AbNESVII .•°*”˜ The Many Coloured Lands ˜”*°•.

I can still say monkey crotch here right? So glad I am not in Pakistan.

No you can't you cretin! You stole the top of the page. For punishment I want STORIES AND PICTURES to dominate this page. Some diplomacy would be cool too. Since I will not get the update out tonight anyway. So, away with you, get creating the lot of you!

The kings of Algonquin Sabinia were content. They had power. They had women and children. And they held the respect of their people. In the heart of governmental power, it appeared, on the surface, to be near perfect. The land was nutritious. The people, as far as they could assume for those beneath them, were fairly well educated, for minions. And yet they desired something more.

Their kingdom was great, there was no doubting that, but messengers from the coast had brought news of potential growing kingdoms only on the next shore. Although the kings knew other powers must exist outside of Algonquin Sabinia, they feared it.

They went into discussion.

"How shalt we deal with this unknown being? Could it not be a threat to our power?", they asked one another.

A decision was made. A message would be sent to ask a delegation to this "great city" to establish and open trade between our nations.

They decided this would be completed with the aid of their sons, who, although naive and young, were youthful and full of ambition. Power would have to be transferred in the near future. The kings were weary and lacking the warrior skills of their strong, youthful children.

Their women however, were not so pleased. Many months had been spent developing a strong community on the island, and now the powers that be were more interested in foreign trade, rather than self-sufficiency. Frustrated, they did as they were told, and equipped the warriors for the journey ahead.

Edit: If the update isn't happening tonight, I might add some more here

Indeed, feel free to let your creative juices flow

Jashin looked over at the sacks of grain sitting there in the middle of the floor. He saw one of his workers and decided to make him deal with it.

"Hey you!" the worker turned and came over.

"Yes boss?"

"Why have these sacks not been stored properly? Move them now."

The worker immediately grabbed the first of the sacks and carried them to a corner of the storeroom. He repeated the process seven times until all the grains were perfectly stored in theassigned corner. The worker decided to then go back to his previous work and picked up the tools and continued to fix the shelf that had fallen earlier.

Another worker came over and began cleaning the storeroom.

"Hey Ryn." The worker fixing the shelf looked up. "I heard one of the Faliar family buildings was looking for new workers let's go check it out, I mean he's" the worker pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the door Jashin had just left out of and made a rude gesture.

"I don't know Ult." replied Ryn. "He may be a jerk but he pays us on time and in full. I heard the Faliar promise more than you get."

"Yeah I've heard that's true too." Ult scratched his newly growing beard contimplatively. "You're right I think knowing we get paid is better than hoping, but Jashin is a hard man."

"Well do what you want Ult, but I think I am going to stay." Ryn pointed to the grain stacked in the corner. "Jashin may not pay us as much in coin, but he does give us food to make up for it. You think even if the Faliar pay more you will make out in the end once you have to buy all your own food?"

"That's true too Ryn." Ult nodded. "You always were smarter than me. Thanks for talking me out of mistake." Ult realized he had finished and made his way to the door. "I'm going to go clean the next storeroom." Ult and Ryn exchanged waves and Ult walked out the door.

Ryn finished mending the shelf, and did a pretty good job of it if he did say so himself. He shook it a bit to test it and it was firm. He replaced the tools and turned to leave, but jumped in surprise when he saw Jashin standing there.

"I heard you discussing going to the Faliar storehouse. I thought you explained it pretty well to your friend. Come with me."

Jashin led Ryn to the building reserved for the bossmen and the only time Ryn had ever been in there was for the occasional repair job. He followed Jashin to a room in the back and Ryn saw a table with various things on it. None of which Ryn was sure what they were used for.

"Now I think you have potential and you're young. I want to you apprentice with Yirth here." Jashin pointed to an older man who nodded. "Yirth needs a new set of hands to help him with his record keeping and I want you to do it. You will of course be paid a few more dewns a week and get a little bigger food stipend while you apprentice." Ryn nodded mutely he had expected to work many years and maybe get a foreman job but this was far better and more interesting.

Right now I'm just waiting for the update before trying to deploy anymore stories .

Sailing across the seas, braving the waves and taking the winds on the back, a great ship soars towards its destination.

On its helm sits a man that, despite not being a sailor, does not fear the fury of the Medar [1], for he knows that it is only an aspect of Neptor, the God of Water, who is currently angry. This anger is not one that can be calmed with rituals, but one that has to be waited out, and it is not until Neptor calms that he can be offered presents so that his next anger throes are delayed as much as possible.

"Master Pegnor?" one of the sailors says, approaching him.

