Calgori
Rapture's Best & Brightest
By the way, SK, my Nárrgarde temple was intended to be a project. How much I must spend to complete it?
Kashmir
- Thread starter SouthernKing
- Start date
gay_Aleks
from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!
"Woe, woe! The Queen is dead!"
Screams like that could be heard through the capital. After a healthy rule of nearly 55 years of peace, the Queen has died. But one of her final orders changed it all. The invasion of the crumbling structure that was Scythia destabilised the region, as the state that once upon a time was causing fear through all of Dacia and not only there fell overnight like a house of cards.
Truly, not even her worst opponents, and there were many of them, couldn't reject with a straight face that the heritage that the "Merchant Queen" as she would remain in the history, will last forever. Or, at least, as some naysayers go, "until the nomads kill us all and rape all our women".
A new election had to be made. And was it uneasy. Due to the changes that were made recently, alongside with the renewed conquests, a new minority had formed. The Eight Riders. Some had greeted them. Merchants, in the end, respected only one religion, that of the money. The nobles fancied the Scythian nobility, in particular their clothes and stylish act, in spite the fact that their lands were plundered by the very armies they had just commanded into their homelands. Even if impoverished, they still had their pride, something which the Dacians respected. And then, the clergy. Ever since the decision to recreate Zalmoxism under the vision of Christianity, religion in Dacia was messy. False prophets rose and fell. Heroic acts and massacres weren't unusual.
The integration of the Chersonnes with it's urbanized cities and Eight Rider worship did not improve things. Fights among clergies were common. So far, they were verbal...but with the multiple Circles like the Circle of Alexandrou, which wanted to reinstate good old Zalmoxism, that could certainly change.
But then, a new candidate appeared. Karol of Theochleos, descendant of Greeks that were deemed ''undesirable" by the local Tyrant way back in Greece, forced to flee with what they have on their backs, settled in Dacia. After many years of hard-work, betrayal, political intriguing and other things Greeks are adept at, they became a noble house. Known well for their military adventurism, they were among the first that supported Ruboreles in his campaign to liberate the homeland from the wicked Scythian invaders. (And, of course, the first to backstab him once he opposed their goals in any way.).
This Karol, he was rather charismatic. "The smile, beware the smile!", that's one of the many slogans that his opponents used against him. Indeed, he managed to sway almost everyone, from the wealthy merchant to the hungry for land noble to the most fervent fanatic. How? The oldest way possible, used since the dawn of government...
By promising them, as one author says "heaven and hell". To the merchants, he showed his dreams of trade from the Silk Road flowing through the cities of Chersonnes and Burebista all the way to the palaces of the western kingdoms, where all trade along the Danube would be dominated by him. The nobles would receive domains stretching from their marble palaces to the deep blue waters of the Pontic Sea. For different religions he promised the destruction of another; but for others he promised that they would gain freedom of preach.
Of course, he lied for the most things. But all politicians lie. It's just that sometimes, nobody realises until it's too late.
It was once he was voted in with 275 votes "for" and only 25 "against", that they had a sudden realisation that, in fact, what he promised them was more or less impossible; that the dreams he peddled them are, just dreams.
But it as too late. Karol of Theochleos will be the new ruler of Dacia. What course will the Dacian state ply? Only He knows...
Screams like that could be heard through the capital. After a healthy rule of nearly 55 years of peace, the Queen has died. But one of her final orders changed it all. The invasion of the crumbling structure that was Scythia destabilised the region, as the state that once upon a time was causing fear through all of Dacia and not only there fell overnight like a house of cards.
Truly, not even her worst opponents, and there were many of them, couldn't reject with a straight face that the heritage that the "Merchant Queen" as she would remain in the history, will last forever. Or, at least, as some naysayers go, "until the nomads kill us all and rape all our women".
A new election had to be made. And was it uneasy. Due to the changes that were made recently, alongside with the renewed conquests, a new minority had formed. The Eight Riders. Some had greeted them. Merchants, in the end, respected only one religion, that of the money. The nobles fancied the Scythian nobility, in particular their clothes and stylish act, in spite the fact that their lands were plundered by the very armies they had just commanded into their homelands. Even if impoverished, they still had their pride, something which the Dacians respected. And then, the clergy. Ever since the decision to recreate Zalmoxism under the vision of Christianity, religion in Dacia was messy. False prophets rose and fell. Heroic acts and massacres weren't unusual.
