A Modern World (AMW) Applications Center

[Cassanos]

I've already told Chrin that I'm fine with his expansion, and as for WoS, I concur: The world needs more Hotan, and a Walmie presence at the vital position of Singapore would fit extremely well, I think.

@Greater Belkan Reich: I'm playing Nibelunc and would certainly welcome a new neighbour. Germany west of the Rhine, with our without all or some of Belgium, Luxembourg or the Netherlands would amount to a nation of decent size and, possibly, industrial prowess. As for everything else, I refer to what Beddgelert said. Tell us which kind of nation you'd like to play and we can try to work you into the framework of AMW.

@Kedri: I'm not quite sure if a PT nation (of pirates) would be really feasible in AMW - we have some regions in Africa and Asia which are decidedly non-modern, but, say, sailing ships would be a weird anachronisms. AMW is not against those, but if you tell us more about what you'd like to play, I think we can work something out.

[Chrinthania]

German Belkan Reich: I have nothing more to add than what's already been said. The best option, though, it to give the Opening Post (OP) of this Application Thread a read through and see if AMW is something that interests you prior to applying. Assuming that you read that and are still interested in our little group, then the best idea would be to formulate an application for the group. I stress that your application does not have to be perfect. We're going to read it, make suggestions, ask questions, and give general feedback. Our applications process is a tad time consuming, but, more often than not, most applications take a few days for us to come to an agreement on.

Kedri: AMW is an MT group (Modern Tech). Again, like Cassanos said, we're not opposed to nations holding to a more primitive technology level (for lack of a better term at the moment), but, it could, potentially, leave you at a fairly decent disadvantage. Also, elemental bending isn't really Modern Tech, so, that wouldn't be available in AMW. As I said to GBR, take a read through the Opening Post of this thread and see if AMW is a group you'd really be interested in joining first before proposing an application.

[Lusaka]

Right, from looking at my telegrams I see that it's been just over three weeks that I've been thinking about this, so the cud is surely as chewed as it's going to get, and I'm probably not going to change my mind again. Famous last words committed to the archive, here's what I'm talking about...

As I've been telling TCB and others, I've concluded that I shouldn't keep trying to salvage Lusaka, especially as I've ended up vacillating between various locations, which, in hindsight, seems like a doomed attempt to make it seem fresh again.

I'd like to stay with Africa, but move away from Lusaka. I'd like to claim Somalia, Djibouti, and the Somali Region of Ethiopia, for a population somewhere around 16 million. The Socotra Archipelago of Yemen is also of interest, but I haven't decided whether to claim it or not. I probably should, given the history of the nation I'm proposing. It adds fewer than 50,000 people, in any case.

What I'm working on is a nation with an Afro-Asiatic majority, two distinct Arab minorities, and a black African minority. This last population I picture as displaced from Nilosahara either in the colonial era or the conflicts that followed independence, and will be a way to keep Mr. Derek and his associates around, because you just know that the moment I finally drop them I'll get nostalgic again. Now, though, his movement will be forced back to its rebel roots, fighting for greater rights or autonomy for their disenfranchised people, with no hope of ever taking power in the country and little immediate prospect of independence.

The Afro-Asiatic population will be considered indigenous, and will probably be a fictional race rather than directly lifted from reality, while I imagine two distinct Arab populations. One group will be descended from merchants who arrived in the early middle ages and are likely related to the Arabs who ruled Nilosahara's Spice Islands, and a second group will have come across the Red Sea after being displaced by the Crusades in Arabia. These I picture arriving not cap-in-hand as refugees but sword-in-hand as conquerors, determined not to suffer defeat as they had at home, and they forcibly take-over the privileged position of the other Arabs on the coast.

It would no longer be Lusaka, though I haven't decided on a new name. Currently 'Ajuran' is making most of the running, but I'm still thinking of alternatives.

As mentioned, I've talked briefly with TCB, and would retain Gandvik's role as a colonial power from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century to probably the mid twentieth century. Before that, a local Sultanate will have existed, which was just strong enough for early imperialists in the region, such as Byzantium, to deem it not worth their while to conquer. The Sultanate would have had a well organised army with a large mounted component using both horses and camels, and would have traded for muskets, and built fairly sophisticated forts as well as a navy with cannon-armed baghlahs and other dhows. Possibly there was some attempt to conquer (Ajuran), but when the first attempt failed the Byzantines decided to concentrate on Nilosahara, and established a relatively stable trading relationship with the Sultanate, perhaps some border clashes in northeastern Kenya notwithstanding.

