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Lt. General
Oct 1, 2004
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It was the 68-th summer since the beginning of the rule of Iyotake family. The third Iyotake ruler, Mingo, was the chief of Dakota nation. His society was rapidly changing. In the time of his grandfather, Dakota were still woodland people, with canoes and wild rice harvesting, going hunting and fishing. In his time, his tribes were already strongly united with a clear idea of development and growth and spreading over new territories.

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Beautiful Wohpe, the daughter of Skan, with wolves.
 
Wakan Tanka - Iyotake Payabya

The changes started during the last days of the rule of his grandfather, Iyotake Payabya. The old and respected chief sent his icimanis (news-walkers) to other three Dakota tribes: Iowa, Duluth and Mesabi. All brave warriors, scouts and hunters were called to come to the great meeting of Buffalo Lodge. The meeting was held in the field in front of the Holy Standing Rock, near chief’s village Mni Sota (centralisation up = +1).

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The old man had several special guests too, that could be easily distinguished by their different and rich clothes, polite manners and a lot of strange, unknown things laying around them on the ground. These were the merchants from far away land of Aztec. After the Buffalo Dance, the old man talked to his people:

“Brave warriors of Mni Sota, Iowa, Duluth and Mesabi. The Father of all of us, the Creator of our Mother Maka (the Earth) and the Great Spirit and the Supreme Judge Skan (the Sky); our Father Inyan (the Rock) had spoken to me. He told me that my time is going to end. I called you, my friends, to ask you for the support and loyalty to my son, Wagluhe. Skan made the decision that Wagluhe should lead our people.”

All of the warriors agreed by acclamation, as Wagluhe was known to be both brave and wise.


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“People of Dakota – Iyotake continued – our Father Inyan gave me another, more important message. He explained me that the way our way of life must be changed.”

Rumours in the crowd.


“Yes, my friends. Our way of life, but not our believes. Inyan explained me what was going to be the role of Dakota in the future. He revealed me one secret that is part of Wakan Tanka (the Great Mystery). Although we live in the old way, although we are still people of the Nature, the sons of Maka, the world was already changed. Other people forgot how to live in harmony with Wakan Tanka. Other people became people of artefacts.”

The Aztec merchants exchanged few comments among themselves, but did not openly complained. Finally, they were guests in unknown land, far away from home, and their boss had additional personal reason to stay several weeks more in Dakota land, and participate the meeting.


“The new role of Dakota in the Great Mystery is to teach people of artefacts and show them the way back to the harmony. Dakota should become a new bridge between them and the nature. However, in order to accomplish this new role, we must change ourselves too. We must learn the way of artefacts, but never forget the way of nature. We must defeat Iya (the chef of all evil things) and his son Gnaski by blocking his own way. We must show other people how to include the way of artefacts into the harmony of Wakan Tanka.”

The message was becoming more and more understandable to the warriors. They talked to each other, and also made some consultation with medicine men. After a while, a well known and appreciated medicine man, Oglala the Standing Bear talked: (people believed that he spent 3 years in the mountain, alone with Hu Nonp –the Bear God – who was his teacher)

“Brave warriors of Dakota. What are the skills of a real medicine man ? How do you recognise a real holy man ? All of you think that such a man can cure, talk to herbs, command the stones and animals, even change the weather. But, these are merely the phases he has to pass through. The real wicasa wakan has gone beyond all of this. The real holy man has the Wakaya Wowanyanke – the Great Vision. Our leader Iyotake Payabya is such a man. He had his sun-dance vision and saw the future and the new way. We should listen to him, as he is neither doing that for himself nor commanding to us. He is just letting his wisdom and power to work for his people.” – said the Standing Bear.

All of the people agreed.


