baseballpie
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- Nov 13, 2012
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The King of Cutthroat Charities.
An Illustrated History of the Noyyau
- Thread starter Noyyau
- Start date
GreekAnalyzer
Back from the Dead
- Joined
- May 9, 2013
- Messages
- 1,936
Exploration parties moving south from the ruins of the destroyed Khmer city spotted a Roman army camped across a river, and irrigated farmland to the west, presumably near another city. Other scouts, ranging further west, crossed into Maya territory, though it was hard to tell since it was still quite wild. In both cases the ever opportunistic Noyyau did not miss the chance to capture some more workers for the expanding Kingdom.
The continuous increase in commerce led to the creation of better ways to track all the money that was going around. The best at this new form of writing were employed by the King, as how else could he be sure that all taxes were paid in full?
Though Noyyau society was still firmly divided in castes, and the King was the absolute ruler, several noble families had become so rich that their suggestions, somehow, were not always ignored.
A few miles downriver from the former location of Hariharalaya, a mining expedition, financed by the Dandolo family, built a survey camp which, after the discovery of large deposits of silver right across the river, would be (oh so creatively) named Silver Hills. At the time, no one could possibly imagine what the future had in store for the new settlement.
Meanwhile, the Noyyau armies had left the ruins behind them and marched north, to the other Khmer settlement, and promptly destroyed it as well. The fighting at Hariharalaya had taught the Noyyau how the Khmer fought, and in the siege of Yasodharapura these lessons were put to use. Noyyau casualties were minimal. Khmer survivors were also minimal.
Yasodharapura's location was deemed too northern and unhealthy due to peat bogs in the nearby hills, so a new settlement was founded closer to Noyyau territory, and named Junon. The fact that Yasodharapura had been razed centuries before health ever became a problem is irrelevant.
The French sporting traditions had not been abandoned under Noyyau rule. On the contrary, the increasing use of horses led to a new and exciting sport: chariot races.
In Turn 438 a sizable force of Roman archers crossed the Tiber river and overwhelmed the guards of the recently established farms along the Seine. They then moved in the direction of Silver Hills, but their timing was quite unfortunate...
...for them, that is, as unbeknownst to them the victorious army that had exterminated the Khmer was now marching south and caught them in the field.
The economy was still expanding, especially with the continuous influx of wealth and territory from the ongoing conquests. The first true coins were minted in this period, making use of the traditional Robertian gold for the larger denominations and of the new silver from Silver Hills for the smaller ones.
An unexpected development was the progressive abandonment of the institute of slavery, in favor of indentured servitude. Many slaves slowly accumulated enough to buy their own freedom, usually across a couple of generations, and with the new coinage system it had become easier to do so, as the coins were small and practical to hide (and steal). What became common practice was for rich entrepeneurs to pay someone's debts and have that person work for them for a determined number of years. Outside of the workplace, though, the indentured servant was as free as any other citizen, no longer considered property and at the complete mercy of the owner.
Spoiler :
The continuous increase in commerce led to the creation of better ways to track all the money that was going around. The best at this new form of writing were employed by the King, as how else could he be sure that all taxes were paid in full?
Spoiler :
Though Noyyau society was still firmly divided in castes, and the King was the absolute ruler, several noble families had become so rich that their suggestions, somehow, were not always ignored.
Spoiler :
A few miles downriver from the former location of Hariharalaya, a mining expedition, financed by the Dandolo family, built a survey camp which, after the discovery of large deposits of silver right across the river, would be (oh so creatively) named Silver Hills. At the time, no one could possibly imagine what the future had in store for the new settlement.
Spoiler :
Meanwhile, the Noyyau armies had left the ruins behind them and marched north, to the other Khmer settlement, and promptly destroyed it as well. The fighting at Hariharalaya had taught the Noyyau how the Khmer fought, and in the siege of Yasodharapura these lessons were put to use. Noyyau casualties were minimal. Khmer survivors were also minimal.
