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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GM COMMENTS

For whatever reason, my copy of LViewPro now refuses to paste sections of maps for the 4th columnar map. This problem refuses to go away. I looked at copy/pasting the digitized .gifs on Tom's GM page, but they also have data gaps in coverage between files. I still have no easy solution to this admittedly serious drawback to online play. The first three columnar maps cover 80% of the campaign's players, but that still leaves 20% of you with what I consider to be substandard play materials. Tom has hinted that there's the possibility of a program updating the maps automatically, which has me very interested... Stay tuned for more.

If you need maps, and can't get usable product from the .gif files online (the best map producers have been PaintShop Pro and Pagemaker), send me a check (10$ buys you the world here) and your mapset will go out that day priority mail. USnail service says it takes 1 to 3 days.

My USnail address:
Lords XX c/o Eddie Efsic
1200 Ferrell Dr.
Jacksonville, AR 72076

My phone number: Please don't waste your dime calling after 9 pm, since I often rise at 3 or 4 am to go fly, and I'm correspondingly asleep by 9 pm.
(501) 985-3015

RULES ERRATA AND REMINDERS

Colonizing regions addition: All cultivated "c" regions may be colonized up to 2 GP value, if they are not already. Intensely cultivated "c2" regions may be colonized to 3 GP value.

Please read the rules addendum, on the Lords20 web site.

Infantry (500 men = 1 point)
Cavalry (500 men and 500 horse) = 1 point)
Siege Engineers (500 men = 1 point)
Warships (5 ships = 1 point)
Transports (5 ships = 1 point)

GENERAL WANDERER GAMES INFORMATION AND PRICES

WORLD-WIDE WEB HOME PAGE!

The Wanderer Games Home Page can be found at:
http://spihr.spa.umn.edu/cscdir/lotedir/homepage.lote.html

Thereon you can find a selection of back Lords One, Two, Three, Four, Nine, Ten, and Eleven, Twenty, and Twenty-One newsfaxes. Bio information on Thomas Harlan, Thad Plate, Colin Dunnigan and other Lords GM's. The Web page also lets you send questions to the GM's that are on-line as well as download all of the files listed above via FTP.

Lords One - thomash@rtd.com
Lords Two - SHarding@mva.com (on indefinite standby)
Lords Three - OW - unknown
Lords Three - NW - 102667.2505@Compuserve.com
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Lords Seven - allanon@iceworld.org
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Lords Fifteen - vinny@portup.com
Lords Sixteen (Italia 3) - no known email
Lords Seventeen - yuppyputze@earthlink.com
Lords Eighteen - hubris@usinternet.com
Lords Nineteen - Atacr@aol.com
Lords Twenty - eddief6@ix.netcom.com
Lords Twenty One - loki@pacbell.net
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Cruenti Dei - darkpenguin@earthlink.net

Turns: $1.00 per turn (delivered via email only)

Maps: Entire World $10.00(Mailed). Sorry, no colored or "small" world maps are available.

5th Edition Rulebook: $6.50 (email), $10.00 (Local) or $13.00 (Mailed in US), $15.00 (mailed overseas). Order from Tom Harlan. Be advised a new version is nearing completion.

THE KHITAN HORDE
Mogwai, Thunder Lord
DIPLOMACY: Tangut (a)< BR> The Lord of Thunder and his tribes wandered east from their homeland, speaking with and enjoining the wandering groups of the Asian steppes to fuse their destinies with the Khitan. Most all decided to go their own way, with the exception of the Tangut leaders. Continuing their trek, they all wound up in the far northeast Asian steppes.

UNITED STATES OF ASIA (JIHPEN)
Yoofu Tamagoro, Ditooryoo Nihonjin, President of Japan
DIPLOMACY: Suifenhe (f), Tumin (f), Yamaguchi (f)BR> The urbanization of the Jihpenese States continued unabated, as Jenna, Anjiro, Edo, Kumamoto, Kobi, Kentosani, and Ise were expanded. The legislatures concerns for the feeding of the kokumin were disregarded by President Tamagoro as completely baseless, and he pressed his budgetary plans into law. The legislature concerns for their own safety were addressed, however, when they succeeded in gaining funds allocated for the fortification of the Government House in the capitol city. In foreign policy matters, three of the nation's allies applied for statehood and were welcomed into the United States. But far anad away the biggest news from the island was the foundationof the Subarashii Daigaku Nihon, or the Grand School of Jihpen. Covering nearly a square mile, the wisest men of the Japan gathered there to tutor all who showed interest and at least a modicum of intelligence.

