A Horn of Bronze--The Shaping of Fusania and Beyond
- Thread starter Arkenfolm
- Start date
I should post the next update by next weekend, and over the next month or so I will prepare two or three maps for the situation in North Fusania at the end of the Wayamese Empire, the Chemnese Empire, and the state of things closer to 1300. There will be two entries to finish this "arc" regarding the fall of Wayam and then I'll take a look at the rest of North America which will be interesting given the last look at the other Amerindian cultures only showed how they adapted to Fusanian innovations like copper smelting and domesticated reindeer and mountain goats.
The late 13th/early 14th will mark an interesting transformation for North Fusania, especially given the events of the next chapter or two.
*"ata-" - "great, vast," in OTL Sahaptin (the basis of ATL's Aipakhpam language, the language of the Wayamese Empire) it appears in the word atachiish referring to the Pacific Ocean (chiish simply means "water").
*"tiwi-" - "fighting", a verb referring to any sort of conflict
*"-sh" - "result of a human's actions" ("atatiwish" = "war")
*-"myuukh" - A nominalizing suffix derived from the same root as miyawakh and miyuukh (both of which refer to a chief OTL and TTL refer to anything from a village headman to a city state prince). The ending "-myuukh" (or the Tenepelu/TTL's Nez Perce cognate "-myokht") means "master at, leader at". I think this would be a natural linguistic consequence of the development of a far more hierarchal society than OTL's Sahaptin peoples could ever dream of, as since the early 4th century ITTL the Columbia Plateau has greatly diverged from OTL.
Therefore, "atatiwishmyuukh" literally means "master of war" or "leader of wars". I was tempted to retranslate this word as the Ancient Greek "polemarch" ("war leader") since it's basically the same but I felt that word a little too "classical" for a setting so distinct from European Antiquity (as my inspirations are Ancient Sumeria, Zhou China, and Mesoamerica). I'll probably translate the yakhatatiwishmyuukh ("leader of wars fought on water"), the commander of the Wayamese Navy located at Nekhw'qiyt [Port Gamble, WA], as "seamaster", although I suppose "admiral" works just as well. If you're curious, the title for an air force general would be atatiwishluumyuukh ("leader of fighting wars up in the air") or perhaps atatiwishmyuukh tukhanpa ("leader of fighting wars in the sky"), but that's far in the future for TTL which I doubt I'll ever get to. Even further in the future would be a space force leader which I'd translate atatiwishmyuukh howlaakpa ("leader of fighting wars in the boundless heavens").
On this note, it's interesting to look through the oldest sources on Sahaptin (and the related Nez Perce), written by mid-19th century Catholic missionaries, and see how the attempts to render foreign concepts (like the "Kingdom of Heaven" in the Bible) coincidentally resembles the ways I used the language. As part of my research, I tracked down a lot of dictionaries and wordlists of Amerindian languages and it's interesting to see the terminology they use to express "modern" concepts.
Thank you!
On one hand, there is an obvious benefit to not being governed by a city of decadent aristocrats who take as much as they feel like and give little back. But on the hand, not being part of a unified entity does impact irrigation, flood control, and similar projects which benefit when the entire region is united (i.e. China, Egypt, Mesopotamia). And of course you do have the bureaucracy persisting in their service to local leaders and the common belief that there must be a Pillar King which in this case is the embattled Emperor at Chemna.
The late 13th/early 14th will mark an interesting transformation for North Fusania, especially given the events of the next chapter or two.
I felt it was a better translation of atatiwishmyuukh than "war leader". To break the word down:
*"ata-" - "great, vast," in OTL Sahaptin (the basis of ATL's Aipakhpam language, the language of the Wayamese Empire) it appears in the word atachiish referring to the Pacific Ocean (chiish simply means "water").
*"tiwi-" - "fighting", a verb referring to any sort of conflict
*"-sh" - "result of a human's actions" ("atatiwish" = "war")
*-"myuukh" - A nominalizing suffix derived from the same root as miyawakh and miyuukh (both of which refer to a chief OTL and TTL refer to anything from a village headman to a city state prince). The ending "-myuukh" (or the Tenepelu/TTL's Nez Perce cognate "-myokht") means "master at, leader at". I think this would be a natural linguistic consequence of the development of a far more hierarchal society than OTL's Sahaptin peoples could ever dream of, as since the early 4th century ITTL the Columbia Plateau has greatly diverged from OTL.
Therefore, "atatiwishmyuukh" literally means "master of war" or "leader of wars". I was tempted to retranslate this word as the Ancient Greek "polemarch" ("war leader") since it's basically the same but I felt that word a little too "classical" for a setting so distinct from European Antiquity (as my inspirations are Ancient Sumeria, Zhou China, and Mesoamerica). I'll probably translate the yakhatatiwishmyuukh ("leader of wars fought on water"), the commander of the Wayamese Navy located at Nekhw'qiyt [Port Gamble, WA], as "seamaster", although I suppose "admiral" works just as well. If you're curious, the title for an air force general would be atatiwishluumyuukh ("leader of fighting wars up in the air") or perhaps atatiwishmyuukh tukhanpa ("leader of fighting wars in the sky"), but that's far in the future for TTL which I doubt I'll ever get to. Even further in the future would be a space force leader which I'd translate atatiwishmyuukh howlaakpa ("leader of fighting wars in the boundless heavens").
On this note, it's interesting to look through the oldest sources on Sahaptin (and the related Nez Perce), written by mid-19th century Catholic missionaries, and see how the attempts to render foreign concepts (like the "Kingdom of Heaven" in the Bible) coincidentally resembles the ways I used the language. As part of my research, I tracked down a lot of dictionaries and wordlists of Amerindian languages and it's interesting to see the terminology they use to express "modern" concepts.
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Chapter 70-Dark Empire
-LXX-
"Dark Empire"
Eishou-ji (永勝寺) Ishikari Province, May 1500
"Dark Empire"
Eishou-ji (永勝寺) Ishikari Province, May 1500
Jikken clutched his robes tighter as he walked the halls of the monastery. Even though spring arrived weeks earlier, the weather turned frigid when he awoke that morning. He looked outside, noticing frost covering the ground and clinging to the cherry trees and freezing solid over the pond. The northern islands of Japan never ceased to amaze Jikken with their propensity for cold.
He noticed another sight as well, the elderly monk Gaiyuchul braving the cold and gazing motionlessly at the frozen trees.
"Perhaps no one dislikes the changing of seasons more than the spirits of this world, for they always seek to dominate," Gaiyuchul spoke as Jikken drew near. "The North Wind [1] desired that winter return and dominated those spirits of warmth." In typical fashion, he remained silent for several moments before he noted, "The peasants around us may have a poor harvest this year."
Jikken noticed a book Gaiyuchul seemingly forgot he held, a book he recognised immediately as a portion of Eishou-ji's copy of Records of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian's famous history of ancient China.
"Were you reading that, sir?" Jikken asked.
"It is too cold of a morning to be reading," Gaiyuchul answered. "Yet I am certain that nature itself reflects the contents of this text, even though I struggle to read it without my brothers at the monastery speaking the text in my language." Jikken nodded.
"I suppose the cycles of history are like the seasons," Jikken said, grasping Gaiyuchul's metaphor.
"Indeed, be it here, be it China, or be it my own homeland," Gaiyuchul said, "Where one might say that as the great Wayamese Empire perished as a consequence of bringing about the coldest of winters through disharmony through the evil actions of its rulers, spring arrived as the Chemnese of Ttl'aakhwakhtl did what must be done and attempted the restoration of balance. Yet corruption so filled the land that winter refused to end."
"You are referring to that man Twanakha-Spilya?" Jikken asked, thinking of a name he read in one of Gaiyuchul's books.
"Correct. A man so accursed and damned the world itself nearly collapsed thanks to him, a man whose name 'Follows Coyote' exists as sheer irony," Jikken always found that portion of Gaiyuchul's history suspect, a portion that seemed almost a myth in the normally realistic histories Gaiyuchul told. A man so evil that mountains fell and the world nearly flooded once more, it seems rather exaggerated.
"Would you compare him to Qin Shi Huang or King Zhou of Shang," Jikken asked, looking at the book in Gaiyuchul's hand.
"I have little familiarity with those men of ancient China, yet from the stories I know of them I am certain even cruel and evil men such as those rulers pale in comparison to Twanakha-Spilya. After all, none of those men nearly caused the world to fall out of imbalance and lead to its destruction."
"He truly must have been evil without comparison if he brought about that much destruction," Jikken replied.
"Indeed. The greatest rulers are those who bring about balance with their good deeds, surround themselves with good people, and above all, possess great strength in mind, body, and spirit. The worst rulers are also strong in mind, body, and spirit, yet use those talents for evil, much like Qin Shi Huang. "
A cold gust of wind blew a few snow flurries at the two men, yet only Jikken flinched.
"As much as evil men try to disturb the order of the world, good men are always around to restore it. The men who falsely claim the dignity of the Pillar King fall from grace and the men who bring balance become the rulers of the world and upholders of its balance. Similarly, the spirits may wish the seasons progressed differently than the order the gods decided upon in the Time of the Transformer, yet in the end they always fail at uprooting this order. Not even the greatest of all evil in history succeeded at changing the natural laws of the world."
---
Wayam, May 914 [1257]
Dressed in simple grey tehi robes, Twanakha-Spilya and his warriors appeared little different than an entourage of merchants as they passed through the outer palisade of Wayam. They waved to the soldier standing watch at the gate beneath a stone tower, an elderly man whose rude equipment marked him as one of the peasants who lived in this slum outside of Wayam. This simple wooden wall of stakes barely taller than two men paled in comparison to the far greater earthen wall in the distance at the rim of the gorge where Wayam sat.
Twanakha-Spilya looked around for any sign of enemies, be it suspicious Wayamese soldiers or disloyalty from his own men. He saw none, only seeing a few half-starved children playing in the muddy streets of this worn-down part of the Upper City of Wayam. They wore little but torn rags for clothing, and Twanakha-Spilya assumed the owner of one of the few longhouses still maintained amidst the decay owned them as slaves. Their skin was peppered with sores, perhaps from shimui or perhaps from insect bites, yet regardless of the cause in Twanakha-Spilya's eyes they made a loathsome sight.
A few of the boys ran up to his party, no doubt believing them to be merchants from the reindeer laden with baggage, cupping their hands as they pleaded for alms. The warriors simply ignored them, having seen far too much of that in their careers. One boy tugged on Twanakha-Spilya's cloak.