"Yes?"

"The captain would like to speak with you, if that is possible."

He meditates for a few seconds, as he sees the Medar rage.

"I will go to meet the captain," he said, using the slightly indifferent tone he has used since the travel started. It is not his typical one, he has been taught how to use it in the Temple of the Four Divinities, as he learned under the Patriarch himself. A detached Prophet or Priest tended to be more at tune with everything around him or herself, as well as being more heard.

He follows the sailor towards the small cabin where the Captain stands. It is made of wood, like the rest of the ship, but the cabin is sturdier than the rest of the deck, because it is where the captain and any important people are most of the time, and they must be protected all times.

The captain is an old man, of about one hundred and twenty seasons, a veteran of travels across the seas and of reading the skies to see the weather and the best routes.

"Master Pegnor," the captain says with a slight bow.

"Captain Marne," he replies.

"Do you know how much will we have to await until the Medar becomes easier to deal with?"

"I fear I do not, Captain. Us Priests are taught how to speak to the spirits and the Divinities. Unfortunately, while we can speak with them, it does not mean that they actually hear us. So, as much as I may ask them if they will calm down soon, it does not mean that they will answer."

It is quite obvious that the captain does not like the answer, but there is nothing he can do. As any other Sagentan, he worships the Four Divinities, but he especially follows Neptor, the God of Water, given his job.

"The only thing we can do is await it. Only then we will be able to find our way towards the islands of the east."

"I know. I just hope that the storm calms down soon. The more it takes for it to happen, the bigger the chances are of us getting lost."

The two men sat there, both thinking about their own problems, as the storm continued to rage around.

[1] The name the Sagenta people use for the Mediterranean Sea.

Yaaaaaaay update soon

There were some elements to my orders that, I felt, challenged my existing resources. I hope by means of this story to shed light on the methods by which I see them playing out in hopes of a smoother result (re: developments in Solus and the surrounding territory).

-

And so it came to pass that the Order of the Lion came to be counted the three wisest and most educated men of Carthage, they were beloved among the people of Carthage for their wisdom in mediating disputes, and they did cultivate among the monks of the Temple of Fate a strong interest in the operations of nature. They would come to pioneer many techniques of farming and boating, even creating the first kilns with which to fashion pottery, through study they served the people of Carthage, and cutting their sails into triangles they did begin to bring pilgrims from Sicily who wished to see the Temple of Fate.

And they were moved when they first arrived at Solus, as the Carthegian settlement in Sicily was coming to be called. The monks found the fields to be brimming with olives and grapes, and they found the peoples of that area to be pious and noble. They brought many pilgrims to the Temple and when these men came to Carthage they were stunned by its beauty and they cried out, "How proud are we to be brothers of such mighty men, we shall build up Solus that it should not hide in the shadow of Carthage but to be an equal partner to such a magical metropolis."

And the monks brought these men before the Order of the Lion, the three priests who were wise in the civil customs of Carthage and who advised the High Prophet as he led the people. The pilgrims had many questions, and Scipio, who was the eldest of the Order of the Lion gladly directed the others, and the monks, to engage in the discussion and to learn of themselves the answers they sought. When the time had come for them to return he went upon the High Prophet, who was called Ezekiel, he that had succeeded Hannibal's Second incarnation, to beseech of him that he might declare a new order to protect the piety of the land of Solus, and when Ezekiel heard of the pilgrims he was moved and did declare that three from among their number would be declared a new Order, and that they should be given complete copies of all existing Taos and Teachings of all High Prophets, Priests and Monks.

So it came to pass that the three wisest from their number, Loka, Triesius, and Julian, were named the Order of the Storm, and they were taken aside for much further discussion with the other holy men of Carthage.

But the others, the farmers, craftsmen and laborers of Solus cried out and asked, "But how can we contribute in a manner in which our efforts will be respected and we may have a voice in our society."

The High Prophet smiled when he heard this and said, "And so we know you to be our countrymen, for no Carthegian shall be a slave, and each shall have a voice."

So he sent them to the guildhall to learn the customs of the guilds, the techniques which had been refined to save labor, and the heads of the guild, who also often offered advice to the High Prophet and whose opinions were highly respected. They taught the methods of organization and the farmers of grain designed trades with the farmers of olives, and some among the fishermen who had already been seeking a living by delivering other pilgrims to the shores of Carthage did conceive that they could greatly increase their earnings by facilitating such commerce.

