Anagaea II – A New Age of Empires [1117 AD]

[Swat 3]

We do trade with Espovon, btw.

Atenisia continues to expand south around Sweison, converting the surrounding peoples to the TRUE religion, mostly peacefully. Any aggression will be met by Soldiers of Christ himself.

[Ad Bot]

[mlockha]

Um, there needs to be Green Lines between me and Haman/Irajinad.

[Plethora]

Given the solidification of Christendom up North, Avalonia invests resources into making South Calzone feel right at home as a part of Avalonia.  Representation has accomplished this somewhat, but it is hoped that the population will soon consider itself as the Plexians now do: as Avalonians.  Christians are looked on the same way in South Calzone as they are just about everywhere else in Avalonia: with some suspicion and distrust but no outright hatred; and so it is believed that the population there will be able to resist any foreign Christian influence and be Avalonia's 'buffer' from the threat to the ancient ways of Avalonia.

With the inclusion of West Gerand into the Avalonian Union, the region is granted the right to appoint a member to the Avalonian Council provided the member is deemed honorable enough.  To ensure that there will never be a draw in any votes, another Technological Innovator is added to the Council.  West Gerand causes a bit of shock when it chooses a woman, but as women are considered no less honorable by birth than men and the particular woman chosen is quite outstanding and honorable, the Council allows the appointment.

[Swat 3]

Missionaries arrive in Avalonia.

[Plethora]

Missionaries arrive in Avalonia.

The heck bro?  Hasn't it been made clear that we don't want your kind here? wrecking the honor system with your hypocritical and apocryphal beliefs.  Trade is about all we want to do with you lot.

However, freedom of worship is a deeply entrenched Avalonian principle, so the missionaries are allowed in, albeit begrudgingly.  They are informed that if they cause any trouble, in any way attempt to undermine, weaken, or overthrow Avalonian authority, speak disparagingly of other religions, or remain for longer than one year, they will be publicly flogged and repatriated immediately.  As a whole, these missionaries meet with extremely limited success.

[Swat 3]

Missionaries and priests begin to make churches in small rural Avalonian towns and villages, and in that, charities and other good willed activities start to help the poor.

This is all peaceful, and all of the sisters and fathers remain hopeful, joyful, and pleasant good Christians.

[mlockha]

Galaumian ambassadors go along trade routes until they reach Avalonia. A fabled land, a land of many colonies, with huge libraries and tolerance for all. They carry a book on the Frankish language with them. When they reach Avalonia, they give it to government administrators.

[Plethora]

Be warned:  These charities and such push the boundaries of the terms.  Where is the funding for this coming from?  With limited success in conversion and whatnot within Avalonia there can't be too much revenue to support charity, and if the money isn't coming from within it's coming from outside Avalonia, namely Atensia - and that produces among the poor some loyalty to Atensia rather than Avalonia.  The missionaries are warned to stop any actions of that nature funded by foreign sources and to put more careful consideration into what they do - this will be the only warning.  The church construction is allowed, however.

Bear in mind that as far as organized religion goes in Avalonia, there's a set of general goodwill principles, an annual sacrificing of livestock in each city, village, and hamlet officiated by the local priest who also is occasionally called upon to divine various things, and a meeting of the priests for a series of livestock sacrifices every fifty years.  Avalonians aren't specifically opposed to the Cassian faith, but to the idea of a large entity attempting to impose its foreign will on the people.  The government, similarly, sees the Cassian faith not so much as a faith as a government siphoning the peoples loyalty.  This coldness and lack of hospitality isn't the result of personal hate, but a matter of sovereignty and legitimacy for the existing system.

The Avalonians greet the Galaumians with due hospitality.  The book is of moderate use in figuring out the language, and within little time the Galaumians can be understood by their caretakers and officials designated to address their needs.  Information on their homeland is requested, specifically trading opportunities and openness to foreigners.  Those aren't colonies; they're member states (okay, there is a colony up North).

[mlockha]

The Avalonians greet the Galaumians with due hospitality.  The book is of moderate use in figuring out the language, and within little time the Galaumians can be understood by their caretakers and officials designated to address their needs.  Information on their homeland is requested, specifically trading opportunities and openness to foreigners.  Those aren't colonies; they're member states (okay, there is a colony up North).

The Galaumians explain that they have many spices, silk and gold. Boar and horses are also prevalent, as are camels and goats. Galaumia is completely open to foreigners. It is recommended when you first arrive you find a government outpost or war camp and find the leader. After you explain you are a foreigner, he will hand you a Mark of Galum Randar, and some Galaumian coins. After you get the Mark you are free to traverse the lands. There are 2 major cities. The capital is in the far east, and the major city is in the west. In between and scattered around Galaumia are war camps for raising armies, and to keep the populace under control. There are also many small villages or moving tribes. There are also 3 nations around Galaumia that are part of their alliance, called the Empire of the Four Crowns.