"Please, exalted master, do you have any food or goods to spare for my own master?" Twanakha-Spilya shoved him out of the way into the mud without a second thought, continuing his journey to the palace. I have no time for beggars, especially not slaves who dare touch a man who is rightfully the Pillar King, the ruler of this world.
Indeed, he truly was the rightful Pillar King, and he never would have to be doing any of this if not for the machinations of that bastard Khtumekhismi nearly 25 years ago when he dared to elect his younger brother, that inept and decadent fool Tsanahuuwaptas, solely on the basis he wanted his son-in-law as ruler. Thanks to that foolishness, the Wayamese Empire lay in ruins, usurped by some upstart from Chemna. This once thriving portion of the Upper City now lay mostly in ruins thanks to people like that who leached everything from the Wayamese Empire.
His men now reached the gates of Wayam proper, that high earthen wall painted with decaying murals and marked by crumbling watchtowers. The Chemnese clearly failed to maintain it well, even if they didn't do worse than his idiot brother during his own rule. Yet given how his brother still technically ruled Wayam, undoubtedly the Chemnese let his idiot brother run the city like this.
Unlike the exterior palisade, the soldiers at this wall were well-armed with good-quality bronze-tipped spears and dagger-axes. One of them, the captain as noted by the warriors flanking him and his even shinier armour, noticed him immediately.
"Ah, I know you well, and I know why you're here," he greeted. This must be the watchman whom I see on other occasions when I venture into Wayam, truly it is fortunate loyalists of Wayam still fill this city. "Praise be to the legitimate Pillar King who holds his seat at Wayam." Twanakha-Spilya nodded, and the captain shouted at the soldiers to open the gate.
With that, the group of soldiers entered into Wayam proper, intent on carrying out their destined mission. Twanakha-Spilya's anticipation rose as he crossed down the vast stone staircase leading to the center of the city, saw the terraces of the cliffs that fortunately still managed to produce crops of camas and wapato, and passed through the marketplace which bare as it was, still retained hints of what it could be. When they finally recognise me as Pillar King, all of this will change back to what once was!
Finally, Twanakha-Spilya entered the courtyard of the palace, passing by the guards who knew him well and already supported him. His warriors spread out, and his lieutenant shouted for all but the officers to remain outside until the signal sounded. He passed through the well-carved doors on the exterior of the palace with just five men at his side, yet these five men he knew to be the fiercest and most capable of warriors.
Ushers guided them to the main hall of the palace, neglecting to even check their cloaks for weapons. And why should they? After all, he was the foremost general of Wayam for over a decade, and the only one still fighting for the city even after the Chemnese took control of the country. And as for his soldiers, anyone whom Twanakha-Spilya trusted must clearly be trustworthy themselves.
As he entered the main hall, Twanakha-Spilya smiled at the scene of pure decadence. Conversations of drunken men and women filled the hall and great trays of all sorts of well-cooked, well-spiced food covered the tables. Judging by the plates of meat dishes all over the tables, his brother no doubt ordered the slaughter of many reindeer, towey goats, and geese to provide for the feast. A band of musicians gently strummed on zither and lute amidst sparse chimes from their bells. It seems they enjoyed their potlatch.
In the back of the room, his brother Tsanahuuwaptas, more obese than ever, gazed listlessly at the attendees at the potlatch, neglecting to conduct any of his duties. The glass of salal wine in his hand hinted at the reason--his incredible intoxication. Beside him sat a young woman dressed in fine robes, whom Twanakha-Spilya identified as the niece of the Chemnese so-called Pillar King, now married to his imbecile of a brother. A handsome man wearing fine robes, the heir Plaashpaikan, arose and attempted to signal the crowd to quiet down to introduce the new arrival.
"Oh guests in attendance at this ceremony, the final guest has arrived," Plaashpaikan spoke, acting as herald, "the half-brother of the Pillar King, champion of the Wayamese people, Twanakha-Spilya, son of Pataatlatimna. May he bring honour to this occasion."
A few heads in the crowd turned and looked at him and his entourage, yet soon after went back to their incessant feasting and chatting. They are either too foolish or too drunk to respect me, and any who aren't will no doubt turn me over to the Chemnese for their own gain. He approached Tsanahuuwaptas, ignoring the other guests in the hall and letting them enjoy their final moments in peace. Oh Shapalp'ulit, my dear wife, grant me the strength to strike these fools down and take back what is mine.
"Ah, brother," Tsanahuuwaptas mumbled, delirious from another day of heavy drinking as Twanakha-Spilya approached. "How are you, uh, doing today? It is a good day, good day, isn't it?"
"Yes indeed," Twanakha-Spilya replied, reaching below his cloak and grasping the handle of his throwing axe. "Today is the finest day I have had in ages." His heart pounded as the spirit within him reached out to grasp what was rightfully his. He could feel it strangling the life of Tsanahuuwaptas's own spirit, not that the oaf in front of him realised how short of a time he had remaining.
"It's too bad you could not be here earlier," Tsanahuuwaptas said, trying to drink more salal wine from an empty goblet.
"It's too bad Khtumekhismi and father could not be here as well," Twanakha-Spilya said. "But for you, this potlatch continues in the spirit world. Now, time to meet them!"
He whipped out the throwing axe from his cloak and with swift precision honed from a lifetime of warfare threw it clean into Tsanahuuwaptas's skull where it burst into a shower of blood and brains. His brother never saw it coming thanks to his inebriated state. Twanakha-Spilya drew a second throwing axe and his bronze dagger, quickly searching for his next target as the room descended into chaos.
The band stopped playing and the sound of pleasant conversation turned into worried mutterings ridden with fear.
"The rightful Pillar King has returned and has slain the usurper!" one of his soldiers shouted as he rushed toward the orchestra, slashing guests and soldiers at will with an axe he drew from beneath his cloak. As he arrived, he drove off the fleeing musicians with swings of his axe and started furiously banging the gongs, the sign for the soldiers outside to rush in and finish the job.
The few warriors in the room drew their weapons yet in confusion from the surprise attack and with many of them drunk, the five elite soldiers of Twanakha-Spilya quickly gained the upper hand. Twanakha-Spilya impaled a guard in the mouth with his dagger, seizing the man's spear and shield. I have lost little of my skills even in my old age. In only a few moments, 75 more warriors would charge in and finish the job.
Plaashpaikan rushed toward Twanakha-Spilya with his dagger, yet Twanakha-Spilya easily blunted the inebriated man's attack and pierced him in the stomach. The heir collapsed to the floor, never to become Pillar King.
"Wh-why? Why would you do this?" he groaned. "I could have made you heir, the man you killed had so little time left anyway." Twanakha-Spilya ignored this, turning his attention toward the cowering bride of Tsanahuuwaptas. The niece of my other enemy, and the sister of his heir. He briefly imagined all sorts of creative ways to punish the women, befitting her status as a member of a hated enemy's clan, before he dispatched her by throwing his dagger with a precise stroke through her heart.
"Kill everyone in this palace! Leave none alive!" Twanakha-Spilya barked to his soldiers as they poured into the room and finished the remaining guards. "Waste no time with the loot or women lest anyone escape their punishment!"
They chased after the fleeing guests, cutting them down and butchering them as they caught up to them regardless of age or gender. After he stabbed another woman clean through with his spear, Twanakha-Spilya grinned as he listened to the screams of the attendees at this potlatch echo through the palace as his soldiers chased them. It makes such wonderful music, the screams of my enemies as they receive the punishment they deserve for associating with that foolish man and permitting his collaboration with Chemna. He walked over to the corpse of his brother, pulling the throwing axe from his skull and swinging it again through his neck. After two strokes, his head rolled to the ground at Twanakha-Spilya's feet.
"May you suffer countless punishments until you are reborn as the lowest of slaves," he growled at the severed head. "Someone as foolish as you destroyed this empire granted to our clan by Coyote himself through your cowardice. You, and all who aided you, deserve the worst possible fate for defiling the position of Pillar King." He punted the severed head across the room before walking back over to retrieve it. I should throw this corpse to the dogs, for this man was no Pillar King but a man who abandoned his position to save his skin.
"Your orders, sir?" his lieutenant asked, looking around the room at the floor covered in blood and bodies. The man had seen worse in his career as an officer of Twanakha-Spilya's army.
"Round up our soldiers and we will move on the garrisons at Wayam. Inform them the rightful Pillar King has returned and the time to expel the Chemnese is at hand. If anyone in this city, Wayamese or Chemnese or otherwise, gets in our way, kill them, kill or enslave their families, and take their property. As for what we'll do with this palace, we'll set fire to it when we have a moment."
Twanakha-Spilya looked at the chaos around him and smiled, elated he succeeded at his coup, elated he dealt utter destruction on his enemies, elated that after nearly 25 years, he won the position that was rightfully his. Although he knew he had much time to make up for and that soon he needed to prepare for war against Chemna, this moment he waited for nearly his entire life, the moment he became Pillar King, demanded celebration. Laughing to himself, he walked over to a serving table where a woman lay face down in a pool of her own blood in front of a jar full of salal wine, and poured himself a goblet full and raised it to the sun shining through the eaves of the building. To myself, to my wife, and to the resurrection of Wayam and the true Pillar King. He took a sip and savored the dry and wonderful flavor made all the better by his victory. Truly I am invincible now!
---
The Wayamese Empire collapsed amidst decades of drought, mismanagement, and civil warfare, yet Fusanian civilisation survived this fall. The new Pillar King, Ttl'aakhwakhtl, conquered and subdued Wayam and intended his own city of Chemna to replace Wayam as the center of the civilised world. By doing so, he believed the great drought would come to an end and prosperity and conflict would cease. Yet instead of greatness, this action decisively plunged North Fusania into what historians term the Age of Disarray, a dark age of civilisation.
The new Chemnese Empire lacked stability. It attempted to usurp the crumbling Wayamese institutions by force of arms and force of will. Yet the practically independent prefectural lords submitted only conditionally and refused to return to the old status quo of having everything dictated by the palace economy of Wayam. Ttl'aakhwakhtl's intended reforms thus dashed upon the rocks of political reality and few truly followed him.
Worse still, conditions failed to improve under Chemna's rule. The drought continued as ever with little relief, forcing Chemnese commanders to permit their soldiers to engage in indisciplined looting lest their armies mutiny from lack of food. Many Chemnese soldiers used their fighting skills as bandits and brigands when they were not campaigning and sacked and looted villages with impunity. Powerful prefectural nobles and landowners hired these men as guards and private armies and used them for their own personal wars with each other as well as to threaten the Chemnese government into complying with their orders.
