The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ooc]
With no objections, I'll start the update today, but it won't be posted today - so if anyone has new orders, there's still time.

Rolling Edit: Almost done.  Update will be finished tomorrow.[/ooc]

Well, not quite.  I need another day for this.

The Years of Shining Spears
Year of the Comet 151-175

The early years of this age saw battles that made the battles of the Auri look like mere skirmishes.  The largest land battle and the largest sea battle ever recorded took place within the first few years; astounding victories and terrible betrayals brought down great powers and brought lesser states onto the path of ascendance.

[spoiler=The Map]
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Ar-Auriban]
The Agah Asimad set out with his armies again in the year 153 to yet again subdue another people for the glory of the Light.  His army set out for Nargaq, with the intent to crush the city of Nargaq and destroy any further will of the clansmen to resist.  

[spoiler=The Siege of Nargaq, Years 160-162]
Attackers: Ar-Auriban (Suthol), Tribal auxiliaries
1 Chariots
2 Composite Archers
1 Bladesmen
2 Irregulars (allies)

Defenders: Nargaq (Chieftain Thorn-tusk)
1 Swordsmen
1 Slingers
3 Irregulars

The Auri forces '" led by one of the Agah's generals, Suthol '" were unopposed by any army in their advance northward, though the clansmen did not make it easy for them.  The Nargaq were natives to the land, and had hollowed out secret ways and abandoned mines years before.  The Nargaq would consistently ambush the invaders, especially at night; this proved to be an effective strategy that forced the Auri to move cautiously and cost them troops and supplies continuously.  When the Auri reached the city of Nargaq itself, they were low on supplies and discouraged.  The Nargaq had built extensive fortifications around their meeting-city, and the Auri were forced to lay siege.  This siege continued for nearly two years; the Auri would send troops out to lay waste to the countryside and take any supplies that could be found, and in return the clansmen would make patrols 'disappear' and raid the Auri supply trains.  By the year 162, it became clear to the Suthol that the siege was not winnable.  The Auri troops were starving on half-rations, while the residents of Nargaq were comfortably supplied from tunnels that went under the very feet of the besiegers.  Every attempt to scale the wall was beaten back by Nargaq swordsmen.  Suthol and his mighty force withdrew, but not before unleashing a day-long barrage of flaming arrows into the city.  These arrows quickly whipped up a firestorm which consumed practically every building not made of stone and killed many.  Suthol bitterly turned back, his retreat hounded by vengeful clansmen.[/spoiler]

The Agah already began planning a new attack, but was called away by two serious rebellions.  One was in Pinur, whose collaborationist king had been overthrown; the other was by the Agah's own cousin and heir, who ruled Dauraban.  The Agah first dealt with his heir, who had levied many native peoples into an impressively large force, but lacked many chariots and good bronze weaponry to equip them.  At a pitched battle just east of Isedun, the Agah's cousin was defeated and executed.

The Agah then went south, laying siege to Pinur in the year 173.  As of the winter of the year 175, that siege continues, with little hope for the defenders.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Inveran]
An impressive coalition was assembled by the Dragonlord Aristo III to bring war to the shores of Otahvy for the second time in the history of his state.  The collapse of the Auri attempts to take Inveran, apparently, made Aristo feel free enough to resume the old quarrel between his dynasty and the lords of Mandra.  The fleet assembled by the Invernessi and the League Captains was truly impressive '" the most advanced fleet ever seen, and far larger than any fleet ever assembled before.  The Celenite-League invasion force that brought down Beitar was dwarfed by comparison.  The combined attackers outnumbered the Otahvy fleet 8 to 1.

[spoiler=The Battle of the Four Fleets, Year 159]
Attackers: Free State of Inveran (Dragonlord Aristo III), Southern Invernessi Machta-In (Admiral Samaa), League of Freemen (Captain Amand)
Galleys (Inveran, 3 units)
Galleys (Machta-In, 2 units)
Galleys (League, 3 units)

Defenders: Otahvy (King Puul)
Galleys (1 unit)

King Puul realized that his people were in dire straits, and that the crucial stage of the war would have to be fought on land '" it was simply not possible for their fleet to defeat so many enemy ships.  The soldiers, however '" indeed, most of the population '" was determined in the face of almost certain defeat.  The monarchy was viewed even by those Mandrians outside its borders as the only thing standing between them and another disaster.  As word spread of the coming of the three fleets, volunteers from other villages and even warriors from the mountains came to fight against the Invernessi.  The crews of the fleet demanded that they get their chance to fight the hated enemy, and the King relented.

The allied fleets were delayed for some time by a storm, but when the weather cleared they proceeded toward the great cove overlooked by the harbors of Nilburg and Maducreon.  Waiting for them was the fleet of Otahvy, which had attempted to minimize its extreme disadvantage by fighting over a comparatively narrow bottleneck at the entrance of the cove.  Even at this point, however, the Mandrians did not have nearly enough ships to cover this distance.  Captain Willem proposed that the League take one flank and the Machta's forces take the other, and thus surround and destroy the Mandrians.  The Dragonlord agreed and ordered his ships forward, certain of victory.

The battle that followed was one for the epics '" both for the battle itself, and the staggering betrayal that preceded it.  The spies of Inveran, taken from the more loyal members of Inveran's own Mandrian population, had provided detailed reports of the forces of Otahvy.  They were unaware, however, that they had sailed into a trap.  The Captains and Machta had been in secret communication with the Kings of Otahvy.  When the Dragonlord's fleet advanced, the Captains and the Machta's fleet attacked them from both sides.

