January 15, 2002

Turns will be due Thursday, January 31, 2002.

GM notes:

1) Happy New Year. As mentioned before, this turn was much easier to process. It would have taken less time if I had not gone away for the holidays, and had not started my new job on Jan 2. The 2 year turns is a good thing from this GM's point of view. Some did not remember that we had 2 year turns, and not everything got done.

2) Those nations that welcomed the Jewish refugees from Mesopotamia and maintain a % of JD population in the capitals, may now take out Jewish loans. The amount allowed is (3 x tech level)% of your TOTAL BASE INCOME. Once tech 4 is achieved, national banks may provide loans up to (5 x tech level)% of TOTAL BASE INCOME. These loans are subject to a usury fee of 30%, due in 4 years (two turns). Those nations whose primates have decreed that usury is not permitted may not get national loans unless they try to legalize usury against the primate's wishes. International banking does not formally exist, and any gp transfers between players are up to the players involved.

3) As per the treaty rules, declaring war or attacking someone on the same turn that you drop the treaty will still have a df roll.

4) Both sides must declare for a treaty change or it will not happen.
 

LET THERE BE LOTE... AND IT WAS GOOD...

                    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: Toyama (f)

With great fanfare and a tremendous celebration, the great monument to Hojo the Explorer, one of the Empire's most reknown heroes was unveiled in year 61. The carved stone depicts four ships braving strormy seas. It bears the names of Hoja and all the seamen who journeyed with him. In the region of Yamato, a new port city called Osaka, was built on the Inland Sea. Throughout this time, the Empress ruled over the Empire of the Sun.

There was a concerted effort in Toyama to bring the region fully into the nation. Prince Okida, the heir, led a delegation that included the Queen's consort from Saga (now a prince of the realm), Daimyo Hoja (son of the great explorer) and Daimyo Tomochi. Gold was liberally spent in wooing the Toyama ally into agreeing to fully join the Empire.

The Prince from Saga penned several new haikus (soon to be released in a two-CD collection, available on the L34 website <g>).

Chillingly mewling
snoozing life muttering cubs
smile smile.

Frosty colossus
collapsing, searching, grumbling
heart hovers, chaste owls.

Lightly, lover glides
reflection slumbers, some sharp
chipmunks pottering.
 

THE ANIMAL CLANS OF BO-HAI - Asiatic Pagan

Grandmother Whispering Tiger, Eldress of the Tiger Clan

Diplomacy: Yen (ne), Suifenhe (fa), Mantap (ne)

Whispering Tiger completed the long transformation of the Animal Clans to a feudal system. In turn, each lord of the realm swore an oath on bended kneww to Whispering Tiger, pledging to support her financially and militarily as ruler of the Animal Clans (somewhat of a misnomer now, of course). Messengers arrived from the Jinn Dynasty offering a non-aggression pact with the Animal Clans. Grandmother Whispering Tiger accepted, and trade was opened with the rich Southern neighbor. Whispering Tiger then ruled over the land.

Gentle Rain Tiger, heir to the Bo-Hai throne, was sent to Suifenhe to try to convince them that the Animal Clans should have more than a claim over their lands. During her visit, she became enamoured of a local nobleman's son, Humble Ox, and announced her intent to wed. This caused the local ruler to agree to swear fealty to Whispering Tiger. Meanwhile, Prince Two-Swords Tiger travelled to Yen. There he, too, wed a woman of the Fox tribe, named Silk Fox (now becoming Silk Tiger). But this marriage was less beneficial to the diplomatic process. It seems that Silk Fox's father had angered the local chieftain. When he heard of Two-Swords intent, he immediately refused to talk with him.

New Moon Snake had also been sent on a diplomatic mission. He remained in Mantap, and attempted to bring the region into the Animal Clans. But in year 61, he took ill. He died late in the year, unable to make any gains in the region.
 

THE JADE DRAGON - Oceanic Pagan

Emperor Shen Tso

Diplomacy: Chiannan (f)

With the capital city of Tzu Lang teeming with people, it was only natural that the other cities in the Kingdom began to grow. A population boom in Tsu Chi, on the Eastern coast, was practically inevitable. As the Emperor continued to govern the nation, he ordered the local pagan priests to step up their rhetoric. This resulted in an increased fervor for the Gods throughout the nation. Shen Tso mourned the passing of his wife, who died at age 44 in year 62.

In following with the increased religiosity of the Jade Dragon, an attempt was made to convert a number of the surrounding regions. The heir, Prince Shen Tuan went to Anhui where he spent a large amount of gold, and was rewarded with a sizeable proportion of converts.to the Oceanic faith.

Lord Li Xan went to Chiennan to the West and spent time with the Chiennan Warlord. After guaranteeing the Warlord vast sums of gold to fund his retirement in the countryside, it was agreed that Chiennan would fully enter the Jade Dragon.

Finally, in the oft misunderstood region of Hwai, General Li Tian spent time with the nobles of that fair land. He died in year 61 under questionable circumstances. In reviewing many of his personal papers, it was discovered that Li Xan had been working against the interests of the Jade Dragon, and had plans to establish himself as Warlord of Hwai. The resulting scandal set back relations with the region slightly.
 

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: Shan'si (ne)

Wang Xu-Jinn, Emperor of the Jinn Dynasty sat upon his throne and liked what he saw. The Jinn family had built up a great nation. Beijing was one of the greatest cities in the world. The other cities of the Kingdom were flourishing. A new port city was built in Houma on the Huang Hu River called Anshan. Emperor Wang ruled the nation, and oversaw the establishment of a non-aggression treaty with the Bo-Hai to the Northeast. Trade began between the two nations. Despite much effort, the royal family did not increase in size.

General Shen Yuan began intensive efforts in Shan'si to bring the region further into the Jinn Empire. But in this endeavor, he was unsuccessful.
 

THE SUBLIME KINGDOM OF WU - Oceanic Pagan

King Sui-Juen, the Beloved

Diplomacy: Mison (c), Dai Viet (a)

Sui-Juen ordered the construction of a large port city, Fuchou, in the region of Fujian, allowing the Kingdom access to the Huangzu-Wan. This city would allow trade routes by the distant, but wealthy lands to the North. The King ruled over his nation, and spent time with Queen Wan-Yin. It was time well spent, as the Queen gave birth to a son in year 61 and a daughter the following year.

Prince Wai remained among the people of Dai Viet, forging a formal alliance with the Sublime Kingdom. Lord Leung moved South to Mison, where he contended with the Khemer Kingdom for the hearts of the natives. Neither made appreciable headway.
 

THE LAND OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS  - Oceanic Pagan

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

Diplomacy: Malibar (ne), Madurai (ne), Sri Lanka (c)

The seafaring Kingdom had had its difficulty in the past maintaining its control over many of its lands. In an attempt to counter this problem, King Siduna began a massive urbanization project. Port cities were built in Madurai and Vengi. These two new cities, Kalisha and Vingaharam were built on the Palk Strait and the Palk Strait/Bay of Bengal, respectively. Prince Raputta, the heir, then ruled over the nation. This kept things quiet, as the Kingdom enjoyed peace for the first time in many years.