The Chemnese Empire devoted much time toward suppressing rebellion and especially revolts of usurpers. These usurpers opposed both the former Pillar King Tsanahuuwaptas as well as the Chemnese Empire and sought rule over Wayam so they might restore the "true" Wayamese Empire to power. Often these usurpers acted as mere brigands and clashed with each other, allowing the Chemnese easy victories when needed. Yet their mere existence speaks much toward the chaos that gripped the Imaru Basin in this era and in particular, the continued belief in Wayam as the center of the universe.
The greatest rebel against Chemna, the Wayamese prince and warmaster Twanakha-Spilya, proved unstoppable for them. His forces hindered the Chemnese and their allies numerous times in the 1254 war that gained Chemna the seat of the Pillar King. Unfortunately for Twanakha-Spilya, his half-brother, the Pillar King Tsanahuuwaptas, greatly distrusted him although begrudgingly respected his prowess and flattery Twanakha-Spilya gave him. Twanakha-Spilya, however, always despised Tsanahuuwaptas and believed a conspiracy led by the powerful South King Khtumekhismi cheated him out of his rightful position as heir. He never accepted Chemnese overlordship and with a large warband of allegedly 1,600 warriors he conducted repeated hit-and-run raids against the Chemnese and controlled the allegiances of numerous villages and towns. He gained the support of many urban Wayamese, including Tsanahuuwaptas himself who hoped one day Twanakha-Spilya's actions might restore him to power.
In 1257, Twanakha-Spilya covertly entered Wayam alongside a guard of soldiers and followers, allegedly invited to a potlatch celebrating Plaashpaikan's marriage to the sister of Ttl'aakhwakhtl's heir Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt. Twanakha-Spilya covertly coming and going from Wayam was nothing new to him, as he often obtained recruits or funding from meetings in the city. This time however, he sought revenge--revenge on the Chemnese for destroying the empire that was rightfully his, and revenge on his family for taking the titles he believed were his.
At that potlatch, Twanakha-Spilya and his men murdered Tsanahuuwaptas and Plaashpaikan along with numerous supporters. Twanakha-Spilya butchered all of the royal family in the palace irregardless of age. With the aid of a few councilmen in Wayam, he declared himself ruler of Wayam and the legitimate Pillar King and decreed that Chemna must be destroyed for their actions against the balance of the world.
Gaiyuchul describes the wicked joy at which Twanakha-Spilya conducted this massacre, a fundamental element of his personality.
"There are few men more cruel and wicked in the history of the world than Twanakha-Spilya and Twanakha-Spilya made this clear in abundance when he massacred so many at the Palace of Wayam. He and his men butchered those nobles and servants who failed to escape as if they were mere animals. The soldiers of Twanakha-Spilya dragged dozens of members of the royal family before Twanakha-Spilya to which Twanakha-Spilya strangled with his own hands every single prince and princess down to the youngest infant. Through this means Twanakha-Spilya destroyed the lineage of those nobles who dared oppose him yet even this failed to sate his bloodlust. After Twanakha-Spilya ordered the burning of the palace in the name of spiritual purity, the carnage spilled onto the streets of Wayam and the indisciplined soldiers rioted in the streets and plundered the homes of those who failed to display proper reverence for the conquering warriors."
Twanakha-Spilya acclaimed himself Pillar King at Wayam and decreed as his first edict the reversal of all edicts of Ttl'aakhwakhtl on the basis of their illegitimacy and declared a perpetual war on Ttl'aakhwakhtl and his clan for their crimes against the Pillar King. He martialed thousands of warriors in addition to his own veteran forces, promising the true restoration of the Pillar King and vast amounts of plunder from the Chemnese. Twanakha-Spilya notoriously invited warriors of the Hillmen and Coastmen to his cause to further bolster his forces, promising them a share of the plunder.
For two years, Wayam and Chemna clashed over the central Imaru Basin, engaging in numerous skirmishes and raids. Through sieges and defections, Twanakha-Spilya regained control over much of the former Wayamese Empire as ally after ally deserted Ttl'aakhwakhtl. Only the logistical limits of the Wayamese army prevented a full advance on Chemna. The systemic looting by both armies brought great devastation to the middle Imaru Basin.
Other parts of this war raged west of the Grey Mountains. In this region, the local nishaiktish (called kialkham in Namal) attempted to gain support of either party in advancing their own agenda. In exchange for titles, goods, and resources, they contributed a token amount of soldiers, effectively acting as mercenaries. Often they employed these resources to hire out their own mercenaries from even further away. Some of these nobles became extremely powerful based on this, such as the pro-Chemnese nishaiktish Ishuyusti, a powerful warlord in the central Irame Valley. Receiving the title of warmaster from Ttl'aakhwakhtl and allegedly marrying his niece, Ishuyusti led numerous raids against the pro-Wayam forces in 1258 and 1259 and became one of the most powerful men in the Irame Valley.
By September 1259, the raiding and fighting drew ever nearer to Chemna as Ttl'aakhwakhtl lost the initiative. He laid a clever ambush at Pawakhisha [2] with his remaining force of 6,000 warriors, intending to crush the larger Wayamese force. Yet disloyalty struck Ttl'aakhwakhtl and as the Wayamese forces drew near, a large number of his forces defected thanks to a conspiracy within the camp and struck at the Chemnese Emperor himself. Aware of the failure of his plan, the heavily wounded Ttl'aakhwakhtl led a fighting retreat of his forces back to the walls of Chemna, where he died five days later.
Gaiyuchul describes this scene:
"The traitors to this world who supported the wicked usurper Twanakha-Spilya denied the army of Ttl'aakhwakhtl their chance at crushing his evil then and there at Pawakhisha. Those men who sought riches and fame and scorned morality and balance approached unto Ttl'aakhwakhtl as allies before they struck as vipers alongside their foolish followers. Ttl'aakhwakhtl as his final great act crushed the rebellion within his camp and executed the ring leaders yet the forces of Twanakha-Spilya descended upon them. Those final five days of Ttl'aakhwakhtl's life he spent fighting to his last breath to save his forces and this land from a cruel fate.
The people of Chemna and nearby towns to this day venerate the cliffs of Pawakhisha for they believe the spirit of victory summoned by Ttl'aakhwakhtl still rests within those rocks where it waits for the right warrior to call it out so that it might fulfill its duty. That is why Coyote called the place Pawakhisha, for long ago he knew the people would wait there for the return of their champion."
Ttl'aakhwakhtl left no surviving sons, only several nephews and cousins. While the bulk of his loyalists, including his senwitla Miimawatai, rallied around his eldest nephew Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt, Ttl'aakhwakhtl's cousin Khwaamawaakutl believed the youth inexperienced and declared himself Pillar King instead. Khwaamawaakutl evicted Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt's loyalists from Chemna, holding the city with a skeleton force mainly recruited from inexperienced peasants.
Khwaamawaakutl lacked legitimacy, as Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt fled with the regalia of the Pillar King. Further, some of his own cousnis condemned him as a militant upstart. Not five days after he declared himself Pillar King, he was assassinated by a relative and his body publically thrown from the walls of Chemna as a peace offering to the Wayamese and specifically Twanakha-Spilya. They opened the gates of the city and allowed in the Wayamese Army, intended to be appointed to high ranks for killing the usurper and capturing its capital.
Twanakha-Spilya rejected this offer and ordered the wholesale destruction of Chemna and all of its inhabitants and the extermination of Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt's clan. The Wayamese massacred every single person in the city and seized all their livestock and possessions. They sacked nearby towns such as Kw'sis, Chanuwit, and Aanwash, searching for remaining loyalists of Ttl'aakhwakhtl's clan before a truce negotiated by the nobles of the town of Tamnash (at the cost of nearly all their possessions) ended the violence [3]. Later Chemnese sources claim the Wayamese killed over 8,000 people and enslaved countless more in this spree of violence and suggest only 400 adult men from Chemna survived thanks to having been evicted from the city alongside Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt.
This decisive victory and repeated acts of terror restored peace in the Imaru Basin. All potential enemies of Twanakha-Spilya exhausted themselves in these civil wars during such a harsh drought and famine. Even some of the nearly independent provincial nobility deferred toward Twanakha-Spilya and renewed payments of tribute to him, payments often heavy in slaves thanks to their own local wars and the countless peasants who sold themselves and their family as slaves to avoid starvation. Even if he ruled over a kingdom of ruins and skulls, hrough victory, prestige, and terror, Twanakha-Spilya thus reconstituted much of the realm of the Center King and adjacent prefectures as the core of the Wayamese Empire he intended to rebuild.
Naked cruelty marked Twanakha-Spilya's rule. Like Tsanahuuwaptas, he flagrantly ignored established laws such Aanwaakutl's codex and imposed the death sentence for the slightest of crimes, often followed up by sentencing the accused criminal's entire family to forced labour for life. He abandoned traditional methods of execution such as drowning for far crueler methods, namely immurement where he threw the accused into a dry cistern and according to Nch'iyaka, "[...]delighted in Hunger's [4] cruel strength" as the victim suffered a slow death over the course of many days. It is said he used all four elements as means of execution, including drowning, burying people alive, burning at the stake, and tying victims trees or rocks and letting them die of exposure.
Twanakha-Spilya's cruelty extended to his own family. He denied his brother Tsanahuuwaptas a proper funeral and unceremoniously fed his corpse to his dogs. When these dogs died, Twanakha-Spilya ordered a grand funeral held for them to mock his brother and his supporters. Twanakha-Spilya's heirs changed routinely, as the slightest error on the part of his heir resulted in their arrest for one crime or another and frequently their execution along with their entire family. Nch'iyaka claims that "in mercy he left not a single descendent[...]" as he murdered so many of his grandsons and allegedly he executed over 2,000 descendents of Q'mitlwaakutl. Many sources claim he occasionally partook in cannibalism, executing those with strong spiritual power and subsequently eating them so he might strengthen his own spirit.
Twanakha-Spilya derives his greatest infamy not for mere decadence or cruelty like other 13th century Pillar Kings nor even for incest or cannibalism, but for his alleged use of black magic. Legend tells that Twanakha-Spilya's half-sister known only as Shapalp'ulit (whom he married) became a powerful witch who exerted great influence over her half-brother. While not attested by any archaeological record unlike other powerful 13th century Fusanian women, Shapalp'ulit figures heavily in traditional accounts of Twanakha-Spilya's era. According to Nch'iyaka of Wapaikht, "[...]she did lay with her half-brother in foul incestuous union and she did imbue inside him destructive force as never seen before," referencing the common accusation of Twanakha-Spilya's flagrant violation of taboos.
