The Nagayana: A Poet's Dream

I'd expect the update to come about Sunday, if I haven't said this already. This is probably the pace future updates will come as well

I'm about 40-50% done with update but I have like 2 papers this weekend which are going to have to take precedence. Sorry. I'll try to work on it as fast as I can but I can't promise anything.

What is the status of the update?

It should be up by the end of the week (Really sorry for all the delays, it's just been an...odd week)

No worries, we all (meaning I) love you anyway!

The King of Kings, Lord of Iran and An-Iran, He Who Is At The Center, possesses great patience and trust in SouthernKing.

He will wait.

Link to video.


A heated incident occurred in mid-1720 in Kyoto when a self-purported imam attempting to preach in the street was murdered in broad daylight by a man whom, under questioning, was revealed to be a Christian. Tensions have since spiked between the two communities in the imperial capital, both of which were formed by foreign missionaries coming into the country, and across central Japan there were several instances of communal violence. These recent events have brought the issue of foreign religions even closer to the forefront, especially as non-Christians and non-Muslims are increasingly caught up in the mess.

Kumajima forged a so-called “Pacific Agreement” with nearby Asadeul and northern Ezochi, creating a framework of coordination and cooperation in domestic and foreign affairs. Many in Kyoto believe that this is little more than a ploy, to create a new axis of power in Japan centred on Kagoshima rather than the Yamato court. Closer to home, Kumajima spent a large number of resources to improve roads and port infrastructure, to visibly positive results.
(Kumajima: +Infrastructure)

In the islands known to Brittany as the Paolines, Kumajima embarked on an aggressive campaign of expansion, establishing their control over more islands to the south through a series of military manoeuvers and establishing inhabited outposts, complete with schools, temples, and even hospitals for both the colonists. The Bretons have been extremely alarmed by this turn of events.

Much of the Asadeul state’s resources were concerned with the construction of a pair of new cities. The first of these, in the north, was built in the shadow of Mount Paektu, constructed to act as a fortified border city and a stronghold along Asadeul’s northern frontier. The second and significantly more populous was the new port city of Geugdaenungi, located in the historical province of Hamgyeong along the east coast of the peninsula. Though perhaps unintentionally, the construction of these new cities has marked the rising of an urbanisation trend in Asadeul.

In 1720, the Emperor of Xing sent King Wu Zhi Yue a gift in gold and concubines in exchange for allowing the Imperial soldiers to conduct military exercises near the border. So, in the spring of 1721, when the Xing soldiers did cross the border in a hostile invasion, the Yue border guards were caught rather unaware. Some accounts believe that the Emperor was inspired in this stratagem by a history of the great westerner Alexander the Great’s conquests. The initial army managed to rout the Yue force at the border, and by the time a second Yue army could be a gathered to attempt to hold the Emperor’s army back, it was too late; two more Xing armies had showed up, invading from the northwest and the northeast, and the result was another rout. By mid-1722 all of Yue’s major cities had capitulated. Much of Yue’s navy was captured in port, though their two flagships were sunken by self-destruction; the Emperor has also gained access to a new library of naval literature.

As far as invasions go, this one was relatively kind; looting was harshly forbidden. Yue soldiers and officials who surrendered were allowed to keep their posts. Unfortunately, this led to at least one group of Yue soldiers surrendering, then promptly turning on their new erstwhile comrades, leading to some level of infighting and distrust in the Xing army. Ultimately, the eldest daughter of the King of Yue was taken as an imperial consort, and the people of Yue were exempted from taxes, for a time. This has helped pacify Yue’s people, whose lives seem to be going on much as normal despite their new rulers.

(Xing: -11 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -3 Artillery Brigades, +20 Small Ships, +Navy Development)
(Yue: -26 Infantry Brigades, -4 Cavalry Brigades, -2 Artillery Brigades, -Existence)

Still, by the end of 1722, Yue had been integrated into Xing, and the other South Chinese states are increasingly trembling in their courts. Miao and Dali have already begun working increasingly close together on military matters – but it may still not be enough to stop the rising tide of Xing, particularly as Dali’s king grows ever more ancient.

Closer to home, the Emperor set about rebuilding the Imperial administration virtually from the ground up, centred on a new legal core codified by Imperial academic scholars. A new series of examinations has been created, superseding the old, centuries-old ones. Lastly, a new cadre of eunuchs have been appointed as “Imperial Inspectors,” meant to report directly to the emperor and provide oversight over the provinces. The vacuum that existed previously means that there has been little opposition to this move, since there are few bureaucrats to opposite it.
(Xing: +Administration)

Southeast Asia walked ever closer to the brink of a great war that would no doubt encompass the entire region. The spark came in mid-1721, when a palace coup occurred in Krung Tai, when elements of the army and the artillery corps replaced the existing king Ramathabodi with his identically named younger brother, who had spent several years abroad in Japan, and who was known to have very close relations with the Chams – and, more specifically, Cham money. The country suffered on the brink of collapse for several months, but Ramathabodi III was quite adept at restoring order, purging many of his brother’s loyal generals – many others took refuge in Myanmar, and are now calling on Myanmar to invade.
(Krung Tai: -5 Infantry Brigades, -Army Quality, +Navy Development)

