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The Lone Wolverines
An Account of the lives of a clan of Native Americans

In the Lonesome corners of the Land of the Ojibwa was a small peninsula jutting into the great
lake. Rich in copper, it maintained a flourishing trade with peoples as far away as the Dakota, the
Mississippians, and the Hurons. It was, besides perhaps Mexico, the greatest source of copper in
all the Americas.

The Native Americans dug thousands of pit mines, now scattered throughout the land. Quite
advanced for their time, the Ojibwa were one of the “Three Fires”, along with the Potowatomi,
and the Ottowa. The Ojibwa themselves were a tall, long haired race, one that seemed built to
command. Living in wigwams (small huts covered with deerskins), they hunted and gathered
their food.

The neighbors were plentiful: To the south lay the Menominee, the wild rice people. They were
generally less receptive than many others, preferring to gather wild rice in the swamps, hence
their name.

Across the straights called Michilimackinac, there were the other two of the Three Fires: The
Potowatomi, and the Ottowa. The Potowatomi were often called keepers of the flame, for unlike
others in the region, they farmed for food, and cleared acres of forest by burning. The Ottowa
were know for their prowess with canoes, and their great trading hub.

At seemingly the ends of the Earth were the Cree to the north. Little was know of them, besides
that they were hunter gatherers.

Not quite in the Region were the Huron and the Iroquois, but both maintained a powerful
influence on the Three Fires.

And so, in the Land of Copper were the Lone Wolverines, a clan named after the plentiful
animal. They were of the Ojibwa tribe. This is their story.



WolvMap.JPG
 
Originally posted by Commandante
Very good introduction! I'm curious to know what will come out of this... :)

My god! Someone read it! I was thinking no one did. :) I'll have to actually work on it. :D
 
Originally posted by Snow King
My god! Someone read it! I was thinking no one did. :) I'll have to actually work on it. :D

Yup. I actually felt a bit sad for this AAR, lying there without no replies at all. "But Snow King has written lots of good stuff, hasn't he?" I thought, and popped right in. :)

I think it's a nice start to your story. Please do continue, sir! :D
 
OK. Update tomorrow. I promise. :)
 
Database of Native Tribe Names to English (common):

Lakota = Dakota, or Sioux
Hodosaunee = Iroquois
Wyandot = Huron

Sleeping Badger gazed at the small, bubbling stream. The clear water, flowing slowly over the
many colored rocks, made clear its name. The River of Rocks it was, and it was framed neatly
with two feet of snow. The would have risen to his ankles, but the great snowshoes he wore made
him come close to floating on snow.

The life, the energy of the place seemed to burst with lively serenity. A strange way to describe it,
but that was the way it was. Massive maples and oaks, several spans in width, loomed dozens of
feet in height. Little flecks of red and white marked movement of squirrels and rabbits that a less
keen eye than his would have missed.

A crack of a twig sent word of another member of the tribe. “What brings you, Frozen Bird?” He
said. He had just thrown out a wild guess at who it was. Twenty members of the tribe had her
manner of walking, and he couldn’t tell them apart. But it was her.

“I’ve been down by the lake, with my father. He says the warriors are preparing to go to war.
Will you?”

“Going to war? Your dad must be mistaken. Who would we quarrel with?”

“A strange, far off tribe. The... Lakota, I think he said.”

“Lakota?” Sleeping Badger scratched his head. He knew a lot, but the Lakota...? “Why? They
must be far off, and why would they trouble us? What does the land of copper gain them? We
trade as well as they could get populating it.”

“Why would I know? I’m not the warrior. I’m just... A girl. And you are a warrior, and I am
worried for you.”

“We only are near the Menominee, and the Ottawa. We’d never quarrel with the Cree, as far off
as they are. And the Wyandot and the Hodosaunee... Though they are fierce warriors, we will
never be very close to them. Do not worry. Life will be the same forever in the Land of Copper.”
 
Originally posted by Snow King
Do not worry. Life will be the same forever in the Land of Copper.”

