End of Empires - N3S III

The Leunan Empire will be purchasing Paulinth from New Kalos, effective immediately. All tariffs, port duties, and other local policies, will remain the same. :)

Palinth is colony of Opulensi empire, not possession of New Kalos.
 
The Bāribai - "boar people"

Bāri - A type of wild boar native to the home islands. Known for its black stripes and its aggressive nature, it is the most dominant predator on the islands.

Bai - People

Papu-papua'a - Bāribai cultural religious system which consists of idol worship, cannibalism/power absorption, and warrior mentality.

The Bāribai people worship a large quantity of god-like spirits as well as physical objects around them in nature, both called Ta'argi (both plural and singular). Each Ta'argi is master of itself. For example, the Sea is a Ta'argi for all oceans and seas while the Fish is a Ta'argi for all fish. People generally show Ta'argi respect as to prevent their negative effects on their lives (for example, angering the Tree Ta'argi may cause a tree to fall on your home, while angering the Storm Ta'argi may cause a large storm to hit). Physical objects (animals, the weather, etc) as well as ideas (war, intellegence, etc) each have a Ta'argi. Ta'argi are nearly infinite in quantity. Kedi-kedi are used to pay homage to Ta'argi.

The Bāribai people believe they are able to absorb the power of any creature or man by eating it. This is so key to Bāribai culture that it is the massive portion of their creation story and the reason they are named the Bāribai. [Long ago, a people travelled a great distance across the sea and landed on some islands where they encountered the Bāri. Life was hard on the islands and the humans floundered while the Bāri continued to flourish. One day, a man, Ikut, in order to feed his starving family, began to hunt the Bāri, which was previously unheard of. Suddenly, Ikut and his family began to thrive. Ikut and his offspring were stronger, his wife able to birth more children, his elders lived longer, and the family's males became great warriors. This was attributed to the introduction of the soul of the Bāri to each of their own souls. As many other families died off, more people turned to hunting Bāri, and they too became like Ikut and his family. Those who survived from the soul of the Bāri went on to be the Bāribai. In respect to the creature that ensured their survival, men bear black stripes and patterns (Pitu) all over their bodies, which resemble those of the Bāri.] Specific body parts of a man or animal can be eaten to acquire their abilities (for example, a leg would be eaten for speed, an arm for strength, the loins for fertility, the heart for the soul, etc). It is not uncommon for a warrior to eat a worthy foe to gain his strength. The Bāribai will never eat a man for nourishment.

The Bāribai people are fierce warriors. It is believed the natural warrior instinct is from the Bāri. Bāribai warriors are known for their intimidation, both deliberate and unintentional. Every warrior, like all the other males, is covered with black stripes called Pitu, which has been incorrectly viewed as warrior markings by foreigners. A warrior's tendency to eat worthy foes to gain their strength is seen the same way, but it is actually an important part of the Bāribai culture. The kedi-kedi made before battle, however, is used to intimidate an enemy, but it is also used to prepare warriors psychologically as well as for non-military uses. Bāribai warriors use obsidian knives, swords, spears and arrows. Bāribai warriors are known to try and finish off entire groups of enemies, as to prevent them from attempting to wreak vengeance against them. All males are trained in basic combat at a fairly young age.

Ta'argi - An idol.

Pitu - Black markings covering males. They are given to youths between the ages of 8 and 12 in special ceremonies. They are homage to the Bāri.

Kedi-kedi - A dance used in worship/prayer, communication, paying homage, heraldry, and combat preparedness. Involves stomping, jumping, chest-beating, and chanting.

Mexā - Volcano

Tepari'i - Bāribai ship (catamaran/outrigger boat)

Iai - City/Town/Village

Beni Iai - "Home City" The capital.

Pok - Islands

Beni Pok - "Home Islands"

Varmoa Pok “Explorer Islands” The small islands off the northern tip of Beni Pok. Named due to its importance as a starting point for travelers who found Pekshi and Siru Pok.

Pekshi Pok - "Coral Islands" The small islands between Varmoa Pok and Ichan and Erlias. Named for their extensive coral reefs.

Siru Pok - “Lonely Islands” East of the Varmoa Pok and west of the Leli’i Pok. Named due to their isolation from the rest of the island chain.

Leli'i Pok - "White Islands" Western islands near Hanakahi. Named after the white sand beaches, vastly different from Beni Pok's black sand beaches.

