mythmonster2
BEC NOIR! RUN!
Yeah, this is a fun one, even if it isn't a full-blooded NES.
Alternate Timeline Building Experiment, v1.0
- Thread starter Daftpanzer
- Start date
Abaddon
Deity
I hope there's at least a sequel. I've long been a lurker on this forum, but the whole complicated rulesets and orders and troop levels just seemed like too much work. This, on the otherhand, is just pure storytelling
I think you would be suprised how easy the rules are to grasp if you just give them the time to read them through and do one or two turns.
mythmonster2
BEC NOIR! RUN!
Also true, at first I was overwhelmed with the End of Empires, but now I think I've got it.
Nick014
Deposed Despot
bump in hopes of an update tonight 
Daftpanzer
canonically ambiguous
(left Americas till last as usual, and ran out of time tonight 
)
Era 8: Barbarians at the Gates
(map: click for big version)
Cattle-herders on the plains of Asia had prospered following the domestication of the horse, especially after the adoption of horseback-riding and stronger breeds of horses. These cultures and tribes steadily grew in strength and numbers over the centuries. Their mobility and toughness gave them an edge over the armies of more 'civilized' peoples. The Kurzan, Sarvonians and Sai-Hsin were just the first of many waves of invaders which would come from the vast open plains. Around 400 AD, another wave began. Within a few decades, three large invasions struck at each of the main cradles of civilization across Eurasia. And, around the same time, the American civilizations were also attacked by land and sea. Thus, this era is known as the age of great barbarian invasions. Though millions were killed, and much was destroyed, the beginnings of new and stronger things were also forged from the chaos...
The first invasion was that of the Tuzan, relatives of the much-older Kurzan culture, from whom they inherited (and improved upon) a strong horse-riding tradition, totally reliant upon the horse and the bow. The Tuzan were driven by the belief in a great apocalypse that would consume the eastern world (a prophecy that would later be fulfilled, to a certain extent), and the need to conquer a new home in the west. In 387 AD, the Tuzan crossed into the lands of the Savisian Empire and the edge of western civilization (that Empire was partly founded by Sarvonian culture, still nomadic warriors at heart, similar to the Tuzan). At that time, Savisia was embroiled in the 6th Pelonarian War against the rival Voresian Empire, including respective allies on both sides, while rebel warlords were causing problems at home. The Tuzan were able to plough their way towards the official capitol of the Savisian Empire (located in Kupato peninsular), where they fought - and lost - a famous battle on teh northern shores of the Black Sea (also called the 'Savisian Sea' at the time) against the great Ytvrek, warrior-king of Savisia (fresh from sacking Pelonar, again). Ytvrek made the Tuzan his vassals, and took a young Tuzan noble called Tagarot as hostage.
At this point, the chronicles of Tagarot's life begin to diverge. The common themes are his great charisma and bravery, elaborate scheming, and an alleged talent for prophecy and various magic arts. We know that eventually, by around 400 AD, with Ytvrek dead and the Savisian Empire crumbling on several fronts, Tagarot had usurped much of the old Savisian system of authority (with the aid of Serezyl, King of Zevron and childhood friend of Tagarot during his captivity), and the Tuzan were heading west again - this time with large numbers of Sarvonian, Sheshegi, Golanur, Sai-Hsin and various other ethnic groups, all marching and riding under the banner of a great divine winged horse, the symbol chosen by Tagarot to guide them to their new home and empire.
The war and turmoil that followed is too complex to describe here. And in any case, there are still large gaps in the known history of the time. What we can say is that Tagarot's horde sacked many of the cities in Europe - basically the cities of the northern Voresian Empire and Mavan Kingdom - many of which were attacked and sacked again and again by later factions, until the urban population of Europe was reduced by around two thirds. Tagarot eventually (by 416 AD) found his home on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, where he promptly died of supposedly natural (some say alcohol and female) causes, and the Targarotay Kingdom was named after him, now home to a mongrel mix of peoples (as was much of europe). The Krilik kingdoms flowed with the tide, first helping the Tuzan and then exploiting the aftermath for their own purposes (the Krilik Wolf-Blood warriors became especially famous at this time). Bohemoi peoples flocked back to the Alpine mountains and built a strong kingdom there, while their cousins the Chechy were pushed into the Aelari peninsular. The Voresian Empire fought back against the odds (its people still united in worship of Orimudis), plotting endlessly, making alliances (using its allies as shields on some occasions), and finally just clinging on to life, although it was left thoroughly exhausted and depleted of wealth and manpower. And the Savisian Empire itself was replaced by the 'Kan' Empire, ruled by the Tuzan and their allies who did not wish to follow Tagarot so far west, and basically re-used the same Sheshegi-dominated bureaucratic system, changing very little else. The 'Arkts' were vassal states of the Kan Empire, granted a little more freedom than those of the Savisian and other empires. The whole construct was especially fragile, but would have been totally impossible without the tradition of the Savisian Empire to go on (one that had survived a few centuries at least).
The other old powers of the Mediterranean were not in good shape either - the Tesnaran Empire, which at one point seemed destined for greatness across western Europe, had suffered a continual failure of leadership, and lost wars it really should have won against the Pargians and Voresians. It retained territory in Europe only thanks to the buffering effect of the Aelari Kingdom, and kept its territory in Africa only because of the lack of serious enemies there. The common Mavan/Pargian cultural zone, nourished by centuries of relative peace and trade, was now being broken up by the intrusion of new invaders onto the Mediterranean coasts (although achievements were still being made - it is believed Tesnaran ships had circumnavigated Africa by this time, and found new islands along the way). Ancient Pargia itself, despite the best efforts of its leaders and armies, was humbled and reduced to the state of a mere kingdom - weakened by religious war between the traditional worship of Jonsar I and the new followers Waina (a religion imported from India, via the Garakal and the emerging Yarala kingdoms), then overwhelmed by foreign horse-riding armies (against which it had little experience) in the chaotic fall-out of the Tuizen invasions and the wider chaos across Asia...
The second and third great invasions of this age were both spawned from the Tuizen, a relatively new cultural group, which is first recorded by Yueren scribes as being present on the eastern steppes around 100 AD. The Tuizen lived in the shadow of the Sai-Hsin and the great empires further south, but bided their time and grew stronger until 450 AD, when a large number of them where united under a single ruling dynasty and began to attack the urban centres of eastern Asia. There they found the Tianshi Empire struggling to hold on to power, with Yueren kingdoms already independent and others threatening to go the same way.
