Ethiopia: The Land of Wonder

[baseballpie]

For all intensive purposes, the Ulema of Domestic Affairs will fall upon me now. That is, until someone rises and takes the position. Current member of the Ministry, please pay attention to the group, I will eventually make changes there.

Do you mean "intents and purposes"? Because I don't really know about any idiom that has intensive purposes.

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Can I run for more than one position ? If so then Dominie for domestic affairs.

 

[CaterpillarKing]

No I meant intensive purposes And hell, go for it

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Ok, then I'll apply for that position too.

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Okay I had an idea. Culture is sort of redudant and really falls upon Domestic Affairs. So what I have decided to do is I will mold Culture into Domestic Affairs. That means that Noob is now Ulema of Domestic Affairs and adhiraj goes back to foreign affairs. It makes everything easier really. Also, I will bring the Mishir and the Ulema of Expansion together. The Ulema or Dominie of Expansion acts as Mishir in these times. That works easily because Matthias is both currently.

 

[TheNoob]

OK go me

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Seems fair enough.

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Go forth and post your proposals ministers!

 

[TheNoob]

Can I do it tomorrow my brothers are in the other room and I am without pants do not inquire

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Yeah of course you can do that!

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Update Tuesday. Sorry for the hiatus.

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Hiatus are good sometimes. They help us re-energize

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Very true

 

[CaterpillarKing]

A New Ethiopia: 1340-1345​

The Caliph had tried his hardest to give more power to the various ministerial positions. Minister Sangliana was the first to use this to his advantage.

“Sir, I have come here with a set of ideas and plans to increase our relations with Mongolia. Currently we are on close terms, but we could be better. They have yet to allow free movement within their empire, and I have some ideas that can help that.”

“Go on.” The Caliph looked on in intrigue as he listened intently, looking across from the ebony table at his minister.

“This is a multi-step plan. First step to accept a trade, despite if it is slightly one-sided. We need to open up the door to discussion. I would recommend, if you may, some of foodstuffs from the steppes in return for Ethiopian valuables.”

“Are you sure this will work?” The Caliph asked, unsure. He feared that the militant peoples would decline their advancements and even take offence, but Sangliana was sure it would work.

Spoiler :

To Abel, Minister of Ethiopian Expansion,

We are pleased to announce that Egypt and Palestine are available for invasion. The claims that Judea was held by France were unfounded, and they appear ripe for the taking. The lands are well-defended but our superior technology and war techniques are sure to give us the ability to trounce on the barbarians. In my personal visit to al-Quds I found that the people there were severely unhappy with their lives there, and it seems they wish to be liberated. Also, the Temple of Solomon still stands there, and if we can manage to get a hold on that, it will surely be a great place for pilgrimages and the empire will be able to gain revenues off of the city. It would make a wonderful addition to the empire.

Spoiler :

“Caliph, the first step of the plan worked wonderfully, now, the second part of the plan may seem a little bit shocking, but it is necessary to increase relations with Mongolia.” The Caliph waved his hand signaling for him to go on with his plan.

“Have you ever heard the statement, the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Well that’s exactly what I was thinking.” Sangliana stood up from his wooden chair and walked over to the Caliph. He preferred not to shout his plan to the world, so he decided to whisper it into his leader’s ear. “What if we, declare war on Russia?”

The Caliph was taken aback by this statement. He drew back from the minister and stood up, shocked by his proposal. He was about to say no when the minister realized this and kept talking. “Hear me out. Russia and us have no trade agreements of significant value, they have nothing to offer us, and they could never invade us if that is what you worry about. Our military is far too strong and they would also have to go through the Turks and Austrians first. If we send an ultimatum, the Khan will surely see that we mean to create a lasting alliance, and will accept any proposal we bring to the table. We can only gain from such a declaration.” The minister stepped back and let the Caliph think for a minute. He stroked his chin in silent thought, until he finally made the decision.

“Have the Foreign Affairs Office send out a formal declaration of war, signed by you. If we are going to do this, we are going to do it right.

Spoiler :

The declaration stunned Russia, but pleased Mongolia. Immediately after hearing the declaration, the Khan ordered a letter be sent to Jabuuti to discuss the matters of open trade and passage agreements. The Caliph, Sangliana, and the representative from Mongolia all sat down to discuss the matters.