Spoiler :
 
The old man rises from his squatting position arms shaking on cane as he pushes up on legs long since stilled in the ice of age. Eyes shot with black ice open as cracked eyelids retreat still further into the rough sea of his brow. They focus briefly on the faces of those assembled before him though he cannot see them. It is not for his eyes that they have come or his shuffling but for the words of a tongue that has never been stilled nor bent nor broken.

He speaks now tongue working against teeth long since taken in revenge for another speech he had given when his eyes still worked and his legs did not bother him so in cold mornings. “I am not so old.” He said, “Yet I have seen much." Chuckles at this, sightless gaze sweeping over a crowd which has grown past the dozens through the hundreds sailing on into the thousands as the crowd throngs and surges up into apartments and into the square itself.

"They have fallen.” The voice of a people united repeat this phrase. First soft whisperings then reflexive glaces over shoulders for masks no longer worn. Slowly the tide comes in, voices rising first to a murmur in the front ranks then a roar in the square as the message spreads rippling out growing ever louder as it rises against the apartments and breaks their boundries crashing over the walls and rippling out across the countryside in a single voice: "They have fallen".

It returns to him this tide of collective praise. His voice rises one more as does his hand and with it the tide ceases rippling out and retreating outwards from the front to the back. His voices grows now to meet its decline. "I had not thought it possible. I had never dreamed. Though my tongue could not be stilled, I did not believe it possible. I was to be a martyr that was the fate I had chosen. This is not to be. What purpose is a martyr without a cause?”

Silence. The thoughts of a nation lost in unbelieving words from an unbelieving man.
 
"Hail, Outrider!"

The Outrider dismounted in one smooth movement, bespeaking of a lifetime in the saddle. His brown cloak rustled around him in the stiff breeze as he strode up the steps to the man who hailed him.

"Hail, my Prince!" He called out as a stableboy escorted his horse away.

"What news?" Prince Arthain of Nech called, clapping the Outrider on the back. The Outriders of Nech were a moderately large group of horsemen that roamed the ill-known paths among the hills a mists of the small kingdom. Some were even rumored to travel across national borders following bandits - or on simple exploration. The Outriders were the principle reason that Nech's hills and swamps - far removed indeed from the capital - were kept in any semblance of order. They were a lasting order, having survived the machinations of several Nechani kings who grew angry at their independence from the Crown. Their loyalty to the nation was absolute, however.

"Little of note." The Outrider said. "The bandits of the Greenswamp are scattered, and I doubt they will be a threat for many months yet."

Arthain clapped him on the back again. "Good news indeed!" He said jovially. The Outrider - fifteen years older then the prince - smiled ruefully. Arthain was a strong lad, raised in the Nechani tradition of warriors. He was a skilled rider and archer, unlike his brother, but Prince Nylz was more a master of the one-handed short swords favored by the Nechani.

"Ironhall approaches completion." The Outrider said. "Within the next few days your family will be able to relocate there."

Arthain paused thoughtfully. Ironhall had been under construction since before he was born. The great fortress-city was supposed to rival even the great capitals of the Southlands in luxury and splendor(from a Northern perspective, at least, and a Nechani one at that) as well as being nigh-impregnable to assault. Then again, that was all theory, and Arthain was well-versed in the distant relationship between paper and the real world.

"That is good news." He said slowly. "I've kept you too long, Outrider. You should be conversing with my father." He laughed.

The Outrider grinned, clapped a fist to his breast in typical Nechani salute, and bowed his head as he left. Arthain chuckled, remembering that the Outriders were by far the least formal of the Nechani peoples to the royalty.

Ironhall, he reflected. I wonder what the place is like. Should be a nice change of scenery from here, but I can't help but think I'll miss this place. Though a city like Ironhall would be a wonderful new capital for Nech.

_

Well, I'm in. I may not be very active for a little bit - still feeling my way around this buisness, after all! - but I'll be playing as best I can.

-L
 
Young people think they know everything. Young Priests are worse, enthused with religious fervor, not only do they think they know everything, but they also want to tell everyone about it. Certainly useful on the frontier in converting people to the 'One True Path', where this conviction is an important attribute, ensuring that the Priest becomes involved with his local community.

However, here, in Opios, it only served to annoy. When combined with the power and prestige of a powerful family, such as a member of the the Eso Soggo clan (however far their star had fallen), or worse one of the political families involved in the Royal Courts of the Moti or Kothari.


Kleaotras snapped out of his reverie, peering down at the latest example of a youthful priest in front of him, Grae. He had already broken down Grae's prejudicial assumptions [1] on life, culture and Opporia. Perhaps it was time to begin to begin to mold him into a true thinker of Opporia and the Path.

