THE AKA'MURRID EMIRATE OF FULANI
Mohammad II, Emir of the Fulani, The Philosopher-King of the Sahel
Diplomacy: None
     The Philosopher King pondered his place in the universe, knowing that one day Fulani would again rule all of West Africa.

THE MARWAN EMIRATE OF BENITOGO
Koduduwa, Emir of the Bight
Diplomacy: Walvis Bay(t)
     Jungle bandits attacked the trade center in Gagnoa and then raided Akan itself.
     Koduduwa loaded the bulk of his army into the belly of his fleet and sailed across Cabral's passage. Anchored off the coast of Herero, he traveled to Walvis Bay with Dowan and Kufo to woo his Muslim brothers. Mission accomplished, he returned to his ancestral home.
     With the capture of Walvis Bay, the South American holdings are held via conduit links. The Benitogo future looks bright.

THE HARAZE HORDE
Kemupta, Lord of the Steppe
Diplomacy: None
     Eluka skirted the western edge of the Sahara, finally striking the southern holdings of the Andalusians. The Emirat was not unprepared for this attack and soon Eluka was set upon by assassins. The horde returned to the wilderness after scorching the earth...

South Africa

THE BANTU KINGS OF OKOYO
Yhombi-Opango, Da Regent of Obenga, Da King of Okoyo
Diplomacy: None
     The cultivation of Sangbe took a back seat to projects closer to home. The capital was expanded and a postal road was sent north to Teke. At the end of 1558 Tubuhawaire passed on. Yhombi-Opango took the throne as regent to young Obenga. Traders were allowed full use of Uige.

THE GREAT ZIMBABWE
T'Cham'Ki, Chief of Zimbabwe, Holder of the Five Twin Jackal Chair
Diplomacy: Zumbo(HS) Xai Xai(nt) Mozambi(c) Kilwa(fa)
     T'Cham'Ki scurried to rebuild his empire. M'Tumbi was killed in Zumbo.

	East Africa

THE KRAKAS EMPIRE OF AETHIOPIA
Pelam I, Alem 'Elum, Emperor of Aethiopia
Diplomacy: None
     A royal road was completed into the highlands of Baraka. To the northwest, tremors shook Atbara for several weeks and the ground rose. In 1557, a new volcano erupted! Most of Artoli was devestated.

North Africa

THE SULTANATE of IEST
Imad ibn Khalid, Sultan of Mahidia
Diplomacy: Najran(ea) Caraca(AW) Omarra(some headway)
     Several cities in the realm were beautified and two new cities were built; Theveste in Al Hauts, and Dhamar in Najran. The city of Akrakos was ceded to As Shirki al Bahri al Basra, while several shipments of food stuffs were delivered to WHOMPCO.
     Commander Abu sailed to the Maldives to see the Chekiang city of Omarra. In the west, Riyad and Abdul Aziz sailed to Caraca. Here they unloaded men and resources to build a port city! With no land forces to protect them, they were surprised when the Caracans attacked the unprotected village and destroyed what could not be stolen.

THE ALMORAVID EMIRATE of ANDALUSIA
Anbar al Saladin ibn Kadir, Emir as Sevilla
Diplomacy: Toledo(c) Portugal(yfc) Salamanca(a) Haiti(nt) Sagunto(t)
     Anbar tentatively made an agreement with the Chekiang, but kept his forces on guard until terms of the agreement became clear. As Shirki al Bahri al Basra offices are officially allowed in the Emirate. Several new projects were initiated and all of Haiti was converted to Islam.
     The Emir celebrated the birth of his grandson in the spring of 1557. Explorer Fayez de Gama returned from the Caribean and died in Sevilla at the age of 61.
     Assassins were sent to deal with one man out of seventy-six thousand in Gambia. Like the Iesti in Caraca, the Emirate fleet was unable to deal with the contretemps.

CASABLANCA WESTERN HAWALA OVERSEAS MERCHANT PROTECTIVE COMPANY
Vic Torlazlo, Merchant of Casablanca
Capitalization: Bashir(mf) Kazmedina(bo) Sergipe(mf)
     Vic converted all excess shipping to wartime duty, most of which were unnassigned fleets, and paid out large sums to his clients.
     Fariz ibn Tazik sailed west from Casablanca to the shores of Arawak. Pacified in the past by Italians, the Arawak knew a thing or two about warfare. Two waves of six thousand WHOMPCO pike finally took the encampments of the savages. Fariz left the sizable garrison and returned to the Home Office.

