IsrNES2: Cities of Glory

[Israelite9191]

Because I've been absent with migranes 28 days.

@EVERYONE- Since barely anyone has joined (8, mostly in the Americas and everyone very widespread) I am posponing the start a few days.

[Israelite9191]

I have decided not to postpone this after all. As such the NES will begin later today.

[Dreadnought]

Good to hear. Thanks!

[Silver Steak]

I will join. Will write stats later.

[Silver Steak]

Originally Posted by Israelite9191

Kvetching And Hocking Me A Chynick (a.k.a. Complaints to the Mod):
I will probably be more willing to listen than other Mods are. This because a) I am have very stable blood pressure and b) I like constructive criticism, it makes things run better. But if you get too annoying, don't be so surprised when a massive plague wipes out your nation.

I kvetch upon your apparent hypocricy! How can you claim to listen when you silently threaten any would-be Chynick-hockers with sudden and catastrophic pandemics?


Nation Name:Eïre
Ruler/Player: The Lords' Council/Silver STEAK
Capital: Dubh Linn
Government: Republic
Religion: Druidism
Population: {I fill this in}
Economy: {I fill this in}
Important Cities: {I fill this in}
Dependencies: You have none at this time
Army: {I fill this in}
Navy: {I fill this in}
UU: You have none at this time.
Education: {I fill this in}
Age: {I fill this in}
Culture: {I fill this in}
Confidence: Tolerating
Infrastructure: {I fill this in}
Projects: You have none yet
Nation Background: The Lords' Council (the representatives) rule, and the Circle of Druids govern religious matters. Together they are allowed to instate a War Chief who will be the country's general.

[Dreadnought]

Time to stretch my legs - no one is in Western Europe except me (and Silver on that island of his).... Hoo-Rah!

[Lord_Iggy]

Yep, this is gonna be fun.

*note to self. Stay on topic at all times.

Phonecia, the kings of the waves, the admirals of the Eastern Mediterranean. From Sidon and Tyre, we will spread to influence and trade with all of these lands!

[Drake Rlugia]

The Kingdom of Massalia
Ruler/Player: Rex Aeliachus/Drake Rlugia
Capital: Massalia (OTL Marseille, in France)
Government: Monarchy (Throne is dynastic, from King to first-born, but the priests, generals, and merchants control all affairs of the state)
Religion: Greek Polytheism with Celtic and Latin influences
Population: {I fill this in}
Economy: {I fill this in}
Important Cities: {I fill this in}
Dependencies: You have none at this time
Army: {I fill this in}
Navy: {I fill this in}
UU: You have none at this time.
Education: {I fill this in}
Age: {I fill this in}
Culture: {I fill this in}
Confidence: Tolerating
Infrastructure: {I fill this in}
Projects: You have none yet
Nation Background: Settled by Greeks from Phocaea, Massalia florished as a land of traders. It is Greek in culture, but heavily influenced by their Celtic and Latin neighbors.

[Lord_Iggy]

So much for your lack of crowds Dread.

[Drake Rlugia]

I wanted to be decadent and stuff. What better than being GREEK and in FRENCH soil? It's decadence x 2!

[Lord_Iggy]

Phonecia! There is no Greece! At the moment. Unless Israelite puts it in...

[Kentharu]

greece sucks BOOOO GREECE (just incase anyone is from greece then it is awesome!)

[Lord_Iggy]

How come YOU don't get spam banned?

*sulks.

I'll have to crush Greece. Are you with me Kentharu?

[Kentharu]

greece shall be crushed, and i got warned twice how unfortunate

[Lord_Iggy]

Gah! No discussing moderator actions!

Great, I'm totally paranoid now.

*twitches.

Who are you again Kentharu? We must plot the destruction of Greece.

[Israelite9191]

Update 0
2000-1500 CE

“Once we wandered the earth, poor and destitute. Now we live in opulence and wealth. In cities we have learned to settle, and in cities we thrive.” –Noraxos the Corinthian, The History of Man

The sun rose one morn many centuries ago on a different world. People all over the globe were doing something different. They had set down their bows and arrows and begun to plant seeds deliberately, picking only the best seeds of the best crops. The Neolithic Revolution had come to man, and with it had come civilization. As the years, decades, and centuries passed people gathered together to live under thatch roofs side by side. These communities grew into villages, which grew into towns, until one day, no one is sure when, the sun rose again on a glorious day. The sun rose to shine its face on a new beginning, a new dawn, the dawn of civilization.