"What is wisdom?" A simple question,

Grae eagerly replied "The Prophet said that the foundation of a wise priest was in knowing the correct words to keep a man on The Path. So wisdom is in getting an effective response of the knowledge you have, in the case of a priest, in shaping the words of The Prophet and the works of the Patriarchs and the Church in keeping a man true to The Path so he may find happiness,"

An answer by rote, again, good enough for the frontiers, but in Opios you were expected to think.

"But how does a man gain knowledge if there is none to teach?," Kleaotras looked to the heavens.

Grae struggled for a bit, "Then man must reason himself to an answer,"

Kleaotras nodded "Why do we know that the world is a sphere?".

Grae knew this, "There are three commonly accepted arguments. The first is ancient, sailors traveling north, to the lands were the Evyni are now found, were quick to notice that the heavens above them changed, this proves that the world is not flat. Further it is said that the mathematicians on the other side of the Kothai have been able to figure out that there is a change in lengths and angles on this north south axis, from which the size of the world has been calculated. Finally, it has been observed, here in Opios, that during a lunar [2] eclipse the shadow of the earth on the moon is always round, if it were flat one of these observations would lead to the observations of an oval or even a line,"

Kleaotras then asked "So do you think that wisdom can only come from deduction and learning?"

Grae spent some time pondering this one before replying, "No, sometimes deduction is incomplete, such as the lightning that strikes the great Basilica of Opios does not destroy it. It is known that the Spear of Opporia [3] serves to protect the Basilica but not why Opporia is appeased by this. Learning why this is so could help protect people from Opporia's wrath and help them on their journey[4],"

Kleaotras smiled, "Wisdom through learning, and the better path traveled,"

[1] Well, as much as is possible
[2] Couldn't think of a better name for the moon
[3] A lightning rod, just read that they were present in Sri Lanka for a LONG time
[4] Of course in the future they discover its just electricity through some natural process, But whilst as a 'god of the gaps' retreats the religion will focus more and more on the path traveled (I did think this through!). Such that there will be a few interpretations of how closely Opporia is involved with your life on a personal level but the path is the same.

Until finally, it is revealed that lurking in the final gap is NK himself! ;)
 
Ten years again, right? Orders tommorow.
 
By the will of the gods, by the breath in the body, by the custom of mankind: The Lords of Zhish kneel to the Kothari and give as hostage their lands and their Word of fealty to the Redeemer.
 
[...] indeed, the language of the Haina has a most unique structure. It is only due to the efforts of the late J. Essex that we have any understanding of their writings whatsoever. Having no formal background in linguistics, J. Essex was able to look at the Haina records from the simplistic point of view of one ignorant of pre-existing conventions, and so made the stunning proposition that nouns were utterly foreign to the Haina.

[...] the Haina enigmatic writings were finally understood. The first Haina phrase to be discovered, "hlor u fang axaxaxas mlo", which experts had previously translated into the nonsensical "up[?] behind[?] flowing lighted[?]" was now conjectured to mean "above and behind the river, the moon shone", or literally "upward behind the onstreaming it mooned." A new [...]

To the Haina, objects weren't defined by what they were, but what they could do. Instead of calling a boat a "boat," they called it a "sailer;" they did not have "parents," they had "birth-givers." [...] a complex object was formed by appending actions and modifiers to the simple description. Even complex phrases such as "the big red boat on a voyage to the Dulama" were a single word for the Haina.

[...] came as no surprise. Neologisms were adopted into the Haina language by simply adding an appropriate verbial suffix. It does however seem that this method was not without flaws; occasionally, a neologism would enter the language in different forms, with both forms persisting. A widely-studied example is the case of the word "wheat". Originally a rare curiosity to be found in the markets of Saigh, it entered the Haina language as both "wheater" and "large-maizer" at the same time. Both forms persisted, and [...]

Although there is room for additional research, there is ample evidence that the odd Haina language uniquely shaped their culture. The large cache of manuscripts (conjectured to be the private collection of a noble, or perhaps even a king) found at the ancient site of "ruler-city", or Thagnor, has so far confirmed that the Haina were far less concerned with abstract objects and ideas than with more practical ones. The subject of metaphysics seems almost foreign to the Haina. On the other hand, the vast material knowledge contained in this collection is rather astounding. Some historians believe that limited contact must have occurred between the Haina and the Triuli or Opulensi; so out-of-place is the naval know-how exhibited by the isolated Haina.

