Sabah
Capital: Jesselton
Ruler: Muzzafar/BananaLee
Government: Tribal Council
Tech. Level: Middle Medieval Age
Religion: Buddhism
Army: 30 battalions
Navy: 15 ships
Economy: Poor
Education: Educated
Culture: Strongly Cultured
Confidence: Respecting
Projects: Drive for Modernization (build towns, connect them by roads, reorganize the military, +1 Economy) (1/5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story
Pt. 1 - Trips Abroad
Things were going well. Much better than Muzzafar had hoped for, in fact. His small nation-state had grown from a tiny refugee settlement to a country which spanned an area far larger than the Malay Peninsula had been. And all in the space of ten years, thanks to his efforts and the unexpected cooperation of the Dusun tribes.
Even now, his modernisation project was moving along fine. Provincial towns were established to ease tax-collection and petition-granting. Roads were being constructed at a very fast pace. Fast, that is, considering the thick jungle terrain that the builders had to contend with. At worst, the project would take another 30 years to be completed, well within Muzzafar's lifespan. So long as he wasn't killed.
Muzzafar laughed to himself. Sabah was a peaceful nation, and under his leadership, would prosper. The first steps of establishing towns had allowed forest produce from the interior to be brought in to the capital. Now he could actually begin trading with people, and that was a good thing, since he needed to bring in much needed trade to Sabah which was, compared to many other nations, rather poor.
So that would have to change, wouldn't it? Yes, trade missions would be good to start with. And Muzzafar called for his
laksamana.
Sabah's
laksamana, five Malay and two Dusun stood in a line to await the orders of Muzzafar. Technically, the
laksamana rank carried with it the responsibility of a fleet of Navy ships. However, with the very small Navy owned by the Sabahan forces,
laksamana ended up as a rank not only for admirals but land army generals as well. As they waited expectantly, Muzzafar began,
"My Admirals and Generals, in the past 10 years, we have already gained much and even expanded to a size far larger than what we were previously, thanks to our Dusun friends. However, I believe it is time to develop on the foreign front as well. As such, I would need three volunteers to lead various missions."
Without a blink, all seven took a step forward. Muzzafar was shocked. Yes, he had led them to this new glory but he had never expected such a sign of loyalty. His heart warmed and he continued,
"Thank you for your loyalty. Only three shall I choose and it does not represent who is better or who is not. As a matter of fact, I shall leave the matter to chance and you shall draw lots. The three who draw the longest ones will be the mission leaders."
Fifteen minutes later, four
laksamana walked out of the planning room, slightly disheartened at their luck, but still ready to serve when called. Back in the planning room, Muzzafar outlined their general missions, two trade missions and an expedition to search for new lands. That done, he called back for the other four
laksamana. And he discussed plans...
Part 2 - A New City
Panglima Rentap had convinced the Pedalaman Dusun chieftains that joining the Sabahan nation would be a bright future for them. Now, with the responsibility of proving himself right in his own hands, he decided to establish a settlement next to the Rajang River so as to ease communications between the tribes until the roads reached this area. He called it Hulu Rajang.
Pt. 3 - Writing
Finally, it was done! Two years late, but he had finally completed a sound ideographic writing system for the Sabahan language. Knowing that an phonetic system would be impossible to implement when trying to combine the very similar Dusun and Malay speech,
Bendahara Mustafa had decided that ideographs were the way to go. Combining aspects of Old Malay and Chinese writings, the as yet unwritten Dusun language could be written down in exactly the same manner as that of modern Malay. At last, perhaps this could unify AND educate the people of Sabah, both Dusun and Malay. Perhaps it could even cause the dispensation of Dusun and Malay distinctions. The Sabahan race would be created with this style.
Now, all that was left was to implement it. Picking up the 250-page book of ideographs, Mustafa headed to show his proposal to the tribal council.
