Re: Southernization

[Sirius Lupin]

Somewhere in Eastern India, the city of Athelot is founded.

[A Blind Guy]

"We will decide this once he is in our hands."

[99luftballons]

[Australia]

The ceremony is a success. While there are still a good amount of "unbelievers", others are enthusiastic about the gods and by extension their leader for seemingly also accepting them.

Aqariqo scouts in Canberra find several important things of note.
1.Canberra has a pretty strong fleet, though most are merchants and traveling between Melbourne and Tasmania. Only a handful are trading with Zeeland.
2. Canberra itself is protected by a wooden wall. It has decent defensive capability around its' major cities: Canberra and the coastal Melvorn.
3. Canberra is also following the gods of Zeeland.
4. Canberra is rich and a good potential trading partner.

Scouts to the north find no civilized city, though plenty of barbarians.
Scouts/diplomats that go to the Canberran neighbors are received well enough. They seem to already be trading amongst themselves. Melbourne is the strongest of the nations in Australia so far...

Sources of Obsidian are quickly discovered nearby.
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[Japan]
"You are wise" Elm turns to the assembly and tells them when to attack. Thus the meeting is over and troop preparations are made.

Osaka merchants sail to Tetsu lands to open up trade. They want assurances that they won't be taxed and will able to sail freely into Tetsu harbors.
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[India]
The new city finds itself in a region covered in rain-forest. Already clearing out parts of the jungle has allowed for the establishment of fertile fields. Barbarians however lurk around aplenty.

[Flagmauth]

Arqariqo moves to establish diplomatic relations with Melbourne, while the territory around Canberra is scouted.

[A Blind Guy]

The tetsu leader accepts the merchant's requests.

[99luftballons]

[Australia]

Melbourne is cautious in extending diplomatic relations. It wants proof that it is not dealing with a random barbarian tribe and wants to negotiate with the Aqariqo king in person within Melbourne territory.

Zealand's Patriarchy is meanwhile assigning high priests (second in rank only to the holy council and the Patriarch [think Pope]) to territories following their religion as is custom every twelve years. Of the nations Aqariqo knows off, all are assigned a high priests of their national origin. Aqariqo however is assigned a Zealander as their High Priest...

[Japan]

Meanwhile the surprise attack is pulled off on Shikoku. Edo makes a sucessful landfall with its' many mercenary troops and quickly established itself. Messenger boats are sent back to Edo for further orders.

The Osakan troops not only land, they run into a larger yet unsuspecting Shikokuan force. It gets executed. The troops quickly capture a fort and are sending messenger boats to the other parties to see if their invasion was successful.

[India]

Athelot scouts meanwhile discover a civilized city to the southeast. Unfortunately they are captured because their inhabitants think of them as barbarians.

[Flagmauth]

The king does not view the Zeelander in a favorable light - but he does not protest the decision. Zeeland's god of the sea does not factor into Arqariqoar policy and so the man is safely ignored by the throne, though pious Viuqoar men who were passed over for the decision harbor resentment.

Regarding relations with Melborn, the king refuses to come in person, instead sending a pair of envoys to treat with the ruler of Melborn. Emphasis is given to projecting as impressive a front as possible - Arqariqoar men are hand-selected for the job from the city militia and administration and drilled in their duties until they become second nature.

[Flagmauth]

The envoys are sent to treat with Melborn as Arqariqo prepares to attack Qanberra and expand its territory.

[99luftballons]

Melbourne doesn't care to receive anyone but the king. The envoys are sent back.

Canberra doesn't seem too worried about the army build-up of their northern neighbor, figuring that it is to fight off for barbarians. They send a messenger asking nonetheless.

In Japan the coalition manages to capture Oak and his lands. The various leaders of the armies meet in the ruins of the capital to discuss what happens next...

[Flagmauth]

The messenger is told that there is a barbarian camp that they are preparing to deal with and sent back.

[99luftballons]

The messenger believes him and offers to send some canberran troops north to help.

[Flagmauth]

Qanberra's offer is taken - and an ambush is laid out for the smaller nation's troops.

[99luftballons]

Canberra's troops arrive and join the main army of Aqariqo.