And some went to speak to the Eyes of the Prophet, though they had not been directed to do so. But the Eyes of the Prophet are crafty, and they taught some the secrets of their order. They said to them, "We are the Eyes of the Prophet and we must never be shut to the affairs of the state, The Prophet might not know of all his Eyes see, but they must always work to preserve the sanctity of the Empire, even when The Prophet is not wise enough to believe them."

But when a Season had passed and even the most pious of the Pilgrims longed to return home to pioneer that northern frontier they went to the High Prophet one last time and Julian was selected from among their number to voice their concerns.

He said, "Wise Prophet, it is true that you know the way of the Tao and are just in the administration of the lands. We are satisfied that you and the men of Carthage have provided us a stable system of local governance, where the Guildsmen may monitor the affairs of commerce, with an Order to mediate disputes, the Hand of the Prophet to defend our city and the Eyes of the Prophet to ensure that Justice is done. But we ask you, how shall the common affairs of the Empire be attended to that the men of Solus and the men of Carthage should have equal representation in the state as is their right as free men of Carthage."

So the Prophet Ezekiel did contemplate their words and was moved by their wisdom he thought on the teachings he had learned in the Taos of Hannibal and in the Tao of Hamiclar and he knew that he would have to devise some new system, but that it must honor the traditions of Carthage. So he said, "Among the heads of every guild, from the chapters both in Carthage and also in Solus, they shall each chose a representative. This representative will attend with all the other representatives of the Guilds and also with twenty Senators, ten each elected from each city."

"But how," they asked, "will the affairs of the Temple be seen over by these men?"

"The affairs of the faith or for the High Prophet to attend to," Ezekiel told them, "And any measure which they would pass on the matter of religion would be subject to the approval of the High Prophet. The Order may council these men, but they will not sit with the Senate.

"And furthermore," the High Prophet continued, "The Senate shall only take session for six months, 3 in the Summer and 3 in the Winter. On the off months the High Prophet will attend to any pressing affairs of state. In Summer the Senate will Rule from Carthage, in Fall the Prophet shall rule from Solus, and he shall take care to attend to the needs of our countrymen in that region. And in Spring he shall rule from Carthage and in Winter the Senate shall rule from Solus. Are thou satisfied?"

And the men of Solus were elated to be grasped so firmly in brotherhood and mutual respect by the people of Carthage, so they boarded the ships which were manned by the monks of the Temple of Fate and were returned to their city. And when they had arrived the Order of the Storm built a residence which served them as a Temple and where they kept the teachings they had been entrusted with. Here they cultivated a new order of monks, and taught them to farm, seek simple wisdoms, and to tend for the land as the monks in the Temple of Fate did.

And the laborers and the farmers and the smiths all drew together happily to organize and bring the markets and commerce into a greater and more profitable harmony. And Eyes who had learned the secrets of the order in Carthage did remain open and did protect the peace of the city as it grew. Some were elected to represent the people and the guilds and they were sent at once to Carthage to join the Senate.

And many came to learn of the path in the small temple, built more of faith than of mortar, which was growing in reputation as a place of learning. And when they had been touched by the Tao, when the path was clear to them, the men of Sicily were so moved that they went at once into the wilderness to spread the words of the Prophets and to unite all of mankind in the harmony of the Tao.

Aisonia invested heavily to complete its grand project and with good cheer soldiers marched to that settlement across the peninsula, called Epirus. It was quickly absorbed into the growing Aisonian Empire. The Warriors were full of glee and smote their proud armour to the skies in victory. Back home, it welcomed the arrival of Aostran ships, heavily laden with a rich bounty of goods, much swollen with the complete restoration of the Aisonian Trade Fleet which now is one of the most widely spread trade fleets in known existence. Barrel after barrel of resin and pitch, sackfuls of grain, finally rich amphorae brimming with wine and olive oil were carried off the ships by burly men into the storehouses of Aision. The people rejoiced and danced in the streets. Never had they known such a wealth. It is under this fog of revelry that Aostra struck. The burly men who had help carry the goods were in fact trained spearmen. The returned to the store houses and torched the goods they had brought. It should be obvious now how flammable the contents of the goods they brought, even the grain had been cut with store to help its combustion. Fire and terror quickly spread through the cramped streets of Aision. Its Warriors gone, the Archers were of no use at night, with many of them amongst those too drunk to even understand what was going on. The Aostran ships made haste out of the harbour, almost as heavily laden as when they arrived.

As dawn broke, the true horror was laid bare. Aision was in ruins. The famous forge had been ransacked and anything that could not be taken had been torched. Aision was dead. The few survivors shambled over to Theme Grakai which now is thrust into the fore as being the potential capital of the Aisonian nation, were it to survive this catastrophic event.

