Game 10

J Flower wrote:
Suspect that if the Corsairs were active in the Med rather than the Channel then no body -apart from Rodrigo- would really care.  

Thats a relief........wonder if anyone cares about African & American waters? And the Red Sea Round?

Apart from Captain Blackbeard & his associates , & the North African Corsairs who may get a bit uppity over people encroaching upon their traditional areas of operation you should be all right.

Just to test the waters( no pun intended) What do players feel would happen if the Pope actually looks up & says that Rodrigo has a legitimate claim?

Will it lead to a mass conversion to the Protestant Faith?

Will there be a split in the Catholic Church Rome +Spain vs the rest of the Catholic world?

Will Rome be victim to a number arson attacks?

Will certain Catholic powers set up an "True" Pope in Avingon ?

Will Carlos be resurrected from his grave by the Black Cardinal & say" it was only a joke I'm not really dead at all ! " Then have him recognise Rodrigo as his only legitimate heir, followed by him then crumbling into dust at the first signs of sunlight. - Personally think this last option is the most likely -

I guess it could happen, but I'd be surprised if the Pope would validate Rodrigo against the wishes of two reigning catholic super powers, France and Austria. The proof for the boy would have to be very strong.

The catholic church generally hasn't been very keen on questionable birth - marriage and legitimacy being a big thing for them. It would be one thing if he were the only option, but he isn't.

I can well see the Pope kicking it down the road by saying he does not have proof of the boy's status and not choosing to go beyond that and letting France and Austria make of that as they choose.

I would, however, get an enormous kick out of game 10 going full weird and the black cardinal being revealed as a necromancer when he raises dead king carlos...

Deacon wrote:
I would, however, get an enormous kick out of game 10 going full weird and the black cardinal being revealed as a necromancer when he raises dead king carlos...

If I understand this correctly......... some people in G10 want Spain & the Catholic Church to be dominated by a BLACK Cardinal who is into speaking with Ancestor Spirits and turning the Pope into a Zombie under his control.

I would normally suspect Venice of this type of stuff but in this case ......ROZWI HAS GONE TOO FAR!

If the Pope shows even the slightest sign of being under the influence of the Black Cardinal I suggest we have a nice auto de fe for two & summon a Church Council in the University of Paris to sort out a new Pope, Canon law on inheritances and call a crusade against Rozwi for infilrating the Church with its satanic spirit magic.

And with land movement rates, it will only take the crusade 10 years to cross Africa to get to them!

As Stuart has said.

" If I understand this correctly......... some people in G10 want Spain & the Catholic Church to be dominated by a BLACK Cardinal who is into speaking with Ancestor Spirits and turning the Pope into a Zombie under his control."

I fear this may have already happened.

Refusing to be drawn in. Europe. Christianity. Seafaring. Not very interesting to Rozwi.

Game 10 should be all about the

Turns out. 8 working days between last turn needing to be sent in and the new turn being delivered, for those interested.



The Rozwi Indaba - The Voice of Africa
October 1701

Capetown (Dutch Kaap Colonie):
Four slaves are handed over to the governor of Capetown by Mutumwa Dongo of Rozwi.

Binga (Kingdom of Tonga):
The King of Tonga agreed to reduce taxation against Rozwi merchants to 5% from January 1702, on the understanding that Rozwi would do the same for his own merchants. The King also stated he would send a trade mission to Khami.

Khami (Karange Empire of Rozwi):
Meat, intended for the people, was found to have gone rancid. However, a herd of cattle was slaughtered and the meat distributed.

Food imports into Rozwi territory will not now be taxed, it was declared.

Sepako (Karange Empire of Rozwi):
Changamire Dombo II and his military chiefs spent the month resting and enjoying the entertainment put on for them by the village women of Sepako and outlying neighbours. Those women found to have performed best were awarded a necklace each, a specially carved wooden bead central to the string denoting their achievement. The headmen of Sepako and the neighbouring village to the which the winning dancers belonged were each granted a cow from the royal herd.

