It was not a bad life, all in all. Who could have predicted Leo of the Wind, a simple farmer from the far North, would rise to lead this sprawling people? Seeing opportunity and a chance to travel, I found work with the Zulu governor of Hlobane. From him I learned much, and when he died in a horse racing accident some years later, I took his place. As part of my duties I traveled often to the palace in Zimbabwe to take counsel with our glorious leader, the mighty Sun Tzu "the Great." It was during one of these trips that the great Sun Tzu, now an old man past his prime, took ill and died rather quickly. How surprised I was to learn he had named me to be his successor!
So it was with great fear and trepidation that I assumed the mantle of Shaka of the Zulu, and in the year 2450 BC it was proclaimed throughout the land that Leo I of the Wind was now absolute ruler of the Zulus. Who was I to lead this great and glorious people? Many had done well before me; would I honor their memories and rule well?
My first order of business was to survey my domain. I discovered we were a people scattered among many small villages across great distances, yet few villages had adequate protection from marauding nomads, and despite the treaty of peace the Great Sun Tzu had negotiated with the strangely speaking French, I did not trust them. Back in the palace musing over these problems, I learned that the Great Sun Tzu had accumulated a fair amount of wealth in the royal treasury. I began a program of aiding the production of military units by paying workers in gold from the treasury, thus attracting more workers and completing the work faster. Our two units of horse-mounted warriors continued their explorations North of Hlobane and North of Intombe. On the one-year anniversary of my ascent to the throne I was astonished and overwhelmed with gratitude to find that the Zulu people, in the dead of night, had placed a wooden chair in my throne room, "to honor my great leadership" inscribed on the note attached.
My plan to begin purchasing protection for my people vindicated itself all too soon. In the year 2400 BC French warriors were spotted SouthEast of Bapedi, carrying strange curved pieces of wood with string attached, and many tiny, thin spears in packs on their backs. A Phalanx was quickly assembled in Bapedi, just in case. In the years that followed, the French soldiers passed to the south of Bapedi, and set up defensive ramparts in the banana groves South West. As our workers were busy elsewhere at the moment, and the people were truly frightened by the strange small spears they could throw great distances with their strangely bowed sticks of wood and string, we decided to leave them alone.
Meanwhile, in the year 2300BC, our horsemen in the North discovered a small village. Upon entering, they discovered evidence of the wild horse mounted raiders that had been terrorizing the local population. Though the barbarians holed up in some woods, our Horsemen took the advantage and attacked. Though victorious, their numbers were sorely decimated in the battle, and they spent many years in the camp of the barbarians healing their wounded and recruiting and training replacements. Later in that year I was disturbed by reports from some travelers that none of the Zulu villages could compare in glory to cities they had supposedly visited in their travels. Something must be done to show forth the glory of the Zulu Empire to the world, I'm just not sure what.
Life continued with little incident until the year 2200BC, when the priests began spreading a new way of burying our dead. They seem very pleased with all the ceremony involved, although I cannot see what the fuss is about. As a counter to the growing power of the church, I charge my best advisors with the task of formulating a code of rules that will be the same throughout the empire. Such standardization will bring some order to our sprawling nation. Later that same year the royal counter returned from his survey of the Zulus to report that we now numbered more than 100,000! A day of celebration was ordered.
As military units are completed in most cities, I have began a new program of training citizens to work the land, that they might build roads and irrigation the fields and found new cities in the future. It is slow work, however, and as I am growing weaker with age, I despair of seeing it complete in my lifetime. By ordering some workers in Zimbabwe to quit farming and began bartering along the river, my advisors have been able to gain valuable new information and complete their new Code of Laws in the year 1950BC. While I am convinced this great achievement can lead someday to a new way of governing the people, my advisors cannot be persuaded, and instead begin working on a system of preserving their new Code of Laws for future advisors and leaders to see. What that has to do with mud from the banks of the Nile baked in ovens and poked with little pointed sticks I am not entirely clear, but they seem confident it will work someday.
My thoughts are soon distracted, however, when news arrives in 1850 BC that our now healed Horsemen in the far North have found a city inhabited by a people called Egyptians. The city is named Memphis. I quickly gather my most trusted advisors and travel North. Meeting with representatives of the Egyptians we soon discover there are many things we can learn from each other. Before our party heads South for home we have been instructed in the ways of making Pottery, of building stone walls (Masonry, they call it), and have learned not only what the nature of the weapons the French soldiers carry, but how to make and use them ourselves. We have shared with the Egyptians our glorious Code of Laws, the silly way we bury our dead (their priests were all gaga over that, too), and how to work ore into Bronze for shields and spearheads. Upon returning to Zimbabwe, I send a delegation to the French seeking a similar exchange of knowledge, but they are turned back empty-handed. My elation at gaining new knowledge for the glory of my people turns to despair as I realize my advisors are now all studying our new-found knowledge, and projections for the completion of their project code-named Writing are now far in the future. Only future generations will judge whether this has been a wise act. I still have much to learn as ruler.
My later years have been quiet, though the French archers have been moving around more, perhaps in response to our Horsemen exploring to the South. I want to find where the French are located and learn as much as I can about this people. I still do not trust them. It is the year 1700 BC, and I am preparing notes for my successor. I have ideas for great projects that will bring glory to my people, a vast Pyramid for storing food, and a mighty Colossus that will attract trade and the knowledge and gold that comes with it. These projects must begin soon, I feel, for the Zulus to establish the glory of their empire in the world. Settlers are being trained in several cities. I have waited for growth in those cities before spending treasury money to speed their completion; perhaps a later ruler will decide otherwise. My reign has been uneventful, but steady growth has occurred. My successor will face new decisions, but I am too tired to go on. Oh great Shaka, the spirit of Leo I of the Wind seeks your eternal resting place. Guide me safely there. Watch over your people and grant success to their next leader.
turns completed and game sent to Smash
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Leowind, former Founder of the Zulu Alliance.
Fighting that ALL may be free from oppression
Join us at Zulus Unite! thread and make the (Civ) world a better place!
I don't care what version we play I have 2.42, Fantastic Worlds, and MGE. Also I can update your version to either FW or MGE if you want. My e-mails are...
. Not sure if I'll have the time, though. I'm really focusing on trying to complete a GOTM some day before I run out of month 