THE KINGDOM OF MORAY
Peggy Mac Donald of Islay, Regent of the Isles
Diplomacy: None
     Queen Peggy commanded that Conan should take the army to Barcelona to serve as the Highlander Blackwatch. She then took several men to her bed, apparently attempting to give her late husband's children some playmates... She died during the first illigitimage childbirth.
     Conan would be king of the Moray. Unfortunately, Barcelona is quite far away from the Isles and so the new regent would see the Hebrides and Orkney Isles revolt.

THE EMPIRE OF INGILTARRA
Dharr Ralif ibn Abdullah, Sword of Sayyidina Ali
Diplomacy: Anglia(f) Ulster(nt) Lienster(a)
     Dharr listened to his counselor Lysens and put serveral new policies into play. Infantry and cavalry quality improved. Ezekial Rushworthy was granted the fief of Northumbria. Interests in the southern part of Ireland were ceded to the Medici as well as ships full of grain.
     Icabod Green scoured London for traces of Secret Empire activity before heading to Barcelona. He also brought all the rutters to share with his Commonwealth Partners there.

THE NORMAN EMPIRE OF SAXONIA
Francoi le Faible, Regent to the King of the Saxons and of the Normans, Count of Blois
Diplomacy: Tours(nt) Savoy(f)
     Charles continued to expanding the government. Siegecraft improved as well as the priesthood and the royal road into the hills of Castille was finally completed. New trade routes were initiated with the Yezidi Caliph and the Fulani. Charles granted exclusive rights to more trade routes with the Medici, who started to make good on their old debts. Food was sent to them as well.
     Six thousand reinforcements were built in Marseilles to bolster the southern guard and a heavy fleet of fifty galleons was built in Barcelona. Paris was expanded as well.
     At 83 years old, Tancred was ordered to retire. With no pension offered, he refused to step down, keeping the fleet of 30 galleons in Sete. This had the cascading effect of leaving Oliver, a second rate commander at best, with only his fleet of fifty galleons, crewed with innexperienced men at best. The mercenary leader Mosheh ben Iaco joined Oliver, and soon the Northern European Balcred de Samiago arrived. Balcred examined the situation after receiving his packet of orders from Oliver. He felt he could continue without Tancred's forces and sailed off to Africa. He met with an Italian fleet in Madiera.
     In 1557 Charles died at the age of 66. Before his death, he commanded that Francoi le Faible should serve as regent. In reading Charles' Will though Simon de Montfort's name appeared to be promenant. Seeing as how Simon had died just a year prior, obviously the Will would not be contested easily by the family de Montforts. Francoi was named Regent for Robert. (GM - If Simon weren't already dead, the DF roll was close enough that there would have been one)
     The fleet sailed on, with rutters recently gained by the Ingiltarra, through the Gambian Sea to anchor off the coast of the jungles of Kru. Here Balcred saw that the Emperor had commanded that a port be build on the shore of this, quite possibly hostile land. And that the fleet should continue south, leaving the colony unprotected to finally make port in Akwila, a port owned by the Krakas. He knew of no authorization papers that would allow him to sway the Aethiopians to let his fleet have safe harbor. Considering all of these factors, the briliant commander held his position in Kru to protect the resources and see port Charlesbourg built safely. The Italians did their part by securing the region from the natives. Oliver died in 1558.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Marcellus II, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Servant of the Servants of God, Supreme Pontiff on the Universal Church
Consecration: Aquitane(ch) Aragon(ch) Armagnac(ch) Holland(ch) Brabant(ch) Carinthia(ch)
     Marcellus watched over the Church, seeing his cardinals concentrate on expanding its reach. In 1558 he preached for increased influence over the Moray Highlanders. Cardinal Harvesta died during his administration tour. Cardinal Regatoni was wounded in Zurich - apparently they don't want the Church there. With no food imports, Marcellus feared that a famine would hit, so he prayed for a good harvest.

THE REPUBLIC OF ITALY
Filippo de Reggio, King of the Freestate
Diplomacy: Napoli(A) Bari(ea) Tuscany(nt)
     Filippo ruled the Republic, commanding that the Medici Syndicate would enter into and conduct cartel trade on his behalf. Several routes were transferred and rutters were delivered to Saxonia, Ingiltarra, and Moray, the Commonwealth Nations.
     Princess Julietta conducted the census.

