Lords of the Earth 

CAMPAIGN TWENTY-FOUR

The Age of Conflict

Turn 46

1226 ~ 1230 Anno Domini
588 ~ 592 in the year of the Hegira

New for T46

NPNS: I’ve tweaked the NPN and Primacy/Order rules a little to make them fit better with the 24 game. I’ve also reduced their overall RRV to make diplomacy easier.

Second Positions in the East: As I’ve not got a lot of players in the East, I would be willing to allow a second position from existing players. Let me know if you’re interested.

New for T45

New Rivers: I’ve added in some new possible rivers onto the map. These are rivers that were once passable by light traffic (remember Cogs cannot travel on rivers) and have now become silted up. You can dredge a stretch of the river (along one region border edge) as a 0.5 level project.

Gripes:

Agro as conversion – this has restrictions (see 2.11.5.3) which I will be enforcing from now on.

Rivers can only support light ships – as far as I know Cogs cannot travel on rivers. This also includes Cogs built for trade.

New Primates: We have two new Primate positions this turn. Jumal Skyfather, which is an Estonian god and the Coptic Church based out of Axum.

New for T44

Minor islands and City States: I’ll be allowing minor islands (Corfu, Jerba, Wight etc) and city states to be used as locations from T44. Just let me know the rationale behind why you want it separate and if reasonable I’ll add it in. Once they are created as locations, they obey all the rules of islands etc. However, their Gpv cannot go above 0.

Flooding: The last few turns have seen a massive increase in the amount of flooding that has occurred. It appears that the years are getting warmer and wetter. As a result of this some of the minor rivers on the map are once again becoming passable to river traffic.

Denmark: Following on from the Minor Islands stuff, you can see that Denmark is now separated out to Jutland and Syaland (Zeeland).

Announcements and items of note

General Stuff: Please use my Paypal account (stephenbrunt@yahoo.co.uk) for all Lords’ 24 payments. If you cannot use this facility then please let me know and I will see what I can do about filtering US funds to my account. I may also stop using the throneworld email address due to the mass of spam I’m getting!

Order Form: Please use the standard excel order form from now on. I’ll update the site with a link to it next week when I get some time. This is important as it helps me process the turn more quickly. THIS IS NOW MANDATORY.

Non-Payment: some of you still owe me some cash. Although it may come as surprise that this is not my main source of income, I see it only polite that you pay for the occasionally night out. So, if you’re under zero next turn I’ll not process you orders.

Version 6: Lords 24 uses version 6 of the basic rules

The Map: The map now includes India as well as Europe, Central Asia and Africa. I’ve greyed out repeated areas on the maps to make my life easier. However, this means some player nations are split across more than one map. I may increase the size of the main map but I’ll have to think on this.

Tithes and Tribute: I think these are automatically updated by the stats program, so no need to declare them in your orders.

Control of the Papacy and Religious Orders: In Lords 24 we will not always have a player Pope (or Caliph etc for that matter) and the following rules are used to determine which player faction controls the Pope’s actions, Papacy Rules. I’ve also added some stuff about gaining support from their armies

How to make your GM happy (PLEASE READ! REALLY!):

Please send any and all Lords24 correspondence to lords24gm@ymail.com or stephenbrunt@yahoo.co.uk .

LORDS 24 WEB RESOURCES 

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All of the on-line resources, including order forms, mailing lists and web-sites for Lords of the Earth are summarized on this page: 
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…and following the instructions on that page.

VARIOUS FEES AND LEVIES 

At the moment the turns cost $5 – please pay up of you owe

We are using the latest v6.3.5 of the basic rule book that can be found here

http://lords.throneworld.com/players/loterule/rules.html

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Turn 47 Orders due by: Wednesday 11^th February 2009

Without further ado, the news for these years in Lords 24 history...

