October 10, 2001

Turns will be due Thursday, November 8, 2001.

GM notes:

1) One full year has now passed since the onset of L34. Seems to be going well. I suppose I will keep it going <g>..

2) The Jewish nation of Mesopotamia was destroyed, and its people scattered across the world. Any nation that wishes to give
harbor to the Jews may do so. If this is done, a small % of the capital will be converted to Judiasm.(<10%) and the nation will
be eligible to take loans out from the Jewish bankers. It will take a certain amount of time for the Jewish bankers to get to the
capital, depending on how far away from the region of Mansura the capital is. You will be informed when they arrive. As long
as the Jewish population is >0%, you may take out loans.

3) Espionage ops: Certain rules indicate that some ops may need to have a reveal fact and special op to link it to the final op
(Kidnapping, Assassination, Jailbreak). The use of a reveal fact is necessary when there is information that you do not know
(where the enemy King is located, what route the gold shipment will take, etc). Other times, it is not necessary.

     Reveal fact needed: jailbreaks (see exceptions below), target performing secret actions (movement or
     diplomacy), item locations, moving targets (including armies), opposing conceal fact

     Reveal fact not needed: Target not performing any action or doing public action (ruling, garrison duty, open
     diplomacy, etc), previous RF provided information (see exception below).

     Exceptions: When you have used a RF in the past that has given you info, you do not need to reperform the op. If
     the target has not moved, you will have a chance for success. If it has, you have NO chance of success. Similarly,
     if you do not have a reveal fact, you must specify the target location.

     Examples:

     (1) Kill King Phred in Capital City. If the player just uses an assassin op, and King Phred is ruling the nation,
     there is a chance that he will be killed. If Phred is not in the capital at the time of the op (first action point of the
     turn if not otherwise specified), or it is the heir ruling, and the King's actions are protected by a CF, the op will fail
     (it will be attempted). Even if King Phred was ruling, but had a successful conceal fact to hide his daily activities,
     the op will fail. OTOH, if a reveal fact + special op is used, the order can be given to either find King Phred and
     kill him, or to find out who is ruling and kill that leader. This is different from having a counter assassination which
     directly subtracts from the chance the actual op works.

     (2) Kidnap the Kingdom of Arrrrrrgh general if he attacks the nation. This will be kept in reserve until the
     Kingdom is attacked. You could specify a particular nation or not. But if there are three generals in the army from
     that nation, you will randomly attempt to get one. OTOH, with a RF+SO, the best general can be targetted or the
     one with the biggest army. Also, it could uncover a CF hiding the army.

     (3) Subvert any leader from Nation A who enters our nation. The first leader to enter the nation from that nation
     will be targetted, unless they move secretly. OTOH, an RF+SO could find those acting secretly.
 

4) Allied leaders who are the lead diplomat in conducting diplomacy will not be able to get higher than economic ally. And if
the allied leader revolts, he will take the region with him. If a region that has been previously dp'd by an ally is then dp'd by
another leader, it can be made friendly (on a subsequent turn).

5) I am still struggling with when to elevate children to heir/prince positions. I have decided that it will be the players decision
entirely. If there is no indication of who should be elevated, it will not get done. Children may be elevated to positions when
you submit orders, but you will not know their stats for that turn.

6) New players must have a positive balance before a position will be sent to them. Current players will not get a statsheet if
their account is negative.
 

THE SAME THING WE DO EVERY NIGHT, TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD...

                    Infantry (200 men = 1 point)
                    Cavalry (200 men and 200 mounts = 1 point)
                    Siege Engineers (200 men = 1 point)
                    Warships (1 ship = 1 point)
                    Transports (1 ship = 1 point)
                    Field forts (1 fort = 1 point)
                    Walls (10 feet = 1 point)

THE EMPIRE OF THE SUN - Asiatic Pagan

Empress Ariko

Diplomacy: Nigata (ea), Toyama (fa), Kagoshima (revolts)

Now that the Empire controlled all the best farmlands in the Islands, Empress Ariko began a massive urbanization project. Three port cities were built. Inuyama in Aichi on the Isewan, Kurayoshi in Shimane on the Dozen Wa and Miyazaki in Kagoshima on the Inland Sea. She also continued to push for a more free society in the Empire, spending large amounts of gold to bring this about. Prince Okida, the heir, was left to run the nation.

Ariko set out for Nigata to negotiate with the people of that wild land. She was able to gain strong economic ties to the region. Both the Queen's consort and Daimyo Tomochi went off to Toyama, where they received a pledge of military support from the local Warlord. The Prince continued in the poetic tradition of his forefathers, creating Haikus that were shared with the Toyama nobility.

Acidly, spider
disappears, gory fiends slump
moistly, eagerly.

Faintly, viper leaps
leaps, rivers romp
leaning, dubious, white.

Preying sorcerer
imposing, glittering teeth
copulate, jeering.

But most of the people of the nation were swept up in the romance and adventure that surrounded Daimyo Hoja, the Explorer. For years, Hoja had travelled to the South, exploring new lands and bringing back tales that were spread in taverns and palaces alike. And again, Empress Ariko sent her intrepid explorer out, this time with twice the number of fast, expert seamen under his command. He travelled to the Marianas, where he had been several years before. But now he struck out even further South. The way was difficult and took many, many months. But in the end, he found another Island. The locals called it Palau. He yearned to go further, but the passage had taken longer than expected, and he knew that he must report his findings to the Empress. So he returned to Edo. Upon his ships docking in the harbor, Daimyo Hoja was carried on the shoulders of the people, and declared a Hero of the Empire! And there was much rejoicing.

In other news, the previously reclusive Empire of the Sun made trade overtures to a number of other nations. Only in the Jinn Dynasty were Sun goods not welcomed. But once again the heir had difficulty with ruling over the vast nation. While over the past many years there had been rumblings, now there was action. The region of Kagoshima sent word to the Empress that they would no longer consider themselves part of the Empire. The new city remained loyal, as did all others in the Empire. But time will tell.
 

THE ANIMAL CLANS OF BO-HAI - Asiatic Pagan

Grandfather Golden Eyes Tiger, Elder of the Tiger Clan

Diplomacy: Anshan (drop to nt, then revolts), Silla (nt), Liao-Tung (f), Shengtung (t)

Grandfather Golden Eyes, ruler of the Animal Clans, ruled over his nation. He and his wife had a son in year 53. His wife had a miscarriage in year 55. It was a time of plenty for the Animal Clans. The port city of Crane was built in Liao-Tung, and trade was established with a number of nations. And further investment was made by Golden Eyes into moving from an Agrarian economy to a more free society.

Whispering Tiger, the heir, went to Silla, where he was able to gain some concessions from the region. New Moon Snake was able to bring Liao-Tung fully into the Animal Clans, and tribute began arriving from Shengtung due to Prince Gentle Rain's negotiating.

But part of Golden Eyes Tiger's plan to restructure the nation had problems. He sent word to the people of Anshan that they would no longer be under the full protection of the Animal Clans. This sent shock waves through the region. Never before had the Tiger Clan gone back on their word to any of the other clans. And Anshan had been with the Tigers from the beginning. Two major developments occurred. First, the people of Anshan broke all ties with the Animal Clans, effectively cutting off the recent land trade that had just sprung up with the Jinn Dynasty. Second, anti-religious sentiment sprung up throughout the nation. While the latter did not cause many problems, the former split the homeland from the rest of the nation.
 

THE JADE DRAGON - Oceanic Pagan

Emperor Shen Tso

Diplomacy: Kaingsu (ne), Kweichou (ea), Anhui (drops to t)

Shen Tso ruled the Jade Dragon from the largest city in the world (although Beijing may be as big), as Tzu Lang again grew in size. The Queen had a miscarriage in year 51. She then gave birth to daughters in years 52 and 54, before having another miscarriage in year 55. There was significant religious fervor, as more and more people began practicing the Oceanic Pagan rights more seriously. Such devotion was bound to have ramifications. In Anhui, the local leadership was forced to decrease its ties with the Jade Dragon due to internal pressure from the Asiatic Pagan faithful in the region. This despite a growing number of converts listening to the preaching of Prince Shen Kwan.

A similar situation developed when the heir, Shen Tuan, realized that the Asiatic Pagan people of Kaingsu would not entertain any change in their current relationship with the nation. Li Xan had some better luck in Kweichou, gaining a new economic ally for the Jade Dragon. But the efforts of Li Tian were most notable. For Li Tian had witnessed the horrors of the conquest of Hwai. And while he knew the importance of maintaining his troops in the region to keep the peace, he also began discussions with the local people, explaining the ways of the Jade Dragon to the locals. He made some progress (and there was no sign of revolt).

The Emperor received the news that his Chiennan ally died in year 55. The man's cousin knelt before Shen Tso and swore fealty.
 

THE JINN DYNASTY  - Asiatic Pagan

Emperor Wang Xu-Jinn, Fourth Emperor of the Jinn Dynasty, Guardian of the Forbidden City and Keeper of the Coral Throne

Diplomacy: Huang (ne), Shan'si (nt), Bao Ding (nt)

A weeklong celebration was announced as the Emperor wed a local noblewoman. The young woman became pregnant soon after the wedding. But in the middle of year 51, the child started to come too soon. Both child and mother died. The Emperor remarried to similar fanfare. He ruled over the expanding nation, and in year 55, his new wife gave birth to a daughter. Wang Xu-Jinn ruled from Beijing, where the city rivalled its Southern neighbor, Tzu Lang in the Jade Dragon. Trade was started with the distant land of Kara-Khatai via the Silk Road.