THE CH'IN KINGDOM
Che Teh, Divine Overlord of the Middle-Kingdom
DIPLOMACY: Ghangde (ea), Tangchou (a), Kweichou (ea)
Worry and despair about imminent horde invasion were nonexistent emotions in the court of Che Teh, as efforts were devoted to the expansion of the Kingdom westward. Che Teh and his cohorts gained alliances with several provinces, and arranged for a royal wedding as well. Che Teh's bride was brought back to Chang'ling in grand fashion, and the royal nuptials took place sevens years, to the day, after Che Teh's assumption of the rule of Ch'in. He had already intended to increase the size of the university in Chang'ling, but at his new wife's request huge sums were diverted to the center of learning and arts, nearly doubling its earlier resources.

THE HONAN CHINESE KINGDOM
Mao Ling, Supreme Monarch of Pienching
DIPLOMACY: none
In direct contrast to his southern neighbor, Mao Ling was definitely not content with the size or abilities of his military. The weaponsmiths and armorers of the Kingdom rang day and night, preparing for the onslaught everyone was expecting. Scouts were sent deep into the steppes north of the Great Wall, in search of hordes intent on the rape and pillage of the civilized world, while Mao's generals were kept busy running the new legions north to man the first line of defense against the impending doom.

THE SHENSI CHINESE KINGDOM
Cheng Ping, King of China
DIPLOMACY: Kansu (n/e)
The King's armed forces did their part in preparing for war, practicing maneuvers, digging fortifications, and generally engaging in other such happy activities. A new city was founded in Huang near the Great Wall, given the name Xining, and employed martial professionals of every sort. In domestic matters, the King of China appointed his eldest daughter to a position of influence in his court, naming her a Princess of the Realm. An unpopular move it was, but deemed necessary by most since Cheng Ping's eldest son was as yet only four years old. The King had his Lancou ally continue his efforts to bring the Kansu natives peacefully into the Kingdom, but with a couple dozen new castles and their associated garrisons policing the province, trust was nonexistent, as was progress at the diplomatic tables.

BACPHAN ZHUANGZU
Mao Liu Ven, Overlord of South China
DIPLOMACY: none
Bacphan orders were unreceived.

THE INCREDIBLY PEACEFUL CELESTIAL KINGDOM OF THE JADE BUDDHA
Singh Hao "the Generous", 4th Incarnation of the Blessed Jade Buddha, Light on the Path to Nirvana, Illuminator of the Human Soul, Thinker of Deep Thoughts, Mayor of Shangri-La
DIPLOMACY: none
The Dalai's orders were also unreceived.

THE UNITED MONARCHY OF THE AVANS
Anisakan II, The Celestial, Virtuous, and Benignant King Anisakan, Monarch of all Burmese People, Munificent Potentate of Pegu, Dispenser of all Avan Goodness and Benevolence
DIPLOMACY: Siam (fa), Thaton (a), Mon (nt), Surin (c)
Anisakan II took a more active role than in previous years, took his 10,000 spearmen into Sagaing, and rounded up as many slaves as he could to bring back to Ava. The Sagaing locals put up what resistance they could, but in the end it was easier (and more effective) to just run from the slavers. Narathu in Pegu and Thaurin in Thaton were each expanded, and an associated diplomatic push in Thaton gained Anisakan a second ally.

THE JAVAN FEDERATION
Cankuang, President Sirivjavan
DIPLOMACYnone
Orders failed to arrive from Java. Yet again. Anyone in contact with Dave, please ask him to contact me.

THE MAAORI SEAHOLD
Lapitak, Son of Sea and Sky
DIPLOMACY: Sarawak (n/e), Sulawesi (fa)
Lapitak's message to the Sarawak peoples, delivered by Pahaku Pele.
" We regret you have not yet felt able to join our nation but feel previous attempts to persuade you did not clearly indicate what we offer. As a growing nation we would wish to direct investment into regions which are part of the Seahold and as soon as you were an economic contributor to the nation, we would IMMEDIATELY invest in the infrastructure of Sarawak. Furthermore, once totally integrated, we would commit to building the next new city of the nation in this region. As an example of these policies at work, you need only to look at your neighboring region of Sabah to appreciate the benefits accruing from being a part of the Maaori Seahold."

Since Pahaku was completely incapable of relating anything to do with diplomacy, his message to the Sarawak was more in line with the following...
" You are angering us by your refusal to join us Maaori. We are bigger than you, and if you don't help us, you'll be sorry. You must not be very smart, since even your Sabah neighbors are with us, and yet you resist us still. You'd better wise up, or the Sea-Spear will take his vengeance upon you."

THE KATOOMBA RIDERS
Yamma Damma, Chief He'e Nalu
DIPLOMACY: none
Yamma Damma got settled into his new position as the Chief of his people, and whenever his duties as arbitrator or judge allowed, he engaged in his personal favorite activity. Sunbathing. A basket of coconuts full of Toohey's Gold was the perfect accessory for such (in)activity. He was intent on exceeding the weight of his grandmother and his mother, and at the age of 44 he succeeded. He equaled the weight of 415 full coconuts, and his son's desire to see their father surf abated with their realization there wasn't a board strong enough to hold their prodigious sire.