The first cities where in Mesopotamia, “the Land between the Rivers,” here city states, kingdoms, and empires would rise and fall. The first city to rise was Akkad. Led by the strong hand of Sargon the Great, Akkad conquered an empire stretching from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf. But another people would spell Akkad’s disaster. The Elamites struck Mesopotamia from the east, destroying the Akkadian Empire. They would rule the Akkadian lands until c. 1800 BCE when they were in turn destroyed by another people. The Armenians, a nomadic people well versed in the use of chariots, descended onto the flat and fertile plains of the Elamite Empire. They would create the largest empire the Middle East has yet to see, stretching from the Armenian home in the Caucuses to the Red Sea coast, from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf. The Armenians would rule this empire for approximately one century, until in the year 1683 BCE the Hittites launched their invasion. Harnessing the technology of horseback riding the Hittites came down from the nomadic homes in the Eurasian Steppe to reek havoc on the civilized world. After a swift conquest they built an empire nearly as large as that of the Armenians before them, except for losing the Mediterranean coast. But it was not the destiny of the Hittite Empire to last the ages. By the year 1580 they had decade into a bureaucratic mess with an ineffectual army. By 1530 the empire was no more. Driven into Anatolia, the Hittite empire was replaced by the Armenian, Assyrians, Babylonians, Sumerians, and Persians. Mesopotamia is now a patchwork of states, all vying for power, constantly knowledgeable of the ever present threat of the still powerful Hittites, the newly active Medians, desert nomad Arabs, and what ever may still lie to the north.

After the collapse of the Armenian Empire, the Mediterranean coast was liberated. However, it would not be long before the Lower Egyptians, ever eager to expand, would reach out and establish hegemony over the people of the Western Middle East. Not too long after that, while a dynastic struggle raged in Lower Egypt’s heartland, the Syrians raised in open revolt. From its centre in Damascus, the Syrian Empire spread out to encompass everything between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean with ports on the Red Sea and control over Anatolia’s southern coast. This Syrian Empire would last until 1723 BCE when several events coincided to bring down their destruction. The Phoenicians, who had been all but independent in name, declared independence, fuelled by wealth and resources attained from their colonies, and quickly launched a campaign to seize most of the Syrian lands in Anatolia’s south as well. Meanwhile the Canaanites and Philistines, rather content with Syrian rulers, were driven out by a new nation coming out of slavery in Egypt. The Israelites quickly established themselves over Canaan and Philistia as a new Kingdom with a unique, monotheistic, religion. The Syrian Empire was thus destroyed, with only the core territories of Upper and Lower Syria remaining under the rule of Damascus.

In Greece, events have formed a unique political structure. Years of bitter fighting between the different city states resulted in the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens. Utilizing alliances with Malta and Minoa, the Athenian League destroyed Sparta and its ally Epirus in the year 1876 BCE. Shortly after wards another war broke out between the former allies of the Athenian League. The League split in half with the League of Epirus dominating the north and the Athenian League dominating the South. A bitter and long war quickly ensued with the Minoans, Trojans, Macedonians, Dalmatians, Lydians, and Thracians, the whole of the Greek world, becoming involved, thus giving the war the name of the Great Hellenic War. Finally, in the year 1589 the war came to a close. The victors were Athens, Minoa, Troy, Thrace, and Macedon, the losers Epirus, Thrace, Dalmatia, and Lydia. There was one lesson that was learned by this war, the League system could no longer work. As a result the nations of Hellas joined with each other to create several confederations: the Athenian Confederation (the Athenian League and the League of Epirus), the Macedonian Confederation (Macedon and Thrace), the Dardanian Confederation (Troy and the neighbouring city states), and the Minoan Confederation (Minoa and Lydia). However, Dalmatia was unable to partake of the Confederacy Movement. Their defeat in the Great Hellenic War can be attributed not to a weak army, and most certainly not to a weak navy, but to the coming to the Illyrians. The Illyrians were a Celtic people, but the Hellenic culture of the Dalmatians has been an overriding force in the Illyrian culture. They have inherited the Dalmatians’ prowess at sea and stand at a prime point to create a seafaring empire. Meanwhile, the Celtic-Hellenic nation of Moesia, a very barbaric nation with only minimal traits of a civilized nation but still maintaining a very strong military, was formed to the north.