The king of Ayudhya, for his part, spent most of its funds fortifying the country’s border with Myanmar. This may signal an addition increasingly close turn to Champa. Additionally, the country constructed an impressive trio of ships, and Cham naval experts were hired to serve as advisors for an improved naval corps.
(Ayudhya: +Navy Quality)

Despite the fact that the political trend in most of Southeast Asia these past several decades has been one of administrative centralisation, the hallowed Sundanese monarch seems content with taking the opposite approach, giving princes in the fringes of Sundanese control increased control. These moves have helped placate discontent, while easing some of the administrative burdens on the central government. In addition, the Sundanese constructed a grand trunk road connecting the trade cities along the northern coast of Java, which was completed by 1722.
(Sunda: +Infrastructure, +Administration)

More ambitiously, Sunda attempted to subjugate and bring under her control the interior of Borneo, with a combination of military force and settlement. The Sundanese army moved in to establish a number of strategic settlements throughout the island’s interior, with relatively few casualties from attacking tribes. Unfavourable terrain sprinkled with dense jungle prevented the entirety of Borneo from coming under Sundanese control, but a significant portion of the southern half of the island is, and at this rate it will not be long before all of it – even up to the Breton holdings in the north – is.
(Sunda: -2 Infantry Brigades)

Other goings-on in Nusantara included the establishment of permanent relations with Kumajima in 1721. A Japanese fleet established a permanent presence in Sunda, complete with a permanent embassy in Pajuan Pajajaran, and in turn, the Sundanese established a permanent presence in Kagoshima. The resulting influx of Sundanese traders settling there has caused part of the Kumajima capital to become known as the “Nusantara ward.”

Additionally, two Egyptian expeditions departing from Surat reached the region in 1722. The first of these merely made contact with and traded with local powers, establishing semi-permanent embassies in towns such as Ayudhya, Panduranga, and Pakuan Pajajaran. The second sailed down the west coast of the great island-continent to the south of Nusantara, mapping it and marking potential sites for future settlement.

Albionese traders in the Spice Islands through 1721 and 1722 found themselves under increased attack from elusive pirates, as have the nearby Scandinavians. The piracy so far has been quite scattered at worst, but the events have called the security of the European ventures into Spice Islands into question, especially as there has been no indication of where, exactly, the pirates are coming from.

In Tibet, the court funded the creation of a university of sorts in Lhasa, bringing in scientists and scholars from India. The resulting introduction of modern Indian mathematics and sciences to Tibet has already been proliferated amongst the Tibetan intelligentsia. Simultaneously, the court – which was remarkably unified in action despite the Dalai Lama being only a teenager – sent some of the army to conduct anti-banditry operations in the north, to some degree of success; the bandits nonetheless are using the lawlessness of the Jalairid frontier to their advantage.
(Tibet: +Science Development, -1 Infantry Brigade)

India was shaken up by the creation of a new agreement that tied many of the subcontinent’s countries closer together: the Nalanda Pact. Thus far, Bihar, and its Naga, Khandeshi, Gondi, and Nepalese neighbours have agreed to a mutual pact of defence and a joint lowering of existing trade barriers. Bihar was the main negotiator of this agreement, a sign of the flowering country’s growing eminence on the international stage. Some cynical commentators – colonial watchers amongst them – believe that this is just a ploy to build a new sphere of influence, stewarded from the ivory towers in Patna.

Bihar has attempted to help its displaced peasantry by controversially giving money to those forced off their land. This scheme was strongly opposed by rural landowners, but they are supported by the growing urban classes, who are increasingly forming the government’s backbone of support. They have also led to an increase of wealth being concentrated in the cities, helping to further the country’s increasingly aggressive urbanisation even more. In the suburbs of Patna, the new wealth has led to a ring of impromptu construction around the city centre. Workshops are becoming increasingly common to give these new migrants employment.

The Abdalid Empire continues to recover. But in the court at Jahanpanah, there is continued debate over the direction the shahenshah’s policies should take. A not insignificant court faction, mainly consisting of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist scholars and advisers, seeks for the – already quite divorced from religion – Abdalid state to abolish its Islamic ties completely, taking after the state irreligiousness in neighbouring Persia. A smaller, if vocal, number of conservative Islamic courtiers opposes any such action to this end. Through 1722 this debate has grown increasingly loud, though the shahenshah has taken no action to either end.