The Emperor sent Szu Shen-Do to Honan to try to bring about a more civil dialogue between the region and its conquerors. But Szu was not a good orator, and he may actually have set back relations a bit. Shen Yuan went on a whirlwind tour of the North, where he had some success, albeit minimal.
 

THE SUBLIME KINGDOM OF WU - Oceanic Pagan

King Yiu

Diplomacy: Lingsi (drops to fa), Annam (f)

King Yiu ruled over his nation in a time of peace. The King spent a good deal of time with the Queen, but she produced no issue. The heir, Prince Sui-Juen, and his wife had a miscarriage in year 52. And during a difficult pregnancy, his wife passed away during the delivery in year 54. Thankfully, a healthy son survived. The heir remarried (for reasons of state, of course), and his new wife had a daughter in year 55. Yiu's general, Sun, returned to the capital, but took ill and died in year 51.

This setback did not stop Yiu from pursuing a major diplomatic effort in Annam. He sent Prince Wai and General Man to Annam, along with the King's daughter, Oi-Lun. Oi-Lun was married off to a local noble, and that sealed the negotiations. Annam fully entered the Kingdom.

Less happy news was received from the region of Lingsi. Yiu's ally there took ill and passed away. His younger brother, who took control, was less enamored of the Sublime Kingdom, and would not commit to as close relations.
 

THE LAND OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS  - Oceanic Pagan

King Siduna, God-King of Chola, Lord of the Golden Mask and the Emerald Throne

Diplomacy: Madurai (drops to t), Kakatiya (nt, then revolts), Satava (ne), Malabar (revolts), Chela (ne, then revolts)

There was tremendous unrest in the Land of the Golden Lotus. Things began simply enough, with the King ruling over the nation from his capital. Lord Rhosa helped the King by taking over a number of the administrating tasks. The Queen had a son in year 51, then a daughter in year 54. The cities of Vishnayagara and Kosala grew in size.

Prince Raputta, the heir, took control of the entire navy (and after a brief thought about seizing control of the Kingdom for himself), moved to Seylon to begin a reign of terror over the small region. His 15 light warships struck like lightening. They landed on the shores of Seylon, and began forcibly gathering the peoples together, putting them in chains and loading them back aboard the ships. The Seylan feudal lord had thought that when the King commanded him to carry out the raid and he flatly refused to such a thing to his people that it would be forgotten. But soon he was to learn that it would not end there. For the Crown Prince then began hunting through the region to gather as much gold as his raiding sailors could carry. The feudal lord of Seylan tried to fend them off, but the Prince was much too good a general, and the local Seylan militia could never engage the national naval forces. In the end, Prince Raputta came away with a sizeable haul, but he left the region in economic ruin. People migrated away, as they had nothing left in Seylan. The scant population was too disheartened to even rise up against the oppressive Golden Lotus government. The Lord of Seylan sent a hotly worded letter to King Siduna, denouncing the raids.

But the King had left the capital by that time. He travelled to Madurai, where he spent very little time trying to negotiate with the locals. He so offended them with his brief stay, that the region decreased its association to the nation. Prince Saj had similar difficulties traveling through Satava, Chela and Kakatiya. By spending so little time, he was unable to make any headway except for getting a minor commitment from Kakatiya.

But in year 55, things came to a head. The Golden Lotus was a seafaring nation. The people did not have any great understanding of those who did not seek their livelihoods on the water. This was reflected in numerous policies put out by the King. Due to this cultural gap, the regions of Malabar, Chela and the newly acquired Kakatiya revolted.
 

THE  KINGDOM OF KHEMER - Oceanic Pagan

King Marfuss Alhamehli

Diplomacy: none

Tragedy struck the Kingdom twice in a short period of time. First, in year 53, the Queen died in her sleep. King Afhala Alhamehli was so grieved that the government virtually stood still. Then in year 55, Afhala died as well. Some say of a broken heart. But he had not declared an heir to the throne. Prince Marfuss, as the only member of the royal family remaining took power. There was no dissent.  One of King Marfuss' first action was to hire a number of minor functionaries to run the government. He also declared a centralized center of government in Angor.
 

THE CONCLAVE OF THE GANGES - Oceanic Pagan

King Rana, Rightful King of the Conclave of the Ganges

Diplomacy: Jihjhoti (nt), Anhivarta (t)

There was a sense of peace throughout the Conclave lands. The Gaur Nation had settled down. There did not appear to be marked unrest in the Eastern neighbor, despite the death of the Queen, and King Rana went ahead with plans to build a port city on the Bay of Bengal in the region of Nadavaria with the blessing of the Gaur Nation. The King and Lord Tinuri both travelled to Nadavaria to oversee the construction of the city which was named Calcutta. The internal trade revenue generated by the new city caused population increases in both Kaunaj and Mathura. Postal roads were laid between Patna and Calcutta and between the regions of Chitor and Gujerat. King Rana issued a proclamation regarding the significance of the new city:

Great citizens loyal to the Conclave,

The new establishment of the great port of Calcutta shall serve as a symbol of your laboring efforts and the resulting enduring prosperity of our culture itself. Through this focal point, we shall have the opportunity to expand the influence of Northern Indian values and foundations for which our society is based with those throughout the seas to the East. In addition, we shall have the opportunity to build upon our contact with those throughout India proper and strengthen those ties we have already developed to the betterment of all. Soon, we shall endeavor to accomplish similar goals with those great nations in the Middle East and Eastern Africa in order to fulfill a unified core of diverse peoples, rich with tradition, able to grow by the peaceful exchange of ideas through trade. The achievements of the Conclave are a testament to you individuals that form the backbone of our ways.

Peace be unto all who follow in your footsteps - your families and friends. For this is but a beginning of the greatness to come.

-Rana, Rightful King of the Conclave of the Ganges

The road system allowed King Rana to extend his realm to the South. He sent a number of diplomats to do his bidding. Prince Apu and Rana's ally from Gujerat went to Jihjhoti. While the ally conducted talks with the locals, Apu seemed more intent on trying to discuss Gujerat's relationship with the Conclave. In the end, the Gujerat ally told him to meet him in Gujerat at another time to discuss this, as he was on the King's business. Similarly, in Anhivarta, while the Vatsa ally schmoozed with the nobility, Lord Guta pestered him about giving up control over his region. Despite the distractions, the two allies made some headway.

The heir, Prince Saj ruled the nation in the King's absence. He suffered through the death of his wife during labor in year 52. But he remarried soon after. His new wife had miscarriages in years 54 and 55.
 

King Rana continued his massive undertaking of linking the the nation by roads. Another postal road was built between the capital and the city of Patna in Chandela. In addition, the King ordered settlers to organize into an urban setting in Vatsa. He named the port city Mathura. The King then settled down to rule the nation. It was a time of peace and prosperity, especially prosperity, as the Conclave's coffers were filled to the brim. The King felt that he needed to invest in the future. He sent messages to his Eastern neighbor, and made arrangements to purchase the rights to certain waterfront property on the coast. Gold exchanged hands and the deal was done.

The King also wished to secure relationships with several of the more peripherally held regions. To that end, he sent Princes Saj and Apu to Gujerat, and Lords Tinuri and Guta to Vatsa. Both endeavors succeeded in securing strong alliances and the pledges of military support by each region.

Prince Apu also married. And there was much rejoicing.
 

THE GAUR NATION (previously The Land of the Tiny Fingers) - Oceanic Pagan

King Sajvala II

Diplomacy: Samatata (nt)

The reign of Queen Matrika Sankata lasted from year 47 to year 52, when she died at the age of 22. There was worry when she had a miscarriage earlier in the year, but she seemed to recover from that without too much difficulty. But then while out riding on the outskirts of the capital, she fell from her horse. She died instantly. But her death was unexpected. She had not had children, nor had any heir been named. There was a tense time in the capital and throughout the land. But Sajvala II, son of the King of that name, had turned 16 in the year of the Queen's death. He rose to the throne without any undo unrest. This may have had something to do with him taking control of the extensive national army. His first command was to return the Kingdom to its nascent name of the Gaur Nation, reflecting the center and heart of the Kingdom. Plus, the new King had remarkably large hands.

The young King took over ruling in the dead Queen's stead. He order the construction of a port city in Maghada which he named Bihar. He married a local woman who had a miscarriage in year 54.

Generals Advaita Acarya and Fateh Chand Sharma went to the wilds of Samatata, where they were able to gain nominal relations with the region. In year 55, Fateh took ill and passed away.
 

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF JAVA - Oceanic Pagan

King Toru Moru

Diplomacy: Utara (t, then revolts), Luzon (ne)

Toru Moru ruled over the Islands from Sunda, his capital. His wife had a miscarriage in year 52, then had a daughter in year 53. This was followed by another miscarriage the next year. The Queen died later that year from natural causes. The King focused his attention on expanding the realm. He sent Captain Plutarch to Utara, where he was very well received, gaining tribute from the nation. But over time, there was unrest in the region. It was felt that Sunda was too far away to understand the needs of the region, despite the King's best efforts to extend his reach to the region. By year 55, the hard won tribute was sent to Java no more and ties were severed.

Toru Moru's ally from Timor headed North to meet up with Prince Jalan Luito in Luzon. But despite aggresive lobbying, they could not convince the region to come under the protection of Java. Prince Jalan spent many hours talking with the Timor ally, complaining of how he should have been named heir to the throne by now, and how he had been sent out to this forsaken place to be kept out of the way until the Queen could whelp some sons. One night, Prince Jalan slipped away. Rumor has it that he has offered his sword for hire.
 

