The Epic of Gilgamesh

[BrianJ]

My first story in a long time. Played as Sumerians at Regent level, huge world.

Modern Sumeria is shocked and astounded by the headline in todays paper:

Archaeologists discover tablets dating back to 4000 BC

Yesterday, archaeologists discovered ancient writings on stone tablets dating back some 6000 years at a dig on Mount Gilgamesh. The discovery of the ancient temple throws centuries of historical/religious teachings and assumptions on its ear!

Read tomorrows paper to see the text of the tablets for the first time, as archeologists and language experts decypher the ancient writings.


(I'll post more tonight time permitting)

 

[Berrern]

Nice intro!
I'll keep my eyes peeled on this thread

 

[Point13]

this could be good

 

[BrianJ]

As promised in yesterdays paper, here is some sample translated text from 'The Epic of Gilgamesh'.

Out of the Sea of Hawetha our people arose. The Spirits Directed us to a wooded coastal land where the great Lord Gilgamesh instructed us to build our first settlement. Ur was founded on the seashore.

Lord Gilgamesh then led our warriors on a geat journey to find the edges of the world!

To the Spine of the World he travelled. The spirits prevented him form going further west. The land beyond the mountains was nothing but marshlands. These marshlands were hereafter called the Deadite Marshes in honor of the evil spirits living there. The great Spine rose magestically above the plains to the east. It held the sky and prevented the evil spirits of the West from entering our fair land! Gilgamesh and his warriors fought many spirits those days along the Spine. They appeared to be of the same peoples as the Urians but dressed in white, as ghosts.

After many days travel the intrpid explorers reached the Spirit Lakes. Lord Gilgamesh looked down on the lakes and communed with the Spirit-World. Some day, the spirits told him, this land would belong to your people.

Lord Gilgamesh instructed runners to request settlers from Ur to populate this promised land.

Lord Gilgamesh reluctantly left the Promised Land to continue his journey north. After many battles with the ghosts of the Spine he reached a great northern sea! The Spirit of the Sea arose to confront him and would not let his warriors pass. Gilgamesh, however, was brought to a sacred mountain where the secrets of his peoples destiny were revealed.

"Lord Gilgamesh, thy Domain will be known as Sumer! It will hereafter be limited to the Spine in the west , the Teeth of the spirit Ea to the east and north and by the great seas in other directions! Beware Devils pass! Construct a mighty fortress there to guard against evil spirits! Verily, thy people will grow strong and challenge even the great spirits"


Lord Gilgamesh returned to his people to spread his news. He brought tales of a great mouintain in the center of the world and told horrific stories of the lands to the west and of the Teeth of Ea. The spirits taught him many wonders from Ceremonial Burial to the knowledge of many Gods.

At the foot of the Sacred Mountain a villiage sprang up called Tibiria, Sumer sprang up along the gold laden Spine. Kish and Agade soon colonized the Holy Spirit Lakes. The Gods Enki and Ninhursag ruled the twin lakes. Ea the earth God ruled the Teeth and The Father of all, Ain ruled at the Temple Mount.

As you can see, our previously held beliefs that civilization originated at the Twin Spirit Lakes appears incorrect! Ur was actually the first city of our civilization, not Kish!

The One God Enki appears to have been one of many in our distant past. Once our civilization was ready for Monotheism, he was 'moved' to Mount Ain. Now it is plain to see where the great mountain we all pray to got its name.

Stay tuned for a summary of our history as Archaeologists have pieced it together with this new and astounding evidence.

 

[BrianJ]

Here is an illustration of how the world would have looked in Epic times:

 

[BrianJ]

And by the end of the Epic story (Assumed to be about 850 BC)that we have pieced together so far:

 

[BrianJ]

Originally posted by Captainkeyes23
this could be good

Hope I live up to your guys expectations

 

[GR8Madmax]

Good job so far BrianJ...looking forward to future installments.