The Rani of Gondwana, apparently having tired of conquest, began establishing a permanent administration. She divided her realm into provinces, and appointed to govern each of them a local leader, tribal or otherwise, and made them answerable to her court in Raipur alone. Her newfound close alliance with Bihar has allowed her to import scholars and scientists from Nalanda and elsewhere, and she has paid for the founding of a school of Gondwana’s own in Raipur.
(Gondwana: +Administration, +Science Development)

The Egyptians have set about building a grand palace in their Indian port town of Surat – the Water Palace, they called it – a new centre of administration in the increasingly wealthy and sprawling port town, the town of which was helped by improvements to Surat port. The palace was an extravagant and ornate affair, combining traditional Egyptian architectural style with local Indian traditions and a healthy helping of Indian art. Other countries have taken note of this increased Egyptian involvement in India – a fact reinforced in 1722, when neighbouring Khandesh accepted Egyptian protection and nominal authority in exchange for access to Surat port, and promises of Egyptian military support. Combined with Khandesh’s alignment with Bihar, this complicates the Indian situation greatly – and it has also proven less then popular in Khandesh, where factions are already aligning against the raja for his perceived selling-out.
(Surat: +Colonial Administration)

There were several scattered reports of peasant revolts in Asmaka; these were, by the accounts that have left the isolated country, swiftly and effortlessly crushed, with few casualties.
(Asmaka: -1 Cavalry Brigade)

Karnataka began looking outwards. A defensive alliance was signed with Thanjavur, not only allaying the Tamils’ fears of Kannada expansion into their territory, but also serving as a defensive measure against foreign colonialists, particularly the Albionese. With this, the Tamils have embarked on an ambitious naval expansion, building a trio of new flagships. Additionally, Karnataka helped fund the construction of a new and improved road from Dharwad through neighbouring Bhingar to Khandesh. Not only has this greatly improved infrastructure through south-central India, it has won Dharwad much favour amongst the two petty states.
(Bhingar, Khandesh: +Infrastructure)

And at home, Kannada scientists began work on rocketry. A great proving ground on the outskirts of Dharwad became home to the most advanced work on rocketry the world has seen yet. While the military applications are yet limited, the physics and chemistry knowledge gained has been not insignificant.
(Karnataka: +Science Development)


The Persian court noted that foreigners coming to trade with Persia had been arriving with ships that were steadily becoming, and Persia – a country with far less of a naval tradition – had to catch up. To that end, the court spent a good deal of funds hiring passing European navigators to help out in improving the fleet’s acumen. So far, this seems to have paid off, as new Persian sailors are demonstrating a calibre that impresses even the most hardcore officers. How well the fleet will perform in battle, however, is as yet untested.
(Persia: +Navy Quality)

In Baghdad, the Abbasid Caliph, Abd al-Hakim, passed away of what seemed to be a heart attack. While there were scattered rumours of poisoning or something worse, nothing came of them, and no traces of poison were found anywhere in the court. When these same rumour-spreaders claimed it was actually Egyptian or Persian subterfuge, they were largely ignored. In any case, the caliph’s younger half-brother has ascended to become Caliph Abd al-Rashid – “servant of the faithful.” Abd al-Rashid subscribes to the same orthodox school of Sunni Islam that the sharifs in Mecca do, and with this in stark conflict with both the greater Middle East and the Baghdad court culture, the future of the Caliphate is more uncertain than ever.

Assyria has also become home to a large court faction of secularists. This faction sees Persian-style secularism as the means to ameliorate the country’s increasingly delicate internal situation, especially after several high-profile incidents in 1722 involving conflict between Christian and Muslim mobs in poorer quarters of Mosul. Naturally they are also keen on favouring Persian over Egyptian influence. The situation has grown ever as the Patriarch has faced increasing frailty and health issues, and has taken to increasingly secluding himself in his headquarters instead of facing Assyria’s problems; his close ministers effectively run the country now, to limited effectiveness.

Tensions in Asia Minor continued to boil over ever further, as relations between Armenia and Anatolia began taking a significant turn for the worse, after the overt movement of a large number of soldiers to the border – apparently in preparation for an invasion. Such an invasion never came. The closest perhaps came in mid-1722, when there was a brief uprising by a Christian rebel leader in Cappadocia. There was a somewhat protracted guerrilla campaign, but in the end, the rebels were crushed. However, Anatolia publicly blamed Armenia for instigating the revolt, worsening relations even further. To the north is the Pontic League, which seems to be siding against the Anatolians but has remained quiet thus far, probably for the best to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
(Anatolia: -4 Infantry Brigades, -1 Infantry Brigade, +Army Quality)

The tensions leaked over into neighbouring Damascus, which is increasingly on edge as the Anatolians move towards the border. Relations between the countries have never been particularly positive, but they have especially deteriorated in recent years. The movement of a large Egyptian army into Damascene soil has not helped the Anatolian opinion of the situation – the Anatolians are demanding these soldiers be removed.

Reforms continued to proliferate out of Hijaz of Shi’ite pilgrims being forcibly converted at gunpoint. The nature of the situation means that news is sparse, but what is clear is that Maghribis no longer feel safe going on hajj.