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EASTERN EUROPE

The Varangian Rus of Kiev

(Orthodox Civilized Open Empire)
Peter, King of the Rus

The walls of Chernigov and Saratov were expanded and forts built within Muscovy. Princess Anya was commanded to defend Kiev by Izyaslav and over fifteen hundred cavalry given over to her command. She linked up with the Order of St Vladimir who provided a further two thousand cavalry. The Magyars struck Kiev from Galich in 1226 but were repulsed by Anya for the loss of sixteen hundred raiders. When they struck Pereaslavl in 1229 Anya again forced tem out of Kievan lands. Izyaslav himself moved with his army of nearly fifteen thousand infantry into Suzdal. The region fell easily to the Kievans for no loss to Izyaslav’s men. Vladimir was then given the region as his personal fief. Although badly outnumbered, the Cossack army of eight hundred men confounded the Kievan forces for months and forced Izyaslav to abandon his intended invasion of Cuman. Their Khan survived an assassination attempt by the invaders. Izyaslav then returned to Kiev where he later died of wounds acquired during the Cuman campaign. His son Peter took over the Kingdom. Despite the efforts of the Lord of Mordva, the Cossacks successfully raided Pereaslavl, Seversk and Mordva. Wladislaw was successful in persuading Muscovy to fully integrate with the Rus Kingdom. One of Izyaslav’s last acts was to cede Kostroma to the Ests.

The Western Uighur Khanate

(Sunni Islam Civilised Open Empire)
Khagan Barjik

Khagan Barjik fortifies the region of Thessaly and raises two thousand light infantry in Thrace for Celil. Uighur missionaries upset the local population of Thessaly and many converts leave Islam to return to Orthodoxy. Attempts to destroy the assassin capacity of the Oriental Roman Empire fails. A postal road is started between Heraclea and Thessaloniki. Heraclea itself becomes the capital of the Khanate. Khagan Barjik is assisted in Thessaly by Direnc in repairing the damage done in the relations between the Khanate and the conquered region. He marries a local bride from the province; in fact he would have married two more if local customs had allowed it. Celil brings the Uighur army back from Ochridia after garrisoning Serbia and Attica. He is given Serbia as his personal fief. Direnc is tasked with investigating the lands of Thrace and appears to be onto something when he disappears. Nothing is heard of him again. Michael I Komnenos Doukas, the Despotate of Epirus raids the lands of Dalmatia, Serbia, Thessaly and Attica. Much gold is taken back to his mountain hideaways. Attica was gifted to the Uighurs by the Buwayids when Celil arrived in the Athena.

The Ests

(European Pagan Barbarian Open Empire)
Andrus, Kings of the Ests

One thousand infantry were raised in Estonia along with some sappers. Estonia was also further fortified. Andrus II was presented as the heir to the northern Kingdom. Vicky was married to Gcarson and the Livonian became a Prince of the Kingdom. Andrus ordered that a postal road be built to connect Moltha to Lagoda. The region of Kotlas was claimed by Andrus and Jaagup, aided by Vilnus, gained some support from Kalinin. Jaagup moved to Veposkava to protect the Kingdom from invasion but died of the flux in 1229.

Elsewhere in Eastern Europe

The Cosacks raid into Pereaslavl, Seversk. Mordva and Levedia. The attack by Kiev destroyed four hundred of their cavalry. The Magyars attempt to raid Kiev and Pereaslavl but are repulsed by Anya of Kiev and the Order of St Valdimir. The Bulgari and Neogoths pledge support to the Magyars. The Hungarians attack Croatia across the Danube with three thousand heavy cavalry. The Magyar garrison of two thousand light cavalry is swept aside and the region liberated. Bochnia, isolated from Alfold, revolts and goes independent.

THE MIDDLE EAST

Heyrenik'un Armeniam

(Roman Catholic Barbarian Open Empire)
Anisha Amirspalar

Quiet times for the mountain kingdom.