Aristo was now outnumbered two to one.  In a straight fight, Inveran might have stood a chance; its ships were more advanced and maneuverable, and its crews were the most proficient, rivaled only by the Free Captains.  This time, however, the Invernessi were taken by surprise, surrounded, confused, and in unknown waters.  Most of the Dragonlord's ships thought that Otahvy had somehow attacked with hidden ships, and were unaware of the treachery until actually boarded by their 'allies.'  The system of command was nonexistent, and the cohesion of the fleet collapsed almost instantly.

Though shaken and surrounded, the sailors of Inveran fought with all their skill and resolve.  To their credit, few ships surrendered; most fought until their crews were slain or their ships had been reduced to burned-out hulks.  The fleet never stood any real chance despite their bravery, as even their escape was blocked by League ships held in 'reserve.'  Any hope of retreat was lost when the Dragonlord's pennant, perched atop his flagship, fell; he had been struck by an arrow and fell into the sea, never to be seen again.  With him died what seemed like the last hope for an Invernessi imperial resurgence.[/spoiler]

The consequences for Inveran were devastating; only two ships returned from the great fleet, telling of the total loss of Inveran's ships and its great leader, along with nearly all of its professional soldiers.  Hundreds of volunteers had boarded the fleet, as per the Dragonlord's urging, thinking they would find easy plunder, and hardly any had returned.  Fully two thirds of Inveran's men of military age were wiped out in a single disastrous day.  Despair spread quickly through Inveran, and it was anticipated that an invasion would soon follow now that the isles were defenseless.  The blow, however, never fell.

The sudden attack on Mandra had dismayed the Mandrian portion of Inveran's population.  Though they considered themselves loyal to Inveran, they resented what they saw as a pointless and gratuitous attack on their ancestral homeland.  The defeat and death of the Dragonlord gave Mavda, the head of the Mandrian-dominated bureaucracy and the deceased ruler's Most High Councillor, the chance to do what he had plotted since he had heard of the Dragonlord's departure.  Declaring publicly that the defeat had proven the failure of the Aristocracy and their clear disfavor in the eyes of the gods, Mavda and his armed followers stormed the Dragon's Palace.  The Dragonlord's heir, however, was in Ilneress, and retained power there '" without a fleet, the Most High Councillor could not assert his power farther abroad.

The remainder of this period was spent frantically consolidating local power; the remnants of the state were in too much disarray to properly govern, and the population too depleted to raise more than a trivial army.  Inveran's sudden enemies seemingly had no desire to end the state's existence entirely, though the outlook for Inveran in the long run looks grim '" the Machta-In, once the backward, provincial neighbor, now stands triumphant and in control of the waves, and a Mandrian ruler sits on the Dragonlord's throne.

Player: Stargate525
Government: Aristocratic Monarchy
Popularity: 4 [-2]
Dread: 0 [-2]
State Religion: Cult of the Dragon Saints
Popular Religion: 98% Dragon Saints, 2% Mandrian Polytheism
Fervor: 5 [+1]
Population: 4,500 [-7500]
Cities: Ilneress (C)
Prosperity: 4
Trade: 3 [-2]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2
Espionage: 1 [-1]
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, Gal
Forces: 1 (1) [-2]
Army: 1 Spr
Navy: None[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The Machta-In]
The victory of the Machta at the Battle of Four Fleets was a tremendous gain in strategic terms, but somewhat of a wash at home.  Though as usual, people hailed the victory of their leader, the outright betrayal of the Dragonlord (who, despite any of his faults, was still an Invernessi) soured the victory for many.  The power of the Machta was undisputed, but his honor had been called into question.

The Order of the Hand, which had come into some serious political influence, defied the Machta and generally denounced the ruler's actions.  They reasoned that knowledge and truth were really the only things worthy of sacrificing one's life, and wanted no part of a war waged (in their view) for ambition alone.  Relations were strained for some time, but eventually the Order and the Machta were reconciled; the Machta argued that a united Inverness would encourage the spread of ideas, and gave lavish funding to the Order and cultural institutions throughout the realm.

The flourishing of the Order and the victory of the Machta lend themselves to something of an Invernessi golden age '" at least, for the southern Invernessi.  New granaries were built to hold the fruits of Invernessi agriculture, and a great mud-brick wall constructed around the capital city that dwarfed the previous one.  The granaries were valuable in particular, as the collapse of the Free State of Inveran led to critical food shortages in the northern Inverness, and Machta-In merchants were able to sell excess grain at impressive prices.

The growing power of merchants and philosophers at times threatened the Machta, who was unused to any kind of contestation of his power from such quarters of society.  The new ideas and new profits of these new classes often chafed at the reigns of the Machta and the dedicated clergy.  An alliance between thinkers and traders, however, never materialized '" they were divided by the Machta's radical new course of militarization, which was generally opposed by the Order (which generally saw knowledge, not land or ambition, as worth dying for) but supported by the merchants that stood to gain from the Machta-In's expansion.  The island off the coast of Ruthern, uninhabited save for a few religious hermits, was settled during this time.  The Akh-Machta-Sha-Ran-Di-In, formed to advance the Machta's might, were formed but remained largely ceremonial, as there are simply no enemies on land to fight '" Kuregn has not bothered with the isles in a century, and the Machta's great battles have so far been fought at sea.  For their part, the students of the academies seem far more interested in abstruse metaphysical meanderings than something as mundane as designing new armor.  Such a task hardly seems suited for lofty minds.

Experience in battle with Otahvy and against Inveran, as well as trade links with both, has given the Machta-In a new technology (Sli).

