Lords of the Earth
Campaign Twenty

Turn 40
Anno Domini 1096 – 1100


Turn 40 Published on Sunday, March 3rd, 2002

Turn 41 Orders Due By:     Friday, March 29nd, 2002    8:00 pm CST

New rules going into effect this turn:
1. NFP support:  Those nations required to pay troop support are now also required to pay NFP equal to 10% of the total number of troops their nation.  Failure to pay this will result in the retirement of 10% of the nation's armed forces.  You cannot pick and choose who will retire.  The retirees will be taken equally from all armies/navies and all troop types.
2. Free BL and INFRA are gone.  You must have govt levels equal to your Imperial Size, or have Kings/Heirs RULEing or leaders ADMINing else you may suffer Thin Govt tax rate cuts and/or border regions degrading/revolting.

New rules going into effect next turn:  (PRIMATES AND SECRET EMPIRES PLEASE READ THIS)
The rules regarding Religious Primates and Secret Empires fail to specify a lot of details clear to open nations, so...

Lords 20 Religious Primates will use the following set of guidelines.

1. For purposes of movement, "controlled" boundaries means both regions are the same religion as you.
2. For purposes of intel/religious ops, "controlled" regions/cities means you have an abbey or better religious site there.
3. In order to transfer gold to a nation, you have three choices.
    A) unlimited transfer via a trade route, which you can and probably should start.
    B) unlimited transfer via tithe network.  If you get gold via this network from a nation, you can give back gold via this network.
    C) leader carried gold.  By land no limit, by sea 100gp=1 cargo point.
4. In order to transfer NFP to a nation, you have two choices
    A) unlimited transfer via a trade route
    B) leader-led NFP.
        1. As free (non enslaved) people
            a. By land, no limit, but 50% attrition to other, more lucrative/fun careers.
            b. By sea, 1 NFP=1 cargo point, same attrition
        2. As enslaved people (official trafficking in the slave trade will cause your nation to go to slave economy)
            a. By land, no limit, but you must guard these by maintaining 10% ration of troops/slaves, zero attrition
            b. By sea, 3 NFP=1 cargo point, zero attrition
5. In order to loan govt points, the primate must have a religious site in that nation's capitol (or homeland in that nation has no capitol)

NOTA BENE:  Both the giver and receiver of gold/nfp/agro/govt MUST note this in each turn's orders.  Failure to do this will result in some or all such assistance being returned or lost to corruption, embezzlement, greed or sloth.  This is particularly touchy with respect to govt points, which can (and perhaps rightly should) cause much concern to those receiving it.

Lords 20 Secret Empires will use the following set of guidelines

1. For purposes of movement, all boundaries are "controlled" (since secret empires travels in such small packs).
2. For purposes of intel/religious ops, "controlled" means you have a cultic lodge or better site there.
3. Secret Empires who are discovered by an open nation will inevitably have sites discovered.  If a secret empire gets assistance from open nations, this disclosure process is accelerated.
"Three people can keep a secret, as long as two of em are dead."

ISI Rankings for Turn 40

Troop Conversions
Infantry (200 men = 1 point), Cavalry (200 men = 1 point), Siege Engineers (200 men = 1 point), Field Forts (2 forts = 1 point), Warships (2 ships = 1 point), Transports (2 ships = 1 point).

Lords Twenty Web Resources!

Contacting the GM

    Contacting me with questions, it's best to use email, since I check nearly every day.  I endeavor to reply to all emails sent my way, especially orders so you all know if I get em.

eddieefsic@msn.com
 

    Sending me $ for turns fees can be via USPS, check, cash, or money order, or via Paypal (target=eddieefsic@msn.com)

Lords 20 c/o Eddie Efsic
1200 Ferrell Dr.
Jacksonville, AR  72076
 
 

Various Fees and Levies
Turns $3.00 per turn.

Rule books available only from Thomas Harlan,  4858 East Second St.,  Tucson  AZ  85711-1207
v5.8.2 Rule book $15.00 (printed , bound, and priority mailed), or free (downloaded PDF file). 

The Orient
Mercenary Troops 52mc, 55mi, 10ms, 16mw
Mercenary QR’s i08, w07, s08, c08
Mercenary Leaders Massamo (M???)

United States of Asia (Yamato)     Nogami, First Minister of the Diet
Diplomacy:  Maraianas (ea), Truk (t), Ponape (nt), Nan Matol (a)
Hejudo, Awan, and Hagugori expanded again, as was their wont, and new ports popped up in Anshan "Nokami", Mantap "Fujanko", Silla "Hariba", Suifenhe "Ashono", and the bitter cold of Hokkaido "Dejo".  Shipping magnates were given the option if relocation or unemployment.  They chose relocation, and the docks of Kumamoto and Edo finally got some breathing room with the absence of bored, unemployed porters and sailors.  THe only unhappy folks in the whole affair were the tavern owners, who had to lower their grog prices to pick up the lagging demand.  Long standing attempts to bring the Koreans away from Bhuddism to the one true religion (Shinto) showed a margin of success, despite weak  religious practices at home.

Admiral Kurohito assumed command of the newest squadron of light elite warships and took Achi, Izuro, and the disgraced Yoguchi on a tour of the Maaori islands in search of fresh blood for the Federation.  The Marianas islands, Truk, Ponape, and its port Nan Matol agreed to various levels of cooperation, with a little help from under-the-table assets.  The vast majority of the credit belongs to Admiral Kurohito, but he failed to live long enough to return home and accept the gratitude of the President and the Assembly.

Admiral Nogami was charged to resume the exploration forays towards Beringa, and with 20 warships and help from the Kuril natives, he managed to chart the wind and currents to Beringa and return with his prize rutters to Edo.  The stunning success where others had failed ignobly led directly to his own campaign success for the Presidency.  His first executive order was on behalf of the university of Yamato, already the largest in the known world, nearly doubling  in size thanks to Nogami's budget plan.
 

The Lu'an Chinese Kingdom  Soon Wa Up, Supreme Monarch of Lu'an
Diplomacy:  None

No orders received for Lu'an.  Soon Wa Up became old enough to assume the duties of the Supreme Monarch and C.Y. Sen dutifully stepped down from his exalted position to one of respect, if not real power.  And the Ch'in didn't beat down the gates of the capitol.  Soon's own brand of wisdom proved true.  "If you ignore a problem long enough, it will go away."
 

