End of Empires - N3S III

NK, my treasury (which you left out last turn too) seems to have repeated its vanishing act this turn. I had 1,500 treasury, 42,000 income, and 28,500 upkeep; I authorised 6,550 in expenditure; I therefore suggest that I now ought to have a treasury containing not less than 8,450. Could you correct this please?

Well, as it happens, I was going to ask you to collate your spending in one place, because your orders are kinda scattered in that regard presently.

The Adanai Eshai's stats aren't added yet.

To: World
From: His Great Majesty, Emperor Arjannun III of Trahana

The Empire of Trahana announces our intent to pacify the lands of the Thuaitl River and bring the defiant warlords of that region who abuse and harm its people to heel. All are advised to offer such lawless brigands no aid, nor interfere in the valley without consulting our representatives.

North King said:

Well, as it happens, I was going to ask you to collate your spending in one place, because your orders are kinda scattered in that regard presently.

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Oh, alright - I'll do that in future if you like. Can I assume that my treasury is as I think it ought to be for now though, i.e. with 8450 banked?

CivDad said:

The Adanai Eshai's stats aren't added yet.

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I did say while I was away that you shouldn't assume you're confirmed for the Adanai, for various reasons. If you really want to take them, we have to have a more detailed conversation, preferably by chat, but PM is fine.

spryllino said:

Oh, alright - I'll do that in future if you like. Can I assume that my treasury is as I think it ought to be for now though, i.e. with 8450 banked?

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I'll check the math, but yeah.

The old Senator set tea for them, something he was grateful for. He grabbed the porcelain cup and breathed. In. Out. The hot steam smelled like new deals and old friends. He sipped, tasting the bitter tea and sweet sugar and sour lemon. The hot liquid calmed his beating heart, although it did little for his sweating. Sighing, he set the cup down. “I thank you, brother Mattias.”

The Senator smiled, his carefully cultivated beard framing his teeth, both as white as ivory. “Anything for my Prince of Parthe.” He mimed a bow. It was an old joke between them, but sometimes the oldest jokes are the best. They laughed, their raspy old voices comforting each other, reminding them of decades of service to their respective lands.

The Prince leaned back, his hip thanking him as he sank deeper into the voluminous chair. He chewed his lip, then shook his head. “It won’t work,” he said. “I didn’t believe it, but it won’t work.” He leaned his head against the top and looked at the ceiling. What was once an inlaid fresco of several merchants haggling on a ship was covered by a tapestry of one prominent nobleman or another, mounted in full armor posing in front of an army.“It’s like the ceiling here. Your people have changed, and so have ours.”

Mattias leaned over and held the prince’s wrinkled hand. “Even so, you must try.” The prince sighed. the furiously mustached nobleman looked ready to step out of the picture to cut him down. “Prince Janip, you must. For me.”

Janip Dascawen looked down at his old friend. The years were not kind. Only a light dusting of hair remained on his wrinkled head. Although his eyes were still the bright blue of their youth, they no longer laughed in the candlelight between his sagging eyelids. But his smile, his smile is still the same. Earnest, trustworthy, gleaming even in the darkness. “I shall. For you, brother. And for all our peoples.”

The intermission was ending, and the Senators left lunch back into the chamber. The two old men pulled each other up, their limbs groaning, as Prince Janip prepared to give his final speech.

---------------

Gentlemen of the Senate, you have heard my arguments already. If you were not convinced by them, I ask that you not yet harden your hearts to our collective plight. For it is not a time of cutting bonds, but a time for renewing them.

Gentlemen of the Senate, I speak now not to your heads, but your hearts!

Centuries ago, the first Leun landed at Parta. What they found were small tribes in a city much to large for them, still recovering from the Great Plague. What they found was a king of a land smaller than Leun itself, incomparable to their own great Empire. It would have been an easy conquest.

And yet, instead of returning with swords, they returned with trade. Wealth and Knowledge and Peace. And from that moment on, our ancestors were fast friends.

