Mugholia
09-11-2004, 14:59
((This is my first post, so please, let me know if I'm doing anything wrong! I didn't know if it was ok to make up non-player nations, so I just left their names blank. If this is allowed I will put them in for more flavour. Thanks!))
In the rocky Mughol mountains there had not been peace for years. Since the collapse of the ancient empire, the city states had been feuding amongst themselves, and in the time that passed over the centuries, modern states had grown and prospered around it. Several much larger and more powerful states began to take an interest in the chaotic region, eyeing off its sparse, but valuable natural resources. The zone became a disputed territory, and the only thing that saved the native Mughols from subjugation was the fact that none of the greater powers could decisively defeat the other, and thus lay claim upon it. As such, the Mughol mountains remained in the balance for many years yet.
That was until a man with ambition, intelligence and money came along. Not everyone hated the unceasing wars - for some it was profitibale. For Yamaputisan Harnasiridiya, this was true. He led the city state of Delidia in the Mughol mountains, and by selling weapons to the surrounding city states, but remaining neutral himself, made billions. With such vast sums of money, Yamaputisan became a prime target, but he happened to spend his money wisely. Instead of lavishing it upon himself, he hired and outfitted a great army - well, it was great compared to the other city states at least. Only 100,000 strong, he was hardly a rival to the surrounding great powers, but he was the strongest Mugholian city state, and after years of fighting the other states were worn out. Yamaputisan saw his chance; he cut off all the other states from his weapons and ammunition, waited for them to wear themselves down a little more, then struck. Yamaputisan showed his military genius here, swiftly conquering the city states one by one in little more than five years.
Yamaputisan established a Sultanate over the chaotic states with his seat of power enthroned at Delidia, but he had several challenges to face. First and foremost, the new unification of Mugholia posed a threat to the greater nations. Secondly, the Mugholian states were far from happy at their conquest. Finally, the arid, rocky mountainside of Muholia was rich in metals, and could produce arms well, but was useful for little else; if the nation was to thrive, it would need to import food and other goods.
The first problem was overcome by Yamaputisan with shrewd diplomacy. He approached one of the great nations surrounding Mugholia, the strongest of the three, and made a deal with it. He convinced the Sultan of that country that Mugholia was scarecely worth conquering, and that as a seperate state it was of more worth to him. If he would defend Mugholia, and trade his excess food, then Mugholia would provide him with very cheap weapons and ammunition. The rival Sultan agreed to Yamaputisan's deal, and the three greater nations were once again engulfed in war, leaving Mugholia to its own devices.
Yamaputisan, born into wealth and luxury and raised in a society without the Humanitarian ethics of more "civilised" countries, had little compassion for people - especially poor ones. Thus, the second issue raised, that of subjugating the Mugholian people, was of little consequence to him. He first attempted reconcilliation, offering all the lesser nobility of the rival city states the chance to come to his side. The upper nobility, and those that refused, were taken into the desert and slaughtered en masse. After this, very few refused Yamaputisan's offer of reconcilliation. To control the lower classes he established a harsh military state that was controlled by the council of Law, Order and Defence; which was led by Yamaputisan's sister, Narjiki Harnasiridiya. Compulsary drafting was introduced, and Yamaputisan bolstered the army to keep control.
With his rivals eliminated, Yamaputisan set about dealing with the nobility. He established thirteen clans, one for each of the Mugholian cities, and spread the nobility evenly across them. To prevent, or at least lessen the probability of, a noble uprising, Yamaputisan granted them a parliament. However, the body had little governing power, as it was overshadowed by the council of Law, Order and Defence, which could veto the parliament at any time. Using his wiles, Yamaputisan managed to, for the most part, mould the nobles to his cause, so that the use of this veto was rarely needed, and the nobles felt as if they had some control over the government.
Yamaputisan's state is not religious, and in fact "encourages" its citizens to "enlighten" themselves by freeing themselves of religious bondage; of course this means that there is a strict outlawing of religious worship, and offenders are prosecuted harshly. The Sultan does not discriminate against women or men, all are equal in his society; the only discrimination is based upon wealth. The top 5% of the income strata live a life free of worries. They belong to one of the thirteen clans, do not pay taxes and do not work. All other Mugholians live terrible lives, working overly long shifts without workers rights and with nothing but a pittance for pay. Some of the better off, in the very blurred middle class, managed to start businesses that gained great importance over the years, namely a soda company and a pizza company. These people were given exemption from the slave like work in the mines or the ammunition/weapons factories by Yamaputisan, and allowed to freely trade to the benefit of Mugholia. Finally, a flag was created to instill a form of national identity as a united Mugholian state; it incorporated thirteen crosses, one for each of the cities, and subsequent noble clans, the ancient tiger that represented the old Empire, and a castle to represent stability and solidarity; the colours chosen to represent the nation were blue and red. The people were under thumb, and Mugholia's economy was established.
With all Mugholia's problems solved, Yamaputisan set about gaining trade links with out desert bound nations. He shortened his name to Sultan Yama for simplicity's sake, and made connections with other nations, tacitly obscuring his brutal oppression of the Mugholian people. His efforts succeeded, and trade routes with other nations were opened. Sultan Yama began exporting everything Mugholia could produce, and began importing luxuries to keep his nobility content. The excess wealth went into strengthening his ever growing army as Sultan Yama cast his eyes towards the feuding states surrounding him - Mugholia would retake its place upon the stage of the world as the Empire it once was.