THE MEDICI SYNDICATE
Marco d'Medici, Guildmaster of Medici
Capitalization: Akrakos(mf) The Hague(bo) London(ma) Arteria(ma) Parnu(ma)
     The aging Marco added another man to his quorum and dedicated himself to righting the business affairs that have stagnated so disastrously for the last dozen years. He transferred his forces to Federico and completely reconfigured all shipping. Several new clients were brought on board including Italy, Helvetica, and expanded coverage for Saxonia.
     Federico took elite warships through the Bosphorus with the Phormio Emperor's permission. At Tirnova he was joined by some Mediterrenean mercenaries to rout the Georgians. But without dealing with the fortress, he could not completely pacify the land.
     Paolo sailed from his success at Akrakos to Benghazi in Barqa. Here, his cultural differences could not be overcome. He was killed by some thieves in a back alley. Antonio was wounded in Acre and so ended his movement there. With the factories of two other competing merchant families, he took the time to study their holdings.
     At the invitation of the Sultan of Ingiltarra, Leonardo travelled to London to establish the first mercantile contracts with the new Commonwealth nation. At the request of the Grand Duke of Crakow, Ludovico visited Danzig. He continued on to establish and agency in Parnu at the request of the Prince of Novgorod. At the request of the Emperor of Saxonia, Niccolo visited Paris where he failed to woo the Northern European mercennaire.

THE EMPIRE OF HELVETICA
Phillip Rheinhold, Grand Doge of Helvetica, The Valiant, Defender of Order, Overseas Emperor, The Peaceful, The Benevolent, The Mellow
Diplomacy: Lelander(nt) Montauk(fa) Verona(t)
     The Rheinholds expanded the inteligensia. Bridges that had colapsed 38 years ago were finally rebuilt in the north. Gold was shipped to the Mercain along with missionaries in Micmac and Lucayo. Lelander, the major trade port on the Rhine, was expanded. Unfortunately, the Helveticans are no longer able to use it, since Graff bungled his diplomacy there. Shipping moved down the river to Colmar.
     Phillip sailed home, unloading at Sancelade. The royal coaches raced to the capital of the Empire. He noted the steady progression towards a republican government that his father envisioned.

THE NORDIK EMPIRE OF THAERY
Bjorn, Regent of the Danes
Diplomacy: No Effect
     Sven, not known for his military prowes, none-the-less sailed to Goteborg, Oslo and Kristiansand to deliver supplies to these expanding cities. He sailed on to Hordaland where he intended to build a new port, but was unable to without enough resources. Storms buffetted his fleet, wrecking several ships, sending the few provisions he did bring down to the bottom of the Viking Bank.
     Hans took as much gold as he could transport, which was less than the King had ordered, accross the Baltic to discuss the potential future marriage of young Ingmar, just turning 2 years old.
     Hans sailed to Rausunda, expanding it and Norkoping before returning to Jutland. The Nordik Espionage with Big Ideas (Newbies) failed to penetrate the Cult of Odin, the secret empire they discovered in 1556. Gunnar completed the royal road to Groningen in Friesland. In 1558 he died at the age of 68.

Eastern Europe

THE GRAND DUCHY OF CRACOW
Krzysztof, Blackjack Duke of Cracow, the King of the Polka and Bochnia
Diplomacy: Ozu(nt) Lithuania(A) Sandomir(F)
     Krzysztof completed the cultivation projects his father began a decade past, in Moravia, Masuria, and Goryn. He increased the size of the port of Warsaw and then mounted his forces for battle. Eighty thousand men came to his call to cross the Nieman and attack the Cherven. The defenders were routed completely.
     The Duke continued to Lithuania, where an offer of marriage turned the tables, bringing in a new Ally. He joyfully continued his attacks on the Prussians, like any warrior would. Attacking across the Nieman again, the shear volume of men would crush any regional opposition.
     Ryszard died early in the diplomatic talks with the Ozu, spoiling an otherwise good start. Grzegorz was unable to find a wife in Silesia, expecting assistance from Leszek, who was in Sandomir at the time.

