NERFSNES - Boring Times

Sheep said:

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.

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Isn't that a little much to start off with?

DIT: What I meant is that your Egypt is a bit too large. This is a game NES as well, after all.

King Wokien of Dolensach

Ambitions:
King Wokien was said to have the blood of Tatalasan in him. Not the great empire of old, but the man foreigners often called a madman- Jaltes, conqueror of the largest empire Dalran had ever seen- but a man so arrogant he had tried to invent a new language to better glorify himself.

Wokien did not have that kind of arrogance, but he believed that if (as he thought was possible) he achieved feats like Jaltes had he would have the right to. He also was quite confident in his own skills, although they did not match up to those of Tatalasan of old.

Certainly he had the ego to believe that he could create a third Tatalasan. It would be smaller, but more lasting, and would encompass somewhere from a third to half of Dalran. But it would not be his only achievement.

He would eradicate the followers of Alsen, the Northern God. He would destroy statues of old kings of Dolensach ("weaklings not worthy of the name") and after his victories put statues of himself and Tatalasan, side by side. He would rename himself Tatalasan. And once all this was done, he would invent a new language to glorify himself.

And the empire would survive anyway...

Relations with the World:

1- Childhood
Wokien was seen as crazy, if only slightly crazy and probably brilliant. As a child, all his court tudors tried to get the habit out of him. For a peasant, they said, such madness could be lived with, but he would be a King. Wokien said to them that as a King, he had to prove himself worthy of his title.

In his childhood, he was very competitive. He would not stand for being defeated at anything. This habit was moderated after he was tricked (by Menho, his childhood rival) into entering a girl's singing contest, but it still remained extreme through his whole life.

He had no respect for any authority but his father's (and even that very little). On his father's pleadings he tried to feign respect, but it was obvious he had none. Often he would, if unwittingly, use severe insults against other people. Important noblemen were compared to common thieves.

2- Adulthood
When he ascended the throne, the result was civil war. He would defeat the rival faction, led by his younger brother, but to avoid the impression of being a madman he was magnanamous and pardoned all who had risen against him.

The question in everybody's mind was this. Wokien was an heir of the blood of Jaltes- that much seemed clear. But his resources were far less- could this one man forge an empire?

Flavius Aetius said:

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.

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If you look carefully you'll see the Utrian one bordering the Confederation of the Po.

NWAG said:

Isn't that a little much to start off with?

EDIT: What I meant is that your Egypt is a bit too large. This is a game NES as well, after all.

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He can have his massive empire. One, he justified it and it was ok (not that it needed such), and two, it's not as if I'll let massive empires survive for centuries without breaking or substantial renewal.
PM it to me and edit it out (as I put in the OP).

I'm dropping out of this; I just don't have the time to write stories describing my country and everyone around me. Maybe I will in a couple of weeks, but not now.
EDIT:
Ignore this post.

You've probably made up your mind, but why not just play and not write stories? flyingchicken would probably prefer to somebody dropping out.

EDIT: BTW flyingchicken, when is the order deadline?

ooc: I was planning on having a short century long civil war in the next period which I am guessing 1000BC to 500BC and as a consquence the Libyan lands fall from the Empire and Nubia, birefly regains its indepencence.. By the time that 500BC comes about Libya has become a civilisation thats independent but on good terms with Egypt (not to mention heavily influenced by Egyptian culture and shares reverence of Osris with us) and Nubia has been subjugated once more into the Empire but as a consquence the Ethiopians have lost some respect for us and the alliance has lapsed.

All in all Egypt is still fairly strong and rich but only though the sucess of the last few Pharohs that emerged after the civil war....

Having said that if we are sending in orders I dont know how much of this I would have control over.

flyingchicken said:

If you look carefully you'll see the Utrian one bordering the Confederation of the Po.

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Maybe I wasn't enough clear about the position of the Utrian Chiefdom, but I imagined it being between the Neapolian and the Metauripolian one...but probably Utria is better in that place.

The Chiefdom of Sarun
The Chiefdom of Sarun was an obscure tribe (if dominant in the local town of Harlthan) in the western regions of the Danion Leauge. Around the period of 1000-990 BC it was, however, unique for the number of political players and factions competing for control of such a small area. The major political players in the early months of 998 BC were:

Kaljay, rumored to a bastard son of the King of Danion, had no formal title but often attempted to boss about local authorities based on his presumed status. His popularity with the local farmers gave him the threats to back it up.

Shenji was formally the hereditary Chief of the city, and had the loyalty of the Army of Sarun. He was, however, a very old man at nearly 80 and vacilliated over every decision. His wife, Narthua, wanted to rule through him, but given the situation this would be difficult...