Player: Wensleydale
Government: Decentralized Monarchy
Popularity: 6 [-1]
Dread: 3 [+3]
State Religion: Sadatism
Popular Religion: 93% Tumiiri Sadatism, 6% Zakhism, 1% Runethainism
Fervor: 7 [-1]
Population: 15,000 [+2,000]
Cities: Danhula (C)
Prosperity: 6
Trade: 3 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 4
Espionage: 2
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, Gal
Forces: 4 (4) [+1]
Army: 1 Spr, 1 Bld
Navy: 2 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Nargaq]
In the face of an Auri siege, the clans had survived.  Again the Nargaq had staved off total defeat, but again at a great cost.  Western Nargaq lay in ruins and the capital was a smoldering heap.  Casualties among the Auri were heavy, but most were Suthol's tribal allies, not actual Auri soldiers.  Many Nargaq abandoned their war-torn lands in the west and took their families deeper into the highlands, where it was assumed the Auri would not be able to reach easily.  Though in the absence of the Agah, considerable lands were retaken by the clans, these lands had been largely depopulated in the last 50 years of war.  Few wished to return to them only to be displaced again when the Auri returned.

The leadership of the clans was secure, as a sort of 'siege mentality' existed; only united leadership kept the clans from succumbing as the Six Tribes did.  It is doubtful, however, if this will be enough in the future.  Though Nargaq's copper supplies were safe in the highlands, the fall of Inveran and the return of piracy to the seas constricted the flow of tin to almost nothing, and many Nargaq warriors were forced to replace broken or worn weapons and armor with inferior copper.  The Nargaq are a strong and determined people, but decades of warfare has worn them down.  The only bright spot in this low point is perhaps that the Nargaq have benefited from many of the weapons that the Auri abandoned on the field.

The Nargaq have learned a new military technology (CAr).

Player: Atlantis
Government: Council of elders from the five ruling clans; Raven, Wolf, Fox, Bass, Otter. The Raven elder makes the final decision if there is a tie in votes.
Popularity: 5 [+1]
Dread: 3
State Religion: Animism/ Ancestor worship
Popular Religion: 90% Animism/ Ancestor worship, 5% Runethainism, 1% Dragon Saints
Fervor: 5 [+1]
Population: 16,000
Cities: Nargaq (C)
Prosperity: 3 [-1]
Trade: 1
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2 [-1]
Espionage: 1
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, CAr, Sli, Swd, Boa, Gal
Forces: 3 (3)
Army: 1 Swd, 1 Sli
Navy: 1 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Otahvy]
Otahvy was miraculously spared from the grim specter of defeat and destruction at the Battle of Four Fleets, and came out of the war better for it.  Its modern navy had fought and won a major engagement for the first time.  The prospect of invasion had only served to further crystallize support for the Dual Monarchy; though in reality the battle had been won only because of the treachery of Inveran's 'allies,' most Mandrians credited their own rulers with the feat, saying variously that King Puul's reputation, King Rodonso's persuasion, or simply divine will manifested through the Kings had defeated the Invernessi.  The Battle of Four Fleets, in the minds of many Mandrians, ended a chapter that had begun with the first invasion of Inveran '" and began a new glorious chapter of their own history.  The yearly parade for King Puul was, needless to say, much larger that year.

The expansion of the Kingdom was thus rapid during these years, though the mountain tribes still refused their advances.  Trade with other powers increased as well, partially because of Inveran's fall.  For most Mandrians, however, life did not change in these years.  New overlords brought little in the way of new ideas or projects; a new sense of unity was palpable, but for the most part villagers lived as they always had.  Before, this was not a problem '" Mandrians knew no other way.  The increase of trade, however, exposed coastal Mandrians to new goods and luxuries that they had never seen before and could not get for themselves.  They heard stories of the richness of the Inverness and the wealth of the Captains, and looked upon the relative poverty of their own land with some shame.

Unable to barter for these things, many Mandrians turned to that other way to procure things you desire '" piracy.  The destruction of Inveran's fleet created a vacuum that was readily exploited by Mandrian sailors eager for foreign goods at reasonable prices (that is to say, free).  The fleet of the Machta-In was too concerned with local expansion and the fleet of the League too far-flung to effectively stop them, and so the grand tradition of Mandrian piracy took off again.  Initially focused on commerce raiding, the pirates turned eventually to armed raids against coastal settlements, especially in Ruthern and Kuregn where no significant navies existed to stop them.  As welcome allies in the battle against Inveran, League and Machta-In merchants and villages were marginally safer, but this did not protect them entirely from the greedier pirates.

The state itself did derive a few benefits from this '" corsairs settled new islands and discovered others.  In the year 174, a sudden and powerful storm (not actually very uncommon for northern Mandra) blew a corsair flotilla off course and far to the north, where a new land was sighted.  Thinking the pirates to be important dignitaries from a foreign land, the people of 'Baktash' showered them with gifts.  Camels came bearing incense in marble bowls, strange foods never tasted before, fine bronze swords '" and pile upon pile of shining gold.  A rarity almost unheard of in the known world, and never even seen before by most Mandrians, this bright metal was possessed by the Baktashi in great quantities.  The corsairs returned with tales of a rich land and enough wealth to quit piracy forever.  The tales of a 'golden paradise,' however, may yet inspire a new wave of piracy '" northwards.  Only the great difficulties of successfully navigating the coast of Mandra stand in the way of a figurative and literal 'golden age' of piracy.