In an effort to link the new cities to other urban areas, King Siduna ordered work be started on a postal road between Vishnayagara and Kalisha. The King then went to Malibar and spent time with the local leadership. He was unable to sway the local, however. Prince Saj travelled to Madurai, where he, too, was unsuccessful at convincing the locals to increase their relationship with the Kingdom.

Lord Shotaya crossed the Gulf of Mannar to Sri Lanka and laid claim to the region. Finally, the nation mourned as Lord Rhosa passed away while commanding the army in year 62.
 

THE  KINGDOM OF KHEMER - Oceanic Pagan

King Marfuss Alhamehli

Diplomacy: Mison (c)

As a result of the recession that struck the Kingdom, King Marfuss ordered a massive outpouring of gold from the treasury. Khemeri men were put to work building shipyards and cities. The port cities of Pacham, Chinco and Rinsu were constructed in Champa, Cochin and Surin, respectively. This greatly reduced the recession in the nation.

King Marfuss oversaw all the construction from the capital city of Angor. With General Pang assisting in administering the nation, it freed the King up to spend some time with his wife. While she unfortunately suffered a miscarriage in year 61, she had a healthy daughter the following year.

On the diplomatic front, General Rang travelled North to Mison, where he met with local officials about the regions relationship to the Kingdom. He noted that the Sublime Kingdom of Wu also sent representatives. In the end, the region recognized both nation's claims to the region.
 

THE CONCLAVE OF THE GANGES - Oceanic Pagan

King Rana, Rightful King of the Conclave of the Ganges

Diplomacy: Sahis (hs), Anhivarta (ea), Jihoti (drop to un)

King Rana was able to extend his reach easily throughout his realm. Yet the mountains to the South kept Anhivarta too distant from the capital. Also, plans to extend the Conclave to the North would be benefited by better travel conditions. So postal roads were built to connect Gujerat to Anhivarta and Uttar Pradesh to Tarain. The increase in travel brought about by this building caused Kaunaj, the capital, to expand even further.

Prince Saj, the heir, again ruled the nation for his King. There was much hope throughout the Kingdom that more children would bless the palace, but it was not to be so. On the King's orders, Saj agreed to a cross border alliance with the Kingdom of Gaur, and sent gold to the Eastern Kingdom as a sign of friendship. The King went on a diplomatic mission to Sahis. The King was aided by Conclave agents that provided vital information about the regional power structure. But despite this help, the Sahis people reacted aggressively to the King's overtures. Rana was forced to go into hiding in the region to avoid any unfortunate consequences.

Meanwhile, efforts to reestablish the previous ties with Jihoti were undertaken by Prince Fari. But the Jihotians were summarily unimpressed with the Prince, and formally renounced any ties with the Kingdom. Lord Guta was the only one to have any success in diplomatic negotiations. He travelled over tee mountains on the newly built road and was able to convince Anhivarta to improve thier ties with the Conclave.
 

THE GAUR NATION - Oceanic Pagan

King Sajvala II

Diplomacy: Samatata (ea); Gtsang (p), Manipur (p)

Continuing in the tradition spreading throughout the sub-continent, King Sajvala II ordered more resources be put towards the construction of the postal road between Assam and Burma across the mountains. A cross border treaty was signed with the neighboring Conclave of the Ganges, and a sizeable amount of gold was shipped to Gaur from that nation. The King also named his 3 year old daughter as heir to the throne.

Sajvala II had had enough of the Eastern border regions antipathy for Gaur. He decided to expand his borders militarily. Taking a good portion of the Gaur army, he marched with over 9000 infantry, mostly consisting of the elite, light footmen of the national army and less than 500 light horsemen into Gstang. His feudal vassal, Prachami Sabha of Palas accompanied him with about 800 light troops from Palas of mixed horse and foot soldiers. They faced about 1000 infantry in the wilds of Gstang. As expected, the defenders were crushed and the region pacified. A small garrison was left in place, and the army continued over the mountains to Manipur. Here they faced a slightly larger army that was somewhat better led. But again, the Gaur military machine quickly subdued the region. In all, the Gaur military took a mere 200 casualties, albeit from their elite troops.

While the military campaign was raging, Rajit Chandra and Advaita Acarya travelled to Samatata to continue a more subtle diplomatic strategy. Using gold to ease the talks, the two were able to gain strong economic ties to the region.
 

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF JAVA - Oceanic Pagan

King Luito II

Diplomacy: Utara (nt), Luzon (c)

King Luito II ruled over the Kingdom of Java. It was a time of great happiness in Java. The King married a woman from Luzon, and the new Queen had daughters in years 61 and 62. In Timor, more and more commerce became focussed on a small village, and it quickly became a city. East Timor is now a port city on the Banda Sea.

Captain Plutarch was unsuccessful in improving relations with Utara, while Luito II's ally from Timor capitalized on the King's marriage to lay claim to Luzon.
 

THE KINGDOM OF INDUS - Oceanic Pagan

King Nahen, King of the Scythians

Diplomacy: Sukkur (ea), Mand (ea)

The financial outlook for the Kingdom took a turn for the better when diplomatic activities secured solid economic ties with nearby regions. Aided by good intellegence reports, Prince Amiran was able to make gains in Sukkur. To the West, Lord Farinallen had similar success in Mand.

With the past difficulties controlling the nation, King Nahan enlisted the aid of Prince Nahanaren, the heir, to help him run the country. In addition, the King hired numerous lower level diplomats. For the first time in years, there was no talk of revolt in the Kingdom. Despite spending time with the Queen, no further children were forthcoming.

With the past difficulties in Abadan, King Nahan ordered his ally from Fars to go on a daring series of raids to the West of the nation, including Abadan and the Jewish region of Kuwait. Slaves were taken from both areas.
 

THE KARA-KHATAI KINGDOM - Asiatic Pagan

King Orion

Diplomacy: Khazakh (ne), Kashmir (ne), Kuldja (t), Kush (drop to nt)

King Orion dedicated massive amounts of resources to improving access throughout the Kingdom. Postal roads were built all the way from the capital of Samarkhand through Karbala to the Northwest city of Sakkur. Anticipating further such building in the future, the city of Aktau doubled in size. Two new cities were also founded in the Kingdom, Kizyl-Arvat in Turkmen and Zanadarja in Otrar. But even these wonderous events could not comfort King Orion when Sarma, his beloved Queen, died in childbirth in year 61.