“Hello, my name is Sangliana, and I am the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Ethiopian Empire.” The minister sat back down after greeting his associate. The Mongolian stood up, identified himself as Chinua and sat back down.

“Right, now that we have discussed who we are, we might as well say what we are here for. I will only be here to add in my own thoughts, but the discussion is between you two.” The Caliph spoke in a reverend tone, and with that, the discussions began.

Both sides wanted agreements, but the details still needed to be worked out. The two sides debated for hours, with the Caliph occasionally piping in or correcting information. The two talked and talked, servants came and went with coffee for the three of them twice. The Caliph even began nodding off before waking himself up, but finally, the deal had been made. It was made official that the Mongolians would allow Ethiopian troops, trade caravans, and other peoples to roam within their borders. The two men thanked each other, and then the Mongolian left to tell his people.

The opening of the Mongolian borders was a godsend to the merchants of Ethiopia. In the far East, the land of China was becoming less of a fantasy and more of a reality. Traders came back with stories of a strange land where everyone looks like the Mongolians. Where exotic items like silk and jade were found adorning the bodies of the highest officials. These tales created feelings of mystery within the Ethiopians, and a sense of adventure. The Silk Road, as it would be called, both filled the coffer of Ethiopia and the minds of its citizens.

Spoiler :

Mali was a strange land. Despite their inability to do many simple tasks that Ethiopians do daily, their ruling and their techniques were quite advanced, even surpassing those of Ethiopia. The Muslim nation had perfectly intertwined religious and secular law into one. The people of Mali understood that their leader had been chosen by Allah and that he was meant to represent him and all that Islam stood for.

This intrigued the Ethiopians as they had looked in curiosity at the way ruling was handled. Mali and Ethiopian dignitaries met in the city of Timbuktu to discuss the exchange of knowledge. The two friendly nations agreed to the trade and ideas were passed between the two African nations. Biruk and Sangliana made sure that Ethiopia got everything they could use from the deal.

Spoiler :

To the Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Ministry,

After many years of travel, we finally have new information to divulge. Earlier this week we came across a land devastated by war. Previously we were in Polish territory, but the local authorities stated that this land was neither Polish nor Russian, and that we should enter only at our own risk. We proceeded into the lands unsure of what to find, only to see scorched fields and burned villages. We passed countless bodies strewn across the dirt roads and sowing the land with blood. As we drew closer to the settlement, the stench and number of dead bodies began to increase and grow. We had to move faster as it was growing unbearable. Then, when the city was within our site, it all just, stopped. I suppose the attackers had managed to clean up just around the city so as to not give them that terrible smell every day. Upon reaching the walls of the city, we discovered who these attackers were. Banners of the Mongolian nature were seen hanging from either side of the gates.

As we entered, we made sure to have our Ethiopian documents ready, in case we were seen as suspicious. We met some Mongolian guards and showed them the documents. They let us pass as we explored the once proud city of Kiev. Many buildings were mere piles of rubble. The survivors now went about their day in slow, sad shuffles. We went about and talked to the local warlord. He said that they had been attacking this land for quite a while, but had only just managed to take the city. After some more scouting, we can affirm the violence of these people. They are seldom to be trusted, and never to be befriended.

Spoiler :

“Do you see that? It’s the city we have been waiting to see. The famous Meroe of the Ethiopian Empire, I have been waiting my entire life to see it, and there it is. Isn’t it wonderful?” He sat upon his camel, looking down from the high lands into the city below.

“Yes, I agree. It looks wonderful from here. I cannot wait to see it burn to the ground as the peasants run away, terrified.” His friend’s face contorted into a wicked smile as he held his hand around his scimitar.

“Now now, we need to take this slowly. First, we take the plantation down there. Then we move on to the city. Also, lately the city has been slow to train new troops, so I believe it is safe to assume they will not be housing any pikemen in their barracks.”

“Let us hope not. So, shall we sleep today and ride tomorrow?”

“Yes, we need our rest before we begin our attack.”