[Flagmauth]

Only for arrows fired by Arqariqoar longbowmen to slice into their flanks as their melee troops turned on them.

[99luftballons]

"What the ________" Their commander stuttered before trying to get his troops out of the Aqariqo capital. Not that it was effective, due to the chaos in his rank.

[Flagmauth]

The Arqariqoar set about slaughtering the Qanberran troops.

[99luftballons]

Which isn't too difficult. A few of the troops put down their obsidian swords to surrender...

Meanwhile Zealandish ships appear on the horizon. A coast guard boat is told they are transporting marble to build their first temple in the Aqariqo capital.

[Flagmauth]

The troops surrendering are promptly dealt with and taken prisoner.

The Zeeland ships are hailed by the boat again asking to inspect their cargo.

[99luftballons]

The Aqariqo citizens are shocked to hear that Aqariqo decided to turn on its' ally. A few people come to complain to their leader. Aqariqo has to hurry and take Canberra to win the war...

It turns out that there is in fact marble on the ships. The Zealanders want to build the temple very central on high quality land in the capital, which of course some of the nobles don't want. Furthermore Zealanders are asking for dumb muscle to help build the temple.

[Flagmauth]

The citizens are informed, of course, that Qanberra was never an ally of Arqariqo. Besides which, Qanberra can only benefit from the enlightenment that Arqariqoar rule is certain to bring.

The temple construction is approved - true, some of the nobles are upset, but some of them are also pious and an agreeable arrangement can certainly be made.

The army marches on Qanberra to take it.

[99luftballons]

Canberra is a city located inland. It is fortified by a wooden wall, and keeps a small army to guard the city. It is on the opposite side of the river however and no army large enough to take it can approach without the city knowing about it. That said, the guards along the wall are sparse and the small cavalry units to scout the river banks few. Canberra's only hope is to keep Aqariqo on the opposite side of the river and win over Melbourne's support (which will take a few weeks at least to send over the troops). The king of Canberra sends out a messenger to ask why their peaceful relations have been disturbed.

Meanwhile scholars in the vast Patriarch Library of Wellington have discovered maps of the region (link below). Zealand apparently has ships that can reach further and have explored far more than their Australian cousins.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hOQPPkSLS8Wxf8AzbaSot4Qwc3sAEzyAR973UmiqbiQ/edit?usp=sharing

[Flagmauth]

The messenger is informed the Qanberran troops arrived at the planned rendezvous point when one of their arrows killed the official who was meeting them there. They then attacked. As a result, the Tiqun has no choice but to demand that Qanberra, with the loss of their army, capitulate to Arqariqo. The messenger is assured that if Qanberra submits with no further bloodshed then they will essentially be allowed to maintain their current government - the Qanberran king need only answer to the Tiqun. The consequences of resistance are left deliberately vague.

Meanwhile, Arqariqo is quick to note the available land to the north. It is felt, however, that actions taken based on its existence need to take a back seat to the current conflict.

[99luftballons]

The Canberran King needs to think this proposal over as he stalls for time...

[Flagmauth]

Of course, the Arqariqoar army is still marching on Qanberra. They aim to cross the river some distance from the city proper - no point assaulting it directly across, that would be suicide even with their massive advantage.

[99luftballons]

There are no bridges, seeing that Canberra destroyed them. Ships would be the best option, but Canberra has more ships in its fleet. A lot further down the river however is a ford, that the Canberrans have hastily fortified...

In either case however, the Canberran king warns there can be no negotiations while an attack is imminent.

As to how other nations respond:
None have heard of recent developments...yet
-Melbourne soldiers/ mercenaries for their caravans/fleets in Canberra have decided to help their trading partner. In Aqariqo naturally Melbourne crew are staying low and on their ships.
-The only diplomat currently in the Aqariqo is from Tasmania. He has delivered a not of even stronger protest to the king (According to political science here is how the severity of protest is ranked: note of protest (which means they don't like your action) < strong note of protest (which means they don't like your action) < Even stronger note of protest (which means they still don't like your action) < actual diplomatic interference (embargo, war, etc.))
-The Zealand foreign minister in Canberra has ordered their troops to defend their main temples to the water god (both in Canberra and Aqariqo). They are a pious nation and will not meddle in non-religious wars.

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