The formal head of the town of Harlthan had been in practice appointed by chiefs of Sarun for generations. But this arrangement was an abnormality (normally there was a formal Governor of a city with hereditary status), and the Governor of Halthan plotted to bring about a dynasty...

Denseo wished to depose his father (depose Narthua, he said) in favor of his own reigme. He was seen by many as too young to be chief, at the age of only 14. But he had a reputation as a talented child to go on...

Mithon was the head of a local bandit group- the Segui bandits. He was disrupting travel too and from the area, and used spies to manipulate town and chiefdom politics. His ultimate aspiration was to be able to collect a regular tribute...

These were not the only players- in total, there were seventeen factions vying for power. But it was these players who ruled the scene, fighting for power in the ancient lands of the Chiefdom of Sarun...

The Dam*ed Famine

The Dam*ed Famine came after a begger claimed the throne. He said he is the Prophet of the gods and that they should centralized their lands to their whorship. He was laughed at and thrown out. As he lay dieing he swore that until his gods are whorshiped that a famine shall come!

The Taurusian Miltary Tradition

Originally, the Taurusian based their armed force almost only on Horseback Warriors, when they were still nomadic people of the steppes. With the colonization of the Artean Valley, the change of habits and the marshy terrain in the valley itself obliged the first Taurusian to modify radically their military tradition: the Horseback Warriors lost most of their importance, and the percentage of Light Infantry, especially Archers, increased until it surpassed the Horseback Warriors' one.
After the invasors expelled the Taurusian from the Artean Valley, the Horses' number decreased further on, because of the lower fertility of the Metaurian Plain than the Artean Valley.
The Archers become more important, Soldiers using Spears and Large Oval Shield were used as Infanty.
After the 0 a.F., the Military Traditions evolved further: the Sword started to make its way as the Infantry's main weapon, supplanting in part the Spear.
Near the 700 a.F., appeared the first Warrios eqipped with Heavy Armors and Swords, althought in low quantities.
The Archers continued to have a main role in the army, both as a support of the Infantry and as a weapon to mess up the opponent's deployment.
The remaining Horseman evolved, wearing Heavy armours and Weapons, but reducing their numbers, due to their expensive cost.

The Taurusian Army is not homogenous composed, and there are differences between the armies of the different chiefdoms.
In Neapolis, the population was divided in different areas, with each area providing a different type of soldier: the population was divided in three groups, based on their annual income; the First group, called Recerians, where the poorest, and the biggest, one, and they , equipped with a bow by the state, provided the Archers to the army.
The second group, the Scutarians, was the group in the midde according the annual income, and provided the Light Infantry; the equipment was payed by themselves.
The third and richest group was the Buseran one, and it was the smallest, and they provided the little amount of Horseman that were in the army.
The Chief itself selected a group of 100 young man each year from all of Neapolian Cities and Villages, according their military merit, to form his elite guard, the Neapolian Guards, a small group of all-around good Infantry, with knowledge in Military and Siege tactics, military encampment construction and very good fighting abilities.

MooseWarrior said:

I'm dropping out of this; I just don't have the time to write stories describing my country and everyone around me. Maybe I will in a couple of weeks, but not now.

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Neverwonagame3 said:

You've probably made up your mind, but why not just play and not write stories? flyingchicken would probably prefer to somebody dropping out.

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I've changed my mind, I would like to stay in this NES, as I have recently found some time in which to write stories. One will be up tommorow possibly.

As Cezolum expands power, it becomes a rival to Talasia. The two have a war, and Talasia wins, making Cezolum a tributary state. By 850 BCE, Talasia is fairly large and unstable, splitting into Roste in the east, Palfia in the west, Talasia in the north and Cezolum in the south. Saloric becomes invaded and burned by Talasia, which Roste uses as a pretext for invasion. By 750 BCE, Cezolum largely unifies the south, while Roste has unified the north. From the middle of the continent, a small cult springs up, which is based on the premise the Gods have changed. This cult, Doslzhiism, becomes especially popular in Cezolum. By 600 BCE, it is the "official religion". In the east, the Ulomomomum nation is growing more powerful. It is a confederation, making it more popular...

The Kahnawake: Expansion and Conflict

In what would become known in oral history as the Year 6520 of the First Cycle of the Great Elk, a particularly harsh winter set into motion a series of events that resulted in the Kahnawake rising in power in their part of the world.

The Great Winter resulted in lean times for all, but Mikmak's careful distribution of food stocks and supplies carried his people through it all. By now, the Kahnawake had learned to cultivate the squash and beans obtained from their neighbors the Tionoti, and had further learned to grow gardens full of herbs and berries to eliminate the need for foraging. In recent years a new plant had been introduced into the Kahnawake trade networks -- a primitive form of corn, a far cry from the large-kerneled ears we may be used to, but edible nonetheless, and growing larger as Kahnawake and Tioni farmers learn to improve upon the best crops. No one knows where the plant originated, only that it has been grown by people far to the southwest by a mysterious tribe called the "Shiwiket" by the Tioni, and reached Kahnawake through a long series of intermediaries, along with strange textiles, and weapons and tools of a shiny metal.