On the diplomatic front, gains were made in negotiations with Kuldja as one of Orion's daughters was married off to a local noble. Prince Garth had been in charge of those arrangements. Lord Quon had been sent to Kush, but in year 62, he passed away. The region felt it to be a bad omen, and downgraded their status with the Kingdom slightly. Repeat attempts at wooing the Kashmiri people were unsuccessful, as were efforts in the deserts of Khazakh.

In one last note, Prince Volkan was named heir to the Kara-Khatai throne.
 

THE KINGDOM OF PERSIA - Asiatic Pagan

King Ardavan

Diplomacy: Diyala (drop to c), Abadan (aw)

After many years, a postal road was finally forged through the mountains to connect Persia to Media. This opened up a tremendous opportunity for King Ardavan to control much more land to the South. To pursue this goal, he sent Lord Kaspon to Abadan (a region previously held by Mesopotamia, Punt and most recently Indus). There Kaspon did not find a warm welcome. He was a modest diplomat, but the people were fiercely independent. In addition, recent slave raiding by Indus had left them very leery of outsiders. They were so offended at the suggestion that they give up their freedom (to those that did not even follow the Oceanic ways, no less), that they declared war on Persia. Lord Kaspon went into hiding to avoid the angry mobs.

In Diyala, Prince Farzeen tried to improve relations with the nation, but despite the new road, the Diyalans had been rethinking their relationship with the Kingdom. While they still recognized Ardavan's claim to the region, they would not acknowledge anything further.

In Media, Prince Zand continued to preach the Asiatic Pagan ways to the hopelessly misguided Oceanic Pagans in the region. He was able to get a few more converts for his efforts.

Meanwhile, at home, King Ardavan continued to rule his nation. His wife had a miscarriage in year 61.
 

THE MONARCHY OF PATZINAK - Asiatic Pagan

King Alexander II

Diplomacy: Levedia (hs)

King Alexander II sent General Julius to court the DOG followers of Levidia. The efforts were not very successful. For the Levidians were not only of a hated faith, but they also were very independent minded. Julius was simply not up to the task. He was forced into hiding in the region to avoid meeting an unhappy fate.

The King sent Khan Milian, his ally from Taman, to raid the Abasigians. But after crossing the mountains and entering the unfamiliar wilderness (being nomadic, he was unprepared for all the trees). His men were unable to take any villages by surprise and get away with any loot. He suffered a number of casualties, as well.
 

THE KINGDOM OF CARCHEMISH - African Pagan

King Asher

Diplomacy: none

King Asher continued to rule the nation. There was unemployment, but the economy did not suffer. Things went along quietly in the Kingdom of Carchemish.
 

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF RHODES - Oracle of Delphi

King Agis

Diplomacy: none

Peace now reigned in Rhodes for many years. The capital, Atlantis, grew in size, as mercantile interests took precedence over fighting. Of course, this did not dissuade King Agis from hiring a number of mercenaries. But they mainly spent his gold in the taverns of Atlantis, and commented on how much they enjoyed such assignments.

In year 61, the King remarried. His new wife had a daughter later in the year. Again, effort was put into converting the Cretians to OD. Small success was made. But in Egypt, extensive efforts to push the Amen-Ra followers onto the right path met with rabid opposition. There were a number of small displays of violence against OD followers, as Amen-Ra reasserted its full sway in the region.
 

THE KINGDOM OF TROY - Oracle of Delphi

King Theseus

Diplomacy: Baeler (ea)

In order to ensure the peace and prosperity of Troy for the future, King Theseus improved relations with a number of nations. Crossborder Cooperative Treaties were signed with both Greece and the Svear. A representative was sent to Venice to meet with a local Lombard official and gain a Non-aggression Treaty. Gold was sent to the Oracle, which raised the hackles of a number of Trojan purists. Theseus claimed that it was merely a token of his appreciation. But when Oracle military personnel arrived in Troy to provide training to the Trojan infantry, rumors began flying that the aid was "purchased" by Theseus. The King denied the charges.

Theseus began a massive campaign to move the agrarian society of Troy to a more free model, hoping this would further stimulate his vast trading ambitions. He was quoted as saying, "Troy would always make their living from the sea, but now it is trade and not fishing and agriculture." To further foster the concept of Troy as a trading nation, he sent Prince Paris and Lord Pericles to Baeler City to negotiate with the Catholic city, hoping to use the city as a base of operations in the future. A marriage was arranged between Paris and one of the young Catholic nobles. Realizing the potential for growth and wealth to the city, Baeler agreed to strong economic ties to Troy.

The King also remarried during this time, and while his new wife had a miscarriage in year 61, she had a healthy daughter the following year.
 

THE KINGDOM OF GREECE - Oracle of Delphi

Queen Delphinia Zecharias

Diplomacy: Epirus (c)

Queen Delphinia ruled over Greece. She ordered Lord Bartholomew to go to the mountainous region of Epirus, where he spent several years trying to remind the Epirus people of their previous ties to the Kingdom. In the end, he was able to get them to agree that the Kingdom had some claim to the region, but no more.

The big international news was the announcement of a Crossborder Treaty with the Kingdom of Troy. It was not surprising that these long-standing allies would deepen their commitment to each other. The Oracle of Delphi sent a number of military experts to advise the Queen's footsoldiers on field tactics, as well.
 

THE ORACLES OF DELPHI - Oracle of Delphi

Oracle Jessica Fadon of Delphi

Diplomacy: Constantinople (ne), Isauria (ne), Egypt (ne), Mansura (ne), Bulgaria (ne)

Things were not going well for the primacy. While the tithes continued to pour in, the church hierarchy faced numerous issues. First was the relative inability to successfully complete a single task. For two years, Seer Helena Jafor went from place to place trying to expand the church's presence in a number of regions. She was universally unsuccessful in Isauria, Constantinople and Bulgaria. Next, Jessica Fadon was unable to establish a church in Mansura.

Just when things could not get worse, came an urgent message from Delphi recalling Jessica to the Holy City. Oracle Stella Nifara had died in her sleep in year 61. Seer Jessica of Delphi was chosen to be the next Oracle. As she returned to Delphi, she heard news that while efforts by the missionary corps were successful in Constantinople, they failed abysmally in Egypt. The backlash was so severe that uprisings against OD followers by the AR followers reverted the region to entirely Amen-Ra. This ruined Seer Justine of Rhodes efforts to build a church in the region, and her further attempts to convert the region also failed.

But more news was to follow. The Kingdom of Lorraine was attacked by DOG forces. The long lasting treaty between the two religions had apparently been broken (although there is some question as to whether Lorraine was a signatory on that treaty). The now dead Oracle Stella had not been able to secure tithe from the Kingdom prior to her death.

And were that not enough, word began arriving from a number of scribes and government officials in the Kingdom of Punt, saying that the condition of slavery in that nation was appauling. There were calls for Oracle Jessica to make this a major issue, as slavery is strictly forbidden by the OD, yet Punt has continued the practice. Lastly, a gold shipment arrived from Troy in Delphi. When the OD representative went to transfer it to the Church's treasury, they were met with angry protests from the people of the city, saying that the Church should not be so easily bought and sold. The gold arrived safely, and no violence ensued, but things were dicey for a bit.
 

