NERFSNES - Boring Times

The origins of the Rigundo are a mystery to the Kushenri and other peoples. Many say that these warlike tribes crawled out of the very depths of the under world after conquering hell itself. However, the Rigundo say that they came from a land with a great river, where great beasts stomp in the jungles. But they also recall other peoples whom have driven them away for their savagery. And so they continue to wander the land as semi-nomadic tribes and chiefdoms. These groups often go on migrations in search of more suitable places to live. These migrations often result in the Rigundo conquering or assimilating smaller and weaker groups of people. This violent nature has made many tribes afraid of the Rigundo. Even the bitterest of enemies will cease their fighting if they both need to repel a Rigundo migration.

Recently the Rigundo contacted the Kushenri people. The Kushenri were easily driven out of their home near the Ganges River and were pushed in the Himalayas. Now some of the Rigundo tribes are settling down, using the remnants of conquered people as slaves. These slaves are used to farm along the river and do manual labor as the Rigundo warriors go out and fight neighboring tribes in attempts to get more slaves.

Rigundo tribes are renowned for their skill at crafting weapons. Great axes and spears are their favorite weapons, for they view the bow as a poor excuse for a weapon. Rigundo combat almost always involves screaming and shouting as the two opposing forces run at each other with various over-sized weapons. These battles often not only decide the course of a war, but the course of a tribe’s existence. For if a tribe doesn’t win an important battle, they are considered weak, and are often attacked by many other Rigundo tribes who are eager to gain more slaves.

Due to this nature of the more powerful states constantly attacking smaller ones, the Rigundo around the Ganges River have made rather large kingdoms and Empires, but they are highly unstable and tend to collapse at the slightest show of weakness. But currently there is a rather strong kind in power, King Waksimpalatu. He was a powerful warlord that succeeded in besting the nearby tribes in combat and earned the respect of the other kingdoms in the area. However, Waksimpalatu aims to conquer the world. It’s impossible for him to do so, but the Rigundo people firmly believe that he may very well claim the entire world for himself and unite it under his rule.

Smaller splinters off of the Rigundo are less violent, possibly picking up traits from the Kushenri. These tribes often trade food and supplies for the religious items made by the mountain-dwelling Kushenri. In this way they influence each other, and in a way the Rigundo support the Kushenri. If these small splinter states didn’t trade their food, the Kushenri would likely starve and they would cease to exist as a people.

Rigundo People Names:

Waksimpalatu: An extremely powerful king who rules the kingdom of Atu. He added the kingdom’s name to his to show his dedication and want to further his kingdom. Many Rigundo view him as a god and think that he very well may conquer the world.

Vinta Buyesa: The most hated person in Rigundo history. He lead a traitorous group of warriors in an attempt to protect the Kushenri so that they could escape from the vicious tribes of the Rigundo.

Cemvesa: The legendary warrior that is highly revered in Rigundo culture. He is said to have been able to kill any man or god he faced, and eventually became the Rigundo god of war.

Cities:
Guyupt: The capital of Atu, it is filled with slave traders and warriors looking to prove their worthiness to the king. Bloodshed is very common in this city, as well as crime. However, the population is rather high because Rigundo women often give birth to many children, and because slaves work on the many fields outside the city.

Countries:
Atu: A powerful kingdom that is along the Ganges River. It is poised to take control of the lands near it, and is always looking for a new source of slaves.

Nuenton: Considered by many Rigundo to be a land of underhanded sneaks and crooks, Nuenton is more trade focused than Atu and the minor realms near it. Nuenton is somewhat near the Himalayas, and as such is an important place for Kushenri traders to go. However, despite Nuenton’s peaceful appearance, it still has a powerful military and is one of the few Rigundo states to make wide use of archers.

Vis: Minor city state.

Wanbu: Minor kingdom

Hujga: Minor kingdom.

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This will hopefully provide some good background on the Rigundo, and could provide a culture for me to influence in case the Kushenri don't survive.

The Centi

The Centi lives just North of Remula in the Mountains. They are not well known but for trading Salt and Delicacies of Mountain Meat from the Mountains. However, it is known that they work large salt mines and work copper with tin.


Remulan Splinter States.

Remula is Unique. However, the Po Clans Aren't. Lands of the Po Clans are often walled off and full with lush farms and a citigal at the nearest town. They usually are diplomatic but because of their loyalty and disicple are able to raise the larges armies in size to their lands. The Clan-States dot south to Latin lands and to the West toward Guin Peoples. The Council of Po in Remula is the beginning of the Confederacy of Po, in which Remula is one of the larges and most diverse. Because of the way they are Po States often contain large amount of migrated or traders from other peoples.



Guin

They live in Barcelonia all the way south to Gibraltar. They are extremely trade based and their warriors are often but Turin Normads and the only fighters that are actually of the Guin are their Ships. They are master seamen and traveled north to a Island "full of Tin". Their neighbors the Turin to the South are barbaric but a pair of cities across from Gibraltar are full of hireable Mercenaries. Cantali to the West even furthur are miners of copper and have numerous defended settlements along the Atlantic that allow trade ships only when paid.



Turin

Barbarians in OTL Morcco, they are darkskinned are are deadly hunters of the sands. Only case of civilization is in Yuzi, a state of a pair of cities near Guin Gibraltar and mythical Turin to the south, hoarders of gold. What is known about them is assumed but it is known that they are extremely territorial and very good hunters and dealers. In a minor war a Po State Tria which insulted the Guin State Hibral was assualted by an army of Turin. That is before the Confederacy and the only known evidence is a group of dark skinned tribesmen still hunting in that area.

