SymNES II - Ash Like Snow

[Daftpanzer]

For the peer review aspect - for whatever my opinion is worth, I approve of what das and jal have posted!

Now for my effort:

Only two areas are really relevant here: The city-state of Tanilak, and the emerging coalition of Hamak based on a coalition of several fortified towns.

I don't hold out much hope for Tanilak's future. Although the most 'advanced' thing in Godan lands at the moment, I imagine it will be obsessed over food issues and may be experimenting with some kind of irrigation, while its meagre resources are steadily eroded by internal turmoil and wars with all its neighbours. Assuming there's no Nile-style seasonal flooding of the river that deposits fertile sediments, I'm seeing it as a barren area. But the conjunction of the river with the sea may be conductive to trade (depending what happens elsewhere), and so perhaps successive city states can reappear in that area.

Hamak is centred on the area of temperate grassland. The development of farming and fortified towns is spurred on by arrival of refugees from the east, fleeing from the old Tors which have been ransacked and destroyed by roving head-bangers and mercenaries sent out by Tanilak. Hamak is a decentralised confederation of fortified towns and affiliated villages (three main towns are highlighted), who mostly help each other to fend off roving bandits and protect their farmlands and common grazing lands, although internal wars and squabbles are obviously still going to happen. They will have tribal and ethnic divides, but they can sometimes nominate a single leader to act as a figurehead and spokesman when required.

After that, I imagine the development of scattered fishing villages, making up a loosely affiliated seafaring culture along the coast. The arid nature of the coast may cause some to venture further and further in search of tasty seafood. I imagine a trade route will also develop along the coast, perhaps eventually linking the Tanilak area with the western Latyran lands.

I don't feel qualified to say what happens with the rest (or any of it in fact), though I can imagine a split with 'Tor' communities where some farming may be possible (clusters of villages ruled over by a central stronghold/Tor), and semi-nomadic cattle herder tribes in the savanna/scrubland/desert. The latter also act as roving bandits and marauders, taking what they can from everyone else. If these are all lumped together as generic Godan tribal lands, I'm fine with that too. Nothing particularly amazing will be happening there in any case.

More names and details will come, if and when these suggestions are approv0red. Thankyou

PS: The map does indeed display transparently for me, running firefox on winXP.

 

[JosefStalinator]

Lossalrion "Losol-(Bess)arion(dze)" (Orange)

Engopos(tang) "People of the sea" (Teal)

Hoketh "Band of Hoth" (Green)

Yachelkes "Warriors of the Horse" (Light Blue)

Payalak(tang) "People of the earth" (Eastern Mountain Tribes) (Brown)

Shathok "Warriors of the trees" (Western Mountain Tribes) (Vomit Color)

Descriptions will come later, or in orders.

 

[Thlayli]

Telia:

Almost all settled territory lies within the effective boundaries of the Telian League. Any Telian land in black is either unoccupied, sparsely populated, or outside of effective political control due to an inaccessible (or frequently raided) location.

The Telian League is an alliance for mutual defense and resource allocation among (at the moment) the 5 major Telian cities. Over 95% of the Telian population is centered inside these fortified zones, fully dependent on their communal property distribution systems for survival in the harsh climate. While each Telian city is equal in the eyes of the League, the city of Athelion* is the oldest site, containing the largest citadel, a major economic center due to the sheltered harbor, and a strong leadership role within the League. It could be considered the de facto capital.

It was among the first to abandon the traditions of Tsai pacifism, but remains a tightly organized society. A notable aspect of this community is the collective rearing of children, who are chosen for professions at the age of 10, after which they enter a series of apprenticeship programs culminating in initiation as an adult craftsman. All Telian professions, even literary and governmental, are seen as a type of craft.

The other cities of the Telian League (from North to South) are Isal, Sephari, Lelatas, and Vrexei.

Eskat:

There is typically no political structure to the Esketic tribes during this time. Warbands and tribes arise based on the charisma and fighting strength of their chieftains, who occassionally subjugate enough neighboring tribes to recruit a warband, which then terrorizes either their unsubjugated Esketic neighbors, or occassionally launches ambitious raids across the desert to target the cities of the Telian League.