Further to the west the Central Mediterranean has provided a backdrop to another series of events. For most of its history Sicily and the Italian peninsula have been dominated by the Greeks, but this has changed. Northern Italy saw a string of Celtic migrations into the region beginning in c. 2000 BCE. These Celts drove the Etruscans, the only non-Greek nation at the time, further south where they sought refuge in the last of Etruscia’s great city states, Rome. Rome has expanded to encompass central Italy, but the Republic’s future is uncertain. To its north the new Celts mixed with the remaining Etruscans and the Greek colonizers to found several city states. In the year 1723 Alexander I united these city states into the Po League centred around the city of Milan. However, the Greek style League collapsed due to internal bickering after fifty years in 1673. It would be another fifty years before Alexander II united the city states again in 1623 as the Lombard League, the first republic (it would be fifty-five years before Rome became a republic) in the world, it would become the example upon which Hellas built its confederations. In the south of Italy the former Greek colonies seceded during the Great Hellenic War in the year 1567 to form the Neapolitan League, fashioned after Lombard League to the north. Sicily, however, is a unique case. Southern and western Sicily are the only parts of Italy still under foreign domination. During the Peloponnesian War Malta gained the Greek colonies in the south and west of Sicily, as well as the Spartan lands, for giving aid to Athens. Syracuse is now an important trade centre, a rival of the Phoenician colony of Carthage, in the trade between the eastern and western Mediterranean. The Sicilians, still predominantly Greek in culture, continue to quietly resist Maltese rule, but if things change just a hair, Sicily may declare its independence from Malta. At the same time, Phoenicia is hard stressed to maintain control over Carthage and Sardinia. North of all this the Celtic kingdom of Gaul reigns over the western Alps and the Rhone River valley north of Provençe.

In the western Mediterranean five nations remain after a long series of wars and colonial expansion. The dominant player in this region is the Balearic Kingdom. Controlling colonies on the Iberian as well as Corsica and northern Sardinia, the Balearicans control the trade routes connecting the western and central Mediterranean as well as holding a firm grip on the western Mediterranean’s waters. On the southern coast of Gaul, in the region of Provençe, Massala has reigned in decadence ever since separating from Phoenicia soon after Phoenician independence in 1712. Settled by Phoenicians as well as Greeks from the Italian colonies, Massala is well position for trade, if only there were people with whom to trade. In addition to the Balearic colonies, Iberia contains three other nations: the Tartessian Empire, Basque Country, and Celtiberia. The Tartessian Empire grew out of the city state of Tartessos, a prosperous trading port on the tin route from the Scilly Isles to the Mediterranean. In the year 1736 King Arganthonios I conquered Lusitania for Tartessos, and then in the year 1700 he conquered Baetica from Phoenicia. However, the empire is strained by ethnic conflicts between the Celtic Lusitanians, the Punic Baeticans, and the Iberian Tartessians. To the north and east on the edge of Iberia are Basque Country and Celtiberia. Basque Country is a very “normal” country settled by the Iberian Basques. Little has happened here except quiet expansion and fighting off Celtic raids. Celtiberia has a more interesting history. The region was originally settled by native Iberians closely related to the Basques, but by the year 1700 the area was almost entirely Phoenician. This state of affairs would last only a generation as by 1610 the last Phoenician colonies had fallen to Celtic invaders. While the Celts had come before in earlier waves of settlement, resulting in the Lusitanian nation that was later conquered by Tartessos, most of these earlier Celts had remained “uncivilized.” The new wave of Celts that conquered the Phoenician colonies settled down to form cities under mainly Punic pressure. These Celts also adopted many traits of the neighbouring Iberians, resulting in the nation of Celtiberia. Far to the north of all of this is Eire, centred around Dun Aillen. A republican system similar to that used by the Lombards of Italy is in place here, with a complex mesh of governmental and theological systems.