The integration of the Chersonnes with it's urbanized cities and Eight Rider worship did not improve things. Fights among clergies were common. So far, they were verbal...but with the multiple Circles like the Circle of Alexandrou, which wanted to reinstate good old Zalmoxism, that could certainly change.
But then, a new candidate appeared. Karol of Theochleos, descendant of Greeks that were deemed ''undesirable" by the local Tyrant way back in Greece, forced to flee with what they have on their backs, settled in Dacia. After many years of hard-work, betrayal, political intriguing and other things Greeks are adept at, they became a noble house. Known well for their military adventurism, they were among the first that supported Ruboreles in his campaign to liberate the homeland from the wicked Scythian invaders. (And, of course, the first to backstab him once he opposed their goals in any way.).
This Karol, he was rather charismatic. "The smile, beware the smile!", that's one of the many slogans that his opponents used against him. Indeed, he managed to sway almost everyone, from the wealthy merchant to the hungry for land noble to the most fervent fanatic. How? The oldest way possible, used since the dawn of government...
By promising them, as one author says "heaven and hell". To the merchants, he showed his dreams of trade from the Silk Road flowing through the cities of Chersonnes and Burebista all the way to the palaces of the western kingdoms, where all trade along the Danube would be dominated by him. The nobles would receive domains stretching from their marble palaces to the deep blue waters of the Pontic Sea. For different religions he promised the destruction of another; but for others he promised that they would gain freedom of preach.
Of course, he lied for the most things. But all politicians lie. It's just that sometimes, nobody realises until it's too late.
It was once he was voted in with 275 votes "for" and only 25 "against", that they had a sudden realisation that, in fact, what he promised them was more or less impossible; that the dreams he peddled them are, just dreams.
But it as too late. Karol of Theochleos will be the new ruler of Dacia. What course will the Dacian state ply? Only He knows...
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Thanks all! And to the people changing countries, certainly.
To: Yibram
From: Kilwa
No. You have interfered in affairs that are not your own for long enough. If war is the path you take, then let it be war, and God shall smite you and lay justice upon you.
I think a total of 6 EP should be good. I'll add it to the projects, sorry.
To: Yibram
From: Kilwa
No. You have interfered in affairs that are not your own for long enough. If war is the path you take, then let it be war, and God shall smite you and lay justice upon you.
I think a total of 6 EP should be good. I'll add it to the projects, sorry.
Terran Empress
Hornet
dropping Karnataka
thomas.berubeg
Wandering the World
Why?Edit: Now they can be allfatherist!
Civ'ed
I ain't gotta explain a thing
I'm not a puritan when it comes to alt-history, and I don't want to start an argument, but a word for "Prince/King" in all languages of Tungus linguistic family is "toyon," and the word for "clan" or "union of families" is "nym."
It's okay, "khaldom" doesn't need to be defended. History of nations can alter their language developments, so "khal" is completely fine by me.
Meanwhile, great update, SouthernKing! Empires rise, empires fall.
I recall reading it somewhere. not too important I guess, especially when the Kamchachans created an artificial lingua franca
Calgori
Rapture's Best & Brightest
To: Carthage
From: Samojardia
Our Kingdom would be interested in hiring the services of some of your naval engineers to teach our shipbuilders your naval wisdom. What could we offer to make this deal profitable for both nations?
From: Samojardia
Our Kingdom would be interested in hiring the services of some of your naval engineers to teach our shipbuilders your naval wisdom. What could we offer to make this deal profitable for both nations?
From Ilmenian Veche
To Tsar Mezamir of All the Wends
Goi yesi, Vladyka [Greetings, High Lord].
The nobles, traders, and free people of Ilmen' send their regards from the city of Veliky Novogorod and ask for your permission to build a number of trade stations along the Volga and the Dnieper rivers all the way to the Chornoye and Khvalynskoye seas [the Black and the Caspian seas]. With old Scythian trade routes in decline, our merchants worry that the river rapids and lack of supply depots will lead to decline of Volga-Dnieper trade and slow impoverishment of the whole southern steppe. However, with your permission and our investments, it is in our power to revive the trade routes and extend them through the Kama and the Neva rivers all the way to the Varyazhskoye and the Beloye seas [the Baltic and the White seas], giving the people of the south a steady supply of fur, timber, and iron in exchange for their silk, incense, and spice.