Inhambane (Karange Empire of Rozwi):
An ambassadorial compound is being provided to house ambassadors located there.

Mozambique (Portuguese East Africa):
Following the murderous attack on the recruiting parties in Burundi, the Governor-General summoned the tribal elders from the Makhua, Tsonga and Makonde tribes. The elders were informed that Burundi warriors had killed their fellow people and that Portugal would avenge the deaths. The Governor-General asked the warriors of Mozambique to join him in this pursuit.  

The Makua elders pointed out that the Barundi might have believed the recruiting parties slavers, in which case the killings would have made sense. Establishing if this was the case might be the best course of action to take.

Tsonga elders concurred that this might be the case, but added they would be willing to help support the expedition if the Makhua did the same.

###

Governor Alphonso Da Costa and (Rozwi's) Kumalo Stosha continued their discussion, the main points being:

- Portugal would indeed be pleased to purchase slaves from the Rozwi
- Portugal would like to hire a Rozwi regiment of warriors and also horsemen, 'to assist in our actions against the Burundi murderers'
- Opening of Portuguese trade missions at Inhambane and Umtali
- It was confirmed that Portugal held no ill-feeling towards the people of Tonga, and would welcome their friendship.

"There is always something new out of Africa"

Crossing my fingers the turnaround time is improving. I want to give Richard more of my money

I'm with Deacon...well...if I'm not giving money to Richard, it's just going to my barkeep

Meanwhile...whilst to the powerhouse that is Africa, it's most probably not important...Scotland has jumped from 6th most honourable to 2nd...

...so standing up to Spanish-French pirates does pay off...

Jason wrote:I'm with Deacon...well...if I'm not giving money to Richard, it's just going to my barkeep

Meanwhile...whilst to the powerhouse that is Africa, it's most probably not important...Scotland has jumped from 6th most honourable to 2nd...

...so standing up to Spanish-French pirates does pay off...

Pirates!? The Corsairs are not Pirates they are Privateers, Gentlemen Adventurers even French Mercanaries but they are not PIRATES! And they have the legal paperwork to prove it.

Hope G10 does not go the way of G2 were people actually gained honour from attacking my Character.........it was only one King I killed! Ok also x2 Doges, a Sultan, a Archduke, a Hopsdar and perhaps a few others but they were all really annoyed and unreasonable!!

Hardly grounds for branding a chap the anti-Christ and calling a Crusade.

Stuart Bailey wrote:

Jason wrote:I'm with Deacon...well...if I'm not giving money to Richard, it's just going to my barkeep

Meanwhile...whilst to the powerhouse that is Africa, it's most probably not important...Scotland has jumped from 6th most honourable to 2nd...

...so standing up to Spanish-French pirates does pay off...

Pirates!?  The Corsairs are not Pirates they are Privateers, Gentlemen Adventurers even French Mercanaries but they are not PIRATES!  And they have the legal paperwork to prove it.

Hope G10 does not go the way of G2 were people actually gained honour from attacking my Character.........it was only one King I killed!  Ok also x2 Doges, a Sultan, a Archduke, a Hopsdar and perhaps a few others but they were all really annoyed and unreasonable!!

Hardly grounds for branding a chap the anti-Christ and calling a Crusade.

You'll be pleased to hear Scotland has a "reasonable" Judiciary so lots of trained judges who I am sure would be delighted to read any paperwork and determine their legal status...though I think you will find Scots Law (anyone caught doing pirate-y things in Scottish waters is a pirate) will trump any bits of paper written in Froggy-speak.

Jason wrote:

You'll be pleased to hear Scotland has a "reasonable" Judiciary so lots of trained judges who I am sure would be delighted to read any paperwork and determine their legal status...though I think you will find Scots Law (anyone caught doing pirate-y things in Scottish waters is a pirate) will trump any bits of paper written in Froggy-speak.

When did Scots courts stop using French in legal matters?