The Ch’in Empire      Che III, Divine Overlord of the Middle-Kingdom, Lord of the River, Son of Heaven
Diplomacy:  Honan (f), Kansu (nt), Kiangsi (h), Funiu (n/e)

Content to settle back down in his own lands and enjoy the emotions of the lotus in place of the dragon, Che II sent his leaders on diplomatic endeavors vice conquests of previous years.  In this they had mixed levels of success and failure.  Greatly desiring the region of Honan and it's abundant rice fields, a marriage of state was arranged for the heir, Che III, and his younger brother, Che Pao. The entire affair went off beautifully, at least at first.  The matchmaker, Che II, lived long enough to see two new grandchildren by his son and new wife, twins no less.  Fortunately only one was a son, so the prospect of future sibling strife for rule was greatly diminished.  Che II passed into his next life in 1097, and in grand pomp and ceremony, Che III assumed his father's titles and rule.  The Divine Overlord seemed happy for the most part, yet anxious to expand his family by this, his second wife.  They tried valiantly, but her cycle continued until 1099, when she became pregnant again.  Fate struck cruelly when complications took the life of both mother and unborn child in the autumn of that year.  Through two wives and two decades of trying, at least Che II finally had a son.

Che's diplomats elsewhere met with limited success.  Lin Pao got the Kansu province elders to commit to free passage of Ch'in goods and troops, but nothing else, while both Tsu Lah and Pi Yu failed utterly (by so rudely dying) in their endeavors.  Tsu Lah even more so because he managed to anger the Kiangsi provincial leaders to the point of hostilities before he died or was killed.  There was no hard evidence pointing to foul play, but there will always be rumors and those who are no more content than when propogating them.

The Dalai's leaders remained south of Ch'in provinces, but wagon loads of gold and jewelry arrived from the Mayor of Shangri-La.  Spent directly in the state university, it went a long way in improving the quality of education, though the student population couldn't hope to match the Japanese with it's newly expanded budget and complex.  There was one way where the Ch'in could and did keep pace with the short islanders; city construction.  Six ports and their docks expanded.  Pienching, Nanking, Chang' An, Chengtu, Wonton, and Mukden.  Along with these expansions came huge government contracts for trade vessels to ply the internal waters of the Empire.   Chungking lost it's "g", becoming Chunking, and Koueichou was renamed Kowchu.  Why?  Because the Son of Heaven said so, that's why.  If you're smart, you'll accept it and move on.

The Kutai Horde      Zoltan II, Kutai Khan
Diplomacy:   Kucha horde block (n/e), Betpack horde block (n/e), Tuhnwhang sub-horde (fa)

Life is good when shady characters in black cloaks don't leap at you from the shadows.  So Orin would have his father believe anyway.  The constant flow of Chinese assassins most of Zoltan's life left him skittish and paranoid.   "It's not paranoia when everybody really is out to get you.", he often remarked.  One particular day in July, 1096 he noted a peculiar looking rider amongst the Tuhnwhang sub horde, very much unlike the rest.  Seeing he was noticed by Zoltan, he urged his steed over to offer his service to the great Khan.  "Look out!  He's coming right for us!", hollered Zoltan.  He turned and ran pell-mell from the rider, crashed into his own horse, lost his balance and fell, cracking open his skull on the ground.  Very un-Khanlike behavior, but he was getting up there in years, and his paradigm of life (and murderous death) on the steppes was pretty well set.

Orin set out upon the northern steppes, intent on gathering followers as his father had.  It was immediately apparent, even with the support of his own inner circle he was less effective a leader than Zoltan had been.  Just as capable in matters of war, but lacking in style, tact, and the ability to select rich targets.  He decided to loot the region of Jungaria, and all his men could find there were some claw pots and a few sacks of salt.  Yippee.  Zoltan's closest ally, the Tuhnwhang Khan died, was replaced by his less than amenable son, and would have left the alliance had Prince Conan convinced him to remain and take part in what was certain to be a glorious future.  One that would have to start with Orin fathering some more children, because Orin's son Zelda shared his grandfather's fate, although in a less ridiculous fashion.  Zelda decided he didn't need to breathe in order to live.  Was he not son of the Khan?  He could do feats undreamed of by normal men!  So he decided to stop breathing.  In such a manner he also stopped talking, walking, and living.
 

Bacphan Zhuangzu      Fei-Tzu Jung, Overlord of South China
Diplomacy:  None

From whirlwinds of activity to frozen stillness.  No orders received from Kwangsi.  Leaders were dropping all over the place, including at Tonkin, where Fei-Tzu Yendung fell overboard and gave his best impersonation of a drowned rat.  Very realistic, in truth.  His son took the reins of power and consolidated his power by gathering all the armed forces to himself.  At one point, he was pretty much the only leader able to exercise command.  His first order of business was to rebuild his council nd circle of advisors, including his only remaining brother.
The Celestial Kingdom of the Jade Buddha     Po Po, 6th Incarnation of the Blessed Jade Buddha, Light on the Path to Nirvana, Illuminator of the Human Soul, Thinker of Deep Thoughts, Mayor Shangri-La
Consecration:  Anhui (ca), Kwangsi (ab), Fujian (ch), Xiamen (ch)

Intent on providing some financial assistance to the assorted Bhuddist nations in the Pacific and southeast Asian spheres, Po Po arranged to return shiploads of gold and jewels to the governments of Ch'in, Bachphan and Ava.  Unfortunately the Bacphan and Avans had no idea such aid was forthcoming, and the gold never found its way to the attention of those rulers.  Ch'in leadership already had the gold spent, greatly increasing the university there.  Missionary work proceeded in Gtsang, and more monks sent ot Assam which was already effectively entirely Bhuddist.

The Pacific Rim and Southeast Asia
Mercenary Troops 15mc, 17mi, 18ms, 26mw
Mercenary Qr.'s i04,w05,s05,c04
Mercenary Leaders None

The Glorious Katoomba Imperium     Brendon, Chief He’e Nalu-sen
Diplomacy:  Eha-rana (fa), Tih-Ar-Dha (f)

Brendon remained in his home and capitol running the drudgery of managing an Empire, insecure as it was since he had no children to pass his rule on to.  Brothers he had, oh yes, two more than he really would have liked since he was quite certain either one would be happy to replace him at the head of the Katoomba.  So he set to the task of creating a family of his own.  Help he had, naturally, from his wife.  And a finer wife a Chief could never ask for, for she provided Brendon with five children, four of which were sons, and the youngest son with a twin daughter.