I know these are not good. But they are useful. Also, They are based on some real life while others are based on my logic.

The Culture of Dalran's Southerners
Southern culture is one of the more prestigeous cultures in Dalran, being associated with the city of Goltes and it's sucessor state of Ysora. It's Arab-like people have evolved a naval tradition, traditionally controlling the Goltes Sea, as well as a strong (for their era) support for traditional morality.

Southern culture tends to emphasise not the idea of the God, but of the Spirit. The Spirit world is considered to be above that of mortals, but each one has only a small amount of power. The idea of the "Spirit King" approximates to a God, with the exception that such "Spirit Kings" can only muster up the power of all their Spirits, rather then inherent power (although this has been corrupted to some degree by Northern cultural ideas). This theology is the closest thing to a general Dalran theology, only categorically rejected by the North.

Like all cultures, Southern culture has divisions. By 1000 BC, they are divided into Colonials, Goltezites, and "Northerners" (in Southern slang). Each of these groups can be divided into two- East and West colonials, Urban and Rural Goltezites, and North and South "Northerners". (Making for very confusing explanations for a South Northerner)

Colonials
Colonial used to be a word to refer to those from actual Goltes colonies- these were a minority of their conquests where they actually sent some of their people there to live. However, over time in the Goltes language 'colonial' has come to refer to everybody in these conquest terrortories.

"Colonials" tend to be quite accomodating to government, to the point of tolerating higher taxes then most groups. They tend to be laid back, trying to get through life with as little of the grind of daily work as possible, and not willing to put their lives on the line.

East colonials tend to be slightly more courageous then their western "brethren", and are second to the Urban Goltezites in their naval traditions. However, their primary distinctive feature is their internal diversity of language- for some reason, language amongst the East colonials changes quite quickly.

West colonials tend to have stronger de facto village leadership then other peoples, with sufficent informal power to create revolts when they think it best. Like their "brethren" they are laid back and tend to accept the status quo, but when pushed too far they can raise a revolt quickly...

West Colonial Names:

Settlements:
Da-shou
Han-shou
Sun-shou

Names:
Quajing (A West Colonial leader who led a revolt against the Ysoran government. He managed to last six months through avoiding battle before the government forces finally destroyed his army)
Xensheng
Xalsheng

East Colonial Names

Settlements:
Man
Mahan
Eshan

People:
Yushan
Elshan
Kufai

Alright, I'm going to work on the update proper now and post it tomorrow night (GMT+8). I'd prefer that you guys don't do and major graphical changes to the world (i.e. requiring an edit of the map) after this point; otherwise, I'm going to delay the update because of picture editing constraints.

Got it? Alright then, let's see if this NES can go the distance!

flying chicken I am sorry but I can't be in this Nes any longer. RL is a b*tch at the moment. I may rejoin it later when I have more time.

Should I try to get in orders before the update, or is this an update 0?

EDIT: Have edited this several times- rather then keep track every time I do it, just putting this note.

A History of the Sadion People- Part 2
It would soon be concluded that Sadion's great naval strength was rooted in something about the Sadionese character- the evidence was that Wodakan's Sadionesque reforms in 2001 BC would actually make their naval power weaker.

Meanwhile, the island towns continued to fight war over fishing. Inland towns would end up not arising due to lack of space- the inner Sadionese were not culturally warlike, and even over centuries little expansion would take place.

(OOC: Not sure how to continue this. Stopping, probably forever)

NERFSNES · BORING TIMES UPDATE ????-1000 BC

WEST ASIA · THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES AND THEN SOME

In Mesopotamia, or Dalran as some of the locals like to call it, lots have happened that I shan't repeat here in too much detail. Of course, you may want to read through our voluminous tomes of information on ancient Mesopotamian history if you wish to find out more.

The Dalran calendar begins, conspicuously enough, at around the same time writing was invented for widespread administrative use, which, with equal conspicuousness, came about roughly at the same time as the rise of the First Tatalasan Empire, which at ts height stretched from the West of the Euphrates to the East of the Tigris, incorporating, subjugating, and, to an extent, homogenizing a mishmash of conflicting cultures and people from the old kingdoms of the land (it is interesting to note that the kings of said kingdoms were granted the retention of their titles, being subject to the First Tatalasan Empire's King of All Kings).

The First Tatalasan Empire began crumbling after politics got in the way of governance. Two cousins, whose names were lost to history, began a vicious civil war backed by rival factions of nobles within the Empire. Soon enough, old enemies, vassals, barbarians from the West, and rebellious subjects took advantage of the chaos, and eventually what was once the Empire was carved between the rich, mercantile state of Goltes to the South, the charioteer-driven state of Simara to the North, the Anatolian and sea-borne barbarians to the West (which, later after much bloodshed, formed the state which called itself New Tatalasan), and the confederation of the nobles of the old Empire which was called the King's Compact.

The status quo was maintained by diplomacy, skulduggery, and lots of stabbing for a while, though things started looked like they were getting interesting by Tatalasan Years 1506-1525, when a remarkable mad genius called Jaltes took the reins of the then-near-centralized Compact and tried to recreate the old Empire. He was successful, to a point, but soon after his death hegemonic domination proved to be unpopular again. The core of Jaltes' Compact was directly succeeded by the Najuran Empire, centered in the traditional Tatalasan capital of Dolensach and beset by internal dissent which eventually led to the creation of a splinter group of nobles called the Nadjan Coalition, which had the newly-formed Danion League to the West as allies. To the South the Ysoran Empire was born, centered around the old city of Goltes.

