[Forum Game] The World at Dawn!

[Polycarp]

[ooc]Announcement
Orders are due on Monday.  We are entering a fast update period, in which I hope to approach a weekly update schedule.  Help me stay on target and get them orders in![/ooc]

[Stargate525]

[ooc]WOO! Feel the speed![/ooc]

[ooc]
FINAL ORDERS:

*Build up Numenas' relations with neighbors.
*Maintain strong trade relations.
*Maintain the practice of hostage trading, and attempt to secure such agreements with all friendly nations that don't have them.

*Construct a Temple, Theater, and Trade Warehouse in each agreeing city, man the temples with missionaries and send a troupe around to each of the theaters in a cycle.
*Construct large

Casemate Walls, and let out the interior sections as inexpensive housing.
*Construct a large temple within Numenas.
*Construct the fortress in Jalulai. Begin spreading the ideas of agriculture and the Dragon Saints to the Julalai people.
*Construct the Jululai fortress outside of Numenas on a location that is easily defensible to all approaches except the city.
*Begin construction on an Academy.

*Send the fleet to collect all willing refugees from Inveran Machta-In and bring them to the city.
*Plunder Inveran of anything the Machta-In will let us get away with.
*Take a census, and keep records of births and deaths.
*Institute a manual labor program for criminals and debtors.
*Integrate the Numbered Flag system for taxation and record-keeping purposes.
*Research the Drake, the causes of its failure, and what can be done remedy it.
[/list][/ooc]

[Polycarp]

[ic=Sesto in the throne room of King Meas]Your Majesty, you have my thanks for your hospitality.  You are gracious indeed to offer it to lost men like ourselves.  I will lead my men into battle against your enemies if you give me your word that, when that business is done, you will convey any of my men who wish to go to the lands of the Dragonlord's inheritors - Ilneress or Numenas, as they see fit.  Likewise, if they wish to accept your offer of citizenship and remain in your kingdom, they may, so long as they are given the option and means by your fleet to return to our distant people, whom we have not seen in many years.[/ic]
[ic=Grand Archon Oldam to Grand Warden Malik]If we have need of you in liberating our lands, we will call and expect your fine company in their recapture, for the good of all.  Nothing more is asked or required of you.[/ic]

[Wensleydale]

[ic=Orders for Machta-In]Continue to put down rebellions.
Continue plan of attempting to bring together Machta-In and Kuregnite families
Build a great monument in the Machta-In capital to commemorate the conquest of Inveran
Continue promoting the raider lifestyle, especially on Celendi ships [/ic]

[ic=Orders for Kuregn]Send a small detachment of troops to aid Egwydor
Set up fortified camps along the Celend border
Perform a census of major cities
Construct an academy to match that of the Machta-In[/ic]

[Haphazzard]

[ooc]
Orders for Egwydor
-Build a road network
-Build granaries
-Set up a guard house in each town that acts as a center for the guards on duty, armory, trains all those willing to learn in the art of combat, and acts as a government post office that citizens may pay to use
-Expand West across the mountains
-Build a fort in the pass of the mountains
-Send a shipment of supplies, enough for one unit, to Otahvy
-Research ships that can sail against the wind better, and offer a large reward to the Egwydorian who successfully figures this out and proves it.
-Build a large, open, building in every major city where knowledge of all sorts can be exchanged and recorded.
[/ooc]

[Tillumni]

[ic=to the Agah of the Auri, herald of light]
Greetings, my brother in faith.
my mind at ease, knowing that our people will help each other, allows me to now bring up more peacefull matter.
As the Agah might know, then it is tradition in Avardera that the 3 eldest sons compete against each other at the passing of the current regent, to determen who is must fit for rulership, how ever, before this comes to pass, then I wishes that my eldest son, and my late brother, may his spirit rest with his ancestor and the lands, eldest son to live amounth you for a year.
also, Avardera wishes to propose that if the campaing against the Sorghedai brings us to the ancient city of Daura, then, assuming the wind blows in our favor and the Sorghedai does not expect it, sending your fleet, and one Avardera fleet up along the River to cut off and encircle the city could be a move they would not expect.

May we all prosper and the light guide us.

King Meas V [/ic]

[ic= to Numenas]
Greetings Dragonlord and descender of Inveran.

Tales have reached me that Inveran have not truely fallen, but that the dragon of the middle sea is slumbering and biding it times in the east.  Avardera still remember the Alliance that was formed then, and wishes to let Numenas know that should you wishes it, then to the best of Avarras ability, within reason, then that friendship still extend to your people, even if your now live elsewhere. As proof of then, then I will be sending my youngest, and my late brother youngest son to live amounth you, untill the time comes where they must be tested to see who should inherit the throne of Avardera.

May we all prosper and be led to the light.

King Meas V[/ic]

[ic= to the League of Freemen]
 Greetings

Once, my brother lived amounth you to learn your ways, and I wish to continue that tradition, and have my 2.nd and my late brother, may his spirit rest with the ancestor and the land, 2.nd son live amounth you, untill the time comes where they shall be tested to see who shall follow me. I have also heard that some of you have started to live from the bounty of mother earth and so in light of our friendship, wishes to offer to teach your peaple how to till the land, and Avardera ask only in exchange that the leagues merchant will aid Avardera in having her goods sold to the distant east.

May we all prosper and be led to the light.

King Meas V [/ic]

[Stargate525]

[ic= to King Meas V]
Greetings to you from the slumbering Dragon,

Numenas welcomes your gift of friendship, as well as the entrusting of your son and nephew to us. We shall, as well as we can, commence trade with you at once. We have heard of the Hayar menace to the West, and are unable to maintain a sea trade route from them. However, we shall make our way through the Auri, our ally as well as yours, with our trade goods.

In reply to your trust, we have sent with this letter one of our royal family to stay and learn your ways.

Numanas is undergoing a time of great construction and rebuilding. Hearing of the work of your men on the great roads of the Auri, we humbly request a detachment of these architects to aid us in our building projects.

