Revenge of the Zulu

[T-Money]

Here we go again..

Settings:

Random opponents, Warlord modded to a bit more difficult, Normal Aggression, "standard" world.



Chapter One: The Beginning

Many people say that the Zulu empire was the first true civilization, the first point at which cro-magnon man crossed the fine line into intelligence and rational thought. Until recently, not much was known of the Zulu empire or how it came to be. All that was known was that which was found in the ruins of their great cities. But now, a veritable treasure trove of evidence has been discovered. This evidence is in the form of letters of correspondence, maps, plans, and journal entries. I will relate these to you as best I can.

Nobody is sure exactly when the Zulu empire began, but most estimates point to around 4000 B.C. Around this time, the ancient Zulu scripts say, there was a weak city, nothing more than a miniature sprawl of tents and huts, huddled together among a hilly landscape. This city, however weak it was, is the first known sign of true civilization. In this city, people came together and settled down, subsisting on crops instead of following their favorite game around as they had for so many years. This city was named after the man who would soon shape it into a great pillar of civilization. This city was called ZimBobwe, which translates literally into English as "City of the Bob."

The man who was responsible for the rise to greatness of the Zulu empire is a mysterious figure. Until the Zulu empire began to become a superpower, not much is recorded of this man in terms of...his name. The only times his name is written down, it translates into English text as this: Mbawmb. Various historians and linguists have proposed the pronunciation of this name as um-BAW-UM-be, um-BAW-b, and even UM-ba-WUM-ba. Umbawumba? I don't think so. As a rule, most historians agree use the simplified pronunciation of Bob when discussing this great man.

But enough about his name. Bob brought the Zulu empire to power, and he started this the way these things always start: from the bottom. He was a simple warrior/hunter for his people when they settled on the fertile plain of the Grand River, but soon tales of his bravery and intelligence spread, and when the people decided to stay put for good, he was the natural selection as the "big man" of the city. Bob ended interclan bickering, promoted settlement of the surrounding land, and supervised all expansion of the fledgling city. It is widely accepted that if this man had not risen to be ruler of the Zulu, they probably would have died out like so many other nameless ancient clans.

Soon after the city was founded, Bob began to think to himself about what was going on over the ridges of the surrounding hills. To find out, he sent scouts to inspect the surrounding lands.

The scouts stumbled upon good fortune in the form of a small, minor tribe in the neighboring valley. This tribe greeted the scouts and, after exchanging some small talk, bestowed upon the scouts the traditions of ceremonial burial in exchange for some small beads and other trinkets of little value. The scouts raced back to ZimBobwe to inform Cheif Bob of this interesting and alien concept. The Zulu people found the practice of burying their dead wildly preferable to the previous method of tossing bodies in a pit and lighting them on fire.

Good luck had shined its happy face upon the Zulu people, and upon Cheif Bob. To the northwest of ZimBobwe, it had been found that the grapes in the hills could be crushed and made into an intoxicating drink called wine. This wine made the people happy because now they didn't have to worry about their problems; they could just drink them away! Clearly they were on to something. But not just the wine, there was more good luck in store for the Zulu people.

But first, a short break for some more serious history. At about this time, it believed that Cheif Bob appointed his High Council. This Council would advise him on six fronts: Military, Science, Trade, Domestic, Foreign, and Cultural. These, of course, were not the names of the divisions, but each advisor had his or her own job to do and was appointed to assist the Cheif in his ruling and to advise him in their area of expertise.

The Northern Scouts had found good things to the north, and reported back to ZimBobwe to tell Cheif Bob of their findings. At this time, there was no cartographer in ZimBobwe, but this is an artist's rendering of what the scouts found:

To the northwest of ZimBobwe, the Great Silk Forest, which still stands today, covered most of the land. In this forest, there resided tiny insects. When they went through their larval stage, they could be cooked and spun into a fine, smooth fabric called silk. Also in these forests there resided animals with fine furs. Both the furs and the silks would make the Zulu people happy, because now they didn't have to deal with their problems, they could just wrap them up in expensive clothes! Or something...

Soon after the scouts discovered this fine forests in the north, they found more good fortune, once again in the form of a friendly minor tribe.