THE EMPIRE OF BALTICA
Pavel, Regent of Baltica, Prisoner of the Tver, Prince of Novgorod
Diplomacy: Tver(down to c) Kirivich(A) Vitebsk(fa) Kama Bolgar(t)
     Pavel continued the projects of Peter, cultivating Kaluga. A diplomat from Thaery arrived to discuss marriage. Maarta was wed to Stepan of Suzdal, bringing it fully into the Empire. In Tver, Pavel was taken away in chains for undiplomatically suggesting that they also join the Empire.

THE DIHAJ KHANAT
D'harak, Khan of Dihaj
Diplomacy: No effect
     D'harak increased the Khanat's siege capabilities and sent a large amount of gold to the Chahar, who collected it at the gates of Chevak. He sired three sons in the middle of the sixteenth century.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE - Phormion Dynasty
Stavros Phormio, Imperator Romanus, Basileus of Constantinople
Diplomacy: None
     The grand celebration of 1556 was for the wedding of Marjanna of Baltica to Teodor, Crown prince of the Empire. Stavros heard reports that Huarpe was cultivated. Finally, the profitable trade routes to the Almoravids and Iesti were turned over to the Medici family.

THE YEZIDI CALIPHATE
Abdulla ibn Sailam, Emir of Baghdad, Amiiru l-mu'miniin
Diplomacy: Hawalli(f) As Summan(nt) Dulaym(a) Jordan(t)
     Abdulla left six thousand men in Acre for Mamoon Nassiry to use. He returned to Baghdad to have a couple kids with the royal daughter of a Hawalli noble.
     In the streets of Acre, Mamoon marched with his men, ensuring that the citizens would move from their homes into the shanty-town outside the city gates.

LAHILLA PRIMACY OF ISLAM
Lahilla ibn Rumi abd Allah, Caliph al Islam
Consecration: Lebanon(ch)
     Darioush exacted the zakat on the Basra Merchant family and old Walid increased the tithe on the Iest before his death in 1556. Usman found that Antioch was fully controlled by heretics so he moved on to Sarid in Edessa were he was wounded and forced to end his mission.

THE BURNING SWORD EMPIRE
Emperor Hammad I Abu-Hassan, Grand Emperor of the Sword, most faithful follower of Allah
Diplomacy: Pontus(f) Cilicia(a) Niksar(UN)
     Hammad saw his artillery improve while he beefed up defenses in the many fortresses around the Empire. He delivered eighteen thousand men to General Azem with orders to secure Kirman and then garrison Makran. Princess Hacenah was married to the Black Sea Prince Abdul of Pontus. Her twin sister Hasiyna considers the Prince of Cilicia...
     In 1558, the venerable Aziz died at the age of 83. Hammad ibn Hammad would now be Crown Prince of the Empire.
     In Antioch, Amaam was busy with ten thousand men, killing the heretics. He conducted house to house raids, turning out all dissidents. In the process he discovered the secret stronghold of the Shadow Kingdom of Allah. They were pitched and put to the torch.
     General Azem occupied the Ghorid region of Kirman, setting up a garrison in May of 1557.
     To the south in Makran, Prince Abdul of Diyala was already busy with sixteen thousand men pacifying the city of Chah Bahar. Riding through the unwalled port, the occupation was easy. As the summer of 1556 wore on, he noticed the presence of Chinese fleets in the Gulf of Oman. In March of 1557, the purpose of those fleets became apparent. [See Hidden Dragon]

AS SHIRKI AL BAHRI AL BASRA (SBB)
Sayah ibn Abdulla Noir, Kalifat Rasul Allah, Captain General of the Basra Overseas Trade Company
Diplomacy: Adana(t) Antioch(ci) Samarra(bo) Jerusalem(ma) Boma(ma) Accra(ma)
     Sayah initiated trade with the Ingiltarra, so far the most distant partner of the SBB. First Trader Behram was successful in Cilicia, which extended the Company's supply lines throughout the Med, but died at the age of 51 on his way to Kilwa. Edin Nasr solidified the claim with a cartel in the city of Antioch. The rutters for all sea routes known by the Basra traders were sent to the Medici family. Other Italian speaking agents were found snooping around the military barracks...
     Counselor Faruk Aslan sailed from Omarra in the Maldives to explore the Mentawai Monsoon Drift. In the west, Trader Nazim Osman built Port Noir in the Okoyo region of Uige. Trader Omar Nasr arrived to take the excess supplies further west along the Benguela currents. Among other business deals struck with the Paraiba, Omar took possession of Belam on the coast of Potguara.
     Trader Tandor Frada took 200 elite light cavalry north into the lands of the Bogazgol. Promises of his return and the gifts that he would bring satisfied the Khan. They moved on across the valley into Gurgan, where the mighty Jurchen Horde slouched around the trade center. Here, Tandor was accosted by the Jurchen. His men were outnumbered 800 to 1. It is assumed that he is being held hostage, but no word of ransom has been heard. Nor is it known if he still lives...