The city of Muqdishu came under attack from a group of local Somali tribes who had been wronged by Omani slave traders in the past. However, the Omanis’ significantly more modern weaponry made the defence the city rather simple and clean, though they took some casualties in the process.
(Oman: -1 Infantry Brigade)

The kingdom of Denanke conducted a widespread reformation of its education system – remodelling it along Maghribi lines, and, more importantly, bringing in a good number of northern scholars to the kingdom. While it is still too soon to tell if the reforms have actually worked to make the education system itself any better, what has happened has been an influx of Arab scholarly activity into the West African coastal country, further tying it with the Maghribi sphere.
(Denanke: +Culture Development, +Science Development)

The mysterious (to foreigners) country of Air received perhaps its first official foreign visitors when, in 1722, an Egyptian emissary crossed the Sahara and met with the queen of the tribal country. Little concrete came of the envoy, but the Egyptians departed home with some trade goods and good terms. A Maghribi scholar visiting Agadez was also on hand to document the incident. At home, this has fortified Air’s prestige as the premier government in the Sahel, but it has done little to ameliorate Air’s internal problems – and those are mounting.

Far to the south, the Scandinavian harbour at Thorshammer was expanded and the city itself fortified, in order to make the city at the tip of Africa more capable of serving as a stopping point – which, as it is the only major potential port in a large swathe of the continent, is already somewhat of a given. This effort was funded by a slight tax increase, which saw some rumblings of discontent amongst hardcore farmers in the hinterlands, but was otherwise happily accepted.


In 1722, the Kyiv-Bilyar border flared up after a seemingly accidental border crossing by a Bilyari cavalry unit led to soldiers posted along the Kyivan border firing back. The Bilyaris shouted angrily that their soldiers had never in fact crossed the border, while Kyiv produced evidence that some of these skirmishes occurred well within Kyivan territory. Tensions have not calmed down – partly because both sides are gleefully stoking the fire – and most commenters across Eastern Europe believe that war is inevitable.
(Bilyar: -1 Cavalry Brigade)
(Kyiv: -1 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades)

In the east, Bilyar expanded their territory, into Central Asia and the area surrounding the Syr Darya, with military force, subjugating local polities and tribes. Fierce local resistance – including flooding using the canal networks south of the Aral Sea – has, however, prevented the Bilyaris from reaching the Persian or Ferghanan frontiers.
(Bilyar: -2 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades)

Closer to home, Bilyar instituted a program of Saturday school teachers in mosques – but, notably, not Christian churches – across the country, with the intent of teaching literacy, mathematics, and some Islamic tenets and loyalty to the Khan. The program has helped improve the vast country’s education some, with visible results so far – however, many local mosques are slightly angered at what they see as an intrusion. Still, the program goes forward with few real obstacles.
(Bilyar: +Education)

A number of developments occurred in Minsk. The first of these was the 1720 Bill of Dutsk, wherein the Papacy granted Minsk’s metropolitan bishop increased autonomy. Some Papal loyalists closer to Grenoble objected strongly to this, but the decision was by and large applauded; considering Minsk's relative isolation from the Catholic world. Another was a proclamation encouraging Slavic peoples in Kyiv to abandon their homes and come to Minsk – some Kyivans did heed this, but word has not yet proliferated widely enough to be truly effective.

Closer to home, the Minsk government conducted a number of administrative and domestic reforms. The first was the establishment of the a system of local county councils, each called a Pavyatovy Shod, meant to mirror the lower house of the Minsk parliament on a local level. These councils consisted of biannual meetings of local dignitaries from all social classes.

This was coupled with the establishment of a number of so-called Regimental Schools – Palkavaya Shkola – military-associated academies for teenage boys meant to serve the dual purposes of instilling literacy and training a highly qualified corps of army officers. It is still too early to discern if the efforts have made a real impact or not, but hopes are that it will, and that these are another large step towards Minsk becoming a truly modern state. Several small-scale improvements to infrastructure and the Minsk post were made as well, and in the cities, “Novgorodian Quarters” were legally established to give recent migrants, from what is now northwestern Bilyar, a place to live and work.

And, lastly, Minsk’s army began conducting regular training exercises. These have proven both rather effective and rather popular amongst officers for testing their calibre.
(Minsk: +Army Quality)

In early 1722, Bulgar Christians in rural parts of trans-Danubian Rumelia abruptly broke into rebellion – the cause, it is believed, was acute food shortages, but reports suggest the rebels are suspiciously well-armed. The rebels are not a unified force, but that did not stop the fact that, by year’s end, order had broken down in much of the countryside. The capital is not threatened, but Rumelian efforts to quash the rebels have so far have been a dismal failure, and the Rumelian court is becoming increasingly panicked. Hopes are that as the winter of 1722-1723 set in, the rebels will suffer to death, but with the numbers that have appeared so far, those hopes seem dim.
(Rumelia: -5 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades)

