AFRICA

West Africa

THE AKA'MURRID EMIRATE OF FULANI
Mohammad II, Emir of the Fulani, The Philosopher-King of the Sahel
Diplomacy: Susu(t)
     Mohammad finished the cultivation projects of Garou and Oyo as well as the completion of the royal road all the way to the coast in Susu. Many transports were commissioned to run trade up and down the Niger and several wilderness enclaves improved. The Emir took another wife, still trying to produce an heir, but she died of a wasting disease within a year.
     Fuli was sent to Mossi to preach his religion, but the natives couldn't figure out what it was, no matter how good he talked it up. Xotar the Magnificent died early in 1526, just as his diplomatic talks with the Kanuri were getting underway. This stymied any chance of success, which led to challenges for Mohammad back in the capital.

THE SUPREMACY OF TOGO
Oduduwa, Supreme Oba of Togo
Diplomacy: None
     Oduduwa expanded his government some in anticipation of land gains in the future.

South Africa

THE BANTU KINGS OF OKOYO
Ogourke, Ba King
Diplomacy: Douala(t)
     Ogourke continued the cultivation of Teke and considered building a road up into Lui.

THE GREAT ZIMBABWE
Malachai, Chief of Zimbabwe, Holder of the Five Twin Jackal Chair
Diplomacy: None
     Malachai contemplated his role in world events, gratefully accepting the Aethiopian gifts. He was saddened at the death of his lithe younger brother Daoid.

East Africa

THE KRAKAS EMPIRE OF AETHIOPIA
Gobbu VII, Alem 'Elum, King of Aethiopia
Diplomacy: No effect
     In 1524 a great flood rushed down the Nile from the deep southern reaches of the mountains. It wiped out several bridges and reduced some port facilities in Amada, Luxor, Dongola, Kerma, Omdurman, Soba, and Khartum. The chain network north of Luxor was mostly wiped out during the flood as the embankments were eroded out. Further down the river even Bani Suwayf in Iesti territory was effected. Trade between the two nations was reduced because of the natural disaster.
     Gobbu, always the enlightened one, sent colonists to Suakin, Adulis, Atbara, Makurra, Kordofan, Meroe, Aksum, and Alwa. He started to intensify the agriculture production of Kanem and Bornu as well as increasing public works grants in several cities in the realm. Minquat dazzled the Kerkoure with the finery of the Krakas, bragging about how cool it would be for them to join the Empire once more. In the end and to his amazement, they double talked until his time was up.
     Huge shipments of gold were sent to the Fulani and Zimbabwe, the former in exchange for food for the hungry empire, who had recently suffered a bad harvest, barely avoiding a famine situation. Internal fleets who had been bolstering the value of trade within the Empire were directed to fish. Merchants from nations attempting to deal with the Empire for the first time were turned away. This could be cause for alarm.
     Pelam was instructed to take a wife and to begin his family. He complied eagerly, bearing twin sons in 1526 and another set of twin sons in 1528.
     Prince Basqu set off across the Benue River with more than six thousand infantry and artillery pieces, most of the former heavy elite men, into the wilds of Kwararafa to pacify the backward heathens, hardly breaking a sweat.

North Africa

THE SULTANATE of IEST
Khalid ibn Abu al Arrod, Sultan of Mahidia
Diplomacy: No Effect
     Floods on the Nile destroyed the bridge in Egypt. The massive construction is estimated to take nearly a decade to repair. The effects of the flood were felt in Misr as well, with most of the resources allocated to the building of Necho's canal being washed away, delaying construction by 2 years. The Suez Canal in the Sinai though started on schedule.
     Investments to the government couldn't stem the tide of depression and revolts caused by the Sultanate's thin government in the early part of the decade. Most of the oasis and deserts stopped paying taxes, which wasn't a great loss in tax revenue, but the loss of Asir to the rebels meant that Duba had to be used as the Iest port to the east.
     A large quantity of food was given to the Almoravids. Khalid commanded just about every trained man in the Sultanate to react to any invasion of North Africa. He was assisted by several of his generals, except for Bashir. Bashir was married to his daughter Suma before they struck off for a diplomatic mission in Ad'Diffah.

THE ALMORAVID EMIRATE of ANDALUSIA
Haziz, Emir as Sevilla
Diplomacy: Merintha(nt)
     Kadir expanded his spending on the offices of government, improved the quality of his navy and artillery corp. He extended an invitation to the Chekiangnese Grand Tour to visit Sevilla. Missionaries completed there task in Benin, although Khalid died in 1527. Work was continued in Cape where old Azim died in 1527 as well. Saladin continued to increase the size of his family, now up to six children with the birth of another daughter in 1526 and another on the way in 1528.
     Trade routes were set up over the Buengula Current and Cabral's Passage with the Emirat of Alagoas and the Tupinamba Empire. Using those currents and harboring the shipping at Walvis Bay in the Namibian Sea, Kadir noticed that the distance wasn't as great as he had first supposed.
     In matters of trade, Kadir made the following announcement: WHOMPCO is hereby granted a royal charter within our realm. This grant allows the merchants of this combine to set up merchant factor sites or smaller operations in any location within the realm. Larger operations Branch Offices and the like, beyond the ones that currently exist, can be constructed after consultations with the Emirate's government. We also agree to share the Emirate's knowledge of the seas with our merchants in WHOMPCO (probably the most extensive maps to the America's in the world) in exchange for their providing the Emirate with charts and rutters to seas that they explore that are unknown to the royal cartographers. This exchange of information will continue into perpetuity.
     The Emir has decided grant the following monopolies to the merchants of WHOMPCO; cod, copper, and wool. It is the Emir's hope that WHOMPCO will be able to expand the production of these commodities, and place the Emirate in a better competitive position vis-a-vis our neighbors as a result.
     We are also pleased to announce that WHOMPCO has won the contract to manage the merchant routes between our Emirate and the nations of Arles Italy, Nordik Thaery, and the Duchy of Cracow. This contract will run into perpetuity.
     At the end of 1528 Kadir grew ill and died within a few months. Haziz and Nezzal, commanding the fleet, took command of the army as well. Jaen and Cordoba revolted, joining Iest. Saladin escaped Sevilla with most of the treasury and his family on a merchant ship under the cloak of night. It's rumored that Saladin's wife gave birth to another son during their flight.

