Form-bound, attend
Stharin’Ble watches me pick up the jug and pour water into two glasses. I replace the jug and gently push one glass towards my mentor. After a moment Stharin’Ble smiles and takes it, bringing the glass to its lips and sipping. I do the same, managing to truly sip. When Stharin’Ble puts down its glass, I do the same.
“Your coordination is improving,” my mentor says.
“I have spent some time with my class-companion, Arfin, who has always been fond of material forms,” I say.
“The La Essali one?” I nod, and am almost brave enough to ask. My mentor, of course, notices. “What is it Lisan?”
“It is not important,” I say. “An unworthy thought.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” Stharin’Ble answers, curtly cutting through my shallow attempt at deflection.
I take a deep, somewhat involuntary, breath. “Arfin … did you know he had manifested as one of my advisors in my Contest?”
There is no trace of reaction in my mentor. “How did you learn this?”
“Arfin told me itself - with permission.”
My mentor smiles, “As it happens, Lisan, I did not know. But I am not surprised.”
“Will you enlighten me?” I ask, as Stharin’Ble takes another sip of its water.
“No I will not, not yet anyway,” it replies, glancing downward as it places the glass on the table. Then my mentor looks right at me. “You are an intelligent being, Lisan. You should be able to work it out.” It pauses a moment, hold me in its gaze. “Now, tell me of your latest session?”
I try to pull myself back into focus. “To start with I made my ruler - Dumana V - abdicate, making way for his more capable heir, ‘Ali I. We have another heir as well.”
“Shortly thereafter my advisor Ibrahim Terap - who was manifested by Arfin - dies. I wondered if maybe Arfin chose to continue for another session. Knowing I would soon my fighting another war I hire a military man to boost the morale of my armies.
“I also boost Bornu just enough to kick-start my very own Renaissance. I don’t quite have the money yet to export that thinking to the rest of my nation, but it is only a matter of time.
“The following year I decide it is time for war. Both Nupe and Katsina are allied with each other, and no one else. I choose not to involve Songhai.
“Their position is quite poor - divided by my lands I am able to defeat the Katsina army quite easily. I began to siege their capital, and also their major fort in Daura.
“There had been another war between Bonoman and Oyo on one hand, and Mossi on the other. The Mossi, who had once looked to be a substantial threat, were reduced to almost nothing
“Then Songhai attacked Katsina, and started to siege their remaining province. My mistake - I should have already snagged it but I hadn’t. It took a full year for Katsina itself to fall - their other fort surrendered months earlier. Shortly thereafter Mali broke their alliance with us and declared us as their rivals.
“Next Oyo - backed by Bonoman - attacked Nupe, which I had now moved against. A large group of Katsina peasants had broken out in rebellion in Daura - and the army I sent against them was defeated.
“Fortunately I was now in a position to get a peace - if not quite as I wanted, then at least one I was happy with - but it did leave me into an immediate war with Oyo and Bonoman.
“Given my defeat against the Katsinan peasants I had to call in Songhai to this new war. The money from the peace, however, was sufficient to allow me to force through Renaissance reforms throughout my nation. Having spoken to Arfin, I wonder if it wasn’t through commissioning a great deal of memorabilia to commemorate our victory in that war.”
“What do you mean,” Stharin’Ble asks quickly, but quietly.
I stop a moment, my thoughts disarranged. I begin slowly. “It is from something Arfin mentioned to me, about how my decisions via the interface actually translate into actions in the game world itself.” I end more confident. “I found it curious.”
Stharin’Ble looks at me a moment. “Such curiosity has its uses, Lisan. We might speak of it again, but for the moment I would restrict such idle thoughts to me, and I suppose to your class-companions.” I nod. “Very well, continue.”
“Songhai quickly annexes what is left of Katsina. Nupe had already taken the Bonoman capital, but they were now seeking to retake it. One of my armies marched to shatter their siege, but was ambushed en-route, and had to make a hasty retreat.
“Songhai’s army took care of the Bonoman capital, however. Instead I sought to retake Nupe territory already lost, and won vengeance for my loss in doing so.
“Bonoman now sought to get out of the war, proffering reparations. I chose to accept their offer, as I was conscious just how stretched my armies had become. I began the fight against Katsina with twenty thousand men and several thousand manpower reserves. Now my force was down to under eight thousand, my manpower long since spent.
“The siege against Ife was long - but last in June 1486 it fell. It was a relatively simple matter to take the remaining Oyo land. Along the way I adopted the next military level, and then in September annexed Oyo in its entirety.
“It was a peace I was very glad for - I desperately needed to rebuild my armies. I began doing so - but then the Oyo revolted and my army only barely held on for victory. I also tried to manage my two vassals - Benin at one point supported Zazzau independence. Fortunately nothing came of that - by the time the session ended both had become loyal. I also slowly converted all the Fetishist provinces to the Sunni faith. My military advisor had died, so I now recruited someone to enhance my tax take.
“I also managed to finally get to Military 5 - Air had beaten me to it some years before. If they had attacked me…”
“You would have been soundly defeated,” Stharin’Ble comments. “Your approach of developing Feudalism and the Renaissance is not without merit, but it has its risks. You were very fortunate.”
“I know,” I answer quietly. “The poor quality of my rulers … even ‘Ali is only average on investment front. At least he is proving an adept military man.
“I don’t know how much I will benefit from it, but I also laid the groundwork for my first few colonies - if I get to make them in time - to be somewhat better developed. I still have some way to go.
“The session came to a close in 1496.”
“And how do you think you have done,” my mentor asks.
I shrug. Probably my best shrug yet. “I have failed at my first private aspiration - to have a chance of forming Colonialism. I hope yet to be able to take control of the Cape however. I must take Benin - but they are allied with Kongo, so I must pick my time. I must watch Mali too as well. I have had nearly ten years of peace - my armies are finally looking better, but my manpower remains limited. Despite prioritising administrative reforms I have such a great outlay incorporating these new territories I am behind where I wish to be.”
Stharin’Ble looks at me. “Good,” my mentor says. “I want you to reflect on why that is the case,” it says, and then without warning it is gone, leaving me alone. If only …
Form-bound, depart.
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