THE BOGAZGOL KHANATE
Zargan I, Khan of Tabaristan
Diplomacy: None
     The Bogazgol were visited by the Basra traders. Zargan would not soon forget thier broken promises.

THE JURCHEN KHANATE
Jarchigudai of the Jurchen
Horde Diplomacy: None
     Jarchigudai noticed a small convoy of traders, heavy with what his scouts told him was gold. Questioning the foreigners, he discovered thier mission was to deliver the booty to a rival Khanate. The Khan seized the treasure and tortured the men into revealing more of their secrets....

THE CHAHAR KHANATE
Chang of the Chahar
Horde Diplomacy: no effect
     Chang wheeled the horde south again into Yayik where he recieved the proper payoff amount from the Dihaj. With this his forty-five thousand men headed east, over the Ural river and south into the Bogazgol wastelands. In 1557, they crossed the Oxus into Khwarzim where they expected to meet traders from Basra. At the gates of Khiva they waited, but no traders ever arrived.
     They left the city and headed across the Oxus again, south of the Kara-Kum desert. Here they met the waiting horde of the Juchen Khanate. Jarchigudai, having learned that the Chahar were near, prepared his forces for battle. When the Chahar crossed the Oxus, he attacked with his one-hundred sixty thousand men. Outnumbered more than three to one, Chang focused his forces on hitting the leadership, hoping to cause some disarray. Only one of the Jurchen's leaders would be wounded, as the Chahar were routed from the field, thier will broken.

THE GHORID SULTANATE OF AFGHANISTAN
Abdel bin Omar, Sultan of Afghans
Diplomacy: None
     Abdel built up the walls around the capital and recruited as many men as he could muster. The Ghorid then put up their best defense against the Harayuk [See Rajput].

THE HARAYUK RAJPUT EMPIRE
Medin Chandravara, Master of Kaunaj, Emperor of Rajput
Diplomacy: None
     Mayandi continued the Harayuk legacy to pour huge amounts of money into the military budget, more than twice the internally generated income. Of course, the quality of the forces improved, as well as the infrastructure. Many projects were initiated while Multan and the far off region of Yaralone were completely funded with all the enhancements of the Empire.
     In 1557 with a grand ceremony, the young prince Medin was crowned Emperor of Rajput. Mayandi went into retirement, the life of ease, another noble in the House of Harayuk.
     Prince Pradnesh was charged with attacking Sind with more than six thousand elite men. Finding that this would infringe on his personal life, he tried to weasel out of it, until at the age of 23, the dainty died. Prince Ulanjar's mission was overseas, to transport vital men and supplies to the jungles of Tengah in Borneo. He continued his trek west to finally base his war fleet off the coast of the Maldives to defend Omarra, the Chekian port city. Nowhere near a Rajput-friendly port, several ships of the fleet slipped away in the night.
     In the main offensive, three Harayuk generals were joined by two mercenary bands in Afghanistan, which Mayandi had recently released slightly from the grip of the Empire. In the spring of 1557 the Rajput forces, numbering some sixty-one thousand with assorted gun and seige engines, crossed into Ghazni to assault the heavily fortified walls of Zabulistan. After a sensational onslaught, with both Mohanam and Puttarajan taking wounds, the city walls fell.
     With portions of the Ghorid capital in flames, Wotarinu's goals were to seize the Sultanate's government and university capacities. Most of the bureaucrats were killed during their attempt to flee, but Harayuk agents in place were able to locate key individuals that would help secure the control of former Sultanate areas. Arcane Ghorid texts were carted up and transported by elephant trains to Kaunaj.
     Even though the Sultan of Afghans had escaped, the Ghorid Sultanate was no more.