The story of the eastern Tuizen is both simpler and more complex than that of the Tuzan. On one hand, it involved a less diverse group of cultures, and no leaders of the time stand out above any other. On the other hand, it took considerably longer, involved even more political intrigue, and caused the deaths of even more people. The Tuizen sacked many of the Yueren cities (the greatest in the world) and those of the central Tianshi Empire, many of which never recovered. Tianshi power was destroyed in a series of small battles - the last charioteers of east Asia were proven to be obsolete in the face of hardened Tuizen cavalry; elite Tianshi infantry were worn down by an enemy which preferred to skirmish and fight from a distance.
The Tuizen founded their own empire, mainly based upon Tianshi model, but after decades of fighting and plundering, they found they could not complete the conquest of east Asia. Both Yueren and the southern Tiandishi (former vassal of the Tianshi) states began to bounce back, adopting pikes and crossbows to fight the Tuizen horsemen (an account of one Yueren city resisting with 'globes of fire and thunder', while interesting, has never been substantiated), while the Tuizen gradually became more like the states they had conquered. The Yueren rallied around Wuzhen - an ancient ceremonial site and burial ground of princes and high priests, which then became home to thousands of refugees and eventually grew into a well-fortified city. Spurred on by the threat of imminent death or slavery, the Wuzhen army came close to the perfect ideal as defined by the ancient writings of Shoushan - an army that 'obeyed without question and stood its ground, without need for either punishments or rewards'. By 500 AD, a fragile three-way balance of power had been reached in the east, as the Tuizen had drawn a wedge between the Yueren and Tianshi cultures (which had been close to achieving a kind of unity under the Tianshi Empire). The Yueren were left especially traumatised and militarised, and the golden age of Yueren art and literacy was now at an end. Meanwhile Tiandishi culture was left in a slightly more positive mood, having outlasted Tianshi militarism and suffered less destruction to its own heartland, while still benefiting from trade with south-east Asia and India. Tiandishi religious philosophy also was codified at this time as Mingdebu, or the 'Walk of Life' (borrowing from both Yueren and Indian influences).
Of those Tuizen who remained on the steppe, some were later united by another strong dynasty, and ventured into the west. Known as the Western or Black Tuizen, they eventually attacked the Kaj Empire (around 480 AD) and were able to penetrate its extensive border defences, thanks in part to it's ongoing civil war and conflict with the neighbouring Wainist kingdoms of Jornmarin (Shynism being the official religion of the Kaj). Much of the western Kaj territory was sacked, cities burned, and people massacred, much the same as happened elsewhere. Yet the Tuizen did not stay in India - possibly, as Kaj chroniclers claim, because of the valiant effort of Kaj armies, or more likely a simple lack of will on behalf of the Black Tuizen leaders. There was no 'barbarian' empire founded in India. The surviving Kaj territory was split between squabbling generals and city-states, while the Black Tuizen headed further west into Mesopotamia, destroyed much of the Hannuri and Utuap Kingdoms, and added to the general chaos in the region, before finally breaking up and returning to the steppe (leaving behind enough lesser warlords to form the base of the hybrid Izaman chiefdoms). Other cultures were pushed westwards - Sheshegi groups once again overran the upper Nile, later forming the powerful Hassam Kingdom, while relatives of the Asiatic Sai-Hsin now held power in the remaining cities of western Mesopotamia. In India, the great literary wealth of the Kaj lived on, and by 650 AD the Guraj Kingdom had emerged as most likely heir to the old empire (and unlike the other Kaj kingdoms, it was based almost entirely on Kramtob ethnic groups and Shynist religion).
The Americas also saw a fair amount of death and destruction at this time. Much can be blamed on the Timiquican island kingdoms, which after 350 AD set out on a new wave of raiding and conquest. It's unclear to what extent the legend of the ' Great Competition' is based on real events - we know that four kings did indeed go overseas, with their ships, and armies, in four different directions, though probably not all at the same time. And in the ensuing chaos, the Timiquicans were more divided than ever.
It seems the great Chuklikan Empire left itself open for attack as it pushed its borders relentlessly northwards. The Timiquican King Nochehuatl invaded the coastal provinces, as the Xanto and Suak tribes attacked from the north, and the Tulma attacked from the south (the Axlmec city-states of the Yucatan were also attacked from all sides, including from each other). The debris of civilization was spread further northwards, sowing seeds from which later kingdoms could grow. For now, the mystical Xante kingdom grew from Xanto tribes in the northern mountains, becoming roughly equivalent to Asia's Shyin, complete with its own religion - Lantan, the ' journey', a concept which seems to have spread rapidly to neighbouring peoples in both east and west (the Washagon Kingdom in particular, where it may have trigged conflict with older beliefs, contributing to unrest and decline of that state). Meanwhile the Panto farming chiefdoms were forced to unite against attack from all sides, incorporating the remains of Nanto culture in the process.
The rest of the events across North America, South America and Africa are harder to track, given the fewer number of written records that survive. We can say that in all those continents, new tribes were on the move, new powers rose, and older chiefdoms and kingdoms declined - either due to warfare, or disruption of traditional trade routes (or both).
Its now around 650 AD.
Cultures and Factions Ownership:
Since this is getting longer and more confusing, please feel free to ignore some of them, and only send orders/input for anything you are interested in!
The rest: NPC, and may be claimed by new people. BUT please check with me first, and I can tell you what tribes/factions/cultures are related to what.
For the factions that have more than one 'player', each can send their own orders/input regardless of the others. If there are big differences, then that may result in civil wars etc.
Notes:
@Lord Aiken, you didn't actually have any say over the Tulma tribes, but it turns out I had the same idea about their actions.
Feedback/suggestions about anything in general are very welcome!
Next Era: (PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!!!)
Era 9 will be The World Transformed. The ancient ages have run their course. The world has changed, with iron weapons and horses and new ideas running riot. None of the existing kingdoms and powers look very stable. This will be a change to reinvent things, make new kingdoms and empires with new themes, and come up with new ideas. Its also a chance to set the world on a new course - a comfortable middle-ages, or a dangerous rush into knowledge and enlightenment? Basically, there will be a lot more freedom than usual to change things.