The Buwayid Sultanate

(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Hamzah, Sultan of the Buwayids

Hamzah started the colonisation of Paphlagonia. Several forts were built in Attica before the region was formally handed over to the Uighurs. Two thousand elite cavalry were raised in Baghdad along with a small contingent of elephants. The walls of Al’Kuwait were expanded. Hamzah also ordered the completion of two new road projects, the old postal roads between Lydia and Bithnia and Media to Diyala were paved and upgraded. Trade routes were established to the mercenary companies around the Mediterranean. Hamzah himself ruled the Sultanate from Mesopotamia; he was blessed with a young daughter during these years. Prince Nadir was successful in uncovering activity by the secretive Al-Hasheshin in Mosul. Their activities were also discovered in Mesopotamia by Kasra of Qom. After dealing with the Emir of Lydia, Abdul-Hafiz was ambushed while investigating rumours of cultic activity in Lydia. He discovered nothing. Prince Haythan was send to protect the eastern frontier, taking the garrison of six thousand infantry and their engineer support from Hastor to Diyala where he was supported by Harig of Edessa.. Ghiyath had a successful time converting the nobility of Hastor to Islam. He was almost matched by the success of Khoury of Fars in Isauria. Buwayid missionaries overturned their previous success in Crete when the local population returned to Orthodoxy.

Al-Khulafa'ur Rashidun

(Sunni Islam Civilized Primacy
Shiraj of the Buwayids, the Righteous Caliph

Shiraj oversaw the expansion of Al’Adana. New warships were commissioned from the docks of Antioch and Al’Adana and several cogs were built to boost the Caliph’s fishing fleets. Shiraj used his influence to gain support from the Al’Bahri in the Rashidun court. He also granted some of his own clerics to aid the Uighurs. The magnificent edifice to Islam was built in Mesopotamia; the Sacred Minaret, a beautiful structure of brick and inlaid tiles that reached towards the sky. Gold was sent to the Akramid and the Ayyubids as well as the Adjou Aba for their compliance. The Al’Khulafa’ur gained influence throughout the Islamic world and especially amongst the Ilig and Al’Bahri. Shiraj and his court travelled throughout the Middle East and a Great Mosque (Cathedral) was built in Egypt. Shiraj was in intense negotiations with the Farubids and it seemed that the small Sultanate was willing to join forces with his Caliph. Anass Safawan was aided by Qadir of the Akramids in establishing a small Mosque in Damascus. Rashidun missionaries reversed the small gain made by Shi’a priests in Mansura but were less successful in Galacia. The Emir of Al’Cotra died during these years and his son refused to directly aid the Caliph.

Elsewhere in the Middle East

Quiet times.

NORTH AFRICA

The Ayyubid Sultanate

(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Saladin, Sultan of the Ayyubids

Saladin orders that a port fortress be built in Ad’Diffah. Eight thousand elite cavalry are raised in Alexandria along with four thousand light skirmishers. Further work is carried out on Necho’s Canal and the project progresses quickly. Saladin collects his newly raised army in Alexandria and along with his standing army of twelve thousand cavalry and roughly the same infantry moves down the Nile to Dongola. From Dongola, he attacks the region of Kordofan aided by Prince Osman. From Axum the Sharif mobilises and moves to defend Kordofan from the Ayyubid attack. Their eight thousand cavalry hold the Egyptians back for a while but finally break when faced with such overwhelming odds. Most are slaughtered as they flee into Darfur. Saladin loses five thousand infantry and Prince Osman is captured by the Sharifs. Axum, Kassala and Funj easily fall to the invaders before Saladin returns to Alexandria. The King of Funj had withdrawn into Soba when the Egyptians attacked and as Saladins’ army return home is one thousand cavalry force the Egyptian garrison out of Funj. Kordofan was not garrisoned by Saladin and revolts back to Sharif control after Saladin’s army leaves. Harun divides his time between watching the coast off Alexandria with the Egyptian fleet and with his new wife Farida Safawan. He is blessed with two children for his efforts. Emir collects four thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry from Kurman before leading an offensive into Suakin. The local forces of Suakin are easily overcome and Emir returned to Kurman to watch for any attacks. Old Pharnazes persuaded the Emir of Dongola to throw in with the Sultanate and offered both the hand of Subarnha and Prince Osman in marriage. The Emir of Alwa and Imam Hoseinni followed up information of activity by the House of Fatima. Alwa discovered some Al-Hasheshin activity in Alexandria but nothing was found in Egypt. The presence of Maqtir in Dongola mitigate the Sharif raids there but it was left to Emir operating out of Kurman to stop their raiding