THE CHALUKYA EMPIRE OF BANAVASI
Chirrati, Maharaja in Banavasi, Yogi of Seylan
Diplomacy: Nadavaria(ea) Pawar(a)
     Ekoram completed the royal road into Karnata, crossing the mountains from Malabar. "As befitting a land of the Devout, from henceforth all children of the Royal Line will be given unto the Priests of the True Faith and educated and ordained as Priests. Furthermore, the education of the people of the Empire shall be given over in its entirity to the Priests." The Yogi of Seylan, Ekoram-varman, died in 1557.
     Jaideep loaded more than nine thousand men and guns into Chalukyan galleys and crossed the Gulf of Oman to pacify Al Batnah. With the recent acquisitions and the death of Ekoram, it will be difficult times for the guild-elected Chirrati to overcome.

THE GATOTKACA OF ANGORA
Daginada, Sengkuni Khan
Diplomacy: Luzon(hs)
     Daginada sent his men to Luzon to see if they could patch things up.

THE VIET VICEROYALTY OF MAKASSAR
Zhen Ya, Viceroy of Makassar
Diplomacy: None
     Zhen Ya saw his warship and siege quality improve. Adipura died in an Angora prison, hot and itchy.

IL SINDACATO GRANDE ORIENTALE COMMÉRCIO (Republic of Portale D'Oro)
Don Francisco Carpachi, Il Doge della Portale D'Oro
Diplomacy: Phi Tho(c) Cochin(HS) Dunqunab(mf) Bur Sudan(mf) Massawa(mf) Zanzibar(bo) Chang'an(ci) Makassar(bo) Ambon(ma) Singhasari(ci) Rabaul(ma)
     Continuing to believe that the later part of the sixteenth century would be peaceful, Don Francisco ordered a new port to be built on the islands of Beringa. Anthony loaded up the supplies to sail north to found Candle-On-Water. He sailed on to the East to explore the route from Kiska to Adak. He made only marginal progress on rutters from Attu to Kiska.
     Don Francisco sailed to Phan Rang and the city of Phi Tho to see how the folks think about joining with the Republic. In Cochin, he was led into back room meetings with various nobles. Waring factions in the region used the Carpachi Doge as a pawn and his body was discovered near the docks in 1558. Francisco had a son in 1556, but the leadership of the Syndicate would go to the Don's brother, Ricardo.
     Mathew was in command of the Great Western Fleet defending ISGOC assets from Cape Delgado to the Malabar Sea until Gabriel arrived to assume command. Then he sailed home to acquire the Micronesian Expeditionary Force which he used to try to establish a merchant colony on Wewak. With no port facilities, the storms in the south Pacific ravaged his warships, stranding most of the colonists. Mathew plans to sail home for more supplies in 1559.
     Raphael felt ill-equiped to set up the cartel city in Miyazaki.

THE CROUCHING TIGER IMPERIUM
Cao Tien, Wang Tong King, Emperor of Tonkin
Diplomacy: Guizhou(c) Gouangxi(nt) Warimchampa(AW) Annam(nt) Bau Chau(c)
     Cao Tien sent his diplomats hither and yon. Muy Tak was wounded in Warimchampa when the city guard attacked his small army.

China

THE HIDDEN DRAGON OF CHEKIANG
Quan Yitsang, Celestial Emperor of Chekiang
Diplomacy: None
     The Celestial Emperor was quite active; new trade agreements were struck with Iesti and the Andalusian situation was deftly managed through diplomacy. He now looks unfavorably at the upstarts of the rebel Burning Sword cult, usurpers of the old ally of Chekiang, the D'Ar al-Islam, and commanded his fleets and armies to teach these dogs a lesson!
     Prince Yiguang took the mighty Chinese Treasure Fleet from Cape Town, which was expanded, its walls torn down to be replaced with an impressive citadel. In May of 1557, the prince landed on the beaches of Makran. The Burning Sword's Prince Abdul of Diyala and his twelve thousand men were there to try to repel the invaders, all eighty thousand, elite forces. Failing that, they retreated to the unwalled city of Chah Bahar to regroup. Surprisingly, all battle-hardened leaders survived without a scratch.
     Chinese regiments set up camp in Makran and prepared to attack the port city. By August they were ready. Men, horse, and cannons headed toward the city. The barrage was on! The odds seemed to be all in Quan Yiguang's favor until the horns started blowing from the rear. General Azem arrived on the battle field with another sixteen thousand men with balloon scouts, catching the Chinese off guard. The Dragon reared up to change tactics. The outcome would be the same, as the city fell to Prince Yiguang, but the Burning Sword's actions allowed for a retreat into the hills of Kirman.
     Li Gong and Xiao Wang took 80 fast and light warships to escort the Golden Mountain Fleet of more than 100 transports loaded to the scuppers with gold and men. Enough resources to found a great colony of the Hidden Dragon Empire. Loading in Rangoon, the fleet headed east from Ponape, passing the Kweijaleins late in 1556. This would go down in history as the phantom Golden Mountain Fleet, since it was never heard from again. Sailors for centuries would attempt to find it, some knowing its whereabouts; secret treasure maps passed in shady districts....