Spoiler :
Yasodharapura's location was deemed too northern and unhealthy due to peat bogs in the nearby hills, so a new settlement was founded closer to Noyyau territory, and named Junon. The fact that Yasodharapura had been razed centuries before health ever became a problem is irrelevant.
Spoiler :
The French sporting traditions had not been abandoned under Noyyau rule. On the contrary, the increasing use of horses led to a new and exciting sport: chariot races.
Spoiler :
In Turn 438 a sizable force of Roman archers crossed the Tiber river and overwhelmed the guards of the recently established farms along the Seine. They then moved in the direction of Silver Hills, but their timing was quite unfortunate...
Spoiler :
...for them, that is, as unbeknownst to them the victorious army that had exterminated the Khmer was now marching south and caught them in the field.
Spoiler :
The economy was still expanding, especially with the continuous influx of wealth and territory from the ongoing conquests. The first true coins were minted in this period, making use of the traditional Robertian gold for the larger denominations and of the new silver from Silver Hills for the smaller ones.
Spoiler :
An unexpected development was the progressive abandonment of the institute of slavery, in favor of indentured servitude. Many slaves slowly accumulated enough to buy their own freedom, usually across a couple of generations, and with the new coinage system it had become easier to do so, as the coins were small and practical to hide (and steal). What became common practice was for rich entrepeneurs to pay someone's debts and have that person work for them for a determined number of years. Outside of the workplace, though, the indentured servant was as free as any other citizen, no longer considered property and at the complete mercy of the owner.
Spoiler :
baseballpie
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2012
- Messages
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That army.....
While the Noyyau troops were busy with the Roman archers and then advancing in Roman territory, back home the Golden Age was in full swing. The population was growing, and in every town new buildings and improvements were being constructed.
All the economic activity, unsurprisingly, attracted unwanted attention, with savage raiders approaching the recently founded Junon.
The times, however, had changed since the desperate defense of Robertia to the last spearman so long ago. Even such a small village was garrisoned by three different military units, rough men ready to visit harm to any who threatened their kingdom.
Unlike the Seasonal War of centuries past, this expedition to Rome would be the final one. The Noyyau army established its camps across the Tiber, in the fertile Twin River valley. While this afforded some protection against possible Roman sorties, crossing the river did not pose any difficulty to the attacking Noyyau, used to swimming in rivers and the sea since childhood.
The Romans defended their ancestral homeland strenuously, in a siege that lasted seven long, bloody Turns. Though fighting with courage and bravery, the lack of metals in Roman lands meant they had no axes or swords to speak of. Archers and javelineers were ultimately doomed against determined attackers like the Noyyau axemen and swordsmen, almost invulnerable to arrows and javelins behind their thick tower shields.
Though most (if not all) of the fighting had been performed with axes and swords, Rome was officially captured by a cadre of spearmen that could trace their traditions and history back to the legendary Spears of Robertia. This had obviously been arranged on purpose by the King himself, to add insult to injury against an ancient enemy.
Rome was indeed a great city, populous and ornated with great monuments.
With the ongoing conquest of the continent, the formal title of the monarch would eventually grow to “King of the Noyyau, Roi de France, scourge of the Khmer, Caesar Romanorum, Ajaw of the Maya, obliterator of the Greek, and vanquisher of the English”.
Spoiler :
All the economic activity, unsurprisingly, attracted unwanted attention, with savage raiders approaching the recently founded Junon.
The times, however, had changed since the desperate defense of Robertia to the last spearman so long ago. Even such a small village was garrisoned by three different military units, rough men ready to visit harm to any who threatened their kingdom.
Spoiler :
Unlike the Seasonal War of centuries past, this expedition to Rome would be the final one. The Noyyau army established its camps across the Tiber, in the fertile Twin River valley. While this afforded some protection against possible Roman sorties, crossing the river did not pose any difficulty to the attacking Noyyau, used to swimming in rivers and the sea since childhood.
Spoiler :
The Romans defended their ancestral homeland strenuously, in a siege that lasted seven long, bloody Turns. Though fighting with courage and bravery, the lack of metals in Roman lands meant they had no axes or swords to speak of. Archers and javelineers were ultimately doomed against determined attackers like the Noyyau axemen and swordsmen, almost invulnerable to arrows and javelins behind their thick tower shields.
