BirdNES 2: Forge of Empires -- The Manonash
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Abaddon
Deity
Upkeep seems to be land stat, rather than army.. an I lost land this turn..
#edit~ Woah! Where did my economy go?!
#edit~ Woah! Where did my economy go?!
Just looking over the stats, (upkeep shot up) but Cantorias got no upkeep for the large army they have (over 10k troops) is this due to losing land or what? (it would seem to imply that the economy shrank)
General Upkeep is an area based stat and army upkeep is not visible. For most nations, 10,000 men costs you an EP.
Abaddon, see the main thread for remarks on why your available spending is down even though your economy is up to 16.
Abaddon
Deity
Additional stuff sent for the second 50 years.
The Manonash
Update Seven b: Birth of Nations
The wars aside, the early years of the 5th century were mostly peaceful and building years. Nation adapted to their larger size and the increased cost of keeping roads and other infrastructure in working order. Armies were getting larger and stronger and more expensive to maintain as were the navies of those nations that choose to build them. Iron dominated the weapons of war and more and more sailors ventured beyond the safety of the shore; some went much further.
Kiidor flourished. Currency and paper came into common use; educated men spent time discussing numbers and thought beyond the simple counting of things. Yiithism continued to spread beyond Kiidorian borders and further into the islands. Formal contact with the high priests of the Oracle was made and the Oracle questioned from afar by the lords of the land. The distrust that old King Haergad had for Cantoria slowly dissipated and by 440 the two nations were on generally friendly terms and trading without incident.
For the most part, Cantoria was also at peace with her neighbors and prospered. The government began to take a census of the nation in order to tax more efficiently. A military expedition was sent south in 398 to raid the silver mines of Liasou and claim them for Cantoria, but other than a load of bullion, little was accomplished. Liasou had already collapsed as a nation and the silver discovered to have been mined out years before. The people of the region had already succumbed to Razzak and Graznel. One of Luggon Drumn’s many sons gained fame, if not fortune, as a sea captain and explorer. In 435 he set sail from Rynt and headed due west. His return to Rynt and then to Cantoria itself was met with great fanfare, but the discoveries made were kept secret and revealed to the king alone. One of the innovations that first appeared among the Cantorians was a more heavily armored mounted warrior. They had successfully bred horses larger and stronger than those of the Nylarlak steppes and this new breed was able to carry a rider who was a bit heavier.
Nylarlak
The years of raiding the Cantoria border lands had been a lesson for the Cantorians and when the raids started up again, they were mostly ineffective. The forts and walls diminished the value of the Nylarlak horsemen and the small unit tactics they practiced never gained particular advantage; their attempts to disrupt and pillage Cantorian commerce had little success. The Nylarlak had always been a closed and secretive society in regards to the outside world, but late in the period, Hastykralar the Thrice-Wise abandoned tradition and admitted foreign scholars from Kiidor to the Sacred Groves. These strangers had two immediate impacts: the young artists and carvers were newly inspired and Nylarlak art took a new direction and the communities that surrounded the sacred trees grew unsettled and scared at the turn of events. In spite of a strong effort to tie the distant corners of the vast Nylarlak land together through the intricate judicial links, the eastern lands drifted away and formed a similarly structured nomadic nation. There was no struggle or conflict, the eastern settlements just found themselves too far and disconnected from the heartland of the nation. Hstkrulaklar the Red Second led this new and forming nation from his capital at Lorsinky.
The Island War
The Island War had its roots in the last decade of the previous period. Guide Raminiur had been the frst of that nation’s rulers to see foreign lands and meet with foreign peoples. He recognized that Ilosilletar was a backward nation and falling further and further behind its neighbors. It lacked easy access to the rich trading cities of the mainland and few prospects for peaceful growth. His reforms rebuilt the army and modernized it to current standards and practices as he made it one of the largest in the region. He also planned to use it, but in the end that task fell to his son, Celuminiur, in 425. But Raminiur was not alone with his thoughts of war and plans for conquest. The hawkish lords of Tekashen had targeted Ilosilletar for an attack that chance launched in 427.
The Ilosilletar plan against Rynt was flawed from the start. It depended upon a successful attack and defeat of the Rynt navy so that their invasion of the northern islands could allow their now superior army to engage the Rynt forces there. But as it turned out the Ilosilletar navy was both outnumbered and inferior. While the reforms of Raminiur had brought improvements they had not kept up with the ongoing changes introduced by Rynt. The loss of the fleet doomed any attempt to invade and a frustrated Celuminiur cursed the slowness of rebuilding his navy. But war was on his mind and the Tekashen obliged just as Celuminiur’s fleet was making its first sea trial. And rather than risk its loss, the Ilosilletar king held it back from battle and just used it to protect his troops as they moved from island to island. Ilosilletsr’s northern isles fell quickly and easily to the invading forces of Tekashen, but after that the defenders were better prepared and well situated behind stone walls. As progress stalled cost kept piling up the Teka lords lost interest and claimed their new holdings as a victory.