Fusanian legend claims Shapalp'ulit's witchcraft forced the spirits of the Imaru River into restoring the rains, and upon the first bountiful harvest in seemingly decades she took the name "Shapat'ukht'khwit" meaning "Rainmaker." The spells she cast imbued with wicked energy caused her opponents--and history--to dub her Shapalp'ulit, or "Tearmaker". All sorts of accusations lay in how Shapalp'ulit restored the rains, often involving drowning innocent children in the Imaru River (including supposedly her own children) or more salaciously dumping into the river corpses of people and animals ritually slaughtered, a grave violation of traditional sacrifice protocols. Allegedly she frequently used human flesh in her rituals, both as an object to channel spirit power and as food she consumed in preparation. No evidence of increasing human or animal sacrifice has been discovered in the mid-13th century Imaru Basin, suggesting this portion of the legend remains mythical.
Regardless of the cause, the great drought of the mid-13th century abated during the 1260s in North Fusania, as determined by tree ring records and changes in land cultivation. Year after year, more consistent rains fell without causing excessive flooding, replenishing the system of reservoirs and canals that Aipakhpam civilisation relied on. This naturally stimulated the economy, allowing a resumption in the export of agricultural goods to the wetter western lands in exchange for their own products.
This increasing trade and reconnection of the empire no doubt stimulated the central government's urge to re-establish authority over Wayam "as it was in the days of Aanwaakutl." Twanakha-Spilya thus spent much of the 1260s reconstituting the military and attempting great campaigns aimed at subduing independent rulers. Yet the political situation changed greatly in the proceding decades, and these rulers refused to give up their positions without a fight. As a result, Twanakha-Spilya allied with the lesser landowners within each prefecture in order to overthrow the great nishaiktish. Yet many of these landowners proved mercenary when they received the important titles of prefect or commandant and rendered disappointing amounts of tribute and warriors toward the Wayamese.
A few areas of traditional loyalty voluntarily submitted to Twanakha-Spilya. These include Sosot'iheh Prefecture--still ruled by the descendents of the West King as well as the Yakhatatiwishmyuukh based at Nekhw'qiyt. The latter seems to be the recipient of a number of ships including the Kashiwamichi ship, the remains of a Wayamese ship wrecked in the Kashiwamichi River. This 13th century warship dates to Twanakha-Spilya and wrecked in the Imaru River on its way to its destination. The exterior of the ship bears decoration common to that of Nekhw'qiyt's fleet, and discovered alongside the wreck was a totem stick bearing glyphs suggesting the ship was a gift to Nekhw'qiyt for loyalty and demanding Nekhw'qiyt continue the vital task of defending the coast.
No history cites the names of Twanakha-Spilya's Directional Kings, although it seems like the descendents of Wayam's West Kings at Sosot'iheh retained their power in Twanakha-Spilya's era. The reason for this seems to be that Twanakha-Spilya faced such condemnation in historical memory that none dared associate their ancestors as having willingly followed him. The cities where his Directional Kings held as their seats likewise remain largely unknown, although some suggest the seats of power remained near where they did under Tsanahuuwaptas prior to Chemna's conquest of Wayam.
Scholars consider one particularly active city-state, Yenmusitsa, as a likely candidate for the seat of the North King, although no traditional history identifies it as such. The seat of the North King under Tsanahuuwaptas (and possibly the same individual under Twanakha-Spilya), Yenmusitsa opposed the Chemnese Empire during their five year rule with their own pretender, a son of Tsanahuuwaptas. Nch'iyaka claims that in return for "great rewards", Yenmusitsa's prince handed over this pretender and his family to Twanakha-Spilya (who executed the men and distributed the women to his followers as concubines).
As loyal allies to the reborn Wayamese Empire, Yenmusitsa secured Wayam's northern and eastern frontier. Their troops conducted much raiding against the Chiyatsuru states to their north and sought to dominate the dry irrigated lands to their east. The productivity of the mines around Lake Chiran ensured Wayam retained access to crucial supplies of copper, lead, and precious metals. Thanks to this alliance and close ties with Wayam, the ruling class of Yenmusitsa and much of Lake Chiran likely became culturally Aipakhpam by the mid-13th century, although the lower classes remained solidly Skowatsanakh (a Chiyatsuru ethnic group) for centuries to come.
Most notably, they subdued a major revolt in 1263 of the cities of Ktlatla and Winacha. These cities, long used to an independent policy thanks to being ruled by the West King from being the Grey Mountains, revolted against Twanakha-Spilya's harsh demands, reputedly including demands for delivery of the "daughters of prominent noblemen". Although initially successful at first, the prince of Yenmusitsa destroyed their armies in the field near Winacha and conquered that city, followed up by Twanakha-Spilya's own army sacking Ktlatla in 1264. Twanakha-Spilya so thoroughly destroyed Ktlatla that this city, one of the ancient Five Cities of the Aipakhpam, never regained its wealth or population in later centuries.
Twanakha-Spilya concentrated his campaigns west of the Grey Mountains. Relatively intact from the drought and warfare of the 1240s and 1250s and not jeopardising to Wayam's essential supply of arsenical bronze forged mostly in the Chiyatsuru cities, this area offered large amounts of plunder for his indisciplined hordes and the support of the Wawinknikshpama people, ethnic Aipakhpam who resented Namal domination. Twanakha-Spilya devastated and subdued the Lower Imaru provinces from 1262 to 1264 with the help of a powerful fleet he built. According to Gaiyuchul, he conducted a great sack of Katlamat for the resistance its prince gave him, and he conquered the city of Tlat'sap, supposedly installing his Coastman allies as princes as a "mockery" to his duties as Pillar King.
Wayamese campaigns into the Irame Valley met with less success. In 1265, he invaded that land and attempted his usual strategies, easily sweeping away the smaller armies that opposed him, yet like past conquerers found himself frustrated by the number of fortified villages that limited his gains. Namal refugees, especially mercenaries, from the Lower Imaru bolstered local armies and managed to subdue any enthusiasm at the return of the Wayamese.
At Twanakha-Spilya's return in 1266, a great number of Irame princes and nishaiktish opposed him, led by the descendents of Imolakte of Chateshtan as well as the rising power of the warlord Ishuyusti. At the battle of Chimapuichuk [5], the two roughly equal forces clashed. The more disciplined Amim and Namal warriors inflicted great casualties on the Wayamese forces, yet the sudden death of the descendents of Imolakte spread disarray in their lines. After this Wayamese pyrrhic victory, many Irame princes bowed before the Wayamese in order to preserve their positions although Wayam received little tribute from them.
In 1267, Twanakha-Spilya launched an ambitious campaign against the Whulchomic peoples, intending to subdue their country at least as far north as Sosot'iheh in linking with allied rulers. Internal opposition within the Wayamese court to this war arose, and according to Nch'iyaka of Wapaikht, "those [ministers] who did oppose the wisdom of this invasion did forfeit their lives to the Pillar King's wickedness." The Wayamese treasury ran increasingly low on stored goods and many of their soldiers either perished in battle or needed to garrison the recently conquered land as hated occupiers.
Regardless of this, Twanakha-Spilya mounted the invasion anyway and led 8,000 soldiers up the Kashiwamichi River on the route to the Whulge. They defeated the local Shlpalmish lords of Awelkintl Prefecture at great cost, and after recruiting local allies, the Wayamese headed toward the great city of St'ech'as, believing the Whulchomish might be divided and conquered as easily as their other foes. Opposing them stood the persuasive siyam Tubsheladkhw whom convinced by his shamans, rallied the Whulchomish siyams and their followers to battle.
Yet after decades of Wayamese rule and decades more of fending for themselves against the Coastmen--and often bureaucrats of the West King--the Whulchomish people knew how to meet threats from external foes. The Whulchomish leagues reconstituted in their previous form where groups of siyams and their land holdings assembled as alliances, yet decades of exposure to Wayamese rule and bureaucracy ensured these leagues functioned far better than those of the 11th and 12th century in all aspects, namely their greatest function--raising an army [6].
The Second St'ech'as League (as it is called) assembled a force to counter the invading Wayamese. Heeding the words of their prophets about the witchcraft of the Wayamese, the Whulchomish of St'ech'as under Tubsheladkhw, called to arms their allies from nearby cities and islands and assembled an army around 6,000 strong with unprecedented speed. They quickly hurried south and in late summer attacked the Wayamese as they camped at the village of Aqaigt [7]. Shocked by the unexpected arrival of the enemy and with their forces consisting mainly of ill-trained peasant levies, the Wayamese lines crumbled under the fierce assault from the Whulchomish forces and nearly half their number fell in battle or faced capture, where few returned home.
Tubsheladkhw rested his army in preparation for further attacks on the Wayamese army as they retreated. As the campaign season ended, his forces moved south along the roads, encouraging rebellion among the Shlpalmish and sacking villages who collaborated with the Wayamese. This grave defeat amounted in open rebellion among nearly all Shlpalmish and a general Wayamese retreat.
Tubsheladkhw's victory at Aqaigt dealt a psychological blow to the people of Fusania who believed the Wayamese Empire had returned. Overextended from campaigning and lacking in the resources to distribute to the soldiers and people, Twanakha-Spilya's garrisons melted away along with his armies and open revolt broke out by spring 1268. The conquered prefectures ceased to acknowledge his authority and gathering resources and manpower became increasingly difficult.
The Battle of Aqaigt ended Twanakha-Spilya's attempt to revive the Wayamese Empire as rebellion erupted throughout the Wayamese Empire. In the Whulge, the Yakhatatiwishmyuukh of Nekhw'qiyt threw off Wayamese rule and openly allied with St'ech'as. The descendents of the West King at Sosot'iheh met a far worse fate--the people of the city rose up at the urging of local siyams and massacred nearly all of them by throwing them from the walls of the city. The siyams of this region then proclaimed the Second Kwatkach'ked League, so named for its meeting site at the religious site of Kwatkach'ked.
For this grave defeat of Twanakha-Spilya, Tubsheladkhw became a legendary figure in much of the western half of the former Wayamese Empire. He became a popular figure most celebrated in the tenstl'khwem, the heroic poems of the Whulchomic peoples, yet even the Namals, Amims, and some local Aipakhpam traditions revered him. Nch'iyaka of Wapaikht records the following:
"In that year 925 [1268] the evils of that Pillar King Twanakha-Spilya drew to an end for the armies of the Whulchomish of St'ech'as did defeat him. A great noble of their people Tamshelatakh [8] beseeched unto the righteous spirits of this world 'Oh spirits, why shall you let this evil spread imbalance throughout this land!' The spirits answered silence upon him and the faithful Tamshelatakh did place unto the spirits the utmost of trust. He received from the spirits a great answer as the men of the Furuge Coast and all of its hills did rally unto his banner. This host of warriors gathered by the spirits of balance clashed at Aqaigt and under the spiritual might of Tamshelatakh stood together and crushed the evil Pillar King Twanakha-Spilya and for this deed do so many of the people praise Tamshelatakh unto this day."