Spoiler :
Though most (if not all) of the fighting had been performed with axes and swords, Rome was officially captured by a cadre of spearmen that could trace their traditions and history back to the legendary Spears of Robertia. This had obviously been arranged on purpose by the King himself, to add insult to injury against an ancient enemy.
Spoiler :
Rome was indeed a great city, populous and ornated with great monuments.
Spoiler :
With the ongoing conquest of the continent, the formal title of the monarch would eventually grow to “King of the Noyyau, Roi de France, scourge of the Khmer, Caesar Romanorum, Ajaw of the Maya, obliterator of the Greek, and vanquisher of the English”.
baseballpie
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2012
- Messages
- 2,092
A spoiler is abetter way to hide it.
pole475
The Blinding Light
Would he sign his name with all those titles?
But the spoiler would have broken the line.
The King wouldn't have to write them himself,obviously, he just signs at the end of the document.pole475 said:
For example, the proclamation of a new law would look like this:
WE
FRANCIS RAYNOR III
King of the Noyyau, Roi de France, scourge of the Khmer, Caesar Romanorum, Ajaw of the Maya, obliterator of the Greek, and vanquisher of the EnglishFRANCIS RAYNOR III
on this Turn the 519th since the foundation of Robertia
DECLARE
etc etc
pole475
The Blinding Light
Still, a pretty long name 
The constantly increasing population and the progressive abandonment of the traditional caste system (as wealth and economical success had become the new dividing factor, rather than just birth) led to the development of new theories on society and governance. While the foremost thinkers proposed a leadership of enlightened aristocrats, in practice Noyyau society was becoming burgeois, with entrepreneurs and businessmen being at the helm of the economy.
Adapting Roman knowledge to Noyyau units of measure, the first true calendar saw the light not long after the conquest of Rome.
Historians usually agree that the end of the first Noyyau Golden Age falls around Turn 456, as soon after several major construction projects were abandoned, ostensibly for lack of funding, and their materials repurposed for different uses.
The conquering expedition in Roman lands, meanwhile, kept advancing and laid siege to Antium, the other major Roman city. The setting was eerily similar to the siege of Rome: the city, built on hills with a river nearby, overlooked farmland and was defended by brave but hopelessly inadequate troops. With relentless attacks, the Noyyau hordes entered Antium with few losses.
This city was, to the amazement of the invaders, an important naval center, and the Roman shipwrights would, in the years to come, contribute valuable skills.
While the bulk of the troops was resting in Antium (and trying to bring a semblance of peace and normality to the war-ravaged city), scouts reported large numbers of primitive warriors moving along what might have been the borders of the Maya people.
A novel concept arising in this period was that the development of cities could be planned in advance, rather than leaving it to chance. To test these ideas, the model town of Sherwood was founded.
Upon arriving at the gates of Mutal, the Noyyau armies were amazed to discover that such a primitive people had built a marvel of logic and engineering: the city was surrounded not by simple walls, but by a Labyrinth. True to their practical mentality, the Noyyau did not even try to navigate the maze, but simply demolished wall after wall in a straight line with their rams.
While the siege of Mutal was in progress, new deposits of Copper were found in the hills of Aachen. While many fiction writers like to imagine what course would history have taken if this source of metal had been discovered earlier, they fail to realize that, as opposed to the surface deposits of Wark, this copper-bearing vein was deep underground, and had been discovered only after centuries of continuous mining in the region.
What had originally started as a collection of rules to regulate tax collection, quickly grew to become a true code of laws, encompassing virtually all spheres of public and private life.
The prolonged Siege of Mutal finally came to an end in Turn 481, when the last wall of the Labyrinth was breached and Noyyau troops poured into the city. The next Turn, the legendary First Spears led (again) the last charge and took control of Mutal. It was a sprawling city, rivaling Robertia in size, and though the Maya weren't as warlike as the Noyyau, they had dedicated their time to pursuits of the mind, nebulous concepts that the Noyyau could not yet fathom.