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST MISSION - Amitabha
Amitabha, 2nd Host of the Longevity Buddha
Consecration: None
     Amitabha considered the long term prospects, but the needs of the mission far exceeded his earthly resources. As a result, almost all of the primate's holdings were scaled back.

THE MAHIYANA BUDDHIST MISSION - Long
Chi Long, Key Master of the Mahiyana Mission
Consecration: None
     Chi Long endured the famine again. More than half of the churches and the lone Cathedral in Loyang reduced.

THE CIAO ZHONG CHINESE EMPIRE
Chin Li, King of the Northern Prefectures
Diplomacy: Fido(AW)
     The King rode down to Liaotung where he placed a colony. Continuing on to camp outside the gates of Tai'Yuan in Shansi where he let the city dwellers starve until they "come to their senses and rejoined the empire". With the army arriving late in 1558, the city remains surrounded and defiant.
     General Duc Thon rode east with more than fourteen thousand heavy cavalry to find that the city of Quyang had revolted, since the garrison was far too inadequate. With no orders to actually take the city in this event, and knowing that his horse would fair poorly against the city's walls, he sent the colonists packing and joined the king in Shansi.
     In Tsingfeng, lieutenant Hei Pan took more than nine thousand knights and the garrison to place a colony. The populace rose up to defy him, and needed to be suitably punished. In the city, no such uprising took place and all went well.
     On the docks of Fido in Thaton, diplomat Zhou Pien saw his warship escort burning. He deftly comandeered alternate transport.
     With another fourteen thousand heavy cavalry, this time under the command of Wang Lein, the desert folk of Ordos would fight their oppressors and die. Interestingly, once the colony was in place, the territory could only be held as an economic ally.
     Colonists sent to the Wu Hai frontier were slaughtered by the rebelious inhabitants. Later in the summer when lieutenant Twang Guo arrived, escorting the colonists for the city of Wunao, he vowed to see the region enslaved.
     Zhong propaganda couldn't stop Houma from revolting when colonists started arriving, dieing in droves. On the contrary, colonies were successful in Langshan and Ningsia.

THE NIHON EMPIRE
Empress Mugai Nyodai, 91st Emperor of Nihon, Descendent of Amaterasu, Regent of Taiki
Diplomacy: Jilin(t)
     The Empress expanded five of the largest cities in the Empire and saw that nearly five thousand infantry were trained in the elite methods of Nihon. Several ships were built for Admiral Chenka so that he could transport supplies to build the port fortress on Kazan Retto.
     To the Italians running the vast majority of all Nihon imports and exports, Nyodai awarded the Porcelain monopoly. The protection of the Imperial Fleet as well as permission to harbor in any Nihon port was also granted. Comander Kondo was promoted to Admiral of the Southern Fleet with around one hundred seventy light warships.
     Diplomatic and other expansion efforts on the mainland threatened to take their toll on the Empire's imperial size. Yamatoro took his twelve thousand warriors north into the wilds of Wusili attempting to exact tribute. He was wounded while retreating from the barbarians.
     Leiutenant Horii sailed a mixed group of tranports north to the Beringa Isles along routes mapped out by the Sindicato merchants. Unfortunately, the same merchants refused to give safe harbor so, Horii dealt as best he could with the resulting attrition.
     Nomura was ordered to distribute his command between Kondo an Mikawa before being summoned to the Imperial Presence. He was granted a very rare and honorable retirement at the age of 76, with the Empress herself warmly thanking Nomura for his many years of faithful service to her, saying "I am very pleased with you!"

THE VAKAS IMPERIUM OF THE AKETTA
Vakas Togal, Sorcerer-King of the Aketta
Diplomacy: None
     Togal studied his sorcerer arts.