Along the Nile River culture sprang up nearly as early as in Mesopotamia. However, here, things were much less eruptive and prone to sudden change. Three nations developed here surrounded by the desert. In the Nile Delta Lower Egypt, by far the cultural centre of the Nile, rose out of the sand. Further south Upper Egypt, a more militaristic society developed with stronger African influences, while Lower Egypt developed under Hellenic, Akkadian, Armenian, and Elamite influences. Still further south the less advanced and most African of the three nations evolved and spread. The Kushites are strongly centred in Africa and are in prime position to utilize the Nile, White Nile, and Blue Nile to create a flourishing trade. While the Kushites developed peacefully and contently, the Egyptians raged war after war. With dynasties constantly changing and both sides seeking to unite Egypt into one nation, peace never lasted long, and even when there was peace between the two, fighting and war continued in one way or another. The Upper Egyptians have on many occasions taken advantage of their position to try and squeeze the life out of Lower Egypt by cutting trade off with the African interior, unfortunately what Upper Egypt didn’t know did hurt it as the Lower Egyptians would simply turn their trade to its northern neighbours and away from the ignorant Upper Egyptians. The Lower Egyptians meanwhile turned their attention to Asia. In 1653 Pharaoh Tutnokam I conquered the western Middle East, only to be defeated in 1640 by the Syrians. The Lower Egyptians would make many attempts to retake the lands lost to the Syrians, with one successful attempt in 1601 resulting in the capture of Philistia only to be driven out twelve years later, but ultimately the lands of the western Middle East were lost to Egypt.

Further south, going up the Blue Nile and into tiny Lake Tana, the source of the mighty Nile River’s strength, the Abyssinian civilization is thriving. Born in the Ethiopian highlands, the Abyssinians are a mix of Semitic and African influences. Recently, they have expanded to the Red Sea coast building up the port of Adulis, not yet a centre of trade, but in prime position to become one if it can overcome competition from Aden. Lying across the Bab el Mandeb on the Arabian Peninsula is Minaea. Minaea is a kingdom of traders, very similar to Abyssinia. However, they look more to the north and Arabia while Abyssinia looks more into Africa. Having domesticated the camel and approaching domestication of the horse, the Minaeans appear to have a bright future ahead. To the west, across most of Africa lying at the convergence of the Benue and Niger rivers is the Nok civilization. Not nearly as advanced as the Abyssinians, or any other civilization around for that matter, the Nok are still a civilization to watch. With an inquisitive society and abundant natural resources within grasp, if the Nok can just ride out the pressures of the Hausa, Benin, and others, then they are almost guaranteed a place in history.

Across the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea from Minaea and Abyssinia are the Indian states. After weather invasions and migrations by the Aryans India is now a mix of Aryan Dravidian culture. Sindu is the most powerful of these states. Situated at the Mouths of the Indus, Sindu is on the edge of Indian civilization. After conquering Gujarat in 1849, Sindu was left with little room for expansion. Pushed by its neighbours, Sindu set out across the Arabian Sea reaching first the Straight of Hormuz and then making contact with the Elamite Empire. Trade has flourished between Sindu and the Elamites and their inheritors ever since. As prosperous city states sprung up along the Straight of Hormuz Sindu was quick to gobble these up and turn the region into a prosperous colony with a trade centre in the city of Hormuz. The greatest threat to Sindu is not the barbarians and civilized neighbours, but rather the ever growing Persia and the threat of nationalism among the colonies, whose separation would cause great damage to the economy of Sindu. North of Sindu along the Indus River is the old man of India, the cultural centre of the subcontinent. Mohenjo-Daro was the only Indian state to maintain Dravidian rulers, a Dravidian language, and a mainly Dravidian religion. As the continuum of the older culture of India, they have the respect of all of their neighbours, but this does not guarantee safety. Even further north of this lies Harappa. At the northern edge of Indian civilization, Harappa is charged with defending itself against the Afghan tribes, giving it an even more dangerous position than the other Indus Valley nations. However, this has been a bit of an advantage for them, resulting in a strong military.