That is not to say, however, that the Haina possessed no cultural legacy. Indeed, large parts of the Thagnor cache have been labeled as epics, myths, and religious writings. The infant stages of Machianism are now thought to have been heavily influenced by the Haina culture. Unfortunately, the bulk of the cultural documents found at Thagnor have been damaged beyond reconstruction. [...]



Excerpts from "The History of the World", Volume XLVI
 
How the one-who-thinks learned farming

Before as many traveling-of-the-((blue-(on-top-of-all))-(one-who-gives-brightness)) had occurred as now, the one-who-thinks lived as one-who-does-not-think. His living was difficult and he did not yet know that unlike the ones-who-does-not-think he alone had divine-inside. Awakening-from-sleeping-during-dark he saw a one-who-flies eating a small-(one-who-grows-still). "Help me one-who-thinks, and I will help you too!" cried the being-attacked. Being batted-away, the doing-attack ((ran-away)-flying)-(dropping-(will-once-be-big-(one-who-grows-still)))).

"Look-upon one-who-thinks. Leave-be the will-once-be-big while the one-who-gives-brightness travels once and you will return to be nourished." [...]

[...] understood. "You, small-(one-who-grows-still) are one-who-grows-still-and-nourishes. All-of-me will forever protect all-of-you, and all-of-you will forever feed all-of-me. This I establish with you now." [...]

One-who-knows now realized his divine-inside: that he was (one-who-names)-and-(one-who-orders); that one-who-grows-still-and-nourishes was the first of many to learn to obey him. He built his to-live-in where he stood and named it from-where-to-rule [Thagnor], for here had one-who-knows begun to rule over all-that-is.



Key:
one-who-thinks = human
one-who-does-not-think = animal
divine-inside = soul
on-top-of-all = sky
blue-sky = daytime sky
one-who-gives-brightness = light source
daytime sky + light source = sun
one-who-grows-still = plant
being-attacked = victim
doing-attack = aggressor
will-once-be-big = baby/egg/fetus/seed/etc
one-who-grows-still-and-nourishes = maize
all-of-X = X-kind (example: all-of-human = humankind).
to-live-in = house; archaically also meant settlement
all-that-is = the world


Edit: Not trying that again...
 
Orders: More of the same as last turn, concentrate pushing south. Don't screw up spending however ;)
 
Hi. I'm a new poster, but not new to following this thread. I'd like to join this NES after the update, maybe as Trahana. What is the culture of that area like? (Sorry for not doing this by PM; I just registered today and can't use PMs yet.)

Thanks!
 
Hi. I'm a new poster, but not new to following this thread. I'd like to join this NES after the update, maybe as Trahana. What is the culture of that area like? (Sorry for not doing this by PM; I just registered today and can't use PMs yet.)

Thanks!

Welcome to NESing Hightower! I'd tell you to go look at the stickies, but you've probably already lurked through them and all. We have an IRC chatroom (you can get on at nes-chat.tk even if you don't have an IRC client) where people should be happy to answer your questions.

As for Trahana, NK has yet to flesh out the stats and background of that part of the world (Dehr, Haina, Trahana). You're Machaia1, you're in a tropical climate, there's spices all over that peninsula, your main crop is maize (corn), and you have a "cordial disdain" going on with me (Haina), but "neither one considers the other a threat"2. So you have a lot of freedom to create your own culture (as long as it doesn't involve killing me, because that'd just be mean D:).

1"This is popularly known as Machaianism, an almost animist system of belief that attributes numerous powers to the various spirits that inhabit our world, but believes that none of them have any sort of divine power, and that that power rests instead inside the souls of men themselves."

2I was going to try to change that.
 
A Brief Cultural Overview of Naran.

The three táelic of Naran are comprised of Léon, Nuín, and Únnáhá.

Táelic u Léon live primarily in the northeast of Naran and closest to Bhísía (Vischa). They have historically been the defenders of Naran from nomads coming out of the steppe. They view themselves as similar to the mountain goats that traverse the slopes around them. Constantly being rammed by raiders from below; they might not be the largest (group), but they pride themselves at never losing their footing in the battles. They primarily worship Gaúin as the Guardian of the Pass who watches over their walls and when in battle, though there are many lesser deities and spirits.

Táelic u Nuín live on the western edge of the mountain pass and around the city of Naranué, which serves as the capital. Ón Nuín is the leader of the Táelic u Nuín and Ónnaran, or leader of Naran (lit. “The Naran”). The current Ónnaran is Bóac Nuín; formally: Bóac Ón Nuín, Ónnaran. He has family wedded in Táelic u Léon and has started the proccess with Táelic u Húnnáhá. It promotes unity among the táelic and Naran as a whole.
The city of Naran exists at the foot of Góaluekíern, or Mount Kíern. Kíern is also the deity primarily worshiped by Táelic u Nuín as the Keeper of Shadows.