Player: Jharviss
Government: Complete diarchy ruled by King Rodonso and King Puul
Popularity: 9 [+2]
Dread: 3
State Religion: Mandrian Ditheism
Popular Religion: 66% Mandrian Ditheism, 26% Mandrian Polytheism, 7% Mother Earth/ Father Sea, 1% Runethainism
Fervor: 3 [+1]
Population: 12,000 [+1000]
Cities: Nilburg (C)
Prosperity: 2
Trade: 3 [+2]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 0
Espionage: 2
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, Gal
Forces: 3 (3)
Army: 1 Bld, 1 Spr
Navy: 1 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Andos]
The inhabitants of the north again concentrated their efforts inward in these years, as the Ryvalnya, the academies of the Ryvan-Holme, and the Vrenas themselves experimented with new weapons and techniques.  These developments were not revolutionary, but certainly helpful.  Skirmishes between the various houses of Andos and the men of the Hartlas, as well as the northern tribal peoples, were common in these years, and any edge was treasured.  While the southerners struggled far away in large, set piece battles with hundreds or thousands of men, the Andosen developed a new kind of warfare '" small warrior bands carrying spears and bows, often using hardened leather as a new kind of light armor, and utilizing ambush techniques.  Such tactics might have been out of place against the large armies of the south, but in the high wilderness of the Hartlas the soldiers of Andos took the fight to the highland raiders very effectively.  The success of the clans forced brigand leaders like the Hart-lord to move northward, establishing ties of necessity with the northern tribespeople who felt threatened by the Ryvalnya.  A new alliance called the 'Vyssur' (in the dialect of the northerners, 'brotherhood') formed from several northern tribes, bandits, and Andosen exiles.  It thwarted attempts by the Ryvalnya to overrun the northern domains for a time, partially because the Ryvan-Holme are understandably reluctant to share their developments with the masters of Stavram.

The concentration of foreign trade in Stavram, however, strengthened the hand of the Ryvalnya quite a bit.  Foreign merchants, though still not terribly common, were happy to trade bronze weapons knowing that the Andosen would pay dearly for them.  Most of these weapons went into the hands of the Ryvalnya, who by the year 170 had an impressive cache of armament.  A series of renewed attacks against the Vyssur deprived them of half their territory.  Bronze axes, swords, and spear-heads were simply not something the beleaguered northerners could easily deal with.  Though obvious, it bears mention that the northerners were not the only ones concerned over the growing dominance of the Ryvalnya in bronze weaponry.

The opening of the highlands to settlement has strengthened and empowered many clan-masters, many of whom desire to live and rule more independently there, while exercising influence in the lowlands through trade rather than status '" highland timber has come into much demand, through the flurry of construction and boat-building encouraged by Andosen potentates.

The Ryvan-Holme's attempts to build better ships through centralized study have been less than fully successful; save for some attempts to further waterproof vessels with leather that have shown a bit of promise, little has been achieved.  The Andosen are practiced sailors and boatbuilders, but their boats have already been under continuous development over hundreds of years, and the styles of foreign galleys are not easily re-invented, considering the lack of mathematical and engineering knowledge in Andos.

Andosen navigators explored the seas in their sturdy canoes, but few other people were found '" only scattered tribes roaming the shores.  In the year 172, land was sighted to the west, and a most peculiar discovery was made.  A city of considerable size lay in tumbled ruins by the shore, its mud-brick buildings little more than grassy hillocks, and its stone-paved roads nearly obscured by tall grasses.  All around, a hilly plain stretches into the distance, with a dark, looming mountain range on the horizon.  Of the original inhabitants, there were no traces, and the Andosen navigators quickly left (considering the place a bad omen in itself).

Player: amikaligula
Government: Matriarchal Timocracy
Popularity: 5
Dread: 3
State Religion: Cult of Svyorn
Popular Religion: 22% Cult of Svyorn, 11% Other Cults, 67% Animism
Fervor: 3
Population: 9,000 [+1000]
Cities: Andos (C), Stavram
Prosperity: 3 [+1]
Trade: 3 [+1]
Advancement: Chalcolithic
Infrastructure: 1
Espionage: 3
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, OCa
Forces: 2 (3) [+1]
Army: 1 Bld
Navy: 1 OCa[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Arannia]
From the east came the people of Arannia in these years.  Where did they come from?  Perhaps they are refugees from the west, another people displaced by the likes of the Auri, perhaps even the tribe that forced the Auri themselves to flee westward.  Such things are only truly known by the Arannians themselves.  In the year 157, this band of a few thousand whose fathers had come over the mountains to the east built a city '" as, if they were fleeing some enemy, it was clear at the water's edge that they could flee no farther.

The people of Andos in particular noticed the strange customs of these new people.  They worked bronze like southerners, but spoke an entirely different language.  They seemed ambivalent at best about the spirits, unlike the southerners with their pantheon of gods.  They had what the Andosen fishermen described as a curious interest in natural philosophy, as they had men they called 'alchemists' among them who mixed unguents and philters together for a wide variety of supposed cures and powers (such as, usefully, a rather recent paste that proved helpful against the rash-causing plants of the highlands).  The fishermen gained little from this, but did notice the rather more impressive stone buildings made by these newcomers, and informed their compatriots back home of these shapes while their own homeland was busy with new works of stone itself.

Scouts from Arannia looked up and down their coastline nestled close to the mountains; they found the coastal plain to be a rugged but fair place, where the land rapidly undulated between broad, grassy plains studded with low trees and deep river gorges filled with greenery that flew fitfully from the mountains' sides to the sea beyond.  Much farther north, opposite the Andosen stronghold of Stavram, was a thick highland forest that seemed as if untouched by human hand.

These years were uneventful for the Arannians; the Auri showed no concern for them, assuming they were even aware of their northern neighbors.  Traders from other lands occasionally encountered them on the way north to Stavram, but these routes were by no means common ones, and foreign ships '" save Andosen fishing boats '" remained an uncommon sight.  One wonders how this relatively small community will fare in a expansive and dangerous land.

Player: Towel_Ninja
Government: Tetrarchy
Popularity: 5
Dread: 0
State Religion: None
Popular Religion: 16% Animism
Fervor: 0
Population: 4,500
Cities: Arannia (C)
Prosperity: 3
Trade: 1
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 1
Espionage: 0
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa
Forces: 2 (2)
Army: 1 Spr, 1 Arc
Navy: None[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The South]
In a generation, two great defeats were handed to the Atur, by Kuregn and by Kashtu [see below].  Some Auri tribes moved southwest, and a few went 'beyond the great gap,' the bleak desert pass that crosses into unknown territory in the far west.  There, beyond the grasp of their enemies, they await the return of the Ammar and their return to glory.  Others, seeking the protection of foreigners, have made themselves mercenaries of Celend or Jemna.