The lean times resulted in a die-off of smaller tribes and camps on the outskirts of their territory, but Mikmak's stockpiles caused people to flock to the urban centers for food and protection. Fishermen on the outer banks developed sophisticated fish traps and trawl nets, trading in their dugout canoes for larger, multiplank fishing vessels to move out into deeper water where the catch was greater.

The other major effect of the Great Winter was to antagonize the Attignawa into raiding Kahnawake settlements. Facing starvation, the poorly-defended Kahnawake villages in the northern territory were too great a temptation for the Attignawa to pass up. Mikmak's brother, Mohonok, rallied Kahnawake men from the larger villages to defend against the raids, which were typically defensible but retaliation was difficult once the skirmishers were driven into the northern forests. The Kahnawake established a series of garrisons along the northern border and, as supplies and infrastructure were needed for their upkeep, eventually became towns in their own right, most notably the walled village/forts of Pahnawaske, Passamakwe, and Wolastoya.

By 6522, the famine had subsided and conflict with the Attignawa had limited itself only to an occasional skirmish. But Mikmak decided that his people would not be blindsided again -- the manning of the border outposts was kept up, and a militia to defend the urban centers was established. Many Wendanawa joined the Kahnawake military, correctly seeing a martial career as a way to move up in the highly stratified Kahnawake society, forming the very beginnings of a warrior class.

Life in Dalran
The typical Dalran peasant was, by modern standards, very poor. Even for his times he was amongst the poorest, as (particularly in Danion) the sheer numbers of them meant there was less to go around.

The typical peasant would live in a one room house (and, by modern standards, a very small room) with no chairs or table. At meals, they would usually sit in a circle (or ocassionally square, triangle, or some other shape) and eat on the floor- they didn't even have a bowl, as in practicality one couldn't be afforded.

This was not entirely the fault of population problems- kings had a habit of imposing taxes so high that the common people were stretched to their limits. But this had been the case for centuries, and neither peasant nor king knew any other way to go about things.

Guinic Kingdom of Baci

The Guinic Kingdom of Baci is based on the City Baci and a silver mine inland. They are very rich on tin trade from the Northern Isle.

Okay guys, I simply refuse to write stuff with the little input there is (2 orders and a page or so of stories) because it is terribly boring and saddening that way.

Apologies I've done so little- I'll try and add a bit more content.

The "Jaltezites"
OOC: Actually, this may be a bit unrealistic.
Introduction:
Normally, any figure worthy enough to become a King (barring those already part of a dynasty) would be given a dynastic name based upon their achievements. For example, the ancient king Hushar, who managed to get into power through Machievallian politics and who repulsed a coalition of four kings against him, gained the title of the Defender Dynasty for his descendants. (It is worth noting these titles remain unaltered no matter what the future achievements or disgraces of the dynasty)

There were few precedents for figures who had achieved as much as Jaltes. The only comparable precedent was Dasaron, by consensus of later eras the King with primary credit for forging Tatalasan. Despite the fact he was a member of the Kingmaker Dynasty, his descendants were called the Conqueror Dynasty in recognition of his achievements.

However, Jaltes was an exception. The "achievement" of being the only man in history to ever try to make a whole new language to better glorify himself soured his reputation in history so much that only Dolensach granted him the dynasty name he would have wanted. (Given his arrogance and belief he was a god, the name The Divine Dynasty fits the criterion)

But Jaltes was a man whose influence on history was too important to be ignored. Thus, by most of Dalran his progeny were given the name of "The Jaltezites." Figures with Jaltes-like traits were usually called Jaltezites without much evidence, and it was assumed he had significant progeny- a suprising number of "Jaltezites" appear in the historical record.

Excluding those in the line of the Kingdom of Dolensach who display Jaltezite traits, and of course Jaltes himself, there were several notable Jaltezites.

First, there was Shalday of Arabia (1030-990 BC), who attempted with a band of only fifty men to force Ysora to pay him tribute (to be fair, when Ysoran power was weakened after the loss of the Viceroyalty). Even once a tenth of the Ysoran army was specifically chasing his fifty, he refused to leave Ysora and flee (ending inevitably in his execution).

Second, Kazokan (1020-989 BC), governor of Shafanes (a Viceroyalty) city, attempted to build a palace exceeding that of the Viceroy. He insisted people prostrated before him as if he was a King (an honour even the Viceroy did not have), and resented the King for rejecting his proposal to conquer the Sarpa with only forces from his own governorate.