Ummayad Sultanat al Oran

(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Abbas al Basha ,Sultan of the Ummayad

Abbas raises six thousand cavalry and one thousand light cavalry in Oran to combat the Adjou Aba threat. Along with his existing army of three thousand cavalry and around the same amount of infantry, Abbas moves to Kabiliya to watch out for any Adjou threat. None are forthcoming as the Emir of Adjou had made a deal with the Rashidun to avoid good Moslem lands in favour of loot elsewhere. It was left to Farid to rule from Oran while Abbas was occupied in the south. Prince Ghalib put his persuasive tongue to good effects amongst the nobility of Santa Maria. Many converts were made in the city. Missionaries from the Sultanat were also successful amongst the populations of Catalonia and Aragon. Abd Munaf was also successful in Catalonia and a large number of the nobility were converted to Islam until an attempt by a Papal assassin to kill him. Munaf lay injured for many months and Papal missionaries were able to reverse his efforts in Catalonia.

Elsewhere in the North Africa

Battered by the Ayyubids, the Sharifs move out again from N’Jimi in 1227 and raid into Soro. The Kanem-Bornu forces easily repel the two thousand raiders and the Sharifs move onto to attempt raids into Dongola, Alwa and Adulis. The Ayyubids suffer from Sharif raids into Dongola and Alwa but repel the raiders in Adulis. The Ogaden raid into Modadishu but are pushed back from Zeila and Djibuti. Their raids into Sennar and Danakil were successful and the Mosque of the Rashidun looted there. The Al’Bahri House in Danakil was also looted. The Adjou Aba were bribed to leave good Moslem lands alone and spent these years collecting oases. They pulled off raids into Ennedi and Kerkoure. The Coptic church survives and expands into Atbara.

WESTERN EUROPE

Heiliges Romisches Reich

(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Heinrich, Holy Roman Emperor

Old Brandark dies in his sleep and Heinrich took over running the Empire without a hitch. The cultivation of Meissen was completed and the city of Cannes grew in size once its old walls were torn down to make way for the new population. Prince Gerhard marries Princess Jeanne of France in Burgogne, sealing a Military Alliance between the two European powers. He later travelled to Hanover to oversee affairs of state. Alfons von Lausatia and Hans von Matrunco patrolled the eastern frontier from Bavaria, watchful for further Magyar raids. The Bishop Jospeph von raz had some success in persuading the newly settled lands of Austria to pull away from the Magyars. German Astrologers keep a watchful eye fro a great comet predicted during these years but despite panic in the streets of Stuttgart, none appears.

Jarldom of Orkeneyjar

(Roman Catholic Seafaring Open Empire)
Wulfgar Bjornson, Jarl of Orkney

Old Wulfgar threatened to outlive his father as he continued to rule from Kirkval. Large numbers of warships were commissioned in the Kirkval shipyards, eighty-eight in all. The walls of Kirkval and its citadel were expanded and further forts built in Orkneys and Strathclyde. Trade to the Reino de Aragon was established. Wulfgar escorted Princess Gretal and Lief to Armagh in Ulster. Once in the Irish city, the princess was given Munster as her personal fief. She later travelled to her estates in the province. Wulfgar travelled back to Kirkval where he was busily occupied deterring Norwegian raiders. Prince Lars rasied the status of Le Marteau site to a Preceptory in the Orkneys before returning to his wife Sofia in Kirkval. The regions of Fjordane and Trondheim became feudal allies to Wulfgar. These years saw the status of Gronland drop and the far outpost declare its independence from Kirkval. Hekla Wulfdatter was accompanied by Damian when she visited Brest in Brittany. More influence in the Le Marteau de Dieu was gained from her trip. Bjorn relinquished command of his forces before travelling to Armagh. At Armagh he was successful in raising Le Marteau site to a Preceptory.