This tribe called themselves Bactrians, and they showed the scouts the art of the warrior code. Using this code, the Bactrians disciplined their fighters to the greatest degree, teaching them to fight using teamwork and the honor system. This code would also allow the Bactrians to equip their warriors with a bow and arrow, and through contact with this tribe, the Zulu people now had the ability to do the same.

Next Chapter: Expansion of the Zulu Empire

 

[T-Money]

Chapter Two: The Age of Expansion

As Cheif Bob had suspected,the Zulu people were not the only people on the earth. He didn't know this for sure at the time, but I do, and I'm telling you now. With all these other civilizations around, obviously the Zulu would have to compete for territory and resources. And so they did.

The first recorded splinter settlement of the Zulu empire is the city of Ulundi. ZimBobwe had just risen to a new status, a large, strong city populated by a happy people, when Cheif Bob decided that he would send some of them to the Great silk Forest and set up a second city to bring the forest's treasures to ZimBobwe. The following is the first recorded conversation in the history of the world, copied down by Cheif Bob's scribe. All Zulu tongue will be translated into English for the ease of the reader.

Cheif Bob: Welcome, friend, welcome. Thank you for coming here to speak with me on such short notice.

Trade Advisor: Not a problem, sir. What is it you want to speak with me about?

Cheif Bob: I want to talk to you about the Great Silk Forest, and about our city. It is growing large, swelling with citizens, but they are becoming unruly due to the lack of luxury items. I want to get some to keep them happy.

Trade Advisor: Understanable, sir. But why do you need to talk to me?

Cheif Bob: Because I want you to organize the settlement party. Gather up one thousand volunteers to settle the forest, and send some workers to lay a road to them. Report back to me when it's been done.

Trade Advisor: Yes, sir!

Although this conversation might seem of little importance, keep in mind that it marks the first recorded conversation of the world's history. These are the first words that we know were spoken for certain.

Roughly two weeks after the Cheif spoke with his trade advisor on this subject, he recieved a letter in reply:

This letter, found in the Cheif's throne room in the ruins of the city of ZimBobwe, has been translated to English and copied down, the first recovered written letter of correspondence in the story of this great nation.

Shortly before the time this letter was written, Cheif Shaka had appointed a man who we would today call a cartographer. This cartographer would draw many, many maps for his Cheif, the first of which I have recovered and will show you here. This is believed to be the first map ever created by man.

The map depicts the city of ZimBobwe, to the South, and the newly-formed city of Ulundi, to the North. Connecting the two is the Silk Road, the greatest construction project in the very early history of Zululand.

For a long time, nothing happened that could be said to be of any importance to the plight of the Zulu people. Many people were born, many people died. Many years passed, and the Zulu empire was essentially stagnant. But this was not to last long. Soon, new cities would explode like a rash on the quiet countryside, and new nations would be discovered.

The marker for the beginning of the Zulu rise to power is a strange one indeed. One day, a dusty, weatherbeaten traveller wandered into the city limits of ZimBobwe. After being given food and shelter by a kind policeman, this man requested audience with the Cheif.

Cheif Bob was sitting in his throne room with his fingers massaging his temples, as they so often were these days. Before, everything was simple; herd the cows, cut the wheat, eat, sleep, poop. Now it was so much more. Make sure the serfs don't starve to death, make sure the settlers up north aren't savaged by barbarian scum, work work work. He was just considering getting up to pop a bottle of wine with his trusted military advisor, Shaka, when the doors to his throne room burst open.

Policeman: Cheif Bob, there is a strange man to see you. Says his name is Tacitus.

Cheif Bob: Wierd name....I'm pretty busy, but I guess I have time to speak with this...Tacitus. Let him in.

Tacitus swept in with the policeman in close pursuit.

Tacitus: Cheif Bob, you have made a great people out of what was once nothing. However, you're only mediocre in the big scheme of things...

The traveller plonked a heavy book on Bob's desk, turned on his heel, and dissappeared forever.

Soon after this, Bob began pondering what he should do. He had two options: figure out who these people were that somehow had made something more of themselves than he had, meet them, and learn their ways, or slip away into obscurity. In a historical sense, of course.

"Hmm...." Bob thought to himself, "What to do? Obviously I need more.....more what? More everything, probably. I guess the best thing to do now would be to try and set up a few more settlements."