THE KINGDOM OF INDUS - Oceanic Pagan

King Nahen, King of the Scythians

Diplomacy: Abadan (revolts), Punjab (nt), Bauluch (nt), Bandar (nt, then revolts), Mand (nt)
 

King Nahen put more resources to the postal road extending from the homeland to Sukkur. It is expected to be completed soon. He also decided to centralize the government in Indus, the capital city. The King ruled from the capital, and was delighted when his wife gave birth to a daughter in year 51. She unfortunately passed away during a subsequent delivery the following year. The King remarried, but his new wife had a miscarriage in year 55. The King received a gift from the Kingdom of Punt in the form of the traitorous Garallen's corpse, minus the eyes. This was shortly followed by an announcement of an alliance between Punt and Indus (see PUNT). Garallen's head was impaled on a spike outside the gates of Indus and left there to rot.

Off the topic of decaying flesh, Indus was active diplomatically. Prince Amiran was sent to the North, where he was able to gain some acknowledgement from the regions of Punjab and Bauluch. Lord Farinallen, meanwhile travelled to Mand and Bandar for diplomatic talks.

But again unrest struck in the periphery of the Kingdom. This time Nahan's luck did not hold, as Abadan revolted against the puppet government set up in the region. In addition, Bandar and renounced the arrangement that Farinallen had been able to reach with them. The King realized that either he must build more roads, or get help in running the government, or more regions were to revolt.
 

THE KARA-KHATAI KINGDOM - Asiatic Pagan

King Orion

Diplomacy: Kophat Dagh (ne), Singanakh (f), Kush (c), Tadzik (f), Gurgan (hs)

Samarhkand continued to grow in size. In addition, trade along the Silk Road, now reaching to the Jinn Dynasty, had gathered enough merchants and tradesmen in Bactria that a new city was formed, Sakkur. King Orion ordered the building of an additional city in Kwarzim to house the Kara-Khatai univerity (KKU?). He ruled over one of the largest nations in the world! The Queen gave birth to a daughter in year 52 after a miscarriage the previous year.

Diplomatic efforts were highly successful internally, but less so outside the nation. Prince Zoltan and Lord Riff went to discuss politics with the Kara-Khatai allies in Tadzik and Singanakh, respectively. Both were able to convince these regions to formally join the Kingdom. Lord Quon went to Kush, but was only able to get them to recognize that Kara-Khatai had a vague claim of the region. In the desert regions of Kophat Dagh and Gurgan things were more difficult. In both, the Kingdom's representatives had to battle the heat of the desert, where they stuck out like sore thumbs. They did not generate a sense of overwhelming confidence. In addition, language barriers made things difficult. In Kophat Dagh, Prince Garth was simply unsuccessful. But in Gurgan, Lord Zeno met a hostile response. He was forced to flee back to Turkmen, sustaining a sword wound to his leg during the mad dash to escape.
 

THE KINGDOM OF PERSIA - Asiatic Pagan

King Ardavan

Diplomacy: Mesopotamia (revolts), Diyala (t), Ahvaz (c)

With the migration of the Mesopotamians, the Silk Road Treaty certainly was void. King Ardavan knew that the land previously occupied by the Mesopotamians was some of the most fertile in the known world. He also realized that the land was likely to revert to steppelands if the soil were not tilled and crops were not planted. He decided to send a number of Persians to the region of Mesopotamia to take control of the region. He sent his heir, Prince Zand with a small army to the region with some settlers. On the way South, the Prince stopped in Diyala to wed a local noblewoman. This was part of a diplomatic package being presented to the Diyalan people. He then travelled to Mesopotamia. Zand had little difficulty establishing some farming communities along the fertile valleys of Mesopotamia.

After the royal wedding, Kaspon spent significant time in the region building trust between the locals and the Persians. He was able to secure tribute for his efforts. To his Southeast, Prince Farzeen laid claim to the region of Ahvaz, then met up with Kaspon in Diyala.

The Crown Prince then returned to Diyala to sue for converts to the Asiatic Pagan ways. But he was unable to bring any of his wife's people to see the light. He returned to the homeland with his bride.

At home, King Ardavan had been ruling the nation from Persepolis. HIs wife Ilia had a daughter in year 52, but died of fever shortly thereafter. The King remarried a young woman from the capital, and after two miscarriages, she gave birth to a girl in year 55. The King was also busy building a postal road to the West across the mountains into Media. But the road was not yet complete, and the new colony in Mesopotamia realized that they had a wonderful home, and that, in time, they could rise to greatness. They saw Persia not as their home, but rather as their master. And a master far away at that. They split off from Persia in year 55, claiming their independence.
 

THE KINGDOM OF MESOPOTAMIA - Judaism

ELIMINATED

Diplomacy: Jordan (colonized to f, then revolts)

"It can not work, Your Majesty," said Kameel, General of the Mesopotamian army. At least what is left of it.

"But it can work, my dear Kameel," explained the Queen, "They are likely to expect our attack from the South, near their capital. By moving up the Arabian peninsula, we can catch them by surprise and take Mansura before their forces can react."

"And what about the Pirates of Rhodes?", asked the General.

"Do you not see, if we strike first, then they will be forced to counterattack. They must either come from the sea, or cross the river. Either way we will have a tactical advantage," said the Queen, "Plus we have all the people."

"But they are not hardened fighters!"

"Do not underestimate the Mesopotamian women and old men," said Queen Raina, "For while they could not take part in a coordinated offensive, if we establish them in the region, they will be a formidable force to extract. We may yet be able to win ourselves a homeland."

So the Wandering Mesopotamian Jews moved up the peninsula. In order to have control over additional lands, Raina ordered a number of settlers to remain in the wilds of Jordan. They then pushed on, hoping to catch the Punt forces by surprise. Kameel had great doubts that Punt would completely strip its Northern regions, but he kept these to himself. Perhaps had he been a better commander, he would have realized the folly of this plan, but fate did not shine down upon him.

In the early months of year 54, the fateful attack occurred. After struggling through the desert, the Mesopotamian army, numbering under 500 men tried to catch the Punt forces napping. Unfortunately, there were hundreds upon hundreds of Punt troops in the region. Kameel realized almost immediately that there was no place to run. He tried to lead his men to a position that would allow them to defend the wagon trains coming up behind them, but it was impossible. His position was overwhelmed. As his men were slaughtered around him, he saw the Punt soldiers crashing into the last remains of the Mesopotamian people, decimating them. He watched as the nation he served died before his eyes.

Few of the Jewish people of Mesopotamia survived. Those that did were able to slowly establish themselves in cities across the world, albeit in small numbers. But never would they gather again as the Kingdom of Mesopotamia.
 

THE MONARCHY OF PATZINAK - Asiatic Pagan

King Alexander II

Diplomacy: none

The surrounding countryside again braced for raids from the riders of Patzinak. But the most recent losses appeared to be too much for King Nicklas. He did not send out raiders. In fact, he was quite content to remain at home and warm himself by the fire. It was by the fire that he was found in year 53, dead. More concerning than his actual death was that he had not named an heir to the throne. There was a young Prince, Alexander II, son of the King of the same name, who was only 17. But as there were no other candidates, he would have to do. Alexander II was installed as King of the Monarchy of Patzinak.

Some of his allies who had moderately large armies bristled at the idea of following the boy-King. But they held their tongues and kept their swords sheathed (for the moment).
 

THE KINGDOM OF CARCHEMISH - African Pagan

King Mathison

Diplomacy: none

King Mathison ruled over his nation. The Queen had a miscarriage in year 51, and died of complications of childbirth the following year. The King remarried, but had no children. There was large numbers of people unemployed, but to date is had not affected the economy.
 

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF RHODES - Oracle of Delphi

King Agis

Diplomacy: none; Thinis (pt)

As the perceived risk to the Kingdom was less, King Agis hired slightly fewer mercenaries. These were kept at home in case of attack. The King ruled over his nation, spending the majority of his efforts at peacefully converting the remaining Amen-Ra followers to the True Path. He sent Prince Agamemnon to Egypt, Prince Phillipedees to Crete and General Periander to Thinis. The efforts in Egypt and Thinis were unsuccessful, but a moderate number of Pagans in Crete were converted.

By the time word had arrived to the nation of the ill-fated Mesopotamian attack in Mansura, the dust had settled, and there was no enemy left to fight. The Punt defenses had apparently met the attack with extreme prejudice.

The Queen gave birth to daughters in years 52 and 55. And the Seer of Delphi, currently working for the Rhodian government was sent to GLOD in Himmelskstad to study, but despite years of study, was not able to gain any information of value to the Kingdom. A port area was built in Crete.
 

THE KINGDOM OF TROY - Oracle of Delphi

King Theseus

Diplomacy: Pontus (t), Baeler (c)

King Hector ruled over Troy. The capital city saw unprecedented growth, remaining the largest city in the area. Hector sent Prince Prometheus to Pontus to both seek a wife and to negotiate with the locals. The Prince did as he was ordered, and was able to secure tribute from the region before he passed away in year 52 from fever.

At the same time, Prince Theseus was in Baeler in the Med, trying to vie with the Granadan contingent over the city. He received an urgent message to return home due to the death of King Hector. Although not formally declared as heir, Theseus was looked to by the nation to assume the throne. He did so without problem. One of the new King's first commands was to organize the population along the coast of Lydia into a port city. He named it Pergamum.
 