Lacking the peace provided by large hegemonic domination, wars soon erupted and the Ysoran Empire found itself consuming most of the Najuran Empire and the Nadjan Coalition, while the latter found itself back-stabbed by the Danion League it has sponsored in the past. Dalran found itself a bipolar world with the "barbaric" Danion League on one end and the Ysoran Empire on the other; several skirmishes and all-out wars were fought between the two, but in the face of extra-Dalranian problems and a clear, unproductive stalemate, what was probably the first ever peace treaty in the world was signed between the two powers in TY 1673. Eventually, the Danion League found itself stagnating though still powerful by TY 1999, surviving an economic downturn and a wave of hostile, iron-clad, omnidirectional immigration at around TY 1792-1851, while the Ysoran Empire was not so lucky and found itself split between what was practically a different state called the Viceroyalty to the North, the city-state of Dolensach in the region of the old capital, and the Goltes-centered trading region with the "core" Ysoran provinces to the South at the same time.

Meanwhile, in the Levant (called Golbrek by the people of Dalran), the Second Kingdom of Greater Wodakan, the successor state of the older, smaller kingdom built by King Jesro centuries before, just rebuilt itself as a Second Kingdom after the monstrous iron-clad wave of immigration previously mentioned, recent civil war between the priestly factions and the mercantile factions, who disagreed on several issues but ultimately fought over trade with the mysterious peoples along what we call the Nile River. The priests won; considering that the people of Europe are just getting their heads wrapped around the ideas of centralized government, widespread knowledge of the mysterious Nile River people was held back for quite a while.

Back in time, Tatalasan records at around the 7th-8th centuries of the Tatalasan calendar suggest the stirring of much activity to the West, in Anatolia (called Dehanes by the locals). Agriculture and the idea of centralized leadership had been steadily spreading westwards, and chiefs of the Eterian and Mumkene peoples began mobilizing their populations into massive wars of conquest (though leaving the much more advanced and much more powerful Dalran states alone), which led to the displacement of Mumkene peoples from Central Dehanes and Crete (Tuheena for the locals) into Western Dehanes and even into Greek lands (called Vainia by the Eterians and the Mumkene) as their rival Eterian peoples flooded in after booms in population, strength, and organization.

EUROPE AND NORTHWEST AFRICA · UNIMPORTANT AND UNINTERESTING FOR NOW

In Cyprus (called Sadion by the Tatalasan successors), the small city-state of Laward which has been feared as a naval power and united the people of Sadion, in the past on both counts, has just begun aggressively expanding into adjacent territory, capitalizing on trade with the new Anatolian states for support. It has become a republic of the ancient kind, with an oligarchy of priests and nobles at its head, as the old inept kings had almost brought it into ruin with wars with the mysterious Nile River people and the Wodokan Kingdoms old and new. However, the island's importance and power was quick coming to an end, as its myth of naval invincibility was coming to an end, while its extensive copper mines had become comparatively obsolete almost overnight during the end of the Bronze Age.

The Italian Peninsula (called Tauria by the local Taurisians), like Vainia and Dehanes, was witness to some recent population displacements. The Taurisians, originally coming from the far-away steppes like the Celts, had settled along the Po to the Tiber River Valleys, enjoying prosperity until around TY 549 (or 250 Before Founding according to the calendar used by most Taurisian priests and chiefs, which is based on the founding of Metauripolis), when Celtic and Centi tribes aggressively flooded the Po River Valley, forcing the Taurisians to migrate South where they formed various chiefdoms and codified their polytheistic fates using a script derived from a Dehanes script which ultimately derived from Tatalasan. Some of the chiefdoms were poised to rise to power and enter the world stage, quickly growing in organization and power, and getting a net benefit rather than otherwise from the migrational and economic troubles at around 980-1050 AF.

The Celts and Centi who have entered the Po River Valley were strong but disorganized and disunited tribes until 1033 AF, when a Taurisian character named Remus, along with his whole clan, was exiled to die among the Celts and Centi of the Po Valley by his Taurisian peers. The Celts who met him were amiable, however, and after a mix-up with a legend and accidental confirmation by a shaman or two, he was proclaimed a King; he then proceeded to uniting most of the river valley. Though an excellent city planner, making the city of Remula an example for generations to come, his choice of government practices made for a politically unstable Confederation by 1200 AF; with so many peoples granted leniency and leadership positions, and with no real enemies since unification, it seemed that the Confederation of the Po was ready to come to an end at the time.

Along the African side of what we know as Gibraltar, there was a most interesting state calling itself Cueta, by virtue of the evidence they left behind in 1200 AF being almost as elusive as the Nile River peoples were to their contemporaries. All that they left at the time were a few bronze and iron tools and weapons, as well as signs of construction. There is strong evidence that Cueta was made up of regional aliens, coming from the earlier regionwide migrations from the chaotic period of migrations at around 980-1050 AF, though their exact origins are hard to pinpoint with the evidence they left in 1200 AF.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA · FULL OF SHEEP AND GOATS THEN AND IN PERPETUITY

The Sarpa and Saka peoples have been herding and farming from the Southernmost portion of the Iranian plateau to the North of the Aral Sea (called Lake Nar by the local Sarpa) since time immemorial by TY 1999, though the latter activity less so, being restricted to certain choice regions and only imported relatively recently from Dalran at the time. Agriculture has become somewhat intensive along the Oxus River (called the Sar River by the Sarpa), though not to the extent or magnitude found in Dalran, strengthening the the Sarpa state of the Narga Chiefdom held sway.