Kuregn's great general-despot Kotalar, who brought Kuregn to new heights, made his last campaign against Yaffa.  He stormed into their lands from the west, backed by Atur mercenaries and his own crack troops, only to be murdered by an unknown assassin in his tent.  His army retreated back to Kuregn and Yaffa was spared.

It was thought that Kotalar's death would plunge Kuregn into chaos, but this has not happened yet.  His army, loyal to him past the grave, has proclaimed his infant daughter and only child, Koura, as 'Despotissa.'  Never before has a female been Despot, let alone a female child, but as Kotalar's only issue she is the favorite of the army.  With the iron hand of military rule, the 'Infant's legions' have kept a strong grip on Kotalar's empire.  Kotalar always sought to create a cult of personality around himself, and since his death it has become a powerful faith of its own; his soldiers worship him as a god, and see his death as his ascension to true godhood.  Men motivated by such faith are difficult foes and questionable friends.

Jemna remains in its own petty turmoils, and no serious effort was made to reclaim the lands of Beitar.  Perhaps the gods have finally ended the story of this ancient kingdom.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The League of Freemen]
The onerous label of 'betrayer' affected the Captains little, compared to the Machta '"the Freemen had little love for Inveran in the first place, and the fall of an important naval power only aided them.  Unlike the Machta, the Captains had never truly enjoyed cordial relations with Inveran, and in fact had come very close to being their enemies during the abortive Auri attempt to invade the Inverness.  The Captains had acted opportunistically against a potential rival when the moment presented itself, and the world has come to expect nothing else of them.

The destruction of Inveran's fleet and the collapse of its mercantile dominions was good for League merchants, and the next few years were excellent '" until Mandrian piracy, rejuvenated by Inveran's loss, began to claim ship after ship.  Most Mandrians appreciated the efforts of the League in defeating Inveran, and Maducreon remained inviolate, but corsairs are not typically so honorable.  The loss of nearly a third of the world's warships (that is to say, most of Inveran's share) also made piracy a great deal easier.

In the south, where Mandrian influence was minimal, League merchants did well.  The papyrus of Beitar was still bitterly contested by League and Yaffan traders, but the League also possessed its own reserve in the marshes south of Tescha, which the Yaffans had no access to.  Trade with Etropahan increased dramatically, and a new crop '" rice '" was introduced from the east; it has proven especially suited to those same wetlands south of Tescha.  From Etropahan also came colored glass beads, and a method of glazing pottery with glass to create exquisite works of art.

As for whales, they continued to be useful for their meat, tallow, and 'grey amber,' which was prized by many (save the Etropahai, who clearly knew of the substance already, though they did not come across it as often).  A large portion of this went to satisfying the demands of the Auri, whose presence in Norpost was useful to traders but taxing on the Captains' grey amber supply.  The whales proved difficult to catch, however, and while techniques improved gradually the huge beasts remained a trying quarry for even the best ships.  Several fishing boats every year were destroyed by whales, either inadvertently or purposefully.  Whale-hunters have become widely known as daring risk-takers, perhaps with more bravado than sense.  The Captains' idea of training whales to do their bidding, however, remains a flight of fancy; nobody knows how a whale might be captured alive, let alone trained, and sightings of whale young are superbly rare.  Galleys are simply not fit for the long-term voyages required to seek the beasts where they live, out in the deep waters.

Experience in battle with Otahvy and against Inveran, as well as trade links with both, has given the League a new technology (Sli).

The presence of the Auri in Norpost has given the Free Captains access to Horses, but without chariots this is something of an empty acquisition.

Player: AllWillFall2Me
Government: Confederated Republic
Popularity: 5
Dread: 3 [+1]
State Religion: Mother Earth/ Father Sea
Popular Religion: 62% Mother Earth/ Father Sea, 8% Runethainism, 14% Mandrian Polytheism, 16% Beitaran Polytheism
Fervor: 3 [-1]
Population: 16,000 [+1000]
Cities: Hartport (C)
Prosperity: 4
Trade: 7 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 1
Espionage: 5
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, Gal
Forces: 3 (4) [+1]
Army: None
Navy: 3 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Kashtu]
It was plain to see in the year 151 that the primary duty of the Grand Warden was to head off the flagrant transgressions into Kashtu land by displaced Atur tribes.  To this end, the Wardens trained a corps of archers for defending their walls and fortifications, and began training and arming the common citizens to act as a militia.  Certainly these men could not stand up to the warriors of the sands, to whom fighting was as natural as breathing, but perhaps they would prove themselves useful in support.

More importantly, an alliance with the Tarkad Atur was formed, who had also felt threatened by the roaming Atur tribes from the west.  For four years, the struggle for the eastern Ma'a went poorly for the Tarkad Atur and their civilized allies.  Kashtu and the Tarkad were continually on the defensive against a flood of small raids.  Kashtu's perimeters were so continually overwhelmed as to be useless, and trade ground to a halt.  The Tarkad were forced into Kashtu territory simply to find grazing land.

The situation seemed ripe for the loose alliance that had formed between the Uktar, Shuppak, and Ulkush tribes, once residents of the central Ma'a.  They coveted the Kashtu oases and had no particular love for the Tarkad.  Deciding that the time was right to topple Kashtu once and for all, the tribes combined their warriors and rode with a mighty host up the caravan routes.