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The chief Payabya continued:

“My people. I have introduced to you my guests from a far away land of Aztec. They are people of artefacts, but nevertheless our dear friends. You know some of them already, as they were coming to us for several summers. We trade our excess of grain to some of the new tools that helped us a lot in harvesting the wild rice. That is an example how artefacts can be in harmony with the way of nature. Our friends from Aztec land are ready to teach us their way of life. They see as the first priority the improving of the so-called infrastructure. I am sure that you do not know what is that at all. Just few examples, and you will see that the term infrastructure is easy to understand. We could build stone roads between important buildings, instead of using pathways. We could build new building near our fields, to store rice and wheat faster during the harvest, and to keep necessary tools. Later, when more people are free after the harvest, we can bring the food to villages, again using better roads. Along the roads, we could build several tents for our brave warriors, to protect passengers from animals. Our Aztec friends gave me much more examples, but for me these were the most important. Winter in Dakota land is long and strong. Very often we lacked food, if harvest was poor and winter too long. If we organize our food production better, Dakota nation can grow. I recommend to build one central stone building in Mni Sota; we will call it the House of Inyan. At the end of each summer, after the harvest, leaders of our four tribes would meet in the House, to report if harvest was good in their fields, to help villages that do not have enough food, an discuss other important topics.”

The chiefs of other three tribes agreed. Together with the chief Payabya, and later his son Wagluhe and grandson Mingo, they were part of The Wise Four.

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“Finally, I am asking you to agree to give my daughter Panaka to be wife of our guest Ramanocatl from Aztec land, to confirm our friendship.”

That proposal caused a long a furious discussion. For the first time a Dakota girl would be given to another tribe. That cost of changes was too personal for many of people. Many of them disagreed, but at the end the majority saw it as necessary. For Panaka, going to Tenochtitlan was the adventure of the life. Impressed by all the presents given by Ramanocatl, she was hardly waiting to get married. The mothers of young Dakota girls were very upset that their daughters could also go away, never to be seen again. Their fears were calmed down after two summers, when Panaka was already far away. The life in Dakota was normalized again.

During the first two years of the new way of collecting and controlling the amount of harvested grain, new phenomena occurred. People realized that the grain became everybody’s concern and much more important. Even brave warriors and hunters were talking about the grain more and more often, although they did not want to be involved. Each summer, the excess of 36 big bags of grain was reported to the House. People started to measure the value of all other things in terms of bags of grain. The traditional barter was gradually disappearing. This trend had its negative effect too. As brave warriors did not want to take duties of distribution of grain, less brave men took control over it. Having such a power and possibility of misconduct, some of them abused their appointments and took some grain for their families. That was immediately reflected in the relative value of other good that were exchanged trough barter. The Wise Four did not notice or understand at the very beginning what was going on, so the problem makers were not found and punished. The Aztec merchants explained that we had, for the first time, the problem with “corruption” and “inflation”.

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Wagluhe Iyotake

In 21th summer of the rule of Iyotake family, the soul of the old and wise chief joined Wakan Tanka The Great Mystery, and his son Wagluhe became the leader of the Wise Four. He went on even further along the new way indicated by his father. Other great families became less resistant towards foreigners, especially of they were people of the nature too. Several marriages were made with Shawnee tribe, improving the mutual relations considerably. Dakota scouts were sent to explore Shawnee land, and they made contact with two new tribes: Cherokee and Lenape. Everything was going fine, until the great tragedy during the wedding in Huron tribe. A Huron medicine man that was influenced by Gnaski, convinced a group of hostile Huron warriors to attack the wedding party. In a small battle, the attackers were crushed down, but the father of Dakota young man was killed. Although it was clear that the attackers were not under the control of Huron chief and that this conflict should not influence our friendship, Dakota people were very upset. The cost of The New Way was now expressed in human lives. Our medicine men needed the whole season to convince people that brave Dakota should not be cowards to step away if faced temptations made by evil Gnaski. After the situation was stabilized, our scouts explored the Huron land.