There are three general areas from which these warbands emerge. Kash-kei, the northern land, is currently home to a very large number of small chiefdoms, remnants of the invasion force that scattered the previous nomadic inhabitants, and a common base from which to launch attacks on weaker portions of Telia, or the little known people of the North.

Kash-esh, the central land, is home to a sizable number of medium statelets. This area shows the most progress in becoming sedentary, and some technology (such as the wheel and masonry) have significantly diffused from Telia, and earlier Tsai migration patterns. Further state creation will likely emerge from this area.

The southern land, Kash-tai, is home to a small number of large tribes. It has recently finished a major series of internal conquests, and also possesses the largest number of Esketic horseback riders. It is the least sedentary of the three lands, but the current resources (without the agricultural yields of the Kash-esh) are not enough to sustain the current population. Kash-tai warbands appear to be moving northwest in force, their ultimate goals unknown.

---

*Silver Leaves, Even Unto Death

 

[Symphony D.]

Retroactive deletion.

 

[erez87]

from top to bottom:

Sha'ai
Sha'ai and its sister city of Dum'ai have only risen in th past hundred years from small farming towns. Their rise was quick thanks to vast amounts of trade flowing through them from outsiders into Samas and from Samas to the outsiders. Their growth is quick and their armies have high moral and much enthusiasm.

Lefai
The oldest city in Samas. It has weakened in the time that passed since rising for the first time and now it is nothing more then a small city on the way for others to greatness. A good queen could lead it out of its misery...

Morai
One of the three first cities. Not unlike Lefai they have weakened through time but are more powerful then Lefai thanks to a king who not long ago constructed a great port-market on the river. Standing on where the river breaks was worth while and now trade flows in. The armies of Morai are in shambles nowadays and are nothing like they used to be.

Usnukai
Where the great oracle still sit and give her words and where great fits of architecture still exist as new more are built. Unlike the other three old cities they choose to strengthen their army through time and eventually formed a union (=conquered by force) with two of the new southern cities. Their power is great for such an old city and they are known to hold the idea that they are Samas, and must unite it all.

Nuufai
What used to be Nufai is now Nuufai. Much outsiders influence has been entering this city-state and while most citizens still follow Ocata the leadership in this city-state follow outsiders religion. They are different then the rest in organization and architecture.

Caarai
Old tribes that turned to sit in a city. They hold a large army but that is all they can account for. Expansion southern is something that may bring riches.

Mugwuai
A small vassal to the Usnukai "union". It will not take long until Usnukai will gobble them as well, unless a strong queen could take leadership and strengthen this weak city-state.

Dum Lumai
The Lumai were almost gone almost two thousand years ago. Yet now Lumai leftovers are growing again, this time in a city-state. Dum meaning new and Lumai meaning their tribe's name, the Lumai are again on the rise. Their armies are again growing in numbers, training and technology but their religion is not as aggressive as it once was. It is not the empty-minded conquering old Lumai, they are Dum Lumai - the new and improved.

 

[LittleBoots]

In order to avoid hounding, I here declare that, when the proper moment arrives, I will take up one of Joe's Bessariondze states, assuming thats okay.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Okay, I'm really up much past my bedtime here, so I'll try and provide a succinct description of the loose coalitions and their properties. Further descriptions may come later at a more convenient time, but I should probably get some solid material out there for right now.

Firstly, I'll cover the southern coalition, in its rather dull brownish-pink. Its center of power is its northernmost city where Ranarnga the Great first founded his empire, Noyoneng. Due to his precedent and direct influence, this coalition is a tightly knit one by the standards of the time. Not only do each of the cities exert strong control far off into the countryside, but the capital of Noyoneng also keeps a rather tight leash on the other large cities. The Noyoneng coalition is very wealthy from the tribute they extract from the neighboring Kalioko settlements, but this has also led them to tend towards decadence, and the military tradition of a few centuries earlier has already begun to stagnate to some degree.