Bulgaria built a number of “war colleges” in major cities across the country – Sofia, Plovdiv, and Odrin – with the largest one in the capital of Solun – as a means of training the next generation of officers. Already, the collection of literature on warfare in one place has seen some theoretical advancement in tactics, but Bulgaria will have to see how these new officers fare in combat as the graduate over the next several years.
(Bulgaria: +Army Development)

The growing number of heretics in Serbia came to a forefront when riots in parts of the capital, Nis, turned deadly. Catholic youths began attacking a building they believed was housing a “Bogomilist” church, leading into a protracted sequence of communal violence through 1721 and 1722. The government has officially stayed neutral, aside from using soldiers to keep violent groups apart. Catholic groups are pressuring the king to do something – anything – about the situation, to restore rightful Catholicism to the country. Serbia may stand at a juncture in this regard.

The Aegean became a nexus of activity as several foreign powers – most notably, the Italians – attempted to enter the region in an attempt to counter the rise of piracy in the region. The Italians, on top of sending much of their own fleet, began issuing letters of marque to local sea captains in the process. The Egyptians also conducted some minor operations, but these amounted to little, and their presence was not particularly appreciated by either the Italians or the Greeks. The Greeks mostly let these events happen without interference, except for themselves helping with the anti-piracy operations, and generally cooperating with the Italians in their activities. By the end, the majority of the Aegean had been cleared of pirates, fairly successfully, with only a few casualties. However, this has also left a sizable group of sailors who have mercenary experience now clustered around Greece, for better or for worse – and sailors who have just obtained a good number of ex-pirate ships, to boot.
(Italy: -2 Small Ships)
(Greece: -1 Small Ship)

In Greece proper, the Freedmen’s Association government spared no expense in re-establishing an Academy of classical learning; the National Academy built in Thebes has already become one of the Eastern Mediterranean’s premier seats of learning, from the name and its country’s reputation alone, especially with the growing love of classicism in Europe and elsewhere. A rather impressive faculty has already been gathered. In similar fashion, the Italian court funded the establishment of the Italian Royal Scientific Society, with much the same aims. These two countries, bordering the Mediterranean and the existing intellectual sphere of the Middle East, are set to prosper from their newfound academic connections to the Orient.
(Greece: +Education, +Science Development)
(Italy: +Science Development)

The Papacy, helped along quite nicely by a dearth of Italian funding, began rebuilding Grenoble in grand style, with the intent of making it a city worth the legacy of Rome itself. The centrepiece of the new city would be a great basilica, the spire towering a hundred metres into the sky. The construction is not completed; and likely will not be for another several years. Francian elements in the Papacy are less than pleased upon discovering where the financing for this project is coming from, and it is a sign of a – quite possibly dangerous – Papal turn into Italy’s, lustful, waiting arms.

Provence, with the fear of a Francian invasion ever-present, spent most of her resources building and reinforcing fortifications along the Francian border, with the construction of a number of new redoubts and blockhouses, and the creation of a watchtower system. The hope is that the small country will be able to better watch for a potential invasion, should it come. The other detail about this that has been noticed is the fact that this is aimed at defending against Francia, not Italy.

In 1722 Brittany began the process of renovating the already expansive docks in its major port of Naoned. It was clear that the port, while large, was not truly large enough for the Breton duke’s wishes. Architects, and the project is expected to be completed sometime in the next few years.

Noting Catalonia’s somewhat isolated position in the Iberian Peninsula, the Catalan government set aside a good deal of funds to improve the defences of Barcelona. But the main development in Catalonia that made waves was the establishment of a Royal School of Translations – a project to collect texts from around the world from dozens of languages – Frencian, Norman, Arabic, and Persian being just a few amongst them – such that scholars can pore over them in a single place. Thanks to this effort, texts from countries as far as Egypt, Persia, and even India have been translated into Catalan, and Barcelona has only been reinforced as a centre of learning in the Medieterranean. By all accounts, the School has a bright future.

Also in 1720, a great Catalan embassy set out to travel through much of the Orient. They set out from Barcelona to Alexandria, from whence they travelled to Fustat to meet with the Egyptian court, then through Damascus – after having been denied entry into the Sharifate of Hijaz on uncertain grounds. They spent December 1720 and January 1721 in Mosul, where the Patriarch Sargon II was reportedly quite enamoured with them. From there, they journeyed through Persia for much of 1721, through Isfahan and Nishapur, before travelling through Afghanistan to Jahanpanah, where they spent the winter of 1721-1722. From there, they journeyed south through Khandesh and Bhingar into Karnataka. Finally, they arrived in Thanjavur, from whence they returned to Catalonia via sea. Their return was met with grandeur, for they returned with a great many texts for the Royal School of Translations.
(Catalonia: +Science Development)

The Galician court spent a good deal of funds building new roads and port infrastructure. Not only has this provided a boon to the Galician economy, the country’s engineers have borrowed Arab and other foreign engineering techniques as part of the task.
(Galicia: +Infrastructure, +Economy Development)