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

King Nicholas II

Diplomacy: Novgorod (ne)

King Nicholas II ruled over KULU. He began a project to increase the size of Minsk. The King sent both Prince Boris and General Jorge to Novgorod, but they could not entice the region to increase its ties to the Kingdom. Things otherwise continued peacefully for the KULU. A royal marriage between Prince Ivanov and Princess Frenzal of UTFK established a full military alliance between the two nations.
 

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

King Nikoli, Bearsticker

Diplomacy: Estonia (f); Friesland (p)

The Forest Kingdom military apparatus was in full gear. After returning from the successful campaign in the South, King Nikoli set his sights on the West. While severing trade with Lorraine and annulling the extant non-aggression pact angered some in the Kingdom, there was no dissent. Cross border treaties were signed with both Alba and Bavaria and a mutual defense treaty signed with the Svear. Most significantly, Frenzal, daughter of Nikoli, was married off to Prince Ivanov, heir to the KULU throne, thus sealing a formal military alliance between the two nations.

But war was still in the air. More levies were raised, including a number for the Latvian ally, Blade the Holy Warrior. Blade had been assigned a relatively straightforward task. He was to march into Friesland with an army of over 1000 cavalry (several hundred of which were mercenaries) and 3000 infantry  and seize it for UTFK. As the region was undefended, he did this without difficulty. What happened next was quite surprising. An Alban army led by the King himself entered Friesland, declaring the region to be shared by both nations. While Blade did not challenge the Alban forces, neither did he relinquish any control over Friesland.

Further to the South, the UTFK army descended on Thuringia to meet up with the Bavarian army. As will often happen when an army moves through lands not their own, a few chickens will disappear from some farms, perhaps a pig or two. It seems such things are considered barbarous to the Bavarians. When the two armies met, they almost came to blows over these triffles. But once that was settled, a more significant issue arose. The Bavarian King insisted on waiting until several wagon trains caught up to his main vanguard. Realizing that were he to leave his army in Thuringia waiting, that it would be more likely some Bavarian women would turn up missing rather than a few swine, King Nikoli insisted that his force move immediately. So accompanied by Prince Dalemir, Bromir the Marshall of the West March, and the Druid Jds (the sister of the reknown Jora of the Druids), the King led a national army of over 500 cavalry, over 6500 infantry, mostly heavy, and 2000 engineers and Bromir's troops from Meissen of 1000 infantry into Alsace ahead of the Bavarian army.

There was little resistance in the region, and only a handful of casualties. Unfortunately, one of these was Bromir. Without their feudal lord to lead them in battle, the Meissen infantry returned home. When the Bavarians arrived a few weeks later, Nikoli turned over control of the region to them. But again disputes over the best path to take into the region of Lorraine occurred.

This time, the armies split up, Nikoli going North, the Bavarians South. In a bloody conflict, both King Nikoli and Jds received severe wounds that limited their abilities. (SEE INVASION OF LORRAINE). After the conflict, the UTFK army returned to Alsace to lick its wounds.

Back at home, Prince Duran, heir to the throne, had been ruling the nation from Lorien. His wife had a son in year 61, but had a miscarriage the following year. He ordered Baldric to remain in Estonia to woo the Estonian ally. He was successful in gaining full control of Estonia for the UTFK. In an unfortunate incident, there were local uprisings in the Holy City of Himmelskstad over some minor governance issues. Luckily, Dirk of Daugava was in the city with a number of troops and was able to quickly suppress the rioters.
 

  DRUIDS OF THE OLDE GODS  - Druids of the Olde Gods

Lilith, Gothrithar of the Druids, beloved of the Gods

Diplomacy: Denmark (mn), Anglia (ab), Sussex (ch), Brittany (ch), Northumbria (ne)

The following comes from the writings of Lilith, Gothrithar of the Druids about the personal difficulties she experienced while trying to determine the veracity of the Staff of Aelfgifu:

The Staff of Aelfgifu – After years of  work, it was unable to determine the exact type of tree that ti came of – it’s features resembled a number of trees, depending on who examined it… At first Lilith dispaired and thought of falsehood caem to her mind… But then the words carried back echoed in her mind – the roots of the world tree are the foundations of the four corners of the world.. and… “My seed already lies in the four corners of the world”  How could she not see! The world tree was the tree from which all other seedlings have sprung – of course it cannot be any particular type of tree (even though it was expected to be a holy oak).

The Staff of Aelfgifu is raised and ceremoniously laid in the center of the holy enclosure in Himmelskstad – it represents how all things are a part of the World Tree – all things are interconnected. This way of thinking, that all things affect all others, may indeed bring new inspiration to the Druids, and may help them see in new ways problems they thought impossible to solve… It will also cause some discussion on warfare – is it right to kill another when they are connected and the death of one will affect the entire world. But we need only look to nature – red in tooth and claw. The weak and diseased are eliminated by the hardships of the world. The wolf hunts the deer – and the death brings both of them strenght (the wolf survives another winter, the reduced number deer find more than enough plants to eat) But the continued conflict between hunter and prey keeps both alive and strong.

And so the Staff was installed in Himmelskstad. There was instantly a surge in interest in the primacy from the general populace. The priesthood flourished as more and more lay druids heard the call. But Lilith knew that so much more must be done.

The Church continued its expansion to the West, including the Northwest Isles and Western Gaul. Druid Katla returned to Denmark. With the horrible news that Jora (Sword of the Gods) had died, it had been decided that Jora should be honoured with a shrine to her name. Where better than at the first place where she exhibited her prowess and the strength of the Gods. In Denmark, Katla, aided by behind the scenes work by the Ravens, canonized a monastary in the name of Jora, placing the militant Druid's sword above the alter.

The druids, Aelfgifu of Durham (of the Staff of Aelfgifu fame) and Hvati worked together to found an abbey in Anglia (again helped by the Church's secret police), and a church in Sussex, bringing further religious guidance to the Avalon people. Lilith sent numerous lower level druids to Brittany and Northumbria, where they succeeded in spreading the word in the former, but not the latter.

Lilith, herself, travelled to Munich to bring a gift of gold to the Bavarian King, where she remained for a number of years.
 

THE KINGDOM OF THE SVEAR - Oracle of Delphi

King Haakan of Giantstock

Diplomacy: Norway (a)

King Haakan continued to rule the Svear Kingdom. He ordered a new port city to be constructed in Halland on the Skaggerak. The port was called Halmstad. The Queen gave birth to a son in year 62. The King was also busy diplomatically, signing agreements for a cross border alliance with Troy, and a mutual defense treaty with the UTFK. The Svear would have to make a difficult choice if Lorraine decides to counter the UTFK invasion and Svear is asked to give aid.

