The Dance of Civilizations [Diplo Game] [Story Thread Pt3 - November 2009]

[Russia (DoC)]

Russia rises

I am becoming old, said Catherine. Standing at her tower in Moscow, overlooking her people, she turned to her Persian handmaidens and smiled at them. These young girls that had come to Russia, 5 every year since the great sacrifices were made, were now a solid core of educated administrators and priestesses. Not long from now, I will return to the underworld, to forever stay by Hastog's side. And with my daughter away in the northlands, someone else must deal with the daily plight of rule in our homeland. The daughters of Persia, now become like daughters to me, are trained in all that is needed to rule, except the art of war and politics. I have trained you well and you have served me even better. But as my time draws short, how will my legacy be continued? I order you thus, that those most senior of you, continue in my footsteps, accept 5 girls every year, teach them what I have taught you, and I will make you a priveliged class within Russia. From this day and forth, you shall be the Clerk Servants of the Moscowites. Your education and profession are to become an institution in our lands. I am certain that this will herald a new dawn for Russia, an age of gold and glory. Also, it is time we officially declared Hastog to be master of these lands. My daughter, and by extension all of Russia are children of Hastog. We follow his way as taught by my acts and words. May Hastog bring his doom upon all.


Meanwhile in the far north

Dominika stood at a tent watching her army. Thinking of the many days she had spent in the northlands, trying to convince her generals that she did indeed speak for Catherine and Russia, she had not yet gained the loyalties she would need to make war. Today, something strange was in the air, a wind blew from the southwest, from the Russian heartland. Entering the command tent she looked upon her generals and spoke.

-My mother is dying. I can feel it. The callings of Hastog grow stronger every day. He will tear a hole in the world to reclaim his bride. This means that I will be ruler of Russia. I will show the world that Russia's place is no longer in the shadows, we will step forward and shine like a golden army in the sun. From Novgorod to Nova Semlja, the old world will burn in the fires of industry, and the undeserving ancient empires will fall one by one under the iron fist of the Slavs. Russia prevails! Let us return to Moscow to claim my birthright!


The generals had heard her speak before. They had felt the burning passion she carried, but always they had urged caution and restraint. Torn between loyalty to the true sovereign in Moscow, and this raging fire of youth before them, they had been unable to agree to a course of action. Their indeciveness had infuriated Dominika. But now they seemed to understand that the winds of change were sweeping down over them. They nodded, agreeing to follow the young princess where she would lead them.

[Korea (DoC)]

Wang Ka strode angrily into his quarters. He had jsut had yet another communciation s to the Britanians returned un opend.
This time it was too much, unlike his father the previous Wang Ka, Ka was a man of action, he ordered trade to be calcnelled with the Britanians till they rrepsonded to the Diplomatic channels.

Besides his people needed Ivory more than they did.

[Persia (DoC)]

A letter written on paper was sent to Dominika of Russia.
Congratulations were sent to Dominika because of the passing away of her mother which fulfilled both the destiny of Catherine and Dominika.

The detailed content of the message remained confidential.

[India (DoC)]

Greetings King Exeter,


We welcome opening our borders again, our traders can't wait to reestablish the trade routes.


King Sanjaya

[Mali (DoC)]

The partnership between the priests of Tao and The Great Korta has strengthened over the years. The descendants of The Great Korta took the throne as the fathers passed on to the heavens and met with the great gods of Tao. Inheriting the throne however, had it's consequences. With each passing of the torch from father to soon, the priests gained a better foothold in the day to day activities of the kingdom. The Great Korta was becoming a figurehead, but he didn't realize it. All it took were the promises of the priests to an inexperienced new leader. Eventually, the priests were collecting taxes which led down a spiraling path as The Great Korta lost more and more power. Bureaucracy was taking hold and would not be soon abandoned in the Mali nation.

[Egypt (DoC)]

Hor-Aha's journey

Hor-Aha woke up. His body felt stiff, and old. He got dressed and ascended his throne with the help of his servants.