Pt. 4 - Java
The boy loved to travel the jungles. His father had told him about the Sabahans, people from the west coast who spoke the same language as them and took them in under their protection. Still, it didn't affect him much and so he did what he did everyday. He travelled inside the jungle collecting honey for the fun of it. Sometimes, he could even pick up a ripe durian or two, those fruits which you could smell from a mile away.
Yes, this was a carefree life and today had been a good day. He had netted himself two durians and a pot of wild honey. A bountiful harvest.
But he noticed something as he was running back to his village. The smell of smoke. He slowed his pace down. He was very near to his village and this smoke didn't smell like the normal cooking smoke that he smelt for the past 8 years of his life. No, this was more like the smoke he used to get the bees away from his honey.
As he approached the village, the smell got stronger. And suddenly, it was there, a horrible sight. His village had been burnt to the ground and some strange men, armed with spears and shields were stabbing some bodies.
What was happening? the child wondered to himself. Petrified with fear, he still noticed that they spoke a strange language, were dressed strangely and looked evil.
And the next thing he knew, he ran. He ran west as fast as he could. To where his father had told him about the new town. And he left his pot of honey behind.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diplomacy
to King Ashoka, the People's Emperor of Sinhala,
Greetings,
It is with great pleasure that I announce the arrival Sabahan trade mission to Colombo under Laksamana Hang Tuah.
As promised, we bring what riches we are able to obtain from the deep jungles of Sabah which we had been able to collect, including bird's nest, wild honey and herbs known to cure diseases like jungle fever and leprosy. Please allow the expedition to open trade in your marketplaces in Colombo and accept a small portion of the expedition's cargo.
With many thanks.
Gusti Raja Sabah Muzzafar.
to Wang Di, Emperor of the Juang Empire
Greetings,
Please allow the trade mission to Kyushu under Laksamana Hang Jebat to lay over in Hong Kong and establish trade in your marketplaces as we resupply our ships. Please accept a small portion of our cargo as well which includes some of our forest products which we have been able to harvest including bird's nest and wild honey.
Thank you.
Gusti Raja Sabah Muzzafar.
to Tokugawa of Kyushu
Greetings,
These five ships under the command of Laksamana Hang Jebat have come as pioneers of a hopefully long and healthy trading relationship between the nation of Sabah and the people of Kyushu. Included in our cargo are medicinal herbs which can heal wounds and even diseases like leprosy. We also have a delicacy known as bird's nest and wild honey from the jungles of Sa'aba. With this, we do hope that your people and ours could trade for two-way prosperity.
Yours,
Gusti Raja Sabah Muzzafar.
to Java (das!! 
)
Greetings,
I would like to inform you that your troops have attacked a village under Sabahan protection. I do hope that you, as the king did not order this but I would find it necessary to demand compensation and tribute due to the destruction of lives and property that you have caused to soveriegn Sabahan territory. I await your reply.
Gusti Raja Sabah Muzzafar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orders (in simple English)
- spend 1 sp.point on enlarging the Navy
- spend 1 sp.point on improving education
- establish town of Hulu Rajang with one (1) battalion and bring it into the "Drive for Modernisation" network.
- send out five (5) ships on a trade mission to Colombo, Sinhala (offering forest produce, eg: bird's nest, wild honey & medicinal herbs)
- send out five (5) ships on a trade mission to Kyushu, Tokugawa Japan via Hong Kong (offering forest produce, eg: bird's nest, wild honey, medicinal herbs
and tropical fruit)
- send out five (5) ships and five (5) battalions on a "North-Eastern Expedition".
Objectives are to establish colonies on lands discovered up to a maximum of five (5) colonies with one (1) battalion in charge of each.
-
SECRET (das check PM)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Map Legend
Lime Green - Hulu Rajang
Yellow Arrow - Sinhalese Trade Mission
Silver Arrow - Tokugawa Trade Mission, via Hong Kong
Red Arrow - North-Eastern Expedition