I thought possibly the Sultanate could have exercised control over the Spice Islands at some point in history, before the Walmingtonians show up, perhaps wanting to stake their claim before the Byzantines give it a second try, but that would presumably depend on Nilo.

So, when we get to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, (Ajuran) is still probably an independent Sultanate, but though it has gunpowder weapons it has not engaged with the industrial revolution and is still sparsely populated, and Gandvik, late to the colonial banquet, decides that its repeating rifles and modern artillery can more than handle the (Ajuran) military. Perhaps a few gunboats or protected cruisers vanquish the (Ajuran) fleet, bombard a few cities, and enable the capture of much of the coast. But the Sultanate refuses to become a tributary, and Gandvik's remoteness from the region and home defence commitments mean that the invasion force comprises only a few thousand men, and native levies have to be raised. Perhaps these are from amongst those earlier Arab merchant clans who lost out and might see the Gandvian invasion as an opportunity to improve their circumstances.

When they press in-land, I'm picturing, as I said to TCB, a battle akin to about 20% of Adwa, so something like 14-24,000 men of the Sultanate, three quarters of them armed with either muskets or recently obtained rifles, perhaps from Gandvik's European rivals; maybe three Gandvian battalions totalling about 2,250-2,700 Europeans, plus a battalion of Arabs lead by Gandvian officers, totalling about 750-900 men. The Sultan may have hired one or more advisers from Byzantium, Amberland, the Shield, or other nations interested in Gandvian failure. Gandvik might have had about 10-12 modern artillery pieces, all be it possibly smaller pack-howitzers, and the Sultanate 6-10 guns of various vintage. I'm thinking that maybe some of the Arab recruits were supposed to act as guides, but either betrayed the Gandvians, or simply proved to be unfamiliar with the hinterland (depending who you ask), and wandered into a highly disadvantageous situation over-looked by the Sultan's cannon and flanked by his mounted troops. Casualties would be something like 1,400 Gandvians killed and 600 captured (about 10% of whom die of their wounds) plus 300 other wounded, meaning that almost no Europeans survived unscathed, and most of the Arab recruits are either executed as traitors or flee into obscurity.

Then Gandvik can't let it go, because several hundred prisoners have been taken, including some high-ranking officers likely of noble blood. Either they need to rescue them, or they pay a huge sum to have them repatriated, and feel like they now need plunder and conquest to off-set such expenses. In addition to either hostages or healthy ransom, the (Ajurans) have captured maybe a couple of thousand rifles, hundreds of pack animals, and so on, and appear stronger than ever. However, the Sultan also lost something like 2,500 men killed and injured (many of the latter no doubt later perishing), and he no longer trusts many of his Arab subjects.

When the Gandvians return, perhaps with fewer (1,500?) but higher-quality professional soldiers, they recruit even more disaffected Arabs, and possibly a small number of black Africans, for a well equipped and well lead force about 5,000 strong. They spend more time on reconnaissance and probably plunder ill-defended towns, eventually forcing the Sultan to give battle on their terms, perhaps on open ground as the (Ajurans) advance towards the coast. This time he has more like 10-11,000 men ready on the field due to earlier casualties, desertions, purges, and mutinies, and probably could wait for more, but is harried by the Gandvians and is perhaps over-confident, out-numbering them 2-1 and remembering their last encounter, so he engages with what he has on hand. Possibly this time the Gandvians have some machine-guns, all their soldiers have repeating rifles, and they're able to bring their artillery into action. The Sultan's army is decimated, less than half of it escaping unscathed, while Gandvian casualties are probably in the dozens only.

There may be one more battle as the Sultan flees to a fortress somewhere, possibly in the northern mountains, but the result is a foregone conclusion and Gandvik establishes a protectorate over (Ajuran).

The Gandvians, I imagine, use the Arabs as their favoured race in (Ajuran), to the detriment of the black minority and the non-Arab Semitic majority. I'm thinking that by the time of the Great War, there's probably only about 2 million people living in the colony, including an overwhelming (Ajuran) majority, a few thousand black Africans, few tens of thousands of the various Arab communities, a few hundred mixed European-native people, and an occupation force only needing to be probably four-figures strong.