THE KINGDOM OF GREECE - Oracle of Delphi

Queen Delphinia Zecharias

Diplomacy: Bulgaria (f, then revolts)

Queen Delphinia again concentrated the nation's diplomatic efforts in the region of Bulgaria. This was greatly supported by the international recognition that Greece was getting due to the Queen's just and even rule. Lord Zander remained in the region, and was able bring it into the country completely.

Things were otherwise quiet in the nation. The Queen ruled over the land. Prince Robert, the heir, spent some time with his wife, who had a daughter in year 51. He then concentrated on the defense of the Kingdom. Word reached Athens that Lord Nathaniel had died while at sea in year 54. But in year 55, despite the great effort put forward by Queen Delphinia, there was a local coup. The new leadership sent word over the mountains that Bulgaria would be its own master. Zander was able to go into hiding and avoid any unpleasantness.
 

THE ORACLES OF DELPHI - Oracle of Delphi

Oracle Stella Nifara of Delphi

Diplomacy: Attica (ca), Isauria (ne)

The weight of being Oracle of Delphi can not be measured in human terms. For to be Oracle is to hold the entire world on your shoulders. This is what Xander Pollus had come to realize. Never before had she felt so tired. But she had to look after the financial interests of Delphi. She made every effort to secure a tithe from the Seer in Punt, but so many little things kept getting in the way. In the end she put it off. But at the end of year 51, while returning from leading a service at the most holy of sites, she experience a crushing sensation in her chest, as if the full weight of the World had indeed come upon her. The pain lasted for only a few minutes, before it was replaced with a serene calm as her life left her body, crushed by the weight of her responsibility.

For the second time in a decade, a new Oracle had to be selected. All thoughts turned to Justine of Rhodes. Again, there was shock and dismay when Stella Nifara was chosen. Who are mortal men to question the wisdom of the Gods? Oracle Stella had been in Isauria, where extremely poor coordination led to the abandonment of plans for a church in the region. Upon becoming Oracle, she moved on to Egypt, but not generally considered to be very congenial, she was unable to make any progress in converting the locals. She returned to Delphi, beginning to feel the weight that Xander Pollus had known so well. Even the missionaries sent to mouth of the Nile reported no success.

The one bright spot in this difficult time was the neverending dedication to the Oracle of Delphi shown by Seer Justine of Rhodes. For almost 5 years, she labored to bring a cathedral to Attica. This being done, she returned to Delphi to pay homage to her new Oracle.
 

THE KINGDOM OF UNITED LITHUANIA-UKRAINE (KULU) - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Nicholas II

Diplomacy: none

Things were quiet in KULU. King Nicholas II ruled his nation in peace. The DOG/RC clashes to the far West did not affect his nation. The nation mourned as Prince Geoffrey, heir to the throne, died in year 53.
 

THE UNITED TRIBES OF THE FOREST KINGDOM (UTFK) - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Nikoli, Bearsticker

Diplomacy: Latvia (a)

King Nikoli was struck by a funny smell on passing the kitchens, and went to inquire as to the source o fthe stench. He was always worried about the health of his troops and was worried that offal was being fed to them. On closer inspection, the kitchen was clean, but a rather disheveled man clutching a turnip was found to be emitting the odor. Covered with dirt and warts, hideous to look at, but intriguing all the same.

"Ahhh, it is as fortold by my Grandfather. A man of the Earth will assault the bear's nose, and then act as his guide. In his hands shall be held the food of the peoples," exclaimed the King, "Have this man cleaned and send him to my quarters immediately."

And thus Baldric came to take over as the King's trusted right-hand man.

The man, Baldric, was so taken with the King's generosity that he swore undying loyalty to his liege. Then, cleaned up and made presentable, travelled to the region of Latvia. There he was able to convince the local leadership that turnips would be the solution to the local farmers' crop problems. Not only were turnips planted and harvested throughout the region, but Latvia became a staunch ally of the UTFK.

The Druid, Gimli, was overheard in a tavern talking to two other men. Gimli had been sent by the DOG Church to aid the UTFK in any way possible. But in snatches of the overheard conversation, it was reported that he was quite incensed.

"I will have her back!!!", it is said he cried, "And no Papal sucking wolf is going to hold her in!". The two others with him supposedly tried to calm him down.

"We must be patient," said one of the others at the table.

"Damn patience," replied Gimli.

"We must have a plan and act accordingly," said the third, "Perhaps there is a way." Further conversation was spoken too quietly to be heard, but the three were later seen riding South. Gimli was later seen in Meissen.

The King ruled over the nation, then joined Baldric in Latvia. But his help was not needed, the region hailed Baldric as a savior. Prior to his departure, the Queen had had a miscarriage in year 51. That same year, the body of Prince Durin was returned home by the Kingdom of Bavaria. The Queen gave birth to a healthy daughter in year 53, but the joy of that birth was shadowed by the death of Prince Kamal, the heir, also while in the Kingdom of Bavaria.

In  year 53, it was reported that Dirk of Daugava, a feudal ally of the UTFK died. His son took over in his place. The Holy City of Himmelskstad, under UTFK control, increased in size, and a large number of foreign students came to study at the GLOD.
 

   DRUIDS OF THE OLDE GODS  - Druids of the Olde Gods

Lilith, Gothrithar of the Druids, beloved of the Gods

Diplomacy: Veposkava (ab), Denmark (ch), Novgorod (ne), Lorien (ch), Smolensk (ch)

Lilith was anxious for a number of reasons. But most of all she was concerned with the spiritual health of the far Western followers of the Druids. She realized that she must expand her reach across the Dvina to be able to provide guidance to the DOG people in the West. And so began an arduous trek that brought her as far West as the shores of the Green Tribe (where the King met with her, but declined her offers of conversion). She then went to the difficult region of Denmark. But having sent missionaries ahead of her, she was able to fully bring the region into the fold prior to her arrival. She then set up a church in the region, marking the first direct connection to the Alban people. Another church was built in Lorien, the capital of the UTFK. She then returned to the Eastern shores of the Dvina and established a church in Smolensk. An abbey was built in Veposkava, but her efforts in Novgorod were for naught.

In addition to Denmark, DOG missionaries were sent to talk with some of the tribes of the Cuman Horde that maintained their pagan ways. These missionaries reported no progress. But late in year 55, a pair of bedraggled travellers, a young man and an older woman, entered the Holy City. Without stopping, they went to the Holy Grove and made an offering of the finest Mendhar Bark. The older Druid (as they were both obviously such) had a stout staff of the finest wood. Yet it was unpolished. In fact, it was not quite a staff. It was a branch, with several twigs and golden leaves still attached.

After completing the ritual, the two road weary voyagers turned to the Druid assigned to guard the Holy Grove.

"Do you not recognize one of your own, my dear," asked the one with the staff, "It is I, Aelfgifu, returned with a bough of World Tree. Our quest is complete." With that both of them slumped to the ground exhausted. It was only later that the full tale was told.

Aelfgifu and Dimitri left Yaroslav behind them and travelled to the Southeast. They journeyed for months on end through Kostrama, Kirov, Bolgar, Nagai, and Ghuzz. Then they faced a great challenge in the region of Kal' Sary. For crossing the desert they had run out of water. For days they journeyed, until the scorching sun that baked their skins took hold of their minds. For out in the distant haze, there appeared a shadow. Despite a strong wind behind them, the mist approached. As it grew closer, they saw words written in the sky. Part mad with thirst and hunger, they stared at the ghostly words for hours, perhaps days, committing each one to memory. The words were in a language that neither had ever heard before. Despite not knowing their meaning, both Aelfgifu and Dimitri could recite them without a moments hesitation. Yet they did not, for they knew that they were words of power.

They knew not how long they languished there under the harsh face of the sun. Time had no meaning. Then out of the East came riders. They surrounded the two and took them. They were sun-blinded and incoherent, and could not protest.

Again time passed. When Aelfgifu was able to focus her eyes again, she found Dimitri asleep beside her. They were in an oasis, surrounded by armed men. Rough warriors looked at Aelfgifu and began making sinister, snickering gestures to each other. Then one, a leader of some sort, came forward and began asking questions of her in a gutteral language. When she tried to answer in the Norse language of the Druids or the Angle language of her birth, she was struck with the back of the man's hand. This happened so often, that Aelfgifu could barely see straight. It was then that the misty words came to her mind. She uttered the phrases that had been burned into her memory, words of which she did not know the meaning, words which caused all the warriors surrounding her to stare at her with gaping mouths. She became startled at the effect she had had. For many of the armed men inched away from her. The leader sent another man away. He returned with an old wizened elder, who motioned encouragingly to Aelfgifu.

She repeated the words. The elder thought for many minutes before making some pronouncement to the gathered warriors. They began to murmur amonst themselves. Food and water were brought and Dimitri was soon revived. The next year was a blur, as the two Druids travelled with the band of men. The elder man, obviously a cleric of some sort, slowly taught her their language. He mainly communicated with through repetition of numerous songs. There were nine that he adamantly forced her to memorize exactly. She soon learned that they were words of great power and import to these people. Her benefactor was called Oshaglanath, which meant he who surrounds the sun. For the sun was the symbol of all knowledge, and Oshaglanah knew all the lore of these people. It was he who parcelled out that knowledge. He was both the protector of the secret knowledge and the guide for his people.

The nine songs that Aelfgifu learned spoke of the Bashaarah, the true source of all knowledge. When she asked what it was, she was startled to learn that it was a tree. A tree with roots so deep and vast that they stretched to the four corners of the world. Could this be the tree for which she searched?