The Narga-led state had humble beginnings as an act of greed by the Narga Tribe in TY 999, when ruthless Narga tribal leaders used horses, powerful bows and arrows, and unwavering and tricky diplomacy to take effective control of the land along the Sar River. When the tribe grew fat and large with the food and riches it effective stole from its neighbors and the traders from the mysterious lands of the Far East, it began following the example of the Dalran states and instituted institutions to maintain its power.

The Sarpa state would face total destruction several times over along the path to TY 1999, though it would be rebuilt easily every time as there was little to rebuild but weapons of war and a few farmhouses in the first place. The Narga Chiefdom present in TY 1999 is a steppe Empire refined, with Saka and lesser-Sarpa slaves and horses to carry it upright, finding riches with the fine tools that are a merchant's tongue and a barbarian's bow; though looked down upon by the old states of Dalran, the Narga are at least comparable to them in terms of power and wealth.

To the East of the Sarpa and Saka are the very peaceful and very non-sedentary Tibeto-Kushenri peoples. The Kushenri were a people of old, though not nearly as old as the Dalran societies, advocating non-violence and as such were eventually displaced by the warlike Rigundo from the bounties of the Ganges River to cold, harsh lands of the Himalayas (known to them as the Yukulimpa Moutains). There is evidence for early attempts of the Kushenri to establish settlements there, but due to a lack of crops that could support them in one place for a long time, as well as the convenience of the pastoralist lifestyle, the Kushenri eventually abandoned the great fort-towns they made to join the Tibetans, with whom they mixed in so much that by TY 1999 they were nearly indistinguishable.

The Rigundo, meanwhile, developed dynamically during all those times, chopping of limbs and stabbing things until they eventually arrived at the geopolitical situation of TY 1999, with the Gangetic kingdom of Atu as the meanest guys around, the Nuenton, Wanbu, and Hujga Kingdoms waiting for an opportunity to strike it down, while the city-state of Vis and the smaller Rigundo chiefdoms wallowed and struggled in their inadequacies in the field of making things bleed.

NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA · FAR AWAY AND SEVERELY DISADVANTAGED

When the states of Dalran were aged and its empires collapsing, the states of Mesoamerica were but tiny fledglings, and continue to be so until TY 1999 in Dalran. Despite that, however, in their little isolated worlds, the Mesoamerican civilizations deserve notice.

The Midland civilization-state was first to develop, using advanced stone tools and crops to create people, who in turn created cities and culture, which in turn defined the Midlander civilization and the centralized state that coincided with it. Midland influenced other Mesomaerican states in the process of its own stepping out of savagery, and within a century or so of its existence, other pretenders to the throne of Mesoamerican civilization have popped up.

One of these states, Lokitlan, was centered around the city of Texcocacola, which in turn was centered in and around Lake Texcoco, and showed much promise for its people were shown to be quite adept in the field of bashing things with sharp rocks and heavy sticks.

... And there are North Americans without food production, so they're not interesting at all at the moment, but our voluminous tomes could reveal more if you wish.

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MAP · TO MAKE SENSE OF SOME OF THIS DRIVEL

Read the stuffs and/or PM if you want to find out who's who; fankly, that ain't so important right now.

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NOTES · OUT OF CHARACTER JUNK

It is still dark outside when I posted this, so I consider myself on time! But seriously, I wrote more than I figured I'd write, but probably only because most of the update material for this turn came from you guys. When its my turn to figure out what will happen, I swear I'll be lazy and cut down on the detail and increase the update delivery promptness.

I admit 2000+ words was far more than I was aiming for, but I feel that if I cut down on the torrent of words and pretending to add lots of detail (while in reality it's all you guys with a few twists on my part) I might make you guys feel alone in providing all the detail and hence create a positive feedback loop which will no doubt kill this NES. Anyway, I kinda rushed most of the whole thing and I'm very sleepy goodnight guys instructions for turn 2 will come later but keep those stories coming.

Edited in the bit about North Americans.

The Po Republic

The Po Repubic Rose after a devastating famine that struck the Tauria. The Three Leaders Took over after famine and invasion by waves of Luini, who tried to escape famine by raiding and stealing. The Po Republic is much more centralized. Instead of mayors, Governers are given positions and are voted by mayors and accepted by the Council of Seniors. The Three Lords as they are now called. One is ellected for 10 years at a minimum age of 50 is the Eldar. One is elected for 5 Years at the minimum age of 30 is the Younger. One is elected for life is the King, and until a battle killed the line of remus as they knew it off, their Line was almost always in the Line of Remus.

I don't want to be a nitpicker right now, but, you list the Goltes Rebellions and Civil Wars in the stories list as those of the King's Compact. Despite the possible American Civil War association, I actually meant Goltes.

A Merchant's Diary

5th of the month:
Today, a quiet day. I am nearly at the city of Dolensach. It's lucky, too- I heard the witch-doctor is actually good. My boy remains limp- our only hope is this blasted man.

I have recieved another letter today from Mother- she is anxious about my progress. This letters are drain on the family fortunes- we cannot afford all these messangers! I sent him back with a message that we are nearly at Dolensach, and hope he does not get killed by bandits on the way. One more message would send us broke...

6th of the month:
I finally reached Dolensach at noon, and decided to hurry. I noticed an intresting detail- the statue of the King is actually of Jaltes, not of the current King. I wonder why he did that?