Secondly, let's look at the eastern coalition, in its alarming bright red. In stark contrast to their southwestern neighbors, these city-states have quite a fight on their hands. Conflict with the innovative and formidable Bessariondze has kept this coalition's blades sharp, but it has also kept them from reaching the levels of development of the other two main Nengal coalitions. Technology imported from the Kalioko by way of the Noyoneng coalition, as well as technology learned from Bessariondze slaves, have also kept this coalition competetive despite its warlike nature. Also notable is the level of decentralization of this coalition, even greater than that of comparable organizations of the time - the only thing uniting these cities is the presence of a common enemy. Ironically, as these Nengal lack a single city-state whose influence they all fall under, due to lingual influx they refer to themselves as the Nenglarion on the rare occasion that they must refer to themselves as a collective group apart from the other Nengal.

Thirdly, in a splendiferous bubble gum pink, we have the northern coalition. These Nengal are much less warlike than their neighbors, as they have only rare and indirect contact with other peoples, and the Nengal have a cultural pack mentality with regards to other Nengal. The two major cities here don't exert much control on each other, but the old city of Kazagal is subtly dominant. The priesthood here holds much greater sway over the rulers as well. Economically, these Nengal also rely much more on agriculture and peaceful crafts than the Nengal on the "rim," though their appetite for slaves is barely below that of the Noyoneng coalition.

Lastly, in the lovely mauvish tone that the Nengal currently use, we have various unaffiliated Nengal tribes outside the influence of the main cities. Some of these tribes have made small villages, some remain as hunter-gatherers, and some keep to the old Nengal raiding lifestyle, but this depends more on their location than anything. They might be considered barbarians, but it's unlikely that they'll attack many Nengal, and they should face assimilation into expanding Nengal civilization without much resistance. Essentially, their presence as "Nengal" is just due to the fact that the Nengal people and culture have expanded much faster than their civilization and political control.

Anyway, as a final note, keep in mind that the drawn lines are just basic guidelines, scribbled together in a few minutes of GIMP. Feel free to alter them as you see fit when you transfer them into the full map.

 

[Disenfrancised]

- Disenfrancised

Dis awaits the birth of the Commercial Polis (or at least a non-hydraulic one) .

 

[JosefStalinator]

In order to avoid hounding, I here declare that, when the proper moment arrives, I will take up one of Joe's Bessariondze states, assuming thats okay.

Depends which one . I'll be keeping the primary successor state of Lossalrion, but the others are gooduns too.

 

[Luckymoose]

I will join under the circumstances that you assign me to a nation. I would rather it be random.

 

[Symphony D.]

Then I suppose you're going to be waiting for quite some time. I restrain my despotic tendencies to where they are most necessary; anything more is inefficient.

 

[Fuschia]

The state in red on the border with the Latyrans is Eiho'abanae'iegohae and its rather large number of vassal and allied states, all of whom follow the lead of Eiho'abanae'iegohae. While direct control is exerted by the government only in the areas of military and trade, it is as close to a state with a true central government that the Alarkiens have yet to develop. It has no capital, but its administrative complex is a rather large fortification between the two more northern cities. Its focus is on defense and the development of both peaceful trade and internal infrastructure.

The state to the immediate right of Eiho'abanae'iegohae is Toe'prenei'irboe, the largest and most expansive of the confederacies created within Alarkien society. Unlike Eiho'abanae'iegohae, it is ruled by its Alark'tangatae in direct vote, not by its military, and is more homogeneous in the fact that it completely lacks vassals of any kind. It also controls nearly all of the overseas colonies of the Alarkiens, and trade with the Tsai for goods not found within Alarkien areas has brought it great wealth.

The state to the south of Toe'prenei'irboe is Piroe'enei'irboe, a recent splinter nation formed from Toe'prenei'irboe through peaceful agreement. It, like its northern sister, is more expansive in its tendencies than the 'normal' Alarkien state, and is the only other to control an overseas colony. It still retains very good relations with Toe'prenei'irboe, receiving a great deal of assistance from its northern neighbor against Bessariondze raids.

The middle area, the only other bordering Prei'inis'alark (the inland sea in the eastern portion of Alarkien territory), where many Alarkiens believe life and society originated, is a collection of unaligned communities and smaller confederacies as far untouched by conflict. It retains the traditional Alarkien color upon the map, and is the closest to true non-state cooperation between communities still remaining within Alarkien society.

The nation that receives the brunt of Bessariondze raids is the highly militarized Oelir'twei'iegohae. It is also the only other centralized state spawned form Alarkien culture as of yet. Its focus is on defense against the Bessariondze, and it is the only area of Alarkien society where conflict between Alarkiens is common, as they fight constantly over control of Porei'inis'oelind (the lake on the border of Oelir'twei'iegohae and the uncontrolled middle area).