I'm not sure how independence comes about. An India-like deal whereby (Ajuran) raises a brigade to fight the Geletians in Congo in return for post-war negotiations on decolonisation? A revolt while Gandvik's distracted by the Great War? An independence struggle after the Great War, with lots of surplus armaments floating around?

Today there's an authoritarian nominal republic politically dominated by the indigenous population, while members of the Arab minority are still best placed in much of the private sector of the economy, and black Africans viewed largely as outsiders.

Relations with Gandvik will depend somewhat on what we decide for the mechanism by which independence came about, but I'm inclined to imagine a fairly close relationship between Riga and some of the influential Arab businessmen in (Ajuran), and a significant but often strained relationship between the two governments.

Derek Igomo, Livingstone Miyanda, Colin Olongwe, Mini Sinkala, Theo Tendyala, and the other old Lusakans will form the United Lusakan People's Organisation and its armed wing, the Lusakan Revolutionary Alliance Corps. I think they may be predominantly Godfreyite and other Protestant, having got along well with missionaries who were critical of the Gandvian Catholics. Most of the Arabs will be Muslim, probably Sunni, and the Afro-Asiatic majority a mix of Muslim, Catholic, animist, and perhaps other Christian and Jewish. One of the authoritarian government's achievements may be in advancing secularism and helping different religions to live side by side, with the exception of the Godfreyites.

Population is 16,052,786 using a mix of the CIA World Factbook and Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency, ten times smaller than neighbouring Nilosahara (which, I've discovered, appears to have 159.91 million people even if the 2006 census of South Sudan is used, and that's almost certainly an under-estimate).

Area covered is 940,079 square kilometres.

The economy I picture being worth about £3,500 per capita, or £5,000 in parity terms, for £56 or £80 billion total GDP, with state revenues being around £12.5 billion (equivalent to almost £18 billion parity) and spending probably producing a small deficit. Important would be fishing, small-scale agriculture producing teff, srorghum, maize, khat, and livestock including goats, cattle, camels, horses, and poultry, light manufacturing, and possibly ship registry. The nation's natural resources are sadly under-explored, but include uranium, iron, tin, gypsum, bauxite, and copper, while salt is probably one of the more widely produced minerals, and there is great potential for oil and gas in both Somalia-proper and the Ogaden basin. I think this will provide fuel for RP, even though it isn't yet producing much literal fuel. Gandvik might have its foot in the door when it comes to exploration contracts, but the (Ajuran) state will be complicating matters by trying to get itself a good deal and struggling with private Gandvian and Arab entrepreneurs for control of various projects, other powers might be trying to get in on the action, and the Lusakans -as we can call Derek's crew- probably see this burgeoning industry as an ideal target for their guerrilla actions.

I imagine the military will be on the large side relative to population, and will have a fairly large equipment stockpile including old Gandvian items, and maybe other arms supplied by powers that wanted (Ajuran) to challenge Bantu.

[Chrinthania]

I have nothing against the application as it stands. I just hope your new idea leads you to happiness and more activity.

[Iansisle]

I'll second that on Chrin, and offer whatever minor support my claim might be able to offer yours historically -- probably slim, given our focus on central Asia, but we do like to show the Ganders what for!

[United Kongo]

I like the idea of how one group of Arabs arrives during the Early middle ages as traders. This could perhaps provide a source for where the Arab traders who also arrive in the East/North Congo in the early middle ages come from. Perhaps their could have been some giant, pre-colonial trade network that spanned from the Congo to the horn of Africa.............

[The Crooked Beat]

Ajuran looks excellent from my point of view, Lusaka, and it will be very interesting to watch its interactions with Nilosahara, among other things. Where Gandvik's colonial role is concerned, your overview works perfectly for me, and as usual feel free to shape matters in whatever way seems best. As for the exact mechanism by which Gandvian rule ended, that's a very good question. Do you think a mix of those first two options might be in order? Maybe, at first, Gandvik intended to keep Ajuran (or whatever else it ends-up being called), but the diversion of an already limited colonial military to cope with an emergency in the Congo or somewhere else, combined with a drought or crop failures or some other local crisis, brought about a loss of control over the countryside and forced Gandvian authorities to promise full independence post-war as a means of staving-off an outright rebellion and keeping favorably-disposed elites in power. That's one idea, anyway, and I'm sure you'll be able to come up with something a bit more streamlined!