I found the witch-doctor at the edge of the city, and gave him my boy to treat. He gave me his price, and said it would take a few days for the remedy to work. I couldn't afford the price at the time, but I knew the wares I had were more then enough to fetch it.

In roughly an hour I returned, with my boy and the heap of gold he wanted. I left him there to heal, and searched for an inn to sleep at. Most of the city was empty- not much trade comes through here.

I just hope this works...

Goltezites
In theory, and the perceptions of outsiders, only the Urban Goltezites exist. The Rural Goltezites,, while having the distinction of being the stereotype Southerners, are not recognised as a seperate cultural entity.

Rural and Urban Goltezites are quite different, and are only classified together because of their common geographical location around the core provinces of the old Goltes Empire. Their only common trait is a general belief that Ysora is not an authentic continuation of the Goltes Empire (because of it's root in a warlord who conquered Goltes, even if he was forced to make concessions to Goltes's previous rulers).

Urban Goltezites:
The Urban Goltezites are a people of sailors and merchants- 75% of the population who identify with the city have a trade directly connected to the sea, are a merchant, or are a craftsmen. This is particularly true of the people in the capital, who call themselves True Goltezites- and look down on the other Urban Goltezites from nearby cities as a pale imitation.

Another feature of Urban Goltezites is they form the conceptions the Ysoran King's court have of the 'common people'. This results in Ysora favoring merchants, sailors, and craftsmen in it's economic policies and ignoring farmers, encouraging superior production at the expense of agriculture.

Rural Goltezites:
The Rural Goltezites are an idealistic people- while they consider the Ysoran reigme to not be an authentic contiuation of Goltes, they tend to have faith that a 'true' Goltes Empire will return one day. They tend to provide the best soldiers for the Ysoran army, although the difference is too marginal to be noticed.

Goltezite Names:

1- Urban:

Settlement:
Shori
Ysora
Goltes

People:
Kenka
Holen
Farva

2- Rural:

Settlement:
Minkown
Venkown
Alsord

People:
Luk
Manhoe
Shangwok

Great stuff: I enjoyed reading the update and look forward to the next turn.

I think the ancient Iranians entered Persia in about 1000 BC- sorry for not saying earlier, but I didn't know.

EDIT: No, this was not vindictive in any way against the Sarpa or their player.
EDIT 2: Also, Zoraster historically existed from some period from 1000 to 600 BC. Is that relevant?
EDIT 3: Decided to briefly look up some later events to help the game.

-In Egypt, an excessively high flood covered the Temple of Luxor in 872 BC. This contributed to a civil war in Egypt which broke out in 836 BC.
-The Iron Age would begin in Central Europe some time between 900 and 800 BC.
-Greece would colonise other regions of the Meditteranean and Black Sea by the 8th century BC.

Ancient Dalran Civilisations and Legitimacy
In any state, legitimacy is important. The ruler must justify his right to rule or see it fall to those who can convince others of such a right. Justified or not, most rulers throughout history have claimed the moral right to rule their lands, at the least, for some reason or another.

Ysora has traditionally justified it's rule on it's claim to the throne of Tatalasan. Arguably forged some time in the distant past, it none the less gives them a right to fight wars against Danion or the Viceroyalty should ocassion arise.

The Danion Leauge, by contrast, has no unified claim to Tatalasan's throne. Instead, they appeal to a concept of Mandate of Heaven. The reigme, they claim, is reinforced by the power of the Gods- therefore it is justified in it's continued existence.

The Viceroyalty, as theoretical vassals of Ysora, were in a dilemna when it came to legitimacy- they did not wish to declare independence as the Ysoran navy could cause considerable trouble, but sometimes would want to fight Ysora. The ultimate result was an implcit pact- Ysora would not fight the Viceroyalty, and in exchange the Viceroyalty wouldn't declare independence. More and more, however, they began to appeal to tradition for their authority...

Dolensach was a minor city state, and by no means a match for any of these three powers. It's legitimacy was unusual, as it traced itself back to the man they called Tatalasan (and the rest of Dalran called Jaltes). Tatalasan, they said, had sucessfully conquered three empires in his lifetime, surpassing any other man- he had then defeated rebellions on all sides, and kept the empire together until his death. Surely, they argued, the heirs of Tatalasan (their King) had the right to his empire?

This claim was easily vulenrable to attack- but yet again, so was Ysora's, and to some extent all of them. Ultimately, these claims were merely rationalisations of power backed up by force.

The kings of Atu were possibly the most powerful men in Atu history. With thousands of warriors ready to fight any enemy, it seemed as though they were untouchable. Their campaigns through India had left many small city-states and kingdoms conquered or crippled, their tribute filling the treasure rooms of the kings. Massive waves of violence ripped through the land, the kings of Atu sentencing hundreds to die with a single word: War. But there was something going on in the world. The feeling of change was in the air. Unfortunately for the rulers of Atu, this would mean the shattering of the world that they knew and loved.

It all started with a campaign against Vis, a rather pitiful city-state near the mouth of the Ganges. The attack itself was extremely successful and Vis itself was taken with minimal losses. However, Nuentonian warriors had launched an attack on the Atuian capital city, Guyupt. This news terribly shocked the present king of Atu, King Cevaba II. He was out leading his men into battle against Vis, leaving his son Cevaba III at Guyupt. While Cevaba III put up a legendary struggle, the surprise attack by the Nuentionians had shattered the defenses of the city and he was killed. This event would then snowball into a collapse in which everything that could go wrong did.