[spoiler=The Battle of Ashu'un, Year 154]
Attackers: Kashtu (Grand Warden Mishun), Tarkad Atur (Shipan), Empire of Celend (Archon Ipaudo)
Camelry (2 units, Kashtu)
Camelry (2 units, Tarkad)
Archers (1 unit, Kashtu)
Spearmen (1 unit, Celend)
Irregulars (2 units, Kashtu)
Irregulars (1 unit, Celend)

Defenders: Uktar Atur (Yibban), Shuppak Atur (Nezuch'har), Ulkush Atur (Oruk)
Camelry (7 units)
Irregulars (2 units)

They were met at the oasis of Ashu'un by the full might of the Kashtu and Tarkad, led by the Grand Warden and Shipan themselves.  The defenders also counted among them a troop of soldiers who had arrived from Celend in the previous year '" spearmen and a gaggle of poorly trained skirmishers, likely levied from the Grand Archon's border provinces.

It was an awesome sight '" all together, over six thousand men took the field, nearly equal to the entire population of the Kashtu state.  The ranks and their brightly colored pennants seemed to go on forever.  As of the 175th Year of the Comet, it was the largest known battle in history '" and not a man in either army had ever fought in more than a skirmish or raid before.  As such, tactics were relatively simplistic.  The classic Atur strategy has always been to skirmish with one's youths, slaves, and lesser troops, and then follow with a charge of camelry.  In this, they did not disappoint.

The Atur have always thought the bow to be the weapon of a coward, but the Kashtu had no such compunctions.  When the Atur skirmishers approached in a mob of more than a thousand, the Grand Warden sent forth his archers.  The arrows met no resistance against skirmishers wearing no armor, and often no more than a loincloth.  It was later said (perhaps with some exaggeration) that each volley killed a hundred men.

Impatient at their losses, the Atur camelry sounded their ram horns and charged as one great mass.  Their skirmishers barely had time to get out of their way.  Kashtu and the Tarkad counter-charged with their own camels, and a chaotic camel melee of more than two thousand men and their steeds swirled in the middle of the field.  The Kashtu and Tarkad camelry were outnumbered, but the battle turned as the Kashtu militia and Celenite infantry joined the fight.  The chaos lasted for hours until the remaining Atur finally despaired and fled.  Exhausted, with darkness setting in, the Kashtu and their allies did not pursue.[/spoiler]

The losses among the Kashtu and their allies were heavy, and at first the mood of the Grand Warden as dour '" Shipan was mortally wounded, a Warden was slain, and many Kashtu warriors were dead on the field.  So many had died that the battle was more commonly known as the 'Battle of Red Sand.'  The break of morning, however, revealed that the battle had totally annihilated three entire Atur tribes; two Atur chieftains had been slain and the third, Nezuch'har, was captured.  The tribes were utterly devastated, with each having lost the lion's share of their warriors; they almost immediately ceased to exist as independent entities.

The battle at Ashu'un changed the balance of power in the eastern Ma'a enormously.  The Kashtu, long snubbed as soft weaklings by the Atur, finally received some respect; only the Despot of Kuregn had ever managed to deal such a crushing blow to the Atur.  Though border skirmishes continued, no other organized threat to Kashtu emerged in the rest of this period.  Celend, too, took notice, and immediately withdrew its troops after the battle; though in the minds of the Archons Kashtu had triumphed over 'only' a horde of savages, a state capable of such violence was certainly one to be wary of.  The Grand Archon continued to receive the gifts of the Wardens and call them his loyal vassals, but the building of new fortifications between the Celenite heartlands and the near Ma'a did not escape the notice of the Grand Warden.

The victory was also an important victory for the Kashtu faith, which found many converts among the Tarkad and elsewhere; surely, went the reasoning, the gods of the victors must be strong indeed.  The Wardens took advantage of this by making their priests ambassadors, and their ambassadors priests; the seeds of faith were sown wherever diplomacy could be opened.

The Tarkad, denuded of much of their leadership, became progressively less autonomous and more of a semi-nomadic subsection of the Kashtu people.  Though uninterested in city life, Tarkad clans '" whom were now largely co-religionists with the Kashtu '" remained in Kashtu lands, increasingly trading, communicating, and intermarrying with the locals.  Though they retain a chieftain and still refer to their ties to Kashtu as those of 'alliance,' it is generally understood that the Grand Warden is the superior of the Tarkad chief, not his equal.

Progress on canals and infrastructure continued to be slow; despite a substantial increase in the labor force (most of the Atur non-combatants and camp followers were enslaved after the battle), expertise continued to be lacking.  Improvements have been made, but they are at this point rudimentary; the capital's immediate environs are well-watered, but not much beyond that has been affected by the Grand Warden's grand designs.  The slow progress is doubly unfortunate given that Kashtu's population has gotten to the point where its water supplies are sorely strained '" only so many people can live around any given source of water.

Player: snakefing
Government: Religious Monarchy
Popularity: 6 [+1]
Dread: 4 [+2]
State Religion: Kashtu Polytheism
Popular Religion: 79% Kashtu Polytheism, 20% Animism, 1% Celenite Polytheism
Fervor: 6
Population: 9,500 [+2500]
Cities: Kashtu (C)
Prosperity: 3
Trade: 3
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2
Espionage: 2
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Cam, Boa
Forces: 2 (3) [+1]
Army: 1 Cam, 1 Arc
Navy: None[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The East]
It was reported that the Teschans have defeated a nomadic steppe people, and from them have begun using their own chariots.  The Teschan royal line has enjoyed a series of good rulers who have expanded this remote kingdom while keeping its isolationist tendencies strong.[/spoiler]

As always, I've probably made a mistake or two, so do correct me if you see something terribly amiss.

Go to it!

One question, what happened to the Arannian men that Towel_ninja sent me? The envoys we exchanged, or, you know, anything else we did.