Spoiler :

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[CaterpillarKing]

The Legend of Gamara: Part 1​

To Gamara, this was just another day. She proceeded on with her job to prepare the wheat for the mill. She hacked at the wheat, lobbing off the stalks and taking out the grains. She put the grains in a basket next to her. She went on with her monotonous job and did it without complaint. She worked with and loved her village of Aayn. They were like family to her ever since her mother had died during childbirth. Now it was just her father and her with the rest of their neighbors. Together they harvested the wheat, milled it to flour, and baked goods to either eat or sell in the nearest city of Meroe. She sang to herself a sweet melody as she worked on. She hit the highs and lows beautifully as she picked up all of the fallen grains and gave the stalks to the horses. Gamara held the basket and sighed, “smaller than last time”, and walked towards the mill. She heard some noises behind her, but saw nothing so she ignored it.

Gamara dropped the wheat off at the mill for the miller to crush it in the morning because it was so late. She had just decided to stay up a bit later to get some more done. She decided to go to sleep now though. She walked towards her house, when she heard shrieks of pain coming from just over the hill. She heard another one and began to run towards it, grabbing her scythe. The faint outline of a man on a camel had shown itself on the ridge. She stood there as the distant silhouette drew a weapon, and began to hack a man to pieces. Gamara screamed and dropped to her knees in terror and fright. The man on the camel had apparently heard her, and began to go towards the actual village. Gamara didn’t see this as she was too focused on bawling in the sand. An old lady grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her under a house. She looked at Gamara and said “shhh, stay quiet”. The two stayed under there for a few minutes until finally, the camel warrior came into view. The two ladies saw the pads of the camel from under the building.

“I know you’re hiding somewhere. Come out now and I won’t hurt you.” The man yelled, in a large, booming voice, his tone not conveying the same message his words did. The old lady and Gamara lay there for awhile, until the old lady began to move out.

“No! Don’t! He’ll kill you!” Gamara whispered as she grabbed at the old lady’s leg to keep her under there, but in vain. She wriggled free and stepped out from under the building. She faced the warrior and said, “it was me who screamed sir.” All Gamara could see was feet from under the building. She heard the sound of a blade being unsheathed. She heard a slice, and a second later, the lady’s head fell to the ground. Gamara held her mouth closed to keep herself from screaming out. She closed her eyes and sang silently to herself as she tried to remember what her mother looked like. She tried so hard to remember, but just couldn’t anymore. She sang the same song many times and more camel warriors entered and left the village. Gamara hid under the building for hours, until she eventually thought the coast was clear. Gamara stepped out to witness horror. She saw her village half on fire, with bodies strewn across the sand. She held back her emotions, because she had to find her dad right now. As she searched, she found a weapon that had been dropped by one of the few warriors killed by the villagers. She looked at the emblem on it, and recognized it as Egyptian; she threw the sword as hard as possible into the desert. She then continued her search for her father.

“Please be okay Dad, wherever you are.” She continued to look for a very long time. The sun had long set and she now held a candle to the faces of her long time friends and neighbors, looking for her father, hoping not to find him. Gamara looked on and on, and found nothing. She finally determined that her father was not within the village, and she was relieved, but only for a moment. She slowly turned her gaze to the top of the hill where she saw a man get murdered. Tears began to stream down her face as she inched closer and closer to the site. Never had she moved so slowly in her life. She methodically moved her way ever closer and closer to the man. She closed her eyes as she walked, not wanting to see the brutality. She sang to herself as she stepped in the sand. Finally, she came upon the body. Her worst fears were confirmed as her psyche shattered for the third time today. She dropped her candle and it went out, causing her tear to fall in the dark. She laid next to her dad for a few minutes, sobbing uncontrollably. Gamara looked over her dad and saw a line of dead villagers proceeding into the distance. Never before had she seen this, and never again would she let it happen.

Gamara woke up shivering violently. She got up to see her dad gone; and the rest of the villagers as well. She had a blanket over her and a loaf of bread next to her. She picked it up and ate it as she walked towards the village. Hoping this hadn’t happened, she prayed that it had been a dream. When she entered the village though, it became clear it wasn’t a dream. She looked to see some of the few other surviving villagers digging holes for their friends. Her father was laying there, next to his hole. The ones digging stopped and left so she could say one last goodbye. She knelt down and kissed his hand, “goodbye daddy.” She stepped back and the men came back and lowered him into the hole. She broke down in tears as they began to fill the whole. A lady held Gamara’s sobbing head to her chest, keeping her close.