In faith,
Dragonlord Gregor II
[/ic]

[snakefing]

[ooc]Orders for Kashtu
Merwek - Travel to Zur'a, recruit a company of mercenaries if possible. Try to obtain a balloon and experiment with using tethered balloons as aerial scouting and battle management platforms. Stay in the west to patrol western Ma'a and protect Nem Ammar and other allies. If there is war, may opportunistically raid border regions of Kuregn. Will return to Kashtu in event of uprisings.

Malik - Lead foot troops that are allocated to assist Celend. Detach camelry to patrol eastern Ma'a. Camelry may raid border regions of Kuregn proper.

Civil - Expand contact and trade with Zur'a, including marking out caravan routes as well as possible. Work on improving layout of cities to improve conditions.

Religious - Spread the idea of Ma'a as sacred lands for the native inhabitants (Kashtu and Atur).[/ooc]

[amikaligula]

[ooc]Orders:
Destroy the Demon invaders in Andos and inprison the Vysmen and bandits who sided with them within Stravam' fortresses.  Additionally (in the case of a victory) punish them as follows:
[ic=By Accord of the Ryvan-Holme, Strava, and Greater Andos, as Reached in the Second Geet-Holme of Andos]Our hearts are wounded by the treachery of our very own Blood.  Woe to you, traitors.  It has been proposed to us that we execute the lot of you.  But we are sensible and merciful.  You are still Blood, even if traitorous Blood. And far too much Blood has been spilled by the Demons for us to continue this.  So we require you to redeem by the Wisdom and Power of O Glorious Rylodyn.  The Ryvalnya will, of course, assist you on this path.  You see, your deeds have surely come close to upsetting the Serpent Andos and destroying us all as was done to Lost Arrania.  The preistesses of Svyorn are certian of this as well.  So, it falls to you to make suitable recompasses to the Serpent Andos.  So it shall be that you shall no longer be allowed to live in Holy symbiosis with a scale of him, so it is that you shall have no land.  So it is that you shall serve those you have wronged for [one hundred generations] the time it will take to cure your treacherous streak in your Blood.  Or until the Final Battle of Incarnation, when the Demons come back stronger and different, which the priestesses of Svyorn say will be just after your time of redemption is over, but, still, should they be wrong, you shall fight as free Andosens.[/ic]

Capture Demon ships and dismantle, etc. to obtain the knowledge of building them.

Convene on the Demon's northern fortress nad destroy it completely using sling staffs and fire pots.

Burn parts of Andos' forests if they are being used to build Demon ships.

If the Demon invasion is repeled in time, aid the Sorghedai while concurrently building a fortress in the hills south of Lost Arrania (the ones that can block the access to Andosen lands as they are right in between the mountains and coast).  construct additional embankments and outward-facing palisades to greatly benifit spearmen over chariots in the hills.

The Svyorn cultists will once again launch an expedition searching for the "snake-headed demons", as they believe their magics will surely aid Andos.

accept surrenders of the Demons.  Execute them, but let any Andosen allies be imprisoned.[/ooc]

[Tillumni]

[ic=aboard a hayar ship]
"remember, I only want his eldest and his 2.nd son out of the way you hear me?"
"offcourse partner, offcourse, but out of professional curiosity, why?"
"I'm not paying you to ask question"
"offcourse partner, offcourse, but surely a sign of trust is in order between two people commencing trade with each other?   even if the goods is somebody else life"
"I've met aboard your ship, I believe that is big enough show of faith"
"ahh, my bad, but offcourse...well then, only one matter left" the hayar pulled out two pieces of parpyrus and putted on the table between them
"a signatur, in what ever means your nation does it, and as you see, it allready have mine"
"why by all the spirits would I do that?"
"we're doing business, no formalities, no deal...consider it...mutual insurance"

eavesdropping on them was a person laying flat on the roof, the talk upsetting him, he knew this particulare nobles distaste of the chance of getting a "filty horse lover, or a lieing half pirate as king" but this was abit too much, the last part made him smile slightly though. "talk about making it easy for me" he thought to himself....just a little bit of patience more, and they'll be able to sneak back to the king with that parpyrus......he hoped...his new partner was quite likeable, he hoped this guy would last for quiet some time[/ic]

 [spoiler=about the Kings Voice] Established during the reign of King Meas II, originally as his personal domistic messenger, the role of the Kings Voice have slowly expanded and adapted to the changing time, turning into the royal families personal agents, being thier diplomat, middlemen, foreign messenger, straw man and representive at any important matter where the king can't be there himself. much prestige is often attributed to joining this organisation, and many non-first born nobles often aspire, or get pushed into joining for the glory of thier families, how ever a substantial part of the Kings voice consist of low-born, even orphant foreignes to avoid too close ties with the noble families (more will follow about those later) and it is mainly from those that a sub-part of the King voice is drawn from, called the Kings Whisper, his personal spies, who mainly concern themself with domistic affairs. [/spoiler]

[ic= to Sesto] it shall be as you wish, may victory come swiftly with your aid[/ic]

[ooc]

foreign orders:
aid the Auri as agreed, and afterward prepare a campaign to take back Stormshield isle with the help of Sesto.

Allow Ruthern people passage into Avardera

increase patrols along the southern border of Avardera.

Domestic orders:
codify Avarderas law for minor crimes at first and have it run for a trial periode to see how well the guards deals with it, change as needed, before it's formally implemented.

keep tab of where ever or not Avardea can relieable feed it's growing population and claim more farmland as needed.
[/ooc]

[Locknpop4life]

[ooc]continue expansion to the north as well as militarily

horse training both taming and riders

give all traders the bible of rashea

build monument for rashea and fallen soldiers

research building materials and medicines[/ooc]

[ooc]sorry for lateness[/ooc]

[Polycarp]

The Years of the East and West Winds
Year of the Comet 251-275

[spoiler=The Two Palaces]
The Machta-Despot, or 'Emperor' as he called himself, attempted to tackle the problems of the cobbled-together empire as best he could.  The concept of 'empire' was really something quite new to Ma'turi culture '" Kuregn, Celend, Beitar and others had always dominated lesser states through tribute and vassalship, finding this much easier and less of a hassle than bringing disparate cultures under a single regime.  Talor had an advantage in that he was the product of both cultures '" unlike the empires of the Auri or the Teschans, the 'Empire of the Two Palaces' (or 'Inver-Kuregn') was forged largely by alliance, not conquest.  Talor tried to create a closer alliance through marital association of the ruling classes of the Machta-In and Kuregn.  This was complicated somewhat by the fact that Kuregn was a stratocracy, ruled by a meritocratic military elite ever since Kuregn's noble class had rebelled and been subsequently annihilated generations before.  Still, the project went ahead, with Talor playing matchmaker to numerous officers and nobles.