Razzak continued it slow expansion and with that Yiithism also made its way into the lives of more and more people of the northern Manonash. And in 437, for the first time in many years, a woman was enthroned in Razzak. Lya Nokazth granddaughter of Dagnan Nokazth took the reins of power. As Liasou disintergrated both Razzak and Graznel filled the void.
War and Redemption in the south
As the new monarchy took hold and powerful queens took charge of the Xochicalco, the endless wars against the Vissarai were renewed; this time with some success. Progress was made all along the border and the approaches to Vissarai capital were added to the Xochicalco territories. What derailed further progress was the sudden eruption, for that was truly what it was, of the Oracle of Wendar. The peace mountain city of the God found itself beholden to thousands of people who, fed up with the never ending wars around them, declared their loyalty to the Wendar and its priests. They made it clear that they would fight to defend their new ‘nation’ and would accept taxation by the oracle. One Xocicalco general attempted to interfere with this transition and found himself facing an emissary of the oracle who offered a substantial chest of gold if he would redirect his efforts more to the Oracle’s liking. He accepted. Upon his arrival in the great city he noticed not only a place of wondrous beauty, but now there were sewers and baths and plenty of fresh water delivered from mountain springs.
Leadership among the nations:
Nylarlak—king and strong council
Gaznel—king with weak council, generals and priests
Ilosilletar—strong king
Cantoria—king with priests and weak council
Vissarai—King with moderate military influence
Rynt—council with support of generals and priests
Kiidor—king with council and priests
Tekashen—strong king with weak military influence
Xochicalco—king with weak council and priests
Razzak—king with priests influence
Oracle of Wendar—priests with moderate council influence
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
I must admit that I am shocked by the stats- pleasently shocked, that is 
. I must admit that I quite welcome defeat with Rynt- I'm not sure why I decided to attack, other than a chance to fail in such a spectacular fashion. Tekshan was somewhat out of the blue, through I was somewhat alarmed by my position from the beginning- stuck in the middle isn't that fun. In the end, I daresay I will have some more fun in the years to come .
Very, very, very nice.
Edit: Bird the Guide of Ilosilletar should remain as Celuminiur, and his heir should be his son Ráven.
. I must admit that I quite welcome defeat with Rynt- I'm not sure why I decided to attack, other than a chance to fail in such a spectacular fashion. Tekshan was somewhat out of the blue, through I was somewhat alarmed by my position from the beginning- stuck in the middle isn't that fun. In the end, I daresay I will have some more fun in the years to come .Very, very, very nice.
Edit: Bird the Guide of Ilosilletar should remain as Celuminiur, and his heir should be his son Ráven.
Abaddon
Deity
Damn! I wanted to be the first to pass 1000bjps! Well done Strategos!
Can't wait!
Frozen In Ice
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Another nice update BJ. I am quite pleased to see that I was able to raise my income too.
The Strategos
Thanatos
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To: Xochicalco
The High Priest of Wendar, the god who judges all men, both mighty and lowly, and rewards and punishes based on their deeds, whether good or evil; to the Queen of Xochicalco, who shakes her spear and causes even the stars in the heavens to shake for fear.
Hear the words of the god Wendar:
“Around me I hear the cries of the people. I cannot sleep for they continue day and night. Am I stone, that I should not hear their cries? Therefore I have gathered them together like a shepherd gathers his flock. Come to my Temple and speak to me! Say what you will! Am I not a god? Will I not unleash a flood of blessings upon those who I favor?”
Therefore, O mighty queen, come to the Temple and speak words of peace. Bend your knee to the will of the god Wendar, and you shall not be able to stand again because of the weight of the gold he shall place upon you.
The High Priest of Wendar, the god who judges all men, both mighty and lowly, and rewards and punishes based on their deeds, whether good or evil; to the Queen of Xochicalco, who shakes her spear and causes even the stars in the heavens to shake for fear.
Hear the words of the god Wendar:
“Around me I hear the cries of the people. I cannot sleep for they continue day and night. Am I stone, that I should not hear their cries? Therefore I have gathered them together like a shepherd gathers his flock. Come to my Temple and speak to me! Say what you will! Am I not a god? Will I not unleash a flood of blessings upon those who I favor?”