Our requirements are quite humble. Several torgovy gorodoks [trade posts] will be built by Ilmenian people along the Dnieper and the Volga in locations of our choosing. Within these posts, the laws of Ilmenian Slovenes will govern life of locals and travelers. Up to three tenth (30%) of all profits from each of the trade posts will be payed to the Tsar of All the Wends for his benevolent permission for the posts to exist and function.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
To: Ilmenian Veche
From: The Wends
Certainly. The offer you propose sounds like it will bring great wealth to both our realms, and that we can agree to.
I'm not sure what the deadline is at this stage but at the earliest it'll be about 1.5 weeks from now.
From: The Wends
Certainly. The offer you propose sounds like it will bring great wealth to both our realms, and that we can agree to.
I'm not sure what the deadline is at this stage but at the earliest it'll be about 1.5 weeks from now.
gay_Aleks
from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!
Scythia was dead. But it took no longer than a decade until a new entity, called the Wendish Empire would take it's place. It's rulers had ambitions; but who didn't? The ghost of Scythia will be the feverish dream that will take ahold of the rulers in this region for a long time, much alike the Roman Empire in the west. A restored Scythia is the worst nightmare for rulers from the warm Black Sea shores to the frigid north wastes where few go, and even fewer return.
And especially so for Dacia. The port of Chersones was a critical addition to it, as it expanded the Dacian holdings in the Black Sea, thus bolstering commerce. That is why, in the year of God, 656, a series of forts were created to keep Dacia safe.
These are the locations of the cities where fortresses will be built. Between them 2-3-4, there would be a number of regiments that would guard against eventual attacks.
1. Bononia, the guard to the Dacian portions of the Danube with extreme importance
2. Bych, a salt-trading town well-known to Dacian traders and caravans.
3. The town which the locals call "Kyiv", with a great position for a defense against an eventual invasion
4. Chersones itself.
They would be stone fortresses, with moats and armed with ballistas. A structure dominating over the background. And over the peoples living in the cities.
As God intended.
And especially so for Dacia. The port of Chersones was a critical addition to it, as it expanded the Dacian holdings in the Black Sea, thus bolstering commerce. That is why, in the year of God, 656, a series of forts were created to keep Dacia safe.
These are the locations of the cities where fortresses will be built. Between them 2-3-4, there would be a number of regiments that would guard against eventual attacks.
1. Bononia, the guard to the Dacian portions of the Danube with extreme importance
2. Bych, a salt-trading town well-known to Dacian traders and caravans.
3. The town which the locals call "Kyiv", with a great position for a defense against an eventual invasion
4. Chersones itself.
They would be stone fortresses, with moats and armed with ballistas. A structure dominating over the background. And over the peoples living in the cities.
As God intended.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
- Hui Man Keung, Imperial Chancellor and Duke of Taiwan
Only a few years after the formation of the Imperial Council, Hui Man Keung remained the only one still alive from the Five Eunuchs, as the other four died due to old age or 'accidents', although bad language accuses Hui Man Keung of assassinating them. Instead of the Emperor choosing other Eunuchs or officials to take over the four vacant offices, he disbanded the Imperial Council and elevated Hui to 'Imperial Chancellor'. He also gave him the honorific title of 'Duke of Taiwan'. Hui became the most powerful Eunuch in Chinese history as no other Eunuch wielded so much power since the Ancient times.
Hui was the effective ruler of the Empire. Being a lover of poetry and arts, he directed the Empire's finances into projects that would make the Ming Dynasty an indeed bright dynasty, bright in terms not only of military and economic power, but also of arts. The Ming Empire was to become a cultural powerhouse. So, Hui ordered the construction of a Great Library in Jianking, the capital of the Ming Empire. The new Library was meant to house all known poetic and philosophical books, from the Confucian classics to the Wen Xuan of Xiao Tong. It would also demonstrate China's cultural prowess and make the "barbarians" stand in awe before Chinese civilization.
Hui was also interested in producing art, not just collecting it. So he directed funds into building Operas in all major Chinese cities. The most famous plays of those Operas were based on the Three Kingdoms era, especially on Guan Yu and Cao Cao. But the most important part of this project was the fact that the Operas would be open to anyone interested to come. They would be free and funded only by the Imperial Treasury. This would allow even poor people to watch Opera. Not only would this educate the people, but it would also keep them happy and away from politics. Hui knew that even with the support of the army and the aristocracy, without popular support no one can remain in power.