In the rocky Mughol mountains there had not been peace for years. Since the collapse of the ancient empire, the city states had been feuding amongst themselves, and in the time that passed over the centuries, modern states had grown and prospered around it. Several much larger and more powerful states began to take an interest in the chaotic region, eyeing off its sparse, but valuable natural resources. The zone became a disputed territory, and the only thing that saved the native Mughols from subjugation was the fact that none of the greater powers could decisively defeat the other, and thus lay claim upon it. As such, the Mughol mountains remained in the balance for many years yet.
That was until a man with ambition, intelligence and money came along. Not everyone hated the unceasing wars - for some it was profitibale. For Yamaputisan Harnasiridiya, this was true. He led the city state of Delidia in the Mughol mountains, and by selling weapons to the surrounding city states, but remaining neutral himself, made billions. With such vast sums of money, Yamaputisan became a prime target, but he happened to spend his money wisely. Instead of lavishing it upon himself, he hired and outfitted a great army - well, it was great compared to the other city states at least. Only 100,000 strong, he was hardly a rival to the surrounding great powers, but he was the strongest Mugholian city state, and after years of fighting the other states were worn out. Yamaputisan saw his chance; he cut off all the other states from his weapons and ammunition, waited for them to wear themselves down a little more, then struck. Yamaputisan showed his military genius here, swiftly conquering the city states one by one in little more than five years.
Yamaputisan established a Sultanate over the chaotic states with his seat of power enthroned at Delidia, but he had several challenges to face. First and foremost, the new unification of Mugholia posed a threat to the greater nations. Secondly, the Mugholian states were far from happy at their conquest. Finally, the arid, rocky mountainside of Muholia was rich in metals, and could produce arms well, but was useful for little else; if the nation was to thrive, it would need to import food and other goods.
The first problem was overcome by Yamaputisan with shrewd diplomacy. He approached one of the great nations surrounding Mugholia, the strongest of the three, and made a deal with it. He convinced the Sultan of that country that Mugholia was scarecely worth conquering, and that as a seperate state it was of more worth to him. If he would defend Mugholia, and trade his excess food, then Mugholia would provide him with very cheap weapons and ammunition. The rival Sultan agreed to Yamaputisan's deal, and the three greater nations were once again engulfed in war, leaving Mugholia to its own devices.
Yamaputisan, born into wealth and luxury and raised in a society without the Humanitarian ethics of more "civilised" countries, had little compassion for people - especially poor ones. Thus, the second issue raised, that of subjugating the Mugholian people, was of little consequence to him. He first attempted reconcilliation, offering all the lesser nobility of the rival city states the chance to come to his side. The upper nobility, and those that refused, were taken into the desert and slaughtered en masse. After this, very few refused Yamaputisan's offer of reconcilliation. To control the lower classes he established a harsh military state that was controlled by the council of Law, Order and Defence; which was led by Yamaputisan's sister, Narjiki Harnasiridiya. Compulsary drafting was introduced, and Yamaputisan bolstered the army to keep control.
With his rivals eliminated, Yamaputisan set about dealing with the nobility. He established thirteen clans, one for each of the Mugholian cities, and spread the nobility evenly across them. To prevent, or at least lessen the probability of, a noble uprising, Yamaputisan granted them a parliament. However, the body had little governing power, as it was overshadowed by the council of Law, Order and Defence, which could veto the parliament at any time. Using his wiles, Yamaputisan managed to, for the most part, mould the nobles to his cause, so that the use of this veto was rarely needed, and the nobles felt as if they had some control over the government.
Yamaputisan's state is not religious, and in fact "encourages" its citizens to "enlighten" themselves by freeing themselves of religious bondage; of course this means that there is a strict outlawing of religious worship, and offenders are prosecuted harshly. The Sultan does not discriminate against women or men, all are equal in his society; the only discrimination is based upon wealth. The top 5% of the income strata live a life free of worries. They belong to one of the thirteen clans, do not pay taxes and do not work. All other Mugholians live terrible lives, working overly long shifts without workers rights and with nothing but a pittance for pay. Some of the better off, in the very blurred middle class, managed to start businesses that gained great importance over the years, namely a soda company and a pizza company. These people were given exemption from the slave like work in the mines or the ammunition/weapons factories by Yamaputisan, and allowed to freely trade to the benefit of Mugholia. Finally, a flag was created to instill a form of national identity as a united Mugholian state; it incorporated thirteen crosses, one for each of the cities, and subsequent noble clans, the ancient tiger that represented the old Empire, and a castle to represent stability and solidarity; the colours chosen to represent the nation were blue and red. The people were under thumb, and Mugholia's economy was established.
With all Mugholia's problems solved, Yamaputisan set about gaining trade links with out desert bound nations. He shortened his name to Sultan Yama for simplicity's sake, and made connections with other nations, tacitly obscuring his brutal oppression of the Mugholian people. His efforts succeeded, and trade routes with other nations were opened. Sultan Yama began exporting everything Mugholia could produce, and began importing luxuries to keep his nobility content. The excess wealth went into strengthening his ever growing army as Sultan Yama cast his eyes towards the feuding states surrounding him - Mugholia would retake its place upon the stage of the world as the Empire it once was.