Of course, that's just speculation, but this must have been what went through the great leader's mind upon reading Tacitus' book, for a few years later this happend:

This is the second of many maps drafted by Cheif Bob's cartographer. In this map, the newly-founded city of Bapedi is shown far south of ZimBobwe, on the fertile banks of the Gray River. To the east of Bapedi, a minor tribe had been spotted savaging a few of the serfs working the land, but now they had settled and made camp on the grasslands across the river. They would be removed, but at a later time.

With the founding of Bapedi, things began to look up for the Zulu. More money from taxes meant that science was advancing with unprecedented swiftness. Few new sciences had been discovered, but those that had been discovered were of much importance in a historical sense. Writing and a common Alphabet were two of the base concepts of Zulu life, something unique to the Zulu people at that time. Shortly after the founding of Bapedi, the city of Hlobane was founded, expanding the Zulu empire even more. Below is an artist's rendering of the Zulu empire at this time.

Once again, Cheif Bob sat alone in his throne room, this time poring over the maps of his empire which his master cartographer had drawn up for him. Difficuly decision were his to make, and these were difficult decisions indeed. He had decided to expand first south, to take the rich lands there, and then expand to the east and north. So far, his plan was working precisely as he had hoped. He was just about to reach a decision on the placement of his next settlement when the doors of his throne room burst open once more.

Master Cartographer: Hey, Bobby boy, my man! How's it goin! I, ah, had a really, really good reason for coming in here, but I forgot it..

Cheif Bob sighed and closed his eyes, resisting the overpowering urge to strangle his cartographer. The man was constantly drunk, which meant he was constantly in a state of bemused confusion and occasionally rabid.

Cheif Bob: You've been drinking again, haven't you? How many times do I have to tell you to lay off the wine?

Master Cartographer: Hey, man....it fuels my artistic talent. And besides, this way I cant just drink away my troubles instead of dealing with them! You should try the stuff. Anyways, I'll just go.

Cheif Bob: No, no, you had something to tell me. What's that scroll you've got there?

Master Cartographer: Oh, this? It's a map, man. That city you ordered up down south is, ah, what's that word.....complete.

Cheif Bob: Let me see...

After ridding himself of the drunken map-man, Bob sat to think once more. A city in the west was not what he had ordered. Quite clearly he was forgetting things, or maybe just going crazy. He could have sworn that settling party was headed south....but no matter.

In between the settling of these great cites, many things had been happening in the capital and outside the Zulu empire. Firstly, contact with two great tribes, the French and the Russians. The French had traded the art of wheelmaking and masonry for the secret of written text. Although these two contacts are quite significant in the history of the Zulu people, the exact date of contact has been lost due to either "a poorly-kept turn log" or "an angry bear." It's hard to tell which; the two phrases are extremely simliar in Zulu text. Secondly, contact with another great tribe, the Indians, had been established...

Himalaya Mountains, 1910 B.C.

Shaka sweated freely in the heat of the afternoon sun. He had accepted this assignment, scouting in the lands to the far south, to get away from the heat. But the heat of the Zulu lands was much, much different from this. This was a dry, baking heat, like being in a clay oven, and he could practically feel the sweat evaporating off his back as soon as it dripped from his searing pores.

He and his men had been travelling hard and fast for many weeks, living off what animals they could catch and kill, drinking muddy water, and slowly cooking from the inside out. So far all their work had been for nothing. Until now. As he stood atop the mountain crest with his second-in-command, he smiled with satisfaction as he realized that all their hard travelling and suffering had finally payed off. For below them, in a deep, steep valley nestled between two imposing mountain peaks, sat the Indian city of Madras. As soon as the rest of his men, panting and sweating heavily, reach the mountaintop alongside him, Shaka took off at a slow lope towards the city.

ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1910 B.C., several months later

Cheif Bob was just beginning to worry about Shaka and his scout troop when he heard the good news. They had spent many years in the south after contacting two other civilizations, and now finally a messenger had been sent to report of yet another great civilization. But the contact was a mixed bag. The Indians, although friendly and accomodating to the scouts, had nothing to trade with the Zulu people, and so were of no vital importance at the time.

