in truth, he was of a wholly different clan, assuming the fiction as a pleasing guise.
Ummayad Caliphate al Oran
(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Mumwhar, Calif of
the West, Emir of Oran and Mahidia
Diplomacy: Al’Hauts(a), Kabilya(t)
Overtaxed by the effort of conducting a census, Mumwahr dies. His son Muawayia, was then proclaimed kalif of the west. The bey of Kabilya fell off a camel, causing his region to become restive.
The Almohad Caliphate
(Sunni Islam Nomadic Open Empire)
Mohammed ibn Tumart,
Imam of Imams, The Revealed
Diplomacy: Senegal(ea)
The Imam continued to sulk in his desert fastness at Adjoukt. Though the local tribes praised him, he wielded only a fraction of the power he dreamed of… one of his minions, Abujiin, traveled south and awed the Senegalese into paying some paltry tribute to the Calif. Hmm… yams!
West Africa
Mercenaries: 10i, 5c, 5s, 5w, 5t
The Soninke Kingdom of Koumbi
(African Pagan Civilized Open Empire)
Soninke Wagodou,
ghāna of Koumbi, Chief of the Mandé
Diplomacy: None
Given that the Almohads were sulking in the desert, the Soninke were pretty happy to just get the crops in and have babies.
The Dia Kingdom of Songhay
(African Pagan Civilized Open Empire)
Kossoi, dia Songhay
Diplomacy: None
There was some dynastic trouble, but Kossoi sorted the matter out, leaving many graves.
The Yoruban Onium of Ibo
(African Pagan Civilized Open Empire)
Abwanze, High King
of the Yoruba
Diplomacy: Zaria in Hausa(fa), Nupe(a)
The Onium continued to spend lavishly on various projects dear to his heart - for example, his great school in Ibo grew again, and cultivation projects in Yoruba and Akan were completed, yielding rich cultivated lands. Ispwego returned to Ibo, and had two daughters before his wife died in childbirth. Prince Mutaka and the doddering General Mupata managed to convince the city council of Zaria in Hause, to ally themselves with the Onium. Sisperi had even better luck in Nupe. Lord Mupata died, giving cause for a revel and funeral.
The Bini Kingdom of Usama
(African Pagan Barbarian Open Empire)
M’blane, chief of
the Bini, prince of Usama
Diplomacy: None
The Usama plowed their fields, planted their crops.
South Africa
Mercenaries: 10i
The Bakongo Kingdom
(African Pagan Barbarian Open Empire)
Chikuma Oweyho, King
of the Kongo, Lord of Great Kongo
Diplomacy: None
The Bakongo minded, as they say, their own business.
The Luba Empire of Malawi
(African Pagan Barbarian)
The Big Man, King of
Luba, Chief of the Malawai
Diplomacy: None
The Big Man was, well, big. Not much else happening.
The Mwene-Mutapa Empire
(African Pagan Barbarian Open Empire)
Chakama, Lord of
Great Mutapa
Diplomacy: None
N’tombe’s reign sputtered to an unfortunate end. He had lost the loyalty of the regional chiefs and now it became clear that he was unable to sire any sons. The great lord’s sisters conspired against him and had N’tombe murdered in 1105. In the wake of this bloody business, the spear-chief Chakama seized Mwene-mutapa himself, captured and arrested both sisters (M’Banwe and M’Lua), who were then beheaded and married N’tombe’s wife (M’peya) himself. After strenuous effort, the new great lord managed to begat a son (Chakran) and stem the immediate dissolution of his realm.
North
and Central America
The Naco Hohokam
Dreadful harvests – forced upon the land by three successive years of drought – forced the Hohokam to abandon Naco and to scatter to greener valleys and more fertile plains. Both the old speaker-for-the-dead and the new priest of the green tassels died during the migration.
Zapotec Kingdom of Mitla
(Mesoamerind PreColumbian)
Ahuazhantzin,
Sky-Wheel-Speaker
Diplomacy: None
The Mitla tribesmen grew their corn and harvested their cotton and watched the sky. Each day they raised their voices in prayer to the rising sun, rejoicing that the bright warrior had once more defeated the ten thousand demons of the southern darkness.
Tiacopan
(Mesoamerind PreColumbian)
Tzompan, King of the
Tiacopan
Diplomacy: None
The lowlanders fished, grew ornamental flowers and caught brightly colored birds that lived in the tops of the trees in then deep forest.
TzinTzunTzan
(Mesoamerind PreColumbian)
Ce Calli, Huey
Tlaotani
Diplomacy: None
Unlike the perfidious Tiacopan, or the lax Maya, the Tzin took great efforts to see that the gods were propitiated and that both the sun and the earth were reborn from the spilt blood of humanity. What else would feed the gods?
Chichen Itze
(Mesoamerind PreColumbian)
Quachotl, Priest
King of the Maya
Diplomacy: None
The Maya farmed their plantations, raised their crops and paid proper worship to the gods. Ah, what a fine life.
The
Inca Coast
The Kingdom of Quito
(South Amerind PreColumbian)
Pocomoc, Sun-King of
Valdivia
Diplomacy: None
Work continued on the great sun temple outside of Quito town. The old king died, and his grandson became the Sun-King.
The Chimu Kingdom of Chanchan
(South Amerind PreColumbian)
Puyiwo-0-Madestu,
Blessed of Anahuac
Diplomacy: Chiclayo in Nazca(f)
Blessed Puwiyo was forced to execute a number of string-counters for miscalculating taxes, which resulted in many projects being abandoned or stalled. Moche grew more beautiful with the dredging of a central canal and the provision of public granaries. The sun-lord also continued his efforts to break down clan influence throughout the realm. Many, however, were frightened by these changes. What if they displeased the gods?
Tiwanaku
(South Amerind PreColumbian)
Cuparnu Amac, Lord
of the City of Seven Walls
Diplomacy: None
The Tiwanaku puttered about and built a fine gate, ornamented with obisidian and jade and gold rings.