So a definite stamp of approval from me on this new Lusakan project, which looks set to be a great addition to our community.

[Ajuran]

Lusaka, here. As you can see, I've decided to bite the bullet and commit to Ajuran as a name, before I start second guessing myself again.

I'm certainly willing to go along with that, Kongo, if Nilosahara is. On a loosely related note, I will claim the Socotra archipelago, if I'm right in thinking it's still available.

TCB, yes, that sounds about right, once you spell it out. I think I'll say that the black minority rose against the colonial authority and the Arab elite during the Great War, lead by a village head-man named Lusaka, and Riga began to worry that the Ajuranis (a term applicable to the Afro-Asiatic majority as well as to the whole nation) themselves would soon follow that lead, so pre-empted a wider revolt by opening negotiations with Ajurani community leaders.

The general agreement reached gave much greater political power to the Ajuranis, but compensated the Arabs somewhat in economic terms, allowing the former to take over the majority of government posts and the latter to take ownership of what economic assets the Gandvians would surrender on independence, and favouring them in management positions in remaining Gandvian-run operations. The Lusakans, of course, got the short end of the stick, being deemed a small enough minority to ignore, and one that had made trouble in the first place.

Thanks, Chrinthania. And, Iansisle, if nothing else, I imagine the Gull Flag Republic and the Lusakans could get along well. I'm picturing a total black African population of not more than a few hundred thousand and the LRAC having only a few hundred regular fighters, so the rebels aren't going to over-throw the pro-Gandvik government, but they will occasionally make bomb attacks against Gandvian infrastructure, or try to assassinate or abduct Gandvian personnel and 'sympathisers'.

Well, I think that's everything. I'll start working on a factbook this week, and post it later if nobody objects to the claim. Thanks, all.

[Chrinthania]

Based upon the map and the list of claims, the Socotra Archipelago is unclaimed. I had already worked on a new map to highlight your new claim in case you went through with it, so, I will post it in just a few.

[Helios Corporation]

The Incorporated States of Helios Corporation
Ideal claims would be the rest of China that is not taken. Would fit population just right.
Government:
Helios is formally a corporate dictatorship. The goverment is formed by a General Administrator, with 30 ministers. Ideology is very pro business, that is why the excellent economy is present. Each region has a supervisor, that responds directly to the Administrator himself. The people are not allowed to vote, but they can live their regular lives without the govermend restricting them too much.
History:
The first records of the land goes from a ancient asian empire, far away from the rest of the world. Most things are fairly unknown, but they have been advanced in warfare, having high quality swords and inventing gunpowder. Around the 9th century, another culture came from the inland and set the roots of buddhism. Traders started coming from the Middle East, earning alot from gunpowder and iron worksmanship. In the 12th century it was officially claimed as a dynasty. It was barely noticed by the world, until the modern days. At the end of the 19th century, it was a poor kingdom, with unsufficent economy and basically no army. The people wanted a change, and revolted against the Emperor. By the end of 1982, it was already a People's Republic. In the 1960's, the dictator decided to "enrich" people, by starting a "cultural revolution", which meant removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements and enforcing Communism. It has paralyzed the country politically, and significantly affected it economically and socially. In the late 1980's, people started to revolt again, and destroyed the communist goverment completely, making it a anarchy for two months. Helios Inc; a huge oversea corporation has taken over the weak country with the use of mercenaries, and brought the country back up to it's former glory.
Economy:
Very powerful, strong private sector led by Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology and Uranium Mining. But other businesses are very powerful too. Flat income tax of 68% may seem alot, but it does not cripple people significantly because everything made here is cheap. Gargantuan amounts of factories and similiar facilities has a crippling effect on ecology.
Culture:
Over 95% of the people are "Han", which is a culture that has been here all the time. 4% of the population are immigrants that have came here to work for the Corporation. The rest is a mix of etnities. One aspect of the communist belief remains, and that being the goverment completely Atheist. It is advised, but not enforced to be Atheist. The largest religion is Buddhism, with over 70% of the people avowing it.
Military:
Divided into Air, Ground and Naval forces, and over 25% of population being somehow in the military, it is insanely strong, with modern weaponry, space sattelites, enormous fleet of tanks, jets, bombers ect.
The reason for it's size, is compulsory service of two years, but mostly income, because it is one of the best paying jobs if you do it right. Young adults that are conscripted usually find the military "fun", and as a fine source of income. The leader keeps friendly bonds with other countries, unless provoked or asked to help by another countries.