I intend to post Era #9 sometime on Wednesday night / early Thursday my time, that is slightly less than 48 hours from time of this post. I think an update every two days would be better all round, to avoid too much rushing as this gets more complex.
Reminder: Please feel free to give any kind of input you want, but a simple list of priorities would be good. Names of great cities, leaders and places could also be useful, though may not actually appear in the updates for some time. I will accept PM's if need be, otherwise you can just post in the thread. It would be helpful if you could take a second to boldify the name of your tribe/chiefdom/people, so I know what you are talking about, and can easily find that post again...
New Cultures:
These are still accepted at this time, please refer to the template on first page.
)Era 8: Barbarians at the Gates
(map: click for big version)
Cattle-herders on the plains of Asia had prospered following the domestication of the horse, especially after the adoption of horseback-riding and stronger breeds of horses. These cultures and tribes steadily grew in strength and numbers over the centuries. Their mobility and toughness gave them an edge over the armies of more 'civilized' peoples. The Kurzan, Sarvonians and Sai-Hsin were just the first of many waves of invaders which would come from the vast open plains. Around 400 AD, another wave began. Within a few decades, three large invasions struck at each of the main cradles of civilization across Eurasia. And, around the same time, the American civilizations were also attacked by land and sea. Thus, this era is known as the age of great barbarian invasions. Though millions were killed, and much was destroyed, the beginnings of new and stronger things were also forged from the chaos...
---
The first invasion was that of the Tuzan, relatives of the much-older Kurzan culture, from whom they inherited (and improved upon) a strong horse-riding tradition, totally reliant upon the horse and the bow. The Tuzan were driven by the belief in a great apocalypse that would consume the eastern world (a prophecy that would later be fulfilled, to a certain extent), and the need to conquer a new home in the west. In 387 AD, the Tuzan crossed into the lands of the Savisian Empire and the edge of western civilization (that Empire was partly founded by Sarvonian culture, still nomadic warriors at heart, similar to the Tuzan). At that time, Savisia was embroiled in the 6th Pelonarian War against the rival Voresian Empire, including respective allies on both sides, while rebel warlords were causing problems at home. The Tuzan were able to plough their way towards the official capitol of the Savisian Empire (located in Kupato peninsular), where they fought - and lost - a famous battle on teh northern shores of the Black Sea (also called the 'Savisian Sea' at the time) against the great Ytvrek, warrior-king of Savisia (fresh from sacking Pelonar, again). Ytvrek made the Tuzan his vassals, and took a young Tuzan noble called Tagarot as hostage.
At this point, the chronicles of Tagarot's life begin to diverge. The common themes are his great charisma and bravery, elaborate scheming, and an alleged talent for prophecy and various magic arts. We know that eventually, by around 400 AD, with Ytvrek dead and the Savisian Empire crumbling on several fronts, Tagarot had usurped much of the old Savisian system of authority (with the aid of Serezyl, King of Zevron and childhood friend of Tagarot during his captivity), and the Tuzan were heading west again - this time with large numbers of Sarvonian, Sheshegi, Golanur, Sai-Hsin and various other ethnic groups, all marching and riding under the banner of a great divine winged horse, the symbol chosen by Tagarot to guide them to their new home and empire.
The war and turmoil that followed is too complex to describe here. And in any case, there are still large gaps in the known history of the time. What we can say is that Tagarot's horde sacked many of the cities in Europe - basically the cities of the northern Voresian Empire and Mavan Kingdom - many of which were attacked and sacked again and again by later factions, until the urban population of Europe was reduced by around two thirds. Tagarot eventually (by 416 AD) found his home on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, where he promptly died of supposedly natural (some say alcohol and female) causes, and the Targarotay Kingdom was named after him, now home to a mongrel mix of peoples (as was much of europe). The Krilik kingdoms flowed with the tide, first helping the Tuzan and then exploiting the aftermath for their own purposes (the Krilik Wolf-Blood warriors became especially famous at this time). Bohemoi peoples flocked back to the Alpine mountains and built a strong kingdom there, while their cousins the Chechy were pushed into the Aelari peninsular. The Voresian Empire fought back against the odds (its people still united in worship of Orimudis), plotting endlessly, making alliances (using its allies as shields on some occasions), and finally just clinging on to life, although it was left thoroughly exhausted and depleted of wealth and manpower. And the Savisian Empire itself was replaced by the 'Kan' Empire, ruled by the Tuzan and their allies who did not wish to follow Tagarot so far west, and basically re-used the same Sheshegi-dominated bureaucratic system, changing very little else. The 'Arkts' were vassal states of the Kan Empire, granted a little more freedom than those of the Savisian and other empires. The whole construct was especially fragile, but would have been totally impossible without the tradition of the Savisian Empire to go on (one that had survived a few centuries at least).
The other old powers of the Mediterranean were not in good shape either - the Tesnaran Empire, which at one point seemed destined for greatness across western Europe, had suffered a continual failure of leadership, and lost wars it really should have won against the Pargians and Voresians. It retained territory in Europe only thanks to the buffering effect of the Aelari Kingdom, and kept its territory in Africa only because of the lack of serious enemies there. The common Mavan/Pargian cultural zone, nourished by centuries of relative peace and trade, was now being broken up by the intrusion of new invaders onto the Mediterranean coasts (although achievements were still being made - it is believed Tesnaran ships had circumnavigated Africa by this time, and found new islands along the way). Ancient Pargia itself, despite the best efforts of its leaders and armies, was humbled and reduced to the state of a mere kingdom - weakened by religious war between the traditional worship of Jonsar I and the new followers Waina (a religion imported from India, via the Garakal and the emerging Yarala kingdoms), then overwhelmed by foreign horse-riding armies (against which it had little experience) in the chaotic fall-out of the Tuizen invasions and the wider chaos across Asia...
---
The second and third great invasions of this age were both spawned from the Tuizen, a relatively new cultural group, which is first recorded by Yueren scribes as being present on the eastern steppes around 100 AD. The Tuizen lived in the shadow of the Sai-Hsin and the great empires further south, but bided their time and grew stronger until 450 AD, when a large number of them where united under a single ruling dynasty and began to attack the urban centres of eastern Asia. There they found the Tianshi Empire struggling to hold on to power, with Yueren kingdoms already independent and others threatening to go the same way.