Diplomatic pressures on Tih-Ar-Dha went smoothly to completion, unlike Prince Tu'un efforts in Eha-rana.  The nerve of that guy, thinking just becuase he was Brendon's uncle, he could up and die on the job like that.
 

The Javan Federation      Jarakoni, President for Life Sirivjavan
Diplomacy:  Hainan (fa), Johor (f)

Gold. yes, gold.  Hainan had it, and General Jarakoni wanted it.  Easy it would have been to simply crush any local resistance, but Jarakoni decided to let Ginshinkon go and cow the locals into submission.  Resistant to any formal tribute or payment of their newfound mines, the local elders at least agreed to help Javan in times of war.  One step at a time, thought Jarakoni.  One step at a time.  In efforts to find more living space for the Javan citizenry, Jarakoni funded settlements and free land to colonists in Johor, Utara, Phan Rang, and Jambi.  All regions committed to his lifelong tenure at the peak of the Javan political scene.  New walls were formed at the city limits of the the port Sunda and the capitol port Sirivjaya.

The Avan Empire     His Majesty the Emperor Bob Vinh, Emperor of all Burmese People
Diplomacy:  none

The government was in serious need of boosting, if Bob was to be able to afford any time at all away from the Imperial capitol city Pagan.  Defend the Empire or manage it?  With reluctance, Bob transferred command of the entire Imperial Army to his newly designated heir, Prince Sun Kwok, and ran the day to day affairs of your typical run of the mill  Emperor.  You know the type, ride on the white elephant in the parades, sentence this guy to hanging, and that guy to receive some other guy's stuff.  Nothing really exciting happened in Pagan, at least until the last light of the day was gone.  Then the parties began kicking off.  Sun Kwok's promotion  led many to wonder just what was going to happen when Bob's own son became old enough to assume the duties of governing.  But that was many years in the future, and the future brings what it will.  Bob also gave his youngest brother Prince Thet Naung (31 years younger) a job in the Imperial Army, learning under the tutelage of Sun Kwok.

The fledgling port city of New Hope expanded, as did Honan Phen and Bangkok., while colonist were granted free land by the Empire in the border province of Surin.

India
Mercenary Troops 28mc, 42mi, 5ms, 26mw
Mercenary QR’s i05, w04, s05, c06
Mercenary Leaders None

Palankala      Daldrum II, Guardian of the Ganges, Divine Wrath of Kali
Diplomacy:  None

No orders again.  It seem Dion has vanished in a puff of logic.  If you read this Dion, please call or email me, else your nation will go Open for a Player.
 

The Chola Mandalam      Umashanker, Mandala Chola
Diplomacy:  Gangas (f), Karnata (f), Manyakheta (f)

Using overt and covert assistance, Umashanker's diplomats achieved stunning success with their overtures to the inlands provincial leaders.  A little cash goes a long way in some places it seems.  Much more cash was spent on the expansion of port throughout the Indian subcontinent, Polonarva, Kollam, and Tanjore all growing, and new fortresses put up inside the new city boundaries.  Such expense turned out ot be in vain at Polonarva, when a fire broke out in the old city and consumed as much housing as had been built in the expansion.   A new port, Male, was founded on the solitary Maldives.  Agriculture harvests reached record heights, pushing the concepts of starvation and malnutrition deep into the Chola history books.

The Mandala's immediate family got some growth as well, but sadly Umashanker could only sire daughters.  Three of them, to be precise.
 

Xanthi Empire of Xanadu      Palpatyn VII, Grand Poobah of the Xanthi Zieterund, Rajah of the Rajputs
Diplomacy: Jats (nt)

Intent on getting rid of the temples, and most especially the countless shrines to the Hindu gods, crowds started scavenging them for construction materials.  After the Grand Poobah made it clear such activity was entirely legal, the citizenry basically saw the material as free stone and timber.  Within a few months, the Hindi faith had entirely left the public scene, and only small family shrines in private residences remained.  Palpatyn also pumped up his armed forces for possible horde incursions, hiring every mercenary within a thousand miles.  Every one that could read the "help wanted" signs anyway.  Field fortifications were hammered together in a few regions and Palpatyn  with his closest military advisors gobbled up every border report they could lay their grubby paws on.
 

Sultanate of Sind      Sultan Naheef, Mansurashah, Protector of the Indus, Barrier of Allah
Diplomacy:  Peshawar (f)

With the conviction of the Shi'a populace at an all time low, Sunni Imams under direction from Zahim went across the Sultanate spreading their own message.  They were largely ignored.  The Imam at Mecca would probably have to lend some weight to their mission if they would have much chance to succeed.  The Shah Naheef hired his brother for a job in public service.  Maybe he could give some assistance to Naheef own inner circle, who were about the only ones capable of pushing the Sind populace towards the Sunni sect.

The big news from Mansura was the banned practice of guild participation.  There were protests, first locally away from the capitol, and then larger ones at Mansura.  They were heard, tolerated, and then defused by the Nareem's words and deeds. Laborers and services became available more cheaply from individuals than from established guilds, and the economy basically passed the guilds right by.   Singly and then in numbers, guild masters were forced to disband their groups to continue supporting their families.  By the turn of the century, all open guilds in Sind were gone.

The Middle East
Mercenary Troops 14mc, 11mi, 13ms, 19mw
Mercenary QR’s i06, w05, s06, c08
Mercenary Leaders  Ahmed Rashid (M???)

Imam Al Muslim      Abdul, Siadat Kuran, "The Sustainer"
Consecration: None

The Imam of Mecca remained committed to conversion efforts in his host nations.  The islands of Crete and Rhodes got it good, as did Catalonia in far Iberia and the city Jamaa in Gefara.  Once again, no new religious sites were constructed.  Primate government assistance in the form of scribes and beaurocrats remained in many Islamic nations, such as Abbasid, Fatamid, Cordova, and even Zimbabwe far to the south.

Abdul's "guest", the Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, was residing in Mecca and making longwinded insults, continually lambasting the Catholic leadership for abandoning the Eastern Orthodox peoples to Islam's not so tender mercies.  He was either out of his mind furious or losing his wits, because his messages were penned spelling and grammar mistakes far below his education and intelligence.
 

