NationStates Jolt Archive

So, to try something a bit different from all the World Wars, 1800's and general Euro-centric stuff that's going on, I figure this is a good start.

For those who are unaware, 'Pre-Columbian' refers to the era in the Americas after human occupation, but before significant European contact (by strict definition, it ends in 1492 when Columbus arrives, but it can be stretched up to the fall of the Aztec or Inca empires as well). Generally, we're going to go for the period just prior to the arrival of the Spanish, when America was host to two great empires, the Aztec and the Inca. In addition to these there were a number of not-quite-so famous states which were quite powerful as well, and should provide a good setting for some roleplay.


Population:
Divide your own population by 1000. (essentially, for every billion people in your nation, you get one million on this earth)

Claiming:

http://i35.tinypic.com/t4wd2u.png

Dontgonearthere - Green (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=14299088#post14299088)
Chazka - Red
Buddha C - Purple
Greal - Yellow

Claims will be made on a point system.
You get one point per billion people in your population, and no fewer than three points, in addition to early sign up bonuses.
Territories cost one point unless otherwise noted.

Bonuses:
1st (not counting me): +10 points, +3,000,000 people

2nd: +8 points, +2,500,000 people

3rd: +5 points, +1,500,000 people

4th: +2 points, +500,000 people

5th: +1 point, +250,000 people

Some notes on claiming:

Please be sensible with your nations culture and the area you claim in. It is extremely unlikely that any American civilization would establish a massive empire in Alaska, simply because it would be impossible to feed everybody. While it is certainly possible for such an empire to exist in, say, California.

Also, please remember the size (population wise) of your state when claiming. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE ALL OF YOUR POINTS, and you may take a smaller population than the one your nations population gives you (unused bonus points will carry down to the next person to claim). If your state consists of 10,000 people, you may want to limit yourself to a city-state and only take one territory.

And, lastly, because it amuses me, I will allow one claim for a Scandinavian-style colony in the North Eastern USA. You will not get a sign up bonus of population (and your population will be quite small in comparison with everybody else) or territory, but you'll get iron weapons and so forth. Consider yourself as a long-lost colony of vikings living in the Americas. You get long boats and kickass weapons (not to mention facial hair) in exchange for being limited to a small population.


CLAIM FORM:

Name (of nation):

Population: (Include maximum and actual if you're taking a smaller population than you're allowed)

Points: (include total and points spent, if you didn't use them all)

Organization: (Tribal, federation, city-state, nation, empire, something else)

Brief Summary: (Give a general idea of your states political system/economy/religion/whatever you think is interesting or cool)


A factbook will be expected later. A fairly basic one is fine.

ALSO For the sake of the RP, non-American interference (or 'discovery') may come in at a later date. For the sake of all of the people playing American peoples, we're going to assume that disease will not wipe out %90 of the population. The effects of disease will be GREATLY downplayed. Most likely to the level of the Black Death, meaning that, while certainly traumatic, it will not be instant doom on the arrival of smallpox.

I want in. But how what are the territory split ups?

I'm currently working on the map. Mostly I'm just basing it on what I think looks good, as well as considerations of how much population an area can support.
More people = Smaller territory. So, for instance, the great plains of the US have fairly large territories, since native agriculture wouldn't produce large crops there. While, at the same time, southern Mexico has fairly small territories, since it, historically, had quite a huge population.

I'd like in, long lost vikings are always fun and this sounds fairly original.

Claims are up. BEGIN.

Nation name: Tawantinsuyu

Population: 11.7 million

Points: 35 (Because I said so)

Organization: Empire

Summary: The Tawantinsuyu is composed of four states, centered around the capital of Cuzco. Similar, at a glance, to western Empires, the Tawantinsuyu state is composed of a massive and complex bureaucracy which regulates the running of virtually everything within the state. Unlike European states, the Tawantinsuyu economy is utterly controlled by the state, with no free markets permitted outside of small-scale interpersonal trading.
Being made up of many different peoples, the Tawantinsuyu has many religious systems. The sole universal constant is the worship of Inti, personified in the Sapa Inca, the ruling monarch of the Tawantinsuyu.

EDIT:
Chazka, good to have you :D

Your population will be, lets say, 10,000. I'll add you to the map. You'll have to work out the rest of the form (minus the points) yourself

Nation name: Akumra

Population: 6.3 million

Points: 16?

Organization: Confederation

Summary: Akumra are a group of indnian tribes from southern new york, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylevania and maryland. They are led under the rule of one man, but are seperated into other tribes to accustm the social elements of a mass group, but the farmers were of New Jersey, and the lumber from New York, and warrior from Pennsyvania, it was an intricate trading system that united the people.

Mark your position on the map, too, Buddha.

EDIT:
Also, you've got 13 points. 3 from your population and 10 from the bonus.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g20/Xavier_Solis/2cifcqq.png

Gratse. Have an update.

You didn't use all your points, though. You sure you just want an area that small?

Eh, it's alright.

Bump for the late crowd

Further, we'll start once we've got the first five slots filled.

Any kind of confirmation from Chazaka would be nice.

If I signed up now, how many points will I get? Its a bit confusing.

Nation name: Chazakain Kingdom

Population: ten thousand and one :p

Points: ?

Location: If i'm right in assuming you put us as the red dot, then I'd rather be in the first 2 point territory in Canada directly north of the current location than Massachusetts?