Quote from: Stargate525One question, what happened to the Arannian men that Towel_ninja sent me? The envoys we exchanged, or, you know, anything else we did.

Towel_Ninja's military orders were generally a little out of whack because they far exceeded the amount of troops I assigned him, so they had to be cut back.  I accordingly gave the orders in his orders post highest priority (specifically, exploration).

If it's any consolation, it wouldn't have affected the outcome.

The envoys were exchanged, I just didn't have anything specific to report in regards to the exchange.  Prolonged cultural contact might be more helpful.  The Arannian envoys, however, were in the capital, so they're in the hands of the Mandrian bureaucratic coup anyway.

[ic=Strava Hycaryt, High Captain Commander of the noble Ryvalnya, guardians of Stravam and of the Blood, to the Great Chieftan brothers, Puul and Rodonso]Note:  The messenger presents two ornately carved and decorated bronze spears.  They have simplistic designs with an uncut gem or two set in the haft but are obviously more intended for function than merely ornaments.

News of your victory has reached my ears.  The long distance the wind must travel over delayed my catching the whiff of this battle, I am sure.  From the accounts I hear from the Low-bloods, whom you refer to as Madrians, I believe, your warriors fought with great skill and courage.  The Ryvalnya's hearths and beds are welcome to any of your warriors or their commanders.[/ic]

[ic=Vrena Hosayav of the Greathouse Chorbovaid, Guardians of the Akstavyav Seal, to Dek Lakrail and his people]While in the settlement of Krynam, I encountered some fishers who had recently been amongst your people.  I am most interested in your outlook and ideas and wish to exchange some of ours as well.  It has been Greathouse Chorbovaid's great fortune to harbor three single-spirited children.  They have all been trained as chroniclers, but we require but one in our hold.  As such, we shall send one to your hold should you send us some of your thinkers and chroniclers and the like.  Be wary of the Ryvalnya.  I and my Clan look forward to our engagements.[/ic]
[ic=Vrena Hosayav of the Greathouse Chorbovaid, Guardians of the Akstavyav Seal, to the Machta and his people]Greathouse Chorbavaid has always seen the wisdom of the Revered Rylodyn in bearing the children of your people, however it might diminish our blood, and the wisdom of exchanging our peoples' ideas.  In the interest of furthering her goal, I graciously offer the hospitality of my hearth.  It has been Greathouse Chorbovaid's great fortune to harbor three single-spirited children.  They have all been trained as chroniclers, but we require but one in our hold.  As such, we shall send one to your hold should you send us some of your thinkers and chroniclers and the like.  They will be welcome at my hearth.  I have a sizable hold in Stravam and would be willing to trade for this, of course.[/ic]

[ic=Pashwar Haq, Far Seer of the People of Baktash, to Otahvy]
The Seers' Council predicted the coming of your people, though the details were unclear to us.  Accordingly, the Padsha directed that we prepare gifts, which we have bestowed upon your emissaries.  The Council and the Padsha offer you our honorable friendship.

We see rough storms all around us and bloodshed on the water, and this gives us unease.  The seers say that blood has flown where the waves tread, and that a great mast has been broken.  The coming of your emissaries brought many strange visions to us and we are anxious to see what they mean.  Bid your emissaries return, that they may tell us of your realm and what lies beyond.

May good omens precede you.[/ic]

[ic=Reply to Vrena Hosayav]
I am glad to hear of your great fortune neighbor. I am also pleased to accept this generous proposal that you have so graciously offered. I however, request some form of proof that this chronicler is worth more then a single one of my thinkers.

Also, to show that I and my people would like to have a friendly relation with you and your people i have sent one of our finest pieces of art from my home with this messenger as a sort of peace offering. I do hope you accept.

Dek Lakrail, Leader of Arannia. [/ic]  [note= The Painting]The painting shows a beautiful view of the capital of arannia from a mountain side. it was painted by the finest artist arannia has seen to date. It is a priceless one of a kind painting that has been with arannia for many years.(hope i described it as well as i invisioned it) [/note]

[ooc]Sorry i still wasnt very clear on the rules, i will try to understand better in the future.[/ooc]

[ic]The Machta sends his fleets to consolidate the new lands of the Machta-In. He also makes a proclamation of 'New Peace' for all Southmen and Northmen both.

Otherwise, orders are continued. Sha'naa commands his surveyors to attempt to find some new form of metal or animal on the Machta's new conquests that shows that conquest brings new knowledge for his scholars. He also announces his reasons for the betrayal, citing scorning of marriage-gifts and diplomatic attempts at peace, growth without thought for the Machta-In, and attempts to assassinate the Machta. He displays three severed ears, the traditional punishment for murderers and attempted murderers before their execution.
He informs his people of these assassins' deaths at the hands of his son and himself, who were giving reverence to the Triunes when they were attacked by hired killers wearing the marks of Inveran.[/ic]

[ic=The Machta to Mandrian Inveran]Greetings, High One. We of the Machta-In, among others, are responsible for your rise to power. We would like you to become our protectorate, in that you will be protected, helped and defended by ourselves in exchange for acknowledgement of the Machta as your ruler. You, and afterwards whoever your people chose, would of course rule you in truth.[/ic]

[ic]"How could this HAPPEN?!" Lindus shouts at the room in general, "Attacks from within and without, is there no one whom we can trust?!"

"My Lord, surely..." One advisor squeaks out.

"No. No. We shall re-organize ourselves. Out of these ashes will come a glorious phoenix. and in any case, revenge is a dish best served cold."[/ic]

[ic=Excerpt from a history book]
The blow Inveran was dealt was crushing. However, under the rule of Lindus the Wise, Inveran began a massive re-structuring of its infrastructure and its politics.