[Chrinthania]

Hello, Helios, and thanks for your application!

I have to say this up front because I don't really think I can get into the rest of the application without doing so. Since we base our population figures on RL population data of claimed territories, what you're claiming would be, quite frankly, LOLHUGE for AMW. We have a natural aversion to superpowers in AMW do to previous issues with former members. Certainly we're not opposed to large nations, though. We take into account the fact that certain parts of China will have very large populations because of the way we do our population figures in AMW. But, again, a billion or more is too large for AMW, and, I'm afraid, that, unless you're willing to cut it down to at the very maximum of around 200-million-ish (give or take), that I couldn't, in good conscience, give my own approval to your application. I cannot, however, speak for other members.

[Helios Corporation]

Hello, Helios, and thanks for your application!

I have to say this up front because I don't really think I can get into the rest of the application without doing so. Since we base our population figures on RL population data of claimed territories, what you're claiming would be, quite frankly, LOLHUGE for AMW. We have a natural aversion to superpowers in AMW do to previous issues with former members. Certainly we're not opposed to large nations, though. We take into account the fact that certain parts of China will have very large populations because of the way we do our population figures in AMW. But, again, a billion or more is too large for AMW, and, I'm afraid, that, unless you're willing to cut it down to at the very maximum of around 200-million-ish (give or take), that I couldn't, in good conscience, give my own approval to your application. I cannot, however, speak for other members.

Fine then, why not. 216 million good? I'll take a part of the China's coast, from Guangxi to Shanghai, including the Hainan island. That good now?

*edit
I have to go now, we'll discuss it later if possible.

[Beddgelert]

Obviously I don't want AMW to appear unwelcoming to interested parties, and I'm not sure if it was your intention or if it's just one of the limitations of communicating in this medium, but that reply to Chrin's doubts reads as a bit hostile, to me, which (while many of us in AMW do spend most of our time digging at one another) probably isn't an attitude we're looking to embrace.

I have some more concrete questions and concerns, though, so rather than just saying, "No, sorry" I'll lay a few of them out, here.

Even putting aside the fact that you appear to want a large population, and a powerful economy, and a large military, and a populace that's happy with its dictatorship, at the moment I'm honestly not sure that much about the proposed nation makes sense, if you break it down...

Apparently, the Communist era wrecks the nation, and only ends in the late '80s, but today you have a 'very powerful' economy. I could accept the notion of a rapid turn-around in direction, but in global terms an economy that was in the pits just twenty-odd years ago isn't going to be all that impressive in its current size, even though growth may be strong.

Quite how this turn-around happens is at present something of a mystery, though. Abandoning Communism and bringing on an economic miracle doesn't seem to me to gel brilliantly with a sky-high income tax rate that would presumably leave the -already impoverished- majority unable to contribute in a meaningful way to kick-starting a consumer economy.

The idea that a private company with mercenaries could take-over an ancient nation the size of China (or even the reduced >200 million nation) seems highly dubious, too. And that this foreign company then, what, becomes a company-state, independent of its mother country? Without learning more about that, I can't see how it's feasible.

The economy is large, but things are made cheaply because...?

4% of >1.3 billion (over 52 million, so more than the entire population of many AMW countries) or of 216 million (8.64 million) people migrated to the country in two decades, to work for a company setting itself up in a country it's conquered by force of arms, and where there is initially very little new money and where personal taxes are higher than in almost any other country on the planet? Seems rather odd behaviour, doesn't it?

1 in 4 people -1 in 2 males, perhaps?- of all ages in some way part of the military, and being paid well? And not using the arms and training they're given to immediately kick-out the foreign company that has taken sovereignty from their ancient nation by force of arms, and then shipped in millions of foreigners to work for it? This cries out for an explanation or two!

Or, in short... though I'm certainly open to a perception-shifting explanation and vindication of the picture you've painted, at the moment it doesn't look to me like you and AMW are really on the same page.

[Chrinthania]

I believe Beddgelert shares my concerns about the remainder of the application itself, Helios. There's a question of feasibility of your claim, which isn't, necessarily, a bad thing. The applications process is a bit of a back-and-forth between the community (that is us) and the potential member (that is you). The goal is to gain enough of an understanding about your particular claim and how it works before we agree. Our process, while a bit slow, usually means that everyone has had a chance to digest your claim and offer opinions, insights, and replies.