The biggest government act in Albion during this time was the 1721 reorganisation of the Albionese post. Critics and writers had frequently lambasted the post and the roads it travelled on for their slowness and poor quality – it was said that it could take almost a month for a single letter to travel the short distance from London to Croydon, despite the fact that nominally, Albion had some of the better infrastructure in Europe. In any case, the government spent a not insignificant amount of money improving this.
(Albion: +Infrastructure)

Scandinavia revolutionised European diplomacy with the ambitious Helsingborg Treaty. This document formed what effectively was a league of non-Catholic European nations, with several points – firstly, a general peace; secondly, several trade deals, including a joint lowering of internal tariffs and deals on compensation for merchants and farmers; thirdly, and most ambitiously, a general defensive pact between member countries. This bold manoeuver has created a new bloc across much of the continent – Albion, Brittany, Scotland, Finland, and Sigurdia have all become involved, to various degrees; Albion, Brittany, and Sigurdia have abstained from joining the military aspect of the pact – and as such a good deal of heads have been turned all across the continent.


Horror stories have emerged in Nouvelle Caen of frontiersmen and adventurers encountering bands of – quite largely Muslim – natives up in the highlands and the mountains, who have gone on to attack the colonists, taking captives and burning crops and villages with seeming impunity. There are increasing calls for the colonial government to take some action to investigation these claims, but thus far, there has been little of that action.

Not far from the Breton main city of Maloù Nevez, with a royal charter granted by the Emperor of Albion himself, a pair of colleges were established in 1720 in close coordination with each other: the small Collège Montmorency and the theological school of Collège Sant-Édouard. Together with the fact that the Breton fleet in Hibracia has helped clear some the pirates out of the region, these colleges have begun attracting a new wave of immigrants to the otherwise sparsely populated planation colonies.

Some compare the Breton efforts to what happened in the Albionese colonies, as no less than half a dozen privately funded colonial colleges popped up. Four of these were in Westermark, a fifth in Drakesland, and a sixth was a European-style university established in India. None are particularly large, the biggest holding no more than a hundred students. The four in Westermark have been collectively called the “Palm League” by some, and, being all in relatively close proximity, have formed a sort of a combined university a la Oxbridge.

Immigration to the Scandinavian colonies began increasing as displaced Sigurdian and Finnish peasants began to be offered land in the New World with subsidised passage. This was combined with the improvement of harbours in the colonies, as well as the construction of a series of forts along the coast of the mainland near Nye Gotland, meant to facilitate fur trading with the inland natives. This latter part has seen limited success, though the Scots’ dominance over the fur trade in the northeast of Hibracia remains unchallenged.

In addition to these developments, the first years of the 1720s saw a number of nations, both familiar and unfamiliar to the colonial game, attempt to expand their influence in the New World. First amongst them was Galicia. Following in old Leon’s footsteps, the Galicians established an outpost at a bay on the coast north of the Albionese possessions in Westmark. Several of the Galician ships were lost on the journey across the sea, but the lessons learned have been applied to the remainder of the Galician navy. Nonetheless, the outpost in the land colonists have begun calling New Galicia, thus far, seems to be successful, and relations with the natives quite peaceful.
(Galicia: +Navy Quality, -2 Small Ships)

Catalonia would follow at about the same time. Managing to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar with little trouble, five ships and over a hundred men sailed across the sea and down the eastern coast of Atlantis. Inside the bay the Tupi call Guana-bara, the Catalans established an outpost to facilitate trade with the natives, which they have named Hesperia. The Catalans have been remarkably willing to exchange with the local peoples, and relations have been entirely cordial and peaceful, with several recorded incidents of Catalans and natives romantically eloping. Already, scholars have translated the Bible into the Tupi language, and begun to spread the seeds of literacy amongst the Tupi. Several Tupi have, as of late 1722, also returned to Barcelona to join the Royal School of Translations.

The Albionese attempted to expand their control over the western coast of Hibracia, establishing a trio of new settlements along the western coast. The southernmost of these was at the mouth of a river up the coast from Westermark – a post named Arendel was established, and the land around it named Anwin. Further north, at the entrance to a great golden bay, the Albionese established another post, which they named Castle Gallantine, and the country itself, Westerness. This has become the largest and most successful of the posts a year later. And in the far north, the Albionese claimed an island which they have named Lestrangia, establishing a post named . At this post, there was significant conflict with the local Salish peoples. Whether these posts will survive or die remains yet to be seen, especially considering what came next:
(Albion: -1 Infantry Brigade)

In early 1722, another fleet, having sailed across the sea, arrived in western Hibracia to establish their own colonies – and these newcomers were decidedly not Europeans. Instead, they came from Japan – from the country of Kumajima, who had already established a town in the islands whose native name was Ohwyee. Kumajima established a pair of outposts on the coast – one across the bay from the Albionese post of Castle Gallantine, and one at the mouth of a river somewhat further north. Both of these posts survive. A third attempt, to establish a post inland on the coast near Albionese Lestrangia, failed – the expedition sent there mysteriously disappeared, along with every last one of the soldiers and arms aboard.
(Kumajima: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Artillery Brigades, -1 Small Ship)

Thus far, there have been remarkably peaceful relations between the two vastly different powers, but an undercurrent of tension is certainly there – especially in the bay, where the Albionese and Kumajima can see each others’ flags and battlements from across the waters.