To Be Continued....

 

[Coinich]

I like the approach - keep going

 

[White_Knight]

How did you make the black-and-white maps? Some kind of high-pass filter?

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

Looks good. keep up the expansion, more please

 

[Dachs]

How did you make the black-and-white maps? Some kind of high-pass filter?

That is really cool, but the phrase "High-pass filter" reminds me of electronics class...too much evil...

Keep expanding! Keep using the same basic speech format as Handy's AWS Byzantine thread! w00t!

 

[rbis4rbb]

cool story. I hope it goes well

 

[Chieftess]

How did you make the black-and-white maps? Some kind of high-pass filter?

There's a graphics modpack in the C&C forum that has those graphics.

 

[T-Money]

I'm using Arsoft Photostudio SE (came with my POS digital acmera) and it has an option under "effect" toolbard. You can choose "sketch" and then "black & white" and select intensity for the cool, real-map effect.

 

[T-Money]

Chapter Three: Age of Science

The Age of Science is possibly the most important time in history for the Zulu story. This period of Zulu history is the first time when all correspondences and conversation began to be meticulously recorded, and therefore is the first truly well-documented period. Passing out of the Age of Expansion, when the major Zulu cities were founded, a great occurance marked the beginning of this new age: the rise of a great scientist by the name of Senzangakhona. This scientist, inspired by his discovery of the art of Philosophy, had risen as the greatest single thinking mind in Zulu history.

Throne Room of Cheif Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1910 B.C.

Cheif Bob sat with his military advisor, Shaka, discussing Shaka's findings in the far South. Shaka had neglected to mention contact with one other tribe, the Japanese, for this tribe was so pathetically backwards and uncivilized they might as well have stayed in their trees instead of advanced to humanoid form. Cheif Bob was just beginning to wonder how many tribes there might be in the world and what he should do about securing a homeland for his people when there came a hard knock on the heavy double doors of the throne room.

Cheif Bob: Come on in, but make it quick. I'm having a conference.

Two men entered the room. One, a royal Impi guard, a member of the most respected and skillful military force in all of Zululand. The other, a shabbily dressed man, with wildly dishevelled hair and a strange, limping gait that suggested either a chronic joint pain or a very tired man. Cheif Bob feared that perhaps this was another man coming to put a depressingly large book on his desk, but luckily, he was wrong.

Shabby Man: My lord! My name is Senzangakhona. I have been apprenticed to your Science advisor for many years, but I have this super-great idea that I think could revolutionize our expansion!

Cheif Bob: Mmm-hmm....go on. Please forgive my skepticism, but I've heard that all too many times from my crazed cartographer.

Senzangakhona: Ah, yes, your cartographer. I hold great respect for him, although he is a bit of a wino. Anyway, about my idea...

Cheif Bob and Senzangakhona talked for many long hours about the young scientist's great idea, eventually calling upon the cartographer, domestic advisor, and trade advisor to assist with the young man's plan. Eventually, they emerged from the throne room, and Cheif Bob sent runners to gather all the people of Zululand for a grand hearing in ZimBobwe.

ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1910 B.C.

Cheif Bob stood with his Science Advisor and Senzangakhona atop a platform that had been erected in front of the palace. Milling in front of him, as far as the eye could see, were people, packed into the Palace Courtyard like sardines. They muttered quietly to each other, wondering what could be so important as to gather them all here instead of working in the fields liike they were supposed to?

Cheif Bob: People of Zululand! Please, quiet down!

Almost instantly, all was quiet. The people gazed forward to the platform, those in the back of the crowd craning their necks and straining to hear their revered leader.

Cheif Bob: I am certain you are all wondering what you are here for! Well, what I have to tell you is of great importance to all of you! If this idea, proposed by the fine scientist you see before you, goes well, there will be more than enough food for all! New cities will rise, and a new generation will be born! With this idea, the Zulu will rise to power!

At this point, Cheif Bob whipped away a cloth draped over a small scaffold on the platfrom next to himself and Senzangakhona.The cloth dropped to the cobbled floor of the courtyard, and there was a sudden intake of breath from all the people in the courtyard as the young scientist's idea was revealed. Before them, sitting on the platform next to their great leader, was a pyramid, about twelve feet high and glistening in the morning sunlight.