Talor's primary concern was legitimacy, to bring his people around to the concept of empire.  Knowing well that symbols create power, Talor ordered the construction of a great monument in Danhula to commemorate the victory over Inveran.  This took the form of a grand mausoleum for his grandfather, the last Machta before the formation of the Empire and the architect of Inveran's conquest.  Built from stone and adorned with the prized red sandstone of Kuregn, the structure towered over the city, with larger-than-life carvings of galleys defeating the Dragonlord's fleet.  Perhaps understandably, there was no mention of the land battle against Sesto's army.  Talor also built an academy in Kuregn, though it remained low on the totem pole next to the Invernessi Academy and Helm, both of which remained important centers of learning and scholarship despite the fall of Inveran.

His actions in the Inverness, however, were not wholly symbolic.  The Zakhite rebellion was put down ruthlessly, and at great cost.  The Zakhites did not lack for numbers or motivation, only weapons and organization.  The priesthood fell in line with Talor rather quickly, and even a zealous peasant rebellion was still a peasant rebellion at heart, with no leaders and no real military value.  Not trusting his native Machta-In troops to deal with the Zakhites impartially, Kuregnite soldiers were dispatched to crush the uprising.  Within two years, the rebellion was quite over, though it was clear that simmering resentment still existed among those who kept the ancient hatred of Kuregn alive in their hearts.

In the year 260, the Archons broke the most recent in a series of precarious truces and attacked the Kuregnite army on the border.  Talor had already spend a decade constructing outposts on the border with Celend, so this came as no surprise.  The Celenites were forced to attack and dismantle these camps in order to march northwards; this took them longer than anticipated, and the main attack was delayed until the following year.  By this time the Kuregnite army had been assembled on the border.

[spoiler=The Battle of Purdan]
Celend and Allies
4 Spr (Celenite, 1 Kashtu)
2 Arc (1 Celenite, 1 Kashtu)
3 Irr (Celenite Levies)

Kuregn and the Inverness
1 Agn
2 Spr
1 Bld
1 Arc
1 Mar
2 Irr (Kuregnite Levies)

Though they were prepared for a Celenite attack, Talor did not expect Kashtu assistance '" he had assumed Malik would keep his side of their bargain.  Additionally, the size of the empire and its many borders and trouble spots prevented Talor from massing all his forces on the Celenite border, while Celend could bring its full strength to bear.  On the other hand, Kuregn's army was arguably better trained, Kashtu had declined to commit its best troops, and the elite Agnrian Guard had been brought up to full strength again.

The battle was fought on an open plain near the village of Purdan in occupied Celend.  It was fought in a straightforward fashion '" after inconclusive skirmishing between the opposing archers, Celend's line of spears clashed with Kuregn's battle line.  There was no clear advantage to either side; they were roughly even in numbers, and the battle became a matter of stamina and morale rather than tactics.  When the sun began to fall, both sides were forced to withdraw for the day, and both commanders came away claiming victory.  As the Kuregnites were more distant from reinforcements and resupply, however, the Celenites were able to claim some territory in the aftermath of the battle.[/spoiler]

Talor had more success against Celend on the seas.  Celend's fleet had already been ruined, and with the protection of the Empire's navy at Yaffa, any enterprising man with a boat, a crew, and some weapons could lay waste to Celenite shipping.  Talor's fleets made regular raids on Celenite docks to ensure no fleet could be built to challenge them.  It was clear that without a seaborne ally, Celend's entire littoral was an open flank.  On the other hand, Talor found himself with an open flank of his own '" the breakdown of the short-lived truce with Kashtu put the lengthy desert border at risk.

The 'Black Goose Hayrines,' carried on a flotilla of Hayrine galleys and led by their 'Connetar,' Pheren, found the sparsely populated peninsula of Yaffa to be very favorable to settlement.  Pheren swore fealty to the Emperor and the Black Geese built fishing villages all along the coast.  By the year 275, the Yaffan Peninsula was its own cultural entity, loyal enough to the Empire but clearly dismissive of the culture and administrative structure of the Empire.  The Hayrines were happy to supplement their income by making raiding Celend a yearly occurrence, and Hayrine corsairs became the mainstay of the Empire's privateers by the end of this era.

The Machta-In
Player: Wensleydale
Government: Hereditary Monarchy
Popularity: 5 [+1]
Dread: 6 [+1]
State Religion: Sadatism
Popular Religion: 66% Tumiiri Sadatism, 3% Zakhism, 31% Dragon Saints
Fervor: 6
Population: 24,500 [+1000]
Cities: Danhula (C), Inveran
Prosperity: 4
Trade: 3
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 3 [-1]
Espionage: 3
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, Gal, WGa
Forces: 3 (5)
Army: 1 Spr, 1 Bld
Navy: 1 Gal

The Despotate of Kuregn
Player: Wensleydale
Government: Hereditary Stratocracy
Popularity: 5
Dread: 6
State Religion: Cult of the Despot
Popular Religion: 32% Kuregnite Polytheism, 60% Cult of the Despot, 8% Atur Polytheism
Fervor: 5
Population: 117,500 [+2,500]
Cities: Kuregn (C), Agnri, Sabae, Yaffa
Prosperity: 4 [+1]
Trade: 2 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 4
Espionage: 2
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Cam, Boa, Gal, WGa
Forces: 7 (9)
Army: 1 Agn, 2 Spr, 1 Arc, 1 Cam
Navy: 2 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Egwydor]
The Unlucky Land remained a rather isolated entity during these years, though the warming of relations between Egwydor and the Empire led to increased overland trade.  This was further developed by the 'coastal road,' an ambitious project to link Egwydor's communities by a single route.  In most cases this meant no more than moving rocks, marking trails, building fords and clearing brush '" this was certainly no Tower Road of Avardera '" but by the standards of the Mandrians it was quite an achievement.  Though attempts were made to find ships to overcome the sea's inherent difficulties, progress was minimal at best.