THE KINGDOM OF THE STORM
Harahua, Manta of the Mellow Kingdom
Diplomacy: Riddle(F)
     Tadpole sailed from the capital at Te ika a maui to delivier supplies for the new port city of Panicea on the north coast of the Loyaute big island. Whaler set out with twenty four duggouts, setting a course by starlight to the north west, he explored the route to the Sava Strait.

Pet the fuzzy kitties!

THE MANITOWISH EMPIRE
Wiseraven, Chief of the Manitowish Empire
Diplomacy: Yakima(nt)
     Wise Raven headed out with Running Bear and eighteen hundred men to slave raid the peoples of Chelan. By the middle of 1557, Wise Raven discovered that it would be nearly impossible to get any slaves from a region that doesn't have public works or isn't cultivated. He continued on to Nicolua.

THE COLONY OF NYDANIA
Harald III, Konik von Nydanland, Emperor of Nydania
Diplomacy: Yuma(ea)
     Harald, Princess Signe, and Lord Bjorn worked with the priests to raise the strength of Spirit Christianity in the Colony. Kristof took ten warships north out of Norholm, but failed to discover anything in the frigid waters. Losses were minimal.

THE POPOCELOTL HEGEMONY
Huaptl, King of the Smoke Jaguars
Diplomacy: Hohokam(c)
     Some fields were irrigated in Tiwa and another leader joined the ranks in Phoenix.

THE ILLINOIS CONFEDERATION
Coyle, Great Liege of the Ancient People
Diplomacy: None
     The Great Liege of the Illiois died at the relatively young age of 34, leaving his son to take the mantle of leadership early. Prendy of the Sauk died in 1558, his people became fully Illinois.

THE ADENA EMPIRE
Pepin Lawenro III, Great Chief of Adena
Diplomacy: No Effect
     Pepin decomisioned the walls around Adena to expand the great city. He ruled the empire while raising a large family including 3 more girls and a boy in 1558.

BONNY KINGDOM OF MERCAIN
Lord Albon, Elder King of the Land, Sword of the Vanished Tribes
Diplomacy: None
     Lord Clyde died in 1556. Advisors spearheaded by Lord Albon decried that Catherine would never be the monarch of Mercain and sent her on a boat along with the surplus harvests to Helvetica.

THE BLESSED COUNTRY OF KORNLAND
Hector Simonsen, Jarl of Kornland, Sachem of Chowan, Keeper of the Faith
Diplomacy: Monacan(a)
     Hector invested the gold shipment supplied by the Iesti into the city of Massburg and completed the cultivation of Powhattan. He spent his summers playing with his ten children.

THE OAXACA EMPIRE
Maxtla, King of Oaxaca, Lord of the Maya, Leader of the Quetzal World, Emperor of Mexico
Diplomacy: Maya(F)
     Maxtla took his army of eighteen thousand Maya warriors across the mountains to attack the Nahuatl. He was forced to retreat and regroup before attacking again, knowing that he had dealt insurmountable losses to the enemy.

THE INKA EMPIRE
Quinoa Flakes, Coca Mogul
Diplomacy: No tangible effects
     The Coca Mogul spent his time ruling the kingdom while Vitamin and Honeycomb worked in Moche and Chimu.

THE WAJ MAPU CHE
Lord King Biedes II, sovereign over the Four Parts of the Healing Earth
Diplomacy: Puelche(fa)
     Biedes died in 1558 with the cultivation of Puelche complete.

THE TUPINAMBA EMPIRE
Verbena, Top Tupi Tribesman
Diplomacy: None
     Unable to pay his armies, Verbena was panicked by mysterious lights in the sky.

THE EMIRAT OF ALAGOAS
Shi'Tebra ibn Rahgeesh, Emperor of the Paraiba, Emir of Alagoas
Diplomacy: None
     Shi'Tebra took the military might of the Emirate south along the coast into Jurucu, recently released from their ties to the Tupinamba. Exacting tribute from both Jurucu and the port of Abuse, Shi'Tebra along with his son Akif conducted the same actions upon Patasho.
     Arana was cultivated and the city of Belam was given to the As Shirki Al Bahri al Basra merchants in exchange for several large crates of gold and jewels.

Average Horde Pop: 5.3           Increase: 6%
Bubble Bubble or is that a hoover running?