And so, when we discovered Indigo, we shared it with you freely and with no regrets.

And so, when we founded Tarwa, we celebrated by honoring the first Leun ship that docked in its harbor.

And so, when we heard your call in Gadia, we sent the largest army in Parthecan history to fight under your banners.

And so, when we founded our Archives, we sent tomes to your Academy, and recieved the same from yours to ours.

And so, when the Empire fell, we held up the banners of the Republic, and helped our brother stand from whence it kneeled.

Gentlemen of the Senate, that day, centuries ago, the Leunan and the Parthecan formed a bond of brotherhood. A bond renewed over generations and generations time and time again by paper and wood and gold and blood. A bond which senators and princes alike swore would be eternal. A bond which is promised to never falter, to never weaken, to never die.

Ten years ago, this very city was besieged. The Old Senate called for all forces to return and fight the supporters of the New Senate. Our ships and soldiers were rallied to support the Leun People to end the war swiftly, but they were refused by both sides.

But we could not just stand by while our brothers fell. For to the south, pirates begin stalking the ports and lands of Leun. We could not just stand bye while honest Leun were slain and raped! And so, we sailed, routing them and protecting your lands while you became embroiled in a new war, a Daharai war.

Gentlemen of the Senate, you have heard my arguments already. Forget them. Remember that we were and always will be true brothers in the hall of nations, and that brothers must forever watch each other’s backs.

Gentlemen of the Senate, this is my final plea for you to retract your declaration of war!

OOC: This is it Arrow Gamer. We’ve discussed way to long for the both of us. Look at your situation, please.

OOC: I am reduced to mostly phone Internet until something more permanent is installed a week from today. I will still reply to PM's as I can but it will be a little slow.

A few small stat corrections:

I was under the impression that Kartis had already died before the last update, as per spry's last story.

Arteras is the Prince of the Scroll, as the acclaimed (semi-official) grandson of Avetas. Ucco Tepecci, his distant cousin, is Prince of the Sea.

Inatri-Trowulan
Starting Location: far Southwest of Trahana in an archipelago
Society: The Inatri-Trowulan are a clan-based society, with the great clans (Oke, Panarna, Eshai, Tulo, and Pawinpingyan), Merchant clans (Handé-State, Wikousey, and Tomar), and many other minor clans being the basis of society.
Lineage: They claim to be the descendants of Toromo, a freshwater spirit who chose to be the first mortal.
Values: Mercy, kindness, strength , and most notably digigence and labor
Religion(s): They believe in countless gods, goddeses, and spirits who, aside from the spirits, effectively ignore humanity.
Language(s): Their language, sounding like Indonesian with some Mongolian influences, has an object-verb-subject structure, and their script is similar to calligraphic Sanskrit.
Mythos: Toromo, a freshwater spirit, abandoned immortality so he could create sentient beings.
Economic Base: Their economy is based on fishing.
Nation Names: Trowulan, Paoke, Lyubech-Mahathma, Arnor, Eshishawanojkonunalotak(Eshishawan), Dulo, Cabayoc, Nuril-lalna, Burkinanaoek, Tomara
Person Names: Male:Sastha-Naowo, Wijé, Wijé-Naowo, Wikrawa, Wikrawa-Naowo, Sastha-Wijé, Sastha-Wikrawa, Naowo-Sastha, Naowo-Wijé, Naowo-Wikrawa, Wijé-Sastha, Wijé-Wikrawa, Wikrawa-Sastha, Wikrawa-Wijé
Female:Kaulach, Asail, Bezelin, Iuchi-Henai, Saté-Nü, Waja, Waja-Nü, Sekondi, Sekondi-Nü, Saté-Waja, Saté-Sekondi, Nü-Saté, Nü-Waja, Nü-Sekondi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Waja-Saté, Waja-Sekondi, Sekondi-Saté, Sekondi-Waja
Place Names: Trowulan, Paoke, Lyubech-Mahathma, Arnor, Eshishawanojkonunalotak(Eshishawan), Dulo, Cabayoc, Nuril-lalna, Burkinanaoek, Tomara

Orders in this weekend.