She asked of any references to an Isle or Tigil, but the old man could not help her. When she asked where the tree was, he said that he had already told her it stretched from the four corners of the world. One day, Dimitri innocently wondered what the leaves of such a tree would look like. Oshaglanah answered that they were golden, even in Spring. They only turned green for a few days every hundred years, a time known as Ach lev Tibril. Aelfgifu stopped short. When she asked how the elder knew, she was told that he had taken fruit from the tree and it was from that source that he had all his knowledge. He went to the tree during Ach lev Tibril and was gifted with the wisdom of the people. Aelfgifu said that she thought the tree was everywhere. The old man looked at her questioningly and remarked that the roots were everywhere, the trunk and branches were to the South of the Kara Kum Desert. With the quest back on track, the two voyagers parted with the nomads and made their way South.

They passed through the deserts of Khazakh and then briefly through the Kara-Khatai Kingdom, until they came to the region of Gurgan. They journeyed through the region, as often singing the nine songs of the nomads as talking in their native tongues. While singing of the great giant Hostrova who would appear in the desert and provide guidance, they stopped suddenly. For before them rose a huge stone, four times the height of Dimitri. It was carved in the shape of a man, gazing off to the West. They knew that this must be Hostrova. They waited patiently for guidance, but none was forthcoming.

It was then that Aelfgifu began to recite Velhoija's passages that first set their feet upon this quest.

The Words of Velhoija

140. I know that I hung, on a wind-rocked tree, nine whole nights,
and to Gods offered myself to myself;
on that tree, of which no man may know its spring.

141. Bread no one gave me, nor a horn of drink,
downward I peered, to runes applied myself,
wailing learnt them, then fell down thence.

142. Potent songs nine, from the framed sun I learned
of Bosheva, Ostroma's Isle, and a draught obtained
of the precious mead, drawn from spring of Tigil.

Aelfgifu believed that the first stanza referred to their first clue of the Veposkavan warrior who denied themselves food and drink for nine day before being "pure" enough to pray to their pagan gods. She then realized that the second stanza described their experiences in the desert and the mystical words that they had learned. The framed sun? He who surrounds the sun!!! She had learned nine songs from Oshaglanah! But what of Bosheva and Ostroma? And the spring of Tigil? Bosheva... Bosheva...Bashaarah? Could Bosheva be a reference to the tree itself? Perhaps. Dimitri pointed out that Ostroma sounded an aweful lot like Hostrova. But where in the desert would they find an Isle. The searched around the stone looking for clues without success.

They rested there, often following the giants gaze to the West. Perhaps his eyes could see... his eyes?.. his Isles?... Could Velhoija have been so far off? Perhaps they were to follow Hostrova's eyes, not Ostroma's Isle. They immediately set off. For many days they marched across the desert, surviving using techniques they learned with the nomads. As the Spring came upon the desert, they came upon a stream. Inexplicably, there was water flowing through the stream bed. Impossible in this climate. Without a word, they continued on.

It appeared before them. Massive. Reaching up to the sky (and down to the four corners of the world). The leaves were a deep rich green, not the golden they had expected. It must be Ach lev Tibril! As they approached, a voice heard only in the mind commanded them to stop.

"For what purpose do you, Aelfgifu of Durham and Dimitri of the Forest Kingdom, come to seek my knowledge?"

"To serve the Gods and peoples of the North," replied Aelfgifu, "May I take of your fruit, so that I may plant your seed in the Sacred Grove of Himmelskstad?"

"But I am already in Himmelskstad... and in Lorien... and in London... and in Beijing... and in Sunda. My fruit is not for you to sow."

"But we have come so far, and through so much," said Dimitri.

"Patience, my child," said the voice, "For I will give you a great Talisman that will guide you and give you great knowledge. You may take a branch. But know this. It may be cut once and only once. And that cut may be only from my trunk. Once removed it must never be shaped by the hands of mankind. And before you may cut from the World Tree, you must be prepared to heal the wound that you will cause."

Aelfgifu knew that the answer must lie in the last portion of the final verse. The precious mead from the Spring of Tigil. But where was Tigil. She glanced at the stream that travelled up the base of the tree and disappeared, only to reappear on the other side.

"What is the name of this stream?", she asked hopefully.

"It is the Fleinshristall. Its origin in the top of the world and it drains into the Endless Sea."

Dejected, Aelfgifu stared at the green leaves on the tree, disappointed that the stream was not the answer. She idly thought of how fortunate it was that they should arrive in the Spring of Ach lev Tibril. She stopped and smiled. Cupping her hands, she scooped up a handful of the water and approached the World Tree.

"I will apply this precious mead taken from the Fleinshristall, in the SPRING of Ach lev TIBRIL!", she cried as she poured the water over a low hanging branch.

"And so it shall be," said the voice. The branch fell from the tree and Aelfgifu picked it up.

Then began the trek home. They journeyed for almost nine years. And it took over a year to return. But they returned with a branch of the World Tree.
 

THE WARRIOR CLANS OF CUMAN - Druids of the Olde Gods

Clan Chief Ahman

Diplomacy: Tver ally (ne), Kur Horde Block (ne)

The Warrior Clans under Agram II were lacking in motivation. They travelled the wilderness East of the Dvina River. When they crossed into Rhzev, many of the Pagan warriors felt certain that they would begin looting and pillaging the weak settled peoples that lived in these lands. But rather than fight, there was more talk. This time from missionaries of the DOG Church. They spent time trying to convince the Suzdal Clans of the benefits of the Druidic faith. But the Suzdal ally would have none of it. He wanted to find plunder, not God.

In year 53, Agram II died. Ahman, Agram II's brother took control of the Clans, naming his other brother as heir. The Pagan allies remained with the Warrior Clans, hopeful that Ahman would bring them the glory they sought.

Ahman spent some time talking to the Tver Chieftain, but their religious differences made such discussions useless. When Ahman tried to recruit the Clans of Kur (a small isolated block), he found that the local tribesmen were not rallied behind a local leader, and were unwilling to leave their grazing lands.
 

THE KINGDOM OF THE SVEAR - Oracle of Delphi

Queen Runa of Giantstock

Diplomacy: Gotland (f), Saarema (fa)

Queen Runa ruled over the Svear Kingdom. She began a project to increase the size of Ivarhold. Prince Ymir was sent to Gotland and was able to bring the Island region fully into the Kingdom. Torkell Dark Eye went to Saarema and gained a feudal commitment from the isle. Lord Sven died in year 51, as well.
 

THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Chlodocech

Diplomacy: Languedoc (c); Orleans (revolts, now aw)

The city of Paris was rapidly becoming a beacon of culture in Europe. The city continued to grow without bounds. In addition, the city of Dijon was built in Burgundy. King Chlodocech ruled over the land without difficulty. The King received word that his feudal ally in Normandy passed away in year 51, but the son swore fealty on bended knee.

Some trouble did arise just South of the homeland. General Lotharin had been ordered to move on to Languedoc with his army. Upon leaving the region of Orleans, the locals rose up in revolt. The General proceeded to Languedoc, where he laid claim to the region on behalf of his King.

Chlodocech had also sent Prince Carloman to the Druidic city of Himmelskstad to study at the new library there. But the Prince grew to like life in the city, and gave up any claim to the French crown to live among the locals. The Kingdom was rocked by the news of the deaths of two of old King Childeric I's sons. They were 23 and 25 years old when they died in year 55.
 

THE KINGDOM OF LORRAINE - Oracle of Delphi

King Harold

Diplomacy: Westphalia (made fa, then a), Champagne (ea)

The Kingdom was flourishing since its conversion to OD. As a reward for his service, King Harold, gave the region of Westphalia to Lord William, who swore fealty to Harold. William retired after a few years and his son took over. Prince Alfred, the heir, spent a large amount of time with the young man, and convinced him to strengthen his ties to Lorraine. Economic ties were gained with Champagne, as well. Although Lord Theodemir died during the negotiations in year 54.

At home, the King ruled the nation. His wife suffered through two miscarriages in year 51 and 52, before having daughters in each of the three years following. The final delivery proved too much for her, though, and she passed away. The King remarried (mainly to have someone watch over all these little girls!). During this time, the cities of Snits and Graanaran grew in size.
 

THE KINGDOM OF BAVARIA  - Roman Catholic

King Franz

Diplomacy: Slovenia (f), Moravia (f)

In a concerted effort for religious purity, King Franz ordered Lord Klaus to go to Moravia and remove the last vestiges of Paganism from the nation. Klaus was very successful, but it took the importation of a number of priests from the national church to fully remove the last of the Pagans from Bavaria. The heir, Prince Gustav II, was able to gain full control of the region for Bavaria.

Franz meanwhile ruled over one of the only purely RC nations in the world. The King ordered the construction of the port city of Trieste in Slovenia on the Adriatic Sea. Further, until his death in year 54, Lord Gunther worked tirelessly to bring Slovenia fully into the Kingdom. The King announced that the city of Thurin would be renamed Leipzig.

Prince Hans spent many hours in military training with the Bavarian army.

But again, curious things were happening close to home. A messenger brought a concerning message to the King in year 51.

"Sire, It is about Prince Durin of UTFK."

"Yes, my people tell me that he is in Bohemia, as are Prince Kamal and one of their priests. What of it?", asked the King somewhat annoyed.

"He was found dead, three weeks ago, your Majesty."