ALMORAVID CIVIL WARALMORAVID CIVIL WAR

THE ALMORAVID EMIRATE of ARGUIN
Sheik, Emir as Dokhla
Diplomacy: None
     Sheik, was charged with protecting the North African coast. And so, when Kadir died and Haziz took the throne, he took his job VERY seriously by removing it from the paws of Haziz.

THE ALMORAVID EMIRATE of BENIN
Marwan, Emir as Bight
Diplomacy: None
     Prince Marwan in Benin remained loyal to his father and secluded brother, so he took Benin, Bight City, Bioko, and Al Figuig.

THE ALMORAVID EMIRATE of the CAPE
Kalid, Emir as Cape Town
Diplomacy: None
     Kalid and Jizol squabbled over who would control the southern realms. Jizol managed to escape with his life, later to join a mercenary band in the east. And so it was Kalid who would capture the new trade routes to the Americas based at Walvis Bay.

CASABLANCA WESTERN HAWALA OVERSEAS MERCHANT PROTECTIVE COMPANY
Rik, Merchant of Casablanca
Diplomacy: Cyprus(fa)
Capitalization: Kitsanga(ma) As Shirki al Bahri al Basra(claimed)
     Señor Rik personally sailed with all the recruits he could muster to colonize an island roughly 1864 square miles large off the coast of South America in the Orinoco Sea. He erected the port fortress of Ras Salaam. What he couldn't find in recruits to colonize the island, he made up for with the walls of Tenerife and the crews of his own heavy transports, otherwise the colony may have failed as soon as Rik left. As it is, they barely survived the following year and this could be why the people of Jezira Gherb are so independent.
     Samm was released from prison by the Fulani, asking him not to drink so much next time. He spent the next few years buying rounds for the Kitsangans.
     Galway in Connaught threw out the agent that was installed in 1522. If they had known what the result of that action would be, they may have thought twice. Bonoque de Samanigo arrived in 1526 with more than three thousand men to force tribute from all of Ireland in the name of WHOMPCo.
     Mosheh ben Iaco arrived in Acre in 1526 to begin his campaign in the name of Dar al Islam. With more than six thousand men and guns he marched into Jordan. After a quick skirmish Jordan surrendered, whereupon, bursting with hubris Mosheh rushed on Syria. Tactical superiority knocked the wind out Mosheh's sails on that day. He chose to utilize the break-off clause in his contract, returning to Acre later in the year.
     El Ouie, whose movements were tipped off by some inept intel agents, traveled secretly through the war-torn realm of what was the great Dar al Islam, down the Euphrates to Basra, the home of the As Shirki al Bahri al Basra, the SBB merchant company. Spending the better part of 1527 and 1528 negotiating with Abdulla Noir, El Ouie was given great latitude and was told to use his own discretion to deal with unexpected situations. One of those situations was the mighty war raging upriver.
     El Ouie declared, "How long do you think you could hold out against a determined foe? I can protect the city of Basra, will you let the Shirki al Bahri al Basra live on under the protection of WHOMPCo, or die?" Abdulla Noir cried "How can you protect the city? I imagine Hammad abu Hassan's evil armies stretch as far as the eye can see!" El Ouie stretched his arm to the south and screamed "Witness the might of WHOMPCo!!" In the Persian Gulf just outside the harbor of Basra sailed the fleet of Ibrahim ibn Jacob, the MMediterraneanMercenary. "But... How? Alright!!!!"
     The cartel in Alexandria had to close down parts of its operations and threatened to reduce further if Rik didn't improve lines of communication. As a result, the branch offices in Acre reduced to merely a factory.

EUROPE

Western Europe

THE SULTANATE OF ELSUT
Jaraah bin Zulfaqar, Regent of Ingiltarra, Sword of Sayyidina Ali
Diplomacy: Mercia(nt)
     Bazel picked up the army from Jaraah, with fresh heavy artillery in tow. He marched across the Inglis countryside, removing the garrison from Wessex, upgrading the peasants lives slightly. CContinuingon to Northumbria, his army of more than two thousand men crushed the ffeudalarmy of Moray. He waited there, defending until the end of 1527 when reports came to him of a host of Saxons unloading at the port of Hull. He met that host and his mortality on the fields outside of Hull on the road to Anglia. [See Saxonia]

THE KINGDOM OF MORAY
Angus Og Mac Donald of Islay, ifth Lord of the Isles, Lord of Argyll and Kintyre, Earl of Ross, Captain of Clan Donald, Ri Innse Gall
Diplomacy: None
     Angus requested aid from the pope again.