In the Wayamese heartland, a great slave revolt broke out in spring 1268. Reportedly, this revolt occurred thanks to the large population of commoners who in the past several decades sold themselves into slavery to escape famine. Distraught at a Wayamese population grown increasingly decadent and fearful of rumours of witchcraft surrounding the Pillar King, slaves killed their masters and formed an army in the villages near Wayam. This resulted in a general slave uprising within the city of Wayam itself, put down only through the massacre of over 8,000 slaves, nearly the entirety of the slave population of the city. The escaped slaves retreated to the hills, organising into groups of brigands.
Brutality begat brutality, and as word of the Wayamese massacre spread (including rumours that Twanakha-Spilya and Shapalp'ulit sacrificed them for the sake of grand black magic rituals), more slave revolts broke out, aided by the brigands from nearby Wayam. Thousands of slaves marauded the land as bandits, raiding the villages of their former masters and helping their families return home to their clans. Twanakha-Spilya responded by sending his guerilla forces to hunt down the rebel slaves to mixed result--sometimes they slaves found themselves butchered, other times the Wayamese army lost due to ambushes from the slave rebels.
One rebel in particular vexed the Wayamese, that being Chemnese prince Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt. Alongside his 400 loyalist warriors, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt lived most of the 1260s in the city of Mulmiihm, a Tenepelu city across the river from the ruins of Siminekem [9]. Gaining firm alliances with these Tenepelu thanks to his eldest daughter's marriage to the prince of Mulmiihm, Sik'emnimhusus (or K'usitlamtikh, his Aipakhpam name), Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt often led his loyalists on raids against the Wayamese Empire. Upon hearing the slave revolt and disorientation within Wayam in 1268, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt organised an army totalling 6,000 men with the help of the Tenepelu and other anti-Wayamese exiles and marched west along the Kuskuskai River with the mission of reconquering Chemna. Nch'iyaka of Wapaikht describes the attitude of Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt in his mission:
"And so it came to pass the princes of the Tenepelu led by K'usitlamtikh answered the call to arms of the prince of Chemna Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt in caution 'Oh Aipakhpam prince, shall you fail at ascending the Pillar than shall our cities fall!' Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt shined in confidence as he spoke unto them 'Shall I not ascend the Pillar than shall your cities be enriched! My life matters nothing for my spirit commands that my enemy must fall from the Pillar [10]!' The princes of the Tenepelu solaced themselves in these words did prepare themselves for the great battle. In confidence the soldiers of Chemna and the soldiers of the Tenepelu readied their wills so they might bring about that victory which the prince of Chemna did speak."
Although greatly weakened, the Wayamese still possessed a militarily talented (if elderly) ruler. With what forces remained to him, Twanakha-Spilya set out to intercept this Chemnese army. With his clever scouting and skill at guerilla warfare, the Wayamese laid in ambush for the Chemnese as they reached the village of Khakhash in late summer 1268 [11]. Although outnumbered, the ferocity of the Wayamese onslaught managed to partially break the surprised Chemnese army and kill several Tenepelu leaders. With this grave setback, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt attempted to regain the initiative with a countercharge yet this only delayed the inevitable. In the end, Chaamwanmi-Wats'ukt retreated, using the narrow canyon to buffer himself from the advancing enemies.
Even with this defeat, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt's will proved indomitable. Leaving his Tenepelu allies behind, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt continued his advance into the Wayamese Empire at the head of a small band of brigands. As autumn set in, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt inspired numerous revolts and linked up with the remaining forces of rebellious slaves. Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt promised freedom to any slave who revolted against Twanakha-Spilya, immediately gaining a sizable following. In October 1268, he captured the city of Tamnash through a lightning assault and subsequently crossed the Imaru River and erected a totem pole that condemned the Wayamese, honoured his uncle Ttl'aakhwakhtl, proclaimed himself the legitimate Pillar King, and declared the refounding of Chemna. Paralysed by the onset of winter, Twanakha-Spilya found himself unable to react to this bold move.
Yet nature--or perhaps divine intervention--ensured Twanakha-Spilya would never react. The rainy year of 1268 already caused flooding in parts of the Imaru Basin, yet no flood--or any disaster--in the history of the world could prepare Twanakha-Spilya for the fate that was to befall him. Twanakha-Spilya refused to simply fade away, for in his arrogance, he decided that if he must fall, so too must not only Wayam but the Grey Mountains themselves!
---
Author's notes
Author's notes
This is a rather brutal entry describing the rise and fall of the final ruler of Wayam, a man driven by revenge against himself and the world who partakes in that revenge with psychotic glee. I would say the comparison with Qin Shi Huang, an extremely cruel yet in many ways talented ruler, is apt, and I'd add in a dash of Caligula or other mad rulers.
As for Twanakha-Spilya, it's doubtless that accounts of his cruelty are exaggerated. This entry cites the more lurid details (since it's always interesting to read about brutal, insane tyrants of the past), yet next entry I will give a more critical perspective that more modern historians TTL might take. The next entry should make it very apparent why Twanakha-Spilya is so demonised by later generations of Fusanians given a subsequent event of mythological proportions I alluded to.
As always, thank you for reading!
[1] - The personification of the North Wind is a common deity/demigod in Fusania (and much of indigenous North America)
[2] - Pawakhisha is Yellepit, WA, a former town in Benton County, WA now submerged beneath the Columbia River. The name means "where they wait".
[3] - Kw'sis is Pasco, WA, Chanuwit is Kennewick, WA (the likely source of the name) and Aanwash is located very near Kennewick, WA. Tamnash is immediately across the river from Richland, WA.
[4] - The personification of Hunger is a common deity/demigod in Fusania (and other parts of indigenous North America) and true to its name tortures and kills humans and animals through starvation.
[5] - Chimapuichuk is Champoeg, OR
[6] - I've discussed the decentralised structure of the Whulchomish leagues in the past, and I'll likely devote part of a future chapter toward discussing how Wayamese rule influenced their structure.
[7] - Aqaigt is Grand Mound, WA
[8] - An Aipakhpam/Sahaptin representation of his name
[9] - Mulmiihm is the portion of Lewiston, ID north of the Clearwater River
[10] - Translation of terms in Fusanian languages that refer to dethroning the Pillar King
[11] - Khakhash is near the site of Ice Harbor Dam in WA
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You should have had him feed coyotes or something, then he could have lived up to his name
Huh, sucks to know that earthquake or whatever coming up dooms the empire no matter what. Also interesting that Chemna has been trashed and its cause has moved even further along to the Tenepelu, adds to the unpredictability of the coming era
Very interesting update. I suppose Follows-Coyote's mythological place in Fusania can be likened to that of the Pharaoh in Judaism and Christianity before Hitler replaced him as the personification of evil.
This chapter will be my last for a few weeks (exhaustion plus the need to research the chapters after which cover a lot of non-Fusanian material), and should come out anytime from tomorrow to Tuesday.
That said, the Tenepelu do indeed continue to be involved with politics in this region.
A landslide is only the beginning of his misery, it gets worse.
You don't want to defile a sacred animal. I imagine many Fusanian peoples would raise coyotes and coydogs (much as the Mesoamericans did) and they wouldn't want those animals spiritually polluted by having the corpse of a bad person fed to them.
Chemna was ruined, but a few survivors escaped and they will be back with a vengeance. By "400 men", this would mean "400 adult men and their families" since like in many ancient cultures, the adult men are the ones who matter and also like in many ancient cultures, you wouldn't abandon your wives and children and mothers to their fate at the hands of an army who hates you.
That said, the Tenepelu do indeed continue to be involved with politics in this region.
Pun aside (ouch), "Wayam" is probably not the best spelling as the pronounciation is closer to "Wyam", with "wy" being a diagraph for /wj/ which isn't found in English English. I think the etymology is something like "wii-ya-am", where wii- refers to quick motion of a verb (i.e. wiihayk "to descend"), -ya- a verb referring to water, and -am, a nominalizing ending meaning "geographical feature" (i.e. watam "lake", tiicham, "earth"), so that's where you get the poetic translation "echo of falling water".
Thank you!
Correct, the Pharaoh is a good example, as is someone like Nero (as viewed by pre-modern Christians).
Chapter 71-World Changed Forever
-LXXI-
"World Changed Forever"
Wayam, February 18, 926 [1269]
"World Changed Forever"
Wayam, February 18, 926 [1269]
Twanakha-Spilya wandered through a sunbaked desert canyon covered with thorny plants and the occasional sagebrush. The summer sun beat down on him which seemed strange since in his mind he knew that it was nearly autumn. His parched mouth and empty stomach cried out for a drink of anything, yet he could not find a single spring or creek, let alone a village. He seemed to be the only living creature in this desert aside from a large dark bird flying overhead casting shadows with its wings.
He knew something seemed off about this hellish desert and scenario. He was the ruler of the world, the Khwiimichnik-Pachupatukshpa, He Who Sits Atop the Pillar, the Center King, why was he alone in this miserable place? Hunting? Where were the men who'd accompany him on such an adventure?
Perhaps I am lost, he thought, and as he thought that the bird above him flew in front of the sun and cold filled the now-darkened land. He shivered and fell to the ground so he might conserve his body heat as summer turned to winter. What is this, why has everything gone wrong? Where are my men?
"They are gone," a laughing voice said.
"Gone? What?"
"Their souls seek to spare themselves from the tragedy that will soon be at hand," the voice answered.
"Tragedy? What are you talking about, Coyote!" Twanakha-Spilya shouted, the identity of the voice coming to his mind.
"I am glad you remember my name, Follower [1]. Had you lived up to your name, you would never see sights like these, sights your brother so tragically departed often glimpsed."
"As he should have! This is something only a wicked man like him should see!"
"But I do offer you water freely." Coyote asked. "Your soul is as parched as this land."
"Just give it to me already!" Twanakha-Spilya shouted.
"I will give you all the water you desire." Coyote said. At that moment, Twanakha-Spilya heard a great roaring noise all around him. Fountains of water sprang up from the earth and in front of him rocks fell from the canyon walls. As the rocks fell into the flooding canyon, they screamed as if they were animals or people. A great rumble in the distance grew louder and louder and soon a great wall of water thundered toward Twanakha-Spilya. It pummelled into him and he struggled fruitlessly against it. As he drowned, the roaring stopped and all he heard was Coyote's laughter.
