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The Chronicles of Egypt Being the tale of the Immortal Hapshetsut (may she be praised!) and Her reign over the country of Egypt as originally told in the halls of Tonto. |
| O Immortal Hapshetsut, She of the Smiling Visage, the Merciful, the Benevolent, She Who Watches Over Egypt! Ra illumine your way, and Isis shelter you! May your reign last for all of time, and may all the peoples of the world know your beauty, grace, and englightenment! May you find this humble work worthy of your sight, and may its author know your slightest praises! |
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The Beginnings of Egyptian Civilization |
| Long ago, before the dawn of time, the Egyptians were but a small
nomadic tribe. Our ancestors lived off the animals that hunted the
land - the deer, the antelope, and the wildebeests[1] who grazed on the
fertile grasslands. In time, our people came to learn the arts of
farming and the rudiments of civilization. In the year 4000 BC,
Thebes was founded in the middle of the traditional Egyptian hunting
grounds. The village, for there were no cities in those days, sat in
the middle of a low range of hills. To the west were plains, upon
which roamed giant elephants, and then the sea. To the south, wild
jungles made an impassable barrier, but to the east and north were fertile
grasslands, teeming with life, and eager for cultivation. It is said that during this time, Immortal Hapshetsut (may she be praised!) came to the Egyptians, and all who beheld her agreed that she was the wisest of all Egyptians. So it was that the Eternal Reign of the Pharaoh began. The denizens of Thebes quickly turned their eyes to the improvement of the land. Bands of hunters were sent to the elephant herds to the east, who brought back ivory to be carved into ornaments. Meanwhile, the grasslands began to be farmed, filling the storage pits to the brim. Bands of warriors were sent in all directions to establish contact with other tribes. These exploration missions succeeded, bringing both recruits and knowledge from lesser tribes. The arts of bronze working, pottery, and the code of warriors were all learned during these early years, greatly enhancing Egyptian civilization[2]. Bands of settlers were sent out to settle the lands around Thebes, and roads were quickly built to link them together. The exploration continued, encountering tribes, some hostile, some friendly. Then, far to the south, through the Southern Jungle (for there was also a great Western Jungle), Egyptian explorers sighted a small town, the biggest such besides the Egyptian towns of Thebes and Men Nefer. Orleans, it was called, and it was ruled over by someone named Napoleon, who, when he met with the Egyptians, proved to be very short, and dressed in a very strange costume[3]. This "French" tribe had secrets unknown even to the advanced Egyptians - something called an "alphabet." Unfortunately, Napoleon wanted outrageous prices for this concept, so no trade was worked out. Also around this time, the wheel was discovered in Thebes, but wildebeests proved inadequate to pull carts and chariots, so wheels were used only for toys. Napoleon, however, seemed to love the idea, and traded the secrets of the alphabet for a wheeled Egyptian toy and some gold. Thus was the state of Egypt in 2310 BC:
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| [1] - Because it wouldn't be a proper story involving any kind of
Africans at all if random wildebeests didn't get killed. And I like
the name. [2] - Tell me about it. Three techs at the start? Don't get THAT much in my games. [3] - Because my Napoleon leader doesn't change clothes with eras, so he's in 19th century getup all the time... |
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Egypt Grows |
| Egypt continued to grow. Egypt was acknowledged throughout the
admittedly small world as the richest nation ever[1]. Gold flowed
into Thebes, where the Palace of the Immortal Hapshetsut (may she be
praised!) was beginning to rise. Egyptian culture grew, and some
among the rising aristocratic class were beginning to call the
semi-nomadic tribes around Egypt "barbarians." These
barbarians were often hostile to Egypt, and Men Nefer was the frequent
target of their raids. Some, however, still knew things the
Egyptians did not, such as the Kamarupa tribe near France, who knew the
secrets of Mysticism[2], or the Cuman tribe in the Eastern Jungle, who
sent a number of their young warriors to join the Egyptians. Barbarians notwithstanding, Egypt continued to grow, filling the fertile northwestern areas and even enroaching on the the jungle. Many of Egypt's great cities date from this period - Oun, Rakoti, Sebti, Pi-Ramesses, and more. A land race developed with the French, who were determined to be Egypt's only civilized neighbor on the continent, though there were many uncivilized barbarians. As well as a time of settlement, it was a time of building. Great farms extended to fill the plains, crossed in many places by roads. Great temples rose in the cities to commemmorate the gods and the Immortal Hapshetsut (may she be praised!). Unfortunately for Egypt, the age was not as great as they may have liked. Expansion efforts were hampered by the Great Southern Jungle (the Great Eastern Jungle was found to be one and the same), while the French had ample fertile ground southwards. In 800 BC, shocking news came. The far off "Babylonian" civilization had built the Oracle! Immortal Hapshetsut (may she be praised!) quickly ordered the building of great Pyramids in Men Nefer. Egypt WOULD prove itself superior. |
| [1] - Lord McCauley seemed to think so anyway. Egypt is 1st, and
Nappy is clear down in 4th... [2] - *sigh*
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Egypt on the International Stage |
| By the first centuries AD, Egypt had about reached the limits of her
expansion. Cut off to the south by French cities, Egyptian explorers
had discovered a large amount of fertile land to the north of Egypt, in
what was assumed to be desert wastelands. Immortal Hapshetsut (may
she be praised!) turned the Egyptians to improving the cities of Egypt.
Irrigation and mining projects abounded, and work turned to two
Wonders of the World - The Great Library and the clearing of the Great
Southern Jungle. The Great Library began in Men Nefer, rising from
the bases of the Pyramids, which Rome had beaten Egypt to in 330 BC.
Meanwhile, Egyptian workers discovered slash and burn agriculture,
which turned the jungles into fertile grasslands. The clearing of
the jungles, however, was time consuming, exhausting work, but the
Egyptians felt they would overcome the trees. They were just trees,
after all[1]. It was also during this time that Egypt encountered other civilizations besides the French. The Iroquois were first, half-naked savages on a continent north of Egypt. They revealed knowledge of other civilizations, the Germans - fur clad barbarians in the north, and the Romans - civilized-looking people also to the north. It became clear to the Immortal Hapshetsut (may she be praised!) during this time that Egypt was far, far less advanced than she thought she was. Egyptian diplomats and scribes quickly became fixtures in the courts of the world, as Egypt used her valuable technology of Literature as leverage to gain the technologies of horseback riding (some thought this could be applied to the wildebeasts of the Egyptian plain, but alas this was not to be so. Fortunately, horses were discovered in northern Egypt, making the point moot.), philosophy, lawmaking, the making of maps, and mathematics. Further trading of maps replenished the Egyptian treasury and gained other maps in turn. Unfortunately for Egypt, it became apparent by 320 BC that this was not the proper course, as the Great Library, followed by the Chichen Itza[2] and the Great Wall were constructed by France and Rome. Egypt at the end of the Settlement Campaign, 360 AD:
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| [1] - Industrious workers are your friends.
Yes, yes they are. [2] - Wonder in my mod. Gives a courthouse on every city on the same continent. Obsoletes with Jurisprudence, a tech right before Democracy. |
