staznesV: Gateway to an Alternate World

[Azale]

yep, stats have been done since monday

 

[Dachs]

It's Friday, orders soon.

 

[Azale]

wooo, someones got the right idea

update will come whether i still have only 5 orders, or if I get all of them. No more waiting on people. Itll make the update nice and short though

 

[North King]

Orders in a bit.

No story right now, if you need one for Magadha, then just look back a few pages.

 

[Insane_Panda]

Is the deadline still midnight?? I DEAR GOD HOPE IT IS.

 

[Azale]

yes yes yes its still midnight

 

[Azale]

ok, actually beginning the update.

Nations not sending orders were...Hanchu, Norway (NPCed), Mali, Mongolia (NPCed), Sarmatia, Mori, Winterfell.

Seeing as thier positions are not really one of great great importance, they can send orders and Ill fill in thier part of the update quickly.

 

[ThomAnder]

Whose Hanchu??? Also, when will the UU's be added?

 

[alex994]

i agree, who's hanchu?

 

[Tyrion]

Damn... i missed an update i was sure i had sent orders....

Probably to late.
Orders:
Increase economy.

 

[Grandmaster]

Sarmatia Orders:
-Recruit 300 Sarmatian Horsemen

Damn, this'll teach me to have things to do on multiple days in a row.... almost missed getting these in.

 

[ThomAnder]

Many people in China worked hard to produce goods and necessities that the upper class would take for granted. Along both rivers, thousands of farmers work day and night for much of the year to produce the main bulk of the Chinese diet. For Di Yun, he follows a similar schedule, with the end product being salt. Both him and his father (and his ancestors before them) have worked in the salt production business. For Di, his entire life has been situated along the coastline in Yan. In certain summer times, he gets to visit Lake Yuncheng, to aid with collecting the salt deposits that appears on the surface after the water evaporated. Otherwise, the method of salt production was arduous. They would collect the ocean water and place them in pots, and boil it until only salt crystals are left. To his father, their work is vital to the entire population of Yan, as well as the rest of the world. His father would always say to him, “Imagine, son. We live along the coast so we have plenty of salt to go around. What about the people deep in the land?” Although Di still hasn’t completely believed him, he has to admit the fact that he wasn’t called to the front in the war against the Manchu probably had something to do with his occupation.
After readying all the clay pots to be heated, Di was allowed to rest for a while. As usual, rather than sitting down and conserving his energy, he went to visit the local smith, who also happened to be one of his childhood friends. When he arrived at the smithy, he noticed several government officials exiting. When Di went in, he was encountered with a strange site. Here was Zuo Gong, the person in the world who probably detested reading and writing the most, yet he was hunched over reading a scroll like a child who received his first toy! It took a while for Zuo to explain, but Di finally understood what made Zuo so excited. The officials have brought with them the knowledge of a newer and stronger metal called iron to this town, as well as the method to produce it. Di was unimpressed, and told Zuo his opinion. To him, it only improved the quality of weapons, which meant nothing to him. Zuo’s response changed his life forever.

“You’re a fool! Have you any idea what this metal can do for even normal peasants like us? The past copper pots and pans that melt too easily can now be replaced! Also, according to this scroll, this metal heats up much faster than the current materials we have. Think of the convenience the use of this metal will bring us!”

Di was silent for a moment. An idea was forming in his head, one that will cause changes of an enormous magnitude not just to him, but also to the entire salt industry. If this metal really was as useful as Zuo says, Di suspects the role it’ll play in his profession would be far more important than its role on the battlefield.

“Zuo, make me a pan out of those iron you have there? I want to try something out.”

Very few people know the truth of why Yan's salt production increased by tenfolds (ok, this is an exaggeration) ever since that year. Even fewer questioned where the notion of boiling brine in iron pans came from.

EDIT: Azale, if it's too late to include this in the current update, you can leave it for the next one. @Alex: Most of the salt production in ancient china came from there (present yan territory), right?