China had a long tradition of large scale projects. During the Sung Dynasty, mathematicians were more important and prestigious than aristocrats and some of them even became Chancellors. This was to be the case with the Ming Dynasty too. Hui appointed as Chief Engineer the mathematician Qiao Er, a middle-aged man who until then was mostly engineering minor projects but whose mathematical treatises had impressed all Imperial Scholars. Hui was a man who liked hiring talents for the government and was not afraid to stand besides other talented and charismatic men. So, Qiao Er begun his engineering with the full support of Hui and the Emperor.
- Zhang Wuji, Generalissimo of Ming
Hui also managed to gain complete control of the army by appointing his friend, Zhang Wuji, as Generalissimo of Ming. A relative young and quite charismatic General, Zhang Wuji was admired by his men and had their respect. He was strict but also effective and cared for his men. He would sleep in the same tents as his men and eat the same food as them. Zhang Wuji was certainly not a man appointed only due to Hui's friendship, but also a very able man on his own. Zhang Wuji was given by Hui the order to reorganize and enlarge the "Army of Heaven" and make it the most fearsome force in the entire world. Zhang Wuji recruited thousands of men and made them endure harsh and cruel training. However, he participated in every task he ordered his men to do. The soldiers, seeing their leader training alongside them, were putting all of their effort into the training.
So, Zhang Wuji was able to make the Ming army a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, this fearsome force allowed Hui to have complete control over the Empire and dissuade his political enemies from trying anything.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
From: Ming Empire
To: Cham Empire
His Imperial Majesty, the Son of Heaven and ruler of All Under Heaven, the Illustrious Xiatong,
Proposes that the Ming Empire and Cham should unite in a military alliance in order to ensure stability in the area and increase trade by removing obstacles to the movement of goods between Our two nations.
His Imperial Majesty also wants a Cham Princess to be given as wife for the Ming Crown Prince and future Emperor, Yang Lianting. This would symbolize the bonds between our two Empires and further help in improving the relations between Us.
With regards,
To Emperor of Cham
To: Cham Empire
His Imperial Majesty, the Son of Heaven and ruler of All Under Heaven, the Illustrious Xiatong,
Proposes that the Ming Empire and Cham should unite in a military alliance in order to ensure stability in the area and increase trade by removing obstacles to the movement of goods between Our two nations.
His Imperial Majesty also wants a Cham Princess to be given as wife for the Ming Crown Prince and future Emperor, Yang Lianting. This would symbolize the bonds between our two Empires and further help in improving the relations between Us.
With regards,
To Emperor of Cham
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
To: The Emperor of All Under Heaven
From: Empire of the Chams
Agreed to all counts, though perhaps we should clarify the military alliance as a defensive one.
From: Empire of the Chams
Agreed to all counts, though perhaps we should clarify the military alliance as a defensive one.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
Agreed.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Orders due 17 June
Calgori
Rapture's Best & Brightest
Re-sending a messenger... 
SamSniped
DJ Goodboye
To: Samojardia
From: Carthage
We are delighted to hear that the fame of our navy has spread so far! For a small fee (5 EP), we are willing to send a select few of our more adventurous admirals to help instruct your fleet in our tactics. We are unfamiliar with...wherever you are from, however. Some maps of the region may prove extremely helpful.
From: Carthage
We are delighted to hear that the fame of our navy has spread so far! For a small fee (5 EP), we are willing to send a select few of our more adventurous admirals to help instruct your fleet in our tactics. We are unfamiliar with...wherever you are from, however. Some maps of the region may prove extremely helpful.
Calgori
Rapture's Best & Brightest
To: Carthage
From: Samojardia
We accept your requests, we'll send you jewelry, gold and trade goods for an amount of (5 EP). Also, the best cartographers of our kingdom will create a precise atlas of our shores.
From: Samojardia
We accept your requests, we'll send you jewelry, gold and trade goods for an amount of (5 EP). Also, the best cartographers of our kingdom will create a precise atlas of our shores.
SamSniped
DJ Goodboye
Wonderful! We hope to have further relations with your nation and your people.
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