The Shahdom of Merv      Abd Allah Beg, Shah of Bactria
Diplomacy:  Singanakh (ea), Basakshan (fa)

"Communication is the key.", quoth Abd Allah.  "My instructions must go through!"  So began a series of road projects from Merv through Bactria (and through the new city Shirabad there) to Samarkhand.  Another leg speared from the capitol Merv into Transoxania.  The new roads brought new visitors to Merv, and one in particular caught the Ashah's attention.  Mirabel was her name, visiting the capitol with her parents, and Abd Allah decided he had found his bride.  The courtship was brief by Mahmud standards, but the union proved bounteous.  In five years the couple was blessed with four healthy sons.
 

The Abbasid Caliphate      Muqtafi Mu'hammid Al'rahi, Kaliphat Rasul Allah
Diplomacy: Kuwait (t), Edessa (a), Arbiliq (c)

Cities across the the Caliphate grew as they had become accustomed to.  Mersin, Ramallah, Kraznovia, Kirkuk, Basra, Bushehr, Raja, Kamizak, and Isfahan all expanded.  The old city walls were torn down and the material hauled off site to build up local regional fortresses.  Abbasid merchants based in Constantinople finally go the docks contracts they'd been waiting for and relocated to the Med coast at Mersin.

Spring of 1097 brought disaster and nearly ruin to the Caliphate.  The Caliph fell out of his palace and went splat on the flagstones in the courtyard.  It really really hurt, for about a tenth of a second.  His son Muqtafi couldn't be found until the next morning and he immediately claimed the throne for himself.  If not for the firm hold he had on the beaurocrats, it's very likely his claim would have been contested, possibly splitting the Caliphate's factions and inciting a civil war.

Muqtafi's first order of business was to search out and bring his possible foes to the light of day, and push his own brand of justice right through them.  In this the Mecca Imam lent him some assistance and the loaned investigators discovered what they considered subversive elements within the capitol itself!  The Caliph's personal guard went on these leads to round up the rogue elements, using fear and fire to smoke the miscreants into other guards waiting arms.  A fine plan, except they didn't count on  the early summer's winds and dry air.  Fires started small, but not all could be extinguished.  Those that couldn't be put out quickly spread, and burned for three days.  Even the royal palace had to be evacuated for smoke and danger of fire.  When Muqtafi returned, the city leaders estimated that a full third of the city was destroyed.  What was built over centuries was gone on days, and would take decades to rebuild.
 

The Fatamid Empire of Egypt      Lazuul the Great, Guardian of the Holy Places, Emperor of Egypt.
Diplomacy:  Petra (ea), Al' Aqabah (t)

Timestamp: January, 1091
Trade with the Indian subcontinent had come to a complete standstill with the inability to transfer goods across the Aswan desert.  A new port had to be found to base those lucrative routes, and Lazuul decided it would be Al' Aqabah.  Diplomats went and extracted agreement of tribute from the regional elders and right of port for the Fatamid merchants at Al' Aqabah.  Phase two of the project was to subjugate the Nubian tribes and ensure the safe passage of any goods from the southern tip port of Toqruq northbound to the Nile Valley and the Med.  This went off without a hitch, and 2,000 trained riders remained to ensure the roads remained clear.
Timestamp: January 1096
Pleased as punch with his success reopening the pathways for trade, Fatamid merchants began once again to ply the waters of the Red Sea towards the Indian nations.  One the far side of the Empire, Fatamid warfleets searched the Ionian Sea and the Gulf of Cyprus for sightings of the mystery pirate fleets recently engaged by the Lombards. Reports come from questionable sources that they were last seen in Sicily, even in the port Palermo.  Searching that region and port was definitely not in his orders, and quite likely to inflame an Italian response.  Not that such an occurrence would be so bad, Lazuul figured his chances of trouncing any hostile fleet at about 99%.  Instructions to the fleet captains were to push Catholic fleets westward from the Gulf of Cyprus and Ionian Sea, but not to engage Fatamid trade partners.  Sadly, Lazuul couldn't effectively command the armada of over 600 vessels and they sailed west into the waiting arms of the Lombards.  (see Lombard Italy)  Stinging from the lessons in naval warfare, he returned to his home port minus a third of his grand fleet.
Assistance was sent across the Med to Constantinople, in the form of military advisors and cold soft metal.  The gold kind.  Retired fleet captains and cavalry officers began instructing the Rumelian armed forces, finding their knowledge was sorely needed.  The Rus, for all their history located so close to the steppes, had poorly trained cavalry regiments and worse skills at naval maneuvers.
Prince Razella and the Faiyum Royal Lancer Corps was dispatched to the Abbasid homeland to assist in their preparations for war with the hordes.
Eastern Europe
Mercenary Troops 15mc, 15mi, 13ms, 14mw
Mercenary QR’s i06, w03, s05, c05
Mercenary Leaders Sergi Radivich (M???)

The Patriarchate of Constantinople (DEAD)Miklos, Ecumenical Patriarch of The Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church
Diplomacy:  None

Miklos ranted and raved about the complacency of the Roman Catholics, and simultaneously tried to avoid insulting his host in Mecca.  With the subjugation of the Greeks at the hands of the Rumelians and Abbasids, and to a lesser extent by the Fatamids, the Patriarch structure crumbled.
 

Rumelian Rus Sultanate   Osman Kutuzov, Sultan of Rumelia, Varangian Czar, Ghazi, Caesar
Diplomacy:  Thessaloniki (h)

Rehiring over 5,000 afoot and mounted mercenaries, Osman formed up his own personal division of 4,000 soldiers and set off with his son Bayezid to oppress the Greeks some more.  Massive columns of colonists followed in his army's wake, looking for free lands at the expense of the Orthodox  populace.  This land they were granted in Lydia first, then Phrygia.  Galatia was next on his target list, but unfortunately the region was as yet independent of the Rus and Osman's decrees held little weight there.  "Until now...", he decreed.  The combined 9,000 man army swept in and pretty  much wiped out any resistance within a month, despite questionable tactical decisions by both the heir and the Sultan.  Then the last of the settlers were given new homes and farms.  With the crops already planted no less.  How convenient for my loyal subjects, Osman mused.