This was most concerning. For Bavaria did not desire an international incident with the UTFK. As a curtesy, the Prince's body was sent back to UTFK. But three years later, when the King received another message that Prince Kamal, the heir to the UTFK throne, had also been found dead in Bohemia, he grew even more concerned. Again, the Prince was returned to his people. Why were all these UTFK people in Bohemia? The King would have to consider closing the border between the two nations, as obviously, the Forest People could not survive well in the wilds of Northeast Bavaria.
 

KINGDOM OF ALBA - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Hamish

Diplomacy: Denmark (ea)

King Hamish was determined to bring the region of Denmark back into the fold. Previous military attempts had not gone very well. So for now, he put away the stick and offered the carrot. A flood of influential leaders of Alba visited the region. Each dedicating a certain amount of time to talking about the many blessings brought about by the Druids. Some leaders' words were not well received. Others, such as Prince Kyle and Awliff, the Shetland ally, were able to bring converts to the DOG. DOG Church missionaries flooded the region, and completed the conversion. But King Hamish wanted more than the souls of Denmark for the DOG. He also wanted the region for himself. So he arranged to wed the young daughter of one of the local nobles, and after leaving for the capital, a concerted effort was put forward by the remaining leaders led by Lord Blaine. They were markedly successful, and the former rebellious region was now a stauch economic contributor to Alba.

Upon arriving back in Scone, the King was proud to see that the city was growing into the largest cosmopolitan center in the area. His young wife however had some difficulty adapting to the area, and some say this led to her miscarriage in year 52.
King Malcolm ruled over the Kingdom of Alba from his palace in Scone. The city continued to grow. So much so that Malcolm felt it prudent to protect the major elemets of the government, not to mention his family, behind massive fortifications. So in a corner of the city, a great fortress was erected, with one impenetrable wall facing the sea. In a few years, the city grew so much that it encompassed the fortress, and it became what would be the final line of defense for the city. During this time, the queen had no children.
 

THE KINGDOM OF AVALON - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Broon

Diplomacy: Gwynned (f); Portugal (revolts, then p)

King Mordred began plans to build up the Kingdom internally. He began a royal road between the cities of London and Oakham. He also ordered the commencement of construction of a new Port City in Wessex. It would be years until these two projects were completed. Unfortunately, in the year 52, King Brinn and the Queen were riding in the royal carriage with Princess Kytra, the wife of Prince Broon, and Princess Sabina, Mordred's 12 year old daughter, when one of the spokes of the carriage collapsed. The horse panicked and tried to bolt. The royal carriage proceeded to tip over killing all aboard. The nation was shocked to lose so many nobles at one time.

Prince Broon immediately took the throne, and after a period of mourning, remarried. His new wife had a daughter in year 54, and a miscarriage the following year. Prince Oak was named heir by King Broon. In Gwynned, Prince Brinn was sent on a diplomatic mission with the aid of Prince Rupert. The princes had great success as Gynned was brought fully into Avalon.

But not all in the Iberian peninsula were happy with King Broon's rise to power. The Portuguese rebelled against the authority of London, enticing the small number of fortified positions to join them. Luckily, Lord Krom was in the region ready to react to any RC threat to the Avalonian holdings. Little did he suspect that he would be leading his men into battle against the very people he had been ordered to protect. But leading about 2000 men, less than half on horse, he attacked the poorly led rebels. Concern over the field forts led him to be somewhat cautious. Opposing him in the field were 1000 cavalry, over 500 infantry, and another 600 men behind fortifications. But seeing that the cavalry was poorly arranged, he managed to charge through the opposing light horse and get in among the infantry units. After a brief skirmish, where Krom lost merely 200 light infantry and the enemy receiving several times more casualties, the Portuguese rebels retreated. Krom quickly ordered his men to garrison the region to quell further dissent.
 

THE KINGDOM OF DURHAM  - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Ian

Diplomacy: none

After almost a decade of running the government from outside her capital city, Queen Fiona decided to retake the city by force. In case the city had built walls, she ordered Earl Robert Guilford to bring the navy up from their temporary port in Oakham in the nation of Avalon to blockade the city. Meanwhile, Prince Ian, who had been named heir to the throne, gathered almost 2500 men to assault the city. But no walls protected the city, and both the navy and the army fell upon the hapless defenders. In the end, 600 men who took up arms against the Queen's forces were killed, and the city pacified.

Leaving a sizeable garrison behind, Prince Ian travelled to Mercia to oversee the building of a new city in the region named Nottingham. The Queen moved her court back to the capital, while armed men patrolled the streets to keep order. The Queen remarried, but suffered a miscarriage in year 51. In year 53, the nation was thrown into disarray after Queen Fiona died in childbirth. The pandemonium quieted once Prince Ian returned to the capital with the army and took the throne. The transition was peaceful in the end.

In Lothian, Earl Theobalt Harland walked amongst the pagans, preaching the words of the Druids. He was markedly successful, as the Druids held sway with almost half the populace.
 

THE GREEN TRIBE - European Pagan

King Arthur

Diplomacy: none

King Arthur continued work on increasing the size of Waterford. The nation suffered from drought over the last several years. Otherwise the nation was quite.
 

THE KINGDOM OF GRANADA - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Phillip

Diplomacy: Baelar (ne); Catalonia (f)

It was a time of rebuilding for the Kingdom of Granada. As the Kingdom adjusted to its new conquests, the capital, Ipo, grew in size. King Phillip left Catalonia when reinforcements arrived and returned home to rule over the nation. He gave orders for resources to be put towards rebuilding the city of Barce-Lona, but he renamed the city Druidia. Upon returning home, the King and his wife were blessed with daughters in years 51 and 52. But it was also a time for sorrow. In year 51, Prince Alasayo's wife died. In year 54, the Queen died in childbirth. Both King and Prince remarried; the new Queen had a miscarriage in year 55.

Prince Alasayo and Lord Tabor III (who had quickly left the in hospitable island of Sardinia), went to the city of Baeler in the Baelerics, where they negotiated with the locals. Several things of note occured during this time. Representatives from Troy arrived. They were somewhat more persuasive than the Granadan delegation despite leaving early due to the death of the Trojan King. Despite having greater access to the local leaders, Granada was unable to make any gains. This may have been due to the untimely death of Tabor III in year 54. In the end, Troy won a minimal commitment from the city. This was more than compensated by the rapid acceptance of the Catalonians of their new religion. Not only did they fully adopt the DOG faith, but they came to accept the Grandan way of life. The region was fully assimilated into the nation.

The final event that occured in the Kingdom was the severe drought in year 55. This caused about 1/4 of the harvest to be lost. This did not markedly affect the Kingdom, as stores greatly exceeded demand.
 

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - Roman Catholic

Pope Pious I

Diplomacy: none

The RC Church took a passive role in the affairs of the world. Some felt it due to the loss of the Kingdom of Catalonia five years before. Others to the untimely death of Pope Richelieu in year 51. Surprisingly, Cardinal K. Scipio was again passed over for the role of Pontiff, as the Seat of St. Peter was given to Pious I. No comment was forthcoming from the Vatican over the civil war to the North.
 

THE DUCHY OF LOMBARDY - Roman Catholic

King Gunther

Diplomacy: Provence (t); Lombardy (revolts), Milan (revolts), Verona (revolts), Venice (revolts), Tuscany (revolts), Romagna (revolts)

King Otto ruled the nation from his capital in Milan. He proudly ordered the construction of the city of Turin in Savoy. With this increased urbanization, the Duchy left it old barbarous ways behind (although this is difficult to tell given the events that followed). The King also worked tirelessly to bring enlightenment to the people of Verona. He sent both Prince Erik and Lord Ademar to the region to preach the gospel. These two gentlemen (in Verona) were quite successful, converting the majority of the populace to Roman Catholicism. Prince Gunther, the heir, was sent to Provence to negotiate with the locals. The death of the Pope was met with mild concern.

But in year 54, Otto became quite ill. He died in the early winter months. Never knowing that his passing would lead to CIVIL WAR in Lombardy.
 
 

As word spread of the death of King Otto, the message was received in the West by Prince Gunther who had just finished arranging tribute to be sent from Provence to Lombardy. The Prince heard rumor that Lord Ademar was marching on the capital with an army at his back. Gunther quickly crossed the Alps into Savoy, securing the loyalty of both the region and the new city for the Crown (his Crown, in fact). But despite travelling without any troops, he was unable to get to Milan before Ademar. Prince, now King, Gunther had not heard of where Prince Erik stood on the issue of the succession, but he felt that he must push on to challenge Ademar for his birthright. He knew he could not turn to Rome for support, given the lack of activity following Pope Richelieu's death.

Upon entering the region of Lombardy, he saw evidence that Ademar was in firm control of the region. With no army to fight with, and knowning the defenses of the region, Gunther felt that his only chance was to sneak into the capital and try to find allies among the Lombardy army. But while gaining access to the city was not problematic, finding anyone still loyal to the rightful King was. It seems that Ademar had replaced any of the usual city guards with his own men. He was finally spotted, in a tavern often frequented by soldiers. In a brief clash, the King received a wound to the shoulder. He dashed off into the crowded streets, and after a desparate chase, he was cornered in an alley. He drew his sword waiting for his pursuers to catch up with him, fully willing to die fighting for his nation. But a local tanner, loyal to the crown, saw Gunther and quickly ushered him through a door into his shop and hid him from the city guards. Later that night, the King slipped out of Milan and made his way back to Savoy.