Not sure Scots ever really used French for legal matters. I've seen Latin documents as well as those written in Scots and Doric but can't recall seeing one in French. John Skene's compilation of Scots Law from the early 17th Century was in Scots and Latin.

Look, after a few whiskies, it's hard to talk French

If if the Scots spoke French, with their accents, who could understand it anyway? Particularly when you add strong liquor to the mix!

I can just imagine:

Scottish Judge to French "privateer": mumble, mumble blah blah, blah?

Prosecutor: Nae, mumble grumble thump thump blah!

French Privateer: Dreadfully sorry, I don't understand.

The Judge pours everybody a round, then carefully enunciates, "GUILTY", tosses back his drink, and stomps out...

Joking aside, privateering is a commission of war. There are no wars in game 10 so there can be no privateering going on, only piracy.

Scots Judges probably work on the theory that the guilty always lie so a plea of not guilty can be ignored on the grounds that it is a falsehood.

Will we see "Hanging" Judge Jefferries being sent up to Scotland after he did such a good job in South West England after the Monmouth Rebellion?


Seems the Pope has once again failed to lead his Catholic flock to the promised land, when will he decide an the fate of his most pious devote followers in Spain? Or has the Cardinal got him under his wicked spell.

Has anyone out there actually received any form of Communications from the Spanish player or are we all sitting twiddling our thumbs & awaiting a new player to pick up the challenge that is currently Spain? That may help explain a lot about the current feet dragging in Rome.

Jason wrote: written in Froggy-speak.

Can't be any worse than my in-game letters using Pidgin, or antiquated, English

That's if any of them turn up where they're meant to!

"Sent to: traders at 'this place'"
"Sent to: 'my place' and give to the chap there"
"Sent to: Have my bloke pass on to that fellow, both of them currently 'here'"

Rozwi's diplomacy is the best in Africa

[quote="Deacon"]If if the Scots spoke French, with their accents, who could understand it anyway? Particularly when you add strong liquor to the mix!

I can just imagine:

Scottish Frigate Captain to French "privateer": mumble, mumble blah blah, blah?

French Privateer: Its a gang of Pirates on the rum...........FIRE!

Several weeks later in a French Court

Scots lawyer:mumble, mumble Scots Frigate Sunk blah blah, blah

French Judge: Sorry I dont understand.....case dismissed.

Some of you may think I'd be worried by Stuart's version of events...well no worries

Stuart keeps assuring us these "privateers" are gentlemen so clearly they wouldn't try and do pirate-y... sorry, privateer-y...things in the waters of a neutral nation...and one that is so neutral it has declared it doesn't care who sits on the Spanish throne...ok, they might get lost but surely the smell of haggis, whisky and deep fried marsbars drifting from the shore would give their location away?

Plus, given this is what a Scottish warship looks like http://www.aagm.co.uk/thecollections/objects/object/A-Scottish-Warship?l I think given the flags they'd have to have bad eyesight to mistake that for a pirate...

so we have a bunch of lost, blind pirates...if they open fire on Scottish warships, the only thing they'd hit is Bass Rock

Honoured Sir's & Gentlemen of the Jury,

Said ship which advanced on us in international waters was clearly flying the "bloody flag" (meaning no quarter) from the stern & a version of the skull & crossbones from main mast.

Grabbit, Runne & Bailey Solicitors


French Justice........the finest Justice money can buy

If you want to know about how to get off piracy charges in court, you just need to look at someone like Robert Davidson, Provost of Aberdeen back in 15th Century. Now there was a man who knew how to win over a court

Jason wrote:If you want to know about how to get off piracy charges in court, you just need to look at someone like Robert Davidson, Provost of Aberdeen back in 15th Century.  Now there was a man who knew how to win over a court

For really friendly courts and officials in our period you might like to look at Gov Phips and Gov Markham of Massachusetts, Gov Fletcher of New York & Cadwallader Jones (Great Name) Gov of the Bahamas & their relations with the Red Sea Round.