Prince Ymir, heir to the Svear throne, led a large delegation to Norway. It consisted of Torkell Dark Eye and Lord Gnur. It was also to have Prince Asalf as well, but he was lost and presumed dead in a snow storm while making his way from the new city of Halmstad to Norway. The Svear delegation did very well in getting the Norwegians to agree to a full alliance.
 

THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Chlodocech

Diplomacy: none; Poitou (p)

Peasants flocked to the cities of France. This concentration of humanity continued unabated, as Paris and Dijon swelled in size. In addition, a new port was founded in Provence called Avignon on the Gulf of Lyon. King Chlodocech ruled over France and make a particularly controversial decision. He named his eldest daughter, Murina, as heir to the throne. The 20 year old Princess began her duties at court, unaware of the small fervor over her selection as successor to the King. Whether this will prove to be problematic in the future remains to be seen.

For now, King Chlodocech has other concerns. The Green Tribe had expanded to the mainland. To areas that Chlodocech had planned for France. Such impudence must be met with force. So leaving behind a number of cavarlymen to garrison Provence, the King ordered General Lotharin to march to Poitou and seize the region from the Green Tribe. The general travelled with over 2000 infantry and over 500 cavalry. They passed through the region of Orleans, which has maintained a state of war with France since its revolt during the French conversion to DOG. Lotharin's force was immediately attacked by the Orlean army, despite outnumbering it 3:1. The battle was brief, and the French army routed the attackers without taking any losses. General Lotharin pressed on. He entered Poitou in the fall of year 61, and fell upon the region with exteme vigour (SEE GREEN TRIBE).

After the resounding victory in Poitou, General Lotharin ordered his men to secure the region for France. There was no further trouble from the region, but in year 62, Lotharin took ill and passed away.
 

THE KINGDOM OF LORRAINE - Oracle of Delphi

King Harold

Diplomacy: Alsace (oc), Friesland (oc)

With the DOG aggression against the Catholics to the South and with Bavaria appearing to side with the Druids, King Harold realized that the lone OD nation in mainland Europe could be seen as the next target. He began making preparations. He recalled all the major leaders of the nation to the homeland, and spent large sums of money to build up the defense. Things were tense in the capital, as King Harold ruled the nation. In late 60, the Queen had a miscarriage. King Harold knew it would not be long, when word arrived from Munich that the Bavarians had formally declared war on Lorraine.
 

In June of year 60, reports began coming into Drusehn that two armies were advancing on Alsace. Troops from both the UTFK and Bavaria crossed the border into the Kingdom. King Harold knew that if any sizeable force entered the region, the minimal defenses there would not hold. He decided to keep the majority of his army in the homeland preparing for further incursions across the Rhine. Word arrived that the 500 or so defenders had succumbed to the UTFK troops. The Bavarians took control of the region. The city of Snits remained in Lorraine hands. As expected, the UTFK army continued on to Lorraine, followed shortly thereafter by the Bavarians.

But Lorraine agents had been very busy. They had extensively mapped out the expected path of the invaders, and with the crossing of the river, and the massive defenses in place, Harold hoped for a good outcome. As he organized the final touches to his defense, word arrived from the North that a separate UTFK army had seized Friesland. It had been undefended. The region was defended by 15 forts spread out across strategic positions. In addition, Prince Aethelwulf, aided by Lord Theric the Bold and Prince Eldemar, commanded the national army which consisted of 10,000 horse, mostly heavy, and some elite, almost 6000 infantry, and 1000 engineers. They awaited the invaders.

The Forest Kingdom troops were engaged as they crossed the Rhine to the North. The fighting was fierce, but the Lorraine spies had done their job well. Numerous traps had been set and ambushes planned. In the end, the UTFK army was pushed back to Alsace, taking a few hundred cavalry losses and over 2500 infantry losses. almost half of the siege specialists were killed as well. It is rumored that both the Forest People King and one of his lieutenants were injured in the fighting. Lorraine's Northern forces were reduced by about 200 cavalry, almost 1500 infantry and 1 fort was destroyed.

The Southern border between Lorraine and Alsace was the site of the Bavarian invasion. They too were repulsed, losing over 3000 cavalry and almost 1500 infantry. A group of mercenaries along with the Bavarians took heavy casualties. The Lorraine army suffered 200 horsemen casualties, about 1000 infantry and another fort.
 

THE KINGDOM OF BAVARIA  - Roman Catholic

King Christian

Diplomacy: Moravia (revolts), Austria (nt), Carinthia (revolts); Alsace (p)

King Christian understood that a new order was coming to Europe. No longer would Bavaria's dreams of Catholic dominance come to fruition. With that understanding, he threw his hand in with the Druids. There was only one problem... Lorraine. For despite numerous diplomatic attempts, the Lorraine King refused to honor the free passage section of the old DOG/OD treaty. Moreover, there is some question about whether Lorraine had ever signed that document. This brought up a number of questions. If Lorraine was not subject to the treaty, then they could try to take advantage of the recent events in Rome to invade Bavaria. Chrisian knew that in order to keep that from occurring, he would have to strike first.

King Christian took out large loans to finance his plan. He also signed a cross border treaty with UTFK. Further financial aid came in the form of a gift from the DOG primate, who personally visited Munich. Much of this gold was used to hire mercenaries for the campaign.

He gathered his most faithful leaders about him and announced his intentions. Prince Gustav II immediately took issue with the plan. For it was well known that he had extensive trading arrangements with Lorraine, and stood to lose much. When he stated that he would rather die than take part in such an endeavor, Christian had him arrested, and gave him the opportunity. Prince Gustav II was swinging from a gallows when the rider left for Drusehn with a letter declaring war on the Kingdom of Lorraine. Most of the remainder of the Kingdom remained intact, except the people of Carinthia. The region revolted from Bavarian control, and the trade route to the Southern city of Trieste was interupted.

But Christian was not to be derailed from his objective. He gathered the large Bavarian army, composed of almost 8500 cavalry, more than half of which were the elite Bavarian heavy horse, and about 3000 infantry. In addition, he hired over 3000 mercenary infantrymen and a couple hundred cavalry and engineers. King Christian then moved into Thuringia with General Otto. General Klaus was left behind to administer the nation. In May of year 60, a large army belonging to the UTFK arrived. While Christian had planned on their arrival, there was some tension, as a number of the Bavarian army came from Thuringia, and rumors of mild looting as the army passed through circulated among the men. But things were kept under control, and the leaders of the two forces met. The UTFK generals wished to immediately proceed into Alsace, but the Bavarian troops wished to wait for the last of their supplies to arrive. King Nikoli of UTFK eventually ordered his army to move West, leaving the Bavarians to follow soon after.

The UTFK army entered Alsace several weeks before the Bavarians, and by the time King Christian and his generals got there, the region had been pacified. King Nikoli gave control of the region to the Bavarian forces, and Christian left a number of infantry to garrison the region.