THE NORMAN KINGDOM OF SAXONIA
Phillip, King of the Saxons and of the Normans, Count of Blois
Diplomacy: Brest(F)
     Henry mass conscripted in the name of wiping out the heathen infestation across the Anglish Channel. Trade was cut with the Medici and WHOMPCo merchants, as well as Ingiltarra. The royal road and bridge project from Armagnac to Languedoc, started in 1512, fell to disrepair and neglect.
     Gedric took his leave from the Cantons, marching his army West, crossing the Elba, Main, and finally the Rhine into his homeland at Cologne. He continued on to Bruges where he met up with Henry the Fifth who had just traveled from the capital at Paris. Henry was looking rather ill. Gedric looked around at the task at hand. His orders were clear - to load up his entire army onto the transports available, but he was missing more than 150 heavy galleys. When he inquired about the galleys, Henry used just two words, "I forgot." Knowing that a nasty group of thugs is watching you for any hint of ttreacherydoesn't instill confidence, but it does make you follow your orders to the letter. Henry died during the loading process, Gedric asked the thugs to take his body back to his paranoid father and set sail for Hull.
     In Brest, Henry's twin brother Robert died almost within a month, making Phillip heir to their father, as he is next in line. Oscar died early in 1526 on his way to Castille.
     Upon arriving at Hull, Gedric unloaded his troops, some ten thousand infantry short, but still quite deadly. Outside of Hull he was attacked by some petty army of Elsut, defending their turf. He killed their leader (since the hired thugs couldn't kidnap him) and continued on his way to Anglia in the spring of 1528. He easily took the region, essentially telling the cowed peasants that instead of paying the Sultanate, that they'd pay their tribute to Saxonia now. Gilbert died during the campaign. Gedric left a portion of the army with Beaucleric and headed off to force tribute from Sussex as well. Seeing that Ipswich had no walls to speak of, Beaucleric defeated the puny army they threw up in futility.
     Late in 1528 Henry IV died at the age of 74. Phillip was informed that he was now Emperor of the Norman Kingdom. Catalonia and Barcelona revolted all Saxon rule capturing the unused merchant fleet that had been used to trade with WHOMPCo and joined the Duchy of Perigord.

SAXONIA CIVIL WARSAXONIA CIVIL WAR

THE NORMAN KINGDOM OF ANGLIA
Beaucleric, King of the Saxons and of the Normans, Count of Blois
Diplomacy: Hull(a)
     Gedric, across the Channel, finally took the leap and chanced claiming the throne. Sure enough, the thugs bagged him, snuffing the rebel. In Ipswich, Beaucleric would have none of that and declared that he would be Emperor of the Saxons. He gathered all of the armies to Ipswich and prepared to set sail for Paris. Gilbert's replacement, under the tutelage of Beaucleric, joined the rebellion. Hull, previously a secret ally of the Saxons, joined Beaucleric as well.

THE DUCHY OF PERIGORD
Roland, Duke of Perigord
Diplomacy: Aragon(fa)
     With the addition of Catalonia the Duchy became a Centralized Monarchy.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Boniface X, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Servant of the Servants of God, Supreme Pontiff on the Universal Church
Consecration: Carmaux(ab) Auvergne(ch) Bergerac(ab) La Rochelle(ch) Brittany(ch) Brest(ch) Citherione(ch) Murke(ab) Hagen(ch) Hesse(ab) Neuhamelin(ab) Liege(ab) The Hague(ab) Barcelona(ch) Toulouse(mn) Falkirk(ch) Far Yell(ch) Galway(ch)
     Boniface increased the tithe on Italy and Thaery. Not experienced in worldly matters such as trade, Boniface attempted to initiate trade with Saxonia, Perigord, and Helvetica without supplying ships for those routes. The highly charismatic Boromeo continued to successfully work in Saxonia. Just as charismatic, Paul set up abbeys in the Cantons and Southern Theary. Ciccio discovered that Hesperia is Christian, but not Catholic.

THE ARLES EMPIRE OF ITALIA
Octavion, Rex Lagobardum, Imperator Occidental Romani, Defensor Christos
Diplomacy: Savoy(f)
     Rolfo expanded the government some more, as well as throwing massive amounts of money into research and development, paying off in warship quality and deadlier gun powder uses. Tarantum, Merano, and Pavia were expanded. Trade fleets were built in Reggio for the Medici Syndicate. Rolfo ordered that transports be built in Citmo on the Carabean island of Arawak, much too far away from the home shipyards. Those fleets were supposed to conduct trade with the American nations of Kornland, Adena, and Oaxaca.
     Savoy received lavish attentions by both Lord Octavion and Lord Capontius. Lord Roggerio sailed to a hot dry island called Arawak to become the Feudal Lord. Lords Augamondo and Rufius followed suit on the islands of Ciboney and Haiti. Rolfo died in 1528 after fathering another daughter the previous year. Galway, Guayami and Porto Leon, Haiti, and Lucayo revolted.
     Octavion and Capantius both knew that Rolfo did not have an heir. In the time it took Octavion to return to Rome news had spread throughout the Empire. Agents loyal to Octavion ensured that Capantius did not return to Rome. But they couldn't stop a charismatic man named Guastone from convincing several thousand men in the Imperial army from deserting to join the rebellion in southern Italy...
     Late in 1528, Octavion married Rolfo's daughter, Princess Fiona, to quell any fears that the dynasty would not continue.

ITALIAN CIVIL WARITALIAN CIVIL WAR

THE FREESTATE OF ITALY
Guastone di Bari, Leader of the Freestate
Diplomacy: None
     Guastone formed the Freestate of Italy. A haven for free thinkers and men of truth.

THE MEDICI SYNDICATE
Cosimo d'Medici, Guildmaster of Medici
Diplomacy: None
Capitalization: None
     Santa was good to the Syndicate this year; they got most of what they wished for. A fantastic jailbreak was made by Cosimo!