Táelic u Húnnáhá are those who live primarily in the southern coastal region of Naran. They live in what was Unnaha before being conquered by Naran. Táelic u Húnnáhá were slightly loyal to Naran before the invasion and chose not to leave for Nóacúnnáhá (New Unnaha). Their focus of worships has been on a female sea deity that was assimilated into Naran’s own pantheons by way of the Naran female water deity Moráná.

There are those that are not of any táelic who live throughout Naran. While not openly treated hostile, they do not always enjoy the same privileges that members of a táelic recieve. They are mostly comprised of citizens of Old Unnaha who were not part of Táelic u Húnnáhá and didn’t travel to New Unnaha. The remaining are assimilated nomads from the steppe or travellers from Limach, Ther, and Dulama.

The Naran are a polytheistic society. Each táelic has their deity of focus however they see spirits and deities in all aspects of life and many have multiple names depending on the person with whom you speak. Festivals are held for many reasons. The best known is Séalúmoc, a winter solstice festival celebrating Kíern.

Dulama influence is seen in the foods eaten by Naran. Maize, beans, and chicken make up a decent portion of their diet. This is supplemented by mussels and fish brought in from the sea, some root vegetables that can grow in the poorer soils of the mountain pass, and occasionally mountain goat cheese. Many popular dishes include tóasu, a fermented fish sauce, and lots of pepper.

Music is comprised of percussion, plucked strings, pipes and signal horns made of the wood of small scrub trees. The signal horns are primarily used to send simple alarms and messages up and down the mountain pass, but occasionally used musically. A unique instrument called a paóluíse is made from the skin of young mountain goats. It consists of a blow pipe which fills the animal skin full of air and a reeded pipe with finger holes that is used to produce a melody as the air escapes the animal skin. Some paóluíse are made with additional pipes that provide additional tones.


Words:
paóluíse: A wind instrument consisting of multiple pipes and an animal skin air reservoir.
Séalúmoc: Winter Solstice festival honoring Kíern
táelic: extended family
tóasu: fermented fish sauce

People:
Ónnaran: Leader of Naran
Ón Nuín: Leader of Nuín
Ón Léon: Leader of Léon
Ón Túnnáhá: Leader of Únnáhá

Deities:
Gaúin: “Guardian of the Pass”, Primary deity of Léon
Kíern: “Keeper of Shadows”, Primary deity of Nuín
Moráná: “Sea Mistress”, Primary deity of Únnáhá

Places:
Bhísía: Vischa
Góaluekíern: Mount Kíern
Nóacúnnáhá: New Unnaha



---

OOC: I have claimed Naran if it is not obvious. :p
 
Welcome to NESing Hightower! I'd tell you to go look at the stickies, but you've probably already lurked through them and all. We have an IRC chatroom (you can get on at nes-chat.tk even if you don't have an IRC client) where people should be happy to answer your questions.

As for Trahana, NK has yet to flesh out the stats and background of that part of the world (Dehr, Haina, Trahana). You're Machaia1, you're in a tropical climate, there's spices all over that peninsula, your main crop is maize (corn), and you have a "cordial disdain" going on with me (Haina), but "neither one considers the other a threat"2. So you have a lot of freedom to create your own culture (as long as it doesn't involve killing me, because that'd just be mean D:).

1"This is popularly known as Machaianism, an almost animist system of belief that attributes numerous powers to the various spirits that inhabit our world, but believes that none of them have any sort of divine power, and that that power rests instead inside the souls of men themselves."

2I was going to try to change that.

Oh! I didn't realize someone else had taken a country nearby. I'll take somewhere else remote if you'd rather not have a player right on your doorstep. But I'm also open to mending tensions :)
 
[...] Among the writings recovered from the Thagnor cache, several documents have been identified that offer great insight into the origins of Machianism. It is now widely accepted that Machianism was conceived either by a proto-Haina culture or by sedentary peoples who were shortly thereafter assimilated by the Haina.

A peculiarity of traditional Machiani myths is that the physical appearance of spirits is rarely described; their only identifying characteristics are the specific powers they possess. [...] Stranger still is evidence found in the Dulama records: in parts of Dulama the names of several spirits seem to be translations of their Haina names; Maráno, the main sea spirit in Machianism, is referred to among some Dulama as "one-who-rules-over-the-flowing-blue". All this suggests that the Haina at the very least were the main agents of the spread of Machianism.