A renowned astronomer in Samarkand reported in 1720 the discovery of what appears to be a planet further than even Saturn. Two other astronomers – one in Jahanpanah and one in Nishapur – independently confirmed his discovery by looking at the same patch of sky. Samarkand is already well-known from the 17th century as the location where a particular alchemist had codified most of the mathematical laws of modern physics and mathematics now widely used throughout India, Persia, North Africa, Europe, and as far afield as Egypt.
(Ferghana: +Science Development)


To: Miao
From: Dali

It would be prudent to form an alliance, considering recent events.

To: Dali
From: Miao

Agreed, we are allies then.


My greatest apologies for the slow update. A lot has happened over the last week and a half that more often than not left me kind of drained of energy. But here it is; let me know if I (inevitably) messed something up (I apologise in advance) and I’ll fix it.

It occurred to me as I was going through stats that I forgot to give a lot of rulers in the stats ages. These have all been fixed.

Immaculate/thomas.berubeg: In the SF Bay Area, the Albionese colony is in San Francisco, the Kumajima colony is about Sausalito/Tiburon in Marin County. Also Immaculate, your colonial stats were unfinished. This has been fixed, no need to worry about anything.

Ahigin: Draining the marshes would be something on the order of 10-15 IP.

Let's say orders for this coming turn (1723-1725) are tentatively due Wednesday, 24 February 2106

map, 1 January 1723:

OOC

Seems like a well-written update. I can't wait to look properly into it.

I saw this weird missing word in this section however. What's the missing word after "and some"?

Closer to home, Bilyar instituted a program of Saturday school teachers in mosques – but, notably, not Christian churches – across the country, with the intent of teaching literacy, mathematics, and some . The program has helped improve the vast country’s education some, with visible results so far – however, many local mosques are slightly angered at what they see as an intrusion. Still, the program goes forward with few real obstacles.

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That should say "some Islamic tenets and loyalty to the Khan." derp, thanks for pointing that out though!

Awesome!

++100%

Great update, still reading it. One observation by the Stats Police: the update indicates an Army Quality boost for Minsk, but the stats feature the same Army Quality level (5). The rest of my stats seem fine.

Ah, sorry, that has been fixed.

SouthernKing said:

Reforms continued to proliferate out of Hijaz of Shi’ite pilgrims being forcibly converted at gunpoint. The nature of the situation means that news is sparse, but what is clear is that Maghribis no longer feel safe going on hajj.

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To: Hijaz
From: The Maghrebi Caliph

Your treatment of pilgrims is unacceptable and is counter to the spirit of the Hajj. For the good of ALL muslims everywhere, regardless of sect, I demand that this injustice be put to a stop or Hijaz will face the consequences in this life and the next.

Alexandria was abuzz, with news of a princess from a far away land, set to arrive in the capital any day now. Of course the commoners were excited; an event such as a royal wedding would mean entertainment and gifts for the people. From the palace though, the news was received more with relief, especially with the King’s cabinet. The King, by all accounts a competent and generally sane ruler who listened to and implemented wise council, had become increasingly erratic in his behavior as he contemplated his choice in a Queen. At age 33 and one dead wife (natural causes), Michael still had no direct heir. By Egyptian law, the throne would pass to His younger sister, the first daughter of the late King John’s second marriage. The crown had been passed to enough female heirs that the transition would be smooth, but still the King desired a child of his own. In one night he made plans to marry a Nubian princess, then abandoned that idea for a princess from Damascus, and then one from Anatolia. Had any of these ideas actually been proposed and then rescinded, it would have caused incredible damage to Egypt’s prestige and standing among nations. Yes, with the King no longer searching for a bride, the cabinet no longer feared a major diplomatic incident regarding this silly affair. And among the cabinet, none more so than Rahul, His Majesty’s foremost advisor on Indian diplomacy.

By trade though, Rahul was no diplomat. Rather, he was a physicist, a renowned scholar who had visited every Indian court of note before being lured to Egypt. As a physicist renown grew to the point where he was asked to serve as an advisor to the cabinet, and later to the King himself. His duties were primarily to advise on how to lure and keep scholars in Egypt, to give grants to deserving universities and to direct the efforts of Egypt’s scientific duties.

Unfortunately though, due to His Majesty’s intense interest in India, and from Rahul’s time spent in the various courts of India, Rahul found himself playing the role of a diplomatic advisor: a role he quite frankly loathed. It wasn’t that he did not have a head for politics; one does not rise in Egypt without being able to play politics. It was just not his passion. And it did not help matters that His Majesty was, in this regard, a poor pupil.