---
Twanakha-Spilya jolted from his bed in a cold sweat, awakening from a terrible nightmare. No spiritual oppression can ever hurt a man as powerful as I am. He smirked at this thought, knowing some pathetic shaman somewhere must have tried to bewitch him in his sleep. Soon his own shamans would uncover that man's foolish attempt at black magic and ensure he and his soul were cast into oblivion.
Yet he heard unsettling sounds and noticed immediately his wife was not there. Outside his door he heard worried voices and loud discussion. Why are they disturbing my sleep? He put his foot on the floor and felt the dampness of cold water. He looked around the room for the source, wondering if something spilled or if the fools outside were trying a novel assassination attempt, yet he found nothing. What's more, the water seemed to be slowly rising. Is this too a nightmare?
Twanakha-Spilya opened the door and several of his officials stood outside, from his vice-chancellor to the High Priest himself. Their robes trailed in the water that seemed everywhere in the darkened hallways. A few guards stood behind them with fearful looks on their face. A few small objects floated in the current in the hallway. This must be the true sorcery, and perhaps my officials are trying to kill me.
"My master, I am ever sorry to disturb your sleep, yet this matter is of crucial importance!" the vice-chancellor pleaded. "The river is rising faster and faster than ever and the flood will soon be upon us! You must escape!"
"What is this witchcraft!" Twanakha-Spilya shouted, glaring at the High Priest. "The water is still low and this winter has mostly been dry! Who is behind this, and why are you not preventing it?"
"All of our efforts failed," the High Priest muttered in sorrow. The river is alive and angry as none alive have ever seen it. It is as if Coyote decreed the river remind us of its terrible spiritual power."
Twanakha-Spilya grabbed the beaded necklace the High Priest wore around his neck and yanked at it, slamming the man to the water-covered floor. The other government officials looked upon him in horror yet dare not intervene lest they too face his wrath.
"Your ineptness has permitted evil to attack myself, my household, and my people! Consider it merciful I do not kill you on the spot! Arrest this man so he might give account for his failure at his trial."
The guards helped the High Priest off the ground, gingerly grasping the man's arms.
"Come, my master let us continue this conversation outside!" the vice-chancellor said. "The water is rising faster! We are the last inside the palace."
"Where are my wives at?" he demanded. "I will not leave without them!"
"They have departed safely with the other women of the palace," the vice-chancellor spoke. "They refused to wake you for they faithfully followed your decrees to never wake you." Twanakha-Spilya grit his teeth at the audaciousness of those women in such a perilous moment. What was Shapat'ukht'khwit doing at a time like this? If her spiritual strength had been beside him, none of this would've happened.
"You fools should have woken me earlier!" Twanakha-Spilya shouted, leading his men as they walked through the flooding corridors. They grabbed torches so as to illuminate their path. By the time they reached the exit of the palace, the water nearly came up to their knees.
A bright moon peaked out from behind the storm clouds which earlier caused much thunder and frigid rain. Illuminated in silver moonlight, Twanakha-Spilya saw scenes of utter chaos. A few houses burned--torched by their owners perhaps--granting further illumination to the city. Great dark waves tore the surface of the Imaru River amidst floating timber and planks. He gazed at it in awe--it seemed nothing like a flood yet something far worse. The spirits of the Imaru shrieked in raw anger that was apparent to anyone who dare try and concentrate on them, and the river seemed as if it sought to swallow the entire world.
Perhaps it was, Twanakha-Spilya thought in a sudden pang of horror. The demon Naishtla has escaped and will once again try and swallow every creature in this world [2]. His heart pounded as he realised the events around him. Already the river swallowed the bridge across the river and all the streets and houses closest to the water and the palace of Wayam was next. And in the distance, Twanakha-Spilya saw a horrible sight--the great Falls of Wayam already vanished beneath the roaring waves of the river! Falls that stood since the Time of the Transformer and nourished his ancestors since time immortal disappeared in the span of hours!
Distant processions of torches around the staircases to the Upper City marked the people of Wayam fleeing to higher ground. The sounds of gongs and bells rang out from everywhere, warning of danger and trying to wake the people up. But will there be any escape? Twanakha-Spilya doubted it, since this was no mere flood but the unleashing of a force strong enough to destroy the world, a force rarely seen since times so long ago.
"We must hurry my lord, before the flood gets any worse!" the vice-chancellor cautioned.
"All is lost," Twanakha-Spilya muttered, gazing at the floodwaters rising to drown his city. "The end of the world is upon us. Be it the wrath of the Imaru, the demon Naishtla, or even Coyote, there will be no escape." Something deep down worried him. Was it my fault? Did I bring this upon my people? He did not want to believe, yet perhaps the warnings were right. What would that old prophet Lunipyush have said to me? He always despised that prophet and those who to this day, thirty years after his death, continued to revere him, yet now he wondered how many words of that man held truth.
"We do not know that yet! If we live according to balance, we can rise again anew! Wayam has endured floods as great as this one!" the vice-chancellor pleaded.
All Twanakha-Spilya could do was half-heartedly run, his legs feeling weaker than ever. He finally felt like the old man he was, weak, impotent, and incapable of doing much. Why, why is this happening? Why did the gods decide to grant me the worst curse of all while barely punishing my foolish half-brother?
As he pondered this sudden twist of events, Twanakha-Spilya slipped on a rock beneath the rising waters unforeseen in the darkness. His guardian spirit instantly sensed imminent death was upon him as in an instant Twanakha-Spilya collapsed to the ground and split his skull on a submerged cobblestone. The shouts of his guards and court faded to a loud roar. In his last moments he gazed up at the moon and clouds and wondered what might become of things. So here ends the Wayamese Empire, he thought. Here ends the world as we know it.
As darkness swallowed him, he thought he heard a coyote laughing and immediately knew the truth. A dream or not, he would never awake. The nightmare became reality.
---
Few things stand more sturdy than mountains or exist as constant as a great river. To even the oldest people alive, all of the landforms on Earth appear nearly the same at death as it did at birth. Yet although the surface of the world often takes millions of years to change, at times it may change overnight such as during a great volcanic eruption, the impact of a comet, or the collapse of mountains in a great landslide. These catastrophic events inevitably transform the environment of their region and at times reshape history itself.
The Imaru Plateau stands as a testimony to catastrophism and indeed, modern geological acceptance of catastrophism from geologists who studied this land [3]. Around 12,000 BC the great glacial lakes of the American Divides that formed in the Ice Age burst their banks via a catastrophic flood from the melting of ice that drowned these lands--lands formed 17-14 million years ago in a series of great eruptions--and scattered massive boulders, carved out vast new channels, and permanently changed the course of the great Imaru River. In this colossal flood, nearly 20 million cubic meters of water a second, over 10 times the flow of all rivers in the world, burst through these lands in the largest flood in history. The glacial lake took perhaps dozens of floods of this magnitude over perhaps 2,000 years before it finally drained [4].
Unlike many catastrophic events in Earth's history, humans witnessed these dramatic events. The common belief in Transformation, that is, a culture hero or god reshaping the world to be suitable to humans through his actions, no doubt reflects the chaotic geologic history of this region. The North Fusanian story of a global flood occurred in this context, where only through divine intervention are people able to find a high mountaintop to ride out the floods that drowned their world. North Fusanians believed the boulders (such as the sacred stone at Irame Falls) to be ancestors, historic enemies, or their animals and treated them as sacred objects with great power. The people living in this land in later times considered these events a critical part of their ancestry, important truths of their past that linked them to the present and carried them toward the future.
Human nature attributes disasters of unprecedented magnitude to divine forces acting upon the world for one reason or another. North Fusanians believed one great instance of this occurred in the year 1269, when Coyote took vengeance on the Pillar King of Wayam, Twanakha-Spilya, for his "innumerable perversions and foul witchcraft" according to 15th century historian Nch'iyaka of Wapaikht. According to Nch'iyaka, the use of black magic in a ritual so the Pillar King and his armies might walk on water freed the demon Naishtla from his prison beneath the Imaru where he swallowed Twanakha-Spilya and all his ministers along with the city of Wayam and its ancient Falls. Restraining Naishtla back in his prison proved so challenging that in the subsequent battle, the Grey Mountains started collapsing and the world began flooding. Only the prayers of the people convinced Coyote to halt the collapse of the mountains and drain the floodwaters, but Coyote refused to restore the landscape to its prior state as a reminder of the battle.
Numerous other myths regarding the fall of Wayam appear as early as the 15th century in the works of Fusanian historians. The most common of these aside from the battle against the demon Naishtla regards Twanakha-Spilya's wife (and allegedly half-sister), the witch Shapalp'ulit, attempting to cast a spell on the Imaru River as she often did to cause the Imaru Plateau to be as rainy as the country west of the Grey Mountains. Her foul ritual polluted the river to such a degree the spirit of the Imaru begged for help from Coyote. Coyote appeared on the opposite bank of the river, and asked Shapalp'ulit to cast a spell to create a bridge he might cross. Shapalp'ulit followed these instructions, whereupon her black magic caused a landslide that killed her and blocked the river, and drowned all of Wayam and cities upstream nearly as far as Chemna. Survivors of this begged Coyote for five years to remove the dam and restore the river, yet Coyote in his trickery punished the people by sending a massive flood downstream that allegedly killed 160,000 people from flood and famine.
Undoubtedly, the disaster led to the villification of Twanakha-Spilya in history and legend. The actual Twanakha-Spilya certainly existed, as archaeological evidence shows, and his campaigns for which evidence also exists likely reflect his ambitions to restore the decaying Wayamese Empire. He ruled during a challenging time for the Wayamese Empire, as the empire faced revolts from its vassals, a decaying bureaucracy, a great drought, and religious landscape shattered by the after-effects of the plagues from decades earlier.
No direct evidence exists for his sadism, deviance, or proclivity toward black magic and archaeology has failed to uncover mass graves anywhere near the size of Twanakha-Spilya's reported massacres. Evidence for immurement in Fusania only occurs in later centuries and only very sporadically, suggesting Twanakha-Spilya buried few (if any) alive. It seems likely history enshrined him as a villain and attributed to him all manner of shocking immorality as a means of rationalising why such a great disaster occurred. Later Fusanian states starting with Chemna further had obvious reason to villify Twanakha-Spilya given their enmity toward him and need to legitimise themselves.