EMPIRE OF THE LOWER GANGES
Kanamori, Guardian of the Ganges, Divine Wrath of Kali
DIPLOMACY: none
Spending time in the company of his bride's family in Samatata, Kanamori was blessed with three new children, including a heir to the kingdom. Diplomatic discussions to transform their alliance to full acceptance of Kanamori's rule proved fruitless. More effective were the diplomatic measures to convert the Bhuddist minority to the Hindi faith. Combined with the missionaries work was the celebration of a new annual religious holiday, Rangu Narayanapala, in celebration and remembrance of the Empire's former divine ruler.

XANTHI EMPIRE OF XANADU
Yotan, Grand Poobah of the Xanthi Zieterund
DIPLOMACY: Nasik (a), Uttar Pradesh (a)
Uncertainty bred preparedness for the aging Yotan, as he financed the construction of dozens of outposts and minor forts throughout the homeland of Xanadu. While he and his heir Palpatyn supervised the defensive preparations, Prince Xarxis and the empire's remaining diplomats were out in search of allies. Happy news it was for Yotan when he was informed of the two newest allies to the Zeiterund.

THE INDUS VALLEY KINGDOM
Mehmet, Mansurashah, Protector of the Indus
DIPLOMACY: Qatar (t)
Less worried about his survival than Yotan to the north and east, Mushtaq Mansurashah concerned himself with the expansion of his kingdom. Heading up his list of territorial desires was the Qatar trade center on the other side of the Straights of Hormuz. Persistence worked out for his son and heir Mehmet, and taking a bride from the prominent ruling class of merchants certainly helped. Less than a year after Mehmet arrived, his father Mushtaq went to meet his maker, and Mehmet was raised to the seat of the Shah of Mansurah. Mehmet had more spiritual concerns than his father, and immediately set out to convert the kingdom's Hindu to the one true faith of Islam.

THE CHOLA MANDALAM
Tu Wei, Mandala Chola
DIPLOMACY: Maldives (ea), Sri Lanka (c)
Having settled the Nasik problem without any bloodshed, Tu Wei turned his attention to his goal of economic growth. He ordered new trade fleets built at the docks of Kollam and Pandya, and diplomats were dispatched to Sri Lanka and the Maldive islands to bring them into the kingdom. Success was achieved in the islands to the west, while the Sri Lankans personified noncomittance.

THE POLOVOT HORDE
Ashnod, Cossackhan
DIPLOMACY:

Content to lead his horde through central Asia, Ashnod encountered the Uze Turks and their allies heading west. Both Khans donned their ceremonial robes of rulership and postured to both hordes, urging each clan to join forces with their respective hordes. In the end, each clan remained with their original Khans, and the Polovots continued east while the Turks continued west. On two occasions Ashnod convinced a major clan to join him, only to later find himself unable to retain their confidence, and with it their loyalty and continued following.

THE MIDDLE EAST
MERC TROOPS9MC, 7MI, 7MS 20MW, 24MT
MERC AQRS C02 S03 I04 W04
MERC LEADERS:Pirheram M965

IMAM MUSLIM
Shefah, Siadat Kuran, "The Visionary"
DIPLOMACY: none
Shefah left Spain and the Cordovans at the conclusion of the festivities there, and spent the next four years in the company of the Moravids of North Afriqa. He blessed new temples in Gefara, Al-Jazair, and finally in Morocco, where Shefah confirmed Yusif's religious title "Sword of the Prophet". Scribes only recently returned to Mecca from Al-Iskandariyah were given instructions to return to the Fatamid Caliph, and assist his own administrators.

THE ABBASID CALIPHATE
Mahtaub, Kaliphat Rasul Allah
DIPLOMACY: none
Kaliph Mahtaub rejected the Uze demands for gold in return for peaceful passage, instead spending the funds in war preparations. Even as new fortresses were being erected throughout the central and northern regions of the Kaliphat, another legion of horsemen was trained for open field battle. Satisfied with his progress, Mahtaub claimed his own army was the equal or better of any of the hordes'. His boasts weren't without strong support, and the Kaliph was content to sit and rule his world from the sprawling metropolis of Baghdad.

THE MAHMUD GHAZNI PERSIAN KINGDOM
Ghaseb Pesar, Sahib, Kophatshah
DIPLOMACY: Dasht'Kavir (c)
Determined not to be outdone by his western neighbor, Ghaseb expanded his own capitol of Samarkand. Fine eastern goods continued to flow into the Persian kingdom from the Orient, and Ghaseb ordered his diplomats west to renew the Mahmud control of the Silk Road to Baghdad. They met with only partial success, as the desert nomads west of his capitol rejected Persian claims to their lands.