Since the Aristocracy was the cause of the civil war, Lindus abolished its power in the government, and began a campaign to completely restructure the government. The Dragonlord still reigned supreme, but below him were Drakka, who controlled large sections of the nation, and elected the new Dragonlord when he died. Below them were Wvyrms, who elected the Drakka who was over them when he died, and controlled sub-sections of the Drakka's land. Wvyrms were elected by the people that they ruled.

He codified and standardized the law system, and installed a circuit of impartial judges to decide on cases of law. Lindus also set out to build infrastructure, Commissioning private boats and docks to be built expressly for the purpose of ferrying people from one island to another. So also did he endeavor to build roads, wide and paved, to all large towns on every island. He commisioned the construction of schools and universities, and required children to attend at least some years. To finance these projects, he turned them over to the Drakka, former members of the Aristocracy, to build with their own wealth as part and parcel of their position.[/ic]

Following the great Battle of Red Sands, Grand Warden Mishun expanded the temple to Hoohsih, god of the desert, in honor of the fallen, and especially the great sacrifice made by Shipun Tarkad of the people of the sands. This, combined with aggressive conversion efforts, brought the Tarkad more firmly into the Kashtu influence, although they remained nominally separate.

In the years of relative peace that followed, the population of the kingdom exploded. Trade routes that had been disrupted were reopened. Grand Warden Mishun became concerned about the ability of Kashtu to feed itself. The primitive canals and dikes built around the city helped, but they were in need of constant repair and maintenance. The methods were not successfully adopted elsewhere. Mishun persuaded the Grand Hiererarch to send some scholar-priests to Celend, to learn techniques of agriculture and building that might be applicable; while other scholars continued to work on ways to improve the existing infrastructure. This required continued peace with Celend, so during this time Kashtu continued to send "gifts" to the Archons of Celend. For insurance, he attempted to cultivate closer trade relations with Celenite nobles in the border areas.

In his declining years, Mishun broke with precedent somewhat, by arranging for his son Ashar to become a Hierarch of Anwu, and instead tapped Warden Karar to succeed him as Grand Warden. Karar had been a young camel rider at the Battle of Red Sands, fighting along side his two brothers. Both brothers died in battle, and Karar himself was injured.

As Grand Warden, Karar was determined to avoid a repeat of this cataclysmic battle. He instituted a program to systematically scout and map the surrounding lands, and to track the nearby Atur tribes. Having observed the Celend units in battle, Karar made a point to study Celenite tactics. This he put to use not only to improve Kashtu units, but also to prepare defense in case Celend were to attack. Karar was suspicious of Celend, and chafed at the tributes; but the trade was so important that he felt unable to stop them.

Ashar went on to become Grand Hierarch. His father's decision to choose another for Grand Warden proved to be a good one, for Ashar was more of a scholar and bureaucrat than a charismatic leader. Ashar managed the temple well, and he continued efforts to convert the desert folk and expand his influence. He also pursued some scholarly exchanges with Celend, although this brought him into some conflict with Karar's policy toward Celend.

[ooc]Orders for Kashtu

Rebuild military strength. Improve discipline, weapons, and tactics.
Continue scouting and mapping surrounding regions. Religious outreach to surrounding tribes where appropriate. Gather information on Kuregn activities, especially by paying other tribes to infiltrate and report.
Re-establish and expand trade. Cultivate trade with new partners, such as Freeman League. Also expand relations with Celenite border provinces.
Cultural exchange with Celend, as part of the tribute process. Some priests may seek to study in Celenite academies or seminaries (whatever they have). Artisans to study craft and artistic techniques.
Investigate surrounding hills for any valuable mineral resources - ores, dyes and pigments, or semi-precious stones.
Seek to develop skills in animal-based products from our herds. Wool or leather as appropriate.
Research and use new crafts and arts to upgrade the main temple.

[/ooc]

[ic=]People of arannia i come here to you today to anounce a most important happening, my son has come of age and will now be working directly with me so that he may take the throne in years to come. We will be holding a great festival in the center of town to find a suitable bride for him. The festival shall require that all men who attend ware a mask that covers most of the face, to conceal the identity of my son whom shall also be waring a mask. We ask that if you have food enough to spare in six months time that you bring it to my home so that we may have enough food for all people.[/ic]

 [ic= Letter to Vrena Hosayav]
Greetings neighbor,

I have sent this letter to announce that my son has come of proper age to rule and marry, and so we shall be holding a great festival in 6 months time to find a suitable bride for him. We invite you and your people to join us in this festival, all that we require is that all men have a mask on that conceals most of the face.  I hope to see you there.

Dek Lakrail [/ic]  

 [ic= Letter to Lindus the Wise]
Greetings friend,

I am sorry to hear of the betrayel and defeat that befell you and your people, I wish that i could have been of more assistance to you.. If there is anything i can do to help you in these times of need then please let me know.

I would also like to announce that my son has come of proper age to rule and marry, and so we shall be holding a great festival in 6 months time to find a suitable bride for him. We invite you and your people to join us in this festival, all that we require is that all men have a mask on that conceals most of the face.  I hope to see you there friend.

Dek Lakrail[/ic]

[ic=To Arrania]Esteemed friend,

All of Inveran thanks you for your condolences, but we deem revenge beyond us at present, and wish not to sacrifice your men on a fool's errand.

As to your gracious invitation, I am afraid that I cannot accept in person, but my sons Pindus and Nitius, shall attend on my behalf. Accompanying them will be their sisters, as well as a large contingent of people who wish to see your land.

In peace,
Lindus
[/ic]

[ic]"This is an opportunity," Lindus said, signing the letter, "Go quickly, send a boat ahead of the delegation with a spy. Tell him to discover the costume of the Prince, and relay that information to my daughters. They shall attempt to woo the prince, and with any luck, there will be a marriage before the end of this party."[/ic]