Marc watched impassively throughout the man's speech, listening but not hearing. The words seemed convincing, he would grant the prince that, but he had heard them before. Perhaps the exact wording was different, but it was tired refrain, repeated by the prince like a prayer. He feared the Leunans, that was clear, but whether he feared for his body or for his country, the senator was unsure.

Finally, the old man quieted down. He looked at the assembly hopefully, but saw only stone. Marc did not miss the quick smile Mattias sent the prince, but their 'secret' relationship was nothing new. It was the ancient senator, traitor he was, who petitioned for an audience with the Parthecan, after all. A long silence ensued, the senators waiting and the prince standing proudly. Dressed in Leunan garb, undoubtedly to convince the Senate of their relationship, the Prince of Parthe did not look impressive, appearing a pathetic commoner rather than the illustrious royalty he was. It was ridiculous, really, how he had actually thought Mattias could help him. The turn cloak was barely retained after the revolution, and only then because of his wealth. But within the senate, money meant nothing. They all had large fortunes, a product of the Indigo Gate and accompanying trade; one rich man among many had no influence.

Marc, on the other hand, did have political pull, and peace with Parth was one thing Leun would not have. It was a foregone conclusion, decided long before any vote. He and Joran had discussed it over drinks: they both would talk to their respective blocs, and all involved would vote for war. Of course, the two with their shipbuilding companies would profit greatly, but that was a secondary concern to Leun's greatness.

Eventually, after the relic of a prince had been kept in suspense long enough, Marc stood. The Parthecan had been looking towards the center of the room, assuming his response would come from there, but quickly turned to face Marc when he began speaking. "We have heard your arguments, and now the time for a vote has come." He nodded towards Joran, and the fellow trader smiled. A good sign. "All in favor of war?"

All hands but one went up. Marc sighed in relief. For a moment, Joran's smile had seemed a touch too knowing. Too treacherous.

"Those in favor of peace?" It was a hollow gesture, but necessary to show a fair judgement. One hand went up, Mattias's.

Marc spoke again, his voice loud but empty of emotion. "Speaking with one voice, this senate rejects your Parthecan offer, and name you traitors and scum of the earth. Your nation will burn, on that you have our word. No peace will this nation know until the Parthecan are scoured from this earth and their lands sown with the salt of the sea and the skulls of their citizens.

"You speak of our ancestors, and yet it was our ancestors who established the Old Senate, and the empire before that. It was our ancestors who let filth like you survive to betray us, and our ancestors who placed trust in you. It was our ancestors who failed to lead this nation to greatness, and yet we pay for it.

"You say to renew our bonds, and then seize our land. You command us not to harden our hearts against your pleas, and then slaughter our people. You implore us to speak with our hearts, not our heads, and then turn against you who you claim are brothers.

"Your arguments are weak, and our trust in your weaker. You are not worthy of the title Prince, not to be seen in our presence. Leave before you outstay your tenuous welcome. Begone, liar, lickspittle and traitor. On this, the senate speaks with one voice." The speech, memorized the night before with a few improvisations, was long, and by the end of it, Marc's voice was shaking with rage, all thought of money replaced with those of wroth.

The others murmured their assent, echoing the final line, and the Prince's face turned from an expression of anger to one of defiance. Making an angry gesture with his hand, he stalked towards the door, not hearing Joran order the guards to seize him before he left the city.

OOC: This is a direct response to Terrance's story.

D=<

Oh no you di'nt!!!!!!!!!!

Calendar/Important Ceremonies

The Rihnit Calandar is abnormal in that although it's solar based, there are technically two years in one. What the means is that the fall and spring equinoxes are both considered to be the start of a new year. Where as the solstices are considered to be the halfway point between the equinoxes.