Ha! I've heard that sort of thing being said before, but to no avail! I have a feeling that the Land of Copper won't be the same anymore.

Excuse me for being so slow, but what American nation are you playing (i.e. what are the Ojibwa called in the game)?

:)
 
Originally posted by Commandante
Ha! I've heard that sort of thing being said before, but to no avail! I have a feeling that the Land of Copper won't be the same anymore.

Excuse me for being so slow, but what American nation are you playing (i.e. what are the Ojibwa called in the game)?

:)

You are very correct. The characters obviously without meaning to, cursed themselves so life would change drastically. ;)

And don't worry, the reason you are not figuring out who the Ojiwa are called in the game is simple: They are in the game. See this thread for more details.

BTW, is anyone besides Commandante reading this?
 
Originally posted by T. Fournier
Well I did and I liked the intro and 1st installment.
However, despite reading the thread concerning your mod, I'm not too sure which historical period you'll be playing in : is that 600-1000 AD ?

The full is not going to be even on my comp for a loooooooooong time, because it requires a mosterously edited version of EU.
 
Originally posted by Snow King
The full is not going to be even on my comp for a loooooooooong time, because it requires a mosterously edited version of EU.

So it is an AAR that is not very much connected to a specific campaign or scenario that you have played/are playing?

Oh, drats, there was another reader! I was hoping I could get a private show... :p ;)
 
This story is getting long, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. :) I suppose that eventually I shall have to cut down on the detail, because this will be impossibly log if I post one update per event. ;)

---------------------------------------------------

“The chief is hurling a storm!”

“What?” Falling Rocks asked.

“That Ottawa girl his son was courting rejected him!” Sleeping Badger answered. “He’s going to
throw a fit! The madness! The Ottawa have gotten so alienated towards the other Three Fires that
I don’t know what might happen!”

“Well, there is always that Potowatomi girl he had been touting the idea of marrying...” Falling
Rocks said, turning his foot concernedly and crushing some snow under his moccasin. The snow
had been melting, albeit slowly. “But then again, this breach may never heal.”

“I know!” Sleeping Badger cried, “He was talking of sending an expedition to conquer them!” he
said, horrified at the thought.

From Falling Rocks’ expression, he was too. “An attack? Against another of the Three Fires! The
Potowatomi will be horrified! Imagine the storm! Even the Wyandot and the Cree might be
inflamed enough to go to war!”

Sleeping Badger’s face twisted involuntarily. War? It was hard to contemplate, a war. Raids, he
could deal with... But full blown war? “Let us hope it never comes to that.” A woodpecker in the
distance pounded on a tree. “The Great Spirit help us.”

No sound was made, except for some falling snow and a the distant crunch of walking tribesmen.
But one of those crunches was very close. Frozen Bird, with her round faced, cheery mother who
contrasted so much with the tall lean, Frozen Bird. “Hello, Sleeping Badger,” her mother said,
lavishing a smile that glowed like the sun. One could get lost in a smile like that. Sleeping badger
was determined not to.

“Hello, Leaping Water,” he said. He gazed at her daughter longingly, who gave a small little
smile. Leaping Water smiled, with that knowing smile that...... Ah, indescribable. He averted his
eyes, and hoped she did not notice. Curses, Frozen Bird was making that same smile. He only
faintly heard Falling Rocks words: “May the Great Spirit make it not so.”
 
Originally posted by Commandante
So it is an AAR that is not very much connected to a specific campaign or scenario that you have played/are playing?

I am playing it, but only the limited version of this mod, which merely adds 20 countries and Relations, CoTs, among other junk. The "full" mod is going to be basically totally devoted to the Americas alone, not like this, which is meant to improve Native representment in the game, and their interaction with Euros.
 
You have another reader... well, not exactly, just a quiet listener... I'll do the reading afterwards :p
 
Originally posted by Snow King
The full is not going to be even on my comp for a loooooooooong time, because it requires a mosterously edited version of EU.

Awright. So that's the small mod mentionned at the very beginning of your thread played otherwise with a regular campaign ?
Still, I am interested in what you'll wring out of your Native Americans once the Europeans erupt onto the scene. Good luck.
 