The story of the eastern Tuizen is both simpler and more complex than that of the Tuzan. On one hand, it involved a less diverse group of cultures, and no leaders of the time stand out above any other. On the other hand, it took considerably longer, involved even more political intrigue, and caused the deaths of even more people. The Tuizen sacked many of the Yueren cities (the greatest in the world) and those of the central Tianshi Empire, many of which never recovered. Tianshi power was destroyed in a series of small battles - the last charioteers of east Asia were proven to be obsolete in the face of hardened Tuizen cavalry; elite Tianshi infantry were worn down by an enemy which preferred to skirmish and fight from a distance.
The Tuizen founded their own empire, mainly based upon Tianshi model, but after decades of fighting and plundering, they found they could not complete the conquest of east Asia. Both Yueren and the southern Tiandishi (former vassal of the Tianshi) states began to bounce back, adopting pikes and crossbows to fight the Tuizen horsemen (an account of one Yueren city resisting with 'globes of fire and thunder', while interesting, has never been substantiated), while the Tuizen gradually became more like the states they had conquered. The Yueren rallied around Wuzhen - an ancient ceremonial site and burial ground of princes and high priests, which then became home to thousands of refugees and eventually grew into a well-fortified city. Spurred on by the threat of imminent death or slavery, the Wuzhen army came close to the perfect ideal as defined by the ancient writings of Shoushan - an army that 'obeyed without question and stood its ground, without need for either punishments or rewards'. By 500 AD, a fragile three-way balance of power had been reached in the east, as the Tuizen had drawn a wedge between the Yueren and Tianshi cultures (which had been close to achieving a kind of unity under the Tianshi Empire). The Yueren were left especially traumatised and militarised, and the golden age of Yueren art and literacy was now at an end. Meanwhile Tiandishi culture was left in a slightly more positive mood, having outlasted Tianshi militarism and suffered less destruction to its own heartland, while still benefiting from trade with south-east Asia and India. Tiandishi religious philosophy also was codified at this time as Mingdebu, or the 'Walk of Life' (borrowing from both Yueren and Indian influences).
Of those Tuizen who remained on the steppe, some were later united by another strong dynasty, and ventured into the west. Known as the Western or Black Tuizen, they eventually attacked the Kaj Empire (around 480 AD) and were able to penetrate its extensive border defences, thanks in part to it's ongoing civil war and conflict with the neighbouring Wainist kingdoms of Jornmarin (Shynism being the official religion of the Kaj). Much of the western Kaj territory was sacked, cities burned, and people massacred, much the same as happened elsewhere. Yet the Tuizen did not stay in India - possibly, as Kaj chroniclers claim, because of the valiant effort of Kaj armies, or more likely a simple lack of will on behalf of the Black Tuizen leaders. There was no 'barbarian' empire founded in India. The surviving Kaj territory was split between squabbling generals and city-states, while the Black Tuizen headed further west into Mesopotamia, destroyed much of the Hannuri and Utuap Kingdoms, and added to the general chaos in the region, before finally breaking up and returning to the steppe (leaving behind enough lesser warlords to form the base of the hybrid Izaman chiefdoms). Other cultures were pushed westwards - Sheshegi groups once again overran the upper Nile, later forming the powerful Hassam Kingdom, while relatives of the Asiatic Sai-Hsin now held power in the remaining cities of western Mesopotamia. In India, the great literary wealth of the Kaj lived on, and by 650 AD the Guraj Kingdom had emerged as most likely heir to the old empire (and unlike the other Kaj kingdoms, it was based almost entirely on Kramtob ethnic groups and Shynist religion).
---
The Americas also saw a fair amount of death and destruction at this time. Much can be blamed on the Timiquican island kingdoms, which after 350 AD set out on a new wave of raiding and conquest. It's unclear to what extent the legend of the ' Great Competition' is based on real events - we know that four kings did indeed go overseas, with their ships, and armies, in four different directions, though probably not all at the same time. And in the ensuing chaos, the Timiquicans were more divided than ever.
It seems the great Chuklikan Empire left itself open for attack as it pushed its borders relentlessly northwards. The Timiquican King Nochehuatl invaded the coastal provinces, as the Xanto and Suak tribes attacked from the north, and the Tulma attacked from the south (the Axlmec city-states of the Yucatan were also attacked from all sides, including from each other). The debris of civilization was spread further northwards, sowing seeds from which later kingdoms could grow. For now, the mystical Xante kingdom grew from Xanto tribes in the northern mountains, becoming roughly equivalent to Asia's Shyin, complete with its own religion - Lantan, the ' journey', a concept which seems to have spread rapidly to neighbouring peoples in both east and west (the Washagon Kingdom in particular, where it may have trigged conflict with older beliefs, contributing to unrest and decline of that state). Meanwhile the Panto farming chiefdoms were forced to unite against attack from all sides, incorporating the remains of Nanto culture in the process.
The rest of the events across North America, South America and Africa are harder to track, given the fewer number of written records that survive. We can say that in all those continents, new tribes were on the move, new powers rose, and older chiefdoms and kingdoms declined - either due to warfare, or disruption of traditional trade routes (or both).
---
Its now around 650 AD.
Cultures and Factions Ownership:
Since this is getting longer and more confusing, please feel free to ignore some of them, and only send orders/input for anything you are interested in!
Spoiler show :
The rest: NPC, and may be claimed by new people. BUT please check with me first, and I can tell you what tribes/factions/cultures are related to what.
For the factions that have more than one 'player', each can send their own orders/input regardless of the others. If there are big differences, then that may result in civil wars etc.
Notes:
@Lord Aiken, you didn't actually have any say over the Tulma tribes, but it turns out I had the same idea about their actions.
Feedback/suggestions about anything in general are very welcome!
Next Era: (PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!!!)
Era 9 will be The World Transformed. The ancient ages have run their course. The world has changed, with iron weapons and horses and new ideas running riot. None of the existing kingdoms and powers look very stable. This will be a change to reinvent things, make new kingdoms and empires with new themes, and come up with new ideas. Its also a chance to set the world on a new course - a comfortable middle-ages, or a dangerous rush into knowledge and enlightenment? Basically, there will be a lot more freedom than usual to change things.