The historical basis of this event lies in the collapse of the face of Mount Kamanyaku [5], a kilometer-high mountain overlooking the Imaru Gorge. This gives the disaster it's common names of the Great Kamanyaku Landslide or Great Kamanyaku Flood. Consisting of volcanic basalt overlaying more erodable rocks, the mountain is prone to landslides, as are nearby mountains. In the mid-13th century (traditionally dated to February 18, 1269), this mountain face collapsed and spilled a vast amount of rock into the Imaru River that piled into a dam 80 meters high. The great Imaru River backed up at this spot as far as the Waruna Gap [6], forming a long and deep lake over 250 kilometers long that drowned the city of Wayam and much of the heartland of the Wayamese Empire.
The cause of this landslide remains unknown, as no accounts mention an earthquake (aside from that caused by the landslide itself) and no known volcanic eruptions occurred at this time. It seems likely then that a natural failure, perhaps triggered by a sudden rainstorm, forced the fall of Mount Kamanyaku. Once the mountain started sliding, a cascading failure resulted and the mountain collapsed into the river. Some researchers blame deforestation and the construction of qanats and terraces for the collapse of Kamanyaku based on the economy of the wealthy Imaru Gorge which traditionally exported much charcoal to the more arid east and large herds of reindeer, moose, and towey goats grazed the slopes. All of these human activities over the course of centuries increased the risk of a catastrophic landslide.
After the landslide, the vast quantity of water transported by the Imaru River quickly backed up against the dam and began the formation of the reservoir termed Lake Kamanyaku. Every riverside settlement behind the dam flooded and smaller streams expanded into the new bays and coves of this lake. Within hours, the rising water reached the ancient Falls of Wayam and the great city around them and soon enough drowned both of them, destroying that ancient city. For weeks, the waters continued rising in the Imaru Basin and submerged other prominent cities like the religious center of Taksasam and the prominent city of Imatelam. Not a single riverside community survived this flooding as the river rose over a hundred meters and drowned all but the highest terraces.
After several months, the water eventually ceased rising not far past the Waruna Gap, a natural water gap formed by the Imaru cutting through ancient basaltic hills located about 40 kilometers downstream from Chemna. The heartland of the Wayamese Empire and the land people and their ancestors knew for over ten thousand year now lay many meters beneath the waters of the long Lake Kamanyaku. On the surface of this lake floated the many possessions people could not take with them, the bodies of animals unable to escape to high ground, and the bodies of those few unfortunate to be trapped in the flooding itself.
Few people died as a direct result of the landslide and flood, as at any given location the waters rose over the course of hours and left ample opportunity for escape to high ground, with one notable exception allegedly being the Pillar King Twanakha-Spilya himself whom the spirits of the Imaru dragged into the river. Yet the damage was immense as the flooding submerged vast amounts of agricultural land, killed much livestock, and destroyed innumerable villages and cities. Perhaps up to 200,000 people were displaced by the creation of Lake Kamanyaku.
The flooding destroyed practically every granary along the river and submerged all but a few areas of terraced land. The lake and dam formed a great barrier to travel and communication through the Imaru Gorge and impeded imports of food from the west. Naturally, these conditions quickly brought about a great famine in the Imaru Basin as there was little food to be had. Entire clans sold themselves into slavery to the powerful nishaiktish landowners in hopes they might be able to feed themselves. Disease spread rapidly in the hastily erected shelters while others froze to death in them during the frigid winter as they experienced difficulties finding firewood. Thousands upon thousands turned to banditry or offered their services as mercenaries to the nishaiktish or other princes, leading to a renewed outbreak of violence.
The forces led by the claimant to the position of Pillar King, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt, benefitted greatly from the Kamanyaku Landslide. Having refounded Chemna months prior with the 400 men (and presumably their wives and children) who fled the city with him, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt and his ally, the prophet Hawlaakmikakya, played up the disaster for everything it was worth. They sent out messengers with totem sticks that declared Twanakha-Spilya received divine punishment as befitting his usurpation and cruelty and proclaimed the righteousness of their cause was proven through the floodwaters ceasing before they engulfed the city of Chemna. With their numerous mercenaries, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt gained the allegiance of much of the Tabachiri Valley and mid-Imaru.
Many people displaced by the flood gathered under the Chemnese ruler's protection at the head of this lake just beyond the Waruna Gap where the Waruna River joined the Imaru. They erected a new town that immediately swelled to become a sizable center in Fusania, absorbing and borrowing the small village of Waluula. Other refugees traveled further upstream to Chemna or other cities nearby and aided in the restoration of these areas devastated by Twanakha-Spilya's invasion. Still other refugees re-established their flooded villages on higher ground.
As for Wayam itself, the rising waters spared only the Upper City of Wayam, including the high walls of the city. Archaeological remains from this era show evidence of a great fire throughout both sides of the Upper City prior to its abandonment, suggesting civil disorder and violence. According to Nch'iyaka, the area around Wayam "did become the domain of thieves," suggesting the site was subject to looting while its strategic location served as a camp for bandits. The residents of Wayam fled the city, migrating to towns and villages elsewhere.
This event likely destroyed the Ihlakhluit Namals as a separate people. Centered around the city of Nikhluidikh and the Wayamese quarter of Itsagitkkhoq, they maintained their cohesion as a separate people from the Aipakhpam despite centuries of acculturation. With the destruction of both cities (and practically all of their villages) by the rising waters, Ihlakhluit culture rapidly blended with the neighbouring Shakhlatksh Namals and Aipakhpam whom they sheltered alongside. Gaiyuchul in Saga of the Peoples of the World states the following on the Ihlakhluit:
"The Ihlakhluit artisans hold as the gravest insult those who deride their works as Shakhlatksh for although all but the eldest speak like the Shakhlatksh they hold their works as authentically Ihlakhluit. So many of their ancestors perished in the aftermath of the fall ofOld Wayam two centuries ago yet the Ihlakhluit scream unto the world their continued persistance. Yet I must wonder how the culture of Ihlakhluit in the time of the old Wayamese Empire differed from the Ihlakhluit of our own time."
For some period of time (traditionally five years), the landslide dam held, taming the flow of the Imaru downstream. Yet the dam proved even more unstable than the mountain and the vast amount of water behind it ate away at its stability. In spring 1274, the dam collapsed and released a vast torrent of water downstream. Floodwaters over thirty meters deep destroyed the cities at the western end of the gorge such as Ayayash and Swapapani as over 220,000 cubic meters of water a second gushed forth through the Imaru Gorge, around six times as much water as the greatest natural floods of the Imaru River with floodwaters twice as high [7]. The downstream cities of the Lower Imaru suffered massive devastation within hours as the floodwaters destroyed everything in their path, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
This added to the tragedy of the Shakhlatksh Namals who inhabited the Imaru Gorge. Already nearly half of their land lay underwater, and their refugees fought a bitter war with the Grey Mountains Dena for their very survival. The vast floodwaters destroyed the remainder of the Shakhlatksh towns and within an hour killed thousands of people. While those east of the dam largely survived, the western Shakhlatksh largely perished in this raging flood. The Chemnese invaded the Imaru Gorge in 1275 at the invitation of the Shakhlatksh and helped the eastern Shakhlatksh secure their rule over the entire Imaru Gorge, where they invited new settlers from the west and created the roots for a new Shakhlatksh culture.
Further downstream, this great flood of 1274 caused displacement and famine akin to that suffered in the mid-Imaru five years prior as a vast torrent of water swamped much farmland in the Lower Imaru and destroyed countless towns. The flood burst forth from the dam with incredible strength and speed that precious little time to escape to higher ground. The death toll remains unknown, yet likely more than 50,000 died from the flooding alone.
Yet this flooding was a one-time event, and people returned to their homes as the floodwaters drained out to the Pacific. The ensuing famine, although less damaging than the famine in the east, still caused much misery. Mercenary bands swelled with new recruits enabling wealthy landowners and prefectural leaders to raise armies of a considerable size. These armies were used to resist the Chemnese Empire's attempted reconquest and settle local disputes. More clever rulers, however, used their refugee soldiers, peasants, and slaves primarily for defense and employing their use as corvee labour to repair and improve their lands.
The remains of the former landslide dam obstructed the river and formed a noisy series of rapids where once the river flowed clearly. Later generations called them the Great Rapids of the Imaru, as they were the first major obstruction in the river as one traveled upstream. These rapids prevented navigation upstream or downstream, forcing travelers to portage around them and denying an easy passage from Wayam to the sea. Towns sprouted up around these rapids and charged travelers fees to aid them in portaging around the newly formed cascades. The surviving Shakhlatksh and those who migrated to the Gorge thus found their geopolitical position more enhanced than ever.
This catastrophic event brought about one benefit--the return of vast amounts of salmon to the middle and upper Imaru basin. Thousands of years ago, the Imaru's channel eroded so deep past the Falls of Wayam that it much reduced the number of salmon migrating upstream and practically eliminated them during times of low water flow. Although the lake drained with the breaching of the dam, much of the rubble remained underwater and raised the surface of the river. Alongside the new series of rapids, this formed a natural fish ladder that permitted the migration of fish upstream.
For the people of the Imaru Basin in the late 1270s, the bountiful harvests of salmon proved miraculous. Areas where few salmon regularly appeared now took vast quantities of the fish every season. Trading centers at major rapids like P'nma and Shonitkwu now boasted of harvesting greater amounts of salmon than ever before [8]. This greatly aided the recovery from the famine, drought, and disasters of prior decades and in the long-term brought about a great demographic increase in the Mid-Imaru.
The peoples of the Imaru considered this event miraculous and attributed many stories to it. Chiyatsuru historian Ch'iyikst claims that as a reward for the resistance many Chiyatsuru along with the Chemnese showed to Twanakha-Spilya, Coyote not only broke the dam and permitted the salmon to return but he instructed them to return in far greater numbers than ever before. The 18th century Chemnese historian Luts'anahui K'usinmitlamtikh claimed the death of Twanakha-Spilya and moving of the seat of the Pillar King to Chemna convinced more salmon to move further up the river.
The greatest impact fell upon the Imaru Gorge, where once people returned to the area they thrived as never before. The obstructions caused by remnants of the dam produced incredible sites for salmon fishing. The river's obstructions forced all travelers to portage around the rapids, enabling the reborn Shakhlatksh people to enact even greater tolls. Local nobles constructed an imposing fortress on a high rock at the foot of the rapids called Nimishkhaya while at the head of the Cascades stood the great fortress of Katlawayakhikh. These cities and their aggressive rulers replaced Swapapani and Wimahlgikshat (whose resettlements failed to re-establish their power) as part of the Five Cities of the Passage.