The invasion of the region of Lorraine was discussed next. The Forest People wished to cross the Rhine at a point to the North, while General Otto insisted that the Southern crossing would be better. Again tempers rose, and it was decided that they would proceed independently. The Bavarians crossed in the South, and met fierce opposition. King Christian did not take part in the actual combat, leaving the fighting to his General. The fighting was intense. The mercenaries received the worst of the casualties, but the Bavarian regulars faced hard fighting as well. In the end, the Bavarians retired back to Alsace. Otto received a nasty wound during the fighting, but would heal to fight another day. (SEE THE INVASION OF LORRAINE).

Being forced to fall back to Alsace, the Bavarians learned that the Forest People had not been successful in their efforts either. Yet Alsace was now in Bavarian hands, and the majority of the Bavarian army was intact. Given the increased burden of governing the new region, King Christian was forced to make hard decisions about the future of the Kingdom. He decreed that both Moravia and Austria would no longer be considered fully part of the Kingdom. The Austians accepted their fate, but the Moravians felt that they were ill used by Bavaria, and declared their independence.

In an effort to decrease the Catholic ferver in the nation, Christian ordered the local priests to tone down the rhetoric. Despite this, the Bavarians remained ever true to their faith. Prince Eric, son of old King Franz, was named heir to the throne.
 

KINGDOM OF ALBA - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Hamish

Diplomacy: none

King Hamish left Prince Kyle in charge of running the Kingdom, while he met up with a force of Alban armed soldiers in Denmark. His instructions to Kyle were quite specific. 1) Build me a city in the Highlands, 2) Arrange a cross border cooperative treaty with UTFK, 3) expect a grain shipment from them to help with the city construction and 4) when the Avalon Princess arrives, marry her. Well, things did not go so well for Kyle. While the UTFK agreed to the treaty, the grain never arrived. This meant that the food ran short for the builders, and the city was left just short of being finished. Finally, despite waiting for 2 years, not a single princess arrived from Avalon. This does not even mention the risk to life and limb that poor Awliff of the Shetlands endured getting the new city started in the Highlands, when Alba had no formal alliance. There was much gnashing of teeth and bearing of axes, yet the locals did not attack Awliff and his few light warship escort.

But Hamish was not in the capital when all this was occurring. He was waiting to hear the sounds of war from the mainland. When news arrived that Bavaria and UTFK had invaded Lorraine, King Hamish, along with Princess Moira and Lieutenant Blaine, moved to Holstein with over 1500 cavalry, almost 2000 infantry and 500 or so engineers. Next they pushed into Friesland, intending to seize the region. Yet when they arrived, they found the UTFK banner flying. King Hamish immediately claimed joint control over the region with the UTFK leader. But the Forest People leader, Blade by name, had no such instructions from Lorien. There was a tense moment, but remembering the recently signed cross border treaty, calmer heads prevailed. The region remained in the hands of the UTFK, but the Alban army remained as well.
 

THE KINGDOM OF AVALON - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Broon

Diplomacy: none

An amazing discovery was made in the Western region of Gwynned. While harvesting coal, a group of miners discovered foundations belonging to an ancient city. This was immediately reported to the King. King Broon was very excited. For managing the Kingdom's holdings in Iberia had stretched the government beyond its means, and tax revenue had suffered. But after a thorough search of the area, it was realized that anything of value had been taken long ago. Yet much of the foundation of the city remains.

Despite his disappointment, Broon looked on the discovery as a benefit to the Kingdom. He continued to rule from London. Further work was made on the road from London to Oakham. Lord Blodgett was recruited to aid the King in running the country, but he proved to be more of a detriment than if he had not been there at all. With Broon not being the best administrator himself, it will likely mean continued troubles for the tax collectors of Avalon. Regardless, the Kingdom rejoiced as the Queen had daughters in years 61 and 62.

In Iberia, Prince Oak, the heir, managed to wipe the last vestiges of Paganism out of the region by converting the last of the Portuguese to DOG. A push by Prince Rupert to further sooth the anger of the pacified Portuguese was somewhat successful.
 

THE KINGDOM OF DURHAM  - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Ian

Diplomacy: none

King Ian remarried in year 61. His new Queen had a miscarriage in year 62. The King ruled over the nation, assisted by the poor administrative talents of Earl Robert of Guildford (not to be confused with the previous Lord of Guildford of the same name who died in year 59). The King spent a large amount of time cleaning up Earl Robert's messes. But Ian was able enough to overcome such adversity.

With the previous "troubles" in Lothian experienced by Durham, King Ian was concerned that the slim majority of DOG followers in the region may not be able to hold sway over the large minority of Pagans. He sent Earl Englebert to the region to try to convert the heathens. The Earl was decidedly unsuccessful.

Another problem remained in the capital. Since the revolt and the subsequent recapture of the capital, Lindisfarne, many years ago, the Durham monarchy has been governing from a pacified city. The King ordered Prince Eofric to meet with a number of the cities nobles to try to capture their hearts. He was successful in bringing the city further along. The Kingdom remained peaceful, and made no attempt to enter into the fray on the mainland.
 

THE GREEN TRIBE - European Pagan

King Arthur

Diplomacy: Poitou (ne)

Arthur finally completed the long-awaited expansion of Waterford. The King celebrated the marriage of the heir, Prince Andrew, to a local woman. Then he and Andrew began governing the Kingdom together. King Arthur was happy that the heir showed signs of being a good administrator. On Andrew's advice, King Arthur declared that the government would be centralized in the capital. The Kingdom welcomed the Prince's first daughter in year 61, as well.

Having gained a foothold in Gaul, King Arthur sent Prince Kevin to join Lord Kevin in Poitou to bring the region further into the Kingdom. After a long summer of negotiations, word arrived of a large army approaching from the East. The two Kevins began preparing the defense of the region against the coming of the French army.

In counting the local militia, Prince Kevin, who assumed overall command, found that he had under 2000 infantry at his disposal, most of them light troops. He could only hope that their mobility would be enough to fend off the French. Despite the heavy forested region which limited the few French horse, and kept the heavy infantry from being used to their full potential, the French general was ruthless. His men hunted down the Poitou militia and decimated them. In fact, the only casualties on the French side were about 400 of their heavy infantry who were surprised early in the conflict and cut down by the Poitou light infantry. But the Green Tribe's brief foothold in Gaul was no more. Lord Kevin suffered a moderate wound during the fighting, and he and the Prince were forced into hiding in the region. They witnessed the French pacifying Poitou and later heard word of the death of the enemy general who defeated them.
 

THE KINGDOM OF GRANADA - Druids of the Olde Gods

King Corum

Diplomacy: Aragon (hs)

King Phillip spent time with the Queen prior to going to the region of Valencia to try and convince the locals of the truth in the words of the Druids. She subsequently gave birth to a son. Phillip left Prince Corum behind to rule the nation. While the King was gone, Corum managed to rebuild the old city of Valencia, renaming it Paulas and increase the size of the capital, Ipo. He also was married to a woman from Aragon as part of a diplomatic arrangement.