The government busied itself with building projects, from roads to granaries and guard houses, and was able to fund these largely through metals '" gold and copper were always in demand, and Egwydor became one of the Empire's most important sources of copper, as Kuregn's own mines were unable to keep up with the entirety of its requirements.   The method of gathering gold, however '" picking through river banks for nuggets '" was becoming clearly less and less able to provide the supply necessary for trade in bulk.

The discovery of the High Pass to the west put a new curiosity into the minds of many Egwydorians, who like most people had suspected that the Western Mountains were the furthest limit of the world, or at least the border between one world and another.  What did this new land hold, and what if it really was another world?  What could be possible here?

The land discovered by the Egwydorians was a land of thin air and untrammeled nature, for there were no traces of any other humans having lived there.  Below the High Pass was a long valley with a still and brilliant azure lake large enough to approach the size of Egwydor itself.  It was entirely fresh water, and the Egwydorians were quite surprised by an odd animal that inhabited the lake and filled the valley with incessant barking.  They were seals, something the Egwydorians had never seen before, and their colonies were spread all around the lake's edge.

The new land was also fraught with new challenges, however.  The crops of the Egwydorians were unsuited for the elevation and climate of the valley, and the winters were simply brutal compared to the year-round fair weather of the Middle Sea littoral.  Settlement was made somewhat easier by the fort built on the High Pass, certainly the highest fortress or settlement in the world, which functioned as an outpost and shelter for travel to and from the New World.  Nevertheless, only the hardiest men and women saw fit to leave familiar Egwydor for the cold and strange lands of the west, and the settlers there remained a tiny minority of Egwydor's population.

Through contact with foreigners, Egwydor has acquired a new military technology (Gal)

Egwydor
Player: Haphazzard
Government: Theocratic Tribal Council
Popularity: 5
Dread: 0
State Religion: Elemental Rite
Popular Religion: 90% Elemental Rite, 10% Mandran Polytheism
Fervor: 3
Population: 7,500 [+1,000]
Cities: Egwydor (C)
Prosperity: 3
Trade: 2 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2 [+2]
Espionage: 0
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Sli, Boa, Gal
Forces: 3 (3)
Army: 1 Bld, 1 Sli
Navy: 1 Boa[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Avardera]
King Meas continued the tradition of cooperation with the Auri, and provided a force of its own warriors to aid the Auri in the east.  The situation remained fluid in Daura; Avarderan assistance helped the Agah win a great victory that won him back most of the disputed territory, but it the Sorghedai negated most of these gains less than a decade later.  The 'border' shifted back and forth many times, mostly as a result of sharp skirmishes rather than pitched battles.  In such skirmishes, Avardera's decidedly old-fashioned force of spearmen was not terribly helpful.  Surprisingly, it was the Hayrines who eventually gave the Auri a new advantage.

The Agah attempted to return the favor as best he could, but was unable to tear many forces so far away from the steppes.  Some foot archers marched from the east, and troops from Atamn were also dispatched.  The force arrayed was impressive, but in the end insufficient to the task.  The Hayrine ships were a match for the Avarderan fleet, if not as numerous, and the Hayrines were extremely skilled seamen '" at one engagement, a storm that most of the Hayrine ships weathered did enough damage to the Avarderan fleet to scuttle the attack for that year.  The Hayrines retained the offensive, striking into the Avarderan mainland.  While they were unable to take Taripont, apparently their key objective, the lightly armored Avarderan spearmen were at a distinct disadvantage against the Hayrines, who wore tunics of bronze scales and fought with high quality bronze swords and axes.  The Taripont peninsula remained in flames for most of these years, though the Hayrines made no permanent gains in the area.  They were more interested in Avarderan slaves, which made their way to markets in Kuregn.  Even Sesto's men, good warriors though they were, were not able to turn the tide for the Avarderans.

While people fled the north, refugees flooded into the south.  Ruthern had suffered a total collapse '" the insular theocracy was totally unprepared for the raiders from the north.  The city of Ruthern had been sacked by the Crimson Sparrow Hayrines, who sold thousands into slavery and massacred the city's clergy.  For a society centered entirely on their religious order, this was a crushing blow.  The refugees had no home to return to, and left for Avardera, where there was land to settle and no risk of slavery.

Avardera was expanding and had the necessary land to accommodate this influx of people, but much of it needed to be cleared, especially upriver where the river wound into the highlands.  Acre by acre, forest was cleared, the timber traded for seeds and animals, the rest of the wood burned for potash, and the field planted and fertilized.  It was a good system which created a sizeable boom in population on top of the refugee influx.  All benefited, except perhaps the forests themselves '" but the woods of Avardera were quite large, and there was still a vast forest beyond the thin bands of cultivated land along the rivers.  The concentration of population in the river zones also made it relatively easy for the King's men to administer justice and keep a close watch; it was only the thinly populated forests that existed much as they always had, keeping many ties with the tribal peoples of the southern peninsula.

Avardera
Player: Tillumni
Government: Hereditary Monarchy
Popularity: 6
Dread: 2
State Religion: None
Popular Religion: 47% Animism, 34% Zhasmunism, 12% Runethainism, 5% Dragon Saints, 2% Mother Earth/ Father Sea
Fervor: 4
Population: 22,500 [+3,500]
Cities: Avarra (C), Taripont
Prosperity: 4
Trade: 2
Advancement: Middle Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 3
Espionage: 2
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, CAr, Sli, Swd, Cha, Boa, Gal
Forces: 5 (5) [+1]
Army: 2 Spr, 1 Sli
Navy: 2 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Andos]
The island land of Andos was consumed by war in these years.  Both the Hayrines and the Andosen were fighting for life and livelihood '" the Hayrines were eager to settle in their new land, and the Andosen considered it theirs.  There was no basis for a bargain, and neither side was interested in diplomacy.