The return of salmon likely saved the institution of the Pillar King from being totally discredited after the disasters of the mid-13th century. History recounts figures called the Twenty Disciples, five in each directional quadrant, traveling the land under the leadership of the prophet and philosopher Hawlaakmikakya of P'nma. Their message preached temperance, balance, and morality, and claimed that the morality of the Pillar King, Chmaakwanmi-Wats'ukt of Chemna, brought about this bountiful harvest of salmon.
Although the lineage of Pillar Kings persisted due to the tenacity of the Chemnese, the grievous damage caused by the Kamanyaku Landslide remained in the Imaru Basin for a generation to come. Out of perhaps 2 million people living in that region, reputedly 160,000 people perished from either flood or famine, marking a nadir in the demographics and economics of the area. The warfare and banditry caused by these conditions added to the miserable situation in the region and left with the Chemnese with an arduous task ahead of them.
With the great economic damage and massive displacement, realms beyond the Imaru Basin felt the impact just as heavily. Trade networks suffered great disruptions from the loss of so many goods produced in Wayam and neighbouring cities. Some displaced refugees traveled far from home as slaves, mercenaries, or simply bands of pastoralists or foragers, influencing the fates of regions far beyond the Imaru Basin. There is no doubt that thanks to the Great Kamanyaku Flood, the history of the Far Northwest, South Fusania, the Oasisamerica, and even further beyond in North America lay forever changed, changed to a greater degree than perhaps any other event second to the emergence of agriculture in Fusania.
---
Author's notes
Author's notes
This landslide damming the Columbia River occurred OTL and produced pretty much these exact same effects! Wayam did indeed become "Atlantis on the riverside." This is known as the Bonneville Slide, or the "Bridge of the Gods", and perhaps even moreso IOTL it reshaped the entire Columbia Plateau and caused a greater reliance on salmon thanks to enabling sizable populations to spawn beyond Celilo Falls.
The date this landslide occurred is usually cited as around 1450 based on all manner of dating methods from archaeology to lichenology to dendrochronology. I chose the earlier date (which a few still argue for on the basis of several factors, including archaeology) for story reasons. I justify this alteration of an otherwise geological POD because the much greater number of people in the region combined with deforestation and qanat building would undermine the mountainside and bring about an earlier collapse. Likewise, it's unknown how long it took for the lake to drain, but I chose five years thanks to the symbolism that number has in these cultures.
I was particularly excited to write this chapter because to my knowledge it is without precedent in human history. Landslide dams have failed and caused massive floods (the largest flood of this sort, somewhat larger than this disaster, occurred in 1841 on the Indus River in modern Pakistan), but the formation of the lake itself usually only forces a few remote communities to evacuate. Not in this case, where Wayam itself and its core territory becomes a riverine Atlantis! This event would be so dramatic to the people living there (far, far more than OTL given the vast differences in lifestyle) that it could only be perceived in mythological terms. The modern equivalent in Western civilisation would be something like aliens showing up and deciding to punish us or perhaps the events in the Book of Revelation literally happening.
As I said, this will be my last chapter for a while since I'm a bit burnt out and am turning toward other personal projects, but I do plan on completing a map or two for this and eventually I will get to the next set of chapters that will cover South Fusania and the rest of North America, including Mesoamerica and Greenland. And I'll always of course be around to answer questions or discuss the world of my TL.
[1] - A riff on Twanakha-Spilya's name, "Follows the Coyote"
[2] - The Aipakhpam believe that in mythological times the demon Naishtla swallowed every object in the world before Coyote crippled the demon from the inside and chained Naishtla in a hole in the Imaru River. Note that this isn't an eschatological belief of the Aipakhpams, simply a disaster that could happen like any others
[3] - Essentially an ATL version(s) of J. Harlan Bretz who first proposed the idea of the Columbia Plateau having been shaped by megafloods, an extremely controversial idea in its time.
[4] - This is referring to the Missoula Floods from Glacial Lake Missoula.
[5] - Mount Kamanyaku is Table Mountain in Washington, which alongside Greenleaf Mountain is the source of the landslide. Its name derives from a small Namal village in the center of the rubble called Sk'maniak.
[6] - The Waruna Gap is the Wallula Gap
[7] - That is, floods caused by rainwater. IOTL the largest recorded flood of the Columbia River occurred in 1894 and it's likely a "natural" flood like this could not be too much larger (at least within the climate of the past few millennia).
[8] - In earlier chapters written before I read enough on of the full scope of the Bridge of the Gods landslide, I overexaggerated the fishing potential of these areas. It certainly existed, but OTL archaeology shows it was nowhere near as prominent before the mid-2nd millennium when the Bridge of the Gods landslide permitted far more salmon to migrate upstream. I was uncertain how to work this into the narrative when I discovered it (and was considering having a "lesser" landslide around 600-700 or so) but I think it works better this way. All of these cities would still be important given they're natural chokepoints of the river.
That's a lotta damage. Really love the use of an OTL geological event.
So Wayam remains underwater? Oof, that's a lot of corrosion-- and this is one of Fusania's oldest cities, a big loss for archaeology. Although maybe there could be a substantial industry of divers in the new lakeside towns trying to recover treasures, or creating fake "Wayamese wares".
This area seems very very dependent on food imports-- is that something the Hillmen could cater to, selling dried meat from the hunts and deer/goat herds? Although maybe it's the Coastmen who can better meet the demand. What do the Fusanians use as fertilizer? The Japanese went through a phase of using crushed sardine-cakes before switching to soy.
So Wayam remains underwater? Oof, that's a lot of corrosion-- and this is one of Fusania's oldest cities, a big loss for archaeology. Although maybe there could be a substantial industry of divers in the new lakeside towns trying to recover treasures, or creating fake "Wayamese wares".
This area seems very very dependent on food imports-- is that something the Hillmen could cater to, selling dried meat from the hunts and deer/goat herds? Although maybe it's the Coastmen who can better meet the demand. What do the Fusanians use as fertilizer? The Japanese went through a phase of using crushed sardine-cakes before switching to soy.
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From what I can gather, the lake drained out in that big flood? So Wayam should no longer be underwater, especially as parts of it seem to have remained above water
The good part is that a rising lake would collapse the wooden houses (many of which have basements by this point) and potentially trigger small additional landslides from local earthquakes (induced seismicity, commonly caused by reservoirs filling) knocking the dirt and soil from the terraces onto the underwater ruins of the city. So a decent amount would get buried. Corrosion is less of a risk than elsewhere since the dominant metals used at Wayam are copper, arsenical bronze, and precious metals.
It also helps too that the lake is only there for five years before said induced seismicity and other natural stresses eat away at the landslide dam. As for who moves into the area, that's a subject for a later update.
Dried meat as well as wild plants/nuts gathered from high altitude would be a trade good that's very helpful in this time, yes. After quite a while of being pushed back by the lowlanders, it's a welcome reprieve to the Hillmen to have the lowlanders at their mercy (except for those displaced who try and intrude on their territory with their own herds).
Fertiliser varies, but includes animal dung, fishmeal, and ashes from charcoal production.
Yes, the lake drained, but Wayam and every single riverside settlement for about 50 kilometers downstream and 200 kilometers upstream is pretty much rubble. A lot of surviving settlements in the area fell victim to internal revolt, civil disorder, or attacks from bandits. The only advantage it has over being virgin land is that there's a lot of rotting trees that can be used for wood (which is OTL, since there were remains of trees killed by the lake noted by Lewis and Clark 350 years later and not removed until the Bonneville Dam was built in the 1930s) and that it's easier to repair a terrace or qanat than it is to carve out a new one.
@Arkenfolm you've made such a rich TL here. Only read up till start of page 6 and it's taken me hours to read just some of it.
Eparkhos
Banned
I've finally caught up with this again, so now I'll have to wait for updates too. Just like to say that it's without a doubt one of my favorite timelines and I'm eagerly awaiting the next update. For now, I do have one question for @Arkenfolm: Which sources did you make the most use of in the prewriting?
Thank you!
Demographics certainly will be rather bad for another generation, but things are improving with the lessening drought (the late 13th century drought that devastated the Puebloans was much more mild in the Northwest). A few areas, even in the Plateau, are more peaceful since far enough away from Chemna and the mid-Imaru that they don't have anywhere near as bad of a refugee crisis and won't have to deal with the Chemnese trying to usurp the powers of the local government they've grown accustomed to living under. Warfare would be endemic, but usually wouldn't even approach the level of gathering up all the fit men from entire villages, handing them a weapon, and ordering them around. There still are many functional--or "dormant"--dams and canals, including the dam complex of Laatlatash and the Laatlatashmi reservoir which cost the Wayamese a huge amount of manpower and labour and is akin to the builders of the Marib Dam (it is shorter, but longer) attempting to replicate elements of the 20th century Columbia Basin project.
I'll cover the "revived Chemnese Empire" and the political, social, and economic conditions of its era in a later chapter once I finish up the rest of North America.
Here's a secret about this TL: I didn't do much prewriting at all (other than things I decided "should" happen which was mostly limited to Gaiyuchul's backstory and the Ringitsu) and my prewriting sources were limited mostly to facts I remembered from other TLs (mostly Lands of Red and Gold and Lands of Ice and Mice), stuff I read in college (not much, but it informed my perspective), and discussions here (ones I've participated in and ones I just lurked) along with Wikipedia and whatever I could find linked there. Pretty much everything in the first 10 chapters I researched on the fly searching in Google Books before I got into my current method of research (and most importantly, built up enough critical mass in terms of sources and knowledge gained). A few sources from this time were blogs from scholars in the field, other sources were about a century old like Curtis's The North American Indian (which is still considered a good anthropology source in many ways despite being dated) or other public domain resources. Language sources came from a big folder on MEGA I had found years ago that collected a bunch of documentation of all sorts of global languages.
It's not something I'd do again, honestly, but before I posted this I'd been wanting to get a TL written for over a month and the urge struck me to get it over with and research for each chapter on the fly. If I needed an OTL fact to inform how a culture would act in a given situation or their religion or language, I searched for it, tried to get the context of the information, and added it in (hey, it worked in college after all). That's why the Smithsonian's Handbook of North American Indians was so useful to this TL (even if I only ever found the two volumes for the Inuit and the California natives online in full, along with others not as relevant to the TL) since it perfectly fits my style of research. I still do that and haven't read a single book cover to cover for this TL (although I've read decently long papers in full), but now that I have access to more books (thanks to getting better at hunting down sources) I have access to more information and do read more. But yeah, I wouldn't ever write a TL this way again since in a lot of ways it boxed me in and didn't let me play with a lot of interesting things I learned later.
This isn't a total list of sources, but it shows how I researched it. The earlier in the list it is, the earlier I found it.