I intend to post Era #9 sometime on Wednesday night / early Thursday my time, that is slightly less than 48 hours from time of this post. I think an update every two days would be better all round, to avoid too much rushing as this gets more complex.
Reminder: Please feel free to give any kind of input you want, but a simple list of priorities would be good. Names of great cities, leaders and places could also be useful, though may not actually appear in the updates for some time. I will accept PM's if need be, otherwise you can just post in the thread. It would be helpful if you could take a second to boldify the name of your tribe/chiefdom/people, so I know what you are talking about, and can easily find that post again...
New Cultures:
These are still accepted at this time, please refer to the template on first page.
KrimzonStriker
Master of the Dawn
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2005
- Messages
- 1,933
Well, this looks interesting Daft. Mind I hijack one of the unclaimed cultures on this map? I'd like the Toyon please if you don't mind
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
*salutes* To an Empire! One Empire Under the Sun!
Neverwonagame3
Self-Styled Intellectual
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2006
- Messages
- 3,549
Priorities:
I'm going to start playing this like an NES.
Hassam Empire:
1: Get conquered by the Pargians
Pargian Empire:
1: Conquer the Hassam Empire
Aelari:
1: Conquer as much of the Tesnaran Empire as possible
2: Maintain current terrortories
Tesnaran Empire:
1: Lose as much land to the Aelari as possible
I'm going to start playing this like an NES.
Hassam Empire:
1: Get conquered by the Pargians
Pargian Empire:
1: Conquer the Hassam Empire
Aelari:
1: Conquer as much of the Tesnaran Empire as possible
2: Maintain current terrortories
Tesnaran Empire:
1: Lose as much land to the Aelari as possible
Nick014
Deposed Despot
I'm in a storytelling mood, so here's a big one for the Panto
The Tale of the Brothers Anthor
Condensed Version:
In the ruins of the northern-most Panto City-state of Yanta, a mother and her two young twins fled the raging Makantaw hordes that had descended upon the city but a few days before. No one knew exactly why diplomatic channels had broken down between the Panto confederation and the northern kingdoms, but it was undisputed that they achieved complete surprise on the sleeping City. The Yantan armies had been called south to wage war against strange invaders from across the sea, and the small garrison remaining was no match for the barbarian hordes. Now all that remained of Yanta was the shell of the outer wall, and the burned out husks of what were once neat stone cottages, warehouses, and shops. But the other fact that remained shrouded in mystery that day, was that while the ruler of Yantan had died in the final assault, his wife and two young sons had escaped...
They would be taken to Antol, where they were raised inconspicuously as farm-hands on a wealthy baron's estate just outside of the city proper. Shortly after their 16th birthday, as their mother lay on her deathbed, they learned the truth of their heritage: that they were sons of a great line of rulers renowned through the Panto Confederation for their military might and cunning.
Over the next 20 years, the two men served in the south as a part of the Antol campaign against the Achcauhtli raiders. During this time they gained much martial prowess, but also noted the brutal power that iron weaponry gave to those few fortunate enough to wield it. Eventually the southern wars died down, and the two men were assigned back to Antol where they began a new, legendary chapter in Panto History. They rallied an army of the nation's finest warriors and turned their sights north with one goal in mind: the complete destruction of the Makantaw Kingdom.
Ganthor the Destroyer, as he would later be called, was a giant of a man: nearly 7 feet tall and broad in build. He wielded two fine iron longswords (spoils of war from the southern war effort, as iron weaponry was still relatively rare at this time) and was already one of the most respected warriors in the Panto military. But during his long campaign in the south, he had come up with and idea that would revolutionize warfare in North America. He commissioned the most skilled blacksmiths in Antol to create for him a suit of iron to compliment his iron weaponry. When it was finally completed, this juggernaut of a man was able to cut wide swaths of destruction through all in his way - be it leather, stone, or - most often - the flesh of Makantaw warriors cowering in fear before him.
The other brother, Kanthor the Shatterer was no less impressive in physical stature. He too wore a suit of full iron armor, but he wielded a massive iron axe. He is the more famous of the two, for it was he that sealed the fate of the Makantaw kingdom. As the army approached their settlement, the Makantaw king himself came out, in a full suit of bronze armor in laid with gold and challenged Kanthor to a duel. In one massive overhead swing of his axe, Kanthor cleaved the head of the king, helment and all, in two. The Makantaw army, already beaten back and demoralized from years of fighting, laid down its arms in surrender at the horror of such a sight. The Axe of Kanthor and the shattered helmet of the Makantaw king became treasured relics that still survive to this day.
These two men are credited not only with the reclamation of the Northern kingdoms and the annihilation of the Makataw, but with ushering in the age of iron weaponry in the Panto army. The few wealthy officers who could afford a full suit of iron wore it, but for the common soldier, a crude breastplate and helmet of iron were still enough to usher in a golden age for the Panto military due to its superior technology.
The Tale of the Brothers Anthor
Condensed Version:
Spoiler :
In the ruins of the northern-most Panto City-state of Yanta, a mother and her two young twins fled the raging Makantaw hordes that had descended upon the city but a few days before. No one knew exactly why diplomatic channels had broken down between the Panto confederation and the northern kingdoms, but it was undisputed that they achieved complete surprise on the sleeping City. The Yantan armies had been called south to wage war against strange invaders from across the sea, and the small garrison remaining was no match for the barbarian hordes. Now all that remained of Yanta was the shell of the outer wall, and the burned out husks of what were once neat stone cottages, warehouses, and shops. But the other fact that remained shrouded in mystery that day, was that while the ruler of Yantan had died in the final assault, his wife and two young sons had escaped...
They would be taken to Antol, where they were raised inconspicuously as farm-hands on a wealthy baron's estate just outside of the city proper. Shortly after their 16th birthday, as their mother lay on her deathbed, they learned the truth of their heritage: that they were sons of a great line of rulers renowned through the Panto Confederation for their military might and cunning.
Over the next 20 years, the two men served in the south as a part of the Antol campaign against the Achcauhtli raiders. During this time they gained much martial prowess, but also noted the brutal power that iron weaponry gave to those few fortunate enough to wield it. Eventually the southern wars died down, and the two men were assigned back to Antol where they began a new, legendary chapter in Panto History. They rallied an army of the nation's finest warriors and turned their sights north with one goal in mind: the complete destruction of the Makantaw Kingdom.