ZimBobwe, Zululand, three months later

A season had passed, and the Great Pyramid had been built. Now the massive thing sat over ZimBobwe, the brainchild of the greatest mind ever to grace the city. Senzangakhona had been correct. By some miracle, the construction of the Great Pyramid meant that a granary would instantly be formed in any city on the same continent. Don't ask me how, I'm just a historian, but I've been informed it has something to do with quantum physics.

Inspired by the brilliance of his young apprentice, Sid, Cheif Bob's Science advisor, had led his scholars to the discovery of another great science, the Code of Laws. With this knowledge, Courthouses could be constructed, and the people kept ruly by means of set laws instead of a simple beating for anyone who stepped out of line. In turn, the discovery of the Code of Laws lead the scientist quickly along the path of representative government. In addition, the art of the Code was sold to the Russian tribe in exchange for the art of Mysticism in 1790 B.C. This is the first recorded date of trade between the two cultures.

Meanwhile, near the city of Isandhlwanda.....

This map, recovered from Cheif Bob's throne room, shows the city of ZimBobwe in the northwest, and the city of Isandhlwana in the southeast. North of Isandhlwana is the source of horses, circled sloppily by Cheif Bob's intoxicated mapmaker. And here, a letter from the Science Advisor himself, addressed to Cheif Bob on the subject:

Although these horses were not of much use at the time, later on they would be vital to the Zulu military's stability. But that's a story for later. Right now we're still in the Age of Science.

After the construction of the Great Pyramid was completed, many more cities were founded. The old cities grew quickly and in a less erratic fashion than before due to the prescence of granaries, and the young cities quickly swelled into maturity, with thousands upon thousands populating even the smallest towns.

About this time, the Russians made another historic trade with the Zulu leader. This time, the Russians offered the art of Iron Working and 40 gold pieces for the art of paying people to sit around and think. This trade was extremely good for the Zulu people, as it would allow a new and improved military.

Throne Room of Cheif Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1450 B.C

Cheif Bob was, as usual, thinking. Sitting at his chair and staring at a map of the Northlands, Bob tried to come to a decision of where to place his next great city. It would be a good idea to settle on the Gray Mountains, certainly; the mountains would make for excellent production returns.

Interrupting his thoughts came the sound of his throne room doors bursting open, as they had a tendency to do. Once again, his Master Cartographer stood before him, and once again, he was blizted out of his mind.

Master Cartographer: Yo, Bobby-O! Oh, man, I was just thinking about you, man...I got something for you, but I forget what it was.

Cheif Bob put his head in his hands and let out a small, quiet sob of frustration, then wiped his eyes and stood to face his drunken colleauge.

Cheif Bob: Could it, possibly, be that map you're holding in your hand?

Master Cartographer: Oh, yeah, that. Hey! This is for you! You're smart, man, I guess that's why you're the Cheif and I'm just your lowly foreign advisor...

Cheif Bob: Good god....you're my mapmaker, you crazy lush. Get it together, man! Now, let's see what you got for me here....

Cheif Bob spread the meticulously detailed map on the table in front of him.

Master Cartographer: As you can see.....uh, I think...OK, I'm not really sure what it is because I can't see too good right now. But this should be showing Iron to the hills just northwest of here.

Cheif Bob: Good, good. You can go. And, ah, be careful, OK? You're the only mapmaker I've got.

Master Cartographer: Hey, don't worry, baby! It's all good!

And with that, the mapmaker staggered away from the table and, after nearly breaking his nose on the doorframe, found his way out of the throne room.

But back to the settlement.

In the east, the city of Mpondo was built. Founded on the shores of the Sea of Anxiety, this city had an abundant supply of food in the Gray Forest. Large game lived in these forests, and the massive Gray Mountains were hoped to boost production with mines once the city was up and running.

And in the north, the city of Ngome was built. Nestled among the split crests of the Gray Mountains and the surrounding foothills, this area was also hoped to become extremely productive, and with the game in the forests to the northeast and the cattle on the grasslands to the southeast, Ngome had all the makings of a true powerhouse of a city.