THE EMPIRE OF HELVETICA
Otto, Grand Doge of Helvetica
Diplomacy: Nordgau(f) Berlin(fa) Burgundy(a) Franconia(ea)
     The intrigue in 1527 was the disappearance of Wilhelm's grandson. Guards and agents searched everywhere for the child but could not locate him, or any clues as to who stole him, or even if he was stolen. His nanny was questioned, but all she knew was that he was playing in the yard one moment and gone the next. She only turned to get a glass of water for the boy for a minute.... Wilhelm died later that year in grief.
     The walls around Kimmelstimburg were blown down to make room for the expansion of the city named after the old dynasty. Otto was on hand to re-dedicate the city to his benefactor. Maps to Gronland were sold to the Roman Empire.

THE NORDIK KINGDOM OF THAERY
Maxim (III) Goldnose, King of the Danes
Diplomacy: None
     Maxim commanded that Kobenhaven, Bremen, Avente, Liege, Groningen, the Hague, and Kiel be expanded! Olf the Ugly was sent to locate underground organizations. Without specifics and with only a thousand cavalry, he managed to destroy a fair amount of mill houses, and granaries that he believed were the home of cultic activities in Jutland, HoldHolsteind Saxony.

Eastern Europe

THE GRAND DUCHY OF CRACOW
Stashu II, Blackjack Duke of Cracow, the King of the Polka and Bochnia
Diplomacy: None
     Stashu didn't follow up the previous years' expansion efforts with appropriate government enhancements, so nearly everything he had worked for fell away. Ozu and Krasnik, Carpathia, Kassubia and Danzig, Kiev and Port Kiev, Kuyavia and Warsaw, and Sandomir and Radom all revolted the tributary status enforced upon them by the Blackjack's armies. In addition to the pacified provinces, Bialoweza stopped paying taxes.

THE KINGDOM OF THE BALTS - Boris Splinter
Boris, King of Baltica, Prince of Novgorod
Diplomacy: Reval(nt) Kirivich(c)
     King Boris announced The traitor Peter, former general turned murderer, is wanted in connection with the assassination of the true Leader of Baltica, Prince Dmitri. Peter will be brought to justice and the Kingdom of Baltica restored to it's former glory.
     General Sergius set off to the south taking Yaroslav and Kalinin from Ivan and Muscovy from Peter's faction. Word reached him soon after of the battles fought in Ilmen, and his possible fate. He turned on his heel and marched north to Ilmen then...

THE KINGDOM OF THE BALTS - Ivan Splinter
Ivan, King of Baltica, Prince of Novgorod
Diplomacy: None
     Ivan continued on, taking Veposkava, arriving at Ilmen in early 1526 to attack Boris. Boris easily defeated Ivan's attack. Ivan regrouped to attack again when horns were heard in the distance...

THE KINGDOM OF THE BALTS
Dmitri, King of Baltica, Prince of Novgorod
Diplomacy: None
     Peter received a large shipment of cash from Italy to pay his army. With it he formally recognized the King of Italy as the Western Roman Emperor. Official Baltic policy would be henceforth to recognize "Two Emperors within One Empire" as it was from 395 AD. One Emperor in Rome and the other in Constantinople. He had this to say about Boris: Boris is a traitor to the Logadki Dynasty, which has ruled Baltica since its founding. Boris was behind the death of good King Rurik and then assassinated the rightful King Dmitri so that he could claim the throne. We will avenge the memory of the Logadki!
     He marched north through Muscovy and the independent regions of Tver and Kirivich to reach Ilmen, already with Boris in combat with the other traitor Ivan. Peter attacked both of them, since Ivan still had delusions. Ivan was routed, his men crushed under the hooves of Peter's elite cavalry. Boris retreated behind the walls of Novgorod. Peter rushed the walls again and again. In 1527 Sergius arrived from the south to relieve the siege, he was forced to retreat and was kept at bay for the rest of the siege, although his bowmen were able to inflict a wound on Peter. Peter's forces continued the siege and on the third press the city surrendered. He was wounded once again. General Dmitri carried Peter through the fallen gates of Novgorod to hear Peter's final words which were to reunite the Kingdom. With the fall of Novgorod, the civil war was ended.
     With the capital secure, all rebels tortured and hung, King Dmitri sent off to the south, on his way to put down any further revolts. Kubishev stopped paying taxes.

THE DIHAJ KHANAT
Battah, Mighty Servant of Allah
Diplomacy: None
     Battah regrouped his forces.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE - Phormion Dynasty
Ilias Phormio, Imperator Romanus, Basileus of Constantinople
Diplomacy: None
     Ilias' assassins got an extra boost now that the Phormion boasts the most elite corps he's known the Empire to ever have, although his current efforts failed. Huge amounts of ferries were installed in Bithnia, which could be used to ferry a great army, or to host trade links east of the Bosphorus.
     The Eastern Army was handed to Cyrano, the Empire's tactical mastermind. Abandoning Lebanon, promptly revolting all ownership, they marched through Aleppo to attack Palmyra. Outnumbering the Palmyrans by more than three to one, Cyrano was surprised to find Galerius captured as the losers withdrew to seek support from the city of Mardin. Cyrano regrouped before attacking into the city. Into the breach again, Cyrano scattered the defenders like sand in the wind, releasing Galerius in the process.

ASIA

The Middle East

THE DABBAGH KINGDOM
Kabeer al-Waliy, the homeless wanderer
Diplomacy: None
     Kabeer allied his forces and his future with Hammad.