PRINCIPATE OF KIEV RUS
Yaroslav, Grand Prince of Kiev
DIPLOMACY: Polovotsy (nt), Muscovy (nt), Smolensk (nt), Mordva (a), Murom (t)
Pleased to receive the Moravid architects and masons, and even more pleased to receive Yusif's gold and grain, the Grand Prince set them to work on a new port city of Cherson in Polovotsy, on the delta of the Dnepr. While out on slave raids in Levedia, Yaroslav saw the Turkish horde in person. It was a sight he hoped to never see again, as he and his men marched straight for their capitol, resting only six hour s per day, not bothering to set any perimeter guards around their campsite. Of course all the slaves they had gathered escaped, but this concerned the Prince not. His focus was to return to Kiev alive, and beg his pagan gods for deliverance from the swarm of Uze Turks. He openly promised to make sacrifice of hundreds of slaves, and make it he and his army did, without even seeing the Turks. After five hundred slaves had been slain to appease the gods appetite for Rus blood, news arrived from the west that the Turk horde was last seen by Russian eyes heading for the Iberian coast..

THE BYZANTINE ROMAN EMPIRE
Leo, Roman Emperor of the East
DIPLOMACY: Attica (fa), Isauria (a), Ludgorie (t), Pamphyla (fa)
Condensing what forces he could to defend his empire from the departing Kucha horde, and then from the arriving Turk horde, Leo camped in Thrace. He figured if they were going to invade Byzantium, they'd have to go through Thrace, and thus through him. Fortunately for Leo and each man in his army, the hordes bypassed him and his lands. Even as he was standing guard in defense of his empire, he had his diplomats out on quests for allies should he have to fight for the survival of Eastern Rome. Persistence, judicious bribes, and strategic royal marriages managed to acquire Leo a second ally from the southern coast of Asia Minor.

KINGDOM OF RUSSIA
High Lord Vostov Borislov, the Wanderer, King of Russia
DIPLOMACY: Estonia (c), Latvia (nt), Livonia (c), Veposkava (nt)
Tired of the endless grass seas surrounding his new lands, and somehow aware of his location as a "pit stop" on the horde highway, Vostov and the rest of he wandering Russians picked up and migrated back north. They trekked north along the Volga, and thence west to settle in the wooded regions of Tver, Kirivitch, and Rhzev. As he was leading his people home, Vostov sent his closest advisor Oleg Penovsky even further north to entice the previous Novgorus peoples to reassign their loyalties to him. The self-proclaimed King of Russia, with good reason, was pleased with his return to the lands of his youth.

THE POLISH KINGDOM
Bram Brodzinski, King of Poland
DIPLOMACY:Alsace (f), Meissen (t), Poland (ea), Silesia (nt), Franconia (t), Thuringia (fa)
His reputation as a defender of the capitol was brilliant as newly polished armor, but as defender of the rest of the kingdom... Well, that part of Bram's reputation needed serious overhaul, and he set out to personally bring the splintered petty kingdoms surrounding Kauyavia back under his command. He left the Royal Army under the command of his wife's brother, and after four years of watchful vigilance, they marched north to gather slaves from the coastal regions of Danzig and Pomerania. Minor mercenary assistance proved unnecessary in their campaign. Without any organized resistance, they returned to Kauyavia to meet their King with slaves in tow.

KUCHA HORDE
Mishrak, Kucha Khan, "The Black Demon"
DIPLOMACY: no effect
Khan Mishrak was heading out of Europe as Khakhan Sengir was entering, and already outnumbered, Mishrak wisely decided not to push Sengir into a fight. A few months earlier Mishrak might have felt differently, but after he made it clear he was leading his people back out of Europe, the Suachu and Sinkiang clans splintered off from the main group. Following the Dnepr crossing, Mishrak was left with little more than 60% of his original horde. Glad was he to be away from Europe and its deceitful plowshares.

THE TURKS
Sengir, Khakhan
DIPLOMACY: Nogai (a), Urkel (a)
The Khakhan led his horde and his allies towards the setting sun, while negotiating for two new allies enroute. The local chieftains of Nogai and Urkel agreed to join the migration to Europe. Encounters with both the Polovot and then the Kucha horde held the potential for bloodbaths of unprecedented scales, but all the Khans involved were more interested in posturing than actually combating each other. While Sengir was trekking west, he sent his son south to accept tribute from the Abbasid Caliph. Not surprisingly, Mahtaub sent no gold for Turk Khan, and Sengir's son turned west to prepare a homeland for his father on the Adriatic coast. The heir to the Turkish Khanate married into the nobility of Slovenia, despite their concerns of the imminent Spanish Catholic migration. While the wedding and associated celebrations were in progress, Khakhan Sengir and his massive horde were marching through East Europe, making it as far as Carpathia. Reports from scouts were uniform with respect to the size of the mass of humanity, declaring the fighting force at over a quarter million.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PAPACY
Inncocent IV, Il Papa, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Successor to the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Papal States, and Servant of the Servants of God
DIPLOMACY:none
The College of Cardinals demanded Innocent do something dramatic in the face of the decline of Catholicism in the northern half of Europe, so act he did. His first move was to excommunicate Edward II, King of England, and in place Interdict on the Kingdom of England. Fearing for excommunication and damnation, the rest of Catholicism severed their ties with the island kingdom. Dealing with the Turks was also on Innocent's list of things to do, and he sent Cardinal Fowler of Sicily to preach the word of God to the pagan riders and their Lord Khakhan Sengir. Only after more than a year of religious study was the Khakhan convinced that no, he did not actually embody the Apocalypse, regardless of the opinions of the rest of Europe. Not completely trusting in the power of words, Innocent called forth all men able to wield a spear, and equipped them for war in defense of their God and country.