Spoiler :
Adapting Roman knowledge to Noyyau units of measure, the first true calendar saw the light not long after the conquest of Rome.
Spoiler :
Historians usually agree that the end of the first Noyyau Golden Age falls around Turn 456, as soon after several major construction projects were abandoned, ostensibly for lack of funding, and their materials repurposed for different uses.
Spoiler :
The conquering expedition in Roman lands, meanwhile, kept advancing and laid siege to Antium, the other major Roman city. The setting was eerily similar to the siege of Rome: the city, built on hills with a river nearby, overlooked farmland and was defended by brave but hopelessly inadequate troops. With relentless attacks, the Noyyau hordes entered Antium with few losses.
This city was, to the amazement of the invaders, an important naval center, and the Roman shipwrights would, in the years to come, contribute valuable skills.
Spoiler :
While the bulk of the troops was resting in Antium (and trying to bring a semblance of peace and normality to the war-ravaged city), scouts reported large numbers of primitive warriors moving along what might have been the borders of the Maya people.
Spoiler :
A novel concept arising in this period was that the development of cities could be planned in advance, rather than leaving it to chance. To test these ideas, the model town of Sherwood was founded.
Spoiler :
Upon arriving at the gates of Mutal, the Noyyau armies were amazed to discover that such a primitive people had built a marvel of logic and engineering: the city was surrounded not by simple walls, but by a Labyrinth. True to their practical mentality, the Noyyau did not even try to navigate the maze, but simply demolished wall after wall in a straight line with their rams.
Spoiler :
While the siege of Mutal was in progress, new deposits of Copper were found in the hills of Aachen. While many fiction writers like to imagine what course would history have taken if this source of metal had been discovered earlier, they fail to realize that, as opposed to the surface deposits of Wark, this copper-bearing vein was deep underground, and had been discovered only after centuries of continuous mining in the region.
Spoiler :
What had originally started as a collection of rules to regulate tax collection, quickly grew to become a true code of laws, encompassing virtually all spheres of public and private life.
Spoiler :
The prolonged Siege of Mutal finally came to an end in Turn 481, when the last wall of the Labyrinth was breached and Noyyau troops poured into the city. The next Turn, the legendary First Spears led (again) the last charge and took control of Mutal. It was a sprawling city, rivaling Robertia in size, and though the Maya weren't as warlike as the Noyyau, they had dedicated their time to pursuits of the mind, nebulous concepts that the Noyyau could not yet fathom.
Spoiler :
Roman architects quickly integrated in the Great Noyyau Kingdom and were soon at the forefront of civil construction: they pioneered a new type of city dwelling, the insula, the precursor of the modern apartment complex, to house the ever-increasing population. Roman engineers also shared an innovative way of building paved roads, quick and affordable enough to be used not only inside cities but over long distances as well.
Now that they had access to ample supplies of iron, the Romans updated their harsh training regimens, and soon produced the first unit of what they called Praetoriani: armed with a short sword and a variation of the Noyyau tower shield, these professional soldiers were particularly adept at fighting in cities, not only during the conquest but also in the subsequent pacification period. As history would later prove, cities garrisoned by Pretorians were much less likely to find the necessary courage to revolt openly.
The chance to test the alleged combat prowess of the Pretorians happened soon enough, when a horde of Maya warriors wandered in Noyyau territory and began pillaging the countryside.
While the main force of the Royal Expedition (REX, as it came to be known) was about to leave the pacified Mutal, an exploration detachment went to have a look at the English peninsula, and since the occasion presented itself, harassed the primitive English.
As the cities built along rivers sprawled even further, it became necessary to regulate the course of the water, and canal building became a recognized and respected branch of civil engineering. As a side effect, it became also possible to bring clean water from long distances to the thirsty cities, along structures named “aqueducts”.