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Our icimanis (messengers) brought the news that chiefs of Iroqouis, Lenape and Huron set together around council fire and made agreement of lasting friendship and support. Hearing that, several great warriors came to Mni Sota to ask the Wise Four to join these tribes. After a long discussion, it was decided that Dakota should follow its own way and let others to find their roles in Wakan Tanka. We did not need any military alliance as we were in good relations with all of them. Moreover, Dakota land was still poor and interesting to nobody. And Tate (wind), the son of Skan, was protecting Dakota by long and cold winter. The Wise Four said it would be good to arrange another marriage with Lenape to confirm our friendship. This decision turned to be right, as the chief of Shawnee met his counterpart of Cherokee around the fire council. We did not want to be involved into any possible conflict between these two groups. During the next several summers, we made family tights with Cheroke and Creek, and explored the land of all our friends.

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After ten years of efforts, The Wise Four met in Mni Sota in the House of Inyan, to review the achievements. The production of grain was improved so much due to better infrastructure (the term became widely used by ordinary people) that most of the families had excess they could not eat. The representatives of the largest families decided to collect all the grain they did not need, and made a present of 1000 big bags to the community (gift to state +100 D). This gift had a huge impact on the importance of the central ruling body (centralisation +1). The grain was immediately given to Aztec merchants and a lot of iron tools were ordered (better production due to higher centralisation up = 2). Next summer, the distribution of tools was done by a very wise man, Puiyaluta (excellent minister).

The peaceful policy was continued by marriages with Navaho and Iroqouis. Our scouts reported that Iroqouis are building walls around several villages. That was very strange, as we had walls only around one part of Mni Sota, where the House is placed. Soon, we got the answer. Chief Ottawa of Iroqouis ordered this fortification as a defensive measure. The surrounding was becoming more hostile. Far away near the Big Water of Creek, Cheroke attacked Creek. After three years of war, it was clear that this attack was a mistake. Cherokee were defeated, and had to give 940 bags of grain to Creek.

The Wise Four realized that grain is becoming even more important, becoming used as part of indemnities. In order to protect our trade with the Aztec, we asked the leaders of all other tribes not to disturb our trade. Many of them agreed (trade agreements signed). The importance of that act was obvious very soon: two new wars started, one Shawnee against Iroqouis, Huron and Lenape, other Aztec and Maya against their neighbour Zapotec. However, all the merchants going to Dakota land were protected by the agreements.

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We were very impressed by the great victory of Creek, so we sent several scouts to get to know this tribe even better. When they came back, all of them were full of stories about the fascinating Big Water of Creek. They claimed that it was probably bigger than our Big Water (Lakes), as nobody knows where it ends. Furthermore, it was not sweet but salty. It could not be drunk. For our medicine man that was a clear sign that Unk (Contention, the Goddess of the Waters, the ancestress of all evil beings) lives in Big Water of Creek, and not in ours. Evil Unk made that water salty, while our Big Water was protected by Wakan Tanka. The Wise Four and medicine men agreed that the challenge and temptation will come from the salty home of Unk. When the moment comes, Dakota must be prepared tofulfil the role given by Wakan Tanka, win over evil Unk and bring harmony into the world. It was decided that our brave warriors should start to practice sailing on our friendly Big Water (naval up, land down = 9). Sailing here and there, our warriors and scouts made more and more contacts with nearby villages in Wisconsin, Oskosh, Sault and Milwaukee. All of them were our brothers, but did not felt to be part of Dakota nation. The Wise Four invited leaders of these tribes to visit Mni Sota. During the meeting, our medicine men explained them what is the message of Wakan Tanka and that they should join us along the New Way. They were very impressed by stone building of the House of Inyan and the organized and well being of Dakota people. Afraid of Inuan, the ruler of Wi (the Sun) and pleased by numerous presents, they agreed to allow our colonists to freely set new villages in their land, and to tech them the New Way (cheating: natives attacks on my colonies in America are forbiden). However, the expansion into new territories was not an easy task. In order to send 100 colonists we had to give them grain to survive the several seasons as they could not plant any field there and a lot of very valuable tools (60D) to build a new village. The success of such a mission was still doubtful (3 % - 18 %).