While in Valencia, the King took ill. He languished with fever for weeks before succumbing to his illness. His efforts in Valencia were for naught. Prince Corum became King without trouble. Since the untimely deaths of the previous heir and Lord Tabor IV several years ago, King Phillip had not been quite himself. The entire Kingdom hoped that Corum would bring stability to the throne.

As previously mentioned, Prince Corum (now King Corum) had married a woman from Aragon. This wedding had been arranged by Lord Tabor V, a relative of the previous Lord Tabor. He had gone to Aragon to try to establish ties with the region. Despite Corum taking a local for his bride, the Aragon people were leery of the DOG Kingdom. They reacted quite negatively to Tabor V's overtures. When last heard from, the Granadan Lord was in hiding.
 

THE KINGDOM OF LOMBARDY - Roman Catholic

King Odotheus

Diplomacy: Tuscany (ne), Venice (ne)

The Kingdom of Lombardy sought to establish itself as the legitimate government of the Northern peninsula. While it had won the Civil War, it knew that it must still win over the international community. While the Cuman Horde ravaged the South, King Odotheus made numerous changes. He systematically renamed the cities of the realm to indicate the new leadership. Milan became Mediolan; Turin became Ademarin; Genoa became Genuva; and Venice became Venedkia. Odotheus hired a number of scribes and declared Mediolan the site of the seat of government for the Kingdom. The King also signed a cross border treaty with France, and a non-aggression treaty with Troy.

While Lord Almaric journeyed to France to secure the new treaty, the King went to Tuscany to try to convince the locals of the brightness of Lombardy's future. But there was still too much fear of the rampaging horde to allow the Tuscans to agree to any arrangements. Prince Braga went East to Venedkia, but he too had no success despite a long stay in the city.

Trouble arose when it became apparent that no major Lombardy figure was running the government. Almaric, still in Paris, decided that he enjoyed the Parisian lifestyle, and disavowed his oath to Odotheus. Liguria and Genoa felt the tug of independence, but calmer heads prevailed. No doubt the recent civil war kept the region and its city in line.
 

THE WARRIOR CLANS OF CUMAN - Druids of the Olde Gods

Clan Chief Ahman

Diplomacy: Campania (p, then revolt), Calabria (p)

Fresh from the glorious plunder obtained from the sacking of Rome and the raiding of the Sicilian lands, Clan Chief Ahman began moving down the peninsula, with the aim of looting the entire area. First the horde went South to Campania. Facing only minimal defenses, the 36,000 warriors of the Cuman Clans overran the region, forcing tribute from the region. But when looking for looting opportunities, they found none. It seems that their prior excursions into the region had stripped it.

Next, the Cuman Horde moved into Calabria. Here there were a number of scattered fortifications. But with no one to coordinate the defense, the Warrior Clans made short work of them. But in doing so, the horde took a number of losses. About 1000 warriors did not leave the battlefield. One of these was Gehr-Khan, the Tver Clan Chief, who had been a long-standing ally of the Cuman Clans. There was initially some concern about whether the Tver would remain allied to Clan Chief Ahman. But when Gehr-Khan's son took control, the matter was settled. For he was loyal to the Cuman. Calabria then fell victim to the deprivations of the Cuman Tribes. Again, there was little to take from the Calabrians. They, too, were forced to pay tribute to Ahman.

The horde then split their efforts. Clan Chief Ahman made a raid into Apulia, stripping the region of all things of value. The new Tver Clan Chief garnered support for his leadership of his clan. Gan-Chinua, Clan Chief of the Suzdal Tribe, made an assault against the walled city of Reggilio. The Sicilian defenders fought bravely. Yet the 14,000 Suzdal infantry eventually overwhelmed the small city. They suffered about 10% casualties in the process, and took two months to finish the city off. After the victory, Gan-Chinua sacked the city, then put it to the torch. Nothing remained of the Sicilian city of Reggilio. While the Clans rested in Calabria at the end of year 62, the wife of Ajold, heir to the Cuman Clans, had a son.
 

 THE SULTANATE OF MORROCO - Roman Catholic

Sultan Ghalib

Diplomacy: Baelerics (drop to nt), Kabilya (nt)

The Sultan was not a happy man. The loss of Rome was a great blow to Roman Catholicism. Ghalib could see that the faith held little promise. To that end, he began a campaign to secularize the nation. He instructed the priests to be less forceful in their whipping up religious ferver amonst the masses. Without the papal authority in Rome to counter the Sultan's efforts, the people lost faith.

The Sultan and Sheik Abdullah met in Kabilya and enticed the ex-Sicilian region to join Morroco. Their efforts were aided by marrying the heir, Prince Hamza, off to a local nobleman's daughter. Meanwhile, in Bealerics, things were less settled. Prince Zaahir was there to negotiate with the island's rulers. Yet the death of the feudal ally, and bad luck forced a decrease in the relationship between the Baelerics and Morroco.

Back at home, Prince Hamza was very active. He watched as Algiers grew in size. He also ordered a new port city, Durn to be built in Zirid. In addition to his daytime activities, he and his wife also had a daughter in year 62. Despite increases in the garrison in Tunisia, and the Sultan's recent efforts in Kabilya, there were rumblings of dissent in the East of the nation. It seems that while active, Hamza was not the most effective ruler.
 

THE ISLAND KINGDOM OF SICILY - Roman Catholic

King Axeres II

Diplomacy: Sardinia (ne); Campania (oc, then liberated), Calabria (oc), Reggilio (sacked and burned)

King Axeres II realized that the sheer number of barbarian invaders made defending the peninsula untenable. He made a harsh decision. The Northern regions of Sicily would have to fend for themselves. Ordering the ferry between the homeland and Calabria cut, the King ruled his nation and received reports of the happenings to the North. It was not pretty. Axeres II vowed revenge as he heard of the depravations carried out by the Cuman horde. The entire area was being stripped. The city of Reggilio was taken and burned to the ground. (SEE WARRIOR CLANS OF CUMAN).

As a precaution, Axeres II hired a number of mercenaries to defend Sicily. No attack came, as access to the region was limited to the sea. While the Sicilian people were under attack to the North, not all the news was bad. For Latium was now free of the horde's influence. And while Campania was briefly occupied, they now were free. The King also named Flavius as heir to the throne. And the Queen had a baby girl in year 61.

The King also sent Lord Palermo to Sardinia to gain more resources to use against the Cuman horde. But the Sardinians refused to become vassals of Sicily, citing fear of retribution from the DOG nations.
 