Osman couldn't have known the heartache he was about to experience.  The return trip was pleasant and the mood of all upbeat.  Games and jokes were the order of the day after such a successful campaign.  And drink.  Bayezid took to it with abandon despite his father's warnings and was discovered dead in his tent in Bithnia, days from returning to his new home.  And without an heir of his own, no less.  Not that he didn't try, having brought his Fatamid wife along the expedition.  Too much drink, most people agreed.

Osman sent his most experienced diplomat Hasan Fedya Dolokhov to Thessaloniki to bring them closer to the new Rumelian "Empire".  His promises of religious freedom were scoffed at, was he not previously a Catholic?

"A man who changes his beliefs about the divine to save his own skin has no will.", they told Hasan.  "And further, we know exactly what your "Caesar" means when he promises religious freedom.  The freedom to renounce God for Allah, or lose all our property and businesses."

Hasan was an old man, and a patient one.  "Well, if you refuse Caesar's offers of friendship..."  The sentence just hung there, but Hasan left it to the imagination of the Thessaloniki city council.

"Let us confer and give you our decision.", they pleaded.  And received their chance to argue and discuss amongst themselves.  Days became weeks, weeks months, and months years.  Late autumn, 1099, Hasan became ill and summoned the council to his lodging to obtain an answer for his liege.  "What say you to the offers of friendship from the great Sultan Osman?", he wheezed.

They had already heard of Osman's own progeny's demise across the Aegean Sea.  Hasan got his answer.  "This we say.  We reject you and your blasphemous ways.  We reject your  Caesar, and any who would deny our Lord Jesus Christ to preserve their own worthless mortal shells.  You and your armies are weak willed and weak armed.  Less the Islamic unbelievers across the waters, you would still be dredging creeks and rivers for carp and catfish.  Take this message and begone from our city.  Should you or your lord return here, you shall not live long to regret it."

Elsewhere, plans to found a new port city fell by the wayside when Osman's council advised him he'd vastly overestimated the available manpower for this project.
 
 

Kingdom of Russia      Ivan III, the Wanderer, King of Russia
Diplomacy:  None

No orders received again.  The Rus continued to be mired in lethargy.

The Polish Kingdom      Marko II Brodzinski, King of Poland
Diplomacy:  Austria (ea), Galich (ea)

Envoys to Austria and Galich met with limited success, getting the Galich nobility to take Marko's elder daughter in marriage.  At 36, Marko was beginning to wonder if he could ever marry her off.  The bulk of the Imperial Army was placed under the able leadership of the crown prince Bram, and they conducted exercises to keep their swords and wits sharp enough to deal with the Kin should they work up the nerve to test their mettle against a real foe.

Marko remained in Warzau. handing down judgments and decrees as a wise ruler ought, but too often details slipped his mind.  In truth, his mind never was quite a steel trap, but his slips began to show cracks in the beaurocratic reach of his edicts.  Far to the west, Lorraine refused to honor their prior full allegiance to the Polish throne, reducing their commitment to a trade arrangement, and far to the east the coastal provinces of Pechneg and Moldavia flirted with the idea of renewed independence.  The occupying companies of the Imperial Polska Arme convinced them otherwise, at least for the time being.
 

The Mongol Horde Wolf, Kucha KaKhan in captivity
Diplomacy:   Bolgar horde block (n/e), Nogai horde block (n/e), Liao horde block (f)

Wolf sent scouts ahead, knowing the Kin were nearby.  He greatly desired to avoid confrontation with the Kin and at the same time gather as many allies and followers from the steppes between the Urals and the Dnepr River.  Things couldn't have gone more against what he desired.  Spending less than six months in any one place, the host Khans were given their choice.  Come with us to battle and glory, or remain here and listen to the wind.  Both the Bolgars and the Nogai chose the whistling sounds of the wind.  Then, Wolf's scouts failed him.

Prepared to give the Alan Khan a great show of strength and make a strong impression, Wolf rode at the head of his 120,000 strong army into Alan.  Where there also happened to be a marriage about to take place, between the Kin Khan's sister and the Alan Khan himself.  Decidedly between a rock and a hard place, Wolf was on the verge of choosing discretion as the better part of valor and preparing to withdraw from the region.  The Kin leadership chose this moment as a sign of Mongol weakness and formed their own army, also nearly 100,000 strong into attack wedges and followed the Mongols north.  Unable to outrun the mobile armed forces of the Kin and simultaneously protect his horde's women, children, and several thousand packed yurts, Wolf chose a suitable place to command the coming battle and arrayed his own forces.
 

The Kin Horde      Timur, Khan of Kin
Diplomacy:  Alan horde block (f)

Timur proceeded faster than he knew a main horde could travel, and slow enough to be relatively certain he wouldn't be ambushed.  Cresting one off the endless slopes of the Khazar steppes, he saw before him the challenge, his enemy, the Wolf.  Well, actually, he saw the Wolf, and about a gazillion horsemen.  Fortunately, he had better than half a gazillion horsemen at his own command.  So 70,000 assorted regular and skirmisher Kin cavalry lined up against 110,000 assorted regular and skirmisher Mongols.  Wolf's plans took another wrong turn right about here.  His tactical commands were to have the Tangut Khan, held in reserve, sent wide, to crash the left flank or rear of the Kin.  His trap was itself trapped, and destroyed,  by Timur's ally the Wudan Khan and his own force of ambushers.  Thus, despite being outnumbered, the better led and significantly better trained Kin sent the Mongols into full retreat from the field.

Life flows in cycles, clearly.  Sweet to bitter to sweet again.  Plans to follow, search, and destroy the fragments of the Mongol Horde were cut short when it was discovered one of the wounded on the field was Timur himself.  Further, the author of his brilliant plan, the Ulugh Khan, was killed in the general chaos of melee.  Those captured of the Mongols were formed up for their decisions, fealty or death.  Imagine Timur's surprise when he found himself face to face with the Wolf.   Beaten and captured, the Wolf could only hold out in hope of being ransomed by his son.  Having dealt with the few who chose death before dishonor, Timur rode back to Alan to claim his bride.
 