Sailhotep, his loyal captain who was appointed to be the man who would lead Egypt's ships on the ice sea, approached him.
"Lord, our ships have made the crossing to the other side of the ocean. We have found suitable land to settle, and are laying the foundations for a new city as we speak. We have also found another spot to the east, on the same island, where we plan to found another city. It is not far, I have made the crossing in just one week."

Hor-Aha sat back, thinking. It felt good to finally see Egypt grow a little bit after all those years of having such giant nations next to Egypt.
"Send a messenger to great Theodosius, and the other members of the Council of the Ice Sea, informing them that we will settle on the land directly North and Northeast of Egypt. Tell them that we will try to function as an early warning system, informing all members when we see any barbarian vessels approaching the continent."
"Yes great Hor-Aha, it will be done", said the captain, bowing as he was leaving the room.

"Oh, one more thing Sailhotep. Tell the harbormaster to prepare a ship for me. I will visit this new land myself. I have grown old and weak, but I wish to see something new before I draw my last breath. One more adventure, yes, one more journey to the unknown. Actually, bring me paper. I will send a message to both Mayta Capac and Theodosius, my oldest friends and closest neighbours, and invite them to accompany me. Make sure that we will have access to a few barrels of our finest whiskeh, and other Egyptian 'delicacies'. If it's one thing the three of us have earned over the years, it is a 'working' holiday. And, on your way out, tell my son, Ramesses, to come here. I have urgent matters to discuss with him."

[Orb (DoC)]

Days after taking over as emperor Michael was over whelmed by his duties. He was still
young and lacked the basic skill set to deal with foreign nations or even his own people.
So he created the position of Prim Minister and gave I to his much more experienced
uncle Alexander. He placed Prim Minster Alexander temporarily in charge until he returned
from his trip around the known world.



Michael refit the flag ship Yorktown and departed to learn more of how to rule.







Back in Pendragon, Alexander assigned all the cities to build libraries, he sent missionaries
to spread the Jewish faith to all the land, and he reviewed the daily reports he got from
the troops standing outside of the Byzantine city of Rhodes. Which from the looks of
things war would start soon and the battle would prove to be one no one would ever
forget.



Russian army outside of Rhodes:

[Russia (DoC)]

Leading her soldiers east, Dominika had gathered the largest army in the world. Thousands of Axemen, Catapults, Spears, the new Russian elite shock troops carrying heavy armor and maces, and the towering Mumakil elephant cavalry. The defenders counted almost as many. Longbow regiments, archers, axemen and cavalry. Dominika was not deterred. Standing outside the Byzantine border, Dominika sent a messenger with a simple note.

-The time for words is over. You have refused to leave Thule and brought armies to our lands. Prepare to die.

[Byzantium (DoC)]

The farmers and fishermen prepare to die

Bellisarius, the governor of Rhodes, took receipt of Dominika's note. He knew what it would contain - for Byzantine scouts had been tracking the advancing Russian and Persian army across the tundra and forests.

The time for words is over. You have refused to leave Thule and brought armies to our lands. Prepare to die.

Reading it, he laughed. "Dominika, still to the end you lie. Haven't you realised yet that nobody believes you. The time for words is over! There never was a time when you were prepared to discuss Rhodes, from the very first moment your only answer was war. Every nation on earth who has commented on the Rhodes situation has agreed that your claim is spurious. So lets not pretend. War is what you have always wanted. Even when your friends the Persians proposed mediation you immediately rejected it. This is simply an premeditated attack on a peaceful city because you want the land. Truly the act of a barbarian."

Bellisarius looked out over the flat lands.



The Russian army was huge. No word about war had come from the Persians, though their army stood with the Russians. Presumably they had been sent to try to faciliate the mediation which Ahm-Az had proposed but the Russians rejected. Would they now join in the unprovoked attack on a pecaeful city? What would they now do?

