(got sidetracked by random Wikipedia articles and spoof DragonballZ videos on Youtube)
Era 2: The Birth of Civilization
(map: click for big version)
As farming became more of an obsession for some cultures, towns were able to grow much larger, until the first cities appeared. Living together in such numbers was something new for the human race - some might say, unnatural and unhealthy. It led to new possibilities, and new problems. Strange new behaviours and societies came into being.
It is believed the largest cities were in Ummite and Agrian lands, where knowledge of farming and irrigation had reached a higher level than elsewhere. While the Ummites were still spared from foreign invasion, the Agrians overthrew the Kramto-Agrian nobles. Both they and the Ummites were able to form their own centralised states with growing populations. Meanwhile the weakened Kramtob were scattered by the strong Khaldi tribes (part of a chaotic series of migrations going on across asia at the time), who spread out from the Zagros mountains, and devastated the upper Indus in particular. Early bronze axe-heads (similar to those found in Bohemoi burial sites) may have played a role in the success of the Khaldi. Central India was home to a new hybrid culture of Agrian and Kramtob influences.
The Greater Pargian kingdom was a result of political developments and a tendency of the Pargians to unite under more powerful leaders - the actual population of the Nile was somewhat lower than the Indus or Euphrates. In theory, the ancient Pagrian Kingdom ruled over the neighbouring lands of Hekoi and Chakes (the people of Chakes were not of Pargian descent, but were more closely related to the Ummite culture). However, in practice, the Pargian Kingdom had control of only a few cities and towns along the upper Nile. Still it was the largest single state to exist at this time, and ancient Ummite texts speak of its greatness. The legendary ruler Mensar I is mentioned many times.
Sheshegi nomads were instrumental in bringing horses into the middle-east, which soon found a use alongside oxen as a beast of burden, and their speed was especially useful for the war chariots that were becoming common. The Kurzen peoples were probably the first to domesticate the horse, which helped them spread into europe, pushing other cultures like the Bohemoi further west.
In Eastern Asia, the Yueren culture may have reached similar, perhaps greater heights, if not for the nomadic Hsin, whose warriors introduced the strong composite bow to the far east. Legends speak of many great battles and the destruction of a great coastal city called Shandong. The Yueren regrouped at the city of Henan, which became a strong city-state itself. The mystical figure Jianyu became the first great religious leader (if he ever existed), forging the early earth-worship mysticism of the Yueren into a more complex system which was steadily expanded upon in later centuries. Yueren influence certainly spread far to the west and south - Tianshi burial pits from this often contain Yueren symbols and similar artefacts. The Tianshi remained warlike and divided at this time, with less settlement and agriculture than in the north. The ancient site of Xiqu, originally thought to be an ancient capitol, is now thought to be a kind of sanctuary and ceremonial center.
What the Talikanan culture of central America may have accomplished, will never be known. After fighting the Oltaxl tribes for some time, Talikanan was seemingly destroyed by newcomers from the north-west, the warlike Oltu peoples. The coastal Oltaxl peoples inherited much of the pictographs and mysticism of Talikanan, and perhaps even spread their ideas to the central Carribean, as evidenced by ancient rock carvings there.
Its now around 2750 BC.
Cultures and Factions:
Washagon tribes: Bestshot9
Greater Pargian Kingdom: Neverwonagame3
Hekroi chiefdoms: Neverwonagame3
Agrian city-States: Luckymoose
Yueren tribes: kkmo
Henan Kingdom: kkmo
Kramtob tribes: Ninja Dude
Kramto-Agrian chiefdoms: Ninja Dude/ Luckymoose
Oltaxl tribes: BananaLee
Tianshi chiefdoms: LightFang
Bohemoi tribes: honzas_cz
Smara (great island chiefdom): flyingchicken
Arlitans: Fuschia
Arlit-Smaran Sea Peoples: flyingchicken/Fuschia
Xanto tribes: Nick014
Hsin Yuan: Charles Li
Zul sea-peoples: mythmonster2
Amestrian tribes: Crezth
Seshegi tribes: lord_joakim
The rest: NPC.
Note that there are some mixed cultures which are under the dual authority of two people, who may well give them conflicting instructions, with unusual results.
It can be assumed that there are tribes all over the place. They will get names on the map as and when they become relevant.
Notes:
@Luckymoose, argh, I just can't
@All, I apologise if it seems I've blatantly ignored people's input. I haven't really, I have it all saved and will refer to it in future, especially the city names and such. If I try to give feedback about everything, this becomes a normal NES and updates alot slower.
Next Era:
Era 3 will be the First Empires, and the first peak of literacy and culture. There may be smallish empires, like old Egypt, Babylon, etc. Or maybe even bigger. Or maybe even smaller, but better-organised states. Nomadic peoples will still be powerful and lurking on the borders, they could travel far, and could be the destroyers of some states. Use of horses, chariots, and bronze weapons will be spreading, armies will be getting bigger. This would also be a great time to build huge monuments which will amaze people for centuries to come, even relative 'barbarians' could build some great wonders. So, lots of conflicting demands and no way to satisfy
all of them.
I intend to post Era #3 tomorrow, around the time I posted this post today.
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 and leaders 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 earlier pages. NPC's on the map can also be claimed.
I fell into the usual trap. Lets see if I can actually avoid it this time.