Next Chapter: The Age of Science Continued/Franco-Zulu War

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

Build a road to that iron right above your capital!!! then mine it lots of sheilds to be made there

 

[Dachs]

Why'd you irrigate the grain grass tile, especially when you're in Despotism?

Otherwise, good work!

 

[Own]

Only irrigating grassland without food bonus is inefficient. Irrigating it with wheat will still give him another food.

 

[T-Money]

Lol Own beat me to it. My next priority will be getting that iron. Be prepared for some violence in the next few chapters.

 

[T-Money]

Chapter Three Continued: The Age of Science

Shortly after the founding of the northern city of Ngome, the Zulu army was for the first time mobilized for war due to false intelligence from the frontlines of Zulu expansion. Messengers had raced back with reports from the Impi Elites in the hills around the southern city of Bapedi. Supposedly, a hostile regiment of Japanese warrior divisions had appeared to the east of the city, and a regiment of French warriors had been spotted to the northwest.

Luckily, these turned out to be false alarms, as the foreign troops were merely inspecting the area for their own expansion purposes. Nevertheless, bitter words were exchanged between the leader of Zululand and the leaders of the other two nations. Tempers flared, and relations swept quickly on a downward spiral of death. The French leader, Saint Joan D'Arc, kept good face and shrouded herself in a facade of goodwill when she spoke with Cheif Bob, but the Japanese leader, Tokugawa, became openly hostile over the entire matter. Many say this is the deep root of hate between the nations of France and Zululand.

Throne Room of Cheif Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1300 B.C.

Cheif Bob stood in his throne room, nervously pacing. Sid, his Science advisor, had recently sent a messenger bearing a plea for a meeting. And so, two hours later, here he was, and Sid was already twenty minutes late.

Just as Bob was about to send a runner to fetch his loyal advisor, the man himself swept through the doors, bearing a large map of Zululand and escorted by three Impi Elites.

Sid: Good morning, Cheif. Sorry I'm late, sir, but I got caught up in my work and forgot the time.

Cheif Bob: Not a problem, Sid. Now, what is it you have to tell me?

Sid: Ah, great things, sir. At least, the makings of great things. I have here a plan, sir, a plan for a mighty government.

Cheif Bob: What's a government?

Sid: Well, sir, it's like a form of ruling. Like right now, everyone does what you say. It's a form of government that my fellow scholars and I call Despotism.

Cheif Bob: OK....so what's your big plan?

Sid: Well, sir, it's quite simple. Each city and the area around it will have elections for a senator..

Cheif Bob: Elections? Senators? The hell you talkin' bout?

Sid: Ah, an election is where the people decide who will be the ruler. See, each city will have an elected leader, which we call a Senator. One Senator for each city, sir. Then all the Senators meet with you and express the wishes of the people. You have the final say, of course, but the Senators will be your connection to the people.

Cheif Bob: And what advantage does this have over our current form of, um....government?

Sid: Well, sir the people will be happier, which means they'll be more productive, and which therefore means more money for the empire! And, of course, for, um, science. Anyway, think about it, sir, and you can make the decision for yourself whether to put this plan into action or not.

At this point, Cheif Bob fell silent and thought for several long minutes while his Science advisor stood awkwardly next to him.

Cheif Bob: Very well. You may go.

Also in the year of 1300 B.C, another new development occured in the history of the Zulu Empire. The source of Iron in the mountains north of ZimBobwe was hooked up to the national trade network, giving the Zulu the ability to equip their warriors with swords and armor. This point was driven home by a visit from General Shaka, Cheif Bob's loyal Military advisor.

Cheif Bob still stood by his desk, not having moved a muscle since the visit from Sid, when two figures swept into his throne room. They were both Impi Elites, but they did not speak. He gazed at them questioningly, when one of them nodded his head at the door.

Into the room came a fearsome figure. Short, about a head shorter than the Cheif himself, but apparently coated in a thick bronze skin. The creature had a long, fearsome weapon in its hand and a thick piece of bronze strapped to its left arm. On its head sat a headdress the likes of which Cheif Bob had never seen before. Cheif Bob stared at the two Impi Elites, wondering why they were not doing anything to protect him, when the creature removed its headdress. The thing was none other than General Shaka himself.

General Shaka: Good morning, Bob. Sorry to alarm you, but I really couldn't resist showing this off to you.