The Hayrines, finding the inhabitants to be less docile than they had hoped, used terror.  Though raids were made to seize plunder and food, they were also made to scare the Andosen by fire and slaughter.  This succeeded in depopulating the entire western coast of Andos, whose inhabitants either died or moved inland, but it the Andosen viewed this as a temporary retreat rather than an abandonment.  Hayrine attempts to build communities on this coastal land were met with vicious counter-raids by the natives.

The Hayrines also attempted a strategy of division, allying with northern tribes who felt threatened by Andosen power.  It was through these alliances that En-Perdray, the great fortress and port of the Hayrines, was established and remained inviolate.  These tribes, however, lacked bronze and were not nearly as numerous as the Andosen.  As proxies, they were less than the Hayrines planned for.

In their desperation, the Andosen even set fire to their own woods to keep valuable lumber out of the hands of the Hayrines.  Captured Hayrines were summarily executed; infuriated, the Hayrines responded by mounting hundreds of Andosen heads on poles around En-Perdray.  The Andosen directed many attacks against the fortress, and twice lay siege and set most of the fortress's interior alight using staff slings.  The fortress was never taken, but the Hayrines were eventually convinced that colonization was not practical.  One week, the Hayrines departed, taking hundreds of northern tribesmen with them who feared Andosen retribution.  The Andosen found Hayrine outposts abandoned and northern villages empty; En-Perdray itself had been largely dismantled, save for its ruined wall and its many decapitated heads.  Of the northern tribes, few remained, and most that did remain were enslaved by the Andosen.  Through the 'Demons,' the Andosen had come to rule their island in its entirety, and the war had done much to bind Andosen society together as well.  In the face of a 'demon' invasion, the divisions between the various motherhouses and factions somehow seemed less important.  Those that were bitter enemies before the invasion were forced into tenuous alliances in the face of annihilation.

The Hayrines moved east and then south, setting fire to part of Stavram and settling on the Arranian coast.  There were some Andosen living here, but compared to their homeland they were only loosely entrenched and were killed or expelled in short order.  Their presence made the Andosen plan for a fortress unfeasible.  In their new land, the Hayrines came to know the Sorghedai, who were turned against them by the Sorghedai warriors who had served with the Andosen in their struggle.  The Connetars of the Hayrines, realizing their position among feuding giants, chose to throw their lot in with the only friendly power around '" the Auri.  The Hayrines of Arannia had not been in contact with the Hayrines of Stormshield for at least two generations, and the former were happy to accept Auri suzerainty in exchange for the right to settle.  Their aid helped the Auri reclaim much of Daura, and prevented the Andosen from easily sending aid to the Sorghedai.

Andos
Player: amikaligula
Government: Matriarchal Timocracy
Popularity: 6
Dread: 4 [+1]
State Religion: Cult of Svyorn
Popular Religion: 40% Cult of Svyorn, 14% Other Cults, 46% Animism
Fervor: 6
Population: 12,500 [+1000]
Cities: Grycham (C), Stavram, Krynam
Prosperity: 3
Trade: 1
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2 [-1]
Espionage: 3
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, CAr, Sli, ASp, Boa, OCa, Gal
Forces: 4 (4)
Army: 2 ASp, 1 CAr
Navy: 1 OCa[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Kashtu]
'The Land of Fire,' said a Zur'shuk warrior whose words were recorded by a Kashtu priest, 'is ever aflame with conflict and strife.'  This proved to be true, both politically and militarily.  The war with Kuregn reignited while the conflict between the Old and New alliances (the Peshuek and the old Wardens versus Malik, the priesthood, and the military) continued to simmer.  

It was wealth, however, that began to diffuse the internal situation.  Malik's concessions to Kashtu's historic leaders provided some ground for reconciliation, but prosperity healed wounds better than any symbolic gesture.  The coffee trade became a central part of Kashtu's trade, eclipsed only by Kashtu's signature Oil.  Long trains of camels carrying sacks of raw beans became a common sight in the Ma'a; the Kashtu had learned how to cook them into the 'black seeds' and now did this job themselves.  The export of coffee was so great that it outstripped supply among the Zur'shuk, who had always gathered the beans from the wild and had never bothered to cultivate them.  The 'coffee route' also became a road by which the Kashtu faith was spread westward into the tribes of the deep Ma'a.

The Peshuek continued to dominate this trade, but their monopoly on mercenaries and balloons was broken gradually, finally ending during the reign of Malik's son.  As part of a broad compromise, the 'Old Alliance' supported Merwek's succession and the end of the Peshuek foreign army, in exchange for the establishment of a permanent reinstatement of the Council, whose members would not be determined by the Grand Warden.  Numerous other arrangements, unannounced to the public, were also part of the compromise.  Though this did not end the tensions, it brought them to the lowest point they had ever been since Malik's accession.

More and more westerners made their way east under the rule of Kashtu.  The 'foreign army' was not dissolved, largely because Merwek and the Peshuek were afraid of what would happen if it was.  Instead, it grew, and became a sort of foreign elite within the military of Kashtu.  They became popular among the citizens, as unlike the native military, the Zurat'erhim ('army of dusk') was even-handed and possessed no great interest in Kashtu politics.  The unit was formed to late to be of any use in the Battle of Purdan, unfortunately.

Others from the west included Alouya, a master weaver who had traveled to Kashtu near the end of Malik's reign out of curiosity.  She knew how to weave and fly balloons, and Malik made them central parts of his parades and public functions.  They became such a symbol of nobility and power that when he died, his son arranged a 'flying funeral,' in which his father's body was carried by Mishwa himself over the city he had ruled to his final resting place.  The use of these devices in war was also explored; though as weapons they were useless, they could function as 'instant watchtowers' where a man could observe a battlefield for miles around, especially in the Ma'a where the flat land made this even easier.  The two men on the reed 'boat' held aloft by the balloon carried horns and drums to communicate the positions of the enemy, at least in theory; they never saw use in these years.  They were too cumbersome to be useful in lighting raids (which the Kashtu engaged in all along the Kuregnite border), but were kept ready for any pitched battle nearer to Kashtu.