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In 45-th winter of Iyotake era, we arranged another marriage with Aztec. This time not with merchants, but with a real noble family from town of Tuxpan. Next season Shawnee gave 50 bags of grain to Iroqouis for peace. And two seasons later, Dakota lady, married in Tuxpan, participated in great royal celebration: victory over Zapotec (they gave 175 peaces of gold and province of Tlaxcala) and vassalisation of Maya. All kinds of people: noblemen, warriors, merchants, … from all the nations, were talking with a great interest about this imperial celebration. The news spread over our world like a wind. Already next summer, the chief of Iroqouis met with the chief of Huron and convinced him that both nations would benefit from a new kind of mutual protection act. The Chied of Huron could not desagree, as Iroqouis won the war against Shawnee. Finally, Huron became vassal of Iroqouis, giving them half of their excess of grain each summer.

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Mingo I Iyotake

After about 10 summers of peace, there were again new-old wars: one Cherokee against Creeak, another Iroqouis, Huron and Lenape against Shawnee. We stayed apart, arranging new marriages with all the parties on all the sides of the conflicts. There was a change of our leadership too. The grandson of the wise Payabya became the first among the Wise Four. His name was Mingo. Accepting the practice of Aztec rulers, he proclaimed himself: Mingo I.

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Living peacefully, we had the main focus on improving the infrastructure. Visiting Aztec Empire more often, our people became aware of much better way of life. Some families made extensions of their tents, adding wooden or even stone parts. This trend was accepted by medicine men, as living in stone houses would mean that Inyan was protecting the family. The roads were improved too, even pavements between the new houses. The part of Mni Sota around the House of Inyan already started to take form of Aztec suburbs (tax value in Mni Sota +1). People started to call Mni Sota as the capital, giving importance to the House (centralization up = 3). In 50-th summer of Iyotake era, it was decided that the collection of the excess grain should be improved. It would be much more effective if a separate bodies control it, so that the Wise Four can focus on other important affairs. The grain should be collected separately in each of our tribes and stay there in warehouses, while only a report should be given to the House. The special grain collectors were appointed in each village (infra 1 – tax collectors). At the beginning, this act was not welcomed at all (double stab hit due to bad government policies). People revolted and destroyed some of the warehouses (infra and trade investment –200 each). Soon, it was obvious why. The control of the production of grain in other provinces was not perfect at all. Already the next summer showed that instead of normally collected 47 bags of grain, the total real excess was 192 bags ! The Wise Four needed several summers to stabilize the situation. A new gift, given by great families, helped again. In order to show that Dakota people have enough food not to starve even though new collection system was introduced, they have 1000 bags of grain to the state (gift of 100 D). Having a lot of commodity, the Wise Four encouraged Dakota man that they should not be brave only in the forest, but also in a hostile and dynamic Aztec markets. Only braves can travel a long way across the whole world, with all these goods to sell in Aztec towns, and bring back necessary tools for development of Dakota nation. The first Dakota merchants went to Zacatecas in 60-the summer of Iyotake era. Although a bit afraid of the new experience, they were very welcomed in Zacatecas as dear friends, protected by the trade agreement. Next summer, Dakota made trade arrangements with all other nations. Our merchants succeeded to dominate the grain market, which was a quarter of total market share. The income was mainly going to the central treasury (about 14 golden peaces each summer). The Wise Four realized that it would be much more efficient to use golden peaces as a mean for expressing values of goods. During the next two seasons, the villagers were exposed to this new system. Setting the price of grain to be 1 peace of gold (popularly called “Zaca” – derived from Zacatecas) for 10 begs, the central government could buy additional 280 bags for 28 Zacas already earned from trade. The medicine men explained to people that having Zacas they could by the tools or goods they need, not to wait for the government to distribute them. This new idea was only partly accepted. The peasants were very unhappy, as for them Zacas were useless pieces of a soft metal (stability down = +1). Some of them even made an open revolt in Mesabi, but went back home during the winter. In 64-th summer of Iyotake era all the protest disappeared and the new system was already widely accepted. The way of life in Dakota land was changing rapidly, but tradition was still respected. The revolt in Mesabi worn the Wise Four that the capital Mni Sota and the House of Inyan needed protection. 1000 brave warriors were called to form a garrison of Mni Sota. The House gave them 80 bags of grain plus additional salary in Zacas each summer. The new way of fight was practiced (reformation of the army +500), and fortification of Iowa was ordered (fortification effort - minimal). Dakota land had to be protected both from outside and inside. The income from trade per season was 17 Zacas, while each summer 192 bags of grain were collected (people were allowed to give up to 75% of that in Zacas, if they want and can). But, people of Dakota were not hungry. They were producing much more grain than they needed. Each summer more than 200 bags of excess grain (production + tolls) were left to families to sell on their own, buy goods and tools, improve their houses and the wealth of the nation.