THE KINGDOM OF SUSSEX ENGLAND
Edward II, Saxon King of England
DIPLOMACY: none
Being excommunicate was definitely something Edward was going to have to deal with, but he felt his course set, and refused to change his path away from Catholicism. The Papacy would never again dictate what the English King could think and do. On the other hand, the rest of Catholicism wasn't going to risk condemnation to the abyss. Roman Catholic nobility in Lothian, Northumbria, Mercia, and Cornwall threw off Edward's claims to their lands, and stood tall for the Papacy. For a little while at least. The King ordered General Welson back from the continent and into Cornwall to teach the Catholics the finer points of Protestantism. At the sharp end of a sword, people can learn new ideas rather quickly. The leaders of Cornwall, and then Lothian, learned how to love the King of England, despite what that Roman guy with the pointy white hat said.

THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE
Dore Eclat, Duke of Orleans, King of France
DIPLOMACY:Maine (fa)
French orders were unreceived.

THE DANISH KINGDOM
Kolbyr Swanson, Rex Danmark
DIPLOMACY: none
The Danes watched events in the south and east of Europe with casual interest to determine their own best course of action. In the end, indecision proved to be their choice. Kolbyr had the walls of his capitol nearly doubled in size, and kept his armies squarely in Dane lands. Hamburg expanded in Holstein and on the banks of the Elbe, Kolbyr financed new docks at the village of Hannover. He really expected seaborne trade to work it's way there, but the lack of easily navigable waters kept nearly all merchants downriver at the port of Emden.

THE LOMBARD KINGDOM OF ITALY
Luigi d' Orsini, Rex Sognari
DIPLOMACY Latium (a)
King Luigi played the part of Kingmaker at the close of the millennium, ceding the tribute of Apulia, Romagna, Spoleto, Verona, and Venice to Jesus Maquina. As a parting gesture, the Italian King had his troops build a few castles to help garrison the region for the arriving Spaniards. Luigi also relinquished his claims to Slovenia and Carinthia, expecting Maquina to move in with his diplomats. What Luigi did not expect was the heir to the Sengir, Khakhan of the Turks, to show up in Slovenia with news of his father's imminent arrival. Determined to stay his course of action, Luigi bankrolled new docks on the banks of the Ionian Sea at Gerace in Calabria. Genoa also expanded, while a small portion of the harvest surplus and a large portion of the royal taxes was sent south to Rome and the Papacy, a move which convinced the recently elevated Duke of Latium to enter into a formal alliance with the Lombards.

GRAND DUCHY OF VERONA
Jesus Maquina, Grand Duke of Verona, Defender of Italy, Chosen of Christ, Shepherd of the Faithful
DIPLOMACY:Verona (t), Romagna (t), Spoleto (t), Apulia (t)
With mixed emotions on the part of the both the shepherd and his flock, Jesus Maquina led the Spanish Exodus from Catalonia through the south of France and through the mountain passes of Switzerland into Verona and Venice. There he married his younger sister to the local rulers, cementing their new relationship with bonds of marriage. Intent on settling and basing his new fief at Slovenia, it was a cold slap of reality when he heard Khakhan's heir was already there, and had already claimed the region on behalf of his father and his quarter-million-plus army. He assembled his advisors and sent dispatches direct to Rome and Milan, beseeching Luigi and Pope Innocent for guidance and help.

UMMAYAD CALIPHAT AL CORDOBA
Achmed Nasir, Caliph al Cordoba, Infidel's Bane
DIPLOMACY: Gebel-al-Tarik (a)
Cordovan Civil War: Act II
With the pesky Catholics gone for good, Achmed began spending his brain power on the shaping and molding of his expansive Caliphate. Seeking an alliance with the leaders of secluded Gebel-al-Tarik, he sent a large portion of his henchmen along with two of his own children. Wedding arrangements were made for both of them, and grand festivals were celebrated with the new alliance and the royal couples' new children.