Hearing the news of his son’s death and the attack on his city, Cevaba II raced to Guyupt in hopes of pushing back the warriors of Nuenton. After a few days, he finally made it outside of the city walls. Fortifications had been put up by the Nuentonian and many of their skilled archers had taken up placement upon the walls. Cevaba II began to lay siege to his own city, and it is said that he himself broke down the gate with his brute strength (To be honest, he just had a bunch of guys hack away at it.). Upon finally breaking into Guyupt, the tired troops finally managed to push out their foes. But the damage had been done, and almost all of Cevaba’s relatives were killed in the assault on the city. To make matters worse, a messenger reached Cavaba II’s broken city. The north was in shambles.

The Wanbu, a long time source of tribute for Atu was overrun by the Hujga kingdom. This caused shock waves over Atu as more and more people doubted the kingdom’s power. The mighty Hujga had grown strong along the Indus River, and was almost equal to Atu in power now that it was weakening. Wanbu warriors began sacking the northern cities of Atu as Nuentonian war bands continued to raid the larger cities of Atu to the south. And during all of this, Vis seemed to have shaken off Atu’s strangle hold on it and had managed to send some more warriors to contribute to the already immense numbers the warriors of Atu were already facing.

In about five years since the death of Cevaba III, almost all of the cities of Atu had fallen to Wanbu, Vis, Nuenton, or the hordes of the savage Rigundo tribes and chiefdoms eager to carve out their own empire out of Atu. All that was left was Guyupt, the capital of Atu. In one last feast, Cevaba II stuffed himself with as much food as possible, trying to enjoy every pleasure possible before his eventually death in battle. But such a noble death was never obtained. For Cevaba II had grown fat and frail, not to mention old, so when he finally saw the massive Hujgan army charge at his troops he had a heart attack. He died before a single arrow or sword was near him.

After Cevaba II died, many generals and warriors claimed power, some saying they were relatives of Cevaba II. Others simply proclaimed themselves the new king, saying all that opposed them would die. However they did it, these generals managed to break up an already fractured empire. Many squabbling states had emerged, each waging an almost unending war against everything. In a way, this was the ultimate Rigundo dream. But the more civilized Rigundo, now calling themselves Risfunian, were not at home in this state of constant war, and it was a nightmare for them.

And so out of the ashes of the Atu Empire many countries have risen. Some are tiny states doomed to fall. Others could potentially fill the power vacuum that has begun to suck out all of the life in the region.

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Important Names
Country Names:
Nuerit: Not even the crafty kingdom of Nueton could escape the massive surge of barbarians in the area. These barbarians broke up the newly expanded Nuenton kingdom and broke it up. Nuerit is now the main successor state, although it is lacking the wit of the previous rulers of the area.

Wanbu Empire: Along the mighty Indus the people of the Wanbu Empire are easily in the best position to seize power over ther area. One of the main reasons the Atu Empire collapsed, the Wanbu Empire has spread to include parts of former Atu land, as well as land along the Indus River. Some say that the Wanbu empire just might surpass the Atu Empire's level glory and power.

Visir: The old city state of Vis is no more. it is now Visir, a rather average kingdom situated to the east.

Kenyu: The great general Kyufa gained massive support on his quest to rebuild the Atu Empire as he always wanted it to be. But his dreams never came true, as his supporters settled down in a rather average country after he died.

People Names:

Kyufa Brunten: An exellent general of his time, Kyufa was able to score the greatest victories for the Atu empire. But in the end it didn't save Atu. Wanting to rebuild this fallen empire as himslef as emperor, Kyufa gathered many supporters and created the kingdom of Kenyu.

Cevaba II: Last emperor of Atu and possbily its worst. After a disasterous series of campaigns intended to expand his empire and push back the other countries of the area, Cevaba II retreated to his city of Guyupt and simply wasted away in his throne room.

Cevaba III: The heir to the Atu throne, he was killed by Nuenton's assualt on Guyupt.

BTW, do I start off at war with the Viceroyalty?

A History of the Dalran Political Elite

Introduction:
In 3000 BC, Dalran's lower classes had no common cultural identity. People saw themselves, not as Northerners or Southerners- they couldn't even concieve of thinking in such big terms. They might think of themselves as East Colonials (a subgroup of Colonials, a subgroup of Southerners) or True Northerners (a subgroup of Northerners) or something of the like.

But the political elite had always been different. Since there was a time you could speak of Dalranese civilisation, there was the evolution of a political elite. Homogenised considerably with the Tatalasan Empire, they began to split along Danion-Ysora lines, but still had a common identity to some degree.

Part 1: Aides and Chieftans
The ancestors of the Dalran political elite were aides of Kings- court scribes and diplomats, they often influenced royal policy. As early as the 36th century BC, there is evidence to suggest a particular influential advisor could dictate grand strategy. (Later records speak of an idea from this era being the basis for the Great Gambit used near the end of New Jahuan)

At this time, there were two political competitors to have power second to the king- the power of chiefs and the power of aides. A reigme with Chiefs in power was more stable and more effective in governance, but could be overthrown in a coup de'tat by the Chiefs, with or without the aid of an outsider.

The "struggle" to determine which kings would rely on went on for roughly three centuries. At first, the distinction line was between the northwest (for aides) and the southeast (for chiefs). However, reliance on political aides won via copout- civilisation was expanding northwest more then it was southeast.

Part 2: Intriuges and Backstabs

i- The Basics
In time, influential diplomats would begin to have their own minature court. This was unofficial- and an embarrasment in terms of relations with the King. However, pride ensured that the development would continue, leading rise to the aide's aide.