Although both the equinoxes and solstices are celebrated, they are celebrated in radically different ways. During the equinox celebrations, most people (excluding members of the military) party and lose their inhibitions. Many of the behaviors considered to be unacceptable at any other time are tolerated during the start of the new years.

Unlike the equinoxes, the solstices are much more somber. Even the Rihnit who don't consider themselves to be even slightly religious will attend religious service. These religious ceremonies involve a long period of meditation followed by discussion.

Although the calendar and most events are focused around the sun, there are a few important days based on the lunar cycle. The most important is tax days always occur every other new moon. Also during the new moon an odd ritual occurs. It's a holdout from the Early Agiban Days and involves removing excess meat and giving it to the priests. Who then feed the meat to the crocodiles. These crocodiles help keep people's houses free of overly rotten meat.

CivDad said:

Inatri-Trowulan

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Alright, sounds good.

Bittersweet

We are isolated. Just him and I. No one would know if I k...

I watch as my Father completed his meditation dance. He was wearing a simple, smooth garment, better to move his body through the motions required to complete the complex form he is attempting today. Better for my blade to p&#8230;

Something must be bothering him for him to attempt such an advanced form. His face grimaced and glistened with sweat as he moved through the forms. I couldn&#8217;t imagine what. He has just returned from Cende with news of Traitor-Queen Dasca&#8217;s death. The way he spoke of her sounded like he wanted to bed his traitorous mother in law. &#8220;One of the most important people in our history&#8221;? He can lick my a&#8230;

There is no one else here to see my Father sweat and groan, no ministers to interrupt him from his meditation. No one else except me, the pure blooded eldest son of a King, doing glorified guard duty.

Bitter? Me? Why would I sound Bitter? Is it the fact that I have nothing of my birthright I was raised to believe in? That it was until I was almost a man that I was told no, my little brother is to be King, and I was to me a mere Captain of the Guard? Is it the fact I have to watch my wrinkly old Father make sounds no son should hear their fathers make?

&#8220;A spear&#8221; he called, and I give him mine. He is already exhausted from his meditative form, and now he is doing some kind of Zatar weapon training. Maybe if I give him a weighted spear one day, he can work himself to d&#8230;

The spear jabbed and swang, silvery tails flashing in the sunlight before disappearing. Father&#8217;s shadow began dancing as he moved through the motions from some kind of Zatar belief manual Princeling Nuzaril got from a Merchant from some &#8220;Tarkan&#8221; from Galatawen. I let no emotion pass my face. Captains of the Guard are not to show any interest in their King other than to protect them. Even snubbed, eldest Prince, and rightful King Captains of the Guards. A terrible thought passed through me. Ten, twenty years from now, I shall be standing here in the same place as that thieving brat takes the Throne, and, I dunno, feed the birds.

Father grew wilder, and begun attacking the trees of his garden. I made no move. Part of me wanted to know why he was doing that. Another wished that a branch and kill the him. A small part of me even whispered that I should go and make sure that h&#8230;

I shook my head. I am not allowed to be bitter at my fate. I am not allowed to be angry at my Father&#8217;s commands. I am not allowed to be envious at my brother&#8217;s changes. I am not allowed to make an attempt at Kingship. I am not allowed to think about ending his l...

I am Prince Ertanis. My hair is red, my eyes grey. I am of the blood of Kings. I am Captain of the Guard. I am... I MUST be proud of my family, all of them. No matter what.

We are isolated. Just him and I. No one would know if I k...

Can I join as Tsutongmerang? In the stats it says that it is an NPC.

By the way, when you say Thalassocracy as Government, do you mean a government like Hellenistic Rhodes, where only those who had ships (the admirals) could vote in an aristocratic like republic?

It would be good to have someone playing as Tsutongmerang, which is in an extremely important location for the future.

I really want to play Tsutongmerang, because for once I want to focus more on the sea. In most NES and IOT's, I mostly focus on land and I want a change from this.

I have Internet now. After I get back from work and class tonight, I'll deal with the backlog of stuff I need to do, including PM's to the people who need them.