Gamara stayed with this lady for a few weeks after the disaster. Every day, the memories ate away at her sanity. Frequent nightmares, constantly seeing things; Gamara was a nervous wreck. Every day she remembered what had happened, and every day she swore vengeance against the vile creatures that had committed the atrocities that had happened earlier. Eventually, it had worn her so thin, she couldn’t just stay there and do nothing. Gamara left a note to the lady that had been housing her and taking care of her. She thanked her and left some of her personal money. Gamara took what else she had left, which was not much at all, and headed for the door. She took one last look at the house, and left through the front. She took off the lead tying the horse to the post, and pulled the horse to the storehouse where she saddled him up. Gamara climbed onto the horse and set her course for Meroe. She wasn’t exactly sure what she would do, but she knew she had to do something.

As the village slowly began to disappear from the hill, Gamara felt more and more secure with her decision. She had to make her father proud, and she would be damned if she would just sit there and let her troubles eat away at her. Gamara sang to herself as she rode on with her horse, promising her mother and father she would stay safe, and she would always remember them. This is where the legend of Gamara begins

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[Matthias I]

Uhuu. Two updates

 

[CaterpillarKing]

Update by Wednesday

 

[CaterpillarKing]

I'm starting to write the update, so optimistically, Saturday If I can work on it in class then maybe tomorrow.

 

[Manuss]

In class? What a shame! I always pay attention to the lessons! Unless I'm sleeping, playing with friends, eating, talking, bored, checking twitter etc.

 

[CaterpillarKing]

The Great Schism: 1345-1350​

In accordance with policies put forth by Abel, the Caliph had the military that had previously been ordered to expand farther into the Southern Arabian Peninsula to move into Makkah for the time being. Abel had a plan, and it would help to catapult Ethiopia even further into the seat of ultimate power, a plan of conquest and domination.

Spoiler :

Sangliana knew that the road to evermore power was diplomatic mediation. All great powers must prove that the have military and diplomatic strength, and he had just the plan on how to do it.

"Welcome sir, please, sit. I welcome you on behalf of the great Ethiopian Empire. I presume you are here representing the Ottoman Empire. Please, we have prepared coffee for all here." The man sat down and unfurled his papers. The man that sat across from him was blatantly European from his light skin, representing the Austrian Sultanate.

"We are here to discuss terms of peace with Ethiopia as mediation, correct? Perhaps we should begin. I bring this from the Sultan of Turkey himself." The man read through a list of demands that he would require in return for peace between the two nations. The list as long and unbendingly harsh, but the Turks had been laying their military heavily on the Austrians as of late. Serbia had become the newest Turkish possessions, and Ethiopian officials had begun to worry about a Turkish expansion into the heart of Europe, removing Ethiopia's closest ally.

"Austria cannot accept this. We want an even agreement, a simple peace with no string attached."

"Absolutely not. This is insulting to us and we demand you re-think your negotiations or else the war will continue." The Austrian's forehead soon began to bead with sweat as he was forced to make a counter-argument. He stuttered out a new proposal but it was swiftly shot down once more. Sangliana saw his plans slowly being eaten away by an unwavering Turk. Quickly, he interjected.

"If I may offer, Ethiopia is willing to give available knowledge to the Turkish side in favor of peace. This has already been shared with the Austrian state, and if you accept peace we will share it with you." The Turk considered it for a moment and proceeded to scribble on his paper. He wrote furiously and finally, he looked up.

"The Ottoman Empire accepts your offer. An official peace treaty will be sent from our Sultan to yours and all military units will be removed from your territory" The relieved Austrian stood up as the Turk did. The two shook hands and parted ways.

Spoiler :

Sangliana's next move was one to restart relations with another nation. His first goal was with the Tamil people, who had recently begun to talk with Ethiopia again and open up diplomatic options. Sangliana arranged for him and a representative of the Chola Empire to meet and discuss future deals. Upon meeting each other, the two men cordially talked before negotiating an end to the closed borders and no-trade policies. Upon returning to Jabuuti, Sangliana presented the pelt of a Bengal tiger, showing the now open relations between the two nations.