The orange state to the west of Oelir'twei'iegohae is another confederacy along the lines of Toe'prenei'irboe, with its main goal being defense against the occasional Ardas raid into Alarkien territory, peaceful trade, and its own internal infrastructure, Pas'noerae'irboe.

The final state is the oddest of all Alarkien nations in that it is not almost exclusively Alarkien; it spans the borders to encompass Latyrans, as well as having the vast majority of all converts to the Way of Alark. It is called several names, varying from society to society; the Alarkiens within the borders call it Rie'alark'irboe, while those outside its borders simply call it Uenei'Alark, or unbalanced, quite possibly the greatest insult one Alarkien can give to another. They are peacefully expansionist and internally indifferent, allowing most communities to keep to themselves so long as they contribute to the defense of the nation.

Finally, a word on conflict between Alarkien nations. This is very rare, and is only common in the south-central areas of Alarkien influence. Near the north, the threat of Latyrans keeps the Alarkiens, while the Bessariondze and the Ardas keep them on their toes near the other borders. The middle areas, however, have given riser to many bloody conflict specifically between Alarkiens rather than between Alarkiens and other societies.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Kalioko History
1401-1600: Ancient Kalioko peaks with magnificent cities and rich trade from all across the known world. The Cult of Wa Kuli reaches its zenith and wondrous water towers dominate the skylines of the great cities. Within and between cities, mapril agreements become rules and then laws. They are written down and collected. Goods and knowledge flow through the Kalioko lands and enrich those all around as the Kalioko are enriched. The northern people of the Kalioko establish themselves as independent of their southern brothers but bind themselves through continued use of the mapril to resolve differences and cooperate.

1601-2000: The unity of the Kalioko is eroded as the western acquisitions separate themselves from the heartland, but like the northerners they find the mapril bonds too valuable to discard for a state of uncertainty. The western elders turn outward and look to their future in lands yet to be settled. For the ancient core of Kalioko the future was the sea and it focused itself on bring all the wealth of distant places home to pass along to its now independent brethren.

The Present
The Kalioko have subdivided themselves into three states centered around the original core territories of the people. Each state has a wide area that it influences and over which there is cultural, military and economic control. Wu Kali and the water tower still dominate the religious life of all the Kalioko peoples, but the ever growing trading ties with their northern and coastal neighbors has brought new ideas into the culture. The very practical nature of the people, allow these new ideas to be adapted and changed to fit within the greater culture.

Kalioko—the most ancient territory of the Kalioko people (purple) is along the eastern coast and has the largest cities and highest levels of sophistication and advancement. This is a society of traders and merchants with economic ties all along the coast even to the land of the Telia. Its capital, Moti, is at the mouth of the Kali River. They are shipbuilders and navigators that know the winds and currents of the Great Mother Ocean better than any other people. Their bustling cities move goods from the far reaches of western Kalimaka and Nengal to coastal Bessariondze and Telai. The southern coast (pinkish) is closely aligned with the Kalioko and only lacks the concentration of wealth and knowledge possessed by its northern neighbor.

Kalimaka—in the west the Kalimaka (green) are expansive and spreading what it is to be Kalimaka into the unknown lands away from the coast (light green). They too have learned from the wars with the Nengal to be warriors when necessary. The Kalimaka capital, Betu, has flourished through its position on the shores of the great lake and proximity (by boat) to Moti and Shoti. The Kalimka have become experts at using the resources of the forests and newly settled areas along their expanding border to create trading opportunities with the coastal Kalioko.

Kalioha—in the north the centuries of wars with the Nengal has led to the development of the more warlike state of Kalioha (orange, and its light tan hinterland). The Kalioha have learned the art of war form their enemies to the north and have developed a military system capable of defending themselves. Its capital, Shoti, is well protected and the dominat trading center of the northern Kali Valley. The recent years of peace though have allowed the Kalioha to influence the Nengal into accepting many of the cultural aspects of Kalioha life including the mapril as a way to settle differences. The areas of Nengal that have adopted mapril or parts of the mapril tradition are shown in red stripes. The Kalioha are still firmly tied to the Kalioko for trade and knowledge and families still intermarry across growing cultural divide.

