Any Visible Part of the Map is Now Acceptable as a Starting Location and While Cultural Distinctions Remain The Cradle System is Hereby Abolished
Update Soundtrack:
Atmosphere's Smart went Crazy
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The shores of Eliat erupted with celebration at the launch of the "Pride of the Orangesmith," the first ship of Africa into the Red Sea. It was a good model, but too small to be practical. One day the Saturan army hopes to build Galleys of it's own to transport troops and protect ocean routes, but that day is not today.
Instead the Inquisitors of Satura infiltrated the caravans and followed them north into Zulappi, where they were often questioned but never bothered after they responded with "Is it illegal to worship Zorro and Akten in Zulappi?"
It is not, and so the strangely clad… priests(?) Of the Zorrkan faith moved on through Zull and even Dreadsea into the Land of the Sun.
Here they found a wide variety of heresy in need of re-education, from the bitter Zorrkanists who desired the abolition of Aset Cults in Cyria and Kurdia to the small groups of Eastern Zorroists who deny the divinity of Akten until they cannot resist overthrowing theistic nations, whose faith is responsible for atrocities in Persia. With the Inquisitors supplementing the new legal system of that land much was accomplished for the Society of Ur and the surrounding lands.
In Parsgadae, where the Persians also requested a variety of assistance the Inquisitors found themselves arrested after questioning some of the Eastern Zorroists of that land. Although their freedom was demanded and granted on behalf of the Persians they quite nearly made matters worse among the Eastern Zorroists and only managed to help a small amount before their arrest and since their release they have been timid about fulfilling their duties.
Because, unlike in the Land of the Sun, there are other forces in Persia working to rebuild the stability, Soldiers of the Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon. Swordsmen from the Empire of the Heavenly Dragon. It was these swordsmen with their impossibly strong Iron Armor who arrested the Inquisitors and who also set them free at the request of the Persian High Priest.
With the use of Pickled Grouper in interrogation the once worthless Trade Good became very important and helpful. The land of Satura was also finally able to name a unifying trait in their desire to build more and greater monuments to their land. But with the recent death of the heroic Aureas Orangesmith many Saturans wonder how the succession will be chosen.
Sudan blossomed under Saturan rule, a forge was added to Napata and research was begun towards the crafting of maps. The soldiers all joined loyally into ranks with the Saturan allies and marched in defense of the Saturan border.
The Rangers were prepared for an ambush, but none came. Instead they found a large group, four units of Spearmen, waiting on the far side of Iruba for the Saturan response.
The Rangers fought valiantly but were overcome by the disorganized, but much better armed spearmen of the jungle. At the sight of their futile plight the Chariots retreated and notified the real army, Sudanese and Saturan soldiers prepared to march on the enemies.
Arriving on the scene Sudanese Spearmen charged ahead, eager to prove their loyalty. The Spearman instructed to bombard hurled their spears ineffectively, but the Ambushing Spearman smashed 2 groups of Barbarian Spearmen before they were defeated. Another of the barbarians charged in vengeance at the main army and was repelled after pitched battle in which a Saturan Ranger was slaughtered. In return came the final charge of Saturan Spearmen into the assembly of Barbarians. The two groups fought each other with breathless intensity to the last man. Even when reinforcements arrived from the main army they could only try to mend the wounded survivors, and plant the banner of the Orangesmith upon the field.
When asked, in his later days what turned the tide of the battle, the general of the Saturan Southern Army often replied, "It was those Freelancers, we knew everything that the enemy was doing the whole time because of their recon. They gave us the edge."
There have been rumors of "Inquisitorial Tools" but it seems like certain restrictions prevented their actual production.
(Satura: +Sailing, +Forge (Sereg), +3 Inquisitors, +1 Freelancer, -2 Rangers, -1 Spearman (Sudan), -1 Spearman (Satura), +Roasted Koughfee (Sudan), +Forge (Napata), +Cartography (2/5), +7 Reputation, +Industrious)
In Zull, most of the revenues were saved this turn, put into vast hoards. Treasure Hunters conjecture as to whether or not it could be stolen, but no one knows for sure where the crafty Shaman is keeping his wealth.
What is for sure is that they have extended their trade ties throughout the Mediterranean, adding new trade arrangements with Iberios and Kurdia and renewing the import of linen from Cyria.
There are rumors that a group of Zorrkanist priests who travelled through the lands years ago, calling themselves 'Inquisitors' taught the Zorrkanists of Zulappi certain 'techniques' that have increased 'conversions' in Zulappi. The Zulappi branch of Zorrkanism is filled with seemingly brainwashed, stupefied converts who cannot react to questions but to scream. The Zorrkanists refuse to contribute to labor and are impossible to reason with, and there are all number of horror stories emerging from escaped converts who detail methods of torture and brainwashing that are used to keep the Zulappi Zorrkanists in line.
But outside of shadowy foreign cults things went well in Zulappi over the years, Dainty Wooden Statues are incredibly popular among the cosmopolitan people of Zull, and Linens and Fragrances flowed West into Dreadsea and into the capital.
The Library of Stone's Outpose continued study of the so called Masonic Code.
(Zulappi: Economy Banked, +Masonic Code (2/4), -1 Social Cohesion, +2 Reputation)
In The Kingdom of Shang the lines and sheets of sailboats made their first journeys into the Sea, with the technology understood the King began making heavy investments into a merchant fleet.