Kashtu
Player: snakefing
Government: Religious Monarchy
Popularity: 5 [+1]
Dread: 2
State Religion: Kashtu Polytheism
Popular Religion: 87% Kashtu Polytheism, 12% Animism, 1% Celenite Polytheism
Fervor: 7
Population: 18,500 [+2000]
Cities: Kashtu (C)
Prosperity: 3
Trade: 3 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 3
Espionage: 3
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, Cam, Boa
Forces: 5 (5) [+1]
Army: 2 Cam, 1 Arc, 1 Spr, 1 Zur
Navy: None[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The League]
The League continued on a steady course in these years, though a new dimension was added with the opening of the coffee trade in earnest.  Coffee was in great demand both on the Whale Isle, Etropahan, and Cyrenehan, and even the civil war there failed to diminish that demand.  The political course remained steady as well, with wealth growing more and more consolidated in the hands of the wealthier captains, who were influenced by Sirrat culture and nobility, to the point where many of the League's leading captains referred themselves as 'Princes,' thinking the term more cultured and higher status than the simple 'Captain.'  The agricultural settlement of the Whale Isle continued, and a town began to grow on a low, round hill by the coast called the 'Turtle's Egg.'

It was so named because of a rather curious incident '"a rather poor captain of Norpost origin named Arkan managed to steal a giant tortoise egg from the Isle of the Moon.  Covetous of the egg and the promised reward, other captains attempted to acquire it for themselves, starting a year long struggle of politics and violence known as the 'Little War.'  Played as much in the courts of the 'Princes' as on the sea, captains raided or sabotaged each other's ships, concocted political schemes against each other, and even assassinated other captains in an effort to get their hands on the egg.  After eight different attempts on his life, Arkan emerged on top, and the ten foot long egg hatched.  Whether he will be able to make anything of the creature is unknown, and his actions have enraged the native people of the Sun and Moon, who banned League ships from their shores because of their abduction of a god.

From contact with the east, the League has learned a new military technology (CAr).

Player: AllWillFall2Me
Government: Oligarchic Republic
Popularity: 5 [-1]
Dread: 2
State Religion: Mother Earth/ Father Sea
Popular Religion: 72% Mother Earth/ Father Sea, 5% Mandrian Polytheism, 23% Darhism
Fervor: 4
Population: 18,000 [+1,000]
Cities: Hartport (C), Turtle's Egg
Prosperity: 5
Trade: 8 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 1
Espionage: 4
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, CAr, Sli, Cha, Boa, Gal
Forces: 4 (4)
Army: None
Navy: 4 Gal[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Vandire]
Having secured its steppe border, the Vands were free to turn their attentions elsewhere.  Expansion to the north was slow but steady; most growth remained around the Teschan river and in the marshlands, where the Vands' crops grew best.  In fact, the greatest wave of settlement was to previously uncultivated parts of the Vandire Marshes.  There, Vand reed-crafting reached a new apex.  The homes of the Vands had always been made with reeds, but reed buildings grew larger and larger, into palatial arching halls made only from curved bundles of reeds as thick as tree-trunks.  These structures would then be covered with a waterproof earthen slurry on the outside and plaster on the inside, which in the buildings of chiefs and wealthier Vands decorated with colorful frescoes.

Contact with their neighbors also brought the chariot to Vandire, though it remained a relatively rare sight in the Vandire chiefdom.  It was useless in the marshes, as had been proven, and its use was largely reserved for official functions and the occasional transportation of an important Vand into the northern reaches of the realm.  More promising was Vandire's continuing attempts at bringing hippos to heel '" techniques for hunting and capturing hippos had undergone steady improvement for the last hundred years, and though it was still breathtakingly dangerous it tended to yield better results than the suicidal expeditions of previous generations.  The Vand hippo-hunters, made up of those who had murdered a person or otherwise offended the community or the chief, had a short life expectancy but delivered a steady supply of semi-tame hippos for the chief's use.  Though these were usually used to impress rather than for any practical purpose, a few acclimated to use as a steed for short periods of time, at least until they decided to take a mud bath instead.

Contact with the League continued, mostly by way of the reed boats traveling down the river with loads of papyrus, rice, hippo ivory, and dried herbs, and sailing back up with timber, wine, salt, and fruit.  By the year 275, every mile of the river was busy with traffic up and down, conveying both goods and people up the artery of Vandire.  Even the Teschans were interested in this trade, and Teschan merchants '" previously unheard of '" began visiting the city of Vandire with horses, textiles, and silver.  The river also served as a path to spread the faith of the Vands, though the Teschans were uninterested in such foreign things.

The growth of the Vand people posed some problems for the Vand state.  A religious council with a chieftain was well and good for governing a marshland city-state, but the chiefdom was quickly growing to size not easily ruled by a small group sequestered away in the marshes.  River villages (especially wealthy ones) were largely autonomous, paying their respects to the chieftain as a religious leader but in practice arranging their own affairs.

Through contact with the Teschans and Hadamut, the Vands have learned a new military technology (Cha)

Player: Locknpop4life
Government: Theocracy
Popularity: 6
Dread: 3 [+1]
State Religion: Vand Polytheism
Popular Religion: 94% Vand Polytheism, 3% Mother Earth/ Father Sea, 3% Darhism
Fervor: 5 [+1]
Population: 9,500 [+1,500]
Cities: Vandire (C)
Prosperity: 5 [+1]
Trade: 3 [+1]
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2
Espionage: 0
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Arc, CAr, Cha, Boa
Forces: 2 (3) [+1]
Army: 1 Spr, 1 CAr
Navy: None[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Numenas]
The 'Inveran of the East' managed to maintain its independence during this period, though beset on all sides by much more powerful states.  The precarious balance between these states held for these 25 years; Jalulai endured despite the death of its founding leader, as its ruling tribe found independence to be more profitable than submission to the Xuk confederation.

In this environment, the city-state prospered and grew.  Sitting astride the route from the Middle Sea to Murrhat, Numenas had found its niche and assiduously promoted itself in the courts of its neighbors.  Diplomatic hostages were exchanged with Atamn, Balan, and the Xuk states; in the year 270, a delegation arrived from the Empire of Murrhat bearing their own ambassador and a small fortune in elephant ivory.

