0 - 100 A.E, the Age of Adventure
The Promethean Empire had long kept the raiders of Zaqir in check. Zaqir was not a territory of the Empire even during its height: while it was a part of the continent, it was far from the center of the Empire, a sweltering jungle expanse whose shores were guarded by our fierce ancestors with their long naval tradition. However, the Promethean navy was larger than Zaqir's, and it had always managed to serve as a powerful buffer between saurian raiders and their vaunted plunder and glory. For centuries our battle-hungry ancestors chafed for want of raiding. They cursed the Prometheans even as they took on some of their customs. Zaqir was stagnant.
It is in light of this history that we can come to a better understanding of what we now know as "The Age of Adventure." Called "The Simple Times" by saurians of the day and "The Age of Strife" by a great many others, the century after the Promethean Empire's collapse was one of change for much of the world, but it also saw the resurgence of our raiding culture. While Zaqir could not be said to have expanded far in those first one hundred years, its wealth increased exponentially. It was a very different era than the one we know now. It was a time when the saurians were unchallenged by their neighbors.
There are several reasons that Zaqiri raiders came to dominate the eastern coast of the former empire, also known as the Red Shores:
- Firstly, while our people were women of war, many of our neighbors were used to depending on the Prometheans for help in battle. The legions were not made of humans or regulii, but of Promethean soldiers who disappeared with the plague. Of the old armies, only the distant grogar remained.
- Secondly, many of our neighbors were ill equipped to protect themselves. Being so dependent on the Promethean Empire, many city-states born in the Age of Strife did not have weapons made for their hands, or sometimes weapons of any sort at all. Zaqiri warriors wielding iron falcatas and bronze spears found themselves facing peasant-folk whose slings, pitchforks and felling axes proved ineffectual against Zaqiri mail.
- Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, our ancestors were eager to take advantage of the weakened shoreline as quickly as they could. They were presented an opportunity like no other, and like hungry sharks dove into the feast.
The first major Zaqiri raiding effort took place in the summer of 3 A.E. and lasted until the end of harvest season in 4 A.E. Human villages along the coast were caught off-guard. Hundreds of captives were hauled back to the city and made slaves. Most of the loot was simple - foodstuffs, pottery, trade goods - but the fighting was easy, and there was just enough Promethean gold to be found that further raids were enticed. So the pattern became that every summer through harvest season would be called "raiding season" along the eastern shores, and every winter the Zaqiri women returned home to be with their husbands and see their hatchlings.
The leadership of Zaqir was not noteworthy until the year 21 A.E. when the infamous Sakira the Ribsplitter at once earned her epithet and her place as Potentate (an Ilitsciumi word for "dictator") by leading a coup against the leader of the time. Her reign saw even bloodier raiding but was put to an end after a mere twelve years when she took a sling bullet to the skull while raiding. The Circle then elected Ninitzi the Serpent to be Potentate.
Ninitzi's rule (33 A.E. - 91 A.E.) was a long and steady one. The raids continued in her rule, but she (unlike other rulers) did not neglect to pay attention to domestic matters. Ninitzi arranged for an expansion of the fishing fleet, and she also encouraged exploration, offering a feast of honor and a chest of silver to anyone that brought back good news. It was through such exploration that the soun'yei - called simply the fishfolk by our ancestors - were discovered lurking in sandy coves tucked far away from Zaqir. They were believed to have nothing of worth, however, so while a scant few of them ("five of the meek fishfolk" wrote the woman whose ship it was that found them) were captured and enslaved, they were left alone for the rest of the century. It would be too difficult to chase them into the water itself.
The main difficulty Ninitzi faced was dealing with the regulii of Ilitscum. Initial raids against the regulii went extremely well: what little resistance the "slight, soft pleasuremongers" could offer was for naught: they were not the trained warriors the Prometheans had been and had not the bodies for the stuff of war. Moreover, their weapons were pitiable, and indeed often were not weapons at all. Raids against them continued well into 60-70 A.E, and these raids were the most profitable of the yearly rounds: their temples were filled with idols to the Divine; their clothing was of fine make; their fish was plentiful; their wine and ale was good; and the slaves taken from such adventures were longer lived than humans. A goodly number of merchant and fishing ships were taken, too, and were added to the expansive Zaqiri fleet. There were always those who put up a fight, but they were outmatched... for a time.
But somewhere around the time period of 65-70 A.E, the regulii began to fight back in earnest. Those survivors of the past battles with the saurian warriors became more experienced, and they began to design true weapons of war. Ilitscumi vessels gained escorts who made raiding more difficult and far less profitable, and moreover they were actually able to present a threat to our ancestors. While more battles were still won than lost, the fighting became much harder and more costly. Yet there were still goods that Ilitscum had which saurians were fond of. The raids continued, but the question of what to do with Ilitscum plagued Ninitzi.
Ninitzi decided it was best to develop a new kind of ship, one which could smash through those vessels which protected the merchant fleets of Zaqir's enemies. These were dubbed Swordfish, for much as the swordfish had its blade, this vessel had a prow clad in bronze or iron which could break other vessels. Such a tactic was not unknown: it was, in fact, common practice in the wars with the Prometheans. This time, however, there was a vessel made especially to smash other ships. This did not solve the problems with the regulii, however, and until the end of her days Ninitzi searched for some other means of obtaining their goods should. Indeed, it was only pressure from her subordinates that prevented her from sending a delegation requesting trading rights. So, while Ninitzi wanted to pursue trade with Ilitscum, the political climate in Zaqir served to maintain status quo: the raids continued and the prospect of trade with the regulii was forgotten.
Little expansion beyond the city walls occurred in this time. A few outlying tribes joined the greater union that was Zaqir, but not many. Still, patrols were sent to keep rightful Zaqiri territory firmly in their grasp.
In the winter of 79 A.E, Ninitzi decreed that all free human women who showed promise in fighting would be allowed a chance to join her crews in their next raiding season, assuming they knew how to wield a weapon. Few humans joined her in that season, but those that did returned home with treasures and prestige among the saurians. More human women joined them over the next several seasons in increasing numbers. Some human men wished to join the crews, but those who had the audacity to suggest such were beaten. It was in this way that humans became more accepted into saurian society - not quite equals, but not quite mere servants - while the traditional gender roles of Zaqiri society were strictly reinforced. Though the personal lives of humans in Zaqir would not change immediately because of this, human women would begin to play a more dominant role (similar to saurian women) in Zaqir's society.
The end of the Age of Adventure came about with Ninitzi's death in 91 A.E. She succumbed to a terrible illness that ate at her stomach and was mourned greatly. Her replacement was called Buzi. She would not earn her epithet until the second century following the fall of the Promethean Empire.
Major Events of Zaqir - 1st Century
Cultural:
The raiding culture of old is embraced again. The luxuries of the regulii are in high demand in Zaqir, and the present means of obtaining them is through plundering. A generally positive mood is possessed by the majority of saurians.
Human women have begun to be regarded a little more highly in saurian society. Human men, like saurian men, are still treated as servants and used to rear children.
Technological:
The swordfish vessel is developed, a ship with a metal prow designed specially for ramming. It is fast and dangerous, but is as susceptible as any vessel to boarding or fiery rains of arrows.
Military:
Numerous raids were conducted for steady income of wealth over the course of the century. These raids / adventures spanned the whole eastern coast of the continent, especially within the inland seas (AKA the Red Shores). No territory was gained from this, but goods and gold and captives were taken.
Government Changes:
While the government form remained the same as it traditionally was, the position of Potentate changed hands three times.
Territorial Expansion:
While no true expansion has occured, Zaqir's patrols and influence now extend over this area:
