Domination of Barbarians [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 14 - May 2013]

[Greece (DoB)]

The Persian have joined the war against the Byzantine barbarians, one city remains. Armies marching towards it, there is no place for this barbarians to run.

[China (DoB)]

Qin held Aiko as she sobbed into his shoulder. Aiko had not expected to see Qin again. Even an eternal emperor could expire after 1000’s of years.

Qin had met up with Aiko’s escort of Axe and Swordsmen 2000 strong. Qin had seen the dust on the horizon the previous day. Fearing it to be another contagion of barbarians, he had hid in the hills but then he recognized the banners. His wife had come to meet him. He came down to cheers.

Aiko told Qin of being purged from her homeland. A usurper had managed to gain control of the palace guard and wrested control of the throne from her. She had escaped in the night to the safety of China.

For Qin, it had been a beautiful but painful journey to the European West. With each civilization he encountered, what followed was turmoil. The Persian princess, who he coupled with and tasted her V of sweet nectar was overthrown moments after he left. He had traveled to Greece to be denied entry, was stopped at the gates of France, but welcomed in Rome, paraded in Netherlands, feasted by Ottomans and by Byzantines. Forging new trade for spices in exchange for silk and gold. These trades lasted only for short time. The west was mired in conflict. Old realms revolted, the barbarian swelled, looted and burned the cities and fields. In many ways his long journey was a waste.

The journey home had been a constant battle. Many times Qin had thought his long life was coming to an end, but his men and his eternal will to survive prevailed. 1000’s of barbarians had fallen to his guard to the north of the Tibetan plateau. Each night he had feasted on the fresh blood of barbarian women tending to their wounded. He never finished one, preferring to leave them unconscious to become a new threat to the barbarians. They would feed on themselves. The immortal horde.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

The terrible news reaches the palace in River Village.

"Disaster has befallen our settlements in the new world. The wild-ling barbarians now have forged Swords and shields that protect them from arrows. A horde of these warriors have ambushed a settling party bound for the North American interior. What is worse another band of wild-ling barbarians have burned a small Netherlands settlement to the ground. Our Archers were useless against their mighty Swords. We must equip our Archers with more powerful weapons or sent better armed soldiers from now on if we are to fend off this new technology of the barbarians. Axes are said to be effective against sword wielding warriors."

Minister Selashen listened to the news in silence. Then he withdrew to his private chambers. No one has seen King Christiansen in many years, not even his relatives. Rumors have started to circulate that Selashen hides the truth that the King is no more, but he is the most powerful man in Netherlands and no one can challenge him. He continues to claim the King is too weak and sick for visitors.

[England (DoB)]

News of heavy Nether losses was met with bewilderment in London....how could they be so foolish as to send their men to near certain death without an adequate garrison? Barbarian swordsmen and axemen have raided New World settlements for decades, if not centuries. And woe be to any who believe a small garrison can hold off a determined barbarian horde. English scouts will never forget coming across the ruin of a Viking settlement that was completely overrun despite being held by two highly experienced companies of axes entrenched on a commanding hill?

With long experience fighting the barbarous French, the English never once underestimated the ferociousness of the barbarian hordes. Defense in depth, walls, and crossbows....a defensive policy some may call overkill but the English are probably the only nation to have never lost a unit to barbarian attack.

[Persia (DoB)]

In his hands were the swords of Aleppo and Persepolis, most prized of his father's favourite weaponsmiths. They shattered shields and spears, deflected axes and stabbed through armor, moans of wounded men they silenced, and those yet living knew fear when they faced the wall of death presented to all those unfit to live as Muslims for denying Sharia law, that Allah set forth through the Prophet Muhammed. The kadirs were numerous as the stars in the sky at night, uncountable as grains of sand in the deep desert, and he would cut them all down himself if need be.



His name was Malik-Shah, and a golden age was ended as he came home to the funeral of his father Jafar.

[Holy Roma (DoB)]

King Lothar received a message from his spy in Damascus. He read it and threw it in the basket broken into many pieces. A few hours later pieces (not all) were in the hands of the enemy spies who read the following:
New ruler of Persia ....... reasonable ....... rumored that he is a Christian concubine ...... we use it ........ please sir send friendly ......... wait for orders.

[Persia (DoB)]

A soldier walks from the ranks of his platoon of six hundred men toward the city of Wheatfield, last settlement of the Byzantine tribe, sword in hand. At a stone marker he pauses, sidesteps, and waits as an arrow lands where he was standing.

"Defenders of Wheatfield, I will give you an opportunity to surrender."

He sidesteps once more, and another arrow falls where he stood.

"Last chance."

Some rough words are heard, sounding like an argument, then: "Oh yeah? You and what army?"

Without a word, he raises his weapon in the air and moves back as the signal is called.



From all sides come marching the army of Greece with macemen at the front, Ottoman army sending chariots close behind, with Persian forces intermingled between them. It lasted for a full day, and afterwards, the only knowledge of Byzantium was found in scrolls and books.

The year was 1085 AD, the Byzantine Empire was no more.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

This is a notice to all tribes that the English have used explorer pirates to kidnap peaceful Netherlands workers. The poor men and women were simply building a camp for deer near a small Netherlands settlement when the English, under the cover of night, capturing our people after we had already given them orders and then quickly running away with the kidnapped workers before we even had a chance to see that they had been taken from us. So the English surprise attacked our defenseless people. Of course the Explorers carry no national markers to identify them as English, but we can see clearly that the 3 workers they stole are now English instead of Netherlands, so there can be no doubt that the English are the thieves.

This is an especially shameful act, because we were negotiating in good faith with the English to sell the services of our people. They choose to kidnap our people under the cover of darkness rather than to trade in broad daylight in good faith. We offer the English a chance to confess their guilt and return our people. We will bear no grudge for the ruined Deer camp if they are returned to us. If they are not returned, and no compensation is offered, then obviously the English have no honor and this is a warning to all tribes that the English will steal your Workers with sneaky tactics. Be on your guard from the English kidnappers!

We also notice that the English have violated the ages old treaty of non-espionage. They have started building huge espionage against us for no reason whatsoever. We think this is obvious that England is putting high espionage against us and stealing our defenseless workers in an obvious attempt to prepare for war against us and hopefully to provoke war with Netherlands. Netherlands condemns the wanton aggression of England!

-Minister Selashen

[Persia (DoB)]

Another messenger arrives from the Celtic tribe. Making demands to cease activities of public affection towards another tribe. This is not the first time that other tribes have tried to put pressure on Malik-Shah since his ascendance to leadership of Persia. This man leaves with a negative reply. Attempts to dictate the affections of Persia will fail.



But the tribes affected by the Barbarian Reneissance seem to act like spoiled children in their manner towards others. Russian, Celtic and German messengers have been sent away, and are now all but banned from the presence of Malik-Shah after their display of arrogant demands.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

The treasury is empty!!!



An uproar is growing against the management of Minister Selashen, or mismanagement it could be said. Thousands have taken to the streets all over the Kingdom, in Europe as well as America. STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! is the chant hear round the world. No wages No work! is what the Netherlands people are screaming. The treasury is gone bankrupt after years of Minister Selashen being the manager of all finances.

People are demanding to see the King! They will accept no more excuses! What has Minister Selashen been doing with all the money? Rumors are that he has bankrupted the country in a foolhardy cultural cold war with the English. Others say he only kept the Kingdom afloat by extortion and threats against weaker tribes.

Selashen has shut himself away in the Royal palace and will see no one. All meetings must be by letter as he trusts no one. The need of the Kingdom is most dire now, with England kidnapping our people and our treasury empty, how will Netherlands survive.

[England (DoB)]

The Nether can't defend their borders or pay their bills, is it any surprise workers defect to join England?

As to espionage, England deplores such duplicitous accusations. Yes espionage was increased...how else would any leader react when faced with the threat to use spys to cause revolts in English cities? Do the Nether deny having made such threats? Does England's defensive espionage spending violate any treaties or agreements? Certainly not given England's declaration that that ALL existing treaties with the Nether have been terminated.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

The Workers did not defect. They were kidnapped by English Explorer units. Does England deny stealing Netherlands workers using Explorers?

England claims that Netherlands threatens England to cause revolts with spies, and this justifies increased espionage against us. How can we cause revolts without any espionage activity? Do not use these so-called "threats" as excuses. England has been threatening Netherlands for centuries.

Rather than blustering about these so called "threats" between us, let us look at the actual actions. England has flat out stolen Workers from Netherlands using Explorer units. Then England tried to use an Explorer unit to capture an undefended Netherlands city. Do you deny these atrocities?

I wonder if all the voices that were so quick to condemn the aggressive acts of small weak nations in the past are as quick to condemn the aggression of the strong? Where is the international outrage now!

England, should know that when your Explorer tried (and failed) to capture Haithabu, he had to reveal his nationality to enter the city. So our peaceful town watch has recorded his name and nationality (OOC screenshot), so there can be no doubt it was an English Explorer who kidnapped our 3 workers, and then tried to sack one of our cities.

In the name of peace and civilized international relations I call upon England to return our 3 kidnapped Workers immediately by turning them over to the Portuguese city in Florida. Do this immediately I beseech you or forever be know as a Rogue international Pirate State.

I call on all nations to condemn Englands blatant act of piracy, kidnapping and atrocity against Netherlands and to renounce all trade with them until they return the kidnapped Netherlands Workers and pledge not to engage in any further acts of Piracy.

Minister Selashen of Netherlands Kingdom

[Holy Roma (DoB)]

Official announcement of Pope Celestine XII:
His Holiness the pain there divisions among European nations. His Holiness calls on the leaders of Britain and the Netherlands to sit at the negotiating table. The Holy Father is ready to be an impartial arbiter in the dispute between them. Let's not forget that Europe must be united against the mighty Asian countries. Otherwise, we all have to start learning Farsi or Russian.

[England (DoB)]

To the Nether:

You state England “claims” Nether threatened to cause revolts with spies. This is no claim, it is a fact and we ask again if you deny it? In the future we suggest you consider thinking through the consequences and likely counter-reactions of other civilizations before making such threats again.

By contrast England openly states we warned Nether not to send Kafka to the New World and threatened to cancel all past agreements--including our pact of non aggression--if you did so. Yes this was a direct threat, a threat which England has followed through on as is our right and as you should have anticipated and prepared for.

Nether lambasts the defection of its workers to England as disingenuous, but we question if it was any less so than the spontaneous “enlightenment” of French workers who recently joined the Nether?

To HRE:
We welcome your effort at mediation but after tedious bilateral negotiations with the Nether we fear there is little common ground to be had. While we are happy to negotiate under HRE auspices, England will continue to take action to pressure Nether into accepting reasonable terms for reopening borders and mitigating cultural conflict in the New World.

[Netherlands (DoB)]

Although Netherlands regards the English question in bad faith, since you refuse to admit that you have used piracy explorers to steal our Workers, we will answer your question in the interest of exposing your hypocrisy.

The answer to your question is yes, we absolutely deny your claim that we threatened to used spies to cause revolts in your cities. This is a heinous lie that you have repeated twice now and used as an excuse for all your crimes and acts of war against our people.

We searched our historical record and found this letter to England:

It seems like we agree on me giving you compensation for the cities. We do have different ideas about if/when they will revolt and flip. It is inevitable for Nuevo York in the next few turns and with a little coaxing from spies, its pretty inevitable for Newfoundland as well. But getting the cities now is a benefit to me rather than waiting for them to flip.

Any fool can see that the mention of spies was hypothetical and for information/negotiation purposes as part of our good faith effort to negotiate for the good faith sale of the city. Netherlands never used or intended to use spies against England cities. At no point did Netherlands state any intent to use spies against England. In truth, Netherlands has NEVER used spies against England, and we have not sent any espionage agents to England for millennia.

Now England has, with no espionage provocation or spy activity by Netherlands whatsoever, launched a massive espionage campaign against us and started stealing our workers. This pathetic, flimsy excuse about some vague threats are now exposed for the fraud they are. England is well aware that we merely mentioned spies as part of negotiation to illustrate our opinion of the value of the cities. Your attempt to use this as a pretense for kidnapping our Workers and bombarding us with espionage is shameful.

And your attempt to use the French, and anything we did to the French as an excuse for England to do anything is even more pathetic. Are you allies with France? What an utter farce! You England have been killing and attacking France for thousands of years! Now all of a sudden you are France's high protector? Let the French speak for themselves and stop trying to use France as an excuse for your crimes. England does not speak on behalf of France until France says so publicly.

Now that we have answered your question answer ours. Do you admit to the kidnapping of Netherlands workers using Explorer pirates? Will England return the kidnapped citizens of Netherlands and renounce piracy or not? Or are you sticking with the policy that England will commit crimes against humanity and acts of war against any country that does not give up their territorial sovereignty to the whims of England for free? Netherlands has offered Open Borders to England numerous times as part of good faith negotiations and England response it to commit atrocities against our people?

Where are the voices of the World against the piracy of England?