The Dragonlords of Numenas used their wealth (and abundant corvee labor) to develop the city.  A new temple dominated the view, built in the Serpent style of a massive, squat, sloped-sided rectangular building ringed by successive courtyards.  An academy was also built, as well as thick double walls of mud bricks, between which the city's lower classes lived.  Also built were shrines and theatres in friendly cities along the Serpent; though the arts and prayers of Numenas remained a simple curiosity in these lands, these sanctuaries did help develop a cultural community develop in small exclaves up and down the river.  By and large, the Xuk were uninterested in anything but the dividends brought to them by the trade routes.

The city itself was heavily divided between its upper class, mostly merchants with Invernessi blood, and the sizeable lower class, made up largely of non-Invernessi and systematically exploited for their labor.  In the Inner City, where the beautiful works of architecture towered, the Invernessi-speaking elites ruled in relative opulence '" nearer the walls, the city's poor spoke a mélange of Xuk, Invernessi, and Atamnese and gained little from the city's prosperity.

A fortress was built across the Serpent from the city.  It served as a trading post as well, and the center for a modest farming community; the Xuk visited it frequently to trade goods and buy supplies.  The Invernessi farming lifestyle, however, attracted them not at all, and attempts to teach them agriculture met with only amusement.  The Xuk valued the nomad tradition that granted them freedom, and saw the agricultural lifestyle as a form of slavery.  Merchants, at least, roamed the world '" farmers were even lower than the beasts of the field.

The most common form of currency in this time was hardened rectangular cakes of salt, which could be easily weighed and tested for purity.  Precious metals were not one of the major commodities of Numenas and the idea of making some kind of currency out of them was out of the question.

Player: Stargate525
Government: Monarchy
Popularity: 4
Dread: 1
State Religion: Dragon Saints
Popular Religion: 46% Dragon Saints, 31% Xuk Shamanism, 15% Zhasmunism, 8% Darhism
Fervor: 3
Population: 4,500
Cities: Numenas (C)
Prosperity: 4
Trade: 6
Advancement: Early Bronze Age
Infrastructure: 2
Espionage: 1
Military Technology: Spr, Bld, Sli, Arc, CAr, Cha, Boa, Gal, WGa
Forces: 2 (2)
Army: 1 CAr
Navy: 1 WGa[/spoiler]

[Polycarp]

[spoiler=The Map]
Other events abroad

The civil war in Cyrenehan continues*The Connetars of the Hayrines in Otahvy and Ruthern united under a loose confederation

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Units]
[spoiler=Armies]Spearmen (Spr)

Spearmen wield a short spear, and are usually equipped with a copper helmet, light armor (e.g. linen, hide, or leather), and a large hide or wooden shield. They are decent all-around troops that can handle most opponents adequately, but they don't excel at anything.

Bladesmen (Bld)

These are usually younger and more agile warriors that serve as light infantry, fighting with some manner of bronze blade '" usually an axe, knife, or short sword '" and a hide or wicker shield. They wear little or no armor to preserve their mobility. Bladesmen are fast and flexible light troops who can ably accomplish tactical maneuvers and ambushes.

Swordsmen (Swd)

The first truly heavy infantry, swordsmen wield bronze short swords to hew through enemy footmen.  Equipped with shields, bronze helmets, and tunics reinforced with bronze scales, plates, or discs, swordsmen are excellent assault troops.  What they lack in mobility they make up for in durability.

Slingers (Sli)

Slingers fire deadly lead bullets that significantly outrange bows, and can break bones even through shields and armor.  The superior power and range of slingers make them good battlefield skirmishers, though they are not as useful in sieges given the flatter trajectory of their missiles.

Archers (Arc)

Archers carry a short bow, several sheaves of arrows, and little else. Their arrows are deadly, but inaccurate at long ranges, and can be blocked easily by shields and even light armor. They are often used to break up enemy formations and to assault or defend walled cities.

Composite Archers (CAr)

These archers carry the composite bow, a vast improvement over the old 'self bow.'  Its composition of wood, horn, and sinew gives it nearly twice the range of a traditional bow with the same bow length, not to mention increased power to penetrate armor (though shields remain an effective defense).  The animal glue involved, however, means that it can fall apart in humid or wet conditions.

Camelry (Cam)

Camels are odd-looking animals perfectly suited for desert combat.  These warriors ride camels into battle, and carry a bow, spear, and small shield.  They are perfect for raids in the wide, trackless deserts and steppes, but are ill-suited for warfare in temperate regions.  The smell of camels is, coincidentally, very disturbing to horses. (This unit requires access to camels)

Chariots (Cha)

The chariot is a fearsome new weapon of war that brings mobility to the battlefield.  Each chariot carries a two-man crew, a driver and an archer, armored with bronze scales and equipped with a bow and a lance.  From their mobile platform, the crew can rain down arrows on infantry formations or trample them if they break formation.  For all their advantages, however, chariots are inoperable in rough terrain. (This unit requires access to horses)

Elephants (Ele)

Elephants are massive beasts that can easily trample foes, terrifying man and beast alike.  Each is ridden by a single mahout, who wears the heaviest armor possible to prevent the enemy from disabling the elephant by killing him.  Elephants are powerful but unpredictable, and can be a danger to their own side, even trampling their own troops if confused or panicked. (This unit requires access to elephants)[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Fleets]Boats (Boa)

These represent canoes, barges, and small boats primarily designed for rivers and day voyages over calm seas. These small vessels are quite handy, but very vulnerable to storms and ill-suited for warfare at sea.

Galleys (Gal)

The galley is a round-bottomed ship with 20-40 oars and a single square-rigged mast. They are faster and more seaworthy than boats, but are unsuitable for open waters beyond sight of the coast. They have no weapons, combat being conducted by boarding an enemy ship.

Outrigger Canoes (OCa)

Large canoes can be rendered more seaworthy by the addition of an outrigger, which stabilizes the hull.  Outrigger canoes are advanced craft driven by sail and oar that are noticeably more seaworthy than galleys, but their smaller crews and lower structures make them not much better than regular boats at naval warfare.