Spymaster Zakon of Dedjvan (the city that would later become capital of the Viceroyalty under a different name), defeated his great rival, the brilliant but proud diplomat Sarvo, by infilitrating his court and anticipating his every move. This was seen as descisive proof that diplomats should not have their own courts.

Two generations later, however, Zakon's descendants would be outmanuvred by their rivals precesiely because of diplomat's courts- if unofficial and secret. The likes of Zakon had pioneered the idea of a Spymaster as the king's primary advisor, but the next step was to take control of political intrigue through private spy networks, combined with specialised political advisors. Ultimately, it would be this method which was primarily adopted.

The networks of intercompeting spies fostered relations between the competing peripheries of courts, and to some degree a political consciousness arose. In time, these spymasters would depose kings, but learned their lesson- by 3200, spy networks had become an integral part of warfare.

ii- The Meritocracy of the Spy
As the transition came from the King's primary advisor being a diplomat (if one whose primary role was political intriuge) to it being a spymaster, general purpose spy training orders arose. These were theoretically outlawed for teaching treason (as they did not distinguish between potential masters), but in practice the political powers that be united to protect them whenever they were in real danger.

A typical example of a spy was Denisho of Zador. Born in 3310 as the child of a merchant, his father aspired for him to be a spy (they had higher social status). After a particularly sucessful trip, he saved up enough for Denisho to enter an Academy. (He wanted a more prominent one, but Denisho was almost too old to enter)

The Academies made their profits not only through admissions fees, but through leasing out boys as aides. They competed for sucess, and were openly encouraged to use rumor and blackmail to get ahead at the expense of their rivals. A boy who failed to get another expelled on false charges was seen to not be a proper candidate for a spy.

Like most, Denisho was expelled before he could compete his training- by 3298 he was out on the streets. He was rejected by his father for this, but was picked up by an ambitious (if delusional) local faction trying to rise up in the court but not having much money. He would meet his end a year later, when the faction's ambitions were destroyed in the constant intrigues (though some of his more talented coworkers would be picked up for low-level jobs).

Dannnydehz said:

Great stuff: I enjoyed reading the update and look forward to the next turn.

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Thank you. I, meanwhile, look forward to more input from you guys.

NWAG said:

I think the ancient Iranians entered Persia in about 1000 BC- sorry for not saying earlier, but I didn't know.

EDIT: No, this was not vindictive in any way against the Sarpa or their player.

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Dude, if you haven't noticed, the entire world was shaped by you guys alone. I refused to name anyone who wasn't named by the players, save for the Tibeto-Kushenri, because there was no name for the extant people in the Himalayas and the Kushenri were immigrants, so I picked Tibetans. Also, Celtiberians, because I think Celtiberian is a cool word and Charles Li named some of the people there Iberians and Celts.

EDIT 2: Also, Zoraster historically existed from some period from 1000 to 600 BC. Is that relevant?

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No.

This is a mostly malleable world (at least, up until this turn or when you guys finally fill the whole world with important detail)--there are still unnamed people all over, including whole functional states.

BTW, do I start off at war with the Viceroyalty?

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Right now it don't matter. There are other places you guys need to color in before we can start worrying about minute details like that.

O.K- if you like I'm willing to start colouring in either the Chinese states or Egypt. Which one do you want me to do first?

I am doing Egypt.... First story will be up soon.

Alright, I'll start. Will edit some details in here.

EDIT: Oops- new players were supposed to do regions outside starters. Keeping it here in case alex994 checks it, and secondarily in case it's worth using.

Zu and Huan- The 40 Years War

Introduction:
The 40 Years War was only nominally 40 years, but was very important- the political balance of ancient Zhongguo was fundementally changed by it. The King of Huan wished to marry the queen of Xeng, and thus form an empire controlling two out of three major powers. It was these ambitions which sparked off the war.

After the battle of Xushu in 867 BC, the capital of Xeng was put under siege. The Emperess of Xeng (and in theory overlord of all of Zhonguo), in desperation, married a local courtier. But the King would not be deprived of his prize, and continued the siege.

Part 1:
Zu was protected by mountains from the King of Huan, but it's King was still concerned. Rather then intervene directly, however, he decided to try and create a power he could balance against the King of Huan.

Xeng would fall, and the King had his bride and the title of King Regent. But the King of Zu was not willing to allow this- sending messangers throughout the Huan countryside with false proclamations of a tax hike, he sparked off rebellion.

The new King Regent saw perfectly well what had happened, and declared the King of Zu a traitor. In response, the King of Zu fabricated a pretext for his policy- the King Regent was a usurper, and he was fighting in the name of the rightful Queen of Xeng.

But it would take time to consolidate his new lands and settle the rebellion. It took close to a year before he finally went to war- and only by 866 BC did campaign finally begin.

The King attempted to fabricate another tax hike in the region, but this was thwarted. The situation looked dire, as the King Regent outnumbered his forces more then 2 to 1. All observers believed that the former King of Huan would inevitably become Emperor.

But by the time the battle of Mandingjun later in the year began, both armies had been depleted somewhat by attrition- but the King's Regents significantly more so. Rather then contest the valley (as later observers argued he should have done), the King of Zu attempted to withdraw in the hope attrition would deplete the Huan-Xeng armies further. The result was an indecisive battle.

However, Zu's blatant ploys would not fool the King Regent. After a second indescsive battle, he decided it was not worth the risk of defeat and withdrew.

Part 2:
The King of Zu continued to attempt to undermine the enemy through diplomacy, but was not good at it. Through 865 BC he recruited some chiefdans to his side, but the King Regent gained more. However, it was this time that the King gained a valuable ally- Chief Meng.