THE DAR AL ISLAM EMIRATE
Hassan Pasha, Emir of Baghdad, Amiiru l-mu'miniin
Diplomacy: Bostra(AW)
     Suleiman wanted to rename his nascent kingdom a Caliphate, but was not allowed to by the Lahilla Primacy of Islam. Several bridges around the Emirate that had been damaged during the floods nearly a decade earlier fell further into disrepair as it was obvious that they were being ignored.

     Battle of the Euphrates 1526-1527
     The Emir took most of the Emirate's forces across the Euprates into Dulayim, hoping to throw off any directed defense Hammad could put up. One defense that Hammad was able to put up though was the stoned assassin team that was able to penetrate past Suleiman's guards late one evening prior to embarking across the river. The crack assassins must have slipped into the army in the hills of Dulayim, posing as some of the more than eighty-eight thousand mostly cavalry forces.
     With Suleiman dead, command and the throne passed to Reza. He led the mighty forces across the Euphrates into the waiting armies of Hammad Abu-Hassan. Once again the clash of the two armies was incredible. Initially forced to retreat when Reza and Osman were killed, the Emirate's remaining General Hassan regrouped and launched at Hammad again. Hammad's field fortifications proved to be instrumental in the destruction of the Hassan's forces as once again the Dar was forced to retreat. Artillery volleys wounded Aziz and Kabeer in the Empire's command post. At this point, after forcing the Emirate to retreat a second time, Hammad left the defense of Jazirah in the hands of his heir Aziz and his ally Kabeer, so that he could head out on a major flanking manoeuvrer.
     The battle had raged for a year, and Hassan was determined. He raved "DESTROY THE BURNING SWORD!!!!!" as he launched into the fray again. Again he was forced to retreat. Hassan regrouped and rushed in, this time with less than thirty thousand remaining battle weary men. They were able to kill Kabeer, but Hassan was wounded so his men pulled him from the war zone and with less than twenty thousand men fled to Iraq to wait for Ahmed to return from his diplomatic tour. They heard later that he was killed in Bostra. The Maldives revolted.

THE SECRET EMPIRE OF THE BURNING SWORD
Hammad Abu-Hassan, Keeper of Secrets, Master of Lies
Diplomacy: None
     With Kabeer dead, his remaining forces fled into the deserts and mountains. Jez was also mortally wounded in the final battle. Aziz scraped together what he could and hunkered down to await the return of Hammad abu-Hassan. Amazingly the famine didn't reduce the land holdings of the Empire further.
     Fez slipped away to collect what armies he could locate around the scattered realms of the Empire. He attacked Karbala with a little more than two thousand men across the Euphrates. He was beaten back, forced to retreat losing nearly half of his forces. Sadly the Karbalan commander was even worse than Fez.
     Hammad rode with a twenty-five thousand horse power army. He liberated Raqqah and then crossed the Tigris to attack Arbiliq, forcing them to pay him tribute instead of the Dar. He continued on to Diyala, where his over-confidence got him in a jam; the Diyalans were able to capture the Emperor. His forces, thinking him dead, returned to Arbiliq.

LAHILLA PRIMACY OF ISLAM
Lahilla ibn Rumi abd Allah, Caliph al Islam
Consecration: Alexandria(ch) Benghazi(ch)
     In 926 Hijra, Lahilla called for peace amongst all Muslims.

AS SHIRKI AL BAHRI AL BASRA (SBB)
Abdulla Noir, Kalifat Rasul Allah, Captain General of the Basra Overseas Trade Company
Capitalization: None
     Abdulla agreed to continued talks with El Ouie, but didn't turn over any sites to WHOMPCo management due to logistical matters within the Hawala infrastructure.

Persia & Central Asia

THE BOGAZGOL HORDE
Bogz, Grand Khan of the Desert, Destroyer of Civilization
Diplomacy: None
     Bogz found farming to be boring. It didn't pay well and he got a blister. He took his like-minded men with him to plunder the neighbors. Mistake number one. Driving hard over the mountains to the south the plains of Kumis looked ripe. As his more than seven thousand men headed out with loot bags empty they came upon the alert horns of the extremely large garrison that the Ghorid had placed there. Mistake number two. Around three hundred men did not make it back.
     Vowing not to make the same mistake again, he turned his attention on Khurasan and sent a small scouting force in to determine that there was only a small garrison. Look first, raid second is now the Bogz' motto. As he was heading out of Khurasan, he noticed that Nishapur lay unobstructed in his view. The temptation was too great. He had to sack it. He routed the Ghorid defenders of the city and sacked it, thinking how wonderful his wife would think about him, even though he was a couple months late.

THE GHORID SULTANATE OF AFGHANISTAN
Omar II, Sultan of Afghans
Diplomacy: None
     Omar could barely be bothered from his opium induced haze to listen to his advisors telling him about his cities in the west.

THE TARA HORDE
Batu, Grand Khan of the Steppes, Destroyer of Civilization
Diplomacy: Betpak(a) Saraba(a) Wusu(absorbed) Suachu(absorbed)
     Batu headed East to Betpak where he recalled a tribe that had only just "allowed" him to pass, as if he were a child to be ignored. Now it took notice of Batu and allied with him. East again into Saraba for a similar reception. He stopped to raid the Tarbagatai wilderness, finding very little of value.
     Batu continued on to absorb the Wusu tribes, there he stopped to raid Altai and Besbalik, again finding little of value. Finally he absorbed the Suachu tribes along the silk route. The horde now numbers close to a hundred and fifty thousand. What's that, thunder?

