The Campaign Builder's Guild

Dear,  Yote Ya Baba Immanu XXIII,

I, Udo ng'Kuchugunza, am your humble servant and lamb. I write to you on this fine summer day to inform you that I have discovered a land entirely unknown to our people. The land is called Tenrai and it holds many opportunities for commerce, conquest and conversion.

We began our journey in Port Mwisho, having been given a charter to discover new lands that lay out in the vast Gizadlu Sea. We set sail east and traveled for nearly two months across the open seas. We have seen many small islands but have not encountered any sign of civilization. One day, we chanced upon a tiny atoll with a small, sun burnt man waving his hands furiously in the air. We set anchor and took a small craft to the atoll to meet this man. He was short, gaunt and possessed yellow skin with straight black hair, a thick beard and oval eyes. We could not communicate with him for we did not speak a mutual tongue. He was obviously hungry and begged us for food by pantomiming the act of eating while motioning towards a morsel of bread one of the sailors was snacking upon. The man devoured the bread and kissed my boots. I believe he was praising me for saving his life. I could not, in good conscience, very well leave him there to die, thus I took him with us.


Over the course of the next month, he quickly learned our tongue and told us of his journey. He said his name was Karena Jiro (his culture puts the family name before the given name). Jiro was a quick study and mastered our writing system. He told us that in his land, writing is difficult in that they utilize thousands of complex characters. He said learning our system was easy and, in all likelihood, a superior model with which to write. Jiro came from a land called Tenrai far to the west of the atoll we found him on. He stated that he was a peasant who had been captured by what he called Oni (which we believe are similar to our Pepo [Demon Men]) and hauled off to become a slave aboard one of the ships. With the cover of darkness and a storm, he jumped ship. After hours of being flung by violent waves, Jrio found himself on the island where we discovered him. In recognition of Jrio, I dubbed him Bwana [Lord] of nwa'Karena [Island of Karena]. He was overjoyed at being given such a title and said he would serve me faithfully for all his days.

After a two more weeks of sailing north east we spotted land. Jiro recognized it as his homeland – Tenrai. We dropped anchor and headed ashore. A contingent of soldiers greeted us on the beach. They wore very unique armor composed of metal, wood, leather, and shark skin. They were armed with a variety of weapons including swords, spears and bows. The soldiers had never heard of our lands nor had seen men of our stature or skin tone. For their part, the soldiers (as well as the peasants who had come to shore to watch) were all small and demure. They possess oval eyes and tanned yellow skin. Their hair is straight and black, often worn in a mixture of shaved and long styles. Personally, I did not find their men imposing as I towered over them by nearly a head and a half. They're women, however, are sights to behold – I was tempted to call this land Nzuriwanawake [Land of Beautiful Maidens].


Jiro immediately informed the soldiers that I was a powerful lord from a far off and distant land. The custom in Tenrai is to give advanced notice of your arrival days before you actually arrive, so as to give your host time to prepare appropriately. We did not follow this custom as I was eager to get ashore and meet Jiro's people. Though it was breaking with tradition, Jiro convinced the soldiers of my pressing desire to meet their lord – Daimyo (which we have translated to mean Duke) Bunari.

The soldiers led us up a large grassy hill and through an impressive metal and wood city gate. Inside was a small town, much like any town in Kubwatani except the architecture was different, favoring large tiled roofs and ornamentation unique to their heathen mythology. The soldiers took us to the base of another hill, with an imposing wood and stone castle sitting atop. They said we would be going to the top of the tallest tower to meet their lord.
The soldiers rushed us through the castle and I was thus not given a chance to admire their culture's unique styles. Of what I did witness, I can say their civilization worries far more about defense than our's. The castle has the typical walls, gates and murder holes one would expect but also possesses a single winding trail leading up to the main tower. This trail is completely exposed, with many embankments lines with areas for archers to shoot any on the trail. Large boulders were also kept at the top of the trail, ready to be set loose to crush those who dared assault the castle. Truly Minzoku Goten was a castle to admire.