The alliance first test arrived with the death of Caliph Achmed in the summer of 996, and a senile minister Abu III's subsequent claim to the throne of Cordova in Murcia. Asad, being the legitimate heir to the crown of Murcia was in Gebel-al-Tarik, and set himself to go and besiege his own capitol when he learned Abu had died of apoplexy at the tender young age of 83. To make matters even better, only one province showed signs of rebellion, and General Hassan smashed it in Asturias before it could take hold anywhere else.

THE CALIPHATE AL MORAVID
Caliph Yusif ali Babar, "Zaban Nogreh", Lord of the Rif, Lion of Morocco, Sword of the Prophet
DIPLOMACY: Chelliff (fa)
"You owe us gold. We'd like it now, thank you."
These words were heard by the Caliph Yusif in his capitol Fez by both Jew and Muslim bankers. He had every intention of repaying his war loans anyway, but their insistence bothered him enough to enact new laws entitling the Caliph to any properties and monies in times of war. Such laws were unpopular in the extreme, especially to the wealthy and influential of the southern Mediterranean coast. With the wars of Iberia at a close, Yusif spent his energies in tax base on domestic matters, financing an irrigation canal system in the fields outside Casablanca. In the eastern region of Kabilya, the Caliph awarded free land to all applicants, and they went by the thousands. Not all of Yusif's thoughts were on the Moravid peoples, though. Both gold and foodstuffs were sent to the far eastern Russians, and Muslim architects had more than a little influence on the plans and designs of the new coastal city built by the Kiev Rus.

THE FATAMID EMPIRE
Montiqit Amal, Guardian of the Holy Places, Emperor of Egypt
DIPLOMACY: Ghebel-Garib (a)
The Egyptian ruler welcomed the administrators back from Mecca, glad to have their assistance again, even though things were being managed well enough without them. Montiqit aimed his empire-building in the direction of the Ghebel-Garib, and building them a new city helped his cause dramatically. As-Suways grew from a small fishing village in the space of a few years to the Empire's largest port facing the Red Sea. Il-Iskandariyah in Egypt expanded, making it by far the largest city on the Mediterranean.

THE SONGHAI HERDSMEN
Osei Kersil
DIPLOMACY: Garou (f), Senegal (a), Gambia (nt)
King Bakele had no dramatic plans for owning the world, just wanting to live out his days peacefully ruling his small kingdom. Such plans were not in store however, as he was found murdered in his chambers with one of his administrative aides. A page was noted rapidly departing the area, and promptly taken in for "questioning". After several days of interrogation, he became unintelligible, uttering gibberish about some woman who was to be obeyed at all costs. Bakele's son Osei became the new King of the Songhai, and put an end to the unfortunate fool's suffering.

THE KINGDOM OF TCHAD
Yambuku, King of the Dead, Omar Kanembu
DIPLOMACY: Dogamaba (f)
Seeking better communications with the fringes of his lands, the Kanembu built roads for their king from their capitol Ngazargumu through Sikasso to Kinnshasa in Kanuri. After gathering some of the outlying garrisons, Yambuko was content to stay and rule his people from Kanem. After taking a bride he began his own family, and was blessed by the gods with three strong sons. Seeing the mess directly south of his kingdom, Yambuko set his warlord Musoka on alert, with orders to ensure the Nigerians didn't take the apparent weakness of the Kongo armies as a sign of Nigerian military supremacy.

KINGDOM OF NIGERIA
Mututwa, King of Benin, Brightspear
DIPLOMACY:
King Roakum placed his army on alert looking for signs of aggression from the south, and took himself west with only a handful of bodyguards to woo the Togo leaders from the influence of the Dark King of the Kongo. In an effort to bolster the national army, he hired Lord Barrhansen and over 15,000 soldiers-for-hire to shore up his own army's lack of decent siege trains. With no invasion coming from the Kongo armies, Mututwa went on the offensive, crashing through Douala, Teke, and Vili. M'Toko's allies faced this test of their loyalty by imprisoning the Nigerian King, and after their demands for retreat weren't met, the executed King Roakum as a war criminal in Togo. Less than disturbed by the news of his liege's execution, Mututwa he put up a good face of despair as he invaded the Kongo homeland, wiped out the defenders, and put the region to the torch. Even after the mercenary contingent took their cut, Mututwa had plenty of gold and treasures and returned to Benin the conquering hero. It took less than half of his war booty to make the needed bribes, and erased Roakum's line from the land while he took the Kingdom for his own.

THE HIDDEN KINGDOM OF THE KONGO (DEAD)
M'Toko Bakele, King of the Dark
DIPLOMACY: none
M'Toko selected a very bad time to be nondirective, as his forces and nation took a severe beating at the hands of the Nigerians in general and from Mututwa in particular.

THE PAINTED WOLF TRIBES (ZIMBABWE)
Chunkalor, Shaka Zulu
DIPLOMACY: none
Painted Wolves instructions failed to arrive again.