 

[Azale]

Update 9, 700bce​

Tis a time of change. A time where the fate of civilization is decided. The 800's were quite the century.

Usually I start with the war enbroiled British Isles, but let us take a small detour today. Lets talk of the conflict Astile has found itself in against Etrusca. In a bizarre and unexpected turn of events, it seems Roman nationalists have risen to power. Riding on a wave of public support and the "Custodes" soldiers, the New Republic garnered quick support and overthrowed the "old men of the Etruscan Senate". The New Republic's army set out to confront the much larger opposing Astilean army. Taranto had been working behind the scenes with the New Republic and pledged to support it as much as it could. This is in an effort to stop what is believed by many Italians to be an Astilean encroachment on thier culture and pride. Still, the facts remain, Astile has a friggin huge army. It sieges the revered port city of Venetia, but this siege proves long. The main army is forced to send a detachment, which proves to be the determining factor. Venetia is finally taken, but attempts at taking Turin are stopped by a combined force of Republicans and Tarantons under the cool leadership of Roman general Flavius. The Custodes have proved invaluable in battle, but some tacticians even within the deepest circles of the the ruler of the New Republic are warning that peace may have to be made to prevent eventual takeover....
(Astile: -1000 Alupi, -40 Metari)(New Republic: -150 Custodes, -100 spearmen, -100 archers)(Taranto: -200 spearmen, -150 archers)

Taranto has opened up another front on this war. Considering thier attack spots they decided to strike in former Gothia, hoping to rile the locals into a frenzy and a rebellion. That they have done to some success, as the Astileans were busy in Etruscan lands conducting thier war.
(Astile: -50 Alupi)

Volunteers join the New Republic, maybe they can save Italy...
(New Republic: +1000 conscripts)

People get free roads all over the place! Par tay!

Galicia and Tartessos profit from a new sea trade route, from Bilbao to Tartesia. Tahret and Corboba do the same. Tingis continues its Africanization so to speak, absorbing the nearby lands while being absrorbed themselves. While Tingis might have originally been on the Tartessian side, its unclear now if they would be if war broke out between Tahret and Tartessos..

Byzantium has won! Byzantium has won! The yell could be heard from Ankara to the northern reaches of Bulgaria all the way south to Egypt. Soon after the capture and plunder of Hattusus, King Julius confronted the last of the Hittite Army of the East. Being demoralized from a long and unstopping march and consisting of mainly conscripted soldiers, the force was routed on the outskirts of the smoldering capital in a matter of 30 minutes or so of battle. With no other major Hittite army to combat the Byzantines, and having had this information fed to him by taunting Byzantine drummers, he knew he could try only one last ditch effort. Mursilis was on the outside of Nicasus, but was currently being pushed back by Byzantine swordsmen and longbowmen. They were low on food and it was clear they would not be merciful if Hittitian soldiers were taken prisoner. The only thing he could do was a last charge. Rounding up his men into a rowed formation, Mursilis ordered his last attack. The Byzantines were somewhat surprised at the sudden attack, but the overwhelming odds aswell as the Longbowmen raining arrows from higher ground, finally ended the Hittites. Every soldier of Mursilis' army would be slain, to finally end the terror of the Hittites.
(Byzantium: -650 swordsmen, -50 longbowmen, -300 spearmen, -50 archers, -50 horsemen)

Oh, but did you really think Byzantium would acquire all of this land? No, silly. The Hittites, over many millennia, have conquered many different ethnic groups. They did not assimilate them and infact it was mainly those other ethnic groups that did the assimilating. Upon news of the Byzantine victory, several of the big ones including Armenia, Judea (an odd mix of Arabic, Phoenicians, and Hittites). Byzantium did acquire much of the land though, including a new border with the mighty Persian Empire.