The situation in Mutal, though apparently peaceful, was still quite volatile, especially now that the Royal Expedition had left the city, so the Noyyau city governor, rather than risk facing an open revolt, requisitioned enough funds from the treasury to improve the living conditions of the poorest of the city, most of them orphans and widows from the recent conquest. In the governor's hopes, this would reduce somewhat the anger of the Maya subjects against their Noyyau masters.
The Royal Expedition moved north from Mutal, encountered the city of Lakamha on its path, and conquered it. “Veni, vidi, vici”, the Pretorian commander wrote in his report. As the REX discovered, Lakamha used to be a Maya city that declared its independence and formed its own city-state government, calling itself “Greece”. Not that it made any difference. Lakamha was Noyyau now.
Spoiler :
Now that they had access to ample supplies of iron, the Romans updated their harsh training regimens, and soon produced the first unit of what they called Praetoriani: armed with a short sword and a variation of the Noyyau tower shield, these professional soldiers were particularly adept at fighting in cities, not only during the conquest but also in the subsequent pacification period. As history would later prove, cities garrisoned by Pretorians were much less likely to find the necessary courage to revolt openly.
Spoiler :
The chance to test the alleged combat prowess of the Pretorians happened soon enough, when a horde of Maya warriors wandered in Noyyau territory and began pillaging the countryside.
Spoiler :
While the main force of the Royal Expedition (REX, as it came to be known) was about to leave the pacified Mutal, an exploration detachment went to have a look at the English peninsula, and since the occasion presented itself, harassed the primitive English.
Spoiler :
As the cities built along rivers sprawled even further, it became necessary to regulate the course of the water, and canal building became a recognized and respected branch of civil engineering. As a side effect, it became also possible to bring clean water from long distances to the thirsty cities, along structures named “aqueducts”.
Spoiler :
The situation in Mutal, though apparently peaceful, was still quite volatile, especially now that the Royal Expedition had left the city, so the Noyyau city governor, rather than risk facing an open revolt, requisitioned enough funds from the treasury to improve the living conditions of the poorest of the city, most of them orphans and widows from the recent conquest. In the governor's hopes, this would reduce somewhat the anger of the Maya subjects against their Noyyau masters.
Spoiler :
The Royal Expedition moved north from Mutal, encountered the city of Lakamha on its path, and conquered it. “Veni, vidi, vici”, the Pretorian commander wrote in his report. As the REX discovered, Lakamha used to be a Maya city that declared its independence and formed its own city-state government, calling itself “Greece”. Not that it made any difference. Lakamha was Noyyau now.
Spoiler :
pole475
The Blinding Light
Keep it up! Great story!
Moai_Spammer
Ave, True to Caesar!
subbed
also, nice capital, it has the best name in the whole wide world (my irl name is Robert)
also, nice capital, it has the best name in the whole wide world (my irl name is Robert
)also, nice capital, it has the best name in the whole wide world (my irl name is Robert
Robertia has been my capital ever since I played a Civ game for the first time, it was Civ II on the Playstation, and I was a wee middleschooler... guess why?
baseballpie
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2012
- Messages
- 2,092
Because...... umm...... I don't know. Third base!
pole475
The Blinding Light
Who? First Base! (I see what you did there 
)
)Meanwhile, embezzlement and harsh working conditions in the silver mines led to popular revolts in Silver Hills. Similarly to what had been done in Mutal, the city governor requisitioned funds for the miners and their families to try to placate the situation.
The recently conquered Lakamha, now that Chichen Itza was also about to be attacked, was abandoned, with the plan to resettle the inhabitants of both cities in a more convenient location. The new settlement would also be planned and regulated, as opposed to the chaotic Maya city growth.
The REX by now was a very efficient city-conquering machine. The Maya defenders stood no chance.
As per Royal Decree, the former inhabitants of Lakamha and Chichen Itza were given a new place and tools to establish a new city. Lingering tensions between Maya and their Greek offshoots had not even been considered in the planning stages. All foreigners were the same, after all.
Radical intellectuals, some of them Greek emigrants from Lakamha, and all considered enemies of the Kingdom, proposed a new and seemingly untenable form of government, one in which it was the general populace that chose its own leaders. Laughed at in polite society, nevertheless this concept would stubbornly keep resurfacing every now and then, especially in the wake of social disorders.