Western Europe
Mercenary Troops 22mc, 19mi, 5ms, 43mw
Mercenary QR’s i06, w06, s06, c06
Mercenary Leaders Jean Luc du Mar (M???)
(with 24mw)

Denmark      Luthor, Imperator Danmark
Diplomacy:  Gotland (t), Shetlands (n/e), Hebrides (nt)

Dane envoys set sail for the Scandinavian and North Sea islands, spreading the messages of Zoltan and Christ.  Having greatly desired the position he now held, Zoltan was anxious to make his position even stronger and richer.  His tenure as Imperator was destined to be brief, however.  Thinking himself impervious to or malady, Zoltan traversed the homeland and Capitol as if it were his own private playground, blissfully eluding his bodyguards in a cruel game of cat and mouse.  Cruel because any failure on their part to keep up with him meant dismissal and exile for the offending guards.  Tiring of the routine, a plot was hatched one winter evening to allow Zoltan to evade them after a particularly heavy bout of drinking on the part of  the Imperator.  Temperatures plummeted that night, and Zoltan's frozen corpse was found face down under a bridge the next morn, his left ankle and knee bent in a most unusual angle.  At the least, he likely felt little pain, considering his extreme alcohol content.

The politics of succession immediately came to question.  Zoltan himself had three daughters, none wed, and no sons.  He also had two younger brothers, and a whole palace full of younger sisters.  Fortunately for the stability of the Empire, Zoltan's brother Luthor returned from his mission to convert the pagans of the Baltic Sea northern coasts, and claimed the right to rule for himself.  The question of loyalty played out for the inner circle of Altan's and Zoltan's councillors, but none would openly challenge Luthor's claim.

Kornkarb expanded in Holland and a new port city was founded on the Baltic coast of Smalland, named Stokheim.

The Lombard Kingdom of Italy      Ludovico Orsini, Rex Sognari
Diplomacy:  Rome (f), Calabria (f)

"Defend the coasts from all enemies, especially the infidels."  Easy enough, thought Admiral Rodrigo.  Maybe not, though.  He was still wrestling with the memories of that mysterious fleet and racking his own and his advisors brains on methods to destroy them should they return.  Losing sleep too, at his headquarters in Gerace.  Patrols were set out into the Ionian Sea again, on the lookout for enemy warfleets.  It didn't take long to find them.  A truly gargantuan fleet of Fatamid warships was pushing westward from Crete.  Reports also indicated they were manned by infantry or marines, likely normal ground forces due to their armor.  Vastly outnumbered, Rodrigo had no choice but to muster all he could and sail out to meet the fates.

The Fatamid armada, consisting of a fairly even mix of heavy, normal, and light warships, the heavies clearly manned by the reported armored infantry.  On the edge of his vision, Rodrigo could make our what appeared to be even larger warships, perhaps half a dozen.  Flagships, no doubt, he mused.  Despite the numbers, Rodrigo seemed light of heart and confident.  Questioned, he replied this fleet wasn't nearly the challenge the mystery fleet of three years back had been.  He knew the Fatamid vessels' designs intimately, knew he had a good chance of victory.  The question was, how effectively would the Fatamid admiralty control such a beast?

The confronting fleet obviously Lombard, Lazuul "the Great" urged his ships forward, thinking the Lombards would turn and sail far and fast from his grand armada...  This they did not do, to his great dismay.  Rodrigos waited for his opening, then ordered his fleet's main force directly into the heart of the Fatamid fleet, leaving his lighter, faster warships on the flanks to prevent being engulfed.  Lazuul's huge fleet earlier proved difficult to command, even without the stress and confusion of battle.  As soon as the Lombards engaged, Fatamid captains had to perform battle maneuvers on their own timing, badly out of synch with the rest of their own fleet.  Lazuul could only watch in frustration and anger as the Italians slashed through the ranks of his fleet, destroying or capturing a full third before the Fatamids could effect a naval retreat.  Not unscathed were the Lombards.  By attacking the center, Rodrigo placed his own forces in range of most of the Fatamids, and lost almost half of his own vessels.  Content to watch the Fatamids sail back east, Rodrigo again breathed a sigh of relief and ordered his prize crews back to Gerace for refitting and rerigging.

Back at Genova, Luigi was getting rather accustomed to reports of Admiral Rodrigo shmacking and shwacking all unfriendly comers to Italian waters.  "Mare Nostrum" indeed.  But, time goes on indefinitely, and the life spans of humans, even Orsini Kings, does not.  Luigi Orisini received last rites in late September, 1098, and his eldest son Ludovico assumed the Italian throne.  He continued his father's work along the length of the boot, gaining solid friends in Calabrai and Rome, and ordered the expansion and fortification of the fleet's HQ port of Gerace.  Turin also expanded, and the last remnants of Orthodox Christianity in the Kyklades archipelago were converted to Catholicism by Italian missionaries.

The Roman Catholic Papacy      Justinus, Il Papa, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ
Consecration:  Galich (ch), Bochnia (ch)

Justinus got off his holy seat and got to work, expanding the role of the church throughout Europe.  Beaurocrats and scribes were dispatched to Poland, Khitan, and Turquis, and gold was sent off to Munich and Paris.  The intent was to find its way into the battle chests of the rulers there, but the envoys were much unexpected and the gifts wound  up being returned in their entirety to the Vatican.  New churches were set up in Galich and Bochnia, but the big news was in Pomern.

The Church of the True Christ was having less than an easy time finding followers, even from the Catholics most disenfranchised by Rome's policies.  Martin Baciewicz was an effective leader and charismatic enough for a rebel, but he was, in the final analysis, a rebel.  The Pope's representative in Poland was one Bishop Odo of Warzau, and he went personally to Pomern to crush the heretics gathering there.   Baciewicz was found easily enough, and arrested on charges of heresy and apostasy.  He underwent interrogation, and was subsequently tried, convicted and burned for his crimes.  He was not alone, because his twelve "disciples" refused to discontinue their verbal outrage at Rome and its Bishop.  They met the same fate as their spiritual leader.  Odo's most memorable statement during the trial described "There is but one True Christ, Jesus the Savior; and there is but one True Church, founded in Rome by Peter, and led in Rome by the Pope."
 

Kingdom of Turquis         Charles, King of Turquis, Champion of the True Faith, Lord of the Franks
Diplomacy:  Hainaut (ne)

Having made the Kingdom a haven for ex-slaves, Ottoman turned his attention to improving their lot even further.  The caste society remained oppressive to them, prompting Ottoman to take measures returning the Turq society to its roots of clan loyalty.  Most clans held allegiance to the King, but a few did not.  These loyalties were rapidly becoming the norm throughout France, but the project would not see completion under the leadership of Ottoman.  He died in 1097 of a breathing illness, and the throne of the Turqs was up for grabs.  Prince Charles claimed the right to rule, and would have been contested by the Duke of Hainaut, but for the support of the Bishop of Paris.