Chief Meng was a more skilled general then the King of Zu or the King Regent. He advised avoiding battle and moving into Huan territory to weaken their economy and reduce their manpower advantage while retaining manpower and economic strength- advice the King of Zu took.

However, before they could set off it was learned that the King Regent was in the mountains with an army that outnumbered them more then 2 to 1. The battle of Dengliao near the end of the year was a defeat for Zu, and the King Regent's armies marched into the country.

Desperate for aid, the King of Zu offered a fortune to chiefdoms on Huan's southern border to invade. This was a sucess, but the situation in Zu was still dire. Ultimately, the King Regent sent away enough men to repel the chiefdoms and practically challenged the Zu army to battle with the remainder. The resulting battle would save Zu, and the King Regent was killed.

Part 3:
The Queen of Xeng was allowed to become regent for her son, but was not willing to cut Zu any slack. As she saw it, this was a chance to restore the Xeng Empire to it's rightful glory- if she defeated Zu, such would be achieved.

Based on sympathy, the King of Zu managed to delay the invasion for six months. But ultimately the Queen invaded in person (to assert her power), facing a pitiful shadow of the armies which had repelled her late husband. But morale was low- and the King of Zu was determined not to lose to a woman.

The resulting siege of Zhaosheng (the capital of Zu) would lead to Imperial victory. But the Queen was killed by an assasin near the end of the siege, and the resulting Battle of Zhaosheng managed to halve Imperial numbers.

The King of Zu was killed, but his son escaped. The Huan generals all desired the title of Regent, and were willing to settle the matter by civil war...

Part 4:
After a five year period in which war continued in theory but not in practice (due to Xeng civil wars and Zu recovery- in this period barbarian peoples were given land in exchange for vassalage), a prominent Huan warlord attempted to destroy Zu once and for all and was defeated in a descsive battle.

As a result, the Zu would again attempt to invade Huan, uniting a coalition of Huan warlords against them. They were defeated, but Yinshu of South Huan would gain too much by an counter-campaign- a loose balance remained, as a confederation of Huang warlords fought off Zu invasions and Xeng attempts at independence.

The ultimate result was an acknowledgment by later historians of de facto peace beggining in 827 BC (when a daughter of the King of Zu was married to the Emperor of Huan-Xeng). The Huan-Xeng Emperor was no ruler of all Zhongguo, but he was supreme amongst Zhongguo states and chiefdoms.

Names:
Zhonguo- In this ATL, translates to "The Middle Regions". Is the area of OTL China with states in it.
Zu, Xeng, Huan- The three major powers of Zhonguo around 900 BC. This balance of power would end in the 40 years war, from 867-827 BC. Xeng is theoretically overlord of all Zhonguo.
King Regent- Both a King and Regent of the Empire. In theory, the Xeng Empire is ruler of all Zhonguo kingdoms.

See first post OP for info on turn 2, then ask more questions if you think the information I provided is lacking (I feel it is, but I'm too tired to figure out what).

Egypt: The Start of the Reign of Pharohs

The history of Egypt is the longest continuous history, as a unified state, of any country in the world. The Nile valley forms a natural geographic and economic unit, bounded to the east and west by deserts, to the north by the sea and to the south by the Cataracts of the Nile. The need to have a single authority to manage the waters of the Nile led to the creation of the world's first state in Egypt in about 3000 BC. Egypt's peculiar geography made it a difficult country to attack, which is why Pharaonic Egypt was for so long an independent and self-contained state. The Nubians and Libyans were among the earliest foreign rulers of Egypt, but the ancient Egyptians regained control of their country soon after their invasions.

Once Egypt did succumb to foreign rule, however, it proved able to escape from it within a generation, and by 2000BC a continuos native rule had occured for well over the last 500 years. In 2000BC Egypt conquered the Nubian Empire and subjugated the Upper reaches of the Nile river valley using its gold reserves to fund its military exploits. In recognition of this conquest of Nubia, the Egyptian Pharohs built massive pyramids as vertiable stairways to the sun god using the Nubians as slaves.

This led to a revolution within Egyptian culture and reverance to the sun god Osris became the most widespread belief held by the populace. The Pharoh remained the ruler and owner of the entire nation. By 1500BC the Nubians had been successfully intergrated into the Egyptian Empire and the Egyptian Pharoh once again looked upon its need for expansion.

However the growing threats from the Levant and Mespotamian regions to the East led to the next few Pharoh's focussing more on the defense of Egypt and building a series of formidable foritications along their Eastern borders once they realised the chances of sustained conquest were not easily achievable. In this effort the Egyptian Empire alson expanded and took over the Red Sea Coastline and expanded south in an effort to gain more territory not readily accessible to the Easterners, until they met the nation of Ethiopia, who they recognised as their equal and made a long standing alliance with.

In the meantime the once terse and tense relations with the Libyan nomads became more peaceful as the Libyans became better and more efficent merchants. Over the course of several Pharoh's the Libyan lands fell under the domains of the Egyptian crown as the Libyan carvans came under the Egyptian taxation regime. The Libyans retain their nomadic ways but have the same priviliges as an Egyptian citizen at the current time, and their nomadic savagery is much prized by the Egyptian army.

Excellent update, but there are only three Taurusian Chiefdoms, while there should be four. I understand there isn't a lot of spave in the area, but I think you could create the Utrian Chefdom (the one that is missing) reducing the Neapolian and the Metauripolian one.