BirdNES 2: Forge of Empires -- The Animas Valley

In the brazen fires of old
Where silver gleamed untarnished,
The coals are bright with heat and flame,
Their hue a kindling crimson.
From here we drew the blade that drew
Itself a deadly blessing:
The steady stream of life which bled
From open wounds a thousand.

Oh, loud the hammers, always falling,
Striking every time;
The sparks from blackened anvil flew,
And smoke would curl skyward.
The fires of forges kindled bright
To herald our days rising,
And out would come ten thousand spears
To herald their days dying.

Oh, sentry keep your warhorn close,
For onward comes the evil:
Fell beasts from north and west alike,
Their teeth alone can kill.
Yet heft the spear and drive it true,
For foul can die from such;
And fair should dawn the days for e’er,
If only we fight fiercely.

So let the breastplates burnished brightly
Gleam on every soldier;
Let Oran with his mighty blessings
Give them strength to stay,
And keep out spear and arrow swift
A massive shield painted
With golden axe and cobalt sea,
The standard of our kingdom.

Now issued forth the Ereval,
A host both fair and mighty.
Their helmets shone with silver bright,
And sapphires in the sun.
Behind them lay the marble city
With temples, towers, homes,
And Oran’s dome stood high above
To fill their hearts with pride.

Forth the Ereval shall march
Into the darkened west,
To drive their foes from every field
And scatter them to the winds.
This host, so mighty, ventures on;
No fear can strike their hearts,
And red will run the rivers all
Before this war is done.

Forth rides Arius, king of kings;
And none can match his blade,
A hero born to old Drusis,
The bearer of the brand.
A gallant man whose lively eyes
Shall see us through to glory,
The king rules over earth and sky
Death to his foes be dealt.

Forth rides Tian Lan, a king
From the east he hails.
His dragon helm and fearsome blade
Shall make his foes all fear.
Drenched in blood by battle’s end,
He will bring naught but honor
Unto the Kanese people’s tale
Of when they rode beside us.

Forth rides David, Lord of Lyre
A bronze axe hanging by him,
Its blows are always swift and cruel
Its hacks cannot be parried.
His mind and might are bent to war
None are known to match him
But of course, the greatest king,
Alas, they ride together.

Forth rides Marius, Priest of Oran
Descended from the line,
His exploits not yet sung by many
Surely tales will come.
He holds the godly standard high
And brings his army omens
They speak, of course, of war and death
But only for our foes.

Forth, then, rides the king corrupt;
He rules a ruined Nazar.
Forth rides Mufti, “dreaded” king,
Whose words are merely wind.
Forth rides Mufti, “valiant” king,
A slaver and a craven.
His blade will break and banner burn,
An Empire be replaced.

Forth rides one whose blade is black,
Erutogeros king.
A brave and worthy foe is he,
As are his warriors many.
Yet for the false have they declared,
An Empire ashen grey.
Thus must they fall, though maybe slow,
Into the gaping dark.

Oh, mark this day, ye men of morrow:
The day when Empires clash.
For we sing Aurai Ereva,
And they shan’t sing at all.

Thanks, everyone. Two large stories (the other was in SteamNES) that I myself am quite satisfied with in one day - I think that's a good sign.

Terry Pratchett reference perchance?

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Not really, no. Just got carried away with footnotes, because this was a good opportunity to expound on the social structure and whatnot.

Not quite what I meant, though thinking of it, slipping contraceptives into someone's drink would be a really dastardly thing to do.

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That'd be one hell of a preemptive assassination, and a one that might seriously mess up my orders.

Though war axes seem fun too!

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Oh, they are, they are. Though for the record it is assumed that weapons used in the story are mostly spears.

And NK - I was actually kind of hoping someone might write epic poetry on this occasion. Also, first alex994, now you... Birdjaguar is being a good influence.

Orders coming tonight.

They are in.

Hooray!!!!