Cheif Bob: What is it?

General Shaka: Not entirely sure on that one, sir. You know how the Russians taught is how to work that wierd metal? Well, the boys in the Science department cooked this up for me and gave it to me about ten minutes ago. It's really cool. Here, see this log?

General Shaka hoisted a small tree up in the air, as if it was a hard thing to miss.

Cheif Bob: Sure. I hope there's point to all this....

General Shaka placed the log on Bob's desk and raised his glinting sword. With one clean stroke, he hacked through the log and Cheif Bob's table.

Cheif Bob: Amazing.....can they make more?

General Shaka: I knew you'd like it, sir, so I told the guys in Science to make a bunch more. My lieutenants in Bapedi are training guys to use these weapons as we speak.

Cheif Bob: Most excellent, General. Is that all?

General Shaka was taken aback, surprised that his Cheif did not want to talk any more about the new toys.

General Shaka: Uh, ah, yes sir. Sorry about the desk, sir.

Cheif Bob: Don't worry about it. Sorry to cut you short, but I'm extremely busy. You may go.

With this new development, the Zulu army would rise to a new height of power, striking terror into the hearts of nearby nations with the mere idea of an attack.

Palace Courtyard, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1250 B.C.

Once again, the courtyard outside the Imperial Palace was filled with uneasy muttering. This time, however, it only had a few men in it, each of them from a different city. They were nervous, wondering if they had done something wrong. As they sat and wondered, Cheif Bob swept into the courtyard.

Cheif Bob: Gentlemen! Welcome, welcome! I'm sure you are all wondering why you are here, and why your fellow citizens chose you, but if you follow me all your questions will be answered.

Cheif Bob turned on his heel and marched straight back into the palace with the visitors in tow. They walked straight past the throne room and into the Conference Room where Cheif Bob held all his council meetings.

Cheif Bob: Please, gentlemen, be seated.

The men nervously took their seats. Cheif Bob walked to the front of the room and leaned forward, resting his palms on the table and looking across at the young men.

Cheif Bob: Gentlemen, Zululand is entering a new age. This young nation is prospering, but the people are ill at ease, and they dislike the current form of managament. Of the country, that is. My Scientific advisor tells me this management is called government, and that our current government is called Despotism.

Cheif Bob broke off and walked aroun the table, taking a seat at the head of the table and looking across at his compatriots with calm eyes.

Cheif Bob: But now there is need for a new type of government. You men have been selected, one each from every city in the empire, by the people. You are here to become my helpers, my ambassadors to the people, if you will. If you choose to take on this position, you will be summoned to my conference room apporximately whenever I feel it is neccesarry. While you are here, we will discuss matters of the state. You will be paid a hefty salary, of course, but the work will be difficult. Of course, it's doubtlessly easier work than tilling the fields......Anyway, if you're in, please mark this paper with your name. If you're out, you may leave. You need fear no repurcussions if you choose to leave now.

Bob watched as, one by one, the men signed the paper on the table in front of them.

Cheif Bob: Very good. Now, it is doubtless that there will be a short period of unrest amongst the people, but I imagine it will pass quickly enough. You shall spend the first few days of your new job in your home cities, helping calm the people. The Impi Elite will escort you and ensure that you are heard. That is all.

The men left the room, one by one, and as they passed through the door, the Zulu nation passed through its weakness and into power. From that point on, the Zulu nation would be a powerful nation, a nation looked up to by others, and a nation respected by all others. The Zulu nation would be the first Republic, the first representative government, in the history of the world.

To Be Continued....

 

[T-Money]

Chapter Three Continued: The Age of Science

Prologue

The transition from a Despotism to a Republic had not been easy. Many people had assumed that the fact that their leader was giving up complete control meant he was becoming weak. Some merely took the opportunity to loot as a gift from god. But all settled down soon enough, and the results of the revolution were wonderful and numerous. Lightened restrictions on trade enhanced economic growth. The economy of Zululand increased fourfold immediately after the return of power to the government. The people were happier with this new, "representative" government, and happy workers meant more productive cities, which meant yet more money. The new Prime Minister scarcely knew what to do with all this money.