THE AZTEC EMPIRE:
Ometepec, God-Emperor, Divine Ruler of Mexico
DIPLOMACY: Huastec (t)
The maturing High Lord Muckety-Muck of Zapotec ruled his petty subjects from on high, taking commands from none, and issuing commands to all. He developed an appetite for bloodletting, and in the space of nine years he elevated ritual sacrifice to unprecedented rates. In the capitol alone, twenty deaths a day became normal, and over fifty were sacrificed on holy days. The Temple of the Sun at Teotihuacan became a place of horror, the top of which was washed with the blood of Ometepec's victims. Both Tlacopan and Texcoco expanded, providing appreciably higher crime rates, and thence more criminals.
"Even criminals have a place in My universe." claimed the God-Emperor.

THE MAYAN ASTRONOMERS
Ah Cacao, Priest-King of the Yucatan
DIPLOMACY: Huave (a), Popoluca (a), Quiche (nt)
New Player: Scott Hartman
Roused from years of inactivity, the Mayans showed signs of life, founding three new cities, and expanding another. Popoluco in Chiapa, Lucatec in Yucatec, and Bania on the Huave coast each became the economic centers of the region, while the capitol city Chichen Itza expanded. Ah Cacao hired "The Watcher" and a large mercenary fleet and expeditionary force to sail north an east, and load up the cargo holds with slaves to inject some new manpower into the Mayan economy. Diplomatic fronts were led by both Ah Cacao and his heir Cacaquatal, both meeting with notable success.

QUIRO MAPUCHE
Alyton, the Chosen
DIPLOMACY: none
Alyton made funds available for the expansion of Aeden , but also took precautions to ensure it not exceed his capitol city in grandness or beauty. He place his advisor Hfon to supervise the construction with clear instructions regarding the desired outcome, and in the end was eminently satisfied with his advisor's results. The heir to the Kingdom, Prince Kniso continued to have children, now the proud father of no less than eight little Mapuches, of which the eldest was just now reaching adulthood.

THE ANDEAN INCAN EMPIRE
Sinchi Roca, Emperor of the Heavens
DIPLOMACY: Queya (nt)
Expansion and connection were in the plans of Sinchi Roca, as Cuzco, Nwavarro, and Pachacamac all expanded, and the Inkan Road was extended from Tumbes to Esmeralda. Emperor Sinchi dispatched his cousin Kasumi off to Queya to bring the locals there into the empire. Using huge quantities of sincha, or maize beer, celebrations lasted over a month, leaving everyone involved completely spent. The Emperor himself remained in Cuzco, and used his leaders as best he could to assist his woefully understaffed administration run the economic affairs of the empire.

ANASAZI
Arikara, Chief Executive of the High Desert
DIPLOMACY:Tahue (t)
Arikara dispatched two of his leaders off over the horizon to the south, with a train of beasts loaded with gold and workers to build a new port in far off Tahue. Being nearly 1000 miles away, the gifts and kind words prevented the Tahue from separating from the Anasazi, but closer ties were out of the question. With that much distance from the capitol, there was no way Arikara could assure the fishing community of any protection. Back in Chaco Canyon, Arikara extolled on the virtues of light eaters everywhere, and even more surplus maize was stored to guard against future famine.

THE SONOMA KINGDOM
Striking Wolf, King of Sonoma
DIPLOMACY: none
Less than concerned about agricultural production would fairly summarize Striking Wolf's attitude, as he ordered plans for expansion of all five cities in his kingdom. While he and his little brother ensured things ran smoothly, he sent his other leaders on extended vacation again. Life is hard, when you're in the ruling class of Sonoma.

THE IROQUOIS NATION
Talon, Prime Chief of the Council
DIPLOMACY:none
The Iroquois tribe also expanded their villages, at Ayoel, Cahokia, and their capitol Adena. The heir to Talon's seat in Council was directed by his father to receive instruction from the nations Warlord, Thunderbolt, but turned out to be a rather poor student. Having a teacher half his age was something he couldn't live down in the eyes of his peers. One episode where his maturity and intelligence were put in question by his brother-in-law ended with a severely beaten and bloodied corpse and a widow as a sister. Maybe the martial lessons were doing some good after all...