Originally posted by Snow King
I am playing it, but only the limited version of this mod, which merely adds 20 countries and Relations, CoTs, among other junk. The "full" mod is going to be basically totally devoted to the Americas alone, not like this, which is meant to improve Native representment in the game, and their interaction with Euros.

Sound very good! It's awful how eurocentric one's mind is, actually. Hence that mod seems like an excellent idea! Good luck!

Great post and may the Great Spirit give Sleeping Badger a new name, so that he won't be picked on by the other children... I tried very hard, but I couldn't think of an animal bestowed with more geekiness than the badger... :D ;)
 
Thanks everyone for the replies! Though, no, I don't think the Great Spirit will change his name... Have you seen the Paperwork involved? :p ;)

------------------------------

The First True Chapter:

Chapter I: Diplomacy

“The Cree are at war with the Lakota!” Falling Rocks voice sounded behind Sleeping Badger,
who spun around in the snow on the shores of the Central Lake.

“Truly?” He asked, gaping.

“Truly,” Falling Rocks confirmed sadly. “No one really knows where it all started, but now they
are at war. We have only heard of minor raids, so far, but both sides are gathering massive
armies, from what we know. The Cree claim to have over 20,000 warriors in all! Where they got
them is another story.... I thought they were just a bunch of hunter-gatherers.”

“We are, too,” Sleeping Badger said, considering, “But that is a bit high, for the Cree. The Cree!
We have not much more in the whole of the land between the Michigamees [writers note: Native
word for “big lake”]. Twenty thousand!” he said again in wonderment.

“Must be the whole of the men in the Cree nation!” Falling Rocks said, with a similar expression.

Swaying Duck, an aptly named fellow, large in the flesh, to put it politely, walked (or, you could
say waddled) up. “What are you two shouting about?”

“The war in the North,” they replied together.

“Oh,” he said, crestfallen. He had probably thought it was about food. That seemed to occupy
him.

Sleeping Badger and Falling Rocks glanced at him, rather stared at him, until he waddled away,
muttering a half hearted goodbye. Sleeping Badger sighed, in relief. He looked out at the lake.

“It looks beautiful, doesn’t it?”

Falling Rocks nodded. There was no denying that the lake was beautiful. The world the Great
Spirit had given them was beautiful. Why were so many determined to ruin it?

* * *

The snow had gone, and the intense summer heat passed, and the snow came again. The Lone
Wolverine’s camp had not moved much for a year, though the lake had frozen over completely
this year, and several of the tribe made trips to the Snowy Dune from the Sandy Dune. Pine Trees
carpeted the landscape, and oaks and maples, both deciduous trees having lost their leaves. The
pines, though they still had their needles, were draped in snow.

Thin tendrils of smoke curled up from a clearing in the endless forest. Almost a hundred
wigwams were set up, with a large circle in the center of the city. Within it were two torches, full
of fat and burning brightly. For members of two of the Three Fires were here: The Potowatomi,
and the Ojibwa.

Sleeping Badger, out on the lake, gazed upon all of this, the grand simplicity of it all appealing to
him. In the circle, even on the ice as he was, he could make out a circle of Ojibwa, and in the
positions of importance, the Ojibwa chief and the Potowatomi ambassador. His feet shifted on
the ice as he ground hiss way to shore. The ice technically could give way, but this was unlikely;
the ice could get to being several feet thick.

The pomp and ceremony on shore were next to nonexistent, except for the ceremonial smoking
of the peace pipe. Rumor had it that a great alliance was to be forged today, one that stretched
even more than could be within the bounds of the Three Fires. It was an alliance to be aimed at
the furthest, most distant of the Three Fires, the Ottawa. The Ottawa, he thought. A sour bunch
they had turned, what with all their refusals to interact at all with the Ojibwa.

It was said the king was going to plan war against the Ottawa, but Sleeping Badger did not think
that could possibly be true. How could the king ever attack another of the Three Fires?......