The Animas Valley​

Update One: The Rise of Nations​

As the kingdoms of the Animas formed and shaped themselves into states and would be nations there were growing pains. It was in the second century that nations first “bumped” borders and either made peace or went to war. Foremost among the nations of the valley was Opulenth. The long reign of Luxe Slave (107-157) was expansive and enriching. The slave trade became an important part of the economic life and most of the conquered people were either killed or enslaved, and then sold to citizens of the cities or exported up the Animas on slave ships. The eastern conquests produced so many slaves that a new city was built to better exploit the trade. It was called Slavur and was near the border with Shekek. Across the nation, along the Animas, the city of Rivur prospered greatly and became the center of Opulenth trade in the valley. The grand royal tomb of Luxe Slave, while not grandiose, was the most elaborate of its day. After the death of Luxe Slave, Luxe Chemine, known as the Connector, built new roads to improve commerce and transportation throughout the nation. The zenith of the century came in the early 190s when Luxe Plagloree, basking in riches, created his Shining Army. This magnificent force was equipped with the finest bronze armor and weapons and every piece was dutifully polished to keep it at maximum shine.

To the north and west of Opulenth in Asran, the Horin cycle was in full swing for much of the century. The Horin, or eagle flight, was one of three cycles in the Asran cosmology and it was dedicated to expansion through war. Ti’jiem launched the Horin early in his reign, about 106. It was a religious rite and the whole nation joined in to bring Ihomism and Asran rule as far as the eye could see. And expand they did. Most of it was to the south and several new cities were brought under Asran control. Loot replenished the treasury and all was right with the world.

In Sedaya the mood for the century was less expansive and more focused on the internal running of national affairs. The dual leadership of Ranai and Tsila (state and church) collapses in the 130s when Ranai Tayra refuses to commit ritual suicide upon the death of the Tsila. Backed by the merchants he reorganizes the relationship between the two rulers and separates secular rule from religious rule, giving the dominance to government. Uniform laws and punishments are established that form the foundations for future laws in Asran society. Culture and innovation flourish under the new structure and in 182 Tayra’s successor Ranai Tapsa Deici assumes power. The invention of the potting wheel makes pottery less expensive and more beautiful. Demand for Sedaya pots booms and the best pieces are prized throughout the Animas for many years.

Central to the vast Animas Valley is the mysterious Prydda'annwfyn, or “bear people”. They live deep with the forest where two mighty branches of the Animas join for its final journey to the sea. River traffic and trade move freely through the lands of the bear people, but few are ever invited off the boats and those who are, are always “escorted”. Rumors abound about deep caves and were-bear fighters who cannot be beaten in combat. As the nations around this secretive land expanded, it’s dark forest was flooded with refugees and fighters bent on finding a new home. The bear people call it the “great Invasion” and speak of it in heroic terms. Needless to say, no “new homes” were found and few of these invaders ever left the lands of the bear people alive.

Of some of the peoples of the Animas the years are silent and little is known. The Shekek in these early years bordered the Opulenth who overshadowed them in the eyes of the world. The names of kings like Mbelke, Batu and Makalu have been heard in the eastern provinces of Opulenth and in the streets of Slavur, but of them nothing is known. In the north the Hinsa Hinga kept to themselves and partook naught of the lower river and that they were there was only known through wily traders and traveling mendicants. And like wise far to the south among the isles of the great ocean the Luallen people may be thriving or perhaps they have been washed away by great waves from a roiling sea.

Of the Wars of Nazar and the Decline of Civilization

Long before the war, the war began. King Drusis prepared. He prepared Ereva for a war he would not see. He drilled his soldiers and taught them new ways of fighting and engaging the enemy. Then at 56 he died. Drowning in a lake was the official story, but there was speculation too: drink or whores or poison, no one really knew. Arius was crowned and the planning was renewed. The goal was to bring down all that was left of ancient Nazar and extend the hand of Ereva to the sea and Tin Mountains. Troops were trained and ships built. The wrinkle was the distant Ksilotai who had pledged both troth and army to Nazar. Would they come and if so when?