More on Byzantium. European Byzantium has prospered like no other, and it appears a whole new age might be dawning on the Empire soon. With war not on thier thoughts the arts and culture of the Western Med. have flourished, bringing about a new time of prosperity. The only strain for Byzantium is the newly acquired Hittite lands and the war ravaged Anatolian lands. There is some work to be done in those areas, as poverty still reigns as the clear ruler.
(Byzantium: +2 culture, +1 economy)(Sparta, Athens, Bulgaria: +1 culture)

Northern Europe is surprisingly quiet. With talk of war and rulers using violent rhetoric, it was a given we would see some hordes damnit! But alas, it seems Sarmatia and the Kievans are waiting on the Teutons who are waiting on them aswell, and are also waiting on the Winterfellians who are doing nothing but waiting and hoping the Lapplanders magically dissapear. One interesting development though, the Tuetons are refitting thier army to be more trained, hopefully to offset the numbers the Kievans and Sarmatians present.

Salzburg grows rich off of minerals, beginning a trade route with the Bulgarians. The Empire of the Alps is not a force to be underestimated, as it has also called for Kievan patrols of the border to be stopped....and they complied. The new King Fredericksson obviously is not in tune with the whole...isolation thing anymore.

Danes continue to plunder the Norwiegen countryside. Not much can stop them it appears...well, the Norwiegens havnt really tried so we may not really know. They dont have much left to lose though, as the Danes have captured Oslo and gained the respect of many surrounding clans who have willingly joined them.
(Norway: -150 spearmen, -100 archers, -15 galleys)(Danes: -100 spearmen, -30 archers, -5 galleys)

Now to the British Isles, finally. Lets make this short and sweet. England attacked, Caledonia fought valiently. Valiently usually means, this is a nice adjective to describe that you made a nice story but could not overwhelm the great odds against you. Many English soldiers were killed trying to take Aberdeen, and I mean ALOT. The last Caledonian resistance is holed up far north into the highlands for one last ditch stand.
(England: -200 spearmen, -400 Mercykillers, -300 archers, -200 Harmonium Archers, -250 swordsmen)(Caledonia: -50 spearmen, -100 archers, -150 Druids, -500 conscripts, -100 cavalry overall)

Huge English ship movements are detected by Eire near thier shores...what exactly are the English planning they wonder?

Africa is rather silent. A new nation has popped up, the Sokoto, who are relatively advanced for thier region. Zulus strike back against the Oranje, but the war has so far been stalemated. Better tactics are needed agaisnt these hardened African warriors...

The Middle East faces a new conflict, of ideas. Persian Zoroastrianism dominates the Mesopotamian regions and Persia aswell as the large Muscatian colony. To the south though, the new religion of Islam dominates it. The Quran is quickly increasing in popularity however, but the Persian Emperor Cyrus II wants nothing to do with it. He pledges to enslave every Muslim within the Empire, which has caused an uproar in the Islamist states of Hedjaz, Aden, and Muscat.

Peace in India, which is very surprising considering how...nevermind. All that matters is that peace has been attained. Bactria settled with Harappa a rather strict peace, but one that kept the nation intact, even if it is in a vassalized form. Supposedly a unification was to take place between the Bactrians and Kura, but the Kurans sharply declined. It is unclear how the Bactrians will deal with this insolence to thier rule, especially after how they saved them.
Magadhans everywhere thanked thier various gods and got on with thier lives. The leadership was busy inking unification deals through Royal Marriage. Chandragupta gave his only heir to the Nandes of Avanti which lead to eventual unification and a new empire of the Mauryans. The alliance with Dhaka was kept and now 3 strong Empires are present in the subcontinent and ever-changing scene of India.
(Bactria & Magadha: +1 economy)

Hyderabad and Muscat create the first sea trade route between India and the Middle-east. Clashing cultures for sure, but who cares when your making money! Hyderabad is becoming somewhat concerned at the growing powers to the north.