Therefore, O mighty queen, come to the Temple and speak words of peace. Bend your knee to the will of the god Wendar, and you shall not be able to stand again because of the weight of the gold he shall place upon you.
I really don't have much of a beef with you and honestly I see no reason to be at war with you. I can agree to that and hope that good trade and political relations can be kept between our nations.
Abaddon
Deity
The juxtaposition of those two "IC" posts...
The Strategos
Thanatos
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The High Priest of Wendar, who knows all that is past, and present, and future; to the Queen of Xochicalco:
We brought your message to the Oracle, asking what should be done. Hear therefore the reply of the god Wendar:
“Do I not know the hearts of all men? Do I not know what is in store in the future? Construct a pillar with these words, ‘The Queen of Xochicalco has sworn before all the gods of the heavens that there will be peace between her and those who follow the god Wendar. And if she does these things, the favor of Wendar shall be upon her. And let the one who breaks this agreement first suffer the punishment of the gods for breaking their oath.’ Send also jewelry and princely raiment, and all manner of fine treasures from my storehouse, as I direct you, let their price add up to [0.5 EP]. And let the Queen of Xochicalco display these things so that all men might know of her oath, and that the favor of Wendar will rest upon her. And also send [0.5 EP] of the purest gold, and let her spend it upon her people, that they might be satisfied and want nothing.”
Are not I, the High Priest, a faithful servant of Wendar? Will I not do what he has commanded me? Therefore let you also do as he directs, and his favor will cover your kingdom as a cloud.
To: Kiidor
The mouthpiece of the god Wendar, the 69th High Priest; to the King of Kiidor, at whose feet mortals bow seven times and seven times:
Hear the words of the Oracle, which are the words of the god Wendar:
“You have come to me with questions, do I not know your plans, and the end of them also? For I have read the Book of Fate, on which is recorded the deeds and thoughts of man, both in the past, and now, and in the future. Therefore, know that the plans of peace in your head, if you do them I will prosper them! And let this be a sign between you and me. I will send to you my image, a statue of gold weighing [19 kilograms]. And along the bottom will be carved this message: ‘I Know.’ Therefore do the plans of peace that are in your mind, for I know the end of them. I will also send you Rakael, who is a senior priest before me and who is skilled in the mystery of divination. Listen to him, for he hears my voice! If you do these things, I will surely bless you, as I am a god.”
Receiving the words of Wendar, I, the High Priest his servant, have rushed to do his bidding. Let you also do as he says, and he will grant to you his blessings, both in this life and the next.
When I post the religion/culture maps for Manonash, it will be quite interesting. 
Frozen In Ice
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That will very interesting indeed. How has progress come along with it?
Climate and culture maps will go up after I post the Animas update.
The Strategos
Thanatos
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Art of Divination
There are three main arts of divination, corresponding to the three realms, the art of the heavens, which is the realm of the gods; the art of the earth, which is the realm of beasts; and the art of the underworld, which is the realm of Wendar. Only the one who knows the mystery of divination may use these arts. All others will only find the path of destruction.
The Art of the Heavens
The one who divines must first bath himself seven times, preferably in living water but if not available, in a pool, preferably immersing himself seven times, but if not possible, he may pour water over himself seven times. And when he is done, he must anoint himself with oils and put on a clean white robe with no spot, for he is going before the gods. And if he wishes to consult the gods he may do one of two things.
The first is to offer up a sacrifice, a pure bull, without spot, or, if a bull can not be afforded, a lamb, or if a lamb cannot be afforded, two doves. And he shall ask the question he wishes to pose to the gods, and offer up the sacrifice with fire. And he shall observe the smoke, the form that it takes, and its color, and its consistency, for the gods shall use the smoke from the sacrifice they receive to give their answer. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
Or, if not a sacrifice, the gods may be consulted in this manner. The one who divines must prepare themselves as one meeting a god. Then he must wait until night, for is it not night that the floor of heaven becomes clear, and we can see, as specks far removed from us the very face of the gods? Let the one who seeks understanding give the diviner his patron god, and the god of his fathers, and the god of his clan. Let him also give the god which he was born under. And the diviner will look into the heavens and see which god is taking the most interest in man, whether it is the questioner’s god, or one ambivalent, or one hostile to him. And he will tell the man whose favor he must seek to fulfill his plans. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
But if one wishes to know the future or whether his plans will succeed or fail, let him not go to the gods in heaven. For do the gods know the future? Have they read the Book of Fate? But the gods will let mortals know their desires, and who they favor, for is not the will of the gods known to the one who knows these mysteries?