India

THE HARAYUK RAJPUT EMPIRE
Rupika Chandravara, Khan of Khans, Master of Kaunaj
Diplomacy: Multan(fa) Jhelum(nt)
     Rupika built even more field forts, as if he were expecting something. Walls on cities, mercenaries hired, assassins sent into the field. The Empire had the resources to spend, so it spent them. Sagaing was nearly cultivated, while Manipur was. Bridges over the Brahmaputra and Upper Ganges were completed and several hundred public works were placed in most of the large cities. In 1526, the gold mine in Jats appeared to run dry, causing a minor riot in the desert.
     Rupika was shorted by nearly a hundred gold from Il Sindicato. The expected shipment had already been spent on the books, and the treasury didn't have enough to cover the shortfall. The only thing that hadn't been paid for yet was the Mercenary bid. Luckily no one else was bidding so, the condotierri accepted the lower fees, only to collect the remainder of their pay from some wayward scholars from the East.
     The royal line was expanded again with the birth of another son in 1527. Narasimha died at the age of 76, soon after arriving in Kamarupa with the forces from Sagaing.

THE CHALUKYA KINGDOM OF BANAVASI
Ekoram-varman, Maharaja in Banavasi, Yogi of the Maldives
Diplomacy: None
     Ekoram did little. His government expanded some, giving him more generals to command.

South-East Asia

THE DAI VIET EXILE KINGDOM OF MONPHU
Phan Jainan, Wang Dai Viet
Diplomacy: None
     Phan Jainan mass conscripted, waited for his lieutenant to come down from White Mountain and then moved on Kayah. After two attempts he was unable to prove his manliness so he took off into Prome. Crossing both the mountains and the Salween River was his downfall. With his capture, his second in command retreated north to Sagaing to attack one more time and flee back to Korat since they could not overwhelm the Rajput field fortifications. Finally, as a result of the famine, Padishan and White Mountain revolted, rejoining the Kingdom of Tongking.

IL SINDACATO GRANDE ORIENTALE COMMÉRCIO (Republic of Portale D'Oro)
Don Santino Carpachi, Il Doge della Portale D'Oro
Diplomacy: North Asia Mercs(brokered) South Asia Mercs(brokered)
Capitalization: Pendash(ci) Goa(ci) Lin'an(bo) Malacca(bo) Aceh(ci)
     Don sent Lorenzo off to the Mentawai Islands to build South Port and Anthony to the Nicobars to build North Port. Both island groups were pacified first by the high tech capitalist. Don himself negotiated the brokerage of the North Asian Condotierri.

THE VIET VICEROYALTY OF MAKASSAR
Zhen Xiao, Viceroy of Makassar
Diplomacy: Lampung(a) Atjeh(ea) Moluccas(fa) Perak(a) Sulawesi(t)
     Zhen Xiao felt invigorated and invested large amounts of his horde of gold several places, most notably in government quarters. The multi decade project of societal reforms finally came to an end when Zhen Xiao declared that a festival to promote openness of his cosmopolitan nation. He started it off by marrying the daughter of a rice farmer who had great tracts of land in Lampung, rather than a princess. Although there still remains, and may remain forever, a sense of loyalty and honor to one's family, it has now been replaced with individualism and self responsibility.
     The charter for a new city by the name of Quezon was signed in 1526 to be built in Palawai. No representative of the Viceroyalty ever deigned to ferry the people from Pajajaran to the small Shinto island, though. It didn't happen. Hopefully the building permits are still good.
     Funds flowed freely from the friendly foreign functionaries foisted into the frontiers. Twozer continued to explore the Eastern seas, discovering the passage to the colonizable Truk Isles. Like their Merchant syndics, the Viceroyalty also shared their renaissance knowledge with the Hidden Dragon.
     Jentimon continued to ferry vast numbers of Makassar armies into the hands of General Tiger...

MAKASSAR CIVIL WARMAKASSAR CIVIL WAR

THE GATOTKACA OF MAKASSAR
Tiger Rahadi, Sengkuni Empu
Diplomacy: None
     General Tiger received large amounts of troops fresh from the home island. He was busy sticking swords into the unbelievers in Pegu, with his army eagerly cutting down any man, woman, or child who would not freely admit to having cast aside their belief in the Theravada and dedicating their lives to the Greater Vehicle. When Tiger realized that he alone possessed the single largest army in the entire Viceroyalty, that combined with his dislike of the current Viceroy's policy of openness and freedom... He captured the regions of Pegu, Burma and Samatata. When 'persuaded' to join him, admiral Jentimon agreed, as long as he was able to take the Andaman Islands as his own feudal domain. Jentimon looked at Port Blair as a possible location for his new palace. [civil war rules in effect]

China

THE KINGDOM OF TONGKING
Vhoi Tien, Wang Tong King
Diplomacy: None
     Several grand cultivation projects were completed by 1528, namely Hainan, Hmong, Kweichou, Laos, Miao Ling, and Nan Pung. Yunnan still needed more resources but it turned out that the Kingdom just didn't have enough to go around. Some armies were left behind in Surin which was released into Tongking's protection. On his fifteenth birthday, PheTien took up his post as heir to the throne.