Third, Josruma (960 BC-936 BC), a Kathren warrior who believed that by mastery of martial arts he could become a match for 1000 men (to be fair, legends by his time claimed that the greatest Kathren warrior ever was such, and that great Kathren could fight hundreds). When, in defiance of command by the King of Ysora, he charged directly into battle against 100 men without waiting for other soldiers, he was killed by a commoner's spear.

If you wish. Anyway, I'm gonna say that it is very obvious that you've done quite a lot, actually (so drop the act ), but one person shouldn't drive most of the story around in a certain region. I want more meta-story conflict, as simple story conflicts get tiring after the first update.

flyingchicken said:

If you wish. Anyway, I'm gonna say that it is very obvious that you've done quite a lot, actually (so drop the act ), but one person shouldn't drive most of the story around in a certain region. I want more meta-story conflict, as simple story conflicts get tiring after the first update.

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Maybe I should have a Wodakan invasion of Tuheena or something? Is that what you had in mind?

(I suspect not, but I'm not sure what you mean)

EDIT: Actually, me making a story about Sarpa internal affairs would be more consistent with what you meant (if my guess is right).

EDIT 2: I meant so little lately. It is actually not much compared to my earlier output.

Neverwonagame3 said:

Maybe I should have a Wodakan invasion of Tuheena or something? Is that what you had in mind?

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That would be nice

Hear that, people? Invade your neighbors, create breakaway factions in existing states, anything interesting and interactive so that--uh--I don't have to make stuff up all by myself.

In fact, now that I realize that there are so few players around, you're all free to mess up the whole world as you please--within reason, of course.

Note that we need an interesting world before we play the NES the way we all know and love--you know, with stats and stuff.

Just in case people have any degree of reluctance, go ahead- feel free to trash Mesopotania. I invite you. Anyway, I'm going to shake things up a bit...

The Great Barbarian Wars
Around 1000 BC, in the area known to it's inhabitants as Wradyslaw (OTL East Ukraine), a series of good harvests triggered internal wars. Amongst the innovations of these wars were agriculture and fishing.

Instead of adjusting to these developments like most civilisations, the Wradyslaw split off into seperate tribes, invading their neighbours to the east and west. These people, having nowhere else to go, attacking other peoples, slowly beggining movements into other territories...

The Sarpa
By 900 BC, tens of thousands of peoples began to invade the northern Sarpa pastoralists. This did not orginally affect (directly, anyway) the main Sarpa state, but hundreds of tribes of Sarpa pastolarists entered Sarpa itself demanding land.

The East Wradyslaw, as they were called, had become experts with the bow and arrow. Rumors reached the major Sarpa state that they were capable of filling the sky with arrows. What was known was that through archery they had consistently defeated Sarpa forces larger then their own. There was not enough land yet to go around, so these tribes were determined to move south...

The Dalran
By 950 BC, Arkanite (the peoples previously living north of Dalran) tribes fled into Danion, New Dolensach, and the Viceroyalty. The Viceroyalty was inclined to accept them, but Danion and New Dolensach refused. The result was the loss of most of New Dolensach, and a large slice of Danion. But for Dalranese civilisation the horror had not yet began...

The South Wradyslaw were not particularly great in anything, but they were led by a general with none of the ego and all of the greatness of Jaltes himself. Tens of thousands of men united under one charismatic leader, they were determined to build themselves an empire out of Dalran lands...

The Po
By 860 BC, tens of thousands of Centi peoples were fleeing into the lands of the Po. The Centi wanted a place to stay, and they were prepared to fight for it. Worse, the leaders of the Po Republic knew that there was worst on the horizon...

The West Wradyslaw were experts with the chariot. Their skill was feared across the Danube Plains, and their battles against the Centi confirmed the worst fears. Unlike most forces, every single Wradyslaw warrior rode in a chariot- there were not that many of them, but they had tackled everything- numbers, archers, even other chariots. Such experienced warriors represented a dire crisis...

The Tuheena
By 890 BC, the Greek, Curbin and Numenke tribes within Vainia were overrun by the Danube-Wradyslaw, a mixed civilisation as formidable as the Wradyslaw themselves. The city of Konmes became a formidable pirate base for Danube-Wradyslaw sailors, preying on Tuheena shipping throughout the Meditteranian.

Due to a dispute with the Jalsiran (another Danube-Wradyslaw tribe), Konmes was sucessfully razed to the ground. But by this time, it was too late to stop it that way.

Pirates had learned to "live in the sea", stopping at land only when it was absolutly necessary. A typical Danube-Wradyslaw pirate ship could last a year in the open sea without a single beaching, lasting on fish stocks and what they last gained from the land. Expanding their operations towards the "invincible" Sadion and the kingdom of Wodakan, these pirates ruled the seas...