The Art of the Earth
The one who divines must first bath himself seven times, preferably in living water but if not available, in a pool, preferably immersing himself seven times, but if not possible, he may pour water over himself seven times. And when he is done, he must anoint himself with oils and put on a clean white robe with no spot, for he is daring to walk the path of mysteries. And if he wishes to consult the beasts and their knowledge he may do one of two things.
First, he may choose the animal which shares affinity for that which he wishes to know. So if he wishes to know whether he will be successful in war, he must sacrifice a raven, and examine its stomach. And if its stomach is empty, then they will suffer defeat, for the raven is not eating so that it might gorge itself on the dead of that nation. But if its stomach is full, then go to war, for the ravens of your land will not eat, neither will they feast on the flesh of your warriors. And if you wish to know about the coming harvest, sacrifice a brown hen. For from its relatives, the birds which soar in the sky, they will learn about the coming rains, and from its relatives, the beasts which walk the ground together with them, they will learn about the soil, and how fertile it will be. And if one wishes to know anything else, let them consult that animal which shares an affinity for that which he wishes to know. For the gods withheld a soul and a mind from the animals, but gave them the ability to know some of the future, lest they die out completely. It is also possible to gain knowledge from examining the entrails of a human, but this is abhorrent before the eyes of the gods. The curse of the gods will be upon the one foolish enough to try this. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
Or, if not approaching the beasts of the earth, one may go to a nearby place where the spirits of the earth gather, whether the spirits of trees, or of the water, or of the earth. And let the one who seeks knowledge enquire it of these spirits. But let him be wary, for many spirits do not honor man, and so will lie, and some do not care about man, and will not answer, but some will love man, because man honors them, and so will speak truthfully. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
But let no man ask specific questions of those who dwell on the earth, for they are but dumb beasts, or weak spirits, and are not gods. Therefore, do not be surprised if they know not the answer to the questions you ask.
The Art of the Underworld
The one who divines must first bath himself seven times, preferably in living water but if not available, in a pool, preferably immersing himself seven times, but if not possible, he may pour water over himself seven times. And when he is done, he must anoint himself with oils and put on a clean white robe with no spot, for he is daring to journey to the path of the underworld, and so must take care, lest he not return. And if he wishes to consult those who dwell in the underworld, and their knowledge, he may do one of two things.
First, he may consult the dead, if the question is of a civic nature, a hero or a wise ruler. Or, if the question is of a more personal nature, an ancestor of the one posing the question. The dead are in the realm of Wendar, who knows all, and they themselves retain their wisdom they had while alive. Therefore ask with confidence, for Wendar has given much knowledge, which is beyond mortal ken, to those who are worthy. The questioner, his family, and the one doing the divination must go to the gravesite of the dead they wish to question. Or, if the gravesite is not known, they must go a place that the dead person was known to favor while alive. Or, if this too is not known, they must go to the gravesite of someone who knew the one to be summoned while alive, for an extra price, this person will summon the one you wish to speak to. After assembling in the proper area, the one giving a question must cut themselves, and spill at least three drops of blood on the ground while the diviner chants. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand. Then must the questioner, their family, and the diviner have a feast on that ground, let them eat and drink what they wish. But the first bite of every dish must be spilled on the ground, and the first drink of every cup must be poured out, this is the portion for the one who is dead. Let no one rob the dead of their portion. The question may now be asked and let the diviner interpret. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
Or, one may ask the question of Wendar himself, who has read the Book of Fates and knows every action, whether in heaven or on the earth, or under the earth, whether past, or present, or future. It is he who rules over the Underworld and judges all the dead, and rewards them according to their deeds. You may travel to the Underworld to ask him your question, this is recorded as being done by many great heroes in the past. However, it is also recorded of many more trying and failing and these now wander around, belonging neither to the realm of the living nor the realm of the dead. You may also go to the Oracle of Wendar, for there exist one of the Gates of the Underworld, and there Wendar answers all questions that are posed to him by the priests who serve him. Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
But be not surprised if the answer one receives is a riddle, or is unclear. For is not Wendar a god, and speaks as he pleases? And it is recorded that since ancient times, sometimes he obscures, so that which is fated is accomplished, and sometimes he hides, so that a man might do the great deeds that are appointed for him to do. And sometimes he moves as he pleases, for who can understand the mind of a god? Let the one who knows the mysteries understand.
Climate map posted above.