War Galleys (WGa)

The war galley is a specialized fighting craft.  It is longer and narrower than a normal galley and has more oars, allowing for greater speed but reducing the available space for supplies (thus limiting its effective range).  The ship has two decks: the main (rowing) deck, and a raised fighting platform where marines can loose arrows and hurl javelins down into opposing ships.  This innovation, however, makes it substantially less seaworthy, and war galleys must be restricted to calm and coastal waters.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Auxiliaries]Irregulars (Irr)

Irregulars wield whatever weapons are at hand '" javelins, clubs, staves, knives, bolas, farm equipment, or even simple rocks.  They usually have no armor to speak of, and fight as skirmishers '" their plan is to throw whatever they have in hand at the enemy, and then run like hell!  They lack training and discipline, but can be useful auxiliaries and scouts.  Their effectiveness can vary widely, from a veteran city militia to a disorganized rabble. (This unit cannot be trained)

Marines (Mar)

Marines are navy crews disembarked from their ships to fight on land.  They are as disciplined as regular soldiers, but are lightly equipped and unarmored (armor can be a hindrance when running a ship), usually with short bows, javelins, or assorted hand weapons.  They are best suited to a skirmishing or support role.  Their effectiveness tends to be somewhere between irregulars and regular army units. (This unit cannot be trained)[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Regionals and Elites]Andosen Spearmen (ASp)

Unlike the spearmen of other lands, these warriors fight as loose warbands rather than dense formations.  They carry a selection of weapons, preferring the chor, a four foot bronze stabbing spear, and a versatile short bow.  Equipped with a bronze cap, a hide shield, and a square bronze 'pectoral' as armor, they are swift and hardy raiders suited for ambushes and rough terrain, though they lack the cohesion and discipline of some troops. (This unit can only be trained by Andos)

Agnrian Guard (Agn)

Formed after the surprise attack in YC 53 on the Red Palace by fesshekou warriors, the Agnrian Guard functions as both the personal guard of the Despot and Kuregn's most elite body of soldiers.  Drawn from the western provinces, these men wear light armor made from layered felt and linen, as well as wicker shields and characteristic dark red peaked felt caps (with a copper skullcap underneath).  They are masters of both the bow and the kashol, the Kuregnite short stabbing sword, and can function as excellent archers or light infantry.  They receive lands and privileges for their service and have a deep religious loyalty to their divine leader.  (This unit is elite; more cannot be trained)

Zurat'erhim (Zur)

The Zurat'erhim, or 'Army of Dusk' in Atur, is a military unit in the service of the Wardens of Kashtu composed entirely of 'Zurshuk,' westerners from beyond the Ma'a, who seek glory, wealth, and spiritual cleansing in what they call the 'Land of Fire.'  They are led by Kashtu officers.  The men of the Zurat'erhim carry fearsome two-handed bronze crescent axes into battle, and little else '" they are fanatically, even suicidally brave, and can put an enemy to flight just from the ferocity of their charge.  They shun armor, and it would do them little good anyway beneath the hot desert sun.  (This unit is elite; more cannot be trained)[/spoiler][/spoiler]

[Haphazzard]

[ic=Announcement to Egwydorians]
Great Egwydorians, these are your new councilors:

The Councilor of Fire is Aldo
The Councilor of Water is Jon
The Councilor of Air is Alun
The Councilor of Earth is Ithel
[/ic]

 [ic=To the Machta-In]
Dear friend,

Though I am a different councilor, I am still an Egwydorian, and all deals made with the last councilor will hold true with me.  We thank you for your support in our westward expansion, and we will keep our end of the bargain with many great discounts on the trade of items from the West.  We hope this is the beginning of a great friendship between our two people.

For the balance of the four,
Alun, the Councilor of Air
[/ic]

[Stargate525]

[ic=Dragonlord Gregor II to Atamn, Teshca, Xukhia, and Jalulai]
My humble ally,

We the people of Numenas, humble and honest traders of the Serpent, wish to expand our borders. Unfortunately, the only open and unclaimed land is that to our south, which has notoriously been set aside as a buffer zone between your peoples. We understand that, and come to you before we make any movements, so as not to arouse suspicion that we may be preparing for an attack. Far from it!

By Numenas claiming this land, you can see that it would act just as well, if not better, as a buffer than it currently is. You are all valuable, respected, and close trading partners; we have no reason to attack you, nor you us. Similarly, this buffer will act as a greater deterrent if it is patrolled and garrisoned with strong militaries instead of tribal leaders. Numenas will be able to greater support itself, allowing your ships to travel not with cheaply purchased grains and meat, but with rare luxuries and valuables.

Know that I will not move until two of the four nations that have stake here allow it. In pre-emptive thanks, please accept these chests, filled with the valuable luxuries that our people often trade with you.

In peace,
Dragonlord Gregor II
[/ic]

[ic=Numenas to the Auriban]
Greetings, esteemed Agah,

Numenas grieves with you over your recent setbacks in the ongoing conflict with the Sorghedai. We, as humble traders of the Serpent, wish that there was something more that we could do. I believe I've discovered a way, but it would be risky, unheard of in your time. If it suceeds, it would promise new wealth and prosperity to your peoples.

The Great Avarderan road in your western territories is a marvel to behold; my merchants have talked my ear to numbness with their praise of it. However, they are grieved that this marvel does not extend southward, to your city on the Serpent. We craftsmen and laborers of Numenor offer to build this road, extending the fine one that already runs your western reaches, so that your chariots may move freely throughout the entirety of your kingdom. Such a road may be taxed, and this increase in taxes would no doubt help you in funding your war, with little cost to you. In addition, we shall also lower substantially our taxes on your goods coming into Numenas, to allow your traders to prosper.

In return for this aid, we humbly ask that some of your territory, below your great city and along teh coast to Dol, be granted to Numenas as a reward. We hear that this land is scarcely populated and, we are certain, will be brought to more productivity in the hands of capable seafarers and fishermen, with its long coast. Such a gift would be beneficial to you, as a more productive ally means more merchants to travel your road, and pay your taxes.

In thanks for hearing our modest proposal, please accept this gift of a jeweled sword, made in the ancient Invernessi style.

Dragonlord Gregor II
[/ic]