1, Abbasid Caliphate, 146.7, 3, (Kyong Kwon), , 26.1, kwonrok@ibm.net

2, Xanthi Zeiterund, 142.5, 15, Charles Hurst, , 10.3, charlesh@teleport.com
3, Ch'in Kingdom, 142.4, 5, Bob Nardone, , 15.7, bnardone@mail.del.net
4, Fatamid Empire, 131.6, 6, Ken McGee, , 17.9, keng@pacifier.com
5, United States of Asia, 118.1, 4, (Rick Stevens), , 30.9, Ptah@nwlink.com
6, Andean Incan Empire, 109.6, 2, Will Holmes, , 13.9, Willholmes@aol.com
7, Lombard Kingdom of Italy, 101.6, 9, Mark Bailey, 4153903226, 10.5, markcb@bedevere.mfg.sgi.com
8, Byzantine Roman Empire, 101.0, 19, (BJ Kersteter), , 9.4, kerstete@freenet.msp.mn.us
9, Empire of the Lower Ganges, 97.0, 10, Andrew Philipson, , 8.6, ARPhilipso@aol.com
10, Shensi Chinese Kingdom, 93.7, 30, John Chan, , 6.0, J1WESCHAN@aol.com
11, Ummayad Caliphate Al Cordoba, 90.5, 27, Jeffrey Smith, 5055258271, 6.9, kaladan@zianet.com
12, The Honan Chinese Kingdom, 89.0, 7, John Millsaps, , 9.8, MillsapsJ@aol.com
13, Kingdom of France, 88.0, 11, John Gleason, , 4.0, a1jacs@comwerx.net
14, Kingdom of Sonoma, 85.4, 16, John Schmid, , 16.8, magus@netcom.com
15, Songhai Herdsmen, 73.6, 29, Mark Willner, , 9.7, marc24@ix.netcom.com
16, The Caliphate al Moravid, 67.8, 21, Patrick McKinney, , 7.4, pgrantm@juno.com
17, Bacphan Zuangzu, 66.7, 8, David Berryman, , 6.4, dcberr2@uswest.com
18, Iroquois Nation, 65.5, 12, Dave Nardone, , 16.2, dnardone@inet.net
19, Chola Mandala, 65.1, 13, (Kelly Parks), , 9.0, raj@io.com
20, Anasazi, 63.5, 32, Chris Wayne, , 6.0, dblorri@aol.com
21, United Monarchy of the Avans, 63.0, 31, Paul Petanek, , 7.1, pjp@netVIP.com
22, Kingdom of Denmark, 62.4, 22, Steve Hogie, , 9.9, SHogie@deltanet.com
23, Javan Federation, 60.9, 17, David Salter, , 9.8, 102417.3444@compuserve.com
24, Uzman Turks, 60.2, 43, (Larry Ross), , 0.3, medici@bigfoot.com 25, Persian Empire of Samarkhand, 58.5, 28, Keith Parker, 8049841775, 8.5, kgp8d@faraday.clas.virginia.edu
26, The Dalai Lama, 54.3, 1, James Gemmill, None, 2.0, jamesgem@vpl.vancouver.bc.ca
27, The Indus Valley Kingdom, 52.6, 14, Stephen Hope, , 5.6, SLHope@ats.com.au
28, Imam al Muslim, 52.6, 23, Darin Byrne, , 1.0, Darin@clh.com
29, Kingdom of Tchad, 52.5, 24, Mike Magoon, , 5.4, mrgune@aol.com
30, Painted Wolf Tribes, 52.1, 18, Christopher Warren, , 4.7, Belanar@aol.com
31, Saxon Kingdom of Sussex, 51.2, 35, Bob Gurley, , 8.2, YuppyPutze@earthlink.net
32, Roman Catholic Papacy, 48.8, 20, Logan Vanderlinden, , 1.0, loganv@concentric.net
33, Maaori Seahold, 48.2, 39, Mark Hilton, , 5.4, Mark.hilton@lineone.net
34, Khitan Horde, 46.7, 44, Jeremy Heinrich, , 0.0, icrbs@loop.com
35, The Polish Kingdom, 45.0, 34, Mark Newman, , 3.0, MNewman565@aol.com
36, The Mayan Astronomers, 44.6, 37, Scott Hartman, , 4.9, Lostent@cris.com
37, Kiev Rus, 44.3, 36, Ivan Mostinckx, , 6.5, pin11487@pophost.ping.be
38, Quiro Mapuche, 43.6, 26, Liz Young, , 6.2, eYoung72@aol.com
39, Polovot Horde, 42.7, 45, Scott Hagen, , 0.3, HagenKS@aol.com
40, The Aztec Empire, 41.6, 25, Peter Morzinski, , 11.1, PeterMorzi@aol.com
41, Kingdom of Nigeria, 41.4, 33, Tim Atchison, , 6.9, tatchison@juno.com
42, Kucha Horde, 27.9, 41, Devin Cornwall, , 1.3, MaestroDC@juno.com
43, Kingdom of Russia, 27.2, 42, (John McDonnell), , 0.7, mcdonnellj@mail.dec.com
44, Katoomba Riders, 24.3, 38, John Rascon, , 2.5, tracker@Flamestrike.HACKS.ARIZONA.EDU
45, Grand Duchy of Verona, 8.3, 40, Ben Vincent, , 1.8, vinny@mail.portup.com
Undefined