THE MAHIYANA BUDDHIST MISSION
Kong Asuang, 2nd Host of the Longevity Buddha
Consecration: Lin'an(ca) Kwangchou(ab) Poppy Blossum(c) Pa-Artu(ab) Kaifeng(ca)
     Kong Asuang's Diary, September 1526: I've been extremely active diplomatically, essentially making a sort of ultimatum to Rajput demanding that the invasion of Dai Monphu stop.
     May 1527: I've been corresponding with Chekiang, Tonking, Makassar, and Rajput, regarding some sort of territorial and religious settlement that would establish borders and protect Buddhism east of the Brahmaputra River, and maybe even in the Himalayan hills. This took the formal form of a proposed "Treaty of Poppy Blossom" put forward by the MB primacy.
     October 1528: A drop off in communications this weekend has caused negotiation over the primacy's proposal to stall. I believe there is a bit of intrigue taking place outside the view of the MB primate, which may include king Phan Jainan, King of Dai Monphu who has not contacted me. I hope that history will look back and see that the MB primacy was the one to propose a draft "Treaty of Poppy Blossom" to try to resolve issue of the Rajput invasion of Dai Monphu, and that MB primate is sending a diplomat to inspect the situation...
     Tsu Tsien arrived in Poppy Blossum in the summer of 1527. He saw that the Rajput armies had left the region as a tributary. Finally in 1528 he saw the Dai Monphu army, sans Wang Dai Viet defeated in battle.

THE HIDDEN DRAGON OF CHEKIANG
Quan Gui, Celestial Emperor of Chekiang
Diplomacy: None
     High in the mountains, Kiangtung was finally converted to a cultivated land, the sides of all hills covered with terraced fields. Dukou was expanded while Kachin had work crews terracing the landscape. Colonists were sent to Kachin, and Bamboo Grove. Other colonists along with work crews to the proposed Khemer to Siam road waited on the docksides to be taken to their new homes in Khemer, Siam, Dvaravati, and Thaton, but no transports showed.
     Shan Fen and Suma Ch'ien with 500 elite light cavalry as an escort crossed the Brahmaputra. Achyuta Kamakshi stopped them in Kamarupa, asking to see their papers. He continued to detain the men saying he was waiting for confirmation from his Harayuk Master. They protested, claiming the generous intentions of the Emperor for great scholars and artists to come to Lin'an. They showed their gifts of tea, silk and GOLD that was destined for the Emir of Baghdad. Achyuta confiscated the tea, silk and GOLD and escorted the cavalry to the border. Shan and Suma were outraged.
     Admiral Zhuang sailed south to the Moluccas to explore the inter-island route to the colonizable islands of Palau. He returned in 1528 to Nanhai.
     Wang An, stationed off the coast of Kweiling, transferred a large fleet of transports to an unknown, extremely wealthy merchant. Other transfers included large amounts (2000gp worth) of trade goods and gold to the Zhong to be sent along the silk route to the Dar al Islam. Apparently these made it before the Burning Sword could confiscate that caravan.

THE CIAO ZHONG CHINESE EMPIRE
Fei Pi, The Noble, King of the Northern Prefectures
Diplomacy: Chinao(a) Tai'Yuan(ea) Parhae(ea)
     Fei Pi initiated four new intensive cultivation projects in the Yellow River plain then moved the Empire's fifty thousand, mostly elite forces to Shensi to parley with Toghril Khan again. Observers were heard to exclaim that the crates of gold took over three hours to transfer to the Horde before it moved off to the south into the mountains above Chinling.
     Yes, I know this is exactly what they did last time. Fascinating, isn't it.

THE ANGORA HORDE
Toghril Khan, The Fuzzy, Khan of the North
Diplomacy: None
     Toghril popped over the hills into Shensi to tap his fingers all the while his men toted heavy crates into his treasure yurt. After that the horde scampered back to the south to ride along the Hidden Dragon royal road network, unfettered with the presence of guides along their way. In late August of 1527 more than sixty thousand men arrived in Assam to attack the mercenary army there.
     Achyuta Kamakshi had only a couple thousand men, but he had a region full of field fortifications to hide behind and dish out devastating missile damage from. Toghril was forced to withdraw and regroup, pulling his Kara ally's wounded body from the battle. He was able to keep Achyuta's forces away from his own Miet-si mercenaries who were unloading further up the Brahmaputra.
     By the time Toghril had regrouped his sixty four thousand and added some seventeen thousand men including artillery and siege, Balu, and Vijani had arrived from Kamarupa to assist Achyuta with an additional six thousand, including heavy artillery and siege engineers. The horde was able to push the Hindu enemy out of the region, although the mercenary hid behind the short walls of Gauhati. An active siege ensued, which was difficult because the Rajput continued to harry the horde forces surrounding the walls, but was carried out none-the-less. Toghril kept the attacking forces at a stalemate while he carried the walls of Gauhati.
     Toghil left behind a few light infantry to garrison Assam and Gauhati then rode across the Brahmaputra into Kamarupa. The bridge was heavily guarded by the remaining Hindu forces. Kamarupa was taken without too many losses, the problem was the heavily fortified fortress that, like a nut, needed to be cracked. During the cracking, Toghril was harried again by the Rajput forces, managing to kill the Gurvan commander. Toghrils forces overran the Rajput command post destroying the fortress, killing Balu and seriously wounding Vijani in the process.
     With the tribe deep in India, on the other side of the Himalayas, all of the steppe regions in the north dropped all status leaving only a faint memory of the passing of the horde.

Japan

THE NIHON EMPIRE
Showa I, 89th Emperor of Nihon, Descendent of Amaterasu
Diplomacy: Sikhote(t) Suifenhe(nt)
     Showa expanded Suo in Yamaguchi and beefed up the walls around it and Kyoto. Tsugi took a hundred infantrymen from Kwanto, loaded them on fifty ships and sailed up to Hokkaido to lift the garrison out and back to the homeland. Jaizo took 200 of the Empire's finest warships to form the Western Fleet to patrol the Sea of Japan. Nomura took more than a hundred ships to form the Eastern Fleet and patroled thpatrolled Seas.