 

[BrianJ]

*sigh* I noticed lots of mistakes in my city placement.. Oh well, it's a learning experience hehe

 

[BrianJ]

Last week we informed you of archaeological findings at Mount Ain and other sites. Historians have been pouring over the findings to piece together what they mean. Much of our previous knowledge of ancient history in Old Sumeria must be revised to include this new information. Previous notions of us originating in the Twin Lakes region and migrating to Mount Ain must now be discarded.

Without further ado, here is a summary of what we now believe is Sumerian ancient history.

A history of the Sumerians

4000 BC
The ancient tribe of Ur wanders in the great southern plains and discovers a forest. They settle in the forest, reportedly guided by spirits.

They build the town of Ur on the coast. The town is immediately able to use the dies found in the forest for artwork, clothing decorations and so on.

3700 BC
THe villiage grows in population enough that the first militia can be formed to explore the surrounding area.

We learn Cerimonial burial from the Shangian tribe.

The year 3100 brought great changes to Sumeria. Ur had grown enough to produce its first group of settlers! Sumerian expansion had begun!

The exploring Epic of Gilgamesh warriors had found a villiage that did not welcome visitors. A hard fought battle cleared out the hostile tribes warriors. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells us of discovering the mysterious Two Spirit Lakes and the exploration of the mountain range we know as the Spine of the World. The world beyond the spine had proven mostly hostile. A vast marsh, called Deadite Marsh spread out as far as the eye could see in the south and a vast desert dubbed the Great Wasteland could be seen to the north. It was believed that this was the end of the earth.

After wandering 100 years or so, the first Sumerian settlers founded Sumer. It was a costal town with gold laden mountains to the west, and plains to the north and east.

The Epic of Gilgamesh tells us that the intrepid warriors explored the Spine of the Mountains to the Northern Sea. Little was known of this ocean. They met with 2 more villiages, one of which provided gold and the other taught the warriors the secret of Masonry.

2150 BC
Another Sumerian settler sets out from Ur. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells us of another chain of mountains called Ea's Teeth after the Earth Spirit EA. This is most likely the chain of mountains cutting off the penninsula to Old England.

2070 BC
This date marks a huge discovery by Sumerian Warriors. The holy Mountain of Ain is discovered. At this mountains, the sacred texts say, the warriors were told of the great plans of the Sky Spirits.

1675 BC
An historic meeting between the Sumerians and a Hittite explorer brings the world shaking news that the Sumerians are not alone in this world! And not only that but the Hittites are on the other side of the Spine of the world!

We trade masonry and 90 gold with the hittites who teach us of the Wheel. Horses are discovered near Ur and near the Twin Spirit Lakes.

1025 BC
The Epic of Gilgamesh continues. The warriors cross the mountains known as Ea's Teeth and discover more rich farmland. They also discover another tribe, the English! They purchase a technology called Iron Working from the English for a princely sum.

This covers 3000 years of early Sumerian expasion. To be continued next week.

 

[-0blivion-]

Nice Story, but You put Agade on the cow!

 

[BrianJ]

Originally posted by -0blivion-
Nice Story, but You put Agade on the cow!

D'oh! Yeah I know, as I said, my city placement sucks so far in this game. I found single tile unused strips between a couple of cities too. Oh well, I'm just playing for the story.

Maybe I could move Agade.

 

[Butz]

Originally posted by BrianJ
D'oh! Yeah I know, as I said, my city placement sucks so far in this game. I found single tile unused strips between a couple of cities too. Oh well, I'm just playing for the story.

But your story is good


-lenny

 

[BrianJ]

850 BC:
The Homerian Epic describes the first meeting of Japan around 850 BC. The Japanese were a primitive people compared to Sumer at this time. We trade them Masonry for all their gold (60)

630 BC:
Records show the discovery of the Western Sea around this date.

 

[BrianJ]

610 BC:
The Homerian Epic discovers an uninhabited island to the far south. Proof that there are other lands across the seas!