Organization: Individual Settlements that group up together when needed/"Kingdom".

Summary: First founded by Chaz the Purple in 1101 AD, the Chazakain have survived so far by avoiding any overly hostile actions against the natives until their own population has grown strong enough to go to war. So far they have settled/conquered a small area in the Northwest(~100 km). They have found a few good copper/tin deposits along with two large iron deposits with which they have continued to make farming/hunting/warfare instruments over the years. They have imported several ways of making good mead and have since found how to make some alcoholic beverages from local "grapes". Wealthy vikings have even imported cattle(around 100) and horses(only 20 so far). They have tried importing a few varieties of wheat with only limited success.

Greal, using yourself as an example:
You have a population of 3.51 billion, so...
You get three points. Add in your bonus for being the second to sign up, that makes eight points. So a total of eleven.
Dividing your population by a thousand gives you 3,510,000 people.

Chazaka, thank you :P
It should be noted, though, that historically an important reason the Viking colony didn't take was that the natives were constantly trying to kill them. I'd add a note (in your factbook, maybe) about historical conflicts shortly after the founding of the colony. Maybe make a note about the vikings arriving in enough numbers this time to fend off those attacks and make a few of their own as well.

Another suggestion, you might want to mention their income. I think that, historically, the viking colony made some pretty good money selling trees back to Greenland.

And do remember that they're virtually cut off from Europe. The most contact they have is, like, a single trading ship per year. And probably a fairly small one at that.
Not exactly realistic, I know, but we're trying to limit the European presence :P

Name (of nation): Greali Empire

Population: 3,531,000

Points: 11

Organization: Empire

Brief Summary: The Greali Empire, founded in the early 500s, has now turned from a small village into large empires spread over miles. The Empire is currently ruled by Joss the God. The empire is very religious and it has a very small free market, but rest is state controlled.

I would like a piece worth 11 points in central America. Just pick out a piece as long as it is in central America.

Added.

Alright, so now we just need to get some people to fill in the gaps.

bump

Is this "humans only", or might my 'Ursines' (i.e. anthropomrphic Bears) be able to have a branch there? I think that their existence wouldn't really have surprised most of the RL 'Native American' cultures... ;)


In the event of this being acceptable _
The current population of Bears Armed itself is over 5 billion which would allow me over 5 million here, but I'd RP as having significantly fewer people than that (probably just in the tens of thousands, because [1] Ursines need more space & resources per head than humans do; and [2] their lifestyle, as hunter/fisher-gatherer who do a bit of farming, would force a relatively low population-density anyway...). These would be mostly Ursines, but might also include some small clans of anthropomorphic Foxes and Otters... and maybe some non-anthropomorphic (but fully sapient) Ravens as well.

My NS population would allow me 5 points, and if I'm reading this correctly then there'd be a bonus point as the fifth player to sign up as well. The territories chosen would be at the western end of the Great Lakes: 3 sections in Wisconsin, the Chicago area and the section of Illinois immediately to the south of that, and then -- if there is a bonus point to consider -- either the next section south in Illinois or the area to the east of Chicago as well.

The government would be as a league of clans/tribes, with a 'federal' council.

'Fraid I'm going to have to say 'humans only'. While interesting, I think a race of sentient bears might throw off the feel a bit.

I noticed that you did allow for extra-American contact later on in the RP. When you reach that point, might I play as Prince Madog's or Leif Ericksson's expedition?

And, lastly, because it amuses me, I will allow one claim for a Scandinavian-style colony in the North Eastern USA. You will not get a sign up bonus of population (and your population will be quite small in comparison with everybody else) or territory, but you'll get iron weapons and so forth. Consider yourself as a long-lost colony of vikings living in the Americas. You get long boats and kickass weapons (not to mention facial hair) in exchange for being limited to a small population.


Nation name: Chazakain Kingdom

Population: ten thousand and one :p

Points: ?

Location: If i'm right in assuming you put us as the red dot, then I'd rather be in the first 2 point territory in Canada directly north of the current location than Massachusetts?

Organization: Individual Settlements that group up together when needed/"Kingdom".

Summary: First founded by Chaz the Purple in 1101 AD, the Chazakain have survived so far by avoiding any overly hostile actions against the natives until their own population has grown strong enough to go to war. So far they have settled/conquered a small area in the Northwest(~100 km). They have found a few good copper/tin deposits along with two large iron deposits with which they have continued to make farming/hunting/warfare instruments over the years. They have imported several ways of making good mead and have since found how to make some alcoholic beverages from local "grapes". Wealthy vikings have even imported cattle(around 100) and horses(only 20 so far). They have tried importing a few varieties of wheat with only limited success.
Already happened with the vikings, though why we are so south compared to the likely travel route slightly concerns me(somewhere in Canada makes more sense to me, since thats where they originally landed and would be easier to get to from Greenland).

We've already got our vikings, Kirav, as Chazaka said.

As to why they're so far south, I believe the vikings made mention of grapes in their records of the American colony, which don't grow north of Maine. True, it was warmer back in the day, but I, personally, advocate a slightly more southerly colony :P

We could still use some more natives, though. An Aztec-ish group or even some pueblo people would be nice. Don't feel the need to be restricted by history, it's perfectly fine to use a group that broke up or went extinct outside of the historical period, as long as you can conform them to the historical context that's been established.