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By MC Gianni
© February 1997
Being a summary of the events which took place in SE Atrilia during the third week of the 2nd month of Shemu in the 1st year of Lalibêa's reign (2nd Shemu, 1 L).
THE RED COAST
The Meshuesh mercenaries who recovered Djyi's corpse are now busy searching the hills and cwms for any Xola hideout.
They have also regrouped and established a defensible position atop a hill.
CENTRAL PUNT
The Awili Xolas, whose previous sheikh was killed in action while fighting the Githzerai (see issue #2 of the e-zine), have finally managed to elect a new leader, called Mertiberia.
At the moment, only about half the Awili clans recognise his leadership. Mertiberia has hence sent emissaries and a small group of warriors, an "honour guard", to the other clans.
He's also trying to improve trade with neighbouring tribes (most of them being now at war with the Githzerai).
SOUTHERN PUNT
Peace between Khalil al-Daresh and Abú Djâfar:
Khalil al-Daresh, leader of SE Atrilian Hammonites, and Xola Imám Abú Djâfar, the keeper of Imám Suheil's tomb (a sacred shrine for all worshippers of Hammon) signed a peace treaty after several weeks of a "stupid war" between two leaders sharing a similar religious background.
DIOSCURIDE ISLANDS
Khalil al-Daresh, Meshuesh priest of Hammon and leader of one of the smaller Dioscuride Islands, has established a Confederacy of the Siren Sea.
At first, the other islands seemed reluctant to join, yet about half of them have now decided to take part.
Three Meshuesh galleys from the Sultanates of Oea and Mers al-Kibar are in the harbour of Búr Hammon, Khalil's capital.
These galleys have come to join forces with the Hammonite League's already existing two galleys in order to spread the faith in the Siren Sea. Rumour has it the countries bordering the Siren Sea are feeling uncomfortable, the League having already conquered the small island of Pemba, and the war between Khalil al-Daresh and Imám Abú Djâfar being over (see above).
ZANDJ AND ÚMBOLE
Shm'é, the Ntemi (king) of the Bambole, has sent a Mbole diviner called Nhyé (The wise) to Nero Bih Ad'Shitith, the Mwami (king) of the Ad'anti.
Nhyé is a good, if pessimistic, diviner and a fervent worshipper of Mbotumbo, the diviners' god.
Shm'é has also sent a Mbole diviner to assist the Pheacian refugees of Qart ’Attíq. He has chosen the best place to build a new city on the Ndogo coast.
DOGOBAR
The Ómukama has created a corps of Honour Guards.
Most noble Ndogo families sent a son (aged less than thirty) to represent them. He had to be strong and healthy.
Each new guard also had to wear rich clothes and beautiful jewels and decorations (at his family's expense) in order to mark his family's prestige -- the poorest candidates were sent back home. Each family was given an ox as a gift from the Ómukama.
Each warrior received a full bronze fighting gear, ie a bronze scale armour covering the torso up to the chin, but leaving the arms unprotected, a helm to be decorated according to every single guard's taste and a heavy two-handed slashing blade on a long haft, a kind of two-handed sword, halbard or axe.
The guards are now training, to be able to parade and to understand basic manoeuvring orders. They are split into 50-man corps under the command of an officer chosen amongst the most able civil servants and equipped and decorated at the Omukama's expenses. These fighters are grouped independently from their geographical origin. An Honour Corps is being created, made up with the 50 richest men who will stay at Lalibêa's palace in special barracks.
Another corps shall be made up with the best fighters as they are discovered.
The aim is to attain a global roll of 750 guards.
Lalibêa has finally decided where the Pheacian refugees from Serendíb shall settle (see issue #7 of the e-zine). Their new city will be called Qart Qaton and work has already begun at the location shown by the Mbole diviner sent by Shm'é. Wood is coming from Úmbole, and work to create a harbour is to begin soon.
According to the Ndogo-Pheacian treaty of last year, the harbour shall be governed by the colonists themselves but shall theoretically be under Ndogo suzerainty. The Pheacians are allowed to have merchant ships and galleys brought there to anchor without limit and having to notice the Ndogo authority but, as backbiters say, the location is so difficult to defend that the Pheacians had better not leave their galleys there at all...
The Ndogo army, located SW of Dôgu for almost one year because of the war with the Xolas from Ndaruga, struck camp and all units were ordered to move east toward the coast. Does the Omukama fear a Hammonite attack onto his coasts?
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