 

[Symphony D.]

Retroactive deletion.

 

[Nylan]

For future reference, the Hit List of People Who Said They Were Interested, Have Not Yet Joined (Yet May Do So) Whom You Are Free to Hound if They Do Not, or HLPWSTWIHNYJYMDSWYAFHTDN:

- TerrisH
- Slavic Sioux
- Kal'thzar
- LittleBoots
- Azale
- ~Darkening~
- Luckymoose
- Justo
- Dachspmg
- carmen510
- Disenfrancised
- Niklas

LightFang and Swissempire have been excluded due to having joined and then having quit or disappeared, and Head Serf for apparently having left NESing. Once all state-breakup maps have been posted, collated, the results posted, and stats generated, there will be a one-week window before deadline. If after that time these people have not weighed in, or joined, you have my blessing to aggravate them.

Anyway, we have 6/10 maps with Chandrasekhar, Birdjaguar, North King and Fuschia remaining. Props to Origin Two for being the first three to get their maps in, you've redeemed yourselves for being the later order senders.

I am tempted, yet sail in a storm
The hour grows late, and soon will be morn
The conquest goes well; this perilous plight
Yet not until victory can I see the light

 

[Symphony D.]

Retroactive deletion.

 

[Nylan]

Direct rhyming poetry is blasé,

Symphony? Blasé?

Spoiler :

Are there no shadows where you are?
I can see everything as day
Problems that you try to hide away
Pushing me aside (You're pushing me aside)

Could the winter calm come twice?
Because your heart seems so cold tonight
Thirst for substance somehow isn't right
It's killing me inside (It's killing you inside)
Killing me inside

I don't wanna be where you are
I don't wanna be here even now
I don't wanna be by your side
something isn't right
something isn't right

This is our last goodnight
Say what you will
Say all that you can
Words have no meaning
When I've seen where you've been

This is our last goodnight
Say what you will
Say all that you can
This is our last goodbye
This is where love ends

Are you so naive to right and wrong
How could you watch innocence forgone
Does what we've done ever really belong?
It wasted me away (I feel so wasted away)

God if you can hear me out alright
Please take these feelings for her inside
My chest hurts when I breathe tonight
It's wasting me away (You're wasting me away)
You're wasting me away

I don't wanna be where you are
I don't wanna be here even now
I don't wanna be by your side
something isn't right
something isn't right

This is our last (This is our last)

This is our last goodnight
Say what you will
Say all that you can
Words have no meaning
When I've seen where you've been

This our last goodnight
Say what you will
Say all that you can
This is our last goodbye
This is where love ends

This is our last goodnight
Say what you will
Say all that you can
Words have no meaning
When I've seen where you've been

This is our last goodnight
Say what you will
Say all that you can
This is our last goodbye
This is where love ends

I never claimed to be BJ

and you weren't on the list and had no worries until you went and made yourself a target just now.

Well perhaps I needed a little extra...motivation? I've got to get uni payed for somehow

In any case, this is an excellent NES, especially considering how dry this can be.

 

[Symphony D.]

Retroactive deletion.

 

[Nylan]

Har de har har.

Seriously, anybody and their grandma can put words into a typical rhymed verse format and do a little beat counting and churn out a poem. There's a reason nobody but pretentious middle schoolers who think they're being clever write sonnets anymore (unless they're forced to; and then they should be about things like Nineteen Eighty-Four; poetry about love is like songs about sex: the concepts aren't boring, but listening to it sure is). Coming up with something good without rules is harder than building something within them.

I see you decided to ignore the patty portion of my post. I understand the concept (being an experimental musician after all), I just happened to have ten seconds and decided I'd rather be cheesy and cryptic than just outright stupid.

Appreciation is nice, but I suppose what it comes down to is when I say "Over the top," are you willing to pick up your rifle and go? Or less obtusely: are you saying you want to play?

In about 8 days my workload will lighten considerably. Until then, I would not be reliable, something I know you value greatly.

 

[Birdjaguar]

In about 8 days my workload will lighten considerably. Until then, I would not be reliable, something I know you value greatly.

That sounds like a 'yes' to me.