To the east of India lies China. Here, civilization has been united, or at least was at one point. The Shang managed to create a powerful kingdom in the region covering much of Eastern China spreading from the north banks of the Huang He to the south banks of the Yangtze. However, this was not to last. In c. 1900 the Shang collapsed from internal pressure. After approximately a century of bitter civil war, China was reunited in 1785 by the Zhou. The Zhou would reign over a slightly smaller empire, lasting until 1675 when Xiongnu invasions destroyed the now fragile bureaucracy. The empire would be united only five years later by the Qin in 1670. The Qin rule would by the shortest dynasty, but the impact it would leave would be the greatest. The Qin advances in culture and the sciences left such a memorable mark that the region would continue to be named after them even after their fall. In 1500, only one generation later, the Qin fell from a complex mix of forces. Renewed attacks by the Xiongnu and newly begun attacks by the Yue brought out the regionalism of China resulting in the divvying up of the Qin Empire. In the end the Xiongnu left, but the Yue remained, forming the heavily Sinified Yue Kingdom in the south. In the north Henan has come to be the dominant power. Controlling the northern banks of the Huang He, Henan is the most powerful of the Chinese states and its most likely unifier. Besides Heinan, Shan-Dong is the dominant Chinese state. While Henan has balanced military, commercial, and cultural power, Shan-Dong is an almost entirely militaristic nation with some engagement in trade through its port of Qingdao. The minor state of Anhui has maintained its independence through clever diplomacy, but its time may be running out. Besides these Chinese states there are Gojoseon and Yamato. Gojoseon lies in the north of the Korean peninsula, it is a powerful state but its size is deceiving. After being founded by the legendary Dangun c. 1800, Gojoseon has experienced a series of rather unimpressive leaders. Though it has adapted a good amount of the old Shang culture, strong leadership is needed to bring the rather barbaric nation to prosperity. East from Gojoseon across the Sea of Japan is Yamato. The dominant and only, nation in Japan they have gone through little change other than the creation of a hybridized strain of rice, resulting in their advancement beyond their Ainu neighbours. Far to the south of Yamato, and Gojoseon, and the Chinese states is Suwarnabhumi. Founded around the port city of Thanton, Suwarnabhumi is a Mon kingdom focused on the cultivation of rice and the praise of the g-ds.

In what seems to be an entirely different world, the cultures of the Americas lag behind but are moving at lightning speed. The first civilization to take root was the Olmecs. Olmecia is the mother civilization of Mesopotamia, and a nurturing mother at that. It was in Olmecia that the, now deified, priest Quotuotl stumbled upon a hybrid of corn that was particularly hearty, nutritious, and productive. This corn caused civilization to boom in Mesoamerica and later to aid civilization in North America. With this corn two other civilizations rose in Mesoamerica. The first is the Maya. United by a strong priest-king the Mayan city states were brought together under the rule of Chichén Itzá. To the west is Coutl in the Mexico Valley. A theocracy ruled by the priests who claim to rule through the direct commands of the g-ds, Coutl is a militaristic society, and rightly so as it is surrounded by very militaristic tribes. With a strain of human sacrifice present in the religion, Coutl is always in search of new captives to sacrifice, and new wealth with which to adorn the temples. To the north of all this are the cultures of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The first is unique, for it is not Mississippian by any means. The Iroquois Confederacy was formed by Chief Hiawatha to the north in the Great Lakes region in c. 1800. The successors of Hiawatha gradually led the Iroquois southwards until they settled on the south-eastern banks of intersection of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in c. 1700. Maintaining nomadic traits and a militaristic society as well as communal sharing, like its neighbours, the Iroquois have, however, adapted the cultivation of the sunflower from the north and corn from the south. They have also adapted many cultural practices from their neighbours, Cahokia. At about the same time that the Iroquois settled down into a civilized nation, the Cahokian Mound Builders formed a nation of their own. The cultural centre of the Mississippi and Ohio, Cahokia is considered the cultural parent to the other Mound Builder civilizations. Further east on the Ohio River is Angel Mounds. A theocratic society, Angel Mounds is ruled by the priestly elite. They are the rivals of Cahokia, but still look to Cahokia as their source of cultural inspiration.

From these beginnings the world’s societies are now to take off. Guided by kings and priests, on the backs of horses, utilizing bronze, and recently iron, the peoples of the world rise to the challenges of forming civilization. As the sun sets, hiding its face, on the last day of the year 1500 BCE, man has come far. Man, in its time, has waged war, made great advances, discovered new lands, and seen the eyes of the g-ds shine down upon them. As the men of the earth enter into sleep, the world awakens to a new age, the age of Cities of Glory.

[Israelite9191]

Capitals are white surounding black, trade centers have red, cultural centers green, and religious blue. If you want to join as a new player, join in a barbarian area unless you have a really good reason for starting elsewhere.

[Israelite9191]

Orders are due Friday, as in the rules. Stats are not done becuase I have been working on this all day and it is now after one in the morning where I am.

I changed your country's name Drake to be accurate historically, if you want it changed back I can do say.

I changed your capital Silver Steak to be the Gaelic for Dublin which I presume you were trying to use, if you want it changed back I can do so.

[Drake Rlugia]

Quite the lovely update. I'll probally write a story soon..hmm..so many ideas..

EDIT: Evil STPs..

Anyways, your change is fine. Accuracy is good, and a change in one letter is not horrid.

[The Farow]

Great Update!