The answer came sooner than expected, in 103, when Egrois Erutogeros, king of the Ksilotai, led his army east to the borders of Ereva. For a summer they raided and pillaged what was not protected, but never stood to do battle army to army. Little was accomplished and no effort was made to venture south to Nazar itself. The following year the Nazar came north and on the rich farmland west of Ereva the three armies met for battle. It was a badly run affair by Nazar who would not stoop to be advised by the barbarian Ksilotai. His army was well equipped, but lacked everything else, but a glorious past. For Erutogeros it was his first real fight against serious foes and he was here to learn, and as it turned out to be, the hard way. The disciplined Erevans under Arius took advantage of every failing of their enemies. New Erevan tactics caught the Nazar troops by surprise and before noon they were routing home, leaving their two generals among the fallen. Erutogeros had hoped to use his 100 elephants to some advantage, but against an equal number of the pacaderms from Ereva, he saw little edge and many died. As Nazar routed and the Ksilotai were left to face Arius alone, a poor end to the day looked inevitable. Erutogeros choose to save what was left of his army and depart the field. To the benefit of bards and storytellers, in the confusion of turning attack into retreat, Erutogeros was slain. His return home was triumphal if not joyous.

Ereva success was not without a price and the assault against Nazar directly would have to wait. Word came that Shizhi Tian Lin of Kana would be marching to the aid of Ereva with 500 of his best troops. The pause would be worth it.

With the death of Erutogeros, his son, Aurigiros assumed the mantle of Egrois. Once settled in to his kingship, he prepared to again aid his wife’s former kingdom. New troops were raised and more elephants trained and readied. In 107 they struck again. This time there was no significant Nazarian contingent sent north and Aurigiros faced the Erevans alone. Like the campaign of 103, Aurigiros raided and pillaged the border region and avoided a pitched battle. He wanted his new troops to be better prepared when the final clash came. So in high summer of 108 the Ksilotai were ready to face Arius of Ereva once again. The rolling farmland would be good ground for the elephants both sides deployed. What Aurigiros was not prepared for was the 500 Kanese troops holding the center of the Ereva lines. And to everyone’s surprise they were armed with something new: a crossbow. Its effectiveness was as yet untried. The Kana tipped the balance in both numbers and tenacity, but it was their bronze fish scale armor new weapon that played havoc among the Ksilotai. The hard fought victory was costly to Ereva, but in the end they prevailed and drove Aurigiros from the field in complete disorder.

Fearing further interference from the west, Arius wasted no time in finishing his preparations to attack Nazar and in the spring of 109 he struck. His troops attacked down both sides of the river and down the river itself. The local warlords tried to defend themselves, but collapsed when pressed hard as the Erevans were wont to do. In 110 Arius attacked again and this time was met in battle by “old Nazar” himself. It was another bloody affair, but when Nazar fell under a barrage of arrows, the spirit left his troops and they either fled or surrendered. At that point the war ended. Ereva was spent and bastard children of distant relatives of the dead king made meaningless claims to worthless titles. What was left of Nazar was several puppet kingdoms that stretched across the southern Animas that would do the bidding of whomever came knocking with an army.

The war years of the Animas had one more chapter. The Ksilotai were not finished yet. But this time their target was different. In 118 Arius led on more campaign, his last, to bring the neighboring tribes under Ksilotai sway. Over the next two years he led his armies east, west and south conquering as he went. An ambush in the mountains sent him to his grave in 120.

But there was more to life in the lower Animas than war. In Kana, a standardized currency was introduced enhancing both government control and economic progress. Furthermore, Kanese builders began construction of two and three story structures of grand design and elegance when compared to what had been done in the past. In Ksilotai things were different. Roads and trade followed the expansion, but so did unrest and confusion. The deaths of kings and nobles in the long wars created power vacuums and vying for positions of influence; and as the treasury was steadily drained low, the unrest grew. Some feared that Ksilotai would devour itself in civil war or break apart into separate kingdoms as power shifted from the Egrois to the warlords. The reign of Aurigiros II was unsettled and fearful.