The Galaumians also ask for a book on the Avalonian language, to take back to Galaumia.

[Swat 3]

These charities are entirely funded by Churches inside Atenisia and the other nations under the influence of the Holy See.

They are not in itself funded by Atenisia, but they are supported by the country in the name of GOD.
Missionaries and Churches continue to spread the word of Jesus Christ in the rural areas of Avalonia, not hindered by the threats of the Avalonian government. Charities continue, filling the bellies and clothing the Blessed bodies of the poor that are obviously neglected by their governments...........

This should be considered a gift to Avalonia, as these charities are filling the gaps that Avalonia itself are not filling.

[Plethora]

Avalonians aren't specifically opposed to the Cassian faith, but to the idea of a large entity attempting to impose its foreign will on the people.

They are not in itself funded by Atenisia, but they are supported by the country in the name of GOD.

That's more or less what the Avalonian government isn't too thrilled with.  Any future charities and such should be funded from within Avalonia.

Missionaries and Churches continue to spread the word of Jesus Christ in the rural areas of Avalonia, not hindered by the threats of the Avalonian government. Charities continue, filling the bellies and clothing the Blessed bodies of the poor that are obviously neglected by their governments...........

And here the missionaries do exactly what they were warned not to.  Did you think that local leaders wouldn't report this?  That news wouldn't leak?

The Avalonian government is dismayed to find that the missionaries have not ceased their subversive actions despite warnings not to, and that the poor in Avalonia have been dishonored with handouts (Better a Dead Lion than a Live Dog - Avalonia's National Motto).  As a result, the missionaries are publicly flogged (a mere three lashes each - a mercy graciously shown on account that they probably thought they were doing good) and repatriated wherever they are found.

A representative is sent with them to explain the reason behind this treatment and that Avalonia is closed to missionaries that will attempt to operate subversively behind the back of the Avalonian government, and that if the next batch acts similarly, the land will be closed to missionaries altogether.  The representative expresses the most sincere regret of the Avalonian Council that things have unraveled so with the missionaries and the wishes of the Avalonian Council that peace continue between Avalonia and Atensia.

The Avalonian poor affected by these charities are offered a one time opportunity to accept the dishonor of charity from the government (enough to keep them from dying) or the honor of continuing as they are.  Even the poor in Avalonia may be considered honorable, and an honorable man may find work by virtue of his honor.  The subversive foreign loyalties must be eliminated.

This should be considered a gift to Avalonia, as these charities are filling the gaps that Avalonia itself are not filling.

Avalonia's not a welfare state, it's up to the poor to make themselves not so the same way it's up to those not poor to remain so.

[Swat 3]

The missionaries are sent back through their own arrangements, to the Church's dismay, mainly because they must face such ungodly flogging.

They continue to be excessively peaceful. They do, however, tone it down a bit.

[SWAT One]

In response to Erinaum's recommendation regarding Varakia, Zenia responds that to bring the conquered land up to an equal status with the conqueror is preposterous.  Varakia, on the other hand, clings firmly to the remnants of its sovereignty and makes it clear that it would prefer to remain as it is with the hope of achieving greater independence on its own.

Province = fully part of the confederation.
Territory = administered by a member or members of the confederacy.  Xianxan is an example.

[Plethora]

The missionaries are sent back through their own arrangements, to the Church's dismay, mainly because they must face such ungodly flogging.

They have free will and were warned.

For goodness sake, just have them fund their own activities and have them not perform organized charity and they can be spared a beating perform their work in peace.

Perturbed by the return of the missionaries, the Avalonian government once again rounds them up, explains what exactly they did wrong this time, and repeats the three public lashes (rather than increase the number for their impertinence, the number has remained the same given that their activity was toned down).  They are again repatriated to Atensia with a representative to explain things in the hopes that this will resolve the quandary.  The next time missionaries are sent funded directly by the Church or performing organized charity, they will be privately flogged forty strokes less one and repatriated, and no further missionaries will be allowed into Avalonia on pain of exile to the icy wastes to the South - this is made explicitly clear as tactfully as possible.

Aside from the colony up North, all the places the Avalonian Union has come to incorporate (Britonic States, West Plexia, Sough Calzone, & West Gerand) are full members of the Avalonian Union and have representatives in the Avalonian Council whose votes count as much as any other.

[Swat 3]

5 thousand missionaries are sent to Avalonia in peaceful protest. They claim that God cannot be turned down.

They cease organized charity and just individually give goodness in the form of shelter at their own homes.