Now to the Far East. The Shu easily subdue the remaining Xinjians, Yan destroys the last Manchu resistance (although one could say they had to choose from the Yan or the Mongols and chose the Yan) and the Taiwanese were treated to a very nice treat when the Fuzhouans retreated. But there is a little bit more to these stories then it seems at first.

With an entire plan worked out and willing to sacrifice himself to carry them out, Taowang was awoken late in the night one rainy day. A messenger had come from the Fuzhou Faction to give him word...that they were retreating. The reasoning was not revealed but celebration begun almost immediately. A fight that took many generations was finally completed. The Shaolists were gone for good, as were the foriegners he had so foolishly invited. What now for the blooming Taiwanese nation?
(Taiwan: +2 culture, +1 economy, +1 WOO HOO)

Fuzhous motives become clearer as you step onto the mainland though. The Shu Empire is still declining any requests from the other Dynasties to share the secrets of the silkworm. It is a rather maddening process and the Fuzhou have decided to take thier army from the minor outpost of Taiwan and concentrate on...perhaps other methods to acquire the worm. China as a whole is prospering, trade has been set up with the newly discovered lands of Ankgor Wat & Dai Vet, ancient lands who are very proud of thier heritage and only wished it not be infringed upon by the Chinese.

Of course, here comes the "OMG" from the collective masses in China. Mongolia has slowly been expanding its influence, taking Manchu lands here, expanding southwards there. Now the process has been rapidized so to speak. The Mongols have a new ruler, by the name of Temujin Khan. Mongolia "proper" is his main area of rule, but he exerts an influence over much of the Gobi Mongols and he is salivating at the prospect of China. Just the prospect of taking a chunk of that China pie...(man im hungry). I really shouldnt have to tell you all about thier fierceness and whatnot...if you need help though, just ask the Shu Emperor for advice on how devestating the Mongol hordes can be

Japan is quiet. Very quiet. Rumblings of rebellion have subsided for now, as the Emperor barely got in orders to increase the economy. Yes, the Emperor can do that. Ainu raids have been a nuisance though, and some say they are raising an army to take back Hokkaido...

Diplomacy

From: Fuzhou
To: Yan *secret*

Lets force the Shu to give us the silkworm secrets we deserve!


Notes

Theres probably more diplo for me to do, but I want to post this now! As always, tell me of any complaints and questions.

 

[ThomAnder]

er... i thought we already know the secret... Alex agreed that i was able to make the silk last turn too. If not, who needs silk when i've got salt!

 

[Azale]

The good, the bad, and the map.

 

[erez87]

to Etrusca:
We offered peace for countless of decades. Would you agree to peace now? It doesn't matter what goerment or country you are. All that matters is that we have a LOT more men, better generals and better tactics and we will win eventualy, even if it takes us thousands of years. But every time we offer peace and you again and again refuse. You stared this war and your loosing! Sign peace because our patience is reduced to nothing with you!

 

[Communisto]

To: England
From: ireland

don't even think about it

 

[erez87]

OOC: Did I just lost 1040 men? and another 50 men in a place I barley had troops in? How Gothia rebelled??? There are no people in there!!!

 

[Azale]

Gothia rebelled because Taranto landed another attack in there and riled some Gothia nationalists up, its mainly the Tarantans doing the fighting though.

 

[ThomAnder]

Darn, mongols are here already -__-

To: Manchus in my land

We commend your people on your bravery and fierceness in battle. We will not make you slaves and take you away from your homes. The terms we have offered you earlier still stands. We hope for a bright future where both our kinds can co-exist in peace and harmony. Unfortunately, a danger looms over both of us. The evil mongols who have destroyed your home and enslaved your friends and families now threaten to conquer us too. Let us both stand up and repel them together!

To: Shu, Korea
From: Yan

What say you all to a defensive alliance/coalition? Temujin's appetitie won't stop at Yan alone.

To: Fuzhou *secret*
From: Yan

Our nation have more to worry about than petty fabrics right now. Besides, Shu already agreed to sharing their profit with us.