Bellisarius looked at his own forces. Many were just farmeres and fishermen, armed by the generosity of our friends, but simple people all the same. People who had lived, farmed and fished on the tundra for centuries. They had answered the call to arms, bravely but what else could they do. These were their homes, the homes of their fathers and grandfathers before them; their wives and children were hidden huddled in the wearhouses by the docks. They would fight as free men defending their families and farms. And, Bellisarius knew, they would in all likelihood die. To a man, woman and child.

He laughed again, wondering at the stange call of god which was to lead to him, the son of a cargo vessel captain on the Marmara, to die here.

There was but one glimmer of hope. The people has started to pray to the martyr Constantine, who had died many years before defending the farmers of Antioch against invasion. His death had turned the evil tide that day; his blood has brought salvation to the people. Maybe Constantine would come to the people's aid. At least it gave them hope.

[Orb (DoC)]

ooc: Just so everyone knows I'm not part of the war. Russia and Persia just so happened to move where my unit was already at.

[Native America (DoC)]

Massasoit was concerned about some of the chiefs resisting the spread of the Tao religion. He hoped that the construction of the Shaman training wigwams, now completed in some places, would help with spreading Tao beliefs to the outlying villages and further. Maybe even to convince the neighboring Korea to become believers.

Then he was informed about this new cult of a Budda that had arrived in Snaketown.

What was surprising, to Massasoit, was that Lone Horn (and sons) in his messages back to Massasoit had never mentioned meeting with any tribe which professed such beliefs.

So Massasoit decided to call a special PowWow to help chiefs discuss these serious issues about life and the after life.

Meanwhile Massasoit himself retreated to his Wigwam to ponder the merits of each of these cults beliefs known to him and to compare them against the beliefs, handed down from his forbearers, generation after generation.

He was disturbed by the conclusions.

[Persia (DoC)]

Bellisarius of Byzantium,

Don't use Persia to cover your shame.
I have indeed offered to mediate, but not only Russia ignored this, Byzantium never tried to mediate either.
You can ignore Persia. I would have done that in your position.
But don't think that you can abuse Persia for your goals.
Don't awaken us and move us against you.

Our army near Rhodos is indeed small and only there for mediation purposes.
But my army is most probably the army tha can make the difference between two almost equal armies of Russia and Byzantium.

I urge you to make an offer that Russia can't resist.
I advise you to make Byzantium giving up all claims on any part of Hascon ('Thule' in the Russian language) a part of this offer.

War is beautiful.
The blood of young boys on the battle field.
The rage of their old parents at home.
Life ended before it could fulfil it's promises.
Doom all around.

We love war.
But now this is not the time for war.

Make this offer now, Bellisarius.
And NEVER ever try to use Persia to backup your sorry words.
There's a thin line between peace and war.
You may not want to cross it.

Guru Ahm'Az

[Byzantium (DoC)]

Guru Ahm'Az,

You seem not to have noticed that the Russians have already declared this war, they have already crossed that line.

My orders are clear. I was to pursue peace until the point when we were invaded. Until that point, despite the cost of the build up of war, I was instructed to compromise.

Now, though my orders are to prosecute this war, for the defence of the people of Rhodes, and the permanent destruction of the Russian threat.

Byzantium peaceful nature cannot be abused. We offered peace, but if others choose war, they will find that war pursued vigorously to their destruction. This war will not conclude simply with the destruction of the Russian army at Rhodes. I am sure Hastog would approve.

Bellisarius, Governor of Rhodes

[Native America (DoC)]

Lone Horn, in retracing his voyage of exploration along the coast near Byzantium and Russia, sensed he was watching a conflict unfold onshore. Certainly his captains could espy large armies face each other. He was determined to stay out at sea and avoid getting embroiled in this dispute.

[Byzantium (DoC)]

Do not fear Lone Horn. There have been no pirates in these waters since Rhodes was founded centuries ago, and so far the Russian barbarians have not been sighted on the water, so you should be safe.