Spoiler :

The market square drew to a halt when several strange men walked down the cobbled streets. Their large pelts drug across the ground as the men looked for their destination. The men turned and asked a man in Swedish where the palace was. The Ethiopian looked terrified as the blonde, bearded man stared into his soul with his blue eyes. The Ethiopian hurriedly ran away calling for help. The Norwegians shrugged and walked on until they found a large ornate building, obviously the palace. The man in front talked to a translator that was stationed in a small building in front. He left to retrieve the man they sought.

"Well hello there, I presume you are Lucario of the Kingdom of Norway?" The Indian extended his hand. The muscular viking received it and shook it heartily.

"I am indeed. I come bearing an offer from King Haakon VI Magnusson. He offers your Empire a sizable amount for your cartographers' knowledge of the world. We wish to expand and we need to know the land to be able to explore the seas." Sangliana rubbed his mustache in curiousity as to these people's sudden want for Ethiopian wares. He had no reason to decline though so he accepted the offer.

Spoiler :

Not much later than when the Nords visited Ethiopia, Poles too came for a similar reason. This time, though, they had been summoned by Sangliana. He wished to see if any more land had been seen than what Ethiopia already knew. A measly sum of gold was given and he was disappointed in the results. The Polish maps were worse than useless, but regardless, he framed them in his hall to accentuate the foreign vibes that already emanated.

Spoiler :

Sangliana rushed into the room where the Caliph, Habtamu, and Biruk were holding a conference. He threw the door open and handed the Caliph a letter. He gave a scolding look and opened in and went on to read.

The new Mongolian Khan regrets to inform you that Ethiopia is no longer a favorable ally with our vast Empire. Your heathenous ways conflict deeply with our new Confucian leader that deposed the vile Buddhist Khan. The Mongolian Empire has hereafter ceased to allow unessential diplomatic options. Our glorious people could never take a friendship with such vile creatures as yourselves. All former trade deals will be left in place, but future ones will be denied if asked.

The Caliph read through the note one more time and looked back up at Sangliana, "Is this a joke? You had better not be playing me."

"No sir, not at all. The Mongolians have changed in beliefs and our time as their ally seems to have moved on. I did receive another letter from them though, I have not yet read it." Sangliana handed the Caliph another letter. He took it and tore it open.

The Mongolian Khan demands from all of its lesser neighbors, including Ethiopia. Mongolia demands a regular supply of incense, or else- The Caliph stopped and tore the document into two pieces. He threw them on the table as the three advisers stared at the Caliph. Abel started to walk in and stood among the others, Habtamu filled him in while the Caliph rubbed his temples. The Caliph stood up and prepared to address his advisers.

"Men, it seems we have lost a crucial ally, Mongolia. Our war against Russia has been for naught as it seems Mongolia is no longer willing to talk about further advancements in trade. Our borders are still open, but that seems to be the farthest it will get. Sangliana, I want you to reply to Mongolia and prepare an envoy to be sent to Russia to negotiate peace. Habtamu, I want you to spread the word that Mongolian-Ethiopian relations have fallen into disrepair. Abel, I want you to tell Ethiopian soldiers that all Mongolians are to be specifically escorted. Biruk, ensure that no Ethiopian technologies reach Mongolian hands. Times are changing, so we must change as well. Thank you all for your hard work." The Caliph clapped his hand together and proceeded to leave the room while the rest of them did. The Mongolian-Ethiopian alliance was no more.

Spoiler :

Progress Report, April 14th, 1350
Our division of pikemen have been recently attacked by a rogue horde of camel archers, believed to be of Berber descent, and though we successfully pushed them back, they were not destroyed and they also incurred a lot of damage and death. They sacked a local village, raping and murdering the villagers in a very gruesome spectacle. The details are too ghastly to go into explicit detail in this report. The horde managed to get away back to its hideout, but we believe we know the location and are preparing to eradicate the vile demons from our land. They are son to be purged from our wonderful Empire.
-Sergeant Henok

Spoiler :

The barbarian horde was dispatched by the highly trained and well-equipped Ethiopian troops with ease. The soldiers snuck up on the encampment and every last warrior was killed or captured to be prosecuted in Meroe, certainly to be found guilty and put to death. With Meroe now safe in the hands of the defending troops, the citizens began to go back about their days. Muslims of the city restarted their project to expand their faith to the entire Ethiopian mass. Missionaries were prepared for their journey to the tropical South to spread Islam and the belief in Muhammed's prophetic teachings of Allah.

Spoiler :

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