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As it was said in the beginning:

It was the 68-th summer since the beginning of the rule of Iyotake family. The third Iyotake ruler, Mingo I, was the chief of Dakota nation. His society was rapidly changing. In the time of his grandfather, Dakota were still woodland people, with canoes and wild rice harvesting, going hunting and fishing. In his time, his tribes were already strongly united with a clear idea of development and growth and spreading over new territories. Members of his family and other families of brave warriors made marriages in other nations of the nature: Lenape, Huron, Cherokee, Shawnee, Creek, Navaho and Iroqouis and also in great civilisations of people of artefacts: Aztec and Maya. Dakota merchants are already selling grain in the largest center of trade of the Aztec Empire, Zacatecas, and in many others. Then, one day, early in spring ….
 
¿ Wohpe or Gnaski ?

The chief medicine man of Mni Sota, Sitting Bull, was very nervous. Something new in the sky attracted his attention. He sent icimanis (messengers) to call other medicine men of Iowa, Duluth and Mesabi. They gathered in the field in front of Standing Rock. All of them very upset. The strange thing on the sky could be noticed only by men why knows the order of Scan. But, everyday it was more and more brighter. They were afraid that very soon all the people would notice that. What could that be ? They still had no answer.

Next month the strange thing was so shiny that all the villagers gathered in front of the House of Inyan. All of them were afraid. The thing could even be seen in the morning, in Anp (the red light) ! What or who was so powerful to disobey the order given by Skan ? Even the mighty Wi (the Sun) must wait its term and come after Anp (the red light) to replace Han (the darkness). The thing was beautiful but terrifying ! Was that the beautiful demon Gnaski, the incest son of Iya and Unk ? Or, was that hopefully Skan’s daughter, beautiful Wohpe ? The educated Aztec merchants were afraid too. They said it was a messenger of their God Quezacoatl, who will come back, crossing the Big Water and rule the Empire again.

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After a long session, our ruler Mingo I and Sitting Bull talked to the crowd:

“People of Dakota. Our Lord Inyan did not tell us what this thing is. He told us that we cannot know all the things and that answers will be given when the time comes. The Great Mystery does not reveal all its secrets. Wakan Tanka defined the role of Dakota people and showed the way. There will always be challenges and things that we cannot understand. But we must stay on the way. This thing is sent by Wakan Tanka as a temptation, to check if we can accomplish the task or not. Not telling us anything about the nature of that thing is a part of the temptation. Is it good or is it evil ? In both cases we must choose the right way. And, the way is only one: the way of Wakan Tanka. If the thing is good Wohpe, we will please her by keeping our way. If the thing is evil Gnaski, we can defeat him only keeping our way. People of Dakota should not be afraid. We are brave warriors and Wakan Tanka is always with us.”