Ganthor the Destroyer, as he would later be called, was a giant of a man: nearly 7 feet tall and broad in build. He wielded two fine iron longswords (spoils of war from the southern war effort, as iron weaponry was still relatively rare at this time) and was already one of the most respected warriors in the Panto military. But during his long campaign in the south, he had come up with and idea that would revolutionize warfare in North America. He commissioned the most skilled blacksmiths in Antol to create for him a suit of iron to compliment his iron weaponry. When it was finally completed, this juggernaut of a man was able to cut wide swaths of destruction through all in his way - be it leather, stone, or - most often - the flesh of Makantaw warriors cowering in fear before him.
The other brother, Kanthor the Shatterer was no less impressive in physical stature. He too wore a suit of full iron armor, but he wielded a massive iron axe. He is the more famous of the two, for it was he that sealed the fate of the Makantaw kingdom. As the army approached their settlement, the Makantaw king himself came out, in a full suit of bronze armor in laid with gold and challenged Kanthor to a duel. In one massive overhead swing of his axe, Kanthor cleaved the head of the king, helment and all, in two. The Makantaw army, already beaten back and demoralized from years of fighting, laid down its arms in surrender at the horror of such a sight. The Axe of Kanthor and the shattered helmet of the Makantaw king became treasured relics that still survive to this day.
These two men are credited not only with the reclamation of the Northern kingdoms and the annihilation of the Makataw, but with ushering in the age of iron weaponry in the Panto army. The few wealthy officers who could afford a full suit of iron wore it, but for the common soldier, a crude breastplate and helmet of iron were still enough to usher in a golden age for the Panto military due to its superior technology.
Nick014
Deposed Despot
The Panto (aside from what's listed above) also push west, but as settlers, not in force (except to defend)
The Xanto continue to move out of the plains into the kingdoms of central America, where they eventually die out or integrate into the societies there (there's no room in the medieval ages for a 4000BC era tribe
)
the Xante do not expand their borders, but continue to spend their energy spreading Lantan and building great temples and monuments. They encourage tithes from their followers to support monastic life high in the Mountains, where religious, scientific, and philosophical minds spend their life in a scholarly atmosphere.
The Xanto continue to move out of the plains into the kingdoms of central America, where they eventually die out or integrate into the societies there (there's no room in the medieval ages for a 4000BC era tribe
)the Xante do not expand their borders, but continue to spend their energy spreading Lantan and building great temples and monuments. They encourage tithes from their followers to support monastic life high in the Mountains, where religious, scientific, and philosophical minds spend their life in a scholarly atmosphere.
flyingchicken
Deity
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2007
- Messages
- 3,783
Some of the Kan Empire in the west will secede and form their own kingdoms in the west, using the fertile land there as a source of food, which in turn will be leveraged for power and influence.
The last of the true Tuzan nomads will form their own nomadic tribe-kingdoms and rush headlong into the Kan empire, where they will no doubt lose but will probably cause financial and/or military strain in the East.
The Tagarotay Kingdom will probably slowly collapse into various oligarchies and kingdoms.
Also, some major religion will be based in the capital of the Tagarotay Kingdom, claiming heritage from the Prophet Tagarot and will probably incorporate elements of East-Apocalypsism and whatever other religious elements the Tuzan-and-co-under-Tagarot had gathered on the way. Whenever invaders from the east appear, it will be blamed on bad joojoo and demons and the adherents will rise up and unite to fight the bad people.
The last of the true Tuzan nomads will form their own nomadic tribe-kingdoms and rush headlong into the Kan empire, where they will no doubt lose but will probably cause financial and/or military strain in the East.
The Tagarotay Kingdom will probably slowly collapse into various oligarchies and kingdoms.
Also, some major religion will be based in the capital of the Tagarotay Kingdom, claiming heritage from the Prophet Tagarot and will probably incorporate elements of East-Apocalypsism and whatever other religious elements the Tuzan-and-co-under-Tagarot had gathered on the way. Whenever invaders from the east appear, it will be blamed on bad joojoo and demons and the adherents will rise up and unite to fight the bad people.
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Absolutely amazing.
Ninja Dude
Sorry, I wasn't listening...
Tagarotay Kingdom: Attack the Chechi kingdoms to the south. Employ mercenaries from barbaric cultures to help with the attacks.
Krilik Kingdoms: Attack nieghboring Arkts. Use whatever technology seems best for killing when in wars. Also, Krilik warfare begins to have a common feature, fire. Torches and flaming arrows will become very popular with Krilik warlords. A flag of a Krilik Kingdom will often contain a flame on it.
Skilach Chiefdoms: Migrate west from the growing powers to its east. Try to get on the British Isles, which the Skilach will call Sluglutch Island.
Serenity of Syhin: Preach unity and peace to the various Kaj Kingdoms. However, show much support for the Guraj Kingdom. If Kaj Kingdoms refuse to cooperate and unify, the Serenity will give permission for the Guraj to go on a holy war to unify the Kaj under one Syhinist banner.
Guraj Kingdom: Follow orders from the Serenity with absolute devotion. Wage war on Kaj kingdoms that refuse to merge peacefully and unite under the Syhinist banner.
Bharu Kingdoms: Become very trade focused, venturing to the south-east to trade ivory and spices to various Indian and East Asian countries.
Kaj Kingdoms: Fight their hated enemies the Journmarin Kingdoms. Use up almost all resources trying to destroy them. However, when the Guraj arrive to unite them, they will be too weak and either surrendur to the Guraj, or fight a few small battles before being crushed under Guraj's foot.
Krilik Kingdoms: Attack nieghboring Arkts. Use whatever technology seems best for killing when in wars. Also, Krilik warfare begins to have a common feature, fire. Torches and flaming arrows will become very popular with Krilik warlords. A flag of a Krilik Kingdom will often contain a flame on it.
Skilach Chiefdoms: Migrate west from the growing powers to its east. Try to get on the British Isles, which the Skilach will call Sluglutch Island.
Serenity of Syhin: Preach unity and peace to the various Kaj Kingdoms. However, show much support for the Guraj Kingdom. If Kaj Kingdoms refuse to cooperate and unify, the Serenity will give permission for the Guraj to go on a holy war to unify the Kaj under one Syhinist banner.