AMW does, however, pride itself on cooperation. AMW isn't just a group, it's a family. And, as you could probably guess, being that we're more of a family, we do, from time to time, have our spats. But, there is a deep respect between players in AMW that, in all honesty, your direct reply to me doesn't seem to promote. I can understand frustration. Believe you me that you're not the first person to offer a reply which could be construed as a tad rough around the edges. The other facet of the applications process for AMW is to not only gauge your idea for a nation, but you as a player and potential member. IMHO, when offered a criticism from me, your reply seemed to hint at a more pointed sarcasm that is generally frowned upon in our little group. My apologies if it was not intended to garner this type of feeling. One cannot always gauge tone of voice from black text on a white background.

[Helios Corporation]

I believe Beddgelert shares my concerns about the remainder of the application itself, Helios. There's a question of feasibility of your claim, which isn't, necessarily, a bad thing. The applications process is a bit of a back-and-forth between the community (that is us) and the potential member (that is you). The goal is to gain enough of an understanding about your particular claim and how it works before we agree. Our process, while a bit slow, usually means that everyone has had a chance to digest your claim and offer opinions, insights, and replies.

AMW does, however, pride itself on cooperation. AMW isn't just a group, it's a family. And, as you could probably guess, being that we're more of a family, we do, from time to time, have our spats. But, there is a deep respect between players in AMW that, in all honesty, your direct reply to me doesn't seem to promote. I can understand frustration. Believe you me that you're not the first person to offer a reply which could be construed as a tad rough around the edges. The other facet of the applications process for AMW is to not only gauge your idea for a nation, but you as a player and potential member. IMHO, when offered a criticism from me, your reply seemed to hint at a more pointed sarcasm that is generally frowned upon in our little group. My apologies if it was not intended to garner this type of feeling. One cannot always gauge tone of voice from black text on a white background.

Nevermind then, i think that i won't fit. Thanks for cooperation.

[Chemaki]

So, after weeks of writing up, I've got a new application that I'm going to stick to this time. I went pretty head-first into it and ended up writing half a factbook. So, without any further ado, here it is!

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=226912&p=13108725#p13108725

[Chrinthania]

Can't speak for others, but I don't have an issue with it. Though I did only give it a skim through.

[Nova Gaul]

Yay! Someone else Asia-ish.

Perhaps your state, Chemaki, was a contributive reason why the Emesans were cut off from Rome for so long.

At any rate, I do hope you actually get a chance to RP with the new state...because I like it...give it some legs!

[The Amyclae]

I have no problems!

[Kyr Shorn]

For those of you who weren't on the chat for the last couple of nights, I've come back, reenergized and ready to go (if you'll have me of course).

I've come up with something that I think you'll love as much as I do.

Nation Name: The Kingdom of Kyr
Demonym: Kyrish
Ethnic Groups: Kyrish, Celtic, Greeks, others (TBA)
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Monarch: Darius X
Capital: Alexandra on the Thames
(Possible/Desired) Geographic Location: Island of Great Britain (or another Euro/Med Sea location)
Religions: Greco-Buddhism (majority), Hellenic Paganism, Roman Paganism, Celtic Paganism, (note: the Pagan faiths tend to blur together and are often mixed with Greco-Buddhism) Catholics, Jews, others


History (rough draft summary):

Human inhabitation of Kyr goes back to the Neolithic Era, however the origins of the Kyrish nation date back to 335 BC during the rise of Alexander the Great in Macedonia. While focused on his desire to seize the east, reports of possible iron despoits on a dreary island to the west were enough to convince him to send one of his most trusted warriors to explore the region with a small band of men.

That man was known as Philo the Bold successfully reached the large landmass and established trade connections with the local petty Kings on the shores of a massive river. The colony established there would be called 'Alexandria on the Thames' in the centuries to come.

However after the death of Alexander without an heir sent the Hellenistic world into chaos, many chose to flee the madness by taking refuge in the most distant Grecian holding available.

With the small trading post now transforming into a small city, firm roots had been set on the island, and in time the various Barbarian tribes would be absorbed into the Hellenistic fold.

In less than a few decades a new Greek Kingdom had been born along with a new people, which came to be called the Kingdom of Kyr.