590 BC: The Hittites complete the Oracle.

[Authors note: I'm running on minimum science here. Was this a mistake? So far I've been able to buy a few techs and the AI is only a couple techs ahead. They have mysticism and writing. As of this point I have 2 turns to writing.]

570 BC: As the map shows, at this time the Sumerians had built a number of forts along the 'spine' in order to enforce their border region here.

560 BC A volcano erupts in Hittite territory. No damage was reported. Better them than us.

550 BC: We learn Mysticism from a small tribe, the Sabadars!

540 BC: We discover writing and build embassies. This is the date believed to be when the recording of the Epic of Gilgamesh from oral stories was begun.

 

[BrianJ]

570 BC: As the map shows, at this time the SUmerians had built a number of forts along the 'spine' in order to enforce their border region here.

560 BC A volcano erupts in Hittite territory. No damage was reported. Better them than us.

550 BC: We learn Mysticism from a small tribe, the Sabadars!

540 BC: We discover writing and build embassies. This is the date believed to be when the recording of the Epic of Gilgamesh from oral stories was begun.


530: The Homerian epic records indication of more civilization on another continent!

490: The volcano at the edge of Hittite lands erupts again with no reported casualties.
The yellow border belongs to the Ottomans! They are a relatively primitive people, however they know Polytheism. I trade it for pottery and alphabet.

We discover that the English and Hittites already have this knowledge and the Hittites are up Map-making on us! The Japanese need some of these techs but they are too poor.

430 BC: We learn Literature from the Mauryan tribe! The English buy it for a whopping 420 gold. Hittites only offer 200. We take it as they will buy it from the English anyway.

350 BC: We learn Mathematics from the Hurrian tribe. Mursilis still won't trade Map Making for a reasonable price so we keep math to ourselves. Let them suffer with not knowing how to count their gold!

230 BC: The Russians build the colossus, whoever they are!

150 BC: We discover Phylosophy and start map making.

90 BC: This was a time of doubt and fatalism. The ancients had a clock that counted down the days since the beginning. According to this clock, there were only 90 days left in the world. many people believed this. Coupled with the fact that the Gilgameshi prophesies announced that the lands between the Spine mountains and the Teeth were all Sumerian, and the fact that almost all land available in this are was settled, made for a convincing belief.

10 BC: There were many movements started in this year to call for preparation for the end of the world.

10 AD: To everyones relief, the world didn't end! Expansion began to the fertile lands south of the Hittites. The historians began counting years forward from this date as the 'doomsday' clock started over.

130 AD Carthage completes the Great Library. Whoever they are.

150 AD: Mursisis demands mathematics. I send him on his way empty handed.

IBT Salamanca completes the Mausoleum of Marsallos. We scrap ours in Ur.

 

[BrianJ]

260 AD: Revolution! Rebels take control of Ur and hold the government hostage.

300 AD: One of the revolutionaries gains control of the Sumerian Government and proclaims himself king. He takes the title of Gilgamesh.

370 AD: The Sumerian civilization now spans the continent! New Ur is built on the west coast.

380 AD: The Great Lighthouse is built in Ur.

470 AD: A massive barbarian uprising is reported near Dabrum.

480 AD: We find another continent! Looks like Iroquois.

490 AD: Nope its the Portugese. They are up Construction and Republic.

 

[lukedunsmore]

This story is definitely the best I have read. Keep it up!

 

[Gogf]

And by the end of the Epic story (Assumed to be about 850 BC)that we have pieced together so far:

How did you get that warrior next to the chariot? Goodie hut?

Nice story, BTW.

 

[BrianJ]

Thanks, glad you like it so far! I'll have to find some time to play more..

The warrior is actually a Hittite..

No wars yet, there was so much land that it is still in the expansion phase. We are also all in Ancient age still, unless some of them are now past it and I jsut can't see the Midaeval techs.