In the new city of Turin, the King was able to establish a temporary capital. He tended his wounds, and made plans to seek vengeance on Ademar and his rebels. News began to trickle in that Tuscany had revolted from the nation, and Verona and Romagna and the cities of Milan and Venice were in the hands of the enemy. But the rest of the nation remained loyal
 

THE KINGDOM OF MILAN - Roman Catholic

King Ademar

Diplomacy: Lombardy (hm), Milan (f), Verona (nt), Venice (f), Romagna (f)

Ademar had been in Verona for a number of years, with a large army under his control. He and Prince Erik had been spending numerous years converting the Pagans to Catholicism. Often had he thought of returning to Milan as a conqueror, but King Otto of Lombardy had always kept a large army at home. And as long as the King lived, that army would remain loyal to him. But then, at the end of year 54, a messenger arrived from Milan with word of the King's death. With the death of the Pope several years before, there was little to stop Ademar's dreams of conquest.

"Who else has heard word of this?," Ademar asked of the messenger.

"None but yourself, Milord," answered the exhausted man, "I was told to deliver this directly to either you or Prince Erik."

"You have done well," said Ademar, pouring the man a glass of wine, "Here, drink this and rest. I will make sure the Prince receives the message."

The messenger gratefully accepted the glass and drank deeply, barely noticing the slightly bitter taste. Minutes later, the man fell to the ground and took several gasping breaths before he died. Any sounds of alarm he would have made were muffled by Ademar's boot over his neck.

Several minutes later after removing the corpse, he ordered a page to ask Prince Erik to join him. When the Prince entered,  Ademar came up behind him and plunged a dagger into his left side, angled upward to cut deep into his heart. Erik died a quick but ghastly death. But now, there was nothing to stop Ademar... King Ademar... from marching on Milan.

But mobilizing an army took some time. Fearful that Prince Gunther, heir to the Lombardy throne would beat him to the capital, he made every effort to get underway. By Spring of year 55 he was in control of Lombardy and Milan. No sign of Gunther had been seen. Knowing that it would only be a matter of time, Ademar arranged for only those loyal to him would have positions of importance in Milan. Weeks later he learned that Gunther had been spotted in the city. He had been bloodied, but escaped. King Ademar ordered the arrest and execution of all of the Royal family that had been left in Milan. But four members of the Royal Family escaped to Savoy. The region of Romagna also joined the rebellion.
 

 THE SULTANATE OF MORROCO - Roman Catholic

Sultan Ghalib

Diplomacy: Baelerics (fa)

The Sultan was happy with Morroco's resurgence after the plague. While still not at its pre-outbreak levels, the Sultanate was well on its way. While the Sultan and his trusted aide, Abdullah, focussed on any possible attack from the sea, Prince Hamza was left to rule the nation. Things were peaceful, and calm had returned to the nation. Even in Algiers, a city hard hit by plague just a decade or so ago had continued to grow, and now rivalled Tingis in size.

With the fall of Catalonia, Ghalib saw the need to move into the Med to protect the Roman Catholic peoples off the coast of Iberia from Druidic domination. With Rome in disarray due to the death of the Pope, the Sultan felt even more compelled to come to his co-religionist's aid. He sent Prince Zaahir to the Baeleric Isles, where he was able to secure the feudal oath of the local leader, who was happy for the protection afforded by associating with Morroco.

But while the addition of an island region was met with great rejoicing in the homeland, several of the outlying regions that did not hold such close ties to the sea there was growing concern. For it was felt that Tingis would dedicate more resources to the Baelerics than to many of the mainland regions. There were no revolts, but grumbling was heard.
 

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF SICILY - Roman Catholic

King Axeres

Diplomacy: Spoleto (ne)

The Queen suffered another miscarriage in year 51, but then gave birth to daughters in years 52 and 55. The King happily ruled his nation as he saw the palace nursery grow. But he also wished to have the Kingdom grow. He sent Prince Validar Syracusus and Bishop Gregory to Spoleto. Ironically, it was the Prince who spoke of God and the Bishop who talked of the region joining Sicily. Despite some gains on Validar's part in converting the heathens, Gregory could not persuade the Spoleto people that the very religious Sicilians would abide by their pledges to allow them to continue to practice their pagan rights. Perhaps it was the Catholic Bishop telling them that they would not be oppressed, while a Prince of the realm was trying to get them to discard those very beliefs.

Otherwise, Sicily focussed on maintaining a vigilant watch over any possible attack. None came. As expected, the death of Pope Richelieu was met by great displays of mourning throughout the Kingdom.
 

THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF PUNT - Oracle of Delphi

King Nashish, the Lion

Diplomacy: Aswan (ne); Danakil (revolts), Sabae (revolts), Suakin (revolts), Zeila (revolts), Adulis (revolts)

King Lashik was like a man possessed. He hired a small number of North African mercenaries to help Prince Nashish guard Mansura. He invested a large amount of resources into Lashik's Point to protect the nation from the evils of the "Eye". One sound piece of statesmanship he did was to issue a short proclaimation:

The Kingdoms of Punt and Indus hereby announce their everlasting friendship and a military alliance. Let those who would attack either Kingdom know that they attack both."

As a gift to celebrate the alliance, Lashik decided to send the head of Garallen the rebellious Indus native back to his homeland. He ordered the execution to be carried out immediately. Upon hearing that his orders had been followed, the King turned to the captain of his palace guard.

"Make sure you remove the eyes."

"It has already been done, Your Majesty," replied the captain to his King. For that had become the standard method of dealing with the corpses of those viewed with distain. The man received a promotion for his foresight. But most of the time, Lashik was not very coherent. He would often rant and rave over being watched. Servants, generals and foreign diplomats alike all learned to avert their eyes when talking to the King. The entire nation watched with horror as the King slipped into the void of madness. Then one day in December of year 51, the King ordered his entire court to follow him to the highest tower in the palace. He sat on the window ledge looking out over his capital.

"Look out there, you fools. What do you see?" No one answered, as was the custom when the madness was upon the King. Lashik took their silence for betrayal, "What? Are you all now followers of the vile burning eye? Will none rally to the side of the great King of Punt? Do you not see the bright yellow eye staring down at me?"

The King's councilor took a step forward to assure the King that they all were loyal servants and that the sun would not harm him. The King pulled away, and lost his balance. The members of the court watched in awe as he fell to the ground. The first guard to come upon the corpse swore that when he reached the King, ravens were already feasting on his eyes.
 
 

So great was the decay throughout the Kingdom brought out by the King's insanity that there was a brief period of very un-Delphinic behavior. In this time, Prince Kikilikish who commanded the defensive army in Zeila came to the decision that it was he who had saved the nation from the Jews, while the heir, Prince Nashish, lived a life of luxury in Mansura. It was Kiki that had to deal with the King on a daily basis. And now it would be he that ruled in Sabae. Taking his large army, he marched on the capital.

Meanwhile, Prince Nashish had been attempting to peacefully bring about the conversion of the Mansuran people, when he got word of the King's death. But it was not until Sabae had been taken by Prince Kiki that he realized the true nature of the treachery. But given his inability to get to the capital by sea, and the vast uncontrolled land between Mansura and Sabae, Prince Kiki easily reached the capital before he could even get started. Nashish fumed in Mansura. He received word that Loord Davish had also tried to gain the throne for himself, but now appeared to be working with Kiki.

Over a month later, messengers brought news that Lord Samail had left his diplomatic efforts in Aswan to challenge Kiki in the name of the true King of Punt. But in a daring attempt to seize the capital, Samail had been killed. The region of Suakin would not declare for either faction and became neutral. Nashish was only slightly mollified when he heard that despite their distance, the region of Djiboti remained loyal. The rightful King of Punt ordered his troops to militarily convert Mansura to OD, and set up a temporary capital in Lashikopolis.

Incredulously, in year 54, the Mesopotamians attacked. King Nashish let loose the full might of the Punt army to crush the Jewish nation. He destroyed their meager army, plucked the eyes out of their general, and sent his men amongst their women and children to end that scurge once and for all. The carnage was terrible, but it did little to ease Nashish's anger at having his nation taken from him.
 

THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF PUNT - Oracle of Delphi

King Kikilikish

Diplomacy: Adulis (ea), Danakil (f), Sabae (f), Zeila (hm)

Upon the death of the mad King, Kikilikish decided to bring his army into the capital in Sabae. Taking the capital, he braced for any challenge to his advance. The first came from Lord Davish. He had taken Adulis as his own, and also tried to get to the capital. But Kikilikish had secured the city and region first. When Davish arrived, he realized that Kiki had the entire army under his control. He immediately struck a deal with Kiki, and threw his support behind him.

Several weeks later, Lord Samail entered the city secretly to try to drum up support for the deposed Prince Nashish. Davish led a group of loyal palace guards (loyal to King Kikilikish, that is). They captured Samail in an inn on the outside of town. He was hanged by the neck from the very window from which King Lashik had fallen several months before. King Kiki waited for the arrival of Nashish, but he did not challenge him. But he knew that while he had certainly won the first battle, he had not yet won the war.
 

THE KINGDOM OF IFE - African Pagan

King Bu 'wagu, Lord of the Niger

Diplomacy: none

Lord Malagar spent the winter months planning how he would dig in his troops in Songhai until the reenforcements arrived. He had managed to stop all maintanance on the postal road to Sudan, and that fell into disrepair. But in February, the Timbuktu troops sortied in force from the city. Malagar cursed as he saw 400 horsemen among the sallying troops. For he had no horsed units. Another 400 infantry wore the tabards of Timbuktu regular army, but Malagar quickly realized that the majority of the force coming towards him was made up of about 3000 raw recruits without proper armor nor weapons. On the Eastern flank, he noted with much concern about 1500 mercenary infantry, well trained and seasoned. The Ife occupying force consisted of just over 1500 infantry, although half of them were heavy troops, the crew from 2 heavy warships, and the 800 or so light mercenaries that he had been able to entice to stay with the invaders. Now he knew whose gold the other mercenaries had taken.