Sighing, Rahul threw the apple he held in his hand into the air and watched it fall to the ground, frowning. The King was not unintelligent by any means. He had an excellent understanding of matters of state, had a knack for languages, and even was an amateur architect. Unfortunately the King just could not understand the finer points of Indian politics. Perhaps when one lives in a society that blends everything together, it becomes difficult to understand other cultures? Rahul nodded, this time throwing a marble into the air and watching it fall. Interesting he thought.

While this marriage would not deliver all of India to Egypt, Rahul was proud that at the least something was negotiated, and it would at the very least solidify relations with Khandesh. To marry a princess to a foreigner was not unheard of, but it was still rather rare. But then again, holding political and economic domination over a Raja could certainly make things happen...yes Rahul could be proud of himself. And so long as the Princess delivered on her end of the bargain, and was beautiful as he was assured, Rahul could certainly count on a hefty bonus…

The trumpets cut through Rahul’s dreams of a new villa in Alexandria. The royal barge was pulling into the harbor, and the Egyptian soldiers stood at attention. Rahul always admired the gold colored coats they wore, and their strict adherence to discipline. You could find Arabs, Greeks, Italians, Nubians and even Indians in the same regiment and they would fight side by side without complaint. For both ceremony and crowd control, they did their job admirably. It would be the crowd’s first look at their new Queen, and while Alexandrian crowds were generally much better behaved than their Fustat counterparts, it would be a poor first impression if things got too unruly.

As the barge came to the dock, the servants immediately lifted the litter, seamlessly departing from the barge and carried the Princess to her husband to be. Rahul nervously fumbled the marble in his hand, watching the curtain be pulled back and at once saw his fears evaporate. Lounging back though still with a regal air about her, Rahul could see the comparisons being written: Tarabai, the Indian Cleopatra. She had the crowd, the Alexandrians cheering wildly as she waved. Michael smiled, his ringed fingers twirling his hair. He smiled at Rahul and nodded. And so long as his King was happy (and not asking for advice in picking a bride), Rahul was happy too….

To Greece
From the Kingdom of Italy

While reports of piracy in the Aegean have diminished to the point of non-existence, we will leave 10 vessels in Rhodes in order to ensure that piracy does not reemerge over the course of next couple of years.

Excellent update SK!

Bilyar Khanate stronk!

To Provence
From Italy

Due to the disturbing reports which will remain undisclosed as of this moment, the Kingdom of Italy is forced to reevaluate its foreign policy status.

As such, the King of Italy, Duke of Spoketo, and the Defender of the Catholic Faith, asks the Duke of Provence to accept vassalage to the Crown of Rome. Independence of the Provence as separate from the Kingdom of Italy shall be guaranteed. Taxes from the duchy of Provence will not be sought. Italy shall view Provence as being in union with the Duchy of Provence, and will see attack on Provence as being attack on Italy itself.

In exchange for these favors, the King of Italy requests that the Duke of Provence send levees to the Kingdom of Italy as part of its obligation as a vassal, and that he endeavors to continue improving the fortification of the region of Provence in case of a foreign attack.

To Greece
From Italy

We are withdrawing all forces from the Aegean.

Seon said:

To Provence
From Italy

Due to the disturbing reports which will remain undisclosed as of this moment, the Kingdom of Italy is forced to reevaluate its foreign policy status.

As such, the King of Italy, Duke of Spoketo, and the Defender of the Catholic Faith, asks the Duke of Provence to accept vassalage to the Crown of Rome. Independence of the Provence as separate from the Kingdom of Italy shall be guaranteed. Taxes from the duchy of Provence will not be sought. Italy shall view Provence as being in union with the Duchy of Provence, and will see attack on Provence as being attack on Italy itself.

In exchange for these favors, the King of Italy requests that the Duke of Provence send levees to the Kingdom of Italy as part of its obligation as a vassal, and that he endeavors to continue improving the fortification of the region of Provence in case of a foreign attack.

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From the Court and Witengamot of his Imperial Majesty Arthur Lestrange

Great Albion finds these demands disturbing. Albion remains committed to the the current stability and balance of power within Europe, and fears that Italy's demands threaten to precipitate Europe to the brink.

thomas.berubeg said:

From the Court and Witengamot of his Imperial Majesty Arthur Lestrange

Great Albion finds these demands disturbing. Albion remains committed to the the current stability and balance of power within Europe, and fears that Italy's demands threaten to precipitate Europe to the brink.

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Italy also remains committed to stability and peace in Europe, and feels that its demands are completely in accordance with the pursuance of this ideal.

In fact, as a gesture of good faith, Italy is willing to extend a mutual ceasefire guarantee with all neighbors, including Francia, in Europe. Perhaps then we'll finally be able to see who exactly is for peace in Europe and who are not.