+ TC Rivur
+1 treasury Opulenth
+1 treasury Asran
+1 treasury Sedaya
-145 elephants Ksilotai
-1500 infantry Ksailotai
- 75 elephants Ereva
-1200 infantry Ereva
-175 infantry Kana
-Nazar
+1 treasury Ereva from silver mines
Ksilotai stability drops to -1

Nice update!

Guess you're going to have to find a new framing device for your updates. Can I suggest the travels of a Sedai merchant clan?

jalapeno_dude said:

Nice update!

Guess you're going to have to find a new framing device for your updates. Can I suggest the travels of a Sedai merchant clan?

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Thanks; I am working on fnding a new "device".

Very nice. I was expecting more expansion I guess I need to put more effort in my orders this coming turn.

OOC: Interesting, very interesting; I quite enjoyed my soldier's significance in the turning point between the Erevans and well, the barbarians, makes me feel self-important. I assume my policy failed miserably bird? Just for everyone's clarification, is the x to my east another source of tin? In addition to that little barb, does my EC change anything?

Not a bad update, though I am curious as to whether or not the raids later in the century were still done. Also, I rather hoped that some new cities would have sprung up by now, given the rise in trade and such.

alex994 said:

OOC: Interesting, very interesting; I quite enjoyed my soldier's significance in the turning point between the Erevans and well, the barbarians, makes me feel self-important. I assume my policy failed miserably bird? Just for everyone's clarification, is the x to my east another source of tin? In addition to that little barb, does my EC change anything?

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Ja that is Tin. Animas has lots of tin

emu said:

Ja that is Tin. Animas has lots of tin

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OOC: Unfortunately, that is indeed the case. >_< Very unfortunate.

alex994 said:

OOC: Interesting, very interesting; I quite enjoyed my soldier's significance in the turning point between the Erevans and well, the barbarians, makes me feel self-important. I assume my policy failed miserably bird? Just for everyone's clarification, is the x to my east another source of tin? In addition to that little barb, does my EC change anything?

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Your EC means that your economic situation is bettter than those without one. Because of its complexity your policy is particularly slow in manifesting itself. look for early signs next update.

OOC: So should I continue using that policy for my policy this turn to have its effects magnified/quickened so to speak?

alex994 said:

OOC: So should I continue using that policy for my policy this turn to have its effects magnified/quickened so to speak?

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That is up to you. I am just a neutral observer.

To: Ksilotai
From: King Janus of Ereva

We offer you the following terms:

- The nations of Ereva, Kana, and Ksilotai shall be bound eternally in peace, and trade and cordial relations shall resume between them.

- The King of Ereva shall be recognized as the sole legitimate restorer of the Empire of Nazar, and the legitimate ruler over its lands of old. The Egrois of Ksilotai shall forever renounce any and all claims to these lands or to the title of Emperor.

- The Egrois of Ksilotai shall not interfere with the repossession of these lands by Ereva in any way, by force or intrigue.

- The boundary between the claims of Ksilotai and Ereva shall be recognized as being the Artani River in the west, and along a line halfway between the current boundaries of control in the north.

- One spending point shall be delivered in recompense to Ereva for damages from Ksilotai raids.

The armies have met and one was victorious; the other went home . Shall we fight again with the same result, or will you make your peace?

OOC: I think my culture should be at 3, from the story.

North King said:

OOC: I think my culture should be at 3, from the story.

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Your culture is ajusted for posted stories. You can blame rounding if you like.

OOC: I seemed to have made a small mistake in my orders last turn. The Shizhi who went to fight with Ereva was Tian Zhi, not Tian Lan. But I'm sure the error can easily be disregarded Story coming soon

A farmer observes his fields…

“Will there be enough rain this season for the crops Father?”

He smiled and ruffled his son’s hair. He did not know the answer to his question just yet so he putted up a confident front and felt the aura of the earth and heavens. He took a deep breath in and felt it come out. He embraced the beauty of the soil and air and drew upon the years of experience he had gained from working the land.