The new merchant fleet quickly found faster routes to Korea and even the path to the fabled land of Kitanato where they established contact and showed off the exotic luxuries of the Kingdom.
The new merchant fleet is a great pride to the Traders and nobles of Laozai, but some have already started to voice concerns. Without any weapons or training, if hostile ships attacked the merchant fleet would be destroyed. Some encourage the construction of a few military galleys to protect them.
Barbarians continued to battle for the border, mostly to the West where they were forced to relocate after many of their camps in Manchuria were destroyed by advancing Shang and Korean forces. A unit of spearmen was ambushed and killed during the expansion and some wonder if the Li Dynasty has the military force to defend their massive land claims.
People along the border of Paranaa, for instance, seem to be adopting the customs of the Dragons, saying "When Laozai falls to the Manchurians and Rogue Ships destroy the merchant fleet, we will be the first to surrender to the Emperor of Dragons."
(Shang: +Economic Expansion, +Sailing, -1 Spearman, +2 Reputation, +1 Social Cohesion)
No one in The Empire of the Heavenly Dragon was remotely worried about whether or not the Emperor had the army to lay claim to his lands and defend them from any trouble. With the sudden outpouring of Iron from the Forges they saw the Swordsmen in every city, the Galleys setting out to claim Taiwan.
They even saw the Swordsmen marching towards Persia although it would be years before the stories of their time there returned to the Empire.
With the help of the Emperor's Soldiers, some of whom hailed all the way from Soo, the High Priest was able to change the face of Eastern Zorroism in Persia. One could not protest the divinity of Akten by throwing rocks at Soldiers who shared your skepticism. And so their doctrines became increasingly popular and moderate. A pair of sandals, alleged to have been owned by Xerxes, was offered as a centerpiece for a new Temple in Parsgadae and slowly the problems of Persia came more and more under control.
Until the day that the Soldiers encountered a group of men force feeding some unpalatable looking fish to tied up East Zorroists. The men looked to fight for a moment, but outnumbered and heavily out-sworded they surrendered and were taken under arrest. The High Priest of Persia, however, petitioned for their release. It turns out these so called "Inquisitors" hail from far off Satura and were sent "as a favor" to the High Priest. The General of the Expedition Force laughed for some time about the nature of Saturan "favors" before turning his effort back to restoring tranquility in Persia.
But the ascent of Iron came with it's own challenges, and not only the economic challenges that one might expect when new infrastructure must be built. With the passing of so much time the Tablets of Dragon Wisdom now only serve as a tourist attraction, and even so fewer tourists come each season. The Soo River harbor, likewise, has fallen into disrepair and no longer serves as the bustling port it once was.
Making extensive maps all the way they went the exploratory Galleys of the Heavenly Dragon discovered Paupa, where a group of small villages send delegates to the central port of Prinz to create central policy so that they may work in cooperative harmony. The Aloe plants that are plentiful on the island would no doubt be a boon to the physicians of the Dragon's Wisdom.
Haiku Strolls of Kitanato have actually become popular in the least expected place, Bia Xi's Imperial Merchant's Inn now features a weekly poetry reading that often permits locals to try their hand at crafting and reading their poems. Literacy in the city has skyrocketed and mostly among people who two or three generations hence would not have been allowed into the Imperial Merchant's Inn.
The import of Brandy has turned Soo into a freewheeling gambling den much like Laozai. Brandy merchants come across the river there to offer their supplies as the King instructed them to, but it seems that little of the Brandy is making it out of Soo, and most of it is being used at a Gambling Parlor not a stone's throw from the former home of Xerxes. The Emperor made his fee from these sales, but many of the strictly moral Eastern Zorroists of Soo protest the loud and dangerous nature of the "Top Shell Parlor."
(Empire of the Heavenly Dragon: +3 Swordsmen, +1 Galley, +Iron Working, -Scientific, +Astrology (1/20), +Trade Good (Exotic Lumber), +1 Imperial Merchant Inn (Paranaa), +5 Reputation, +1 Social Cohesion)
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Map:
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Diplomacy:
To: The Empire of the Heavenly Dragon
From: Persia
You have our eternal thanks for the discretion with which your soldiers operate. Truly they are honorable men. If ever an enemy forces your hand to war, know that the soldiers of Persia would be proud to march alongside you.
To: The Great Kingdom of Shang
From: The Celestial Kingdom of Kitanato
We would like to offer you 4 EP for the knowledge of Sailing.
To: Zulappi
From: Iberios
We would be honored to teach your men the arts of sailing, so that they might spread the faith. You know of the far Westerly Shores, but did you know there are Northern Shores as well? We could negotiate a price.
To: Satura
From: Inquisitor General
My subordinates are telling me increasingly ominous things about the ways of the East. Persia may be saved from the grip of Aset today, but I fear for her soul in the future. There is also talk of some who ventured to the Khanate, and the ways that our faith is practiced there. I hesitate to agree with their idea that virgin sacrifice ought to be an acceptable tenant of our faith.
I call for the Temple to Disavow ties to the Khanate's school, send Inquisitors to re-educate everyone east of Ur and then we may return to our proper business. Thwarting the will of Aset.
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Next Orders Due on April 20th
We'll be moving to a two week schedule for the foreseeable future.
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Bonus Challenge (Reward: +1 Freelancer)
I don't know if you've picked this up about me, but I'm not the sort of person who gets a whole lot done on April 20th, and if any orders came in early I'd be cool with that.