Much better administrator and leader than Ottoman had been, Charles continued directing royal funds to the elimination of the caste system, and invested pretty much the rest of his treasury expanding and strengthening his own government.  He knew Papal assistance in his government would not keep his Kingdom together unless his own beaurocrats could get a grip on the far provinces.  The Duke of Hainaut declared his previous alliance with Ottoman null and void, although he continued to pay tribute to Paris, while Langudoc and the port Solomanville remain steadfast in their support of Charles.
 

The Island Khanate of Khitan  Belgutai, Thunder Lord, Khagan of the Khitan
Diplomacy: Gwynedd (a)

Qasar left the defense and rule of the realm in the hands of his son Belgutai and left with his aide de camp Chagatai and a few thousand men for Gwynedd, intent on forming a long lasting alliance.  This he secured after five years of discourse and persuasion.  He wouldn't live to see the fruits of such labor though.  He went to meet his maker just a week prior the turn of the century.  His son Belgutai took up the reins of power in his own name and was blessed with two grandchildren by way of his son Ogatai.  The road from London continued to receive manpower and finance, making it now 80% complete.  Four decades in the making, the end was finally within sight.
 

Ummayad Caliphate Al Cordoba      Khufu, Caliph al Cordoba, Infidel’s Bane
Diplomacy:  Navarre (f)

Khufu showed his determination and drive to bring about the peaceful conversion of the Catalonian Christians.  Rogelio remained in the region, backed by companies of the Caliph's army under the command of General Rodrigo.  His efforts led to another twelfth of the populous embracing Allah, and the presence of "Rodrigo's Rojas" prevented any repeats of the religious clashes of previous years.

Khufu's son Tarik became old enough to join his father in the arduous task of rulership, and at the same time became old enough to be wed.  A suitable bride was located in Navarre, and the two were introduced, courted, and married in the custom and tradition of the Caliphs.  Prince Hafez was dispatched to assume command of the Cordovan fleet.  Much disliked by his peers, and despised by his subordinates, he assumed the granted command and presented himself to all comers as a man of power equal in stature as the Caliph himself.  Presuming to teach the sailors ow to rig a sheet properly, Hafez climbed the foremast of his flagship, lost his grip and fell to the deck 10 meters below.  Obnoxious and condescending, his demise came as no great loss to the sailors in his fleet.

Afriqa
Mercenary Troops 8mc, 21mi,105ms, 25mw
Mercenary QR’s i05, w05, s04, c06
Mercenary Leaders Kontaga (M???)

The Algerian Caliphate      His Royal Majesty, Hasan Asad, "Zaban Nogreh", Lord of the Rif, Lion of Morocco, Sword of the Prophet
Diplomacy:  Idjil (fa)

Hasan drank the sweet nectar from his orchards, and the best dates to be had on the North Afriqan coast.  The new cities Tunis and Gizeh expanded, the latter becoming something of a meeting place for the desert tribes of A'Hauts.  Prince Arnor visited Gefara and found the love of his life there, taking her as his bride.  Hasan showed his wisdom by sending his most untactful of leaders, alone, to Idjil for a diplomatic effort.  Amazingly, the man didn't get lynched.
 

The Songhai Herdsmen      Onwardi, Chieftain of the Herds
Diplomacy:  Dogmaba (c), Senegal (f)

Vast reserves of manpower and the substantial royal treasury were put to use on vast cultivation projects in Senegal and Galam, clearing forests and making certain hunger would never be a problem for the Songhai.  At least for the foreseeable future.  Senegal responded very favorably to the investiture, joining the Songhai nation fully.  Onwardi sought right of passage in Dogamba, sending counselors there to secure such an agreement.  They were not the most skilled at these types of negotiations, and failed miserably to get the desired result.  Their leader, one by the name of Liam, also conveniently avoided being fed to the Dogamban elders' pet beasts.  Onwardi's son set to the task of creating his own family with his brand new Senegalese wife.  What should of been an easy task proved arduous and unfruitful, as they have not, as yet, produced a grandson for the Herdsmen.

Religious conversion efforts were put forth in Boure, promising prosperity bringing cultivation projects similar to Senegal and Galam, but only after their full acceptance of Allah.  The response was lukewarm to put it kindly.
 

The Kingdom of Tchad      Ogbonnaya, King of the Dead, Omar Kanembu
Diplomacy:  Kano (nt)

The sub-Saharan road system underwent an upgrade of righteous proportion.  The postal roads from the capitol to their tip in far off Zaria were widened and guarded from brigands.  Little else happened, particularly at the hands of the King's leaders.  They got no instructions from Ogbonnaya, so that's precisely what they did.  Nothing.  Actually, not really nothing.  Each one had his own pet hobbies, from sailing on Lake Tchad to sunbathing and picking up the local girls for fun evenings on the town.  All in all, being one of Ogbonnaya's select leaders was about as fine a job as anyone could hope to have.

Also in the capitol, something of a cultural blossoming took place.  The learning centers of Ngazargumu began enrolling record numbers of students, in most fields of study.

Kingdom of Nigeria      M'Bala, King of Benin, Darkknife
Diplomacy:  None

Open for a player.  The Nigerians gave their capitol Onitsha a much needed and overdue facelift, and bought an army to protect it from would-be wandering kleptomaniacs.

Kingdom of Angola      Chalom, Wise Leader and All-Around Nice Guy
Diplomacy:  None

Open for a player.  Same thing here.  Chalom hired himself some spearmen to protect him from the Nigerians.
 

Great Zimbabwe  Nikkawendo, Shaka Zulu
Diplomacy:  Mombassa (ea), Bassa (f)

Impressed with the work of the father and son team Kika and Kika to Kilwa, Hakkawendo had them move north to Mombassa for a repeat performance.  They were really nice again, but unable to repeat the experience in Kilwa.  The agreements with Kilwa prompted Hakkawendo to send funds and men to that region and found a new port city, Lindi.