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The thing went away from the sky several months later, but people were concerned about that many many years after its appearance. The tension was kept by Aztec merchants, who interpreted it in more drastic and terrifying way. They were afraid that their God was not satisfied with them – he will came and destroy the Empire. As a counter measure, our leaders called for more cohesion (centralisation up = 5). In order to defeat Gnaski, Dakota nation had to grow and become stronger. Tribes in Wisconsin were afraid too, and more than ever before expressed the wish to join our state. In the year 70 of the New Era (as it was commonly named) started the first big project of Dakota nation. We sent 500 colonists to Wisconsine and invested 340 Zacas. That was about 3000 bags of grain, enough to feed our colony for many many years, and tools of the value of 40 Zacas. 200 colonists came back to Min Sota, while 300 settled to live with Wisconsine tribe. The colony was steadily growing during the next 20 years. New settlers were regularly coming, while fields were planted, so that colony could grow on its own. Very soon they could even produce the excess of 30 to 60 bags per year. Our efforts were seen by our Father Inyan, who helped us with an extraordinary good harvest during several seasons. We collected all together 1000 bags of grain more than usual (exceptional year 100 D). Finally, in the year 90, the domestic tribes joined our settlement, and Wisconsin became the biggest Dakota village with 2500 people. The annual production in the new village had value of 7 Zacas, the biggest in our state. However, the main product was not grain. The Inyan (the God of Rocks) showed us that the valuable iron was saved in his body, waiting for us to extract it. With the help of Aztec advisers, we opened the first modest mines in Wisconsin. Having iron, we could produce the tools on our own and exchange them in Zacatecas for more valuable things. The man of the House was appointed to Wisconsin too. As the main product was not wheat, he was called simply tax collector. The chief of Wisconsin was called to the House of Inyan in Mni Sota, to confirm his loyalty to the Wise Four. Our leaders decided that Wisconsin is very important province and that it should be treated as Dakota core land. Their chief joined the Four and formed with them the Wise Five (centralisation up = 6 later 7). Our annual income was 95 Zacas, 23 coming from census, 17 from trade, while 22 Zacas coming from production was left to local chiefs and families to steadily improve the infrastructure of their provinces. For example, roads were considerably improved in Mesabi (basic tax value +1).

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While there were several wars in the surroundings, like Cherokee against Shawnee, or Aztec against the remaining of the Zapotec state, Dakota focus on territorial expansion by colonizing. In the year 95 we made unsuccessful attempt to colonize Oskosh.These people desperately wanted to join our state, as they believed that the Evil would come from the Big Water. Our medicine men tried to explain them that the evil Unk lives in the salty Water of Creek, which is far away from us. Nevertheless, our leaders elcomed their wish to become a new Dakota province. The failure of the first colonization of Oskosh caused the first serious crisis among the Wise Five. It was seen that the leadership should be given to the son of Mingo I, who proclaimed himself Mingo II. Although the old ruler also wanted to retire, some of the leaders did not want to accept young Mingo II on power. This crisis had a very deep impact on the society, its development and trade (stability down = +2, infra and trade -200). The situation was gradually normalized, as the father and the son were ruling together for several years. Finally, in the year 100, the father officially gave all the power to the son, on the great council in Mni Sota (centralization up = 8). The whole nation was content again and ready to go further along the New Way. Enthusiastic and sure in success, our settlers established a new colony in Oskosh. The province was very rich with animals - we could produce furs, very valuable on Aztec markets.

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Our state was growing, so all 5000 brave warriors gathered in Mni Sota (half of population) to express loyalty to Mingo II. (enthusiasm in the army). During so many years, they were listening stories from Aztec merchants about great Emperors of the south, and decided to call Mingo II “Our King”. Mingo II was very flattered and proud – he accepted the new title and sent he warriors back to their villages (each province with 1000 infantry). They went back to their everyday activities, but got the order always to be ready for fight in the case of emergency. In addition, three days of ten days, they were obliged to gather in a training center and practice new fighting techniques.

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Hey, great AAR. :) I hope the Dakota can survive the evil Europeans! :eek:
 
Good stuff.
But how did they find out about the aztecs? :eek:

Ugh! Vile europeans :eek::eek: run! Colonising the Aleutians would be a good escape plan :rofl:

Looking good. But it would be easier to read if the updates were maybe a little more spaced apart :p...

th :D
 
Islands stretching from the tip of Alaska. They were colonised by the Dutch, English and Americans IIRC (and I probably don't RC :rofl:)...it was a joke, 'cos I doubt Dakota soldiers will ever reach that part of the world (but who knows? a good player can achieve anything....which proves i'm not a good player :rofl:).
 
well

Do you mean Placentia, Gander and Wabana ? No, I could not, they were already taken. Much later I colonized only Isle Royale. But, don't you think that colonizing these islands is not a real chalenge at all ? I made a remark that Dakota tried to spread the message of the New Way through the whole world - that really means through the WHOLE world. Of course, Dakota failed and the price of oil is already rocketing towards 60 $ per galon, but this is another long story ....
 