Chapter Three Continued

The term "Age of Science" is a general reference to the period in which the Zulu nation gained the larger part of its superiority over the other nations of the world. The beginning of the Age of Science, most historians agree, began with the rising of Senzangakhona, the first truly great mind of Zulu scientific progress, and his grand plan for the expansion and glory of the Zulu nation: the Great Pyramid. However, Senzangakhona was not the only great thinker of early Zulu times. He was merely the first.

The true rise of the Zulu began with another man, another great thinker. This man's name was Dingiswayo. As Senzangakhona before him had been, Dingiswayo was originally apprenticed to Prime Minister Bob's Scientific advisor, Sid, but proved his brilliance with his idea for a new form of education. This idea consisted of educating the masses in the arts of reading and writing; Literature, in a word. And with this grand idea came another, an idea so great that the result of it still stands in the city of ZimBobwe, though its use is peripheral at best in these modern times.

This idea found its way into being by way of a conference with the Prime Minister and his Senate at the great House of the Senate in ZimBobwe. This building, constructed shortly after the revolution ended, contained all senatorial conferences and therefore would hold this one as well. It seemed of little significance at the time, but the realization of this plan was one of the many things that would slingshot the Zulu Empire to true greatness.

Conference Hall, House of the Senate, ZimBobwe, Zululand. Approximately 1050 B.C.

The Senators sat in their two rows of bench seats, looking down curiously at the man sitting before them. In the chair below them, also facing this young scientist, was the Prime Minister, stroking his short beard thoughtfully as he listened to this man talk. The conference had only just begun, but already the debate was heated.

Dingiswayo: My idea is perfect. Construction of a Great Library will allow for mass education of the people. Our scholars will have a place to congregate and share ideas, and a place to store the ideas of other cultures. With the construction of this Great Library, our nation will rise to new power!

Senator from Bapedi: But this Great Library you speak of will consume time and valuable production. We can't just throw labor at any old idea. Admittedly, this would do great things for us if your theory is correct, but what if it isn't? All that time and energy, devoted for no reason to a purpose that will collapse far more quickly than it is constructed?

A rash of murmurs and nods of agreement passed through the House like wildfire, and the young man's face grew sad as he watched them. Finally, the Prime Minister rose from his seat and spoke.

Prime Minister Bob: Gentlemen of the Senate. What have we to lose? Already we have a powerful empire. Already we have a powerful military. We have no wars, no projects, nothing to consume our resources, and even if we had, our empire is strong enough now to divert some of that strength into dreams like this.

Senator from Ngome: But that's exactly it! That's all this is, Prime Minister, a dream!

Prime Minister Bob: And what's wrong with that? At the risk of sounding dangerously corny, a young man exactly like this one walked into my throne room many years ago and requested a project of similar size and effort. I allowed it, and look where we are now! On the path to greatness! Is that so bad?

PM Bob broke off and looked around at the men before him. He remembered when he could just say something would be done, and it would be done, but now he had to get agreement from these men.

Prime Minister Bob: Dingiswayo, please rise.

Dingiswayo rose from his seat and faced the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Bob: I will grant you the labor and time you need to complete this project, under one condition. It will be built here, in ZimBobwe.

He turned to face the men sitting in the benches above him.

Prime Minister Bob: If any of you wishes to object, please speak now.

Surprisingly, none of the Senate spoke.

Prime Minister Bob: Very well. Dingiswayo, be on your way. Gentlemen of the Senate, you may leave now. This conference is over.

And so it came to be that the Great Library was constructed in ZimBobwe. Scholars from all corners of the Empire flocked to ZimBobwe, gathering and sharing their ideas, and recording the ideas of other nations. At this Great Library, many ideas were taken from ancient Russian and Japanese texts previously indecipherable: Map Making, Polytheism, and Horseback Riding. Additionally, the art of Mathematics was discovered under the scholars' own power.

Next Chapter: The First Franco-Zulu War

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

Good job with the science. once done with that build impis and swordsmen to take the french down.

 

[rbis4rbb]

die french. Glad this game goes better

 

[T-Money]

Heh...the French will die very soon indeed. Very, very soon. Be prepared for some extreme violence.

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

***CAUTION***
extreme violence ahead. rated D for domination over the french

blood death and famine will occur Regent and + only...