Basically, the English American colonies were so annoyed by the Navigation Act which forced them to sale cheap and buy dear from England alone that colonial officials who had gone native, merchants and juries totally ignored the fitting out of ships in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and esp Rhode Island. Said ships then sailed to India & the Red Sea to sometimes trade but mostly prey on Moghul & other Indian shipping in the Red Sea & Indian Ocean.

Even more annoying to the English Government & the HEIC than the Piracy was that these Indian Cargoes were then smuggled into the colonies minus tax & duty. At its peek the infusion of cash & contraband was estimated to be worth £1,000,000 a year and when brought to trial one roundsman actually offered a guilty plea but the jury still acquitted.

Aside from the lost revenue, such attacks could also cause real problems for the HEIC in India. Since when Tew, Avery and others cut two ships out of the Mocha Fleet inc one personally owned by the Great Moghul it lead to riots in Agra & Surat in which a Englishman was stoned to death and 68 HEIC officials were imprisoned for almost a year until the Company made good the loss which may have been as high as £1,000,000. Certainly every one of the 400 pirates got £1,000 plus some gems with most sure that Avery had cheated plus cargo was sold at rock bottom rates by the Pirates. Its quite possible that Avery did cheat since he should only have got a double share but later offered £20,000 to the Gov of Jamaica for a pardon.

A offer turned down with regret since Avery was a bit too hot. But most of the others purchased Pardons and were soon back on the Round. Probably to meet their bar tab since men like the New York entrepreneur, slave dealer and pirate broker Frederick Philipse and his agent on Madagascar shipped out Rum worth two shillings a gallon in New York and sold it on Madagascar for £3 a gallon. Which is one hell of a mark up!

If the Rozwi ever get to the coast perhaps they should try growing sugar for Rum & also offering their beef & prize courts to Seafaring men on route round Africa and in need of a drink.

Thanks for that Stuart. I had no idea. Interesting history lesson.

Stuart Bailey wrote:If the Rozwi ever get to the coast

Rozwi does now possess a coastal settlement - Inhambane - in modern-day Mozambique. It has been added to the Game 10 map (published in the newspaper), though I don't know if its been added to Rozwi's holdings in the other games?

These two gazetteer entries are still work-in-progress, and are my own words, but eventually I'll submit to Richard for him to run his eye over them and edit to fit the game. [the population numbers are in-game approved and already fact]

Inhambane (pronounced 'In-yam-ban'): Population 5,000
Situated on a peninsula overlooking Inhambane Bay, which is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows. Two protective sandy headlands form a sandbank at the entrance of the Bay. The settlement is surrounded by coconut palms and magnificent beaches. The architecture and atmosphere reflect a diverse past stretching back to the C11th. Muslim and Persian traders visited here, trading pearls and ambergris, as did Vasco da Gama in the late 1500s, to replenish stocks and explore. In 1505, a ship sent by Francisco de Almeida was shipwrecked south of Inhambane. The Portuguese eventually established a permanent trading post in 1534. Inhambane was then chosen as the first Jesuit mission to Southeast Africa in 1560.  Historically, Inhambane came under Rozwi control after their wars with the Portuguese during the 1690s, the port eventually grew as an ivory and slave trading centre, particularly in the C18th under mostly Indian control.


Umtali: Population Nil
It lies north of the Vumba Mountains, in a sheltered position against the mountain ridge. It is located 55 miles from the Pungwe River, which flows east out from the highlands till it reaches the Mozambique Channel at Beira, forming a large estuary. The region has a long history of trading caravans passing through on the way to the Indian Ocean, dating back to c. 900 AD.
Despite its tropical location, Umtali has a temperate climate.



The Pungwe River is a major geographic feature for Portuguese East Africa, but it originates from Rozwi territory and can then be followed along its course back to the port of Beira - the river being navigable by large ships at the estuary and then smaller craft until the Rozwi border, from there to the point adjacent to Umtali items can be floated or 'canoes' used (unless the river's water level is effected by drought!).

Dear oh dear, you chaps do a LOT of research - and it always makes good reading/inspiration. Keep up the good work!