The battle was joined. The Ife heavy troops decimated the new Timbuktu levies, but not without taking some damage themselves. In fact, all of the Ife force took losses, except the sailors. It was a widely known fact that the Ife navy was a force to be reckoned with on land or at sea. And those men were proving that point. So the battle raged on. For Ife, better equiped and better trained troops caused massive damage to the enemy. For Timbuktu, sheer numbers and the consumate skill of their General, a woman no less. At one point, Malagar was forced to lead his troops to plug a small breach on the right flank. In the melee, he took an arrow in the stomach. He was pulled to the rear and his wounds tended. To their credit, the Ife troops continued to fight. In the end, the attrition of the Timbuktu forces was too great, and they were forced to retreat back into the city. But Malagar was in no condition to rally his forces, and when all was tallied up, he had lost over a quarter of his army. The light mercenary units had taken the largest number of casualties, around 50%, while the navy was virtually intact. If only Malagar could hold out until the King arrived with help. For Lord Malagar knew with his wounds, that he may have won the battle, but lost the war.

He did not have long to wait. For in June of year 51, another attack was launched from the city. Yet this time there seemed to be more attackers. The female General remained in charge, leading her troops, but two more noblemen were leading smaller contingents. One, had about 800 heavy units, half horsed. In looking closely, it could be determined that the infantry were all mercenary troops (meaning well trained). The other leader had about 800 foot soldiers, about 3/4 light. But Malagar was still hampered by his wounds, and he could not effectively lead his men. The woman opposing him sent the heavy cavalry and infantry to engage his heavy infantry, keeping them from again carving into the inexperienced enemy units. There was heavy fighting near the coast, when it became apparent that the Timbuktu soldiers were trying to fire the ships. One caught fire and the naval troops were kept from the main part of the fray. With his remaining troops, Malagar tried to lead a charge into the inexperienced infantry in the vanguard of the enemy force. But a quick counter by the enemy mercs forced his men to pull back. But Malagar was unable to keep up with the retreat. He was forced to lay down his sword and surrender to the Timbuktu forces. Upon losing their leader, the Ife army crumbled. the loss of life had been great already, but what had been a difficult battle became a rout. In the end, less than 500 men remained. Sailors aboard the one remaining warship, and a number of heavy infantry decided to hire themselves out rather than return to face the wrath of King Bu 'wagu. Songhai had been liberated.

King Bu 'wagu had stripped the garrison in Oyo and had been travelling through Nupe with a large army to reenforce Lord Malagar, when he heard of the defeat in Songhai. Not knowing the size of the enemy forces, and realizing that he did not have time to be involved in a drawn out military engagement himself, he reversed his course, and returned home.

Upon arriving at the capital, he began to rule over the nation, not realizing that the Timbuktu army had plans beyond simply freeing their homeland. During early Spring of year 52, word reaches North Gate that the Nupe people had risen up against his troops in the region (SEE TIMBUKTU). At the same time, a large force of Timbuktu troops entered the region. The garrison was overrun and the region of Nupe became independent. Yet more bad news was to come. The Timbuktu forces crossed the Lower Niger and pacified Oyo. The King realized that he had pulled all the troops out of Oyo and brought them back to the capital. Realizing that they may yet march further South, the King prepared himself for war.

But further incursion did not occur. And after a time, life returned to normal in North Gate. The King continued to rule the nation. His wife gave birth to a son in year 53, but died in childbirth the following year. A number of trade routes were started, extending Ife's reach to the North of Europe. The King delared a centralized monarchy based in North Gate, and hired a number of scribes to aid in running the nation. But things were not good at home.
 

THE MADREGAIST CHURCH - Madregaist

Primate Tuhara

Diplomacy: Ghana (ab), Zerma (ch), Garou (ch), Galam (ch)

Tuhara again returned to the oppressed people in Nupe. Here, he watched as Ife reenforcements travelled North towards his Holy City, but then returned back South shortly after. But Tuhara had a plan. He began meeting with the local church leaders in Nupe. The word was spread through the land. The Madregaists would no longer be persecuted by the vile Pagan dogs (GM note: not to be confused with the Druids of the Olde Gods to the far North). By the beginning of year 52, the Nupian people had been whipped into such a fervor that they were certain to throw off their yoke of oppression. Tuhara quickly slipped out of the region.

He now ventured far and wide, spreading the word of Madregaism and erecting religious edifaces. He built churches in Zerma and Garou. Then moved to Ghana, where he founded an abbey. Next he went off to the Pagans in the West. In Galam he preached the words of Mardregaism, reiterating the basic tenets of the faith:

1) All Madregans are to love and protect each other; all are equal under the eyes of Madrena (our Mother).
2) All nonbelievers are to be punished for their non-belief by slavery or subjugation, until they see the true way. Then they can be free.
3) Each person contains four aspects:

a) Earth = humility; happiness
b) Sky = idealism; creativity
c) Water = purity; clarity of purpose
d)Fire = emotion
The goal was to strike a balance between these.

He won converts in the region, and erected a church to Madrena. Then he visited the Seahold of Takrur. Here he was well received by King Sekani.
 

THE KINGDOM OF TIMBUKTU - Madregaist

King Lasaka Mansa, the Second

Diplomacy: Nupe (nt); Songhai (liberated), Oyo (p)

The plan was quite simple really. Princess Minsa Mansa, one of the most able Generals in Africa, despite her gender, would lead a sallying force out to attempt to seize control of the homeland before fresh troops could be brought North from North Gate. But the only problem was that there were limited funds and limited time. They had numerous refugees in the city who could be made into military units give enough time and gold. But that was not a luxury they would have. Men were outfitted with what ever was handy. There was virtually no time to drill. The Princess prepared her battle plan. In February, she launched her attack (SEE IFE). The Timbuktu army fought hard, but had been forced to retire to the city to lick its wounds.

But now more troops had come to the city from Garou. Plus, not all the available troops had been used in the first attack. Now, the Timbuktu army charged out of Cambuktu into the region to engage the enemy occupying their homes (SEE IFE). The Princess was joined by General Hakeem leading a contingent of heavy troops, and an ally from Garou leading his small army of footmen. In the end, Princess Minsa Mansa had not only wiped out the invaders, but captured their general! Certainly to be considered a success. But she was not done. Leaving behind a defensive force, she gathered almost 2000 national infantry (albeit mostly of the inexperienced light levies), and over 1500 mercenaries, and pushed South to liberate her brethren Madregaists from the evil Ife clutches. The army arrived on the border of Nupe in April of year 52. Word of fighting had already reached the army. It seems that the people of Nupe had already revolted against Ife. Spurring her men forward, she entered the fray to come to the aid of the under 3000 Nupian freedom fighters. Ife had fortified the region with a number of field forts, supplemented by over 1000 infantry. But with Minsa Mansa's leadership on their side, the rebels were able to carry the day.

Soon after the liberation of Nupe, General Hakeem was sent from Cambuktu to discuss a protective relationship with the Kingdom of Timbuktu. The Nupians were willing to make minor concessions. But Minsa Mansa had already moved South by this time. She crossed the Lower Niger into Oyo, and met no resistance. Her army pacified the region.

Meanwhile, in Cambuktu, King Lasaka Mansu II, ruled the Kingdom. With all the fighting going on, it is not surprising that his wife lost two pregnancies in years 53 and 54. But on a brighter note, due to the efforts of missionaries sent by the King, the region of Hausa was now fully Madregaist. The King sent out the following proclaimation:

To demonstrate the Kingdom's commitment to the development of the lands of the Niger and to celebrate the technological achievement of the people of the realm, I, Lasaka Mansa II, do hereby proclaim that all wilderness lands of the Niger shall share in the bounty of Mother Earth and be cultivated as they are assimilated into the Kingdom. So it has been said and so it shall be done!

Not surprisingly, this was not viewed with great enthusiasm in the Ife lands along the Niger.
 

THE SEAHOLD OF TAKRUR - African Pagan

King Sekani

Diplomacy: Senegal (ea)

The Seahold of Takrur was a small but proud nation. Sekani, King of the Seahold, ruled over the Kingdom and made plans for Takrur's rise to greatness. He was ecstatic when his wife gave birth to a son in year 51. To assure his eldest son that he would eventually rise to the throne, Sekani invoked an ancient ritual of Pagan origin, where he marked Prince Adama with his own blood. The heir was so grateful that he swore undying loyalty to the King.

Sekani began an ambitious farming project in the homeland. It would take years, but eventually, fresh water would irrigate all the crops of the region. He also sent Prince Ngozi out to make an accurate record of the assets of the Kingdom. When he returned, he announced that the King should anticipate much higher tax collection in the future.

But two further events may affect the future of the nation more than any other. The first was a visit by the Primate of the Madregaist Church. While Sekani was unwilling to commit to the Madregaist faith, he listened closely to the words of the Primate. In fact, a number of the people of Takrur listened to the Primate's words. The second event was a massive diplomatic envoy sent to the Northern region of Senegal. Lord Wemusa and Prince Adama led the expedition. A wife was obtained from the Senegalese nobility for the Prince. This made the diplomatic effort go very smoothly, and strong economic ties were agreed to.