Guraj Kingdom: Follow orders from the Serenity with absolute devotion. Wage war on Kaj kingdoms that refuse to merge peacefully and unite under the Syhinist banner.
Bharu Kingdoms: Become very trade focused, venturing to the south-east to trade ivory and spices to various Indian and East Asian countries.
Kaj Kingdoms: Fight their hated enemies the Journmarin Kingdoms. Use up almost all resources trying to destroy them. However, when the Guraj arrive to unite them, they will be too weak and either surrendur to the Guraj, or fight a few small battles before being crushed under Guraj's foot.
mythmonster2
BEC NOIR! RUN!
NOTE: I won't play as the Bharu.
Hom Chiefdom's Priorities: Will attempt to reestablish themselves, as well as launching attacks against the Turu Chiefdoms who had taken their mainland lands.
Zuru Chiefdom's Priorities: Will be abandoning the inland provinces and move towards the coastline, while reestablishing their empire and trading with the Yarala Kingdoms. Unfortunately for them, they end up being subject to a vicious war with the Yarala, and are reduced to nothing more than a small, insignificant city-state near the southern part of their current boundaries.
Yarala Kingdom's Priorities: Make a ruse with the Zuru pretending to be friends, then backstab them and take over most of the kingdom with cavalry charges, which the Zuru had never seen before.
Ceyloni Kingdom Priorities: Attack the northern Bharu Kingdoms using elephants in conjunction with infantry and cavalry. Also, attempt to move into the peninsula on which Wayans are.
Zul Sea-peoples Priorities: Finally decide to settle down. They move into the Nawan Tribes and intermarry, creating a unified Zulwan Kingdom on northern Australia.
Hom Chiefdom's Priorities: Will attempt to reestablish themselves, as well as launching attacks against the Turu Chiefdoms who had taken their mainland lands.
Zuru Chiefdom's Priorities: Will be abandoning the inland provinces and move towards the coastline, while reestablishing their empire and trading with the Yarala Kingdoms. Unfortunately for them, they end up being subject to a vicious war with the Yarala, and are reduced to nothing more than a small, insignificant city-state near the southern part of their current boundaries.
Yarala Kingdom's Priorities: Make a ruse with the Zuru pretending to be friends, then backstab them and take over most of the kingdom with cavalry charges, which the Zuru had never seen before.
Ceyloni Kingdom Priorities: Attack the northern Bharu Kingdoms using elephants in conjunction with infantry and cavalry. Also, attempt to move into the peninsula on which Wayans are.
Zul Sea-peoples Priorities: Finally decide to settle down. They move into the Nawan Tribes and intermarry, creating a unified Zulwan Kingdom on northern Australia.
Angst
Rambling and inconsistent
Note: I will refer to three new nations of the Kan Empire - a West, a Central and a Civete empire. Feel free to rename the West and Central but leave the Eastern Civete name alone The capital of Civetis is Civetis and the other city is Charyhb.
Names and areas of new nations
Kan Empire:
Expand at the redded area on the map below (East of the Caspian Sea) and found the city Civetis - Afterwards, with the Great Dissolution, a Western Kan Kingdom is founded as well as the Eastern Civete Empire - With the last living mostly of taxes on trade between Asia and Europe. The Central Kan Empire will be split in several minor kingdoms, but will soon be united with a northern capital. The new Central Empire will keep the previous vassals of the Empire that were left free after the splitup.
Arkt of Savisia:
Revolts will happen in Kupato, which will have the priority of becoming independent from the Kan sphere of influence. It will be succesful initially, and in the short time of independence (70 years or so), Kupartana will attemp to win a war with the Hapistok, conquering the green provinces. However, the rich Kupartana nation will be vassalized by the Central Kan Empire, while Savisia becomes a poor independent region.
Turun Kingdom
The Turun are reformed under the idealist king Ammum, who is more a philosopher and a poet than a ruler. The reforms create a quite cultural state, but leaves the nation with a weak economy. Ammum's rule also creates libraries written in [insert language here] spread throughout the nation.
Hapistok Kingdom
The Hapistoks suffers from a sudden erosion in farming, which leads several peasants int the southeast to die and the rest is left without work. Instead, production labour becomes more normal as the peasants seek to produce goods. The goods are sold to Hassam in the west mainly, leading the nation to a prosperity of gold. However, the other major trade partner of Hassam, the new nation Kupartana, is a fierce combatant tradewise, so tensions rise between the two nations. A war becomes fact, and through a series of battles, the Hapistock finally fails due to the more effecient navy of the Kupartan people. That leads to the loss of the green provinces that will join Kupartana.
Tetche Kingdom
Tetche sees the rise of the Civete kingdom as a threat and immediately attempts to stay in control of the trade between the west and east. The two nations become opponents in this problem. The Civetes become the major trading power after some years, and the Tetche economy is left to farming. They instead become the main supplier in grain of the Hapistok Kingdom, which is logical with the failing crops in the Hapistok nation.
Hassam Kingdom
With an increasing trade leading the Hassam through a last golden age, they become quite rich. They recieve quite some support in goods and food from the Hapistok in the east while they are warring with the Pargians. With time, Hapistok soldiers arrive as well, and the combined Hassam and Hapistok Kingdoms finally defeat the Pargian Empire, one of the greatest nations of all time. The Hassam Empire which is left afterwards is very poor and weak. This ends the great age of the nile.
Sarih Kingdom (mesopotamia)
The Sarih are mostly up to Charles Li, but they stay peaceful and friendly towards Hapistok. They do, on the other hand, found several libraries (With the inspiration of the Turun) and the temples become more aimed towards a technological development - this leads to the invention of gunpowder, although it is only used to make 'beautiful' explosions during festivals as well as, surprisingly, a musical instrument.
Neverwonagame3, isn't that spoiling the game a little bit, to try to gain power that way? We're trying to build up a realistical timeline, not to conquer each other.
The capital of Civetis is Civetis and the other city is Charyhb.
Names and areas of new nations
Kan Empire:
Expand at the redded area on the map below (East of the Caspian Sea) and found the city Civetis - Afterwards, with the Great Dissolution, a Western Kan Kingdom is founded as well as the Eastern Civete Empire - With the last living mostly of taxes on trade between Asia and Europe. The Central Kan Empire will be split in several minor kingdoms, but will soon be united with a northern capital. The new Central Empire will keep the previous vassals of the Empire that were left free after the splitup.