Of course one nations disastrous event, is just part of another's Grand Scheme. With victory and the completion of the Aost trade fleet, intense trade makes the Aost Empire wealthy and powerful. The fleets transport goods across the seas through their territories using the capital as a hub. Its rise as the first economic powerhouse is not surprising. The trade fleet also visits neutral settlements and trade ties are made with these peoples, the trade fleet roams from the southern and eastern Aegean Sea to the eastern Ionian Sea and the Cilician Sea.

Therita completes its Great Docks around this time, and while the war has disrupted a lot of the trade, the city develops into an economic centre. It is said ships built in these great docks are the greatest ships of all* Expansion to the east helping to secure the trade routes to the far off Empires beyond.

They may be far off for now, but it is only a matter of time. The flame of civilization burns bright from Eruar. All around it nations spring forth as the grand nation itself continues to grow at pace. The outlying town of Temilat is promoted to city status within a single generation. Wealth flows into the town as well as rank upon rank of soldier. They are destined for the towns further upriver still and make light work of bringing a few more into the fold. Their mixture of bargaining, bribing and brute force works well initially, but word of their relentless expansion spreads faster than their swords and soon townships rally to defend themselves. While the might of Eruar may prove to be too much, it will be a costly battle for them. Tehsil is a nation to the North, with Bothnia to the North West.

Tir-nubbirat begins on works that will help improve the land beyond the floodline to maintain adequate water supplies year round, as well as sending off a voyage of discovery. As of yet the colony is an expensive fishing post.


The area around Hada-kesh is pretty quiet throughout this time period, with the leaders choosing to store their gold rather than spend (NO ORDERS RECEIVED). Many simply sleep.


Continuing around the bottom of the map we reach Carthage which is also beginning to gain momentum. Its missionaries reach out to Sicily, spreading the word of the Tao and the trade colony flourishes; so much in fact that it is now a fully fledged city. The whole island itself is in love with the Carthage nation, and would not resist. The word of Tao has not stopped here however, further afield there are those who lack direction from their own leadership and begin to take on the foreign faith.

From here we move directly North, where the nations of Viminala and Algonquin Sabinia both plan moves on Corsica. Algonquin makes the decisive move in sending its warriors there, where as Viminala is left scratching its head a bit. It doesn't have any vessels to transport its warriors across the waters! Due to this Viminala's construction plans are party shelved, but some is redirected into turning Ashia into an economic centre. For even though they may have failed to expand, their trade ships are to travel to all ports in the Mediterranean, trading, and speaking of the richness of Viminala, as well as the fact that EVERYONE who is ANYONE trades there...it works. In fact trade is flowing throughout the Mediterranean , nations who grasp hold of these changes will be grandly rewarded.

Besides Viminala, Messape is one of the first nations to quickly grow its economy by simply improving its agricultural land through completing its Farmland Project. It's colony is growing freely from those fleeting the war between Aostra and Aisonia. Illyria complete's its mining operation which sees a boon in its understanding of metals. It not produces the best armour in the world and trademen flock to purchase it.**

A nations that is now stretching out is the nation of Sagenta. The completion of the Temple of the Four Divinities sparks an expansion of Tetrateism. Several nearby towns are in awe at this magnificent structure and declare their fealty to Sagenta. Its Armies work tirelessly clearing bandits and establishing tracts of land for this growing nation. Around Marsel other locals are gathering and settling to trade with the Sagentian outpost town.


Swinging up and around the coast we reach barbarian Ostava, who raises the largest army the world has ever seen. The uprising of the heretic nation upon the border between Ostava and the open lands caused the Royal Family great upset. It insulted them and it was decided they would not abide by letting such a tiny insignificant speck of a nation exist. They poured all their stores into the training of four thousand warriors. With the new recruits and the original army, the collective weight of all six thousand men shifted southward to overrun that heretical nation.

This was not quite in line with The Faith, so at home, the normally peaceful Faith suspended it's laws prohibiting violence thus allowing the Ostavan military to advance upon this heretical nation. The Faith prepares missionaries and wandering preachers to convert the lands to the Faith and bring about the Word to them.

By force if need be.

It is a bloody slaughter, and all now know and believe VERY STRONGLY INDEED *looks around nervously* of The Faith.

Completing our journey we reach the Danes who are busy beating war drums and constructing the town of Othinslev on Funen. It is the beating of the drums and increasingly intricate rituals that spark culture in this violent and godless nation. Mighty warriors supply details for lore tellers to spin into great tales of victory and war.