THE KINGDOM OF PUNT - Oracle of Delphi

King Nashish, the Lion

Diplomacy: Suakin (c), Adulis (t), Sabae (neutral)

The region of Zeila became very active as scribes and minor beaurocrats flooded into Punt from Delphi to aid King Nashish in governing the nation. The past years of war had left the treasury in a shambles, with only a fraction of the expected taxes being collected. With the additional government support, the King centralized his authority in the homeland, pledging to eventually return the capital to Sabae. In an effort to do just that, he sent Prince Falilikish to the city to negotiate a peace. For the city was the one final holdover of the civil war that rocked Punt in recent years. The Prince was able to secure peace. Perhaps in the future, closer ties will be able to be maintained.

Lord Shekalek was sent to Adulis with a some gold to grease some palms. Here he was able to bring the region back into the fold, as tribute began flowing to the homeland. Finally, in Suakin, Prince Baki focussed his efforts. Despite having to trudge through the desert (a distastful thing to any who call the sea their home), the Prince was able to get the local sheik to kneel on bended knee before Nashish.

At home, things were a bit more concerning. King Nashish, now secure on the throne, began a series of mock trials, where those accused of supporting Southern Punt in the civil war were tried and executed (although not necessarily in that order). While not displaying any of the madness of his predecessor, Nashish nevertheless displayed a ruthless streak reminiscent of the previous Punt King. It seemed that King Nashish would use fear as a tool to keep the nation under his thumb. To date it has worked quite well, as there was not even a whisper of dissent among the people. Of course, those few overheard whispering were quickly separated from their tongues.

The King also conducted a census of the realm to further improve hi revenue. His only complaint was the never ending harping about the evils of slavery from the Oracle government officials. They had to realize sooner or later that Punt practiced its own version of OD beliefs, specifically, Nashish's.
 

THE KINGDOM OF IFE - African Pagan

Torga, regent for King Bu 'wagu II, Lord of the Niger

Diplomacy: none

King Moncalo knew that he must teach the Madregaists a painful lesson. One that they would not soon forget. When word arrived early in year 61 of the death of Malagar (who had been languishing in the custody of Timbuktu), he grew even more resolved. He sailed a massive fleet into Nupe and with the local garrison, began rounding up all the Madregaists in the region and throwing them in chains. If the Madregaists would dare to question the resolve of Ife, this will show them the Ife steel will (not to mention steel manacles).

When the roundup began, the Nupe people rose up against the oppressors. There was an ugly fight. The Nupe militia consisted of over 5500 infantry against over 4500 Ife infantry, and the sailors from 39 ships, mostly heavy. As Moncalo ordered, any who opposed the will of Ife would be killed. All 4500 Nupe fighters were slaughtered. The Ife troops took moderate casualties, losing 600 infantry and during the fighting 5 ships were torched by the rebellious rabble. Having crushed all resistance, the King began gathering the newly enlisted slave labor, stopping only long enough to loot the Madregaist church building in the region. He ensured that not a stone remained standing.

Towards the end of year 61, when a little over half of the campaign to round up the Nupe slaves was complete, King Moncalo was found in his tent dead at the age of 17. There did not appear to be any foul play. This posed a tremendous problem for the Kingdom. For the only possible heir was only 9 years old at the time, Moncalo's brother, Bu 'wagu II. Moreover, in recent years, the government had been stretched to its limits trying to control the nation.

One of the close advisors to Bu 'wagu (the original) was named as regent, and Bu 'wagu II took the throne. Some of the more distant regions initially balked, but with the ongoing war, they realized that without Ife to protect them, they would be at the mercy of any Madregaist backlash. King Bu 'wagu II had his work cut out for him.

NOTE: With half the population of Nupe enslaved by Ife, the remaining AFP now outnumber the MD, and the region is now AFP.
 

THE MADREGAIST CHURCH - Madregaist

Primate Tuhara

Diplomacy:  Songhai (mn), Sudan (ab), Segu (ab)

If ever a religion was blessed with great leadership, that religion would be the Madregaists. The war still raged in the South. Tuhara became enraged to hear of how his people were being treated in Nupe, and was shocked at the looting of his holy church in the region. Yet, Tuhara and his apostle, Haratu, continued to spread the faith. And the people loved them both. Haratu travelled to both Sudan and Segu, erecting abbeys in both locations.

The primate, meanwhile consecrated a monastery in the once subjugated region of Songhai. The ceremony was glorious. Tuhara then set off on a most dangerous task. He travelled into the desert to visit with the tribesmen that dwelt around the Arauane oasis. His objective was to establish a foothold with these people. But upon reaching the area, he was unable to even begin church building, as he realized that none of the natives had even heard of Madregaism. He knew that he would have to start from scratch with these very independent people.

In Galam, Madregaist missionaries swarmed over the region, converting the entire region to the true faith. The church continued to grow in power and influence. Gold was sent from the King of Timbuktu to the Church, supposedly in repayment for monies loaned in the past. But there was some grumbling in Takrur that it could only lead to favoritism towards the Timbuktu nation that already received so many benefits from the Holy of Holies.
 

THE KINGDOM OF TIMBUKTU - Madregaist

King Lasaka Mansa, the Second

Diplomacy: none

In the heart of the city of Cambuctu, Wemusa of Takrur, was hired by the Timbuktu King. The mercenary and Princess Minsa Mansa waited for almost a year until Hakeem, one of Lasaka Mansa's trusted generals was found outside the city, unconscious. The two had been waiting for Hakeem, and rushed to where he had been found. It seems that Hakeem had fallen from his horse several days ago and broken his legs. One so severely that the bone could be seen sticking out at a decidedly unhealthy angle. But still, he had ridden to the capital. A healer told the Princess and Wemusa that the wound had taken with fever, and the dedicated servants time was limited. For a brief period of time, Hakeem awoke, and spoke to both of them. He then lost consciousness.

Giving the healer some gold from her purse to provide pain relieving herbs to the man, both the Princess and the mercenary rode off to the South. Hakeem died later that night. The other two were later reported to be in Oyo, but that could not be confirmed.

King Lasaka Mansa pulled back his troops to the capital and waited for an attack that never came. There was growing anger at the enslavement of the Nupe Madregaists, and joy at the death of the vile Ife King. With all the turmoil, some of the more distant regions made noise over lack of oversight by the King. There were no revolts for now.
 

THE SEAHOLD OF TAKRUR - Madregaist

King Sekani

Diplomacy: none

King Sekani continued his reign over the Seahold. He entrusted the entire army to his eventual successor, Prince Adama, while he oversaw further effort to cultivate the homeland. Prince Adama's wife had a daughter in year 61, but died within days of the delivery from fever. The Queen also succumbed during childbirth. The child did not survive.

Lord Barra travelled to the land of Galam, where he tried to convince the locals to worship the Madregaist faith. He was unsuccessful, but on his heels came a tremendous number of Madregaist priests who were able to spread the word, and completely convert the region. The Seahold was a peaceful place in which to live.