Kingdom of Svear

(Roman Catholic Seafaring Open Empire)
Arnold Erikson, King of the Svear

Despite the deaths of Emil and Olaf, Arnold Erikson continued to rule his peaceful northern Kingdom. Gustavia was expanded and gold flowed from Arnold’s Norwegian allies. The cultivation of Norway was finished, overseen by King Olaf II of Norway. Henrik of Norway was tasked with patrolling the Skaggerak and was unable to prevent rogue Norwegians from capturing shipping based out of Hordavil.

Norman Kingdom of France

(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Louis VII, King of France

The city of Antwerp was built in Brabant and the regions of Aquitaine and Auvergne cultivated. Louis was blessed with a young daughter during these years. Phillipe’s daughter Jeanne was married to Gerhard of Germany to seal a military alliance between the two nations. Prince Guillaume busily recruited over three thousand mercenary cavalry from the port of Petropolis. The hand of the Princess Adele was given to the Count of Nivernais by Prince Roger. The region pledging support for Paris. Alain escorted the Princess Marie to marry the Count of Nerdone. The city following Nivernais in pledging support for Louis. Aquitaine and champagne also sought closer ties with Paris during these years.

Principality of Salerno

(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Ricardo II, Prince of Salerno

A large number of Cogs were commissioned in the dockyard of Naples, over seventy in total. Two thousand cavalry and about the same in infantry were also recruited in the city. The city of Ravenna in Romagna grew in size and the walls of Naples were expanded. Salernese missionaries found no success amongst the city of Palermo or Sicily itself. Ricardo II rules from Campania while it was left to Prince Renato to escort Enrico Porro in the attack on Sicily. The newly built Cogs were loaded with four thousand cavalry, and five thousand infantry, about half of which were mercenaries from Italy. Luckily, the Akramid fleet missed the ships leaving Naples and their three hundred warships were not alerted to the Salernese invasion. The Ayyubids fleet was also on patrol and also missed the ships leaving Naples harbour. Enrico was a skilled general and aided by the equally able Renato, landed his force on the Sicilian beaches. Jabril was defending the island and with seven thousand infantry and four thousand cavalry. He quickly mobilised his forces and pushed on into the attacking Italians. In the first wave of troops coming off the beach was led by Enrico and it was as they struggled inland that the general was cut down. Renato was told of the generals demise and was about to assume command when he was captured by Ayyubid forces. Now in disarray and facing an entrenched enemy, the leaderless Italians fled towards their waiting ships. Barely any survived the Ayyubid pursuit. While the battle for Sicily was being acted out, Salvatore Sanzo remained in Cavalleri in diplomatic negotiations with the cities rules. Matteo Tagliariol travelled overland to Romagna where he started negotiations with the Count of that province. The Duke of Apulia was married the Elena and became a Pricne of Salerno. He spent the reset of his time with the Count of Spoleto to no avail. Bishop Retallio was busy in savoy, again to no avail. Word reached him of Koloman of Germany’s attempt to gain an audience with the Count of Verona.

Saxon Kingdom of England

(Roman Catholic Civilized Open Empire)
Domnall I, King of England

Domnall ordered that the streets of York be improved and that the open sewers diverted away from the markets there. There was to be no repeat of the plague seen in Diva. A census of the Kingdom was undertaken by Domnall himself before he continued to rule his nation. He was blessed with three children during these years. Despite Lord Quinton’s efforts, Lothian remained staunchly independent.

The Akramid Caliphate

(Sunni Islam Civilized Open Empire)
Tiroman, Caliph of the Akramids

Tiroman’s son Prince Darkan was appointed as his heir as the Caliph ruled his nation. He was blessed with many children from his three wives. The Guadilquivar from Seville and the Sierra Morenna is dredged and once again river traffic flowed along its course. Prince Obrahim was escorted by two hundred light cavalry to Gebal-al-Tarik. Once their Obrahim left his escort as a garrison and the rock was effectively claimed by Tiroman. Badr and the Imam Dabir once again patrolled from the Tyrennian Sea before returning to Madiera. Wafid was active in Leon, attempting to improve relations with the Caliphate.