Arkt of Savisia:
Revolts will happen in Kupato, which will have the priority of becoming independent from the Kan sphere of influence. It will be succesful initially, and in the short time of independence (70 years or so), Kupartana will attemp to win a war with the Hapistok, conquering the green provinces. However, the rich Kupartana nation will be vassalized by the Central Kan Empire, while Savisia becomes a poor independent region.
Turun Kingdom
The Turun are reformed under the idealist king Ammum, who is more a philosopher and a poet than a ruler. The reforms create a quite cultural state, but leaves the nation with a weak economy. Ammum's rule also creates libraries written in [insert language here] spread throughout the nation.
Hapistok Kingdom
The Hapistoks suffers from a sudden erosion in farming, which leads several peasants int the southeast to die and the rest is left without work. Instead, production labour becomes more normal as the peasants seek to produce goods. The goods are sold to Hassam in the west mainly, leading the nation to a prosperity of gold. However, the other major trade partner of Hassam, the new nation Kupartana, is a fierce combatant tradewise, so tensions rise between the two nations. A war becomes fact, and through a series of battles, the Hapistock finally fails due to the more effecient navy of the Kupartan people. That leads to the loss of the green provinces that will join Kupartana.
Tetche Kingdom
Tetche sees the rise of the Civete kingdom as a threat and immediately attempts to stay in control of the trade between the west and east. The two nations become opponents in this problem. The Civetes become the major trading power after some years, and the Tetche economy is left to farming. They instead become the main supplier in grain of the Hapistok Kingdom, which is logical with the failing crops in the Hapistok nation.
Hassam Kingdom
With an increasing trade leading the Hassam through a last golden age, they become quite rich. They recieve quite some support in goods and food from the Hapistok in the east while they are warring with the Pargians. With time, Hapistok soldiers arrive as well, and the combined Hassam and Hapistok Kingdoms finally defeat the Pargian Empire, one of the greatest nations of all time. The Hassam Empire which is left afterwards is very poor and weak. This ends the great age of the nile.
Sarih Kingdom (mesopotamia)
The Sarih are mostly up to Charles Li, but they stay peaceful and friendly towards Hapistok. They do, on the other hand, found several libraries (With the inspiration of the Turun) and the temples become more aimed towards a technological development - this leads to the invention of gunpowder, although it is only used to make 'beautiful' explosions during festivals as well as, surprisingly, a musical instrument.
Neverwonagame3, isn't that spoiling the game a little bit, to try to gain power that way? We're trying to build up a realistical timeline, not to conquer each other.
mythmonster2
BEC NOIR! RUN!
Admittedly, I'm doing that too with the Yarala's, but just this once. I just wanna get rid of the Hom Kingdom because, as it said, old kingdoms are falling apart. If Iggy doesn't want to destroy Zuru, then maybe Yarala could split in half, with Arabia and African portions.
Ninja Dude
Sorry, I wasn't listening...
I'm also suggesting that the Kaj Kingdoms will fall. However, that is realistic becasue they are fighting another foe with all their resources and then get attacked by Guraj from behind, thus conquering them. They'll also most likely still put up some resistance.
I don't think it is unfair. Just as long as it is realistic. I gave the Kaj Kingdoms something else to do besides just get attacked. They had their own agenda.
I don't think it is unfair. Just as long as it is realistic. I gave the Kaj Kingdoms something else to do besides just get attacked. They had their own agenda.
Terrance888
Discord Reigns
Sai Hisn will invade south against Tuizan. Then, parts will settle into oasis Kingdoms called Sai Zi and/or Tui Sai. (Sai Zi means Race Sons) They will start to trade instead of raid and Establish the Silk Road.
Hai Ren will consolate: I'll give it to kkmo this turn but this turn it will be the first to discover Silk Worms. They exported it to a few museums in Yue Ren who used it to find out which species and eventually made their own silk industry, but for this turn the secret of making it still hides within the Kingdom of Hai Zi (Ocean Children).
Sarih Kingdom will lose most but not all Red Sea lands. But Izaman tribes will consolate under influence and attack each other (influence as in invasion). After a devastating war. They united as the Zarimen empire. They will be the main Civilized traders that take over the road from the normads before spliting into three parts. The parts being Izaman Kingdom. Greater Zarimen Empire (Rather Large parts of North Mesopotamia, the delta, rather large parts of Izaman territory) and Old Sarih Kingdom (Most of mesopotamia and all the rest, with more land in arabia.)
They will continue the road will in all other ways they are hostile without all out war. Izaman will mostly expand into modern Iran. Greater Zarimen Empire will attack the coasts of Modern Iran and Khaldi tribes. Old Sarih, influenced by Turun, will build the great universities. Descover the peaceful uses of gunpowder, and continue to wage only defensive war.
Is that Ok Lord Joakim? I want that to be Epic! Especialy after my Hsin tribes are either influenced or melted into Chinese Politics as a distiguishable minoralty.
Hai Ren will consolate: I'll give it to kkmo this turn but this turn it will be the first to discover Silk Worms. They exported it to a few museums in Yue Ren who used it to find out which species and eventually made their own silk industry, but for this turn the secret of making it still hides within the Kingdom of Hai Zi (Ocean Children).
Sarih Kingdom will lose most but not all Red Sea lands. But Izaman tribes will consolate under influence and attack each other (influence as in invasion). After a devastating war. They united as the Zarimen empire. They will be the main Civilized traders that take over the road from the normads before spliting into three parts. The parts being Izaman Kingdom. Greater Zarimen Empire (Rather Large parts of North Mesopotamia, the delta, rather large parts of Izaman territory) and Old Sarih Kingdom (Most of mesopotamia and all the rest, with more land in arabia.)
They will continue the road will in all other ways they are hostile without all out war. Izaman will mostly expand into modern Iran. Greater Zarimen Empire will attack the coasts of Modern Iran and Khaldi tribes. Old Sarih, influenced by Turun, will build the great universities. Descover the peaceful uses of gunpowder, and continue to wage only defensive war.
Is that Ok Lord Joakim? I want that to be Epic! Especialy after my Hsin tribes are either influenced or melted into Chinese Politics as a distiguishable minoralty.
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