[...] Haina traditional myths on the other hand contain numerous references to Machiani beliefs. Though there is the distinct possibility that these were inserted by revisionists after the conversion of the Haina, several historians believe these references play such central roles in the myths of the Haina that they must have been authentic.



Excerpts from "The History of the World", Volume XLVI



Oh! I didn't realize someone else had taken a country nearby. I'll take somewhere else remote if you'd rather not have a player right on your doorstep. But I'm also open to mending tensions :)

I'll send you a princess if you have a prince to marry her to :p.
 
It was a sight for one to behold.

Dula, the Bastion of Cities, glistened under the mid-day sun. Here, ages ago, the armies of Dula went forth. The borders of the Dulama came to encompass the known world. Viceroys put in command of vast territories with annual tribute flowing to Dula incessantly. It was said, that Dula was the seat of the God-on-Earth.

For life is a continuous struggle, a struggle between man and the Gods. And Dula, was the sign of man’s greatness and success in that war against the Gods. For against all odds, the Emperors of Dula had built something that had endured countless crises. Generations had been born, and generations had died. But no more generations in Dula would know of the glory that once was- for an imperial capital she was no more.

The wheels of fate had pitted the Gods against the city of Dula. And fate had chosen their victor; the Gods had vanquished Dula. And as the imperial procession slowly boarded the ships leaving the city, the Gods looked upon the scene and laughed.

For the Gods hath spoken.

-----------------------------------------

Wise men say that a child’s smile is one of the most beautiful things in the world.

There had not been many smiling children as of late. He sniffed the cold night air. It was hardly the best of times to go on a night-time stroll. As if he had a choice. The plague had died down, but it still stalked the land. It was good business. Good business for him at least; he had an arrangement with certain individuals in the temples. They would leave certain gates unlocked, or leaves some graves not dug as deeply. Then he would come to dig up the poor and sell their bodies to other certain individuals.

Not to mention he would pocket anything of value those poor people might have had.

It was a sad life really. He would end up like that most likely. Reaching the gate, he cursed when he realized that it had been left locked. “Curse the Gods, that dim-witted brain addled fool Ranji must have forgotten.” Turning around, he found himself staring into the eyes of several guardsmen, several heavily armed guardsmen.

“So… what do we have here gentlemen? A grave-robber?” One of the guardsmen just sneered at him. This would be… dangerous to say the least. And he could smell the alcohol emanating from them. The plague had taken its toll on everyone. “I’m guessing you don’t know that an investigation was launched into the matter of the desecrated graves? The Dula priests aren’t exactly in good moods these days you know little digger.”

He just smiled and ran through all of his options. Try to make a run for it, attack the guardsmen or something else. “Oh great lords! May the Gods look away from you! I am but one of many of the humble gravediggers employed by the priests. Woe was to me for I fell asleep during twilight and woke up now. Please great lords, my woman will surely berate me for my stupidity.”

Another one simply smiled, “Of course! How foolish of us to think a man of your piety and faith would dare desecrate a holy grave? Yet it has been a long night and we were aroused from our celebrations in the name of the Emperor.” He got the hint and bowed, and scraped at the feet of the guardsmen. Taking a little bag from his pouch, he offered it as a gift: “I do most sincerely hope this will make your nights more enjoyable.” The guardsmen took the gift amusedly, and he fled into the night.

------

The work of recent scholars claiming that the so-called state of Haina formed the premise of Machainism is nothing short of simple idiocy. Considering the extent of the records found in recent times of the precise and detailed Dulama Empire, it is well known that Machainism had a great following amongst the western half of their empire. Needless to say, the extent at which Machainism was influential suggests that it was one of the great Empires of the Thala river basin that first adopted the faith.

There are records shown that the Tollanaugh Empire’s rulers had adhered to the faith, and it is certainly more likely it was through that Empire’s extensive trade and cultural influence that Machainism came to dominate the Western half of the Dulama Empire as well as the seafaring states to its northwest and southwest.

Now it is certainly possible that a precursor of Machainism came out of the peninsula, but it did not reach the state that it came to be until its adoption by one of the Empires of the Thala. Murals in both the ancient cities of Aeda and Saigh point to the existence, and prevalence of Machainism long before there were any contemporary records amongst the peninsula.

And considering the loose nature of the faith, it is also possible that it grew independently in various locales...
 
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