Duke Bunari greeted us in his main chamber. He was a tall man (for his kin) and wore light blue and white silken robes that would be the envy of all back in Kubwatani. The Lord wore a frightful mask made to look like a furious, battled hardened red Pepo. Through Jiro, I introduced myself as Udo ng'Kuchugunza, Count of Kajinilima. I told the Duke that bring glad tidings from the Yote Ya Baba [All Father], who sought to open trade relations. The Duke pondered a bit and asked if I bore gifts. I replied I had and gave him my musket. He thought it a subpar gift until I showed him the destructive power of the device. He was greatly awed by the gift. In return, he gave me a solid gold idol of their heathen tortoise god.  I accepted the gift with great care and deference. I asked what items were created or found in the lands of Bunari and he replied silk and terracotta. Fascinated by the prospect of acquiring a large amount of silk, I asked what he desired most. The Duke pondered for a bit before responding that he desired to defeat his rival Duke - Akahana - in battle. He did not possess the ships, the men or the soldiers to do so. I told him that the belief in our God would defeat his enemy. He asked how it was possible and I replied "Because your conversion to the one true God means he will open his bounty to you, a bounty which includes muskets." Realizing my meaning, he stated that if the musket could take the nearby town of Sakahana, then he would prostrate himself before his new God. When asked why they were rivals, the Duke told me that his rival had kidnapped his daughter, raped her and then hung her mangled corpse up for all to see. Disgusted by the story, I agreed to help Duke Bunari, for it was a just cause.

Borrowing several maps from the Duke, I concocted a battle plan to capture the town. I sailed my ship into its harbor. I kept my men below deck. Many of the townsfolk gathered around the ship, attempting to ascertain what it was and where it had come from. When the town's soldiers neared, I gave the order - all of my soldiers jumped out from hiding and fired their muskets into the populace and the soldiers.  Never having seen such weapons before, the enemy was frozen with fear and awe. They were like wide-eyed lambs to the slaughter. Having completed our grizzly task, we headed towards Sakahana's wooden castle. I ordered that it be lit ablaze. Within an hour of that order, the mayor was prostrating himself before me.


Duke Bunari congratulated me on my victory. As promised, he converted to Mwokozi and accepted the one true God into his heart. I traded all but two of our muskets for a hold full of silk. I allowed the two Wapawendi Priests to found the first church on Tenrai and begin converting the peasants. I promised the Duke that I would return in a year's time with more muskets and more priests. He bid me farewell and a safe journey.

I am now back in Port Mwisho and await your instructions Yote Ya Baba.

Your servant,
Count Udo ng'Kuchugunza





[ooc]
Bi-2: Minzoku Goten
Bi-3: Sakahana

[/ooc]

What language family are you using as your base for your Kubwatani (Indians/Polynesians)?
Is their All Father a corporeal god-king or a less physical entity, a la the Christian God?

Quote from: Superfluous Crow
What language family are you using as your base for your Kubwatani (Indians/Polynesians)?

The Kubwatani's language is based on eastern and southern African language trees more than anything else.

Quote from: Superfluous CrowIs their All Father a corporeal god-king or a less physical entity, a la the Christian God?

Mwokozi is the name of the religion. It means Happiness from Mwo.

The religion is based off the belief in almighty God and his corporeal incarnation Mwo. Mwo was formed from the souls of the first thousand martyrs. He had many magical powers, including polymorph and healing. He toppled the vile regime that was oppressing the faithful and took command of the kingdom himself. He took seven wives and had many children. On his deathbed, he bequeathed a 7th of the Empire to each of his wives.  Mwo also said that he would be reborn as an infant a year after his death. This re-incarnation process has proceeded for two thousand years, with each reincarnation taking up the title Yote Ya Baba [All Father]. He is the spiritual leader of the Kubwatani and holds much sway in politics, especially when it comes to new lands and new peoples.

Think of him as a Rennaissance Pope (but without as much corruption).

I like how you've given the outsiders a sort of African/Indian flavor. It's different from the "Japanese" feel of Tenrai, yet, still doesn't fall back on traditional European fantasy. It seems like there will be some colonialist themes in this setting as well, based on what you've written about "many opportunities for commerce, conquest, and conversion."

>>Mwokozi is the name of the religion. It means Happiness from Mwo.

I'm glad to see some thought given to word etymology. (Especially when it relates to Eschatology :D :D)