In Varietate Concordia

[Sonereal]

3960 BC-Brussels

Absolon grunted in frustration. He wasn't afraid to flare his anger at the order of things like the other warriors were. Absolon, the greatest European warrior in history, forced to "scout".

What made matters worst for him was that his old duties, such as protecting and hunting great beasts that roam the plains were at an end. Brussels, the first permanent settlement of the Europeans, had enough men to both protect it and send men away to....to....

"Wander around!" Absolon sneered.

"What is that? On the hill on the horizon?" Eugene pointed to a set of small hills at the foot of a great mountain. They looked like ruins of-

"Is that a city?" he asked.

"No way!" Jacques exclaimed, "How did we never see that before?"

"Because we've never been this far before," another warrior said. The rest of the men nodded. They had crossed the river they've known for so long to this place.

They arrived to the city a day later. There wasn't much left or much to show for. In reality, it looked like a large village from the inside. Eugene found a map detailing the surrounding land, mostly the coast of a great lake (ocean). The biggest impact was that it proved to the men that the world was much larger than they thought.

Far far larger.

Spoiler :

 

[Sonereal]

3920

Forty-years passed rapidly for Absolon, who became Chief of the European Tribe when the previous chief died fifteen years ago. Ten years ago, someone found a shiny rock on a hill southwest of Brussels and soon hundreds of men were looking for more gold. It wasn't long until most of the stuff on the surface disappeared but some men are trying to think where more gold would be, seeing it as otherworldly and beautiful.

The ancient ruins were stripped down and anything useful taken. Too bad there wasn't much left of the village but Eugene (a smart man if any), believed that whoever built the structures were pretty smart but the material (wood) wasn't going to last too much longer.

Chief Absolon ordered warriors, including several of his grandsons who became warriors not too long ago to continue exploring. One day, when cresting a hill, the warrior party saw a beautiful sight.

At the foot of the hills was a forest and beyond that a river and beyond that....desert. Harsh desert. The river cut a path of water through the desert and around some parts of the river was green land and plants.

Jacques, unlike Absolon who got into politics, stayed a military man well into his fifties before becoming a member of the Council of Elders. The two men had a falling out a few years ago. Jacques believes Absolon has gone soft while Absolon sees Jacques as a brute. This tension has carried on into the next generation and exists in the generation beyond that.

Eugene managed to stay in good graces with both of his friends, as has his family.

Spoiler :

 

[Sonereal]

The Mesopotamia Wars
3840-3760 BC

The Mesopotamia Wars were a series of wars fought in Southwest Asia that lasted over a hundred years. It began in earnest when barbarian raiders raided European cities in sub-Sahara Africa and ended when the last barbarian stronghold on the Persian Gulf was captured in 3760 BC. The Mesopotamia Stronghold fell to a combined force of Siamese and European warriors and would be the last time the two powers cooperated against a common enemy.

The final battle was a combined European-Siamese effort but coordination was poor. Neither side had a translator on hand. Most Europeans speak multiple languages but very few knew the language of the Siamese Empire. After several days, translators arrived to aid both commanders coordinate a battle plan, giving the barbarians time to entrench themselves in the extremely unfavorable terrain for defense.
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"So, they've crossed the Euphrates?" The barbarian warlord of Mesopotamia laughed, "And do they believe their sickly, soft children will be a match for my army?"

The advisor, a middle-age man who has nonetheless seen his fair share of battles, nodded, "The Europeans, where they lack in numbers, make up for in sheer ingenuity. Several encampments have been destroyed by the approaching Europeans south of the river and-"

Before the advisor could continue, a frantic soldier entered the tent, "Sir! Our scouts report that the Siamese have just crossed the Tigris and our massing for an assault with the Europeans from the north. They should arrive in the morning!"

The Warlord of Mesopotamia shrugged, "We will win, men. For the gods smile upon us."
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While the European-Siamese force succeeding in defeating the barbarians, both sides suffered heavy losses.

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