The feasts are celebrated with the meat of wild boars that the local young warriors must capture . Back, they are beheaded and their blood painted over the successful, and now adult warriors. The booze, the blood, the beating of the drums all helps these new men also capture a bride for the oncoming cold winter nights.

It is in these relatively quiet times two rival nations form around the Danes. People who are tired of their violent expansion and seek to protect their own. The Viborg and the Lund will have a greater say in things from now on.



*Bonus to Power for all ships built here.
**Nations who trade with this nation will receive +1 Power to Units they train.

Diplomacy:

From Illyria
To ALL (You should know if it makes sense for you to be in contact, i'll let you know)

For 1EP we are willing to supply you with the armour of the Gods. Your Warriors will be invincible. Any Takers?

From Bothnia
To Eruar

You will not enslave us! Call back your men from our cities or we will raise an army!

From Tehsil
To Eruar

We want nothing but peace and trade, will you accept our nation?

From The Viborg
To The Danes

Nice Colony You Have There
We demand 1EP in tribute or we will ransack it.

From The Lund
To The Danes

We want nothing but peace and trade, will you accept our nation?

Wonderful update, I shall have a new story prepared shortly.

Since when is the Advanced Forges just in Aison?

EDIT: And that is why I always had that faint nagging sense that something was wrong. Bah, the Barbarians will now breach the gap and conquer Greece.

Daw.... Tried to get a new City.

The Rise of Dakopolis

Speech on the Apocalypse said:

It has been three weeks.

It has been three weeks since the last Aostran spearmen left Aison. It has been three weeks since our works, and that of our fathers, and our fathers fathers, and that of nigh, their fathers burned. It has been three weeks since we trusted another Greek.

It's three weeks too long.

We must ignore our wounds, our sadness, nigh, our fear. Our fear of their trade, our fear of their ships, our fear of the sea itself! Since the ancient times of Oceanus and Posiedon whence the Sea God cursed the land of Macedon to never see the sea, what kind of terror now arrises from this curse? Here comes the spawn of Oceanus himself, demon ships with demon men. Are they traders or traitors?

Here comes a new age for Greece. Aisonopolis is no more. Jennapolis is no more. The tomb of Isadoros, the tomb of Kleon, the tomb of Nikomaches... all gone. We must leave the from our past and look to what we have left, and what we will do with them.

We have a unified nation, unified by arms, but also of culture, of trust, and of peace. A land unified by war, and unified by the idea that greek cities can live in peace despite seeing each other's walls. We are a unified people, a Greek People, a true people who always lived by their principles.

We have a strong army, a proud army. We still have the Dakopolis Warrior Corps, and the Thrakian and Jennian Archers. We have three thousand survivers, eager for revenge.

We have allies. We have the tribes of Macedon since the ancient Rangers of Jennapolis, we have seen the power of the Italian peoples north of Epirus, and the invincible armor of the Illyrians.

We have last year's harvest still stored, we have able men.

Most importantly, underneath Pandora's Box, we still have hope.

Let us not trust any other Greek ever again! Let's embrace our Aisonian, Macedonian, Thracian, Epurian, and Boeotian background! Let us remember the past, and weep for it!

Let us not forget the future. Let us reform our lines. Let us dress our Phalanx. Let us watch them run in fear as we break their lines again.

History repeats itself. This time, Aostra will burn. If not by sea, then by air, if not by air, then by land, if not by land, then with the bolt of Zues himself, we will see to it.

We are Greeks, this is our Union.

Greek Thematats (AKA the Dakopoli Dominions) has been founded in Dakopolis.

Click to expand...

From Eruar
To Bothnia
The Eruar nation doesn't practise slavery. It is inefficient. Slaves run away and must be kept in guard. They work not nearly as hard as free men, and are unable to cooperate with free men to clean up canals and dig ditches. So you have no reason to fear slavery for your people. Our gods are powerful. Our arms are strong and we are rich of the trade over the rivers. You should consider welcoming us instead of threatening to raise armies that will never be a match for ours.

From Eruar
To Tehsil
Eruar will gladly trade with the nation of Tehsil. May the river that links our nations be a source of growth and profit for both our people.

This thread is not as alive as i'd hope. What can I do people?

Well, don't know... it seems like it is on the same situation my two first NESes soon entered.

You can write a story for the NPCs.

As for me, I gave some to this NES and I'm busy giving some to other NESes. Also, being screwed over does tend to dampen my urge to write, but then... making a comeback does seem attractive.

Oh wait, macedonian barbarians. Right.

Sorry Abaddon, I've been thinking about a trio of new stories that I can hopefully deploy tomorrow. Been putting them off and letting the thread die.