Working the land.

He, and all the generations before him had done it, generation upon generation tilling the earth and gaining her rich bounty, her reward for intensive care at their rough but gentle hands. Bad times came, but the good far outnumbered the bad; smelling the lay of the land and the wonders of the Gods, he answered his son:

“Yes, there will be enough rain. Thank the Gods there will be enough.”

His son grinned and hugged his father’s legs before saying farewell and rushing towards the direction of their humble village to tell the rest of the family the good news. Nobody had died a violent death in his village for almost twenty years all due to the benevolence of their Lord. Their Lord, what a great man he was.

He was.

He frowned at the memory and sighed. The man that had brought peace to their village and the next few others had quietly died in his bed two years ago leaving a vainglorious son in his place. The young lord had not yet done anything particularly bad aside from the usual but he would really have time to get worse. A pity the old master’s wife spoiled her son so much.

He was about to kneel down and observe the soil and whether or not fertilizer would be needed when he heard a familiar voice and looked up.

“Nan! Nan! The Lord has summoned a meeting in village square twelve ons before sunset!”

His friend was running towards him and stopped at the foot of the hill where he was standing. He let him catch his breath for a moment before responding.

“What for? The young Lord has never seen the value of those meetings as his father did aside from demanding an ever bigger portion of our produce!”

“No, not this time, he wants to go to some God-forsaken land and fight for honor under the Huzhi!”

A smile lit upon his face and he gestured to his friend before running towards the direction of the village, much as his son did except much, much faster.

“Wait up!!”

He arrived at the village square just as the meeting was about to start while the young Lord, in his armor and military garb, stood on the platform.


Peasants. They are my peasants, my subjects and in essence, my property. Unfortunately, there are many that disagree with my view and their power holds my hand at bay. Curse the Fuzhi, my feudal master for holding back my hand! No more, soon I would have what I need to become a Fuzhi myself.

“My subjects, my villagers, I bear good news for you. I, your lord, has the honour of soon embarking upon a most mythical, no, a most glorious journey. I shall accompany the great Shizhi Tian Lan, Lord of Warriors, to defend our sacred honor against a pestilence that you all shall fortunately never meet. As such, I will be absent from these lands as I journey to earn my place in history.”

As I finished, I smiled my most gracious smile at them as if they were children and expected a sound ovation. That was not to be, they looked back at me with eyes that showed their apathy to my honor, to the glory that I would gain. It amazed me that my grandparents were once like them, peasant farmers. They had seemed filled with such magnificent light as befit parents who had raised their son to the peerage, not these illiterate folk. I sighed and continued.

“Because of my future extended absence, it will be necessary for me to procure a suitable wife to produce heirs for my House.”

That got their attention, in both good and bad ways. Adventurous social climbers or fearful fathers were generally the two categories. I have not truly done much, keeping my hands away from the beautiful young daughters of my subjects unlike a few of my neighbors.

I looked at all of them in disgust and turned my back.

Peasants.


The seventy-seven year reign of Fai Yan, the widow of Shizhi Tian Zhi is considered by ancient Kanese historians to have been one of the most important reigns of the early Animas period as shown by the many rock tablets preserved from that period of time. Supposedly, this woman held the reigns of power through her children and her children’s children while she subtly kept them in the façade of power, but out of the realities of power. It is indeed rather strange, that Kana, so well known for powerful and perhaps dominating men, would have their foundations set by none of their first Shizhis (Kings) but a Shinu (Queen).

Under her, Kana flourished like it had never before. Although Opulenth was certainly much wealthier and rich off trade, the nobility of Kana (under the directing hand of the monarchy) worked to improve the lives of their people and of their wealth. The concept of a Benevolent Feudal Monarchy was truly borne in this stage, cementing the Monarchy to not their lowly subjects, but their children….


*- I assure you it sounds much more eloquent in Kanese