During the first decade, a group of Greek travelers came to Alexandria from the east, bringing with them the knowledge they had gained and the new faith they had converted to.

They were the first Grecian Buddhist monks.

While at first their converts were few, the Buddhist faith gained traction after the conversion of Soter the Wise, who's support of Buddhism was critical to it's flowering.

Over the new few centuries the Kings of Kyr expanded their control on the Isle of Kyr from the small early settlement to the entire island.

This process was partly undone by Celtic invaders who seized large tracts of the Kingdom and created Celtic holdings.

A series of long on-going battles with the Celts occurred until the Roman Emperor Claudius invaded and conquered the Kyrish Isle.

They converted it into the Roman province of Britannia and would reign for over four hundred years, until the chaos of the fifth century forced Rome to recall their troops to cope with the crisis.

With a power vacumn, Roman Britannia fell to pieces and a series of Petty Kingdoms emerged from the ashes.

The Waring States Era had begun, a period of several centuries in which Kingdoms were carved out by various Lords and would often fall just as quickly as they were made.

Combined with periodic invasions of barbarians and celts, the Isle of Kyr's early Medieval period was quite violent and bloody.

However in the Petty Kingdom of Kentland rose the warrior, Darius the Great, who in a series of brilliant campaigns seized large portions of Kyr, including the old capital.

With the blessing of the Sangharaja (the head of the Greco-Buddhist faith), Darius proclaimed himself the first King of Kyr since the Roman invasions, though it was left to his son and grandson to complete the conquest.

Afterward the Kingdom of Kyr entered a period of isolation that didnt end until the Reniassance...

<TBA history here>

<In the Napoleonic Era, I guess if EP wants to try and invade he can, maybe even rule Kyr for a little bit, I'm open to suggestion here>

<Great War, if this event is still present, then Kyr would most likely have been neutral>

In the modern era the Kingdom of Kyr has seen the rise of radical shifts in it's culture, the rise of new technologies, translations of the sacred texts, femnisim, and other social movements have create a cultural divide, even as economic prosperity blooms.

With a new, young King on the throne with a reformist bend, many expect that the Kingdom of Kyr is in for a bumpy ride.

[Chrinthania]

You've got my approval. ......

[Iansisle]

No objections here.

[Walmington on Sea]

Kyr, good to have you back. I doubt there's going to be much opposition to you returning to the community.

While a small part of me asks whether this or that re. Alexander and Buddhism in Britain may be a little far fetched, in all honesty it doesn't feel that important these days. I think most of us will just be glad to have a larger, livelier community, and it seems likely that your proposed new nation would make a positive contribution towards that end.

And, as a bonus, it'll finally put an end to dithering on whether to find a way to work Britannia into Walmingtonian lore.

((Oh, but I wouldn't necessarily describe the Thames as particularly massive, from the perspective of continental Europeans, so on that basis I have to veto the application :P [/joke]))

[Kyr Shorn]

Kyr, good to have you back. I doubt there's going to be much opposition to you returning to the community.

While a small part of me asks whether this or that re. Alexander and Buddhism in Britain may be a little far fetched, in all honesty it doesn't feel that important these days. I think most of us will just be glad to have a larger, livelier community, and it seems likely that your proposed new nation would make a positive contribution towards that end.

And, as a bonus, it'll finally put an end to dithering on whether to find a way to work Britannia into Walmingtonian lore.

((Oh, but I wouldn't necessarily describe the Thames as particularly massive, from the perspective of continental Europeans, so on that basis I have to veto the application [/joke]))

Well I was originally wanting to put it in central asia, but Chrin showed me that someone already put in a claim there, so i decided that somewhere near Europe would work. I just went with something that was available, but I would be just as happy with Egypt or something.

Which in RL, Buddhist Missionaries DID reach Alexandria in Egypt (according to written record).

[Walmington on Sea]

Well, in all seriousness, I'm quite okay with you taking Great Britain. But the vast majority of Egypt ((excluding the barren Sinai?)) and a large part of Iran ((with probably, I don't know, thirty million people?)) do remain unclaimed, along with eastern Afghanistan, southern Tajikistan, and northern Pakistan, and other such areas near to the real limits of Alexandrian expansion. I believe we have some Celts in northern Tajikistan, under Depkazia's sway, apparently refugees from Galatia in Turkey who walked a similar road to Alexander, a few centuries after him. So, it's probably a case of whatever feels right to you.