The REX, having completed its conquest of the mainland, turned its attention to England, which proved to be even more primitive than the Maya.
The social improvements in Mutal had only a temporary effect, and soon Maya nationalists managed to obtain enough popular support to stage a riot and stop any activity in the city.
In the span of a few Turns, the capital of the English had been reached and razed by the REX. Nothing could stop the Noyyau war machine...
...except, apparently, a barbarian archer, catching an exploring band of axemen by surprise.
Just as the Noyyau had conquered and settled (almost) the whole known world, it turned out that the world was actually much bigger than they imagined.
Coming from beyond the ocean on strange ships, for the first time ever a foreign people greeted the Noyyau with words instead of weapons.
Traditionally, Noyyau history is divided into two main eras: pre- and post- Contact.
But the spotting of that Malinese caravel did not change Noyyau society overnight. The Great Noyyau Kingdom was a continental power and it would remain such for a long time yet. So a more sensible periodization of Noyyau history should consider the main focus of the State and the society: the Intra-Continental Era, focusing on the home continent, which lasts longer than the traditional Pre-Contact Era, and the Inter-Continental Era, when the major events happen outside of historical Noyyau soil.
While Mali sailors were taking their first steps on Noyyau soil, the REX accomplished the reason of its existence and vanquished the last enemy of the Noyyau.
Or so it seemed.
Spoiler :
The recently conquered Lakamha, now that Chichen Itza was also about to be attacked, was abandoned, with the plan to resettle the inhabitants of both cities in a more convenient location. The new settlement would also be planned and regulated, as opposed to the chaotic Maya city growth.
Spoiler :
The REX by now was a very efficient city-conquering machine. The Maya defenders stood no chance.
Spoiler :
As per Royal Decree, the former inhabitants of Lakamha and Chichen Itza were given a new place and tools to establish a new city. Lingering tensions between Maya and their Greek offshoots had not even been considered in the planning stages. All foreigners were the same, after all.
Spoiler :
Radical intellectuals, some of them Greek emigrants from Lakamha, and all considered enemies of the Kingdom, proposed a new and seemingly untenable form of government, one in which it was the general populace that chose its own leaders. Laughed at in polite society, nevertheless this concept would stubbornly keep resurfacing every now and then, especially in the wake of social disorders.
Spoiler :
The REX, having completed its conquest of the mainland, turned its attention to England, which proved to be even more primitive than the Maya.
Spoiler :
The social improvements in Mutal had only a temporary effect, and soon Maya nationalists managed to obtain enough popular support to stage a riot and stop any activity in the city.
Spoiler :
In the span of a few Turns, the capital of the English had been reached and razed by the REX. Nothing could stop the Noyyau war machine...
Spoiler :
...except, apparently, a barbarian archer, catching an exploring band of axemen by surprise.
Spoiler :
Just as the Noyyau had conquered and settled (almost) the whole known world, it turned out that the world was actually much bigger than they imagined.
Coming from beyond the ocean on strange ships, for the first time ever a foreign people greeted the Noyyau with words instead of weapons.
Spoiler :
Traditionally, Noyyau history is divided into two main eras: pre- and post- Contact.
But the spotting of that Malinese caravel did not change Noyyau society overnight. The Great Noyyau Kingdom was a continental power and it would remain such for a long time yet. So a more sensible periodization of Noyyau history should consider the main focus of the State and the society: the Intra-Continental Era, focusing on the home continent, which lasts longer than the traditional Pre-Contact Era, and the Inter-Continental Era, when the major events happen outside of historical Noyyau soil.
While Mali sailors were taking their first steps on Noyyau soil, the REX accomplished the reason of its existence and vanquished the last enemy of the Noyyau.
Or so it seemed.
Spoiler :
![[party]](/images/smilies/partytime.gif "Party [party]")
Moai_Spammer
Ave, True to Caesar!
how far ahead is mansa in tech?