Englishmen

Dakota peasants were concerned about these new people. Were they led by the strange thing that appeared on the sky many years ago ? Our medicine men explained that the newcommers were neither soldiers of evil Gnaski nor of Aztec God Quezacoatl. They were rather ordinary men, but most probably the men or artefacts. The new white men called themselves Englishmen. They built several very small settlements along the coast near the land of Lenape, and called this territory upon the name of a local tribe Chesapeake. At first they did not come in a larg number. They had no village yet.Just few strange buildings for their warriors, scouts and some workers. They were hunting animals, exchanging some goods with local tribes and Lenape and sending all that to their land at the other side of the Big Water. They claimed that they came in peace, with the only attention to trade and get to know other cultures. They called their small settlement a "trading post". Several English medicine men came too and started to teach the Wayf of the Father, the Son and the Spirit.
 
Do your subjects believe in the Father, Son and Espiritu Sanctu?

(I meant historically about colonizing the Aleutians...in the game I also rarely see it happen).

I find it v hard to conquer & expand as a pagan exotic country! U R A GENIUS...
 
well

perhaps it is very difficult if you play as a pagan nation that is attacked by European from the first day (like Aztec or Lenape). Dakota were protected by the General Winter. No enemy ever came to my core provinces. However, I think that playing Aztec would be much more easier. In one of my unfinished games, I gave so many presents to Spain that it was very easy to enter the alliance with them. At the end I failed as I did not have enough experience in controlong inflation. In my new campaigns with Serbia and Dakota, my inflation was most of the time close to zero.
 
Well, all the luck to you!
I wonder, is the Dakota world conquest thread linked to this AAR?
Try to colonize land, then develop later except for the highest base tax provinces which you can turn to cities quickly. Block off the sea provinces to limit Europpean invasion :D
 
Englishmen

Our King Mingo II knew that we should be in good relations with these English-men. Their ships were so big and powerful, able to cross the Big Water. Several months later, our delegation of brave warriors and merchants made the first official contact with them. Englishmen were very pleasant. They told us that their King Henry VII would be very pleased to hear that his explorers found friends in Dakota nation. The greeting message of our leader Mingo would be sent by the first ship going to their land, called Anglia. When our delegation came back to Mni Sota, they made a detailed report about the English settlement. They confirmed that English ships were impressive and houses built of stone. There were already a lot of English soldiers there, establishing a military camp. Englishmen were very kind, but much more impressed by some of he golden presents, asking a lot about the land of golden temples. We understood they referred to Aztec and explained that it was many weeks of walk far away. Englishmen were disappointed to hear that and made a remark that Spaniards would probably come first and take all the fortune. It was clear there was another powerful tribe at the other side of the Big Water.
 
New ally

The Wise Five were very concerned. Although pleasant, these new greedy men could be a serious threat. Especially if there were a lot of such tribes. Englishmen seemed to be so strong and developed that resistance against them would bring a failure. Not to mention the danger coming from other unknown tribes. The House decided that Dakota had definitely to find a loyal friend in that new world, which could protect us from other hostile nations. As we got to know only Englishmen and as we already made the first positive contact, it was ordered that a new delegation should go to them bringing royal presents in order to express our good will. Next summer, a large caravan went to Chesapeake land and brought the state gift to Englishmen. We knew they were suffering desperately from food shortages. So, we gave them 1000 bags of grain and other things in value of 43 Zacas. The Englishmen were so impressed and claimed we were their best friends of all. Their medicine men called our present the blessing of the God. Our brave warriors found this a great opportunity to formally confirm our friendship. Englishmen agreed to consider us as a new ally in our world. They told us that there were also another two tribes in their world allied with Anglia: Burgundy and Brandenburg.

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