The Papal States

(Roman Catholic Civilized Primate)
Clement IV, Pope

Influence was gained with the Anacletan Order but attempts to gain influence amongst England, Germany and Svear failed. Missionaries from the Vatican counteracted the gains made by Oran in Catalonia and had some success in Palermo. A Papal assassin came close to killing Abd Munaf while in Catalonia and the Oran general barely survived his wounds. Clement once again tied to raise a Cathedral in Naples but again failed. Cardinal d’Este was also unsuccessful in Padua in Verona. However, Monasteries were raised in Burgundy and Swabia.

Elsewhere in Western Europe

With the Magyars occupied in Eastern Europe, peace descended upon the West.

AFRICA

Usama-Yoruba Onium of Ibo

(African Pagan Civilised Open Empire)
Bhatamai, King of the Ibo

Bhatamai spent these years improving his already wealthy nation. Gambia, Gorouol and Ghana benefited from new public works and royal roads were built between Gagnoa to Neite and Hausa to Gorouol. A great wall was built facing north in the lands of Senegal and Khalem. Bhatamai was blessed with another daughter and married his eldest daughter, Opandaya to the able Bhanada. Palamba and Jamba was busy with smoothing relations with Gorouol and Sudan while Itogo commanded the Iboan army in case of Adjou aggression. None was forthcoming as the horde was active further east.

The Mwene-Mutapa Empire

(African Pagan Civilised Open Empire)
Jafar Bikoi, Emperor of Mapungubwe

Three thousand light spearmen were raised in Kafue and another three thousand in Rozwi. The piety of the nation was strengthened and the writings of Unkulkulu were once again revered. Jafar led his eight thousand men from Rozwi and into Gorongo. Expecting resistance from the Betis, Jafar took all possible precautions. However, none were needed as the region was unprotected. So many years of peace had lulled the Betis into a false sense of security. Amechi Abate raided deep into Matabele and Zimbabwe looking for slaves. Only Matebele yielded poor wretches as Zimbabwe was an unpopulated wilderness. Binto Chango took over the administrative duties of the kingdom while the Emperor was busy in the north.

Elsewhere in Africa

The priests of Unkulukulu build Churches in Chumnumgwa and Great Zimbabwe.

Central Asia and the Far East

Elsewhere in Asia

The Mongols move into the rich lands of Shensi, owned by the Western Sung. Sixty thousand Mongol cavalry descend on the mighty Song army of eleven thousand cavalry and thirty thousand infantry. Disaster stuck the Song when both the Emperor and General Ming Cho were killed in the initial Mongol charge. The Song army fled the field, stragglers cut down by the screaming Mongol warriors. The Mongols had won the day and the Western Song surrendered. Promising tribute to the Khan if he left their lands unmolested. As the horde moved towards Ordos the Lords of Ta’Tung saw his inevitable fate and surrendered to the Khan, also promising tribute.

India and South East Asia

Pratihara Kingdom of Kaunaj

(Hindu Civilised Open Empire)
Kumarapala, Raja of Kaunaj

Kumarapala decides to retire from public life and the Kingdom continues to function without him

The Order of the Dagger

(Hindu Civilised Religious Order)
Ranasata, Lord of the Order of the Dagger

Angada passed away in his sleep and Ramasata was declared the new Lord of the Dagger Order. In the spirit of continuity, the new Lord Dagger continued the work started by Angada. An order Estate was created in Chitor as well as other order sites in Gujerat, Nadavaria and Jodphur. The missionaries send the Surashtra were again successful and yet more Moslems were turned towards Vishnu. The internal trade fleet of Benares was again greatly expanded.

Elsewhere in India

India basks in more years of calm (almost wrote clam there…). New cities were built across India and South East Asia.