Australia

THE VAKAS IMPERIUM OF THE AKETTA
Vakas Afangoo II, Sorceror-King of the Aketta
Diplomacy: Pechua(ea) Callamurra(AW)
     Vakas Afangoo attempted to pull more people into Geelong, knowing that it was possible, but realizing that he'd need some much higher technology. So he just crawled into his mud hut to try to have more kids instead.
     General Shokunin headed north into Tibuburra to hand down the ultimatum and was quickly repulsed by the wilder natives. Koimu marched into Callamurra for diplomatic talks. He wasn't a very good diplomat, so it was no surprise when his retinue of nearly four thousand men was needed to crush the hostile natives in the ensuing battle.

Pacifica

THE EMPIRE OF THE STORM
Thunderhead, Storm King, Emperor of the Middle Kingdom
Diplomacy: None
     Thunderhead clapped.

The NEW WORLD

Western North America

THE MANITOWISH EMPIRE
Yellowfeet, Master of the Manitowish Empire
Diplomacy: None
     Yellowfeet thought about buying some Lamasil.

THE COLONY OF NYDANIA
Harold III, Konik von Nydanland, Emperor of Nydania
Diplomacy: None
     Bishop Axel was feeling even older than his years. The young King was enormously popular, twice over. Once because even at his young age, he was a highly respected warrior and leader of warriors, and twice because Satan had given him a full measure of infernally deceptive charm. Both of these the King was using virtually openly to reduce the influence of the Holy Church, energetically aided by the former Regent. If this was not enough, the threat of heresy had grown even worse. The three-way struggle between the True Faith, the apostate Norse pagans, and the ones who called themselves Manitouish Christians was rapidly becoming a two-way battle, for the worst of reasons. The pagans of the North and South-west were rapidly joining the heretic faith centered in Serrano and the eastern homeland of Nydania. The Bishop felt very alone, and very far from the Rome that was only a legend in this land.

THE POPOCELOTL KINGDOM
Uictolio, King of the Smoke Jaguars
Diplomacy: None
     Uictolio completed the cultivation of Chiricaua and then died, leaving the kingdom to his son Gernonimo. Geronimo's first act was to reduce Tiwa and Jornada's taxes to reduce the burden on his tax collectors, the poor bastards.

Eastern North America

THE ILLINOIS CONFEDERATION
Mark Skywalker, Great Liege of the Ancient People
Diplomacy: Missouri(F)
     Mark got Missouri to fully join the Confederation.

THE ADENA EMPIRE
Pepin Lawenro II, Great Chief of Adena
Diplomacy: Tobacco(F) Wenro(F)
     Pepin cultivated Tobacco and sent all of his diplomats there, except for Jobea who finalized talks with the Wenro.

BONNY KINGDOM OF MERCAIN
Malcolm IV, Elder King of the Land, Sword of the Vanished Tribes
Diplomacy: None
     Malcolm spent some more money on the cultivation of Iroquois and built a warship. His brother headed off to Vinland to do some exploring, but returned in time to be pronounced King of the Bonny Kingdom of Mercain on the death of Malcolm. Witch hunters were sent to scour Wyandot, killing any likely victems, ervictimscts.

THE BLESSED COUNTRY OF KORNLAND
Hector Simonsen, Jarl of Kornland, Sachem of Chowan, Keeper of the Faith
Diplomacy: None
     Hector finally improved the skills of his government workers. He disbanded half of the fleet to place improvements in Yamasee.

Central America

THE OAXACA EMPIRE
Coatlamoc, King of Oaxaca, Lord of the Maya, Master of the Otomi, Leader of the Quetzal World, Emperor of Mexico
Diplomacy: None
     Coatlamoc finished the postal road to Nahuatl.

Western South America

THE INKA KINGDOM
Flutie Flakes, Coca Mogul
Diplomacy: Nazca(ea)
     Flutie completed the royal road projects in the north. It was suspected before, but now it's confirmed that Booberry is a terrible administrator. It's also confirmed that Flutie doesn't know how to invest his money, since he continues to pour money into non-bearing savings bonds.

THE WAJ MAPU CHE
Lord King Biedes, sovereign over the Four Parts of the Devastated Earth
Diplomacy: None
     Biedes considered building a port city in Huilliche after dealing with the ruined cities of Concepcion and Valparaiso.

Amazonia & Eastern South America

THE EMIRAT OF ALAGOAS
Rahgeesh Abdallah, Emperor of the Paraiba, Emir of Alagoas
Diplomacy: Arana(nt)
     Rahgeesh cultivated Camacan and offered gold and stability to Arana. "Unlike their former allies we are not suffering from lack of government and social control. We have ports that will be trading with Europe soon. So the goods that they produce here will be able to make more money than before. If they go with us they will prosper to a greater extent than under their old allies."
     Colonists were sent into Chifre and Rahgeesh had more to say about European trade, "Paraiba fully supports this effort as WHOMPCO will be handling the trade between us and Europe very soon after everything is setup. This will give Paraiba more money and let the merchants sell their products to more people."

THE TUPINAMBA EMPIRE
Goldenrod, Top Tupi Tribesman
Diplomacy: None
     Goldenrod, the true ruler of Tupinamba, conscripted a royal army and marched south to Shokleng where Hyacinth was captured, thus ending the civil war. He moved on into Heta, taking both ruined cities from the rebels.

THE TUPINAMBA EMPIRE - Hyacinth
Hyacinth, Top Tupi Tribesman
Diplomacy: None
     Hyacinth couldn't take the pressure. After his capture, the regions that he had claimed revolted.

Average Horde Pop: 4.8           Adjusted decrease: 16%
The Borkou Horde emerged from the dunes of the Rebina Sand Sea with close to twenty thousand men!
The