Hakkawendo's  younger brother and named heir went with his new toy west through Matabele and Twsana into the Kalahari Bush.  Rumours were pointing that direction for answers to his questions burning his mind.  Accompanied by 600 of the newest recruits, trained and lightly armed, Nikkawendo went into the Bush seeking the San people, or bushmen as the Khoikhoi call them.  Distributing gold (for which most of the San had little use) and food (for which all the San had great use). Nikkawendo found directions to the oldest of the headmen of the Kalahari.  He got directions and a guide to one of many supposed "places of power" scattered about the Bush, and they led him to what appeared to be a large complex of ruins in the desert.  The San guide told them it once was a great city, filled with wise people, water, and life.  They were told they could perhaps find answers within, but the San had gone far enough and wouldn't enter the ruins.

Acutely conscious of his soldiers' newly exploited fears, Nikkawendo gave the option to follow or wait at the edge of the ruins, and was rewarded(?) by the company of seven men.  The rest waited for what seemed forever, and was in truth quite a long time.  Three weeks past, Nikkawendo had entered the ruins and not seen nor heard from since.  The San guides had since returned to their families, and the 600 soldiers were running short of food, even with half rations.  Two nights before their decided time to return to Harare, Nikkawendo and his seven aides emerged from the ruins, visibly changed.  All were naturally happy about returning to the capitol, and along the route home Nikkawendo became even more charismatic.  Glowing almost it seemed at times.  All he spoke with felt as if Nikkawendo was precisely what the Zimbabwe needed to become the perfect society.

Entering Harare as a conquering hero, Nikkawendo shocked (almost) no one when he decreed his brother inept and claimed the title "Shaka" as his own.  Hakkawendo was stunned, and helpless to protect his rule since Nikkawendo had made all the necessary arrangements behind the scenes.  Hakkawendo was perhaps the only surprised person there.
 

The Divine Cape Kingdom     The All-Knowing, All-Seeing !Xiva, God-King of the Cape
Diplomacy:  Umtata (nt)

The Khosians were going to pay for their temerity, spouted !Xiva.  He was truly hopping mad at the Khosians for refusing to pledge allegiance to the Divine God-King.  Having gotten embarrassed by them once before, !Xiva's ally Prince Mbisane (from Ngunni) begged for and received a brand new army of spearmen to go east and drag the Khosians back in bondage before !Xiva.  With his 4,000 spearmen, the Khosians' inevitable revolt was crushed, and every human in sight was marched west to Capetown to face the wrath of the All-Seeing !Xiva.  "They will now learn the true meaning of power!" screamed !Xiva.
 

The Americas
Mercenary Troops 28mi, 8ms, 58mw
Mercenary QR’s i07, w06, c06
Mercenary Leaders  None

The Iroquois Nation      Queen Yellow Day, Prime Chief of the Council
Diplomacy:  Kolomoki (fa)

One was never enough for Yellow Day, in children as it was in most other things.  Autumn of 1097 saw the birth of her second child, another son, and autumn of 1098, her third child.  Finally a daughter to carry on her legacy.  Some patrol ships were shuffled around between the Lower Great Snake River and the Erie Canal.

The Sonoma Kingdom      Winter Eagle, King of Sonoma
Diplomacy:  None

Wind Dancer picked up the pace of his own activities, passing down decisions regarding the rule of his realm.  Large chunks of cash went towards the "public good" as he liked to call it, but left it to his aides to decide just how the gold was to be spent.  Ursa Minors and Albion got the vast majority, perhaps in part due to so many of the council having family ties in those cities.  Spending the King's gold was pretty much the extent of their jobs, and they exceeded all of their own expectations.

The Aztec Empire  Running Llama, God-Emperor, Divine Ruler of Mexico
Diplomacy:  None

In an effort unparalleled in the world's recorded history, Running Llama ordered work begun on the Temple of the Sun.  No ordinary temple, this, no.  Not by any stretch of the imagination.  The Great Pyramid of Huitzilopochtli, currently under construction at the center of Mitla, is being constructed by over 35,000 paid laborers and has taken Running Llama's entire personal fortune.  Over 1,000 feet on each side and slated to reach over 600 feet high.  (That's half again as big as the Great Pyramid of Giza, folks).  Scheduled completion date was early 1116, but by paying double (and occasionally triple) rates for labor, Running Llama had his Pyramid completed in just under four.  Pilgrims streamed from all corners of the Empire, and beyond, to gaze at this man-made wonder.

Anasazi Republic      Buffalo Walks, Chief Executive of the High Desert
Diplomacy:   Caddo (ne)

A new postal road was commissioned, snaking down to Snaketown from Chaco Canyon.  Gaagi's chief diplomat Greathouse was dispatched to Caddo, with some behind the scenes assistance.  Their investigations were not in line with Greathouse's plans, so they got dismissed from the job and sent back to explain themselves to the Senate committees.  The resulting government oversight committee determined Gaagi was using undercover agents in dealings with both Caddo and Naschitti.  He resigned from his position as Chief Executive, and Buffalo Walks was elected to replace him from his prior duty as "Desert Defender".

The Andean Incan Empire Pachamac, Emperor of the Heavens
Diplomacy:  Guyami (fa), Boruca (nt)

Diplomats were sent off north to Guyami and Boruca, taking funds and men for construction of three new port cities.  Tawatinsuyu in Cuna, Chinchaysuyu in Guyami, and Tokrikoq in Boruca.  The last region there also got a veritable army of guys with axes to start clearing the forests for fields, and the whole affair was to be connected to the capitol by royal road.  This last bit got started, and soon discovered they had underbid the contract by quite a large margin.  Building a royal road through a jungle was a very different kettle of fish than building one across a cultivated region.  So work began and the contractors requested more money and men.

The good news was that the foundation of Tokrikoq allowed the Incans to begin trading goods and services with the Anasazi far to the north.

Oh, and Pachamac lives.  He's 85 now, but he has the looks of a 75 year old.

Quiro Mapuche      Amriko, the Chosen
Diplomacy:  None

Colonists trekked north to the deserts of Coquimbo from their nice homes in Aeden and Quiroci.  "Why?, one asks?   Presumably to be closer to the Inca nation, maybe trade goods along the borders.  Up until then, those deserts were completely uninhabited, for good reason.  They're deserts.

A new city, Huilta, was founded across the mountains in Huilta, and the border province Poya got a brand new fortress for protection.
 

ISI Rankings for Turn 40 Anno Domini 1096 – 1100